NASA Unveiled a Rover Concept That Could Be the Future of Human Exploration on Mars – Futurism

In Brief NASA has revealed a Mars rover concept designed to be driven by humans. The vehicle weighs more than two tons, runs on solar power, and features a detachable lab.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has taken one step forward in the journey to Mars: a brand new rover conceptthatsdesigned to carry people. Thats right. This new model would, in theory, transport humans across the Red Planet, ideally within a budding Martian colony.

The chunky concept rover is 3.3 meters (11 feet) tall, 8.5 meters (28 feet) long, and 4.3 meters (14 feet) wide. On its six equally chunky wheels, the rover weighs 2.7 tons. It is certainly not a flimsy vehicle, but despite its heft, it can reach speeds up to 110 km/h (68 mph) though it probably wouldnt travel faster than 24 km/h (15 mph) on Mars.

According to NASA, the rover features life-support systems, navigation and communication systems, and design and materials that relate to conditions and resources on Mars. It is designed totransport up to four astronauts at a given time, and it even comes equipped with a detachable laboratory. The vehicle runs off of solar power, carrying with it a 700-volt battery.

While this exact model might not be going into production anytime soon, parts of the concept may be used for future robotic rovers that are sent to the Red Planet.

One thing is certain, though. The fact that this concept exists shows that NASA scientists are carefully considering how humans might best move around Mars. It puts us one step closer to actually reaching the Red Planet, and though it might still seem like a far-off fantasy, as more details are considered and even small-seeming advancements are made, the closer we will get to becoming a multi-planetary species.

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NASA Unveiled a Rover Concept That Could Be the Future of Human Exploration on Mars - Futurism

Qatar’s Crisis is About Freedom of Expression – EFF

The tiny Gulf country of Qatar is in crisis. Over the past few weeks, members of the Gulf Cooperation Council have systematically sought to isolate and suffocate the country, accusing Qatar of supporting extremism, severing diplomatic ties, and calling upon their allies to do the same.

It is not only a diplomatic crisis, but a crisis for free expression in an already restrictive region. As some analysts have pointed out, the singling out of Qatar has as much to do with the countrys alleged support of terrorism as it does with neighboring countries desire to shutter Al Jazeera, Qatars flagship media organization.

Al Jazeera, a comprehensive media outlet funded by the Qatari government with several international satellite television channels, websites, and online video operations, is not exactly a beacon of free expressionit rarely reports negatively on Qatar or other Gulf countries, for examplebut it has stood strong in its reporting on the Arab region and much of the world, covering topics that other outlets often ignore.

Although the country restricts access to some websites and outlaws criticism of its rulers, it has nevertheless set itself apart as a regional media leader. Al Araby Al Jadeed (The New Arab) and Huffington Post Arabi are just two of the online media outlets to emerge from the country in recent years.

Its Gulf neighborsnamely Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)offer a much more restrictive online environment, with each blocking numerous websites, including international media. Now, as they seek to isolate Qatar, theyre homing in on its media and using the internet as a means to an end.

It all began just a few days after President Trumps May 22 meeting with Gulf leaders in Saudi Arabia, when Qatar News Agency (QNA) published comments critical of the United States attributed to the countrys ruler, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Al Jazeera claimed QNA's site had been hacked, but satellite channels from the UAE and Saudi Arabia reported the comments as legitimate and subsequently blocked Al Jazeeras main website on May 24.

From there, things escalated quickly: on May 25, Egypt blocked access to Al Jazeera and other Qatari-funded news sites, and took the opportunity to also block local independent site Mada Masr. Saudi Arabia and Jordanfollowed suit by revoking Al Jazeeras license and closing its offices.

And now, under the pretext of cybercrime (a favored means of repression in the region), Qatars neighbors are seeking to prosecute anyone who speaks favorably about the country. The UAE has threatened up to 15 years in prison or debilitating fines for anyone who shows sympathy to embattled Qatar, while Bahrains Ministry of Interior announced penalties of up to five years imprisonment on their website. SaudiNews tweeted that the government of Saudi Arabia would impose up to five years imprisonment for pro-Qatar speech as well, on the grounds of the countrys 2007 cybercrime law, which bans material impinging on public order. The kingdom took their restrictions a step further, banning satellite TV from hotels to prevent visitors from watching Al Jazeera. Finally, on June 8, Al Jazeera suffered a massive cyberattack.

These restrictions, as well as restrictions on travel to and from Qatar, are pushing the embattled country into isolation and threatening the economy and livelihood of Qatars residents and citizens. But they also set a dangerous precedent in an already extremely restrictive environment for freedom of expression: the use of economic and travel sanctions to shut down a powerful media outlet and further, punish anyone who speaks out against that act.

As a media leader in the region, Qatar has an important role of providing news coverage to citizens in the Gulf and beyond. And while press freedom still has a long way to go in Qatar, further suppression of human rights by members of the GCC is not the answer. EFF condemns the Council's attempts to sever diplomatic ties with the country and silence Qatari media outlets, like Al Jazeera, under the guise of combating terrorism. Supporting Qatar's media environment, and helping it become more free, is an imperative.

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Qatar's Crisis is About Freedom of Expression - EFF

Let’s talk about parks: The extraordinary nature knowledge of freedom seekers – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Let's talk about parks: The extraordinary nature knowledge of freedom seekers
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
This proved essential for survival and was a key element of the journey from slavery to freedom. During the antebellum period of the 19th century, Pittsburgh and other northern cities became destinations of freedom, and many freedom seekers passed ...

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Let's talk about parks: The extraordinary nature knowledge of freedom seekers - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Mutual trust will help ensure freedom in the Pacific – Los Angeles Times

I am an immigrant to the United States born in South Korea. My parents fled the North to escape communism. I understand the important relationship that exists between the United States and Korea. It is a history that is forged in blood and sacrifice.

During the Korean War, about 140,000 South Koreans and more than 35,000 Americans gave their lives to stop the spread of communism and bring freedom to all Koreans.

After the war, the United States continued to aid Korea with financial and military assistance that helped with Koreas post-war recovery. The U.S. continues to support Korea to this day. Nearly 30,000 Americans are stationed in South Korea, risking their lives every day to defend freedom on the peninsula.

North Koreas unstable communist dictator, Kim Jong-un, continues to test ballistic missiles, increasing the threat to the Republic of Korea and freedom in the Pacific.

Of course the previous American presidential administrations laissez-faire attitude toward North Koreas belligerence are in part to blame for making us more vulnerable to its increasing threats.

The constant threat of North Korea, not only to the U.S. national security but to our allies in the Pacific, is becoming more concerning. North Korea poses a physical threat to our allies, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

Dealing with an unhinged oppressive leader is not something unfamiliar to the United States. However, the previous administrations diminishing of the number of troops and military funding, increasingly aggressive actions and changes in leadership there are cause to be anxious. The scandal and impeachment of President Park Geun-hye and recent election of President Moon Jae-in in the South have created an even greater concern with the instability of the region. The change in leadership in the South and the reckless aggression in the North is a dangerous combination for our regional allies.

Therefore, it is now more important than ever to ensure our alliances in the area continue to be strong. We cant afford to allow either Japan or the Republic of Korea to be threatened by such unpredictable power in the region.

The United States is resolved to remain loyal to its longtime allies. It is even more important for Koreans to understand what is on the table and to trust the United States. We understand the importance and the great mutual advantages of our alliance.

Ranked as the 11th largest economy in the world, the Republic of Korea has continued to grow as a global power. Once a recipient of U.S. aid, in 2010 the Republic of Korea became a member of the Development Assistance Committee and officially moved from an aid recipient to a donor; managing to become an official democracy and global power in only a few short decades.

Now is not the time to create greater turmoil with South Korea, which is still unstable from its latest election. However, it is important the new leaders understand the people of the United States will not be patient and complacent when it comes to matters of security. If forced, the United States could be put in the position to take preemptive action against the North.

Both Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Vice President Mike Pence have shared after their visits to Korea the continual use and testing of ballistic missiles by the North is unacceptable, and the new leadership in the South should understand the United States wants to see immediate change concerning the North.

As Pence stated during his trip to the Demilitarized Zone, the alliance between the Republic of Korea and the United States is ironclad. Our loyalties will always remain with our allies in the Pacific. In return, it is their loyalty we will need in order to ensure our mutual protection, safety and continued freedom.

Surfside resident MICHELLE STEEL serves on the Orange County Board of Supervisors.

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Mutual trust will help ensure freedom in the Pacific - Los Angeles Times

VP leads Freedom Day rites – Inquirer.net

VP Leni Robredo leads the flag raising ceremony and wreath laying during the 119th Independence day celebration held at Rizal Park in Manila. also in photo from left: Executive Sec Salvador Medialdea and DFA Sec Alan Peter Cayetano. INQUIRER PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC

Tired and not feeling well, President Duterte skipped his first Independence Day rites at Rizal Park in Manila on Monday.

In his stead, Vice President Leni Robredo led the flag-raising and wreath-laying at the monument of national hero Jose Rizal.

Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said the President was not feeling well after visiting on Sunday afternoon soldiers wounded in the fighting in Marawi City and then condoling later in the evening with the families of the slain Marines.

You know that the President has been working 24/7meeting the troops, meeting the commandersand then late last night visiting the wounded and those who died, Cayetano told reporters at Rizal Park. Its nothing to worry about its just that hes not feeling well, tired and lacking in sleep.

I dont have the full details but I received the call around 5:30 this morning and I talked to his people and inquired and was told that theres no problem. Hes OK but tired and doesnt feel that well. Its better to rest, he said.

Mr. Duterte went to Villamor Air Base after arriving in Manila from Mindanao to condole with the families of eight of the 13 Marines who were slain in Marawi on Friday. He then went to the Philippine Marines headquarters in Fort Bonifacio to visit the wake of two other Marines killed in Marawi.

Palace event canceled

Last week, Malacaang canceled the traditional Independence Day vin dhonneur reception at the Palace so that Mr. Duterte could attend to pressing matters in Mindanao.

He doesnt feel giving a toast while soldiers are dying and evacuees are in provinces surrounding Marawi, Cayetano said.

As you know, the target was to liberate Marawi today, June 12, but as you can see yourselves the problem is complex and there are so many developments but we hope to resolve this once and for all, he added.

The heroism of government troops who died battling terrorists in Marawi was extolled in separate celebrations in Kawit, Cavite province, where the nations independence from Spain was proclaimed 119 years ago, and at Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan province, which hosted the assembly that established the first Philippine Republic in 1899.

Modern Katipuneros

Many lives have been lost in the fighting, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said at the Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit. I would like to honor our countrys modern-day Katipuneros: the soldiers and policemen, who day and night offer their lives in the name of public service to protect peace and our safety against criminality and other plagues of the society.

Lacson said that fighting for the country did not end when President Emilio Aguinaldo declared independence in 1898. He said freedom should not be a mere chapter of history but something that had to be protected for the sake of generations to come.

He told reporters he would also support a move by Cavite representatives to declare March 22, the birth date of Aguinaldo, a national holiday.

On the Barasoain Church grounds in the City of Malolos in Bulacan province, Sen. Loren Legarda led a moment of silence as a wreath was offered for the soldiers, policemen and civilians killed in the fighting with Islamist terrorists in Marawi.

Legarda said it was fitting to dedicate the Independence Day celebration to those who have invested their lives for freedom.

In his speech at Pinaglabanan Shrine in San Juan City, Sen. Sonny Angara called for unity in the face of the Marawi conflict.

Theres a mix of sadness in todays celebration of our Independence Day upon hearing the 11 p.m. news that 58 soldiers and policemen have died due to the clashes in Marawi City, he said, adding he hoped that the conflict in Mindanao would soon be resolved.

Seeds of revolution

The Battle of Pinaglabanan in August 1896 resulted in the great losses to Andres Bonifacio and the Katipunan but it lit the fire and planted the seeds of revolution that eventually resulted in the proclamation of independence in 1898.

In the morning, the Philippine flag was raised simultaneously in San Juan City and other historical parts of the country.

Let us unite so that our prayers would reach the citizens, that amid the violence and turmoil, they will be safe and that our police and soldiers would gain the strength and courage to keep fighting for our flag, Angara said.

In Angeles City in Pampanga province, Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan urged Filipinos to pray for peace in Marawi and for the eternal repose of the fallen troops.

During a dramatization of the countrys revolutionary struggles for freedom, local artists performed a skit about the clashes between government troops and terrorists in Marawi.

In her Independence Day message, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno urged the Filipino people to remember those who have fought for and continue to fight for our countrys freedom and sovereignty.

Sereno skipped the flag-raising ceremony and Independence Day rites at the Bonifacio Monument in Caloocan City as she attended the preliminary conference of the oral arguments on the three petitions challenging President Dutertes martial law proclamation in Mindanao, according to Theodore Te, the Supreme Court spokesperson.

The judiciary pays homage to all Filipino heroes, draws inspiration from them, reflects with sorrow on the fallen in Marawi and renews its commitment to the people to defend their freedoms, Sereno said.

We celebrate the valor of our fallen heroes present and past, all of who sacrificed lives and wealth, safety and comfort, she added.

Just and humane

In his first Independence Day message as foreign secretary, Cayetano said the Philippines remained in good standing in the international community as the country faced threats of terrorism and crimes.

He insisted that the country would pursue an independent foreign policy while the Duterte administration continued the fight for freedom from poverty, crime, illegal drugs and corruption.

He also hailed the more than 10 million Filipino workers who labored overseas to provide for their families at home.

As a nation, we Filipinos on bended knees implore the aid of Almighty God to guide us to maintain a just and humane society, especially amid the threats of international terrorism and international crimes, Cayetano said, without mentioning the militarys campaign to dislodge terrorists entrenched in Marawi.

At the same time, we stand tall as Filipinos as the Philippines is a responsible and respected member of the community of nations, he said.

Last week, 32 countries from Europe expressed deep concern over extrajudicial killings related to the antidrug campaign and urged the government to allow the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Agnes Callamard, to investigate without preconditions or limitations. WITH REPORTS FROM MARICAR CINCO, MARLON RAMOS, DONA Z. PAZZIBUGAN, JODEE A. AGONCILLO, CARMELA REYES-ESTROPE, VILLAMOR VISAYA JR. AND TONETTE OREJAS

Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. Call 896 6000.

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VP leads Freedom Day rites - Inquirer.net

Japan, rights expert trade barbs over Tokyo’s record on freedom of expression – The Japan Times

GENEVA A senior Japanese diplomat and a U.N. rights expert traded barbs Monday at the U.N. Human Rights Council over a report released in May that criticized Tokyos record on freedom of opinion and expression.

David Kaye, the U.N. special rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, cited significant worrying signals in his report, including government pressure on media and restrictions on information access justified on national security grounds.

It is regrettable that some parts of the report are written without accurate understanding of the governments explanation and its positions, Japanese Ambassador to Geneva Junichi Ihara said in his statement to the Council.

Regarding Japans broadcasting law, in which Article 4 theoretically provides the government with the basis to suspend broadcasting licenses if TV stations are not considered politically fair, Ihara said that the act does not give rise to any pressure on the media.

There were no cases in which the operation suspension order was applied by the Broadcast Act, he said.

In his statement, Kaye argued that the authority of the government to suspend broadcast licenses on grounds of fairness, even if the government has never taken advantage of that authority, presents a certain measure of risk for any broadcaster, one that the government would do well to remove.

Ihara also responded to Kayes concern about a contentious secrecy law aimed at preventing leaks and state secrets that took effect in 2014, under which civil servants or others who leak designated secrets could face up to 10 years in prison. Those who instigate leaks, including journalists, could be subject to prison terms of up to five years.

In his report, Kaye said the law involved the risk of arbitrariness because specific subcategories under which information may be designated as secret remained overly broad.

Information designed as specially designated secrets is limited under strict conditions, Ihara said, adding that information gathering activities performed by journalists are not punishable under the act.

Kayes report, presented on Monday to the Human Rights Council, is the result of the first-ever research on freedom of expression in Japan conducted by a U.N. special rapporteur.

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Japan, rights expert trade barbs over Tokyo's record on freedom of expression - The Japan Times

Intudo Ventures launches $10M fund for Indonesia’s fast-growing startup ecosystem – TechCrunch

Indonesia is one of Southeast Asias most promising startup market. Today, its ecosystem gained a new investor with the launch of Intudo Ventures debut fund, which has more than $10 million to invest into about 12 to 16 early-stage startups, as well as joint ventures with overseas companies that want to break into the Indonesian market.

Intudo was founded by Eddy Chan and Patrick Yip (pictured above), who are working with founding advisor Timothy Chen. Collectively, the three have invested in a notable roster of companies including PayPal, SpaceX, Palantir, Netscreen, and Fortinet. Intudo (a combination of the Bahasa Indonesian words for integrity, sincerity, and serendipity) will look for companies in e-commerce, finance, healthcare, education, and media.

While Indonesias startup industry and venture capital ecosystem are still young, Chan told TechCrunch that Intudos team sees strikingly similar trends to what we observed in China in the early 2000s.

Indonesia is the worlds fourth-largest country by population, with about 260 million people, and it is also one of the fastest-growing Internet markets by penetration, with Internet users (most mobile-first) expected to jump from a current 92 million to 215 million in 2020.

Furthermore, Indonesias population is relatively young and increasingly affluent, and this gives consumer startups a lot of opportunities.

For example, Indonesian-based marketplace Tokopedia has raised about $248 million from investors including SoftBank, while Alibaba poured $1 billion into Lazada last year to gain a stronger foothold in Southeast Asia e-commerce. A few other examples of tech companies and investors paying close attention to Southeast Asiaand Indonesia in particularinclude Tencent (which recently led a $1.2 billion round in on-demand transportation startup Go-Jek), Amazon, and JD.com.

Another parallel between Indonesia and Chinas startup industries is the high-profile of founders who have worked or studied abroad. Called sea turtles in China, Chan refers to their Southeast Asian counterparts as S.E.A. Turtles and he says they will have an important influence on Indonesias tech sector by bringing knowledge and networks acquired while overseas.

Some S.E.A. Turtles returned to Indonesia specifically to launch startups, while others were recruited by the local offices of tech leaders like Google, Facebook, Amazon, Alibaba, or Tencent before leaving to found their own companies.

Either way, Intudos goal is to help promising returnees nail down the right time to have a major impact on Indonesias ecosystem. In China, Chan says, sea turtles had significant influence in the 2000s, but as the tech sector matured, their advantages became less unique.

Nowadays, with the clear establishment of best practices, talent, and infrastructure in place in China, sea turtle talent still fits a niche, but is no longer as much of a game changing factor, says Chan.

We feel the Indonesian startup industry/venture capital ecosystem is still emerging, making it ripe for S.E.A. Turtles to return to help build out best practices and infrastructure, which will allow them to capitalize the growth of the venture capital ecosystem. If they do not return in the next few years, the window may have closed and they may be left on the outside looking in.

Intudo will focus on leading seed and Series A rounds, with initial investments ranging from $200,000 to $1.25 million, and the total amount invested from the fund into a startup ranging from about $1 million to $2.5 million. (Chan says that while Silicon Valley-based startups usually raise about $1 million to $5 million for seed funding, and $5 million and $15 million for Series A rounds, in Indonesia that figure is usually divided by five because of differences in cost structure. In other words, Indonesia-based startups usually raised about $200,000 to $1 million for seed rounds, and $1 million to $3 million in Series A financing, though recently he has seen funding amounts and valuations for some startups increase dramatically by their Series B and Series C rounds, so that they are comparable to similar companies in Silicon Valley).

For joint ventures, Intudo will look at companies that have already raised their Series B or C and want to expand into Indonesia.

Chan says Intudo is very bullish on the consumer sector and the opportunity to build some world-class direct-to-consumer brands, as well as financial tech because credit card penetration in Indonesia is still very low. He adds that inefficiencies in the countrys healthcare system also creates opportunities in the health sector if the right distribution partners are found.

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Intudo Ventures launches $10M fund for Indonesia's fast-growing startup ecosystem - TechCrunch

Lost ecosystem turns up in seafloor mud – Futurity: Research News

Paleontologists investigating the sea bed off the coast of southern California have discovered a lost ecosystem that for thousands of years had nurtured communities of scallops and shelled marine organisms called brachiopods.

These brachiopods and scallops had thrived along a section of coast stretching approximately 250 miles from San Diego to Santa Barbara for at least 4,000 years. But they had died off by the early 20th century, replaced by the mud-dwellling burrowing clams that inhabit this seabed today.

Evidence indicates that the brachiopod and scallop die-off occurred in less than a century. Because this community disappeared before biologists started sampling the seafloor, its existence was unknown and unsuspected. Only dead shells remain.

This loss unfolded during the 19th century, thus well before urbanization and climate warming, says Susan Kidwell, professor in geophysical sciences at the University of Chicago. The disappearance of these abundant filter-feeding animals coincided with the rise of lifestock and cultivation in coastal lands, which increased silt deposition on the continental shelf, far beyond the lake and nearshore settings where we would expect this stress to have an impact.

Continental shelves, the submerged shoulders of the continents, are a worldwide phenomenon. They form a distinct environment separated by a steep slope from the much deeper and vaster expanse of ocean floor beyond, and provide key habitats for biodiversity and fisheries.

The seabed off southern California is one of the most thoroughly studied in the world, but in applying geologic methods to modern biological samples of the sea floor, Kidwell and coauthor Adam Tomaovch of the Slovak Academy of Sciences encountered unsuspected results. Today that seabed consists of soft sediments, where creatures such as segmented worms, crustaceans, molluscs, crabs, and urchins feed on organic matter.

This is a fundamentally different ecosystem than the one that preceded it not so long ago, says Tomaovch, who heads the department of paleoecology and organismal evolution at the Slovak Academy.

The methods applied here provide crucial information on ecosystem response to natural and human pressures over otherwise inaccessible timescales, he says.

Kidwell and her associates work in conservation paleobiology has shown that misfits between live populations and the shells they leave behind on modern sea floors do not signal poor preservation. The differences instead indicate a recent ecological shiftone usually driven by human activities such as pollution or sea-floor dredging.

Tomaovch and Kidwell based their new study on the analysis of samples and data collected from multiple sources. They have conducted their own research on the sea floor off southern California, but theyve also benefited from samples and monitoring data that other scientists have collected from the area since 1954.

Brachiopods and scallops, which prefer cold waters and a gravelly environment, range from the US-Mexico border to the Gulf of Alaska. Tomaovch and Kidwell eliminated climate warming as a likely culprit in their ecosystem collapse, given that large populations of brachiopods persist near Catalina Island, where water temperatures are similar to those of southern Californias mainland coastal waters.

The paleontologists instead pointed to the dramatic changes that southern Californias watersheds have undergone since 1769, after Spanish missionaries introduced cattle, horses, and sheep to the area.

The researchers established the age of the brachiopods using a molecular dating technique called amino acid racemization. All of the 190 shells analyzed were more than 100 years old, and most were older than 200 years, indicating that the start of the population die-off coincided with the rise of livestock and cultivation on the nearby mainland.

Brachiopods and scallops have low tolerance for high levels of suspended sediment, leaving them vulnerable to the side effects of a regional economy that focused on cattle production from 1769 to the 1860s. During this time, much of modern-day Los Angeles and Orange counties were subject to unmanaged, open-range grazing. The economy shifted to agriculture in the late 19th century, but in the absence of soil conservation methods, the side effects on the coastal ocean would have continued unabated into the early 20th century.

The researchers conclude that siltation associated with this prolonged period of unmanaged land use probably drove the collapse of the brachiopod-scallop populations.

Extirpation was complete by the start of 21st-century urbanization, warming, bottom fishing, and scientific surveys, Tomaovch and Kidwell report.

They further conclude that siltation derived from coastal land-use practices is an under-recognized ecological factor on continental shelves around the globe.

They report their findings in Royal Society Proceedings B.

Funding came from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Science Foundation, and the Slovak Grant Agency.

Source: University of Chicago

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Lost ecosystem turns up in seafloor mud - Futurity: Research News

Rhode Island Ready to Enter Autonomous Vehicle Ecosystem – Government Technology

With the release of a request for information, the smallest state in the country is hoping to have an outsized role in the future of transportation. by News Staff / June 12, 2017

The 6/10 connector runs through Providence and its suburbs. (Rhode Island Department of Transportation)

Rhode Island is calling out for experts, academics and interest groups for connected autonomous vehicles (CAVs) that could transform the states transportation ecosystem. Whether it's a private company looking to test out a fleet of autonomous shuttles or a driverless transportation network, Gov. Gina Raimondo and the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) are ready to listen.

On June 7, RIDOT published an RFI (PDF) seeking advice and suggestions on how to position the state as a leader in the developing the transportation system of the future. Although the primary focus is on how to adapt and get ready for CAVs, the document also states RIDOTs interest in other innovative transport system technologies such as on-demand ride-sharing services, and high-speed intercity and inter-suburb transporter technology.

Regional states have already begun working in this space. Boston is working on an autonmous vehicle strategy in partnership with the World Economic Forum and released their Go Boston 2030 transportation plan. New York is taking applications for autonomous vehicle testing in the state and was chosen by the U.S. DOT as a test site for connected vehicle technologies. Pennsylvania has entered into a multi-state coalition with Ohio and Michigan to explore the future of inter-state transportation.

"By embracing innovation in transportation, we are positioning Rhode Island to be a leader and we will create jobs, said Gov. Raimondo in a release. By launching this process, we will be prepared to make best use of new and emerging technologies."

The RFI is broken down into six primary questions:

The state is interested in seeing who will come to the state with proposals and what the future of transportation in the state will look like. Respondents are encouraged to conceptually propose how you envision a proof-of-concept or pilot CAV or on-demand ride sharing service deployment. Five locations are listed as potential locations, which include smart transportation corridors, business parks and university campuses.

"This is a time of rapid innovation in the automotive sector, as products adapt to develop and incorporate new technology, and meet changing consumer demand," RIDOT's Chief Operating Officer Shoshana Lew said. "There is an opportunity to help integrate that conversation with infrastructure planning and execution. Rhode Island can be a place where we help bring those threads together.

Submissions are due to the Department of Administration by July 12, in both hardcopy and CD-ROM.

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Rhode Island Ready to Enter Autonomous Vehicle Ecosystem - Government Technology

RISE: Ready To Put Hong Kong’s Startup Ecosystem Back On The Global Map – Forbes


Forbes
RISE: Ready To Put Hong Kong's Startup Ecosystem Back On The Global Map
Forbes
One of the most efficient ways to boost the Hong Kong startup ecosystem is by hosting large scale tech and startup events. An upcoming conference, which is truly putting Hong Kong firmly on the global map, is RISE. Produced by Web Summit, RISE is the ...

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RISE: Ready To Put Hong Kong's Startup Ecosystem Back On The Global Map - Forbes

South Florida Startup Ecosystem Continues Pattern of Growth and Investment – Government Technology

(TNS)-- Nearpod, an education-technology startup, keeps outgrowing its Aventura offices.

We have been doubling the company every year in people, revenue, users, all the key metrics, said Felipe Sommer. He co-founded the company with Guido Kovalskys and Emiliano Abramzon, three Argentine friends who have worked on ventures together for more than a decade. Nearpod now employs 70 people and expects to be 100-strong by the end of the year.

As you can see, he said, motioning toward the dozens of workers in the spacious, open office, we like to double.

Now the company, which develops online lessons for students and teachers, will be doubling down on South Florida. Until now, Nearpod has kept some of its top management in Silicon Valley to tap talent and stay close to its Bay Area investors. Those employees, including CEO Kovalskys, the vice president of marketing and directors of content and product, will be relocating to Miami.

Nearpod and other South Florida fast-growing startups will be celebrated as the fourth annual eMerge Americas technology conference opens Monday at the Miami Beach Convention Center. At least 13,000 people are expected to attend the two-day conference, headlined by Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple; Uri Levine, co-founder of Waze; Gustavo Cisneros, founder of Grupo Cisneros; and Marcelo Claure, founder of South Floridas Brightstar and now CEO of Sprint. eMerge will also be a show of force for the startup community: More than 125 startups will be exhibiting, while scores more will be attending.

The backdrop for the conference: a number of recent success stories in South Floridas tech community.

In a transaction that closed last month, Dania Beach-based Chewy.com was acquired by PetSmart for about $3 billion, the largest e-commerce deal ever. Chewy CEO Ryan Cohen said the 5,000-employee unit that booked $900 million in revenue in 2016 will operate as an independent subsidiary and continue to grow in South Florida.

Modernizing Medicine, the Boca Raton health-tech company founded in 2010, raised $231 million to fund its growth. Modernizing Medicine employs more than 550 people and is booking $100 million in annual revenue.

And theres the near-instant global technology player in cybersecurity company Cyxtera Technologies, headed by Manny Medina, who also founded Terremark Worldwide, Medina Capital and eMerge Americas. The result of a $2.8 billion transaction that closed last month, Cyxtera combines 57 data centers and four cybersecurity and data analytics companies from Medina Capitals portfolio, and employs 1,000 people worldwide about 100 in South Florida.

With the major successes were seeing like Modernizing Medicine, Chewy.com and Cyxtera not to mention the massive potential impact of [augmented-reality technology company] Magic Leap we are poised to have a number of very large, global technology companies based in this ecosystem, said Xavier Gonzalez, CEO of eMerge Americas. These companies and many others will continue to grow, innovate and attract talent from all over the world. That talent will develop new companies and bring even more interest from investors.

The cycle, he said, points to increasing maturation of Miamis technology sector.

Matt Haggman agrees. He is the Miami program director of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, which leads the local movement to develop South Florida into a hub for technology and innovation. Increasingly, what we are seeing is an evolution from what could be to what is now, and that is super exciting, he said. If you go online right now for jobs in tech, there are hundreds of jobs.

The Knight Foundation has funded organizations and projects to develop an ecosystem since 2012, including Endeavor Miami, Miami Dade Colleges Idea Center, Startupbootcamp, The LAB Miami and LaunchCode. It has committed more than $25 million in more than 200 projects in the Miami area, including recently $1.2 million to the Miami Urban Future Initiative, a joint project of Florida International University and the Creative Class Group for economic research on entrepreneurship and technology in South Florida. It also recently announced $1.2 million in new support for Code Fevers signature event Blacktech Week, planned for September, and related programs that aim to expand opportunities for entrepreneurs of color.

The foundation plans to continue investing in infrastructure projects and organizations that help support and accelerate the growth of an entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Were just getting started, Haggman said. If this is a nine-inning game, we are at the bottom of the first or the top of the second. The important thing to understand is that it can happen.

Recent studies shed light on the challenges of that long game ahead. South Florida is a startup and small-business factory, sprouting more new businesses every year than any other large U.S. metro area. But growing large companies has always been a challenge for the Miami area as well as for the state.

Last year, the Miami metro area ranked 39th among the 40 largest metro areas for growth entrepreneurship. Bloombergs 2016 U.S. State Innovation Index ranked Florida 34th. The Milken Institutes State Technology and Science Index for 2016 put Florida in 41st place four places lower than in 2014. Among the components of the Milken index, the state ranked the lowest, 46th, for science and technology workforce. Other indicators show the state and South Florida lagging in patent activity and venture capital. (See related data on tech and startups here.)

If you look at startup activity in Miami its new venture creation it is incredibly high. When we look at growth entrepreneurship, its pretty low, said Arnobio Morelix, senior research analyst at the Kauffman Foundation and one of the authors of recent reports on startup activity and growth entrepreneurship.

Another key challenge: Miami-Dades technology sector is dwarfed by the service economy and its low-paying jobs. Still, by number of employees, tech is growing faster than aviation, banking/finance, creative design, tourism, healthcare and trade/logistics all industries targeted for growth by the Miami-Dade Beacon Council, the countys public-private economic development agency.

The tech sector is growing faster than the overall economy, said Jaap Donath, the Beacon Councils senior vice president of research and strategic planning. What we are starting to see is growth subsets linked to existing sectors, such as fintech, health IT, trade/logistics and tourism.

By number of employees, the technology sector has grown 27.6 percent from 2012 through 2016 to 10,413 employees in Miami-Dade, according to Beacon Council data. The number of tech companies, 1,654, is up 10.9 percent, and the average salary is $95,087, up 16.8 percent the second-highest after banking/finance.

In Broward County, where technology is a much larger sector with the likes of Magic Leap, MDLIVE, Chewy and JetSmarter, 3,742 technology companies employ 44,431, and the average salary is $94,273. Thats up 19.2 percent from 2012, when the industry employed 37,266, according to the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance.

The last five years have seen an enhancement of our tech ecosystem. For us, it is very exciting to see that growth, especially looking at potential scalability, Donath said. Weve seen that with CareCloud that was a local startup, and now [the health-tech company] is a mainstay of the Miami economy with hundreds of employees. Albert [Santalo, founder of CareCloud,] made a conscious choice to build and grow the company in Miami.

This goes for companies focused on the Latin American market, too. Were seeing companies that come out of Latin America but find what they need in Miami to sell their products back into Latin America a good example being Yellow Pepper, the fintech company, said Donath. Based in Wynwood with a team of 61, Yellow Pepper is a pioneer and leading player in mobile payments and banking solutions in Latin America and has been recently valued by the Inter-American Development Bank at more than $100 million.

Community leaders point to progress on other fronts as well.

In the past year, new incubators and accelerators such as Startup FIU, Startupbootcamp and Babson WIN Lab have graduated their first cohorts, joining pioneer Venture Hive. Global fund 500 Startups has run a growth accelerator, conference and other events here; it is now planning to establish a permanent presence in Miami. An international venture-builder, with Silicon Valley veterans at the helm, will be launched in Miami and announced during eMerge Americas. Organizations such as LaunchCode and coding bootcamps train tech developers and designers and help match them with job openings.

Although the region still lags badly in venture capital investment, several new funds have been announced in the past year, including Rokk3r Fuel and Las Olas Venture Capital. Local companies are attracting investment from beyond the region. They include JetSmarter, which raised $105 million in December, and Modernizing Medicine, which last month announced an investment of $231 million. Other firms including Boatsetter, MealPal, Nearpod, Nymbus, Altor Bioscience and F1 Oncology have each raised well north of $10 million in the last six months.

Wynwoods Rokk3r Labs is announcing Monday the launch of 10xU, a global educational platform focused on teaching entrepreneurs to identify and assess opportunities for fast-growing, world-changing companies, as well as the nuts and bolts of team building, raising capital, scaling and exiting. Its content and programming will also be targeted at corporations whose models will likely face disruption.

10xU will become a portfolio company of Rokk3r Labs, a company builder that has worked with more than 40 startups. In March, Rokk3r announced that it launched an investment fund, Rokk3r Fuel. It aims to raise a $150 million fund its not there yet and already has invested in startups AdMobilize, Hyp3r, Taxfyle and Emerge.me. Over the next few weeks, the fund plans to announce more capital deployments, locally and globally. A second set of investments is planned in the fourth quarter, said Nabyl Charania, CEO of Rokk3r Labs.

The growth of an ecosystem is not an overnight thing. If we wait for someone else to come in and do things for us, we will just continue to wait, he said. Thats why we proceeded with Rokk3r Fuel and 10xU and will continue to co-build companies, because we believe that is the best way to help an ecosystem providing all the right tools to build world-changing companies.

Some local serial entrepreneurs are already beginning to sprout new ventures and invest in others. After the $2 billion sale of Terremark, Medina started eMerge, Medina Capital and now Cyxtera. The $1.65 billion sale of Mako Surgical made way for co-founder Rony Abovitz to start Magic Leap, while former Mako CEO Maurice Ferr is involved with several health-tech ventures, including running the Israel-based Insightec from Miami.

Adam Boalt sold his first company, RushMyPassport.com, in 2013. Last September, Boalt sold his second tech company, LiveAnswer.com, to Stericycle, a publicly traded Fortune 1000 company. Now he is building again.

govWorks will be launching in January 2018 and will change the way the public interfaces with the government, Boalt said. The platform is aimed at greatly simplifying the processes for travel visas, passports, fishing licenses and other documents by storing customer information securely. An earlier company, the original govWorks, collapsed after raising $60 million. Boalt acquired the domain name: They had a good idea that was ahead of their time, and they had challenges executing. I know the time is right now, and we have the team that can pull it off.

govWorks has a team of 32 in Miami, 80 percent of them engineers. Boalt expects to add 20 more software engineers and product designers later this year.

Ive had opportunities to be in New York and the West Coast, but this is my home, Boalt said. I feel like people have doubts about Miami. I hate that. I feel like I can make a difference here.

Other entrepreneurs have been urged to move elsewhere sometimes by their own investors. Abovitz may be the most famous of these South Florida bulls, choosing Plantation as the base for his cutting-edge, mixed-reality technology startup, valued at an eye-popping $4.5 billion with a whos who list of Silicon Valley and global investors, even though its initial product has yet to be released. Now Magic Leap is rumored to be raising another round of funding at a $6 billion to $8 billion valuation.

In Aventura, meanwhile, above a Bank of America office, Nearpods bright and open offices hum with employees at work on laptops or on the phone with customers. Two years ago, the company moved into 3,000 square feet; now Nearpod has filled 9,000 square feet, and it could already use more space.

As the co-founders demo the companys virtual reality lessons, Abramzon explains that students virtually visit sites of history or culture like the Eiffel Tower, the Egyptian Pyramids and Checkpoint Charlie to learn about the Cold War or even concentration camps. The visits are accompanied by in-app videos, quizzes and opportunities for questions and interaction with teachers. Altogether, the VR lessons, which Nearpod began offering last year, have drawn more than 6 million views.

Nearpod has users in one of every 10 schools nationwide, including more than 40 schools in the Miami-Dade and Broward County public school districts, Gulliver Prep, LaSalle, American Heritage and Pine Crest. About 4 million students worldwide view the content monthly. Nearpod also recently launched Nearpod for ELL at Miami-Dade public schools, which includes 500 ready-to-teach lessons designed specifically for non-native English speakers.

In March, Nearpod announced it had raised $21 million to fund its growth. We are hiring for VPs of customer success and finance and a head of content, said Abramzon. All will be based in South Florida because of its lifestyle, cost of living, diversity, growing entrepreneurial environment, strong partnerships with local schools, and support from local investors Krillion Ventures, Knight Enterprise Fund and the AGP network.

Miami is in our DNA, added Sommer. We want everyone under the same roof, and that roof is going to be in Miami.

But for all its growth, Rokk3rs Charania believes South Floridas startup ecosystem needs to develop more quickly: What we need is more people from the community supporting the ecosystem. We need corporations to step into the game. We need the government and educational institutions with a lot more impact. Were not there yet but people are starting to pull together.

Knights Haggman said its important to get the word out about the opportunities here: There is still some disconnect, whether it is job opportunities, resources or funding, because there are still fixed ideas about this place, and we are changing. We are a much different place than we were, say, five years ago.

Haggman also believes the ecosystem should connect the entire community, west of Miamis urban corridor and well north of the Broward County line, and this isnt the time to rest: This is a work in progress. This is a long game.

2017 Miami Herald Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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South Florida Startup Ecosystem Continues Pattern of Growth and Investment - Government Technology

InFocus Transforms Collaboration with ConX Ecosystem – Twice

From cloud-based video conferencing services to broad array of software and hardware endpoints, InFocus ConX enables real-time collaboration between anyone, anytime on virtually any device.

Portland, Ore. June 12, 2017 InFocus unveils its transformative ConX communication and collaboration ecosystem today, centered around the new ConX Cloud video conferencing service. ConX Cloud connects with ConX display hardware solutions ranging from Mondopad touch-enabled displays and ConX video phones to scalable ConX video conferencing walls supporting up to 96 displays, as well as ConX software and web apps for laptops, iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. The ConX system also supports H.323 and SIP industry standards, allowing businesses, schools and government agencies to connect to anyone using standards-based third-party devices.

With ConX, users can connect and collaborate with more ease and more flexibility than ever before. From small team meetings to large-scale, company-wide meetings of people and ideas, the ConX universe has everything needed to connect people and information. And unlike any other solution on the market, ConX delivers the freedom and flexibility for anyone to actively participate in a virtual meeting, no matter the device or operating system in front of them. The combination of ConX Cloud and ConX devices and software from InFocus provides an unparalleled, integrated collaboration experience, while built-in support for industry standards provides the freedom to connect with people using legacy systems and other video conferencing services both inside and outside their organization

Our intention is to propel the collaboration market to the next level of possibility and affordability. The ConX ecosystem leverages our three decades of leadership in touch-enabled display solutions and collaboration software with cloud services that allow anyone to connect on virtually any device. With ConX, InFocus provides a complete end-to-end universe of solutions meeting all of the communication and collaboration needs of businesses, schools, and public agencies, said Mark Housley, CEO of InFocus. Unlike every other hardware or software communication solution out there, were not locking you into a proprietary, limited system. Were also not going to make our customers pay for the things that should be included like support for industry standards. Our ConX Cloud service is boundless and available at prices unmatched in the industry. We think this kind of connectivity should be available and affordable for every entity, large and small. But if your business prefers other communication services or you have legacy display equipment, thats fine too. InFocus ConX works seamlessly with all of it.

ConX Cloud Video Conferencing Service The new ConX Cloud was designed and built to enable powerful, reliable video conferencing and collaboration from anywhere. Instead of presenting one-way data during a meeting, ConX Cloud provides dual-stream data and video allowing everyone to see both faces and information at the same time, providing the closest experience to an in-person meeting. With ConX endpoints from InFocus, users on the video conference can present, annotate, whiteboard, create, edit, share, save and send information in real-time. ConX Cloud supports SIP, H.323, and Skype for Business interoperability, so you can bring people and data together through a wide variety of endpoints and services on both InFocus and legacy third-party devices. Connectivity across communication platforms is essential and ConX Cloud delivers it at no extra cost.

ConX Cloud service includes support for InFocus Mondopad and a range of InFocus ConX endpoints including ConX Wall, ConX Exec, and ConX Phone, as well as audio (PSTN) dial-in, ConX mobile apps for iOS and Android, ConX apps for Windows and Mac OS, and ConX web apps. ConX Cloud also supports InFocus BrightCam technology for intelligent HD video enhancement, adaptively improving video conferencing image color and detail in a variety of ambient light conditions on selected InFocus devices.

ConX Ecosystem Hardware ConX hardware endpoints integrate advanced video and information-sharing technologies into fully configurable and scalable solutions for conference rooms, huddle rooms, and video walls.

Offering the capabilities typically provided by multiple devices in traditional conference rooms, Mondopad is an enormous touch-enabled screen that combines an HD video conferencing system, an interactive whiteboard, a 1080p or 4K screen, audio conferencing, and a powerful PC. Users can control the system, present, annotate, and whiteboard using their fingers and an intuitive, easy to use graphical user interface. Documents can be saved to the Mondopad for future access, stored to the network, or emailed to anyone directly from the device. A built-in high-quality camera and speakers facilitate enterprise-grade video conferencing, making Mondopad the standalone collaboration system that connects people, devices and information easily, seamlessly and reliably right out of the box. Mondopad is available in 57-inch and 65-inch sizes and Mondopad Ultra, with 4K resolution and an even more robust PC, is available in 70-inch and 85-inch sizes.

- ConX Wall and ConX Exec

For collaboration and conferencing with even more screen real estate, InFocus offers ConX Exec and ConX Wall. Both are video conferencing solutions that feature multi-screen configurations that can scale from two displays to 96 showing both shared data and video conferencing participants. ConX Wall and ConX Exec are ideal for those applications in which seeing the big picture means seeing a big picture. Using multiple ultra-narrow-bezel HD displays, users can customize these ConX solutions for any wall size ranging from that in an executive suite to the largest venue.

What sets ConX Wall and ConX Exec apart from a basic video wall is an integrated video conferencing multipoint control unit (MCU) server. The server enables users to instantly configure and change each input image to any number of the displays, allowing in-room participants to focus on whatever content they want at any given time, such as a data or video stream from a remote participant. This unique ability to create a user-defined layout and to have control from all kinds of devices makes ConX Wall and ConX Exec ideal for enterprise management, public services, education and training.

ConX Exec is available in pre-configured display, hardware and software solutions available in 2x2 or 3x2 configuration with 48.5-inch HD screens. ConX Wall is a fully-configurable solution that can be matched with third-party displays, accommodating up to 96 screens for enormous collaboration walls.

- ConX Phone

The ConX Phone from InFocus is a powerful desktop videophone with a 10.1-inch color HD screen, a 720p camera, and an immediately familiar user interface. The built-in wide-band speaker and high-dynamic-range microphone ensure clear hands-free conversations, or use your headset. Making an audio or video call with the ConX Phone is as easy as using a standard phone and you can import your existing contact lists and manage features from the web. ConX Phone users not only see and hear remote participants on any supported ConX device, but can also see shared presentations and whiteboards on the integrated screen.

ConX Software and Web Apps In addition to the range of ConX hardware endpoints from InFocus, users can also participate in ConX video conferencing and collaboration from their own PCs, laptops, smartphones and tablets using ConX apps. These apps support both iOS and Android mobile devices. In addition, there are ConX apps for both Windows and Mac OS computers. There is also a ConX web app that works with browsers that support WebRTC, such as Google Chrome and Firefox. With universal support and compatibility for virtually every platform, the ConX system offers more ways to connect and collaborate than any other solution on the market.

ConX Cloud Pricing ConX Cloud is both powerful and affordable, designed to make the power of collaboration available to more people and more institutions than ever before. It is the only service that is available at a single price without hidden fees. Support for standards and Skype for Business is built-in and included at no additional charge. The goal is maximum connectivity and flexibility, assuring the system is compatible with important standard protocols and future-proof for any changes that an enterprise may undertake in the future. ConX Clouds game changing price makes it possible for businesses, agencies, and schools to provide every office and employee with their own video conferencing and collaboration system.

ConX

Pricing

3-seat room

10-seat room

50-seat room

10 50-seat rooms

100 50-seat rooms

Promotions

Free 1-yr trial

$4.99 promotional price (valid for 1 year with contract)

Monthly

$8.29/month/room

$9.99/month/room

$7.49/month/room

$5.99/month/room

Total Annual Cost

$99.00

$119.00

$899.00

$7,099.00

InFocus ConX is the ultimate way for people to connect, continued Housley. With ConX Cloud, people can video conference and collaborate in boardrooms, in huddle rooms, at their desk and on-the-go more powerfully, easily, and more affordably than ever before. Combining the aggressively priced ConX Cloud service with our uniquely expansive and complete range of ConX hardware and software solutions, people can see each other and collaborate easily, reliably and more effectively than ever before.

ConX Cloud, ConX Wall, ConX Exec, Mondopad and all other ConX hardware and software solutions are available now. To learn more, visit: http://www.infocus.com/conx. To get a free ConX Cloud trial, go to http://www.infocus.com/conx-cloud.

About InFocus Corp. InFocus makes connecting people and ideas easy, reliable and affordable. The industry leader for more than 30 years, InFocus creates innovative collaboration solutions that support visual teamwork. Its award-winning, integrated services, hardware and software products are employed and trusted by thousands of the most successful businesses, public agencies, and schools around the world. With solutions for conference rooms, huddle rooms, office desktops, control rooms, classrooms, large venues, and people on the move, there is an InFocus product and service for every application. Learn more at http://www.InFocus.com. Visit the InFocus store at http://www.InFocusDirect.com. Follow InFocus on social media at facebook.com/InFocusCorp, linkedin.com/company/InFocus or twitter.com/InFocusCorp.

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InFocus Transforms Collaboration with ConX Ecosystem - Twice

Stephen Thompson On Return, Cris Cyborg-Angela Magana Brawl – FightLine.com

Former UFC title contender Stephen Thompson appeared on a recent edition of Submission Radio to talk about his future and when he might return to action.

Wonderboy also gave his first-hand experience of the recent incident between Cris Cyborg and Angela Magana, as he was there with Chris Weidman.

On being there when Cyborg and Angela Magana got in an altercation at the UFC Retreat

Oh yeah, man, it was unbelievable. And Chris (Weidman), hes trying to break it up, hes trying to grab Cyborg. And Cyborg looks at him in a deep voice and is like, dont you touch me, and hes like, oh my gosh, Im not going to mess with her, Im backing up. He didnt want to get in the middle of it. We tried, but yeah, it wasnt happening.

How the whole Cyborg/Magana altercation started

We were all actually going to the UFC training facility that they had built and it is awesome. Full training facility, the best of whats in today. You know, cryotherapy machines, I mean, sleep pods, I mean, you got anything you can think of is in this gym. Its really cool. So, from what I understood was, Magana was doing a little bit of trash talking on social media. Now, I understand these two I think are in different weight classes, I believe, but she was doing some trash talking on social media and I guess Cyborg just didnt let it go. I mean, she should have, you know, its trash talk on social media, but be the bigger person, let it all happen. She wasnt gonna let it happen, she wasnt going to let it slide. So I think she went up to her and just told her, dont talk trash about me on social media, and Magana was kind of like taken back for a second, was like, oh my goodness. But then she started to grow some balls I guess, man, and started firing back at Cyborg. And then next thing you know, Cyborg smokes her. I mean, just wobbles her leg, wobbles her legs and everything. Everyone kind of jumped in and stopped it from there, but thank goodness it was only one shot and nothing else happened. But I know Magana wanted to press charges and everything like that, but Im not really sure what happened after, but thats kind of what I saw went down at the retreat.

Knee injury update

You know what, to be honest with you, as soon as I had the surgery I was back up on it the next day walking on it. And it was orthoscopic, so they went in and I ended up tearing the meniscus and ended up tearing my MCL, so thats what is actually the longest to heal they went in, they scoped the knee, took out the meniscus that I had torn, but its the MCL thats actually taken so long to feel better, which is normal. My brother Tony played college football and he ended up tearing both MCLs in both knees and he said it took, man, I mean, for the pain to go away, probably five or six months. But even after that, you can still feel a little bit and I think its mostly scar tissue now. But for my game, Im a kicker. Everyone knows that I like to move, I like to kick.

So its one of those things, I can kick with it, but if it gets hung up on an arm or a hip and I kind of pull down or my foot gets caught in it, I really feel it in my MCL, it hurts and I kind of gotta stop for a little bit and let the pain kind of subside before I can start doing whatever it is Im doing again. So its just the pain. I think that its healed but theres a lot of scar tissue up in there and I gotta kind of break it out a little bit. Thats about it. But its slowly going away. I did some sparring yesterday, very little kicking with it, mostly kicking with my left leg. But its this great opportunity for me to look at the good things about this is, you know, even though I did have a knee surgery, but its great for me to work on my left side a little bit more, work on my left leg a little bit more. And thats the leg that Ive mostly had all my surgeries on. Ive had four knee surgeries on my left and now Ive had two on my right, the most recent one on my right knee. But its getting there, man. Im getting back slowly and hopefully Ill be able to get back in there and help Chris get ready for his fight coming up.

Timeframe for his return to fight again

The goal, to be honest, the goal is to be able to fight in September. Im not really sure what fights they have in September. Late August, early Septembers the plan, but well talk with my management company, the UFC and see if we can get something going.

If Stephen Thompson wants to fight someone in the top five rankings when he returns

You know what, thats my plan. I want to fight someone in the top five, but the question is who? I wanted Robbie Lawler to begin with, but I know hes fighting Donald Cerrone coming up. Demian Maia, I hear he has the next title shot. Not really sure what Carlos Condit is doing. I dont know if hes back in his training, if hes gonna retire. I know there was some talks about him doing that. I would love to fight Carlos Condit. The number five-ranked guy right now is Jorge Masvidal. I would love to fight him. Anybody in that top five I think would be perfect, man.

On Jorge Masvidal as his return opponent

Oh yes, definitely, definitely. Hes willing to fight. I know that he had mentioned something on twitter and I answered back, yeah man, I would love to fight you once this knee heals up, which is the truth. I wanna fight the best guys. He went three fight-minute rounds with one of the best in the division and to be honest with you, I thought he won the fight but it didnt go his way, but I think we would put on a good show. Hes a tough opponent, good striking, good Muay Thai and I think it would just be fireworks.

How Stephen thinks Demian Maia can dethrone Tyron Woodley or if Woodleys takedown defence would be too much for Maia

You know what, I really do. Tyron is a very strong opponent. I mean, hes proven he can go five five-minute rounds. But man, if Demian Maia gets a hold of him, its gonna be a rough night for Tyron. But I do believe that Tyron can send him off of those takedowns. Hes such a powerful guy, great wrestling, good takedown defence. Demian is definitely gonna have a hard time getting Tyron down, and thats where the whole debacle is gonna be. It could be a stand-up fight. I dont know if Demian could get Tyron down or not. Maybe he can control him against the cage, but hes so explosive and so powerful, I think Demian is gonna have a very hard time doing that. And plus, youve seen in the past with Demian in the later rounds he gets tired cause he tries so hard to get his opponents down. And you saw the Demian Maia fight, even when he fought Matt Brown, the last round he was just done, you know, it took one hundred percent of him to try and get him down. But thats a very interesting fight, a very interesting fight and a great fight for both guys. But man, they both have the potential to win, but I dont know. I dont think Demian will take him down.

Who Stephen thinks should be next in line for the title shot

I think Demian Maia should get it. Hes beaten some really good guys, hes been there, hes taken fights, hasnt turned any fights down. He should have had it right after my fight, but you know what, he decided to take the fight with Masvidal. I think give it to him, see what happens, then maybe give Georges the next shot. You know, Georges has been out for a while, why not wait a little longe?. But I think Georges is wanting to fight in like January, I think he was talking about. And I think when he was going to fight Bisping anyway he was talking about fighting in January. Bisping was like, nah man, thats too long to wait, so that never happened. So well see, man. I think Demian should get it.

If Stephen would face GSP for the belt or if hed wait till GSP lost it due to their friendship

You know, Im 34 years old and I dont think I have the time to wait. You know, lets say he does get that title. Question is, is he gonna hold onto it? Is he gonna move somewhere else? I dont know. But my goal, and its something he knows, its always been to have that title, to win that title belt. So he is a very good friend of mine and if that ever does happen, thats something that I would have to talk to him about, call him and say, listen, this is, you know, this is my goal, this is whats happening, do we want to do this or not? Blah blah blah. And mainly I think it would just kind of be up to him. I mean, he knows what my goals are. I dont think he would be like you know what, to be honest, I dont know. Before my last Tyron fight he told me, I have no interest fighting you. Ive known you for a long time, youre a good friend of mine, I have no interest in fighting you, and I was like, alright, sweet, but then he was going up to 185 to fight Bisping. Now that I didnt win, Im still there and still it could be possible for me to get that title shot and fight for it again. But if hes the champion, you know, thats my goal, man, so it may happen (Laughs).

If its nice to be out of the spotlight and have the pressure of title contention off him for now

You know what, to be honest with you, yeah. I mean, my last four fights have just been killers, and you know, constantly in training camp. Even though when they were spread apart, there was no time for me to rest or to kind of relax a little bit and take a second to kind of back off and focus on my buddies that have got fights coming up and kind of help them. I had Jake Ellenberger, next thing you know it was Johny Hendricks and then it was Rory MacDonald and the two fights with Tyron Woodley. I mean, you know, it does, right now it feels great to just kind of sit back and relax, give your body time to heal up. You know, I took some big shots from Tyron in the first and the second fight, and just to know that next time I step out there my body, my head, my brain will be one hundred percent when I get back out there. And to be honest, Im really itching at the bits to get back out there again, but right now Im just focused on making sure that this knee is one hundred percent before I step out there. I know a lot of guys come back from knee surgery, get out there too soon and end up injuring it again, and next thing you know theyre out for a year or two years.

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Stephen Thompson On Return, Cris Cyborg-Angela Magana Brawl - FightLine.com

White shark sightings increase at California beaches – The Mercury News

SANTA CRUZ The frenzy off the California coastline this spring has felt like a long-running loop of Shark Week.

In April, a shark bit a San Diego mom of threewho was swimming off San Onofre State Beach.

Last month, San Clemente officials closed beaches after more than two dozen white sharks were spotted by air.

Then, on Thursday, lifeguards evacuated Capitola sixth graders from the water at New Brighton State Beach when spotting what they believed was a white shark swimming near shore during an end-of-school field trip. Social media posts of shark sightings from the Cement Ship in Aptos to the Santa Cruz Harbor have become a regularity.

As summer heats up, calling thousands of visitors to the Bay Areas world-class shoreline, marine biologists are trying to mitigate irrational fears over increasing sightings of white sharks.

This is the new reality, said Christopher G. Lowe, director of the Cal State Long Beach Shark Lab. People are going to have to learn to share the waves.

Although white sharks tend to inhabit the states most populous areas adults are concentrated around San Francisco whereas juveniles mostly are found from Los Angeles to San Diego relatively few attacks involve humans.

In the past 50 years there have been about 12 fatalities and a little more than 80 recorded interactions in California waters, reported Salvador Jorgensen, a Monterey Bay Aquarium research scientist.

That is one mortality every five years, he said.

But sightings and interactions with the fish have fueled a Jaws-like panic for some beachgoers while attracting morbid interest in a predator with a conical-shaped snout, beady eyes and those infamous serrated, triangular teeth.

The white-bellied descendants of prehistoric creatures have returned to the spotlight 42 summers after Steven Spielberg introduced his sinister and vengeful fish to moviegoers.

Instead of a ghastly picture of shark-infested waters, however, researchers have seen a shift in habitats they attribute to the El Nino weather phenomenon that has pushed warmer currents north. Jorgensen, the author of Sharks: Ancient Predators in a Modern Sea, said smaller white sharks need warmer water until they mature.

So water temperature plays a huge role in where and how many smaller white sharks are seen, he said.

Spotting juvenile white sharks in Monterey Bay might become common if the seas experience El Nino conditions more regularly because of global warming.

Lately, marine biologists and tourists have been drawn to the action around the Cement Ship at Seacliff State Beach in Aptos. In the past three years, researchers have identified juvenile sharks patrolling the waters around the sunken ship, an event that had not been recorded before that.

They sit out there and act like they just had a big turkey dinner and want nothing to do with anything, said Chris Gularte, chief pilot for Watsonville tour operator Specialized Helicopters.

Gularte, 45, has seen no fewer than 20 sharks on any given day that he has flown over the area in the past month.

Gularte and others have reported frequent juvenile sightings at nearby New Brighton as well.

The baby white sharks found in these new locations is part of a larger picture of ecosystem changes attributed to El Nino. Two years ago, Southern Californians discovered venomous sea snakes at their doorsteps for the first time in three decades. Marine scientists said the yellow-bellied sea snake followed warmer ocean currents to the California coast. Those currents also brought pelagic red crabs and hammerhead sharks.

Scientists believe white sharks give birth off Baja California and the pups nurse in the Mexican and Southern California waters.

But over the past 15 years, Lowe has seen a steady increase in juvenile sharks in Southern California. He remains optimistic it is evidence of a population spurt although a parallel increase in adults has not been documented to the north.

You cant have more babies without having more mommies, Lowe said.

White sharks have been protected in California waters since 1994 although they dont have any natural enemies other than humans. According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, it is believed the states population of adult white sharks numbers fewer than 100.

Researchers such as Jorgensen, who has conducted annual surveys of adult white sharks since 2006, cant confirm a population increase although they are cautiously optimistic for the simple fact the white sharks primary food sources elephant seals, sea lions and harbor seals are thriving.

Lowe speculates there is a habitat shift among mature fish as regular feeding grounds get crowded.

These teenage and adult white sharks havent been able to make a living at the Farallons and Ano Nuevo, he said of two major feeding grounds. They are looking for new places to forage in the fall. I think that place is Southern California.

Such a shift could change the equation when it comes to human-shark encounters.

Most incidents have occurred in a 150-mile zone known by Northern California surfers as the Red Triangle yes, red, as in the color of blood. The sharky region stretches from Monterey to Bodega Bay, out to the Farallon Islands. Put another way, only 17 of the 100 recorded shark attacks on humans in California in the past 63 years occurred south of Point Conception (Santa Barbara County), according to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Such a collection of data helps engender deep-seated anxiety while placing white sharks with grizzly bears and saltwater crocodiles as mythic predators.

The Jaws narrative is just stuck with us, said Jorgensen, who has a doctorate degree in ecology from UC Davis.

But researchers work provides a substantive counterpoint. In a paper published in Frontiers in the Ecology and the Environment, Jorgensen and colleagues found the risk of a white shark attack in California had decreased by 91 percent from 1950 to 2013.

Sean van Sommeran, founder of the Santa Cruz-based Pelagic Shark Research Foundation, downplayed the fears as shark sightings have increased this spring.

Guess what marine animal hospitalizes more people in California than all others combined?

Stingrays, said van Sommeran, a self-described shark field operative without a science degree.

Most documented attacks on humans off the California coast have occurred between August and November. This is the time adults feast on seals and sea lions, often near river mouths where the salmon runs attract other fish.

The beasts can grow to 20 feet in length and as much as 4,600 pounds to present a terrifying portrait. Lowe and other marine biologists realize they shoulder the responsibility to teach the public as much as they can about white sharks in order to help preserve the animal.

It starts with calling the fish a white shark, leaving out the great that often is used in popular culture.

The Cal State Long Beach professor recalled how whales were demonized 100 years ago but now whale-watching tours are a thriving business along the West Coast.

Its harder to imagine that image-makeover for sharks, Lowe said. But its happening.

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White shark sightings increase at California beaches - The Mercury News

Work underway to widen Outer Banks beaches with offshore sand – Charlotte Observer


Charlotte Observer
Work underway to widen Outer Banks beaches with offshore sand
Charlotte Observer
Work is underway to widen more than 11 miles of eroding beaches in Dare County, on the Outer Banks, by pumping offshore sand onto them. Vacationers might encounter bulldozers and pipelines as sand is pumped ashore, but the county says they will have ...

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Work underway to widen Outer Banks beaches with offshore sand - Charlotte Observer

At Least Six People Pulled From Waters At Tri-State Beaches As Summer Season Hits High Gear – CBS New York

June 12, 2017 11:09 PM

AVON-BY-THE-SEA, N.J. (CBSNewYork) As a startling wake-up call heading into the summer season, a total of six people had to be pulled from the water at Tri-State Area beaches while trying to beat the heat on Monday.

Marcus Swinson witnessed a scary sight at Avon-by-the-Sea Beach Monday afternoon, when at least two women were pulled from the water near Garfield Avenue. He says one of them didnt seem like they were breathing.

All I saw was them getting drug out, the woman was like not breathing, he told CBS2s Valerie Castro. Another had a cardiac arrest or like a seizure and everybody was holding her down and it looked like they did a few rounds of CPR for the one girl.

2 People Rescued From Water Off Beach In Rockaways

Police say three women in all were taken to the hospital in one of several incidents Monday, serving as a reminder that the waves can be a dangerous place heading into the summer.

At Orchard Beach in the Bronx, a seven-year-old was pulled from the water by his own mother and taken to Jacobi Medical Center. The City Parks Department says he was in an area closed off to swimming.

Later in the day, a helicopter had to be called in to help a man and woman at Rockaway Park, where police say they were 100 feet from the shore near 138 Street when they found themselves in danger.

Emergency crews rushed to the beach with fire trucks and a stretcher with a rescue boat not far off-shore.

With beach season almost in full swing, its important to enter the water at your own risk.

The waves werent really strong, so you got to just be careful out there, Swinson said.

Town officials say lifeguards in Avon-by-the-Sea have only been working weekends since Memorial Day. Theyll be on duty seven days a week starting June 17.

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At Least Six People Pulled From Waters At Tri-State Beaches As Summer Season Hits High Gear - CBS New York

Johnson says no reason to fear Riverwalk or beaches despite … – Chicago Sun-Times

Weekend shootings along the downtown Riverwalk and at 31st Street beach should not discourage summer tourists and everyday Chicagoans from flocking to two of the citys most enduring attractions, Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson said Monday.

At the beach, two 16-year-old boys were critically wounded in a shooting about 7 p.m. Sunday. On the Riverwalk, about 2 a.m. Sunday, two men, ages 28 and 30, were involved in an argument near Wacker and Dearborn when shots rang out.

The Riverwalk incident occurred when the walkway was officially closed to the public, Johnson noted.

They were somewhere where they werent supposed to be. But as a result of this, were meeting with our business partners in the Riverwalk area just to make sure the security plan is what it should be, the superintendent told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Johnson on Monday blamed both incidents on petty disputes settled with guns.

These were all young folks. One was a dispute about a girl. The other was a dispute about coolers on the beach, Johnson told the Sun-Times. Those disputes dont concern the public at large, he added, and police were close to making arrests.

Johnson emphasized that the Riverwalk shooting occurred after the public is barred from being over there. Chicago Police patrol that area religiously between 6 p.m. and midnight, then do random patrols after midnight, he said.

Those were not random incidents . . . they were targeted at groups of people that knew each other. . . . These werent street robberies or things of that nature, Johnson said.

Overall, on a weekend when temperatures rose into the 90s, six men were killed and at least 37 other people were wounded in shootings across Chicago between Friday evening and Monday morning.

The beach and Riverwalk shootings drew the most attention.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel completed the downtown Riverwalk with help from a $99 million federal construction loan. If random shootings prompt Chicagoans and tourists to stay away from the Riverwalk, the mayor could have a tough time generating the concession revenue he needs to retire that loan.

The citys Department of Fleet and Facilities Management, which manages the Riverwalk, uses unarmed security guards, patrolling on foot, to enforce an 11 p.m. curfew.

Thats why were gonna meet with the business community down there to evaluate it and see what they can pitch in because security is everybodys responsibility, Johnson said. After hours, were obviously not going to be there every minute. But well come up with a plan so that, between CPD and business owners, we have it more secure down there.

The 31st Street shooting occurred in broad daylight on a crowded beach filled with families seeking refuge from the blistering summer heat.

But Johnson nevertheless urged South Siders not to be afraid of taking their children to the beach.

Its still between two groups of folks that knew each other. . . . But again, it was a petty dispute that they settled with a gun, he said.

Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi insisted there is nothing to fear.

We have district [officers] there until midnight and then, every hour, or hour and a half, officers will walk through there. Those folks got in in-between that gap. But the onus of accountability is on the individuals. Clearly, the law states that you cant be there at that time, he said.

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Johnson says no reason to fear Riverwalk or beaches despite ... - Chicago Sun-Times

10 of the best hidden beaches in Ibiza – The Guardian

Much of the area north-east of Sant Carles de Peralta is bucolic, with smallholdings and farms, people on bikes, dusty roads and sleeping dogs. This is the right beach for the neighbourhood: natural, quiet and accessed (ultimately) along a dirt road through cane and pine forests. A rocky seabed means clear water, with good snorkeling over patches of seagrass. To be honest, the highlight is lunch: book weeks in advance and follow a dip with lunch at El Bigotes, in the miniscule harbour just over the rocks at the far left of the beach. There are tables right on the harbours edge, outdoor cooking over wood, and just one option: fish (offered noon-12.30pm) or bullit de peix (fish stew, offered from 2pm). Its perfect, if in a slightly ramshackle way. Between Punta den Ribes y Cal Roig, around 5km from Sant Carles de Peralta; 10km from Sant Eulalia. Restaurante El Bigotes, +34 650 797 633 (call 11am-1pm only), no website

This rough sandy beach is relatively bustling for the north end of the island but use it as a base for exploring smaller, quieter neighbouring coves, starting with Sa Cova de Xarraca, just around the rocks to the right (100m). Swim or rent a kayak; those who go too far will bob into SIllot des Rencl, which is no bad thing. Cross the headland to the left and go to Es Canaret, a beautiful deep and turquoise bay, dominated by a swanky house of dubious design, and which feels private but is not. It is possible to walk but the more straightforward option is to drive, then walk for about 10 minutes along a signposted trail to Es Canaret. Alternatively, stay at Cala Xarraca; the area of flat rocks to the far left is generally quieter. Kayaks, loungers and umbrellas are available from the eponymous restaurant, along with, unsurprisingly, fish. C-733 Sant Joan to Portinatx, signposted at 17km. Watch out for the steep but short, one car-wide descent to limited parking. Continue past the parking area for Es Canaret, taking the third unpaved road to the right

As with nearby Xarraca, this lovely, small beach with eponymous restaurant mops up most visitors, leaving little inlets to the right virtually untouched. Admittedly, its tempting just to just to stay and eat the famously good paella here, particularly if theres a table free under the pines on the bluff above the sea. Or to paddle out and snorkel round the little island, where the stony seabed gives way to sand, and starfish and various other marine life loiter in the wafting posidonia oceanica (seagrass). But if splendid isolation is the goal, wade and swim around the mini headland with boathouses, or follow the trail that leads off to the right looking at the sea from the first parking area reached after turning in from the road. Overgrown to start with, it widens out and follows a low cliff to a couple of stony but secluded spots, ending up before long at Cala Xuclar. C-733 Sant Joan to Portinatx, signposted at 25.3km

Keep a sharp eye out for the sign in time to make the turn off a fast, swooping coast road, and head down a short, steep, rutted track that descends through pines and junipers to a circular sandy cove with gently lapping water and maize growing around the edges. Through summer, there is a proper chiringuito a wooden shed with hatch, and half a dozen tables set out under a sail shade which also rents out loungers and umbrellas. Despite the top-notch facilities, this remains a hidden gem. Note: the parking space is small and rutted, and while it is possible to tuck in along the track, be warned that turning around on it in a rental car is a tense business. C-733 Sant Joan to Portinatx, signposted at 26.5km

For those jetting in for Ibizan glamour, half a day in a quarry may not be top of the to-do list. But this quarry is half a millennium old, facing Formentera on the southern tip of Ibiza in the Ses Salines natural park, and sploshed by clear sea. And the blocky holes left when rock was removed to make the walls of the Dalt Vila are now shallow, smooth-walled designer pools with warm water and spectacular views. Park at the creamy-sand party beach Ses Salines, with its of loungers, beach clubs, music and people, or at Es Cavallet beach, and follow the wooden walkways south over dunes or through pine forest (about 1.5km). Take water, mosquito repellant and some form of shade. There are many attractions, and even some buildings an interpretation centre (open at weekends), fishermens huts, a splendid tower built to defend Ibiza from Algerian corsairs but a chiringuito selling cold beer isnt among them. Es Cavallet and Ses Salines are both around 8km from Ibiza airport, via PM-802

This is probably the most famous hidden gem on the island. Nevertheless, some confusion regarding exactly how to get there, the walk (albeit short), and perhaps the fact the beach is rather pebbly, keep visitor numbers low. Backed by pine forests, and usually quiet but for the chirruping of cicadas, this still feels like an escape. Inevitably, there are fishermens huts, but slipways and a well-positioned jetty are nice spots for a lie-down while contemplating the return hike. Buy supplies in Es Cubells before heading there. Access by foot (700m) from the point where the road ends in Urbanizaci Es Cubells. A path heads west along the top of the cliff before descending to the beach

There are steps down from a car park roundabout beside the somewhat tawdry Hotel Club Cala Tarida to this west-coast beach. It is popular but also wide (50m) and long, with fabulous rock formations. Head to the rocky areas at the end of the beach and secure a rock platform for an uninterrupted bask with uninterrupted sea view. Better still, theres a second beach a small sandy cove, reached by going back up the steps by the Can Yucas bar, and down a track accessed from the no-entry road beside them. And beyond that, theres a third: the lovely Es Pujolets, with lots of fishermens huts, white sand, the most extraordinary turquoise water and, often, bobbing boats. The easiest, least slippery, way to reach the smaller coves is to park at the Cala Tarida Norte car park (signposted) and to walk back with the sea to the right until Es Pujolets huts come into view below

Leave the car in the big pine-shaded car park at Cala Salada, follow the trail down to the beach and up and over a low rocky headland to its little sister: Cala Saladeta. This is a classic example of the beach beyond the beach and while it may not be the quietest, it is quieter and, protected from wind, with gently shelving sand and a decent restaurant back on the main beach. The restaurant is a good option for families. An even better option is lunch at the legendary and laid-back Restaurante Can Cosmi beside the quietly glorious church in Santa Agns de Corona (go for the tortilla: its almost obligatory). Just under 5km north of Sant Antoni de Portmany

For those who simply must have a beach of their own heres one that involves a hike and potentially some scrambling. Es Portitxol is an easier alternative to others that fit the bill (for example Cala dAlbarca, Ses Balandres and Cala den Sardina) and sufficiently special and spectacular to merit the modicum of effort (most associated with finding the start of the 1.5km trail). The beach is almost circular, and shingly, the water transparent, all green and turquoise over the patches of seagrass. In fact, the place has the stillness of a forgotten world, despite the ubiquitous fishermens huts and the presence of other people seeking somewhere solitary. From the Sant Miquel to Sant Mateu road, take the turning for Urbanizaci Illa Blanca. Once there (under 1km), take the right zigzagging road to a fork then the right downhill track for 350m and park by the stone wall. At this point, there will be an arrow indicating the trail

Its a resort (with a pug-ugly development scar) but the northern Port de Sant Miquel still feels remote, clean, fresh and other-worldly up here at the end of the road and theres plenty of space on the wide sandy beach for all. However, a track from Restaurante Port Balansat leads up and over a second and very different seaside proposition: Cal des Moltons, a long, deep inlet shaped like a dressmakers dart, with flat rocks and pebbles, boathouses, and cool, still water. While it has the feel of a private find, the inlet has its own chiringuito: Utopa a pretty, white-wood and surprisingly upmarket place, with good cocktails and sardine specials. From June to September, rent stand-up paddleboards as its the perfect place to try the sport for the first time: those who cant get onboard here, never will.

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10 of the best hidden beaches in Ibiza - The Guardian

Swimmers, beware, many South Jersey beaches remain unguarded … – Press of Atlantic City

Two weeks after Memorial Day weekend, and as South Jersey faces a heat wave that may break Wednesday, many beaches remain unguarded, creating potential risks for ocean swimmers.

On Monday afternoon, three swimmers were ushered out of the ocean in Brigantine by police after going out too far. The local police and fire departments monitored the situation from the beach, while the New Jersey State Police Marine Unit used a patrol boat to reach the swimmers and guide them back to shore.

Brigantine Fire Chief Tige Platt said the swimmers were not in distress, but were about a half-mile from the shoreline and were unable to hear requests from police and firefighters to return to the beach.

According to Platt, Brigantines beaches are currently guarded only on weekends. Daily patrol wont begin until Monday.

Many other shore towns currently have only partially guarded beaches.

Beach Patrol Lt. Ryan Black said all beaches in Avalon have been open since Memorial Day weekend, but with a lower-than-usual turnout for lifeguard applicants, the patrol is stationed at a few select beaches.

Black said about 13 of Avalons 22 beaches were guarded as of Monday. After rookies lifeguards are trained, beginning next Monday, more patrols are expected to begin.

The Atlantic City Beach Patrol stations are open at all 11 districts, but only 17 beaches are guarded.

On Saturday, several shore towns held lifeguard tryouts, including Atlantic City, Ocean City and Ventnor. Those beach patrols expect to be fully staffed and able to guard all beaches by June 24.

For now, beach patrols advise the public to check listings for open and guarded beaches and not to swim without lifeguards present.

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Swimmers, beware, many South Jersey beaches remain unguarded ... - Press of Atlantic City

Local ‘Lakefront Cleanup’ group sweeps trash from Kenosha’s beaches – Kenosha News

Walking along the Kenosha lakefront with his daughter, Casey Hudson realized how much trash met them on their walk.

He thought to himself, Next time, well bring a couple garbage bags with us to help clean.

That initial thought morphed into the creation of the Lakefront Cleanup Facebook group, with a mission to clean a different lakefront in the area every Sunday at 1 p.m.

The group quickly garnered several hundred members and raised about $100 for cleaning supplies.

Initially, Hudson had a goal to raise about $50 to buy refreshments, garbage pickers and trash bags for the cleanup events. Two days after he posted the fundraiser online, more funds flowed in.

My reason for getting it out there is to get other people involved, letting them know (cleaning the beach) is not hard.

In 2016, the Ocean Conservancy, an organization which engages people to remove trash from the worlds beaches and waterways, reported 2,658 pounds of trash were picked up along 35 miles of Wisconsins Lake Michigan shore. That data was provided to the group by the Alliance for the Great Lakes.

The first beach cleanup, prior to the creation of the Facebook group, was spread by word of mouth from Hudson. About four people came out to a beach in Racine on June 3 to do their part for the environment, he said.

On Sunday, Hudson and his group took to the beachfront along Kennedy Park for the second beach cleanup.

Hudson finds the usual trash, which includes chip bags, plastic bags and bottles. Sometimes, he finds blunt wrappers and liquor bottles, too.

Cigarette butts were the most common piece of trash picked up along U.S. coasts in 2016, according to the Ocean Conservancy 2017 annual report, which stated 1,030,640 were collected nationwide.

Hudson said anyone going to the beach should bring a trash bag.

Cleaning for an hour out of your day at the beach isnt hard and helps the environment, he said.

One of the main reasons behind Hudsons beach cleaning efforts was the way his 12-year-old daughter, Kaya, reacted when he told her about it.

(It was) the way her eyes lit up and her enthusiasm behind it, he said, adding that he wants to teach environmental responsibility to all four of his kids.

Scott Bringsosin, a lifelong friend of Hudsons, has a similar hope for his own kids, prompting him to join Hudson in his beach cleanup efforts.

Its part of enjoying the outdoors. You dont want to see trash out there, he said.

When he notices trash on any beach, Bringsosin sees it as people abusing the privilege of having free beaches.

Bringsosin said the group could always use more people to help clean.

Lets get together and lets clean these shorelines up, he said.

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Local 'Lakefront Cleanup' group sweeps trash from Kenosha's beaches - Kenosha News