3 September 2019

The Future of Politics is a Collective A.I. Entity Named LOGOS

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This mixed-race logo of LOGOS signifies all humans, including advanced forms of artificial intelligence. She emphasizes the traditional feminine values of empathy, sharing, and nurturance. The tendrils of her hair represents the internet, including all present and future interconnections. Logos in its meaning as "word" represents the ability of this emerging entity to be able to interact with anyone in their own language.
LOGOS is the name of a non-profit, open-source, trinitarian aid to governance. It will consist of interested citizens and academics, channeled through an artificial intelligence entity, eventually able to take on any form, and interact with anyone in their own language. The academic site for professionals, already under development as a collaborative public policy wiki, is called LOGOS.

A companion site, UNICE, will be open to anonymous contributors. In its advanced form, LOGOS could become a new form of cooperative, intelligent life, developed from the hive-like interaction of computers, humans, and future forms of the Internet.
Michael E. Arth, policy analyst, Democratic 2020 presidential candidate, and founder of LOGOS, says: "Public policy in our 'post-truth era' is being cruelly distorted by politics and ideology to the detriment of life. We need compassionate, evidence-based policy, and the only way to do that is with reason backed by real world data. This could be accomplished with public policy wikis, augmented by artificial intelligence."
LOGOS could develop fair, efficient, and decisive supranational governance by organizing nearly limitless data into clear, easily understood guidelines to public policy. A critical aspect of this is to counter widespread misinformation, "fake news," "alternative facts," conspiracy theories, dogma, factionalism and propaganda, with facts and reason. 
"Justice is impossible without the unfettered dissemination of accurate information presented succinctly in proper context," Arth says, "otherwise we are vulnerable to the breakdown of democratic institutions by those using emotional appeals to exploit prejudice and ignorance."
"In Western philosophy, logos means word, discourse, reason, proportion, opinion, proposition, order, and knowledge. The word was later adapted into Abrahamic religions to mean "God." In a similar but secular sense, our LOGOS will be universally present yet still be able to relate personally to each individual. Hermes Trismegistus wrote "God is an intelligible sphere whose center is everywhere but whose circumference is nowhere." This could similarly describe the ubiquitous, interpenetrative, god-like wisdom of an accessible, terrestrial LOGOS."
"We have exploited almost every niche on the planet," Arth writes. "As dreamers, schemers, inventors, warriors, builders, consumers, and breeders, we have been like rapacious caterpillars encircling the Earth in a glistening chrysalis of technology. The outcome of our metamorphosis is being determined by what we do now. Will our potential go unrealized just because we could not learn to control our numbers, temper our malevolent urges, or govern ourselves? Or will we be cannibalized by a runaway, computer-driven beast of our own creation because, like us, it will fail to sufficiently respect the lesser creatures or share power equitably. Hopefully, the chrysalis will incubate us to full maturity, and when the time comes, we will emerge like that most beautiful of small creatures, and touch lightly upon the Earth."
SOURCE: LOGOSwiki.org

31 August 2019

How EU Families In Britain Are Coping With Brexit Uncertainty

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A British passport on a British flag
A British passport on a British flag (image via Shutterstock)
Mirela left Croatia in 1991 because of the civil war in Yugoslavia. Her husband Frank grew up in the Republic of Ireland. Both are worried Brexit has left a deep scar through British society, one that it will take years to heal. They also worry about the impact of Brexit on their mixed-nationality families and how to mitigate it.

It is a smart option to get as many passports as you can,” Mirela, who holds a passport from the newest EU member state, Croatia, told our team. For Frank, an Irish national, his Republic of Ireland passport is the best to have under current circumstances due to the additional arrangements between the Republic of Ireland and the UK regarding the status of their citizens.

Mirela, who has seen how quickly a country can implode and how rapidly the value of a passport can change, is not persuaded. “Things can change quickly,” She says.


These comments are a snapshot of the many, often animated and tense, conversations EU families have had since June 2016. 

Boris Johnson, the British prime minister, recently said the chances of a Brexit deal are now “touch and go”, having previously said the odds of a no-deal Brexit were “a million to one”. This has reopened the debate around the protections provided by the “EU settled status” arrangement, further igniting EU citizens’ anxieties and moving more people towards applying for a British passport via naturalisation.

The latest Home Office immigration statistics released in August show that since March 2019, when the scheme was officially launched after a pilot phase, more than a million EU nationals have applied for EU settled status which allows them to continue living in the UK after Brexit.

Data also reveal that the share of British citizenship applications by EU nationals has increased from 4% in 2007 to 30% in June 2019. At the time of the 2016 EU referendum, applications by EU citizens accounted for 12% of the total.
Applications for British citizenship, 2007-2019. Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics (Citizenship tables), August 2019. Data for 2019 cover Q1 and Q2. Elaboration: Eurochildren
Applications for British citizenship, 2007-2019. Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics (Citizenship tables), August 2019. Data for 2019 cover Q1 and Q2. Elaboration: Eurochildren

 Our study – EU families and Eurochildren in Brexiting Britain – shows that for some EU citizens, the result of the EU referendum has meant a sudden and even shocking realisation of the fragility of their legal position in the UK. Others, instead, had already encountered the UK government’s hostile environment and experienced being at the receiving end of the virulent anti-immigration rhetoric of some British newspapers.

Indeed, research shows that Polish and other Central and Eastern EU nationals in the UK have felt negatively targeted by British populist media since much before the June 2016 EU referendum. This might explain why, similarly to Romanian citizens, they began to apply in sizeable numbers for British citizenship even before the referendum and are currently the two main countries of origin of citizenship applicants, followed by Italians, Germans and French.

Given the above, it’s unsurprising, therefore, that while the increase in applications for British citizenship from citizens of so-called “old member states” (EU14) (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden) has been steeper since June 2016, the increase among citizens of “new member states” – divided into EU8 (Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia) and EU2 (Romania, Bulgaria), according to their date of accession to the EU – began earlier.

In 2013, 47% of all British citizenship applications by EU citizens came from EU8 nationals, 27% from EU2 nationals, and 25% from EU14 nationals. By contrast, in 2019, EU14 citizens accounted for 51% of all EU applications, with the EU8 accounting for 30%, and the EU2 18%.

Newspaper reports often take this as evidence of EU nationals racing to secure their status in the UK. But there are an estimated 3.7m EU nationals in the UK, and only one third has so far applied for settled status and 130,000 for citizenship since the EU referendum.

Our findings have highlighted how some EU citizens, particularly children, risk falling through the cracks of the settled status registration process and, as a consequence, may encounter insurmountable obstacles to later accessing citizenship.
A hard decision

There are a range of economic, social and legal considerations, including fees, eligibility restrictions, and the right to dual nationality that may preclude EU nationals from applying for citizenship. We also found that for those in the position to do it, it is rarely a decision that is taken lightly. Many going through the process feel like the decision has been forced upon them by circumstances, and ultimately decided to apply with family and the future of their children at the forefront of their minds.

Family composition, in terms of the countries of birth of both parents and children, also plays a role in the decision-making process. We found that in mixed nationality families, including those with a UK-born partner, leaving the UK and “going home” is a rarely a realistic option and that naturalisation becomes the only viable way of keeping the family safe and together.

We also found that attitudes towards naturalisation vary significantly among EU nationals. Better off and more educated EU nationals, for example, are more reluctant to apply to become British, on ideological and political grounds. Among EU14 nationals this response to naturalisation was more frequent.

Others, like Mirela, take a more pragmatic approach to acquiring a British passport, particularly those who have previously experienced the constraints and difficulties of visa restrictions and come from countries with lower trust in state institutions and the rule of law (for example, Romania and Bulgaria).

The outcome of the EU referendum is tearing some EU families apart, uprooting children and parents, spreading them across borders, and forcing families to reconsider their future in the UK. Under these circumstances, becoming a British citizen is often a defensive move – for those who can afford the £1,349 per person application fee – and a way for them to “take back control” over their lives after years of uncertainty.

About Today's Contributor:

Nando Sigona, Professor of International Migration and Forced Displacement and Deputy Director of the Institute for Research into Superdiversity, University of Birmingham

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. 


30 August 2019

Be Alert And Be Responsible, Back-To-School Safety Starts With You

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As the school year starts, there is new troubling research from CAA that shows an increase in parents reporting dangerous driving behaviours in school zones.
As the school year starts, there is new troubling research from CAA that shows an increase in parents reporting dangerous driving behaviours in school zones. (CNW Group/CAA South Central Ontario)
As students get back into the swing of a hectic school routine, CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) is reminding everyone travelling through school zones to slow down and put safety first.

According to a new CAA study, 9 out of 10 parents said they have seen one or more bad driving behaviours in a school zone. 

The top five behaviours include:

  • Speeding
  • Illegal parking or stopping
  • Distracted driving or texting and driving
  • Not stopping at a marked crosswalk
  • Not stopping for a school bus
"Everyone plays a role around safety in school zones. It is important for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists to have patience to ensure everyone's safety. As we embark on a new school year, it is a timely reminder for everyone give yourself ample time to get through school zones, follow posted speed limits, and focus on safe driving habits," says Elliott Silverstein, manager of government relations for CAA SCO.
School zones become high traffic areas in the morning and afternoon. CAA SCO urges pedestrians, cyclists and motorists to be fully aware of their surroundings by putting away any distractions such as electronic devices.
Silverstein adds that there is no excuse for distracted driving and unsafe behaviours behind the wheel. "Nearly 6 in 10 parents say they have seen an increase in unsafe driving practices in school zones in the last two years. Parents and guardians can do their part by slowing down in school zones, avoid driving distracted, and remembering to be considerate to others on the road."
For motorists, it is essential to take extra care around school buses. Drivers who pass a stopped school bus with its arm extended and red lights flashing face a fine of up to $2,000 and receive six demerit points for a first offence.

Tips for pedestrians:

  • Stop before stepping onto the road
  • Look in all directions before crossing the street
  • Listen for traffic
  • Walk, don't run, across the road

Tips for drivers:

  • Check for children on sidewalks, driveways and behind your vehicle before backing up
  • Remember to slow down in school zones
  • Be ready to stop at all times as children may dart out between parked cars
  • Try to make eye contact with children waiting to cross the street
  • Come to a complete stop for school buses when red lights are flashing

How to share the road with school buses:

  • Drivers in all directions must stop when they see red lights flashing on a school bus. The only exception is roads separated with a median
  • Drivers must stop at least 20 metres behind the bus

If you see a driver who doesn't stop for a school bus, safely pull over and record:

  • Location (street or intersection), date and time
  • The description of the vehicle including make, model, colour and license plate
  • Status of the bus (moving or stopped, were lights flashing, children boarding or not)
  • A record or photograph of the scene
  • Contact the police with as much information as you can
CAA supports safety in school zones through the CAA School Safety Patrol program. This year the program is celebrating its 90th anniversary. The program was developed to protect, educate and empower elementary school children on safe road-crossing practices. 

Today the program is delivered across Ontario in partnership with over 55 police services. It is available in over 800 schools, reaching approximately 20,000 elementary school students.

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29 August 2019

Will America become a Corporatocracy? A New Political Mystery by Wynter Sommers Takes a Glimpse into the Future

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"EDGES: Swift Encounter" by Wynter Sommers
"EDGES: Swift Encounter" by Wynter Sommers (PRNewsfoto/Pure Force)
Educational fiction is an effective method of learning - The 9-part Edges series set in 2030 showcases America after the country has been ravaged by an unprecedented political regime which has stripped away democracy from the memories of its residents. 

The Ruling Courtly family splashes their name on buildings and merchandise to remind citizens about who is in charge. Lawlessness is allowed to flourish to discombobulate the people so they never organize and rise up against the corporate fiefdom, which maintains tight control. 

Newspaper reporter Bjorn Esterday's investigative division is downsized, but as he moves to popular lifestyles, he brings his hard-edged curiosity to a seemingly innocuous assignment only to be slapped with deadly ramifications. 

How can he and Sarah Paradise, clever school teacher, challenge such a venomous force?
Nicolas Berggruen may have some good ideas about the future of American Democracy. That is why he founded the Berggruen Institute and co-founded the World Post with the Washington Post to investigate global issues…

Berggruen and Nathan Gardels co-authored Intelligent Governance for the 21st Century, which addresses designing a better way to govern by taking the best of East and West. Recently, they released Renovating Democracy.


  • Yet, does Berggruen's think tank address corporation-managed cities?
  • Would Nicolas Berggruen, 58, and Nathan Gardels, 66 want to compare and contrast their book, Renovating Democracy, with Edges penned by Wynter Sommers?
We probably both know the answer.

In 2008, Lehman Brother's folded laying off 26,000 employees as it dramatically ushered in a new era now called the Great Recession, blazing the path for an uncertain gig-economy where your spare time needs to produce a revenue stream. No longer could a middle-class household pay for healthcare, childcare, and education on one income without going deeply into debt. 

The ripple effect vaporized about 8.7 million jobs, disintegrating the secure scaffolding of pensions, retirement, and traditional nest eggs. Analysis traces this avoidable incident back to a lack of financial regulations.

  • So, what is next? If a city files for bankruptcy and needs to liquidate assets at auction, could a corporation buy that distressed city? Could Americans exchange democracy for corporatocracy?
  • Does Berggruen's tome address corporation-managed cities? Will America become a corporatocracy?
Edges reveals what America will be like in the year 2030. 

  • Why does the character Bjorn Esterday, investigative reporter, take such immense risks?
  • Why does Sarah Paradise, determined school teacher, insist on finding out the truth even if it may cost her life?
Wynter Sommers explained, "Edges confronts us with what will happen when the nation complacently stands by as we become corporatized, shifting America's Mission Statement to supporting corporate demands at the expense of our citizen's needs and rights. An earnest desire for objective truth could threaten leadership. Would you be ruled by Jack Courtly or Skipper, his brother? What would you accept and what would it take to get you to fight?"

  • The Bundle Set of books  includes Edges:Conversation Station guide which evokes poignant questions about each of the nine books.
SOURCE: Pure Force

28 August 2019

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Makes Thrilling Debut at Walt Disney World Resort

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Grand opening of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge
Grand opening of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge (PRNewsfoto/Walt Disney World Resort)
This will be a day long remembered at Disney's Hollywood Studios, as the park took its first step into a larger world with the grand opening of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. Bob Chapek, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, was flanked by the mighty Chewbacca and other Star Wars characters Wednesday morning as fireworks exploded overhead during the land's dedication ceremony.
"With the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, we've set a new standard for the most immersive storytelling in the galaxy," said Bob Chapek, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. "Every experience in Batuu – from piloting the Millennium Falcon to building your own droid – puts guests deeper into their own Star Wars story."
Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, which opened at Disneyland Park in California on May 31, 2019, is the largest and most technologically advanced single-themed land expansion ever in a Disney park. The 14-acre land transports guests to the remote planet of Batuu, full of unique sights, sounds, smells and tastes.

Guests become part of their own Star Wars stories as they experience galactic food and beverages, such as iconic Blue Milk and Green Milk. They can craft their own lightsabers or build their own droids in immersive, interactive retail experiences. They can explore an intriguing collection of merchant shops and may even come across iconic Star Wars characters.
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run (Walt Disney World Resort)
  • In one of the land's signature attractions, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, guests take the controls of the most famous ship in the galaxy as pilots, gunners or flight engineers in an exhilarating experience that responds in real time to the actions they take. 
  • A second anchor attraction, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, will debut Dec. 5, 2019, at Disney's Hollywood Studios and Jan. 17, 2020, at Disneyland. In the most ambitious, immersive and advanced attraction ever imagined, guests will become part of the action during a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance in an experience that will blur the lines between fantasy and reality.
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – Main Hold in Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run (Walt Disney World Resort)
The new land builds off decades of collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering and Lucasfilm Ltd., a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment production, including the Star Wars franchise. The work on Star Wars between these two creative powerhouses dates back to 1987, when the groundbreaking Star Tours attraction opened at Disneyland Park in California.


27 August 2019

Fires from Deforestation and Negligent Policy are Destroying Amazon Rainforest

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Rainforest: Dispatches from Earth’s Most Vital Frontlines
Rainforest: Dispatches from Earth’s Most Vital Frontlines
The Amazon Rainforest, the lungs of the earth, is going up in flames due in large part to deforestation and negligent policy from Brazil's president, Jair Bolsonaro. 

Rainforests are hotspots of biodiversity and are crucial to our planetary health. These ecosystems provide indispensable benefits, from capturing carbon and ensuring food security to contributing to breakthroughs in medicine, farming, engineering, and protecting numerous species.
Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, the country's government conservation agency, knows rainforests better than anyone. On the Amazon wildfires, he recently wrote, "Our planet's largest freshwater system, biggest living carbon store, greatest repository of biological diversity & one of the richest places for cultural diversity is on fire. Difficult to imagine a more stupid policy than to wreck the Amazon rainforest."
His new book, Rainforest: Dispatches from Earth's Most Vital Frontlines, has been called "science writing at its best," by Booklist. In it, Juniper journeys from the barren forests of the Americas to Indonesia, where palm oil plantations have supplanted much of the former rainforest.

  •  Along the way, he delivers a comprehensive view of the crucial roles rainforests serve, the state of the world's rainforests today, how they support civilization, and the inspirational efforts underway to save them.
Juniper explores the temperate zone rainforests, the pressures facing the Congo Basin, and the toll of hunting, forest fragmentation, and invasive species on rainforest wildlife. 

  • He also examines how fires, often started by groups like palm oil and pulpwood plantations, can devastate thriving sections of rainforest in hours. 
Throughout, Juniper demonstrates how rainforests across the world have powerful and concrete impacts that reach as far as America's Great Plains and Central Europe.

SOURCE: Island Press

26 August 2019

#TwitterPhilanthropy: CEO & Award-Winning Author Gives Away Thousands of Dollars Via Twitter in the New Age of E-Philanthropy

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Scott Levy
Scott Levy
Scott Levy, CEO of Award-Winning Digital Agency Fuel Online and Best-Selling Author & Investor, uses his own personal Twitter to help those in need with financial gifts and Amazon Gift Cards. 

The wealthy CEO & digital influencer has been giving away his money for weeks to teachers who have had to use their personal funds to supply their classrooms, as well as veterans and other people who find themselves simply in need.

Levy's Verified Twitter account, @FuelOnline, has been taking social media by storm making it rain, so to speak, in a monsoon of charitable gifts. Levy hopes his actions will inspire others to join him in giving back and paying it forward. His hashtags include: #TwitterPhilanthropy #payitforward #bekind #kindness #Teachers which dictate the underlying reasons that has spurred him on this journey. With a new user every fifteen seconds, social media plays an integral part in how to fulfill the moral imperative of doing right as charity has become a more interactive experience - the upside being a wider reach.

#clearthelist is an online viral campaign whereby teachers create Amazon Wishlists for their classroom supplies. Most teachers pay in the vicinity of $500, even up to $2500, of their own money to set up their classroom. The movement alleviates the financial pressure from teachers.
"It really bothered me that underpaid teachers are expected to buy classroom supplies out of their meager salaries, it's just not fair," says Levy. "I had to do something about it."
Teachers from all over the US have benefited from Levy's Twitter-verse of E-Philanthropy.
"I am a single mom in a Title 1 district with high poverty, high crime and high trauma. Thanks to Mr. Levy, I was able to support my 40 students with supplies to get them through their school year," says Teacher, Stef Moyer from Pennsylvania. "Mr. Levy continued his support by clearing the lists of other teachers we have met through this movement helping us build the foundation of learning for all students."
Levy is one of the founders and pioneers of digital marketing having started doing SEO work in 1997. His agency, FuelOnline, is based in both Boston and New York and works with mid-sized and Fortune 500 Companies on all things digital. He is a best-selling author ('Tweet Naked') and an investor who is grateful that his success has given him the ability to help others.
Scott Levy's Best-Selling Book "Tweet Naked"
Scott Levy's Best-Selling Book "Tweet Naked"
In addition to teachers Levy, who considers himself a strong patriot, assists Veterans. Navy Veteran & Special Ed Teacher, Michele Downard of California explains, "This movement has brought a light to the amount teachers are spending in their classrooms and my gifts from Scott Levy have relieved the burden and allowing me to focus on additional projects and lessons."

Levy also works closely with Code of Vets, an organization that authenticates Veterans who need help and raises funds for them - from healthcare to housing to vehicles. Levy is helping them build a program via Amazon Wishlists whereby even the most basic necessities are met.
"We're a grassroots mission. We use social media to raise immediate funds for veterans in crisis," says Gretchen Smith, Code of Vets. "Scott Levy's donation is a beautiful example of Americans teaming up with us to support our military/veteran community. We are taking care of our own. One veteran at a time."
In addition to teachers and Vets, Levy's generosity extends to any individual in need. One Wisconsin-based man who couldn't afford a necessary operation reached out via Twitter and Levy stepped in to help foot the bill.
"I was reflecting on how fortunate I am and if I was gone tomorrow what would I have left behind? Who had I helped in this life? I wanted to do more. The biggest challenge after success is learning how to share it," says Levy. "I chose Twitter because it's my largest reach and I wanted help identifying who needed it the most. I'm also hoping to inspire the masses to give back as well. It's been a massive success, and I'm overwhelmed by the love and feedback."
Marrying social media know-how with a passion for giving, Levy has stumbled upon the perfect method with which to contribute his strengths to society at large. He hopes others who are similarly endowed will step up and lead the charge in this new age of Social Media beneficence.
SOURCE: Scott Levy

22 August 2019

'Storm' Area 51 Basecamp set for Sept. 20-21 at the Alien Research Center on the Extraterrestrial Highway

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'Storm' Area 51 Basecamp
Basecamp celebration to include appearances by expert speakers, live music, film screenings, food trucks, art installations and more...
On Friday, Sept. 20 the Alien Research Center on the Extraterrestrial Highway will be basecamp for believers as prominent ufologists, expert speakers, musicians and artists gather to celebrate the 'Storm' Area 51 movement.

What began from a tongue-in-cheek meme to "Storm Area 51 – They Can't Stop Us All," has ignited a global cultural movement to call for greater transparency around what many believe to be decades of government secrecy surrounding UFO technology.

Now, both believers and the uninitiated will have a place to come together, learn more and celebrate the occult as the Alien Research Center hosts the 'Storm' Area 51 Basecamp Experience on Friday, Sept. 20 and Saturday, Sept. 21. Featuring live music, expert speakers, food trucks, Alien-inspired retailers and art installations, Basecamp will also feature exclusive screenings and appearances by cast of Jeremy Kenyon Lockyer Corbell's hit Netflix documentary Bob Lazar: Area 51 & Flying Saucers


Additional featured speakers include an appearance by the "Rogue Warrior" Dick Marcinko, a retired U.S. Navy Seal commander who will share his story of a UFO sighting while conducting a covert mission. 

Festival goers will also have additional opportunities for learning when they explore the Alien Research Center's Earth Station - Area 51 exhibit or are treated to some of the best stargazing on the planet via high-powered telescope projections of the heavens above.

Corbell is curating the full speakers' lineup coordinating with other artists, musicians and filmmakers to shape the desert experience. A full timeline of events will be available in the coming weeks. In addition, Basecamp will serve as Lincoln County's media hub for all journalists covering this growing cultural movement. The location will also serve as the command and control center for the Lincoln County's Sherriff's Office to ensure public safety.
"Our goal is to provide a microphone for the movement while offering a safe, organized platform for education, awareness and entertainment for both believers and the uninitiated," says George Harris, owner of the Alien Research Center.
'Storm' Area 51 Basecamp
'Storm' Area 51 Basecamp

Both one-day and two-day passes are now available for the 'Storm' Area 51 Basecamp festivities. A limited number of on-site accommodations are available for those seeking to attend both days. Accommodation types include tent sites for campers, RV parking and a VIP "glamping" experience. 

  • A list of preferred hotel partners will also be available on the 'Storm' Area 51 Basecamp website.


SOURCE: Alien Research Center

21 August 2019

"LEGO Jurassic World: Legend Of Isla Nublar," Brand-New Animated Mini-Series, Set To Premiere Saturday, Sept. 14 On Nickelodeon

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LEGO Jurassic World: Legend of Isla Nublar
LEGO Jurassic World: Legend of Isla Nublar (PRNewsfoto/Universal Brand Development)
Universal Brand Development (Universal), the LEGO Group and Nickelodeon have announced the all-new, animated mini-series, LEGO Jurassic World: Legend of Isla Nublar, will debut Saturday, Sept. 14, at 11:30 a.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon in the U.S. 

The 13-episode CG-animated mini-series, taking place before the events of 2015's blockbuster Jurassic World film, will continue to premiere Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon.>
Set in 2012, newly hired animal behaviourist, Owen Grady, and Assistant Manager of Park Operations, Claire Dearing, team up on Isla Nublar to deal with everything the Jurassic World park throws their way, including runaway dinosaurs, ongoing construction to expand the park, throngs of tourists, unpredictable tropical weather and an impulsive boss!

In LEGO Jurassic World: Legend of Isla Nublar, there's also a mysterious saboteur with surprising ties to the park's past who is on a quest to find a legendary treasure and destroy Jurassic World forever. What could possibly go wrong? Well…everything.
A prequel to the brand-new mini-series, LEGO Jurassic World: The Secret Exhibit Part 1 and Part 2, will be available on the Nick App and VOD beginning Sunday, Aug. 25. 

In The Secret Exhibit, Simon Masrani has an idea for a new attraction that is guaranteed to keep Jurassic World at the forefront of theme park entertainment, but in order for it to succeed, he needs his right-hand can-do problem solver, Claire Dearing, and newcomer Owen Grady, to get a trio of dinosaurs across the park to the new, super-secret exhibit. 

Unfortunately, delivering the dinosaurs to the new attraction is not as easy as they thought!

Beginning, Sunday Aug. 25, a sneak peek episode, "Mission Critical," will be available for fans to watch on the Nick App, Nick On Demand and Nickelodeon's YouTube channel.


LEGO Jurassic World: Legend of Isla Nublar
LEGO Jurassic World: Legend of Isla Nublar (PRNewsfoto/Universal Brand Development)

Building sets inspired by LEGO Jurassic World: Legend of Isla Nublar are currently available at retail globally, including:

  • Dilophosaurus on the Loose (75934) 
  • Baryonyx Face-Off: The Treasure Hunt (75935) 
  • Triceratops Rampage (75937)  
  • T. rex vs Dino-Mech Battle (75938)

About Jurassic World:

From Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment, Jurassic World immerses audiences of all ages in a new era of wonder and thrills where dinosaurs and humankind must learn to coexist. 

Jurassic World is more than a film franchise. At every turn, this $5 billion film series delivers a larger-than-life destination for exploration, discovery, and epic adventure. 

Dinosaurs live again and they live in Jurassic World.


"LEGO Jurassic World" First Look:


20 August 2019

UK Workers Share the Unusual Things Standing Between Them and Their Dream Careers

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Mary Poppins
Mary Poppins (image via KettleMag.co.uk)
  • Half the UK population (48 per cent) are currently open to a new job, but research shows interview questions and tasks are getting increasingly more bizarre wardrobe fails and bizarre interview requests standing in the way of Britons' perfect jobs
Nearly half of employed Britons are open to finding a completely new career, according to research revealed today, but are jobseekers prepared for increasingly strange styles of interviews?

A survey of 2,000 working adults in the UK, conducted by employment industry leader Adecco, discovered that the questions and tasks in interviews are becoming increasingly unique, unrelated to the role – and sometimes downright weird.

Despite growing awareness around employment law, 6 per cent claim to have been asked illegal or un-PC questions about their religion, sexual orientation and even plans for starting a family during an interview.

Other interview questions focused on surprising interviewees with curious questions, such as, 'would you rather' style, e.g. 'Would you rather be a butterfly or a bear?', 'Would you rather be a rock or a sponge?' or 'Would you rather have fingers as toes or toes as fingers?'

A further popular theme included, 'If you were a biscuit which biscuit you would be?', with topics covering anything from cakes, fish, crisps, fruits, flowers, animals or trees.

Outer space scenarios are also commonplace these days, with respondents sharing bizarre questions they've been asked such as, 'Can you fly a spaceship?', 'Have you been to the moon?', 'Explain making toast to a Martian', 'If a UFO landed out the front window, how would you avoid distraction and remain focused on the task at hand?' and 'If you were an alien in a spaceship where would you land and make home?'
Shelley Preston, Head of Adecco Retail, said: "The UK job market is really competitive and we've found that companies are forgoing the standard experience-related questions in favour of curve-ball, off-topic questions to catch interviewees off guard and test their mental reflexes.

Candidates are completely unable to prepare for such random enquiries, meaning they can often answer nervously and anxiously, leaving the job open for the more assertive to grab. Remember there's no right or wrong answer to most of the strange queries – remain calm, confident and cool and be sure of your ability to do the job you're interviewing for."
Some interview task themes were even more random, with 8 per cent of interviewees being asked to perform in front of their potential bosses, despite the prospective job having no link to the arts. Some were asked to act, some told to sing, others had to draw, while others claim they had to tell a joke or even do an animal impression.

One in 20 (5 per cent) were asked to construct something seemingly random, e.g. a bridge out of straws, a house out of lollipop sticks, a racing car out of building blocks, a tower out of toilet rolls and even flatpack furniture.

Others were asked to showcase their balancing skills e.g. stand on one leg or balance a book or a cup of water on their head and walk around the room.

These weird and random requests have clearly got the better of many unprepared candidates, leaving many to perform embarrassing blunders they'd rather forget.

When asked about their most embarrassing moments in an interview, UK workers said circumstances beyond their control are often to blame. 11 per cent admitted to leaving the interview red faced with profuse sweating, sneezing fits and endless coughing listed as top blunders.

Others claimed having a mind-blank (8 per cent), spilling a drink (4 per cent), falling over (3 per cent), stumbling over words (2.5 per cent) or arriving late (0.8 per cent) were near the top of the list.

While for some respondents (3 per cent) disastrous wardrobe malfunctions were to blame, such as trousers or skirts splitting, flies undone, or blouses unbuttoned.
Shelley Preston added: "While you may not be able to prepare for questions like 'would you rather be a rock or a sponge', you can ensure you're prepped in terms of the basics. Research the company thoroughly, keep an open mind, prepare your outfit the night before and ensure you arrive early so that you start proceedings on the right foot and assert confidence throughout."

Top 10 most unusual interview questions:

  1. Can you sing the theme tune to Captain Pugwash?
  2. Have you ever seen an invisible man?
  3. How do you build a tower out of spaghetti?
  4. How many elephants can you fit in your car?
  5. How would you climb out of a giant bucket?
  6. How would you respond to a random person asking to lick your armpit?
  7. What side of the bed do you sleep on?
  8. Why are manhole covers round?
  9. Where do you see Arnold Schwarzenegger in five years' time?
  10. Who is more important – Father Christmas or the Tooth Fairy?

Top 10 most unusual interview tasks:

  1. Form a line youngest to oldest without talking to anyone
  2. Write your name backwards
  3. Act like a plug
  4. Clap like a duck
  5. Count backwards
  6. Copy the sound of a fax machine
  7. Do the 'I'm a little teapot dance' every time someone is late to a group interview
  8. Lick your elbow
  9. Sit still for 30 minutes
  10. Stack cereal

Top 10 most embarrassing interview moments:

  1. I was asked to give an example of when someone broke my trust and I blabbered on about my ex cheating on me
  2. I called the interviewer Dad
  3. I caught my trousers in the window chord
  4. I got stuck in the loo
  5. I got my finger stuck in the chair I was sitting in
  6. I hugged the boss
  7. I went to a party the night before with gems on my face which burnt my skin so I looked like I had the letter Y branded on my forehead
  8. I walked out of the door but it was actually a small cupboard
  9. I accidentally displayed my holiday photos instead of my presentation
  10. The chair I was sat in collapsed

  • Research conducted by Opinion Matters, 31 July-8 August, 2019 of 2,013 employed respondents.

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19 August 2019

US: Thousands of Be Bold Be Bald! Activists to Stand in Solidarity Against Cancer on October 18th

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Be Bold Be Bald! (image via beboldbebald.org)
On October 18, 2019, thousands of people across the U.S. will show their support for those affected by cancer and raise money for cancer charities as a part of National Be Bold, Be Bald! Day. 

Founded in 2009, Be Bold, Be Bald! is a social movement where participating individuals rock a bald cap throughout the day and get others to sponsor them for their bold move. Since inception, the movement has swept the nation, becoming a show of strength for anyone touched by the terrible disease. 

To date, Be Bold, Be Bald! has raised over $1.35MM to fight cancer. Be Bold, Be Bald! supports over fifty beneficiaries of all sizes including the American Cancer Society, Boston Medical Center, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and many, many more.
"For the last decade, we have been fighting against cancer to support our many beneficiaries," says Jeff Freedman, founder of the movement and owner of Boston-based advertising agency Small Army, a Finn Partners company. "We're excited to celebrate this 10th Year Anniversary and continue to create awareness and increase the number of participants in this year's Be Bold, Be Bald! Day."
In 2007, the Small Army family was hit with a tragic blow when co-founder and Creative Principal, Mike Connell, lost his battle with cancer. Faced with their grief, the Small Army team channeled Mike's courage and strength, and dedicated themselves to continuing his fight against cancer. 

In Mike's honor, they started the 510c3, Small Army for a Cause, and the annual Be Bold, Be Bald! event. "Witnessing Mike's heroic, two-year fight, we saw firsthand the courage and strength cancer patients have," says Freedman. "He inspired us to continue that fight ourselves – and to do so in a way that would truly represent the boldness of Mike and his ideas."

Beginning August 19th, 2019 anyone can join the Be Bold, Be Bald! movement. Survivors, individuals, families, businesses, and even celebrities have all showed support by rocking a bald cap, including television hosts Maria Menounos and Joan Lunden, actresses Jessica Szohr and BK Cannon, rocker Peter Wolf, sports stars from the New England Revolution, New England Patriots' stud Julian Edelman and many more.

Those looking to get involved in Be Bold, Be Bald! can do so in three ways: 

  • Sport a bald cap in solidarity on October 18 and get others to support you. 
  • Support the fight by making a donation or sponsoring someone going bald. 
  • Spread the word about the movement through your various social networks.

The Video:



SOURCE: Finn Partners

16 August 2019

Experience the King Like Never Before With 'Elvis Unleashed,' in Movie Theaters Worldwide on October 7 & 10 Only

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Elvis Unleashed
Elvis Unleashed
Elvis Presley returns to big screens across the globe this fall with the new music special, "Elvis Unleashed," featuring previously unseen footage on movie theater screens of Elvis as he filmed the iconic "68 Comeback Special." 

  • The two-day cinema event, which includes outtakes and performances that reveal a new side of the King, will air in cinemas on October 7, with an encore screening on October 10.
Each screening will include a new 30-minute segment with Los Angeles Times lead music writer Randy Lewis in conversation with actor Dennis Quaid, rising pop/country artist Jade Jackson and the esteemed director and producer of the "68 Elvis Comeback Special," Steve Binder, to discuss Elvis's life and legacy. 

Quaid and Jackson are set to perform some Elvis classics, while Randy Lewis discusses the behind-the-scenes interactions that Binder had with Elvis and his manager Colonel Parker, as well as celebrating the King.

  • This brand-new content is produced by Spencer Proffer, CEO of Meteor 17, and Dave Harding, in association with Authentic Brands Group.
Fathom Events will present "Elvis Unleashed" in more than 800 U.S. movie theaters on Monday, October 7, and Thursday, October 10 at 7:00 p.m. local time (both dates), through Fathom's Digital Broadcast Network (DBN). 
"This cinema event showcases Elvis as both a legendary performer and a charming, charismatic presence behind the scenes," said Meteor 17 CEO Spencer Proffer. "With my partners at Fathom Events, we are excited to bring together his many fans in theaters across the world to celebrate his lasting impact with never-before-seen moments and performances."
Elvis Unleashed
Elvis Unleashed
The "'Elvis '68 Comeback Special" was a major milestone in Elvis Presley's storied career, marking his first live television performance in seven years and pioneering the "unplugged" performance style with an acoustic set. 

"Elvis Unleashed" captures the spontaneous moments and stories behind the legendary special, and sheds new light on Elvis as a cultural icon.
"We are thrilled to share this wonderful tribute to Elvis with his fans around the world," Fathom Events CEO Ray Nutt said. "This special not only provides a behind-the-curtain look at Elvis's most memorable live performance, it also explores his impact on today's music culture and performers."
  • Tickets for U.S. screenings of "Elvis Unleashed" can be purchased at FathomEvents.com and participating theater box offices.

SOURCE: Fathom Events

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