Center for Responsive Schools Offers Anti-Bullying Resources To Support Educators
Educating all children is the most important work in the world, and schools should be safe, inclusive spaces free from bullying. That’s why the Center for Responsive Schools (CRS), a leader in educational development, is participating in National Bullying Prevention Month this October by offering new and time-tested resources to support educators in their bullying prevention efforts. National Bullying Prevention Month is a U.S.-based campaign founded in 2006 by PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center. For 40 years, CRS has developed research- and evidence-based social and emotional learning programs, products, and services for educators worldwide. All of CRS’s offerings include strategies to create safe, joyful, and engaging classrooms and school communities, which can enhance schools’ success in addressing bullying. “Center for Responsive Schools’ professional development and publications help cultivate positive classroom communities that are inherently anti-bullying environments,” said Dr. Lora Hodges, president, and CEO of Center for Responsive Schools. Webinars, books, and more This month, CRS hosts two webinars on the topic of student observation, which plays an important role in bullying prevention. On Thursday, October 14 at 7 p.m. EDT, Responsive Classroom Curriculum and Instructional Designer Jane Cofie moderated Seeing Students: The Power of Observation. Veteran educator and author of How to Bullyproof Your Classroom, Caltha Crowe, will moderate Bullying Prevention: Careful Observation of Our Students Is Key on Thursday, October 28 at 7 p.m. EDT. At the end of October, CRS will release the second edition of Crowe’s aforementioned book, How to Bullyproof Your Classroom. In the revised and updated edition of this classic book, teachers will learn how to recognize and prevent bullying and create elementary classrooms where kindness and learning flourish. Additionally, Fly Five: The Social and Emotional Learning Curriculum, a CRS program, includes bullying prevention techniques in certain lessons. Responsive Classroom, CRS’s student-centered social and emotional approach to teaching and discipline, promotes self-discipline, responsibility, and investing students in class rules—all practices that result in a more positive classroom community.
Protect The World’s Bees With Ai – Find Varroa Mites Fast And Bee-Friendly With AI
Varroa mites continues to plague the world’s honeybees and beekeepers. The mites are time-consuming to find with the naked eye, and it is impossible to accurately establish how many mites there are in a hive by just looking. What takes the eye minutes to find, the BeeScanning app detects in just seconds. Without hurting a single bee. BeeScanning is the world’s only varroa mite detection tool that truly saves and protects the bees. It’s fast and accurate and saves huge amounts of time, bees, and materials. The most common way to find and count varroa mites is to shake or “wash” a selection of bees in isopropanol. In other words – drown the bees in alcohol. The varroa mites fall off the dead bees and can then be counted. A procedure that requires the beekeeper to sacrifice up to 600 bees per hive to get statistically valid results. A contra-productive method as all the beekeeper really wanted to do was to understand the health of the bees and treat them accordingly. “Over the last 12 months, BeeScanning has been used to accurately analyze more than 24 million bees across the globe for varroa mites – without killing a single bee.” — Björn Lagerman, founder of BeeScanning and a passionate beekeeper since 1970 Swedish bee-health company BeeScanning has a smart bee-friendly solution. Beekeepers that use the BeeScanning app simply photograph their bees with their smartphone camera. The pictures are instantly uploaded to BeeScanning’s servers and analyzed in seconds by the company’s trained AI. An accurate, easy to use, and 100% bee-friendly method. There is no need for alcohol washing, BeeScanning tells you if there is a need to treat. To take into account hidden varroa mites under the bees’ wings or under their abdomen the AI analysis result is calculated in percent number of varroa versus the number of bees. A factor is used to multiply the result compensating for hidden mites. This factor derives from extensive lab tests comparing AI results with alcohol washing. Over the last 12 months, BeeScanning has been used to accurately analyze more than 24 million bees across the globe for varroa mites – without killing a single bee.
StatHero Launches First Of A Kind, Head To Head, College Football Daily Fantasy Contests
Bridging the world of daily fantasy & sports gaming with 50-70% winning chances. StatHero, the disruptive daily fantasy sports platform with industry-leading, never seen before, player winning percentages has now brought its innovative gameplay to passionate College Football fans everywhere! StatHero’s lineups are always posted in advance giving players the advantage exemplified by an industry-leading 50-70% player winning percentage. Now there are even more options with hundreds of their favorite college athletes available to play with to get in on the action. What makes StatHero different? StatHero’s platform has grown rapidly among college-aged fans largely due to its simple, no gimmick, gameplay. Fantasy players with 10 years or 10 minutes of experience are quickly realizing the StatHero platform offers them the best odds at winning while adding that extra excitement on game day. In 34 US states, StatHero has exploded in growth because they are the only platform bridging the worlds of daily fantasy and sports gaming with dozens of house-based lineups for players to compete against. Now fans can select players from their favorite college alma maters to go up against StatHero’s posted lineups. “We are thrilled players can choose their favorite NCAA teams and line-ups on StatHero. We always put the players first as we expand into 34 states with more leagues & gaming options.” — Jason Jaramillo, Founder of StatHero Why play StatHero? StatHero is the ONLY competition. Players no longer have to beat thousands of other players and rank in the Top 1% to make money. All StatHero contests last multiple days, but require ONLY ONE entry fee, so player money lasts longer. Every round player advance in a contest earns you more money. Sick of playing the DFS lottery? No more competing with sharks or experts, EVER! Since StatHero is the ONLY competition, players at any skill level can compete for the grand prize. StatHero provides fantasy survivor pools that pay players out EVERY TIME they advance. Its patented-payout structure always keeps the jackpot within reach, players just have to SURVIVE. StatHero’s goal is to revitalize the Daily Fantasy Sports market by breaking down all the long odds and long hours that plague traditional platforms. Enjoying Fantasy Sports shouldn’t be a choice between a season-long commitment. A toss-up between more or fewer points per player, or a lineup lottery submission against thousands. There’s a better way to play at StatHero, it’s fantasy sports the way it was meant to be, just one-on-one for instant cash prizes.
OSHA Introduces Confined Space Rescue Teams and Plans for New Construction Sites
A step to tackle hazardous atmosphere About 5,250 American workers die on the job every year, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. That’s 14 deaths a day. These tragedies sometimes occur in new construction and renovations, and in areas where danger is least suspected. Work in tight spaces is especially dangerous. That’s why OSHA — the Occupational Safety and Health Administration — requires a confined space rescue team and rescue plan in place for new construction. These teams are critical because a dangerous situation on the job site can seem to come out of nowhere with no warning. Why The Need For Confined Space Rescue Teams? In 2015, OSHA updated its rules for confined spaces of construction. Work conducted in crawl spaces, tanks, utility holes, tunnels, and trenches, has an increased chance of encountering a host of dangerous situations. What do these confined spaces all have in common? They are not designed for occupancy for a long period of time, they are large enough for a worker to squeeze into, and they have few entry points and exits. The official rule is a little denser. It reads: “An ‘enclosed space’ is a term… describing a workplace such as a manhole or a vault that is designed for periodic use under normal operating conditions, and that, under normal circumstances, does not contain a hazardous atmosphere but may contain a hazardous atmosphere under abnormal conditions.” These confined spaces occur on thousands of job sites all across the country every day. Sewers, storage tanks, reaction vessels, enclosed drains, tunnels, and silos are all other examples of possible workspaces that fall under the heading of enclosed spaces. Therefore, OSHA requires a confined space rescue plan and possibly a team for its construction. What Are The Hazards of Confined Spaces? One of the greatest hazards of working in confined spaces isn’t getting stuck, although that does happen. No, the greatest danger is running into a breathing situation. A worker can get into trouble here in several ways and unfortunately, they won’t detect trouble in a lot of cases with their eyes. The work crew can’t see if there is a lack of oxygen. They can’t see if there are poisonous fumes or vapors. And They can’t see if there’s a flammable gas leak in the confined environment. Low Oxygen Levels An environment with low oxygen can occur for several reasons, and few of them are obvious. Reactions between soil and the air can sometimes eat up the oxygen in a confined space. In other cases, groundwater can react with limestone or chalk in the rock to make carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide will then displace the oxygen in the confined space. Low oxygen can also form in steel tanks if the metal is oxidizing to form rust. In any event, these situations can lead to asphyxiation. Warning signs of this life-threatening lack of oxygen are low energy, labored or abnormal breathing, headaches, chest pains, and dizziness. Ultimately, the worker could lose consciousness and die. In many cases, workers not following a confined space plan will lower themselves into a confined space, discover too late that there’s low oxygen and not have the strength to climb out. Poisonous gases Noxious and toxic gases build up in sewers and pits or leak into new construction through connective pipes. Poisonous gases can also leak into pits and trenches if in proximity to contaminated areas. Some examples of these gases are hydrogen sulfide and carbon monoxide. Hydrogen sulfide, or “sewer gas” as it’s commonly known, is an explosive gas that can build up in manholes or leak into tanks from pipes. It can sometimes smell like rotten eggs or sickeningly sweet. Hydrogen sulfide can cause a host of irritability, dizziness and nausea, collapse, and eventual death. Carbon monoxide on the other hand is odorless. While it can leak into confined spaces from pipes, CO is usually a side-effect of construction. Carbon monoxide is created by burning gasoline, natural gas, propane, or kerosene. Any composition engine can create CO and exposure is assured if the engine or generator isn’t properly vented. Other Issues Besides gas and oxygen, other issues that can harm workers in confined spaces are: Extreme dust and particulates Extreme heat Flooding Physical mishap and injury Have a Plan for Confined Spaces There are a number of steps to take for working in confined spaces and to satisfy federal guidelines. Contact a safety compliance professional with a proven track record with confined spaces. Create a rescue plan, start with a risk profile. This will include a map of the site or, in new construction, a building preplan. Hazards, dimensions, controls, and the number of exits will all factor into the risk profile. With the risk profile created, map out all the physical elements needed to conduct a rescue (equipment needed, anchor points, etc.), and also account for how first responders will gain access. A safety compliance consultant is useful to walk through all the steps of the plan and contingencies for rescue scenarios. Also, save money by contracting this professional rather than bring one on the payroll full time. Practice Makes Perfect Conduct drills, enforce wearing safety equipment, know who the local first responders are, and always have a rescue team ready to go. You never know when work in a confined space will need to utilize that rescue team.
Alienware Unveils New Flagship Desktop to Commemorate its 25th Anniversary
The new open-air redesigned Aurora has a 50% increased internal chassis volume Started on Oct 15, 1996, inside a garage near Miami, Alienware prepares to celebrate the milestone 25th anniversary with the launch of its redesigned flagship desktop Aurora. Alienware Aurora pioneered the liquid-cooling movement and stood as a symbol of innovation when it was introduced in 2004. Since then Aurora become the mid-tower desktop of choice for the world’s best esports players in the most demanding, high-stakes tournaments. Today, innovation continues to drive its most evolved form: introducing the redesigned Alienware Aurora, the pinnacle of Alienware desktop experiences. Where Form Follows Function In 2021, we have seen Alienware making some radical upgrades to the Alienware family. From unveiling the world’s first gaming laptop designed in collaboration with CHERRY MX to debuting the brand-new X-Series family– thinnest 15″ and 17″ laptops to date. But what lies ahead for the beloved Alienware Aurora desktop? The new Alienware Aurora debuts an open-air design that reorganizes its inner components to promote better accessibility, greater airflow, improved acoustics, and cleaner cable management–enriching the gaming experience in every possible way. This new open-air design increases internal chassis volume by a whopping 50% without significantly expanding the overall footprint of the chassis. The result is more efficient total airflow and a reduced acoustic profile that provides gamers with a more enjoyable daily experience. All while providing a 5% increase in graphics performance. Thoughtful Thermals and Awesome Acoustics A robust new thermal design supports up to four 120mm fans and liquid cooling options. The new Aurora takes full advantage of the open-air design to keep your rig performing cooler through the most intense gaming sessions. The Aurora intakes cool air through the honeycomb-shaped airways on the front of the desktop resulting in higher airflow efficiency. The air moves across the motherboard and performance components before evacuating it out the backside of the chassis. The new Aurora has increased chassis volume and might seem counter-intuitive: more fans working efficiently can help a desktop stay not just cooler, but quieter. Gen-over-gen, it is up to 16% quieter at idle, up to 9% quieter during CPU intensive tasks, and up to 15% quieter during overclocking. Where the Soul meets Body The new Aurora’s inside-out exterior has expressive curves and an iconic sculpted shape reveals a 360 design that makes it look fantastic from all angles on both Lunar Light and Dark Side of the Moon color options. For the first time, Alienware is offering an optional transparent left-side panel that provides a window for gamers to gaze inside and admire a dark new motherboard illuminated by up to eight unique zones of AlienFX customizable lighting. Fun fact: Alienware designed this with esports in mind, as athletes’ systems are often viewed from the back during broadcasts.
Cushing Terrell Joins the Renewable Energy Conversation at Greenbuild 2021
Upgrading energy infrastructure to utilize renewable energy sources to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase resilience. Hurricanes, wildfires, and severe winter storms have demonstrated the precarious nature of our energy infrastructure and the critical need to rethink our energy sources and delivery methods. Knowing the need for fast-tracked solutions, members of Cushing Terrell’s Infrastructure Group, Alan and Nathan Bronec, father and son electrical engineers, brought their expertise on microgrids and renewable energy integration to this year’s Greenbuild conference which took place last month. Members presentation, “Don’t Be Left in the Dark: How Microgrids Make Reliable, Onsite Renewable Energy Possible,” will be part of the on-demand series of presentations available for attendees. When it comes to resilience in the face of natural disasters, microgrid systems offer benefits that include onsite energy generation and storage, the use of renewable energy sources. The option to connect and disconnect from primary utility grids. Microgrids aren’t a new concept, but they’re fast gaining traction in the effort to identify reliable, climate-friendly alternatives to current infrastructure. Ashlegh Powell, Director of Sustainability at Cushing Terrell said, “It’s an all-hands-on-deck moment for our industry as we collectively work to promote resilience, equity, health, and well-being while dramatically reducing greenhouse gas emissions over the next decade in order to limit warming to 1.5°C. The inspiration and insight we gained from our colleagues and friends at Greenbuild were invaluable at this pivotal time.” As the United States moves toward zero net emissions in buildings and infrastructure, the use of onsite renewable energy will play a key role. Now is time for local and state governments, utilities, designers, urban planners, developers, and construction contractors to come together and help drive the sustainability conversation and practice forward, sharing expertise and lessons learned from across disciplines and industries. In addition to the Bronecs’ microgrid presentation, the Cushing Terrell team has developed a Solar Integration Design Guide that provides a high-level overview of the return on investment of onsite solar, design considerations, and insights.
FDA Issues Final Guidance for Voluntarily Reducing Sodium in Processed and Packaged Foods
A step to improve nutrition and reduce the burden of disease A cornerstone of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s public health mission is to reduce the burden of chronic disease through improved nutrition. As a nation, the USA is facing a growing epidemic of preventable, diet-related conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity, and the agency’s work in this area has become even more urgent. For these reasons, FDA is taking a critical step to further address preventable diet-related chronic diseases and advance health equity. Is it a significant public health nutrition intervention? The unnecessary amount of sodium present in most of the diets often results in hundreds of thousands of lives lost and billions in annual health care costs. By limiting certain nutrients like sodium in diets, can help prevent diseases like hypertension and cardiovascular disease that disproportionately impact racial and ethnic minority groups. FDA has issued final guidance – Voluntary Sodium Reduction Goals: Target Mean and Upper Bound Concentrations for Sodium in Commercially Processed, Packaged, and Prepared Foods. Which provides voluntary short-term sodium reduction targets for food manufacturers, chain restaurants, and foodservice operators for 163 categories of processed, packaged and prepared foods. What research says? Research shows that people consume 50% more sodium than recommended. This includes the youngest and most vulnerable populations, with more than 95% of children aged 2 to 13 years old exceeding recommended limits of sodium for their age groups. About 70% of the sodium which consumers eat comes from packaged, processed, and restaurant foods, making it challenging to limit sodium. Changes across the overall food supply will make it easier to access lower-sodium options and reduce intake even in the absence of behavior change. The target The targets in the final guidance seek to decrease average sodium intake from approximately 3,400 milligrams (mg) to 3,000 mg per day, about a 12% reduction, over the next 2.5 years. The final guidance outlines short-term goals that FDA is recommending the food industry work to meet as soon as possible to help optimize public health. In the future, FDA plans to issue revised, subsequent targets to further lower the sodium content incrementally and continue to help reduce sodium intake. Voluntary and gradual approaches such as this have also been successful in other countries, such as Canada and the U.K.
Velocity MSC Partners with Vistar Media for Programmatic Supply-Side Platform (SSP)
Partnership expands digital out of home inventory Velocity MSC Partners with Vistar Media for Programmatic Supply-Side Platform (SSP), A Managed Services Company has partnered with Vistar Media (Vistar), a leading global provider of programmatic digital out-of-home (DOOH) media. As a provider of IT managed services, Velocity’s nationwide digital signage assets will be accessible to advertisers through Vistar’s SSP, either on the open exchange or through private marketplace deals. Through this partnership, Vistar offers a complete end-to-end programmatic ecosystem for DOOH that includes a demand-side platform (DSP), supply-side platform (SSP), and data management platform (DMP), integrated to enable automated and measurable DOOH transactions. Vistar’s SSP is connected to the world’s leading omnichannel demand-side platform making it one of the most popular places that both media owners and marketers go to for placing their advertising bids. Greg Kiley, Chairman and CEO of Velocity said, “Agencies are looking for ease of buying and flexible buying opportunities that programmatic systems allow. We are happy to expand their options with Velocity’s impressive portfolio that spans many high-impact media markets. With Velocity’s DOOH opportunities, Vistar customers will now have access to these 1,000 additional screens in the following networks: Grocery Network: 170 screens in upscale Manhattan grocery stores at checkout Hospitality Network: 570 screens at lobby/check-in area Movie Theaters: 400 screens in the lobby and other high-traffic areas (more plan to be deployed in 2022) Velocity has aggressively expanded its DOOH presence over the past year, establishing a comprehensive network that targets the on-the-go consumer where they shop, play, commute, and stay. The previously announced acquisitions of Impax Media and Vision Media and partnership with G6 Hospitality. The parent company of Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands, expand Velocity’s digital signage inventory accessible through Vistar’s SSP to include over 1,000 screens in the grocery, cinema, and hospitality sectors, with further expansion planned in 2022. Vistar Media’s goal is to bring compelling inventory to buyers in a streamlined marketplace where sophisticated data strategies can be applied to engage consumers in the physical world.
LandOrc Enters India A US$ 1 Trillion Opportunity
Bringing lower-cost capital with significant upsides and security to lenders. For years, India has been predicted to as the next business hub. Whether it’s the new automobile manufacturing or real estate center, the world’s eyes are looking up for India. UAE, as one of the great admirers, is focusing on strengthening its traditionally bilateral relations with India. In 2020. global investors have invested US$ 5 billion of investments alone and have seen the participation of marquee investors like Blackrock, Oaktree, Bain Capital, Capital Land, Sumitomo, Meritz, etc. However, the capital has been focussed on the larger cities and is still inadequate to fill the funding requirement in India. VC Circle estimates the real estate funding gap in India at US$ 100 billion. Indian real estate industry is in the spotlight The funding gap is most felt in the 104 Tier 2 cities in India, already representing 75% of India’s aggregate GDP. Real estate activity in Tier 2 and 3 cities is experiencing the highest growth rate, especially in the smaller scaled projects. Landor is focussing specifically on this segment by tapping into alternate funding available from the large capital base within Decentralised Finance (DeFi) and crypto-assets of US$ 2.2 trillion, globally. Offering lending with an average deal size of US$ 150 thousand per project and with tenures of less than six months to fill the funding gap in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. The low value, high volume, and fast turnaround of projects offer risk mitigation to lenders. Ensuring a high debt scenario for a single property developer like Evergrande is unlikely to happen. Additionally, the lending is secured against land collateral, held via a Non-Fungible Token (NFT) on the blockchain. The transparency and speed of a blockchain-based approval system ensure that the property developers are able to access lending at a faster time frame and the cost of capital is lower than what is available locally. Thus LandOrc is enabling the reduction of the cost of housing and providing a growth driver to the real estate industry. The LandOrc team on-ground has deep experience in real estate and finance to ensure that the lending process is done within local regulatory frameworks and is scalable over time. This tokenization of lending allows for global investors to participate from the comfort of home to achieve up to 20% APR (annual percentage returns) on the LandOrc platform. The real estate industry globally has been facing a funding gap despite all the governmental quantitative easing efforts during the pandemic. Most of the benefits from the easing have been targeting end consumers and individuals and not the businesses. This has further accentuated the funding gap already faced by real estate developers prior to the pandemic. LandOrc goes global LandOrc is in the process of replicating the same lending model in other markets like Australia, the United States, Sri Lanka, Canada, etc. Focussing on high-interest segments. The World Economic Forum had estimated the size of tokenization of assets to reach US$ 24 trillion by the year 2027. The rise of technologies like blockchain has fast-forwarded the growth of tokenization, for any asset or financial instrument. This impact is seen in the growth of NFT marketplaces that have reached US$ 2.5 billion in sales focussing primarily on the art, entertainment, and gaming sectors. This offering allows individuals and companies involved in DeFi to diversify their investments and include assets that are linked to real-world assets like land and real estate. Thus ensuring greater security for their investments and compliance to the increasing regulation seen within the crypto environment. Based on an expected APR of up to 20% the LandOrc utility token LORC is expected to grow by three times based on independent analysts using the dividend discount model. LORC tokens have high liquidity and offer secondary market exposure having been already listed on Uniswap and with an upcoming listing in large centralized exchanges like Coinsbit and Bitforex scheduled in October, and a few more in upcoming months.
Rowan University Builds Sustainable Fossil Park Museum Worth $73 Million
A 65-acre tract carrying global importance The best way to understand the growth, evolution, and development of the dinosaur world would be by visiting the museums. And what if the museum is spread over a 65-acre fossil park tract while focused on sustainability? Digging into deep time, New Jersey invites to its futuristic fossil park. Rowan University welcomed community leaders, project partners, and friends to a groundbreaking newest museum, a world-class destination to explore the distant, local past around themes of a more sustainable future. The $73 million, 44,000 square-foot Jean & Ric Edelman Fossil Park Museum is designed by world-renowned architects and experienced design firms. World-class museum Jean & Ric Edelman Fossil Park Museum was inspired by the deep-time perspective that the fossil record offers. The museum will perch above a four-acre former marl quarry where 66-million-year-old marine and terrestrial fossils record the last moments of the dinosaur world. Within the museum’s exhibit halls, the museum will transport visitors back to a time when dinosaurs roamed the coast, and fearsome mosasaurs, giant sea turtles, and crocodiles patrolled the sea. The museum will also provide opportunities for the exploration of contemporary times, in particular the rapidly worsening climate and biodiversity crises. While entering the land and sea galleries of the Late Cretaceous worlds, visitors will wonder at the hyper-local focus, like a recreated Brontosaurus, the first discovered tyrannosaur found in 1866, and a 53-foot mosasaur. Major gift boosts “citizen science” and local economy Alumni Ric & Jean Edelman gave $25 million to develop the Fossil Park site as a unique research ecosystem that supports scientific, undergraduate, and “citizen science” opportunities. The amount will finance more than a third of the museum’s construction and will have an educational impact which is the most important aspect of the project. “The look back into the distant past is not merely for intellectual curiosity, it’s to remind us of who we are, where we have the potential to go, and who we have the potential to become,” said Ric Edelman.