Citrix Systems has invested in PaaS (platform-as-a-service) startup CumuLogic, as it sees enterprises embrace new types of applications specifically designed to run in the cloud, the company said on Tuesday.
The investment was made by Citrix's Startup Accelerator, which invests in early-stage startups. Citrix did not divulge the amount of the investment.
What attracted Citrix to CumuLogic was the company's "ability to bridge between traditional datacenters and clouds at the application level," the company said in a statement.
PaaS offerings are the middle layer of a cloud-based software stack, according to market research company Gartner. They sit between the underlying system infrastructure (OSes, networks, virtualization and storage) and the application software, it said.
With CumuLogic's platform, enterprises can deploy and manage any kind of Java application -- whether mobile, Web or enterprise applications -- on private, public or hybrid clouds, according to the company's website.
CumuLogic calls its technology a cloud application management platform. It includes features such as autoscaling, monitoring and metering. The latter allows enterprises to track application usage so they can properly charge the correct departments.
The platform doesn't require a proprietary software development kit or framework, so application developers can choose the environment they want to use, such as Eclipse or NetBeans, according to CumuLogic.
The platform also supports multiple underlying clouds and virtualized environments, including CloudStack, Eucalyptus, OpenStack and VMware vSphere in private clouds; and Amazon EC2 and HP Cloud Services public clouds.
PaaS will be a core part of cloud computing architectures, and its evolution will affect a majority of enterprises and software vendors, Gartner said earlier this year. Both camps must start building expertise, it said.
Just like most new areas, there a number of startups that want to make a name for themselves in the PaaS sector. CumuLogic's competitors include Engine Yard, dotCloud, Appfog and CloudBees.


Lakeville's Logan Swedberg is featured in an ad campaign asking people to see disabled kids as people capable of big things.
Logan Swedberg is a sports fanatic, so friends and family celebrated his 11th birthday with a baseball game and a barbeque. But it's his impressive golf game that earned him some celebrity status.
Logan's prowess on the links is featured in a television commercial for Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare. It's even more impressive considering that the Lakeville fourth-grader has undergone extensive surgeries to straighten his spine and reshape his feet.
Logan is the new celebrity at the center of Gillette's "Cure Pity" campaign. It's a provocative marketing strategy for the specialty hospital that challenges the public to admire the accomplishments of disabled children rather than pity their struggles.
Gillette is asking people to watch the television ad and sign its "Cure Pity" pledge at Curepity.org. Nearly 1,000 people have already signed.
"The goal of the Cure Pity campaign is to help change the way the world sees kids who have disabilities. Children who have disabilities don't want -- or need -- pity. They need people to see them for what they can achieve," explained Patty Dunn, Gillette's public relations manager.
Founded in 1897, Gillette was the first hospital in the nation for children who have disabilities. The St. Paul hospital now serves more than 24,000 patients annually and includes a cadre of pediatric specialists, including orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, plastic and reconstructive surgeons and rehabilitation staff.
Logan is a bit bashful about his high-profile role, describing it simply as "awesome." But his doctors and parents say his resilience and his upbeat attitude epitomize the "Cure Pity" movement.
In the television ad, Logan plays golf with his grandfather. Logan misses a putt by a few inches. He asks his grandfather, "Is that good?" His grandfather shakes his head no. Logan feigns a look of slight disbelief at his grandfather's exacting standards and then sinks the putt.
"It's pretty amazing what kids can do that sometimes have different challenges," said Logan's mom, Tara Swedberg. "I think Gillette is awesome and it was just an honor to be asked."
"It's really neat to see what they've done not just for Logan but for everyone else," said Logan's dad, Todd Swedberg.
The Swedbergs recall the day their middle son was born. He was taken to the neonatal intensive-care unit and doctors feared a mass in his abdomen was cancer. Tests later revealed that Logan was born with a chromosomal abnormality so rare that it doesn't even have a name. The ends of two chromosomes are flip-flopped, which resulted in two clubfeet, a cleft lip and palate, the large mass in his abdomen, and the later development of scoliosis and kyphosis, a complex spinal curvature that put dangerous pressure on his heart and lungs as he grew.
Everyday activities, even breathing, became a constant struggle.
His parents researched treatment options, even taking their son to the Mayo Clinic, before deciding to pursue treatment at Gillette.
In a first-of-its-kind procedure that spanned eight months, Gillette surgeons attached a halo to Logan's skull, which straightened his spine. Logan then underwent spinal fusion, using bone from one of his ribs to support his spine.
Todd Swedberg remembers the first days of recovery when Logan was immobilized in a hospital bed, in and out of consciousness, and unable to speak because of a tube down his throat.
"It was hard. Sometimes he'd wake up and look at you. You'd sometimes see a tear," Todd Swedberg said.
He spent months in the hospital recovering with frequent visits from his younger sister, Emma, and older brother, Zach. He attended school at the hospital, occasionally Skyping with his classmates at Cherry View Elementary. He spent much of second grade at the hospital.
Gillette staff, family and friends worked to lift Logan's spirits.
Logan had an ongoing video-game competition with one of the younger doctors and was thrilled when Abby, the family dog, was given a canine visitor's pass.
After his release, Logan wore the halo for another five months. He went to school, golfed and played with friends.
"Throughout it all, he's never been a complainer," Todd Swedberg said.
Logan is now between procedures, so he's free to tinker in the yard and roughhouse with his kid sister. He will undergo more surgeries as he grows.
Teachers showed Logan's commercial to his classmates at school. His parents say he has a strong network of friends there.
"They thought it was awesome and cool," Logan said.
The children may not be able to articulate the reasoning behind the "Cure Pity" campaign, but they often comprehend it better than adults, said Cherry View Principal Paul Helberg.
"The kids don't think, 'Poor Logan.' They kind of live that slogan," Helberg said.
During a kickball game at school, Logan was fair game with the other children working hard to tag him out, Helberg said.
"He is a resilient kid. He works hard," Helberg said. "I feel fortunate to have him at my school."
Shannon Prather is a Twin Cities freelance writer.


text:
Intelligent Machines: The jobs robots will steal first
synapses
Careers, Science
If you are sitting at a desk, driving a taxi or carrying a hod, stop for a moment and ask: could a robot or machine do this job better?
The answer, unfortunately for you, is probably – yes.
The debate about whether machines will eliminate the need for human employment is no longer just academic.
Boston Consulting Group predicts that by 2025, up to a quarter of jobs will be replaced by either smart software or robots, while a study from Oxford University has suggested that 35% of existing UK jobs are at risk of automation in the next 20 years.
Office workers who do repetitive jobs such as writing reports or drawing up spreadsheets are easily replaced with software but what other jobs are under threat? The BBC looks at some of the jobs that are already being done by machines.
To find out more about whether your job is at risk of automation in the next two decades, check out the BBC's interactive graphic.
Why have an "extra" person in the car?
Taxi drivers in cities around the world are currently embroiled in rows with Uber – the app-based, on-demand service whose drivers, they argue, are subject to less regulation than them.
But Uber, along with most of the major car manufacturers and Google, is already looking beyond a rival service to one that gets rid of the driver altogether.
As chief executive Travis Kalanick puts it – the service would be a whole lot cheaper if you weren't "paying for that other dude in the car".
Later this year, automated taxi pods will start running on the streets of England's Milton Keynes, offering rides around the town. The UK government is updating the highway code to take account of driverless cars.
For the moment though "the other dude in the car" is in defiant mood.
Steve McNamara, head of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association told the BBC that driverless cars didn't threaten his job.
Autonomous vehicles will need primary legislation changes to operate on UK roads, the technology is in its infancy and untried and tested in busy urban environments, it ain't happening for many a year. In reality it is doubtful if autonomous cars could ever work alongside conventionally driven vehicles.
Robots are far more efficient at doing repetitive jobs
In China, humans are already building robots that will ultimately take their jobs.
The first robot-only factory is being built in China's Dongguan factory city.
The factory, owned by Sehnzhen Evenwin Precision Technology, aims to reduce the current workforce of 1,800 by 90%, according to Chen Zingui, chairman of the board.
But Chinese ambitions for a robot workforce go much further.
Since September last year, a total of 505 factories across Dongguan have invested 4.2bn yuan (£430m) in robots, aiming to replace more than 30,000 workers, according to the Dongguan Economy and Information Technology Bureau.
Foxconn, maker of electronic devices such as Apple's iPhone, also plans a robot army although its ambitions are slightly more modest – aiming for a 30% robot workforce in the next five years.
Is my job under threat? Could a machine write a compelling news story that humans would want to read?
The chances are if you have recently read a corporate earning report on Forbes or a sports story on AP, it was written by a robot.
Companies such as Narrative Science offer software such as Quill that is able to take data and turn it into something understandable.
Quill writes company reports ahead of earnings announcements and Narrative Science claims this means Forbes can now offer this sort of report for thousands of companies rather than just the handful that could be written up by a human journalist.
Narrative Science chief scientist Kristian Hammond has previously said that in 15 years' time, 90% of news will be written by machines but, he told the BBC, that didn't mean that 90% of journalist jobs would go.
"It means that the journalists can extend their reach. The world of news will expand," he said.
The journalists will not be generating stories from data. That unambiguous, not-open-to-interpretation stuff will be done by machines.
Would a patient rather see a robot doctor?
A robot may not yet have a good bedside manner but it is pretty good at wading through huge reams of data to find possible treatments for diseases.
IBM's supercomputer Watson is teaming up with a dozen hospitals in the US, offering advice on the best treatments for a range of cancers. Using vision software developed by the firm, it is also helping to spot early-stage skin cancers.
And robots have for years been helping doctors perform surgery – at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, for example, robots assist doctors with keyhole kidney surgery. Speed is a crucial factor in the success of such operations and the robots are able to sew blood vessels connecting donor kidneys far more quickly than humans.
Robotic surgery is not foolproof though and a recent safety report found that machine-based surgeries were linked to at least 144 deaths in the US over the last decade.
For the moment, robot and man work side-by-side in medicine but that may not always be the case.
"Doctors in particular aren't likely to graciously cede control of their patients' treatment to synthetic intellects," writes Jerry Kaplan in his book Humans Need Not Apply.
But eventually, when outcomes demonstrate that this is the better option, patients will demand to see the attentive robot, not the overworked doctor, for a fraction of the fee.
COCKTAIL WAITER
Fancy a gin fizz? Hold on, the robot will make you one
Royal Caribbean's luxury cruise ship Anthem of the Seas has recently installed a robotic bar – Shakr Makr – a machine developed at MIT a few years ago.
Drinks can be ordered via a tablet device and users aren't limited to a set menu – they can, if they are brave enough, create their own cocktail.
The robotic arm mixes the cocktail and pours it into a plastic (to avoid breakages) glass that sits in a trough (its pouring skills aren't always precise). And it does so with some panache – filling the cocktail mixer from optics above it and even shaking it before pouring.
In the interests of science, the BBC tested two from the robotic bar and two from a traditional cocktail waiter in a conventional bar on board the ship.
The robotic concoctions did not actually taste that good – they lacked the fine-tuning, like the fresh twist of lemon that the human bartender added.
LIFE's A BEACH?
Will we all have more free time if our jobs are taken by robots?
These examples illustrate both the possibilities and limitations of robotic workers but each one could easily have been replaced with others – lorry drivers, hotel workers, lawyers – all of which have robot versions that are actually being used today.
It raises the question – what will humans do when their skills are surplus to requirements?
Martin Ford – author of Rise of the Robots – thinks we face mass unemployment and economic collapse unless we make radical changes, such as offering humans a basic wage, a guaranteed income.
What humans will actually do with all their free time is harder to assess – spend more time at the beach think some, while others argue for the need to keep the human touch in the work place.
I strongly hope that teachers, doctors and judges will remain human because sometimes you need someone to talk to,
Nello Cristianini, professor of AI at Bristol University told the BBC.
After all, the work we do currently is as much about talking as it is about getting a job done efficiently and, whatever they may be good at, robots engaging in office banter isn't happening any time soon.
Author: Jane Wakefield
Source: bbc.com
artificial intelligence jobs robots work
Previous postThis graphic designer's price list is priceless
Next postVolkswagen just re-released everyone's favourite hippy-van…but now it's electric.
"Don't let what other people think stop you from doing what you love." – Hitler

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
16 Travel Zambia May 2009 Habitat Habitat Nkani Nkani In March 2001, safari guide John Coppinger led fi ve fellow paddlers on a canoe trip down a remote stretch of the Luangwa River. They started near the source and ended at Tafi ka Camp, John's base in South Luangwa National Park. John knew, from years of experience, that crocodiles seldom bother canoes. Yet this stretch of river had a bad reputation. John's journal tells the story. We put in our canoes about 45 kilometres from the source. This was done with some trepidation. Not even the nearby villagers could enlighten us as to the nature of the river downstream. Would there be rapids not negotiable in our Canadian canoes? What about crocodiles? We were aware of a few sobering facts. A Frenchman named Maurice Patry had attempted a section of the river in 1952 but had aborted near the Lufi la confl uence, in North Luangwa National Park, after a crocodile attack on his canvas canoe. In May/ June 1999 a team of Germans had launched a homemade raft at Mpande ( 100km from the source), but their raft had been irreparably damaged by a crocodile attack at Chief Tembwe, 100km downstream. And in 1994 we ourselves had been attacked by a croc while canoeing from Marula Puku, also in North Luangwa National Park, to the Luangwa/ Zambezi confl uence. The fi rst fi ve or six days were idyllic. The area was sparsely populated, the weather perfect and the river very beautiful, with dense reed beds and a stunning backdrop of the Makutu mountains to the east and the Mafi nga mountains to the west. The few hippos that we encountered were very well behaved, and we treated one another with mutual respect. Crocodiles remained out of sight. On day seven, however, we reached North Luangwa National Park, where the crocodile numbers increased dramatically. And soon we were violently roused from our complacency. I was in the lead canoe with Isaac Banda when a large croc rushed us from the side. I shouted at him to shoot, but the croc submerged before he could raise his rifl e. Minutes later a huge croc ( I assume the same beast) grabbed hold of the stern of the last canoe inches from my brother Mike's backside. It then released its grip and raised its gaping jaws, seemingly poised to attack. Mike leaped forward and fl attened himself across the kit that was tied in the middle of the canoe. Fortunately, the croc submerged and did not appear again. This episode changed our outlook dramatically, and the remaining 200km became a far more daunting prospect. Sure enough, we had a further six crocodile incidents over the next few days, although each time we kept the marauding reptile at bay with warning shots and by banging on the canoes. All these incidents took place in the vicinity of North Luangwa National Park and involved enormous male crocs. I have since mused that their aggression, given the time of year, may well have been down to territorial behaviour. We reached Tafi ka after ten days of paddling, having covered 500km of river. This meant that, after our 1994 expedition, we became the fi rst people to have canoed the entire length of the Luangwa. Good luck to the next fools; we won't be joining them! REMOTE AFRICA SAFARIS MIKE UNWIN
May 2009 Travel Zambia 17 CHIMFUNSHI LATEST Exciting news for Chimfunshi Wildlife Sanctuary and Chimpanzee Orphanage, reports Lesley Thomson. Thanks to the generosity of donors the centre now has a new offi ce, complete with satellite dish and solar panels. A new access road to the large chimpanzee enclosures is also being constructed for visitors, while African Impact has provided assistance with new accommodation for volunteers. Meanwhile Sandy, one of the orphans, moved to his new home in February. This chimp was nursed back to health after a serious crocodile attack but, severely traumatised, has since found it hard to share living quarters with the others. Now enough funds have been raised to complete the building of his new home. Four other chimps, whom he has befriended in the last year, will be joining him. Chimfunshi would like to thank all donors, including those who responded to the appeal in the last edition of Travel Zambia. Please keep it coming! Visitors are welcome at Chimfunshi. Entrance is ZK50,000 per adult, ZK25,000 per child and ZK10,000 per person for school groups. A visit includes a talk, a trip around the education centre and time with the chimpanzees. For further information contact Tony Raunch at Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage Trust, PO Box 11190, Chingola, Zambia, or email chimfunshiwildlife@ iwayafrica. com Brendan Reisbeck, manager of Chongwe River House ( www. chongwe. com), must have been a good boy last year: Santa brought him the top prize on many a safari wish list - a real, live pangolin. This bizarre nocturnal animal is so elusive that many old bush-hands go a lifetime without ever seeing one. Imagine Brendan's surprise, therefore, when one of his staff knocked on his offi ce door on Christmas morning to report having found one in camp. " The next thing we knew," he recalls, " this huge pangolin was ambling around the offi ce and testing out the diamond mesh like a climbing frame." Brendan couldn't quite believe what he was seeing. " We stood there in amazement," he continues. " Eight years of working in the bush and this was my fi rst ever sighting. We truly were very lucky." Reisbeck released the pangolin outside, where he watched and photographed it for a while before it headed home. Better make sure he writes your Christmas list next year. Chongwe's Christmas pangolin The common pangolin ( Manis temminckii) rests in a burrow by day and ventures out at night to feed on ants and termites. It uses a strong sense of smell to locate anthills, powerful front claws to break in, and a long, sticky tongue to lap up its insect prey. Its pine cone- like scales are made of a keratinous material, like fi ngernails. When threatened it will roll into a protective ball, and can work these scales with a vicious cutting action to deter any predator that comes too close. This species is the most widespread of four found in tropical Africa, with another fi ve occurring in Asia. Despite their similar appearance and diet, pangolins ( order Pholidita) are completely unrelated to the armadillos ( order Cingulata) of South and Central America. WILDLIFE FOCUS: PANGOLIN Habitat Nkani Nkani BRENDAN REISBECK CHIMFUNSHI GETTY IMAGES


text:
Pollard, Diamond Game, and NeoPollard to Showcase Latest Innovations at NASPL '18
Pollard Banknote Limited
Sep 24, 2018, 13:05 ET
WINNIPEG, Sept. 24, 2018 /CNW/ - Pollard Banknote Limited (TSX: PBL) ("Pollard Banknote") is pleased to announce that its affiliate company, Diamond Game Enterprises Inc. ("Diamond Game"), and joint venture company, NeoPollard Interactive LLC ("NeoPollard Interactive"), will be featured at the Pollard Banknote booth at the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries ("NASPL") 2018 Annual Conference, which takes place in Cleveland, Ohio from September 24 to 28, 2018.
NeoPollard Interactive LLC (CNW Group/Pollard Banknote Limited)
Diamond Game Enterprises Inc. (CNW Group/Pollard Banknote Limited)
This year's booth will showcase our vision for future lottery success—where great products, retail excellence, and digital innovation converge to drive revenue for good causes—engaging current players, while also attracting a new generation of players.
To help lotteries maximize the impact of their instant ticket portfolios, Pollard Banknote will unveil many new innovations, including the most recent addition to its Scratch FX® family of products—Scratch FXtra™—along with Pollard Banknote's best-selling games of 2018, and licensed brand promotions for Chevrolet® Silverado® and Marilyn Monroe™.
NeoPollard Interactive will be featuring a life-sized augmented reality version of one of its Games Studio's top performing eInstant games, the Queen of Diamonds, crowned the top-grossing eInstant game of 2017. Challenge your colleagues to a game and you could be crowned champion and receive a truly royal prize!
Several other innovative digital products will be featured, including an augmented reality execution for core games, like Cashword. Learn how our next-generation PlayOn™ Player Engagement Solution, is generating unprecedented omni-channel loyalty and engagement.
Pollard Banknote will also showcase retail innovation such as scanACTIV™—an in-lane ticket solution to merchandise instant tickets at retail. Diamond Game will also show how infusing innovation into lottery products can help lotteries expand their retail footprint into social establishments and bring lottery to new players.
"We are very excited to have all three companies together at NASPL this year," said Doug Pollard, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Pollard Banknote. "We are always looking to explore new concepts and products, while never falling out of love with our core business. This year, we are eager to demonstrate the combined strengths of all our product lines across multiple channels that help lotteries reach new generations of players and maximize proceeds for the good causes they support."
About Pollard Banknote
Pollard Banknote is a leading lottery partner to more than 60 lotteries worldwide, providing high quality instant ticket products, licensed games, and a full suite of digital offerings ranging from game apps to comprehensive player engagement and iLottery solutions, including strategic marketing and management services. The company is a proven innovator and has decades of experience helping lotteries to maximize player engagement, sales, and proceeds for good causes. Pollard Banknote also plays a major role in providing pull-tab tickets, bingo paper and its Diamond Game and Oasis-branded electronic ticket machines to charitable and other gaming markets in North America. Established in 1907, Pollard Banknote is owned approximately 67.6% by the Pollard family and 32.4% by public shareholders and is publicly traded on the TSX (PBL). For more information, please visit our website at www.pollardbanknote.com.
About NeoPollard Interactive
NeoPollard Interactive LLC ("NeoPollard Interactive") is jointly owned by two of the world's most trusted and reputable companies in lottery and internet gaming—Pollard Banknote Limited ("Pollard Banknote") and NeoGames S.A.R.L. ("NeoGames"). Established in 2014, NeoPollard Interactive combines the marketing expertise and extensive worldwide lottery experience of Pollard Banknote with the proven leadership and technology of NeoGames in launching new online and mobile gaming products and services suited to an ever-evolving marketplace. The company leverages the strengths of each partner company to develop, implement, operate, and maintain innovative online gaming services that enable regulated lottery clients to generate revenues for good causes. For more information, please visit our website at www.neopollard.com.
About Diamond Game
Diamond Game designs, produces, and services games, gaming systems, and tickets for the public gaming, Native American, and charity markets. Diamond Game maintains its corporate headquarters in Los Angeles, California and service facilities in Hamilton, Ontario, and Jefferson City, Missouri.
On August 3, 2017, Pollard Banknote Limited acquired a majority interest in Innova Gaming Group Inc., the parent company of Diamond Game Enterprises, Inc., and Diamond Game Canada ULC. This acquisition furthers the company's reach in the lottery and charitable gaming industry as Pollard Banknote is a leading partner to more than 60 lotteries worldwide, and also plays a major role in the charitable pull-tab and bingo markets in North America. For more information, please visit our website at www.diamondgame.com.
Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking" statements and information, which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. When used in this document, such statements include such words as "may," "will," "expect," "believe," "plan," and other similar terminology. These statements reflect management's current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date of this document. There should not be an expectation that such information will in all circumstances be updated, supplemented, or revised whether as a result of new information, changing circumstances, future events, or otherwise.
SOURCE Pollard Banknote Limited
For further information: Doug Pollard, Co-Chief Executive Officer, E-mail: [email protected]; John Pollard, Co-Chief Executive Officer, E-mail: [email protected]; Rob Rose, Chief Financial Officer, E-mail: [email protected]; Pollard Banknote Limited, Telephone: (204) 474-2323
Pollard Banknote has been a leading supplier of instant tickets for over 25 years and serves over 60 lottery and charitable gaming organizations worldwide. We are the only lottery supplier solely focused on instant ticket products and related services. Our best talent and...
Pollard Banknote to Acquire mkodo Limited...
Pollard Banknote Announces Dividend...
Pollard Banknote Announces 3rd Quarter Financial Results...
Diamond Game
NeoPollard Interactive
New Hampshire Lottery Partners with NeoPollard to Spread Holiday...
NeoPollard Interactive Congratulates the North Carolina Education ...
NeoPollard Interactive Congratulates Michigan Lottery on Being...


text:
Nancy Rubins, Monochrome for Austin
Nancy Rubins, Monochrome for Austin, 2015. Stainless steel and aluminum, 600 × 642 × 492 inches. Commission, Landmarks, The University of Texas at Austin. Photo by Paul Bardagjy.
Directions (Northwest corner of 24th St. and Speedway) - Walk/Ride/Drive!
Press play to listen to the audio guide.
Press play to watch the artist video.
My name is Nancy Princenthal; I am a New York-based art critic and a faculty member of the School of Visual Arts. I'd like to provide a little background on Nancy Rubins' sculpture Monochrome for Austin, commissioned by Landmarks, the public art program at the University of Texas at Austin, and also on the drawing by Rubins that has been acquired by the University.
Rubins was born in Naples, Texas in 1952 and raised in rural Tullahoma, Tennessee; she lives and works in Los Angeles. The scale of her work, as well its often mischievous spirit, can be associated with a Californian kind of open space, and with what might be called a West Coast inclination to big, provocative gestures. Having worked early on in clay, which she favored for its tendency to slide and slump, Rubins first gained attention for towering concrete sculptures in which all manner of household appliances were embedded: fans, clocks, TVs, toasters. By the late nineteen-eighties, her constructions had reached truly colossal proportions, and included major appliances and even entire trailer homes as well as airplane parts.
Monochrome for Austin is composed of aluminum canoes, which are hoisted overhead with improbable poise. It is one of a series that followed sculptures made of brightly colored fiberglass canoes. In the Monochromes, Rubins brings to the fore the grace of the unpainted metal forms, and the way they alternately absorb and reflect light. In some conditions they evoke a dreamily underwater state; standing beneath them, we may feel suspended—like their constituent parts—in space and time. But the artist points out that some of these boats were made by the Grumman Corporation, which also manufactured many of the fighter jets whose parts she used in previous sculptures. The power, and a hint of the menace, that is evoked by military aircraft can be felt in the Landmarks sculpture, too.
All the sculptures Rubins has made since the early concrete pieces are held together by steel cables in tension, as in suspension bridges, and she likes to draw attention to these structural elements. Her work's dramatically cantilevered components are balanced in active relationships among parts. By inviting us to follow the surprisingly improvisatory construction process, in which each canoe is bound a preceding one, Rubins engages our analytic sense as actively as she does our imagination.
The same is true of Rubins's work on paper, with which she has been engaged for more than 25 years. Using graphite heavily applied to sturdy paper, she achieves lustrous surfaces and sweeping contours that often seem to send the drawings into flight. But their rugged forms, torn, layered and folded into fully three-dimensional wall works, are, like the sculptures, puzzled together with great ingenuity. The untitled example owned by the University, composed of several irregularly shaped, gleaming sheets, is particularly buoyant. It is a close companion to Monochrome for Austin, whose big metal forms knife through the air with defiant grace.
Curated Musical Playlists
Jessamine Batario
Nancy Rubins, Monochrome for Austin, 2015.
American, born 1952
Balancing with improbable grace, Monochrome for Austin boasts seventy recycled aluminum canoes and small boats clustered at the end of a listing column. It deploys a sense of mass and scale that can be compared to a performer's perfect timing, a characteristic that is ever-present in the work of artist Nancy Rubins. Her sculptures combine surpassing delicacy and indomitable strength, a polarity that is even more striking when encountered outdoors.
While still a student in the early 1970s, Rubins experimented with sculpture by using wet clay to stick coffee cups to suspended tarps; the cups popped off as the clay dried. In another project, a hybrid of sculpture and drawing, she used a small electric fan to create a work that involved graphite-covered paper spattered with red paint. More recently, an exhibition of sprawling sculptures made from vintage animal-shaped playground equipment was titled Our Friend Fluid Metal (2014), referencing the molten phase of the constituent metal. Porous boundaries between disciplines and the fluidity of the mediums themselves are qualities that appeal to Rubins.
By the late 1980s, Rubins' constructions had reached colossal proportions. She added trailer homes, water heaters, and mattresses to the materials tethered together, and later, fighter jet wings and fuselages. By the mid-1990s, Rubins had begun to assemble brightly colored fiberglass canoes and kayaks into oversized bouquets that flower overhead with exuberance. The Monochrome series, which began in 2010, brings to the fore the grace of the unpainted metal forms. Examples from the series can be found at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, New York; Gateway Park at the Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois; and l'Université Paris Diderot in Paris, France.
The vessels evoke a different kind of movement and life than Rubins' earlier work. In contrast to the thundering flight of retired military aircraft, canoes glide gently through the water, suggesting a kind of simple solitude. Swirling on currents of air, the canoes in Monochrome for Austin are removed from their associated landscape and combined in a visually precarious mass, giving the impression that they are suspended in time and space.
Nancy Rubins, Monochrome for Austin, 2015. Photo by Paul Bardagjy.
You must have an internet or cellular connection to use Google Maps.
Travel Mode:
View Stop
Location: Northwest corner of 24th Street and Speedway (NHB)
GPS: 30.287462, -97.737132
Next work of art on North Campus Tour
Previous work of art on North Campus Tour


text:
Never Forget!
Emmys: The most buzzed-about moments of years past
By Jessica Wedemeyer 5:11am PDT, Sep 16, 2020
The 2020 Emmy Awards air on Sunday, Sept. 20! In honor of the annual celebration of television's best, Wonderwall.com is taking a look back at some of the award show's all-time most buzzed-about moments, starting with this one courtesy of Ellen DeGeneres, who hosted in 2001. The Emmys were postponed twice that year following the 9/11 terror attacks and the start of the War in Afghanistan. "It's important for us to be here," said Ellen, who donned a replica of Bjork's iconic Oscars swan dress during the telecast. "They can't take away our creativity, our striving for excellence, our joy." The comedian earned raves for handling her hosting duties with poise and humor. Now keep reading for more!
RELATED: Stars with the most Emmy nominations or wins
Merritt Wever delivered the most endearingly brief acceptance speech in Emmy history when she took the stage in 2013 to pick up the award for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series for her work on "Nurse Jackie." "Thanks so much. Thank you so much. Um, I gotta go, bye," she said before rushing off the stage. We may not have known Merritt before her short-and-sweet acceptance speech, but we certainly do now!
RELATED: 20 fun and surprising facts about the 2020 Emmy nominees
Here she is, Miss Emmy! During the 2011 telecast, the nominees for outstanding lead actress in a comedy Series — Tina Fey, Martha Plimpton, Melissa McCarthy, Amy Poehler, Edie Falco and Laura Linney — spoofed beauty pageants in a hilarious bit reportedly masterminded by Amy, who was nominated for her work on "Parks and Recreation." Each nominee went up to the stage, where she shared congratulatory hugs and linked hands in a show of solidarity à la beauty pageant contestants, as presenters Rob Lowe and Sofia Vergara read their names. Rob literally crowned Melissa McCarthy the winner with a pageant-worthy tiara and a bouquet of roses as her peers encircled her with hugs.
RELATED: 2020 Primetime Emmy nominees' reactions
The kiss seen 'round the world! Alexander Skarsgard and Nicole Kidman had tongues wagging after this big smooch. After Alexander was named the best supporting actor in a limited series or movie winner at the 2017 Primetime Emmys, his co-star (and on-screen wife) Nicole Kidman gave him a huge kiss. What made it weirder? She did it right in front of her real-life hubby, Keith Urban! Their kiss on the lips made headlines and set Twitter ablaze.
"This is for all the fat girls," Camryn Manheim memorably declared while accepting the award for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series for her work on "The Practice" during the 1998 Emmys.
There was definitely love in the air during the 2018 Emmys! After winning the award for outstanding directing for a variety special for his work helming the Oscars, Glenn Weiss took a moment to propose to his girlfriend, Jan Svendsen, live on stage. "This is the ring that my dad put on my mom's finger 67 years ago." he said. "Will you marry me?" She, of course, said yes – and the crowd loved it!
Viola Davis made history during the 2015 Emmys when she became the first black woman to win the award for outstanding lead actress in a drama series. "The only thing that separates women of color from anything else is opportunity," she said in her powerful acceptance speech, during which she thanked fellow black actresses Taraji P. Henson, Gabrielle Union and Kerry Washington for having "redefined what it means to be beautiful, to be sexy, to be a leading woman, to be black."
What were they thinking?! An overalls-clad Donald Trump carried a pitchfork as he inexplicably joined Megan Mullally — in character as her "Will & Grace" alter ego — on stage during the 2006 Emmys for a duet of the "Green Acres" theme song.
There are two Emmys in Sarah Jessica Parker's trophy case, but the ballerina-inspired Oscar de la Renta frock she donned during the 2000 show was far from award-worthy. Like it or not, the "Sex and the City" star's major fashion flop has since become one of the most iconic red carpet moments in Emmy history.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus made history at the 2017 Primetime Emmys! When the star hit the stage to accept the prize for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for her work on "Veep," she became the actor with the most Emmy wins for a single role! The year prior, she tied Candice Bergen, who'd won five times for her work on "Murphy Brown," but 2017 saw Julia win her sixth trophy for her "Veep" role. That win was also her eighth of all time, which tied her with Cloris Leachman, who held the record for most Primetime Emmy wins by a single actor.
Though it wasn't her longtime love Holland Taylor, Sarah Paulson brought the perfect date along to the 2016 Emmys — Marcia Clark! That year the actress was up for an award for portraying the famous attorney on "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story," so she brought Marcia along for the fun! Even host Jimmy Kimmel had to admit she won the award for having the best "plus one." And it ended up that Marcia also served as a good-luck charm — Sarah took home the Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a limited series or movie that night!
Calista Flockhart raised eyebrows during the 1998 Emmys when she walked the red carpet looking scary skinny in a size 2 Richard Tyler dress. The super-thin "Ally McBeal" actress, who was nominated for her first Emmy that year, faced rampant speculation that she was suffering from an eating disorder. She addressed the rumors in an interview with People magazine two months after her buzzed-about appearance at the Emmys: "Am I anorexic? I guess my answer would have to be no," she said. But eight years later, Calista told the London Daily Mirror that she had in fact suffered from eating issues during the height of her "Ally McBeal" fame. "I was working 15-hour days on the set and then I was dealing with the end of the show, which was basically my life," she explained. "I started under-eating, over-exercising, pushing myself too hard and [abusing] my immune system. I guess I just didn't find the time to eat."
Forget jumping for joy — Alan Alda was so excited when he won an Emmy for writing an episode of his show "M*A*S*H" that he famously did a cartwheel in the aisle before heading up to the stage to collect his prize during the 1979 show.
Actor-musician Harry Belafonte made history in 1960 when he took home the Emmy for outstanding performance in a variety or musical program for his work on "Revlon Review: Tonight with Belafonte." The Jamaican American star was first black performer to ever win an Emmy Award.
Kirstie Alley caused quite a stir with her acceptance speech at the 1991 Emmy Awards. After winning the prize for outstanding actress in a comedy series for her work on "Cheers," Kirstie made sure to thank her then-husband, Parker Stevenson, aka "the man who has given me the big one for the last eight years." Talk about TMI!
Sarah Silverman certainly got people talking when she revealed during a red carpet interview with Ryan Seacrest that the LBD she wore during the 2013 Emmys was actually an affordable Internet find. "I'm wearing that [brand] Stop Staring," the funnywoman enthused. "I got it online for $60. Doesn't it look just as good as anything fancy or expensive?" We're glad to see that even Emmy winners can appreciate a bargain!
Jon Hamm scored seven Emmy nominations for his work on "Mad Men" before he finally took home the award for outstanding lead actor in a drama series during the 2015 Emmy Awards. It was an especially triumphant moment for the actor, who'd had a particularly rough year: He went to rehab for alcoholism in March 2015 and split from longtime love Jennifer Westfeldt in early September 2015. "It's impossible to be standing up here," he said while receiving a standing ovation after he literally climbed onto the stage. The erstwhile Don Draper went on to sweetly thank his former partner of 18 years and their dog, Cora, during his acceptance speech.
In a memorable bit from the 2011 Emmys, Jimmy Kimmel tackled Jimmy Fallon to the ground in an attempt to steal the acceptance speech the "Late Night" host wrote just in case he somehow managed to beat perennial favorite Jon Stewart to win the Emmy for outstanding variety, music or comedy series. After a brief wrestling match, Kimmel managed to steal Fallon's speech, which he read in full. The best bit came at the end when Kimmel read, "But most of all, I want to thank Jimmy Kimmel. Jimmy has been there for me since day one. He's the kindest and most supportive person in my life. He would never mock me or belittle me — especially in a large public venue such as this. I love you, Jimmy Kimmel."
Hot mama! Hayden Panettiere has never been nominated for an Emmy, but she still managed to walk away as one of the evening's biggest winners in 2014 when she worked the red carpet in a curve-hugging Lorena Sarbu gown with a plunging neckline while heavily pregnant with her first child. Fashion critics praised this look as one of the best Emmy red-carpet moments ever.
Lucille Ball accidentally brought the 1975 Emmys to a halt when she took the stage to present the award for outstanding comedy series without her reading glasses. "You know I haven't got my glasses… I'm in trouble — I really am!" she said while fumbling with several envelopes at the podium. The TV legend was eventually able to announce the winner after a helpful audience member carried a pair of glasses up to the stage.
Tracy Morgan nearly died in June 2014 when a Walmart truck crashed into a limousine in which he was riding. After more than a year of recovery, the funnyman made his public debut to present the award for outstanding drama series during the 2015 Emmys. "Thank you, thank you so much. I missed you guys so much," Tracy said as he received a standing ovation and roaring applause from the audience. "Last year, Jimmy Kimmel said, 'We'll see you here next year, Tracy Morgan.' … Thanks to my doctors and my beautiful wife, I'm here standing on my own two feet," he continued. "God bless all of you for your love, prayers and positive thoughts for the past 15 months. I'm honored to be here at the Emmys." The "30 Rock" star even cracked a few jokes during his inspirational moment: "Only recently I've started to feel like myself again, which means a whole lot of young women are going to get pregnant at the afterparty," he said. Welcome back, Tracy!
Julia Louis-Dreyfus has been responsible for several LOL-worthy Emmy moments over the years, but our favorite took place during the 2013 show when she accepted the award for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series accompanied by co-star Tony Hale in character as his "Veep" alter ego. Tony hilariously coached Julia through her acceptance speech, offering encouraging smiles and reminding her to thank her family.
The 2017 Primetime Emmys brought us a "9 to 5" reunion! Netflix's "Grace and Frankie" stars Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda joined former co-star Dolly Parton onstage during the telecast — 27 years after their movie hit theaters. The ladies teamed up to present the award for best supporting actor in a limited series or movie and even alluded to politics. When Jane spoke about wanting to reunite with the girls for years, she noted their flick was about women who refused to be controlled by a man who was a "sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot." Lily added that they would continue to fight against being controlled by a "sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot." Aside from being on hand to present an award and take shots at the White House, the legends were all nominees that night — Lily and Jane for their work on "Grace and Frankie" and Dolly for her TV movie "Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love."
You can't censor Jon Stewart! The funnyman crafted the perfect response to the producers of the 2005 Emmys after they reportedly asked him to pre-tape a "topical and edgy" segment for the show that year so that they could sign off on it in advance of the live broadcast. The "Daily Show" host took the stage to present a doctored clip of himself discussing the government and its response to Hurricane Katrina — all in the name of poking fun at network censorship. Positive comments were obviously dubbed over his criticisms, baby animals were superimposed over his raised middle fingers and hilarity ensued.
Will Ferrell brought the funny to the 2013 Emmys, which "Modern Family" creator Steve Levitan dubbed "the saddest Emmys of all time" due to the frequency of in-memoriam segments throughout the show. The "Anchorman" actor's three sons — who looked like they'd come straight from soccer practice — joined him as he took the stage in shorts, a T-shirt and sandals to present the awards for outstanding comedy and outstanding drama series. "Unfortunately, Helen Mirren and Maggie Smith dropped out at the last second and they called me literally 45 minutes ago and I couldn't find child care," the comedian said of his surprise appearance at the show while his boys giggled behind him.
In 2016, Emmys host Jimmy Kimmel brought his funny feud with celeb frenemy Matt Damon to the stage. Matt made a surprise appearance on the show after Jimmy lost the award for outstanding variety series to John Oliver. "I missed the last category. Did you win?" Matt asked, while eating an apple and continuing to tease the host about how "humiliating" it must have been to lose out on the big award. As Matt walked off the stage he had one more dig for Jimmy, adding, "Hey, Jimmy, tell your mom, I like them apples."
In a ploy to ensure that the 2006 Emmys ended on time, host Conan O'Brien locked Bob Newhart in a glass cylinder on stage, which he claimed contained only three hours of breathable air. The comedy legend was frequently shown banging on the glass throughout the telecast. The gag apparently worked: The show reportedly ended three minutes early that year.
Ricky Gervais wasn't available to pick up the award for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series when he won the prize during the 2007 Emmys, so presenters Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert gave the Emmy to Steve Carell — who played the American translation of Ricky's David Brent character from the original British version of "The Office." Steve went up to the stage and gleefully hugged the presenters while cheering in excitement. But he wasn't smiling in 2008 when Ricky made an appearance during the Emmys to demand Steve hand over the award. "Look at his stupid face — couldn't actually win one on his own so he stole someone else's," Ricky joked after playing a clip from the 2007 Emmys. Eventually, Steve pulled the Emmy out from under his chair and handed it over to its rightful owner.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus takes a tumble! The actress was on her way to accept the award for outstanding comedy series for "Veep" alongside her co-stars and producers when she got tripped up at the top of the stairs — and pulled a Jennifer Lawrence! Fortunately the actress caught herself with both hands and managed to play it off, but the moment from the 2016 telecast will go down in Emmy history.
From pulling a Jennifer Lawrence to pulling a John Travolta! In 2016, Kiefer Sutherland also channeled another star (a la Julia Louis-Dreyfus's Jennifer Lawrence fall) when he mispronounced outstanding actress in a drama series winner Tatiana Maslany's name. The actor said "Tatiana Mahs-lee" instead of the correct pronunciation, "Mass-LAN-ee," much like John Travolta's infamous Oscar mixup (remember Adele Dazeem?!). Just like John's snafu, Kiefer's confusion resulted in Twitter erupting with hilarious commentary at the actor's expense.
Rex USA
Phil McCarten/Invision/AP/REX/Shutterstock
WireImage
Bettmann Archive
Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock
Lester Cohen / WireImage
Rob Latour/Shutterstock
Michael Tran / FilmMagic
Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images / Los Angeles Times via Getty Imag
Up Next Where to watch


There is a time for every season and every purpose under the sun it was famously written. Well, fall is no exception. It is here. And for me, it brings with it some interesting sales and business lessons.
1. Look for low hanging fruit. On our recent trip to the apple orchard, I spent a good bit of time maneuvering the 'picker' to reach high up into the trees to grab the apples at the top. But as we went along, I also grabbed some of the apples on the lower branches, and, even some on the ground. If you're looking to make some deals this fall, grab some of the ones on top but don't overlook the easy ones.
2. Embrace change. Change is in the air. The temperature. The amount of daylight. The color of the leaves. If you're like one of the now 7 billion people living on the planet, I'm guessing that you're experiencing some kind of change right now. Maybe it's because of technology, the economy, trends, styles etc. or whatever. Don't fight it. Embrace it. Figure out how to profit by it and be more healthy and productive because of it.
3. Look for extra time. Soon we are going to turn back the clocks. That means during that particular weekend we will get one extra hour of time. In your busy schedule, look for some things that you should drop (turn back) so that you can pick up a little extra time for the priorities in your life.
4. Ask for the order. My kids won't walk up to the doors of the neighbors on Halloween night, ring the bell and say, "Would you like to think it over about giving me some candy?" They will ring or knock on the door, it will open and they will say, "Trick or Treat?" And they will come home with hundreds of orders…ah, I mean, pieces of candy.
5. Be prepared for surprises. In New England we've often had freak early snow storms that have caught many people by surprise. Hadn't bought the new ice scraper or couldn't find the snow shovel in the shed. Didn't make it to the grocery store to buy the bread and milk. Be a boy scout. Be prepared. Go into the day, the rest of this year and, next year, with a plan that includes being ready for the unexpected.