Roger Ver Says Twitter Blocking His Tweets About BCH …

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Bitcoin.com founder Roger Ver says Twitter seems to be blocking him from sending tweets about non-state issued money.

Ver said he was trying to send tweets about instant near-field communication, or NFC, payments for Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Simple Ledger Protocol (SLP) tokens from be.cash but was unable to.

Ver, who has been pushing BCH, did not seem to be one of the users affected by the hack on Twitter. Several Twitter accounts, including celebrities and crypto exchanges, were targeted as part of a large-scale hack of the social media platform. The hacker directed people to donate Bitcoin to a now-defunct website called CryptoforHealth.

Back in June, Ver said Youtube suspended Bitcoin.coms Youtube account for basically no reason. Youtube reversed the decision and claimed the suspension was done in error.

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Expert Insights on the Asian Crypto Market Amidst Pandemic – Cointelegraph

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The first virtual edition of Trescons World Blockchain Summit (WBS) digitally connected over 1000 global crypto-blockchain experts & Crypto Asset Entrepreneurs who shared their thoughts on the ongoing Covid-19 crises and its impact on the Asian crypto market. Top speakers at the conference included Changpeng Zhao, CEO of Binance; Don Tapscott, CEO of The Tapscott Group Inc and Co-Founder of The Blockchain Research Institute; David Chaum, Founder of xx network and Roger Ver, CEO of Bitcoin.com; among others.

Wednesday, 22 July 2020 (APAC) Trescon hosted its first virtual edition of the popular World Blockchain Summit (WBS) series on Thursday, 16th July. Amidst the pandemic crisis, WBS was set in an interactive online environment with a special focus on the Asian blockchain and crypto market. The summit convened over 1000 participants that included HNIs, Hedge Funds and Crypto Investors alongside blockchain experts, influencers & gurus from global enterprises to discuss how Asia can thrive in the global blockchain & crypto race.

The Asia edition of WBS featured keynotes, panel discussions, tech talks, private consultation rooms, private networking rooms and more on a digital platform.

Don Tapscott, co-founder and Executive Chairman of the Blockchain Research Institute and one of the worlds leading authorities on the impact of technology on business and society, opened the conference on Thursday morning. Dons opening address centred on blockchain and the transformation of public health, in which he outlined the profound changes that Covid-19 pandemic will cause to the economy, social behaviour, and society.

The pandemic will reveal deep problems in our systems for innovation, commerce, data and technology infrastructure. So, this conference happened at a very appropriate time. The spread of the virus and our ineptitude to deal with the consequences had a lot to do with the lack of data.

The Blockchain Research Institute is the largest think-tank in the world that is leading in research about blockchain opportunities, strategies and issues for different industries. While talking about blockchain for public health, he added:

We need to reinvent public health. At The Blockchain Research Institute, we are trying to bridge the gap between the enormous potential of blockchain technology and the actual deployment. Imagine if each had our own self-sovereign health record. In a crisis like this, the state can mandate availability of anonymised data about critical health information. You can have the real-time health data of an entire population. This is possible now because of blockchain.

David Chaum, Founder of xx network who is widely recognized as the inventor of digital cash and other fundamental innovations in cryptography and privacy-preserving technologies delivered a keynote on the role of true digital cash and privacy-protecting platform in supporting decentralized and democratic life, along with CMO and CFO of xx network Jim Dolbear. On voting for complex issues and for scale-like blockchain, David quoted:

In a decentralized life, you need metadata shredding of communication, digital cash that cant be taken down so it can also be a secured store of value and a kind of governance that scales with the complexity and size of the electorate and issue space. He also added We have built the real blockchain technology. Weve been parsimonious and careful and built some very well constructed software that we are rolling out soon! I am excited to offer this to the world!

The conference also featured a comprehensive interview between Changpeng Zhao (CZ), CEO of Binance, Singapore and Joon Ian Wong, Managing Director for Content Products at CoinDesk, U.K. When asked about global hotspots for crypto trading, CZ commented, India is a very interesting market. Were seeing a very large uptake in terms of user adoption. The number of users is growing quickly. Indonesia is also an interesting market with a large population. We recently partnered with Tokocrypto to launch the stablecoin.

In a tech talk on the policy environment for blockchain innovation and adoption, Peteris Zilgalvis, Head of Unit for Digital Innovation and Blockchain at the European Commission, Belgium said:

There is a great interest for international collaboration, mainly for Asia. The governmental advisory board of the International Association of Trusted Blockchain Applications (INATBA) is bringing together blockchain stakeholders, companies and users and encouraging Asian companies to join the association.

Some of the other featured speakers for the summit included Dr Ben Goertzel, CEO of SingularityNET, Hong Kong; Brian Behelendorf, Executive Director for Hyperledger; Alex Nascimento, Co-Founder of Blockchain and Managing Director of 7CC - Blockchain Investments, USA; Max Kantelia, Co-Founder of Zilliqa, UK; Dr Marwan Alzarouni, CEO for Dubai Blockchain Center; Pavel Bains, CEO for Bluzelle, Singapore; Tea Jazz, Founder of CoinKeeper World, Singapore; Sahil Arora, CEO of ZPAE, UAE; Joshua P Hawley, Managing Director of Satoshi Ltd, Mauritius; Chanaki De Costa, CEO - Director, Future CX Pty Ltd and Matthew Niemerg, Co-Founder and President for Aleph Zero, USA; to name a few.

The cohesive agenda for WBS highlighted key areas such as the state of crypto and blockchain companies post-pandemic; the future of cross-industry blockchain technologies; the future of fundraising; what 2020 holds for IEOs, STOs and ICOs and re-imagining the foundation of commerce with blockchain-based contracting and more.

World Blockchain Summit - Asia 2020 was officially sponsored by - Platinum Sponsors - Satoshi Ltd, CoinKeeper Pte Ltd and Future1Exchange; Gold Sponsor - ZPAYee; Silver Sponsors - Future CX Pty Ltd and Aleph Zero Foundation; Exhibitors at the summit included Tokenation and Bitcrore.

World Blockchain Summit is a global series of elite gatherings that takes place in 10+ destinations across the world. It connects global blockchain gurus and technology players in this space including emerging startups with regional businesses, government authorities, IT leaders, tech entrepreneurs, investors, and blockchain developers. For latest updates, visit http://www.worldblockchainsummit.com.

For further details about the announcement, please contact

Rahul Harindra,

Corporate Communications Manager

marketing@tresconglobal.com

This is a paid press release Cointelegraph does not endorse and is not responsible for or liable for any content, accuracy, quality, advertising, products or other materials on this page. Readers should do their own research before taking any actions related to the company. Cointelegraph is not responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in the press release.

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My Turn: The New Hampshire qualities a president must have – Concord Monitor

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A friend recently asked me where I was from. I said, New Hampshire. He seemed puzzled, so I told him what that meant.

I said, the people of New Hampshire are tough but kind, frugal but generous, honest, hard-working, and dedicated to our nation, and you better love the Patriots, Bruins, Red Sox, and Celtics or find another place to have a beer. He laughed and said I sounded proud. I said I am.

Four years after I graduated from Manchester West in the patriotic class of 1976, I joined the Air Force. Over the next 29 years, I was honored to serve with the greatest soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen the world has ever seen, living in 13 states and with duty in 75 countries. I retired as a brigadier general, grateful for every day I was privileged to serve my nation.

My service with so many great Americans in uniform affirmed what I learned growing up in New Hampshire. That character, based on integrity, human decency, physical and moral courage, and hard work is the foundation of sustained servant leadership. It is what our Constitution demands of our elected leaders, and it is what you and your children deserve.

The values that are found from Coos to Rockingham and from Grafton to Strafford and all counties in between, are the values that make New Hampshire citizens so similar to those who have served, fought, and died in uniform for our freedom. These values are the essence of character, and they have guided American servicemen and servicewomen in war and peace, around the world for decades.

Of values and character, our own native son, Daniel Webster said, What a man does for others, not what they do for him, gives him immortality. President Teddy Roosevelt said, Character is, in the long run, the decisive factor in the life of individuals and of nations alike. Vice President Joe Biden counseled, The American presidency is an office of immense power. That is why character matters. And President Eisenhower said, A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.

Today, we are confronted with a growing gap between our values and the values of our elected leaders. For example, we value the American flag not as a prop or as a possession to be hugged; we value it as the symbol of our freedom. We all know people who have buried friends under that draped flag. I have done that. The people of New Hampshire understand what that means.

Likewise, the American people do not want to fall in love with a dictator who threatens our nation. The men and women I served with would never abandon Kurdish partners on battlefields, show disinterest in the possible release of ISIS prisoners into the heart of our European allies, or ignore intelligence that the Russians were paying bounties to Taliban fighters who kill our servicemen and servicewomen. These bounties may have targeted the moms, dads, brothers, sisters, and children of New Hampshire, and no one who shares New Hampshire values would ever let that stand.

I understand the people of New Hampshire want results. Some say that is what we are getting today. But are we really? Did Mexico pay for the wall or did you? Are North Korea, Iran, or Syria more stable? Is your health care fixed? Is the opioid crisis resolved? Are you and your neighbors really being led through this pandemic, or abandoned? To quote President Ronald Reagan, Are you better off than you were four years ago?

I hope every American citizen exercises his or her right to vote. Many sons and daughters of New Hampshire have shed blood for that right. I also hope that when that vote is cast, it is done with our values in mind. We are tough but kind, frugal but generous, honest, hard-working, and dedicated to our nation. That is why I will forever be proud to be from New Hampshire.

(Dan Woodward is a retired brigadier general in the United States Air Force. He grew up in New Hampshire.)

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My Turn: The New Hampshire qualities a president must have - Concord Monitor

The Best of the Best- Field hockey – Press Herald

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(Ed. Note: With high school sports currently on hiatus, please join me in a look back at some of the finest teams our coverage area has produced this century. To help us get through the summer, each week, Ill present the top 10 teams from a different sportfour honorable mentions, then our Super Six, These rankings are put together with help from coaches and others, including a Twitter poll each week at twitter.com/foresports, but the final decision is mine. This week its field hockey. Volleyball is on deck)

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For years, while the likes of Skowhegan and York have stolen the field hockey headlines state-wide, there have been plenty of memorable moments produced by local squads, not to mention championships won.

The quality of play has long been excellent and there have been far more than 10 transcendent teams over the past two decades, but this list has room for only 10 and while winnowing it down proved to be a challenging task, heres one writers stab at the finest squads weve seen over the past 20 years:

Greely Rangers, 14-4, 2002 Western Class B champion

The Rangers shocked the world in 2001, winning a regional championship for the first time before losing on penalty corners to Winslow in the state final. In 2002, Greely proved that was no fluke, fielding an even better team which again got to the state final, only to run into the same team and suffer another painful loss. The Rangers featured Miss Maine Field Hockey finalist and Western Maine Conference Class B Player of the Year Amanda Chase, All-State selection Hayly Ross, league all-star Gessy LePage (now Greelys coach), top scorer Sara Dimick and a plethora of other top multi-sport athletes who knew how to have fun, as well as get serious and win games.

Greely roared out of the gate with wins in its first five games, outscoring the opposition, 17-2, in the process. After sandwiching one-goal losses to Cape Elizabeth and Gorham around a 4-0 win over Falmouth, the Rangers were victorious five more times, including an overtime win at Yarmouth, before falling at home to York in the final, 2-1, in double-overtime. As the top seed for the Western B tournament, Greely then avenged two of its losses en route to the regional title.

In the quarterfinals, the Rangers blanked Yarmouth, 2-0, behind goals from Chase and Maryette Stuart. Cape Elizabeth was next in the semifinals and Greely handled the Capers with surprising ease, 6-0, as Dimick scored twice, Julia Chase, Brigitte Demers, Lindsey McKay and Stuart each had one goal and Abby Chapman added two assists. Then, as now, York found its way to the regional final and more than 60 minutes were needed for the Rangers to advance. The Wildcats stunned the partisan Greely crowd with a goal 32 seconds in, but Chapman tied the score late in the first half. Neither team scored in the second half and the contest went to overtime, where Julia Chase set up Dimick for the winning goal and a 2-1 victory which sent the Rangers back to the state final. This time, only 60 minutes would be needed, but again, Winslow left Greely frustrated and heartbroken. The game would be decided on a Black Raiders penalty stroke early in the second half and despite nine shots on goal, the Rangers couldnt finish in an agonizing 1-0 loss. Greelys championship dream would have to wait for another year. Just one more year as it turned out.

Coach Robyn Thayer: We played well as a team. Our ultimate goal was to get to the state final. Last year was a lot easier for us. We just went out and played and when we won, that was great. This year, it was more like we thought about the expectations on us and halfway through the season, I think we had a breakdown. The kids had been focused very much on the win because they thought they needed to focus on the win, instead of how they were playing. After we lost a couple, we decided we had to focus more on playing the best we could possibly play and the wins would come.

Deering Rams, 16-2, 2003 Western Class A champion

After consecutive losses in the regional final, the Rams, in the midst of a phenomenally successful school year for the Deering athletic program, broke through and reached the state game for the only time. The Rams, paced by All-State selections Bronwyn Potthoff and Casey Smith, the teams lone returning starter, Sarah White, league all-stars Lauren Cash and Becky Nickerson, and goalie Megan Urban, embarked on a run that surprised almost everyone, stumbled just twice, in the opener and state final, and set a benchmark for the program which hasnt been matched.

Deering lost, 2-1, to Westbrook in the opener, then rattled off 13 straight wins, including several in close games. In the regular season finale, Smith scored her 15th goal of the season in the second overtime for a 2-1 victory over South Portland. The Rams earned the top seed for the Western A playoffs, then fought off three upset bids to reach the big stage for the first time.

In the quarterfinals, unheralded Portland gave Deering fits, taking the Rams to overtime, but Whites second goal of the game, on a penalty stroke, allowed Deering to advance, 2-1. In the semifinals, preseason favorite Massabesic battled the Rams for 60 minutes, but Potthoffs goal proved to be the difference in a 1-0 victory. That sent Deering to the regional final for the third straight season and after losing to Sanford and Edward Little the two previous years, the third time proved to be the charm against South Portland. White scored the lone goal, from Smith, and the Rams defense did the rest in a 1-0 victory, Deerings 16th in succession. The last obstacle for the Rams, Skowhegan (some things never change), proved to be insurmountable, as Deering went down to a 5-0 defeat. The Rams had finally met their match, but what a run it was.

Coach Andrew Gordon: This is something weve been waiting for for a long time. Maybe we learned some lessons from the past. We know what its like to lose (the regional final). I really wanted (the players) to experience winning one. Its a reward and they earned it. This was a lot more than we hoped to accomplish at the beginning of the season. I think we learned a lot from this experience. This is not something I anticipated from this team, winning 16 in a row. Im very proud of what they have done.

North Yarmouth Academy Panthers, 16-2, 2008 Class C state champion

The Panthers captured their first championship in over a decade in memorable fashion, on an overtime goal in the state final. NYA had reached the regional final the year before, but would have no peer in 2008. The Panthers featured All-State selections Nicole Fuller and Lucy Gerrity, fabulous freshmen Kylie Dalbec and Katherine Millett, big-game goalie Hayley Bright, as well as a player, Frances Leslie, who would score one of the biggest goals in program history.

NYA started with wins over Poland, Waynflete and Old Orchard Beach, then its offense went cold in back-to-back 1-0 setbacks to Sacopee Valley and St. Doms. The Panthers would close the season on a 13-game win streak, however, and won their final nine regular season contests by a composite 38-1 margin, along the way avenging their losses to Sacopee Valley and St. Doms. NYA finished third in Western Class C and would embark on a thrilling title run which featured three one-goal contests.

In the quarterfinals, the Panthers had their only easy playoff win, 6-0, over Lisbon, as Fuller and Millett each scored three goals. Livermore Falls, which upset St. Doms in its quarterfinal, allowing NYA to host in the semifinals, proved to be a challenge, but the Panthers eked out a 1-0 victory on Fullers goal (assisted by Leslie). NYA won by a 1-0 score again in the regional final, this time beating Jay, which had upset top-ranked Telstar to again give the Panthers an unexpected home game, as Millett scored in the final minute of regulation and Bright turned aside several golden opportunities. NYA then met Dexter in the state final, which proved to be another thriller which needed more than 60 minutes to complete. The Panthers took a 1-0 lead on a Dalbec goal early in the second half, but Dexter tied it and the game went to overtime. There, Leslie broke free, went one-on-one with the goalie and put the ball into the cage, giving NYA a 2-1 victory and setting off a wild celebration. A mini-dynasty (three state titles in a four-year span) had begun.

Coach Julia Littlefield: This is the most exciting day of my life. We played really, really well together and we deserve it. Its improbable because we had such a young team. We came this far and not many NYA field hockey teams have. We had that attitude. Ive been coaching for 25 years and this is the least nervous team Ive ever had. They just wanted it right from the bus.

Cheverus Stags, 13-5, 2010 Western Class A champion

It took the Stags until the postseason to truly hit their stride, but once they did, they embarked on a magical run to the state final, one that was documented by a television show, Varsity. Cheverus, which made a surprise trip to the 2009 regional final before losing to eventual state champion Scarborough, featured All-State players Emily Sawchuck and Sarah LaQuerre, as well as league all-stars Gabi Cardona and Taylor Witham, and made for appointment TV by seasons end.

The Stags opened with five straight wins, then was upset by South Portland. After two more victories, Cheverus was blanked by Gorham. The Stags then downed Marshwood and McAuley before apparently being put in their place by Scarborough, 6-1. Cheverus bounced back to beat Portland, then stumbled into the playoffs after a loss to Thornton Academy. Despite being 10-4 and ranked fourth, the Stags proved to be the best team in Western Class A when all was said and done after a dizzying postseason run.

In the quarterfinals, Cheverus held off Kennebunk, 3-2, as Cardona scored early, Brooke Flaherty tied the game just before halftime and LaQuerre won it with 17:18 to go in regulation. That sent the Stags to top-ranked Scarborough for what most expected would be their doom, but just 15 days after losing by five goals at the Red Storm, Cheverus enjoyed the programs biggest win to date, shocking Scarborough, 2-1, as Sawchuck scored midway through the first half and after the Red Storm pulled even, Flaherty won it with a goal with 3:33 to play. The Stags returned to Scarborough for the regional final versus Bonny Eagle and this time, there would be no down-to-the-wire heroics, as Sawchuck cemented her status as an all-time great with four goals and LaQuerre struck as well in a decisive 5-2 victory. Cheverus was a decisive underdog in the state game versus Skowhegan and this time couldnt pull the upset, losing, 3-0. The Stags didnt take the final step, but the only regional champion in program history certainly stole headlines.

Coach Amy McMullin: It was a great, fun season. Im really proud of the girls. They played their hearts out. I couldnt be more proud. We exceeded all expectations. We completely jelled in the playoffs and played well. We had a lot of ups and downs, but thats the story of high school athletics. We didnt want an undefeated season. We completely regrouped coming into playoffs. It shows it really is a team game.

6) North Yarmouth Academy Panthers, 17-1, 2010 Class C state champion

The second of three NYA champions in a four-year span was bound and determined to get back to the pinnacle after having its undefeated season end with a state game loss to Dexter in 2009. Thanks in part to the effort of All-State talent Katherine Millett, as well as 2008 heroes Kylie Dalbec and Frances Leslie and league all-stars Megan Fortier and Renee Lamoureau, the Panthers scored in double figures in seven different contests, wound up nearly perfect and this time, capped the season with the big prize, but only after a grueling state final.

NYA opened with 10-1 wins over Freeport and Traip Academy. After holding off highly touted Sacopee Valley, 3-1, the Panthers put up 11 goals in a blanking of Poland, then shut out Old Orchard Beach, 6-0. NYAs 28-game regular season win streak finally came to a close with a 2-1 loss to Class B powerhouse York, but the Panthers wouldnt stumble again and they closed the year on an eight-game streak, outscoring the opposition, 56-3, to wind up 13-1 and third in Western Class C. The road to the championship wasnt easy, but NYA would show its grit and heart as it wound up atop the heap.

In the quarterfinals, the Panthers had one final offensive explosion, blanking Waynflete, 10-0, as Fortier rattled the cage five times and Millett added four goals. The going then got tough, as NYA had to go to Livermore Falls and got taken into overtime before surviving and advancing, 1-0, on Milletts rebound goal. The regional final saw the Panthers battle Telstar. Millett set up Fortier for an early goal, but the Rebels tied the game on a penalty corner after time expired in the first half. Millett then scored twice in the second half and that proved to be just enough as NYA held on for a 3-2 victory.

This time around, it wasnt Dexter standing in the way in the state game, it would be a Foxcroft Academy squad which was every bit the Panthers equal. Neither team scored in 60 minutes of regulation or in two eight-minute overtime sessions. The contest would be decided on penalty corners and it appeared NYA had the title when Dalbec scored, but the Ponies answered and it was on to another set. This time, Fortier scored and the Panthers defense and goalie Mariah Farrell slammed the door on Foxcroft Academys chance giving NYA the championship. It would prove to be coach Julia Sterlings final game as coach. She gave way to assistant Tracy Quimby, who led the Panthers to one more crown in 2011.

Coach Julia Sterling: Its so exciting. It sure wasnt easy. Weve worked hard from beginning to end. We had more experience this year. The juniors were there as freshmen and again as sophomores last year. Theyve gotten better each year. The younger kids are stepping in because they see where were going.

5) Scarborough Red Storm, 16-1-1, 2013 Western Class A champion

The second of three straight Red Storm regional champions, Scarborough wasnt able to go unbeaten and untied in the regular season like the year before, nor win the title like its successor, but this team was pretty darn impressive nonetheless. After falling to Skowhegan, 4-1, in the 2012 Class A state game, the Red Storm, featuring all-state selections Maddy Dobecki, Abby Walker and Rachael Wallace, as well as league all-stars Mikaela Coombs and Kristen Murray, regrouped and overwhelmed their regional foes en route to another date with the states premier power in the Class A final.

Scarborough opened with a hard-fought 2-1 win at Marshwood (Maggie Carbin scored twice), then handled Massabesic, Noble and Sanford by a composite 20-1 margin. Close calls ensued, but the Red Storm passed them, beating Windham (2-0), Thornton Academy (2-1) and Westbrook (2-0, on goals from Murray and Dobecki). Scarborough then dominated South Portland, Biddeford, Bonny Eagle and McAuley by a combined 37-1 score before settling for a 1-1 draw versus Cheverus, which snapped its 35-game regular season win streak. The Red Storm then closed with a 4-0 win over Deering to go 13-0-1 and earn the top seed for the Western A playoffs. Scarborough would be tested in the regional tournament, but wouldnt be denied its date with Skowhegan.

In the quarterfinals, the Red Storm blanked Gorham, 5-0, as Murray scored twice. Scarborough only managed one goal in the semifinals versus Marshwood, but it came from Wallace and was enough to advance. In the regional final, played against Massabesic in the freezing cold in Saco, the Red Storm rolled, 6-3, behind two goals apiece from Carbin and Walker and one apiece from Murray and Ashley Levesque.

Scarborough wanted to avenge its prior state game loss when it met Skowhegan on the big stage in Yarmouth, but despite some promising early chances, the Red Storm couldnt get the jump and wound up losing, 4-1 (Murray would score the lone goal, as she would do again in the 2014 state final which produced a happier result). Scarborough had fallen short, but in the process, had taken another step closer to its championship destiny.

Coach Kerry Mariello: We wanted another opportunity to play Skowhegan. We knew we didnt give them as good a game as we could have last year. We wanted to get back and prove it. The score didnt indicate how well we played. Hopefully this motivates the girls to work even harder. Were young. Well bounce back. Hopefully well be here again.

4) Scarborough Red Storm, 17-1, 2012 Western Class A champion

The nearly perfect Storm. Scarborough didnt just win its first 17 games, it didnt surrender a goal along the way, but the Red Storm finally met their match in the state final, losing to Skowhegan, a setback which kept them from placing higher on this list. After being upset by Windham in the quarterfinals the previous year, Scarborough, which featured All-State talents Karli-An Gilbert, Mikaela Gove and Molly Whelan, league all-stars Maddie Dobecki, Lauren Russell and Rachael Wallace, and goalie Shannon Hicks, was simply unstoppable until the final day of the season.

The Red Storm set the tone with a 10-0 victory ver McAuley in the opener. They were only seriously tested four times in the regular season, downing Westbrook and Windham by 2-0 scores and edging Sanford and Marshwood by 1-0 margins. Scarborough essentially locked up the top seed in Western Class A with a 4-0 victory at Cheverus, then closed the regular season with decisive shutouts of Noble (6-0) and Kennebunk (5-0). The regional tournament saw the Red Storm continue their dominance and keep the opposition off the scoreboard.

Scarborough blanked Thornton Academy, 4-0, in the quarterfinals, as Elly Walker scored twice and Emily Bunting and Kristen Murray also found the cage. Next up was Westbrook and again Hicks didnt allow a goal, while Bunting, Walker and Whelan scored for a 3-0 victory. In the regional final, Cheverus hoped to upset the Red Storm for the second time in three postseasons, but Scarborough wouldnt be denied, getting goals from Bunting, Ali Pelczar and Abby Walker for a 3-0 win and the programs third Western A crown.

The final piece of the puzzle wasnt to be, however, as the Red Storm surrendered their first goal all season (after 1,053 minutes and 15 seconds of play), early in the second half, then Skowhegan added two more, going on to a 3-0 victory and leaving Scarborough just short of immortality. The Red Storm would be heard from again, however.

Coach Kerry Mariello: The 17 games that got us to (states) were the most gratifying and team-oriented games that I have ever coached. I believe each person that was involved, whether it be the players, parents, peers, or community members all felt that sense of wholeness that this team created. It will go down as a season of a lifetime and I have been blessed to be a part of it. The seniors are a special group and will make a positive impact in all areas of their future lives. They have impacted me and this program in a way that is immeasurable.

3) Greely Rangers, 16-1-1, 2003 Class B state champion

The Rangers third trip to the state final was unquestionably the charm and a phenomenal team, filled with tremendous multi-sport athletes, captured the programs first and to date, only title in dominant and memorable fashion. After losing to Winslow on penalty corners in the 2001 Class B state final and to the Black Raiders again, on a second half penalty stroke, in 2002, Greely, led by All-State players Julia Chase, Sara Dimick and Hayly Ross, simply wouldnt be denied.

The season started slowly with a 1-1 tie against Gorham, but the Rangers then embarked on a 10-game win streak which saw them score 35 goals and surrender only four. The run came to a close with a 1-0 home loss to always-tough York, but Greely wouldnt stumble again and closed by downing Cape Elizabeth, 3-2, in overtime (on Abby Chapmans goal) and Fryeburg Academy, 2-1, to wind up a program-best 12-1-1 and first for the Western B tournament. There, the Rangers passed some stern tests and went on to fulfill their destiny.

Greely got a scare from Falmouth in the quarterfinals, but advanced, 4-2, thanks to late goals from Chapman and Chase. The Rangers only managed one goal in the semifinals versus Leavitt (from Chase), but it was enough to prevail, 1-0. That set up a third consecutive regional final versus York and while overtime was needed in 2001 and 2002, it wasnt this time, as goals from Chapman, Dimick and Maryette Stuart produced a 3-0 victory. That spelled another trip to the state final and another showdown with Winslow. And this time, sweet victory.

The contest was scoreless at the half when the team released 40 ladybugs for luck. It worked like a charm, as early in the second half, Dimick scored on a rebound off a penalty corner for the only goal Greely would need and less than two minutes later, off another corner, Dimick set up Kelly Saucier for an insurance goal. The title didnt come without some anxious moments down the stretch, but one year after surrendering the decisive penalty stroke goal, Rangers goalie Kristen Walker faced another and this time, made the save to all but end it and Greely went on to an exhilarating 2-0 triumph. Seventeen years later, this Rangers team stands alone in program annals. Their triumph was a sight to behold.

Coach Robyn Thayer: You dont realize how much emotion goes into this. These are the kids Ive had from the start. Theyre now seniors and its so good to see it happen to them. What an outstanding bunch of kids. Seeing their emotions after we won it made it all worth it. We wanted Winslow. If we had a choice, after losing to Winslow two years in a row, we wanted to see them again. This year we were much more confident. We knew what was at stake.

2) Scarborough Red Storm, 18-0, 2014 Class A state champion

After consecutive state game losses to Skowhegan, Scarborough broke through and won its second championship in breathtaking fashion. The Red Storm, paced by eventual Miss Maine Field Hockey winner Maddy Dobecki, as well as All-State selections Kaitlin Prince, Abby Walker and Kristen Murray, who would score the biggest goal of the season, survived a challenging series of postseason games and worked their way back to the Class A pinnacle and also received the most votes in our Twitter poll.

Scarborough opened with statement-making 3-0 wins over Marshwood (behind goals from Lily Nygren, Gabby Farino and Murray) and Massabesic, then began crushing just about every foe. The Red Storm were pushed by Sanford (winning, 2-1, on Walkers overtime goal), Thornton Academy (again going to OT before Walker scored to produce a 1-0 victory) and Cheverus (a 1-0 road win behind Walkers second half goal), but over the 14-game regular season, they outscored the opposition, 82-2. For just the second time in program history, Scarborough posted a 14-0 record and the Red Storm would be the top seed for the Western A playoffs, where they would embark on their run to their elusive crown.

In the quarterfinals, Scarborough got goals from Dobecki, Nygren and Walker and beat Biddeford, 3-1. The Red Storm then defeated Thornton by the same 3-1 margin in the semifinals, thanks to goals from Nygren, Murray and Kristen Levesque. Marshwood was next in the regional final and again, the 3-1 score was the charm, as Scarborough won its third straight regional championship behind two goals from Murray (both set up by Dobecki) and another from Levesque.

To no ones surprise, it was once again Skowhegan awaiting in the state final and after back-to-back losses, the Red Storm werent about to be denied. While Scarboroughs defense and goalie Alyssa Souza pitched their lone shutout of the postseason, Scarboroughs prolific offense couldnt find the cage either. Until just two seconds remained. With everyone on hand thinking overtime, Murray scored out of a scrum and just like that, the Red Storm were champions. What could possibly top that? How about an almost identical Scarborough victory just a few years before.

Coach Kerry Mariello: This means everything for us. The girls got the fairy tale ending they deserved. To have a vision to get this dream started, the motivation, conviction and confidence to reinforce that vision and to finish in such explosive fashion is indescribable. Each time we took the field, the flame grew and eventually grew to a point where it had completely taken over these girls hearts and soul. They were not going to lose. These girls are at the top of any game, especially life. Theres no group more deserving.

1) Scarborough Red Storm, 18-0, 2009 Class A state champion

The first time was the sweetest, as Scarborough captured its initial championship, at Skowhegans expense, on an improbable overtime goal. After losing an OT heartbreaker to Skowhegan in the 2008 state game, the Red Storm regrouped and didnt lose a game in 2009, a familiar theme for Miss Maine Field Hockey finalist Brittany Ross and fellow All-State selection Ellie Morin, who enjoyed a perfect school year. Scarborough, which also featured All-State selection Heather Carrier and league all-star Ashley Anastasoff, started the season fast and never looked back.

The Red Storm opened by dominating Portland, 12-0, as Ross hinted at a huge season to come by scoring six times. Scarborough outscored the opposition, 80-9, in the regular season and reached double digit goals on three occasions. The Red Storm won 10 of 14 games by at least three goals and were tested only by Sanford (a 4-2 victory), Westbrook (a 2-0 win), Cheverus (a 3-1 victory) and Gorham (a 2-0 win). Scarborough wound up 14-0 for the first time and locked up the top seed in Western Class A for the first time. The Red Storm were far from finished.

In the quarterfinals, Scarborough blanked Thornton Academy, 2-0, as Ross scored a first half goal and Morin added another in the second half. The Red Storm then had no trouble with Bonny Eagle in the semifinals, rolling, 6-0, behind two goals apiece from Morin and Ross, one each from Akashia Gergler and Mo Hannan and three assists from Carrier. Scarborough then got all it could handle from Cheverus in the regional final, falling behind, 2-1, before rallying for a 3-2 victory. Anastasoff tied the game just before halftime and Kelsey Howards second goal of the contest provided the winning margin.

The Red Storm then got the rematch they hoped for in the state game, but fell behind Skowhegan, 1-0, on a goal early in the second half. Just over five minutes from getting its heart broken again, Scarborough responded like the champion it would become, tying the game on Ross 31st goal of the season, then winning it in overtime on an improbable, controversial goal. Off a long hit from Carrier from beyond the circle, the ball rolled into the cage. Skowhegan thought it had been untouched, which would have disallowed the goal, but instead Morin began jumping and down and celebrating because she got a piece of the ball en route to the cage. The goal stood and the Red Storm had the championship, 2-1. Scarboroughs first champion will long be hailed.

Coach Kerry Mariello: Its overwhelming. Its a great feeling. The greatest feeling ever, right here. We made some adjustments and had perseverance for sure. We dug deep and we knew we had it. We fought all odds. We had a goal at the start of the year and pursued it. Theyre a special group. They deserved every ounce of this. Im so glad for them. They had so much grit and tenacity. You want to win like this. The surge of energy you feel at the end is something you keep for a lifetime and Im glad the girls got to experience that.

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The Best of the Best- Field hockey - Press Herald

CYBERPUNK 2077: Players Will Be Able To Finish The Game Without Completing The Main Quest – GameFragger.com

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CD Projekt RED's Cyberpunk 2077 has become one of the most highly anticipated titles this generation of consoles, and everything the developers have shown about the upcoming title is solid proof of why; it is the most ambitious video game from the studio that delivered the insanely ambitious The Witcher III: Wild Hunt.

The developers have poured their hearts and souls into making Cyberpunk 2077 one of the best games out there, and this is one of the many reasons why the game has taking its sweet time to finally hit store shelves. On top of this, CD Projekt RED keep adding new features that will likely make the waiting more than worth it.

One of the new features that CD Projekt RED is introducing in Cyberpunk 2077 will, more than likely, be a game-changing mechanic, as it will allow players to finish the game without actually having to complete its main quest. That's right, you didn't misread that.

In a recent interview with Polish website Spider's Web,Cyberpunk 2077Lead Quest Designer Pawel Sasko explained that this new feature comes from their experience working on The Witcher III: Wild Hunt, and is what ultimately made them rethink their approach to sub plots

"Webuilt the Cyberpunk structure based on the conclusions we drew from The Witcher III. The Witcher had the main stem of history and side threads departing from it, and this was our main structure, which we call the ear," explained Sasko.

"So in Cyberpunks structure we have this wheat spike, which serves as its center, the main storyline with different subplots surrounding it, which can be triggered in various ways.

Those subplots allow us to do something that we have never done before they change the main plot of the game and they are doing that in such a way that you may not even finish the main plot, but still finish the game and get a completely different epilogue than the player with a different lifepath who made different choices, met different characters and formed relationships with them."

Getting a completely different ending based on the decisions made by the player is actually quite an appealing idea, and it seems that the developers at CD Projekt RED have given this a lot of thought. Cyberpunk 2077 is expected to launch in November, so we'll still have to wait a little bit longer to see if this innovative idea eventually works out.

In the most dangerous megacity of the future, the real you is not enough. Become V, a cyber-enhanced mercenary outlaw going after a one-of-a-kind implant the key to immortality. Customize your cyberware and skillset, and explore a vast city of the future obsessed with power, glamour and body modification. The choices you make will determine the story and shape the world around you.

Cyberpunk 2077 will be releasing for thePlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on Thursday the 19th of November; PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X release date to be revealed.

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CYBERPUNK 2077: Players Will Be Able To Finish The Game Without Completing The Main Quest - GameFragger.com

2020 Z-Wave State of the Ecosystem Report Sheds Light on Smart Home Trends – Security Sales & Integration

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The report also contains thought-leadership contributions regarding open standards, interoperability, artificial intelligence and contextual awareness.

AUSTIN, Texas TheZ-Wave Alliance, a standards development organization dedicated to developing and advancing Z-Wave technology, has released its second-annual Z-Wave State of the Ecosystem Report.

The newly available report examines smart home and connected technology from both within and outside of the home and explores the smart home landscape as it exists today, current and future trends, and new opportunities with an emphasis on the role Z-Wave technology plays in the advancement of the industry.

The report reveals Z-Wave continues to see exponential growth in smart home categories such as sensors, smart thermostats, smart lighting and door locks. Water, all-in-one sensors and smart doorbells all grew by greater than 500% from 2019 to 2020.

There is no shortage of possibilities for the internet of things, says Mitch Klein, executive director, Z-Wave Alliance. Smart Home has changed our way of life. In 2005, there were less than 10 Z-Wave devices on the market, and today there are over 3,300 certified products worldwide across an Alliance of hundreds of global member companies. As we look ahead, we see tremendous opportunity for Z-Wave to continue to advance the way we live.

Contained within the report, readers will find research from analysts examining relevant industry verticals including MDU, insurance, aging-in-place, healthcare, real estate and more.

Additionally, the report contains thought-leadership contributions regarding open standards, interoperability, artificial intelligence, and contextual awareness, and features a section where technology experts and industry press provide their insights into the future of the smart home through the rest of 2020 and beyond.

Key data points include:

Click here to read the full 2020 Z-Wave State of the Ecosystem Report.

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2020 Z-Wave State of the Ecosystem Report Sheds Light on Smart Home Trends - Security Sales & Integration

ServSafe Expands Training and Certification Ecosystem – PRNewswire

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CHICAGO, July 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ServSafe, the National Restaurant Association's premier food safety training brand today announced the expansion of its training and certification ecosystem to include online (remote) proctored exams to better meet the needs of the industry. This addition allows for foodservice workers to access needed or required testing in the way that works best for their schedules and learning styles.

"For 30 years, our goal has been to provide the most flexible and adaptable foodservice workforce training opportunities to improve the industry and to support the advancement of our hard-working people," said Sherman Brown, executive vice president of Training and Certification for the National Restaurant Association. "The addition of online proctored exams fortifies our high-quality education ecosystem to the long-term needs of the market."

ServSafe partnered with ProctorU, the global leader in remote proctoring, to create the online solution for testing. Customers choosing this option will be greeted by a live proctor who guides them through the exam launch process. The live proctor, backed by the AI-powered Proctor U platform, monitors and flags any suspicious behaviors during the exam and intervenes, if necessary, to uphold exam integrity and security. This new online solution is available 24/7.

In addition to the new online proctored testing option, the ServSafe training and certification ecosystem will still maintain its traditional options.Classes will still be offered in the form of self-guided learning online or classroom learning with an instructor. And customers ready to take the exam can still choose a paper-based exam or a hybrid exam at a testing center (comprised of an online test with a proctor in the room) in addition to the full online option available with ProctorU.

To learn more about ServSafe training and certification options, go to servsafe.com.

About the National Restaurant Association Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 1 million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of 15.6 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We sponsor the industry's largest trade show (National Restaurant Association Show); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF's ProStart). For more information, visitRestaurant.organd find us on Twitter@WeRRestaurants,FacebookandYouTube.

SOURCE National Restaurant Association

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ServSafe Expands Training and Certification Ecosystem - PRNewswire

The Key to a Better Social Media Ecosystem? Friction. – Built In

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What's the first word that comes out of your mouth right after you painfully stub your toe?

Im guessing its not appropriate enough for polite company. In the heat of the moment, you hurl your go-to curse. Luckily for your reputation, only your cat hears your choice words uttered in agony. Your reactive self, the part of you that is thoughtless and impulsive, is not made public.

Social media platforms are filled with similar reactive outbursts, along with the sharing of questionable content and trollish behavior that thrives in an environment that rewards quick communication. Social media often takes advantage of our reactive selves rather than more reflective, considered thoughts.

If we designed a platform, for example, that recorded your first utterance after stubbing your toe and then uploaded it lets call it StubYoToe we wouldnt be surprised if the platform quickly filled with objectionable, offensive content. With its emphasis on removing friction and grabbing immediate reactions, the platform would be full of falsehoods (e.g., wrongly blaming your nephew for leaving Legos on the floor) and f-bombs. And as a free ad-based platform, we should also not be surprised that StubYoToe would put a premium on the ease of use by automatically uploading your outbursts since a greater level of engagement directly equates to more revenue. The site would be both wildly profitable and wildly toxic at the same time.

The days of friction-free social media that maximizes the volume of communication while putting limited resources toward trust and safety are over. A confluence of factors have created a perfect storm of social media disruption, including:

Taken together, these collective movements add up to a changing landscape for social media platforms. Right now, there is growing concern around social medias impact on user well-being, civil discourse, and democracy writ large. As this downsides increasingly become part of social medias responsibility, it is bound to change the back-of-the-napkin cost/benefit analysis for how they operate. For example, think about how large civil lawsuits against companies often incentivize others to improve their products since fewer lawsuits equals more profits. Similarly, the likely future for social media companies will include much higher penalties for their perceived societal harms. Right now, we would penalize a factory for polluting the air and water in order to reduce future pollution. In the future, damages from social media will be treated like pollution. This means that social media companies will have a much stronger incentive to reduce their initial harms, which is why they will need to incorporate more friction in their process. No longer will more communication on a platform equal more profit if that platform also has a substantial amount of their revenue subtracted from their balance sheet because of penalties from unmoderated content.

I write this from firsthand experience, as my career puts me at the intersection of big tech, policymakers, content moderation, media, startups, and our evolving relationship with technology. I currently sit as a founding advisor on TikToks content advisory council and am the founder and president of a responsible tech organization called All Tech Is Human. Working with a diverse range of stakeholders has offered a window into the current problems social media platforms face and how we might be able to create a better tech future. For social media, a better tech future requires innovative user friction to reduce the spreading of misinformation, cyberbullying, doxing, hate speech, and other bad behaviors. Not only will it be the right thing to do, but it will also be the more profitable path for social media platforms. In order to be more profitable, however, platforms will need to incorporate FrictionTech.

More on Social MediaInstagram AI Tools Are Frowned Upon but They Work

FrictionTech involves methods and tools that tilt users toward more reflective forms of interaction. Similar to nudging in choice architecture, which has become a major design method for platforms, FrictionTech aims to put small hurdles into online interactions in order to prevent damaging reactive communication and behavior. Two recent examples of major platforms using FrictionTech include Instagrams attempt to reduce cyberbullying and Twitters foray into slowing down the spread of misinformation.

For Adam Mosseri, the CEO of Instagram, reducing cyberbullying means taking down offensive comments before theyre posted. Content moderation, which is a mix of human moderators and AI systems using natural language processing (NLP), is more successful when there is less offensive material in total on the platform. Thats why Instagram announced last year that they have been testing out an AI system that scans messages for potential acts of cyberbullying and then presents the individual with a form of friction: Are you sure you want to post this? The individual is not prevented from sending their message, but the slight delay may encourage the person to be more reflective and cognizant of how their words may affect the intended recipient and, ultimately, the overall information ecosystem.

This intervention gives people a chance to reflect and undo their comment and prevents the recipient from receiving the harmful comment notification, Mosseri said last year, explaining Instagrams new tool for reducing cyberbullying. From early tests of this feature, we have found that it encourages some people to undo their comment and share something less hurtful once they have had a chance to reflect.

In a similar vein, Twitter has been searching for ways to curb the spread of misinformation. Although we often think that misinformation stems from bad actors and nefarious bots, a major part of the misinformation problem on social media comes from regular users sharing misinformation uncritically. Thats why Twitter is incorporating friction into the process moving a user from reactive to reflective by trying out a new feature that asks, Want to read this before retweeting? Just like Instagrams form of friction, a user isnt prevented from communicating, but they do have an additional step that will possibly alter their behavior.

Speaking to Consumer Reports, which reported on Twitters new feature in June, a company spokesperson shared their rationale for this update: In an effort to help start healthier conversations we want to help people know what they are sharing. So when someone is about to retweet an article but they havent clicked into the linked article, theyll see a prompt asking if theyd like to open the article before sharing.

In the past, Twitter would have wanted more total retweets and Instagram would have wanted more total messages. But the equation for social media has changed because frictionless communication has clearly created substantial problems with cyberbullying and misinformation. Social media companies know there will be severe financial harm connected with inflicting societal harms. Thats why the future of social media depends on friction: finding innovative ways to nudge people away from their impulses and move them toward a more intentional form of communication.

More on Social Media11 Things Marketers Need to Know About TikTok

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The Key to a Better Social Media Ecosystem? Friction. - Built In

These Three Elected Officials Have Commented on the SECs Proposed Update to the Exempt Offering Ecosystem: What Do They Want? – Crowdfund Insider

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Months ago, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) kicked off a review of the exempt offering ecosystem in an attempt to improve access to capital for younger firms while continuing to ensure sufficient investor protection.

Over the years, access to capital via the public markets has stumbled. There are several reasons for this fact. First, the cost to go public has gone through the roof. The legal stipulations are stratospheric and ongoing. Once you pay to go through the process of becoming a public corporation the regulatory demands ratchet up costing hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars each year in compliance requirements. Only very large firms can shoulder this burden.

Additionally, there is an ocean of private capital available looking to jump ahead of the game and get in on a promising investment before it goes public and thus earn outsized capital gains. The list of VCs and institutions seeking early-stage investments has grown while the number of listed companies has shrunk. Meanwhile, retail investors have largely been cut out of the equation.

In brief, the market always wins.

In some respects, the bi-partisan JOBS Act of 2012 was an attempt to address this pressing problem by creating more avenues for issuers to raise capital while opening up access to a wider pool of investors.

The SEC has now had the experience of several years of reviewing data generated from the JOBS Act legislation, a law that legalized online capital formation, as well as a current inclination for more equality and diversity in access to opportunity for both investors and smaller companies as well as entrepreneurs.

The update entitledFacilitating Capital Formation and Expanding Investment Opportunities by Improving Access to Capital in Private Markets,was first published last March. While not perfect, the proposal on the table has the potential to help both sides of the equation.

During the last few months, the SEC has been accepting comments from interested parties. Earlier in July, Crowdfund Insider shared the perspective from some of the platforms that are facilitating access to funding via online capital formation. But the list of commentators is quite long and includes several political leaders.

Congressman Patrick McHenry, Ranking Member on the House Financial Services Committee and longtime Fintech advocate, voiced his support for the SECs efforts to simplify and improve the exempt offering ecosystem.

Noting that the existing framework has become more complex in the last several decades, Congressman McHenry said he strongly supports the proposed amendments:

These proposed changes would help small businesses and expand investment opportunities for Main Street investors while maintaining appropriate investor protections. In my previous comment letter submitted on the Concept Release on Harmonization of Securities Offering Exemptions, I expressed particular concern with the overly burdensome requirements of RegulationCrowdfunding [Reg CF]. These requirements hinder the ability of crowdfunding to address small-business capital needs. Specifically, the proposed amendments to permit the use of certain special purpose vehicles and to increase the offering limits will expand the number and scope of investors and empower small businesses to access more capital at a time when they need it most.

The COVID health crisis has made the proposed amendments of even greater importance, said the Congressman.

Senator Patrick Toomey, the Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, applauded the SECs proposed rule changes. Senator Toomey said that expanding access to capital will help the US economy recover from the COVID-19 crisis.

Senator Toomey advocated on behalf of a mico-offering safe harbor for companies seeking up to $1 million. Simultaneously, he asked the SEC to raise Reg CF to a $10 million funding cap above the current $5 million proposal.

Increasing offering limits for private offerings, helping issuers communicate with investors at demo days, and improving crowdfunding will improve access to private capital without undermining investor protection, said Senator Toomey. Expanding access to private capital through this rulemaking will help the U.S. economy recover from the COVID-19 crisis. To transform ideas into new businesses and sustain operations, entrepreneurs and existing small businesses need private capital because public markets are often prohibitively expensive. Improving access to private capital also helps public markets over time as many new private companies evolve into public companies.

He added that improvements to both Reg A+ and Reg D along with secondary trading rules for all exempt offerings will go a long way in improving the ecosystem.

Congresswoman Maxine Waters, the Chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee, expressed her concern regarding the deregulatory agenda and attempts to expand the private markets.

Private markets lack critical investor protection safeguards, are highly illiquid, and lack the transparency investors need to make informed investment decisions. Rife with fraud and few investor protections, the North American Securities Administrators Association has noted that private offerings are among the top sources of enforcement actions brought by state securities regulators. Moreover, the further expansion of private markets comes directly at the expense of public markets, which have been specifically designed to facilitate capital formation while ensuring that investors and other market participants receive the full protection of the securities laws and have access to the tools and information they need to make informed decisions.

Congresswoman Waters told the SEC to focus on the dire impacts of COVID-19 on the economy and not to engage in partisan and deregulatory rulemaking that leave our investors exposed to great risk and leave our markets weakened.

You may read all three letters below (click to download).

More to follow.

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These Three Elected Officials Have Commented on the SECs Proposed Update to the Exempt Offering Ecosystem: What Do They Want? - Crowdfund Insider

Skin Microbiome Modulators Industry and Ecosystem 2019-2030 with Detailed Profiles of 16 Key Players Including Colgate-Palmolive Company, Johnson…

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DUBLIN, July 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Skin Microbiome Modulators Market: Focus on Products, Applications, Distribution Channels, Country Data (14 Countries), and Competitive Landscape - Analysis and Forecast, 2019-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

According to the report, the global skin microbiome modulators market was valued at $541.1 million in 2019 and is anticipated to grow over $2,971.6 million by 2030.

The global microbiome modulators market is expected to grow at a double-digit compound annual growth rate in the forecast period 2020-2030, aided primarily by the high growth in the probiotics and prebiotics market and tremendous impact of natural ingredient-based products on cosmetics.

The probiotic segment is the leading contributor in the global skin microbiome modulators market and contributed approximately 68.16% to the global market value in 2019. This segment is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 15.01% during the forecast period 2020-2030. However, prebiotics products picking up pace primarily in the cosmetic application, there is an immense opportunity for massive growth in the industry.

Research Highlights

With respect to the application segment, skincare application dominated the market in 2019 and is expected to continue dominating through the forecast period. Further, the facial care segment in skincare is expected to witness the highest CAGR of 18.48% during the forecast period 2020-2030.

L'Oreal S.A. is currently the largest shareholder in the global skin microbiome modulators market. This dominant position was reported to be due to the companies' exhaustive portfolio of products. L'Oreal S.A. is a market leader in the global cosmetics industry, and through its Active Cosmetics subsidiaries La Roche-Posay and Vichy, as well as Luxury Brand subsidiary Lancme, the company has a vast product portfolio of probiotic-and prebiotic-infused products for skincare.

This market intelligence report provides a multi-dimensional view of the global skin microbiome modulators market in terms of market size and growth potential. This research report aims at answering various aspects of the global skin microbiome modulators market with the help of key factors driving the market, restraints that can possibly inhibit the overall growth of the market, and the current growth opportunities that are going to shape the future trajectory of the market expansion.

Furthermore, the competitive landscape and industry insights chapter in the report explicates the competitive nature of the global skin microbiome modulators market and enables the reader to get acquainted with the recent market activities, such as product launches and approvals, partnerships, collaborations, business expansions, as well as mergers and acquisitions. The research report provides a comprehensive analysis of the product sales, manufacturers, and trend analysis by segment, and growth share analysis by region. Additionally, the report provides a comprehensive attractive analysis and opportunity analysis for the entire skin microbiome modulators market for 2019 and 2030.

This report is a meticulous compilation of research on more than 50 players in the market ecosystem and draws upon insights from in-depth interviews with the key opinion leaders of more than 15 leading companies, market participants, and vendors. The report also comprises 16 detailed company profiles including several key players, such as AOBiome, Azitra, Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Company, Evelo Biosciences Inc., GALLINEE, Glowbiotics, Inc., Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc., L'Oreal S.A., MATRYSIS BIOSCIENCE, Quorum Innovations, Revlon, Siolta Therapeutics, The Estee Lauder Companies, Inc., TULA Life Inc., Unilever, and Yakult Honsha Co. Ltd.

Growth Drivers

Market Challenges

Market Opportunities

Market Segmentation

Regional Segmentation

Key Questions Answered

Companies Mentioned

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/aijb30

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

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Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [emailprotected]

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Skin Microbiome Modulators Industry and Ecosystem 2019-2030 with Detailed Profiles of 16 Key Players Including Colgate-Palmolive Company, Johnson...

Polyient Games Invites Application For Its Upcoming Ecosystem – TimesOfCasino

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In an important development, Polyient Games (PG) has announced that applications are open for its upcoming Ecosystem. Called Polyient Games Ecosystem, the application will be accepted on a rolling basis. This opportunity is especially relevant for startups, which aspire to become part of the blockchain ecosystem and have demonstrated product launch history with sharp market acumen. Just so you know, PG is one of the reputable names in the blockchain industry with offerings in the field of non-fungible tokens and gaming.

The upcoming ecosystem will provide a platform for a number of entities belonging to different segments of the blockchain. These include technology and network collaborators, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) startups, and decentralized finance applications developers, among others.

The philosophy behind this initiative is to enable the company to have direct contact with the new breed of innovators and startups in the market. This unique approach allows PG to remain cognizant of the new market trends while having a tab on prospective users expectations. Another important aspect behind this startup philosophy is to do away with any hindrance or barriers impeding the expansion potential of NFTs as a digital asset class. Some of the exclusive features that will be available to PGs Ecosystem partners include dedicated profile page, sales and market support from PG, opportunity to collaborate with other ecosystem members, interoperability, special discount on the services, and access to the high potential customers.

All innovators who will use the PG platform for sales, a 5% revenue sharing model with the PG will be applicable. However, there is no restriction if the sales are made outside the companys platform, which is a wonderful proposition in every sense of the word. PG is accepting projects from almost all kinds of blockchain networks in order to make the platform holistic and comprehensive. For now, the infrastructure support is provided by Ethereum, but PG is working towards expanding the base of its token support.

PG Ecosystem is a wonderful initiative by the PG. Not only will it help to specifically target segments but also for the overall blockchain industry, this collaborative platform will augment opportunities and inculcate a sense of collaboration among stakeholders. It is very much apparent that growth in the blockchain industry is dependent more on the collaboration rather than outright competition, and this startup is the right step in the right direction.

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Polyient Games Invites Application For Its Upcoming Ecosystem - TimesOfCasino

Global Video Surveillance Market: Focus on Ecosystem, Application (Infrastructure, Commercial Residential, Industrial, Institutional, Others), and…

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NEW YORK, July 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --

The Global Video Surveillance Market Anticipated to Reach $51.36 Billion by 2025

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05934756/?utm_source=PRN

Key Questions Answered in this Report: What is the global video surveillance market size in terms of revenue from 2019-2025? Which video surveillance category is dominant during the forecast period? What is the revenue generated by the different applications, ecosystem categories, and camera types of video surveillance market? What are the trends in the global video surveillance market across different regions? What are the major driving forces that tend to increase the demand for video surveillance during the forecast period 2020-2025? What are the major challenges inhibiting the growth of the global video surveillance market? What are the major technological advancements that drive the global video surveillance market growth? What was the total revenue generated by the global video surveillance market across different regions (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa) in 2019, and what are the estimates by 2025? Who are the key players in the global video surveillance market, and what are the new strategies adopted by them to make a mark in the industry? What major opportunities do the video surveillance companies foresee in the next five years (2020-2025)? What is the competitive strength of the key leading players in the video surveillance market?

Global Video Surveillance Market Forecast, 2020-2025The video surveillance industry analysis projects the market to grow at a significant CAGR of 10.06% on the basis of value during the forecast period from 2020 to 2025. Asia-Pacific region dominated the global video surveillance with a share of 58.12% in 2019.

The constantly expanding infrastructure in China and India has been a significant driver in promoting the growth of video surveillance in these countries.The decline in the costs of the overall CCTV-based security system packages due to the reduction in the prices of video cameras has hiked the price competitiveness of these surveillance systems, especially in the Chinese, Indian, and South Korean markets.

The on-going COVID-19 pandemic, rising crime rate, terrorism, threats from illegal intruders in the countries, and the consequent increasing security needs are some of the other factors driving the growth of the video surveillance market in Asia-Pacific region.

The global video surveillance has gained widespread importance owing to increasing conflicts, political instability, and terrorism activities, coupled with increasing border instability which in turn forces countries to strengthen their military capabilities. Further, COVID-19, a highly contagious disease has caused high fatality to human lives in countries such as the U.S., China, Japan, Italy, Spain, and South Korea. Thus, many companies are continuously supplying surveillance products, including CCTV cameras and thermal cameras, to hardest-hit countries in order to keep a track on the lockdown situation. In January 2020, Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co., Ltd. deployed many thermal cameras to various cities of China, including banks, commercial complexes, and transportation. This equipment was also supplied to other Asian countries.

The absence of large bandwidth, storage network connection, and threat to data integrity are some of the factors that are restraining the market growth.

Scope of the Global Video Surveillance MarketThe video surveillance market research provides detailed market information for segmentation on the basis of ecosystems, applications, and regions. The purpose of this market analysis is to examine the video surveillance outlook in terms of factors driving the market, trends, technological developments, and market share, among others.

The report further takes into consideration the market dynamics and the competitive landscape, along with the detailed financial and product contribution of the key players operating in the market.

Global Video Surveillance Market SegmentationThe storage segment dominated the global video surveillance in 2019 owing to the increasing employment of the surveillance systems in homes, small buildings, retail stores, and other similar places. Further, the falling prices of the hard disk drives have also contributed to the growth of the storage system in the video surveillance market.

While highlighting the key driving and restraining forces for this market, the report also provides a detailed study of the industry that is analyzed. The report also analyzes various applications that include infrastructure, commercial, residential, industrial, institutional, and others.

The video surveillance is segregated on the basis of five major regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa. Data for each of these regions (by country) has also been provided in the report.

Key Companies in the Global Video Surveillance IndustryThe key market players in the global video surveillance market include Avigilon Corporation, Axis Communications AB, Canon Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., Dahua Technology Co. Ltd., FLIR Systems Inc., Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd., Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Panasonic Corporation, Sony Corporation, and Verint Systems Inc., Bosch Security Systems, Hanwha Techwin Co. Ltd., Honeywell Security, Pelco, and The Infinova Group, among others.

Countries Covered North America U.S. Canada Europe Germany U.K. France Rest-of-Europe Asia-Pacific China Japan India South Korea Indonesia Vietnam Rest-of-Asia-Pacific Middle East and Africa Saudi Arabia Israel U.A.E South Africa Rest-of-Middle East and Africa Latin America Brazil Mexico Panama Rest-of-Latin America

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05934756/?utm_source=PRN

About ReportlinkerReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.

Contact Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001Intl: +1 339-368-6001

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Role of Technology Ecosystem in Restarting the Economy – Digital News Asia

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Cyberview Sdn Bhd (Cyberview), the Tech Hub Developer of Cyberjaya recently held the first of its live monthly webinar series, themed The Role of Technology in Restarting the Economy. The webinar discussed how a technology ecosystem would catalyse the development of tech and innovation as society and businesses are pushed to fast-track digitalisation, in the post Covid-19 era.

With lockdowns across the world beginning to ease, aside from the US which is going in the wrong direction, and people learning to adapt to a new norm, the panel discussion focused on how technology will continue to play a key role in rebuilding economies. The speakers included Shafinaz Salim, head of Technology Hub Development division of Cyberview; Richard Ker (pic, left), vice president, Partnership and Ecosystem Development of Aerodyne Group and Usamah Zaid, founder and CEO of WAU Animation.

In conjunction with Cyberjayas 23rd anniversary, we are excited to kick off Cyberviews series of online panel discussions to talk about various topics of interest in todays new world. At Cyberview, we champion Cyberjaya as a vibrant global tech hub, and the centre of Malaysias tech innovation. With digitalisation and technology becoming more important than ever before, we are bringing together industry players and stakeholders in Malaysias tech and digital scene to engage with the relevant audiences, Shafinaz said.

Aerodynes Ker shared how his company has been benefitting from Cyberjayas ecosystem. Generally, a technology ecosystem allows companies to localise their services and contents, and eventually expand their businesses. For example, although Aerodyne is slightly more than 5 years old, we have succeeded in entering over 25 countries by leveraging the technology ecosystem that these countries have. Specifically, for Cyberjaya, the thriving ecosystem allows us to collaborate with other technology players, investors and the government agencies who are based here. For example, we were very glad to be able to provide our services in enforcing the Movement Control Order (MCO) together with Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) recently, with an outstanding achievement of running 62 drones in 1,364 flight hours, covering over 55,000 kilometers in distance.

As a pioneer figure in paving the way for a flourishing Malaysian digital creative industry, Usamah (pic, right)shared his perspective on how his digital creative journey started in Cyberjaya. Starting a business in animation was not easy but being in Cyberjaya gave us the opportunity to be connected with other players in the ecosystem which include Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) that has given us continuous support since 2013. We also get to work with other animation players here in Cyberjaya. In todays ever-evolving world, we must study the industry landscape to fulfill gaps, as well as diversify and modify our business scope to stay relevant and resilient.

The points Usamah makes, resonate with Cyberview and infact underpin the introduction of Cyberjayas new Masterplan which aims to help the smart city fill gaps in its value proposition to companies globally, while ensuring it stays relevant.

The new Cyberjaya masterplan further complements the technology ecosystem where Cyberjaya has been divided to four districts North Cyberjaya, West Cyberjaya, South Cyberjaya and DowntownCyberjaya, with a strong focus on the three new technology clusters Smart Mobility, Smart Healthcare and Digital Creative.

Cyberview believes these districts will propel Cyberjaya as the centre for Malaysias tech innovation by providing a platform for creators and innovators to launch their businesses, while creating an ecosystem that encourages synergy between companies from different industries and of various sizes.

Shafinaz emphasised on the importance of remaining agile and flexible when adapting to todays new normal. Cyberviews role as the Tech Hub Developer of Cyberjaya allows new technologies to be developed, tested, and piloted in Cyberjaya in line with our smart city roadmap. Although there are shared challenges that we are overcoming, we must focus on the future. It is imperative that companies take a step back and analyse their business processes and strategies in order to remain competitive and resilient. After all, the future is a world shaped by technology.

For the full recording of Cyberviews first webinar edition, visit Cyberviews Youtube channel at https://bit.ly/2YVwZdk.

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Role of Technology Ecosystem in Restarting the Economy - Digital News Asia

Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC): Farm Like The World Depends On It – CleanTechnica

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Agriculture

Published on July 24th, 2020 | by Andrea Bertoli

July 24th, 2020 by Andrea Bertoli

If you spend any time grocery shopping, you have probably noticed a proliferation of product labels organic, keto, vegan, made with whole grains, and more. Some of these labels have strict standards, some do not. And there is soon going to be a new label on products that means so much more: in 2020 were likely to see the label ROC added to products, and its a really good move.

ROC stands for Regenerative Organic Certification, and as a climate-smart consumer, its important for you to learn more about the nuances between this new label and regular organic.

Regenerative, as in healing, nourishing, and building; supportive of life cycles and biodiversity, and fair for humans and better for animals. The term was created in 2018 by the Rodale Institute, and is the certification now overseen by the Regenerative Organic Alliance.

So-called conventional agriculture, which is fossil-fuel dependent and relies heavily on chemical inputs to fertilize and protect the crops, can damage soil by depleting it of nutrients and damaging the very important soil microbiome. Heavy use of chemicals can also create superbugs, and these chemicals contribute to groundwater and waterway contamination (see, for example, the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico).

Organic agriculture is great: its better for the planet and people because farmers do not rely on chemical-intensive inputs to manage their crops. It reduces the pesticide/herbicide exposure risk to farmworkers, reduces consumers exposure to pesticides/herbicides, and is often less damaging to soils and the localized ecosystem. Organic certification ensures that producers follow strict guidelines about the seeds, the soil amendments and inputs, the crops themselves, as well as the processing facilities.

And yet, when I first started farming, I was shocked to learn that many organic amendments include things like blood, feather, and bone meal waste products made with dead animals and their by-products. Not only is this super gross, it also supports the meat industries by making the waste products into a valuable commodity.

Most importantly, however, is that many organic-certified inputs do not actually improve the soil. While organic is better, it is not always proactively building, nourishing, and supporting the ecosystem in a holistic way. This is the gap that regenerative agriculture seeks to ameliorate. As weve learned more in recent years about the massive worlds of the microbiomesof land and sea, its become clear that the soil microbiome is more important than we thought.

Wheat fields in Nepal. Photo by Kakapoudel7 / CC BY-SA 4.0 license, via from Wikimedia Commons.

Soil is so much more than the dirt under our feet: its a living medium that is full of microorganisms and organic matter, and it helps support the plants. These microorganisms are the basis of life in healthy soils, and building a healthier planet begins by improving the health of the soils. In an undisturbed ecosystem, this natural cycling of nutrients ensures longevity of the ecosystem when we till and plant and dig and fertilize, we lose the connection to this natural cycle, and thus damage the health of the soil.

As I wrote in an article on our former site, Planetsave, soils are so often thought to be just a blank medium. However, soils are actually teeming with life of bacterial and fungal origin. Healthy soilssupport life on this planet in many ways, including filtering and regulating water flow into surface water; sustaining plants and animals; filtering pollutants, cycling nutrients like carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus; and giving structure to the land, ensuring that the trees, topsoil and even human structures maintain their place on the land. But perhaps most importantly, when soils are healthy, they store huge amounts of carbon, keeping it out of the atmosphere. But our current methods of agriculture have left us with degraded soils.

Healthy soils are extremely important, both for the sustainability of crop growth and nutrition, but also because truly healthy soils act as large carbon sinks for our increasingly carbon-rich atmosphere (and ICYMI, this is a big problem). The healthier our soils are, the more carbon they can absorb from the atmosphere.

The science is clear: soil health is intrinsic to climate health. According the the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO):

Agricultural soils are among the planets largest reservoirs of carbon and hold potential for expanded carbon sequestration (CS), and thus provide a prospective way of mitigating the increasing atmospheric concentration of CO2. It isestimated that soils can sequester around 20 Pg C in 25 years, more than 10 % of the anthropogenic emissions.

Building a better agricultural system thats focused on rebuilding our soils, providing better food, and improving livelihoods is long overdue.

Another issue thats important to consider is that farmers and ranchers are not incentivized to improve the soil often they are working to produce as much food as possible, and they might not have the time nor have the inclination to do the intense work of cover cropping, composting, and creating/adding the plans and soil amendments that will improve their crops in the long term.

If youve never thought about the importance of soil before, this is your warning light! According to some reports, we have only 60 years of functional topsoil left. Topsoil is very limited, and we need to undertake rapid and massive transformation to protect whats left and make the effort to build more.

ROC was established in 2017 by a group of farmers, business leaders, and experts in soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness now known as the Regenerative Organic Collective. As written on their site: We exist to heal a broken system, repair a damaged planet, and empower farmers and eaters to create a better future through better farming. Elsewhere on the site, they explain their goal as birthing a new standard to elevate farming around the world.

They have developed a very specific process by which producers can become certified, and it dovetails with existing certifications, like Organic certification or Demeter certification (the program that certifies biodynamic production). There are already lots of great brands on board, like Justins, Patagonia Provisions, Navitas Naturals, Dr. Bronners soaps, Natures Path organics, and of course, Rodale Institute, which has been talking about regenerative agricultural practices for years as the soil solution we need.

Its hard to argue with their vision for the world free of:

When organic first became a mainstream movement, it was derided as elitist, or superficial with the assumption that it was a silly project for wealthy elites, and that it wasnt actually going to help that much. But hopefully the above information can convince you this is not a political issue. Making a big shift away from chemical-intensive and fossil-fuel driven farming into a system that is holistic and regenerative is literally about saving the remaining soil we have and protecting the planet for generations of eaters to come.

Thankfully, bigger brands are paying attention to this important movement. General Mills announced in 2019 a huge commitment to regenerative agriculture, and if the movement continues and is supported by consumer, many other large companies will soon follow suit.

There is no official timeline yet, but hopefully well start to see this important label in the final months of 2020.

Tags: Agriculture, farming, farms, general mills, Patagonia, regenerative Organic Certification, Regenerative Organic Collective, Rodale Institute, soil microbiome, soils

Andrea Bertoli I'm a marketing and sales professional focused on mission-driven businesses, and currently I manage Sales and Partnerships for CleanTechnica. I'm also a journalist, green investor, wellness educator, surfer, and yogi. Find delicious food and wellness stuff on my Instagram @VibrantWellness.

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Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC): Farm Like The World Depends On It - CleanTechnica

Whats Really Behind Dwindling Numbers of Woodland Caribou? – EcoWatch

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By Tara Lohan

A logged forest is a changed forest, and for woodland caribou that could mean the difference between life and death.

A recent study in the Journal of Wildlife Management tracked the survival rates and population growth of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) across two areas of northern Ontario, Canada. In one area about a third of the forest had been logged 30 to 50 years ago. In the other, the only disturbances were from natural events.

The research found "substantial differences" in the survival of adult caribou between the two areas.

The animals, it turned out, fared considerably worse in the previously logged landscape so badly that the researchers, led by John Fryxell, a professor at the University of Guelph and executive director of the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, concluded it would lead to a dwindling population. The unlogged habitat, however, they found "should be considerably more capable of sustaining caribou."

The high mortality rates for the caribou in the logged forest are mostly due to wolf predation, but human changes to the landscape help make that possible. Development has been a driving force behind declining caribou numbers throughout their range.

As a result of these human disturbances, the caribou population in North America is in a precarious position. Woodland caribou once ranged across half of Canada and the northern reaches of the contiguous United States. But they're now gone from their southern range. In Canada's boreal forests, the animals are listed as threatened under the federal Species at Risk Act, Canada's version of the Endangered Species Act.

While woodland caribou have evolved to live with forests disturbed by wildfire, they haven't fared well in forests disturbed by people. One of the biggest threats is habitat fragmentation from commercial logging, mining, oil and gas and all the roads associated with those activities.

Tar sands mining in Fort McMurray, Alberta fragments habitat for caribou. Kris Krg / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

But here's the twist: Moose do better in these disturbed landscapes, and that puts caribou further at risk, albeit indirectly.

Previous research has found that moose prefer the vegetation that grows in these early successional forests that follow a large-scale disturbance, like commercial logging. And a higher density of moose attracts more wolves, which are also able to move faster and hunt farther by following linear clearings like roads and pipelines in these developed areas.

While moose are the primary prey for wolves, caribou that wander into these forests become another tasty target.

"The bottom line," Fryxell explains, "is that the combination of vegetation changes, increase in road density, increase in moose, and consequent increase in wolves threaten long-term viability of woodland caribou in boreal landscapes of Ontario, in a similar fashion to many other parts of Canada."

A national assessment found that around 70% of Canada's local populations of woodland caribou were no longer self-sustaining.

So what's to be done?

Last year provincial managers in Quebec floated the idea of killing wolves to protect caribou herds. Their idea met with public backlash, but wolves in British Columbia weren't so lucky. During the winter of 2019-2020, a whopping 463 wolves were killed by the B.C. provincial government for the stated purpose of protecting populations of southern mountain caribou, another caribou ecotype.

Some of the money to pay for the kill came from Coastal GasLink, a company actively clearing land in caribou habitat for a pipeline, the Canadian news outlet the Narwhal reported.

And a recently published study in the journal Biology and Conservation found that the culls were not likely to aid caribou and pointed out several shortcomings in previous research that called for such wolf-control measures.

There are other, and better, options like habitat protection and restoration.

Fryxell's study concluded that "the most secure conservation measure would be to set aside extensive tracts of boreal forest with natural patterns of disturbance to sustain viable caribou subpopulations."

Research shows that the animals need at least 65% of their range undisturbed to have a good shot at survival.

And helping caribou will come with other environmental benefits. Canada's 2018 federal action plan to restore caribou stated, "Boreal caribou is also considered by many to be an indicator of the overall state of Canada's boreal forest ecosystem." So keeping forests intact or restoring habitat is a proposition that would benefit not only caribou but many other species.

Tara Lohan is deputy editor of The Revelator and has worked for more than a decade as a digital editor and environmental journalist focused on the intersections of energy, water and climate. Her work has been published by The Nation, American Prospect, High Country News, Grist, Pacific Standard and others. She is the editor of two books on the global water crisis.

Reposted with permission from The Revelator.

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Whats Really Behind Dwindling Numbers of Woodland Caribou? - EcoWatch

Building racial equity in tech ecosystems to spur local recovery – Brookings Institution

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Overview

Systemic inequities in America have created a history of wealth inequality, disproportionately exposed certain communities to the COVID-19 pandemic, and established conditions leading to racial violence and social unrest. To address these issues, communities of colorspecifically, Black communitieswill need broad-based economic support and policy reforms.

One high-priority recommendation in solving the countrys racial wealth equity problem is developing inclusive local tech ecosystems, which can drive Black tech entrepreneurship and increase the Black tech workforce. By prioritizing inclusive tech ecosystems, Black households will be able to leverage the power of innovation and the increased global reliance on technology to create wealth and contribute to enhanced productivity and quality of life in the nations local economies.

Achieving this vision will require new corporate governance, workforce development, innovation, community outreach, social impact, and investment decisions that prioritize entrepreneurship strategies that lead to not only economic recovery, but also to racial and economic justice.

The ultimate objective of inclusive tech ecosystems is to create racial equity. Black household income is 61% that of white households, and white households have about 10 times more wealth, on average, than Black households.1 This wealth gap results in both significant economic vulnerability for Black America and a less dynamic and productive U.S. economy. McKinsey estimates that U.S. GDP would be 4% to 6% higher by 2028 if the racial wealth gap were closed.2

In our 2019 guide, Building Inclusive Entrepreneurship Ecosystems in Communities of Color, we put forth a metrics-driven blueprint of how to ensure that everyone in America is equitably positioned to prosper from the technology-fueled growth of the fourth industrial revolution, especially how communities with little preexisting wealth can build multigenerational wealth.

Entrepreneurship ecosystem-building (simply called ecosystem-building going forward) is a fast-growing economic development strategy focused on supporting and developing businesses poised for rapid growth. According to a 2017 research report by the U.S. Census Bureau, high growth young firms contribute disproportionately to job creation, output and productivity growth.3 Similarly, according to a Brookings study, Business startups account for about 20 percent of US gross (total) job creation while high-growth businesses (which are disproportionately young) account for almost 50 percent of gross job creation.4

To date, there is only nascent fundingmostly pilots and press releasesto ensure this strategy is inclusive of Black, Latino or Hispanic, and other communities of color.In 2019, according to the National Venture Capital Association, U.S. venture capital investments surpassed $130 billion for the second consecutive year in a row, enabling over 10,777 high-growth companies to grow and scale. But fewer than 1% of Black and Latino or Hispanic founders have successfully accessed this capital.

As the demographics of America change, it is important to include these communities in all economic development strategies. Inclusion is particularly important in ecosystem-building for Black communities because of entrepreneurships power to create jobs and close the racial wealth gap.

For wealth creation to occur during or after the COVID-19 pandemic, large investments must be made into programs, platforms, and products that advance tech talent development, entrepreneurship, and capital access for communities of color. Specifically, these efforts should:

1. Invest in talent development by:

2. Invest in entrepreneurship by:

3. Invest in capital by funding new companies before and during the seed stage to achieve revenue growth.

When these inputs combine in a local community, they form an entrepreneurship ecosystem, which we define as the individuals, organizations, support programs, investors, companies, relationships, policies, environments, spaces, and cultures that interactively work together in support of entrepreneurs.5 For ecosystem-building to increase racial equity, government, industry, and Black institutions need to partner with Black-owned and leading ecosystem-building organizations.6

For each pillar of our strategy, this section outlines the roles and funding responsibilities for: 1) the federal government, 2) industry-led initiatives in tandem with local governments, and 3) community-driven grassroots campaigns.

We estimate that the unit economics of training a worker for an in-demand tech career are approximately $15,000.

Federal government: Our view is that the magnitude and intensity of the COVID-19 economic crisis demands federal investment in training. During the CARES Act deliberations, we recommended that the federal government invest $1.5 billion over 10 years to train 1 million Americans from socially disadvantaged communitiesparticularly Black communitiesfor in-demand technology careers such as software development, AWS cloud engineering, cybersecurity, Salesforce, technical sales, and growth marketing.

Local governments and corporations: Should the federal government fail to act, local governments and the private sector can step in. Large tech companies, Fortune 1000 companies, and high-growth startups can fund the reskilling of America. They are also in the first position to hire this newly skilled talent and benefit from reduced turnover among its workforce. According to the Kapor Centers 2017 Tech Leavers Study, unfairness-based turnover in tech is a $16 billion-a-year problem, from which they concluded, Diversity, equity & inclusion initiatives can improve company culture and reduce turnover, if they are done right. Mitigating racism and bias in companies frees up resources for reskilling and upskilling.

Meanwhile, cities and states (via their workforce boards) can fund in-demand reskilling and upskilling programs from their Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) dollars, while convening employers to allocate apprenticeships and full-time roles for program graduates. At $15,000 per trainee, hundreds of people could benefit from a multimillion-dollar investment in tech training.

Community and educational institutions: If government or industry wont take action, then it is up to our communities to fund their own platforms to drive funding. This approach could leverage educational institutions such as historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), which are collaborating on the launch of new in-demand skills certificate programs (such as Momentum@Morehouse) or launching co-branded technology hubs and accelerators. These partnerships could scale nationwide, with 100 HBCUs each training 100 coders, resulting in 10,000 new software engineers per year. HBCUs could partner with organizations such as Opportunity Hub, which facilitate recruitment, admissions, and financial aid options.

We estimate the unit economics of exposing up to 1,000 people a year to the tech startup ecosystem are $1 million per year per city, and the unit economics of accelerating a product-ready startup are $50,000.

Federal government: The main role for the federal government in entrepreneurship support will be to fund inclusive tech ecosystems across as many local communities as possible. Ecosystem-building organizations, entrepreneurship-support programs, preaccelerators, accelerators, and technology incubators are on the frontlines of building high-growth companies in America, including Black-led ecosystem-builders operating successfully in the most socially disadvantaged communities. Every day, ideas are nurtured into viable businesses. An $1 billion investment ($100 million per year over 10 years) could provide $1 million grants to 100 local communities with a significant share of Black residents to support ecosystem exposure and startup acceleration.

Local governments and corporations: Local governments and private sector leaders can also be critical investors in their local entrepreneurship ecosystem. For instance, a citys economic development corporation, in partnership with local foundations, can fund ecosystem-building initiatives, preaccelerators, and accelerators via program-related investments. Individual communities could commit to inclusive ecosystem development and startup acceleration for about $1 million per year.

Community and educational institutions: Black institutions such as churches, civil rights organizations, industry associations, and nonprofits can educate themselves and their constituents on the opportunities for new income and wealth creation while co-fundraising on behalf of their members and constituents. Cultural icons such as actors, artists, professional athletes, and social media influencers can invest in Black funds and founders, and use their platforms to amplify early exposure and equity-based crowdfunding initiatives.

We estimate the unit economics of investing in seed rounds are $1 million on average.

Federal government: One way the federal government could provide seed funding to Black-owned venture funds would be to reactivate the 2010 State Small Business Credit Initiative, a Treasury Department program used to support state-level small business financing. The department could issue $1 billion per year in the form of convertible notes and equity as issued and accepted by most startup accelerators and incubators. Black-owned venture funds that can demonstrate a historical mission, precedence, and track record of serving and investing in marginalized and socially disadvantaged entrepreneurs would be selected to invest the capital.

Local governments and corporations: Many Fortune 1000 companies and large tech companies have corporate innovation initiatives and startup programs with accompanying venture capital funds. These corporate-led funds can become limited partners in Black-owned venture funds or direct investors in founders. Cities and public-private economic development organizations can also become limited partners in venture funds or direct investors in founders as well.

Community and educational institutions: Black investors that are accredited per the Securities and Exchange Commission can learn to invest in venture funds, startup companies, and accelerators. The Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act, which enables companies to raise equity and debt-based startup capital for their companies, is available to all Americans to participate. For example, Angela Bentons Streamlytics raised $250,000 in 24 hours and over $1,000,000 in less than one week using Title III (Reg CF) of the JOBS Act. Dawn Dicksons PopCom recently raised $1 million in 45 days also using Title III (Reg CF) of the JOBS Act. Jay Morrisons Tulsa Real Estate Fund recently raised another $3.7 million for a total of $12 million from 15,000 investors utilizing Title IV (Reg A+) of the JOBS Act. Opportunity Hub is planning a $50 million Reg A+ equity crowdfunding raise with JE Dunn Capital Partners and Keystone Innovation District to build an equity district in Kansas City, Mo.

What we have outlined would be the most ambitious investment in Black wealth in modern American history. Nationwide, a $26 billion suite of programs over 10 years could train 1 million new skilled tech workers, enable 100 ecosystem-building organizations to train 100,000 high-growth technology startups, and provide seed funding to 10,000 Black-led technology startups. These investments will create permanent new jobs while recapturing centuries of lost wealth due to economic exclusion, all while continuing to inspire future generations of Americans.

Federal action is the clearest path to this scale, but local recovery planning efforts need not wait. Applying these per unit costs to a 10-year, $50 million investment in a locally led inclusive entrepreneurship ecosystem effort could train 1,500 new highly skilled tech workers, expose 10,000 residents to high-growth entrepreneurship, pre-accelerate 500 new ventures, provide acceleration services to 100 high-growth startups, and fund the seed rounds for 10 scaling companies.

$1.5 billion per yearover 10 years, equaling

$15 billion

$100 million per year over 10 years, equaling

$1 billion

$1 billion per year over 10 years, equaling

$10 billion

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Building racial equity in tech ecosystems to spur local recovery - Brookings Institution

Infinite Potential: The Life And Ideas of David Bohm is a gem of a documentary – Boing Boing

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Infinite Potential, The Life And Ideas of David Bohm is a gem of a documentary (and you can watch it for free. Directed and produced by Paul Howard, it pays homage to one of the unsung intellectual heroes the 20th century. David Bohm was a physicist, philosopher, and explorer of consciousnessthe man Einstein called his "spiritual son.", and the Dalai Lama his science guru. His search at the crossroads of science and spirituality led to new insights into the profound interconnectedness of the universe and our place within it.

An intellectual dissidentQuestioning the orthodoxy of this time, Bohm tried to reconcile the two main distinct paradigms within the world of physics, namely, classical Newtonian physics (explaining "reality" as directly tied to our sensory experience of it, grounded in a three dimensional space, and time being a singular linear progression), and the new paradigm of Quantum Mechanics (describing the bizarre world of subatomic entities which, simultaneously wave-like and particle-like, form the underlying structure of the whole universe, a place where "ordinary reality" and linear time cease to be). Physicists have been wrestling for decadeswithout successto reconcile these two seemingly incompatible and contradicting models, respectively accounting for the realms of the macro and the micro. Bohm's maverick intelligence sought a larger framework of interpretation to do the job.

The Holographic UniverseOne of Bohm's most dazzling leap of the imagination is his Holographic Theory of the Universe.

A hologram is a two-dimensional photograph of a three-dimensional object. When a laser is used to illuminate the hologram, the stored three-dimensional image appears. Here's a very peculiar feature of a hologram (compared to an ordinary photograph): cutting a regular photo into smaller pieces, one ends up with fragments of the original; when the pieces are put back together, the complete original picture is restored. But cutting a hologram into smaller pieces, each piece will contain a smaller but exact version of the complete original picture. In other words, every portion of the hologram contains the image of the whole. And that's a pretty uncanny feature.

Back to Bohm. According to his Holographic Theory of the Universe, the tangible reality of our everyday life is a kind of illusion, which we can compare to a giant hologram. The everyday world of solid bodies, unambiguously located in space and linear time, corresponds to what Bohm called the explicate (or unfolded) order. But this explicate order is a manifestation of an underlying and deeper order of existence, a vast and more primary level of reality that gives birth to all the objects and appearances of our physical world, which Bohm called the implicate (or enfolded) order.

The manifestation of all forms in the universe can be seen as the result of countless enfoldings and unfoldings between these two orders. This constant flow is what Bohm called the holomovement, holographic in nature, but in constant motion. Even consciousnessispart of this continuous process of unfolding and enfolding: our thoughts are the explicate forms thrown up by the underlying movements of the implicate orders of mind.

To continue with the holographic analogy (not meant to be a literal truth), every portion of the universe, according to Bohm, enfolds the whole. As author Michael Talbot wrote in his marvelous The Holographic Universe:

This means that if we knew how to access it we could find the Andromeda galaxy in the thumbnail of our left hand. We could also find Cleopatra meeting Caesar for the first time, for in principle the whole past and implications for the whole future are also enfolded in each small region of space and time. Every cell in our body enfolds the entire cosmos. So does every leaf, every raindrop, and every dust mote.

This is a vast idea, one that gives new meaning to William Blake's mystical verses:

To see a world in a grain of sand,and heaven in a wild flower,hold infinity in the palm ofour hand and eternity in an hour.

The holographic model is an all-encompassing framework that has both internal consistency and the capacity to explain widely diverging phenomena of physical experience. It also happens to explain a whole variety of weird and strange phenomenafrom psychic experiences to synchronicities, from Out Of Body to Near-Death Experiences. These side effects are the most uncomfortable for materialists and hardcore skeptics to digest.

Everything is connectedFor Bohm, the wholeness of life included natureandconsciousness in one single wholeness. At a deeper, quantum level, everythingis interconnected and internallyrelated to everything else, each part of the cosmoscontainsthewholeuniverse, and it unfolds in our perception of reality. Beyond one's baseline state of consciousness lies a realization of Oneness, the "unbroken wholeness of the implicate order".

You can see for yourself how deep the rabbit hole goes. Here's the trailer of Infinite Potential.

Its easy to want to section up the world into Android people and iOS people. Android people stick to their Samsungs and their Google Assistants and their freedom of choice while iOS people stick with their iPhones, Siris, and elite standards and never the two groups shall mix. Of course, the reality is that few []

Nearly three-quarters of all the rental properties in the U.S. are owned by private individual investors. And while around two-thirds of all investors were primarily focused on the stock market in 2007, that number is down to just 50 percent now, with many investors, particularly millennials, choosing to invest in real estate instead. Meanwhile, 91 []

Maintaining the look isnt always easy. For guys who actually care about their appearance, especially if theyre rocking facial hair, it isnt always enough to wake up and just charge into your day. No, you need to get your entire visual package in line. Assuming you dont have your own in-house barber, keeping the mane []

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Infinite Potential: The Life And Ideas of David Bohm is a gem of a documentary - Boing Boing

The Law and You: Women’s right to vote hard fought for – Plattsburgh Press Republican

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August 26 is the 100th anniversary of women in the United States achieving the right to vote in federal elections.

That is the date the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, prohibiting denial of the right to vote on the basis of sex, and August 26 is celebrated yearly as Womens Equality Day. Before the 19th Amendment, women could vote only in some state elections, including New York beginning in 1918.

August 1920 is often described as when women were given the vote. Characterizing this as a gift could not be farther from the truth. Women fought for more than 70 years to gain this fundamental right. They gave speeches, signed petitions, organized, lobbied, marched in parades with tens of thousands of male and female supporters, picketed the White House, and went to jail.

Yes, at least 168 women were jailed in 1917-19 because they silently stood outside President Woodrow Wilsons White House holding banners. Some simply said: Mr. President, How Long Must Women Wait for Liberty? Others were more political. No one had picketed the White House before the women suffragists did so; now it is common to express First Amendment rights there.

The little I learned about President Wilson in my school years gave me the impression that he was an intellectual who had been Princetons president, an isolationist who did not want to bring the United States into World War I, and an idealist who founded the unsuccessful League of Nations after that war. More recently, I have learned that he forced black employees out of the federal civil service, and refused for years to support passage of a constitutional amendment expanding the right to vote to women. Instead, he sought to silence and remove the picketers who sought his endorsement.

The first Womans Rights Convention was in 1848, in Seneca Falls, New York. Among other declarations, it called for women to have the right to vote. At the time, this seemed extremely far-fetched to some. For years thereafter, many efforts were made to have the law recognize women as voters.

In the 1872 presidential election, Susan B. Anthony and 14 other women actually voted in Rochester, New York, being permitted to do so by the local officials. The women who voted and the election inspectors who allowed it were all arrested on federal warrants. They were prosecuted, tried and convicted. A $100 fine was imposed on the illegal voters, which they refused to pay. Three election inspectors were jailed, until President Ulysses S. Grant pardoned them after a month.

In 1875, the United States Supreme Court ruled in a Missouri case that women had no federal right to vote under the U.S. Constitution, even when their state granted it. As western territories became states, several included women as voters. The first was Wyoming in 1869, then Utah 1870, Colorado 1893, and Idaho 1896.

Along with efforts to have states extend the right to vote, a U.S. Constitutional Amendment was introduced. By 1885, the Grange, a farmers organization, supported womens suffrage; in 1886, the Womens Christian Temperance Union sent a petition to Congress with 200,000 signatures. Even so, Congress voted against such an amendment in 1887. Gradually, more and more states permitted women to vote, but there was still opposition. In 1915, suffrage bills were defeated in Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, and the US Congress again voted against the woman suffrage amendment.

Both men and women made efforts to change this on multiple fronts. Finally, in 1917, New York voters authorized women to vote. The White House picket lines started in January 1917, with the goal of convincing President Wilson to support the 19th Amendment. It took him two more years, but he finally did so. The presidential election of 1920 was the first one that women could vote in.

Although many assumed that women who could vote could also serve on juries, that did not necessarily follow. Women were not regularly allowed on juries nationwide until 1968. Some states still had optional jury service for women, instead of it being automatic, as it was with men, until the Supreme Court ruled against that practice in 1979.

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Resource

The Fight for Womens Suffrage . . . and What They Never Told Us! http://youtu.be/rmAWkijpdr4 a slideshow of old photographs and articles prepared by Penelope Clute

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The Law and You: Women's right to vote hard fought for - Plattsburgh Press Republican

NASA warns of a massive asteroid bigger than the famous London Eye approaching Earth on July 24 – Business Insider India

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The space boffins in the United States have named it as Asteroid 2020 ND. The asteroid is also classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA) and Near-Earth Object (NEO) by NASA. The asteroid is estimated to be of 120- 260m in diameter. But there isnt anything to worry about as it wont be the asteroids first-time visiting Earth, it has done that at least five times before as per NASA. It maintains an orbit around the Sun that makes it come close to both Earth and Mars every once in a while.

According to NASA, asteroid 2020 ND will be as close as 0.034 astronomical units (5,086,328 kilometres) to our planet and is travelling at a great speed of 48,000 kilometres per hour.

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What are Potentially Hazardous Asteroids? Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) are currently defined based on parameters that measure the asteroids potential to make threatening close approaches to the Earth. Specifically, all asteroids with an Earth Minimum Orbit Intersection Distance (MOID) of 0.05 au or less and an absolute magnitude (H) of 22.0 or less are considered PHAs, according to NASA.

What are the Near-Earth Objects (NEO)?

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The giant outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune) formed from an agglomeration of billions of comets and the leftover bits and pieces from this formation process are the comets we see today. Likewise, todays asteroids are the bits and pieces leftover from the initial agglomeration of the inner planets that include Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars, it further added. SEE ALSO: TCS, Infosys, HCL Tech and Wipro open up lateral hiring as more people walk out the door during the COVID-19 pandemic

Elon Musk is hiring engineers for neurotechnology firm Neuralink

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NASA warns of a massive asteroid bigger than the famous London Eye approaching Earth on July 24 - Business Insider India

Freedom at last: Roosevelt Myles released after 28 years behind bars | The Crusader Newspaper Group – The Chicago Cusader

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Hes finally out of jail!

By Erick Johnson

Twas the night before Tuesday, July 21. Roosevelt Myles Jr., was unable to sleep. The biggest gift of his life would come in less than 24 hours. He had waited for it for nearly three decades. He finally fell asleep at 2 a.m.

Later that morning at 10:15, Myles walked out of jail, a free man after 28 years behind bars.

A rainy morning, there was little fanfare outside the Illinois River Correction Center, but there was plenty of sunshine among Myles and his loved ones.

Wearing a face mask, T-shirt and gray sweatpants, Myles threw his arms in the air and walked to a waiting black Chevrolet Impala. Myles threw several bags of clothes into the back seat before he and the driver, fianc Tanya Crowder, drove off, leaving behind years of pain, while starting a new journey as a free man.

Myles was finally released from prison Tuesday after earning good time that shaved two years off his sentence. It was the first big step in Myles getting his life back. Now an ex-felon and certified paralegal, Myles is looking forward to getting readjusted to society while stepping up his life-long effort to clear his name, with his freedom and easier access to resources.

Myles is free but his legal battle is not over.

He is now an ex-felon with a criminal record. All eyes are on the Cook County States Attorneys office, which for the last three years has kept Myles in jail by opposing his post-conviction appeal for a hearing. But the wheels of justice began to turn in Myles favor. A recent appeals court ruling will finally give Myles his day in court to clear his name and seek justice for his wrongful conviction.

On Tuesday, Myles first order of business was a trip to the barber shop. Then came a visit to his sisters house. After that, the phone calls and celebrations began as Myles enjoyed a day that he thought would never come.

His mother and father died while waiting for their son to come home, but to Myles, they were rejoicing from Heaven.

This is just surreal, he said, as he sat in a recliner in the home of his fianc Tanya Crowder. I cant believe that Im here.

On his first day of freedom, a Crusader reporter followed Myles around Peoria. The first stop was Major League, a popular Black barber shop in a strip mall in Peoria. As Myles sat quietly, a barber cut down his white, overgrown afro to a sharp crew cut (the barber in the jail was unavailable for weeks as the prison remained on lockdown because of the coronavirus). As the barber clipped away, Myles, known to many as Blue called out to Boo, a man Myles knew in Peoria before he moved to Chicago after his teenage years.

With a fresh haircut, Myles went to Peorias predominately Black East Bluff neighborhood where Myles sister, Sharon Myles-Stephens and her husband, Robert live. After entering the one-story house, Myles immediately went to a shelf in the living room, where two urns contain the ashes of his mother and father. He looked at them and simply stared for a minute.

Three years ago, they died seven months apart, while Myles was still in jail. They waited decades for their sons freedom but never lived to see this day come. With a jail officer, Myles had attended his mothers wake, but he was unable to do the same for his father. The familys plans to bury their ashes in a cemetery in Yazoo, Mississippi have been on hold until Myles was released from prison.

Its just one of several events that were delayed while Myles remained behind bars. The other important event is a wedding to marry his fianc, Crowder. She met Myles through his sister Sharon in 2012. Sharon, a nurse at a doctors office, met Crowder when she was preparing for knee surgery.

For Myles, the biggest delay is getting his conviction overturned and obtaining his Certificate of Innocence.

In 1996, Myles was convicted for killing teenager Tony Brandon on November 16, 1992 on the West Side. The states main witness, Octavia Morris, in 2018, signed an affidavit saying that Chicago police officers visited her mothers house six times to force her to confess that Myles committed the murder during the trial.

During those proceedings, Myles alibis, Michael Hooker, and his brother, were not called to testify. No DNA evidence was presented linking Myles to the crime.

A detective on the Discovery Networks television show Reasonable Doubt, said Myles is innocent and that the murder was a set up. Police arrested Myles as he was on his way to a store in the neighborhood.

After an appeals court granted him a hearing in 2000, Myles never had his day in court. He went through a string of public defenders.

In 2017, New York Attorney Jennifer Bonjean took Myles case. Bonjean pushed to get Myles the hearing he never received, but in 2019, Judge Dennis Porter denied his appeal after prosecutors at Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxxs office argued Myles post-conviction case had no merit.

Myles went back to the appeals court, which disagreed with Judge Porters ruling. Bonjean filed a motion for a hearing and is now waiting for the next move from Foxxs office. Prosecutors have until Friday, July 24 to respond before the 70-day deadline expires.

With their main witness admitting making a false confession and their case crumbling, Foxxs office has resisted pressure to drop its opposition to Myles post-conviction appeals.

In the meantime, Myles must wear an ankle bracelet for his first 30 days after prison. He must notify his parole officer before he goes anywhere.

Meanwhile, Myles is working with Job Partnership, Peorias re-entry program, which helps former inmates get readjusted to society and obtain jobs through job training and counseling sessions that help polish resumes and work skills. Mila Brown, an administrative assistant, said, her office is seeking to get Myles a full-time job making between $12 to $15 an hour.

Myles said he received a job offer working at a law firm in Hinsdale after completing his certification for paralegal in jail.

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Freedom at last: Roosevelt Myles released after 28 years behind bars | The Crusader Newspaper Group - The Chicago Cusader