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TC robotics state champs again – Shelbynews

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Danzig

The Triton Central robotics team has built itself quite the reputation in recent years.

That reputation continues to grow after the team successfully defended its state championship from a year ago.

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TC robotics state champs again - Shelbynews

Young women gear up for FIRST Robotics Competition – Swinburne University of Technology

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Danzig

Swinburne has opened its state-of-the-art Factory of the Future to a team of young women set to compete in an international robotics competition.

Comprised of 17 students from Melbourne high schools, the girls-only RoboCats spent six weeks at Swinburnes Hawthorn campus programming and building a50kg robot for the FIRST Robotics Competition.

Led by mentors Dr Therese Keane, Deputy Chair of Education at Swinburne, and Swinburne alumni Milorad Cerovac, the team will compete in the South Pacific Regional at the Sydney Olympic Park in March.

The theme for this years competition is Steamworks, with teams challenged to launch a large airship via the collection, transportation, and depositing of plastic gears and balls.

Dr Keane, who co-founded the team with Mr Cerovac in 2015, says the event is an opportunity to introduce young women to disciplines in which women are traditionally underrepresented.

The interesting thing is that many of the girls do not see this as maths, science, technology or engineering, they see it as a fun activity where they have the chance to build a robot and make friends.

In 2016, the RoboCats were one of three all-girl teams at the South Pacific competition, and the only one from Victoria.

Its fantastic to see the girls starting conversations about gender diversity, Dr Keane says.

The RoboCats are sponsored by the Swinburne Innovation Precinct, with additional support from the Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, BAE Systems, Ford Australia, Rockwell Automation, Salesforce, Ivetech and Boeing.

They also had a team of mentors that included Swinburne Senior Electrical Technician Antonio Lione and Swinburne Bachelor of Engineering (Robotics and Mechatronics) (Hons)/Bachelor of Science (Computer Science) graduate Devon Boyd.

We had more support than ever this year and it has made a huge difference, Dr Keane says.

The girls loved the whole experience of being on campus and being able to use all of the facilities.

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Young women gear up for FIRST Robotics Competition - Swinburne University of Technology

Stamford girl headed to robotics finals – The Advocate

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Danzig

By Nelson Oliveira, Stamford Advocate

Photo: Contributed / The Harvey School

Harvey School student Wendy Lichtenberg, of Stamford.

Harvey School students Wendy Lichtenberg, of Stamford, and Clayton Collum during a February match of the VEX IQ Challenge state-qualifier competition at East Rockaway High School on Long Island.

Stamford girl headed to robotics finals

Stamford resident Wendy Lichtenberg, a seventh-grader at the Harvey School in Katonah, N.Y., will compete in a statewide robotics tournament this weekend.

She and her sixth-grade partner, Clayton Collum, placed eighth out of 40 teams in the final match of the VEX IQ Challenge state-qualifier competition earlier this month at East Rockaway High School on Long Island.

The pair will compete Saturday in the New York state tournament in Massapequa.

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Stamford girl headed to robotics finals - The Advocate

Drone Startup Lily Robotics Files Chapter 11 – CFO

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Danzig

The company was unable to find enough financing to go into production and is now seeking a buyer for its technology.

Camera drone startup Lily Robotics filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday so it can conduct an orderly sale of its technology and pay refunds to customers.

The company netted 61,450 pre-orders for its drone cameras, generating about $38.4 million, according to court papers. But it announced last month that it had been unable to find enough financing to go into production.

As TechCrunch reports, Lily was one of the first autonomous AI-assisted camera drones ever announced, and was supposed to revolutionize the personal cameradrone industry. But in the time it took Lilyto ship, others drones like Hover hit the market, and DJI developedautonomous flight modes forthe Phantom and Inspire (and now Mavic),arguably the three best drones on the market.

In a bankruptcy court filing, Chief Restructuring Officer Curtis Solsvig said Lily was hoping for a competitive auction after already receiving indications of interest for its primary asset the intellectual property related to its flying drone with a waterproof camera from potential buyers.

The company is seeking a speedy sale process to avoid the potential loss of value to the [intellectual property] if it goes stale, Solsvig added.

Lily, which was founded in 2013 by two University of California, Berkeley, students, attracted investors including venture capitalists Spark Capital and SV Angel and celebrities Steve Aoki and Joe Montana.

The first drone shipment date had been scheduled for February 2016, but court papers say the high demand forced Lily to postpone deliveries until later in 2016. By the end of the year, it said the financial market had dried up, leaving the company to explore strategic alternatives such as a sale.

Lily said it has lined up a $3 million bankruptcy loan, subject to court approval, from Spark Capital.

Access to post-petition financing is necessary to enhance the debtors liquidity, provide necessary capital during the pendency of this Chapter 11 case, and provide customers, employees, and other interested parties confidence that the debtor has sufficient resources available to organize a successful sale process and be able to refund customers in an orderly manner, the company said.

First Elementary Robotics Team Winning Competitions – WHIZ

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Danzig

ZANESVILLE, Ohio The John McIntire Elementary Schools newest program is winning awards and becoming a world competitor.

This is the first year the elementary school has started their first three robotic teams. Their sixth grade girls team has won the state competition and will now be competing in the 2017 VEX Worlds Robotics Competition Elementary School Division. Melissa Rider is a team member who was excited to make it on to the team and wants to be a part of the junior high and high school teams when the time comes.

It feels wonderful especially now that we get to go to worlds its just absolutely exciting, Rider said. I think I can speak for all of us when we say I cant wait.

Each student had to write an essay to apply for a position. Following the teams being selected each student took on a role in the teams and had to learn how to troubleshoot different issues.

We kept bumping the ramp up, like I said there were magnets on the ramp, and we kept bumping it up, Team Member Caroline Pinson said. We had no way to push the ramp back down onto our side, so we could balance. So we decided to add that little arm that could push it down so we would no longer have to face that problem.

The team has a GoFundMe page asking for donations so they can travel to the World competition.You can find their page by searching John McIntire Elementary School Robotics.

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First Elementary Robotics Team Winning Competitions - WHIZ

How to file your social security appeal online – WZZM13.com

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Danzig

moneytips.com , KSDK 9:35 AM. EST February 27, 2017

Was your Social Security claim denied by the Social Security Administration (SSA)? It is your right to appeal the decision, and now you have an even easier method of doing so. As of December 10, 2016, the SSA allows you to file an appeal online for both medical and non-medical issues to dispute adverse actions or denials of a claim. (Non-medical appeals cover issues such as disputes over Medicare premium rates and cases of overpayment.)

The online appeals process extends to recipients living outside the US. Prior to the online process, appeal options were limited and often impractical for those in other countries.

The SSA online appeal site walks you through the appeal process in a user-friendly fashion. The initial menu allows you to choose between medical decisions or non-medical decisions, as well as allowing you to resume a medical appeal that you had already started.

Before you begin the online appeal process, make sure that you have the necessary supporting documents (forms, medical reports, written statements, and legal documents) to process your appeal. Further information on required documents may be found on the SSA website.

Generally, supporting documents may be uploaded through the website, so make sure you have all of your documents in a suitable electronic form for uploading. However, SSA only accepts original or certified copies of some documents; those will need to be mailed into the SSA (or brought into the SSA office if you prefer but in that case why bother with an online appeal?).

SSA estimates that medical appeals should take from 40 to 60 minutes assuming a suitable Internet connection. Non-medical appeals should take less time, approximately 25 minutes.

The online site for non-medical appeals saves answers automatically as you proceed through the process, but you cannot exit the application and come back to complete it later. The medical appeal site also saves answers automatically, but it does allow you to take a break and return to an appeal that has been saved in progress.

The SSA will contact you if there are any questions or updates regarding your appeal. If you have a personal appointed representative for your SSA claim, make sure that his or her contact information is also included with your submitted information.

You can check the status of your appeal from the submissions page at any time. A simple click of a button will direct you to My Social Security, where you can log in to your personal page (or create one if you do not already have one established).

Keep in mind that the same time limits apply to online submissions as they do to other methods. Generally, you have sixty days from the date of receipt of the letter that informs you about the decision. The SSA assumes that you received the letter within five days of the date on the letter. If you received it later than five days beyond the letter date, keep that limitation in mind.

For any other questions regarding the general appeal process, refer to the Social Security Publication "Your Right To Question The Decision Made On Your Claim".

You still have the traditional options of appealing by phone or in person at your nearest Social Security Administration office, if you prefer. We hope you don't have to dispute a Social Security claim at all, but if you do, at least you have choices on the method to use.

Read our article on what you need to get the Social Security benefits you deserve to learn more about the four levels of appeal and the supporting documents you need to submit for your case to be re-evaluated.

This article was provided by our partners at moneytips.com.

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( 2017 KSDK)

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How to file your social security appeal online - WZZM13.com

Appealing Social Security Decisions Online – CBN News

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Danzig

The online appeals process extends to recipients living outside the US. Prior to the online process, appeal options were limited and often impractical for those in other countries.

SSA estimates that medical appeals should take from 40 to 60 minutes assuming a suitable Internet connection. Non-medical appeals should take less time, approximately 25 minutes.

For any other questions regarding the general appeal process, refer to the Social Security Publication "Your Right To Question The Decision Made On Your Claim".

Let the free MoneyTips Retirement Planner help you calculate when you can retire without jeopardizing your lifestyle.

This article was provided by our partners at moneytips.com. How Much Will Social Security Pay You? Get A My Social Security Account Is Everything On Your Credit Report Accurate? Check It Now For Free

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Appealing Social Security Decisions Online - CBN News

The Meme Culture of America is Taking Over – TrendinTech

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Danzig

Memes are used as a way of representing an idea, belief, or culture, and if used in the right way, can be used to win over anyone. Even the recent election used a plethora of memes to grab the attention of voters and keep them on the side once captured. However, they can also be dangerous little creatures of mass destruction if used in the wrong way. But one thing that is for certain is that memes do pose a challenge to the United States.

One person who can see the issues coming is Jeff Giesea, the former employee of Peter Thiel, tech giant and Trump donor. He said in an essay on power memes, Its time to drive towards a more expensive view of Strategic Communications on the social media battlefield. Its time to adopt a more aggressive, proactive, and agile mindset and approach. Its time to embrace memetic warfare. But, hes not alone in his thoughts. Others within the US military wanted to know how memes could be used in warfare in the early 2000s, partly as a result of the warring against jihadist terrorists.

A paper entitled Memetics: A Growth Industry in US Military Operations was published by Michael B. Prosser who is now a Lieutenant Colonel in the Marine Corps. In it, Prosser explains his vision for weaponizing and diffusing memes that would be created to understand and defeat an enemy in ideology and win over the masses of undecided non-combatants. The paper also talks about a proposal for a Meme Warfare Center whose main function would be to provide advice to the Commander on meme transmission, enemy analysis, and population information.

DARPA too have been looking closely at memetics and are part-way through a four-year study themselves on the subject. But, despite government research, it still seems to be insurgent groups that use memes in the most efficient manner. One example of this can be seen during the early stages of the ISIS war where memes were used to grab the attention of their audience and get their message across to both potential recruits and enemies.

According to John Robb, former Air Force pilot involved in special operations and author of Brave New War: The Next Stage of Terrorism and the End of Globalization, the US military will always be disadvantaged when it comes to using memetics in war as the most effective types of manipulation all yield disruption. He adds, The broad manipulation of public sentiment is really not in [the militarys] wheelhouse because all the power is in the hands of the people on the outside doing the disruption.

Donald Trumps campaign is an excellent example of how a meme insurgency can occur. His campaign was largely about creating disorder among the voters to gain popularity, and hey, it worked, Donald Trump is the new president. Perhaps when Jeff Giesea released his paper in 2015 about memetic warfare, it should have been a warning of what was to come. He said, For many of us in the social media world, it seems obvious that more aggressive communication tactics and broader warfare through trolling and memes a necessary, inexpensive, and easy way to help destroy the appeal and morale of our common enemies. Now we can only sit back and see what else is to come from the world of memetics.

Potential dangers and dubious history of alternative medicine are often unknown to its consumers – MinnPost

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Danzig

Anyone who uses homeopathy, acupuncture or other alternative over-the-counter therapies particularly if they use them on their children needs to read two recently published articles on the topic.

One of the articles, published last week in the Boston Globes health website STAT, takes an in-depth look at the incredibly troubling story behind a popular homeopathic teething product that harmed hundreds of children in the United States before it was finally pulled from the market last fall.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently reviewing the cases of eight babies who died after taking the product.

The other article, published earlier this year on the Science-Based Medicine website, describes the rise of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in both China and Western countries. It describes how TCM began as the dream of Chairman Mao Zedong back in the 1940s, but is receiving a renewed global push this year by the current Chinese government, in part to cover up major failings in Chinas medical system, but also to protect the profits of the countrys multibillion-dollar traditional pharmaceutical industry.

Both articles underscore how people often abandon their skepticism and their reason to embrace bogus alternative-medicine practices that are not only a waste of time and money, but also potentially harmful.

The articles also rip apart the prevalent David-and-Goliath myth regarding alternative therapies: the idea that alternative-medicine manufactures are small, noble companies who only want to bring inexpensive, natural remedies to people in need, but who find themselves battling the big, bad profit-driven pharmaceutical industry.

The truth is much less attractive: Alternative medicine is now a huge profit-driven, multibillion-dollar industry, too. And parts of it are owned by the pharmaceutical industry.

For the STAT article, reporter Sheila Kaplan used the Freedom of Information Act to seek and review FDA records for homeopathic teething pills marketed by Hylands, a 114-year-old private, Los-Angeles-based company that sells more homeopathic products than any other company in the U.S.

A review of those records revealed that during the 10-year period 2006-2016 the FDA received reports of 370 children who had experienced adverse health events after using Hylands homeopathic teething tablets or gel. The reports are grim, says Kaplan:

Babies who were given Hylands teething products turned blue and died. Babies had repeated seizures. Babies became delirious. Babies were airlifted to the hospital, where emergency room staff tried to figure out what had caused their legs and arms to start twitching.

Medical experts believe toxic levels of the teething tablets main ingredient the herb belladonna may have poisoned the children.

Despite those reports, it took four years until the FDA pushed Hylands to reformulate its remedies, writes Kaplan. And even after that reformulation, there was a steady stream of reports of adverse events tied to Hylands homeopathic teething products, she adds.

The Hylands teething tablet saga raises issues that most consumers of homeopathic and other alternative therapies are unaware of, as Kaplan explains:

Homeopathy has become a multibillion-dollar industry. Its products are big sellers around the world, and popular with adherents from Cher to Prince Charles. The industry also has political clout: It has been able to exempt itself from many rules proposed by Congress and the FDA over the years.

Unlike pharmaceutical company-produced drugs, homeopathic products dont have to prove that they are effective at treating anything in particular before going on the market. It is left to the FDAs drug division to determine whether they are unsafe after they are on the market a difficult task since the adverse event reports are generally considered to represent only a fraction of the actual incidents and may lack sufficient information to allow for thorough investigations.

In some cases, parents assume that products described as natural remedies, as is the case with Hylands tablets and gels, could not possibly result in complications, and never mention their use to a doctor. Without sufficient evidence of a problem, the FDA lacks what it needs to use the enforcement tools it does have.

Hylands has stopped making its teething tablets, but only after the FDA recommended last September that consumers not use the product (or other homeopathic teething products) while the agency investigates more cases of possible serious reactions among babies.

Kaplan tells a harrowing story in her article one all users of homeopathic medicines would be wise to read.

The Science-Based Medicine article also contains background information that is likely to surprise most consumers of another arm of alternative medicine TCM. Acupuncture is by far the most popular TCM therapy, at least in Western countries, but TCM includes many other treatments, include herbal medicines.

As Dr. David Gorski, a columnist for Science-Based Medicine and a surgical oncologist at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, explains in the article, acupuncture has been appropriately described as a theatrical placebo, with no detectable difference in effect compared to sham or placebo acupuncture.

Furthermore, acupuncture is not even ancient, as Gorski explains:

The technology to make such thin needles didnt exist two thousand years ago, [and], as recently as a century ago, acupuncture was brutal and primitive, using nothing like the thin, shiny needles acupuncturists use today.

But the problem with TCM, he says, is not just acupuncture, its the whole ancient, prescientific system of medicine.

Take Chinese herbal medicines. Even if the herb itself is innocuous (and not all are), medicines imported from China have been found to contain undeclared ingredients, including pesticides, heavy metals (such as lead and arsenic), antibiotics, decongestants and the DNA of endangered snow leopards. (Animal parts, including those of endangered animals, are often used in traditional Chinese medicines, says Gorski.)

The presence of toxic materials in these medicines is not a minor matter. Recent studies have suggested that herbal medicines are the leading cause of drug-induced liver failure in China and other countries where TCM is rapidly becoming popular, such as South Korea and Singapore, Gorski points out.

Like other forms of alternative medicine, TCM is built on a myth. Gorski explains:

[T]he exportation of TCM to the world was quite deliberate, as part of a strategy [by the former Communist leader of China, Mao Zedong] to popularize it among the Chinese. There was a problem, however. There was no such thing as traditional Chinese medicine per se. Rather, there were traditional Chinese medicines. For many centuries, healing practices in China had been highly variable. Attempts at institutionalizing medical education were mostly unsuccessful and most practitioners drew at will on a mixture of demonology, astrology, yin-yang five phases theory, classic texts, folk wisdom, and personal experience.

Mao realized that TCM would be unappealing to foreigners, as even many Chinese, particularly those with an education, understood that TCM was mostly quackery. For instance, in 1923, [the Chinese writer] Lu Xun realized that Chinese doctors are no more than a type of swindler, either intentional or unintentional, and I sympathize with deceived sick people and their families. Such sentiments were common among the upper classes and the educated. Indeed, Mao himself didnt use TCM practitioners. He wanted scientific Western medicine. The same was true of educated Chinese. It still is. TCM is far less popular among educated middle class and affluent Chinese than conventional medicine.

Yet that hasnt stopped the current Chinese government from passing a new law, which goes into effect in July, that mandates the integration of Chinese and Western medicine throughout their country.

The purpose of the law, says Gorski, is to elevate the status of TCM to the equivalent of Western medicine and thus provide a cheaper way of delivering medicine to Chinas overrun medical system.

One also cant help but notice that a lot of this new law goes towards protecting the business interests of the TCM industry in a manner that, if it were done for the pharmaceutical company, would provoke howls of outrage from [alternative medicine] proponents and rightly so, writes Gorski.

FMI: You can read Gorskis article on the Science-Based Medicine website. Kaplans can be found at the STAT website.

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Potential dangers and dubious history of alternative medicine are often unknown to its consumers - MinnPost

Stop Taking These 10 Vitamins and Supplements and Eat These Foods Instead – The Daily Meal

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Danzig

According to data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, from 1990 to 2006, the number of Americans taking some sort of supplement increased from 40 to 53 percent. However, studies show that, with a few specific exceptions, most Americans already get an adequate amount of nutrients, through fortified and whole foods.

Click here to view theStop Taking These 10 Vitamins and Supplements and Eat These Foods Instead Slideshow

Fruits and vegetables offer fiber, phytochemicals, and antioxidants that cant be replicated by a handful of pills, and nutrients, like vitamin A, E, and calcium are better absorbed by the body when derived from whole foods.

That said, supplements do sometimes serve a purpose. People over the age of 50 have trouble retaining vitamin B-12 naturally through food, for instance, and for vegetarians, iron derived from spinach and other plant-based sources is not as easily absorbed by the body. Please consult your doctor, then, before eliminating any supplements from your diet.

If there are no medical concerns, however, you might want to start weaning yourself off supplements today by eating these 10 foods instead.

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Stop Taking These 10 Vitamins and Supplements and Eat These Foods Instead - The Daily Meal

Cranberry Supplements: Not Bitter, Better – WholeFoods Magazine

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Danzig

Many people may be aware of the potential health benefits of the cranberry. Cranberries are known to be high in antioxidants, which can support heart health and shown in studies to reduce the risk of cancer and Alzheimers. Cranberries are also anti-inflammatory and can be helpful for reducing the occurrence or frequency of ulcers and urinary tract infections (UTIs). The question to ask then is, whats the best way to reap these benefits, by eating cranberries, drinking cranberry juice or taking a supplement? In the interest of time and convenience, a motivator of many peoples dietary habits, taking a supplement may be the most practical route to gain all of the benefits of the cranberry.

Eating cranberries in their unaltered, natural form is certainly good for you as they are low in calories, only 46 calories per cup, are fat free, cholesterol free, sodium free and are a good source of phytonutrients and vitamin A (1). The potential down side is the taste. If bitterness isnt something a consumer enjoys, then eating whole cranberries could be more of a chore than a pleasure. Along with the taste is the sheer amount of cranberries that would need to be consumed daily in order to reap the benefits they produce; an amount more readily found in supplements.

Cranberries have naturally occurring proanthocyanidins (PAC), which is the plant compound that gives cranberries the reputation they have for reducing the risks of UTIs. Cranberry products taken on a regular basis were clinically proven to prevent UTI and may serve as an alternative to recurrent use of antibiotics, states the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. It has been proposed that cranberry products act by inhibiting uropathogenic strains of E. coli from adhering to uroepithelial cells, which is the initial step in development of infection (2). It was originally believed that proanthocyanidins helped reduce the risk of UTIs by making urine more acidic, but it is actually due to bacteria not being able to adhere to the walls that give proanthocyanidin its reputation as a preventative agent.

When taking a cranberry supplement, the dose is typically more concentrated than what you would find in a whole cranberry. Although it would seem that this would automatically make it better, this is not always necessarily the case. When extracting something you are removing part of an item from the whole, which means that although you may be getting a more concentrated dose of the item, the composition of vitamins and other nutrients being extracted from the berry may not all be present in the same way. However, different processing methods can deliver a different result. Therefore, many manufacturers utilize methods that help maintain the original integrity of the cranberry.

In the case of powders, the process of drying the cranberries can also lower the levels of antioxidants, vitamin A and vitamin C. Considering this, certain manufacturers utilize systems that dry at lower temperatures for a longer period of time to maintain the integrity of the powder. This is particularly important for protecting the PAC content of the cranberry powder (3).

With this is mind, supplements have been proven to be more effective than cranberry juice for preventing UTIs, especially since the added sugars found in most juices can actually worsen infections. Of course, some question the effectiveness of cranberry supplements. A recent JAMA editorial stated that there was a lack of efficacy in the use of cranberry powder for supporting urinary tract health following the results of a recent randomized controlled trial that found no significant relationship between the two (4).

In response, the firm Fruit dOr, based in Quebec, Canada, cited a recent in vitro study they conducted, in partnership with UAS Laboratories. The research study demonstrated a synergistic relationship between whole food cranberry extract standardized to 7% PAC content (both soluble and insoluble PAC) and a probiotic formulation of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium (5). Specifically, the study found this relationship to be effective for inhibiting the invasiveness of pathogenic E. coli and reduce the risk of urinary tract infection in women.

Results showed that the bioactive PACs found in their whole food cranberry interfered with the invasion of the harmful bacteria by interacting with its surface, essentially wrapping around it. This prevents the harmful bacteria from travelling through the urethra and other parts of the body vulnerable to bacterial infection. The firm also sought to make the distinction between the cranberry juice powder used in the unsuccessful study and their whole food cranberry powder which utilizes the entirety of the fruit. This goes to show that not all cranberry nutraceutical ingredients are created equal.

Supplements are also an effective route for flavonoids, polyphenolic compounds that are responsible for promoting heart health and may possibly reduce the risk of certain types of cancers due to the antioxidants present. Studies show that polyphenols may contribute to a reduction in cardiovascular disease and risk factors increasing the resistance of bad LDL cholesterol to oxidation, inhibiting platelet aggregation and reducing blood pressure (6). One double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-arm study assigned volunteers to drink either a low calorie cranberry juice or flavor-, color- and energymatched placebo beverage twice-daily for eight weeks, while on the same controlled diet (7). Results showed a reduction of cardiovascular risk factors among participants who consumed cranberry juice. These risk factors included including diastolic blood pressure, C-reactive proteins, a biomarker for inflammation, triglycerides and blood glucose. Triglycerides, for example, saw the highest reduction in the cranberry group among those with the highest baseline levels. While this research studied cranberry juice, it can make the case for cranberry supplements as well given their more concentrated doses and much lower sugar content.

In the case of cancer, while supplements cannot cure or treat any disease, research shows that cranberry-derived extracts inhibit the growth of cancer cells in vitro. Specifically, cranberry-derived ursolic acid, proanthocyanidins and an organic-soluble cranberry extract inhibit the growth of breast, colon, cervical, glioblastoma, leukemia, lung, melanoma, oral cavity, prostate and renal cancer cell lines, explain the authors of a research paper (8). These findings provide the basis for investigation for in vivo model such as animal studies. In vivo models that do exist have yielded limited results, meaning that further research is required.

Cranberry supplements have also been found to help reduce the risks of peptic ulcers. Helicobacter pylori plays a large part in the creation of ulcers in the gastrointestinal system. Studies are showing that cranberries lower levels of Helicobacter pylori in the stomach in the same way that it is suggested that cranberries help with UTIs, by washing away the bacteria that would otherwise adhere to the walls of the organs (9). In addition, cranberry can also help balance out the rest of the digestive tract due to its ability to increase Bifidobacteria, which promotes balanced intestinal flora and the same polyphenols seen to assist in heart health can also have an anti-inflammatory effect in the digestive tract as well.

Some research has also shown that the composition of polyphenols in cranberries may be helpful for reducing the risk of Alzheimers and dementia. In the case of dementia, the anti-inflammatory properties of cranberries are seen to be the most helpful since dementia is linked to long term inflammation of the body. The development of Alzheimers Disease appears to be impacted by the levels of oxidative stress in the body and the antioxidants and vitamin E found in cranberry help to offset these factors (10,11).

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has set guidelines and regulates cranberry growth and quality in the country.The Federal Food and Drug Administration is responsible for dietary supplements, such as cranberry supplements, under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994. Although this Act prohibits supplement makers from marketing products that are mislabeled or adulterated in any way, doing your homework doesnt hurt. Its important to have confidence in the products you are selling your customers so that they have confidence in you. Providing organic and non-GMO options provides an added layer of confidence.

As with any change in diet or supplementation, it is advisable that customers consult with a medical professional to avoid any potential drug interactions, and to discover what the recommended daily intake should be.

References 1. Cranberries, Raw Nutrition Facts & Calories, http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1875/2, Accessed 1/27/2017. 2. Cranberry Proanthocyanidins As Inhibitors Of Epithelial Cell Invasion By Entheropathic and Uropathogenic E. Coli Strains, http://portal.nifa.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/0223796-cranberry-proanthocyanidins-as-inhibitors-of-epithelial-cell-invasion-by-entheropathogenic-and-uropathogenic-e-coli-strains.html , Accessed 1/28/2017. 3. K. Chiarella-Ebner. Powder Play. http://www.wholefoodsmagazine. com/suppliers/features-suppliers/powder-play/, Accessed 2/4/2017. 4. L.E. Nicolle. Cranberry for Prevention of Urinary Tract Infection? Time to Move On http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2576821, Accessed 2/4/2017 5. M.A. Polewski, et al. Ability of cranberry proanthocyanidins in combination with a probiotic formulation to inhibit in vitro invasion of gut epithelial cells by extra-intestinal pathogenic E.coli. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464616301359, Accessed 2/4/2017. 6. Cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon) and cardiovascular disease risk factors, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18038941, Accessed 1/30/2017. 7. J.A. Novotny, et al. Cranberry Juice Consumption Lowers Markers of Cardiometabolic Risk, Including Blood Pressure and Circulating C-Reactive Protein, Triglyceride, and Glucose Concentrations in Adults. The Journal of Nutrition. 145(6): 1185-1193. 2015. 8. K.M. Weh, et al. Cranberries and Cancer: An Update of Preclinical Studies Evaluating the Cancer Inhibitory Potential of Cranberry and Cranberry Derived Constituents. Antioxidants. 5(3): 27. 2016. 9.Cranberry.https://www.lahey.org/Departments_and_Locations/Departments/Colon_and_Rectal_Surgery/Ebsco_Content/Diverticular_Disease/Diverticulitis.aspx?chunkiid=21704. Accessed 2/1/2017. 10. Cranberry Research-Antioxidant Intake-Lower Risk of Alzheimer Disease. https://extension.umaine.edu/cranberries/grower-services/cranberry-research/reduced-risk-of-alzheimers/, Accessed 2/1/2017. 11. Cranberry Extract May Be Useful in the Treatment of Alzheimers Disease, http://www.greenmedinfo.com/article/cranberry-extract-may-be-useful-treatment-alzheimers-disease, Accessed 2/1/2017.

Published in WholeFoods Magazine March 2017

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Cranberry Supplements: Not Bitter, Better - WholeFoods Magazine

Gut bacteria determines the beneficial impacts of soy food on heart health – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Danzig

While a plurality of Japanese men experience heart-health benefits from consuming soybeans tofu, soy milk, edamame, tempeh and other soy-based foods the same occurs far less often in American men.

The reason is gut bacteria or microflora.

A University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health study published recently in the British Journal of Nutrition helps explain how gut bacteria turn an important soy isoflavone into a metabolite known as equol, which in turn is protective against coronary artery calcification.

Soy foods are staples of the Asian diet while Westerners consume minuscule amounts. In general, researchers better understand the biochemistry of how soy foods and other plant foods protect the body from disease. But for many Americans soy is falling short in protecting against coronary heart disease.

The Pitt study, also involving Japanese researchers, found that a clear majority of Asians have intestinal bacteria to metabolize daidzein, a soy isoflavone and plant estrogen, into equol.

Monkey studies clearly demonstrate heart-protective properties of isoflavones, the study says, noting that all monkeys produce equol. In addition, observational studies in Asian countries have documented a significant inverse association between the dietary intake of soy isoflavones and the incidence of coronary heart disease, the study says.

But a recent randomized controlled trial focused on the impact of dietary isoflavones on atherosclerosis in the United States failed to show any benefit, raising the questions about differences in gut biochemistry.

Pitt researchers hypothesized, and ultimately provided evidence, that ones natural ability to generate equol from soy isoflavones was key and involves various forms of gut bacteria.

Individuals able to produce equol, known as equol producers, derive greater clinical benefits from soy foods than individuals referred to as equol nonproducers, the study says. In Asian populations, between 50 percent and 70 percent are equol producers compared with 20 percent to 30 percent of Western populations.

The study shows that equol, rather than the soy isoflavones themselves, generate a protective effect against heart disease for biochemical reasons that now are better understood.

No previous study has examined the association between dietary isoflavones or equol with the presence of coronary artery calcification a well-established biomarker of atherosclerosis independently associated with the risk of coronary heart disease.

Equol producers had significantly lower coronary artery calcification plaque levels in the arteries than those without bacteria that produces equol, it says, calling for clinical trials to confirm the findings.

We need future research from a random clinical trial. But this is a first step, said Akira Sekikawa, an associate professor of epidemiology at Pitt Public Health. It remains unknown, he said, why a higher percentage of Asians are equol producers, including whether higher levels of soy consumption levels are a factor.

The good news, he said, is that dietary supplements containing equol are readily available, typically involving S-equol. Other studies have found equol to be beneficial in reducing menopause symptoms including hot flashes, bolstering bone health and reducing wrinkled skin, with other studies showing potential beneficial effects in preventing Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and breast and prostate cancers.

Equol has a well-recognized effect on arteries, said Kenneth Setchell, a biochemist at the Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center, and author of The Simple Soybean and Your Health. In recent dietary intervention studies we published using a soy germ-based food (pasta) we observed significantly greater cardio-protective effects in the presence of isoflavones, and the effects were significantly greater in those subjects that were equol producers.

Those benefits, he said, include improvements in the flexibility of arteries.

So the finding of less arterial calcification in this study is important as it would contribute in maintenance of healthy blood vessels and thus an associated lower risk for cardiovascular disease, he said.

David Templeton: dtempleton@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1578.

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Gut bacteria determines the beneficial impacts of soy food on heart health - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Johnson & Johnson pursues empathy in an age of ‘anxiety and mistrust’ – CampaignLive

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Danzig

Bass discussed the initiatives the company is using to unlock good through mobile marketing initiatives at a Mobile World Congress session in Barcelona today.

She said: "We have a new vector around empathy and how we think about communities in the digital age. Empathy allows us to ignite a social movement for good.

"Whats interesting as we plug into the cultural zeitgeist, we have talked about Brexit and the election in the US, and we saw the Catalan protest outside.

"We are living in an age of anxiety and mistrust. And what was once at the bottom of the hierarchy of needs of safety and trust and shelter and sleep is now of the upmost importance at the top of the pyramid."

In order to address the issues of sleep Johnson & Johnson developed a "clinically proven routine" to help babies sleep better, which includes practices such as giving the baby a warm bath.

To go alongside it Johnson & Johnson created an app called Nod that allows parents to "care and personalise more delightful sleep experiences".

The app has been developed in partnership with analytics firm Mimo, which is helping create a data repository to "offer the next generation of technology enabled sleep solutions".

Nod is primarily being advertised through search and being pushed by clinical professionals when people ask about getting better sleep for themselves and babies.

Johnson & Johnsons other initiatives that use mobile to benefit society is an app for its Listerine brand that allows visually impaired people to realise when people are smiling at them.

The app uses the phones camera to detect the smile and then buzzes to notify the user of a smile.

Bass said: "That is a great example of going beyond than hawking bottles, jars, and tubes but leading with a greater sense of purpose and having mobile help people feel something."

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Johnson & Johnson pursues empathy in an age of 'anxiety and mistrust' - CampaignLive

The Simpsons Gospel: A Newer Testament for Troubled Times? – Huffington Post

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Danzig

Once again religion, faith and spirituality are front and center in The Simpsons, the worlds longest running animated sitcom. And it couldnt come at a better, if troubled time.

In the February 19 episode, The Cad and the Hat, bad boy Bart an unabashed Satanist needed a miracle to get out of a devilishly complicated, madcap plot conundrum of his own making. He had to lift a crushed car off the ground and into a swimming pool of acidic soda in order to retrieve his sister Lisas beloved summer straw hat. In an act of pure meanness, Bart had thrown the hat out the window of the family car, whereupon it ended up in a crashed vehicle on the way to the scrap yard.

It was a hopeless task, but Bart egged on by an outsized, ethereal guilty conscience did not hesitate to push his disbelief aside and call on a higher power for help. In this case he appealed to the pious young sons of Ned Flanders, the Simpsons evangelical next door neighbor. The two boys dropped to their knees and, with their fathers permission, asked Jesus twice to raise the 2,000-pound steel cube and lower it into the toxic soft drink just long enough to free Lisas hat. Which he did.

As I argue in my new ebook, The Gospel According to The Simpsons: A Newer Testament, since 2007 when the last edition was published, religion has become more prevalent, if not pervasive in the show, deeply woven into its narrative fabric. Despite its initial reputation for irreverence, characters in the show like many North Americans do not hesitate to appeal to the divine, although only when absolutely necessary.

When The Simpsons came on the scene in the late 1980s, in what now seems a simpler, more civil time, the show seemed to push the limits of discourse. In the coarser Trump era, old episodes are almost quaint. As the deep, polarizing divide in the American zeitgeist has sharpened, and the bitter culture wars have reignited, The Simpsons have moved in the opposite direction. And in so doing they may offer a model of healing and reconciliation. The most impressive gift of The Simpsons is the show's ability to change over time and still be loved for the consistency of its characters' charm and flaws.

There has in fact been a significant, if subtle evolution in the portrayal of the shows most stalwart believers: Mother Marge Simpson; evangelical next door neighbor Ned Flanders; and, to a lesser extent, Springfield Community Churchs Reverend Timothy Lovejoy. They are subjected to less broadly-based ridicule for their Christian devotion and piety.

At the same time, these characters seem to have mellowed. They have become more tolerant of those of lesser or different faiths, and of others liberal political and cultural views. As in their portrayal of other changes in the religious world, Simpsons writers have tracked moderating shifts within much of the American evangelical movement. In this sense at least, the 2016 election results may have been an anomaly.

Last Sunday nights Simpsons episode was Fox's highest rated show of the night, seen by 2.5 million people. Admittedly that is a far cry from the shows early years, when it was consistently in the top ten, especially with young adult viewers. While ratings for the Sunday night prime time series have declined over the past decade, The Simpsons remains a potent cultural force, earning an astonishing 32 Emmys and reaching a worldwide audience of more than 100 million in 100 countries.

As recently as 2015, congregations like the First Presbyterian Church of Farmington, Michigan, have been offering adult education series based on The Simpsons, with good reason. Notwithstanding my books title, The Simpsons isnt a show about religion. Rather it is a show about families like most in this country in which faith and religion play a role, often in the form of moral and ethical instruction. In the case of The Simpsons, this message is conveyed in a wacky, light-handed fashion. And we should pay attention. As Homer likes to say, Its funny cause its true.

(A version of this essay appeared in the Albany, N.Y., Times-Union)

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The Simpsons Gospel: A Newer Testament for Troubled Times? - Huffington Post

St Ann can do better Earl Jarrett – Jamaica Gleaner

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Danzig

An outdated economic model is responsible for St Ann being one of the poorest parishes in Jamaica, says Earl Jarrett, chief executive officer of The Jamaica National Group (JN Group).

"The parish has a resource-based economy which has moved little beyond the basic exploitation of its agricultural land, its bauxite and its beauty," Jarrett stated. Therefore, the business sector needs to work with political representatives and the people of St Ann, to create a more prosperous future for its population.

"The stories I have read about St Ann over the past decade remain the same," Jarrett told the meeting of the St Ann Chamber of Commerce (St Ann Chamber). "It remains stories about poor market conditions, tourist harassment and roads that need to be improved. It is a single story."

"This is despite the fact that St Ann has a history of outstanding private-sector leadership, particularly those who pioneered the development of the tourism sector, on top of traditional agriculture," he said. "And, the bauxite/alumina sector developed subsequently, giving the economy its three broad divisions, currently."

The economic development has been limited in scope, resulting in negative consequences for the parish and its people, he stated.

"Our parish has continued to plough ahead in agriculture, mining and tourism, even to this day," said Jarrett, who pointed out that his own ancestors had originated from the Watt Town agricultural community in the parish.

"The challenges that we came and saw are part of the old economy," he told the February 18 meeting at the Hibiscus Lodge/Almond Tree Restaurant in Ocho Rios. "Those economic drivers are the same ones our parents and grandparents came and saw. Therefore, this parish needs to look beyond those old industries.

"The data say that over 30 per cent of the people in this parish live in poverty, largely as a result of declines in agriculture," he pointed out. This is confirmed by the fact that 73.2 per cent of the population of 180,000 live in rural parts of the parish, where agriculture remains a major source of employment.

"If we cannot accommodate more of this rural population in urban St Ann, then they will move on to Kingston and to Brooklyn, NY, because they will try to find a way to improve their lives," Jarrett stated. "You need a new business model to make this parish perform better.

"You should convene a meeting with the parliamentary representatives of your parish in one room," Jarrett suggested to the St Ann Chamber. "And, you need a parish agenda that the four members of parliament can find common cause to support."

He offered the 45 members attending the joint parish chambers of commerce meeting his participation in the first session if they wanted him to. Along with members from the parish chamber, executive members from the Portland, St Mary, Trelawny, Montego Bay, Hanover and the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce attended the meeting.

The St Ann Chamber members welcomed the suggestions from Jarrett with applause, pointing out that there were substantial resources within the parish that could be harnessed more efficiently, and that more effort needs to be focused on marketing goods and services to the domestic market.

Opportunities in e-commerce and distribution were also discussed, with St Ann Chamber President Pixley Irons establishing a working committee to complete the parish agenda for presentation to the political representatives.

Norma Walters, custos of St Ann, added that "this is not about Ocho Rios, it is about St Ann. We need to see the parish in the global context and operate as a united group".

Jeanne Dixon, a former director of the chamber, pointed out that "for many years, the chamber has had plans. All we need is to upgrade those plans".

Supporting Jarrett's call for an agreed parish agenda, Dixon stated that many large businesses in St Ann are not controlled at the local or even the national level. For the locally controlled businesses, she declared, "We now need a voice."

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St Ann can do better Earl Jarrett - Jamaica Gleaner

Lessons from Canada’s scientific resistance – Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Danzig

Lessons from Canada's scientific resistance
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
But its resource-based economy has always been wary of environmental science. In many respects, Harper played to the nation's roots as a freewheeling mining republic that has always been fearfully allergic to scientific evidence that might limit the ...

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Lessons from Canada's scientific resistance - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Verdant Zeal set to celebrate decade of providing media solutions – Guardian

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Danzig

To celebrate its 10th anniversary of providing digital marketing, public relations, creative media planning and buying, and development communication in Nigeria, Verdant Zeal is set to hold a lineup of activities in March. The events kick off with a thanksgiving service on March 1, 2017 at its premises in GRA, Ikeja; a photo exhibition titled Journeys and Discoveries, will follow from Friday, March 17 through Sunday, March 19 at Renaissance Hotel, GRA Ikeja.

The annual Verdant zeal 6th innovation series will hold on March 23 at Civic Centre, Victoria Island and has as theme How Technology is Driving Africas New Narrative. There will be a Quantum awards night on the same day to wrap up the activities.

While speaking with The Guardian, Chairperson of the committee and Group Director, Marketing and Business Development, Nkiruka Oguadinma, said, The events will be an opportunity to showcase what we have done and so we decided to start with the thanksgiving, which will host some of our key clients and partners and those who have supported us in the past 10 years.

Oguadinma also noted that the Quamtum awards would be awarding our first staff, first client and other passionate people who have worked with them since inception.

On the annual invention series, Oguadinma said its focus on technology was due to recent evolvement, adding, Statistics updated in June 2015 shows that Africa has 28.6 per cent Internet penetration with Nigeria having 11.3 per cent of the total penetration in Africa. This shows that Nigeria is a big player in the African market and is expected to be among the top 10 internet-using countries in the world by 2018.

According to her, Africa is gradually moving from a resource-based economy to knowledge-based, innovation-driven economy. This has helped in impacting our youths as more of them are exposed to the internet, share ideas with local and foreign friends. Great minds are stirred up and our leaders are gradually investing in technology in ensuring that Africa is not left behind.

Managing Director, Guarantee Trust Bank Plc, Mr. Segun Agbaje, is expected to be keynote speaker at the invention series, while Chairman, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Hakeem Belo-Osagie, will chair the occasion, among other invited speakers.

8 hours ago Policy & Politics

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Verdant Zeal set to celebrate decade of providing media solutions - Guardian

Bill Gates wants to slow down automation. Why? – TRT World

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Danzig

Could machines really steal jobs?

Gates thinks so.

He's concerned forthe millions of people working in jobslikely to see automation in factories and warehouses, truck and taxidrivers and whether they will be able tofindwork if robots take away their jobs.

In aninterview with the Quartz, Gatessaid industriesand governments needto start looking intothe social consequences of replacing people with robots.

Gates's suggestionhastechnology buffs concerned.

His commentscome at a time whenUS President Donald Trump has ignited debate on how peopleare tired of the government's inability tostem job losses and addressgrowing income inequality.

The tech billionaireandphilanthropisthas proposed an additional taxon companies where robots replace humans. Gates said the tax revenueshould be used to train people for jobs that are available.

A million people who work as delivery truck drivers risk losing their jobs as more companies opt for self-driven vehicles to cut costs. (AP)

There will always be work where human interactionis important, such as teaching and nursing, Gatessaid.

A robot tax, really?

Companies that automate production and serviceswill paythe tax, Gates explains.

But these companieswill also be saving as they won't payincome tax, contribute to social security and have disability insurance. This means that despite the tax, theywill still see increased profits.

Should people be afraid of technology?

The threat that new technology will take away jobs from humans goes back 200 years.

But recenttechnological advancements haveraised anxiety. Half of the jobs in developed countries such as the US are atrisk of being automated,research fromOxford Universityshows.

There was a time when telephone companies employed people to operate switchboards but then came automatedsystems, ending the need for humans.Tractors and mechanical harvesters forced millions of farmers to migrate tocities.

It's not just assembly-line jobs that the fast-learning algorithms threaten to take over. It seems the work that requireshuman thinking and knowledge will alsobe taken overby computers in a few years.

University-educated radiologists now face being replaced bycomputers that cananalyse images accurately and faster, writes Martin Ford in his bookRise of the Robots.

News organisations are using the algorithm of Automated Insights to produce reports faster than journalists. (Getty Images)

But is automation all that bad?

Opinion is divided.

Critics argue that slowing down automation could stallgrowthand hurt the economy. And machines are more efficient and can produce more.

Amazon opened a store last year where customers walk in, pick up products and walk out without stopping at the cashier. The payment is charged to their online accounts. Such stores can eliminate millions of jobs around the world. (Getty Images)

There are somelike financial columnist, Matthew Lynn,who arguethat technology that destroys jobs hasthe potential to create new ones.

"Gates, who destroyed the typing pool with word-processing software, should know that better than anyone."MicrosoftWord helped millions of people become writers and online content developers.

The Economist said Gates's proposal could help maintainsocial stability but it would also mean higher costs for services such as healthcare.

Gates's backers say immediate action needs to be taken.

QuincyLarson, who runs the Free Code Camp, said in hisblogthat the threat of automation displacing millions of workers is very real.

He cites the example of Amazon Go stores where people can pick up their grocerieswithout going through cashier lines. The bill is charged automatically to a customer's Amazon account.

This Wired video shows the efficiency gains warehousing companies can have by employing robots

Workers should be trained for emerging engineering jobs such as programming work with a portion of taxpayers' money that at the moment is used to subsidised industry, Larson said.

Do other tech giants support Gates?

He has some support.

Business tycoon,Elon Musk,who is at the forefront of self-drivingvehicletechnology, alsowants asafety net for people who are replaced by robots.

The founder of Tesla suggestsauniversal basic income for people who become unemployed as a result of automation.

"There would be fewer and fewer jobs that a robot cant do better," he told a conference recently. "These are not things that I wish to happen. These are things that probably will happen."

Waiterscould lose jobs as the restaurant industry adopts automation, according to an Oxford University study. (Getty Images)

In Europe, politicians are already discussing the repercussions of increased automation.

French presidential candidateBenoit Hamonwon the primaries of his socialist party on the back of a promise to establisha universal pay of $810 funded by atax on industrial robots.

Former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis is also a strong believer of "civilising capitalism."

"If you take an iPhone apart, every single technology in it was developed by some government grant, every single one," he said at a discussion with Noam Chomsky last year.

Earlier,a Luxembourg politician,Mady Delvauxsaid in a report that basic income could be funded by a tax on robots.

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Bill Gates wants to slow down automation. Why? - TRT World

Looking Ahead: Jobs That May Never Be Automated – Forbes

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Danzig

Forbes

Looking Ahead: Jobs That May Never Be Automated
Forbes
In a recent article, a few Forbes Technology Council members examined what jobs they think will be automated in the next five to 10 years. But what about the flip side of the issue: What kind of positions or work will be safe from the automation process?

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Looking Ahead: Jobs That May Never Be Automated - Forbes

On the ‘automation’ argument for basic income – Basic Income News

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Danzig

Written by: Michael A. Lewis Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College and the CUNY Graduate Center

When I first became interested in the basic income, I was a graduate student studying welfare reform. For those who arent in the know, welfare is the more common name used in the U.S. to refer to a program called Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and which used to be called Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). TANF and AFDC arent exactly the same programs, but they do have some key things in common: they provide financial support to low income persons, most of those who receive such support are women and children, and, I think its fair to say, both programs are somewhat controversial.

The controversy around welfare has to do with the fact that many of those who receive benefits are apparently able-bodied persons whore thought capable of working (working in this context means selling ones labor in return for a wage, instead of, say, taking care of ones children, something many would regard as work). Yet not enough of those on welfare are working, according to a common belief among many U.S. citizens/residents as well as, apparently, politicians. So in an attempt to socialize welfare beneficiaries into understanding the importance of work, many of them are required to work in return for their benefits, a practice commonly called workfare. Many also remain poor, even after receiving benefits, because the financial support they receive is pretty meager.

As a graduate student, I thought workfare, as well as the low level of benefits provided to recipients was a very unjust way of assisting poor persons; I also thought we could do better (in fact, I still think these things). My entry into the world of basic income was because I believed it a more just way of addressing poverty than welfare and related programs. Once I started studying basic income and meeting others interested in the idea, I heard other justifications for it. It would enhance freedom, it would allow people to engage in care work if they so choose, it would give people an income representing their share of commonly owned natural resources, it would be a way of replacing some or all of the welfare state (which, of course, assumes there is something wrong with the current system), etc. But the argument that seems to have caught on the most, at least in the U.S., is the idea that a basic income will become necessary as robots/machines take our jobs.

I have to admit that part of me has been a bit concerned about the degree to which the automation argument seems to dominate basic income discussions. My worry is that as we spend so much time debating whos right about whether robots will take most, or perhaps all, of our jobs and, therefore, whether therell be a need for a basic income, other arguments for such a policy get crowded out of the discussion. Yet as Ive voiced this concern, mainly to myself, Ive also wondered why this argument for a basic income seems to have caught on in a way that others havent?

I think part of the answer has to do with where I startedU.S. citizens/residents worry a lot about the degree to which healthy people work to take care of themselves (and their families) and are quite skeptical about policies they believe will allow people to shirk this responsibility. But I think another part of the answer has to do with the role of race in our society.I suspect that in the minds of many citizens/residents the degree to which a basic income would allow people to shirk their obligations to work would vary by race. To put it bluntly, I suspect many assume that black and brown people would be more likely to shirk this responsibility than whites would be. If Im right about all this, then perhaps it shouldnt be surprising that the U.S. isnt naturally the most fertile place for the basic income idea to take hold. But why would it take hold in the form of the automation argument? I think the answer here might be pretty simple. If machines are about to take all our jobs, then automation represents a relatively indiscriminant force. That is, hard working white people might be threatened just as much as lazy shiftless brown ones are. Perhaps this has been enough to get white folks to take notice of a policy that perhaps could address the problem.

About the author:Michael A. Lewis is a social worker and sociologist by training whose areas of interest are public policy and quantitative methods. Hes also a co-founder of USBIG and has written a number of articles, book chapters, and other pieces on the basic income, including the co-edited work The Ethics and Economics of the Basic Income Guarantee. Lewis is on the faculties of the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College and the Graduate and University Center of the City University of New York.

Michael Lewis has written 3 articles.

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On the 'automation' argument for basic income - Basic Income News

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