Category Archives: Evolution

Evolution Mining has lifted output and cut costs in the June quarter, helping it easily hit full-year production and cost guidance.

Australia's second largest gold miner produced 218,079 ounces in the three months to June 30, nearly 7.5 per cent more than the prior quarter and its highest ever quarterly output.

That helped it push up full-year production to 844,124 ounces of gold, near the top end of its 800,000 to 860,000 ounce guidance range.

"Evolution's diversified portfolio delivered across the board in the June 2017 quarter," the company said in a statement.

"Ernest Henry, Mt Carlton, Edna May and Cracow all produced their best quarter of the financial year."

All-in sustaining cost dropped to $825 an ounce for the quarter, taking the full-year figure to $905 an ounce, an improvement of 11 per cent over the previous year and within the targeted $900 to $960 an ounce range.

Royal Bank of Canada analyst Paul Hissey called its a strong quarter capping off a good year for the company.

"While this result was strong, we take a step back and consider options for Evolution given most of the company's assets are performing well," he said.

"While the company has stated they are pursuing a turnaround strategy at Edna May (mine), speculation persists around the assets ongoing place within the company."

Recent media reports have speculated that Evolution has been approached by a number of potential buyers for the Edna May mine in WA.

The company last year sold its Pajingo gold mine in Queensland to Chinese-owned Minjar Gold for about $50 million as part of efforts to improve its asset portfolio.

On Thursday, the company said it had realised record operating cash flow of $200.4 million in the June quarter, boosting full-year cash flow by 12 per cent to $706.5 million.

The strong cash flow helped it repay $125 million of debts during the quarter, taking net debt to $399 million, it said.

By 1130 AEST, Evolution shares were up 1.9 per cent to $2.19 in a firm Australian market.

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Strong Q4 helps Evolution hit FY target - NEWS.com.au

A decade may not seem like a remarkably long time to have been in business, but it certainly is in the world of rooftop solar. In an industry known for its ups and downs, residential solar installer Sunrun hit the commendable milestone last week of 10 years in operation.

Executive Chairman and co-founder Ed Fenster and CEO and co-founder Lynn Jurich launched Sunrun in 2007 from an attic in San Francisco and signed the companys first customers from a booth at a county fair. Since then, Sunrun says it has built more than $2.5 billion in solar systems, saved customers more than $150 million on their energy bills and generated more than 2.4 billion kilowatt-hours of clean energy.

With more than 3,000 employees serving more than 134,000 families in 22 states (and counting), Sunrun claims its now the leading home solar company in the country.

Weve come a long way in just 10 years and are just getting started, said Jurich, in a statement.

Over the years, as technology and policy have evolved, so has Sunruns business model. Sunrun is no longer just a residential solar installer -- it now fashions itself as the nations largest dedicated residential solar, storage and energy services company. The decision to rebrand and launch the Sunrun Brilliant Home logo last December underscored the transition from pure-play solar company to a more comprehensive energy solution provider.

Then in June, Sunrun hired Audrey Lee as vice president of grid services -- yet another sign the company is expanding its presence at the grid edge. Lee, who holds a doctorate, previously served as vice president of analytics and design at Advanced Microgrid Solutions. She also worked with the U.S. Department of Energy, the California Public Utilities Commission, and the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources to develop regulatory structures that promote energy innovation.

Lees job is to figure out how behind-the-meter solar and energy storage can be leveraged as grid assets. She will oversee a new partnership with National Grid, and work with other utilities and energy partners at the wholesale level to learn how distributed energy resources (DERs) can meet the needs of the grid more efficiently.

I recently caught up with Lee at GTMs Grid Edge World Forum to discuss her new role and Sunruns new grid services initiatives. Questions and answers have been edited for readability and flow.

GTM: Talk a little more about your background and your new role at Sunrun.

LEE: I started out in government, so I have a policy backgroundand was really involved in demand response and energy storage and smart grid. Then I joined Advanced Microgrid Solutions, where I focused more on the commercial and industrial side -- thinking about how behind-the-meter energy storage could be leveraged as a grid service, and working with utilities and with the energy markets to do that. Sunrun is a really great next step for me in expanding that to the residential sector.

As our grid is evolving, you really need all of the different resources on the grid to work together and be coordinated. You need those markets to be transparent and the market signals to be clear to all the participants. I'm really looking forward to harnessing all of the solar and now the storage that Sunrun has installed, and plans to install, and integrate that into the grid so that it provides either capacity or ancillary services.

GTM: Sunrun has deployed around 1,000 BrightBox energy storage systems to date, largely in Hawaii where there is a self-supply tariff. What is the value proposition for customers in more dynamic markets like California? Is the appeal mostly backup power? Or is rate arbitrage driving customer interest?

LEE: I think you're right -- the backup and the reliability and resiliency are very attractive to customers, but also the time-of-use rates, which made arbitrage possible for residential customers. Then I think the world is an oyster in the future in terms of demand response programs that energy storage could participate in at the wholesale level. We are working with CAISO (the California Independent System Operator) on ESDER, the energy storage distributed energy resources stakeholder initiative, and holding meetings with the PUC, and looking to really expand the role of distributed energy resources. We are very optimistic about the role of residential storage in participating in the grid.

GTM: Where do you think residential energy storage will offer the most value -- at the distribution level or at the wholesale level?

LEE: I think it will be both. I mean, honestly, we're all working it out right now, right? There are so many stakeholder meetings with utilities and with aggregators and with policymakers to figure out what the role [of energy storage] is. How do existing structures, like the way utilities rate-base their assets, evolve? And how do they procure DERs? The great thing about storage paired with solar is that it's so flexible; it can provide all these different kinds of grid services. I feel like the technology is there; it's really up to us to figure out the regulatory framework and the market framework to leverage that technology.

Storage could play at the very local level on a circuit, on a feeder line to resolve backflow or voltage issues, or at a substation level to defer distribution upgrades or substation upgrades. [It can help with] local reliability and system reliability, and its a matter of aggregators working with utilities to pull that all together to make it work. [At the wholesale level] we're still figuring out the roles and responsibilities, the rules, and the market signals to do that.

GTM: How fast are things progressing at the wholesale level? We know there is an ongoing discussion about opening up wholesale markets to energy storage and distributed energy resources at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Meanwhile, PJM has already established a frequency regulation market and became the largest market for energy storage. California also has rules that allow DERs to participate at the wholesale level. But when I spoke to CAISO earlier this year, representatives mentioned that the software and communications side of aggregating DERs still needed more work, so that the grid operator could be sure they would respond when needed.

LEE: I think from a technology perspective, it's new, so of course the CAISO [is cautious]. They're in charge of reliability for the grid; they need to be very conservative about this stuff. So it's a matter of doing projects together, showing them the data and getting everybody comfortable with this. And there's no better way than to actually try it out and prove it to the utility, as a distribution operator, and prove it to the CAISO that it can be done.

I know that a lot of utilities have pilots and are working with various partners on that. We don't have anything to announce at this point, but working with utilities to demonstrate [how DERs can operate in wholesale markets] is definitely something that we're very interested in. [] There is a great role for an aggregator like Sunrun to orchestrate what the storage does and coordinate, cooperate with the utility and the CAISO on this.

GTM: Do you think a Sunrun or another third party will play the DER aggregator in wholesale markets? Or will the utility?

LEE: I think it's going to be a mixture depending on the territory and the regulatory framework. I think Sunrun has a relationship with the customer -- we set up the contract with the customer and we know how that resource is used. [] And so I think we want to maintain Sunrun's relationship with the customer and then coordinate with the utility. If the utility were to manage thousands and thousands of systems, I imagine it would be a headache for them, so I think that it's going require cooperation and partnership with the utility. We want to make sure that the utility gets what it wants in terms of awareness and monitoring of what's going on with the assets, so they can depend on it for grid services.

GTM: This is an interesting time for DERs. On the one hand, there are discussions taking place around the country about the need to preserve net metering and favorable policies for rooftop solar. On the other, there's a transition to more time- and location-based rates taking place, which may be less appealing to rooftop solar, but help to support storage and the broader grid edge transformation weve been discussing. How would you characterize the way DER policies are taking shape in the U.S.?

LEE: At the end of the day, at Sunrun we want clean, renewable energy. We also want to reduce costs to customers. And I think those are the goals for a lot of regulatory commissions and utilities as well, so I think we all agree on that endgame, and it's a matter of deciding what the technology toolbox to make that happen is, and what are the right price signals to incentivize clean energy and reliable energy.

That's why we have this partnership with National Grid, because I think we are really able to leverage each other's strengths in doing that. National Grid is the grid operator in the U.K., so they really understand energy markets and transmission systems, and then of course they have their regulated side on the East Coast [of the U.S.] running a distribution company. And then Sunrun...has the relationship with the customer and the distributed energy experience, so we think that partnership really allows us to tackle this big problem and figure out how to make it work.

GTM: Yes, so Sunrun partnered with National Grid in January. We know the partnership includes a joint marketing agreement to accelerate solar adoption in New York state, a collaborative pilot to explore how DERs can be aggregated and used to help balance the grid, and a $100 million direct investment by National Grid in approximately 200 megawatts of residential solar assets across all of Sunruns markets. Where does progress on that partnership stand today?

LEE: The joint marketing is off the ground and their investment in us is starting to pan out. In terms of the grid services, were just starting to figure that out. [] We're trying to figure out where it makes sense to deploy solar-plus-storage and grid services.

[National Grid] is bringing in their expertise on the distribution, transmission and wholesale market side, and we're bringing in our experience on the customer side. [] Its my job to get some good projects in the ground and then announce them to you.

GTM: How important do you think it is that solar companies like Sunrunlead in the grid services space? Other companies could take on that role. But the CEO of Cypress Creek, for instance, believes solar companies (large-scale, in his case) mustlead on energy storageor get left behind.

LEE: Sunrun is really proactive and stepping up as a solar company to figure all of this out. And I think it's very important, because Sunrun touches so many customers. You need to bring ratepayers with you -- they're the customers and you need to make them part of the solution. Sunrun has that great relationship with the customer and is able to do that. I'm not saying Sunrun's going to solve everything, it's not going to operate the grid completelybut I think Sunrun's really stepping up.

GTM: How is Sunrun marketing to DER customers today? Has the process changed now that energy storage is involved?

LEE: Sunrun has come a long way in making the process of educating the customer and selling solar so efficient. And so I think adding on storage to the platform that they have already created is a small step. That platform is the operations, the people, the sales team and the installers, but it's also the software platform and making it really simple for the customer to understand what their electricity consumption is, what their rooftop solar is producing and how it's benefiting them. Because people don't think about electricity all the time -- you've got to make it interesting to them and important to them.

Also, as a solar customer myself, I want to know that my solar company is going be around, and I think Sunrun has really demonstrated that, and the same thing with storage. There's more involvement because there's more control required and more active participation from that storage into the grid, so customers want to know that there's a strong company backing that installation.

Sunrun has been around for 10 years, and that's no small thing.

GTM: Tesla recently gave up on door-to-door sales and shifted its marketing practice online. Does Sunrun also sell online right now?

LEE: We do both, but at some point there will be a human-to-human, face-to-face interaction. We can lead-generate through online [platforms], but at some point we're going to send someone out to make sure the home is suitable. [...] I think that co-marketing is a growth area for us with partnerships like with National Grid.

GTM: Weve talked about rooftop solar and residential energy storage. Can you also describe the role you see Sunrun playing in home energy management?

LEE: I mean, it makes sense; we already have that customer relationship in their home, in terms of solar, so its a really small step to do storage and to do home energy management.

I think Lynn and Ed have great ambitions to continue to be one of the premier, best home energy management companies in the country. I couldn't speak specifically to the different parts of that [strategy], but we certainly are a home energy management company at this point.

GTM: How do you think Sunrun will reach the next level of customers? Some of the mature solar markets have recently started to slow. Will grid services start to open up new opportunities?

LEE: Sunrun recently doubled its total available market by going into other states -- New Mexico, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, Wisconsin, Washington, D.C., and Florida. We also re-entered Nevada and expanded operations in Pennsylvania. So it seems like there's a ton of room to grow, and of course, from my perspective, we would want to grow with energy services in those markets as well.

GTM: Do you think more work still needs to be done for a rooftop solar company like Sunrun to convince utilities that youre both on the same team?

LEE: Yeah. [] I really want to sit down at the table with utilities and figure out, What are your problems? How can we help solve them? What's the best way for us to work together?" Our solar-plus-storage resources are here for the grid, we want to be compensated fairly for them, of course, and operate in a very fair and transparent market, but really, there's value in this technology. We just need to figure out how to set up the rules and work together.

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Sunrun's Evolution From Home Solar Installer to Comprehensive Energy Solution Provider - Greentech Media

Turkey's new school curriculum drops Charles Darwin's theory of evolution and adds the concept of jihad as patriotic in spirit.

The move has fuelled fears President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is subverting the republic's secular foundations.

The chairman of a teachers' union has described the changes as a huge step in the wrong direction for Turkey's schools and an attempt to avoid raising "generations who ask questions".

Turkey's president RecepTayyip Erdogan wins referendum to greatly expand powers

Ismet Yilmaz, the country's education minister, said the controversial decision to exclude the theory of evolution was "because it is above the students' level and not directly relevant."

A member of the opposition Republican People's Party, Mustafa Balbay, said any suggestion the theory was beyond their understanding was an insult to high school students.

"You go and give an 18-year old student the right to elect and be elected, but don't give him the right to learn about the theory of evolution...This is being close minded and ignorant."

The theory of evolution is rejected by both Christian and Muslim creationists, who believe God created the world as described in the Bible and the Koran, making the universe and all living things in six days.

Mr Erdogan, accused by critics of crushing democratic freedoms with tens of thousands of arrests and a clampdown on media since a failed coup last July, has in the past spoken of raising a "pious generation".

The curriculum, effective from the start of the 2017-2018 school year, also obliges Turkey's growing number of "Imam Hatip" religious schools to teach the concept of jihad as patriotic in spirit.

"It is also our duty to fix what has been perceived as wrong. This is why the Islamic law class and basic fundamental religion lectures will include [lessons on] jihad," Mr Yilmaz told reporters. "The real meaning of jihad is loving your nation."

Jihad is often translated as "holy war" in the context of fighters waging war against enemies of Islam; but Muslim scholars stress that it also refers to a personal, spiritual struggle against sin.

A woman takes a selfienext to the statue of Omer Halisdemir in Istanbul, in front of a memorial with the names of people killed last year during the failed coup attempt(AFP/Getty Images)

Mehhmet Balik, chairman of the Union of Education and Science Workers (Egitim-Is), condemned the new curriculum.

"The new policies that ban the teaching of evolution and requiring all schools to have a prayer room, these actions destroy the principle of secularism and the scientific principles of education," he said.

Under the AKP, which came to power in 2002, the number of "Imam Hatip" religious schools has grown exponentially. Erdogan, who has roots in political Islam, attended one such school.

He has spent his career fighting to bring religion back into public life in constitutionally secular Turkey and has cast himself as the liberator of millions of pious Turks whose rights and welfare were neglected by a secular elite.

Liberal Turks see MrErdogan as attempting to roll back the work of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the Western-facing founder of modern Turkey who believed education should be free of religious teachings.

A woman holds placard depicting Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan during 'National Unity March' to commemorate the one year anniversary of the July 2016 botched coup attempt (AP)

Some government critics have said the new curriculum - which was presented for public feedback earlier this year - increased the emphasis on Islamic values at the expense of Ataturk's role.

But MrYilmaz said nothing about Ataturk or his accomplishments had been removed. Changes only emphasised core values such as justice, friendship, honesty, love and patriotism.

He said discussion of the militant Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), Isisand the network of the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara blames for last year's attempted coup, would also be added.

Mr Balik, the head of the union, said the changes were being made in an attempt to stamp out dissenting ideas.

"The bottom line is: generations who ask questions, that's what the government fears," he said.

Additional reporting by Reuters

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Turkey's new school curriculum drops evolution and will teach concept of jihad - The Independent

That's mostly a good thing. The original Splatoon was something of an experiment, a Nintendo game that focused on online play as the primary selling point. The game succeeded by being something unique: a frantic, multiplayer shooter that dripped with personality and cultivated a ravenous community of loyal fans. Splatoon 2 basically picks up where the original left off, starting with the same core game mechanic that incentivized teamwork over individual victory: Turf War.

To understand Turf War -- and Splatoon 2's primary multiplayer modes -- you need to know a few things. First, there are no bullets in Splatoon. Instead, players use a mix of squirt guns, paintbrushes and buckets to spray, fling and slosh colored ink across the battlefield. Battles aren't won by how many enemies the player defeats but by how much of her team's color covers the ground at the end of a match.

Sure, you can take out other players in these matches, and you'll need to to win, but it's not the end goal. By rewarding players based on how much ground they cover, the game passively changes the focus from being the best fighter to contributing the most to the team victory. It also takes the pressure off casual players. No good in a firefight? You can still contribute by focusing on keeping the ground your team's color.

The paint mechanic is more than just a gimmick to promote teamwork -- it also changes how you can move. If the ink on the ground belongs to the player's team, she can turn into a squid and swim through it to replenish ammo and move faster. If it's the enemy team's color, she'll be slowed down and take damage. There are a few more rules, of course, but the long and short of it is that Splatoon 2 offers a multiplayer experience unlike anything in other games. Its unique twist on movement, weapons and ink-based victory helps keep game modes like tower defense, control point and capture-the-flag feeling fresh.

So what's new about Splatoon 2? Well, a few things. For one, the entire experience just looks better: Colors are more vibrant and bright; player characters, weapons and clothing are far more detailed; and best of all, the entire game runs at a noticeably higher frame rate. There are also new levels, weapon upgrades and special moves that change the way the game is played. The new Splat Dualie pistols, for instance, open up player movement by adding a dodge roll to the game, which drastically changes how close-range combat unfolds. Other weapons have been tweaked to give them more balance, adding a long-range attack for roller weapons, for instance, or allowing long-range weapons to hold a charge while players swim through ink.

Nintendo's decision to stick close to the original mostly works: Splatoon 2 strengthens the series' core gameplay, gives players more tools to use in battle and retains the spirit of fun that made the first entry a hit. Unfortunately, it also retains a handful of the first game's awkward flaws.

Multiplayer modes and maps are still limited to a two-at-a-time rotation that changes every few hours, for instance. Players still can't change weapon and gear loadouts without quitting multiplayer and jumping back in either. (Being able to switch weapons between matches would have been a huge quality-of-life improvement.) These aren't deal breakers, but it would have been nice to see some more of the game's rough edges ironed out in the sequel.

The sameness of Splatoon 2 falls flat in the single player campaign, however. The game's Hero Mode very much follows the vein of the original, serving as training for the main event: multiplayer. It's basically a set of linear levels that introduces the game's core concepts. Here's a level that teaches you how to swim through ink to make longer jumps. Here's one designed to teach you how charge weapons work.

As a basic gameplay tutorial, Splatoon 2's single-player mode is a good introduction for folks new to the series, but players who have sharpened their teeth on multiplayer (or just played the first game) might find it a bit tedious -- and that's a shame, because it's framed around a light and fun story that revisits characters from the first game.

The entire time I played Hero Mode, I felt like it could have been something great. It almost was too: Every now and then, the campaign will throw an incredible boss fight at you or a complex, joyously fun level that calls back to the best of games like Super Mario Galaxy. Instead, the single-player campaign is merely an OK experience with a few great moments.

Despite this, Splatoon 2 is still a fantastic experience for Nintendo Switch owners looking for a fun, addictive multiplayer game. It didn't learn every lesson it could have from its predecessor, but it delivers on the core gameplay mechanics that made the original an unexpected hit. Better still, it retains the original game's cultural identity by building a community around Splatoon's in-game hosts and by showcasing artwork made by players in a Miiverse-like drawing app.

Splatoon 2 is everything it needs to be and nothing more. If you're OK with that, you'll love it. Just don't buy it for the single-player campaign alone.

Link:

'Splatoon 2' is a cautious but excellent evolution of the original - Engadget

MGM has acquired unscripted television production company Evolution Media, the company announced Tuesday.

Evolution Media is behind hit unscripted series like The Real Housewives of Orange County, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, and Vanderpump Rules for Bravo, as well as Botched for E!. The company will operate as Evolution Media, an MGM Company, with founder and CEO Douglas Ross to become the president of the acquired business and executive vice president of programming and development Alex Baskin to become its president of programming and development, both reporting to Barry Poznick, MGMs president of unscripted television. The business will continue to operate out of its current Burbank headquarters under Ross and Baskin (pictured above).

Founded 30 years ago by Ross, Evolution Media has produced over 50 series including the inaugural seasons of CBSs Big Brother and NBCs Fear Factor, as well as Disney Channels Bug Juice and TLCs 10 Years Younger.

The shows that Evolution produces are a perfect complement to our slate. Their slick style, high quality and one-of-a-kind casts connect with audiences and generate epic social media engagement. Im proud to welcome them to the team and together we will continue to produce content that makes headlines, Poznick said.

The acquisition of Evolution Media further enhances MGM Televisions position in the unscripted space. MGM Television, which is headed by Mark Burnett, currently has unscripted series on all four major TV networks, including Survivor for CBS, The Voice for NBC, Shark Tank on ABC, Beat Shazam on Fox, and Steve Harveys Funderdome on ABC.

After 30 years of being fiercely independent, we couldnt be more proud and excited to join forces with the dynamic, creative and supportive leadership team at MGM, Ross said. We look forward to working with Gary, Mark and Barry to supercharge Evolution and to write the next chapters in the companys history with them.

Evolution Media is represented by Alan Braun and David Gross at CAA and was represented in the transaction by Bryan Bowles and Ron Milkes of Bryor Media Partners and Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton. MGM was represented in the transaction by Latham & Watkins LLP.

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MGM Acquires 'Real Housewives,' 'Vanderpump Rules' Producer Evolution Media - Variety

NASHVILLE, Tenn. The famed Scopes monkey trial pitted two of the nations foremost celebrity lawyers against one another, but only one of them was memorialized outside the Tennessee courthouse where the landmark case unfolded until now.

On Friday at the Rhea County Courthouse in Dayton the public will behold a 10-foot statue of the rumpled skeptic Clarence Darrow, who argued for evolution in the 1925 trial. It will stand at a respectful distance on the opposite side of the courthouse from an equally huge statue of William Jennings Bryan, the eloquent Christian defender of the biblical account of creation, which was installed in 2005.

The trial that unfolded there nine decades ago garnered national headlines in what historians say started as a publicity stunt for the small town. Formally known as Tennessee vs. John Thomas Scopes, the case generated front-page headlines nationwide and was immortalized in songs, books, plays and movies. Dayton hosts its annual Scopes Trial festival for 10 days, starting Friday, featuring a theatrical production.

Historians say the trial came about after local leaders convinced Scopes, a 24-year-old high school teacher, to answer the American Civil Liberties Unions call for someone who could help challenge Tennessees law that banned teaching evolution. He was found guilty but didnt spend time in jail.

Bryan, a three-time Democratic candidate for president, died just five days after the trial ended.

In Dayton, home of a Christian college thats named for Bryan, its not hard to envision the community accepting a statue venerating the august champion of the faith.

But Darrow is another matter.

Rifts over evolution and creationism continue almost a century later, and the Darrow statue was requested by atheist groups.

Pockets of opposition in the town suggest many Christians still see the science of evolution as clashing with their faith. Dayton resident and minister June Griffin has led much of the backlash against the Darrow statue, citing religious convictions.

This is a hideous monstrosity, Griffin said. And God is not pleased.

Two weeks ago about 20 supporters and 20 protesters clashed peacefully at the courthouse over the statue, said Rhea County Sheriffs Department Special Projects Coordinator Jeff Knight.

Nevertheless, the Darrow statue hasnt drawn teeming crowds in Dayton like the ones that forced some of the 1925 trial proceedings to be moved outdoors.

Regardless of how peoples beliefs differ, the statue helps represent history, said Rhea County historian Pat Guffey. Most people seem OK with it, she added.

I just think that something that is history should stay, or should be put up, no matter what, Guffey said. I dont think we should try to change history.

Philadelphia-based sculptor Zenos Frudakis crafted the new statue, funded largely by $150,000 from the Freedom from Religion Foundation. The group said the project would remedy the imbalance of Bryan standing alone.

Bryan was there as an attorney, a prosecutor, and Clarence Darrow as a defense attorney. And now, the history has been restored, Frudakis said.

Frudakis, an admirer of Darrow, said the sculpture offers an honest look at the lawyer.

He looks like he slept in his suit, which he often did. Sometimes his shirts were torn, Frudakis said of Darrow. He smoked too much. He drank too much. He was a womanizer. I got as much of that as I could in the sculpture. (AP)

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'Scopes monkey trial' town erects evolution figure's statue - The Philadelphia Tribune

July 18, 2017 In his lab, Lang employs robotic technology to deposit yeast dilutions into culture plates, propagating 288 populations at a time. He then freezes these samples at -80 degrees, which allows him to create fossil records of his experiments. Credit: Lehigh University

Genes provide instructions to cells in the body telling them what to do and not do in order to function optimally. Small changes in genes, called mutations, can have major consequences. Similar to a glitch in a computer's coding, a glitch in gene coding can cause a cell's system to go haywire. Not all mutations are bad, however. The process of adaptive evolution selects for mutations that promote rapid and unchecked growth, both in yeast populations and in cancer.

As a cancer cell reproduces by cloning itself, a number of mutations are passed along to successive generations. Some of these are "hitchhikers"along for the ride, but basically harmlessand others are "driver" mutations, responsible for cancer's growth.

Such mutations may be cancer's greatest strength, but they could also be its Achilles' heel: targeting driver mutations with treatment could inhibit the cancer's growth.

Precision medicine in cancer treatment proposes to use genome sequencing to identify which gene mutation or mutations are responsible for driving the growth of a patient's cancer cells, but for this to be practical, it must be possible to identify the cancer-causing driver mutations.

Unfortunately, identifying exactly which mutations are drivers in the human genome is like trying to find a needle in the proverbial haystack.

One possible solution: look at mutations in a smaller haystack.

Gregory Lang, assistant professor of biological sciences at Lehigh University, and his team are exploring how genomes evolve over thousands of generations using laboratory populations of yeast, which has a genome that is one thousandth the size of the human genome. Yeast, the same one used in baking and in brewing beer, reproduces rapidly by division making it a good model system for studying adaptive evolution in an asexual population, like cancer.

"Yeast undergoes one generation every 90 minutesten generations within 24 hours," says Lang. "Unlike human cancer cells, we can maintain hundreds of identical yeast populations in the lab and then evolve them for thousands of generations."

Lang and his colleagues recently applied such a large-scale approach to quantify the effect on growth of 116 mutations from 11 lineages of experimentally-evolved yeast populations. They found that only 20% of the mutations that succeed are drivers; the rest are along for the ride. Their results have been published in an article in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) called: "Hitchhiking and epistasis give rise to cohort dynamics in adapting populations," co-authored by Sean W. Buskirk and Ryan Emily Peave.

"If you want to get a realistic picture of the evolutionarily significant spectrum of mutations that promote growth, a comprehensive study of individual mutations is neededsomething that would be very difficult to conduct using the human genome," says Lang. "In our experiments with yeast, we are able 'shuffle the deck' to isolate thousands of sporesall from the same ancestoreach with a random combination of evolved mutations to analyze. This large-scale approach allows us to measure, with great precision, the fitness effect of each mutation. We can then quantify how important certain mutations or combinations of mutations were to growth."

"Shuffling the deck" to understand gene mutations

Once Lang and his colleagues shuffled the yeast population's genetic deck, they used whole genome sequencing to infer which mutations or combinations of mutations were driving growth.

"The hitchhikers would not increase in frequency," says Lang. "The drivers would increase at a rate that's proportional to their fitness effect."

Instead of searching for common mutationsas is being done for some cancer genomesand then inferring that those mutations must be the drivers, Lang's approach measures the effects of all mutations, enabling the identification of subtler dynamics.

By directly measuring the fitness effects of all mutations in 1,000 generations of a single yeast strain, the researchers were able to unambiguously identify and quantify the fitness effects of driver mutations that could otherwise be missed by recurrence-based methods.

"Comparing our results to previous recurrence-based methods we had tried, we found that we had missed dynamics that had 'weak' or small effects, as well as rare mutations," says Lang.

The team identified one mutational group in which mutations combined to provide a fitness benefit greater than the sum of their individual effects. In other words, the interaction of two mutations that were passed down together positively impacted growth. Neither had an substantial effect on its own.

Though the yeast genome has been studied extensively, this genetic interaction had not been previously identified.

According to Lang, the discovery is an illustration of the power of experimental evolution to select for combinations of mutations that increase growth and of their approach for identifying such interactions.

Lang says it is unlikely that the exact mutations his team discovered in yeast occurs in cancer. However, he believes that understanding the dynamics of adaptation in yeast could provide insight into gene mutation dynamics in other systems, such as cancer.

"In yeast we have the tools to answer types of questions that we would love to be able to answer for cancer populations," says Lang

"Future work will include identifying additional genetic interactions in yeast," says Lang. "Experimental evolution is a good way to enhance our current understanding of the role in adaptation of individual mutations and the interactions between themknowledge that could one day lead to advances in human healthcare."

Explore further: New statistical analysis reveals thousands of rare mutations linked with cancer

More information: Hitchhiking and epistasis give rise to cohort dynamics in adapting populations, Sean W. Buskirk, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1702314114 , http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2017/07/17/1702314114.full

Scientists have identified thousands of previously ignored genetic mutations that, although rare, likely contribute to cancer growth. The findings, which could help pave the way to new treatments, are published in PLOS Computational ...

Scientists have mapped how thousands of genetic mutations can affect a cell's chances of survival.

In a twist on "survival of the fittest," researchers have discovered that evolution is driven not by a single beneficial mutation but rather by a group of mutations, including ones called "genetic hitchhikers" that are simply ...

COSMIC-3D, the most comprehensive system for exploring cancer mutations in three dimensions, is launched today by COSMIC, based at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, in collaboration with Astex Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, ...

As for many other biomedical and biotechnology disciplines, the genome scissor "CRISPR/Cas9" also opens up completely new possibilities for cancer research. Scientists of the National Center for Tumor Disease (NCT), the German ...

Einstein researchers have developed and validated a method for accurately identifying mutations in the genomes of single cells. The new method, which can help predict whether cancer will develop in seemingly healthy tissue, ...

Sharks don't have tongues to move food through their mouths, so instead some use their... shoulders?

From the tiny chihuahua to the massive Saint Bernard, domestic dogs today trace their roots to a single group of wolves that crossed the path of humans as long as 40,000 years ago, researchers said Tuesday.

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Bornean orangutans living in forests impacted by human commerce seek areas of denser canopy enclosure, taller trees, and sections with trees of uniform height, according to new research from Carnegie's Andrew Davies and Greg ...

Male live-bearing fish are evolving faster than female fish, according to a Kansas State University study, and that's important for understanding big-picture evolutionary patterns.

Researchers led by Martin Jinek of the University of Zurich have found an unprecedented mechanism by which bacteria defend themselves against invading viruses. When the bacterial immune system gets overwhelmed, the CRISPR-Cas ...

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Large-scale study of adaptation in yeast could help explain the evolution of cancer - Phys.Org

The Reading Way is dead, long live the Dutch Revolution. Whatever that is.

One could be forgiven for thinking that there isnt really a master plan behind the current set of Readings incomings and outgoings, more a wheeler-dealer mentality that comes from being a middle of the road club, in financial terms. Not poor enough to be a selling club, not rich enough to be a buying club.

And thats fine. There is a good case to be made for if it aint broke, dont fix it at the Madejski Stadium this summer.

Lets first analyse where the Royals are definitely spending money. There are both medium and long-term investments on club infrastructure; the relaying of the pitch, the training ground, Royal Elm Park, to name but three such projects floating around right now. Some would call these long overdue.

The only problem with that is, well, theyre quite boring. When Middlesbrough are out throwing 15 million on a strikers with dodgy knees and Aston Villa continue to spaff Premier League wages on mercernaries, why cant Reading just spent a teeny-weeny few million quid on a striker whose scored more than Cedric Baseya?

Reading fans are wise enough to know how important Yann Kermorgants very particular role was to the side last year, and combining that with the difficulty of said role suggests why it pays to avoid big names this summer. Assombalonga, Rhodes, even Matej Vydra, can boast great scoring records over one or two seasons but we all know theres far more to playing in Jaap Stams system than poachers goals.

Furthermore, the leaps and bounds many still-young players made last year can continue. Looking at Liam Moore, John Swift, Tiago Ilori, Liam Kelly, and more, theres plenty of room for improvement in already good Championship players.

We can even add in the returning injured players and loanees; Stephen Quinn, Callum Harriott, Liam Cooper, to satisfy that old cliche of players feeling like a new signing. To look further down the food chain, there are the academy players that may well step up, too.

This club tends to work best when acting with a cool head and underdog status, so a summer of evolution rather than revolution should suit us down to the ground after a play-off run and third place finish last time out.

Of course, two good players have left and there is little sign of bedazzling replacements, but thats exactly how it was before 2011/12 when Shane Long and Matt Mills were replaced by a League Two striker and a wonky Latvian.

In those years where we test our luck, we tend to get lucky.

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Evolution, Not Revolution, The Key For Reading FC This Transfer Market - The Tilehurst End

EXPAND

First ever Agenda Festival

Angel Grady

Last Sat. July 15, the streets of Long Beach surrounding the convention center were saturated with people and skateboards rushing to get their spot in line for the much anticipated Agenda Festival. Agenda's creator Aaron Levant got in the industry as a graphic designer at various clothing companies in the '90s, but when he started his streetwear clothing line, he and his partner decided to stop attending trade shows and create their own and now he's been hosting the Agenda Trade Show for over 14 years with the thought of turning it into a festival for what seemed like forever. We caught up with Levant at Agenda Fest to ask him about the making of this inaugural fest and plans for the next one.

OC Weekly (Angel Grady): What is Agenda? Aaron Levant: Essentially what we are is a platform to help brands grow their companies and gain more recognition and distribution. Usually done through a traditional trade show format, now instead of just doing that with the industry, were helping them do that with direct consumers as well. I think we're entering the experienced based economy and that's something I think we keep at the forefront of our thinking.

What's the purpose of the Agenda Festival? I guess I wouldn't say necessarily the purpose, but Agenda is an event I have been holding for almost 15 years now. It started out as a fashion trade show that has evolved over the years and become a platform, a conference, a series of parties, merchandise, and I think a combination of that evolution is what you saw Saturday in Long Beach. Creating unique experiences around music, culture, brand, content, and is what we're trying to do with the Agenda Festival.

What are the main differences between this year's Agenda Fest and your past events? We've done a bunch of iterations of things, but this is the first time we put together this assemblage of things and this was the first event totally open to the public. For the last 14 years it's been an invite only industry event, this is the first time we've opened the flood gates and let the consumers come in. That evolution is a direct reaction to what's been going on in the fashion industry and overall retail, where the internet and social media are disrupting the way things work, people have access to everything instantaneously. The traditional way we used to do business is changing and we want to be on the forefront of that evolution as opposed to sitting on the wrong side of it.

Did Agenda Festival meet your expectations? When I think about something, I have different expectations. I have financial, attendance and different metrics that are more numeric based, things I could chart on a graph. But the thing I really try to focus on is the energy- which the thing you cant put your finger on and I feel really happy with it, we nailed it. The kids were lined up at six in the morning, super enthusiastic and came running in, they were excited because this was such a new experience for them. For me that is the main metric I would be happy with, you could have a show and make a ton of money, but if no one had good time, it doesn't mean anything. I'm beyond happy with the turnout of the energy and the feeling more so than the financial or attendance success.

Do you plan to host more events like this? For sure we'll be doing this again at least on an annual basis in Long Beach, if not on a bi-annual basis, every January and summer.

What makes this festival different from others? We called it a festival because that's a name that people recognize, but I wouldn't compare it to any music ones out there because that'sonly one component of what we're doing. This isn't just a field with a stage, right? There's so much more going on there, music is the background and the thing I think draws people in, but when you get there, there's so many other things to do- from the skate competition, to the pop-up shops, to the panels, to the food, it's really a multi-sensory experience.

Tyler, the Creator was on fire!

Angel Grady

How did you decide on the music lineup? It was a matrix of who we wanted and it came down to budget and who was available. Tyler,the Creator was at the top of our list and initially we couldn't get him because of his European tour. But a month later I noticed a tweet saying he was canceling the tour, so we called his agent that day and it worked out perfect for us. We didn't know at the time that he was planning to come out with a new album, the deal with Converse, two new singles and the music videos- the timing couldn't have been more perfect.

What do you think stood out most to attendees? Probably the fact that it's a unique format combining the brands and the music, I don't think anyone's done it like that before.

What will you do differently next time? It's gonna be a lot bigger and we're gonna try and possibly do two days next year, so we can people more time to be all to see all of it.

Have you thought about taking Agenda to other cities? We're already looking at other cities like New York, Miami and so on, to bring this experience to. It was wildly successful, we had 15,000 people come out and so much good feedback. So yeah, we see a lot of potential for this event format to roll out.

Why change things up now, after 14 years? Now is just the first time you've seen it manifest with the Agenda brand, in November of last year I co-produced ComplexCon, so we've been doing stuff like this for a while In 2012 our company merged with ReedPOP at that point we recognized this opportunity and we wanted to join up with somebody who can help us achieve that level of consumer engagement. We've been thinking about it that far back but this is the first time we've been able to activate on it in the proper with the Agenda brand.

More:

Agenda Festival's Founder Explains the Evolution of Hip-Hop's ... - OC Weekly

Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 will stage an online multiplayer beta for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One beginning this week and running until the end of the month, Konami has announced.

The beta will kick off at 4 a.m. ET on Thursday, July 20 and go to midnight, July 30. The beta will offer quickmatch and 3-vs.-3 online co-operative play.

Players will be offered their choice of the Brazilian or French national teams, playing at the Neu Sonne Arena. Other options include day or night play in good or rainy weather.

PlayStation 4 users will not need PlayStation Plus to participate. On Xbox One, an Xbox Live Gold subscription is required.

Adam Bhatti, the global product manager for Pro Evolution Soccer, said there will be a demo closer to PES 2018's launch. The beta is "not to sell the game," and is meant to test the online code.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 launches Sept. 12, 2017 on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.

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Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 multiplayer beta begins this week ... - Polygon