Category Archives: Transhuman News

Bring Me The Horizon have discussed a delay in the release of the remaining EPs in their Post Human series.

The band released Post Human: Survival Horror at the end of October, and told NME that it would be the first of several EPs under the Post Human banner across the space of 12 months.

Now, in a new interview with Kerrang!, keyboardist Jordan Fish has explained how the project began to get bigger than the band anticipated, leading to delays.

Fish said: We planned to do four EPs in a year, but the last one was almost an album, so I think the spacing will be a bit longer than intended, just because theyre probably going to turn out bigger than intended, he added, while clarifying: That doesnt matter, as long as theyre all really good.

Jordan Fish performs live with Bring Me The Horizon. CREDIT: Getty

Weve been writing on and off for quite a while, so theres a lot of material thats being worked on, he continued. But we havent properly got into the rhythm of writing the next EP yet, well probably do that in the New Year.

Speaking to NME last year about the idea of the project, frontman Oli Sykes said: The idea behind Posthuman is looking at how weve stepped out of evolution and the food chain.

If we can do that, then we can take responsibility for what weve done to the planet and become something better than what humans are right now.

Reviewing Post Human: Survival Horror, NME wrote: Many bands in Bring Me The Horizons shoes would use this opportunity to go full Coldplay with a radio-friendly album primed for mass communication, but not Bring Me. Instead, theyre releasing four EPs across the next year, all themed around how humanity is totally screwed.

What could have been an act of self-sabotage or self-indulgence or both has transpired to be a welcome reminder of all that this band does best, rooted in raw relevance for today and the cyber-punk energy of tomorrow.

Watch Sykes give NME a track-by-track rundown of Post Human: Survival Horror above.

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Bring Me The Horizon explain delay in "bigger than intended" EP series - NME.com

On Oct. 30, experimental rock band Bring Me The Horizon released their nine track EP, Post Human: Survival Horror, a powerful collection of aggressive cyber punk tracks, majorly inspired by the chaos of 2020.

Prior to its release, the band shared several singles including Ludens, which remains one of the strongest on the project, Parasite Eve, an interesting anthem with an intense buildup, Obey, a sarcastic collaboration with YUNGBLUD and Teardrops, which is currently the top streaming song on the bands Spotify page. All four songs are great and Ludens and Teardrops are especially impressive for the masterful way in which they mix hard rock metal energy with impossibly catchy hooks. Parasite Eve is a little too long and intense for casual listening, but it sounds better in the context of the whole EP. Obey (feat. YUNGBLUD) fits the project nicely, but gets quite irritating with repeated listens.

The remaining five songs on the EP are mostly successful. The introductory track, Dear Diary, is a shameless nu-metal track, which jumps into the action without warning. Oliver Sykess screamo vocals set the tone for the rest of the song, so it may not be the type of song you can listen to individually. Three singles follow Dear Diary, and then, comes the electro-metal interlude Itch For The Cure (When Will We Be Free?). Its a fine transition in the center of the EP, but again, it might not be a song thats good for repeated listens.

Two amazing collaborations follow: Kingslayer (feat. BABYMETAL) and 11 (feat. Nova Twins). Although the verses of Kingslayer are a bit forgettable, BABYMETALs chorus is insanely good. It sounds like it belongs in a video game soundtrack a feature that definitely elevated the song beyond anything else Bring Me The Horizon has done in the past and its sure to become a classic in their discography. 11 is even better, boasting the catchiest chorus out of all the songs, but not compromising that gloriously angry, heavy song.

Ludens follows, and alongside 11, its easily one of the strongest in the collection, complete with a slow yet effective build up and an ear-wormy chorus. The concluding track, One Day The Only Butterflies Left Will Be In Your Chest As You March Towards Your Death (feat. Amy Lee), is extremely different from the tracks which precede it. Its quite soft, and Amy Lee of Evanescence has a powerful, ethereal voice, which contributes to a haunting, ambient atmosphere that takes the listener to a whole new world. Its a perfect ending.

Overall, this EP is not flawless, but it captures the frustration, shock and turmoil that this year has put many of us through. Bring Me The Horizon continues to bend genres and create sounds and relatable lyrics that can appeal to anyone.

Related

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Soundbite: Post Human: Survival Horror by Bring Me The Horizon - The Current - The Student-Run Newspaper of Nova Southeastern University.

For human trafficking survivors, getting away isnt simple.

As difficult as escaping can be, advocates say rebuilding in the Palmetto State requires victims to navigate the justice system, housing, employment and health care, all without a single statewide agency designed to help.

The Tri-County Human Trafficking Task Force brings together a near-exhaustive list of Lowcountry resources,from churches to police departments,to assist survivors as they try to rebuild stable lives. But without steady funding or a full-time staff, its often been difficult to get quick, thorough help to survivors already overwhelmed by the complexities of finding stability and safety.

Everyone has their own lane, were just trying to build an interstate, said Brooke Burris, co-chairwoman of the task force. Weve all been saying it was a crisis cluster, and now its a crisis coordination.

The task force gets a handful of new clients each month, and on average staffers spend about a year helping each one get health care, housing, employment and community support.

Most clients are women who had been forced into sex work, but the task force also helps men and labor trafficking victims. Many are homeless or transient, leaders said, making it difficult to connect them with long-term support.

A solution, staffers hope, will come by the end of 2021: a physical office housed by The Formation Project, where it will be easy for the task forces slew of partners to meet and help survivors. The task force's subcommittees handle child and adult services, community education, law enforcement and legal issues.

Having a neutral location for law enforcement interviews, or to get therapy or work on a resume or do laundry, thats going to be a game-changer, said Kat Wehunt, who survived trafficking herself and went on to found The Formation Project. Weve been providing wraparound services, but were kind of running it into the ground. Were sending (survivors) to over 20 places just to get their basic needs met.

Ideally, community support would allow the service to have a residential center with some health care services beyond the year that the grant covers.

Even the humblest of setups an office near other social services where survivors can meet with law enforcement and advocates without travel and uncertainty would help the task force as it guides survivors on their journey through the system.

One call came from a Spartanburg hospital, where staff were treating a woman in her 30s who had been trafficked. Without money, education or an ID and wary of tipping off a trafficker who worked in government she couldnt get help from any of the local shelters.

We had to start from scratch, Wehunt said. I would say we made maybe 50 referrals for that one client, we used everything we could think of.

The woman is doing well now, Wehunt said. Shes got her own apartment, will soon start a job and volunteer work, and is working with law enforcement to prosecute her trafficker. But it took three months to stabilize the woman, a period that could have disheartened other survivors.

And while it took time and creativity to find the woman services, Burris was grateful they managed to do so at all. For some survivors with specific needs, she said, theyve had to look beyond the Palmetto States borders, such as sending young victims to Georgia for immediate trauma care.

Even that long process is an improvement for law officers who try to help victims navigate piecemeal services while working their cases, said Lauren Knapp, the counter threat project coordinator for the Charleston County Department of Public Safety, a member of the task forces law enforcement subcommittee and co-chairwoman.

Usually it was the police officer hand-holding all these individuals, Knapp said. Any case that Ive seen move anywhere is because a law enforcement agent went above and beyond. Theyre doing more than theyve been asked, but to actually operationalize that, officers need a resource.

To get help in South Carolina, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888, or text HELP or INFO to 233733. Donations for the task forces shelter initiative can go through theformationproject.org/donate.

Reach Sara Coello at 843-937-5705 and follow her on Twitter @smlcoello.

Continue reading here:
Survivors of human trafficking find lifeline in task force set up to help them break free - Charleston Post Courier

(Pocket-lint) - A new job listing points towards an interface redesign for Windows 10 later in 2021-22.

The listingsuggested the following: "On this team, youll work with our key platform, Surface, and OEM partners to orchestrate and deliver a sweeping visual rejuvenation of Windows experiences to signal to our customers that Windows is BACK and ensure that Windows is considered the best user OS experience for customers."

However, the language on the listing has now been softened after the reports.

We've known for a little while that Microsoft is planning a big interface refresh for the operating system and last year softened the look of the start menu, redesigned key icons more in keeping with Microsoft's Fluent Design language and teased elements like a new-look for File Explorer. As more of us are used to using more lightweight operating systems, it seems like Microsoft wants to enhance the usability of Windows as part of the work.

According to a Windows Central report back in October, internal documents from Microsoft suggest that the update - codenamed Sun Valleyt will be "reinvigorating" and is set to modernise the Windows experience. The same report believes the redesign will ship by the end of 2021 in the release currently codenamed Cobalt. The new look is said to be inspired by the upcoming Windows 10 X.

Writing by Dan Grabham.

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Microsoft posts job to 'rejuvenate' the design of Windows - Pocket-lint

[photo courtesy The Outer Banks Hospital]

The Dare County Department of Health & Human Services plans to announce Monday information on how, when, and where to register and receive the COVID-19 vaccine for residents who are 75-years-old or older.

Front line healthcare workers whose duties put them at higher risk of exposure to COVID-19 or who are vital to the initial COVID-19 vaccine response are currently being vaccinated.

More from an update posted Friday on Dare Countys COVID-19 Vaccination information page:

Please understand the state just changed the Priority Phasing three days ago, moving the 75 and over population to the next Priority group for us to vaccinate. This dramatically changed things for health departments across the state.

Dare County is still wrapping up the vaccinations for Priority Phase 1a. We expect to finish this Phase on Tuesday 1/5 and begin to move immediately to the Priority Phase 1b Group 1, which is the 75 and over population.

Dare County is receiving very limited allocations of the vaccine each week so it will take time to vaccinate everyone in this group who wishes to be vaccinated. Patience will be critical.

In time, everyone who wishes to receive a vaccine will be able to get the COVID-19 vaccinations at no cost. We ask for your patience as we work through the Prioritization phase groups that we are required to follow according to North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services.

The North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services issued revisions to Prioritization Phases on Thursday, which can be found here.

Originally posted here:
Dare County to post info Monday on COVID-19 vaccines for residents 75 and older - OBXToday.com

The Washtenaw Chapter of Families Against Narcotics, also known as FAN, says, now more than ever because of the pandemic, its important to reach out to friends and family who are battling addictions like alcohol or drugs.

Social distancing has kept many friends and family members physically away from each other to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, but FAN says the isolation can be even more difficult during the holiday season for people recovering from an addiction. Mario Nanos is president of FAN and recommends to connect over the phone or virtually with those in recovery.

Mario Nanos: When I see somebody that I miss and Im on a Zoom call, thats better. Its better than not seeing them at all.

Nanos says that if you plan to host a virtual New Years Eve party, you may want to consider not having your guests drink alcohol on camera if someone in the group is recovering from alcohol addiction.

Non-commercial, fact based reporting is made possible by your financial support.Make your donation to WEMU todayto keep your community NPR station thriving.

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Jorge Avellan is a reporter for 89.1WEMUNews.Contact him at 734.487.3363 or email himjavellan@emich.edu

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Human Connection Will Be Essential During The Holiday Season For Residents Battling An Addiction - WEMU

Adrian James (Covid poses greatest threat to mental health since second world war, 27 December) sees clearly that a pervasive problem like the pandemic, over which most people have only limited control and many potential points of vulnerability, is likely to leave a legacy of poor mental health on a scale not seen since the battle of the Somme. With a year to prepare, the Johnson government has failed to promote personal resilience a key lesson from preventing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in military populations and so this winter millions of Britons look ahead helplessly to a grim time indeed.

However, there is still a policy area that could reduce population illness: tackling the shocking level of health inequalities. A steep gradient of social inequality damages both physical and mental health. That damage is especially long-lasting for children at the bottom of the heap. James suggests 10 million more people will need mental health services (including 1.5 million children), but there is not much chance that existing services can be beefed up that much during 2021. Boris Johnson talks about levelling up children and families as if we were all just another brick in the wall. Starting at a community level, we need to ask families what would make a difference for them, facing the future.

As I learned from commissioning Sure Starts, hope and resilience in a population are much stronger and long-lasting if they are homegrown.Woody CaanSpecial interest group for mental health, Faculty of Public Health; former chair of the School Health Research Group

Having recently retired after a long career as a consultant psychiatrist, I welcome the increased awareness of the possible impact of Covid-19 on the mental health of the population. The statement by the president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists highlights the ongoing Cinderella status of mental health services compared with physical health, and reiterates the need for parity of esteem and funding.

However, the apocalyptic predictions of national mental health collapse are based on a raft of assumptions, and risk medicalising the normal and appropriate human response to an unprecedented public health emergency. The Centre for Mental Healths assertion that up to 20% of the population ie 10 million people, including 1.5 million children will need mental health support is based primarily on a study of self-reported anxiety/depression (the symptoms or feelings, not illnesses) in March and April this year, when many of us were understandably very worried and very unhappy. Their estimates for increased rates of anxiety, depression and PTSD in children are based on studies following human or natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes etc, and are not directly comparable with Covid. By overstating the entirely reasonable case for improved mental health services, there is a danger that many people who would not otherwise seek health services put those with more serious illnesses (relapses, new-onset psychosis, drug/alcohol dependence) at a competitive disadvantage and pathologise normal human reactions to adversity. As Nils Bohr said, prediction is very difficult, especially if its about the future. Dr Cliff SharpMelrose, Scottish Borders

I was moved by Alexandra Toppings article (What mental health impact of second world war tells us about post-Covid life, 27 December) but wished it had mentioned the impact on members of the armed forces and their families during and after the second world war. I and a close friend suffered the behaviour of fathers who fought in the war. Clearly, we were not isolated cases. Both our fathers emerged from the war as violent and self-destructive alcoholics who, because of cultural stoicism, rarely if ever discussed their experiences the trauma of combat and witnessing the wars impact in Europe and north Africa.

My dad was 18 when he joined the army. Hed never left Glasgow, then was catapulted on to the world stage. Can you imagine spending the six most formative years of your life like that, seeing the worst of the human race? Having to kill other young people? Fight at Monte Cassino? Pick up the pieces after the devastating bombing of Dresden and Hamburg?

I am fed up with the sentimental, jingoistic tosh around the war. Its held us back as a nation because its never allowed us to really examine the impact of that war on the generation that fought it, supported it or the subsequent generation of boomers. As for the use of cheap war tropes by wannabe-Churchill politicians to manipulate and coerce the population during the pandemic well, enough said. We need to grow up and move on.Jane Easton Bristol

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The potential post-traumatic legacy of the Covid pandemic - The Guardian

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) Are you dragging yourself out of bed, struggling to get back into a routine? Bummed that the holidays are over? Well, youre not alone. All of those feelings are part of something called post-holiday fatigue.

As we come out of the most wonderful time of the year, were also coming out of a really hectic time of the year.

For most people, from Thanksgiving to New Years Day, your life pretty much shifts, said Abby Morgan, a licensed clinical social worker and owner of Sea Level Counseling and Wellness in Norfolk.

Morgan says holidays are filled with excitement, but they are also filled with stress. Stress increases adrenaline and cortisol. When hormones drop off after the holidays, we feel it.

Maggie Grindrod, a behavioral health therapist with Sentara said, Theres been a high and with the high is going to come a crash, right? For a lot of people, thats what comes with the holiday blues. Theres all this excitement and there are presents and there are festivities and then its back to normal and we kind of crash and its a bummer.

Grindrod says this year, with the coronavirus pandemic still looming, the post-holiday blues will be worse than normal

Not only is it probably going to be more intense for many people, but longer lasting because when the holidays are over, that uncertainty, that change to the routine is still going to be there because of the pandemic, Grindrod said.

So how can we get through this period? Grindod and Morgan say give yourself some grace, know that youre not alone, and do your best to incorporate healthy habits.

As human beings, were adaptable and were able to shift, even if its scary and we dont really know, said Morgan. I think being able to kind of remind ourselves of what we went through and whats going on now and our intentions moving forward can be really empowering.

The therapists say getting back to a normal routine is also helpful.

For more information, visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness website.

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Holiday hangover? Therapists say post-holiday fatigue may be worse this year because of pandemic - WAVY.com

It described Bridget as a talented artist who had excelled academically. All those who knew her will remember her for her incredible tenacity, sense of humour and sharp wit.

Samanthas former school Cradock High also posted a tribute to their former pupil. Samantha will always be remembered as a hard and diligent worker who gave her best with a warm smile. She will be sorely missed, the post said.

Last week the sisters surviving sibling, Ashleigh Stander, posted her own emotional message about the familys tragic situation. At the time Bridget was still fighting for her life in hospital. Our whole family is physically and emotionally shattered, with everything happening around us, Ashleigh wrote.

While they were ill in Cradock, Samantha had shared an oxygen cylinder with Bridget, according to a report by Netwerk24 on December 29. However the older sisters condition deteriorated and she died en route to hospital in Bloemfontein the closest available hospital bed at the time.

TimesLIVE

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Sisters die of Covid-related illness within days of each other - TimesLIVE

A Durban community organisation set up a 20-bed treatment area on the grounds of an overwhelmed private hospital in eight hours after the facility appealed for help.

Muslims for Humanity reacted to a distress call from the Ahmed Al-Kadi Hospital which needed to urgently set up a Covid-19 reception and receiving facility after critically ill patients were forced to wait in their cars as the demand for beds increased.

Muslims for Humanity roped in community- based organisation Natal Memon Jamaat (NMJ) to assist with the project.

This project was completed within eight hours from conception and has been operational from January 1, said NMJ project co-ordinator Imraan Jooma.

This first-of-a-kind facility will allow Covid-19 patients to be assessed and made comfortable before admission.

Critically ill patients were waiting outside the hospital in cars without medical assistance, awaiting spare beds at this state-of-the-art facility.

This facility, besides being manned by professional medical interns, is equipped with oxygenators and oximeters among other medical equipment, some of which was supplied by the Caring Sisters Network.

Hospital chairperson Dr Ayoob Bux praised the speedy effort.

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Durban community body sets up 20-bed facility for overwhelmed hospital within hours - TimesLIVE