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Understanding the Third Wave of AI in Healthcare and Life Sciences
Partner Content Last updated on November 22, 2019
Last updated on November 22, 2019, published by Partner Content
This author account is for Partner Content with Emerj advertising and content partnership clients. Learn more at Emerj.com/partnerships.
Gunjan Bhardwaj is the Founder and CEO of Innoplexus, a leader in AI, machine learning, and analytics as a service for healthcare, pharma, and the life sciences. He was earlier with the Boston Consulting Group and before that the leader of the global business performance think-tank of Ernst & Young and a manager in the German practice with a solution focus on strategy and innovation.
The professional role of doctors and life scientists has changed significantly with the advent of computers, and it is soon to change again as our data technologies go through a new phase of innovation.
With the digital revolution, academic life-sciences professionals have transitioned to a more functional role of information processing and translation. Now medical school curriculum focuses on discerning relevant information, evaluating the quality of information sources, and communicating information efficiently across socioeconomic barriers. This is a necessary function because at current estimates health information doubles every 3-4 years. Not to mention that volume of data would be impossible to human experts to keep up with.
As any life-sciences professional knows, while this information is readily available in vast electronic databases, it is full of contradictory and context-based facts of varying quality or relevance. Physicians are becoming data-management experts. However, this too will change soon, because data management and the execution of complex algorithms is something that well-designed computers can often do more efficiently than humans. Indeed with the help of AI, information access in healthcare and life sciences is due to be democratized yet again.
The Three Waves of AI in Medicine
What we need in medicine and the life sciences is to achieve better delegation of repetitive cognitive tasks. Perhaps one of the best texts on the topic is the seminal 1960 paper by J.C.R. Licklider Man-Computer Symbiosis.
"About 85 percent of my 'thinking' time was spent getting into a position to think, to make a decision, to learn something I needed to know. Much more time went into finding or obtaining information than into digesting it"…. "Several hours of calculating were required to get the data into comparable form. When they were in comparable form, it took only a few seconds to determine what I needed to know."
Herbert A. Simon coined this problem as "bounded rationality", the idea that humans make the best decisions they are capable of given limited information, available time, and the mind's computational ability.
Computers can give us the ability to extend the bounds of our rationality. By metabolizing, or processing, non-critical information they increase the value of information for decision-making, extend the time we have for meaningful thought, and consequently extend the mind's computational ability.
A disruptive innovation is one that creates a new market, disrupting existing networks. To recap an excellent review of AI progress by DARPA (see video below), there are three "waves" of disruptive products that can be anticipated to substantially change the way information-processing is commoditized in medicine and the life sciences.
The promise of AI is to extend it in three crucial areas, complex computations, algorithmic assessments and making meaning from loose associations.
Below we'll explore the three "waves" of development as articulated by DARPA.
First Wave
First-wave AI was optimization programs or "knowledge engineering". These programs take known solutions to real-world problems and solve them more fluidly and efficiently.
An example would be efficiency improvements through scheduling software or risk calculations or the new do-it-yourself internet-based tax software products. In medicine, one could argue that the Framingham Risk Score Calculator to estimate your chances for heart disease is a primitive version of first-wave AI technology.
However first-wave AI doesn't perceive facts, doesn't learn new rules, and it doesn't do well in dealing with the unknown.
Second-wave AI is statistical learning programs or "machine learning". This software automates pattern recognition based on statistical probabilities. Second-wave AI does perceive, and it does learn. In fact, it can differentiate between complex datasets in some circumstances better than a human can.
In medicine and the life-sciences, evolving pattern-recognition systems are called "Clinical Decision Support Systems" and developed to analyze ECGs, retinal scans, and genetic data. But, although routinely used, ECG analysis programs are still not validated to replace human assessment, possibly due to human capacity for deep data interpretation.
Second-wave AI needs properly coded datasets to learn from, and often its algorithms need to be manually adjusted for the problem being solved. Which means that while it can be trained to perceive the world as a human, and even learn to perceive it more efficiently and accurately en masse, it doesn't solve novel problems and it can miss novel or unique analysis.
Oxford University has one of the best and more succinct explanations of machine learning in the 2-minute video below:
Third-wave AI is hypothesis generation programs or "contextual normalisation". These programs represent a disruption because they have the capacity to increase the "intelligence threshold", the amount of data that can be parsed to find meaning.
In a highly complex drug discovery, clinical development or commercialisation environment; it is not the right answers executives seek, but often the right questions. Third-wave AI can identify connections that were previously loosely associated by normalizing unrelated contexts. This is disruptive because it allows us to simultaneously generate and test novel hypotheses for a variety of life-science use cases.
An early manual example of this cognitive task is the 1980's work by Swanson where Raynaud's disease was loosely associated with fish oil, and this loose association was utilized to design a clinical trial which successfully reversed the symptoms of the disease.
Theoretically, any repetitive manual, cognitive task can be replicated by a computer. Third-wave AI aims to look at existing data, find the statistical patterns in it, then generates its own algorithms that explain why the data is different. This means the software can not only learn from complex data, it can also teach us what it sees.
Although these programs have a long way to go, they do represent a disruption and the next steps for medicine – and we can expect this "third wave" to handle some of the inherent "black box" problems of today's deep learning.
Where the Third Wave Might Take Us
At present, computers generally aren't able to perform pattern recognition from complex aesthetic facts. As an example, every medical student is trained to assess a wound for infection based on the combination of heat, color, smell, patient description of pain, and drainage upon palpation.
AI is unlikely to replace all those aesthetic functions in the near future; however, computers can automate some of the more tedious drudgery involved in information retrieval. For instance, AI could add value by reducing time in the analysis of a bacterial swab, or increasing accuracy in subsequent antibiotic prescription. This, in turn, gives a clinician more time for the irreplaceable functions of clinical assessment and patient education.
Just as calculators make advanced mathematics more accessible to people without innate talent at arithmetic, AI has the potential to make good medicine more accessible to a wider range of humanity by simplifying certain and freeing up human experts for what they do best.
This article was written in partnership with Innoplexus. For more information about content partnerships visit the Emerj Partnerships page.
Header image credit: Bayer
Overcoming the Data and Talent Challenges of AI in Life Sciences
Episode summary: In this episode of AI in industry, Innoplexus CEO Gunjan Bhardwaj explores how pharma giants are working to overcome two critical challenges with AI: Data, and talent.
AI in Life Sciences Trends and Terms that Executives Need to Know
Artificial intelligence has already established a small but growing presence in the life sciences industry today, starting with drug discovery and development and now in emerging applications across the product life cycle.
Today's AI May Replace Tomorrow's Life Insurance Agent
White collar professions were once considered safe from automation. It was blue collar work such as labor and manufacturing jobs that appeared at risk of becoming redundant in the wake of advancing technologies. But according to the Word Economic Fund – who held a conference last week in in Davos Switzerland – white collar work is not so secure as it seemed. AI systems continue to advance and challenge the status quo.
Built-in AI May Give New Life to Smart Homes
In the first week of 2016, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg announced in a post that his goal for the year was to "build a simple AI to run my home and help me with my work." He clarified, "You can think of it kind of like Jarvis in Iron Man." Zuckerberg went on to describe his plan to explore presently available smart home technologies, implement them into his home, and train the system to coordinate with his family life and workaday. (Interestingly, Zuckerberg's AI may utilize a number of devices, but he refers to the technology as a singular system, implying that he intends to develop a unified AI to oversee the many individual devices.)
AI is Colorizing and Beautifying the World
Artificial intelligence may be making the world smarter, safer, more functional and accessible. But can it make the world more beautiful? A number of researchers hope to do so by developing AI systems that can paint, write, and colorize photographs.


Everton FC won 1-0 at Sunderland AFC to go fourth in the Premier League, while Arsenal FC beat holders Wigan Athletic FC on penalties to reach the FA Cup final.
Real Madrid CF and Juventus both moved further clear of their rivals on a weekend when Manchester City FC slumped out of the FA Cup to second-tier Wigan Athletic FC.
Holders Wigan Athletic FC booked an FA Cup semi-final tie against Arsenal FC after shocking Manchester City FC 2-1 away, while Hull City AFC and Sheffield United FC also advanced.


Last year's winner James Cousins at Serpentine Green, Peterborough.
Nominations are now open for Peterborough shopping centre Serpentine Green's Reading Heroes competition which celebrates children from the city who has gone above and beyond to help or inspire others through reading.
The competition, now in its third year, asks parents, guardians, teachers, families and friends to nominate a local child under the age of 12 who has inspired others through books.
The winner will receive £150 of National Book Tokens – £50 for the child to spend themselves and £100 for their school library.
A runner-up will receive a copy of David Walliams' best-selling children's novel 'The Midnight Gang'.
Nominations can be made at https://www.serpentine-green.com/readinghero before Monday, July 9.
Adults can visit the website to submit a short entry describing why their nominee deserves to win.


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The Last 3 Of The World's Rarest Rhinos Are Unable To Breed
By Tisha Wardlow
<p> Tony Karumba </p>
Plan A was to make conditions as perfect as possible to breed the last remaining northern white rhinos. Ol Pejeta did everything they could to make that a possibility.
Plan B was to cross-breed the northern whites with the southern whites to at least perpetuate this precious gene pool. Somehow they would still live on; their genes remaining part of rhino populations to come.
But for the last living male, named Sudan, and the two remaining females, Najin and daughter Fatu, this will not be an option. All three are getting on in age. Najin (25) has weak knees and cannot endure the breeding attempts. In a cruel twist of fate, Fatu (14) is infertile, and Sudan (38) has weak sperm.
Sudan, the last male northern white rhino on the planet. Photo: Ed Barthrop / Ol Pejeta Conservancy
So now what? There's no superman, no magical 11th hour miracle, no known options left to us. This is extinction. Watch, appreciate and admire them while they breathe.
Human greed and ego have slaughtered this species to the point of irreversible catastrophe. We are witnessing the last of the northern white rhinos. It is inevitable.
But the big question is: will we learn from it? Will we allow it to happen again? The Sumatrans, the Javans - they are dangerously close to the same fate. Black, white and greater one-horned rhinos aren't much further behind them.
We must not let the northern whites die in vain. It is our duty to learn from them, and to prevent the future decimation of rhinos and other species on our planet. The future of rhinos is not doomed, it is in the balance, waiting for us to determine the outcome. Vigilance, commitment and determination can preserve the rhinos, and in the end, our own fates as well.
You can be a part of the final days by "adopting" the northern whites at Ol Pejeta: Adopt a northern white rhino. Proceeds are used on their care, as well as care of the other rhinos at Ol Pejeta.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Rev it Up Grassroots Motorsports Extravaganza Set for August 15
Mar 19 2020 in All, Legends, Mini Stock, Sportsman
Management for Riverside International Speedway is excited to announce the Rev it Up Grassroots Motorsports Extravaganza for August 15. A jam-packed schedule will see the day kick off with the second-annual Rev it Up at Riverside Show & Shine in the afternoon followed by an evening of stock car racing in four of the Maritimes top grassroots racing series.
The Napa Summer Heat Showdown for the Napa Sportsman Series will see qualifying and a 150-lap feature presented by Henry's Auto Parts. The feature will be split into three 50-lap segments and with an increased payout and extra contingency bonuses, it is expected to attract racers from outside the series. More details are expected soon from the Series.
The evening show will also see the Maritime League of Legends and the Passione Flooring East Coast Mini Stock Tour, as well as the Maritimes first vintage car racing series – the Heart of a Champion Hot Rod Classics.
The Rev it Up at Riverside Show & Shine will build on the success of its inaugural show last year when owners of over 70 of the region's top hot rods, antiques, and muscle cars proudly displayed their vehicles. Complete details for the Show & Shine will be announced prior to registration opening in the late spring.
"We're excited to build a show around grassroots motorsports," said Paul McLean, general manager of Riverside International Speedway. "And with the crossover between car show enthusiasts and race fans, we think the format is a great combination. It should be an entertaining and fun day."
The 2020 season at Riverside is scheduled to start June 6 with a show featuring the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour and the Napa Sportsman Series. July 16-18 will see the IWK 250 Super Weekend, starting Thursday, July 16 with the IWK 250 TestFest & Tailgate Party featuring Cape Breton's party band, High Society. On Friday, July 17 it's the Napa Sportsman Series and Maritime League of Legends and on Saturday, July 18 the cars and stars of the IWK 250 take to the track along with the debut of the Heart of a Champion Hot Rod Classics Vintage Race Car Series.
Campsite reservation renewals for the IWK 250 Super Weekend are due by March 31; sites not renewed by then will be filled with new reservations. The IWK 250 Campsite Renewal/Request Form can be found online at www.RiversideSpeedway.ca.
The month of August sees two big shows at Riverside, the Rev it Up Grassroots Motorsports Extravaganza on the 15th and on August 29 it's a 200-lap championship points event for the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour with support class action from the Napa Sportsman Series and the Passione Flooring East Coast Mini Stock Tour.
Fans can keep up with Riverside news all year long by visiting www.RiversideSpeedway.ca, subscribing to the email newsletter, and by following social media accounts on Facebook (riversidespeedwayns) and Twitter (Riverside_NS).
A Message From Riverside International Speedway | COVID-19
As we all navigate through this unprecedented time, we want to thank our government and health officials and those working in essential services who are doing their best to keep us safe and healthy. We are both hopeful and optimistic the world will return to a more normal state long before our season starts in June, so we are continuing to move forward in preparation for it. In the meantime, we encourage everyone to listen to the experts and do your part to help prevent the spread of novel coronavirus. Stay safe, and stay healthy.
About Riverside International Speedway:
For 51 years, Riverside International Speedway has been recognized as a premiere stock racing facility in Canada. The 1/3-mile high-banked asphalt oval roars to action several times a year for special events. It is the home of the IWK 250 – widely known throughout North America as a "bucket list" event for racers and fans alike. Located in James River, between New Glasgow and Antigonish, the facility is easily accessible at exit 30 on Trans Canada Highway 104. For more information please visit www.riversidespeedway.ca or call 902-863-2410.


This page is under construction and will be added to throughout the week!
We are having a special safety week to focus on all aspects of keeping safe. We have lots of visitors in school this week to help us with keeping safe including, The NSPCC, firefighters, paramedics, swimming coaches, the police, Bikeability leaders, food safety and we are using specialist online safety information. What a busy week!


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Der Jobsiade-Brunnen (auch Kortum-Brunnen) befindet sich auf dem Husemannplatz in Bochum. Der Brunnen wurde von der Deutschen Bank gespendet und 1987 der Öffentlichkeit übergeben. Der Künstler Karl Ulrich Nuss nimmt Bezug auf die Prüfungsszene der Jobsiade von Carl Arnold Kortum. Die Figurengruppe besteht aus fünf Personen: Dem selbstbewussten aber höchst ahnungslosen Theologiestudenten Jobs, drei Prüfern und einem Nachtwächter. 2013 wurde der Brunnen von Vandalen mit Weißlack besprüht. 2018 wurde eine der Bronzefiguren mit Goldlack besprüht.

Siehe auch
 Liste von Kunstwerken im öffentlichen Raum in Bochum
 Liste von Brunnen in Bochum

Weblinks

Einzelnachweise

Brunnen in Nordrhein-Westfalen
Denkmal in Bochum
Skulpturengruppe
Bronzeskulptur in Nordrhein-Westfalen
Skulptur (1987)
Skulptur (Bochum)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Unaccompanied
2019/20 Concerts
Print & Bind
About CMC BC
CMC National
CMC Website
Sheet Music Library
Centrediscs
First Annual Elliot Weisgarber Workshop
by Sean Bickerton | Jun 25, 2020 | 2 comments
The Canadian Music Centre in BC is pleased to announce the First Annual Elliot Weisgarber Workshops, a free online seminar for emerging composers under 30. Drawing on the success of our Jean Coulthard String Quartet Readings, the Elliot Weisgarber Workshops are grounded in Weisgarber's landmark work, fusing Western and Eastern instruments and performance practices.
The 2020 Weisgarber Workshops will feature Corey Hamm & Nicole Ge Li's PEP (Piano and Erhu Project) and Composer Mentor Edward Top who is Head of Composition at the Vancouver Academy of Music.
Ten emerging composers from the province of BC under the age of thirty will be selected by jury of CMC Associate Composers. Free of charge, thanks in part to a generous grant from the Azrieli Foundation to CMC Canada, the two-month seminar will begin with classes on writing for erhu, as well as piano. The workshops will allow emerging composers to gain experience writing for this unique ensemble, along with the invaluable opportunity of having their pieces read and rehearsed under the guidance of Edward Top and will culminate in online video recordings of the final works.
The program's unique format is designed for composers to receive feedback from both the Composer-Mentor and PEP, allowing them to revise and refine their work several times over the course of the seminar.
Applicants must be BC-based composers in the early stages of their professional careers and under the age of 30.
Application packages must include the following:
At least 2 relevant scores (and recordings if possible) showcasing the composer's ability to write for small ensembles (duo, trios, etc.) and/or piano. Please submit only digital scans or PDFs (no computer notation software files)
A short biography (200 words maximum), including full contact information.
Application packages must be received online no later than July 17, 2020 by email to jordan.nobles@cmccanada.org
Please direct any questions to Jordan at the Canadian Music Centre in BC: jordan.nobles@cmccanada.org
Canadian Music Centre in BC
Founded 41 years ago in 1979, CMC BC produces concerts, operates an extensive public-lending library of Canadian music; creates unique educational programs; runs a prestigious awards program recognizing extraordinary contributions to Canadian music province-wide; provides creative services and facilities to leading performing arts organizations, orchestras, choirs, teachers, universities, music schools, ensembles, performing artists and conductors; and offers a highly-specialized music print and bind service.
PEP (PIANO AND ERHU PROJECT)
Erhu and piano virtuosos Nicole Ge Li and Corey Hamm began PEP (Piano and Erhu Project) in 2011 to explore the fascinating blend of these two iconic Eastern and Western instruments. The blend is not only a tonal and musical one, but also cultural, and PEP is delighted to see composers deal with these elements in such different ways
PEP has had over seventy composers write works since it began. These include such composers as Michael Finnissy, Gao Ping, Si Ang Chen, Terri Hron, Serra Hwang, Roydon Tse, Brian Cherney, Keith Hamel, Dorothy Chang, Stephen Chatman, Chan Ka Nin, Alice Ping Yee Ho, Hope Lee, Jocelyn Morlock, Scott Godin, Remy Siu, Edward Top, Aaron Gervais, Jared Miller, and dozens more. The result is a new and flourishing catalogue of works for piano and erhu composed in the musical languages of the 21st century. This combination of instruments bringing together two of the world's great musical traditions, now has a unique collection of works for Nicole Ge Li and Corey Hamm to draw from for audiences of the 21st century. PEP CDs Volumes 1, 2, and 3 have been released with critical acclaim on Redshift Records.
Volumes 4 and 5 will soon be on the way. PEP CD Vol. 2 was nominated for Best Classical Recording at the 2016 WCMA. Dorothy Chang wrote Gateways for PEP, the world's first double concerto for erhu and piano soloists and orchestra, which PEP premiered with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and Philharmonia Northwest in Seattle. PEP has toured China, Canada, and the USA and has been featured at SICPP, ISCM, Classical:NEXT, New Music Concerts, Modulus Festival, Sonic Boom Festival, Sound of Dragon Festival, Odyssey Chamber Music Series, and Music on Main Series. PEP is an Ensemble-In-Residence at the University of British Columbia School of Music. www.peppianoanderhuproject.com
About Composer Mentor Edward Top
Composer Edward Top studied composition and violin at the Rotterdam Conservatoire in The Netherlands. He primarily studied with Peter-Jan Wagemans, but also worked with Klaas de Vries, Peter Eötvös, Pierre Boulez, and Luciano Berio. After living and traveling in the Far East for several years he settled in England in 2003, where he completed a Master's Degree in musicology at King's College London where he met with George Benjamin. East-Asian culture remains a predominant presence in Top's life.
Top is currently the Head of the Composition Department at the Vancouver Academy of Music since 2014. He also maintains a close relationship with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, who commissioned seven, and performed ten of his works when he served as its Composer-in-Residence from 2011-2014. The VSO and conductor Bramwell Tovey played the commissioned work Totem in Seattle, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Phoenix on a US West Coast tour in 2013. The work Helix, Top's latest commission for the VSO, was premiered during its centennial season's opening in 2018, conducted by music director Otto Tausk. www.edwardtop.com
About Elliot Weisgarber, Composer
Elliot Weisgarber was a native of New England where he began clarinet studies as a young boy. He soon discovered his inclination and aptitude for originality so when he furthered his education at the Eastman School of Music he received degrees both in clarinet performance and in composition. His composition teachers at Eastman included Edward Royce, Bernard Rogers and Howard Hanson. Later he did post-graduate study with Halsey Stevens in Los Angeles and spent a landmark summer in the famous class of Nadia Boulanger in Fontainebleau, France.
For many years he served on the faculty of the University of North Carolina in Greensboro until being invited in 1960 to join the faculty of the newly formed music department at the University of British Columbia. Excited to have been transplanted to the West he quickly set about learning as much as he could about his new home.
His almost instant friendships with producers at CBC Radio afforded him
opportunities to explore the remotest corners of the province, sometimes by floatplane. The indescribable wildness of BC's vast terrain had an enormous impact on him which he conveyed in soundtracks for several documentaries including From the Mountains to the Sea produced by Imbert Orchard in 1967.
The province's position as a distant next-door neighbour to Asia nourished a fascination he had long held. He had the opportunity of meeting University of Washington ethnomusicologist Robert Garfias and hearing his gagaku (Japanese court music) ensemble perform at UBC. He became determined to learn to play a Japanese instrument and, being a woodwind player, he decided on the shakuhachi, the vertical bamboo flute. UBC Japanese language professor Kenji Ogawa arranged to have one purchased for him in Japan after which Weisgarber went on to spend his annual academic breaks in Japan studying shakuhachi as well as koto and shamisen. He was eventually granted the status of master in the prestigious Kinko school of shakuhachi, one of the first foreigners, if not the first, to be granted this honour. His 1968 article in Ethnomusicology is still regarded as the subject's English-language authority.
His profound studies in Japan revolutionized the latter half of his career as a composer. The Japanese experience had appealed to something in his soul that craved simplicity, even asceticism, and melded with his own mature musical style which had already been fueled by an enormous range of interests and a deep love of the musical traditions imparted to him by his teachers. The result was something entirely unique. Few of his works after the mid-1960s exhibit no hint at all of the impact of this culture on his life.
Michael Conway Baker	on July 9, 2020 at 7:27 pm
July 17 means an applicant has only one week to submit an application!!
Sean Bickerton	on July 24, 2020 at 3:14 pm
Hi Michael, we published the article and sent it out first on Centrepulse on June 25
A Time For Reflection And Renewal
CMC BC Elects More Diverse Advisory Council
CMC BC's First Online Annual Meeting
Marnie Carter Honoured with Barbara Pentland 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award
The Fall Of 2020
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Life | Death | Care for the Dead | Mourning | Kaddish | Recommended Reading
Life, Death, and Mourning
Level:� Basic
In Judaism, life is valued above almost all else.� The Talmud notes that all people are descended from a single person, thus taking a single life is like destroying an entire world, and saving a single life is like saving an entire world.
Of the 613 commandments, only the prohibitions against murder, idolatry, incest and adultery are so important that they cannot be violated to save a life.� Judaism not only permits, but often requires a person to violate the commandments if necessary to save a life.� A person who is extremely ill, for example, or a woman in labor, is not permitted to fast on Yom Kippur, because fasting at such a time would endanger the person's life.� Doctors are permitted to answer emergency calls on the Sabbath, even though this may violate many Sabbath prohibitions.� Abortions where necessary to save the life of a mother are mandatory (the unborn are not considered human life in Jewish law, thus the mother's human life overrides).
Because life is so valuable, we are not permitted to do anything that may hasten death, not even to prevent suffering.� Euthanasia, suicide, and assisted suicide are strictly forbidden by Jewish law.� The Talmud states that you may not even move a dying person's arms if that would shorten his life.
However, where death is imminent and certain, and the patient is suffering, Jewish law does permit one to cease artificially prolonging life.� Thus, in certain circumstances, Jewish law permits "pulling the plug".
In Judaism, death is not a tragedy, even when it occurs early in life or through unfortunate circumstances.� Death is a natural process.� Our deaths, like our lives, have meaning and are all part of God's plan.� In addition, we have a firm belief in an afterlife, a world to come, where those who have lived a worthy life will be rewarded.
Mourning practices in Judaism are extensive, but they are not an expression of fear or distaste for death.� Jewish practices relating to death and mourning have two purposes:� to show respect for the dead (kevod ha-met), and to comfort the living (nihum avelim), who will miss the deceased.
Care for the Dead
After a person dies, the eyes are closed, the body is laid on the floor and covered, and candles are lit next to the body.� The body is never left alone until after burial, as a sign of respect.� The people who sit with the dead body are called shomerim, from the root Shin-Mem-Resh, meaning guards or keepers.
Respect for the dead body is a matter of paramount importance.� For example, the shomerim may not eat, drink, or perform certains commandments such as prayer in the presence of the dead.� To do so would be considered mocking the dead, because the dead can no longer do these things.
Most communities have an organization to care for the dead, known as the chevra kaddisha (the holy society).� These people are volunteers.� Their work is considered extremely meritorious, because they are performing a service for someone who can never repay them.
Autopsies in general are discouraged as desecration of the body.� They are permitted, however, where it may save a life or where local law requires it.� When autopsies must be performed, they should be minimally intrusive.
The presence of a dead body is considered a source of ritual impurity.� For this reason, a kohein may not be in the presence of a corpse.� People who have been in the presence of a corpse customarily wash their hands, even though they need not.� This is done to symbolically remove spiritual impurity, not physical uncleanness:� it applies regardless of whether you have physically touched the body.
In preparation for the burial, the body is thoroughly cleaned and wrapped in a simple, plain linen shroud.� The Sages decreed that both the dress of the body and the coffin should be simple, so that a poor person would not receive less honor in death than a rich person.� The body is wrapped in a tallit with its tzitzit rendered invalid.� The body is not embalmed, and no organs or fluids may be removed.
The body must not be cremated.� It must be buried in the earth.� Coffins are not required, but they may be used.
The body is never displayed at funerals; open casket ceremonies are forbidden by Jewish law.� According to Jewish law, exposing a body is considered disrespectful, because it allows not only friends, but also enemies to view the dead, mocking their helpless state.
Jewish law requires that a tombstone be prepared, so that the deceased will not be forgotten and the grave will not be desecrated.� It is customary in some communities to keep the tombstone veiled, or to delay in putting it up, until the end of the 12-month mourning period.� The idea underlying this custom is that the dead will not be forgotten when he is being mourned every day.� In communities where this custom is observed, there is generally a formal unveiling ceremony when the tombstone is revealed.
It is also customary in many communities to place small stones on a gravesite when visiting it.� This custom has become well-known from the movie Schindler's List, in which the children of Survivors place stones on the grave of Oscar Schindler.� It is difficult to find much information about this custom; none of the usual resources on Orthodox or Conservative practice discusses it.� The custom is not universal, even among traditional Jews, and there seems to be some doubt as to how it originated.� It seems to have superstitious origins.� As far as we can tell, it is a little like leaving a calling card for the dead person, to let them know you were there.� Some other sources suggest that it was originally done because we are required to erect a tombstone, and tombstones that actually looked like tombstones tended to get desecrated.
Jewish mourning practices can be broken into several periods of decreasing intensity.� These mourning periods allow the full expression of grief, while discouraging excesses of grief and allowing the mourner to gradually return to a normal life.
When a close relative (parent, sibling, child, or spouse) first hears of the death of a relative, it is required to express the initial grief by tearing one's clothing.� The tear is made over the heart if the deceased is a parent, or over the right side of the chest for other relatives.� This tearing of the clothing is referred to as "keriyah" (literally, "tearing").� The mourner recites the blessing describing God as "the true Judge", an acceptance of God's taking of the life of a relative.
From the time of death to the burial, the mourner's sole responsibility is caring for the deceased and preparing for the burial.� This period is known as aninut.� During this time, the mourners are exempt from all positive commandments ("thou shalt"s), because the preparations take first priority.� This period usually lasts a day or two; Judaism requires prompt burial.
During this aninut period, the family should be left alone and allowed the full expression of grief.� Condolence calls or visits should not be made during this time.
After the burial, a close relative, near neighbor, or friend prepares the first meal for the mourners, the se'udat havra'ah (meal of condolence).� This meal traditionally consists of eggs (a symbol of life) and bread.� The meal is for the family only, not for visitors.� After this time, condolence calls are permitted.
The next period of mourning is known as shiva (seven, because it lasts seven days).� Shiva is observed by parents, children, spouses, and siblings of the deceased, preferably all together in the deceased's home.� Shiva begins on the day of burial and continues until the morning of the seventh day after burial.� Mourners sit on low stools or the floor instead of chairs, do not wear leather shoes, do not shave or cut their hair, do not wear cosmetics, do not work, and do not do things for comfort or pleasure, such as bathe, have sex, put on fresh clothing, or study Torah (including Torah related to mourning and grief, despite the custom to the contrary!).� Mourners wear the clothes that they tore at the time of learning of the death or at the funeral.� Prayer services are held where the shiva is held, with friends neighbors and relatives making up the minyan (10 people required for certain prayers).
The Sabbath that occurs during the shiva period counts toward the seven days of shiva, but is not observed as a day of mourning.� If a festival occurs during the mourning period, the mourning is terminated, but if the burial occurs during a festival, the mourning is delayed until after the festival.
The next period of mourning is known as shloshim (thirty, because it lasts until the 30th day after burial).� During that period, the mourners do not attend parties or celebrations, do not shave or cut their hair, and do not listen to music.
The final period of formal mourning is avelut, which is observed only for a parent.� This period lasts for twelve months after the burial.� During that time, mourners avoid parties, celebrations, theater, and concerts.� For eleven months of that period, starting at the time of burial, the son of the deceased customarily recites the mourner's Kaddish every day, even though he need not say it at all.
After the avelut period is complete, the family of the deceased is not permitted to continue formal mourning; however, there are a few continuing acknowledgments of the deceased.� Every year, on the anniversary of the death, family members observe the deceased's Yahrzeit (Yiddish, lit.� "anniversary").� Sons recite Kaddish and take an aliyah (bless the Torah reading) in synagogue if possible.� Mourners light a candle in honor of the deceased that burns for 24 hours.� In addition, during services on Yom Kippur, Shemini Atzeret, the last day of Passover, and Shavu'ot, after the haftarah reading in synagogue, close relatives recite the mourner's prayer, Yizkor ("May He remember .�.�.") in synagogue.� Yahrzeit candles are also lit on those days.
When visiting a mourner, a guest should not try to express grief with standard, shallow platitudes.� The guest should allow the mourner to initiate conversations.� One should not divert the conversation from talking about the deceased; to do so would limit the mourner's ability to fully express grief, which is the purpose of the mourning period.� On the contrary, the caller should encourage conversation about the deceased.
When leaving a house of mourning, it is traditional for the guest to say, "May the LORD comfort you with all the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem".
Kaddish is commonly known as a mourner's prayer, but in fact, variations on the Kaddish prayer are routinely recited at many other times, and the prayer itself has nothing to do with death or mourning.� The prayer begins "May His great Name grow exalted and sanctified in the world that He created as He willed.� May He give reign to His kingship in your lifetimes and in your days .�.�." and continues in much that vein.� The real mourner's prayer is El Molai Rachamim, which is customarily recited at grave sites and during funerals.
Why, then, is Kaddish recited by mourners?
After a great loss like the death of a parent, you might expect a person to lose faith in God, or to cry out against God's injustice.� Instead, Judaism requires a mourner to stand up every day, publicly (i.e., in front of a minyan, a quorum of 10 adult men), and reaffirm faith in God despite this loss.� To do so inures to the merit of the deceased in the eyes of God, because the deceased must have been a very good parent to raise a child who could express such faith in the face of personal loss.
A person is permitted to recite Kaddish for other close relatives as well as parents, but only if his parents are dead.
The definitive book on Jewish mourning practices is Maurice Lamm's The Jewish Way in Death and Mourning.� For information about the wide variety of Jewish views on what happens after death, see Simcha Paul Raphael's book, Jewish Views of the Afterlife.� Both are available through most commercial bookstores.


If there's one thing that's marked about New Zealand's online activity, is the sheer dominance of Facebook over other platforms.
Facebook's estimated New Zealand reach today was "2,100,220 people who live in New Zealand", according to Facebook. The data also reveals over 54% of users returned daily – that's at least 1,134,118 daily users of Facebook.
And they're not just logging on – they're participating. The data shows there are 15 million Kiwi wall posts made per month, 85 million comments a month left around the site, and 192,000 check-ins a month.
This is really interesting – where did you get the data from specifically (and thanks btw)?
Where exactly did you get this information? A web address would be greatly appreciated!
All the information came directly from Facebook New Zealand, so I'm afraid there is no URL available, sorry. It's bound to be out-of-date by now, anyhoo.


Build your own poke bowl or choose from a variety of freshly prepared sushi rolls. Sushi is prepared fresh every day with the finest ingredients. In a hurry? grab sushi to go with bottled water – perfect for the flight.


I have to admit the first time I had heard of A Tavola was at the Taste of Sydney Festival 2012. It was a great little intro. Hand made pasta, with a just like "mama used to make" ragu all wrapped in and around my plastic fork and nestled away in my little throw away container. Our brief encounter was enough to bring me back for a visit to sample more of what A Tavola had to offer.
To begin with, the red cabbage, raisins, walnuts with balsamic was filled with texture and bite. A simple yet pleasant way to start off the evening but I still felt it was missing something.
The half moon ravioli definitely had lift off. The decently portioned ravioli was filled with a positively plump centre of mushy peas and ricotta. Dressed with oregano and truffle pecorino it was lightly submersed in a burnt butter sauce. The creamy buttery perky pasta parcels was enough to break a girl's heart, since we had only ordered this to share. Which wasn't annoying at all, since I only had one!
Our waitress had us wrapped around her little finger, she convinced that we all had to order their signature dish. She was so compelling! And she wasn't mistaken. The rich flavours of the beef and ragu sauce were interwoven softly and tucked in and around the slippery pasta pappardelle ribbons. It really brought home the feel of Nona's home made ragu especially when you went it for slurp. So comforting and so fulfilling, I will have to come back and say hello, once more.
Welcome to A Tavola, for some home made pasta dishes, just like how mama used to make.


International Club and Namaste Nepal jointly organized world's most colorful festival on Truman.
Holi was organized on April 2nd, 2017 in Red Barn Park.
Holi is one of the largest festivals celebrated by Hindus to represent good overcoming evil. It is best known around the world for the powder that revellers throw on each other, leaving festival goers coated in colour by the end of the day.
Namaste Nepal organized 13th annual Himalayan Night on March 4th, 2017. The program comprised of cultural dance, songs and traditional Nepalese cuisine. The theme of this Himalayan Night was "Back On Top Of The World", trying to depict that Nepal is recovering from the devastating earthquake of 2015 and sharing the news that Nepal is total safe to travel and naturally once is not enough.
Overall, the event was a huge success.
Photo credits to Priscilla Parisa and Kelly Dobbs.
● Click on sign up link on top right corner of the page.
● You can create an account with your Facebook but it will be better if you do with the Truman's email account.
● Click the get involved link which is either in the home page after you log in or under your account name on top right.
● You will now be able to register in any sports competition that are open.
This painting represents a collage of significant pieces in the Nepali culture. The famous Himalayan mountains stand tall and beautiful in the background surrounded by grassy hills and terraced fields. The colorful prayer flags hang high and stand out as a peaceful reminder that prayers and good thoughts must surround us in our everyday lives. The last piece, maybe the most significant at this time, is the Dharahara tower standing strong with pride to represent the never-ending struggle to rebuild and overcome so many of the losses that Nepal has felt after the 2015 earthquake.
The beautiful Hindu goddess Durga is represented by the bold fierce eyes, large golden nose ring, red lipstick, and tika upon the forehead. Durga, meaning the invincible, is believed to be the power behind creation, preservation, and destruction of the world. At a time like Dashain, Durga is one of the most significant and prayed to goddesses. Offerings are given to her, and many sacrifices are made during the week of Dashain. She goes by multiple names and is a multi-dimensional goddess.
Namaste Nepal celebrated its 12th annual Himalayan Night on April 2, 2016 on SUB Georgian, Truman State University. A huge thanks to everyone joined us for the evening of delicious home-cooked Nepali food and cultural performances.
Here is a glimpse of Himalayan Night 2016.


text:
package org.apereo.portal.persondir;

import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;

import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.Map;
import java.util.Set;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
import org.apereo.portal.security.IPerson;
import org.apereo.portal.security.IPersonManager;
import org.apereo.portal.security.IdentitySwapperManager;
import org.apereo.portal.url.IPortalRequestUtils;
import org.apereo.services.persondir.IPersonAttributes;
import org.apereo.services.persondir.support.IUsernameAttributeProvider;
import org.junit.Before;
import org.junit.Test;
import org.mockito.InjectMocks;
import org.mockito.Mock;
import org.mockito.MockitoAnnotations;

public class ImpersonationStatusPersonAttributeDaoTest {

    @InjectMocks
    private ImpersonationStatusPersonAttributeDao impersonationStatusPersonAttributeDao;

    @Mock private IPersonManager personManager;

    @Mock private IUsernameAttributeProvider usernameAttributeProvider;

    @Mock private IPerson person;

    @Mock private IdentitySwapperManager identitySwapperManager;

    @Mock private IPortalRequestUtils portalRequestUtils;

    @Mock private HttpServletRequest httpServletRequest;

    private Map<String, List<Object>> query = new HashMap<>();

    private String queryUid = "UserId";

    @Before
    public void setup() throws Exception {
        MockitoAnnotations.initMocks(this);
        when(portalRequestUtils.getCurrentPortalRequest()).thenReturn(httpServletRequest);
        when(person.getID()).thenReturn(1010);
        when(person.getFullName()).thenReturn("John Doe");
        when(person.getUserName()).thenReturn(queryUid);
        when(personManager.getPerson(httpServletRequest)).thenReturn(person);
        when(usernameAttributeProvider.getUsernameAttribute()).thenReturn("attrs");
        impersonationStatusPersonAttributeDao.setUsernameAttributeProvider(
                usernameAttributeProvider);
        when(usernameAttributeProvider.getUsernameFromQuery(query)).thenReturn(queryUid);
        when(identitySwapperManager.isImpersonating(httpServletRequest)).thenReturn(true);
    }

    @Test
    public void testGetAvailableQueryAttributes() {
        Set<String> attributes =
                impersonationStatusPersonAttributeDao.getAvailableQueryAttributes();
        assertNotNull(attributes);
        String attribute = attributes.iterator().next();
        assertEquals(attribute, "attrs");
    }

    @Test
    public void testGetPeopleWithMultivaluedAttributes() {
        Set<IPersonAttributes> attributes =
                impersonationStatusPersonAttributeDao.getPeopleWithMultivaluedAttributes(query);
        assertNotNull(attributes);
        IPersonAttributes personAttributes = attributes.iterator().next();
        String uname = personAttributes.getName();
        Map<String, List<Object>> arg1 = personAttributes.getAttributes();
        assertNotNull(uname);
        assertEquals(uname, "UserId");
        // check user attributes map
        assertTrue(arg1.containsKey("impersonating"));
        List<Object> attrs = arg1.get("impersonating");
        assertEquals(attrs.get(0), "true");
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Fred Cockerham (3 November 1905 - July 8, 1980) was an American fiddle and banjo player of American folk music.
Cockerham was one of the seven children of Elias and Betty Jane Cockerham in North Carolina. He was one of the most accomplished of all the "Round Peak," North Carolina musicians but is most commonly known as the banjo accompanist to Tommy Jarrell. He played the fiddle in a more modern style than Jarrell, but played the fretless banjo in an old clawhammer style much like that of his old mentor, Charley Lowe.
1976 Music from Round Peak Heritage Records 10 with Tommy Jarrell, Mac Snow et al.
^ a b c Ray Alden. "Fred Cockerham". The Field Recorders' Collective. Retrieved August 8, 2010.


text:
Items A Cavalry Halt.
A Cavalry Halt.
The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection
Parrocel, Etienne (1696-1776)
Image ID 830374
Original Scan
Mid-Manhattan Picture Collection
Army -- France -- 1700s
Parrocel, Etienne (1696-1776) (Artist)
Wallach Division Picture Collection
Shelf locator: PC ARMY-Fra-17
Armies -- French -- 1700-1799
Soldiers -- French -- 1700-1799
Rest stops -- 1700-1799
Content: Printed on border: "After Parrocel."
Source note: The XVIIIth century : its institutions, customs, and costumes : France, 1700-1789. Chapman, 1876) Jacob, P. L. (1806-1884), Author.
Extent: 1 print : b ; 14 x 21 cm. (5 1/4 x 8 in.)
Dynix: 1742260
Barcode: 33333159429931
Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): 8618f620-c537-012f-7816-58d385a7bc34
The copyright and related rights status of this item has been reviewed by The New York Public Library, but we were unable to make a conclusive determination as to the copyright status of the item. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use.
1696: Creator Born
1776: Creator Died
The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection, The New York Public Library. "A Cavalry Halt." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1876. http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e1-0ad4-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection, The New York Public Library. "A Cavalry Halt." New York Public Library Digital Collections. Accessed January 19, 2020. http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e1-0ad4-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection, The New York Public Library. (1876). A Cavalry Halt. Retrieved from http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e1-0ad4-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
<ref name=NYPL>{{cite web | url=http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e1-0ad4-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99 | title= (still image) A Cavalry Halt., (1876) |author=Digital Collections, The New York Public Library |accessdate=January 19, 2020 |publisher=The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations}}</ref>


With interest, the award has now climbed to $106 million.
The lawyers are making a lot of money.
The United States Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal lodged by the government of Ecuador that contested a $96 million arbitration settlement awarded to the American oil company Chevron.
Texaco, the company Chevron bought out in 2001, originally filed the suit against the Central American country for breaking from the terms of oilfield development contracts and international agreements.
In effect, the highest court in the U.S. upheld a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which favored Chevron in an arbitration deal issued by The Hague's Permanent Council of Arbitration in the Netherlands.
The arbitration process started in The Hague in 2006 with Texaco claiming that Ecuador's court system failed to resolve disputes in a timely manner, as the nation had agreed to in a 1997 investment treaty with the U.¬S. government.
The panel awarded the multimillion-dollar settlement to Chevron, which prompted it to file a federal suit with the U.S. government in order to collect the amount of the award. The year 2013 saw the approval of the deal under the gavel of a federal judge, but Ecuador lodged an appeal soon after, arguing that the arbitration tribunal did not have jurisdiction over the case since Texaco had ceased operations in Ecuadorian oilfields in 1992—five years before the treaty at play.
The amount of the award now stands at $106 million after the calculation of interest, according to company spokesperson Morgan Crinklaw, who also said the oil and gas major was "pleased" that Ecuador would be held accountable.
On the one hand, Ecuador was saying that in this case "the arbitration tribunal did not have jurisdiction over the case since Texaco had ceased operations in Ecuadorian oilfields". On the other hand, in a different case Ecuador claims Chevron is liable for damages even when Chevron never conducted oil production operations in the country.
The author, Candice Malcolm, really tears into the supposedly "progressive" union for their dalliance with Correa, noting how some of their leaders were invited down for all expense paid trips to the tropical nation. She further wonders whether other prominent groups or even government officials are receiving similar invitations and having the wheels greased for some collaborative effort.
The entire campaign has been a public relations push to "dirty" up the reputation of not only Chevron, but the entire oil industry, hoping to turn public opinion against them. Perhaps the people of Canada should take a step back and recall just how much of their own economy runs on oil and other energy extraction industrial activity. Their new "friends" from Ecuador are no friends at all and are looking to drag the Canadian court system into a massive case of fraud which has already been widely discredited in courts around the world. Rather than serving justice, they could be setting themselves up for a figurative black eye in a very public way.
Ecuador is controlled by the hardline socialist government of strongman leader Rafael Correa. The government routinely seizes private property, shuts down critical newspapers, and systematically fires independent judges and replaces them with government cronies.
This is not exactly the type of regime that progressive Canadian unions should be rubbing elbows with, and yet, the UFCW are singing the government's praises.
According to the union's website, its leaders participated in an "international solidarity exchange." The union bosses met with Ecuadorian officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss workers' rights, particularly when it comes to the protection of temporary foreign workers in Canada and migrant workers around the world. The news release on their website makes no mention of Ecuador's laundry list of human rights offenses; instead, it simply regurgitates Ecuadorian government propaganda about an ongoing lawsuit against the US-based oil company Chevron.
Expect many more Canadian politicians and union leaders to line up for their Ecuadorian junkets.
The week's top story everywhere: Pres. Obama declared Isis had been contained on the same day ISIS suicide bombers killed at least 41 people in Beirut, Lebanon. The following day, ISIS claimed responsibility for 128 deaths on a coordinated attack perpetrated on an unarmed citizenry in Paris.
A headline that was mostly ignored, but will have dire repercussions in our hemisphere. Abandoning Past Assurances, U.S. Accepts Iran's Arming of Hezbollah.
Argentine Government Slams High Court for Ordering Disclosure of YPF-Chevron Deal for the development of the giant Vaca Muerta shale formation.
Brazil Court Orders Retirement of Judge in Eike Batista Trial. A Brazilian appeals court Thursday ordered the early retirement of the federal judge who had been presiding over the trial of Brazilian businessman Eike Batista.
They do not come because Brazil needlessly puts up additional roadblocks. Its legislation on immigration is "anachronistic", admits Beto Vasconcelos, who handles the issue at the justice ministry in Brasília. The main law dealing with immigration, enacted by generals who ruled from 1964 to 1985, treats foreigners as a menace to national security and to Brazilian workers. It bars non-Brazilians from taking part in political rallies, owning stakes in newspapers or participating actively in trade unions.
Did Secretaries Pritzker, Vilsack and Amb. Thorne Violate U.S. Sanctions Law?
Cuban exile musings: What does it take to qualify as a charming "despot" nowadays?
During the first 10 months of 2015, El Salvador — a country with a population of 6.5 million — reported nearly 5,500 homicides, making it the murder capital of the world, according to Elizabeth Kennedy, a San Diego State University social scientist.
Mexico's Teachers Gird for Mandatory Performance Tests. This weekend the first of Mexico's 1.4 million teachers will start taking performance tests, a core feature of President Enrique Peña Nieto's education overhaul that has engendered some violent protests.
During a meeting with government officials last month, Merhi Alshebli doused himself with gasoline. He did not light himself on fire. Alshebli and other Syrian refugees resettled in Uruguay last year have complained that the government hasn't helped enough.
Good luck with that: Push for Venezuela to allow observers. Lawmakers from the US and Latin America urge Venezuela to allow OAS observers to monitor upcoming legislative elections.
First the Chong Chong Gang, then the Mu Du Bong, now the Haddad 1: Weapons smuggling to and from rogue states.
Menem refused to testify on grounds that he was under obligation to maintain 'state secrets' which only the Senate could lift.
Argentine Jewish leader: What happened to Alberto Nisman?
Lengthy but must-read: Inside the Spyware Campaign Against Argentine Troublemakers, including Lanata and Nisman.
Argentina orders HSBC to replace local bossArgentina's central bank has ordered HSBC to replace its chief executive in the country within 24 hours and accused the bank of failing to prevent tax evasion and money laundering.
On a charitable view, Ms Rousseff was shocking legislators into making hard decisions rather than simply blocking her fiscal proposals. A harsher reading is that she does not know how to lead Brazil out of recession.
What's Happening in Guatemala?With its government about to fall, Guatemala is finally questioning the neoliberal orthodoxy of the post–Cold War world. Not that they actually tried it.
"I don't believe Chapter 9 would solve Puerto Rico's problems," he said. "I believe what would solve Puerto Rico's problems is the same thing that would solve Washington's problems, and that is to restructure the way government spends its money.


text:
The 5th and 13th terms of an A.P. are 5 and -3 respectively. Find the 20th term of the progression.
Question from Class 11 Chapter Sequence And Series
9.9 K+ views | 23.1 K+ people like this
Answer Text
Let the first term and common difference of A.P. be 'a' and 'd' respectively.
 `T_(5)=5`
 `rArr " "a+4d=5`
 `"and "T_(13)=-3`
 `rArr " "a+12d=-3`
 From eqs. (1) and (2)
 Now, a=9, d=-1
 `T_(20)=a+19d`
 `=9+19(-1)`
 `=-10.`
(i) The 3rd and 19th terms of an A.P. are 13 and 17 respectively. Find its 10th term. (ii) The 5th and 8th terms of an A.P. are 56 and 95 respectively. Find its 25th term.
The `7t h` term of an A.P. is 32 and its `13 t h` term is 62. Find the A.P.
200+ Views | 33 Likes
The sum of first `q` terms of an A.P. is 162. The ratio of its 6th term to its 13th term is `1:2` . Find the first and `15 t h` term of the A.P.
If 7th and 13th terms of an A.P. be 34 and 64 respectively, then its 18th term is (a) 87 (b) 88 (c) 89 (d) 90
If sum of `n` terms in an A.P is `((5n^2)/2+(3n)/2)` then find its 20th term
The common difference, last term and sum of terms of an A.P. are 4, 31, and 136 respectively. Find the number of terms.
The sum of third and ninth term of an A.P is 8. Find the sumof the first 11 terms of the progression.
The first term of an A.P. is 5, the common difference is 3 and the last term is 80; find the number of terms.
Representation of sequences and different types of series
Definition + algorithm to determine the sequence of AP
General term of an AP
`n^(th)` term of an AP from the end
The `n^(th)` term of the sequence is `3n-2` . Is the sequence an AP. If so; find the 10th term .
If first term is 8 and last term is 20 common diffference is 2 . find the value of n when the series are in AP.
Which term of the sequence is the first negative term .. `20; 19(1/4);18(1/2);17(3/4).....`
Show that the sum of `(m+n)^(th) and (m-n)^(th)` term of an AP is equal to twice the `m^(th)` term ?
Show that sum `S_n` of n terms of an AP with first term a and common difference d is `S_n=n/2(2a+(n-1)d)`
Find the sum of 20 terms of the AP 1, 4, 7, 10,....


THE VINEYARD: Wind dictates everything at this 15-acre vineyard in Sonoma County. The parcel sits in the mouth of the Petaluma Gap, where a blend of unique terroir, cool climate, and consistent wind yields long hang times that allow flavors to mature slowly and steadily. The majority of the vineyard is Pinot Noir with clones of Pommard 4, Dijon 113, and 667. In his book, A New California Wine, Jon Bonne describes the vineyard as "perhaps the most challenging vineyards [in all of California]." Considering the intense flavors of the grapes from this location, we're happy to take on the challenge of working with grapes farmed from here.
LABEL STORY: Erin's great aunt, Mary Ellen "Dude" Barton, an honoree in the Cowgirl Hall of Fame, inspires The Wrangler as a true original. Fittingly, this wine expresses the personality of Pinot Noir with strength and precision. She competed against the men and usually won.
TASTING NOTE: Dense coloration hints at the intensity of this bold and enticing Pinot Noir with intriguing sappy aromas that include wild berries, rose hips and wet earth. The palate is lush yet savory with balanced acidity and present tannins with notes of dried herbs, forest floor and a touch of tanned leather.


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Exponential Medicine Day 3: Scientific Discovery and Startup Innovation
Michael Batista Exclusive
Day 3 of Exponential Medicine began with none other than Dr. Daniel Kraft moderating the morning keynote with Vinod Khosla, renowned investor and Founder of Khosla Ventures, who talked about how the practice of medicine has evolved to follow a set of rules based largely on historical precedent rather than practicing the best possible medicine. He believes the practice of medicine needs to become the science of medicine. To that end, Vinod predicted that data science will do more for medicine within the next 10 to 20 years than all the biological sciences combined. He also thinks that in that timeframe we will see five times fewer errors, five times lower cost of care, five times less work per doctor, five times faster clinical interactions, and five times the number of opportunities for clinicians to take part in research. From that outlook, the clear trend is a reduction in the reliance on the doctor for most healthcare needs. Instead, as Vinod has commented in other talks, patients will become the CEOs of their own health. During a short Q&A, Vinod responded to a question regarding the volatility of startups in healthcare. His message to startups was that a 1% chance of failure is okay if you have a 10% chance of changing the world.
Daniel remained on stage as the first speaker of the morning session on 'Regenerative and Rejuvenative Medicine'. Daniel spoke about progress in the development of synthetic organs and tissues. Already we're seeing applications of implanted trachea and bladders which are becoming ever more individualized by using the patient's own cells as the source material and tailoring the geometry of implants to the patient anatomy. Daniel also touched on opportunities in stem cells which the following speakers expanded.
Daniel ended by introducing our next speaker, Dr. Alan Russell, Director of the Disruptive Health Technology Institute at Carnegie Mellon University and the CIO and Executive VP for the Allegheny Health Network. Alan spoke about the work being done to replace inflammation with regeneration. In utero humans have a natural regenerative response to injury. Unfortunately, that ability is lost around the third trimester and replaced with an inflammatory response. Alan believes mesenchymal stem cells provide an opportunity to allow humans to regain natural regeneration responses. Current challenges that still face the use of MSCs include which specific cells to use, how to get them, how to get them to stay, and how to get them to act correctly at the right time. Additionally, while MSCs have almost always proven to be safe and result in a functional improvement, rarely do scientists understand why.
Dr. Robert Hariri, Chairman, Founder, and CSO of Celgene Cellular Therapeutics and a FutureMed staple, took the stage to posit: if 100 becomes the new 60, will it be worth it? It's not just a matter of living longer, but living longer while feeling capable and competitive. Robert continued Alan's discussion of stem cells by claiming that aging is a stem cell problem. He believes in the concept of recharging the regenerative engine. Robert's company has done a great job learning how to collect, process, and preserve stem cells that can provide a resource well into the life of a donor. These stem cells can be used to replace organs and regain tissue functionality. Looking forward, Robert claimed the future use of stem cell work would benefit from a new model describing functional similarities to computers. Programming the biological software of stem cells is already happening and will be a real target to address the challenge of aging.
The session was closed by Dr. Aubrey de Grey, a biomedical gerontologist and CSO of the SENS Foundation. Aubrey has long been theorizing about aging and believes that the problem begins with the the mindset that there is a difference between diseases and aging. He claims that there is an arbitrary distinction between conditions that negatively affect health, to which we give specific names, such as Alzheimer's disease, and conditions that affect the body as we age but which many consider natural. From a clinical perspective, Aubrey believes two main challenges exist. First, due to this mindset, current interventions often fail because they are designed to be used when the patient has already reached their later life at which point existing damage has already occurred. Second, the human metabolism is extremely complex and it is unreasonable to expect that it can be easily manipulated to eliminate a few negative effects while maintaining all the other positive aspects. Over the years, Aubrey has developed a rubric of damage types he believes exhaustively encapsulates all the areas that need to be tackled in tandem to effectively address aging: cell loss, division-obsessed cells, death-resistant cells, mitochondrial mutations, intracellular junk, extracellular junk, and extracellular matrix stiffening.
Next up was another speaker in the 'Patients Included' series, ePatient Dave deBronkart, a stage IV kidney cancer survivor who is now one of the world's leading advocates for patient engagement. Dave gave a hilarious account of one of his first experiences as an engaged patient participating in a marijuana study at Boston City Hospital (now Massachusetts General Hospital). Just like in his original TED talk, Dave is still a proponent of letting patients help the advancement of medicine through efforts like the Society for Participatory Medicine of which he is a Co-Founder and Co-Chairman. To be clear, to Dave, patient involvement goes beyond simply being good data collectors and making personal data available to having an active voice in deciding where efforts in healthcare are placed and what gets studied.
After a quick break in the Innovation Lab, Daniel introduced Dr. Evan Snyder to begin a session on the Future of Neuromedicine. Evan is a Professor and Program Director of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine at the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute. Evan painted a picture of approaching neurological disease and disability based on prediction, prevention and intervention, protection, restoration, and replacement. In the future, he believes medicine will become more intelligent about what stem cells can do naturally. One of the primary take-aways of Evan's talk was the fact that despite progress in the development of stem cell treatments, the biggest challenge facing neuromedicine is that there is still a lack of understanding about what needs to be fixed biologically. Similar to Alan's earlier comment, Evan claims that the best therapy with the most reliable stem cells are useless unless what they are targeting and what they are trying to fix is completely clear. Currently, some treatments work but a continued lack of understanding of why they work will limit progress.
Next we heard from Ariel Garten, CEO and Co-Founder of InteraXon, whose company develops tools to capture brain signals and creates brain-controlled technologies. The company's current product Muse, is a brain sensing headband that captures EEG in a consumer-accessible form. Muse gives the user real-time feedback on their brain activity to increase cognitive activity and reduce stress, both of which can be tracked over time to see changes and, ideally, improvement. Thousands of individuals are already using Muse to decrease anxiety and improve sleep. With this excellent consumer start, Ariel and her company are looking forward to what their technology can do clinically to help patients. With so many high fidelity EEG signals being collected by Muse, Ariel closed by touching on the opportunity to leverage this neurological big data mine.
We then heard from Dr. Philip Low, CEO and Founder of NeuroVigil. whose company developed the iBrain which is the first portable brain monitor ever built. NeuroVigil's products have been used for clinical research for over five years to provide functional capabilities to individuals suffering from debilitating diseases such as ALS, including Stephen Hawking and Augie Nieto. Expanding on the iBrain, Philip announced that NeuroVigil now has the world's smallest noninvasive brain monitor (about the size of a Listerine packet). The company is now working with NASA to send their technology to the International Space Station to conduct the first space-based clinical study of brain signals.
The session was closed by Dr. Christopher deCharms, CEO and Founder of Omneuron. Chris began with a personal account of his own experience with pain and the challenges in communicating and individually managing pain. Chris' company has developed an app to address both of these issues. Currently, patients use a simple 1-10 scale to convey the severity of pain. As a replacement to this ineffective system, Chris and his team have developed aN auditory analog where the patient chooses a decibel level that corresponds to their level of pain to safely convey the severity of the pain to others. To address the challenge of pain management, the app helps individuals understand the sequence of brain postures that allow an individual to control their pain. The platform also crowdsources experiences to share strategies among individuals dealing with similar types of pain.
Before lunch was the annual photo shoot where all attendees receiveD a pair of Exponential Medicine scrubs and assembleD for a picture of the whole conference. After lunch, attendees took part in any of eighteen different workshops including a discussion with Senior Director of Microsoft Worldwide Health, Dr. Bill Crounse, a session on Google Glass, and a review of the state of the art in military medicine presented by Navy Seal medics.
The afternoon saw attendees return to the main stage for a session on 'ReShaping Healthcare' by Data DeSiloing with Lucien Engelen and Jeroen Tas. Lucien is the Head of the Regional Emergency Medicine Network at the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre in the Netherlands. Lucien pointed out the missing factors in discussions around medical innovations: users and patients. While we often think of doctors when we think of clinicians, in reality it is often a nurse who uses new medical devices. Poignantly, the Exponential Medicine crowd only has a handful of practicing nurses in attendance. Similarly, the input of the patient, who might not always be the most technically savvy individual, is critical. Lucien suggested that healthcare companies large and small make a new position, the CLO, or Chief Listening Officer, whose only role is to speak with and listen to what the target user and patient thinks. Lucien transitioned to Jeroen with a video introducing Philip's eCareCoordinator and eCareCompanion. Jeroen discussed the application of Philips' new system currently being implemented at Lucien's institution. The platform takes advantage of mobile collected data, analytics, and big data to create a system that both providers and health insurance companies can use to deliver value-based care. Already Philips is using their products to address COPD in the Netherlands and are looking to expand geographically and to other diseases.
The next session was kicked off by Dr. Jordan Shlain, primary care physician, entrepreneur, and health policy thought leader. Jordan clearly outlined the incentives in care from the point of view of patients and providers. Patients want to minimize the impact of illness, trust their medical team, have convenient communication, feel support, and experience a sense of control. Doctors want to practice medicine easily, receive actionable information, and use payment models that make sense. Jordan believes these wants can be achieved through a continuously learning clinical operating system and a learning best practices engine. With this in mind Jordan developed HealthLoop. HealtLoop is a platform to connect doctors and patients with timely and actionable information, improving patient satisfaction and driving better outcomes. Jordan gave a brief demo of how the platform is already providing real benefit to patients and providers.
Back again this year we next heard from Dr. Maulik Majmudar, MGH cardiologist and CMO and Founder of Quanttus, Inc. Maulik spoke to the new Healthcare Transformation Lab at MGH whose mission is to improve the experience and value of patient care through collaborations. Part of this intiative is the recent award of 6 grants to incubate and support innovations that can positively impact healthcare.
Dr. Jack Kreindler returned to the stage for the third time this week drawing on his love of Star Wars to make some entertaining correlations between Darth Vader the maintenance of multiple chronic diseases. Jack echoed much of the material discussed earlier this week regarding Sentrian's work combining machine learning with patient data to generate a new intelligence that does not exist today.
Dr. Christian Assad gave a broad presentation touching on trends of AI, mobile technology, and the value of gamification. Christian encouraged everyone to take advantage of the valuable connections formed at Exponential Medicine. Like Jack, Christian is a great example of an individual who took the energy of this event to heart and made the connections needed to drive foward an idea that ultimately became Curely, a company in this year's Innovation Lab providing a telehealth marketplace for patients to get answers about their medical questions directly from doctors.
Before the afternoon break, Nigel Auckland, the Bionic Arm Man, gave another 'Patients Included' talk on his experiences coping with upper arm limb loss. Nigel touched on how his journey began as an emotional struggle dealing with a changing physical condition that, through technology, has become an outlet for hope for himself and others suffering with limb loss. His message: "life changing doesn't have to be life ending." Nigel closed with an amazing demonstration of the different types of grips and functions of his multiarticulating artificial arm built on reading myoelectric signals from his remaining limb.
After another break in the Innovation Lab, we heard from Paul Stamets, proponent of the science of medical mushrooms and ecology. Paul touched on many of the points from his now famous TED Talk, including how many individuals, including his mother, have reversed life-threatening diseases through the consumption of mushrooms. He also presented some very exciting insights into the interrelated behaviors of trees, bears, fungi, and honey bees. Specifically, he revealed new findings showing that bees interact with specific types of mushrooms for the antiviral benefit they confer to their hives. Expanding on these insights, Paul believes all organisms, including humans, can benefit from mycelial organisms.
The keynote of the evening, speaking on the 'Future of Pharma' was Dr. Jeremy M. Levin, Chairman of Ovid Therapeutics, Inc and of Health:Augmented and former CEO and President of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. A common thread throughout Jeremy's talk was the need for collaboration between technology, clinicians, patients, and pharmaceutical companies. More specifically, Jeremy pointed to the fact that mobile health, big data, and other innovation being discussed at this year's Exponential Medicine are still largely anathema to pharmaceutical organizations. There are many reasons for this divide. For pharma, innovation takes place on 9 to 15 year time scales, not months. The people themselves are less entrepreneurial since most do not stay with their companies long enough to see drugs they work on make it to market. Pharma company structures are large and linear while innovative startups are small and often lack any semblance of structure. But despite all this, Jeremy believes these companies are not that different and that a fundamental change has occurred that will spur pharma to partner with new technologies. He believes such a trend is not only possible but imperative and that those who take what may seem like a risk will ultimately be the most successful.
Putting the focus back on startups, we heard about the work being done by Miroculus, a previous SU team disrupting cancer detection. Miroculus uses 3D printing, smartphones, and low-cost screening tools to detect microRNAs from blood samples that can serve as indicators of deadly metastatic cancer.
Following Miroculus, the evening closed with the MEDy (Medical Entrepreneurship and Disruption) Awards, given to the winners of the startup pitch competition held during the workshop sessions over the last two days. The awards were presented by Sandra Miller, Director of the SU Labs. Award categories and winners this year were:
One to Watch: NeuroRecovery Technologies, Inc
Convergence: Orpyx
Most Disruptive: CaptureProof
Outstanding Pitch: FirstID
Previous days' coverage: Exponential Medicine Day 1: Preparing to Reinvent Health & Medicine…; Exponential Medicine Day 2: Big Data Everywhere…
Link to watch the live stream from Exponential Medicine…
Michael Batista
Michael Batista is a Baltimore-based editor motivated by disruptive innovation at the intersection of technology and healthcare. He holds a dual B.S. in materials and bioengineering from MIT and conducted graduate work in biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins in the Center for Bioengineering Innovation and Design. At Johns Hopkins, Michael was involved in early stage medical technology development before diving into the world of digital healthcare. Since 2014, he has been the CEO of the digital health startup, Quantified Care (https://www.quantifiedcare.com/).


Why did nobody tell me sewing stretch fabric is easy? I've always been nervous of trying it, but today I put a shiny new 'stretch' needle on the machine, looked up stretch stitches in its manual, and gave it a go. And it was fine! A little slow, because you need more stitches in a stretchy seam than in a non-stretchy one, but you don't need to iron anything, so I think it winds up faster overall!
I used one of my favourite second-hand tops as a template, because its bat-wing shape is really comfy, and suits my shape too. :) I folded it in half, and traced around it onto paper. Then I folded my fabric into quarters (stretchy silver sparklyness, oh yeah), pinned the paper template to it, and cut around it leaving a half-inch margin for the seams. Then I unfolded the fabric, pinned the front and back pieces together, and sewed the shoulder seams and side seams using a 'stretch overlock' stitch.
I tried it on, and cut the neckline lower at the front. Then I sewed around the edges of the cuffs, neckline, and hem using the same stitch. These edges aren't super tidy, so I might fold them over and re-hem them later.
I repeated the process with some dinosaur tshirt fabric I've had for ages. I made this one a little longer, and shortened the sleeves. This time I folded over the edges before sewing around the cuffs, neckline, and bottom hem.
Next on the sewing agenda is a laptop bag. Here's a peek at my fabric. I'm tempted to put actual crocheted granny squares on the pockets!


What dealers need to know to keep their customers cyber-secure.
Controlling user codes for smart door locks is critical to smart home cyber security.
Strong passwords can help secure the smartphone app that customers use to remotely control their smart home systems.
Parks Associates data indicate that almost half of U.S. broadband households are "very concerned" (rating 6 to 7 on a 7-point scale) about hackers getting control of connected devices. Consumers are equally concerned about hackers getting access to historical data from those devices. An analysis of changes in these consumer attitudes from 2014 to 2016 finds that the total share of consumers who are "concerned" (rating 5 to 7) has increased by 5 percent on both questions and the share of those "very concerned" has grown by 6 percent to 7 percent. Similarly, the share of consumers who are "not concerned" (rating 1 to 3) has shrunk by about 3 percent to 6 percent.
Security dealers increasingly are offering smart home devices such as smart lighting control, smart thermostats and smart door locks to their customers. By taking the right precautions, dealers can help ensure that those devices enhance the customer's lifestyle without posing cyber security vulnerabilities.
While the focus of this article is specifically on cyber security for smart home equipment, it's important to note that there also may be vulnerabilities related to the security system to which the smart home equipment may be connected — a topic addressed in the sidebar titled, "How Secure Are Wireless Security Devices?" on page 76.
Potential cybersecurity vulnerabilities related to smart home equipment fall into three main areas: wireless communications, passwords/user codes, and the security of the customer's router/broadband modem.
Smart home devices such as smart door locks or smart thermostats may use Z-Wave, Zigbee or Wi-Fi wireless communications.
Ross Werner, chief architect for San Jose, Calif.-based security and smart home equipment manufacturer Qolsys Inc., explains the cyber security protections provided by each of these protocols. "Z-Wave devices fall into two categories: secure (access devices such as door locks) and non-secure (light switches, thermostats, etc.). Secure Z-Wave devices use 128-bit AES encryption; this is what financial institutions and governments use to protect sensitive data. It is built-in, always-enabled, not even possible to be disabled," Werner explains.
Encryption helps prevent an unauthorized user from using a "sniffer" device to listen to communications in order to learn passwords or other sensitive information.
Zigbee is a bit more complicated because each one of multiple vendors has implemented its own version of the networking stack. Overall, though, "if you look at Zigbee 3.0, with proper implementation, its security is comparable to Z-Wave; it also uses 128-bit AES and has a pairing process between devices to the network controller," Werner says.
Ensuring Wi-Fi security "requires first enabling a robust security protocol and then strong passwords to keep the communication secure," according to Werner.
Dave Mayne, vice president of product management for Hudson, Wis.-based manufacturer Alula, notes that most Wi-Fi smart home equipment has encryption as a default setting. A bigger concern, he says, is whether an unauthorized Z-Wave device might be able to connect to a Z-Wave network.
Devices used with Alula and some other smart home systems have a feature that requires the passing of secure software keys — which Mayne says could be thought of as device passwords — back and forth between the system and any device that wants to join the network.
According to Mayne, "not all manufacturers do that well." Accordingly, he advises dealers to ask the manufacturer of any smart home equipment what that manufacturer does to make sure that only trusted devices can join the network.
Recognizing that, dealers will want to keep up with new developments in encryption technology and when appropriate, consider replacing or, if possible, upgrading existing devices so that they have the most current technology.
How Secure Are Wireless Security Devices?
Ironically, potentially the least secure portion of an integrated security and smart home system is not the smart home portion of the system, but rather the security portion.
According to Mike Hackett, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Qolsys, some of the proprietary protocols that manufacturers use between wireless sensors and the control panel are unencrypted.
Traditionally, this was not a major concern, he explains. "Ten years ago, it would take a really smart person with a really gigantic server" to "pull up to someone's house," listen in on communications between elements of the security system and determine how to gain entry to the system, Hackett observes.
In today's world, however, he notes that "there's a simple radio you can buy on eBay or Amazon" which, when combined with watching a video on YouTube, can give almost anyone the ability to crack into unencrypted security system communications.
Communication between individual elements of an alarm system can be fairly infrequent, but according to Hackett, a potential burglar could hide a sniffer device in a bush near a home targeted for a heist and return a week or so later to gain the necessary information.
Some security manufacturers — including Qolsys, Alula and others — are now encrypting wireless security system communications and some offer retrofit kits for existing systems that may lack encryption. Retrofit kits may enable security dealers to replace only the radio portion of the existing panel, Hackett explains. To minimize upgrade costs, dealers may consider only replacing particularly critical sensors such as wireless key fobs and door/window contacts, he notes.
Advising customers about options such as these could be an important task for security dealers, considering that a recent Parks Associate survey conducted for Qolsys found that 64 percent of professionally monitored security system owners believe their home security system uses encrypted communications from the sensors to the panel, even though the percentage likely is considerably lower.
"Proprietary protocols used in various security products have varied in the degree of protection they provided, from highly rigorous to much less so," comments Brad Russell, Connected Home research director for Parks Associates.
According to Helen Heneveld, president of Holland, Mich.-based Bedrock Learning and author of SDM's Smart Insights column, the most common vulnerabilities associated with home control systems relate to user codes and passwords. It's critical for the default passwords on any home control devices that use passwords to be changed.
What malicious actors could do if they were to obtain the password to a home control device varies, depending on whether the device communicates with the security system, Heneveld explains, but one possibility is they might be able to unlock doors or windows.
Heneveld recommends that security dealers offer a password management service to their home control customers to keep track of client passwords and help ensure that those passwords are changed regularly. Homeowners see security dealers as trusted suppliers, Heneveld argues, and by offering password management, dealers not only gain a potential source of recurring monthly revenue (RMR), they also "reaffirm the trust" that customers have in them.
Some industry stakeholders have a bit different take, however. Noting that many systems are controlled via an app installed on the customer's smartphone or through a computer, Nick English, national sales manager for Kwikset Corp., Lake Forest, Calif., recommends that the installer show the customer how to change the password using the app but should avoid knowing the password, instead turning responsibility over to the customer to enter the password into the system.
Using an app that requires customers to use a longer-length password that includes a combination of special characters and upper- and lower-case letters or advising customers to use such a password also can enhance cyber security.
English offers other advice for what security dealers should tell customers when turning a newly installed smart home system over to the customer. He notes, for example, that Kwikset smart door locks can support as many as 30 user codes, but he advises dealers to discourage customers from assigning more of them than they need. He also encourages dealers to inform customers that they can limit the hours during which an individual user can access the system.
"If you have a dog walker and you give them their own user access code, maybe you only make it available during certain times and not on weekends," English suggests.
Some smart home cyber security vulnerabilities originate in a device that typically is not under the security dealer's control — the broadband modem/router from the cable or phone company or other Internet provider.
"Right now, I think that's kind of a hands-off area," comments Mayne, who notes that security dealers don't want to be accused of changing something on the router that causes some type of problem for the customer.
Nevertheless, routers could have cyber security vulnerabilities if certain software is out of date, if default passwords haven't been changed, or for other reasons. One important potential vulnerability is if software ports on the router have been left open, which also leaves open the possibility that a malicious actor might gain entry to the network through an open port.
"If they can get to the router, maybe they can get to your laptop," observes Mike Hackett, Qolsys senior vice president of sales and marketing — and that might enable a malicious actor to get to banking records or other sensitive information.
Mayne advises security dealers to consider offering a monitoring service for the router, a move that could enhance smart home cyber security while at the same time provide a new source of RMR. If the monitoring service were to detect potential security vulnerabilities in the router, the dealer could advise the customer to raise the issue with his or her Internet provider. He points to Fing, Bitdefender and Cujo as possible providers of such software.
Mayne adds, though, that there are some instances in which a smart home system could introduce potential vulnerabilities. Whether or not this could occur relates to how the dealer's equipment manufacturer implements remote smartphone control, according to Mayne.
The most secure method, he says, is via a cloud connection. With this approach, if a malicious actor were to gain access to the customer's account by somehow obtaining or guessing the user's password, he or she would not be able to gain access to the customer's home network but only to the cloud interface. Mayne advises dealers to avoid using products that rely on a direct connection to the customer's home network for remote access.
Dealers also may want to make cyber security part of their ongoing dialogue with their customers.
"We make it a habit to routinely educate/inform our customers of the best security measures they themselves should take: at the point of sale, during/after installation and on an ongoing basis via phone calls, emails and blog postings," comments Heather Spencer, coordinator of marketing and social media for GHS Interactive Security, a security dealer based in Woodland Hills, Calif.
Avoid using the same password for multiple log-ins.
Ensure equipment firmware is updated on a regular basis.
Only purchase security equipment from a trusted source.
Adding smart home capabilities can enhance customers' experiences with their security systems and boost dealer revenues. Keeping cyber security top of mind can help ensure that customers have a positive experience with their smart home systems and may even provide additional revenue opportunities in the form of password management and monitoring of customers' home networks.