Monthly Archives: September 2022

These may be actors on the political fringe, and the tech-driven aspects of this terror campaign have sometimes been interpreted to minimize its real-world impact. But the narrative of LGBTQ rights being cover for child abuse is not just fodder for the far-right clout-chasers of social media like Raichik and Posobiec; it has been weaponized by the right against their opponents in elections from school boards to state legislatures. It has been amplified and legitimized by lawmakers like Georgia Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who in August introduced a sweeping bill that would ban gender-affirming care, and by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, whose threats to ban gender-affirming care have prompted some hospitals in the state to end treatment for minors. And it has resulted in threats and acts of violence, scapegoating LGBTQ communities as corrupt and demonic foes.

Its possible, though, that months of these tactics have sharpened the response from LGBTQ communities and allies. After the board of the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District in Texas voted in August to prohibit discussion of what it defined as gender fluidity, essentially a Dont Say Trans ban, over 100 students walked out in one district school in protest. When an anti-LGBTQ rally was organized to protest a Planned Parenthood in Modesto, California, the handful of people who showed up were outnumbered by counterprotesters, including anti-fascists and abortion and LGBTQ rights defenders. And in the Dallas suburbs, at an end-of-summer, family-friendly drag brunch, when members of the Proud Boys and militia groups tried to intimidate people from attending, they were met by members of the Elm Fork John Brown Club, who showed up to provide armed security for the business and those attending the event, as Steven Monacelli reported, with performer Trisha Delisha thanking them for keeping us safe.

As much as this looks like a backlash, thats not all it is. The anti-LGBTQ right doesnt want to go back to some other time of idealized hetero-utopia. They are more simply satisfying their own desire to punish people, a desire that never changed even as the times did. They seek retribution against defenders of LGBTQ communities too. The need to interrupt this escalation by the right is urgent, more than it was in the Trump years when people may have been more attuned to such threats. It is clearer than ever that such threats cannot be met by appealing to courts to protect us. So while its true they are out there looking for a fight, fighting is what is still left.

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Libs of TikTok and the Rights Embrace of Anti-LGBTQ Violence - The New Republic

Services the local authority are responsible for include everything from roads and planning through to community development. A key focus of all the authorities is to ensure they capitalise on technological and economic opportunities to both improve the quality of life and avoid digital and social exclusion.

Increasingly, as a society, we are becoming more reliant on technology. Some research by Royal Docks revealed that 82% of jobs require digital skills and jobs with digital skills attracted a 29% increase in salary, on top of this the cost savings and efficiencies being offered by IoT and connected anywhere technologies, have the ability to transform a community. This means quality connectivity, both fixed line and mobile, is becoming of paramount importance.

These technologies will combine to underpin a digital infrastructure layer that will support new devices, applications, data, and skills, so that councils can in turn support the public through enhanced services. Authorities will be able to capitalise on the technological advancements and introduce new schemes that add value to entire communities, fuelling economic growth and closing existing social and economic gaps.

The government took a large step forward by helping authorities in making this digital vision a reality with the launch of the Digital Connectivity Infrastructure Accelerator (DCIA). The pilot scheme provides local authorities and technology providers with access to up to 4 million of funding to develop tomorrows wireless communication networks, with a specific focus on exploring how public assets (publicly owned buildings and street furniture) can be used to support the development and deployment of mobile communications and small cells. This not only simplifies deployment and lowers cost, but it also helps reduce street furniture and protect the aesthetics of the environment.

This is a huge step forward in enabling the rollout of small cells, alongside fixed and macro deployments, and a connected Britain, argues Ian Newbury, MNO Business Development Director at BT Wholesale.

The 5G promise has the potential to change how we interact with our local environment.

It is more than faster broadband on your handset. Its high reliability, low latency and the ability to connect millions of devices in a small area. This means it can open up access to new technologies, whether thats exciting technologies such as augmented reality, or the simple but practical smart sensors for bin capacity. This is why 29 of the 30 global cities surveyed for the Digital Cities Index 2022 have a strategy in place for the deployment of 5G technology, they understand its future importance in enabling connected communities, and the dangers of being left behind.

The report also nods to some of the hurdles that exist to achieving this, particularly in deployment. To be truly transformational in areas like autonomous transport, 5G needs to be ubiquitous and comprehensive, which will require greater private sector investment, new partnership models between telecommunications companies and an enabling regulatory environment. Simply put, success in deploying 5G will require collaboration between all stakeholders.

But this isnt just required for 5G, local authorities and MNO partners are faced with meeting the demands of communities seeking greater connectivity now. Whether catering for 4G or 5G, theres an increase in demand for speed, reliability, and quality. Therefore, MNOs need to boost network performance in areas of high-capacity usage, as well as in areas of low coverage, so that low-latency connectivity is ubiquitous.

Traditionally MNOs have focused on Macro Cell deployments, which enable greater coverage per cell. This has served the market well for voice and for 3G and 4G where coverage was a key driver. However, with 5Gs focus on reliability, speed and IoT, the network needs both resilience and densification.

Small cells can achieve this, not only by providing inherent backup to the macro cell network and greater bandwidth in smaller, more focused areas but also with some of the technologies in 5G such as coordinated multipoint (CoMP) and enhanced interference coordination (eICIC) which can increase spectrum efficiency by over 60%, massively increasing the bandwidth without having to buy more spectrum.

Small cells arent a new technology, they were a strong part of the 3G and 4G story, however, mass deployment has never happened due to the cost and complexity of deploying, overly complex planning hurdles, expensive concession models and inconsistent practices between providers has meant the MNOs found alternatives to solving the problem, but these practices now have diminishing returns and will not solve the 5G challenge.

The good news is local authorities and MNOs have increased and, whilst we arent in a utopia there is a mutual aim to work together. For example, EE, in collaboration with other telecom providers and local authorities, has recently deployed over 500 small cells in a number of cities across the UK, including Leeds, London, Liverpool, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Manchester.

With the majority of the small cells sited on council-owned street furniture, the deployments already allow users to enjoy download speeds of up to 300 Mbps in what were previously areas of poor or no coverage.

Cammy Day, Deputy Leader of Edinburgh Council and its Smart Cities lead, described this as an innovative use of space using the Councils existing CCTV cameras to accelerate the rollout of high-density mobile coverage and close the digital divide in some of our most disadvantaged communities.

There are clear benefits to small cell deployments on existing infrastructure such as CCTV columns, lamp posts, etc. Not only does it lower the cost and time to deploy, it prevents the need for further infrastructure protecting aesthetics and lowering the carbon footprint.

But their overall rollout has been hindered by previous commercial models where a party will buy the rights to the infrastructure for a set period. The commercials usually include a large upfront payment, followed by a revenue share on every asset that goes live. This approach has created land banking where a party needs to get an ROI on their investment which is usually uneconomical for the MNO, so sites are only taken where there is no alternative, this lowers the take up which in turn has led to some local authorities feeling that they dont generate the expected revenue share.

Some local authorities such as those in Leeds, Liverpool, and Glasgow have taken steps to address these issues. Theyve adopted an open access approach, whereby anybody can approach them to use the asset at a set price, this model ensures that the assets are not overly valued and therefore sterilised due to economics and that the local community can benefit equally regardless of what network they are on.

This simplifies the supply chain in which small cells can be deployed at speed with minimal disruption, driving benefits for everyday users, and improving digital inclusion and economic growth.

Simplifying the supply chain for small cells provides huge benefits to everybody involved the MNO, the local authority, and most importantly the local communities our end customers.

Local authorities are increasingly understanding the need for ubiquitous quality connectivity to close the digital divide. There are a wealth of new technologies and services maturing that can empower communities and level them up across work, education, public services, and more.

But to achieve this, we need to step closer to the utopia whereby not only are the four MNOs working together more closely, but local councils and partners across the supply chain are working together to unlock existing infrastructure and fuelling inclusive growth.

Weve made great strides with the open access model, but success will be driven through a nationwide embrace of it, increased collaboration and aligning on the common aim to create a truly connected society.

Editor's Recommended Articles

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True digital levelling up is within reach for local authorities - Open Access Government

With the end of this brutal summer finally (hopefully?!) in sight, it is time to start planning for fall. Call it second summer, as in still plenty warm for enjoying the outdoors but no longer hot enough to melt pavement. Here are six places perfect for a much-needed autumn getaway. Take one (or more) as your just reward for surviving another scorching Texas summer.

Lake Bastrop North Shore ParkThis LCRA park in Bastrop hugs the shore of a constant temperature lake for swimming, paddling (canoe, kayak, SUP, and Corcl rentals available), or fishing (with a boat ramp and pier). The park features almost 10 miles of hiking and biking trails, including one connecting to Lake Bastrop South Shore Park, and a sand volleyball court, too. Stay in one of 5 Airstream campers, 2 cabins, or 6 safari style tents. All have grills for cooking and decks for enjoying views of the lake and the stars while sipping a cold one. Other dining and entertainment options in nearbyBastrop, including a distillery and several breweries and taprooms.Neighbor's Kitchen & Yardand Iron Bridge Icehouse, both on the banks of the Colorado River, serve food, craft beer and cocktails, and live music.

Lake GeorgetownAt this Corps of Engineers reservoir, choose from four campgrounds with RV and tent camping options. Enjoy swimming, fishing, kayaking (rentals available at Russell Park), and hiking. The crown jewel is the Good Water Trail, a 26-mile loop around the entire lake through a variety of terrain, with multiple trailheads offering the opportunity for shorter hikes. Dining options, wine bars, breweries, and other lodging options are nearby inGeorgetown. Check out Barking Armadillo Brewing and, on the courthouse square, three wine tasting rooms and multiple dining options.

Matagorda Bay Nature ParkLocated where the Colorado River meets the Gulf of Mexico, Matagorda Bay offers miles of uncrowded beaches for combing and wetlands for paddling. Rent beach chairs, wagons, and kayaks (guided tours available), play miniature golf, fish on the beach or pier, or birdwatch. In addition to Airstream rentals and camping and RV sites, visitors now can rent one of 10 new bungalows that sleep from six to eight people, with fully equipped kitchens, outdoor decks, gas grills, and fantastic views.

Port AransasMiles of beach, without summer crowds: What else do you need? Well, perhaps a place to stay, and youll find every option from fancy condos to kitschy cottages in this seaside town. Plenty of dining and entertainment options, too. Try the local seafood at places like La Playa Mexican Grill, Fins Grill & Icehouse, and Seafood and Spaghetti Works. Have a cold one at Bernies Beach House, the Port A Beer Hut, or Moby Dicks. Rent bicycles, golf carts, surfboards, and kayaks atIsland Surf Rentals(check out the Lighthouse LakesPaddling Trail). Or just sit on the beach.

Painted Sky InnLocated on a tranquil inlet of Lake Buchanan, this waterfront property offers rooms for two to ten people with kitchens and lake views, as well as a tiny home and a vintage Airstream. Amenities include fire pits, BBQ grills, a fishing pier, and canoes, kayaks, and paddle boards. Find miles of hiking trails atCanyon of the EaglesandInks Lake State Park(day pass reservations recommended), or tour several nearby wineries (Torr Na LochsandFall Creek, to name two) and breweries (Save the World BrewingandDouble Horn Brewing), plus dining options in Burnet and Marble Falls.

Frio RiverThe aptly-named Frio River is famous for swimming and tubing in the summer. The most popular way to enjoy the river isGarner State Park, but getting weekend reservations can be tough. Another option isNeals Lodges, a sprawling family-owned complex that includes 81 cabins, 10 lodges, 17 condos, 45 RV hook-ups, and 16 tent sites, plus a country store and dining room. See a bat emergence at nearbyFrio Caveor a bit farther away inKickapoo Cavern State Park. Saturdays are for fine dining atThe Laurel Treeand diner fare atLost Maples Caf, both in Utopia, and Concan has several eateries as well(some close after the summer season, so check websites).

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6 perfect weekend getaways to plan in Texas this fall - CultureMap Austin

Many of the leading galleries take a no-nonsense approach, showing works by a range of artists. The list includes Martin Browne Contemporary, Roslyn Oxley9, Sullivan + Strumpf, Olsen Gallery, MARS, Nanda/Hobbs, Dominik Mersch, Niagara, ARC ONE, Bett Gallery, Arthouse and Yavuz Gallery. Others choose to highlight a single artist, which can be both rewarding and risky. Critical acclaim is good for the ego, but sales are crucial.

Michael Reid, for whom no rules ever seem to apply, has had an each-way bet, with his Sydney + Berlin stall hosting an elegant solo installation by photographer, Tamara Dean, and his Murrurundi stall (yes, Murrurundi), packed to the rafters with small saleable pictures and objects. Wagner Contemporary has also hedged its bets, taking three stalls to show the work of three artists, Eleanor Millard, Al Poulet and Nigel Sense. At THIS IS NO FANTASY, Vincent Namatjira makes a pretty good attempt at stealing the show with an epic series of portraits of Queen Elizabeth and the Royal Family. Dont forget to peek around the corner for the amazing paintings of Jonathon World Peace Bush.

One legacy of the pandemic is that this years participating galleries are drawn exclusively from Australia and New Zealand, but the kiwis are distinctive enough to provide a point of difference. Look at the work shown by galleries such as STARKWHITE, PAULNACHE and Gow Langsford, along with Fox Jensen, which straddles the Tasman, and theres a more challenging style than most of their Australian counterparts.

Tamara Dean, Follow Me, 2022.

Of the specialised Aboriginal art dealers, DLan Davidson has a stunning show of works from Balgo, while Utopia Art has a masterpiece display of central and western desert painting. Sabbia Gallery is the place for top-of-the-line glass and ceramics, although one shouldnt overlook Sally Dan-Cuthbert. Vermilion Art is the only venue exclusively devoted to Chinese artists.

New galleries, interstate galleries, the National Art Schools showcase of student work; collaborations such as the one between Max Germanoss 3.33 Art Projects and Artist Profile magazine theres far too much to talk about. In addition to the galleries there are 16 separate artist installations, including a whimsical-but-insightful sculpture by Kenny Pittock of the world turned pear-shaped.

Vincent Namatjira, The Royal Tour (Diana, Vincent and Charles), 2020.

One of the hardest things to do in an art fair is to stand out from the crowd. Darren Knight has managed this feat by the novel expedient of taking a detail from a work by Louise Weaver and wrapping it around his booth as wallpaper. In a trompe-lil effect, a flat wall becomes creased and crumpled, making us look twice at this oddity. The central attraction is an even greater oddity, in the form of a mind-bending new painting by James Morrison, featuring not three graces but three frogs, one of them holding a ukulele. If hes playing April Sun in Cuba were probably not looking at a frog but a toad.

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The keen collectors get in as early as they can, but Saturday is the big day for the general public, so dont even think about parking. By day three of the fair one should be able to tell, by the calmness or desperation displayed by the dealers, whether sales are up or down. Whatever happens, expect that attendances will be sky-high. Sydney may not be a city of art fanatics, but it loves nothing more than a grand spectacle with the possibility of shopping.

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Sydney loves nothing more than a grand spectacle with the possibility of shopping - Sydney Morning Herald

Welcome, Earthlets, to Multiver-City One, our 2000 AD weekly review column! Every Wednesday we examine the latest offerings from Tharg and the droids over at Rebellion/2000 AD, the galaxys leading producers of Thrill-Power entertainment. Lets get right to it!

Cover by Cliff Robinson and Dylan Teague

THIS WEEK IN 2000AD

Judge Dredd: Sentientoids Big Idea Part 2 Credits: Rob Williams (script), Jake Lynch (art), Jim Boswell (colors), Annie Parkhouse (letters)

Greg Lincoln: Wow, Sentientoids Big Idea part two relies a lot of exposition. There is a lot of story to be told and it is a testament to the entire creative team that this chapter still feels more show than tell. The Sentientoid, we learn, dates back to the time of Apocalypse War. Its recent awakening and sentience has left it feeling alone, lost, and adrift in the unfamiliar world of capitalism. It grasps for for something to center itself and movies fit the bill apparently. Rob Williams pulls from the Godfather a movie so iconic that even if you have never seen it you know the big scenes and the overall thrust of the film and throws in some homages to the movie throughout. He also tantalizingly lets us in on the Sov war machines big idea. It has bought into one of the seedier aspects of capitalism, killing for money. The classic film has gotten under its skin as it has gotten keen on becoming a made man.

The moment that does draw you into the story is that conspiratorial whisper we cant read, the deal struck between the Sentientoid and the mob guy he spares. And at that moment, you are kind of there with it as it kills the Judge that rolls up. The rest of the strip sees Dredd and his partner Chase arriving to investigate, and their revelations are secondary. We are just curious now where the idea is going to take us. Williams killed it with the pacing as you never notice just how much work he gave to Annie Parkhouse with the lettering.

Jim Boswell made some really great tone and pallet choices for this. There is a coldness for the flashbacks and scenes where we kind of see the world through the Sentientoid eyes. Jake Lynchs Godfather homages reinforce the noir, crime story tone set by cultural reference alone. The Sentientoid kills a good number of people on panel, but the way its drawn the only time Lynch makes you feel it is when it it takes out the Judge. Its powerful and bright and violent compared to the earlier kills it racked up in the cold shadows of the other scenes.

Thargs 3rillers: The Crawly ManCredits: David Barnett (script), Lee Milmore (art), Quinton Winter (colors), Simon Bowland (leters)

Brian Salvatore: The second piece of The Crawly Man does a really fine job, in just a few panels, of giving this strip an extra dose of heart. Not that seeing Caris kidnapped last week wasnt a shock to the system, but her genuine fear and emotion rendered stiffly but effectively by Lee Milmore seep through these pages and make the story sing in a different way. The twist at the end of the strip further digs the knife in, allowing the entire tone of the strip to change into an even darker place.

Both the pieces with Caris and Herne feel a little more fleshed out than last chapter, and David Barnetts script both gives the reader a little extra exposition and creates a world that feels full and rich, and would have without the added context. As mentioned last time, The Crawly Man does a fine job in keeping with the pastoral British horror genre, and that shorthand worked wonders in the first chapter, but now is simply the foundation upon which the rest of the story builds. This allows the story to feel like it is both more complex and deep than its two installments have shown thus far.

As this is a 3riller, it will wrap up next week, and unlike so many of these types of stories, this feels neither like a rush to the finish line nor a drawn-out one-shot. The arts rigidity is the only part of this strip that isnt quite living up to its potential, but the mood evoked by the lineart does help set the tone.

Skip Tracer: Valhalla Part ElevenCredits James Peaty (script), Paul Marshall (art), Dylan Teague (Colours), Simon Bowland(letters)

Michael Mazzacane: Now this was a surprising strip both in terms of content and how it moves the plot around. Prog strips dont have the luxury of turning into an extended action set piece like Naruto and so on, so extended action sequences generally dont happen. That functional knowledge doesnt make the dissolution of Djinndorah satisfying. The effectively two pages but more like two panel showdown between the nihilistic demon and Eden wasnt thrilling or exciting. As an example of what Edens power can be like it is perhaps the most functional and dramatic display, but even that didnt have time to breathe. It all just feels rushed, especially when you have a single panel take up a third of the page on page three.

There is something thematically engaging about this showdown between a demonic force professing a nihilistic attitude and the lack of salvation and his foe being the antithesis of that, a character named after a mythic utopia. But any engagement with this battle of symbols is wiped away with the flick of a wrist.

The creative team doesnt let anyone off the hook though, at least in this episode. Once Eden is returned Noland quickly ports back to the Cube and completes the mission. Paul Marshall shows his incineration as the ship goes into the Black Hole. Its an honestly touching and effective moment. Those final two pages show the kind of measured pace that I wouldve liked to see the first three have. Obviously this is all building up to what will either be the finale or the start to the final act. What is Valhalla after several teases and a trip through a celestial entity? Can Eden even find Nolan and meet him there?

The eleventh entry in Skip Tracer does a whole bunch of stuff, maybe a little too fast. But there is also a commitment to characters and their own unflinching standards that is admirable. This is very much a downer ending for now. I also just cant help but wonder what if this strip was in an issue of the Megazine and they had twice the space to really make the drama land.

Dexter Bulletopia Chapter Eleven: The End of the Pier Show Part 2Credits: Dan Abnett (script), Tazio Bettin (art), Matt Soffe (colors) Annie Parkhouse (letters)

Matthew Blair: With everything thats been going on with Dexter and his crew its easy to forget that theyve been fleeing for their lives against a massive, all consuming artificial intelligence that has been tracking and hunting them across Europe. Now things have come to a head, and the past has caught up to them in more ways than one.

Writer Dan Abnett does a good job of turning Dexter Bulletopia Chapter 11 Part 2 into the set up for a brutal and long awaited confrontation between Dexter and the murderous AI, and while Abnett has a great track record of turning out some great stories, new readers might feel a bit lost here. Its not that the comic itself is bad, its just that if you want to be able to fully appreciate whats going on you have to be heavily invested in this series from the beginning. Abnett does a solid job of giving Dexter some quiet character moments and setting up a nail biter of an action sequence, but it doesnt really feel special unless you really know whats going on.

Steve Yeowells artwork for Dexter Bulletopia Chapter 11 Part 1 shows that its functional and capable of telling an emotional story, but its also plain and runs a serious risk of coming across as boring. Yeowells simple art style does really shine when Dexter is having an emotional break down, but in a world of grime, poverty, high crime, and low morals he doesnt do a very good job of showing just how grimy and lived in this world can be.

Dexter Bulletopia Chapter 11 Part 2 is a great emotional journey and promises to have some great action in the future, but there are some world building problems that prevent the story from being as good as it could be.

Jaegir: Ferox Part SevenCredits: Gordon Rennie (Script), Simon Coleby (Art), Len OGrady (Colors), Jim Campbell (Letters)

Christopher Egan: Giving us a little bit of a change in format, Rennie opens this chapter by taking us in years past to give us a glimpse at how these events spun out to the current storyline. The change is welcome, but not enough to warrant an extreme amount of praise. Overall, the script doesnt do anything much different than any of the other chapters, but it does add a bit more character intrigue to a story thats been sorely lacking any.

The art team does get to switch things up adding various color schemes to the story that, for some time, has looked generally the same week to week. Its a good looking chapter and it does add enough changes to give readers something to look forward to and be a bit different. I do find myself wondering where this story is going, but I cant decide if thats out of actual interest or just waiting for the end to come.

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Multiver-City One: 2000 AD Prog 2298 The Nightmare Man! - Multiversity Comics