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AAAI enters the scene in order to prevent idea thefts – afaqs

Posted on March 22, 2020 by Danzig

In the wake of the issue that has hit the advertising industry, the AAAI has come up with an idea to protect an agency's creative ideas.

Alan Moore, in his novel 'V for Vendetta', wrote, Behind this mask, there is more than just flesh. Beneath this mask, there is an idea... and ideas are bulletproof.

Truer words have never been spoken. Ideas are, indeed, immortal and endure the best and harshest of times in human existence. But, their immortality doesnt mean that they are immune from theft.

Yes, idea theft. It is one of the worst acts that can take place. One persons original thought is used by someone else, who ends up getting the credit for it, too. Unfortunately, the advertising industry has been a victim of this crime many times.

For instance, when Ariel released its latest ad from its long-running Share the Load campaign in March 2020, Mayank Arora, an assistant manager - social media (new Supply) at Swiggy, spoke out on social media, claiming idea theft. He said the ad was based on his insight that he had presented to an agency as a test.

In response, BBDO India, the makers of the ad, stated that they didnt have any dealings with Arora. Josy Paul, chief creative officer at BBDO India, said, "We did not meet him or give him an assignment or test. He did not present or mail anything to us. We did not work with any 'digital agency' in the conceptualisation and creation of the idea and script. The idea was originated, developed, scripted and created in-house by talent that work full time at BBDO India on the Ariel brand. Every year, we unravel a new truth about inequality at home, that no one has spoken about before. Thats what we did this year, too."

This is just one example. Unfortunately, idea theft is rampant in the industry, especially during the time of pitching, when several agencies present their creative ideas to clients.

According to a report in ETBrandEquity on March 19, 2020, the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI), keeping this issue in mind, is in the process of developing a digital locker.

Hosted on AAAI's website, agencies can upload the creatives (or ideas) that theyve created for pitches. Once confirmed, a certificate will be issued to the agencies as proof of work.

This idea was presented to agencies because, despite not choosing to work with a particular client on a project, they (the agencies) end up seeing the clients use their ideas.

In 2019, Ogilvy India (part of WPP) took smartphone maker Vivo and creative agency Dentsu Impact to court over allegations of plagiarism. According to Ogilvy India, Vivos new ad, made by Dentsu Impact (part of DAN), was similar to the amusement park storyboard idea shared by Ogilvy Indias Brand David during a pitch.

Also in 2019, production house Matheno Films said it would initiate legal proceedings against Citi, claiming the latter's Diwali ad 'Spread More Cheer This Diwali' resembled their 2017 film 'Cup of Tea'.

The digital locker idea may help clamp down on idea thefts, which hurts a lot of agencies on the creative as well as the financial side.

AAAI enters the scene in order to prevent idea thefts - afaqs

Rick And Morty: 5 Of The Funniest Jokes (& 5 That Took It Too Far) – CBR

Posted on March 22, 2020 by Danzig

Rick and Morty is a fabulous animated series that has received high accolades (and for good reason). The series is extremely controversial and has crossed several boundaries, but what fantastic TV show or movie hasn't caused an uproar of debate? The TV series' success is well-deserved due to its phenomenal storytelling mixed with in-depth, detailed character arcs.

RELATED:Rick & Morty: 10 Best Sci-Fi Alien Races, Ranked

This brilliant comedy tells very dry, sarcastic jokes that only a niche personality laugh at. That being said, the series' success calls attention to the fact that most of the jokes are understood and received in a positive manner. But what happens when the jokes are misread and taken too far? Here is a list of five well-received jokes, and five jokes that audiences may have taken the wrong way.

Season 3 Episode 4 is a classic comprised of a hilarious recreation of the cult classic movieSaw. Rick drinks a little too much the night before and takes out his hatred for the Vindicators through reworking the entire mission to put them all in danger.

RELATED: 10 Unsettling Fan Art Images Of Realistic Rick And Morty Characters

Although putting other people in danger is not funny, the audience sees the humor in Rick's actions because of the snooty and elitist personalities of the Vindicators. As a result, the dark comedy is an overall positive in relaying how well Morty knows Rick and the audience is onboard with all the laughs.

When Rick and Jerry visit the immortality planet, two kids are introduced "playing" with each other by playing a game of tag with weapons. They would run around and shoot one another and would come back alive. All fun and games! However, this quickly takes a turn for the worst when the immortality sphere is turned off.

In a quick cutaway, the two kids are shown playing their game of tag, but when the brother shoots the sister, she ends up dying from it. This joke was taken to a way darker place then where it started and it left audience's feeling upset rather than joyful.

We all know the way Rick messes with Morty by taking him on adventures that are much more dangerous than they expected. Well, at the beginning of season 3 episode 6, Morty complains that he wants to live a normal childhood, but ultimately gets roped into another mission. This mission is anything but quick and easy.

The sudden twist to the two complaining they almost died is hilarious and satirical. It truly shows how Morty will never live a "normal kid's" life.

This is no laughing matter. The content of this scene is brutal to watch and leaves the audience feeling empty. Harsh representations of depression like this one in the show are the opposite of funny and the writing is questioned to go too far.

For these reasons,Rick and Morty holds a very niche audience because of content like this one that just simply are not funny.

Pickle Rick was one of Television's greatest creations making for an overall comedy masterpiece. When Rick turns himself into a pickle, the audience is taken through the struggles he has of staying alive without arms or legs.

RELATED: Rick And Morty: 10 Sci-Fi Inventions So Powerful They Could Destroy The World

This was a huge positive for the show and took it even farther than on-screen. Pickle Rick merchandise went viral and ended up being a huge hit in the marketplace. This is a true example of some fantastic comedy material making a huge difference on audience's lives.

This sequence is ultimately traumatizing and awkward. Nobody ever wants to be put into the position of needing to bury themselves and the show turns its comical shoulder away and brings out the shoulder of truth. It serves as a moral philosophy that death is a part of everybody's lives which gives a psychological shoulder bump to its audience's.

The imaginative scenario leaves the audience with mixed emotions because of how traumatizing it is for the beloved main character.

Interdimensional cable in Rick and Morty is filled with creative short scenes that have hilarious punchlines. These scenes are anything but filler for the show's storyline because they provide comical entertainment to fans showcasing the writer's true creative abilities to create jokes.

What makes the bit even funnier is that most of the interdimensional cable is improv by comedians and actors. The thinking-on-the-spot jokes fuels the content of the show.

Fans love the character of Morty, and the show takes a jab at both the character and audience when it goes as far as saying that each Morty needs a Rick. As society becomes more and more independent and progressive, this theme hits home a little too hard for some audiences.

Questions arise such as "Why does Morty need Rick?" and "Shouldn't Morty be able to think for himself?" When these questions are being asked, it is clear that comedy is left out of the picture. Whether the show is trying to be comical or not, the story arcs become controversial after episodes like these.

When Rick and Morty leave Summer to go on an adventure, Rick says "Ship, keep Summer safe." Upon this command, the ship keeps her safe at all costs which poses to be a major legal issue. As the situation escalates, the audience laughs at the intentionally dark comedy that derives from the sequence.

Th ship becomes a great comical function to the story and the viewing experience profits from the laughs. It also develops a personality as the show goes on and cracks a few jokes against Summer in the process. Overall, this is a major win for the show.

Birdperson was a beloved character withinRick and Morty and the sudden shift in storyline was not wanted by fans. At Birdperson's wedding, he is betrayed by his wife whose sole intention was to stop Rick.

The show presents several scenarios where Rick is the center of attention in every situation, and this may have taken it too far. Upon Birdperson's death, the audience is stripped of its laughs and rather has a negative impact on the show's characters.

NEXT: 10 Things Rick And Morty Comics Added To Canon

NextWhich My Hero Academia Character Are You Based On Your Zodiac Sign?

Nicolas is a passionate writer and film maker based out of Los Angeles. He graduated with a BFA in Film Production and a Business Minor from the University of Colorado Boulder. He studied International Business in Barcelona and traveled throughout South-East Asia after he graduated. He's always looking for the next adventure!

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Rick And Morty: 5 Of The Funniest Jokes (& 5 That Took It Too Far) - CBR

The 10 Most Useful Sims 4 Cheats, Ranked | TheGamer – TheGamer

Posted on March 22, 2020 by Danzig

The Sims 4 is a life simulation game where the player creates a character and controls their life, going through various personalities and seeing how the game plays out. Most of the challenges in the game are caused by the player, like trying to make a Sims family last for 10 generations.

Since its launch in 2014, the game has received a multitude of expansions that have lengthened its lifespan. They have included everything from career-related expansions to introducing cats and dogs.

RELATED:Sims 4 Cats & Dogs: 15 Best Mods For The Game

With the sheer amount of content and things to donot to mention challengesThe Sims 4 is not a stranger to cheating. But the game doesnt frown on this. In fact, it allows players to cheat their way to wealth, popularity, immortality, love, and more. After a regular playthrough, these cheats help to give the game a measure of replayabilityother than the expansion packs, of course. So, weve taken a look at the 10 most useful cheats in the game.

Like in real life, money in The Sims 4 is something players need to manage. At the start of the game, in particular, most of the available money is needed for basic things like paying the bills and buying groceries. And in some cases, the Sims might hardly have enough money left over to buy luxuries.

RELATED:The Sims 4: 10 Tiny Living Hacks For The Ultimate Micro-Home

For players who want their Sims to live large from the get-go, there are plenty of accommodating cheat codes. They include kaching to get 1,000 simoleons, motherlode to get 50,000 simoleons, and household.autopay_bills [true/false] to turn household bills off or on.

The Sims 4 has designated areas for players to build objects. However, there are still a number of areas that are inaccessible to the player. They might be locked lots or somewhere else. For players who want to build structures anywhere they see, these locked areas might be an inconvenience. So, the game accommodates them by allowing them to enter a cheat code or two and they can gain access to these areas.

The cheats include modebb.moveobjects which lets players put objects wherever they want; bb.enablefreebuild which lets players build anywhere they see; and bb.showhiddenobjects, which lets players buy hidden objects.

Not every Sim is sociable and finds it easy to make friends. In fact, some Sims find it as hard to socialize as some of us might have in real life. This might be intentional from the player, but if its not, theres an easy way to overcome this social awkwardness.

RELATED:Sims 4: All The Worlds, Ranked

The player can simply enter the relationship.introduce_sim_to_all_others cheat code. This will instantly introduce their Sim to all of their neighbors, breaking the ice between them. Another friendship cheat is relationships.create_friends_for_sim. This one spawns a new character who is already friends with the players Sim.

Similar to friendship, romance options in The Sims 4 are not straightforward, and not every player is successful in finding a spouse for their Sim. To help out their sim, they can just use a few cheat codes. One of the best cheats is LTR_Romance_Main. This allows their Sim to have a relationship with another one. Another cheat that players can try is modifyrelationship 'entire Sim name 1' 'entire Sim name 2' 100 ltr_romance_main. This one targets two specific Sims, and it turns the romance level between them to 100% positive.

A players Sim might be in love, in a relationship, or even married. However, they could be taking some time to make a baby. Fortunately, in the world of the Sims, this is hardly a problem. The player can simply enter a series of cheat codes that make a simor even a Ghostpregnant, and in various stages of pregnancy. For instance, sims.add_buff buff_pregnancy_trimester1 makes a Sim or a Ghost pregnant and in their first trimester. However, if a player wants to see a baby right now, sims.add_buff buff_pregnancy_inlabor makes a Ghost or Sim pregnant at term.

There are numerous ways in which a players Sim might die, and some of them are sudden and unexpected. If the player is invested in a certain Sim but they pass away, this doesnt have to remain the case. They can revive their Sim with a simple cheat code. Death.toggle [true/false] is a cheat code that prevents ones Sim from dying throughout their playthrough.

RELATED:Sims 4: 10 Best Packs For Legacy & Family Players, Ranked

But the player can also have some fun with their Sim. For instance, one can turn their Sim into a ghost for a brief period4 in-game hours. The cheat code for this is sims.add_buff Ghostly.

Death is a constant occurrence in The Sims 4, but with the above revival cheats, it doesnt necessarily have to happen. On the flip side, however, the player might wish for the demise of their Sim. And they might be looking for a creative way to die. The game caters even to these players.

The game has a series of cheats that creatively kill ones Sim, like sims.add_buff buff_death_electrocution_warning, which causes a Sim to die while repairing an electrical item. Another creative cheat is sims.add_buff buff_mortified, which causes a Sim to die from embarrassment in a mere five hours.

Sims typically have needs and wants. However, they cannot achieve all their motives at the same time. In fact, some Sims might never fully get all their motives. A simple workaround to this is the cheat code sims.fill_all_commodities. This fills all of their motives. Other cheats worth considering are fillmotive motive_hunger, fillmotive motive_fun, fillmotive motive_energy and fillmotive motive_hygiene, all of which fill specific motives like hunger, fun, energy and hygiene respectively.

RELATED:Sims 4: Secret Cheat Codes for Playstation 4 (& How To Use Them)

To complete the aspirational goal of a Sim, one can also use aspirations.complete_current_milestone. And, for more control over the level of satisfaction their Sim has, the player can decide on the satisfaction points to give them through sims.give_satisfaction_points X.

Not every cheat code is meant to give the Sim an unfair advantage. In fact, some cheat codes are quite helpful if the Sim is stuck somewhere. One such cheat code is resetsim [SimFirstName] [SimLastName]. Another one is Reset Stuck Sim. When a Sim is stuck, both of these cheat codes send them to a location they are able to move freely.

RELATED:Sims 4: 15 Completely Functional Tiny Homes (That Use No Custom Content)

Other cheats include Dirty Object, which makes an object clean; Object, which resets an object; Ground, which teleports the players Sim to a certain location; and Mailbox, which resets the mailbox.

Not every item is visible to the player, and especially not early on in the game. Some players dont mind this because they want a sense of accomplishment as they slowly unlock things in the game. But if its a replay, others might not be so patient. Thats where the Debug Cheats come in.

When TestingCheats is enabled, these are codes that show nearly every object available in the game, whether or not they are functional. For instance, the player might unlock non-functional objects like background houses and undrivable cars. They can also unlock functional objects like public toilets.

NEXT:The Sims 4: 15 Must-Have Mods For Better Gameplay

Next10 Awesome Shadow Of Mordor Mods That Make The Game Even Better

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How Emily Dickinson Wrestled with Darwinism – JSTOR Daily

Posted on March 21, 2020 by Danzig

Does Emily Dickinson ever go out of style? A new biography by Martha Ackmann came out just recently. The feature film Wild Nights With Emily, a biographical comedy, is now streaming. The old clich of the cloistered, mystical New England spinster has long been tossed aside for far more nuanced and interesting explorations of Dickinsons life and mind. She had, for instance, a considered engagement in the philosophical issues of the day.

As literary scholar Michelle Kohler explains, Emily Dickinson has emerged from recent studies as an astronomer, geologist, botanist, mental philosopher, and Darwinista learned, if amateur, scholar enlisting the scientific and philosophical discourses she encountered rather than an isolate succumbing to forces she could not control.

Kohler explores Dickinsons rich engagement with scientific and other scholarly disciplines as manifested in her poetry, particularly in her rich metaphors. As the luck of a contingent universe would have it, Dickinsons most prolific years coincided with profound disputes about the nature of knowledge, how knowledge was produced, and what knowledge might even mean. The poet, an avid reader of the Springfield Daily Republican (edited by a friend), Scribners, Harpers, and the Atlantic Monthly, was very well aware of these wider intellectual debates. Her poemsthe vast majority of which were not published in her lifetimeare a treasure trove of documents showing an adult working through what she learned as a child and a youth.

In the wake ofCharles Darwins 1859 publication of On the Origin of Species, to be learned was not simply to wield facts and specialized vocabularies but to be immersed in their undoing, Kohler writes. This destabilization was especially disturbing because scientific and other academic pursuits were not sharply distinguished from theological ones[.]

The theological heritage of Puritanism was strong. One method of research in early nineteenth-century Americathe empirical, or Baconian methodassumed that an immutable, intelligent creation ordered the universe. But the Darwinian notion of a contingent, chance-ridden world was quite another way of thinking. Darwinism, writes Kohler, might produce contingent, mutable units of probable knowledge rather than producing Truth.

For Dickinson, who lived in the middle of this time of intellectual disagreement, this meant a transition. She had been raised under the dominant approach to science in the first half of the nineteenth century: truth was a fixed entity representing divine order. Darwinians like Asa Gray and others engaged in vigorous debate with Baconians (including at least one influential friend of Dickinsons family) in the New England journals.

Kohler reads Dickinsons poems of the 1860s as interventions in this broad and ongoing cultural assessment of truth and the methods that produce it. Studying Dickinsons engagement with science and its methods, then, is to study her engagement with the broad dismantling of any notion of a stable epistemology or fixed notion of truth, whether scientific or theological.

Think Dickinsons poems are elliptical, or disjointed? The times themselves were out of joint. What Dickinson plays with is the possibility of a revised version of revelation or truth, writes Kohler, suggesting that the poet, who died in 1886, remains very much our contemporary.

Editors Note: An earlier version of this article misidentified Louis Agassiz as a Darwinian. He was, in fact, very publicly an opponent of evolutionary theory. We regret the error and thank our careful readers for pointing it out.

JSTOR is a digital library for scholars, researchers, and students. JSTOR Daily readers can access the original research behind our articles for free on JSTOR.

By: Michelle Kohler

Nineteenth-Century Literature, Vol. 67, No. 1 (June 2012), pp. 58-86

University of California Press

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Initiative to foster growth of Bangladeshs impact ecosystem launched – The Financial Express BD

Posted on March 21, 2020 by Danzig

FE Online Desk | Published: March 21, 2020 12:47:55

An initiative to increase impact investment in the countrys social business as well as environmental sectors has been launched.

Three organizations jointly launched the programme titled Biniyog Briddhi (B-Briddhi)- Scaling Impact Enterprises of Bangladesh-from their respective offices through video conferencing by opening a new website.

They are German-based financial consultancy firm-Roots of Impact (RoI), Bangladeshs business consultant firm Light Castle Partners (LCP), and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation in Bangladesh (SDC). Derek George, Deputy Director & Ameena Chowdhury, Programme Manager of SDC; Bjoern Struewer, founder and CEO & Maxime Chang, Programme Manager of RoI; and Bijon Islam, CEO of LCP, recently inaugurated the programme, which was attended by entrepreneurs, investors, start-up accelerators and incubators. The four-year programme is aimed at increasing capacities of impact investors and entreprenuers for dealing with social business and environmental issues.

The entrepreneurs, who will play positive role in facing environmental problems as well as improving the condition of the backward people, will get financial assistance under the programme. Under the programme, initially applications will be accepted from impact entrepreneurs and accelerator programmes through the websitewww.sie-b.org Applicants have been requested to visit the website for detailed information.

-rmc//

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Initiative to foster growth of Bangladeshs impact ecosystem launched - The Financial Express BD

HTC Conducts Its First Virtual "VIVE Ecosystem Conference" (VEC) fully in VR Allowing Global Attendees to Join Virtual Sessions – PRNewswire

Posted on March 21, 2020 by Danzig

BEIJING, March18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, HTC VIVE held its fifth annual XR industry conference, now renamed the Virtual VIVE Ecosystem Conference (VEC),but this time in VR. It marks the first major physical industry event that has been replaced fully by an interactive VR digital twin.

Approximately two thousand participants from over 55 countries have registered for the event, with worldwide speakers attended the event in the form of their own custom VR avatars, all with the freedom to interact with each other and the special space that was created for the event, just as they would expect from a physical conference. Executives and experts from leading XR and telecom industry players shared their insights on the coming impact of the XR on the world and the audience we treated to a unique immersive conference experience not possible in the real world.

At the V2EC2020, Cher Wang, Chairwoman of HTC, delivered the opening speech through her virtual avatar: "HTC's original intention of entering VR industry is to give human beings the chance and possibility to break through physical limitations and realize their dreams by leveraging advanced technologies. At the same time, in the face of this pandemic, HTC is demonstrating VR's potential to break through conventional thinking and physical boundaries. This is the real significance of V2EC2020."

Yves Maitre, CEO of HTC, said: "Innovation remains the main driver of HTC's continuous development. HTC has been creating an ecosystem with core products, including VR, AR, AI, blockchain, and 5G, since 2015. In 2020, 5G technologies will certainly be commercially applied across various fields on a large scale. The VR sector will also develop lockstep with the popularization of 5G. Centering on products and services, we will continue exploring these cutting-edge technologies, and expand the WAVE mobile XR ecosystem, to lead the development of the XR industry in an effort to introduce novel technologies to daily life and work. VR brings us a sense of immersion and the experience of keeping close during difficult times. Science and technology are the keys to changing our lives."

At the conference, HTC and China Mobile signed the Cloud VR Strategic Cooperation Memorandum to accelerate the creation of a true XR ecosystem together. Yves Maitre (CEO of HTC), Xin Liu (CEO of China Mobile Migu), and Xiaowei Luan (GM of China Mobile Group Device) signed the MOU as their virtual counterparts on a grand virtual stage. This strategic partnership included areas of cooperation including the integration of the VIVEPORT content platform and the WAVE Mobile XR platform into China Mobile's offerings, as well as hardware joint development for the B2C and B2B markets. They will equip hardware providers and developers with higher standards for the XR industry, as a whole, with the aim of bestowing the best XR experience for consumers and businesses in China.

"To help enable collaboration within and growth of the XR industry, we have conducted the Vive Ecosystem Conference every year since 2016," HTC China President, Alvin W. Graylin said. "This year, in the face of the global COVID-19 outbreak, we are taking the lead to show the world the power of VR to effectively convert an in-person conference into a fully interactive virtual one. The inability to meet and communicate face to face will be an increasing challenge for the world, but XR can be one solution. To stay safe these days, we need to create more distance between people, and conversely, one of the biggest benefits of XR is the ability to remove the perception of distance and boundaries for users."

"Prior to this virus pandemic, the mindset of many people is that XR is a nice-to-have technology. Post-outbreak, the benefits of XR to overcome the physical barriers between people could make it a must-have technology over time. The killer app of XR isn't a specific game or application like with prior computing technologies, but rather the ability to regain a part of the daily life we lost due to the new reality facing the world today. Working-from-home, distance learning, home-based fitness, immersive entertainment and networked social interactivity will all be part of the new normal in our lives, and made more agreeable if more users could adopt XR technologies."

HTC selected the ENGAGE VR events platform from ImmersiveVR Education (IVRE) as the underlying system for conducting the VEC2020 as it was able to meet the needs of a full-scale industry event in a virtual arena. ENGAGE VR allows attendees to have 1:1 social interactions and high visual quality, while offering management tools to conduct a large-scale event with or without a VR device.

In addition, virtual events save the time and cost of traveling and will have huge environmental benefits even when the initial health concerns of the virus subside. The need for tools like this to help businesses continue to operate effectively post-outbreak will only increase.On stage at V2EC, a new strategic partnership between HTC and IVRE was announced, allowing HTC to distribute the ENGAGE platform globally. The ENGAGE VR software is already available for download on VIVEPORT.

The conference also provided in-depth technical tutorials in VR on new advanced developer tools created by Vive for its developer community. Using an immersive environment to teach how to develop for VR also made some complex issues much simpler to grasp. The sessions encompassed areas such as Vive Eye Tracking Integration and foveated rendering, Vive Hand Tracking, and the latest Vive Wave SDK for mobile XR development.

For those that missed the event, recorded video stream of the event can be viewed here or for those with a VR device, can be re-experience spatially in the ENGAGE platform. For more information, you can access here.

About HTC VIVE

HTC VIVE is the premier virtual reality (VR) platform and ecosystem that creates true-to-life VR experiences for businesses and consumers. The VIVE ecosystem is built around premium VR hardware, software, and content. The VIVE business encompasses best-in-class XR hardware; VIVEPORT platform and app store; VIVE Enterprise Solutions for business customers; VIVE X, a $100M VR business accelerator; VIVE STUDIOS, an entertainment, gaming, and enterprise content studio; and VIVE ARTS for cultural initiatives. For more information on VIVE, please visitwww.vive.com.

HTC, the HTC logo are the trademarks of HTC Corporation. All other names of companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE HTC VIVE CHINA

http://www.vive.com

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HTC Conducts Its First Virtual "VIVE Ecosystem Conference" (VEC) fully in VR Allowing Global Attendees to Join Virtual Sessions - PRNewswire

Heres A Look Inside HTCs In-VR Vive Conference, Running This Week – UploadVR

Posted on March 21, 2020 by Danzig

HTC is battling the spread of coronavirus by shifting its annual Vive Ecosystem Conference to VR later this week. Heres a sneak peek at how its shaping up.

Vive China President Alvin Graylin Wang posted the below video, which offers a look inside the conference before it opens its doors. The Vive Ecosystem Conference is being held in Immersive VR Educations Engage platform. Several rooms have been kitted out with the Vive branding, where HTC will host talks and provide networking space.

Traditionally hosted in China, HTC moved its Ecosystem Conference online in face of the threat COVID-19 poses to physical events. The traditional gaming and technology event calendars have been hugely disrupted by the current situation; MWC didnt take place in February, GDC was supposed to be running this week and E3 has already cancelled its June 2020 event. In lieu of GDC, Facebook is this week running a digital Game Developers Showcase to make new announcements about its platform and games.

The Vive Ecosystem Conference, meanwhile, is open to over 55 countries and will feature both English and Chinese audio tracks. Announcements at past events have previously been geared more towards HTCs Chinese audience, but theres often still news relevant to the west too. With HTC gearing up to launch a more consumer-friendly Vive Cosmos Play headset, a developer XR faceplate and a concept lightweight device, we could well see some interesting news from this years show.

The Vive Ecosystem Conference 2020 kicks off on March 18, starting at 5:30 pm Pacific (or 1:30 am March 19 in GMT). You can sign up to attend here, although there will also be a non-VR livestream on YouTube here. Will you be attending to show? Let us know in the comments below!

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Navigating the sustainability ecosystem – Recycling Today

Posted on March 21, 2020 by Danzig

Last week, Sustainability in Packaging, an event that took place March 11-13 in Chicago, provided insights from brand owners, retailers, packaging manufacturers, government regulators and nongovernmental organizations on trends in sustainable packaging.

Andrew Kern, procurement manager at Smurfit Kappa, which has headquarters in Ireland, presented on March 13 in a session titled Navigating the Sustainability Ecosystem. Kern is part of a team responsible for procuring fiber for the company's 100 percent recycled containerboard mill in Forney, Texas, as well as its other mills throughout the Americas and Europe. During the session, Kern discussed three critical obstacles in packaging that impact the recycling industry: critical mass, too many choices and contamination.

He said the critical mass and too many choices challenges tie into the challenge of contamination.

With critical mass, you have to have a volume of material to economically have a solution for most recyclable materials, said Kern So, thats part of why we have [single-stream recycling]it helps us overcome that critical mass. But the byproduct of that is we end up with contamination. Also, a lot of contamination is due to over-choice [with packaging options]. Over-choice tends to lead to poor and wrong choices with recycling, which leads to contamination.

In the presentation, Kern also shared some myths in the session around sustainable packaging, including:

Collection of recyclable materials equates to recycling.

Preconsumer recycled materials and postconsumer recycled materials are equal.

Biodegradable and biocompostable are the same thing.

Kern said hes even noticed people in the recycling industry share these myths at times.

Im amazed at how often I even see in our own recycling industry the idea that collection equals recycling, he said. Just because something is collected at a plant doesnt always equate to it being recycled, either due to contamination before it comes to the plant or when at the plant. The other myth is that preconsumer materials that are recycled do not necessarily equal postconsumer materials that are recycled. Source-separated industrial materials frequently have end-use homes that dont once they become comingled.

Then, the myth of biodegradable and biocompostable being the same thingtheres a myth about how beneficial they are, he continued. A lot of biodegradable products out there turn into contamination [mixed] with their plastic counterparts.

There are several ways to combat these myths. Kern suggested working with suppliers and recycling facilities to improve communication. At Smurfit Kappa, he said the companys Better Planet Packaging initiative has helped to bust some of these myths.

We had an event in November where we invited multiple packaging partners of ours to learn more about end life cycles of packaging, Kern said. Thats the encouraging piece. Companies involved in packaging are taking more interest in the end life cycle and wanting to understand it. There are still difficult choices to be made, but they are more involved in that. Were encouraging that.

Kern added that he has noticed some trends that may improve the sustainability of packaging. He said Amazons Frustration-Free Packaging model and similar design trends that use fewer types of materials help reduce contamination in recycling.

Weve even developed some packaging designs that utilize corrugated buffers instead of foam buffers in packaging to eliminate over choice, he added.

Another trend is the move toward using more recycled materials in packaging to improve sustainability, which he said is driven, in part, by increased consumer demand for recycled content in products.

However, some trends may not be as beneficial to recycling. Kern said there is a trend toward personalized packaging and box demand requirements by customers. Thats a trend that could work for or against contamination issues, depending on the direction of personalization that goes into that, he said.

Overall, Kern said he wants to see more packaging trends alleviate contamination challenges faced by recyclers. He said, My hope is some of these packaging trends ease the challenges of removing contamination. As packaging choices are made with more focus on end life cycles and better understanding them. Really, its not been verbalized, but the idea that they want to know its not just recovered but recycled to a new productthose are positives I think coming out of some of these packaging trends.

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Navigating the sustainability ecosystem - Recycling Today

[Startup Bharat] CrAdLE is mentoring entrepreneurs to grow the ecosystem in Gujarat – YourStory

Posted on March 21, 2020 by Danzig

Gujarat, with more than 236 operational startups, is a booming startup ecosystem. The state was ranked the best performing state in the National Startup Ranking for 2018, according to a recent report of NASSCOM and consulting firm Zinnov.

CrAdLE, which is currently focused only on Gujarat, is supported by National Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India.

CrAdLE CEO Mayank Patel

"We have been in operation for three and a half years now. We have a target of supporting at least 10 big startups and another 15 startups at a point of time, says Mayank Patel, CEO, CrAdLE.

With an aim to boost the ecosystem, the government of Gujarat had in 2018 announced that it would support 2,000 startups in the state by 2021. This announcement was made at a Vibrant Gujarat Startup and Technology Summit held in Gandhinagar.

Around 21,900 enterprises were set up by beneficiaries trained under the EDIIs Micro Skillpreneurship Development Programme (MSDP) in the past five years.

The institute, as part of the Skills to Succeed 2020 Goal, trained more than 32,900 beneficiaries across states, includingTamil Nadu,Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Uttarakhand, Assam, and Puducherry during 2015-16 and 2019-20. The programme was developed to encourage entrepreneurship among marginalised communities.

The incubator has supported close to 45 startups till now. Of these, we believe that at least eight startups have the potential to scale into large businesses, Mayank says.

The incubator provides an array of workshops, courses, and mentorship programmes to provide the knowledge and skills necessary to develop and execute an effective business plan.

It aims to foster technology and knowledge-based entrepreneurial startups by nurturing them at an early stage and helping them overcome teething troubles by providing legal, financial, and technical services. It aims to help the economy grow by nurturing the most innovative technology-based ideas.

The two principal services that CrAdLE provides are mentoring and fund-raising assistance. Apart from this, it also helps young startups find offices spaces, team members etc.

The incubator also checks if the team displays the viability to execute the idea into a viable product/service.

The startup ecosystem in Gujarat has started to pick up in the last two years, courtesy the many incubators and awareness programmes.

The startups that CrAdLE supports are mainly from Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. However, the incubator mentors startups from Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, and Kutch as well.

There is immense potential for startups to emerge from Tier II and III cities. My interaction with entrepreneurs has been tremendously positive, and I believe we have a good number of startups coming from these cities. These founders are focused on solving problems using technology, Mayank says.

The two main challenges startups in smaller cities face are in terms of hiring and funding.

The state government has stepped in to solve this dearth of investment. It regularly conducts awareness programmes and provides funding with a ticket size of Rs 10-25 lakh, which is often not generally considered by angel investors or VCs.

However, Mayank says angels and VCs across India have started realising the potential of Gujarat startups. Many angel network representatives routinely visit Ahmedabad now, he says, adding that CrAdLE hopes that they will start visiting other cities soon.

Entrepreneurship has become a serious career for young graduates. And working in a startup is also no longer considered risky. A couple of years down the line, I am sure Gujarat will also have a few startups that will be the poster boys for the Indian ecosystem, Mayank says.

Clearly, the hand that rocks the CrAdLE aims to rule the startup world!

(Edited by Teja Lele Desai)

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[Startup Bharat] CrAdLE is mentoring entrepreneurs to grow the ecosystem in Gujarat - YourStory

UTEP partners with City Accelerator to provide insights on El Paso Minority Business Ecosystem – El Paso Herald-Post

Posted on March 21, 2020 by Danzig

The Center for Hispanic Entrepreneurship (CFHE) housed in the College of Business Administration (COBA) at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) has partnered with the City of El Paso City Accelerator to help expand minority businesses by removing common barriers to markets, contracts, capital, education and consulting.

In 2018, the City of El Paso received a $100,000 Living Cities grant funded by the Citi Foundation to build a support system for small businesses with the help of local business organizations including the Center for Hispanic Entrepreneurship.

Accelerate El Paso provided us with a great opportunity to gather insights about our local minority businesses and to look at our current entrepreneurship infrastructure, said Denisse Olivas, director of the Center for Hispanic Entrepreneurship at UTEP. We hope that our findings can help organizations better serve our local entrepreneurs.

Other partners include the Small Business Development Center (El Paso Community College), Workforce Solutions Borderplex, El Paso Chamber, El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Hub of Human Innovation and the El Paso County Economic Development Office.

The local partners developed the design of the accelerator to begin to map an ecosystem that supported minorities in all phases of their business, including starting, continuing and scaling up. The program was developed to offer training, events and guidance through one-on-one consulting through the specialization of each of the local partners. The programs end goal encouraged the formation of a central location for small businesses to find guidance on topics such as how to start a business, how to fund a venture, best accounting practices, networking opportunities, access to government contracting, marketing, communication, leadership and employee training.

The program, called Accelerate El Paso or Accelerate EP, recruited 70 small- to medium-sized minority businesses to participate as a cohort through a one-year program.

The CFHE contributed by providing a research template and guidance, disseminating the survey, analyzing the data and writing the final paper submitted to Living Cities, which is now available as a download.

This was a very exciting project for us because, through the development of a cross-functional team consisting of multiple City of El Paso departments, we were able to put together a plan to consolidate efforts and ensure business access to high quality resources, said Aimee Olivas, socioeconomic compliance officer for the City of El Paso.

Key findings include:

For more information on the Center for Hispanic Entrepreneurship at UTEP and to download the full report, click here.

Author:Darlene Barajas UTEP Communications

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UTEP partners with City Accelerator to provide insights on El Paso Minority Business Ecosystem - El Paso Herald-Post

Singapore Emerges as the "Food Tech Ecosystem" of Asia – vegconomist – the vegan business magazine

Posted on March 21, 2020 by Danzig

basiczto - stock.adobe.com

Asia has been cited in a recent report as the continent to watch as the alternative protein industry takes shape globally. Within Asia, Singapore is emerging as the food tech capital, with its government investing $100 billion (US$72 billion) to prepare for the effects of the current climate crisis.

A core part of this plan will involve measures to be self-sufficient and battle food insecurity, as Singapore is a heavily urban city-state that imports 90% of its food, largely due to its limited land space. After the announcement last year of the intention to produce 30% of the countrys nutritional needs locally by 2030, Singapore has been investing heavily in alternative protein research and development.

Andrew Ive, Founder & GP at Big Idea Ventures, a venture firm which has invested in clean meat innovators such as Shiok Meats, said: At Big Idea Ventures we have worked with many different governments but without question Singapore has put all of the resource into the food sector above and beyond what we have seen. It is quite incredible to see all arms of the government from investment, development, research and regulatory work together to drive this sector.

There is no shortage of food tech innovation in Singapore, ranging from Shiok Meats cell-based shrimp to TurtleTree Labs worlds first lab-grown dairy and human breast milk. Last month, Swiss food technology provider Bhler Holding AG, together with Givaudan, announced a new Innovation Center dedicated to plant-based food in Singapore.

Last summer, a clean meat laboratory was opened in Singapore, with the Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat stating he was looking forward to the labs food and the prospect of the health benefits offered by clean meat. This followed last Aprils revelation that Singapore would invest $535 million USD to transform its economy, including S$144 million for food-related innovations in order to help sustainable and local production.

In September, new agritech investment company called Germi8 was launched by a team of entrepreneurs from biotech, agricultural machinery, education, food, and technology, to place funding into agrifood startups through its extended investment vehicles. The aim of the group is to advance the development of alternative proteins and clean meat.

The government has also appointed a full-time Alternative Protein Analyst dedicated to aiding the growth of the industry. Also, it is matching the amount of funding that Singaporean startups raise, to help the growth of some of the most groundbreaking companies to lead on creating sustainable food solutions.

Sonalie Figueiras, founder of Asian platform Green Queen Media, commented to vegconomist: Singapore has truly forged itself as the food tech ecosystem in Asia thanks to an incredibly supportive government, some of the regions best industry events and pioneering entrepreneurs choosing to make the city their headquarters.

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Singapore Emerges as the "Food Tech Ecosystem" of Asia - vegconomist - the vegan business magazine

IPL cancellation may lead to ecosystem value reducing by $700 mn to $1 bn: Duff & Phelps – TelevisionPost

Posted on March 21, 2020 by Danzig

MUMBAI: If the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) does not happen at all this year then the IPL ecosystem value could reduce by $700 million-$1 billion according to Duff & Phelps. If it is a truncated season starting from 15 April 2020 then the value reduction is estimated at $200 million-350 million.

The company considered two scenarios. In the second which is the event gets cancelled a high possibility if the current situation persists then there will be a massive impact on the IPL Ecosystem value as it will also consider larger economic and financial consequences.

Duff And Phelps external advisor and D and P Advisory Managing Partner Santosh N said that in this scenario two sub scenarios have been considered. First there is no impact on the next years edition and the second, a complete one year set back from a revenue perspective for all the stakeholders. In sub scenario 1, we have considered nil cash inflow from the broadcaster or title and associate sponsors for the 2020 season as the same is assumed cancelled. Likewise, franchisees will not receive their share of revenue from central pool nor will they be required to share profits with BCCI as part of their franchise fees. However, we have considered the expenses incurred by BCCI, IPL franchisees and other stakeholders with respect to advertising, promotional events and other general administrative costs including salaries to their non-cricket playing staff, etc.

In sub scenario 2, apart from the cash flow impact considered for the 2020 season, we have also considered economic impact due to the one year set back, where we have anticipated that the sponsorship revenues might not grow at desired levels next year due to the current disruption. Under Scenario 2, we estimate the IPL Ecosystem value to reduce by $700 million to $1,000 million range (approximately 10% to 15%). Our analysis under this scenario does not capture a financial recession like event which would further impact the IPL Ecosystem value.

The first scenario sees the IPL season commencing on 15th April 2020 and being truncated as more than 15 days would have been lost by that time. The analysis assumes that teams play each other only once instead of the home and away format. So the number of league matches halves. We have also factored in two situations one where the spectators are allowed inside the stadium and another where the matches are played behind closed doors, effectively impacting the in-stadia revenues including gate receipts and food and beverages.

The impact of revenue loss on account of lack of gate receipts is negligible on the IPL value. It might, in fact, benefit the broadcasters if the shutdown persists and more people are forced to spend time at home thus increasing the television audience for IPL, though none of the stakeholders including the broadcasters prefer this option. Further, we have factored in the loss of revenue from broadcasting and sponsorship, as broadcast partners and sponsors will renegotiate the contracts based on the number of matches being played. We have also considered the impact of a truncated tournament on the sale of official merchandising and associated revenues. Overall, under Scenario I, the IPL ecosystem value estimated by us last year is expected to reduce by $200 million to $350 million range (3% to 5%).

He further noted that The Government of India and various state governments have mandatorily banned public gatherings in view of public health and safety concerns. The government he pointed out has also suspended visas from most countries which might impact the availability of foreign players who are a vital cog in the IPL. Given this background, the options before BCCI are somewhat limited.

He said that impact analysis has been carried out on the IPL ecosystem value calculated by Duff And Phelps last year which was $6.8 billion in 2019. The analysis doesnt reflect the current value of the IPL ecosystem which would have been estimated after considering the factors available post completion of IPL 2020.

Talking about how the global sporting scene has been affected, he explains, We might just be in the first quarter of 2020, but the year has already seen the unprecedented shutdown of global sports leagues due to COVID19. The last such shut down happened during World War II when all major sporting events across the globe including the Olympics in 1940 & 1944 were cancelled. Major sports leagues across the world including EPL, La Liga, Seria A, NBA, Champions League, bilateral cricket tournaments are suspended at least until the first week of April as governments scramble to contain the spread of the virus which has been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation.

UEFA EURO 2020 and COPA America 2020, the two major football events scheduled to take place this year in June have also been pushed to 2021. Even the Olympics 2020 being held in Japan face the threat of cancellation or postponement if the pandemic does not subside in the next couple of months. More recently, the Indian Super League finals between ATK & Chennaiyin FC had to be played behind closed doors.

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IPL cancellation may lead to ecosystem value reducing by $700 mn to $1 bn: Duff & Phelps - TelevisionPost

Vietnams telco becomes latest member of i3forum dedicated to transforming the carrier ecosystem – Telemedia Online

Posted on March 21, 2020 by Danzig

Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group(VNPT) has become the newest member of i3forum, a not-for-profit industry body enabling and accelerating transformation across the carrier ecosystem.

As a Member, VNPT can join work groups to collaborate and enable the success of global carriers. VNPT joins 25+ members from across Asia, South America, North America, Europe and the Middle East.

VNPT is a leading state-owned enterprise specialised in investment, manufacturing and trading in the telecommunications and ICT sector. VNPTs mission is to create digital solutions and a services ecosystem based on platforms such as media, e-Government, health and much more.

We are pleased to welcome VNPT to the i3forum. Vietnam has a vibrant telecoms market and we look forward to VNPTs contributions to the i3forums work groups and initiatives, says Philippe Millet, Chairman at i3forum. Having a diverse range of members is crucial in our missiontohelp define best practices, optimise carrier operations and accelerate industry transformation. VNPT is a great fit for our organisation. We look forward to working together to enable carrier transformation across the globe.

i3forum brings the international carrier ecosystem together to enable and accelerate transformation.Its open and inclusive model brings carriers and vendors together to discuss and address topics that accelerate industry-wide transformation. Members are united by a common goal to improve the future of the industry.

Were excited to collaborate with some of the most dynamic and innovative carriers in international telecoms. We look-forward to sharing our insights and unique experiences with the global carrier community, said Mr.Lam Quoc Cuong, VNPT International Director. This is an opportunity to work with carriers across the globe to have a positive impact not just on our business but the industry as a whole.

i3forum works closely with other industry organisations to focus on practical recommendations and solutions for the international carrier industry. Diversity is valued at i3forum, and the addition of more members creates an unbiased, comprehensive approach to collaboration

When companies like VNPT become members, our organisation becomes stronger and we are able to tackle a growing number of challenges facing carriers, said Millet. We welcome carriers of all sizes and from all markets to become members and help to shape the future of carrier business.Together, we can launch new initiatives, deliver actionable recommendations and enable long-term sustainable growth across our industry.

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Vietnams telco becomes latest member of i3forum dedicated to transforming the carrier ecosystem - Telemedia Online

HTC Just Hosted Is Vive Ecosystem Conference In Virtual Reality – Ubergizmo

Posted on March 21, 2020 by Danzig

As events around the world are starting to get cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak, companies are starting to find alternative means of delivering news and updates to their customers. The vast majority of it will probably come in the form of an online event, but HTC might have taken the cake.

The company was scheduled to host its Vive Ecosystem Conference in Shenzhen, China, but instead of doing that, they opted to host it virtually. The event was hosted inside Engage, which is a collaborative VR app that works with multiple VR platforms such as the HTC Vive, Oculus, Valve, and Microsofts Windows Mixed Reality headsets.

Those in attendance were represented by 3D avatars and were seated in an outdoor amphitheater with concrete benches. For some reason, HTC also decided to introduce the coronavirus into its VR event, where there were virus-shaped balloons. HTCs China president Alvin Graylin was quoted as saying, These viruses arent going to hurt you, because weve prepared. All of you guys have been now issued special protective gear.

As he said that, the entire audience was covered in protective outfits, although given that all of this was virtual, it was completely unnecessary. While what HTC has done seems novel, it does go to show a possibility of the future and how events moving forwards can be held.

Filed in General. Read more about HTC and Virtual Reality (VR). Source: venturebeat

HTC Just Hosted Is Vive Ecosystem Conference In Virtual Reality - Ubergizmo

W Energy Software’s New Partner Ecosystem Accelerates Market Expansion and the Move from Legacy Solutions to the Cloud – Yahoo Finance

Posted on March 21, 2020 by Danzig

W Energy Software unveils partner program to extend its leading cloud-based ERP platform with implementation expertise, business outsourcing, and technology partnerships, further empowering customers and adding momentum to its rapid market growth as oil & gas companies seek a modern, cloud-based alternative to legacy ERP solutions.

TULSA, Okla., March 19, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- W Energy Software, the emerging leader in upstream and midstream oil & gas ERP solutions, today announces the launch of WE Partner, a new partner program that augments its ERP solutions with service and technology offerings from leading providers. Through these strategic partnerships, W Energy Software brings exciting new capabilities to existing customers while positioning itself to capture additional market share from oil & gas companies looking to switch from legacy solutions to modern ERP software that drives costs down, improves operational efficiency, and increases business agility. WE Partner creates an ecosystem of companies who offer value-added implementation services, provide outsourced business process management using W Energy Software, and complement its cloud-based software platform with third party technologies.

"Our new partner initiative builds on the tremendous uptake W Energy software has experienced across the energy sector and accelerates it with bold new partnerships that bring even higher levels of product innovation and service excellence to our customers while offering unmatched choice through a connected, modern, and vibrant ecosystem of providers," said Pete Waldroop, CEO of W Energy Software. "the current economic outlook brings into sharp focus the need for energy companies to drive business performance higher with a lean and agile workforce, and only by working together will we overcome today's unprecedented challenges and navigate future complexities," he commented. Waldroop added, "WE Partner is a strategic component to our strategy of making the industry-wide transition from legacy solutions to our cloud-based platform happen faster at such a pivotal time for energy companies where cost-efficiency and maximizing cash flow are so critical."

WE Partner is comprised of three value-adding partnership levels:

Current partners include: Capitalize, Capco, EAG Services, Stonebridge Consulting, Magnum Forge, and Thought Trace. W Energy Software's partner program is attracting unprecedented interest from service and technology providers. Additional partnerships are expected to be announced soon.

"We are launching WE Partner with a critical mass of support right out of the gate from a lineup of exceptional partners, giving W Energy Software's partner program the impetus to attract even more service and technology providers as the market consolidates around our best-in-class software platform," said Mark Hill, CRO at W Energy Software. "The tide has turned for the competition and now W Energy Software, backed by the industry's foremost partner ecosystem, will unleash a new wave of operational and cost innovation across the energy industry," he said. Hill concluded, "forging strong partnerships across the energy value chain is critically important today and by bolstering upstream and midstream customers with an integrated network of providers we are able to meet our common challenges head on, together."

For more information about W Energy Software's partner program, please visit the WE Partner page at: http://wenergysoftware.com/power-of-partnership/

About W Energy Software Headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, W Energy Software (formerly Waterfield Energy) offers the oil & gas industry's only unified ERP solution built for the cloud that is relied on by more than 100 upstream and midstream companies to accelerate business performance, improve operational efficiency, and drive costs down. W Energy Software combines precision-built software in one extendable cloud-based workspace with an intimate understanding of the oil & gas business to deliver solutions that offer flexibility, affordability, and continuous upgrades. Unlike other ERP software that loosely ties together a mix of legacy solutions and fragmented technologies, W Energy Software designed a unified upstream and midstream ERP platform to seamlessly track oil, gas, and NGL from the wellhead through transportation and marketing, eliminating data silos as well as the burden and costs of maintaining multiple systems. With W Energy Software, oil & gas companies stay lean and agile with the tools they need to adapt to market changes and meet evolving customer needs head on, all while gaining the confidence that their business is running on the latest technology. For more information, please visit https://WEnergySoftware.com.

SOURCE W Energy Software

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W Energy Software's New Partner Ecosystem Accelerates Market Expansion and the Move from Legacy Solutions to the Cloud - Yahoo Finance

Cant Travel? Play These Games Instead During COVID-19 And Social Distancing – Forbes

Posted on March 21, 2020 by Danzig

Playing board games is a good way to pass time as a family.

Youre probably getting your fair share of couch time as more and more places close down life as we know it, insisting residents to stay at home and practice social distancing from others in order to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

We already hit you with some movie recommendations that can help ease the pain of a world without travel, and now we turn to another classic form of entertainment - the board game - to help satisfy your wanderlust cravings.

If youre looking to pass time and inspire future trips, here are a couple games to consider playing with friends and family:

Passport to Culture

The goal here is much like in real life - filling your passport. This card-playing board game sets a good travel tone right off the bat with a world map for its board, and the goal of seeing it all. Question and culture cards that relate to the different countries offer a nice way to learn a thing or two, and who knows, maybe help you find your next travel destination once the real world opens back up.

Where in the World

The games self-description says it all: It includes the latest facts about every country in the world including capitals, major imports and exports, languages and religions. With six games in one, there are different ways to explore the world, but the main focus is geography. Play a couple of rounds to practice filling out the world map.

Brainbox: The World

This memory-type game offers the chance to learn and answer questions about famous landmarks, world cultures, and geography. Players draw a card and have ten seconds to internalize its pictures and facts, then turn the card over and answer as many questions as they can. Great for adults looking to brush up on trivia, and anyone looking to expand their knowledge of the world.

Around the World in 80 Days

This game takes you back to the Victorian Era for an 80-day journey around the globe, using various modes of transportation that require different cards. The premise is simple: Whoever makes it around the world the fastest wins.

Dash! A Whimsical Race Through Singapore

Looking to take a trip to Southeast Asia? This board game takes you on a race through Singapore, including stops in some of its famous districts and points of interest.

Flags of the World

You can play name that flag games online, but theres also a board-game version if youd like something the whole family can play together.

Pandemic

For those who arent entirely freaked out by the concept of playing such a game during this time (aka, people who are enjoying watching movies like Outbreak and Contagion), there are a couple different versions of the Pandemic game, but all carry the same theme: Its up to you to save the world from a fast-spreading outbreak.

Catan

This classic game can take an entire day (or more) to play as you expand your horizons and conquer the world. But, since finding time will not be a big issue over the next couple weeks, its the perfect time to play.

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Cant Travel? Play These Games Instead During COVID-19 And Social Distancing - Forbes

Travel personalities reflect on how the coronavirus outbreak has changed their world – The Messenger

Posted on March 21, 2020 by Danzig

The coronavirus has clipped our airplane wings, silenced our train whistle, idled our car engine. Were hunkering down at home to avoid trailing germs around the planet. To think, not so long ago we were grumbling about diminishing legroom and escalating baggage fees. Those were the days. And we will have them again, but maybe with less indignation and more gratefulness for what we temporarily lost. As you wait on the phone to cancel a trip, or return your untouched suitcase to the basement, remember that you are not alone. We are all in this together: People who travel only once a year are standing (six feet apart) beside those who make a living by avoiding home. To reinforce this sense of camaraderie, we checked in with some of the most esteemed professionals and personalities in the travel industry.

We spoke to travel blogger Lee Abbamonte, the youngest person to visit every country in the world, plus both poles; Samantha Brown, host of the Emmy Award-winning series, Samantha Browns Places to Love, on PBS; Pauline Frommer, editorial director of Frommers guidebooks and Frommers.com; Tom Hall, vice president of experience at Lonely Planet and travel writer; Brian Kelly, founder and chief executive of the Points Guy; Sean Keener, chairman of AirTreks and BootsnAll Travel Network; Phil Keoghan, host of The Amazing Race on CBS; Darley Newman, creator and host of the award-winning series, Travels With Darley, on PBS; Rolf Potts, travel writer, podcaster and author of Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-term World Travel; Rick Steves, European travel expert with a guidebook series, public television and radio shows, and travel program; and Tony Wheeler, founder of Lonely Planet.

The virus can disrupt our travel plans but, as youll see from the answers below, it is also taking our wanderlust to even greater heights.

Q: What plans did you have to cancel?

Abbamonte: Aside from canceling several parts of my Europe trip to the loss of thousands of dollars, Ive also had to or will have to cancel countless trips over the next few months. I was supposed to attend a soccer game in Milan and Turin and go to a birthday weekend in Prague, and Im going to miss several work golf trips to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Georgia; Scottsdale, Arizona; and likely Branson, Missouri.

Brown: We had to postpone shooting episodes 2 and 3 of Season 4. The locations we postponed visiting are the Tyrol region of Austria and London.

Frommer: So many. My younger daughter is a high school junior and we were going to take an extended road trip during spring beak to visit two dozen colleges in the Midwest and South. I had to cancel flights to and from New York (that involved waiting on hold for three hours with Delta) as well as cancel hotel rooms and Airbnbs (that was easy). Plus, I had to release the rental car and call friends and family we were planning to see along the way.

Hall: Family holidays at Easter to longed-for journeys in England have been postponed, and my plans to bag a last-minute trip to Paris or Venice while crowds were low have also been put on ice.

Keener: I canceled a trip to the Redwoods (in California) with my children, a trip to Kauai and I may have to cancel a few more.

Kelly: I was headed to London at the end of April for our first anniversary of the Points Guy U.K. office.

Keoghan: I have typically traveled more than 250,000 miles a year for the last few decades. Staying put is not something I am used to, but I am embracing being at home and savoring all of the things that really matter in life.

Newman: We canceled trips to Austin for South by Southwest and the National Association of Broadcasters show in Las Vegas, two important industry events. We were not set to have any major filming trips until June and, at this point, we are looking at alternative dates for those film shoots. They are in the U.S., but we are still planning for the worst ... and hoping for the best.

Potts: Short-window trips to California and Louisiana have been scrapped for coming months. I teach a creative-writing class in Paris each July, and this year I was going to spend June with my nephew in Italy and Switzerland as a travel gift to celebrate his high school graduation. All of those Europe summer travels now look unlikely.

Steves: For the first time I can remember, my calendar is empty until June. Ive canceled my April 13 flight to Istanbul and the entire 40-day guidebook research trip that was to follow. My tour business, which took more than 30,000 customers to Europe in 2019, has already canceled all departures through the end of April (so far).

Wheeler: I got back to Australia today Wednesday Australia time and cant even go home because of the 14-day self-isolation ruling. Wow.

Q: How are you scratching your travel itch while grounded?

Abbamonte: Im trying to stay positive and continue to post travel content on my social feeds like Instagram, so I can feel normal and others can take their mind off the virus if even for a few seconds. I also plan to use the time wisely and productively and start writing my book.

Brown: We are brainstorming ways we can use the three years of travel content we have from Places to Love to keep people hopeful not just about travel but human kindness and connection, which is, of course, at the core of all travel experiences.

Frommer: Im writing and editing a lot for Frommers.com. Were working on articles that we hope will help a lot of people scratch that travel itch, with gorgeous photos, history and culture-rich text and much more, so that people can dream about future trips and the wonders the world holds, even if theyre not traveling right now.

Hall: My family and I are virtually touring the worlds museums and cities, and taking our time over booking travel for later in the year. Theres also a TV show Race Across the World airing in the United Kingdom showing teams racing from Mexico City to Ushuaia, Argentina, that is bringing a whole continent into view.

Keener: I am getting into nature while maintaining social distancing. So going into the garden, slowing down and enjoying the slower pace of life when in Portland, Oregon.

Kelly: I have been reading some great books. I started reading Daniel Silvas novels and am hooked. Reading his books has made me appreciative that I traveled to Israel twice in 2019.

Keoghan: Im immersing myself with post-production on a new reality series I am show-running for CBS called Tough as Nails. Its about real people in real life who are real tough, something that feels really timely right now. We want to honor the hardworking men and women who keep our country running, the people who arent afraid to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty.

Newman: Traveling around Central Park and, most recently, going back and forth to Maine to see my father and help him out. Over the last few days, I have come to realize that my idea of travel coming up may mean covering a few blocks in my home area of New York City or sharing photos and memories with friends on social media. Im also going back to video content weve filmed and will look for outtakes and footage that didnt make it into previous episodes, knowing that people who cant travel may have that itch and also cabin fever.

Potts: I am re-familiarizing myself with the 30 acres of Kansas prairie I consider my home base. Its actually a nice place, all things considered, for a quarantine: very pretty and isolated (and inexpensive). An interesting irony here is that I canceled my winter travels this year so that I could keep an eye on my aging parents, who live next door. Its the first time Ive wintered here in five years, having been to Sumatra, Sri Lanka, Hawaii, southern Africa and Uruguay/Argentina in previous winters. So in some alternate present, Im off trapped in quarantine flight restrictions in some place like Namibia or Fiji.

Steves: Im dreaming about Europe now more than ever, and Im getting the sense that other travelers are, too. So while were all grounded, Im making it my mission to stoke Americans travel dreams with vicarious travels. On my Facebook page, Im sharing a daily dose of Europe, featuring my favorite memories from a lifetime of travel. My entire public television series more than 100 half-hour episodes on every corner of Europe is available free to view at my website. And my Rick Steves Classroom Europe tool, which curates all that travel television into more than 400 teachable three- to five-minute clips, is a godsend for families suddenly home-schooling and teachers trying to come up with creative ways to keep their students engaged. My goal is to remind everyone whats waiting for them when this is all over and we can head back to Europe.

Wheeler: Ill be processing that trip London, Cairo and Socotra Island and sorting out the photographs, putting up a blog on my website and so on for a few days. And definitely doing some research on the places Ive learned about.

Q: Once we can travel again, where will you go to celebrate your liberation from self-quarantine?

Abbamonte: Im going to go play golf somewhere really nice at a top course to try to recoup the clear forthcoming drop to my handicap!

Brown: Road trip to Maine to see my mom. I turn 50 in March, and my mom has been making me pork chops with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes for my birthday for 35 years. We cant see her right now because shes a part of the community we all really need to protect.

Frommer: Ooh, such a hard question. Im hoping that a trip I have planned to the Traverse City area of northern Michigan will happen in May. Im supposed to do a broadcast of our radio show from there. Its a part of the country Ive loved forever, ever since I went to Interlochen Arts Camp as a kid. The area is beautiful, with the Great Lakes, cherry tree farms, wineries and so much more. Theres also a surprisingly good culinary and cultural scene. Fingers crossed that I get there this year.

Hall: Living in London, Ive long savored and come to take for granted how easy it is to get to Europes great centers of culture. Rome, which I love most of all, feels like the right place to go back to first for all kinds of reasons. The day when I can have a lazy coffee or gelato for the kids in the Campo de Fiori will be the day all of this is behind us. Then Ill hop on a few trains north to Bern, Switzerland, and float down the fast-flowing water of the Aare River.

Keener: I do love air travel and am still amazed that humans built planes that can rapidly get us around the globe. On liberation, I look forward to going to South America and experiencing all of the beautiful cultures and expansive natural spaces.

Kelly: One of my favorite things to do is scuba diving. I plan to book a trip to go scuba diving in the South Pacific. Hello, Palau! I also want to take the worlds longest flight from EWR (Newark Liberty International Airport) to SIN (Singapore Changi Airport) and explore Singapores incredible food scene.

Keoghan: I was on the phone with my parents last night and talking about how important it is to plan our next adventure together. With them being so far away in New Zealand, it is something I always do. I want to go on another hike with my dad in the mountains of the South Island. As I always say at the start of The Amazing Race, The world is waiting for you. That said, it might have to wait a bit until we get rid of our unwanted house guest!

Newman: Im dreaming of a long vacation, perhaps in the Caribbean or Western Europe. I would relish sipping a cool cocktail by the beach or wine in a French cafe and soaking in some of the normalcy we have recently lost. Ill likely and hopefully end up filming those experiences, but for now, like so many people stressed by the current uncertainty, I long to go back or move forward to a normal state of things.

Potts: Odds are Ill celebrate by finally taking my nephew to Italy and Switzerland. Our original plan was to take a European train trip through that region, a journey of the sort I never got to take as a teenager during the heyday of the Eurail Pass. In general, the pandemic has reminded me of what a blessing and privilege travel has always been, and how it has gotten even easier and more accessible over the course of the past quarter-century (up until about 10 days ago, that is). When Im able to travel again, Im sure I will have a sharpened sense of this privilege, and I hope I enjoy the journey even more as a result.

Steves: Whats next? Before coronavirus hit, Id already make plans to take my extended family (and my daughters new in-laws) on our flagship 21-day Best of Europe bus tour in mid-June. While I wouldnt be surprised to see this crisis last longer, Im hoping we can go ahead with that tour. Someday soon well all look back on this crisis as a time that made us smarter and more compassionate as a society, and more aware that the only way to make our country truly first is to put the entire world first as well.

Wheeler: I was hoping to go to South America in a few weeks, but right now who knows.

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Travel personalities reflect on how the coronavirus outbreak has changed their world - The Messenger

Remote Year, which helps you work while traveling the world, lays off 50% of staff – TechCrunch

Posted on March 21, 2020 by Danzig

Remote Year wants to help people travel around the world and keep their job while doing so. The Chicago startup relies on the idea that great work can be done anywhere. And to prove it, it brings people to 12 cities in 12 months, all while theyre working full-time jobs. Think co-working spaces in Ljubljana, code from bungalows in Thailand and workshops from rooftops in Istanbul.

Needless to say, Remote Years core business relies on wanderlust, disposable income and the ability to travel.

Citing the COVID-19 pandemic, founder Greg Caplan told TechCrunch that Remote Year has laid off 50% of its staff. The layoff impacted roughly 50 roles on the sales, marketing and product side, and comes less than six months after the company raised a $5 million capital investment from LightBank, which brought its total funding to $17 million, according to Crunchbase data.

The borders sort of froze up with the virus and a lot of our folks decided not to travel and go home, Caplan told TechCrunch. Half of our revenue dried off in a couple of days, and theres no end in sight when this situation may change.

The startup says it still has runway from its last capital investment. Layoffs are expected to more largely hit the tech travel industry due to the global pandemic and people staying inside. Earlier this week, travel savings startup Service shut down operations, citing the pandemic and economic downturn.

Remote Year charges between $2,000 and $3,000 a month for its travel programs per person. This includes travel to and between destinations, private rooms and activities. Caplan said that Remote Year staff has always been a distributed team, and by nature of industry, it was monitoring COVID-19 for over a month before the onslaught of cancellations and news.

But monitoring it and talking about it was very different [from] what has unfolded in the last seven days, Caplan said.

To help the employees that were laid off, Caplan looked inward. Remote Year has always had a three-person team that connects people to remote jobs. That team will be helping its former colleagues through 1:1 coaching, resume interviews, interview preparation and contract negotiations. He urges other founders to do whatever they can to humanize this global pandemic, and reach out if needed.

Weve actually heard from a couple other companies that want our help finding remote jobs for employees, Caplan said. Were not sure what that means for our business, but were going to think about how we can help.

Remote Year, which helps you work while traveling the world, lays off 50% of staff - TechCrunch

UK travel industry urges government action to forestall collapse of businesses – The Guardian

Posted on March 21, 2020 by Danzig

The UK travel sector is calling on the government to make immediate changes to the package travel regulations to prevent innumerable company collapses and the loss of many thousands of jobs.

Under the existing regulations tour operators are obliged to offer a full refund if elements of the holiday cant be provided. But travel industry bodies say that in the current global crisis the regulations are not fit for purpose and will lead to the end of many otherwise successful travel businesses.

The existing financial protection structures and regulations were not designed to cope with a large-scale collapse of businesses, said Mark Tanzer, chief executive of the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta).

Abta is asking for an emergency government consumer hardship fund to fulfil refund payments; and is also requesting that credits should be allowed as an alternative to cash refunds. In addition it is calling for the current 14-day window for refund payments to be removed.

The Association of Independent Tour Operators (Aito) reiterated Abtas assertion that the package travel regulations must be changed with immediate effect because they were not designed to cope with a disaster affecting every country and every destination worldwide.

The existing financial protection structures and regulations were not designed to cope with a large-scale collapse of businesses

To continue with the regulations would lead to innumerable company collapses and the loss of many thousands of jobs, which would cost the government dear for many decades to come.

As well as calling for government intervention over the PTRs, travel businesses are pleading with holidaymakers to help by being patient and postponing rather than cancelling trips. Travel companies are doing everything they can to offer flexible booking policies. It is really frustrating [for customers] if you dont know where you stand in terms of your trip but companies are inundated at the moment so trying to have patience [will help]. The best advice is to speak to your travel company and get a credit or change to an alternative date, said an Abta spokesperson.

Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership, which represents 350 small and medium-sized travel agents, said the industry was at breaking point while working round the clock to help customers. She said Advantage group members were looking at bookings by date order. If you dont have an imminent departure the best advice is to wait and see.

Lo Bue-Said welcomed the chancellors announcement of a 330bn emergency package for businesses on 17 March but said it was unclear how it would be split between various sectors such as hospitality, retail and leisure, adding: Speed is of the essence. Nothing is materialising quick enough; [financial support] doesnt seem to be filtering down. The situation is really dire. For small businesses this is going to be catastrophic. We will get through this but what the industry looks like at the end is impossible to say.

Her call for immediate action has been echoed across the sector. Following the news of the stimulus package, Abta said measures such as government-backed loans should be made available immediately to travel businesses, with clear guidelines on how businesses can access them.

The chancellors promise that the government would do whatever it takes came just hours after warnings that the global tourism sector was fighting for survival. In an open letter published on 17 March, the World Travel and Tourism Council said: The travel and tourism sector is uniquely exposed, and we estimate 50 million jobs globally are at risk. It is calling for immediate financial assistance to protect the incomes of millions of people who work in travel and tourism; unlimited, interest-free loans for travel companies; and all taxes and other dues to be waived for the next 12 months. Without these interventions, the WTTC said, economies around the world faced an existential threat.

Signed by WTTC president Gloria Guevara, the letter implores governments to take drastic action to protect the sector, which is responsible for creating one in five new jobs.

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UK travel industry urges government action to forestall collapse of businesses - The Guardian

WhatsApp Is at the Center of Coronavirus Response – WIRED

Posted on March 21, 2020 by Danzig

The Covid-19 pandemic is impacting communities around the world. For the 2 billion of those people who also use the encrypted communication service WhatsApp, now more than ever is a time for calling, messaging, and seeking trustworthy information. So the World Health Organization is going where the people are, launching a new tool called WHO Health Alert on WhatsApp today.

When you text "hi" to +41 79 893 1892 over WhatsApp, you'll receive back a text from the WHO that includes a variety of menu items for the latest information, like novel coronavirus infection rates around the world, travel advisories, and misinformation that should be debunked. Think of it like a hotline: Text 1 for the latest statistics, 4 for mythbusters, that type of thing. The WHO can also send out proactive alerts as needed to everyone who's signed up.

Read all of our coronavirus coverage here.

The WHO isn't the first to enlist WhatsApp in this manner. The Facebook-owned app's ubiquity and experience handling disinformation has made an obvious choice for governments and international organizations, placing it squarely at the center of the novel coronavirus responsewith all the responsibility and controversy that entails.

"We already have over one million people signed up even though we havent even announced it yet," says Will Cathcart, who runs WhatsApp, of WHO Health Alert. "It's great. There seems to be a lot of appetite from people for ways to get good, accurate information and were happy to do what we can there to help."

Helplines are preferable in many ways to landing pages, social media profiles, or massive open channels, because they allow governments to use WhatsApp like regular users, having one-to-one interactions with constituents. The only difference is that the responses are automated.

Organizations can find out their options for setting up similar chatbot mechanisms at this landing page for WhatsApp's Coronavirus resources. The bots run through WhatsApp's business application programming interface, which maintains WhatsApp's encryption and allows entities to manage their services

All the new institutional uses combined with widespread social isolation means that more people than ever are using WhatsApp for messagingand an especially large volume of phone calls and video chats. To keep up with demand, Cathcart says that WhatsApp has nearly doubled its server capacity in the last few weeks.

"We dont know whats coming, and we view WhatsApp as a lifeline for people to communicate when they need it. And the core thing we offer is that itll be there and work," he says. "Were hearing all these amazing anecdotes especially out of places on the front lines of things like health care workers using WhatsApp to communicate with patients, to communicate with each other. Schools using it to try to do remote education, people using it to keep in touch with their friends and family, either through messaging, but actually exceptionally through video calling and voice calling. And were seeing that in the data with a ton of extra usage."

On a platform that has struggled for years to curb misinformation, all of that extra usage has also bred pandemic-related rumors and myths. WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption means that only the devices at either end of a communication hold data unencrypted. WhatsApp itself is totally boxed out of being able to access user communications other than metadata like which accounts are interacting. This means the company can't moderate content on the service like social networks can. Users can communicate on WhatsApp without being surveilled by oppressive governments, but those same protections can also make it easier for misinformation to spread. Meanwhile, law enforcement in the US and around the world have increasingly lobbied to undermine end-to-end encryption.

Cathcart says WhatsApp's priority, even more so during the pandemic, is to elevate accurate information and support fact-checking organizations around the world. The company announced a $1 million donation on Wednesday to the Poynter Institute's International Fact-Checking Network. The goal is to help buoy the #CoronaVirusFacts Alliance, which is bringing together 100 local organizations in more than 45 countries to fight Covid-19-related disinformation.

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WhatsApp Is at the Center of Coronavirus Response - WIRED

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