Monthly Archives: March 2020

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James wasnt much of a shooter when he first came into the NBA in 2003.

No doubt the 6-foot-8 forward was a freak of nature and possessed all the tools to become a superstar for years to come. As perfect as James game is, theres always been a slight chink in his armor his lack of a reliable jumper.

Throughout the years, defenses have been more than willing to let him fire away from distance rather than give him an open lane to the cup.

Hes not a terrible shooter by any means and will make you pay if you leave him wide open. But shooting hasnt always been James cup of tea.

Entering the 2019-20 campaign, James was a career 34.4 percent shooter from downtown and has a 73.5 percent success rate from the free-throw line.

The King gets to the line frequently due to his strength and leaping ability, but its quite alarming that he has never shot more than 80 percent from the charity stripe in his 17-year career.

James somehow maintains those numbers come playoff time, shooting 49.1 percent from the field, 32.3 percent from three, and 74.3 percent from the free-throw line in 239 career playoff games.

We have seen phenomenal athletes in the NBA become more reliant on shooting jumpers as they aged. For instance, Vince Carters ability to drain the long ball has allowed him to occupy a roster sport at 43 years old.

LeBron, now 35, has indeed made significant strides to become a more efficient shooter over the years.

The four-time league MVP actually tweaked his shooting mechanics back in 2017 due to an elbow injury. At one point, James elbow swelled to the size of a tennis ball, forcing him to adapt with a different shooting motion.

I shoot it higher, James said, per Dave McMenamin. When the swelling went down I just continued to do the same motion, the same motion. My free throws, my 3s, my pullups, all that.

At first glance, his slight tweak is not very noticeable, but it seems that he now shoots from a much higher release point than he used to. Check out this clip for reference.

Even more surprising, James decided to change his shot on his own accord and did it without the aid of a shooting coach.

It was just me, James added. Im at a point now in my career where I know if I need to make an adjustment here or there.

Retired NBA player turned analyst Tracy McGrady once observed James shooting motion, claiming he shot the ball across his face and his shooting elbow went out too much.

LeBron worked on that and now has a more compact and disciplined form by keeping his elbow straight much like all the great shooters do.

Hes still no Steph Curry or Klay Thompson by any means, but James hard work paid dividends and he became a more consistent shooter over time.

Lets take a look at James evolution as a shooter over the years.

First stint with Cavs (2003-2010)

LeBron James didnt have to shoot many three-pointers during his high school days with St. Vincent-St. Mary, since his phenomenal athleticism and feel for the game was enough to overwhelm his opponents.

He had a terrific rookie year in the NBA, knocking down 42 percent of his field goals, mostly from close-range shots and perimeter jumpers.

At times when the defense zeroed in on him, James struggled from past the arc and only knocked down 29 percent of his shots. He did fair well from the line, making 75 percent in his first year.

James managed to up his 3-point accuracy to around 33 percent in the succeeding years with the Cavs. His free throw marksmanship, however, dipped a bit as his trips to the line grew more frequent. James only shot 69.8 percent from the charity stripe in the 2006-07 season.

His best statistical year from the line came in 2008-09 when he drilled 78 percent of his freebies.

Big 3 era in South Beach (2010-2014)

James wasnt expected to shoot long shots with the Miami Heat, considering his team was filled with elite snipers at the time. However, he did enjoy his best 3-point shooting year in the 2012-13 season when he made 40.6 percent of his attempts.

He also enjoyed his highest field goal percentage the season after in 2013-14, when he tallied a success rate of 56.7 percent from the field.

Its no coincidence that the Heat won back-to-back NBA titles during that stretch.

Return to Cleveland (2015-2018)

James age began to show a little bit in his return to Cleveland as his shooting accuracy from across the board once again took a dive. He made only 30.9 percent of his 3-pointers in the 2015-16 season and completed just 67.4 percent of his free throws in the 2016-17 campaign.

After altering his form in his final year with the Cavs, James enjoyed a shooting resurgence, draining 36.7 percent from downtown and 73.1 percent from the line in 2017-18.

Move to LA (2018-present)

James kept his new and improved shooting form once he moved to Hollywood. However, he was stalled by injuries in his first year with the team and played a career-low 55 regular-season games last year.

Still, he continued to display improved efficiency from distance, knocking 33.9 percent of his threes. But James once again putrid from the line, making only 66.5 percent of his attempts.

LeBron was even better in his second stint with the Purple and Gold, upping his accuracy from downtown (34.9 percent) and the foul line (69.7 percent), before the league-wide suspension due to the coronavirus crisis.

This years MVP frontrunner will never be a catch-and-shoot type of guy and he still prefers to take his attempts while in rhythm. James has proven time and time again that he ages like fine wine and he still learns a new trick or two even as he gets older.

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The evolution of LeBron James shooting over the years - ClutchPoints

Photo by Rutgers.edu | The Daily Targum

Julia Van Etten, a doctoral student in the Graduate Program of Ecology and Evolution, runs a photography account that highlights the art of microorganisms in addition to her studies in red algae.

Julia Van Etten, a doctoral candidate in the Graduate Program in Ecology and Evolution, is currently working with NASA on a research project that investigates how red algae can help explain early life on Earth. Van Etten works closely with her advisor, Dr. Debashish Bhattacharya, distinguished professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, and his team.

In addition to her studies in red algae, Van Etten also runs a popular Instagram account highlighting the art of microorganisms through photography. The account, @Couch_Microscopy, was started in July 2017 and now has more than 25,000 followers. Van Etten said she created the account as a hobby that combined her interests in art and science.

Van Etten began the doctoral program with the Bhattacharya team at Rutgers in 2016. The team is one of the leading research groups who study the origin and evolution of red algae and has worked on this research for more than 20 years, Bhattacharya said.

(Van Etten) has been a very committed and hard-working student, Bhattacharya said. She led the development of a teaching module in the (Department of) Biochemistry and Microbiology that uses her microscopy skills to introduce students to protists and algae. Her love of algae and skills in culturing them helps her maintain the species used for research.

Red algae are so important to study due to their ability to tell scientists about the origins of life on Earth, Van Etten said. Bhattacharya said they are the oldest living photosynthetic eukaryotes, providing insights into how photosynthesis has evolved on Earth.

Not only are they an ancient lineage of organisms, but this particular group of red algae, called the Cyanidiales, (also) lives in extreme environments, Van Etten said, This means that they can thrive under conditions that most organisms cannot, like living in a hot, acidic environment and among toxic heavy metals.

Van Etten said this trait is due to an ability called gene sharing or horizontal gene transfer. The red algae are able to steal genes from other microbes that are around by including the genes into their own genomes. She said gene sharing does not often occur in more complex organisms like algae, so this is another reason scientists are drawn to them.

Studying how they survive and evolve gives us insights into possible processes going on when life first evolved on Earth, and understanding these processes could even help us study life on other planets in the future, Van Etten said.

Specifically, the project provides an in-depth look at what functions red algae steal from other microbes, how these functions are joined into the algaes metabolism, what role they play in the algaes adaptation into harsh environments and how these events could have happened on early Earth, Bhattacharya said.

In 2019, Van Ettens dedication to her studies was recognized by NASA. She said she received a grant from the Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology program that will fund her research in red algae for three years.

The funds from the grant are used to pay for her salary, fieldwork and conference travel to present findings, the equipment needed to grow and sustain the algae and for experiments like DNA and RNA sequencing, Van Etten said.

Applying for a grant or fellowship as a (graduate) student is a lot of hard work ... so being selected as a NASA Future Investigator is a really great opportunity, she said. There are many more qualified graduate students out there than external funding opportunities.

Although most of her work is done in the Bhattacharya lab at Rutgers, Van Etten said she does get to work with one of NASAs scientists.

I collaborate with a scientist at NASA Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley and will be doing some fieldwork with her and visiting that NASA facility at some point during the three years of this project, Van Etten said. Im very thankful to be working on a project that I care so much about.

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Rutgers student working with NASA on research of red algae, how it explains life on Earth - RU Daily Targum

While it might surprise some to learn that crypto technology has been evolving since the early 90s, what shouldnt come as a shock is just how far the technology has come- and how far it hopes to go.

Few buzzwords are as powerful as blockchain and crypto these days. Each creating a thought association with novel technological practice. Even though these terms arent actually new. Crypto technologies have been available for nearly two decades, but only recently have created adaptable, necessary, and accessible applications for the everyday person.

So much so that trading, purchasing, and using the coin have become commonplace in many peoples lives. Even new users and laypeople can enjoy the thrill of an exchange platform, like for example https://bitvavo.com/en with little to know expert knowledge on the subject. This timeline of the evolution of bitcoin and its associated technologies lets us know just how far weve come, so we can all look forward to just how far we can go.

Blockchain has been evolving since Stuart Hager and Scott Stornetta began work on the first blockchain ever. However, 2013 is a notable moment in the history of blockchain, as this is when alternate cryptocurrencies began to evolve and the world received a new term, hard fork.

A hard fork is a divergence from the original functionality of any given blockchain network or cryptocurrency protocol. This divergence ends one protocol splitting, creating a new coin, token, or network along with it. 2013 marked the first known hard fork when Vitalik Buterin released the Ethereum white paper.

In 2009, the father(s) of bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto released a white paper explaining how the blockchain technology that they had developed could provide the structure to create a fully decentralized currency.

Little is known about Nakamoto. Some believe that it is one man or woman, others are sure that it is a group of people. Whoever Nakamoto is, what was conceptualized by them in 2008, was soon to grow into one of the biggest names in tradable assets, digital trust, and decentralized power structures.

This is bitcoin. Bitcoin changed the way we think, not only about currency and assets themselves but about data accumulation and dissemination.

2013 is also an important year for bitcoin, as in February of that year, the main payment processor for bitcoin at the time reported selling $1 million worth of bitcoin in a single month. Through that year, the bitcoin marketplace surpassed $1 billion, showing the marketplaces flair for value volatility and returns.

In the United States, regulating bodies began to sit up and take notice of the technology. Instituting regulations on traders and shutting down the infamous Silk Road empire. Effectively showing the public that bitcoin was here to stay.

When Ethereum creator Vitalik Buterin saw the potential of blockchain, he knew he had to take it further. Ethereum became a full-blown, decentralized network. Enabling users to undertake smart contracts and begin the creation of decentralized applications (dApps).

Smart contracts are like any other contract, only using blockchain technologies instead of arbiters and intermediaries. These contracts are capable of adding in something that original blockchain technology couldnt offer- contingencies.

Smart contracts work with if-then protocols, meaning that the next step in the contract cannot begin until the previous request has been met satisfactorily. Normally, we use a person to guarantee that each benchmark is met, which doesnt always work the way it should. With smart contracts, these benchmarks are non-negotiable and if theyre not carried out as planned, the contract will cancel.

2017 saw the development of yet another hard fork that would change the world of crypto. EOS.io is unveiled as a new protocol within the blockchain that would allow for the further deployment of dApps.

This open-source network aims to encourage users to create their own applications and smart contracts sans-centralization. Which was a massive game-changer in 2017. The continued development of dApp friendly platforms meant that more people had improved access to develop the dApps that they needed most- and use dApps that had already been created by others.

Keep in mind that this is a far cry from an exhaustive list of all the bright points that sparkle in blockchain history. There have been a number of innovations, resulting in an exponentially amount of new technology- designed to solve the problems that plague us most.

The key to the underlying usefulness of crypto and blockchain technologies is that these systems boost trust, reliability, security, and self-sufficiency. All by removing the centralization that far too often becomes corrupted in common day society.

So where will crypto go in the future? Well, the possibilities truly are limitless, so that makes it incredibly hard to say. But, surely, it will continue to evolve exactly as we need it to.

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Crypto Timeline: The Evolution of Bitcoin, Blockchain, and Cryptocurrency Technologies - BlockPublisher

Over the last decade, the world has experienced many outbreaks, pandemics and epidemics, from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) to H1N1 influenza and now COVID-19. Since the symptoms of coronaviruses are similar to that of influenza, it is important to identify outbreaks early, contain them, and prevent person-to-person spread until identification of the cause of the outbreak can be determined.

Coronaviruses can be found in many animal species including snakes, pangolins, camels, cattle, cats, and bats. It is uncommon for an animal coronavirus to infect people and then keep spreading person-to-person. But over the past decade, we have seen just that: 3 coronaviruses infecting humans and causing ongoing person-to-person transmission.

In February 2003, there was an epidemic of SARS first reported in Asia. SARS, or SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV), spread to countries in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia before it was contained. An estimated 192 people were infected/ detected with SARS-CoV in the United States. Since 2004, no further episodes of SARS-CoV infection have been reported any place in the world.

Next came the coronavirus called Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). First reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012, MERS has spread to several countries, including the United States. The largest MERS outbreak took place in South Korea in 2015.

In May 2014, 2 of 1300 patients tested were diagnosed with MERS-CoV infection in the United States. These 2 people were identified as imported cases from Saudi Arabia. One case was in Indiana and the other was found in Florida. Both infections were thought to have arisen from healthcare workers from Saudi Arabia. Both patients made a full recovery. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) completed an investigation of household members and the healthcare workers who cared for the 2 MERS cases. They all tested negative for the virus.

Common human coronaviruses (types NL63, OC43, and HKU1) usually cause respiratory tract illnesses, such as the common cold. At some point in our lives, most of the population will become infected with a human coronavirus.

Despite advances in medicine, global travel has complicated the ability to control the spread of infectious diseases. Both the 2003 SARS epidemic and the 2009 H1N1 pandemic were spread via air travel. Because of this, all healthcare providers must be aware of and alert to possible emerging diseases and understand how to identify, report, investigate, and contain any outbreak until the cause of the infection can be determined. But what is necessary to control any outbreak situation, whether it is a multidrug-resistant organism, influenza, or a novel virus like COVID-19?

In a recent interview withInfection Control Today, Bill Jarvis, MD, president of the consulting company Jason and Jarvis Associates, shared information about the CDCs role in outbreak investigations. Whether an outbreak is suspected within or outside of the United States, the CDC can provide the following assistance, if invited:

Trained Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) officers can travel onsite to assist with the investigation (in collaboration with local infection control personnel).

Diagnostic specimen or samples of the suspect pathogen can be sent to the CDCs laboratories for identification, serologic, or genetic testing. In the case of COVID-19, samples sent to the CDC would be processed in appropriate containment areas in the Division of Virology or Special Pathogens/Pathology Laboratories. Once new pathogens, such as COVID-19, are identified, gene sequencing and rapid diagnostic testing can be performed and sent to state and local health departments or even to ministries of health throughout the world. Depending upon the pathogen, the specimen/organism would be directed to the appropriate laboratory (ie, bacterial, fun- gal, viral, protozoan, etc.). A wide variety of specialized laboratories are available.

Once the pathogen is identified, the CDC can then develop both rapid diagnostic tests (gene probes, serologic tests, etc.) and can provide such rapid or other diagnostic test kits both nationally and internationally to assist in the diagnosis, prevention, and control of the pathogen/ outbreak.

In addition, either EIS officers or other members of the Division of Quarantine or taskforce personnel can be assigned to critical areas to assist in the control of the outbreak. With COVID-19, this has been seen by assigning CDC and state health department personnel to logistically important airports to assist in screening passengers for COVID-19 and assisting in the isolation of infected or potentially infected people.

It is important to understand that the CDC is a non-regulatory US agency (aside from the National Institute for Occupation Safety and HealthNIOSH). Thus, whether the outbreak is located within or outside the United States, the CDC must be invited to assist by the local/state/national government and/ or healthcare facility. The World Health Organization (WHO) also must be invited.

Possible outbreak situations are usually identified by an astute clinician, infection preventionist, or a clinical laboratory worker. First, a previously unrecognized (COVID-19) or unusual pathogen (MERS), or a pathogen with an unusual antimicrobial susceptibility pattern (vancomycin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus), or an unusual number of cases of a disease (cluster of plague) are noticed. For example, on a Monday morning, it is reported that 4 patients on 1 unit have developed cold symptoms. By Tuesday morning, the number of individuals sick with cold symptoms numbers 6. The continued increase in patients with the same symptoms should be investigated to determine whether there is a respiratory tract infection (RTI) of some type spreading through the facility. Since many coronavirus infections have the same signs and symptoms, it is important to contain the RTIs until the etiology/pathogen identification can be made.

It will have to be determined whether it is the common cold, influenza, or possibly COVID-19. It is the responsibility of every medical professional to remain vigilant for early signs of a cluster or outbreak and to report possible outbreaks caused by new or novel pathogens or unusual multidrug-resistant organisms to the appropriate authorities (in many, if not most, states, legislation requires reporting of outbreaks to county and state health departments). For very unusual or novel outbreaks, both the countries ministries of health and the WHO and CDC should be notified as promptly as possible. Initial prevention and control (containment) can prevent spread within and outside the country of origin and potentially prevent a larger outbreak or pandemic.

It is important to track all information using a tracking sheet. A tracking sheet can be adjusted depending on the symptoms identified in each outbreak situation. A well-developed tracking sheet is necessary to analyze all the data that is collected during an outbreak situation. Depending on the situation, the tracking sheet may be small such as for an influenza outbreak or more extensive to track things such as all the rooms a patient had been transferred to or what roommates they may have had, and possibility of exposure.

Components of a simple tracking sheet include:

1First and last name

2Unit, wing, or floor

3Date of birth4Gender

5Age

6Date of onset of illness

7Date specimen was collected

8Result of specimen tested

9Flu vaccination given y/n (if its flu season)

10Date of vaccination

11Symptoms (ie, cold, sore throat, malaise, chills, muscle aches,

diarrhea, vomiting, headache, pneumonia)

12Date hospitalized (if from a nursing home, etc.)

13Mortality

14Treatment

Developing a tracking sheet makes it easier to systematically collect data, add new data, and analyze the existing data. Data can then be reviewed from any data point.

Components of an Outbreak Investigation

1.Early identification of a suspected outbreak.

2.Start an investigation.

3.Define a case and an outbreak and pre-outbreak period.

4.Communicate to all healthcare professionals that need to know.

5.Identify all individuals who meet the case definition (patients and staff).

6.Determine if the number of cases exceeds the background rate (ie, it is an outbreak).

7.If reportable to local and state agencies, report those concerns. Local and state agencies can aid with case identification, development of investigative approach, prevention and control measures, and assist with specimens.

8.Appropriately isolate all individuals who meet the case definition.

9.Collect appropriate clinical specimens and save all outbreak-specific isolates from potential cases.

10.Confirm a diagnosis (rule out a pseudo-outbreak).

11.Be sure proper precautions are in place to contain the outbreak once a diagnosis is confirmed. You may decide to implement proper precaution prior to the diagnosis depending on the situation.

12.Continue to monitor and control the outbreak in order to prevent future spread.

13.Develop a line listing of cases.

14.Compare exposures of cases to better understand the route of transmission and potential risk factors.

15.Consider conducting additional epidemiologic studies (ie, case-control or cohort studies).

16.Consider performing genetic studies of the pathogen (especially if previously unrecognized or unusual).

17.Institute additional control measures, if needed.

18.Evaluate the efficacy of the control measures.

19.When control measures have terminated transmission, declare the outbreak is over.

20.Communicate to all individuals and agencies involved in the investigation that the outbreak is over.

21.Prepare your final outbreak investigation report.

22.Provide the opportunity for a debrief to identify strengths and weaknesses in the investigation. Information should be obtained from all effected staff.

23.Develop opportunities for improvement and action plans to avoid another outbreak.

Linda Spaulding, RN, CIC, BC, CHEC, CHOP, is an infection prevention consultant and founder of InCo and Associates International, Inc.

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Just How to Investigate an Outbreak: Evolution of the Interrogative Process From SARS to COVID-19 - Infection Control Today

On World Backup Day 2020, Information Age speaks to seven experts about the enterprise data revolution and the new version of backup

What do you need to consider this World BackUp Day, especially given coronavirus backdrop.

Today, Tuesday March 31 2020 is World Backup Day the annual reminder of the importance of backups against data breaches, data loss and cyber threats. And as such risks have changed over the years, so has the approach to backups and how we should design an effective data protection strategy.

Christophe Bertrand, senior analyst at ESG, sees changes ahead, 2019 was a year of innovation and change for backup and recovery with many new or improved solutions, new companies being launched, and some companies merging or becoming acquired. It was also a year of growth for traditional backup and recovery activity. However, this market is on the cusp of a critical change, one that will see vendors pivot to expanded capabilities and new use cases. The requirement for context and content about data is increasing as new regulations and the need for use of data to support digital transformation are changing the role of data in the enterprise. Data has to be more intelligent. Its really about business outcomes and the notion of data as a true asset that can be leveraged to create a return on investment, or avoid costs and risks.

The widespread adoption of cloud computing has undoubtedly had an impact on the way organisations protect their data. Moreover, todays real-time culture means that in the case of data loss, users expect it to be restored at once. Datriums CTO and co-founder Sazzala Reddy explains, archiving data and shipping it off to a mountain top or basement vault, with the hope that it will never be needed again is a relic of the past. DR and backup have been fundamentally transformed by the public cloud. Organisations can no longer afford to wait weeks, days, or even hours to restore their data. Restoration must happen instantly.

Ahead of the day, leading provider of cloud-enabled security and data protection solutions Barracuda Networks, has put together some tips on how to avoid a backup blunder. Read here

What is at stake is not just data; it is customers business or your business itself: Data is the lifeblood of todays digital world. It can be deleted, corrupted, lost or ransomed. A natural disaster can wipe out an entire datacentre. If this happens, the organisation must restore its information as quickly as possible or risk losing customers and, often, its very business, Matt Starr, CTO at Spectra Logic, tells Information Age.

This means that we are talking millions, billions of dollars in losses. For some organisations this spells the end. Because the impact of data loss for example is not only measured in downtime or loss of customers. It can involve significant fines which themselves can run into millions of dollars.

Paul Speciale, chief product officer at Scality, says, the cost of data loss, in fact, continues to increase as we find new ways to mine the value of data, IDC* expects that the amount of data created in 2023 will reach over 100ZB and multi-petabyte backups are becoming more commonplace. All of that data, and the 247 nature of business today mean that backup windows have to be shortened, and fast restores are a top priority. Data managers need backup solutions that can scale throughput to support multiple backup and restore streams simultaneously, to ensure the least possible impact.

Therefore, with substantial volumes of critical files at stake, successful data backups are a key aspect of data protection. According to Aron Brand, CTO at CTERA, effective protection must meet two critical requirements: it must retain previous versions of your files for a specific retention period (minimum of 30 days) where those files must be in a read-only repository so they cannot be deleted by a malicious software. And the archived copy must be physically separated from the main copy.

Last Friday, World Back Up day served as a reminder to businesses and individuals of the importance of backing up their data. Read here

Besides keeping important data safe and available, organisations need robust backup strategies for GRC (governance, risk and compliance) reasons. Chris Eastham, director at law firm Fieldfisher, tells us, compliance with data privacy rules is often a high priority for CXOs, and this encompasses backup and archiving. Organisations must be aware of the limitations of systems and how these impact on lawful data processing and retention and the enhanced rights of data subjects. They should also consider what contractual protections they need. For example, is the information easily accessible in a useful format whenever required? And to avoid vendor lock-in, itll be important to ensure that data will be returned in an industry-standard format on expiry of the contract.

Eastham continues, backup and archive systems satisfy different requirements. Deploying both in accordance with a sound information policy will yield benefits from a governance and compliance perspective.

Brand adds, theres no one-size-fits-all for organisations retention policies; some must keep data for years, some for less. Most requirements will exceed 30 days depending on industry compliance/legal, and data type. As retention periods shorten, the risk of not being able to fully recover datasets increases; therefore, it is advisable to have at least 30 days worth of file versions.

Speciale highlights the fact that regulations pertaining to various industries may differ, a solid DR strategy is mandated in the case of regulated industries, as in healthcare and finance. Fines and penalties can result from non-compliance. He adds, But governance and risk management matters in regulated and unregulated industries alike.

In some industries, organisations must supply compliance reports; Reddy advises, CIOs should look for solutions that can deliver compliance reports out of the box.

We are set to see convergence between data backup and blockchain says Veritas, is blockchain finally coming of age? Read here

Enterprises today need to simplify their IT environments to keep pace with data growth and limited budgets.

Molly Presley, global product marketing leader at Qumulo, comments: Organisations can no longer afford the expense of many different applications, processes and storage systems for data backup, or the manpower to oversee that it is properly carried out. Best practices are to invest in data storage solutions that can both store and backup data with a cloud-native option to enable the target to be either in the datacentre or in the cloud without additional applications or processes.

Presley further suggests CIOs give consideration to: the automation of new folders, directories and workloads being included in the backup as they are added; tight integration with primary storage systems so that when backing up unstructured data there are no waits for long-running file system scans and tight integration of the primary storage with the backup software to reduce cost and complexity. Ideally a single solution solves both.

Reddy disagrees with the deployment of a single solution here, anyone that selects a standalone backup solution is going wrong.

Though he supports the importance of backup and DR being tightly integrated to achieve instant recovery time objective (RTO). He adds, sometimes backups go wrong without anyone even knowing. How do you know whether backups are good unless you validate the content every so often?

Starr exposes a flaw in the traditional backup process. A backup consists of creating a copy of all primary active data. But many organisations retain up to 80% of data on the wrong storage tier, meaning that inactive data is being unnecessarily backed up. By offloading this inactive data from the Primary Tier to a secondary or Perpetual Tier utilising storage management software, backup windows and associated costs can be significantly reduced, he says.

Intelligent data management or the intelligent reuse of data will become more pervasive in 2020 and beyond, states Bertrand.

Vendors that successfully include instrumentation and workflows in their platforms to make the sharing of compliant data easy will stand out in the market. CIOs should look for insights features, data classification, compliance modules, data analytics-friendly workflows, and better BC/DR. Our research shows that this is the future of backup and recovery, and we believe 2020 will confirm it despite the current levels of uncertainty.

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World Backup Day: enterprise data evolution and the new backup - Information Age

The NFL Draft has evolved significantly since its inception in 1936 with Jay Berwanger going from U-Chicago to Philadelphia. Since the NFL Combine originated in 1982, teams were able to get a better look at prospects they consider NFL-ready. There are many factors that go into the NFL Draft besides the publicity and the media attention. Not because of television exposure, but rather a future job. General managers face the risk of losing their job or receiving a bonus. The draft is where teams make or break their future. It has been 84 years since it all began, but have teams gotten better at selecting prospects? Is there a secret or is it based on pure luck and strategy?

In 1989, NFL Draft scout Mike McCoy of the Dallas Cowboys created a PVC (point-value chart). It assigns a number value to each selection spot based on the perceived value that player would have to their new team. Teams utilize this chart most when negotiating trades to ensure each party is receiving equal benefits. Despite its popularity and continued usage through the years, researchers have found this metric to be inaccurate in determining a players future success in the league. Instead, they rely on the tape and data from the combine when making a decision.

Prospective players additionally take a Wonderlic Aptitude Test, designed to gauge intelligence. Success on the test does not translate to success on the field. Just ask journeyman quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Rare exceptions included Andrew Luck. NFL Draft researcher Andrew Gill states that physical and psychological player assessments from the Combine are more important than collegiate on-field performance in determining relative selection position on draft day. That includes testing. Coaches are more concerned with figuring out the quarterback position because an investment made in a QB can produce various results.

The 1998 NFL Draft between Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf is the go-to case that general managers look at when choosing a quarterback. Manning came into the draft with no questions while Leaf was seen as an enigma. The Colts took Manning while the Chargers traded up to draft Leaf. Mannings career flourished as he became one of the greatest in NFL history. Leaf, on the other hand, ranks as one of the biggest busts in history.

If the draft process is so good, how was it that Tom Brady fell to the 6th round and the Packers passed on three Hall of Famers for a big bust in Tony Mandarich? Also, why did the Raiders draft JaMarcus Russell? In addition, how are teams such as the 2013 Seahawks, the 90s Cowboys, 70s Steelers, 80s 49ers, 60s Packers, 21st-century Patriots able to draft good players outside of the 1st round and in later rounds? The answer is simple. Quality people in the front office and people in the right position making the correct calls which eventually led to victory.

Data has shown that teams have gotten better as a whole. This year, the process will repeat. Some teams will continue to make the right moves, some will change and become good, some will go from good to bad and others will just stay bad. What is your team like? Are they ready to make the right move? Only time will tell. Your team is now on the clock.

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The Evolution of Scouting the NFL Draft - Last Word on Pro Football

Editors note: As an alternative to what you are getting everywhere else now in the media,Evolution Newsis proud to offer inspiration, pointing to purpose and meaning in life. The profoundest mystery and thus the deepest inspiration is life itself. Discovery Institute Press has just published a greatly expanded edition of the 1984 classic of intelligent design science literature,The Mystery of Lifes Origin. Below is an excerpt adapted from a brand new chapter in the book. Dr. Gonzalez, the author of the chapter, is a Senior Fellow with the Center for Science & Culture. He received his PhD in Astronomy from the University of Washington and is a world-class expert on the astrophysical requirements for planetary habitability.

The modern era of astrobiology research began in 199596 with two momentous events: the discovery of the first planet around another Sun-like star (October 1995) and the announcement of evidence of ancient Martian life in the meteorite ALH84001 (July 1996). While the case for Martian life has not fared well in the intervening years, the field of exoplanetary research has exploded with discoveries.

To be sure, there were astrobiologists before astrobiology became a thing. For example, as Jonathan Wells helpfully reviews in his chapter on the 1953 Miller-Urey experiment, geophysicists and geochemists chimed in on the composition of the early Earths atmosphere to evaluate the plausibility of the experiment. But the field of astrobiology leapt into prominence after the discoveries of 19951996, as the exciting prospect of being able to address the topic of life in the universe scientifically caused many scientists myself included to bring their specialties to bear on this new field.

One of the main areas of research within astrobiology is the problem of the origin of life. It attracts scientists with backgrounds in astronomy, biochemistry, chemistry, geology, and atmospheric physics. Most astrobiologists working in this area are focused on the more narrow question of the origin of life on Earth.

In the following I will explore the current state of origin-of-life research from the perspective of astrobiology. I will review recent literature on the time window available for the origin of life on Earth, examine proposed scenarios, discuss the origin of life on other worlds in the solar system, and then end with a discussion of panspermia.

In 1953 Harold Urey and Stanley Miller sought to create some of the simplest building blocks of life from a mix of gases they believed to have dominated in the early Earths atmosphere. The assumed setting was a warm little pond at some indeterminate time soon after Earths formation. Geological dates were not well known at the time of the Miller-Urey experiment, but this situation has much improved in the intervening years.

The age of the solar system is well dated at 4.5682 +/- 0.0003 billion years from radiometric analyses of primitive meteorites. Theoretical stellar evolutionary models of the Sun applied to its present observed properties yields an age of 4.569 to 4.587 billion years, depending on the model used. These estimates set a hard limit on the earliest date for the origin of life in the solar system.

The oldest dated rocks on Earth are 4.03 billion years old. Earths active geological and hydrological cycles have severely altered rocks from the Hadean (the period prior to ~4 billion years ago). However, tiny but tough zircon crystals can survive the violent geologic upheavals that destroy other rocks and crystals. Whats more, individual major geological events can cause zircons to grow rings, like a tree. Zircons have been described as time capsules, preserving in a datable time-ordered manner some of the earliest geologic events in Earths history. The oldest well-dated zircon crystal (from Western Australia) has an age of 4.374 +/- 0.006 billion years. The evidence from zircons has pushed back the period in the Hadean when Earths surface was a hot molten magma sea to before ~4.4 billion years ago. Given this, the cool early Earth theory has displaced the earlier view that Earth could not have been habitable prior to about 3.8 billion years ago, after which the bombardment from asteroids and comets declined from its prior high rate. The evidence from the zircons also implies the presence of continents and oceans as early as ~4.4 billion years ago.

The oldest undisputed fossil evidence for life dates to 3.47 billion years ago. Less convincing fossil and isotopic evidence dates back to 3.7 billion years ago. Given the extreme rarity and alteration of rocks from this period, it is difficult to place a firm date on the first life on Earth. It is possible that there is no surviving evidence anywhere on Earth of our planets first life.

But there may be evidence on the Moon.

Read the rest inThe Mystery of Lifes Origin: The Continuing Controversy, from Discovery Institute Press.

Photo: Meteorite ALH84001 from Mars, by TK.

See the article here:

What Astrobiology Teaches about the Origin of Life - Discovery Institute

Carswell has been working at home since the state of emergency was declared in Saskatchewan on March 16, when North East Outreach and Support Services went into their pandemic plan mode.

Since then, Carswell has been working to keep up a connection with the youth.

It was very limited contact with the youth for the first week of isolation with one-word responses or no responses from the youth, Carswell said.

The following week was a different story with youth wanting to join in on virtual activities such as escape rooms and planning out ideas from members.

The dance party was one of those ideas from the youth.

The official DJ for the Saskatchewan RUSH team, DJ Anchor will host the party from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Friday night.

We have room for up to 100 accounts to join in on the ZOOM app, Carswell said.

A link will be sent to those who register with Carswell for the party at 306-921-9966 or contact Jen at 306-874-7230.

The main goal is to get as many youths as we can up and dancing and getting endorphins into their blood stream, Carswell said.

Anyone in the province or around the world can link in.

There are still spots open but we have had a good response, I am impressed and excited, she said.

angie.rolheiser@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Angie_Rolheiser

Continued here:

Melfort Youth Evolution hosting virtual dance party - northeastNOW

For the readers interested in the stock health of Dennys Corporation (DENN). It is currently valued at $8.40. When the transactions were called off in the previous session, Stock hit the highs of $8.51, after setting-off with the price of $8.4. Companys stock value dipped to $8 during the trading on the day. When the trading was stopped its value was $8.40.

Dennys Corporation had a pretty Dodgy run when it comes to the market performance. The 1-year high price for the companys stock is recorded $23.88 on 09/05/19, with the lowest value was $4.50 for the same time period, recorded on 03/19/20.

Price records that include history of low and high prices in the period of 52 weeks can tell a lot about the stocks existing status and the future performance. Presently, Dennys Corporation shares are logging -64.85% during the 52-week period from high price, and 86.56% higher than the lowest price point for the same timeframe. The stocks price range for the 52-week period managed to maintain the performance between $4.50 and $23.88.

The companys shares, operating in the sector of services managed to top a trading volume set approximately around 545223 for the day, which was evidently lower, when compared to the average daily volumes of the shares.

When it comes to the year-to-date metrics, the Dennys Corporation (DENN) recorded performance in the market was -57.75%, having the revenues showcasing -58.40% on a quarterly basis in comparison with the same period year before. At the time of this writing, the total market value of the company is set at 563.64M, as it employees total of 4000 workers.

During the last month, 3 analysts gave the Dennys Corporation a BUY rating, 1 of the polled analysts branded the stock as an OVERWEIGHT, 3 analysts were recommending to HOLD this stock, 0 of them gave the stock UNDERWEIGHT rating, and 0 of the polled analysts provided SELL rating.

According to the data provided on Barchart.com, the moving average of the company in the 100-day period was set at 18.21, with a change in the price was noted -11.53. In a similar fashion, Dennys Corporation posted a movement of -58.14% for the period of last 100 days, recording 624,737 in trading volumes.

Raw Stochastic average of Dennys Corporation in the period of last 50 days is set at 21.55%. The result represents downgrade in oppose to Raw Stochastic average for the period of the last 20 days, recording 28.83%. In the last 20 days, the companys Stochastic %K was 33.28% and its Stochastic %D was recorded 33.99%.

Bearing in mind the latest performance of Dennys Corporation, several moving trends are noted. Year-to-date Price performance of the companys stock appears to be encouraging, given the fact the metric is recording -57.75%. Additionally, trading for the stock in the period of the last six months notably deteriorated by -63.04%, alongside a downfall of -54.42% for the period of the last 12 months. The shares increased approximately by 5.62% in the 7-day charts and went up by 53.56% in the period of the last 30 days. Common stock shares were lifted by -58.40% during last recorded quarter.

Originally posted here:

Dennys Corporation (DENN) is primed for evolution with the beta value of 0.76 - The InvestChronicle

Lets start up with the current stock price of Primo Water Corporation (PRMW), which is $8.91 to be very precise. The Stock rose vividly during the last session to $8.99 after opening rate of $8.82 while the lowest price it went was recorded $8.36 before closing at $8.77.

Primo Water Corporation had a pretty Dodgy run when it comes to the market performance. The 1-year high price for the companys stock is recorded $16.00 on 02/24/20, with the lowest value was $6.33 for the same time period, recorded on 03/18/20.

Price records that include history of low and high prices in the period of 52 weeks can tell a lot about the stocks existing status and the future performance. Presently, Primo Water Corporation shares are logging -44.31% during the 52-week period from high price, and 40.76% higher than the lowest price point for the same timeframe. The stocks price range for the 52-week period managed to maintain the performance between $6.33 and $16.00.

The companys shares, operating in the sector of consumer goods managed to top a trading volume set approximately around 594049 for the day, which was evidently lower, when compared to the average daily volumes of the shares.

When it comes to the year-to-date metrics, the Primo Water Corporation (PRMW) recorded performance in the market was -35.89%, having the revenues showcasing -34.36% on a quarterly basis in comparison with the same period year before. At the time of this writing, the total market value of the company is set at 1.40B, as it employees total of 11580 workers.

During the last month, 9 analysts gave the Primo Water Corporation a BUY rating, 0 of the polled analysts branded the stock as an OVERWEIGHT, 1 analysts were recommending to HOLD this stock, 0 of them gave the stock UNDERWEIGHT rating, and 0 of the polled analysts provided SELL rating.

According to the data provided on Barchart.com, the moving average of the company in the 100-day period was set at 13.51, with a change in the price was noted -4.11. In a similar fashion, Primo Water Corporation posted a movement of -31.57% for the period of last 100 days, recording 1,608,514 in trading volumes.

Total Debt to Equity Ratio (D/E) can also provide valuable insight into the companys financial health and market status. The debt to equity ratio can be calculated by dividing the present total liabilities of a company by shareholders equity. Debt to Equity thus makes a valuable metrics that describes the debt, company is using in order to support assets, correlating with the value of shareholders equity. The total Debt to Equity ratio for PRMW is recording 1.17 at the time of this writing. In addition, long term Debt to Equity ratio is set at 1.08.

Raw Stochastic average of Primo Water Corporation in the period of last 50 days is set at 26.68%. The result represents downgrade in oppose to Raw Stochastic average for the period of the last 20 days, recording 28.17%. In the last 20 days, the companys Stochastic %K was 27.69% and its Stochastic %D was recorded 27.11%.

Now, considering the stocks previous presentation, multiple moving trends are noted. Year-to-date Price performance of the companys stock appears to be encouraging, given the fact the metric is recording -35.89%. Additionally, trading for the stock in the period of the last six months notably deteriorated by -30.34%, alongside a downfall of -39.81% for the period of the last 12 months. The shares increased approximately by 5.73% in the 7-day charts and went up by 6.82% in the period of the last 30 days. Common stock shares were lifted by -34.36% during last recorded quarter.

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Primo Water Corporation (PRMW) is primed for evolution with the beta value of 1.18 - The InvestChronicle