As we harness AI’s potential, specialised models for sectors like climate change offer a promising path forward.

Pamela Anderson slays in classic style at ‘The Last Showgirl' screening

Pamela Anderson exuded elegance in New York City, as she attended the special screening of The Last Showgirl.

As reported by MailOnline, 57-year-old actress who attended the star-studded event at...

Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley showcase happiness after ‘long time' desire comes true

Margot Robbie and Tom Ackerley are “settling” into their roles after becoming parents for the first time.

A source who is close to the couple candidly shared with People how the...

Privacy: Our analog parents had the ability to read news anonymously, however they wanted, wherever they wanted, and whenever they wanted. For our digital children, a government agent might as well be looking over their shoulder: the government knows what news sources they read, what articles, for how long, and in what order.

For our analog parents, reading the news was an affair the government had no part of, or indeed had any business being part of. Our analog parents bought a morning newspaper with a few coins on the street corner, brought it somewhere quiet where they had a few minutes to spare, and started reading without anybody interfering.

When our digital children read the news, the government doesn’t just know what news source they choose to read, but also what specific articles they read from that news source, in what order, and for how long. So do several commercial actors. There are at least three grave issues with this.

The first is that since the government has this data, it will attempt to use this data. More specifically, it will attempt to use the data against the individual concerned, possibly in some sort of pre-crime scheme. We know this that since all data collected by a government will eventually be used against the people concerned, with mathematical certainty.

In an attention economy, data about what we pay attention to, how much, and for how long, are absolutely crucial predictive behaviors. And in the hands of a government which makes the crucial mistake of using it to predict pre-crime, the results can be disastrous for the individual and plain wrong for the government.

Of course, the instant the government uses this data in any way imaginable, positive or negative, it will become Heisenberg Metrics — the act of using the data will shape the data itself. For example, if somebody in government decides that reading about frugality probably is an indicator of poverty, and so makes people more eligible for government handouts, then such a policy will immediately shape people’s behavior to read more about frugality. Heisenberg Metrics is when a metric can’t be measured without making it invalid in the process.

(The phenomenon is named after the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, which is traditionally confused with the Observer Effect, which states you can’t measure some things without changing them in the process. The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle is actually something else entirely; it states that you can’t measure precise momentum and position of a subatomic particle at the same time, and does not apply at all to Heisenberg Metrics.)

The second issue is that not only government, but also other commercial actors, will seek to act on these metrics, Heisenberg Metrics as they may be. Maybe somebody thinks that reading fanzines about motorcycle acrobatics should have an effect on your health and traffic insurance premiums?

The third issue is subtle and devious, but far more grave: the government doesn’t just know what articles you read and in what order, but as a corollary to that, knows what the last article you read was, and what you did right after reading it. In other words, it knows very precisely what piece of information leads you to stop reading and instead take a specific action. This is far more dangerous information than being aware of your general information feed patterns and preferences.

Being able to predict somebody’s actions with a high degree of certainty is a far more dangerous ability than being vaguely aware of somebody’s entertainment preferences.

Our analog parents had the privacy right of choosing their information source anonymously with nobody permitted (or able) to say what articles they read, in what order, or for what reason. It’s not unreasonable that our digital children should have the same privacy right, the analog equivalent privacy right.

Privacy remains your own responsibility.

If you order a BMX bike then you will get it prebuilt in a box. To get ready for the first ride with your new BMX bike you have to do some easy steps:

1. put on the bar

2. put on the seat

3. put on the pedals

4. put on the frontwheel

At the how to BMX Bike Video you can see how it will look like !

Enjoy to ride your BMX Bike.

Many people asked us already how to change grips at the BMX bike. If you don't know the specialtricks then it will be very difficult. So enjoy to watch the video : how to change your grips !!

For now is in german but english and some other languages will follow soon. Just check out the kunstform?! BMX Shop Youtube account at http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/kunstformbmxshop

Sometimes you will get some flat tire. If you want to get some tricks how to change your tube of your BMX bike then you should watch the video.

Actually it's very easy to change the chain of a BMX bike. As well it's not a big thing to make the chain shorter. But without some little tricks it can be a long way to solve this work. That's why you should watch the kunstform?! BMX Shop - How To put a chain video!

Not a lot of BMX rider use a front brake. But actually many tricks like nosetap-no-footed are just possibil with a front brake and so it's just a question of time and a opinionleader will put a frontbreak and will come up with new variations and new tricks. If you want to be this leader then u should watch the kunstform?! BMX Shop How To put a front brake !

At the moment it is just in german available but will be with english subtitles soon !

If you decide for a new crank and you don't know how this to install, then you look at this video. It differs they in reference of structure. There are one piece, two piece and three piece cranks then again have various lengths and various axles. The axle are different from the material, the size and numbers of notchs (splines).

It will happen in the course of time, that's your bottom bracket broke down. If you do not know exactly how you should install a new bearing, then you look at this video! Basically, the bottom bracket differ in "loose ball" and "sealed bearing". The loose ball bottom bracket are installed in many cheap beginners bikes. The bearings in turn differ in different sizes. Starting with the largest outer diameter are US-BB, MID-BB, SPAN-BB and EURO-BB. The EURO-BB you recognize the screw thread and are rarely built on a BMX frame. This is important, first you have to check if you have a 19mm or a 22mm axle crank!

Robin Kachfi - How to Barspin

Our bro Robin Kachfi Shows you in the following video, how a Barspin works. Enjoy the video, your kunstform BMX shop team!

Video: Robin Kachfi

Subscribe our youtube channel: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/kunstformbmxshop

Robin Kachfi - How to Nose manual

Our bro Robin Kachfi Shows you in the following video, how a nose manual works. Enjoy the video, your kunstform BMX shop team!

Video: Robin Kachfi

Subscribe our youtube channel: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/kunstformbmxshop

Freedombmx - HOW TO Nollie Barspin with Miguel Smajli

Our bro Miguel Smajli has filmed in cooperation with Freedombmx a short HOW TO video, in which Miguel will teach you the Nollie Barspin ! Enjoy the video, your kunstform BMX Shop Team!

Video: Freedombmx

subscribe to our youtube channel: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/kunstformbmxshop

This year's European BMX Trade Show will take place from 23.-24.6.2018 at the Kölner Jugendpark. The only theme is BMX! At the EBTS, Distributions, as well as passionate BMXers or bloody beginners, can get extensive advice on the new BMX products for the upcoming season. To give the visitors a better view into the BMX Sport, there is, as every year, a BMX show with well-known professional riders. Currently, Traffic Distribution, SIBMX (Sport Import), 24/7 Distribution, G & S Distribution and Unity BMX Distribution have registered as exhibitors.

Click here for more: EBTS

All the best, your kunstform BMX Shop Team!

What:
European BMX Trade Show 2018

When:
Saturday
Dealers Only
Sa 23th of June 2018
10:00am – 18:00pm (Local time)


Sunday
Public Day
Su 24th June 2018
2:00pm – 4:00pm (Local time)
(10:00am – 14:00pm – Dealers Only) (Local time)


Where:
European BMX Trade Show 2018
Sachsenbergstr. / Zoobrücke
51063 Köln

Our Sis Lara Lessmann shot a little how-to video for freedombmx magazine. On Rudi's Resterampe, Lara explains how the classic BMX trick called Can-Can works. Make sure you try it, too!

Have fun with the video, your kunstform BMX Shop Team!

Video: freedombmx

Related links:

• all products of Total
• all products of kunstform

20 Years of kunstform: How It All Began?! Around the 2000s, Stuttgart, partly due to the excellent BMX Flatland spot 'Haus der Geschichte' and riders like Stephan 'Ass' Dietrich and Philip Jakober, held a magical allure. Many BMX riders from all over Germany, including Sebastian Pospischil, Florian Sailer, Moritz Edschmid, Philip Früh, Roman Rommel, and later, Daniel Fuhrmann, John Krämer, Oliver Radunz, and many more, moved to Stuttgart. The scene thrived, and it gave rise to unforgettable parties and events like the BMX Contest series 'Battle in the Club' and many BMX jams.

Sebastian Pospischil, while studying, initiated the kunstform project from his BMX flatshare in 2003. Initially, he imported smaller BMX brands like Artzone, Jim Bob, and FlatTV. The first website went live under the domain www.kunstform.org, and the initial team riders, Chris Böhm, Daniel Hennig, and Sven Steinbach, received support through kunstform.

To start off, if you haven’t viewed Emily’s screencast on using Quicken with your zero-based budget, you’ll want to do that first. You can receive a copy of the Working Budget excel file shown in the screencasts below by subscribing to my newsletter on the right. Step 1 – Set up your accounts If you […]

The post How To Create Your First Working Budget With Quicken And Excel first appeared on Getting Finances Done.

This video shows how to create your first working budget with excel. If you want to use pen and paper I would recommend printing out a blank copy of my Working Budget Excel spreadsheet. You can get a free copy by subscribing to my newsletter on the right. You could also create your own spreadsheet […]

The post How To Create Your First Working Budget With Excel Or Pen And Paper first appeared on Getting Finances Done.

The NCAA Tournament field is set, and some college basketball fans in the D.C. area will be paying close attention to the First Four games. The First Four games in Dayton, Ohio on Tuesday feature the Howard Bison, the District's lone representative in the tournament, and the University of Virginia.

"Noncitizens will vote in November. The only question is how many," according to the editorial board of Issues & Insights, a news and opinion site.

The presidential election is right around the corner. This event has not put the nation in a very good mood.

Coco Gauff defeated top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 7-6 (4), 6-3 and set up a showdown with Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen in the final of the WTA Finals on Friday.

A game hunter consults his conscience, a Native Rights advocate remembers being separated from her heritage, a local chef plays host to TV personality Gordon Ramsay, a widow remembers her late husband’s grace and humor, a Native Youth Olympics coach connects kids to culture through athletics, plus an artist, a musician, a cross-country bicyclist, two roller-derby girls, and a family in a half-built cabin on an island in the wilderness

Special thanks this episode to Juneau field producer MK MacNaughton and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Ryan Blaney had the checkered flag in sight and a spot in NASCAR's title-deciding race within his grasp last week on the last lap of a contentious battle.

While researching "The Boy Crisis," I interviewed a young man from Mill Valley, California, a city with deep Democratic ties. As the interview concluded, he said, "I wish I hadn't been born male."

The Pittsburgh Steelers will head into their AFC North showdown with rival Baltimore without outside linebacker Alex Highsmith.

Not long after Edwin Moses figured out how to attack the solution to track's ultimate math problem, he transformed himself into the best hurdler in history.

Apple TV+'s adaptation of the books by Hugh Howey has a good four seasons in it, producers say.

The post Here’s How Long Apple’s Silo Show Could Run first appeared on SciFi Stream.

Disney+ has ordered a new series for the Marvel character, picking up where WandaVision left off.

The post Vision Is Getting His Own Show, From Star Trek’s Terry Matalas first appeared on SciFi Stream.

If you are looking for an outer-space romp, here are five recommendations for your next sci-fi binge!

The post Five Ship-Based Shows You Should Watch first appeared on SciFi Stream.

A new article published in the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering looks at how Aphia, the core platform that underpins the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS),  can Serve the taxonomic community and the field of biodiversity informatics.

Abstract

The Aphia platform is an infrastructure designed to capture taxonomic and related data and information, and includes an online editing environment. The latter allows easy access to experts so they can update the content of the database in a timely fashion. Aphia is the core platform that underpins the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) and its more than 80 related global, regional and thematic species databases, but it also allows the storage of non-marine data. The content of Aphia can be consulted online, either by individual users or via machine-to-machine interactions. Aphia uses unique and stable identifiers for each available name in the database through the use of Life Science Identifiers (LSIDs). The system not only allows the storage of accepted and unaccepted names, but it also documents the relationships between names. This makes it a very powerful tool for taxonomic quality control, and also allows the linking of different pieces of information through scientific names, both within the Aphia platform and in relation to externally hosted databases. Through these LSIDs, Aphia has become an important player in the field of (marine) biodiversity informatics, allowing interactions between its own taxonomic data and e.g., biogeographic databases. Some applications in the field of biodiversity informatics encompass the coupling of species traits and taxonomy, as well as the creation of diverse, expert validated data products that can be used by policy makers, for example. Aphia also supplies (part of) its content to other data integrators and the infrastructure can be used to host orphan databases in danger of being lost.

Original Source: http://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/3/4/1448/htm

Recommendations from the FP7-funded EU project BESAFE

Biodiversity decline is a fact, but how can society be convinced of the benefits of biodiversity for human well being and of the necessity of further protective action? The FP7 funded EU project Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services: Arguments for our Future Environment (BESAFE) addressed this challenge to produce guidance that can help improve the way we use arguments for conservation and convincingly demonstrate the value of biodiversity to decision-makers.

Credit: Rob Bugter

Two key outputs of the project are the final brochure "How to Argue for Biodiversity Conservation More Effectively: Recommendations from the BESAFE project", including key conclusions from project publications and case studies, and an interactive online tool, which can lead stakeholders to the relevant information in a few mouse clicks.

Key recommendations of BESAFE featured in these resources are:

• The success of a more integrated approach depends on stakeholder engagement. A top-down policy framework that sets goals for the protection of particular sites and species is important, but it is not enough to prevent biodiversity loss. - -- An integrated approach, seeking to 'mainstream' biodiversity concerns across all policy sectors (e.g. agriculture, forestry, water, energy, transport and urban planning) is needed.
• Promote bottom-up initiatives at the local level. All stakeholders need to be actively involved in the decision-making process, which should facilitate building trust and working towards generally agreed and accepted solutions.
• Tailor arguments to the audience. Arguments need to be framed to fit the values and goals of the audience, embracing the plurality of values attached to nature, and using appropriate language. For example, over-emphasising economic arguments could alienate people who are motivated mainly by ethical and moral concerns.
• Use positive arguments. Positive framing of arguments to emphasise benefits is often more powerful than negative framing that focuses on threats and losses. The concept of ecosystem services is useful for emphasising positive benefits, provided that it is properly explained to stakeholders.
• Use a wider range of arguments. Arguments based on the economic value of nature for humans dominate European and national policy-making, and are often seen as central to gaining high-level policy-maker support, but our results show that many decision-makers and other stakeholders also use and respond positively to ethical and moral arguments.

"We aimed to provide the essence of 4 years worth of research in an easy to read and reuse form, to maximise the potential of using the right arguments for conservation at the right time in order to successfully demonstrate the value of biodiversity to decision-makers," comments Rob Bugter, co-ordinator of the BESAFE project.

Try out the resources below:

Bugter R., Smith A.C. and the BESAFE consortium. 2015. How to argue for biodiversity conservation more effectively. Recommendations from the BESAFE project. Pensoft Publishers, Sofia, 26 pp. Available at: http://www.besafe-project.net/img/uplf/BESAFE_brochure_online_18.pdf

BESAFE web tool available at: http://tool.besafe-project.net/

Engagement with relevant political authorities and other stakeholders is of crucial importance for a research project, making sure its objectives are in tune with the real-world problems and its results provide adapted solutions. Now EU BON shares the outcomes, lessons learned and conclusions from a series of three roundtable meetings designed to identify stakeholder needs and promote collaboration between science and policy.

The collection of EU BON stakeholder roundtable reports provides a summarized overview of shared experiences gained in the three different workshops that were organized from 2013-2016. With more than 100 participants from over 20 countries altogether, the roundtable reports provide insights and exchange of ideas on highly relevant issues concerning policy, citizen science and local/regional stakeholders and its networks.

Simplified workflow from data mobilization via processing to stakeholders from the practice; Credit: Vohland et al.

The roundtables seek to build up a stakeholder dialogue with exemplary sector-specific user communities to incorporate feedback loops for the products of EU BON, as well as to develop improvements of existing biodiversity data workflows. Being published via the innovative Research Ideas & Outcomes (RIO) journal conclusions, derived knowledge and results are now made available for other projects and the wider community to ensure their re-use.

The three roundtable papers report on conclusion on highly relevant issues related to biodiversity information and its open-access and availability, data workflows and integration of citizen science as well as science-policy interfaces.

"In each of the three detailed reports of the roundtables we outline its aims, intentions, as well as results and recommendations, that were drafted based on the roundtable discussions, world café sessions and working groups. Such project results are now published for the first time in the new series of EU BON results, featured in RIO, providing a unique new medium to share experiences, outcomes and conclusions," comments Dr. Katrin Vohland, Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin.

"The three reports were published as workshop report provided by the Research Ideas & Outcomes (RIO) journal. This allows readers to publish, distribute and computationally analyse myriads of workshop reports that otherwise often get forgotten or just lost," comments Prof. Lyubomir Penev, co-founder and publisher of RIO.

Original Sources:

Rationale of the roundtables

Wetzel F, Hoffmann A, Häuser C, Vohland K (2016) 1st EU BON Stakeholder Roundtable (Brussels, Belgium): Biodiversity and Requirements for Policy. Research Ideas and Outcomes 2: e8600. doi: 10.3897/rio.2.e8600

Vohland K, Häuser C, Regan E, Hoffmann A, Wetzel F (2016) 2nd EU BON Stakeholder Roundtable (Berlin, Germany): How can a European biodiversity network support citizen science? Research Ideas and Outcomes 2: e8616. doi: 10.3897/rio.2.e8616

Vohland K, Hoffmann A, Underwood E, Weatherdon L, Bonet F, Häuser C, Wetzel F (2016) 3rd EU BON Stakeholder Roundtable (Granada, Spain): Biodiversity data workflow from data mobilization to practice. Research Ideas and Outcomes 2: e8622. doi: 10.3897/rio.2.e8622

General synthesis and lessons learnt from the three EU BON stakeholder roundtables

The 11th European Projects GEO Workshop took place between 19-21 June 2017, in Helsinki, Finland, bringing together European stakeholders interested in and actively contributing to the Global Earth Observations System of Systems (GEOSS).

Alongside the plenary (see presentations here), the conference featured 20 sessions looking at various aspects GEOSS, its objectives and their implementation.

Among those EU BON took part in a dedicated session titled ‘How Ecosystem and Biodiversity data and knowledge can support the GEO objectives’, alongside fellow projects and initiatives, and associated partners ECOPOTENTIAL, LTER-Europe, GLOBIS-B, EKLIPSE and ENEON.

Credit: F. Wetzel

The session aimed to inform about recent developments of relevant projects that focus on Ecosystems and Biodiversity and also outline how the generated data and knowledge can support the GEO objectives and inform relevant policies on a European and global scale.  

.@ft_wetzel explaining the @EUBON1 approach to mobilising linked and standardised data #EGW2017 #citizenscience #harmonisation #biodiversity pic.twitter.com/jJJ5jADAzG

— Scent (@SCENT_EU) June 20, 2017

EU BON, as a now completed project, opened the session by presenting its major products in particular the European Biodiversity Portal and how current and future projects can build on the outcomes achieved.

Overall, the session gave the opportunity to learn about the different approaches of selected EU-projects that address the mobilization, integration and analysis of biodiversity and ecosystem data, their current achievements and existing barriers. Here are some of the Key Messages that emerged from the session: 

• For biodiversity and ecosystem approaches, European level efforts are needed to achieve comprehensive data coverage and full open access, especially for in situ data integration.
• Existing European-level data portals and information platforms need to be sustained and considered as integration points for national and local data hubs. 
• Systematic approaches for biodiversity are needed, which means linking biotic and abiotic data and improving harmonization efforts for the whole data cycle/ workflows from data collection, analysis and dissemination for different disciplines (SBAs). 
• Essential (Biodiversity) Variables (EBVs) are a key concept / framework especially for monitoring / long-term observations that should be applied for all available biodiversity/ecosystem data fields.
• Use examples from existing projects and networks as successful blueprints for bottom-up/user-driven approaches in GEOSS that relate to knowledge and user needs at the local scale. 

EKLIPSE is an EU-funded project that aims to develop a mechanism for supporting better informed decisions about our environment based on the best available knowledge. This short video (4 minute) explains the EKLIPSE process and you can find out more about our science-policy activities on the EKLIPSE website. The project now invites you to describe your views on how to improve the science-policy interface related to biodiversity and ecosystem services and potential ways in which you, or your background organization, would like to contribute to the EKLIPSE mechanism.

Have your say here!

The Museum für Naturkunde Berlin and the Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin are organizing the 31st Annual Meeting of the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC) to be held from June 20 through 25, 2016, in Berlin, Germany.

Under the heading "Green Museum – How to practice what we preach?" this meeting of the society evaluates green thinking in collections, museums and botanical gardens. In a world of climate change and ever decreasing biodiversity, sustainability  should be the criterion that ideally determines all planning and decisions, ranging from field work to construction projects,  from ethical aspects to cost-benefit analyses.

In practice this often is compromised by constraints beyond the control of the institution, be it monetary, legal or other. The conference will offer a forum to discuss possible ways of reconciling the seemingly opposing requirements. 

More information here.

After David’s memorial service in May (a video recording of which is permanently on Vimeo with no password necessary), some people on my Facebook page asked if a collection of photographs of David could be made available. There was a slide show created to run on a loop in the lobby of the funeral home […]

Boston College senior, Sarah Dansreau, takes us through her perfect day in Boston's Brighton neighborhood.

The post How to spend the perfect day in Brighton appeared first on Boston.com.

Nathan Eovaldi was a dependable starter for the Red Sox over five seasons, especially in October.

The post Red Sox have reportedly shown ‘interest’ in reunion with 2018 World Series hero  appeared first on Boston.com.

The substantial increase mostly came from out-of-state telehealth appointments, where providers prescribe abortion medication.

The post Abortions shot up in Mass. last year in wake of Dobbs, WBUR report shows appeared first on Boston.com.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) was widely misunderstood in life, and perhaps even more so in death. How much do you know about the great composer? ... Read more

The post How Well Do You Know Tchaikovsky? Take the Quiz! appeared first on CMUSE.

Wilhelm Richard Wagner is one of the most controversial figures in the history of classical music, and for good reason. How well do you know ... Read more

The post How Well Do You Know Wagner? Take the Quiz! appeared first on CMUSE.

How well do you know the King of the Blues? How well do you know the King of the Blues?

The post How Well Do You Know B.B. King? Take the Quiz! appeared first on CMUSE.

"They never really called out Russell on certain things, but Bill would call Tom out on everything," Bennett said, comparing the Seahawks and Patriots in the 2010s.

The post Michael Bennett recalled how Bill Belichick treated Tom Brady as harshly as other Patriots appeared first on Boston.com.

The more romantically inclined might describe Nantucket’s signature hue as a “dusty rose” or a “sunset pink.” Candid folks may note the passing resemblance to a bad sunburn.

The post How did ‘Nantucket red’ become an island tradition? appeared first on Boston.com.

The post How do you keep a relationship fresh? appeared first on Boston.com.

Boston City Councilor At-Large, Henry Santana, and Northeastern graduate student, Yadah Ampofo, each share how they would spend a perfect day in Boston’s Mission Hill neighborhood.

The post Here’s how to spend the perfect day in Mission Hill appeared first on Boston.com.