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New Human Rights LLM announced
Posted on March 31, 2011 by fdonson
Dr Siobhán Mullally announces UCC Law Faculty's new LLM in International Human Rights Law and Public Policy on IntLawGrrls blog:
We at University College Cork, Ireland, are delighted to announce the launch of a new LLM in International Human Rights Law and Public Policy, to commence in September 2011.
This an innovative and exciting new LLM programme, which builds on the Law Faculty's strengths in the fields of International and European human rights law. The programme is taught by academic staff with extensive experience in human rights law and public policy, both at national and international levels. It includes a core International Human Rights clinic module, which is designed specifically to engage students in the practice and policy context of Human Rights Law. Students will benefit from a series of guest seminars and workshops with representatives of civil society, Government, international human rights bodies and the world of legal practice.
The Programme Director is, yours truly, Dr Siobhán Mullally. Our teaching team includes staff with distinguished records in research, teaching and public policy engagement: Professor Caroline Fennell, Dr Ursula Kilkelly; Dr Darren O'Donovan, Dr Siobhán Wills; Dr Conor O'Mahony, Dr Louise Crowley, Dr Aisling Parkes, and me.
The Law Faculty is delighted to include in its team of Adjunct Professors leading world experts on human rights law and practice: Professor Samantha Power, Special Adviser to President Obama on Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights and; Lord Lester of Herne Hill QC, Blackstone Chambers, London and of Europe's leading human rights law practitioners.
Details on the program and its curriculum are here. The deadline for applications for the session beginning this autumn is May 1, 2011.
I am happy to answer any queries (e-mail: s.mullally@ucc.ie) that you might have concerning the programme and opportunities for prospective students.
Moving from a Food Aid Convention to a Food Assistance Convention
Dug Cubie
The increasing effects of climate change and natural disasters, including drought and flooding which severely affects agricultural production in affected regions, forms the backdrop to the current renegotiation of the Food Aid Convention (FAC). The eight signatories of the FAC met in London at the beginning of this month (28th February – 3rd March 2011) to commence the negotiations at a time of steeply increasing world food prices. On the table for discussion include allowing additional donor members to become signatories to the Convention, the form that food aid should take, and where the FAC fits in the overall international response to food scarcity and insecurity.
First established in 1967, the Food Aid Convention is the only international legal instrument covering the provision of food aid to developing countries. The current members of the FAC are Australia, Argentina, Canada, the European Union, Japan, Norway, Switzerland and the United States; while implementation of the Convention is overseen by the Food Aid Committee, currently chaired by Canada, which is based in the International Grains Council in London.
Unlike other international conventions, the FAC is deemed to be a temporary instrument, with the current text of the FAC last renegotiated in 1999, initially for a three year period, but subject to annual extensions of validity since 2002. This annual uncertainty over the future application of the treaty results, in part, from the deliberations on food aid in the World Trade Organisation's Agreement on Agriculture. However, the collapse of the WTO Doha Development Round in 2008 prompted the signatories to the FAC to extend its validity until June 2011 to allow time for a renegotiation of the FAC itself to take place. These negotiations are expected to be intense. There are pronounced differences between key members of the FAC, most notably between the United States of America and Japan which favour a resource-based approach where agricultural produce is provided directly from donor countries, and the European Union and Canada which are promoting a needs-based approach.
While intended to provide a level of resource certainty to recipient States and UN agencies such as the World Food Programme, there is a wide-spread belief that the FAC is out-dated and does not reflect current models of emergency and humanitarian assistance. Oxfam has highlighted that in most food emergencies, it is not access to food that is the main problem but people's ability to buy food. Therefore, a model of food aid based on shipments of surplus agricultural produce from developed countries, with the attendant high shipping and procurements costs and negative impact for the local producers, does not correspond to the needs of the affected populations. A recent paper by Nathan Nunn (Harvard University) and Nancy Qian (Yale University) researched the motivations behind the signatories to the FAC. They found that the US provides most of its food aid in the form of food surpluses from US farmers; but despite EU food aid remaining untied, it is closely linked to the colonial history of several EU Member States, with former colonies receiving disproportionately large amounts of EU food aid.
However, the debate is not simply about the modalities of providing food aid. Approaches which promote cash or vouchers still have to contend with the fact that in a time of food insecurity rapidly rising prices in local markets may negate the true value of assistance for each household. Therefore, minimum tonnage or consumption requirements still need to be ensured. This has led to suggestions that "food aid" should be reclassified as "food assistance" to highlight the broad nature of assistance required by people facing hunger and food insecurity. This may move the discussions from the realm of what food stuffs to provide, to what overall package of assistance is required to meet the needs of affected populations. Yet the FAC negotiations are being undertaken behind closed doors by the eight signatories, who are all donors of food aid, to the exclusion of the recipient countries themselves, which means that vital issues from the perspective of those in receipt of food aid may not be raised. Even countries which have recently become donor countries, such as Brazil, China, India, Russia and South Africa will not be directly involved in the discussions. Therefore, the future approach of either the current Food Aid Convention or an updated Food Assistance Convention remains to be seen. However, with the deadline for the conclusion of negotiations in early June 2011 fast approaching, the next steps for the food and hunger components of emergency and humanitarian assistance may be clarified in the coming months.
Posted in Uncategorized	| Tagged Food aid, food security, International law
The world must not stand idly by as Gadafy murders his own people
Dr Siobhan Mullally
This piece was originially published as an Opinion piece in the Irish Times on 12 March 2011
THE CRISIS in Libya presents new Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Eamon Gilmore with many urgent and pressing questions. As yet, the international community has failed to respond effectively to this unfolding humanitarian crisis. Disagreement at the United Nations Security Council and the threat of veto from both Russia and China is continuing to limit the possibility of a concerted collective response to the crisis. A draft resolution imposing a no-fly zone has been prepared by the UK and France, apparently ready to be formally presented if Libya commits an "egregious act".
Egregious acts are, however, already occurring, and it is not clear that, even in such an event, consensus would be forthcoming.
Sadly, for observers of the security council, such disagreement and paralysis in the face of mass atrocity is all too familiar.
In the 1990s, the UN's failure to intervene in Rwanda and Srebrenica contributed directly to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians, and led finally to the recognition that the UN's role in protecting civilians was in need of urgent and dramatic reform.
Many international law commentators have pointed to the parallels between the Libyan and Kosovan crises. In 1999, inaction on the part of the Security Council in the face of widespread human rights violations in Kosovo ultimately led to unilateral action by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato), without security council authorisation.
The independent Commission on Kosovo, established by the UN secretary general in the wake of the Nato action, concluded that the intervention was "illegal", but legitimate. The spectre of inaction in the face of a humanitarian crisis could not be countenanced.
Following quickly on the Kosovan crisis, the security council authorised intervention in East Timor, but only when it had secured an invitation from Indonesia, and only after Indonesian and militia forces had run amok, killing, raping and pillaging with impunity.
In his essay "Two Concepts of Sovereignty", then UN secretary general Kofi Annan called on the international community to reach consensus – not only on the principle that massive and systematic violations of human rights must be checked, wherever they take place, but also on ways of deciding what action is necessary, and when, and by whom.
The Responsibility to Protect (R2P) Doctrine, developed through a series of high-level meetings of heads of state and governments in the early years of the new millennium, sought to address the past failings of the UN. At the heart of the R2P doctrine is the commitment by the international community, acting through the UN, to take collective action, in a timely and decisive manner, to protect populations from genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
The crisis in Libya represents precisely the kind of situation envisaged by the R2P doctrine. The possibility of effective action by the UN, however, faces the hurdles of realpolitik and the self-interested disengagement by Russia and China, mindful no doubt of the potential for Jasmine revolutions to extend beyond this Arab Spring.
The security council has taken a first step towards a decisive response to the crisis. Security council Resolution 1970, adopted on February 26th, imposed a targeted regime of sanctions, and, reflecting the commitment to pursue accountability, the security council referred the situation in Libya to the International Criminal Court.
Significantly, the resolution was adopted unanimously, with support from the US. This support reflects the Obama administration's policy of positive engagement, a welcome reprieve from the Bush administration's open and hostile opposition to the court.
The swift referral of the situation to the court is remarkable, given the delays that usually accompany negotiations on the role of the court. The referral of the situation in Libya is not without its difficulties, however. Libya is not a party to the Statute of the International Criminal Court, and Col Gadafy has been a vocal opponent, along with other African heads of state, of the court's role in Africa, calling in particular for a deferral of the arrest warrant against Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir.
All of the situations and cases currently before the court concern African states, raising questions as to the impartiality of the court and doubts as to why similar referrals did not occur in the context of Israel's attacks on Gaza in 2009, for example.
For the moment, African states have not opposed the security council's actions against Libya, though South Africa (a non-permanent member of the security council), is reported to be sceptical of the proposed no-fly zone and possible military action.
The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, has now officially opened the investigation into the Libyan crisis, warning that crimes against humanity may be occurring, and that those responsible will be held accountable.
While these developments are to be welcomed, sanctions and the pursuit of accountability are not enough. Judicial remedies, while important, will not, and are not, deterring Col Gadafy and his forces from committing mass atrocity against innocent civilians. It now seems unlikely the US will support or lead any unilateral action against Libya. Nato continues to discuss its possible role in imposing a no-fly zone.
The doctrine of humanitarian intervention recognises the possibility of unilateral action, when a state's actions against its own civilians are "so brutal as to shock the conscience of mankind".
The actions of Gadafy's forces have clearly met this threshold, shocking and distressing all those watching.
On accepting the Nobel Peace Prize, Obama spoke eloquently of the idea of a just war. He also called for the strengthening of the international institutions and international law. Over the last decade, both the US and the UK have invoked the doctrine of humanitarian intervention to support military action, when the UN failed to act. Over-extended now by conflict in Afghanistan and Iraq, and chastened by the errors of past administrations, neither look likely now to act without UN support.
The UN must respond. It is imperative that the security council fulfils its responsibility to the people of Libya, if it is not to be rendered irrelevant yet again in the face of a grave humanitarian crisis. Decisive action, including the immediate authorisation of a no-fly zone, is required.
Posted in Uncategorized	| Tagged humanitarian law, International law, Libya, reponsibility to protect, United Nations
International Women's Day and the Programme for Government
Posted on March 9, 2011 by Pat
Today is the 100th anniversary of the first International Women's Day. One hundred years ago, women marched, protested and called for the right to vote, equal rights to political participation and the empowerment of women in aspects of public and private life. It is timely, therefore, to reflect on the Programme for Government concluded between the two largest political parties in the Dáil, Fine Gael and Labour, the Government for National Recovery 2011-2016.
The Programme makes a number of important commitments of relevance to the promotion of gender equality in Ireland. Many of these do not go far enough and will disappoint those who have advocated for more sweeping and urgent reforms. If realised within the term of this incoming Government, the commitments made, albeit limited, could, however, see significant change in both the legal and political structures of the State.
To begin with, the Programme commits the Government to a reversal of the minimum wage cuts (p.8), disgracefully introduced in the dying days of the last Government. As the National Women's Council noted at the time of the cuts, most of those affected were women, and many were immigrant women, working in sectors such as hotel and catering, cleaning etc. The commitment to reversing the cut is a victory for campaigners who advocated strongly against imposing such a burden on a vulnerable group of workers. The finding of the Labour Court yesterday, that cleaning staff at the Davenport hotel, should be returned to the work roster on the original minimum wage, is another welcome vindication of the rights of low paid workers in Ireland.
The Programme for Government also promises to maintain social welfare benefits at their current levels, a welcome respite for the many lone parents and carers who are dependent on welfare payments, the vast majority of whom are women.
On political reform, the Programme acknowledges the need for greater female representation in the Dáil and requires that public funding for political parties will be tied to the numbers of women candidates achieved. Quotas, are for the moment, not contemplated, but the constitutional review process is also to be tasked with exploring how greater female participation can be secured. So, we may yet see parity, quotas and other forms of positive action being proposed. The incoming Dáil Éireann will comprise of only 17% of female T.D.s, reflecting an ongoing failure of more equitable and diverse political representation in Ireland.
On reproductive and sexual health, the Programme avoids any clear commitments to legislative reform, despite the A.B.C. judgment of the European Court of Human Rights. It does however commit to the establishment of an expert group to review the judgment and its implications. It remains to be seen whether we will see yet another compromise on women's reproductive rights. As the Supreme Court noted in Attorney General v X, almost 20 years ago, the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution, 'historically divisive' has remained 'bare of legislative direction' since its adoption. The ABC judgment has received widespread commentary. The majority judgment follows an earlier finding in Tysiac v Poland, where the failure to provide effective access to an abortion that would have been lawful under domestic law, was found to be a breach of the applicant's right to private life (article 8). The Court adopted a similar reasoning in its ABC judgment, with respect to the third applicant C, given the substantial risk to her life arising from the pregnancy.
The judgment was disappointing in its dismissal of the article 2 and 3 claims, given the very difficult circumstances endured by each of the applicants in this case. The majority judgment, that there was no violation of article 8, with regard to applicants A and B, reveals the limits of European human rights law, and the willingness to defer to the margin of appreciation doctrine, to restrict the universalist underpinnings of the Convention itself. As the partly dissenting judgments (on the application of article 8 to the first two applicants) note:
[…] in the case before us a European consensus (and, indeed, a strong one) exists. We believe that this will be one of the rare times in the Court's case-law that Strasbourg considers that such consensus does not narrow the broad margin of appreciation of the State concerned.
Again, as the dissenting judgments note, this is 'the first time that the Court has disregarded the existence of a European consensus on the basis of "profound moral views". Stark language is used to describe this shift: 'a real and dangerous new departure in the Court's case-law.'
The majority judgment of the Court failed to take account of significant developments in international human rights law, on the subject of reproductive and sexual health, including on the emerging right to have access to a safe and legal abortion. What was particularly surprising about the ABC judgment, was the willingness to consider the possibility of travel to another jurisdiction (the UK), as relevant to considering the legality of the restrictions imposed upon abortion by Irish law and to the determination of the proportionality of the State's actions.  It is difficult to see how such reasoning might be applied in other contexts before the Court.
Despite political commentary in the aftermath of the ABC case, the Court's judgment is unequivocal on the legal reform needed, to give effect to the Supreme Court judgment in Attorney General v X. It is to be hoped therefore, that the proposed expert group, will swiftly come to a conclusion that will support long awaited, if limited, reform for women.
On marriage equality for same sex couples, the Programme does not make any firm commitment to change. It is agreed that the Constitutional review will include consideration of same sex marriage. This is compromise between the Labour Party manifesto, which gave a commitment to the introduction of same sex marriage and marriage equality, Â Â and the Fine Gael manifesto, which did not.
To be welcomed, however, is the commitment to legislative reform to ensure that outstanding taxation and social welfare issues on civil partnerships will be addressed, and to redress the inequities in protection of the rights and interests of children in such partnerships, omitted from the scope of the 2010 Act. This latter commitment, together with the promise for a constitutional amendment on children, is particularly to be welcomed. Let's hope it will see speedy implementation.
The Programme also makes a commitment to reform in the area of gender recognition, a topic that has been discussed in some depth at the CCJHR. Following the settlement of the Foy case, it now seems likely that gender recognition legislation will be enacted within the life of this incoming Government. As Dr Tanya Ni Mhuirthile has commented, it will be essential to ensure that any such legislative reform does not repeat the errors of UK legislation, but moves beyond categorisations such as 'gender disorder' and instead, recognises the rights and principles set out in the UN Draft Declaration on sexual orientation and gender identity.
The Programme also makes a commitment to legislative reform on female genital mutilation, reflecting the advocacy of Senator Ivana Bacik. Hopefully any review of reform in this area will consider whether targetted legislation is necessary and desirable or whether amendments of existing criminal laws might ensure effective protection, and address gaps in protection such as the absence of extra-territorial effect. (See:Â a recent article by Mullally and Ni Mhuirthile in Dublin University Law Journal on this subject).
Finally, the Programme makes a commitment to reviewing the much malinged constitutional provision: article 41 on women's position and duties in the home (about which, see further here. It is hoped that any proposed constitutional reform will include a commitment to recognition of the work of all carers, inside and outside of the home, without the gender bias that came with Bunreacht na hÉireann. IWD 2012 will give us an opportunity to reflect on whether or not these promises of change have come to fruition. As our sisters one hundred years ago did, let us hope and dream.
Considering the contribution of gender mainstreaming to Irish mental health law
Dr Claire Murray
International women's day provides a space to reflect on the role of women in society and the contribution of feminisms and feminist theories in a wide variety of contexts. I would like to take the opportunity to draw attention to one small but practical contribution that gender mainstreaming could make to Irish mental health law. Gender mainstreaming is one practical method of applying contemporary feminist theories within the law-making process. It began as a way of ensuring that legislative provisions did not discriminate against women, even where the legislation appeared to be gender-neutral on the surface. This was subsequently expanded to ensure that mainstreaming also tackled other factors that could contribute to discrimination, such as poverty, race, age and disability. It aims to take account of the situated subject and the difficulties faced by people in their lived realities when developing policy and drafting legislation. The Mental Health Act 2001 (MHA 2001) is the current legislative framework regulating civil mental health law in Ireland and it is professed to be a rights-based model of mental health law. When it was fully commenced in November 2006 it was considered to be a significant improvement on the Mental Treatment Act 1945 which was a very paternalistic model of mental health law.
Mainstreaming theory has not been implemented fully in the context of Irish mental health law. Since 1993 all Memoranda to Government are to be gender proofed, however, in practice this policy merely operates as a checklist. According to the Mental Health Unit in the Department of Health and Children, the Memorandum for Government in relation to the MHA 2001 would have been subject to gender proofing. However, it is important to note that the Memorandum to Government is one of the very earliest steps in the legislative process and, as such, any proofing can only be of the most cursory nature. The failure to adequately mainstream mental health law is disappointing as an effective mainstreaming policy could have a significant impact on the rights-based model in place.
For example, one of the core objectives of mainstreaming is to encourage equality. Generally this is understood in terms of equality of outcome, such as the elimination of disadvantage. However, there are other elements such as equality of access and participation. De facto equality is not just the formal right to participate but also the ability to exercise that right. The gap between the existence of a right and the effective exercise of that right is a significant issue in the context of Irish mental health law. There are particular concerns in relation to incapable compliant patients with mental disorders who are "voluntarily" admitted for treatment in circumstances where they may lack the necessary capacity to consent to admission. This group includes people with severe and profound mental disabilities, elderly people with advanced dementia, and people with severe mental disorders that affect legal capacity. Such "voluntary" or informal patients are not entitled to any automatic periodic review of admission and treatment as they do not come within the statutory framework of safeguards currently in operation. This may well amount to an unlawful deprivation of liberty in breach of Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights. For further discussion of this issue see the case of HL v United Kingdom (2005) 40 EHRR 761 and the widespread discussion in the UK on the implications of what was referred to as the Bournewood case[1]. Following on from this decision the Mental Health Act 2007 introduced a system of automatic periodic review in the UK which operates in parallel to the review procedure for involuntarily detained patients with a mental disorder to ensure that incapable adults who are at risk of deprivation of liberty are lawfully detained. In Ireland there continues to be inequality in the treatment of involuntarily admitted patients – with or without capacity – and voluntary or informal patients. However there is no data available on the number of such incapable compliant patients in Ireland. This in itself is a cause for concern and comment and a thorough mainstreaming policy would also impact on this as it would require the collection of detailed and gender disaggregated data.
Mainstreaming also requires all policies and legislative provisions to be alert to the impact of circumstances on a person's ability to access services or rights. This contributes to an awareness of the situated subject. Mainstreaming requires that those in positions of power are aware of the importance of gender, and also other factors that contribute to marginalisation, and that there is gender balance among those making important decisions. Mullally observes that gender equality has both a qualitative and quantitative aspect. The quantitative aspect is the equal distribution of women and men in all areas of society. The qualitative element "implies that the knowledge, experiences and values of both women and men are given equal weight and used to enrich and direct all social areas and endeavours."[2] In relation to the MHA 2001 an area which would seem appropriate for the application of this approach to gender balance would be the composition of the mental health tribunals. These tribunals review the admission orders and renewal orders of every patient involuntarily admitted to an approved centre under the terms of the MHA 2001. However, there is no policy in place requiring both men and women to sit on each tribunal panel.
An example of mainstreaming being applied to greater effect in Ireland is evident in the inclusion of mainstreaming into the requirements for funding under the National Development Plan (NDP). There are clear guidelines in place and work has begun on gathering gender disaggregated data which will also be beneficial in the development of gender aware policies outside of the terms of the NDP. Applications for overseas aid must also be gender proofed. However, the funding for gender mainstreaming has been reduced considerably in recent budgets and is likely to be reduced still further and many of the aims of the National Women's Strategy in respect of mainstreaming have not yet been implemented. While the cutbacks in relation to mainstreaming are disappointing, it is positive to note that it is possible to operate an effective mainstreaming policy, as evidenced by the NDP.
To date there is no evidence of a concerted effort to introduce a strong mainstreaming policy in the mental health area. Given the current economic difficulties facing the country it is unlikely that the area of mental health, which has always been under-resourced, or the mainstreaming project will benefit from a significant injection of resources in the short-term. However, Fine Gael and Labour both committed to reviewing and reforming mental health law, in accordance with international law provisions, in their election manifestos. Labour also committed to introducing mental capacity legislation. Therefore it is useful to reflect on these ideas and to illustrate the impact that mainstreaming could have on mental health law in an effort to inform the future policy development of the new Government coalition partners.
[1] See Philip Fennell, "Doctor Knows Best? Therapeutic Detention Under Common Law, the Mental Health Act, and the European Convention" (1998) 6 Med Law Rev 322 and Fenella Morris, "Mental Health Law After Bournewood: Some Legal and Practical Implications" (1999) Journal of Mental Health Law 41.
[2] Siobhán Mullally, Gender proofing in the context of the European Structural Funds: Outline Guidelines (Dublin: Government Stationary Office, 1999) at 21.
To date there is no evidence of a concerted effort to introduce a strong mainstreaming policy in the mental health area. Given the current economic difficulties facing the country it is unlikely that the area of mental health, which has always been under-resourced, or the mainstreaming project will benefit from a significant injection of resources in the short-term. However, Fine Gael and Labour both committed to reviewing and reforming mental health law, in accordance with international law provisions, in their election manifestos. Labour also committed to introducing mental capacity legislation. Therefore it is useful to reflect on these ideas and to illustrate the impact that mainstreaming could have on mental health law in an effort to inform the future policy development of the new Government
coalition partners.


Knoxville has a long history of innovation. In 1932, George Dempster invented the Dempster-Dumpster, the first waste container that could be mechanically emptied into a garbage truck. In 1940, Barney and Ally Hartman formulated Mountain Dew, a sweet soda to mix with moonshine. In 1963, Dr. Gene Overholt invented a flexible surgical scope with fiber optic technology that could see around curves inside the body. In 1983, Kelly Milam, Terry Douglass, Mike Crabtree, and Ronald Nutt founded CTI Molecular Imaging to produce and market PET scanners; in 2000, the company's PET/CT scanner was named the medical invention of the year by Time magazine. In 2014, Jay Rogers' Local Motors manufactured the world's first 3D-printed electric car. Today, there are dozens of entrepreneurs with big ideas in Knoxville.
In our special Entrepreneurs Issue, we profile four early-stage companies that are innovating in agriculture, optics, e-commerce, and artificial intelligence.
Related coverage: S. Heather Duncan profiles Knoxville businessman Gordon Whitener, a co-founder of MANDT VR.
BIG IDEA: Take organic waste from the paper industry and turn it into a biodegradable mulch film for farming.
Tony Bova and business partner Jeff Beegle pose for photos in Oak Ridge Friday, July 15, 2016. Bova and Beegle founded Grow Bioplastics, a company specializing in biodegradable plastic sheets used in landscaping and agriculture.
Since that first presentation, Bova and Beegle have probably won more pitch competitions than anybody in Knoxville. To date, they've racked up a dozen wins totaling some $137,000 in prize money for their company. Having recently made the Final Four in the American Farm Bureau Rural Entrepreneurship Challenge, they show no signs of slowing down.
Bova is the company's co-founder and CEO, and a doctorate candidate in energy science and engineering at UT. Beegle is a co-founder and chief science officer, and is pursuing a graduate degree in microbiology at UT. Together, they've attracted another $100,000 in funding in addition to the prize money won from pitch competitions. Companies including Driscoll's, one of the largest berry producers in the world, are lining up to participate in their pilot program.
If you've ever picked your own strawberries, you'll recall the rows of plastic film that protect the fruit from invasive weeds and maintain the right level of moisture. Instead of having to dispose of all that plastic into landfill every season, Bova describes a future in which farmers would save both time and money by plowing a biodegradable version of the plastic into the ground.
The company's first product, TerraFilm, uses a patented biodegradable polymer made from lignin, a natural material found in grass and trees. The paper and biofuel industries produce about 50 millions tons of lignin every year: plenty of industrial organic waste to produce TerraFilm. Bova says that TerraFilm "will not only save farmers from having to rip up and dispose of plastic mulch film, it will also keep thousands of tons of plastic out of landfills." Plus, since TerraFilm is made from organic lignin, plowing it into fields at the end of the season can improve the quality of the soil for the next season.
Grow Bioplastics is the first tenant in the Sizzle TechStart incubator, a collaboration between Lenoir City manufacturer Proton Power, the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, the Roane Chamber of Commerce, and Roane Alliance. In the coming years, Bova and Beegle aim to change more than the way we do agriculture. Their biodegradable plastic has additional applications including consumer goods packaging, automotive parts, and the $10 billion market for the plastic trash bags you use at home.
BIG IDEA: Monitor and aggregate consumers' online product reviews across multiple sites like Amazon.com and other popular retail sites.
JAMES HOREY: REVIEWBOX – Monitor and aggregate consumers' online product reviews across multiple sites like Amazon.com and other popular retail sites.
Before you click "Add to Cart" on Amazon, you read the reviews. A series of positive reviews gives you the confidence to purchase. A slate of negative reviews prompts you to look for alternatives. It's no surprise that vendors take customer reviews very seriously. Reviews can spike sales or sink a product. James Horey, a computer science doctorate and former researcher at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, was surprised to find that there wasn't a way for vendors to monitor their products' reviews on Amazon and other major retail sites.
A participant in the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center's CodeWorks accelerator program, Horey launched Reviewbox last year. Reviewbox monitors products on Amazon and other popular retail sites, notifying vendors of new reviews. It can also detect price violations, discover counterfeits, identify new brand competitors, and track search rankings. Horey utilizes his background in data analytics to provide additional value to his customers.
"We aggregate online reviews for companies like PetSafe, Thule, and Chapin to identify trends and spot market opportunities," Horey says.
Melanie Grapes with Chapin, which sells a wide range of home and garden sprayers, says the software tool makes tracking its Amazon reviews much simpler.
Knoxville's Angel Capital Group invested in Reviewbox at the end of last year. Horey says the company is profitable and he's preparing to hire his first employees.
The next time you go online to Amazon and buy a bike rack or an Invisible Fence, you'll know that Reviewbox is tracking the reviews you write to help the vendors understand your experience.
BIG IDEA: Create optical technology that measures deflection, displacement, movement, and vibration not visible to the human eye.
JENNA JOHNS & BOB WILSON: RDI TECHNOLOGIES Create optical technology that measures deflection, displacement, movement, and vibration not visible to the human eye.
Jenna Johns took the stage in a studio at Scripps Networks Interactive last fall to deliver a presentation about RDI Technologies, the company she leads as chief operating officer. It was the culmination of The Works accelerator program sponsored by the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center.
The company has a patented non-contact optical technology that detects motion and respiration. What does that mean? Basically, RDI utilizes video camera technology in conjunction with its software and processing algorithms to measure deflection, displacement, movement, and vibration not visible to the human eye. It sees what otherwise can't be seen.
For example, let's say a car manufacturer wants to know the condition of a critical machine on the assembly line. The technician can't see how the machine is running with the naked eye. The manufacturer doesn't know if the machine is on the verge of failure or if it has years of useful life. If there is a failure, the technician might have to take the entire machine apart, or guess at a solution. Both options would cause significant downtime. By contrast, "RDI optical technology visualizes even the smallest vibrations which can help the technician literally see how the machine is operating," Johns says. Companies can avert emergency by scheduling routine maintenance to keep the line moving at peak efficiency.
Fast-forward to this spring, and RDI stands as one of Knoxville's most innovative startups.
Wilson and Johns just sat down at the conference table when Dan Nower, vice president of business development, bounds into the room. "The call went great! We're going to get the sale. That's $35,000!" His energy is contagious. Johns smiles but contains her excitement.
"I run operations," she says. "I'm happy about the deal; it's a big win for us. I'll really celebrate when the check clears the bank." Spoken like a pragmatic COO.
Beyond condition assessment information on plant machinery, RDI also has applications in critical infrastructure, such as bridges.
"Want to know if a bridge is safe or if it's on the verge of failure?" Wilson asks. "Just looking at it won't tell you." RDI technology enables non-contact bridge inspection so that you can see a bounce or sway before it causes catastrophe. Still more applications include baby monitoring and sleep apnea monitoring.
The team at RDI is filing more patent applications and closing sales.
BIG IDEA: Use machine learning to make customer-service phone calls more bearable.
MICHAEL MCMILLAN: DREAMCSX Use machine learning to make customer-service phone calls more bearable.
When Michael McMillan moved to Knoxville, he immediately posted a message on LinkedIn: "Moving to Knoxville, TN from San Diego, CA. I just moved here (literally last night) and really want to start meeting some like-minded people in my new home." That was in January. Four months later, Michael is launching a new startup in Knoxville called DreamCSX to help companies deliver better customer support.
According to Time magazine, you probably spent 13 hours on hold last year.
DreamCSX will provide customers with a range of customer service options including technical support, member services, distributor care, receptionist services, account management, customer surveys, order processing, and patient support services.
Behind the scenes, DreamCSX is developing software that leverages machine learning to power what McMillan calls behavior-based routing. Basically, the software identifies patterns like how many calls to expect in a given time period, how to successfully distribute certain types of calls, and which customer service representatives are best suited to handle specific issues or customers. The result is a streamlined experience for callers that reduces hold time, expedites quick resolution, and increases overall customer satisfaction. Plus, the software learns from the data and predicts future customer behavior so that companies can work faster and smarter.
McMillan has been in the call-center business since he was a kid. He remembers cold-calling the business listings in the Yellow Pages to qualify potential customers for his mother's call-center business.
Over the past decade, McMillan was hired by several investment firms to train the sales teams at their portfolio companies so sales would increase. At DreamCSX, he already has several enterprise customers in the pipeline. Meanwhile, he's raising his seed round of investment.
Brandon Bruce is COO and co-founder of Cirrus Insight, which was #41 on the Inc. 5,000 list of fastest-growing companies in 2016. Bruce was also the Knoxville Chamber's Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2016.


text:
GP Opinion
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RACGP
newsGP > Clinical
Amanda Lyons
Focusing on weight not necessarily most effective strategy for managing obesity
Watching the scales may not be enough when managing overweight and obesity.
Setting goals in areas such as increased cardiac fitness can have a positive effect when managing overweight and obesity. Image: World Obesity Federation
Some healthcare professionals have argued that focusing solely on weight loss when managing overweight and obesity can be detrimental to patient health. This is because it may be an unrealistic goal for some, causing pressure and distress that can result in further weight gain.
Does the argument have any validity for managing overweight and obesity in general practice? Dr Georgia Rigas, GP and Chair of the RACGP Specific Interests Obesity network, believes it does.
'I agree the emphasis should be on improvement in a person's overall health and wellbeing. Weight loss might be a side-effect or a consequence of this rather than the primary goal,' she told newsGP.
To this end, Dr Rigas believes it is beneficial for GPs to promote health-related goals other than weight loss.
'We need to encourage goal-setting on things such as improvement in diabetes control; less shortness of breath when walking or running, so increased cardiac fitness; less pain when walking up and down stairs, so increased function and mobility; and more regular menstrual periods, hence improving fertility,' she said.
Dr Rigas also cautions that 'you can't judge a book by its cover'. After all, she said, there are patients whose body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference meet the 'normal' criteria, yet are unhealthy.
'As GPs, we need to look at the whole person – medical and family history, risk factors – and then decide what is in the patient's best interest, engaging them in the discussion and decision-making process,' she said.
Dr Rigas recommends using a tool such as the Edmonton Obesity Staging System (EOSS) to help identify individual risk of mortality. It may also be important to follow up with these patients on a regular basis.
'We know from a number of longitudinal studies that people with overweight or obesity find themselves on a weight-gain trajectory,' Dr Rigas said. 'These patients need to be monitored at least six-monthly, as per the RACGP Red Book, and management plans should be put in place.'
While Dr Rigas acknowledges that a minority of patients with overweight and obesity may be healthy, she hesitates when asked whether she endorses a social movement such as 'Healthy at every size'.
'The WHO [World Health Organization] defines healthy as "a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity",' she said.
'When patients share personal experiences such as being reluctant to travel by plane because they're embarrassed that they need an extension belt or will spill over to the adjacent seat, or they miss out on promotions despite being adequately qualified because of size discrimination in the workforce, you know their emotional health has been affected.'
However, Dr Rigas also believes modern culture needs to foster better understanding of the causes behind overweight and obesity, and work to dismantle weight-based stigmas.
'Some individuals have a genetic disposition towards developing obesity, coupled with our current environment, which includes an abundance of cheap, calorie-dense and nutritionally-poor food, technology that makes life "easier" but also more sedentary, stress, poor sleep patterns, medications, changes in the gut microbiome and other factors,' she said.
Dr Rigas counsels that, ultimately, any homogenous approach will be likely inadequate when managing this condition.
'Treatment needs to be tailored to the individual person in front of you,' she said. 'It shouldn't be a prescription, as one size does not fit all.'
overweight overweight-and-obesity
Function better than #fitspo for promoting women's exercise
Identifying eating disorders in general practice
Studies reveal sharp rise in obesity across most ages
Causal links established between obesity and 14 major diseases
Environment, not lack of willpower, responsible for obesity, expert says
Obesity Australia Summit 2018: A new approach to a growing problem
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State elections have shifted the power balance in Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony-Anhalt and Baden-Württemberg. The Greens are partners in each new coalition government. The party's commitment to the energy transition is reflected in the new coalition agreements drawn up to outline state policy for the coming five years. This also has an impact on federal policy through the state participation in the Bundesrat, the upper house of the German parliament. This factsheet details the composition of the three new coalition governments, and how each plans to tackle energy and climate issues.
On 13 March citizens in three German states went to the polls in regional elections. The vote resulted in a shift to the right, as far-right party AfD (Alternative für Deutschland) entered all three parliaments for the first time, costing most of the established parties seats. While energy and climate issues had been a hot topic in the last elections, this time the debate was dominated by the refugee crisis.
The Social Democrats (SPD) and Christian Democratic Union (CDU), who were partners in the incumbent governments of two states, and also form the so-called Grand Coalition at the federal level, suffered big losses in Baden-Württemberg and Saxony-Anhalt.
The Green Party (the party most in favour of the energy transition and timely decarbonisation of the German economy) gained seats in Baden-Württemberg but suffered considerable losses in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saxony-Anhalt (See Factsheet with election results).
More than two months after the elections, new coalition governments have formed in all three states, and state premiers were sworn in. Because at least one of the major incumbent parties lost seats in each election, the two-party coalitions of Social Democrats and Christian Democrats in Saxony-Anhalt, and Social Democrats and Greens in Rhineland-Palatinate, have had to team up with other partners.
The Green Party is now a coalition partner in the Saxony-Anhalt government.
In Rhineland-Palatinate, the Social Democrats and Greens were joined by the business-oriented Free Democratic Party (FDP) to secure a stable majority in parliament.
The Green Party was the overall winner of the Baden-Württemberg election, and has joined forces with the conservative CDU. Previous partnerships between the two parties (dubbed "black-green" due to traditional party colours) were always dominated by the CDU. This is the first time the CDU is a junior coalition partner in a Green-dominated German state government.
Coalition agreements – which lay out a programme for the new legislative period running till 2021 – reflect the Green Party's participation in all three state governments.
Baden-Württemberg's green-black coalition has drawn up a coalition agreement entitled "Reliable, Sustainable, Innovative".
The coalition partners aim to make Baden-Württemberg a "pioneer in resource efficiency". They want to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020, and 90 percent by 2050. By the middle of the century the state aims "to reduce final energy consumption by 50 percent compared to 2010 and have 80 percent renewables". Interim targets for 2030 are to be set by the government, the coalition agreement says.
The new government will promote decarbonisation of the power, heating and transport sectors by the middle of the century and support a mandatory federal coal exit by that time.
Support for renewables – and particularly for solar power – is strong in Baden-Württemberg. The new government plans to set up a programme to make solar PV affordable for tenants and trigger another 50,000 rooftop to be fitted with solar panels. They also want to promote solar thermal installations. Wind power is also to be expanded, but the conservative CDU managed to embed in the coalition agreement a new minimum distance from houses (extended up to 1,000 meters) for wind turbines.
On a federal level, the state government in Stuttgart will push for a technology-specific approach to the pending reform of the Renewable Energy Act (EEG) (to be agreed this summer), to ensure that wind power in Baden-Württemberg will get the support it needs, and that wind power is expanded in a balanced way across all German states. It will also lobby to reduce the EEG surcharge for tenants using their own renewable power, the coalition agreement says. Energy-intensive industries competing globally should continue to be exempt from the EEG surcharge.
Writing on klimaretter.info, journalists Benjamin von Brackel and Oliver Grob conclude that Baden-Württemberg's green-black coalition agreement reads like a tough compromise. It includes a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also a line saying a coal exit should be completed by the middle of the century. Experts have said that to meet the Paris Agreement warming limit of 1.5 degrees, Germany would have to phase-out coal by 2025, Brackel and Grob say.
In their plan for the next five years, Rhineland-Palatinate's coalition of Social Democrats, Liberal Democrats and the Green Party have pledged to support national and international climate targets. In the state itself, they want an "ecological and affordable" energy supply. Renewable energies are to be expanded to achieve this.
The government also wants to strengthen combined heat and power plants, which it considers necessary to accompany power from fluctuating renewable sources, but says this is ultimately up to the federal government.
Stricter rules are to be implemented on the construction of new wind parks. They are not to be built anywhere near naturally or historically protected areas, or within 1,000 meters of the nearest populated area.
The Liberal Democrats had called for a complete end to wind power expansion, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported in April. The overall target of achieving renewables covering 100 percent of the state's power demand by 2030 included in the red-green coalition agreement in 2011, has been dropped.
On the reform of the federal Renewable Energy Act (EEG), the government in the state capital Mainz will push for the continued use of bioenergy, and to strengthen consumer use of self-generated power from rooftop PV installations.
The coalition partners also support the nuclear phase-out and advocate the shutdown of the Cattenom, Fessenheim, Tihange and Doel reactors in neighbouring France and Belgium.
The coalition agreement of Christian Democrats, Social Democrats and Greens in Saxony-Anhalt states that the target of the energy transition is a 100 percent supply with renewable energies. The coalition will uphold the state's existing climate action concept and its aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 24.8 percent by 2020, compared to 2005.
The new coalition wants to expand power production from wind energy and will support pilot projects on energy storage, flexibility and mobility at universities and companies. On a federal level, the government will lobby for citizens' energy, and to see renewables assume greater responsibility for balancing the whole power system. The agreement stresses that Saxony-Anhalt will work towards the fair distribution of grid expansion and re-dispatch costs between all states.
Although a sizeable share of Saxony-Anhalt's power is still generated from lignite (brown coal), the new government plans to phase out the carbon-heavy fuel by 2035, when its lignite mine at Profen is due to be closed down. No new mines or power stations will be supported. The coalition will also look the possibility of banning lignite exports from Saxony-Anhalt.


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Neurofibromatosis Program
Families in South Texas and surrounding areas can access a full spectrum of neurofibromatosis expertise at Mays Cancer Center. Our collaborative approach helps you manage the many ways this rare genetic condition may affect your child's health.
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Neurofibromatosis is a genetic condition that increases a child's risk of developing tumors in the brain and other areas. This condition is commonly passed down in families.
Neurofibromatosis requires lifelong, personalized care. Our team includes neurologists, ophthalmologists (eye doctors) and other doctors who understand the nuances of caring for this complex condition.
You can count on us for expert guidance and leading neurofibromatosis treatments. Some therapies for eligible patients are only available at select institutions through clinical trials.
Why choose us for neurofibromatosis care?
Our team includes experienced pediatric doctors and cancer surgeons who understand the many ways neurofibromatosis can affect a child's health. Some of our physician-scientists are advancing neurofibromatosis treatment through innovative research.
Team approach to neurofibromatosis care
Neurofibromatosis may cause minor or severe symptoms. It may affect your child's nervous system, vision, hearing or learning abilities. Our doctors take a team approach to neurofibromatosis care.
Our specialists meet often to discuss the best way to monitor and treat neurofibromatosis in your child. This team mindset helps us personalize a treatment plan that's unique to your child's needs and symptoms. It also makes it easier for families to access multiple types of specialty care close to home.
Learn more about neurofibromatosis and pediatric brain tumors.
Leading neurofibromatosis treatments and clinical trials
We partner with the National Cancer Institute's Children's Oncology Group to provide some of the most advanced treatment options right here in San Antonio. Our researchers are also leading their own studies, exploring new avenues to improve the lives of children with neurofibromatosis.
Your child's care team will explain whether your child may be eligible for any ongoing clinical trials. They may be able to try new medicines that offer potential benefits to children with neurofibromatosis. Learn more about pediatric cancer clinical trials.
Full range of guidance and support
A neurofibromatosis diagnosis may feel overwhelming or confusing. We are here to help ensure your whole family gets the care they need.
If your child has neurofibromatosis, other family members may be at risk, too. We offer genetic testing and counseling to help identify your family's risk and safeguard their health.
Psychologists, social workers and child-life specialists are important members of our pediatric care team. They can help you sort through the challenges a neurofibromatosis diagnosis may create for your family.
We can also guide you to resources available in the community. Our partnership with the Texas Neurofibromatosis Foundation® enables local families who are facing similar health challenges to connect and support each other.
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text:
Q: Как можно оптимизировать код в данной задаче? Использую алгоритм бинарного поиска по ответу В классе учатся N человек. Классный руководитель получил указание направить на субботник R бригад по С человек в каждой.
Все бригады на субботнике будут заниматься переноской бревен. Каждое бревно одновременно несут все члены одной бригады. При этом бревно нести тем удобнее, чем менее различается рост членов этой бригады.
Числом неудобства бригады будем называть разность между ростом самого высокого и ростом самого низкого членов этой бригады (если в бригаде только один человек, то эта разница равна 0). Классный руководитель решил сформировать бригады так, чтобы максимальное из чисел неудобства сформированных бригад было минимально. Помогите ему в этом!
Рассмотрим следующий пример. Пусть в классе 8 человек, рост которых в сантиметрах равен 170, 205, 225, 190, 260, 130, 225, 160, и необходимо сформировать две бригады по три человека в каждой. Тогда одним из вариантов является такой:
1 бригада: люди с ростом 225, 205, 225
2 бригада: люди с ростом 160, 190, 170
При этом число неудобства первой бригады будет равно 20, а число неудобства второй — 30. Максимальное из чисел неудобств будет 30, и это будет наилучший возможный результат.
n,r,c=map(int,str(input()).split())
mass=[]
for i in range(n):
    mass.append(int(input()))
mass=sorted(mass)
right=max(mass)-min(mass)
left=0
while left<right:
    m=(left+right)//2
    j=0
    k=0
    while j+c-1<len(mass):#считываю сколько бригад получится при разнице максимального и минимального роста m
        if mass[j+c-1]-mass[j]<=m:
            k=k+1
            j=j+c
        else:
            j=j+1
    if k>=r:
        right=m
    else:
        left=m+1
print(right)

Проходит 17 тестов, на 18 - привышен лимит времени исполнения. Ограничение 2 секунды. Результат 18 теста 2.083

A: Разобрался, позабыл что поиск максимума и минимума массива проходит за O(n).
 n,r,c=map(int,str(input()).split())
    mass=[]
    for i in range(n):
        mass.append(int(input()))
    mass=sorted(mass)
    right=mass[len(mass)-1]-mass[0]
    left=0
    while left<right:
        m=(left+right)//2
        j=0
        k=0
        while j+c-1<len(mass):#считываю сколько бригад получится при разнице максимального и минимального роста m
            if mass[j+c-1]-mass[j]<=m:
                k=k+1
                j=j+c
            else:
                j=j+1
        if k>=r:
            right=m
        else:
            left=m+1
    print(right)

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Thank you for visiting my new web site. Watercolor painting is a passion of mine, and I am so happy to be able to share my artwork with you.
My Original Paintings and Signed, Limited Edition, Giclee prints on paper can be purchased through Memento at Artworks! Gallery in Orleans, MA.
See my Originals Gallery Page for current available paintings and prices.
Most images on my Fine Art America web site, (see below) are available as Limited Edition Prints. Contact Memento at Artworks with the image you would like as a signed, limited edition print.
My images are available as Open Edition prints through Fine Art America. They can be printed in a variety of styles from rolled, matted or framed Fine Art Giclee Prints on paper, Canvas Giclees, Metal Prints, Wood Prints, Acrylic Prints and greeting cards.
Note: Open Edition Prints are not signed or numbered.


Grab your Discounted iPhone Retro Case while the store LAUNCH DISCOUNT is on. Once we reach 300-unit sales, we will be increasing the price back up to $17.95. This is absolutely a great gift!
This iPhone Retro Case is to help you reminiscing indulge your enjoyable recollection of past events while on your latest gadget. It is suitable for all your phone IOS devices iPhone XR,iPhone 6 Plus,iPhone 6,iPhone XS,iPhone 6s,iPhone 7,iPhone XS MAX,iPhone 7 Plus,iPhone X,iPhone 8,iPhone 6s plus,iPhone 8 Plus.
This iPhone Retro Case is of silicone, Dirt-resistant, and Anti-knock.


Have a chompin' good time with the hippo-feeding Hungry Hungry Hippos game! Hungry Hippo and his pals are ready to join in the feeding frenzy. Release all the marbles onto the game base, and then start chomping. Move fast, the player whose hippo chomps the most marbles wins!


Even though I wasn't in a high-risk group for stroke--I was healthy, walked a lot, normal blood pressure, comparatively young--I'm very aware now of risks of stroke in other people. Whenever I see someone very overweight, I worry for them. I want to tell them, "don't kid around! You don't want to go through what I've been through."
I'm probably overreacting. A few nights ago we were watching TV. Whenever I saw another rotund Santa in an ad, I thought: there's a stroke waiting to happen.
Aw, Grace! What a difficult association - to have Santa Claus increase your worry about stroke risks vs. increasing your anticipation of the holiday celebration! Having a stroke certainly does change the lens with which one views the world.
In any case, sending you - and all stroke survivors - best wishes for a good holiday and health and happiness in the new year.


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AcademicsArts & Culture
Butler Prof Explores Rise of Esports in New Book
When Ryan Rogers was writing the syllabus for a new esports class at Butler University, the required reading section glared back at him. He needed to find books that covered the rapidly growing competitive video game industry, but there weren't many to choose from.
So Rogers, Assistant Professor of Creative Media and Entertainment, decided to create his own.
Understanding Esports: An Introduction to the Global Phenomenon hit the shelves in late September. Containing chapters written by 30 contributors from a variety of backgrounds, the book explores the rise of the esports industry and its significance within media, culture, education, and the economy.
But, what exactly are esports?
You'll probably get a different answer from everyone you ask, says Rogers, whose research has explored the ways different forms of media—especially video games—influence their audiences. That's why he wanted to build a conversation through an edited book with multiple authors. But he says a professional, competitive element generally sets esports apart from other video games.
Almost any time you play a video game, it can be competitive. But with esports, there's something deeper than just trying to beat your friend's score in the latest version of Super Mario Bros. Esports have an organized structure, with leagues, tournaments, and governing bodies setting standards and overseeing competition.
"I felt like there was really a need to understand this phenomenon and build a body of knowledge around it," Rogers says. "Ultimately, I think it provides a broad view of the esports industry so that academics and industry professionals alike can wrap their minds around it."
While Rogers solicited and edited all of the book's chapters, he credits the other authors for making it possible—including Butler Journalism and Sports Media Associate Professor Lee Farquar, who wrote a chapter about the fighting genre of video games.
Rogers says the general lack of research on esports has to do with how quickly the industry has grown.
"As gaming culture evolved, esports became a thing that couldn't be ignored," he says. "It's truly an international phenomenon with tons of money flowing in and more attention being paid to it each day."
The role of esports within culture isn't all that different from traditional sports, Rogers says. And esports are also similar to things like football or soccer when it comes to why so many people want to play—and watch—them. Whether on a field or on a screen, humans desire competition. People want to belong to something. They want to bond over common interests, and they want to have something to root for.
"People are arranging their media landscapes in order to gratify those needs," Rogers says. "Video games and esports—whether you're playing them or watching them—are serving those needs for a large population."
And even beyond the people playing or watching the games, esports provide economic opportunities for the people creating, promoting, and reporting on them.
"To me, esports represents another whole industry that our students can find jobs in," Rogers says. "Traditional sports media is a competitive industry, but it is fairly stagnant in terms of growth. Meanwhile, the esports industry is growing exponentially. I see that and say 'wow, that's an opportunity for our students.'"
Edited by Ryan Rogers, the book collects chapters from 30 contributors to provide big-picture view of esports.
It's March. Time to tune in to endless hours of college hoops, fill out a bracket despite having not watched a minute of college basketball all season, and fire up the live stream at the office. This is the one place void of politics. Right?
Wrong. That's according to new research from Butler University Assistant Professor of Entertainment Media and Journalism Ryan Rogers. Turns out, according to Rogers' research, those who lean liberal politically fill out brackets differently than those who lean conservative. And those differences, according to his study, are magnified when decisions are made in groups of like-minded individuals.
"When we broke groups up by political ideology, and had them fill out brackets together over the Internet, even though the task was something seemingly mundane, we saw how certain traits and values became more salient, and then how conformity is even more prevalent when a group thinks similarly," Rogers says. "This then led to consensus more readily during the decision-making process."
In his study, 118 people were divided into small groups based on self-identified political ideology—conservative or liberal. Then together, over the Internet, each group filled out an NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament bracket.
The purpose was to see how groups of political liberals compared to political conservatives when it came to predicting winners in the tournament. The study also examined how political ideology influenced collective intelligence, or the ability of a group to perform a task and make decisions.
Rogers found that the results certainly differed based on political ideology.
Conservatives tended to go with the safe pick, while liberals went with more underdogs. Conservatives picked more upsets correctly, though, as they tended to pick the safer ones, such as a nine-seed over an eight-seed, while liberals picked riskier upsets, such as a 16-seed over a one-seed. Conservatives were more effective in picking first round wins, and liberals were more effective in correctly picking winners in later rounds.
In short, conservatives were more likely to predict a lower risk team, and tended to play it safe. If an expert picked a team, it was likely the conservative would go with the expert's pick. Liberals tended to struggle in the early rounds, going with the risky upsets, but then performed better in the later rounds, as some of their risky choices paid off later.
When next March rolls around, he says, it might be a good idea to consider your own political leanings when filling out a bracket, and how that might impact the teams you pick.
"Traits inherent to these groups provided different strengths and weaknesses in their decision making," Rogers says. "Broadly speaking, prior research and literature shows that conservatives are likely to be more risk averse, and liberals tend to be more optimistic, and more open to emotion."
Filling out brackets confirmed that these groups have different cognitive dimensions consistent with these ideologies, Rogers says, and when interacting within like-minded groups on the Internet, those differences are only magnified.
"Look at websites today like the Huffington Post, Breitbart, The Blaze, Slate, these sites highlight the traits and values of the groups they represent," Rogers says. "Basically, these sites reinforce traits and values, creating a feedback loop appealing to those who conform to those respective political ideologies already."
So, when it comes to something as simple as filling out a bracket, or as important as discussing the issues of the day or reading the news, it might be beneficial to cultivate as many different perspectives as possible, Rogers says.
"Conformity in decision making is even more prevalent when a group shares traits, and as we see with this study, that even carries over to a bracket," he says. "A mixed group might be most effective."
It might be a good idea to consider your own political leanings when filling out a bracket.
Arts & CultureUnleashed
What would the fight for women's suffrage look like in 2019—a centennial after women won the right to vote?
Sally Perkins, a professional storyteller and Director of Butler University's Speaker's Lab, imagines Susan B. Anthony would be texting her fellow activists. Ida B. Wells would be tweeting about the importance of the black female voice. Anna Howard Shaw would become Ellen DeGeneres, and the spirit of Sojourner Truth would shine through Queen Latifah. And no matter how hard the fight for voting rights became, none of them would give up.
In Digging in Their Heels, a one-woman storytelling performance that will hit the stage in New York City later this month, Perkins captures the complexities of this part of American history she's found most people don't know much about. Through modern references and comedic elements, she makes this 100-year-old story more accessible to audiences who don't know much about what it took to win the vote.
The show races through 72 years in 60 minutes. But Perkins helps audience members keep track of the 16 characters by assigning each suffragist a modern alter-ego—a well-known woman who mirrors the suffragist's personality and activism style. The characters use smartphones and social media to communicate, "in some ways pointing to the fact that they didn't have that technology," Perkins says. "It was so difficult what they did."
And the performance doesn't shy away from those difficulties, which emerged both from those outside the movement and between the women leading it. Instead, Perkins shows where black women experienced racism from their white counterparts, even as they all worked toward a shared goal.
"I'm doing what I can to bring that truth to the story," she says. "We cannot talk about issues of gender without talking about issues of race."
The show first launched at the IndyFringe Festival in 2018. Perkins has performed at several venues since, including a show for Indiana's League of Women Voters and a few visits to out-of-state conferences. On October 17, she'll take it to New York for the United Solo Theatre Festival, a 10-week international event dedicated to one-person shows.
When Perkins first applied to perform at the festival, she didn't really think she had a chance. But she received her acceptance in April, and her October show is now listed as a bestseller among the more than 120 performances on the United Solo calendar. If the first performance sells out completely, Perkins will be able to schedule a second, and that process could repeat for up to eight total shows throughout the course of the festival.
Digging in Their Heels first started taking shape in late 2017, then it unfolded over about 10 months of research and writing. Typically, Perkins is more of an oral performer than a playwright. But to juggle the stories of 16 women over 72 years, sharing the narrative of women's suffrage demanded a more robust script. And to help keep audience members grounded in the chronology, she called on the skills of Butler CCOM colleague Armando Pellerano, Lecturer of Strategic Communication, to design an interactive set.
"The audience should never have to be thinking, 'Where are we in the timeline of all this?'" Perkins says. "So I have a huge set with a timeline and a map of the United States, which helps people keep track of which states have granted women the right to vote at different points along the way."
In Pellerano's 20 years of experience in the creative services industry, he had never designed a set piece. But on a late-April day when he saw Perkins rehearsing on campus, he stopped to see what she was doing. They chatted about the graphics on her old set, and after a brief critique from Pellerano, Perkins asked if he could help her design something that would tell a better story.
Pellerano chose colors and patterns that captured a Victorian-era mood, making sure the set would complement Perkins instead of drawing attention away from her words.
"I was trying to find something that fit her vision," he says, "as well as accomplishing what I wanted from a visual standpoint, which was getting people to focus on what she was talking about without being distracted by the background."
During a recent local performance of Digging in Their Heels, Pellerano had the chance to see the set design in action.
"To me, the coolest thing was seeing her actually use all the pieces," he says. "There's a little marker that moves down for the timeline, and we made velcro pieces so she can reveal information more gradually."
But the show was even more interactive than Pellerano expected, and he was amazed at the way Perkins connected with the audience. Plus, it told an important story he didn't know.
"What I really learned about was the politics of that time in history," Pellerano says. "You can read about something, but you're not really situated in what the conventional wisdom of the time was or what the cultural norms were. To me, it was revelatory that these women were as strategic as they were about when to dig in their heels and when to back off."
While Perkins has spent the last few months focused on her upcoming trip to New York, she says performance is just one part of her career. At Butler, she teaches public speaking classes and runs the Speakers Lab, a group of tutors who provide students with one-on-one help in creating and delivering speeches or presentations.
In the community, Perkins works with professional clients, helping them effectively tell their stories. She trains organizations on the basics, explaining the power of storytelling when it comes to fundraising, sales, organizational development, recruitment, and more. She also offers individual coaching for a range of story-based projects. This professional service work, along with her commissioned performance experience, strengthens what Perkins does at Butler.
"All my storytelling work has deepened, improved, and impacted the way I teach public speaking," she says. "Before I started doing all of this, I would never have talked about the importance of storytelling in public speaking class. Now I totally do."
But it works the other way around, too, and she lets a love of education influence her performing. When audiences walk away from Digging in Their Heels, she wants them to have learned something.
"I want people to feel inspired not to give up, even though, as I say at the end of the story, many of these women went to the grave without ever casting a vote," Perkins says. "But we need to not give up with whatever our battle is. It matters to me that people walk away feeling inspired by the longevity of the movement, and that they think about how we can be better in the future, no matter what the issue is at hand."
Digging in Their Heels
Thursday, October 17, 7:30 PM
410 West 42nd Street, New York City
Tickets: $45 (purchase here)
Celebrating 100 years of women's suffrage, Sally Perkins takes her one-woman storytelling show to New York City.
AcademicsExperiential Learning
This story is part of a mini-series exploring The Farm at Butler, its methods, and its mission. Part four of six.
Some of the classes held at The Farm might seem obvious—a biology course about soil health, an environmental studies course looking at urban food systems, or a chemistry class studying contaminants. And yes, all of those happen at The Farm. But especially since the CUES received a major grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) last June—totaling almost $600,000—its curriculum has placed a new emphasis on weaving The Farm into a wider range of classes across campus.
Led by CUES Director Julia Angstmann, the NSF-funded project aims to promote scientific literacy by integrating STEM-related topics into non-STEM courses at Butler. Based on the idea that all people would benefit from a basic understanding of science before working together to solve societal challenges, these courses use the power of place-based experiential learning to connect students with science. Down on The Farm, where you can watch things grow and help make it happen, the class content comes alive.
As the project unfolds over the next three years, Angstmann will evaluate how campus farms and other green spaces can become centers of learning for all students. The NSF often tries to develop ways for non-STEM majors to continue engaging with science in their careers and personal lives, and by bringing religious studies, communications, health, and other disciplines down to The Farm, Butler is doing just that.
Having Faith in Nature - RL 384
Brent Hege says Christians usually interact with nature in one of two ways: as a resource for humans, or as an equal being.
"There's a lot of ambiguity in the Christian tradition about the relationship between Christianity and the environment," explains the Lecturer of Religion. "Some Christians think the environment is ours to use as we see fit—that we can exploit it because it's not really as important as human beings. Other Christians think that's totally misguided—that stewardship means respect, care, and love for the environment."
In the ecotheology class he teaches at Butler, Hege focuses on that second part—how can humans use religion to see nature through a "loving eye," caring for the earth and treating all things equally?
For the next time the class meets, Hege has added more place-based learning to the syllabus. In a new unit at The Farm, students will study how farmers think about their relationships with nature. Through interviews with workers at The Farm and with people who buy food from it, they'll see how urban agriculture highlights a range of perspectives about the environment.
Hege's research on the relationship between environmentalism and Christianity hasn't touched directly on sustainable farming. But growing up in Pennsylvania, he spent a lot of time working on family farms and eating local produce. It wasn't always as easy to find small-scale, sustainably-grown food when he first moved to Indianapolis, so he's excited for the chance to work with the CUES.
"I think one of the things about farming—or even about gardening—that I find so compelling is that it keeps us connected to rhythms, cycles, and patterns," he says. "It reminds us that, as hard as we try, we're not really in control of everything."
Hege wants to show students how Christianity can be a resource for addressing environmental problems. He hopes they learn to be present in their surroundings, noticing more of what they walk past every day and considering the role they play among it all.
"All of us are part of this natural world," he says. "So no matter where we're coming from, we have an obligation to think about how we live impacts all these other things."
From Farm to Twitter - ORG 358
Lindsay Ems knows social media can be destructive. She knows it can be used to tear people down and target minority groups. But in her service learning class that has partnered with Indianapolis organizations every semester for more than four years, Ems focuses on how social media can empower communities.
In the course, the Assistant Professor of Communication pairs student groups with local organizations to help solve digital-media-based problems. Whether through live-Tweeting an event or developing a new campaign strategy, students help tell stories about the organizations.
The class has worked with a variety of Indy-based groups, including Cancer Support Community Central Indiana, Heartland Film, and Damien Center. They've partnered with The Farm at Butler about four times, and other food-related partners such as Indy Urban Acres, Keystone-Monon Community Garden, and Garcia's Gardens.
As part of the NSF grant, the course will soon start working exclusively with farming-based groups. Ems says empowerment often comes down to food access, so it's important for agricultural organizations to tell people what they do. She says there are so many places in Indianapolis trying to provide fresh, organic produce, but it won't make a huge difference unless they can get the word out.
Social media can make the whole food experience more efficient. But posting on Instagram isn't always a priority for farmers who just love being outside, so Ems says college students make a perfect match.
"When you get these organizations who are resource-strapped to begin with," she says, "they see [social media] as something they don't have time for. And we have students who are so good at it—so fluent and literate in the technologies."
Erin Underwood, a senior majoring in Human Communication & Organizational Leadership, worked on The Farm team when she took ORG 358 last fall. Before the class, she knew The Farm existed, but she says she didn't know much about it. That was exactly the issue her team worked to solve.
The group spent the semester building a social media plan for The Farm's channels, dedicating each month to promoting a different value. They created content highlighting topics from how The Farm benefits individual and community health to how the methods used there help care for the earth. For each theme, they explained the importance of the value and told the story of how The Farm is living it out.
Erin says the chance to work with a real organization taught her to collaborate, instead of just building a plan without understanding what it needs to accomplish.
"You need to be there to learn about them, listen to them, and hear what they need," she says. "You need to spend time understanding them so you can effectively make a social media plan in their voice. We could post the best content in the world, but if it doesn't feel like it's coming from The Farm, then I think it loses some of that spirit of what they really want to do with social media."
Erin says there's some value in classes that stick to hypothetical projects, building mock content and strategies for the sake of practice.
"But the fact that we were trusted as students to get experience with something like this made all the difference," she says of ORG 358. "It felt like the work we did was valued and really appreciated by our community partner, which was a cool thing to see."
Ems hopes the course helps students think more critically about their own social media use. She wants them to see that the same tools they use for posting memes, sharing animal videos, or chatting with friends can provide valuable ways to reach people in need.
Cultivating Well Being - PWB115-BI
Growing a garden does more for your health than convincing you to actually eat all the fruits and vegetables you spent weeks watering and weeding. Working in the sun and digging in the soil can improve overall well being in a variety of ways, and Butler students can earn class credit learning how.
In Cultivating Well Being, Farm Manager Tim Dorsey challenges students to think about where food comes from, how to grow healthy foods, and the role gardening can play in a lifetime of well being. After a few days of readings and discussions, students get their hands in the dirt right down on The Farm.
"We're always looking for ways to be more a part of Butler's academic life, so this was a good step into that for us," Dorsey says about the class, now in its fifth year. "We're able to engage students in a course that fills a requirement while exposing them to our space. They can see right where the food is coming from."
Zach Madere, a senior Pharmacy major taking the class this fall, makes the most of that experience by visiting the Farm Stand each week to buy some of the produce he helped grow. Back in his kitchen, he cooks his own meals using cilantro, arugula, onions, and spinach that couldn't be much more local.
"I've never experienced anything like it," he says. "I think it's so cool that The Farm is literally in our backyard. I think it's awesome to be a part of that—to grow something—then to actually use what we grow."
But the class content goes beyond just a how-to on home-grown vegetables. Students also learn about broader societal issues in agriculture and food production, considering ways they can help face global challenges.
"I'd like to see them consider how the ways we answer questions in society—specifically relating to food systems, consumer choices, and government policies—not only affect society," Dorsey says, "but have an impact on communities, families, and individuals."
As The Farm shifts to a primary focus on education, classes across the Butler curriculum find ways to use the space.


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The Complete Bleeding Cool Top 100 Power List of Comics 2019, in Full
but it's his new CEO Silenn Thomas who is the driving force here, and set to make a name for herself to rival his. David Gabriel (Down) Senior Vice President of Sales at Marvel, ructions at Marvel have helped David Gabriel this year, still getting his one major death-per-quarter once made that there was a[...]
Is Marvel Legacy's Spirits Of Vengeance, A Five-Issue Mini, "Dead On Arrival?"
Just one day after Marvel revealed the details and creative team of Spirits Of Vengeance, the book has been undercut with the announcement that it will run for just five issues, which is, according to top Marvel brass, "the death knell" for anything in the Marvel Universe that isn't Star Wars.Back in April, during Marvel's terrible, horrible, no[...]
Well, At Least Everyone's Talking About Marvel Comics Today…
At the weekend, it was implied by some folk that Bleeding Cool was making a lot of fuss about nothing regarding the coverage of ICV2's retailer summit reports and interview with Marvel SVP David Gabriel.Now, in the light of everyone else, it seems positively restrained Here are just a few Will the late night talks[...]
Direct Market vs. Diversity: Another Look At The Issue
As Bleeding Cool has been breaking down and reporting in small, easily digestible chunks for readers from an extensive report from the Marvel Retailer Summit with ICv2 this weekend, Marvel has laid some of the blame for the comics sales slump, and presumably perceived weaker performance in their own sales, at the foot of the push[...]
Axel Alonso and David Gabriel Say Marvel "Changed Too Many Characters," Publisher "Is Not About Politics"
And we're still just talking about the first day of the summit!In this installment of our ongoing coverage of the retailer summit that burns like the brightest of garbage fires, we have more diversity discussion, this time from both Marvel Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing David Gabriel and Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso, as reported originally[...]
Cullen Bunn's Deadpool Kills The Marvel Universe Is Marvel's Top Selling Trade For The Past Two Or Three Years
According to a statement by Marvel Vice President of Sales and Marketing David Gabriel at a recent retailer summit as reported by ICv2, the best selling trade, continuously, of the last two or three years is none other than Deadpool Kills The Marvel Universe by Cullen Bunn and Dalibor Talajic some artist who Axel Alonso doesn't[...]
Marvel Blames Comics Market Sales Slump On Election Angst
David Gabriel, Marvel's Senior Vice President - Sales and Marketing, has been having some pretty frank conversations over at the Marvel Retailer Summit.One element which was very frank indeed was when Gabriel discussed the sales slump in the comics market in general Gabriel says, "There was just a big shift in the entire industry, and there[...]
Axel Alonso Says Rotating Artists Way To Go For Big Events
This last part is presumably easier to do when you're not already planning the next three events before the first has even seen its first issue finished.Of course, David Gabriel, Marvel's Senior Vice President - Sales and Marketing promises a ray of hope after this, "Hopefully, you guys will be happy to know that at the[...]
Marvel Tells Retailers They Can't Put Out Cheaper Collections Because They Will 'Compete With Our More Expensive Ones"
Marvel Senior VP of Sales and Marketing David Gabriel joined EIC Axel Alonso for Day One of a Marvel Retailers Summit today, and all kinds of things have been coming out of that and they are being refreshingly candid over the Marvel sales slump as of late As a retailer myself, quite a bit of[...]
Fortune Magazine Profile Lauds Axel Alonso's Push For Diversity On Same Day Marvel Announces End Of Push
In what appears to be a direct contradiction of the Fortune profile touting the success of Marvel's efforts, and a confirmation of what Bleeding Cool has been saying for months about Marvel's plans for a "meat and potatoes" relaunch, Marvel Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing David Gabriel gave an interview to ICv2 An[...]
Marvel's David Gabriel: "The Limited Series Is The Death Knell" (Except For Star Wars)
In addition, they've interview Marvel Vice President of Sales and Marketing David Gabriel in a third article You can check them out here, here, and here The reports are chock full of extremely candid responses from Marvel to retailer feedback covering a wide variety of topics We've already told you about Gabriel's comments about readers not[...]
Marvel's David Gabriel On #1 Issue Relaunches, Ten Dollar Books: "We'll Go With The Numbers Any Day"
Marvel's David Gabriel On Sales Slump: People "Didn't Want Any More Diversity," "Didn't Want Female Characters"
Other things first reported by Bleeding Cool included plans to bring back "A-Listers" and a return to legacy numbers.Reading between the lines of the signals from Marvel, it seems the company is pulling back on its push for greater representation and diversity in their titles and pursuing a strategy similar to what DC Comics dubbed[...]
Could Secret Wars Be All About Mister Fantastic And The Infinity Gauntlet?
Dale Keown's cover from New Avengers #3 by Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting covers the Secret Wars Prelude from Marvel in May, collecting New Avengers (2013) 1-3, Secret Wars (1984) 10-12, Fantastic Four 611, Ultimate Comics Spider -Man (2011) 1, Ultimate Comics Ultimates 4. Follow the path to 2015's event to end all events, Secret Wars […]
Marvel's David Gabriel Teases The Death Of Deadpool?
David Gabriel is Marvel's SVP of Sales & Marketing (and tipped to be more by the rumour mill) He's also the guy who once jokingly promised a death every quarter at Marvel Comics to help promote sales.Which Marvel have since provided.And it doesn't look like he's stopping any time soon In a rather incestuous fashion, he[...]
Retailers Get To Quiz Marvel's Big Wigs At New York Comic Con
Comic book retailers are getting their own special meeting and presentation with the executives of Marvel Comics at New York Comic Con, entitled Meet Marvel Editorial.In what is basically a real life version of The Avengers, teaming up to face the onslaught of enraged retailers are Dan Buckley – President, TV, Publishing & Brand Management, David[...]
David Gabriel – The Next Publisher Of Marvel Comics?
This is one of those things, you write one article (okay, three) about Marvel Comics and Disney fighting over who gets to do what with Big Hero 6, and all sorts of people come out of the woodwork with different things to say.And one is that Marvel's Senior Vice President Print, Sales & Marketing, David Gabriel is being[...]
January 2015 Will Alter The Course Of Marvel Comics History, But Before That Marvel Will Publish Just Two Titles On New Year's Eve
Marvel executive David Gabriel has been letting retailers know about all the promotional plans they've got in mind to launch Avengers & X-Men: Axis. We're planning some great digital, social and radio advertising for the series which we've had lots of success with in the past Look for Avengers & X-Men: AXIS ads on your favorite[...]
Big Spidey Event, Big Marvel Death And Big Writer Project, Imminent
In an interview with Diamond Comic Distributor's retailer site, Marvel's SVP of Print, Sales & Marketing, he of the famed quarterly death promise has indeed promised big death and more. In a few weeks we'll be announcing a universe changing event for the world of Spider-Man, the demise of a fan-favorite character, and a blockbuster […]
Wolverine #1 Will Have Fans Screaming Like Superior Spider-Man #1 Did
Marvel Sales VP David Gabriel, he of "a death every quarter" fame, has given an interview to Diamond Comic Distributors' retailer site (thanks to the friendly retailer who forwarded it on".In which he talks about the variant cover program (see some of them here), about the Marvel NOW! relaunch.. and what's going on with the[...]
DC Future State Gets Second Printings Already
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The Boys EP Eric Kripke: Trump Needs to Stop Giving Them More Material
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Eternals #1 Review: The Work of Gods and Monsters
Dave Bautista to Lindsey Graham: Come Out of the Closet, Bish
Shadow Mewtwo In Pokémon GO: To Purify Or Not To Purify?
Magic: The Gathering Reveals The New Viking-Themed Set Kaldheim


Located at the heart of the city in Esplanade Xchange, the iExperience Centre presents a range of functional yet fun services and applications for businesses, consumers, government and overseas visitors.
iExperience aims to bring about the possibilities and benefits of Next Generation Nationwide, Broadband Network (Next Gen NBN) to enterprises for business adoption, and to consumers for use in their daily lives. Depending on the individual's interest, the guided tour provides visitors an in-depth knowledge and experience whilst the self-discovery format allows visitors to walk through the centre and try out interactive and engaging exhibits at their own pace.