Level up productivity with tools that enhance well-being and your body.

January 9, 2015 This week Charlie Baker was sworn in as the 72nd governor of Massachusetts, with promises of bipartisanship and a renewed economic growth agenda for the Commonwealth’s urban communities. Later in the show we remember Senator Edward Brooke who died last week at the age of 95. Panelists:
- Callie Crossley, Host, Under The Radar with Callie Crossley, WGBH News
- Phillip Martin, Senior Reporter, WGBH News
- Darnell Williams, President and CEO, Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts
- Judge Joyce London Alexander Ford, formerly US District Court, Massachusetts
- Robert Fortes, Founder and President, The Fortes Group

Massachusetts Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, center, acknowledges applause after taking the oath of office, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015, in the House Chamber of the Statehouse, in Boston. Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

KRICT sets a new world record for large-area perovskite solar module efficiency and accelerates commercialization

[Domestic] :
The annual College Scholastic Ability Test(CSAT) is taking place at some 13-hundred test sites across the nation on Thursday.  The state-administered college entrance exam, known in Korean as the Suneung, begins with a Korean language test at 8:40 a.m., followed by tests on math, English, Korean history ...

[more...]

[Politics] :
The top diplomats from South Korea and the United States will hold talks on Friday in Peru, on the sidelines of the joint meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation(APEC) ministers for trade and foreign affairs. According to Seoul’s foreign ministry on Thursday, Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul will ...

[more...]

; Credit: Michelle Lanz/KPCC

From brights the other day to mutes today. You could call this color palette "blush and sand," which sounds like the title of a romance novel with a Valentino lookalike on the cover!

This is exactly the kind of sweater I used to tease my grandmother about wearing, the elaborately beaded 1950s cardigans that you saw on everyone from Babe Paley to Lucille Ball to … your grandmother. 

Of course, now I wish I had more of them! The best are the silk-lined cashmere or merino wool ones made in what was, for more than 150 years, the British Crown Colony of Hong Kong. The work of Hong Kong tailors is legendary, and now all the 1950s and early 1960s pieces are enjoying a tremendous vogue.

In this case the colors – bronze, blush and sand – are hushed, which lets the beading look more pronounced. The sleeveless top is a silk jersey criss-crossed with stitched bands of darker silk chiffon. King’s X? And then the skirt is bias-cut chiffon in very quiet hues. If designers gave quirky names to prints the way cosmetics makers do to lipstick and cheek color, we could call this one, "Shhh! This is a library!’"

So I’m glad that the shoes get paroled to holler. The nude patent color is ladylike, not loud, which is why I’m surprised but gratified that it’s hung around for a couple of seasons now. It’s a very versatile hue, even if it’s not making it as Pantone's color of the year.

No, the troublemaker part of this ensemble is the jeweled heels. Paul Simon sang of diamonds on the soles of one’s shoes; these are big dazzling rhinestones on the heels of mine. They gleam, they coruscate, they twinkle, they flash – amid all these well-behaved quiet colors, they send out a wink and a message that "I’m really a lively girl at heart, and at my feet."

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

The report, titled “2025 Predictions – Energy Transition & Utilities Technology and Industry Trends in India,” highlights key areas where technology and policy shifts are expected to drive India’s energy transition over the next two years.

tekmar’s Setpoint Difference Control 157 uses variable-speed pump operations to get more heat from a solar thermal system, even on less-than-ideal days.

Heimtextil 2025 expands its Carpets & Rugs segment with new halls and over 300 exhibitors, featuring a Belgian Textiles area by Fedustria. Highlights include a Carpet Lounge by Cover Magazine, expert talks on trends, AI in design, and sustainability, plus guided tours. The event, showcasing global innovations and partnerships, runs from 14-17 January, 2025, in Frankfurt.

Wildlife photography fans now have a unique opportunity to own a true collector’s piece from renowned wildlife photographer David Lloyd. For the first time, David...

The post Now you can own this rare collector’s edition book set of wildlife fine art photography appeared first on DIY Photography.

If you’re looking for a tried-and-true lighting technique, then it doesn’t come much more stress-tested than this one. In fact, this is a lighting technique...

The post Lighting setup: Still life portrait appeared first on DIY Photography.

Wow, this has been a busy period. I’m just back from the Ampersand web typography conference in Brighton, and having a catch-up day in Mild Bunch HQ. Just before that I’ve been working flat out. First on Mapalong which was a grass-roots sponsor of Ampersand, and is going great guns. Then on an article for The Manual which is being published soon, and on 8 Faces #3 which is in progress right now. Not to mention the new talk for Ampersand which left me scratching my head and wondering if I was making any sense at all. More on that in a subsequent post.

In the meantime two previous events deserve a mention. (This is me starting more of a journalistic blog. :)

First of all, an interview with Simon Pascal Klien, the typographer and designer who’s curating the Design Festival podcast at the moment. We talked about all things web typography. Pascal cheekily left in a bit of noise from me in the prelude, and that rant pretty much sets the tone for the rest of the conversation. Thanks for your time, Pascal! If anyone reading this would care to listen in, the podcast can be downloaded or played from here:

Secondly, Daniel Bogan of The Setup sent me a few questions about my own tools. My answers are pretty clipped because of time, but you may find it interesting to compare this designer’s setup with your own:

I should note that in the meantime I’ve started writing with Writer, and discovered the great joy of keeping a journal and notes with a Midori Traveler’s Notebook. The latter is part of an on-going search I’m having to find Tools for Life. More on that, too at some point. Here’s my current list of topics I want to write about shortly:

• Ampersand, the aftermath
• Marrying a FujiFilm X100
• No-www
• Tools for life
• Paper versus pixels

There, I’ve written it!

BIG NEWS: My custom Lightroom presets are now available and 50% off for a limited time with discount code HOLIDAY50. Link in profile!

This collection includes two styles (Everyday and Clean) that I use to edit every shot on this feed. I can’t wait to see what you all do with them! Stay tuned to my upcoming tutorials on how to put the presets to good use. ???? (at Toronto, Ontario)

This is from my favourite shoot/photoset of all time. It was spontaneous, serendipitous, and simply beautiful. ☂️
.
The edit: After applying my preset (I used Clean for this one), I bumped up the exposure and desaturated the yellows/oranges a bit. As a finishing touch, I used a graduated filter to brighten the top a bit and a radial filter on @sllychn to brighten and sharpen the focal point. That’s it! ✨ (at Toronto, Ontario)

Preset (Everyday) + transform + exposure + graduated filter + radial filter. If shots like this take more than 2 minutes to edit, it’s probably not worth editing. ⏱
—
Boxing Day will be the last day to get my Lightroom presets discounted, which leaves you only 3 more days! Get on it! ???? (at Toronto, Ontario)

The right photo effect can transform an ordinary image into a work of art. Adjustments to lighting, color balance, and texture help you create the perfect mood for your project.

The Institutional Repository (IR) had a meteoric rise to fame. In a brief blaze of glory, it was heralded as the facilitator of a free exchange of information within the academic research community - a faster, cheaper and more effective way to conduct scholarly communications in the twenty-first century. Then, just as quickly, fame changed to infamy. The technology, the ownership, and the very ideal of the IR has been called into question by many and varied voices in the wider academic community and beyond. I would like to explore the really controversial aspects of the IR, and ask my audience to consider that perhaps, just perhaps, there was something useful there all along.

US-based global investment management firm, T Rowe Price (TRP), has opened a new office in Melbourne. Head of Australian business for TRP, Murray Brewer, said TRP in Australia is going from strength to strength.

Singapore's RedDot Brewhouse plans to establish a new independent commercial microbrewery and beer garden in Melbourne’s west. The new RedDot facility in Truganina (21 km west of Melbourne's city centre) will be the company’s first brewery outside Singapore.

International consumer management company, Gigya, has opened an office in Melbourne as part of its expansion into the Asia-Pacific region. The move comes after strong growth in 2013 for the US-based company, during which it processed more than 800 million logins for clients in 46 countries, including Tommy Hilfiger, the Independent, the Globe and Mail, KLM, L'Occitane, Next Media, Japan Airlines and Canon.

Wilcox Industries’ manufacturing and assembly facility in Victoria will be a joint venture with its Melbourne-based distributor and partner, Aquaterro – a leading supplier of law enforcement and defence equipment in Victoria.

New Zealand-based hydraulic equipment specialist, Transport Hydraulic Solutions (THS), has opened a large manufacturing facility in the Melbourne northern suburb of Campbellfield (26.5 km north of the city centre). “A growing number of Melbourne clients are located around this area, and for those who are based further away, our office is right near the freeway where the Western Ring Road and Hume Highway intersect,” said Managing Director of THS, Brenden Lyons.

Rohlig Australia will open a new branch office in the Melbourne western suburb of Truganina in mid 2015. The new Melbourne base for the international logistics company will be a modern 8,730sqm facility that includes space for a large warehouse and an open plan office.

Indian company Ray Business Technologies (Raybiztech) has chosen Melbourne as its Australian headquarters. The company plans to create 30 new highly skilled local Information and Communications Technology (ICT) jobs over the next two years. Headquartered in Hyderabad, India, with offices in the USA and UK, Raybiztech delivers cloud, mobility, big data and social media solutions to its enterprise clients around the world, in the sectors of finance, healthcare, manufacturing, media, leisure and utilities.

Global technology supplier Finmeccanica – Selex ES will establish its Australian Naval Communications headquarters in Melbourne, creating 80 manufacturing jobs by 2019. Finmeccanica - Selex ES works across the international defence, security, aerospace, naval and transport sectors.

The Singapore based low-cost airline, Scoot, has announced that it will launch direct flights from Melbourne to Singapore in November 2015. Scoot is a low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines that flies to a variety of locations in China and Australia. The airline was founded in 2011 and has embarked on a new strategy in providing low fares and quality customer service to travellers. Travellers will be flying with Scoot on the latest Boeing 787 Dreamliner; the world’s most advanced aircraft.

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 1:30pm
Location: North Campus Research Complex Building 32
Organized By: Chemical Engineering

Abstract:
The chemical and petrochemical industries consume nearly 30% of global energy use, nearly half of which is a result of chemical separations. A major opportunity exists in identifying more efficient, productive, and environmentally friendly processes that operate in a continuous fashion. One attractive possibility is membrane-based separations, but significant materials limitations exist in designing membranes that can selectively distinguish between molecules with sub-angstrom differences in size and nearly identical thermodynamic properties. To survey these challenges and describe emerging opportunities, a brief overview of the current state-of-the-art in membrane-based materials and applications will be presented. Next, several design strategies will be presented on how to leverage pore structure and pore functionality to control separation performance. A particular emphasis will be placed on new materials chemistries with a focus on testing materials under complex gas mixtures and for extended periods of time. Microporous materials, including polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) and metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), will be highlighted to demonstrate the many opportunities that exist for scientists and engineers to tackle global challenges in chemical separations today.

Speaker Bio:
Zachary P. Smith is an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at MIT. He has been recognized with several awards, including the DoE Early Career Award, NSF CAREER Award, ONR Young Investigator Award, AIChE 35 Under 35 Award, AIChE Kunesh Award for Separations, and the North American Membrane Society Young Membrane Scientist Award. He was also awarded the Frank E. Perkins Award for Excellence in Graduate Advising at MIT. Prof. Smith serves on the Board of Directors for the North American Membrane Society and is an Associate Editor for Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research. He is a co-founder and Chief Scientist for Osmoses Inc., a startup company aiming to commercialize membrane technology.

(Wed, Nov 13 2024 7:05 PM to TBD) 86 Narragansett/Ridgeland buses are rerouted via Narragansett, Diversey, Austin, Belmont and Narragansett due to street blockage near Narragansett/Wellington.

Rusticators Watching the Sunset by Sally Caldwell Fisher is a(n) Limited Edition. The Edition is Limited to pcs

• Rate cuts to date are an acknowledgement of growing confidence that inflation is on the path to 2% goal
• Hope productivity growth can outrun the effects of slowing population growth
• Won't let enthusiasm over rising productivity get ahead of data or commitment to reaching Fed goals

There isn't much of a hint on anything here.

People's Bank of China USD/CNY reference rate is due around 0115 GMT.

The People's Bank of China (PBOC), China's central bank, is responsible for setting the daily midpoint of the yuan (also known as renminbi or RMB). The PBOC follows a managed floating exchange rate system that allows the value of the yuan to fluctuate within a certain range, called a "band," around a central reference rate, or "midpoint." It's currently at +/- 2%.

How the process works:

• Daily midpoint setting: Each morning, the PBOC sets a midpoint for the yuan against a basket of currencies, primarily the US dollar. The central bank takes into account factors such as market supply and demand, economic indicators, and international currency market fluctuations. The midpoint serves as a reference point for that day's trading.
• The trading band: The PBOC allows the yuan to move within a specified range around the midpoint. The trading band is set at +/- 2%, meaning the yuan could appreciate or depreciate by a maximum of 2% from the midpoint during a single trading day. This range is subject to change by the PBOC based on economic conditions and policy objectives.
• Intervention: If the yuan's value approaches the limit of the trading band or experiences excessive volatility, the PBOC may intervene in the foreign exchange market by buying or selling the yuan to stabilize its value. This helps maintain a controlled and gradual adjustment of the currency's value.

Yesterday the People's Bank of China propped up the yuan at this setting:

• PBoC promised stronger damping to support CNY, and that's what are seeing

I suspect we'll see similar support for the yuan again today.

The People's Bank of China set the onshore yuan (CNY) reference rate for the trading session ahead.

• USD/CNY is the onshore yuan. Its permitted to trade plus or minus 2% from this daily reference rate.
• CNH is the offshore yuan. USD /CNH has no restrictions on its trading range.
• A significantly stronger or weaker rate than expected is typically considered a signal from the PBOC.

Previous close was 7.2330

In open market operations (OMOs):

PBOC injects 328bn yuan via 7-day RR, sets rate at 1.5%

• 19bn yuan mature today
• net injection is 309bn yuan

TASHKENT, 21 September 2015 – An OSCE-organized week-long training course for Uzbek law enforcement bodies on identifying and tracing illegitimate assets and the various instruments of asset forfeiture and recovery began today in Tashkent.

Experts from the Basel Institute of Governance will share international best practices with senior representatives in charge of international legal co-operation and the fight against corruption and money laundering within the General Prosecutor’s Office, the Ministry of Interior and other law enforcement bodies.

“The ability to launder ill-acquired assets outside of the jurisdiction of their country of origin is one of the major enablers of corrupt behaviours,” said Ambassador Gyorgy Szabo, Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan. “This is why the OSCE regards the identification and recovery of illegitimate assets, no matter where they might be hidden, as a crucial element of the fight against corruption.”

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan organized the training course jointly with the Swiss Agency for Development and Co-operation, the Basel Institute of Governance and the General Prosecutor’s Office of Uzbekistan.

During the course, participants will also learn about the mechanisms of international mutual legal assistance and how they can be used during anti-corruption investigations.

Related Stories

• OSCE supports roundtable discussion in Uzbekistan on a methodology for assessing money-laundering and terrorism-financing risks
• OSCE organizes Regional Conference on Horticultural Trade in Tashkent
• OSCE Project Co-ordinator lights up central Tashkent with 20 solar-powered street lamps

ULAANBAATAR, 30 June 2016 – Election day was orderly and followed a competitive campaign. This, however, did not offset the impact of late fundamental changes to election laws on Mongolia’s democratic development, the international observers concluded in a preliminary statement released today. While the June 29 parliamentary elections were highly contested and freedoms of assembly and association were respected, restrictive campaign provisions, coupled with the media’s subservience to political interests, limited impartial and comprehensive information available to voters, the statement says.

“We were pleased to see that voting took place in a calm and peaceful manner. This was a genuinely competitive contest, with high turnout and no certainty as to which party would win. We applaud the fact Mongolia is a functioning democracy,” said Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Head of the European Parliament delegation. “There were, however, some elements which cause concern, including significant last-minute changes to the election laws, which, among other things, prevented 150,000 Mongolian citizens living outside the country, including diplomats, from voting.”

The observers said the consolidation of election legislation into a new law adopted on 25 December 2015, following an inclusive process, was a positive development toward establishing a cohesive electoral framework. However, changes in May 2016 – from a mixed electoral system to a solely majoritarian one, establishing 76 single-mandate constituencies and approving their boundaries – were introduced by parliament in a process that lacked transparency, public consultation and adherence to established criteria, the observers said. This resulted in profound population discrepancies among constituencies.

A total of 498 candidates, including 69 independents, was registered in a process that was largely inclusive and provided voters with a range of political choices. Contrary to OSCE commitments and other international obligations, however, there are disproportionate restrictions on candidacy rights the statement says. While there was general confidence in the accuracy and inclusiveness of the voting register, the May changes to the election laws also effectively disenfranchised 150,000 citizens living abroad for the parliamentary elections.

“For an election to be meaningful, voters first have to be offered a genuine choice, and voters were given that choice here. That choice also has to be between candidates competing on a level playing field and who have equal access to independent media to explain their platforms. In this, there is still work to do,” said Ambassador Audrey Glover, Head of the OSCE/ODIHR long-term election observation mission. “Elections are about voters, and the main problem for voters was understanding the significant last-minute changes to election laws, which affected the rules of the game profoundly and raised questions about political motivation.” 

Despite undue campaign restrictions, the freedoms of assembly and association were respected and candidates were generally able to convey their messages to the electorate. At times the lines were blurred between parties and the administration at both the national and local levels, the observers said. There were multiple instances of alleged vote-buying, which resulted in a number of formal complaints and the deregistration of two candidates.

The GEC received some 50 pre-election complaints. Courts reviewed 21 cases regarding candidate registration, and the police handled more than 1,000 campaign-related complaints. Although legislation clarifies the complaints and appeals process to some extent, a general lack of formalization and transparency in the process within the election administration and the protracted handling of disputes in courts undermined the right to effective remedy.

The media offered extensive election coverage, but abandoned their journalistic role, for the most part simply granting direct access to the politicians. Paid political advertisements and free airtime overshadowed editorial content, and campaign material prepared by political parties was also included in news programming, undercutting the credibility of the media. Consequently, voters were deprived of independent and analytical reporting, the observers said.

In preparation for election day, the General Election Commission met key operational deadlines and fulfilled its mandate. At the same time, the observers said, it lacked transparency and accountability to stakeholders, diminishing trust in the credibility of the process. The testing of vote-counting machines was conducted professionally by the Commission in the presence of stakeholders and, to address concerns over the machines’ accuracy and integrity, the law was amended stipulate that up to 50 per cent of polling stations would be subject to manual recounts. The procedures stipulating the manual re-count, however, were only finalized two days prior to the elections.

All parties and coalitions complied with the 20 per cent gender quota provided for by law, and 26 per cent of contestants were women. There were, however, no women candidates in more than one-third of the constituencies. While there is only one woman member of the General Election Commission, women were better represented in lower-level election commissions. Overall, women remain underrepresented in political life.

Election day proceeded in an orderly manner in most of the country and, while the right to vote was respected, the secrecy of the vote was not consistently ensured. The observers’ assessment of the counting and tabulation of votes was a notable exception to the overall positive assessment of voting, mostly as a result of significant procedural errors or omissions. A number of civil society organizations monitored the pre-election environment, including campaign finance and the media, and issued timely statements highlighting key shortcomings.

For further information, contact:
Thomas Rymer, OSCE/ODIHR, +976 95 14 1635 or +48 609 522 266, thomas.rymer@odihr.pl

Tim Boden, European Parliament, +976 99 976294 or +32 473 844431, timothy.boden@europarl.europa.eu

Related Stories

• OSCE/ODIHR opens election observation mission for parliamentary elections in Mongolia
• International election observers in Mongolia to hold press conference on Thursday
• OSCE/ODIHR observers to hold press conference in Ulaanbaatar on Friday

"You might be missing your chance to win this war." FX on Hulu has debuted a second trailer for the series Say Nothing, set in Belfast during the infamous The Troubles period. It's out for streaming this week in the US. This historical drama limited series is created by Josh Zetumer for Disney+ and it's produced by FX Productions. Detailing four generations in Northern Ireland during The Troubles, it is an adaptation of the book Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe. The series follows the lives of people growing up in Belfast in the 1970s, 80s and 90s. Starring Lola Petticrew, Hazel Doupe, Anthony Boyle, Josh Finan, and Maxine Peake. For another great film about Belfast, Ireland, I highly recommend watching Kneecap also from this year. This series seems to be more about how a divided nation is bad and hurting each other is bad, but I'm not sure which side it will into regarding the actual politics. Is it pro-Crown or pro-Ireland? Or it's just pro-people? What do you think from this footage? Here's the second official trailer for FX's The Troubles series Say Nothing, direct from YouTube: You […]

Save 32% on the TikTok viral sunset lamp at Amazon.

Hubo un tiempo de metal y cristal roto sobre Euskadi en el que una banda terrorista asesinó a más de 850 personas. Fue un tiempo largo durante el que los etarras mataban y sus víctimas morían sin que una parte importante de los ciudadanos vascos se dieran por enterados. También la Iglesia, también, especialmente entre los años 1979 y 2000, etapa en la que fue obispo de San Sebastián José Mª Setién Alberro. Sus dos primeros años al frente de la diócesis coincidieron con los años más cruentos en el historial de ETA: 76 asesinatos en 1979 y 98 en 1980.

Sea como sea, se van a cabrear viendo 'Tus amigos', el nuevo vídeo del grupo madrileño Los Punsetes.

[Business Day Africa] The Adani Group is now setting its sights on the U.S. market after facing significant pushback in its bid to enter Kenya.

[MAP] Dakhla -- Morocco has welcomed 14.6 million tourists by the end of this year's October, surpassing in just 10 months, the record for the entire year 2023, Minister of Tourism, Handicraft, and Social and Solidarity Economy, Fatim-Zahra Ammor, announced on Wednesday in Dakhla.

President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Fox & Friends Weekend co-host Pete Hegseth is his pick to run the Department of Defense. As a result of this nomination, Hegseth will depart his Fox News role immediately. "Pete Hegseth has been an exceptional host on Fox & Friends and Fox Nation and a best-selling author for...

The 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) has unveiled its main competition lineup, with 15 features vying for the Golden Peacock award carrying an INR4 million ($47,000) prize purse, notably featuring nine films directed by women. Among the world premieres are Manijeh Hekmat and Faeze Azizkhani’s Iranian drama “Fear & Trembling,” exploring an older […]

During his “Closer Look” segment on Wednesday night, Seth Meyers commented on President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks for several key roles, including Fox News host and Army National Guard veteran Pete Hegseth leading the Department of Defense. “While Biden’s looking for ways to accommodate Trump, Trump’s looking for ways to tear down everything Biden did. […]

Trump taps Fox News personality Pete Hegseth for defence secretary in surprise move

President-elect Donald Trump has announced he will nominate Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host and Army veteran to be his secretary of defense. The 44-year-old Hegseth came as a surprise.

By Aaron Stillman, Head of Product Marketing at Tresorit.

Research shows that 81 per cent of UK businesses handle digitised personal data, digitised non-personal data, or both, making secure and efficient data management crucial, particularly when critical transactions and confidential processes are at play. This is where virtual data rooms (VDRs) become invaluable.

Somerset Reinsurance Ltd. — a provider of reinsurance solutions to the life insurance and annuity market — announced the appointment of Riley LaTour as Chief Risk Officer [CRO] with immediate effect. A spokesperson said, “Riley will be responsible for the firm’s risk management strategies and operations. Riley was most recently Head of Risk Analytics for Somerset […]