new Not only will innovation stimulate substantial growth and create new markets, we believe it also will disrupt sectors which historically have stoked high inflation. We believe that global oil demand is likely to peak within the next few years as electric vehicles begin to scale and as autonomous electric taxi networks account for an increasing share of miles traveled. DNA sequencing will introduce science to health care decision-making in a way never before possible, minimizing the guess work and eliminating waste. At the same time, robots will serve not only as an antidote to labor shortages that are cropping up in the US, Japan, China, and elsewhere, but also should increase productivity, one of the most powerful forces against inflation. — Ark Invest, 8h ago

new Trial findings suggest that formulating diets with an optimal distribution of particle sizes may nurture gut development, help piglets cope with gut health disorders and reduce incidence of diarrhoea. As coarser elements in feed slow the rate of feed passage, this may grant regulatory mechanisms in the GIT adequate time to function. Including more coarse particles may also support piglet resilience in health-challenged environments without reducing performance. Findings from feeding trials have informed an enhanced Milkiwean Vital Start feeding programme. Tailored for use in facilities with potential for heath challenges, the augmented diet includes more coarsely ground feed particles to better support piglet performance. Feeding a diet with an optimal distribution of particle sizes can help support piglet performance and gut health in challenged conditions. — Pig Progress, 14h ago

new As the global population, which already surpassed eight billion in November last year, continues to rise, with over half of it residing in urban areas and projected to reach 70 per cent by 2050, more efforts and tangible actions are required to keep the impact on the natural environment as low as possible. These actions are necessary at all levels — government, private sector, as well as individual levels. That’s the reason it’s crucial to step up our efforts and also create more awareness of how we can effectively contribute to global climate action and cultivate a sense of responsibility among everyone to do their bit for the survival of our only Earth and reduce the severity of climate change on our communities and societies, both present and future. — Khaleej Times, 18h ago

new As cities expand, vertical and horizontal spaces are continually redefined, adapting to the pressing demands of urban living. Yet, beneath the expanse of our infrastructure lies a matrix of underutilized spaces, often overshadowed by their towering counterparts - the bridges that stitch our cities together. These underbridge spaces, ranging from small niches to vast expanses, remain dormant, echoing the hum of the traffic above, waiting for visionaries to tap into their latent potential. In our relentless pursuit to address urban housing needs, Buildner is proud to unveil its 17th competition in the Affordable Housing Series. This time, we venture into the overlooked and underexplored – diving deep into the spaces beneath bridges around the world. "The Underbridge Housing Challenge" beckons architects and visionaries globally to reimagine these spaces, to transform them into dynamic, thriving communities that resonate with the city's heartbeat. Beneath city bridges worldwide lies untapped potential, vast spaces brimming with opportunity. "The Underbridge Housing Challenge" invites visionaries to transform these areas into thriving communities. Buildner is searching for designs that can cater to a wide array of residents, ensuring a perfect blend of scalability, affordability and eco-consciousness. It's an invitation to revolutionize these overlooked spaces with a fresh, practical perspective. Participants have the liberty to pinpoint any underbridge site across the globe for their visionary designs. Essential considerations include the site's accessibility, available amenities, and how the proposed solution harmonizes with the existing community. The designs should showcase adaptability, ensuring they cater to various needs while remaining both cost-effective and sustainable. With this challenge, the boundaries are set by your own creativity. Buildner urges entrants to think big, think different, and present housing solutions that challenge the norm. The underbridge spaces await your transformative touch. Let your imaginations run wild, and let's craft a vision where these spaces become the heartbeat of urban communities. PRIZES 3 winning proposals, 2 special award recipients and 6 honourable mentions will be selected. Buildner (formerly Bee Breeders) will award a total of 7,000 € in prize money to competition winners as follows: 1st Prize - 3,000 € 2nd Prize - 1,500 € 3rd Prize - 1,000 € + 6 honourable mentions Buildner Student Award - 1000 € Buildner Sustainability Award - 500 € COMPETITION SCHEDULE Early Bird Registration: 13 November – 11 December Advance Registration: 12 December – 30 January Last Minute Registration: 31 January – 16 April Final registration deadline: April 16, 2024 Closing date for submission: May 28, 2024 (LONDON TIME) Announcement of the winners: July 2, 2024 More: https://architecturecompetitions.com/underbridge/... — Bustler, 18h ago

new In a country where education plays a central role in the political, socio-economic milieu, it is only natural, even proper that debates thrive, as it is doing in Nigeria, about the cost of education vis-à-vis educational opportunities to the average citizen. Balancing access and cost of tertiary education has become an issue that needs proper interrogation and rethinking more so as harsh economic conditions have precluded the academic environment from the serenity and predictability it used to enjoy. This issue has been compounded with the challenges of running a proper curriculum. The salient question that recurs is whether or not education should be free; and to what extent? Who bears the cost?... — The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News, 21h ago

new Establishing a yearly commemorative day for health promotion is an important step towards addressing public health challenges in Nigeria. It allows for a dedicated day where individuals, government agencies, non-profit organisations, and other stakeholders can come together to promote healthy lifestyles, educate the public about prevailing health issues, and advocate for policies and actions that improve the overall health of Nigerians. — The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News, 1d ago

new For all of the bravado of AI, before we become too dazzled or dismayed (depending on which side of this issue you reside), at AI’s potential impact on projects, it is worthwhile to sit back with a skeptical bird’s eye view. After all, as we humans evolved throughout the information age of the mid to late twentieth century, AI can just be considered the latest development in a long series of technological advances driven by the engine of human information input. Even if every one of the improvements stated above are tangible, how well does it translate to the ultimate outcome? Organizations around the globe have been trying to digitalize and computerize, some as early as the 1960s and 1970s. Digitization and computerization promised a revolution in productivity through automation, streamlining, and making humans redundant. But the road to a more significant productivity boost has been arduous at best. One of the primary reasons is captured in the Theory of Constraints (TOC) developed by Eliyahu M. Goldratt, an Israeli physicist turned business management guru. In his landmark book The Goal, which sold over 6 million copies, he explains the importance of focusing on the right constraints to improve the overall system. For projects, the constraints are generally not within the technology and tools, but within humans. — Healthcare Business Today, 1d ago

new Their education system is good but again what is lacking is implementation. Not all schools are good. In fact according to their own stats some of the best schools are now good schools and average ones have turned out to be bad. Any socialist economy suffers from funding because of the nature of how money is handled. But Canada has gotten worse. Some big EU economies have somehow managed to weather the bad effects of socialism. Hard to predict how things will look like in future. I guess US will still remain the strongest and the greatest but their arm twisting strength will reduce. China will continue to grow and thrive if they stop their aggressive control on capitalism. India will remain a bright spot for a few more years. Unless they reform law and order, agriculture and their labor system they will be stuck in the “bright spot” segment. I don’t have much hopes on EU because of the population decline and their stupid immigration policies (though slightly better than Canada). Japan also has an aging population with negative population growth. Their society is also not welcoming to immigrants. So no hopes there. Interesting times. The world has enjoyed tremendous growth since WW2. I guess ours and our children’s generation will see some chaos before things settle again. — Blind, 1d ago

new The now-infamous report that bears his moniker documents that Kissinger also acted with impunity in the implementation of a depopulation programme in African and other vulnerable countries. This programme aimed to achieve the inverse outcome of USA enrichment. As stated in the Kissinger report, “The US economy will require large and increasing amounts of minerals from abroad, especially from less developed countries. That fact gives the US enhanced interest in the political, economic, and social stability of the supplying countries. Wherever a lessening of population pressures through reduced birth rates can increase the prospects for such stability, population policy becomes relevant to resource supplies and to the economic interests of the United States.”... — jamaica-gleaner.com, 1d ago

new While the number of houses isn't fixed, neither is the number of people using those houses. Again, related to a metrics we could control - immigration and birth rates - but intentionally or not, don't. Aside from birth rates being low due to the issue of increasing house prices due to intentionally lowered interest rates causing people to delay/reduce having children, an argument could also be made that one of the major reasons the west needs young immigrants is the rise in birth control/abortions - NZ alone has killed more than half a million future citizens in the name of convenience. (I realize it's a moral decision, but it has economic implications). — interest.co.nz, 1d ago

new Instead, the recent surge in inflation inequality stems from more innocuous roots. Firms pass rising upstream costs on to retail prices at similar absolute rates for both low- and high-end products. However, when price changes are measured in percentages, the increases appear disproportionately large for low-end products. This pattern has real consequences for consumers across the income distribution, since rising input prices can lead the cost of a typical shopping basket for a low-income household to grow faster than the cost of a high-income household’s shopping basket. From 2020–2023, these differences add up to a substantial inflation gap for low- and high-income households. — CEPR, 1d ago

new Paradoxically, when women meet men's fantasies by being more open about their sexual desires, men can experience women's open expression of desire as a demand rather than an invitation, a command to perform, or to please her. History is full of examples of men viewing women's sexuality as dangerous. Delilah brought down Sampson by seducing him, the Sirens brought Odysseus to near ruin with their seductive cries, and Eve brought about humanity's fall by seducing Adam to eat the apple. Even today, athletes are superstitious about having sex before a big match, believing it drains some of the power they need to perform. Not surprisingly, these dynamics often show up as inhibited sexual desire in men. In one study, 15% of men in long-term partnerships reported they had lost almost all interest in sex for a period of three months or longer in the past year. This is not about aging; the highest rate was in men aged 35 to 44. — Psychology Today, 1d ago

new California’s state budget has fluctuated wildly in the past several years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, California saw the largest surpluses in state history, including an unprecedented $31 billion surplus in 2022-2023. However a weakening economy, a massive loss of the state population and companies moving out of state, delayed tax changes and numerous other factors led to a severe deficit the next year. An initial deficit of $25 billion, which was later changed in May to $31.5 billion, rocked the state. While the state managed to continue on with a reduced budget, experts warned that the situation would likely grow worse with continued tax shortcomings. — California Political Review, 1d ago

new Under the current international financial architecture, the exploitative dynamics that have plagued poor communities and the Global South during the colonial era persist to this day. Private creditors are taking advantage of low-income countries that rely heavily on external financing to address their development requirements. They argue against debt forgiveness, asserting that it would damage these countries’ reputation with investors and restrict their access to capital markets. However, the current financial system is predominantly configured to uphold the structural power of creditors, prioritizing their interests over those of borrowing nations in the Global South. Consequently, these nations are increasingly at risk of becoming debt colonies, trapped in a cycle of perpetual indebtedness. — Modern Diplomacy, 2d ago

new Indeed, while fearmongering around immigration is surely a factor behind the rise of the far right in Europe, economic issues such as declining standards of living and economic inequality may in fact be the key driver behind the spread of anti-immigration sentiments. The European Union integration project has long been seen by large segments of the continent’s citizenry as undermining national sovereignty and strengthening neoliberal economic policies harmful to the working class. Still, we can’t ignore the role racism and Islamophobia have played, as it is specifically migration flows from non-European countries that have been touted as a threat, and none more so than Muslim migration. The unjustified fear among those who are calling for tougher immigration laws, as many Dutch citizens have been doing over the years, is of Islam. The problem, for them, is that the immigrants are Muslim, not that they are immigrants. Europe welcomed Ukrainian refugees. But as political scientist Lamis Abdelaaty said, “Europeans see Ukrainians as White and Christian, similar to the way that many in European countries see themselves.”... — Truthout, 2d ago

new As with many things at the international level, progress in one area is often simultaneous with a perceived lack of progress in others. Despite efforts of the United Nations to push for more global gender equality, feminist scholars such as Tickner (2005) have argued that women suffer from discrimination that means they are still not being taken seriously at both an institutional and grassroots level. And, it is hard to read the case of Saudi Arabia vis-à-vis the United Nations as evidence of this changing. Discrimination and inequality for women remains, particularly in states that may be suffering from poverty, war or deprivation. And, when António Guterres became UN Secretary General in 2017 he continued an unbroken run of male leadership going back to the founding of the organization in 1945. As a result, and despite progress, feminists remain watchful over the United Nations and critical of its ability to achieve the results needed. A continued negative gendered perspective within the functioning of the organisation serves to slow or hinder structural change for women around the world. The critique seems to have caught on and Guterres (2020) has made commitments towards using his leadership to make this ‘the century of women’s equality’. — E-International Relations, 2d ago

new Exhibit A is Amara’s law, named for scientist, researcher and former President of the Institute for the Future Roy Amara. He is best known for saying, “We tend to overestimate the effect of a technology in the short run and underestimate the effect in the long run.” Boy howdy, does that ever apply to digital technologies in general and artificial intelligence specifically. AI may change the world — curing cancer, reversing climate change or taking all our jobs while creating a bunch more new ones — but mostly in the outbound years and decades. In the near term, it creates shadows for us to worry about, plan around and get distracted by even as we experiment and put it to work.In many respects, GenAI represents a victory lap for Moore’s law, based on Intel co-founder Gordon Moore’s formulation about the exponential growth of computational prowess. Originally coined in 1965 around the doubling of transistors on microchips every couple of years, it bumped up against the physical limits of silicon-based technologies. As AI models grow massively in size, from millions to billions and even trillions of parameters, the underlying hardware continues to keep pace even as margins narrow. Chip maker Nvidia, with its combination of advanced graphics processing units (GPUs) and tensor processing units (TPUs) that are optimized for AI tasks, reaches beyond transistor density in pushing the upward limits in the exponential increase in computational power.Not far behind, but perhaps in a supporting role, is Metcalfe’s law. Named for Ethernet inventor Robert Metcalfe, it suggests that the value of a network is proportional to the square of the number of its users. When the campaign for digital government was young, broadband penetration reached 51 percent — giving advocates the opportunity to claim that government could then serve a “digital majority.” As of last year, that number has reached 90 percent. The stakes are high for the remaining 10 percent, often characterized as underserved communities including low-income and racialized populations along with people who have chosen not to engage in a connected world. By extension of Metcalfe’s law, more user interactions contribute to AI’s knowledge, which relies on iterative feedback for fine-tuning and improvement. The absence of marginalized voices is deafening to generative models. They cannot be trained with what isn’t there, increasing the risk of unconscious bias and the skewing of results. — GovTech, 2d ago

new ANDRÉS EFREN MONTALVO SOSA (Ecuador), Security Council President for December, spoke in his national capacity to express regret regarding the violent combats that were impacting civilian population and resulting in millions fleeing violence. He also expressed concern about reports of events that could constitute crimes against humanity. Calling on all parties to immediately cease hostilities and respect human rights and international humanitarian law, he stressed: “We believe that the recently adopted resolution correctly addresses this alarming situation, establishing regular reports to the Council on the threats to international peace and security arising from the situation in Sudan, as well as the efforts deployed by the UN.” This mechanism is fundamental for the Council to be able to fulfil the responsibilities entrusted to it. He also welcomed the appointment of Ramtane Lamamra and expressed his gratitude to all the UN staff who have worked tirelessly and selflessly in recent years in Sudan. — ReliefWeb, 2d ago

new At the same time, the growth of green industries can result in other environmental harms. Despite aiming to generate employment and value through the production of transition minerals, the industrialisation strategies of several Global South countries tend to entrench extractive practices. For example, Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile – South America’s “lithium triangle” – are seeking to capture various stages of the lithium supply chain, from mineral extraction to processing to battery assembly. But the growth of this industry threatens to deplete water supplies, degrade soil, and disrupt habitats, often in zones inhabited by indigenous Andean peoples. Similarly, the production of semiconductors, which are at the heart of clean tech, is energy-, water-, and land-intensive and releases perfluorocarbons and other potent greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. — Eco-Business, 2d ago

new So yes, the vast majority of humanity just want the US to go away and leave them to manage their own affairs. The problem with abusive narcissists is that they can turn into “family destroyers”, wiping out the rest of the family because they just "know" that the family (i.e. humanity) cannot survive without them. If they are to go away, then so must humanity. When those wanting a faster rate of change complain about the careful and patient diplomacy and actions of Russia, Iran and China, they must remember the dangerous lunatic that those nations are dealing with; one that can make humanity disappear with it if it so decides, in a global murder suicide. Anyone looking at the current psychopathic thrashings of the Israeli state must hold no flights of fancy about a US where a quarter of the population still believe in a heretical bible Armageddon fantasy, and its elite are wedded to their global dominance. Such lunatics have to be carefully managed and slowly subdued in order to reduce the possibilities of self-destructive and psychopathic rage-induced paroxysms. — The Greanville Post, 2d ago

new Economic historians ascribe this growing demand for human capital to the transition from an agricultural economy to a highly skilled manufacturing and services-based economy, first in western societies and then globally. Empirical evidence supports the idea that this transition has caused birth rates to slow down. For instance, analysis of individual returns from the 1911 Irish census suggest that a child remaining in school between the ages of 14 and 16 caused an up to 27% reduction in fertility. — phys.org, 2d ago

new Bed-and-breakfasts, a forerunner of today’s short-term rentals, always have had a place in the hospitality sector. The market was intended for family-run operators, researchers and industry experts told Stateline.But the rise of home-sharing platforms has led to a “hotelization” of residential neighborhoods, and with that, concerns and calls from residents for more regulation.A 2019 Economic Policy Institute study concluded that the economic harm Airbnb caused to long-term renters by reducing the housing supply and raising prices outweighed the benefits to travelers and property owners.State lawmakers elsewhere continue to wrestle with the issue. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, has endorsed efforts to tax short-term rentals the same as hotels. A bill is up for consideration in 2024. A measure in Arkansas to prohibit cities from enacting regulations on short-term rentals failed; a bill in Hawaii that would have allowed any county to phase out legal short-term rentals died in committee.In past years, though, some state legislatures have protected Airbnb and property owners by forbidding certain city or county regulations. Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Nebraska and Tennessee prohibit local governments from banning short-term rentals altogether.The impact of Arizona’s 2016 law, according to Tom Savage, legislative director for the League of Arizona Cities and Towns, is an influx of short-term rentals in the state’s tourism communities. Some are run by investment companies rather than mom-and-pops.“This issue strains available housing stock and forces residents to nearby communities to find affordable housing,” Savage said.In three California cities with a large share of short-term rentals — Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego — home-sharing ordinances have prohibited any listing of a short-term rental without a valid home-sharing registration number and have reduced the duration of an allowable “short-term” stay. Unlike NYC’s ordinance, the California home-sharing ordinances don’t impose guest restrictions or require hosts to be onsite during stays.Nationally, there’s a shortage of 7.3 million rental homes deemed affordable and available to renters with extremely low incomes, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition.“In the context of the housing crisis, especially in these big cities like New York, San Francisco or Austin [Texas], there’s a demand to regulate these short-term rental platforms and possibly find a way to make these units available,” said González, of the Urban Institute.“So, there will be cities looking at how New York City’s ban is successful in not only controlling this market but reaching those goals in terms of affordability and availability.”... — GovTech, 2d ago

new WIC has proven to be one of the best investments we can make in children and families, with every federal dollar more than doubling its return on investment. Research shows that WIC improves health outcomes for women and babies, including lower rates of premature birth and infant mortality; strengthens cognitive development in young children; and provides better access to a variety of health care services. A series of updates to the WIC nutrition package implemented in 2009 is associated with healthier options being available in WIC-authorized stores and healthier food purchases among participants. And in the decade that followed those updates, the obesity rates among children ages two to four on WIC declined nationwide. — The Hill, 2d ago

new Recent analysis, including a new report by financial analytics firm Risk Control, bolsters one of many of these recommendations, suggesting that by putting in place modern risk management techniques and innovations, the World Bank could unlock nearly $190 billion in additional lending without risking a credit downgrade. Moreover, securitization—an entirely common way of obtaining leverage in the commercial world—of 10 percent of the World Bank’s portfolio of sovereign loans could further generate an additional $29 billion to $41 billion in new lending headroom. As other multilateral development banks follow suit, the amount of liquidity in the international financial system should increase dramatically, allowing emerging economies to invest more sustainably in their own green transformations and their people. — Foreign Policy, 2d ago

new It’s imperative to think about the working conditions of infectious disease (“ID”) specialists if we’re serious about sustaining a pipeline. ID doctors are renowned in the medical education world for their meticulous history-taking and comprehensive review of medical records. Given their pivotal role in antibiotic stewardship, infection control, and diverse diagnostic challenges, it is not uncommon to witness ID pvractitioners tirelessly working long hours, even on weekends and holidays. Although this isn’t universally applicable to all ID physicians, the exposure of the field to trainees, including me, significantly shapes our perception of ID specialists — often depicted as overworked, burdened with bureaucratic tasks, and inadequately compensated. — STAT, 2d ago

new Mitsotakis’s government might struggle to convince the public of its role as pious conservators of Greek architectural heritage, however. It has long suffered from a problematic relationship with the Greek Archaeological Association, clashing over the preservation of Greek ancient heritage, with critics arguing that the government is prioritising economic considerations over the protection of the sites. A new passageway made of reinforced concrete and a lift enabling disabled access to the site of the Acropolis fuelled an outpouring of condemnation. Yannis Hamilakis, professor of archaeology and modern Greek studies at Brown University, argued that these alterations played into the “neo-classical colonialist and nationalist dream” with little prior study. In a country where tourism is the main industry, attracting more visitors to the site seems to many to have been the main consideration driving the changes. — the Guardian, 2d ago