Category Archives: Evolution

As COVID-19 vaccines are approved, the world faces daunting distribution challenges. The top-of-mind question for many is one of fairness: who should get a vaccine first? Todays fervent debates about an equitable vaccine rollout should not be surprising.

To meet the challenges of group living, humans have evolved a desire for fairness over the last million years. The peculiarities of this evolved desire can have an impact on our decision-making in unfortunate ways, including in how we distribute a vaccine.

Humans are exceptionally co-operative animals. We are the only species that routinely chooses to help others and reacts strongly to perceived injustice. Our desire to find fair solutions to co-operative dilemmas presents a vexing evolutionary problem.

Evolution through natural selection favours animals that look after their own self-interest. In theory, humans should therefore only routinely work with close family members since those who choose to help others will die out. Yet our species has flourished by creating ever larger, and more enduring, collectives.

Charles Darwin sought to solve this dilemma by suggesting that highly co-operative groups would flourish best and rear the greatest number of offspring. Although theories on how social groups form are controversial, primatologists and physical anthropologists have pieced together a story of human evolution that hinges on our increasing ability to work together.

Early humans and our immediate ancestors were slow, weak and lacked claws and fangs. To survive, we slowly developed a social brain built to maintain close relationships between highly mobile hunters, gatherers and scavengers.

By the time that Homo sapiens evolved, co-operation would be sustained via an evolved sense of fairness that favoured both equalizing rewards across a group and punishing selfish behaviour. Selfishness, of course, still exists, but people feel guilty about actions that run counter to group interests. Studies confirm that this sense of fairness is cross-cultural and in place before children can even talk.

Darwin was clear that co-operation had its limits. Being fair to other group members may feel right, but, evolutionarily speaking, we should draw the line when it comes to our interactions with outsiders.

History can be written as a confrontation between an us and the other. My forthcoming book details some of the ways our evolved sense of fairness shaped identity politics over the past 20,000 years.

Larger societies are formed by extending group memberships. If you want to make a few nuclear families into a cohesive unit, then put them together in a larger house or have them participate in a shared ritual. If you want people to identify with an empire, grant them citizenship and something special to wear. When people feel they are part of a group, they look out for each other and expect to be treated fairly.

The problem is that people belong to multiple social groups. Larger and more recent groupings tend to be more weakly held, and when times get tough, larger collectives can break down. These divorces, however, are neither transparent nor finalized. When group memberships get muddled, the fairest solutions to a given collective problem become hotly contested.

In early September, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced its plan for global vaccine distribution. Three per cent of each countrys population would initially receive vaccines, with 20 per cent being inoculated in subsequent phases. Although debates on the finer points of a fair and equitable distribution continue, 172 countries are now in talks to be part of the WHOs program.

Yet countries remain in competition. As COVID-19 cases rise in many places in the world, countries strike their own distribution deals with manufacturers, vaccine nationalism is on the rise and nations are wavering in their WHO commitments.

Who should get the vaccine has narrowed to a national conversation. We take care of our own.

From an evolutionary perspective, the vaccine distribution debate is a new chapter in the same old story. If we repeatedly define our group during the pandemic as the nation-state rather than our global connections, then our feelings on fairness will inevitably follow. We will expect to be treated equitably by our fellow citizens, and expect to be in competition with everyone else.

Can we fairly distribute a COVID-19 vaccine amid fiercely competing states? It seems unlikely. Although a better distribution plan or a more heartfelt appeal to assist others might help, driving home the message that the world is in this together would engage with our instinct to help fellow group members.

If we think globally, fairness will follow.

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The evolution of fairness will drive the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, for better or worse - The Conversation CA

Some species may not be able to keep up with global warming. (Getty)

Species may not be able to evolve fast enough to keep up with global warming, scientists have warned.

Researchers in Norway measured how quickly a tropical fish species can adapt to warming oceans and predict that some will not survive.

The researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) followed 20,000 zebrafish over four years and six generations.

They found that the creatures can adapt to warmer temperatures, but that the adaptation may not be quick enough to keep up with the pace of global warming.

Fredrik Jutfelt, an associate professor at NTNUs department of biology, said: "We see that zebrafish can develop heat tolerance, and we have developed lines of zebrafish that can better withstand the heat. That's good news.

Watch: The Great Barrier Reef is at a critical tipping point and could disappear by 2050

Read more: Melting snow in Himalayas drives growth of green sea slime visible from space

"The problem is that evolution takes many generations. Evolution only increased the heat tolerance in the fish by 0.04 degrees C per generation.

This is slower than the warming experienced by many fish in many places. It looks like evolution is slower than global warming in this case.

The research was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, PNAS.

"This is the largest artificial evolution experiment that has been performed on vertebrates with a focus on heat tolerance, Jutfelt said.

The research group used zebrafish that were caught in the wild for their experiments.

The fish were then deliberately bred based on their ability to cope with the most extreme warm periods.

Read more: A 1988 warning about climate change was mostly right

Evolution means that the individuals which are best adapted to environmental conditions produce more fertile offspring than other members of their species.

Over several generations, these changes can accumulate and alter the species itself.

One group of zebrafish also spent two weeks in warmer water prior to artificial selection, to see if evolution could increase their capacity to acclimatise

Story continues

Jutfelt said: "It's unlikely that some zebrafish populations, and other tropical fish species, will be able to cope with the temperatures that the planet may experience by the end of this century.

Some species that already live at the limit of what they can tolerate may not be saved by evolution. That is surprising and sad, and it means it is important that we stop warming the planet.

Watch: 5 Things You Should Know About Greta Thunberg

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Global warming is moving too fast for evolution to keep up, scientists warn - Yahoo Sports

The Black Lives Matter movement has changed and evolved from 2013, to the initial protesting in May, to now.

From 2013 following the Trayvon Martin shooting, to 2020 following the death of George Floyd, to now, there has been an evolution and revolution behind the Black Lives Matter and/or the Black Liberation Movement.

The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement is an organization that has led huge street rallies and high-profile campaigns against racism and police brutality, according to the BBC. The organization was created in 2013 after the not guilty verdict against George Zimmerman, who shot and killed an unarmed Black teenager, Trayvon Martin. This movement has continued since then but has gained traction once again after protests erupted this year after the killing of George Floyd, who died in May after a police officer knelt on his neck during his arrest in Minneapolis.

Jassma'Ray Johnson is a college student, business owner and Des Moines Black Lives Matter organizer.

Following Floyds death, JassmaRay Johnson, a sophomore in psychology and communications with a minor in African American studies and a Des Moines Black Lives Matter organizer, explained that she had mixed feelings about Floyds death in May.

I didn't really have an exact emotion, Johnson said. I was extremely emotional because of the continuous violent acts that happen to my people, but in my head it was like another one? Its not a surprise, yet every one stings despite being desensitized to it. I was proud of my community for coming together to stand in something we believe in though.

Jo Allen is a college student, journalist and an Ames Black Lives Matter organizer.

Jo Allen, a senior in journalism and mass communication with a minor in womens and gender studies and an Ames BLM organizer, explained that she felt the need to be a part of what was going on. She said she participated in the first protest back on May 29 in Des Moines, where she said she was there to document history. However, Allen said she soon became a leader in the crowds at protests and was the person to lead chants, which led to her realizing she had to play a part in advocating for social justice.

Allen wanted to continue her drive for social justice but found it hard to commute from Ames to Des Moines, so she came up with the concept of creating a local Black Lives Matter chapter in Ames.

I was sick of constantly driving to Des Moines to protest when people in Ames should be just as upset with the treatment Black folx have received from police for years, Allen said. I started reaching out to other individuals who I knew either cared or were passionate about this movement.

Johnson, however, was introduced into organizing in Des Moines when a Black Liberation Movement founder reached out to Johnson to join the team in Des Moines.

I was not a founder of the Des Moines Black Liberation Movement, but I knew one of the founders from high school, Johnson said. She thought my sister and I would be great on the team and called us in. I joined because I care about Black people and want us to be fully liberated at all costs. I will forever stand on the right side of history. Im not only fighting for me, but for the future, present and the past.

Following the weeks of nonstop protests in May through summer, there has been a decline in protests in Iowa and across the country. However, the Black Lives Matter and/or the Black Liberation Movement have done more than just nonviolently protest, but have continued to help and uplift their communities both in Des Moines and Ames.

Johnson explained that while the Des Moines Black Liberation Movement does nonviolently protest, there is other and more work that needs to be done. She said Des Moines BLM has had over 15 community service projects and they dont plan on stopping.

We have had over 15 community service events not only for Black people, but all BIPOC, people experiencing houselessness, women, etc. Some include Coronavirus Care Kits, which we raised money for and donated to centers like the JOPPA house and the YESS shelter, Johnson said. "We have partnered with Des Moines Mutual Aid in order to create Des Moines Rent Relief where we have allowed applications to apply in order to pay their rent. We have held vigils for missing Black children in Iowa, we have brought awareness to injustices across the world and in this state, we have gotten felon voter rights lifted this summer and we have promoted Black femme entrepreneurs.

We have had a winter clothing drive, teach-ins and Teacher Table Talks where we essentially teach teachers how to be better and more adapted to versatility, color and differences of race. We have done countless free interviews, podcasts, talks and more. The emotional and physical labor is extremely hard, but I have never met a more hardworking group of people in my life.

Allen explained protesting is only a small portion of what the Black Lives Matter and/or Black Liberation Movement encompasses. Specifically in Ames, the Black Lives Matter organization has provided community events that center around entertainment, self-care and education. Some of these events have included drive-in movies, yoga sessions and supply drives for schools and group homes in the area.

She also said that behind the scenes, Ames BLM has been in constant contact with Iowa States president, Wendy Wintersteen, as well as members from the Iowa House of Representatives and the Ames City Council in order to push for change, social justice and equity in the Ames community.

As for what Ames BLM wants to accomplish, Allen said the group wants to continue to support Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) folx, as well as continue to fight for change at Iowa State and Ames.

I think a lot of what we do is to try and help provide spaces for folx to decompress and feel welcomed, Allen said. We care a lot about fostering an environment where everyone feels accepted, valued and loved. Through the work weve done so far, I think we have accomplished a lot and have brought the community together through art and education.

As for actual policies, I know we care about changing the name of Catt Hall, cutting ties to the prison industry and reallocating police money to other essential and important services (mental health, group homes, etc).

Johnson, however, provided a bigger picture by saying Des Moines BLM wants to liberate Black people not only in Iowa, but everywhere. She also explains that Des Moines BLM wants to continue helping, uplifting and liberating all BIPOC folx, lower-income families and all people regardless of gender identity and sexuality. Johnson said Des Moines BLM wants to dismantle the system in the United States and the world.

Iowa Black Lives Matter organizers in Ames and Des Moines have been fighting for social justice and Black lives.

Over the course of the past few months, the Black Lives Matter and/or the Black Liberation Movement has evolved and changed from where it abruptly picked up in May. Johnson said that from where it started to where the world is now, Des Moines BLM has created events and changes that have impacted the state of Iowa and the world, whereas initially in Iowa, there were mainly just protests.

Allen explained similarly that originally the Black Lives Matter and/or the Black Liberation Movement was about reacting to the injustices in the world, whereas now it has evolved into helping and uplifting the communities, as well as fighting for social, political and economic change.

I think at the beginning we saw a lot of protests constantly taking place and now we are seeing a move towards finding ways to better help our community directly, Allen said. We have focused on finding ways we can help support our community because this year has been unlike any year we have lived through before.

Money is tight this year because of the pandemic so more and more people are in need of food, help with rent and having proper winter gear. I think there is beauty and power in seeing hundreds of people gathering to protest, but there is also beauty in listening to your community and finding ways that you can help give back. I think over winter we will see a lot of attention being focused on community involvement, supporting local Black businesses and addressing problematic policies in place.

As this year comes to an end, the world is questioning what the future holds for the BLM movement and how it will continue to evolve. The Black Lives Matter and/or the Black Liberation Movement has long focused largely on police violence, mass incarceration and other criminal justice in the United States and the world, however, there has been a transition into confronting the way Black people live and how they are oppressed, not only their repression and deaths, according to The Economist.

Johnson said the future of the BLM movement consists of the continuation of the work and growth that has already been made.

I see this movement continuing this work and growing, Johnson said. Hopefully over some time, I see us being able to have this movement that does more of celebrating and giving Black people opportunities rather than grieving Black deaths. I also see this movement thriving and having more support, I see us winning.

Allen, however, explained that the future of the BLM movement is more than just physical protests, but the involvement of protesting in different ways and continuing the mentality of the younger generations.

I truly believe that this is something that is not going to end anytime soon. Sure, there may not be protests every day physically, but we are able to protest our ideas in different ways as well, Allen said. There is true strength behind millennials and Gen Z because they are the generation to say 'stop, this has been enough.' We refuse to let these poorly built systems stay in place. We refuse to watch more and more Black folx die at the hands of police brutality.

We are fed up and because of that, we will do anything to seek change. It will be these younger generations that enact real change that will hopefully impact all of America.

According to the Black Lives Matter and/or the Black Liberation Movement organizers, this movement is a concept of culture, growth and the fight to change the world.

Allen explained how she has never felt so seen, heard and accepted, as well as educated and opened her eyes to the Black experience in the United States and the world. She also has learned there are so many perspectives and experiences in the Black community that differ from hers as a biracial individual. Allen also said the BLM movement has provided her Black role models and Black history she and others have been deprived of in their lives.

This movement has allowed me to see that Black lives can be leaders whether it's through organizing or talking to the community, Allen said.

Johnson provided a different perspective by explaining how the Black Lives Matter and/or the Black Liberation Movement are a part of her and a part of the Black community as well.

In Des Moines, we are the Black Liberation Movement, Johnson said. The national movement is the Black Lives Matter movement. Both of them are one in the same and they mean everything to me. They ARE everything to me they exist inside of me they are me. This is a part of my existence, I cannot run from it.

I love the bonds I have created with people in my community and my co-workers and love knowing that there are people fighting for the same things as me. It gets extremely difficult but I wouldnt change it for anything.

Johnson urges those who want to contribute to the Black Lives Matter and/or the Black Liberation Movement to show up. She said by showing up to events, both community events or protests, people can show their support and help uplift Black voices.

Johnson also said people can follow the Des Moines BLM social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and spread the information and resources they post and stay up to date on their events. She encouraged those who can to donate to their GoFundMe, their bail funds, their mutual aid partners and their rent relief fund.

Mutual aid partnerships provide supplies, food and assistance for Black Lives Matter events in Des Moines.

Allen said people can contribute to the BLM movement by educating and informing themselves about different social issues the BLM movement is fighting for.

In order to help and understand what this movement is really about, I always suggest individuals to first educate themselves over it, Allen said. Do not expect Black people to teach you everything either, grab a book or search on Google to learn more instead.

As I stated before, our history books lack a lot of conversations over Black history. Because of this, we dont know much about the war on drugs and how it severely impacted the Black population. So if we all just took a little bit of time every week to learn more about BIPOC history, maybe then others could understand why we are still fighting.

Allen also said people can make small donations to Black organizations, not just Ames BLM, but others too. She said people can also do things in their daily lives like calling out racist microaggressions or remarks, correcting behavior and holding accountability for those around you.

People can follow Ames BLM on their social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and spread the information and resources they post and stay up to date on their events. People can also sign up for their newsletter hereand sign their petition to rename Catt Hall at Iowa Statehere. Direct donations can also go to their Venmo: @amesblm.

Allen also urges people to stay informed about what the BLM movement is and to not let opinions skew the goals and meaning behind the movement.

I think some people are unfortunately very misinformed about BLM that they make us out to be something we are not, Allen said. I partially blame it on the news as Ive seen them warp the perspective of what really happened. Ive even been told by a few people that we are a 'domestic terrorist group' and that we 'check most of the boxes.' What kind of a domestic terrorist group holds supply drives and listens to the community's needs?

Johnson suggested people reflect on how they are contributing to Black Lives Matter and/or the Black Liberation Movement.

Just remember what side of history you stand on and that this change will not happen overnight, Johnson said. Do not be a silent bystander and do not be a 'white savior.' Do not forget about us and the work that we are doing. If you get tired of hearing about it, imagine living it every single day. As Kaepernick said, 'Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything.'

More here:

The fight for social justice: the evolution of BLM - Iowa State Daily

Rosalas love for flamenco extends all the way back to her childhood, when she first discovered the music of Camarn, a legendary flamenco musician whose 1970s heyday not only prompted a revival of interest in flamenco but also drew ire from traditionalists by including modern elements such as electric bass in his records. (Its not hard to see how he might have inspired Rosalas own iconoclastic take on the genre, which came about after she spent more than a decade training in the art form.) Rosala has also cited Lola Flores as a key influence. Arguably the best known international export from Spains flamenco scene, Floress style is one that conforms to the history of flamenco dressgold hoop earrings, red lipstick, an artfully slicked hairline, black and red lace, and more ruffles than you can shake a stick at.

Yet what has made Rosalas style evolution so thrilling to watch is how her eclectic sonic palette, which merges flamenco with everything from hip-hop to electro-pop to R&B, is reflected in her style too. Just take her outfit at Mad Cool Festival in Madrid last year, in which the tiered ruffles of the traje de flamenca are reinterpreted as a billowing top in mint green, paired with high-waist hot pants to bring the look firmly into the present day. Theres the opulently beaded Burberry dress she wore to last years MTV Music Video Awards, its formfitting silhouette and jet black hue recalling the drama of traditional Andalusian fashion. For an even more playful take on these traditions, theres the oversized Balmain suit she wore to the 2019 MTV European Music Awards, its contrasting polka dots pointing to those which adorn the dresses of southern Spain, which are believed to have originated in India via the nomadic gypsies from whom the culture of flamenco originates.

Rosala attends the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards wearing Burberry.

Rosala attends the 2019 MTV European Music Awards wearing Balmain.

Theres also her natural flair for introducing elements of streetwear to these traditional styles in a way that resonates with the bold aesthetics of the sneakerhead generation, as Julyssa Lopez describes it in Rosalas Vogue cover story. In the video for her chart-topping, Latin Grammywinning hit Con Alturaa collaboration with the Colombian reggaeton star J. BalvinRosala wears colors and silhouettes that subtly nod to her background in flamenco while updating it with novelty, logo-heavy prints in kaleidoscopic colors. And of course theres her well-known love of a statement manicure, perhaps best admired in her video for the hit single Aute Cuture, in which she sports nails that can only be described as giant golden talons; the singer has noted in the past it is a tribute to one of her musical heroes, Lil Kim.

Whats most exciting of all about Rosalas style, however, is that shes only just getting started. With her third album nearly completed and her most recent collaborations involving the likes of avant-garde pop mastermind Arca, all we can say for sure about her next steps musically is to expect the unexpected. But when it comes to fashion, you can be confident therell be many more flamenco-inspired details to comeas filtered through her distinctive, whimsical lens, of course. If theres one thing Rosala has made clear, its that she never forgets where she came from.

Rosala performs at a concert in Barcelona, Spain in 2019.

Rosala attends the 2020 Grammy Awards wearing Alexander Wang.

Rosala performs onstage at the 2020 Grammy Awards wearing Mugler.

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The Evolution of Rosala's Showstopping Style - Vogue.com

A brand new Pokmon GO event has brought one of the oddest and most beloved (and/or hated) characters to the mobile phenomenon. Galarian Mr. Mime makes his way from Pokmon Sword and Shield to GO this weekend as part of a ticketed event. But getting him is just the first step toward completing your Pokdex. Now you need to evolve him into his final form. Heres how to evolve Galarian Mr. Mime into Mr. Rime in Pokmon GO.

A lot of new Pokmon that get added to Pokmon GO come with some big stipulation on how to evolve them. We saw this recently with Galarian Farfetchd who required players to set him as their buddy and make 10 excellent throws before they could add thge great Sirfetchd to their collection. Galarian Mr. Mime isnt so tough though, sticking to the usual methods of evolution.

I specifically mean candy. If you want to know how to evolve Galarian Mr. Mime into Mr. Rime then all you need is 50 Mr. Mime candy, which thankfully is not separated out from the standard version of the character. So you can quickly and easily evolve Galarian Mr. Mime into Mr. Rime by putting it to use as soon as you catch him after completing the Tap tap Tappity-Tap. Special Research.

To do this just open up your Pokmon collection and scroll to Galarian Mr. Mime. If you have enough candy you should see the Evolve button lit up. Tap it and watch tha animation and youll be set with your very own Mr. Rime. And thats how to evolve Galarian Mr. Mime into Mr. Rime in Pokmon GO. Will he be useful in any raids or PvP battles? Probably not, but at least you can horrify your friends and fellow players by using him as your buddy or putting him in gyms.

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Pokmon GO - How to Evolve Galarian Mr. Mime into Mr. Rime - Attack of the Fanboy

What is a carol? It is a song especially of joy. It is a Christmas song or hymn. And, it is a kind of circular dance. It is this third point that piques our interest. The circular dance was a feature of religious drama of the medieval period, specifically the miracle and mystery plays that were performed as part of religious ceremonies. They were a dramatization of an Old or New Testament stories and were occasions of tremendous enthusiasm. They not only promoted professed Christian beliefs but were also the highest form of entertainment. It is sometimes claimed that the mystery drama (a play with a sacred theme) dates back as far as the fourth century. Although found in France at an early date, its first appearance in England was in 1110. The carol was used as a round dance when it was performed and sung as a part of the religious play. At first the carols were used as incidental music and as entertainment in and around the drama. Gradually, the singers took stage and marched back and forth much to the crowds pleasure. For centuries the people had clamored for something less severe than plainsong melodies and in the twelfth century their dramatic spirit was in revolt. Enthusiasm was at a high pitch and carolers would leave the stage and parade around the townvoila!the processional use of the carol. So by the end of the fifteenth century the carol had found its place in the Mystery Play and was sung as part of the drama.

Besides performance usage, the carol was used earlier by the Greeks where the choros referred to a dance performed within the play. Lastly, the carol text is a metrical form of poetry on which the dance operates. In other words, the text of the song is rhythmical, able to be set to music and able to be danced.

Ballad carols, a second type of carol, were pieces that were not written in manuscript but were preserved by oral tradition. Minstrels, troubadours, minnesingers and jongleurs are the sources for this form. This type of carol went underground during Puritan purging of religious practice in England. The ballad carol is closely related to folk song. It is a graphically narrated popular story in rhyme and short stanzas. Often the verses of the ballad carol cover several time periods such as nativity, passion and resurrection and carry the label of legendary. Lullabies are included in this group. Ballads are written down only when there seems to be a danger that text will be forgotten. Greensleeves, otherwise known as What Child is This? is an excellent example of this form. The text of this carol tells the entire story of Jesus from Christmas through Easter although today we sing only the Christmas verses.

It would be remiss to omit the mention of motet carols. Besides the music of the common people, there was a level of professionalism that presented itself in the genius of such composers as William Byrd, Thomas Tallis, and Orlando Gibbons, to name three. The motet and madrigal were sacred and secular songs in four, five or six parts, melodious with a light texture and cool climate. This means that beauty of song line and text (usually from the Bible), presented a carol which was sung by vocalists who could maintain part-singing without accompaniment while staying on pitch and without metric error. Listeners simply enjoyed hearing the beautiful music which was sung in churches and places of indoor gathering.

After 1800, the Industrial Revolution fostered a new beginning for music in general and vocal and instrumental music in particular. Because mass production was now possible, good quality instruments were available. The middle class was now a valid part of the social structure. This social class demanded and required worship and entertainment with expectant criteria of energy and celebratory spirit. (Note: Fezziwigs Christmas party in Dickens A Christmas Carol.) Carols from before the Puritan movements were revived in what was called the Oxford Movement. In addition to these ancient carols, a new wave of song was launched based on Christmas customs such as the Christmas tree and greeting cards. It is from this period that the imagery of deep snow and cold come. The winter emphasis comes from Germany where geographically December means snow, cold, evergreens and sleigh bells.

In 1880, the dynamic Service of Nine Lessons and Carols was begun in Truro, England near Cornwall. It was important that the carols used could be sung by everybody present so a common collection of carols was used. In 1918, the revised rite was presented for the first time from Kings College Chapel in Cambridge, England. And today, in an era which some have labeled post-Christian, this event serves to witness to the world-side faith life of Christians.

The carol in the modern era focuses on believers imagery of the region in which they dwell. This accounts for many renditions which include snow, cold and darkness. As an example, the Christmas poetry of Boris Pasternak at the end of his novel, Dr. Zhivago has vivid nativity imagery set in the Russian steppe. And in warm climates near the equator, desert regions and territories in tropical and subtropical zones, the carols reflect celebration with an emphasis on flowers, delicious drinks made from tropical fruit, and a variety of customs which include wrapping the child in the mothers shawl and bouncing Him on her hip!

The historical development of Christmas carols focus on two elements: music and text. Although people have remained doubtful about the Virgin Birth and Annunciation (reserving them to a place well away from the center of their faith), there are very few if any who are not willing at Christmastime to sing the praises of Mary and the story of Gabriel in carols. Why? The answer is simple. Carols are a survival of a religious tradition that has in other ways been superseded. In other words, carols present a picture not only of what is written in its verses but of goodwill and hospitality upon which Christmas insists. Hence, we sing and listen to both sacred and secular carols.

Besides revived carols from the past, new carols were written, patterned after the old but without the spirit of faith that was present in the medieval period. Hence, we have wassail toasts, decking of hallways, and Christian men rejoicing. Carols of the 20th and 21st centuries are infused with regional elements of tune and text owing to the influence of the global community. This idea gives one pause to consider how a Christmas carol draws a person to emotions of reverence, awe, joy, hope, peace and love. This happens when a person actively or passively encounters this music either on social media or in person.

Today, there is movement away from the sacred origin of the carol and movement toward a gala party with no thought of the message of salvation. Where dogma becomes remote and a celebratory texture of life takes over, the carol still remains to express the inexpressible. The expression is like a dance that reflects the decades of custom, climate and geography, and always invites the listener to reflect upon the reason for the season.

Christine Moroni lives in Ely. Sources for this article include The Random House College Dictionary Revised Edition (Random House 1980), The English Carol (Herbert Jenkins 1958), The Folk Carol of England (Herbert Jenkins 1967), and The Folk Carol in The Month (November 1959).

Link:

The origins and evolution of Christmas carols - Hometown Focus

While 2020 has been a taxing year for society and the larger healthcare system, it will also mark the evolution of telehealth from fringe offering to mainstream treatment model. And with usage and patient satisfaction at an all-time high, trend lines are starting to emerge: Patients like it, providers like it, the reimbursement picture is clearer on where action is needed and the technology will play a larger role in patient care in 2021 than at any point in history.

One of the biggest takeaways from the past year is how dependent telehealth's evolution has been on the human component. Virtual health legislation was first passed back in 1996, so the concept isn't new.It's been around in some form for the past 25 or 30 years.

But there were barriers to adoption, and the biggest one, in hindsight, was that human systems didn't want to change. Now everybody is on board.

"It's a testament to how challenging it is to change things without some bigger impetus," said Dr. David Nickelson, vice president of client growth at digital consultancy Nerdery.

"I think people have to stop and look at the data," he said. "Pre-COVID, we had all of these healthcare systems dabbling with the virtual care platform for chat, which was different than the platform for email. None of that was integrated, and it was one-off, and that was Phase 0, pre-COVID. In Phase 1 they've put together systems that work, and now they can see a volume of patients. The challenge they've got is that most of those are Rube Goldberg experiments. It was cobbled together to create some kind of experience."

THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE

In 2021, Nickelson finds it likely that the industry at large will have a different take on what the patient experience means in the context of virtual care. Gone will be the Rube Goldberg approach and in its place will be a more cohesive and integrated strategy that will allow patients to more seamlessly transition between modalities such as talk, chat and full-blown telemedicine.

That's something that has yet to take shape in any large-scale or meaningful way. In Nickelson's experience, patients are tolerating telehealth but are finding aspects of the experience to be lacking. Providers should be paying attention to the "soft components," the things patients need in order to foster a sense of healing and the kinds of relationships they want with their providers.

"Doctors' experience with this tool is also less than ideal, because they're not able to pull info from their electronic medical record and integrate it into the conversation," said Nickelson. "That piece is really frustrating to the physician. Adoption is better when they have confidence in the technology and can integrate it into the workflow.

"(But) the consumer needs to come first," he said. "The magic behind the scenes with telemedicine:The patient doesn't care. They just want this good experience."

One trend that's been made clear by the pandemic is that patients were ready for telehealth to be a part of their care delivery journeys well before providers were especially Millennials and those who were savvy about their devicesand less concerned with the prestige of a healthcare brand.

Already, they've gravitated toward tools that allow them more flexibility within virtual care, indicating the technology already had a pre-built audience. What the COVID-19 pandemic did was prompt many people to recognize that it actually does work, and Nickelson expects the industry will continue to see at least a 15% shift from in-person care to virtual care.

"If you can create a better experience than the one you have now, why can't you raise that to a higher number, say 30% of patients being covered by these modalities? The presence of the provider is as good as it would be as if they're in the office," he said. "They're all looking to reduce costs of care, and they're learning, 'Wow, what if you could decrease the total amount of real estate you have to invest in?' That's a huge efficiency gain by making that shift. You can reduce the time that doctors are in offices and the real estate you have to maintain, and that's a tremendous double-whammy."

THE FUTURE IS NOW

Building an approach and a patient experience that puts the patientsat the forefront of their care has been shown to improve retention rates this year, with more patients coming back as loyal customers.This result has been critical for hospitals and health systems as they look to recover financially from the lost revenue that marked the worst of the pandemic.

Specialties that lend themselves to telehealth, such as dermatology, have seen a huge boom in specific platforms and tools that support them. More specialties will likely join the fray in 2021, and that will require agile software development and design, requiring support for software developers. Systems need to be faster and higher-quality, and document for compliance if virtual care is to expand beyond its current base.

Some of that is changing already. Remote technologies that measure vitals and other important data are more plentiful and easier to use; clunky interfaces that make things cumbersome for the patient are beginning to erode, since devices are now better at understanding the kinds of metrics they're monitoring and can communicate with the patient about their health.

"The bar has been raised," said Nickelson. "Having that designed in the right way is important, because physicians are expected to integrate it faster into their treatment. That needs to be something that's easier to understand."

One of the big developments in 2021 will be the continued evolution of the Internet of medical things, which is expanding telehealth's capabilities and allowing for more specialties to join the fold. Interactive devices that can capture and communicate health data are slicker and more streamlined, and this is benefiting providers: Alerts can inform nurse practitioners, for example, that they may need to intervene in a health event, and remote care technicians can more easily parse the data and determine whether they need to investigate further, allowing for quicker intervention.

Such developments will usher telehealth into the future.

"It relates to virtual care because you want to have these remote sensors out there, recognizing and alerting people to any issues that may come up, and then be able to intervene remotely without bringing the patient in, or at least doing an initial diagnostic," said Nickelson. "This will drive virtual care in the years ahead."

Twitter:@JELagasseEmail the writer:jeff.lagasse@himssmedia.com

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Telehealth's evolution in 2020 will continue in the new year with more streamlined technologies - Healthcare Finance News

Last week, the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) announcement that breaking would be part of the 2024 Games in Paris was the latest chapter in the evolution of the sports programme over 125 years.

As with many recent additions, the sport was first seen under an Olympic umbrella at the Youth Olympic Games.

The competitors use sobriquets instead of their real names when they dance, and there is the obvious attraction of a potential Olympic champion called "Bumblebee" or "Yell" - two of the names used at Buenos Aires 2018.

Breaking will form part of what the IOC have described as an "urban concept showcasing youth-focused events that are inclusive, engaging and can be practised outside conventional arenas".

When IOC President Thomas Bach's Agenda 2020 was approved in 2014, host cities were given the opportunity to propose suitable sports for their Games.

Thus, baseball/softball is included for Tokyo 2020 where the sports enjoy great popularity.

In addition, 3x3 basketball, skateboarding, surfing and sport climbing are all set for a debut at the rescheduled Games in July.

There will be 32 sports at Paris 2024, including the nine which were included when the Olympic Games were relaunched for the modern era in 1896.

Back then, however, there were only 176 competitors and all were male.

The decision to revive the Games was made in June 1894 during a Congress at the Paris Sorbonne, organised by the French aristocrat Baron Pierre de Coubertin.

Athens was chosen as the first host city for 1896 and distinguished Greek man of letters Demetrios Vikelas became the first President of the International Committee for the Olympic Games, an organisation soon to become the IOC.

Coubertin became general secretary. Time was short and there was much work to be done, and the provisional sports programme was high on the list of priorities.

Records of the Congress show that this question was discussed. Boxing, ice skating and polo were all mentioned but did not make the final cut.

Then, in November 1894, some 29 distinguished Greek personalities gathered for a preliminary meeting in Athens.

The results of this gathering were published in the third edition of the new bulletin of the International Committee of the Olympic Games, and featured a list of sports for inclusion at the 1896 Games in the Greek capital.

These included a footrace to be called a "marathon", to be contested over a distance of 48 kilometres from Marathon to Athens. Michel Breal, a member of the Institut de France, offered a gold cup as a prize.

There was also a list of athletics events to be held in the stadium.

In those days there was no international governing body for athletics, so track events were to be run according to the regulations of the "Union des Socits franaises de Sports Athltiques".

The field events were to be under the rules drawn up by the Amateur Athletic Association in England.

At the Congress, it had been suggested that a "general athletics championship should be introduced under the name of pentathlon".

This did not happen in 1896, but an all around contest of ten events was introduced later.

Gymnastics and wrestling were also held in the stadium.

So was weightlifting, the focus of such scrutiny by the IOC Executive Board in 2020.

It was not listed on the original provisional programme but did take place in the stadium in 1896. The format was rather different back then, with medals awarded for one handed and two handed lifts.

Fencing, with regulations drawn up by the "Socit dencouragement de lEscrime" in Paris, was held at the Zappeion, an impressive building a few metres away from the main stadium.

Although pe was listed in the originally projected programme, the other events lasted longer than expected and so competitions were not held.

Nautical sports were also planned. This included swimming, held from a pontoon out in the bay. The sea water in March 1896 was, unsurprisingly, said to be icy cold.

Rowing had also been planned, with races conducted according to the rules of the "Rowing Club Italiano".

The regatta was to be held at the Bay of Phaleron but the weather on the appointed day took a distinct turn for the worse.

At first, organisers postponed racing until later in the day, but as the lavish official report of the Games records "unluckily the bad weather turned into a real storm".

"The elements continued to rage with such fury that every idea of a boat race had to be given up," the report adds.

Sailing was also cancelled "since we had no proper boats for this, nor did any foreign ones occur for the contest".

Equestrian events were also originally included in the plans for the Games.

They had been mentioned at the Congress in Paris and were also included in the list published in the bulletin. The official report explained why no events took place.

"Greece had no horsebreed of her own and Athens no racecourse," wrote Timoleon Philemon, secretary general to the Organising Committee.

"To lay out a course in so short a time was quite out of the question and the heavy expenses of such an undertaking had also to be taken into account."

The 1896 organisers listed athletic "games" which were not to be confused with athletic "sports". Cricket was mentioned and this would be played "according to the laws of the Marylebone Cricket Club".

Despite Coubertin's fondness for the sport, there were to be no "flannelled fools" in Athens, although a match was played in 1900 and a tournament was initially in the plans for the 1908 Games.

USA Cricket have made its inclusion at Los Angeles 2028 a target, although much will depend on the attitude of the powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India, which is set to debate the matter on Christmas Eve.

Tennis was the other "athletic game" to be listed.

In 1896, men's singles and doubles were the only events contested, although the pairings in the latter event permitted a mix of nationalities.

This is a concept which has been tried in various sports at the Youth Olympics, although not yet restored to the Games themselves.

Tennis, indoor and out, was ever-present right up until 1924, after which it was taken off the programme after disagreements over the definition of amateur status.

It did not return for another 64 years, when its reappearance, perhaps more than any other sport, was emblematic of the new open Olympic era.

Paris last hosted the Games in 1924, and gold in the men's individual cross country was won by the peerless Paavo Nurmi after a race held in intense heat.

Although Nurmi appeared unaffected, other runners suffered, notably at a wall obstacle. One report described how Sweden's Edvin Wide "climbed to the top and then fell down".

With "glassy eye" and "feeble limbs", he again scrambled to the top but again "fell back".

It was a negative image for the sport and it has not been contested on the Olympic programme since.

Many had hoped that it might make a comeback for Paris 2024. Like breaking, cross country was included at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games, but the IOC decided not to include it in France.

The decision came much to the chagrin of World Athletics which declared themselves "clearly disappointed it will not feature at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, even more so given the heritage of cross country in France at the Paris 1924 Olympic Games".

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Philip Barker: Breaking the latest chapter in the evolution of the Olympic sports programme - Insidethegames.biz

Nike has just delivered a fresh take on its Air VaporMax EVO with a swathe of colorful accents. Featuring a crisp Evolution of Icons iteration, the new model follows the monochromatic Wolf Grey colorway seen last week.

As its name suggests, Evolution of Icons is a nod to Nikes ever-evolving silhouettes, remixing a handful of notable design cues into one shoe. The uppers of this silhouette reference the Air Max 96 II, contrasted by a modern VaporMax sole unit. Starting at the top of the shoe is a Nike branding, complemented by an iridescent quarter panel that intersects with the tail end of the shoes side-Swoosh. Besides the glossy check logo at the sidewalls, the uppers come with a bevy of accents, like an EVO badge at the heel counter, a teal Nike patch below it, a navy rubber eyelet panel at the center of the tongue and black leather mudguards. As a final touch, the shoe features a full-length VaporMax sole unit for lightness and support.

Though no official release dates have been revealed, Nikes Air VaporMax EVO Evolution of Icons is expected to arrive in the coming weeks on Nikes website for $215 USD.

In case you missed it, heres a look at Nikes vibrantly-decorated Daybreak-Type N. 354 Oatmeal.

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Nike's New Air VaporMax EVO Is a Testament to The "Evolution of Icons" - HYPEBEAST

Photo: Clockwise from top left, Justin Brierley, Joshua Swamidass, and Michael Behe (screenshot).

An op-ed today by two of biochemist Michael Behes Science Magazine reviewers from last year, Joshua Swamidass and Nathan Lents, repeats the myth that the reviewers refuted Behe. Lents and Swamidass celebrate both the 15th anniversary of the Kitzmiller decision, and their own friendship. They are, they tell us,

an unlikely pair. You wont often see an evangelical Christian and a gay secular humanist teaming up, but we have crisscrossed the country together, speaking with audiences from the liberal elites at Columbia University to the biblically conservative at Concordia University. We have found solidarity in modeling what we believe is a better way forward for a culture at war with itself. Weve also found friendship.

The controversies about origins will remain. Last year werefuted the latest claims of intelligent design in the pages of Science, a move that put Joshua at risk of alienation from his spiritual community. Soon after, Nathan endorsed Joshuas book, explaining the possibility of a genealogical Adam and Eve, putting him at risk among his atheist colleagues. [Emphasis added.]

A real better way forward in controversies about origins would be to use the right word. Behes book Darwin Devolves was not refuted. It was criticized, yes, but what the unlikely pair fail to mention is that Behe responded in massive and devastating detail to their criticism, as he always does with critics.

To see how massively, check out the new book from Discovery Institute Press, A Mousetrap for Darwin: Michael J. Behe Answers His Critics. Refute meaning to prove to be false or erroneous, as an opinion or charge indicates a finality that is simply not the case. Not even close.

Yet that word is a favorite with Swamidass and Lents, as with other evolutionists. In the Science review itself they claimed,

Behe doubles down on his claim that the evolution of chloroquine resistance in malaria by random mutations is exceedingly unlikely because at least two mutations are required, neither of which is beneficial without the other. His calculations have already been refuted

The language about doubling down is misleading, too: it implies that Behe ignores criticisms, which is the opposite of true, to the point of absurdity. A press release from City University of New York where Lents teaches (Defending Darwin: Scientists respond to attack on evolution) used the same language about refuting Behe:

[Science] magazine invited three biologists, all experts on evolution, to refute Behe.

To criticize, once again, is not to refute. To know that an idea has been refuted means that you have not only criticized it, but seriously absorbed any replies (in this case, from Dr. Behe), answered them, and dealt with any further response from the object of your criticism. This has not be done.

Instead, in typical fashion, Darwinists seek to avoid a proper argument by using clever talk, giving the false impression of a scientist, Behe, who brushes away challenges. Thats no way to conduct a scientific controversy.

By the way, Professor Behe met Professor Swamidass head-on recently with host Justin Brierley. See, A Physician Describes How Behe, and Intelligent Design, Changed His Mind.

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The Myth of Behe Refuted - Discovery Institute