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Category: Science

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Welch, Schakowsky Push to Increase Funding for Medical Research, Require Law-Breaking Drug Companies to Reinvest in NIH and FDA

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    October 18, 2024

    Bill applies to pharmaceutical companies who are found guilty or are accused of breaking the law and settle with the federal government. 

    Bill Text (PDF) | One Pager (PDF)

    Boston, MA – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.), along with Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) introduced the Medical Innovation Act of 2024 to increase funding for medical innovation by requiring large pharmaceutical companies that are accused of breaking the law and settle with the federal government to reinvest a small percentage of their profits into the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

    In 2023, the NIH only had funds for 23% of the applications it received, contributing to a huge medical innovation gap. At the same time, pharmaceutical companies have been accused of defrauding Medicare and Medicaid, marketing drugs for unapproved uses, illegally incentivizing doctors to prescribe drugs, lying about the safety of their drugs, and violating other criminal and civil laws. The companies have settled many of these claims with the federal government, treating the fines as a cost of doing business. Most recently, Teva Pharmaceuticals agreed to pay the Justice Department $450 million to settle a set of lawsuits alleging that the company defrauded Medicare and conspired with other drug-makers to illegally inflate the prices of two generic drugs.

    Between 2019 and October 2024, the Department of Justice pursued new actions against or settled cases with at least 40 pharmaceutical companies. 

    The Medical Innovation Act would: 

    • Require pharmaceutical companies accused of breaking the law to reinvest a small percentage of their profits in NIH and FDA. These payments would increase with the severity of the settlement penalty, and would only be required of companies that rely on federally-funded research to develop billion-dollar, “blockbuster” drugs.  
    • Invest in life-saving medical innovation through the NIH and FDA. Payments collected through this bill would be used to develop treatments and diagnostics to address unmet medical needs; support research grants for early career scientists; research diseases that disproportionately contribute to federal health care spending; and advance basic biomedical research, among other uses.
    • Promote sustained investments in biomedical research. To ensure that the Act results in a net increase in funding for medical research, money from the supplemental settlement fees would only be available in years that annual appropriations for NIH and FDA are equal to or greater than appropriations for the agencies in the prior fiscal year.    

    “Big Pharma shouldn’t be able to defraud the federal government and get away with just a slap on the wrist,” said Senator Warren. “This bill will help us save lives by ensuring giant drug companies that enter into settlement agreements with the federal government chip in to fund the next generation of medical research.”

    “The Medical Innovation Act is a commonsense way to advance more medical research by holding shady pharmaceutical companies accountable when they break the law,” said Senator Welch. “I led this bill as a member of the House and am fighting today with my colleagues Senator Warren and Representative Schakowsky to maintain America’s leadership in biomedical science.”

    “For too long, drug companies that rely on federally-funded research to develop their blockbuster drugs have gotten away with defrauding consumers and taxpayers,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. “The Medical Innovation Act would make it more difficult for these drug companies to game the system by requiring them to provide a share of their profits to increase investments in biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration. We can continue to be a leading force in medical innovation and this legislation will help ensure that we have the means to cure diseases and save lives.” 

    Senator Warren first introduced the Medical Innovation Act in the 114th Congress and has pushed for its passage in every Congress since. 

    The following Senators also co-sponsored the bill: Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.). 

    This bill is endorsed by the following organizations: National Women’s Health Network, AIDS United, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Society of Behavioral Medicine, Families USA, Public Citizen, and Massachusetts Medical Society. 

    “The Medical Innovation Act reinvests in vital research. This legislation is a crucial step toward holding the pharmaceutical industry accountable while ensuring that taxpayer-funded research leads to tangible advancements in health. With women historically underrepresented in clinical trials, it’s imperative that we close the innovation gap. The Network thanks Senator Elizabeth Warren for her leadership on this issue and we are hopeful that together, we can create a healthier future for all women,” said Denise Hyater-Lindenmuth, Executive Director, National Women’s Health Network.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Champagne announces new thematic campus and collaboration on energy transition

    Source: Government of Canada News

    News release

    Concordia University initiative will support research and innovation in sustainability

    October 18, 2024 – Shawinigan, Quebec 

    Across Canada, universities are at the forefront of innovation, advancing research and preparing future leaders in critical fields. To maintain Canada’s leadership in clean energy and sustainable technologies, the Government of Canada is investing in groundbreaking initiatives that will support cutting-edge research and foster the development of the next generation of skilled workers.

    Today, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced that Concordia University will establish a thematic campus in Shawinigan, Quebec, focused on energy transition. The campus will be dedicated to advancing clean energy research, which is critical to addressing climate change and promoting sustainability. This project is part of Concordia University’s “Volt-Age: Where Innovation Meets Purpose” initiative, which received a $123 million investment through the $1.4 billion Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) in 2022. CFREF supports world-leading research at Canadian universities and colleges.

    The campus will foster collaboration between Concordia University, the City of Shawinigan and the National Center in Environmental Technology and Electrochemistry (CNETE), aligning with broader federal efforts to address critical challenges in energy storage, transport electrification and sustainable innovation.

    This investment highlights the importance of connecting academic research with local and international partners to deliver tangible social and economic benefits for Canadians, while positioning Canada at the forefront of clean energy research.

    In support of this new initiative, the National Research Council of Canada signed a memorandum of understanding with Concordia University today to advance battery materials research in Canada and address the gaps in next-generation battery processing and manufacturing.

    Quotes

    “Investing in clean energy research is essential to securing Canada’s future as a global leader in sustainability. This new campus in Shawinigan dedicated to energy transition will lead cutting‑edge research to support the fight against climate change. This initiative will play a pivotal role in training the next generation of innovators who will help us achieve our ambitious climate goals.”
    – The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

    “When we invest in our researchers, we are investing in the communities of tomorrow—ones that are greener, more sustainable and healthier. The Canada First Research Excellence Fund uniquely positions our researchers to expand their skills to help their communities develop, and this is what we see today—the unveiling of a clean energy campus built on networks that are rich in research and innovation.”
    – Dr. Ted Hewitt, Chair, Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat Steering Committee, and President, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada

    “The National Research Council of Canada is committed to working with partners across Canada to advance technology that will advance our economy and mitigate climate change. This memorandum of understanding with Concordia University brings us together, with our complementary expertise in battery materials research, to address challenges in the battery innovation ecosystem and advance Canada’s globally competitive position in the clean energy sector.”
    – Mitch Davies, President, National Research Council of Canada

    “The establishment of our thematic campus in Shawinigan focused on energy transition is in line with the current narrative and showcases a city that has always been at the forefront of hydroelectricity and lithium battery production.”
    – Karim Zaghib, CEO, Volt-Age, Concordia University

    Quick facts

    •  Since 2016, the federal government has invested over $22 billion in science and research initiatives, such as infrastructure, emerging talent and other science and technology support measures, including measures announced in Budget 2024.

    • Created in 2014, the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) supports Canadian postsecondary institutions in their efforts to become global research leaders. The program helps Canadian universities, colleges and polytechnics compete with the best in the world for talent and partnership opportunities. It also supports them in making breakthrough discoveries; seizing emerging opportunities; strategically advancing their greatest strengths on the global stage; and implementing large-scale, transformational and forward‑thinking institutional strategies.

    • CFREF invests approximately $200 million per year to support selected Canadian postsecondary institutions in turning their key strengths into world-leading capabilities.

    • Initiatives funded by CFREF are selected through an independent, multidisciplinary, international competitive peer review process, which is held every seven years.

    • CFREF is a tri-agency institutional program administered by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) on behalf of the three federal research funding agencies: the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and SSHRC.

    Associated links

    Contacts

    Audrey Milette
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
    audrey.milette@ised-isde.gc.ca

    Media Relations
    Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
    media@ised-isde.gc.ca

    Stay connected

    Find more services and information on the Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada website.

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    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: If your child is watching TV and playing online games, you should do it with them – here’s why

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jamie Lingwood, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Liverpool Hope University

    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Young children spend a lot of time using screens: watching television, playing on touchscreen apps, or facetiming with grandparents. In fact, research on global screen time guidelines has found that around 75% of children aged up to two years use some form of digital media daily, and 64% of children aged two to five years use it for more than an hour a day.

    Digital media is part of children’s lives and is set to stay that way. This means it is crucial to understand how to use this technology so children can benefit from it, and how to maximise its educational potential.

    A key way to do this is for parents and other adults to use digital media together with children. This is known as co-use, and can range from parents actively discussing the media content with their children to simply watching a show together.

    Our recent research with colleagues has investigated how adults using digital media with children aged up to six affects children’s ability to learn from digital media.

    We carried out a meta-analysis: a wide-ranging examination of existing research studies to identify trends and themes.

    We found that, overall, parent-child co-use is helpful for supporting young children’s learning from digital media. Adults using digital media together with children can help them understand and relate to the digital content better. Our research chimes with other studies which suggest that, for instance, parents using digital media with children can boost language skills.

    Our findings suggest that by being actively engaged, adults can help their children make the most of the educational benefits of digital media. This could involve one-to-one interactions directing their child’s attention to the educational content and relating it to real-world situations.

    Here are some practical tips for parents to maximise the benefits of co-using digital media with their children.

    Be an active participant

    Don’t just sit next to your child while they use digital media — engage with them. Ask questions about what they are watching or playing, and encourage them to think critically about the content. For example, if they are watching a video, you might ask “what do you think will happen next?” or “why do you think the character did that?”

    ‘Scaffold’ learning

    Scaffolding is a teaching technique in which parents can provide support to help their child understand new concepts, then let them use that concept by themselves. During co-use, you can scaffold by explaining difficult words, relating on-screen content to real-life experiences, or helping your child apply what they’ve learned from the media to other day-to-day situations.

    Choose high-quality content

    Not all digital media is created equal. Look for educational content designed to teach specific skills, whether it’s language, maths, or social-emotional learning.

    An educational app should have a clear learning goal, include problems for children to solve, and offer clear and specific feedback to support children’s learning. It should be presented with an entertaining narrative.

    Look for educational apps with learning goals.
    M_Agency/Shutterstock

    Apps and shows that encourage interaction and problem-solving are particularly valuable. Other research suggests that the quality of the content plays a crucial role in how much children learn from it.

    Encourage discussion and reflection

    After engaging with digital media, encourage your child to talk about what they watched or played. This helps reinforce the material and allows you to address any misunderstandings. Reflection helps children make connections between what they’ve learned and their own lives, deepening their understanding. For instance, if a show teaches about penguins, you could follow up by discussing if you might see penguins at the zoo, or which books your child has read that they appear in.

    Adapt your approach as your child grows

    As children get older, they may need less direct support during media use – but co-use remains valuable. Older children might benefit from discussions that challenge them to think critically about the media they consume. It could help them explore related activities, such as researching a topic they saw in a documentary or creating something inspired by what they watched.

    Balance screen time with other activities

    Digital media can help children learn. But it’s important to balance screen time with other activities that support development, such as reading, playing outside, and interacting with others face-to-face. Our study emphasises that for digital media to form part of a well-rounded day, families should try to co-use it with their children.

    Jamie Lingwood receives funding from Educational Endowment Foundation

    Gemma Taylor has previously received funding from the ESRC.

    – ref. If your child is watching TV and playing online games, you should do it with them – here’s why – https://theconversation.com/if-your-child-is-watching-tv-and-playing-online-games-you-should-do-it-with-them-heres-why-238615

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Antifungal resistance is not getting nearly as much attention as antibiotic resistance – yet the risks to global health are just as serious

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Norman van Rhijn, Research Fellow in Microbial Evolution, Manchester University

    TopMicrobialStock/Shutterstock

    Fungi are known for causing superficial infections of the nails, skin and hair, but they can also cause systemic infections that can have much more serious health implications. Indeed, over 6.5 million people are infected yearly with a life-threatening fungal infection, leading to 3.8 million deaths.

    Many of the fungi we know are an essential part of nitrogen and carbon recycling in the environment through their action of decomposing complex material. As they grow, they can undergo “sporulation”, where they release tiny spores that are dispersed on air currents. These spores are breathed in but are usually cleared by the lungs.

    However, this clearing is impaired in people with lung issues, such as cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, tuberculosis and lung cancer, putting them at a significant risk of developing a fungal lung infection.

    Many of the fungal pathogens are resistant to treatment with current drugs – of which only four classes are in use – or can rapidly acquire resistance during treatment or in their natural environment. As with bacteria and antibiotic resistance, so fungi can evolve to become resistant to the drugs used to treat them.

    In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) published the fungal pathogens priority list that catalogued fungi that pose a significant risk to human health. Of critical importance are Candida albicans and auris, Aspergillus fumigatus and Cryptococcus neoformans.

    The WHO list was designed to guide public health action and boost research and awareness in this field. Yet it has become clear that the desired effect of including fungal infections in the antimicrobial resistance policy debate is yet to be achieved. In a recent series of four articles in The Lancet about antimicrobial resistance (which includes resistance to bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites), the problem of fungal disease contained just five sentences on the issue.

    The second UN-hosted meeting on antimicrobial resistance took place on September 26. Aside from the wider acknowledgement of antimicrobial resistance, the meeting drew attention to the growing problem of fungal pathogens and their resistance to known treatments, globally.

    Combating drug-resistant fungal infections is a complex problem. An important factor is that diagnoses of infections are often delayed – if they are even diagnosed at all. Simple tests for fungal infections are rarely available and only a few simple lateral flow tests are available.

    More sensitive tests require trained personnel and expensive equipment, which is usually not available in laboratories in poorer countries.

    Another issue is that antifungal drug development takes a long time and is very expensive. Fungal and human cells are more similar than bacterial and human cells, making finding antifungal targets with minimal toxicity to humans difficult.

    Because of this, only several antifungals that work differently to traditional antifungals are being developed. But even after they reach the market, the development of resistance in fungi is a threat to these treatments.

    Tons of fungicides are used annually to protect crops, of which some work the same way as antifungals used in humans. An example of this is an antifungal drug class called the azoles. There is strong evidence to suggest that azole resistance in the clinic can be of environmental origin due to agriculturally used azoles.

    This is a particular problem in Aspergillus fumigatus, where some hospitals and research centres have reported resistance to azoles in up to 20% of fungal samples.

    Over the last 25 years, a compound with a novel mechanism of action has been in development called olorofim. This compound is effective against many fungal pathogens. It is expected to be approved for use in humans soon.

    But recently a fungicide for agricultural use, ipflufenoquin, has been approved in the US, that works the same way as olorofim. This makes the risk of resistance to both compounds high as they both target Aspergillus fumigatus the same way – or, in the lingo, they have the same mechanism of action. Resistance to one compound will cause resistance to the other compound.

    This is not the only example of the dual-use of antifungals where compounds with the same way of working are used on farms and in hospitals and doctors’ clinics. This is a high risk for resistance development to antifungals we desperately need to treat human infections. The agricultural fungicide aminopyrifen has a similar target to the antifungal fosmanogepix, which can be used to treat humans.

    Environmentally acquired resistant fungi can cause infections in patients and therefore, from the first day of treatment, can’t be treated with the desired antifungal. As food security requires antifungal protection from plant pathogens, the question arises: how do we balance human health and crop health?

    The latest threat makes these issues more pressing

    The rise of fungal pathogens that we have only seen more recently, such as Candida auris, make these issues even more important.

    Candida auris is a yeast that was first found in 2009 and has spread globally since. It can cause life-threatening infections and has caused outbreaks in hospitals in several countries, including the UK. Unfortunately, it is resistant to many of the antifungals that are currently available.

    The UN-hosted AMR meeting was a good starting point, getting fungi and antimicrobial resistance acknowledged globally. However, it is unclear what specific action will be put into place to combat fungal resistance. But having this discussion is a first step to making progress on an issue that affects so many people daily.

    Norman van Rhijn receives funding from Wellcome Trust.

    – ref. Antifungal resistance is not getting nearly as much attention as antibiotic resistance – yet the risks to global health are just as serious – https://theconversation.com/antifungal-resistance-is-not-getting-nearly-as-much-attention-as-antibiotic-resistance-yet-the-risks-to-global-health-are-just-as-serious-239677

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How your online world could change if big tech companies like Google are forced to break up

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Renaud Foucart, Senior Lecturer in Economics, Lancaster University Management School, Lancaster University

    vectorfusionart/Shutterstock

    The US Department of Justice may be on the verge of seeking a break-up of Google in a bid to make it less dominant. If the government goes ahead and is successful in the courts, it could mean the company being split into separate entities – a search engine, an advertising company, a video website, a mapping app – which would not be allowed to share data with each other.

    While this is still a distant prospect, it is being considered in the wake of a series of rulings in the US and the EU which suggest that regulators are becoming increasingly frustrated by the power of big tech. That power tends to be highly concentrated, whether it’s Google’s monopoly as a search engine, Meta’s data gathering from Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, or by small businesses becoming dependent on Amazon.

    But what would a breakup of these tech giants achieve for consumers? Those in favour of shaking up Silicon Valley in this way argue that it would lead to more competition and more choice. And the best-case future scenario might look something like this:

    The year is 2030, and you are on your way to meet a friend for a meal. You receive a message notification on WhatsApp, which was sent by your friend using her Signal messaging app. Sending and receiving messages from different apps is now so common you barely notice it.

    In fact, “interoperability” – where different systems and tech work seamlessly together – is everywhere. In the same way you could send an email from Gmail to Hotmail back in 2024, you can now choose from a range of social media apps – alongside Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat – with text, pictures and video posted on one network easily accessible via another.

    You choose an app because you like the way it looks or the way it filters and presents content – not just because everyone else is on it.

    Similarly, your choice of restaurant and information on directions came from apps you have chosen from a much wider selection than the one you had access to back in 2024. You look at reviews produced by people you follow, irrespective of the platform they used to share it.

    Product placement and AI-generated content have practically disappeared, as the mapping app does not want to risk giving you advice you don’t want. If it did, you would simply switch to a competitor which provides a superior service.

    This increased level of competition is central to those who argue for breaking up big tech. Instead of app developers having to pay 30% of their sales to Google or Apple, there would be numerous app stores available, all competing to offer the best apps by cutting their profit margins. The theory is that the app market – and technological innovation – would thrive as a result.

    Research also suggests that the existence of competing apps makes consumers less lazy, and forces businesses to deliver better products, and better value for money.

    Private browsing

    In 2024, you would have had to trust the results provided to you by Google search, Google Maps, or a Google advert. And because Google owned your data, it could auction information about you to other businesses trying to reach you, without your say.

    You might have found Google’s services useful, but most of the benefit from personalised data would have gone to Google. And another big change that could come from breaking up big tech is that you might finally become the unique owner of that data.

    Potentially, you would be the only one with full access to your browsing history – the products you searched for, the ones you bought and the ones you almost bought. You would own the information about where you went for lunch, what you ordered, and how much you spent.

    Other information that would be owned by you might include how you commute to work, which video clips make you laugh, and which books you finished and the ones you abandoned immediately. The same goes for how you met your partner online, your dating history, and the health data your watch has collected about how hard you work at the gym.

    Your workout, your data.
    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    In the imagined year of 2030, you would keep this data on an encrypted server, and different companies would offer apps to help you organise and manage your information. Whenever you wanted to, you could decide to use your data for your own purposes.

    Breaking up is hard to do

    Splitting up big tech companies is not without risks however. An obvious consequence is that those big companies would be less profitable.

    Right now, Google and Meta make (a lot of) money from advertising, and this is only possible because they own so much information about us. If they didn’t, they might end up charging users for the services they provide.

    Interoperability and greater competition may also provide more room for scam app operators. And while more choice about apps may be fine for some, it may be problematic for those who find modern technology challenging enough already.

    For regulators though, the challenge of modern technology seems to be a sense of powerlessness. And if they do decide to take the radical option and break up dominant companies, it could make a big difference to the online world for all of us.

    Renaud Foucart does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. How your online world could change if big tech companies like Google are forced to break up – https://theconversation.com/how-your-online-world-could-change-if-big-tech-companies-like-google-are-forced-to-break-up-240960

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Getting carbon capture right will be hard – but that doesn’t make it optional

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Myles Allen, Professor of Geosystem Science, Director of Oxford Net Zero, University of Oxford

    Kodda / Shutterstock

    The UK government has given the go-ahead to carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) schemes worth £22 billion (US$28.6 billion). Critics are insisting that this technology – which involves capturing carbon as it is emitted or taking it back out of the atmosphere, then pumping it into rocks deep underground – is unsafe, unproven and unaffordable. Defenders are responding with painstaking rebuttals.

    Could the whole debate be missing the point? I think it is better to focus on the big picture – why we need CCS to work – rather than playing whack-a-mole with every objection to individual projects.

    The case for CCS boils down to waste disposal: we are going to make too much carbon dioxide (CO₂), so we need to start getting rid of it, permanently.

    By burning fossil fuels and producing cement alone, we will generate more CO₂ than we can afford to dump into the atmosphere to have any chance of limiting global warming to close to 1.5°C – even after accounting for the capacity of the biosphere and oceans to mop it up.

    So, we need to start disposing of that CO₂, safely and permanently, on a scale of billions of tonnes a year by mid-century. And the only proven way of doing this right now is to re-inject it back underground.

    Keep our options open

    The world is not giving up fossil fuels any time soon, and the transition is going to be difficult enough without tying our hands by ruling out using CCS technology.

    The questions we should be asking are: will “green hydrogen” – a low-carbon fuel produced from water using renewable electricity – be a cheaper way of dealing with lulls in renewable energy generation than gas-fired power plants fitted with CCS? And, can we get by entirely on recycled steel, and eliminate the use of conventional cement in construction, when steel and cement are notoriously hard to produce without fossil fuels?

    If the answer to any of these questions, anywhere in the world, turns out to be “no” – or even “not by 2050” – then we need CCS.

    Would taking CCS off the table focus minds and make us abandon fossil fuels faster? Perhaps, but it could equally make us abandon climate targets – ultimately, the most expensive option of all.

    We should be conscious of “lifecycle emissions” for all forms of energy – including, for example, green hydrogen made with electricity from solar panels that were manufactured using coal-fired power. The right response is to find cleaner suppliers of solar panels for green hydrogen, and cleaner suppliers of gas for blue hydrogen. The wrong response is to give up on either fuel source.

    Nature is maxed out

    What about offsetting continued fossil fuel use with nature-based solutions, such as restoring ecosystems and rewilding? Unfortunately, we are already maxing out nature’s credit card.

    In the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) scenarios in which warming is kept close to 1.5°C, we need to eliminate deforestation almost immediately, and restore a cumulative total of 250 billion tonnes of CO₂ to the biosphere over the coming 75 years – by restoring forests and wetlands, for example.

    Over the same period, we also need to dispose of four times that amount of CO₂ back underground through various forms of CCS – after slashing the amount of CO₂ we produce by 75%-80%.

    We cannot bank on stuffing an additional trillion tonnes of CO₂ into the biosphere over the next 75 years – especially as more Earth system feedbacks emerge and accelerate, whereby carbon stored at the Earth’s surface is re-released to the atmosphere as the world warms, forests burn, and peatlands dry out.

    Invest, but invest wisely

    To limit global warming to the extent the planet urgently requires, we need a means of permanent CO₂ disposal that does not make further demands on the biosphere. But at the same time as enabling CCS technology, we also need to make sure its availability does not encourage yet more CO₂ emissions.

    This is where critics of government policy may have a point. If CCS is widely available and heavily subsidised, will that just encourage individuals and companies to use more fossil fuels? The danger is real, but it doesn’t mean we should abandon CCS. We need to be smart about how it is implemented.

    Given the way the first CCS projects were set up by the previous UK government, an initial injection of £22 billion from taxpayers is, by now, the only way to kickstart a CO₂ disposal industry. But this should not become an endless subsidy which allows private industry to keep profiting from selling the stuff that causes global warming, while taxpayers pay for the clean-up.

    Fortunately, there is another way. The EU has shown, in its Net Zero Industry Act, how regulation can force the fossil fuel industry to contribute to the cost of CCS without relying on US-style subsidies.

    The UK government could make it clear that, by mid-century, anyone selling fossil fuels in the UK will be responsible for permanently disposing all CO₂ generated by their activities and the products they sell.

    Pricing in safe CO₂ disposal would make fossil fuels more expensive, potentially adding 5p per kWh to the cost of natural gas over the next 25 years. That’s cheap compared with the cost of just dumping CO₂ into the atmosphere.

    It is possible, and even affordable, to ensure fossil fuel use falls to meet our available CO₂ disposal capacity. There again, building a global CO₂ disposal industry from a standing start in only 25 years will be hard.

    Fortunately, the UK has the right geology, skills and expertise, as well as a history of innovation in climate policy. It also has a clear interest in getting involved in what should become one of the major industries of the second half of this century. And it has a moral obligation, having pioneered taking fossil carbon out of the Earth’s crust, to join the first wave of countries putting it back.


    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get our award-winning weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 35,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Myles Allen receives funding from the Strategic Research Fund of the University of Oxford and the European Commission. He is a member of the Advisory Board of Puro.Earth.

    – ref. Getting carbon capture right will be hard – but that doesn’t make it optional – https://theconversation.com/getting-carbon-capture-right-will-be-hard-but-that-doesnt-make-it-optional-241515

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Landsat Science Team Request for Proposals Now Open

    Source: US Geological Survey

    New Landsat Science Team Request for Proposals Now Open

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and NASA have officially opened a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the 2025-2029 Landsat Science Team. This team will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the Landsat program, supporting the ongoing operations of Landsat 8 and 9 while contributing to the development of Landsat Next, which is set to launch in 2030/2031.

    Selected members will serve for a term up to five years and will focus on providing relevant science and technical evaluations and recommendations on a number of issues pertinent to the Landsat program, maximizing the value of the Landsat archive, and addressing the unique challenges of next-generation Earth observation systems.

    Issues of interest include support for current and future Landsat missions, maximizing value of the Landsat data archive for users, future science needs and applications, research innovations to advance Landsat applications, and scientific issues associated with the Landsat Next mission. A core functionality is to ensure that the Landsat archive—spanning over 50 years—remains compatible with future missions like Landsat Next, while maintaining the high-quality standards that Landsat is known for. The team will also explore synergy with other Earth observations systems such as the European Copernicus Sentinel-2 missions.

    The RFP encourages a broad representation from academia, government, and industry. Proposals should reflect various expertise in areas such as optical imaging, multi-spectral data, and remote sensing applications.

    Interested applicants should submit their proposals by December 17, 2024. For more information and submission guidelines, visit https://sam.gov/opp/07db5e5e8ec34b2abea7851a53be03e7/view
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Remarks by President  Biden and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany at an Order of Merit Ceremony | Berlin,  Germany

    Source: The White House

    Bellevue Palace
    Berlin, Germany

    11:10 A.M. CEST

    PRESIDENT STEINMEIER:  Please have a seat.

    Mr. President, so good to have you here. 

    (Speaks German.)  (No translation provided.)

    Of the many stereotypes about Germany — our sense of humor — (laughter) — our spontaneity, our irresistible joie de vivre — (laughter) — only one is really true: We are good at keeping records. 

    So, 44 and a half years ago, when the young Senator Joseph Biden came to Bonn, a German civil servant — ein guter Beamter, as we like to say — made a note — a rather extensive one, I should say — of this senator’s visit.  And being Germans, you understand, we still have that note.  (Laughter.)  (Holds up a document.)  This one.  Many pages.

    (Speaks German.) (No translation provided.)

    That’s the content — the main content of report: “He is keenly interested in the Federal Republic of Germany,” the note concludes.  And it adds, “that this senator might look to a,” I quote again, “significant political future.”  (Laughter.)  “Significant.”  What a remarkable understatement. 

    Today, you are the 46th President of the United States.  And under your leadership, the transatlantic alliance is stronger and our partnership is closer than ever. 

    Mr. President, you are keenly interested in Germany.  That we have known for almost half a century.  So, it is time for you to know that Germany, in turn, is deeply grateful to you. 

    Let me say, in the name of my country, thank you, Mr.  President.  (Applause.) 

    For Germany, the friendship with the United States has been, is now, and will always be existentially important — existential both for our security and our democracy. 

    And yet, in this friendship, there have been and always will be times of proximity and greater distance, times of agreement and times of discord.  Even recently, just a handful years ago, the distance had grown so wide that we almost lost each other. 

    But — but, ladies and gentlemen, throughout the ups and downs of time, there have been people who have stood by the transatlantic relations no matter what.  And chief among those people, Mr. President, is you. 

    You stand with us, sir, because you know that what binds us is so much deeper than the news of the day.  What binds us is freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. 

    What binds us is the conviction that if liberal democracy is to have a future in this troubled world, we have to secure it together.

    And what binds us are the lessons from our past — sacred lessons that you described so hauntingly in your letter to our beloved Margot Friedländer. 

    Sir, when you were elected president, you restored Europe’s hope in the transatlantic alliance literally overnight.  And then, only a year later, came Putin’s war. 

    When Putin invaded Ukraine, he didn’t just go after one country.  He attacked the very principles of peace in Europe. 

    Putin thought we would be weak.  He thought we would be divided.  But the opposite was true.  NATO was stronger and more united than ever, and that is, in no small part, Mr. President, thanks to your leadership.

    Mr. President, to have you in our most dangerous moment since the Cold War, to have you and your administration on our side is no less than a historical stroke of good fortune.

    For us here in Europe, the past two years have shown once again, America truly is the indispensable nation.  But it has also shown something else.  NATO is the indispensable alliance. 

    So, in the months to come, I hope that Europeans remember America is indispensable for us, and I hope that Americans remember your allies are indispensable for you. 

    We are more than just other countries in the world.  We are partners.  We are friends. 

    The choice on November the 5th is only Americans’ choice to make.  But we, as Europeans, have a choice too.  We have the choice to do our part, to be unwavering in our support for Ukraine, to invest in our common security, to invest in our shared future, and, as you have done, sir, to stand by the transatlantic alliance no matter what.

    Mr. President, when I visited you in the Oval Office a year ago on October the 6th, just a few hours before Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel, we spoke about the Middle East.  We spoke about Ukraine and Russia.  But at the end — I will never forget that — at the end of our conversation, you went to your desk and handed me a speech of yours not on foreign policy but on the issue that you care most about and that you worry most about — about democracy. 

    I quote, “Democracies don’t have to die at the end of a rifle,” you say in that speech.  “Democracies can die when people are silent, when they are willing to give away that which is most precious to them because they feel frustrated, tired, alienated.”  End of the quote.

    Your words, Mr. President, echoed deeply in our part of the world, and they weigh even more heavily coming from the leader of the world’s oldest and most time-tested democracy. 

    So, let me say this from the bottom of my heart.  In this time when democracy is under strain all around the Western world, you, Mr. President, have been a beacon of democracy. 

    You are a beacon not just by what you have done but by who you are, by the example of your humility, your deep connection with the lives and hopes of hardworking people, and, if you excuse that old-fashioned word, by your decency. 

    Decency is maybe what we are most at risk of losing.  But your decency, sir, is a light that shines very far.  It certainly reached the hearts of my fellow Germans. 

    As U.S. president, you command the most powerful military.  You lead the biggest economy in the world.  But maybe the most precious service to democracy, the most joyful and reassuring thing for people is to know that even this most powerful man in the world is, in the end, a fundamentally decent human being. 

    Mr. President, we all know that you love your Irish poets and that you know them well.  I have heard you quote Seamus Heaney from memory, so I hope you allow me to end with a quote from his “Republic of Conscience.” 

    I quote, “At their inauguration, public leaders must swear to uphold unwritten law and weep to atone for the presumption to hold office.” 

    “The presumption to hold office,” Mr. President.  It seems that you have always had a deep sense of the inevitable presumption in holding office, including the highest office — in being elevated above others, in a society of equals. 

    You have transformed this presumption into a deep sense of responsibility, and you have carried that responsibility throughout your career and have now decided, in the most noble tradition of American leaders since Washington, to let democracy run its ever-changing and uncharted course. 

    Mr. President, on the historic occasion of your visit to Germany, my country recognizes your decades-long dedication to the transatlantic alliance, your outstanding political leadership in Europe’s most dangerous moment, and your lasting moral example of service, sincerity, and decency.

    It is now my great honor to bestow on you the Grand Cross special class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. 

    And for that, Mr. President — may I say, dear Joe — congratulations.  (Applause.)

    I have to read the document — one second — in German.

    (Speaks German.)  (No translation provided.)  (Applause.)

    (President Biden is presented the Grand Cross special class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.)  (Applause.)

    It’s done.  (Laughs.)  (Applause.)

    PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Let me begin by saying I — I’m overwhelmed not just by the award but by the words, Mr. President.

    Margot Friedländer, you are a voice of conscience and healing.  I’m actually honored to be in your presence, for real.

    This award means so much to me for what it says about us, the journey we’ve taken; the alliance we’ve strengthened; the way that we have, as two separate nations, risen together to meet our moment.

    I think it’s fair to say, although I know I only look like I’m 40 years old — (laughter) — I — I’ve seen a wide sweep of history.

    When I was born, our countries were at war.  As a young senator, I visited West Berlin and saw what it meant to live in a divided city, country, and continent.  And I forged a bond with Helmut Schmidt, your — my first relationship of candor and trust with a German chancellor but, thankfully, not my last.

    And then, in 1989, like millions of people around the world, I saw 70,000 brave souls gathered in Leipzig, crying — crying out for freedom.  And the Berlin Wall came down 35 years ago this month. 

    It was one of the greatest advances in human dignity in my lifetime.  Some feared the reunification of Germany would revive old hatreds and rivalries.  But leaders of America and Germany dreamed together of a much better future.

    The achievement of a Germany whole and free lives on, exceeding, I think, everyone’s expectations.  The dream of Europe whole and free remains the work of our time, nor is that work more urgent than a pushing back against Putin’s vicious attack against Ukraine.

    German leaders had the wisdom to recognize a turning point in history, an assault on a fellow democracy, and also on principles that upheld 75 years of peace and security in Europe.

    Germany and the United States stood together to support the brave people of Ukraine in their fight for freedom, for democracy, for their very survival.  And I want to thank every leader across Germany’s government who has worked tirelessly to ensure that Ukraine prevails and Putin fails, and NATO remains strong and more united than ever.

    We head into a very difficult winter — (coughs) — but we cannot let up.  We cannot — (an aide delivers a glass of water) — thank you so very much.  That’s kind of you.  (Laughs.)

    We head to a dery — a very difficult winter.  But we cannot let up.  We must sustain our support.  In my view, we must keep going until Ukraine wins a just and durable peace consistent with the U.N. Charter, until once again human dignity prevails.

    Let me close with this.  The times I have lived through have taught me that history does move forward and things can get better if we determine they must — that things can get better and that we should never underestimate the power of democracy, never underes- — -estimate the value of alliances.

    Germany — Germany has taught us all that change is possible and, for better or for worse, countries can and do choose their own destinies and the choices that leaders make at critical times truly matters.

    I want to thank the current leaders of Germany for the choice you’ve made when it matters most.

    I hope you’ll forgive this once, but — if I forsake the great German poets and quote an Irish poet.  (Laughter.) 

    Seamus Heaney said in “The Cure at Troy” — he said, “History teaches us not to hope on this side of the grave.  But then — but then, once in a lifetime, a longed-for tidal wave of justice can rise up, and hope and history rhyme.”

    When the Berlin Wall fell, hope and history rhymed.  When Kyiv stood, hope and history rhymed.

    Many Americans and Germans always find the wisdom and the courage.  May they keep making hope and history rhyme, because we can, because nothing is beyond our capacity, in my view — nothing is beyond our capacity — when we do it together.

    So, thank you again for this award.  I’m honored to accept.  I do not deserve, but I’m honored to accept.  And that, if we continue to work together, Germany has stood up in a way that is incredible.

    I want to thank you again for the award.  And may God bless you all.  And may God protect our troops.

    Thank you so very much.  (Applause.)

    11:31 A.M CEST

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: 8 expert tips for getting started with NotebookLM

    Source: Google

    You might know Steven Johnson as an author. He’s written a number of books, many focused on the science of how we think and the history of innovation. But he’s also a Googler who has worked on the NotebookLM team from the beginning of the project two years ago. “Simply put, NotebookLM is a tool for understanding things,” Steven says. Think of it as your virtual note-taking and research assistant: NotebookLM takes information, digests and analyzes it so that you can glean more from it. It’s designed for that “deeper dive” you may need to take into a topic — or multiple topics at once.

    With NotebookLM, you create individual notebooks dedicated to a topic or project. You can upload up to 50 “sources” with up to 25 million words — all from things like PDFs, Google Docs, websites and YouTube videos. Then, NotebookLM uses Gemini 1.5’s multimodal capabilities to assess and make connections between the sources you’ve added. You can ask questions about the content or ask NotebookLM to format it in a specific way — it will even provide citations that link back to the most relevant original passages in your sources. And along the way, your private information is never shared or used to train the model.

    If you’re just getting started, try these eight tips from Steven to get the most out of NotebookLM.

    1. Experiment with your recent documents — even if they’re random

    One of the first things Steven suggests new NotebookLM users do is upload their 10 most recent documents into one notebook and start experimenting by asking questions. Even if your most recent documents are unrelated and totally random, it’s a great way to test run what NotebookLM can do. Whether you know the material in the documents down to the letter, or it’s all pretty new to you, NotebookLM will help you uncover some interesting insights.

    2. Create one main notebook and then identify topic-based notebooks from there

    Steven suggests keeping what he calls an “everything notebook,” which you load up with sources that include the general knowledge you work with most days. The sources might be inspirational quotes from books you read, or the core documents that describe the company you work for, or all your brainstorming ideas that you’ve captured over the years. “I do a lot of open-ended thinking and exploring of ideas in my ‘everything’ notebook,” Steven says. But it’s equally important to create topic- or project-based notebooks as well. “I’ve got a notebook devoted exclusively to the work we do building NotebookLM,” Steven explains. “It’s got all the press releases, new feature descriptions and important internal docs we write as a team.” By keeping all those related sources in a single notebook, Steven effectively has a personalized AI that’s almost like having another member of the team. “I can go in there and type something like, ‘Draft the outline of a blog post for that feature we were discussing last week,’ and Notebook knows exactly what to do.”

    3. Use NotebookLM to connect the dots from different materials

    NotebookLM is extremely useful for situations where you need to manage, connect and synthesize information from multiple sources. “We all have this problem where we’re working on something, and the information we need is scattered across desktop folders, tabs and wherever else,” Steven says. This is what NotebookLM is made for, he explains: connecting all those scattered dots.

    It can be especially helpful as a next step after using Gemini and Gems. After you brainstorm or have other open-ended conversations in those tools, NotebookLM can take the results and turn them into something easy to follow. Steven offers the example of working on a slide deck. Maybe you start the process by brainstorming with Gemini, which leads you to open a few tabs of articles, save some design inspo images and put some notes in a Google doc. You can then feed all of that into NotebookLM, which will synthesize the information into an easy-to-digest format so you can reference everything in one place when you get to the stage of building your presentation in Google Slides.

    4. Start with the suggested questions

    Once you’ve added content to NotebookLM, it’s time to start asking questions — which might leave you stumped. Similarly to tips we shared about using the Gemini-powered side panel in Workspace tools, Steven says NotebookLM’s suggested questions are a great resource. “The model will actually help you ask questions that guide you through the material for a while until you think of something you want to ask,” he explains. You can find some starter questions in the “Notebook Guide” that appears after you upload your first sources. Plus, when you start asking questions, NotebookLM will suggest follow-up queries, too, based on what you’ve already asked and what you uploaded.

    5. Ask NotebookLM to deliver info in different ways

    Something that came out of early testing, Steven says, was the need for NotebookLM to show information in various formats. “Everyone processes information differently, or even just prefers to see information presented in different ways,” he explains. Using the Notebook Guide feature, NotebookLM can turn your uploaded content into an FAQ, a briefing document, a timeline, a table of contents, a study guide — or the popular new Audio Overview, which actually transforms your information into an engaging conversation between two AI “hosts.” Try different options both to see what works best for your own learning purposes as well as for presenting information to others.

    6. Don’t shy away from creative uses

    NotebookLM is an amazing resource for work and school projects (the team actually just launched a pilot program for NotebookLM Business for collaborating within a workplace). But it’s also a great tool for lots of creative uses outside the office or classroom. “We’re seeing a lot of people using it for assistance with writing fantasy and sci-fi novels or developing games where they’re working on world building and intricate backstories,” Steven says. Maybe for your screenplay, you jotted down some notes in a doc, saved various webpages and took photos and videos as inspiration. “There’s all of this information that can be hard to keep straight,” Steven says. “You can put all of that stuff into a single notebook and ask things like, ‘What was the deal with that one character?’ Or ‘Remind me which characters live where?’”

    Steven particularly likes that you can ask NotebookLM for creative input with questions like, “Which characters do you think are most compelling?” or, “What are your favorite parts?” “It’s like being able to control F for ‘interestingness’!” he says.

    7. Turn your sources into Audio Overviews

    You should definitely turn each of those 10 documents you start with, or whatever else you upload, into an Audio Overview, Steven says. “After waiting a few minutes for it to generate, you will have a very entertaining, kind of mind-blowing audio conversation about whatever you uploaded!” Steven says. And the team has just released a new feature in Audio Overviews that allows you to adjust the format of the conversation. Just hit “Customize” in the Audio Overviews panel and enter a short description of what you want the hosts to focus on from your sources. “You can also steer them in terms of the approach of the level of sophistication you want from the Overview,” Steven explains. “I’ve been uploading my own writing and asking them to give me constructive criticism about my work.”

    8. Revisit your NotebookLM chat sessions

    NotebookLM makes it easy to save anything interesting that comes up during your text chats with the AI, just by hitting the “save to note” button in every text exchange. Steven recommends another option as well. “Let’s say you have a conversation about one of your notebooks — you ask questions and then follow-up questions, and you even ask it to refine your idea,” Steven says. You don’t want to lose whatever progress you made or insights you gathered during that dialogue. “At the end of the chat, you can ask NotebookLM to summarize the key points from the conversation into a single note that goes in that notebook,” Steven explains. “That way,” he says, “Future You will thank Past You — and NotebookLM — for making it as easy as possible to pick up where you left off.”

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: N.C. State Archives Offers Symposium Commemorating 250th Anniversary of Edenton Tea Party

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: N.C. State Archives Offers Symposium Commemorating 250th Anniversary of Edenton Tea Party

    N.C. State Archives Offers Symposium Commemorating 250th Anniversary of Edenton Tea Party
    jejohnson6

    From Edenton to Congress and from petitions to gubernatorial proclamations, women’s participation in North Carolina politics has risen for 250 years.

    Join the America 250 NC commemoration with the Friends of the Archives during a free hybrid symposium, “From Edenton to Congress.” This program in the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Building in Raleigh (109 E. Jones St.) or online will share highlights of North Carolina women’s political history and relevant collections from the State Archives to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Edenton Tea Party.

    The program will include new research on the 1774 Edenton women’s petition, a discussion of “Jane Pratt: North Carolina’s First Congresswoman,” by author Marion Deerhake, records from Governor Beverly Perdue’s administration, and remarks by League of Women Voters President Dianna Wynn.

    The event Friday, Nov. 1, from 1-5 p.m. will include a reception featuring yaupon tea — America’s native tea, courtesy of the Friends of the Archives, who also will be holding their annual meeting. Register in advance for online participation: https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_bYlWTvBmRfyUtDEwRHVhfA#/registration. For more information or to RSVP, please contact Danielle Shirilla, dani.shirilla@dncr.nc.gov or 919-814-6881.

    About the State Archives
    The State Archives serves as the custodian of North Carolina’s historical records, preserving and providing public access to a wealth of archival materials. Through its diverse collections, educational programs, and exhibitions, the State Archives plays a crucial role in promoting an understanding and appreciation of North Carolina’s rich historical legacy.

    About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
    The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.
    The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.
    Oct 18, 2024

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The North Carolina Museum of History Seeks Fayetteville Community Input for Future Exhibits

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: The North Carolina Museum of History Seeks Fayetteville Community Input for Future Exhibits

    The North Carolina Museum of History Seeks Fayetteville Community Input for Future Exhibits
    jejohnson6

    WHAT: Fayetteville Community Gathering

    WHEN: Monday, Oct. 21, 6–7:30 p.m.

    WHERE: 225 Dick St., Fayetteville, NC 28301

    DETAILS: The North Carolina Museum of History invites community members in the Fayetteville area to participate in an open discussion to help shape the future of the museum’s exhibits. This is an opportunity for the public to share their thoughts on how the state’s layered history should be presented to future visitors.

    This event is open to all community members interested in contributing to the storytelling of North Carolina’s history at the state museum. During this gathering, participants will be asked to consider and discuss several key questions, including:

    • What makes North Carolina unique?
    • Who should be remembered at the state history museum, and whose stories should be highlighted?
    • What significant changes have taken place in your community over time?
    • How can the museum create a stronger connection with visitors from your community?
    • What advice would you give about how to represent your community’s history at the state museum?

    For more information and to register, click here.

    About the NC Museum of History

    The North Carolina Museum of History, a Smithsonian Affiliate, fosters a passion for North Carolina history. This museum collects and preserves artifacts of state history and educates the public on the history of the state and the nation through exhibits and educational programs. Admission is free. In 2023, more than 355,000 people visited the museum to see some of the 150,000 artifacts in the museum collection. The Museum of History, within the Division of State History Museums, is part of the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

    About the Smithsonian Affiliations Network

    Since 2006, the North Carolina Museum of History has been a Smithsonian Affiliate, part of a select group of museums and cultural, educational, and arts organizations that share Smithsonian resources with the nation. The Smithsonian Affiliations network is a national outreach program that develops long-term collaborative partnerships with museums and other educational and cultural organizations to enrich communities with Smithsonian resources. More information is available at affiliations.si.edu.

    About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources

    The NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina—its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

    The department manages more than 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the NC Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the NC Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the NC Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit dncr.nc.gov.

    Oct 17, 2024

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ‘Saturday at the QAR Lab’ Showcases Blackbeard’s Flagship

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: ‘Saturday at the QAR Lab’ Showcases Blackbeard’s Flagship

    ‘Saturday at the QAR Lab’ Showcases Blackbeard’s Flagship
    jejohnson6

    GREENVILLE

    Before it was a pirate ship, Queen Anne’s Revenge was known by another name.

    The ship, La Concorde, was a slave-trading vessel that became the infamous pirate Blackbeard’s flagship.

    Archaeological Conservators and Researchers with the N.C. Office of State Archaeology will explain the history of the ship Nov. 2 during their “Saturday at the QAR Lab” tours of the Queen Anne’s Revenge Conservation Lab in Greenville.

    Artifacts will be displayed, including gold grains, grenades and cannons recovered from the ship, which was wrecked near Beaufort Inlet over 300 years ago.

    Register for the “Saturday at the QAR Lab” for a free guided tour from the archaeologists and conservators responsible for preserving, documenting and investigating this ship with two names!

    Tours will run every 30 minutes from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and last approximately 90 minutes. Space is limited, and reservations are required. Please arrive 10 minutes before your tour time. Tours are free and open to all ages, but registration is required.

    Visit https://www.qaronline.org/visit/saturday-at-the-qar-lab to reserve your tour time.

    The QAR Lab at East Carolina University is located at 1157 VOA Site C Rd., Greenville.

    For additional information, please call (252) 744-6721. The Queen Anne’s Revenge Shipwreck Project and Queen Anne’s Revenge Conservation Lab, and the Office of State Archaeology are within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

    About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
    The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.
    The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.
    Oct 17, 2024

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The North Carolina Museum of History Seeks Charlotte Community Input for Future Exhibits

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: The North Carolina Museum of History Seeks Charlotte Community Input for Future Exhibits

    The North Carolina Museum of History Seeks Charlotte Community Input for Future Exhibits
    jejohnson6

    WHAT: Charlotte Community Gathering

    WHEN: Tuesday, Oct. 22, 6–7:30 p.m.

    WHERE: 650 East 24th St., Charlotte, NC 28205

    DETAILS: The North Carolina Museum of History invites community members in the Charlotte area to participate in an open discussion to help shape the future of the museum’s exhibits. This is an opportunity for the public to share their thoughts on how the state’s layered history should be presented to future visitors.

    This event is open to all community members interested in contributing to the storytelling of North Carolina’s history at the state museum. During this gathering, participants will be asked to consider and discuss several key questions, including:

    • What makes North Carolina unique?
    • Who should be remembered at the state history museum, and whose stories should be highlighted?
    • What significant changes have taken place in your community over time?
    • How can the museum create a stronger connection with visitors from your community?
    • What advice would you give about how to represent your community’s history at the state museum?

    For more information and to register, click here.

    About the NC Museum of History

    The North Carolina Museum of History, a Smithsonian Affiliate, fosters a passion for North Carolina history. This museum collects and preserves artifacts of state history and educates the public on the history of the state and the nation through exhibits and educational programs. Admission is free. In 2023, more than 355,000 people visited the museum to see some of the 150,000 artifacts in the museum collection. The Museum of History, within the Division of State History Museums, is part of the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

    About the Smithsonian Affiliations Network

    Since 2006, the North Carolina Museum of History has been a Smithsonian Affiliate, part of a select group of museums and cultural, educational, and arts organizations that share Smithsonian resources with the nation. The Smithsonian Affiliations network is a national outreach program that develops long-term collaborative partnerships with museums and other educational and cultural organizations to enrich communities with Smithsonian resources. More information is available at affiliations.si.edu.

    About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources

    The NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina—its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

    The department manages more than 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the NC Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the NC Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the NC Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit dncr.nc.gov.

    Oct 16, 2024

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada announces $3 million in funding to support tourism recovery in Jasper and the region

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    Jasper is one of Canada’s most iconic destinations, treasured by Canadians and renowned around the world.

    October 18, 2024 – Jasper, Alberta

    Jasper is one of Canada’s most iconic destinations, treasured by Canadians and renowned around the world. With its proximity to majestic mountains and clear blue lakes, Jasper draws over two million visitors from across Canada and around the world every year. This summer’s wildfires had a devastating impact on Jasper and the region’s economy, which is built on tourism. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action to support Jasper’s recovery and help its tourism industry come back strong.

    The Honourable Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, alongside Marsha Walden, President and CEO of Destination Canada, the Honourable Joseph Schow, Alberta Minister of Tourism and Sport, Richard Ireland, Mayor of the Municipality of Jasper, David Goldstein, CEO of Travel Alberta, and Tyler Riopel, CEO of Tourism Jasper, today announced $3 million in support from the Government of Canada to help Jasper and the region’s tourism industry recover, rebuild and retake its place on the world stage. This is made possible through collaboration between Destination Canada and Travel Alberta, which are integrating their marketing strategies to showcase one of Canada’s most sought-after experiences.

    Key marketing initiatives delivered by Destination Canada include:

    • investing in Destination Canada-led seasonal marketing campaigns, in collaboration with Travel Alberta, with a focus on the United States—Canada’s top international arrivals market;
    • co-investing in opportunities for targeted Destination Canada-led marketing programs in additional key markets such as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Australia and Mexico;
    • hosting Canada’s largest global tourism media event in Jasper in September 2025, which will be organized in collaboration with Travel Aberta and Tourism Jasper and will serve as a platform to foster relationships between over 80 top-tier travel media outlets from around the world and Canadian tourism industry representatives; and
    • leveraging Destination Canada’s $50 million International Convention Attraction Fund.     

    These important investments build on significant support for Jasper already announced by the Government of Canada. This began with calling in the Canadian Armed Forces to fight the wildfires in July. As Jasper began to recover, the government matched donations and ensured local residents received the benefits and services they needed. As the town started rebuilding, the government quickly made changes to put the municipality in charge of the effort. This work is being directed by a special cabinet committee, led by the Honourable Randy Boissonnault. 

    Today’s announcement followed Minister Ferrada and Minister Schow’s co-hosting of the annual Canadian Council of Tourism Ministers meeting in Banff, Alberta and subsequent tour of the region. At the meeting, federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for tourism discussed challenges facing the tourism sector and cross-governmental opportunities to support its growth.

    Marie-Justine Torres
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
    marie-justine.torresames@ised-isde.gc.ca
    613-327-5918

    Media Relations
    Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
    media@ised-isde.gc.ca

    For easy access to government programs for businesses, download the Canada Business app.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Panetta Announces New Federal Investment in Local Semiconductor Manufacturer Expansion

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif)

    San Jose, CA – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) announced a significant new federal investment in a local semiconductor manufacturer through the landmark CHIPS and Science Act.  The $93 million federal investment awarded to Infinera will support the expansion and modernization of both a new semiconductor fabrication plant, or Fab, in South San Jose and a new Advanced Test and Packaging (ATP) facility in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.  This funding is expected to multiply Infinera’s domestic manufacturing capacity by ten and create up to 1,200 construction jobs.  

    Infinera is a local semiconductor and telecommunications equipment manufacturer that has operated its U.S. fabrication and ATP facilities for over two decades.  Specifically, the project in South San Jose will construct a new modernized Fab and foundry with over 40,000 square feet of cleanroom space to increase its indium phosphide-based photonic integrated circuits (InP PICs) manufacturing.

    Rep. Panetta with bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate passed the CHIPS and Science Act into law during the 117th Congress.  The landmark legislation has already allocated over $35 billion in proposed funding across 16 states, including California, and is expected to create over 115,000 jobs in emerging high-tech manufacturing and research sectors.  Since the beginning of the Biden-Harris Administration, semiconductor and electronics companies have announced over $400 billion in private investments, catalyzed in large part by public investment.

    “Although Silicon Valley leads the world in innovation, it isn’t really known as a manufacturing base for semiconductor chips,” said Rep. Panetta.  “That may change with this major federal investment in Infinera, its innovation, and its manufacturing of semiconductor chips in California’s 19th Congressional District. Through the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, we are investing in local projects with hundreds of good-paying jobs that will bolster our innovation and dramatically increase our domestic output of semiconductors in South San Jose.”

    InP PICs are key components in optical network communications.  These components enable the fast and reliable transfer of large amounts of data in communications, spanning short- to long-distance broadband networks; between AI and machine-learning clusters inside the data center; and between data centers.  This technology is essential to powering American economic innovation and support security technology.

    “We are honored to be part of the Department of Commerce’s efforts to increase semiconductor fabrication and packaging in the U.S. and protect our national and economic security as part of the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act,” said Infinera CEO David Heard. “Optical semiconductor technology and photonics are at the heart of scalable and resilient connectivity required to support the rapidly growing need for high-speed communications.  This proposed funding would enable us to better serve our customers, expand our partnerships, and compete more effectively with foreign adversary competitors, especially at a time when supply chain security is increasingly important to America’s communications infrastructure, from high-capacity long-haul transmission and broadband networks to power-efficient connectivity inside data centers to support the explosive growth in AI workloads.”

    The California project will be supported by the Nor Cal Carpenters Union (NCCU).  For trades not covered by NCCU, Infinera’s general contractor, Vulcan Construction, has agreed to hire from a contractor base consisting of 100% labor union-signatory contractors affiliated with the building trades.  Infinera’s current operations in South San Jose are 95% carbon free, which is expected to continue with the expansion of the Fab.

    “From artificial intelligence to electric vehicles to telecommunications infrastructure, 21st century technologies all rely on optical semiconductors like the ones manufactured by Infinera,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.  “The Biden-Harris Administration is achieving the economic and national security goal of the CHIPS and Science Act with investments like this one.  We are securing semiconductor manufacturing projects across the country to build a robust domestic chip ecosystem that will create high-tech jobs and economic opportunities for communities across the country.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Iowa Students to Connect with NASA Astronaut Aboard Space Station

    Source: NASA

    Students from Iowa will have the opportunity to hear NASA astronaut Nick Hague answer their prerecorded questions while he’s serving an expedition aboard the International Space Station on Monday, Oct. 21.
    Watch the 20-minute space-to-Earth call at 11:40 a.m. EDT on NASA+. Students from Iowa State University in Ames, First Robotics Clubs, World Food Prize Global Youth Institute, and Plant the Moon teams will focus on food production in space. Learn how to watch NASA content on various platforms, including social media.
    Media interested in covering the event must contact Angie Hunt by 5 p.m., Friday, Oct.18 at amhunt@iastate.edu or 515-294-8986.
    For more than 23 years, astronauts have continuously lived and worked aboard the space station, testing technologies, performing science, and developing skills needed to explore farther from Earth. Astronauts aboard the orbiting laboratory communicate with NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston 24 hours a day through SCaN’s (Space Communications and Navigation) Near Space Network.
    Important research and technology investigations taking place aboard the space station benefit people on Earth and lays the groundwork for other agency missions. As part of NASA’s Artemis campaign, the agency will send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future human exploration of Mars; inspiring Artemis Generation explorers and ensuring the United States continues to lead in space exploration and discovery.
    See videos and lesson plans highlighting space station research at:
    https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation
    -end-
    Abbey DonaldsonHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1600Abbey.a.donaldson@nasa.gov
    Sandra Jones Johnson Space Center, Houston281-483-5111sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Media Alert: Low-level helicopter flights to image geology over parts of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Media Alert: Low-level helicopter flights to image geology over parts of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin

    USGS low-level helicopter survey set to begin in October

    Editor: In the public interest and in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration regulations, the USGS is announcing this low-level airborne project. Your assistance in informing the local communities is appreciated. 

    Media Advisory: Members of the news media are invited to attend a media day at the Dubuque Regional Airport to see first-hand the aircraft and equipment that will be used to image geology during a U.S. Geological Survey Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) low-level airborne survey of the tristate region later this month. View the full advisory here. 

    RESTON, Va. — Low-level helicopter flights are planned over areas of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin to image geology using airborne geophysical technology. 

    The survey will be conducted from October 2024 for approximately one to two months, weather and flight restriction permitting. Surveying is expected to be completed by December of 2024.

    Flights will cover areas within the Iowa counties of Clayton, Dubuque, and Jackson; Wisconsin counties of Grant and Lafayette; and Jo Daviess County in Illinois.

    The flights will be based out of the Dubuque, Iowa area. Flights could shift with little warning to other parts of the survey area as necessary to minimize ferrying distances and avoid adverse flying conditions.

    The purpose of the airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey is to provide images of subsurface electrical resistivity that expand the fundamental knowledge of geology underpinning an area near Dubuque, Iowa and spanning portions of Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. 

    The helicopter will fly along pre-planned flight paths relatively low to the ground at about 100-200 feet (30-60 meters) above the land surface. The ground clearance will be increased as needed and will comply with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations. Flight lines will be flown along lines of variable orientation with an approximate spacing of 1,300 ft (400 m).

    The survey will use a helicopter equipped with an elongated tube-like “bird” slung below the aircraft. Sensors in the bird will measure small electromagnetic signals and variations in the Earth’s magnetic field that can be used to map geologic features.

    None of the instruments carried beneath or on the aircraft pose a health risk to people, animals, or plant life. No photography or video data will be collected. The data collected will be made freely available to the public on ScienceBase, typically within one year of flight completion. The aircraft will be flown by experienced pilots who are specially trained and approved for low-level flying. The survey company works with the FAA to ensure flights are safe and in accordance with U.S. law. 

    The surveys will be conducted during daylight hours only. Surveys do not occur over densely populated areas and the helicopter will not directly overfly buildings at low altitude. 

    The survey is funded by the USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative and is designed to meet needs related to mineral resource assessments, regional geologic framework and mapping studies, as well as water resource investigations and surficial mapping studies. The AEM survey is focused on a phosphate horizon at the base of a regional shale unit that shows local enrichment in Rare-Earth Element concentrations. The primary goals of the survey are to map the thickness of unconsolidated sediments, the spatial extent and thickness of the regional shale unit, and the depth to the top of an underlying limestone unit. 

    The new geophysical data will be processed to develop high-resolution three-dimensional representations of near-surface geology at depths up to 300 ft (roughly 100 meters) below the surface. The 3D models and maps derived from this project are important for improving our understanding of critical mineral resource potential, water resources, groundwater pathways near legacy mining areas, parameters for infrastructure and land use planning. 

    The survey fits into a broader effort by the USGS, Iowa Geological Survey, Illinois State Geological Survey, Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey, and other partners, including private companies, academics, and state and federal agencies to modernize our understanding of the Nation’s fundamental geologic framework and knowledge of mineral resources. This effort is known as the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative, and it includes airborne geophysical surveys like this one, geochemical reconnaissance surveys, topographic mapping using LiDAR technology, hyperspectral surveys, and geologic mapping projects. 

    The USGS has contracted Fugro and Xcalibur Smart Mapping to collect data.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scientist Profile: Jacquelyn Shuman Blazes New Trails in Fire Science

    Source: NASA

    Jacquelyn Shuman, FireSense Project Scientist at NASA Ames Research Center, originally wanted to be a veterinarian. By the time she got to college, Shuman had switched interests to biology, which became a job teaching middle and high school science. Teaching pivoted to finance for a year, before Shuman returned to the science world to pursue a PhD.
    It was in a forest ecology class taught by her future PhD advisor, Herman “Hank” Shugart, that she first discovered a passion for ecosystems and dynamic vegetation that led her into the world of fire science, and eventually to NASA Ames.
    While Shuman’s path into the world of fire science was not a direct one, she views her diverse experiences as the key to finding a fulfilling career. “Do a lot of different things and try a lot of different things, and if one thing isn’t connecting with you, then do something different,” Shuman said.

    Shuman’s PhD program focused on boreal forest dynamics across Russia, examining how the forest changes in response to climate change and wildfire. During her research, she worked mainly with scientists from Russia, Canada, and the US through the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI), where Shugart served as the NEESPI Chief Scientist. “The experience of having a highly supportive mentor, being a part of the NEESPI community, and working alongside other inspiring female scientists from across the globe helped me to stay motivated within my own research,” Shuman said.
    After completing her PhD, Shuman wanted to become involved in collaborative science with a global impact, which led her to the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). There, she spent seven years working as a project scientist on the Next Generation Ecosystem Experiment NGEE-Tropics) on a dynamic vegetation model project called FATES (Functionally Assembled Terrestrial Ecosystem Simulator). As part of the FATES team, Shuman used computer modeling to test vegetation structure and function in tropical and boreal forests after wildfires, and was the lead developer for updating the fire portion of the model.

    Fire has also played a powerful role in Shuman’s personal life. In 2021, the Marshall Fire destroyed neighborhoods near her hometown of Boulder, Colorado, causing over $513 million of damage and securing its place as the state’s most destructive wildfire. Despite this, Shuman is determined to not live in fear. “Fire is part of our lives, it’s a part of the Earth system, and it’s something we can plan for. We can live more sustainably with fires.” The way to live safely in a fire-inclusive ecosystem, according to Shuman, is to develop ways to accurately track and forecast wildfires and smoke, and to respond to them efficiently: efforts the fire community is continuously working on improving.

    Collaboration is a critical element of wildland fire management. Fire science is a field that involves practitioners such as firefighters and land managers, but also researchers such as modelers and forecasters; the most effective efforts, according to Shuman, come when this community works together. “People in fire science might be out in the field and carrying a drip torch and marching along in the hilltops and the grasslands or be behind a computer and analyzing remote sensing data,” Shuman said. “We need both pieces.”
    Protecting communities from wildfire impacts is one of the most fulfilling aspects of Shuman’s career, and a goal that unites this community. “Fire research poses tough questions, but the people who are thinking about this are the people who are acting on it,” Shuman said. “They are saying, ‘What can we do? How can we think about this? What information do we need? What are the questions?’ It’s a special community to be a part of.”

    Currently at NASA Ames Research Center, Shuman is the Project Scientist for FireSense: a project focused on delivering NASA science and technology to practitioners and operational agencies. Shuman acts as the lead for the project office, identifying and implementing tools and strategies. Shuman still does ecosystem modeling work, including implementing vegetation models that forecast the impact of fire, but also spends time traveling to active fires across the country so she can help partners implement NASA tools and strategies in real time.

    “Right now, many different communities are all recognizing that we can partner to identify the best path forward,” Shuman said. “We have an opportunity to use everyone’s strengths and unique perspectives. It can be a devastating thing for a community and an ecosystem when a fire happens. Everyone is interested in using all this collective knowledge to do more, together.”
    Written by Molly Medin, NASA Ames Research Center

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wasserman Schultz, DeGette Lead Congressional Call for FDA to Wrap Up E-Cigarette Marketing Review, Take Action on Thousands of Illegal E-Cigarette Products on Shelves

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23)

    “Flavored e-cigarettes put a new generation of kids at risk of nicotine addiction and the serious health harms that result from tobacco use. When children’s health is at stake, we cannot tolerate any delay. Unfortunately, the most popular tobacco products with kids have been on the market for several years, with observable negative consequences for public health, and I am very disappointed that the FDA still has not finalized reviewing pending applications per the court-ordered deadline, nor has it removed all these illegal products from the shelves,” said Wasserman Schultz. “Leaving flavored e-cigarette products widely available without understanding the full impact they have on attracting youth and other non-tobacco users is dangerous and the FDA must swiftly finalize this review process and use all its enforcement tools available to make sure that kids are protected against illegal, kid-friendly products.”

    Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) and Diana DeGette (CO-01) announced that they led 65 Members of Congress in a letter to call on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to finalize review of outstanding Premarket Tobacco Product Applications (PMTAs) for e-cigarette products and to take aggressive enforcement action to remove the thousands of illegal, flavored e-cigarettes that remain on the market without approval. The Members also urged the agency to follow the science on the well-documented risks that flavored e-cigarettes pose to youth and deny PMTAs for all non-tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes, including menthol-flavored products.

    “Flavored e-cigarettes put a new generation of kids at risk of nicotine addiction and the serious health harms that result from tobacco use. When children’s health is at stake, we cannot tolerate any delay. Unfortunately, the most popular tobacco products with kids have been on the market for several years, with observable negative consequences for public health, and I am very disappointed that the FDA still has not finalized reviewing pending applications per the court-ordered deadline, nor has it removed all these illegal products from the shelves,” said Wasserman Schultz. “Leaving flavored e-cigarette products widely available without understanding the full impact they have on attracting youth and other non-tobacco users is dangerous and the FDA must swiftly finalize this review process and use all its enforcement tools available to make sure that kids are protected against illegal, kid-friendly products.”

    “Over 1.6 million middle and high-school aged students use e-cigarettes – an unacceptably high figure. There are thousands of products on the market designed specifically to appeal to young people, including flavored e-cigarettes,” said DeGette. “The FDA must follow the science and crack down on bad actors looking to hook America’s youth on nicotine instead of allowing Big Tobacco to continue to jeopardize the health of our young people while padding their own pockets.”

    “We applaud Reps. Wasserman Schultz and DeGette and all the signers of this letter for their leadership in urging the FDA to finish its review of e-cigarette marketing applications and step up enforcement against the thousands of illegal, flavored e-cigarette products on the market,” said Yolonda C. Richardson, President and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. “We cannot allow e-cigarette companies to continue targeting our kids with products that are more addictive than ever, with some now even having built-in video games. The FDA and other agencies must act to take these products off the market.”

    The FDA was under a court-ordered deadline to complete review of pending e-cigarette applications that were filed on time by September 9, 2021. While FDA has completed its review of many e-cigarettes, reviews of thousands of PMTAs remain incomplete, including applications for some products with a large market share that are most popular with youth, such as Juul. At a recent Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing, FDA indicated that nearly 500,000 e-cigarette PMTAs remain under review at the agency. Completing these premarket reviews and taking aggressive enforcement actions to clear that market of illegal e-cigarette products that do not have FDA authorization are important ways to protect youth from e-cigarettes.

    Signers include: Becca Balint; Nanette Barragán; Joyce Beatty; Ami Bera; Lisa Blunt Rochester; Suzanne Bonamici; Brendan Boyle; Julia Brownley; Nikki Budzinski; Judy Chu; Emanuel Cleaver; Steve Cohen; Angie Craig; Danny Davis; Madeleine Dean; Rosa DeLauro; Mark DeSaulnier; Lloyd Doggett; Adriano Espaillat; Dwight Evans; Brian Fitzpatrick; Lois Frankel; John Garamendi; Raúl Grijalva; Robin Kelly; Andy Kim; Raja Krishnamoorthi; Ann Kuster; Greg Landsman; Barbara Lee; Mike Levin; Ted Lieu; Celeste Maloy; Betty McCollum; Grace Meng; Kevin Mullin; Jerrold Nadler; Eleanor Norton; Chris Pappas; Brittany Pettersen; Dean Phillips; Chellie Pingree; Mark Pocan; Katie Porter; Mike Quigley; Jamie Raskin; Janice Schakowsky; Hillary Scholten; Kim Schrier; Terri Sewell; Eric Sorensen; Darren Soto; Melanie Stansbury; Eric Swalwell; Rashida Tlaib; Jill Tokuda; Ritchie Torres; Lori Trahan; David Trone; Lauren Underwood; Juan Vargas; Maxine Waters; Bonnie Watson Coleman.

    The full letter can be found here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government reduces credit card fees by 27 per cent for small business owners

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    Canada’s small- and medium-sized businesses create good-paying jobs, keep main streets flourishing across the country, and deliver the dream of entrepreneurship.

    October 17, 2024 – Hamilton, Ontario           

    Canada’s small- and medium-sized businesses create good-paying jobs, keep main streets flourishing across the country, and deliver the dream of entrepreneurship. It is essential that these businesses thrive so they can continue being the bedrock of our communities and our economy.

    Small businesses pay fees to process credit card transactions, with the largest component being the interchange fee paid to credit card-issuing financial institutions, such as banks. That is why the federal government negotiated and finalized new agreements with Visa and Mastercard, which also protect reward points offered to Canadians.

    Today in Hamilton, the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), announced that new credit card fee reductions for small business owners will come into effect this Saturday, October 19, 2024. For qualifying small businesses, Visa and Mastercard have agreed to:

    • reduce domestic consumer credit interchange fees for in-store transactions to an annual weighted average interchange rate of 0.95 per cent;
    • reduce domestic consumer credit interchange fees for online transactions by 10 basis points, resulting in reductions of up to 7 per cent; and,
    • provide free access to online fraud and cyber security resources to help small businesses grow their online sales while preventing fraud and chargebacks.

    More than 90 per cent of businesses that accept credit cards will receive lower rates and see interchange fees reduced by up to 27 per cent. These fee reductions will save eligible small businesses about $1 billion over five years.

    Reduced credit card transaction fees will save small businesses thousands of dollars every year. For example, if a store processes $300,000 in credit card payments, they currently pay nearly $4,000 in annual interchange fees. With these new agreements, the store could save $1,080 in fees every year. The federal government expects all members of the credit card industry, including payment processors, to pass these savings on directly to small businesses.

    Second, the federal government announced a revised Code of Conduct for the Payment Card Industry in Canada to protect over 1 million businesses that accept credit card and debit card payments from customers. Starting on October 30, 2024, the revised Code will help businesses compare prices and offers from different payment processors, and shorten the complaint handling response time by nearly 80 per cent to just 20 business days. All major payment card network operators in Canada have agreed to the terms of the revised Code. Certain obligations requiring complex or technical system changes will come into effect by April 30, 2025.

    In addition, the federal government announced the payment amounts for the new Canada Carbon Rebate for Small Businesses, which will deliver over $2.5 billion to about 600,000 Canadian businesses before the end of this year. The Canada Carbon Rebate for Small Businesses will deliver up to $4,010 to a business with 10 employees in Ontario, $59,100 to a business with 50 employees in Alberta, and $576,844 to a business with 499 employees in Saskatchewan. Small businesses in Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador will also receive payments.

    The government is taking action to help small businesses start up, grow, and thrive by reducing the costs of running a business. These reduced credit card fees for small business owners build on the government’s lowering of the small business tax rate to 9 per cent—which is already saving small businesses $6.6 billion every single year. 

    Katherine Cuplinskas
    Deputy Director of Communications
    Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
    Katherine.Cuplinskas@fin.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Five surprising ways that trees help prevent flooding

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Martina Egedusevic, PhD Candidate, Impact Fellow (Green Futures Solutions), University of Exeter

    Think of flood prevention and you might imagine huge concrete dams, levees or the shiny Thames barrier. But some of the most powerful tools for reducing flood risk are far more natural and widely recognisable: woodlands and green spaces. Trees offer much more than beauty and oxygen. Here’s how trees help to protect us from floods.

    1. Intercepting rainfall

    Trees and green spaces hold the key to protecting us against flooding. When rain falls on a forest, trees play a vital role in managing water flow. The canopy of a forest acts like a giant umbrella, catching and holding rainwater before it hits the ground.

    This slows down how quickly rain reaches the soil, allowing water to gradually seep into the earth instead of rushing over the ground and straight into rivers and watercourses. This delayed water flow can reduce peak water levels in rivers during heavy storms, helping to prevent flash floods.

    One of us (Martina) was involved in a two-year study, which has not been peer reviewed, that used sensor equipment to measure the speed and level of surface water at various locations along two streams in the Menstrie catchment area in Scotland: one with greater tree cover and another with less.

    The stream with more trees appeared to have consistently reduced flow discharges compared with the more barren stream. This suggests that young forests may be able to dramatically reduce water runoff during rainfall, potentially preventing water from overwhelming streams and rivers.

    As trees grow and mature, their effect on water management could become even more significant. This study adds to a growing body of evidence that shows forests offer a natural defence against floods.

    Trees are one of our best allies in adapting to the increasing risks posed by climate change. Trees also remove water from catchments via evapotranspiration, whereby moisture evaporates from the surface of the soil and is released from the plant’s leaves and other surfaces.

    Importantly, these processes aren’t just relevant at the scale of rural, catchments. We can use the benefits of trees and plants in our towns and cities as targeted small-scale interventions.

    2. Keeping rivers clean

    Trees help keep rivers clean and healthy. When there are no trees, rain can wash away a lot of soil (and pollutants) into rivers. This might lead to them having a reduced capacity to convey water. But tree roots act like anchors, binding the soil in place and preventing it from flowing into rivers.

    This keeps the rivers clear and stops sedimentation, helping them cope with flood waters better. That, in turn, can prevent flooding and maintain river capacity to protect against future flooding.

    In places like the Menstrie catchment, planting trees around rivers helps trap dirt and sediment in the upper parts of the river, keeping the lower parts cleaner.

    Ploughed ground can better capture sediment across the catchment because the plough lines act as barriers. They keep the sediment in place more efficiently than other techniques, such as hand-screefing (when someone clears a small spot of ground by hand to plant a tree) and excavator mounding (a process that uses a machine to build little hills to help trees grow better in wet areas), which were less successful in containing the sediment.

    Evidence shows that trees are essential for long-term soil stabilisation. Cultivation methods and forestry practices therefore play a crucial role in managing erosion and sediment flow.

    3. Absorbing and storing water like sponges

    Trees improve the soil’s ability to soak up water. Their roots channel deep into the ground, creating preferential flow paths that allow water to absorb into the soil profile, rather than run off on the surface. This process helps reduce the amount of water rushing towards rivers and streams after a heavy rainstorm, which is a major factor in slowing the flow of water and reducing flooding.

    How trees are planted, the slope of the land and the type of soil all affect how much water runs off during rainfall. Different planting techniques affect water runoff differently depending on the amount of rain.

    During floods, some areas with trees planted (that includes plots with plough cultivation and excavation mounding) have less water runoff compared with unplanted areas without trees.

    4. Reducing surface runoff

    When heavy rain falls on bare land, water runs off quickly, which can cause floods. Trees, with their roots and fallen leaves, slow this down by helping the ground soak up more water.

    This reduces how much water flows into rivers all at once, helping to prevent floods. Planting trees using different layouts, densities and patterns can make this even more effective by helping trees grow better and absorb more water, thereby reducing runoff.

    5. Stopping floodwaters

    In Somerset, England tree planting projects along rivers, such as those under the Environment Agency’s initiative, have played a crucial role in reducing flood risks.

    Since 2020, almost 30,000 trees and shrubs were planted across multiple sites to help slow water flow and protect communities vulnerable to flooding. These trees were strategically placed along riverbanks, including in the Parrett catchment in Somerset, an area known to be prone to flooding.

    Underground, tree roots drink up lots of water, slowing how quickly the rainwater flows. And when floodwater hits a forest, the tree trunks act like a natural barrier or wall, slowing the water down so it doesn’t rush all at once to other areas and cause bigger floods. By planning and planting forests to build climate resilience, these positive effects can become even stronger.


    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get our award-winning weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 35,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Martina Egedusevic receives funding from the Scottish Forestry Trust.

    Daniel Green works for Heriot-Watt University as an Assistant Professor in Nature-based Solutions. He is also a Research Associate at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

    – ref. Five surprising ways that trees help prevent flooding – https://theconversation.com/five-surprising-ways-that-trees-help-prevent-flooding-240242

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wild, Casey, Fetterman, Secure Major Federal Investment in Lehigh Valley Semiconductor Manufacturer

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Susan Wild (PA-07)

    Today, U.S. Congresswoman Susan Wild (D-PA-07) and U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) announced a critical first step in a major federal investment to help the semiconductor manufacturer Infinera build a new plant in Bethlehem, PA. This investment, made possible by the CHIPS and Science Act, would support the expansion and modernization of a new Advanced Test and Packaging (ATP) facility creating good-paying jobs in the Lehigh Valley and increasing Infinera’s capacity to manufacture semiconductors, which are vital to national security and American supply chain resilience.

    “By supporting the construction of a new Advanced Test and Packaging Facility right here in Bethlehem, this grant will not only create hundreds of new jobs in our community, but it will revitalize our local semiconductor industry and address key national security concerns,” said Congresswomen Wild. “I was proud to help secure this funding for Infinera, to support our national security and intelligence communities and bolster our local economy and manufacturing ecosystem. I will continue to advocate for our community to receive federal resources, promote Made in America policies, and protect our nation from foreign adversaries.” 

    “I fought to pass the CHIPS and Science Act to ensure that Pennsylvania workers can continue leading the world in building the technology of tomorrow. This agreement is another critical step to deliver jobs and dollars to our Commonwealth, while protecting our Nation’s national and economic security,” said Senator Casey. “Infinera is emblematic of the future of the Lehigh Valley and I will keep fighting to bring manufacturing jobs to Pennsylvania.”

    “This is exactly what ‘Making Stuff Here’ in America and Pennsylvania looks like. Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration’s implementation of the CHIPS Act, we’ll be seeing hundreds of good-paying jobs brought to Bethlehem. The Lehigh Valley has a rich history of innovation––it’s where the first facility to mass-produce transistors was built. By investing in companies like Infinera, we’re standing up to global competitors and building on American legacies,” said Senator Fetterman.

    The preliminary agreement between the U.S. Department of Commerce and Infinera Corporation would provide major investments to Infinera plants in Pennsylvania and California. Infinera is a semiconductor and telecommunications equipment manufacturer that has operated for over 20 years. The proposed CHIPS funding would support the construction of a new Advanced Test and Packaging (ATP) facility in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and would be expected, with the California facility, to increase Infinera’s existing domestic manufacturing capacity by an estimated factor of 10.

    Senator Casey and Congresswoman Wild have long advocated for semiconductor manufacturing investments in Pennsylvania. Earlier this year both Casey and Wild urged the U.S. Department of Commerce to support the construction of a new Infinera manufacturing plant in Pennsylvania., Additionally, Casey and Wild visited Infinera to see the high-tech manufacturing already happening in the Commonwealth.

    Congresswoman Wild and Senator Casey are fighting to bring jobs and economic investment back to Pennsylvania. The Members worked to pass the CHIPS and Science Act to produce semiconductors in the United States, reducing the U.S. reliance on foreign adversaries, including China, for critical technology manufacturing. In addition to the CHIPS Act, Casey and Wild worked to pass Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act—two pieces of landmark legislation that have brought thousands of jobs and billions of dollars to Pennsylvania. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: The Riverside Company Cell-ebrates with Sale of Red Nucleus

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CLEVELAND, Oct. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Riverside Company (Riverside), a global investment firm focused on the smaller end of the middle market, has sold its investment in Red Nucleus, a leading global strategic partner to the life sciences industry, to Thomas H. Lee Partners, a Boston-based private investment firm.

    Riverside Capital Appreciation strategy (RCAF) originally invested in Red Nucleus, headquartered in Yardley, Pennsylvania, in December 2019. Red Nucleus is an industry-leading integrated provider of learning and development, medical communications, market access and R&D and clinical solutions to the life sciences industry globally. The company’s comprehensive commercial, medical and clinical service and software solutions span all stages of the product cycle to help provide lasting value for key stakeholders, including pharmaceutical organizations, HCPs and patients.

    The breadth and depth of the company’s services and products have enabled Red Nucleus to become a valuable one-stop shop and trusted partner to its customers across the entirety of the drug development lifecycle. The company serves more than 200 organizations, including innovative biotech start-ups and the majority of the top 25 global pharmaceutical companies by market capitalization, helping advance life sciences solutions and improve patient health outcomes globally.

    “It was such a pleasure working with the talented Red Nucleus team through this period of transformational growth,” said RCAF’s Co-Chief Investment Officer Peter Tsang. “We delivered a successful organic growth strategy. In addition, we integrated eleven add-on acquisitions which meaningfully enhanced Red Nucleus’ value proposition to its customers with a more diversified set of service offerings and broader geographic reach with 11 offices across four continents.”

    Red Nucleus is another example of Riverside’s expertise in investing in and growing businesses in the Business Services and Education & Training sectors. Since its inception in 1988, Riverside has invested in more than 380 companies in the Business Services sector and more than 120 in the Education & Training sector.

    “Riverside was a great partner that worked alongside us to significantly expand the platform while investing in our team and infrastructure to position us for long-term growth. Together, we developed a bold vision and strategy to build an outstanding pharma services organization that I am extremely proud of,” said Red Nucleus CEO Ian Kelly.

    Working with Tsang on the deal for Riverside were Vice President Mark Fishman, Senior Associate Ben Wilson, Associate Ryan Stead and Senior Operating Partner J.P. Fingado. Senior Partner Anne Hayes led the capital market initiatives throughout the investment period. Peter Tsang also sourced the original deal for Riverside.

    Houlihan Lokey, Piper Sandler and Jones Day advised Riverside on the sale of Red Nucleus.

    About Red Nucleus
    Red Nucleus is a global strategic partner with decades of experience across the entire life sciences product life cycle. The company excels in providing clients with unique insights and efficiencies to support their journey to improve health outcomes and ultimately the quality of people’s lives. Red Nucleus’ “Red Thread” weaves together a full suite of products and services from learning & development, scientific services & advisory, medical and scientific communications, and market access, which leads the company’s life sciences customers to accelerated transformational success. With worldwide offices in seven countries, our commitment to quality and on-time delivery is unrivaled in the industry.

    For more information visit http://www.rednucleus.com.

    About The Riverside Company

    The Riverside Company is a global investment firm focused on being one of the leading private equity and flexible capital options for business owners and portfolio company employees at the smaller end of the middle market by seeking to fuel transformative growth and create lasting value. Since its founding in 1988, Riverside has made more than 1,000 investments. The firm’s international private equity and flexible capital portfolios include more than 140 companies.

    For more information visit http://www.riversidecompany.com.

    Holly Mueller                                                                               
    Marketing Consultant                                                            
    The Riverside Company                                                              
    216 535 2236                                                         
    hmueller@riversidecompany.com   

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why calls to review Lucy Letby’s case are so different from other miscarriage of justice campaigns

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sam Poyser, Lecturer in Criminology, Aberystwyth University

    Lucy Letby, a former neonatal nurse, was convicted after two trials of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven more at the Countess of Chester Hospital. Sentenced to life imprisonment following a case which many believe was built on circumstantial evidence, Letby has consistently maintained her innocence.

    In a recent interview on LBC, the UK government’s health secretary, Wes Streeting, was asked for his opinion on those questioning the safety of Letby’s convictions.

    Streeting’s reply urged campaigners to place their faith in the judicial and appellate processes to identify and correct their mistakes, if any. He added that there was no purpose in campaigning as it would have no impact and that if people insisted on doing so, they should do it “quietly”.

    But my research shows that Streeting’s comments are not reflective of the broader history of miscarriages of justice.

    Wes Streeting on Lucy Letby’s conviction.

    Letby’s first trial was preceded by the publication of a report by the Royal Statistical Society in September 2022 detailing how statistical issues in the investigation of suspected murders in medical settings can contribute to causing miscarriages of justice. It drew attention to the case of Dutch nurse Lucia de Berk who was convicted in circumstances which shared striking similarities with the Letby case.

    Almost six months after Letby’s conviction in August 2023, the New Yorker magazine published an article challenging the prosecution’s account of events. And a body called Science on Trial, which calls out “problematic science”, also began raising questions. This sparked further scrutiny from journalist Peter Hitchens, who continues to express his doubts in the press.

    National publications, radio programmes and TV broadcasts featuring prominent medical experts have also raised doubts about the evidence used at trial.

    Lucy Letby.
    Cheshire Constabulary

    Politicians, like David Davis, began voicing concerns both inside and outside parliament, intensifying the debate around the safety of Letby’s conviction.

    The Letby campaign stands out as an alleged miscarriage of justice because there are very few cases in which so many people have moved so quickly, and so publicly, to raise concerns.

    Lessons from history

    Miscarriages of justice are not new and are often very difficult to put right. The history of miscarriages of justice is littered with failed appeals and unsuccessful applications submitted by prisoners to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), the body now responsible for investigating and referring them back to the Court of Appeal.

    For example, Andrew Malkinson spent 17 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Even after DNA evidence excluded him as the perpetrator, his case was essentially blocked from proceeding to appeal by the very system designed to identify such errors. Had it not been for sustained public campaigning and an investigation spearheaded by the legal charity Appeal, his conviction would probably not have been quashed.

    Streeting’s argument that “there is no purpose in a campaign” overlooks the effect organised calls for justice have had. Campaigns like those for the Birmingham Six – in which six men spent 16 years in prison for a crime of which they were entirely innocent – led to significant reforms. These include the establishment of the CCRC itself. Without public scrutiny and outcry, these changes would not have been achieved.

    My research shows that an important goal of justice campaigns is to “gain a voice” – to raise questions, build support and influence outcomes. This can sometimes lead to convictions being overturned. These campaigns are typically led by the prisoner’s family, whose fight to be heard is often a long and arduous journey.

    Some families eventually manage to engage journalists who help them gain a voice in the mainstream media. This oxygen of publicity may, in turn, attract the attention of those whose intervention might further strengthen the campaign, such as specialist experts, lawyers and other professionals.

    These individuals may lend their knowledge, skills and expertise to a case and sometimes even go public with their concerns. This often pressures people in positions of authority to respond.

    The “campaigning voice” can also draw the attention of investigative journalists who specialise in re-examining alleged miscarriages of justice. When they take interest, their thorough and often obsessive work can uncover new evidence, sometimes strong enough to convince the Court of Appeal to overturn a conviction.

    The judiciary itself has acknowledged the transformative role of such journalists. But it’s important to note that families usually have to wage a long and loud campaign before reaching this point.

    Why the Letby case is different

    Although Letby’s parents have stuck by her from the start, they have rarely spoken publicly.

    In this case, the voices shouting the loudest, and refusing to be quiet, belong to eminent statisticians, epidemiologists, neonatologists, pediatricians and biochemical engineers. These are the types of people that most miscarriage campaigns spend years trying to attract. The sheer number speaking out is unprecedented.

    So too is the swift involvement of John Sweeney, a journalist who specialises in investigating what researchers call “no crime miscarriages”. These are cases where people are convicted for crimes that never happened.

    The speed with which these professionals and others have raised doubts about the Letby convictions is highly unusual, especially given the severity of the convictions. My work shows that people convicted of especially horrific crimes often struggle to establish campaigns that question whether the justice system got it wrong.

    While it’s now widely accepted that juries, judges and the CCRC can make mistakes, justice systems tend to fiercely protect their decisions and reputations in such cases. Although no one can at this time say for certain whether or not Letby’s convictions are unsafe, research shows that public campaigns – and campaigning loudly – can make a difference.

    Sam Poyser does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Why calls to review Lucy Letby’s case are so different from other miscarriage of justice campaigns – https://theconversation.com/why-calls-to-review-lucy-letbys-case-are-so-different-from-other-miscarriage-of-justice-campaigns-239465

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Regular exercise could reduce the severity of hangovers – here’s how

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Athalie Redwood-Brown, Senior Lecturer in Performance Analysis of Sport, Nottingham Trent University

    Regular workouts may help lessen the pain of those dreadful mornings. PintoArt/ Shutterstock

    Most of us have been there: a night of fun turns into a morning of regret – complete with a pounding headache, nausea and fatigue.

    While there are plenty of supposed hangover “cures” out there – from eating a greasy breakfast to the ill-advised “hair-of-the-dog” – a recent paper suggests that regular exercise may be the key to alleviating these dreadful mornings.

    The study, published in the journal Addictive Behaviours, involved 1,676 undergraduate students who had experienced at least one hangover in the past three months. All participants did at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity per week. They completed online questionnaires assessing their alcohol consumption patterns, physical activity levels and the frequency and severity of hangover symptoms. Activity levels were scored by calculating the intensity of the activity against the number of hours.

    The findings indicated a significant association between physical activity and hangover symptoms. Unsurprisingly, people who consumed more alcohol experienced hangovers more frequently and with greater severity. But, these associations were reduced in people who engaged in vigorous physical activity (such as running) – suggesting that higher levels of exercise may reduce the severity of hangover symptoms.

    While the study only established a correlation between exercise and reduced hangover severity, several mechanisms may help explain why physical activity could mitigate hangover symptoms.

    1. Modulates pain response

    Hangovers often cause physical pain, such as headaches and muscle aches, due to several factors. Alcohol leads to dehydration, which affects the way the blood vessels function and reduces fluid levels around the brain. This can trigger headaches.

    Alcohol also promotes inflammation in the body, leading to the release of immune system molecules called cytokines, which can cause muscle aches. Additionally, alcohol disrupts sleep, which can increase pain sensitivity the next day.

    Some studies have also noted that the concentration of alcohol you have in your blood after a night of drinking is also linked to common hangover symptoms, such as pain.

    But exercise triggers the release of endorphins – hormones produced by the brain which serve as natural painkillers. Regular exercise may even elevate your baseline endorphin levels. This could potentially lead to a lower perception of pain and discomfort during a hangover.

    2. Better quality sleep

    Hangovers tend to be accompanied by poor quality sleep. Alcohol reduces REM sleep, which is the part of the sleep cycle that helps the brain rest and recover. Drinking can also make you wake up more throughout the night because alcohol causes your body to lose fluids – making you need to use the bathroom more often.

    But regular exercise is linked to better sleep patterns by helping to regulate the circadian rhythm. Overall, physical activity can improve sleep duration, sleep quality and reduce the number of times you wake up during the night. This may in turn help you get a better night’s sleep after drinking – which could improve your overall recovery from a hangover.

    3. Improves metabolism

    Regular physical activity contributes to better metabolic health, which may facilitate the efficient processing of alcohol.

    While the liver primarily metabolises alcohol, having a good metabolic rate can help clear alcohol and its byproducts from the system more effectively.

    Exercise is good for metabolic health – which may help clear alcohol from our systems.
    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/ Shutterstock

    Exercise also improves circulation, which may also aid in flushing out acetaldehyde. This is a toxic chemical released by alcohol when the body metabolises it. Acetaldehyde significantly contributes to hangover symptoms.

    4. Reduces inflammation

    Alcohol triggers an inflammatory response (the body’s defence mechanism that works against harmful pathogens and substances) which can exacerbate hangover symptoms.

    It releases chemicals called cytokines that promote inflammation, which helps fight off infections or injuries. However, in the case of a hangover, this inflammation can worsen symptoms such as headaches, muscle aches, fatigue and sensitivity to light and sound. The body’s heightened immune response amplifies these discomforts, making the hangover feel more intense.

    But exercise has well-documented anti-inflammatory properties as it stimulates the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines. This means regular exercisers could experience less inflammation-related discomfort during hangovers.

    The hangover cure?

    It’s important to clarify that while exercise might help make hangovers more bearable, it’s not a cure. The most effective way to prevent a hangover is to drink in moderation – or avoid it altogether. But for those who choose to indulge, integrating regular physical activity into your lifestyle might just make hangovers a little less debilitating.

    However, there are a few things that aren’t quite clear from the study. For example, it isn’t clear how soon before a night of drinking you should work out to see benefits on hangover severity. This makes it difficult to say whether regular exercisers have less severe hangovers, or whether having worked out before a night out helps manage hangover symptoms.

    The study was also conducted using undergraduate students, whose drinking and physical activity levels may differ from older adults. Research in different age groups will be important to see if the benefits are similar.

    It’s also crucial to distinguish between the benefits of consistent exercise and the impulse to work out while hungover. The latter can be counterproductive, as the body is already dehydrated and under stress. This may make your hangover feel worse.

    Instead, try doing gentle, low-effort activities during a hangover – such as a walk or yoga. This may help boost your mood.

    While this recent study’s findings shouldn’t be seen as providing an excuse to overindulge, it does highlight the ways that exercise equips the body to better handle the aftermath of a night of drinking – potentially making those rough mornings a bit more manageable.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Regular exercise could reduce the severity of hangovers – here’s how – https://theconversation.com/regular-exercise-could-reduce-the-severity-of-hangovers-heres-how-241147

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why many Poles are not as supportive of Ukraine’s war effort as their leaders in Warsaw

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Chris Hann, Emeritus Director, Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology

    Consumers of western media could be forgiven for supposing that Ukraine, the state whose sovereignty was violated so brutally with the Russian invasion of February 2022, enjoys unstinting support from its western neighbour Poland. The support of the Polish government has been unambiguous. Donations of military equipment and humanitarian support for refugees have been second to none in Europe.

    The election of a new government at the end of 2023 made no discernible difference to the Polish commitment. Antipathy towards Russia in Poland has strong roots, dating back even before the days when much of the country (including Warsaw) was formally incorporated into the Romanovs’ Russian empire.

    Observers in the west take it for granted that the pro-Ukrainian policies of successive Polish governments – endorsed by the Catholic churches – reflect views shared by citizens throughout the country.

    But after more than two years of war, as I found during a recent research trip, doubts are being voiced in some segments of society.

    Farmers have been angry for years. Ukraine has rich soils and its agribusiness is free from EU regulations. In the exceptional conditions created by the invasion, with the government desperately in need of revenue, Ukraine has been allowed to export its cheap grain to the EU. This has undermined the market for Polish farmers. Some Poles event believe that, since much Ukrainian farmland is owned by foreign capital, the prolongation of the war has been orchestrated by the west for economic reasons.

    Similar arguments can be heard concerning energy. The end of cheap gas from the Russian Federation promises a bonanza for the producers of alternative supplies, notably in the United States at the expense of higher prices for Polish households. I also heard in plenty of conversations that Poland is the only ally of Ukraine to provide military hardware free of charge – whereas other Nato states insist on full payment or offer credits that will theoretically have to be repaid one day.

    The resentments run deep and they affect large sections of the population. Why do I have to wait months for my hospital appointment, people ask – is it because of increased demand for health services from the millions of Ukrainian refugees? Why should my taxes pay for generous financial grants to Ukrainians who turn up at the border, claim the cash, and promptly return home?

    A tangled history

    Most educated citizens dismiss such allegations with scorn. Those who complain and exaggerate isolated abuses are often written off as gullible victims of Russian propaganda. But Poles are unlikely dupes. Monuments to communist crimes are everywhere – above all the Katyń massacres of 1940, when the Soviet security forces murdered thousands of Polish officers. More recently, many Poles still suspect the Kremlin’s complicity in the plane crash that killed their then president, Lech Kaczyński in Smolensk in 2010.

    Yet hatred of Russia does not translate into unconditional support for Ukraine.

    The enduring reason for friction between the two states has to do with diverging interpretations of violence which took place during and after the second world war. Ukrainian ministers have the undiplomatic habit of pointing out that large areas of present-day Poland were formerly occupied by Ukrainians. According to the historical ethno-linguistic and religious criteria generally considered central in the formation of peoples, Ukraine might indeed have a stronger claim to sections of the Polish Carpathians than it has to Crimea or Donbas.

    Does this help explain why the Polish government upholds the sanctity of Ukraine’s border with Russia? They want Ukraine’s border with their country to be equally sacrosanct.

    The typical Polish response to Ukrainian nationalist goading is to point out that Poles used to form the majority in most towns of western Ukraine – and that Lviv itself was a Polish city until Stalin redrew the borders in 1944 and the Polish population was deported westwards. These eastern borderlands are known to Poles as the Kresy. They are the focus of strong emotions and mythology. The Kresy is imagined as a harmonious realm in which, for many centuries, cultivated Poles ruled benignly over all other nationalities.

    This multiculturalism came to an abrupt end in the 1940s. These days, Poles with family roots in Volhynia and Galicia, much of which is now in western Ukraine, are incensed by Kyiv’s refusal to admit that Ukrainian nationalists were responsible for the ethnic cleansing of the Polish population. Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, recently made it clear that Poland’s continued support for admitting Ukraine to the EU will depend on coming to terms with this dark past.

    Western complicity

    During my recent visit, I was sometimes asked why the BBC and other influential western media never probed behind the slick public face of Volodymyr Zelensky’s team to report on the real conditions and opinions of ordinary Ukrainians. Instead, Russians are demonised and Ukrainians hailed for their “European values” and their sacrifices on behalf of the west.

    Coverage in Polish state media conveys a similar message – but I found many citizens have become sceptical. There is pity for conscripts, sorrow for the loss of young lives on both sides and fear for where all this dehumanising violence is leading. But few of the people I spoke with believed that Russians are the only party violating the Geneva Conventions.

    Often, the conversation turned to Boris Johnson. I was asked to explain why the then prime minister advised Zelensky in April 2022 that Ukraine should continue the fighting. Did Johnson, as has often been rumoured, sabotage proposals for a negotiated peace carefully drawn up in Istanbul shortly before his visit? Was it the spontaneous whim of a western politician who knew nothing about regional history, a clown playing macho games with Zelensky for the sake of his own image? Did he not care at all about the hundreds of thousands who would suffer and die if this war continued? Was he pursuing a devious strategy agreed with EU leaders and Nato partners, above all Washington?

    I did not have answers to any of these questions.

    Chris Hann does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Why many Poles are not as supportive of Ukraine’s war effort as their leaders in Warsaw – https://theconversation.com/why-many-poles-are-not-as-supportive-of-ukraines-war-effort-as-their-leaders-in-warsaw-240562

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Raising independent and resilient children: Lessons from TVO’s ‘Old Enough!’ and the science of love

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Nikki Martyn, Chair of Early Childhood Studies, University of Guelph-Humber

    The show demonstrates that young children are capable, curious and competent. (Blue Ant Media)

    There is an evolutionary need for parents to protect their children from harm. One of the most difficult and important aspects of parenting is allowing children to take the necessary risks which enable them to grow.

    TVO’s Old Enough!, based on a hit Japanese TV series, helps parents consider the balance between protection and creating space for children to develop independence and resilience. It shows very young children being provided the responsibility of running errands seemingly on their own.

    It should be noted there are protections in place, for example as seen in Episode 1. Viewers see four-year-old Parker with supports for crossing streets, camera crews and shop keepers who are prepared for the child’s visit. It is not recommended that very young children complete errands unsupervised.

    However, the show demonstrates that young children are capable, curious and competent. It encourages us to consider how we can support children in developing their confidence, self-worth and trust, and help them become independent and resilient while ensuring they feel supported and loved.

    Independence begins with love

    Old Enough! exemplifies many insights for parents about nurturing relationships with their children to support their emerging independence.

    Secure attachment develops when a child consistently experiences a loving, attuned and responsive emotional connection, fostering a sense of trust and safety, and learning that their emotional needs will be met.

    This is at the heart of raising independent and resilient children. Every experience shapes a child’s brain and influences gene expression. The emotional bond that develops from secure attachment provides children reassurance to take risks and try new things on their own. This emotional security enables them to confidently explore the world, knowing they have a secure base to return to.

    In Old Enough!, viewers see glimpses of this trusting and loving relationship with five-year-old Simon and his dad David in Episode 3. Simon’s dads, David and Stephane, have different views around how much freedom Simon should have, with David feeling more protective. The episode shows Simon shopping on his own at Toronto’s St. Lawrence Market, with David outside.

    Trailer for ‘Old Enough!’ Episode 3.

    When the bags are too heavy, Simon drags them outside to give to David, sharing he was “dropping off a load because it was too heavy.” Simon’s dad empathically sighs in agreement.

    Simon knows his dad will be waiting for him. There is no concern of where to find his dad, or apprehension his dad would be upset Simon hadn’t finished, or had taken too long. Simon flops on the sidewalk and shares his solo adventure.

    His father, clearly anxious, finds a way through his own feelings to ask Simon if he will go back in to finish. Simon proudly beams yes! Upon return, he is greeted with pride and a big hug. Simon is proud of himself, stating “now I know how to shop by myself,” shining with confidence and resilience.

    That Simon knows the world is safe and trustworthy was evident in his secure internal working model. This is seen in his willingness to confidently ask others for help, knowing it will be OK if he fails. His reflection “I was not even scared,” emphasizes the confidence in his relationships and secure base from which he explores the world.

    Love supports courage to take on tasks

    Old Enough! also shows everyday moments of independence parents can foster by allowing children to complete simple, age-appropriate tasks.

    For example, viewers see Parker making her lunch, or Luther empty the dishwasher. These tasks offer them the chance to build self-reliance and problem-solving skills in manageable ways.

    Love and autonomy go hand in hand. This emotional foundation provides children the courage to take on tasks, solve problems and struggle through challenges. Love is not just a form of emotional support; it is also a tool for growth.

    When children are provided with opportunities to face small challenges, make decisions and manage frustration, we help them build the resilience to handle bigger challenges later in life. This approach reinforces that their loving caregiver trusts and believes in them.

    Children who know they are loved unconditionally feel secure in their worth and are more likely to navigate the complexities of life with a sense of inner stability. This emotional foundation prevents them from relying heavily on external validation because they have internalized their worth and value.

    As children grow, having a balanced view of themselves, their relationships and the world prepares them to manage peer pressure, bullying and setbacks, reinforcing the understanding of their worth isn’t determined by others’ opinions.

    Parents’ own attachment experiences

    Parents can support their children’s journey toward independence and resilience by encouraging small acts of autonomy.

    Letting children make their own choices, take on responsibilities and engage in problem-solving helps build their confidence. At the same time, parents should be emotionally available, offering comfort and support without taking over. This balance of trust and love gives children the necessary tools to become both independent and resilient, knowing they can face challenges and are always supported.

    Parents who want to do more to support their children’s autonomy while maintaining a close connection often find that making changes can be difficult. This is especially the case if they have not experienced secure attachment, unconditional love or have a history of relational trauma.

    Managing the real fear and anxiety of stepping back, perhaps fearing your child will feel unloved, can feel incredibly challenging. In Old Enough! such feelings are expressed by Ohelya’s mom, Arfina, in Episode 8, who shares she had to grow up faster than most of her friends and she wants to protect her daughter from this experience, allowing her to enjoy childhood.

    Trailer for ‘Old Enough!’ Episode 8.

    For parents, it’s important to separate your fears and anxieties from what is real for your child, and ensure your history and experiences do not negatively impact your child’s opportunities for growth and development. Be kind and patient with yourself and your child during this process.

    Watch, wait and wonder

    Parents can consider using a strategy such as “watch, wait and wonder”:

    • Watch: observe your child without intervening.
    • Wait: allow them the time and space to explore and play independently.
    • Wonder: reflect on their needs and your responses.

    By acknowledging and managing your own fears and anxieties, you create space to see your child truly sparkle.

    Learn and know who your child is, what their strengths are and what they need support with. It’s never to late to let children show you what they are capable of and reveal their amazing self. With consistency, you will build a deep meaningful connection built on trust and love, which will last a lifetime.

    Nikki Martyn does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Raising independent and resilient children: Lessons from TVO’s ‘Old Enough!’ and the science of love – https://theconversation.com/raising-independent-and-resilient-children-lessons-from-tvos-old-enough-and-the-science-of-love-239178

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Old Data Yields New Secrets as NASA’s DAVINCI Preps for Venus Trip

    Source: NASA

    Due to launch in the early 2030s, NASA’s DAVINCI mission will investigate whether Venus — a sweltering world wrapped in an atmosphere of noxious gases — once had oceans and continents like Earth.

    Consisting of a flyby spacecraft and descent probe, DAVINCI will focus on a mountainous region called Alpha Regio, a possible ancient continent. Though a handful of international spacecraft plunged through Venus’ atmosphere between 1970 and 1985, DAVINCI’s probe will be the first to capture images of this intriguing terrain ever taken from below Venus’ thick and opaque clouds.

    But how does a team prepare for a mission to a planet that hasn’t seen an atmospheric probe in nearly 50 years, and that tends to crush or melt its spacecraft visitors?

    Scientists leading the DAVINCI mission started by using modern data-analysis techniques to pore over decades-old data from previous Venus missions. Their goal is to arrive at our neighboring planet with as much detail as possible. This will allow scientists to most effectively use the probe’s descent time to collect new information that can help answer longstanding questions about Venus’ evolutionary path and why it diverged drastically from Earth’s.

    On the left, a new and more detailed view of Venus’ Alpha Regio region developed by scientists on NASA’s DAVINCI mission to Venus, due to launch in the early 2030s. On the right is a less detailed map created using radar altimeter data collected by NASA’s Magellan spacecraft in the early 1990s. The colors on the maps depict topography, with dark blues identifying low elevations and browns identifying high elevations. To make the map on the left, the DAVINCI science team re-analyzed Magellan data and supplemented it with radar data collected on three occasions from the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, and used machine vision computer models to scrutinize the data and fill in gaps in information. The red ellipses on each image mark the area DAVINCI’s probe will descend over as it collects data on its way toward the surface.
    Jim Garvin/NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

    Between 1990 and 1994, NASA’s Magellan spacecraft used radar imaging and altimetry to map the topography of Alpha Regio from Venus’ orbit. Recently, NASA’s DAVINICI’s team sought more detail from these maps, so scientists applied new techniques to analyze Magellan’s radar altimeter data. They then supplemented this data with radar images taken on three occasions from the former Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico and used machine vision computer models to scrutinize the data and fill in gaps in information at new scales (less than 0.6 miles, or 1 kilometer).  

    As a result, scientists improved the resolution of Alpha Regio maps tenfold, predicting new geologic patterns on the surface and prompting questions about how these patterns could have formed in Alpha Regio’s mountains.  

    Benefits of Looking Backward

    Old data offers many benefits to new missions, including information about what frequencies, parts of spectrum, or particle sizes earlier instruments covered so that new instruments can fill in the gaps.

    At NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive, which is managed out of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, staff restore and digitize data from old spacecraft. That vintage data, when compared with modern observations, can show how a planet changes over time, and can even lead to new discoveries long after missions end. Thanks to new looks at Magellan observations, for instance, scientists recently found evidence of modern-day volcanic activity on Venus.

    Magellan was among the first missions to be digitally archived in NASA’s publicly accessible online repository of planetary mission data. But the agency has reams of data — much of it not yet digitized — dating back to 1958, when the U.S. launched its first satellite, Explorer 1.

    Data restoration is a complex and resource-intensive job, and NASA prioritizes digitizing data that scientists need. With three forthcoming missions to Venus — NASA’s DAVINCI and VERITAS, plus ESA’s (European Space Agency) Envision — space data archive staff are helping scientists access data from Pioneer Venus, NASA’s last mission to drop probes into Venus’ atmosphere in 1978.

    Mosaic of Venus

    Alpha Regio is one of the most mysterious spots on Venus. Its terrain, known as “tessera,” is similar in appearance to rugged Earth mountains, but more irregular and disorderly.

    So called because they resemble a geometric parquet floor pattern, tesserae have been found only on Venus, and DAVINCI will be the first mission to explore such terrain in detail and to map its topography.

    DAVINCI’s probe will begin photographing Alpha Regio — collecting the highest-resolution images yet — once it descends below the planet’s clouds, starting at about 25 miles, or 40 kilometers, altitude. But even there, gases in the atmosphere scatter light, as does the surface, such that these images will appear blurred.

    [embedded content]

    Could Venus once have been a habitable world with liquid water oceans — like Earth? This is one of the many mysteries associated with our shrouded sister world. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

    DAVINCI scientists are working on a solution. Recently, scientists re-analyzed old Venus imaging data using a new artificial-intelligence technique that can sharpen the images and use them to compute three-dimensional topographic maps. This technique ultimately will help the team optimize DAVINCI’s images and maps of Alpha Regio’s mountains. The upgraded images will give scientists the most detailed view ever — down to a resolution of 3 feet, or nearly 1 meter, per pixel — possibly allowing them to detect small features such as rocks, rivers, and gullies for the first time in history.

    “All this old mission data is part of a mosaic that tells the story of Venus,” said Jim Garvin, DAVINCI principal investigator and chief scientist at NASA Goddard. “A story that is a masterpiece in the making but incomplete.”

    By analyzing the surface texture and rock types at Alpha Regio, scientists hope to determine if Venusian tesserae formed through the same processes that create mountains and certain volcanoes on Earth.

    By Lonnie Shekhtman

    NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
    Get to know Venus

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Champagne to highlight support for the research community

    Source: Government of Canada News

    The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, will announce latest support for the research community in Quebec through the Canada First Research Excellence Fund.

    October 17, 2024 – Shawinigan, Quebec 

    The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, will announce latest support for the research community in Quebec through the Canada First Research Excellence Fund. Minister Champagne will also announce a new partnership between the National Research Council of Canada and Concordia University.

    Date: Friday, October 18, 2024

    Time: 11:00 am (ET)

    Location: Shawinigan, Quebec

    Members of the media are asked to contact ISED Media Relations at media@ised-isde.gc.ca to confirm their attendance and receive event location details.

    Media Relations
    Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
    media@ised-isde.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: Quick Custom Intelligence Celebrates Milestone Success at the 2024 Global Gaming Expo

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN DIEGO, Oct. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) capped off a remarkable appearance at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E), held from October 7 to 10, 2024, with a series of exciting announcements that solidified their position as a leader in AI-driven casino intelligence software.

    The highly anticipated event saw QCI unveil the latest version of the QCI Enterprise Platform, which delivers unprecedented features designed to optimize casino operations and revenue. Attendees also witnessed the reveal of QCI’s latest AI technology, which continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in gaming analytics and intelligence.

    Adding to the excitement, QCI’s Chief Technology Officer Andrew Cardno was honored with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from Gaming & Leisure for his contributions to the gaming industry over the past three decades. This award reflects Cardno’s lasting impact on data-driven decision-making in casinos, setting industry standards for innovation.

    In addition to this accolade, Andrew Cardno and QCI CEO Dr. Ralph Thomas proudly announced the release of their eleventh book, The Math That Gaming Made – Compendium, an in-depth exploration of the mathematical principles that shape the gaming industry today. The book promises to serve as a valuable resource for professionals seeking to enhance their understanding of data science in gaming.

    “We couldn’t have asked for a better platform to showcase our latest innovations,” said Dr. Ralph Thomas, CEO of QCI. “The Global Gaming Expo has always been a key event for us, and this year exceeded our expectations. The response to our new QCI Enterprise Platform has been overwhelmingly positive, and we are excited to continue shaping the future of the gaming industry.”

    Andrew Cardno shared his thoughts on the event and his recent recognition: “Receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from Gaming & Leisure is an incredible honor. But what excites me the most is the energy and enthusiasm we saw from our customers and industry peers at the expo. The latest advancements in AI technology we introduced will redefine how casinos harness data, and I’m proud to be at the forefront of that transformation.”

    Victor Rocha, a prominent figure in the gaming industry, commented on the electric atmosphere at QCI’s booth: “The excitement surrounding QCI’s new offerings was palpable. From the advanced AI capabilities to the enhanced functionality of the QCI Enterprise Platform, it’s clear that QCI is leading the charge in innovation. Visiting their booth was a highlight of the show.”

    The 2024 Global Gaming Expo was an undeniable success for QCI, further solidifying the company’s role as a pioneer in the gaming technology space. With their latest developments and the release of The Math That Gaming Made – Compendium, QCI is well-positioned to drive the gaming industry forward.

    ABOUT QCI
    Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) has pioneered the revolutionary QCI Enterprise Platform, an artificial intelligence platform that seamlessly integrates player development, marketing, and gaming operations with powerful, real-time tools designed specifically for the gaming and hospitality industries. Our advanced, highly configurable software is deployed in over 250 casino resorts across North America, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Latin America, and The Bahamas. The QCI AGI Platform, which manages more than $35 billion in annual gross gaming revenue, stands as a best-in-class solution, whether on-premises, hybrid, or cloud-based, enabling fully coordinated activities across all aspects of gaming or hospitality operations. QCI’s data-driven, AI-powered software propels swift, informed decision-making vital in the ever-changing casino industry, assisting casinos in optimizing resources and profits, crafting effective marketing campaigns, and enhancing customer loyalty. QCI was co-founded by Dr. Ralph Thomas and Mr. Andrew Cardno and is based in San Diego, with additional offices in Las Vegas, St. Louis, Dallas, and Tulsa. Main phone number: (858) 299.5715. Visit us at http://www.quickcustomintelligence.com.

    ABOUT Victor Rocha
    Victor Rocha holds the distinguished position of Conference Chairman for the Indian Gaming Association, while also leading Victor-Strategies as its president. As the owner and publisher of Pechanga.net, he has been deeply engaged in the political landscape of U.S. tribal gaming since 1998. Rocha’s outstanding contributions to the industry have been recognized through numerous accolades, such as AGEM’s 2023 Peter Mead Memorial Award Honoring Excellence in Gaming Media & Communication, the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development’s 2015 Tribal Gaming Visionary Award, the American Gaming Association’s 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award for Gaming Communications, Raving’s 2012 Casino Marketing Lifetime Achievement Award, the National Indian Gaming Association’s 2002 Outstanding Contribution to Indian Country, VCAT’s 2001 Catalyst Award, and Global Gaming Business Magazine’s 2000 “40 Under 40” list.

    ABOUT Dr. Ralph Thomas
    Dr. Ralph Thomas is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Quick Custom Intelligence. Ralph is a product visionary in applied analytics and the founder of two companies that deliver solutions in casino gaming, education, and adult learning. As a gaming industry veteran, Dr. Thomas has substantial experience implementing analytics into single and multi-property gaming companies to drive tangible and measurable gains to the bottom line and has built business intelligence tools for multibillion-dollar casinos. Dr. Thomas is co-author of seven books and over 80 articles on applied analytics and data science in gaming, an inventor on dozens of patents, and understands gaming from raw data up through casino operations, giving him a unique, 360-degree view of the industry.

    About Andrew Cardno
    Andrew Cardno is a distinguished figure in the realm of artificial intelligence and data plumbing. With over two decades spearheading private Ph.D. and master’s level research teams, his expertise has made significant waves in data tooling. Andrew’s innate ability to innovate has led him to devise numerous pioneering visualization methods. Of these, the most notable is the deep zoom image format, a groundbreaking innovation that has since become a cornerstone in the majority of today’s mapping tools. His leadership acumen has earned him two coveted Smithsonian Laureates, and teams under his mentorship have clinched 40 industry awards, including three pivotal gaming industry transformation awards. Together with Dr. Ralph Thomas, the duo co-founded Quick Custom Intelligence, amplifying their collaborative innovative capacities. A testament to his inventive prowess, Andrew boasts over 150 patent applications. Across various industries—be it telecommunications with Telstra Australia, retail with giants like Walmart and Best Buy, or the medical sector with esteemed institutions like City Of Hope and UCSD—Andrew’s impact is deeply felt. He has enriched the literature with insights, co-authoring eight influential books with Dr. Thomas and contributing to over 100 industry publications. An advocate for community and diversity, Andrew’s work has touched over 100 Native American Tribal Resorts, underscoring his expansive and inclusive professional endeavors.

    Contact:
    Laurel Kay, Quick Custom Intelligence
    Phone: 858-349-8354

    The MIL Network –