The Bonsai Society of Victoria hosted its 2018 Annual Exhibition at the Box Hill Town Hall on October 13 and 14. It was a great Show and if you missed it, please mark your diaries for 2019.
A successful Exhibition relies on many volunteers and sponsors and the BSV extends a very special thank you to all those who helped make this Exhibition a magnificent event. Your help is very much appreciated.
The Annual Exhibition is an opportunity for Members to display their work and we were not disappointed in 2018. Over 90 wonderful bonsai were on display with an extensive range of species and styles. Visitors to the Exhibition were very pleased with the display. See below for views of the display.
In addition to the display, the Exhibition had a sales area for trees and bonsai equipment, a special display table for children's bonsai, demonstrations and a Children's Workshop where the children were able to select and pot a small bonsai.
To recognise the excellent examples of our bonsai art, the Society makes two awards. The People's Choice Award is based on votes by visitors to the Exhibition for their favourite tree. The Geoff Vanner Perpetual Trophy for the best tree in show was based on votes by BSV Members.
For 2018, the winner of the People's Choice Award was Val for her well presented Sticky Wattle – Acacia howittii. Well done Val and we are sure you are still celebrating.
Val was very excited to receive the People's Choice Award.
Val and her winning Sticky Wattle bonsai.
The Geoff Vanner Perpetual Trophy for 2018 was awarded to Matt for his Chinese Elm "Seiju" – Ulmus parvifolia "Seiju". This is a great example of this small leafed variety . Matt and his winning tree are shown below.
Matt and his winning tree.
A small selection of other bonsai on display are included below.
With longer days and warmer weather, our trees are slowly entering the spring growth phase and generating much work for bonsai enthusiasts. Unfortunately, the weeds are also strongly responding to these changes generating even more work.
BSV Members met at our normal venue to work on their trees and seek advice and guidance from other members; and to have a chat and catch up. Repotting, re-styling and trimming activities were the main focus. A very productive afternoon was had by all.
Photos of many of these activities are included below.
This old Liquidamber received treatment on the top and the bottom.
Liquidamber – removing a root issue.
See the before and after photos of this Juniper which are designed to improve the trunk taper.
The BSV was very pleased to welcome Don De Luca from Hay in NSW to talk about growing Desert Ash trees as bonsai. Don spent time talking about the extreme weather conditions that exist in Hay and how these can have a big impact on growing techniques. Participants were also reminded that even in Melbourne, there are many different micro-climates and bonsai enthusiasts need to be aware of these to ensure their Desert Ash can flourish. Desert Ash examples displayed by Don are included below.
Desert Ash styling almost done.
Don's preferred area of interest is the development of the trunk and branches. Below is a photo showing how Don trimmed a Desert Ash ready for the next seasons growth. Significant reductions in development times can be achieved if you are able to access Yamadori trunks. For example, techniques applied by Don can usually achieve the branching and ramification shown above in the blue pot in about 5 years from stock similar to that in the black pot below.
Desert Ash trimmed for next stage of trunk & branch development.
Don then moved on to demonstrate the fine tuning necessary to finish off the development of a Desert Ash using this process. The tree is shown below with the master at work.
Tree has been wired and final shaping is applied.
Access to Yamadori stock such as Dave's in Bendigo can give you a great head start in the bonsai development process. In Hay, Don uses Styrene pots or big pots to help protect plants from the extreme weather and keep their roots cool.
Don finds defoliation to be a great technique for faster development. Total defoliation works well in Hay but in Melbourne, it may need to be modified. For example, a variant could be to remove the outer leaves but leave the inner leaves. You may need to experiment in your own local area to find the best approach for you.
Trees with big bases usually mean lots of big cuts to develop attractive taper. Don says be brutal. If you can't hide a wound, make it a feature.
Keep the future style and taper in mind when cutting back shoots.
Remove any growth at the wrong angle.
Wiring can speed the development process and is essential to finish the tree. Don prefers starting at the bottom and working up the tree.
Don has found that letting the wire cut in can assist the development of the rough bark. See examples below.
Examples of the detailed branch structure and ramification are included below.
Members trees on display are included below.


Rationale: This is an open, public retreat meeting and a copy of the Open Meetings Act is posted in this room.
Recommended Motion(s): Move to approve the agenda for the meeting, as presented.
Recommended Motion(s): Move to adjourn the meeting.


Clouds, some of the most regular accessories of the skies, I say accessories because they adorned our skies in whatever season. Makes up for what would have been an empty and plain cloudless horizon.
As a budding landscape photographer, we develop the habit of checking the weather, gauging the possibility of rain by the drifting clouds and how much shadow it can cast over the landscape. I have to admit, I have become a sort of weather forecaster especially if I am on a travel adventure trip. I have mentioned this before, that taking landscape photographs in midday while the sun is high up is not a very ideal situation, because the shadows are pooled where the interesting details would have been causing most of the photos to look flat, it can't be help sometimes that when on the road, you don't have much time to wait for the sunset or the late afternoon or early morning, I can only be in a certain place at a certain limited time. As is, for the most part I have to make do, the only salvation I get as always are the clouds, especially the ones that carry rain, brooding and looming darkly above the horizon. Not only do clouds make a landscape photo more interesting, it adds character to it and also diffuses the direct sunlight that would have otherwise render the photos flat.
I started out actually discarding most travel and landscape photos that has heavy clouds on it, amongst hundreds of photographs that I get to bring home every time, I have to choose those that would support my travel stories and articles. This time as a way for me to look back to all the places I have been in this beautiful tropical country of the Philippines, as one that is always besieged by inclement weather, typhoons and weather calamities, I am sharing these photographs, some for the first time while others had already been posted. I want to show that brooding clouds and ominous rains aren't always a bad news, especially for photography enthusiast like me; in fact they probably are what I needed to make my photographs more compelling and one that tells a story.
wow!!! love love your skies shots!


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Octopays
Octopays Slot Game by Microgaming
It's an underwater adventure where adorable and silly sea creatures combine with a great collection of payouts and bonus rewards. The Octopays slot comes from the developers at Microgaming and features 5 reels and 243 payways set against a theme that is both alluring and entertaining. Visuals and sounds included in the game are fantastic and set the bar for appearance that should be expected in new video slots. Not only this, but the advanced extra features also work to enhance gameplay and make this slot game stand out among the rest of the pack. For as advanced as the game is, it is made simple to play through an understandable design with plenty of convenience.
Features of Octopays
Octopays makes a good first impression, which is always important in deciding what game to play. The background of a sunken ship in an underwater setting inspires feelings of searching for lost riches and acquiring great wealth. This element is made even more entertaining with the funny cartoon characters included in the game. The reels and animations run smoothly and keep the flow of gameplay consistent as players strive for payouts. When looking at the control panel, it becomes obvious that user-friendliness was kept in mind when designing each function. Players are able to adjust the number of coins and the coin value. The payways are permanently enabled and cannot be changed. Any additional info needed about payouts and bonuses can be found one click away in the paytables included with the game.
There are a limited number of expert options for experienced players in Octopays. In fact, there is really only one extra option in the autoplay function. However, this is the most popular and really helps to customize the game to one's tastes. Players are able to automatically run the game for a certain amount of spins at a locked in bet. This feature can be stopped at any time or it will stop when all the spins have finished.
The Octopays slot comes with a variety of extra features that increase the possibility of a big win. This game has both wild symbols and scatter symbols that each have a unique way of enhancing rewards. Wilds substitute for other normal icons to complete winning combinations, while scatters will create a win of their own simply by appearing on the reels. The one really special feature of Octopays is the Kraken Feature, where players will be awarded 12 free spins with symbols stacking on the reels in the form of the octopus. These two factors work together to create payouts that are huge, and this feature will inspire players to come back for more after seeing these amazing wins.
Octopays Overall
Octopays comes across as a great-looking slot game, and then follows through with good features. There is no progressive jackpot included in this game, but the other elements make up for that. The payout frequency is good, about the same as other video slots on the market. What really stands out about this game is the Kraken Feature, which is designed to reward players in a huge way. When considering a new game play, take the plunge and give Octopays a try.
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The multimedia world is moving towards more engaging end-user experiences, and audio is an important aspect of this.
These audio experiences include personalization and interactivity, allowing the listeners to optimize the audio experience for their needs. This may include improving intelligibility (e.g. increasing dialogue volume relative to the background), or selecting dialogue of a preferred language. Immersiveness is another feature, delivering more realistic and impressive auditory experiences, as well as flexibility and compatibility with headphones, a multitude of speaker layouts and environments.
The key to enabling these features is metadata and new audio codecs called NGA (Next Generation Audio) codecs. This webinar provides an overview on one of these codecs, MPEG-H Audio, and its latest developments including the support of ADM (Audio Definition Model) based workflows.
The webinar is open to everyone
Speakers: Adrian Murtaza, Michael Kratschmer, Yannik Grewe (Fraunhofer IIS)
WHAT YOU WILL HEAR ABOUT
MPEG-H Audio broadcast and streaming services around the world
Advanced Personalization and Accessibility Options and lessons learned during major live productions using object-based audio
The MPEG-H Authoring Suite (MAS) - a powerful set of tools freely available that makes object-based content creation easier, faster and more intuitive
ADM based workflows with MPEG-H Audio
The MPEG-H ADM Profile
S-ADM in MXF
Hands-on production with the latest MPEG-H Authoring Suite (MAS) including native ADM support
Paola Sunna
sunna@ebu.ch


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VenueNext debuts new strategy, products at University of Florida
December 27, 2019 by Paul Kapustka Leave a Comment
VenueNext powers a new app at the University of Florida's Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, where it also debuted new products like a POS system and a web-based app. Credit all photos: Paul Kapustka, MSR (click on any picture for a larger image)
Created in 2014 to provide stadium apps for sports teams, VenueNext has pivoted toward focusing on mobile commerce services, a strategy that includes building web-based apps for teams, schools and other large public venues as well as for big events.
Though the company hasn't completely given up on building team and stadium apps, executives at VenueNext pointed toward the company's partnership with the University of Florida as a good example of its new strategic focus. In addition to providing the school with a stadium app that launched this fall, VenueNext also debuted its back-house point-of-sale transaction system at Florida, as well as a web-based app for stadium services and purchases. According to VenueNext executives, the new offerings are part of a new focus on mobile transactions, one that de-emphasizes the company's former goal of providing full-service, custom-built apps with a wide range of features, including concessions ordering, instant replay video, venue wayfinding and loyalty programs.
Cailen Wachob, VenueNext's executive vice president for sales, retention, marketing and operations, said "we've been pretty quiet about it" in regards to the company's new offerings and strategies. Originally launched as the provider of the team and stadium app for the San Francisco 49ers and Levi's Stadium, VenueNext raised $24 million in venture funding to fuel a push into what looked like a burgeoning market for team and stadium apps as venues became increasingly connected.
After an initial flurry of professional team customer wins, including other NFL teams like the Minnesota Vikings, NBA teams including the Orlando Magic, Minnesota Timberwolves, Charlotte Hornets and Utah Jazz, and the NHL's San Jose Sharks, VenueNext did not have any big-name announcements in the past year. In mid-2018, VenueNext founding CEO John Paul was replaced by Orlando Perez, former chief marketing officer for the Orlando Magic, a point at which the company "took a step back to look at what we wanted to do, moving forward," Wachob said.
An express pickup window for concession orders made on the Florida app.
What that turned into was a new focus more on helping teams, venues and events with mobile commerce activities, rather than a strict direction of just providing a do-everything app with bells and whistles like instant replay video. That combination proved alluring for Florida, which is VenueNext's first big-college customer.
"We wanted to pick a lane and focus on that, rather than be a custom developer shop," Wachob said. That means that while VenueNext will still build team apps, it may use third-party functionality as needed.
"We're more focused on the venue commerce utility," Wachob said. "We're not going to be focused on building out things like replay and video."
Tough market, lots of competition
Since VenueNext's launch, the stadium and team app has gotten extremely competitive, with multiple players joining the game. Early market leader YinzCam remains the player with the most customers, but it has been joined by a list of providers that includes Venuetize, Hopscotch, Built.io and Rover.io as well as older apps from operations like CBS Interactive and Sidearm Sports. The problem all app providers face, however, is the lukewarm adoption of stadium apps by fans in general. While teams and venues all tout the idea of a stadium app as a way for fans to have a so-called "remote control" for their game-day visits, the reality is that most fans don't download or use the apps widely, except when forced to for things like digital ticketing.
Screenshot of the web-app ordering system at Florida.
While teams and venues (and the app providers) may claim that fans use stadium apps, the reality is that actual statistics for fan app use are rarely ever provided. In the few instances where teams or venues do provide statistics for things like app usage at games, team and stadium apps fall far behind general-purpose mobile apps like social media apps, email and application updates.
In-venue transactions, however, do offer a way for teams and venues to lure fans to an app or web platform, either by requiring it (in the case of digital ticketing) or by making it an attractive feature, by supporting things like in-seat delivery, raffles and games, order-ahead concessions or in-venue "experience" purchases like seat upgrades or things like on-field tours, or meet-the-players gatherings.
VenueNext famously had an ambitious goal of providing in-seat concessions delivery services for all seating areas at Levi's Stadium, but that program was shelved in 2017 after limited use and challenges in providing the service to 70,000-plus potential customers.
What has emerged in the market as a more manageable solution are less-ambitious programs like offering delivery to limited seating areas (usually premium club areas) or mobile order-ahead services with express window pickup. The app for Florida's Ben Hill Griffin Stadium offers the latter, with several areas around the venue having pick-up windows set aside for the mobile orders.
POS, kiosk ordering and web-based apps
Wachob said that Florida was also the first live customer for VenueNext's new POS software system, a product that puts VenueNext into competition with players like Oracle's Micros and Appetize. The system supports 180 different stands at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, which Wachob said had previously used a cash-drawer system. VenueNext's website also now includes promotion of kiosk-based self-serve concession systems, a rapidly growing service in sports venues.
VenueNext also rolled out its first live web-based app for Florida, where fans can interact with venue services without having to download an app. Once an unthinkable move for a company devoted to apps, the new service even has its own name and website, ordernext.com, linked to the main VenueNext site. The ordernext platform at Florida provided a way for fans to simply click on a link that said "Water Me" to get cold water delivered to seats in the stadium's sunny section. Wachob said the site also allowed fans to purchase in-venue experiences, like an on-field pass or a visit with the Gator mascots.
"The new app and POS technology makes concessions better for everyone, it's faster for those who order ahead of time, and the lines are shorter," said Scott Stricklin, Florida's athletic director.
The ordernext platform puts VenueNext into direct competition with providers like Rover.io, which tout the fast performance and greater flexibility of a web approach as opposed to a standalone app. Notably, Rover lists the Vikings and the Hornets as customers, even though those teams also have a VenueNext app. Stadium tech integrator AmpThink helped launch a similar program a year ago at Texas A&M, where the 12thmanlive.com site provided quick links to contests, discounts and other game-day activities.
To VenueNext's Wachob, not being religious about whether services are offered in an app or on the web is part of the company's new focus on mobile commerce first.
"Sometimes fans at the venue might not want to download the app," Wachob said. "The ability to just go to a site [for a transaction] is really powerful. That's the power of mobile — allowing the fan to determine what's important to them."
Filed Under: AmpThink, Apps, Concessions, Levi's Stadium, NCAA Football, San Jose Sharks, VenueNext, YinzCam Tagged With: AmpThink, Apps, Built.io, Levi's Stadium, Mobile Sports Report, NCAA, NFL, Paul Kapustka, Rover.io, San Francisco 49ers, University of Florida, VenueNext, Venuetize, YinzCam
Team-app builder Built.io acquired by Software AG
Screenshot of part of the Built.io app for the Kings.
San Francisco startup Built.io has been acquired by German software giant Software AG, a deal that will not mean the end to Built.io's nascent stadium- and team-app business, according to an update from the company.
Started in 2007 as a company with tools to help enterprise businesses move operations to the cloud, Built.io made a splash in the sports scene when it was chosen as the base technology for the stadium and team apps for the Sacramento Kings and their tech-centered new stadium, Golden 1 Center. Built.io subsequently announced a separate business focused on sports operations, and signed the Miami Heat as its second client.
Publicly, Built.io has not announced any new sports customers since last year, and founder and former CEO Neha Sampat has shifted duties somewhat to another company that was part of a sort of conglomerate inside Built.io, a bit of a confusing situation that was cleared up with this message from a Built.io spokesperson late Friday:
Before its acquisition today, Built.io was the best known of the brands under the umbrella of a company called Raw Engineering, which also comprised the sports business and a company named Contentstack. Neha Sampat is still very much involved with Raw Engineering as president, and with Contentstack as CEO. Until recently, these three businesses – Raw Engineering, Built.io and Contentstack – all operated as one company, Raw Engineering, which was doing business as Built.io because that was the best known brand. In 2017, the decision was made to split the organization, in part to differentiate the sports offering and not have it be continuously confused with the things that Built.io was really known for, which is the enterprise integration platform. That platform [Built.io] was the business that Software AG acquired today.
According to the company spokesperson, the sports app business is still alive and well, so we will keep an eye out for more news from that standpoint.
Filed Under: Apps, NBA Tagged With: Apps, Built.io, Golden 1 Center, Miami Heat, Mobile Sports Report, NBA, Neha Sampat, Paul Kapustka, Sacramento Kings, Software AG
Full-stadium Wi-Fi lands at Miami Heat's AmericanAirlines Arena
January 11, 2018 by Paul Kapustka Leave a Comment
Wi-Fi APs mounted on catwalks at AmericanAirlines Arena. Credit: Miami Heat (click on any photo for a larger image)
Fans attending Miami Heat games at AmericanAirlines Arena now have access to a full-stadium Wi-Fi network, as one of the last NBA venues without Wi-Fi has now fully embraced the wireless technology and what it enables.
"It's all about wanting to elevate the fan experience," said Matthew Jafarian, vice president for digital strategy and innovation for the Heat, in a recent phone interview. With construction on the network having started more than a year ago, the 350-plus access point network is now almost fully complete, with Wi-Fi gear from Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company, and main installation by M S Benbow & Associates (MSB).
Previously, AmericanAirlines Arena had been somewhat proud about its choice to rely only on cellular DAS for wireless connectivity inside the venue. But according to Jafarian, as fans of sporting events, concerts and other attractions steadily increase their digital activities, the inevitable need for more bandwidth caused the Heat to add Wi-Fi to the building they own and operate.
"With Heat games and with concerts and events, fans want to share more and we want them to be able to share their experience," Jafarian said. Venue-wide Wi-Fi will also make it easier for fans to comply with the Heat's decision to only allow digital ticketing for entry to Heat games. Jafarian added that the new Wi-Fi network will also allow for more back-of-house operations (like enabling mobile point-of-sale systems) to run more effectively.
'Make it the best'
Following a directive to make the arena's network "the best Wi-Fi out there," the Heat went through an RFP process that looked at Wi-Fi gear providers like Cisco and Samsung before choosing the team of Aruba and MSB. Because of the need to get the network finished before this past season's first games, Jafarian said the option of going under-seat with Wi-Fi APs wasn't feasible because "there weren't enough dark days" to complete the extensive construction needed for such a deployment.
Picture of a monitor at American Airlines Arena, showing wait time information (this photo was not taken during a game). Credit: Miami Heat
Instead, MSB engineered a top-down system with most APs mounted on the arena's catwalks, which Jafarian said is "working well." The network was live before the start of preseason games, Jafarian said.
The network also makes use of a captive portal from Purple for fan engagement management. According to Jafarian, the Heat saw more than 50,000 unique Wi-Fi connections over the first 60 days of operation, and sees an average of around 20 percent of attendees connecting to the network both for NBA games as well as for concerts, including recent performances by Jay-Z and The Weeknd.
This year the Heat also rolled out a new mobile app, developed by Built.io and Beyond Curious. "We've had a lot of success with the app," said Jafarian. One of the more popular components, he said, is a wayfinding and line-length service powered by WaitTime, which is available both via the app as well as on monitors around the arena.
"The WaitTime [service] has been a big hit with fans," said Jafarian.
Filed Under: 4G LTE, Apps, Aruba, DAS, NBA, Wi-Fi Tagged With: AmericanAirlines Arena, Aruba, Beyond Curious, Built.io, DAS, Miami Heat, Mobile Sports Report, MS Benbow, NBA, Paul Kapustka, Purple, Stadium Wi-Fi, WaitTime, Wi-Fi
Stadium- and team-app builder Hopscotch adds $5 M in Series B funding
November 29, 2017 by Paul Kapustka Leave a Comment
Screen shot of new Notre Dame app built by Hopscotch.
Hopscotch, one of the newer entrants in the team- and stadium-app development space, announced a $5 million Series B round of funding earlier this month, which the company said would be used to help support the rapid growth Hopscotch has seen over the past year.
Founded in 2014 after a project with Madison Square Garden led CEO Laurence Sotsky to build a business around team and stadium apps, Hopscotch had previously raised $12.5 million in Series A funding, according to the company. According to Sotsky, a beta customer relationship with the University of Mississippi in 2016 gave Hopscotch an entree to the large-college market, and since then the company has signed app deals with a who's-who list of top universities with prominent athletic programs, including Notre Dame, Oregon, Ohio State, Auburn, UCLA, Washington, Baylor, Penn State, Michigan State and Arizona, among others. Hopscotch also signed a deal with T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
While the list of customers is impressive, there is a bit of a caveat to Hopscotch's sudden rise. According to Sotsky, Hopscotch gained many of its new customers this summer by taking over app development deals previously held by CBS Interactive and IMG College. As the rights holder for many universities, CBS Interactive's apps have historically been centered around media, including streaming video and other team content. According to Sotsky, Hopscotch is replacing code in those previous apps from the inside out, bringing the company's "Fan Engagement Platform" to add services like ticket purchasing and advertising services. However, in many cases the apps are still identified by previous developers in places like the Apple App Store, a tactic Sotsky said was done deliberately so that previous users of the apps could just update to get the new app instead of having to install a new app.
Hopscotch CEO and founder Laurence Sotsky
Duplicate deals at schools?
But what Hopscotch doesn't tell you is that some of these deals may not be exclusive, as in the case of Baylor University, which is listed under "customers" on both the Hopscotch website as well as the YinzCam website. YinzCam, which developed a game-day app for Baylor when the school built its new football stadium in 2014, remains the "official" app, according to Becky King, associate vice president for information technology services and interim CIO at the Waco, Texas, school.
However complete or incomplete they may be, Hopscotch's college deals will at least give the company another fighting place to take on other providers in the team/stadium app marketplace like YinzCam, VenueNext, Venuetize and Built.io. With $17.5 million in total funding now, the El Segundo, Calif.-based Hopscotch may add to its current total of 40 employees, while building out its product roadmap to include more services for game days, like wait-time apps or traffic and parking services.
In a phone interview Sotsky said Hopscotch is already trying beta tests of interactive advertisements, like one last basketball season at Auburn where fans using the app would get a message good for a free breakfast sandwich at a nearby Hardee's if the opposing team missed two consecutive free throws late in a game. Though most stadium and team apps have been challenged so far just to get fans to download and use the apps — never mind generating revenue — Sotsky is betting that Hopscotch will find a way to help venues, teams and advertisers work together to build something that benefits fans while also delivering some ROI.
"If you deliver the right kind of ads you can get great revenue traction," said Sotsky.
Filed Under: Apps, CBS Sports, NCAA Football, VenueNext, YinzCam Tagged With: Apps, Baylor University, Built.io, Hopscotch, Mobile Sports Report, Notre Dame, Paul Kapustka, VenueNext, Venuetize, YinzCam
Join us TODAY: Twitter chat July 27 with Sacramento Kings, Miami Heat, Built.io and BeyondCurious
July 26, 2017 by Paul Kapustka Leave a Comment
Want to know more about how and why the Miami Heat and the Sacramento Kings chose the platform and services for their new team and stadium mobile apps? Join us in a Twitter chat on Thursday, July 27 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time in the U.S. (1 p.m. Eastern) with representatives from the Kings, the Heat and their platform providers, including app-platform developer Built.io and design firm BeyondCurious.
The chat with hashtag #SportsTechChat will be led by yours truly, and while it will be "directed" at the Kings and the Heat, anyone can join in with replies or their own thoughts during the hour we are chatting live. Follow me on Twitter (@PaulKaps) for the chat and for updates on the world of stadium and large public venue technology in general.
Filed Under: Apps, NBA, Twitter Tagged With: Beyond Curious, Built.io, Miami Heat, Mobile Sports Report, Paul Kapustka, Sacramento Kings, Twitter
Built.io formally announces sports-app business
May 23, 2017 by Paul Kapustka Leave a Comment
Screenshots from Built.io's under-development mobile app for the NBA's Miami Heat. Credit: Miami Heat
Built.io, the startup behind the Sacramento Kings' new team and stadium app, formally announced its "fan experience platform" today, putting the company more directly in competition with market leaders YinzCam and VenueNext.
A San Francisco-based company, Built.io did not have a standalone sports-app business when it was selected by the Kings to be the base app technology for both the Kings' team app as well as the app for the Kings' new home, the Golden 1 Center. Since that arena's launch last year, Built.io has also signed the Miami Heat as a customer, ahead of today's formal launch of the sports-app platform.
In the larger sports world, YinzCam is by far and away the company with the most apps developed for teams and stadiums, with many of its content-focused developments used by numerous pro league teams as well as many large colleges. VenueNext, which entered the world as the app developer for the San Francisco 49ers' new Levi's Stadium a few years ago, has since signed up multiple pro teams like the NHL's San Jose Sharks as well as entertainment entities like Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby.
Of the two market leaders, Built.io's platform-based approach to app building — where third-party components for features like wayfinding and parking can be added via an API structure — is more like VenueNext's, though YinzCam also has the ability to add third-party components as needed. The challenge for all stadium- and team-app builders, as well as for venue owners and teams, is to get fans to download and use the apps, so that teams can take advantage of the opportunities afforded by digitally connected customers.
While there is plenty of promise and perceived opportunity in team and stadium apps, the current reality sees fans at stadiums using public social-media apps like Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram, or other tools like email and search, far more often than team- or stadium-specific apps. However, by driving fans to use apps for digital ticketing and other necessary service transactions, team and stadium apps are likely to be more used over time, following the adoption curves for other businesses like coffee shops and airline tickets.
Though still small, Built.io has been around for a bit, as it was founded in 2007. The company has previous experience connecting larger enterprise businesses, experience founder Neha Sampat told us will work well as stadiums and teams become more connected in all their businesses.
"What the Kings are trying to do is a large-scale enterprise use case," said Sampat in an interview last year. "There are a lot of big-data analytics and so much personalization that is dependent on data."
Sampat said Built.io's model of a "back end as a service" and its ability to quickly connect other programs' APIs should be a good fit for the Kings, as well as for other teams looking to blend more services and functions into team and stadium apps.
Filed Under: Apps, Facebook, Horse Racing, Levi's Stadium, NBA, San Jose Sharks, Venture Capital, VenueNext, YinzCam Tagged With: Apps, Built.io, Golden 1 Center, Levi's Stadium, Miami Heat, Mobile Sports Report, Paul Kapustka, Sacramento Kings, Stadium Wi-Fi, VenueNext, YinzCam


Babies like to be dressed for Halloween and this Tummy Tutu can turn any body suit into a holiday outfit!
What is a Tummy Tutu? A contemporary printed, short tutu that easily goes over all body suits. The print is modern and fun and with a full elastic waist, it becomes very easy to fit and very comfortable for baby. The short length lets all of us see baby's cute, chubby legs with all of those rolls. Available in two sizes, 0-6 mo. and 6-12 mo., it will fit most babies up to about 4-5 months of age.
The skeleton print is very neutral and will co-ordinate with a lot of different body suits. So, for a body suit that used to look like underwear, you can add a Tummy Tutu and baby is all dressed up in a really superb ensemble and ready for Halloween! There is a matching skeleton body suit and a matching bib, and it also comes in a haunted house print, as well.


Britain's Got Talent stars Jonathan and Charlotte will top the bill in Lincolnshire on Saturday 27 July when, for one night only, Royal Air Force College Cranwell opens its doors to the public and becomes the spectacular setting for Anthems in the Park 2013.
The classical singers will take to the stage at the world's oldest military aviation college with the Band of the Royal Air Force College, the Red Arrow's own mezzo soprano Squadron Leader Ruth Shackleton and Cranwell Military Wives Choir.
They will be joined by vintage Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft from the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, rare archive film footage and Bomber Command veterans themselves to recreate the sights and sounds of Bomber County 70 years ago.
The audience will then be taken forward in time to the present day, as modern RAF aircraft create a dramatic reconstruction of the RAF's current military operations, honouring the sacrifice of Midlands-based RAF personnel.
The unique event will start at 3pm, when the public is invited to picnic in the atmospheric grounds whilst enjoying pre-concert entertainment, including a display by the Red Arrows and music and dance performances. The concert itself starts at 7pm and will climax with a spectacular Proms-style finale and fireworks display.
All proceeds from the event will go to the RAF Benevolent Fund's charitable work, supporting RAF personnel and their families in times of need. The RAF Benevolent Fund has also recently become guardian of the new Bomber Command Memorial in London's Green Park, pledging to preserve the memorial for future generations.
Adult tickets cost £25, tickets for children (aged 5-17) are £15 and under-fives go for free. Family tickets (two adults and two children aged 5-17) are available for £65, saving £15.
Buy your tickets today or call 01689 300005.
For further information, images or to arrange interviews please contact Fiona Ferguson on 020 7307 3339 or email fiona.ferguson@rafbf.org.uk.


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Introducing Lana Tannir, World Animal Protection ambassador
Lana Tannir is a nature, landscape and wildlife conservation photographer based in Munich. A World Animal Protection ambassador, she strives to promote global change by raising awareness, advancing education and inspiring people to act through her work.
Hi Lana, can you tell us more about yourself? Tell us about your photographic world?
I am a professional nature, landscape and wildlife photographer and World Animal Protection ambassador based in Munich, Germany. I specialize in projects encompassing nature conservation and animal protection for organizations, editorials and sustainable brands. My visual stories predominantly depict challenging environments and remote regions in the Arctic and Subarctic. Thereby, I hope to unveil the beauty of some of the last uninhabited places on Earth, raise awareness about these fragile ecosystems, and incite audiences to protect them.
Some of my most recent publications include National Geographic Germany, Terra Mater Magazine, Oceanographic Magazine, Wildlife Photographic and XCity Magazine.
Lana Tannir on expedition in Northern Norway. ©Romain Charrier.
Can you tell us where your passion for photography comes from? What made you decide to go deeper into the practice of photography and what drives you to continue?
My passion for visual storytelling developed at an early age. Picking up a camera at sixteen years old, I initially focused on filmmaking to communicate my ideas, perceptions and feelings. Having created my first award-winning short film in the same year, I decided that this was the career I wanted to pursue.
At eighteen, I applied to study at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. Moving to New York, I immersed myself in the creative scene. Hence, I assumed different roles in production – from producing, editing and directing, to assisting on large-scale motion pictures.
However, throughout my journey, it always felt like a piece of the puzzle was missing. The stories that I was working on were unfulfilling. Moreover, I struggled to set foot in a male-dominated industry. Feeling disconnected from the business and its storytelling format, I returned to my hometown in Germany.
Seeking a deeper meaning in storytelling, I delved back to my roots by embarking on a journey to document the natural world as a fine-art landscape and wildlife photographer. However, this all changed after witnessing a slew of conservation issues throughout. My passion for science and art evolved into a mission: to incite positive change by shining a light on conservation challenges both locally and globally. This mission is what drives my work to this day.
Arctic fox sheds its winter fur in Svalbard.
Why did you decide to take up landscape and wildlife photography?
Documenting the environment, its biodiversity and interweaved ecosystems is simultaneously one of the most challenging and fulfilling experiences. For me, exploring my natural surroundings constantly educates, inspires and keeps me on my toes. Moreover, it is one of the primary ways that I build a personal connection to nature and incite compassion towards it by sharing unique visual stories with broader audiences.
Lastly, diving deeper into the topics of nature protection and wildlife conservation, I discovered that there are still numerous stories left untold. Ultimately, landscape and wildlife photography both play a role in my conservation work and serve to support the messages that I intend to transmit.
"For me, exploring my natural surroundings constantly educates, inspires and keeps me on my toes."
Sunset at the fjords in Northern Norway.
For the most part, I find my inspiration from the local cultures that I engage with during my travels. Listening to a native tell stories about their traditions, mythologies and experiences cannot be replaced by any travel guide. Perceiving an environment firsthand through the eyes of someone else's history immensely contributes towards my storytelling and photojournalistic work. Moreover, it educates me about the conservation challenges on site and provides new opportunities to report on these authentically.
"I find my inspiration from the local cultures that I engage with during my travels."
Reflection of Longyearbyen, Svalbard.
Svalbard reindeer grazing in the snow.
Have subjects related to ecology and sustainable development been driving or inspiring subjects in your photographic production?
Ecology and sustainable development have played a considerable role in both my personal pursuits and photographic projects. Besides currently studying biodiversity and ecology at university, the main focus of my photography has been to unveil stories of nature conservation and wildlife protection. The ultimate goal: to inspire and educate audiences on a global scale to care about our environment.
In light thereof, visual arts can serve numerous purposes in supporting conservation initiatives. Primarily, film and photography are conversation-starters and eye-openers, which help to shine a light on a particular issue. By documenting the problem at hand, scientific research is made accessible to a broader audience. The public is invited to connect to the topic on an emotional level, rather than being presented with dreary facts. Hence, one could say that visual art is the "middleman" between science and public understanding.
"The ultimate goal: to inspire and educate audiences on a global scale to care about our environment."
Fishing equipment on the coast of Germany.
Northern Gannet holds plastic in its beak.
Who are your reference photographers?
There are many photographers that I draw inspiration from. In particular, numerous female photographers have served as role models for my own work in conservation, science storytelling and photojournalism. These include Melissa Groo, Jen Guyton, Viktoria Haack, Daisy Gilardini, Ruth Elwell Steck, Cristina Mittermaier, Brittany Crossman, Morgan Heim, Suzi Eszterhas, and Esther Horvath.
What do you want to convey through the photos you share?
As a storyteller striving to make a difference, the primary goal of my work is to advance nature conservation by shedding light on some of the most pressing environmental issues today. Secondly, I believe that as a humanity, we can only care for the things we know and understand. For this reason, another objective of my photographs is to incite action by inspiring, educating and promoting compassion within audiences using my work.
An Arctic tern flies along the coastline in Iceland.
If you had to choose your most significant captured instant, which one would it be and why?
I always find it somewhat challenging to select a particular instance, since every photograph holds a special memory for me. However, a photographic experience that particularly shaped me is a whale conservation project I pursued in Northern Norway in November 2019. Trailing a whale watching ship operating on an electric motor, my project documented its efforts to promote an eco-friendly alternative to standard industry practices. During twenty days at sea, I was able to visually document and partake in photo-identification and conservation efforts alongside marine biologists and guides. Besides reinforcing my passion for marine conservation, the expedition also introduced me to the ethical implications of whale watching, as well as the complexities of protecting marine areas.
From a storytelling perspective, this experience both challenged and pushed my personal boundaries as a photographer. Since Orcas and Humpbacks only emerge for air for a brisk moment, the time frame to capture them is reduced to a split second. As a photographer, a lot of guess-work, prediction and foresight was involved to depict these moments effectively and powerfully. Thereby, this experience not only developed my photographic skills, but also incited me to understand the behavior and hunting techniques of Orcas and Humpback whales.
A male Orca comes up for air in the Norwegian Sea.
What advice would you give to a young photographer?
Find a mentor that can provide honest critique of your work. Having someone who can give you helpful feedback is the most valuable (and fastest) way to improve your photography. Besides being an external onlooker, a mentor can apply their longstanding experience to provide a new perspective on your photographs. From both a technical, as well as a creative standpoint, this is the most conducive way to improve your wildlife photography.
Northern Lights fill the sky in the Arctic.
Finally, what are your future projects or goals?
In the long-term, my goal is to find platforms that will allow me to bring awareness, educate and inspire others about topics that I am most passionate about. Hence, I have several open-ended conservation photography projects and a documentary in the works, which I am planning to pursue next year. Moreover, I am currently working on expanding and developing my storytelling platform, Creatives for Conservation, which aims to provide insight on environmental topics concerning community, wildlife and nature conservation.
Lastly, education is also a primary motivator of my work. In line with the latter, I am currently planning several exciting workshops for next year, which will be offered to beginner and intermediate photographers interested in advancing their skills.
The colorful period (the season right before the Polar Night) in the Arctic.
Meet Lana Tannir, and discover her work as a photographer…
Website : www.lana-tannir.com
Instagram : www.instagram.com/lanatannirphoto
Facebook : www.facebook.com/lanatannirphotography
Photos Credits: Romain Charrier & Lana Tannir
The Unique Photographic Instant
FR EN Contrary to the posed photography which requires time or a preliminary setting, the photography that captures the instant "on the fly" is a
Photo Retouching: The Grail for Photographers?
FR EN Crop, colorize, overexpose, sharpen or blur, change the mood of a detail or a sky, convert to black & white, filter, densify, delete
The culture of sharing images
The very first desire to share an image is undoubtedly that of transmitting the feelings it arouses while looking at it. If words are
Post-Processing in Photography: An Endless Debate?
FR EN Photo retouching has always been and still is seen as a modification of reality: Soviet propaganda in the 1940s lied about the people


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Plasma recipient shares COVID-19 recovery story
HealthONE /
Plasma recipient shares COVID-19...
Jason Jahanian was hospitalized with COVID-19 in early April. He and his doctors believe convalescent plasma made the difference in his recovery. "Convalescent plasma is such an intriguing concept," Dr. Stahel, Chief Medical Officer at The Medical Center of Aurora, explained. "It goes back about 150 years, to the late 19th century, long before antibiotics were invented, before anti-bacterial, anti-viral treatments were available. We took people who were infected before, and a month later took their blood, because that blood would mount an immune response and build antibodies to that pathogen. So that's called passive immunization."


The first episode, The Best Business Advisor, which aired July 9, 2018 and launched the Make Meaning podcast, featured a conversation between me and my father, Norman Cohn, who is a retired entrepreneur and overall amazing person.
The second episode, Stories Can Change the World, July 16, 2018, featuring a conversation with Barbara Jones, Executive Editor at Henry Holt Publishers in New York, and a long-time friend and mentor to me.
And episode 3, Just Be Nice, July 23, 2018, featuring Paul Saginaw, co-founder of Zingerman's, and another great friend and mentor of mine.
I'm collecting insights from three episodes into this blog as a way of sharing why we podcast and the wisdom that comes from important, foundational relationships. In fact, everything we do and everything we know comes from the relationships we forge. If they are good, they will guide us toward success and happiness. If they are not, we will run afoul of our life's purpose and swirl the drain with wondering about what we are meant to do.
Lynne Golodner with her father, Norman Cohn, during the Make Meaning podcast episode last May.
I am lucky. I've had incredible good fortune to develop friendships and deep, guiding relationships with incredible people, from whom I continue to learn through the years of our enduring connection. My first and best mentor is my father, Norman Cohn.
An entrepreneur who took chances and set an example for me and my siblings of what it means to do work you love and do it well, my father is the person I turn to whenever I wonder if I am on the right path. His advice is simple and straightforward – and always right.
In Episode 1 of the Make Meaning podcast, which launched us on my dad's 80th birthday, my father said his career in scrap metal came about because, "it isn't what you know, but who you know." He took a leap and went to work for a friend's father, knowing nothing about business, and figured he could always return to his initial career of teaching if it didn't work out.
Lynne Golodner and Paul Saginaw in-studio.
Paul Saginaw, another cherished friend and mentor of mine, created Zingerman's Deli in 1980. Paul came into my life as I was transitioning from freelance journalism into something new. I sought his advice on a venture I wanted to launch, and he invited me to take part in his e-club, an opportunity for Zingerman's employees to explore the possibilities of becoming an entrepreneur and starting their own business.
It was a powerful gift. I spent six sessions in Ann Arbor with Paul and his colleagues who taught all about what it takes to open a business. Zingerman's is now a community of businesses due to this brilliant idea. It taught me that my initial idea wouldn't fly, but led me to what I do today, in business messaging and marketing.
In recent years, whenever I meet Paul for coffee and a chat, I remark about how his business philosophy seems to be just be nice. The way he treats employees, customers, the community, the environment, it's all about kindness and mutual respect, seeing other people and letting them see you.
I am so grateful Paul is my friend. I feel lucky. But I made that luck happen, too. I asked him for advice. I thanked him for it. I offered to help him. I built the relationship on the basis of honesty and kindness and learning and intention. And he was open to that.
Like I revere and love my father, Paul credits his grandfather with being a guiding force for him. We must know where we come from in order to know where we are going.
I met Barbara Jones in 1995, at the Iowa Summer Writers Workshop, when I asked her if I could pay her to edit my essays. She charged me $10 per page and red-penned all the pages with helpful, honest feedback. We've been friends ever since, but I definitely benefit most from this relationship. Barbara offers me advice on how to parent, how to build my career, how to write, how to speak up and stand for something.
Now Executive Editor for Henry Holt Publishers in New York, Barbara was my guest on Episode 2, July 16, 2018, talking about the meaning of her career in book publishing and why more than ever, books matter.
If we can, perhaps we can end the divide our country faces. Perhaps we can really see one another, feel the pain our neighbors endure.
"Follow what you love," Barbara says. Only then can we infuse our world with true meaning and powerful purpose.
Listen to these episodes here: Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3.


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Anthony Bourdain: 'Every restaurant in America would shut down' if Trump won
© Greg Nash
Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain says America's restaurant industry would shut down if Donald Trump Donald John TrumpTrump's newest Russia adviser, Andrew Peek, leaves post: report Hawley expects McConnell's final impeachment resolution to give White House defense ability to motion to dismiss Trump rips New York City sea wall: 'Costly, foolish' and 'environmentally unfriendly idea' MORE won the 2016 presidential election.
Bourdain blasted Trump's vow to deport illegal immigrants if elected, saying it would leave the nation's kitchens empty.
"If Mr. Trump deports 11 million people or whatever he is talking about right now, every restaurant in America would shut down," he told host Pete Dominick on Sirius XM's "Stand Up!" on Wednesday.
"Like a lot of other white kids, I rolled out of a prestigious culinary institute and went to work in real restaurants," Bourdain said.
"Walking into restaurants, the person who had been there the longest and took the time to show me how it was done was always Mexican or Central American," he added."[They are] the backbone of the industry."
Bourdain cited his 30 years in the culinary industry and time as a restaurant executive.
"Twenty of those years, I was a manager and employer," he said. "Never in any of those years, not once, did any American-born kid walk into my restaurant and say, 'I'd like a job as a night porter or a dishwasher or even a prep cook.'
"[They were] few and far between [and] not willing to start at the bottom like that," the host of CNN's "Parts Unknown" added.
Bourdain also said Trump's rhetoric was the wrong way to debate an important policy issue.
"The wall idea is ridiculous," he said, referencing the billionaire's repeated vows to build a wall on the southern border if elected president.
"Serious minds can disagree over what we want to do in the future, as far as how tightly we control the border and how many more people we want to let in," Bourdain said. "We're a country of immigrants. That's how we were formed.
"For the people who have been living here and have been so much a part of our lives and have nothing but do their best to achieve the American dream and raise their families and enrich our culture, there should be an easy path to legality," he added.
Asked if most restaurant owners share his views on immigration, Bourdain responded, "Yeah, because they'd be up the creek."
Trump has repeatedly called for deporting every illegal immigrant in the U.S. since launching his GOP White House run in June.
Celebrity chef Jose Andre, who is a Spanish immigrant, backed out of plans to create a restaurant for one of the real estate tycoon's properties in Washington, D.C., after Trump's remarks.
Tags Washington D.C. Anthony Bourdain Donald Trump Jose Andres Food Restaurants Illegal immigration Deportation Immigration border security parts unknown


Are you concerned about your pet's anxiety or their aggressive behaviour? Knowing how to ethically train your pet and treat their behavioural problems can be very challenging.
At Avenue Veterinary Centre we will provide you and your pet with a specialised service to firstly diagnose your pet's behavioural problem, then to create a treatment programme of both medical and behavioural therapies to improve the situation.
Behavioural problems can be caused by a variety of factors. Our priority is to firstly determine if your pet's behavioural problem is caused by an underlying medical condition. If an underlying medical condition is found we have excellent facilities to provide you and your pet with rapid diagnosis and treatment.
It is very important to understand the history of your pet's behaviour to be able to provide you with an accurate diagnosis and treatment.
Zoe Price, until recently worked as our head nurse here at the Avenue Veterinary Centre and is a qualified Animal Behaviourist. In June 2015 Zoe decided on a career change and set up BARK Ltd ~ working full time as behaviourist, trainer and dog walker specialising in adolescent and rescue dogs. Zoe completes a thorough consultation with you and your pet to try and find the cause of the problem, often meeting you where the difficulties most commonly occur, such as in your home or out on walks. Zoe combines her medical experience with specialist knowledge of canine and feline behaviour, providing you with a pragmatic solution to improve your pet's behaviour.
She will then create a treatment programme of both medical and behavioural therapies to restore harmony between you and your pet.
If you would like more information have a look at the BARK Ltd website www.barkltd.com. Zoe can be contacted for advice on your pets behaviour or to book a primary consultation by mobile on 07791 696308 or e-mail on barkltd2@gmail.com.


Eukaryotic cells feature compartmentalized membrane-bound organelles that carry out different biological functions. The glycerophospholipids are the main structural component of biological membranes, such as the cellular plasma membrane and the intracellular membranes of organelles; in animal cells, the plasma membrane physically separates the intracellular components from the extracellular environment. The glycerophospholipids are amphipathic molecules (containing both hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions) that contain a glycerol core linked to two fatty acid-derived "tails" by ester linkages and to one "head" group by a phosphate ester linkage. While glycerophospholipids are the major component of biological membranes, other non-glyceride lipid components such as sphingomyelin and sterols (mainly cholesterol in animal cell membranes) are also found in biological membranes. In plants and algae, the galactosyldiacylglycerols, and sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol, which lack a phosphate group, are important components of membranes of chloroplasts and related organelles and are the most abundant lipids in photosynthetic tissues, including those of higher plants, algae and certain bacteria.
Triglycerides, stored in adipose tissue, are a major form of energy storage both in animals and plants.They are a major source of energy because carbohydrates are fully reduced structures. In comparison to glycogen which would contribute only half of the energy per its pure mass, carbohydrate carbons are all bounded to hydrogens unlike in carbohydrates. The adipocyte, or fat cell, is designed for continuous synthesis and breakdown of triglycerides in animals, with breakdown controlled mainly by the activation of hormone-sensitive enzyme lipase. The complete oxidation of fatty acids provides high caloric content, about 38 kJ/g (9 kcal/g), compared with 17 kJ/g (4 kcal/g) for the breakdown of carbohydrates and proteins. Migratory birds that must fly long distances without eating use stored energy of triglycerides to fuel their flights.
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↑ Subramaniam S, Fahy E, Gupta S, Sud M, Byrnes RW, Cotter D, Dinasarapu AR, Maurya MR (October 2011). "Bioinformatics and systems biology of the lipidome". Chemical Reviews. 111 (10): 6452–90. doi:10.1021/cr200295k. PMC 3383319 . PMID 21939287.
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↑ Leray, C. 2015. Introduction, History and Evolution. In: Lipids. Nutrition and health. Boca Raton: CRC Press. link.
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Legislative report misses an opportunity on employment of the developmentally disabled
January 26, 2021 David Kassel	1 comment
Even before the COVID crisis, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) in Massachusetts were facing daunting problems in finding meaningful opportunities for employment.
Ever since the closures of all remaining sheltered workshops in the state in 2016, hundreds if not thousands of clients of the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) have been left in DDS day programs with little or nothing to replace the work opportunities they previously had.
For a potentially significant number of DDS clients, mainstream work settings have never been a viable option. They aren't able to function in those settings or don't desire to do so.
But even for those people with I/DD who can function in mainstream settings, it has always been difficult to find jobs. Now with unemployment a major problem in the state as a whole due to the pandemic, competing for opportunities in that workforce is an even more daunting prospect for people with I/DD.
For those reasons, we were glad to see a legislative subcommittee undertake a review of the subject of employment of the disabled in Massachusetts, although we were somewhat skeptical that the review would be unbiased and thorough.
Unfortunately, our concerns appear to be well-founded based on the report that has now been released by the "Workability Subcommittee" of the Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities Committee. We think the Workability Subcommittee, which is headed by Representative Josh Cutler, missed a major opportunity to address the problems described above.
Report buys in to anti-congregate care ideology
While Cutler's 33-page report has some good recommendations regarding persons with disabilities in general, it unfortunately seems to have largely missed the challenges faced by people with I/DD.
A key reason for that is that the report subscribes to the ideology behind the privatization of DDS services and against congregate work programs for people with I/DD such as sheltered workshops. The report is a cheerleader for the view that everyone can function in the mainstream workforce, no matter what type or level of disability they have.
The report even termed the sheltered workshop closures "a necessary and important step." Yet there is no supporting analysis behind that statement in the report.
That isn't surprising given that the Arc of Massachusetts, a key opponent of sheltered workshops, played an "instrumental" role in assisting the Subcommittee in its work, according to the report's acknowledgements.
What the closures of the workshops did was take away a choice that was available to people and their families and guardians to continue to participate in settings in which they were comfortable and could function.
There has been nothing adopted to replace that choice, and the report doesn't offer anything.
Vague recommendation on accommodating those who can't handle the mainstream workforce
In November 2019, Patty Garrity, a COFAR member, and I met with Rep. Cutler to discuss the employment problems noted above. Patty's brother, Mark, is one of the former sheltered workshop participants who has been left with little or no meaningful work activities.
Cutler's report does contain one mention and one recommendation regarding that concern.
Unfortunately, the report's recommendation is overly vague. The recommendation states that the Legislature should ensure that providers "have the capacity to serve these individuals so they, in turn, can have meaningful work opportunities."
That's it. There is no specificity in the recommendation as to how those providers could or should serve those persons.
Even prior to COVID, Patty had to fight on a daily basis for activities for Mark in his day program after his sheltered workshop program closed. As Patty noted in a recent email conversation, Mark can't handle mainstream settings. He can't meet productivity standards. He can't even attend his day program right now because he doesn't understand social distancing.
"At the moment," Patty wrote, "I am back to visiting Mark through the window (of his group home), and everyday he will ask me, "work tomorrow?"
In our October 2019 testimony to the Subcommittee, we urged it to recognize that like Mark, not every DDS client is capable of or desires to participate in the mainstream workforce. We urged the Subcommittee to support H.88, a bill which would have required that meaningful work activities be provided in DDS community-based day programs.
But no mention is made in Cutler's report of that bill or anything like it.
The language in the bill was subsequently removed by the Children and Families Committee and replaced with language establishing a Permanent Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities that Cutler's Subcommittee recommended. Yet the Commission's charge does not appear to include any effort to address the lack of work opportunities for people like Mark.
No acknowledgement of the lack of work opportunities due to COVID pandemic
There is a lot of boosterism in the Subcommittee report regarding companies that have adopted hiring programs for persons with disabilities. But despite the delay in issuing the report until well into the COVID crisis, there is virtually no acknowledgement in it of the huge challenge the pandemic has posed to employment in general in the state.
As noted, if it was difficult for people with I/DD to get jobs pre-COVID, it is even more daunting now that thousands of people are out of work. You wouldn't know that from reading the report, however.
The only employment stats mentioned in the report are from 2019 when the commonwealth's average unemployment rate was 2.9%. There is no follow-up on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on that unemployment rate, which now stands at 7.4%.
This kind of incomplete analysis may be partly why the report fails to acknowledge the monumental difficulty of placing developmentally disabled persons in mainstream work settings, particularly now.
The report includes what the Subcommittee obviously considered hopeful numbers on mainstream or integrated employment of the disabled, again from 2019. But other than printing the numbers in a chart on Page 11, the report didn't analyze them. Had the Subcommittee done so, it might not have characterized the numbers in such hopeful terms.
The chart shows the number of DDS clients in integrated or supported employment rose by 1,297 between 2014 and 2018. But the chart also shows the number of clients in day programs, which provide little or no employment activities, rose by 3,159.
In other words, the numbers show the promise of integrated or mainstream employment hasn't materialized. More than twice as many former sheltered workshop participants had been transferred to day programs as had been placed in integrated employment.
In testimony submitted to the subcommittee in October 2019, we noted that the Legislature never provided adequate funding for the transition from sheltered workshops to mainstream employment. After 2014, it appears DDS was placing fewer and fewer clients in mainstream employment even as the sheltered workshops were closing.
The Subcommittee report seems to be primarily concerned with disabled people with normal cognitive abilities
Overall, there seems to be little focus on people with I/DD in the report. Even the finding that mentions our concern about individuals with little to do following the closures of the sheltered workshops doesn't specify that the people involved have I/DD.
There is no distinction made between high and low-functioning persons. The main focus of the report seems to be on how mainstream employers need to do more to hire people with disabilities in general.
Report acknowledged it did not deal with subminimum wage issue
In our October 2019 testimony, we urged the Subcommittee to recognize that it is necessary to allow employers willing to hire persons with I/DD to pay them a subminimum wage in order to ensure that those work opportunities are not reduced further.
The report acknowledged that it did not examine that issue.
As noted, we think this report is a missed opportunity. In an email exchange with us yesterday, Rep. Cutler defended the report, saying, "we don't have a solution for every challenge presented."
But this is not a matter of having a solution for every challenge presented. Rather it is a matter of recognizing the problems that exist and being open to addressing them.
Categories: Uncategorized Tags: COVID-19, developmental disabilities, integrated employment, sheltered workshops
DDS group home providers have different options for providing COVID vaccinations
Group homes and developmental centers in the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) system have a number of options for obtaining COVID-19 vaccines and administering them to their residents and staff, as part of a major vaccination effort that officially begins this week.
In a letter to families that she issued last week, DDS Commissioner Jane Ryder termed the DDS vaccination program "complex," and said the timing will vary by provider.
Ryder said that vaccinations of both residents and staff of DDS residential congregate care programs would officially begin this week, and that vaccinations of "home-based healthcare workers" would begin in early February.
Ryder said that latter category of staff slated for vaccinations in early February includes shared living providers, home-based respite, individual/family support staff who provide in-home services, and "participants who self-direct their services."
Provider options for vaccinations
In guidance issued last week, the Department of Public Health (DPH) outlined three options available to group home and other congregate care providers for obtaining and administering the vaccines. Those options are "self-administration," which involves receiving the vaccines directly from DPH; existing partnerships with pharmacies and other healthcare providers; and scheduling vaccinations at mass-vaccination sites.
In her letter, Ryder discussed the latter two methods, but didn't mention the self-administration option. She said the partnerships apply to providers that have relationships with either CVS or Walgreens to provide and administer the vaccinations.
In some of those cases, vaccinations have already begun, Ryder said. That appears to explain an apparent discrepancy between the reports we received about some vaccinations having started prior to this week, and the official announcement that vaccinations in DDS group homes would start this week.
As part of that partnership option, Ryder said, some providers are arranging with local pharmacies or healthcare providers such as a local hospital or community health center to have vaccinations delivered and administered to residents and staff.
Self-Administration Option
The DPH guidance lists a primary option for congregate care facilities of directly receiving and administering vaccines from DPH ("self-administration"). The guidance states that this option "is likely to be the most convenient for staff and residents and the quickest method for them to obtain the vaccine."
However, as noted, Commissioner Ryder didn't mention this option in her letter. In an email query to Ryder last week, I asked if that meant that none of the DDS group home providers meet the qualifications for the self-administration option, which include having the capacity to vaccinate 200 persons and having refrigeration storage capacity for the vaccines. To date, I haven't received a reply.
Ryder's additional points
In her letter, Ryder listed additional points about the vaccines in the DDS system:
Vaccination is voluntary for staff and residents.
DDS is seeking consent from legal guardians prior to residents receiving the vaccine.
Surveillance testing and infection control measures, including the use of face masks and PPE, hand hygiene, and social distancing, will remain in place until further notice.
More information on getting vaccinated in congregate care settings is available here.
Latest COVID test results:
Meanwhile, the administration's latest online COVID test data for congregate and long-term care facilities shows some mixed results for COVID in the DDS system. The COVID situation had looked last week as though it was improving in the system, but this past week's report showed the infection numbers headed back up for provider group home residents and staff, and for Wrentham Developmental Center residents and staff.
Provider group home residents testing positive jumped from 236 to 280 in the week ending Tuesday, January 12. New results will be posted online tomorrow (January 20).
The latest report shows the Hogan Regional Center holding steady on the number of residents testing positive. There was even a drop in the number of staff infected, from 14 to 9 at Hogan this past week. But Wrentham saw a sharp increase in staff testing positive — from 14 to 32, while residents testing positive went from 3 to 11.
Please let us know what your experience has been with the vaccination program in the DDS system.
Categories: Uncategorized Tags: COVID-19, developmental disabilities, vaccine
COVID vaccination new update: Program starting next week in DDS group homes
UPDATE to our previous Update:
Department of Developmental Services (DDS) Commissioner Jane Ryder issued a letter to families and providers this afternoon (January 13), stating that vaccinations of both residents and staff in DDS state-run and provider-run group homes will begin next week, the week of January 18.
This is in line with what Governor Baker announced today (see below), but seems to contradict information earlier this week from DDS that the vaccinations were starting this week.
We have also heard from some families of group home residents who were informed that vaccinations were starting this week.
Ryder also stated in her letter that vaccinations of home-based healthcare workers will begin in early February. For DDS, that includes shared living providers, home-based respite, individual/family
support staff who provide in-home services, and participants who self-direct their services.
Ryder also forwarded guidance from the Department of Public Health on vaccine distribution in congregate care facilities.
Elizabeth Morse, DDS deputy commissioner for operations, had stated in an email on Monday that the vaccination program was starting in DDS congregate programs this week.
Morse said a "small amount of vaccines" were previously distributed to the Hogan Regional Center and Wrentham Developmental Center "to help get the vaccine clinics set up."
Governor provides some details
In a news briefing today, Governor Charlie Baker said the vaccines would be administered in congregate care settings starting on Monday, the 18th. However, as noted, Morse said the vaccination program was starting in the DDS settings this week.
According to The Boston Globe, the governor said congregate care facilities "can administer the vaccine in multiple ways." Those facilities can self-administer the vaccine on site if they meet certain criteria, work with an existing pharmacy or provider to provide the vaccinations, or use mass vaccination sites such as one opening Monday for first responders at Gillette Stadium.
Earlier this week, we heard from a number of family members of DDS group home residents that the vaccinations were scheduled to start this week or next week for both residents and staff.
The providers were still waiting earlier this week for guidance from DDS on the vaccines. One family forwarded an email from their provider, dated Monday, informing them that, "Once we have a definite plan for vaccination, we will be reaching out to all families and guardians to let them know."
A COFAR member received word last week from a medical staff person at the Wrentham Center that staff at the center were first in line for vaccinations, and were starting that day (January 5). However, the COFAR member was also told the center received less than half the necessary doses of the vaccine needed for the staff, which is listed at 850 persons.
DDS developmental centers and group homes fall under Phase 1 of the state's vaccination plan, but have not been at the top of the Phase 1 order.
The Phase 1 order, which began in December and is scheduled to run through February, is:
1. Clinical and non-clinical healthcare workers doing "direct and COVID-facing care"
2. Long-term care facilities (which apparently include the Wrentham and Hogan Centers and nursing homes)
3. Police, fire, and emergency medical services
4. Congregate care settings (which apparently include DDS group homes, shelters, and prisons)
5. Home-based healthcare workers
6. Healthcare workers "doing non-COVID-facing care."
Phase 2 of the distribution plan, which is scheduled to run from February through April, includes members of the general population with two or more medical comorbidities, residents over age 75, teachers, grocery workers, sanitation and public health workers; residents over 65, and individuals with one comorbidity.
The vaccines are projected to be available to members of the general public in Phase 3, which runs from April through June.
We will report to you on the promised additional details about vaccine distribution in the DDS system as soon as we hear about them.
Confusion persists as administration remains mum on COVID vaccinations in the DDS system
January 11, 2021 David Kassel	2 comments
Information continues to be sparse and confusing over COVID-19 vaccinations and testing of residents and staff in the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) system.
All of the information we have gotten so far regarding vaccine distribution in the system has been in the form of unofficial reports to COFAR members from facility staff. We heard unofficially, for instance, that staff at the Wrentham Developmental Center began receiving vaccinations last week, but that less than half the necessary doses were available for the center's 850 staff.
At the same time, we were told late last week that an initial unofficial report that residents and staff at the Hogan Regional Center had gotten vaccinated in late December was false, and that no one at Hogan had yet gotten the vaccine. As a result, we have corrected our January newsletter, which had initially reported the incorrect information.
Unfortunately, our repeated attempts to get official information about the vaccine distribution in the DDS system either from Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders or from DDS Commissioner Jane Ryder have been rebuffed.
Infection rate may be leveling off
Amid all the confusion and uncertainty, there appears to be some potentially good news that the number of residents testing positive in the DDS system may be leveling off after a second COVID surge that began in October.
Our chart below is based on the administration's latest official weekly state facilities report, and shows the results of COVID testing of residents in provider-operated group homes.
Administration officials not responding to emails
So far, however, we haven't gotten a clear picture of the vaccine distribution situation.
On December 2, I emailed both DDS Commissioner Ryder and HHS Secretary Sudders to ask whether the Baker administration would include DDS residents and staff in its plans for distribution of the first doses of the vaccine that Massachusetts received. I never received a response to that query.
While the administration did issue a general vaccine distribution plan in early December, the plan doesn't mention or make clear how DDS clients and staff fit into the overall picture.
When we heard that the unofficial report was false that vaccinations had been given at the Hogan Center, I sent a second email last week (January 7) to Sudders, Ryder, and DDS's ombudsman asking for any information they could provide about the vaccination schedule in the DDS developmental centers and group homes. Again, no answer.
On Saturday (January 9), I emailed Marylouise Gamache, EOHHS ombudsman, with the same question. No answer so far.
In addition to the confusion over the developmental centers, it remains unclear when DDS group home residents will get the vaccine, and where those residents fall within Phase 1 of the state's vaccine distribution plan. It appears all residents of DDS group homes and developmental centers are included in Phase 1 of the plan, which stretches through February. But it is unclear as to whether group home clients, in particular, are closer to the top or the bottom of the Phase 1 priority order.
As one COFAR member put it, it doesn't seem as though it should be difficult for the administration to provide information for DDS families and guardians about the vaccination schedule and dosages delivered and administered. We think that data could easily be added to the online weekly state facility reports.
COVID testing in DDS system indicates some leveling off of the rate of infection
As noted, the picture may be improving regarding COVID testing in the DDS system. The infection numbers in the administration's latest weekly report are still relatively high, but the peak may have occurred as of the Dec. 22 reporting date when 248 residents were listed as COVID positive. That number of positive residents was down to 236 as of last week's reporting date on Wednesday. (See chart above.)
The numbers in those weekly reports for infected staff in provider residences are actually two weeks behind. Even so, that positive test rate may have also leveled off. The latest weekly report shows the positive test rate for provider staff in all EOHHS group homes was 3.12% as of the latest reporting date of Dec. 23, down from 3.16% as of Dec. 9.
Hopefully those downward numbers will continue, but it may be too early to say this is a downward trend.
Reporting of testing results should include tracking of "long-haul" effects
We have previously reported that the administration's public reporting of testing results of both residents and staff in the DDS system has been spotty. For instance, while the weekly facility reports finally began to include information about provider staff testing positive, the numbers are for all human service provider agencies, not just DDS.
We would also like to see tracking of "long-haul" effects on residents and staff in the DDS system. Long-haul effects are lingering complications from the virus that can be debilitating even if individuals have recovered from the immediate effects of the infection.
The weekly reports do track what is termed "current clients recovered." The reports define clients recovered as those who have tested negative or have met symptom and time-based recovery guidelines. Our guess is someone could meet those guidelines and still have long-haul effects of the virus.
Also, the numbers in the reports are apparently not cumulative because the reports state that those numbers don't include "all recoveries over time." They are listed as "current clients recovered" each week.
For months, we have been saying that we need more and better information from the administration about its response to the virus. While the administration has made some strides in this area, the continuing lack of communication about vaccine distribution, in particular, is frustrating and disturbing.


text:
package executor_test

import (
	"fmt"
	"unicode/utf8"

	. "github.com/pingcap/check"
	"github.com/pingcap/tidb/config"
	"github.com/pingcap/tidb/parser/terror"
	"github.com/pingcap/tidb/table"
	"github.com/pingcap/tidb/util/testkit"
)

const (
	strictModeSQL    = "set sql_mode = 'STRICT_TRANS_TABLES'"
	nonStrictModeSQL = "set sql_mode = ''"
)

func (s *testSuite1) TestStatementContext(c *C) {
	tk := testkit.NewTestKit(c, s.store)
	tk.MustExec("use test")
	tk.MustExec("create table sc (a int)")
	tk.MustExec("insert sc values (1), (2)")

	tk.MustExec(strictModeSQL)
	tk.MustQuery("select * from sc where a > cast(1.1 as decimal)").Check(testkit.Rows("2"))
	tk.MustExec("update sc set a = 4 where a > cast(1.1 as decimal)")

	tk.MustExec(nonStrictModeSQL)
	tk.MustExec("update sc set a = 3 where a > cast(1.1 as decimal)")
	tk.MustQuery("select * from sc").Check(testkit.Rows("1", "3"))

	tk.MustExec(strictModeSQL)
	tk.MustExec("delete from sc")
	tk.MustExec("insert sc values ('1.8'+1)")
	tk.MustQuery("select * from sc").Check(testkit.Rows("3"))

	// Handle coprocessor flags, '1x' is an invalid int.
	// UPDATE and DELETE do select request first which is handled by coprocessor.
	// In strict mode we expect error.
	_, err := tk.Exec("update sc set a = 4 where a > '1x'")
	c.Assert(err, NotNil)
	_, err = tk.Exec("delete from sc where a < '1x'")
	c.Assert(err, NotNil)
	tk.MustQuery("select * from sc where a > '1x'").Check(testkit.Rows("3"))

	// Non-strict mode never returns error.
	tk.MustExec(nonStrictModeSQL)
	tk.MustExec("update sc set a = 4 where a > '1x'")
	tk.MustExec("delete from sc where a < '1x'")
	tk.MustQuery("select * from sc where a > '1x'").Check(testkit.Rows("4"))

	// Test invalid UTF8
	tk.MustExec("create table sc2 (a varchar(255))")
	// Insert an invalid UTF8
	tk.MustExec("insert sc2 values (unhex('4040ffff'))")
	c.Assert(tk.Se.GetSessionVars().StmtCtx.WarningCount(), Greater, uint16(0))
	tk.MustQuery("select * from sc2").Check(testkit.Rows("@@"))
	tk.MustExec(strictModeSQL)
	_, err = tk.Exec("insert sc2 values (unhex('4040ffff'))")
	c.Assert(err, NotNil)
	c.Assert(terror.ErrorEqual(err, table.ErrTruncatedWrongValueForField), IsTrue, Commentf("err %v", err))

	tk.MustExec("set @@tidb_skip_utf8_check = '1'")
	_, err = tk.Exec("insert sc2 values (unhex('4040ffff'))")
	c.Assert(err, IsNil)
	tk.MustQuery("select length(a) from sc2").Check(testkit.Rows("2", "4"))

	tk.MustExec("set @@tidb_skip_utf8_check = '0'")
	runeErrStr := string(utf8.RuneError)
	tk.MustExec(fmt.Sprintf("insert sc2 values ('%s')", runeErrStr))

	// Test invalid ASCII
	tk.MustExec("create table sc3 (a varchar(255)) charset ascii")

	tk.MustExec(nonStrictModeSQL)
	tk.MustExec("insert sc3 values (unhex('4040ffff'))")
	c.Assert(tk.Se.GetSessionVars().StmtCtx.WarningCount(), Greater, uint16(0))
	tk.MustQuery("select * from sc3").Check(testkit.Rows("@@"))

	tk.MustExec(strictModeSQL)
	_, err = tk.Exec("insert sc3 values (unhex('4040ffff'))")
	c.Assert(err, NotNil)
	c.Assert(terror.ErrorEqual(err, table.ErrTruncatedWrongValueForField), IsTrue, Commentf("err %v", err))

	tk.MustExec("set @@tidb_skip_ascii_check = '1'")
	_, err = tk.Exec("insert sc3 values (unhex('4040ffff'))")
	c.Assert(err, IsNil)
	tk.MustQuery("select length(a) from sc3").Check(testkit.Rows("2", "4"))

	// no placeholder in ASCII, so just insert '@@'...
	tk.MustExec("set @@tidb_skip_ascii_check = '0'")
	tk.MustExec("insert sc3 values (unhex('4040'))")

	// Test non-BMP characters.
	tk.MustExec(nonStrictModeSQL)
	tk.MustExec("drop table if exists t1")
	tk.MustExec("create table t1(a varchar(100) charset utf8);")
	defer tk.MustExec("drop table if exists t1")
	tk.MustExec("insert t1 values (unhex('f09f8c80'))")
	c.Assert(tk.Se.GetSessionVars().StmtCtx.WarningCount(), Greater, uint16(0))
	tk.MustQuery("select * from t1").Check(testkit.Rows(""))
	tk.MustExec("insert t1 values (unhex('4040f09f8c80'))")
	c.Assert(tk.Se.GetSessionVars().StmtCtx.WarningCount(), Greater, uint16(0))
	tk.MustQuery("select * from t1").Check(testkit.Rows("", "@@"))
	tk.MustQuery("select length(a) from t1").Check(testkit.Rows("0", "2"))
	tk.MustExec(strictModeSQL)
	_, err = tk.Exec("insert t1 values (unhex('f09f8c80'))")
	c.Assert(err, NotNil)
	c.Assert(terror.ErrorEqual(err, table.ErrTruncatedWrongValueForField), IsTrue, Commentf("err %v", err))
	_, err = tk.Exec("insert t1 values (unhex('F0A48BAE'))")
	c.Assert(err, NotNil)
	c.Assert(terror.ErrorEqual(err, table.ErrTruncatedWrongValueForField), IsTrue, Commentf("err %v", err))
	config.UpdateGlobal(func(conf *config.Config) {
		conf.CheckMb4ValueInUTF8 = false
	})
	tk.MustExec("insert t1 values (unhex('f09f8c80'))")
	config.UpdateGlobal(func(conf *config.Config) {
		conf.CheckMb4ValueInUTF8 = true
	})
	_, err = tk.Exec("insert t1 values (unhex('F0A48BAE'))")
	c.Assert(err, NotNil)
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Farming and food can be part of the climate change solution, rather than the problem, Green MEP Molly Scott Cato has said.
Dr Scott Cato's comments follow the release on Monday (8 October) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) "Global Warming of 1.5C" report.
The report says limiting global warming to 1.5C will require rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society.
It says global net human-caused emissions of carbon dioxide would need to fall by about 45% from 2010 levels by 2030, reaching "net zero" around 2050.
Renewables are estimated to provide up to 85% of global electricity by 2050, coal is expected to reduce to zero and up to seven million sq km of land will be needed for energy crops.
If warming is not contained to 1.5C nearly all of the planet's coral reefs will die, droughts and heatwaves will continue to intensify, and an additional 10 million people will face increased risks from rising sea levels, including deadly storm surges and flooded coastal zones.
Ninety-one authors and review editors from 40 countries prepared the IPCC report in response to an invitation from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) when it adopted the Paris Agreement in 2015, which included the aim of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change.
Dr Scott Cato, a member of the European Parliament's Agriculture Committee, said that making organic and sustainable farming methods the norm could transform farming from a major emitter of greenhouse gases to becoming a sector which could capture up to 100% of global annual carbon emissions in soils and plants.
"The report makes clear that changing the way we use land and produce food is key to tackling climate change. This will also improve soil quality, biodiversity and animal welfare," Dr Scott Cato said.
Increasing afforestation and reforestation was also key to solving the issue, she said.
However, more controversially, the MEP has called for a move towards consuming less meat and dairy and replacing these products with plant-based alternatives.
Liz Bowles, head of farming at the Soil Association, agreed that a move towards organic farming and agroforestry could be the answer.
She said: "A shift towards less but better meat and dairy consumption and production is also needed, alongside dramatic cuts to food waste and a focus on shortening supply chains.
The report says that limiting warming to 1.5C will involve "annual average investment in the energy system of around $2.4 trillion [£1.8 trillion]" between 2016 and 2035.
NFU deputy president Guy Smith said: "We are already starting to see the effects of global warming and this year's extreme weather events have served to remind us how vulnerable farming is to a changing climate.
By 2100 global sea level rise would be 10cm lower.
The likelihood of an Arctic Ocean free of sea ice in summer would be once per century, compared with at least once per decade with 2C warming.
Coral reefs would decline by 70-90% with 1.5C, whereas virtually all ( more than 99%) would be lost with 2C.
The agriculture sector has been told by the Committee on Climate Change that it must work harder to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
In a report released in January the committee said there has been no progress in reducing agricultural GHG emissions over the past six years, despite the requirement of a 36% reduction in UK emissions from 2016 to 2030.
However, NFU Cymru has expressed concern at how the Welsh government has approached consulting on achieving this.
Cardiff's "Achieving our low-carbon pathway to 2030" consultation, which closed on Thursday (4 October), proposes 66,000ha of additional tree planting at a rate of 2,000ha to 4,000ha each year on Welsh land – 90% of which is suggested to come from afforestation, with 10% taking the form of agro-forestry.


Researchers are now using algae as a new green power source, at Concordia University in Canada. In their study, the researchers created a technology that channels electrical energy from plants.
The researcher's technique involves photosynthesis and respiration which takes place in plants. Blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, is everywhere and readily available. They are considered to be the most flourishing microorganisms on the earth and their habitats ranges from all angles. Photosynthesis and respiration in plants entails electron transfer chains.
"By trapping the electrons released by blue-green algae during photosynthesis and respiration, we can harness the electrical energy they produce naturally," Muthukumaran Packirisamy, lead author of the study and engineering professor, said in a news release.
The photosynthetic power cell is on a small scale, where itphot has an anode, proton exchange membrane and cathode. The blue-green algae are placed in the anode chamber, where it goes through photosynthesis and releases electrons to the electrode surface. The device is then connected to an external load, which extracts the electrons and harness power.
"By taking advantage of a process that is constantly occurring all over the world, we've created a new and scalable technology that could lead to cheaper ways of generating carbon-free energy," Packirisamy said.
The researchers are hoping that the micro-photosynthetic power cells can be applied in powering a range of electronic devices, such as cell phones and computers. However, Packirisamy and his team claimed that their development is in its early stages and much work still needs to be done with the new technology.
"We have a lot of work to do in terms of scaling the power cell to make the project commercial," Packirisamy said.
The findings of this study were published in the journal Technology.