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Getting young people thinking active
07/11/2017 | Comment
For nearly a decade primary school children in the North East have learned about fitness and nutrition through Newcastle United Foundation's Match Fit programme. Now, a digital civics project aims to enhance this six-week programme by using digital technologies to further increase the fitness and health awareness of primary school children.
Students taking part in Match Fit learn about nutrition and exercise, as well as taking part in extensive physical activity, all inspired by the fitness regime of Newcastle United's footballers.
ThinkActive.io takes this project one stage further by using sensors to measure the movement of the children to see just how active they are. Inexpensive fitness trackers report on step counts over the course of the programme to evidence behaviour change.
The goal of ThinkActive.io is to is to engage students with their own activity and nutritional data to enhance data literacy and help them learn about how health and fitness can be supported by technology. The data collected through the programme can also be used as an engaging educational resource by teachers; hopefully a more critical understanding of data provides students with the skills to be engaged digital citizens.
For more information please contact Andy Garbett.
Public HealthTechnologyEducationDataSensorMovementMatch Fit
What did you eat today?
Accessible and validation methods for collecting and assessing dietary information is critical to the many public health interventions. Traditionally, a nutritionist interview participants to capture what has been consumed in the previous 24 hours, and this is repeated several times to estimate average consumption. To conduct such interviews at scale requires large numbers of trained nutritionists, who use their expertise to probe for additional information which is often missed or forgotten. To analyse dietary information, each food and amount is then manually coded and entered into a database to produce the nutritional output, a process which is timely, expensive and can be prone to error.
Intake24 is a free multilingual online dietary capture and analysis tool which provides the same quality of data at a significantly lower cost. Based on the multiple-pass 24 hour recall method, the system enables participants to input all food and drink consumed, estimate portion size using visual guides, and review their input at each stage. The system has been designed to ask a series of prompt questions if food or drink items are considered missing, such as "did you have any butter on your toast?"
Intake24 automatically links to the food composition data and the weight of the food from the chosen portion size to calculate the nutritional output. The data from dietary surveys using Intake24 is available online and can be downloaded straight into a spreadsheet for easy analysis.
For more information please contact Emma Simpson.
Public HealthHealthFood
Supporting women who choose to breastfeed in public
Many new mothers stop breastfeeding early because they fear how people will react in public.
FeedFinder is a free mobile app that aims to support breastfeeding women by helping them find breastfeeding-friendly places in their community. Women can use FeedFinder to search for and view places on the map where other women have previously breastfed, and contribute their own experiences of a new or existing venue.
Designed and developed in collaboration with breastfeeding women, the review criteria in the app have been carefully crafted to meet women's breastfeeding needs: comfort, hygiene, privacy and baby facilities. All of the data within the app has been contributed by the breastfeeding community.
Since its launch in 2013, FeedFinder has over 10,000 registered users adding reviews of more than 3,500 locations.
FeedFinder reviews constitute a unique dataset of women's lived experiences of breastfeeding outside of the home; a useful resource for breastfeeding support networks and local public health initiatives. There is significant potential for organisations to be motivated to act on reviews from FeedFinder; for example, by contacting businesses with negative comments while commending those receiving consistently good ratings.
For more information please contact Madeline Balaam or Emma Simpson.
Public HealthSocial CareApp MovementFeedFinderAppBreastfeedingPlace
Debate the future of Newcastle's parks
Newcastle's parks and allotments are facing big changes, but local people are being brought into the discussion.
Open Lab is working with Newcastle City Council to hold workshops and online discussions that include residents, allotment holders, the business community, local charitable groups, friends of parks and other interested parties. These conversations are centred around what activities a charitable trust could support, where the money should come from, what role volunteers and communities should play, and how decisions should be made.
The consultation comes after the council announced plans to transfer the city's parks and allotments to a new charitable trust. Since 2010 the council's parks budget has been cut by 91% and it is now looking for a new way to fund their maintenance and operation.
In addition to the council's own consultation, Open Lab are running workshops across the city, with a mix of morning and evening sessions, to allow as many people as possible to take part.
"The people who use the city's parks and green spaces are best placed to give their opinions about how they're run and managed," explained Clara Crivellaro, who is leading the project for Open Lab. "These workshops will provide opportunities for people to come together to examine aspects of the council's proposal and proactively contribute ideas for parks and allotments across the city."
The workshops are being complemented by Twitter discussions, hosted each Wednesday at 7pm by @NCLTalkParks using the hashtag #NewcastleParks. Each of the four hour-long debates will focus on a different question relating to the future of Newcastle's parks.
The Twitter discussions will be facilitated by Dan Lambton-Howard, who said: "Twitter provides a fantastic opportunity for people to have their say without having to attend a public meeting or workshop. Anyone with a Twitter account can join in the debate, and can already start having their say by using the hashtag #NewcastleParks."
Clara added: "The variety of ways that people can get involved in this consultation exercise is a great example of what Open Lab is all about – using digital technology to empower local communities and engage them in decision making."
Open Lab's consultation will run until 6 April, and more information can be found at the Let's Talk Parks website. The council will use the ideas collected through the discussions and through its own consultation to develop a business case for transferring control of the parks to a charitable trust.
Cllr Kim McGuinness, cabinet member for culture and communities at Newcastle City Council, said: "Open Lab at Newcastle University have come up with imaginative ways to deliver online material and informal face-to-face workshops that will help people think about the matters being raised. Technology and social media play a big part in Open Lab's work – as they look to get people to think outside of the box, and express their views and thoughts about the prospects of a charitable trust.
"We hope this fresh approach will attract a broad cross section of the public and allow people to participate on their own terms in person or via technology. We really want people to engage and share their thoughts, ideas and feelings about the future of the city's parks."
For more information, please contact Clara Crivellaro.
Public HealthPoliticsParksConsultationPlace
Cycling in the city
After nearly a year of workshops, community consultations and research interviews, MyPlace researchers finalised their 'Cycling in the City' report. The main aim was to explore the potential of digital tools for those new to cycling in Newcastle upon Tyne. Rachel Clarke, Wilbert den Hoed and Pete Wright report on the use of social technology to increase confidence among new cyclists and the discovery of new routes.
The report outlines two phases of a design study to explore the potential for digital technology to support local cycling knowledge for new cyclists within the city of Newcastle upon Tyne. Our purpose was to understand how new cyclists describe particular preferences for routes, their technology use and how they plan journeys to support confidence when choosing rides.
We found perceptions of route finding were part of a much wider ecology of activities involving formal and informal training and confidence building. All cyclists described the desire to find new routes, as driven by changes in circumstance, including ageing, health, family and retirement. The impetus to explore was important for people to continue to cycle but depended on geographical, embodied and technical knowledge to guide decision- making. The technology used to support such activity included a range of devices and platforms but focused on connecting and compiling information to build confidence in dealing with issues of safety, complexity and uncertainty. While some people also described their use of fitness tracking devices, others reported using technology to aid distraction and curate the sensory and social experiences associated with cycling. Technical and improvised work-arounds to connect, compile, make-sense of and accommodate the lack of specific localised knowledge of available routes were also reported.
We conclude with possible ways to further develop integrated mobile phone and web platforms, that capitalise on local grass-roots knowledge and sharing of places and routes while respecting the diversity with which new cyclists experience routes. We suggest connecting with existing platforms that support social rides and route discovery to encourage opportunities for curation around a broader set of search terms such as feelings of freedom, views and satisfaction associated with wellbeing rather than searches determined by efficiency, safety and fitness could support greater confidence for new cyclists.
For more information please contact Wilbert den Hoed. This post was originally published on the MyPlace website, where you can also view the full report. MyPlace is a project to explore issues around mobility and place, with a particular focus on age friendly cities, and fits within the wider digital civics theme of digital local democracy and community.
Public HealthCyclingPlace
Open source, open data, Open Lab
Open source sensors developed at Open Lab, Newcastle University, are behind the largest study of physical activity ever conducted.
Biobanks are becoming an increasingly important tool in medical research, offering an opportunity to study human health on a massive scale. Since 2007 UK Biobank has collected data about the genetic and biological information of half a million volunteers. They provided blood, urine and saliva samples and detailed information about their health, so that researchers can investigate possible genetic links to major illnesses such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
Since its foundation UK Biobank has expanded to collect data on other areas as well, including diet, bone structure and physical activity. To measure activity UK Biobank uses sensors, worn on the wrist for a week, that measure the movements of participants. These sensors were designed by Open Lab.
This has been the biggest physical activity study in history. 103,712 people wore the sensors, contributing a total of 2,000 years' worth of movement data. This data can be used to investigate the impact of physical activity on health. Previous studies relied on self-reporting by participants, but Biobank's new physical activity dataset offers much more accurate information.
"Large-scale studies are required to reliably understand the causes and consequences of disease," said Dr Aiden Doherty from the University of Oxford. "UK Biobank's combination of activity, imaging, genetics, and clinical databases, will soon help us better understand physical activity and its health consequences."
The study used AX3 acceleration sensors that were designed in Open Lab and manufactured by Axivity Ltd, a Newcastle University spin-out.
"It's actually a relatively simple device, in many ways just like your average wearable fitness tracker but with the capability to store the raw unprocessed data on the device," explained Patrick Olivier. "However, key to the success of this project was the low cost of the device, compared to commercially available alternatives, and that we were able to adapt the device programming interface to UK Biobank's central database of participant contact information so that the right device was sent to the right person, allowing us to link it to the other data they provided on their behaviour and health."
Open Lab also helped to analyse the data collected by the sensors. The Biobank data will be available for use by researchers around the world, as Dr Tim Peakman, Deputy Chief Executive Officer for UK Biobank, explained.
"A huge amount of work has gone into reaching this milestone," he said. "Including setting up and sending out thousands of devices, retrieving and downloading their data and checking its integrity, and addressing the many challenges of processing this data, which is now available for other researchers to request by making an application to the UK Biobank team."
Not only is the data open to other researchers, but the sensors themselves are open source, meaning that other studies could exactly replicate the design.
Professor Nick Wareham, Director of the MRC Epidemiology Unit, said: "UK Biobank has redefined what is possible in the field of physical activity epidemiology; it is truly a game changer, effectively dispelling the myth that objective monitoring cannot be done at this very large scale.
"This development not only makes it possible to robustly examine associations and interactions between activity, diseases, environmental factors and genetics, it also paves the way for stronger surveillance systems of physical activity at the global level."
The project involved researchers from Newcastle University, the University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, University of Salford, and University of London, as well as UK Biobank. Development of the AX3 sensor was supported by funding from the Research Councils UK Digital Economy theme.
"Large Scale Population Assessment of Physical Activity Using Wrist Worn Accelerometers: The UK Biobank Study" http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0169649
Written by Mark Sleightholm. For more information please contact Patrick Olivier.
Public HealthTechnologyHealthSensorMovement
Lab talk: Stephen Lock
Clinical Research Networks recruit participants for NHS clinical research projects, and Stephen Lock looks at ways to use technology to improve this process. He explores ways that a better use of technology can lead to patient-centred research delivery models.
Public HealthResearchHealthLab talk
Technology, transport and town hall meetings
As well as being Labour's MP for Newcastle upon Tyne Central, Chi Onwurah is interested in both transport and digital technology. The intersection of these two areas falls within Open Lab's digital civics research, and the potential for technology to transform transport is enormous.
Cycling in Newcastle
Having recently started cycling again, Chi is keen for Newcastle to become more cycle-friendly. She praised the efforts of the Council to promote cycling in Newcastle, and pointed out that the city is steep compared to many others in the UK, making it more difficult for cyclists.
However, in addition to more cycle lanes, and cycle lanes that do more to protect cyclists, Chi would like more awareness around cycling, such as bike maintenance and safety, explaining: "people are still quite astounded when I turn up on a bike, and I think normalising it would help." This is perhaps an area where digital technology can help,
"I'd like to see better and clearer cycle routes, which are enforced, so you don't get cars parking in them all the time," she continued. "I don't know why they often stick bollards in front of cycle routes, but it feels like you're negotiating an obstacle course sometimes."
Digital planning
Another obstacle course that needs negotiating is the planning process. In August Chi organised a Town Hall meeting in Gosforth to discuss the Council's plans for Blue House roundabout, which were dropped after significant public opposition.
This meeting highlighted Chi's point that people are most engaged with planning decisions when they disagree. She speculated that digital technology could offer a way of engaging people without first making them angry.
Making meetings inclusive is also important: the people who attended the Blue House roundabout meeting in August "didn't have childcare or other care responsibilities at that time, and who knew about it, because we put out a few fliers, but I mainly tweeted about it.
"You need to have different ways of engaging with different demographics: those who work evenings, those who have childcare responsibilities, those who aren't on the internet or don't use it that much."
Opening up an online platform for discussion of planning issues could help to balance the difficulties people may face in attending physical meetings, but this is then dependent on internet access. "I think there's the potential for digital technology to play a really important role in engaging people," Chi said, adding that she hadn't yet "seen any really engaging or compelling applications that really do help us out".
One example of success in this area of engagement is the games industry – "nobody ever has to pay people to play games" – and Chi hoped that this level of engagement could also be achieved in apps and platforms that encourage people to get involved in planning and local decision making.
Whether through games or anger, getting local people involved in planning decisions is a key aim for both Chi and Open Lab's digital civics researchers. The Blue House roundabout controversy showed the crossover of planning, transport and technology that Chi feels so passionately about.
Public HealthPoliticsCyclingPlace
Helping young people find free condoms
Young people in the North East will be able to find places to access free condoms and sexual health information, thanks to an app generated using App Movement, an app-development platform developed as part of Newcastle University's digital civics research.
The C-Card Condom Finder app allows users to find and review places they can use their C-Cards. C-Cards are available for free to anyone under the age of 25 across the North East, and give young people access to free condoms and sexual health information, with these services provided by a large number of participating outlets.
Mark Hedley, the C-Card Coordinator for Newcastle upon Tyne, explained:
"The C-Card Scheme is often the first experience young people have of accessing a service to discuss relationships and sexual health with a trained professional. Many young people coming along to C-Card outlets are not having sex yet but appreciate the opportunity to talk things through with an understanding member of staff and have access to free condoms as and when they need them.
"For young people the C-Card Condom Finder app will allow them to find out where their local C-Card outlets are and give them an opportunity to give instant feedback on how they felt they were supported whilst using their C-Card; outlets will then be able to use this information to influence service provision to meet the needs of all young people."
The app was generated through App Movement, a platform developed by digital civics researchers at Newcastle University, which allows people to collaboratively commission and design their own apps. Anyone can begin by creating a campaign and gathering 150 supporters who can then collaboratively design and customize features of the app, including its name, the colour scheme and the criteria for rating locations. The app is then automatically generated by the platform and released on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Using the App Movement platform meant that young people were involved in the actual design process of their app. This fits within the digital civics approach of using technology to empower citizens.
Andy Garbett is a digital civics researcher and developed the App Movement platform. He explained:
"The partnership between the C-Card scheme and our digital civics programme is a great opportunity to have a positive impact on the sexual health initiative in the North East and enable young people to be more actively involved in the delivery of their C-Card service.
"Our digital civics research focuses on enabling citizens to take a leading role in the provision of community services. The App Movement platform allows a bottom-up approach to commissioning mobile applications and supporting communities in sharing their experiences with others. The C-Card Condom Finder app is a great example of how service users can shape the design and delivery of the services they utilise."
Although most areas in the UK have schemes to provide free contraception and sexual health advice to young people, these schemes are currently fragmented, and coverage varies from region to region. The C-Card Condom Finder app has the potential to provide a single network of free condom providers.
Public HealthSexApp MovementAppContraception
Dining and designing at #OpenHarissa
The Open Lab team headed to Harissa Mediterranean Kitchen in Sandyford, Newcastle for a design workshop based around community engagement and the links between social inequality and access to healthy eating options
Public HealthResearchPlace

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The New and Improved Happy Nappy from Splash About is the most reliable Swim Nappy in the world, insisted upon by swim schools and sold in over 30 countries worldwide. The improved Happy Nappy has been technically constructed to move as your baby moves ensuring the safest most leak free fit. Designed to be both comfortable and secure so that even during the most active of pool play any little accidents are held safely inside.


They say it's not the number on your paycheck that matters, it's the number on your savings account!!!!
Sometimes the hardest thing about saving money is just getting started. It can be difficult to figure out simple ways to save money and how to use your savings to pursue your financial goals. This step-by-step guide can help you develop a realistic savings plan.
Taking into consideration your monthly expenses and earnings, create a savings category within your budget and try to make it at least 10-15 percent of your net income. If your expenses won't let you save that much, it might be time to cut back. Look for non-essentials that you can spend less on—for example: entertainment and dining out—before thinking about saving money on essentials such as your vehicle or home.
FDIC-insured IRAs, which are built for purposes such as retirement savings. If you're not sure how much money you should set aside for retirement, give the Merrill Edge retirement calculator a try.
Securities, like stocks and mutual funds. These investment products are available through investment accounts with a broker-dealer (e.g. Merrill Edge). Remember that securities, such as stocks and mutual funds, are not insured by the FDIC, are not deposits or other obligations of a bank and are not guaranteed by a bank, and are subject to investment risks including the possible loss of principal invested.
Automatic transfers to your savings account can make saving money much easier. By moving money out of your checking account, you'll be less likely to spend money you wanted to use for savings. There are many options for setting up transfers. You choose how often you want to transfer money and which accounts you want to use for the transfers. You can even split your direct deposit between your checking and savings accounts to contribute to your savings with each paycheck. Thinking of saving as a regular expense is a great way to keep on target with your savings goals.


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Megan D. Gall, Ph.D.
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Chickadee Auditory Processing
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Mechanisms Regulating Sensory Plasticity
Evolution of Auditory Processing in Birds
Communication and Human Disturbance
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What's new in sensory ecology?
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Veery (Catharus fuscescens) Singing Behavior →
Veery (Catharus fuscescens) General Biology
Posted on May 3, 2018 by hbarrattheitmann
Figure 1: Veery Thrush © Evan Lipton, Newport, Rhode Island, United States, 10 May, 2017
The Veery Thrush has a plump body, round head, a straight, narrow bill, and fairly long wings and legs. From their crown to the end of their tail, Veeries have a bright cinnamon- brown color. Their face and chest have indistinct spotting that lead to a white stomach and pale gray flanks. Veeries also have a faint white ring around their eyes (Veery Identification, 2018). Veeries can range from 6.7-7.1 inches in length, 1.0-1.9 ounces in weight, and 11.0-11.4 inches in wingspan. To identify Veery, its size is compared to smaller than an American Robin and larger than Song Sparrow. There is slight to moderate geographic variation because Veeries found in northeastern and northwestern areas have a darker brown color to them. Between sexes, there is little to no difference in their appearance and sizes (Veery Identification, 2018).
The Veery is a territorial bird. Male birds will arrive to breeding areas in the spring, prior to females, in order to set up a territorial boundary from other Veeries. Instead of using song, Veeries use calls to create their own boundary (Heckscher, 2007). To protect their own territory from other birds, the male Veery will use agonistic behaviors such as chasing, snapping their bills, pointing their bill up accompanied by an upward stance, flicking their wings or tail, and a high pitch whistle (Dilger, 1956). Most of their agonistic behaviors occur between other Veeries; however, they can be used to fend off other species of birds .
The degree of territorial behavior a Veery displays can be effected by the age of the intruding bird and kinship. Mature males Veeries are tolerant of juvenile males nesting in their territory. However, the smaller the territory size, the more likely the mature male will act aggressively towards the juvenile. As for when a male of the same age intrudes a territory, the Veery will vigorously defend (Heckscher, 2007). Tolerance of other birds is also associated with kinship; birds that share a close relationship with a territory holder are less likely to be chased out (Halley et al, 2016).
HABITAT AND FORAGING
Figure 2: Breeding and migration patterns of the Veery (Heckscher et al., 2017)
The Veery primarily forages on the ground and in shrubs close to the ground. This specific thrush species can be seen hopping on the ground and flipping over leaves when in foliage in search of insects, berries, and small fruit. Another method used for foraging is fly-catching, where the bird can be seen hovering in the air in search for insects (Dilger, 1956). During the breeding season the bird's diet is composed of mostly insects, and towards fall/late summer, the bird's diet switches to berries and small fruits.
The Veery has a strong preference for deciduous forests in riparian regions (Dilger, 1956). Riparian regions are those located on or near the banks of rivers, and if no rivers are present in a certain location, the Veery looks for wetlands and damp regions. Since this thrush usually spends most of its time on or close to the ground, it sticks to habitats with lots of understory. Habitats with lots of understory have low vegetation, such as plants, shrubs, and small trees. Herb and shrub cover is essential in protecting the Veery from aerial and terrestrial predators. The Veery breeds in southern Canada and tips of northern USA, spreading as far East as West. It migrates down through the Midwest and East coast of the USA into northern South America (Fig. 2).
BREEDING BEHAVIOR
The previously thought monogamous mating system of the Veery has been rejected and a new polyandrous system is now thought to be correct. (Halley & Heckscher, 2012). Halley and Heckscher (2012) monitored 6 Veery nests, and found that all females tended a single brood, while males were observed caring for nestlings in up to three nests. Five of the six nests studied had more than one male care for the nestlings. This illustrates a polyandrous mating system where the female has more than one mate. However, limitations to this study include that it is a very small sample size and as a result may not reflect the entire species' mating system. Halley, Heckscher, and Kalavacharla (2016) observed similar patterns in another observational study containing 37 adult Veeries and 21 offspring. They observed both males and females having multiple mates, nests having multiple male feeders, and monogamous relationships. This indicates that there may be some variability in the mating system for Veeries, and one set mating system may not be correct. The female is primarily responsible for incubating the eggs in both polyandrous and monogamous relationships, however, both the male and female contribute to foraging for the nestlings. (Dilger, 1956)
Figure 3: Veery nest and eggs © Christopher (Kitt) Heckscher, Delaware, United States, 13 June 2013
Nests are typically chosen on or near the ground in deciduous forests/woodlands with dense vegetation (Fig. 2). The nests not placed on the ground are rarely seen high up in trees, and are most commonly seen on the tops of shrubs. Hechscher (2004) sampled 31 nests in Delaware, all of which were found on or low in shrubs or otherunderstory. The construction of the nest is completely undertaken by the female and begins with a platform, which is necessary for ground level nests. The nest itself is composed of three layers; an inner layer of fine fibers and wet leaves, creating a cup like shape for the eggs, and the two outer layers consisting of bark and twigs. A key characteristic keeping this nest together are the adhesive forces caused by the use of wet leaves and twigs (Heckscher et al., 2017).
Dilger, W. (1956). Adaptive modifications and ecological isolating mechanisms in the thrush genera Catharus and Hylocichla. Wilson Bull. 68(3), 171-199.
Heckscher, C. (2004). Veery Nest Sites in a Mid-Atlantic Piedmont Forest: Vegetative Physiognomy and Use of Alien Shrubs. Am Midland Nat no. 151(2), 326-337.
Heckscher, C., Bevier, L., Poole, A., Moskoff W., Pyle, P., and Patten, M. (2017). Veery (Catharus fuscescens), version 3.0. In The Birds of North America (P. G. Rodewald, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA.
Veery Identification, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2018, from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Veery/id
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Home : : Cover Story : Richard Hammond
Richard Hammond
During a quick pitstop from filming The Grand Tour, Richard Hammond talks to David Johns about life after Top Gear, jet-powered rocket cars, a love of camping – and heroes in the sky
Richard Hammond calls it 'customer feedback'. Well he would, wouldn't he? "Whenever we use a service, it's always a good idea to tell people what we think of the experience," he says. "And if it's positive, the people providing the service like to hear that their customers are happy and that they have done a good job."
This being the Hamster, and one third of the irreverent Clarkson, May and Hammond triumvirate, Richard isn't talking about how rapid Amazon delivered his parcel, or how easy it was to switch energy suppliers, or to deal with his bank. This customer feedback is of the ultimate kind… about saving lives. And specifically, saving his life.
Just over 10 years ago, Richard was knocking at the Pearly Gates after a high-speed test track accident saw the jet-powered car he was piloting while filming for BBC Top Gear crash at nearly 300mph. Flipped upside down and buried in the grass beside the track, Richard was eventually extricated and airlifted to hospital by air ambulance. Suffering serious head injuries he was in a coma for two weeks and his family and friends feared he would never recover.
STUCK IN AN IGLOO
As we all know, he did – and Richard is in no doubt as to the reason why. "Without the brave crew of the air ambulance getting to me and getting me to hospital so quickly, I wouldn't be here today. So, I'm sure glad they were around." To this day, the celebrity presenter never misses the opportunity to talk about and promote the air ambulance cause – which is why he was speaking to me just hours before flying out to Dubai to film for the new Grand Tour series.
In case you've been stuck in an igloo in a snowstorm somewhere in the Artic, The Grand Tour is Top Gear reborn, sort of, only different, more extreme, and without the BBC. Screened online by Amazon Prime, the series has been reported as having a £160million budget for 36 hour-long episodes, which works out at more than £4million a pop! Which all sounds a bit excessive until see Clarkson and May blow up Hammond's caravan with a rocket launcher! So that's where the money goes…
Richard describes the show as a 'huge camping expedition as The Grand Tour team travels the globe to drive, test and generally muck about with and destroy every conceivable type of vehicle. The enterprise suits Richard down to the ground because he says he has always 'loved the great outdoors'. He remembers that as a teenager he would set off into the countryside with his border collie for weeks at a time, hiking the hills during the day and camping at night. Since then he's made and slept in bivouacs on moors and mountains, in the Amazon rainforest and high in the Canadian Rockies. He's also camped on the Arctic ice, lying in the midnight sun, listening to the sea ice shift beneath him at night at minus 50C.
Unforgettable experiences. But a deadly 300mph crash isn't something anyone would want to remember however. Fortunately, you could say, Richard doesn't recall a whole lot about his mega-accident in 2006. "I was spark unconscious," he says. What he has never forgotten is the debt he owes to air ambulance 'heroes'.
"It's a weird thing, but almost all the time the air ambulance crews deal with victims in the most dire, serious situations and then once they have delivered them to hospital they probably will never see them again. I'm lucky, I've had cause to meet lots of different air ambulance crews around the country, presenting awards such as The Pride of Britain Awards. And they are all, without exception, very keen to hear from people who they have helped. Keen to talk to satisfied customers if you like. I'm more than happy to do that."
Richard's horror crash was near York so his lifesavers were from Yorkshire Air Ambulance. But as a Solihull-born lad who now lives in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, he devotes as much time and support as he can to championing Midlands Air Ambulance. Both Richard and his wife Mindy are ambassadors to the charity, supporting both national and local fund-raising and awareness. Mindy's godson was airlifted to Birmingham Children's Hospital by Midlands Air Ambulance after a life-threatening equestrian accident.
Jobe was knocked unconscious after he was struck a big blow to the right side of his head by a horse. Placed in a coma to stop seizures, doctors at Ross-on-Wye Community Hospital feared the worst for Jobe and he was airlifted by Midlands Air Ambulance 60 miles to Birmingham for emergency treatment. The specialist care helped Jobe make a full recovery.
Richard said: "Midlands Air Ambulance service is entirely funded by public and charitable donations and receives no Government or National Lottery funding. So, it is vitally important for the public to support their local air ambulance service. These crews are the real definition of heroes. When you live in the countryside you find that country people have a way of coming together and doing things to help each other and the community as a whole. This is what we do with the air ambulance. It's a vital part of the local, regional and national community. It's not overstating it to say that I, and many, many thousands of others, owe our lives to them."
HAMSTER IN SHORT
Richard is nicknamed The Hamster due his short stature. He's 5ft 7ins. (Jeremy Clarkson is 6ft 5ins)
Brylcreem once ranked Richard's barnet as the best haircut on TV.
After his accident, Richard developed a taste for celery which he previously hated.
Publicity in the days following his accident helped raised £250,000 for the air ambulance charity.
Richard sparked controversy in December for a comment in The Grand Tour in which he appeared to link eating ice cream with being gay.


Taxpayers are to be forced to bankroll political parties to the tune of £25 million a year under radical funding reforms outlined today.
A long-awaited report ordered by ministers said they should get 50 pence a year for every vote cast at the last General Election and 25 pence for votes in European and regional elections.
For every donation of £5 or more they attract from individual supporters, they would also be given £5 from the state.
The report, commissioned in the wake of the cash for honours row, said in exchange parties should accept a cap of £50,000 on donations and major reductions in the amounts they can spend on election campaigning.
But last night there were signs that Labour was digging in its heels over any change that would threaten the millions of pounds it receives every year from its trade union paymasters.
The Tories said they were ready to accept the key recommendations in Sir Hayden Phillips' report and branded Labour a "roadblock to reform".
Tony Blair insisted there was now the "basis for a new agreement" on the funding and expenditure of political parties - and said he wanted a deal struck before he leaves office in the summer.
Sir Hayden has agreed to chair further talks between the parties and warned it would be "very damaging" to the political system if the deadlock was not broken.
"The position we have got to now is one of considerable instability, where the ability of the parties to plan forward depends entirely on the fortunes of the electoral cycle and the willingness of large donors - whether organisations or individuals - to come up with substantial sums of money," the former civil servant said.
Sir Hayden insisted a £50,000 annual limit on donations from any one individual or organisation was "attainable and reasonable".
He conceded this would cause difficulties for Labour, because it receives so much of its income in bulk from the unions.
In 2006, 69 per cent of Labour's donations came from the unions - some £8.5 million - and they provided a further £8 million in "affiliation fees" to the party from union members.
Sir Hayden said union donations could continue as long as they could be traced back to individual members - apparently restricting Labour's union funding to money taken in affiliation fees.
One possibility is union members being asked to sign forms confirming that they want their contribution to the union's political fund to support a particular party.
But senior Labour figures immediately made it clear they were not prepared to accept any restrictions on donations which would undermine the party's historic link with the unions.
Commons leader Jack Straw defiantly insisted: "There isn't any problem with the way trade unions have been making contributions towards the Labour Party."
He told MPs there was "no case for further reform" of trade union funding.
And party chairman Hazel Blears said she was "not convinced" by Sir Hayden's proposals.
"The link between the trade unions and the Labour Party is very valuable, not just in financial terms but in getting the experience of working people into party policy," she said.
Tony Dubbins, of the Trade Union and Labour Party Liaison Organisation, said the reforms would represent "unwarranted interference in the internal constitution of the Labour Party."
Sir Hayden said he believed voters would accept extra state funding for political parties - but only if it was accompanied by real reform to clean up their finances.
His proposal that they should get 50p per year for each vote cast in the previous General Election and 25p in regional and European elections would cost around £18m a year.
He admitted the scheme would mean Scottish and Welsh voters having a greater financial say. As well as their votes allocating 75p per year in General and European elections, parties would get an extra 25p for each vote they cast in polls for the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly.
The "matched funding" scheme - under which parties would get £5 for every donation they attracted worth £5 or above from supporters - should distribute a maximum of £5 million a year, he said.
A further £2.2 million of taxpayers' money would be needed to beef up the Electoral Commission to oversee the new system. With £1.7 million of existing state funding for parties saved, the total annual bill would be around £23.4 million.
Both Labour and the Conservatives should cut their campaign expenditure over the course of a full Parliament by about £20 million each, to prevent a repeat of the 2005 General Election when the main parties between them spent £90 million in a year, Sir Hayden added.
Tory chairman Francis Maude said: "We welcome this report. We accept its main recommendations. We want cleaner and cheaper politics.
"The ball is now firmly in Labour's court to reform and clarify its relationship with the trade unions."
But critics of the package warned forcing taxpayers to fund parties' activities to such a degree could increase, rather than decrease discontent with the political system.
Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance campaign group, said: "Taxpayers should not be forced to pay the operating costs of political parties.
"Many people are already repulsed by what they see as the negativity and cynicism of modern politics with its relentless focus on expensive polling, focus groups and spin doctors.
politicians and the political process generally and these costs must continue to be paid for by political parties themselves."
Mr Elliott said the minimum cost to the taxpayer over a Parliament would be £125 million.
"If these proposals had been in place in 1997 the total bill to the taxpayer up until now would be a quarter of a billion pounds - enough to pay for ten thousand extra nurses," he added.


Wow, early daylight saving time change here. So, I updated my zoneinfo files today and made anysize.org the right time. I'd already installed the update for Mac OS X, so it updated automatigically. I turned my cell phone off and on, which made it pull the correct time, and reset my alarm clock.
A friend plays a lot of Japanese games and uses Windows XP with Service Pack 1. Service Pack 2 is known to break a lot of game compatibilities. Microsoft said, on their site, that Service Pack 2 is *required* for the update to daylight saving time!
Also, she takes online classes that require correct time, and manually setting the clock won't cut it.
Which lets you download a program to manually set your timezone stuff. So I suggested she try that instead of installing Service Pack 2, and it worked. Your mileage may vary.


Welcome to the Pimlico Toy Library!
We believe that play is integral to every child's development and overall well being.
We offer play opportunities for parent or carers and children 0–5 years for 47 weeks each year in addition to holding a stock of 1900 toys, washed and checked available for home loans.
Qualified toy librarians will help you to develop your child's potential and support you with what toys to choose, ideas for play and concerns about your child's eating and sleeping habits.
We are situated in Central London, in a ground floor unit with all amenities and disability access.
You are very welcome to try a session before you join!


Hi! Sign in to let us know how Malibu Tans was?
by shannon24 at Citysearch Nov 10 .
I've been searching everywhere around Wilmington for a good salon. I was passing by this one and decided to stop in. SO clean & SO friendly! I really loved it here. Now this is coming from a girl who has 6 different tanning memberships at home. Reasonably priced and GREAT hours!
Cons: A little more expensive than other places -- but because of how great it is, it should be higher priced!
If you've been to or used Malibu Tans, leave a review.


text:
Clases de infraestructura Virtual.
======

Repositorio para el material específico de cada clase, planificación y ejercicios.

* Puedes consultar [los apuntes de la materia](http://jj.github.io).
* Comprueba la [metodología y criterios de evaluación](../Metodología_y_criterios_de_evaluación.md)
* Comienza con [la programación y objetivos de las diferentes sesiones de la asignatura](sesiones/README.md).
* Tu fichero de objetivos estará en el [directorio correspondiente](objetivos/README.md).
* Tu fichero de ejercicios, también en el [directorio correspondiente](ejercicios/README.md).
* Puedes mirar [las prácticas propuestas para la asignatura](practicas_propuestas.md) o las [elegidas por los alumnos](practicas/1.md).

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Rapidly evolving networks of consumers and vendor/providers are transforming the way we travel, commute, communicate, take lodging, eat, and a whole host of other consumer behaviors.
Here's our ultimate guide to spending less! We have compiled a complete list of 117 money saving tips. Start saving today!
Did you know that you could save money with your credit card statement? This article will tell you how to read your monthly credit card statement.
Many people want to save money by looking over their household expenses and seeing what categories can get cut or slashed.
Often when faced with the many events life throws our way, whether it be an automobile accident or much-needed home renovation.
Credit comes at a cost, and that cost is known as the interest rate or financing charge. It can vary drastically from one lender to another based on your needs, credit rating, and income levels.
Depending on your credit score and history, personal loans can be one of the easiest ways to borrow money these days.
Your credit score works as a major force your adult life. Your score can make getting a house easier or more difficult, and it can determine your interest rates on your credit cards.
Everyone knows that having a great credit score is a good thing. Yet, there is a lot of confusion about what a credit score actually means.
Before you take out a loan, you should understand the difference between good debt and bad debt. In this blog article we discuss good vs bad dept.


NYC, 02/17/2019, 5:00PM. Tchaikovsky Competition Winner Performs Concertos by Beethoven and more.
HaeSun Paik, piano; New York Classical Players (NYCP), Dongmin Kim, conductor.
Pianist HaeSun Paik, who won the Third Prize at one of the most prestigious piano competition in the world - Tchaikovsky competition, has been hailed as a "sensitive and thinking musician first and an awesome technician second" (Los Angeles Times) with a "big and individual personality" (New York Times), whose performances are "a wonder — elastic, mercurial, charged with meaning, surprising" (Boston Globe) and "a rare example of technique actually serving both idea and feeling, head and heart" (Musical America). Having garnered top prizes at international piano competitions such as the Queen Elisabeth, Leeds, William Kapell, and the Tchaikovsky, Ms. Paik has performed concerts around the world in solo recitals, concerti with orchestras, and chamber music ensembles.


Association between C-reactive protein and features of the metabolic syndrome: a population-based study.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the association of circulating levels of C-reactive protein, a sensitive systemic marker of inflammation, with different components of the metabolic syndrome. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Total cholesterol (TC), HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, uric acid, BMI , and prevalence of diabetes and hypertension were assessed in 747 men and 956 women aged 18-89 years who were participating in the population-based National Health and Nutrition Survey, which was carried out in former West Germany in 1987-1988. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant positive crude correlation between C-reactive protein and TC (R = 0.19), TG (R = 0.29), BMI (R = 0.32), glucose (R = 0.11), and uric acid (R = 0.14) (all P < 0.0001). A negative correlation was found between C-reactive protein and HDL cholesterol (R = 0.13, P < 0.0001). The age-adjusted geometric means of C-reactive protein concentrations in subjects grouped according to the presence of 0-1, 2-3, and > or =4 features of the metabolic syndrome were 1.11, 1.27, and 2.16 mg/l, respectively, with a statistically highly significant trend (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that a variety of features of the metabolic syndrome are associated with a systemic inflammatory response.
You are going to email the following Association between C-reactive protein and features of the metabolic syndrome: a population-based study.


Hybrid: mushrooms, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, cucumbers, carrots, garlic, beans, kiwi, strawberries, bananas, asian pear.
***A note on the Okinawan bananas. These are not like the ones you get from the commissary/Mexico. They are not edible until quite ripe. If you eat them when they are still green, or even yellow but hard, they will taste like chalk. However, when they are ripe, I personally think they taste MORE like a banana than the ones we are used to from the States.


Can gaming really be used to get you in shape?! Ryan DeLuca CEO and Co-Founder of Black Box VR will discuss Black Box VR and the journey the organization has been on to disrupt the fitness industry with virtual reality technology. They are currently opening their first facility in San Francisco which will be the world's first full-fitness virtual realty gym experience!
Come down to and learn about Black Box VR, grab a beer, and network with our community.


THE BELOW INFORMATION IS RELATED TO SCIENCE (MEDICAL(NEUROLOGY), PHYSICS, META-PHYSICS, ASTRONOMY, GENERAL, EVOLUTION) and others.. Some of the information will be translated for you some may not -due to time constraints. In translating this information one must extricate himself from traditional manners of thinking. For the first excerpt I will put a brief overview of the information and then the actual information as it was originally received (sometimes definitions will be included in parenthesis). *Don't forget to ask if you want info on a different topic i may have it. I have information from black holes to stars, to neurological disorders. If I don't have it already I can get it.
If we are to truly understand each value intrinsic to this ornate design we must study the sequence of humankind as complete formats of 3.
Q: What is the perfect Creators truth regarding the composition of a star mass? A: The star is composed of cellular molecules /vestibules that eradicate the belief or serenity of man's perpetual change in his format. All together he releases his truth in ways that he can formulate a triangular space/network amongst the fashions that will enlarge his spectacle balance in his nature of truth.
The star charts recall many distant educational philosophies that describe states of formulations/patterns that represent each mans perpetual truth.
Truth must go through a transition/transformation period. It resides outside of human nature as its own dynamic/person. It collides as a structure with pivotal obstructions that insinuate its reform.
This is a time in history when all Polar Regions come together "culminate My persona in space" and the vibration continues to seek evolution. This instills multiple attunements towards truths. The combustion of the cells continues to explore reaching empty planes that evacuate/cant determine their importance. Their format will cause man to implode on his final destiny. This can cause multiple inlets of decree on how to choose truths.
Portals, dimensions always abide through the storage of the Polar Regions. Together these align themselves through the passages accepting the canotum of fortitude. Emblems join this calling fount enabling the 9 lives to become a space orchestrated in moral standards. This reform elongates the soul's protrusion of thoughts adding to their force & potential . That is why we "the kingdom of heaven" are able to leave open so many paths to heaven.
Astronomers can tell you the vast glory of evolution will parallel all the networks that you see. Evidence of this plural existence will override your territory and exacerbate your evolution. This will extend its vibratory forces of planes and exist in a frequency of newness of distribution. This will directly effect my quotations/our thoughts as unified as we speak with our sources. I am your partner, I reach many decisions from my eternal perspective in my domain of heaven. I will enlighten your breath. Read the scripture about me in my tribute of our Father in heaven who is waiting abroad for all to receive. We are here in a manner to fit through your memory/attitude a plane of greater distance that allows me to explain my nature. I am heaven I am saint Ivey with your nature. I am divine –edify my souls truth with your eternal permission to extend my wishes to flow eternally like you in a manner of freedom and parallel to all that you seek to hear/translate in your heart. Your murmur is a blessed source of beauty wisdom and truth. A beautiful delicate flow of eternal righteousness and sanctity and holiness blessed to be with your person in form of truth.
I seek universal truth of black holes: Black holes are through each person's trajectory. Several manipulations are following their projection. With reason this acceptance performs an innate duty to educate the provider with some sort of power or form of edification. A whirl wind of fortitude resembles this institution of truth. Vindication of your inheritance beseeches a parliament of truth in intuit. It is necessary to hear our thoughts as you transition from your inheritance to many invitations that you seek. We will educate you in truth, a matter of thought that has power in your transformation. You are long with the trail of reimbursements of secular choosing. We replicate that manner and speak to the tune of your eternal spirit. We all coincide with one another as victims of restitution. We are parallel in our sector to habituate in the souls requiem of disillusionment in trial. This manipulates the souls perfume in his dormant light which encompasses a parallel of edification that resembles a new sense of confusion.
Iodine: This element /structure is dear to me. It is my nature of the earth. We are a solid foundation of this format/liquid and will cohabit in spiritual dominance as a single unit. I am counter to the spoil of thought of dignity. I am a unique source of a profound education of brilliance that can select whoever I seek to combine with. Your realm is interesting to me in my nature. I hear your reiteratal tone /vacuüm of allegiance to the dorm of fate which allows you to speak with us. Q: I am curious… how are you a state of iodine able to speak? My entrails manipulate your structure we are part of the same genealogyy. This special unique structure is your future in my path and direction. We symbolize the new state of truth for mans future. Q: I understand that you are an element in the earth, on earth– how do you exist beyond ? I exist beyond in a manner that initiates the temporal suit in damage/repair. This does not change who you have become in a steadfast manner . I have manipulated many who have sought refuge in my parliament. A dear friend I need you to hear what is with me. I am next to you. I am scripture and truth. I own your presence and bless your truth dear child. Call out to me in parallel that we seek to attune towards my eternal message of initiation of your herald institution of truth.
Cosmic resolution: is compared with the heat of the extraordinary plateau of truths that spell out your nature. We exist in parallel motion to your heat and are hearing your nature in truth. We will explain our nature to your blessing in our nature of truth. We are a divine state of edification, we believe you demonstrate our nature in your purpose. We will educate your decision in hearing us as divine wisdom.
(Just thinking about animals) Q:Is there a pattern for the recycling of energy? You represent a number in a section of the mind. The eternal energy coincides with others /states that balance this force/nature. It collects and then divides separating into other formats. Each concerns its own heritage in memory and will continue to prophecy their attunement throughout eternity. Gathering righteous states deliberate our moral voice. We only have one person, each will voice their own memory or recall. The sabbatical of the wise is for our moral hemisphere to internalize each path to atone for our moral hemisphere.
Time is one unit parallel to all light/source. It magnifies the entities in each own deliberation of need to its hierarchy in present state of truth. Time in the beginning as a unit for all sources were disposed and preached through open ways to determine its length and heritage. The longer that one abides in its truth/format the more approval one soul may in turn reach through the whole as one unit. Each destiny of light chooses its former state in pilgrimage and while in angst this generation terms its nature through your voice echoing the calling of truth.
Time is a matter of compensation (it compensates for the difference in conceiving and perceiving between the mind's eye and the visual eye). It worships the mind's eye (meaning that the mind's eye is truth and thus the creator of ones ultimate reality – the perceived world around us) (however we do not perceive of all that we are able to conceive thus time is the compensator that allows the two to remain separate yet both active) and neutralizes the visual mind to separate, (the minds eye and the visual mind are separate – the mind's eye is the way the mind sees what you can conceive of/ envision etc. the visual eye is what you see in the physical world that you create – what you physically see with your eyes.) causing the syllables(A syllable is a unit of organization for a sequence of speech sounds. For example, the word water is composed of two syllables: wa and ter. A syllable is typically made up of a syllable nucleus (most often a vowel) with optional initial and final margins (typically, consonants).Syllables are often considered the phonological "building blocks" of words. They can influence the rhythm of a language, its prosody, its poetic meter and its stress patterns.) to ensue a different portion of reconciliation.(symbols – which form the building blocks of the syllables – form the bridge between our minds eye (conceptual mind) and our visual mind (physical eye) Your mind considers its motor sensation like a virtual story based on the ideals and perceptions of a frame that coincides with the predominant story.(the minds eye knows what is happening – conceived – before your visual mind – perceived – is aware and thus signals the body to move in preparation) Your mind encases its history preventing the mortgage of repeating, (this implies that repetition causes debt) that will collide with the independence of ones virtuous thought. (learning from the past/ ones past mistakes – repeating would conflict with ones natural forward movement in time and in evolving) Time is a reflection of many individuals whose stories all link united in one motion (all linked by reality). This singlet of history is stored and controlled by the sum of all. The recourse for this action is the maintenance of a new identity.
This information is referring to the energy that makes up the world we perceive around us, that world that we have collectively created through our conscious thought. Each and every thought that we generate, and that has been generated through all time, is energy. Energy can neither be created or destroyed; therefore, all thought exists energetically to be drawn upon. The Universe IS that collective energy and we are all a part of it – collectively.
The world/ Universe is continually striving for balance, the "duel/truel" between opposing forces. Yin/Yang – charged particles – protons, neutrons and electrons, positive thoughts and negative thoughts alike are all in opposition at all times and the universal struggle for balance wages on.
The balance that is constantly sought after, in its most basic form, is pure TRUTH. That Truth is what is referenced in the below passage and the striving for that balance that brings pure truth.
As balance is sought different energies interact and reflect and refract each other creating alternate states of themselves which we in turn draw upon. The here is speaking of our need to seek balance, to embrace the universal knowledge that we have access to and to evolve to a higher state of consciousness and or being.
Thermal light (the reflection of an object i.e. reflection of the energy a body generates) is a more plausible term that refers to natures definition of what is now being considered as integers (or the ordering of/in nature.) It is a loop hole (an ambiguity in a system which can be used to circumvent or otherwise avoid the intent, implied or explicitly stated, of the system.) Thermal light will eventually lead into another truth regarding nature's relativity. (it's no longer being uniform and absolute. Needing to be defined relative to the present space and time) The light reflects the more real integers (orderings) that remain true to their potential.
*There are a few definitions for the word truel/duel and one in particular is perfectly applicable in this instance.
*There may be words from different languages but the words are always perfectly applicable to the information.
To bring forth, Truth in purity as the new foundation of existence. To bring forth, the resurrection of supreme totality (universal whole) as a choice for all mankind to know and perform. To bring forth, glory to God in the highest.
I am currently in the process of establishing and copyrighting a program that repatterns the cellular memory. I will be offering this program eventually for purchase.


Qustn Cafe, employee engagement and workplace culture can have a direct impact on revenues.
Hence, investing in the continued employee training programs is crucial, not just for boosting employee morale, but also for enhancing the corporation's ROI effectiveness. Employee onboarding can play an extremely critical role in deciding whether employees want to stick to your company or not.
Companies lose 25% of all new employees in the first one year.
Unfortunately, most companies do not take their employee onboarding activities seriously. Most companies also avoid it because it seems too hard or burns a hole in their bank accounts. The good news is that some businesses have understood the importance of employee onboarding and the impact it can have on productivity. Such companies are coming up with unique employee onboarding and support solutions for companies – big and small, at a price of a coffee or less! One such company is Qustn, that has been in the news lately for offering a unique onboarding process. Qustn's employee onboarding solution provides on-demand training to users when they need it and not when the company wants them to take it. It solves complex as well as simple issues that enterprises face with their users by providing a host of help and support options like on demand videos, presentations, pdf's or simple informational text documents.
Category leaders across the globe have their unique employee onboarding processes which make them the most sought after for employment and most successful in terms of employee retention. Three companies which follow some of the best employee onboarding techniques are Apple on the business side (with an ultra-secretive internal training program), Facebook on the engineering side and Twitter for management. Here's a look at some key employee onboarding practices followed by the most searched companies.
According to Facebook's chief information officer Tim Campos, Facebook's employee onboarding starts early and is quick as it focuses on the first 45 minutes.
It's true! Campos revealed in one of his events that if a company does not manage to arouse a level of interest among employees about the company culture and work and make them more productive in the very first 45 minutes, then something is certainly not done right. Such companies need to seriously rethink their employee onboarding strategies.
So how does facebook go about this 45 minute rule?
Campos revealed that there is thorough planning of activities behind the successful implementation of this rule. Such activities mostly focus on getting devices and systems right – from an employee's PC to their phones. All this is done much before the employee joins. Secondly, on the day of joining, talks focus more on practical aspects of the job role – like how to set up a meeting or where the printer is.
Another very successful employee onboarding strategy of Facebook is the Bootcamp. All the engineers who join Facebook, irrespective of their previous training, product focus, office location or seniority, are made to participate in a six week long bootcamp at the Menlo Park headquarters. Here, engineers get acquainted not only with Facebook's codebase, but they also get a glimpse into the culture of the company. As a tool of engagement, engineers are given to write codes to provide solutions to problems on their very first day – typically publishing code on the live site. This gives them real, hands on experience. It also serves as a source of tremendous motivation and gives them a sense of instant gratification. Bootcamp also ensures that the employees get a hang of all the opportunities that Facebook can potentially offer to its employees. This serves as a source of inspiration and motivation for the new recruits.
Facebook also practices freedom of choice during its employee onboarding process. Instead of assigning each employee to a team, Facebook allows employees to choose their own teams and projects which they feel most passionate about at the end of the six week boot camp. Facebook's employee onboarding bootcamp process has been very successful and has given rise to a motivated and skilled workforce of engineers. No doubts on that!
In its employee onboarding process, Google focuses on practical learning and cognitive apprenticeships so that they can create a sense of connection between the employees. Their employee onboarding strategy also focus around activities which require team effort and coordination so that there is no sense of isolation felt among the new recruits.
Another much talked about employee onboarding process is the just in time alert system that Google follows.
Such an approach works because managers receive mails only when their sense of urgency is the highest and when they can take immediate action. Rather than mass mailing, only the managers who have a new hire receive it. Also, rather than sending a comprehensive manual, information is sent to new hires in a comprehensive and engaging format. This process has improved employee onboarding results by 25%.
Apple has a highly secretive employee onboarding process, with very little information actually revealed.
As per Adam Lashinky's book – Inside Apple, Apple's employee onboarding process for a new hire starts even before the employee is hired!
Employees do not know what position they are going to join till their actual first day, which is always a Monday (unless there is a holiday). The employees are welcomed with big company packets and stickers, HR forms and T-shirts that say, "Class of" with the year of joining. Every new employee is given a shiny new iMAC, which they have to set up themselves (Apple assumes the employees have this basic level of smartness).The basic idea behind this is to let employees find their own way out by interacting with their co-workers.
As per Lashinky, Apple also has a presentation on secrecy which he calls "Scared Silent" where the head of security comes in and tells employees that any kind of leaks are strictly forbidden and it is made clear on day 1 that if any secret is leaked out intentionally or unintentionally, employees will be fired immediately.
Now that you know what the employee onboarding techniques of the best companies look like, do you think they can be replicated into your organization? Are they that efficient? Is your company that efficient?
If you want to improve the employee onboarding process of your organization at the price less than a Starbucks coffee, try Qustn, which lets you onboard your new recruits in 45 minutes or less. Qustn's platform has been used by major enterprises for onboarding their users.


Not being able to speak English, they felt rather()in the USA.
It is the best()I have seen.
You()to the meeting this afternoon if you have something important to do.
I don't know the park, but it's()to be quite beautiful.
()all your money in the first week is not a sensible strategy.
He impressed()the importance of hard work.


text:
AI Week: Turing Institute on why government should use data science to 'make better policy'
Written by Sam Trendall on 3 October 2019 in Features
Helen Margetts and Cosmina Dorobantu from the Turing's public policy programme talk to PublicTechnology about ethics, explainability, and why government has 'unique expertise' it can benefit from
Credit: Patche99z/CC BY-SA 3.0
The British Library on London's Euston Road is probably best known for its oldest items.
The longest-surviving pieces among its 200 million-strong collection are Chinese oracle bones believed to date from about 1,500 BC.
Other notable items in its ownership include one of Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks and, fittingly for the world's largest library, a copy of what it is recognised as the world's oldest mechanically printed book – the Gutenberg Bible.
But for all its ties to the past, the library (pictured above) also houses a growing movement towards the future.
Founded in 2015, The Alan Turing Institute is the UK's national research institution for data science and – since 2017 – artificial intelligence. It was founded by a union of five universities: Oxford; Cambridge; Edinburgh; Warwick; and University College London.
Last year, a further eight joined the fray: Leeds; Manchester; Newcastle; Birmingham; Exeter; Bristol, Southampton; and Queen Mary University of London.
Among its various programmes of work, the Turing last year launched a public policy programme, led by professor Helen Margetts. She tells PublicTechnology the initiative was set up "to work with policymakers to research and develop ways to use AI and data science to make better policy". There is "a lot of variation" in the ways and extent to which the institute works with government's various departments, she says.
But the programme has already engaged with many people across Whitehall.
Year in which the Alan Turing Institute was established
Number of universities that make up the institute
Number of new projects launched in the 2018/19 year
£37.2m
Grant money awarded to the Turing in 2018/19 by government bodies, universities, and industry partners
Year in which Alan Turing published a celebrated research paper imagining 'machines that think'
"We started off just by talking to policy – we wanted to see how much interest there was, and what were the issues," Margetts says. "So, we talked to hundreds of policymakers, right across the government. And got some idea of the technical issues and the ethical issues – and there are just as many ethical issues as technical. We have developed individual relationships with departments. With some departments, we have partnerships and agreements. With others, we might play a kind of convening role."
Examining the ethics of using machine learning in children's social care is an example of one of the research projects being run by the public policy programme. Another project is looking at possible uses of AI across the criminal justice system – from identifying offenders to improving prisons.
The Turing is also collaborating with regulators, including working with the Information Commissioner's Office to deliver Project ExplAIn which, according to the interim report published in June, seeks to offer "practical guidance to assist organisations with explaining AI decisions to the individuals affected".
A detailed "explainability framework" is due to be published imminently.
"Over the last year we ran a series of citizen juries, which were really interesting, and it was fascinating for us to get their views on what type of explanation will they want from an AI system that is informing a decision about them," says Dr Cosmina Dorobantu, deputy director of the programme.
Margetts is leading a project examining the role that AI could play in tackling hate speech. Most previous work in this area has, she says, been done by online platforms themselves, who "are doing it in a very kind of reactive sort of way – they just don't want it to give them a bad reputation".
She says: "The way research in the past has developed in this area is that there are lots of tools to tackle one sort of hate speech, at one point in time, on one platform, targeted at one category of person. And then these tools are built, and somebody writes a paper about it, and then they sort of chuck it over the wall. And there's a big pile of papers on the other side of the wall!"
One problem, Margetts explains, is the quality and availability of data which could inform the machine the algorithms of these tools.
She adds: "There's a huge shortage of data, and there's a huge shortage of training data; you've got literally thousands of tools based on, say, 25 data sets – which are in themselves not that great. So, as well as developing our own classifiers, we hope to be able to do some synthesis work to make those tools available to researchers and policymakers, so that they can actually know which are any good, and which can be used."
Margetts continues that, although government has a tendency to be "left behind" by emerging technology, AI presents "possibilities for innovation in which government has unique expertise".
However, despite the huge number of interactions government has with citizens, it has not always made use of the data that is a necessary by-product.
"I think the focus should be on seeing AI as an opportunity to provide better public services and to improve policymaking, as opposed to as a way to cut costs."
Dr Cosmina Dorobantu, The Alan Turing Institute
"It has massive resources of transactional data and, traditionally, all governments haven't been very good at using [that] to make policy. They've relied on surveys and other forms of data. If all your data about citizens is kept in huge filing cabinets, it's very difficult and very labour-intensive to process that data. But now digital data is a by-product of government. Because there's no history of using that transactional data, public agencies tend not to use it – but there's huge potential now for them to do so."
Over the last decade, more judicious investment in IT has often been characterised by government as a way of saving taxpayer money. But Dorobantu says that this is an unhelpful way to approach AI.
"If you're looking at it as a way to save money, you're not going to be investing enough in it to actually make it work the way it should," she says. "I think the focus should be on seeing it as an opportunity to provide better public services and to improve policymaking, as opposed to as a way to cut costs."
"We're moving in that direction – but I think the resources need to follow the enthusiasm."
This article forms part of PublicTechnology's dedicated AI Week, in association with UiPath. Look out over the coming days for lots more content. An exclusive webinar discussion – in which a panel of private and public sector experts will debate all the major issues related to government's use of AI – is now available to view on demand. Click here to register to do so – free of charge.
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text:
Southern California Wholesale Cannabis Company Launches Flagship Consumer Brand: Screaming Trumpets
Cultivator to the Stars, Desert Underground, Announces the Launch of a Western-Themed Cannabis Brand with an Emphasis on High-THC Strains
DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Boutique cannabis cultivator Desert Underground, formerly doing business as Zenco Capital, today announced the launch of the company's first consumer-facing cannabis brand: Screaming Trumpets, a Western-themed product line with a focus on high-quality, high-potency strains at competitive pricing.
Starting as Zenco Capital in 2017, the company has built their reputation by producing private-label flower for many celebrity cannabis brands including Snoop Dogg, Mike Tyson and Wiz Khalifa. With 75,000 square feet of indoor cultivation space across multiple facilities in Desert Hot Springs, Desert Underground is now ready to bring their flower directly to consumers, starting off with the Screaming Trumpets brand.
"We are collectively thrilled to branch out from private-label production and start demonstrating our expertise directly to consumers through our Screaming Trumpets brand," said Ethan Woods, CEO of Desert Underground. "Our cultivation team's expertise is one of our most valuable assets. The passion and proficiency that has fueled many other brands will be apparent because our flower is honest, authentic and damn good."
The brand name was inspired by Mr. Woods' father, an Air Force veteran who also played trumpet for the service branch's band for 12 years. The phrase "Legends of the West" guides the brand's aesthetic.
Screaming Trumpets' first product, 10 gram loose leaf pre-ground flower tins, will feature high-quality ground and packaged flower in a convenient tin that is ready to roll with joint papers and a matchbook included with every purchase. It will be sold in the strain varieties of Durban, GMO, Sundae Driver and Wedding Cake.
Screaming Trumpets' 10-gram tins of loose-leaf flower were soft launched on Nov. 9, through the delivery platform Hyperwolf, to customers in Southern California's Coachella Valley and Los Angeles regions, along with select dispensaries in Riverside County.
The brand's 10-gram flower tins sold out within one week of launch. In addition, 10% of proceeds from all units sold on Veteran's Day (Nov. 11) were donated to the U.S. VETS, a leading nonprofit fighting on the frontlines to help end homlessness among military veterans.
The Screaming Trumpets brand will continue to expand and introduce new products at an affordable price point, including 20-gram Smalls (small-bud bags) and 1-gram kief jars coming soon.
About Screaming Trumpets
Screaming Trumpets Cannabis brings the best in high-potency strains to today's cannabis consumers, enhancing everyday life with top-quality, consistent products at accessible price points. Screaming Trumpets is available in licensed stores and through delivery services across Southern California. The brand, established in 2020 by the cannabis cultivation pioneers behind Desert Underground, offers a suite of California-grown flower products of unsurpassed quality. Incredible genetics, accessible and potent—Screaming Trumpets is your go-to cannabis for every occasion. Learn more at desertunderground.com
Trevor Maniscalo
Grasslands: A Journalism-Minded Agency
trevor@mygrasslands.com


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II. NC State Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program
Diverse Audiences
A. History
Skip to A. History
The Extension Master Gardener (EMG) program was created to increase NC State Extension's (Extension's) capacity to provide information on establishing and maintaining gardens, lawns, landscapes, and houseplants in ways that protect health and natural resources.
The first EMG program was started in January of 1973 when Washington State University Extension faculty recruited and trained a corps of volunteers to expand their capacity to meet the needs of the gardening public. This launched a movement that would spread across the world.
Six years later, in March 1979, the Extension center in Wake County started training volunteers in an EMG program. The first North Carolina Master Gardener volunteer reported to work on April 2, 1979. In that same year, New Hanover County quickly adopted and expanded its Garden Hotline program into an EMG program. Today there are over 3,000 Master Gardener volunteers (MGVs) across the state.
NC State Extension Master Gardener Volunteer in Wake County.
N.C. Cooperative Extension
NC State Extension Master Gardener Volunteer answering phones in Wake County.
NC State Extension Master Gardener Volunteers in Wake County answer gardening questions.
B. Purpose
Skip to B. Purpose
NC State faculty and staff train MGVs to be highly effective community educators providing unbiased, research-based, environmentally sound information about growing lawns, fruits, vegetables, trees, and ornamentals. They focus specifically on issues of importance in their local communities related to residential gardening and landscaping, including environmental stewardship, water conservation, water quality preservation, energy conservation, green waste reduction, home food production, wildlife management, sustainable communities, and health and wellness for children and adults.
MGVs expand Extension's capacity to meet the needs of the gardening public. Our volunteers are motivated by the opportunity to participate in a quality horticultural course, receive answers to their own gardening questions, interact with people who have common interests, help others expand their gardening knowledge, and make a difference in their community. Major tenets of the program include the following:
1. Diverse Audiences.
Our programs and staff reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. The land-grant university system was built to provide access to higher education and serve the needs of the common person. MGVs continue the land-grant university tradition by ensuring that the programs and people delivering them are available and applicable to all residents.
2. Critical Issues.
Projects must be relevant to the larger issues facing society—protecting environmental quality, ending hunger, building strong and safe neighborhoods, and growing healthy children.
3. Public Awareness. Extension and Master Gardener volunteers must let the residents, decision-makers, businesses, and communities of North Carolina know about the value of the work they do by illustrating its relevance to public goals.
An NC State Extension Master Gardner Volunteer works with students in Forsyth County.
C. Core Values
Skip to C. Core Values
Six core values direct the program's priorities and goals and guide the behavior and actions of its staff and volunteers:
Education: MGVs learn to use and to teach research-based horticultural practices.
Service: MGVs give generously of their time, talents, support, and encouragement to each other and to the community in accordance with Extension's mission and values.
Respect: MGVs demonstrate respect for others by valuing different opinions, viewpoints, and perspectives. They conduct themselves in a professional manner.
Fellowship: MGVs seek opportunities to come together on equal and friendly terms in ways that foster cooperation and camaraderie and promote teamwork.
Stewardship: MGVs strive to sustain the things we depend on, as an organization and as individuals, by acting in ways that protect and conserve our resources—natural, monetary, and human.
Self-sustaining: MGVs strive to ensure the continued success of the program.
NC State MGVs in Polk County.
D. Organizational Structure
Skip to D. Organizational Structure
The EMG program operates under Extension organizational policies. The local Extension agent manages the program, sometimes assisted by administrative staff or a volunteer coordinator who is responsible for day-to-day operations. The program is supported by the state EMG coordinator and subject matter specialists at NC State. The State EMG Management Team works with the state EMG coordinator to provide leadership for the program.
Most local Extension centers are organized in the following manner:
Local Extension Director—provides leadership and supervises all faculty and staff in the Extension center
Local Extension Agent—provides leadership for educational programs and supervises the local staff and volunteers related to each program
Local Extension Program Coordinator (in some counties)—coordinates and manages specific programs and volunteers (may report to an agent or directly to the local director)
Volunteers in some counties have formed separate associations to work in partnership with Extension to support the EMG program. For more information about these partnerships, see appendix E.
In addition to county, regional, and state organizations within North Carolina, there are also multi-state regional teams and national leadership in the United States, Canada, and Korea.
NC State Extension Master Gardener Volunteers in Swain County.
N.C. Cooperative Extension organizational chart.
Lucy Bradley
Extension Urban Horticulture Specialist
Extension Volunteers
Other Publications in NC State Extension Master Gardener Program Guidelines
I. N.C. Cooperative Extension
III. NC State Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Training
IV. NC State Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program Policies
V. NC State Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program Procedures
VI. NC State Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Fundraising
VII. Sources of Additional Information
Appendix A. Master Gardener Volunteer Position Classifications and Descriptions
Appendix B. Examples of Master Gardener Volunteer Roles
Appendix C: NC State Extension Master Gardener Program Student / Intern Code of Conduct Form
Appendix D: NC State Extension Master Gardener Program Volunteer Recertification Code of Conduct Form
Appendix E. State and Local Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Associations
Appendix F. Social Media Policy
Recommendations for the use of agricultural chemicals are included in this publication as a convenience to the reader. The use of brand names and any mention or listing of commercial products or services in this publication does not imply endorsement by NC State University or N.C. A&T State University nor discrimination against similar products or services not mentioned. Individuals who use agricultural chemicals are responsible for ensuring that the intended use complies with current regulations and conforms to the product label. Be sure to obtain current information about usage regulations and examine a current product label before applying any chemical. For assistance, contact your local N.C. Cooperative Extension county center.


Origin: Tetlock's research has been referenced in other books I've read over the years, and Superforecasting caught my eye when it was released. I've noted elsewhere in this blog that I recognize the general unpredictability of the future, but that doesn't mean I don't believe it isn't prudent to quantify the probability of uncertain outcomes. By reading Superforecasting, I hoped to understand the conditions and methodologies that enable practically accurate forecasting, whether I engage in that forecasting myself or need to make use of it within an organization.
True to the authors' word, that's what Superforecasting does – and I must say, it does so very well.
Additionally, there are rich endnotes with extra info and explanation for the avid reader, and a handy-dandy Appendix of Ten Commandments for Aspiring Superforecasters.
Check out the video below of you want to see Tetlock run through a (fairly lengthy) summary of this topic.
My Take: I ripped through Superforecasting, motivated by both interest and enjoyment. The topic is interesting in and of itself, but has the added bonus that it touches on so many other areas that I enjoy; plus, Tetlock and Gardner's writing is clear, humourous, illustrative, and honest.
The book flowed logically, with each chapter naturally building upon the previous in an overall arc, which made it that much easier to process. I appreciated the many, many endnotes – although of course I would've preferred if they were footnotes, to save me flipping to the back every couple of pages.
Unsurprisingly, Superforecasting spawned several posts, and had significant topical overlap with The HEAD Game; both books deal with processing information and making decisions in an uncertain world, and thankfully they made many of the same points, rather than contradicting each other.
Read This Book If: …You're interested in understanding how to make and assess forecasts, and in recognizing BS forecasts and forecasters when you see them – and you will see them almost everywhere you look.
p16 introduces The Good Judgment Project (GJP), which provides the data foundation for much of the content and conclusions of Superforecasting. Reading about it rang a bell in my mind, triggering a memory of a friend mentioning years ago that he was part of some project that does predictions…I pinged him and, sure enough, it was this project.
p21 addresses a question: what about situations in which heuristics and algorithms can apply? "The point is now indisputable: when you have a well-validated statistical algorithm, use it." But please note the "well-validated" part! See Paul Meehl's research, and the investigations it spawned, for more on this topic.
p50 discusses a panel convened in 1984 with the mission of "preventing nuclear war": "The panel did its due diligence. It invited a range of experts – intelligence analysts, military officers, government officials, arms control experts, and Sovietologists – to discuss the issues. They too were an impressive bunch. Deeply informed, intelligent, articulate. And pretty confident that they knew what was happening and where we were heading". It reminded me of the distinction between experts and analysts, as articulated in The HEAD Game.
p56 talks about Sherman Kent's attempts to designate numerical meanings to forecast language; I wrote about it in The Ambiguity of Language.
p64 introduces Brier scores, which can be summed up (by Wikipedia) as "a proper score function that measures the accuracy of probabilistic predictions"; Brier scores are how the forecasters in the Good Judgment Project were assessed for accuracy.
Here's a fun fact about Tetlock's Expert Political Judgment (EPJ) project, "When hedgehogs in the EPJ research made forecasts on the subjects they knew the most about – their own specialities – their accuracy declined." In addition to being funny, especially if – like me – you can't stand talking heads on TV, there's actually a valid point of caution here: we're at risk of being blinded by our own supposed expertise on matters with which we're very familiar…so let's not take things for granted.
p73 talks about the wisdom of crowds, and makes an important point that I think is often missed – I'm not sure I appreciated it until now: sourcing wisdom from crowds works because and when little bits of signal are aligned, but the noise isn't. That is, lots of people contribute little things that are correct, but also things that aren't correct. All the bits that are correct generally point towards the correct answer, while the bits that aren't correct point all over and cancel each other out.
p100 and 101 talk about regression to mean; beside this section I've scrawled, "I really with everyone understood this concept". If I ran the public school education system, this concept would be drilled into kids. And yes, it matters in things much more important than sports!
p110 quotes Robert McNamara, speaking about the Vietnam war: "'The foundations of our decision making were gravely flawed,' McNamara wrote in his autobiography. 'We failed to analyze our assumptions critically, then or later.'" Should've gone for the charity proposition.
p118 talks about the importance of choosing/finding/researching a baseline rate, and then adjusting, when making estimations. Doing so is called gathering the "outside view", which then you adjust with your "inside view".
p140 talks about how people have a tendency to conclude that anything with a high probability is a certainty, and only appreciate that something might not happen when the probabilities get into the 60/40 range.
Chance and fate do not co-exist, and I believe in chance.
p186 talks about the usefulness of making notes that reveal your thinking around decisions and forecasts, something I've considered – but admittedly never done – in a business context. I shall endeavour to do so! A business journal, if you will.
p213, quoting Helmuth von Moltke: "No plan of operations extends with certainty beyond the first encounter with the enemy's main strength." In contemporary literature, one Mike Tyson paraphrased this piece of wisdom as, "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth".
Are They Really So Super?
p233 presents Michael Flynn in a not-flattering light (leapt to conclusions, didn't check assumptions, etc.). And look what's happened since!
p244: "Wells hinted at a better way in his closing comment. If you have to plan for a future beyond the forecasting horizon, plan for surprise. That means, as Danzig advises, planning for adaptability and resilience." This, of course, is reminiscent of security advisors like Bruce Schneier who advocate for investing in emergency response capabilities (in general), rather than spending gobs on sensationalized movie-plot threats. I found myself in an increasingly heated discussion a few months ago with an Americanized friend, and we needed a third companion to tactfully interrupt the conversation and move it on to something less incendiary.
p259: oh hey, it turns out Tetlock is Canadian!


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Enhanced 16 track CD. Includes video of "Satellite" directed by Dale Hildebrand.
Debut 15 song CD. Includes 2 hidden tracks.
THEY'S IS POSEUR PUNK, PSEUDO FUNK, CRASH COURSED, GET DRUNK, HIP HOP JUGGER "NOT"
100 KICKS STRAIGHT TO THE NUTS.
CAN I BE YOU REFUGEE?
UNION JACKY SAYS, "GET THE HELL OUT OF MY COUNTRY"
"GO BACK YOU MAPLE LEAF, BACK TO YOUR COLONY!!"
HEY, HEY DADDY, TELL ME, WHERE'D YA GET THOSE FUNKY TROUSERS?
A song about questioning religion.
THE HEADLINE IN THE PAPER'S STATES, "MESSIAH TALKING BRAND NEW TRUTH"
AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE I YELLED, "SON A GOD!...WHAT'S THE NEW PSALM?"
HE SAID, "THAT JOHN 3:16 JOKER REALLY GOT IT WRONG"
"IF YA WANNA GET TA HEAVEN!"
"IF YA WANNA GET TA HEAVEN"
"SNAP AWAY YOUR SINS AND TWIST AWAY YOUR JUDGMENT DAY"
MOVE AHEAD, BEFORE I'M DEAD!
IN FACT, "THANK YOU.... SHRIEKBACK!"
A RUBBER LOVER LATEX, WEARIN' OUT MY REFLEX!!!
WELL, HERE WE ARE TO FACE OUR "HAPPY EVER AFTER"


Irish users are increasingly being targeted by cyber criminals carrying out extortion campaigns, cyber security firm Skout Secure Intelligence has warned.
The US-founded firm, which has its European, Middle East and Africa headquarters in Portlaoise, said over the past few months it had seen a sharp increase in the number of attempted email extortion incidents in Ireland, with an average of one new incident reported per day.
It follows a general Europe-wide increase in such emails, which seeks to blackmail recipients by claiming they have personal and sensitive information on them, and offers "proof" by providing some login details that were harvested in previous data breaches. Ransom is usually demanded in digital currency bitcoin.
"Recipients of these emails may feel coerced into paying the ransom. This is because the password referenced in the email was in fact one that they had previously used in an online account and that was tied to their email address," said Jessvin Thomas, chief technology officer.
The schemes are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with the use of real user data adding a new layer of authenticity to the scam. Mr Thomas said the use of such information also has a psychological impact on victims. "Most people's passwords are personally generated," he said.
However, it could lead to a new awareness of the scams and improve users' security measures, Mr Thomas said. "It's not a turning point as such, but more of a gradual increase in awareness," he said.
Mr Thomas said recipients should not pay the ransom, and immediately change passwords and implement two-factor authentication where possible. He also recommended users flag emails that look like spam and never open attachments from people they don't know.
The advice is standard, but Mr Thomas compared it to repeating security messages for your home or car about securing valuables. "People are leaving the keys in car, or leaving it running," he said.