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Brush up on your Puyo Puyo Tetris skills before the game’s release
Sega has released new playable demo for their upcoming puzzle crossover game, Puyo Puyo Tetris.
Players can now download the game demo for free, and brush up on their puzzle-solving skills before the full game’s release. The demo contains several modes, and allows access to the following:
- Solo Arcade – Versus and Swap Modes
- Multiplayer – Versus and Swap Modes (local play only)
- Tutorial – Pyo Puyo and Tetris
- The Manual
Sega has also released several instructional videos produced by expert Puyo Puyo player Phong Tran, for those wanting to learn even more about strategy.
Puyo Puyo Tetris is slated to release digitally on April 25 in North and South America, and April 28 in Europe for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 for $39.99. A digital version of the game will also be available for the Switch for $29.99 Additionally, a special launch edition of the game will be available for the Switch, and will be packaged with two Puyo and Tetrimino-themed keychains. Will you be popping puyos and clearing lines when this game comes out? Let us know in the comments below! (Oh, and watch out for those pesky garbage blocks.)


Customer success stories
Growth in conversions and visitors thanks to new mobile app for Immovlan
ACA Group developed a new mobile app for Immovlan that exceeded expectations on all important conversion parameters.
- DATA & AIHow Livlina uses data to optimize their customer serviceLivlina
Read more on how we helped Livlina to use data to optimize their customer service!
- DATA MESHDNB Bank's Data Mesh Journey gained valuable insights from the platform engineering expertise of ACA GroupDNB Bank
ACA Group, played an expert role in guiding DNB towards an elevated understanding on how a self-service data mesh platform architecture can be designed and engineered.
- DATA & AITransforming sustainable mobility: our collaboration with MobilityPlusMobilityPlus
Read more about the project(s) we realized with and for MobilityPlus.
- END-TO-END PROJECTSDevelopment of a district work voucher platform for VDABVDAB
VDAB called on the specialists of ACA Group to develop their new platform for the management and issuance of district work vouchers.
- MOBILE SOLUTIONSThe ultimate app for seamless contact and customer managementTeamleader
We developed an easy-to-use mobile app that helps companies take their contact and customer management to a whole new level.
- DATA MESHDepartment of CJM and publiq connect culture players with data-driven platformDepartement Cultuur, Jeugd & Media
ACA Group helped the Department Culture, Youth & Media (of the Flemish Government) implement a platform based on a data mesh architecture.
- INNOVATIONInnovative AI model detects damaged pallets at Duvel MoortgatDuvel Moortgat
For Duvel Moortgat we developed an innovative proof-of-concept that quickly and automatically detects damaged pallets.
- MOBILE SOLUTIONSStreamlined connectivity for Renson’s remote appsRenson
Every home has different sensors, hardware devices and networks… Maybe too many. *Flow Pilots streamlined connectivity for Renson’s remote apps.
- END-TO-END PROJECTSMake the energy flow, 100% onlineEnergie.be
This energy supplier runs everything online. So they needed a website totally ready for hits. The ACA Mobile Team made sure the architecture was solid, inside and out.
- MOBILE SOLUTIONSSafe steps, from login to check-in in an integrated digital solutionSecuritas
Securitas knows that user-friendliness matters. But when your users are very diverse, all with their own habits and needs, better call in (*)Flow Pilots to make the application.
- END-TO-END PROJECTSMobile-first web app maps out asbestos for OVAMOVAM
For OVAM, we developed an innovative mobile-first application that also works offline.
- END-TO-END PROJECTSReporting tool in Python for all branches of VCSTVCST
For VCST we developed a reporting tool in Python that is used in all offices around the world.
- DATA & AIPersonalized data cards in Power BI for Group AGroup A
For Group A we provided personalized data cards in Power BI.
- DATA & AIInnovative data dashboard for amfori’s sustainability platformamfori
For amfori's sustainability platform, we created a completely new and user-friendly insights dashboard.
- CONSULTANCYKetnet wherever and whenever thanks to a new Ketnet eco systemVRT
Our digital product management brought business, technology and users together to work on a Ketnet app and website with a clear product vision.


On Monday, it was affirmed that Barack Obama’s previous national security consultant Susan Rice was the official who asked for the unmasking of Donald Trump move authorities that were made up for lost time in the reconnaissance of remote authorities. Presently, preservationist radio host Rush Limbaugh has separated to his fans how precisely Obama kept an eye on Trump amid the race.
At last, Rush saw something that no one else did, and it clarifies everything.
So all things being equal they’re stating it’s a diversion since Rice didn’t do anything illicit. But she did on the off chance that she requested this data without it being a piece of an examination. What’s more, here’s something imperative to recollect people. The White House can’t do examinations.
he White House does not do examinations. The FBI researches. The CIA examines. The NSA examines. Be that as it may, the White House does not examine.
So if the White House is examining, something’s as of now off-base. All the White House does — and the FBI executive James Comey even conceded this in the latest round of congressional hearings.
He said the White House is a buyer of what we do, which means the White House would devour the outcomes, the examination, and the information of examinations they direct.
The White House does not do examinations. What’s more, if the White House is doing examinations, it’s not on the grounds that they’re investigating criminal things. This is on account of they are occupied with political action. The White House is not an investigative office of the government. It is most certainly not. There are different components of the official branch that do examinations.


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Saturday, March 17, 2012
Obsidian entertained his children till they were exhausted... Teri fell asleep in his lap;and Pandora came round to take him while Ob put a sound-asleep Chloe on his shoulder and they carried them upstairs. The nanny was surprised they were asleep so early, but soon had them in jammies and tucked in.
Ob and Pandora went back downstairs; his arm round her waist as they re-entered the room... passing among the tables to greet the patrons now beginning to fill the tavern. Everyone was playing it low key until Keon and the rest returned from the land of Fae.
Ob was like a caged lion pacing, in his desire to plan something to thwart the Drow witch...waiting for a war council was hard for him; his instinct was to strike at her now. Pandora felt the emotions roiling in his head, and knew he was mingling among the patrons to distract himself... Ike was awake and helping Monty... although she threw a glance Ob's way once in awhile. Pandora mused how lucky they were to have so many people share their lives as family....

domain: literature


Australia has been warned that surging Covid-19 cases could just be the beginning, with fears the country could follow Vietnam's spike in infections, as the Delta variant continues to spread.
Vietnam recorded 5,926 new Covid cases on Monday, the highest number recorded since the pandemic began. A month earlier daily cases were 264 on June 18.
"This is not good," emergency GP Dr David Berger Tweeted. "Vietnam losing control. When Vietnam loses control Australia should get very, very anxious."
Similarities between NSW and Vietnam's outbreaks
Like Australia, Vietnam managed to curb their first wave of Covid. However, after long periods of no cases, they are experiencing surges in Covid cases due to the highly transmittable Delta variant.
They also have a low vaccination rate. According to Reuters, Vietnam has vaccinated 2.2 percent of the country’s population, while 11 percent of Australia's population is vaccinated.
University of Western Australia epidemiologist Dr Zoe Hyde says the nation had successfully managed to suppress the virus on three occasions during the pandemic but was struggling to handle the highly infectious strain now plaguing many countries around the globe, including Australia.
"Vietnam has had one of the best responses to Covid-19 in the world. But what worked before is not working against the Delta variant," she warned on Twitter on July, 5.
"But what worked before is not working against the delta variant," she continued. "Take note, NSW, before it’s too late."
Vietnam has had one of the best responses to COVID-19 in the world. They’ve crushed three waves of the virus with relative ease, including an outbreak of the alpha variant.
But what worked before is not working against the delta variant.
Take note, NSW, before it’s too late. pic.twitter.com/LcD0w5Ri3S
— Dr Zoë Hyde (@DrZoeHyde) July 5, 2021
Vietnam is also reportedly imposing new restrictions as it deals with its worst Covid-19 outbreak to date, with the entire southern region (nearly a third of the population in lockdown) in a two-week lockdown that began midnight Sunday.
"Vietnam is struggling because what they relied on last year, which was rapid testing and tracing and selective lockdowns," Burnet Institute Epidemiologist Michael Toole told the ABC. "[That] just isn't going to work this time because the virus is spreading too quickly,"
NSW records 78 new cases
NSW recorded 78 locally acquired cases on Tuesday, down from the 98 reported on Monday.
27 were in the community for the entirety of their infectious period, with 11 partly in the community while infectious.
Do you have a story tip? Email: firstname.lastname@example.org.


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TimLook What I Can Do Productions
I'm just starting out in the entertainment industry and I'm trying to get my feet wet! I have a lot of strange and weird ideas that would make great movies, in my opinion. I'm not typically a writer but more of an “idea kind of guy”. The goal is to be a writer some day. But until that day comes, I felt the need to reach out to someone with more experience. You know, like a writer! Someone to help bring these ideas to life! So I sent Emily my rough draft and she took my script and made it flow better than I could ever imagine! The scenes transitioned well. She also added suggestions on character development which helped me during the creative process and, of course, led to the inspiration to finally finish the script! Like a puppy, I nudged her ankle with my nose and before I could say anything she agreed to be a consultant for my movie that's currently in production.

domain: artistic


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Mid-Century style and all that Jazz
If you’re searching for that mid-century style, look no further than the Heritage Collection from the contemporary lighting company Delightfull that draws on a metropolitan Mad Men vibe. Mix a Martini, don a sharply tailored suit and listen to some vintage vinyl next to a Hepburn lookalike, and there you have it.
“That’s exactly what we’re aiming for,” smiles Cláudio Vasconcelos, CEO at Delightfull. “Listening to New York, New York with a cocktail in hand and a Sinatra floor lamp setting the mood is one of the most charming – and stylish – ways of spending the evening.”
WHAT IS MID- CENTURY STYLE?
Mid- century design is one trend that shows no sign of going away. There is plenty of disagreement about when the period started, but it roughly lasted from the mid-1930s to mid-1970s. It gave us sleek lines, organic curves, a love of contrasting materials, and designers that we still idolize today.
Great music and top style have always loved each other. The jazz pioneers and soul icons of the 40s, 50s and 60s had effortless style, and the mere mention of names like Sinatra, Simone and Coltrane conjures up images of sharp suits, designer dresses, Manhattan apartments and Big City nights in chic clubs.
The Heritage Collection recaptures this mood with a selection of high quality lighting designs that feature a classic twist of mid-century style.
Vasconcelos explains the concept behind the range: “we wanted to create unique lamps, giving them a fresh taste of music with a contemporary and unique reinterpretation. Revisiting the golden years of the 40s to the 70s, each piece is a tribute to the great musicians of the era. We want to respect their unique work by giving each lighting piece modern-era techniques and details with mid-century style, creating fresh classics”.
COLTRANE SUSPENSION & TABLE LAMP
John Coltrane was one of the most cerebral composers and saxophonists of the mid- century jazz renaissance. Along with Charlie Parker and Miles Davis, Coltrane pushed the parameters of modern jazz with superb albums including Blue Train, Giant Steps and My Favorite Things, and looked effortlessly stylish while doing so…
“One positive thought produces millions of positive vibrations.”
John Coltrane (1926-1967)
Above: COLTRANE SUSPENSION With a minimalist and almost industrial feel to it, this is an uber stylish steel light.
They chose musicians as the inspiration for Heritage, rather than film stars or artists, for a specific reason. “We thought musicians have so much that we can take and transform into something special, from their time to the modern-era. We’ve chosen this because it’s different, it’s bold and creative, and that’s who we are and what Delightfull aims for.”
“All the chosen artists are an inspiration themselves. The way their music, their personality and their lives inspired millions is what we aim to inspire with our lights.” A bit of a stretch perhaps, but why not?
BOTTI PENDANT SUSPENSION & TABLE LAMP
American trumpet player Chris Botti is the world’s biggest selling jazz instrumentalist. A Grammy Award winner for his album Impressions, Botti has worked with Sting, Paul Simon, Andrea Bocelli and Joni Mitchel, amongst others, with continuous tours and recordings.
“It’s a compliment when someone tells me my music put them in a place where they were almost in tears.”
Above: BOTTI PENDANT SUSPENSION With 15 trumpet shapes that stretch out from the centre, creating a perfect sphere, this handsome gold-plated brass light is a perfect tribute to Chris Botti.
When it came to creating a background concept for the range, they didn’t have to look far for someone to take on the project. One of the creators and designers of the Heritage Collection is a musician, so he was given the challenge, which must have been a dream commission!
The team at Delightfull did much more than just sit around and listen to music as their inspiration for the Heritage range. They delved deeply into the lives of their subjects and discovered how certain aspects could be adapted into a lighting piece. For example, Amy Family was inspired by Amy’s hair and golden rings, while the Botti pieces took their inspiration from his trumpet. All the lighting pieces themselves are handmade by the company’s skilled artisans in Portugal.
THE HENDRIX WALL LIGHT
The Voodoo Child himself, Jimi Hendrix took the electric guitar and pushed the envelope so far that he seemed to be on a different planet from other musicians. Not so much Blue Sky thinking but “’scuse me while I kiss the sky thinking”. The Hendrix Wall Light represents the million selling gold albums such as Electric Ladyland and Are You Experienced.
“When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.”
Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970)
Above: THE HENDRIX WALL LIGHT brings a smooth lighting effect to a room. It’s handmade in brass with a gold-plated finish.
Visit the Delightfull website for more great musical inspiration from their Heritage Collection. Get your mid-centruy style on with the Sinatra Suspension, the Etta Chandelier or the Janis Table lamp – there’s a light for every room of the house.
Click on the image to read online.


Dr. Gainor has adopted new technology, the T-Scan into his practice to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of his patients.
This technology allows for more accurate diagnosis and successful treatment planning. Traditional analysis methods for evaluating a patient’s bite required the use of articulating paper which could only show the end result of occlusal (bite) contact. Unable to record which contact hit first or measure their relative strength, these methods could not produce a comprehensive assessment.
Dr. Gainor uses the T-Scan, a state-of-the-art computerized bite analysis system. This handheld device allows the dentist to quickly and accurately determine how well balanced the bite is. Patients simply bite down on an ultra-thin sensor, and the device measures the timing and force of the bite on each tooth, sending the information to a computer that analyzes and displays the data in minutes.
With this 3-D analysis, Dr. Gainor can quickly and accurately determine where the problems are with your bite. T-Scan not only helps to diagnose where problem areas are but also helps patients to more clearly understand what is causing bite discomfort and how it can be fixed. The digital results can be used to monitor treatment progression and outcome and are also easily archived with the patient’s other digital dental records.


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The Government is seeking public opinion for the development of a policy on flexible working arrangements in Ireland.
The Government today (11 December) officially launched a public consultation for creating new flexible working policies. The initiative falls under the Future Jobs Ireland strategy, which was launched in March of this year in a bid to secure better quality and more sustainable jobs for the country.
The consultation was opened by Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphreys, TD, and Minister of State with responsibility for Equality, Immigration and Integration David Stanton, TD, in Government buildings this morning.
Its purpose is to gather perspectives from employers, employees, trades unions and the wider public on different flexible working arrangements already in place around the country, from shorter work weeks to parental leave. Ideas and advice on any changes that respondents would like to see are also being welcomed.
‘Buy-in from businesses’
At the launch, Humphreys said: “As we approach full employment, we need to be more creative about how we look at the world of work.
“Flexible working has the potential to bring huge benefits to employers and employees alike. It can improve work-life balance and make things a bit easier for families. It can also help businesses to attract and retain staff in an increasingly competitive labour market.
“Obviously, however, any new Government policy needs to have buy-in from businesses in the first instance, which is why we want to hear their views, together with the views of workers, to decide the best way forward.”
According to the Government, flexible working options may include:
- Starting or finishing work at differing times
- Working compressed hours
- Having access to flexi-time
- Being able to work remotely
- Having the right to disconnect outside work hours
- Access to part-time or shared working options
For anyone seeking to have their say on flexible working for Ireland, the details of the consultation and guidelines for submissions are available online. The closing date is 31 January 2020.
The flexible working timeline
The consultation’s opening is the latest in a series of actions taken by the Government to prepare for the future of work.
In July, there was a consultation forum on remote working, where increasing participation in the labour force was identified as a key priority in the Future Jobs Ireland plan, with a focus on flexible working solutions and affordable childcare services.
At the time, Humphreys said: “The world of work is changing and technological and digital advances present us with new opportunities, particularly in rural Ireland.
“Remote working can breathe life into our towns and villages right across the country by allowing people to work and live where they’re from. It can also take pressure off our cities and bring environmental benefits with reduced commuting times.”
In August, the Government set about examining the feasibility of the ‘right to disconnect’ for Ireland. Implementing this would put in place legal rights for workers to disengage from emails and other communications outside of working hours – an initiative introduced in France in 2017 in an attempt to mitigate the blurring of work-life balance.
Meanwhile, last month, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Humphreys convened a group of 200 stakeholders to discuss progress on plans for “new modes of working”.

domain: news


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Acacia fiber is a type of soluble fiber harvested from the sap of the acacia tree, which is native to parts of Africa, Pakistan, and India. Soluble fiber, as part of the diet, can help to encourage intestinal regularity. It also acts as a prebiotic that supports the vitality of the microorganisms that help maintain a healthy GI environment. Acacia fiber is generally well tolerated and can be used daily.
|Serving Size: 1 Level Tablespoon||Amount/Serving|
|Organic Acacia Gum Powder
(Acacia senegal/Acacia seyal)
|6.5 g (6,500 mg)|
Others ingredients: None.
Not manufactured with yeast, wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish or tree nut ingredients. Produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens.
Mix 1 level tablespoon daily into at least 8 oz. of water or juice, or as directed by your healthcare practitioner. Due to fiber content, be sure to drink plenty of additional fluids throughout the day. For those sensitive to fiber, start with 1 teaspoon daily and gradually increase to 1 tablespoon.
CAUTIONS/INTERACTIONS: Drink plenty of water or other liquids while using this product. High dietary fiber could affect the absorption of some drugs and nutrients. Therefore, it is recommended that fiber supplements be taken several hours apart from mineral dietary supplements and medications.
This product is sold by weight not volume.
Natural color variation may occur in this product.

domain: biology


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In the congested European market place it’s more important than ever for airlines to differentiate themselves from the competition. SAS’s Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), Eivind Roald, tells Airliner World’s James Ronayne about the carrier’s ambitious plans to reinvent itself as a lifestyle brand.
In November 2012, SAS (IATA: SK) found itself in a perilous position. It had all the costs and inefficiencies associated with a 70-year-old legacy carrier and faced fierce competition at home and abroad from the likes of Norwegian, Ryanair and easyJet. “We were only two hours away from putting it in bankruptcy,” admitted SAS CCO Eivind Roald.

domain: economics


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The following Guest Blog first appeared on Safety Zone, a regular blog feature on the Meatingplace.com site, and is reproduced here with the kind permission of its author, Dr. James Marsden.
When Undersecretary Michael Taylor announced that USDA would consider raw ground beef contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 to be adulterated within the meaning of the Federal Meat Inspection Act, he made a courageous stand for food safety.
His move accomplished quite a lot. It certainly got the attention of the meat industry. After an unsuccessful attempt to block the policy change in federal court, a number of actions were taken to reduce the risk of E. coli O157:H7. Over the past 16 years, measureable progress has been made and beef is undeniably microbiologically cleaner and safer today than it was in 1993.
However, the problem is still not solved. We know much more about the causes of E. coli contamination than we did in 1993. Given what we know today, it’s time to recognize that the policy announced by Mr. Taylor has a fatal flaw. That flaw is the regulatory focus on contaminated ground beef instead of contaminated beef carcasses. If we are going to truly solve the problem, we need to rethink our approach. (In fairness to Mr. Taylor, he probably recognized this flaw at the time, but his options were limited because he knew that USDA would have to defend their position in federal court. A policy that addressed ground beef was more likely to be upheld).
At a recent NAMP Meeting, former Undersecretary for Food Safety, Dr. Richard Raymond and I both spoke about the need to shift the emphasis to chilled carcass pasteurization. Dr. Raymond discussed carcass irradiation as an option. I addressed all of the available technologies, including carcass irradiation, treatment with Ammonia Gas and treatment with Reactive Oxygen Species (Ozone and Vapor Hydrogen Peroxide).
During the discussion with NAMP members, an analogy developed that I believe makes the case for a course correction and defines exactly where our focus should be placed. I will call it the “Cantaloupe Theory”.
Over the past several years, cantaloupes have been implicated in several Salmonella outbreaks. Imagine if FDA had announced that Salmonella is an adulterant in cut, prepared cantaloupe, but not on whole cantaloupes. Taking the analogy to the next step, imagine if regulatory and industry efforts to solve the problem focused on technologies to eliminate Salmonella from cut cantaloupe. If this had occurred, the problem would probably never be solved. Instead, the regulatory and industry focus was properly placed on eliminating Salmonella from the outside surface of cantaloupes. When cantaloupes are whole and intact, all of the contamination is on the outside where it is relatively easy to eliminate.
We have the exact same situation in the beef industry. E. coli contamination starts on the outside of beef carcasses. The meat inside contaminated carcasses is sterile until contamination occurs from the outside – in.
Regulatory focus and industry control strategies should address contamination on chilled carcasses, before they are fabricated and turned into ground beef and other consumer products. This is the point in the process when E. coli contamination is limited to one finite area. It is also the point where E. coli contamination is easiest to eliminate and where there is ample time to apply pasteurization technologies.
If we solve the problem on chilled carcasses, processing that occurs downstream will always start with a pasteurized raw material. Of course, food safety would still be a shared responsibility. Processors should continue to use effective interventions to prevent recontamination and to apply excellent sanitation measures.
The key to this approach is that instead of trying to accomplish the impossible – the decontamination of all of the small pieces after they become contaminated, we would take care of the problem when it is solvable, when the carcass is whole.
That is the solution to the E. coli problem.

domain: food


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Rowan Milne, owner of Row 66 Ltd in Edinburgh has beaten competition from all over the UK and Ireland to win the prestigious GLammies by Great Lengths award.
Articles published in “Arts & Culture News”
The latest Arts & Culture News from the World News Index.
Talking with Helena P. Schrader the author of the breakout book ‘Where Eagles Never Flew: A Battle of Britain Novel’
Victoria’s Secret reveals new original podcast, “VS Voices,” highlighting trailblazing women advocating for change


The DCEU is shaping up in a completely different way like it never did before. The Flash that is right now in the making and kind of brings together the Batmans of the realm, has the future of the universe depending on it, in a way. Amid all this, the biggest highlight of the movie is of course the presence of veteran star Michael Keaton, who is wearing the Cape again after 30 long years.
It was not less than a celebration when it was announced that Keaton is reprising Batman for The Flash that is on the verge of reshaping the DCEU in many ways, from timelines to characters to twists. While the actor in his recent interviews has spoken about being away from the comic culture for the past 3 decades, doesn’t seem like he is now going to stay apart that long.
The buzz now is that, not just The Flash, but Michael Keaton has been roped in by the DC bosses for three new projects that will see him don the cape and become the saviour the world loves, Batman. Read on to know everything you should about the same.
As per a We Got This Covered report, DC heads have now roped in Michael Keaton for three more projects. The actor will be seen playing the Batman in HBO Max’s Batgirl, Batman Beyond and Nightwing as well. While Batgirl is in active production, the rest two are only parts of numerous speculations and that makes the claim dilute. But the intel to the portal is strong.
Meanwhile, recently talking about returning as Batman, Michael Keaton said, “What’s really interesting is how much more I got [Batman] when I went back and did him. I get this on a whole other level now. I totally respect it. I respect what people are trying to make. I never looked at it like, ‘Oh, this is just a silly thing.’ It was not a silly thing when I did Batman. But it has become a giant thing, culturally. It’s iconic. So I have even more respect for it because what do I know? This is a big deal in the world to people. You’ve got to honor that and be respectful of that. Even I go, ‘Jesus, this is huge.'”
Stay tuned to Koimoi!


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NamcoBandai have sent along a new trailer for Ace Combat: Assault Horizon, the next iteration in the long-running, Japanese-developed fighter pilot series. This particular trailer is a mix of cinematic and in-game action titled "108th Task Force". Here's the brief:
New types of aircrafts with ruinous destructibility that are used in the
108th TASK FORCE are revealed!
In ACE COMBAT ASSAULT HORIZON, you will be able to enjoy fighting with attack helicopters, door gunners, gunships and bombers other than the fighter jets.
Look forward to an exquisite experience with variety of fighting using various aircrafts!
Watch the "108th Task Force" trailer embedded below or click here for the HD option

domain: game


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The impact is positive in every local authority area and every constituency. Time government policy took that into accountby Nick Hillman / January 16, 2018 / Leave a comment
Six years ago, as the Coalition’s Special Adviser on Universities and Science, I was in the midst of fraught discussions with the Home Office about international students. The Immigration Minister at the time, Damian Green, was about to make a speech that seemed to exaggerate the cost of hosting international students in the UK.
The Home Office suspected international students were clogging up our roads, filling up our hospitals and houses and even taking places at our schools for their children. We argued, in contrast, that they seemed to contribute far more to the UK—for example, via their spending on tuition fees and living expenses—than they cost. Typically, international students are fairly young, arrive without lots of expensive dependants and live in shared occupancy accommodation, which is often purpose-built for the sole use of students.
But neither the Home Office nor us had hard numbers to back up our arguments. Damian Green, to his credit, ended up delivering a speech that avoided blaming international students and instead called for a new debate. He argued: “there is scope for further examination of whether and to what extent foreign student tuition fees boost the UK economy and crucially how UK residents ultimately benefit from that.”
Since then, relations between UK universities and the Home Office have been in the deep freeze. For example, successive immigration ministers, under pressure from Theresa May as Home Secretary and then Prime Minister, have refused to remove international students from the government’s target to reduce net inward migration to below 100,000. There have also been various rule changes that have imposed new obstacles in the path of those contemplating studying in the UK. But one thing has not happened: the debate has not become more evidence-based in the way that, back in 2012, Damian Green said it should. In other words, there has been lots of heat but not much light.
At the Higher Education Policy Institute, we became so bored waiting for this to change that, in the middle of 2017, we joined with Kaplan International Pathways for a project with three parts. We asked, first, for an updated calculation on the gross benefits to the UK of hosting over 400,000 international students. We also requested a figure for the costs associated with those students, to enable a calculation of the net benefits. Additionally, we asked for the data to be produced on a local basis, including for each parliamentary constituency.
When London Economics crunched the numbers for us, they found the annual gross economic benefits of international students—including tuition fees, other spending and economic knock-on effects—to be £22.6bn. On average, over the length of their courses, that is £87,000 for each EU student and £102,000 for each non-EU student. Meanwhile, the public costs—including education, health, social security and even areas like defence—are just £2.3bn. On average, that is £19,000 for each EU student and £7,000 for each non-EU student. Removing the costs from the benefits still leaves a huge total of £20.3bn or £68,000 for each EU student and £95,000 for each non-EU student.
“Perhaps I am naive, but I have always thought the policy will eventually change”
The impact is positive in each part of the UK, every local authority area and every constituency. For example, students in Sheffield Central generate £226m for the UK economy, students in Cardiff Central generate £151m, students in Glasgow Central generate £135m and students in Belfast South generate £29m.
The figures are huge, yet they are not as big as they could be. The number of international students in the UK has stagnated in recent years, while other countries have forged ahead. In this growing global market, to stand still is to go backwards against our main competitors. Moreover, Brexit will almost certainly mean fewer people come here from mainland Europe to study because EU citizens may no longer be entitled to pay lower fees and may lose access to tuition fee loans.
Soon after we set our work in train, the Home Office commissioned their own Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to look at international students. We welcomed this, will be submitting our work to them and believe our data are the most detailed information the Committee will receive in response to their call for evidence.
It would be in the interests of students, universities and the UK as a whole if the government were to stand on the shoulders of the MAC and change their approach so that, once more, we can roll out a red carpet for people who want to come here to learn.
Perhaps I am naive, but I have always thought the policy will eventually change. We are, generally, a well-governed country with policymakers who like following evidence and it is rare to find an issue where so much of the evidence is on one side of the debate.
Finally, although international students bring a financial boon to the UK, we must not forget the benefits are not just financial. Other work we have produced in the past shows people generally think they benefit from studying alongside people from other countries. We have also shown that more serving world leaders were educated in the UK than any other country. So the soft power benefits are enormous. There is no excuse for putting them at risk.


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Sunday, November 9, 2008
I stumbled upon a blog by illustrator James Gurney, called Gurney Journey, when I was looking for a new way to talk to my students about color combinations and how to work with color.
James Gurney talks about something called color masking, using the red/blue/yellow color wheel. Check out the link....it seems that just about every color combination that one can uncover using this method is exciting...or it appears that way to me. It prompted me to cut a piece of wood, create paint swatches on fabrics and papers, glue them down and embellish the 3D borders of each square.
Even though I have always thought that art should have meaning, I am slowly realizing that it is okay to work with a concept that is more like a design problem. This is a work in progress.

domain: hobby


text:
Hi! I'mhere with a Distress inked card (Cracked Pistachio and Wilted Violet) using the new sets Wispy Wishes and From Usnewly released from The Alley Way Stamps.
I black heat embossed the images using Memento Luxe craft ink and black embossing powder. Despite how many times I used my powder tool the black embossing powder tends to be unruly and gets everywhere. It's not a huge deal as it blends into the background but just fyi if you try this technique! I wanted the black images to be really rich which is why I used the black embossing powder but I'm thinking that if I do this again I might try the black pigment ink and clear embossing powder to see if the results are the same.
I sponged my Distress Ink onto my cardstock and then cut the star using Lawn Fawn's Puffy Stars dies. I added my sentiment and some self adhesive cork circles that I picked up at Michael's for some funky texture.


Developed from June 1942 through July 1944, with two prototypes produced, only one of which received a turret and armament.
Time for the successive autoreloading of each shell into the magazine.
The technical characteristics shown are for the Siege mode
Characteristics are specified for a vehicle with crew members trained to 100%.
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Cars and coal may get most of the attention, but one of the biggest contributors to climate change is the food industry. Globally, agriculture accounts for at least 25 percent of humanity’s annual greenhouse gas emissions, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. But some think that this situation could be radically changed—instead of just cutting agriculture’s carbon footprint, maybe we can use agriculture to reverse climate change.
By harnessing photosynthesis’ power, experts think we can turn a major part of the problem into a solution. But can we take this new way of thinking out of the lab and into the policy realm? Will American farmers, many of whom deny climate change is man-made, get onboard? Will Big Agriculture join in—or is it too focused on today’s profits to worry about tomorrow’s climate?
Join Future Tense on Thursday, July 25, at the New America Foundation in Washington, D.C., at 12:15 p.m. for a lunchtime conversation about how the food industry can help combat climate change.
For more information and to RSVP, visit the New America Foundation’s website. Speakers will include:
Author, HOT: Living Through the Next 50 Years on Earth
Schmidt Family Foundation fellow, New America Foundation
Judith D. Schwartz
Author, Cows Save the Planet and Other Improbable Ways of Restoring Soil to Heal the Earth
Barry C. Lynn
Director, Markets, Enterprise and Resiliency Initiative, New America Foundation
Business and economics correspondent, Slate
For more, read Slate’s special issue on climate change and agriculture.
“Sun Food vs. Oil Food: Michael Pollan on how changing agriculture could reverse climate change,” by Mark Hertsgaard. July 2, 2013.
“Let’s Make Genetically Modified Food Open Source: It will help fight climate change and stick one in Monsanto’s eye,” by Frederick Kaufman. July 9, 2013
“Why Don’t Farmers Believe in Climate Change? And does it really matter whether they do?” by David Biello. July 16, 2013.


text:
Monthly Archives: July 2014
‘Be grateful you lost just five – 14 of mine are gone’
The Sunday Times – THEY found one dismembered body dangling from the edge of a partially destroyed room on the second floor of a building gutted by an Israeli tank shell.
Kew’s Great Green Wall to hold back Saharan terror
The Sunday Times – IT IS A long way from Kew Gardens to the southern edges of the Sahara desert. Yet scientists from the botanical garden are helping to plant a 5,000-mile wall of trees across Africa.


Beretta USA Sponsors "Day at the Range" During NRA Annual Meetings
April 13, 2012
|FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Lea L. Ramthun
301-283-2191, Ext. 1219
Before visiting the Beretta USA booth (#2331) at the 141st NRA Annual Meetings in St. Louis this weekend, stop by one of three local ranges to take part in a "Day at the Range" with Beretta. Running throughout the NRA Annual Meetings, handgun enthusiasts have the opportunity to test drive Beretta's latest pocket-pistol phenomenon, the Nano 9mm. Metro Shooting Supplies II, Top Gun Shooting Sports and Ultimate Defense Firing Range encourage customers to experience what makes the Nano such a sought-after conceal-carry firearm.
The serialized sub-chassis, interchangeable sights, ambidextrous magazine release button and easy cleaning are but a few of the features and benefits that make up the latest pistol offering from Beretta. Simple and safe disassembly courtesy of the patent-pending striker deactivator makes the pistol one of the safest pocket pistols on the market today and the low-profile, snag free design results in easy to carry, draw from concealment and holster. These features and benefits, along with a suggested retail price of $475, make the Beretta BU9 Nano an instant leader in a crowded pocket pistol category and why they seem to disappear as soon as they hit dealer shelves.
Once you've test-driven a Beretta Nano, plan to come down to the America's Center and the 141st Annual NRA Meetings and visit the Beretta USA booth. With the launch of the new A300 Outlander shotgun and the ARX-160 in .22LR, see what new products will hit dealer shelves next. While at the booth, enter to win a one of the new A300's or an ARX-160 .22LR. Beretta UUSA hopes to see everyone there!


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The color, material and grammage of this disposable face mask can be matched freely as your request. Medical face mask is the main product at our factory, we will be your reliable supplier.


text:
So, I finally had some time to try it out... and I like it.
On my first mission, only one of my guys (well, it was a woman, actually) survived, 3 got injured and one killed (tank). The tactical AI sure knows what it is doing. That was on "easy", btw.
I managed to assault some of the aliens before they could coordinate their defense, but then the AI sent two of those mech-alike aliens towards where two of my soldiers were standing on the roof to give sniper support. I tried to reinforce with my tank but in the ensuing battle, the aliens took it and two of my soldiers out before my heroine of the day managed to finish the last alien off.
Meanwhile, another pair of soldiers was attacked and one of them wounded by a weaker alien. I took cover behind a wall and tried to heal him with the heroine-to-be when another of those mech-like things came from the other side. While trying to run away (erm... "retreat strategically"), my wounded soldier got hit again and went down, leaving only said heroine who was then able to kill their persuers from behind cover and proceeded to take out the last alien as mentioned above.
Oh, and it was a winter map. Very nice.
The strategic part seems very basic (research stuff, build stuff, buy and sell stuff and upgrade your base(s)) but that's completely fine, it's the tactical combat and the technical gadgets I'm here for anyway. Tech tree seems fine as well.
Now, about the interface so many are complaining about: It's not as bad as some make it sound. Sure, tooltips would have been nice, but not really necessary.
Some things are a little questionable (not being able to see or shoot out of windows, the slow speed of bullets, having to select the weapon each time you shoot...) but it's nothing I care too much about. It's just the way it works and I can live with it easily.
Summary: Of course I haven't played enough to have an opinion on long-term gameplay or whether some ugly bugs are lurking under the hood but so far it indeed feels like good old X-COM.
(Note: "feels like" as in "is fun and immersive", not as in "is a carbon copy and has exactly the same features")


New findings about the vegetation response to drought across the globe
Vegetation can respond to drought through different mechanisms, including changes in the plants’ structure and physiology. A new study led by Dr. Wantong Li and Dr. Rene Orth at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Germany, now disentangled drought response pathways across the globe. By analyzing state-of-the-art satellite-derived datasets with explainable machine learning methods, they showed that the vegetation’s physiology in many ecosystems has deviated from its structure under drought on a global scale. Their findings, recently published in Nature Communications, represent a significant leap forward in our understanding of how the Earth’s ecosystems respond to water scarcity.
Soil moisture drought is increasing in many areas worldwide, both in terms of their duration and intensity. It affects vegetation functioning e.g. by increasing the risk of carbon starvation and hydraulic failure, ultimately leading to plant death. Vegetation responses to drought in turn feed back to climate in different ways. Traditionally, the large-scale impact of drought on vegetation has been assessed by analyzing changes in plant structure. E.g., satellite data provide measures for the overall surface of leaves and for the vegetation coverage and density, measured as greenness, on larger scales.
In the new study, the international research team around Wantong Li analyzed novel satellite-based measurements with explainable machine learning methods. This allowed to isloate changes in plant functioning, termed physiology, from that of plant structure in response to drought. The study used satellite data at high spatial resolution collected between 2018 and 2021, years with intense drought events, thus providing a comprehensive global perspective.
By focusing on severe droughts, the team successfully characterized physiological responses to water scarcity related to photosynthesis, evaporation and water content. They found that two plant functions are effected most. First, the exchange rates of CO2 and water vapor regulated by the stomata, tiny fine-controlled openings on the leave surface, and second the efficiency of how solar radiation is used for photosynthesis or absorbed otherwise by the leaves.
"Plant physiologists have shown before that individual plant species respond to drought in ways that go beyond simple changes in structural appearance," explains Wantong Li. "Our study now confirmed this for the vegetation as a whole, on a global scale and for many species included”.
The advantage of the new approach is severalfold. First, including the global effects of drought stress on the biological functioning of the plants provides a better picture of the vegetation drought response than just looking at the structural or outer appearance. Also, the former approach likely underestimates the timing, the scale and the severity at which vegetation is actually affected by drought. Secondly, the vegetation’s physiology typically responds faster to stress than its structural appearance. Drought impacts may thus be recognized earlier. E.g., while a brownish meadow may easily be recognized as suffering from drought, other plants, in particular trees, may look normal but in fact already experienced serious drought-induced physiological changes.
The results also showed that vegetation in semi-arid and arid regions were affected the most, indicating a strong relationship between background climate and physiological responses. In wetter regions the scientists observed that vegetation is still green or even greener during drought events. Nevertheless, their functioning was reduced, leading to a clear discrepancy between functional and structural changes that can be detected during severe drought.
Dr. René Orth, co-author and head of the research group at MPI-BGC, emphasizes the wider implications of their research: "Understanding how vegetation functioning responds to drought is critical for predicting and mitigating the effects of climate change. These findings provide a more accurate basis for the biological and environmental feedback mechanisms of ecosystems, which play an important role in shaping the future of our planet".


text: As K!W! signalled, raising the Q-Flag (Yellow Patch) is standard proceedure. Once you arrive in a new port you are required to raise it. Even if you are from your home port and you leave your territorial waters and go somewhere else and comeback, The Q should be raised upon entry. It signals that clearance from Port Health and Customs/Immigration has been requested. Once this has been done the Q-Flag should be taken off the mast. So in the case of WROD, flying the Q upon entry to Turkey is what should be done.

domain: geography


When managing the SigmaNEST inventory, you may find that you need to reserve certain sheets for specific customers or tasks. This article will give you an overview of how to do that.
Reserved and On Consignment stock
When adding sheets to the SigmaNEST inventory, there are three classifications for a sheet’s status: General Inventory, Reserved, and On Consignment.
- A General Inventory sheet may be used for any work orders or parts, regardless of customer.
- A Reserved sheet is a sheet is owned by your company, but may only be used for work orders and parts of a specific customer.
- An On Consignment sheet is owned by a specific customer, and can only be used for work orders and parts of the same customer.
To add a Reserved or On Consignment sheet, follow the steps to add a new sheet and choose the appropriate status from the upper-right section of the window. Then choose the customer associated with the sheet and continue entering sheet data as usual.
Allocating stock to tasks
If you have multiple SigmaNEST workstations, occasionally, two programmers may accidentally try to use the same sheet for different tasks. Obviously, if there are not enough sheets available, only one programmer can actually use the sheet.
So to prevent situations like this where a sheet becomes "double-booked," you can configure SigmaNEST to automatically allocate sheets to tasks (effectively "locking" them and preventing other users from using or modifying them).
To do this:
- Go to the Tools Help tab and open the Configuration.
- Select the Defaults tab and expand the Sheet Defaults section.
- In the Sheet Lock Duration field, indicate how long a sheet should be locked after a user adds it to a task.
- Click OK to save Configuration settings.
From now on, any time a sheet is added to a task, it will be locked to that task and unavailable for other use.
In the Sheet List, locked sheets are indicated by a plus (+) sign to the left of the Sheet Name. If you expand the plus sign, you can see who holds the lock and when it will expire.
If you are the owner of a sheet lock, you can right-click it and release the lock to make the sheet available to other tasks. However, if you are not the owner of the sheet lock, you will not be able to do this unless the feature rights are set to allow it.


text:
Walking at night without a sound,
Stepping so lightly
Over the cool ground.
What do I see looking up at me?
Two little peepers
Darting faster than I could see.
Around the corner I go
Until up under my nose
A firefly buzzed setting it all aglow.
What else did I meet
Walking down that street
A mean old bear with two left feet.
I said to the bear,
Tell me why is it so,
You’re wearing your shoes without any toes.
On further I walked
My shoes did clip-clop
Until I met a donkey and boy did he balk.
Oh my said I frightened out of my wits
No worries said he
Inviting me to sit.
So I sat down right there
With my nose all aglow
And shared this silly story about the shoes with no toes.


text:
After another hilarious cold open, Dean and Phil briefly discuss the actors George C. Scott and William Shatner, the time their careers intersected, and how memory might have played a role in their careers. Then, it’s a deep dive into the careers of two of the most accomplished screen stars of the 2nd half of the 20th Century: Marlon Brando and Jack Lemmon! Some of the greatest movies, filmmakers and writers take their turns in the spotlight, as do several overlooked or under-appreciated gems!
A cold open about a … melon festival (?!) … inspires a story about racial hostility in Turlock in the early 20th century. From there, Phil is inspired to pick up on a brilliant observation Dean made last week about Mike Nichols’ Working Girl and apply that observation as a potential thru-line for this celebrated director’s career. Alec Baldwin gets into hot water for tweeting support for Anne Heche and Salman Rushdie gets stabbed on-stage right before hailing the USA as the last bastion of freedom of speech. Dean and Phil try to make sense of both of these events. The return of “What We’re Reading” sees Dean learning how to sketch people’s hands and Phil learning what the next World War will be like! In “Celebrity Deaths”, a good friend and frequent collaborator of Stanley Kubrick, a popular and inspiring painter, a legendary French movie star, and the composer of one of the most indelible theme songs of all time all get remembered. Finally, Dean and Phil discuss the finely-tuned instincts Marlon Brando possessed as a great entertainer, and Phil hails the allegorical storytelling on display in Jordan Peele’s Nope.
Year 15 of YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour gets underway with a free-wheeling installment that has your friends in podcasting, Dean Haglund and Phil Leirness, demonstrating much of what they do best, tackling such a wide array of topics as fear, hypocrisy, and irony before sharing stories about non-celebrities being “mistaken” for famous show biz individuals. Some of these stories are hilarious. Some are disturbing. Some are both! With news of the Coen Brothers “breaking up”, Phil and Dean begin a deep dive into appreciating the brothers’ output and legacies. This includes hilarious stories involving Brad Pitt and George Clooney. It also includes a Coen-themed round of the Vintage Movie Ad game. Finally, Phil shares thoughts about two very interesting films released in 2020 that might have slipped under your radar and Dean offers up his review of a brand new film that Amazon hopes might launch an action-franchise starring the great Michael B. Jordan.
A lot of post-production work went into making this one of our best shows of the year! Dean regales with stories of drinking and jury duty, Phil remembers dear friend and true iconoclast Konrad Monti. Dean and Phil discuss Amazon’s “The Boys” (a show Dean might have actually influenced!) and the dire future of movie-going in the wake of James Bond and “Black Widow” being pushed again, which led to the 2nd largest U.S. theater chain closing, while the first largest still hasn’t fully re-opened! A terrific, and highly musical “Celebrity Deaths” involves celebrations of a great jazz musician (and subject of an awesome Netflix documentary), songwriter-singer-turned-actor Mac Davis, and 70’s-pop-queen-turned-therapist Helen Reddy! Finally, we transport you back to a certain rooftop in the historic L.A. neighborhood of Los Feliz for the conclusion of Dean and Phil’s ruminations on what filmmakers might make the list of their all-time favorites.
It’s all classic comedy, classic television and classic movies on this week’s show! The truly legendary Carl Reiner gets celebrated. Then, Dean and Phil compare the years in film 1982 and 1974 with 1962 to see which year they think was the best year ever for movies!
Wherever you are listening to this week’s show, we hope it finds you feeling healthy and safe. Your friends in podcasting briefly share their latest “lockdown” adventures, before sharing a tribute sent to them by a friend of the show about the SF Bay Area radio performer they discussed on last week’s episode. Then, Dean and Phil celebrate the lives and legacies of one of the biggest country music-pop music crossover artists of all time, of an an award-winning playwright, of an African soul icon, of a Swam Pop music legend, of a brilliant researcher, of a true showman on the basketball court, of a popular character actor of the 1980’s, of an influential horror director, and of one of the most prolific and influential drummers in rock. They discuss the joys of the Elton John musical biopic Rocketman, paying particular attention to the terrific performances by Taron Egerton and Jamie Bell and the inspiring friendship of Elton John and Bernie Taupin. They discuss a new book that argues 1962 was the greatest year for movies. They discuss a great way for you in the USA to stream 15 classic movies and documentaries a month for free in the comfort of your own home. They begin to discuss the horrible battle between Goldie Hawn and Jonathan Demme over 1984’s Swing Shift, a movie that has been compared to The Magnificent Ambersons as lost cinematic classics, forever destroyed by those who didn’t know better. YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour, Covid-19 free since May of 2007!
This week’s brand new show is a whole lot of fun, with a cold open (about Dean’s former website), a special guest appearance (from Siren FM’s Alex Lewczuk), a discussion about why certain movies (especially in the “Star Trek” universe) seem like movies, whereas others seem like TV episodes, a review of Doctor Sleep, a celebration of Stanley Kubrick, an analysis of an all-time great movie monologue delivered by a powerhouse actress (Nicole Kidman), and a remembrance of actor-producer Kirk Douglas, along with a thoughtful conversation about the messy business of appraising legacies.
It’s our final show before the start of Season 2! After a week off, your friends in podcasting will be moving to ODYSY Radio Network starting Monday December 2nd. Once there, shows will “air” live at 9 pm eastern (becoming available as podcast a few hours later)! On THIS week’s show, our last EVER to exceed one hour (!), Dean and Phil discuss a Veteran’s Day-themed “Live Event of the Week”, remember an actress who starred in a handful of cult classics and the puppeteer responsible for Topo Gigio in “Celebrity Deaths”, compare notes on their upcoming travels, and weigh in on six new, upcoming, or recent movies: The LIghthouse, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Just Mercy, Judy, Tell Me Who I Am, Spider-Man: Far From Home.
This week’s show begins with the re-visiting of topics from 12 years ago this week, as your Friends in Podcasting discuss how the box office and box office reporting and the importance of foreign markets for American movies has changed. A great actor who appeared in more than 100 movies, making all of them better, died this weekend, and as Dean and Phil celebrate his career, it leads to a discussion of the just-released El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. Also in “Celebrity Deaths”, Dean and Phil regale with stories of a bona fide World War II hero and the first man to “walk” in space. This leads to a discussion of the Brad Pitt space adventure Ad Astra.
Your friends in podcasting are one day late in delivering this week’s hearty serving of YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour, so they reward your patience with an extra 16 minutes of show!Phil and Dean follow up on last week’s conversation about empathy to analyze the ways we consume movies now and what those ways do for us, or TO us! They preview the forthcoming Joker and Doctor Sleep. They examine the use of de-aging technology in movies. They analyze the evolving differences between the DC vs. Marvel cinematic universes. They review the current theatrical releases Ready or Not and The Peanut Butter Falcon, the recent home video releases Long Shot, Gloria Bell and Men in Black: International. All that, plus they will celebrate the lives and legacies of two music icons, a best-selling novelist, a Broadway trailblazer and a television character actor.

domain: entertainment


text: autumn collection now online at braintreeclothing.com (and selling out fast!) we caught up with our designer Laura Thomson, for an exclusive insight into the collection; her favourite pieces, the inspiration behind the range, as well as her top style tips... What was the inspiration behind the collection? The inspiration behind this autumn's collection came from seeing a real bohemian 70s vibe coming through on the catwalks, mixed with finding some cool vintage prints and styling that really inspired us. Layering is really on trend and key for us this autumn too. What's special about the new Autumn collection? We've really gone to town this autumn with beautiful little styling and trimming details (see our great new parka and woven print pieces for instance) and have sourced some really cute and wearable prints for the season, many of which were either designed in house or sourced from vintage pieces. Who would you love to see rocking the Autumn collection? I'd have to go for stylish, cool women who really support ethical fashion - the three that immediately spring to mind are Livia Firth, Laura Bailey and Lily Cole. They are inspirational women with unique style that I'd love to see wearing our clothes... What do you think are the current trends for Autumn '13? Layering, military inspired parkas and a real 70s boho rock chick vibe are all very on trend. Checks, dark florals, paisleys and handcrafted textiles are also being mixed up together to create the richness and interest that feels so right for this season. If you could describe the new collection in 3 words, what would you say? Relaxed, weekend, bohemian. new parka and freshly styled hip zip cardigan, but have to confess to being a bit of a bamboo stretch basics addict too. The colours are so great this season I'll probably be investing in a few of those to layer! What has been your favourite part of working on the collection? I always love the initial rush of inspiration, when we set the colour palette and overall look, as well as developing all the prints and colour ways. Then once the samples are in its really exciting to see the team style it all for the shoot. How are you feeling now that the collection has been launched? Happy that it all looks so great together and that it's selling so well. I'm also excited that the BE part of the collection is developing its own identity, as I think this has so much potential for us. What's your top tip for dressing the Autumn collection? Don't be afraid to be eclectic in mixing prints and colours together, as lots of our pieces layer fantastically together. Different tones of one colour group can look amazing, as can prints with checks or stripes. So go for it! Thank you Laura! Shop the new autumn collection here.

domain: design


Saif Mohamed Al Hajeri, chairman of Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (centre), visited Agriscape 2017. (Photo: Center for Food Security Twitter)
Inaugural exhibition on agricultural investments abroad took place in Abu Dhabi
Agriscape 2017, Abu Dhabi's first international exhibition on agricultural investments abroad, facilitated business deals worth over $1 billion (AED4bn) during the course of its two days.
A total of 51 exhibitors, offering agri-land and other agri-assets from more than 40 countries, took part in the event, as well as 300 buyers and key decision-makers from companies active in the food security, farmland and agro-processing sectors across the globe.
"We are proud of the huge success achieved by the inaugural edition of Agriscape that generated significant business leads for its participants and helped them forge strategic alliances," said Khalifa Al Ali, CEO of the Food Security Centre, Abu Dhabi (FSCAD).
"Agriscape has now established itself as the definitive platform to gain valuable insight into the latest trends and showcase a diverse array of global agri-land investment opportunities. I am confident that the event will go a long way in supporting food security in the UAE and stepping up awareness about the opportunities available in the farmland sector across the world."
Agriscape 2017 was organised by the Abu Dhabi Food Security Alliance and FSCAD, in collaboration with the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Abu Dhabi Ports, Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Department of Culture and Tourism, and Al Dahra Agriculture.


text:
Akulurak - Saint Marys Mission
In the fall of 1894 a mission with a boarding school was opened on the west bank of the Akulurak River. At that time it was called St. Joseph's Mission, although the name would be changed at a later date. The four Sisters of Saint Ann, who arrived to help the Jesuits staff the school, unwittingly alienated the Native people by their lack of understanding of the Native cultural practices. The shamans played a key role in this collision of cultures, which eventually brought about the closing of the school in the spring of 1898.
Jesuit priests reopened the mission in 1902 and were soon joined by a Jesuit Brother. In 1905 the school was reopened, but this time it was called St. Mary's Mission, as the church in Nome had taken St. Joseph as their patron. The school was staffed and operated by the Ursuline Sisters and the Jesuits, first as a day school and then as a boarding school. Due to the great epidemics of 1900 and 1918, many of the children at the school were orphans. Some of these stayed at the school 10 or more years.
Although St. Mary's was readily accessible to the people it was meant to serve, its location was very poor in other respects. Heating was a major concern. Fuel for its 14 stoves was driftwood gathered along the riverbanks, when the river was open, and then towed by rafts to the mission. Gardening was not productive, because of the poor soil and short growing season. They had to trade salmon for vegetables with Holy Cross Mission, which meant there was an annual need for over 20,000 fish. Getting supplies and log rafts up the Akulurak slough, with its 52 twisting turns, and often low water, was always a formidable challenge. Lakes formed under the buildings as the permafrost thawed. Water had to be carried from the river. Fierce blizzards often swept the area. Buildings hurriedly built to supply a need, soon developed cracks, making it almost impossible to keep out the winds, rains, ice and snow.
By 1918, it was decided that the mission must be moved, but several unforeseen circumstances delayed the move for many years, among these were the Spanish Influenza Epidemic and the Great Depression. In 1925 the Sisters and Girls House was destroyed by fire and had to be rebuilt. Then in 1929 a second fire left the church in ashes. The new church was built and blessed in 1933.
In 1949 an historic meeting took place at St. Mary's. Present were Bishop Francis Gleeson, S.J., the Jesuit Provincial of the Oregon Province, the General Mission Superior and eight other Jesuit missionaries. At this meeting it was decided that the mission should be moved to a new site on the Andreafsky River, the site of the present St. Marys Mission. The move took place on August 2, 1951.

domain: history


text:
Frens Haringhandel Shack – Fresh Herring Sandwiches Amsterdam
(Near the flower market in Amsterdam)
It’s cold in Amsterdam this time of year but it’s never too cold to enjoy some fresh herring fish sandwiches from one of the local fish sandwich shacks. We came across this one right near the flower market. Got one with herring which is served sashimi style with a sweet mayo, diced sweet onions, and topped with slices of pickles. Also got another sandwich with just smoked mackerel which sounds pretty boring but it turned out to be pretty amazing as well.
Only drawback, they don’t serve Heineken, but the nearest pub is only a stone’s throw away!


text:
The Ultimate Frogs and Warts Quiz
There is a popular belief that toads cause warts. Although there is no scientific reason for this, there may be something in the appearance of the toad that gives this idea. Take this quiz and learn more about the toad.start quiz
Question 1 of 20
Why did Australia import giant cane toads from Hawaii in 1935?
... They were imported to combat a plague of cane beetles.
Question 2 of 20
Were they successful?
... Not at all. Instead of combating the cane beetles as intended, they began to wreak havoc.
Question 3 of 20
By 2008, what was the estimated cane toad population?
... In 2008, the descendants of the original 101 numbered in the billions.
Question 4 of 20
Okay, so there are a lot of cane toads. Why is that such a problem?
... Apart from the unsettling thought that these numerous, huge toads are on the move toward major cities, the bigger problem is that these toads are poisonous to many animals.
Question 5 of 20
Normally in nature every species has a natural predator and so a balance is maintained. Why does this not seem to apply to the cane toads?
... Since they are relatively new to Australia, other animals have not yet figured out how to deal with these extremely poisonous toads.
Question 6 of 20
What is the one thing Australians do not have to fear from these toads?
... They don't have to fear an outbreak of warts, since toads, regardless of type, do not cause warts.
Question 7 of 20
What started the idea that toads cause warts?
... Toads have bumps on their backs that resemble warts and these together with the slimy feel of the toads probably gave rise to the belief.
Question 8 of 20
If toads don't cause warts what does?
... A virus called the human papillomavirus (HPV) causes warts.
Question 9 of 20
What was one of the bizarre and unfounded cures for warts?
... One theory, or old wives' tale, stated that burying a cat at midnight would cure warts.
Question 10 of 20
What else can HPV cause?
... A sexually transmitted strain can cause cervical cancer in women.
Question 11 of 20
How many people in the U.S. are infected with some form of HPV?
... Estimates are about 20 million, although most are mild forms such as warts.
Question 12 of 20
What caused the controversy in 2007 regarding the campaign for mandatory inoculation against HPV?
... It was caused by the revelation that the campaign was partially funded by the company producing the only FDA-approved vaccine.
Question 13 of 20
Following these revelations, what happened?
... The benefits outweighed the controversy and by the end of 2008, 41 states had legislated mandatory HPV inoculation
Question 14 of 20
What threat do warts pose to humans?
... No real threat, but they are bothersome from an esthetic point of view.
Question 15 of 20
What is one of the more popular forms of wart removal?
... Cryotherapy involves using liquid nitrogen to freeze the wart off.
Question 16 of 20
So we know toads don't cause warts, but why should you think twice about picking up a toad?
... Apart from the defensive poisons they secrete, toads have a habit of urinating when a human picks them up.
Question 17 of 20
Are warts contagious?
... They are: HPV is easily transferred from person to person.
Question 18 of 20
Can a blister beetle be of use in the treatment of warts?
... The extract from a blister beetle creates a blister around the wart and once the blister falls off, the wart goes with it.
Question 19 of 20
Getting back to the cane toad, what can you learn from its introduction to Australia?
... Introducing a non-native species can disrupt an ecosystem.
Question 20 of 20
Just how big are the cane toads?
... They can reach two pounds (0.9 kilograms).


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Round Table Pizza Inc. announced that it filed a petition for protection under Chapter 11 with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Oakland.
The move is designed to improve the company’s cash flow and stabilize its business through recapitalization of its debt and renegotiation of above-market leases, Round Table said.
Despite improving business performance and expense reductions, the company said seeking legal protection under Chapter 11 was necessary to improve its competitiveness as the economy recovers.
The company said that it will close some unprofitable, company-owned restaurants but that most of its company-owned locations and all of its franchised locations will remain open, with minimal impact on consumers.
Founded in Menlo Park in 1959, Round Table Pizza has a system of about 470 franchised and company-owned stores operating in the western U.S. with revenue of about $400 million.


text:
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In his book, The One Thing You Need to Know...About Great Managing, Great Leading, and Sustained Individual Success, Marcus Buckingham states, “Like the basketball player, the leader knows that, although many shots will miss the target, he must keep shooting nonetheless. Every shot, hit or miss, will teach him something about himself, his situation, his team, and his competitors, all of which should lead to a better more focused shot the next time around. The effective leader knows he’ll miss 100 percent of shots he never takes.” He further states, “Action brings clarity. It clarifies the direction you are taking and the expected outcome.”
Are you missing out on opportunities in life to create and experience greater success in life because you’re allowing fear, uncertainty and doubt (FUD) to rob you of taking shots in life towards your goals? According to a recent survey conducted by AARP, one of the regrets that many individuals have at the end of their life is “the failure to have the courage to live the life they wanted to live.” You have this opportunity to ensure that at the end of your life you’ve done all that you were capable of doing to live your life to its fullest. The first step in making this happen is gaining the clarity about what it is that you want to experience in life. This is fundamental. Once you reach a state of clarity about what you want in life, creating a plan and implementing deliberate actions towards specific outcomes becomes the next logical action to take.
What Determines Our Actions Towards Our Goals?
A commitment on your part to executing a plan of action will be effected by your level of self-efficacy or self-assurance. Self-efficacy is a combination of self-confidence, optimism, positivity and feelings of being in control of outcomes linked to your actions. According to Buckingham, “Self-efficacy predicts how quickly you will bounce back from failure at the activity.” It also determines he says, “…the likelihood you will actually achieve these goals.” When it comes to performance and goal-achievement, Buckingham states, “self-efficacy is one of the most powerful mental states.”
According to research by Albert Bandura, past president of the American Psychological Association, “how well you face a new challenge is determined by your ability to transfer self-efficacy from one activity to another.” Buckingham states, “The best way to do this is to look deliberately for similarities between the new challenge and previous challenge where you have succeeded in the past.” In my new book Success Becomes You Goal Achievement Workbook: Exercises, Self-Tests and Winning Strategies to Help You Achieve Life and Career Goals, I provide a step-by-step guide that builds on your successes to increase your self-efficacy. I found that when I pursued goals that allowed me to use what I already knew I was much more likely to maintain a high level of interest, enthusiasm and commitment towards them. It is my personal belief that it is important for us to have goals that challenge us to rise up to our potential while at the same time they need to be realistic enough so that we remain committed to achieving our desired outcomes.
We Can Live Without Regret
All of us want to feel that we have contributed our best in life. We seek meaning and purpose in all aspects of our life. Taking an inside-out approach to goal setting and goal achievements in life ensures that the experiences we create from our efforts reflect what is most meaningful to living our life without regrets. Developing and sustaining self-assurance in your abilities is a process that you can successfully engage with the help of the exercises, self-tests and winning strategies outlined in my book. You can improve your level of confidence and increase the number of shots you take to maximize the moments of opportunity in your life.
It’s Your Move ~ Aspire Higher

domain: psychology


text:
Authors: Colleen Hammelman*, University of North Carolina - Charlotte
Topics: Agricultural Geography, Urban Geography, Canada
Keywords: Toronto, Urban Agriculture, Food Policy Councils, Food Justice, Land
Session Type: Paper
Start / End Time: 2:40 PM / 4:20 PM
Room: Grand Ballroom E, Sheraton, 5th Floor
Presentation File: No File Uploaded
The Toronto Food Policy Council (TFPC) has been recognized as a leader for food policy councils in North America since its founding more than 20 years ago. As a government-based council, it addresses food-related concerns across sectors of government in collaboration with non-profit and private stakeholders. Recently, in collaboration with Toronto Urban Growers, a network of advocates for UA across the city, it has produced several policy briefs and projects seeking to free up city land for growing food. However, the results of these efforts have been uneven. Those working within the urban agriculture (UA) movement continually face bureaucratic obstacles that make UA on public land inaccessible for groups without significant resources and power within in the city. This paper examines two specific examples of land contestation for UA in Toronto to demonstrate the ways in which a pillar of food system governance encountered obstacles in matching the priorities of city leadership and bureaucracy with those of low-income residents seeking to grow food as small enterprises or to supplement food budgets. This research contributes to literature on food systems, environmental justice, and governance, by attending to tensions that arise between different actors in food policy and urban agriculture movements in contestations over land.


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During his day in New York, Kendrick Lamar hit the press circuit. One of his stops was to The Breakfast Club to talk about his sophomore album To Pimp a Butterfly (read our review here,) his relationship status with Whitney Alford, his thoughts on having a classic album, respecting fans, rapper Killer Mike, Tupac, future collaborations with J. Cole & Dre. Check out the full interview with The Breakfast Club after the jump.
In this exclusive interview, Rob Markman (MTV, Sway In The Morning) sits down with heralded New York hip-hop duo Cannibal Ox to discuss the difference between the group’s 2001 seminal debut album The Cold Vein and their latest release Blade of the Ronin (which is currently available for purchase via iTunes here.) Vast Aire and Vordul Mega open up about linking with producer BILL COSMIQ for Blade of the Ronin and also their creative relationship with one another. Check out the exclusive interview after the jump.


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Borders, boundaries, lines we draw, create, protect ourselves by hiding behind…
Social divides, that separate or differentiate us by background, lifestyle, experience. We don’t strictly ‘see’ these boundaries, not like actual fences (anymore – if only apartheid were truly dead), but looking around me on the London Underground Victoria line last night I played a little game with myself, and the first impressions that came to mind when I looked at the people around me. What could I see representing the many distinct lives, homes, dreams of those around me?
The girls talking about their next nail colour and the conversation they had last night with that boy. Where did they buy their imitation Gucci handbags? And the family of 3 – mother and daughter wearing identical makeup – which one of them chose it? And which one is following the other’s lead? Same ripped jeans, similar trainers. The lady in a pencil skirt and pointy toe heels. “Nice bag”, I thought. Mulberry. Is it real? The many guys in suits, some in overcoats and some in puffer jackets, changed their smart work shoes to trainers for the commute home. I imagined them all going home, walking up to their front doors, some via a garden path and others past the neighbouring flats. Opening the door and greeting someone, or being welcomed by silence. Then I swapped them around and put them into someone else’s ‘home’. I played with my assumptions and prejudices and judgments. Then I started counting iphones. And I mentally clapped Steve Job’s vision and foresight, and ability to cross and remove some of all those things that divide us to show us we are all the same iphone coveting and carrying humans, nodding in time along the Victoria line on that cold and wet Thursday evening before Christmas in London.
I only have to dig out my childhood globe to see how much the geopolitical borders change and evolve, become obsolete. Evolve to shift with the times, social and political changes. What are these lines if not temporary descriptions?
Existing to protect, provide a sense of strength against potential vulnerability to threat. A mirror of the emotional boundaries that we construct. If there’s one thing that encompasses how I feel about my ‘growing up’ it is the tangling and chaos of these. The complexity of adult (mature, experienced, intelligent, considered, reflective , healthy and deliberate – ha!) boundaries. Pah. PMSL emoji…
Never more complex and messy and mysterious as in how we present ourselves within our relationships. Where do I begin and you end in this love affair? Yesterday you were a stranger, and today you pervade my every thought, invade my dreams, and I am aware of you in your absence. Precisely this feeling of connectedness and the blurring of the bold lines we outline ourselves with, is what we crave – sharing yourself and your space and intimacy.
But where did those safe and protective boundaries go? The intoxicating bubble of romance and passion, spontaneity and discovery, growth, joy, feeling alive with energy and inspired by this new connection and doorway to a new world within someone else’s boundaries. Yours fade a little. Or a lot.
Then, when the fireworks have stopped and the fizz settles, it takes a while for the eyes and ears to adjust to the emptiness. The gaping hole. Vertigo. Trying not to drown in this sudden vastness of the surprising emptiness, reaching and not finding anything to grasp. Where did I leave the familiar walls I lean on, the damn boundaries I forgot about for a moment.
Some of us have more fluid borders than others, of course. The more emotionally open, and empathetic find it harder to cope with the problems of those close to them. The relationship between an adult and their parents can be a bit like Pandora’s box. Full of all sorts we probably don’t really want to even think about, let alone see, or even share.
Those brave enough to open that can of worms, Buckle up!
Few are we who do not have some kind of tangled emotions, unresolved clouds of baggage with our folks. ‘They fuck you up, your mum and dad. They don’t mean to, but they do’, said a wise man many moons ago.
This Be The Verse
They fuck you up, your mum and dad.
They may not mean to, but they do.
They fill you with the faults they had
And add some extra, just for you.
But they were fucked up in their turn
By fools in old-style hats and coats,
Who half the time were soppy-stern
And half at one another’s throats.
Man hands on misery to man.
It deepens like a coastal shelf.
Get out as early as you can,
And don’t have any kids yourself.
I discovered something about my mum when I was 35. Grown and independent, myself a mother, and married. This was a huge game-changer. And the way I discovered it not undramatic, I might add. My mum has paranoid schizophrenia. She is schizophrenic. I grew up living with my mum. Her and her schizophrenia, or what I understood (was told) to be her depression. So here’s the thing about boundaries. They are rarely lines, as clearly defined and specific, fixed as a deliberate line. More like a hazy area or gradient. Ombre separation. The journey from one space to another. from one state to another, fluid and changeable, volatile even, just like our emotions.
A conversation, mundane and normal, within all expectation, without turmoil – tomorrow includes the neighbours, your sister, the president back home, her at the bakery and the priest… in a tangled premeditated web of deceit and betrayal – in all your conviction and commitment to saving me from this conspiracy and evil-. I yearn for boundaries to help me distinguish between you and your illness and repair the trust and connection, where your reasoning might seem sound and your theories have just enough seeds of possible interpretation of truth to be plausible, plus your need for me to buy-in to your reality, to connect and validate you, accept you and be on your side– and my need to not lose you, my mum, my security and point of reference. Unconditional love and support. You are not your paranoia. But today you cannot be separated from it. Your schizophrenia does not define you but that distinction is so hard to find. The hard, bold line between before and after… a boundary hard to shift. Borders between then and now, you and me, trust and fear. We change, inevitably. The boundaries and borders between us forever betraying us one way or another.
I will never again be who I was yesterday.
But, all the people I have been contribute to who I will continue to discover I can be.
“I think we are well advised to keep on nodding terms with the people we used to be, whether we find them attractive company or not. Otherwise they turn up unannounced and surprise us, come hammering on the mind’s door at 4 a.m. of a bad night and demand to know who deserted them, who betrayed them, who is going to make amends.”
Fotografía de Ehimetalor Unuabona


Speakers at the event, which was moderated by Secretary of the Board of Governors Sir Danny Alexander, discussed the multilateral development bank's (MDB) progress on tackling the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as well as the bank's future in developing key technologies and infrastructure with its members under shared goals.
The speeches come as AIIB president Jin Liqun was elected to a second five-year term by the bank's Board of Governors, with the announcement taking place later in the day.
Sputnik takes a closer look at the highlights of the speech.
His Excellency Mr Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China
In the face of COVID-19, the AIIB has moved promptly to set up a COVID-19 Crisis Recovery Facility to support its members in containing the virus and reviving their economies.
Mutual support and cooperation in solidarity are the only way for mankind to overcome crises.
To address issues emerging in the course of economic globalisation, countries should pursue more inclusive global governance, more effective multilateral institutions, and more robust regional cooperation.
In this context, the AIIB may grow into a new platform that promotes development for all its members and facilitates the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
Mr Jin Liqun, President of the AIIB
Before being hit by COVID-19, productivity growth had already weakened substantially in emerging and developing economies.
This pandemic has placed huge pressure on AIIB members, particularly lower-income countries and the most vulnerable.
Incomes are down. Debts are up. Uncertainty remains. Unless effective measures are taken to reverse this trend, we will suffer the loss of a generation. We will not allow such a disaster to befall our people and future generations.
As part of the coordinated international response to the pandemic, we swiftly pivoted our investment strategy and launched our COVID-19 Crisis Recovery Facility.
Our Bank is a timely creation. We have unequivocally demonstrated our relevance, potency and capacity to do what is required by AIIB members and their people.
Hon. Bjarni Benediktsson, Vice Chair of the Board of Governors, AIIB & Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Republic of Iceland
From the perspective of an island-nation in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, we understand the importance of protecting the oceans from global climate change and pollution, including marine litter.
Over the last decades, Iceland has been a pioneer in designing and implementing port assistance to implement sustainable fisheries.
The oceans are probably our most important natural infrastructure. The oceans cover around 70 percent of the Earth's surface, contain over 97 percent of all water on Earth and and produce half of all our oxygen, not to mention its food contribution and potential energy contribution.
They also act as our chief climate regulator. In fact, more than 90 percent of warming of the Earth over the past 50 years has occurred in the ocean.
The AIIB should consider developing aspects on developing advice on projects that help restore or sustainably maintain the oceans and their vital resources for the benefit of the global population and their economies, obviously with a focus on Asia.
HE Liu Kun, Chair of the Board of Governors, AIIB and Minister of Finance, People’s Republic of China
I am pleased to see that the AIIB under the leadership of president Jin Liqun not only achieved rapid business development and strengthened its institutional capacity, but also registered notable governance progress.
Since the beginning of this year, the AIIB has actively responded of challenges of COVID-19 while ensuring staff safety and banking business continuity, it has intensified cooperation with other multilateral development institutions to quickly and effectively support pandemic control and economic recovery of members.
This not only reflects the AIIB's mobility, resilience and vitality, but also demonstrates its members firm support to the Bank.


Table of Contents
- Market Categories and Deployment Types
- Key Criteria Comparison
- GigaOm Radar
- Vendor Insights
- Analysts’ Take
File storage is a critical component of every hybrid cloud strategy, and enterprises often prefer it over block and object storage, in particular for big data, AI, and collaboration. We therefore decided to focus our assessment of the cloud-based file storage sector on two areas: on big data and AI in this report on high-performance cloud file storage; and on collaboration in our companion Radar on distributed cloud file storage.
Cloud providers didn’t initially offer file storage services, and this spurred multiple storage vendors to jump in with products and services to fill that gap. The requirements that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic are still relevant: with the increasing need for data mobility and the large number of workloads moving across on-premises and cloud infrastructures, file storage is simply better—easier to use and more accessible than other forms of storage.
Lift-and-shift migrations to the cloud are increasingly common scenarios, and enterprises often want to keep the environment as identical as possible to the original one. File storage is a key factor in accomplishing this, but simplicity and performance are important as well.
File systems still provide the best combination of performance, usability, and scalability for many workloads. It is still the primary interface for the majority of big data, AI/ML, and high-performing computing (HPC) applications, and today, it usually offers data services such as snapshots to improve data management operations.
In recent years, file systems also have become more cloud-friendly, offering better integrations with object storage, which enables better scalability, a better balance of speed and cost, and advanced features for data migration and disaster recovery.
Both traditional storage vendors and cloud providers now offer file services or solutions that can run both on-premises and in the cloud. Their approaches are different, though, and it can be very difficult to find a solution that both meets today’s needs and can evolve to face future challenges. Cloud providers generally offer the best integration across the entire stack but also raise the risk of lock-in, and services are not always the best in class. On the other hand, solutions from storage vendors typically provide better flexibility, performance, and scalability, but they can be less efficient or lack the level of integration offered by an end-to-end solution.
This is our fourth year evaluating the cloud file space in the context of our Key Criteria and Radar reports. This report builds on our previous analysis and considers how the market has evolved over the last year.
This GigaOm Radar report highlights key high-performance cloud file storage vendors and equips IT decision-makers with the information needed to select the best fit for their business and use case requirements. In the corresponding GigaOm report, “Key Criteria for Evaluating Cloud File Storage Solutions,” we describe in more detail the capabilities and metrics that are used to evaluate vendors in this market.
All solutions included in this Radar report meet the following table stakes—capabilities widely adopted and well implemented in the sector:
- Reliability and integrity
- Basic security
- Access methods
- Kubernetes support
How to Read this Report
This GigaOm report is one of a series of documents that helps IT organizations assess competing solutions in the context of well-defined features and criteria. For a fuller understanding, consider reviewing the following reports:
Key Criteria report: A detailed market sector analysis that assesses the impact that key product features and criteria have on top-line solution characteristics—such as scalability, performance, and TCO—that drive purchase decisions.
GigaOm Radar report: A forward-looking analysis that plots the relative value and progression of vendor solutions along multiple axes based on strategy and execution. The Radar report includes a breakdown of each vendor’s offering in the sector.


text:
A friend of mine sent me this 2008 video of Richard Koo from Nomura Research Institute in which he presents his theory of “balance sheet recessions”. Mr Koo has been consistent with this message, with his presentation appearing in 2009 and 2010, and consistency is something I respect.
Mr Koo makes the case that in the type of crisis we are in – one in which the private sector is not willing to borrow and are actually paying down their debt – monetary policy is pretty much useless. The only effective tool are sustained public stimulus over a long period of time, not a series of small or big ones as we come out and come back in recession. He argues that there is no need to worry about inflation and higher interest rate, even with increasing fiscal spending, the reason being that banks will be happier to lend the money to the government and earn interest, than not lend money at all i.e. destroying money.
I agree with Mr. Koo on his analysis of balance sheet recessions. But I think there are important cultural and political parameters for his solution to be viable in each geography (US, Europe, Asia):
- Debts must be repayable (including the government’s). If we are in a generalized Ponzi territory where we borrow to pay interest, hoping for assets to increase in value faster than debt, then it’s game over. I have high doubts about debts being repayable, but let’s assume they are.
- Economic agents must convincingly show they are doing their best to pay back their debt (and not hope that somehow they will be able to have someone pay for them). If they don’t, creditors will look for the exit and grab what they can before their promises become worthless.
- Savers must trust the public funds allocation process. This is probably the most important and challenging part and we must be creative about this. Good options to research IMHO to re-build trust that saved money lent to the Government will not be wasted: participatory budgeting or direct lending from savers to Government with specific projects people can invest in.

domain: finance