Category Archives: Post Human

WASHINGTON President Biden did not do anything this weekend.

Well, lets rephrase: President Biden did not do anything alarming this weekend.

There were exactly eight tweets, each one rooted in what can best be described as reality. There was a visit to spend time with an ailing friend, Bob Dole, a former Republican senator. And there was a stop at church with the grandchildren.

Since Mr. Biden assumed office, the weekends have been portraits of domesticity MarioKart with the kids at Camp David, bagels in Georgetown and football in Delaware. A Peloton devotee, he hasnt even played golf. Mr. Bidens demonstrable uninterest in generating audacious headlines only emphasizes how much the Trump-size hole in Washington has created a sense of free time in all realms of the capital. Psychically, if not literally.

Though the workload remains (this is still Washington, after all) people are grabbing a few more hours of sleep in the span of time formerly known as the weekend.

It was going from working 24/7 to sort of not working at all in a snap, Representative Ted Lieu, Democrat of California and one of the House managers who prosecuted Donald J. Trump in his second impeachment, said of his first post-trial hours. And it did take a while sort of for my body and mind to calm down.

Mr. Lieu says he is already back to work full speed. Among other things, he is pushing legislation that he says will be written to close loopholes that Mr. Trump has exploited, including a bill that would create penalties for failing to respond to congressional subpoenas.

But first, binge-watching: The Sunday after the trial ended, Mr. Lieu spent his first Trump-free hours watching episodes of Snowpiercer.

Mr. Biden, who is focusing on his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, has said that he, too, wants to move on from discussing Mr. Trump. I dont want to talk about him anymore, the president said last week during a CNN town hall in Wisconsin. The reality is a bit different. Mr. Biden has repeatedly brought up what he said are failings of the Trump administration as he sought to win patience from the public during the rollout of coronavirus vaccines.

There is a parallel in the news industry, where reporters covering this new-old version of Washington say they are ready to get back to the type of journalism that does not involve deciphering a human mood ring. CNN and MSNBC, whose journalists and personalities have spent years challenging Mr. Trumps policies, have quietly reduced the number of Trump-focused journalists working on contract in recent months.

Mr. Trump has, of course, predicted that the political news complex will crumble without him. Members of that complex say they have some room to breathe and, crucially, to plan.

As the host of a weekly show, the glaring absence of presidential Twitter scandals means I can plan ahead with the expectation that our plan will actually be implemented, said Brian Stelter, a former New York Times reporter who hosts Reliable Sources on CNN. Informally, we used to leave a five-minute-size hole in my Sunday show, expecting some sort of big news to break on Saturday night. Now we dont assume thats going to happen anymore.

Other journalists say they welcome the renewed attention on policy.

A linear policymaking process, its still interesting, Jake Sherman, a veteran of Politico and a founder of Punchbowl News, said of the relative return to normalcy brought by the Biden era. When youre confident that a rotating cast of characters is not going to change the course of American government, thats a comforting thought.

Olivia Nuzzi, a Washington correspondent for New York magazine, said she was reconfiguring her relationship with the White House specifically, the idea that the current president has little interest in undermining his own press officers and policy experts.

The New Washington

Feb. 22, 2021, 12:38 p.m. ET

This weekend, Ms. Nuzzi said, she was also surprised to learn that Mr. Biden had quietly gone to church. She realized how much she had been keeping tabs on Mr. Trumps every move, just in case he upended the news cycle on impulse.

Its becoming clear, each day, how much that happened during that one term had to do with how he was feeling, Ms. Nuzzi said, and how much our daily lives focused on trying to get a sense of how he was feeling.

Outside the insulated worlds of politics and the news media, there is no normal to return to. Washingtonians who dont have to hang on the presidents every word are still struggling to adjust to life in a city where the Capitol and the White House have essentially been militarized, and where daily life has been upended by both the coronavirus and civil unrest.

Amy Brandwein, a chef and the owner of Centrolina, has watched brunchgoers return to downtown on the weekends, but she and other restaurateurs have struggled for nearly a year to regain the business lost because of the pandemic.

She is also afraid that the political turmoil will continue. Ms. Brandwein said her plans to install outdoor bubblelike structures to provide a socially distant dining option were delayed because of the violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6. She estimates she has lost about $100,000 in business on days she had to close because of protests that drew the Proud Boys and other extremist groups.

Mr. Trump may be gone from the capital, but she worries his supporters will still endanger her employees and her business. I wonder about the security in the future of downtown or generally in D.C., she said, because the Trump movement is still going on.

As Washington staggers to its feet, it is clear that Mr. Trump is happy to visit the dreams of anyone suddenly getting more sleep.

He has issued news releases through his post-presidency office whose targets have included not only the entire Democratic Party, but also Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader. He has sat for interviews on Fox News, repeating disputed or untrue theories about his election loss that allies like Sean Hannity have refused to challenge.

And at Mar-a-Lago, his fortress by the sea, Mr. Trump still expects a full crowd on the dinner patio to stand and applaud, just as it did when he was in office.

Other Republicans have filled the void left by Mr. Trumps diminished profile. A nice chunk of the past week was dedicated to the Washington chattering class gathering around an old-fashioned political scandal like it was a warm campfire: Senator Ted Cruz of Texas absconded to Cancn Cancn! while his constituents suffered during a snowstorm and a blackout. The Cruz caper was perhaps the starkest sign yet of a new political era: Mr. Trump was not around to give Mr. Cruz cover by instinctively turning the spotlight on himself.

But the former presidents supporters are expecting him to end his relative silence perhaps with his scheduled address to the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Fla., on Sunday.

Wayne Allyn Root, a radio host and frequent Mar-a-Lago visitor, said Mr. Trump was beholden to Republican expectations that he become a kingmaker for the party in 2022, if he doesnt become a 2024 candidate himself.

He needs time to heal, Mr. Root said, and I think that time is just about coming to an end.

In the meantime, a battered and bruised capital has adjusted to life at a calmer pace, with quieter activities and words replacing the obscenities, characters and gibberish that used to shape how the days were spent. Bagels over Bannon. Grandchildren over golf. Church over covfefe.

The historian Michael Beschloss said it would take some time to readjust to the idea that presidents do not typically rate their hour-by-hour existence on how many headlines they can generate.

Its human nature that in order to defend themselves, people locked in a careening car with a reckless driver will have their eyes wide open and hearts racing, with lots of adrenaline flowing, Mr. Beschloss said. I hope that for most Americans, that car ride has now stopped, and we can stagger out and catch our breath.

Original post:
Did Washington Just Have an Actual Weekend? - The New York Times

This weeks episode of WandaVision is a modern take on the family sitcom. In keeping up with more contemporary media traditions, episode 7, Breaking the Fourth Wall features a post-credits scene, similar to the ones you see in Marvel Studios movies. This is the first time the streaming series has done this.

While the revelation in the post-credits scene isnt as groundbreaking or revealing as the one that appeared in the 2008 film Iron Man, its still worth sticking around for.

[Ed. note: This piece contains spoilers for WandaVision episode seven.]

After Wanda descends into Agness basement in search for her missing boys, she discovers that her neighbors basement is probably not up to code and is definitely more like a witchs den. Thats because her friendly neighbor is actually the witch Agatha Harkness, the self-proclaimed other magic girl living in Westview.

The episode ends with Agatha using some of her purple magic on Wanda as she takes over the show weve been watching. We are then treated to a catchy intro to another show, Agatha All Along. In the musical opening, we see that Agatha has been pulling the strings behind most of the events in Westview, including controlling Pietro.

The show weve been watching then cuts to its usual credits. However, unlike every other episode of WandaVision, theres a cut to a post-credits scene. In it, Monica Rambeau is sneaking around Agness house trying to reconnect with Wanda after Agnes takes her away in an earlier encounter. Monicas snooping leads her to the entrance to the villains witchy basement. Before she can make sense of her discovery, she is interrupted by Pietro.

As he sneaks up behind Monica, he surprises her by telling that, snoopers gonna snoop. Its unclear if Pietro is still under Agathas control or not. Either way, Monica reacts with shock and the scene ends on a cliffhanger.

The rest of episode 7 has plenty of other payoffs that fans have been curious about, such as exploring what happens if Monica Rambeau enters the hex a third time, more hexagons, and plenty of Billy and Tommy.

Each new episode of WandaVision brings unexpected changes. Most of the ideas are ripped from what weve come to expect from each era of television the show pulls inspiration from. The shows seventh episode is the first time the series has pulled from the modern cinematic tradition, often credited to Marvel, of the post-credits scene. Where the show gathers its ideas from next is anyones guess.

Continue reading here:
WandaVision episode 7 has a post-credit scene that you cant miss - Polygon

This is the most under-served category, anchored neither by the corporates nor by the Government.

Credit and Finance for MSMEs: As India focuses on post-Covid-19 recovery, the revival of MSMEs is clearly understood to be key in wider employment generation and for distribution of the benefits to the economy. The lack of working capital so far has constrained many of the shuttered, marginally functioning, and surviving MSMEs from returning to their full economic potential. Therefore, when the Reserve Bank of India called out for financial institutions to adopt cash-flow-based lending, the industry applauded the dynamism that the government wants to bring in addressing capital requirements of MSMEs, which incidentally comprise 95 per cent of all businesses in India. It would not be wrong to say that ever since cash flow-based lending has literally been trending when it comes to any discussion on MSME.

However, the uncertainty of lending in an already muted business segment has already replaced the earlier cheer as financial institutions, be it banks or NBFCs, get to action the policy push.Several operational and technological constraints come in the way. For starters, MSMEs tend to be treated as one generic pool based on their turnover, which is not appropriate to determine access to working capital. Their risk profiles and who they get funds from can be better understood by decoding who MSMEs buy from and who they sell to:

Category 1: MSMEs who are vendors or suppliers to larger Corporates or Government

This is a safer category for banks to lend since there is regulatory support to force their buyers to pay back the MSMEs. Banks and NBFCs can easily lend through platforms like Trade Receivable Discounting System or TReDS. The risk of non-payment is minimal, and the approach relieves banks from the heavy lifting task of Origination, KYC, and Invoice aggregation. And, their risk is not on the MSMEs, instead of on the corporates and the Government. In reality, this is another form of Account Payable financing for the buyers which is not to say that MSMEs do not benefit from optional early payment at a discount.

Category 2: MSMEs who buy from larger Corporates and sell to retailers or end-customers

There are lakhs of dealers and distributors of sectors such as FMCGs and other CPGs, who presently use the traditional Channel or Trade finance provided by banks via corporates to get credit periods. However, dealers hardly benefit from it; in fact, the corporates partly use early payments to pay to lenders. Given corporates have hard and soft backstops to ensure payments keep coming in Banks and NBFCs prefer this route to lend. Also, with difficulties in determining qualified origination of potential borrowers, the paucity of data, KYC/documentation challenges, and repayment risks, banks limit this to collateral-based finance within branch radius and have long decision cycles.

The recent generation of technology and algorithm-driven lenders have attempted to use eKYC and data from ITR, bank statements, etc. for quick approval of direct working capital loans to this segment. However, their own limited book size and First Loan Default Guarantee (FLDG) on leverage (when they borrow from banks) makes this a risky proposition where even a small percentage of NPAs can sink the business as we have witnessed in many cases.

Also read:Small business lender U GRO Capital expands to unorganised micro businesses; to lend up to Rs 15lakh

Category 3: MSMEs who directly sell their goods or services to end-customers

This is the most under-served category, anchored neither by the corporates nor by the Government. They form the lowest rung in access to finance and this is where fintechs and new-age tech NBFCs in India have already actioned or are fast developing lending programmes that are attuned with cash flows determined through digital acceptance and payments.

The opportunity

The vast opportunity for Banks and NBFCs to scale access to working capital lies in the second category where trade finance is playing a muted role, currently. And here, financial technology can do the trick.For example, technology can offer real-time cash flow data instead of collaterals to determine credit. Pre-validation by corporates of their approved dealers to minimize KYC requirements and use payment behavior analytics as an adjunct to credit scores makes decision making more realistic. Integration of payments rails and open banking APIs from banks to ease payments. Inbuilt soft and/or hard backstops from corporates to help mitigate lenders risk, and automating collections as an integral part of the eco-system can boost the confidence of lenders.

This has advantages for corporates too with early cash flows and lower Daily Sales Outstanding (DSO), and for MSMEs with faster access to capital.An example of this is the Government of Indias success in tax collection and adherence through e-invoicing. Simple end-to-end automation of the invoice lifecycle presentment, payment, collection and reconciliation itself can provide for real-time, transparent, and integrated sources of cash flow-based data. This will definitely empower banks and NBFCs to differentiate between actual risks and perceived risks of lending to MSMEs.

To conclude, I would say just as humanity did not shy away from technology in getting on with their lives despite COVID-19, financial institutions too must not shy from using technology to get to the task at hand. For any unfounded fears still, this quote from the great Albert Einstein can be encouraging A ship is always safe at shore but that is not what it is built for.

Mohan Krishnan is the Founder of Global PayEX. Views expressed are the authors own.

Get live Stock Prices from BSE, NSE, US Market and latest NAV, portfolio of Mutual Funds, Check out latest IPO News, Best Performing IPOs, calculate your tax by Income Tax Calculator, know markets Top Gainers, Top Losers & Best Equity Funds. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Financial Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest Biz news and updates.

Originally posted here:
Small businesses post-Covid recovery: Why banks alone cannot empower MSMEs to survive and thrive - The Financial Express

Tributes have been paid to an "inspirational" PE teacher and coach who died of a brain tumour.

Tim Harding, former head of PE at Eirias High School in Colwyn Bay died peacefully at St David's Hospice on Thursday.

Eirias High School took to social media to announce the sad news.

They posted: "It is with the heaviest of hearts we have to let you know of the passing of our dear friend, former head of PE and Eirias legend Tim Harding.

"Tim was such an inspiration to his colleagues, pupils and the wider community.

"Our thoughts are with Sally, Tom and Matt."

Eirias Hockey Club posted: "The club are deeply saddened to hear of Tim Hardings passing. A former player and a keen supporter who will be missed by all at the club. Our thoughts are with Sally, Tom and Matt. "

Colwyn Bay school, Rydal Penrhos announced on its website: "It is with great sadness that we wish to announce the passing of Mr Tim Harding, beloved husband of Mrs Sally Harding (Head of Senior School) and father of Matt and Tom (former pupils).

"After many years of fighting with a brain tumour, Tim passed away peacefully in St Davids Hospice on Thursday, 18 February 2021.

"Tim has been a much-loved and highly regarded member of the Rydal Penrhos community. He has always been an absolute inspiration to everyone who knows him with his motivation and positivity.

"The school offers our condolences to Sally and the Harding family."

Haus Coffee Shop in Colwyn Bay wrote on Facebook: "We are very saddened by the news to have lost our customer, Tim Harding. We are very grateful to have met him.

"Tim's smile and kindness will be dearly missed by all the staff from Haus.

"Our thoughts are with his family and dear friends at this most difficult time."

Former students also paid tribute.

One said: "I have so much to thank Mr Harding for - amazing teacher and even better mentor to me in school.

"Rest in Peace."

Another added: "Rest in peace sir, best teacher ever."

One said: "What sad news. Tim was a great teacher and person. I was lucky enough to be taught by him from Yr 7 through to Yr 13. My thoughts are with Tims family and his colleagues at the sad time."

Another said: "Very sad news.

Did you know we offer a free email newsletter service?

Each North Wales Live bulletin delivers the latest breaking news, what's on events and the hottest talking points straight to your inbox.

For more information about how to subscribe click here.

"Tim was a huge influence on me growing up through Eirias, as Im sure he was to the thousands of other kids fortunate to have been taught by him. Sending all my love to his family. One of lifes great human beings who will be missed by lots."

While one said: "Such sad news - Tim was always so supportive of my son (who wasnt the best behaved) - I will always be thankful for how he treated him - Nothing but respect for such an amazing person and truly inspirational teacher - my thoughts are with Tims family."

Have your say on this story using the comments section below.

Link:
Tributes to former teacher and 'one of life's great human beings' who died of brain tumour - North Wales Live

A report published by the Forum for Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir has found that 18 months after the abrogation of the states special status, human rights violations are still prevalent in the state. Public and civilian safety continues to be compromised to combat counterinsurgency through illegal detention, arbitrary arrests and denial of freedom of expression. A report byMANYA SAINI.

THEForum for Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir, an independent body recently published a report noting the violation of rights in the state between August 2020 to January 2021. It found that people in the Union Territory continue to suffer from abductions by militants, assassinations, and custodial killings and inadequate remedial measures.

The forum, co-chaired by former Supreme Court judge, Madan B. Lokur and former J&K interlocutor Radha Kumar found that statutory bodies established to redress grievance related to humans rights, women and child rights, as well as the right to information have not been reinstated yet.

The second report observed that almost every violation that it had found flagged in its first report, between August 2019-July 2020, continues in Kashmir. This includes denial of the right to a fair and free trial alongside vitiation of protections such as habeas corpus and prevention of illegal detention. Further, it alleges grievous misuse of the Public Safety Act (PSA) and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) to throttle dissent.

The report in its findings alleges that there is a near-total alienation of the people in Kashmir from the central government and other states of the country. The same also exists in Jammu but not to the same extent, due to comparatively less civilian cost of insurgency, as well as economic and educational losses. As per the report,counterinsurgency concernsare prioritised by the government over the welfare of the people.

In Kashmir, it notes a marked increase in fatalities of both civilians as well the armed forces in the last year. Instances of IED blasts, cross-border shelling and grenade attacks have also risen steadily. Several local political leaders remain detained or arrested, the latest being thePeoples Democratic Partys (PDP) youth president Waheed ur Rehman Para.

The report has also taken objection to the recent pellet-firing, lathi charge and the use of tear gas on civilians during Muharram processions, calling them entirely avoidable. It has cited negligence saying, Adequate planning by the administration in cooperation with Shia leaders could have ensured sanitary measures were taken without banning the processions. It alleges that in any circumstance, the decision of the authorities to arrest 50 people participating was excessive.

Public assembly continues to be banned under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 (CrPC). It also claims that the Jammu and Kashmir administration during the district development polls has added a new category of protective detention.

Citing these reasons as contributing factors, the report concluded that therates of militant recruitment, which had fallen, have started to rise again, rendering 2020 as the year with the second-highest militant recruitment in a decade.

As per the report, Kashmir suffers from rampant unemployment, at 16.6 percent, it is nearly twice in comparison with the rest of the country. The already limited healthcare facilities have gotten steadily worse amid the COVID-19 pandemic.A childs right to a trauma-free environment is regularly ignored in the region.

Even as local and regional media functioned with little independence, they have been further eroded with the implementation of the much-criticised new media policy which has led to the disempanelment of about 20 media outlets.

This includes Rising Kashmir, whose editor, Shujaat Bukhari was assassinated in 2018 by a terror outfit. It has demanded criminal and civil action against armed forces, police personnel and paramilitary forces guilty of attacking journalists with an intent to intimidate and hamper free press.Media houses over the period have struggled with several economic, administrative and logistical problems amid targeting and assault.

The 18-month ban on 4G internet services by the government in Kashmir has added to the suffering of the people, causing trauma and stress, and impacting public health. It states that the restrictions were in violation of the rights to health and medical care under the Indian, and Jammu and Kashmir, constitutions.

The recommendations made by the Forum in the report include the release of people who were put in preventive detention after August 4, 2019. Further, it has asked that PSA be repealed alongside all legislation that allows preventive arrests. The report has urged that the Armys additional directorate for human rights be given the freedom to investigate alleged human rights violations, such as the Hokersar deaths. It has also asked for the removal of all restrictions on the freedom of representation and expression, including, the withdrawal of unsubstantiated charges against local leaders, journalists and activists.

(Manya Saini is a student at the Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune, and an intern with The Leaflet.)

See more here:
Report Flags Human Rights Violations in Post-Lockdown Kashmir, Alleges Severe Restrictions on Civil Liberties - TheLeaflet - The Leaflet

Updates are one of the biggest problems facing the Android ecosystem, as some devices are abandoned far before their time, and others are delayed for months. Samsung has done an excellent job in improving both the speed and frequency of its updates, and over the past year it has also been expanding the length of support. Today, Samsung is announcing a full additional year of security updates for every Galaxy device released since 2019.

In a blog post today, Samsung revealed that all Galaxy smartphones and tablets will receive security updates for a minimum of four years after their release, and the policy extends to devices as far back as 2019. This change of policy guarantees that more Samsung devices will get security updates in the fourth year of their life. Samsung previously announced three years worth of major system updates for all of its phones and tablets last year.

Over the past decade, Samsung has made significant progress in streamlining and speeding up its regular security updates. Samsung worked closely with its OS and chipset partners, as well as over 200 carriers around the world to ensure that billions of Galaxy devices receive timely security patches. Samsung remains committed to offering security updates as quickly as possible to always stay one step ahead and keep its users safe.

For the first two years, Samsung provides devices with monthly security updates (pending delays by carrier partners and may vary by device), and then devices are dropped down to quarterly updates. Samsung publicly lists this information on a website. During this added fourth year, Samsung will be providing regular security updates, meaning they could only occur once or twice during that year.

Still, thats better than nothing. Google, for instance, cuts off support for Pixels entirely after three years, leaving those devices without any promised security or system updates. Most other Android OEMs promise only two years, and often dont live up to that. Notably, Samsung has had this four-year policy in place for Enterprise devices for over a year.

This updated policy for Samsung applies to over 40 devices going back to the Galaxy S10 and Note 10, as well as Galaxy A, Z, XCover, and Note devices. The full list includes:

Galaxy S:

Galaxy Note:

Galaxy Foldable:

Galaxy A:

Galaxy Tab:

Galaxy XCover:

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Check out 9to5Google on YouTube for more news:

See the original post:
Samsung now offers four years of security updates to Galaxy phones and tablets - 9to5Google

One of the most intriguing aspects of the history of the human quest to discover whether or not there is other life in the universe, and whether any of it is recognizably intelligent in the way that we are, is just how much our philosophical mood has changed back and forth across the centuries.

Today were witnessing a bit of a "golden age" in terms of active work towards answers. Much of that work stems from the overlapping revolutions in exoplanetary science and solar system exploration, and our ongoing revelations about the sheer diversity and tenacity of life here on Earth. Together these areas of study have given us places to look, phenomena to look for, and increased confidence that were quick approaching the point where our technical prowess may cross the necessary threshold for finding some answers about life elsewhere.

Into that mix goes the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI); as weve become more comfortable with the notion that the technological restructuring and repurposing of matter is something we can, and should, be actively looking for. If for no other reason than our own repurposing of matter, here on Earth, has become ever more vivid and fraught, and therefore critical to appreciate and modify in aid of long-term survival. But this search, labeled as both SETI and the quest for technosignatures, still faces some daunting challenges not least the catch-up required after decades of receiving a less-than-stellar allocation of scientific resources.

What is so fascinating is that in many respects we have already been here and done all of this before, just not recently, and not with the same set of tools that we now have to hand.

In western Europe, during the period from some four hundred years ago until last century, the question of life beyond the Earth seems to have been less of if and more of what. Famous scientists like Christiaan Huygens wrote in his Cosmotheoros of So many Suns, so many Earths, and every one of them stockd with so many Herbs, Trees and Animalseven the little Gentlemen round Jupiter and Saturn And this sense of cosmic plurality wasnt uncommon. It was in almost all respects far simpler and more reasonable to assume that the wealth of life on Earth was simply repeated elsewhere. That is once one let go of a sense of earthly uniqueness.

In other words, in many quarters there was no are we alone? question being asked, instead the debate was already onto the details of how the life elsewhere in the cosmos went about its business.

In the 1700s and 1800s we had astronomers like William Herschel, or the more amateur Thomas Dick, not only proposing that our solar system, from the Moon to the outer planets, was overrun with lifeforms (Dick holding the record by suggesting that Saturns rings held around 8 trillion individuals) but convincing themselves that they could see the evidence. Herschel, with his good telescopes, becoming convinced that there were forests on the Moon, in the Mare humorum, and speculating that the Suns dark spots were actually holes in a glowing hot atmosphere, beneath which, a cool surface supported large alien beings.

Even though we might question some of their scientific standards, people like Herschel and Dick were indeed following the philosophy of life being everywhere, and elevating it to the level of any other observable phenomenon. Herschel was also applying the best scientific instruments he could at the time.

All the way into the 20th century, prior to the data obtained by the Mariner 4 flyby in 1965, the possibility that Mars had a more clement surface environment, and therefore life, still carried significant weight. Although there had been extreme claims like Percival Lowells canals on Mars in the late 1800s and very early 1900s, astronomers of the time largely disagreed with these specific interpretations. Interestingly, that was because they simply couldnt reproduce the observations, finding the markings he associated with canals and civilizations to be largely non-existent (an example of how better data can discount pet theories). But aside from Lowells distractions, the existence of a temperate climate of sorts on Mars was not easy to discount, nor was life on its surface. For example, Carl Sagan and Paul Swan published a paper just ahead of Mariner 4s arrival at Mars in which they wrote:

The present body of scientific evidence suggests, but does not unambiguously demonstrate, the existence of life on Mars. In particular, the photometrically observed waves of darkening which proceed from the vaporizing polar caps through the dark areas of the Martian surface have been interpreted in terms of seasonal biological activity.

Suffice to say, this proposal went the way of many other overly optimistic ideas about finding life on the red planet. Although it is fascinating how well the periodic darkening phenomenon they discussed could indeed fit into a picture of a surface biosphere on Mars and remains perhaps a rather sobering lesson in overinterpreting limited data.

But the key point is that we have actually more often than not been of a mindset that life is out there, and could explain certain cosmic observations. The problem has been that, as data has improved, and scrutiny has intensified, the presence of life has not revealed itself from planetary exploration or from the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. And because of that weve swung to the other extreme, where the question has gone from "what" all the way back to if.

Of course, we have also likely systematically underestimated the challenge across the centuries. Even today it is apparent that the search for structured radio emissions from technological life has thus far only scratched the surface of a complex parameter space; a fact beautifully quantified and articulated by Jason Wright and colleagues in 2018, as being much like looking in a hot tub of water to draw conclusions about the contents of Earths oceans.

In that sense, perhaps the more fundamental question is whether or not we are, this time, technologically equipped to crack the puzzle once and for all. There is little doubt that our capacity to sense the most ethereal, fleeting phenomena in the cosmos is at an all time high. But there seems to be a fine line between acknowledging that exciting possibility and falling prey to the kind of hubris that some of our precursors fell prey to. Naturally, we say, this is the most special time in human existence, if we can only expand our minds and our efforts then all may be revealed!

Of course, none of us can know for sure which way this will all go. We might do better being very explicit about the uncertainty inherent in all of this, because its actually incredibly exciting to have to face the unknown, and unknowable. What we shouldnt do is allow the unpredictable nature of this particular pendulum, swinging between possibilities, to dissuade us from trying.

See the original post here:
Until Recently, People Accepted the 'Fact' of Aliens in the Solar System - Scientific American

The nascent market for these items reflects a notable, technologically savvy move by creators of digital content to connect financially with their audience and eliminate middlemen.

Some NFT buyers are collectors and fans who show off what they have bought on social media or screens around their homes. Others are trying to make a quick buck as cryptocurrency prices surge. Many see it as a form of entertainment that mixes gambling, sports card collecting, investing and day trading.

Eye-popping NFT sale prices have attracted some of the same confusion and derision that have long haunted the cryptocurrency world, which has struggled to find a good use for its technology beyond currency trading. And there is uncertainty over the stability of values, since many of the transactions are using cryptocurrencies, which have fluctuated wildly in worth over the last two years.

But true believers remind people that most big things in tech from Facebook and Airbnb to the internet itself and mobile phones often start out looking like toys.

A lot of people are cynical about this kind of thing, said Marc Andreessen, a venture capital investor at Andreessen Horowitz, in a discussion on the social media app Clubhouse this month. But people dont buy things like sneakers, art or baseball cards for the value of their materials, he and his partner, Ben Horowitz, explained. They buy them for their aesthetics and design.

A $200 pair of sneakers is, like, $5 in plastic, Mr. Andreessen said.

Youre buying a feeling, Mr. Horowitz added.

The market for NFTs began to pick up last year, with more than 222,000 people participating in $250 million worth of sales, quadrupling the volume in 2019, according to Nonfungible.com, which tracks the market. As day trading has risen alongside the stock market in the pandemic, investors have looked for riskier and more esoteric places to make money, from sneakers and streetwear to wine and art.

Go here to read the rest:
Why an Animated Flying Cat With a Pop-Tart Body Sold for Almost $600,000 - The New York Times

Jodie Boucher, manager of Carr Croft Care Home in Meanwood said its time that the guidance took a step forward to allow families the long-awaited closer contact with their loved ones.

I think its a fantastic idea and I think it really needs to happen now.

We need to move forward and reunite people. Even just holding a hand, that touch and the emotion - it will just enhance the wellbeing of people.

Jodie, who is also chairwoman of Leeds registered managers network, acknowledged there will still be risks involved but said care homes now needed to start taking that risk, as safely as possible.

I cant wait. This has got to happen. These people may otherwise pass away without seeing their loved ones and thats just awful.

She added: People have missed their loved ones. Weve supported them to communicate in other ways - phone calls, outside visits, writing letters. But theres nothing that beats that human touch.

Under the plans, the nominated regular indoor visitor will be required to take a coronavirus lateral flow test before entry and personal protective equipment (PPE) must be worn.

Residents will be asked not to hug or kiss their relatives, though hand holding will be permitted.

Guidance for care homes is expected to be published in the next fortnight.

As the Yorkshire Evening Post reported last week, the charity issued a rallying cry to its supporters in Leeds and Yorkshire to sign a letter calling on the Government to set out a clear timetable for the re-introduction of meaningful visits from loved ones in care homes, where at least 70 per cent of residents have dementia.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he was "pleased" that it would soon be possible for people to be "carefully and safely reunited with loved ones who live in care homes".

Outdoor visits - as well as those inside pods or behind screens - will be able to continue, giving residents the chance to see more than just their nominated visitor.

The Government met its target to offer all care home residents - along with social care and NHS staff, all those aged over 70 and the most clinically vulnerable - a vaccine by February 15.

Scientists believe the vaccines become effective after three weeks, meaning by March 8 all those who accepted a vaccine should have a good level of protection from Covid-19.

However, vaccination will not be a condition of visiting. Visits will also be suspended during local outbreaks in individual homes.

The Department of Health said the relaxation of the restrictions represented a balance between the risk of infection and the importance of visiting for the mental and physical wellbeing of care home residents and their families.

Mr Hancock said: "I know how important visiting a loved one is and I'm pleased we will soon be in a position for people to be carefully and safely reunited with loved ones who live in care homes.

"This is just the first step to getting back to where we want to be. We need to make sure we keep the infection rate down, to allow greater visiting in a step by step way in the future."

Care Minister Helen Whately added: "One of the hardest things during this pandemic has been seeing families desperate to be reunited with their loved ones kept apart and I absolutely want to bring them back together.

"Throughout this pandemic we have sought clinical guidance on how visits can be conducted safely.

"We had to restrict the majority of visiting when the new variant was discovered but we have done all we can to enable visits to continue in some form. That includes providing funding towards costs of screens and PPE.

"As we begin to open up we will move step by step to increase visits while remembering we are still in the grip of a global pandemic."

Professor Deborah Sturdy, chief nurse for adult social care, said: "I know how much people want to visit, hug and kiss their loved ones but doing so can put lives at risk so we would ask people to continue to follow the rules.

"This is a first step towards resuming indoor visits and we all hope to be able to take further steps in the future.

"I am pleased as a result of so many people following the rules we are in a position to increase visits and hope this is just the start."

It comes as the Prime Minister Boris Johnson prepares his "road map" out of the national lockdown, the details of which he is expected to announce on Monday.

The relaxation was welcomed by charity Age UK, whose director Caroline Abrahams said: "Hundreds of thousands of older people in care homes and their loved ones will sleep a little easier tonight, now they know the journey towards fully reopening care homes to visiting is to begin soon.

"It makes sense for the first step to be to allow 'essential care giving visitors' back into care homes because these individuals are so crucial to the health and wellbeing of the residents they support.

"In their absence we know that some older people have stopped eating and drinking, despite the best efforts of staff to take their place. Sometimes, only the person you love most in the world will do and it's to the Government's credit that they have recognised this.

"However, there are relatively few of these very special people so most care home residents and their families will have to wait a little longer for permission to meet up in person again.

"Still, now they can realistically hope that their nightmarish, prolonged separation will be coming to an end soon - something that would have been inconceivable before the pandemic and that we must do everything possible to prevent from ever happening again."

However, Independent Care Group chairman Mike Padgham said: "We must sound a note of caution because Covid-19 hasn't gone away and we are caring for the most vulnerable and most susceptible to it.

"We need some clarification - for example, the announcement says holding hands will be allowed but warns against 'close contact'. How is that going to be possible? There is going to have to be some very close but compassionate supervision of these visits.

"In truth, we might have preferred a more phased return to visiting with maybe a period of no contact visits followed by some careful contact."

Shadow health and social care minister Liz Kendall said: "For the last seven months, backed by Labour and charities, families have been calling for care home visits to start again and to be treated as key workers with access to all the PPE and testing they need.

"Over this period ministers have repeatedly failed to grasp how important families are for the physical and mental health of care home residents and the appalling impact preventing visits has caused.

"Never again must families be denied the right to visit their loved ones in care homes. To have any confidence that things will really change, we need legislation to enshrine residents' rights to visits and end the scandal of blanket visiting bans."

Support the YEP and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to local news and the latest on Leeds United, With a digital subscription, you see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe.

The rest is here:
'Nothing beats that human touch': Leeds care home boss welcomes move to allow relatives to hold hands - Yorkshire Evening Post

Vertical marketplaces continue to be a key lynchpin in the digital economy, a centralized place where people providing certain goods or services can connect with those specifically looking to buy them, a position that has, it seems, become even more prominent and in-demand in our pandemic economy. In line with that trend, today a startup out of Denmark called Ageras Group, which has built a dual-purpose platform, providing both accountancy software and a marketplace for small and medium businesses to find accountants, is announcing a round of growth funding to expand its business.

The Copenhagen-based company has closed a round of $73 million from a single investor, Lugard Road Capital.

Ageras is not disclosing its valuation, but this report in Danish publication Borsen pegs it at 1.5 billion Danish krone, or around $244 million at todays rates. Weve asked an Ageras spokesperson to confirm the figure and will update this post as we learn more.

Were also asking how much it has raised in the past. Founded in 2012, the startup was bootstrapped for its first five years, and PitchBook discloses only around $220,000 before this round. Previous investors include Investcorp which took a majority stake in the company in 2017 and more recently Rabo Bank.

The new investment comes on the heels of good growth for the company, with plans to capitalize on that. Ageras has now passed 340,000 users across Denmark, the U.S., Sweden, Norway, Holland and Germany. It says that the plan will be to use the funding to expand into what it generally describes as growth markets new countries, new customer segments and also adding more services to its software stack both through organic growth and acquisitions.

Ageras has established a market leading and best-in-class product offering that is optimally positioned for international expansion and the rising demand for automated business tools, said Rico Andersen, Ageras CEO who co-founded the company with Martin Hegelund, himself a serial investor who has backed the likes of Slack. This latest financing round will support our ongoing commitment to scaling the Ageras brand and bringing our software offering to new customers across the globe. We look forward to continuing the Ageras story in the years to come.

Ageras today follows a fairly typical labor marketplace model: SMEs seeking accountancy services submit their requirements in three areas accounting, bookkeeping or auditing and in return they receive three leads to contact. That model is one that Andersen and Hegelund know well, having previously built an online marketplace for home service professionals called Fa det Gjort (which translates to Get it done!).

Alongside this and to further diversify the business model the company has expanded into building accounting software, starting first with its own in-house Meneto suite, and then adding to it with two acquisitions, Billy in Denmark and Tellow in The Netherlands.

The investment underscores the persistent popularity of the marketplace model for online business, made popular in e-commerce by the likes of Amazon and Alibaba but extended to a range of services as well.

The labor marketplace model has been a perennial one in the world of startups Uber helped pioneer it to connect those needing a ride with mobility options for getting somewhere, the likes of Deliveroo lets people sign up to deliver food and other goods to people, there are a number of platforms out there providing a way for tradespeople to connect with those needing a home or other job done, and so on.

And the evolution of that to expand to more knowledge worker jobs is not especially new, either. Upwork, Bark, Paro and others are among those offering a way for accountants to connect with would-be customers.

What is perhaps more notable is how the space seems to be growing right now: the pandemic has reduced a lot of foot traffic for business districts, changing what offices look like these days. That has opened the door to a wider range of people providing services to others, while at the same time possibly made it harder for them to be discoverable.

Marketplaces are one way to solve that challenge, and in that regard, its no surprise to see the reports that LinkedIn is eyeing up building its own marketplace for skilled workers.

That is not the only area where Ageras faces competition, though: in the area of online accounting services, meanwhile, there are a number of players, including established companies like Intuit as well as newer entrants like Pennylane, TaxScouts, Zeitgold and Stripe-backed Pilot.

Lugard appears to be a VC affiliated with U.S. hedge fund Luxor Capital Group and it has also backed the delivery platform Glovo, inRiver and others. Investcorp, meanwhile, continues to hold a significant stake in the startup as part of its bigger tech investment strategy, which has included acquiring and then selling security firm Avira, and recently taking a stake in Indias logistics startup Xpressbees.

The combination of Ageras mission critical software, backed by a reputation for dependability, insights into the professional service market, an outstanding management team, paired with its cutting-edge research & development has ensured it has continued to grow its market position and deliver an accountancy ecosystem based on high quality recurring revenue, said Gilbert Kamieniecky, MD and head of Investcorps technology vertical, in a statement. The additional financing secured by Ageras will help to drive international expansion and support the continued innovation of its customer offering.

The rest is here:
Ageras nabs $73M at a $244M valuation for its accountancy marketplace and bookkeeping tech stack - TechCrunch