A Remedy For Undemocratic Democracy

A shift to proportional representation in the U.S. would open up new possibilities — not just on guns, but on climate, immigration and democracy itself.

Liam Warr for Noema Magazine

Lee Drutman is the author of “Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop: The Case for Multiparty Democracy in America.” He is a senior fellow at the think tank New America, a lecturer at Johns Hopkins University, co-host of the podcast Politics in Question and the co-founder of Fix Our House, a campaign for proportional representation in America.

After every mass shooting in the U.S., there’s a familiar cycle: Grief, outrage and frustration, followed by helplessness and the predictable sinking feeling that it will happen again, and soon, because our political system is incapable of doing something — anything — to stop it. Comparable democracies — Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom — have passed common-sense gun reforms in the wake of mass shootings. But in the U.S., even the most marginal of meager reforms are fraught and controversial.

It doesn’t seem to matter that majorities of Americans support common sense gun reform, or that majorities of Americans vote for the party that promises common sense gun reform. Even majority support is not enough to pass national laws in what has become an anti-majoritarian system. Especially when those majorities support Democrats, nothing happens.

It is easy for supporters of gun control to feel like there is nothing that could break through. Republicans seem more convinced than ever that everything but the guns is the problem. And the necessary filibuster-busting majorities in the Senate feel out of reach for Democrats anytime soon.

The path to sensible gun reform isn’t just to elect more Democrats, lobby Republicans harder or donate to gun reform groups. We need to understand why, despite shooting after shooting, the prospects for meaningful national gun reform just seem to grow more dispiriting. We need to understand why we keep banging our heads into the same brick wall and winding up with the same dizzying concussions.

The way out involves the political system itself — namely, our binary two-party system and the single-member district electoral system that preserves it. Change that, and new possibilities open up. Not just on guns, but on almost every other issue that is gridlocked and divided now for the same reason. Climate. Immigration. Democracy itself.

If we break the binary and open up the party system by switching to multi-member districts with seats allocated through proportional representation (like most advanced democracies in the world already have), we can scramble and realign the divides that prevent progress on so many issues. It’s a straightforward solution that doesn’t require a constitutional amendment.

And as a bonus, it would have a bunch of other benefits as well, such as ending gerrymandering and increasing voter turnout (since under proportional representation, every vote would matter, motivating voters to show up to the polls at greater rates).

Now imagine, for a second, if instead of deciding between Democrats and Republicans this November, voters were instead choosing between six parties, representing a broader array of perspectives on a broad range of issues. Likely, there would be one hard-right MAGA party, which would also be the staunch gun rights party. But such a party would top out at around 20% — not enough to control anything on its own.

Other parties on the political right would be more open to modest gun reforms, since there would now be parties on the right that compete for voters in the professional class suburbs and even cities. In a proportional, multi-party system, politics is not zero-sum. Parties can work together. In fact, they have to work together.

New parties would supply new and innovative solutions and new compromises. In a strict duopoly, there is little imperative to innovate and a strong imperative to keep politics one-dimensional.

The fastest way to proportional representation would be for Congress to pass a law, which it could do tomorrow. Article I, Section 4 of the Constitution gives Congress wide latitude in deciding the rules for its own elections, a power Congress has used throughout American history. Indeed, the only reason we use single-member districts today is because Congress mandated it. Congress could mandate five-to-seven member districts (as possible) and could also increase the size of the House (ideally to 700). The Senate is a more difficult problem, but starting with reform in the House is likely to open up new possibilities as the binary breaks up.

Proportional representation may seem like a long shot, but we’re in a strange political moment. The system itself has become the problem. But because the system itself is now the problem, it is also ripe for reform.

It is, of course, well-known that hyperpartisan polarization is a problem in American politics, in large part because of the way it triggers this ancient us-vs-them circuits in our brains that shut down rational thought and put us into fight-or-flight mode. It is less well-understand how it became such a big problem, because on the surface, our institutions have not changed.

Indeed, for a long while, the two-party system functioned well enough within American political institutions because it contained overlapping multitudes, driven by regional differences that cut across the parties. In hindsight, we had something like a four-party system for much of the second half of the 20th century, with liberal Republicans and conservative Democrats operating as distinct factions alongside conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats.

In this four-party system, coalitions were ever-shifting, and cross-partisan compromise was the norm — both because there were real points of ideological agreement across the parties and because many voters were open to either party. This meant that Congress could tackle pressing problems with bipartisan support. The major civil rights bills of 1964 and 1965, for example, both passed with overwhelming majorities within both of the two parties.

But civil rights set in motion a slow realignment of American politics, and starting in the 1990s, this multidimensional, multi-factional politics collapsed into a more one-dimensional, us-versus-them partisan politics.

There were three main reasons for this flattening. First, the two political parties became much more clearly sorted by geography and ideology. Southern and rural conservative Democrats vanished from Congress, replaced by much more conservative Republicans. Coastal and suburban moderate and liberal Republicans vanished from Congress, replaced by more liberal Democrats. Both parties’ geographic footprints shrank, and Republicans became much more uniformly conservative; Democrats became much more uniformly liberal.

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Second, alongside this sorting, national politics began to have a much greater influence on races that once mainly concerned residents of a specific district or state. The federal government’s powers expanded in the 1960s and into the early 1970s, an expansion that shook up the existing party coalitions because it involved both new civil rights protections (which broke the Democrat’s long hold on the South) and economic regulation (which mobilized the business community). Control of power in Washington became a more valuable prize, and the money followed. As the parties sorted by ideology and geography, the differences between Democratic control and Republican control became more consequential, and voters became more partisan-focused.

“In hindsight, we had something like a four-party system for much of the second half of the 20th century.”

In 1994, Republicans nationalized congressional elections for the first time, under the combative leadership of Newt Gingrich, a new conflict-seeking Republican. Prior to 1994, Democrats had controlled the House for 40 years. Conventional wisdom in Washington was that Democrats would have permanent control of the House.

Which brings us to the third major development: Starting in 1994, the balance of power in Washington was now up for grabs every election. This changed the game. With potential unified government now perpetually in sight for either party, the party out of the White House had every reason not to compromise. Make the president’s party look bad, and the rest of the ticket would falter. Then your side could get back into power, and instead of getting half a loaf, get everything you want. But help the president’s party, and give him a win, and you undermine your team’s chances of getting back into power.

Thus began a new era of hardball zero-sum politics, deeper divides between the parties, and further nationalization of politics. These processes all feed on themselves. In a “doom loop” of escalating partisan polarization, tit for tat begets tit for tat, and high stakes beget higher stakes. Polarization forces everyone to take sides and sends most of the remaining moderates running for the exits. In the widening gyre, passionate intensity triumphs.

Today’s divide over guns starts in a real place. Gun culture is stronger in rural America, where hunting and rugged self-reliance are part of life, and gun homicides are not a major problem. Gun violence is a much bigger problem in cities, even though gun ownership rates are much lower.

As the Democrats have more clearly become the party of the cities and Republicans much more clearly the party of rural America, these divides have become much starker. Republicans and Democrats experience guns differently in their lives. But over time, these experiences have fused with partisanship in powerful ways. They have become reified by competing narratives, which are then re-amplified by our binary brain circuitry, which likes to simplify the world into good and evil.

In 1994, Congress passed an assault-weapons ban, with 56 votes in the Senate. It was not filibustered. Ten Republicans, all of them on the moderate-to-liberal side of the party, voted in favor. But by 2004, when the weapons ban was about to sunset, it was left to expire. Republicans now controlled Congress and the White House. And of the ten Republican Senators who had voted to support the ban 10 years earlier, only three remained, one of whom had since left the Republican party.

Nearly a decade later, in 2013, in the wake of Sandy Hook, even a more modest background check bill failed, this time with 4 Republicans in support and 54 votes in the Senate total. But it failed to get the 60 votes needed to break a filibuster.

“Proportional representation may seem like a long shot, but we’re in a strange political moment.”

Intriguingly, while 81% of Republican respondents said they personally supported expanding background checks, only 57% said they supported the Senate passing a bill doing so. This disconnect is puzzling — until you understand that some Republicans just didn’t want to give Democrats and Obama a “win” — even if they agreed on the policy.

But while Congress failed to act, states did. As Democrats gained solid majorities in blue states, many passed increasingly restrictive gun laws, backed by a growing gun control movement with real resources. At the same time, some red states have moved in the opposite direction, with Republicans passing increasingly radical “gun rights” legislation.

Republican voters became more skeptical that gun control could curb gun violence, and instead leaned harder into an “American carnage” narrative in which unchecked evil was everywhere, and only guns could keep the true American heroes and their family safe.  It’s a dark, apocalyptic vision, stoked and cultivated by the National Rifle Association and the gun industry. It’s also identity politics. Gun owning has become an identity for many Americans, an identity that the NRA and its affiliates have nurtured. It’s also an identity that has fused with the conservative identity, the Christian identity, the white identity and the rural identity. All of them have rolled into what Lilliana Mason calls one “mega-identity”: Republican.

Group identities have always been an important part of American politics, because, again, we make sense of politics collectively. Politics is the thing we do together. But just as the four-party system sorted into the two-party system, so the many identity groups that cut across the two parties have now joined one team or the other, making everything feel higher stakes and more zero-sum.

Almost two-thirds of Americans now say there ought to be more than two parties. Almost half of Americans prefer to identify as an “independent,” declining to affiliate with either of our two major parties. The great majority of Americans are open to significant reforms, and confidence in government has been on the decline. Widespread distrust in institutions and generalized discontent recurs periodically in American politics, and it is a reliable precursor to major institutional reforms.

The years leading up to the Progressive Era offer many encouraging analogies and rhymes to today’s politics. During the first two decades of the 20th century, U.S. politics changed in significant ways (introduction of the direct primary, direct election of senators, initiative and referendum process, major municipal reforms and women’s suffrage). This followed the Gilded Age, a time of deep distrust and corruption in U.S. institutions and widespread public discontent.

America has a tradition of political reforms that have made democracy more representative and inclusive. Proportional representation would be the next stage in that tradition.

Of course, the leaders of the two major political parties are unlikely to want to give up power. However, both parties still contain multitudes within them (just non-overlapping multitudes). Many progressive Democrats would like to have their own party, separate from the more establishment Democrats they feel are holding them back. More moderate Democrats should be glad to run as their own party too, no longer tied to what they fear are loser issues like defunding the police and Critical Race Theory. Center-right Republicans would benefit from their own party, given that an illiberal MAGA faction has taken control of the Republican party. Counting across these three groups, there is a strong super-majority to support reform.

If new third party challengers emerge and the system destabilizes (and there are some early signs of this), even party leaders may embrace reform. Party leaders are pragmatic, and they should realize that a proportional system is less sensitive to narrow spoilers and the wild swings such disruptions can cause. Indeed, this is the main reason much of Western Europe adopted proportional representation between 1899 and 1919 — because it was more stabilizing than the previous majoritarian voting systems that generated wild swings based on small voting shifts. It also helped that it was widely viewed as a much fairer system, too.

Proportional representation, of course, is not a cure-all for real divides and genuine conflicts in American society. But a system of shifting coalitions that allows everyone to periodically re-evaluate their positions will help break the artificial binaries that have locked us into so many zero-sum fights. It offers a way to rearrange and scramble the many identities that shape our political selves and allow new alignments to form. It is a way to get us thinking again and help us recapture the nuance and tolerance for uncertainty that we need to innovate new solutions to hard problems.


Mkpokiti, the Igbo cultural dance group that took over the world

Obinwannem News Mkpokiti, the Igbo cultural dance group that took over the world

It is not unclear that the Igbo race possesses a distinct trait of dexterity across the globe. They have always proven in recent times that the identity, ‘Igbo,’ is characterized by excellence, and success. Having said that, the mkpokiti Igbo dance and its peculiarity, is an authentication affirming the ingenuity of the Igbo people.

The mkpokiti cultural dance group was instituted in 1959 in Umunze, Anambra state, Eastern Nigeria, by Chief Festus Okoli, also known as Ojimgba, of the blessed memory. He was born in the year 1927 and joined his ancestors in 2009.

Obinwannem News

The extra ordinary dance group took the nation by surprise in 1970, when Nigeria organized an event to mark the end of the Nigeria-Biafrawar. The event was to feature a cultural dance competition from the various ethnic nationalities. Three thousand British pounds (£3,000) and a golden gong were staked as the prizes for the competition.

The Igbo spirit did not fail to manifest as the dance troupe went home with the cash prize and the golden gong. Their outstanding performance and near impossible stunts and acrobatics took the audience by surprise. The dance group did what many considered impossible, they would hang on each others shoulders rhythmically while towering over 15 to 20 ft of height and holding out one person in the mid air with just one hand, it was an extra ordinary spectacle to behold.

Due to the diligence and creativity of the Igbo dance group, the Anambra state government adopted the dance group as the official state cultural Igbo dance group. It is on record that the mkpokiti dance group has never assumed the second position in any competition, they took the lead, in the national cultural dance festivals of 1971, 1972, 1973 they even represented Nigeria in the year 1977 during the “FESTAC 77’’ in Lagos.

The group has since then gone around the globe, and making the Igbo nation proud. In New York, Washington, Brazil, Barbados to mention only a few. The Nigerian government has no choice than to make the mkpokiti dance troupe the national dance troupe and as a form of reward for their hardwork and creativity the group was ‘immortalized’ on the five (5) Nigerian Naira note.

The mkpokiti dance group is a clear example of the creative mindset of the Igbo man, they marketed the Igbo name with due diligence to the world of culture and creativity.

Ifesinachi Nnabugwu reporting, Obinwannem News

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When you are in need of low-cost products, we can offer an extensive lineup of standard temperature sensors (general-purpose products).

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The apostle James was honored with a favored position by Jesus Christ,

as one of three men in his inner circle. The others were James' brother John

and Simon Peter.

James the son of Zebedee, often called James the Greater to distinguish him

from the other apostle named James.

Not only did James and John earn a special nickname from the Lord -

"sons of thunder"—they were privileged to be at the front and center of three

supernatural events in the life of Christ. In addition to these honours, James

was the first of the twelve to be martyred for his faith in A.D. 44.

two brothers because he is always mentioned first.

(Mark 5:37-47), the transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-3), and Jesus' agony in the

Garden of Gethsemane(Matthew 26:36-37).

This earned them the nickname "Boanerges," or "sons of thunder."

Accomplishments of the Apostle James:

James followed Jesus as one of the 12 disciples. He proclaimed the gospel after Jesus' resurrection and was martyred for his faith.

James' Strengths:

James was a loyal disciple of Jesus. He apparently had outstanding personal qualities that are not detailed in Scripture, because his character made him one of Jesus' favorites.

James' Weaknesses:

With his brother John, James could be rash and unthinking. He did not always apply the gospel to earthly matters.

Life Lessons from the Apostle James:

Following Jesus Christ can lead to hardship and persecution, but the reward is eternal lifewith him in heaven.

Referenced in the Bible:

The Apostle James is mentioned in all four Gospels and his martyrdom is cited in Acts 12:2.

Fisherman, disciple of Jesus Christ.

Family Tree:

Father - Zebedee
Mother - Salome
Brother - John

Key Verses:

Acts 12:1-2: It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. (NIV)


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The Asian Marriage Rate in the usa

The statistics on the Hard anodized cookware marriage cost vary from a person ethnic group to another. Yet , the trend among Japanese and Korean Americans is much below that of Asians. In addition to the larger rate of intermarrying with whites, Asian Families are more likely to get married to another Hard anodized cookware than a White-colored person. Actually the majority of Cookware relationships occur within their own ethnic organizations. This development is due to the changing perspectives of women.

There is also a male or female gap among newlywed Asians. This gap can be larger for girls, as they are two times as likely to marry a different contest or racial. For men, the gap lessens, but it nonetheless remains a substantial percentage. In 2015, 39% of Asian bride and groom experienced married an individual of a diverse race https://mailorderasianbrides.org/countries/filipino-brides or ethnicity. By contrast, simply 16% of newlywed Hard anodized cookware men had intermarried with a partner of a different race.

Women in Asia are more likely to bear the responsibility of relationship, and some research shows that women in Asian countries get family life less desired than work. Surveys are mixed, but a 2011 study in Japan’s three largest locations found that two-thirds of wives or girlfriends were pleased with their relationships. By contrast, in the us, simply half of spouses felt confident of their marriages. Unfortunately, this development is not only detrimental to Asian women and men.

Although a higher rate of Asian-American marriage excellent news for the entire population, additionally, it is problematic for the purpose of recent migrants. Although the U. S. government cracked down in arranged marriages, the number of marriages with and also the continues to go up. In Taiwan, it is a fact that a the latest government crackdown on arranged relationships lowered the speed. But in other places, it continues to increase. Plus the problem of outmarriage between Asians may not be when pronounced several think.

Asian men in the United States happen to be more likely to marry second or third-generation Asian females than men through the first or third-plus-generation. Yet , the rate of inter-generational relationships is bigger among Cookware men than amidst whites. It is vital to keep in mind there is no such thing when a single-generation matrimony in America. For example , a high percentage of first and second-generation Asian males marry light women, which can be much higher than amongst white wines.

Despite the rise in the number of splitting of marriages among Cookware women, they can be still reduced than in the West. In the 1980s, the Asian divorce rate was only one out of every dating asian women 1, 000. Today, the rate has reached two per thousand. This suggests that divorce in Asia may possibly soon turn into as common since it is in Europe. However , this really is a having to worry trend that need to be addressed. The Hard anodized cookware marriage rate continues to go up despite the issues facing its human population.

Another trend that is changing the marriage prices of Asian girls is the embrace female employment. The Asian economic system has created a boom in women’s employment. In countries like South-East Asia, nearly half of females are employed. In Southerly Korea, employment rates for individuals who in their 20s have just lately overtaken those of their male alternative. This alter has also lead to the collapse of lifetime job systems in the region. These changes contain increased the quantity of unmarried ladies.

Furthermore, Asian women are more likely to agree that women should cease working as soon as they marry. Furthermore, they are more unlikely to agree with pre-marital sexual. Pew Global Research, a social study outfit in Washington, POWER, finds that half of all new relationships fail. Which trend will undoubtedly change the Oriental matrimony rate. It will also disrupt the long-standing traditions of widespread marriage. This trend is not only dating asian women impacting on women, yet also guys.

Regardless of the high Asian-American marriage price, the growth of Asian migrants has had a bad impact on intermarriage prices. As a result, this kind of trend offers resulted in a reduction in the number of Cookware marriages. And the Cookware marriage amount has decreased significantly in this time period. The Chinese Exemption Act has also influenced intermarriage amongst Asians in the U. Nasiums., despite the recent surge of Asian migrants.

Although intermarriage rates between whites and Asians possess fallen inside the U. S., the Cookware American people remains remarkably diverse. Irrespective of these differences, Asians are not any less likely to marry other Asians than their light counterparts. Nevertheless , Asians who are really educated may marry white wines than those who are a reduced amount of educated. Those with higher education also get married to whites, but reduced often than their non-asian furnishings.


Earlier today, I came across this post about being alone.
Like many of the pieces I actually take the time to read, it got me thinking.
There's an obvious difference between being alone and being lonely, and frankly, the line separating one from the other is strikingly thick.
I can recall countless time where I've been alone but didn't feel lonely.
I'll take myself to a movie without a second thought, and I've been known to entertain a full conversation, IN MY HEAD, with myself during my lunch hour.
Just a couple weeks ago I flew solo to a concert, and even though it wasn't part of the original plan, I had a better time than I expected.

On the other hand, there are also moments where I feel naked, vulnerable and awkward making moves all by my lonesome.
Ever tried to walk somewhere, alone, with no phone to talk/text with and no ipod to listen to music on? Just you, your thoughts and the sounds of the world around you?
Honestly, it's weird.
But it shouldn't be.
Some people struggle so hard to find out who they are and to discover their purpose in life, and yeah, it can be a tough task to tackle.
But it shouldn't be.
Why is it always so easy to get to know other people but difficult to really understand ourselves? Maybe because we spend more time talking and listening to or reading about everyone else's lives.
Personally, I can say that my thoughts speak volumes about my personality. At any given time, my stream of consciousness is jumping from A to Z and all around everywhere in between, but it's those little trails, tangents, sidenotes and tidbits that remind me of my individuality.

That being said, as much as I actually enjoy spending time alone, the thought of sitting by myself at a restaurant for dinner or trying some new activity without at least one friend by my side still seems... out of the question, but I'm looking to change that.
So, one day soon I'll be ditching my cell phone and all forms of online communication for 24 hours.
God willing and the creek don't rise, I'll live to blog about it.

I take much pleasure in being alone, but there is also a strange, warm grace in not being alone. -Charles Bukowski


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Lila Bennington Net Worth 2019, Biography, Early Life, Education, Career and Achievement

Lila Bennington Net Worth – On 20th July 2017, the world lost an amazing singer and musician, Chester Bennington, popular as the lead vocalist of popular American Rock band, Linkin Park. We all are familiar with the legend but we still are not so familiar with the woman behind his motivation. And she is non-other than his second wife, Talinda Ann Bennington.

Talinda is a former Playboy magazine model and a strong supporter of the singer, Chester Bennington who sticked by his side in every situation. Moreover, the couple married in 2006 and shared three children together. To know more about her, stay with us.

Lila Bennington Net Worth 2019

Lila Bennington Net Worth

Early Life, Family and Education:

Talinda Ann Bennington was born Talinda Ann Bentely on 18th September 1976 in the United States. Likewise, her birth sign is Virgo which defines her personality to be modest, capable, and smart. Furthermore, she is American as per nationality and as far as her ethnicity is concerned, Talinda is White.

Regarding her academics, she graduated in 1995 from the Los Angeles Music Academy. She started working as a model. Also, Talinda modeled for the famous magazine, Playboy. Talking about her late husband, Chester Bennington, he was a famous singer and a songwriter.

Furthermore, he is popular as the lead vocalist for Linkin Park. He also worked as a lead vocalist for several bands like Stone Temple PilotDead by Sunrise, and Grey Daze among others.

Personal Life:

Talinda Ann Bennington is a widow of Chester. Well, the couple met for the first time in 2004 with the help of their mutual friend, Ryan Shuck (a musician). After dating for some time, they married in 2006in a private ceremony attended by friends and families. Furthermore, she tied the knot with Chester after he divorced his first wife, Samantha Marie Olite in 2005.

Moreover, the couple shares three children, a son Tyler Lee Bennington (born in 2006) and twin daughters Lila Bennington and Lily Bennington born in 2011.  The husband-wife couple used to share a strong bond. Besides, in 2006, they became the victim of cyberstalking. They received several emails and phone calls.

Almost after a year, police found the stalker and poisoned for 2 years. Moreover, on 20th July 2017, Chester’s housekeeper found him dead at his home in California by his housekeeper. His death was determined to be a suicide.

Lila Bennington Net Worth

Talinda Ann Bentley who has worked in several filed in her early life, later on, started her career as a model. She is best known for her work in the Playboy magazine. But she didn’t continue it after getting married to a famous singer, Chester. Her husband was famous as a lead vocalist for Linkin Park.

Talinda Ann Bennington’s net worth is yet unknown. According to some online sources, a playboy model earns an average salary if $29,361. Whereas, her husband had an estimated net worth of $30 million. Moreover, he definitely earned a huge amount of salary from his singing career.

As of 2019, his mansion was available for rent for $8800 per month. The mansion actually worth $2.4 million. Besides, he had a collection of luxury cars like Mercedes Amg GT ($165k), Chrysler 300C ($35k), Mercedes-Amg G Class ($145k) and Honda Civic Custom ($25k) among others.


CI GAM adds ESG and commodities mandates to offerings

New mandates present timely and relevant options to help investors in today's difficult markets

CI GAM adds ESG and commodities mandates to offerings

CI Global Asset Management has bolstered its shelf of offerings with two ESG-focused mandates with mutual fund and ETF series, and a liquid alternative ETF that focuses on commodities.

“The new mandates are the latest steps in CI GAM’s ongoing initiative to modernize its investment fund lineup by introducing relevant and timely options that support investors’ interests and help them thrive in today’s challenging markets,” said Geraldo Ferreira, Senior Vice-President and Head of Investment Products and Manager Oversight for CI GAM.

The ETF series for the CI Global Sustainable Infrastructure Fund started trading on the TSX under the tickers CGRN (ETF C$ Series) and CGRN.U (ETF US$ Hedged Series).

Offered as a mutual fund and an exchange-traded fund, it aims to generate income and long-term capital growth by primarily investing in businesses that have direct or indirect access to sustainable infrastructure, located anywhere in the world. The fund, which has a low to medium risk rating, also pays a monthly distribution.

Read more: Why infrastructure isn’t just a defensive portfolio play

Meanwhile, the ETF series of the CI Global Green Bond Fund started trading on the TSX under the tickers CGRB (ETF C$ Series) and CGRB.U (ETF US$ Hedged Series).

The CI Global Green Bond Fund aims to generate long-term total return by emphasizing sustainable and responsible issuers. To this end, the fund primarily invests in green bonds that are issued by governments, entities associated with governments, and corporations that can be found anywhere in the world.

Finally, hedged common units of the CI Auspice Broad Commodity ETF are also now trading under the ticker CCOM. CCOM is also Canada’s first-ever multi-commodity ETF.

Read more: Why Canada's first multi-commodity ETF is 'far, far overdue'

By investing in financial instruments that offer exposure to the price movements of commodities, such as futures contracts and derivatives, CCOM aims to match the performance of the Auspice Broad Commodity Excess Return Index. The index follows a diversified portfolio of commodity futures contracts, or components, from the agriculture, energy, and metals industries using a quantitative methodology.

The CI Auspice Broad Commodity ETF is the eighth product in CI GAM's market-leading lineup of liquid alternative funds and ETFs.


Geological Star Trek Review – “Amok Time”

In September 2018 astronomers announced the discovery of an exoplanet with 8.47 times Earth’s mass and twice Earth’s radius in the 40-Eridani star system, nearly 17 light years away from Earth.

In the Star Trek universe, Eridani is the star system where the planet Vulcan is located, the homeworld of Commander Spock.

In the episode “Amok Time”, first aired on September 15, 1967, the Enterprise visits the planet for the first time. As it orbits its sun on a very narrow orbit, surface temperatures are very high. The atmosphere is very thin, barely breathable, and non-Vulcans have a hard time adapting to the harsh environment. According to Star Trek lore, the desert-planet Vulcan orbits its sun together with the planet T´Khut, a geologically very active lava-planet.

The classification of planets in the Star Trek universe is based on size (gas giants or small, rocky worlds), composition (rock-metal core or gas), geological activity (inactive- active) and atmosphere (from oxygen-rich to toxic). For example, small, rocky worlds with some geological activity and an oxygen-rich atmosphere making them suitable for humanoid life-forms are classified as M after Minshara, the native name of Vulcan.

“Amok Time” (1967).

In the movie “Star Trek 2”, released in 1982, the star 40-Eridani-A is mentioned as Vulcan’s sun. In 1991, Gene Roddenberry, creator of Star Trek, published a brief article together with astrophysicists Baliunas, Donahue and Nassiopoulos, arguing that the constellation of Eridani would be the most fitting place for Spock’s homeworld.

The 40-Eridani system is a triple star system, with Eridani-A as the primary star accompanied by a red and a white dwarf star, named respectively Eridani-B and Eridani-C. Only Eridani-A is stable enough to host a hypothetical habitable planet. Eridani-B emits too much dangerous radiation and Eridani-C is prone to flares, sudden eruptions of energy and matter. As Eridani-A is smaller than our Sun, also the habitable zone where a planet could exist with liquid water is narrower. Unlike the fictional planet Vulcan, the real exoplanet seems to be a Super-Earth or a small gas giant. According to the published preliminary results, the planet orbits its star in just 39 to 40 Earth days, within the inner limit of the habitable zone.

Geology of strange, new worlds plays also a role in Vulcan society.

In the 1996 movie “Star Trek: First Contact” the geological survey ship T’Plana Hath approaches our solar system in the year 2063. Attracted by the Phoenix warp test – the first faster-than-light flight in human history – the Vulcan ship lands on Earth, making the first peaceful contact with humanity in Bozeman, Montana.

The first contact between humans and extraterrestrial geologists.

However, in the later Enterprise (2001–2005) episode “Carbon Creek” another survey ship crash-lands on 1950s Earth somewhere in Pennsylvania. Following the “First Directive”, the Vulcans keep their true alien identity a secret and work as geologists in the local coal industry.

In a parallel timeline, the first contact ends with the humans killing the Vulcan geologists and claiming the technologically advanced survey ship for humanity. This mirror universe, where the Federation is replaced by an evil Terran Empire, is first seen in the 1967 episode “Mirror, Mirror.” During negotiations for mining dilithium on the Halkan homeworld, a magnetic storm causes a transporter malfunction, sending Kirk, McCoy, Scotty, and Uhura to the parallel Enterprise.

Famously Commander Spock is the science officer aboard the Enterprise, including some notions of geology.

“Obsession” (1967).

In the episode “The Apple”, Spock immediately notes the lush vegetation of the planet Gamma Trianguli VI. He correctly deduces that soil-nutrients (and therefore geology) play a role in supporting this peculiar paradise-like ecosystem. With his sharp geological eye, Spock identifies also hornblende and quartz in a collected rock.

Interesting. Extremely low specific gravity, some uraninite, hornblende, quartz. Fragile, good cleavage. An analysis should prove interesting.

Hornblende, Moos in Passeier, South Tyrol.
“You must be one with the rock” from the episode “By Any Other Name” (1968).

Autor: David Bressan


Josèfa Ntjam

The Saint-Étienne-based artist, performer and writer’s practice combines sculpture, photomontage, film and sound. Gleaning the raw material of her work from the internet, books on natural sciences, and photographic archives, Ntjam uses assemblage—of images, words, sounds, and stories—as a method to deconstruct hegemonic discourses on origin, identity and race. Her work weaves multiple narratives drawn from investigations into historical events, scientific functions and philosophical concepts, to which she confronts references to African mythology, ancestral rituals, religious symbolism and science-fiction.

Solo and duo exhibitions include have been presented at CAC La Traverse, Alfortville, NıCOLETTı, London, Hordaland Art Center, Bergen, Norway, while work and performances have been shown in international exhibitions, including ones atStedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center, Musée d'art moderne et contemporain MAMC+, Saint-Etienne Radius CCA, Delft, MUCEM, Marseille, France, Fondation Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, Portugal, and Africamuseum, Tervuren, MuCAT – Musée des Cultures Contemporaines Adama Toungara, Abidjan, Ivory Coast Palais de Tokyo and Centre Pompidou, Paris, MAC Lyon, Art Basel, FACT, Liverpool. Ntjam is a member of Paris-based art & research collective Black(s) to the Future.

Josèfa Ntjam exhibits her film, "Dislocation" in the "Deep Thought" film program.


8 Tips To Plan Your B2 First

How to make an android app for writing task 2 Why I'm able to write a mini research essay

Efficiency (efficiency>), the characteristic of system effectiveness (the device, the car) concerning transformation or transmission of energy; is defined by the relation it is useful for the used energy to the total amount of energy received by system; h = is designated by Wpol/Wcym usually.

Distinguish of a separate element (step) of the car or the device and , characterizing all chain of transformations of energy in system. of the first type according to nature of transformation of energy can be mechanical, thermal etc. The general treat the second type, economic, technical, etc. types . General of system is equal to work of private , or of steps.

For environmental protection widely uses the treatment facilities interfering emission in the atmosphere of harmful substances sharply limit use of compounds of the heavy metals added to fuel, develop


Motorcycle Windshield Height Guidelines

If you are thinking of having a motorcycle windshield installed on your bike, you will need to consider how high the windshield will rise above the handle bars. Generally speaking, there are no laws, regulations, rules or common guidelines for the height of motorcycle windshields. So, if you have been looking for information on motorcycle windshields, you may still be confused as to how high yours should be. Well, hopefully the information in this article will be able to help.

While there is nothing set in stone about the height of a motorcycle windshield, this article will provide you with some common sense advice on the issue. Here, you will learn about how you should choose the motorcycle windshield that is best for you and the benefits of the various types of installations.

A Windshield on a Bike Is Personal

As mentioned above, there are no set rules or guidelines for windshield heights, and there's not even a consensus as to whether you need a windshield or not. However, if you do choose to install a windshield on your motorcycle, there are a few things you might want to consider. First, know that any windshield height that you choose is okay as long as it is acceptable to use and makes riding your bike easier or more convenient.

Some people choose very short windshields in order tocreate a wind-scoop that actually blows cool air into their face. Still, others use windshields only to protect themselves from bugs, stray rocks and other highway projectiles that can fly into the face of a rider when on the highway. Generally speaking, however, if you want to install a windshield, it is a good idea to keep the height of the windshield just below eye level. This will allow you to duck slightly when driving on highways and also allow you to see over the top of the windshield when it is not needed as much.

Bigger Is Not Always Better

Some riders with Gold Wings, Harleys or other big bikes tend to think bigger windshields are always better. However, this is certainly not the case. If you ride a motorcycle long enough, you'll realize that sometimes a large windshield will become a rain or bug covered obstruction to your vision. If you get caught in a rainstorm while on your bike, a large windshield can actually hinder you from getting where you need to go. So, regardless of the height of your windshield, always make sure that you can see over the top of it without too much effort.

Cowboys Didn't Use Windshields

Motorcycles are often referred to as the steel horses of our time. With this in mind, you may want to consider that cowboys of past and present have never use windshields while on their horses. Sometimes, motorcycles with windshields simply are not as cool. Also, remember that it is much easier to wipe dust, bugs and water away from a pair of goggles or a helmet visor shield than it is to clean off your windshield.

A windshield is not a bad idea; in fact, it can be an excellent idea if you drive frequently on highways and back roads. However, before buying a windshield, you should carefully consider what type of protection you want to achieve with the windshield or what type of aerodynamic effect you want as a result of its installation.


Bent Presta Valve Core? 4 Ways To Fix It (With Pictures)

Presta valves are typically found on road bikes and high-end mountain bikes. They’re thinner and work a little bit differently than a Schrader valve.

One of the main reasons to use a Presta valve is that they require a smaller hole, which gives you a stronger rim. But, on the other hand, the valve itself can be a little bit more fragile, and if you’re not careful, your Presta valve can get bent.

This article will talk about what happens when your Presta valve gets bent. Then, we’ll look at some of the options you can choose if your valve gets bent and how you can tell if your valve is leaking. But first, let’s take a quick look at how to use a Presta valve.

How to Use a Presta Valve

A Presta valve is a thin valve with a tiny nut at the end, sometimes called the valve pin. You gently unscrew the valve pin. If you push it in, the air from your bike tire will flow out. Put the coordinating head of the tire pump onto the Valve stem and pump it up. Carefully remove the head of the pump, so you don’t damage the pin.

Then, gently screw the top of the valve in just enough to keep it in place, then replace the dust cap or stem cap.

It’s very easy for the Presta valve to get bent when pumping up your tires. It can even happen when you’re riding, especially if you don’t put the stem cap back on.

What to Do If Your Presta Valve Is Bent?

Most Presta valves are made from brass, which is very soft and easy to bend. So if you aren’t careful when using your bicycle pump or screwing on your dust cap, you can easily bend the Presta valve a little bit. But don’t panic- there are options!

1.     Check if it holds air

If your Presta valve is holding air and you can still pump it up easily, you might not have to do anything at all. As long as it is working, you can keep using it if the valve core is a little bit bent.

The most likely culprit of a bent valve core is pulling off the bike pump head from the tire. If you don’t remove it carefully and straight, it can bend the core.

I have had several tires with bent Presta valve cores, which worked perfectly well. They do look a little odd since you intuitively know that the core should be straight, but bent cores aren’t inherently dangerous.

If doing nothing makes you nervous, just make sure you bring a spare tube with you. Then, if the valve begins to leak air on a ride, you can just stop and replace the tube like you would for a typical flat tire. Or, if your tires are tubeless, you can easily remove and replace the valve core with a new one (provided you have one along!). Then, you’ll just need to pump the tire back up afterward.

2.     Fix it

If the Presta core is leaking air because it’s bent, you can try to straighten it out. You’ll need to do this very gently because the valve core is fragile and can break easily if you bend it too far.

First, loosen the nut on the valve stem. However, don’t loosen it too far because this can cause more damage.

Next, use a small pair of pliers and gently apply pressure to straighten the valve core. Again, be as conservative as possible because you don’t want to risk breaking it. You just want to straighten it enough to make it work again.

Try pumping up the tire, then tightening the nut on the end of the valve. Listen carefully to see if the valve is holding air.

The valve doesn’t have to be perfectly straight – it only needs to be straight enough to hold the air in your tire.

3.     Replace it

If you can’t fix the valve core, or if it breaks while you are fixing it, you might be able to replace it. Most tubeless tires and even some tubes have removable stem cores. You can purchase a small bag of stem cores very inexpensively. If yours is removable, you might want to add one to your saddlebag with your other flat tire repair items.

You know that your Presta valve core is removable if you see a small gap between the stem and the core. If there’s no gap, the core can’t be removed.

Use a valve core remover tool to twist off the valve core. If you don’t have one you can use pliers instead. Put a new one in the stem and finger tighten it. Make sure the threads line up so that the valve core is straight. If you try to twist the core in, and it isn’t lining up correctly, you could cause more damage.

Use the valve core tool to tighten the stem core just enough.

Loosen the nut at the end of the valve stem and pump up your tires to make sure the tire is holding air. Then tighten the nut and replace the stem cap.

4.     Replace the entire tube

If your stem core breaks and your tube does not have a replaceable valve core, you’ll have to replace the entire tube. But it’s better to replace the tube than end up stranded with a flat tire! If this is a recurring problem for you, you may want to consider switching to tubes with removable stem cores or going tubeless.

What To Do If Your Entire Valve Stem is Crooked?

If the entire valve stem is crooked, it could be because the tube inside the tire isn’t seated correctly. If you ride with the stem crooked, the rim could cut into the valve, causing a hole in your tube and a flat tire.

You might be able to fix your crooked stem just by letting all the air out of the tire, making sure the stem is straight, and pumping it back up. This might be enough to fix the crooked stem without too much effort.

If the stem is still crooked, though, you’ll need to unseat the tires on the wheels and adjust the tube inside the tire as if you were changing a flat.

How Can You Tell if Your Presta Valve is Leaking Air?

If your bicycle tire is mysteriously going flat, your Presta valve might be leaking air. If you remove the dust cap from your Presta valve, you might be able to hear or feel air coming out of it. If your tires are tubeless, you might be able to see sealant squeezing out around the arts of the valve core. In this case, you’ll probably need to replace the core or the tube.

Bike Commuter Hero

Recent Posts


Instagram would extend the duration of its Reels to 90 seconds

In the constant battle to stay ahead among social networks, the platform would be about to extend the duration of the Reels up to 90 seconds.

Instagram would extend the duration of its Reels to 90 seconds

Reels appeared when Tiktok began to gain popularity, as well as YouTube Shorts, so Instagram wants to differentiate itself by lengthening the duration of them.

Everything seems to indicate that the platform is about to change its rules for Reels, since it will extend its current 60 seconds to the possibility of generating content of up to a minute and a half (90 seconds).

Instagram hasn't made any official announcement yet, so the source of this information is a developer named Alessandro Paluzzi, who uses reverse engineering and code strings to learn about upcoming updates to social media apps.

We will have to wait to see if this update occurs, and consider that it is increasingly difficult for users to pay attention to long videos, so the shorter ones seem to favor success.

Temas: reels , Instagram , TikTok


Latest News Editor's Choice

News / Local

Mnangagwa accused of capturing judiciary

by Staff reporter
11 Jun 2022 at 09:14hrs | Views
MTHWAKAZI Republic Party (MRP) leader, Mqondisi Moyo, has accused President Emmerson Mnangagwa of capturing the judiciary and imprisoning his supporters Gukurahundi-style.

In a strongly worded letter to Mnangagwa, which we cannot publish in its entirety, Moyo accused him of using tricks he has for years been accused of using during the Gukurahundi genocide; to kill, maim and intimidate.

Bulawayo magistrate, Sangster Tawengwa, sentenced seven members of the party to 33 months in prison two weeks ago. Two others were incarcerated for 36 months.

The nine activists were facing charges of public violence after they stormed into Bulawayo Central Police Station protesting the foiled abduction of Moyo by alleged state security agents last year.

Moyo warned the act was a recipe for civil strife.

"Instead of your courts being non-partisan and independent, they get instructions from you. It is clear to us that you are still using your old, dirty tactics of the 1980s. You kill, maim, rape, intimidate, frustrate, and arrest Mthwakazi people using your Shona supremacy and all the state apparatus at your disposal," said Moyo in the letter dated June 9, 2022.

"Instruct your Magistrate to reverse the politically motivated ruling he made through your instruction because of the hate you have for our people. Depoliticise the Judiciary and the policing services as this is a recipe for civil unrest in Mthwakazi.

"Remember that the situation we are going through is almost like what whites did to the blacks and this led to a war of liberation.

"Could this be a recipe for a second Gukurahundi genocide by your government? We are aware that when you arrested Dumiso Dabengwa and Lookout Masuku, Gukurahundi was to follow shortly. Is history repeating itself? I need answers so that we know how to respond."

The letter was copied to Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, police commissioner general Godwin Matanga, justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, the British, American, and Australian embassies.

"We are aware that those are the countries that might have supported your government by funding the Genocide. Then, a great majority of Western countries ignored Gukurahundi as if nothing of importance was happening.

"I can even quote former United States of America ambassador to Zimbabwe, Charles Ray, who, on 25 August 2011, said in Bulawayo that the US was too busy to investigate Gukurahundi genocide. By that, he was acknowledging that the genocide happened," added Moyo.

Source - NewZimbabwe
More on: #Mnangagwa, #War, #Vets


Why is the cost of food going up?

Why is the cost of food going up?

Shopping today is 13.8% more expensive than a year agoas published today by the National Institute of Statistics once the CPI figures for August have been confirmed. It is increasingly difficult to fill the fridge and the pantry and also to explain why it is and until when it will continue to be so. The inflation rate for food and non-alcoholic beverages was the highest since January 1994 and rose another 0.5% over the previous month, July, after registering notable increases in milk, cheese, eggs, meat, bread or cereals, among others.

Behind these rises are the increase in production costs (electricity, water, cereals and diesel), the shortage of some raw materials as a result of the weather, especially the drought, and international imbalances in the markets, due to the war in Ukraine. Antonio Khalaf, commercial director of Retail at the IRI consultancy, stresses to Efe that it is impossible to calculate how long this rise can last linked to the cost of energy and the scarcity of raw materials, fundamentally due to the war.

“As long as energy costs continue to rise, companies are going to pass it on,” he says, so there are alternatives to act to lower this cost or play with tax rates. The agri-food sector is very broad and each subsector, including the most inflationary ones, share this situation, but in turn have their own casuistry.

Milk registers the highest rise

In annual terms, milk is the most significant upturn, 25.6%, a percentage that -however- is less than the 38% increase in the price paid for milk at origin to the farmer the previous month, in July, explains to Efe the general director of the National Federation of Dairy Industries (Fenil), Luis Calabozo. “The cost of the basic raw material that is milk to produce dairy foods has risen more and that, with some delay, is unsustainable if it is not transferred to the consumer,” Calabozo highlighted.

With the rise in production costs that began in 2021, primary production began to suffer and has been slow to cover costs, so that in many cases farmers have had to kill older cows because the meat market was more profitable and this lack of production – also registered worldwide – has raised prices even more.

The oil, affected by the distribution

The manager of the Olive Oil Interprofessional, Teresa Pérez, explains that olive oil has become more expensive by 13.2% in the last twelve months, due to the prices of packaging and fuel in distribution. In any case, this increase in oil was foreseeable after the “abnormally low” prices of two campaigns ago, according to Pérez. It has risen by 13.2%, and the effect of the rise in production costs on raw materials has not yet been appreciated, as is expected from the marketing of the oil produced in the next campaign, from October.

Eggs suffer from increased feed

The continued increases in raw materials for animal feed, of up to 78%, the higher cost of energy, transport, packaging and, in general, of all the inputs involved in the production and marketing of eggs have caused the increase in the price of eggs, point out from the employers’ association Inprovo. In addition, the sector is immersed in a process of change to cage-free systems, mainly from a conditioned cage to a floor system, which implies an increase of between 18 and 20% in production costs.

Additionally, there has been a drop in egg imports in the EU (Ukraine represented 50% of the total), and an increase in exports, which together with the effects of avian flu, which has affected many laying hens , has led to a reduction in supply and therefore tensions in the market.

farmers protest

Cereals affected by the war in Ukraine

In reaction to the rise in the CPI in “cereals and derivatives” (+21.7%), the general secretary of the employers’ association of grain and oilseed merchants Accoe, José Manuel Álvarez, has justified this rise with the rise in raw materials , due to factors such as the reduction in supply due to the weather, the war in Ukraine or the grain deficit in Spain, a net importer of wheat and barley. The head of the Accoe employer’s association has underlined the “uncertainty” about the evolution of the market, although international estimates predict a drop in harvests.

Chicken, the meat that has risen the most

Poultry has been the meat that has become more expensive in annual terms (+17.6%), pushed by the high costs of raw materials and energy that producers bear, explains to Efe the general secretary of the Spanish Interprofessional Association of Poultry meat (Avianza), Jordi Montfort. This increase in the retail price “is insufficient to cover production costs,” regrets the representative of this interprofessional organization. In the future, he foresees a difficult winter in which the problem with gas and electricity will continue and warns of the risk that “there will be a shortage of product if costs continue not to be covered.”


This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: "Memory address register" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (July 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

In a computer, the memory address register (MAR)[1] is the CPU register that either stores the memory address from which data will be fetched to the CPU registers, or the address to which data will be sent and stored via system bus.

In other words, this register is used to access data and instructions from memory during the execution phase of instruction. MAR holds the memory location of data that needs to be accessed. When reading from memory, data addressed by MAR is fed into the MDR (memory data register) and then used by the CPU. When writing to memory, the CPU writes data from MDR to the memory location whose address is stored in MAR. MAR, which is found inside the CPU, goes either to the RAM (random-access memory) or cache.

The memory address register is half of a minimal interface between a microprogram and computer storage; the other half is a memory data register.

In general, MAR is a parallel load register that contains the next memory address to be manipulated. For example, the next address to be read or written.

  1. ^ "Understanding the MAR and the MDR". Archived from the original on 2017-03-28. Retrieved 2017-01-20.


You Can Change A Child's Life!

Help ensure Kidz in Caledon can receive nutritious meals and have the chance to attend summer camps, recreational activities and so much more. Your help today provides a brighter tomorrow. Make a donation and change a child's life today.

Evolve Retail

Evolve Clothing and Evolve Lifestyle are the destinations to find gently-used clothing and household goods for your closet and home without breaking the bank. Shop, donate and volunteer. 100% of the proceeds support community services. How cool is that?

You can feel good knowing that you’re saving money thrifting, supporting your community with your purchases and lowering your eco-footprint by diverting goods from our landfills.

Thank you to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for their Resilient Communities Fund grant which funded in part technology enhancements for Evolve Retail, social enterprise stores.

Ontario Trillium Foundation


Supercooled liquids and glasses

The theoretical description of the glass transition is one of the main open problems in condensed matter physics. Why does the viscosity of supercooled liquids increase dramatically by decreasing temperature? Why are some liquids good glass-formers and do not crystallize when supercooled, while others not? What is the origin of the strong dynamical correlations that characterize the motions of atoms and molecules close to the glass transition? To answer these questions, several theories have been developed but none of them provides yet a fully satisfactory and predictive description.

Molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations are essential tools to understand the microscopic nature of condensed matter. Our research group focuses on classical simulation and optimization methods, and develops a Python framework to facilitate data analysis and the implementation of new algorithms. However, the time scales accessible to conventional simulations are too limited to study the dynamics of supercooled liquids close to the glass transition: even if we employ high performance computing (HPC) resources, simulating one second of the microscopic dynamics of a liquid would require several centuries of wall clock time.

One of our goals is to develop efficient simulation methods and fill the colossal gap between the time scales accessible to simulations and experiments. For instance, using the swap Monte Carlo method we accelerated the simulation of glassy colloidal suspensions by several billions of times and measured their structure and thermodynamics under extreme supercooling conditions. We also develop leight-weight but realistic force-fields to simulate supercooled liquids and glasses. We analyze their structure, dynamics and glass-forming ability using statistical physics and machine learning methods. In the long term, our efforts aim at identifying the correct theoretical description of the glass transition.

Head of Research Group
Daniele Coslovich
Last update: 10-06-2022 - 18:50


System Requirements

Minimum system requirements for IXUS.

IXUS Manager server requirements

The server needs at least 2GB of RAM and about 500GB of hard disk space. (It begins small but it scales after a while depending on how many documents and photos you upload onto the server.)

For optimum performance we recommend about 4-8GB of RAM and a quad core i5 or i7 or better processor.

The operating systems we support are Windows Server 2008/R2, Windows Server 2012/R2, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10

The IXUS Manager requires Microsoft SQL Server. The Express version of any of the following will be sufficient: SQL Server 2008/R2, SQL Server 2012, SQL Server 2014.

IXUS Modeller (client machine) requirements:

The Modeller needs 8GB of RAM and around 750MB of hard disk space as well as a multi-core processor.

Calculation times improve on faster and multi core processors so the more cores the faster it calculates.

A graphics card with at least 2GB of dedicated graphics memory. Please note that integrated graphics cards such as the Intel HD 3000 is not sufficient.

The operating systems we support are Windows 7 (x64) / Windows 10 (x64).


Feet To Inches

52.2 ft to in
52.2 Feet to Inches

52.2 Foot to Inch converter

How to convert 52.2 feet to inches?

52.2 ft *12.0 in= 626.4 in
1 ft
A common question is How many foot in 52.2 inch? And the answer is 4.35 ft in 52.2 in. Likewise the question how many inch in 52.2 foot has the answer of 626.4 in in 52.2 ft.

How much are 52.2 feet in inches?

52.2 feet equal 626.4 inches (52.2ft = 626.4in). Converting 52.2 ft to in is easy. Simply use our calculator above, or apply the formula to change the length 52.2 ft to in.

Convert 52.2 ft to common lengths

Nanometer15910560000.0 nm
Micrometer15910560.0 µm
Millimeter15910.56 mm
Centimeter1591.056 cm
Inch626.4 in
Foot52.2 ft
Yard17.4 yd
Meter15.91056 m
Kilometer0.01591056 km
Mile0.0098863636 mi
Nautical mile0.0085910151 nmi

What is 52.2 feet in in?

To convert 52.2 ft to in multiply the length in feet by 12.0. The 52.2 ft in in formula is [in] = 52.2 * 12.0. Thus, for 52.2 feet in inch we get 626.4 in.

52.2 Foot Conversion Table

52.2 Foot Table

Further feet to inches calculations

Alternative spelling

52.2 Feet to Inch, 52.2 Feet in Inch, 52.2 Foot to Inch, 52.2 Foot in Inch, 52.2 ft to Inches, 52.2 ft in Inches, 52.2 Foot to Inches, 52.2 Foot in Inches, 52.2 Foot to in, 52.2 Foot in in, 52.2 ft to Inch, 52.2 ft in Inch, 52.2 ft to in, 52.2 ft in in

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October 6, 2022

Archives for January 2021

Using an Old Model for New Questions on Influence Operations

Alicia Wanless, Kristen DeCaires Gall, and Jacob N. Shapiro
Freedom to Tinker: https://freedom-to-tinker.com/

Expanding the knowledge base around influence operations has proven challenging, despite known threats to elections,COVID-related misinformation circulating worldwide, and recent tragic events at the U.S. Capitol fueled in part by political misinformation and conspiracy theories. Credible, replicable evidence from highly sensitive data can be difficult to obtain. The bridge between industry and academia remains riddled with red tape. Intentional and systemic obstructions continue to hinder research on a range of important questions about how influence operations spread, their effects, and the efficacy of countermeasures.

A key part of the challenge lies in the basic motivations for both industry and academic sectors. Tech companies have little incentive to share sensitive data or allocate resources to an effort that does not end in a commercial product, and may even jeopardize their existing one. As a result, cross-platform advances to manage the spread of influence operations have been limited, with the notable exception of successful counter-terrorism data sharing. Researchers who seek to build relationships with specific companies encounter well-documented obstacles in accessing and sharing information, and subtler ones in the time-consuming process of learning how to navigate internal politics. Companies face difficulties recruiting in-house experts from academia as well, as many scholars worry about publication limitations and lack of autonomy when moving to industry.

The combination of these factors leaves a gap in research on non-commercial issues, at least in relation to the volume of consumer data tech companies ingest. And, unfortunately, studying influence in a purely academic setting presents all the challenges of normal research—inconsistent funding streams, access to quality data, and retaining motivated research staff—as well as the security and confidentiality issues that accompany any mass transfer of data.

We are left with a lack of high-quality, long-term research on influence operations.

Fortunately, a way forward exists. The U.S. government long-ago recognized that neither market nor academic incentives can motivate all the research large organizations need. Following World War II, it created a range of independent research institutions. Among them, the Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) were created explicitly to “provide federal agencies with R&D capabilities that cannot be effectively met by the federal government or the private sector alone”. FFRDCs – IDAMITRE, and RAND for example – are non-profit organizations funded by Congress for longer periods of time (typically five years) to pursue specific limited research agendas. They are prohibited from competing for other contracts, which enable for-profit firms to share sensitive data with them, even outside of the protections of the national security classification system, and can invest in staffing choices and projects that span short government budget cycles. These organizations bridge the divide between university research centers and for-profit contractors, allowing them to fill critical analytical gaps for important research questions.

The FFRDC model is far from perfect. Like many government contractors, some have historically had cost inefficiencyand security issues. But by solving a range of execution challenges, they enable important, but not always market-driven research on topics ranging from space exploration, to renewable energy, to cancer treatment.

Adopting a similar model of a multi-stakeholder research and development center (MRDC) funded by industry and civil society could lay a foundation for collaboration on issues pertaining to misinformation and influence operations by accomplishing five essential tasks

  • Facilitate funding for long-term projects.
    • Provide infrastructure for developing shared research agendas and a mechanism for executing studies.
    • Create conditions that help build trusted, long-term relationships between sectors.
    • Offer career opportunities for talented researchers wishing to do basic research with practical application.
    • Guard against inappropriate disclosures while enabling high-credibility studies with sensitive information that cannot be made public.

The MDRC model fills a very practical need for flexibility and speed on the front end of addressing immediate problems, such as understanding what, if any, role foreign nations played in the discussions which led up to January 6. Such an organization would provide a bridge for academics and practitioners to come together quickly and collaborate for a sustained period, months or years, on real-world operational issues. A research project at a university can take six months to a year to set up funding and fully staff a project. Furthermore, most universities, and even organizations like the Stanford Internet Observatory fully dedicated to these issues, cannot do “work for hire”. Meaning, if there’s no unique intellectual product or no true research question at hand, their ability to work on a given problem is limited or non-existent. An established contract organization that clearly owns a topic, fully staffed with experts in house, minimizes these hindrances.

Because an MDRC focused on influence operations does not fit neatly into existing organizational structures, its initial setup should be an iterative process. It should start with two or more tech companies joining with a cluster of academic organizations on a discrete set of deliverables, all with firm security agreements in place. Once the initial set of projects proves the model’s value, and plans for budgets and researcher time are solidified, the organization could be expanded. The negative impact of internet platforms’ impact on society did not grow over night, and we certainly do not expect the solution to either. And, tempting as it is to think the U.S. government could simply fund such an institution, it likely needs to remain independent of government funding in order to avoid collusion concerns from the international community.

Steps toward bridging the gap between academia and the social media firms have already taken place. Facebook’s recent provision of academic access to Crowdtangle, meant in part to provide increased transparency on influence operations and disinformation, is a good step, as is its data-sharing partnership with several universities to look at election-related content. Such efforts will enable some work currently stymied by data sharing, but they do not address the deeper incentive-related issues.

Establishing a long-term MDRC around the study of influence operations and misinformation is more crucial than ever. It is a logical way forward to address these questions at the scale they deserve.

CITP’s Summer Fellowship Program for Training Public Interest Technologists

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How did the PIT-SF fellowship influence you?

ESS voting machine company sends threats

For over 15 years, election security experts and election integrity advocates have been communicating to their state and local election officials the dangers of touch-screen voting machines. The danger is simple: if fraudulent software is installed in the voting machine, it can steal votes in a way that a recount wouldn’t be able to detect or correct. That was true of the paperless touchscreens of the 2000s, and it’s still true of the ballot-marking devices (BMDs) and “all-in-one” machines such as the ES&S ExpressVote XL voting machine (see section 8 of this paper*). This analysis is based on the characteristics of the technology itself, and doesn’t require any conspiracy theories about who owns the voting-machine company.

In contrast, if an optical-scan voting machine was suspected to be hacked, the recount can assure an election outcome reflects the will of the voters, because the recount examines the very sheets of paper that the voters marked with a pen. In late 2020, many states were glad they used optical-scan voting machines with paper ballots: the recounts could demonstrate conclusively that the election results were legitimate, regardless of what software might have been installed in the voting machines or who owned the voting-machine companies. In fact, the vast majority of the states use optical-scan voting machines with hand-marked paper ballots, and in 2020 we saw clearly why that’s a good thing.

In November and December 2020, certain conspiracy theorists made unsupportable claims about the ownership of Dominion Voting Systems, which manufactured the voting machines used in Georgia. Dominion has sued for defamation.

Dominion is the manufacturer of voting machines used in many states. Its rival, Election Systems and Software (ES&S), has an even bigger share of the market.

Apparently, ES&S must think that amongst all that confusion, the time is right to send threatening Cease & Desist letters to the legitimate critics of their ExpressVote XL voting machine. Their lawyers sent this letter to the leaders of SMART Elections, a journalism+advocacy organization in New York State who have been communicating to the New York State Board of Elections, explaining to the Board why it’s a bad idea to use the ExpressVote XL in New York (or in any state).

ES&S’s lawyers claim that certain facts (which they call “accusations”) are “false, defamatory, and disparaging”, namely: that the “ExpressVote XL can add, delete, or change the votes on individual ballots”, that the ExpressVote XL will “deteriorate our security and our ability to have confidence in our elections,” and that it is a “bad voting machine.”

Well, let me explain it for you. The ExpressVote XL, if hacked, can add, delete, or change votes on individual ballots — and no voting machine is immune from hacking. That’s why optical-scan voting machines are the way to go, because they can’t change what’s printed on the ballot. And let me explain some more: The ExpressVote XL, if adopted, will deteriorate our security and our ability to have confidence in our elections, and indeed it is a bad voting machine. And expensive, too!

It’s been clearly explained in the peer-reviewed literature how touch-screen voting machines–even the ones like the XL that print out paper ballots–can (if hacked) alter votes; and how most voters won’t notice; and how even if some voters do notice, there’s no way to correct the election result. And it’s been explained why machines like the ExpressVote XL are particularly insecure–as I said, see section 8 of this paper*.

And it’s pretty clear that the folks at SMART Elections are aware of these scientific studies, and are basing their journalism and advocacy on good science.

I’ll summarize here what’s explained in the paper: how the ExpressVote XL, if hacked, can change votes. If the machine is hacked, the software can do whatever the hacker has programmed, but the hacker can’t change the hardware. The hardware includes a thermal printer that can make black marks (i.e., print text or barcodes or whatever) on the paper, but the hardware can’t erase marks. Therefore you might think the ExpressVote XL, even if hacked, couldn’t alter votes. But consider this: suppose there are 15 contests on the ballot; suppose the voter makes choices for all 13 contests and chooses not to vote for State Senator. Then what the legitimate software does is, in the line for State Senator, print NO SELECTION MADE. But the hacked software could simply leave that line blank–then, when the voter has reviewed the ballot (or not bothered to), the ballot card is pulled past the printhead into the ballot box, and the printhead (under control of hacked software) can print in a vote for Candidate Smith. Few voters will be worried that the line is blank rather than filled in with NO SELECTION MADE.

You might think, “OK, the ExpressVote XL can fill in undervotes, that’s bad, but it can’t change votes.” But it can! Here is the mechanism: Suppose the voter makes choices in all 15 contests, and chooses Jones for State Senator. The hacked software can print a ballot card with only 14 contests, and leave blank spaces for State Senator. Then, after the voter reviews the ballot card behind glass, the card moves past the printhead into the ballot box. At this time the hacked software can print the hacker’s choice (Smith) for State Senator. If most humans were really good at checking their printout line-by-line with what they marked on the touchscreen, this wouldn’t succeed because the voter would notice the missing line, but voters are only human.

More details and explanation are in the paper*.

* Ballot-Marking Devices Cannot Assure the Will of the Voters, by Andrew W. Appel, Richard A. DeMillo, and Philip B. Stark. Election Law Journal, vol. 19 no. 3, pp. 432-450, September 2020. Non-paywall version, differs in formatting and pagination.


Jenelle Evans

Jenelle Evans

Reality Star, Actress
Age: (31 years)

Jenelle Evans is a American Reality Star who was born on December 19, 1991 in Oak Island, Carolina, USA. As of 2022, the age of Jenelle is 31. The Reality Star has accumulated a solid net worth of 50 Thousand USD with perseverance and determination.

General Wiki of Jenelle Evans
Full NameJenelle Evans
Birth DateDecember 19, 1991
Net Worth50 Thousand USD
Height5 feet 1 inches (1.55m)
Weight55 Kg
Birth PlaceOak Island, Carolina, USA
EducationMiller-Motte Technical College
ProfessionReality Star, Actress
Father NameRobert Evans
Mother NameBarbara Evans
Hair ColorDark brown
Eye ColorBlue
Waist Size26 inch
Bra Size34 inch
Hip Size34 inch
Lucky Number6
Lucky ColorOrange
Lucky StoneTurquoise
Best Match For MarriageLeo, Aquarius
Twitter Profiletwitter
Instagram Profileinstagram
Tiktok Profiletiktok
Wikipedia Profilewikipedia

Jenelle Evans Age, Wiki/Biography

Jenelle Evans was born on December 19, 1991 inside Oak Island, Carolina, USA to Robert Evans(dad) and Barbara Evans(mom) along with no one. As of 2022, the age of Jenelle is 31 years .

How tall is Jenelle Evans?

Jenelle Evans is 5 feet 1 inches (1.55m) tall and weighs around 55 Kg. The eye color is Blue and hair color is Dark brown.

Jenelle Evans Net Worth

Jenelle Evans's net worth is around 50 Thousand USD with some more assets. The Reality Star, Actress has accumulated the wealth with lots of hard work and dedication towards work. However, this is just an estimation, the actual net worth might be more or less than that.

Activeness on Social Media


Blog: Companies trading internationally strongly affected by COVID-19: Evidence from Benin

14 May 2020
ITC News

Economists and experts around the world are unanimous: the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic will have significant economic impacts. Forecasts predict it will negatively affect several aspects of economic life, sparking fears of an economic crisis that could prove difficult to combat in the months to come.

A survey conducted by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Benin reveals substantial effects on the economy. Nearly nine out of every ten enterprises interviewed in the country are affected, though some are more impacted than others are.

The nature of the consequences suggests that many enterprises are facing a delicate financial situation. Several of them have already registered a drop of more than 60% in their turnover.

Whether it is the cancellation of reserved stalls for fairs and exhibitions, deserted tourist sites, cancelled airline tickets or called off public events, businesses face an inability to bring in revenues or funds they had already invested. As a result, they are unable to pay their employees or rent for their work premises as well as honour their obligations to banks and tax authorities. In addition, supply disruptions are leading to delivery delays, particularly for government orders.

The survey highlights the shock companies involved in international trade are facing and the disruption they experience in supply chains:

  • None of the surveyed exporting firms was spared, even though impacts range from weak to strong.
  • Conversely, 11% of importing firms and one in five non-trading firms indicated that they did not feel any impact at all.
  • Nearly double the percentage of exporting and importing enterprises said they are strongly affected: 69% and 61% respectively said COVID-19 had a strong impact on them, compared to the 37% of enterprises not participating in international trade that said the same.

Note: The figure describes enterprise responses to the following question: "Is your company activity impacted by COVID-19?"
Survey conducted by CCI Benin from 15 March to 2 April 2020 on the impact of coronavirus on Beninese enterprises

Exporting companies are caught between the hammer and the anvil, pressed on every side. Border closures in most countries have led to shortages of imported products, forcing some local enterprises to turn to the domestic market to find their inputs. High domestic prices for inputs, however, made it difficult for many local firms to access these, thus firms hesitated to place orders. This has induced a drop in the price of domestic inputs that has made locally sourced materials affordable. This was the case for the surveyed companies in Benin exporting tropical products: although they had originally hesitated to source their materials locally, prices for their inputs have dropped by more than 29% since the crisis began.

In addition, exporting companies unable to sell their products have found themselves with an overstock of excess inventory.

As for importing companies, they are facing unprecedented customer behaviour in addition to their import difficulties. Driven by the fear of contamination, consumers mistrust products (especially frozen products) imported from countries affected by COVID-19, particularly China, France, Italy, Belgium and Asian countries.

Firms have adopted various strategies to cope, including putting some or all of their employees into temporary unemployment programmes. Several measures have also been put into place to help them, such as postponed fiscal or banking deadlines. The government of Benin and its partners have made available 100 million CFA francs (around $165,500) for rent subsidies to enterprises in the tourism sector. In addition, 200 million CFA francs (around $331,100) in employment aid have been allocated to 50% of the workers in affected enterprises. Companies in Benin continue to have access to expert advice year-round, provided by the Benin Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and especially during this period of crisis.

The whole world has been facing the COVID-19 pandemic since December 2019. It has affected most countries through massive consequences on social life and business development. In Benin, the pandemic has led to an unprecedented economic slowdown, with a greater impact felt by companies involved in international trade, which has been very strongly affected by the shock.

To enable Beninese companies to cope with the adverse effects of the COVID-19 crisis, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Benin calls on all stakeholders to take thoughtful and concerted measures to boost business activities.


Nah’Shon Hyland 2021 NBA Draft Profile

Nah'Shon Hyland
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Nah’Shon Hyland is a fearless scorer with unlimited range. Initially projected as a 2nd round pick, Hyland’s performance at the NBA Draft combine saw his draft stock rise considerably. Hyland enters the 2021 NBA Draft almost certain to be taken in the first round.

Nah’Shon Hyland 2021 NBA Draft Profile

College Career

Hyland played two seasons at Virginia Commonwealth University before declaring for this year’s NBA Draft. In his sophomore season at VCU, Hyland was the 2021 Atlantic Player of the Year; averaging 19.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game.

Outside shooting is Hyland’s primary offensive strength. Last season he shot 37.1% from deep on eight attempts a game. Whereas in his freshman season, Hyland shot 43% on five attempts per game. Through his two years in college, Hyland if anything, proved that he can shoot the basketball.

Many of Hyland’s strengths are on the offensive end. Hyland is a skilled combo guard that can shoot and score the ball. He’s not afraid to launch pull-up threes off the dribble and possesses limitless range. He grew up in an era where shooters Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard took the art form to new heights; and similarly, Hyland is a deep-ball threat as soon as crosses half-court.

Moreover, what makes Hyland especially dangerous as an offensive player, is his combination of speed and shooting. He’s able to mix in hesitation moves along with a burst of pace. This allows Hyland to throw defenders off balance and create space in the midrange.

Though he may appear undersized, Hyland makes up for it by being faster and more athletic than most shooters. His 6’9 wingspan often goes unnoticed due to his lack of height. Averaging 1.9 steals per game last season, demonstrated that Hyland also possesses some defensive upside.

Hyland can sometimes be loose with the basketball. He must tighten up his ball-handling if he’s to become a reliable shot-creator in the NBA. Additionally, whilst Hyland can pull up from beyond the arc without hesitation, this can be a double-edged sword. In college, Hyland played primarily an off-ball role and relentlessly hunted his shot. Though he was able to shoot a good percentage; he was also prone to throwing up some questionable shot attempts.

Hyland’s size is also an area of concern. Listed at 6-foot-3 and 169 pounds, Hyland is the third lightest player in this year’s draft. His somewhat skinny frame means that he often tries to avoid contact when attacking the rim. This also leads to Hyland not drawing many free throws.

Being undersized also limits Hyland’s impact on the defensive end. His lack of physicality means that he’s only able to defend point guards, whilst he also gambles for steals too often on defense.

NBA Player Comparison

Hyland has been likened to Immanuel Quickley in terms of what he’ll be able to bring to an NBA offense. Quickley was able to contribute immediately for the Knicks and was a vital cog to a playoff team in only his rookie season. Many have pointed to Quickley’s success with a similar skill set as evidence that Hyland is worth a late first-round pick.

2021 NBA Draft Projection

25th – 28th Overall

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How does negotiating with your patients differ from negotiating with other people in your practice

Would you respond differently to Annie in the scenario? If so, how?

Discuss a real negotiation that you’ve experienced and describe the negotiation strategy that you used and the outcome. Would you approach it differently now?


New Research Overturns 100-Year-Old Understanding of Color Perception

This visualization captures the 3D mathematical space used to map human color perception. A new mathematical representation has found that the line segments representing the distance between widely separated colors don’t add up correctly using the previously accepted geometry. The research contradicts long-held assumptions and will improve a variety of practical applications of color theory. Credit: Los Alamos National Laboratory

A paradigm shift away from the 3D mathematical description developed by Schrödinger and others to describe how we see color could result in more vibrant computer displays, TVs, textiles, printed materials, and more.

New research corrects a significant error in the 3D mathematical space developed by the Nobel Prize-winning physicist Erwin Schrödinger and others to describe how your eye distinguishes one color from another. This incorrect model has been used by scientists and industry for more than 100 years. The study has the potential to boost scientific data visualizations, improve televisions, and recalibrate the textile and paint industries.

“The assumed shape of color space requires a paradigm shift,” said Roxana Bujack, a computer scientist with a background in mathematics who creates scientific visualizations at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Bujack is lead author of the paper on the mathematics of color perception by a Los Alamos team. It was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

“Our research shows that the current mathematical model of how the eye perceives color differences is incorrect. That model was suggested by Bernhard Riemann and developed by Hermann von Helmholtz and Erwin Schrödinger — all giants in mathematics and physics — and proving one of them wrong is pretty much the dream of a scientist.”

Modeling human color perception enables automation of image processing, computer graphics, and visualization tasks.

A Los Alamos team corrects math that has been used by scientists, including Nobel Prize-winning physicist Erwin Schrödinger, to describe how your eye distinguishes one color from another.

“Our original idea was to develop algorithms to automatically improve color maps for data visualization, to make them easier to understand and interpret,” Bujack said. So the research team was surprised when they discovered they were the first to uncover that the longstanding application of Riemannian geometry, which allows generalizing straight lines to curved surfaces, didn’t work.

A precise mathematical model of perceived color space is needed to create industry standards. First attempts used Euclidean spaces — the familiar geometry taught in many high schools. Later, more advanced models used Riemannian geometry. The models plot red, green, and blue in the 3D space. Those are the colors registered most strongly by light-detecting cones on our retinas, and — not surprisingly — the colors that blend to create all the images on your RGB computer screen.

In the study, which combines psychology, biology, and mathematics, Bujack and her colleagues discovered that using Riemannian geometry overestimates the perception of large color differences. This is because humans perceive a big difference in color to be less than the sum you would get if you added up small differences in color that lie between two widely separated shades.

Riemannian geometry cannot account for this effect.

“We didn’t expect this, and we don’t know the exact geometry of this new color space yet,” Bujack said. “We might be able to think of it normally but with an added dampening or weighing function that pulls long distances in, making them shorter. But we can’t prove it yet.”

Reference: “The non-Riemannian nature of perceptual color space” by Roxana Bujack, Emily Teti, Jonah Miller, Elektra Caffrey and Terece L. Turton, 29 April 2022, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2119753119

Funding: Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program of Los Alamos National Laboratory.

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Liveblog: James Bridle — a crab computer the size of the world

Our current model of computing has served us well for a century. But our brains aren't computers - and other intelligent systems might be critical to our futures. James Bridle explains why.

Warning: Live-blogging. Prone to error, inaccuracy and howling crimes against grammar and syntax. This post will be updated over the next few days.

The vast majority of computers in existence from the phone in your pocket, to the ones that run the stock market, are the same kind of computer. They are the Turing machines, invented by Alan Turing nearly a century ago. They’re all machines formed around the idea writing back and forth to a piece of paper, and moving around that paper. The paper might now be replaced by different mediums, but all computers basically work the same way.

A digital view of reality

This has influenced how we see the world. Our perception is skewed by what we can feed into these machines, and we often ignore things that can’t be fed in. This has become a tool for centralisation – and centralisation of power in particular. Think of Google, which has put itself at the centre of how we find information. Or how Facebook has become the model of how the world runs its relationship, based on the habits of a few straight white men in California.

It defines the way we think, and then becomes a limit on the way we think. James believes that there’s a direct and causal link between the digital technologies we use, and the polarisation and fracturing of our society. It’s a tragedy for our imaginations – and for the planet. The way we build these computers is deeply extractive of rare materials, and the internet is responsible for twice the emissions of the airline industry. And cloud technology, AI models and big data gathering are all increasing the carbon emissions of the industry.

AI is the most stupid things we can do because it pumps more and more carbon into the atmosphere.

So, what might thinking otherwise look like?

The Oracle Machine

Turing talked about the “oracle”, as opposed to his “automatic machine” which can never be intelligent. The oracle machine can look outside itself. It has connections and relationship with the outside world.

In 1959, Stafford Beer was working for United Steel, and he was sure automation was coming. He believed a fully automated factory was a being without a brain, and so would eventually collapse. So, he designed the cybernetic factory, which could bring in outside inputs from suppliers, and which had the ability to do adaptive learning. And he looked to biology for what that might be.

He experimented with biological systems, feeding them inputs and seeing the reactions. He built a pond in his basement, and used lights as “input” to the pond life within. Eventually, United Steel got bored with his work — but he was on to something. It’s not necessarily a single mind that’s needed for an adaptive system, but a whole ecosystem. He was ahead of his time by acknowledging the intelligence of other beings on our planet.

Secret paths of the slime moulds

Nobody’s really sure what slime moulds are. Are they individuals or are they communities? They act as both at different times. Researchers in Tokyo put down oat flakes in a dish to make the patterns of various cities, and used lights to replicated barriers like mountains. Within 24 hours, the slime mould had determined the most efficient system to get around the city. Slime moulds are particularly good at route finding.

The travelling salesman problem is unsolvable because it’s an exponentially hard problem. The more cities you add, it gets exponentially harder. Slime moulds don’t have that problem. They can solve it in linear time. They are demonstrating adaptive intelligence so different from our own, that we can’t understand it, only recognise it.

We thought artificial intelligence would be like our intelligence. But it’s not. It turns out to be quite different. And we’re discovering that at just the same time that we’re discovering that there are other kinds of natural intelligence than ours out there.

Other forms of thinking machine

Could we build a Turing machine with crabs? Researchers have built logic gates using soldier crabs. Shadows (representing birds of prey) are the inputs. The crabs’ reaction to them is the computing. Moniac is a water-based computer designed to model the UK economy. It was built for teaching, bt several more were commissioned by the Treasury and were used to inform actual economic policy.

It’s interesting because it’s perceptual, and readable. There’s stuff we can see moving around within it. It reintroduces a little friction, and it feels closer to the world. It’s not binary. Likewise, it’s analogue. We’ve mistaken the computers we build for the world. The world and our brains are not computers.

We need to recognise this and reconnected with our relationship with the world around us – and build new thinking systems that aren’t so very binary.

James Bridle is a writer, artist and technologist. Their artworks have been commissioned by galleries and institutions and exhibited worldwide and on the internet.