Monthly Archives: March 2022

The Australian Space Agency has been tasked to develop what the federal government is referring to as a unified national space strategy to shape the sector for the next two decades and beyond.

Minister for Science and Technology Melissa Price said development of the Space Strategic Update comes off the back of industry feedback that Australia needs better alignment efforts in the space sector.

"Through the Space Strategic Update, we will maximise investment and efforts to deliver for all Australians," she said.

The Australian Space Agency is expected to work with industry and government over the next 18 months to deliver the Space Strategic Update.

When completed, the update is anticipated to provide a schedule of space programs and investment opportunities for government, as well as plans for other areas of coordination.

"We will enhance coordination of investments and strategies, whether that's across states and territories, across government or between our science, civil and defence activities," head of the Australian Space Agency Enrico Palermo said

"Likewise we must ensure we have internationally competitive regulation that supports industry growth and entrepreneurship while ensuring public safety."

Just last week, Australia National University vice-chancellor and Nobel-prize winner Brain Schmidt said that greater collaboration between local universities will be necessary to helpAustralia build its sovereign space capabilities.

"Each of us need to work as part of the 'Team Australia' ecosystem. [A] fragmented approach, which I'm afraid that is sort of the natural state of universities, is both inefficient and doesn't scale up," he said.

On top of the Space Strategic Update, Price announced there are no longer plans to introduce space launch application fees, which would have been imposed on businesses conducting domestic launch activities. The introduction of the partial cost-recovery model has been deferred twice since it was first proposed as part of the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook 2019-20.

"Instead of allowing cost recovery to come into effect, or deferring it again -- we're abolishing launch permit application fees entirely," Price said.

"We've taken this decision to provide you with the certainty you need to invest, and to help our small and medium-sized space businesses continue to grow."

In addition, South Australia's dedicated space manufacturing hub has been handed another AU$20 million from the federal government to help get the project off the ground.

The AU$20 million contribution is in addition to the AU$20 million the South Australian government has already committed towards the AU$66 million project.

The hub is being developed by the South Australian government in partnership with a consortium of space manufacturing companies -- Fleet Space Technologies, Q-CTRL, ATSpace, and Alauda Aeronautics.

All four companies will collocate in the facility to collaborate and produce small satellites, rockets, electrical vertical take-off and land vehicles, and support componentry and technical systems. The Australian Space Park will be located at Adelaide Airport.

"This is a huge opportunity for Australia. Our space businesses are already globally-recognised but these investments are about driving their potential to scale up and create more high-value jobs for Australians," Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor said.

"Not only will this investment in South Australia help grow our space sector, it will foster the next generation of space manufacturers and researchers."

This latest investment by the federal government is in addition to the AU$65 million that was announced last week to help "fast track" Australia's space sector.

The federal government has so far committed more than AU$850 million into building Australia's space capabilities since 2018 as part of its "mission to triple the size of the sector and create up to 20,000 new jobs by 2030". This goal was set out under theAustralian Civil Space Strategy.

Also on Thursday, Optus announced that it will utilise SpaceLogistics' mission robotic vehicle (MRV) and mission extension pod (MEP) to extend the life of its D3 satellite in orbit for up to six years.

The MRV, a spacecraft that is capable of robotically servicing multiple satellites in orbit, including the installation of a MEP, will be launched by SpaceX in 2024.

"The sophisticated robotics of the MRV will provide Optus the ability to attach the MEP to D3 which is effectively a fuel tank that extends geostationary life. Once onboarded, the MEP will augment the propulsion system of Optus' D3 satellite, providing an additional six years of life extension," Optus said.

More here:

Australian Space Agency charged with developing the nation's unified space strategy - ZDNet

Solitude has a poor reputation. Experts praise the benefits of social connectivity, which have been linked to enhanced immunity, stress resilience, and even life extension. Being alone, on the other hand, is frequently mistaken for loneliness. Social isolation and loneliness have been connected to an increased risk of heart disease, obesity, anxiety, depression, Alzheimers disease, high blood pressure, and even early death, according to research.

However, it is demonstrating that finding things to do by oneself has actual benefits. You can do activities you enjoy at your own pace and in your own way when you do things by yourself. You learn better about yourself and contemplate your experiences through solitary pursuits.

Finding activities to like on your own may seem tough at first if you are naturally drawn to other people. Including some quiet moments where you may be alone can have a variety of advantages, especially if you are always on the go and find it difficult to slow down and take pauses.

Some things you might want to try:

Take yourself out for dinner

Dining out is frequently thought of as a social event, yet treating oneself to a beautiful dinner allows you to unwind and enjoy the experience alone.

Go for the movies alone

You dont spend much time chatting in the middle of a movie, but being with other people means you can be sidetracked by wondering what they think of it and what they might say later.

When you watch a movie alone, you can concentrate entirely on the tale and images in front of you, rather than worrying about what your friends might think.

Go to your favorite musicians concert

Not only will you be able to see your favorite artists without having to worry about finding companions, but attending a concert alone can also be a terrific chance to meet new people with similar interests. Even if youre doing something on your own, it can help you expand your social network.

Go for a hike

Spending time in nature can be beneficial to your health, but finding individuals who want to go might be difficult. Going alone can allow you to bond with nature, test your body, and enjoy some quiet time.

Nature has been demonstrated to provide a variety of psychological advantages, ranging from restoring focus to reducing stress, according to previous research.

Travel

Traveling and vacationing alone might be daunting, but it can also be an exciting and gratifying way to test yourself and discover new things. Traveling alone is a fantastic method to develop independence and confidence.

Also Read: Karan Singh Grover and Bipasha Basus Car Collection

Link:

Benefits of being alone: The beauty of being there for yourself, check it out - IWMBuzz

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences announced last Wednesday they will make significant changes to the 136-year-old Farm and Industry Short Course program. The program will go from being a 16-week, residential, for-credit course to a non-credit, blended learning program.

These changes will create more flexibility for the faculty and students in the program, CALS Associate Dean for Extension and Outreach Doug Reinemann said. But, some agriculture students and organizations have said the changes will hurt the FISC students in the long run.

Wisconsin Farm Bureau President Kevin Krentz spoke out against CALS changes in a press release, saying CALS failed to consult with stakeholders when planning the changes.

We are disturbed about the dismantling of the current structure of the Farm & Industry Short Course, Krentz said. We are truly disappointed in the missed opportunities to engage stakeholders prior to these changes being made and expect more from a such a prestigious agricultural university.

Zoe Bayliss residents protest current locations demolition to build Levy HallWith the University of Wisconsins last student housing cooperative set to be demolished for a new humanities building, the co-ops Read

The primary reason CALS altered the FISC program was because FISC enrollment had been dropping since 2016, Reinemann said.The programs original 16-week model made it difficult for students and instructors to participate because they were needed on the farms and agribusinesses they work for or own, Reinemann said.

The new model will offer students more flexibility and better reflect the evolving field of agriculture, Reinemann said.

Former FISC student Billy Zeimet said in an email to The Badger Herald that CALS didnt try hard enough to involve students in the decision-making process. Zeimet said CALS shouldnt essentially shut down the FISC program because fewer farmers are applying for it.

Zeimet also said living in dorms was an important part of his time as a FISC student.

Having the time to interact with your peers and learn how they operate their farms is an invaluable experience that cannot be had when students must commute to campus, Zeimet said.

Reinemann said the administration is currently looking at options when it comes to maintaining the close-knit community that the old FISC model created.

In final address, Chancellor Blank offers suggestions for UW-Madisons futureChancellor Rebecca Blank gave her final State of the University address to the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents Read

We hear loud and clear that students value [the residential experience], and we do too, Reinemann said.

CALS understands that some current students and alumni will be saddened to see the old program structure go, Reinemann said. CALS is still exploring some aspects of the new model, such as maintaining a cohort experience, Reinemann said.

Though CALS welcomes feedback on the changes FISC, the school is confident that these changes will be best for the program in the long run, Reinemann said.

Other stakeholders, such as Zeimet, said they believed otherwise.

The changes being made to the FISC program will be detrimental and I do not believe the program will continue to have near the same impact on the agriculture industry that it has for the past 136 years, Zeimet said.

More:

CALS cuts dorm-living, credits from 136-year-old agriculture program - The Badger Herald

Luxy Hair has long been one of our favorite hair extension brands, namely for their innovation and progressiveness. And, theyve done it again. The company just launched their first-ever line of gray hair extensions. With more and more women choosing to go gray, these extensions came at the perfect time.

Designed to empower women to embrace their grays, the launch coincides with International Womens Day (aka today, March 8)and that isnt a coincidence. We are doing so in tandem with International Womens Day in support of this years theme, #BreaktheBias. As women age, they are made to feel like a depreciating asset. We are here to celebrate discovery at any age and champion going gray as a badge of honor, shares Luxy Hair president Amy Sveda.

Luxy Hair has also partnered with Catalyst, a global non-profit founded in 1962 that works with over 800 companies around the world to accelerate women into leadership, for an additional International Womens Day initiative. The company will be donating 10% of all sales sitewide to the non-profit.

Below, Mane Addicts spoke with Amy to learn more about the line of gray hair extensions and their partnership with Catalyst for International Womens Day. Keep scrolling to read our exclusive interview!

Amy Sveda: Our product launch innovation is fundamentally driven by our desire to better serve our customers. Not only did we see a need in the market for gray hair extensions, but we also heard from our customersparticularly those that made a conscious decision to forgo dyeing their hair through the pandemicthat they were looking to us to provide a solution for them.

AS: Honestly, the process was not entirely dissimilar to our research and development for all hair colors and products. We conduct extensive research to understand the most common shades, solicit feedback from our internal/external community, and ensure our sourcing partners are executing to the right balance of color, level of warmth or coolness in tone, and desired style variations. With our gray shades, they are salt and pepper in nature, so ensuring accurate percentages of each color contribution is key.

AS: Customers are able to leverage either our AI Virtual Color Match Tool that allows them to take a photo in real-time or upload an existing image. The tool will provide them with their ideal match instantaneously, or they may reach out to our best-in-class customer experience team who is happy to assist them.

AS: This is our first foray into shades of gray and I anticipate we will learn a great deal in the first few weeks of the launch. We know that our two shades, while the most common, will not suit everyone. We will certainly be reacting to our learnings to ensure we are catering to the needs of our expanding community.

AS: The two shades that we are offering in all of our style options (Classic, Seamless, Halo, Ponytail, Bun) and length variations is the broadest offering of style/color combinations in the market, particularly in the DIY space. We hope that the industry continues to recognize the importance of inclusivity and that true beauty is not defined by antiquated norms.

AS: We want to be a solution provider for anyone looking to make themselves feel better about their hair, boost their overall confidence, leverage their hair as a form of self-expressionfor anyone that views extensions as a form of self-care.

AS: Luxy Hair is an organization whose entire team is comprised of incredibly talented women who are socially conscious and believe in taking action to improve the lives of others. Catalyst has dedicated over 50 years to the advancement of gender equality and equal opportunities for marginalized groups, particularly in the workforce. In support of the theme for this years International Womens Day, Break the Bias, we aim to celebrate age and reinforce that aging is not considered depreciation, but rather an appreciation of experience, wisdom, thought of life. Ageism in the workplace is real and requires advocacy to, again, Break the Bias.

Continued here:

Luxy Hair Launches Their First-Ever Line of Gray Hair Extensions - Mane Addicts

Two broad perspectives have emerged as the civilized world tries to figure out how to respond to the inhumanities perpetrated on Ukraine by the war criminal Vladimir Putin.

One argument counsels restraint and containment in any NATO or other Western action against Putin. Localized aggressors have created bloody massacres before in Yemen, Syria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (to name but three) this thinking goes. What matters most here is negotiation and containment, especially given the Russian presidents aggressive state and his militarys formidable arsenal of nuclear weapons.

No-fly zones, boots on the ground and other forms of direct military intervention, while tempting in the face of human suffering and pleas for help, risk catastrophic escalation that could destroy much of the planet.

The counterargument often draws on the analogy of the early years of Adolf Hitler, when the world failed to act quickly enough to stop his fascist rout of Europe, thus failing to stop unconscionable subsequent loss of life, including the victims of the Holocaust. If Putin is not stopped in Ukraine, this thinking goes, he likely will be emboldened to encroach on other sovereign nations and, perhaps even worse, other authoritarian regimes, such as China, watching Putins success, will be tempted to follow his model in other disputed territorial regions, such as Taiwan.

As British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wrote over the weekend: Vladimir Putins act of aggression must fail and be seen to fail. Otherwise, consequences will be dire for the whole world.

Most politicians are vacillating between these two points of view. This is unsurprising, since they cannot read the future, and both theories risk consequences that would have been unfathomable just weeks ago.

Most Americans are doing the same as they talk around the dinner table. This is agonizing dilemma for decent people, as it is for editorial boards. It is easier to grab an oligarchs yacht, source your vodka from Finland or fire the Putin-sympathizing diva from the Metropolitan Opera.

Story continues

Sanctions on an epic level are tricky, complicated and can cause collateral damage. But in the face of what is going on in Ukraine, they are the worlds best option.

The danger, of course, is that the canceling of Premier League soccer, the closing of designer stores and the general, sudden de-Westernization of Russia and its people sends that country into the hands of China, which has not joined with the West in objecting to the special military operation in, aka the invasion of, Ukraine.

Thats already happening with credit-card processing. After Visa and Mastercard announced they would no longer guarantee Russian cards working abroad, many of the affected rushed to replace the contents of their wallet with a Chinese card.

Then there is the unpleasant spectacle of trying to discern which Russian individuals deserve to be personally punished because of their views. The opera world currently is consumed with this thorny debate, arguing over the morality of becoming the thought police in determining who is or is not a Putin sympathizer and, yet worse, insisting on Orwellian statements of repudiation before the first aria is sung. Not an attractive job for the general director of an opera company, and no fun for those in the crosshairs.

Better though, lets remember, than being holed up in a bunker in Ukraine with your kids. Or lying dead on the ground while attempting to evacuate.

Still, while the broad insistence in London that the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich divest himself from owning the soccer powerhouse Chelsea has received little opposition, its important to remember that he didnt work alone. Oligarchs have employees, their yachts have non-Russian crews, their Manhattan realtors have bills to pay and myriad other innocents suffer.

This situation is the sole responsibility of Putin, not the West. Period.

Sanctions cannot be cancellations. The sanctions must not be viewed through the same lens as the performative congressional freedom fries debacle in 2003 after France opposed the U.S. invasion of Iraq. That was mere posturing. And there is no logic to covering up the abstract work of Wassily Kandinsky, refusing to listen to the symphonies of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, throwing Anton Chekhov plays out of the theater, or demanding of ordinary Russians, living under an authoritarian regime with long tentacles, that they publicly state their politics on pain of personal ruin.

But, no, cruise ships should not now be calling in St. Petersburg. Washington should move ahead with banning Russian oil from coming into America. Netflix should not be filming comedies in Russia. Aeroflot should not be allowed to land at OHare International Airport, nor should any of the big international consulting firms be working for Putin or his pals. And who can drink Russian vodka in good conscience right now when other options are available that taste much the same?

Sanctions are imperfect and imperfectly targeted. If and when Putin is gone, they should be removed. The post-invasion economic recovery of a Russia without Putin will be in everyones interest.

But that is not the situation now. This is not an ordinary military incursion or territorial dispute: Putin is targeting civilians and killing children in Ukraine. Strategy is important but so is our basic morality as human beings. We cannot merely stand by as the people of Ukraine suffer.

Sanctions are the very least we can do to help end this brutal period of global history. Russians must understand we mean them no harm and that we are always at the negotiating table alongside the brave people of Ukraine.

But end it, we must. Together.

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Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.

Read the original here:

Editorial: Sanctions arent an extension of cancel culture. They are the best option in a sea of lousy choices. - Yahoo News