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UW Extension offers Master Money Manager Coach course – High Plains Journal

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Danzig

A training program to help community organizations assist members and clients with basic money management is being offered through University of Wyoming Extension.

The Master Money Manager Coach program is Aug. 16 to 17 at the UW Extension office on the Laramie County Community College campus in Cheyenne.

Instructors will train participants how to work with individuals to improve their financial management skills.

The program is recommended for community organizations, nonprofits and agencies that want to help their clients better understand and manage their financial lives, said UW Extension educator Juliet Daniels, coordinator of the program.

Its so important to be exposed to personal finance, she said. I look at the communities I serve, and the reality is that a lot of people could really benefit from having a coaching relationship with a trusted adviser to get themselves on track.

The two-day training introduces coaches to the FDIC Money Smart curriculum, teaches basic adult learning principles and provides tools to use with clients to encourage adoption of positive money management behaviors.

You dont have to be a financial expert to make a difference, Daniels said. Our program will help anyone in a community organization work with their clients on money matters.

UW Extension is an arm of the University of Wyoming tasked with providing non-credit, life-long learning programs in all Wyomings counties.

No knowledge of teaching or money management is necessary, said Daniels. A $125 registration fee covers the class and two lunches and snacks. Scholarships and sponsorships are available, and space is limited.

Open registration ends Aug. 10. For more information and to register, contact Daniels at juliet.daniels@uwyo.edu or 307-633-4383. More information is also available on the registration site at m3c_cheyenne_2017.eventbrite.com.

Partial financial support comes from the John P. Ellbogen Foundation Fund for Wyoming Communities, Agriculture and Rural Living.

SaskPower makes profit of $46 million according to annual report … – Regina Leader-Post

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Danzig

SaskPower headquarters in Regina. Don Healy / Regina Leader-Post

SaskPower posted a $46-million profit in 2016-17 and executives at the Crown corporation are confident it will reach its goal of producing 50 per cent of power to the province through renewable sources by 2030.

SAskPowers annual report, released Wednesday, showed it invested$866 million in the provinces electricity system over the past year, largely to sustain an aging power grid.

Coal remains a significant source of power for the province: 32 per cent of available power capacity right now is generated from the non-renewable resource.

Natural gas produces 40 per cent of the provinces power, hydro accounts for 20 per cent and wind for five per cent. Other sources make up the last three per cent.

In the 2016-17 fiscal year, SaskPower spent $112 million refurbishing three power stations in its coal fleet, in large part, according to the report, because the resource remains a cost-effective supply.

The province has an in-principle agreement to ease the economic impact of new federal coal regulations, but will still need to make significant investments in other power sources in order to meet the 50 per cent target by 2030.

SaskPower is planning to add more wind power capacity to its grid. Wind accounts for 220 megawatts of the Crowns total power mix right now. That number is targeted to grow to 2,100 MW (30 per cent) of the total power mix by 2030 .

Each year from now until then, the province is looking to add roughly 200 MWs in order to reach that goal. A 175 MW wind project in southern Saskatchewan is currently in production and SaskPower has a request for proposal out looking to develop another 200 MW.

A $300-million, 50-year life extension project of six unitsat the E.B. Campbell Hydroelectric Station also began in 2016-17.

SaskPower also launched a competitive process for the provinces first10 MW, utility-scale solar project, which once built will be the first Canadian project of its size outside of Ontario.

Despite the annual report stating Saskatchewan has the best potential in Canada for solar power, it is taking a back seat to wind.

SaskPower president and CEO Mike Marsh says this is because the cost of wind is more favourable given current market conditions.

Beyond coal, significant investments continue to be made in other non-renewable resources.

In the last fiscal year, SaskPower started construction of a 350 MW natural gas-fired plant, Chinook Power Station, near Swift Current.

Marsh says that natural gas will be playing a bigger role in 2030, in order to backstop renewable energy sources.

We cannot rely on wind and solar to provide that baseload energy, he said, suggesting a full jump to renewable energy sources may be possible later in the century.

While the federal government has already put forward a plan to phase out conventional coal, there is a growing expectation more restrictions will also be put on natural gas.

Marsh says if that happens it would have an impact on us, in terms of the type of unit we might select for our next gas unit of generation.

Coal is expected to give way to natural gas over the next decade-plus, but during that transition Saskatchewans carbon emissions are expected to reach record-high levels in 2020.

While its going to peak, we have every expectation it will come down after that, said Gord Wyant, the minister responsible for SaskPower.

Marsh says rate increases can still be expected but that the Crown always looks to keep rate increases as moderate as possible.

NDP MLA Carla Beck said she is not terribly confident at all SaskPower will meet its 2030 target and was critical of the Crown increasing rates five times in two years.

It will really have an impact on Saskatchewan people, she said.

dfraser@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/dcfraser

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SaskPower makes profit of $46 million according to annual report ... - Regina Leader-Post

What the 2018 Pirelli Calendar Says About Race – New York Times

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Danzig

For Mr. Combs, who made headlines in 2001 when he posed with Ms. Campbell for a cover of British Vogue, the calendar comes at a time when there needs to be what he called an unapologetic expression of black pride.

I moved mountains to be a part of this, said Mr. Combs, as he sat in his dressing room after the shoot. It is a chance to push social consciousness and break down barriers. For so many years, something like this would not have happened in the fashion world, so it feels like being part of history and playing an active role. I want to lead by example.

For decades, the Pirelli calendar, first published by the Italian tire company of the same name in 1964, was a soft-core ode to beautiful women. Shot by A-list photographers and usually starring scantily clad supermodels, it is a collectors item and has never been sold on the open market. Instead, it is given to insiders a group of establishment opinion makers including celebrities, media professionals, politicians and chief executives, as well as to Pirellis most valuable clients and distributors.

A year and a half ago, however, for the 2016 edition, photographed by Annie Leibovitz, the calendars raison dtre took a sharp turn from prurience to pride. Rather than celebrating women purely for their physical attributes, it started applauding their accomplishments, featuring such figures as the writer Fran Lebowitz, the investment manager Mellody Hobson and the tennis champion Serena Williams.

Then, for the 2017 version, a cast of fully clothed and makeup-free actresses including Helen Mirren, Nicole Kidman and Julianne Moore were shot in black and white, unairbrushed, by Peter Lindbergh, the better to explore what the photographer described as a different beauty, more real and truthful one not manipulated by commercial interests.

Coming at a time when female objectification and overt sexism had begun to be a more frequent topic of public discussion, the change suggested that while Pirelli knew sex still sold, a corporation that successfully appeared socially aware could and would generate more global attention for its brand (not to mention lift its bottom line).

Still, eyebrows were raised when it first emerged that Pirelli was allowing Mr. Walker, whose reputation has been forged largely on his depictions of eerie romanticism and surrealist fairy-tale worlds in magazines like W, Vogue and Love, to tackle black identity for the calendar.

Would the unveiling of the calendar on Wednesday be seen as a commitment to diversity and positive social change? Or could the campaign spur accusations of corporate exploitation as Pepsi discovered in April after widespread backlash to its protest-themed advertisement featuring the model Kendall Jenner, pulled after only a day, amid claims that it trivialized the Black Lives Matter movement?

Mr. Walker, holding a mug of tea after the shoot in May, was at pains to stress the artistic motivations behind his photographs, rather than underscore specific social messaging.

As a photographer, you dont ever want to do what has been done before, so it was important for me to feel I was doing something completely different here, he said, adding that the decision to cast only black models had been entirely my own. There were zero creative or commercial demands from Pirelli for this project. That is pretty rare in this business.

The story of Alice has been told so many times and in so many ways, but always with a white cast, Mr. Walker continued. There has never been a black Alice, so I wanted to push how fictional fantasy figures can be represented and explore evolving ideas of beauty.

He said that he had devised the concept for this years calendar long before the furor around the Pepsi advertisement, the movie Moonlight winning Best Picture at the Oscars this year or the heightened debate within the fashion industry about a lack of diversity on the catwalks. It is hard to believe, however, that Mr. Walker was not influenced at all by the diversity debate, an issue that has been discussed regularly for the last decade.

This is not about trends, this is about the zeitgeist today, Mr. Walker said. I think we are living in a fantastically exciting time, particularly when a story like that of Alice, that has held such resonance with so many people and been told in a certain way for so long, can now be told compellingly in another.

Mr. Enninful, the Ghana-born, London-bred stylist who was awarded an OBE, or Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, for his work to diversify the fashion industry in 2016, said that he felt a responsibility to ensure that the shoot was received in the way that it was intended: as a theatrical high-fashion celebration with equality and empowerment at its core.

Carrolls original illustrations for the story, drawn for him by John Tenniel and full of the exaggerated sizing and dramatic flourishes typical of 19th-century British caricature, were the starting point for the creative team.

Mr. Enninful saw associations with the contemporary sculptural creations of Japanese designers like Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto in the work. Shona Heath, the projects set designer, and her team created an overflowing wardrobe of new silhouettes for the calendar (even Ms. Heaths mother chipped in, making the Mad Hatters hat). The cast was chosen by Piergiorgio Del Moro, including Alice herself: the South Sudanese-Australian model Duckie Thot, a newcomer, in towering platforms and cerulean blue thigh-high socks, with a starched silk minidress and a white lace pinafore.

The outfit was made on me we started with two costumes and eventually pinned them into a single look, said Ms. Thot, 21, who started modeling internationally less than a year ago. Asked how she felt about her starring role, she said, I feel like I am living in my own fairy tale, and am proud to be part of something with such an important message about pride and self-expression.

That sentiment was emphasized by Adwoa Aboah, a Ghanaian-British model popular right now and a feminist activist who played Tweedledee.

Tim launched my career, so anytime he asks me to do something it is always a yes; I trust him, she said. To me, the Pirelli change in direction suggests they are observing what 2017 needs, where the youth are going and what kind of imagery should be out there. We dont need any more pinup imagery, and this cast really does depict new ideas of what beauty is. And it certainly doesnt mean not wearing any clothes.

Amid the boldface names, which include RuPaul as the Queen of Hearts, Ms. Goldberg (the Royal Duchess) and the actress Lupita Nyongo (the Dormouse), particularly striking is Thando Hopa. She is an albino lawyer and model, who plays the Princess of Hearts (a role specifically devised for her by Mr. Walker), and she is currently on a sabbatical after four years as a prosecutor specializing in sexual abuse cases in her native South Africa.

When I was young, I didnt have a single role model who looked like me, who could have been a source of inspiration or motivation, Ms. Hopa said. I wanted to expand other peoples imaginations by not letting them be restricted to specific stories or narratives. Any girl, whether she is black, white, Asian or Indian, should be able to have a sense that they, too, can be a heroine in their own fairy tale. If Alice looks differently here, then Alice can be anybody. Your value comes from far more than the narrative that someone else gives you. I hope that when the calendar goes live, people are able to see the intention behind this. It was a unifying effort.

Continue following our fashion and lifestyle coverage on Facebook (Styles and Modern Love), Twitter (Styles, Fashion and Weddings) and Instagram.

A version of this article appears in print on July 20, 2017, on Page D7 of the New York edition with the headline: Not Just Recording History, but Making It, Too.

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What the 2018 Pirelli Calendar Says About Race - New York Times

Tony Norman: Welcome to Mr. Romero’s neighborhood – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Danzig

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Tony Norman: Welcome to Mr. Romero's neighborhood
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
He made a lot of money in advertising, immersed himself in high society and spearheaded Pop Art, arguably the most influential art movement of the second half of the 20th century. By comparison, George Romero's contribution to the zeitgeist is ...
George Romero's Longtime Collaborator Vows to Finish 4 Film Projects | IndieWireIndieWire

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Tony Norman: Welcome to Mr. Romero's neighborhood - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Open season for our notion building polies – The Conversation AU

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Danzig

Since the Finkel review was announced it has been open season for notion building in the energy space. While Malcolm has been spruiking Snowy 2.zero pumped hydro, Craig has been promising death by renewables, quite literally. Josh seems to be for just about everything, besides Labor state governments of course, and reckons we are on track to meet Paris commitments. Barnaby, true to form, is backing coal, and presumably thinks Paris will take care of itself.

The one I like the best, but really hasnt been nailed quite the way I thought it should, is Tonys call for nuclear subs. Imagine, our first truly dispatchable power system, capable of delivering a few hundred megawatts just about anywhere you need it. Sail and plug, just what we need to shore up our fragile energy system. The tour of dispatch last year including Tasmania from January through June, South Australia June through November, and then on to Queensland for the summer would have been a nice little money spinner for the Navy, worth around quarter of a billion dollars on the energy markets. And that doesnt include offsets, such as the purported $44 million Tasmanian government spent on diesel gensets. Could it be our best notion yet for meeting Paris?

It goes without saying that our political masters dont need much provocation to indulge in a bit of notion building. After all, it is what they do best.

But, in case you are wondering why this sudden release of energy, it might be useful to reflect on some recent analyses that paint a truly disturbing picture for our energy sector.

The first comes from the European Commissions latest electricity market update, providing the comparison of wholesale electricity prices shown below.

As recently as three years ago our electricity wholesale prices were low by any measure. In fact according to the ECs analysis, our market prices then briefly dipped below those in the US. Then, ours were just 20% of the Japanese price.

How times have changed.

According to the ECs latest analysis our prices tracked pretty closely with the US until the second half of 2015. It seems things to start going awry just about when Josh was received the poison chalice as Minister for Energy and Resources.

Six quarters later and the EC now estimates that for Quarter 1 this year our prices were a staggering 400% higher than in the US.

This last quarter we even managed to top Japan, which is some achievement considering that across the quarter we exported some20 million tonnes of our thermal coal and over half a million tonnes of LNG to help them sure up a power system still reverberating from the shock waves of Fukushima. Thats about half as much thermal coal as used to power our system.

The second comes from BPs latest Statistical Review of World Energy released in June, which provides national figures for all things related to energy production and consumption, including sector wide emissions.

According to BPs latest figures, our energy sector produced about 409 million tonnes of CO2 in 2016. That amounts to 16.7 tonnes for every Australian. On a per capita basis, that puts our energy sector a touch above the next most emissions intensive economy in the developed world - the US at 16.5 tonnes. Even Canada, which has a resource based economy more comparable to our own, gets away with only 14.6 tonnes per person.

Worryingly, relative to 2005 levels our energy sector emissions are up about 10%, which stands in stark contrast to most other advanced economies, and especially the US, down 12% over the same interval.

So the notion that we are on track to meet Paris is, at best, notional.

To achieve such extraordinary wholesale price outcomes, one might imagine something remarkable had happened to our energy system since 2014. Our Coal-cons such as Craig Kelly would believe it is because our power system is groaning under the weight of renewable production.

But perhaps it the absence of renewables. Or maybe it is both, peskily masked in a cloak of invisibility. Check out the figure below, which shows our electricity production by key fuel group (coal, gas and renewables) over the period since our power prices have risen from the lowest to highest on the international pecking order.

Can you determine a trend that could account for anything? Im damned if I can.

And that in itself is sure to be worry enough to keep it open season on notion building for a long time to come.

For those interested, some more detailed discussion of the crisis besetting the National Electricity Market (NEM) in eastern Australia can be found in my Anatomy of an Energy Crisis series, Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3.

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Open season for our notion building polies - The Conversation AU

Opinion: Splash of innovation a new water agenda for BC – Vancouver Sun

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Danzig

FILE PHOTO Houses in the Green Bay area of West Kelowna are surrounded by water on Tuesday May 23, 2017. GARY NYLANDER / The Daily Courier

As the heat of summer swings into full effect, most British Columbians are thinking only of vacations and long lazy days at their local swimming holes or favourite beaches. But for the leaders of our new government, holidays are likely one of the furthest things from their minds as they begin the daunting task of setting priorities and the work agenda ahead.

No shortage of pressing issues and challenges will demand this new governments attention as it looks to fulfil its platform commitments to change and renewal. But water is one issue that matters most to many communities across B.C.

The province is endowed with a rich freshwater heritage that is vitally important to all British Columbians. For Indigenous peoples, water is not only the foundation of their constitutionally-protected rights, but also integral to connections to the land, spiritual and physical well-being, and community and economic development. Communities across the province rely on abundant and clean fresh water for quality of life, healthy ecosystems and vibrant economies.

Waters uneven distribution over the landscape and its seasonal and annual variability pose real challenges for water management in the province. Until recently, sustainable water management in British Columbia was only ever a secondary consideration to the priority of building the provincial resource-based economy. Past (and even current) dominant management practices struck an unsustainable balance, based primarily on draining, channelling, damming, and diverting water out of streams, lakes and aquifers, and dumping waste back into those systems. In the process, watersheds have become fragmented and natural capital has been degraded.

As devastating fires blaze through the Interior only weeks after stories of severe flooding dominated headlines, we are reminded yet again what the new normal of more frequent and extreme events might look like in the province: The implications of climate change on our freshwater systems and community well-being are severe.

Even before these extreme events, water security and concern that not enough is being done to protect water resources have ranked high as priorities for the public. In a comprehensive 2013 poll, 93 per cent of British Columbians stated that water is our most precious natural resource, and indicated a low degree of confidence that current management approaches are adequate to ensure freshwater security.

Water underpins the myriad issues of the day from energy production, to agriculture, to drinking water security. It is the foundation of any sustainable integrated resource development and management regime.

Building a bold new water agenda must be a top priority for our new government. To address British Columbias pressing water challenges and position itself as a freshwater leader resilient to a changing climate and responsive to local needs B.C. must change both water management (on-the-ground activities) and governance (processes of decision-making and holding decision makers to account).

Fortunately, B.C.s new leaders will not be starting from scratch: the previous government introduced the Water Sustainability Act in 2016 to improve water management and decision-making in B.C., including regulating groundwater use and enabling protection of water flows for fish and ecosystems. This initiative, however, is only partly complete. Many of its most important components, like watershed planning and a robust regime to protect ecological flows, still require implementation with adequate resourcing and independent oversight.

Now is a critical moment of opportunity for our leaders to build on the foundation of the Water Sustainability Act and set B.C. on a course toward a sustainable freshwater future.

To offer support to government, our team at the POLIS Water Sustainability Project at the University of Victoria has set out a ten-step plan that provides the specific elements and actions required for meaningful progress on a new water agenda for B.C. In addition to full implementation of the new provincial water legislation, this agenda provides direction to ensure sufficient funds to deliver on a comprehensive program, engage Indigenous governments as partners in governing and managing fresh water, build resilience through protecting vital natural systems, provide the necessary science and information to make informed evidence-based decisions and ensure competent and independent oversight and accountability.

With a revitalized water agenda, B.C. can expect growing water security, increased public confidence through evidence-based decisions, decreased conflicts as natural capital is protected, and greater ability to adapt to the oncoming changes in climate.

As B.C.s new government settles into the hard work of building the path forward for the province, our message is simple: Get the water right and the rest will follow. Our communities, economies, ecosystems and future generations depend on it.

Oliver M. Brandes is co-Director of University of Victorias POLIS Project on Ecological Governance at the Centre for Global Studies. Jon ORiordan is the former Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management and POLIS Strategic Water Policy Advisor. Rosie Simms is the Water Law and Policy Researcher with POLIS. They recently authored and released A Revitalized Water Agenda for British Columbias Circular Economy to catalyze action on water in B.C.

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Opinion: Splash of innovation a new water agenda for BC - Vancouver Sun

FG to create additional leather research centres across geo-political zones – NIGERIAN TRIBUNE (press release) (blog)

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Danzig

THE Federal Government has announced its readiness to create additional Leather Research and Development Centres in other geo-political zones of Nigeria so as to complement the existing ones.

Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, announced this in Abuja during the matriculation and inauguration of the Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology (NILEST) North Central Regional Leather R&D Cluster Extension Centre and official training infrastructure.

He said the processes that would enhance the establishment of these centres had reached advanced stages, and it was expected to help strengthen greater grassroots participation in leather technology, thereby helping to stimulate more indigenous capacity for the ultimate benefit of the people.

He said the All Progressives Congress (APC) led Federal Government of President Muhammadu Buhari was committed to the birth of a new national development order for the nation that would be science, technology and innovation driven.

Onu said this would help move the Nigeria economy from being resource based to become knowledge based and innovation driven, needed to lay a solid foundation for the transformation of the nation so as to attain the greatness she desired and deserved.

The minister emphasised that this was why the government had decided that it would create additional centres in other zones of the country, where none currently existed.

Earlier, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, whose message was delivered by the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Abuja Enterprises Agency, Malam Tukur Arabi, said leather was Nigeria`s second highest revenue source after oil, thus the need to diversify into Leather Value Chain (LVC).

I believe it is the reason why the LVC cluster has been established to improve the value and promote awareness of leather as a prime resource in Nigeria, he said.

He then encouraged all stakeholders to pursue vigorously the establishment of the centre, which would enable quality control over the hides and skin from the farm.

Acting Director General/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NILEST, Dr Eucharia Ngozi Oparah, called on Federal Government to give the agency the needed support to carry out her mandate of training and research in the field of leather and leather products.

For a sustainable growth in the leather and leather products national economy, the institution should also empowered and converted to a degree awarding institution because the highest qualification currently awarded by the institution is Higher National Diploma (HND), the DG stressed.

FCT minister issues 2-month deadline to Bwari fish farm estate

FCTA pays contractors over N57 bn outstanding obligations

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FG to create additional leather research centres across geo-political zones - NIGERIAN TRIBUNE (press release) (blog)

New Report Claims Majority of US Workers Not Afraid of Automation … – ENGINEERING.com

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Danzig

Popular media has painted a picture of the publics fear of automation taking away jobsespecially in the manufacturing industry. However, Randstad US has released a report today indicating the opposite.

The 2017 Randstad Employer Brand Research found only 14 percent of US employees worry that automation will take their jobs away and that 30 percent believe automation will make their jobs better. The report contains input from over 5,300 individuals, aged 18-65 and across various industries, through online interviews.

The report indicated that 51 percent of respondents would be willing to retrain if paid the same or higher salary.

It is evident from our research that not only are workers not afraid of losing their jobs to automation, they are more than willing to retrain to leverage efficiencies and benefits of artificial intelligence and robotics in the workplace, said Linda Galipeau, CEO of Randstad North America.

She added, It has become necessary for todays employees and job seekers to continually cultivate, develop and update their skills to work successfully alongside AI and automation. In conjunction with retraining and upskilling efforts, workers should focus on growing unique human skills that AI and robots are unable to replicate, such as strategic and abstract thinking, complex communications, creativity and leadership competencies.

Randstads latest Talent Trends survey finds that only 6 percent of US C-suite and human capital leader respondents believe increasing automation will have a significant impact on workforce planning and shifting the talent needed.

AI and robotics will have a positive impact on the workplace within the next 5 years, according to 84 percent of U.S. respondents, while 48 percent believe automation and machine learning has already had a positive impact within the past 12 months. Forty-five percent say the same for robotics.

Nearly a third (31 percent) of employers said they have increased usage of automation/robotics in their business in the past 12 months.

The inescapable reality is automation and AI are here to stay and will continue to grow substantially, said Galipeau. As business leaders invest in digitization, automation, AI and other emerging technologies in the workplace, they must continue to evolve their workforce alongside these advancements The need for skilled humans to operate, utilize and advance technologies is equally unmistakable.

Its important to note however, that analysts from institutions including Oxford University, the World Economic Forum and others have painted a glum future in comprehensive pieces like those by Business Insiders Oscar Williams-Grut last year.

I find it impossible to disagree that some jobs are undeniably going to be lost, despite a relaxed or optimistic perspective on automation in the workforce. Although, these lost jobs will be menial, repetitive and dangerous ones, as we illustrate in a series of articles on industrial robots:

A History of Collaborative Robots: From Intelligent Lift Assists to Cobots

Randstads research, conducted since 2000, was done by Randstads International research partner, Kantar TNS. Respondents for the 2017 research were polled from Nov. 25 to Dec. 15, 2016.

For more information, visit the Randstad website or read on about their recommended four ways to update soft skills in an automated workplace.

Continued here:

New Report Claims Majority of US Workers Not Afraid of Automation ... - ENGINEERING.com

AFRL researchers explore automation, additive technologies for cost … – Phys.Org

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Danzig

July 19, 2017 Dr. Santanu Bag, a project scientist at the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, is exploring cost-efficient manufacturing of solar cells using additive technology. Credit: Air Force Office of Scientific Research

Inspired by newspaper printing, and taking cues from additive manufacturing technology, researchers at the Air Force Research Laboratory are exploring new ways to make solar cells more cost efficientincreasing application potential in the process.

"Sun is abundant, and it's free," said Dr. Santanu Bag, a project scientist at the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, AFRL. "Solar cells can generate electricity in an environmentally friendly way, but current, complex fabrication costs make the technology expensive. We're looking at new ways to use materials and manufacturing technologies to make these less expensively."

Though research into solar cells began in the 1950s, the technology for making them is complex and labor intensive. At a basic level, to fabricate solar cells, engineers rely on extremely pure, single-crystalline silicon. The pure silicon is extracted from an original material such as quartz or sand and is transformed into thin wafers. The silicon wafers are chemically treated to form an electric field, with a positive and negative polarity. These silicon semiconductors, or solar cells, are encapsulated in a support to form a photovoltaic module, where they are then able to collect and transform sunlight into an electric current.

This multistep, labor intensive process is time-consuming and uses highly sophisticated equipment, requiring a number of technicians and engineers to create the end product. Quality control is key, as a discrepancy during any stage of the manufacturing process could have an effect on the performance of the cells.

This high cost of manufacturing has prohibited widespread use of solar power, despite its cost saving potential.

"If you want to make solar competitive, you need to make solar cells more efficient and cost effective," said Bag.

Inspired by the concept of newsprint where rolls of paper are printed with ink to create newspapers, Bag and his team looked for alternatives to inorganic, hard silicon in search of a material able to transform solar into energyand be printed in the process.

"Silicon cells use purely inorganic materials, which by nature are very hard," said Bag. "We needed a material that was easy to print and at the same time able to capture sunlight. We determined an inorganic-organic hybrid material would be easy to print and could still harvest solar energy."

Bag's material of choice, thin-film perovskites, have an excellent light absorbing capability and power conversion efficiencies that have improved tremendously compared to the more than 30 years it took for silicon solar cells to improve to today's levels. Only recently has this material been explored for its solar power ability, with Bag among the researchers expanding the field.

"The material has been around since the 1990s and was used to make test-level, light-emitting diodes. Researchers knew it had solar ability, but this was not the focus at the time," said Bag.

In Bag's study, perovskite precursor material was atomized using ultrasonic waves to form extremely fine, aerosol droplets able to be transferred into the print nozzle of an aerosol-jet spray printer. Using computer-aided design tool paths, a surface was then coated with the material using the direct-write printer, forming a solar cell with a 15.4 percent efficiency on a flat surface.

Bag and his team also demonstrated the ability to print these solar cells on a 3-D surface with a 5.4 percent efficiencymarking the first time this has been shown in the field of printed photovoltaics.

"We have not optimized conditions for 3-D printing of these yet, but we know it can be done. Once you know how to print it, it has huge potential for other applications," said Bag.

For the Air Force, the applications for this material and the new printing process are enormous. The method can be used to print flexible solar cells on clothing, to create self-powered robotics and light-emitting devices and even to make flexible, self-powered sensors, to name a few.

Bag, along with fellow researchers Dr. Michael Durstock, Soft Matter Materials Branch Chief at the AFRL Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, and James Deneault, a research engineer at Universal Technology Corporation, have filed a patent application for the technology. Though this research is still in its early stages, the impact of the new manufacturing processes has great potential for the future.

"Understanding ways to make and print this material more efficiently at the most basic level can lead to future cost savings," Bag concluded.

Explore further: Semi-transparent perovskite solar cells for solar windows

More information: Santanu Bag et al. Aerosol-Jet-Assisted Thin-Film Growth of CH3 NH3 PbI3 Perovskites-A Means to Achieve High Quality, Defect-Free Films for Efficient Solar Cells, Advanced Energy Materials (2017). DOI: 10.1002/aenm.201701151

Journal reference: Advanced Energy Materials

Provided by: Air Force Office of Scientific Research

Scientists are exploring ways to develop transparent or semi-transparent solar cells as a substitute for glass walls in modern buildings with the aim of harnessing solar energy. But this has proven challenging, because transparency ...

Researchers at The Australian National University (ANU) have achieved a new record efficiency for low-cost semi-transparent perovskite solar cells in a breakthrough that could bring down the cost of generating solar electricity.

An organic-inorganic hybrid material may be the future for more efficient technologies that can generate electricity from either light or heat or devices that emit light from electricity.

A recent study, affiliated with UNIST has presented a new cost-efficient way to produce inorganic-organic hybrid perovskite solar cells (PSCs) which sets a new world-record efficiency performance, in particular photostability. ...

Five years ago, the world started to talk about third-generation solar cells that challenged the traditional silicon cells with a cheaper and simpler manufacturing process that used less energy.

Researchers at ANU have found a new way to fabricate high efficiency semi-transparent perovskite solar cells in a breakthrough that could lead to more efficient and cheaper solar electricity.

Microsoft's cloud computing platform will be used outside China for collaboration by members of a self-driving car alliance formed by Chinese internet search giant Baidu, the companies announced on Tuesday.

Laboratory equipment is one of the largest cost factors in neuroscience. However, many experiments can be performed with good results using self-assembled setups involving 3-D printed components and self-programmed electronics. ...

Access to clean, safe water is one of the world's pressing needs, yet today's water distribution systems lose an average of 20 percent of their supply because of leaks. These leaks not only make shortages worse but also can ...

A virtual reality "space ride" in which viewers feel as if they are flying through the air inside a giant glass ball has been developed in Japan.

Supercapacitors are an aptly named type of device that can store and deliver energy faster than conventional batteries. They are in high demand for applications including electric cars, wireless telecommunications and high-powered ...

Virtually any modern information-capture devicesuch as a camera, audio recorder, or telephonehas an analog-to-digital converter in it, a circuit that converts the fluctuating voltages of analog signals into strings ...

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AFRL researchers explore automation, additive technologies for cost ... - Phys.Org

Advantech Launches Solution-Ready Platform Series – Automation World

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Danzig

Advantechs IIoT Automation Group is pleased to announce the launch of its SRP-FPV240 series of application-oriented solution-ready platforms (SRP).

With the arrival of Industry 4.0 and the resulting trend for increased automation and data communication in manufacturing; technology solutions that can centralize management and streamline data visualization have become essential. To address the need, Advantech created its SRP-FPV240 solutions series based on eight thin client options equipped with ACP BIOS that are fully compatible to the innovative ThinManager software.

Centralized Management for Efficient Management and Easy Maintenance The SRP-FPV240 series solutions provide a sustainable and scalable automation platform for boosting productivity by increasing production efficiency and minimizing system downtime through centralized management. Because applications are run on the terminal server and not on thin clients, applications only need to be installed once on the server to be available at all client devices. This reduces operational complexity and facilitates more efficient management of access privileges, authentication, and security through consistent policy application. To future enhance the monitoring, overseeing, and controlling of all processes, the SRP-FPV240 series solutions also supports the independent operation of MES, ERP, SCADA, and VM systems on a single client device.

Enhanced Visualization for Multi-Tasking The SRP-FPV240 series solutions paired with ThinManager software allows secure and centralized management of all thin client devices, server processes, and data visualization sources in an automation network. Powerful visualization features, including flexible screen tiling and multi-monitor support, enable multiple sessions and displays to be viewed on a single monitor for advanced multi-tasking operations. Additionally, the display layout and content delivered to client terminals can be completely customized according to specific user profiles.

Server Failover and Plug-and Play Functionality For added reliability and security, the SRP-FPV240 solutions are pre-installed with ACP BIOS for ThinManager support for both server failover and plug-and-play functionality. The provision of sever failover means that in the event of a server failure, all thin clients have the ability to switch to a backup terminal server without interruption. With plug-and-play functionality, if a thin client fails, the terminal can be easily replaced without configuration. The new thin client simply retrieves the terminal configuration data and assumes its identity. Moreover, active sessions are retained on the server to be automatically resumed on the new client, eliminating data losses and workflow disruptions.

Series Platform Offerings Advantechs SRP-FPV240 solution series comprises of eight thin clients embedded with ACP BIOS software. Featuring a low-power design and compact form factor, these industrial-grade thin clients can be flexibly installed in environments with limited space. Additionally, because they are diskless, they are less susceptible to damage from dust or vibration, resulting in minimal maintenance and reduced system downtime.

Every SRP-FPV240 thin client offers unrivaled performance for a variety of industrial automation and smart factory applications. The multi-display thin client models support multiple display outputs and video interfaces as well as full HD and ultra HD resolutions, providing high-value hardware solutions for divers display applications. Meanwhile, the multi-touch panel model with 21.5 full HD display is IP69K rated for protection from high pressure/temperature spray down and dust ingress, making it ideal for deployment in the food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and chemical manufacturing industries.

Multi-Display Thin Clients SRP-FPV240-AE: 1 x HDMI and 1 x DP SRP-FPV240-01: 1 x HDMI and 4 x USB SRP-FPV240-02: 1 x VGA and 1 x HDMI SRP-FPV240-03: 1 x HDMI, 1 x DP, and 8 x USB

Panel Thin Clients SRP-FPV240-03: 21.5 full HD TFT LED LCD industrial thin client multi-touch panel with stainless steel chassis and IP69K rating SRP-FPV240-04/05/06: 12.1/15/17 TFT LED LCD industrial think client touch panel

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Advantech Launches Solution-Ready Platform Series - Automation World

What It Means to Be on the Left – Jacobin magazine

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Danzig

Elizabeth Bruenig haswrittenabout the distinction between liberals and the left. She proposes that everyone in the broad tent of what she calls non-Republicanism is actually a liberal, in the following sense:

The second sense in which almost every non-Republican is a liberal is that they all agree with the tenets of liberalism as a philosophy: that is, the worldview that champions radical, rational free inquiry; egalitarianism; individualism; subjective rights; and freedom as primary political ends. (Republicans are, for the most part, liberals in this sense too; libertarians even more so.)

This is an easy statement for me to agree with but I also think it brushes past some political distinctions that are important.

Am I a partisan of radical, rational free inquiry? I suppose I am, in that, like Marx, I endorse aruthless criticism of the existing order,one which will shrink neither from its own discoveries, nor from conflict with the powers that be.

Do I believe in egalitarianism? Naturally one of the basic structural features of mybookis the distinction between a hierarchical society, like our own, and one where everyone shares in both the benefits and the sacrifices that are possible or necessary given our level of technological development and ecological constraint.

Individualism? Also uncontroversial, although its not entirely clear what the term is supposed to mean. I side with Oscar Wilde, whosaidthat with the abolition of private property, then, we shall have true, beautiful, healthy Individualism. That instead of the false freedom of those condemned to work for others for a paycheck free in Marxs double sense of being free to sell our laborpower and free of anything else to sell we can have what Philippe Van Parijs calls real freedom, the freedom that comes from having the time and the resources to pursue self-actualization.

As for subjective rights, Im not completely sure what thats supposed to mean. Rights that are politically stipulated and democratically assigned, I guess, rather than arising from some divine concept of natural law? In that case, again, Im on board, and I think the social rights arguments of people likeT.H. Marshallcan be usefully synthesized with the politics of opposing oppression and exploitation.

And then, of course, there is freedom. A word lodged deeply in the liberal tradition, and in the American tradition. And one, I think, that should be at the center of socialist politics as well. But freedomfromwhat, and freedomtodo what?

Here is Bruenigs gloss on the meaning of socialism: the economic aspects of liberalism (free or freeish market capitalism) create material conditions that actually make people less free.

I like this, yet again I find it vague. In describing my own political trajectory, I often talk about my parents liberal politics, and my own journey of discovery, through which I concluded that their liberal ideals couldnt be achieved by liberal means, but required something more radical, and more Marxist.

But what would it mean to escape the economic aspects of liberalism? Would it mean merely high wages; universal health care and education; a right to housing; strong labor unions?

To be clear, I am in favor of all of those things.

But weve seen this movie before. Its the high tide of the welfare state, which is nowadays sometimes held up as an idyllic model of class peace and human contentment: everyone has a good job, and good benefits, and a comfortable retirement. (Although of course, this Eden never existed for much of the working class.) Who could want more?

The historical reality of welfare capitalisms postwar high tide, though, is thateveryonewanted more. Capitalists, as they always do, wanted more profits, and they felt the squeeze from powerful unions and social-democratic parties that were impinging on this prerogative.

More than that, they faced the problem of a working class that was becoming toopoliticallypowerful. This is what Michal Kaleckicalledthe political aspects of full employment, the danger that a sufficiently empowered working class might call into question the basic structure of an economy based on concentrated property rights and capital accumulation.

Sometimes socialists will emphasizeeconomic democracyas the core of our politics. Because as theDemocratic Socialists of Americasstatement of political principles puts it, In the workplace, capitalism eschews democracy. According to this line of argument, socialism means taking the liberal ideal of democracy into places where most people experience no democratic control at all, most especially the workplace.

But when you talk about introducing democracy, youre talking about giving people control over their lives that they didnt have before. And once you do that, you open up the possibility of much more radical and disruptive kinds of change.

For it is not just capitalists who always want more, but workers too. A good job is better than a bad job, is better than no job. Higher wages are better than low. But a strong working class isnt inclined to sit back and be content with its lot its inclined to demand more.

Or less, when it comes to the drudgery of most jobs. After all, how many people dream of punching clocks and cashing paychecks at the behest of a boss, no matter what the size of the check or the security of the job?

The song Take This Job and Shove It appeared in the aftermath of a period when many workers could make good on that threat, and did. In the peak year, 1969, there had been 766 unauthorized wildcat strikes in the United States, but by 1975 there were only 238.

All of this goes to the point that even if we could get back the postwar welfare state, that simply isnt a permanently viable end point, and we need a politics that acknowledges that fact and prepares for it. And that has to be connected to some larger vision of what lies beyond the immediate demands of social democracy. Thats what Id call socialism, or evencommunism, which for me is the ultimate horizon.

The socialist project, for me, is about something more than just immediate demands for more jobs, or higher wages, or universal social programs, or shorter hours. Its about those things. But its also about transcending, and abolishing, much of what we think defines our identities and our way of life.

It is about the abolition of class as such. This means the abolition of capitalist wage labor, and therefore the abolition ofthe working classas an identity and a social phenomenon. Which isnt the same as the abolition of work in itsother senses, as socially necessary or personally fulfilling labor.

It is about the abolition of race, that biologically fictitious, and yet socially overpowering idea. A task that is inseparable from the abolition of class, however much contemporary liberals might like to distract us from that reality.

As David Roediger details in his recent essay collection onClass, Race, and Marxism, much of the forgotten history of terms like white privilege originated with communists, who wrestled with the problem of racism not to avoid class politics but to facilitate it. People likeClaudia Jones, or Theodore Allen, whose masterwork,The Invention of the White Race, was, as Roediger observes, borne of a half century of radical organizing, much of it specifically in industry.

And so too, no socialism worth the name can shrink from questioning patriarchy, gender, heterosexuality, the nuclear family. Marx and Engels themselves had some presentiment of this, some understanding that the control of the means of reproduction and the means of production were intimately and dialectically linked atThe Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State.

But they could follow their own logic only so far, and so it fell to the likes ofShulamith Firestoneto suggest radical alternatives to our current ways of organizing the bearing and raising of children. It took communists the likes ofLeslie FeinbergandSylvia Federicito complicate our simplistic assumptions about the existence of binary gender. And the more we win reforms that allow people to define their sexualities and gender identities, to give women control of their bodies, to lessen their economic dependence on men, the more this kind of radical questioning will spill into the open.

So thats what it means to me to be on the left. To imagine and anticipate and fight for a world without bosses, and beyond class, race, and gender as we understand them today. That, to me, is what it means to fight for individualism, and for freedom.

Thats one reason that I make a point of arguing for a politics that fights for beneficial reforms single-payer health care, living wages, all the rest but that doesnt stop there. A politics that fights for thenon-reformist reform: a demand that is not meant to lead to a permanent state of humane capitalism, but that is intentionally destabilizing and disruptive.

The other reason is that, for all the economic and political reasons noted above, we cant just get to a nicer version of capitalism and then stop there. We can only build social democracyin order to break it.

Is that what every liberal, or even every leftist, believes? From my experience, I dont think so. Thats not meant to be a defense of sectarianism or dogmatism; I believe in building a broad united front with everyone who wants to make our society more humane, and more equal. But I have my sights on something beyond that.

Because if we do all agree that the project of the Left is predicated on a vision of freedom and individualism, then we also have to regard that vision as a radicallyuncertainone. We can only look a short way into the future to a point where the working class has had its shackles loosened a bit, as happened in the best moments of twentieth-centurysocial democracy.

At that moment we again reach the point where a social-democratic class compromise becomes untenable, and the system must either fall back into a reactionary form of capitalist retrenchment, or forward into something else entirely. What our future selves do in those circumstances, and what kinds of people we become, is unknowable and unpredictable and for our politics to be genuinely democratic, it could not be any other way.

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What It Means to Be on the Left - Jacobin magazine

‘Forbidden Careers’ For Expats May Be Relaxed, Official Says – Khaosod English

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Danzig

BANGKOK Aninfamous list of occupations reserved only for Thais may soon be a thing of the past, a labor official said Wednesday.

Citing the outdated nature of the law and the need for more foreign workers, labor department head Waranon Pitiwan said his office is considering relaxing the decades-old regulations that reserves 39 jobs for Thai nationals.

Its a law thats been used for a long time. In the present time, society has changed, so policies must change, Waranon told reporters. Some jobs that were forbidden may be relaxed so that foreign investors, technicians and academics can come to work here more easily.

He said some forbidden jobs in the existing regulation dont make any sense.

For example, the construction sector has a lot of problems because we only allow migrant workers to work as manual laborers, yet we forbid them from masonry, Waranon said.

Under the 1981 regulation, the 39 forbidden jobs include drivers, handcraft artisans, architects, street vendors and lawyers. The full list, which was once hilariously mistranslated, is available atthe Ministry of Labors website.

Migrant rights activist Adisorn Kerdmongkol said the promised change is in line with a new labor law which calls for the current regulation of forbidden jobs to be re-evaluated.

Adisorn said he welcomes the plan because Thailand has changed a lot since the law was first enacted.

The law was passed under the context of the society at the time, he said. There were fears of Communist threats and competition in the lower job market. Back then, Thais were working those jobs.

Waranon, the official, said he will discuss with business operations before establishing which jobs would be open to foreigners.

The move came after harsher fines under a new trafficking law prompted about 60,000 migrant workers from Myanmar to return home and sparked fear of a labor shortage.

Rights groups have complained the exodus was fueled by the arrests and extortion of workers nationwide as soon as the law was passed, while business operators said there is not enough time to comply with the new legislation.

Asked whether he believes the abolition of some job reservations might mean harder employment for Thais, Adisorn said some occupations, such as engineers and architects, already have qualification exams that demand the applicants be Thai and speak Thai.

Instead of having a blanket ban, the government can also pass a resolution when certain Thai jobs are threatened, he said.

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'Forbidden Careers' For Expats May Be Relaxed, Official Says - Khaosod English

My Fire Sets Billboard Chart Ablaze as the New #1 Dance Song in The Country! – HuffPost

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Danzig

Kimberly Davis My Fire, the first collaboration between Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Nile Rodgers and two-time Grammy nominated music producer Tony Moran, nabs the #1 spot on the Billboard Club Play Chart this week. The song jumps over Ed Sheerans Castle On The Hill and takes the spot previously held by Katy Perrys Swish Swish featuring Nicki Minaj.

It is Kimberlys first single to top the Billboard chart, but her third single to place. Get Up reached #12 on the Billboard dance chart in early 2010. With You climbed to the #4 spot in the spring of 2014.

Songwriter Mike Greenly had a hand in all of Kimberly Davis Billboard tracks, co-writing Get Up and With You with composer, Jim Papoulis and My Fire with Tony Moran and Audrey Martells.

My Fire is a song about personal empowerment. Its meant to remind people that even on their darkest days, there is a fire inside that will light a path to where theyre meant to be. The song merges elements from Club, Disco and Nile Rodgers own unique brand of Funk for a next generation fusion of Electronic Music meets Soul.

We spoke with Kimberly Davis the morning she learned her song had taken the #1 position.

Congratulations on #1, Kimberly! Oh my goodness, I cant believe it!

The first thing I have to ask is how do you feel about all of the comparisons to Whitney Houston and Deborah Cox? I am constantly compared to them! I have to laugh.

Of course its meant as a compliment, but do you worry that people may assume you want to follow in their footsteps when the truth is you want to carve your own path as Kimberly Davis? I adore both Whitney and Deborah and have even been lucky enough to sing background for both ladies in the past. I definitely take it as a compliment, who wouldnt? But I also feel that even though we are similar, I am my own artist.

How did My Fire come to be? My Fire was conceived by Tony Moran, Mike Greenly and Audrey Martells. I know all three personally so when it came to "who can we get to sing this song?, they all agreed it had my name on it! I immediately took to the song. It just needed to be touched by Nile Rodgers who is also a big fan and appreciates me as we tour the world together with Chic. And voila, "My Fire" was born!

How has your fire changed through the years as youve fought your way through the music business? My fire has not changed at all. All artists should know that if you want to pursue this business, your fire cannot change. It hasn't been easy but my passion for music and business has kept me on top of my game.

Describe a time when it was particularly tough to keep the flame burning. I had an opportunity to replace one of the girls in En Vogue for a world tour. The deal was all set until, the next morning, the World Trade Center fell to the ground (9/11). I was distraught and I realized that it just wasn't meant to be. That has been my mantra ever since: "if it's meant to be, it will happen".

What is like touring the country with CHIC? Is every night a time warp back to the 70s? Nile Rodgers and Chic are the best things since sliced bread. Who knew that singing all his songs as a child would take me to an audition where I could sing them for real and continue singing them for eight years now? Its totally a disco party every time we hit the stage. Nothing is better than seeing all the people we affect musically. Its incredibly awesome!

Its an aggressive schedule! Are you doing it old school on a tour bus? Yes, this tour is on a bus and it can be very hectic! Luckily, our band is family and we keep each other sane. Our drummer, in particular, is comic relief during our delirious moments. Also, all the fun places to eat on the road make us happy. Food calms the savage beasts.

Whats your favorite Chic song to perform? I would have to say, I Want Your Love. It has always been my favorite. It was the song I auditioned with. In the new show, we do a slow, soulful version of "Get Lucky" which is becoming one of my faves as well.

Will you be featured on the new Chic album, Its About Time? Absolutely! I am all over the record!

Any plans for a solo album? Yes, a new album is in the works as is finding the perfect follow up to "My Fire". So many fantastic new doors have opened since the song has been making its way to #1 so stay tuned.

Final words? Stay fierce, but always stay humble.

Nile Rodgers and Tony Morans My Fire featuring Kimberly Davis is being released globally through Mr. Tan Man Music and is available on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon as well as all other online retail outlets. Its music video is available on YouTube.

FACEBOOK: Kimberly.Davis.79462

WEBSITE: Kimberlydavisshesangz.com

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My Fire Sets Billboard Chart Ablaze as the New #1 Dance Song in The Country! - HuffPost

Girls Trip mixes raunch, empowerment, and squishy sentiment – A.V. Club

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Danzig

A lot of raunchy R-rated comedies get knocked for belatedly introducing an element of sentiment, lesson learning, or other soft-heartedness in the final stretch. So give Girls Trip some credit for getting sentimental right up front, where everyone can see. Before the opening credits have finished rolling, voice-over narration is lamenting the distance that can grow between even the tightest of friendships and hyping up the audience for a reunion of characters who have barely been introduced. It may be shameless, but its honest.

Like the quartet of diverging college pals recently reunited for Rough Night, the ladies of Girls Trip have achieved varying levels of professional and/or romantic success in their years apart. Ryan (Regina Hall) is the polished, poised, and in-demand author of a series of books, the latest of which begs for some kind of karmic punishment with the title You Can Have It All. Sasha (Queen Latifah), once a promising journalism student, now runs a flailing gossip blog following the years-ago dissolution of a potential business with Ryan. Lisa (Jada Pinkett Smith) is a rule-following mom still recovering from her divorce, while Dina (Tiffany Haddish) is unphased by any such setbacksin her first big scene, she blithely ignores the HR rep attempting to fire her from her indistinct office job.

Together, the women call themselves the Flossy Posse, and reunite for Ryans trip to New Orleans to promote her book alongside her picture-perfect husband, Stewart (Mike ColterLuke Cage himself!), at the Essence Festival. Girls Trip itself represents a number of movie-set reunions: Latifah and Pinkett Smith co-starred in Set It Off, which gets a winking shout-out here; director Malcolm D. Lee and screenwriters Kenya Barris (Black-ish) and Tracy Oliver made Barbershop: The Next Cut with Hall, who has appeared in several of Lees other films (including the recent and reunion-centric sequel The Best Man Holiday); and Barbershop spin-off Beauty Shop featured Latifah. Whether its through actual offscreen familiarity or just an overflow of charm, the four women create a believable group dynamic out of thin writing, though Haddish stands apart by gleefully nabbing scenes and laughs from her more famous co-stars.

The movie places the women at Essence Fest for a mix of drunken shenanigans and empowerment, which means set pieces predicated on oral sex tutorials or spraying urine bump up awkwardly against starstruck footage of Ava DuVernay, Terry McMillan, Morris Chestnut, and an impressive array of musicians (including Common, Maxwell, Faith Evans, Ne-Yo, and Estelle, among others). Lee proves he can goose outrageousness at least as well as the Farrelly brothers or Todd Phillips, and its fun to see a little more freedom from producer Will Packer, whose other projects often obsess over courtship and domestication. But many of the biggest laughs are more casual, in little dialogue digs or smaller moments, like the way Dina explains that shes not going to start any trouble as she calmly removes her earrings, clearly preparing for a confrontation. Lee has a better handle on this smaller-scale material; a late-movie dance-off scene isnt cut together for the intended maximum delight.

Photo: Universal Pictures

Some of the bigger stuff does workLatifah has a spectacularly silly absinthe-fueled moment where she makes out with a lampbut the movie could use more scenes where its characters just get to talk to each other, snipe at each other, and revel in their shared history. Girls Trip is more inclined to use the quieter moments for its belabored dramatic side, as problems in Ryans marriage become more visible to the rest of the Flossy Posse. There isnt much suspense about Stewarts honor, because the men of Girls Trip come in two basic varieties: blandly handsome cads and blandly handsome gentlemen. The movie needs them, though, because alongside its marital drama, Girls Trip still wants to sell some aspirational fantasy; Ryan may be conflicted over her husband, but her seemingly vast personal wealth never appears threatened. After parodying her immaculately manufactured notion of having it all, the movie refuses to puncture it outright. The script more or less turns around and says she just needed a slightly different configuration of all than she thoughtgentleman instead of cad, plus more time with the girls. This is all ultimately portrayed as an easy (and enriching) fix, backed up by a climactic festival speech so long, unfunny, and empty that it feels like Ryan is about to announce her candidacy for office.

Some celebration is still in order. This is the rare mainstream movie to boast black women in four unequivocal leading roles, in a summer where diversity in comedy skews more toward knocking off Bridesmaids with slightly younger white people. Girls Trip functions as a belated rite of passage for Hall, Latifah, Smith, and Haddish: Like so many movie stars before them, theyre placed front and center for a big crowd-pleasing comedy thats a little too long, squishy, and sloppy for its own good.

Previous Movie Review Amnesia wont let you forget for a second what its really about

Next Movie Review Killing Ground is an especially brutal reminder to stay out of the woods

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Girls Trip mixes raunch, empowerment, and squishy sentiment - A.V. Club

Odd Mom Out Takes on Ivanka-Esque Faux Feminism – Vogue.com

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Danzig

With Carrie Bradshaw and Hannah Horvath in retirement, Jill Weber of Bravos Odd Mom Out has ascended to her rightful place as the pre-eminent New York social diarist on television. The brainchild of creator, writer, and executive producer Jill Kargman , who also plays the leather harness-clad goth mom on the cult cable hit, Jill has given us three seasons of wack Upper East Side trend-spotting, from status cemetery plots to the social warfare that is the kindergarten admissions process. Its only fitting, then, that in season three, which airs its second episode tonight, Odd Mom Out trains its keen satirical eye on a distinct cultural issue of the Trump times: Ivanka-esque faux feminism.

The vessel for this hilarious yet all-too-true plotline is Jills sister-in-law, socialiteturnedhandbag designer Brooke Von Weber (played to perfection by Abby Elliot), one of the only people standing after a Bernie Madofflike Ponzi scheme fells the Upper East Sides bank accounts. (For shamesome people even had to relinquish their art advisers!) Rising like a phoenix in a powder pink power suit, Brooke concludes that her best branding move in this time of crisis would be to pay it forward with an initiative to empoweror as she calls it, empow- her underprivileged women.

Women dont need a handout; they need a hand up, she says in her eureka moment. Give an impoverished woman a bag, so they have a bag for a day. But teach that woman to make a bag? Well, she can eat forever!

Never mind that Brooke is painfully out of touch: Her empow- her initiative, through which Indian women will make her high-end bags, all but amounts to slave labor, but its all about optics. Brooke is the kind of feminist from afar who only symbolically did the Womens March and who is merely launching this initiative out of self-interest. This is my chance to prove that I am an insp- her -ation, a lead- her , and above all, a give- her , she says in next weeks episode.

A wealthy New York handbag designer spouting handy feminist catchphrases to further her brand . . . sound familiar? Whether this was intentional shade in Ivanka Trumps direction (Kargman is an outspoken Trump critic on Twitter) or just more eye-rolling at the abuse of the word empowerthe same word Kim Kardashian West has used to describe her nude selfieswith respect to so-called feminism, Brookes branding scheme smacked as mighty similar to a scene from a recent New York Times profile of Ivanka Trump. It describes how, in 2013, Trump, her husband, Jared Kushner, and a cohort of employees huddled around a whiteboard brainstorming a catchy yet accessible slogan that would make Ms. Trump and her eponymous fashion and accessories brand more friendly to the mass market. They settled, as we all well know, on #WomenWhoWork and, according to the Times , swiftly set about tailoring her image to fit the concept.

Odd Mom Out wrapped its third season before that New York Times article dropped, making its viewpoint all the more prescient. Its become trendy to adopt the mantle of womens empowerment (ahem, empow- her -ment) for the benefit of ones personal brand, spouting buzzwords when, in fact, theres no substance behind themkind of like purporting to be an advocate for the empowerment of women and girls, as Trumps Twitter bio touts, while working as a key adviser for a president who supports defunding Planned Parenthood, has been repeatedly accused of sexual assault, and openly lambasts womens appearances on Twitter. Odd Mom Out nails the hypocrisy of faux feminism as perfectly as it has crunchy, Brooklyn-style parenting. Brooke launching an empowerment initiative for ostensible slave labor says it all: Its only empowerment if it translates to women wielding actual power.

Odd Mom Out also deserves props for finding a way to somehow make this feminist cluster fuck funny. On next weeks episode, a continuation of the empow- her -ment plot, Brooke tells Vanity Fair s Derek Blasberg (in a cameo appearance) that, when in the Hamptons, she actively supports efforts to eradicate female sea sickness on yachts. But Blasberg does her one better. I heard Tory Burch is starting a foundation to empower gold diggers to stand up to their oppressors and divorce their husbands, he says, earnestly. Its called Melanias Tower.

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Odd Mom Out Takes on Ivanka-Esque Faux Feminism - Vogue.com

How will we keep controversial gene drive technology in check? – Science Magazine

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Danzig

Gene drive technology might limit the ability of Anopheles gambiae mosquito to transmit malaria to humans.

CDC/James Gathany

By Kelly ServickJul. 19, 2017 , 4:00 PM

We dont yet know whether the gene-spreading approach known as gene drive, intended to wipe out invasive pests or reduce the spread of insect-borne disease, will work in the wild. But groups of genetic experts are already talking about how to make it stop working if needed.

And at a symposium today in Washington, D.C., organized by the International Life Sciences Instituteand the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, researchers and policy experts discussed how to measure and limit a gene drive strategys environmental risks. And the U.S. militarys research arm announced it will fund efforts by several high-profile genetics labs to develop ways to reverse or limit the spread of an introduced gene if it should have unintended consequences on animals or an ecosystem.

Were in the business of preventing technological surprise, but also being prepared for the surprises that come from the use of these technologies, said Renee Wegrzyn, a program manager at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington, Virginia, which today announced seven research teams that will share a $65 million pot of funding under the agencys Safe Genes program over the next 4 years.

Gene drive works by tinkering with the rules of inheritance, increasing the likelihood a gene will be passed to the next generation. The phenomenon occurs in nature by a variety of mechanisms, but all increase a genes ability to permeate a population quickly and thoroughly, even if it doesnt carry any survival advantage. Inspired by natural gene drives, researchers have spent decades trying to perfect a system that might endow a population of mosquitoes with a malaria resistance gene, for example, or spread a lethal gene that cuts down a local population of invasive insects or rodents.

Progress surged with the discovery of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. By inserting the gene for a new trait alongside genes for a DNA-cutting enzyme and an RNA guide, scientists can prompt a cell to slice out copies of the original, wild-type gene from its chromosomes and use the inserted gene as a template for repair. Its sperm and egg cells will thus bear two copies of the new gene, which radically increases the odds that its offspring will inherit it.

But the notion of wiping out an entire species or unleashing a gene that could spread like wildfire through a population has also bred controversy. Evidence that CRISPR gene drives could be extremely efficient in lab-reared insects led prominent researchers to urge caution.

Todays meeting included some practical discussion of how gene drive might be contained. Molecular biologist Bruce Hay of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena presented his labs research into high-threshold gene drives, designed to spread effectively only if individuals with the new gene make up a large fraction of the total population. Wayward migrants thus wouldnt manage to spread the gene widely outside the intended area. And if an introduced gene had unexpected consequences, researchers might reverse a gene drive by introducing more wild, unmodified individuals to outnumber the new ones. I think we really can do safe, local, and reversible gene drive, Hay told the audience. This is not just a fantasy.

But CRISPR brings a whole new set of unknowns. It might have unpredictable, off-target effects on the genome, and scientists dont know how to shut it down. Among the seven teams selected for the Safe Genes program are some CRISPR pioneers. Harvard University geneticist George Church will lead efforts to develop more precise gene-editing systems that distinguish between similar sequences. Molecular biologist Jennifer Doudna of the University of California (UC), Berkeley, will, according to DARPAs news release, look for anti-CRISPR proteins that could prevent unwanted editing.

Several more projects explicitly focus on gene drive applications: A group at UC Riverside led by molecular biologist Omar Akbari will try to document the genetic diversity of the Aedes aegypti mosquito and test ways to limit or reverse gene drives in contained test environments. Biologist John Godwins team at North Carolina State University in Raleighwill test ways to cut down rodent populations by targeting gene variants present only in invasive communities.

Experts still predict that testing of gene drive in the field is still years away. This is such early days in the field, Wegrzyn told the audience today. Why dont we build those [control] tools in now, rather than trying to retrofit them into these systems?

How will we keep controversial gene drive technology in check? - Science Magazine

Has Technology Really Killed The Personal Touch In Law Practice And Is That Really A Bad Thing? – Above the Law

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Danzig

In her recent post, In Defense of Personal Relationships in the Practice of Law, my fellow columnist, Jill Switzer writes how technology has killed the art of interaction between lawyers. Switzer observes that lawyers rarely have opportunities to meet in person sincehearing conferences that were once handled face to face before a judge now take place by phone; the meet and confer requirements of various civil procedure rules are satisfied through an exchange of emails and nasty-grams, CLE courses are viewed alone via webinar rather than in a room filled with colleagues and depositions are conducted remotely by phone or Skype.Yet while Switzer mourns the changes wrought by technology because theyve displaced the personal relationships that meant almost everything to us dinosaurs, I celebrate technology changes precisely because theyve enabled me to create meaningful personal relationships, and indeed, to build a career that might have otherwise been foreclosed to me as a woman and a parent.

As Ive written many times, when I started my law firm back in 1993, the most advanced technology available to me was word-processing and email which wasnt much use since few others were using email for business at that time. Researching legislative history back then entailed a trip to the bowels of the House Office Building, Annex 2 which could consume several hours. Filing a brief required at least a full day of lead time to allow sufficient time for production of an original and fourteen bound, 50-page copies and that too, necessitated a drop off at the copy store. As for networking, two of the bar committees that I was involved with at the time (back when I still could tolerate bar activities) each met monthly during lunch, (which is also when brown bag CLE programs were held) all of which took over two hours out of my day when taking into account travel from my office to the event then back.

As for personal connections I didnt make any. As a young lawyer starting out in my practice, most colleagues wouldnt even return my phone calls. I managed a couple of meetings by trekking over to colleagues offices under the guise of young lawyer seeking advice, but honestly, I cant recall a single occasion when another lawyer reciprocated or invited me out. The so-called personal connections among lawyers only work when one a lawyer stands to gain something be it a referral or new connection and as a young lawyer, I had nothing to give so I was persona non-grata in networking circles. I wonder, how many times Ms. Switzer or her colleagues have actually introduced themselves to a newbie lawyer at a networking function, asked about their practice and then called to invite them out to lunch. My guess is somewhere between one and zero.

In any event, I could have tolerated the networking and committee lunches and long trips to courthouses and Congress and worked longer hours to make up lost time. But once I had kids, all of that changed. Because I wanted to spend time with my daughters, I moved my practice back to my home but I was able to continue working because most of my clients were remote. Back then, I workedin the short stretches of time when my daughters napped or were in pre-school or with a part-time nanny, then after they were in school and at night between 9 p.m. and 1 a.m. when my husband was able to take over. Back then, every minute counted and suddenly a lunchtime meeting with the bar committee wasnt just a lost lunch time, but a lost work session since it would consume the entire period that my girls were in pre-school. A two-hour deposition two hours away amounted to a six hour day where my husband might have to step in to do pickup. I barely had enough time to get my existing client work done then to go out evenings and network. I very nearly lost my practice .

But then, shortly after my younger daughter was born in 1999, technology happened. Of course, it had been around for years before, but it wasnt until the late 90s that it really began to penetrate the legal profession.Now, instead of spending an afternoon to carry a brief over to the D.C. Circuit, I could zap it out a few seconds before midnight. Legislative history and other legal research were available at my fingertips so my research wasnt confined to the hours when the law libraries were open. And with scheduling conferences now taking place by phone, I could expand my practice to federal courts several hours away without having to worry that Id have to drive 4 hours for a 10-minute conference.

Meanwhile, rather than take away personal interaction, technology facilitated connections with other lawyers all over the country. In 2000, I joined the ABAs Solosez list serve which gave me 800 welcoming people from all over the country to talk to about my practice and personal matters as well. In fact, it was through Solosez that I met one of my best friends, a woman a few years younger than me who was also balancing a home-based practice with raising kids. A few years after that, came blogging which is how I found clients and bolstered my reputation in my industry and also met and befriended three other ATL columnists, Bob Ambrogi, Kevin OKeefe and Nicole Black. Finally, social media like Facebook and Twitter and Instagram emerged, which provided an opportunity to learn more about my lawyer-colleagues personal lives their hobbies, their recipes, vacations, their triumphs and sorrows.Ive since met many of my online friends as well either when they or I am traveling to another city or at conferences. Those relationships also go far beyond the professional.After my husband died two years ago, only a small handful of my colleagues here in D.C. lawyers whom Ive met and worked with on multiple occasions reached out to me. By contrast, dozens of lawyers whom I knew only through social media sent cards, condolences and donations to my husbands designated charities.

Technology has enabled hundreds of female lawyers who 20 years ago might have left the law to stay home with children to instead remain in the legal profession or reinvent themselves within it. And its given lawyers access to a far more varied and diverse group of colleagues than any of us could find even in a metropolitan area such as Washington D.C. where I am based.For me, its not even a close call that technology has improved the legal profession in large part because it has provided more opportunity for personal interaction, not less.

Meanwhile, those close, collegial relationships of yore that Switzer longs for, if they did exist as she recalls were only open to a small select circle of insiders but not to young lawyers with few clients or contacts or to mom-lawyers working the 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. shift. Lets never return to that world again.

Carolyn Elefanthas been blogging about solo and small firm practice atMyShingle.comsince 2002 and operated her firm, theLaw Offices of Carolyn Elefant PLLC, even longer than that. Shes also authored a bunch of books on topics likestarting a law practice,social media, and21st century lawyer representation agreements(affiliate links). If youre really that interested in learning more about Carolyn, just Google her. The Internet never lies, right? You can contact Carolyn by email atelefant@myshingle.comor follow her on Twitter at@carolynelefant.

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Has Technology Really Killed The Personal Touch In Law Practice And Is That Really A Bad Thing? - Above the Law

Tech sector finally gets back to where it was in the bubble 17 years ago – CNBC

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Danzig

One measure of technology stocks is now higher than during the dotcom boom.

The S&P information technology sector grouping closed above $992 on Wednesday, smashing through the $988.49 dotcom bubble high from March 27, 2000, according to FactSet.

The constituents of that group have changed considerably since then: Facebook for instance, wasn't even around in 2000. And the technology sector SPDR ETF, a slightly different grouping that includes some telecom companies with the ticker "XLK," was only around $57 on Wednesday, well below dotcom-boom highs of $65.44.

Still, it marks a milestone in the growing dominance of technology companies in the stock market, as companies like Apple, Alphabet and Microsoft have grown more valuable than most other public companies around the world.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq also hit fresh all-time highs on Wednesday. Shares of Amazon.com, Microsoft, Facebook and Adobe traded at highs not seen since their IPOs, and Priceline shares were also at an all-time intraday high.

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Tech sector finally gets back to where it was in the bubble 17 years ago - CNBC

These are the nostalgic technology struggles that only 90s kids will understand – The Sun

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Danzig

The Sun

These are the nostalgic technology struggles that only 90s kids will understand
The Sun
THESE DAYS if a page takes more than a 1.6 seconds to load, we're ready to hand the computer back to the shop and claim a new one. But remember when you could leave the screen to make a cup of tea and still be waiting for your webpage on your return?

Original post:

These are the nostalgic technology struggles that only 90s kids will understand - The Sun

Self-Driving Vehicle Bill Marks an Important Step for Emerging Technology, But May Stall State Efforts to Answer … – Union of Concerned Scientists

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Danzig

WASHINGTON (July 19, 2017)A new bill being considered in the U.S. House would introduce a new federal policy approach to autonomous vehicles. While its important for the federal government to address the impacts of self-driving technology, this bill fails to recognize the many impacts autonomous vehicles may cause beyond improving transportation safety, including their potential impacts on pollution, oil consumption, congestion, and equitable access to clean, affordable transportation. This approach could take this emerging technology in the wrong direction, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).

Below is a statement by Joshua Goldman, senior policy analyst for the Clean Vehicles program at the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Its an exciting time for transportation technology, and the federal government has a key role to play in the deployment of new autonomous vehicles. However, the effects of self-driving vehicles are still unknown, and there are important questions we need to answer about the impacts of these technological advances. We need to work carefully to make sure we understand what these vehicles will mean for pollution, congestion, public transportation, and employment. This bill could make that harder.

The new House bill, while it offers some positive changes, would overly restrict states from addressing the unknown impacts caused by autonomous vehicles in the future. This technology could be transformative, and create a range of impacts on different communities. States ultimately need flexibility to set rules that address these impacts.

Both state and federal leaders should look to the UCS principles for making the most of the self-driving future as they consider the potential impacts of this technology. We can build a transportation system thats safer, cleaner, and more equitable, with opportunities to improve access for more peoplebut we need to make smart decisions now in order to get there.

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Self-Driving Vehicle Bill Marks an Important Step for Emerging Technology, But May Stall State Efforts to Answer ... - Union of Concerned Scientists

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