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David Cox : The power to transform the world
American neuroscientist says health and cybersecurity are just some of the areas that stand to benefit from advances in artificial intelligence
Cox runs the MIT-IBM Watson Artificial Intelligence Lab, which focuses on fundamental research in this field of computer science
Léo Ramos Chaves
Françoise Terzian
ComputationCommunicationEngineeringInnovationNeuroscienceI.T.
For the last two decades, the life of neuroscientist David Cox, 40, has revolved around one single theme: artificial intelligence (AI), the branch of computer science that aims to create machines capable of emulating the human ability to reason, make decisions, and solve problems. After graduating from Harvard University with a degree in biology and psychology, studying a PhD in neuroscience at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and becoming a professor at Harvard's Center for Brain Science, he last year took over as director of the MIT-IBM Watson Artificial Intelligence Lab.
"This project, a collaboration between IBM and MIT, represents an entirely new partnership between business and academia. Its focus is on fundamental research in artificial intelligence," explains Cox. One of the lab's objectives is to develop algorithms, devices, and architectures that enable the creation of new artificial intelligence solutions. "It's hard work and it requires a lot of inspiration," he says.
Considered one of the world's leading experts on AI, Cox recently participated at the event Colloquium 2018 – Artificial Intelligence Today: Advances and Opportunities in the Industry, held in São Paulo by IBM. Between conferences, he spoke to Pesquisa FAPESP about the research being conducted at the MIT-IBM lab, recent advances in AI, and what we should expect from this field in the future.
• Fertile ground for artificial intelligence
• Mimicking the brain
Artificial intelligence [AI] means different things to different people—there is no single accepted definition. For me it means giving computers the ability to make decisions that help us. AI is a way of augmenting our lives. It is about automating skills.
Is an in-depth understanding of how the human brain functions important to creating more sophisticated AI solutions?
I do not think it is essential, but it is one way of doing it, and it is a great source of inspiration. It is helpful to keep an eye on studies of the brain when it comes to artificial intelligence, but it is not essential. Inspiration can come from a wider range of sources than you might imagine, including medicine, physics, and biology. There are many opportunities to learn and they all intersect in various ways.
AI advances have the potential to change the world and bring real benefits to humanity
Are we close to creating a machine that thinks like a human?
That is an interesting question: What are the goals of artificial intelligence? Are we trying to create an artificial intelligence that is exactly like us? That might be a long-term goal. Today, however, what we are really trying to do is to build AI systems that can help us, not that can be exactly like us, but that work in the same way our minds do. We are not trying to create something to replace us. We would love to have artificial intelligence with human capabilities, but the goal is not to replicate humans.
Many people think the aim of AI is to copy the human brain. What you are saying is that the goal is actually to make it even better. Is that possible?
Yes, and there are already some good examples. Computers are better at math and at performing complex calculations than us. Self-driving cars, too, are a major current application of artificial intelligence. When humans drive, we use our hands and our eyes. Cars, though, can be much better equipped. They can have multiple cameras and sensors that provide information on direction and speed. These systems process information faster and have more sophisticated capabilities than the human mind. You do not necessarily have to teach the car to drive the same way as a human.
Is human behavior taken into account when creating technologies based on AI?
There are many applications of AI where understanding human behavior is very important, not least because we are building AI for humans, to be consumed by humans. In the case of autonomous vehicles, for example, we must take into account several human factors, such as the presence of pedestrians crossing the street in varied and sometimes adverse situations.
In your opinion, what are the main contributions to society of applied research into AI?
There are already many services and products available thanks to advances in AI, especially those that are part of the IT [Information Technology] infrastructure behind the scenes. These systems are invisible to the public but help make decisions and make life more efficient in various sectors of society. IBM has a whole division dedicated to AI for social good. With the support of artificial intelligence solutions, applied science and technology can solve many difficult social challenges. There will definitely be important advances in health, as well as in agribusiness, where many applications designed to increase efficiency are already emerging. In education, too. As AI systems improve, they will be better able to interact with and teach people. There are very interesting opportunities on the horizon.
IBM Artistic illustration of gastrointestinal microbiota: IBM and MIT scientists use AI to better understand microorganisms and to create new drugsIBM
During the 2018 Colloquium on AI in São Paulo, you mentioned that two of IBM's main research targets are health and security.
Health and cybersecurity are high-priority issues with important needs. Individuals, businesses, and governments have all been targeted by cybercriminals and artificial intelligence can really make a difference. In health, the aim is to help doctors make better decisions when analyzing medical data and images. AI has the ability to encapsulate human knowledge into a form that can be used to support doctors. One of our dreams is to help make the best doctors even better than they are today. There are also studies into AI that are helping us to better understand molecules and biology, and to develop better drugs. It is a hard journey, and nothing happens overnight.
Uploading our brains is a theme that has captured the imagination of many people, is that something based in reality, or is it just science fiction?
Uploading our consciousness [copying a person's mind onto a computer] is purely science fiction. There are people interested in the subject, but it is not real. It is fun to talk about, but it is something we are still very, very far away from. This topic was actually mentioned when I was giving a talk at the World Economic Forum in 2017, and I immediately dismissed it. It is not reality. It is just Hollywood.
How much is being invested in AI around the world today?
I don't have that answer off the top of my head, but governments and industry are investing billions of dollars in AI projects worldwide, from China to the USA and Europe. Every government and every industry can see that this is going to be strategically important for the future. We are only at the beginning of the journey, but there is already a lot that artificial intelligence can do. It is exciting to see all the possibilities ahead.
What industry demands could AI advances help to address in the coming years?
There are a number of problems faced by companies that AI is going to be able to resolve. One of them is what we call small data. We talk about big data all the time, but even when you have a lot of data, it often may not be the best data or may not be in the right form. I think there will be breakthroughs in the next five years around being able to do more with less data—without needing to organize and interpret huge volumes of information. With AI, a lot of progress is being made in this direction, and AI systems will help curate data, allowing companies and their employees to accomplish more with less.
John Mottern / Feature photo service for IBM Part of the MIT-IBM Watson Artificial Intelligence Lab is dedicated to cybersecurity researchJohn Mottern / Feature photo service for IBM
What is the focus of the research being conducted at the MIT-IBM Watson Artificial Intelligence Lab, established in 2017?
Our focus is on fundamental research. The lab was created as a result of IBM and MIT getting together and asking what we really need to do to unlock the potential of AI. The idea is to take AI to the next level, so a wide range of research is conducted by the lab. What we are asking is what technologies do we not have today that would enable us to tackle the problems of tomorrow. We try to invent new approaches to AI that allow us to develop applications and address unsolved problems.
How much is being invested in the laboratory? And where are the funds being used?
A total investment of US$240 million has been committed for the next 10 years. This money is spent on machines and processing, software development, and personnel. At all organizations, people are the most expensive resource.
What kind of projects does the laboratory work on?
We organize our projects into four pillars. The first is the fundamental development of advanced algorithms to expand the capabilities of machine learning and reasoning. The focus is very broad, not aimed at any specific task, and addresses the most complex problems. New algorithms that not only process huge amounts of information, but also learn from limited data to augment human intelligence. At the same time, we investigate new materials, devices, and architectures that could support future approaches to AI training and deployment. The second pillar is the physics of AI. Research into quantum computing, for example, to optimize and accelerate machine-learning algorithms and other applications of AI.
What are the other two pillars?
The third is application of AI to industry. We look at AI advances through the lens of industry problems in order to understand their demands and needs, as already happens in the areas of healthcare and cybersecurity. The last pillar is what we call shared prosperity. We explore how AI can provide economic and social benefits to a wider range of people, countries, and businesses. We study the economic implications of AI and investigate how it can bring prosperity and help individuals improve their lives.
What are the biggest challenges faced by the lab?
It is hard work and it takes a lot of inspiration and new ideas. Many other professionals, from large universities and companies, are investing in this industry, so it is becoming very competitive. We try to work on things in a slightly different way from our competitors, but we are all striving to achieve the same goal. Artificial intelligence has the potential to change the world and bring real benefits to humanity. It can make our lives easier, healthier, and safer.

This work first appeared on Pesquisa FAPESP under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. Read the original here.

For the last two decades, the life of neuroscientist David Cox, 40, has revolved around one single theme: artificial intelligence (AI), the branch of computer science that aims to create machines capable of emulating the human ability to reason, make decisions, and solve problems. After graduating from Harvard University with a degree in biology and psychology, studying a PhD in neuroscience at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and becoming a professor at Harvard's Center for Brain Science, he last year took over as director of the MIT-IBM Watson Artificial Intelligence Lab. "This project, a collaboration between IBM and MIT, represents an entirely new partnership between business and academia. Its focus is on fundamental research in artificial intelligence," explains Cox. One of the lab's objectives is to develop algorithms, devices, and architectures that enable the creation of new artificial intelligence solutions. "It's hard work and it requires a lot of inspiration," he says. Considered one of the world's leading experts on AI, Cox recently participated at the event Colloquium 2018 – Artificial Intelligence Today: Advances and Opportunities in the Industry, held in São Paulo by IBM. Between conferences, he spoke to Pesquisa FAPESP about the research being conducted at the MIT-IBM lab, recent advances in AI, and what we should expect from this field in the future. Read: • Fertile ground for artificial intelligence • Mimicking the brain What is artificial intelligence? Artificial intelligence [AI] means different things to different people—there is no single accepted definition. For me it means giving computers the ability to make decisions that help us. AI is a way of augmenting our lives. It is about automating skills. Is an in-depth understanding of how the human brain functions important to creating more sophisticated AI solutions? I do not think it is essential, but it is one way of doing it, and it is a great source of inspiration. It is helpful to keep an eye on studies of the brain when it comes to artificial intelligence, but it is not essential. Inspiration can come from a wider range of sources than you might imagine, including medicine, physics, and biology. There are many opportunities to learn and they all intersect in various ways. AI advances have the potential to change the world and bring real benefits to humanity Are we close to creating a machine that thinks like a human? That is an interesting question: What are the goals of artificial intelligence? Are we trying to create an artificial intelligence that is exactly like us? That might be a long-term goal. Today, however, what we are really trying to do is to build AI systems that can help us, not that can be exactly like us, but that work in the same way our minds do. We are not trying to create something to replace us. We would love to have artificial intelligence with human capabilities, but the goal is not to replicate humans. Many people think the aim of AI is to copy the human brain. What you are saying is that the goal is actually to make it even better. Is that possible? Yes, and there are already some good examples. Computers are better at math and at performing complex calculations than us. Self-driving cars, too, are a major current application of artificial intelligence. When humans drive, we use our hands and our eyes. Cars, though, can be much better equipped. They can have multiple cameras and sensors that provide information on direction and speed. These systems process information faster and have more sophisticated capabilities than the human mind. You do not necessarily have to teach the car to drive the same way as a human. Is human behavior taken into account when creating technologies based on AI? There are many applications of AI where understanding human behavior is very important, not least because we are building AI for humans, to be consumed by humans. In the case of autonomous vehicles, for example, we must take into account several human factors, such as the presence of pedestrians crossing the street in varied and sometimes adverse situations. In your opinion, what are the main contributions to society of applied research into AI? There are already many services and products available thanks to advances in AI, especially those that are part of the IT [Information Technology] infrastructure behind the scenes. These systems are invisible to the public but help make decisions and make life more efficient in various sectors of society. IBM has a whole division dedicated to AI for social good. With the support of artificial intelligence solutions, applied science and technology can solve many difficult social challenges. There will definitely be important advances in health, as well as in agribusiness, where many applications designed to increase efficiency are already emerging. In education, too. As AI systems improve, they will be better able to interact with and teach people. There are very interesting opportunities on the horizon. IBM Artistic illustration of gastrointestinal microbiota: IBM and MIT scientists use AI to better understand microorganisms and to create new drugsIBM During the 2018 Colloquium on AI in São Paulo, you mentioned that two of IBM's main research targets are health and security. Health and cybersecurity are high-priority issues with important needs. Individuals, businesses, and governments have all been targeted by cybercriminals and artificial intelligence can really make a difference. In health, the aim is to help doctors make better decisions when analyzing medical data and images. AI has the ability to encapsulate human knowledge into a form that can be used to support doctors. One of our dreams is to help make the best doctors even better than they are today. There are also studies into AI that are helping us to better understand molecules and biology, and to develop better drugs. It is a hard journey, and nothing happens overnight. Uploading our brains is a theme that has captured the imagination of many people, is that something based in reality, or is it just science fiction? Uploading our consciousness [copying a person's mind onto a computer] is purely science fiction. There are people interested in the subject, but it is not real. It is fun to talk about, but it is something we are still very, very far away from. This topic was actually mentioned when I was giving a talk at the World Economic Forum in 2017, and I immediately dismissed it. It is not reality. It is just Hollywood. How much is being invested in AI around the world today? I don't have that answer off the top of my head, but governments and industry are investing billions of dollars in AI projects worldwide, from China to the USA and Europe. Every government and every industry can see that this is going to be strategically important for the future. We are only at the beginning of the journey, but there is already a lot that artificial intelligence can do. It is exciting to see all the possibilities ahead. What industry demands could AI advances help to address in the coming years? There are a number of problems faced by companies that AI is going to be able to resolve. One of them is what we call small data. We talk about big data all the time, but even when you have a lot of data, it often may not be the best data or may not be in the right form. I think there will be breakthroughs in the next five years around being able to do more with less data—without needing to organize and interpret huge volumes of information. With AI, a lot of progress is being made in this direction, and AI systems will help curate data, allowing companies and their employees to accomplish more with less. John Mottern / Feature photo service for IBM Part of the MIT-IBM Watson Artificial Intelligence Lab is dedicated to cybersecurity researchJohn Mottern / Feature photo service for IBM What is the focus of the research being conducted at the MIT-IBM Watson Artificial Intelligence Lab, established in 2017? Our focus is on fundamental research. The lab was created as a result of IBM and MIT getting together and asking what we really need to do to unlock the potential of AI. The idea is to take AI to the next level, so a wide range of research is conducted by the lab. What we are asking is what technologies do we not have today that would enable us to tackle the problems of tomorrow. We try to invent new approaches to AI that allow us to develop applications and address unsolved problems. How much is being invested in the laboratory? And where are the funds being used? A total investment of US$240 million has been committed for the next 10 years. This money is spent on machines and processing, software development, and personnel. At all organizations, people are the most expensive resource. What kind of projects does the laboratory work on? We organize our projects into four pillars. The first is the fundamental development of advanced algorithms to expand the capabilities of machine learning and reasoning. The focus is very broad, not aimed at any specific task, and addresses the most complex problems. New algorithms that not only process huge amounts of information, but also learn from limited data to augment human intelligence. At the same time, we investigate new materials, devices, and architectures that could support future approaches to AI training and deployment. The second pillar is the physics of AI. Research into quantum computing, for example, to optimize and accelerate machine-learning algorithms and other applications of AI. What are the other two pillars? The third is application of AI to industry. We look at AI advances through the lens of industry problems in order to understand their demands and needs, as already happens in the areas of healthcare and cybersecurity. The last pillar is what we call shared prosperity. We explore how AI can provide economic and social benefits to a wider range of people, countries, and businesses. We study the economic implications of AI and investigate how it can bring prosperity and help individuals improve their lives. What are the biggest challenges faced by the lab? It is hard work and it takes a lot of inspiration and new ideas. Many other professionals, from large universities and companies, are investing in this industry, so it is becoming very competitive. We try to work on things in a slightly different way from our competitors, but we are all striving to achieve the same goal. Artificial intelligence has the potential to change the world and bring real benefits to humanity. It can make our lives easier, healthier, and safer.
Artificial Inteligence


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Mark Finkelstein
Sore Winner CNN: No 'Profile in Courage' for GSA Head for Initiating Transition!
No Profile in Courage for you, Emily Murphy!
The liberal media has been castigating President Trump as a sore loser for pursuing legal challenges to the election results. But if there's anything worse than a sore loser, it's a sore winner. Yet that's exactly what CNN did this morning. Everything is always much too late.
The duo of New Day co-host John Berman and CNN political director David Chalian wanted to ensure that GSA Administrator Emily Murphy didn't receive any significant credit for initiating the formal transition process, which she did by sending Joe Biden a letter to that effect.
Berman kicked off the diminishment of Murphy's move:
JOHN BERMAN: It wasn't any more obvious last night, when Emily Murphy sent this letter, that Joe Biden won the election than it was two-and-a-half weeks ago. Honestly, nothing real changed. This doesn't and shouldn't be considered some massive Profile in Courage from the GSA Administrator.
Chalian was only too happy to rather unctuously agree:
DAVID CHALIAN: Not at all. I mean, it's good for the country. I'm glad we're moving forward with a formal transition process and that an incoming administration, in the midst of a pandemic and a crippled economy, due to the pandemic, is actually going to have access to the teams that are currently managing or mismanaging, in some cases, this process. This is all good. But you're absolutely right, John. There is nothing different.
Liberal journalists have this weird habit of presuming everything's already being fixed when Democrats start getting briefings. People were going to DIE of COVID because some Biden aide didn't get a briefing. In 1992, the New York Times suggested the "Clinton Expansion" had already started.
Note that Chalian wanted to claim that in all previous elections, the transition had been promptly begun. Except . . . there was that inconvenient exception in 2000. Al Gore, after initially conceding, held up the process for 37 days, taking his fight all the way to the Supreme Court. But Chalian assured viewers, "that was a totally different scenario."
Right. It's always "totally different" when the Democrats fight something.
CHALIAN: This is all pro forma stuff. And in previous elections, you know—put 2000 aside, which I know Emily Murphy has been citing as an example. That was a totally different scenario.
In previous elections, the transition would have been well underway, already. Because it was crystal clear, two-and-a-half weeks ago, that Joe Biden had become the President-elect of the United States. So you're right, no Profiles in Courage here.
CNN's dismissal of GSA Administrator Emily Murphy for initiating the transition process was sponsored in part by Sleep Number and Liberty Mutual.
John Berman
Instant Karma for CNN Host Who Sees 'Metaphor' In Trump Desk Size
CNN Sinks Lower: On 2020 Fight, Trump Is Equivalent of Slave States
Kook Conspiracy Zone on CNN: Trump Trading Giuliani Pardon for Silence
'View' Praises Biden Team's 'Strong Relationship With the Press'
Kristine Marsh
NBC Tars and Feathers 'Post-Democratic' GOP, Compare Biden to Truman
CNN: It 'Seems Clear' That 'Trump Unchained' Will Pardon Himself
VIDEO: Media Done with 'Unity,' Want 'Trump Apologists' Jailed
CNN: Those Aren't Biden Gaffes! They Demonstrate His 'Empathy'

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Management Team – John Spirig, Vice President, Humanic Product Division
John Spirig is Vice President of the Humanic Division for JAMIS Software Corporation, where he is responsible for the direction and continuing enhancement, support and implementation of JAMIS HCM products for human resource management. He has been an HRIS professional for more than 30 years, and has led HR and payroll systems development and implementation projects for major organizations in a cross-section of industries.
He has held key management positions with some of the nation's largest and most widely respected HRIS firms. A co-founder and principal of Implementation Support Associates in 1984, he became Vice President, Professional Services/Technical Consulting at Information Science Inc. when InSci acquired ISA in 1989. In 1991 he joined Humanic, the nation's leading provider of ORACLE-based HRIS software.
Widely published as an author on HRIS topics, he has also been a presenter at national conferences of organizations including HRSP, the AMA, and Lakewood's "Best of America" conference. He holds a BS in Computer Science from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
The JAMIS Edge
Designed Specifically for Government Contractors
DCAA Compliance Made Easier
Powerful Business Intelligence at Your Fingertips
Security Standards Aligned with the DoD
Why JAMIS


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Nonprofit Profile: NJ CAR, helping auto dealers adopt apprenticeship model to train techs
By ROI-NJ Staff
Trenton | Dec 12, 2019 at 6:35 am
Nonprofit Profile
NJ CAR
An apprentice, right, gets training through the New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers.
The New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers, founded in 1918, is a nonprofit organization serving approximately 510 neighborhood new car and truck dealerships throughout New Jersey. NJ CAR promotes the principles of commercial honor and integrity in the selling, leasing and servicing of motor vehicles. NJ CAR keeps its members informed on a variety of business matters, practices, trends and legislation.
Rob Sickel
NJ CAR is a 100-year-old organization that is modernizing its image to meet the demands of its members, their employees, legislators, the media and the car-buying public. This month, NJ CAR announced its new chairman, Rob Sickel and launched a new website that will serve as a valuable and informative resource for the franchised auto retailing industry and New Jersey consumers.
The Automotive Technician Apprenticeship Program (ATAP)'s mission is to promote the benefits of a career in automotive technology, as well as help dealerships recruit, train and retain the next generation of automotive technicians by providing job-specific classroom instruction through local county vocational schools and on-the-job training at neighborhood new car and truck dealerships.
NJ CAR is working to address a critical shortage of 12,500 highly skilled automotive technicians in New Jersey over the next seven years by launching ATAP. NJ CAR is also working to change the perception of a career in automotive repair. Today's auto tech jobs are more "tech" than "auto," with technicians spending as much time on a laptop, diagnosing a problem, as they do under the hood or chassis of a vehicle.
Apprenticeships are traditionally used to train future electricians or plumbers, and now the automotive retail industry is adopting a similar model. NJ CAR is determined to become part of the solution with ATAP and is working with local new car and truck dealerships to provide a pipeline of apprentices or assist them in creating their own in-house apprenticeship programs. Through the GAINS grant, NJ CAR covers the apprentice's tuition for training and reimburses dealers for on-the-job training and mentoring expenses. Students are recruited from high school technical training programs, county vocational programs, local communities, veteran associations, as well as existing dealership personnel.
ATAP will enroll at least 150 apprentices in its first year at a minimum wage of $15 per hour. In addition, ATAP is working with New Jersey Reentry Corp. to help individuals coming out of prison reenter the workforce. NJ CAR recently hosted Apprenticeship Recognition Day, where it honored the first 40 apprentices to participate in the program.
Earlier this year, NJ CAR was awarded $907,000 though a GAINS (Growing Apprenticeships in Non-traditional Sectors) grant from the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, which helped the Coalition launch ATAP.
Jim Appleton, president of NJ CAR.
A quote from Jim Appleton, above, president of NJ CAR: "The demand for skilled automotive technicians is at an all-time high in New Jersey. New Jersey alone will need to fill as many as 12,500 auto tech positions in the next seven years, as demand grows, and technicians retire from the workforce. These are highly-skilled, good-paying, local jobs that can't be outsourced."
Location: 856 River Road, Trenton
For more information about becoming an ATAP mentor or apprentice, contact Breanna Esquilin at besquilin@njcar.org., or visit
NJ CAR's new website at njcar.org.
ROI-NJ Staff | editorial@roi-nj.com | @ROINJNews
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Executive Moves: Diversified Properties, SGW and more


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(not provided) is one of the most talked-about topics in SEO. Very simply, what it means is that where we used to have plenty of raw data to measure our campaigns, now we need to use different KPIs and metrics to make up for the visibility we've lost.
It has not come as a surprise, although perhaps we didn't expect it to come so soon. Like many SEOs, Equator has been preparing for this eventuality and has developed workarounds or hybrid measures to do the performance reporting that needs to be done.
(not provided) or "keyword unavailable" first cropped up in October 2011 when Google started redirecting signed-in users to secure pages so all referring data that other tools would normally track was blocked. When it first launched, SEOs started seeing that a percentage of the keyword data fell into a (not provided) category – at the time, Google announced that it wouldn't exceed 10 per cent.
In late September 2013, Google moved entirely to secure search. When you type something into Google, you're redirected to an https:// or SSL encrypted version of Google. The howls of pain you heard from SEOs around that time was about the fact that the update only affected organic search data; paid search data from Google continues to provide keyword referrals.
Equator's Marketing Director, Martin Jordan, commented on the issue at the time: "The most confusing aspect of Google's move is that it only affects organic search referred data. AdWords customers still have full access to the keywords that drive visits and conversions to their sites.
Encrypted search is great from a privacy perspective; Edward Snowden, appearing via live stream at a TED conference in Vancouver earlier this week, asked tech firms to protect users by encrypting all web pages. But from Google's perspective, only natural clicks are affected and AdWords advertisers still have full access to their keywords.
For SEO, it means that it's impossible to know what a visitor was looking for when they landed on your site and if they found it. If they bought something, you don't know if an organic keyword converted into a sale because you can't track that from referrals anymore.
And more… this is an excellent post about keyword data options and the future by analytics expert Avinash Kaushik, well worth the read.
SEO has always been a creative, competitive, problem solving industry, although in recent years the role of an SEO has evolved dramatically. This alteration to performance reporting doesn't change the fundamental elements, ie quality, content-centric link development, attention to detail and technical precision, although it will be necessary to adapt and compensate for the missing data in order to gain visibility.


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0 comments on "What's that coming over the hill?"
What's that coming over the hill?
Posted by drlauramitchellon November 13, 2012 in academic, crew, for non-LARPers, LARP, monsters, others, UncategorizedLeave a comment
…is it a monster?
Most LARP activities rely upon a crew of volunteers to run, often known as 'crew' or 'monsters'. These volunteers may help with anything from digging holes, to acting out the roles of 'bad guys', refereeing game regulations or providing first aid assistance. They are usually rewarded in some way for their time and involvement, either through in-game benefits, or out of game considerations such as free food, indoor accommodations and the like.
Such a description does not really 'fit' the idea many people might have of a monster, or a monstrous agent. Quite the opposite. In the above illustration monsters seem to be quite helpful, self-sacrificing creatures; more beauty than beast. I thought in this post it might be interesting to highlight both the function played by 'monsters' in LARP, and a broader reflection on how monstrous they seem in general. To be more specific in the use of the term, although volunteering to monster, or 'going monstering' may refer to undertaking any assistant backstage task to facilitate the game on behalf of the organisers, in the majority of cases it refers to performing a costumed acting role according to a specified 'monster brief'. A brief comprises a rough guideline from which the volunteer may improvise an appropriate script of dialogue or behaviour.
Igor, the servant of the god-like master
Where a player in a LARP game may have full control of their actions and dialogue, subject to the restrictions of their embodied capabilities, monsters can be understood as lesser people, subject to the whims of the organiser or referee. Some monster roles may involve representing 'cannon fodder' such as weak little goblins or gretchen tasked with inconveniencing players, who are obliged to slaughter the beasts and reaffirm their status as heroic figures (this is the LARP equivalent of removing a household spider from the bathtub). There is little opportunity, in such roles, for the monster to act autonomously or to sway the course of events.
Even in more developed monster roles, such as reoccurring appearances of 'evil masterminds' or knowledgeable figures to interact with players, the detail of the brief and the abilities associated with the role lie firmly in the hands of the organisers. Monsters, then, are in this sense the serfs of the fantastical performances constituting LARP events, with organisers and plot writers their masters. As creatures without free will they are not fully human, but stunted individuals subject to their Machiavellian overlords. In a sense, they are pitiable monsters, unable to reach the status of a fully autonomous player.
The mercenary, the gunslinger, the barbarian outsider.
Such a depiction of monstering is one many players would likely reject, as it is not entirely accurate and it is slightly derogatory. Like any labour, monstering is often a process with tangible and intangible rewards. To paint a picture of monster volunteers as shackled servants would be the same as stating that the ticket sales clerk at the cinema, or the teenager in the House Griffindor costume at a Harry Potter attraction is in some way 'monstrous'. While Karl Marx would likely take such a view, it is perhaps worth exploring the potential rewards of monstering more thoroughly.
In most games that require significant numbers of monsters, a select crew of volunteers will be recruited for the whole period of the event. As well as the potential enjoyment offered in the guise of successful role performances, social camaraderie and broader exploration of the fantastical world experienced through the 'bad guys' perspective, monsters are also often provided with free food and/or board. In persistent game worlds, monstering may likely confer benefits on the volunteer's player experience, through transferable advantages or items which have a particular effect in the game. These are often tailored to the volunteer's preferences by way of a token exchange system, so those playing fighting characters might 'buy' a special weapon, while knowledge based characters might 'buy' access to libraries of information on languages or herbs.
Although in theory monsters might be paid in 'real' coin for their time, I have never encountered this or heard of it in the UK LARP context. The closest such exchange I have ever come across has been through payment 'in kind' in the form of monsters being offered the ability to keep game costumes or props for personal use, or discounts on such items from affiliated traders. However, there are distinctly intangible benefits accrued through regular monstering. Experienced monsters gain expertise in many aspects of the game such as the rule mechanics, the makeup and costume presentation of particular monster types, and in the improvised portrayal of diverse and sometimes complex roles. In each of these areas such stalwarts acquire a level of kudos or respect from the community, and are often consulted on difficult situations or recruited to show new volunteers 'the ropes'. Such veterans are often identifiable by their extensive repertoire of stories or accounts of earlier experiences which often figure them in a significant (and at times even maverick) role. It is this social approval of the volunteering role that perhaps lifts the 'monster' from wage-slave to contributing citizen. However, as I once discovered, rejecting some form of payment is considered unacceptable, as such behaviour impunes the status of monsters as a whole as no more than the Igors described above. As much as such community members may be applauded, monsters must remain outsiders, secondary and parasitic agents.
The invisible man, the terrifying unknown
The function of monster roles in LARP is to introduce or advance moments of dramatic tension as part of the narrative encountered by players. However,
when they appear in the game, it may not always be apparent that they are a 'monster'. Some games make frequent use of 'planted' characters under the control of the organisers, either to add drama to the game or simply to add colour and assist with creating a particular ambiance. Although referees and 'backstage' crew are frequently easy to spot by specific markers that denote them as outside the game world (high-visibility jackets, specific costumes or coloured markers are often used), many in-game monsters are carefully costumed to be indistinguishable from a player character. Although in many circumstances players within the game can identify monsters by their lower costume standards, or by recognising the volunteer as someone they can identify as associated with a different character, conspicuous by their absence, monsters which are concealed as players or simply well-costumed and prepared can pose an 'invisible' threat.
A key aspect of this lies in the function and status of a monster. These 'monsters' are dressed as players, in the same space as players, indistinguishable from them, yet their intentions are unknown, and may be threatening. These 'double agents' may be less attached to their roles than players, and as they are under the control or direction of the organisers their motivations are unpredictable. Should a monster 'die', they are likely to still fulfil their function by adding to the drama of the game, yet for such an occurrence to befall a player undermines their position as key agents or 'heroes' in the narrative drama. Monsters are in this sense a threatening 'other', different from players and yet seemingly the same. As chimera, in this sense monsters truly are monstrous since they illustrate the arbitrary distinction drawn between player and game-world. At the same time as monsters heighten and draw attention to that boundary, their task is to artfully conceal it from players; to promote a sense of 'reality' in the construction of the fantasy.
To be a monster at LARP is something of a double-edged experience. The very existence of monsters, as of the back-stage crew in general, is to perpetuate the dominant fictional narrative. Yet in the liminal space they occupy, the in-between world that separates the fantastical construction from the mundane one, monsters perhaps highlight the fragility of both those worlds.


text:
Max van Lewen Swarthout: Inteview, 1st Broadcast in Los Angeles
SWARTHOUT: Mr. Schoenberg: You have taught at the University of Southern California during the recent summer Session and I am happy in the knowledge that you are to be associated with us at the School of Music during the coming year. Doubtless you had a number of interesting experiences during the past six weeks that you have been with us, as well as during the past two years that you have been in Amerika, and in all probabilities you have formed a number of conclusions concerning American Schools of Music and American Music's students.
I would like to ask you, if you can tell me why the American student of music goes to Europe to further his education. Is there, in your opinion, any great difference between the American and European School of Music which would justify an American student going abroad for study?
Please state your opinion as fully as you care to do so.
SCHOENBERG: In general, Mr. Swarthout, I find the organisation of the schools here not very much different from that of the European schools. The standard of the American schools for music is the highest I know. There is an astonishing great number of renowned teachers, many of them of international fame. But concerning pedagogics I found out a difference for your credit. Whilst old Europe is resting somewhat on her tradition, America advances and develops pedagogic through very scientific means and with the ardent ambition of her happy youth. And the same I find among pupils: Their eagerness to learn is of the same youthful ardor and I feel young with them, when I feel the tough of their power.
Thus, to answer your question, I have therefore to speak from some other differences, whose influence is perhaps explaining the fact, that American pupils go to Europe. These differences concern neither pedagogics, nor the talents of pupils, nor the efforts of the teachers. But their influence is fundamental.
At first:
In every country in Europe, where the musical standard is as high as in America, you will find cities with one or more opera houses and with one or more symphony orchestras, which give performances during at least 8 to 9 months, even in summer in the larger cities. By this circumstance already the musician or music lover has the possibility to hear as much music as he likes. But there is also another very important circumstance: almost everywhere in these musical centers these institutions are enabled to be nearly independent in building up their programs, because they do not pay so much attention to the returns of the box office. Many of these institutions are supported by public means and can fulfill artistic necessities. Certainly they can not perform only such works, as have had no success at all. But if the artistic necessity is evident, you will always find the possibility of a performance. By this way, you will find in this places a repertoire of a much more extended compass, than in America, where it has partly to be built of popular pieces and where the box office often forbids the performance of valuable works. As an example I want to mention one of my works, whose performance requires not only a number of about 600 people as performers, but involves also a very great financial support. This work, the Gurrelieder, has been only once performed in America: by Mr. Stokowsky in Philadelphia. But in Europe I have counted nearly one hundred performances.
This number could only be achieved by the circumstance, that even cities of less than two hundred thousand inhabitants had the ambition to perform such a work.
But the independence of the box office is also shown by the very low prices of admission, which enable the less rich people and the students to attend the concerts and the opera performances.
For musicians the knowledge of the important works is as necessary, as it is for a technician, to be acquainted with the achievements of his predecessors. This knowledge is offered to a musician in Europe by the number of performances and by the nature of their programs which are built always according to artistic requirements.
But there is also another circumstance which helps the students to get the necessary background: Nearly every young music student in Europe possesses a small library of a few hundred copies of the most important musical works. This is possible because of the very low prices of printed music. A musician has not only to listen very often to the works of the masters, but he has also to study them, to analyze, to memorize, to acknowledge the inumberable variety of artistic means. And for that purpose he has to possess the copies.
I find there is in America so much talent for music and so much love for it, that America will certainly in a short time be the first as regards to musical culture, if only the interest of the public could be concentrated on these two facts, and if it would change this circumstance with such a speed, wich fulfills us Europeans with astonishment and admiration:
Firstly to give the music lover and the music students the possibility to hear the works of the masters at low prices and as often as it done in Europe.
Secondly to provide the music students with the necessary music and scores.
But that means: to publish music at low prices.
SWARTHOUT: What do you think would be the influence of such an achievement on musical education?
SCHOENBERG: I find that the education of not only composers, teachers of harmony, counterpoint and composition, but also of conductors and other performers and of teachers of the different instruments must based on an acquaintance with works of the masters.
By some circumstance the musical teaching has become a little abstract, a little mechanical. It seems to me as if the teaching is by this way too technical, but not enough essential. Certainly the pupil is enabled by such a manner of training to conquer every technical difficulty he encounters. I understand that a boxer can be trained this way. If he is taught to counter every attack, known by experts, he will quickly learn to fight correctly in each instance, because, if he did not, he would feel it not only on his body, but on his record. But there is no similar possibility for a musician or for a composer. He may know every possible trick, but he will not feel it, when he composes or performs poorly.
To know how to make a modulation is of no use if the pupil does not know how to employ this in a composition. But even if he knows, he may perhaps be able to harmonize a given theme, but will not know how to invent themes on a basis, from which you can look forward to the further development and which garantees the constructive purposes of harmony. The same is true in counterpoint: you have to write a canon or a fugue when you are a pupil. But in free composition you would write a canon or fugue only if you did not understand how to develop counterpuntal ideas according to their true nature and according to constructive purposes. And the same things happens with the knowledge of musical forms, if the student does not know the true meaning of musical formation, that is, to arrange and to build up ones ideas in such a manner that the pictures produced show ones ideas in an understandable and sound manner. In such a way the listener may be convinced, that one has spoken only of his ideas and has carried them out thoroughly and fancifully.
I think this can not be brought about without a profound knowledge of the achievements of the great thinkers of music. You will admit, that I do not ask a pupil to write like Bach, or Beethoven, or Mozart or Brahms. But I do ask that he realizes how profoundly the carried out their ideas and how manifold the means were, by which these great masters did their work.
And therefore my teaching is based on the knowledge of the works of the masters. And therefore I find it so necessary to strive that the students may have enough opportunity to hear these works and to possess a small library of the most important compositions.
And now Mr. Swarthout let me tell you that I am very, very happy not only to live in this marvellous country, but also to be associated with you and the University of Southern California, and to take advantage of your experience and your knowledge. And let me thank you for giving me the opportunity to work together with you for the education and the future of young American musicians.
SWARTHOUT: Thank you, Mr. Schoenberg, for your most interesting comparison of the American and European School of Music.
As one who felt the necessity himself, some thirty years ago to go abroad for advanced music study, I feel that your analyses of present day conditions as regards music study, is well considered. However, may I not, in conclusion, state, that in my opinion America has made splendid progress in musical appreciation during the past quarter of a century, and may it not be hoped, that such help for the Music Student as you have suggested inexpensive concert and opera, and inexpensive music-may shortly come to stimulate still further American Music Schools for American Music students!
Radio talk, KHJ, 1935; transcribed from typescripts, Arnold Schönberg Center, Wien (T 18.06, T 19.09; T 56.12)
interviews mit Schönberg
1909 • Paul Wilhelm: Bei Arnold Schönberg
1912 • Bei Arnold Schönberg. Eine Unterredung
1913 • Raymond Swing: Music in Dissonance
1913 • Der Skandal im Konzertsaal
1914 • Herr Schönberg in London
1917 • Julius Bistron: Arnold Schönbergs Zukunftsträume
1924 • Renzo Massarini: Arnold Schönberg in Italy
1927 • Wohin geht die deutsche Musik?
1928 • Arnold Schönberg: Interview mit mir selbst
1928 • Dieter Bassermann: Gespräch mit Arnold Schönberg
1928 • A talk with Schönberg
1931 • Diskussion im Berliner Rundfunk
1933 • Schoenberg Seeks New Talent Here
1933 • Always a Jew Inside
1933 • Schoenberg Hails U.S. Calm
1933 • Arnold Schönberg in Wien
1933 • Alfred Lundell: Interview with Schoenberg
1933 • George S. McManus: Arnold Schoenberg discusses his compositions
1933 • German Ouster Report Denied By Schoenberg
1933 • Mabel Greene: Schoenberg Is Here to Teach
1933 • Cycle of Music Held Untouched by World Chaos
1933 • R. P.: Arnold Schönberg Receives the American Press
1933 • Schoenberg Proves No Innocent Comer
1934 • Dorothea N. Bestor: Schoenberg Teaches
1934 • Laura Remick Copp: The Secret of Modernist Music
1935 • Max van Lewen Swarthout: Interview, USC
1934 • Arnold Schoenberg sees no reason for world to treat his theories as radical
1936 • Bessie Epstein: Schoenberg Reveals Colorful Career
1937 • José Rodriguez: Conversation with a Legend
1937 • Louis Banks: What is "modern" music?
1938 • Sally Brown Moody: Schoenberg Composes 'Musical Vision'
1940 • Lisa Sergio: Radio talk with Arnold Schoenberg
1940 • Olin Downes: Pierrot lunaire
1948 • Albert Goldberg: Schoenberg Looks Backward
1948 • Ronald Scofield: Learn to Hear, Says Composer
1948 • Raoul Gripenwaldt: Radio talk with Arnold Schoenberg
1948 • Lena Moon Morgan: The Great Schoenberg
1949 • Halsey Stevens: Museumsgespräch über Malerei
1949 • Karl Kritz and Rose Bampton: Interview
1949 • Katherine Hayward: A Personal Interview With Arnold Schoenberg
1950 • John Campbell: Seminar in Sound


text:
Internet People-Movement News
Latest Internet People-Movement News
People-Movement
Kellogg appoints Prashant Peres as MD for India & South Asia
Mohit Anand, who previously helmed the role, has been elevated as General Manager, Snacks Category, Kellogg AMEA
by exchange4media Staff
Published: Feb 9, 2022 11:41 AM | 2 min read
Kellogg India has appointed Prashant Peres as Managing Director for India and South Asia markets. In this role, Peres will steer the business forward in its endeavor to serve consumers with its wide array of food offerings.
Mohit Anand, who joined Kellogg in 2017 and served as Managing Director, India & South Asia, has been elevated to the role of General Manager, Snacks Portfolio for Kellogg AMEA (Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa), based in Singapore.
Pere joins Kellogg from Mondelez International where he led the Indonesia business as President and Managing Director, prior to which he led the chocolates business for Mondelez in India. He is a FMCG sector veteran, with nearly 25 years of rich experience in the Foods, Snacks, Beverages and Personal Care categories across diverse markets in Asia, ANZ and Africa. He was previously the Vice President for Foods, South Asia in Unilever and earlier stints include several senior roles in sales and marketing at Unilever in the South Asia region, Turkey, Africa, Middle East, South East Asia, and China.
On his appointment, Peres said, "The challenge of leading a business in India is always thrilling, but more so when it is a legacy brand such as Kellogg. I am looking forward to step into this role and play a part in augmenting Kellogg's commitment to serving its consumers and communities with its wide range of cereals and snacks. We are in an exciting place as a business with a fantastic opportunity for nutritious food offerings before us and I am looking forward to growing it further along with the passionate team at Kellogg South Asia."
Speaking on the appointments, Shumit Kapoor, President Kellogg AMEA said, "We are pleased to appoint Prashant Peres to lead the Kellogg South Asia business. We believe that his strong experience will help build on our sustainable growth momentum in the market, develop our talent and bring more food innovations to our consumers. I congratulate Mohit Anand for his new role in leading the snacks portfolio for Kellogg AMEA region. Mohit is an excellent leader within Kellogg with rich India and Asia experiences gathered over the years. I am excited to have him join us here in Singapore and unlock the potential of the snacks category across markets."
Peres has started the new role in January and will be based in Mumbai.
Tags Kellogg Mohit anand Prashant peres advertising news marketing ooh television digital print radio media industry people people movement
people-movement Radio Mirchi CEO Prashant Pandey moves on
people-movement Haldiram's appoints Harshit Gupta as Deputy Manager – Digital Marketing
people-movement CMS IT Services hires Sanjeev Singh as CEO and MD
people-movement Ipsos India makes senior appointments in marketing functions
people-movement Josh Talks' Pawan Sharma joins B4U as CRO
Ipsos India makes senior appointments in marketing functions
Pallavi Mathur Lal named Senior Director, Content and Communications; Madhurima Bhatia to lead Media Engagement & Partnerships with additional APAC role (excluding Greater China)
By exchange4media Staff | Jan 27, 2023 10:16 AM | 1 min read
Ipsos India has announced leadership changes in Marketing Communications and Operations.
Pallavi Mathur Lal, Senior Director Client Organization, takes up the role of Senior Director, Content and Communications. Madhurima Bhatia from Marketing and Communications Lead now moves to Media Engagement and Partnerships for Ipsos India, with the additional role of media engagement for the Asia Pacific region (excluding Greater China).
Both Bhatia and Mathur will report to Amit Adarkar, CEO, Ipsos India.
"Ipsos India has aggressive growth plans charted for the next 3 years, and these senior appointments in both Marketing and Operations will further elevate the status of Ipsos in India providing greater visibility and continue to transform our Operation business," says Adarkar.
Tags Kellogg Mohit anand Prashant peres
Josh Talks' Pawan Sharma joins B4U as CRO
Sharma was Josh Talks' Business Head
By Sonam Saini | Jan 25, 2023 6:04 PM | 1 min read
Pawan Sharma has moved on from Josh Talks and joined B4U as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO). The development has been conformed to e4m by highly placed sources.
At Josh Talks, Sharma was the Business Head, leading the revenue and branded marketing division for the company. He joined Josh Talks in April 2022.
Earlier, Sharma was associated with Network18 where he was designated as National Head Revenue (Focus-Hindi and Regional News). He joined Network18 in November 2020 and worked for over one year.
Prior to joining Network18, Sharma was working with The Walt Disney Company as the National Head- Revenue (Branded content & Bindass). He joined the company in 2009 as a head-priority team (North, East, and South)- UTV Movies & Action and was later promoted as Cluster Sales Head-NE (UTV Action & Movies).
He also worked with Star India and Reliance BIG Entertainment.
Voxxy Media appoints Ravi Jhaveri as Chief Revenue Officer
Before joining Voxxy Media, Ravi was associated with Warner Brothers Discovery as an Associate Director of Sales for a cluster of channels
Voxxy Media, a =social media marketing agency, has announced the appointment of Ravi Jhaveri as its Chief Revenue Officer. In his new role, Jhaveri will be responsible for driving and expanding revenue functions across all the business verticals of the organization- Voxxy Influence, Voxxy Creative Studio, Voxxy Talent, Voxxy Socials, Voxxy Commerce and Voxxy Experiential; and will be instrumental in driving the company's growth in the next phase by augmenting the revenue team Voxxy 2.0.
Ravi comes with more than 15 years of excellent expertise and has worked with some of India's leading broadcasters. His expertise lies in business strategy, developing linear and non-linear revenue models, and has successfully developed strong teams to manage all go-to-market efforts, including pre-sales consulting, sales, revenue operations, and stakeholder management.
Before joining Voxxy Media, Ravi was associated with Warner Brothers Discovery as an Associate Director of Sales for a cluster of channels where he served for more than 5 years. Apart from that Ravi has also worked with established brands like Disney Star, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance and Reliance Broadcast Network.
"Ravi's appointment comes at the perfect time, as we enter our next wave of growth"- said Vipul Talwar, Co-Founder Voxxy Media. "His experience in leveraging market synergies across a broad ecosystem, setting up processes and data-driven solutions, will drive scalable growth and profitability in the next stage for Voxxy Media."
In his new role as CRO at Voxxy Media, Mr. Jhaveri said "As someone who has accelerated growth in many companies over the years, I am very excited to join Voxxy Media at this pivotal time in the company's journey. The company has an undeniable product-market fit, a fanatical customer base, and a great mission. The opportunity to join is not only to amplify the growth and momentum of the Influencer Marketing business but also to spearhead the revenue of the other SBUs that Voxxy plans to monetize. This will enable us to become the market leader within this space."
Simpl ropes in Ashwini Ravindranath as VP of Partner Success team
Her earlier stints include leadership roles at Airtel and FlipKart
1-tap checkout network Simpl today announced the appointment of Ashwini Ravindranath as Vice President of the Partner Success team. Ashwini will lead the team to build strong relationships with Simpl's merchant network and own the P&L of the Pay Later business of the organisation. With this strategic hire, Simpl aims to help its onboarded merchant partners achieve their desired business goals.
With over a decade of rich and diverse experience in retail, Ashwini is a seasoned e-commerce leader with strong category experience. In her earlier stints with Airtel and FlipKart, Ashwini played many key roles in launching and scaling new businesses, with a vision to bring the next 200Mn shoppers online. She has been an integral part of 4 key business launches at Flipkart, while driving the customer and revenue growth of the eCommerce player.
Commenting on the appointment, Nitya Sharma, CEO & Co-Founder – Simpl, said, "We welcome Ashwini Ravindranath as the Vice President of our Partner Success team. With the fintech payments landscape evolving at a breakneck speed, it is indispensable for us to ensure that our merchant partners achieve their desired business outcomes. Ashwini's intervention will play a vital role in further cementing our merchant partners' relationships with their customers. She will also be responsible for P&L and sales for our Pay Later business and drive the next phase of its growth. We wish her all the best."
Ashwini Ravindranath, Vice President, Partner Success Team said, "I am super excited to be on board this exciting journey at Simpl. We want to help our merchant partners build trusted and long-term relationships with their customers, and we will partner with them in this journey by building a transformative customer experience, catering to the category nuances of each of our merchants"
A marketing management student from SPJIMR, SP Jain Institute of Management & Research, Ashwini is a gold medalist in Academics from Visvesvaraya Technological University. Ashwini is also the recipient of the prestigious "Great Manager Award - 2021', an award that recognizes people managers in the county, conferred by People Business Consulting.
Simpl will continue to expand its leadership team across partnerships and customer service in its mission to democratize the digital transformation in the payments space in India.
Bharat Express appoints Nishant Mishra as Marketing Head ahead of official launch
Mishra was part of Bharat24's launch too
Upendrra Rai-led upcoming national Hindi news channel Bharat Express has appointed Nishant Mishra as Marketing Head before its official launch.
In his new role, he will be closely working with the management for the launch of the channel and create successful brand strategy, curate content-led events & IP's, strategic alliances and customized brand solutions for the channel.
Prior to joining Bharat Express, Mishra played a crucial role in the successful launch of Bharat24 and channel's other marketing initiatives in his national role. In his career spanning over 15 years, he has worked with leading media brands like TV Today, TV18, Zee and iTV Network.
Commenting on his appointment, Mishra said, "Launch is the most exciting and thrilling phase of a media brand. I am privileged to have this opportunity and look forward to working with the incredible and seasoned team of professionals already at Bharat Express."
Upendrra Rai, CMD & Editor-in-Chief, Bharat Express, said, "As the channel is gearing up for its official launch on 1st February 2023, we have made a slew of senior-level appointments in critical roles. Nishant's appointment will add more heft to our remarkable team at the channel and I am confident that Bharat Express will benefit from Nishant's rich experience."
On the appointment, Varun Kohli, CEO, Bharat Express, said, "Having worked with Nishant before, I have witnessed Nishant's growth as a marketing professional. I have always admired his solution-based and result-oriented approach which will further bolster our growth plans for Bharat Express."
This will be Jain's second stint with Zee
Mona Jain, who has resigned as ABP News Network's Chief Revenue Officer, will join Zee News as its Chief Revenue Officer. The development was confirmed to e4m by highly placed sources.
This will be Jain's second stint with the Zee group. Before joining ABP Network in November 2019, Jain had spent six years in Zee Entertainment Enterprise Ltd. (ZEEL), serving as Executive Vice President, AD Sales.
A veteran media professional, Jain has more than 30 years of experience in media marketing and promotions. Prior to her tenure in ZEEL, Jain was the CEO of Vivaki Exchange for almost nine years, where she was designated as India Head – Strategic Investments. She has also worked at Cheil Communications and Mudra Communications in the past, where she held the positions of Executive Director and Media Director respectively and was responsible for setting up media for various brands. She started her career with Hindustan Thompson Associates (HTA) and holds vast experience in the field of communications and marketing.
Scarecrow M&C Saaatchi elevates Mustafa Kapasi to ECD
He has spent seven years in Scarecrow
Ad agency Scarecrow M&C Saatchi has announced the elevation of Mustafa Kapasi to the role of Executive Creative Director.
Kapasi brings with him a rich experience of nearly 21 years of writing and leading a copy team, the agency said.
He has spent seven years in Scarecrow and has handled an eclectic mix of brands including Future Generali, Adani Gas, Mahindra Trakstar, Wagh Bakri, Business Standard, Vimal, Spykar and many more.
Says Raghu Bhat, Co-founder of Scarecrow M&C Saatchi, "Mustafa is an exceptional human being who thoroughly deserves this promotion. He has a unique combination of creativity, resilience and a hunger for learning that sets him apart. What I'm most impressed about is his ability to adapt and re-invent himself in the ever-changing digital landscape, which is a testament to his commitment to always get better, at whatever he does."
Says Manish Bhat, Co-founder of Scarecrow M&C Saatchi, "Mustafa is a true leader who can inspire, motivate and improve his team members. He is a great listener and his life experience allows him to come up with great insights in our conversations. One of his best qualities is that he inspires trust and has a fantastic work ethic, which is very rare to find. I wish and hope that Mustafa will continue to blossom in Scarecrow and create some more great campaigns."
Says Mustafa Kapasi,"I am continually impressed by the agency's focus on simplicity and creating disruptive yet effective campaigns. Even after eight years, this approach remains as refreshing as it was when I first joined. The culture of adapting and evolving while constantly pushing boundaries and avoiding comfort zones suits me quite well. I am grateful to Raghu and Manish for entrusting me with this opportunity. And a shout-out to my current and previous bunch of crazy creative colleagues who helped me make this possible."
Some of his most visible campaigns in Scarecrow include the award-winning Spykar Blue Film Festival campaign, Varuna Pumps' Rukmi Bai, Republic Day film for Ambuja Cements, the LSF campaign for Nahar Amrit Shakti, MumBye for Adhiraj Developers and the Insight Out campaign for Business Standard.


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Q: Using fusion tables with app inventor as a database Easy to answer question ( I hope)
Need to use fusion tables with app inventor as a database but need to have every app access it without having to log in with user id.
Does app inventor have that functionality? Believe I need to set up API for 'installed applications' but do not know where in app inventor I need to enter the SHA1 code.
App is to 'anonymously' update database without needing to log in.
Thanks in advance

A: I don't think that this is possible with the built-in Fusiontables Controls, see also the notes in the Pizza Party tutorial:

NOTE about Sharing Fusion Tables: To share a FusionTable with others,
  you have to invite each person individually, the same way you would
  share a private google doc. There is no way to share write privileges
  to a FusionTable with the public. Public access is restricted to
  read-only.

However this is possible with the App Inventor - Fusiontable interface using the web component. To prepare the login free access, do a run with the interface with your login and store the received refresh token as variable in your app. Then you can build your app, publish it and run the interface with the stored authorization without need to login anymore. The user will then access your fusion table with owner permissions.
See also this similar question and here

Application 1 - Using Fusion Tables like a Database*
...
In other words, if you own a Fusion Table in your own account that you
  want to serve as a database in your application, you simply need to
  get the access and refresh tokens for that account, and use the access
  token for all requests to Fusion Tables. When the access token
  expires, a 401: Unauthorized message is returned, and the refresh
  token can be used to request a new access token.
...
You can then securely save the access and refresh tokens somewhere
  accessible by your application, and use them in your code to make the
  requests to Fusion Tables.

EDIT: You now can find a running example here.

A: If you just need a database for your app, also consider using Google Cloud SQL which offers familiar MySQL functionality on the cloud.  https://developers.google.com/cloud-sql/

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


BALTIMORE (AP) — Baltimore's law department has filed a lawsuit against opioid manufacturers and distributors over the marketing of addictive pain pills.
The Baltimore Sun reported Wednesday that the city names several drug makers and distributors as defendants. The city also named two doctors.
Baltimore claims the drug manufacturers have funded unscrupulous research that led to biased findings about the dangers of opioid pills and spread false information to doctors and consumers.
The city accuses distributors of failing to properly report suspicious pill orders as required under federal and Maryland law.
Since 2007, over 3,000 people have died of opioid overdoses in Baltimore.
The newspaper says representatives of the drug firms denied any wrongdoing. Several counties in Maryland and jurisdictions across the country have brought similar cases.


Welcome to the Lifeguard page for Suffolk County.
In order to become a Lifeguard in Suffolk County and work as a certified Lifeguard, you must pass the following Prerequisite criteria and obtain certification from qualified Schools, Courses or on the Job Training. Depending on what certification course your location requires. They are listed below.
Must be at least 15 years old and pass certain swimming requirements.
The YMCA offers a full YMCA of the USA Lifeguard training course that includes American Red Cross CPR for the Professional Rescuer (CPRO) and First Aid, equipment-based rescues for aquatic environments, accident prevention, and decision making skills.
Participants must be 16 years old by the end of the class. Attendance, full participation, and successful completion of written tests and performance of all water skills are required.
Must be 16 years old by the end of the class.
The total course timing is 36 hours.
The online course covers Lifeguarding, CPR/AED, First Aid and Oxygen Supplement, and Blood Pathogens.
Must be at least 15 years of age before the last scheduled review session.
100 yards of either the front crawl or breaststroke.
The 100 yards may be a combination of front crawl and breaststroke.
Starting in the water, swim 20 yards using front crawl or breaststroke, surface dive 7- 10 feet, retrieve a 10-pound object, return to the surface, swim 20 yards back to the starting point with the object and exit the water without using a ladder or steps, within 1 minute, 40 seconds.
If your swimming skills are not strong, but you can swim at least 50 yards and walk the brick test requirement, it may be possible to receive a Shallow Water Lifeguarding card. At any time in the future if you swimming skills increase to the level of deep-water requirements, we will issue the Professional Lifeguarding card that will allow you to guard at both deep water and shallow water pools at no additional cost.
Upon successful completion of the Lifeguard course, each participant will receive an American Lifeguard Certificate indicating Lifeguard, CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer and First Aid, which are all valid for 2 years under the new 2012 standards.
Final Skill Scenario 3-Head, Neck or Back Injury.
Age – A minimum of 16 years of age.
Swimming Ability – Demonstrates an ability to swim 500 meters (550 yards) over a measured course in ten minutes or less.
Health & Fitness – Possesses adequate vision, hearing acuity, physical ability and stamina to perform the duties of an open water lifeguard as documented by a medical or osteopathic physician.
First Aid Certification – Certified as having successfully completed a first aid course accepted by the Federal Government or by the state government in the state of employment.
CPR Certification – Currently certified as having successfully completed a course in providing one person adult, two person adult, child and infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), including ob-structed airway training, accepted by the Federal Government or by the state government in the state of employment.
Identify the importance of a lifeguard maintaining a position of safety when effecting a rescue.
Identify the characteristics of a proper approach to a victim.
Identify considerations when making contact with a victim.
Identify the appropriate victim approach for different rescue situations: front surface, rear surface or underwater.
Identify the value of an arm assist or cross chest carry for a given rescue situation.
Identify appropriate methods of lifting and removing a victim from the water.
Identify the priority of resuscitation over removal of a victim from the water.
Identify the general principles of defense, release, and escape from a panicked victim.
Identify the advantages and disadvantages of using swim fins during rescues.
Identify the advantages and disadvantages of reaching, wading, and throwing assists.
Identify the need to assess for spinal injury prior to effecting a rescue or moving a victim.
Identify the physiological response and behavioral sequences in victim recognition.
Demonstrate stride jump, shallow water dive, and porpoising.
Demonstrate the heads-up breast stroke, heads-up crawl stroke, and quick reverse.
Demonstrate the front surface approach, rear surface approach, submerged victim approach and level-off.
Demonstrate the arm assist and cross chest carry.
Demonstrate appropriate methods of lifting and removing a victim from the water.
Demonstrate releases and escapes from a panicked victim or victims.
Demonstrate the donning and use of swim fins in rescue if swim fins are used by the agency.
Demonstrate donning and clearing of mask and snorkel, and surface dive to recover a minimum 150 pound victim from a depth of at least ten feet of water.
Demonstrate proper spinal injury management during a rescue.
Identify the primary and secondary functions of a lifeguard.
Identify the need for policies and standard procedures.
Explain the role of public relations in lifeguarding.
Identify proper methods of communicating with the public.
Identify functions of tower systems, particularly those used by the employing agency.
Identify the uses of mobile vehicle support if used by the agency.
Identify the uses of both power and non-power vessel support.
Identify the correct way to interface with other local safety agencies including ambulance services, police, and rescue personnel.
Identify the emergency plan to summon and utilize these agencies when needed.
Identify the importance of equipment maintenance.
Identify factors which increase the risk of legal action.
Identify the purpose of uniforms.
Identify the importance of in-service training.
Identify the need for skin and eye protection from environmental exposure.
Identify the risks of personal injury to lifeguards posed by trauma and biohazards, particu- larly during training and rescue responses.
Identify methods of promoting personal safety through stretching exercises, use of wetsuits and other protective gear, and the use of rescue equipment and victims as buffers from sources of injury.
Identify the need for and methods to access back-up in emergencies.
Identify the various types of waves and the forces effecting their formation if the agency serves a beach with wave action.
Identify the characteristics and means of recognizing the types of currents experienced in the waters served by the agency.
Identify if rip currents are present at beaches served by the agency, identify each of the various types of rip currents.
Identify the basic functions of a communications system.
Identify the "No Swimming" flag and the diver flag.
Identify the need for precision in keeping written records.
Identify important details which should be included in an accident report.
Identify the importance of incident and activity reports as legal documents.
Identify the need for keeping accurate statistics on agency activities.
Identify ways to recognize potential victims and proper water scanning techniques.
Identify the value of an offshore platform in management of a swimming crowd and identification of victims in distress.
Identify considerations when utilizing a helicopter for a rescue.
Identify considerations when assisting a disabled vessel and the passengers thereof.
Identify conditions which warrant suspicion of head, neck, and back injuries.
Identify methods of handling head, neck, and back injuries.
Demonstrate methods for safely extricating a person with head, neck or back injuries from distress.
Identify methods for establishing landmarks in searches for submerged victims.
Identify the usefulness and limitations of the line sweep and circular sweep search patterns.
Identify the usefulness and limitations of the use of mask, fins, and snorkel in search and rescue operations.
Identify the usefulness and limitations of scuba in search and rescue operations.
Identify considerations in body recovery.
Identify line and shore signals for search and recovery.
Identify the use of range marks in fixing the "last known point" of the victim prior to submersion.
Demonstrate a line sweep and circular sweep search.
Demonstrate the use of range marks.


It's the Millennium Falcon. How can you not be excited about it.
Training Luke is pretty cool.
The first half of the build was really cool but about halfway through it became repetative. You end up building 6-12 of the same small item and putting it on the main build. Still fun though.
It's expensive, but again, its the Millenium Falcon.
I've already said what it is twice, come on.
It is evrywhere. It is a flagship.
Looks like a box to me.
This is a piece you put in the middle of others. Now you need to have an A wing, a B wing, a X wing a Y wing, Tie fighters etc. and this one is the big one.
MILLENIUM FALCON... It's great for display.
Great build. The first half was slow and interesting. Second half was repetative but still fun. The Luke mini fig is really cool with his visor. The interior was a main focus on this set. It looks very cool to open the roof and look in. The set does suffer in the front of the ship. It is basically a flying saucer with two flat bits and a cockpit sticking out. Still awesome. The exterior detail though is pretty detailed and looks good.


Kidnapping & Unlawful Confinement | Jenson & Co.
(c) to hold the person for ransom or to service against the persons' will.
(b) an offence punishable on summary conviction and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 18 months.
While unlawful confinement is a hybrid offence and therefore open to Crown discretion to proceed either by indictment or by summary conviction, kidnapping is a strictly indictable offence. A person convicted of kidnapping is subject to penalties up to, and including, life in prison. Where a firearm is used, a mandatory minimum prison sentence of at least 4 years must be imposed.
In defending the highest-profile criminal case in Kelowna's history, and following a successful defence of the charge of 1st degree murder, criminal lawyer Wade Jenson presented sentencing submissions on behalf of his client on the lesser offence of manslaughter. The trial judge ruled that the Crown, in addition to failing to prove murder, had failed to establish the existence ofkidnapping as an aggravating factor.
Client charged with sexual assault, sexual exploitation of a young person, andunlawful confinement. The accused faced a lengthy term of imprisonment and the loss of a career upon conviction. With the stakes so high, Kelowna criminal lawyer Wade Jenson was retained to protect the accused's innocence. On the first day of trial, CHARGES DISMISSED.
The accused, who was employed as an armored guard, confronted a man late one night who was in a vehicle with his ex-girlfriend. He was alleged to have retrieved his 9mm Luger handgun and pointed it at the head of the man before confining and assaulting his ex-girlfriend. He was charged with pointing a firearm, possessing a handgun for a purpose dangerous to the public peace, unlawful confinement, and assault. Facing these very serious charges, the accused decided he needed to retain criminal lawyer Wade Jenson, who after extensive negotiations with Crown entered a single plea to possession of a weapon. Following lengthy submissions in court, Wade Jenson was successful in obtaining a CONDITIONAL DISCHARGE. All other charges dismissed.