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Daily Archives: July 21, 2021
Talking cryptocurrency, blockchain and NFTs with U of M – UMN News
Posted: July 21, 2021 at 12:30 am
For many, cryptocurrency, blockchain and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are new concepts that some may first associate with wealth, technology or digital artwork. However, while interconnected, each of these terms have a distinct purpose and role in our economy.
Vivian Fang, an associate professor in the Carlson School of Management, is available to explain what these are, what they are for, and what could be next for cryptocurrency, blockchain and NFTs.
Q: What is blockchain technology?Prof. Fang: A blockchain is a multi-party, data-sharing platform. In simple terms, new data can only be uploaded if the participating computers on the network agree. Existing data can not be edited. In more technical terms, a blockchain is a distributed, append-only ledger of provably-signed, sequentially-linked and secured transactions (e.g., through encryption) thats replicated across a network of computers. Updates are determined by a software-driven consensus.
Q. What are cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and how do they work?Prof. Fang: There are three key characteristics of cryptocurrencies:
Cryptocurrencies work similarly to government-issued currencies that are not backed by a commodity, such as the U.S. dollar, because they can be used to buy goods and services. However, no government authority is needed to issue cryptocurrencies and no central agency is needed to clear transactions (e.g., banks and credit card companies).
NFTs are tokenized, digital work. You can think of NFTs as digital collectibles, or crypto alternatives to antiques or baseball cards. NFTs are created to authenticate ownership of creative digital work because transactions of NFTs and their ownership are recorded on blockchain (mostly Ethereum).
Q: In business, what roles do cryptocurrencies and blockchain have?Prof. Fang: As more companies start to expand into the crypto space, customers can now use cryptocurrencies to pay for goods and services at millions of merchants where PayPal is accepted after the online payment giant introduced its Checkout with Crypto service. Furthermore, an increasing number of companies, such as Tesla and MicroStrategy, are starting to invest directly in crypto assets. As a data sharing platform, blockchain has a much broader application in business. If used right, an enterprise blockchain can help save time, cut cost and mitigate risk.
Q: How do cryptocurrencies have value?Prof. Fang: Whether cryptocurrencies have value is perhaps the toughest question to answer. While I can give you some arguments about whether cryptocurrencies do or do not have value, it would only be scratching the surface of a complex system.
On one side of the argument, cryptocurrencies are of great value to libertarians and cypherpunks. They have long yearned for a currency that is free from government intervention and truly native to cyberspace. Cryptocurrencies are also of value because they can now serve as a medium of exchange, and they are anti-inflationary by nature.
However, on the other side, most cryptocurrencies have no intrinsic value. This is because they do not generate cash flows nor do they have stable stores of value (i.e., a currency that can maintain its relative value over time without depreciating). For cryptocurrencies to move toward mainstream acceptance, a certain measure of price stability needs to be achieved.
Q: For those who arent active investors or lack sufficient understanding of these areas, why should they pay attention to what happens?Prof. Fang: The distributed ledger technology that bitcoin builds on is closer to everyday life than one may think. Take Walmart, for example, who required all suppliers of its leafy greens and farm products to join its blockchain by 2019. Customers are effectively relying on the technology for food safety. Also in 2019, blockchain-as-a-skill overtook major skills such as cloud computing and artificial intelligence, and it became the number one hard skill in demand among global employers, according to LinkedIn Learning. This trend will likely continue.
Vivian Fang, Ph.D., is an associate professor and the Honeywell Professor in Accounting in the Carlson School of Management. Along with expertise in cryptocurrency and blockchain, Fangs research lies at the intersection of corporate finance and financial accounting, with a focus on the real effects of trading in financial markets, managerial myopia, executive compensation, and fraud.
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Talking cryptocurrency, blockchain and NFTs with U of M - UMN News
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Top 10 Cryptocurrency Prices on July 20, 2021 – Analytics Insight
Posted: at 12:30 am
Analytics Insight presents the top 10 current cryptocurrency prices on July 20, 2021
The market of cryptocurrency keeps varying every now and then, it is highly volatile. And so it becomes highly difficult to figure out things for the investors before investing in the cryptocurrency market. But we are here with the top 10 cryptocurrency prices to help you decide and invest better.
Analytics Insight lists the top 10 cryptocurrency prices on July 20, 2021
Bitcoin ( BTC)- US$29,624.38 (down by 6.04%)
Ethereum (ETH)- US$1,732.72 (down by 7.91%)
Tether (USDT)- US$1.00 (down by 0.01%)
Binance Coin (BNB)- US$264.94 (down by 11.48%)
Cardano (ADA)- US$1.04 (down by 18.38%)
USD Coin (USDC)- US$1.00 (down by 0.02%)
XRP (XRP)- US$0.5305 (down by 9.44%)
Dogecoin (DOGE)- US$0.1646 (down by 8.51%)
Binance USD (BUSD)- US$1.00 (down by 0.01%)
Polkadot (DOT)- US$10.70 (down by 12.93%)
According to CoinMarketCap, the global crypto-market cap is US$1.19T with a volume of US$62.78billion over the last 24hours with a 7.34% decrease over the last day.
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Top 10 Cryptocurrency Prices on July 20, 2021 - Analytics Insight
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Cryptocurrency bank plans India operations, takes cooperative route to get around RBI rules – The Indian Express
Posted: at 12:30 am
At a time when the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) frowns on private virtual currencies, the proposal of cryptocurrency bank Cashaa to launch banking operations in India for customers of virtual currencies like Bitcoin from August, through the credit co-operative society route, has raised eyebrows in financial circles.
Cashaa says it has launched Unicas, the worlds first crypto-friendly financial institution with physical branches in India in association with the United Multistate Credit Co-operative Society. It allows services for both crypto and fiat (currencies) from a single savings account, Cashaa founder and CEO Kumar Gaurav said.
The bank has ambitious plans to extend loans to buy cryptocurrencies and open savings accounts for customers. The government is also planning to bring in a law to regulate cryptocurrencies.
Asked whether the firm has sought RBIs permission to launch a bank, Gaurav said United is a multistate credit co-operative society which is registered and works under the Registrar of Societies. As we give services to members only, we do not need the RBIs permission for this model. United is also a member of the National Federation of Urban Co-operative Banks and Credit Societies Ltd (NAFCUB) vide membership No. 1753 and certified with ISO 9001:2008 for Quality Management Systems, he said in an email reply to a questionnaire from The Indian Express.
A credit co-operative society doesnt deal in banking business, instead it lends money only to its members. This society doesnt come under the RBI. The promoters of the so-called bank are taking the credit co-operative route to avoid strict regulation and monitoring of the RBI. They wont get a banking licence from the RBI. However, this society can lend to its members. It can still create a systemic risk to the financial system, said a banking source.
I think opening a credit co-operative society or providing services through them is an easier route as compared to going through private banking services. I am sure they would have some sort of limitations for customers on the banking side, that would be interesting to watch out for, said Hitesh Malviya, founder, Itsblockchain.com.
The Finance Ministry and the RBI did not respond to queries about the legal position of Cashaas bank.
As Unicas is part of Cashaa, we are working towards the future of banking in India. We are releasing personal accounts in India powered by CAS tokens with features such as saving account for the Indian rupee and crypto as well as lending (loan against crypto and loan to buy crypto), Gaurav said.
Gaurav said he planned to release it during Independence week (in August) as a symbol of the freedom of money. We will start issuing cards to account holders by the end of this year. All these services will be available through our internet banking application as well as in our branches, he said.
He said Cashaa has created a hassle-free banking experience for crypto businesses who are underserved by banks. Today, with more than five banking partners in three continents, we are providing business banking to more than 250-plus crypto companies. With our vast network of partners, Cashaa is leading the way for crypto-friendly global banking services (B2B), Gaurav said.
Before opening Unicas model branches, we have tested the model with three of the existing United branches, and now we are going to open new and modernise all the United branches in the coming months, he said.
The RBI, which is against other virtual cryptocurrencies, has warned people against such currencies several times in the past. It has indicated that it is very much in the game, and getting ready to launch its own digital currency. Central bank digital currency is a work in progress. The RBI team is working on it, technology side and procedural side how it will be launched and rolled out, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said recently.
Uncertainty over the legal status of cryptocurrencies is unnerving Indian investors who, according to unofficial estimates, hold around $1.5 billion (Rs 10,000 crore) in digital currencies. The government, which plans a law to ban private digital currencies, favours a digital currency backed by the Reserve Bank of India.
While existing investors could get an exit route in the event of a ban on trading, mining and holding cryptos, the proposed legal structure may seek declarations of holdings and transactions retrospectively from investors and traders.
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Cryptocurrency bank plans India operations, takes cooperative route to get around RBI rules - The Indian Express
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Craft Guild of chefs reveals the names of chefs through to next stage of The National Chef of the Year competition – Premier Construction Magazine
Posted: at 12:29 am
Its been a nerve-wracking but exhilarating day for 33 talented chefs. Couriers have been delivering personalised CCS (Continental Chef Supplies) chef jackets and Churchill goody boxes to homes or restaurants across the UK. This exciting package is confirmation that the individual has made it through to the next stage of the prestigious National Chef of the Year (NCOTY) competition. Throughout the day, chefs have been uploading pictures of their jackets on to their own social media channels using the hashtag #NCOTY.
After impressing the panel of judges with their three course menus, which tell their personal story of the pandemic, the following chefs have made it through to round two:
This years NCOTY competition focuses on sustainability and food heroes with the pandemic and its impact in mind. For the next round, these 33 chefs will be invited to present a small signature dish of their choice via video. The chefs have been asked to sum up their pandemic year of 2020-2021 in two to three bites. Judges will be looking for a dish which reflects each chefs personality and tells a story. Dishes may be a personal or family memory or a reflection of the wider industry that has had an impact on an individual. It could explore a style of cuisine, a nostalgic dish, a recipe that reflects heritage or the use of hero ingredients that a chef is passionate about.
Chair of judges and Michelin starred restaurateur, Paul Ainsworth said: All the judges were really impressed with the standard of entries we received this year. This is still a challenging time for chefs with staff shortages, restrictions and isolation, but you could see the thought and effort that had gone into each of their menus. To enter such a tough competition in these circumstances shows ambition and a true determination to succeed. With the list of chefs, we have in this round, I know its going to be an incredible top ten.
Vice President of the Craft Guild of Chefs and organiser of the competition, David Mulcahy, added: We had chefs such as Phil Howard, Alyn Williams and Russell Bateman joining Paul in judging this first stage and every one of the panel commented about the standard of entry this year. The resilience of these chefs is something to be truly celebrated and it shows that when times are hard you can still achieve incredible things when you set your mind to it. We have been so determined and proud to keep this competition going throughout the pandemic and have a thrilling final in-store later this year. Look out for the big reveal of our top ten on Friday, 13th August, 2021.
NCOTY is run in partnership with KNORR and supported by CCS, Churchill, Rational UK and Le Cordon Bleu.
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Beating Breath of the Wild like its Snake took careful planning and infinite patience – Destructoid
Posted: at 12:29 am
Link is patiently standing still. He is waiting, steadfast in a single spot, as the rain continues to pour on top of him. Surely he could move, get out of the rain, and dry off. But returning to the main path, or some shelter, or even teleporting might break the path of his journey through The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. And that would break the rules of Snake.
Everest Pipkin is a drawing, games, and software artist who produces small work with large data sets, and who also happens to likeBreath of the Wild. And back when the Master Trials DLC launched and added the Heros Path mode, allowing the player to see the route they took through the game as one long trail behind them, Pipkin had an idea: what if you played it like a game of Snake?
In an interview with Destructoid, Pipkin says they were inspired by other runs, what you might call non-standard methods, of playing through a video game with some meta-textual goals or constraints in mind. They reference the San Andreas Deer Cam, and playthroughs of Minecraft where a player sought to find the edge of the procedurally generated world, seeing the landscape turn surreal and crumble around them as they went.
After wanting to do the run for years, Pipkin set out for adventure on November 11, 2020, with the goal to solve what they called The Traveling Swordsman Problem. They sought to journey across Hyrule, without ever crossing their own trail.
As it turns out, thats a bit of a challenge.
Once I started, I ran into some problems right away, because I think I was originally like, Oh, Ill just save scum,' Pipkin told me. And like, itll all be about finding a path through the world that lets me do the Divine Beasts, and I can try over and over again until I get it right.
It quickly became apparent that it wasnt going to be so easy, however. Breath of the Wild is fairly open in how it lets the player glide, clamber, and journey across the open world of Hyrule, but that also means more aspects to account for. That means planning for possible vertical overlaps, for example. Knowing where certain scenes had to happen, and what was critical to progression and how it triggered, was all important in laying out a 2D path through this 3D world.
There were also unforeseen obstacles. Breath of the Wilds save management system, as well as its cutscenes and other actions outside of Pipkins control, could sometimes teleport Link to other areas, dropping him in a new spot, and inconveniently drawing a line from A to B, causing potential unintended intersections.
Pipkin described a situation with Hestu, the cheerful Korok musician who can expand Links inventory. His questto steal back his maracasrequires speaking to him twice. A normal task for any other player, but through Pipkins ruleset, required some careful negotiation of cliffs and approach vectors. And, as it turns out, the dialogue can warp Link back over the path they took in. That, along with issues like resting, or loading from an autosave, can cause all kinds of straight-line paths that would directly conflict with Pipkins goal. The Travelling Swordsman Problem wasnt just about navigating Hyrule, but also navigating Breath of the Wilds unwritten rules about what it does and doesnt write to the Heros Path trail.
So when I asked Pipkin why they kept at it, and what kept them going, I chuckled a bit when their initial reply was to call it a sunk-cost fallacy situation. Though really, it does take someone determined to pull this off; and even though it got tough at times, it never took a turn into being clearly impossible.
It felt like I had made this bet that I could see it done, said Pipkin. And if there was ever a point where there was a hard exit, right, where it was like, okay, you know, this cutscene is essential. And there is no way to do it without drawing a loop in the map. Like, its just impossible. Then maybe that would have been a failed state, maybe I would have been like, Okay, I guess this is impossible, goodbye. But because I never hit that, it was really just a matter of doing it right next time.
So Pipkin carried on. And whats more, they were chronicling their journey the whole way. Their whole playthrough is available on YouTube: every new step forward, every annoying restart, and plenty of time just hanging out, waiting for some NPC cycles to finish or rain to stop pouring.
This also means the process of slowly solving what can even be done using this type of run. Pipkin said they didnt want to just run to Hyrule Castle right after leaving the Great Plateau; if youre going to do this Snake-style run, then you kind of have to move through the whole world.
Clearly, some areas were more doable than others. Shrines, thankfully, dont record movement inside them to the Heros Path, and so Pipkin found some freedom inside those challenges. But segments like teaming up with Prince Sidon to board the Divine Beast, for example, involved both cutscenes (potential teleports) and a gameplay segment where the pair would be constantly moving in loops.
So, clearly, Divine Beasts were off the table. At several points, Pipkin attempted to route in Eventide Island, the infamous challenge area. And though they never found a solution, Pipkin still highlights it as a great microcosm of what the Travelling Swordsman Problem is all about: analyzing, carefully traversing, and figuring out how to deal with the chaos of Breath of the Wilds many, many overlapping systems. At any point, something youve never seen before could knock you off your intended route, so learning to mitigate disaster is a helpful skill.
Eventually, Pipkin decided their win condition was to get every tower in Breath of the Wild, then head for Hyrule Castle. It was an important distinction to make, that this wasnt just about a test of their ability to play the game, but to also understand the game.
I felt like it was important to have something else that wasnt just like, the pure capacity of my skill to not get hit by enemies, said Pipkin. But rather, the capacity of infinite patience. To like, be in the world, and go on the worst walk ever.
That walk would require a fundamentally different approach than you might expect, too. It meant fighting in a different way, since doing the side-step dance with an enemy and flurry-rushing them would be too unpredictable, movement-wise. They described doing a lot of moving forward and hitting, or standing still and waiting for enemies to approach. And if anything died behind you, none of those resources could be obtained.
Surprisingly, resources werent too much of an issue. Shrines could offer some bounties, and as it turns out, Breath of the Wild is fairly generous in providing the player with resources. There were periods where its like, I dont have any arrows, or I dont have a single shield, Pipkin recounts. But for the most part, you know, I had enough to keep my very few weapon slots stocked.
Fairies were an especially precious resource, as they could act as a preventative against death, and deaths werent just trouble for moving forward, but also for keeping the path going as Pipkin wanted it to go. So a planned excursion to a Fairy Fountain resulted in some patient waiting for fairies to flit by, eventually coming close enough for Link to grab some and stock up.
Rain, of course, was a big factor. Travelling off the beaten path means cliffs, mountains, and possibly unintended routes through different regions, and that means climbing. Traversing those slopes in the rain, as any Breath of the Wild player will tell you, is precarious at best. So then, its a short bout of waiting on a cliffside for the rain to stop, hanging out in chat as the in-game hours pass by.
Chat, at least, was helpful. Pipkin started their run with pre-recorded videos, but soon flipped to live-streaming the run and uploading VODs later. Passing the time gets a lot easier when you have a small group of viewers to chat with about the weather, pets, or whatever else has been going on as Link stands patiently resolute, holding out for the clouds to break.
After eight months, and six restarts, Pipkin accomplished their goal. Culminating in a Hyrule Castle run that, due to it having its own map that logged to the main map, meant having to navigate the final dungeon from memory, they toppled Calamity Ganon and finished their goal. The Snake run had been achieved.
But as Pipkin had gone on such a journey through Hyrule, altering how they thought about the game and its landscape, it was all doable. Though they say they had a couple versions of a map that looked like a conspiracy theorist-like pinboard, Pipkin used those tools less and less over time. They were becoming familiar with the world and its systems in the context of this Snake run, and anticipating how to deal with chaos had become a little second-nature by the runs end.
They tell me they enjoy speedruns, but their own approach is a little different; they like the process of seeing those runs come together. I am always interested in watching people who play games that way, playing them freely, said Pipkin. Where theyre like, fucking around in the world, trying to find a better route, trying to like perform some sort of weird save system [trick], trying to duplicate a wall clip that somebody else did, and getting it wrong 100 times before they get it exactly right.
And after eight months, Pipkin did get it exactly right. They have solved the Traveling Swordsmans Problem. To answer the most obvious follow-up: no, they have not done it again.
I took it out, said Pipkin. I took the game out of my Switch. I put it away. Im tempted to play Skyward Sword but I dont even know if I want to do that.
While they still truly love Breath of the Wild, and how satisfying it is to mess around in its world with so many ways to play, they say theyve seen enough of Hyrule for a while. Some mention of other games came up, like a shipless run of Outer Wilds, but it would need to have that same mix of interesting meta-textual, house-rules approach and existing attachment to the game. But while it may be a while, Pipkin isnt done with Hyrule forever.
By the time Breath of the Wild 2 comes out, jokes Pipkin. Ill be there.
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Beating Breath of the Wild like its Snake took careful planning and infinite patience - Destructoid
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E-transmission: The allure of toxic leaders – Daily Sun
Posted: at 12:29 am
Nigerian politics and politicians, are indeed, a bunch of fun to follow. Very often, they command our attention, not for any patriotic or altruistic reasons. Unselfish or selfless service is not their forte. They are poor candidates to stand for change and democratic ideals. Neither do they have open mind, no conviction or scruples. They seek only the aggrandizement of their own, and that of their families. Theres no limit to how low the present members of the 9th National Assembly can go. As a matter of fact, they dont mind being caught dead in a strip club if that is what it takes to satisfy their personal, cynical political ambitions . Its all about the protection of the status quo, the existing state of affairs. It stinks. Nothing else matters. Thats why our politics heaves with hysteria. Its about the fear of defeat, the panic of the unknown.
Although most Nigerian lawmakers hardly stand for anything ennobling apart from their own selfish interests, few things rankle and offend as last weeks passage of the much-anticipated Electoral Amendment Bill by both Houses of the National Assembly the Senate and House of Representatives. Perhaps most offensive clause in the amendment Bill is the insertion of Section 52(2) which disapproves the electronic transmission of election results. Prior to the passage of the amended bill, reports were rife that there was a grand plan to surreptitiously remove electronic transmission of results in the original draft of the Electoral Act( Amendment) Bill 2021. Both houses stoutly denied any such attempt. As sincere deceivers who never keep to their words, even in the face of reality, the APC- controlled parliament has finally achieved their sinister, ulterior motives.
This calls for serious concern. Last Thursday and Friday should go down in infamy as the moment that democracy was decapitated in Nigeria, if it is allowed to stand or sign into law by President Muhammadu Buhari. No more guarantee that elections in Nigeria will be credible, fair and transparent. According to the contentious provision , voting at an election under this Bill shall be in accordance with the procedures determined by the Independent Electoral Commission, which may include electronic voting provided that the Commission shall not transmit results of the elections by electronic means. Could this be alleged plans to rig the next elections in 2023? As THISDAY newspaper stated last Friday, the action of the Senate and the House of Representatives was driven by fear of defeat in the next elections. Many believe that deep-seated fear is real, but foreboding for Nigerias democracy.
The reasons given by the NASS for its action is laughable, asinine, reprehensible , antithetical to the ideals of democracy, and unconstitional. No law that contradicts the Constitution should stand. The lawmakers want to be a referee in a game which they are players. What a shame! What a scam! Wisdom requires that you cannot be a judge in your own court. Clearly, manual transmission of election results belongs to the medieval times, completely outdated. A year ago, the INEC Chairman Prof. Manhood Yakubu, had decried it. He said it was cumbersome and too expensive.
Just a few days ago , the electoral umpire reassured its preparedness to transmit elections results electronically. It did that successfully in Edo and Ondo gubernatorial elections. Mr. Festus Okoye, the National Commissioner for Voter Education and Information, said INEC was irrevocably committed to uploading election results nationwide, electronically. He said it will help deepen our democracy and make our elections credible and transparent, adding that INEC has the capacity to do that across the country, from every polling unit, to the Registration Area collation centres, to the local Government Collation centres, states and national collation centres.
And you begin to ask : what more assurance than this can you get from the umpire itself? But it is clear that interest of Nigerians and a credible election dont matter to the National Assembly members who voted against electronic transmission of results. More laughable was the claim that most part of the country lack internet connectivity. And the Nigerian Communication Commission(NCC) was used to drive the big lie, to the effect that 3G coverage in the country is only 50 percen. Remember that the same NCC had on March 9, 2018, at the joint Technical Committee constituted by INEC, stated categorically that 3G in the country was almost 80 percent. Just recently, Mtn Nigeria one of the network providers ,said that 3G coverage in the country has reached 88.9 percent?
All that the NASS has done in the Electoral Amendment Bill, is inconsistent with the Constitution. And until the constitution is amended, all the insertions, are a nulity. To subject INEC to the dictates of NCC and the NASS, amounts to a coup detat. The Bill that was passed says NCC will determine whether INEC could transmit results electronically. This is contrary to the Electoral Act 2010, Clause 52(2) and Section 78 of the 1999 Constitution( as amended). Section 78 specifically states that the registration of voters and the conduct of the elections shall be subject to the direction and supervision of INEC. Also, in the Third schedule, Part 1, F, section 15, INEC has inherent powers to organise undertake and supervise all elections. The Constitution further provides that INEC operations shall not be subject to to the direction of any other authority. The role of the NASS stops at strengthening the legal framework of the commission, and not to put hurdles in the operations of the electoral umpire. It must not contradict the constitution which is the grundnorm to get things work in a democracy.
What all of this means is that the NASS is after their own personal agenda, not the collective interests of the country and the citizens. Imagine how, the Chairman of the Committeee that amended the Electoral Act, Senator Kabiru Gaya, voted against the very document he, and other members, recommended. These are not people to be trusted. They are what Jean Kipman-Blumen calls The Allure of Toxic Leaders(Oxford University Press, 2004). She explains why we follow destructive and corrupt politicians -and how we can survive them. Her analysis fits in what Nigeria is going through in the hands of politicians. To paraphrase the author, bad leaders are like 17-year locusts. When they show up en masse, the public greets them with fascination and revulsion. Look around, our politicians provoke a sort of frothing at the mouth.
Why they do what to do, is personal, selfish, inhumane. Nothing lofty and ennobling. In the fullness of time, history will judge them harshly, not kindly. Why our legislators, indeed, politicians are doing what they are doing without minding the consequences, is a sad lesson in power.You know why? As historian Robert A. Caro wrote, no one can lead who does not first acquire power, and no leader can be great who does not know how to use power. But the combination of the two skills is rare.
Our politicians know how to acquire power, by any means, but they lack the talent to know that power is transient, and there must be life about politics. The trouble of how we got to this messy situation in the country is that, what leaders do while they are trying to get power is not necessarily what they do after they have it. What they have done with the manipulation of the Electoral Bill tells it all. Its not you that matters. Its using raw power to accomplish their cynical agenda.
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Clairos Sling paves a brilliantly inspired and elegantly orchestrated road to comfort – The A.V. Club
Posted: at 12:29 am
ClairoPhoto: Adrian Nieto
Claire Cottrill made bedroom pop before bedroom pop became as generic a term as indie or alternative. As a teen, she made beats and recorded tracks at home, uploading them to Bandcamp and Soundcloud under the names DJ Baby Benz and Clairo. In 2017, she catapulted to internet stardom following her webcam-recorded video for the lo-fi track Pretty Girl. In front of a headboard and a wall plastered with maps and a Shins poster, a bare-faced Cotrill mouths along to lyrics about feeling the need to change herself in order to fit into a relationship, swapping sweaters and bringing on a special guest: her Gizmo Funko Pop. The video quickly amassed views on YouTube, and currently sits at more than 75 million. Cotrill next signed to the FADER Label and released her PC-pop EP diary 001, with features from rapper Rejjie Snow and composer Danny L. Harle.
Cottrills critically acclaimed debut album Immunity arrived in 2019, with standout singles Bags and Sofia (about her pop culture crushes like Sofia Coppola) cementing her place as a talented newcomer in genre-bending pop. Former Vampire Weekend multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Rostam Batmanglij lent his production skills to Immunity, with clean percussive melodies, hip-hop-style trap beats, and distorted synths creating an air that contrasted with the somber topics covered throughout the album: Cottrills experiences in her queer relationships, depression, and her relationship with herself.
Now, Cottrill delivers her most innately beautiful and well-orchestrated album yet, co-producing Sling with one of contemporary pops most prominent producers, Jack Antonoff. With simply stated lyrics, the songwriter ponders how she got to where she is, and how she wishes to move forward. On a vastly different route, Cottrill winds her way through chamber-folk with swelling brass and strings that underline the work and bring life to the story of the singer finding her way back to herself and home.
The opening track, Bambi, sways with robust, jazzy saxophones, and the rise and fall of a tingling flute, setting the stage for an artist who feels no closer to finding herself in fame. On Amoeba, Cottrill sings about the lack of care she offered herself in the years before, so busy with touring shed forget to call her friends and family and return from the road with her hair falling out. Antonoff brings what he does best to the song, with a perky piano melody that builds to a moment where the clouds part and the sun shines through, offering a moment of clarity on previous wrongdoings.
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Cottrill yearns for domesticity throughout Sling, and the comfort and security of however someone defines home. In Zinnias she croons, Sure sounds nice to settle down for a while. The track keeps listeners on their toes, culminating in a groovy, quick-paced breakdown and a guitar line reminiscent of early Mac DeMarco. The layered vocals of Immunity are turned up to a 10 on Sling, with the help of fellow Gen-Z musician Lorde, who sings backup on Blouse and Reaper. Cottrill harnesses Americana influences from the Laurel Canyon scene of the 60s and 70s, opening the door to heightened intimacy and a bright state of mind.
Cottrills stated museher Chow Chow/Great Pyrenees pup named Joaniereceives an instrumental tribute on the album. The playful yet pensive tune captures the feelings of joy expressed when bonding and starting a life with a new creature. Joanie falls into a steady and calming melody, evoking a certain peace of mind. Its simple, and precious.
As much as Sling conveys the the beautiful and youthful innocence Cottrill finds in Joanie, the album also touches on the sexualization of young women by the music industry. In a recent interview with The Guardian, she shared the crushing reality that what this industry does a lot is drain young women of everything until theyre not youthful any more, a sentiment echoed in the final words of final track Management: Im old with resentment.
The first delicate offering from Sling, Blouse, brought listeners into what would be a sonically tender era for Clairo, but the lyrics provide a perfect example of the degrading behavior men exhibit against women, even in professional settings. In a newsletter to fans, Cottrill explained the inspiration behind Blouse: youve hung your coat, scarf, combed your stray hairs back, and sat down. The table is set, you are equipped and prepared for a professional conversation, and all of a suddenyou see a male colleague staring down your shirt while youre halfway through a sentence. On Management, she imagines a life for herself filled with friends and men who dont speak over her, as she balances the grief and guilt she feels for what shes endured so far. The message is exemplified by her emphasizing her own youth, where she asks, Mom, would you give me a ring? / One for the ride, and one for the magazine? / Shes only 22.
Cottrill says the track is about wanting so badly to have a home and really feel capable on my own, but not knowing when or how I can do that. Despite these lingering regrets and grudges, she concludes Sling with a triumph, as she prioritizes herself and her peace of mind, knowing one day shes gonna step away from it all, and it will just be her and Joanie.
In her newsletter about Blouse, Cottrill says that when Joanie entered her life, all I wanted to do was create an environment that was safe, inviting, secure, with the realization that she had yet to give that same care to herself. Sling builds out the walls of a safe home. The album offers a space where Cottrill freely expresses herself and her wishes for her life, and she holds no reservations. The last few moments of Sling carry Cottrill away, in an ildyllic walking off into the sunset scene as flutes and strings wisp above. As the songwriter looks forward to to her new home in a tiny Massachusetts town nestled near the Catskills, shes done a lot of the work in Sling to create a little feeling of home already.
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CBD Infused Drinks: Everything You Need to Know… – Marketscreener.com
Posted: at 12:29 am
As we roll into the hottest part of the year, everyone's looking for fresh new ways to quench their thirst. And one of the fastest-growing segments of the beverage business lately has been CBD infused drinks.
But what are CBD infused drinks? What are the benefits? What do they taste like? Is it better to buy them or make your own? Read on to find the answers to all of those questions, and learn about cbdMD's upcoming line of CBD drink mixes!
CBD infused drinks can be any drinks that have cannabidiol, or CBD, in them. But the methods of infusion are not always the same.
Most CBD products that you encounter on the market are made with CBD oil, in which the CBD is in a medium of some kind of plant-based oil. cbdMD's CBD tincturesuse MCT oil, for instance. That's because, in its pure form, CBD extract is a fat-soluble crystal, so dissolving it in fat makes it viable for human consumption.
However, there are some obvious drawbacks to using oil in drinks. If you've got a drink that involves a fatty substance already, like a caffe latteor a pina colada, then adding a few drops of oil is no problem. But in a water-based drink like juice, soda pop, seltzer, wine, and so on, the oil will end up floating on top of the liquid.
Fortunately, scientific ingenuity has been hard at work on the problem.
Making a form of CBD that's water-soluble is tough because CBD is not water-soluble in its natural state. But there are ways around it. cbdMD uses nano-encapsulation technology, in which every CBD molecule is encased in a food-grade shell whose inner surface is friendly to fat-soluble materials (like CBD). And the outer surface allows the whole thing to dissolve in water.
Where does this high-tech substance come from exactly? The soapbarktree of South America, Quillaja saponaria. If you think about it, it makes sense - soap is a substance that breaks down oils and is also water-soluble. If soap in your drink sounds weird, though, be assured that it's not the same stuff that most commercial soaps are made out of, and it's often used as a foaming agent in drinks.
The benefits of CBD drinks are similar to CBD benefitsin general, at least when taken internally. Ingesting CBD can support whole-body wellness in various ways that depend on individual responses and needs, but some of the most common reasons people take it include:
Taking CBD in drink form instead of tinctures, capsules, or gummies is largely a matter of preference. In fact, they don't really have to be opposed - you can have a regular regimen of tinctures or capsules going and add on drinks or gummies for flavor, or vary the delivery method by the day for the sake of variety.
Conversely, a CBD drink might be most helpful if it's part of your daily routine. If you religiously nurse a cup of coffee every morning, you can make it a CBD coffee. Or, if you always unwind with a cup of tea in the evening, you can make CBD teatoo. It all depends on what works for you.
The main thing you want to keep in mind is that you maintain a consistent daily baseline of CBD intake. CBD can stay in your system for days or even weeks, so you may not know precisely how a given amount is going to affect you until you've been taking it for some time. If you're still not getting the results you desire, you can gradually adjust your intake.
CBD by itself doesn't have much flavor. Any other flavoring in a CBD product winds up overwhelming it. So you don't have to worry about a CBD drink having some 'hempy' taste unless it's actually advertised as such. The distinct smell and flavor of whole cannabis come from a range of substances in the plant.
Again, that's a matter of preference. Making your own CBD drinks gives you more control over the ingredients, which is important if you have food allergies or just a picky palate. But it's also true that unless you've mastered nano-encapsulation technology in your home lab, you're stuck using some form of CBD oil in your home recipes.
This gives you flexibility in that you can get CBD oils with almost no flavor of their own, but you still have the oil-and-water problem. Some people don't really mind because they've only got maybe half a teaspoon of oil floating around, but if it bothers you, you might prefer a different way to include CBD in your favorite beverages.
Buying pre-made beverages means that you can get CBD drinks with zero fat, as well as other ingredients that might not be readily available. And they can't be beat for convenience. But of course, you have less flexibility to customize ingredients.
An in-between option is to get a water-soluble CBD drink mix, which brings us an opportunity for some shameless self-promotion.
This August, cbdMD will be launching a new line of CBD drink mixes with 25 mg of our Superior Broad Spectrum CBD in every serving. The mixes have other benefits, including:
You can make a nice fruit-flavored beverage simply by pouring the mix in 8 ounces of water and shaking it thoroughly. But you can also get creative and combine the mixes with any water-based beverage: juice, tea, soda pop; you name it. Because of the shaking, you'll want to make carbonated drinks in a similar way to a highball cocktail: shake the mix with a small amount of some non-carbonated liquid and stir the fizzy drink gently into that.
CBD drink mixes provide a fun way to not only get your own CBD but to share it with friends. If you know people who are CBD-curious, sharing a punch bowl of CBD infused drinks can be an easy and delicious way for them to try it for themselves.
Check out our new CBD recipe portal, which includes recipes for many CBD beverages and where we will keep uploading more. We're also constantly posting recipes for drinks and other CBD goodies on our Instagram, Facebook, and Twitterfeeds, so be sure to give us a follow!
Disclaimer
cbdMD Inc. published this content on 20 July 2021 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 20 July 2021 16:07:05 UTC.
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Meet Simone Ferretti, an astute name and personality climbing his way to the top in the social media industry. – The American Reporter
Posted: at 12:29 am
Announcing himself in style while being on the grids of the social media world, Simone Ferretti enthrals all with his multi-tasking abilities.
The fast-paced life of our current times has forced us to play many different roles. The situation demands not only our sheer presence but expects us to excel and give our best. The uprising of many industries has pushed the current generation of youngsters to the core and made them create a special niche and name for themselves. One of the industries that has tremendously changed the demographics of the economy has been the social media sector. Observing multiple changes and trends, it has become mandatory for the social media professionals to keep changing their gears regularly and be on the top of their A game. Simone Ferretti has been that social media star who has been on the top of his game proving his skills in different sectors and rising high as an ace entrepreneur.
This talented individual has shown to be a top figure in many roles: Model, Trainer, Social media consultant, Photographer/Videographer, and Content creator. With the goal of fulfilling his dreams of becoming one of the most successful entrepreneurs of the social media industry, Simone has worked his heart out to create a unique identity for himself and today he is in a league of its own. Offering the best-in-class services in each role that he plays, Simone provides loads of value to his clients assuring organic growth through specific be-spoke strategies. Driven by its energy and values rather than pure business, Simone has quickly become the numberone choice for the majority of his customers across the world. He has been able to develop and cater to a discrete list of clients which have now given to him full control of their digital strategies. With global aspirations in mind, Simone is working extremely hard to succeed at the highest level. His stellar work ethic and professionalism has been recognized and appreciated by not only his industry peers but also by many competitors.
Wearing multiple hats on his head, Simone started as a model, trainer and further deep dived into the digital realm by uploading short videos on social media apps. Gaining initial success and momentum, Simone took amends to develop his photography and videography skills. Moving to London to study business and master his photography skills, Simone is creating a system where he can help and guide many upcoming budding photographers and videographers to stand out from the crowd and garner much work and money for themselves.
Simone continues to flourish as an all-rounder entrepreneur by hovering over 500k+ followers on TikTokand 110k+ followers on Instagram. For more info, do follow him on Instagram @sferro21.
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This Company Raised $100 Million To Bring Gene Therapy To The Masses – Forbes
Posted: at 12:28 am
Kriya Therapeutics cofounder and CEO Shankar Ramaswamy.
Over the past several years, breakthroughs in gene therapy have led to treatments for rare diseases that were deadly just a decade ago. Take Zolgensmain 2019, it was the first gene therapy approved by the FDA to treat spinal muscular atrophy, a rare genetic disease that affects the mobility of infants and children. But gene therapies have historically had two drawbacks: They are only used for rare diseases, and they carry a hefty price tag (treatment with Zolgensma costs $2.1 million).
Kriya Therapeutics is trying to overcome these obstacles by creating gene therapies for the massesand manufacturing them at a lower cost. On Wednesday, the startup announced that it had raised a $100 million Series B funding round to get it closer to this goal. The round was led by investors from Patient Square Capital and also involved investors from QVT, Dexcel Pharma, Foresite Capital, Bluebird Ventures, Transhuman Capital, Narya Capital, Amplo and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation T1D Fund.
We think this is going to be an extraordinarily important therapeutic class that will revolutionize the treatment of many diseases, says Jim Momtazee, managing partner at Patient Square Capital.
The Silicon Valley-based company was founded in late 2019 by three pharmaceutical industry alums, including a former cofounder of Spark Therapeutics and the former president of United Therapeutics Corp. Shankar Ramaswamy, Kriyas CEO, was part of the foundational team at Roivant Sciences. The new round brings the companys total funding to $180 million; the company declined to reveal its valuation.
Kriyas main focus is its uniquely designed Adeno-associated virusesviruses that are harmless when they enter the body, but deliver instructions to cells that then pump out genes that are missing in some people with genetic diseases. Though the company still plans to develop treatments for rare diseases, what sets it apart is its focus on more common genetic diseases, like some forms of diabetes and obesity. So far, gene therapy has been really constrained in many respects from achieving its full potential, Ramaswamy says. We are believers in gene therapy being applied to rare diseases as well as prevalent diseases.
Ramaswamys goal is to build a company that can go from genetic target discovery to manufacturing and then full commercialization of new therapies, unlike a typical biotech startup that might partner with a large pharmaceutical company for the later stages of development (Ramaswamy says the company will be open to partnerships, but can bring a drug to commercialization on its own). Once the company discovers and develops new gene therapies, its 51,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in North Carolina can produce Adeno-associated viruses at scale to deliver the genes to patients in need. Ramaswamy says that capability will bring down the cost, with savings passed along to patients. I think the innovations that were delivering will make gene therapies much more affordable and accessible to patients, he says. We are very committed to not being a burden on the healthcare system.
The companys current pipeline of products are all preclinical, though Ramaswamy says that they plan to submit Investigational New Drug applications to the FDA for several products in late 2022 and early 2023. So far the company is developing gene therapies for type 1 diabetes, solid tumors and two eye conditions: geographic atrophy and uveitis. In the U.S., more than 3 million people combined have at least one of these conditions, meaning Kriya has a huge pool of potential customers. By comparison, there are fewer than 25,000 children and adults with spinal muscular atrophy in the country.
Ramaswamy says that the new capital will go toward continuing the companys explosive growthit now has 80 full-time employeesas well as refining its vector delivery platforms and manufacturing capabilities. In the future, the money will allow the company to continue to develop new gene therapies for diseases both common and rare. Were taking a very new approach, which is to think more broadly, Ramaswamy says.
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This Company Raised $100 Million To Bring Gene Therapy To The Masses - Forbes
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