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greenhikingboots · 1 year

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2022 End-of-Year Fic Review ✨

Thanks for the tag @cellsshapedlikestars. 💋 Ya’ll know the drill. Answers below the cut.

1. What’s your AO3 account?

GreenHikingBoots. I used to write my Jonsa stories as NorthernLady and my Dramione stories as DakotaDelacour.

2. How many words did you write in total in 2022? AO3 Statistics says about 140,000. But I have 1) an incomplete Dramione multi chapter that was around 40k words before I orphaned it 2) some fics I originally wrote and published in 2021, took down, reworked, and republished in 2022 and 3) a whole lot of words in Google Docs that aren’t ready to be published yet. So, yeah, take that number with a grain of salt. I’ve seen a handful of writers I really enjoy with way higher numbers and it’s a bit tempting to compare and get down on myself. But you know what? If 140,000 words is about right, that’s like two full young adult novels in a year. As a hobby! That I do not get paid for. That’s pretty awesome.

3. How many fics did you publish in 2022 // multi-chapter vs. one-shots?

21. Again, some of these were originally from 2021 but taken down, re-worked, and re-published. I’m not sure how to count the exact breakdown since I have a handful that are two or three parts (so technically multi-chapters) but the word counts are short enough to match some one-shots out there. Generally speaking, I have a lot more one-shots than multi-chapters. I think only one of my fics is longer than 25,000 ish words and more are under like, 6,000 ish. 4. What was your longest-fic // shortest fic? Longest: Inevitable. It’s the outline at about 72k ish words with one chapter left to go. Shortest: About Damn Time. It’s 921 words. That’s a Pretty Name is a close second with 971 words.

5. What was your most popular // least popular? Most Popular: Inevitable, which I think is to be expected because it’s the longest. A Boy in His Cups is my next most popular, the Jonsa one-shot I’ve had up the longest. Least Popular: That’s a Pretty Name

6. What fic didn't perform as well as you thought it would? So Mighty Love + Better Dreams (a two part series that’s about 25,000 words total) was originally part of one of those fic I published as NorthernLady, took down before completing, re-worked, and re-published this year. And the original version was pretty popular and considering it’s mostly the same fic (the major difference being I found a way to end it sooner), it was easy to assume it would perform similarly. But that wasn’t the case at all. I’m guessing people were turned off by the new “Ambiguous/Open Ending” tag? I’m not sure. This series isn’t one of the ones I’m super proud of since it relies heavily on the show plot and I’m more into the books these days. But!! The closing line to Better Dreams is one of the best damn things I’ve ever written and I kinda wish it wasn’t hiding in a fic most people don’t want to read. So there’s that. *shrugs*

7. What fic performed way better than you thought it would? I don’t know about *way* better, but I published Crossing the Threshold around the same time as several other one-shots, and I was surprised to see it beat out the others. I mean, it’s got a cute premise and I was excited to share it, but if I had to rank everything I posted from late September to early November, it probably wouldn’t even make the top half let alone the very top spot. Glad others like it, though.

8. What was your favorite fic you wrote in 2022? Goodness, this is a difficult question. I recently said in another post that A Boy in His Cups is probably the fic I’m most proud of. I’ll stand by that. It’s just got all the elements I love most about Jonsa fanfiction. But Wait and See and Maiden in a Tower are also very near and dear to my heart. I’ve gone back and read those two a handful of times. I try not to care too much about stats (I still care more than I’d like), so I guess what I really like about these three is that they make not caring about stats easy. Like, I love them for the pure fun of writing and would have been pleased with how they turned out even if no one ever saw them. What’s another way of wording it? Many of my other fics are more like an idea that I need to get out of my system so I can move on. Whereas these three fics make me go, “I want to crawl inside this fic and live there!!”

9. What was your favorite fic that somebody else wrote in 2022? Oh my! I’m pretty bad at keeping track of what I’ve read and even worse at remembering titles and who wrote what. Also, I read a lot of stuff after it’s been completed which means just because I read it in 2022 doesn’t mean it was written in 2022. But here are some authors I remember being in my bookmarks at different times throughout the year: thimbleful @justadram_a_dram honey_wheeler @vivilove-jonsa @woodswit @kingsansa @estherruth-jonsatrash @ode-to-an-inkwell @amymel86 Kit_Kat21 caesia @chispas-and-broken-bindings ganymede_elegy (@cellsshapedlikestars) (I try to read and love on other writers I see on Tumblr. Is that obvious by this list?) Also ganymede’s Lounge Act and Mating Game (still in progress) are probably the WIPs I followed most closely. I also have a special place in my heart for her fic The Ghost Inside since I was a beta reader for that. 10. Tag your friends so they can play as well!

Anyone in #9 who hasn’t already been tagged and/or anyone else who wants to play with us!

-x-x-x-x-x- Short descriptions of all my fics mentioned in this post: Inevitable - Modern AU - high school, fake dating trope, best friend’s sister/brother’s best friend That’s a Pretty Name - pre-canon romantic undertones, Sansa lectures Jon about courtesies Crossing the Threshold - Modern AU - high school, drunk confession of feelings About Damn Time - Modern AU - college; Sansa gets a gift from Jon on her birthday A Boy In His Cups - Jon I GoT reimagined; he already knows the truth about his parents Wait and See - Jon struggles to regain his memories after dying and being brought back to life Maiden in a Tower - another pre-canon romantic undertones, a kissing game in the godswood Mighty Love/Better Dreams - seasons 6 and 7 of the show but make it Jonsa

#jonsa fanfiction #end of year review

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usafphantom2 · 2 years

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IMAGES: USAF completes 72-hour historical resistance mission with KC-135 aircraft

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 10/10/2022 - 12:00 in Military

Two KC-135 Stratotankers simultaneously performed 72-hour single aircraft resistance missions, demonstrating multi-day mission generation capabilities from October 4 to 7, 2022.

For more than 72 hours, the aircraft landed only to refuel, change crew and maintain engine oil, keeping at least one engine running.

This mission was carried out with crews from the 92nd Air Refueling Wing, along with partners from the 141st Air Refueling Wing, 452nd Air Mobility Wing at March Air Base, California, and 134th ARW at McGhee Tyson, Tennessee National Air Guard Base, continuously operating two KC-135 participants to demonstrate our fleet's ability to design unparalleled

Missions like these are critical to maximizing our capabilities. The lethality of the joint force in a theater as large as the Indo-Pacific requires a mobility force prepared to carry out its mission over long distances and under extended conditions

“The Air Mobility Command is the joint force maneuver,” said General Mike Minihan, AMC commander at the Air and Space and Cyber Symposium of the Air Force Association, on September 21, 2022. "We are the significant maneuver. There is a lot of water and a lot of distance for anyone else to do this in a relevant way, in rhythm, in speed, in scale. The role of everyone is fundamental, but the AMC is the maneuver for joint force. If we don't act together, no one wins. No one is in a position. No one is lethal.

"If we cannot take [the assets] to where they need to be to fulfill their mission, we are wasting our time. Rehearse as if it were going to happen tomorrow and go after it," Minihan challenged.

The resistance mission covered more than 36,000 miles and included full operational support from the force of several units across the country. During the mission, the two KC-135 refueled B-2 Spirits, B-52 Stratofortresses, an E-3 Sentry and an E-6B Mercury.

The flight crews changed perfectly during the three-day mission. Each jet had two flight crew chiefs for support and used hot-pit teams at the Air Bases of Fairchild, McGhee Tyson and March.

“The execution of this resistance mission is a proof of concept to support the planning efforts of the Pacific Air Force and the focus of the Air Force on the Generation of Persistent Missions,” said Colonel Craig Giles, commander of the 92nd Maintenance Group. "Two aircraft have carried out a series of engine crew changes and hot-pit refuelling to minimize the amount of time the aircraft are on the ground and maximize the reliability of the aircraft, eliminating the need for power, hydraulic and avionic cycle."

The maintenance technicians performed simultaneous maintenance of the engine oil during one of the engine operation team (ERRCs) changes to ensure that oil consumption did not limit the amount of time the engines could remain running.

This allowed the crews to demonstrate the concept of "drop-in" of the tank with the minimum of time spent vulnerable on the ground, a strategy that is crucial for survival in a disputed high-level fight.

During the resistance mission, teams were able to apply several key features of Agile Combat Employment through hot-pit refueling operations, main maintenance and simultaneous maintenance, reducing downtime and increasing our ability to demonstrate unparalleled overall reach.

“This was the first 72-hour resistance mission in continuous operation for the KC-135,” said Colonel Chad Cisewski, commander of the 92nd Operations Group. "Part of the ACE concept is that aircraft will continue to advance while spending the minimum time on the ground. This mission is an example of aviators using ACE concepts in the way they could be employed in the Pacific. I am extremely proud of our Operations and Maintenance team for their tireless work in this."

As America's Super Tanker wing, the Fairchild Team continues to set new standards for global reach and the lasting strength of tankers. The previous record for a KC-135 resistance mission was 40 hours.

“I am continually impressed with the Fairchild Team and our partners,” said Colonel Chesley Dycus, commander of the 92nd ARW. "This required tenacity and exceptional teamwork to accomplish. The lessons learned here and our readiness will only improve the wing's ability to support the Mobility Guardian of AMC's 'crown crow's of mobility exercises' in 2023 and demonstrate our critical capabilities in the Pacific."

Tags: Military AviationBoeing KC-135 StratotankerUSAF - United States Air Force / US Air Force

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Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. It has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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korgbelmont · 3 years

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Newsletter 22/01/21

In the midst of the difficulties and uncertainties happening around the world, we're pressing onward to produce books we hope you'll fall in love with. As we continue to support one another within our studio, we can truly say that your thoughtful feedback has encouraged us during these challenging times. While we can't predict what'll happen next, we hope our 2021 books will provide you an outlet to smile, laugh, and relax during these times...

Book Updates

Without further ado, we wanted to take the time to update you on the various books to expect in the coming year. Hopefully, these will answer your most pressing questions!

With Every Heartbeat

Aching for another heartfelt Choices story? We're releasing this VIP book to all players at the end of the month. (Eagle-eyed fans might notice we've even updated some of the main character hairstyles!) Be sure to follow our official social accounts for more previews...

So It looks like WEH MC will have some new hairstyles, I know for a fact that this book SOOOO good, can’t wait to see peoples reactions to it.

Open Heart, Book 3

This February, make the most of your third year at Edenbrook and reunite with your favorite medical crew in Open Heart, Book 3! Will the heart of Edenbrook remain the same in Leland Bloom's hands?

So it looks like they are setting up the plot to have Bloom as the villain and the gang finding a way to get rid of him whilst keeping Edenbrook open. I am still wary of this book, but will see it through as I do believe it is the final book of the series.

#ChoicesCookbook

Calling all food lovers! Our team is whipping up a new dish of choices in the kitchen. Get your pots and pans ready for this exclusive Choices VIP book! We'd love to see you all participate with recipes of your own... What delectable dish can you make with these ingredients? Let us know using #playchoices and #ChoicesCookbook.

So this is a part of their branching out into new genres, I have no clue what to expect, I will keep an eye on it. and see what it’s like

Laws of Attraction

Bring your A-game to beat out the competition in this brand new title set in one of New York’s premier law firms. With high-profile cases and a hard-driving, mysterious boss, you’ll be in for dramatic days… and steamy nights!

So it looks like we are getting another book that’s potentially gonna be on the more... mature side. I am curious to see how this will play out and what the premise is going to be.

Crimes of Passion

We’re hyped for this book, and although it won’t be out until later this year, we couldn’t resist sharing a little peek at what you can expect from this thrilling, unpredictable, and jaw dropping mystery book.

So I haven’t exactly been quiet about my excitement for this book, and this image gives off some SERIOUS culty vibes. Crimes of Passion is definitely my top book for this year to keep an eye on.

The Nanny Affair, Book 2

Book 2 of The Nanny Affair is in the works and will be releasing later this year. Can't wait to find out what's going to happen next? Here's the latest hint:

"We have a lot of exciting plans in the works for The Nanny Affair, Book 2 (and trust me, the art team is outdoing themselves). We don't want to give away too much, but let's just say, you may not be the only nanny in town this time around..." - Megan

As I said before, I enjoyed book 1 and am looking forward to book 2. I am curious as to how it will all play out, by the sounds of this, maybe Sam gets another Nanny in whilst they and MC work to sort out the fallout from the wedding??

Zombies

We know plenty of you have been dying for a zombie book. (Yes, we see those tweets and messages!) Until now, we were only able to share a zombie emoji… But we can make this official: zombies will be taking over Choices later this year, so stay tuned!

So I’ve been playing a lot of Resident Evil recently, and the creatures on the right give me serious RE vibes. I am now curious as to what the premise of this book will be and how it will all play out.

The Royal Finale

As mentioned in our last Choices Insiders email, the final book of The Royal Romance series will air later this year. Here's a quote from the Book Lead to tide you over until then:

"In The Royal Finale, you'll uncover new secrets, unravel old mysteries, and experience new heights of royalty with your family!" - Olivia

I hope the “unravel old mysteries” is in part, reference to what part Jackson played in Liam’s mother’s second child. And with the whole secret society thing, who knows what’s gonna happen.

Queen B, Book 2

You just can’t get enough of us, can you, newbie? Enjoy that high of being Queen B… Because what goes up, must always come down. - Kisses, the T.

Oooh, we're excited! Writers Chelsa and Maya have sent us this cryptic message:

🤫🙈✉️👑🐝🔥❌🎧🐍💋

What do you think it means?

Emojis and I have a terrible history so I ain’t gonna try and decrypt that (leave a reply if you do). As for the book itself, I am looking forward to it, aside from the forced Kingsley romance, I enjoyed book 1. I looking forward to the mystery element and hopefully seeing Zoey get her proper LI treatment, and hopefully see Veronica & Carter become LIs.

More New Books in the works!

We are continuing to work on more multi-gender books, including Blades of Light & Shadow 2 launching 2022.

More books. Yay (in theory (depends what they are))

News about Other Sequels

Many of you have asked when or if your favorite books would continue. We want to make sure we inform the community with confirmed and finalized details regarding sequels. To explain a little more in depth about how Choices sequels are decided, our Head of Content Max took some time to give us that insight:

After a great deal of consideration and discussion, we have decided that officially these series will not be getting additional books: Most Wanted, Hero, Nightbound, the It Lives series, The Elementalists, Distant Shores, and Ride-or-Die.I know this may be disappointing to hear, and the truth is, we’re always disappointed when we have to make this decision. I’d like to share a little bit of our process to help you understand why this happens.

Whilst it is a shame, it is nice to have clarification, especially with Most Wanted & Hero. I was surprised to see that Ride or Die won’t be getting a sequel, but sometimes these things happen. As for It Lives, Distant Shores, Elementalists, and Nightbound, I knew they wouldn’t get sequels, but it is a bit of a heart punch to see some personal faves get an official status of concluded.

About once a month, I, along with a small group of Pixelberry's senior staff, make the hard decisions about which books will be written next. Deciding whether or not we make a sequel is an evolving process that we've refined over the years. But even today, it remains ever-changing, and it's never simple.

So I don’t really know what to say here, it’s rather self explanatory. So, yeah.

Sometimes, we want to do a sequel but the Lead Writer is no longer available because they’ve moved onto another project or even left the company. We've tried changing Lead Writers in the past, only to watch sequels struggle, losing sight of what made the original great. This is what happened in the case of Ride or Die; we simply don’t have the team now with the passion and vision to give fans the sequel they crave.

I saw a post by @thefirstcourtesan that OH and ROD share a book lead and after what happened to OH2, it is understandable what happens, and sometimes these things will happen. As for ROD, it works as a standalone, and I am okay with there not being a sequel.

Sometimes a book is a critical darling, beloved by both fans and Pixelberry staff... yet the player numbers aren't there to justify doing another one. This is what happened, for example, with Nightbound, Most Wanted and Distant Shores; while these books were beloved by their players, simply not enough players were starting them to begin with. And these are the ones that hurt the most. We genuinely love these books, but if they haven’t found enough of an audience with our players, then it’s very hard to argue for making a sequel. Believe me, I can't think of a single writer on my team who isn't passionate about their book, but ultimately we are one company in an extremely competitive space, and we have to do whatever it takes to keep running well. If a Book costs significantly more to make than it brought in, it’s very difficult to justify a sequel.

Again, I don’t really know what to say here, again it’s rather self explanatory. Given how long it’s been since Most Wanted, it was safe to say BK2 weren’t happening.

Other times, everyone online seems to hate a book, but the numbers disagree. It's hard to believe, but your most loathed book -- the one that you feel no way deserved a sequel -- might actually be the one that's keeping the lights on for us. And without those books (and those players!), half a dozen other beloved titles may never have existed. We're thankful for sequels. They help us fund future books and projects to try new things. If it weren’t for the success of sequels to books like The Royal Romance and America’s Most Eligible, we would never have been able to try a risky experiment like Blades of Light and Shadow.

This comes across a tiny bit boasty, but it is kinda true, their more generally released romance books are why we get the big ones such as Blades, and I know people diamond mine the quicker released books for the big ones. So, yeah, I don’t really know how to say it, sorry.

We love our online fandom, and your passion, creativity, and art. At the same time, the most visible parts of the fandom sometimes represent a smaller percentage of our players, many of whom might have completely different taste. We have a vast varied player base, and our job is to try as hard as we can to create interesting stories for all of them.

Finally, saying no to one book almost always means saying yes to something new. And without new there is no Pixelberry. When we said no to Most Wanted, much of that team went on to write Endless Summer. When we decided to stop making sequels to Rules of Engagement, that team went on to create The Royal Romance.

With every new book we create, I hope against hope that it'll be our next hit, the start of a ten-volume series that fans will love and support! Some of them are. Some of them aren't. Either way, I hope you stick with us. Sequels are great. So are new things, and I hope most of all that your true favorite Choices book is still out there, waiting to be written.

The fandom is going to make up a small section of it and at the end of the day, they are a company, so the numbers are gonna be what counts. And in saying no to a sequel, it means they can go on to experiment with new story ideas.

Looking Forward

Internally we've been working on the representation promises that we made in June 2020. We've implemented some new Black hairstyles into With Every Heartbeat, and will continue to add more new hairstyles in our upcoming books. We plan on posting a representation blog in the coming months to share a full update of our progress.

So I am curious to see how VIP players would react to updates to With Every Heartbeat, but I am glad to see representation being shown and that they are working on it.

Last but not least... We appreciate you <3

We’ve seen a rise in constructive criticism in our social channels and want to personally thank you for all of your honest feedback. We read all of your concerns and continue to evolve our thinking and processes based on your feedback. At the same time we take our responsibility of crafting stories very seriously. Sometimes we disagree with suggestions or due to constraints can’t enable changes we agree with, but we do try to improve over time and learn from your feedback.

We also continue to ask that you communicate with each other respectfully. And keep in mind that just like with other parts of the internet, just because someone posts something doesn’t mean it’s always true. To everyone who helps keep our community a safe place to freely share your thoughts, opinions and love - thank you. Your respect and kindness goes a long way, and we are looking forward to spending more time with all of you in the coming year.

We’re looking forward to a great 2021 with you!

Finally, I’m glad that they’re reading what people are saying, it is understandable that there will be disagreements with suggestions, that’s just life, it’s human nature. I am curious to see what will be released in the coming year and how they will play out.

In summary

I had a feeling that books they said won’t get sequels weren’t, especially Hero and Most Wanted. It is sad to see that It Lives won’t be concluded, and I knew Nightbound & Distant Shores weren’t going to get sequels (unfortunately).

Glad to see them making more multi gender books, hopefully we will get more like Foreign Affairs with the different pro-noun options.

I am curious about Laws of Attraction and very much looking forward to seeing how Crimes of Passion will play out. I will post my thoughts and theories as we get new information

Stay safe everyone :)

#playchoices #thoughts and theories #very long post

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architectnews · 3 years

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Hastings Hall, Union Theological Seminary, NYC

Hastings Hall Union Theological Seminary NYC, UTS campus New York City, Manhattan Building Photos

Hastings Hall, Union Theological Seminary, New York City

August 4, 2021

Design: Beyer Blinder Belle Architects

Location: New York, NY, United States of America

Hastings Hall at Union Theological Seminary campus, New York City, NY, USA

Beyer Blinder Belle Announces Opening Of New Hastings Hall, Part Of The Renewal Plan For Union Theological Seminary’s 100-year-old Campus

The Campus Renewal Plan and opening of Hastings Hall will evolve the historic campus to better reflect the needs of 21st century students, and UTS’s robust and rigorous educational experience.

Photos by John Bartelstone; courtesy Beyer Blinder Belle

Hastings Hall at Union Theological Seminary, New York

August 4, 2021 (New York, NY) — Beyer Blinder Belle (BBB) announces the opening of Hastings Hall, fully renovated graduate housing for the Union Theological Seminary (UTS) campus in New York City. The renovation is one of the first projects undertaken by the institution following BBB’s comprehensive UTS Campus Renewal Plan.

The Campus Renewal Plan evolves the 100-year-old, 200,000 SF historic Morningside Heights campus to better reflect the needs of 21st century students by providing greater accessibility and enhanced student spaces that are more conducive to learning, communal engagement, and collaborative education. BBB’s renewal plan addresses institutional and programmatic needs while preserving the signature Collegiate Gothic structures—twelve historic buildings surrounding a gracious landscaped courtyard.

Additional planned upgrades to the campus include a redesign of the main courtyard and cloister garden, more accessible entrances, an elevator core, a redesigned student lounge space, and a small chapel. A new mixed-use building, designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects with SLCE Architects and expected to complete in late 2022, will contain faculty housing, new classrooms, and Episcopal Divinity School at Union offices at the base of the building.

Built in 1910 as an 85,000 sq ft student dormitory offering 2-room chambers for students with shared bathrooms on each floor, Hastings Hall was converted primarily to apartment style units with small kitchenettes and bathrooms in the 1980s. With significant shifts in student housing needs since the last renovation, it was important for UTS to both maintain the existing number of units and provide all residents with an enhanced residential experience. BBB’s design provides a more flexible mix of units including studios, flexible 2-room suites, and traditional dormitory rooms. Materials and finishes refer to the patterns and textures of the historic campus interpreted to a contemporary interiors language.

BBB led programming sessions with students to ensure the renovated building would reflect their needs. Common spaces on each floor now provide a range of social and study space, including for meditation, prayer, group study, and shared cooking and eating. With the central plant for the campus located in the basement of the building, the project is a key element of the Campus Renewal Plan, providing the infrastructure for upgraded HVAC, electrical, and fire protection systems throughout the campus. The project is targeting LEED Silver certification.

Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners ,NYC

Founded in 1968, Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners (BBB) is an award-winning architecture, planning, and interiors practice of 170 professionals in New York City, Washington, DC, and Boston with a longstanding commitment to design excellence, social integrity, and sustainable practices. The firm’s multi-faceted portfolio encompasses preservation, urban design, and new construction projects that span a wide spectrum of building typologies and sectors, including cultural, civic, educational, residential, and commercial.

Planning and design for educational institutions is central to the firm’s practice— and is based on a commitment to understanding mission and responding to the unique physical, historical, and cultural context of each campus.

BBB has designed the renovation and restoration of existing buildings as well as the addition of new buildings for numerous educational institutions including Harvard University, Columbia University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, General Theological Seminary, Denison University, and Stony Brook University. BBB has also provided comprehensive campus planning and facilities planning studies for Dartmouth College, Princeton University, and Amherst College, among others.

Union Theological Seminary, New York

Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York is a seminary and graduate school of religion, grounded in the Christian tradition and embracing of multiple religious traditions. Union prepares students for committed lives of service to both faith communities and the broader world. Union’s unique educational programs develop practices of mind and body that encourage compassionate wisdom and foster academic excellence and a commitment to social justice. Union believes that a new interreligious spiritualty of radical openness and love is the world’s best hope for peace, justice, and planetary flourishing.

Hastings Hall Union Theological Seminary (UTS) campus New York City images / information received on 040821

Address: 3041 Broadway, New York City, NY 10027, United States Phone: +1 212-662-7100

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Pier 2: Apartment of the Future Design: Humphreys & Partners Architects image courtesy of Humphreys & Partners Architects Pier 2: Apartment of the Future in Manhattan

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Comments / photos for the Hastings Hall Union Theological Seminary (UTS) campus New York City page welcome

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gystink · 3 years

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Request for Qualification: Colasanto Spray Park Public Art (Alexandria, Virginia)

More info here Colasanto Spray Park Public Art - Alexandria, Virginia 1108 Jefferson Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 APPLY NOW Contact Email: [email protected] Call Type: Public Art Eligibility: National State: Virginia Entry Deadline: 7/31/21

REQUIREMENTS: Media Images - Minimum: 5, Maximum: 8 Video - Minimum: 0, Maximum: 2 Total Media - Minimum: 5, Maximum: 10

View Site Details

Project Overview: The City of Alexandria’s Public Art Program is inviting artists to create an original, permanent public artwork for the new Colasanto Spray Park

Budget: The maximum budget for the artwork is $50,000. This budget will include all costs of creating the artwork, including but not limited to artist fees, travel, insurance, overhead, design, fabrication, site-work, shipping, installation costs. In addition, artists will be expected to participate in related community meetings, programming, and events. Alexandria’s Office of the Arts will provide additional support to the project through marketing, publicity and assistance with site permits.

Eligibility: Established professional artists and artist teams are invited to submit their qualifications. Artists must have experience with comparable projects.

Site and Context

About the City of Alexandria:

Alexandria, Virginia is a small historic seaport city of about 150,000 residents located on the Potomac River, minutes from Washington, D.C. It is best known for its historic Old Town but is also home to federal agencies such as the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, the Defense Department and the headquarters of the National Science Foundation.

About Colasanto Spray Park/ Del Ray Gateway:

The Project site is at the North end of Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood, a former streetcar suburb incorporated into the city of Alexandria in 1930. Del Ray is centered on Mount Vernon Avenue and is known for its smalltown feel, artistic sensibilities, independent businesses, and diverse resident mix.

The Nicholas Colasanto Outdoor Pool located at 2700 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22305 between Mt. Vernon Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue in Del Ray was opened in 1969 and was closed in 2010. The site was identified in the City of Alexandria’s 2012 Aquatic Facilities Study that recommended a decorative interactive fountain feature and two shade umbrellas for the site with the existing pool space adjacent to the art center turned into a plaza for public festivals, art display, and an interactive fountain – “enhancing the Del Ray entry point while providing water play fun for neighborhood users and visitors during the summer months.”

The City of Alexandria Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Activities Department Park Planning Division has engaged LSG Landscape Architecture firm to conduct community engagement and develop concepts for a newly designed, multigeneral, safe, all season space which includes a spray park as a signature feature on the site. The site will serve as a community gathering space that has opportunities for passive and programmed activations. As part of that process, public art will be commissioned for the site to be integrated into the overall design. The selected artist will work with the team at LSG to incorporate public art into the overall design.

LSG has developed draft concepts for the site and has held community meetings to solicit feedback. You can review the concepts and watch recordings of the public meetings here.

Construction of the spray park is expected to begin in 2022.

Public Art Context: Alexandria’s Public Art Program is an emerging program that is building a reputation for working with artists in innovative ways to realize new projects. The Program’s vision is for public art to enrich the experience of Alexandria’s past, celebrate the spirit of Alexandria’s present and shape the identity of Alexandria’s future.

Recent and current initiatives include:

A temporary public art series Site/See: New Views in Old Town providing an engaging visual anchor that draws visitors and fosters interaction and enjoyment in Alexandria’s new Waterfront Park;

An award-winning partnership with the Office of Historic Alexandria to curate the inaugural Time and Place exhibition, which commissioned three artists to explore the intersection of contemporary art with Alexandria’s multifaceted history and resulted in temporary work for Gadsby’s Tavern Museum;

A permanent playful sculpture in a community playground; and

A recent artist residency with Alexandria Renew Enterprises (Alex Renew), the City’s water resource recovery public utility, that will engage an artist with issues of water stewardship.

Site Location: The address is 2700 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22305 between Mount Vernon Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue.

Project Goals: The Alexandria Public Art Program is interested in commissioning artists to join the development and landscape architecture team to create a site-specific, permanent work of art for Colasanto Spray Park as part of the park’s redesign. The goals for the project are to:

Support the goals for the overall site to ensure multi-generational use and all season access;

Respond to architectural character of Del Ray;

Draw inspiration from the site history;

Enhance the sense of play while serving a functional role within the space; and

Create a new work of art for Alexandria that is informed by the context of the site and recognizes the past, present, and future of the park and surrounding neighborhood.

Estimated Project Timeline:

June Task Force reviews and approves Project Plan

August Project Plan submitted to Commission for the Arts for approval

June Staff develops call to artists for review by Task Force

July Issue Call for Artists via Café (callforentry.org)

August Review qualifications

August Artist Interview (optional)

August Task Force recommends artist/artist team

August Artist approved by Arts Commission

August Artist contract

Aug/Sept Artist site visit

Oct/Nov Selected artist presents proposal

Dec Proposals approved by Task Force, Commission for the Arts

TBD Artist submits final design

TBD Fabrication

TBD Installation

TBD Completion

Alexandria’s Vision for Public Art: Public art in Alexandria is about the city’s past, present and future. Public art will enrich the experience of Alexandria’s past, celebrate the spirit of Alexandria’s present, and shape the identity of Alexandria’s future.

Public art in Alexandria may:

Foster exploration and generate dialogue about Alexandria’s multiple and many layered stories

Engage the past in contemporary ways

Connect people to art that enriches their lives

Provide opportunities for people to have hands-on encounters with art

Foster conversations among people throughout the city

Create whimsy and delight in everyday places

Establish a distinctive identity for Alexandria’s evolving communities

Enhance parks, gathering places and neighborhood focal points

Enhance new infrastructure and community facilities.

Selection and Review Process: Submittals will be reviewed by a Task Force comprised of representatives from the Alexandria Commission for the Arts, community stakeholders and project stakeholders from the Design Team.

Selected Applicants: The Project Task Force will review artist qualifications and, based on the Artist Selection Criteria listed above, choose up to three (3) semifinalists. The semifinalists may be asked to participate in a virtual interview.

Post-Interview Statement: After their interviews and site visit, the semifinalists must clearly describe, in 1000 written words or less, their thoughts about the potential for public art at Colasanto Spray Park.

The Project Task Force will select one artist/artist team from the finalists who will be approved by the Commission for the Arts and placed under contract to develop a concept proposal, and subsequently to implement their project.

Artist Selection Criteria: Applicants must demonstrate the following qualifications:

Artistic merit of body of work;

Experience working with communities to design engaging artwork that is appropriate for the scope and scale of the project in collaboration with communities;

Experience in collaborating with City staff, stakeholders, and design and engineering professionals; and

Probability of successful execution of the project.

The Artist’s application must also include:

Artist Statement: In no more than 1000 characters, applicants must clearly describe their general approach to public art.

Letter of Interest: In no more than 1000 characters, applicants must clearly describe their interest in this project and how their approach to public art might relate to Alexandria’s Vision for Public Art. Also, include relevant experiences with projects of a similar scale or scope, as well as collaborations with interdisciplinary design professionals and community stakeholders.

Resume: Four (4) pages maximum.

Additional Information: The Artist will be required to sign a contract with the City of Alexandria and obtain a Certificate of Insurance for general liability coverage for the fabrication and installation of the public art.

Resources:

Public Art Implementation Plan

Arts and Culture Master Plan

Del Ray Gateway Project Page

Staff Contact: Please submit questions by email to Diane Ruggiero, Director, City of Alexandria Office of the Arts, at [email protected]

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usafphantom2 · 1 year

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Russia is believed to have sabotaged the Slovak MiG-29s supplied to Ukraine

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 04/08/2013 - 21:33 in Military, War Zones

Russian technical experts stationed at Slovakia's Sliac air base until 2022 may have sabotaged repairs to Soviet-era MiG-29 fighters, Slovak Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad said.

The minister said that although there were parts of the engine that Slovak experts could access, there were also parts accessible only to Russian experts, as reported by the Euroactiv website on April 7.

Defects appeared only in the parts where Russian experts could access, he said. The Slovak Air Force stopped using the planes in August 2022 and they were transferred to Ukraine in March 2023.

Four MiG-29 fighters seen at Sliac Air Base in Slovakia. (Photo: Nils Mosberg)

"They knew how to fly, but that doesn't mean they were able to fight. The Ukrainians arrived in Slovakia a week before the departure of the planes, brought spare parts and inspected the planes,” Nad said.

While the Slovak police investigated the sabotage allegations, they did not find enough evidence to prove the allegations.

The Slovak Ministry of Defense “felt a loss of confidence in the Russian technicians in Sliac because the errors continued to appear in areas that only they could have accessed,” he said.

Retired Slovak pilot, Lieutenant General Lubomir Svoboda, suggested that the Russians deliberately caused damage to the planes, he told Dennik N. He said that after the Russians took possession of an engine, he flew for only 70 hours instead of the expected 350.

Slovakia delivered four Soviet-made MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine on March 23, becoming the first NATO country to supply combat aircraft to Ukraine.

The vice-president of the Ukrainian parliament, Olena Kondratyuk, announced on March 30 that the aircraft was already protecting the airspace above Kharkiv.

The supply of modernized Soviet MiG-29 fighters to the country will be a significant help, but it is unlikely to lead to significant changes in the front lines, the Ukrainian Air Force said.

They stated that the planes are not equipped with radars on board and cannot launch modern missiles, emphasizing that Ukraine needs modern Western fighters.

Tags: Military AviationMiG-29 FulcrumSAF - Slovak Air Force/Slovakia Air ForceWar Zones - Russia/Ukraine

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work throughout the world of aviation.

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hirokit · 3 years

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||| Upcoming Projects

Please find sound link by clicking on the icon at the top left corner.

equipo de sonido 3 for solo snare drum with electronics by Ryan Scott, snare drum * “This work was commissioned by Ryan Scott as part of the 21stC Canadian Snare Drum project, made possible with the generous support of the Canada Council of the Arts.”

Premiere | 2023 | Toronto, ON

equipo de sonido 4 for solo percussionist with electronics by Katie Rife, marimba * Commissioned with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts

Premiere | 2023 | Vancouver, BC

new work for soprano, bass flute, bass clarinet, contrabass, and harp by Ensamble AntiquaNova * Commissioned by Distat Terra Festival

Premirere | February 2025 | Buenos Aires, Argentina

||| Recent Projects

equipo de sonido 2 for flute and clarinet with electronics by Duo Inquietum (Mark McGregor, flute & Liam Hockley, clarinet) * Commissioned with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts * The travel was supported by the “Arts Across Canada” program of Canada Council for the Arts

Premiere | August 13, 2022 | Little Chamber Music | Vancouver, BC

equipo de sonido 5 for string quartet (15 mins) by Interro Quartet

Premiere | 2024 | Toronto, ON 1) The Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre 2) Redeemer Lutheran Church 3) St. George on Yonge Anglican Church

Cursor 9.2 for 4 or more players by Nuntempe Ensemble (Guitar Quartet - 4 electric guitars for this version) as part of TEMPU FUGIT - AMBIENS ET REPETITO - Online Concert Series

December 19, 2020, 7pm | Buenos Aires, Argentina

voice box v for bass flute and guitar with electronics by McGregor-Verdejo Duo * Commissioned with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts

August 1, 2020 | Powell Street Festival | Vancouver, BC February 18, 2022 | Queer Arts Festival | Vancouver, BC

voice box iv for more than six performers with electronics by Thin Edge New Music Collective * Commissioned with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts

September 20, 2019 | Toronto, ON, Canada

equipo de sonido i for three or more performers with electronics dedicated to parler bien’s first album “histoires du comté d'essex” Performance by parler bien (Nick Hyatt & Jane Chen) * Commissioned with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts

July 14-29, 2019 | Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA / Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada

Cursor 9 for bass flute, bass clarinet and contrabassby Ensamble AntiquaNova * Commissioned with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts by Fundación Música AntiquaNova for Distat Terra Festival in North Patagonia 2018

December 21, 2018 | Choele Choel, Patagonia, Argentina

voice box iii for more than three performers with electronics (Premiere) by ∆TENT + Nick Hyatt & Isaiah Ceccarelli Pieces by Nick Hyatt, Isaiah Ceccarelli, and Hiroki Tsurumoto

June 1, 2018 | Montreal, QC

voice box ii for saxophone quartet (SATB) with electronics (Premiere) by Quatuor de Saxophones Quasar * Commissioned through “New Chapter” program of the Canada Council for the Arts.

May 30 & 31, 2018 | Montréal, QC, Canada

voice box i for 3 or more instruments with electronics (Premiere) Cursor 9.1 for 3 or more instruments (Canadian Premiere) by ∆TENT + Chelsea Shanoff & Kathryn Ladano as part of Waterloo Region Contemporary Music Sessions (WRCMS)

Premiere: August 22, 2017 | Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

New Chapter | Canada Council for the Arts A creative development residency with Quatuor de Saxophones Quasar as part of “New Chapter” program of the Canada Council for the Arts * voice box i.2 for 4 or more instruments with electronics will be performed by Quatuor de Saxophones Quasar as part of this residency.

December 11-15, 2017: Le Vivier at the Gesù | Montréal, QC, Canada

Cursor 9 for bass flute, bass clarinet and contrabass (Premiere) by Ensamble AntiquaNova * Commissioned with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts by Fundación Música AntiquaNova for Distat Terra Festival in North Patagonia & Fundación Música AntiquaNova 2017 Concert Series in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Premiere: December 15, 2016 | Choele Choel, Patagonia, Argentina Summer & Fall 2017 | Buenos Aires & Rio Negro, Argentina

Code Thumbnails 10 for soprano, tenor sax, percussion, piano, and violin by gamUT: Contemporary Music Ensemble featuring soprano Xin Wang Directed by Wallace Halladay

April 4, 2017 Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Building, 80 Queen's Park Ave. | Toronto, ON

Cursor 7 for soprano and piano by Teiya Kasahara (Soprano) and Rachel Iwaasa (Piano) as part of Race-ing Queer Music Scholarship * Commissioned with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts

Performance: November 2, 2016 | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

by Xin Wang (Soprano) and Leanne Regehr (Piano) * Commissioned by Xin Wang with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts

Performance: November 17, 2016 | Calgary, Alberta, Canada

by Xin Wang (Soprano) and Steven Philcox (Piano) * Canadian Music Centre Presents Canadian Art Song Showcase * Commissioned by Xin Wang with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts

Premiere: 5:30pm, March 18, 2016 | Canadian Music Centre, Toronto, Canada

Cursor 6 for harp, percussion, guitar, violin, and piano (Premiere) by Continuum Contemporary Music As part of 21C Music Festival * Co-commissioned by Continuum Contemporary Music with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts and The Royal Conservatory/Koerner Hall

Premiere: 8PM, May 26, 2016 Mazzoleni Concert Hall | 273 Bloor Street West, Toronto

Cursor 8 for 3 or more performers (Premiere) by ∆TENT

Premiere: 7pm, May 29th, 2016 | Canadian Music Centre, Toronto, Canada

Cursor 5 for clarinet, violin and piano + pieces by John Lely (UK), Richard Glover (UK), and Amber Priestley (UK) by ∆TENT: Fiona Jane Wood (piano), Leslie Ting (violin), Hiroki Tsurumoto (clarinet)

Premiere: 6pm | September 19th, 2015 | Canadian Music Centre, Toronto

Code Thumbnails 10 for sax, percussion, voice, piano, and violin by Chelsea Shanoff (Sax), Michelle Hwu (Percussion), and musicians of Thin Edge New Music Collective

Premiere: June 13, 2014 in Toronto

Cursor 3 for soprano, violin, and 3 cellos (as part of nu:nord) by Silje Aker Johnsen, soprano/dancer (Norway); Mira Benjamin, violin (Canada); Tre Voci Cello Ensemble: Gregor Riddell (UK), Torun Saeter Stavseng (Norway), Colin Alexander (UK), cellists

World Premiere: August 14, 2014 in Oslo, Norway UK Premiere: August 16, 2014 | LimeWharf in Hackney, East London * I wish to acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.

Code Thumbnails 13 for soprano, mezzo, flute, viola, bass, 2 percussion by Continuum Contemporary Music

Premiere: 8PM | October 19, 2014 | Betty Oliphant Theatre, Toronto

Cursor 4 for eight flutes by Tempest Flute Ensemble directed by Mark Takeshi McGregor

Premiere: October 22, 2014 | Orpheum Annex, Vancouver, Canada * As part of the 125th anniversary celebrations of the Japan Consulate

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iasshikshalove · 4 years

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C.A Dated On 30-07-2019

C.A Dated On 30-07-2019 GS-2 National Creche Scheme: Context: National Crèche Scheme is being implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme through States/UTs with effect from 01.01.2017. About National Creche Scheme:  The Scheme is being implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.  It is a centrally sponsored scheme.  It aims at providing a safe place for mothers to leave their children while they are at work, and thus, is a measure for empowering women as it enables them to take up employment. Coverage: It is an intervention towards protection and development of children in the age group of 6 months to 6 years. Features: C.A Dated On 30-07-2019  Provides for day care facilities to the children of working mothers.  Provides supplementary nutrition, health care inputs like immunization, polio drops, basic health monitoring, sleeping facilities, early stimulation (for children below 3 years), pre-school education for children aged between 3-6 yrs. Significance:  This scheme facility enables the parents to leave their children while they are at work and where the children are provided with a stimulating environment for their holistic development.  This scheme ensures to improve the health and nutrition status of the children.  It promotes physical, social, cognitive and emotional/holistic development of the children.  It also educates and empowers parents/caretakers for the better childcare.  The scheme is being structurally revised with the enhanced financial norms, stringent monitoring and sharing pattern between the Government of India and the implementing agencies and NGOs. Eligibility Criteria:  The State Government, Voluntary Institutions, Mahila Mandals with the know report of service in the field of child welfare department and registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 or registered as a Public Trust at least for the period for last 2 years are eligible for applying for the financial assistance from the fund. Fund sharing: C.A Dated On 30-07-2019  The fund sharing pattern under National Creche Scheme amongst Centre, States/UTs & Non Governmental Organisations/Voluntary Organisations for all recurring components of the scheme is in the ratio of 60:30:10 for States, 80:10:10 for North Eastern States and Himalayan States and 90:0:10 for UTs. Tiger survey Why in news? The four-year tiger census report, Status of Tigers in India, 2018, released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, shows numbers of the big cat have increased across all landscapes. Salient observation of report  The total count has risen to 2,967 from 2,226 in 2014 — an increase of 741 individuals (aged more than one year), or 33%, in four years.  This is by far the biggest increase in terms of both numbers and percentage since the four-yearly census using camera traps and the capture-mark-recapture method began in 2006.  The number that year was 1,411; it rose by 295 (21%) to 1,706 in 2010; and by 520 (30%) to 2,226 in 2014.  Tiger numbers are always projected in a range — 2,967, is the mean of an estimated range of 2,603 to 3,346.  The 2018 figure has a great degree of credibility because, according to the report, as many as 2,461 individual tigers (83% of the total) have actually been photographed by trap cameras. In 2014, only 1,540 individuals (69%) were photographed.  The report does not contain numbers of other predators like leopards. But better tiger numbers are generally seen as indicating good prey bases and habitat. Why is a tiger census needed?  The tiger sits at the peak of the food chain, and its conservation is important to ensure the wellbeing of the forest ecosystem. C.A Dated On 30-07-2019  The tiger estimation exercise includes habitat assessment and prey estimation.  The numbers reflect the success or failure of conservation efforts.  This is an especially important indicator in a fast-growing economy like India where the pressures of development often run counter to the demands of conservation.  The Global Tiger Forum, an international collaboration of tiger-bearing countries, has set a goal of doubling the count of wild tigers by 2022. More than 80% of the world’s wild tigers are in India, and it’s crucial to keep track of their numbers. Where has the tiger population increased the most?  The biggest increase has been in Madhya Pradesh — a massive 218 individuals (71%) from 308 in 2014 to 526. In Maharashtra, the number has gone up from 190 to 312 (64%), and in Karnataka, from 406 to 524 (118, or 29%). Uttarakhand has gained over 100 tigers (340 to 442; 30%)  However, since tigers keep moving between states, conservationists prefer to talk about tiger numbers in terms of landscapes. India’s five tiger landscapes are: Shivalik Hills and Gangetic Plains, Central Indian Landscape and Eastern Ghats, Western Ghats, North-East Hills and Brahmaputra Plains, and the Sundarbans. Which states/regions have done badly?  Only one of the 20 tiger-bearing states has seen a fall in numbers — Chhattisgarh, where the census counted 19 tigers, significantly fewer than the 46 of 2014.  The report has cited law and order as the reason — large parts of the state are hit by the Maoist insurgency.  Greater conservation efforts are needed in the “critically vulnerable” Northeast hills and Odisha.  No tiger has been found in the Buxa, Palamau and Dampa reserves. How were the estimates reached? C.A Dated On 30-07-2019  The census was carried out in four phases. Phases 1 and 2 covered forest beats, generally spread over 15 sq km each, by Forest Departments, to collect signs of tiger presence like scat and pugmarks.  Enumerators walked paths called line transects to estimate the abundance of prey.  This was followed by sampling of plots along the transects to assess habitat characteristics, human impact, and prey dung density.  In phase 3, the information was plotted on the forest map prepared with remote-sensing and GIS application. Sample areas were divided in 2-sq-km parcels, and trap cameras were laid in these grids.  In the last phase, data were extrapolated to areas where cameras could not be deployed.  Authorities say the census is the world’s most extensive biodiversity mapping exercise.  A total 3,81,400 sq km of forests were surveyed; 5,22,996 km on foot. 3,17,958 habitat plots were sampled for vegetation and prey dung.  There were 26,838 camera trap locations, which covered 1,21,337 sq km. So, why have the numbers gone up?  The success owes a lot to increased vigilance and conservation efforts by the Forest Department.  From 28 in 2006, the number of tiger reserves went up to 50 in 2018, extending protection to larger numbers of tigers over the years.  Healthy increases in core area populations eventually lead to migrations to areas outside the core; this is why the 2018 census has found tigers in newer areas.  Over the years, there has been increased focus on tigers even in the areas under the territorial and commercial forestry arms of Forest Departments.  The brightest spot in the non-protected tiger-bearing areas is the Brahmapuri division of Chandrapur district of Maharashtra, which has more than 40 tigers. C.A Dated On 30-07-2019  The other important reason is increased vigilance, and the fact that organised poaching rackets have been all but crushed. According to Nitin Desai of Wildlife Protection Society of India, there has been no organised poaching by traditional gangs in Central Indian landscapes since 2013.  The increased protection has encouraged the tiger to breed. According to Wildlife Institute of India Director V B Mathur, tigers are fast breeders when conditions are conducive.  The rehabilitation of villages outside core areas in many parts of the country has led to the availability of more inviolate space for tigers. Also, because estimation exercises have become increasingly more accurate over the years, it is possible that many tigers that eluded enumerators in earlier exercises were counted this time. GS-3 AMBIS Why in news? On Monday, Maharashtra became the first state in the country to adopt a digital fingerprint and iris scanning system to aid police investigations. What is it? The system, Automated Multi-modal Biometric Identification System (AMBIS), will include portable systems to dust off and capture fingerprints from crime scenes. So what does AMBIS do and how it will help the police in their investigation  In 2015, when Indian authorities were alerted about the detention of gangster Chhota Rajan in Indonesia, the Mumbai Police rushed to put together a dossier of cases registered against him in the city.  However, providing a record of his fingerprints from the 1980s would prove essential in gaining his custody, as per international protocol.  That's when the need to digitise fingerprint records, numbering in crores, was felt. C.A Dated On 30-07-2019 The trial stage  In 2017, the cyber department of the Maharashtra Police selected a French firm through tendering to provide both hardware and software for a unit comprising a computer, camera, and iris, fingerprint and palm scanners.  Apart from scanning and permanently storing biometric data, the police also tops files of arrested persons with their photos.  Before Monday's formal launch, the system was trailed at a select few police stations in Mumbai, which have seen an upgrade in technological infrastructure after the CCTV project and Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and System (CCTNS) were implemented.  All the while, the cyber police department digitised over 6.5 lakh fingerprints recorded on paper from the 1950s onwards. Future plans  With Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announcing the project implementation across all 94 police stations in Mumbai, the next step is to roll it out in all 1160 police stations in the state's 42 police districts, 7 police ranges, 10 central jails, 12 police training centers, and 4 fingerprint bureaus.  With the integration of the system with facial recognition from CCTV cameras, AMBIS has enabled the police to cross-reference to put faces to criminals whose fingerprints have been captured on paper over the decades apart from solving fresh crimes. “RoboBee X-Wing Why in news? It is essentially a flying machine, which can flap its wings 120 times a second and is half the size of a paperclip, as a report in The Wired describes it. Details C.A Dated On 30-07-2019  In a recently published paper in Nature, researchers from the Harvard Microrobotics Laboratory in Cambridge have claimed to have made possible the “lightest insect-scale aerial vehicle so far to have achieved sustained, untethered flight.”  The robot can sustain a flight for less than a second. Initially, the researchers called this lightest centimetre-sized vehicle, “RoboBee”, but with the current advancement which makes it possible for RoboBee to fly untethered, its name has been upgraded to, “RoboBee X-Wing”.  Along with the electronics required to give RoboBee X-Wing its flight, the robot weighs 259 mg and uses 110-120 milliwatts of power using solar energy, matching the “thrust efficiency” of similarly sized insects such as bees.  Much like aircraft, the robot is heavier than the air it displaces — a concept referred to as “heavier-than-air flight”. However, when objects become smaller, achieving a heavier-than-air flight becomes more complicated. Significance  Studying the mechanisms that insects use to flap their wings and navigate in the air is a matter of interest to biologists.  Flapping-wing robots can help in addressing questions related to the evolution of flight, the mechanical basis of natural selection and environmental monitoring. Others are interested in replicating these abilities to build a new array of machines. Odisha Rasagola Why in news? A long drawn battle of ownership has come to a draw now with each State receiving a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for the syrupy sweet from their respective States. Background  The 'Odisha Rasagola' has been awarded the GI tag in July 2019.  Back in November 2017, West Bengal has received the GI tag for its Rasgulla. C.A Dated On 30-07-2019  Prior to which both States vehemently claimed the origin of the Indian sweet.  The ‘Odisha Rasagola’, according to the application submitted to the Registrar of GI, is a sweet from the state of Odisha made of chhena (cottage cheese) cooked in sugar syrup, which is very soft to feel, is juicy and non- chewy in consistency and can be swallowed without teeth pressure. LCU L-56 Why in news? Indian Navy Ship LCU L-56, the sixth of the Landing Craft Utility (LCU) MK IV class ships, was commissioned into the Indian Navy . Commissioning the ship, the Vice-Admiral congratulated the GRSE (Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers) for being the first shipyard in the country to have built the 100th warship. Benefits  The induction of LCU 56 will add to maritime and HADR (Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief) capability of ANC (Andaman Nicobar Command), as the ship will be deployed for multirole activities such as beaching operations, search and rescue missions, disaster relief operations, coastal patrol, and surveillance operations along the Andaman and Nicobar Group of Islands. About the ship  LCU 56 is an amphibious ship with its primary role being transportation and deployment of main battle tanks, armoured vehicles, troops and equipment from ship to shore.  The ship would be administered and based in Port Blair under the NAVCC in ANC.  With a displacement of 900 tonnes, the ship measures 62 metres in length and is fitted with two MTU diesel engines, which provide a sustainable speed of over 15 knots.  The ship is equipped with the state-of-art equipment and is armed with two 30 mm CRN-91 guns manufactured by Ordnance Factory, Medak.  The ship is manned by a team comprising four officers and 56 sailors and is also capable of carrying 150 troops. Kodaikanal Malai Poondu C.A Dated On 30-07-2019 Why in news? This particular garlic species is known for its medicinal and preservative properties The Geographical Indications Registry has granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag to Kodaikanal Malai Poondu (Kodaikanal Hill Garlic). Details  The application was made by the Department of Biotechnology, Mother Teresa Women’s University and Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology. What is special about it?  Also known by its scientific name Allium Sativum, this particular garlic is known for its medicinal and preservative properties.  It has anti-oxidant and anti-microbial potential, which is attributed to the presence of higher amount of organosulfur compounds, phenols and flavonoids compared to other garlic varieties.  It is grown in the Kodaikanal Hills, Dindugul district.  Its usually white or pale yellow and each bulb weighs 20-30g on an average. Cultivation of garlic  According to the GI application, Kodaikanal Hill Garlic cultivation is done twice in a year, once around May and for second time in November depending upon the suitability of the climate.  The hill altitude, the misty condition and the soil prevailing in the Kodaikanal region are responsible for its medicinal property and the long storage shelf life of the garlic.  In India, garlic is planted as both kharif (June-July) and rabi (October-November) crop and it depends on the regions.  It is planted as a rabi crop in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Bengal and hilly regions.  It is both kharif and rabi crop in T.N., Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. About GI tag  A GI tag indicates that the product originates from a definite territory in India and has unique characteristics or quality. C.A Dated On 30-07-2019  Having a GI tag prevents unauthorised use of a registered Geographical Indication by others, boosts exports of Indian Geographical indications by providing legal protection and also enables seeking legal protection in other WTO member countries.  Some of the examples of Geographical Indications in India include Basmati Rice, Darjeeling Tea, Kancheepuram silk saree, Alphonso Mango, Nagpur Orange and Kolhapuri Chappal.

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rickhorrow · 5 years

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15+5+5 To Watch : 82619

15 TO WATCH/5 SPORTS TECH/POWER OF SPORTS 5: RICK HORROW’S TOP SPORTS/BIZ/TECH/PHILANTHROPY ISSUES FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 26

with Jacob Aere

The XFL unveiled the names and logos for the eight teams that will make up the rebooted league's first season when it begins play next February. The eight teams will be the Dallas Renegades, Houston Roughnecks, L.A. Wildcats, New York Guardians, St. Louis BattleHawks, Seattle Dragons, Tampa Bay Vipers, and DC Defenders. The names and logos of the eight XFL teams "make clear" what league Founder Vince McMahon has "emphasized from the beginning: Version 2.0 will be a lot less gimmicky and a lot more conservative than the original model," according to the Washington Times. DC Defenders President Erik Moses said, "With Vince McMahon's vision and genius in marketing, and the resources he has graciously provided us, if we can't get spring football to work, then it doesn't work." On Saturday, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck shocked the pro football world when he abruptly announced his retirement from football at age 29. XFL Commissioner and Sport Business Handbook contributor Oliver Luck is the father of the NFL standout and Stanford grad. Don’t be surprised to see Andrew Luck joining the XFL in some business capacity.

SportsPro names U.S. Open defending champion Naomi Osaka the world’s most marketable athlete for 2019. The number one ranked WTA star, 21, Osaka is the second woman to top SportsPro’s annual list of the world’s 50 most marketable athletes after Eugenie Bouchard became the first in 2015. The first Asian to be ranked number one, Osaka has enjoyed a whirlwind year, winning both the 2018 U.S. Open and the 2019 Australian Open while building out a commercial portfolio that includes the likes of Nike, beauty company Shiseido, and automotive brand Nissan. Osaka is one of a record 16 female sports stars to be named in the tenth edition of SportsPro’s list, which comprises athletes from 16 sports and 18 countries. Manchester City and England soccer player Raheem Sterling is the highest new entry in the list at No. 2, and is joined in the top five by top NBA Draft pick Zion Williamson, USWNT co-captain Megan Rapinoe, and Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe. SportsPro’s list assesses athletes according to their marketing potential over the coming three-year period, taking into account criteria such as age, home market, crossover appeal, social media presence, charisma, and willingness to be marketed.

Ahead of the U.S. Open, Naomi Osaka has signed new marketing deals with BodyArmor, performance recovery brand Hyperice, and headphone company Muzik. Osaka “received equity stakes in all three emerging companies," according to Forbes. Muzik on Friday released a new headphone designed by Osaka that marks the "first celebrity signature line for the company." She will "receive royalties on the product, in addition to her equity stake." Meanwhile, Hyperice last week "launched marketing campaigns in Japan and the U.S. featuring Osaka as part of a multi-year deal." Osaka is "expected to be one of the faces" of the 2020 Tokyo Games due to her Japanese heritage, and Hyperice is "already mapping out marketing plans around the Games." Despite the new additions to her growing portfolio, no company is as "important to Osaka's brand and bank account as Nike." The apparel giant has unveiled a "collaboration with Japanese designer brand Sacai for an 11-piece collection,” and Osaka will have her "own Nike logo and athleisure line starting in 2020." Osaka also told Forbes that she is working on a project with LeBron James and his business partner Maverick Carter.

DraftKings and Tennis Channel partner in a deal that will incorporate the DFS site’s games into Tennis Channel’s U.S. Open programming. In Tennis Channel’s first foray into DFS, viewers will see DraftKings content beginning Monday with the start of the U.S. Open. Tennis Channel on-air talent will draft player lineups in accordance with DraftKings rules, give analysis, and review rosters from the previous day of play. Tennis Channel will also offer unique DraftKings contests via a special promo code. “It will be heavily integrated into the broadcast, which is certainly a different approach than any of the grand slams have taken up to this point,” DraftKings Chief Business Officer Ezra Kucharz told SportsBusiness Daily. The DraftKings-Tennis Channel deal is only for content during the U.S. Open, but Kucharz anticipates doing more work with the net and potentially other tennis broadcasters in the future. Kucharz also believes domestic tennis organizations are getting more comfortable with broadcasters integrating sports gambling content.

Sunday saw the FedEx Cup season come to a conclusion when the Tour Championship crowned Rory McIlroy, who earned $15 million for the win. Mike McCarley, NBC Sports Group President, Golf, talked to Cynopsis Sports about the playoffs and the year ahead. On measuring success: “The PGA Tour’s playoff system is now 12 years old and the true success of the new schedule and format should be measured over the next decade or more.” On the Playoffs: “Several years ago, we met with the Tour, East Lake Golf Club, and several sponsors: FedEx, Coke, and Southern Co. and discussed how to build this championship into what we all believed it could be. Out of that meeting, came our focus on expanding this week.” On golf’s schedule shift: “All of the changes to the golf schedule [were] designed to have the Playoffs culminate before football season. The fall becomes a showcase for the sport’s global nature with events worldwide with PGA Tour and LPGA’s swings in Asia, as well as marquee team events with the U.S. women looking to defend the Solheim Cup and the Tiger Woods captained U.S. team defending the Presidents Cup in Australia.”

This football season, Lowe’s will be “homegating.” Lowe’s has signed a new deal with the Dallas Cowboys and launched an online store with more than 10,000 NFL-licensed items of merchandise to activate its first season as an NFL sponsor. The online shop will support the broader concept of the season’s campaigns -- tailgating and so-called “homegating” -- as Lowe’s looks to become the supplier of all merchandise related to the game day fan experience. Products will include chairs, canopies, grills, rugs, wall art, flags, automobile decals, and more. The multiyear deal with the Cowboys comes along with a renewal of Lowe’s longstanding relationship with the Panthers. Both teams, along with the Eagles, helped Lowe’s produce a series of online videos, “NFL Homegating Makeovers by Lowe’s,” which follows three football-themed home makeovers in those markets. Lowe’s became the NFL’s official home improvement retail sponsor in January.

Super Bowl LIV to cost Miami-Dade municipalities nearly $20 million. Super Bowl LIV will cost three of Miami-Dade County's largest municipal governments nearly $20 million over time, as local governments have "spent or plan to commit" more than $15 million in "cash contributions to the host committee, security bills, municipal fee waivers and partial payments for parks improvements," according to the Miami Herald. The "costs of football fields and lighting improvements to Miami’s waterfront are being split between the NFL and government agencies." However, Miami-Dade County will pay another $4 million to the Dolphins for "attracting the game." Miami's Downtown Development Authority "plans to cover half of the $600,000 price tag for permanent LED lighting on the Baywalk" to accompany the "Super Bowl Live" attraction, while the NFL has "agreed to pay the other half." The bulk of Miami Beach's expenses associated with the game "are coming in the form of fee waivers" totaling $1.2 million. The city also is putting $350,000 toward a new $1 million football field for Rick’s alma mater Miami Beach Senior High School, an expense to be "split with the league and school district.”

Curry backs Howard golf. Warriors guard Stephen Curry traveled to Washington, DC last week to announce that he is "sponsoring the creation of men's and women's golf teams" at Howard University, bringing competitive golf to the school for the "first time in decades," according to the Washington Post. Curry will make a "seven-figure donation paid out over the next six years, aimed at giving Howard time to raise an endowed fund that would make the program self-sustainable." Howard previously competed in D-II golf, but this is "believed to be the first time Howard will have" a D-I golf program in the school’s 152-year history. Curry’s love of golf clearly rivals his love of basketball, as witnessed by his multiple entries in PGA Tour events and backing of the NBC summer TV series, “Holey Moley.” His donation to Howard, however, is all about paying that love of golf forward to the next generation of top level African American athletes.

MLS formally announces St. Louis as home to the league's 28th team. MLS Commissioner Don Garber, members of the St. Louis ownership group, and St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson last Tuesday shared in the announcement that the club is expected to begin play in 2022, according to SoccerAmerica. From a business standpoint, this is "really, really good for the city," as it is "essentially a major corporation moving to downtown." The St. Louis expansion franchise is the first in the league to have female majority ownership. The team will play in a new stadium in St. Louis’ Downtown West district that will feature 22,500 seats, each of which will be within 120 feet of the pitch and have a translucent canopy that will provide cover for fans. MLS currently has 24 teams, including rookie FC Cincinnati. David Beckham’s Inter Miami and a new Nashville club will kick off next year, with Austin FC set to open in 2021, before the St. Louis club make its debut.

All right, all right, all right. McConaughey invests in Austin FC. Austin FC announced last Friday that four local investors will join franchise CEO Anthony Precourt in the run-up to the new MLS team’s debut season in 2021, including actor Matthew McConaughey. According to the Austin American-Statesman, the group is led by Pixiu Investments Managing Partner Eduardo Margain, and also features Dell President and Chief Commercial Officer Marius Haas and Parsley Energy Founder, Chair and CEO Bryan Sheffield. McConaughey’s appearance at an LAFC match in May with LAFC Minority Owner Will Ferrell "sparked speculation" that he would join the Austin team. Austin FC has also set a "firm date" of September 5 for groundbreaking on their upcoming $242 million MLS stadium. McConaughey’s investment continues a string of celebrity MLS investors, including Ferrell and Seattle Sounders backers: rapper Macklemore, singer Ciara, and her husband Russell Wilson. The average MLS franchise is worth $240 million, according to Forbes.

Twitter and Adidas bring back high school football series. Friday Night Stripes, the livestreaming series of high school football games on Twitter, is coming back for a second season later this month. According to Hashtag Sports, the show, which was created by Adidas, Intersport, and Twitter, debuted in 2018 and focused on broadcasting eight football games from high schools across the U.S. And it turned out to be quite a success. According to Twitter, Friday Night Stripes generated more than 32.6 million total views and had over 15.6 million live viewers tuning into the series. "The high school sports community on Twitter is not only massive, but extremely passionate and engaged," said T.J. Adeshola, Head of U.S. Sports Partnerships at Twitter. "Friday Night Stripes gives us the fantastic opportunity to showcase the future of sport—the culture, the lifestyle, the swagger—in an innovative way, directly to the timelines of fans all over the globe." Friday Night Stripes Season 2 is a prime example of Twitter's vision for sports video content on its site, an area in which it’s been heavily investing.

Ripken Baseball and ESPN's Wide World of Sports Complex announce a partnership that will bring elite youth baseball tournaments to Walt Disney World Resort beginning in 2020. The Ripken Experience at Walt Disney World Resort, according to SportsBusiness Daily, will include a "dazzling" opening ceremony for participants, whose ages will range from 6-18. Games will be played on 11 ballfields, six youth-sized fields equipped with lights for night games and five professional-sized fields, including The Stadium at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, which hosted MLB Spring Training games for more than two decades. Players will have free time in the Disney parks to experience new attractions. Said Cal Ripken Jr., "Here at Disney, we might even have greater resources to bring the big-league experience to the kids...We quickly realized that most of the kids are not going to play big-league baseball, so we want to bring a big-league experience down to them." Ripken, founder and chairman of Ripken Baseball, as well as a Sport Business Handbook contributor, added that the partnership is a multiyear deal.

ISC has announced that COO Joie Chitwood III has resigned from his post, effective November 25, the first major departure amid ISC’s acquisition by NASCAR. Chitwood, noted SportsBusiness Daily, has been with ISC for a decade, having served as President of Daytona International Speedway during its $400 million renovation before stepping into the COO role, where he has overseen the operations of ISC’s 13 tracks. Chitwood is one of ISC executives identified in public filings as having substantial stock in the company, which should provide a windfall after NASCAR’s $2 billion acquisition of ISC closes, which is expected by year’s end. Sources have been anticipating departures from ISC’s leadership in the coming months; SportsBusiness Journal last month reported that ISC President John Saunders has also been mentioned as someone who could leave the company after the acquisition closes. After the acquisition is complete, NASCAR’s leadership is expected to have greater oversight of track operations under the newly combined company.

MLB FoodFest returns for a second helping. MLB FoodFest presented by Budweiser returned to New York September 21-22 on Fifth Avenue near Bryant Park. The event's second installment on the East Coast -- it also took place in Los Angeles earlier this year -- provides all 30 teams an opportunity to designate one food item to represent their team and community. Each ticket grants access to the space for a designated two-hour block and can only be secured online prior to arrival at the venue. Among the most popular food items are the Mariners' toasted grasshoppers, the Pirates' pulled pork pierogi hoagie, the Red Sox' hot lobster rolls, and for dessert, the D-backs’ Churro Dogs. Most of last week’s menu featured concoctions new to the New York event, including the local team and ballpark representatives with the Mets Bases Loaded Dog and the Yankees Shrimp Po’Boy. This time around, attendees also had access to new interactive elements, such as a Home Run Derby Virtual Reality experience and an MLB FoodFest merchandise shop.

This bowl naming deal is no flake. Kellogg's Frosted Flakes brand will be the "title sponsor of the newly-named Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl," with the multiyear partnership "marked by Tony the Tiger being the first mascot to lend his name to a college football bowl game," according to the El Paso Times. The sponsorship agreement between the Sun Bowl Association and Frosted Flakes was "brokered by Denver-based Impression Sports & Entertainment." Tony the Tiger is "returning the Sun Bowl to its inaugural mission -- helping kids play sports -- something that hasn't been a focus since the birth of the Sun Bowl." The Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl in 2019 will "align with Tony's 'Mission Tiger' initiative, raising awareness and funds for at-risk middle school sports programs through a multiyear partnership with nonprofit DonorsChoose.org" SI.com opined that the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl is "easily the greatest bowl name and sponsorship deal since the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl" 2014-2016. My take? It’s Grrrreat!

Top Five Tech

Barstool Sports now earns one-third of its revenue through podcasts. According to Variety, the oft-criticized media outfit has been able to leverage its loyal audience to expand into the world of podcasting, which now represents a sizable and growing piece of its business. Three years ago, the company featured just three podcasts, but now it has more than 30 audio shows and ranks as the sixth largest U.S. podcast publisher with 6.75 million unique listeners in July 2019 — putting it ahead of rivals including ESPN. Podcasting is a very high-margin business and far more cost-effective than TV production, and Barstool has inked sponsorship brands for several of its podcasts, including with Roman, SeatGeek, Starbucks, FanDuel, and Square’s Cash App. The raunchy media company can’t find a spot in television due to their questionable commentary, but podcasting has allowed the company to go a step beyond its competitors in the audio space – and soon could have huge advertising impacts when Nielsen begins to rate audio programs.

ESPN launches the long-awaited ACC Network. ACCN went live last Thursday with a two-hour edition of "All-ACC," the channel's flagship studio show. This Thursday, No. 1 Clemson will host Georgia Tech as the network's first marquee live broadcast. Conference networks have become enormous moneymakers this decade, so the launch of ACCN will help the ACC close the financial gap with leagues like the SEC and Big Ten, who have surged ahead. The SEC Network has around 59 million subscribers and $230 million in annual revenue. The Big Ten Network has 55 million subscribers and $160 million in annual revenue. “Over a decade, those numbers would mean more than $2.3 billion (after ESPN takes its half) in revenue for the SEC, [and] more than $1.6 billion (after Fox takes its half) for the Big Ten," notes The Athletic. The Big 12 is now the only Power Five league without its own stand-alone conference network — though it's nearly all-in with ESPN.

ESPN introduces a Player Impact Rating segment for college football players with an augmented reality segment on the network. According to NewscastStudio, the segment and ranking system is part of a multi-year deal with Sony’s PlayStation as the official gaming and virtual reality sponsor for the metric. The new feature will rate real college football players on a zero to 100 scale, just like a Playstation video game and similar to the iconic Madden video game series. ESPN’s announcement about the rating states it accounts for the player’s time on and off the field plus the skills of both teammates and opponents. To introduce its new rating system, ESPN produced a virtual studio and augmented reality segment that places its on-air talent inside of a streamlined rendition of a football stadium. This move is a direct tie between esports and on-field sports and should bring a new system of evaluation to previously under the radar football players.

Estars has launched a new interactive, free-to-play gaming platform with more than $20 million in prizes for 2019. According to European Gaming, Estars is the leading production company for esports and video games and has ramped up their Major Events prize pool for the rest of 2019. On Estars, users are able to compete and connect with their favorite games, players, streamers, and teams through free prediction-based contests. To play, users enter contests and select their predicted outcomes to enter to win prizes. Estars is available on all mobile and desktop web browsers across 46 U.S. states and the age to play is just 16 years old with the chance to win prizes requiring users to be 18 years old. After users select their picks, they can watch the matches live on Estars to see how their selections are performing in real-time – a perfect testing ground for later large scale esports betting.

Los Angeles Overwatch League teams join city's sports rivalries. Los Angeles' "newest rivalry took a big step toward joining its more established brethren" last weekend when Overwatch League franchises L.A. Gladiators and L.A. Valiant faced off in the "Battle for L.A." at The Novo at L.A. Live. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Novo is a "2,400-seat performance venue that will serve as the home of the Valiant next season" as the OWL "moves into the home markets of its 20 teams." Beginning next year, teams will "move into their home markets and into their home arenas," and the "Battle for L.A." provided "the first glimpse of what that will look like" in L.A. The city is "further solidifying itself as the epicenter of esports." And when the new Los Angeles Stadium at Hollywood Park complex opens, don’t be surprised to see some sort of esports presence there as well.

Power of Sports Five

The World Surf League helps the coral reef crisis. In another act of environmentalism, WSL has joined Glowing Glowing Gone, a global campaign advocating for greater funding and action for coral reef conversation by highlighting the global danger signaled by fluorescing corals. According to gcmag, the collaboration features a complete takeover of the Tahiti Pro Teahupo’o presented by Hurley event branding to incorporate the exact colors of fluorescing corals. The glowing coral phenomenon, called fluorescing, is one of the most visual indicators of the climate crisis and the existential threat to entire ecosystems such as coral reefs as the color change means the coral are trying to protect themselves from heating waters. Until recently, the phenomenon has gone largely unnoticed. WSL gives back to its event locations and is even offsetting the carbon footprint of the entire Tahitian event, including air travel, while supporting Coral Gardeners, a youth-led non-profit organization that is actively restoring coral reefs in the area.

Women’s esports get a boost from NBA 2K League. According to Polygon, the NBA 2K League held a development camp specifically for women last week, specifically to increase the number of women players in an esports series. The camp began August 20 at the NBA 2K League Studio in Queens and brought 15 of the top women competing in NBA 2K to play against and learn from players and coaches in the current NBA 2K League season. The NBA 2K League currently has only one woman among its 21 teams: Chiquita “Chiquitae126” Evans of Warriors Gaming Squad, the esports affiliate of the Golden State Warriors. Although Evans’ selection in the NBA 2K League draft this year earned her a nomination for “Best Esports Moment” at this year’s ESPY awards, there is a need to diversify the NBA 2K League and organizers are headed in the right direction.

Golf in Boise raising millions for local charities. According to CBS Idaho News, the Albertsons Boise Open raised a record $1.5 million for charity on its first night alone and had five more days to grow that total. Through the Tyson Foods TICKETS Fore CHARITY program, 100% of tournament ticket sales are given directly to Boise area charities. Some players who've come through Boise on their way to the PGA Tour include Justin Thomas, Matt Kuchar, Rickie Fowler, Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Bubba Watson, Xander Schauffele, and Gary Woodland. As a testament to the event’s golf prowess, this year alone, 29 of the 50 PGA Tour events were won by players who played at the Albertsons Boise Open in the past. The event has provided over $25 million in charity since the inaugural Albertsons Boise Open in 1990 and has a chance to expand its record for the most ever raised in a year.

16-year-old Angel More swims 28 miles around Manhattan for charity. Angel More has become the youngest woman to complete the 20 Bridges Swim, and she finished it in just nine hours. More swims for Children International, a non-profit that helps lift children out of poverty around the world. She has raised more than $55,000 so far, but hopes to raise $1 million for a scholarship fund to support 5,000 teens who want to further their education in high school, college, or technical school. More isn’t a stranger to record-breaking as she became one of the youngest girls to climb Mount Kilimanjaro when she was 10 years old, and last year the marathon swimmer successfully swam across the Catalina Channel. More’s next goal is the English Channel – the only challenge left before she completes open water swimming’s Triple Crown, and is doing it all in the name of bettering other’s education.

Minnesota Timberwolves’ Jordan Bell aims to erase MS. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the first annual Jordan Bell celebrity basketball game benefiting the Race to Erase MS was held at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of California State University Long Beach. The game featured such other NBA stars as Karl Anthony Towns, Lonzo Ball, and JaVale McGee. All proceeds from the game were donated to the Center Without Walls program, a coalition of leading multiple sclerosis researchers from the country’s top universities who are collaborating to find a cure and treatments for the disease. It’s a cause that is very personal for Bell, as his girlfriend was diagnosed with the disease last November. The event is sure to grow with time, and Bell’s personal tie to the cause should enable its message and impact to grow even larger.

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hudsonespie · 5 years

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Amendments Expected To Be Adopted By Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC)

The following amendments are expected to be adopted by MEPC.

Main agenda items

Adoption of amendments to IMO mandatory instruments

Reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships

Implementation of the sulphur 2020 limit

Marine plastic litter action plan

Ballast water management (BWM) Convention implementation

Approval of guidance and other matters

Technical cooperation and capacity building

Seminar on ship recycling (10 May)

Working groups/drafting groups

The following working/drafting groups are expected to be established:

Working Group on Air Pollution and Energy Efficiency;

Working Group on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships;

Working Group on Marine Plastic Litter;

Drafting Group on Amendments to Mandatory Instruments;

Ballast Water Review Group.

1. Adoption of amendments MARPOL amendments – Cargo residues and tank washings of persistent floating noxious liquid substances

MEPC is expected to adopt draft amendments to MARPOL Annex II to strengthen, in specified sea areas, discharge requirements for cargo residues and tank washings containing persistent floating products with a high-viscosity and/or a high melting point that can solidify under certain conditions (e.g. certain vegetable oils and paraffin-like cargoes), following concerns about the environmental impact of permissible discharges.

The draft amendments add new paragraphs to MARPOL Annex II Regulation 13 – Control of discharges of residues of noxious liquid substances, to require prewash and discharge of residue/water mixture generated during the prewash to a reception facility, for specific products, in specified areas (North West European waters, Baltic Sea area, Western European waters and Norwegian Sea).

MARPOL amendments – use of electronic record books

Draft MARPOL Amendments to allow for electronic record books to be used are set to be adopted, for Annex I – Oil Record Book Part I – Machinery space operations and Oil Record Book Part II – Cargo/ballast operations; Annex II – Cargo Record Book; and Annex V – Garbage Record Book; and Annex VI for records relating to Regulation 12 – Ozone-depleting substances, Regulation 13 – Nitrogen oxides (NOx) and Regulation 14 – Sulphur oxides (SOx) and particulate matter

The MEPC is also expected to adopt related Guidelines for the use of electronic record books under MARPOL.

MARPOL amendments – EEDI regulations for ice-strengthened ships

Another draft amendment to MARPOL Annex VI are set to be adopted, relating to the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) regulations for ice-strengthened ships, replacing the words “cargo ships having ice-breaking capability” with “category A ships as defined in the Polar Code”.

IBC Code amendments

The MEPC is expected to adopt a comprehensive set of draft amendments to the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (IBC Code), including the draft revised chapters 17 (Summary of minimum requirements), 18 (List of products to which the code does not apply), 19 (Index of Products Carried in Bulk) and 21 (Criteria for assigning carriage requirements for products subject to the IBC Code). Consequential draft amendments to the Code for the construction and equipment of ships carrying dangerous chemicals in bulk (BCH Code) are also expected to be adopted.

NOx Technical Code 2008 amendments

The draft amendments relate to the use of Electronic Record Books, and Certification requirements for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems.

2. Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from ships IMO Initial GHG Strategy

The MEPC will discuss on how to implement the initial IMO strategy on reduction of GHG emissions from ships, which was adopted in April 2018. The strategy sets out a vision which confirms IMO’s commitment to reducing GHG emissions from international shipping and to phasing them out as soon as possible. Candidate short-, mid- and long-term further measures with possible timelines and their impacts on States are listed. MEPC 73 approved a programme of follow-up actions up to 2023.

Under the identified “levels of ambition”, the initial GHG strategy envisages, in particular, a reduction in carbon intensity of international shipping (to reduce CO2 emissions per transport work, as an average across international shipping, by at least 40% by 2030, pursuing efforts towards 70% by 2050, compared to 2008); and that total annual GHG emissions from international shipping should be reduced by at least 50% by 2050 compared to 2008.

Expected outcomes at MEPC 74

An Intersessional Working Group on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships, meeting the week preceding MEPC 74 (7-10 May), will report to the Committee. Furthermore, a working group on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships is expected to be established during MEPC 74.

The MEPC is expected to approve the terms of reference and initiate the Fourth IMO GHG Study (the previous, Third IMO GHG Study, was published in 2014).

The Committee will discuss the procedure for assessing the impact on States of new measures put forward, for adoption, to achieve the aims of the strategy; and identify and prioritize short-term measures that would be on the agenda of upcoming MEPC sessions, with a priority given to mandatory measures that could enter into effect by 2023.

A draft resolution to invite Member States to encourage voluntary cooperation between the port and shipping sectors to contribute to reducing GHG emissions from ships will be discussed. Measures that ports can take include onshore power supply, provision for bunkering of sustainable low and zero-carbon fuels, incentives which promote low and zero-carbon shipping and support for optimization of port calls.

The Committee will also consider establishing a voluntary multi-donor trust fund to sustain the Organization’s technical cooperation and capacity-building activities to support the implementation of the Initial GHG Strategy.

Feeding in to the process towards the adoption of a revised Strategy in 2023 will be the data collection system on fuel oil consumption of ships over 5,000 gross tons, which began on 1 January 2019. The Committee is expected to agree on methodology for conducting the analysis of ship fuel oil consumption data.

Further work on energy efficiency of ships (EEDI review)

The MEPC is expected to approve draft amendments to MARPOL Annex VI to strengthen the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) “phase 3” requirements.

At the last session, the possibility of bringing forward the phase 3 requirement to 2022 (from 2025), for certain ships, was discussed, as well as a proposal to increase the energy efficiency improvement to 40% (from 30%) for container ships.

The MEPC will also discuss the minimum propulsion power to maintain the manoeuvrability of ships in adverse conditions.

3. Implementation of the sulphur 2020 limit IMO sulphur limit

The new lower 0.50% limit on sulphur in ships’ fuel oil will be in force from 1 January 2020, under IMO’s MARPOL treaty, with benefits for the environment and human health. The new limit will be applicable globally (in designated emission control areas (ECAs) the sulphur limit will remain at 0.10%).

The 1 January 2020 implementation date was adopted in 2008 and confirmed in 2016. IMO has been working with the Member States and the industry to support the implementation of the new limit, including the preparation of draft amendments to MARPOL Annex VI to support consistent implementation of the 0.50% sulphur limit and development of guidance and guidelines. MEPC 73 approved Guidance on the development of a ship implementation plan for the consistent implementation of the 0.50% sulphur limit under MARPOL Annex VI (MEPC.1/Circ. 878).

Expected outcomes at MEPC 74

MEPC 74 is expected to approve draft guidelines and guidance documents, developed by the Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR 6), including:

2019 Guidelines for consistent implementation of the 0.50% sulphur limit under MARPOL Annex VI;

2019 Guidelines for port State control under the revised MARPOL Annex VI;

guidance for port State control on contingency measures for addressing non-compliant fuel oil;

MEPC Circular on the 2019 Guidelines for on board sampling for the verification of the sulphur content of the fuel oil used on board ships;

MSC-MEPC circular on Delivery of compliant fuel oil by suppliers, subject to approval by MSC 101 in June.

With regards to fuel oil quality, the MEPC will consider draft guidance for best practice for Member State/coastal States as well as a proposal for a bunker supplier licensing scheme.

The Committee will also consider proposals relating to the enhancement of the implementation of MARPOL Annex VI regulation 18, which covers fuel oil quality and availability.

Enforcement, compliance with and monitoring of the new sulphur limit is the remit and responsibility of States Party to MARPOL Annex VI. Most ships are expected to utilize new blends of fuel oil which will be produced to meet the 0.50% limit on sulphur in fuel oil, or compliant marine gas/diesel oil. Currently, the maximum sulphur limit in fuel oil is 3.50% globally (and 0.10 % in the four ECAs: the Baltic Sea area; the North Sea area; the North American area (covering designated coastal areas off the United States and Canada); and the United States Caribbean Sea area (around Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands)).

Some ships use exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) (“scrubbers”), accepted by their flag States as an alternative means to meet the sulphur limit requirement. The MEPC will consider proposals for a new agenda item, so that the Committee would consider to undertake an environmental impact assessment of discharge water from EGCS and to evaluate and harmonize rules and guidance on the discharge of liquid effluents from EGCS.

4. Marine plastic litter action plan The MEPC will follow up on the IMO Action Plan to address marine plastic litter from ships adopted at the last session.

The MEPC is expected to, inter alia, develop the terms of reference for a study on marine-plastic litter from ships, based on the work carried out by a correspondence group that had been instructed to identify issues to be considered under an IMO study on marine plastic litter from ships; determine the most appropriate mechanism to undertake the study; and develop a regulatory framework matrix to identify all international regulatory instruments and best practices associated with the issue of marine plastic litter from ships.

5. Ballast water management treaty implementation The International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004 (BWM Convention), entered into force in September 2017 and has, to date, been ratified by 81 countries, representing 80.76% of world merchant shipping tonnage. Amendments to the treaty, relating, inter alia, to implementation timelines, were adopted during MEPC 72.

The main focus for the convention now is on its effective and uniform implementation, and on an experience-building phase, with a focus on gathering data on application of the BWM treaty. The MEPC will consider proposals related to ballast water sampling and analysis, including revisions to the Data gathering and analysis plan for the experience-building phase associated with the BWM Convention (BWM.2/Circ.67), to incorporate a link to standard operating procedures.

The MEPC is expected to approve amendments to the BWM Convention and the Code for Approval of Ballast Water Management Systems (BWMS Code), concerning commissioning testing of ballast water management systems as well as amendments to the form of the International Ballast Water Management Certificate.

Also up for consideration are proposals in relation to the application of the BWM Convention to specific ship types, as well as exemptions under the Convention, including possible amendments to the Convention and/or development of guidance.

MEPC 74 will also consider proposals for approval of ballast water management systems that make use of Active Substances.

6. Approval of other amendments, guidance and other matters Amongst other matters, the MEPC is expected to:

approve draft amendments, for future adoption, to the International Convention for the Control of Harmful Anti-fouling Systems on Ships (AFS Convention), to include controls on the biocide cybutryne.

approve four circulars containing new or updated guidance relevant to the assessment and carriage of chemicals in bulk, including the draft revised MEPC circular on the Guidelines for the provisional assessment of liquid substances transported in bulk.

approve the methodology to analyse the impacts of a ban on the use and carriage of heavy fuel oil as fuel in Arctic waters.

approve the draft Guide on practical implementation of the pollution prevention and response treaties (OPRC Convention and the OPRC-HNS Protocol).

7. Technical cooperation and capacity building activities In order to implement IMO’s environment-related instruments, technical cooperation and capacity building activities have played a very important role at IMO.

During the MEPC, these TC activities, including several Major Projects, will be introduced and updates will be presented.

A new Global Partnership Project will be announced on Monday 13 May. Please email media[@] imo.org for details.

7. International Seminar on Ship Recycling (10 May) International Seminar on Ship Recycling – Towards the Early Entry into Force of the Hong Kong Convention

Date: Friday 10 May 2019

Time: 1.30 p.m. to 6.00 p.m.

Location: IMOHQ

The seminar, organized by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan in cooperation with the IMO Secretariat, aims to increase international awareness of the importance of the early entry into force of the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009 (Hong Kong Convention).

Reference: imo.org

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