Monthly Archives: August 2022

NFTs have suffered a severe non-fungible blow, yet as an asset class, they are still operating in record numbers, according to billionaire investor Mark Cuban, one of the many investors behind OpenSea, the leading NFT marketplace.

As cryptocurrency-rich speculators spent billions of dollars on these assets, driving up prices and profits, the market increased magnificently last year. Currently, six months into 2022, its looking a bit ugly.

OpenSea, the largest NFT marketplace, had a sharp decline in monthly sales value to $700 million in June from $2.6 billion in May, a far cry from the record of around $5 billion in January.

According to NonFungible.com, which records sales on the Ethereum and Ronin blockchains, the average NFT sale dropped to $412 by late June from $1754 at the end of April.

With central banks raising rates to fight inflation, the NFT market, along with cryptocurrencies, has fallen as consumers risk appetite waned.

However, analysts are hotly debating a new NFT project that they think might survive the market meltdown due to some properties that make it truly exciting.

Re-Evolution

Re-Evolution, an NFT project, consists of 5,000 planets that each have a unique set of qualities, resources, and rarities. Re-Evolution NFT includes access to the Unity Game Engine-based transformative play-to-earn.

Players can engage with their planets in the Re-Evolution game to create their civilizations and cultures. Players make decisions as the Supreme Rulers of their societies, impacting the level of happiness of their civilizations. Players will get extra $REV tokens if the civilization has a high satisfactory level.

Re-Evolution is not only an NFT project but also an initiative with a cause. The project will donate a portion of its sales to organizations that the community chooses. Re-Evolution establishes a legitimate DAO community of which holders can be a part, together with the governance token.

Learn more about Re-Evolution by visiting their website at re-evolution.io.

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Re-Evolution: NFTs to Stockpile During the Crypto Market Crash - The Ritz Herald

Ever since Demi Lovato first stepped into the limelight with Camp Rock in 2008, she has showed up and showed out with her beauty looks. Fans have seen the Skin of My Teeth singer evolve from a teenage Disney star to the 30-year-old powerhouse she is today. Throughout the years, shes been on countless red carpets, done hundreds of performances, and rocked more makeup looks than you could even imagine, leading to Demi Lovatos impressive beauty evolution.

Youd think with a career spanning more than a decade, there would be more than a few less-than-impressive beauty looks, especially considering Lovato started her career as a teen (or even younger, if you count her Barney & Friends days). I mean, if you looked back at my 16-year-old makeup looks, youd get secondhand embarrassment, but that is so not the case when it comes to Lovatos pics from the 00s. From her first red carpet in 2008 to now in 2022, she does. Not. Miss. Not to mention, Lovato did nearly every makeup trend youve ever heard of first, far before they even became trends. She basically invented being a trendsetter. If you dont believe me, just look at her beauty evolution over the years.

Demi Lovato in June 2008: Pop Punk Icon

Lovato couldnt look more 2008 if she tried. While on tour for one of the greatest movies of our generation (aka Camp Rock), she went all out with her eyeliner. The heavy, thick liner and slightly smoked-out black eyeshadow are incredibly pop punk, especially with the simple makeup Lovato used for the rest of her look. With just some blush and, of course, a super glossy lip, Lovato might as well be a festival-goer at Warped Tour.

Demi Lovato in April 2009: Frosty Eyes Over Smokey

Even as an up-and-coming Disney star, Lovato wasnt afraid to stand out. At the premiere of Hannah Montana: The Movie in 2009, the singer stood out with her icy blue, shimmering eyes. Paired with a glossed lip, Lovatos eyes popped. And, given that the late 2000s were filled with smokey eyes, Lovatos blue shadow was daring in the extreme.

Demi Lovato in July 2010: The Beginning of the Hair Dye Journey

2010 Lovato didnt change her makeup look much. Her eyeliner stayed covering both her top and bottom lids, her lips held their usual sheen, and her blush stay on her cheekbones. But, another, arguably bigger change occurred. Lovato moved away from her famously dark hair and stepped into the world of bronde (blondish brunette hair). This was only the beginning of Lovatos steps into the world of bright hair dye.

Demi Lovato in December 2011: The Matte Lipstick Era

Another subtle change entered Lovatos makeup in 2011. If you were a makeup aficionado back in the day, then you might remember the early 2010s as being when lip gloss suddenly went out of fashion and matte lipsticks took over. Yes, thats a real thing that happened. And Lovato, always on point with trends, wasnt left behind. As early as 2011, Lovato began adding bright matte lipsticks into her repertoire.

Demi Lovato in July 2012: Blondes Have More Bronze

Lovato had so. Many. Hairstyles in 2012. She brought back her bangs, went red for a bit, and had another bronde moment, but nothing stands out like her blonde hair, and no look as much as her 2012 Teen Choice Awards look. Lovato wore a gravity-defying ponytail (Ariana Grande is quaking) with waist-length extensions and grown-in roots. And she didnt skimp on her bronzer to really look sun-kissed. Looking at this photo is pretty much looking in a time capsule.

Demi Lovato in November 2013: A Trip Into A Crayola Box

Now, its time to get technicolor. In 2013, Lovato played in the rainbow for the premiere of Frozen. Her blue raspberry hair looks just like a Jolly Rancher, and she offsets it with some pink eyeshadow. Beyond her eye-catching hair, Lovato has eyeshadow that is beyond stylish. Her pink eyeshadow over her top eyelid and contrasting brown eyeshadow over the bottom is a trending makeup look now in 2022, so talk about ahead of the curve.

Demi Lovato in May 2014: Half Hair, Dont Care

2014 Lovato introduced the next chapter in her hair journey. While she didnt bring back her usual long hair, Lovato did drastically change things by shaving the side of her head. For her concert on May 16, 2014, she kept her makeup bronzy and dewy with a pouty lip thats both colorful and glossy i.e. the best of both worlds (Miley Cyrus would be proud).

Demi Lovato in December 2015: Wet, Wild, & Oh So Dewy

Im obsessed with Lovatos tousled, wet hair bob she wore to the Billboard Women in Music Luncheon on Dec. 11, 2015. Its sleek, kind of punk, and goes so well with her chic, black pantsuit. Her skin has reached peek dolphin levels of dewiness, and her laminated brows only add to the streamlined vibes of this look.

Demi Lovato in July 2016: Shine Bright Like A Disco Ball

Go off, disco ball queen. Lovato brought all the shimmer to her performance on July 14, 2016. Her silver eyeshadow had so many sparkles in it, that Im shocked she didnt accidentally blind any fans in the crowd. But the shine didnt end there. Lovato had plenty of highlighter and gloss to embody the star she is.

Demi Lovato in December 2017: Volume, More Volume, & Plenty Of Hairspray

Maybe its the New Jerseyan in me, but nothing speaks to me like a super volumized ponytail. Lovatos Jingle Ball look from December 2017 fulfills all my Jersey fantasies, especially with the addition of her huge hoops. Her bronzed skin, beige lip, and smokey eye are just cherries on top.

Demi Lovato in June 2018: TikTok Beauty Pre-TikTok

Lovato could cut someone with how sharp her eyeliner was at a performance in June 2018, but that's not all that stands out. In fact, between her floating eyeliner, bold highlight, and blood-red lip, its hard to decide which of this beauty look is the best. Thank goodness Lovato wore it all at once for a supercharged beauty moment. Its almost too powerful.

Demi Lovato in November 2019: Neutral Yet Y2K

If I didnt know better, Id guess Lovato glued spider legs to her eyelids because her lashes were beyond the pale at the Teen Vogue Summit in November 2019. Hidden beneath her skyscraper lashes was a neutral eye look, and she finished off this look with a cocoa lip lined with a brown lipliner (hello, Y2K). Its subtle yet timeless.

Demi Lovato in January 2020: Light, Airy, And Ready For Tears

Lovato made major headlines with her 2020 Grammys performance on Jan. 26. Her new song was beyond emotional; her white dress was over-the-top in the best way; and her makeup let all of that shine. Given what a tear-jerker her performance of Anyone was, its for the best Lovato wore a wimple contour and light eye makeup. After all, no one wants mascara runs on national TV.

Demi Lovato in February 2020: Smokey But Simple

Demi Lovato in March 2021: Bye Bye, Hair. Hello, Gel!

One of Lovatos biggest hair transformations came in 2021: when she shaved off her hair. It was a risky move with such an amazing payoff, most notable with her gelled finger wave in March 2021. This hairstyle is so retro and yet modern. Lovato only amped up the trendiness of her do with her fanned-out lashes.

Demi Lovato in March 2022: The Lovato Version Of Fox Eyes

Move over, Julia Fox, Lovato has her own take on the Fox eye. While attending an Academy Awards viewing party in March 2022, Lovato had wicked sharp eyeliner that took up more than just her lid. Just looking at it may give you a paper cut. When your eye is that intense, you dont need anything else, and Lovato let her eyes be the whole show.

Demi Lovato in July 2022: An Egirl Rises

As of July 14, 2022, Lovato is rocking a blunt lob with bangs and some adorable egirl makeup. Her blush is high up on her cheekbones and goes right up to her nose for that cold girl look egirls are known for. She even had enough highlighter to look like a glazed doughnut. In other words, she crushed the egirl aesthetic.

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Demi Lovato's Beauty Evolution Is Trendier Than You Ever Imagined - Elite Daily

Date:Thursday, September 8, 2022Time:1:00 PM ET / 12:00 PM CT / 10:00 AM PT / 5:00 PM GMTSponsor: Fujitsu and InfineraDuration:1 hour

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Webcast Description:

Service providers seek to reduce complexity and make their network a competitive differentiator and network automation can turn these goals a reality. In this webinar, youll learn how to develop a network automation strategy, implement it, and develop success metrics that make sense. In exploring these points, our speakers will provide details on the open optical network evolution, drivers and expectations for automating these networks, and real-world automation strategies and control architectures.

Rob YatesHead of Network AutomationFujitsu Network Communications Rob Yates is Head of Network Automation at Fujitsu Network Communications, a leading provider of digital transformation solutions for network operators and service providers. In his current role, Rob leads product management and strategic planning for the global network automation software line. During his 25+ years at Fujitsu, Rob has held numerous roles in engineering, account management, partnership strategy, and portfolio business development. Prior to Fujitsu, he worked at BT Group as Manager, OSS Architecture. Rob holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from The University of Salford in England.

Teresa MonteiroDirector of Solution Marketing, Software and AutomationInfinera

Teresa Monteiro is Director of Marketing at Infinera, a global supplier of innovative networking solutions. In this role, she champions Infineras software and automation solutions, with a particular focus on SDN, Analytics, and Machine Learning techniques, helping network operators modernize and transform their networks. Teresa has close to 20 years of experience in the telecommunication industry. Prior to Infinera, she held various senior engineering roles in packet-optical technologies at Siemens and Product Management positions at Coriant. Teresa received a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Hamburg, in Germany.

Stephen HardyEditorial Director and Associate PublisherLightwave

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September 8th Webinar: Network Automation's Evolution | Lightwave - LightWave Online

The stethoscope is the image of medicine. It is a visible sign of the years of education a doctor went through to receive their title and their ability to practice. It is an iconic and commonly used tool, and its importance in the field is immeasurable. It is very difficult to fathom what medicine was like pre-stethoscope and how anything got done without the tool is miraculous. In order to earn its place slung around the neck of a physician, the stethoscope has undergone many changes and evolved with the times. Like all aspects of medicine, the stethoscope has a long history and background (Figure 1).

The first reference to listening to breath sounds was in the Ebbers Papyrus in 1,500 BCE (Before the Common Era). That was almost 4,000 years ago. Some other early cases of listening to breath sounds are recorded in the Hindu Vedas from approximately 1,400 to 1,200 BCE and in the Hippocratic Writings from approximately 440 to 360 BCE [1].

There are two versions of the birth of the stethoscope; the first is what is taught today. In the first and more likely version, most sources cite the first use of a tool to be used to hear heartbeats and chest sounds in 1816 by Dr. Thophile Hycanith Laennec. In the more widely spread version of the story, Dr. Lannec was consulted by an overweight young woman who was showing symptoms of heart disease. Due to her size and age, Dr. Lannec felt it was improper to put his head on her chest to listen to her heart. Despite this being common practice at the time, it was not very accurate and often led to misdiagnosis and even no diagnosis at all! To listen to the young lady's heart, he rolled up a piece of paper into a tube. He placed one end of the tube on the precordial region and in the other, he placed his ear. He discovered that the tube and its direct application to the chest made both breath sounds and heart sounds much clearer. The acoustics of the paper tube was not perfect, but they were noticeably better than the direct ear-to-chest listening that was deemed the best option at the time [2]. In the second version (which is much less likely but much more entertaining), Dr. Lannec had just come home to his wife in a very bad mood. She had heard at her sewing circle that he was touching and putting his head on young womens chests, and she had been terribly embarrassed. Despite the doctor explaining that it was his job, Mrs. Lannec refused to hear him out. So, to combat this, Dr. Lannec took his wife's words into account and created a cone-shaped piece of paper. After discovering how effective it was, he carved a new tool with an ivory tip on both ends to conduct heat. The tool was later used to listen to the fetus inside a pregnant woman because it was found to be more accurate and powerful [3].

By the 1820s, the stethoscope was readily available all over Europe, and doctors were experimenting with different sizes, shapes, and materials in order to create the most effective tool. In 1851, the binaural stethoscope was invented by NB Marsh. He believed that the highly desired chest sounds would be much more precise with most outside noise blocked, and he was right! As time passed, stethoscopes had variations based on what they were going to be used for. Doctors who dealt heavily with patients who had contracted highly contagious illnesses were known to have used stethoscopes that were up to 35 cm (13.5 inches) long to keep a distance. Along with that, special stethoscopes were designed for children that were smaller and shorter. Rubber was introduced to the general public in 1853, and the stethoscope evolved from a cone- or horn-shaped brass instrument to one with ivory earpieces, a wooden chest piece, and wooden tubing held together by rubber bands [4,5].

In the early 1960s, Dr. David Littmann, a distinguished cardiologistand professor at Harvard Medical School, patented a new stethoscope design that was bought by the 3M company. Spinoffs of Dr. Littmann's design are most similar to what is used today in modern medicine. In the late 1970s, the 3M-Littmann company introduced a tunable diaphragm. In a stethoscope, a diaphragm is a thin sheet of material that forms a partition. It is used in acoustic systems to get the best sound possible. The new stethoscope had a very hard epoxy resin-glass diaphragm member with over-molded silicon. The flexible acoustic surround made it much easier to collect sound. The sound was clear and tangible for even the most inexperienced stethoscope users to hear [6-8].

The next big development in stethoscope technology would come about in 1999. Dr. Richard Deslauriers was attending the University of Toronto intending to invent new medical devices, despite having spent five years in medical school developing the stethoscope, with all of his work funded by his work for Johnson & Johnson. The new stethoscope was called a recording stethoscope and was able to record and playback chest sounds and heartbeats. All the acoustic technology was housed in a chest piece that was the diameter of a silver dollar[6-8].During the development of the stethoscope, Dr. Deslauriers worked closely with engineers from the Bose Corporation (a company that makes speakers and headphones). While working with the company, Dr. Deslauriers created a specially insulated tubing to block out sounds like the stethoscope rubbing against a shirt. This new recording stethoscope was groundbreaking. Recordings of things like chest sounds could be added to medical records and played back to listen to abnormalities in a way that simply was not accessible. The only downside to this new stethoscope was the relatively expensive price. It is not yet accessible to all doctors, hospitals, and clinics, but is sure to be in the near future [9].

But as we journey further into the 20th century, some doctors have decided that stethoscopes are becoming obsolete. During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors had a hard time hearing chest and breathsounds due to how highly contagious COVID-19 was. This was quite problematic because COVID-19 was a respiratory illness, and changes in breath sounds can provide vital information in patients with respiratory disease. To combat this, many doctors use ultrasounds for heartbeat monitoring and to monitor breathing [10-12]. Biochemical engineers have been working on an even more efficient type of stethoscope that is very different from what we are used to. It is a foam pad that can simultaneously auscultate 14 chest wall locations using 14 super powerful embedded microphones. The new tool is very accurate, and in a trial of 100 pneumonia patients, they found that 91% of the patients had adventitious lung sounds, with 89% having crackle sounds and 63% having a high-or low-pitched wheeze [13-15]. Although this new system may seem perfect, it takes two minutes per microphone. This means that getting simple chest sounds would take 28 minutes. Despite this limitation, this breakthrough exemplifies the continued evolution of the stethoscope.

The stethoscope has taken its place in the medical hall of fame, and its spot is well deserved. What started as a rolled-up piece of paper has become a tool of immeasurable value. Over the course of 300 years, the stethoscope has evolved from a paper tube to a horn-shaped instrument, to a binaural stethoscope, to the Littmann stethoscope, and finally to the recording and electronic stethoscopes. Even today, the stethoscope is still evolving and growing to eventually get to its most efficient, effective, and accurate form. We can only hope to one day see the epitome of medical technology in the best stethoscope.

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The History and Evolution of the Stethoscope - Cureus

By: Naveen Munjal, Managing Director, Hero Electric

Seventy-five years of independence in India marks a major milestone for us as a country. In this period, weve witnessed tremendous change and incredible growth. From being nowhere on the map to a force to be reckoned with, India has, indeed, come a very long way. Its a journey that has seen major milestones ticked off the list, incredible feats of perseverance and ingenuity, and seemingly endless changes in the name of progress.

Today, India is a force to be reckoned with on the global stage. Our population, burgeoning though it may be at nearly 1.4 billion, has a literacy rate of 77.7 percent, which is remarkable once you consider that just 75 years ago, that figure stood at a paltry 12 percent. Our GDP is growing at a rate of 8.7 percent, with the occasional high of over 10 percent not out of the ordinary.

These impressive numbers arent just down to pure luck. As a population, were far more connected and able to conduct our lives more efficiently than what we were capable of earlier. Theres no singular reason for this, but a big proportion of the credit must go towards the fact that we have ensured that the penetration of electricity, even well into rural areas, has been relentless.

It may seem like an issue to take for granted for some of us, but its importance cannot be underestimated. It has given people far and wide the ability to access the internet and access global information like never before, which has revolutionized the way we go about our daily lives. In fact, its estimated that there will be 840 million total internet users (about 60% of our population) by the end of 2022, which is a figure thats up massively from 357 million users even as recently as 2017.

Over and above that, India has also seen a sharp change in the services sector with IT companies leading in global deals. The sector is such a behemoth that it accounted for 8 percent of Indias GDP in 2020, and it recorded a phenomenal 15.5 percent growth (its highest ever) in FY2022.

Indians arent shy about regularly featuring at the top of the worlds richest lists, either, and theres absolutely no shortage of Indian CEOs spearheading multinational corporations that affect billions of lives each day, too.

Looking back, its hard to pinpoint only a few cornerstones and put our progress down solely to them. That said, there certainly have been some milestones that have stood out.

For a start, thanks to numerous advancements in science and technology and its applications, the life expectancy of the average Indian has shot up considerably. Back in 1947, it was disturbingly low at about 32 years. With a steady stream of advancements in medicine, however, that figure now stands at a very respectable 70 years in 2022.

But its not just in science and technology that weve made strides. There was a point in time when our limited road infrastructure played host to only imported vehicles, and only in small numbers to boot. Gradually and assuredly, however, we gained traction, accumulated wealth, and persevered, with independence in 1947 no doubt giving a fillip to a now-thriving automotive industry.

In fact, post-1947, the Government of India and the private sector jointly launched efforts to create an automotive component manufacturing industry to supply the automobile industry. By 1953, an import substitution program was launched, and finally, the import of fully built-up cars began to be restricted. At the turn of the 60s, many two-wheeler manufacturers were granted licenses to trade in the Indian market, thereby putting in place the foundations for a massive boom in the automobile industry.

Fast forward a bit and by the year 2000, in line with international standards to reduce vehicular pollution, the central government unveiled standards to be followed by every manufacturer. Known as the Bharat Stage emission norms, it set India up on the path of stringent pollution control, more or less on par with European emission standards. In fact, the last one BS 6 standards were even ahead of their European counterparts!

However, a more pressing concern in recent times has been climate change and the role played by the private sector in mitigating it. With dwindling resources, there is a pressing need to reduce emissions and increase efficiency in raw material utilization in the automotive sector. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors have therefore become areas of strategic importance for companies in this sector. There is an urgent need to adopt a more sustainable method, not just in terms of propulsion, but in terms of its entire ecosystem.

As such, this narrative sets the scene up quite well for the next phase of our growth. Our dependence on crude oil and the damage it has created to the environment is the basis for this narrative, and in an attempt to prevent permanent damage, a drastic switch toward renewable energy is the need of the hour. This ushers in the era of the electric vehicle, be it public or private transport, and its all in favour of the commitment weve made towards a net-zero emissions economy by the year 2070.

Keeping aside other industries for a moment, the mobility sector plays a big role in this regard. Announcements the world over have indicated that a majority of vehicle manufacturers have firm plans in place to switch to electric mobility. In fact, as soon as 2025, around one-third of all vehicle manufacturers will abandon internal combustion engines in favour of going electric, or at the very least hybrid, with that figure rising to 40 percent by 2040.

Closer home, Indias rate of electric vehicle adoption has surpassed most predictions. Consumers are flocking to EVs in a big way, leaving support structures to play catch up like charging infrastructures and renewable energy production. This is especially true for electric two- and three-wheelers, where Hero Electric, Indias leading two-wheeler EV manufacturer has been pushing the needle for a decade and a half now.

Also read: Hero Electric tops July EV sales chart, Ather and Ola see sharp drop

The fact of the matter is that the writing is already on the wall. We need to move to cleaner forms of not just transport, but every other sector as well. On the plus side, we have everything in place an educated workforce thats hungry and eager to progress, a nuanced skill set that will allow us to develop the right kind of technologies and practices to ensure that were on the right path, and a bustling population to ensure that once its implemented effectively, it will have a rousing effect on the global issue of climate change. We owe it to our countrys well-being and the next generation to ensure that this dream becomes a reality.

In order to implement such a radical shift in thought, as a country, we will need to lean heavily on our government to keep us on the right path. This entails coming up with decisive and clear-cut policies that will foster progress and allow us to hit our ultimate goal of being a net-zero emissions economy by 2070.

As it stands, the way forward is electric, but the big caveat is that were not at the end of the road in that journey. We also need to develop a sustainable way to power electric vehicles, otherwise, it will be a job half done. Conversely, with a breakthrough in place, we could also be looking at hydrogen fuel cell technology as a primary source of propulsion in the near future. Truth be told, there are still a few more methods that could appeal as well, but the case in point needs to be that regardless of which route we take to achieve the net-zero status, Indias goal needs to be that it should be a leading player on the global map when it comes to zero emissions.

The positives of India at 75 are that were in a good, stable condition. We have got strong leadership, and a positive image in the international markets, and India is seen the world over as one of the countries where there is relative ease to conducting business.

That said, there is no shying away from the fact that there is a lot of work to be done. The early EV adoption rate might have surprised most, but its penetration is still very low as compared to its internal combustion-engine counterparts. The opportunity this presents is tremendous with regard to India becoming a global hub for EV production in the near future. To achieve this, there is an urgent need for investment and policy support that can facilitate the development of indigenous technologies to enable domestic sourcing of raw materials.

Achieving Indias ambitious net zero targets necessitates decarbonisation of the power grid while simultaneously ensuring high efficiency and minimum losses in energy generation and distribution. As mentioned earlier, our road infrastructure, too, needs a push towards being globally recognized as top-notch.

Whats undeniably encouraging is the fact that these are all hurdles that we can overcome quite easily given the right push, as long as its a concerted, cohesive effort on behalf of everyone involved in one direction. The end goal of living in a cleaner world, not to mention leaving behind a better world for the coming generations, should be the common goal we all strive towards. Given the right push and the collective determination of 1.4 billion people, theres absolutely no reason to believe that that dream cannot turn into a reality!

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India at 75: The growing EVolution in auto industry - The Financial Express

One builder shares how Torontos high-rise boom is giving rise to the worlds next great city.

Since he first moved in the late 1970s from Iran to Toronto at the age of six, developer Sam Mizrahi says two major shifts have defined the city. First we grew out, he says. Now were growing up.

The visionary behind Mizrahi Developments, Mizrahi says suburban development outside of Torontos core paved the way for a vibrant city, luring people from around the world with affordable homes and backyards close to Torontos exceptional attractions and resources. In the past 40 years, weve seen the Greater Toronto Area grow in a way that we havent seen anywhere else. Its grown to include places like Richmond Hill, Oakville and Mississaugaand thats really changed home ownership and affordability, and attracted people here.

While the growing out era saw the city sprawl to the outskirts of the GTA, the growing up phase is building Torontos position as one of the most exciting urban centres in the world. Toronto is headed upway up, and Mizrahi says these are the reasons Toronto is having a moment on the world stage.

As the vast number of construction cranes across the city skylinemore than any other city in North America, according to the RLB Crane Indexwill attest, Torontos downtown has become a hotbed of high-rise living. These sky-high homes are no longer relegated to a specific subset of urban homeowners eitherdevelopers are building to suit the needs of all kinds of buyers seeking a downtown address. We have more living spaces in the city core that work for singles, for families and for first-time homebuyers, Mizrahi says.

While other big North American downtowns clear out on weekends and during the summer as people retreat to the suburbs and rural vacation properties, Toronto retains its buzz thanks to the number and variety of residents who call the core home. If you look at the Queens Quay area or Yorkville, they stay extremely busy. Theyre not vacated the way you see in New York, when everyone who lives there has gone away. Toronto stays incredibly activated.

With year-round festivals, top museums and other only-in-Toronto attractions, its no surprise Toronto regularly shows up on lists of the best cities in the world to visit (most recently, Cond Nast Travellers 10 best places to live and Time magazines list of the Worlds Greatest Places 2022). But according to Mizrahi, its the people who live and work here that make the city great; a strong tourism sector is merely a by-product.

People from all over move here, he says. Theyre making Toronto their home and bringing different qualities and skill sets. You can see the results in every aspect of our city. I think everyone who enjoys Toronto has a desire and obligation to make it better.

News that the Michelin Guide, which honours some of the best restaurants in the world, will release its inaugural Toronto edition this year, is just the latest sign of the citys evolving sophistication on-par with the worlds great cities. But for a developer like Mizrahi, who has travelled the world in search of building inspiration, great architecture is also key to achieving greatness. Show anyone, anywhere in the world, a picture of our skyline with the CN Tower and they know its Toronto, he says.

Mizrahi expects that when his 85-storey skyscraper The One, the tallest tower in Canada, is completed next year, it will become a second focal point for the cityboth in the skyline and as a destination for residents and visitors alike.

Nobody has done a project like it, he says, pointing to the buildings engineering, technological and architectural features, as well as its mixed use offerings, which will include 416 luxury residences, the flagship location of Hyatts ANDAZ hotel brand, a 900-person event facility, retail space and three restaurants (that Mizrahi hopes will be Michelin-worthy).

For Mizrahi, there isnt a more fitting symbol than The One for what Toronto is now, and how it will continue to grow. We couldnt have done The One in any other city in Canada, he says. The One is designed for the evolution of this city. I hope people see the tower as representative of the optimism and spirit of this city.

To learn more about The One, visit mizrahidevelopments.ca.

Link:

Toronto grows up: Sam Mizrahi on the evolution of the city - Toronto Life

If there was ever a word to describe Mikel Artetas tactical philosophy at Arsenal, it would be control.

Even in rising from the bottom of the Premier League to fighting for a top-four spot, there was a clear desire for Arsenal to be able to ensure complete control in every phase of play, both in and out of possession.

Arsenals evolution on the pitch came in phases. Arteta first began by establishing an ability to control games out of possession whether that was a man-to-man high press or a defensive mid-block, Arsenal were able to develop a defensive structure that made them difficult to break down, in spite of their lack of technical players in the squad.

For Arteta, the methodology was clear it was about creating a structure that did not commit too many players forward and left Arsenals back line exposed, and he achieved that well from the off.

But where Arsenal began establishing their dominance and may be able to claim a stake at a title race soon is how they developed their ability to control games in possession. They had a basic formula of remaining patient, being low-risk in their approach, and being able to regain shape quickly when conceding possession.

Arsenal have shape-shifted their formations (and consequently their possession structure) multiple times throughout Artetas reign, but that basic formula remained the same, despite sticky results.

Even the first draft of Artetas Arsenal was a good counter-pressing side, able to push forward with an aggressive first line of pressure and ensure it was easy to return to a high-positioned block. That consistently made them a difficult team to catch out of shape but it never gave them enough of the attacking threat they needed.

Fast-forward to 2021-22 and Arsenal saw themselves reach a peak in the quality of chances they were creating, reaching heights of ~2.1 non-penalty expected goals (xG) created per 90 minutes and conceding only ~0.7 non-penalty xG per game. The upward tick in their underlying numbers in possession coincided with Arsenals longest unbeaten streak under Arteta.

This trend began to have a tangible impact in mid-December 2021 when Arsenal finally moved into positive goal difference territory. Six of Aaron Ramsdales 11 clean sheets came before this point but would have been in vain if improvements were not made in attack. And improve they did.

A ball-playing goalkeeper

What turned Arsenal from a relatively adequate side to a good one was how they began to control the ball and, of course, that was achieved by signing the correct players with the technical quality to do so.

This began with goalkeeper Ramsdale, who they signed from Sheffield United in August 2021.

The graphic below illustrates the most frequent type of passes Arsenal make from sequences beginning in their own third. It shows us how they typically move the ball when making the first pass.

And, as you can see, the majority of that distribution begins with goalkeeper Ramsdale.

The 24-year-old can launch deliveries deep into opposition territory and find forwards in space, or thread low passes through opposition lines into the feet of his midfielder, and especially play the short passes to his centre-halves.

Hes a midfielder between the sticks and his distribution has elevated Arsenals ability to build out from the back allowing Arsenal to transition from defence to attack almost twice as quickly and often.

Arsenals tactical evolution

One of Arsenals previous biggest issues on the ball was a lack of creativity.

They were too predictable, funnelling through Granit Xhaka to Kieran Tierney so often. As you can see below, the larger proportion of their chance creation came from the left-hand side in the 2020-21 season. Tierney was their main creative threat and outside of his crossing repertoire, they were not able to do much.

We can take a closer look at how Arsenals structure in possession has developed over the seasons using passing networks.

Passing networks display each players average location on the pitch and the passes between them are the connections. The more players combine while passing, the higher their connection and the thicker the line. The size of each players nodes (shown as circles) indicates how involved they are in possession: the bigger the node, the higher the involvement.

Instead of focusing on each individual action on the ball, we can observe how Arsenal moved the ball collectively.

Well take Arsenals wins against Leicester over the past three seasons for examples sake.

2020-21

Arsenal set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation that featured left-back Tierney (No 3) utilised as an advanced outlet to hold width, the Scotland international largely running the left flank himself. Arsenal set up to maximise their left-hand side, specifically their left-back.

Xhakas (No 34) positioning allowed him to find Tierney often and with Willian (No 12) drifting infield alongside Emile Smith Rowe (No 32), this maximised the space Tierney had to run into. They threatened through the left and switched to the right. Artetas first draft was more one-dimensional.

2021-22

Artetas next blueprint brought to life Arsenals 3-2-5 structure in possession. It featured a pendulum-like swing between full-backs Tierney (No 3) and Cedric (No 17) in terms of who advanced high and wide and who was involved in build-up that gave them more balance playing out from the back.

Going forward, their creativity relied on tight interplay between Alexandre Lacazette (No 9) dropping deep from the forward line, with Martin Odegaard (No 8) between the lines and Bukayo Saka (No 7) overloading the right spaces before switching to Gabriel Martinelli (No 35) out on the left.

2022-23

And now, to the latest version.

Arsenals shape in possession is now more of a 2-3-5, a structure most associated with teams that focus on positional play, which creates wider midfield coverage that can be seen with how spaced out Thomas Partey (No 5) and Xhaka (No 34) are.

This structure allows the central midfielders to push higher into the half-spaces, pushing Xhaka forward, moving Odegaard centrally (No 8) and inverting their full-back, Oleksandr Zinchenko (No 35), to squeeze the midfield and create space wide for players like Martinelli (No 11).

Artetas Arsenal have worn many different outfits, but again, the principles remain the same.

In many ways, Lacazette was a great profile for what Arteta wanted from his strikers comfortable dropping in midfield and playing between the lines. That can be seen in all of Arsenals passing network throughout the seasons, but the Frenchman lacked the athleticism to move across the entirety of the pitch like their new signing Gabriel Jesus.

The below graphic illustrates where Jesus and Lacazette receive passes in the opposition half.

Whereas a player like Lacazette would just be moving up and down the middle, Jesus can drift out onto both flanks very comfortably, and thats before mentioning the additional goal threat he brings.

Control

Lets go back to the start Artetas emphasis on control.

The below graphic shows the percentage of minutes every Premier League team spends in each game state (leading, level and trailing) from the 2020-21 Premier League season.

For all the importance that was given to control both in and out of possession, Arsenal were average when it came to dominating games, having spent only 27 per cent of game time leading.

Fast-forward to the following season and Arsenal only find themselves behind Manchester City and Liverpool when it comes to minutes spent leading.

What isnt shown in these graphics, however, is that Arsenal do tend to struggle more than most to control games when leading, conceding more territory and pressure than comparable teams and that can be attributed to the fact they are one of the youngest sides in the Premier League and still prone to mental wobbles.

Artetas Arsenal exemplify the benefits of pursuing a specific philosophy to achieve long-term gains at the expense of short-term results.

It may seem like they have become very good, very quickly, but that has come from giving Arteta the patience and resources needed to implement his vision. From the goalkeeper all the way up to the front line, from Ramsdale to Jesus, there has been a grand shift in the way Arsenal dominate possession.

They are no longer predictable, but they arent title challengers just yet. It says something about the righting of the Arsenal ship that a title challenge in the next years could be considered a possibility.

It is however, only the beginning.

(Top photo: Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)

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The evolution of Artetas Arsenal: Title challengers? Not yet, but theyre a team on the rise - The Athletic