November 1, 2020 3:35:06 am

Written by Vinaya Rakkhita Mahathera

On October 14, 1956, along with his 5 lakh followers, Dr B R Ambedkar went to the refuge of The Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. Committed as he was to rationality and empiricism, he was attracted to Buddhisms rational outlook tuned with morality and further strengthened by scientific temper. Its teaching of equality and solidarity, and its emphasis on transforming both the self and the world through self-effort attracted him.

Ambedkar was the brightest thunderbolt of intellect elicited from the darkest storm of casteism. Therefore, the followers of Ambedkar, the Ambedkarites, must emulate their leader and should give up the repeated labelling of themselves as suppressed class. By repeating such labels, they are giving an auto-suggestion that they are suppressed and therefore can do nothing except to look for help from someone up there in the sky or may be waiting for another Ambedkar or Buddha to arrive to relieve them.

Today we should reflect together on the predicament in which the Ambedkarites find themselves. On the one hand, they confront the exploitation they continue to suffer in a casteist society that refuses to acknowledge them as equals; on the other, they can be manipulated by an opportunist Dalit political style that has turned Ambedkar into an icon but betrays his ideals in practice of Buddhism. One is ready to take the political reservations earned by him but not his religion, Buddhism, when he himself has said that to serve Buddhism is to serve humanity.

Ambedkarites should have self-confidence and believe in self-effort to gain self-respect. Ambedkarites should try to be like Ambedkar of high moral character, highly educated, self-confident and believing in self-effort.

One may ask why Ambedkar left Hinduism. To which Ambedkar himself says: I thought for long that we could rid the Hindu society of its evils and get the depressed classes incorporated into it on terms of equality Experience has taught me better. I stand today absolutely convinced that for the depressed classes there can be no equality among the Hindus because on inequality rest the foundations of Hinduism.

Most of the Hindu leaders are hypocrites who profess to fight casteism while in reality are committed to its rules. Brahminical bureaucrats who claim to have democratic ideas wish to raise the backward castes but crave nothing better than an oligarchy for themselves. Untouchability and inequality cannot be removed if education produces only slavish and selfish-minded leaders. Moreover, how can we gain anything by staying in the caste system?

Buddhism has been in the service of the poor and the oppressed. The Buddhas teachings are based on this fact called suffering, the cause for suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path leading to the cessation of suffering. This is the reason why Ambedkar chose The Buddha. The Manuvadis want to keep the masses in the casteist religion so that they can go on exploiting them.

Ambedkars call for conversion to Buddhism has been ignored and deliberately marginalised by his own community leaders with few exceptions. It is interesting that Ambedkar fought for the rights of Dalits and had a broader vision, which couldnt be inculcated by post-Ambedkar Ambedkarites. He wanted to give his people an identity so that they get out of the varna system but here, what we see is the stimulation of the culture of varna and caste among the Dalits.

If only constitutional guarantees would have been sufficient, Ambedkar would have rested in peace. He would never have spent years of his life even in bad health, digging out Buddhism from oblivion.

The segmented morality endemic to Hinduism is oppressive to those who suffer under it. Both uneducated and educated Dalits seems to vacillate between two discourses. On one hand they praise Ambedkar as the symbol of the Dalit movement for his conversion to Buddhism and on the other, they themselves stick to their old casteist life.

The writer is a Bahujan Ambedkarite associated with Alok Sangharam Mahavira.

Suraj Yengde, author of Caste Matters, curates the fortnightly Dalitality column

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Ambedkar showed the way, others must follow - The Indian Express

Oct. 31 (UPI) October will have its second full moon a rare Blue Moon beginning Saturday and lasting through Sunday.

The moon appears at its fullest, opposite the sun in earth-based longitude, at 10:49 a.m. EDT on Saturday, according to NASA. It should appear full through Sunday night.

The first full moon after the Harvest Moon which appeared Oct. 1 this year is also called the Hunters Moon, according to the Farmers Almanac, a moniker that appears in the Oxford English Dictionary dating back to 1710.

This full moon will appear smaller Saturday night because it occurs nearest to the time when the moon is farthest in its orbit from the Earth, at its apogee, so NASA calls it a Micro Moon as opposed to a Supermoon.

In astronomical terms, Blue Moons occur with a regular pattern about once every two and a half years. After October 2020, the next Blue Moon will take place in August 2023. A full moon will occur on Halloween once every 19 years in the 21st century.

The Native American name for the second full moon of autumn is the Beaver Moon, also called the Frost or Frosty Moon, or the Snow Moon, NASA says.

In North America, the deer rut mating season is in full swing and snow geese arrive at the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland and southern Delaware. The Old Farmers Almanac says its best to plant garlic and dig up sweet potatoes during the Hunters Moon.

In the Indian subcontinent, this full moon coincides with the end of monsoon rains, and is called the Sharad Purnima, coinciding with Hindu festivals marking the end of the rainy season.

Buddhist names for the full moon mark the end of Vassa, or the three-month retreat also called the Buddhist Lent.

The full moon falls near the end of the Buddhist Hpaung Daw U festival in Myanmar and Indochina which lasts between Oct. 17 and Nov. 3. In Thailand, this full moon coincides with the Loi Krathong festival, in which decorated baskets are floated in rivers.

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Halloween weekends Blue Moon to last through Sunday - Gephardt Daily

In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, many people who have elderly parents will share the sentiment below:

Things that make the heart lurch with anxiety: When a parent looks out of sorts, and remarks that theyre not feeling well. This particularly worries you to distraction when youve been hearing panicky tales of plague sweeping the land.

You may be surprised to learn that this plangent quote comes from a text written more than 1,000 years ago by a Japanese author and court lady named Sei Shnagon.

The medieval Japanese experienced crises that inflicted tragedies and unexpected deaths on many ordinary people. In his essay Hjki, for instance, the 13th-century author and poet Kamo no Chmei vividly describes sorrows and affliction suffered by citizens in Kyoto, who experienced a series of disasters such as great fires, whirlwinds, famines, earthquakes and plagues.

In the west, life-threatening crises are often considered challenges to religious faith how can we believe that there is an all-powerful and all-loving god if there is so much pain and suffering in the world? This is the problem of evil for believers in the Judeo-Christian tradition.

Medieval thinkers in Japan also contemplated crises within a religious framework but their perspective was radically distinct. They regarded sudden and tragic deaths in crises as exemplifications of impermanence ( muj), which is, along with suffering ( ku) and non-self ( muga), one of three marks of existence according to Buddhism.

Chmei writes, for example, that deaths in the midst of crises are reminders that we are impermanent and ephemeral beings comparable to tiny floating bubbles in a ceaseless stream of water flowing down a river.

How did the medieval Japanese react to disasters and tragedies? Interestingly enough, some of their responses are similar to our reactions to the COVID-19 crisis.

Chmeis response to disasters and tragedies was to become a hermit, which is comparable to the self-isolation approach that has been recommended for the global pandemic. Chmei maintains that the best way to live peacefully is to stay away from any potential danger and live in isolation. He chose to live a simple life in a tiny ten square-foot house in the mountains. He writes:

Small it may be, but there is a bed to sleep on at night, and a place to sit in the daytime. The hermit crab prefers a little shell for his home. He knows what the world holds. The osprey chooses the wild shoreline, and this is because he fears mankind. And I too am the same. Knowing what the world holds and its ways, I desire nothing from it, nor chase after its prizes. My one craving is to be at peace, my one pleasure to live free of troubles.

tomo no Tabito, an eighth-century court noble and poet, provides a sharp contrast to Chmei. His approach to disasters and tragedies is hedonism. He is reminiscent of people today who wilfully eschew self-isolation and instead throw parties without fearing the pandemic. One of Tabitos waka poems reads:

Living people Will eventually die. Such are we, so While in this world Lets have fun!

By having fun, Tabito means enjoying alcoholic drink. In fact, the above poem is among his Thirteen Poems in Praise of Sake. Tabito presents his hedonism as a form of anti-intellectualism. He says that people who seek wisdom but do not drink are ugly and that he does not care if he will reincarnate as an insect or a bird as long as he can have fun in his current life.

On the face of it, hermits and hedonists live in diametrical opposition to one another. Yet both firmly accept the Buddhist view of impermanence. Hermits think that the best way to live our ephemeral existence is to eliminate unnecessary worries through self-isolation their interest is not in increasing pleasure but in minimising worries. Hedonists think that the best way to live our ephemeral existence is to enjoy ourselves as much as possible their interest is not in minimising worries but in maximising pleasure.

Which approach is more commendable? From a Buddhist viewpoint, hermitism is clearly better because Buddhism teaches its adherents to relinquish all worldly concerns. By detaching themselves from civilisation, hermits can pursue equanimity ( sha), a perfectly balanced mental state free of emotional disturbances. This can be cultivated to advance one along the way towards nirvana.

Hedonism is not, on the other hand, commendable because it only amplifies our worldly concerns. Hedonists cannot reach nirvana because they try to forget about impermanence only by intoxicating themselves.

Yet self-isolation may have its own shortcomings. Saigy Hshi, a 12th-century poet and Buddhist monk who also pursued hermitism, writes:

And vow renouncement of the world but cannot let it go Some who have never taken vows Do cast the world away.

Saigy is criticising himself in this waka poem. He wonders if a hermit like himself is really better than ordinary people. He worries that in making such a radical move as renouncing the world and living in isolation he has revealed a stronger attachment to the world than ordinary people have. Ordinary people living ordinary lives sometimes appear less concerned about worldly desires than reflective intellectuals like himself.

COVID-19 is certainly a new phenomenon and has presented new personal crises and worries which individuals must face. Yet classical literature reminds us that people in the past also experienced crises and catastrophes, forcing them to ponder how we should live.

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Coronavirus: medieval Japanese thinkers had similar reactions to plagues isolate or party - The Conversation UK

Top of mind for voters in 2020 is how to spark Americas economy as it struggles to rebound from COVID-19, yet the stakes go well beyond recovery. Our government faces a historic opportunity to rethink ways to promote prosperity for the long haul.

Bipartisan legislation recently introduced in Congress, calling for targeted government support of technology, holds tremendous promise for reversing a trend toward what is increasingly becoming a nation of haves and have nots.

For the past 50 years, the boom in U.S. technology has been most pronounced in so-called superstar cities on the coasts, places such as San Francisco, Seattle and Boston. Just five of the top innovation centers in the United States have generated a staggering 90 percent of innovation-sector growth.

The result has been soaring incomes and abundant jobs in those cities, while wide swaths of the country remain neglected, fueling income inequality. At the same time, people living in booming cities have suffered prohibitive living costs, declining quality of life, and social problems such as homelessness that have befuddled their politicians.

We have an opportunity to fix this.

The Brookings Institution has argued that a targeted federal effort could transform heartland metro areas into centers of economic expansion. Their economists concluded last year that government investment is needed to break the cycle where innovation-based companies tend to congregate near each other in pursuit of talent and hothouse thinking.

There is evidence that such bold acts can work. Seventy-five years ago, Vannevar Bush authored one of the most pivotal reports in U.S. history: Science The Endless Frontier. The policies based upon his call for investing in innovation propelled the United States to become the undisputed leader in many scientific fields. But recently, amid fierce global competition, we have started to lose this edge.

Inspired by this postwar victory, Sens. Chuck SchumerChuck SchumerHouse Democrats introduce bill to invest 0 billion in STEM research and education Graham dismisses criticism from Fox Business's Lou Dobbs Lewandowski: Trump 'wants to see every Republican reelected regardless of ... if they break with the president' MORE (D-N.Y.) and Todd YoungTodd Christopher YoungRepublicans: Supreme Court won't toss ObamaCare Vulnerable Republicans break with Trump on ObamaCare lawsuit Senate GOP eyes early exit MORE (R-Ind.), along with Reps. Ro KhannaRohit (Ro) KhannaHouse Democrats introduce bill to invest 0 billion in STEM research and education Biden says he opposes Supreme Court term limits Dozens of legal experts throw weight behind Supreme Court term limit bill MORE (D-Calif.) and Mike GallagherMichael (Mike) John GallagherActors union blasts Democrat for criticizing GOP lawmaker's wife Federal commission issues recommendations for securing critical tech against Chinese threats Government watchdog recommends creation of White House cyber director position MORE (R-Wis.), introduced the Endless Frontier Act in May, legislation to invest $100 billion in 10 tech opportunities. New investment in the most promising technological areas think artificial intelligence, quantum computing and advanced manufacturing has the potential to boost the American economy and promote key areas of national interest.

Critical to this approach will be ensuring that the benefits of federal investment are spread across the country, not just along the coasts, which is why the Endless Frontier Act includes money for 10 regional technology hubs. No place in the country offers a greater payoff for this type of government investment than the Badger Belt, a string of Wisconsin communities across a state filled with abundant natural resources, world-class universities, and hard-working families.

Wisconsin can be the centerpiece of a revitalized American heartland. We earned our nickname in the 19th century when pioneers were moving west. A few industrious souls burrowed into the Midwestern soil as miners, making Wisconsin their home and eventually turning the state into an innovative powerhouse. Todays Badgers are just as industrious and even more diverse.

Our initial focus begins with a segment of the Badger Belt anchored in Madison. Like the supercities, we have a powerhouse university that puts tremendous effort into transferring ideas into real-world technologies. We are a national leader in stem cell research and digital health technology. Madison also has a young, educated professional workforce and was identified by Moodys as one of the top 10 cities to weather the pandemic crisis.

The Brookings report last year called for 10 more Madisons, but we need all of Wisconsin to get this right. Most importantly, we are able to draw on the manufacturing heritage of communities along Lake Michigan, from Green Bay to Milwaukee to Kenosha, and the incredible potential such partnerships provide.

Progress on the Endless Frontiers Act has faltered, in part because of the pandemic-related turmoil and tight budgets of 2020. Congressmen Gallagher and Khanna continue to advocate for this legislation; they know reinvigorating this discussion must be a priority for the incoming Congress.

Political and industry leaders alike should endorse this bold first step toward broadening economic growth in the United States. This kind of targeting funding, when combined with other efforts such as workforce development, tax and regulatory benefits, business financing, and infrastructure support, could transform vital centers for economic growth.

The strength of American ingenuity once belonged to the American Midwest. With a smart technology policy from Washington, we are ready to take it back.

Erik Iverson is CEO of the nonprofit Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, which manages the transfer of technology and innovation coming out of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The foundation would not directly benefit from the Endless Frontier Act, though the universitys researchers could be among those applying for grants.

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Reestablishing American prosperity by investing in the 'Badger Belt' | TheHill - The Hill

The New Construction Will Provide Housing, a Grocery and a Health Clinic

Governor Tom Wolf today announced that Commonwealth Cornerstone Group has completed a New Markets Tax Credit transaction of $16.5 million to help fund construction of a new shopping complex and 98 mixed-income units of rental housing along the 2000-2200 block of Ridge Avenue in North Philadelphia.

The 231,000-square-foot commercial shopping complex already has four major tenants lined up to begin business when construction is completed. They include a Grocery Outlet Market, an Everest Urgent Care/Adult Daycare center, a Santander Bank branch office, and a Wingstop restaurant. Some square footage remains for lease by other retailers. Three apartment buildings will be constructed as part of the mixed-use center offering mixed-income housing, including 17 units at 60 percent of area median income and an additional 13 units at 80 percent of area median income.

The mix of commercial and residential tenants, paired with the improved streetscape, is part of a revitalization effort led by the Philadelphia Housing Authority to reinvigorate the Sharswood neighborhood in North Philadelphia that has seen years of disinvestment.

This new development can help revitalize the Sharswood-Blumberg area of north Philadelphia, said Gov. Wolf. The investment of New Markets Tax Credits in this mixed-use development is a good first step to bring positive change.

Mosaic Development Partners and Shift Capital, two local community impact developers, led the effort along with the Philadelphia Housing Authority, which has been heavily involved in this development and has identified it as a community anchor in the Sharswood/Blumberg Neighborhood Transformation Plan. According to the plan, the economic revitalization of the Ridge Avenue corridor will provide basic amenities like a grocery store and a health care clinic to improve the quality of life there. That part of North Philadelphia currently is described as a food desert and a medically underserved area.

Investment is sorely needed to bring improvements in that part of North Philadelphia, said PHFA Executive Director and CEO Robin Wiessmann. The goal of Commonwealth Cornerstone Group is for these tax credits to bring a project to fruition that has tremendous potential to start positive momentum in the Sharswood-Blumberg area.

This project is expected to create 109 temporary, full-time construction jobs. Following construction, all the employers at the site will create 100 full-time equivalent jobs. The weighted average wage for all tenants is anticipated to be $13.40/hour. The MIT living wage for Philadelphia County is $12.64/hour. According to economic estimates, the projects construction costs will support 27 indirect jobs, and the businesses located at the site will support 28 indirect jobs.

This development is consequential to the revitalization of the Sharswood/Blumberg community, said Greg Reaves, principal, Mosaic Development Partners. Our team is thrilled to have Commonwealth Cornerstone Group make such a significant commitment, along with the other tax credit and private investors, to bring these essential services and high-quality housing to a community in need.

The goal of CCG, through its administration of New Markets Tax Credits, is to fund projects in key areas of communities that have historic or cultural value and offer opportunities to spark economic revitalization. CCG utilizes NMTCs to provide loans and equity investments for business expansion, mixed-use development, and community facilities across Pennsylvania. Examples of past developments that have benefited from CCGs investment of tax credits include Mill 19 at Almono in Pittsburgh, the Susquehanna Health Innovation Center in Williamsport and Eastern Tower in Philadelphia. Learn more at: commonwealthcornerstone.org.

The New Markets Tax Credit Program was established by Congress in 2000 to spur new or increased investments in operating businesses and real estate projects located in low-income communities. The NMTC Program attracts investment capital to low-income communities by permitting individual and corporate investors to receive a tax credit against their federal income tax return in exchange for making equity investments in specialized financial institutions called community development entities, such as Commonwealth Cornerstone Group. The program is administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

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Gov. Wolf Announces Investment of Tax Credits in North Philadelphia to Build Development - pa.gov

OLYMPIA, WA - Gov. Jay Inslee today announced the allocation of $24 million in Coronavirus Relief Funds to purchase approximately 64,000 computing devices for students across the state.

These devices will enable students to receive their education in the new COVID-19 remote learning environment. The first shipment of 20,000 devices is expected in the coming weeks.

Having their own device is vital to students and staff participating and succeeding in distance learning, Inslee said. The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown challenges at every Washingtonian, especially working families and students having the proper equipment to navigate their new educational reality shouldnt be one of those challenges.

At the beginning of the 20202021 school year, more than 95% of students in Washington began the year in remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, according to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and the nine regional educational service districts, approximately 64,000 students and school staff statewide do not currently have their own computing device or tablet.

Due to the impacts of COVID-19, the current manufacturing and global supply chain for computing devices is limited. Many districts that have devices on order have had their delivery dates pushed to six weeks, three months or more. And some districts just simply dont have enough CARES Act or local funding to make all the purchases necessary. Bulk procurement on the part of the state will help to bring devices to Washington more quickly and at a lower rate.

Devices must meet the needs of students and local districts, provide adequate technical specifications, and be available in the near-term at a competitive price. Due to the source of funding, devices must be received before the end of the year.

With most of our students learning from home right now, one critical need has been access to technology, said Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal. Since last spring, school districts across the state have deployed hundreds of thousands of laptops and tablets to students so they can learn remotely. Im grateful to the governors office for their partnership as we continue to close the digital divide.

While having a device is necessary to participate in distance learning, connectivity to the internet also poses a barrier to participating in remote learning. To help meet this need, OSPI has allocated $8.8 million in CARES Act funds to buy internet plans for 60,000 families who cannot afford them. In addition, the state has set up more than 600 WIFI hotspots across Washington, with the governor reviewing proposals to further speed up the state path to universal broadband connection.

The governor, along with Educational Service Districts and OSPI, will work to identify which districts will receive the first shipment of devices in early November.

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Inslee announces technology investment for Washington students and staff - NBC Right Now

The potential of 5G is already on the radar of investors around the world, with revenue from 5G wireless network infrastructure expected to reach $8.1 billion in 2020. That represents a 96% increase from 2019, according to Gartner, a research firm.

As COVID-19 continues its destructive path, many countries and regions around the world see 5G expansion as a pathway to economic recovery and growth. As a result, governments, private industry and investors are lining up to make the necessary investments to advance the infrastructure needed for 5G.

What was once seen as a longer-term play, 5G is blossoming in a period when it is needed most. So-called pioneer countries, including the United States, Japan, South Korea and China have already deployed the first high-band 5G networks in select major cities, according to a 2020 McKinsey report. Meanwhile, Apple recently unveiled its inaugural 5G phone lineup.

For these reasons, we believe the time is now to take advantage of this growing yet underappreciated trend. Across its supply chain, 5G is poised to make a significant impact, from the infrastructure powering the network to the equipment and retail service providers evolving their product suites to leverage its enhanced capabilities.

As the momentum around 5G grows, here are several ways investors can take advantage now:

Much of the current investment interest in 5G is centered on cellular communications towers. These macro towers remain the most cost-effective way to deploy wireless spectrum and they are in short supply in many areas.

In the U.S., there are about 150,000 towers, around 95% of which are owned by private operators. In Europe, there are about 350,000 towers and just 20% are privately owned. The number of towers in Europe is expected to grow to 450,000 sites by 2025, according to Morgan Stanley. Many countries, however, are starting with a much lower base. Mexico has just 33,000 while Brazil has only 61,000, according to JP Morgan research estimates.

We believe cell towers are the most attractive pure play to take advantage of 5G. For one, 5G requires more towers to operate effectively, and given the cost and complexity of siting, building and upgrading towers and other infrastructure, the barriers to entry are high. Once that infrastructure is in place, however, operating costs are relatively low, and the towers have a long operational life. We also appreciate the potential resilience of communications infrastructure given its presumed lower correlation and volatility compared with some other asset classes.

Most private cell-tower operators are traded on the stock market, and there are different ways to invest them. If youre looking for more mature, U.S.-based firms, Crown Castle International CCI, -0.95% and American Tower AMT, -0.86% generate strong dividends and stable growth, with American Tower also providing international exposure.

For a higher growth play, Spain-headquartered Cellnex Telecom CLNX, +3.02% continues to buy and consolidate tower portfolios in Europe, including recent acquisitions in Poland. Cellnex has consistently outperformed the stock market over the past two years, and given the opportunity for privatization in Europe, theres still room for growth.

Moving past cell tower companies and further down the supply chain, equipment operators and manufacturers are also poised to take advantage of the 5G boom. Semiconductors will be an integral part of the transition to 5G, and firms such as Broadcom AVGO, -1.51% and Samsung Electronics 005930, -2.58% that create chips for cell phones and other mobile devices stand to benefit as leading players in the space.

In addition to improving mobile and remote capabilities, offices, apartment buildings and public utilities such as airports and mass transit will be built and/or renovated with the latest 5G capabilities. Equipment suppliers such as Nokia NOK, +0.59% NOKIA, +3.20%, which has a strong foothold in the space, should expand its market share.

Among the largest beneficiaries of the 5G evolution will be the service providers and device manufacturers that power and create the technologies we as consumers use every day. In recent years, consumers have been less motivated to buy the latest phone models because of their high prices and limited advancements, but new models with 5G compatibility will provide companies such as Apple AAPL, -5.60% and Samsung Electronics two of the worlds largest cell phone manufacturers ample reason to entice existing customers into upgrading their devices.

At the same time, consumers will be inclined to purchase higher-priced data plans that incorporate 5G. Were already seeing this trend in Asia, where service providers have increased their average revenue per unit by 30% for high-data 5G plans.

In the U.S., the big three U.S. providers Verizon VZ, +0.40%, T-Mobile TMUS, +0.05% and AT&T T, +0.97% are racing to secure the fastest and most reliable networks.

We think T-Mobile is the most attractively valued and in the best position to gain market share. Following its merger with Sprint, T-Mobile has a vast wireless spectrum and is poised to have a strong 5G network.

Now read: Here are five stocks to own for the 5G network buildout

Josh Duitz is a senior portfolio manager at Aberdeen Standard Investments and the co-manager of the Aberdeen Standard Global Infrastructure Income Fund ASGI, -1.73%. Across his funds, he holds shares in Apple, Crown Castle International, Cellnex Telecom, American Tower, Broadcom, Samsung Electronics, Nokia and T-Mobile.

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The best 5G pure-play investment is in cellphone-tower operators - MarketWatch

Etsy is doubling down on its marketing campaign as the online store looks to retain the customers it gained during the pandemic.

CEO Josh Silverman told CNBC's Jim Cramer on Thursday he is pleased with the returns he's seen from its marketing spending in recent years and that the company is dialed in to continue the strategic investments.

"We're going to keep being super disciplined about our investment," he said in a "Mad Money" interview. "This is a moment when Etsy is really top of mind for millions of consumers and it's the perfect moment for Etsy to be leaning in and really investing in marketing."

The comments came one day after the online platform, which specializes in selling handmadeand personalized items, topped Wall Streets' estimates in its third-quarter report. Despite bringing in $451 million in revenue, more than double from the year-ago quarter, the stock sold off 5% in Thursday's session.

Etsy tallied $127 million in marketing expenses in the July-to-September quarter, which made up a large part of its roughly 86% year-over-year increase in operating expenses, and the e-retailer plans to continue spending big on its strategy in the current quarter. The company is expecting a lower return on investment, however, and says it will impact margins.

Etsy has focused on television, digital and performance marketing, the company said.

Silverman pointed out that Etsy, which was added to the S&P 500 in September, is now mentioned alongside other big players in the e-commerce space like Amazon, Walmart and Target. At $132.42 per share at Thursday's close, the market values the company at $15.8 billion.

"We're suddenly in the same breath as brands that are 50 or 100 times bigger than Etsy, and we have the potential to be so much bigger than we are today," he said. "It's just being about top of mind."

Etsy's gross merchandise value, which retailers use to measure growth, was up 119% to $2.6 billion in the third quarter, the company said. The company grew revenue by 128% during the period to $451 million and produced 70 cents in earnings per share, beating estimates by 10 cents per share.

The stock is up nearly 200% year to date.

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Etsy CEO calls this is the 'perfect moment' to invest in marketing - CNBC

DUBLIN, Oct. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "United States Plant Protein Business and Investment Opportunities (2018-2027) Insight Series - White Space/Gap Analysis, Product Strategy, Innovation and Brand Share Analysis, Competitive Landscape, Market Size Across 50+ Segments - Updated in Q3, 2020" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The plant protein market in United States is estimated to record a steady growth with a CAGR of 19.6% during 2018-2020. Plant protein industry is expected to continue to grow in United States over the forecast period and is expected to record a CAGR of 17.3% during 2021-2027. The plant protein consumption in the country will increase from US$ 4706.2 million in 2019 to reach US$ 17326.9 million by 2027.

The US food industry has noticed a paramount shift when it comes to the adoption of plant-based proteins in the last decade. Poultry and beef protein consumption still holds the majority percentage in the country. However, consumers particularly, the millennials and Gen Z population are leaning towards plant-based protein products. Future growth prospect of the market is attracting startups to participate in the market. It is expected that innovative products using new ingredients will drive the future growth of the market.

Moreover, COVID-19 has reinforced the demand for plant-based products especially, plant-based meats, thereby inducing competition in the market. The sector has recorded a significant increase in the number of new product launches. Similarly, the number of food tech companies is increasing and expected to increase rivalry in the market in the short term.

Scope

This research report provides in-depth analysis of plant protein industry in United States, providing white space/gap analysis, product innovation, product claims analysis, and brand share analysis, competitive landscape, market size across 50+ segments. Below is the taxonomy, providing detailed scope of coverage.

United States Plant Protein Market Dynamics - Strategy & Innovation

United States Plant Protein Market Size by Ingredients

United States Plant Protein Market Size by Product Categories

United States Plant Protein Market Size by Functional Segments

United States Plant Protein Market Share Analysis by Sales Channels

United States Plant Protein Market Share Analysis by Type of Retail Outlet

United States Plant Protein Market Size by Retail Sales Pricing

United States Plant Protein Market Size by Cities

United States Plant Protein Consumption by Demographics

Reasons to Buy

Companies Mentioned

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/dfe2zy

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

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United States Plant Protein Market and Investment Opportunities Report 2020: Consumption in the Country will Increase from US$ 4706.2 Million in 2019...

A commentary published last week in The Salt Lake Tribune advocated for Utahs return to the ill-advised war on drugs approach to low-level crime which wasted a fortune in incarceration costs and ruined countless lives. The commentary by U.S. Attorney John W. Huber attacked Utahs innovative Justice Reinvestment Initiative and made dubious claims supported neither by data nor research.

JRI was passed by the Utah Legislature in 2014 with a phased implementation beginning in 2015 and 2016. The goal of JRI is to keep low-level offenders from clogging up our jails and prisons; get them into behavioral treatment for mental illness and/or addiction disorders; provide enhanced supervision to ensure compliance to treatment regimens and to keep Utah communities safe. The net effect moves limited public funds from the back-end approach of incarceration to the front-end approach of treatment.

Research supports justice reform. The Vera Institute of Justice as well as the Pew Charitable Trust have both reported that states that have adopted more thoughtful criminal justice policies have reduced their incarceration rates and their crime rates.

The Pew Charitable Trust also evaluated Utahs planned JRI approach and found the states criminal-justice reform law successfully kept people out of expensive prison cells who dont represent a threat to public safety. Reforms also reduces the number of individuals tagged with felony convictions that create a significant barrier to future employment opportunities, housing and self-sufficiency.

Since its phased implementation beginning in 2015, several significant challenges have faced the full implementation of the JRI. With its passage came revised sentencing criteria that allowed prosecutors and judges to divert drug offenders into community-based residential programs.

While the Legislature did provide funding, it was nowhere near the amount necessary to build up the treatment capacity necessary to serve those who were now being diverted from incarceration. Additionally, the implementation coincided with the opioid crisis which increased the number of persons needing addiction treatment alternatives in an already stressed treatment capacity system.

Consequently, low-level drug offenders who were then being released under new sentencing criteria did not have treatment beds available in which to be placed, and were more likely to, once again, be arrested, jailed, and sent through the court system.

The major challenge facing the implementation of the JRI was one of adequate funding. Finally, in 2017, the Legislature passed the Targeted Adult Medicaid (TAM) program sponsored by Rep. James Dunnigan. The legislation included a federal waiver request to allow for the expansion of residential treatment capacity within existing treatment centers statewide. With the federal governments approval of TAM and the waiver request to increase capacity, Medicaid funds could now be used to increase treatment capacity to the level necessary to fully implement the goals of JRI. This legislation was a major game changer.

In 2017, there were 170 residential addiction treatment beds within Salt Lake County. At the beginning of 2019, there were 550. And now with the full Medicaid expansion in Utah, we are very close to eliminating the treatment capacity gap altogether.

So, is JRI working? We believe it will now, so Iet us take a deep breath and allow JRI do what it was designed to do.

Finally, we must address the question of behavioral health disorders (mental illnesses and addictions) and how they should be dealt with in Utah and within the United States. Behavioral health disorders are health problems, not criminal justice problems. In the past, due to a lack of affordable treatment for most Utahns dealing with behavioral health problems, it has fallen on our courts and law enforcement systems to deal with those behavioral health disorders. This is a waste of precious resources.

It is time to integrate behavioral health treatment into our primary health care system. This will allow earlier preventive care, intervention and early treatment to take place just as it does with any other disease it is time to treat behavioral health disease like any other disease and not as a crime.

In the long run, earlier access to health care is the right thing to do and it saves lives, families and the Utah taxpayer.

Jim Bradley is an at-large member of the Salt Lake County Council.

Patrick Fleming is chair of the Utah State Substance Use and Mental Health Advisory Council.

Link:
Jim Bradley and Patrick Fleming: Put 'investment' into Justice Reinvestment Initiative - Salt Lake Tribune