1) It has been 100,000 years since members of the human species began to process information in a way that allowed them to recreate the world in their minds. What followed remodeled the face of our planet – but not until proto-farmers adopted a settled existence, a process that began only 12,000 years ago. The effects of this lifestyle change were profound. Hunter-gatherers were integrated into their environments and, as far as we can tell, early groups behaved accordingly, their populations controlled by the availability of natural resources. For fledgling farmers, the calculation was entirely different. Clearing land for crops demanded labor, as did constructing and maintaining the irrigation systems necessary to compensate for irregular rainfall. In a world where resources were more abundant and more reliable, our ancestors’ moreor-less helpless offspring flourished, expanding the population. Soon, people found themselves in a constant battle with the environment to maintain their fields, a struggle that was won only occasionally, by exhausting the capital nature herself provided. The bargain made by the early farmers was in many ways a Faustian one, but it was fundamental to creating the modern world. After the retreat of the polar icecap at the end of the last ice age, Britain’s tundra was replaced by dense forest. The rise of forests wasn’t the only dramatic change at this time: sea levels rose to drown the former “Doggerland” that lay between Britain and the rest of Europe, cutting the archipelago off. The hunter-gatherers of the Mesolithic prepared the way for farmers by extensive burning to create clearings for browsing mammals (and even, Miles hints, for ritual purposes), and by creating a system of trails. 2) A massive planet in a far-flung system has swivelled the orbits of its smaller neighbours. Planets usually orbit near the plane of their star’s equator. For example, Earth’s orbit is tilted to the sun’s equatorial plane by just 7.2 degrees. But since 2008, we have seen planets orbiting at huge angles to this plane. Some are even revolving backwards – in effect, their orbits have flipped over. Multiple planets in one system can be tilted. In 2013, Daniel Huber, now at the University of Sydney in Australia, and his colleagues used the Kepler spacecraft to find two planets whose orbits are aligned with each other but tilted at about 45 degrees to the equatorial plane of their star, Kepler-56. One of these planets is twice as massive as Uranus, the other twice as massive as Saturn. Meanwhile, ground-based observations indicated that the star’s velocity was changing, suggesting a third object’s gravity was tugging at it. But these observations spanned only three months, insufficient to determine whether the object was a planet or a star, let alone its mass or orbital period. Still, astronomers suspected it could be responsible for the tilt. Now, after analysing four years of Kepler-56 observations, Justin Otor at Princeton University and his colleagues conclude that the culprit is probably an even more massive unseen planet. With at
least 5.6 times Jupiter’s mass, it is tugging on its companions from an orbit much further out. Where the misaligned planets are closer to their sun than Mercury is to ours, the new planet would be just beyond Mars if part of our solar system. 3) Global demands for cocoa are on the rise. The recovery of the global economy and emerging markets highlight potential development and major revenue increase for the chocolate industry. Increased chocolate consumption in developing economies in particular – often as a result of a growing middle class – contributes to this growing demand. For example, chocolate consumption in India, Brazil and China has increased by 22%, 13% and 11% respectively. To highlight the potential of these emerging markets, China’s consumption of chocolate per capita currently stands at just a tenth of that in Switzerland. However, increasing global demand for chocolate is faced with an immediate challenge that threatens industry growth: managing the world’s cocoa supply. With insufficient cocoa supplies, consumer demands cannot be met. The alludes to the greater concern of cocoa sustainability and highlights potential longer-term issues for the chocolate industry. In 2015, chocolate consumption exceeded production by 70,000 tonnes and that deficit is predicted to increase to more than fourteen times that amount by 2020. Balancing the sensitive relationship between supply and demand is therefore of the utmost importance and emphasises a need for an awareness of the greatest threats to sustainability. Threats to sustainability include global warming, poor education and low wages for farmers. 4) The climate change impacts which are already locked in do not make hunger inevitable if the right action is taken – as illustrated by countries that appear to be bucking the trend of food insecurity and climate risk. Ghana and Nigeria are both lower-middle-income countries in West Africa facing comparable levels of climate risk. Yet Ghana consistently outscores Nigeria on key food and climate adaptation policy measures, including many of those assessed in this briefing, such as social protection coverage, public spending on agricultural research and development, and weather station density. Though many challenges remain, Ghana enjoys far higher levels of food security and is better placed to tackle growing climate risks. In East Asia, Vietnam and Laos are both lower-middle-income countries facing comparable levels of climate risk. While Vietnam benefits from higher quality agricultural land and other ecological advantages, it also consistently outscores Laos on measures such as social protection, crop irrigation and access to clean water, helping it achieve better than average food security. Laos faces worse than average food security challenges. Malawi outperforms most other sub-Saharan African countries on food security indicators. Compared with Niger, Malawi scores higher on key measures such as social protection coverage, crop irrigation, overall public investment in agriculture, and spending on agricultural research and development.
While few countries are adequately prepared for increasing levels of climate risk, these countries seem to show that the right policies and measures can make a vital difference to food security in a warming world. 5) In recent years, the world’s biggest companies have woken up to the environmental costs associated with palm oil and the other commodities they buy. Nowhere are those costs more evident than in Indonesia, which has lost 31 million hectares of forest, an area almost the size of Germany, since 1990. Indonesia’s plantation sectors – pulp, palm oil and timber – are driving this catastrophic forest destruction. Many consumer goods companies, along with the commodity traders that supply them, have committed to remove deforestation from their supply chains. These commitments are promising, but forest destruction is actually increasing in Indonesia. In fact, Indonesia is reported to have surpassed Brazil as the country with the world’s highest rate of deforestation. Greenpeace analysis indicates that the palm oil industry is a leading cause of deforestation and peatland destruction. The situation is made worse by deep-seated, systemic problems, including legal barriers and the absence of published concession maps that show who controls forested land. This all presents a serious challenge to companies that source commodities from Indonesia. They have promised their customers and other stakeholders that they will ensure the palm oil they buy is not linked to deforestation. Yet our analysis shows that companies have yet to take control of their supply chains and are unable to say with any confidence that the palm oil they use is not driving the destruction of rainforests, threatening endangered species or contributing to social conflicts in Indonesia. 6) Poverty affects more women than men. What is more, women are often left with the majority of the work. Discrimination and injustice are major causes of poverty worldwide, and women and girls bear the brunt of it in all aspects of their lives. About two-thirds of the 759 million adults who lack basic literacy skills are women More than 350,000 women die each year from complications during pregnancy and childbirth — 99% of these are from developing countries One third of families worldwide are now headed by women One in every three women around the world has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime Of the 33.3 million adults living with HIV, 15.9 million are women. In sub-Saharan Africa, young women aged 15–24 are up to eight times more likely than men to be HIV-positive Women hold only 19% of parliamentary seats worldwide, and only 16% of ministerial posts. Globally only one quarter of senior officials or managers are women. These are just some of the challenges faced by women and girls around the world.
7) NASA is developing the capabilities needed to send humans to an asteroid by 2025 and Mars in the 2030s – goals outlined in the bipartisan NASA Authorization Act of 2010 and in the U.S. National Space Policy, also issued in 2010. Mars is a rich destination for scientific discovery and robotic and human exploration as we expand our presence into the solar system. Its formation and evolution are comparable to Earth, helping us learn more about our own planet’s history and future. Mars had conditions suitable for life in its past. Future exploration could uncover evidence of life, answering one of the fundamental mysteries of the cosmos: Does life exist beyond Earth? While robotic explorers have studied Mars for more than 40 years, NASA’s path for the human exploration of Mars begins in low-Earth orbit aboard the International Space Station. Astronauts on the orbiting laboratory are helping us prove many of the technologies and communications systems needed for human missions to deep space, including Mars. The space station also advances our understanding of how the body changes in space and how to protect astronaut health. The next step is deep space, where NASA will send a robotic mission to capture and redirect an asteroid to orbit the moon. Astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft will explore the asteroid in the 2020s, returning to Earth with samples. This experience in human spaceflight beyond lowEarth orbit will help NASA test new systems and capabilities, such as Solar Electric Propulsion, which are needed to send cargo as part of human missions to Mars. Beginning in FY 2018, NASA’s powerful Space Launch System rocket will enable these “proving ground” missions to test new capabilities. Human missions to Mars will rely on Orion and an evolved version of SLS that will be the most powerful launch vehicle ever flown. 8) Post-Brexit outcomes which reduce trade or increase the cost of trade between the UK and the rest of Europe are damaging for both sides. The EU is a more important trade partner for the UK than the UK is for the EU. But UK demand is very important in macro terms for many EU countries. The UK runs large bilateral deficits against several member states. The UK accounts for just one sixth of the EU economy. One-tenth of EU exports are to the UK, whereas half of UK exports are to the EU. However, the imbalance in the trade relationship is such that the UK is an important source of demand for the rest of the EU. The UK’s trade deficit with the rest of the EU has grown substantially in recent years and was €66bn in 2013, the equivalent of 0.6% of the GDP of the EU27 countries. In value terms, the trade surpluses with the UK are concentrated in a small number of countries, notably Germany, which exported €78bn to the UK in 2013 and imported €50bn.However, as a percent of GDP the trade surplus with the UK is important many countries. This exceeds 1% of GDP in the Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic, Belgium, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia. Only a few EU countries run a trade deficit with the UK, notably Ireland at 6.2% of GDP in 2013.But the UK is an extremely important bilateral trading partner with many Irish firms exporting into UK supply chains.
UK companies are relatively upstream in global supply chains, compared to companies in other European countries. The importance of the UK in international supply chains is particularly concentrated in a small number of sectors. In 2009 the UK exported almost $54bn of business and financial services into the supply chains of other countries, with companies in other EU countries accounting for a large proportion. In the same year the UK exported over $30bn of mining and chemical products and over $20bn in the transport, telecom, and wholesale and retail sectors into international supply chains. 9) Between 1970 and 2010 populations of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish around the globe dropped 52 percent. This biodiversity loss occurs disproportionately in low-income countries—and correlates with the increasing resource use of high-income countries. In addition to the precipitous decline in wildlife populations the report’s data point to other warning signs about the overall health of the planet. The amount of carbon in our atmosphere has risen to levels not seen in more than a million years, triggering climate change that is already destabilizing ecosystems. High concentrations of reactive nitrogen are degrading lands, rivers and oceans. Stress on already scarce water supplies is increasing. And more than 60 percent of the essential “services” provided by nature, from our forests to our seas, are in decline. The 2014 Living Planet Report released by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) reveals that the majority of high-income countries are increasingly consuming more per person than the planet can accommodate; maintaining per capita ecological footprints greater than the amount of bio capacity available per person. People in middle- and low-income countries have seen little increase in their per capita footprints over the same time period. While high-income countries show a 10 percent increase in biodiversity, the rest of the world is seeing dramatic declines. Middle-income countries show 18 percent declines, and low-income countries show 58 percent declines. Latin America shows the biggest decline in biodiversity, with species populations falling by 83 percent. 10) The organic industry is now valued at over $1.72 billion, representing a 15.4% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) since 2009. It demonstrates consumption of certified organic food, cosmetics and household products is at a record high in Australia. Availability of organics in major supermarkets and new independent organic retailers is in part responsible for this growth; however an extremely strong export market is supporting existing farmers and producers as well as encouraging new entrants into the organic arena. Key findings across industry sectors driving growth include: Dairy is the fastest growing organic category in 2014, now estimated to be worth $113m With compound growth of 127% 2011–2014, beef is the second fastest growing sector with a total value of $198m in 2014. Wine grape production increased by a staggering 120% between 2011 and 2014
The organic grain category has grown by 20% with total crop values lifting by 67% in three years 18% annual growth of organic cosmetics 2009–14 with skincare (35.4%) and haircare (33.7%) showing the greatest rise With demand for organics outstripping supply by 40%, the Australian retail market for certified organic products is also expected to continue on this growth path with private label products, certified organic processed foods and greater affordability driving this trajectory.
SUMMARY-1 Encryption has long been used by military and governments to facilitate secret communication. It is now commonly used in protecting information within many kinds of civilian systems. For example, the Computer Security Institute reported that in 2007, 71% of companies surveyed utilized encryption for some of their data in transit, and 53% utilized encryption for some of their data in storage. [7] Encryption can be used to protect data "at rest", such as files on computers and storage devices (e.g. USB flash drives). In recent years there have been numerous reports of confidential data such as customers' personal records being exposed through loss or theft of laptops or backup drives. Encrypting such files at rest helps protect them should physical security measures fail. Digital rights management systems, which prevent unauthorized use or reproduction of copyrighted material and protect software against reverse engineering (see also copy protection), is another somewhat different example of using encryption on data at rest.[Encryption is also used to protect data in transit, for example data being transferred via networks (e.g. the Internet, e-commerce), mobile telephones, wireless microphones, wireless intercom systems, Bluetooth devices and bank automatic teller machines. There have been numerous reports of data in transit being intercepted in recent years. [8]Encrypting data in transit also helps to secure it as it is often difficult to physically secure all access to networks. SUMMARY -2 Hermia and Lysander have escaped to the same forest in hopes of eloping. Helena, desperate to reclaim Demetrius's love, tells Demetrius about the plan and he follows them in hopes of killing Lysander. Helena continually makes advances towards Demetrius, promising to love him more than Hermia. However, he rebuffs her with cruel insults against her. Observing this, Oberon orders Puck to spread some of the magical juice from the flower on the eyelids of the young Athenian man. Instead, Puck mistakes Lysander for Demetrius, not having actually seen either before, and administers the juice to the sleeping Lysander. Helena, coming across him, wakes him while attempting to determine whether he is dead or asleep. Upon this happening, Lysander immediately falls in love with Helena. Oberon sees Demetrius still following Hermia and is enraged. When Demetrius decides to go to sleep, Oberon sends Puck to get Helena while he charms Demetrius' eyes. Upon waking up, he sees Helena. Now, both men are in pursuit of Helena. However, she is convinced that her two suitors are mocking her, as neither loved her originally. Hermia is at a loss to see why her lover has abandoned her, and accuses Helena of stealing Lysander away from her. The four quarrel with each other until Lysander and Demetrius become so enraged that they seek a place to duel each other to prove whose love for Helena is the greatest. Oberon orders Puck to keep Lysander and Demetrius from catching up with one another and to remove the charm from Lysander.
Summary -3 Humor is infectious. The sound of roaring laughter is far more contagious than any cough, sniffle, or sneeze. When laughter is shared, it binds people together and increases happiness and intimacy. Laughter also triggers healthy physical changes in the body. Humor and laughter strengthen your immune system, boost your energy, diminish pain, and protect you from the damaging effects of stress. Laughter is a powerful antidote to stress, pain, and conflict. Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good laugh. Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hopes, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused, and alert With so much power to heal and renew, the ability to laugh easily and frequently is a tremendous resource for surmounting problems, enhancing your relationships, and supporting both physical and emotional health. Best of all, this pricele saughter makes you feel good. And the good feeling that you get when you laugh remains with you even after the laughter subsides. Humor helps you keep a positive, optimistic outlook through difficult situations, disappointments, and loss. Medicine is fun, free, and easy to use. SUMMARY-4 Basic Global English, or BGE, is a concept of global English initiated by German linguist Joachim Grega. It evolved from the idea of creating a type of English that can be learned more easily than regular British or American English and that serves as a tool for successful global communication. BGE is guided by creating "empathy and tolerance" between speakers in a global context. This applies to the context of global communication, where different speakers with different mother tongues come together. BGE aims to develop this competence as quickly as possible. English language teaching is almost always related to a corresponding culture, e. g. learners will either deal with American English and therefore with American culture or British English and therefore with British culture. Basic Global English is supposed to solve this problem by creating one collective version of English. Additionally, it is a system that is suited for self-teaching as well as regular teaching.BGE is based on 20 elementary grammar rules that provide a certain degree of variation. For example, regular as well as irregular formed verbs are accepted. Pronunciation rules are not as strict as in British or American English, so there is a certain degree of variation for the learners. Exceptions that cannot be used are pronunciations that would be harmful to mutual understanding and therefore minimize the success of communication. Summary -6 Clients who can use art therapy may have a wide range of difficulties, disabilities or diagnoses. These include, for example, emotional, behavioral or mental health problems, learning or physical disabilities, life-limiting conditions, brain-injury or neurological conditions and physical illness. Art therapy may be provided for groups, or for individuals, depending on clients’ needs. It is not a recreational activity or an art lesson, although the sessions can be enjoyable. Clients do not need to have any previous experience or expertise in art. Art therapy is a mental health profession that uses the creative process of art making to improve and enhance the physical, mental and emotional well-being of individuals of all ages. It is based on the belief that
the creative process involved in artistic self-expression helps people to resolve conflicts and problems, develop interpersonal skills, manage behavior, reduce stress, increase self-esteem and self-awareness, and achieve insight. Art therapy integrates the fields of human development, visual art (drawing, painting, sculpture, and other art forms), and the creative process with models of counseling and psychotherapy. ] Summary -7 For 27 years, he simply looked like a prisoner, locked up in South African jail cells for his antiapartheid activism. But what seemed like a long exercise in futility is now the stuff of legend: After his release in 1990 he became his country’s president, and today he’s celebrated not as an outlaw but as an icon of commitment and compassion. Fortunately, visionary thinkers aren’t always imprisoned, but they are often ridiculed, marginalized, or just plain dismissed for proposing big ideas that may sound outlandish to others. Get people to invest in local food systems? Good luck with that. Identify and dismantle the roots of violence? Sure you will. Create a global grassroots movement to halt climate change? Very funny. Yet these are just a few of the lofty, laudable, and reachable goals of the 25 forward thinkers featured on the following pages. Instead of pushing these women and men to the edges, as our politics and media often do, we aim to celebrate their courage and encourage both admiration and emulation. The 2010 Utne Reader Visionaries come from many backgrounds and disciplines. What they have in common is that rare ability to dream of a better future—so vividly and so passionately—that it inspires them and others to action. For, as Nelson Mandela proved beyond a doubt, the only thing that can stop forward progress is resignation. Summary -8 What makes some people more successful in work and life than others? IQ and work ethic are important, but they don't tell the whole story. Our emotional intelligence -- the way we manage emotions, both our own and those of others -- can play a critical role in determining our happiness and success .Plato said that all learning has some emotional basis, and he may be right. The way we interact with and regulate our emotions has repercussions in nearly every aspect of our lives. To put it in colloquial terms, emotional intelligence (EQ) is like "street smarts," as opposed to "book smarts," and it's what accounts for a great deal of one's ability to navigate life effectively."What having emotional intelligence looks like is that you're confident, good at working towards your goals, adaptable and flexible. You recover quickly from stress and you're resilient," Daniel Goleman, psychologist and author of Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence, tells The Huffington Post. "Life goes much more smoothly if you have good emotional intelligence."The five components of emotional intelligence, as defined by Goleman, are self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, social skills and empathy. We can be strong in some of these areas and deficient in others, but we all have the power to improve any of them. Summary 9 The Emperor of China had sent some peaches to the king of Tondmandalam with a note stating that the fruit gave long life to anyone who ate them. As the fruits were being shown to the ruler, Raman, giving in to temptation, picked up one of the luscious peaches and bit into it. The king was enraged. "You've bitten into a fruit meant for me!" he thundered. "For this you must die!" As Raman was being taken away by the royal guards he sighed dramatically and exclaimed, "What a deceitful man the Emperor of China is. He says the
fruit gives long life. I took just one bite and I'm about to die. O, what a fate awaits the one who eats an entire fruit!"The king was greatly amused by Raman's wit. He not only pardoned him but also gave him a dozen.
