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Is it time to wave goodbye to the handshake? | By Hillary Chabot and Hannah Moore News at Northeastern The traditional handshakelong employed in business deals and job interviews to promote connection and foster trustcould be on the chopping block as individuals and corporations reexamine the custom following 14 months of little-to-no contact during the pandemic. We might not return to handshakes being the expectation anymore, says Laura Dudley, an associate clinical professor of applied psychology at Northeastern. That spectrum of acceptable ways to greet another person or interact with another person really grew, so now if someone just waves and stays far away, we dont think thats strange. Dudley, a behavior scientist, says COVID-19 has transformed how humans interact and establish trustfrom communicating a smile hidden under our masks to maneuvering through uncharted and awkward new ways to greet each other without physical contact. Most of those changes wont stick because the restrictions were only imposed for about a year, says Dudley. But the pandemic expanded the acceptance of no-contact greetings, meaning germaphobes or those who just prefer not to touch might feel more comfortable opting out. I have colleagues who, because there was this social expectation that when you meet a new person you shake their hand, they would shake someones hand, even though they were uncomfortable with it, says Dudley. Now we accept a wider range of behaviors when it comes to greeting another person. The shift isnt limited to individuals. Human resource departments are seriously considering updating their guidelines, says Natascha Saunders, a career coach and lecturer of organizational leadership at Northeastern. From a recruiting standpoint I think it is important to know that HR is kind of ahead of the curve and theyre thinking about it and discussing that as a culture within their organizations, says Saunders. Many companies are already reexamining workplace guidelines from a diversity, equity and inclusion standpoint, Saunders adds. [Diversity, equity and inclusion] came full throttle in the past year to two years, so thats on the radar with every corporation saying, Do we have the right expectations when were interviewing? says Saunders. Things have changed, and whether people have OCD or they have health challenges in the workplace, theres many more reasons why someone may not want to shake your hand, Saunders says. Both Saunders and Dudley say that its unlikely the handshake will ever completely disappear. We used to think it was a cultural thing, but there is some data to say its more ingrained. For centuries and centuries, people have been shaking hands and animals shake hands as well, says Saunders. The biggest shift in post-pandemic body language is likely occurring now, as people return to the workplace and acclimate to new protocols, says Dudley. Is it not safe? Theres this sort of awkward fumbling that sometimes happens when you see someone for the first time, especially since some of the restrictions have been lifted, says Dudley. The best way to sidestep that awkward moment is to address the topic quickly and with a little humor. You can tell them that youre just going to wave from afar. Feel free to call the moment out as awkward, because doing that and laughing about it is better than pretending its somehow not awkward, says Dudley, adding that people might need to err on the side of caution. Maybe dont roll in with a bear hug unless its your mom, laughs Dudley. (Reprinted with permission from the News at Northeastern.) | https://indianewengland.com/2021/06/is-it-time-to-wave-goodbye-to-the-handshake/ |
Is Having a Super Sensitive Boyfriend a Deal Breaker? | My boyfriend and I are both in our mid-twenties and have been dating for about a year. I'm catching him in little lies and here and there and I think he's got a problem, and now it's becoming our problem. Last weekend was the second time in a month he told me that he didn't want to hang out because he was either too tired or didn't feel well and both times I told him "no problem." Come to find out, he went out drinking with the boys and I only found out because a mutual friend of ours told me. When I called him out on it he said it was a "spur of the moment kind of thing" and he had every intention of staying in. I don't know- something isn't adding up. Please help. | https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2263780250303/is-having-a-super-sensitive-boyfriend-a-deal-breaker |
Is another US rebar price increase imminent? | PRELIMINARY INFORMATION FORM Information Provided By: SteelOrbis Elektronik Pazaryeri A.. (SteelOrbis) 19 Mays Mahallesi, Atatrk Caddesi eref Yazgan Merkezi, No: 72, Kat: 7, D: 18 Kozyata 34736 Istanbul, Turkey Trade Registration Number : 541892 MERSS Number : 0470048178400014 Customer Relations Officer : Sinem Alpkaya Tel : +90 216 468 10 50 Fax : +90 216 386 41 08 This Information Form has been drawn up in order to provide information to the customer ("Customer") who seeks a free trial on an electronic environment for the purpose of benefiting from the services offered by the SteelOrbis website at "www.steelorbis.com" prior to acceptance of the Membership Contract, and it allows the Customer to gain clear information on the terms and conditions of the membership to be established as well as to review the text of the Contract in question. The following successive steps shall be taken in order to establish a free trial: - The Customer selects the "Free Trial" option on the home page at https://www.steelorbis.com. - The Customer provides all information requested in the "Free Trial Application" form displayed on the screen and confirms it. - SteelOrbis sends an account activation e-mail to the e-mail address of the Customer provided in the application form. - The Customer clicks on the activation link sent to his/her e-mail address and activates his/her account. The website Membership Contract is presented to the Customer during the account activation process. Storage of the Membership Contract: You can either save the Membership Contract on your computer or make print-outs of it for storage. The Membership Contract accepted and confirmed by the Customer is not kept by SteelOrbis. You can always get access to the standard Membership Contract displayed on the website. However, as amendments may be made to the standard Contract, it may include some variations in comparison with the text approved by you. Accordingly, it may not be possible for you to access on the website the text you originally approved. Data entry errors: The information you should provide for membership application and the fields you should fill in are indicated during each step of the operation. You are obliged to provide such information. If you leave the required fields blank, the system will issue a warning. Please fill in all necessary fields. Prior to the completion of the operation, all data entered by you in the previous step will be displayed once more. Please make sure that the information provided by you is accurate and complete before finally confirming the operation; any missing or incorrect information should be completed or corrected. Any amendment or correction on the information provided by you after the confirmation may be performed by means of website logins after the establishment of the membership. Our confidentiality policy: Please click here to review our confidentiality policy. | https://www.steelorbis.com/steel-prices/steel-prices-market-analyses/longs-and-billet/is-another-us-rebar-price-increase-imminent-1202375.htm |
Did Facebook Reconsider Its Ban on Trump? | On Wednesday night, a rumor spread on social media. Many noticed that former President Donald Trumps accounts on Facebook and Instagram seemed to have reappeared. Yet a Facebook spokesperson confirmed that the platform had not restored the former president he remains locked out of his accounts. Voxs Aaron Rupar had tweeted about the apparent reappearance of Trumps accounts, but Facebook spokesman Andy Stone clarified the situation. No. Nothing about the status of President Trumps presence on our platform has changed. He remains indefinitely suspended, Stone tweeted. No. Nothing about the status of President Trump's presence on our platform has changed. He remains indefinitely suspended. Andy Stone (@andymstone) June 2, 2021 Trump had shut down his blog and it seemed that perhaps he had done so because Facebook had reinstated him. Alas, that is not the case. Last month, Facebooks oversight board upheld the decision to ban Trump, a decision that the board said it would reconsider in six months. | https://pjmedia.com/uncategorized/tyler-o-neil/2021/06/03/no-trump-is-not-back-on-facebook-n1451771 |
What TV channel and time is Andorra v Ireland on today? | The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Get the latest football news in your inbox every weekend for FREE by signing up to our email bulletin Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign me up! Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice The Republic of Ireland face Andorra in the first of two international friendlies this month. Stephen Kenny is still searching for his first win as Ireland boss and he won't get many better chances than this to record a victory. Andorra have lost their last seven games and were on the recieving end of a few hammerings in that time, including a 5-0 defeat to Latvia. The match takes place at the Estadi Nacional in Andorra on Thursday, June 3. The action gets under way at 5pm Irish time. RTE Two will show the game live, with their coverage starting at 4.30pm. You can also follow updates with The Irish Mirror's live blog. Ireland squad Goalkeepers: Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool), Gavin Bazunu (Rochdale, on loan from Manchester City), Mark Travers (AFC Bournemouth). Defenders: Seamus Coleman (Everton), Matt Doherty (Tottenham Hotspur), Lee OConnor (Tranmere Rovers, on loan from Celtic), James McClean (Stoke City), Ryan Manning (Swansea City), Shane Duffy (Brighton and Hove Albion), Dara OShea (West Bromwich Albion), John Egan (Sheffield United), Andrew Omobamidele (Norwich City). Midfielders: Josh Cullen (Anderlecht), Conor Hourihane (Swansea City, on loan from Aston Villa), Harry Arter (Nottingham Forest), Jason Knight (Derby County), Jayson Molumby (Preston North End, on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion), Jamie McGrath (St. Mirren), Daniel Mandroiu (Shamrock Rovers). Forwards: James Collins (Cardiff City), Adam Idah (Norwich City), Troy Parrott (Tottenham Hotspur), Chiedozie Ogbene (Rotherham United), Ronan Curtis (Portsmouth), Daryl Horgan (Wycombe Wanderers), Sam Szmodics (Peterborough United). Quotes corner Ireland boss Stephen Kenny: We're trying to do our utmost to qualify for a World Cup and we've been disappointed with our last window. I'm not trying to deflect from that at all. We've given 13 players their debut and there are more of those to come through. And over the next few years there will be a really strong cohort of players coming through. For the next European Championships. There will be a lot of really strong players and a lot of them will have 10 or 15 caps under their belt. The Irish public will identify with these players and when they are successful, there will be a great connection there I feel, very powerful. But we have to start winning matches and take it from there. Ireland defender John Egan: "No matter who you play, you want to win. Obviously weve not won in a while so were eager to get that win. And I believe that one win can give you the springboard to get a few more and thats the plan now. Its about getting some momentum. A win always brings a feelgood factor into the camp and thats the main thing. Betting odds Andorra win: 10/1 Ireland win: 1/8 Draw: 7/1 | https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/soccer-news/what-tv-channel-time-andorra-24219321 |
Can Rohr salvage reputation with Super Eagles experimentation? | One of the criticisms thrown at Gernot Rohr has been in his rigid approach and unwillingness to fix what isnt necessarily broken. That modus operandi isnt bad in itself, but theres always a danger in sitting on one's hands, expecting the individuals on the pitch to find solutions to in-game hurdles. The German boss got an earful for Nigerias 2018 World Cup elimination by Argentina for his basic game management, despite Odion Ighalo missing a huge chance that could have made sure of the Super Eagles progress. In the 4-4 draw vs Sierra Leone last year, the 67-year-old was reprimanded for an inability to effectively help his team across the line as they lost a four-goal lead on home turf. Again, the experienced coachs inadequacies were the refrain, although others chose to censure the players for not taking enough responsibility after half-time. Having said that, the biggest criticism that typifies Rohrs approach has been an inclination to lean on a select group regardless of their form and performances. It prompted complaints from Nigerians following the continued call-ups for Elderson Echiejile and Ogenyi Onazi in the past, while the Germans Ahmed Musa bias has been unmistakable. In the same vein, the unwillingness to extend an olive branch to Anthony Nwakaeme hasnt played for Nigeria since November 2017 and Simy last Super Eagles appearance came in 2018 for so long, despite their generally good performances for Trabzonspor and Crotone respectively beggared belief. Be that as it may, the German surprised observers by including the towering Crotone forward in the initial 31-player list for this months Cameroon friendly having, more or less, ruled out every possibility weeks earlier due to being contracted to the lowly Pythagoreans. At the time, Goal looked into the possibility of a different approach to facing the Indomitable Lions, by leaving out established forwards like Victor Osimhen and Kelechi Iheanacho in favour of either uncapped or returning players like Simy. Why Rohr ought to be adventurous when he eventually trims Nigeria's 31-man provisional squad to face Cameroon in June.https://t.co/2tB0Dnbcl8 Seye Omidiora (@theReal_SeyE) May 19, 2021 Injuries to Nigerias most expensive player, Crotones top scorer and a host of other stars included means that idea may have been shelved. However, Rohr continues to express the inclination to utilise new players regardless. This friendly against Cameroon is an interesting game because we are going to have some of the new players, since some of our regular players will not be available due to injuries, and it is not easy to have everybody at this period because it is also the offseason period, the Nigeria boss told the Caf website. It is a big test and an opportunity to test the new players. Of course, we are not going to play for the result in Cameroon in Austria, but its an opportunity to see our boys and see something different with our systems against a very good team that will host the next Africa Cup of Nations. Further injuries and withdrawals in defence Semi Ajayi, Ola Aina, Tyronne Ebuehi, Zaidu Sanusi and Kevin Akpoguma have all pulled out since the aforementioned interview has left Rohr with a threadbare squad in Austria, but the German remains committed to his original plan. With this test match, you can see that so many players are not here and its an opportunity for us to try other players and see new faces who would have the chance to show something, the German spoke after Tuesdays training session. Training today was good. 18 players trained. Musa and Onuachu to fly in tomorrow. Take a listen to what our coach, Gernot Rohr feels about today's training session and the test games against Cameroon. #SoarSuperEagles #Team9jaStrong pic.twitter.com/f2ZyWZFRnA Super Eagles (@NGSuperEagles) June 1, 2021 While the unavoidable withdrawals have forced Rohrs hand, theres still a feeling he may have gone down this route having invited so many fringe players to the team in the first place. Without a doubt, itd have been bizarre to include so many peripheral stars, only to cut them out of the team eventually. Article continues below It remains to be seen how the 67-year-old makes lemonade out of lemons, but it presents some excitement given the unpredictability of the side that may be sent out from the off. Regardless of how the two encounters with Cameroon pan out, the fact Rohr is not only willing to trial new individuals and systems but seemingly prepared to make some of them mainstays in the Afcon qualifiers represents progress. Of course, the veteran manager will have to prove its not a one-off, but the possibility that he may change his basic rigid nature certainly has to excite the average supporter. Until he does, however, the jury remains out on the trainers predisposition to change. | https://www.goal.com/en-bh/news/can-rohr-salvage-reputation-with-super-eagles/1pz2jbkb8ikq319sdn162qbdwg |
Was schtzen Sie am Wald? | Hardtwald: www.hardtwald.meinewaldzeit.de Odenwald (Groraum Heidelberg und Mannheim): www.odenwald.meinewaldzeit.de "Der Wald rund um Ballungszentren ist ein wichtiger Erholungsort fr Gro und Klein das wird insbesondere whrend der Pandemie sehr deutlich", erklrt Jasmin Breithut. Die Umweltwissen-schaftlerin ist an der FVA verantwortlich fr die Umfrage "Meine Waldzeit", die das Freizeitverhalten von Waldbesuchenden im Wald untersucht. "ForstBW und die FVA mchten deshalb herausfinden, welche Ansprche an den Wald bestehen, welche Pltze im Wald beliebt sind, oder wo es zu Strungen und Konflikten kommt. "Dafr bittet die FVA Brgerinnen und Brger rund um den Hardtwald und im Groraum Heidel-berg und Mannheim (Forstbezirk Odenwald), ihre Lieblingsorte auf einer Karte einzuzeichnen und oft genutzte Routen zu markieren. Dazu knnen sie ergnzen, was sie an diesen Orten beson-ders schtzen, aber auch wo Verbesserungspotenzial besteht sei es die Sauberkeit, der Zu-stand der Waldwege oder Strung durch andere Waldbesuchende. "Im Wald treffen verschie-dene Gruppen aufeinander: Familien mit Kindern, Jogger, Mountainbiker das kann fr Konflikte sorgen, denn jede Gruppe hat ihre eigenen Ansprche an den Waldbesuch. Wenn wir wissen, wo das Konfliktpotenzial besonders gro ist und wo welche Verbesserungen gewnscht werden, knnen Manahmen ergriffen werden, die den Waldbesuch fr Brgerinnen und Brger noch an-genehmer und erholsamer machen", sagt Breithut. Solche Manahmen knnten etwa Infotafeln sein, Erneuerung von Sitzbnken, Verlegen von Grillpltzen oder die Anlage weiterer Waldwege. Manchmal ist aber auch weniger mehr: Manche Waldbesuchende mchten einer natrlichen Um-gebung begegnen da braucht es dann nicht mehr als einen Trampelpfad durch den Wald.Die anonyme Online-Umfrage luft noch bis zum 12. Juli und dauert etwa 20 Minuten. Neben Multiple-Choice-Fragen werden Teilnehmende aufgefordert, von ihnen oft besuchte Orte und hufig genutzte Wege in Karten einzuzeichnen. Die Umfrage kann auf dem Smartphone, dem Tablet oder am PC durchgefhrt werden. Unter allen Teilnehmenden werden zudem zehn mal 50 Euro verlost.ForstBW will die Ansprche der Bevlkerung an den Wald im stdtischen Verdichtungsraum be-rcksichtigen und in die Bewirtschaftung des Staatswaldes einflieen lassen. Um diese Anspr-che in Erfahrung zu bringen, haben Forscherinnen und Forscher an der FVA die Online-Umfrage mit Kartierungsfunktion entwickelt. So knnen Waldbesuchende angeben, wie und wo sie ihre Freizeit im Wald verbringen. Indem diese Angaben bei knftigen Planungen bercksichtigt wer-den, kann die Erholungsfunktion des Waldes besser mit seinem Management vereint werden.Hier geht es zur Online-Umfrage mit Kartierung: | https://www.lifepr.de/pressemitteilung/forstliche-versuchs-und-forschungsanstalt-baden-wuerttemberg/Was-schaetzen-Sie-am-Wald/boxid/850651 |
Is fractional property a better investment option than PPF? | With 95 percent of Indians preferring safe investment options to grow their wealth, as per a SEBI report, the popularity of the Public Provident Fund (PPF) comes as little surprise. Weve all heard our parents in our youth say that money doesnt grow on trees, but a PPF investment does come close. Backed by the government, PPF guarantees returns on your investment and is more tax-efficient than other similar instruments such as Fixed Deposits (FD). For starters, the money in PPF grows at 7.1 percent - the lowest interest rate in two decades and a far cry from the 12 percent highs in 2000. To put it simply, a PPF investment will grow wealth at a very slow pace. And if your account for inflation, your money will grow at a snails pace. Thats because the inflation is at 4.5 percent, which means a PPF investment will actually grow at a measly 2.6 percent. In essence, youd take nearly 36 years to double your investment in real terms! Theres also the problem of its long lock-in period of 15 years. In fact, you cant even partially withdraw any amount for the first six years. Another crucial handicap is that you cant save more than Rs 1.5 lakh in a PPF. Any investment above that would be taxed. In short, a PPF investment may be safe but wouldnt be able to match your life goals. Introducing Fractional Ownership The fractional ownership model allows individuals to invest in the rather expensive and lucrative commercial properties in India. In this model, smaller investors can come together, pool their resources, and jointly buy a commercial property. There are three primary reasons why, in recent years, middle-class India has set its sights on fractional properties. One, they can share the burden of the property cost. Lets say, a commercial property costs Rs 5 crore. Under normal circumstances, that would price out most small investors. But if 20-25 similar investors come together, they can buy the property outright. Second, industry experts forecast a boom in commercial real estate (CRE). Amplified demand for office spaces, a huge injection of foreign money, and increased interest among large institutional investors are but a few reasons for the projected growth. The numbers back it up to wide industry estimates suggest CRE to grow between 13 percent and 16 percent for the next five years. In addition to that, the fractional ownership model already at $5 billion in India is projected to grow at a robust 12 percent CAGR over a similar time period. Essentially, commercial properties display the potential for high capital appreciation. Third, the prospect of receiving high rental income every month. Commercial properties have a rental yield of 9 percent on average, which is roughly three times higher than the residential counterparts. A few other reasons why fractional property investment is regarded as safe and stable include: Fractional properties are Grade-A properties and are given out to high-quality tenants such as cash-rich IT companies, banks and MNCs. The contracts are airtight and the average lease period is 7 years, which means guaranteed rental income every month.The rental income typically increases by 15 percent every three years. Historically, commercial property prices appreciate more than their residential counterparts. Fractional Property vs PPF: In Numbers Considering the current PPF interest rate is 7.1 percent, itd take you a little over 10 years to double your investment. In comparison, a one-time, sizeable investment in fractional properties can more than double in 6 years time. Heres how: Lets say your initial investment is Rs 25 lakh. Your property price grows at 7 percent* every year (A) In 6 years, your fractional property value will be Rs 37.5 lakh In addition, you receive rental income for those 6 years Lets assume, the first 3 years rental yield is 9 percent per annum And 10.35 percent** from the fourth year (B) Your total rental income would be Rs 14.5 lakh Therefore, your total return on the Rs 25 lakh investment would be around Rs 52 lakh (A+B). Note: *Commercial property prices appreciate by 7-16 percent per annum, depending on the location **Typically, the rental income increased by 15 percent every three years Numbers dont lie. While the fractional ownership model is as safe as PPF, it delivers much higher returns in the long run, despite taking taxes into account. To top it, you also open up a second income stream in the form of regular monthly rents. Anybody would want that. The author, Aankush Ahuja, is Director of Business Development and Investments at hBits. The views expressed are personal | https://www.cnbctv18.com/personal-finance/is-fractional-property-a-better-investment-option-than-ppf-9524761.htm |
Is wood ash safe for the garden? | Homeowners often ask if wood ash is safe to use in the vegetable garden, ornamental flower beds, lawns, and around trees or shrubs. There are many opinions; some warn wood ash damages tender roots, yet others know they saw their grandparents mix a handful to each vegetable transplant hole. Wood ash can be a valuable source of calcium (20%) and potassium (5%) in the garden. In fact, four cups of wood ash can be substituted for one pound of agricultural lime. Magnesium, phosphorus, and sulfur are also typically found in wood ash at concentrations of about 2%. Iron, aluminum, manganese, zinc, boron, and other trace elements are also used by plants. In terms of commercial fertilizer, average wood ash would be about 0-1-3 (N-P-K), which is basically a low fertilizer analysis. Useable wood ash is from a known source and grown in natural areas. Fireplace wood ash is a good example. Wood ash contains few elements that pose environmental problems. Heavy metal concentrations are typically low. Avoid ash from industrial sites that may be contaminated with toxin or heavy metals. Also do not use ash that contains garbage, plastics, waste oil, or treated wood. Soil sample results are used to provide lime and fertilizer recommendations for various land-uses (vegetable gardens, ornamental, turf, and others) and can provide guidance on the wood ash application rate based on your crop needs Applications are generally limited to 15-20 lbs per 1000 ft2 per year. This equates to a 5-gallon bucket of wood ash over a 20 x 50 area. Broadcast wood ash over the area to be treated and rototill, spade, or rake in. It is best to apply in autumn to give ash enough time to react with the soil before rapid spring growth, but mid-summer is also acceptable. Early season applications immediately before planting or during early emergence could cause short-term concentrated alkaline conditions that could interfere with plant growth. Due to the undesirable handling characteristics of ash (small particle size and dusty nature) wear long pants, long sleeve shirt, gloves, dust mask, as needed to limit exposures that may lead to skin, eye, or respiratory irritation. Both opinions had merit. Safe use of ash is based on proper timing and application. Wood ash can have the same benefits as agricultural lime and benefit crop productivity but could cause crop damage if misused. Landowners should consider ash source, and make sound decisions about application timing and rate to enhance plant growth and make use of this valuable resource. For more information on gardening tips, contact Horticulture Agent, Aimee Colf, with Anson Cooperative Extension at 704-694-2415 or [email protected]. Aimee Colf is the Horticulture Agent for the Anson Cooperative Extension. | https://ansonrecord.com/features/11743/is-wood-ash-safe-for-the-garden |
Is Artificial Intelligence a Problem or an Opportunity? | Artificial Intelligence (AI) seems to have reached its peak, and yet it is still growing and reaching even the most remote parts of the world. There are countless benefits to this technology, including life-saving tools and systems that function with automated AI algorithms. However, some people are skeptical about the widespread and free use of AI due to some valid concerns. Here are several takes on the matter that may help you come to your own decision on whether this technology is problematic or the future. Improve Business Decision For businesses, AI will bring many benefits that go beyond automating tasks. It will also play a role in improving business decisions in almost every sphere. For example, data governance in businesses is crucial in the marketing sphere for aligning products with customer needs or for improving existing offerings to address consumer problems. According to a leading technical essay help service, in data governance, AI will play a bigger role in analyzing large amounts of consumer data that businesses can use to make marketing efforts fruitful. But the major benefit that AI will bring for future businesses is time savings thatll translate into quicker profits as analyzing large data sets will be quicker. Better Healthcare In the healthcare sector, AI is being used to develop advanced radiology equipment thatll expand the number of non-invasive diagnostics that doctors can run as many still require tissue samples. Having radiology equipment this precise and detailed will allow clinicians to understand tumor behavior better and develop better-targeted treatments. AI imaging equipment will benefit regions that lack radiologists by automating diagnostic procedures. Expert writers and researchers for an online assignment help service say that healthcare professionals who already have difficult workloads often have to deal with filing out electronic health records, causing them cognitive overload and burnout. AI developers are working on solutions thatll make filling these records easier, like automating the process with dictation and Minimize Errors When people think about AI and accuracy, they usually reflect on the last clumsy conversation they had with a chatbot. What they dont see is how the algorithm is using these interactions to produce minimally better outcomes thatll accrue until the AI reaches perfection in the future. Even though AI will start producing perfect results on context-driven tasks much later, in rule-driven tasks, AI will excel earlier as it can practice these faster. That means AI algorithms will be able to reduce human errors in repetitive tasks quickly by automating them. AI is already 30% more accurate than physicists at analyzing dark matter. Deepen Socio-Economic Inequalities The fact that AI will become more accurate than humans at performing repetitive tasks puts a large number of economically disadvantaged people with lower-level skills at risk. A big concern about job losses for lower-skilled people is that research shows that people in this demographic rarely have the resources to retrain themselves for new jobs. Professions that are most at risk include retail jobs like store clerks that can get replaced with self-service kiosks, shelf stockers, and inventory management algorithms. These low-skill jobs are also usually taken by students too which will make the financial strain on these individuals intense when you consider how student debt is an ongoing problem. Private Security Threats Automation can prove to be a threat to private security as AI systems process data faster than any human ever can. As a result, inefficiencies in personal security systems, either in the cybersphere or in real-life, can easily be identified. This advanced data processing can lead to cyber breaches on personal devices and physical safety endangerment. For example, when using AI systems, daily habits can easily be logged and home burglaries could be easier to conduct. Also, home security systems can be scoped out and weakened using AI-powered algorithms. Autonomous Weapons Threat You have probably seen this concept in sci-fi action movies where weapons lock in on a target or are automated in other ways. The truth is, these weapons are not fiction anymore as they are being developed by governments and private organizations. Although they remain banned under the US Policy on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems, these systems do pose a danger to society. This could fuel a lot of skepticism into AI at large since these systems predominantly depend on this kind of technology. However, these weapons could also be used for the betterment of country defenses if they are not in the wrong hands. Conclusion AI is a great opportunity for the future and a catalyst for real radical economic transformation. The growth potential of many industries have been improved by the use of AI, but this technology isnt without its pitfalls. However, malicious use of AI is something that cannot be prevented. The good news is that the risk can be mitigated to a certain extent so that this technology is used meaningfully for the most part. | https://tdan.com/is-artificial-intelligence-a-problem-or-an-opportunity/28256 |
Will we need booster shots for Covid in the future? | The world's leading Covid-19 vaccines may offer lasting protection that diminishes the need for frequent booster shots. That's according to scientists, who are finding clues in how the body remembers viruses. But they say more research is needed and that virus mutations are still a wild card. Critical studies are underway, and evidence is mounting that immunity from the mRNA vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna doesn't depend exclusively on antibodies that dwindle over time. The body has overlapping layers of protection that offer backup. Scientists do not yet know what's called the correlate of protection, the level below which antibodies cannot fend off the coronavirus without additional help. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the US government's leading infectious disease expert, told a Senate subcommittee last week that vaccine protection would not be infinite. Pfizer and Moderna officials have said people might need yearly shots, just like with flu vaccinations. The companies plan to have some candidates ready this fall. But companies won't decide when boosters get used. That's up to health authorities in each country. Some experts say boosters may be needed only every few years. | https://www.deccanherald.com/science-and-environment/will-we-need-booster-shots-for-covid-in-the-future-993210.html |
How Will Drivers React to New Two-Ways in Downtown Billings? | Get ready. Two Billings one-way streets are about to become two-way streets. I work downtown, so my perspective of getting around is probably a little skewed. I know the streets, alleys, and shortcuts and I don't find driving downtown difficult. It wasn't always that way though. I remember the first time I came to Billings and the mix of one-ways and two-ways downtown seemed really confusing. If you don't frequent the area, the "oh crap, this is a one-way" thought has surely popped into your head, right after mistakenly attempting to turn on the wrong street. It happens. Michael Foth - Townsquare Media N 29th Street and N 30th Street will become two-way streets in June. Stoplight installation, street surface maintenance, and striping projects have been impacting traffic flow downtown since April when the project began. It's planned to be completed in June. Tourist season is just getting started and the timing is good for out-of-towner's visiting downtown, one benefit that was touted by city leaders for the switch. Google Maps Businesses and residents downtown are expecting confusion from local drivers. N 30th is largely commercial properties, but N 29th has becoming a busy little street downtown, with Yesteryear Antiques, the Monte Bar and the Athenian anchoring the southern end of the street. Sassy Biscuit and Brockel's Chocolates are just up the block. The Downtown Farmers' Market now spills onto 29th, as does Strawberry Festival. Jackie Brockel said they have mixed feelings about the street changing to a two-way. The fourth-generation chocolate and candy store has been at the N 29th St location since the 70s. One of her concerns was parking, and if it will be modeled like Broadway (slant on one side of the street, parallel on the opposite). Bonnie Perkins, the owner of The Sourdough Bagel, echoed similar concerns, laughing that she'll now have to look both ways before crossing the street. Get our free mobile app Michael Foth - Townsquare Media It's going to take some getting used to. Uriah Hatfield, a longtime resident on N 29th said he expects to see a lot of initial confusion from local drivers encountering the soon-to-be two-way streets. He felt in the long term it should make downtown driving easier and more attractive for locals and tourists alike. I think it will definitely take some time. Downtown Billings Stay-cation LOOK: Here are the best small towns to live in across America | https://catcountry1029.com/how-will-drivers-react-to-new-two-ways-in-downtown-billings/ |
Why does the Jax.Network have two native digital tokens? | Consider any cryptocurrency network currently in circulation; every such network has a singular native digital token. For example, Bitcoin Network has BTC, Ethereum Network has ETH, and likewise, each network has its digital currency. Therefore, it is essential to understand why Jax.Network is one of the few networks that has two types of coins in circulation. The two coins that are in circulation with the Jax.Network are called the JAX coin and the JAXNET coin. Both of these coins work differently, but the mining reward functions of both lead to the stability of the network. The JAXNET coin The JAXNET coin operates on the beacon chain and miners who mine this chain will receive their reward in JAXNET coins. The mining of this coin is more like mining a Bitcoin, i.e., each user will get his or her fixed rewards of 20 JAXNET coins. However, there is no maximum coin supply, just like in Ethereum. The miner will receive 20 JAXNET coins for each block he or she mines. A block takes about 10 minutes to mine. The beacon chain of the Jax.Network is responsible for the creation of new shards. Think of a beacon chain as a coordinating mechanism for the Jax.Network. It helps to create new blocks, ensures they are valid, and rewards miners with JAXNET coins. These new blocks will advertise whether or not a new shard, or parallel chain, has been created. The JAX coin Miners get JAX coins as rewards when they successfully mine a shard on the Jax.Network. The coins are responsible for the scalability of the Jax.Network as these coins are exclusively used in day-to-day transactions. Compared to the JAXNET coins, the JAX coins are mined on the shard chain of the Jax.Network. This is important because it is the backbone of the entire Jax.Network. The block reward mechanism is also entirely different, as it is proportional to the aggregate hashrate on the network. For simplicity, lets use a not 100% accurate but easy example. If I have 1000 of hashrate, I will receive 100 JAX coins. This ensures that each shard is mathematically equal so users should be indifferent by using shard A or B as their exchange rate will always be 1:1. Besides, the proportional block reward allows JAX to follow a stable cost of production, which is based on electricity. This is very important since if the marginal cost of production is stable over time, this means that the network ensures stability of the coin price in exchanges as well. If the coin price goes above a certain price level, more coins will be printed by miners, therefore the price will return to its initial value. Impacts and consequences on the Jax.Network The two coins greatly impact the scalability, security, and adoption rate of the Jax.Network. JAXNET coins are speculative and this causes them to behave more or less like Bitcoin. Meaning that JAXNET coins can be a reliable asset and a store of value. JAXNET coins are not made for day-to-day payments because they are stores of value. With the increase in adoption, their value will grow over time. You can see them as your savings account. JAX coins are suitable for day-to-day transactions. The concept of sharding and the implementation of merged mining make Jax.Network scalable and secure. For this reason, it can be said that the JAX coins will see an increase in adoption with time. As the adoption increases, so will the mining, and in this case, the reward function is proportional to the computational efforts that the miner puts in, increasing his or her reward. Similarly, when the demands decrease, the rewards will decrease, too. Miners are profit oriented and will put less effort allocating computing power since the market price will go down. The entire network is decentralized, i.e., the coins will be minted in line with demand. Conclusion: The need for 2 coins It can be concluded that the JAXNET coins are the store of value and the JAX coins are present for day-to-day usage. Looking at the bigger picture, the Jax.Network is fully equipped with great features and is entirely decentralized. JAXNET coins will grow in value whereas, JAX coins make the network more scalable and stable with time. With the launch of JAX coins and the Jax.Network, the life of stablecoins will be phased out. You have JAXNET coins, which you can store, and JAX coins, which you can exchange with any vendor or merchant on a daily basis. | https://www.cryptopolitan.com/why-does-the-jax-network-have-two-native-digital-tokens/ |
Why Did Danny Ainge Resign As Celtics President? Who Will Be The New Celtics Head Coach? | The Boston Celtics shook up their front office on Wednesday, a day after they were eliminated from the 2021 NBA playoffs, with Danny Ainge stepping down from his role as president of basketball operations. It was also revealed that Celtics coach Brad Stevens will be giving up his job on the bench to replace Ainge. However, netizens have been curious to know why Ainge opted to resign as Celtics president as well as who will be the next Celtics head coach following Stevens' transition from head-coaching position to becoming the franchise's new head of basketball operations. New Brad Stevens role Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics are wasting no time making moves in the front office following their NBA playoffs 2021 exit in the first round at the hands of the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday. Less than 12 hours after their 2020-21 NBA campaign came to an end, the Celtics announced that Danny Ainge will be stepping down from his position as president of the team. The Celtics, who reached the conference finals in three of the previous four seasons, had flirted with a top-four seed in the East for much of the season before stumbling into the play-in round. Ainge helped bring two NBA titles to Boston as a player and another as the teams basketball boss. In his 18 years guiding the team, Ainge's teams made 15 playoff appearances, seven Eastern Conference Finals, two NBA Finals, and brought the team a championship in 2008, the franchise's 17th and first in 22 years. For years, Ainge built a reputation as the league's premier asset hoarder, yet when a disgruntled James Harden hit the market, he couldn't outbid the team he'd infamously robbed blind seven years earlier. Reports claim that Ainge's decision to step down as Celtics president was due to the fact that the Celtics failed to achieve success this season. Less than 12 hours after that head coach Brad Stevens is transitioning from his head-coaching position to becoming the franchise's new head of basketball operations, replacing longtime president Danny Ainge. Stevens will now lead the search for Boston's new head coach. "It's an honor to be trusted with this responsibility," Brad Stevens says of being named President of Basketball Operations. Brad Stevens record as Celtics head coach Stevens has taken the Celtics to the playoffs in seven of the eight years since he left Butler for his first NBA coaching job. He is the fourth-winningest coach in team history, behind Red Auerbach, Tommy Heinsohn and Doc Rivers. According to reports, the Celtics could look to hire Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Jason Kidd and former Atlanta Hawks Lloyd Pierce for their coaching vacancy once the moves are finalized. Additionally, Yahoo Sports' Vincent Goodwill reports LA Clippers assistant coach Chauncey Billups could also be in the mix for the Celtics opening. Image Credits - nba.com | https://www.republicworld.com/sports-news/basketball-news/why-did-danny-ainge-resign-as-celtics-president-who-will-be-the-new-celtics-head-coach.html |
Has the pandemic weakened religious liberty? | Dr Dennis Petri has just been as the new head of the International Institute for Religious Freedom (IIRF), a global network of academics dedicated to providing quality data and evidence on the subject at a time when millions of Christians continue to live under oppression and persecution because of their faith. He speaks to Christian Today about some of the areas of concern and what impact the pandemic has had on religious liberty. Dennis: One country we're working on a lot right now is Nigeria. It's an extremely complex country and the religious freedom situation is also very difficult to interpret because there are so many factors and actors involved. I think the contribution we can make is to try and bring some clarity into what is a very complex situation. CT: There is some disagreement as to whether it is a dispute between farmers and herders over natural resources, or whether there's more to it than that. Dennis: I think the debate isn't whether it is one or the other, I think it's both. In any conflict there are always multiple factors involved and so we can debate for ages whether this is a religious conflict or not, but I think that's not the right debate. I think we should recognise that as well as a religious conflict, it is also political, cultural, economic, ethnic and about resources. But whether it's religious or not, religious groups are suffering - including Christians - and so I think that's what we should highlight. Essentially both arguments are right at the same time, but there really are people suffering and we need to speak out for them. CT: Across Africa, there is a lot of extremist activity. Dennis: Historically, Islam started in the 7th century in what is now Saudi Arabia and expanded to Turkey, Egypt, North Africa and parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, and that process is still ongong. It's a very, very long process and what we see is that the most intense conflicts in Africa are really on that borderline between Muslim and non-Muslim. And you can see that in Nigeria. CT: Your context is Latin America. Dennis: There are many aspects of religious freedom violations in Latin America that are not really visible. Latin America is a majority Christian continent - more than 90% of the population across all the countries in Latin America are Christian - so the problem is not related to religious identity and being a Christian, or owning a Bible and going to church. Saying you are a Christian is not really an issue in Latin America. The issue is when you engage in behaviour that becomes a threat to the powers that be. It can be organised crime, it can be indigenous authorities, or communist governments like in Cuba or Venezuela. And so although Christians are by no means a minority in Latin America, actively practising Christians are a minority and it's this minority - especially the most active ones denouncing injustice and being very involved in social work - who are vulnerable to suffering and, I would say, persecution. CT: In countries like the UK, we're increasingly seeing censorship or self-censorship of evangelical beliefs, especially in the workplace. Dennis: Absolutely. Self-censorship is definitely something we've identified as a major issue. The court cases involving Christians are having a chilling effect on free speech but it may even become the case that we start to see fewer court cases precisely because of self-censorship. However, we need to do more research to understand how big the issue is - to quantify it, essentially. The second thing is that we need to understand where it's coming from. We need to understand better what the real cause of this is, because if it's about religious illiteracy, then we can deal with that by raising awareness and educating policymakers about religion and that could, we hope, create more understanding about what's important to evangelicals. If, on the other hand, there's also an anti-religious sentiment, then that's much more difficult. CT: In terms of the pandemic, churches have had to close all around the world in an unprecedented way. Dennis: Religious freedom has both an individual and collective dimension. The individual dimension is when you're at home and read your Bible and pray. The collective dimension is when you gather with others to worship. And the truth of the matter is that the collective dimension has been severely restricted all over the world. Of course there were good reasons for it. We're fighting a pandemic so sanitary measures are necessary. But I must say I'm a bit surprised there haven't been more church leaders speaking out about this. When you look at the protection of religious freedom in international law, there is a stipulation that religious freedom can never be restricted, not even in cases of emergency, unless there are sanitary reasons, which has provided the justification for closing churches. But we still need to realize that what's happened is really very radical. There's another aspect to this, too. The social work that many Christians and evangelical leaders are doing all around the world has been hindered by the sanitary measures so that's another dimension of religious freedom that has been restricted. Again, maybe it was for good reasons but it's terrible for religious freedom. Once everything opens up again, we'll see whether people will actually go back to church. I know there are many people longing to go back to church but there are also many others who are very comfortable sitting in on church services from their home. CT: When it comes to religious freedom violations around the world, there tends to be a lot of bad news. Dennis: I think Colombia is very interesting. There are still many problems but one positive development I see there is the national religious freedom policy and at local level municipal governments starting to implement religious freedom policies. There are interfaith councils, which are a brilliant conflict prevention model where people come together to talk and solve any problems that come up among themselves. But the councils also act as advisers to the local mayor and local governments, and they are actively involved in shaping public policies. Whenever new policies are being adopted, they get to speak up and express their opinion, and that's not only on issues like freedom of worship or church-related issues, but on things like education, the environment, social care, whatever might touch upon what's important for these religious communities. And so that leads to a much more informed policy that is mindful of the specific needs of religious groups. Directly involving religious groups in policy making at a local level is a very interesting conflict resolution model that I think should be explored more and replicated in other parts of the world. It's a very positive development. Dennis: I think we're now entering a consolidation phase so I want to give the institute much more structure and stability, and engage and activate the whole network that we have. And we really want to be a service-oriented think tank, meaning we really want to respond to any requests we get from the global church and any vulnerable religious groups in the world. We really want to be of service to them and support them in their advocacy, and our research needs to be a resource because right now there's a lot of research being done on religious freedom both within the institute and beyond, and this information needs to be user-friendly and accessible, whether it's for ministries, policymakers or journalists. And that ties into another area, which is religious literacy. We live in a world that is not exactly secularizing - because religion continues to be present in all shapes and forms. But we need journalists and policymakers to really 'get' religion - why it's important to people, why and how people suffer, and what the concept of religious freedom really entails because it's much more than a theme that's just related to separation of church and state. It's about promoting religious freedom and also promoting religious freedom literacy. So we really want to see religious literacy increase. | https://www.christiantoday.com/article/has.the.pandemic.weakened.religious.liberty/136876.htm |
Was a Megalodon Shark Caught on Video off the Coast of Mass? | Viral Video of Shark has Some Wondering of the Megalodon Shark is Back There is a viral TikTok video of a shark sighting off the coast of Massachusetts and its stunning. Alex Albrecht who is a marine diversity student captured the monstrous looking creature swimming off the coast of Massachusetts from the top mast of a tall ship, the SSV Corwith Cramer according to nbcboston.com. It has been viewed over 37 million times. And no, the megalodon is not back. From his view from above, the shark certainly looks massive but it is not an extinct monster, is a basking shark that is basically harmless to humans. Sightings All Along New Englands Coast I wrote just last week about sightings of basking sharks seen near the Nubble Lighthouse and York Maine. The pandemic lockdowns are over, and more and more people are going out to the beach. Maybe we will just have a lot more videos of them. More Sharks This Year I also wrote earlier last week that scientists believe because of the increase in the seal population we may have more sharks off the coast of New England this year. If you spot a seal in the water, dont swim there. A better bet is to go hang out at the ocean and listen to the waves and when you get really hot, find a neighbor that has a swimming pool. Although I have written about basking sharks before and by all reports they are gentle giants, I might have a heart attack if I saw one while swimming. Stay safe out there this summer and dont forget the sunscreen. LOOK: Here are the 50 best beach towns in America Every beach town has its share of pluses and minuses, which got us thinking about what makes a beach town the best one to live in. To find out, Stacker consulted data from WalletHub , released June 17, 2020, that compares U.S. beach towns. Ratings are based on six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education and health, and quality of life. The cities ranged in population from 10,000 to 150,000, but they had to have at least one local beach listed on TripAdvisor. Read the full methodology here . From those rankings, we selected the top 50. Readers who live in California and Florida will be unsurprised to learn that many of towns featured here are in one of those two states. Keep reading to see if your favorite beach town made the cut. | https://q961.com/was-a-megalondon-shark-caught-on-video-off-the-coast-of-massachusetts-not-exactly/ |
How did the Wuhan lab leak theory go from conspiracy theory hunch to genuine national security question? | Throughout much of the pandemic, the lab leak hypothesis has been ridiculed by scientists as a baseless conspiracy theory, fueled by President Donald Trump in an effort to deflect attention from his administrations botched pandemic response. Far from dismissing the lab-leak theory, however, President Biden has told his spies to see if the previous administrations officials, whose work some of his own skeptical aides have called tendentious and overreaching, may have been right to question the lab and conduct a thorough investigation. Subscribe to our newsletter. SIGN UP One of the former officials stressed that the evidence has not substantially changed, but that there are many unanswered questions. There are a lot of coincidences and circumstantial stuff, and the question is, when are too many coincidences too much? another former official said. One side of the ledger is growing, and the other isnt. Read the original post | https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2021/06/02/how-the-wuhan-lab-leak-theory-went-from-conspiracy-theory-hunch-to-genuine-national-security-question/ |
Will CA make ball-tampering investigation report public? | Source: June 03, 2021 11:14 IST IMAGE: Australia's Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera trying to tamper with the condition of the ball using sandpaper during Australia's Test against South Africa in Cape Town in March 2018. Photograph: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images/Getty Images Former Australia bowling coach David Saker wants the country's cricket board to make its investigation into the 2018 ball-tampering scandal public as he feels releasing that report might end the questions surrounding the incident. The ball-tampering issue resurfaced when Cameron Bancroft recently hinted in an interview that the bowlers in the team might have been aware of the plot to use sandpaper to alter the ball's condition. Saker was the bowling coach of the side at that time and had earlier stated that even he could be held accountable for what happened. The scandal led to bans on Bancroft, then skipper Steve Smith and his deputy David Warner. "I can't see any point why it wouldn't be released, but that's, yeah that's up to them the way they want to handle that," Saker was quoted saying by the local media in Melbourne. He was unveiled as the coach of the Big Bash League side Melbourne Renegades on Thursday. Asked why the CA should release the information, Saker said, "Because these questions keep coming up, maybe if it's released, then maybe questions might stop but I don't think they will and the questions will keep getting asked." After Bancroft's comments, the bowlers, including top pacer Pat Cummins, had insisted that they had no prior knowledge of the plot. However, former skipper Michael Clarke had said it was difficult to believe that bowlers were not aware. Saker himself has denied any knowledge of the plot. "Well, there's no doubt I had no idea there was any sandpaper involved. As far as we knew that we were using normal tactics to get the ball reverse-swinging so that's as far as I know." "We've all gone in and did our bit so I can't see it going any further, but the questions will keep coming. There's no doubt about that, but that's just a part of life, you got to deal with that but it's never going to go away, that's for sure," he said. CA chief Nick Hockley had said last month that they do not intend to make the investigation report public. | https://www.rediff.com/cricket/report/will-cricket-australia-make-ball-tampering-report-public/20210603.htm |
Can Vertically-Mounted Battery Packs Boost EV Range By 30%? | Page-Roberts is a London-based start-up that claims it can improve EV range by 30 percent with a very unconventional design. The companys patented design relocates the battery pack. Instead of mounting the battery pack in the floor like it's currently done, Page-Roberts mounts the battery vertically in the cabin of the electric car between the two rows of opposite-facing seats. Gallery: Page-Roberts EV Design Rendering 5 Photos The start-up says the conventional skateboard layout adds height, wheelbase, and structural complexities. The vertical orientation of the battery pack could improve the design, user experience, and manufacturing costs of electric cars. The company also states that an EV with a vertically-mounted battery pack allows passengers to sit lower in the car (instead of on top of the battery pack), would weigh less, and would be more aerodynamically efficient. According to the Autocar report: As a result, the firm claims, the car has the potential to travel 30% further on a charge, or use a smaller battery to maintain a similar range to existing levels. It also estimates that manufacturing costs could be slashed by up to 36%. Although the design isnt for any EV, it works best with small electric cars, more specifically sleek and sporty four-seat vehicles because of the designs low height and short wheelbase. "Our design concept reduces costs, increases efficiency, enhances agility and offers design freedom. The efficiency translates to less time charging from either longer range or smaller batteries, so pressure on charging points another key pain point for the industry will also be reduced, said Page-Roberts chief technology officer Mark Simon. Since battery packs are in the floor, interior height tends to be more restricted, and passengers have a higher, non-sporty seating position. In some cases, the floor-mounted battery pack makes an EV a little taller, which isnt good for aerodynamics. In addition, since EVs lack a drive shaft, and exhaust and fuel systems, passengers can sit extra low with the Page-Roberts design. That and the short wheelbase would be a great platform for a sports car or for a small, affordable EV. One disadvantage would be the raised center of gravity, but the company says it would be similar or better as long as the battery pack doesn't exceed 75 kWh. If used in EV mass production, this design could help spur EV adoption rates thanks to increased driving ranges and reduced manufacturing costs. | https://insideevs.com/news/511589/vertically-mounted-battery-boost-range/ |
Whats new about Russias new protests? | Earlier this year, opposition leader Alexey Navalnys return to Russia provoked a political crisis and mass unsanctioned rallies. It seemed that Russias protest movement had reached a new level: a large number of new protesters, mass participation in cities and towns across the country, and, finally, new slogans, themes and emotions all this pointed to a new development in the countrys democratic movement. But the latest unsanctioned protests, held in Russian cities on 21 April, seemed to blur the novelty and scale of the new protest wave. This protest took on a new, angrier mood anger against Russian law enforcement responsible for violently dispersing protesters and the elites luxury lifestyle mixed into a blend of class hatred. For many, it felt if the protests new ideas and emotions, which a few months ago had appeared a guarantee of the movements further development, had disappeared somewhere. Many, it seems, experienced a feeling of disappointment in the aftermath of spring 2021. New research allows us to look at Russias latest protests differently without unnecessary pessimism or excessive optimism. Together with the Monitoring of Contemporary Folklore, Public Sociology Laboratory, an independent research initiative, conducted 89 interviews at rallies on 21 April in defence of Alexey Navalny both inside and outside the country. As we show, the rallies on 21 April alluded to the main parameters of Russias protest movement the mix of existing protest structures from the last major protest wave in 2011-13, and the new elements that could change the protest movement in the future. Russias new people Quantitative polls conducted at three rallies two in January 2021 and one in April by two organisations, Monitoring of Actual Folklore (MAF) and White Counter, showed that many people who had not previously protested came out to the 2021 protests. For example, in Moscow, at the rallies on 23 and 31 January, immediately after Navalnys return and arrest, new protesters made up 42% and 38%, respectively, of the crowd. These numbers allowed analysts to speculate that discontent had grown, affecting new segments of Russian society. Qualitative interviews with protest participants, however, revealed that the newcomers at these rallies were not new to protest politics in general: their protest sentiments and sympathy for Navalny emerged at least several years before 2021. Just over a third of the protesters we interviewed at the rallies on 21 April 2021 began to attend rallies for the first time this year. However, only a few of them can be called new protesters in the full sense of the word: they were not actively involved in Russias protest agenda and were not planning to attend protests until Navalny was poisoned in autumn 2020 or even imprisoned in January 2021. | https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/odr/whats-new-in-russia-protests-2021-navalny/ |
Can Nice Guy Brad Stevens Make Difficult Decisions Like Danny Ainge? | NESN Logo Sign In Its probably fair to say Brad Stevens and Danny Ainge dont exactly seem like two people cut from the same cloth. Stevens, the Boston Celtics new president of basketball operations, has been widely mocked for his soft-spoken demeanor. The 44-year-old certainly doesnt seem like a confrontational type of person while even his mannerisms on the sideline can tend to seem like a happy-go-lucky individual. Ainge, who stepped down from his role of nearly two decades Wednesday, on the other hand, always has made the tough decisions. He put team success above relationships in the pursuit of winning. Perhaps nothing comes to mind more than Ainges trade of fan-favorite Isaiah Thomas, the point guard who gave his all to the Celtics even after going through unspeakable tragedy with the death of his sister. Oh well. Ainge saw opportunity and Thomas soon was gone. Stevens, now assuming Ainges old role, will be tasked with making those difficult and sometimes even heartless decisions. And its fair to question if he can do it, especially seeing as he has spent the last eight years in the organization getting to know the same players perhaps Marcus Smart, Kemba Walker, etc. he could be tasked with releasing, trading and shipping out of town. I think one of the things that Ive learned from just being around Danny is you have a job to do, you have a responsibility, Stevens said during a press conference Wednesday. That responsibility is to the Boston Celtics and our fans and the pursuit of excellence and the pursuit of the opportunity to compete for championships. But you can also care about people. You can also be there and do everything you can to help someone and care about them when theyre here or no longer here. I think thats really important. Youre right, Stevens continued. Weve been through a lot together, at the same time I think I have a good idea, one of the benefits of moving into this new role is, Ive got a good idea of what we do and dont do well. And what can accentuate some of our best players. So theres a lot of work to do. Theres a lot of work ahead. | https://nesn.com/2021/06/can-nice-guy-brad-stevens-make-difficult-decisions-like-danny-ainge/ |
Whats the Best Hiking Backpack? | There are so many things to see and do living here in Bismarck. I realize that most people don't usually go and see such cool places like the North Dakota Heritage Center or the Dakota Zoo unless they have family or friends visiting. That's just how it goes - we get caught up in work and some of us (me for instance) have a routine we are so used to. Shop at the same store, do the usual weekend things like sleeping in or grilling up some food in your backyard. When the days seem like forever, and the sun flexes its muscles (90 to 100 degrees), there is nothing more relaxing than taking advantage of Lake Sakakawea - sitting on a pontoon all day, then catching a Bismarck Larks baseball game. Take the whole family camping just a short 8.8 miles from Mandan. This is the oldest state park in North Dakota - take a hike through all the trails - be a part of it all. | https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2263820645747/what-s-the-best-hiking-backpack |
Why Is TikTok Essential For Business Today? | TikTok has proven that it is here to stay in 2021. Its something that Gen Z cant get enough. Marketers are fully aware that TikTok is here to stay and are attempting to capitalize on the opportunity. However, we have only heard about huge brands launching TikTok campaigns with a bang so far. With the enormous benefits of this platform, many people also buy TikTok likes to upgrade their profile. Here lets go through the platforms services and distinguishing features. This post is essential reading for anyone who wants to reach out to a younger audience or wants to grow an existing one. It is a platform thats easy to use- The hyper-edited, well-curated, and glossy style we are used to seeing on Instagram and other visual media is different on TikTok. In this medium, consistency isnt as crucial as authenticity. As a result, its an excellent opportunity to embrace flaws and create content for a fraction of the cost and from anywhere you want, without having to spend hours editing it. It helps you exude sincerity- Because videos dont lie, it is easy to recognize a phony commercial from a mile away. This reason is why TikTok influencers appear to be so genuine and approachable. They make their subscribers laugh, play, and explore, and they inspire them to do the same. As this is the type of material we choose to share with our friends and family, any subtle and organic product integration on TikTok will have a higher chance of picking viewers interest. It allows you to produce various stuff On TikTok, you will discover a wide range of voices and formats. Videos are frequently vibrant, humorous, tongue-in-cheek, or uplifting, but they are never dull. Except for the TikTok guidelines, there are no hard and fast regulations on what you may and cannot publish. It has a positive tone to it It is easy to assume TikTok is all about just pleasant vibrations. However, snarky remarks are the exception rather than the rule. Its not the best place to discuss important issues, but it is where you should go if you want your company to appear more approachable and accessible. It draws attention to your material TikToks innovative content discovery algorithms let consumers discover new material based on their viewing likes and habits, allowing marketers to raise awareness and gain more attention. TikTok is unconcerned about the number of followers you have. Youll have a terrific time if you create great, hilarious, and shareable material. You can try out high-quality services at Bribble to build your visibility effectively. It is constantly changing TikTok crazes come and go quickly. There is a new trend every day, so you cant keep posting similar films all the time as they wont get traction. However, you have more opportunities to try new things, think outside the box, and exceed everyones expectations. As you can see, the platforms primary users are teenagers. It is significant since you will almost certainly need to employ challenges and follow trends to increase the popularity of your account and business. People are usually required to dance in front of the camera or do something similar to complete challenges. People also undergo an intelligent way and buy likes on TikTok using various reputable websites. Again, instead of dancing, you can highlight humorous moments at work, share your customers videos with your product, or dedicate your account to your symbol on TikTok. After all, even the sternest and demanding customers are likely to take a few minutes to unwind and grin while watching hilarious movies. We have talked about being in a good mood, but bear in mind that it comes with a certain amount of responsibility. Advertising on TikTok will be difficult for so-called sensitive firms. Because of its primary demographic, TikTok has an unspoken rule that all of your material must be kid-friendly. Importance And Process Of TikTok Analytics For Business Businesses may now sign up for a TikTok Pro subscription, which includes an analytics tool. This tool is critical for tracking your TikTok profiles progress over time and improving and speeding up your future growth strategy. In fact, by analyzing all of the data, youll be able to determine precisely which kind of material worked best and which ones didnt. As a result, you must understand how TikTok analytics functions and which metrics you must examine. Click More on your TikTok profile Select Analytics. The following are the essential metrics to which you should pay attention in this section: Engagement Rate- Comments, likes, shares, and views are all included in this stat. Most people are conscious of the range high in this frequency, so they buy TikTok auto views. Posting Frequency- The posting frequency is the number of times you have uploaded videos in the last seven days. Trending videos- This section will display the videos that have seen the most views in the last seven days. Followers Growth- This section displays the number of people who have followed you in the last seven days. How To Get More TikTok Video Insights Tap on more from any video on your TikTok profile. Select analytics The following are some of the insights you will find in this section: Total Playtime- The total playtime indicates how long the video was in process. Total Views- This metric represents the total number of individuals who saw your video. Average Watchtime- The average watch time reveals how long people spend on average watching your video. Traffic sources Types- This type will determine the source of your video traffic. For your page, following, personal profile, search, sound, and hashtag are the sources. Audience Territories- The audience territory depicts the distribution of video viewers by region. Final Verdict The most appealing aspect of TikTok is that if your material hits the right note, it can go viral without any promotion. Advertising on TikTok may become less expensive, and new forms may occur in the future. In any case, it is a good idea to start small by engaging with influencers and promoting your account before going all-in and investing in ads. From these mentioned details, you would get some proper knowledge about the necessity of TikTok for business. Make use of these details accordingly and ensure to get quality business benefits from this platform. | https://cascadebusnews.com/why-is-tiktok-essential-for-business-today/ |
Why is Battlegrounds Mobile India (PUBG) not showing on iOS devices? | Players have recently reported that Battlegrounds Mobile India is not showing up on iOS devices. Krafton Inc. recently revealed that PUBG Mobile would make a comeback as Battlegrounds Mobile India. The game is now under development and is expected to be rolled out soon. The pre-registration drive for Battlegrounds Mobile India is currently active for Android users. The lack of any official statement regarding iOS users raised significant questions among gamers. Players have been wondering whether the game would be available for iOS users or not. Battlegrounds Mobile India: Absence on iOS platform The Government of India banned PUBG Mobile back in September 2020. Ever since the ban, developers have addressed the need to bring back the popular battle royale title in the Indian gaming community. Battlegrounds Mobile India is exclusively developed for Indian players. Several popular PUBG Mobile influencers have leaked that the game would be released soon. Krafton Inc. rolled out a pre-registration drive on May 18th. Currently, this feature is exclusively available for devices with an Android interface. The absence of pre-registration for iOS users raised a lot of doubts among gamers. A significant number of queries began to surface online, which led Krafton Inc. to address the issue on their official website. Query regarding Battlegrounds Mobile India on iOS interface (Image via Battlegrounds Mobile India) Popular PUBG Mobile influencers have also faced questions regarding pre-registration for iOS devices. Recently, Dynamo revealed that iOS users wouldn't be getting any pre-registration period. It was also stated that devices with an iOS interface would be able to download the game directly once Battlegrounds Mobile India is officially released. Gamers are assured that Battlegrounds Mobile India will be available for iOS users. However, the absence of the pre-registration phase has put them in a critical situation. Krafton Inc. has revealed that pre-registration for the upcoming title will fetch specific in-game rewards for gamers. Players will be getting the Recon Skin, Recon Mask, Celebration Expert title, and 300 AGs as pre-registration rewards. These rewards will be available once the game is officially released. The absence of pre-registration on iOS devices means that these rewards won't be available for players on the specific platform. The developers are yet to address the issue, and it is believed that they will roll out a reward system for iOS users as well. Players are advised to keep an eye on the title's website for any official announcement regarding the same. Edited by Shaheen Banu | https://www.sportskeeda.com/esports/news-why-battlegrounds-mobile-india-pubg-showing-ios-devices |
What went wrong for the Government? | Money is the most skittish of commodities on the face of the planet. Money has wings. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. This is exactly what went wrong.The wheel of the economy has stopped turning. Transactions are not taking place. Businesses are shutting down. The PTI government remained singularly focused on the rear-view mirror. The economic Titanic, in the meanwhile, kept on speeding towards half a dozen icebergs the Rs1,600 billion circular debt; Rs1,100 billion losses in public-sector enterprises (PSEs) and a couple of billion dollars worth of leakages in the gas sector.What went wrong?The PTIs economic team (was there any team?) killed economic activity and that is going to result in a historical tax shortfall of Rs485 billion. This is what went wrong.Pakistans economy is in a state of crisis. Walks in the enemy; twenty-first century wars are fought in the social media with fake news and innocent sounding narratives. The two masked objectives are: to incite a war among citizens of Pakistan; and to incite a rift between the citizens of Pakistan and their army. This is twenty-first century warfare.Pakistans economy is in a state of crisis. Walks in the enemy; twenty-first century wars are all about remaining below the opponents radar, keeping the intensity below the opponents threshold, creating political chaos behind enemy lines, using weaponized information and weaponized financial instruments. This is exactly what is happening: Pakistans enemies are busy funding political chaos trying to make a Venezuela out of Pakistan. Yes, explosions are out, implosions are in.Dr Hafeez Shaikh is up against formidable challenges controlling the price spiral; restoring business confidence; negotiating a less painful IMF programme; bringing down multi-billion dollar leakages in the electricity and gas sectors. This indeed is a tall order; an order that requires a lot of out-of-the-box thinking. To be certain, the World Bank, the IMF and the staff trained by them are trained to go by the book. Going by the book will make things even worse. | https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/what-went-wrong-for-the-government.616861/ |
What happens when thousand sports photos are combined into one? | Boston-based photographer Pelle Cass attends local college games and takes thousands of photos from one spot over a few hours. After which, he spends hours editing the photo with over five hundred Photoshop layers keeping every element in its original position at the time the photos were clicked. Cass attends all sporting events in Massachusetts from football to basketball and tennis, again from diving pools to ice hockey rings. He documents his photos in a series titled "Crowded Fields" The final images are chaotic yet natural and unique. Check a few of them below: You can see more of his work on his website and Instagram handle. | https://thebridge.in/others/thousand-sports-photos-pelle-cass-21846 |
Did Colorado's COVID vaccine sweepstakes work? | Colorado's about to draw its first vaccine sweepstakes winner. DENVER Kids in Colorado who are not old enough to gamble have a chance at winning a $50,000 scholarship if they get the COVID-19 vaccine. Gov. Jared Polis (D) announced the latest vaccination incentive on Wednesday. Colorado kids ages 12 to 17, who have at least dose of the vaccine, will be eligible for one of twenty-five $50,000 scholarships. Five winners will be announced each week for five weeks starting on June 11. This Friday, the state will announce the winner of the first $1 million prize for a Colorado adult who has at least one vaccination dose. After Polis announced that sweepstakes on May 25, vaccination rates in the state stayed rather steady. "What I think would have happened without this giveaway is a greater, rapid drop off in interest. I don't think anybody was expecting a spike," said Polis. The day before he announced the five $1 million prizes, 20,947 people had received a vaccination. The day of the announcement, the vaccination rate climbed almost 115% from the day before, with 24,020 people getting vaccinated. Historically, Mondays have been a slow day for vaccinations. The remainder of the week, vaccinations administered stayed constant, hovering just less than 24,000 each day, before dropping off into Memorial Day weekend. "We're looking at making sure that there's not a rapid decline in vaccination rates, that we can keep up the interest," said Polis. Over the same week, vaccinations administered across the United States dropped on the day Polis announced the contest in Colorado. Though, the rest of the week, vaccinations were up nationwide when compared to Colorado. There is that sticky area of whether or not you believe you are entered in Friday's drawing, for those who still cannot find their record through the Colorado Immunization Information System (CIIS) online. "People should be very reassured, in general, that they're eligible for the drawing," said Heather Roth, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's Immunization Branch Chief. Roth knows the ins and outs of the CIIS, especially since so many have been calling in to confirm their records. "I will say that we've heard from thousands of Coloradans who are very excited about the drawing, and they want to make sure that they're in it. Ninety-nine percent of the people that we have assisted at the State Health Department have been in the system," said Roth. "The 1%, often times, are those who were vaccinated out of the state, but that live in Colorado. We don't automatically receive data from jurisdictions outside of Colorado," said Roth. People who fit that criteria need to contact the CIIS help desk (303-692-2437, option 2) and provide information about their vaccinations. "If they can prove their identity and provide proof of vaccination, we update their existing record in the system," said Roth. "It all starts with what information the patient provided to the provider at the time of the vaccination service, so if they provided the cell phone, provided the email address, that's step one. Step two, is the provider actually taking that information and reporting it correctly into the system," said Roth. "A lot of records do not have cell phones attached to them. A lot of records do not have email attached to them. Some records might have the name misspelled a little bit. Anything like that throws it off." Basically, the system is as good as the people inputting the information. "The data in the system is reported by health care providers who gave the vaccine. You can actually code a home phone as a cell phone and vice versa, so those numbers get thrown into the wrong field in the system," said Roth. It might help for Friday's winner to be among the people who cannot currently confirm their record online, but the state is hopeful you will trust the system. | https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/next/did-colorado-vaccine-sweepstakes-work-covid/73-642e7a52-f6fc-44d8-baef-0dba9ebdadc6 |
Can the jewels be wet? | Certainly the sea is a danger for jewels: we talked about it here. But there is not only the sea. There are many occasions, starting with your own bathtub, shower in the morning or simply the kitchen sink, where jewelry can get wet. It depends. The main aspect to consider is the material they are made of. But, in any case, remember that sea salt and chlorine or other disinfectants in swimming pools can always ruin your jewelry. The metal in its natural state does not oxidize because it does not chemically react to oxygen. Therefore, it is not afraid of contact with liquids. But, be careful: gold is often coated with a thin rhodium patina that serves to make it brighter or to change its color (as in the case of blackened gold). In this case, the jewel often immersed in water could lose its brilliance. There is, then, another problem: gold jewelry almost always does not use metal in its natural state, that is, 24 karat. In particular, the gold jewels most at risk are those that contain a greater amount of other alloying metals. For example, 14-karat gold or, even more diluted in the metal alloy, 9-karat gold. Also in this case, contact with water or other liquids can cause the metal to lose its luster.There are cases of gold oxidation when this is a plating on another metal. This phenomenon occurs, for example, when a mercury gilding process is used, which is based on the application of a mercury-gold amalgam on a metal, followed by heating to remove the mercury: thus a layer of gold is obtained porous, which can let liquids penetrate. In this case, a chemical reaction on the metal used as a support can cause an oxidation phenomenon that is reflected on the whole jewel, even on the gold part. In any case, a gold plating is more fragile and tends to wear out over time. In this case, liquids can oxidize the underlying metal: if this happens, the only remedy is to proceed with a new plating. It is better not to expose gold-plated jewelry, by whatever method it was made, to prolonged contact with water.Same goes for the plating: vermeil, in fact, is gold-plated silver. It is considered a fairly refined formula, but it is easy to damage the plating, perhaps with small scratches that can put water in contact with the silver.It is the purest silver, a rather robust metal, but which can lose its sheen patina on prolonged contact with water, especially in environments such as swimming pools, or with solvents used for cleaning. Occasional contact with clean, unsalted water does not have a negative effect, but the jewel can be damaged if it comes into contact with sunscreen, perfumes or other cleaning substances. On the market there are also jewelry with 075 silver, which contains germanium, which prevents oxidation and can help preserve the metal with its original appearance. It is a little more resistant, but up to a certain point.It is a fairly robust alloy, but it can oxidize on prolonged contact with water. Brass can corrode due to the components of zinc, copper and tin. In this case the metal becomes progressively blackish, green or blue, with an oxidized coating which, however, can be removed. | https://gioiellis.com/en/can-the-jewels-be-wet/ |
When is The Masked Dancer final on ITV? | The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel THE BIGGEST STORIES ACROSS BRISTOL IN YOUR INBOX Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. SIGN UP Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice The Masked Dancer has captured the hearts of fans, but the talent show will soon be coming to an end. Hosted by Joel Dommett, the grand finale will see the final characters unmasked, with one crowned the winner. Among those eliminated are Jordan Banjo from dance collective Diversity, who was in the Viper costume, and Louise Redknapp, who performed as the Flamingo. The Masked Dancer final will air on ITV at 7pm on Saturday June 5. There will have been seven episodes of the new series, which follows the format of The Masked Singer. However, unlike its sister show, its been airing nightly rather than weekly. Download the Bristol Live app See our best content via our dedicated smartphone apps and keep up to date on all our breaking news stories - including the latest on crime, business, travel and weather. You can also read all our latest What's On content and entertainment stories. Just one quick download and you can read our content on the move without being online. Only see the news that interests you - just select the topics you want to display on the app's homepage. Most importantly you can now get push notifications through to your mobile, which will pop up on your screen like a text message. To get the Bristol Live app visit the App Store here for iOS devices, and on the Google Play store here to download the app on Android. The Masked Dancer judges are broadcaster Jonathan Ross, dancer Oti Mabuse (replacing singer Rita Ora), TV personality Davina McCall and comedian Mo Gilligan. All four judges have had rather colourful careers before joining the show, counting civil engineering students and retail workers among their ranks. Guest panellists will also join the line-up over the course of the week, including comedians John Bishop and David Walliams, and presenter Holly Willoughby. Full list of The Masked Dancer characters | https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/celebs-tv/masked-dancer-final-itv-5476563 |
Why Does Pot Smell Like Skunk? | I had the unfortunate experience of having COVID-19 at the start of 2021. Though not a good experience, I am thankful to have come out of it better than many. I will spare you the unpleasant details, but I do want to talk about one. I lost my sense of smell and still, several months later, have not fully gained it back. Besides not being able to smell my favorite shampoo, it also means my eating experience is different. Taste is often rated in consumer surveys as the main reason people make certain food choices. However, eating is multisensory with taste and smell working hand and hand. Think about when you have a cold, eating is often not as an enjoyable experience not being able to smell is one of those reasons. | https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2264381945867/why-does-pot-smell-like-skunk |
Why is a refund from supermarket Asda not on the cards? | Asda failed to deliver an online food order and, three weeks later, Im still 111.87 out of pocket. I paid using Asda Christmas Savings Cards marketed as a way to take the financial pressure off. Had I used a credit card, I would have a further source of redress. Each person I speak to seems to be following the same script, insisting a refund had been made to my credit card. When I pointed out no credit card was involved, they just go vague. JW, Bangor, Gwynedd Asdas scheme, which can be used all year, allows customers to top up their card each month and receive an annual cash bonus of between 1 and 15. The idea is to help spread the financial load. In reality, it means you have money trapped on a card that can only be spent at Asda, and fewer legal protections if theres a dispute. Only when I waded in did Asda decide the problem was with your card rather than the competence of its staff. Why customer service agents didnt mention this is a mystery. Due to a technical issue relating to the card we were not able to refund it immediately, it says. We have since sent out a new card with the full amount owed. Its also added 20 in goodwill. Email [email protected]. Include an address and phone number. Submission and publication are subject to our terms and conditions. | https://www.theguardian.com/money/2021/jun/03/why-is-a-refund-from-supermarket-asda-not-on-the-cards |
Are Daigous Tanking Chinas Luxury E-Commerce? | CHINESE TECH GIANTS, like those elsewhere, have thrived as covid-19 forced consumers to get their necessities and leisure online. This month Tencent, Chinas most valuable tech firm, reported another stellar set of earnings. Operating profit grew by 20% year on year in the first quarter, to $6.5bn. Rather than sit on this money (or fork it out to shareholders), it has pledged to ramp up investments in its business. It isnt alone. As they vie for users, Chinas tech titans are spending more on research and development. Even after those expenses and administrative costs, they are awash with re-investable cashflow. A slug goes on marketing. But expect more to flow into new services. | https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2264534712112/are-daigous-tanking-china-s-luxury-e-commerce |
Did Boris Johnson's money worries makes his wedding low-key? | Opinion Published: 7:00 AM June 3, 2021 Boris Johnson poses with his wife Carrie in the garden of 10 Downing Street following their wedding at Westminster Cathedral, May 29, 2021 - Credit: Photo by Rebecca Fulton / Downing Street via Getty Images Prime minister Boris Johnson made an honest - or at least an honestly mistaken - woman of the nations erstwhile first side-chick Ms. Carrie Symonds ACT OF WEAPONS-GRADE OPTIMISM OF THE WEEK In perhaps the most startling, last minute of stoppage-time victory ever scored by hope over experience, our beloved leader Boris Johnson finally made an honest, or at least an honestly mistaken woman, of his former fiance and the nations erstwhile first side-chick Ms. Carrie Symonds, in what we are told was a modest ceremony in front of as few witnesses as possible, erm, I mean, a few close friends and relatives, this Saturday last. Ill check M). We have thus far seen just one official image of the prime minister and his new ex-wife-to-be: it shows the bride looking radiant in a floral-themed gown and the groom with most of his buttons done up. The low-key, indeed stealthy nature of the ceremony is perhaps unsurprising when we bear in mind what we are given to understand about the prime ministers current financial woes (of which more later); if the PM were seen to, in his own delightful phrase, spaff too much money at this wedding, then hed then be obliged to spend the same amount again on his next one. And the one after that. FINAL VENGEANCE OF FAILING SUPERVILLAIN MOMENT OF THE WEEK The most compelling political spectacle since last we met was, of course, the appearance before the Covid Response Select Committee of the prime ministers consigliere turned archnemesis, Dominic The Second Cummings. This consisted largely of the self-proclaimed super-predictor of British politics rattling off a five-hour list of things he hadnt anticipated. Principally, of course, that the man towards whom he had gravitated as a natural liar, whom he had encouraged to lie bigger and better than ever and for whom he had orchestrated two successful campaigns based entirely on lies, might not after all be the most trustworthy individual. While Dominic something wicked this way Cummings was unstinting in his scorn for the prime minister, curiously he reserved his true bile and vitriol for the ever-hapless Matt Hancock, which is a bit like the torch-wielding mob storming Castle Frankenstein, rushing straight past the Baron and his monster and beating the crap out of Igor. LITERARY NEWS OF THE WEEK One disputed fact-or-not that which had already emerged before the select committees Domathon was the theory that the prime ministers decision to bunk off the first few COBRA meetings of the pandemic was not merely a case of slovenliness and complacency... Rather, it is alleged, Mr Johnson decided he needed the time off in order to work on the manuscript of his long-overdue (I was going to say long-awaited, but... nah) biography of Shakespeare. The completion of this book has, one hears, assumed paramount importance to the prime minister as he really needs the money hes been promised upon its delivery before the final settlement of his divorce from his PREVIOUS ex-wife, in which, we are told, he fully expects to be, to use an arcane legal term, taken to the bloody cleaners. HERE WE ARE AGAIN MOMENT OF THE WEEK So, with the HM the Queen having apparently personally nixed the Prime Ministers suggestion that the absolutely necessary, entirely worthwhile and in no way extravagant to the point of delusional new 200 million royal yacht be named after Prince Philip, the vessel is currently nameless. Hugely tempting though it is to throw the naming open to a public vote, we should bear in mind that the last time we tried that it didnt end well. I cant imagine HMS Boaty McBoatface going over too well with HM Queeny McQueenface. Ive been thinking about some possible names for the yacht myself and the one I keep coming back to is the Marie Antoinette. Cant think why. POEM OF THE WEEK Alas, the poor Gen X-ers Our innocence is gone Therell be no getting over The Friends reunion. We stared in numbing horror At what we knew was true Theyre all so tired and middle-aged So that means we are too. They seem like only yesterday Our twentysomething years The decades got away from us How fast time disappears. We switched back on to Netflix In panic and dismay Truly no-one told us Life was gonna be this way. (Clap clap clap clap...) | https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/brexit-news/boris-johnson-money-troubles-low-key-wedding-8015850 |
Was geht jetzt noch kurzfristig im Tourismus in Brandeburg? | Potsdam Mit den angekndigten ffnung der Hotels zum 11. Juni steht einem Urlaub rechtzeitig zur Hauptsaison theoretisch nichts mehr im Weg. Doch praktisch mssen Urlauber viele Dinge beachten. Und schon jetzt zeichnet sich ab: es knnte mancherorts eng werden. Ein berblick. Im Osten schon recht viel. Die Reiseveranstalter stehen berall in den Startlchern, sagt der Geschftsfhrer der Tourismus-Marketing Brandenburg GmbH (TMB), Dieter Htte. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern ffnet Hotels und Pensionen ab Mitte Juni, Brandenburg ab 11. Juni; Campingpltze sind bereits geffnet. Hinzu kommen nun die Thermen und Bder. So ffnet das Tropical Island am 12. Juni wieder. Der Wassertourismus nimmt schon lnger an Fahrt auf. Reisen bleibt in Corona-Zeiten kompliziert, besonders wenn man nicht an einem Ort verweilt. Zum Beispiel sind die Regeln in Brandenburg anders als in Berlin, obwohl sie sich insgesamt hneln. Grundstzlich mssen Reisende die 3-G-Regel beherzigen: Entweder genesen, getestet oder vollstndig geimpft sein. Touristiker empfehlen Reisenden dringend, sich vor der Abfahrt ber die Modalitten vor Ort zu informieren. Fr Brandenburg gilt: Wer auf Campingpltzen, in Ferienwohnungen oder auf Hausbooten eincheckt, muss zu Beginn einen negativen Schnelltest vorweisen. Wer in Pensionen oder Hotels bernachtet, muss den Test dagegen alle 72 Stunden wiederholen. Diese Regel galt bis vor kurzem in MV auch auf dem Hausboot, wie Stefan Selge, Geschftsfhrer des Anbieters Bootsreisen24.de erklrt. Ab 4. Juni muss man nach seiner Kenntnis auch in MV nur noch einmal beim Betreten des Bootes einen negativen Test vorweisen. Nicht mehr viel, Urlaub auf dem Wasser ist uerst beliebt. Laut Bootsanbieter Selge sind spontane Buchungen schon jetzt sehr schwierig. In Berlin-Brandenburg seien schon gut 90 Prozent der Kapazitten ausgeschpft. Erst ab dem spten September seien Buchungen wieder gut mglich. Die Nebensaison sei aber auf Hausbooten kein Nachteil. Unbesorgt losfahren und auf einen freien Stellplatz wie zu normalen Zeiten zu hoffen, empfiehlt sich nicht. Die Pltze sind begehrt. Dieter Lbberding, Vorstand des Campingparks Sanssouci am Templiner See in Potsdam, sagt: Das Telefon steht nicht mehr still. Das heit fr Camper: Schnell buchen. Lbberding kann jetzt im Schnitt nur ein Drittel der Gste im Vergleich zu den Zahlen vor der Pandemie empfangen. Abstand muss sein. Auf der Anlage ist eine Teststation eingerichtet, damit die Bedingungen fr Beherbergung erfllt werden und Gste in Restaurants gehen knnen. Noch gebe es Hoffnung, dass man spontan buchen knne, aber mit Beginn der Ferien werde es eng. 2022 sei man schon bis zu 40 Prozent ausgebucht. Das gilt aber nicht fr jeden Campingplatz. Beim grten Spabad weit und breit, dem Tropical Islands in Brand, (Dahme-Spreewald) laufen die Vorbereitungen auf Hochtouren. Nach sieben Monaten Zwangspause sucht das Tropenbad derzeit noch nach neuen Mitarbeitern fr den Neustart am 12. Juni, wie Marketingdirektor Kim Schfer erklrt. Das Haus hat fr Juni noch Kapazitten fr Besucher, aber die Buchungen gehen massiv in die Hhe. Fr August wird es eng, so Schfer. Die Schulferien sind auch fr Tropical Islands Hauptsaison. Fr die Nutzung des Bades braucht man einen Schnelltest und eine Reservierung. Spontanbesuche sind vorerst nicht mglich. Das wird schon bei der Zufahrt zum Gelnde geprft; Gste ohne Anmeldung mssen abgewiesen werden. Das Online-Ticket ist schon wegen der Kontakt-Nachverfolgung wichtig, so Schfer. ADAC-Reiseberaterin Andrea Frbel sagt, dass der Trend in diesem Jahr weiter in Richtung Inland geht. Deutschland ist das Reiseziel Nummer 1. Zum Beispiel sei die Ostsee super gefragt. Gleichwohl werden in den Reisebros wieder deutlich mehr Auslandsreisen nachgefragt. Ab Mitte Juni seien weitere ffnungen in Spanien zu erwarten. Daneben werben vor allem Mallorca und Griechenland um Touristen. Sogar Fernreiseangebote gibt es. Die Dominikanische Republik und die Malediven empfangen Gste, so Frbel. Allerdings wurden diese Regionen von der Bundesrepublik wieder als Risikogebiete eingestuft. Nach der Rckreise muss man in Quarantne. Noch locken einzelne Veranstalter sogar mit Sonderangeboten, aber mit den Ferien drften die Preise anziehen und gegenber frher teurer werden. ADAC-Reiseberaterin Frbel weist beispielsweise darauf hin, dass auf Mallorca nur 300 von 1000 Hotels geffnet sind. Es gibt also nicht ganz so viel Platz, und das schlgt sich auf die Preise nieder. Auch Mietwagen auf der beliebten Sonneninsel drften teurer werden. TMB-Geschftsfhrer Dieter Htte befrchtet, dass Brandenburg einige Anbieter verloren haben knnte. Bisher gebe es dazu keine verlsslichen Zahlen. Auch das knnte sich auf das Preisgefge auf dem Markt auswirken. Lesen Sie auch: Schulffnungen, Sport und Gastronomie: Diese Corona-Regeln gelten jetzt in Brandenburg Von Rdiger Braun | https://www.maz-online.de/Brandenburg/Was-geht-jetzt-noch-kurzfristig-im-Tourismus-in-Brandeburg |
Which altcoin will rocket with the ongoing growth wave? | The cryptocurrency market may have left the correction as all of the top 10 coins have grown over the last day. Top coins by CoinMarketCap BTC/USD Bitcoin (BTC) has accumulated enough power in the area of $36,000 to fix above $37,000. The rise over the last day adds up to 4.41%. BTC/USD chart by TradingView On the daily chart, Bitcoin (BTC) can keep rising as bulls have seized the initiative in the short-term case. The closest level at which sellers may return to the game is the vital mark of $40,000, as the buying volume is not enough for a long-term bull run. Bitcoin is trading at $38,105 at press time. BNB/USD Binance Coin (BNB) has gained more than Bitcoin (BTC) as the price of the native exchange coin has rocketed by 19% since yesterday. BNB/USD chart by TradingView From the technical point of view, Binance Coin (BNB) is realizing accumulated energy in the area of $300. However, the buying trading volume keeps going down, which means that the rise might not last for long. The nearest resistance is located at the mark of $485. BNB is trading at $416 at press time. XLM/USD Stellar (XLM) is an exception to the rule as its rate is almost unchanged over the last day. XLM/USD chart by TradingView After a false breakout of the $0.45 mark, the price is not going down, which means that bulls might soon break this level. If that happens, the next level where a decline is possible is at $0.495. XLM is trading at $0.4287 at press time. YFI/USD The rate of yearn.finance (YFI) has gone down by 0.35% over the last day. YFI/USD chart byTradingView YFI is located in the zone where most of the liquidity is focused. At the moment, neither bulls nor bears are dominating on the market. If buyers can fix above $47,000, the vital level of $50,000 may be achieved soon. YFI is trading at $46,150 at press time. | https://www.fxstreet.com/cryptocurrencies/news/which-altcoin-will-rocket-with-the-ongoing-growth-wave-202106030511 |
How Long Do COVID Vaccines Take to Start Working? | Melbourne, Jun 3 (The Conversation) Amid Victoria's worrying COVID outbreak, perhaps the point of greatest concern is the fact the virus has again found its way into aged care. On Sunday, the state government announced an aged-care worker had tested positive for COVID-19, despite having received their first vaccine dose on May 12. We've since found out another staff member, who worked alongside the original staff member at Arcare Maidstone, has returned a positive result, along with a resident. The resident had received a first dose of the Pfizer vaccine and reportedly has only mild symptoms, but is being monitored in hospital. The original worker's son has also tested positive. The cases in the first staff member and the resident, both of whom had received a first vaccine dose, highlight the fact you need both doses for maximum benefit. It takes a couple of weeks Clinical trials show COVID vaccine protection is optimal from about two weeks after your second dose. This means they: -nearly completely protect against severe disease and death in healthy people -dramatically reduce the likelihood of symptoms with COVID-19 -reduce the likelihood of infection with the virus -if you do get infected, they reduce the amount of virus you make. Emerging evidence suggests this reduces the likelihood you will pass the virus to other people. Each dose of a vaccine essentially shifts the odds in your favour. One dose gives you a lower chance of reaping some of these benefits, while two doses gives you a much higher likelihood of these benefits. Though even with two doses, you could still be unlucky and get infected, develop disease or pass on the virus. Clinical trials of the Pfizer vaccine were designed to test the efficacy of the vaccine more than one week after the second dose. However, these trials also provided the first hints that a single dose could offer some protection as early as 12 days afterwards. Real world data now supports these early observations a single dose is highly effective against hospitalisation four weeks after vaccination. Meanwhile, early research and reports suggest a first dose of Pfizer could be between 50 per cent and 90 per cent effective at preventing infection. Preliminary data also suggest people who become infected with SARS-CoV-2 after one dose of the Pfizer vaccine are up to 50 per cent less likely to transmit that infection to other members of their household. The AstraZeneca vaccine was initially developed as a single-dose vaccine, estimated to have an efficacy of 76 per cent against disease in clinical trials. These trials were later amended to include a second dose when other work showed two doses significantly increased antibody levels in volunteers. Real-world data, though yet to be peer reviewed, has shown one dose is roughly 65 per cent effective at protecting from infection and up to 50 per cent effective at preventing vaccinated people from passing the virus on if they do become infected, like Pfizer. Also similar to Pfizer, a single dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine offers very good protection against hospital admission four weeks afterwards. Despite differences in mRNA vaccines like Pfizer and viral vector vaccines like AstraZeneca, both take similar amounts of time to generate antibody responses. After a single dose of AstraZeneca, antibodies can be detected after 14 days and further increase over the next two weeks. When researchers track the antibody response to the first dose of vaccine, they find it takes at least ten days for the immune system to start making antibodies that can recognise SARS-CoV-2's spike protein (a protein on the virus' surface which it uses to enter our body's cells). It also takes at least a week for T cells, a type of white blood cell important in our immune response, to start to react to the vaccine. Over the next few weeks, these responses become even stronger. In contrast, the second dose activates the immune system much more quickly. Within a week of dose two, your antibody levels increase by more than ten times, providing much stronger and longer-lasting protection from infection. So the first dose of a COVID vaccine gets your immune response going, but the second dose is essential to ensure immunity is strong, consistent from person to person, and longer-lasting. Partial vaccination can be risky While a single dose of either vaccine provides some benefits, relying on partial vaccination for people who are vulnerable or working in high-risk roles is problematic. It's critical we fully vaccinate frontline health-care workers, quarantine workers and people who work and live in aged and disability care as soon as possible. Another challenge is that all current COVID vaccines are based on the original virus strain but variants now make up the majority of infections in many countries. Some variants are targeted less effectively by vaccines, particularly after only one dose. Preliminary data suggests that while two doses of the Pfizer vaccine are 88 per cent protective against symptomatic infection with the B.1.617.2 variant, a single dose is only 33 per cent effective. A similar variant, called B.1.617.1, is behind the current outbreak in Victoria and may respond similarly. This makes it even more important to ensure frontline workers receive both vaccine doses as quickly as possible. It's also worth noting immune responses to one dose of either the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccines decrease with age. In a pooled analysis of Pfizer and AstraZeneca, older people had lower rates of protection than younger people after a single dose, although older people were protected just as well as younger people after two doses. Although this study is yet to be peer-reviewed, it tells us administering the second dose in a timely manner is particularly important for older people to realise the full benefits of vaccination. (The Conversation) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) | https://www.latestly.com/agency-news/world-news-how-long-do-covid-vaccines-take-to-start-working-2519501.html |
Do Anti-ApoA-1 Antibodies Link Fatty Liver Disease and CVD? | Anti-apolipoprotein A-1 (ApoA-1) antibodies are common in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and may not only drive its development but also underlie the link between NAFLD and cardiovascular disease, suggests a novel analysis. Conducting a clinical analysis and a series of experiments, Sabrina Pagano, PhD, Diagnostic Department, Geneva University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland, and colleagues looked for anti-ApoA-1 antibodies in patients with NAFLD and then examined their impact on hepatic cells and inflammatory markers. They found that nearly half of 137 patients with NAFLD were seropositive, and that the antibodies were associated with increased lipid accumulation in the liver, altered triglyceride metabolism, and pro-inflammatory effects on liver cells. We hypothesize that anti-ApoA-1 IgG may be a potential driver in the development of NAFLD, and further studies are needed to support anti-ApoA-1 IgG as a possible link between NAFLD and cardiovascular disease, Pagano said. The research was presented May 31 at the European Atherosclerosis Society 2021 Virtual Congress. Asked whether anti-ApoA-1 antibodies could represent a potential treatment target for NAFLD, Pagano told theheart.org | Medscape Cardiology that they have already developed a peptide that is recognized by the antibodies in order to try to reverse the anti-ApoA-1 deleterious effect. While this was successful in vitro, unfortunately we didnt observethe peptide reverse of these anti-ApoA-1 effects in mice, sofor the moment its a little early, to say whether it represents a promising target. Approached for comment, Maciej Banach, MD, PhD, full professor of cardiology, Polish Mothers Memorial Hospital Research Institute, Lodz, Poland, said that the results are very interesting and encouraging. He said that his own global burden of disease analysis, which is set to be published soon, showed that the worldwide prevalence of NAFLD is 11%, representing almost 900 million cases, and a more than 33% increase in prevalence in the past 30 years. Consequently, any attempt to have effective, especially early, diagnosis and treatment, is highly anticipated. Banach said the findings from the experimental analyses are very interesting and promising, especially regarding the pro-inflammatory effects of anti-ApoA-1 antibodies. However, he underlined that the clinical part, looking at antibody seropositivity in patients with NAFLD, was limited by the lack of a control group, and there was no indication as to what treatment the patients received, despite it being clear that many were obese. Banach also believes that, taking into account the patient characteristics, it is likely that most of the patients had the more severe nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and it would be additionally useful to see the autoantibodies levels both in NASH and NAFLD. Nevertheless, the clinical utility of measuring anti-ApoA-1 antibodies is limited at this stage. He said that the lack of good, easy, and cheap diagnostic methods based on both laboratory and imaging data for NAFLD means it would be difficult to determine whether assessing antibody seropositivity might be indeed an added value. Independent Predictors Pagano explained that anti-ApoA-1 antibodies, which target the major protein fraction of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, are independent predictors of cardiovascular events in high-risk populations. They are also independently associated with cardiovascular disease in the general population, as well as atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability in both mice and humans. She said that ApoA-1 antibodies have a metabolic role in vivo, and have been shown in vitro to disrupt cholesterol metabolism, promoting foam cell formation. Studies have also indicated they play a role in hepatic fibrosis, predicting the development of cirrhosis in individuals with chronic hepatitis C infection. The team therefore set out to determine the presence of anti-ApoA-1 antibodies in individuals with NAFLD, defined here as fatty acid levels >5% of liver weight, as well as their effect on hepatic cells. Working with colleagues at Magna Grcia University of Catanzaro, in Catanzaro, Italy, they obtained serum samples from 137 patients with NAFLD confirmed on ultrasound. The patients had an average age of 49 years, and 48.9% were male. The median body mass index was 31.8 kg/m2. Cholesterol levels were typically in the intermediate range. They found that 46% of the participants had anti-ApoA-1 IgG antibodies, which is quite high when compared with the 15%-20% positivity that we retrieved from the general population, Pagano said. To explore the link between high anti-ApoA-1 antibodies and NAFLD, the team studied hepatic cells, treating them with anti-ApoA-1 IgG antibodies or control IgG antibodies, or leaving them untreated, for 24 hours. This revealed that anti-ApoA-1 IgG antibodies were associated with a significant increase in liquid droplet content in hepatic cells compared with both cells treated with control IgG (P = .0008), and untreated cells (P = .0002). Next, the team immunized apolipoprotein E knockout mice with anti-ApoA-1 or control IgG antibodies. After 16 weeks, they found there was a significant increase in liver lipid content in mice given anti-ApoA-1 antibodies vs those treated with controls (P = .03). They then asked whether anti-ApoA-1 antibodies could affect triglyceride metabolism. They examined the expression of the transcription factor sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP) and regulation of the triglyceride and cholesterol pathways. Treating hepatic cells again for 24 hours with anti-ApoA-1 IgG antibodies or control IgG antibodies, or leaving them untreated, showed that anti-ApoA-1 antibodies were associated with dramatic increases in the active form of SREBP. They also found that expression of two key enzymes in the triglyceride pathway, fatty acid synthetase and glycerol phosphate acyltransferase, was substantially decreased in the presence anti-ApoA-1 antibodies. In both experiments, the untreated hepatic cells and those exposed to control IgG antibodies showed no significant changes. These results suggest that negative feedbackturns off these enzymes, probably due to the lipid overload that is found in the cells after 24 hours of anti-ApoA-1 treatment, Pagano said. Finally, the researchers observed that anti-ApoA-1, but not control antibodies, were associated with increases in inflammatory markers in liver cells. Specifically, exposure to the antibodies was linked to an approximately 10-fold increase in interleukin (IL)-6 levels, as well as an approximate 25-fold increase in IL-8, and around a sevenfold increase in tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Pagano suggested that the inflammatory effects are probably mediated by binding anti-ApoA-1 antibodies to toll-like receptor 2, which has been previously described in macrophages. No funding was declared. The study authors have disclosed no relevant financial relationships. European Atherosclerosis Society 2021 Virtual Congress: Abstract 704. Presented May 31, 2021. For more from theheart.org | Medscape Cardiology, join us on Twitter and Facebook Author: This post originally appeared on Medscape Medical News Headlines | https://newslanes.com/2021/06/03/do-anti-apoa-1-antibodies-link-fatty-liver-disease-and-cvd/ |
Do I need to get tested for COVID-19 if I'm vaccinated? | No, you can skip routine testing, with some exceptions. The latest guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says you don't need to be tested or to quarantine if you're fully vaccinated, even if youve been exposed to someone who was sick. An exception is if you develop COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, cough and fatigue. The updated guidance reflects recent studies showing vaccinated people face very little risk of serious disease. Even if you get an infection, you'll be less likely to spread it to others and any symptoms will likely be milder. As a result, the CDC says vaccinated people can also be excluded from routine workplace screening, though many companies aren't tracking employees' vaccination status. Screening is still recommended for people working or living in homeless shelters or prisons, due to the higher risk of outbreaks. The relaxed guidelines also don't apply to doctors, nurses and other health care workers, whose employers might still require testing. Guidance may vary by country. U.S. citizens returning from abroad also still have to present a negative COVID-19 test before boarding their flights home, regardless of their vaccination status. Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 should still isolate for 10 days, the CDC says. As vaccinations increase, many experts expect the CDC to further relax testing guidelines, even for vaccinated people with symptoms. Many common colds and viruses can cause symptoms resembling COVID-19, experts say, which could lead to a wave of unnecessary testing in the fall. As we race to open back up, a whole variety of infections that we dont routinely test for are going to cause those same symptoms, said Dr. Rebecca Wurtz of the University of Minnesota You should wash your hands and stay home from work, but theres no need to run out to be tested. ___ The AP is answering your questions about the coronavirus in this series. Submit them at: [email protected]. | https://www.independent.co.uk/news/do-i-need-to-get-tested-for-covid19-if-im-vaccinated-covid-university-of-minnesota-b1858750.html |
Do I need to get tested for COVID-19 if Im vaccinated? | No, you can skip routine testing, with some exceptions. The latest guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says you dont need to be tested or to quarantine if youre fully vaccinated, even if youve been exposed to someone who was sick. An exception is if you develop COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, cough and fatigue. The updated guidance reflects recent studies showing vaccinated people face very little risk of serious disease. Even if you get an infection, youll be less likely to spread it to others and any symptoms will likely be milder. As a result, the CDC says vaccinated people can also be excluded from routine workplace screening, though many companies arent tracking employees vaccination status. Screening is still recommended for people working or living in homeless shelters or prisons, due to the higher risk of outbreaks. The relaxed guidelines also dont apply to doctors, nurses and other health care workers, whose employers might still require testing. Guidance may vary by country. U.S. citizens returning from abroad also still have to present a negative COVID-19 test before boarding their flights home, regardless of their vaccination status. Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 should still isolate for 10 days, the CDC says. Advertising As vaccinations increase, many experts expect the CDC to further relax testing guidelines, even for vaccinated people with symptoms. Many common colds and viruses can cause symptoms resembling COVID-19, experts say, which could lead to a wave of unnecessary testing in the fall. As we race to open back up, a whole variety of infections that we dont routinely test for are going to cause those same symptoms, said Dr. Rebecca Wurtz of the University of Minnesota. You should wash your hands and stay home from work, but theres no need to run out to be tested. ___ The AP is answering your questions about the coronavirus in this series. Submit them at: [email protected]. | https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/do-i-need-to-get-tested-for-covid-19-if-im-vaccinated/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
How old is "too old" for a holiday? | I am 87 and planning holidays to Norfolk Island and New Zealand with my folding wheelie walker (much to the horror of family and friends). Not at all! I applaud your lust for life and determination to keep making the most of this beautiful planet. Ive been hitting the road lately with my father and its been such a joy to see him discover all-new activities and experiences. At 85 years young, hes discovered his two new favourite activities are snorkelling and annihilating his daughter on the basketball courts (seriously). See also: Heres where you need to stop on the way to Bundaberg See also: This could be the perfect New Zealand tour Youll have no problem with your wheelie walker either on the ground or in the air. Qantas (which flies to both destinations) allows collapsible walkers to be stowed in an overhead compartment, while non-collapsible walkers must be checked in. Dont worry, youll be transferred to the departure gate in a wheelchair or people mover and staff will help you with getting your walker back once youve landed. With Air New Zealand, walkers are checked in, but staff will assist customers to and from the plane using one of their wheelchairs. They do recommend that for a smoother journey, you request wheelchair assistance when you book. Low-cost airlines such as Jetstar make it clear that they do not have the systems, staff or supporting facilities to provide the same level of help in this area as a full-service airline, so it is best to give them a call with the specifics of your mobility device and what kind of assistance you will require getting on and off the plane. Before you head off, be sure to see your regular GP for a check-up, stock up on any medications you may require while youre away and create a contact list of doctors, hospitals and pharmacies in or near your destination. Magnetic Island, Townsville. Ive had some poor experiences booking accommodation through various booking sites lately, including one where the property looked nothing like the one advertised online. I hear you. I once turned up at a property that was so terrible I checked out two hours after I checked in and promptly booked and paid for a second property. When I hopped online later that night to re-read all the reviews that made me hit that first BOOK NOW button in the first place, I discovered they were overwhelmingly positive. Research shows thats not unusual; so uncomfortable are we with leaving negative reviews many of us will write a puff piece or leave the review section blank even if our own experience has been The Poltergeist-level negative. This means that regardless of whether youre booking privately or youre going through a popular booking site, you cant trust what you see online unless you do some serious legwork yourself. As a first step, Im a big fan of asking family, friends and even local community groups for personal recommendations so dont be shy in putting a call-out on social media. While youre on Facebook and/or Instagram, this is the time to check a potential propertys social media accounts for photos or complaints (funnily enough, people have no trouble leaving negative feedback on these channels). I wouldnt solely rely on images and information published on either the booking website or the hotels direct website; its best to conduct a Google Images search before checking both images and reviews on tripadvisor.com.au. Even if you like what you see, its worth calling the property directly to discuss exactly which room youll be enjoying (be sure to get this information in writing). Whether you end up booking directly or going through a booking site will then ultimately depend on whos offering the better deal. | https://www.escape.com.au/travel-advice/how-old-is-too-old-for-a-holiday/news-story/1a9e914ce5e8c5c5d2215b01be65c2c9?nk=ba9c40df44db6f7a07a44270ecb8fea2-1622704301 |
Is it safe to use free wifi networks? | Most of us love a freebie, especially when its something useful. Take wifi, for example. With our lives so hooked into our smartphones, tablets and online services, internet access has become just as important to our daily lives as light and heat, a utility in its own right. Increasing mobile coverage and unlimited data plans mean there are few instances where you would find yourself out of data coverage. But venture into more rural areas or even outside the State, and you may find yourself cut off. Thats where wifi hotspots come into their own. If you have ever been abroad, where roaming charges could result in an eye watering bill, and found a cafe or a hotel that offers wifi that is not only free but also open and password-free, you might have felt a little bit like you hit the jackpot. Free wifi sounds like a great idea. there are reasons why you should be wary of connecting to any old public network, and even more as to why you shouldnt do any sensitive business over public networks you connect to regardless. Its not just computers that are at risk either; your tablet or smartphone could equally open you up to attack. Think about how much you do on your smartphone every day, and how much information your device collects. There are good reasons for wanting to keep it protected. Transfer your confidential data over an insecure network and you may find it falls into the wrong hands, leaving you at risk of identity fraud, losing access to your online accounts or having your financial data stolen, or all of the above. There are several scams to be aware of when deciding whether or not to use the wifi on offer. First up, fake hotspots. Scammers may set up networks that look similar to a genuine network, grabbing your private data when you connect to the wrong network. If in doubt, check with staff about their networks identity, and if you cant be sure, steer clear of using it. There are also man-in-the-middle attacks to be wary of. This is when an attacker essentially eavesdrops on your internet traffic, quietly interrupting a data transfer while posing as a legitimate participant. Users may find themselves inadvertently transferring data to the attacker instead of their intended recipient. There is also the ubiquitous problem of malware. Pay close attention next time. If you allow file sharing between your device and others on the network, an attacker could exploit that to insert malware on to your machine. And as weve seen in recent weeks, hackers only need one weak link to exploit and they hit the jackpot. Thats all before you get into packet sniffing and session hijacking: there are good reasons to protect yourself. Encryption If you have been paying attention to technology in recent years, encryption is likely to be a familiar topic. This is what protects your data from unauthorised users, scrambling your network connection so people cant just drop in and look at what you are doing online. Or at least, that is what it is meant to do. Even if there is encryption on the wifi network, it may not be good enough; it depends on what encryption the network is using. The oldest and least secure form of encryption that you may come across in the wild is WEP, which is far easier to break than the standards that came after it. WPA2-AES encryption is considered the best and most easily implemented option. Since iOS14, Apple will now warn you if you are connected to a wireless network that has poor security or that needs its protection updated to something more robust. Some encryption may be better than none, but if you are using WEP on any network, it may be time to consider an upgrade to your equipment. All those risks shouldnt scare you off from using all wifi hotspots; it just means you should take a few precautions and be careful of what type of business you are conducting over the network. Use a VPN A virtual private network creates a sort of tunnel through the internet, giving you an encrypted connection no matter what wifi network you are using. Not only can they help you hide your location a handy way to get around geoblocks for certain services such as video streaming they make it more difficult for users to be traced and also help keep your internet traffic safe from prying eyes. That means advertisers trying to build profiles of you as well as potential hackers who may try to intercept your communications. VPNs arent difficult to get started with. Services such as Express VPN and TunnelBear have apps for your mobile devices that will allow you to turn on your encrypted connection quickly and easily, as well as desktop services to keep your laptop and personal computers safe. NordVPN is another good option for users that will earn its price tag. Make sure you are connected to secure sites If you are going to go online on a free, unsecured wifi hotspot, make sure the websites you are visiting are secure. Look for https in the address bar, which indicates data sent between a web server and a web browser is secure. It will give you some protection while on a public wifi hotspot. Dont reuse credentials Its evergreen advice from security professionals reusing passwords is a bad idea. If you do get caught out by hackers while using insecure public wifi, reusing your passwords means you may have just handed hackers the keys to your online accounts. Even the most inexperienced of hackers will be aware that people reuse passwords and log in details across multiple accounts, so using strong, unique passwords will cut off one avenue of attack. If your accounts provide multi-factor authentication, enable it. That way, if someone manages to steal your password, theyll still need another verification method to actually gain access to your important accounts. Turn off sharing As previously mentioned, file-sharing on a public network is a bad idea. It grants wireless access to folders on your computer, meaning anyone with access could access that data or leave some of their own. While file sharing may be useful on a private home or office network, its not a good one on a public network, so disable it when its not needed. Windows 10 allows you to set profiles for wireless networks you connect to, designating them private for your trusted home or office network and public for all other networks. The latter automatically hides your computer and files from others on the network, so it cant be used for file or printer sharing. If you arent sure, open the Network and Internet settings, and look under the Network Sharing Centre. Turn off automatic wifi connection Regardless of whether you use a tablet, a laptop or a smartphone, switch off your devices ability to automatically connect to wireless networks. Most of the networks you will connect to are genuine, but removing that auto connection will reduce the risk of accidentally logging on to a fake network impersonating a legitimate one. Its a minor inconvenience to have to manually select a network, but it is once that could keep you safe. Update your protection You may not be able to completely keep people out of your devices, but you can make it as difficult as possible for them. Keep your antivirus, anti-malware and firewall software up to date, and make sure that important security patches are installed. Avoid doing sensitive business on free wifi If in doubt, dont conduct anything too sensitive on public wifi networks. You may have taken every precaution open to you, but nothing is 100 per cent sure. Your own mobile data connection if that is an option open to you is a more secure option, and one that is under your control. The bottom line is, you cant eliminate all risks. But if you really want to use public wifi hotspots, you can significantly reduce the risks by implementing a few security changes. | https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/is-it-safe-to-use-free-wifi-networks-1.4581196?localLinksEnabled=false |
Is It Time For A New Business Challenge? | For some small business owners, there comes a time where they need a new challenge. In the event you said yes, now may well be the time to consider putting your startup on the selling block. If you are going to do such a thing, make sure you have done all you can to position your company for a smooth sale. Make Sure Financial Documents Are Good to Go When you have a small business primed for one to make a startup acquisition, have all your ducks in a row. At the top of your priority list is to make sure all your paperwork is in order and ready to go. One of the first things that does have the potential to kill a sale would be when one is not organized. Not only can that scare off a potential buyer, it makes you look unorganized and not in control. You may feel more comfortable having a business attorney go over your documents with you. That way you can make sure all is in order, like any contracts you might have. Once your startup is on the selling block, do all you can to get the word out there. The more ears and eyes on you have something valuable to sell, the better chance you have of a sale going through. Last, do not feel as if you have to take the first offer to come your way. While the hope is you will get many offers for your startup, take the time to sift through each of them. The last thing you want or can afford would be to get low-balled and accept an offer. That is not showing the true value of your startup. Among the possibilities would be you will head over to the corporate world and work for someone else. One of the reasons people like having a business is they get to call the shots and set their schedules. While you take away pressure of making the big decisions working for someone, it can still be a big change for some. Another possibility is you have a new small business venture in mind. From a startup of your own to going into business with one or more individuals, explore the options. Having that independence to work for you and potentially make a lot of money can be quite appealing. Finally, you may have reached a point where retirement is on your mind. If youve had a good run, now may be that point where you want to step back for good and let others make up the business world. In the event you fear too much time on your hands will be an issue, you can work a part-time job or even consulting. In a 2019 report from flexjobs.com, more than 25% surveyed and planning to retire said theyd work part-time once that day came. Meantime, with those already in retirement, close to 20% had part-time jobs. When you sense a new challenge is in order, make it your business to find the best choice for you moving forward. | https://www.dailyvanguard.com/is-it-time-for-a-new-business-challenge/ |
Who remembers the era of Cork's mystery trains? | READER Rick Davitt enjoyed our Throwback Thursday feature last week, which mentioned Michael OHalloran, who did the horse-drawn deliveries for Miah Kellehers shops on Barrack Street and South Main Street. What a whistler, and what a voice, comments Rick affectionately. He was an absolute gentleman. Rick also remembers that the popular RT show, Halls Pictorial Weekly, did a lovely programme about Michael in the 1960s. There he was, going down Magazine Road, whistling to his hearts content. He was so happy in himself, delivering vegetables to all the customers. I had the honour and pleasure of working with him in later life. He is still going strong, thank God. Mr Davitt was also an avid cinema-goer back then. In other words, who was the leading man. In later years, Rick recalls visiting Dermots (or, as he always called it, The Midnight Grocer) in Adelaide Street, on many occasions, for slices of cooked ham on his way home from a dance at the Arc. That was long before Cork got into late night takeaways. They used to serve great deep fried mushrooms with their chips just right after a happy evening in the pub with friends. And Ricks father worked for CIE, which brings back memories to his son of the Mystery Trains that ran on summer Sundays. Not ghost trains now, but real ones, only you bought your ticket and didnt know where you were going, which was the mystery bit. Kids today head off for New Zealand or Outer Mongolia in their gap year, and we take a weekend in the Canaries without the slightest hesitation, but back then, a trip into the unknown meant Kent Station in the early morning with your packet of sandwiches and a raincoat over your arm in case it poured (it usually did!) SOMBRE TONE: Charles Mitchel announced the death of President Kennedy to Irish TV audiences Our query last week as to where people were when they heard of JFKs assassination also trigged a response from Rick. Yes, I can still see it, feel it. A dark November evening, a news flash. Charles Mitchel in a sombre tone informing the nation of the shooting of the President of America. A real sense of shock and horror. It was the previous summer that Kennedy had been in Ireland. I worked as a helper on an ice cream van during the holidays, says Rick. On the great day, the driver and I stood on the roof of the van on Popes Quay and watched the cavalcade crossing Patricks Bridge. "In my innocence I felt I was in the presence of greatness. It was the American dream, Hollywood, the White House all rolled into one. John Fitzgerald Kennedy, whose ancestors left Ireland to seek a better life, was now the most powerful man in the world. Leaving Shannon Airport he vowed to return, but tragically, he never did. The other day, we were asking Leo OSullivan, that determined hot rodder of the 1960s, how he got started in that sport in a place like Cork, which hitherto had fallen more into the old banger category than noise and speed. Well, I was apprenticed at Dilworths Garage in Dripsey. They used to get old cars as trade-ins, which werent really of much use any more, and so Id speak to the boss and ask him if he would mind if I took one that caught my fancy, and hed say sure, take it away. We had a small garage ourselves at home, so I was able to work on these wrecks there with the knowledge Id gained from my day job. Leo breaks off to throw a glance at me. I bought an Adler off your brother, Gilbert, once. Loved that car. Sold it to a friend of mine in Cork and then it went on to Kilkenny, I believe, but Ive lost sight of it. Would love to know where it ended up. One day, Leo remembers, he was involved in cutting the roof off a DKW (as you do on a leisurely Saturday afternoon, I suppose). Kevin McSweeney came along, saw what we were up to, and asked if we would be interested in starting a hot rod club. And it all stemmed from there. In those early days, when money was non-existent but energy and enthusiasm were huge, Leo and his pals were never idle in pursuing their passion of souping up old vehicles. We used to cut off the exhaust and make them good and noisy, so people could hear us, and then wed go round the lanes at night, enjoying them. We made sure it was late at night, though, when everybody was in bed, as we didnt want to meet people coming home from the pub! Eventually, Leo confesses, they started converting bigger cars to TVO (for the innocent, this was tractor vaporising oil, a lot cheaper than petrol), but didnt have the technology to do it properly. It was only later on we understood how we could have done it. We drove this Austin A90 that we had converted to the end of the Straight Road but it wasnt exploding the fuel properly and there were bangs and clouds of smoke, and I tell you, it was like a spaceship landing! Nevertheless, Leo won the very first hot rod race ever held in Cork, in that Austin A90. That was at Classes, in John A. Woods place, which we were able to use because there was some kind of strike on. I remember I turned the car upside down that time, but I wasnt hurt and it was great publicity. We never had serious injuries because, quite quickly for youngsters, we made sure we had seat belts and roll bars. Everything else got taken out. A big five-gallon container of water in the back to clean the screen, that was all. They got huge crowds from the beginning. At that first one, we went over to put up some ropes in the early morning, and thought it would be fine to come back just before the starting time, but when we came back there was a huge queue. Nobody had seen car racing in Cork then since the Straight Road in the 1930s. We introduced the shoulder to shoulder racing at very cheap cost. Leo learned a lot on the track and indeed off it, he reveals. It was an eye-opener, because after two or three years in the garage, I thought I knew everything. Then, as we got involved in the hot-rod racing, we realised how little we knew high lift cams, different grades, modifications, all the things to make the engine go faster. I learned an awful lot. We hunted for books on tuning, and were desperate for information. Once, he says, he built a two-engine car. An Austin Maxi, I used. I took the engines out of two cars and put one in the front and one in the back. I did that as an experiment to see would it work and it did. It was great around fields but in races it was too heavy. But the experimenting went on. We were always trying new ideas to see what would work better. We used reject tyres from Mobil near Coachford and we would try them all, compounds, Formula One, everything. The compound would leave black rubber on the track. We turned wheels inside out, and put different wheels on cars. A man called Paddy Mackey from Blarney came in with a Beetle with a wire mesh over the screen and the wings half cut and that became the fashion brand for a long time. You cut four inches off the wings and it looked great and they wouldnt be rubbing off the bigger wheels you were using. ****** Now here is a reminder for you. Saturday marks the 30th anniversary of the demolition of the great old Ritz cinema on Washington Street, to make way for an office and apartment complex. This writer remembers seeing all the Sissi films and the early Trapp Family ones (pre-Julie Andrews). The Ritz cinema in Cork city. There had been another cinema here in the 1920s and 30s, the Washington, but it burned down, to be replaced by the newly-built Ritz in August, 1929. Hardly an auspicious date to open a cinema, one might think, but it prospered, not least because it had an exclusive contract to show all the new releases from Warner Brothers. In the 1940s, it is said, the queue for a new Humphrey Bogart film would stretch right down to the corner of the Grand Parade. But it was always said that the Ritz was under a bad luck curse because it was built on the site of what was once a fairy fort, long before Cork had expanded into a city. It was even held to house a resident ghost. Fires, accidents, bad business times... all affected that initial prosperity. Closed by one management in the early 1970s, it was reopened a couple of times by other entrepreneurs, but finally closed in 1989, to be demolished in 1991. At the time of its closure, it was the only functioning member of Corks old cinemas. A girl who worked in the restaurant which later opened on the site, said she had seen a strange transparent figure sitting there one night, facing where the screen had once been, apparently watching a long-ago film. Email your memories to jokerrigan1@gmail. com. Or leave a comment on our Facebook page: (https://www.facebook.com/echolivecork) | https://www.echolive.ie/corklives/arid-40304957.html |
Is Audis dream Dakar Rally team inspired by Stallones The Expendables? | INGOLSTADT - Audi becomes the first car manufacturer to battle for overall victory in the infamous Dakar Rally next year with an electrified powertrain, not only heralding an energy revolution in cross-country motorsport, but at the same time securing three illustrious driver teams for this ambitious project. Mattias Ekstrm/Emil Bergkvist (Sweden), Stphane Peterhansel/Edouard Boulanger (France) and Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (Spain) will compete for Audi Sport in, arguably, the worlds toughest rally from January 2 to 14, 2022. Its no exaggeration to speak of a dream team, says Julius Seebach, managing director of Audi Sport. Stphane is the most successful Dakar driver of all time. Carlos is a multiple Dakar winner and World Rally champion. With Mattias, we already celebrated many Audi successes in the past. He is one of the worlds most versatile drivers. In addition to a lot of speed, they are all adding an extreme amount of expertise and motivation to our team. The same goes for their co-drivers, who play an increasingly important role in the Dakar Rally. Carlos Sainz, Lucas Cruz, Emil Bergkvist, Mattias Ekstrm, douard Boulanger, Stphane Peterhansel, Julius Seebach, Andreas Roos with the famous Audi Quattro and Formula E car In the end, the drivers and co-drivers make the difference at the Dakar Rally, says Andreas Roos, responsible for the factory motorsport commitments at Audi Sport. The fact that we will have three driver teams at the very highest level is reassuring. We can put a check mark behind this point. Now its up to us to complete the development of our innovative car and kick off the energy revolution in cross-country rallying in January. At the Dakar Rally, teamwork and reliability are crucial, says Sven Quandt, team principal of Q Motorsport. You need a well-bonded team, a super reliable car and reliable driver teams. You cant permanently drive at the limit in the Dakar Rally. The right strategy is crucial. Im very happy that we will have three renowned and strong teams competing for us. We know their qualities very well. Mattias Ekstrm (42) has spent almost his career under the banner of the four rings, particularly in the DTM, where he won the title twice with Audi (2004 and 2007). The Swede underlined his versatility by winning the World Rallycross Championship in 2016, as well as successful stints in the World Rally Championship, NASCAR and in Australian Supercars. In 2021, he is competing for CUPRA in the new Extreme E electric off-road series. Earlier this year, he also made his debut in the Dakar Rally. The Dakar will definitely be one of the most exciting adventures of my career, says Ekstrm. To be able to tackle this exciting project together with the team, with which I celebrated my greatest successes, is fantastic. Although Ill be turning 43 this year, I feel like a junior compared to Carlos and Stphane. In this sport, you need a lot of experience in all areas. I still have a lot to learn, but Im really looking forward to it. Mattias Ekstrms co-driver is his compatriot Emil Bergkvist (26), who used to be a rally driver himself. I come from the same region as Mattias. He has always been an idol for me, every motorsport enthusiast in Sweden knows him, says Bergkvist. When I stopped driving, I called him and asked if I could work for his team. Now, I am his co-driver. Its an honour for me to be able to work with Mattias and be part of this great project at Audi. Related Video: IOL MOTORING | https://www.iol.co.za/motoring/motorsport/is-audis-dream-dakar-rally-team-inspired-by-stallones-the-expendables-1ce56a76-5557-4288-a362-ea80452209cb |
Is Paul Rudd Hiding Friends Memorabilia in the Hudson Valley? | Let's just call this "The One Where Paul Rudd Sends the Internet into a Tailspin." 'Friends' is one of the most popular television shows of all time. So when the cast ( Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, and Matt LeBlanc) announced that there would be a 'Friends' reunion, fans flipped out. On Thursday, May 27th, Friends: The Reunion was released on HBO Max. Fans of the show are giving it glowing reviews. They laughed, cried, and reminisced about some of the most memorable scenes and episodes with the cast. Okay, now let's pivot. If you were on any form of social media Friday morning you would have seen Paul Rudd trending. Paul Rudd, as we all know, has a home in the Hudson Valley and helps out with Samuel's Sweet Shop in Rhinebeck, so I had to make sure everything was okay. What I found out was that Mr. Rudd was trending for an appearance he made at the reunion. In one clip Rudd can be seen squatting down with a camcorder recording the series finale of the hit sitcom. For those who don't know, Paul Rudd played Pheobe's husband Mike Hannigan. Many fans are now demanding that Paul Rudd release the images and or video he took on that, now, vintage camcorder. Could Paul Rudd be hiding never-before-seen 'Friends' footage in the Hudson Valley?! "The One Where Paul Rudd Releases The Friends Footage" has a nice ring to it. Have you watched 'Friends: The Reunion?' Let us know! The 20 Most Surprising Things Found at LEGOLAND New York in Goshen LEGOLAND New York in Goshen is officially opening this summer. Right now special previews are going on so that guests can get a sneak peek at what's in store when the park opens its gates. While we won't spoil all of the surprises, here are just some of the incredible little details that await you during your first visit to this incredible theme park. 25 Must Try Hudson Valley Dining Experiences We compiled a list of 25 great dining experiences that you should try in the Hudson Valley! 25 Wineries and Breweries to Visit in the Hudson Valley The Hudson Valley is known for its amazing wineries and breweries. Here is a list of 25 worth checking out! | https://wpdh.com/is-paul-rudd-hiding-friends-memorabilia-in-the-hudson-valley/ |
Why is My Cats Food & So Many Others Out of Stock? | Pet food throughout the Hudson Valley is getting more and more scarce. I keep trying to get my cat's dry food only to keep coming up empty both online and in the store. I just had to make the ultimate decision, a new brand of food for her. So far it is working, she has been eating it. Yes, the pandemic. The manufacture's production lines were closed when everything shut down during the quarantine. Pet parents stocked up on both wet and dry food to make sure that their little fluffy ones have enough to eat. There have been more pet adoptions during the pandemic. More pets who are in homes that need food. Set up an alert on Amazon or Chewy.com. Those alerts will tell you when the food is back in stock. Talk to your local pet shop, they are a great source for you. In most cases the people that work at those stores (and Chewy.com) are pet owners, who talk to other pet owners, they will be a great resource for you, not only when you are looking for an alternative or an emergency substitution, but for knowledge about different pet diets. Well, I know that Sophia's particular food has been out for two months and Royal Canin's website says that they are experiencing supply issues and hope to resolve them soon. Best of luck to you too! LOOK: Stunning animal photos from around the world From grazing Tibetan antelope to migrating monarch butterflies, these 50 photos of wildlife around the world capture the staggering grace of the animal kingdom. The forthcoming gallery runs sequentially from air to land to water, and focuses on birds, land mammals, aquatic life, and insects as they work in pairs or groups, or sometimes all on their own. | https://wpdh.com/why-is-my-cats-food-so-many-others-out-of-stock/ |
Does Anyone Really Want Beto ORourke To Run For Texas Governor? | Get our free mobile app On Thursday, Beto O'Rourke will kick off his latest tour to find himself and decide whether or not he will run for office. It's a tradition for O'Rourke at this point. Lose a race, take a road trip, and think about what office you want to run for next. Let's just hope that O'Rourke is done livestreaming from the dentist office. Officially, O'Rourke is touring Texas to warn Texans about the scary piece of legislation known as voter integrity that will have to be brought up in a Special Session. O'Rourke will kick off his campaign, sorry, tour in Midland, then travel to Lubbock on June 4th, Abilene on June 5th, and Wichita Falls on June 6th. This is basically O'Rourke's way of re-introducing himself to the voters in Texas. O'Rourke is reportedly thinking about running in the Democrat primary for Texas Governor. He lost to Senator Ted Cruz and got destroyed in the race for President. And in his lackluster Presidential campaign, he had the media behind him and hoping that he would be the big thing. And he wasn't. He blew all the momentum that he had and instead of acting as a moderate Democrat, he ran as a far left candidate who is ready to take away your guns, knock down the border wall, and now is against voter integrity at the ballot box. We know who O'Rourke is now. | https://newstalk1290.com/does-anyone-really-want-beto-orourke-to-run-for-texas-governor/ |
What do the hues on the Pride rainbow flag symbolise to LGBT+ community? | Our editorial team is dedicated to finding and telling you more about the products and deals we love. If you love them too and decide to purchase through the links below, we may receive a commission. Prices were correct at the time of publication. Yahoo Shopping site LGBTQ Rainbow ribbon against sky Pride month is upon us again. Before you get stumped by a smart-aleck asking you about its' symbolism as we celebrate Pride month this June, let us delve a little deeper into the hues of the Rainbow flag. Yes, you heard that right. The official Rainbow Flag of the LGBT+ community has only 6 colours. Each colour holds a meaning: red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, blue for harmony and purple for spirit. Let us go back in time. The original Rainbow Flag designed by gay activist Gilbert Baker in 1978 sported 8 colours. Each of the 8 colours were assigned specific meanings by the designer: Pink = Sex, Red = Life, Orange = Healing, Yellow = Sunlight, Green = Nature, Blue = Magic, Indigo = Serenity, Violet = Spirit. However, sourcing for the pink fabric required for the top layer proved an uphill task as hot pink was not a colour in demand then. So out goes pink. Thats one colour down. Story has it that when the 1979 Pride Parade Committee decided to use the 7-stripe rainbow flag to honour the assassinated gay Harvey Milk, the logistics involved to divide the colours evenly on parade grounds led to the eventual decision to stick to an even number of colours on the flag. And that is the story of the 6-striped Rainbow Pride flag. Over the years, the former indigo stripe evolved into a more classic royal blue. Story continues Now that you are clued in on the evolution and symbolism of the Rainbow flag, its time to celebrate Pride month and start shopping for all things rainbow, pink and beautiful! PHOTO: Lazada. Vans Pride sneakers PHOTO: Lazada. Converse Pride shoes PHOTO: Shopee. Converse Chuck Get 25% off everything with code "HELLO25" on ASOS PHOTO: ASOS. Calvin Klein Modern Cotton Pride lingerie set Get 25% off everything with code "HELLO25" on ASOS PHOTO: ASOS. Hollister Pride ombre rayon short sleeve shirt Get 25% off everything with code "HELLO25" on ASOS PHOTO: ASOS. Tommy Hilfiger high-leg swimsuit in rainbow print Get 25% off everything with code "HELLO25" on ASOS PHOTO: ASOS. adidas Originals pride flight bag Get 25% off everything with code "HELLO25" on ASOS PHOTO: ASOS. adidas Originals Pride trefoil bucket hat PHOTO: Amazon. Rainbow Umbrella It's raining Pride T-shirts Hold virtual Pride parties and support local PHOTO: Shopee. Pastry Mart Kueh Lapis Rainbow, 1 kg PHOTO: Shopee. Baker's Brew Rainbow Tower Cake LGBTQ+ reads Theres nothing like reading to broaden our horizons and open our minds. These reads will shed some light on the lives of the LGBTQ+ community and probably make you shed a tear or two. Whether you wish to show support for your LGBTQ+ friends or love the hues of the rainbow for its aesthetics, here are more rainbow-related merchandise to add to your Pride collection: ASOS (get 25% everything with code HELLO25), Zalora, Shopee, Lazada, Book Depository and Amazon. Try this under S$50 sleep hack and sleep like a baby 9 mini lifestyle changes to bright, healthy eyes IWD 2021: Quit the Cinderella syndrome and empower yourself and other women Fun-filled, family-friendly activities for grandparents and kids this school holidays The sleep hack trending on TikTok and othertips that doesnt involve pills Everyday attireand accessories with your favourite cartoon or movie characters Outfits and bags in auspicious colours that will put you in the mood for CNY Huat your way to a brand new year with the auspicious colour red grandma approved! Pantone colours of the year 2021: Tips to rock your daily wear in greys and yellows Swarovski up to 50% sale Add bling to your new year with necklaces, watches, bracelets, rings, earrings and more Rainy season essentials for work and play Stay dry with these waterproof boots, bag and make-up | https://sg.style.yahoo.com/whats-the-rainbow-flag-got-to-do-with-lgbtq-072035561.html?src=rss |
What is Mimikos next move? | By Emmanuel Oladesu Olusegun Mimiko, medical doctor, former Minister of Housing and one-time governor of Ondo State, is not off the political radar. He is always strategising. A source said the former governor may dump the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). According to the source, Mimiko has held meetings with the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN). Also, the former governor has met with the Chairman of the APC National Caretaker Committee and governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, and two other governors. However, it is not clear whether the ZLP governorship candidate in last years election, former Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi, would also return to the APC. Ajayi had dumped APC to run against his estranged boss, Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) at the poll. A source close the national headquarters of the APC confided that the move to draft the former governor to the party was to strengthen the chapter for a certain agenda ahead of 2023. ADVERTISEMENT He said: From the look of things, our man, Akeredolu, appears not to be on same page with the Aso Villa, owing to his recent position on certain national issues. So, we are working hard to ensure the former governor joins us to take charge of the party because we cannot afford to toy with any state in the Southwest. However, Ondo State Commissioner for Information Donald Ojogo dismissed insinuations that the positions taken by Akeredolu were targeted at the Presidency. He said: Its a good thing, if those who left the party or even willing ones are coming to join the party; but the slant that Governor Akeredolus stance on some national issues is responsible for the search for fresh frontiers is dismissable. Whatever position he has taken in the past or would take on national issues can only be propelled by altruism and patriotism. So, if anyone finds opportunity under such cover to blackmail the governor as being at loggerheads with the Villa, it will be unfortunate. But, if it happens, we wont be surprised because some persons take politics to boundless levels, not minding whether the wellbeing of their folks is endangered or not. Efforts to elicit reaction from Mimiko was abortive. The text message to his media aide, Eni Akinsola, was not replied. | https://thenationonlineng.net/what-is-mimikos-next-move/ |
How did GTA 5 RP become so popular? | In recent months, GTA 5 RP has become a major hit among gamers. It continues to resonate with the real world for a variety of reasons. Given the overall popularity of GTA 5 and Online, it seems roleplaying is the current hot trend on Twitch and YouTube. While GTA 5 RP has been around for years thanks to FiveM, servers like NoPixel have finally caught the attention of players and streamers alike. Everyone has taken notice. Although Google trends indicate there is a slight decrease in searches for GTA 5 RP, it still retains a high amount of viewership across major platforms. It's certainly nothing to scoff at. In a fast-moving era of short attention spans, the fact that it continues to sustain popularity is quite impressive. Why GTA 5 RP resonates with fans GTA 5 RP is a multiplayer mod that uses roleplay servers. Depending on a player's preference as to how they want to develop their character, there are multiple servers that can fit their needs. Even today, GTA 5 RP is still growing strong with long waiting lists to join servers. There are several reasons why gamers enjoy GTA 5 RP. Fans waited too long for the arrival GTA 6 GTA 6 is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated video games in history. GTA 5 completely blew away fans with a detailed open-world environment and heist mission structure. However, it's been almost a decade since the original release of GTA 5. There is still no word on the ongoing status of GTA 6. In the meantime, fans of the GTA series gave themselves a new experience through multiplayer modifications. GTA 5 is already one of the best selling games of all time, which means there is a large player base ready to try out roleplays. Roleplaying communities became mainstream The eventual rise in FiveM finally allowed players to enjoy a roleplaying experience. While roleplaying already existed years prior, there wasn't a fully developed scene. The significant change in roleplay popularity was the result of Dungeons and Dragons, which made it mainstream entertainment. IRL streams also bear some responsibility. Since viewers were fully engrossed in the daily activities of their favorite streamers, it became more acceptable to start roleplaying mundane occupations. GTA 5 RP allows players to assume the everyday role of firefighters, policemen, and medical staff members. Some players enjoy a simpled means of playing GTA. They want to engage with the sights and sounds of real-life tasks set in a video game. Running a burger joint can be just as fun as setting up a heist, as long as the players involved are interesting. Where popular streamers go, so do their followers With a newer set of eyes on the product, now was the perfect time for GTA 5 RP to take center stage. All it needed was major players to bring in the audience. Enter Twitch and YouTube streamers with millions of followers. Once they started playing the game, so did their followers. Popular streamers include Sykkuno, Buddha, Ludwig, Summit1g, and Adin Ross. Each of these Internet personalities bring a unique perspective with their characters. GTA 5 RP allows all sorts of crazy situations to play out during live broadcasts. Fans of GTA didn't want to miss out on the fun. There is an incentive for streamers to play GTA 5 RP Twitch is arguably one of the most popular gaming broadcasters (Image via Wallpaper Cave) Once streamers started gaining views through GTA 5 RP, others followed in their wake. Whenever the newest trend arrives in video games, streamers tend to hop right to it. To varying degrees of success, the likes of Fall Guys and Among Us all had their time in the spotlight. GTA 5 RP is no different in this regard. One of the main incentives for newer streamers to roleplay is the immense popularity of this immersive world. Players need to prove themselves by getting whitelisted on a respectable server like NoPixel and SSB Wrld. Once they get in, it's highly likely they will interact with high-profile streamers to gain viewership. GTA 5 RP provides players a completely different perspective With everything taken into consideration, the most convincing argument for the continued success of GTA 5 RP is a simple one. Gamers value social interactions and fun activities, which these modifications provide. The potential to play with well-known streamers is a major plus. There is nothing quite like GTA 5 RP. Not only does it take players out of their comfort zone, it forces them to be creative with their characters. Many scenarios can play out in different and unexpected directions. The enjoyment lies within the unpredictable nature of GTA 5 RP. There's always twists and turns in a story. Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views. Edited by david.benjamin | https://www.sportskeeda.com/gta/how-gta-5-rp-become-popular |
Does Logan Paul's training video indicate that he can actually trouble Floyd Mayweather? | Floyd Mayweather vs. Logan Paul is the talk of the combat sports world. Be it the sunny beaches of Miami or the icy mountains of the Himalayas; the fight has piqued the attention of people far and wide courtesy of the two larger-than-life personalities involved. Regardless, when all hype is set aside, what remains is two athletes putting their lives on the line in a boxing match. Make no mistake about it, this exhibition bout is, at the end of the day, a real fight. The age-old combat sports tenet has repeatedly taught martial artists and fight fans worldwide that no one is invincible. Today, we break down YouTube megastar Logan Pauls media workout ahead of his much-awaited fight against boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr. We look at the good, the bad, and everything in between in this brief breakdown of Logan Paul and the threat he poses to Floyd Mayweather. Logan Pauls unconventional style originates from his training under veteran boxing coach Milton Lacroix We recently looked at Logan Pauls boxing coach, Milton Lacroix. The veteran coach is known for his unconventional approach to the sweet science, something thats mirrored to a great extent by a vast majority of his students. You can watch the highlights from Logan Pauls media workout in the video embedded below (*Video courtesy: Fight Hype). Something that has set the combat sports community abuzz after watching his media day workout session is Logan Paul's boxing technique. 'The Maverick' appears to be in great shape and is carrying a decent amount of muscle without being too bulked up. Paul's cardio also appeared to be on point throughout the workout. However, as noted, it was Logan Paul's technique that was the biggest talking point to come out of the workout. 'The Maverick' is currently being criticized on social media for what his detractors claim to be sloppy technique. On the contrary, some people opine that Logan Paul's unconventional boxing style is effective even though it goes against the conventional wisdom imparted in most boxing gyms worldwide. Logan Paul's supporters have noted that his unconventional style and technique stems from the fact that he's trained under Milton Lacroix since the beginning of his short boxing career. Logan Paul looked impressive on the skipping rope, explosive on the heavy bag and mitts, but unconventional overall Another big takeaway from the workout session was Logan Paul's cardio. He looked impressive on the jump rope, be it his technique or the amount of time he put into it without driving himself to exhaustion. This was most definitely something that ensured his fans that 'The Maverick' has been taking training seriously ahead of the monumental clash against Floyd Mayweather. Logan Paul is seemingly in the best shape he could be for this fight a decent balance between being muscular and not carrying too much muscle that could hinder his cardio output. The next notable talking point from the workout came from Logan Paul's shadowboxing. This is something that many critics have been pointing out as a surefire sign that Paul isn't ready to take on someone as seasoned as Floyd Mayweather. Logan Paul appeared to throw punches with decent form, but he wasn't looking at his target (granted, that one hits an imaginary target while shadowboxing). Paul wasn't looking at the space in front of him and was facing sideways during most of the punches thrown while shadowboxing. This practice isn't uncommon in the boxing world, however, training oneself to look at where one's strikes land (even while shadowboxing) is considered to be good form in the martial art of boxing. Yet another point of criticism that's being directed towards Logan Paul is that he wasn't breathing correctly for most of his shadowboxing. It was only later on in the session that Paul started breathing out while throwing his strikes. Overlooking one's breathing is one of the quickest ways to tire out in a fight, and against a cardio machine like Mayweather, this could spell bad news for Logan Paul. Logan Paul's work on the heavy bag also told an interesting story about where he's at in his boxing journey. The heavy boxing bag is one of the best tools to train one's punches and often reveals how good one's technique truly is. Logan Paul's jabs, straights/crosses, and hooks all appeared to be somewhat unconventional. They were thrown in a wide, looping manner, using full or nearly-full extension of the muscles. While muscle extension and looping generally give more leverage and power, it also increases the time it takes for the strikes to reach their target. This also opens up the opportunity for Logan Paul's opponent, Floyd Mayweather, to land counter punches and slip out of the way long before Paul can catch the undefeated boxer. Furthermore, Logan Paul kept his hands low for the most part and didn't bring them up to protect his chin after throwing a strike/combination of strikes. Moreover, Logan Paul's mitt work with his coach Milton Lacroix featured more unconventional boxing technique and looping punches. Paul displayed a powerful uppercut, the punch that he famously knocked down KSI with in his professional boxing debut. The uppercut came with a great deal of muscle extension, with Logan Paul dropping his hands even further, thereby telegraphing the strike. As noted, the wide, looping strikes generate more leverage and power but will surely leave Logan Paul open to Floyd Mayweather's dangerous counter punches. Floyd Mayweather's thunderous check hook that KO'd Ricky Hatton comes to mind. The Hatton KO could very well be recreated if Logan Paul rushes in with looping punches. However, this is where things get interesting. Logan Paul exhibited a substantial amount of discipline regarding maintaining distance during mitt work. Paul didn't rush in like most other beginner boxers with only one pro bout under their belt usually do. Instead, Logan Paul chose to hang back and counter. Paul even brought his hands up in response to being hit with the mitts by his coach. This is something that Paul will have to do against the much lighter and faster Mayweather. Blocking the smaller Mayweather's combinations before clinching up and making 'Money' carry his weight is yet another tactic that Logan Paul is expected to employ in their fight. Logan Paul looked powerful and explosive on the heavy bag, the mitts, and throughout the workout. Nevertheless, Paul's looping punches and habit of almost always keeping his hands low are cause for concern in his fight against a legendary pugilist like Floyd Mayweather. The Floyd Mayweather vs. Logan Paul matchup will headline the fight card that'll take place at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida, on June 6th, 2021. Sound off in the comments. Please take 30 seconds to answer this survey so that we can better understand how to serve your MMA needs. Edited by Utathya Ghosh | https://www.sportskeeda.com/mma/does-logan-paul-s-training-video-indicate-can-actually-trouble-floyd-mayweather |
What is the start time of the Floyd Mayweather vs Logan Paul fight and where can I watch it? | YouTuber-turned-boxer Logan Paul has recently found himself in several headlines. This tends to happen when one plans to butt heads with a legend of the game in Floyd Mayweather. The highly anticipated eight-round exhibition is slated to go down at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Pre-fight altercations and trash talk from both sides have generated hype for this event. Fans have been counting the minutes to this mouth-watering event, and it is finally here. The fight card for this event seems pretty lean, with only four fights featuring on the main card. Therefore, all the pressure to come up big will be on pugilists who find themselves on the main card. Logan Paul Media Availability The PPV in the United States is set to kick off at 8 p.m. ET and 5 p.m. PT Sunday, June 6th. As far as the United Kingdom is concerned, the PPV is slated to be televised in the early hours of Monday, June 7th at 1 a.m. BST. For fans in India, the PPV will commence on Monday, June 7th at 5:30 a.m. IST. In the United States, fans will have to pay $49.95 to watch the PPV. The event will be streamed live on Showtime.com and Fanmio.com. Floyd Mayweather is looking sharp for his exhibition boxing Match with Logan Paul This Sunday. #MayweatherPaul pic.twitter.com/v3LZYHMj2n UndisputedTweets (@P4PTweetss) June 2, 2021 Those looking to watch the PPV in the United Kingdom can tune in to the Sky Sports Box Office and their live coverage of the event will kick off at 11:55 p.m. Sky Sports Box Office can also be viewed on BT TV; flip to Channel 496 or search for the event in the BT Player. Fans in India can download the Fanmio Boxing app from their respective appstores and can watch the PPV for Rs. 4,400. Floyd Mayweather vs Logan Paul: Fight details and full card The special exhibition fight will pit Floyd Mayweather and Logan Paul against each other for eight rounds that will last three minutes each. However, what will disappoint fans is that a winner will not be declared at the end of the fight, thus, waiving the need for judges to officiate the contest. While a winner will not be crowned, the fight could still be stopped by the referee or a knockout. The fighters will be sporting 12 oz gloves and will wear no headgear. Let us know in the comments! Please take 30 seconds to answer this survey so that we can better understand how to serve your MMA needs. Edited by Utathya Ghosh | https://www.sportskeeda.com/mma/news-what-start-time-floyd-mayweather-vs-logan-paul-fight-can-i-watch-it |
Is an unknown space object a message in a bottle? | The Pan-STARRS observatory in Hawaii can detect reflected sunlight from objects bigger than a football field that pass within the orbit of the Earth around the sun. The first known interstellar visitor of such size was discovered by this telescope on Oct. 19, 2017, and named Oumuamua scout in Hawaiian. The object showed many anomalous properties that made it different from any natural comet or asteroid that astronomers had witnessed before in the solar system, allowing for the possibility that it was manufactured artificially by an alien technology. Advertisement Oumuamua had a flattened shape with extreme proportions never seen before among comets or asteroids, as well as an unusual initial velocity of 196,000 miles per hour and a shiny appearance exhibiting a push away from the sun in excess of the solar gravitational force. The excess force could be explained if Oumuamua were propelled by the pressure of sunlight; that is, if it is an artificially-made lightsail a thin relic of promising technology for space exploration that could accelerate spacecrafts by harnessing the push of light. Such technology is currently being developed by the Starshot Initiative and other organizations. This possibility would imply that Oumuamua is a message in a bottle from an unknown origin. The many anomalies exhibited by Oumuamua forced all natural scientific interpretations of it to invoke objects that we have never seen before all with improbable drawbacks. They include the hypothesis that its a hydrogen iceberg but that would likely have evaporated by absorbing starlight during its journey; a nitrogen iceberg chipped off the surface of a Pluto-like planet around other stars but that requires much more raw material than available in the Milky Way; a dust bunny a hundred times more rarefied than air but that might not have the material strength to withstand heating to hundreds of degrees by the sun; or a tidal disruption relic which would not have the pancake-like shape inferred for Oumuamua. Advertisement The experience of finding Oumuamua is similar to walking along a beach and discovering a bottle among all the natural rocks and seashells. Even if Oumuamua is an artificially-made bottle distinct from all natural rocks in the solar system it is probably equipment that is billions of years old and out of commission. Most stars formed billions of years before the sun, and the technological relics that another civilization launched into space are probably too old to be functional. We can retrieve more information about technological relics by taking close-up photographs. Such a photo could have helped determine if Oumuamua was a natural rock or an artificial object manufactured by an extraterrestrial civilization. Putting our hands on a piece of alien technology would change the way we perceive our place in the universe, our aspirations for space, and our philosophical and theological beliefs. Copying an extraterrestrial technology that the world does not possess could be a financial and scientific goldmine. Still, it would be a psychological shock, and we must prepare for it. Advertisement Stories about one-time miracles are the foundation of myths, but they do not stand up to the standards of science. The situation becomes more complicated by eyewitness testimonies of one-time events. The Pentagon was ordered by Congress to disclose all it knows about Unidentified Aerial Phenomena by June 2021. And last month, 60 Minutes reported on the federal governments acknowledgment of such UAPs. But this focus on past eyewitness reports is misguided. It would be prudent to move scientific inquiry forward with Earths finest technology. Instead of declassifying documents that reflect decades-old technologies used by witnesses with no scientific expertise, it would be far better to deploy state-of-the-art recording devices, such as camera or audio sensors, at the sites where the reports came from, and search for unusual signals. A scientific expedition focused on reproducing old reports would be far more valuable in unraveling the mysteries behind them. Its most important purpose would be to inject scientific rigor and credibility into the discussion of whether we are alone or not. Avi Loeb is former chair of the astronomy department at Harvard University, founding director of Harvards Black Hole Initiative, and director of the Institute for Theory and Computation at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. He is the author of Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/06/03/opinion/is-an-unknown-space-object-message-bottle/ |
Why are dreams so weird? | This odd quality leads one neuroscientist to suggest that the purpose of dreams if there is one may be to keep our brains on their toes. In an opinion piece in the journal Patterns a few weeks ago, Erik Hoel, a theoretical neuroscientist at Tufts University, described how some computer neural networks seem to need periodic doses of nonsense to stay flexible and perform well. Dreams are peculiar. Theyre more often salads of mundane daily activities than absurdist romps. That said, they are not just like reality. The phone might have no buttons. The person whos your dad is not really your dad. And of course, all too rarely, you might be able to fly. Advertisement For decades now, research scientists have been exploring whether dreams serve a purpose. (In case youre wondering, Sigmund Freuds ideas in The Interpretation of Dreams, poetic though they are, have not stood the test of time.) One school of thought is that dreams may be a side effect of other neurological processes of clear importance to survival, namely thinking and sleeping, but they may not have any significant adaptive function of their own. Another school of thought is that dreaming may aid in memory consolidation and learning. People whove been given a memory task and dream about it seem to improve their performance the next time they perform the task more than people who dont dream about the task. Its not clear, though, if the dreams themselves are helping or if theyre just a byproduct of whatever brain process is at work improving performance. In his new article, Hoel takes inspiration from neural networks. These are computer programs whose structure loosely resembles that of neurons in the brain and that are capable of impressive feats of pattern recognition. Systems involving neural networks underlie everything from Google Translate to Amazon recommendations. But if some advanced networks, called deep neural networks, train on the same data over and over, they can get stuck on the details and become worse at generalizing, or seeing the big picture. Advertisement Its like a self-driving car just memorizing the routes its supposed to drive, Hoel says. If it cant generalize to a wide variety of roads and routes, its not really self-driving, then, is it? Researchers address this problem with neural networks by feeding them training data thats missing big chunks of information or is otherwise contradictory, essentially forcing them to work harder to find meaningful patterns. Perhaps, Hoel suggests, the not-quite-right quality of dreams sharpens the brains ability to generalize about situations instead of having to memorize specific responses to them. Anna Schapiro, a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, says that in broad strokes, this phenomenon in deep neural networks may resemble what happens with dreams. However, its unclear how laboratory experiments could be designed to differentiate this hypothesis from others about dreamings purpose. That said, variation weirdness, essentially is widely thought to be important in the brains methods for consolidating memories. The purpose of memory is not to just record something so you can play it back like it happened, says Erin Wamsley, a professor of cognitive neuroscience at Furman University, in South Carolina. Whether the learner in question is a neural network or a human toddler, the ability to use memories for learning depends on deducing larger patterns that organize the information. You want to use all your past experiences to see the commonalities, she says. Advertisement Existing research suggests that when we reactivate our memories, we arent repeating the original experiences exactly as they were. If you dreamed about this phone conversation, it would not resemble the actual phone conversation. It would be really different, and weird, and bizarre, Wamsley says. But we know that that actually is how memory so-called replay is. Its not exact. If something as central as memory relies on putting some noise in with the signal, perhaps its not so surprising that dreams, whatever their role, remix our daily experiences too. Veronique Greenwood is a writer whose work has appeared in such publications as The New York Times, The Atlantic, and National Geographic. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/06/03/opinion/why-are-dreams-so-weird/ |
How long can the Red Sox wait to improve their offense? | They have scored four runs in the first three games of this series and only 28 over the last nine games. Finding ways to score has been a chore. Wednesdays 2-1 loss against the Houston Astros demonstrated again that when the top of their order isnt hitting, the Sox dont have anywhere else to turn. HOUSTON The trade deadline is not until July 30, well off in the distance. Garrett Richards allowed two runs over six innings on Tuesday and Nick Pivetta did the same on Wednesday. Both took losses. Advertisement Right now it seems like we have a lot of guys who are struggling, manager Alex Cora said. The Sox scored a run in the first inning Wednesday and left the bases loaded. They did not advance a runner beyond second base the rest of the game. Cora correctly pointed out that offense is down across the game. This is hardly something unique to the Sox. But there are clear positions in need of an upgrade. Based on OPS, the Sox are in the bottom five offensively in the American League at first base. They have given rookie Bobby Dalbec every chance to get hot and it hasnt happened. The promise he showed at the end of last season and in spring training hasnt carried over. Or they could bring in an outfielder and play Kik Hernndez at second base. Rafael Devers was one of two Boston players with two hits Wednesday night. The Red Sox had just seven as a team. David J. Phillip/Associated Press Triple A outfielder Jarren Duran will be an option, perhaps as soon as the All-Star break. He had a .991 OPS in 18 games for Worcester before joining Team USA for the Americas Olympic qualifying tournament in Florida. Duran is 3 for 10 with two RBIs, a run scored and stolen bases through two games. US manager Mike Scioscia has thought enough of Duran to hit him second. Advertisement Once Duran arrives, hell add speed to the lineup as well. But the Red Sox cant count only on Duran to bridge the gap in their lineup. To date, he has played only 100 games above Single A. Their preference would be to get him more time in Triple A and be promoted when hes ready, not when hes needed. Theres a big difference there. With the amateur draft moved back to July 11-13 this year so it can be held in conjunction with the All-Star Game, some non-contender may be more willing to make deals in June. Only a handful of teams the Diamondbacks, Orioles, Pirates, Rangers, Rockies, and Tigers are without realistic postseason hopes at this point of the season. The Twins have been a colossal disappointment but are unlikely to embrace a full rebuild given their young talent. The Nationals arent a team built to concede. The same is true of the Angels, at least not any time soon. Seattle executive vice president and general manager Jerry Dipoto is always up for a deal, but the Mariners started play Wednesday only three games out of first. Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron is off to a good start and would represent a short-term commitment with a small addition to the payroll. Hes an example of the kind of player who could soon be on the market. Could someone like C.J. David Zalubowski/Associated Press Putting Diamondbacks infielder Eduardo Escobar at second base would add some thump. Advertisement Even with their offensive woes of late, the Sox are in second place in the American League East, two games out of first. They are so far much better than was expected and certainly ahead of schedule considering how much the roster has been flipped over the last 18 months. Its unlikely Chaim Bloom would dip into the collection of high-end prospects he has collected over the last two seasons to make a significant trade at this stage of his plan. Counting Hernndez, the Sox are carrying four utility players on the roster. Theyre short a reliable hitter who can lengthen the lineup. What kind of adjustments can we do right now? Cora said. Theres not much we can do. You trust the process. Peter Abraham can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @PeteAbe. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/06/03/sports/how-long-can-red-sox-wait-improve-their-offense/ |
When do people take huge risks? | Image: Shutterstock L ets flip a coin. Heads, you lose $10. What amount do you need to win from a tail-flip in order to take the gamble?If youre like most people, the answer is somewhere around $20. This little experiment, popularized by economist Daniel Kahneman, demonstrates a phenomenon called loss aversion. The idea that losses loom larger than gains, documented in years of psychological and economic research, is thought to be an important component of human decision-making.But Derek Rucker, a professor of marketing at the Kellogg School of Management, and his colleague David Gal, a professor of marketing at the University of Illinois at Chicago, found this notion difficult to square with what they observed all around them: football coaches calling for risky plays in high-stakes games, students waving off the familiarity of their hometown for a college far away, or people leaving secure jobs to start new businesses. If were so loss averse, why do we take such big swings in our lives?Their theory: courage. The ability to take purposeful action in the face of fear is widely prized across cultures; one study found that courage was among just six values shared by nearly every philosophical and religious tradition.Because much of the research on risk and loss aversion focuses on low-stakes financial gambles, Rucker and Gal suspected different patterns might emerge if they studied important life decisions, where courage is most likely to emerge.Indeed, across several experiments, thats precisely what Rucker and Gal found. When facing a risky choice with meaningful consequences for their lives, people have the opportunity to display courage. And because people prize being courageous, in contrast to prior research findings, they may be more likely to opt for the high-risk, high-reward path.This suggests that, in contrast to some of the findings in controlled laboratory gambles, people might have a radically different response to risk in some situations, Rucker says. When people see an opportunity to be courageous, and want to see themselves as courageous, that may actually lead to a preference for the riskier option.To see how courage influenced peoples willingness to take risks in different types of decisions, in one study, Rucker and Gal recruited 508 online participants. Half the participantsthe courage groupwrote about a time they or someone they knew had exhibited great courage. The control group wrote about a time they or someone they knew did something ordinary.Next, participants read scenarios in which they had to make either an important or a trivial choice. The half who were presented with an important choice were asked to imagine facing a chronic illness. They could either continue in their current quality of life, or try a treatment that might either significantly improve or significantly worsen their situation. The other half of the participants, who read a scenario describing a trivial choice, were asked to choose whether to accept a gamble in which they had a fiftyfifty chance of winning or losing $15.Among participants who read about the medical decision, those who had written about courage were significantly more like to choose the risky treatment than those in the control group: 57 percent of the courage-group participants opted for the treatment, as opposed to 37 percent of the control-group participants. Thinking about courage, in other words, had made them likelier to take a significant risk.But when facing a low-stakes financial gamble, the difference between how many participants in the courage group and the control group chose the risky option was relatively small. In other words, the desire to be courageous did not significantly influence peoples willingness to take risks when facing a trivial choiceonly a significant one.The researchers next wanted to test that it was courageand not simply high stakesthat led participants to take significant risks.For their second experiment, they decided to up the stakes in the financial gamble so that it induced the same amount of fear as the other gamble, but lacked a critical aspect of courage: a sense of purpose. As Gal explains, Courage is not just taking risk. It is confronting fear in a task that is linked to a higher-order goal or that has meaning to the individual.They recruited 402 new online participants. Half of the participants read a scenario about a career gamble: they could accept a risky assignment that would either significantly help or hinder their advancement, or continue in their current duties.The rest read about a significant monetary gamble: a 50 percent chance to win or lose the hefty sum of $5,000. While both scenarios elicited fear, a pretest confirmed that the career gamble was widely thought to be more purposeful, courageous, and worthy of respect. Next, all participants rated from one to seven how much they valued being courageous in life.The researchers found that, for participants in the career-decision group, valuing courage more highly was associated with a stronger preference for the risky option.Valuing courage was also somewhat associated with a preference for the risky financial gamble, but much less strongly. Rucker and Gal think this may be because the desire to be courageous and an overall willingness to take risks are interrelated traitsor perhaps because some participants found the financial gamble to be an important life decision, with stakes as high as the career choice.Either way, the results showed that courage increases peoples risk appetite more strongly when the decision has long-term significance for their lives.In thinking about courage, Rucker and Gal had a realization: for a decision to be truly courageous, it must be within your control. After all, taking a risk you didnt choose doesnt feel like courage. It just feels, well, risky.So the researchers decided to study this key dimension of courageagencybecause it would allow them to understand more clearly whether participants were making risky choices out of a desire to act courageously rather than simply out of a desire to take on risk.As before, some participants read a scenario about an important choice (this time, a risky call in an important sports game), while others read a scenario about a fear-inducing but nonetheless less important choice (another monetary gamble).But this time, there was a twist. Within each group, some participants were told they would get to make the choice, while the rest were told someone else would decide. Then participants stated their preferences and rated on a six-point scale how much they would respect a decision-maker facing an identical situation who took the risky option.For the high-importance decision, participants who had agency chose the risky option 65 percent of the timeprecisely what the researchers expected to happen when the desire to be courageous kicks in. But among participants who did not have agencythat is, they were asked what they would want someone else to choose for themthat old human impulse toward caution dominated. Just 42 percent of these participants opted for the risky call.For participants who contemplated the lower-importance monetary gamble, on the other hand, having agency had no significant effect on preferences for the risky option.In general, people reported higher levels of respect for a decision-maker who took the risky option in the sports situation than the monetary gamble. In fact, their level of respect for the risky decision-maker predicted how likely they were to prefer the risky decisionexcept when they lacked agency.If you take away my ability to choose, Rucker explains, I can no longer credit myself as being courageous. Gal elaborates, when someone else is making the decision, I cant show courageso go ahead and give me the safe option.To these researchers, this work highlights an important and understudied aspect of decision-making: values like courage can override other psychological impulses, especially when the real-world stakes are high.It also suggests that we need to evaluate how our desire for courage might push us toward decisions that arent wise in the end. You could imagine where you might get into trouble, Rucker says. Theres a danger of saying I want to feel courageous when youre going down a path that is not a good decision.Sometimes you do need to be bold and courageous. But other times you might want to ask yourself, Wait, is being bold the right decision here, or do I need to take a step back and think through an appropriate, measured action? [This article has been republished, with permission, from Kellogg Insight, the faculty research & ideas magazine of Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University] | https://www.forbesindia.com/article/kellogg-school-of-management/when-do-people-take-huge-risks/68295/1 |
Is the school day going to be extended? | PUPILS could see both extra classes and extended lunch breaks as the Government eyes up an overhaul of the school day. Gavin Williamson has called for the school day to be permanently extended after the pandemic with extra classes and longer lunch breaks. The education secretary said there's a "real strong case" for adding extra lesson time and he's "enthusiastic" to make sweeping reforms. On Wednesday, June 2, ministers announced a root-and-branch review into how the school day is structured and whether it delivers the best benefits for pupils. There have been suggestions an extra half an hour could be added. Talking about building back from Covid, Mr Williamson said: "Longer term we do want to see further changes and further improvements. "That's why we're doing the review in terms of time within schools, how best we can use it. "There's real benefits to looking at how we can expand the school day. There's a real strong case for doing so. "You see some of the highest performing schools across have the ability to offer enrichment activities and other activities and a slightly longer day. "And it does seem to deliver a considerable benefit, so it's it's right and proper that we look at that and how best to do it." 2 Gavin Williamson is in favour of a longer school day Credit: Nigel Howard Media Mr Williamson said many schools across England already offer a longer day for their pupils within the current system. He added: "There's a debate to be had as to whether children should be exiting the school gate as they do in some schools at 2.45pm. "School lunch in my day used to be an hour long and actually you're able to do sports and other activities during that time. "Often in many schools that's just being condensed down to half an hour, and I'm not sure if that always delivers the best for pupils." Asked whether he's in favour of extending the day, he replied: "I've always been enthusiastic about seeing how we can expand this, very much and so. "I see the benefits directly, and I think it's really important that we do the work to make the case to see how we can do that. "Up until this point, we've not actually pushed this as hard as maybe we maybe should've done." English schools are currently due to finish for the summer holidays on around July 23. They last for six weeks, to give children and their teachers a well deserved break, but this year has been anything but normal. Schools were closed, except for the children of key workers, from early January until a full reopen on March 8. Question marks have hung over whether the summer holidays would be extended to make up for some lost time. But although Mr Williamson has said officials are looking at overhauling the long summer holidays, he added that "at the moment" it's "not something we're progressing". more about schools reopening CLASS ACTION School days 'to be made 30 mins longer' under plans to help kids catch up CLASS ACTION Secondary school kids won't have to wear masks in class from Monday, PM says KID MASKS OFF Pupils in England will be spared from wearing masks in just two weeks time BEERDOM! Everything you can and cant do from April 12 as Covid rules ease CLASS ACTION Teachers DON'T want to extend school day despite kids missing out on education CLASS ACTION Kids MUST carry on wearing masks in the classroom until at least May 17 He made the remarks as the Government announced a new 1.4bn pot to help up to six million pupils across England access catch up tutoring. Kids will be offered 100million hours of extra tuition over the course of the next three years as part of Boris Johnson's back-to-school blitz. Face-to-face tutoring is a cornerstone of the PM's plan to help make sure no pupils are left behind by loss of learning during the pandemic. | https://www.the-sun.com/news/2294451/is-school-day-going-be-extended/ |
When is it Legal to Pass on the Right in New York State? | Ugh, it happened again. I was waiting behind a car, on a two lane road, the car in front of me was making a left, I was waiting to go straight and a car worked their way onto the shoulder to go around us both. Get our free mobile app I guess I wasn't moving fast enough, ya' know, because of the car directly in front of me, blocking my way. So I did a little bit of digging. By the way, if you know a police officer, ask them for me if you can get a ticket for doing it. I would love to hear what they have to say. Here is what the New York State DMV had to say, from their website, this is from right under the section, "How To Pass on The Right:" You can pass a vehicle on the right only in the conditions listed below and only if you can pass safely. You cannot drive on or across the shoulder or edge line of the road unless a sign allows it or when indicated by a traffic officer. Right off the bat with the first condition, it says when the car in front of you is making a left turn. When a vehicle ahead makes a left turn. When you are on a two-way road that is marked for two or more lanes or is wide enough for two or more lanes, and passing is not prohibited by signs or restricted by parked cars or other obstructions. When you drive on a one-way road that is marked for two or more lanes or is wide enough for two or more lanes, and passing is not prohibited by signs or restricted by parked cars or other obstructions. I am thinking that it probably isn't otherwise police officers would be writing a lot more tickets for it, at least in the Hudson Valley, where this happens all of the time. I am still confused. Stunning Walkway Sunrises | https://hudsonvalleypost.com/legal-to-pass-on-right-new-york-state/ |
Who's Been Sleeping in Brad's Bed? | Police arrested a woman they say managed to slip into Brad Pitts Southern California home, stay there for 10 hours and dress herself in the actors clothing. Athena Marie Rolando, 19, was arrested Thursday morning in an upstairs bedroom of Pitts home, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. She had slipped through an open window shortly after midnight, police said. She was wearing a blue hat, green sweatshirt, black sweat pants and tennis shoes belonging to Pitt. Police said the woman put on the clothes because she was cold. Pitt wasnt home at the time, said his publicist. Rolando, jailed on $500 bail, is being investigated for trespassing, a misdemeanor. | https://people.com/celebrity/whos-been-sleeping-in-brads-bed/ |
What do Uncharted levels look like in real life? | Uncharted 4 : finally. Were more than two years into the lifespan of the PS4, and at long last the game the console was all but built for is here. Naughty Dog set a high bar for itself with its last game, The Last Of Us, but the Sony studio is promising to top that with more high octane action sequences, a fitting send-off for the intrepid Nathan Drake and absolutely breathtaking graphics that push the PlayStation 4 to the absolute max. While much of the plot for Uncharted 4: A Thief's End is still a mystery, its safe bet to expect plenty of Indiana Jones style globetrotting. The series has already played host to some breathtaking levels, many of which are based on real world locations. With that in mind, weve taken a look through the locales in the original trilogy to see how they compare to their IRL counterparts. Enjoy. Uncharted Panama Above: The central American coast has lots of convenient cover shooting locations, apparently. Its unlikely youll find a more stunning backdrop Robert Snow/Red Bull Content Pool Our Uncharted story starts off the coast of Panama, where Nathan Drake and journalist Elena Fisher find the coffin and diary of Drakes ancestor, Sir Francis Drake. Uncharted has been a poster boy for the graphical power of Sonys home console for a while now, and whilst the original Uncharted looks a little dated these days, Naughty Dog got the beautiful coastal waters of Panama spot on just check out this stunning photo from Red Bull Wakecation 2014 in Nitro City, Panama, if you dont believe us. The Amazon Above: The Amazon jungle serves as the setting for the majority of the first game. Fabio Piva/Red Bull Content Pool The Amazon Camilo Rozo/Red Bull Content Pool Later on in the game, Victor Sully Sullivan rescues the two from a pirate attack and an exploding boat (get used to both of those, by the way), but Drake and Sullivan then ditch Fisher and head for the Amazon the location of the fabled El Dorado, according to Francis Drakes diary. The pair journey through the rainforest as they search for the lost city of gold, and whilst the PS3s creaking Cell processor doesnt quite do justice to the real majesty of of the worlds most biodiverse rainforest, it was pretty jaw-dropping stuff back in 2007. If Drake wasnt so obsessed with treasure, maybe he could have taken an hour out to throw himself into the Amazon River, like Colombian high diver Orlando Duque at Red Bull Amazon Diving in 2014. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Istanbul Palace Museum Above: Istanbul serves as the location for the games tutorial level. Is this the key to finding Marco Polos lost fleet alex.ch via Flickr Old and new tech collide in Istanbul Dean Treml/Red Bull Content Pool Istanbul in Uncharted Roberto Alegria/Red Bull Content Pool Naughty Dog stepped things up for the sequel, widely regarded as one of the PS3s greatest games in any genre, working in many more locations. Two years after the events of Drakes Fortune, Drake is approached by old friend Harry Flynn and ex-girlfriend Chloe Frazer with a plan to steal an old Mongolian lamp from the Istanbul Palace Museum the key to finding Marco Polos lost fleet. Drake has yet to realise that everything he touches turns to explosions, and foolishly agrees, getting himself arrested and locked up for three months when Flynn double-crosses him. Although we only get to see some of the museums beautiful courtyards as Flynn and Drake sneak their way around, the Istanbul Palace Museum is likely based on Istanbuls Topkap Museum an old Ottoman palace that was converted into a national museum in the 1920s. Borneo Above: Trekking around Borneo is beautiful, though seldom this dangerous. Borneo is a long way from civilisation Paul Mannix via Flickr After Frazer and Sully bail Drake out of a Turkish prison and a re-enactment of Midnight Express, they track Flynn to Borneo where he and very, very angry Serbian war criminal Zoran Lazarevic are looking for the lost fleet. Eventually they find a tomb that leads them on to Nepal, but not before some lengthy trekking around the tropical rainforests of Borneo. Dark, dense and foggy, Uncharted 2s take on Borneo is a thing of beauty. As you wade through the swamps on the hunt for Lazarevic and Flynn, cracks of sunlight pierce the jungle canopy, eventually opening up into glorious lush rainforests. Its also home to the games first real gun battle, and its Borneo where gameplay and graphics combine to first give you the sense that Uncharted 2 might just be one of the best games ever made. The Himalayas A Tibetan village provides a brief moment of respite in the Uncharted 2 rollercoaster ride. Drake certainly picks stunning locations Kin Marcin/Red Bull Content Pool You wont find anybody speaking English Denis Klero/Red Bull Content Pool Tibet in Uncharted Kin Marcin/Red Bull Content Pool A hell of a lot goes down in the Himalayas, and judging by the pictures, it doesnt look a bad place to be all things considered. Drake and Frazer head off to Nepal initially, but its Tibet that is home to one of Among Thieves best and most iconic moments. After tangling with Flynn on a Himalayan train, Drake is rescued from a snowstorm by Tibetan villager Tenzin a character surely inspired by Edmund Hillarys sherpa, Tenzing Norgay. Tenzin brings Drake back to his village, and though no-one speaks a lick of English, the joy of interacting with this bustling Himalayan community complete with a gorgeous mountain backdrop sits beautifully in juxtaposition to the intense gunplay that makes up much of the rest of the game. As mountaineer Andrzej Bargiel found it, its a beautiful, spectacular place, when not being blown up by fictitious Eastern European tanks and attacked by yetis. Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception London Above: The view Drake enjoys after climbing up a Southwark warehouse is impressively authentic. St Pauls Cathedral always stands out Laurie Burke via Flickr Script-writer Amy Hennig starts the third game out in a slightly less exotic environment than the previous two titles, opting to build up suspense with a tense stand-off inside a London pub so East End its a wonder Nathan Drake doesnt slip over in jellied eel liquor. Drake is there to meet a mysterious man named Talbot, who wants to buy Francis Drakes ring off him, since apparently neither has heard of eBay, and things quickly go south from there. Though the pub is fictional, its quite clear from the skyline visible once you clamber on top of a nearby building that its located somewhere in the borough of Southwark, on the south side of the river, though the Shard skyscraper, which opened two years after the game released, is conspicuous by its absence. Southwark is perhaps most famous for the shanty town climax of Charles Dickens Oliver Twist, but its not quite so cockerney as Naughty Dog would have you believe these days: instead of a shootout with mercenaries hell bent on acquiring magical jewellery, youre much more likely to start a fight by knocking over an office workers flat white in the morning rush. Pretty views of the Thames, though. Cartagena, Colombia Above: Young Drake is daring, though even he wouldnt risk a 27m leap into water. The perfect location for Red Bulls Cliff Diving Camilo Rozo/Red Bull Content Pool Lets see you do this, Drake! Romina Amato/Red Bull Content Pool Cartagena in Uncharted Fabio Piva/Red Bull Content Pool We then jump back two decades to a flashback scene in which a teenage Drake roams a museum in the beautiful coastal city of Cartagena de Indias, looking for his famous ancestors ring. Its here that he meets Sully for the first time and is introduced to the gung-ho world of antique dealing with guns. Naughty Dog could not have picked a more pristine spot to introduce young Nathan Drake in fact, its port also served as the location for the first stop on the Red Bull Cliff Diving tour last year. Check the pictures above to see the the city from up high in real life. Yemen Above: Sanaa is never named in the game, but its clearly the inspiration. The ideal location for a spot of artefact hunting Step/Flickr Yemens Old Town is a hive of activity *SHERWOOD*/Flickr Yemen in Uncharted *SHERWOOD*/Flickr After a Macguffin points the team in the direction of the Middle East, Drake and his entourage arrive in Yemen. Though the city in which the action takes place is not named at any point, its likely the ancient capital of Sanaa or based on it, if the architecture is anything to go by. A UNESCO World Heritage site, its the perfect place for a spot of intrigue and priceless landmark destruction in pursuit of the next Macguffin. Things take a decidedly fictional twist soon after this, with a collapsing desert and an underground city which are very much not drawn from real world locations, but at least theres that awesome escape from the cargo plane, which were just going to embed because its fantastic: For more gaming coverage, be sure to follow @RedBullGames on Twitter and like us on Facebook . | https://www.redbull.com/in-en/uncharted-trilogy-locations-in-real-life |
When will under-30s get the Covid vaccine? | GMB: Hawkins and Madeley discuss vaccine poll FREE health tips to live a long and happy life SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up forhealth tips to live a long and happy life When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. The Pfizer, Moderna and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines are currently the main ones being used in the UK. When you go for your coronavirus jab appointment, you wont get to choose which vaccine youre given. However, those aged under 40 are being offered an alternative to the AstraZeneca vaccine where possible due to concerns over rare blood clots. You will receive the same vaccine for your first and second dose, although a trial is underway to assess whether mixing and matching doses is an effective method. People aged 28 and 29 are next in line to be vaccinated as the UK continues on its jab rollout. As is understood, booking will be open for these age groups soon, likely within the coming weeks. Express.co.uk calculations suggest they could be contacted by June 15, if the rollout continues at the same speed. People aged 30 and over are currently being offered the vaccine, with the hopes those under this age group wont be far behind. The final cohort, those aged 18 to 29, involves just five million adults in England, it is believed. The vaccine is being currently offered to those aged 30 and over READ MORE Angela Rayner lashes out at Nadhim Zahawi in staggering ITV Peston row In Wales, booking is already open to all people aged over 18, while in Northern Ireland people aged over 25 are eligible for a jab now. Currently, about 3,000 people aged 30 and over are being recruited for a clinical trial in an effort to find out whether a booster jab dose could protect people against variants. The Deputy Chairman of the JCVI, Professor Anthony Harnden, said that mixing vaccines could improve Covid protection. Professor Harnden has previously said that different vaccine types could collaborate to boost the immune system and provide a longer-lasting response. Pfizer has asked UK regulators to approve its vaccine for use in young teenagers. The pharmaceutical giant has formally asked the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) for permission to use the jab in 12 to 15-year-olds. This is understood got be one of the age groups most responsible for spreading the virus, and comes as US watchdogs signalled their approval for this step. Given the organisations fast-track review process, it is likely the vaccine would be approved for use in this group before the end of July the point at which the Government aims to have vaccinated all adults. Medical advisers are also urging Prime Minister Boris Johnson to consider vaccinating children as young as 12 in a bid to protect teachers. DON'T MISS You can catch Covid after being vaccinated - four symptoms to spot [REPORT] Matt Hancock slaps down Channel 4 reporter's question 'It's not fair!' [ANALYSIS] Anti-vaxxer ill with Covid after saying jabs will kill 'stupid people' [INSIGHT] The MHRA has been formally asked for permission to vaccinate teenagers READ MORE Biden forced to offer free beer as vaccine take up rates plummet Previously, a study by Pfizer suggested its jab is 100 percent effective and well tolerated among children aged 12 to 15. Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed on May 17 the Government had bought enough Pfizer vaccines to immunise all children aged over 12. Mr Hancock emphasised the decision would not be taken lightly and would be considered over the next two months as the rollout continues. However, leading health experts have warned launching a programme of vaccination for children should only be considered in special circumstances. Professor Adam Finn from Bristol University acknowledged it could help reduce outbreaks, but also warned it could raise important practical and ethical problems, such as the fact doctors would be vaccinating a group for which there is limited information in regards to side effects. Trending | https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/1444820/When-will-under-30s-get-Covid-vaccine-EVG |
What time is the green list announcement? | When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up fornow and never miss the top Royal stories again. International travel is permitted under the traffic light system, with countries classified depending on their levels of coronavirus , ability to detect Covid variants and vaccination programme. When first announced, the green list disappointed many holidaymakers, with a limited option of where to visit. Portugal holidays: Boris ready to amber list after new Covid spike Several countries on the green list also had their own entry requirements, making travel even more difficult. Brits eager for a summer getaway have been able to travel to Portugal and Gibraltar without needing to quarantine. However, many are waiting for additional countries to be added to the list before travelling. Under the traffic light system, regular reviews take place to add - or remove - countries to the various tiers. Read More: British Airways launches new flight and holiday sale | https://www.express.co.uk/travel/articles/1444802/What-time-is-green-list-announcement-today-countries-added-green-list-evg |
Are Press Conferences Irrelevant in Modern-Day Cricket? | One is not going into the details of the reasons and its merits and demerits of the world number women tennis player Naomi Osaka quitting French Open 2021 after she was fined by the organisers for not attending the mandatory press conference. Instead, one is just trying to contextualize this controversy and the relevance of mandatory press conferences in Indias most popular sports. Were not the good guys: Osaka shows up problems of press conferences the headline on UKs The Guardian was so compelling that an influential voice like former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar couldnt resist sharing the storys link on his Twitter feed with an additional comment which was in complete agreement with the articles overall sentiment. This piece hits the nail on the head on press conferences. Relevance of press conference in Indian cricket Indeed, there is some merit to the argument put forth in the article, but to conclude that press conferences offer no value in the modern world of Indian cricket as Manjrekar seems to indicate is a bit unfair. The idea that press conferences fail at their central function arguably holds true for cricket pressers in India and abroad as well. However, one is forced to recall the great Graham Greene who used to say that human nature is not black and white, but black and grey. Perhaps, the same holds true for the cricket press conferences, too. Over the last two decades, this writer has covered countless press conferences across the world from a seemingly meaningless first-class game to a world cup final. No matter how boring and at times useless the PC may sound and appear, the fact of the matter is that no reporter can afford to miss it. The sheer nature of its unpredictability makes a press conference still relevant even if your boss may often shout at you by saying that whats the point of attending it when you are going to get the important quotes or bites through the agencies. The structure may be flawed but not the importance of a PC In an increasingly competitive media space where exclusive access to a cricketer is getting tougher with each passing year, press conferences are the only source of interactions for many journalists from different parts of India. It includes yong and upcoming journalists as well some of the cynical scribes who maybe be based in one city throughout their career. It serves everyone well. Of course, the cricketers and sometimes even the media managers (most of them former journalists themselves) often make fun of the seemingly silly questions they have to answer from a lot of non-serious and not adequately trained journalist in almost every press conference, yet one cant but appreciate the fact that a mandatory PC before or after every match is one of those rare democratic spaces still left where the stature of an organistion doesnt matter. If IPL allows a young talent from nondescript places to showcase his talent on a bigger stage, an aspiring journalist from a smaller center gets the same kind of opportunity when he or she gets a chance to sit together with the big journos and also have a fair and equal chance of posing a question to a Virat Kohli or a Dhoni. Evolution of cricket press conference in the new century From personal experience, I can vouch for the fact that because of press conferences the vernacular media got its belated due in a world where the so-called superiority of the English media called the shots. The fact that questions are being asked in Hindi, and of late in Marathi as well, in places like Melbourne and London speaks volumes about the role the presser have played in the growth of many journalists. And, then there are other benefits of press conferences as well which rarely a one-on-one interaction in a controlled set-up reveals much about the players. Last year, I was part of a very small media contingent that was traveling with the team on a tour of New Zealand. One was stunned by the reaction of captain Kohli when a young Kiwi reporter asked not-so-difficult question. In fact, coach Ravi Shastri in past has also tried gracelessly to mock some of the respected scribes when they made a comeback in an ODI series in South Africa after previously struggling in the Test series in 2018. The recent examples are to just illustrate the simple point that nowadays players or coaches dont fear or give professional respect to the journalists who are just doing their jobs. Of course, you cant be defending the entire community because the newfound hostility and scorn which comes from the players have a lot to do with the constantly diminishing quality of cricket journalism where you mostly find over-enthusiastic and barely trained journalists who are just looking for click-bait stories. So, an aspiring journalist has a difficult choice to make from the beginning. You either try good numbers for your story or get respect from the players for being an honest professional. In this new century, cricket press conferences have been witness to many changes. A lot of great players from the earlier generations used to get intimidated by the presence of so many journalists in a cramped room. We have heard so many stories from an RP Singh to a Mohammad Kaif that it was always easier to get a five-wicket haul or a hundred in a match than to face so many people in a media room. The diminishing utility of press conferences as many players and cricket administrators may feel was articulated by Dhoni in his later years as captain. Dhoni always privately mentioned that as an Indian captain, he gets too much exposure because of these pre and post-match press conferences. His argument was that neither questions nor answers change a lot in frequent interactions with a bunch of journalists he had to face day in day out. Former captains from Mohammad Azharuddin to Sachin Tendulkar and even Rahul Dravid too didnt relish press conferences much. However, another former captain Sourav Ganguly often used this platform to his advantage where many Kolkata journalists were too eager to help Dada when he deliberately wanted some questions to be asked for his own benefits. And, how can you forget the contribution of an iconic statement from Anil Kumbles Only one team was playing with the spirit of the game, thats all I can say from a high-voltage PC in 2008 after the controversial Sydney Test which rattled the Australians terribly. The great conceit of the press conference is that it is basically a direct line from the athlete to the public at large, that we humble scribes are but the peoples faithful eyes and ears in the land of the gods. In case you hadnt noticed, this hasnt really been true for a while. Athletes now have their own direct line to the public, and spoiler: its not us, is a sentiment which has been articulated in The GuardiansThe structure of modern press conferences is definitely flawed and steps must be taken by the media as well as administrators to make it more meaningful and relevant article and fits comfortably in modern Indian cricket context as well. However, at the same time, it is difficult to agree completely when he tries to justify the irrelevance of press conferences by saying that the modern press conference is no longer a meaningful exchange but really a lowest common denominator transaction. The structure of modern press conferences is definitely flawed and steps must be taken by the media as well as administrators to make it more meaningful and relevant in this PR-driven coverage of cricket but to simply shrug off its contributions and present role would be wrong. Get all the IPL news and Cricket Score here | https://www.news18.com/cricketnext/news/are-press-conferences-irrelevant-in-modern-day-cricket-3805217.html |
Does telehealth in Australia have a promising post-pandemic future? | B2B software comparison website Capterra has published the results of a study with over 1,000 Australians, detailing their perspectives and considerations about telehealth. Data was collected in April 2021 from Australians aged 18 and over, who had visited the doctor at least once a year, and had had a healthcare appointment within the last 12 months. The findings predominantly indicate that the use of telemedicine is likely to extend beyond the pandemic, with reduced waiting times and general efficacy of end-to-end processes cited as contributing factors. FINDINGS According to Capterras survey findings, 92% of telemedicine users in Australia had experienced telemedicine for the first time during the pandemic. While the surge in usage of telemedicine may be owed to COVID-19 restrictions, 84% of first-time users stated that they used telemedicine for consultation unrelated to symptoms of the virus itself. Of total respondents, 79% said that they would use telemedicine again. The most prevalent reason cited for the consensus was that telemedicine could allow for reduced waiting time, making up 50% of the results. 25% of respondents expressed their appreciation for a reduced risk of catching contagions, and 15% cited a key driver for them to want to use telemedicine again as having access to diagnosis and prescriptions from anywhere. 72% of respondents shared that telemedicine was able to solve their problems. On the contrary, 11% said they needed a repeat appointment for their problem to be solved, and 12% said they had needed an in-person appointment for their medical problem. Results found that 79% of consumers are dialling in via phone call, while less than 20% used a medical video conference app or an app that was provided by their doctor or insurance provider. Concurrently, findings also pointed to mobile devices being the most used device (81%) for telemedicine. Computers were the least used device, and only 5% of respondents used one for their sessions. Capterras findings indicate that 21% of consumers who had previously used telemedicine would not continue to do so after the pandemic. 47% of respondents indicated that they would still feel more comfortable in-person, and 41% said they would require a physical examination. Despite results indicating that a majority of respondents would use telemedicine again, only 8% of total respondents felt that telemedicine had given them a better interaction with their doctor. While telemedicine has indicatively helped ease the strain of waiting time, 36% of respondents still cited not being able to receive a physical examination as one of the main problems of telehealth. 16% of respondents shared the experience of having poor virtual consultation sessions, owing to technical glitches due to a poor internet connection, or device incompatibility. THE LARGER TREND Telehealth software continues to grant rural areas and large global populations access to medical services. The US Bureau of Health Workforce Health Resources and Services Administration found that 62.93% of primary care health professional shortage areas were located in rural areas. Australias universal health insurance scheme Medicare shared data that Australia has seen 10 million telehealth services be delivered across the COVID-19 pandemic. In doing so, over 3.2 million Australians in regional, rural, and remote Australia have received medical attention with telemedicine. ON THE RECORD While the aforementioned survey results indicate that medical treatment via telemedicine may not match up to the comfort of physical treatment, telemedicine software is progressively offering more features to improve the end-to-end experience. "Since the beginning of the pandemic, the use of telemedicine has dramatically increased in Australia. Telemedicine can have many advantages for patients who dont want to go into the hospital or practice," said Laura Burgess, content analyst at Capterra Australia. "However, there are still a number of people who are not willing to use it," she added. | https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/apac/does-telehealth-australia-have-promising-post-pandemic-future |
Did We All Know That Sausage Sizzle-Flavoured Crisps Were A Thing? | Were not exactly sure how this flew under our radar, but the good people at Thins have just gone and launched a sausage sizzle-flavoured chip and our Australian hearts are warmed just thinking about them. The limited edition chips have been spotted in Woolies stores, with people sharing the hot find on their social media accounts. And frankly, were not too sure why this flavour wasnt already a thing. How much do you CRAVE a sausage sizzle the moment you pull up to Bunnings and smell that wafting combo of slightly burnt sausages, onions and tomato sauce. Were not sure exactly how well they have done in capturing that flavour, and we know that chip companies often take a few liberties with how they represent certain tastes. But we are definitely intrigued by this development and cannot wait to give them a red hot go. If youre keen to try these and report back, you can grab a 150g packet at Woolies right now for $2.50. Please let us know if Thins have been able to capture the true flavours of Bunnings and democracy in the new chip! | https://www.kiis1011.com.au/lifestyle/food-wine/did-we-all-know-that-sausage-sizzle-flavoured-crisps-were-a-thing/ |
What is needed for telehealth's next big steps forward? | Troy Yoder, global healthcare leader at Cisco, leads healthcare innovation at the company. He's has helped healthcare provider organization clients double down in the last year, especially on virtual care. He believes this is just the beginning for telehealth and that this style of healthcare delivery will only accelerate in growth and evolve in the years ahead. Though many physicians and patients alike have been engaging in telehealth, Yoder believes there are some immediate trends and expectations healthcare will see from virtual care moving forward. Healthcare IT News sat down with Yoder to discuss these trends and expectations and get him to offer an in-depth look at the future of telemedicine. Q: In general terms, technology has paved the way for consumers to expect ease, convenience and efficiency. A: It starts with data contextual, timely information that guides action. For hundreds of years, healthcare data was pen and paper housed in massive files in hospital basements that created a single picture of an individual patient's medical record and history. The introduction of electronic health record systems introduced medical data mobility. No longer relegated to the basement, the data could be easily shared, aggregated and evaluated. Data was in the right hands at the right time and saved lives. But the promise of data mobility stalled. The same government regulations intended to make data more portable and available became a hurdle to new healthcare delivery services. Faxes, pagers and CDs are still a primary technology for referrals, urgent communications and MRI exchanges. Healthcare is the only industry I can think of that simultaneously regulates that data must be both protected and shared with fines for not complying with both. Concerns about HIPAA compliance have essentially led to technology stagnation over the last decade with IT weighing the risk of potential fines and security breaches to gains in efficiency and convenience. Telehealth was disproportionately impacted as a technology. State and federal rules on delivering healthcare services over video were complicated and contradictory, holding back investment in virtual care. And then COVID-19 disrupted that healthcare technology plateau we had been walking for the last 10 years. The hurdles and regulations that slowed technology progress were temporarily suspended. Video calls were adopted by consumers worldwide and telehealth exploded along with it. Chatbots delivered symptom triage, and for the first time healthcare became a technology-first experience. When we needed care, it was now a call, click or chat. Where previously patients had been frustrated by a mismatch in their consumer experiences and their healthcare experience, they now used chatbots and voice recognition technology to schedule appointments. And it is timely contextual data exchange that makes the experience work. The future of this healthcare technology revolution will rest in IT's hands as those teams will need to manage the applications, devices, data and workflow while balancing a significantly higher cybersecurity risk. A "healthcare anywhere" model is our future, where data can be simultaneously mobile, but controlled. Q: You've told me that "the app-less experience" will be essential for widespread telehealth adoption. Please elaborate. A: When I look at the future, patients won't be forced to download a new app or create a username and password just to meet with their doctor. Imagine if you needed legal advice but if you couldn't drive to their office, you needed a special app to have a consultation. A no-download experience may even be more important across the globe, because many of them are earlier in the telehealth adoption curve. Human behavior is predictable, and adoption of any new process works best when the experience is simple, fast and clear. Even better is a new digital process that is a close replication of an existing physical process, because then it just feels familiar. We can anticipate the next step. Joining a video visit should be as simple as clicking a link. Every generation likes to engage with technology in different ways. Healthcare technology needs to meet patients on terms they're comfortable with. Our data on customer interaction shows that if you need a four-page how-to document to start your telehealth visit, most people won't jump through those hoops. For telehealth to be sustainable post-pandemic, it has to be better than it is today. Here are my five keys for sustainable virtual care adoption globally: Simple to support. Leverage technology IT knows, and that your CISO supports. Leverage technology IT knows, and that your CISO supports. Easy to connect. Almost every browser and smartphone today supports an app-less experience via webRTC. Patients are saying no to new apps and new passwords. Almost every browser and smartphone today supports an app-less experience via webRTC. Patients are saying no to new apps and new passwords. Security built-in. Security can't be an afterthought when delivering telehealth at scale. Look for a solution that meets ISO 27001, 27017, 27018 standards at least. Security can't be an afterthought when delivering telehealth at scale. Look for a solution that meets ISO 27001, 27017, 27018 standards at least. Reliable platform. Clinicians need to be confident it will work every time. And IT needs real-time visibility into connection issues and visit telemetry that will help them minimize frustrations for both providers and patients. Clinicians need to be confident it will work every time. And IT needs real-time visibility into connection issues and visit telemetry that will help them minimize frustrations for both providers and patients. Integrated into existing workflows. Providers and clinicians want a process they know and trust for patient care without jumping through technology hoops. Q: The concept of the digital front door as a vehicle for patient engagement and population health is only in its infancy. A: The way we are defining the digital front door is broad and encompasses digital collaboration across any channel between the care team and the patient, including picture and document exchange. Digital front door technology can positively impact almost every interaction that happens before a patient presents at the front desk and after they are discharged. For patient intake, that includes scheduling and referrals, pre-op services, financial counseling, and revenue cycle. For post-acute, that includes digital services to assist with medication adherence, chronic-condition symptom management and more. To realize the promise of a digital front door, technology must bring contextual intelligence, communication and data to the proper point of care. In most health systems, patient intake is a manual process, and interaction has largely been phone call focused. The rise in robocall and spam has limited trust in the voice channel, which means patients don't answer phone calls. Clinicians leave voicemails, but this extends the communication process overall. We also find that patient portal adoption is low on average. The net result is inefficient communication between caregivers and patients. Reimagining the patient intake process requires connecting the systems and applications to the patient data. Artificial intelligence and natural language processing will play a big role in accelerating efficiency and increasing the frequency of patient touch points both before and after clinical interventions. AI can help gather relevant data by guiding a patient in an automated virtual triage exchange and then selectively escalate to an enterprise-scale contact center where skilled clinicians can pick up the interaction without losing any data in the process. Across the U.S., there is a shortage of clinicians in many service lines. If it isn't an emergency, AI technology can start a patient interaction digitally, freeing up short-handed resources for other tasks. Digital front door technology, AI and NLP certainly have the potential to streamline the efficiency of patient intake. This in turn allows for more proactive scheduling communication, which increases schedule density and lowers the complexity of communicating with chronic condition patients. And easier experiences lead to brand loyalty and patient satisfaction. We often talk about the goal of clinical resources operating at the top of their licensure. The digital front door is a powerful tool to help make that more of a reality in the coming years. Twitter: @SiwickiHealthIT Email the writer: [email protected] Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication. | https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/what-needed-telehealths-next-big-steps-forward |
Could Marvellous Marthys rock-pooling adventures with Dundee biologist become a YouTube hit? | They go rock-pooling in St Andrews and make a new video together. And thats exactly what happened when Marvellous Marthy spent the afternoon with Dundee-based Marine Mumbles on the blustery East Sands. Marvellous Marthy, otherwise known as Marthy Hill Davis, travelled almost 300 miles from her home in Cheshire to meet marine biology graduate Elizabeth Mills. Elizabeth has become well known for her YouTube channel Marine Mumbles where she enthuses about the marine life found in rock pools. Marthy is a huge fan and the pair have struck up an online friendship over the past year. The youngster often sends Elizabeth, a PhD student at Dundee University, photographs of marine creatures she has found to identify on Twitter. So excited And on Wednesday, Marthys dreams came true when Marine Mumbles turned up in St Andrews to surprise her. I was so excited, said Marthy. I like going to the beach to build sandcastles and find crabs and I want to be a scientist like Marine Mumbles when I grow up. Marthys interest in science began at the start of the first lockdown when mum Gemma introduced her to the Global Science Show online. She enjoyed it so much, she began performing her own science experiments and posting them on YouTube. One of the videos featured on the virtual science lessons was of Elizabeth rock-pooling in St Andrews. Marthy watched it and asked if she could go rock-pooling, said Gemma. She hasnt stopped since. Every Friday night is Marine Mumbles night. We have fish and chips and watch Marine Mumbles. Marthy has even publicly declared Elizabeth as her hero. She took part in a womens day with the Global Science Show and was asked about her role mode, said Gemma. I thought she would have chosen Florence Nightingale or Marie Curie but she chose Elizabeth. Its such a good healthy role model to have for a young girl and Elizabeth has definitely piqued her interest in marine biology. The impact is amazing Elizabeth, whose videos have been viewed more than 50,000 times, is delighted to be inspiring Marthy. Its incredible, she said. Ive done YouTube videos every week for three years and a lot of time and effort goes into it. Ive always said if it makes a difference to one person then its worth it, but to actually see the impact on Marthy, especially in lockdown, is amazing. Shes found a new passion and its wonderful. Marthy and Elizabeth spent the whole of Wednesday afternoon on the East Sands in St Andrews and have collaborated on a new video to be posted on both YouTube channels. And Marthy came armed with a list of creatures she hoped to find. Ive found crabs, sea snails and lobsters but Ive never had a sea squirt. It sooks up water and spits it out its awesome, she said. | https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/could-marvellous-marthys-rock-pooling-adventures-with-dundee-biologist-become-a-youtube-hit/ |
Which Ford in Fordwich? | Ford (F) used its long-awaited investor day to introduce its Ford+ plan. We like what we heard around the automaker's aggressive move toward battery electric vehicles, including that 40% of global volume will be all electric by 2030 and BEV spending will increase by about $8 billion to more than $30 billion for 2016-25. For years, Ford has talked about a total company adjusted EBIT margin of 8%, and it now feels confident in saying that will occur in 2023. This margin assumes 10% in North America and 6% in Europe. Weve raised our fair value estimate to $17 per share from $15 to factor in higher EBIT margins for 2023-25 as well as a slightly higher assumed return on new invested capital as Ford seeks to increase its connected service offerings over time. | https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2264455538640/which-ford-in-fordwich |
Which celebrities are being considered for 'Bigg Boss 15'? | Bigg Boss, which has been one of the longest-running reality shows on Indian television, is scouting contestants for its fifteenth edition. The show stays in news mostly for its controversies, and is again looking at getting celebrities who might be able to provide the desired masala. Reports suggest that Rhea Chakraborty, Parth Samthaan, Disha Vakani and Mohsin Khan might enter the house this time. The Salman Khan-hosted show might be aiming to get Chakraborty due to her alleged involvement in the mysterious death of actor and boyfriend Sushant Singh Rajput. To recall, the Kedarnath actor's family has accused her of money laundering and abetting his suicide. She was arrested by the NCB in connection to the drugs angle being investigated, and was also mentioned in their chargesheet. #2 'Kasauti Zindagi Kay' actor Parth Samthaan and controversies are synonymous Given the theme of the show and Samthaan's brush with numerous controversies, he seems a worthy inclusion. The Kasauti Zindagi Kay actor was reportedly in a relationship with his show producer Vikas Gupta, a Bigg Boss 11 contestant. After it went sour, he accused Gupta of molestation, defamation, non-payment of dues, and extortion. In 2017, Samthaan also got booked under POCSO act. Mohsin Khan, who rose to fame with Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, might also be a BB inmate. His break-up with co-star Shivangi Joshi was reported widely by media. Khan also created a stir when he walked out of YRKKH sets due to costume issues. Information Reasons for consideration: Vakani's 'TMKOC' tiff, Dandekar's much-publicized breakup TV actress Sanaya Irani, who recently backed out of Khatron Ke Khiladi, is also said to be a contender for this season. Vakani, whose ouster from TMKOC still remains a raging topic, might make her small screen comeback with this Colors show. The much-publicized break up of VJ Anusha Dandekar with actor Karan Kundrra has also apparently made the producers approach her. Disha Parmar, who went as a guest inside the house in Season 14 to meet fiance Rahul Vaidya, might join as a contestant this time. Divyanka Tripathi and Vivek Dahiya are also being considered, probably keeping in mind the attention Abhinav Shukla and Rubina Dilaik got, with Dilaik winning Season 14. Notably, no one has confirmed their participation, except Balika Vadhu actress Neha Marda. | https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/entertainment/bigg-boss-15-rhea-chakraborty-parth-samthaan-approached/story |
What Made Berenberg Bank Upgrade ARAMARK Holdings Stock? | Berenberg Bank analyst Stuart Gordon upgraded ARAMARK Holdings (ARMK Research Report) to Hold today and set a price target of $36.00. The companys shares closed last Wednesday at $36.27. According to TipRanks.com, Gordon is a 4-star analyst with an average return of 11.3% and a 60.0% success rate. Gordon covers the Services sector, focusing on stocks such as Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and Carnival. Currently, the analyst consensus on ARAMARK Holdings is a Moderate Buy with an average price target of $41.33. See todays analyst top recommended stocks >> Based on ARAMARK Holdings latest earnings release for the quarter ending March 31, the company reported a quarterly revenue of $2.82 billion and GAAP net loss of $77.58 million. In comparison, last year the company earned revenue of $3.73 billion and had a GAAP net loss of $202 million. Based on the recent corporate insider activity of 94 insiders, corporate insider sentiment is negative on the stock. This means that over the past quarter there has been an increase of insiders selling their shares of ARMK in relation to earlier this year. TipRanks has tracked 36,000 company insiders and found that a few of them are better than others when it comes to timing their transactions. See which 3 stocks are most likely to make moves following their insider activities. Aramark engages in the provision of food, facilities, and uniform services. It operates through the following segments: Food and Support Services United States (FSS United States); Food and Support Services International (FSS International); and Uniform. The FSS United States segment offers food, hospitality and facility services for school districts, colleges and universities, healthcare facilities, businesses, sports, entertainment and recreational venues, conference and convention centers, national and state parks, and correctional institutions. The FSS International segment covers food, refreshment, specialized dietary and support services, including facility maintenance and housekeeping, provided to business, educational and healthcare institutions and in sports, leisure, and other facilities serving the general public. The Uniform segment comprises of rental, sale, cleaning, maintenance, and delivery of personalized uniforms and other textile items on a contract basis, and direct marketing of personalized uniforms, and accessories to clients. The company was founded in 1959 and is headquartered in Philadelphia, PA. | https://www.analystratings.com/articles/what-made-berenberg-bank-upgrade-aramark-holdings-stock/ |
Should The NYSC Scheme Be Scrapped? | Following the move by the Federal House of Representatives to discontinue the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme due to insecurity and other issues, a huge storm is trailing the motion. Recall that a bill on the floor of the House of Representatives, sponsored by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker from Rivers state, Awaji-Inombek Abiante which has passed first reading is considering discontinuation of NYSC. The NYSC scheme was set up in 1973 during the military regime of Gen Yakubu Gowon (Rtd) to reconcile and rebuild the country after the civil war. However, Abiante, in the explanatory memorandum of the proposal, listed the various reasons why the NYSC should be scrapped. It is still the children of the poor that are sent to those places (where) they are butchered. But reacting in separate interviews with LEADERSHIP, some Nigerians have supported the move while others argued that it should be re-modified for graduates to embark on full-scale skill acquisition. [EDITORIAL] Dont Scrap NYSC Speaking against the move, the deputy coordinator of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Zone C, Comrade Anzaku Shedrach Ovye, urged the government not to scrap the scheme as it is helping a lot of youth to stabilize after their youth service. I am the one who has benefitted from the scheme in the recent time so I know how it feels to be a corps member so personally I wont support it because there will be no room for interstate experience. Most of these corps members only get to experience other states during their serving scheme where they are posted to different parts of the country like for example I did my school at university of Abuja but I was posted to Jos and I served the country. I got new experience in the weather, environment and the tourism places there and I like them. ADVERTISEMENT If they scrap NYSC there will be an increase in crime rate because most of the youth that are supposed to be employed over that specific period of time will be immediately jobless after school and thus may not have any start-up capital because NYSC helps a lot of youths to serve and also establish their businesses. There is this scheme called SAED, Skill Acquisition And Entrepreneurship Department in NYSC. Many people learnt how to do cosmetology, photography and the rest so after this scheme they venture into it because they are able to save from their allowance and what their PPA is paying them and establish themselves and become entrepreneurs without depending on the government so NYSC helps through that. Meanwhile, the Director-General of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig-Gen Shuaibu Ibrahim, who reacted on the issue through the director, press and public relations, Mrs Adenike Adeyemi said the relevance of the Scheme in the integration and National cohesion of the country cannot be underestimated. He said the National Youth Service Corps has been serving as a tool for the socio-economic development of the country through the deployment of Corps Members to States outside their States of origin, where they contribute their quota by making positive impact in the lives of their host communities through the execution of different laudable projects. Ibrahim, who stated this today in his office in Abuja added that, NYSC is germane and critical to the unity of the country. NYSC is not a waste of time, wherever Corps Members are posted to, they have been adding value in order to be remembered with good legacies. On the other hand, a prospective Corps member, Antonia Moji said effort should be made to ensure the safety of corps members serving in states where insecurity is worrisome. She said, Im of the opinion that NYSC should not be scrapped but be suspended after the government might have fought and brought stability in the country. If not, the student will be exposed to danger and parents will be afraid to send their children to serve in those areas. | https://leadership.ng/should-the-nysc-scheme-be-scrapped/ |
What did England cricketer Ollie Robinson say in his apology for racist and sexist tweets? | The tweets were found and widely shared online on the first day of the opening Test against New Zealand (Getty) Cricketer Ollie Robinson has issued an apology after historical tweets he sent which used racist and sexist language surfaced on the day he made his Test debut. Heres what you need to know. Robinson, now 27, says he is embarrassed and ashamed of the posts he made in 2012 and 2013, when he was in his late teens. The tweets were found and widely shared online on Wednesday (2 June) - on the first day of the opening Test against New Zealand. In a pre-prepared statement, Robinson apologised for the tweets, as he said: On the biggest day of my career so far, I am embarrassed by the racist and sexist tweets that I posted over eight years ago, which have today become public. I want to make it clear that Im not racist and Im not sexist. I deeply regret my actions, and I am ashamed of making such remarks. I was thoughtless and irresponsible. I am sorry, and I have certainly learned my lesson. Robinson added at a press conference: It was a pretty low point in my life (at the time) and I regret that massively. I didnt know they (the tweets) were still there and I just want to apologise to everyone. I regret it hugely. I was thoughtless and irresponsible, and regardless of my state of mind at the time, my actions were inexcusable. Since that period, I have matured as a person and fully regret the tweets. I dont want something that happened eight years ago to diminish the efforts of my team-mates and the ECB as they continue to build meaningful action with their comprehensive initiatives and efforts, which I fully endorse. I will continue to educate myself, look for advice and work with the support network that is available to me to learn more about getting better in this area. England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief executive Tom Harrison said the governing body will now conduct an investigation as part of its disciplinary process. In a statement, Harrison said: I do not have the words to express how disappointed I am that an England mens player has chosen to write tweets of this nature, however long ago that might have been. Any person reading those words, particularly a woman or person of colour, would take away an image of cricket and cricketers that is completely unacceptable. We are better than this. | https://www.banbridgeleader.co.uk/read-this/what-did-england-cricketer-ollie-robinson-say-in-his-apology-for-racist-and-sexist-tweets-3259484 |
What is the Role of an IP Address? | Internet Protocol (IP) addresses comprise numbers separated by several dots. IP addresses allow individuals to identify their locations easily, it also makes it easy to locate and send data to internet-connected devices, wherever they are. Whenever an individual sends an email, consults a website, or probably makes a VoIP call, the computer sends information in the form of data packets to the IP addresses at the other terminal of the connection. Also, it receives information in packets at its internet protocol address. From this, it appears that the internet depends on internet protocol addresses to function. To truly deal with the topic comprehensively, some questions need to be asked and answers provided too. The reason behind using an IP address is simple: without IP addresses, it will be difficult to identify specific locations and send data comfortably to people. For instance, sending emails and browsing on web pages will also not be possible without IP addresses. Presently, there are two different versions of IP addresses available, they include: IPv4 IPv6 Both IP address versions have entirely different functions. The IPv4 addresses are written in four groups, each group separated by dots. IPv4 addresses have numbers ranging from 0 and 255. Below is what an IPv4 address looks like this 193.178.0.1. The dots in IP addresses specify their functions and make it easier for users to read the internet protocols. For IPv6 addresses, they tend to have long strings of numbers, they are usually represented by a hexadecimal (combining figures and alphabet). IPv6 can fit more information into fewer numbers. Numbers you will in an IPv6 address range between 0-9 and only letters between a-f be used. Given this range of figures and alphabets, typical IPv6 addresses can have up to 16 different values. IPv6 addresses also have a group of numbers separated colons rather than dots as in IPv4 addresses. An example of IPv6 is 1002:0af7:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0052. IPv6 doesnt have to be this complicated, they can be simplified by substituting the numerous 0s with double colons. So technically, the previous IPv6 address can also be written as 1002:0af7::52. Over 7 billion people are on Earth, but IPv4 offers only about 4.3 billion IP addresses. As the number of IP users continues to increase on the earth, the number of end devices will also continue to increase and with time, IPv4 will get to its maximum limit and will not be able to provide new addresses for users. On the contrary, IPv6 offers enough IP addresses for everyone. IPv6 tends to take over IP addresses totally at the expense of IPv4 because of the wide IP address creation range. All devices, mobile phones, laptops, tablets, as long as they have internet connections, all have IP addresses. These IP addresses are often allocated to these devices by their routers for example: Router: 192.168.177.1 This router will allocate IP addresses to devices connected to it as follows: Mobile phones: 192.168.177.30 Laptop: 192.168.177.40 Conclusion Now that weve discussed what IP addresses entail, you should now have a better understanding of how packets are transferred among devices. Knowing how packets are transferred makes it easier to solve constraints that might arise when sending information to other devices. IP addresses make digital life more interesting and less difficult. Usually, what is my ip or can I change my ip are prominent questions regarding this topic. After reading this, you will no longer need to ask them. | https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/what-is-the-role-of-an-ip-address/ |
Where are the equity guidelines Waterloo Region public school principals claim to be using to make their decisions? | Re: Principals push for fair Grade 6 and 8 celebrations May 19 This article states, The principals and vice-principals with the Waterloo Region District School Board have also created a set of guidelines to help them be mindful of potential inequities and barriers for students and their families. And yet requests of WRDSB principals, superintendents, trustees and even the Indigenous, Equity and Human Rights Department have failed to produce these guidelines for parents and school councils. Without these guidelines there is no basis for evaluating decisions on how well they address issues of equity, much less a foundation upon which to work together as a school community to make activities more equitable in the future. Perhaps this is why the WRDSB principals decision regarding Grade 6 and 8 year-end celebrations doesnt live up to its claim to be about equity. Rather it is a lowest common denominator approach to equality instead. | https://www.therecord.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editors/2021/06/02/where-are-the-equity-guidelines-waterloo-region-public-school-principals-claim-to-be-using-to-make-their-decisions.html |
What's good for the Sault is good for Valley East? | Province paying most of a $25M twin pad project in Sault Ste. Marie. The City is Greater Sudbury is looking to build similar facility in Hanmer SunMedia Article content News that Sault Ste. Marie has received millions for its own twin pad project has really got Ward 5 Coun. Robert Kirwan excited for the future. The councillor, whose ward includes a proposed twin pad project on eight acres next to the Howard Armstrong Recreation Centre in Hanmer, said the project will be good for all of Sudbury, not just Valley East. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. Try refreshing your browser. Back to video This is a very important project, not only for the residents of Valley East and Capreol, but for the entire city. I expect city council will approve this project as part of the 2022 budget process, he said. I am even more supportive of this project now that the COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the importance of enhanced and accessible age-friendly recreational facilities. The twin pad complex is much more than a building that will contain two ice surfaces. It will be the central element in the development of the remaining 28 acres of what was always anticipated to become the town centre for the former City of Valley East. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content The province announced earlier this week it is contributing $18 million towards a $25-million twin pad project in Sault Ste. Marie. The twin pad arena will replace the existing single pad arena at the McMeeken Arena, significantly increasing the square footage and seating capacity inside the arena for the Sault Ste. Marie community, the Ministry of Infrastructure announced. The Ontario government is investing in this multi-purpose infrastructure project that will help to strengthen and protect communities like Sault Ste. Marie, create jobs and contribute to the provinces long-term economic recovery. Ross Romano, the minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, is the MPP for Sault Ste. Marie. He said the announcement of more infrastructure spending in his riding is good news as the community climbs out from the COVID fog. This is a significant investment into one of our communitys longest standing recreational facilities. I recall being a member of city council myself when a carbon dioxide leak at the McMeeken Arena led to a health scare for many parents and families, Romano said. It is encouraging that we will have multiple major infrastructure projects being built in Sault Ste. Marie over the next year a new $25-million twin pad arena in the west end of the city and a new $18-million Indigenous cultural centre in the east end of the city, and even more exciting news on the way with the construction of our community-based addictions services centre offering residential withdrawal management services. I cant wait to see all the shovels in the ground as we recover from COVID-19. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content The twin pad project at the HARC in Hanmer is expected to cost upwards of $28 million, including $22.8 million for construction; $2.1 million for design and contract administration; and a contingency of $3.5 million for design, tender escalation and change orders. Opening the twin pad would mean closing three arenas in the Valley, including the Centennial Community Centre, the Raymond Plourde arena and pad no. 1 at the Capreol Community Centre. The projected net operating cost for the complex would be $202,929, the 2021 budget document indicated. Decommissioning the (three arenas) would result in 10-year capital savings of $9.3 million and annual operating savings of $521,294. This would realize ongoing net operating savings of $318,365. Recognizing the constrictions imposed by COVID-19 on the 2021 budget, Kirwan and Ward 6 Coun. Rene Lapierre introduced a motion to defer by a year any spending on the project. According to the 2021 budget document, $567,500 was to be spent this year. There are a lot of moving parts to this project, so itll give me time to work with staff and other councillors to bring up a few other questions we just didnt have the time to nail out for this budget process, Lapierre said in March during budget deliberations. I think its a good project and I dont want to turn it down completely and it dies, so I would just prefer to push it back to next years budget process. Kirwan agreed to the deferral to work out a feasible funding plan. It also allows us the opportunity to seek funding from the provincial and federal levels of government to help offset some of the projected $28-million cost. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content The project remains unfunded, despite the announcement made in Sault Ste. Marie. The city did apply for support for the twin pad, but the application was rejected in favour of another municipal project. Sacha Novack, a spokesperson for the City of Greater Sudbury, said the city remains committed to the project, despite the deferral and the fact it was not approved for funding. City council received a report on Oct. 8, 2019, regarding the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. Council was presented with a number of projects for consideration for the federal and provincial funding opportunity, including the Valley East twin pad multipurpose sports complex. The city was subsequently notified the twin pad project did not receive ICIP funding, Novack said. A business case for the twin pad was presented as part of the 2021 budget deliberations for councils consideration. This business case was deferred to the 2022 budget deliberations. Despite the deferral and the response by the Investing in Canada Infrastructure program, Kirwan remains enthusiastic about the project. In addition to the sports complex, the city will be creating an outdoor walking and fitness trail system that will be accessible and will provide all-season fitness activities for all ages, he said Wednesday. There will even be an outdoor skating trail adjacent to the arena and change rooms/warming stations open to outside users. The outdoor trail system will be a great benefit for older adults and people of all ages who have mobility issues. The complex will also provide office and meeting space for minor sports organizations, along with a community gymnasium that can be used for indoor training and recreational activities. Kirwan said once a design is finalized, it would take less than two years to build the complex. The city has completed all of the preliminary studies necessary and we are now at the point whereupon approval and identification of funding sources, we can proceed with an RFP for a design-bid-build proposal, he explained. It would take about six to eight months for the design and construction documents to be completed, and then it would take about 18 months for construction. 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How green is the mountain bike industry? | We take a look at the people, ideas and companies that are seeking to offset and eventually eliminate mountain bikings hidden environmental impacts. Mountain biking is inescapably and intrinsically linked to nature. Our bikes are nothing without trails and the natural environment they pass through. Read more: Nine environmentally friendly mountain bike products Its easy to think that riding our bikes isnt adding to this problem. After all, cycling lowers fossil fuel consumption, eases traffic congestion, and improves public health by reducing the risks associated with obesity. Take, make and waste The delivery of an extraordinary number of products across the planet at affordable prices is inextricably linked to our current pattern of rapid increasing resource extraction, waste production and pollution. As a result, we are faced with rising sea levels, more extreme weather and a decline in biodiversity. All of which threaten the very environments that enable our sport. For Erik Bronsvoort, Director of Shift Cycling Culture a non profit working to achieve a more sustainable future for our sport we have become cogs in a machine that promotes endless consumption, and that needs to change. Mountain bikes have come a long way since I started riding in the mid 90s, when sustainability was not an issue, he says. They have become more durable and better able to handle ever more extreme trails. This has required new standards for parts, and designs focused on the lowest cost at the point of sales, not over the whole lifetime. Even if the gains are only marginal, the marketing machine makes us as riders want to buy the latest and greatest, whenever it hits the market. Sell more, sell faster. This economic incentive fuels our desire to buy something new, even though our old bike is still good enough to have a lot of fun on. The result: waste more, waste faster, he continues. In other words, we are reaching the limits of our planet- trashing, take-make-waste model of production. Going full circle Globally there is a shift happening towards a circular economy. Its about creating a closed loop, where we design out waste and pollution, keep products and materials in use, and regenerate natural systems. For Erik it is undoubtedly the path the bike industry needs to take. We need to cut emissions caused by the production of the products we use all of the steel, aluminium and carbon- fibre that is used to make bikes is very CO2-intensive to produce. To do this is going to mean a change of approach: This will require new designs focused on extended use, the use of different materials and, maybe most importantly new business models that do not rely on selling as many products as possible, but on making sure the customer is able to use their products for as long as possible A greener generation Fundamentally shifting the behaviours of some of the biggest brands in the industry will be a gargantuan task, and knowing how they are approaching this isnt always clear, with only a handful of bike brands, including Specialized, Trek and Schwalbe, openly outlining their efforts to the consumer. However, there is a newer breed of brands that have been able to start from scratch and embed sustainability into the DNA of their businesses. One of these is British pedal brand Pembree, although it still takes a determined approach to make a difference. For us, it has been made far easier through investing in our own factory, explains founder Phil Law. We are in control of the whole product lifecycle, from design, manufacture and how the products will be used, through to how they should be recycled. Pembree has produced pedals that are 99.9 per cent recyclable at the end of their life. I strongly believe that any manufacturer needs to take responsibility for the production, use and subsequent recycling of anything that they release into the market, explains Phil. Teaming up with Temwa, an organisation that works with communities to plant more trees, protect forests and adopt sustainable agriculture, Pembree has also set out to balance the 92kg of CO2 emissions produced in manufacturing each pair of pedals. Best mountain bike flat pedals for 2021: metal and plastic Getting the balance right Pembree isnt alone in looking to balance its carbon emissions. Enduras One Million Trees initiative, launched at the start of 2020, committed to planting one million trees annually for the next 10 years to eliminate the brands carbon footprint part of a range of efforts the business is taking to reduce its impact on the planet. BikePark Wales is on a journey to become the worlds first carbon- neutral bike park. From 2021 it has also teamed up with Temwa, along with many other initiatives across the business, and will be balancing all CO2 emissions it produces through use of uplift vehicles, trail building, site transport, vehicle repairs and gas used to heat the centre and provide hot water. For Martin Astley, founder of BPW, its a topic close to his heart, with a career background as an ecologist and waste management consultant. I feel we have to act as a species now, and for me personally, BPW is the biggest generator of CO2 and general environmental impact that I have created as an individual, so I feel a responsibility to reduce that. Martin explains the response to its steps hasnt always been positive. We took some flak on social media for doing this; some people were claiming it was middle class greenwashing, says Martin when discussing their offsetting. But its a tool thats available to us right now to start the journey to being carbon neutral. I think thats one of the most important things, you can hang around waiting for the perfect technology or the right moment to tackle this problem, or you can just roll your sleeves up and make a start with the tools you have to hand. Back to the drawing board While recognising the impact you are having, and offsetting that impact, is undoubtedly a step in the right direction, achieving a fundamental shift in sustainability starts right back at the beginning of a products life cycle. The consequences of the decisions made at the design stage are where around 80 per cent of environmental impacts are determined. Oli Pepper, founder of clothing brand Morvelo, is starting from the top and looking at how he can alter the design of his products: We want our products to be as easy and efficient as possible to clean, dismantle, and rebuild, ready to be sold again without the requirement for virgin materials, he explains. Its a long way off yet, but were making progress. Muc-Off is another brand where seemingly simple redesigns through its Project Green Initiative are showing the impact design changes can have. It has taken steps including making all its range refillable, redesigning its Drivetrain Cleaner bottles without a plastic over-sleeve, and introducing products such as the 1L Bike Cleaner Concentrate bottle, which has 89 per cent less packaging than the equivalent two bottles of Nano Tech Bike Cleaner. All of which have helped the brand to remove over 50 tonnes of plastic from its operation. Its a material choice Between the drawing board and the end user is the most impactful phase: manufacturing and production. We are often wholly disconnected from this stage of the process and there is little transparency to what really goes on, probably because supply chains are typically global, massive and complex. Specialized alone works with over 260 suppliers to deliver its range of bikes and accessories. Most mass manufacturing across the industry is delivered out of sight on the other side of the world, in the far east predominantly in Taiwan and China. Whether you are on an aluminium or carbon frame or if you are one of the increasing number of us riding an e-bike with a lithium battery the manufacture of a bike and its requisite parts requires sourcing, extracting and producing different materials from around the world. It will pass through several stages before emerging as a finished product. Every part of that process has an environmental impact, ranging from the consumption of raw materials, the energy required in production, and any waste generated in the manufacturing process. Little work has been done to measure and address the sustainability of the bicycle supply chain, but working with Duke University, Specialized is one brand that is over a decade into learning about this area, and some of its findings are fairly eye-opening. For example, it found that the annual electricity requirement for heat-treating its aluminum Roubaix road frames was 58.7 gigawatt-hours. That is the equivalent to New York Citys power consumption for nearly five and a half days. The total number of bikes manufactured each year is a number thats well guarded, or perhaps genuinely unknown, so taking just one model from one brand as an example gives a staggering insight into our hobbys levels of consumption and its impact on the climate. Move from bikes to kit production and the story is no better; total greenhouse gas emissions from textiles production globally, at 1.2 billion tonnes annually, is more than that from all international flights and maritime shipping combined. With 97 per cent of materials in textile production coming from raw, or virgin, materials, introducing recycled elements into the manufacturing process is a step that some brands, including Five Ten, are taking. This season marks the launch of Primeblue, a recycled material made in collaboration with Parley Ocean Plastic. This will bring us one step closer to becoming a fully circular company, explained Luke Hontz, Senior Product Manager at Five Ten. As a brand we need to be accountable for the impact we have on nature and the environment. Two new models of Five Ten shoes now use recycled polyester and sustainably sourced cotton, and so begins the brands commitment to completely phase out the use of virgin polyesters by 2024, and have all shoes and apparel made with 100 per cent recycled materials. Boxing clever Room for improvement doesnt end at redesigning or shifting manufacturing processes. One of the lowest hanging fruit is packaging and packing materials, says Morvelos Oli Pepper. Most of us have to ship things around, and just something as small as switching to paper packing tape would put a nice dent in the amount of plastic going to landfill. At the end of last year, Cannondale released news of its move to 100 per cent recyclable bike packaging in Europe. Our objective was to design a better packaging system, announced Eugene Fierkens, General Manager for Cycling Sports Group Europe. Make it better for the environment, make the packaging protection stronger, and significantly reduce assembly time. The news from Cannondale followed just after Trek introduced modified packaging for its most popular single model the Marlin hardtail. Although it didnt achieve 100 per cent recyclable status, the transition on one bike model alone has according to Trek kept almost 23,000kg out of landfill. That sounds like a lot, and it is; its the equivalent weight of two double decker buses in fact. Keep the wheels turning So its designed, produced, shipped and now the end product has arrived with us as riders. One way is quite simple. Keep it for longer. Using a product for longer is widely recognised as a key method of reducing its environmental impact. Its not rocket science to realise the longer we can make something last, the less need there is to create new products. One brand seeking to stop us buying another headset, bottom bracket or bearing ever again is Chris King Precision Components, who prides itself on producing components to last a lifetime, with a warranty to match. Last year it became the first bicycle manufacturer to achieve B Corp status an accreditation that certifies a company delivering a positive impact on society and the environment. But as much as we might wish to reduce consumption, the tide of technological innovation can make it hard to extend the lifecycle of our bikes and components. Back to Erik Bronsvoort: I used to own a Chris King headset. I installed it on three of my bikes, but then the next bike came with a tapered fork and integrated headset. The King headset sat on my workbench for years, before I sold it to a friend who was updating an old fixie. Erik believes so: Yes, although I do not believe this is done with intention. Backwards compatibility should become part of the design philosophy of every company. And its business model. It may be a simpler process for kit manufacturers to improve post-purchase support: Brands need to be responsible for their products even after the sale, which then helps with repair and recycling, says Oli Pepper. He believes itll also help bring brands and consumers closer together. Morvelo is working hard to implement a repair scheme, an initiative other clothing brands such as Patagonia, Alpkit and Endura already have in place, encouraging us as riders to move away from replacing a whole garment when only one small part of it requires repair. The end of the road Closing off the loop, is how we behave at the end of a products life. The old adage, of one mans garbage is another mans gold, has never rang truer than over the last year, as secondhand sales have soared across the board. Shift Cycling Culture is encouraging us to rummage through our spares boxes and consider a gear swap party. You might be able to rehome your bike or parts as a whole, but recycling still presents challenges when we look at raw materials. Carbon-fibre recycling is complex and not widely used. Specialized has established a take-back scheme for carbon frames based on existing carbon-fibre recycling programs used by the aerospace industry, but the process of recycling results in shorter fibres and they have yet to develop enough demand for the recycled product. The question of recycling e-bike batteries is only starting to be raised in the industry, with Specialized announcing in March it is investigating new recycling options with a firm called Redwood Materials, run by one of the founders of Tesla. Protect our playgrounds Once the lid has been lifted on the issue of sustainability, for some there is no escape. Cyclings beauty is that it enables you to connect with nature and the outdoors, so it increasingly felt wrong that what we were doing as a brand could actually harm the very thing that drew us to cycling in the first place, Oli Pepper from Morvelo shares. Once that penny drops, there is no going back. In fact it motivates us even more and makes us strive to be in business as a force for good. For Erik of Shift Cycling Culture, the time for action is now. Weve experienced enormous enthusiasm from the industry, says Erik, who through Shift Cycling Culture organises events for the cycling industry, like online meet-ups and workshops. Let us use this energy to transition to a circular cycling industry. A world where customers win because they are able to ride more reliable products that require less maintenance. Where the industry wins because it can create equal or more value with less material. Finally, where the planet wins because there will no longer be any waste or pollution, and nature will get a chance to regenerate. The issue of climate change isnt going to disappear. There is no Planet B. Its time for us all to wake up to the impact we have on the environment and realise that riding a bike does not absolve us from this responsibility. As consumers, we can make changes small and large. As an industry there will be a need for collaboration and openness, for potentially seismic shifts in the way we behave. But together we can achieve more and protect our sport and the natural environment we love to ride in. Get involved Head to Shift Cycling Culture and find out more about how you can play a part in a more sustainable future for our sport. Join in its events or campaigns, or organise one of your own. | https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/how-green-is-mountain-bike-industry-407541 |
What is Green Menstruation? | In India with social media coverage, NGOs working towards helping people with the menstrual hygiene, and Bollywood celebrities talking about menstruation there is a lot of awareness generated about menstrual hygiene and its products. With this there is also an increase in the consumption of plastic sanitary pads by almost 8 times. If we go by facts then between the average woman's first cycle and menopause you can expect some 450 periods. During those 450 periods the average woman uses between 12000- 15000 pads, tampons and panty liners as per the Rochester institute of technology report. One sanitary pad has plastic equivalent to five plastic bags, so one woman is using menstrual hygiene products equivalent to 60,000 - 75,000 plastic bags. Also one sanitary pad takes up to 500-800 years to decompose. And remember these statistics are excluding the plastic wrapper of the sanitary pads and the tampons and the plastic applicator of tampons. Taking these statistics into consideration and considering that there are 355 million menstruators in India, out of which two thirds are using tampons and pads, women are disposing of almost 12 billion sanitary pads per year. If we bury them they will not degrade and will add on to the plastic burden of the earth in the landfills and oceans and if we burn them they release toxic carcinogenic chemicals like furans and dioxins. In this race of achieving better and better we have unknowingly done significant damage to earth. It's time we start working towards a world where everyone has access to sustainable menstrual hygiene products or I would say "Green menstruation". Green menstruation is the term used where women use biodegradable menstrual hygiene products, green because they are environment friendly. The products include menstrual cups, organic cotton based pads, reusable cloth pads, and period panties. These options are not only environment friendly but also pocket friendly and really good for women's vaginal and reproductive health. Pocket friendly because instead of 10 sanitary napkins per period they have to buy 1 menstrual cup or 5 reusable cotton or cloth pads for almost 12 periods. Vaginal and reproductive health friendly because their usage decreases the incidence of rashes, vaginal infections and drastically decreases the incidence of new age problems like endometriosis, adenomyosis, cervical cancer. These problems arise due to harmful chemicals in plastic pads i.e. dioxins and furans. And obviously environment friendly because these sustainable products produce only 0.6 percent of the waste as compared to single use plastic pads. We need to rethink period education. Thanks to Bollywood and celebrities talking about menstruation there is a perfect storm of cultural change. Women are ready to talk about periods along with a massive environment protection drive. I think this is the perfect time when along with period education we can make women aware about sustainable menstrual hygiene products and the impact on the environment. The Indian government is taking a lot of efforts to provide menstrual products free of cost to all the menstruators who cannot afford it, in schools and colleges. Instead of providing sanitary pads it would be ideal to give and educate a menstrual cup to a girl, it will not only have a positive environmental impact but will also help in economic growth of the country. All changes start at home, and to help the government, even if we start giving one menstrual cup to our house help and educate her it will fill a huge gap. Things are changing, with increase in education of women they are making informed choices. The damage from our throwaways is accumulating somewhere. We can all make a difference. Every step towards sustainability counts. --IANS | https://www.thehawk.in/lifestyle/health-fitness/green-menstruation-230376 |
Why are Russian programmers the best in the world? | They regularly win international informatics olympiads, work for IT companies all over the world and create popular online games and mobile apps, ranging from Tetris to Telegram. We look into how Russia has become one of the main production lines for turning out the best programmers in the world. The uncomplicated video game Tetris designed by Soviet programmer Alexey Pajitnov is known all over the world - in 2020 alone, the number of downloads of the official mobile version of the game exceeded 500 million. Pavel Durovs messaging service Telegram is used by over 500 million people around the world. Google regards the Kotlin programming language - created by Russian software developers Sergey Dmitriev, Eugene Belyaev and Valentin Kipyatkov - as its preferred language for the development of Android apps. The Cut the Rope brain teaser games developed by Russian programmers Semyon and Efim Voinov have been downloaded over one billion times. Finally, for more than 10 years, Russian programmers have been coming top in major international olympiads, such as the International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) and the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI). All these are just the most outstanding achievements by programmers from Russia and together, they fit into a coherent system that can be traced back to Soviet education. The nuclear arms race and mathematics schools The main reason for the development of applied mathematics and programming in the country was the USSRs desire to surpass the U.S. and its allies in the nuclear arms race, according to Mikhail Gustokashin, director of the Center of Student Competitions at the Higher School of Economics. To achieve this, good technical specialists were needed, and so olympiads in mathematics were held throughout the USSR. A high level of maths teaching in schools and universities was necessary to ensure parity in the military and scientific spheres with practically the whole of the rest of the world. For example, the USSR was one of the main founders of the International Olympiad in Informatics for secondary school students and in 1990 it hosted the second such olympiad, says Gustokashin. In large Soviet cities, day and boarding schools specializing in mathematics and physics were opened and this, too, played a role in the development of programming in the country, believes Igor Sokolov, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences and dean of the Faculty of Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics at Lomonosov Moscow State University. Well-organized work with talented children in specialized maths schools during the Soviet years and a network of olympiads in mathematics, physics, informatics and other subjects, continue to bear fruit, says Sokolov. Pupils of Moscow's School No. 524 at a math lesson led by the institution's headmaster, Joseph Borukhov Alexander Cheprunov/Sputnik Alexander Cheprunov/Sputnik Mikhail Mirzayanov, founder of Codeforces, a platform for enthusiasts of programming olympiads, agrees with Sokolov. It is important that these schools are still alive and well and to be educated in such a school is still regarded as prestigious. I come from Saratov and I went to the best maths school in the city. Finding yourself among talented teachers and classmates, there was a desire to prove to yourself that you were no worse than the others and that you could solve something better than anyone else - it was a strong motivation for me to move forward, Mirzayanov says. According to Mikhail, the USSRs desire to get children hooked onto programming when they were still at school was also an influence. There were not just schools, but also clubs and specialist magazines. As a child, I used to read Yuny Tekhnik [Young Technician], as well as the Kvant [Quantum] mathematics magazine [popular Soviet science magazines for young readers], and I was delighted with them, recalls the Codeforces founder. Popularity of olympiads Russian children take part in olympiads from primary school onwards, beginning with the simplest district-level Russian language olympiads and continuing to national olympiads in different specialisms, including programming and computer science, in which the countrys leading higher educational establishments are involved. Those who come top in these kinds of olympiads can enter, for instance, Lomonosov Moscow State University or other prestigious higher educational establishments without having to take the entrance exam. Mikhail Mirzayanov started taking part in specialized olympiads from Year 8. He was determined to win, and so he would spend whole nights without a break studying new problems. Vitaly Belousov/TASS Vitaly Belousov/TASS Certain people like me need the competition. If you completely deprive them of the competitive spirit, they wont easily become motivated and develop their potential. In addition, some programmers progress further than the Russian olympiads and win at international ones, because they just like problem solving. Its a sort of professional sport for them. I was an enthusiast of them myself. Its more interesting than watching any film and you look forward to programming competitions more intensely than part two of your favorite film. Its a very interesting social phenomenon, Mirzayanov explains. According to him, having to solve problems at speed helps many school pupils and students to discover the fundamentals of programming and to learn how to solve non-standard tasks and build cooperation with other olympiad participants when team competitions are involved. Programming competitions help participants to find sought-after and well-paid work in their future careers and to discover an interest that they can pursue for the rest of their lives. Motivation, boredom and technical universities Efim Voinov, one of the founders of video game developer ZeptoLab, which is responsible for the Cut the Rope series of mobile games that enjoys popularity throughout the world, got interested in programming at the age of eight for want of any other entertainment. He believes that the same thing could also have motivated other programmers. I remember my parents giving us an 8-bit ZX Spectrum computer. There werent many games you could buy for it, so we started studying Basic instruction code from unofficially-circulating samizdat publications, and soon started writing our own games. I remember being particularly impressed by the possibility of recreating the realistic flight of a projectile fired from a cannon following a ballistic trajectory and by the whole business of programming to reflect the laws of physics. Its possible that this vivid childhood impression influenced the development of the Cut the Rope brain teaser game, which was to become a hit many years later, Voinov opines. Enthusiastic teachers have also been known to develop a love of programming in their pupils and continue to do so. I went to an ordinary school. One thing I remember was the particular attitude of the IT teacher, who, on seeing that I knew how to program, excused my brother, the [subsequent] co-founder of the company, and me from lessons altogether. While our classmates were studying the rudiments of computer literacy, my brother and I sat at the teachers computer and wrote our games. It was quite an honor! recalls Efim. Lomonosov Moscow State University. M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University. Computing center at the Department of Computational Mathematics at the Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics, Moscow State University. The first computer center in the USSR Gennady Scherbakov/Sputnik Gennady Scherbakov/Sputnik Another important stage in his life was attending the Moscow Institute of Electronics and Mathematics of the National Research University Higher School of Economics (MIEM NRU HSE). According to Voinov, Russia has quite a few good technical universities that train decent programmers. Maths was taught at a very high level there. I particularly remember the linear algebra course. The teacher was a very strict and demanding woman, but at the same time she explained everything in a very intelligible and interesting way. It was regarded as a particular achievement to get Excellent for an exam of hers, and I remember that in some sense I developed a sporting interest in it, Voinov says. At the same time, an important part of giving Russian students a sound training is teaching them the fundamentals of mathematics, according to Igor Sokolov, dean of Lomonosov Moscow State Universitys Faculty of Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics. Teaching at the Moscow University Faculty of Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics, as at many other faculties specializing in our field of study, consists of two elements - theoretical mathematical and computer science teaching and practical study. It is thanks to the theoretical element that our students can solve complex scientific and practical problems, Sokolov says. Piracy, pay and Russia's strong home-grown IT companies The IT market started developing in Russia in the midst of the difficult economic situation of the 1990s when many enterprises and research establishments were closing down, but this gave the country a head start over other countries, according to Mikhail Gustokashin from the Higher School of Economics. At that period, the world IT market was only just developing and Russia was in an even better position than the rest of the world in some ways: There was no need to maintain obsolete systems, and pirated software could be used for free and a lot of money saved on employees salaries, Gustokashin says. Mail.ru employees at work Evgeny Biyatov/Sputnik Evgeny Biyatov/Sputnik These circumstances, he believes, allowed large and powerful home-grown IT companies like Yandex and Mail.ru to emerge. At the same time, a major influence was exerted by Russian universities, which proved to be fairly well prepared to provide a decent level of education domestically. The majority of Russian graduates also stay in Russia and work for Russian companies or branches of foreign companies. They can then pass on their expertise to new generations of Russian programmers, Gustokashin believes. In the view of ZeptoLab co-founder Efim Voinov, high salaries are also becoming a key motivation for studying programming in Russia. The pay of programmers grows from one year to the next and is less and less linked to the local market. This is facilitated by the continuing IT company boom, globalization processes and the currently ubiquitous remote working arrangements. In the eyes of pupils and school leavers and their parents, this is also evidently a substantial argument in favor of studying computer programming, Voinov says in conclusion. If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material. | https://www.rbth.com/science-and-tech/333855-why-are-russian-programmers-best-in-the-world |
What are the top spots to pop the question in Co Tipperary? | For couples looking for a romantic escape, Tipperary, with its castles and abbeys, lakeside strolls, and luxurious accommodation is a dream-like destination. Whether youre looking for a rural loved-up adventure, the perfect spot to pop the question, or an intimate wedding venue to treat friends and family, heres a guide to help you find your remote getaway in Irelands best-kept secret. Weekend Wanderers: Rock of Cashel: Experience your own fairytale at the magical Rock of Cashel. This remarkable ancient site of medieval buildings is one of Irelands most iconic structures. Marvel at the Gothic Cathedral and architecture of Cormacs Chapel with its vaulted ceilings, grand doorways and suburb frescoes and admire the incredible vista overlooking the Golden Vale and the town of Cashel. The Glen of Aherlow: is the perfect place for loved-up ramblers who enjoy spending time together in nature. Walk, cycle or take a horse through this lush valley where the River Aherlow runs between the Galtee Mountains and the wooded ridge of Slievenamuck. Tucked away on the mystical shores of Lough Derg, far removed from the everyday, the Destination Resort of Coolbawn Quay offers couples peaceful privacy with relaxed luxury. Imagine late breakfast on your private terrace, picnic lunch by the shore and romantic dinner under a mantle of starsthe perfect Romantic Escape. Romantic Engagements Nenagh Castle: Climb the 101 steps of this cylindrical castle to enjoy stunning views stretching across County Tipperary. Be sure that after a 101 step incline your loved one still has time to take a breath before you pop the question! Bansha Castle: Elevate your romantic proposal at the 300-year-old Bansha Castle. Nestled in the stunning Glen of Aherlow and surrounded by breathtaking views Bansha is one of Tipperarys most luxurious venues this location is the perfect spot to get down on one knee. Wedding Planners Raheen House Hotel: this stunning Georgian House is surrounded by 3.5 acres of gardens and is just five minutes from Clonmel town for surplus wedding guests. With 15 bedrooms, this is the perfect choice for those looking for an intimate and cosy wedding venue. www.raheenhouse.ie/ Mikey Ryans Bar & Kitchen is located in the picturesque town of Cashel, with The Rock of Cashel as its backdrop. This well-known modern restaurant is ideal for couples seeking an intimate location to celebrate their union. Experience incredible food and dine outdoors in luxury in the stunning Glass Well. www.mikeyryans.ie/ Cloughjordan: Cloughjordan House is a beautiful 800-year-old country house set within 8 acres of sweeping lawns and ancient trees. The venue offers a charming and intimate setting which is exclusively yours for your wedding day. Catering for up to 180 wedding guests, enjoy a house party atmosphere with fantastic food, in beautiful surroundings. www. cloughjordanhouse.com/ Kilshane House: This elegant and spacious regency house, rich in heritage and history, can accommodate up to 280 + guests. The house is the centrepiece of 320 acres of private parkland including the Ara River, a Victorian landscape garden with a man-made lake, noble trees, and a pagoda which appears to float on the lake. Your wedding will be the most Instagrammed occasion of the year! www.kilshanehouse.ie/ Anner Hotel: The Anner Hotel, this elegant country house with its beautifully manicured gardens, located in the picturesque town of Thurles, offers the perfect wedding venue for couples looking for a rural retreat in stunning surrounds www.annerhotel.ie/ Ashley Park House is a family-owned lakeside country house. A tranquil haven on the edge of Lough Ourna. Set in 76 acres of beech woodland and formal gardens, the historic country house provides the perfect backdrop for your wedding. A magical place that offers you endless possibilities for your wedding day. www.ashleypark.com Tipperary Tourism is appealing for people to tag @visittipperary and use the hashtags #InsideTipps when they share their visits to encourage others to come and visit this beautiful gem of a county. Visit Tipperary Tourisms website https://tipperary.com/ for more information on accommodation, activities and vouchers in the Premier county. | https://www.tipperarylive.ie/news/local-news/638183/what-are-the-top-spots-to-pop-the-question-in-co-tipperary.html |
Will Apple Preview Highly-Anticipated Mixed Reality Goggles At WWDC 2021? | Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) could preview the mixed reality (MR) goggles as a wildcard at its upcoming annual Worldwide Developers Conference, according to Loup Ventures Managing Partner Gene Munster who has been closely tracking the company. What Happened: While hardware announcements are rare at WWDC, the tech giant could still preview the MR goggles at the event as the product is dependent on developers and also unlikely to cannibalize sales of an existing Apple product, Munster said in an event preview note. WWDC is being held virtually for the second year in the row. The event starts on June 7 and runs through June 11 and will allow more than 1,000 Apple engineers to connect on the software-focused show. See Also: Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference Is Almost Here: What You Need To Know The question: is the product even ready to be previewed? Munster, who runs the research-driven venture capital firm, wrote in a note. The Cupertino, California-based companys mixed reality headset is expected to be launched in mid-2022 followed by an augmented reality glasses launch by 2025, as per well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. According to Munster, MR goggles will initially be a high-end niche product and broader consumer adoption will follow as developers build mixed and augmented reality applications. In our view, mixed and augmented reality is an open-ended opportunity for Apple, Munster said. Today, AR/MR headset adoption is so low its not even measurable. To change that, when Apple launches the product, the company will need to evangelize it through a comprehensive commerce-at-home strategy thats currently just beginning. The company has been moving forward to pair features found in other Apple products such as AssistiveTouch with the headset and is foundational to any headset wearable product, Munster said. Why It Matters: Apples Wearables, Home and Accessories unit is its third-largest and includes Airpods and Apple watch among other items. It one of the company's fastest growing segments. While Apple does not break out unit sales of this segment, penetration for Watch and AirPods is expected to reach 35% plus in the longer-term, from 13% and 18%, Munster previously said. See Also: Apple To See Revenue Growth Ahead Of Street Expectations Through 2025, Munster Estimates Price Action: Apple shares closed 0.63% higher at $125.06 on Wednesday. | https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/21/06/21403339/will-apple-preview-highly-anticipated-mixed-reality-goggles-at-wwdc-2021?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+benzinga+%28Benzinga+News+Feed%29 |
Should Arsenal allow Gabriel to fullfil his dream? | The arrival of Gabriel Magalhaes last summer from Lille was hailed as an excellent buy by Mikel Arteta, and after a very promising start to his Arsenal career he hasnt quite lived up to the expectations we were hoping for. But he has obviously done enough to impress the coach for the Brazil Olympics team, Andre Jardine, and Gabriel is hoping to win a place in the Brazil side who should be playing in Tokyo if the Games are allowed to go ahead. A dream. Thats the word to describe this possibility, said the 23-year-old to globoesporte. Representing the green and yellow shirt is always a source of pride and pleasure. Without a doubt it is a dream and also a goal. The generation that won in 2016 will be remembered forever. I hope to be able to write my name in history too. Due to the level of competitions I played and having played frequently, Im sure this will be very important for me in the national team. I feel, today, a much more complete athlete. Tactically, physically and technically, I feel extremely prepared. I played against the best athletes and at a very high intensity. This raised my level a lot. I hope to be able to put all this growth into practice for the national team. The problem for Arsenal is that the Olympics should begin on Friday, July 23, and run to Sunday, August 8, which is just one week before the beginning of the new Premier League season, so Gabriel (and probably Martinelli) will both likely miss the whole of Artetas pre-season. | https://www.justarsenal.com/should-arsenal-allow-gabriel-to-fullfil-his-dream/283925 |
Will Karnataka Cancel II PUC Exams? | With all that is going on in the country, it is becoming difficult to conduct exams. Students cannot come to invigilation centres as it can be risky. Hence many exams are getting cancelled with results to be announced based on other methods. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the exams for CBSE Class will be cancelled. This left many in shock while many were relieved. Now all eyes are on the Karnataka government and their decision. After the announcement regarding the CBSE boards was made, the state government is busy deciding on what to do about other exams. Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar shared that a decision regarding the II PU exams will be taken soon. Also Read: ICSE Cancels Class 12 Board Exams Since the situation is so concerning and confusing, the students, parents and teachers as well are in dilemma. They are asking for a proper answer soon as they are not sure what is going to happen. The department of education was swamped with queries from everyone. It is not just letters, but social media as well. Citizens from Karnataka took to social media to ask the state education department. Especially Twitter was flooded with posts made by concerned students, asking for the cancellation of the exams. This is an important decision. It is risky holding exams during this time. As we all know, the second wave has hit the country hard. The number of daily cases is going down but the risk remains high. States including Karnataka was facing an adverse situation. From a high rise in the number of COVID19 cases to shortage of beds and oxygen cylinders, Karnataka for many weeks under an alert kind of state. Only after lockdown and other regulations coming into place once again, the cases saw a dip. But there are still many patients at the hospitals. It is not the time to slack away. When even the vaccines are not available for these children as of now, there is no chance of sitting in an exam hall surrounded by many people, shared the parents and teachers. | https://english.sakshi.com/news/national/will-karnataka-cancel-ii-puc-exams-136395 |
Can we design a more sustainable internet? | With the internet now accounting for roughly the same amount of carbon emissions as global air travel, we look what designers can do to help tackle our digital waste problem Theres been a huge amount of interest in the sustainable design movement in recent years whether its thinking about branding and packaging design in a more environmentally conscious way, or reimagining the short shelf-lives of the majority of our tech products. One thing you may not have considered when it comes to your individual impact on the planet, however, is your digital footprint. In a world where we are more digitally connected than ever before, every email sent and every Google search performed has an environmental cost. The stats speak for themselves: the internet currently produces 3.8% of the worlds carbon emissions roughly the same as the global airline industry. If the internet was a country, it would be the seventh largest polluter in the world, and this trend is only expected to accelerate between now and 2030. The idea of digital waste isnt an entirely new concept; experts such as Gerry McGovern have been exploring the environmental impact of the internet since as early as the 90s. McGovern has written eight books on the subject, the latest being World Wide Waste. In the book, he writes: Digital is demanding an increasing share of the earths energy and resources and is a major contributor to the generation of toxic trash, to a culture of disposability, convenience and the most wasteful behaviour ever seen in human history. | https://www.creativereview.co.uk/design-sustainable-internet/ |
Is OnePlus also working on a Tile-style tracker like Apple AirTags? | (Pocket-lint) - OnePlus could be working on an item tracker that would compete with the likes of the Apple's AirTag, Samsung's SmartTag and Tile trackers. The Chinese company is said to have trademarked the name - OnePlus Tag - which suggests a tracking device is being worked on, or is at least a consideration for the future. Of course OnePlus Tag could mean something entirely different but given its competitor's offerings, it's probably safe to assume it's an item tracker. The trademark - first spotted by DroidMaze and Neowin (via 91 Mobiles) - was filed on 18 May 2021 through Beijing Intangible Technology. No further details were provided within the trademark so there's no word on a release date or what features the device would offer. We would expect it to use ultra wideband technology though, and it's likely you would be able to attach one to your keys or wallet in some way, allowing you to then use your phone to locate them if you lost them. OnePlus will be a little late to the item tracking party if the OnePlus Tag does appear. Tile dominated this sector for a number of years, until it was met with some competition from Samsung with its SmartTag in January 2021 and then Apple in March 2021 with the launch of the AirTags. OnePlus could undercut the other options available in terms of price though, whilst still offering good specs, as it does with its smartphones. For now, we will have to wait and see, but we will be keeping our eyes peeled for any future rumours surrounding a OnePlus Tag. Writing by Britta O'Boyle. | https://www.pocket-lint.com/gadgets/news/oneplus/157169-is-oneplus-also-working-on-a-tile-style-tracker-like-apple-airtags |
What Does 'GOP' Stand For? | Postmodern Studio/Shutterstock In 1884, newspaper printer T.B. Dowden ran out of space at the end of an article for the Cincinnati Gazette about Republican politician James Gillespie Blaine, who had just been nominated for the U.S. presidency. Dowden's copy ended with the phrase "Grand Old Party," and up against a deadline and a line count, he had to get creative to make the copy fit. And so, the next morning, the front page of the Cincinnati Gazette read "The Hon. James G. Blaine will address the meeting on 'the achievements of the Gop.'" Dowden is credited as the first person to use "GOP" in print. The story of the first use of the now-ubiquitous acronym is a neat part of the Republican Party's history, but it's hardly the whole story. Advertisement The Democratic-Republican Party For that we have to talk about the history of the two main political parties' origins. Democrats and Republicans were both born from the Democratic-Republican Party (also known as Jeffersonian Republicans), which was founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in the 1790s. The party favored political equality, expansionism and the philosophy of republicanism, which holds liberty, individual rights and the power of the people as central values. The Democratic-Republican Party eventually broke into factions during the 1824 presidential election. Splintering was only a matter of time as four Democratic-Republicans sought the presidency, including Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, William H. Crawford and Henry Clay. No candidate won the electoral vote, and the House of Representatives held a contingent election to choose the president. Adams eventually won. Eventually, the Democratic Party took its name in 1844 and the Republican Party took its name in 1854, uniting former Whigs (those who favored higher tariffs, distributing land revenues to states, and passing economic relief legislation), like-minded Democrats and abolitionists. Advertisement Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 This fusion of ideologies in the newly formed Republican Party was, ironically, primarily driven by a Democratic-supported effort. Namely, the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, a piece of legislation that allowed slavery to expand into western territories. After it passed, a period of violent anti- and pro- slavery confrontations arose known as Bleeding Kansas an antecedent to the Civil War. The debate over slavery intensified over the next several years as a young Abraham Lincoln was beginning to get his political footing. Lincoln vehemently opposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act and would steadily bring his anti-slavery rhetoric into his political speeches in ensuing years. By 1860, Lincoln won the Republican Party's presidential nomination and soon the presidency. Then in 1861, seven states declared secession, with four more states joining the Confederacy several months later. You know the rest. The Civil War ended in 1865 when Confederate generals surrendered. But back to the GOP. A few years earlier in 1859, Kentucky's Democratic Governor Beriah Magoffin a staunch neutralist during the Civil War harkened back to his party's Democratic-Republic Party origins in his inaugural address by saying, "The Grand Old Party has never changed its name, its purposes or its principles, nor has it ever broken its pledges." And in 1858, a Democratic newspaper in New Haven, Connecticut, also alluded to the Grand Old Party in reference to Democrats, publishing the phrase "this Grand Old Party is divided and in danger of defeat." But by the 1870s, the moniker had become solidified to the Republican Party. Politicians and newspapers began referring to the Republican Party as the Grand Old Party and the gallant old party a salute to its role in preserving the Union during the Civil War. Now That's Interesting Many individuals opposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act because of the human rights issue of slavery, but the truth is that a number of politicians at the time were primarily concerned with the expansion of slavery into western territories because it would grant slaveholding states too much power in the Senate and Electoral College. | https://people.howstuffworks.com/government/local-politics/what-does-gop-stand-for.htm |
Could green hydrogen be the key? | Hydrogen is a clean fuel that produces water as a by-product. - Energy Minister Stuart Youngs statement that the government is looking to focus on monetising the extraction of hydrogen is welcome. This policy position makes sense particularly given the global shift away from dirty forms of energy. There will be a greater demand for liquid natural gas and ammonia for carrying hydrogen, Mr Young said last week at an event hosted by the TT Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (TTEITI). We intend to be one of the first in class with monetising it. Oil and gas will hardly disappear overnight. In 2018, the National Gas Company paid $2 billion to the Treasury, bpTT paid $1.6 billion, Shell $656 million, Petrotrin $489 million and BHP $387 million. However, oil and gas revenue fell from $3.4 billion in 2019 to $1.7 billion in 2020. This is little surprise, given the global economic slump triggered by a pandemic that has cut international travel and shutdown of many fuel-dependent activities. The advent of vaccines means several large countries and blocs are now in the process of reopening. But it is unclear whether the demand for oil and gas will return in the short term while this process continues, or whether demand will ever match pre-pandemic levels. Vehicle manufacturers like General Motors have signalled intent to stop making petroleum and diesel vehicles, as part of a broader commitment to become carbon-neutral. This country has promulgated measures to make alternative-fuel vehicles more appealing. It has also sought to cut the total import of cars by limiting foreign-used vehicles. However, it is not clear if these kinds of measures go far enough. More needs to be done to facilitate electric vehicles, for instance. Many experts believe the world has already passed the tipping point where sales of electric vehicles will soon overwhelm petrol and diesel cars. There is room for this country to take the lead on these issues, and in terms of the reduction of carbon emissions. Pursuing such goals can serve to revitalise flagging areas of economic activity. Phillip Julien, managing director of NewGen, suggested in 2020 that hydrogen could lead to a revitalisation of petrochemical industries at the Point Lisas Industrial Estate which could bring much-needed jobs to the area. Internationally, green hydrogen has already earned the moniker of being the freedom fuel that could take the world to net-zero carbon emissions in the coming decades. While hydrogen can be generated from fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas, green hydrogen is made using alternative sources of power to split the hydrogen molecules from oxygen molecules in water. Many refineries that use grey hydrogen to make chemicals can also do so using green hydrogen. Green hydrogen can be blended with natural gas. It can also be transported through the same pipelines. While investing in this will be pricey and there should be full transparency on any deals struck down the road and while there are several risk factors to consider, this policy position might well be worth it in the long run. | https://newsday.co.tt/2021/06/03/could-green-hydrogen-be-the-key/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=could-green-hydrogen-be-the-key |
What Classes of Cannabis Will Parsippany Allow? | PARSIPPANY On February 22, Governor Murphy signed into law the Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act which legalizes and regulates the use and possession of recreational cannabis by adults 21 years or older. The law legalizes and regulates the cultivation, manufacture, distribution, and retail sale of recreational cannabis by cannabis businesses and establishes a State Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) to establish regulations for both medical and recreational cannabis and oversee applications for licensing. The Act establishes six classes of commercial recreational cannabis licenses: Class 1 Cultivator License: Permitting the growing and cultivating of cannabis; Class 2 Manufacturer License: Permitting the manufacturing, preparation, and packaging of cannabis items; Class 3 Wholesaler: Permitting the obtaining and selling of cannabis items for resale by other licensees; Class 4 Distribution: Permitting the transport of cannabis plants in bulk between licensed cultivators, or the transport of cannabis items in bulk between licensees; Class 5 Retailer: permitting the sale of cannabis items and cannabis-related supplies; and Class 6 Delivery: Permitting the provision of delivery services to consumers for cannabis-related purchases being fulfilled by a licensed retailer. The Township appointed a working group to evaluate, suggest and present to the Township Council their recommendations to create an ordinance regulating Cannabis. The working group consisted of Mayor Michael Soriano, Council President Michael dePierro, Councilwoman Janice McCarthy Business Administrator Fred Carr, Township Attorney James Lott, Attorney Diane Hickey, and Township Planner Susan Favate. The Township must act and pass an ordinance by August 22 to establish regulations if Parsippany wants any or all of the classes to be permitted within the township. All classes are also subject to licensing by the state as well as the Township and must meet all zoning regulations. If the municipality fails to act by August 22, a statutory default will be automatically applied, permitting all types of cannabis businesses to locate in Parsippany, subject to local zoning conditions. The consensus of the Working Group was to permit and regulate only Class 3 (Wholesale) and Class 4 (distribution) within the Township. Also, they decided there were only two licenses per class to be issued. The application must have zoning approval before it can apply for an application. The licenses are renewed annually. Classes 3 and 4 cannabis businesses would be permitted in the SED-3, SED-3A, SED-5, SED-5A, LIW-2, and LIW-5 zones only. (see map). Among the requirements are establishments must have frontage on arterial or collector roads or specific local roads and a minimum required lot size would be the lot size permitted in the zoning district or three acres, whichever is greater. Additional requirements must also be met (fences, signage, etc). No cannabis establishment may be located within 1,000 feet of any school property (including property owned or leased by a public school board); 500 feet of the real property comprising a public housing facility, public park, or public building (except for several properties along New Road including the sewer treatment facility); or 500 feet of a residential zone district boundary or commercial residential mixed-use zone district boundary. Hours of operation: 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday-Saturday. All operations must be within a completely enclosed building or buildings. Additional provisions for storage, consumption on-premises, and security and reporting to Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department. As per law, the Township would receive a transfer tax of 1% of the receipts from each sale by a Class 3 Cannabis Wholesaler. Class 4 Cannabis Distributor establishments not authorized for transfer tax based on State legislation. The ordinance is expected to have the first reading on June 15. Referral to Planning Board on June 21 with a second reading by the Township Council on July 6. Adoption must occur by July 21 to allow time for noticing and the expiration of the estoppel period by the August 22 deadline. Comments Comments | https://parsippanyfocus.com/2021/06/02/what-classes-of-cannabis-will-parsippany-allow/ |
Was muss ich arbeitsrechtlich im HR-Management beachten? | Buchen Sie Ihr Seminar bequem und einfach online ber unser Anmeldeformular. Zielgruppe: > Unternehmer, Geschftsfhrer, Prokuristen und Personalvorstnde > Compliance-Beauftragte und Stellvertretende Compliance-Beauftragte > Personalentscheider, Personal- und Abteilungsleiter und Personalreferenten Seminarprogramm: Arbeitszeit-Compliance und agile Arbeitszeit-Regelungen > Arbeitszeitgesetz + europische Arbeitszeitrichtlinie: Verste und ihre Rechtsfolgen > Agile Arbeitszeit und wichtige Arbeitszeit-Begriffe: Bereitschaftsdienste und Rufbereitschaft Reisezeiten und Auslandseinstze Arbeitszeit, Nachtarbeit, Ruhepausen, Arbeit an Sonn- und Feiertagen > Legal-Check das sind Ihre Pflichten im Arbeitsrecht Datenschutz im HR-Management: Umgang mit Mitarbeiterdaten > Art. > Nutzung und Kontrolle von Kommunikationsmitteln, wie E-Mail, Internet & Co. > Betriebliches Eingliederungsmanagement > Sonderfall: Datenverarbeitung fr Compliance-Zwecke Code of Conduct: Strategie + Leitbild + Werte > Tone from the Top: Grundwerte und Leitungskultur im Fokus von Compliance > Verhaltenskodex: Kreativitt, Agilitt und Unternehmertum > Accountability-Prinzip: Neue Pflichten und Verantwortlichkeiten fr Mitarbeiter > Angemessenes Vergtungssystem: Fehlanzreize vermeiden > Berichtspflichten etablieren: Offene Kommunikation und kritischer Dialog Die inhaltlichen Details sowie viele weitere Informationen zum Thema Personalmanagement finden Sie direkt hier. Unser Service-Team steht Ihnen gerne jederzeit zur Verfgung: 089/452 429 70 100 Verantwortlicher fr diese Pressemitteilung: Schulz & Partner GmbH Herr Achim Schulz Graf-zu-Castell-Str. 1 81829 Mnchen Deutschland fon ..: 089 452 429 70 100 fax ..: 089 452 429 70 299 web ..: http://www.schulz-beratung.de email : [email protected] Pressekontakt: Schulz & Partner GmbH Herr Achim Schulz Graf-zu-Castell-Str. 1 81829 Mnchen fon ..: 089 452 429 70 100 web ..: http://www.schulz-beratung.de email : [email protected] | https://www.bsozd.com/was-muss-ich-arbeitsrechtlich-im-hr-management-beachten/161558/ |
What ever happened to Adrian Grenier? | When you think about Adrian Grenier, there are likely three specific characters that come to mind. There's Chase. Melissa Joan Hart's love interest in Drive Me Crazy. There's Vincent. The smooth-talking, charismatic, fictional Hollywood movie star who dominated screens in Entourage. And then there's Nate. Anne Hathaway's on-screen boyfriend (who was a bit of a d**khead) in The Devil Wears Prada. Watch the trailer for The Devil Wears Prada below. Post continues after video. Video via 20th Century Fox. But there's another side to Adrian Grenier. In fact, these days, Adrian Grenier's life looks very different. In a new interview with Austin Life magazine, Grenier shared that he has traded in life in Los Angeles to pursue a quieter life on a self-sufficient farm in Texas. Yep, Adrian Grenier is officially a farmer. According to the publication, Grenier's farm is located roughly 45 minutes out of Austin, Texas. "I bought a place in Austin five years ago, and a year ago I decided to move here permanently," Grenier told Austin Life. "I had friends here, I ran a business here, and liked the pace. Austin is cosmopolitan without being snooty; its earthy. People are smart and successful but they dont flaunt it." Although the 44-year-old has been involved in environmental work for the past two decades, the actor explained that he wanted to take his sustainable life to the next level. | https://www.mamamia.com.au/what-happened-to-adrian-grenier/ |
Has the Airbnb Effect hit Crestone at last? | by Zaylah Pearson-Good Airbnb has been a popular online marketplace to find convenient, safe, and affordable lodging since 2008. Bookings are often more affordable and spacious than hotels and give travelers a taste of the local experience. Hosts also benefit from the added income and convenience of seasonally renting their space. However, communities across the globe are beginning to converse on the detrimental impacts that Airbnbs can have on a place. A 2020 study published by the Social Science Research Network reported that for every 1% increase in Airbnb listings, rental prices on average rise by 0.018%. This study describes what is known as the Airbnb Effect: A rise in Airbnb listings is generally correlated with a drop in available long-term rentals, and a rise in rent. In turn, working class renters are often forced to seek housing elsewhere. A rapid increase in Airbnb listings, paired with a decrease in long-term rentals; has left many Crestonians suspicious that the Airbnb Effect has reached our small mountain town. Ranging from entire houses, apartments, and bungalows to single rooms and guest houses, nearly 70 results appear for short-term vacation rentals on airbnb.com*. Of these, 50 results were for the entire accommodation, opposed to shared lodging. In contrast, long-term rentals are nearly non-existent, with popular listing sites such as zillow.com returning zero results. These google searches echo the concerns of many locals and prospective residents who are perplexed by the lack of available rentals. Social networking has traditionally been the best way to find housing in Crestone. However, securing rentals has become a real stretch even for well-connected community members. When asked on a Facebook poll about Crestones housing shortage, several community members shared that they recently moved away due to a lack of available and affordable housing. Some of these individuals had lived in Crestone for over a decade. Another long-term resident is currently searching for a new rental in Crestone because his monthly rent suddenly increased by $150.00. A similar sentiment was shared by a local business owner who claims that renting in Crestone would require of his monthly income. Locals and newcomers have expressed concern that the wealth gap in Crestone is being exacerbated by the conversion of long-term rentals into short-term lodging. One individual shared that while Crestone still feels like her home, she can no longer afford to pay rent here. Having worked as a cleaner for local Airbnbs, she found it strange to see so many houses available to tourists, yet not to residents. The abundance of Airbnbs contrasted with limited long-term rentals she feels is a direct attack on the working-class. Another poll participant explained that she was asked to move out of her previous accommodation specifically because the owners wanted to turn the property into an Airbnb. Vivia Lawson, broker/owner of Sangre de Cristo Real Estate, has noticed that there has been an increase in clients who want to buy properties for use as short-term rentals. In many ways, it is hard to blame them. Airbnbs are profitable investments that can help create financial security and pay off mortgages. Airbnb bookings in Crestone average $119.00 a night*, which is valuable income in a region with limited economic opportunity. Airbnb reported that bookings generated over $200 million dollars for hosts living in rural areas in June 2020 alone. If hosts are committed to shopping in Crestone, the financial earnings from Airbnb could go towards stimulating our local economy. Employment opportunities for managers, cleaners, and maintenance workers are also potential benefits. In addition, many Airbnb hosts enjoy being able to come and go from their properties at their leisure. Listing a space as an Airbnb is the obvious choice for those who want to have a second home in Crestone. Additionally, several hosts explained that short-term renting gives them the freedom to share their space with loved ones, as they can reserve the property for visiting friends and family and during work-related events. Some homeowners expressed a preference for short-term listings because they feel the quality of their homes will be better maintained. One owner claimed that her Airbnb maintenance expenses have been minimal in comparison to her long-term rental properties. She recalls several instances when long-term tenants trashed her property. By listing with Airbnb, she feels her home will be better preserved for future use. It is important to note that Airbnb itself is probably not the root of Crestones housing shortage. In fact, long-time residents of Crestone know that this place has always attracted seasonal residents, second homers, and those wanting to invest in rentals. Instead, it is likely that many factors contribute to the current housing problem. Namely, the real estate market has been unable to keep up with the rapid influx of newcomers to Saguache County. Data from the US Census Bureau revealed that between 2010 and 2019, Saguache Countys population increased by 11.7%. As noted in a previous Eagle article (Demand exceeds supply in Crestone real estate market) there is little inventory left in Crestone. The few homes for sale are often priced over $350,000, leaving many residents forced to rent. Steep prices are especially concerning for our working-class population, as 25.4% of Saguache County residents are considered persons in poverty by the Census Bureau. Limited inventory, rapid population growth, and high rates of low-income households combine to make finding housing a real challenge. No matter where you stand on the Airbnb issue, Crestone is experiencing an unprecedented housing shortage. This reflects the many changes that are occurring throughout Saguache County as more and more people call this valley home. As a community, we are beginning to see just how complex accommodating this new growth can be. There may not be one answer to this housing crisis, but it will likely require cooperation and understanding from all sides. *Airbnb information was collected on May 10, 2021 with the search field set for months June-October. | https://crestoneeagle.com/has-the-airbnb-effect-hit-crestone-at-last/ |
How Many Days of Water Can a 300 Gallon Water Storage Tank Hold? | Water is one of lifes most basic requirements, but it cannot be supplemented or replaced. However, people often take water for granted, and this would become apparent sooner rather than later if they ever find themselves without clean drinking water. As a result, there has been a rise in the demand for 300 gallon water storage tanks. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends using clean plastic, glass, enameled metal, or fiberglass containers for storing clean tap water. Moreover, once filled, the container should be securely sealed and stored, and positioned in a dark, cool area. When it comes to disaster survival, one of the most crucial things to access is potable water. If anyone goes without clean drinking water for an extended period, they may become ill, or worse, succumb to an unfortunate, untimely death. A 300-gallon water tank can be adequate to support life for more than a few months, contingent on factors such as family size and average water use. Three days without water is not suitable for the human body; therefore, rationing out 1 gallon of water for drinking per day is a good idea. You also need water for proper hygiene, cooking, and medical cleaning. Drinking salt water can be extremely dangerous, as it causes dehydration and nutrient loss in the body. When an emergency occurs, a change in water use priorities is needed. Having enough water to survive, such as a 300-gallon water tank, increases the chances of overcoming a catastrophe. Importance of Rationing Water The importance of rationing water, especially in unideal situations, cannot be stressed enough. Initially, one has to determine the location and whether or not environmental conditions such as excessive heat or cold may have a direct and adverse effect on their survival. If someone finds themselves in a situation where they get exposed to harmful elements, they should increase their water intake to ensure proper and adequate hydration. Furthermore, someone who has a comfortable place to stay does not need to keep a close eye on their water use. It is, however, not wise to be rash and take their water source for granted. As a result, a 300-gallon water tank is an investment that can ensure ones well-being and survival. However, if water rationing becomes unavoidable and inevitable due to resource scarcity, people will want to cut down on their food intake to save water and energy. Reduced physical activity raises the likelihood of a stable person living on half their daily food servings. Making sure that everyone in a family unit has at least half a gallon of water to drink every day is a reliable way to figure out how much water they will need in an emergency. If each family member receives one gallon of water, half can be set aside for consumption and the other half for keeping sanitation. In dire emergencies, showering, brushing teeth, and doing laundry can become needless luxuries. The most important thing is to ensure that everybody is well hydrated. Furthermore, sweat loss and not drinking enough water can cause one to become unwell easily, so maintaining good sanitation practices is essential. For this reason, you may use sanitized, non-potable water from rain or freshwater for washing. Water will not spoil if adequately processed. The bacteria that enters the tank is what causes the water to degrade. In principle, water may be stored and kept fresh indefinitely if sufficient precautions get taken, such as sealing and preserving water to prevent bacteria or other pollutants and contaminants, such as bacteria, algae, and other pathogens, from entering and spoiling it. Potable water can be securely stored for anything from a single day to an extensive period, depending on storage methods and the initial purity level of the water. Clean water left in an open container is likely to go bad by becoming contaminated within 1-3 days. Furthermore, assuming that tap water is safe enough to drink, it can be kept in a closed container for up to 6 months or possibly longer. However, it is good to check the water and apply a small amount of household chlorine bleach to purify it, but avoid bleach with fresheners or scents. Purified water sealed in a food-grade container can hold for at least two years and perhaps much longer. Conclusion With top-notch storage practices, water stored in 300 gallon water storage tanks cannot go bad easily. Thus, if one finds oneself in an unfortunate scenario, keeping water in a 300 gallon water storage tank can be a lifesaver. | https://www.vexnews.com/how-many-days-of-water-can-a-300-gallon-water-storage-tank-hold/ |
Are eco-friendly credit cards really good for the environment? | This article is reprinted by permission from NerdWallet. Being environmentally conscious involves a series of choices that add up over time: the reusable water bottle, the public transit commute, the trip to the consignment store instead of the department store. But how we pay for everything we buy has an impact, too. In recent years, eco-friendly credit cards have emerged as a way to make one more thoughtful choice. These cards may donate to green causes, help you offset your carbon footprint, or even be made out of recycled, biodegradable or reclaimed materials. But a credit card that is good for the environment is a tricky premise. For one thing, many major banks, some of which issue these cards, invest in fossil fuels. Plus, credit cards make it easy to buy more stuff, and the very act of consumption contributes to climate change in myriad ways. After all, that online purchase doesnt just magically appear at your front door. The items you buy get manufactured, packaged, shipped, delivered in trucksyou get the idea. Eco-friendly credit cards aim to help the environment in a few major ways: Using more sustainable materials to make the cards Theres a noticeable push to move away from first-use plastic in credit cards and toward plastics that previously served some other purpose, like recycled PVC (polyvinyl chloride, the difficult-to-recycle material that cards are traditionally made from) and plastics recovered from oceans. Also see: How to find the best credit card for international travel Still, any plastic use, even if its recycled or reclaimed, can be problematic, according to Katie OHara, conservation manager at the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, Florida. Anything made from recycled or reclaimed ocean plastics is not truly recyclable or sustainable, she said in an email. When plastics are recycled, they degrade, releasing nano and microparticles into the water used to recycle them. Plastic cannot be reused more than once or twice, and when it is recycled, its still harmful to the environment. Even if plastic finds a second life as a credit card, it will still find its way back to the landfill eventually. OHara recommends opting for metal credit cards, which are more durable and easier to recycle. Donating to specific causes There are many worthwhile environmental charities that are doing important work all over the world, and they need help. And by help, what they really need is money. Environmental nonprofit organizations are heavily reliant on donations, and the donations they receive through eco-friendly credit cards can be a financial lifeline for them, said Marc Lewis, executive editor of EcoWatch, an environmental news and product review site, in an email. So if you want to use a credit card that helps raise money toward a cause you care about, go for it. But dont fall into the trap of thinking using the card more often equals a healthier planet. Its hard to measure if these donations truly offset the massive carbon footprint from the credit card purchases of TVs, smartphones, new furniture and other resource-intensive consumer goods, Lewis said. An alternative is simply donating directly to charities. Cash always fits, but you can even donate points and miles from rewards credit cards, as well as from airline and hotel loyalty programs. Offering carbon offsets With carbon offsets, you essentially help fund an environmentally friendly project somewhere in the world, negating the carbon footprint of your own action. In recent years, a few carbon-offsetting credit cards have come to market. They partner with organizations that offset the carbon footprint of your purchases through reforestation efforts and other means. Some even track the carbon footprint of your purchases, helping you to make more informed buying decisions. Anything that helps you think about the impact of your purchases is a good thing. Carbon offsets themselves can also help, though data on the effectiveness of different offset programs is murky. If you choose a credit card that offers carbon offsets, look into the organizations they support so you can see how much of an impact you can make. Also, its tempting to buy more when each tap of the card does something good for the environment, but, again, buying more stuff is generally not ideal for the environment. What card issuers can do: Ditch the physical card altogether Enough new credit cards are produced every year to circle the Earth three times, according to Doug Heske, CEO of Newday Impact Investing, a platform that allows users to invest in ESG portfolios. (ESG stands for environmental, social and governance.) But we already have the technology that will reduce demand for physical cards. Also read: These under-the-radar stocks fight climate change by reducing carbon emissions Perhaps in part because of the COVID-19 pandemic, contactless and mobile payment use picked up momentum around the world. A 2021 Visa V, +1.34% study found that 85% of consumers expect digital options when they shop in person, including contactless credit cards, mobile payment apps and mobile wallets. And if contactless payment options are what customers want, card issuers and merchants will eventually deliver by allowing consumers to opt in to receiving physical cards instead of automatically mailing them. Were in this bridge period between what was and what will be, Heske says. My experience, and the conversation Ive had with major providers, is that everyones moving in that direction. Its going to be consumer-driven. What consumers can do: Make small choices that add up Just because something is plastic doesnt mean you can simply drop it in the recycling bin and pat yourself on the back. Whats considered recyclable can depend on the rules of your regions recycling program. Credit cards are difficult to recycle in part because of their chips and magnetic stripes, according to Debbie Prenatt, market manager, sustainability, at M. Holland Co., a plastics distribution company. Companies like TerraCycle offer a way to mail in your old cards for recycling. TerraCycles Zero Waste Pouch costs $48, but you can save money by sharing the cost, and the pouch, with friends who also want to safely dispose of their cards. Related: Coca-Cola, Nestl and Pepsi top this list of plastic violators, and theres been a solar breakthrough from Sweden And if you havent yet tried that mysterious wallet app on your phone, add a credit card or two and try it the next time you shop at a merchant that accepts that type of payment. Of course, a huge part of cutting back on plastic waste is simply using less of it. Prenatt adds another R to reduce, reuse, recycle refuse. Thats how you refuse, she says. Unfortunately, if you want to do better, you have to do the work as an individual. More From NerdWallet Sara Rathner writes for NerdWallet. Email: [email protected]. Twitter: @sarakrathner. | https://www.marketwatch.com/story/are-eco-friendly-credit-cards-really-good-for-the-environment-11622149569 |
How will history judge Benjamin Netanyahu? | Dave Sharma was Australia's ambassador to Israel from 2013 to 2017. Now a member of Australia's House of Representatives, he chairs the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties. When I first met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, or Bibi as he is universally known in Israel, in 2013, he was already at the top of his game. A global brand unto himself, Israel had never before produced a Prime Minister of Netanyahu's international stature. His fluent command of American English and its idiomatic expressions, as well as his gift for the sound bite, made him a natural television talent. The close interest -- bordering on obsession -- with which the world looks at Israel and the Middle East meant that international figures were always beating a path to his office door. Before I took any Australian representative inside the Aquarium, as the glass-paned inner sanctum of the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem is known, I would warn them that they would have to work hard to register their points. Left to his own devices, Netanyahu would comfortably fill the allotted time for the meeting with an invariably fascinating account of contemporary geopolitics, jaw-dropping anecdotes about his recent interactions with world leaders, a lecture on the broad sweep of history, a reference or two to the latest book he was reading, and his latest thinking on how technology and innovation would reshape the modern era. Frequent trips to the map of the Middle East hanging prominently on his wall were obligatory. It was usually only reluctantly that he would cede the floor to his interlocutor and engage on their issues. After a meteoric rise in his early political career, Netanyahu's first term as Prime Minister, from 1996 to 1999, was widely considered a failure. He lost the election badly in 1999, after only one term, and was consigned to the political wilderness. No one expected a revival. His return to the Prime Minister's office in 2009 was a testament to Netanyahu's remarkable skills of political reinvention and survival, and his ability to learn from his mistakes. He has since become such an impregnable fixture on the Israeli political stage, becoming Israel's longest-serving Prime Minister, that people in Israel can scarcely contemplate a post-Netanyahu era. It seems almost certain that an alternative government has been formed in Israel by a coalition between Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett, two figures who previously served as ministers in Netanyahu's earlier governments, and one of whom, Bennett, was once Netanayu's chief-of-staff. But such are Netanyahu's political survival skills that no one is quite prepared to write Netanyahu's political obituary just yet. Though he had a reputation as a hawk on the global stage, Netanyahu was invariably a voice of caution and restraint as Prime Minister, convincing or cajoling his coalition allies against pursuits that could embroil Israel diplomatically or militarily. The fragile status quo around Jerusalem's holy sites was preserved. Israel did not annex the West Bank or reoccupy Gaza. Israeli settlements did not expand significantly on his watch. Israel did not conduct preemptive military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities, and it has stayed out of the Syrian civil war across its northern border. Netanyahu was mostly the centrist Prime Minister in a center-right government. People who anticipate that a change of leader in Israel might result in a change of policy misunderstand Israel's politics. On security issues, Netanyahu has been a steadfast representative of Israel's political center. It is under Netanyahu's leadership that Israel-Arab relations have taken their greatest leap forward in thirty years, with the Arab states of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco opening diplomatic relations with Israel in the past year. The cause of peace with the Palestinians has not advanced under Netanyahu's watch. He would claim it was for the lack of a genuine partner for peace among the Palestinian political leadership, which has some truth. Pressured by the Obama Administration into formalizing his support for a two-state solution at a speech at Bar Ilan University in 2009, Netanyahu's enthusiasm for it remains lukewarm and full of caveats. Netanyahu has always been clear that he would not compromise Israel's security in pursuit of a peace agreement. In this respect, Netanyahu is a cold-eyed realist. Living in a neighborhood as volatile and dangerous as the Middle East, no leader of Israel can afford to be otherwise. Clashing openly with the Obama Administration over its pursuit of an Iranian nuclear deal was Netanyahu's most audacious diplomatic gambit. He rallied Republican opposition to the deal by addressing the U.S. Congress directly, to the quiet fury of President Obama. Benjamin Netanyahu shakes hands with Barack Obama in New York in September 2016: clashing with the Obama Administration was Netanyahu's most audacious diplomatic gambit. Getty Images It was an unorthodox and controversial move for the leader of a close U.S. ally, and it has left its mark on what had previously been strong bipartisan support in the United States for Israel. While he did not succeed in scuttling the deal in 2015, Netanyahu triumphed when the Trump Administration withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in 2018. With his sense of historic mission to safeguard Israel, imbued in part by his father Benzion, a prominent figure in his own right, no amount of safeguards or assurances would ever convince Netanyahu that the Islamic Republic of Iran could be trusted with an internationally blessed nuclear program. Iranian behavior since has largely vindicated this assessment. Netanyahu's political dexterity, agile diplomacy, audacity in leadership, and unrivaled ability to mow down his political rivals frequently reminded me of another of Israel's larger-than-life leaders. Though he tends to get an unfairly bad press from historians, Herod the Great also navigated the fate of a small state and people in an era of turmoil and among jostling rivals and neighbors. | https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/How-will-history-judge-Benjamin-Netanyahu |
What did we learn from the last RBA decision? | The Reserve Bank of Australia has taken a decisive step to try and drive unemployment very low. The current rate is 5.5% and the RBA would like to see this drift down towards the 4% level. This emphasis on a return to full employment was once again seen in the latest RBA minutes. Here are the headlines: No rate hikes until actual inflation are within 2-3% range and supportive monetary conditions (low rates etc) to be maintained in order to support a return to full employment and for inflation to be consistent with this target. The labor market is not expected to be tight enough to spur higher age growth (and therefore inflation with it) until 2024. Significant outbreaks of the COVID-19 virus remain, but as more people get vaccinated this risk should fade. Still sees inflation in underlying terms remaining low and underneath the central bank targets. Economic recovery is stronger than earlier expected and is forecast to continue. The Banks central scenario is for GDP growth by 4.75% and 3.5% over 2022. Progress in reducing unemployment has been falser than expected with unemployment expected to drop to around 5% by the end of this year. The takeaway We have written before on this bearish outlook from the RBA trying to drive unemployment back down to 4%. This remains the case and should keep the RBA on hold even while other central banks start raising rates. So, one of the key economic points to look at going forward is the unemployment rate. Fast progress here and this is what will move the RBAs dial. Say, we got a surprise jump down to below 5% then that should bring forward the RBA interest rate projections and trade would be to buy the AUD a few days or even just the day before the next rate meeting. This also maintains an AUDNZD sell bias as long as the RBA and the RBNZ central banks diverge. However, watch out for the bond yield curve between the AU10Y and the NZ10Y. See the chart below. Learn more about HYCM | https://www.fxstreet.com/analysis/what-did-we-learn-from-the-last-rba-decision-202106030801 |
Are women really terrible at apologising when theyre wrong? | It is not a big deal, really. We know love is not about perfection. It is more about navigating weaknesses and strengthening each other. But during the process of attaining that perfect understanding, there will be times when youll likely get it wrong, when some of your actions will hurt your partner and make them sad or unhappy. Actually, there is no evidence to prove this belief that women never apologise when they are wrong. On the contrary, what exists is an obvious existence of partners who just would never admit that they are wrong. That egoistic assumption of infallibility and a refusal to admit wrongdoing or acknowledge a partners grief at it, is something that can be found in both men and women. The issue of seeing ones self as being above errors and never accepting mistakes can be found in both men and women. A refusal to admit wrongdoing is a behavioural defect thats not particular to any gender, and both men and women can be victims of such difficult partners. Apparently, its nothing more than banter that women never apologise for their wrongs in relationships, and men can also be just as guilty of that. It has nothing to do with gender. | https://www.adomonline.com/are-women-really-terrible-at-apologising-when-theyre-wrong/ |
How to make money easily with a Nightclub in GTA Online? | The game throws plenty of opportunities towards the players' way to make a whole ton of cash in GTA Online, but the challenge is to sort through the litter. Players can make just about any business worth it in GTA Online, but the trick is to be efficient with one's time and money. For instance, a Document Forgery business will net the player some amount of profit over time, but it will be a lot of grinding before they can see any results. Similarly, a Nightclub isn't exactly the most lucrative property by itself, but when it is used in tandem with other businesses, it is pure gold. The Nightclub by itself will make a little bit of cash, and players can try and boost the club's popularity in order to increase the Nightclub revenue. The revenue is deposited in the player's safe in their office. This amount is only minimal and won't help all that much in recovering the cost of the acquisition. To truly make the Nightclub a lucrative property in GTA Online, players will need some upgrades and a storage facility in the Nightclub. Players can acquire storage when purchasing the Nightclub or by simply renovating it through the Maze Bank Foreclosures website. The best business to get started with and use with the Nightclub is the Cocaine Lockup from the MC Business. To start a Cocaine Lockup business in GTA Online, simply follow these steps: Buy a Clubhouse from Maze Bank Foreclosures. Go to the Clubhouse and set up the business through the laptop. Select Cocaine Lockup. Complete the setup missions. After that point, the Cocaine Lockup can begin production at the player's request, after which they will be able to complete sell missions. To use the Nightclub for the business, simply follow these steps: Head to the Nightclub management app on the laptop in the office. Assign a Technician through Warehouse Management. Select "South American Imports" to use the Nightclub storage space for your Cocaine Lockup in GTA Online. This way, players will be able to replenish their stock in the Nightclub hourly in GTA Online, allowing them to sell more products in public sessions. If the player purchases equipment upgrades, they will be able to double their output in the Nightclub in GTA Online. Edited by Shaheen Banu | https://www.sportskeeda.com/gta/how-make-money-nightclub-easily-gta-online |
What channel is the Floyd Mayweather vs Logan Paul fight on tonight? | As Logan Paul prepares for the biggest fight of his career against Floyd Mayweather, fans have been wondering where they can watch the YouTuber-turned-boxer and the retired 5-division champion duke it out. Fret not! For we have everything you need to know ahead of this firecracker of a fight. Fans in the United States who are looking to catch the action will have to shell out $49.99 for the pay-per-view on Showtime.com. Once bought, the fight can be viewed from many devices ranging from ones on iOS to Amazon Fire TV, Xbox, or they can simply log on to the website and watch all the action unfold live. On the other side of the Atlantic in the UK, fans will be offered the opportunity to watch Floyd Mayweather throw down with Logan Paul on Sky Sports Box Office. Fans will have to part ways with 16.95 to be a part of the event. Considering how this event is a pay-per-view event, it will not be part of your regular Sky Sports or Sky TV packages. Fans from down under can get in on the festivities by logging into their Mainevent accounts and buying the PPV for $49.95. Orders are open and now is the time for all Australian fans to grab their pass. Where to watch Floyd Mayweather vs Logan Paul if you are not from these countries For fans in India and the rest of the world, the fight will be broadcast on the little-known Fanmio app, the official platform for streaming the event worldwide. The application can be downloaded from the appstores of both iOS and Android devices. Fans viewing Floyd Mayweather vs Logan Paul on this platform will have to part ways with $49.99. However, there is a pleasant reason behind the slight difference in prices. Viewers who buy the PPV on Fanmio will get a free t-shirt as a memento of the event. What's more, they will be entered into a free contest. The participants of the contest have the opportunity to participate in a video meet and greet with the athletes. Please take 30 seconds to answer this survey so that we can better understand how to serve your MMA needs. Edited by S Chowdhury | https://www.sportskeeda.com/mma/what-channel-is-the-floyd-mayweather-vs-logan-paul-fight-on-tonight |
Why does JKT look so agitated if given a good kick? | ISLAMABAD Former PTI chief Jahangir Khan Tareen appears restless again despite unconfirmed media reports that the legal spirit of the ruling party Senator Ali Zafar in his verbal report presented to the Prime Minister Imran Khan, has favored his position on the FIA cases against him in connection with the sugar scandal. Then the question arises as to why the seasoned politician from southern Punjab grew so impatient and sought justice if Senator Zafar gave him a good word in the ongoing investigation into the cases registered by the Agency. federal investigation (FIA) against him for fraud. Earlier this week, Tareen, as he spoke to reporters outside the Lahore court complex, where he had visited to extend his bail before his arrest, warned the government to stop doing of politics on cases brought against him and to serve justice . Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry in their separate meetings with disgruntled Pakistan lawmakers Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from the like-minded group led by Tareen have already assured them that with all reservations about any victimization by the government through the FIA, the cases would be dealt with. PTI insiders say Senator Zafar in his verbal report to the prime minister said the FIAs cases against Tareen were unfounded and the issue should be dealt with politically. After the report, Tareen and his separatist group expected the government to stop the ongoing investigations and withdraw the cases against him a sort of hope that never saw the light of day. The reason the business is not going out, as some high-ranking members of the party have described, is that some close associates and legal advisers to the Prime Minister had suggested to him otherwise. They informed him that the cases against Tareen have solid evidence and deserve to be tried and fought in the courts. These advisers had a political reason for not going out of business against the sugar baron who was once considered a very powerful politician in the ruling party after Imran Khan. They also stressed during official meetings that such a move would open the door to criticism from opposition parties that Prime Minister Imran Khan ate his own words by granting Tareen an NRO-like deal. The government wants Tareen to get relief from the courts, but it would not push further investigations against him in the sugar scandal involving soaring prices for the product. But the like-minded group led by Tareen have their own reasons for stepping up pressure on the government to settle the case and have the cases against it closed. The business mogul who owns the majority of shares in the countrys sugar sector and his group understood that they should get maximum relief in cases before the annual budget which is to be adopted separately by the national and Punjab assemblies this month- this. They argue that they would not be able to give their own government a hard time over the next few months if the budget passes and they do not get any concessions for the leader they were separated from. Tareen is supported by more than 30 disgruntled lawmakers from the ruling party belonging to the National Assembly and the Punjabi Assembly. The group believe the government is victimizing Tareen. Prime Minister Imran Khans government last month faced fury when the splinter group appointed their separate parliamentary leaders in the two assemblies. What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. 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Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos | https://exbulletin.com/politics/961891/ |
Did John Cena ever beat The Undertaker? | John Cena and The Undertaker are two of WWE's most revered names of all time. The achievements of both superstars in the company cannot be fathomed. Despite working in WWE at the same time over many years, the two rarely faced each other in one-on-one matches. John Cena and The Undertaker faced each other a handful of times, but whenever they did, they had all the eyes on them. Managed to get a sneak peek at a clip from Part 2 of #TheLastRide coming out this Sunday on @WWENetwork It looks AMAZING. The story of the Cena/Undertaker match/angle at #WrestleMania is untold. Taker is giving us an honest look into the road to the end. Cant wait for Sunday! pic.twitter.com/VnPHdRBqu5 Kenny McIntosh (@KennyMcITR) May 15, 2020 John Cena beat The Undertaker three times in his career. This only takes into account their one-on-one matches. The two superstars faced off against each other six times in singles competition, of which The Undertaker won three times, and Cena won three times. Their one-on-one match history is as follows: WWE SmackDown (April 8, 2003) John Cena defeated The Undertaker WWE Vengeance '03 (July 27, 2003) The Undertaker defeated John Cena WWE SmackDown (August 5, 2003) John Cena defeated The Undertaker WWE SmackDown (June 22, 2004) The Undertaker defeated John Cena WWE RAW (October 9, 2006) John Cena defeated The Undertaker WrestleMania 34 (April 8, 2018) The Undertaker defeated John Cena Given the iconic stature of the two stars, it's remarkable they only faced each other six times in the long time that they spent on the WWE roster together. However, as can be seen, their record splits right down the middle. WWE Super ShowDown Results #WWESSD Triple H def. The Undertaker John Cena & Bobby Lashley def. Kevin Owens & Elias AJ Styles def. Samoa Joe Ronda Rousey & The Bella Twins def. The Riott Squad The Shield def. Braun Strowman, Drew McIntyre & Dolph Ziggler Daniel Bryan def. The MiZ pic.twitter.com/PJMSsqt6ng #HIAC (@eWrestlingNews_) October 7, 2018 Over the course of his 30-year WWE career, The Undertaker won multiple titles, but more than that, he created some unforgettable wrestling moments. The Phenom faced the best of the best in the ring and, as a result, has had some of the best wrestling matches of the past several decades. Be it his feuds with Shawn Michaels or Triple H, or iconic ones when he faced his "brother" Kane, he is responsible for some of the most memorable moments in WWE history. His persona created a massive impression on generations of fans and will never be forgotten, even though he retired late last year. John Cena is the most iconic wrestler of the modern era. Every fan, even casually acquainted with wrestling, is familiar with the polarizing star. Over the course of his career, he won multiple championships, tying the record for most world championship wins with Ric Flair at 16. Over the past two decades, Cena helped carry WWE into a more family-friendly era of wrestling, transitioning from Doctor of Thuganomics to the clean-cut "Hustle Loyalty Respect" character that fans are familiar with. Currently, John Cena has taken a step away from wrestling and has made a name for himself in Hollywood. Edited by Amar Anand | https://www.sportskeeda.com/wwe/did-john-cena-ever-beat-the-undertaker |
Are press conferences irrelevant in todays cricket? | Over the past two decades, this writer has covered countless press conferences around the world, from a seemingly meaningless premier game to a World Cup final. As boring and sometimes useless as the PC sounds and seems, the fact is that no journalist can do without it. The sheer nature of its unpredictability still makes a press conference relevant, even if your boss often yells at you saying whats the point of participating if youre going to get the important offers or bites through the agencies. The structure may be flawed, but not the importance of a PC In an increasingly competitive media space where exclusive access to a cricketer becomes more difficult every year, press conferences are the sole source of interaction for many journalists from different parts of India. It includes young and up-and-coming journalists, as well as some of the cynical writers who may have been based in one city for their entire careers. It serves everyone well. Of course the cricketers and sometimes even the media executives (most of them former journalists themselves) often make fun of the seemingly stupid questions they have to answer from a lot of unserious and undertrained journalists in almost every press conference, yet one cannot other than appreciating the fact that a mandatory PC before or after every game is one of those rare democratic spaces where an organizations status doesnt matter. If IPL allows a young talent from inconspicuous places to showcase their talent on a bigger stage, an aspiring journalist from a smaller center gets the same chance when he or she gets the chance to sit with the great journalists and also get a scholarship. to have. and equal opportunity to ask a question to a Virat Kohli or a Dhoni. Evolution Of Cricket Press Conference In The New Century From personal experience, I can vouch for the fact that press conferences made the vernacular media run late in a world where the so-called superiority of the English media was in charge. The fact that questions are being asked in Hindi, and more recently in Marathi, in places like Melbourne and London, speaks volumes about the role the press has played in the growth of many journalists. And then there are other advantages of press conferences that rarely a one-on-one interaction in a controlled setting reveals much about the players. Last year I was part of a very small media contingent traveling with the team across New Zealand. One was stunned by Captain Kohlis response when a young Kiwi reporter asked: not so difficult question. In fact, Coach Ravi Shastri has also gracefully tried to mock some of the respected scribes when they made a comeback in an ODI series in South Africa having previously struggled in the Test series in 2018. The recent examples illustrate the simple point that players or coaches today do not fear or give professional respect to journalists who are simply doing their job. You cant defend the entire community, of course, as the newfound hostility and contempt coming from the players has a lot to do with the constantly declining quality of cricket journalism, where youll usually find overenthusiastic and barely trained journalists just looking for clickbait. stories. So, an aspiring journalist has to make a difficult choice from the start. You try to get good grades for your story or gain respect from the players for being an honest professional. In this new century, cricket press conferences have witnessed many changes. Many great players of the earlier generations were intimidated by the presence of so many journalists in a cramped room. Weve heard so many stories from an RP Singh to a Mohammad Kaif that it was always easier to get a five-wicket-haul or a hundred in a match than to meet so many people in a media room. The diminishing utility of press conferences, as many players and cricket administrators may think, was articulated by Dhoni in his later years as captain. Dhoni always said personally that as an Indian captain he gets too much exposure because of these press conferences before and after the match. His argument was that neither questions nor answers change much in frequent interactions with a bunch of journalists he dealt with day in and day out. Former captains from Mohammad Azharuddin to Sachin Tendulkar and even Rahul Dravid didnt enjoy press conferences much either. However, another former captain Sourav Ganguly often used this platform to his advantage where many Kolkata journalists were too eager to help Dada when he deliberately asked some questions for his own benefit. And how can you forget the contribution of an iconic statement by Anil Kumbles. Only one team played with the spirit of the game, thats all I can say from a high voltage PC in 2008 after the controversial Sydney test that shook the Australians terribly. The great conceit of the press conference is that it is in fact a direct line from the athlete to the general public, that we humble scribes are but the faithful eyes and ears of the people in the land of the gods. In case you hadnt noticed, this hasnt been true for a while. Athletes now have their own direct line to the public, and spoiler: its not us, is a sentiment expressed in The Guardians. The structure of modern press conferences is absolutely flawed and both the media and the administrators need to take steps to make the article more meaningful and relevant and also fits well into the modern Indian cricket context. At the same time, however, it is difficult to fully agree when he tries to justify the irrelevance of press conferences by saying that the modern press conference is no longer a meaningful exchange, but really a lowest common denominator transaction. The structure of modern press conferences is absolutely flawed and both the media and administrators should take steps to make it more meaningful and relevant in this PR-driven coverage of cricket, but it would be wrong to simply discard the contributions and current role to play. Get all IPL news and Cricket Score here | https://exbulletin.com/sports/961908/ |
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