Global Digital Education Publishing Market Research Report presents a complete market scope and growth rate throughout the past present and forecast period 2020-2027. With concise study, Digital Education Publishing market effectively describes the market value, volume, price trend, and growth opportunities. All the commanding players of Digital Education Publishing, their company profile, product portfolio, market share, and revenue from Digital Education Publishing are bestowed in this study. The important peculiarities contributing to the growth of Digital Education Publishing industry along with the barriers and risk factors are included in this study.

Global Digital Education Publishing market is broken down on the basis of product type, application, regions to offer a comprehensive market summary. To start with, the report presents the key market overview, product definitions, classification, and study objective. Digital Education Publishing market size evaluation is conducted to foretell the strength and development analysis. Global Digital Education Publishing value and growth trend is presented from 2015-2019.

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Global Digital Education Publishing market Key manufacturers (Sales Revenue, Price, gross margin, main products, etc.):

McGraw-Hill EducationThomson ReutersCengage LearningMacmillan PublishersOxford University PressPearson CorporationHoltzbrinck GmbhHoughton Mifflin HarcourtHachette LivreScholastic Inc.Happiest Minds

Global Digital Education Publishing market By Product Types(Market Size & Forecast):

Natural scienceSocial scienceHumanities

Global Digital Education Publishing market By Applications(Market Size & Forecast):

K-12Higher EducationCorporateSkilled-Based

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The geographic presence of Digital Education Publishing industry is examined for the areas particularly Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, South America, Middle-East & Africa, and Latin America. The global and regional level examination of Digital Education Publishing will support the market players for judging the investment feasibility and development situation over several areas and countries. Digital Education Publishing production value and growth rate from 2013-2018 is predicted for all-region. The countries studied in this report include United States, Canada, Germany, UK, France, Spain, Belgium, India, Japan, Korea, China, South Africa, Brazil, UAE, Singapore, and others.

The analysis of Digital Education Publishing market share, revenue, pricing analysis, SWOT analysis is covered for all the key market players. The most recent developments in Digital Education Publishing industry, industry plans, and policies, upcoming trends are presented in this report. All the product segments and sub-segments are studied in detail in this report.

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Digital Education Publishing market drivers, emerging industry verticals, limitations, risk analysis, and development opportunities are analyzed. The analysis of industry chain structure analysis, upstream raw materials, manufacturing capacity, labor cost, cost of raw materials, production process analysis, and the downstream consumer is explained. The import-export scenario, consumption and production capacity and sales channels of Digital Education Publishing are elaborated in this report.

Research Methodology Conducted For The Analysis of Digital Education Publishing Industry:

The initial step is to know Digital Education Publishing industry, based on the definition, applications, type, key players, and geographical appearance. This data is gathered based on the following sources like magazines, company websites, Bloomberg, and paid websites.

To determine the Digital Education Publishing market size, revenue, production capacity, import-export statistics, and market share a combination of primary and secondary research is implied. Minimum 70 to 80 paid primary interviews are conducted with the Digital Education Publishing manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, and resellers. The paid primary interviews are conducted with the marketing and sales managers, VPs, procurement people, and senior engineers.

Digital Education Publishing report can be divided into following 12 sections

Section 1, Declares the objectives of Digital Education Publishing market, overview, introduction, product definition, growth features, and business behavior

Section 2, Presents the Digital Education Publishing market based on leading players and their market share, sales volume, business profiles, Digital Education Publishing competitive market outline and pricing structure from 2015 to 2019

Section 3, Examinethe Digital Education Publishing market at a regional level based on sales ratio and market size from 2015 to 2019

Segment 4, 5, 6 and 7, explains the Digital Education Publishing market at the country level based on product type, applications, revenue analysis

Section 8 and 9, describes the Digital Education Publishing industry overview during past, present and forecast period from 2020 to 2027

Section 10 and 11, Explains the market status, plans, expected growth based on regions, type and application in detail for a projection period of 2020-2027

Section 12, Includes the marketing channels, wholesalers, producers, dealer, merchants, consumers of Digital Education Publishing.

Finally, valuable conclusions, tables, and data sources are presented.

Table of Content & Table Of Figures

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Global Digital Education Publishing Market Predicted to Witness Sustainable Evolution in Years to Come by McGraw-Hill Education, Thomson Reuters,...

It was a common theme during the Big Skys media days last week for coaches to lavish praise on the leagues quarterbacks, a position group that in large part has represented this conference for the past four decades.

No matter whos the starter for each of these teams, youre in a battle, said Weber States Jay Hill, whos coached the Wildcats to three consecutive Big Sky titles. The coaches have done such a phenomenal job, that it doesnt matter who plays.

Its an interesting sentiment from someone like Hill, whos made a living on not having to load the marbles on his quarterback play.

The league certainly is evolving in some way, yet the virtual season kickoff had its share of the expected lines from coaches: Its a quarterback conference, and it always has been, as Portland States Bruce Barnum put it.

For all we know, he mightve been referencing the revolutionary passing concepts at Idaho in the mid-1980s/early-90s, installed by storied coach Dennis Erickson, to be continued by his tree, as well as a string of All-American Vandal quarterbacks.

So yes, for the most part, that notion fit back in the day.

As for the present: In 2019, six of the leagues teams ranked in the Football Championship Subdivisions statistical top 25 for passing offense, four of which were among the 10 best out of 127 programs.

Throughout recent memory, the story has been similar.

Just ask the Vandals, who were caught off-guard, and yielded huge numbers to Big Sky quarterbacks during their 2018 conference reintroduction after a four-year stay in the run-heavy Sun Belt.

Last year, five conference signal-callers landed in the countrys top 25 in passing yards.

The most productive of them Eastern Washingtons Eric Barriere, Northern Arizonas Case Cookus and Sacramento States Kevin Thomson were legitimate candidates in the race for the Walter Payton Award, which eventually was claimed by North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance.

Six of the top-25 FCS offenses were guided by prolific Big Sky quarterbacks, proving a valuable field general can boost offensive output in general. Montana State and its churn-it-out ground game came in at No. 25.

The leagues quarterbacks have become a commodity, with several of them recently having transferred to Football Bowl Subdivision teams, and out of a league Barnum termed the 7-Eleven of college football. You stop by and get a Slurpee.

Most notably: Thomson, the BSCs offensive MVP last season, went to Washington as a graduate transfer; Southern Utahs Chris Helbig hopped ship to Eastern Michigan, and Webers Jake Constantine announced hell walk on at Washington State.

Many Big Sky players could play in several different FBS conferences, Cal Polys Beau Baldwin said.

In total, five quarterbacks have significant Big Sky experience.

There have been effective transfers up, and now, a prevalence of drop downs. Half of the league most likely will start former FBS quarterbacks.

Then even the backups, they can beat you if youre not ready, Hill said. I mean, a couple of years ago, Eastern plays for the national championship, and they do it with a first-year quarterback (Barriere).

But the outlying teams are so elite in terms of FCS play, they muddy the easy storyline. Some programs, most notably Weber State, flout history.

This conference is quickly becoming very, very physical, NAUs Chris Ball said.

The Big Sky, on second glance, looks like its gravitating away from, Whoever scores the most wins, and closer to, Could we stamp out potent offense with a loaded defense?

The three Big Sky members with the best national finishes last year No. 3 Weber State, No. 4 Montana State and No. 8 Sac State were defense-first types of teams. They exhibited top-30 scoring defenses laden with next-level talents, and were way up there in categories like sacks and turnovers forced.

The Wildcats and Bobcats were prone to ride the ground game offensively, while the Hornets trended toward balanced play, with an athletic quarterback who generated offense in various ways.

I think (quarterback) has been the missing link for us, said MSUs Jeff Choate, who brought in North Carolina State transfer Matt McKay. NAU, Weber, Montana, Idaho State and Idaho each recruited FBS kick-backs too. So, maybe itll still be a quarterback-defined conference after all.

Or rather, should the Big Sky be known for the many prominent faces behind it all?

There are a lot of creative minds, in all three phases, Sac States Troy Taylor said.

Big Sky coaching encompasses a wide sphere of schematics.

There are tested offensive play-callers with decades of experience, like UC Davis Dan Hawkins the igniter for Boise States football success UIs Paul Petrino, former accomplished EWU offensive coordinator Aaron Best, and his celebrated predecessor, Baldwin.

There are calculated defensive minds like Barnum and SUUs Demario Warren. There are well-rounded, adaptable brains like Hill, Taylor and Choate. There are wily veterans like Ball and Montanas Bobby Hauck.

Theres a lot of tremendous coaches, and tradition, Hawkins said. It really is a fun task to try and match wits with everyone. ... Ive coached a lot of football. Ive been around a while, and theres as good a coaching going on in this league as Ive seen anywhere, and that includes the Big 12. Theres a lot of good schemes coming out of this league. Its tough.

Added Ed McCaffrey, a former All-Pro Denver Broncos receiver and Northern Colorados new coach: The coaching is really, really good. Its also a little intimidating.

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Evolution of the Sky? | Sports - Moscow-Pullman Daily News

As any hearing aid user learns fast, the auditory experience is created in the brain, not the ear. Surrounded by continual background noise in almost all environments, the human mind instinctively filters and pays attention to what is important, whether completely ignoring familiar traffic noises in favour of conversation, or picking out a mention of your own name across a crowded room.

Once you introduce the mediation of a device headphones or a hearing device however this delicate interaction between our eardrums and our brain is disrupted, and any background noise has more impact. While headphones can physically block some ambient sounds, background noise from transport to media to other people has an inevitable impact on concentration and productivity, particularly in the workplace.

Active and hybrid noise-cancelling technologies are improving all the time, and by filtering out lower-frequency sound waves and using feed-forward technology to directly cancel out unwanted inputs in the high frequency spectrum, impressive results can be achieved, optimised for different environments. But for truly effective noise cancellation, EPOS is deploying artificial intelligence (AI) in its latest headsets like the ADAPT 600, mimicking the way the human brain learns to filter and prioritise audio inputs like that flight path noise in your new apartment, which after a few weeks you simply dont notice.

Jesper Kock

As VP of R&D, Jesper Kock, described in a recent interview, the AI learns what the user needs it to do, in a process which is not unlike human learning, like when youre a parent to a small child you teach them how to ride a bike by teaching them the basics You look after them and give them feedback.

We start in just the same way with an AI neural network we teach it about EPOS sound quality and performance in our products. Then we teach it what we want to aim for, and the system ultimately becomes self-learning, arriving at solutions and detail that we couldnt have programmed.

So instead of having maybe 10 pre-configured noise reduction settings in a really high-end hybrid noise reduction headset, the AI can react in real-time to continually changing inputs in the users actual surroundings. It can intelligently optimise not only for voice pick-up, but to block out repetitive sounds and distractions enabling users to eliminate the continental disruption and distraction which plagues the modern workplace and so many other environments.

In an era where many of us are learning to work from new locations, having tech which comes on the journey with us both literally and metaphorically is a powerful success factor. Adaptive noise cancellation technology which continually adjusts to the changes as you experience them brings a new dimension of focus and peace, in any environment.

And the future will only get smarter, as Kock elaborated:

I can see AI providing input on other parameters, for example, reacting to the way you talk: your tone of voice, the words that you use, identifying if you are tired or angry or anxious

The device will know more about yourself than you do, and will be able to provide advice to you as a result.

These kinds of advanced biometrics may sound dangerously deep in the uncanny valley, but the explosion of AI voice assistants in the home as well as the workplace demonstrates growing acceptance of voice-driven technologies, which are enhancing our environments in undreamed of ways, and recent global events have only accelerated existing trends.

I think the 2020s are set to be a truly transformative decade when it comes to tech empowering the workplace, Kock continued. The overarching objective to encourage greater tech collaboration and integration in our daily lives will never have felt so present. These trends will not only optimise work performance and productivity but also dramatically improve employee health and well-being.

Continue reading here:

Sound Evolution from EPOS - UC Today

Photo: This fer-de-lance doesn't belong in a hotel, by Bernard DUPONT / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0).

Editors note: Dr. Shedingeris a Professor of Religion at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. He is the author of a recent book critiquing Darwinian triumphalism,The Mystery of Evolutionary Mechanisms. See also the earlier entries in this series:

I have been reviewing the edited and updated textbook Strickbergers Evolution. In a text box titled Coevolution of Plants and Insects, Brian K. Hall and Benedikt Hallgrimsson tell of how Darwin became aware of strange forms among orchids and postulated that even the most unusual orchid must have a matching pollinator that had coevolved with it. For example, the Madagascar Star (Christmas orchid) had a corolla 25 cm. long but no pollinator was known to Darwin. Years later, however, a giant hawk moth was discovered with a 30 cm. tongue, proving Darwins postulate. Hall and Hallgrimsson view these types of coevolutionary relationships as evidence for natural selection. But they do so without considering how such a process would actually work.

The textbook consistently side-steps the problem of the initial stages of variation. That is, if an orchid developed a slightly longer corolla, how could a hawk moth pollinate it if the hawk moth had not yet developed the slightly longer tongue necessary? What was the initial stage of variation that set this coevolutionary process in motion? This problem appears in many different parts of the textbook, most prominently when discussing major transitions in evolutionary history. In these discussions, Hall and Hallgrimsson set aside science and engage in the telling of fairy tales worthy of Hans Christian Andersen.

For example we are told, The change from unicellularity to multicellularity occurred a number of times, giving rise to different lineages of organisms. But what drove this transition? There must be advantages to multicellularity that would be preserved by natural selection. A multicellular organisms food gathering surface, we are told, increases which ensures a more stable food supply and the ability to attack and digest larger particles of food. This would be accompanied by an increase in gene numbers and regulatory pathways.

But if by chance some ancient unicellular organism mutated in such a way that its offspring became multicellular, and these multicellular offspring were perpetuated by natural selection due to the advantages they enjoy over their unicellular parents, they would have eventually replaced their unicellular ancestors and the world today would be awash only in multicellular organisms. But as anyone who has battled a bacterial infection knows, unicellular organisms continue today as perhaps the most successful organisms on the face of the planet. Multicellularity somehow evolved, but it does not seem to be because multicellularity confers a clear selective advantage. After all, most multicellular organisms have gone extinct.

Hall and Hallgrimsson then consider the increasing complexity of organisms over the course of evolutionary history. For example, early pelagic animals that swam above the sea floor, we are told, became benthic animals that crawled along the sea floor eating accumulated detritus. Why? Because a benthic existence has clear advantages:

A number of evolutionary steps would inevitably accompany a benthic existence. The scattered distribution of food sources would give a selective advantage to organisms that could eat more food more rapidly, leading to an increase in size and the evolution of a mouth and gut that would permit selective digestion.

If this transition took a number of evolutionary steps, how would the first benthic organisms have taken advantage of these new food sources if a mouth and gut had not yet developed? And if benthic existence was such a selective advantage, why do the oceans today teem with large and complex pelagic organisms swimming above the sea floor? (Sharks, anyone?!) The textbook has nothing to say on this.

Life, of course, did not remain in the sea. How did aquatic organisms invade the land? The commonly accepted hypothesis, according to Hall and Hallgrimsson, is that aquatic animals moved onto land due to pressure from increasing numbers of predators and competition for space, food, and breeding sites. That is:

Combined ecological, environmental, and climactic changes provided powerful selective advantages to lineages spending progressively larger periods of time on land.

But if land-dwelling was such an advantage, why did aquatic lineages continue to thrive? And what was the initial stage of variation that allowed for terrestrial existence, given the radically different anatomical and physiological systems required for life on the land. Apparently, natural selection waived its magic wand and fish walked out of the sea!

Eventually, terrestrial animals, which were cold-blooded, discovered endothermy. And this was clearly an advantage since:

increased aerobic metabolism supports more sustained activity and greater stamina than ectotherms can achieve; ectotherms become rapidly exhausted because they rely mostly on anaerobic metabolism.

Several years ago, my family spent time at an eco-lodge in the Costa Rican rainforest. One morning lodge employees were trying to capture and remove a fer-de-lance from the lodge grounds for safety reasons. But after reading Strickbergers Evolution, I fail to understand their concern. The exhausted snake should not have presented much of a danger to the superior endotherms staying at the lodge!

In a related transition, why did egg-laying animals give rise to live births? A system that provided maternal care and nourishment, we are told, would have led to smaller eggs and more rapid development of the fetus before hatching. Endothermy would have helped since the hatched offspring could be kept close to maternal body temperature which would have assisted enzymatic activity. Then:

At some point, viviparity (viviparous reproduction) replaced oviparity; it would probably take only a few additional steps for hatching to occur in the oviduct.

Viviparity replaced oviparity? Really?! Then where did my scrambled eggs come from this morning?!

Understanding how small incremental variations would be preserved by natural selection and lead to large-scale evolutionary change has plagued Darwinism since its inception. In 1909 the forceful Darwinian August Weismann puzzled over the thickness of limpet shells that protect limpets from the destructive force of ocean waves. He asks:

What proportion of thickness was sufficient to decide that of two variants of a limpet, one should survive, the other be eliminated?

Weismann confesses ignorance on this question but assumes that some measure of thickness must have had selective value because limpets exist. To the larger question of whether small incremental variations can do the work Darwin requires of them Weismann writes:

To this question even one, who like myself, has been for many years a convinced adherent of the theory of selection can only reply: we must assume so, but we cannot prove it in any case. It is not upon demonstrative evidence that we rely when we champion the doctrine of selection as a scientific truth; we base our argument on quite other grounds. [Emphasis in the original.]

What are those other grounds? Later in the same essay Weismann comes clean:

We must accept it (natural selection) because the phenomena of evolution and adaptation must have a natural basis, and because it is the only possible explanation.

Strickbergers Evolution is clearly making the same kinds of assumptions as Weismann, and likely for the same reason: the philosophical requirement for naturalistic explanation. The textbook wants to tell a story of how major transitions in the history of life were driven by mutations conferring a selective advantage on organisms that out-competed and replaced their inferior ancestors. But the data dont support this narrative. Multicellularity developed, but unicellular organisms continue to exist and thrive. Benthic organisms evolved, but their pelagic ancestors continue to swim in the worlds oceans. Some animals left the ocean to live on land, but their ocean-living cousins have done just fine. Endothermy may have advantages over ectothermy, but I wouldnt advise taking your chances by picking up a poisonous snake.

Given the lack of substantive scientific argumentation in these attempts to account for major transitions in the history of life, Strickbergers Evolution might be a textbook better suited to an English course on fantasy literature. It really doesnt belong in a science classroom.

Read more:

The Fairy Tale World of an Evolution Textbook - Discovery Institute

Bees (as well as ants and wasps) are from a group of insects known as Hymenopterans which are famous for their complex eusocial societies founded on altruism. Pixabay

In recent times we have become acutely aware of the devastating effects of infectious diseases on human life. Less publicized, however, are diseases affecting wild animal populations, which have played a central role in the extinction of many species. As such, disease plays a vital role in the ecology and evolution of animals and understanding its spread is crucial for the preservation of the worlds biodiversity. Social animals, with their tight communities and genetically homogenous groups, are at particular risk of succumbing to disease. To protect themselves, primates and social insects have evolved a collection of behaviours that minimize the risk and severity of infection. These can be preventative, such as grooming in primates, or active, such as social fever in honeybees, during which the temperature of the hive during bacterial infection is raised by the coordinated action of the individual bees. These behaviours form what is called social or collective immunity.

Animals like honeybees and ants, with their complex social structures and long-lasting nests, are often taken as model organisms to study social immunity. They can fall victim to a variety of parasites, be they fungus, bacteria, virus or smaller insects. These parasites and their hosts have coevolved in an evolutionary arms race leading to amazing examples of cooperation within the colony. For example, the smallest caste of the leaf-cutting ants will hitchhike on the leaves transported to the colony by the larger workers and thereby prevent flies from laying eggs on them. Uptake of parasites into the colony is similarly prevented in honeybee nests by having specialized bees guarding the entrance. Returning workers showing signs of infection will be barred entry. This behaviour must have been selected for at the level of the colony, as it is obviously detrimental to the individual. In this way, social insects avoid infection by preventing the parasites entry into the nest altogether.

Even if a parasite does enter the nest, the hosts will attempt to prevent its establishment. One way this is done is through cleanliness. Ants, termites and wasps will coat their nest walls with antibacterial secretions and rapidly remove corpses from inside the nest. This prevents the growth of fungi and bacteria. In another case, African honeybees prevent the establishment of the small hive beetle by driving the parasite into a corner and encapsulating it with propolis, or bee glue. This process can take up to days and involves multiple bees cooperating to build the wall and ensure the beetle does not leave during its construction. Researchers have found sealed crevices with up to 200 individuals, with evidence of cannibalism between the beetles. European honeybees lack this behaviour and the small hive beetle can often lead to the collapse of the entire hive. Overall, it is the dedication of time by the colony to the task of cleaning and guarding against parasites that prevents their establishment.

One hopes that we learn from animals social immunity that the most natural response to an epidemic is altruism.

If a parasite manages to establish itself within the nest, measures will be taken to minimize its spread and severity. Termites infected by fungus will signal to their peers not to approach them by hopping and bouncing erratically against the nest walls. In extreme cases, they might prompt their peers to encapsulate them to prevent the spread altogether. Ants will also implement their own version of social distancing, limiting contacts within castes. This localizes the infection to only a region of the nest, thereby protecting the queen. In one ant species, ants will heavily groom those exposed to the fungus. This spreads the fungus spores among the colony, lessening the severity of infection and priming the individuals immune system against the illness. This comes at a high risk to healthy individuals but serves to lower the overall threat to the colony. Altruism towards their peers is ultimately at the core of many of these social strategies. By cooperating to limit the spread, severity, establishment and uptake of parasites, social insects can avoid the worst effects of disease.

Collective immunity is not limited, however, to insects. Primates will frequently groom one another, for both social bonding and hygienic purposes. In the sea, cleaner shrimp and fish congregate to form cleaning stations, where they then feed on parasites of larger animals. These collectives are wonderful examples of interspecies cooperation. Microbes, themselves often the target of social immunity strategies, also exhibit collective immunity. When bacterial Staphylococcus aureus colonies are challenged with antibiotic gentamicin, some individuals begin to respire anaerobically. This reduces the pH, rendering the drug ineffective towards the whole colony. These bacteria incur a large cost to themselves in order to confer immunity to those that didnt change their metabolism. Strategies to prevent and fight disease are general and can be found in social species ranging from microbes to the great apes.

Behaviours contributing to collective immunity have been selected for by evolution to suit the particular parasites in the hosts environment, but human activity is upsetting this delicate balance. By introducing diseases to new locations and encroaching on animal habitats we are increasingly putting species at risk of extinction. In Hawaii, avian malaria carried by the non-native mosquito has been one of the driving factors for the extinction of many bird species. In North America, the small hive beetle is partly responsible for the falling population of honeybees. The increasing closeness between urban centres and wildlife is sure to produce future outbreaks of disease. During these, one hopes that we learn from animals social immunity that the most natural response to an epidemic is altruism.

Varsity is the independent newspaper for the University of Cambridge, established in its current form in 1947. In order to maintain our editorial independence, our newspaper and news website receives no funding from the University of Cambridge or its constituent Colleges.

We are therefore almost entirely reliant on advertising for funding, and during this unprecedented global crisis, we have a tough few weeks and months ahead.

In spite of this situation, we are going to look at inventive ways to look at serving our readership with digital content for the time being.

Therefore we are asking our readers, if they wish, to make a donation from as little as 1, to help with our running cost at least until we hopefully return to print on 2nd October 2020.

Many thanks, all of us here at Varsity would like to wish you, your friends, families and all of your loved ones a safe and healthy few months ahead.

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How evolution fights epidemics with altruism - Varsity Online

The hat and baseball are connected like Ben and Jerry. One without the other doesnt make sense. Nobody says, Hey, while youre at the grocery store can you pick me up some Bens?

Ben needs Jerry. Ballplayers need caps.

These days, wearing a baseball hat is common place. They are worn by most people and have become a part of everyday attire for quite a few baseball and non-baseball fans alike. But where did these hats come from and how did they evolve into the fashion statements that we adorn today?

The mid to late 19th century was a cornucopia of hats and hat styles. From deerstalkers (think Sherlock Holmes) to jockey caps, to pillbox caps (Civil War couture), to boaters and fedoras, the man or woman of the Industrial Revolution had plenty of head wear to choose from. And from these various styles developed the baseball hat that we know today.

The place was Hoboken, New Jersey. It was June 19, 1846. The first officially recorded baseball game was being played between the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club and the New York Base Ball Club. The Knickerbockers lost 23 to 1. They also wore straw hats as they played, thusly triggering the love affair between baseball and hats, although their hats were probably better suited for a pleasant row around the pond.

Fourteen years later an amateur team named the Brooklyn Excelsiors donned the ancestor of the modern baseball cap. The Brooklyn-style hat had a rounded-top and a button at the peak. The Excelsiors were in the midst of a championship season in 1860 and that could be one reason the style caught on. Champions tend to set the trends. Who doesnt want to follow a winner?

In 1901, the charter member of the newly founded American League, the Detroit Tigers, wore a cap with something new on it. What was that newfangled thing? A logo. The dark blue cap had a running orange tiger stitched on the front. It seems so simple and standard now, but in 1901 it was revolutionary.

Baseball hats in the 1920s and 1930s, well, grew. The bill, or visor, became longer in an attempt to further shade the players eyes from the sun. The visor also became firmer, allowing for the wearer to shape the bill to their comfort level. Probably the most iconic hat from this era, and possibly of all baseball history (although, Boston Red Sox fans would surely disagree), is the New York Yankees cap.

As the 30s came to a close the idea of bigger is better continued to sink its claws into American society. The baseball hat wasnt exempt. Although the bill stayed the same length, the crown grew up. With the gain in altitude the front of the hat allowed for more advertising space. For the next sixty years, give or take a few, this hat style dominated the national game and worked its way into the closets of the American citizen.

Baseball hats have always been made of wool. You know the stuff, its itchy and hot. Then, in 2007, Major League Baseball decided, for the comfort of its players, to switch to a polyester blend. So long wool, hello breathability.

Who knows what the baseball hat will evolve into? Possibly, instead of stitched logos, they will become digital, with different images attainable on a single hat. Maybe the bill will get longer, perhaps long enough to match Scotty Smalls hat from the Sandlot. Whatever direction the baseball cap takes it is a part of the fabric of our society and has become not just a tool of functionality, but a statement of fashion.

Main ImageEmbed from Getty Images

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Around the Horn In Six Hats (The Evolution of Baseball Caps) - Last Word on Baseball

A star was born when Chief Meteorologist Jeff Lyons for 14 News in Evansville, Indiana brought Betty his cat on-air during a weather hit. USA TODAY

If the world of misinformation had its way, Dorothy would be adding parades of deadly tornadoes alongside lions, tigers and bears on Kansas'list of worst nightmares.

Despite fact-checkers efforts, Facebook users continue to misrepresent a photo illustration of a May 2016 tornado's evolution. The image, which MamouChoctow posted July 11, appears to depicta series of seven hurricanes simultaneously striking a Kansas horizon.

Intense Supercell with a Mass of Tornados North of Minneola Kansas. By @ Jason Weingart,Choctaw captioned the photo.

There were more tornadoes in Kansas between 1950 and August 2018 than in every other state besides Texas.(Photo: clintspencer / Getty Images)

Many Facebook users expressed awe at the photo and terror at the presumed destruction, while some commented that the scene was not as it seemed.

Like a menacing army of tornados marching on. Wow, what a photo! Nyla Slosson commented.

But Harris John quoted from the image's Wikipedia caption: This image is created from eight images shot in two sequences as a tornado formed north of Minneola, Kansas on May 24, 2016. This prolific supercell went on to produce at least 12 tornadoes and at times had two and even three tornadoes on the ground at once,

Choctaw has not yet responded to USA TODAYs request for comment.

Fact check: Hurricane Hanna did not collapse border wall in Texas

The supercellstruck north of Minneola, Kansas, on May 24, 2016, and was photographed by storm chaser Jason Weingart.

According to the National Weather Service, the supercell produced 12 to 15 tornadoes that afternoon and early evening. The tornadoesdid not strike simultaneously in a line as Choctow suggests.

Supercell tornadoes are the most common kind of tornado, which form from supercell thunderstorms. Scientists theorize that supercell tornadoes form when winds at different heights, speeds and directions form an updraft of rotating air.

Fact check: Viral photo shows Obama, Fauci visiting NIH lab in 2014, not a 'Wuhan lab' in 2015

Weignart has confirmed via phone call with USA TODAY and within the description on his website that the image captures one single tornado, not a mass of multiple tornadoes.

It is the evolution of one single tornado, Weingart told USA TODAY.

Evolution of the first of several tornadoes in Ford County, Ks on May 24, 2016, Weingart describes the photo on his website.

He told USA TODAY he created "Evolution of a Tornado" from a time-lapse he recorded.

Weingart sells the image online and has made it availableon Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons. He also uploaded a video of the tornado to YouTube.

In 2017, Weingart submitted"Evolution of a Tornado" as an image series to the Wiki Science Competition and won.

"About a year later someone on Facebook downloaded and posted it as a 'mass of tornadoes'and it went viral," he said.

Fact check: Picture of a massive dust cloud is over Phoenix, not Puerto Rico

We rate the claim that a widely shared photo of a May 2016 stormdepicts a mass of tornadoes simultaneously striking FALSE because it is not supported by our research. The photographer Jason Weingart has confirmed in his online descriptions and directly to USA TODAY that he edited a time-lapse of a single tornado into one image to createa visual representation of thestorm's evolution.

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Fact check: Image doesn't show mass of tornadoes; it's an edited evolution of one tornado - USA TODAY

As the Design Museum opens its new show Electronic, we speak to curator Gemma Curtin and The Chemical Brothers collaborators Smith & Lyall about the genres wider impact on creativity and culture, and how the music industry could look post-pandemic

Its a surreal experience stepping foot inside the Design Museums new exhibition about electronic music in the midst of a pandemic. When I visit the show in late July, the UK is well into its fourth month of a nationwide lockdown, and its been what feels like an eternity since I interacted with real-life people outside of a Zoom call, let alone feel the crush of other human bodies in a crowded nightclub or music festival.

As I walk around the darkened exhibition space, Im bombarded with sensory experiences flashing strobe lights, a thumping soundtrack and electrifying footage from the bygone days of live shows all designed to transport you back to the dancefloor. But as I step inside the final exhibit, an immersive installation created by Adam Smith and Marcus Lyall, longtime collaborators of The Chemical Brothers, which recreates one of the bands live shows, the thing that instinctively hits me is just how familiar it smells.

When I catch up Smith and Lyall after the show and question them about the distinctive scent that I cant quite put my finger on, Im informed that its just the smell of the smoke machine. Its like freshly mown grass for ravers, isnt it?, says Lyall. In putting on Electronic, the Design Museum is attempting to recreate that intangible feeling of electronic music albeit in a different setting while also exploring the genres wider social and cultural influence.

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From Kraftwerk to The Chemical Brothers: the evolution of electronic music - Creative Review

The Pokmon franchise is going strong for nearly 25 years. That's a quarter century of new pocket monsters, adventures, and updates. The series is constantly evolving like its namesake creatures. That also includes adding newPokmon each generation.Occasionally, an entire new evolution will be added to an existingPokmon or evolutionary line, which is exciting for fans.

RELATED:10 Pokmon We Want To See In Detective Pikachu 2

Fans are always clamoring for a new form or version of their absolute favorites. With Dynamax, Gigantamax, regional variants, and Mega Evolutions in the games, fans have been able to see their favorites in all-new ways. Still, there are somePokmon that never get these updates, or some that could still use some more.

This Ghost/Grass anchor is known as the Sea CreeperPokmon. It was added in Generation VII, a perfect aquatic addition to the Alola region in the Sun and Moon games. It is a huge anchor held to a ship's steering wheel by seaweed. ThisPokmon not only has a neat design, but it's also the only one that can learn the move Anchor Shot.

Dhelmise absolutely deserves an evolution, as it cannot evolve into any otherPokmon. Speculating on what an evolution could look like for this cool creature, it could possibly evolve into a large ghost ship itself, or even a giant sail. Fans would love a new design.

Absol is one of the series' most popularPokmon. This Dark-typePokmon has been around since Generation III, where it captured hearts with its stand-out design. Although not one of the most powerfulPokmon, it is one of the most memorable. It's so popular, in fact, that itis one of the few to be given a Mega form.

RELATED: The 10 Most Powerful Pokmon Cards, Ranked

Somehow, it still doesn't have an evolution, though. Absol would be a prime candidate to get a newPokmon in its line, given its fan-favorite status. Simply imagine how cute an emo kitten would be as a predecessor, or to see it evolve into an even more ferocious feline.

The Fire-type anteaterPokmon from Generation V onward doesn't have an evolution. This is surprising, as it is has made cameos in the anime, manga, and many side games in the franchise. It's about time an evolution gets added to its line.

Fun fact: Heatmor is the only non-Bug typePokmon that can learn the move Bug Bite. This could be a clue as to what the anteater can evolve into: a Fire/BugPokmon. Not manyPokmon have the distinction of this specific, opposing dual typing, so it would make for a great final evolution for Heatmor.

Pinsir is one of the originalPokmon, with its origins going all the way back to good old Generation I. Beginning in Red and Blue, trainers could catch Pinsir in a couple of ways. Depending on the game, players could obtain Pinsir through trade, the Safari Zone, or Celadon City's Game Corner.

That made it exclusive and desirable. It also had a companion, as many do: Scyther, which got its own evolution in a later game. So why shouldn't Pinsir? It has a Mega Evolution form, but not a standard evolution. Maybe this will change in a later generation.

This cute giraffePokmon goes way back: first introduced in Generation II, Girafarig is Normal/Psychic and has no known evolutions. While not necessarily a fan favorite, it's about time such a sweetPokmon gets its dues.

RELATED:The 10 Biggest Problems With Pokmon Games (They Need To Fix)

Think of how adorable an evolution would be. It could grow into a tall, long-necked giraffe, much like Alolan Executor. Or, its design could be similar to the dinosaur-like Tropius from Generation III.

Stantler is another Generation IIPokmon with no evolutions. The Big HornPokmonis all kinds of classic: its design is a straightforward caribou while its type is simply Normal. Therefore, it provides a great foundationfor an evolutionary line, but it never got the distinction.

Fans would probably adore a pre-evolution that looks like Bambi. It would serve thePokmon well and make Stantler a desirable final evolution for players to reach. Maybe it will be chosen for a future evolution in another game, although it was introduced so long ago it's possible it will never get another form.

Maractus the flowering cactusPokmon has such a unique design that it's a shame it has no known evolutions. With the popularity of desert plants like succulents these days, which are all the rage with younger generations, it would be the cutest design to have a succulentPokmon evolve into Maractus.

On the other hand, Maractus could also evolve into a larger and even more powerfulPokmon, such as a large plant, like a Joshua Tree or Yucca. That would serve its unique design well and really add to thePokmon universe.

Klefki is the cute Steel/Fairy-typePokmon introduced in Generation VI. The Key RingPokmon has aone-of-a-kind look. But without any evolutions, it leaves so much to be desired. The possibilities are endless with this one! With the key motif, there are so many designs to play off of.

Here are a few to get the conversation started: it could evolve into a skeleton key, playing off its spooky look; it could evolve from a little lock with a heart-shaped key in honor of being Fairy; or it could start off as one of the keys on its keyring, similar to the evolutionary line of Dreepy.

Without contest, Druddigon is one of the coolestPokmon from Generation V. But in a huge surprise, it doesn't actually have any evolutionary forms. Typically, Dragon-typePokmon do have evolutions, as they usually appear later in the game and take quite a bit of leveling up to get to its final form.

Therefore, it would make sense for Druddigon to have one, if not two, forms to precede its final evolution. All the great Dragon types have them, as they are meant to be challenging to raise and train. Only a few generations old, there's a possibility Druddigon's line could expand.

If there is anyPokmon most famous for its evolutions, it has to be Eevee. Its name even sounds like evolution, which is most likely intentional. The foxPokmon is one of the most adorable and acclaimed designs, even getting its own feature in theLet's Goseries.

Without fail, fans clamor for a new Eevolution with every generation that's announced. Interestingly enough, it did not get a new elemental evolution in the latest generation, but there are still so many possibilities out there: Ghost, Poison, Flying, and Dragon, to name a few. Game Freak simply has to continue expanding this line, there's no doubt about it.

NEXT:10 Pokmon So Dangerous, Only Tiger King Would Want One As A Pet

Next The 100: 10 Questions About Clarke Griffin, Answered

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10 Awesome Pokmon That Really Need A New Evolution | ScreenRant - Screen Rant

Fall Guys

If your idea of battle royale is focused on shrinking circles and assault rifles, perhaps adjust your thinking. Ive just spent the morning playing Fall Guys, and . But make no mistake: this game might represent the most important evolution of battle royale since Fortnite added building into the mix.

Heres the setup: youre a weird rubbery pill thing, and youre on a game show that looks more than a little like Most Extreme Elimination Challenge. You start out running down an obstacle course with 59 other weird rubbery pill things, and by the end of it only 45 of you will advance to the next round. The next round will be something else: maybe some other weird obstacle course, maybe a team game where you have to steal tails off each others butts, maybe something I havent seen yet, but more players will be eliminated. Fewer and fewer, until only 1 remains.

Its battle royale, right?

Whats most interesting to me is that Fall Guys actually sacrifices very little of what defines battle royale, despite the wacky, nonviolent setup. Its all here: the insane, moshpit of an early phase, the escalating tension, the thrill of watching yourself stand tall as others fall, what I only assume is the elation of final victory.

What this game might do better, though, is the key element of any battle royale. A battle royale has to be fun to lose, because thats what 59 out of 60 competitors are going to be doing every round. And damn, if this isnt fun to lose: its insane, bouncy weirdness, top and and down, and it doesnt really matter if youre come out on top so long as you get to go again.

Weve seen a lot of games try to mimic the essential structure of Player Unknowns Battlegrounds with wildly varying degrees of success. What Fall Guys does is different. It doesn't just add new abilities and items into the basic kill everyone until you or your team are the only ones left standing formula. By conceptualizing a battle royale without that basic verb kill, it turns it into something totally different that still keeps the essential building blocks of what made PUBG so successful.

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Fall Guys Is The Evolution Battle Royale Has Been Waiting For - Forbes

Spinach Advertising's general manager and media director, Ben Willee.

Ben Willee is the GM and media director of Melbourne agency Spinach.

The needs of client-side marketers have changed dramatically in recent years forcing a rethink of what is required from a media partnership. So what skills do your media people need to be effective now and in the future? Ben Willee explains.

Charles Darwin once said, It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change. Even though he died in 1882, Im sure he was talking about todays media business.

Anyone thats been working in this industry for more than five minutes will tell you, its constantly changing. Its one of the best parts of the job, but it also creates a host of challenges, especially for advertisers.

The reality is, todays client-side marketers need something vastly different in a media partnership than what they did just 12 months ago. And thats not only because of the never- ending impacts of the current COVID situation we find ourselves in.

Its no longer good enough for media agencies to come to the table with some good deals on media buys after a few boozy lunches with sales reps. That went out the window even before COVID.

Media people today have to wear a host of different hats to truly deliver value to their clients; part scholar, part rough-and-tumble trader and part orchestra conductor (okay maybe that last one is a stretch, but you get my gist).

Todays media folks must be able to understand so much more than how to drive the Facebook Business Manager or grasp how TV ratings work. They need a head for integrated marketing strategy and a keen sense of what technology and AI can deliver because rustling up an audience is now only half the game.

We all know the improvement in campaign ROI when bottom-of-the-funnel activity is personalised and thats a result of what is happening in the tech stack. It doesnt have to be big; it doesnt have to be complicated; it just has to have a considered hypothesis and some smarts about how it can deliver on the client objectives.

The flip side is that people who understand the tech often fall into the trap of thinking that just because something can be measured easily, its more effective. And thats simply not the case. The media people who are prepared for today and tomorrow are the ones that can see past whats easy and focus on whats effective. In the right hands, martech is very powerful.

Additionally, media pros need to understand how a Customer Data Platform works, what data it collects, in what form and how it can be used to make campaigns more efficient. They also need to understand how this works in line with the clients privacy policy. For example, does the policy state data can be shared for marketing purposes?

To be able to ask the right questions to get the best business outcomes, you need someone that can do the thinking. Media people dont need to know how the clock works but they must be able to tell the time.

That said, dont fall into the trap of purely focusing on the tech abilities of media people.

Neilsen research suggests creative accounts for up to 47% of ad result variance. Its ironic since most media people barely give creative a second thought. Media people thinking creative is just a problem for the creative agency is a problem that is now being increasingly exposed. Im not saying media people should start wearing a beret and poking their noses into the creative process, but its smart to have a conversation with a creative agency or a creative person when the campaign is coming together and also when its being optimised. Its for this reason that a move to a full service 2.0 where media, creative, digital, data and tech are all under the one roof is gaining momentum.

As budgets continue to tighten, media will be expected to deliver more with less. Thats not new. Managing this in the digital age requires 360-degree strategic awareness and a complex set of skills. For those that are unsure if they have what it takes, organisations such as RMIT Online offer helpful courses to upskill.

If you asked our old mate Charles Darwin, hed say the ideal media person doesnt exist yetbecause they are still evolving and preparing themselves for the change thats yet to come.Ben Willee is the GM and media director of Melbourne agency Spinach.

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Charles Darwin and the evolution of the media skill set - AdNews

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Plagued by injuries for much of the 2019-20 season, the Golden State Warriors are once again expected to at least be in the running for an NBA championship next season after winning three of the previous five championships. Led by their deadly shooting backcourt duo of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, the Warriors have become one of the most dangerous teams to go up against when healthy.

Sometimes even when theyre not. However, their road to excellence was not necessarily straightforward.

After drafting Curry in 2009, Thompson in 2011 and Draymond Green in 2012, the Warriors unknowingly secured their core for the future. Also drafted in 2012 would be another key cog, Harrison Barnes. With those pieces in place, the Warriors would go on to a 47-35 record that year, more than doubling their win total from the previous season.

For the 2013-14 season, the Warriors made a key signing in free agency,Andre Iguodala, and improved yet again to 51-31. Another key acquisition in 2013? Keke Lyles, who accepted a role as the Warriors director of athletic performance and is credited for improving Currys stance to reduce his well-documented ankle injuries.

The true transformation of the team however would begin in the 2014-2015 season. Steve Kerr took over the head coaching role from Mark Jackson, they would pick up key role players Shaun Livingston and David Lee. This iteration of the Warriors would prove dangerous to all comers and would go to win their first NBA championship since 1975. Far from a fluke Finals win, they finished the regular season with a 67-15 record, led the league in pace and defensive rating at 100.4, and they were second in offensive rating at 110.4.

That same season, Curry averaged a career-high (at the time) in true shooting percentage at 63.8 percent, 3-point field goal attempts with a total of 646 and even led the league in free throw percentage at 91.4 percent. This was the season that many would recognize as the genesis of the Warriors dynasty as we know it today.

It is important to note, however, that the 2012-13 season was not only a 23-game win improvement from the previous season, it was also the season after they dealt Monta Ellis (and acquired big man Andrew Bogut in the same deal), but also was Draymonds rookie season. This singular and dramatic turnaround can more accurately be described as the true genesis of the Warriors dynasty.

True to their mantra, Strength in numbers, the 2012-13 Warriors had 5 players who averaged double digits in the points per game category. When considered on a per 36-minute basis, it balloons to 11 players.

Another key aspect of the 2012-13 season that proved to be a pivotal transition point is Steph Currys increased shot attempts from the 3-point line, attempting an additional three 3-pointers per game while maintaining almost identical efficiency.

In the 2013-14 season, they would acquire Shaun Livingston and in their championship breakout year the very next season, was the year that they would crucially pick up Andre Iguodala.

Many, understandably, largely credit the success of the Golden State Warriors to Steph Currys and Klay Thompsons virtuoso level shooting and Steve Kerrs outstanding coaching. A deeper analysis of the growth of this team however shows how many pieces fell into place to contribute to their success.

Firstly, they drafted well and developed those players appropriately. It is noteworthy that Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Harrison Barnes were all drafted by the Golden State Warriors. To be sure, there is a degree of luck when drafting players, but this is also where player development comes in as well.

Draymond Green is a unique talent that has been positioned appropriately to maximize his skill set. While some may argue that Draymond Green is a system player,it is clear that his talent and situation are collectively able to allow him the greatest impact. Meanwhile, Harrison Barnes, whilst his contributions were not gaudy in the box score, his contributions to their first championship were vital nonetheless.

Secondly, they made the right moves at the right time. Monta Ellis was moved at the peak of his value and served two roles, allowing them to get a talented big man while removing a ball-hungry undersized guard that was ultimately stifling Stephs growth as a player. As mentioned previously, Shaun Livingston and Andre Iguodala were key acquisitions. Both were rangy, switchable players, assets on defense and capable on offense. This still of course is not including the monstrous acquisition of Kevin Durant in the 2016-17 season.

Lastly, they embraced their strengths. Drafting well and developing your players mean little if they arent placed in offensive and defensive schemes designed to maximize their talents. Any team could theoretically have ended up with the Splash Brothers, but without giving them the green light to shoot and stretch the floor, they are just above average players who can shoot.

Green may well be a defensive genius, but without the freedom to roam defensively, his defensive impact would be drastically suppressed. Even in the Kevin Durant era, due to the singular greatness of his abilities, the Warriors adapted, moving from a more free-flowing offense to one that allowed Durant more opportunities to break down defenses.

In short, the dynastic run of the Golden State Warriors can be boiled down to great front office moves, excellent coaching, having the right personnel and quite a bit of luck.

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Outside the Bubble: The Evolution of the Golden State Warriors - Hoops Habit

However, due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic earlier this year, the fitness industry hit a major roadblock. With the government's mandatory directive of nationwide lockdown and people practicing social distancing, the fitness industry that was largely dependent on the on-ground gyms and fitness studios saw a shift to digital platforms. Various players in the fitness industry adapted their services onto digital platforms in order to provide seamless customer experience. Live streaming of fitness sessions, virtual personal training, consultations by nutritionists, mental health experts through online social and communication platforms have seen a rise like never before. Hence, making the virtual way of accessing fitness the new normal and a subsidiary to the on-ground fitness services.

Existing fitness and wellness businesses are also expected to get creative and venture across multiple mediums for better outreach and retention of consumers. For the gyms/fitness studios that resume on-ground operations, they will continue services both online and offline. The virtual offerings are also expected to evolve with services being more personalized for the consumers (personal training, consultation with nutritionists, online therapy etc.) and hence providing overall wellness at their fingertips.

For a gym/fitness studio to reopen timely efforts for the sanitization of gyms/studios, installing proper hand sanitiser dispensers, spacing the equipment, having safety rules and protocols in place would be a must. Workout sessions would have to be performed in small/intimate groups. Fitness platforms will also be utilizing tools where they would monitor the capacity of gym/fitness centres. Pre-booking of workout slots along with ensuring an safety SOP (Standard Operating Protocol) is being implemented, would also play a huge role in building trust amongst the consumers.

3. Holistic Wellness Will Be A Priority:

Not just physical fitness, but nutrition, mental wellness and spiritual training has already become a prime focus for individuals and will continue to do so, post lockdown. In an attempt to achieve overall health and overcome the stress incurred due to our tense surroundings, consumers and service providers have found the need to focus on holistic health and are redefining fitness to become more wellness oriented.

Read more from the original source:

Evolution of the fitness industry post the lockdown period - Business Insider India

In Irish, as you probably know, brat means flag. In English, it means an unruly child. The two concepts would not appear to have much in common, except perhaps at certain bonfires in Northern Ireland around this time of year, when brats of both kinds can be implicitly present: burning or being burned.

But the connection may be more umbilical than that, it seems. Because as Patrick Dinneens famously inclusive Foclir Gaedhilge agus Barla points out, brat also refers to a range of textiles, including a cloak, a mantle, a garment, a cloth, a banner, a shroud, a covering of any kind. And it appears to be via one of these that the two-legged, misbehaving brat entered English.

The theory is mentioned in an epic and fascinating podcast on the History of English by Kevin Stroud, which I chanced upon recently. In an episode on the influence of Celtic languages on the Anglo-Saxons, he suggests that only about a dozen or two words from the former were adopted by the latter, of which the Old Irish bratt may it is still disputed be one.

If so, it evolved over the centuries, first from a term meaning cloak in general, to beggars cloak in particular. Then it became beggars child, without any imputations of bad behaviour, before finally taking on the derogatory sense it has now. This was well established by the time of Samuel Johnsons 1755 dictionary, which defined brat as a child, so called in contempt.

A logical offshoot was brattery which, circa 1788, was used as slang for nursery. Alas, that seems to have disappeared from English since. We could do with reviving it now occasionally, if only to describe such kindergartens as 1980s Hollywood, some of whose brash young stars became known as the Brat Pack.

There is at least one alternative theory for the English brats origin: entertaining but probably wrong. It comes from Germany, which typically has the best word for annoying children (especially other peoples). Satansbraten, they call them there, meaning literally satans roast.

But however apt that might seem, it is undermined as a root of the English brat by the fact that the latter only became an insult in later centuries, having spent a long period as a term so benign that even an affectionate parent could use it, as in a 1582 translation of Virgil, where Trojan hero Aeneas is referred to as a brat by his father.

In a separate development of the 1580s, by the way, the English poet Edmund Spenser moved to Ireland on an ill-fated attempt to benefit from the plantation of Munster. And among his writings here, he included a tirade against what was the defining item of Irelands national dress-code then: the mantle or brat, an all-weather garment worn by men and women alike.

To Spenser, it covered a multitude of sins. Worn by Irish men, he suggested, it is a fit house for an outlaw, a meet bed for a rebel, and apt cloak for a thief. Worn by a woman, its uses included being a coverlet for her lewd exercise.

That meant sex, clearly, because by his next sentence, the woman is pregnant, something the mantle also allows her to hide. Its still a century too early for Spenser to work the word brat in here as a double entendre. But in his continued rant against the garment, he gets unwittingly close: [. . .] and when her bastard is born, it serves instead of swaddling clouts [clothes].

Three centuries and more later, in Terry Dolans Dictionary of Hiberno-English, brat is still listed both in its older meanings of cloak; apron (from Antrim) and covering, mantle, robe (Kerry), as well as the modern sense of you little brat.

Central to the move from one to the other seems to have been the raggedness of clothes, especially as worn by the poor. Although Dolan suggests it is of origin obscure, he notes that in Middle English, bratt meant coarse mantle, or rag.

Given the excessive protocol surrounding national flags one must never let them touch the ground, for example, or fly them after sunset without floodlighting the various meanings of Irish brat might seem a diplomatic incident in the making. But for its ragged connotations, at least, there is a respectable precedent.

The worlds oldest continually used national flag, now aged 801, is Denmarks. It is said to have been sent by God during a battle against the Estonians in June 1219. The Danish crusaders were facing defeat until a red banner with a white cross descended from the sky and inspired them. The flag is known as the Dannebrog, or red rag.

See the original post here:

Brats tale: Frank McNally on the curious evolution of the Irish word for flag - The Irish Times

The Nike Pegasus has had 30 versions since it was first released in 1983 and is Nike's best selling running show of all time.

In light of Covid-19 restrictions, more and more people have turned to pounding the pavements as an alternative to their usual gym, sporting or fitness activities.

This is reflected in search demand for running shoes, which is up 56% year on year.

Running shoes having advanced so far in terms of design, build and technology. The evolution of the Nike Pegasus portrays this with 37 years of innovation behind it.

First launched in 1983 and named after the winged horse from Greek mythology, the Nike Pegasus was designed to embody quickness, movement and the idea of flying on air.

The Pegasus earned its place in the history books becoming Nike's biggest and best-selling shoe of all time.

The Nike Pegasus was first launched the model was originally called the Air Wedge Trainer, as it was the first to feature an Air Wedge which was designed to increase shock absorption. Throughout the 80s the model becomes Nikes best-selling shoe.

In 1991 Steve Spence, Long-distance runner and bronze-medal winner at the World Championships in Tokyo endorses the shoe as one of his favourites. In 1993, a decade after its release, the model has sold 17 million pairs.

In 2004 Nike released the curvier womens version is adapted to cater to the female foot.

The Nike Air Pegasus Berlin was released in 2009 to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall which occurred in 1989.

The Pegasus 37 was released earlier this year is the latest model to be released, with the biggest changes taking place underfoot.

Nike switches from Cushlon to React foam, which is lighter and more durable, enabling a comfier underfoot experience. The Zoom Air bag is moved to underneath the forefoot and made to be twice a thick to provide more spring.

For more information head over to https://www.sportsshoes.com/nike-air-pegasus/

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The evolution of the Nike Pegasus running shoe - Buzz.ie

Taylor Swift astral projecting. // Illustration by Katelyn Betz

Taylor Swift has reinvented herself multiple times over.

Shes been a country sweetheart, a pop superstar, a vengeful powerhouse, a romantic realist, and now, a folksy storyteller. The longevity of her career, in part, is by reason of reinvention, a major theme of Swifts Netflix documentary Miss Americana. Though nobody could have seen this album coming, folklore feels like the perfect evolution for her.

For a woman thought to rely on failed relationships for subject matter, Swift has taken that narrative and flipped it on its head. Aptly named, folklore is a series of stories both real and fictional. The album is a woodsy, ethereal departure for Swift, whose raw and hushed vocals complement the dreamlike, acoustic backings for the 16-track surprise album.

Materializing on Instagram the night before its July 24 release, folklore seamlessly blends reality and fantasy in a way that could only come from being written completely in isolation. In her eighth album, Swift blows her repertoire wide open with imagery of childhood innocence, emotional insecurities, unwavering curiosity, and point-of-views that arent her own.

The lack of pop songs is a notable change for Swift, who once existed completely outside of the pop realm, but they are not missed. Her subdued fairytale ballads mix youthful navet with comforting wisdom, gifting listeners surreal stories that transport far away from the harshness of the worlds current reality.

Comparably, its like taking a peek inside a diary and finding the authentic emotions behind experiences that are timelessly true. With Swifts inclusion of notes and diary-like submissions, its no surprise she gave us a peek inside her mind.

Swift herself describes it best on Instagram as a collection of songs and stories that flowed like a stream of consciousness. The echoed and introspective lyrics are reflective of an imagination running wild, as Swift puts it. Though isolated, Swift managed to remotely create an album, which is likely to never be toured, alongside The Nationals Aaron Dessner, Bon Ivers Justin Vernon, and Bleachers Jack Antonoff.

Unbridled imagination is a common theme from start to finish, but is especially apparent in the last great american dynasty. Here, you get to know Swifts rendition of Rebekah Harkness, the benefactory widow of Standard Oil Companys William Hare Harkness and former owner of Swifts coastal Rhode Island home.

The historical tale of Harkness is elevated with imagery of lush parties, whispered judgments, and glittering grandeur, all of which parallel Swifts own fate at the Rhode Island mansion. Harkness filled the pool with champagne and swam with the big names / and blew through the money on the boys and the ballet, and decades later, Swift would be met with similar criticisms as she hosted large gatherings with her celebrity friends. She acknowledges this with the line I had a marvelous time ruining everything, cheekily announcing that she has no interest pleasing anyone but herself.

Swift departs from recounting her own experiences for a good portion of the album, evident in one storyline carried through at least three songs. In what is named by Swift as The Teenage Love Triangle, three love triangles are recounted through the eyes of each of the participants in different stages of their lives.

Internet sleuths believe these songs to be betty, cardigan, and august. Another contender is illicit affairs, which establishes the emotional mess a love affair leaves behind. The complex narrative presented by Swift tells the story of James and Betty, lovers interrupted by Jamess summer fling with another person, possibly Inez. Continuous imagery of secret meetings in cars, the comfort of a cardigan, and a reconnection on a front porch overlaps between songs, hinting at their connection.

Yet the genders of the love triangle participants are undetermined. The names James, Betty, and Inez come from the three daughters of Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, two of Swifts closest friends. Others speculate the origins of Swifts name, as she is named after James Taylor, performs as coded language in the gender-bending love triangle. Whatever way you look at it, the genders of these lovers in any of albums songs are up to interpretation, expanding Swifts subject matter beyond the heteronormative subjects of her past.

Betty reveals regret and sorrow for James as the regretful summer affair that ended his relationship with Betty comes to light. Swift sings as James, a different approach from the gendered-pronouns used by Swift in songs prior. The harmonic melody speaks for itself, carrying listeners to thoughts of hopeful innocence when reality looks dismal.

Switch to cardigan, where Betty recounts her love with James through rose-colored glasses. The lyrical, piano-backed love letter evokes a sense of longing for what is safe and comfortable, like your favorite cardigan would be, and knowing that itll be there when youre ready for it.

Rounding out the triangle, august provides a wistful yet alluring rendition of a summer fling through the eyes of the other woman, ending with the consequence of losing a lover that wasnt mine to lose.

Other notable tracks, like peace and mirrorball, depart from the warm and fuzzy radio-hits Swift is known for. Both feel like revelations; peace being an introspective plea for love and assurance, while the melancholic and somber mirrorball reveals hidden insecurities about being able to change everything about me to fit in.

Change is a defining characteristic of Swifts 14-year career. Though her sound has evolved and commanded notoriety in every genre, the songwriter she became renowned for is alive and well. I cant help but think, where will Taylor Swift take us next?

Ive been a fan of Taylor Swift from the launch of her career. The evolution of Swift and her music is reflective of how her fans have grown up with her. Periods of my life have been defined by Swifts eras, from the teenage navet and hopefulness of Fearless to the jaded yet powerful honesty of reputation. Swift has progressed as an artist alongside her fanbase, and folklore is an indicator of how far shes come. Undeniably honest and hopeful, folklore reminds us to continue dreaming about a life thats soon to come.

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Taylor Swift continues her introspective musical evolution with folklore - Kansas City Pitch

Salmon Evolution has announced it has entered into an investment agreement with South Korea's Dongwon Industries, whereby Dongwon will make a NOK 50 million investment to acquire a minority share in Salmon Evolution.

Under the terms of the agreement, the two partners further plan to enter into apartnership on jointly constructing a land-based fish farm in South Korea utilizingSalmon Evolutions technology.

They will also jointly consider future opportunities for scaling similar projects in other Asian markets as well as the North American market, the salmon farmer said.

"This is a very exciting opportunity for us," said Salmon Evolution CEO Hakon Andre Berg. "Collaboration with a global player like Dongwon Industries will strengthen our commercial opportunities as well as giving us solid industrial support for scalingour concept in new markets."

The pair's dialogue has been ongoing for some time, but COVID-19's spread delayed the process of Dongwon's investment, he added.

"After assessing a number of projects for land-based fish farming enterprises, weconcluded that Salmon Evolution represents the best investment and partnershipopportunity in the sector," said Kiyun Yun, Dongwons CFO.

"We believe that Salmon Evolutions technology does the best job of recreating natural marine conditions while avoiding the many challenges faced by conventional fish farming in the sea."

In May Salmon Evolution began the construction of a land-based fish farm in western Norway at Indre Haroy, Hustadvika municipality.

This facility will be based on 65% reuse and 35% supply of filtered and temperature-controlled seawater, which it believes will contribute to optimal operations and substantially reduce risk compared with other types of land-based aquaculture usingvirtually full water recirculation.

On completion, the fish farm at Indre Haroy should have an annual production capacityof about 36,000 metric tons of Atlantic salmon.

"An investment by a large global seafood player sends a strong signal to the industryat this early phase," added Tore Tonseth, chair of Salmon Evolution. "Our existing owners have broad experience from the whole value chain for conventional aquaculture and a high level of expertise with the various technology concepts for land-based fish farming."

The fact that Dongwon is not only investing in Salmon Evolution, but also plans to enter into a partnership with the company, was a strong verification of its potential, he said.

In addition to the value potential offered by building similar land-based farms in other parts of the world, Tonseth highlighted the substantial sales and distribution opportunities that could come out of this partnership.

"This takes us a long step forward in the work needed to ensure scaling and access in a world market where quality and sustainability are becoming ever more important. Dongwon Industries will also be a strategic partner in our future distribution network."

Pareto Securities and DNB Markets have acted as financial advisors to Salmon Evolution in the transaction.

Contact the author [emailprotected]

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Dongwon, Salmon Evolution to launch land-based farm in Korea - Undercurrent News

Pre-pandemic, hearing the term customer contact center would probably elicit a vision of a large room filled with headset-wearing agents. The bigger the company, the larger the room or maybe it spanned many floors in a building, was its own building, or perhaps one of several such facilities around the world.

Over the years, there have been advances at the heart of what runs a customer contact center: among them, telephony; cloud-based customer service software; and the ubiquity of high-speed internet. Despite these advances which have made work-from-anywhere possible, most companies have continued to locate customer service staff together in those large rooms and facilities for reasons like better collaboration and easier onboarding.

Then COVID-19 changed all that.

Prior to lockdown orders around the world, some companies might have already had a small percentage of their customer service representatives working from home. For the majority, however, the pandemic forced businesses to frantically move in-office agents to a work-from-home model. And so began what some dubbed The Worlds Largest Work-From-Home Experiment, with customer service arguably the most impacted. In the case of Discover Financial Services, Inc., it affected nearly one-third of its workforce.

With several months of experience now, many companies customer service departments have ironed out the wrinkles of work-from-home customer service. This is just in time to now consider how to navigate a safe return-to-work. The South Korean call center outbreak early in the pandemic is a grim reminder of what could result from a rushed return.

Opinions differ on when and even if COVID-19 can be eradicated, complicating the timing and steps needed to safely return to work. And if customer service operations are currently running smoothly, the benefits from being in one location may no longer exist. As companies debate if the traditional customer contact center model continues to make sense, three technologies will be key to invest in for whichever route they choose.

Customers want answers as quickly as possible. Those solutions might come from customer service, or they might require assistance from some outside department. In either of these scenarios, workflow is the secret to a rapid response.

Consider a situation where a problem has been plaguing customers and is a significant contributor to contact volume. The good news is customers can address it by following a few steps themselves. Those steps must be quickly published as a knowledge base article. Workflow can help, by routing the solution details from a closed case through an editing and validation process, and quickly making it available online to customers as well as agents.

Another example are times when the root cause of a widespread customer issue lies in another department and must be addressed by them. Imagine an erroneous fee appearing on multiple customers statements. The details of the problem and the affected customers must be brought to the finance departments attention, and workflow can do that. Workflow then allows the progress to the solution to be tracked to completion while minimizing delays.

Really, though, the most important role workflow plays is in its ability to structure and deliver tasks regardless ofwherea customer service agent (or any other employee, for that matter) is located. Customer-oriented work is not stalled as a result of what might have previously been manual processes performed in an office.

Even before the pandemic, savvy companies had already embraced customer self-service in its many formsknowledge bases, chatbots, online communities, and automated solutions. Its an excellent first line for customer service, providing resilient and scalable assistance by:

As the viruss impact started to take hold, Gartner reinforced self-services importance, urging companies to continue to promote it to customers and even begin new projects.

Machine learning is helpful because its like adding a member to the team. This team member, though, can process limitless amounts of work quickly, accurately, and without breaks. Its precision also improves over time. It lends a helping hand in two ways.

When self-service channels dont surface an answer, it becomes necessary for customers to create a case online. That case must be directed to the appropriate agent. Machine learning taps into prior case routing history and learns from the various attributes. Using this information, machine learning automates the process, ensuring the case is routed to an available agent best-skilled to assist.

Machine learning can also serve as a sidekick to agents. As they work with customers, it can suggest solutions from knowledge base articles, online community responses, closed cases, and other sources.

Customer service has experienced many changes over the years. Before the invention and broad availability of the telephone, customers would write letters to companies if they needed help. The telephone brought the first live interaction channel, and also served as the vehicle for one of the first knowledge base-type systems. The internet put things into high gear: customer service websites, social channels, and mobile apps to name just a few. But from those early beginnings to early 2020, delivering customer service has by-and-large remained a location-based activity.

Will the customer contact center return to what it once was, or will it now act as a hub with many spokes (at-home agents)? Time will tell if the pandemic has changed that thinking. Between The Worlds Largest Work-From-Home Experiment and the technology available, its clear the seismic shift forced by COVID-19 could easily remain permanent.

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Are we witnessing the evolution or the demise of the customer contact center? - Customer Think

Its 8pm on 17 June and the team at Arnotts has learned that the UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has produced a family pack of Tim Tams as a symbol of the nations free trade with Australia.

Within 12 hours, Arnotts and its creative agency The Neighbourhood, part of Publicis, had conceptualised and created The British Collection campaign concept, inviting Australians to vote for a British-inspired Tim Tam on its Instagram page.

It was an opportunity the brand could not pass up, said Amy Wagner, director of PR, digital and social at Arnotts.

We were delighted when Boris Johnson referenced providing Arnotts Tim Tams to the British people and said they could no longer be deprived of the opportunity to have [one], she said.

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Many organisations spend a lot of time, money and effort trying to create attention. For us, our focus is really when a world leader, like Boris, suddenly thrusts your brand into a global spotlight, how prepared are we to respond, react and capitalise on that opportunity?

Some of the flavours Australians could vote for to create the British-inspired Tim Tam included Bangers and Mash, Scotch Egg, Fish and Chips, and Scones and Cream. Surely, I asked Wagner, that set scones and cream up to win?

I would say the greatest debate in the whole concept wasnt the idea, or how we were going to activate, it was certainly which flavours we were going to support and share, she said.

It was meant to be lighthearted in its approach and certainly play into the classic Aussie larrikin which a brand like Arnotts and Tim Tam represents.

Other flavours considered were Yorkshire pudding, haggis, and baked beans.

The activation was meant to be a bit of a joke, but the idea of a scones and cream Tim Tam was so popular that the culinary centre produced a test of the real thing. The two vanilla biscuits sandwich a new cream texture and jam and are coated in white chocolate.

Apparently, they are delicious. But will they hit shelves?

At this stage, I cant confirm or deny, said Wagner. We would love to launch a scones with cream Tim Tam flavour, but its not on the official rotation at this stage.

This isnt the first piece of real-time marketing banter Australia has had with the UK. Last year, Marmite invoked a war with Begas Vegemite during The Ashes, and creative agency Thinkerbell quickly responded with a full-page ad in UK tabloid The Mirror, saying, among other things, that Vegemite tastes like a come-from-behind victory by 251 runs. The back and forth between the two that followed caught international attention.

A full-page ad by Thinkerbell in The Mirror in the UK during The Ashes test

According to Wagner, real-time marketing has become a focus of Arnotts marketing strategy. To her, taking advantage of media attention in creative ways is an opportunity to expand consumer engagement.

A brand like Tim Tam may get mentioned in the media organically. We see high engagement from consumers, certainly through channels, such as social, but unless we are taking the opportunity to connect with consumers, to listen and learn with them through these channels and react to these stories, which organically come to creation, then were missing opportunities to expand and amplify on top of that engagement, she said.

Arnotts strategy of leaning into nimble, reactionary, social media marketing, resulting in earned media, has paid off. In the last 18 months, the brand has increased its market share of voice by ten percentage points and experienced a lift in media reach by 800% according to its measurement.

This strategy is also key to the engagement of younger consumers. As a legacy brand Arnotts has a loyal base of older customers who enjoy their biscuit and cup of tea moment, Wagner told me. But younger Australians and new Australians are crucial to the brand maintaining its position in the national fabric of this country and that reaching out to them is a clear opportunity for Arnotts.

At the start of the coronavirus lockdown, Arnotts watched Australians turn to baking to pass the time and jumped on board, releasing the recipe for Monte Carlo biscuits on social media.

In my humble opinion, Monte Carlos are the highlight of the assorted creams, so why allow consumers to make their own? Even in the darkest of days, would KFC ever release the seven secret herbs and spices?

At its heart, Arnotts are bakers. That is what weve been doing for 150 years. We have three baking factories here in Australia. And so we wanted to give back something to Australians, which was tangible and that they could enjoy in their home, Wagner said.

So we did, we wanted to get people baking together and the answer to that was the most valuable asset we have, which is our closely guarded recipes to some of the nations favourite biscuits.

In the weeks that have followed the Monte Carlo, Arnotts has bestowed upon Australians the recipes for Scotch Fingers and Iced Vovos, as well as recipes utilising its biscuits including Cheese and Bacon Shapes Parmigiana, Chocolate Royals Cake and Lemon Crisp Cheesecake.

It has become one of the most successful public relations campaigns in the brands history. Bake Together received almost 700 pieces of media coverage, a 12 point uplift in earned media, and remained in the news cycle for over a month.

Wagner is the director of PR, social and digital at Arnotts

All of this indicates that Arnotts is evolving its marketing, and with new chief marketing officer, Jenni Dill, starting just three weeks ago, is there more change to come?

I think within marketing theres always change as consumer habits evolve, Wagner said. It would be naive to think that the impact of coronavirus on consumption habits and media channel consumption wouldnt see change within consumer behaviour. So we are certainly looking at the best channel mix for our brands, for Arnotts, in this new climate.

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Boris Johnson, top secret recipes, and the evolution of Arnott's marketing - Mumbrella

Stationery Design is a part of what we know as classic designs. These classic designs are timeless designs, with functionality at their core that allows them to be useful across generations. One such example is the classic three-side long tail clip (what we also know as the binder clip) that has remained virtually unchanged until we came across this redesign by JaiYi Cai.

JaiYi identified that the existing clip, while doing wonders to hold the paper in place also faces some ergonomic troubles firstly, the pins handles tend to slip when we apply force to it. Secondly, the pressure points in the design are the creases in the pin which take the entire load, causing them to crack. On identifying these concerns JiaYi applied her design skills to transform the classic, and take it to the next generation along with us with the four-side long tail clip! The four-side long tail clip makes two simple yet radical changes it elongates the handle of the pin, allowing us to apply the same amount of pressure while exerting lesser force and it adds a new pressure line, halfway through the design, helping relieve the pressure on traditional three creasings. The revised handle can save 50% of the lever force by using the lever principle to move the bearing point forward while the quadrilateral long-tail clamp body distributes a more uniform load, solving the disadvantage of finger pain. This design evolution is the best of product design retaining the best of the designs existing functionality while staying close to its existing form that is an intrinsic part of our memories.

Suitable for turning pages, using 13% lesser material and with four sizes available to choose from, the four-side long tail clip makes a subtle yet long-lasting impact on our relationship with our stationery. Its true what they say, small things can make a big impact and this four-side long tail clip is a must-have for all of us stationery aficionados!

Designers: JiaYi Cai, JiaLiang Cai and Zhiping Chen.

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This 2020 evolution of the binder clip is an ode to the love of classic stationery designs - Yanko Design