Most successful companies transformation to agile

Business

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April 13, 2021

Most successful companies transformation to agile

seed vault norway — *This is a Doomsday seed vault in Norway. Agile companies scale faster. Don’t keep everything buried in a snowbank.*

The way companies used to operate and function is now changing at a rising pace. As businesses grow and operations start to get more complicated and complex, managers need a proper infrastructure that balances off the change required in an organization while being more efficient and effective than ever before. If you are looking for inspiration or need some practical advice, check out one of the most successful agility examples known in the IT industry.

Before moving forward, let’s give a few seconds to the understanding of agile. Agile is referred to the ability to be more quick and vigilant along with changing environments. Agile is best utilized at places where a change is necessary and quick and effective measures are required. When it comes to software development, the purpose of transforming to agile is improved quality and continuous delivery.

In order to dig in deep inside the concept of agile, it is important to understand that agile is related to project management that supports and provides assistance in software development. There are several misleading statements and definitions about agile that do not provide correct information about agile. Scrum and Kanban framework displays the most accurate meaning of agile. Agile is actually in real terms a set of values and principles that are listed on the agile manifesto.

Cisco

Cisco is one of the most well-reputed American multinational companies. It specializes in providing innovative software networking and also deals in networking hardware and other high-tech products and services.

Cisco was initially designed with a waterfall method, its subscription billing platform project adopted a different approach earlier, which was based on separate designs, tests, and deployment teams with each team working. This approach resulted in slowing down the development process, which further resulted in missed delivery dates, quality issues, and overtime.

Cisco then adopted (SAFe) and presented three agile release defects and fixes capabilities and projects. The purpose was to test minor features within SaaS complement and then sending them to the system integration. As a result, defects were reduced by more than 35%.

LEGO digital solutions

The company provides support to the famous toy-brick maker that communicates with customers through wearables, apps, computers, and other channels. At its initial stage, there were five development teams but later on when complexities due to an increase in the number of teams to 20.

Teams were doing good with sprints and scrums but faced problems in cross-team alignment, client collaboration, and release planning. In order to resolve the issues, the group moved forward with the scale agile framework (SAFe) in order to include a program between the portfolio management and teams.

This new approach resulted in improved planning and execution, improved client trust, and a reduction in real dependency issues.

Panera Bread

Panera bread is an American-based company that runs bakery-cafes with more than 2000 restaurants all over the United States and Canada. The company was having issues with IT solutions, as the business was facing a rapid change. It started off with agile-training workshops. After that, the company took one step ahead and tested two crucial projects under the supervision of an agile coach.

After the testing, the company introduced the Disciplined Agile Delivery framework all over the business. This step resulted in a faster and frequent delivery system, better quality solutions, and enhanced relationships between IT and the company.

The digital sales of the company increased drastically after DAD implementation and the company recorded a 25% contribution of digital sales in overall sales. This success came into existence due to an improvement in the mobile ordering process.

PlayStation network

The fact that not many people are aware of, is that each product that belongs to PlayStation, needs more than a thousand engineering members from “Sony Interactive Entertainment” teams across seven to eight cities. The company was already using Agile scrum and waterfall, but it was not enough to achieve the desired results.

The next step that SIE took was to adopt (SAFe) in order to achieve better collaboration, within a month of coaching, the company introduced a release train.

As a result, now more than 600 team members belong to 60 scrum teams now working with (SAFe). SIE managed to reduce initial planning time by more than 25% with the help of the framework. Furthermore, the downtime was reduced which enabled the company to save more than $ 25 million a year.

Commercial brands that are also eco friendly

Lifestyle

Bhok Thompson

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April 11, 2021

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Commercial brands that are also eco friendly

teva forever sandals — *Fashion brand from the 80s, Teva, breathes new life into old soles.*

It starts with a whisper from Rachel Carson in the 60s and starting now 2021, it’s going to be an ecological thunder. Maybe it’s COVID-19 or Greta Thunberg, or a general awakening of humanity, but haven’t you noticed how brands you love are adopting eco-friendly practices, even claiming to go carbon neutral from their source, and not by just buying carbon credits?

Green Prophet has reported on eco companies over the years and normally we love a novel idea like a good solar company helping Africa.

But companies unrelated to the just goal of saving the planet can also be part of the big idea. Here are companies doing cool things that are helping the planet in unexpected ways.

There are plenty of digital media companies out there providing a lot of information on eco friendly products, eco friendly brands, and what you should be looking for. We recommend you take a look at some of them and one of our favorites is the team over at Puratium. They go into extensive review of many brands and eco friendly products. Check Puratium out here.

Estee Lauder shows us that when it comes to the planet they are more than skin deep. To achieve Net Zero emissions and RE100 goals by 2030, Estée Lauder reduced its carbon footprint by investing in renewable energy. The company signed a Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) for 22 megawatts of wind power from the Ponderosa wind farm in Oklahoma to cover more than half of the company’s electricity footprint with renewable energy technologies.

Next on our list is Everlane. It’s an American sustainable brand that focuses on timeless pieces, clothing, shoes and bags alike. If you visit Everlane’s website you will see that they give you a starting price point, but then you can chose to pay extra to sustain their green production process.

Everlane has headquarters in San Francisco, California, plus offices in New York. The company has now vowed that it will stop using virgin plastic by this year, 2021. In 2018 Everlane started a new campaign called ReNew where they create outwear crafted from the materials that were created out of 3 million recycled plastic bottles.

Teva sandals, seeing a revival from the 80s, just announced TevaForever, a partnership with the international recycling leader TerraCycle, dedicated to giving well-worn Teva sandals a new life. The recycling program reinforces Teva’s commitment to reducing its environmental impact and keeping waste out of landfills.

Well-worn Teva sandals have a soul of their own, shaped by every wild adventure they’ve weathered. When they are ready to be retired, there has never been a great place to go—until now. Through the TevaForever Recycling Program, well-loved Teva sandals can be mailed to TerraCycle at no cost to the customer, diverting them from landfills so they can be recycled into something new. Teva’s long-term vision is to work towards solutions to one day fully close the loop by recycling old Teva sandals into new ones.

Another fashion brand we love is Veja. Veja was founded in 2003 by Sebastien Kopp and Francois- Ghislain Morillion. The founders met with organic cotton farmers in North Brazil and wild rubber tappers in the Amazon to establish the production chain behind Veja. In 2006 Veja started using vegetable-tanned leather to produce its now world-famous sneakers.

The Veja trainers are made of organic cotton, wild rubber, and vegetable-tanned leather and recycled plastic bottles. These shoes don’t just look great, they are made from great things.

How digitalization can lead to a greener planet

Technology

Bhok Thompson

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April 11, 2021

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How digitalization can lead to a greener planet

At present, we’re dealing with major disruptions to our daily lives because of the COVID-19 pandemic, with many people being forced to stay at home. Digital technologies help ensure continuity during these disastrous events by enabling the transition to an age of knowledge and productivity. It sounds so obvious and simple, yet digitalization is often overlooked.

What’s more, it’s commonly misinterpreted and misapplied. Digitalization means more than just making the conversion from analog to digital. It implies leveraging digitized data to impact how things get done.

Equally important, environmental sustainability can be achieved via digitalization. As digital technologies become more integrated, we and the planet benefit. Maybe digitalization won’t save us, but it will have a fundamental impact. Digitalization isn’t an option anymore. It’s a necessity. Our planet needs to be taken care of and there’s no question of delay or postponing. If you’re curious to know how digital transformation can lead to a greener planet, please continue reading.

Working from home

There’s no person that doesn’t like working from home in their pajamas. These days, many companies let their employees work remotely, which is great news for the planet. Working outside the traditional office environment reduces the number of cars on the road, so there are fewer greenhouse gases to worry about. Most importantly, people are motivated to save energy, which reduces air and water pollution. Different tools enable telecommuting, fully covering the needs of remote teams.

Influx of apps for communication

Effective communication is important no matter what times we’re living. Information needs to be accurate, authoritative, reliable, and easy to understand. Websites, but most importantly apps, help disseminate information and make it possible for people to stay connected. Social networking apps don’t exactly offer trustworthy information, but they help people stay in touch. It’s no longer necessary to use pen and paper. Even businesses can improve communication with clients through social media apps. All in all, electronic communication is more convenient for the environment.

To sum up, digitalization is a great way to accelerate the transition to a greener planet and a more resilient economy. Valuable time and energy can be saved by letting go of manual processes. There has never been a better time to digitize operations. It’s time to redefine how we do things to save the planet. If we don’t act now, who knows what will happen.

Oxford scientists find worrying link between COVID-19 and mental health

Karin Kloosterman

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April 11, 2021

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Oxford scientists find worrying link between COVID-19 and mental health

Oxford finds that 1 in 3 people feel the effects of surviving COVID-19 on the brain.

I am writing from Israel where most of the adult population has been vaccinated from COVID-19, yet a significant number of adults are holding out –– joining a global anti-vaccination brigade based on fear of vaccines, and a Bill Gates conspiracy theory. Sometimes you want evidence to show your friends and loved ones to help them make the decisions about getting vaccinated. A new study from Oxford, England has found a serious link between surviving a COVID-19 infection and brain health.

Researchers at Oxford looked at 230,000 American patients that survived COVID and found that one in three suffered significant neurological effects within three months. Some 34% had been diagnosed with neurological or psychiatric illnesses during that time.

The pandemic could lead to a wave of mental and neurological problems, scientists said last week.

Anxiety and depression were the most common diagnoses of the 14 disorders they looked at. Those hospitalized with COVID had a 7% chance of suffering from a stroke, and 2% from dementia.

“Although the individual risks for most disorders are small, the effect across the whole population may be substantial,” said Paul Harrison, a professor of psychiatry at Oxford University who co-led the work.

The new findings are published in the Lancet Psychiatry journal, and compared COVID-19 patients to comparison groups of people who recovered from flu or other respiratory infections over the same time frame. The scientists said COVID-19 had a unique impact.

“As a result, health care systems need to be resourced to deal with the anticipated need, both within primary and secondary care services,” Harrison said.

Until now, there have been no large-scale data examining the risks of neurological as well as psychiatric diagnoses in the six months after COVID-19 infection.

The most common diagnoses after COVID-19 were anxiety disorders (occurring in 17% of patients), mood disorders (14%), substance misuse disorders (7%), and insomnia (5%). The incidence of neurological outcomes was lower, including 0.6% for brain haemorrhage, 2.1% for ischaemic stroke, and 0.7% for dementia.

Dr Max Taquet, a co-author of the study from Oxford said: “Our results indicate that brain diseases and psychiatric disorders are more common after COVID-19 than after flu or other respiratory infections, even when patients are matched for other risk factors. We now need to see what happens beyond six months. The study cannot reveal the mechanisms involved, but does point to the need for urgent research to identify these, with a view to preventing or treating them.”

Dr Jonathan Rogers, who was not involved in the study, from University College London (UCL), UK, said: “This study points us towards the future, both in its methods and implications.

“Researchers need to be able to observe and anticipate the neurological and psychiatric outcomes of future emerging health threats by use of massive, international, real-world clinical data. . . Sadly, many of the disorders identified in this study tend to be chronic or recurrent, so we can anticipate that the impact of COVID-19 could be with us for many years.”

How Indoor Vertical Farming can help the world

Lifestyle

Bhok Thompson

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April 11, 2021

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How Indoor Vertical Farming can help the world

Have you ever sat down and wondered about the uncertainty of our future? With the world population growing and expanding each day, will we reach a point where we might face a scarcity of food? It has been speculated that three decades later, our world population will reach nearly 10 billion people, and 11 billion people by 2100. And feeding such a massive population is nothing less than a challenge.

Due to urbanization and enormous industrial development, we are losing our natural sources and farming land each year, bit by bit. As a matter of fact, according to a report published in 2015, our planet has lost 1/3 of its cultivable lands, which is quite alarming given the fact that our population is expanding each year.

That said, nothing can be predicted for sure about how much more arable land humanity will lose in the upcoming decades. Nonetheless, food demands will continue to grow proportionally to the growth of the world population. Many believe that vertical farming and indoor vertical farming software installation is the ultimate solution to our potential world hunger problems. Some projects are going so far as to grow food on the moon to see if it will work.

Lunariums, grow plants on the moon, agriculture lunar, grow plants in space, Israel and australia — *Lunariums hope to help grow food on the moon to see if plants will grow on lunar soil*

Read on to find out more about vertical farming and the future of our agriculture. Let us cover the basics first:

What is Vertical Farming?

You might have already figured out that vertical farming is all about producing and cultivating food on specifically vertically inclined surfaces. Instead of the traditional food cultivation methods of farming veggies and other food items on horizontally inclined surfaces, such as greenhouses and agriculture fields, the method of vertical farming intends to produce foods in vertically established layers with structures resembling a skyscraper. Nonetheless, the structures can also identify a shipping container and a warehouse.

For the effective production of foods in the vertical farming method, the integration of technology is mandatory. This is where the indoor vertical farming software comes in. With the integration of CEA (Controlled Environment Agriculture) technology, indoor vertical farming has been made possible.

The integration of the technology includes induced control of humidity, light, climate, temperature, and artificial gases that contribute to the possibility of growing indoor foods, herbs, and medicine. In this way, you can think of vertical farming in terms of a greenhouse where natural sunlight is induced with the help of metal reflectors and artificial light sources.

Nonetheless, indoor vertical farming’s primary goal is the optimization of food production within a limited space.

Why we need Indoor Vertical Farming software?

Matt Damon, grows potatoes, mars movie, food in space, elon musk, spaceIL, lunariums — *NASA has been growing potatoes in Mars-like conditions since the 80s using hydroponics. Plants also grow on international space stations.*

Vertical farming is the ultimate solution that can save us from hunger and starvation in the long run. Vertical farming allows more output and food production while using a small area of cultivation. The below-given list includes the essential benefits of vertical farming:

As we mentioned earlier, four decades from now, our world population is more likely to expand to 10 billion. Not to mention that nearly 70% of the world population is expected to live in industrialized and urbanized areas, which will also peak food demand. The proficient use of vertical farming will prepare us for any upcoming challenges related to food scarcity.

All-Season Crop Production

Vertical farming enables us to produce more crops while using the limited square footage of the production area. If we were to make a rough estimation about the potential crop production, you could think of it in the following ways. For example, one acre of the indoor vertical farming area will allow you to produce crops worth four to six acres of outdoor capacity. Suppose you are running an indoor vertical farm inside a 30-story skyscraper that includes a basal area of five acres. With the integration of vertical farming software, you will produce food/ crops worth 2500 acres.

Unaffected by Weather and Climate Issues

Amongst the top benefits of indoor vertical farming is that this farming method is explicitly unaffected by unfavorable outside temperatures and weather conditions. Since everything is controlled and monitored inside, the crops and foods cultivated with indoor vertical farming are least affected by natural calamities. That said, indoor vertical farming allows you to produce food throughout the year without worrying about favorable weather conditions.

Indoor vertical farming is also good for biodiversity. This method is essentially environment friendly and exposes farmers to lesser risks and diseases.

Bloomberg picks 12 climate pioneer companies worth investing in

Business

Karin Kloosterman

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April 8, 2021

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econcrete new york — *Econcrete, one of the big ideas to change the world, according to Bloomberg*

Bloomberg news and analytics company has picked 12 companies to watch that could decarbonize our planet. BloombergNEF is a strategic research provider covering global commodity markets and the disruptive technologies driving the transition to a low-carbon economy.

They help commodity trading, corporate strategy, finance and policy professionals navigate change and generate opportunities. The winners of the annual contest were selected as their innovations fill important gaps in optimizing long-haul freight, making sustainable materials, tracking greenhouse gases, valuing carbon sinks and reducing energy and chemical use.

Since the inception of the BNEF Pioneers program more than a decade ago, cheap, clean technologies such as renewable energy and electric vehicles have changed the world.

Although these technologies will decarbonize large parts of the world economy, there are still significant challenges to address in achieving net-zero emissions and slowing climate change. The 2020s will arguably be an even more pivotal decade in the fight against climate change, and the Pioneers competition this year has recognized transformative technology solutions filling some remaining net-zero innovation gaps. For instance, in:

Managing and optimizing long-haul freight
Advancing materials and techniques for sustainable products
Monitoring and understanding our changing planet

The 2021 BNEF Pioneers are:

Challenge 1: Managing and optimizing long-haul freight

Convoy (U.S.) provides a digital freight network and moves thousands of truckloads around the United States each day through its optimized connected network of carriers, saving money for shippers and eliminating carbon waste.
Nautilus Labs (U.S.) advances the efficiency of ocean commerce through artificial intelligence. It provides a predictive decision-support solution that drives sustainability and profitability in global maritime shipping.
Ontruck (Spain) is a digital transportation company that combines automation and machine learning to drive out waste in the logistics process. Ontruck offers an efficient and low-carbon solution to move freight, helping shippers to reduce transportation costs, increasing earnings for carriers, and removing carbon emissions generated from empty trucks.

Challenge 2: Advancing materials and techniques for sustainable products

Cemvita Factory (U.S.) engineers microbes that use carbon dioxide or methane as a feedstock for the production of carbon-negative industrial chemicals. These chemicals are used by oil and gas, chemical, mining and aerospace companies that seek to apply nature-inspired technologies for reducing their carbon footprint.
Pyrowave (Canada) electrifies chemical processes in the circular economy of plastics. Pyrowave uses microwave technology to supply the chemical industry with recycled raw materials that are drop-in substitutes for virgin chemicals.
Via Separations (U.S.) targets U.S. energy consumption that is wasted each year through the process of separating chemicals, by electrifying energy-intensive steps in chemical production.

Challenge 3: Monitoring and understanding our changing planet

Pachama (U.S.) uses machine learning with satellite imaging to measure carbon captured in forests. Pachama brings the latest technology in remote sensing, satellite imaging and AI to the world of forest carbon in order to enable forest conservation and restoration at scale.
Planet (U.S.) provides global, daily satellite imagery and geospatial solutions to better manage risk across various sectors, such as agriculture, forestry, energy and natural resources.
QLM Technology (U.K.) offers its quantum technology to provide an understanding of greenhouse gas emissions in an affordable, accurate, scalable way using camera systems that visualize and quantify emissions as they occur.

Wildcards:

75F (U.S.) is an IoT-based building management system using smart sensors and controls to make commercial buildings more efficient, comfortable and healthier.
ECOncrete (Israel) provides technology for coastal and marine infrastructure – increasing concrete strength and durability, while creating ecological value and an active carbon sink. Their CEO was sadly killed on a scooter last month in Tel Aviv, but the great idea lives on.
Pivot Bio (U.S.) makes nitrogen-producing microbial products that can replace the use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer for cereal crops, giving farmers a crop nutrition solution to achieve more consistent yields and improve air and water quality.

Fatal Car Crashes are on the Rise in VA, How Do You Stay Safe?

Transportation

Bhok Thompson

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April 8, 2021

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driverless cars — *Until we have a world full of driverless, electric cars, stay safe on the road, especially in the Middle East where drifting is a sport.*

The Virginia State Police are urging drivers to stay vigilant and alert while driving. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused more people to drive when going on trips, as road trips become the preferred mode of travel over planes during these tumultuous times. Drivers should remember to practice safe driving; distracted driving and impaired driving should be left in 2020 as the best way to reduce fatal accidents is by participating in safe driving behavior.

Teen Drivers

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) states that fatal accidents are the leading cause of death of teenagers. In Virginia, there were 17,600 accidents in 2019 that involved teenagers. Unfortunately, teens are more likely to be in a car accident than other drivers on the road because they are more likely to engage in risky driving behavior. Teens can stay safe while driving if they are informed, and parents should actively engage their teen drivers on how they can drive safely. If teens are aware of what behaviors constitute unsafe driving they can avoid participating in those activities.

Driving Under the Influence

Drinking and driving is a behavior that should be left in 2020 as drinking and driving only increases a driver’s chances of being in a fatal accident. Alcohol can slow a driver’s reaction time and cause them to make unsafe decisions while driving. If a person has been out drinking, their best option to stay safe would be to call an Uber or Lyft or ask a friend to drive them home.

Proper Seat Belt Usage

A driver properly using a seatbelt can be the difference between a fatal accident and a non-fatal one. When a driver wears a seatbelt,this precaution reduces the likelihood of injury or death. When occupants are ejected from the vehicle their chances of fatal injuries greatly increases. Since fatal accidents are on the rise, one of the simplest ways to stay safe is remembering to buckle up, and encouraging all other occupants to buckle up as well.

Aggressive Driving and Aggressive Drivers

Aggressive driving can mean a driver is tailgating, driving erratically, speeding, or not allowing other vehicles to pass them. Aggressive driving is extremely dangerous, and motorists should not drive aggressively as it puts themselves and other motorists at elevated risk. However, motorists can only control their own behavior, which means that while they might not drive aggressively, they could still encounter aggressive drivers. If a driver sees another motorist driving irresponsibly the best thing they can do is not engage. If a driver is being aggressive toward another, the driver should not respond with aggression and remain calm. If a driver feels at risk due to the driving of another, they could call the police, but again they should not actively try to engage.

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is the culprit behind many fatal accidents in Virginia. When people hear the phrase “distracted driving,” they often assume that it refers to texting and driving. However, distracted driving could be any behavior that takes a motorist’s eyes off of the road. A driver cannot safely drive if their mind or attention is elsewhere, and therefore, the chances of an accident increases when drivers are distracted. Distractions that seem minor such as eating or chatting with the other occupants of the vehicle can still be dangerous, so drivers need to be cautious.

Contacting an Attorney

You are only able to control your own driving behavior, which means that even if you follow all these safe driving guidelines you could still be injured in an accident. Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers are here to help guide you through the process, and can offer you professional legal advice in the event that you are injured. If you or a loved one was harmed due to the negligence of another driver, call us today.

Top 5 Strangest Personal Injury Claims of All Time

Business

Bhok Thompson

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April 6, 2021

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Top 5 Strangest Personal Injury Claims of All Time

Some people used personal injury claims in very strange ways, though. Most individuals think of injury claims as something you can only use when you slip and fall or break a bone because a floor was slippery due to negligence. However, there are also people who consider hiring personal injury lawyers for strange reasons.

If you’re not convinced, here are the top 5 strangest personal injury claims.

Injury Claim Against the Weatherman

Sometimes, the weather forecast might be wrong. This definitely happened to you. You were expecting the warmest day of your life and you were getting ready for a picnic. However, it started pouring heavily instead, ruining your plans.

Well, a woman from Israel took it to the next level. She trusted the weather forecast and thought the day would be sunny and nice. Instead, it started raining. She contracted the flu and missed a whole week of work. Therefore, she proceeded to sue the TV station, and she won the case, getting $1,000 as compensation.

Exploding Toilet

Many people who used the Flushmate III toilet had a rough time in the bathroom. And no, it wasn’t the result of their bowel movements – it was because many of the toilets actually exploded. This happened because of an error, which led to the explosion. So, lawyers managed to lobby 5 million dollars after a lot of people got injured.

Lost Pants

A dry cleaning company from Washington D.C. did the mistake of losing a client’s pants. The man ended up suing the company for $54 million, all over a single pair of pants. According to him, not only did the company not follow the “Satisfaction Guaranteed” sign, but they also caused the man a lot of mental suffering for losing his pants. In the end, he lost the case.

Mistaken for Michael Jordan

Allen Heckard was sick of being mistaken for Michael Jordan, the famous sports star. Therefore, he filed a personal injury claim, saying that he was suffering emotionally because of the confusion. The claim was against Michael Jordan, as well as Nike. However, Heckard had no resemblance with the sports star. The claim was dropped later.

Falling in a House of Horrors

A woman sued Universal Studios for their Haunted House of Horrors. Apparently, she was chased by one of the workers who had a de-fanged chainsaw in his hands. As she was running from him, she slipped and fell, while the worker went on with the act. She didn’t have any injury, though. As such, the case was thrown out in the end.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there are some people who file strange injury claims. Some are lucky and win those claims, others lose or are forced to drop them off. Hopefully, you had some fun reading about these incidents.

If you get injured because of someone else, you can always find a personal injury attorney to help you out. No matter where you live in the U.S., it’s easy to find the right lawyer for you. For example, if you’re a resident of Eugene, Oregon, all you have to do is Google “Eugene personal injury attorney” and see which team of lawyers suits your budget or necessities.

If everything works in your favor and you’re able to prove that you are indeed the victim, your injury claim can be successful.

9 Things to Know About Living in Seattle Before Moving

Lifestyle

Karin Kloosterman

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April 6, 2021

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9 Things to Know About Living in Seattle Before Moving

*Seattle is attracting eco conscious people like never before.*

Have you thought about moving to Seattle? It’s a great city, and it’s easy to fall in love with it and its attractions/opportunities. But before you move to Seattle, there are a few things you should find out for your own happiness or safety. Without further ado, here are 9 things to know before moving to Seattle.

High Traffic

This may not come as such a shock. It’s Seattle, after all. The traffic can get really bad, so if you want to go anywhere on a weekday, especially during busy hours, you’ll most likely be fuming in the driver’s seat. It’s always best to plan things in advance and leave home earlier so you’re not stuck in traffic.

High Living Costs

Someone who wants to move to Seattle should first make sure that they have a high-paying job because the living costs are not the lowest. On average, a one-bedroom apartment will require $1,370 for rent, and a two-bedroom apartment will require $1,700. Besides, the energy bill can be as high as $206.39.

Winters Are Very Gloomy

Compared to other parts of the United States, Seattle is very gloomy. You can expect to walk outside and see clouds on most days. Also, when it comes to rain, it rather manifests as mist, so this is not that much of an issue in the city.

Summers Are Amazing

What makes Seattle summers so great is the fact that while it’s warm, there isn’t too much humidity. So, you can enjoy a lot of activities outdoors without feeling suffocated by the warmth.

There Isn’t Any Income Tax

There is no income tax in Washington State. So, from this point of view, living in Seattle is amazing. Now, of course, you will still have to pay local taxes either way.

Also, if you want to work in Seattle, finding a job may not be that easy, especially during the pandemic. Very often, employers use automated tracking systems for their applicants, which makes it harder to pick up the applicant’s personality. Not only that, but the applications are also filtered out based on certain keywords.

Seattle also houses very big companies such as Starbucks, Microsoft and Amazon, and many startups. But it lacks in terms of medium-sized companies. However, it’s a big city, so you’ll have plenty of choices. Even if you want to get hired as a Seattle accountant or Seattle personal injury lawyer, you have many opportunities to do so.

You Can Try Global Cuisine

Seattle has multiple restaurants where you can try foods from all around the planet. So, no matter what flavor you want to try, Seattle will have it.

There Are Many Neighborhoods

Seattle is rich in neighborhoods. Queen Anne, Rainier Beach, Beacon Hill, Green Lake, and Ballard are only some examples. Each neighborhood is unique and amazing in its own way and has plenty to offer so you should research them to see which one suits you best.

Hills Everywhere

Seattle is hilly, and you have to get your feet ready for this. You may have to climb almost everywhere you go, but if you like a challenge, this is the place for you.

Seattle Loves Coffee

Seattle is where the original Starbucks was born, so locals do love their coffee and take it seriously. If you are a coffee lover, then you’ll be able to try different types and tastes in numerous locations across the city.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, Seattle is an amazing city, but it has its challenges. Make sure you are well aware of these factors before you move so that you know what to expect.

How DNA testing can aid in weight management

Health

Bhok Thompson

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April 6, 2021

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How DNA testing can aid in weight management

Space DNA — *Studying twins and the effects of one twin on Space travel, via NASA*

DNA testing for ancestry has become quite popular of late but did you know that DNA testing can also help you manage your weight?

We all want to quickly and efficiently achieve our weight loss goals, but as anyone who struggles with weight loss knows, losing weight can be difficult. However, it may not be our fault. According to DNA diet reviews, there’s a strong possibility that struggling with weight loss could be genetic. This is where DNA testing or nutrigenetics comes in.

What is Nutrigenetics

The goal of nutrigenetics is to identify a person’s genetic susceptibility to diseases and the ways that slight differences in our genes alter the effects of nutrient intake on our bodies. By understanding and analyzing these gene variations, experts can deliver specific dietary advice based on a person’s unique genetic makeup.

This means that nutrigenetics provides a genetic profile that shows what your body can and can’t digest, whether you tend to gain weight, how you absorb essential nutrients and how your body copes with toxins. When you understand how your body handles nutrients and their predispositions, you can prevent feeling uncomfortable, fight obesity, and ward off disease.

Some of the things DNA testing can reveal about you include:

Whether you’re sensitive to carbohydrates or saturated fat
If your body requires additional vitamin B, D or omega-3
Your body’s detox ability and antioxidant requirements
How your body responds to salt, alcohol, and caffeine
Whether you’re lactose intolerant or have a predisposition to celiac disease

Macronutrients and Weight Loss

It’s a well-known fact that people respond differently to weight-loss diets. Your friend may be successful on a low-fat diet, but the same diet doesn’t work for you. Some people do really well on high-protein diets, while others lose weight quickly with a high-carb diet. The reason why people respond well to some diets and not well to others may lie in our genes.

According to nutrigenetics, a person’s ideal ratio of carbs, fat, and protein for losing weight might depend on their unique genetic makeup. Here’s what researchers have uncovered so far:

Fat: A 2012 study by researchers Mattei, Qi, Hu, Sacks, and Lu Qi, discovered that people with a particular variant of the TCF7L2 gene would lose more body fat when they take on a low-fat diet.
Carbs: A 2016 study by researchers Heianza, Ma, Huang, Wong, Zheng, Smith, Bra, Sacks, and Qi found that different variations of the FGF21 gene may be why people do better on either a low-carb or high-carb weight loss diet.
Protein: Another 2012 study by researchers Zhang, Qi, Cuilin Zhang, Hu, Sacks, and Lu Qi discovered that individuals with a specific variant of the obesity gene, FTO, lost more weight on a higher protein diet.

Weight Loss Maintenance

Losing weight is just one part of a person’s health journey. The next step is keeping the weight off long term. When a person starts losing weight, they have a high level of motivation, and as they begin seeing results, this will keep them going until they meet their goal. However, when a person finally reaches their weight loss goal, it can be challenging to keep the weight off, and frequently the weight comes creeping back.

Nutrigenetics research has recently found the genes associated with regaining weight. Currently, researchers are undertaking studies to find how dietary changes can help people keep weight off despite having genes that put them at risk for regaining it. This is a new area of nutrigenomics, but as researchers continue to explore it, they should provide personalized diet recommendations that will help people lose weight and prevent them from regaining it.

Conclusion

DNA testing or nutrigenetics tells us that our genetics influence how we react to foods. This means that we may carry specific genes that make us more or less sensitive to certain nutrients. For instance, someone who is sensitive to saturated fats should avoid these in their diet more than the recommended average. Alternatively, someone with the FTO gene should take on a higher protein diet if they want to lose weight. In other words, DNA testing can tell us what kind of diet will lead us to have the most weight loss success. Furthermore, nutrigenetics researchers are currently looking into what genes influence a person’s ability to keep from regaining the weight they’ve lost.

Steps To Creating And Implementing A Product Knowledge Training

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Bhok Thompson

-

April 5, 2021

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Steps To Creating And Implementing A Product Knowledge Training

office startup staff learning — *Every business, especially green ones, need to organize staff to common goals. Yours may be loftier than others. Read about how to gain an advantage*

One main goal for every organization is happy and satisfied customers. This is often a result of your product being an actual problem-solver for your customers combined with the team of frontline employees that understand the product in and out.

When your employees have the required knowledge about the product, they can offer actionable support and take proactive steps. From features to the best methods and practices when using the product, every customer-facing employee in your workforce should have this knowledge at their fingertips.

Enter product knowledge training.

Product knowledge training helps your frontline employees to understand and effectively communicate everything about your product to your customers. These may include features, uses, benefits, and support among many.

The best method to deploy this training is by using an LMS, for instance Totara Learning Management System that makes it more accessible and interesting. But before you can deploy, it is best to plan the goals and flow of your training.

Here’s how you should go on about it:

Discover everything about your product

The first step to planning your product knowledge training is understanding everything about the product and figuring out what all should be included in your program. It is only after identifying these features will you be able to set your objectives of the training right.

Your training should cover features, benefits, solutions, and more. The objectives that your training should focus on may include:

Working, use, price of the product
Problem solving capabilities
Key features
USP
Support services

Understand how does the product benefit your customers

Once your employees have understood the key features of the product, it’s now time to help them realise how the product will benefit the customers. Your training should include answers to the questions like how does the product offer a positive experience, how does it help tackle challenges, or even how does it help solve problems.

In this section, your training should cover the following objectives:

Product appeal
Customer benefits
Ways to tackle objections or concerns of customers
Product benefit demonstration
Support customisation requests
Answer to the basic ‘why should I buy this?’ in regards to the other competitors in the market.

Train the required soft skills

One of the most important skills that your training should cover are the soft skills such as effective communication. If your employees do not communicate effectively, selling your product will be tricky.

Apart from communication, your team also needs to learn about problem-solving, critical thinking, leadership, and teamwork in order to be able to put forth their product knowledge in front of the customers effectively.

Now that you have everything planned, here’s how you can actually implement and deploy this training:

Make training accessible

A learning management system has proven to be the best platform to make sure that all employees are able to access all modules anywhere they want, anytime they want. Accessibility is important in order to make sure that employees don’t get stuck anywhere, especially during these uncertain times when everything is online.

With an LMS, employees will be able to access their modules using different devices, making it easier for them to learn.

You can also deliver content in different forms such as videos, infographics, roleplay, quizzes, and more in order to make it more engaging for employees.

Refresher and on-going training

This is especially important for organizations with more than one product. Employees will not be covering the same product day in and out. You don’t want them to be caught on the wrong foot just because they took a training days before they had to actually implement it.

That’s where refreshed training can do wonders. It helps employees stay in their A game and take proactive measures if and when the need arises.

Training is on-going. It shouldn’t be just a one-time job.

Conclusion

It is important for your training to cover each and every aspect of your product like features, customer benefits, and the support needs among many. Make sure that you are training your employees soft skills as well because it is these soft skills that will truly help your employees communicate what they learn.

Cost of Proton Beam Therapy for Prostate Cancer

Health

Bhok Thompson

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April 5, 2021

0

Cost of Proton Beam Therapy for Prostate Cancer

Cancer still remains one of the most difficult diseases to treat in many countries. When it comes to the best places for cancer treatment, most patients choose treatment in Germany because of the numerous advantages.

Due to the high level of medicine development, only modern methods are used for cancer treatment in Germany. This makes it possible to cope with cancer more effectively than in most countries. According to statistics, the effectiveness of cancer medical treatment in Germany is 15% higher than in most European countries.

Symptoms of prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. It accounts for more than 17% of all malignant tumors. The disease develops slowly and may progress for years without specific symptoms. Often the neoplasm is only detected at stage 2 or later, when the tumor already affects the surrounding tissues.

The most common symptoms of prostate cancer are:

Weak urine stream
Long urination
Frequent urges to urinate, especially at night
Feeling of incomplete bladder emptying
Feeling of discomfort when urinating
Urinary incontinence

If you have been experiencing one or more of these symptoms for a long time, you need to see your general practitioner or urologist.

Conventional treatment

The choice of treatment methods for prostate cancer depends on the stage of the disease, patient’s health status, and his health peculiarities. As a rule, in most countries, only open surgery is used to treat prostate cancer.

Compared to more modern methods, it is more traumatic and also less effective treatment option. In addition, this method has low efficacy in the treatment of advanced stages of prostate cancer. In addition, it requires a longer recovery period after treatment. For this reason, many patients want to undergo treatment abroad in order to avoid negative health consequences.

Modern treatment options

Today, a great variety of modern methods are used for prostate cancer treatment in the best clinics in Germany. These include robotic surgeries, systemic radionuclide therapy with Lutetium-177 and Actinium-225, and proton beam therapy.

As medical practice shows, proton therapy in Germany is one of the most effective treatments for prostate cancer patients. With its help, impressive results can be achieved in the treatment of advanced forms of cancer. In addition, proton therapy for prostate cancer treatment is one of the safest methods that are available today.

During the treatment, a proton beam is precisely directed at the tumor with a special machine. Thanks to the high precision of this method most of the destructive radiation energy is delivered inside the tumor, sparing healthy tissues along its way through the organism.

Treatment during a lockdown

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries have closed their borders, so that foreign residents cannot travel abroad. Thus, thousands of patients cannot receive modern treatment. However, if you want to be treated abroad during the lockdown, you should contact the medical tourism operator Booking Health.

With the help of Booking Health, the cost of proton beam therapy for prostate cancer will be fair, without additional fees and extra charges. In addition, the specialists of the company will help you with the registration of necessary documents, as well as provide you with information about treatment abroad during the lockdown. Thanks to BookingHealth, thousands of patients all over the world have been treated abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Treatment in the best foreign clinics

If you have long wanted to undergo treatment abroad, but were afraid of difficulties, there is an ideal solution for you. With the help of the medical tourism operator Booking Health all the problems related to the organization of medical program abroad will be solved. You will be able to start proton therapy in Germany any time.

The specialists of Booking Health offer comprehensive arrangement of medical programs abroad, taking care of all medical and non-medical aspects of the trip. The best doctor and the best clinic will be recommended for you. Moreover, the cost of proton beam therapy for prostate cancer with Booking Health will be much lower than if you organize your treatment abroad by yourself.

Svenn wooden watches are the sign of our times

Tech

Karin Kloosterman

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March 31, 2021

0

Svenn wooden watches are the sign of our times

When I was a young teen ––everyone, including me –– wanted a Swatch watch. It was the height of the ’80s and having a Swatch watch meant customizable, interchangeable and yeah, all those throwaway watch bands. If that wasn’t enough everyone wanted different watch faces to customize with their bands. So I had a few watches and for some ’80s fun we could wear a few watches at the same time.

Global warming, and Covid comes along and the world in general has changed a lot in values since then. Though newspapers like the New York Times heavily advertise expensive watches that can cost $10,000, a new kind of watch has come into being –– using mechanisms and materials that are timeless.

Svenn, a company based in Turkey –– built by friends, two couples –– has created a European-style common-sense wooden watch. They aren’t the first to turn one of the world’s most renewable resources, wood, into watches and accessories, but they might be the most accessible with their price point and design.

With prices ranging from $99 to $200 you can buy a timeless treasure that can continue on to be a family heirloom –– or you can save the mechanical, Swiss-made parts, and compost the rest. Creating appliances from wood, like speakers and even desktop computers started about 15 years ago, and the trend is here to stay.

Svenn is now making watches from wood which are a godsend to people who are allergic to wearing metals like nickel and alloys. Svenn watches don’t react on the skin and are 3 times lighter than metal. They are definitely something to talk about on a first date, and with the ability to engrave personal messages offer a lovely gift to couples on wedding days and also on birthdays.

You can customize your watch by writing a special note to be inscribed on the watch. This way, you can give an unforgettable gift to your beloved one. You may use your own handwriting in the design.

Green Prophet asks Merve, one of the founders of Svenn, how the idea all started, and what was the impetus. She tells us: “Our journey started during intimate and deep conversations among us four close friends,” says Merve (pictured left below) currently based in Izmir, Turkey. “Our dream was better lives for all people in the world and to make sure that beyond fair trade labor practices we would be respectively to nature in anything we were to create.”

svenn wood watches founders — *The founding team of Svenn wooden watches*

“Covid accentuated the needs of our time… we are all wishing to better our lives and the planet of course,” Merve explains and “the dream of change became the main topic of our endless conversations. We realized that everything starts to change with individuals so we had to do something under the mantra that one person can change the world,” she tells Green Prophet.

“We believe in it and with this notion Svenn was established.”

We ask some additional questions.

Tell us more about the team: We are four close friends (two couples) who live in Izmir. We know each other from high school. Two of us are mechanical engineers, one of us is a logistics specialist and one of us is a teacher. We all have different kinds of talents to contribute. This makes it easier to create a good product. We have a sister in the Netherlands. She helps us a lot.

What drives your passion? One special watch can be a meaningful gift. Something that can make somebody smile. And smiling people makes our life better and worthwhile. A special watch can create beauty in someone’s life.

What’s next? We have plans to grow in the accessories field. We will move onto vegan handbags before this Christmas. The second step might be jewelry. Above all, we would love to provide work opportunities to other people in a respectful environment and share and enrich our values with them. It seems like walking on the way we dream … drawing the picture of our lives.

How durable are Svenn watches? Svenn wood watches are 3 ATM water resistant and our company provides warranties under this scope. Do not forget that wood is a natural material and normally it is in durable against water and humidity.

Also thanks to a heat treatment process which is applied to our wooden watches during production; splashes of water do not cause any deformation or damage to the watch. Wood watches should be protected as much as possible against water, but off course you could wash your hands like you wish or you could use it during rainy days. Please do not use your watch under conditions which can cause exposing excessive water and humidity to it, like swimming and taking a shower.

Can a watch save the world? “I would like to add an explanation about the expression you’ve quoted: (We realized that everything starts to change with individuals so we had to do something under the mantra that one person can change the world) ––

In fact, we believe that one person can change only himself/herself –– not the whole world. But the changing of one person (even one person) is vitally important for world. Because if people learn not to feel weak and do something and stand behind their ideals, the world starts to change for the better. Even one person can be a good role model for his/her little world and be the spark to change the entire planet.

::Svenn Wood Watches

What is the State of the Cannabis Industry?

Health

Bhok Thompson

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March 30, 2021

0

What is the State of the Cannabis Industry?

All industries usually go through the same cycles, and it shall be true of cannabis, in due time. However, it is still in its first phase of development, although it would seem it is rapidly reaching the second one, which is consolidation. With all the new products featuring CBD from the cannabis plant and more countries legalizing the use of cannabis, let’s look at its global position in today’s world and where it is heading.

In the beginning

In the first few years of an industry, it is totally normal to see the business change considerably from year to year. In fact, if we look at the last ten years, we discover huge market fluctuations and rapid movements, in the cannabis industry. But it has been building its foundation very strongly, shall we say: Cannabis seed by cannabis seed…

At the beginning, the first people who came into the market were often under qualified. Also, the budget necessary to grow cannabis, or to enter into CBD studies, to create new products, was often too small to yield great results. That is in great part why so many cannabis start-ups did not make it onward. However, those that did have become serious players in the industry today.

The Years of Regulations

Any new business will see a flurry of regulations being voted in Houses and Parliaments. So, it’s not because this industry deals with what was considered to be an illegal drug worldwide before, that it faced new rules. That said, it certainly played a part in the fact that this industry saw more than the normal share. It justifies itself, since most of them were written in order to protect the consumers from health risks. But it was also aiming, at the time, to install confidence in them. In short, let’s just say that it made the task of those managing businesses in this industry, much more complicated.

A time for Consolidation

The COVID-19 crisis did affect the growth of the industry, but most of the proposed legalization plans, such as in Mexico (adult marketplace) and the rescheduling of talks on cannabis at the United Nations, has fueled the industry with a lot of interest, again. It also brought fresh money to the table, as most of the prominent business players in the world believe that we are now on the cusp of a global cannabis industry. That is why we are seeing a phenomenon of aggregation, as marijuana dispensaries and firms are now joining hands, under one entity, in order to become stronger and ready to take on the global market.

Three bacterial strains discovered on space station may help grow plants on Mars

Tech

Bhok Thompson

-

March 29, 2021

0

Three bacterial strains discovered on space station may help grow plants on Mars

eddy flux biodome grow food on mars — *Artificial Intelligence is used by Karin Kloosterman in this biodome to grow bio-organic food with zero waste. Hydroponics and growing food this way might be the only chance for colonizers of Mars.*

In order to withstand the rigors of space on deep-space missions, food grown outside of Earth needs a little extra help from bacteria. Now, a recent discovery aboard the International Space Station (ISS) has researchers may help create the ‘fuel’ to help plants withstand such stressful situations.

Publishing their findings to Frontiers in Microbiology, researchers working with NASA described the discovery and isolation of 4 strains of bacteria belonging to the family Methylobacteriaceae from different locations aboard the ISS across two consecutive flights.

While 1 strain was identified as Methylorubrum rhodesianum, the other 3 were previously undiscovered and belong to a novel species novel. The rod-shaped, motile bacteria were given the designations IF7SW-B2T, IIF1SW-B5, and IIF4SW-B5 with genetic analysis showing them to be closely related to Methylobacterium indicum.

Methylobacterium species are involved in nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, abiotic stress tolerance, plant growth promotion and biocontrol activity against plant pathogens.

Potential for Mars missions

Now, in honor of the renowned Indian biodiversity scientists Dr Ajmal Khan, the team has proposed to call the novel species Methylobacterium ajmalii.

Commenting on the discovery, Dr Kasthuri Venkateswaran (Venkat) and Dr Nitin Kumar Singh of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, (JPL), says that the strains might possess ” biotechnologically useful genetic determinants” for the growing of crops in space.

However, further experimental biology is needed to prove that it is, indeed, a potential game-changer for space farming.

“To grow plants in extreme places where resources are minimal, isolation of novel microbes that help to promote plant growth under stressful conditions is essential,” they said.

Along with JPL, other researchers collaborating on this discovery are based at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles; Cornell University and the University of Hyderabad in India.

With NASA one day looking to take humans to the surface of Mars – and potentially beyond – the US National Research Council Decadal Survey recommends that the space agency use the ISS as a “test-bed for surveying microorganisms”, according to Venkat and Singh.

“Since our group possess expertise in cultivating microorganisms from extreme niches, we have been tasked by the NASA Space Biology Program to survey the ISS for the presence and persistence of the microorganisms,” they add.

“Needless to say, the ISS is a cleanly-maintained extreme environment. Crew safety is the number 1 priority and hence understanding human/plant pathogens are important, but beneficial microbes like this novel Methylobacterium ajmalii are also needed.”

Expanding the ISS lab

As part of an ongoing surveillance mission, 8 locations on the ISS are being monitored for bacterial growths and have been for the last 6 years. These sample areas include where the crew assembles or where experiments are conducted, such as the plant growth chamber.

While hundreds of bacterial samples from the ISS have been analyzed to date, approximately 1,000 samples have been collected from various other locations on the space station but are awaiting a trip back to Earth where they can be examined.

According to Venkat and Singh, the eventual goal is to bypass this lengthy process and potentially find new novel strains using molecular biology equipment developed and demonstrated for the ISS.

“Instead of bringing samples back to Earth for analyses, we need an integrated microbial monitoring system that collect, process, and analyze samples in space using molecular technologies,” Venkat and Singh said.

“This miniaturized ‘omics in space’ technology – a biosensor development – will help NASA and other space-faring nations achieve safe and sustainable space exploration for long periods of time.”

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