The future of medicine: Personal, ubiquitous, and mobile – Computerworld

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Appleholic, (noun), pl-hlk: An imaginative person who thinks about what Apple is doing, why and where it is going. Delivering popular Apple-related news, advice and entertainment since 1999.

Weve discussed before how Apples devices can be good for your health, but we should see the potential of its mobile health solutions take a quantum leap in the next few years, as genetic information is used to deliver utterly personalized, precision medical care.

The UKs chief medical officer this week recommended routine DNA testing for cancer patients to help develop personalized treatment.

"This technology has the potential to change medicine forever - but we need all NHS staff, patients and the public to recognise and embrace its huge potential, said Professor Dame Sally Davies. The age of precision medicine is now.

Think about the implications of this:

While such information isnt necessarily going to help develop treatments for every patient and every illness, there are some problems that can be better addressed once a persons genetic make-up is understood.

The idea must be that by understanding a persons individual genetic construction, it becomes easier to identify external factors that may impact that person.

While there are clear potential benefits, there are also concerns.

The World Health Organization warns that: Knowledge of genetic risks can lead to potential social and psychological consequences for the individual.

However, Dame Davies statement suggests such testing will become part of future healthcare it will be up to each of us to ensure such data doesnt become the thin end of a drive to genetic discrimination. There aredystopian ways to abuse such technologies.

How does this relate to Apple? Apple Watch can already help you to follow a healthy exercise routine. Its built-in heart rate monitor is already saving lives.

Apple is already working to extend the capabilities of its connected devices to monitor different types of health data, with Apple CEO Tim Cook reportedly wearing an iPhone-connected diabetes blood sugar monitor.

From software for medical research to development of new sensor technologies, there can be little doubt that Apple wants to build a connected ecosystem of products and services that may provide tangible benefits to public health.

There have been claims Apple is also expanding its reach into electronic health record technologies, citing a range of hires and acquisitions that appear to support this idea.

Apple also made numerous significant enhancements to its CareKit and ResearchKit frameworks at WWDC 2017, including the addition of more tracking options for diabetes treatment and better integration with healthcare provider platforms, such as Medables Synapse.

The idea might be that by securely combining a patient health data with ambient sensor-based insight, a person will be empowered to manage and improve their health, and healthcare professionals will be able to access deep collections of related data to help improve treatment and diagnosis.

There are also clear implications for artificial intelligence in this.

So now we have a situation in which an augmented human is better equipped to maintain their own health while also being empowered to monitor any existing conditions. (Though we still need effective ways to ensure health-focused solutions are actually good for your health).

Now imagine how much more effective such personalized solutions may become if informed about your own unique genomic code.

This combination should enable remote diagnostic systems to match a persons personalized status with current activity in order to determine potential future health challenges.

Apple has been exploring the potential of genetics in digital health since at least May 2015. Working with 23andMe, Apple in 2016 added a new ResearchKit module tht allows study participants to easily contribute their genetic data to medical research.

Collecting this type of information will help researchers determine genomic indicators for specific diseases and conditions, said Eric Schadt, PhD, the Jean C. and James W. Crystal Professor of Genomics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and Founding Director of the Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology.

The momentum behind use of genomic data in medical care and research in conjunction with the statement from the UKs chief medical officer suggests this will indeed become part of the future of healthcare.

Apple appears to be building itself a strong position to be part of that future.

Google+?If you use social media and happen to be a Google+ user, why not joinAppleHolic's Kool Aid Corner communityand join the conversation as we pursue the spirit of the New Model Apple?

Got a story?Drop me a line via Twitterand let me know. I'd like it if you chose to follow me on Twitter so I can let you know when fresh items are published here first on Computerworld.

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The future of medicine: Personal, ubiquitous, and mobile - Computerworld

Greater access to genetic testing needed for cancer diagnosis and treatment – Cancer Research UK

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Cancer patients should have routine access to genetic testing to improve diagnosis and treatment, according to Englands chief medical officer.

Despite the UK being a world leader in genomic medicine its full potential is still not being realised, Professor Dame Sally Davies said in a new report.

This timely report from the chief medical officer showcases just how much is now possible in genomics research and care within the NHS. - Sir Harpal Kumar, Cancer Research UK

Davies urged clinicians and the Government to work together and make wider use of new genetic techniques in an attempt to improve cancer survival rates.

Genetic testing can pinpoint the faults in DNA that have led to a cancer forming. Different cancers have different faults, and these determine which treatments may or may not work.

Such testing could lead to patients being diagnosed faster and receiving more targeted or precise treatments.

Davies said that the age of precision medicine is now and that the NHS must act quickly to remain world class.

This technology has the potential to change medicine forever but we need all NHS staff, patients and the public to recognise and embrace its huge potential. said Davies.

Sir Harpal Kumar, Cancer Research UKs chief executive, agreed, saying that it would be a disservice to patients if the UK were slow to respond to innovations in this area.

The report recommends that within 5 years training should be available to current and future clinicians and that all patients should be being offered genomic tests just as readily as theyre given MRI scans today.

Davies also called for research and international collaboration to be prioritised, along with investment in research and services so that patients across the country have equal access.

However the report recognises potential challenges such as data protection issues and attitudes of clinicians and the public.

This timely report from the chief medical officer showcases just how much is now possible in genomics research and care within the NHS, added Sir Kumar.

Cancer Research UK is determined to streamline research, to find the right clinical trial for cancer patients and to ensure laboratory discoveries benefit patients.

And the design of clinical trials are starting to change. A number of trials are underway, like Cancer Research UKs National Lung Matrix Trial with AstraZeneca and Pfizer, where patients with a certain type of lung cancer are assigned a specific treatment based on the genetic makeup of their cancer.

However, Sir Harpal Kumar stressed that to bring the reports vision to life the Government, the NHS, regulators and research funders need to act together.

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Greater access to genetic testing needed for cancer diagnosis and treatment - Cancer Research UK

Ryboquin raises 1.8m for drug development in gene therapy – Drug Target Review

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news

This latest funding round attracts two prominent new investors; Brian Kennedy and Sir Brian Souter.

Ryboquin Limited, a Scottish Borders based pharmaceutical company, announces that it has closed a 1.8m equity fund raising to accelerate product development in gene therapy.

In addition to support from existing shareholders, including Borders business angel group, TRI Capital and the Scottish Investment Bank (the investment arm of Scottish Enterprise), funding has also been provided by Brian Kennedy, the highly successful Scottish entrepreneur and Sir Brian Souter, the founder and Chairman of Stagecoach. Brian Kennedy will also join the Board.

Founded in 2013, Ryboquin is a privately held, pharmaceutical company focused on commercialising patented intellectual property in the area of delivering gene therapy primarily in the field of human cancer medicine. Ryboquin is in partnership with Nanogenics to promote the targeted nucleic acid delivery system LipTide.

The funds being raised will be used to further scientific development as well as providing funding for corporate expansion.

Paul Murray, Executive Chairman, Ryboquin, says:

The support from existing shareholders and the investment by Brian Kennedy and Sir Brian Souter, two esteemed leaders and hugely successful businessmen, is testimony to the potential of Ryboquin and to the work we are undertaking in the field of cancer gene therapy drug development.

We also welcome Brian Kennedy to the Board and look forward to his contribution as we seek to grow the business both organically and by acquisition.

Brian Kennedy says:

I am delighted to be part of Ryboquin and to be working with the team that could make great progress in the treatment of cancer and other diseases.

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Ryboquin raises 1.8m for drug development in gene therapy - Drug Target Review

Self-driving cars and the shifting definition of freedom – Connect Savannah.com

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AS LUCK and serendipity would have it, we have not only one but two great pieces in this weeks issue about self-driving cars.

Our urbanism columnist Jason Combs has written a compelling piece from the point of view of someone initially skeptical of the concept who has come to (almost) fully embrace it.

Straight Dope columnist Cecil Adams, in his regular syndicated column, explains some of the reservations about self-driving cars and some of the challenges facing its widespread adoption and acceptance.

Having these two columns in the same issue is coincidental, but then again maybe not so much: Self-driving cars are a topic on a lot of minds these days, and the idea is definitely a conversation (or argument) starter, thats for sure.

One of the great things about Connect Savannah is we have a wide range of viewpoints here, some of which conflict with each other. Thats a feature, not a bug.

A core mission of the paper is to provide a venue for different viewpoints, ones you may not typically hear in the mainstream, or ones you may not come across in your possibly tightly curated Facebook feed.

I sometimes enjoy good-natured debates with our own writers about issues, and this is one of them.

I certainly dont have the urban planning and design credentials of Jason, nor the research staff available to Cecil. I tend to approach these things from more of a historical, cultural, and political basis.

My initial, kneejerk take was that self-driving cars are a grossly unrealistic form of corporate/government overreach, one that inevitably would be used to control, track, and manipulate citizens into being ever more compliant members of a sort of soft-totalitarian, technocratic hive mind, our heads buried in our iPhones, frantically liking social media posts while robots do all the important work.

A self-driving car means a tracked car, with all your movements, whether for work or for pleasure or for no particular reason at all, becoming part of a record.

And how long before the government says, oops, looks like you owe some parking tickets, or back taxes, or got flagged on Facebook. We wont let any self-driving cars start for you today.

But the simple truth is that in an age of drone warfare, AI, algorithms, the sharing economy, and rapidly expanding wireless/cloud connectivity not to mention cheaper global fuel prices in order to make all that electricity affordable in the first place self-driving cars arent unrealistic at all. That is actually one of the weakest arguments against them.

A stronger argument against self-driving cars, and the ride-sharing economy itself, might be that they might act as a steroid rather than as a remedy for overreliance on automobiles further marginalizing efforts to improve public transportation and alternative transportation, like bicycles.

But that is a question for more learned minds than mine.

Personally, the more I look at it, the more I see that the real issue is about differing concepts about what freedom itself means. That to me is the core debate.

More and more, Im finding that younger generations tend to find security and a sense of freedom in what an older generation, like mine, would consider a stifling and insulting lack of freedom and respect.

Both points of view are understandable.

When I learned how to drive, cars were just plain faster and the roads, frankly, were much less crowded. Driving was a real pleasure, and to this day its an activity I really enjoy.

The concept of public transportation wasnt popular then outside a small handful of major metro areas. Some of that resistance was political and cultural, i.e. the push to spread outward into the suburbs ran counter to the idea of urban density.

But some of it was simply practical: There was more room on the roads, because there were fewer people. The population of the earth has doubled just in my own lifetime.

However, in an ever more urbanizing America, as the phenomenon of White Flight reverses itself and investment returns to city centers all over the U.S., automotive congestion has reached critical mass in the places where people most want to live.

Public transportation and ride-sharing are now not only desired politically by a larger and larger group of people, they are becoming more practical solutions than packing people onto roads which in many cases cant be widened any further.

When my friends and I turned 16, that very day, we all insisted on getting our drivers licenses first thing in the morning and zooming off by ourselves and with friends everywhere, as soon as humanly possible.

(Often, we even drove cars with gasp! manual transmissions. Oh, the humanity!)

Nowadays its a standard joke among parents that pushing their teenagers to go get their drivers license is like pulling teeth. They just dont care about it.

Millennials, quite simply, for the most part just dont like cars very much, nor do many of them like to drive. Its not a priority. A stick shift seems like a medieval torture device or inexplicable ancient mystery to them.

And in their own context, that is as understandable as people in prior generations finding a sense of freedom in driving on the open road, in their own car, answerable to no one. (Bruce Springsteen built an entire career writing songs about that.)

There is freedom in firing up a fast car, or even a not-so-fast car, and just taking to the road and being your own boss a feeling you might not have in many other parts of your life.

Then again, theres also very real freedom in tapping on Uber or Lyft or soon enough, summoning a shareable self-driving vehicle and having your ride show up 60 seconds later to take you wherever you need to go, without you having to pay for insurance, or maintenance, or new tires, or gas, or killing someone on the road because youre over the legal limit.

Thats a form of freedom too, and in the end every generation gets to determine what freedom means to them, for better or worse.

cs

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Self-driving cars and the shifting definition of freedom - Connect Savannah.com

Provo Freedom Festival revokes approval for LGBT resource center … – KUTV 2News

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Provo Freedom Festival revokes approval for LGBT resource center in Grand Parade (File photo: MGN Online)

(KUTV) The annual Provo Freedom Festival decided July 3 that a local LGBT resource center would not be allowed to walk in Grand Parade, according to Encircle: LGBT + Family & Youth Resource Center.

The Festival, according to its website, "highlights freedom through bands, professionally crafted floats, giant helium balloons and local and national performers," while encouraging participants to "promote patriotism and traditional family values to around 300,000 spectators."

According to a Facebook post by Encircle, the Festival revoked its previously approved application to participate because it is being classified as an advocacy group.

Encircle disputes that classification, however, citing its status as a 501c3 nonprofit organization.

Nolo, a website offering multiple types of legal guidance, says 501c3 organizations may not participate in political campaigns. Nolo advises they may, however, "engage in non-partisan activities and legislative or issue advocacy."

Encircle maintains it does not advocate any "certain political party or legal action."

According to its website, the group "functions as a hub for resources that support the overall well being of LGBTQ individuals." Encircle, which opened its doors February 14 of this year, offers community, skills training, and counseling, among other services.

"We maintain, as we always have, that our mission is to 'Empower families to sustain the circle of their love, enabling each member to thrive,'" the group said in its Facebook post addressing the parade's decision. "We respect the decision of the parade committee and will use this as an opportunity to show Provo who we are. We will always come from a place of love and intention, never fear or reaction. We are here to be a safe space for all, which means being planted firmly."

The group will hold a pancake breakfast at 8 a.m. July 4 at its Provo Resource Center, located at 91 West 200 South.

Encircle's statement, in its entirety, reads as follows:

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Provo Freedom Festival revokes approval for LGBT resource center ... - KUTV 2News

Celebrate freedom with Polygon’s Awful Squad – Polygon

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Playerunknowns Battlegrounds is a very, very difficult game and while its easy to play badly, its hard to be truly awful. Thats why Polygon formed Awful Squad, a hand-selected group of the worst warriors in the world.

What is Awful Squad? Thats kind of like asking how much existential despair comes pre-packaged with Minecraft for the Nintendo Switch. Thats why we invited Polygons Simone De Rochefort to join our crack team. Just how much punishment can Awful Squad take? Thats like asking if a crash test dummy can feel pain. Thats why we signed on soft boys Nick Robinson and Griffin McElroy. What is the right outfit for hunting your fellow man across a post-apocalyptic Russian landscape? Thats like asking for the perfect picture of a very good Toad. And that, dear readers, is why Patrick Gill is here.

For a time I even joined them myself, but I just wasnt Awful enough.

Happy Independence Day, America. As you grill meats and drink beers, tune in to this YouTube playlist of Polygons Awful Squad, because freedoms just another word for nothin left to lose.

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Celebrate freedom with Polygon's Awful Squad - Polygon

Use gift of freedom well, Archbishop Lori tells convocation delegates – Catholic News Service

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ORLANDO, Fla. (CNS) -- In the July 3 closing Mass for the Fortnight for Freedom, Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori called on Catholics to thank God for the gift of freedom and to pray that they "use this gift well and wisely."

"It's too easy to let this gift lie dormant or be neglected," he said in his homily at the Mass celebrated during the "Convocation of Catholic Leaders: The Joy of the Gospel in America" in Orlando.

Archbishop Lori, chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee for Religious Liberty, had celebrated the fortnight's opening Mass June 21 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore.

This is the sixth year of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Fortnight for Freedom -- a two-week period of prayer, advocacy and education on religious freedom. It starts on the vigil of the shared feast day of St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More - martyrs who fought religious persecution -- and ends on Independence Day.

In his homily, the archbishop urged convocation delegates to advocate for those whose freedoms have been denied and to seek better laws and engage political leaders but he also stressed that nothing is more important that bearing witness to Catholic teaching and "fulfilling our mission to love."

He did not list current challenges to religious freedom but he noted that before "religious liberty is a political or legal issue it is first and foremost a matter of human dignity."

He said for Catholics to fully embrace this understanding of religious freedom they might need to "undergo a process of conversion" not unlike St. Thomas, whose feast was celebrated July 3. The apostle would not believe Christ had risen until he touched his wounds and saw it was true.

The archbishop urged Catholic leaders attending Mass in the hotel ballroom to go back to their dioceses and parish settings with a renewed sense of mission and a deeper understanding of religious freedom which he said is "entangled in the DNA of responsive faith."

When Catholics understand how they are spiritually set free, he said, they are able to "witness to those alienated from their faith or those who are lukewarm or on the cusp of vocation or mission."

Isn't that why we came here and what we are praying for, he asked the convocation delegates.

At the start of his homily he told the congregation delegates of his own "doubting Thomas" experience. When he was about 10 years old, the family TV set in their house broke down and was "pronounced unfixable."

During this time, he was visiting a friend, "allegedly doing homework" but he confessed to the congregation he was watching "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom." While he was there, his parents got a call from the parish that they had won a raffle prize of a portable Zenith TV.

"When I got back my parents told me but I didn't believe it. I thought it was terrible they would make up such a story knowing how I felt," he said.

Only later, when the TV was delivered, did he believe it.

The archbishop then spoke of the experience of disbelief on the grander scale of Thomas, whose lack of faith was described by St. Gregory the Great as doing more than the other apostles to rekindle faith. Tradition holds that he spread the Gospel message to present-day India.

His encounter with the risen Lord "changed him forever" and prompted him to "go far beyond his comfort zone" the archbishop said, echoing a theme of the four-day convocation that all Catholics are called to be missionary disciples.

- - -

Follow Zimmermann on Twitter: @carolmaczim.

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Use gift of freedom well, Archbishop Lori tells convocation delegates - Catholic News Service

Brexit: Farmers will benefit from freedom of movement until Britain leaves EU, admits Tory minister – The Independent

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Ministers have been accused of double standards afteradmitting that UK farmers benefit from EU free movement rules which the Governments critics say are incompatible with its net migration target.

Brandon Lewis, the Immigration Minister, told the Commons thatthe agricultural sector would continue to benefit from free movement of labour until Britain leaves the EU as he tried to allay MPs fears about a shortage of EU migrant workers.

He promised talks with farmers leaders as the Government works out a post-Brexit migration regime.

Open Britain, the successor to the Remain campaign in last years referendum, seized on the ministers remarks as evidence that the Governments plan to end free movement means its target to reduce annual net migration below 100,000 is unworkable.

Labour MP Chuka Umunna, a leading supporter of the group, said: When the Immigration Minister himself admits that the free movement of labour has been good for Britains farmers, it clearly shows that ministers themselves do not believe their own rhetoric.

In a letter to Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, Mr Umunna said the National Farmers Union estimated that the sector will require 90,000 seasonal workers a year from the EU, which he claimed would make the Governments tens of thousands target impossible to achieve.

The letter asked whether the Government officially accepts that British farmers benefit from free movement, as Mr Lewis said. If so, why are you, the Prime Minister and the rest of the Cabinet committed to ending a system which you believe to be beneficial? Mr Umunna asked.

Do you accept that hitting the target would do significant damage to British agriculture, other sectors of our economy and our public services (not least the NHS), which are dependent on workers from the EU?

He told the Home Secretary: Government policy remains committed to cutting net migration to levels that we all agree will be intensely damaging to businesses and public services alike. This Government has no mandate to leave the EU in a way which will destroy peoples livelihoods. So I urge you and the Prime Minister to be honest with the country and drop the target.

The Independent and Open Britain are running a Drop the Target campaign urging the Government to abandon its goal.

David Davis suggests immigration target won't happen during next parliament

The Immigration Minister was replying to Tory MP Helen Whately, who said farmers in her Faversham constituency in Kent needed thousands of workers to pick their fruit every summer but only 705 local people were claiming Jobseekers Allowance.

Its very difficult for them to recruit enough workers locally, she said, calling on the Government to bring in a permit scheme for seasonal agricultural workers.

Mr Lewis replied: As we continue as full members of the EU we have that free movement of labour that farmers can benefit from.

Although several ministers believe the Governments target will never be hit, Theresa May has stuck to it.

Mr Lewis is the latest in a line of ministers who have acknowledged the vital role played by EU migrant workers in the areas for which they have responsibility.

Others include Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary and Philip Hammond, the Chancellor. David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, has conceded that migration levels might rise from time to time according to the economys needs.

Business groups are lobbying hard for a flexible approach to EU migration when the Government sets outs its plans in an Immigration Bill, which is likely to include a work visa scheme.

The Home Office said: We are working across government to identify and develop options to shape our future immigration system and will ensure businesses and communities are given the opportunity to contribute their views.

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Brexit: Farmers will benefit from freedom of movement until Britain leaves EU, admits Tory minister - The Independent

As It Was: Baby Contests Seek to Improve Society in 1920s – Jefferson Public Radio

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Better Baby contests were popular at county and state fairs in early 20th century Oregon, reflecting an emerging interest in eugenics, the science of genetics and how it affects social problems.

In response to the idea that good citizenship came from good breeding, Better Baby competitions replaced baby beauty contests at the fairs.

In 1913, infant Margaret Hooper won a medal and a ribbon with a score of 98.7 out of 100 at the Josephine County Fair. Kenneth Campbell gained a score of 99.3. The 2-year-old children qualified to participate in the Better Baby contest at the Oregon State Fair in Salem.

These contests, billed as promoting healthy children, were based on how close a child came to a set of standards including height, weight, and attitude. Judges considered family background in addition to physical measurements.

At the state fair, Margaret won first prize in the class of 2-year-old country girls. Kenneth won distinction, but no prize in the state contest. The grand champion was a 3-year-old from McMinnville, the son of a professor. Margarets father was a bank clerk. Kenneths father farmed south of Grants Pass.

Sources: "Josephine County Boy and Girl Score High."Rogue River Courier, 10 Oct. 1913[Grants Pass OR], p. 1.Historical Oregon Newspapers, oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn96088281/1913-10-10/ed-1/seq-1/#date1=1846&index=8&date2=2017&words=eugenics&searchType=advanced&sequence=0&lccn=sn96088281&proxdistance=5&rows=20&ortext=eugenics&. Accessed 22 June 2017; Lawrence, Cera R. "Oregon State Board of Eugenics."The Embryo Project Encyclopedia, National Science Foundation, Arizona State University, 22 Apr. 2013, https://embryo.asu.edu/pages/oregon-state-board-eugenics. Accessed 22 June 2017.

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As It Was: Baby Contests Seek to Improve Society in 1920s - Jefferson Public Radio

UAF research vessel begins ecosystem study in Bering and Chukchi … – Alaska Public Radio Network

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(KNOM file photo)

The University of Alaska Fairbankshas begun a new, comprehensive ocean ecosystem study on the Bering and Chukchi Seas.

From June 9th to 28th, the crew of the research vesselSikuliaqcollected preliminary data through observations of marine mammals, birds, weather conditions and much more. It was the first research cruise of its kind funded by UAF; while theSikuliaqhas sailed in sub-Arctic waters before, the June sailing was its maiden voyage as a research vessel for UAF.

Listen now

As Dr. Seth Danielson explained, this study focused on how changing climate would affect everything in the ocean, all the way down to the smallest organisms:

Small scales and large scales we are trying to get a handle on what our ocean looks like out here, what the ecosystem looks like: how its working, how its functioning, Danielson said. And, hopefully, put ourselves in a better position to be able to anticipate what this ecosystem really could be looking like ten and twenty years down the road from now.

Danielson works with the University of AlaskaFairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, and he was one of the crew members aboard theSikuliaq. The entire science party involved was made up of grad students from UAF, scientists from various organizations, and Opik Ahkinga, a resident of Little Diomede.

Danielson said every participant on the research team put in large amounts of work while running on minimal amounts of sleep.

We traveled about 2,700 nautical miles, and we spent 180 hours of on-station, over-the-side wire operations going on, collecting up to 6,500 liters of water for (the) team, who got to lug all of those around from one end of the deck to the other, Danielson said. They dredged up 45,000 baby clams, measured and counted (them) very precisely.

According to Danielson, its been 30 years since a study of this magnitude has taken place in the Northern Bering and Chukchi Seas.

Going forward, more data will be collected on sea temperatures in these areas, then released in comprehensive reports and publications for the public. Danielson expects their full findings wont be available for five years or so.

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UAF research vessel begins ecosystem study in Bering and Chukchi ... - Alaska Public Radio Network

The Big Debate: Is becoming an ‘ecosystem’ brand the only way to win customer loyalty? – Marketing Week

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By offering a smorgasbord of different services under a single umbrella and streamlining the customer experience, ecosystem brandsare proving to be some of the most valuable companies in the world.

Google, Apple, Microsoft and Amazon the top fourbrands in Kantar Millward Browns 2017 BrandZ ranking fall into the ecosystem brand category, each of which connects with consumers across a number of different touchpoints making them highly desirable.

Ecosystem brands cleverly meet our needs and make our lives easier by offering us all sorts of things that are connected so we gain this traction with them, says Peter Walshe, BrandZ global strategy director. Amazon, in particular, has mastered that way of establishing a perfect relationship with people.

But is it a model that will work for every business?

READ MORE:Ecosystem brands are the clear winners in the BrandZ top 100

Entering the BrandZ top five for the first time in 2017, Amazon grew its brand value by 41% to $139bn (108bn), success driven in large part by its expanding ecosystem. Each aspect of the ecosystem isconnected by the 79-a-year Amazon Prime subscription model, which offers members a range of exclusive perks, including free same-day delivery and access to Amazons own-brand fashion.

Expanding the brand proposition, as well as growing Prime membership, continues to be the goal. This year alone Amazon has launched live music venture Prime Live Events, own-brand mens and womenswear fashion label Find and splashed out 10.7bn on the acquisition of natural food grocery brand Whole Foods.

Amazon is a convenience brand. Youre not loyal to Amazon, youre loyal to the convenience it provides.

The deal sent waves through the global grocery market, as rivals reacted to the prospect of Whole Foods being added to the Amazon Fresh grocery delivery service.

READ MORE:Amazon continues its journey into food with 10.7bn acquisition of Whole Foods

The acquisition was mentioned more than 304,000 times on social media during the days following the announcement of the deal on 16 June, according to data from social listening and analytics company, Brandwatch. While the public reaction was 63.7% positive, many questioned the synergy between Amazon and a natural food grocery brand like Whole Foods, which has 466 stores across North America and the UK.

Four days later Amazon expanded its ecosystem further with the announcement it is trialling a personalised subscription clothes service called Prime Wardrobe,similar to The Chapar in the UK or Trunk Club in the US.

Prime Wardrobe will allow Prime members to order clothing with no upfront charge and then pay for what they keep from the selection, receiving a 20% discount across Amazons site if they keep five or more items.

The roll-out of Prime Wardrobe on 20 June was largely overshadowed by the continued discussion around the Whole Foods deal, notching up just 9,500 mentions online, according to Brandwatch figures. These discussions were, however, largely upbeat, registering 89.1% positive sentiment, showing consumers continue to supportthe ever-expanding Amazon ecosystem.

By tying all these services together under a single parent brand, connected by a subscription model, Amazon is steadily extending its influence into a wide variety of sectors from film and TV to live music, clothing and food.

While Amazon excels in offeringconvenience across itsecosystem, that does not necessarily mean the business has built real brand affinity, says Trinity Mirror group marketing director Zoe Harris.

Amazon is a convenience brand. Youre not loyal to Amazon, youre loyal to the convenience it provides and if someone can do that convenience better or cheaper, I think people would switch quite quickly, which is different to a genuine brand where you have an emotional relationship.I think theres a difference between brand diversification and this idea of ecosystem brands.

Within the Trinity Mirror group, she explains, it is crucial that each media brand has its own unique sense of identity and connection with its readers, both in the local community and nationally.

Some of our news brands are over 150-years-old, so they have this incredible relationship with their readers. In Liverpool people would say they are working for the Liverpool Echo not Trinity Mirror, but they are part of that bigger family, says Harris.

You look at what the Liverpool Echo did for 30 years after Hillsborough, it shows the real integrity of that brand and the real connection it has with the people of Liverpool. That would be impossible to have if it said Trinity Mirror on the masthead.

Instead of sitting under a single homogenous brand, what connects the Trinity Mirror brands is a shared perspective on life. Harris defines that perspective as being for the many, not the few, producing journalism that holds people to account, gives a voice to the underdog and celebrates ordinary people.

She argues that having a suite of distinctive brands helps Trinity Mirror meet consumer needs at different times, catering for different mindsets. So while readers will look for an unbiased, national perspective about Manchester United on the Daily Mirror, they will also go to the Manchester Evening News to get that fan-first view.

Cultivating brand fans across every touchpoint is also key to success at ecosystem brand Microsoft. This strategy is particularly relevant as its data shows that fans of one Microsoft brand tend to have higher usage and adoption of other Microsoft products, explains consumer marketing director Paul Davies.

While each brand in Microsofts consumer portfolio, from Windows to Surface to Xbox, has its own distinct set of fans, some are fans of the Microsoft parent brand and therefore want to tap into the benefits of a connected ecosystem. It is for this reason that the technology has been specifically designed to connect best when used together.

For example, Windows is our operating system, which is available on our own Surface hardware, which in turn can run Office software and so everything connects seamlessly for consumers, says Davies.

We care about our fans more than ever as their influence has never been greater in todays digitally and socially connected world. This approach is evidenced in a number of initiatives we have to create new fans and influencers, and to nurture them.

Spanning social networks, entertainment and utilities, Chinese internet giant Tencent has created an ecosystem of diverse services through a process of prolific investment.

We call it the Tencent family, says corporate vice-president of Tencent,Steven Chang. The ecosystem is even bigger because we also invested, for instance in JD.com [Chinasnumber two ecommerce site], Didi [the Chinese Uber] and [bike sharing business] Mobike.Three months ago we also invested in Tesla.

We are investing in different ways, which is helping us build up abig coverage in terms of multiple platforms either through us or our Tencent family members.

We care about our fans more than ever as their influence has never been greater in todays digitally and socially connected world.

Chang describes Tencent as building a true ecosystem, encompassing services such as instant messaging app QQ and social network WeChat, as well as online payment platform Tenpay, Tencent games and streaming service QQ Music. Tencent can then easily track the identityof its customers across its different platforms.

This is really powerful, Chang adds. This is what I call the Tencent advertising ecosystem with recognisable ID that we can track.

The ecosystem strategy appears to be working for Tencent, which claimed eighth spot on Kantar Millward Browns 2017 BrandZ ranking.

READ MORE:Chinas biggest brand on its plans to conquer the West

With a portfolio spanning 30 hotel brands in 124 countries, Marriott International has developed three loyalty programmes Marriott Rewards, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards to connect and track customer journeys across the group.

The hotel chainthen uses data on customer preferences from its more than 100 million rewards members to recommend different destinations across the group, thereby leveraging the power of a diverse portfolio. Members arealso able to link their Marriott Rewards and SPG loyalty accounts in order to transfer points across the programmes.

With 30 distinct brands that service millions of diverse people every year our members do not want a one-size-fits-all programme, which is why we created one that is flexible and places emphasis on creating an emotional connection by enabling our members to use their earned points for experiences, on and off property, personalised to them, says Stephanie Linnartz, Marriott International chief commercial officer.

Every day Marriott works to sharpen the distinction between hotel brands. Each of our brands has distinct traits, from room types, food and beverage options and amenities, providing a wealth of data and insights.

Following the completion of the acquisition of hotel group Starwood in September, Marriott International chose to raise awareness of its wider portfolio of brands with the launch of the You Are Here campaign, featuring the stories of real loyalty members at staying at different hotels across the group.

READ MORE:RitsonMarriott faces one of the toughest jobs in branding

The organisation is working to bring its loyalty programmes closer together to gain richer data insights and drive relationships with brand partners such as the NFL andUniversal Music Group, explains Linnartz.

The hotel group has also invested in travel search platform PlacePass, which enables visitors to search for 100,000 in-destination experiences across 800 locations, that can be booked direct through the Marriott and SPG apps.

A similar connected approach is being taken at Virgin. Leveraging the potential of an ecosystem spanning five core sectors and 60 million customers, Virgin is tapping into the rich data collected through its connected loyalty programme Virgin Red to create personalised experiences across every touchpoint in the ecosystem.

READ MORE:Why Virgin is launching a loyalty app to unite all its UK businesses for the first time

This means that a Virgin Media and Virgin Active member,who is also using Virgin Trains regularly, would receive different personalised rewards to someone who is only a Virgin Media customer. Virgin Red also uses application programme interfaces (APIs) to recognise and serve exclusive content to users. So for example, if Virgin Money wants to offer a limited edition credit card to its top spenders this can seamlessly be delivered through the Virgin Red app.

The seamlessness of the offer is crucial as consumers see Virgin as one brand and therefore expect a consistent customer experience, saysVirgin Red head of marketing Gaelle Comte.

We know that the more Virgin a user is, the more loyal and engaged they are across the whole group and all industries. Theyre also more likely to favour Virgin over another brand when theyre choosing a product in a new category, says Comte.

I hope in the future we will be able to consolidate other aspects of the customer experience through our app so as a customer you could book your spin classes or check your flight status all through Virgin Red but thats quite a big ambition.

While the goal as an ecosystem brand is to offer a connected and consistent customer experience that reflects the Virgin tone of voice, Comte acknowledges that each company in the group has to tailor its approach to make it relevant for the industry in which it operates.

You can be playful when it comes to a holiday, but a bank needs to have some gravitas to retain credibility. So our group customer experiencestrategy allows for the flex needed by all Virgin companies to ensure they can tailor it to their customers needs and expectations, says Comte.

Reflecting on whether ecosystem brands are the future, Comte acknowledges a trend towards the consolidation of brands worldwide, from Facebooks acquisition of Instagram and WhatsApp, to Google moving under theAlphabet umbrella.

Many more follow their lead and these companies aim to make their users lives easier by connecting industries and touchpoints, says Comte. If they succeed and therefore create a new model of loyalty, then they will undoubtedly be the future.

By offering a suite of services under a single, connected proposition, brands like Amazon are cashing in on their convenience, usingloyalty programmes and subscription models to keep consumers within their ecosystem. However, by keeping every service under a single brand ecosystem brands are ultimately reliant on the strength of the parent brand alone,which in todays turbulent times could prove a risky strategy.

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The Big Debate: Is becoming an 'ecosystem' brand the only way to win customer loyalty? - Marketing Week

Small Data The crucial cog in the IoT ecosystem – MyBroadband

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The volume of data that the billions of things lying at the edge of the Internet of Things (IoT) will generate needs a comprehensive strategy for protocol mediation, processing, analysing, storing, securing, applying, and even sharing data to deliver value-creating and scalable use cases to industries and consumers.

But, while trying to figure out how to manage Big Data, it is easy to forget that, when it comes to the IoT, it is actually the little things that matter.

With the objective of maximising energy efficiency, many sensors are configured to only send small packets of data which, for convenience sake, can be called small data.

Small data is, for example, the temperature inside the storage area of a truck carrying perishable goods, sent out once every 10 minutes.

It is the data relayed from a sensor placed above a parking bay that notes when the space is taken. Or the tiny packet of data relayed once a day from a water level sensor inside a reservoir, logging whether it is submerged or not.

Small data gives context and enables us to identify patterns in behaviour, enabling machine learning, and driving data analytics, opening up a big world of opportunity.

The amount of data sent out in each case is minuscule often no more than just a few bytes in size. And it needs to be, since larger data packets can place a heavy payload burden on the base station of a wireless IoT network that needs to connect and service millions of things.

Hence, while it is easy to say dont sweat the small stuff, for the IoT, it is the small stuff that truly matters.

This is because all these small data packets eventually make up larger data sets from which to draw certain information.

Take for example the parking-bay-sensor data mentioned earlier. Using the collected data from a parking lot over a period of months, the shopping centre management can trace a pattern of busy periods and quiet ones.

This enables them to notify tenants when to run specials to attract more customers.

As IoT usability expands, the reliance on small data packets that deliver more points of context become even more important.

In certain use cases, a whole cascade of events will be triggered as soon as one sensor sends through specific data.

One case in point is a patient being monitored at home something we will see a lot more of as telehealth becomes more commonplace.

When accelerometer data from a wearable on an aged patient records an abrupt stop, it might indicate an injurious fall.

This will trigger an automatic notification to the next of kin and the patients doctor. If no further movement from the patient is detected for a certain time, emergency services will be alerted to dispatch an ambulance.

Furthermore, the patients smart home security system could also send out an access code once the ambulance crew arrives. This complete range of events is subject to the reliability of a small data sensor and a trustworthy network.

To ensure the dependability of small data emanating from IoT sensors, SqwidNet, a subsidiary of DFA, is rolling out the SIGFOX IoT network in South Africa.

The SqwidNet network is purpose built for listening to and delivering small packets of contextual data from these billions of connected things.

Importantly, the SIGFOX standard ensures low-power usage, which is key to maximising sensors battery life.

Since the launch in November 2016, they have successfully deployed the network across all of South Africas eight major metros and they currently cover over 47% of the population.

The network will exceed 85% of the population by the end of the year.

While the growth of IoT is a given, it is important to ensure that the foundations being laid now are stable and futureproof.

To this end, securing small datas place in the setup remains crucial. It its one small step for data; one giant leap for IoT.

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Small Data The crucial cog in the IoT ecosystem - MyBroadband

Miesha Tate on Germaine de Randamie not fighting Cris Cyborg: ‘I don’t think she’s scared’ – Bloody Elbow

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Shortly after winning the inaugural women's featherweight title in a controversial decision against Holly Holm at UFC 208, Germaine de Randamie announced that she was thinking of giving up the belt and returning to the bantamweight division.

One of the reasons, de Randamie claimed, was because she was not willing to fight 'known and proven cheater' Cris Cyborg, who tested positive for steroids in 2011 and flagged for a potential USADA violation earlier this year.

Last month, UFC granted de Randamie her wish and officially stripped 'The Iron Lady' of the featherweight title.

"UFC has informed Germaine de Randamie and her management team that she is being removed as the womens featherweight champion due to her unwillingness to fight the No. 1 ranked contender, Cris Cyborg' Justino," the UFC said in a statement. "Subsequently, top contender Justino will face newly signed Invicta FC featherweight champion Megan Anderson for the UFC womens featherweight title in the co-main event of UFC 214: Cormier vs. Jones 2, July 29 in Anaheim, Calif.

"UFC maintains that any champion is expected to accept fights against the top contenders in their respective weight classes in order to maintain the integrity of the sport.

Former UFC women's bantamweight champion Miesha Tate, who retired from the sport last year, can see why de Randamie refused to fight Cyborg, but 'Cupcake' would have no problem stepping in the Octagon to challenge the Brazilian knockout artist.

I mean, what do you really have to lose when you fight someone like Cyborg, of her stature? Tate asked Ariel Helwani on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour (h/t Dave Doyle of MMA Fighting). If you beat Cyborg, youre on another level of respect. And if you lose, its like, well so has everybody. So, my opinion of it is, as a fighter, just from a fighter standpoint I think it would be an awesome thing to be able to fight Cyborg.

Even though de Randamie is not willing to fight Cyborg (real name Cristiane Justino), Tate doesn't believe the Dutch-born fighter is 'scared.'

I do respect and understand what Germaine is saying, Tate said. And I dont think shes scared of Cyborg. Shes a fighter. Shes been kickboxing forever. Shes one of the baddest women on the planet.

[De Randamies] point shes trying to make is, she doesnt believe its fair, Tate later added, and that, I cannot disagree. I dont disagree with what shes saying.

With de Randamie stripped of the 145-pound belt, Cyborg will take on Invicta FC bantamweight champ Tonya Evinger for the vacant featherweight title at UFC 214, the biggest pay-per-view event of the year.

UFC 214, which also features a headlining light heavyweight championship rematch between Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones, takes place later this month, July 29, at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

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Miesha Tate on Germaine de Randamie not fighting Cris Cyborg: 'I don't think she's scared' - Bloody Elbow

Tonya Evinger Believes She’s The Tougher Matchup For ‘Cyborg … – FloCombat

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Photo: Esther Lin/Invicta FC

Tonya Evinger Believes She's The Tougher Matchup For 'Cyborg' Justino

It's safe to say Tonya Evinger probably deserved a spot on the UFC roster before now.

Evinger has been undefeated for the past six years while also becoming the Invicta FC women's bantamweight champion, and she's currently riding a 10-fight win streak.

She's been vocal in the past about her displeasure that the UFC never seemed to give her a look, but the call finally came over a week ago when she was offered a fight with Cris "Cyborg" Justino at UFC 214 in Anaheim, CA,on July 29with the women's featherweight title on the line after her original opponent, Megan Anderson, was forced off the card due to personal issues.

While several fighters have gone out of their way to avoid a fight with Cyborg in the past, Evinger didn't flinch when the UFC offered her the opportunity.

It also didn't surprise Evinger at all that her path to the UFC would have to go through arguably the best pound-for-pound women's fighter in the history of mixed martial arts.

"It's one of them things where I knew I wasn't going to get the easy route. I knew it," Evinger told FloCombat. "I knew they wouldn't give me the easy route or they would have already signed me. The fact that I knew this would be a really tough fight for me against a top competitor. I just knew this was it.

"I just don't see that there's a lot of challenge out there for her at the time and I do feel like I'm one of the best. She hasn't been defeated in 10 years.I haven't been defeated in seven years so we're kind of like on the same run. We're both feeling good and doing great in the sport. I don't see there being a better matchup for this card and a fight against her. I do feel I'm the best competitor out there."

In a way this turn of events was just par for the course when it comes to Evinger's career in mixed martial arts.

She's scratched and clawed her way into the limelight by always facing the toughest competition that's been placed in front of her while never backing down from any challenge at all. That's why Evinger had no problem moving up to 145 pounds and accepting a fight with Cyborg.

"I don't get nothing handed to me," Evinger said. "I definitely have to work for everything I have, and I'm always down to do that. It makes me feel better about it and it pushes me and I have to do things and overcome things that a lot of fighters don't.

"That's why I'm a champion. That's why I succeeded."

Evinger acceptedthe fight with Cyborg on less than two months' notice, but she was already preparing for another short notice main event that was scheduled for mid-July in Invicta FC.

Ironically, Evinger also replaced Anderson in Invicta FC after she was pulled for the main event to face Cyborg in July.

"I feel like I've been running around picking up the pieces for a toddler," Evinger said about Anderson. "I ran around after [the UFC] pulled her off of Invicta and stepped in. Now I'm running up behind her and picking up the pieces again and stepping up for Cyborg."

Soon after the fight was made official for July 29 in Anaheim, Evinger heard plenty of buzz from fans and media who felt like she would be a tougher matchup for Cyborg than anyone else she's faced in recent years.

Evinger has a wealth of experience under he belt while working her way up the bantamweight ranks over the past few years. Meanwhile, Anderson is still somewhat green by comparison after just transitioning to MMA less than four years ago.

Evinger has nothing against Anderson, but she knows Cyborg is treading much deeper water now than she was previously.

"I definitely am grateful for the opportunity and definitely have respect for Megan and stuff like that, but at the end of the day, she's only been training four years and I think that would shown in this fight," Evinger said. "I think for her it was a payday,and it's the same for me,but I'm out there to fight.

"I'm out there to fight and if I'm a star, I am, if I ain't, I ain't and we've seen that in my career. Invicta put a lot of time and a lot of opportunities in my hand, and I just took them. I think that I've earned this shot."

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Tonya Evinger Believes She's The Tougher Matchup For 'Cyborg ... - FloCombat

Cara Delevingne Became a Cyborg for a GQ Cover Photoshoot – TeenVogue.com

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Cara Delevingne is British GQ 's August cover star , and their photographer Mariano Vivanco did one of the coolest photoshoots we've ever seen Cara in.

In a metal suit that stretches all the way up to her neck, she looks like she's from the future in the cover photo. Inside the pages, she wears other cyborg-inspired pieces, including a translucent plastic crop top and skirt and bright red thigh-high boots, Yahoo Style reports . In place of her usual shaved head , she's got a platinum blonde bob. The look was inspired by the art of Japanese illustrator Hajime Sorayama and the sci-fi movie Barbarella .

GQ also made a video overlaying her with rainbow colors.

In the interview, she opened up about the anxiety she faces at work despite her badass exterior. "I am a very outwardly free person, even though sometimes I dont feel that way inside," she said. "Inside, I have so many fears. I work in an industry where I care what other people think and Im nervous all the time. If I dont admit that its going on, it comes out in my skin. ... You pretend it doesnt exist, thats when it comes out, whether its heartbreak or something at work." We love how real she is, even while she looks like a sci-fi character.

Related: Cara Delevingne Turned Her Award Show Look into a MEME

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Cara Delevingne Became a Cyborg for a GQ Cover Photoshoot - TeenVogue.com

David Harewood Doesn’t Like Playing Cyborg Superman On Supergirl – We Got This Covered

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Without a doubt, the second season ofSupergirlcertainly gave us a lot to remember. Not only did we get to see Kara Zor-El interact with the Arrowverse, but we also finally met her cousin in Superman, played to perfection by Tyler Hoechlin.

As for the constants that have remained for the series, David Harewoods take on Jonn Jonzz/Martian Manhunter has delighted many fans and, to be completely honest, has become my favorite character on the show. Seriously, Harewoods ability to play an absolute badass and to juxtapose that by showing a softer side whenconveying the loneliness that comes with being the Last Son of Mars as well as the affection hes developed for his new family always makes for good television.

What hasnt gone as smoothly, however, is the other role hes taken on, that of Hank Henshaw/Cyborg Superman. For those unfamiliar, Henshaw went missing years ago, and Jonn assumed his identity. This past season it was revealed that Henshaw is not only still alive though, but that hes had some cybernetic enhancements as well.

I could go on about why I havent taken to this character, but Harewood himself echoed my sentiments verbatim when speaking at Supanova in Australia:

I dont like playing Cyborg Superman. Its boring. They didnt really flesh it out, they didnt really write for the character. They just gave me this rather cheap-looking mask and no costume, and said Okay, youre Cyborg Superman. But it didnt really pan out they didnt really go into why he was a cyborg, how he became a cyborg, what his powers were it was just kind of randomly calling him Cyborg Superman.

He sure is right about that. When they first revealed him as Cyborg Superman, I was a bit perplexed because he wasnt wearing the costume, nor did they ever explain his motive for taking on the Superman name. So, unless he gets some stylish new threads in season 3, we expect Harewood to keep on saying things such as this:

I was very excited about it at first, but then I very quickly realized that there wasnt really much to it so, its kind of boring. Whenever Im walking to my trailer and I see that costume, I just switch off. Because I know its going to be a really boring day.

Supergirlreturns for its third season on Monday, October 9 on The CW. Will you be tuning in? Let us know in the usual place!

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David Harewood Doesn't Like Playing Cyborg Superman On Supergirl - We Got This Covered

NJ Gov. Chris Christie Dismisses Criticism of Beach Trip Photos – NBCNews.com

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New Jersey Governor Chris Christie enjoys the beach with his family over the Fourth of July weekend. Andrew Mills / NJ Advance Media

Christie became one of the

Christie has only six months left in office, with the state election taking place this November. Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, the Republican candidate for governor in November, slammed Christie in a Facebook post on Sunday, saying she sure wouldn't be sitting on the beach if taxpayers didn't have access to state beaches. It's beyond words."

Without a budget agreement by the deadline of July 1, the state government was forced to shutter all but essential operations. During the shutdown, 30,000 government employees were furloughed, according to the Star-Ledger.

It was a scandal made for the internet, with the image of Christie lounging in his beach chair photoshopped into the Oval Office, scenes from classic movies and in the middle of a basketball game.

Explaining how he caught the governor lounging around with his family and reading a Brad Thor thriller,

But when Sunday's weather looked good, and the governor's schedule was open except for an afternoon press briefing in Trenton, I wondered, "What are the chances ...?"

I called the pilot.

"Let's take a shot," I said. "Worst-case scenario is we get some great aerial shots of the crowded and empty beaches and we try again on Tuesday."

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NJ Gov. Chris Christie Dismisses Criticism of Beach Trip Photos - NBCNews.com

Corson’s Inlet, other state-operated beaches reopen Tuesday – Press of Atlantic City

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OCEAN CITY If not for a sign posted near the dunes at the south end of Central Avenue, Corsons Inlet State Park would be indistinguishable from the municipally owned beaches north of 59th Street.

But unlike the local beaches, for the three days before July 4, Corson's Inlet beach was closed, along with all other state-operated non-essential services, due to failure of the New Jersey Legislature to agree on a budget.

The shutdown ceased late Monday night after legislators came to a deal and the closures sparked a New Jersey senator to introduce a bill to make sure parks are not affected in future shutdowns.

Sen. Nicholas Scutari Tuesday said he would introduce legislation to keep state parks and beaches open for seven days in the event of a government closure, similar to the law that keeps casinos open.

The effect is not only that people cannot go to their favorite beach, watch fireworks or camp at a park, but if these crowds do not show up the ancillary businesses that rely upon them also suffer, he said.

Beachgoers at Corsons Inlet Tuesday were happy that the state-operated beaches were open and many said they had plans to hit the beach even if it wasnt.

We were planning on coming down here either way, said Amy Huddle, 19, of Glenolden, Pennsylvania.

Huddle, who said this was her first time at the free, unguarded beach, had heard about the shutdown, but wasnt concerned.

Neither was Charles Lotka of Marmora, who comes to Corsons Inlet year-round.

Its like a great secret. Not that many people know about it and it seems to be less crowded down here, he said.

Lotka said he wasnt happy that the shutdown affected so many services and could have impacted peoples travel plans.

I thought it was a really big oversight to let this happen on a holiday weekend, he said. People count on this all year.

Lisa Kirth and Julie Phreaner, both of Philadelphia, made a last minute decision to hit the beach Tuesday morning. If Corsons Inlet was closed, they said they would have just gone to one of Ocean Citys beaches.

We probably would have sat on an overcrowded beach and been mad, and been cursing (Gov.) Chris Christie, Phreaner said.

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Corson's Inlet, other state-operated beaches reopen Tuesday - Press of Atlantic City

Trained dogs patrol Lake Michigan beaches to keep birds away – Fort Wayne Journal Gazette

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EAST CHICAGO, Ind. It's fitting a dog named River is keeping seagulls and Canada geese away from the water at Lake Michigan beaches managed by East Chicago.

River is just one of many trained border collies from Wild Goose Chase, a bird management company out of Chicago Ridge, Illinois, who along with their trainers patrol the beaches daily from May 1 through Aug. 31 to keep nuisance birds such as gulls and geese from loafing there.

The goal is to keep seagulls and Canada geese off the long, contiguous stretch of beach that includes Jeorse Park Beach and Buffington Harbor Beach. The birds are being chased because they are one source of E. coli that negatively affects water quality, said Sue Hagberg, president of Wild Goose Chase.

This marks the second full year Wild Goose Chase dogs are patrolling the beach in a program fully funded through a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency that is applied for and administered by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

Hagberg said the city is just looking for ways to bring people out to the beach and swim in the lake.

"The beach has had a complete turnaround with the amount of money they've invested in it," she said. "Word is getting out it's a great place to spend time."

It's all about the dog's eye contact

Hagberg said it's not so much about the chase when it comes to bird management it's the ability of a border collie to make eye contact to the birds, which is threatening. Border collies are herding breeds and motivated by work, Hagberg said. They use their eyes to move animals, whether sheep or goats or ducks.

"Birds have incredible eyesight," Hagberg said. "I can be walking down the beach with a golden retriever that is not as threatening as somebody staring and stalking at you in a crowd. That's what we're trying to mimic."

Hagberg said they generally walk the dog up and down the beach even if they only see a few of the targeted birds. Some birds are not pursued because they do want to increase the diversity of the waterfowl.

Hagberg said few pest control companies have the ability to help this way because most of what her business is about is observation.

"Why are the birds there?" she asked. "They're looking for food opportunities, a way to raise their young. You can't kill a lot of the birds because they're protected. We have to find a way to manage them and coexist."

Hagberg said seagulls are extremely resilient.

"You may not have one in your visual view and someone throws a potato chip in the air and you have 100," she said. "More people at the beach means there is generally more food at the beach, which means there is more attractants to the birds."

Keep beaches clean, don't feed the birds

Hagberg said if people want to visit the beach, one of the things they can do to help keep beaches clean is to not feed the birds.

"It's not healthy for them," she said.

Giving Canada geese bread, for instance, can cause a deformity in their wings and affect their ability to fly, Hagberg said.

Wild Goose Chase has about 30 dogs, some of who are rescue dogs that have been trained. The company has other divisions, too, including scent detection where dogs can sniff out bed bugs or oil or gas leaks.

Wild Goose Chase also is doing bird counts at Whiting's Whihala Beach where staff literally counts nuisance birds to see if there is a significant number of them. Hagberg said it's step one of the program to see if it "becomes a chase."

Natalie Adams, general manager of the East Chicago marina and lakefront, said the dog program has had an impact as the city works to reduce bacteria at lakefronts and beaches. She said the city is dedicated to keeping the beaches as clean as possible.

According to IDEM, the number of samples exceeding the state's recreational water quality standards has decreased as compared to the same time in 2016.

Jeorse Park Beach, divided into two sections, is down 25 and 18 percent. Buffington Harbor has a 33 percent decrease. After the completion of the first year of the program, the 2016 beach season, IDEM said the beaches showed significant improvement with decreases at Jeorse Park of 43 and 50 percent and 25 percent at Buffington Harbor

IDEM said the 2016 exceedance rates for these beaches were the lowest recorded since the beach monitoring program administered by IDEM started in 2004. The results led IDEM to seek additional funding from the EPA to implement the program again this year.

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Source: The (Northwest Indiana) Times.

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Trained dogs patrol Lake Michigan beaches to keep birds away - Fort Wayne Journal Gazette

The Portuguese man-of-war has returned to Cape Cod beaches … – The Boston Globe

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Portuguese man-of-wars venomous, jellyfish-like creatures have been found on Seagull Beach in Yarmouth.

Here come the Portuguese man-of-wars, just in time for the holiday.

In a Facebook post Monday, officials at the Yarmouth Division of Natural Resources warned beachgoers theyd received multiple reports of the venomous, jellyfish-like creatures washing up on shore in recent days.

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There was one reported yesterday, and two reported this morning, said Bill Bonnetti, field supervisor for the Yarmouth Division of Natural Resources. He added that all three sightings occurred at Seagull Beach.

Known for their painful sting and exotic look, the creatures are actually not jellyfish at all, according to National Geographic. Instead, theyre classified as siphonophores meaning theyre composed of multiple organisms coexisting.

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They carry venom in their tentacles, and people who come into contact with one of the creatures or even a floating piece of a tentacle can experience a painful sting resulting in a welt or abrasion, Bonnetti said.

In some cases, a sting can result in the victim being sent into anaphylactic shock, though such cases are rare.

The creature has occasionally caused problems on Cape Cod beaches. In 2006, for instance, temporary swimming bans were put into effect after at least 14 people were stung by a swarm of the invertebrates. Some victims received hospital care following their run-ins.

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So far, though, the recent encounters have been far less serious. On Monday, the department hadnt received any reports of anyone being stung, Bonnetti said. He noted that people should avoid the creature if they do come across one.

They can call us, or notify whatever public official is on the beach, he said.

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The Portuguese man-of-war has returned to Cape Cod beaches ... - The Boston Globe