With all of Meta’s pratfalls in creating the consumer metaverse, many are writing off this new technology as overhyped and under-executed. But companies like Lenovo on the enterprise side are making solid progress. At Lenovo Tech World this month, Lenovo’s executive staff, particularly their CTO Yong Rui, were on point in their efforts to turn the metaverse from a poorly formed concept into a practical reality, but for business and government first where there’s enough need to create a solution that is much closer to the promise of the metaverse than the consumer market will currently accept.  

Let’s talk about how Lenovo is helping create the metaverse for business this week.

The photorealistic avatar

One of the biggest complaints about the approach that Meta is making on its massively funded metaverse efforts is that the result looks cartoonish, and the human avatars don’t even have legs. They tend to look like floating, inhuman ghosts. While the latest headset does a nice job of capturing facial expressions, that advantage is lost because the avatars are annoyingly crude.

What Lenovo showcased was a room 3D scanner solution that could, on the fly, create a photorealistic human avatar and demonstrated their extensive knowledge of advanced workstations to better render photorealistic environments to frame the metaverse. Lenovo’s AMD Threadripper workstation has taken the market by storm and could be used to help create photorealistic metaverse environments that fully replicate actual meeting rooms or create new ones (I’m thinking it would be cool to have a meeting room that looked like it was both real and in the bat cave.  

Other technologies would allow you to both better interact with more realistic co-workers while assuring your image is always properly dressed, and regardless of where you are actually looking, you have created the perception of eye contact.  

Creating the metaverse

One of the interesting things about the CTO’s talk was his understanding of the fundamentals of the metaverse and how someone that was looking to create a Metaverse instance might go about it. He laid out four critical steps:

1. First, you need to establish an environmental framework. He called this “creating layers” so you had a place to put objects and so a subsequent user could navigate through the emerging virtual world.
2. Then you’d need a geometric structure for the world, think of this kind of like a wire frame representation that would allow you to plan out and initially position the major metaverse elements.
3. Then you’d need to apply textures in order to make the structures look real. This is what turns the clearly computer-generated elements into their digital twin or a photorealistic representation of what was imagined. 
4. And finally, he indicated you’d need to code rules that defined the space. He called this “Object Semantics”, but it refers to establishing how things in the metaverse would interact with others and what physical rules (like gravity) might be built into the experience.  

The combination of these elements would be a realistic, metaverse-based environment that could be nearly identical to something in the real world, but would only be limited by the imagination of the user.  

Wrapping up:

Lenovo showcased several things at its Tech World this month. One of them was a roll-up screen laptop which looked awesome but is a ways from coming to market. What most interested me was their conversations about the metaverse and the effort to fix the bad avatar problem that most metaverse creation efforts struggle with. 

I think Lenovo’s implantation of a 3D scanner and photorealistic expressive avatars is a metaverse game changer and a host of tools which include AR, VR glasses, and head-mounted displays isn’t matched by any other major vendor, indicating that Lenovo is playing to lead the market in this space this year. For a fraction of Facebook’s spend, it’s much closer to what the market seems to expect the metaverse should be.  

In short, Lenovo demonstrated that the metaverse for business is nearly ready at the very time Meta is showcasing that the metaverse for consumers is not. Interesting times… 

Source: TG Daily – Lenovo Tech World: Creating the Practical Metaverse

In the cycle of Web3.0 and DeFi’s rapid advancement and contraction and ebb, countless projects were born and annihilated, but there are always projects that can emerge from the crisis and be reborn from the ashes.

Today we’ll talk about how Equity, developed by the Yuan SpaceX Foundation, is growing and working with users on the Web3.0 and DeFi track.

The source of Yuan SpaceX and Equity

Binance, FaceBook, and SpaceX established Yuan SpaceX Fund Company in the United States and launched Equity decentralized financial pledge financial products. Through the joint development and global promotion of Binance, FaceBook, and SpaceX, Yuan SpaceX has provided its own DeFi products and services to users in more than 150 countries and regions around the world.

Equity business and mining logic

Equity’s services include an encrypted digital wallet asset management service embedded in the Yuan SpaceX ecosystem, which makes investors’ digital assets more secure and reliable; it also includes Equity’s personal mining and group mining equity pledge wealth management products.

Equity personal mining and pledge wealth management products, give investors a variety of choices from single day to 1825 days, with returns ranging from 1.5% to 43.8%.  For group mining, you need to share and form a team to achieve income and obtain 9%-36% of the income from tasks entering the team level in personal income.

The underlying logic of Equity’s business model is the compounding of the dual value of mining and providing liquidity to the market.  Yuan SpaceX has large-scale mining farms around the world, and the whole world produces about 1,800 BTC per day, while Yuan SpaceX can achieve a daily output of 300 BTC, which provides a large number of revenue sources for Equity participants.  At the same time, Equity provides sufficient funds for the operation of mining farms on the one hand through equity pledge, and on the other hand injects more liquidity into the market, which is an inexhaustible source of power for users to participate in Equity Mining.

Yuan SpaceX with robust compliance

Yuan SpaceX attaches great importance to the robustness of operations and strictly adheres to the bottom line of compliance.  Yuan SpaceX has the US MSB (Money Service Business, money service provider) license.  The MSB license is a type of financial license supervised and issued by the U.S. Treasury Department. All traders operating digital currency services in the United States must apply for an MSB license in order to operate legally.  The review is quite strict, and once an enterprise applies for a license, it can stand the test in terms of business and solvency, internal management system, personnel qualifications, and shareholder background.

How does Yuan SpaceX conduct its global business?

In order to realize the rapid development of Equity’s global business, Yuan SpaceX plans to invest 2 billion US dollars in the initial stage for 10 million users in 150 countries and regions around the world, recruit agents and independent agents, and provide decentralized services.  way to build a financial business team and truly practice the core concepts of Web3.0 and DeFi.  Agents and independent agents can contact directly through the website to discuss cooperation matters, expand business and income, and use the Web3.0 investment outlet to achieve wealth growth.

After all, the incubation of Web 3.0 has developed rapidly around the world, and the DeFi platform also has the bilateral effect of the Internet platform. Therefore, the number of users, initial investment and growth rate are the keys to market competition.  With the backing of Binance, FaceBook, and SpaceX, Yuan SpaceX and a $2 billion global recruiting of agents and independent agents, there’s a lot to look forward to in the future.  The next outlet has come, seize the bonus period of the encryption era and make yourself the next rich man.

Official website: https://www.yuanspacex.com/

Written by Awais Ahmed

Source: TG Daily – Yuan SpaceX Foundation develops Equity, how to mine Web3.0 & DeFi Tracks?

The OKLink, OKG’s blockchain explorer, has supported twenty chains after they launched Aptos blockchain explorer on 18 October 2022, which is also the first team to launch Aptos blockchain explorer worldwide. With OKLink, you can see the whole picture of the Aptos ecosystem in an easy way. So far, more than 100 Aptos ecosystem DApps are listed in OKLink.

First to Launch Aptos Block Explorer, OKLink Powers Aptos Ecosystem like Jump

On-chain data of Aptos, a public blockchain that aims to solve reliability, scalability, and usability issues, can be utilised by developers to create decentralised applications and for analysing by users. The Aptos network can achieve over 100k transactions per second thanks to its parallel execution engine (Block-STM) for smart contracts, built around the principles of Software Transactional Memory.

Following the steps from Jump-Backed Wormhole and Pyth joining the Aptos ecosystem, OKLink is the first team to launch Aptos blockchain explorer under close monitoring of cutting-edge blockchain technology. Backed by a16z, Jump Crypto, Multicoin Capital, and other big names, Aptos used to have a more than $4 billion valuation.

OKLink now listed more than 100 DApps of the Aptos ecosystem. Because of Aptos’s grant program, which offers developers non-dilutive funding to develop the ecosystem. Over 100 projects, which can be checked in OKLink have already been built on the network. OKLink Aptos Blockchain explorers like Bloomberg in the crypto sector provided the ecosystem with the fundamentals of Aptos Blockchain and promoted Aptos to a broader user base. With multichain explorer, the performance of several chains can be clearly shown by comparison. It will be solid proof to see the founding team’s commitment to delivering for their community.

OKLink Using Agile Development Moves to Multichain

The launch of Aptos Blockchain Explorer empowers users to explore a brand-new blockchain in the multichain world. As the crypto sector grows into multichain technologies, there will be a higher need for security. Monitoring real-time data helps users and investors make decisions and detect suspicious activity and vulnerabilities before projects are exploited. According to the Crypto Sector Report, Q2 2022 from OKLink, the top 10 security attacks with a combined loss of $351 million in Q2.

Creating transparency for a global economy built on blockchains for users, businesses, and governments, OKLink has many years of experience since the first BTC blockchain explorer went live in 2019. OKLink has launched blockchain explorers, including BTC, Ethereum, Solana, Avalanche, Polygon, Optimism, Aptos, OKC, and 12 other chains, and supports 12 languages to enhance user experiences.

With agile development, which allows teams to adapt to change quickly, especially in the crypto sector, OKLink has already launched eight blockchain explorers in 2022. For blockchains with high user demand, the product team strives to be the first to support them and their ecosystem; for example, after the Merge of Ethereum, our blockchain explorer monitored the first block when it appeared. Users can filter blocks, transactions, and content by various criteria over blockchains.

Besides the blockchain explorer and together with Chaintelligence, ChainHub and Audit, OKLink has formed an on-chain data product matrix.

On-chain Data Product Matrix – Outstanding Blockchain Data Product from China Market 

China was one of the first countries who pay attention to the development of the blockchain industry. According to statista.com, China market size of blockchain applications in China surpassed three billion yuan in 2020. According to the forecasts, blockchain technology has enormous potential as the market size is projected to reach over 27 billion yuan by 2025 and almost 69 billion yuan by 2030.

After many years of industry accumulation in the field of blockchain, OKG has been dedicated to the R&D and commercialisation of blockchain technology. Headquartered in Beijing, OKG has now become a global blockchain service provider with more than ten offices in the U.S., Europe, South Korea, Japan, etc. Its subsidiaries (the “Group”; 1499. HK) released their annual report for 31 March 2022. During the reporting period, the Company reported revenue of HK$385.6 million and gross profit of approximately HK$84.0 million, representing a year-on-year increase of approximately 80.9%.

Aptos blockchain joining the multichain explorer of OKLink and with the years’ accumulation of OKG can also be seen as a welcome gesture to China market and expand its ecosystem aggressively.

About OKLink

As OKLink’s parent company, OKG is one of the earliest blockchain companies founded in China. It has now developed into a conglomerate and a leader in the blockchain industry. Established in 2013, OKG has been committed to blockchain technology’s research, development, and commercialization. OKLink has been one of OKG’s subsidiaries dedicated to blockchain data and information services since 2018. Visit the website and Twitter for more information.

Source: TG Daily – Aptos Blockchain, the 20th Chain Supported by OKLink Blockchain Explorer

AWS has been expanding its services to include Co-Selling, which has shown to be beneficial to both customers and partners. Using these options, customers and developers receive multiple benefits, such as increased sales, improved customer engagement, and more. This article will discuss how adding co-selling to your business model will help your company tackle AWS Marketplace like a pro.

What is Co-Selling?

Co-selling involves two or more companies working together to sell each other’s products or services. In the software industry, it’s not uncommon for companies to form partnerships to reach a wider audience or complement each other’s offerings. For software developers looking to sell on the cloud marketplace, a co-selling collaboration with a cloud provider like Amazon Web Services (AWS) can be highly beneficial.

Who Is Involved With Co-Selling?

In a co-selling relationship, the cloud provider and the individual software vendor sell the software. The cloud provider typically has a more significant sales force and existing customer relationships, while the software vendor brings their expertise in the product to the table.

A cloud provider is a company that offers cloud computing services. Cloud computing is a model for delivering information technology services in which resources are provided as a service over the Internet. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a cloud provider that offers a suite of cloud computing services that enable businesses to run their operations in the cloud.

The other party in co-selling is the independent software vendor (ISV). An ISV is a company that specializes in developing and selling software. In the context of co-selling, the ISV is selling its software on the AWS Marketplace. ISVs can be of any size, from large enterprise companies to small startups.

Benefits of Co-Selling in AWS

As a leading cloud provider, AWS has a vast customer base that developers can tap into. And because AWS is constantly expanding its services and features, there are always new opportunities for co-selling so that you can tackle AWS Marketplace like a pro.

For example, AWS recently launched a new service called Amazon EventBridge that allows developers to create event-driven applications. If you have a product or service that could be used in conjunction with EventBridge, then a co-selling partnership with AWS could be a great way to reach new customers.

Co-selling with AWS also gives you access to resources that can help promote and sell your product, including the AWS Partner Network (APN) and the AWS Marketplace.

The APN is a global partner program that helps companies build, market, and sell their products and services on AWS. The program provides access to several resources, including training, marketing collateral, and technical support.

The AWS Marketplace is an online store that makes it easy for customers to find, buy, and deploy software solutions that run on AWS. As a seller on the AWS Marketplace, you can list your products alongside other leading software providers, making it easy for customers to find and compare your offerings.

How Co-Selling Benefits Startups

For startup companies, co-selling can be a great way to get your product in front of a larger audience and generate sales quickly. And because you’re partnering with a leading cloud provider, you can also benefit from their marketing resources and support.

Additionally, AWS provides several programs specifically for startups, including the AWS Activate program. AWS Activate is a free program that gives startups access to the resources they need to start on AWS.

How Does Co-Selling Work?

Co-selling is successful because it’s a win-win for both the cloud provider and the software vendor. The cloud provider offers their customers a new product or service that complements their existing offerings, and the software vendor gets access to a larger sales force and customer base.

To start co-selling on AWS, you first must sign up for the AWS Partner Network (APN). Once you’re a member of the APN, you can apply to participate in the AWS Marketplace. Once you’ve been accepted into the AWS Marketplace, you can list your products and start selling. Customers interested in your product can buy it directly from the AWS Marketplace.

When a customer purchases your product, AWS will collect the payment and remit the funds. There is no upfront cost to list your products on the AWS Marketplace, and you only pay a commission on generated sales.

Co-selling with AWS is a great way to reach new customers and generate sales quickly. And because you’re partnering with a leading cloud provider, you can also benefit from their marketing resources and support.

Integrating Co-Selling with Existing Sales Channels

You can still participate in co-selling if you already have an existing sales channel. For example, if you sell your products through a website or online store, you can continue to do so and list your products on the AWS Marketplace.

Customers who purchase your products on the AWS Marketplace will be charged on their AWS bill. But you can still fulfill the order and ship the product to the customer through your existing sales channel.

If you have an existing partner program, you can integrate co-selling into your existing relationships. For example, if you have a reseller agreement with another company, you can work with them to promote your products on the AWS Marketplace.

Final Thoughts

Co-selling with AWS is a great way to reach new customers and generate sales quickly. And because you’re partnering with a leading cloud provider, you can also benefit from their marketing resources and support. If you already have an existing sales channel, you can still participate in co-selling and tackle AWS Marketplace like a pro.

Written by Lara Harper

Source: TG Daily – What Is Co-Selling In AWS?

In today’s digital age, establishing trust with your online audience is more critical than ever. But how can you do that? Keep reading to discover five ways to build trust with your digital audience.

Why Is Digital Trust Important?

There are several reasons why digital trust is essential for businesses. First, customers are increasingly concerned about their online privacy and the security of their personal information. A recent study found that 80% of consumers say they’re more concerned about online privacy than just two years ago. And, as we all know, consumer trust is essential for businesses to thrive. 

In addition to concerns about privacy and security, there’s also the reputational damage caused by a data breach or other type of cyber attack. Even if a business manages to quickly contain the damage and limit the number of people affected, the news of the attack will likely spread, damaging the company’s reputation and making customers think twice about doing business with them in the future. 

X.509 Certificate Management Solutions

One of the best ways to establish digital trust is to ensure your website uses X.509 certificate management solutions. X.509 certificates are digital certificates used to authenticate communication between two devices over a network. They’re commonly used on websites to verify the site’s identity and ensure that customer data is encrypted and protected.

Using X.509 certificate management solutions, businesses can show their customers that they’re serious about protecting their personal information and keeping their data safe. This, in turn, will help build trust and confidence in the business and its website.

SEO Optimization

Another way to build digital trust is through SEO optimization. By ensuring your website appears high in the search results for relevant keywords, you can show potential customers that your business is credible and trustworthy.

In addition to helping you build trust with your audience, SEO optimization can also help you attract more website visitors, leading to more customers and sales.

Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication (also known as two-step verification) is another great way to protect your website and build trust with your customers. Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to your login process by requiring users to enter a username and password and a one-time code sent to their mobile phone.

By requiring two-factor authentication, you can help ensure that only authorized users can access your website and that customer data is better protected. This, in turn, will help build trust and confidence in your business.

Regular Software Updates

Keeping your software updated is another essential way to establish digital trust. Outdated software can be full of security vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit to gain access to your website and customer data. Regularly updating your software can help ensure that your website is secure and your customer information is protected.

In addition to updating your software, you should ensure that your website runs the latest WordPress version. WordPress is a popular content management system that powers millions of websites worldwide. However, like any software, it’s important to keep it up to date to ensure that it’s secure and performing optimally.

Secure Payment Processing

Finally, if you’re selling products or services online, you must ensure that your payment processing is secure. In today’s digital age, customers are increasingly concerned about the security of their personal and financial information.

Drawbacks Of Broken Digital Trust

There are a few critical drawbacks of broken digital trust. First, you’ll likely lose customers and revenue. A recent study found that 60% of consumers say they would take their business elsewhere after a data breach.

In addition, repairing your reputation can be costly and time-consuming—sometimes, it’s just impossible to recover fully. Also, you may find it challenging to attract new talent if your business has a tarnished reputation. 

Lastly, one of the most significant drawbacks of digital trust is the increased risk of cybercrime. Hackers target individuals and companies in hopes of stealing sensitive information like login credentials, credit card numbers, and social security numbers. Because of this, the company not only loses the consumer’s trust but also creates more digital distrust in general towards all aspects of the digital age. 

Final Thoughts

Building digital trust is essential for any business that wants to succeed in the digital age. Protecting your website and customer data with things like X.509 certificate management solutions and regular software updates can show your audience that you’re credible and trustworthy. In turn, this will help you attract more customers and sales.

Written by Adam Eaton

Source: TG Daily – 5 Ways To Establish Digital Trust

Ambitious miners started their Web3 exploration in pursuit of gold. Using new ways to pull gold out of the world under more uncertainty, the stakes are higher than ever. Will big risks lead to a bigger payout?  

Web3 Gold Rush with Risks

Even though global market instability increased, driven by the international macroeconomic downturn, adventurers still gravitate towards the goldfield. Recently, the Ethereum Merge, a historic upgrade casting aside the POW with promises of massive environmental benefits, has brought opportunities for risk-free arbitrage. One of the hacker teams claimed to have made nearly 10000 ETHW (about $0.2M) in this arbitrage.

However, It’s just swings and roundabouts. The hacked incident on BNB Token Hub(a cross-chain bridge connecting the BNB Beacon Chain and BNB Chain) resulted in huge losses by issuing 2 million additional BNB($570M), the entire chain was “paused” before the hacker could make off with his exploits. The hacker only managed to snag around 127M off the chain.

Regarding both events, OKLink Audit group also provides insights from on-chain data analysis, revealing these mysterious stories. According to an article named The Crypto World Is on Edge After a String of Hacks published in the New York Times, more than $2 billion in digital currency has been stolen in hacks this year, shaking faith in the experimental field of decentralized finance, known as DeFi. The vulnerability of the crypto goldfield needs a security guard.

Shield of Adventurer – OKLink Audit Tokenscanner

Besides reading analysis articles to learn more about the onchain world, finding some handy tools for general individual investors is not easy. For non-tech investors, user-friendly and professional are two critical elements if they choose a tool to boost their adventure in Web3. OKLink Audit is doubling the security guarantee in both onchain data analysis and code analysis. Tokenscanner which is a risky token scanner tool, and ArgusEyes are core products of OKLink Audit.

With Tokenscanner, users could quickly check risk analysis, token classifiers, and security scores with exclusive scoring dimensions based on the massive database from OKLink Explorer. Since the Tokenscanner launched, more than 4.2 million tokens have been scanned, and more than 164k risky tokens have been found. As OKLink has supported multi-chains, Tokenscanner also has the multi-chain check capability. With multi-dimensional analysis, which concludes with swap analysis, holder analysis, contract analysis, and liquidity analysis, users can evaluate the token’s risk with the convenience and intuitionism of operation.

Put the User First and be Professional

When we check the Top10 blockchain security companies list online, there are only a few tools for individuals. OKLink Security Guard Tokenscanner is one of them. It supports the detection of 30+ risk items such as honey pot and transaction tax which, when you swap, you must set a very high slippage tolerance on DEX. Besides the four dimension analysis, Liquidity pairs of top DEXes and token governance can also be easily understood after you click search.

Compared with other token scanners, Security Guard Tokenscanner takes the user-first approach. A fast interface access speed empowered by API achieving interface response under one millisecond and explicit interface structure design guarantee the goal of Security Guard – put the user first and be professional in security based on a massive database. Risk scores can directly help such users have a quick and straightforward knowledge of token risk. The tokens are scored according to 33 detailed rules, and 10,000 samples are subsequently selected for score adjustment.

Onchain Data Analysis  Empowering Security of Web3

The purpose of a blockchain is to facilitate one shared consensus based on coded rules that we’ve already agreed upon. For every adventurer in Web3, a systemic risk in the world leading to the collapse of the whole world or the loss of trust is something that no one wants to see.

OKLink Audit safely grows consumer access to cryptocurrency with a handy search tool and one clear score, simple and easy to solve comprehensive problems in Web3, getting massive data support from the OKLink Multi-Blockchain Explorer. It’s the key to having outstanding on-chain analytics.

Being a security guard is not an easy task. With other services such as smart contract audit provided together, OKLink offers further simplicity and transparency to users of the blockchain risk. OKLink Audit makes you go further into the Web3 dark forest.

About OKLink

As OKLink’s parent company, OKG is one of the earliest blockchain companies founded in China. It has now developed into a conglomerate and a leader in the blockchain industry. Established in 2013, OKG has been committed to blockchain technology’s research, development, and commercialization. OKLink has been one of OKG’s subsidiaries dedicated to blockchain data and information services since 2018. Visit the website and Twitter for more information.

Source: TG Daily – How to Safely Dig for Gold in Web3? —OKLink Audit Securing Your Exploration

Few agencies capture the imagination quite like NASA. The company has been responsible for some of the most iconic moments in human history, from the first moon landing to the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope. But what many people don’t realize is that NASA is also a great place for students to learn and grow.

Many programs and opportunities are available for students interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) disciplines. Dennis Bonnen, an education advocate, believes that NASA is a place where students can experience their classroom studies in real-life situations. If your student loves space and exploration, here are a few ways they can get involved with the agency.

Start With STEM

STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. All of these disciplines are important to qualify for a position at NASA. If your student is currently enrolled, make sure they take challenging classes in all four subjects.

In addition to their regular coursework, many extracurricular opportunities are available to help students get ahead. Robotics clubs, science fairs, and coding competitions are great ways for students to gain experience and pad their resumes. Organizations like Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts also offer STEM-related badges and programs to help students get started.

Attend a Space Conference

If your student is interested in learning more about space science, many conferences and symposiums are available throughout the year. These events allow students to hear from NASA scientists, engineers, and other field experts.

The annual Space Exploration Educators Conference (SEEC) is one of the most significant events for space educators. This conference is open to all educators, including teachers, homeschool parents, and after-school program leaders.

The Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP) also holds an annual conference. This event is open to students and educators participating in the SSEP program. There are also many smaller conferences and symposia held throughout the year. These events are often specific to a particular discipline or topic.

Visit a NASA Center

Suppose your student is interested in seeing what NASA scientists and engineers do daily. In that case, Dennis Bonnen recommends visiting one of the many centers around the country that offer tours and educational programs.

The Kennedy Space Center in Florida is one of the most popular options. This center offers tours of the facilities and educational programs for students of all ages. Other popular centers include the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California and the Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama. These centers also offer tours and educational programs.

Volunteer at a Planetarium

Many planetariums offer volunteer opportunities for students interested in astronomy. These positions usually involve giving presentations to groups of visitors or helping with events and programs.

Volunteering at a planetarium is a great way for students to learn more about astronomy and gain experience working with the public. It’s also a great way to connect with people who share their interests.

There are many planetariums located across the country. Some of the most popular include the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, Illinois, and the Rose Center for Earth and Space in New York, New York.

NASA’s STEM Program

Once your student has a firm foundation in STEM disciplines, they can start looking at programs offered explicitly by NASA. The agency provides many opportunities for students of all ages, from internships and fellowships to scholarship programs.

One popular program is the High School Aerospace Scholars (HAS) program. This program is open to high school juniors and seniors interested in learning about aerospace engineering. Participants will spend a week working with engineers and scientists at a NASA center on real-world projects.

There are also programs available for college students. The Cooperative Education Program (Co-op) provides paid opportunities for students to work at NASA centers around the country. This program is open to undergraduate and graduate students in STEM disciplines.

Agency-Wide Opportunities

In addition to specific programs, many opportunities are available for students across the agency. NASA offers paid internships for undergraduate and graduate students and fellowships for post-doctoral students. These programs allow students to work alongside NASA scientists and engineers on various projects.

There are also opportunities for students interested in non-STEM disciplines, such as communications, business, or law. These positions are essential for the agency to function and provide students with a well-rounded experience.

Help With Research Projects

If your student is interested in conducting research, there are many ways to get involved with NASA. The agency offers a variety of programs and resources that can help students get started.

The Student Collaborations Program (SCP) pairs students with NASA scientists and engineers to work on research projects. This program is open to undergraduate and graduate students in all disciplines.

The Space Grant program is another option for students interested in conducting research. This program provides funding for projects in all STEM disciplines. Space Grant programs are available in many states across the country.

The High Altitude Student Platform (HASP) program allows students to conduct experiments in near-space conditions. This program is open to undergraduate and graduate students in all disciplines.

There are also many smaller centers located around the country. These centers may not offer tours but often have public events and educational programs.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there are many opportunities for students interested in astronomy. Students can learn more about this fascinating field by getting involved with local planetariums and museums, volunteering with NASA programs, or conducting research projects.

These experiences will not only provide valuable knowledge and skills, but they’ll also help students stand out when applying to colleges or jobs. So encourage your student to pursue their interests in astronomy, and see where it takes them.

Written by Johnny Steele

Source: TG Daily – From STEM Programs To NASA: How Students Can Achieve This Dream

This week at Microsoft’s developer-focused event, Ignite, Microsoft launched a refresh of my favorite Surface product: the Surface Notebook. Microsoft also announced an update to the Surface Studio which. With an NVIDIA GPU, it isn’t as underpowered. Also introduced was a refresh to the Surface Pro in two versions, one with Intel and the other with a custom ARM processor designed with Qualcomm that has an NPU. The NPU (Neural Processing Unit) allows the 5G version of Surface Pro to do things the Intel version can’t. 

I think this is an indication of the direction Microsoft believes the PC will go, and it is in potential conflict with both existing PC trends, which favor the Notebook over the Slate tablet form factor, and a trend towards custom ARM processors which was arguably started by Apple.

Let’s explore the launch of the Surface Pro 9 5G tablet and what it could mean for the PC’s future.

Video conferencing forward

The last three years have changed dramatically how many of us work and how most employees at Microsoft currently work. Companies’ perceptions of the world are heavily impacted by the unique practices this company has implemented, like an aggressive work-from-home strategy that allows anyone that isn’t physically required to be present (in a software company, that’s the vast majority of employees) to work remotely.  

This means that Microsoft’s new design priority is to better enable remote employees to communicate and collaborate, and for their managers to effectively manage this host of remote employees. The PC has replaced the phone for remote meeting attendance, but it was created during a time when video conferencing wasn’t even a thing. It wasn’t until decades after the birth of the PC that video conferencing even worked on PCs, let alone worked well.  

That has changed, and while many companies may not have video conferencing as a high, post-Covid 19 priority, many of their employees remain remote and critical to company operations, so enabling these employees should likely have a higher priority than it probably does.  

For these individuals, having a PC product that enhances their remote presence is potentially career-enhancing, suggesting a focus on video conferencing should drive a greater focus on related capabilities by companies and will drive it for individual purchasers if those purchasers are aware of the advantages. (Companies like Microsoft tend to under-market features like this, reducing their ability to drive higher sales).  

Surface 9 5G’s unique advantages

What knocked my socks off is the active noise cancellation feature in this laptop. While most features like this reduce background noise with varying success, the technology in the Surface 9 5G effectively eliminates it. At Ignite, this was showcased with both a taped and then a live demonstration.  When turned on, it was like the speaker moved from a pubic area to an isolation room. The final demonstration had the entire, in-person audience making noise, and it eliminated that noise. One caveat was that none of the audience noise was voice-related, just stomps and whistles, suggesting that some training might be needed to eliminate voices that aren’t the speaker’s.  

This technology builds on top of camera eye technology that adjusts the representation of the speaker’s eyes to make it look like they are looking into the screen. It’s a precursor to what I expect is a coming feature to generate a photorealistic avatar that will always be young, appropriately dressed, and properly physically expressive.  

The future of the PC: Steve Jobs’ vision?

After Bill Gates convinced Steve Jobs that people wanted more of a tablet form factor, Jobs brought out the iPad which was arguably the last, hugely successful new Apple product. The iPad’s initial popularity scared the PC market into thinking it was another iPhone, so it moved to respond to the threat. The Microsoft Surface was created, wrapped with a decent Apple-quality marketing campaign, and it became Microsoft’s iconic hardware offering. 

But after Steve Jobs left Apple, the firm seemed to revert back to the more typical laptop form factor. Instead of prioritizing driving the tablet revolution, it seemed to prefer that Apple users buy both a PC and a tablet because of the revenue benefits to Apple rather than a convertible device like Microsoft’s Surface that could do both well. 

But Microsoft kept the vision alive, and this latest iteration of Surface is arguably what Steve Jobs’ vision for the PC would have been had he lived. What makes this interesting is that Apple has benefited competitors with the same recurring mistake. Apple’s unwillingness to license the MacOS was what drove Microsoft to build DOS and then Windows, and its unwillingness to license iOS led to Google’s Android. Both platforms are arguably more successful (in market share) than Apple’s original offerings.  

In short, Microsoft is carrying the old Steve Jobs vision of a tablet forward with a product to replace the PC and has recently evolved the tablet into a video conferencing tool that is arguably better than any other PC or stand-alone personal video conferencing system. The architecture of having a custom ARM processor is now shared between Apple and Microsoft, suggesting this is becoming a trend, as well. This creates a future market risk for X86 vendors and showcases the unique benefits of a part that is co-designed with the operating system that will run on it.  

Wrapping up:  The near-term future of the PC

Microsoft is one of the key companies driving the PC’s future. Its heavy pivot toward all-the-time connectivity, a video conferencing-forward, and tablet-centric design, and a stronger connection between the core hardware and software represents a new likely future for the PC market. 

This week I saw the potential future of the personal computer, and it was the Microsoft Surface 9 5G.  

Source: TG Daily – The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 5G and the Future of PCs

On October 1, 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 447 into law amending section 377.34 of the California Code of Civil Procedure, which will allow California wrongful death claimants to recover pain and suffering and disfigurement damages that were suffered by their deceased loved one.

The bill put forth in the house by State Senator John Laird (D) will apply to all wrongful death claims filed between January 1, 2022, to January 1, 2026. The new law also applies to existing wrongful death claims in which a motion for trial preference pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure section 36 had been granted before the death of the decedent. California Code of Civil Procedure section 36 requires that such a trial begin no later than 120 days after the motion is granted.

Requirements of the New Statute

During the four years, this revised statute will be in effect, a plaintiff who recovers the new damages made available by the rule must submit a copy of the judgment,  a court-approved settlement agreement, or consent judgment to the California Judicial Council. Along with these documents, they must attach a cover sheet with all the information stipulated in subsections (c)(1)-(3) of the amended code section, which must be done within 60 days.

Under section d of the amended statute, California’s Judicial Council is required to analyze all recoveries made between the beginning of 2022 and the end of 2025 and provide the legislature with a report on January 1, 2025. The report will then serve as a guide concerning what will happen with the revised statute beyond 2026.

The new statute runs for a four-year term, but there is a high likelihood that the legislature will adopt these changes on a permanent basis by 2026. It is important to note that this amendment does not allow for punitive damages; it only makes it possible for dependents of the deceased to obtain the previously excluded benefits during the time period that the claimant was alive.

Some Legal Issues Raised by the Law

According to legal experts, the amendment raises some issues, but only time will tell how they will play out. One of the issues is the question of granting a motion for a preferential trial date.

The primary justification for granting the motion was to speed up the process to ensure that plaintiffs recovered their non-economic damages as quickly as possible in light of their limited life expectancy caused by the injuries suffered. Under the amended law, the damages outlive the plaintiff, so one could argue it may not be absolutely necessary to file a motion for a preferential trial date unless the plaintiff’s heirs are minors under 14 years of age.

It Complicates Things

“While this law is meant as a positive change, it does present some challenges which make handling a wrongful death case in California more complex,” said Larry Eisenberg of the Law Offices of Eisenberg & Associates in Irvine, CA.

Four years may not be such an extended period, but the first implementation will face some complications. The purpose is that the new law will compensate heirs affected by the loss of their breadwinner and obtain justice for their significant loss.

Source: TG Daily – California’s SB 447 – California’s New Approach To Wrongful Deaths

People who have a medical condition visit the hospital to receive treatment, get cured, and get well. However, sometimes they may become victims of preventable medical errors that may worsen their state, or in extreme cases, lead to death. If medical malpractice occurs, the victim may decide to file a malpractice lawsuit to obtain compensation.

“Navigating through the murky waters of medical malpractice claims can be very difficult, and even the most competent medical malpractice attorney may find it quite challenging,” says attorney Arren Waldrep of Price Benowitz Accident Injury Lawyers, LLP. There are a lot of requirements needed to prove your case, and getting a seasoned medical malpractice lawyer is the first step to help get you closer to winning the case.

What is Medical Malpractice

It is essential to understand what constitutes medical malpractice as this would help the victim know if their case qualifies as such. Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare provider makes a mistake that adversely impacts the patient. The rule is that the error must have caused harm to the victim. Where the victim did not suffer any injury due to the error, there is no malpractice claim.

The healthcare provider can be found guilty of medical malpractice if they fail to meet the demands of the medical standards of care. The medical standard of care is typically defined as the level and type of care that a reasonably competent and skilled healthcare professional, with a similar background and in the same medical community, would have provided to the victim under the circumstances that led to the alleged malpractice. The victim will have to prove that their treatment was below the medical standard of care to be awarded a malpractice claim.

Steps to Building a Medical Malpractice Claim

To experience success in your medical malpractice claim, it is crucial to establish that there was negligence at some point, and certain steps will need to be taken to build a solid lawsuit.

#1. Get Medical Proof

Before hiring a medical malpractice lawyer, you may need to get medical proof to show that there was negligence. You will need to consult with the medical practitioner, who would explain the possible cause of the problem and proffer a solution. Where the medical error is minor, the parties may reach a compromise without filing a lawsuit.

However, if the victim or their loved ones are not satisfied with the outcome of such compromises, they can reach out to the licensing boards. The medical board will act as a mediator and help parties reach an agreement. Where these options are exhausted without obtaining a positive outcome, the victim can then proceed to file a lawsuit.

#2. Get a Medical Assessment

Before filing a medical malpractice claim, many states require the victim to prove that their claim is meritorious. This is typically done by filing a certificate of merit. This certificate of merit is a medical assessment that ascertains that the injury suffered results from negligence from a medical practitioner.

 Before the victim can file a certificate of merit, they must consult another physician who will go through their medical records and determine that their primary health care provider did not meet the rule of the medical standard of care and that such deviation led to injuries suffered. Therefore, your medical malpractice attorney files the certificate of merit to show that your case has merit.

#3. Find out the Statute of Limitation

Before deciding to file a malpractice claim, it is vital to know the length of time provided by the state within which you are expected to file a claim. This is what is known as the statute of limitation. If you fail to file your lawsuit within the period specified by the state, you stand the risk of waiving your right to file a claim.

According to section 5-109 of the Maryland Judicial Proceeding Code, medical malpractice victims are required to file a claim within 5 years of the date of the occurrence of the injury or 3 years from the time it was first discovered, depending on which one came first. Therefore, ensure that you adhere to the statutes of limitation as provided by the state.

Proving a Medical Malpractice Claim

The victim is required to prove the following in a medical malpractice lawsuit:

●      The existence of a doctor-patient relationship: The victim must show that the relationship that existed between them and the medical provider owed a professional duty to the patient.

●      The doctor was negligent: Some patients may be unhappy with their treatment. This does not mean that the doctor was negligent. You must therefore prove that the doctor made a mistake either in the diagnosis of your condition or treatment, that breached their professional duty.

●      The negligence resulted in injury or harm that damaged the patient: Many medical malpractice cases involve patients who are already sick. Therefore, it is always challenging to prove that the doctor’s negligence resulted in actual harm to the patient. The patient is required to prove this by getting the testimony of another medical expert

Effects of Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice can have severe consequences on both the medical practitioner and their patients. The medical practitioner in question can be mandated to pay compensation to the victim and can lose their license in an extreme case.

On the part of the patient, they can suffer irreversible injuries that may leave them impaired for life. In some situations, they may not live to tell the stories.

Examples of Medical Malpractice

The following are examples of medical malpractice:

• Incorrect administration of anesthetics
• Misdiagnosis of an illness
• Dropping a patient thereby aggravating injuries
• Failing to change a patient’s position leading to bedsores
• Forgetting an object in a patient’s body during surgery
• Giving the wrong medication or expired drugs to a patient

The malpractice in question can happen in different ways and at different points of administering treatments. In some cases, it can affect the patient and other members of their family. Beyond the compensation for physical injuries suffered, the family can also file for emotional pain and loss of companionship where the death occurred.

Bottom Line

Medical malpractice can happen at any time in the cause of treatment and, most times can worsen the patient’s condition. If you have suffered hurt due to the negligence of a medical practitioner, you may be eligible to receive compensation. A medical malpractice attorney will advise on the best way to go about the case.

Source: TG Daily – Requirements For Filing For Medical Malpractice

Calling an ambulance is almost always the first thing in a person’s mind in the face of an emergency. There is often that feeling of optimism and relief when it finally arrives, and the affected person is carried in and starts their journey to the emergency room.  

Because of the time-sensitive nature of some injuries and illnesses, ambulances do not have to abide by the same rule as other drivers. When an ambulance has its sirens on and lights flashing, they have the right of way. Also, they can park on a roadway, run red lights, make a wrong turn or even drive on the wrong side. However, they can only do so when it is safe. 

The Sad Reality

Not every driver responds to streetlights or sirens. If the ambulance driver assumes drivers will yield right of way, but they don’t, getting into an accident is inevitable. For most people, getting injured in an ambulance is the last thing on their minds. But the harsh reality is that ambulance accidents are likely and can result in more problems than a person had before getting into one. 

According to the National Safety Council, 2020 saw 180 emergency vehicle-related fatalities, 5 percent of whom were passengers. Several factors make an ambulance-related accident likely to result in severe injuries. 

One factor is the gurney design. Gurneys are designed to slide in and out to ease loading and unloading a patient. Although it is secured to the floor, it may not be as sturdy as a fixed seat, increasing its chances of coming off in an accident and causing devastating injuries. Also, paramedics may need to attend to a patient while in transit which puts those at a high risk of severe injuries should an ambulance get into an accident. 

It Could Differ From Other Accidents

You could be eligible for compensation if you are hurt in an ambulance accident where the driver was at fault. However, the claims process can be pretty complicated because most ambulances are state-owned, and most states have immunity against lawsuits filed by their residents. 

The statute of limitations for government entities may also differ from the statute of limitations for injuries caused by other entities, so you may want to make sure you know your state’s laws to ensure that you file your case on time. Letting a skilled lawyer handle your case while you focus on recovery is an excellent way to make the whole process less overwhelming. 

What to Do After an Ambulance Accident

“It would be best to approach an ambulance accident like any other accident,” says car accident lawyer Felix Gonzalez, “The first thing will be to seek medical attention.”

Your first contact with a health provider will be at the accident scene when another ambulance arrives. It is always good to get checked out at the scene for new injuries because it can help distinguish injuries suffered in the previous accident from those sustained in the new one.

Documenting the accident scene is also important because it can help offer your lawyer a clear picture of the scene, which is critical if they need to reconstruct the accident. The best way of documenting the scene would be to take photographs or video footage using your phone camera. If your injuries can’t allow it, you can leave all evidence collection to your lawyer and the police that come to the scene. 

Source: TG Daily – A Sad Reality: Ambulances Also Get Into Accidents

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), car accidents are the second highest cause of mortality for teenagers in the United States. Due to the rise in car accidents involving teens, teenage drivers may put other motorists at risk.

Teen drivers are inexperienced in driving, leaving parents uncomfortable when their children hit the road. As a result, establishing rules and standards and enforcing them is a smart method for parents to get involved in their young driver’s safety and security.

Causes of Teen Car Accidents 

The following are the common factors that lead to teen crashes:

#1. Less Experience 

Using prior experience to analyze other drivers’ actions is a big part of knowing what to do while driving. Teen drivers do not have the same experience as more experienced drivers when spotting unsafe circumstances.

They also have no prior experience making decisions while driving. As a result, they are more prone to make poor decisions, which can cause accidents.

#2. Night and Weekend Driving

According to statistics, over 90 percent of fatal crashes involving teenagers occur at night or on weekends. Reports also show how dangerous driving is between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m and Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays for the weekend.

Even individuals who drive at night daily find it more difficult. There is limited visibility, especially when the weather is not friendly. These issues become considerably more perilous when combined with a teen’s overall inexperience, which can cause deadly accidents.

#3. Distracted Driving

Using cell phones while driving is always risky, and teenagers are the ones who are most likely to do so. However, phone use is not the sole source of distraction; distractions such as changing the music or fidgeting with the navigation system can also lead to a crash. Thus, anything that diverts a driver’s attention off the road increases the risk of an accident.

It takes teens extra time to react to a potential hazard due to their inexperience. Anything that prevents them from detecting potential threats may cause them not to have enough time to act, leading to accidents.

#4. Speeding 

Not just among teen drivers but across all ages, speeding is a leading cause of collisions. Speeding reduces the time a driver has to react to changes while driving. For safety, even a seasoned driver must adhere to the speed limit.

Teenagers often do not grasp how speeding affects driving. They frequently leave a lower following distance than drivers with more experience, reducing their reaction time. Teens are also less likely to understand how their vehicles manage severe weather, leading them to drive faster than is safe, even if they are officially under the speed limit.

#5. Alcohol 

Drunk driving is regrettably prevalent among teenagers. According to a poll, one out of every six teenagers gets into a car with an intoxicated driver. One in every 20 people who claimed to be one of these drivers is a teenager.

Teen drivers are more prone to accidents if they consume any amount of alcohol before driving. Even at Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) levels below the legal limit for adults, teen drivers are substantially more likely to be involved in a crash than older drivers with the same BAC.

#6. Not Wearing Seat Belts

One of the causes of teen driver accidents and injuries is the failure to use a seat belt. In-car accident seat belts have been shown to lessen harm and fatalities.

However, for seat belt protection to work, one has to wear it. Many teens, unfortunately, opt to ignore seat belts, placing themselves in danger. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, teens and young adults have the lowest seat belt use rates compared to other age groups.

What Can Parents Do to Keep Their Teens Safe from Car Accidents?

Parents can play a vital part in keeping their young drivers safe by developing and enforcing rules and guidelines. Some of them include:

#1. Make Seat Belts Use Mandatory

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data, wearing a safety belt reduces the likelihood of accident injuries by around 50 percent. Parents should teach their children that wearing a seatbelt regularly when driving should not be an option but rather a duty. Make sure their teens buckle up, whether they are drivers or passengers.

Setting a good example is a simple approach to conveying this message. Teens of parents who buckle up and require their young drivers to do so have a higher tendency of buckling up when they get behind the wheel.

#2. Avoid Distractions While Driving

Texting, talking on the phone, adjusting the radio, and so on are all examples of teen driving distractions. Trying to keep a teen away from all these may appear impossible.

Parents must ensure they teach their teens the importance of eliminating all current and potential driving distractions. Parents can do this by creating an awareness of the dangers of texting while driving and other types of distractions. It will help avoid teen car crashes and eliminate unwanted distractions while driving.

#3. Discouraging Drunk Driving

Remember, many teen drivers’ issue is their lack of judgment. Alcohol will compound the problem by slowing reaction time and impairing judgment. As a result, to avoid crashes, it is necessary to discourage them from drunk driving.

It is the responsibility of parents to educate their children about drunk driving. They should also warn them about getting into a vehicle driven by someone who has been drinking, an adult or a teenager.

#4. Obey Graduated Driver Licensing Law

The National Safety Council recommends that parents set up a graduated driving licensing program at home so that teen drivers can gain valuable experience. The graduated driver licensing program should cover the following:

• Prohibiting them from use of phones while driving 
• In the first year after getting a license, limit teens to no passengers
• Set a 10:00 p.m curfew for night driving 
• Zero acceptance of drunk driving 

#5. Avoid Over Speeding

Parents should also make their teens understand the importance of never exceeding the posted speed limit while driving. They should be made aware that going above speed limits will create a significant impact during a collision. It can result in more injuries.

Furthermore, driving at a quicker speed impairs one’s capacity to judge upcoming events, resulting in errors in judgment and, ultimately, a crash. But when teen drivers drive at a reasonable speed, they can control unexpected situations which could lead to a mishap.

Final Thought

When it comes to teen driving collisions, the truth is that they are prevalent, terrible, and, in many cases, completely avoidable. 

“Parents must educate their children about the dangers of unsafe driving and ways to avoid them,” says car accident lawyer Melissa Odama Hart. “Taking a proactive approach to teen driving safety can go a long way toward keeping them safe.” 

If an impaired driver injured you or someone you love, contact a hard-working personal injury lawyer to assist you in filing a claim.

Source: TG Daily – Factors Causing Teen Driver Car Accidents

A bad day at work could mean different things to different people. To some, it may be missing a deadline or having the boss yell at them. However, these perceived bad days are nothing compared to suffering an injury at work or even worse. 

While it is possible to suffer a work-related injury in every kind of work environment, some industries have a higher prevalence of accidents than others.

Work-Related Fatalities in 2020

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were 4,764 workplace-related fatalities in 2020. Even though these figures represented a 10.7 percent drop in work-related fatalities from the numbers recorded in 2019, they were the lowest since 2013. 

The drop-in work-related accident in 2020 could have resulted from an economic slowdown occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic that saw many businesses shut down to minimize the spread of the disease. Even as low as the figures were, they represented one death every 111 minutes. 

Some of the leading causes of death in the year were falls, slips and trips, injuries by other persons, contact with equipment or other objects in the workplace, exposure to harmful substances, and fire and explosions. 

The Riskiest Occupations in America

The transport sector held the first position in terms of numbers, with 1,178 fatalities representing 33.7 percent of all work-related fatalities in the year. 

While the transport sector led in the number of deaths, it is not first in the list of most dangerous occupations based on per capita deaths. According to the reports by BLS, the most hazardous field is the fishing industry, with a death rate of 132.1 per 100,000 workers. This rate is over 30 times higher than the average fatality rate for all occupations standing at 2.4 deaths per 100,000 workers.

The fishing industry is followed closely by the logging industry, which has a fatality rate of 91.7 deaths per 100,000 workers. Third in the most dangerous occupations list is the building and construction sector, specifically the roofers, with a death rate of 49 workers per 100,000. Helpers in the construction sector had 43.3 deaths per 10,000, earning the fourth position on the list. 

According to the BLS report, other hazardous occupations include the aviation industry, garbage collection industry, structural steel, ironworkers, drivers, underground miners, and workers in the agricultural sector which had a death rate of between 34.3 to 29.9 per 100,000 workers.

When You May Need a Lawyer

If you work in any of these sectors, you must understand that you are protected by the workers’ compensation law in your state. In other words, you are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits if you get injured in the scope of your job, regardless of fault. 

“Fighting for your rights begins with knowing you have rights,” says attorney Scott Silberman of Silberman & Lam law firm. The personal injury claims process is simple on paper but not in reality. When filing a claim for catastrophic injuries, the worst you can do is approach the process without a lawyer. Catastrophic injuries usually involve huge payouts that your employer and their insurer may not be willing to pay unless you put up a fight. 

Source: TG Daily – What Are The Most Deadly Jobs In America?

Life is full of surprises, and while some of them may be positive, some end up being negative. You never know when you might be involved in an accident due to the unexpected nature of life. 

When such accidents occur, chances are you will be preoccupied with other matters and not have time to engage in legal proceedings that can help with compensation. In such cases, it would be best to seek the services of a personal injury lawyer. 

Handling a personal injury claim can become quite complicated due to many factors, particularly when you are not experienced in legal matters.

Below are some of the reasons you should seek these professionals and their services. 

Personal Injury Lawyers Are Objective

When involved in a traumatizing accident, it may be difficult to maintain a sense of objectivity when dealing with legal proceedings. Being overly emotional or deliberately biased in a case may hinder your chances for compensation

Therefore, it would be best if you sought the services of a personal injury lawyer since they are trained professionals that will stay objective throughout the entire court process. This way, the chances of you getting compensated are significantly increased. 

A Personal Injury Lawyer Can Represent You in Court

If you fail to come to a settlement agreement, the case proceeds to court. If the case proceeds to court, chances are the defendant will also have a professional litigator. 

A personal injury will come in handy as these professionals will help handle your case. Hence, you stand a better chance if you get a litigator to handle your case. 

A Professional Lawyer Can Help Expedite Your Claim 

Most personal injury claims carry on for months, if not years, due to the many intertwined processes involved. This includes but is not limited to witnesses, legal paperwork, and insurance companies. 

You may not have time to deal with all the processes when focused on recovery. Hence, the best idea would be to seek the services of a personal injury lawyer. Such professionals will deal with the case while you focus on recovery and healing. 

Coupled with their experience in the legal niche, these individuals may shorten the entire process enabling you to reach a settlement early. 

Above are some of the reasons you need to have a personal injury lawyer within reach, as you never know when you might be involved in an accident. These professionals handle a wide array of cases including but not limited to road accidents, boat accidents, burn injuries, child injuries, work-related injuries, dog bites, sports injuries, and many more. 

The Takeaway

While we dread accidents and hope they never happen, life is unpredictable, and you never know when you may be involved in a life-threatening incident. 

As personal injury attorney C.D. Longo says, “Getting into an accident can shake up your entire life. Working with an attorney to help you recover can pay dividends and help increase your potential for a better compensation package.”

Just in case, you should have a personal injury lawyer’s number available. 

Hopefully, you never have to use this number, but in case the need arises, it will come in handy. 

Source: TG Daily – Why You Should Consider Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer

Reckless driving has become a menace in society, with numerous cases of fast and reckless driving occurring in the city. It is so common nowadays that none of the streets of Memphis are immune to it. These careless drivers are called super speeders, and this title is not something to be proud of. Irresponsible driving increases accidents, which in turn results not only in loss of property but human lives as well. In addition to this, it can cause significant injuries, leading people to a bedridden life. The consequences of fast and rash driving can be far worse than the momentary thrill that people acquire from it, not only for the driver and their loved ones but also for the other party and their loved ones. 

Speeders and People:

The number of speeders on the road these days is frightening. These people have no regard for their lives or anyone else’s life, for that matter. This rising number of speeders on the road can be judged from the mere fact that the councilman of the city, as well as the district attorney, saw speeders on the very same day. This is incredibly disturbing to think how frequent and common speeding has become today, and it often leaves people upset and wondering if anyone is safe in the streets of Memphis today. The City’s Police Chief was shocked to see how people drive in a state where going beyond 25 miles per hour or more than the speed limit on some streets is considered a crime. Even after knowing how dangerous it is, super speeders do not understand how serious it is and how it can not only injure someone but can also be lethal and take someone’s life. 

Incidents:

These super speeders hurt people around them without thinking about how wrong it is. They can not only harm others around them but also severely hurt themselves. Not to add, they should realize that they could end up hurting their own family with their reckless driving. These accidents are more harmful to people than we can even imagine, and they are not only unsafe for the citizens out on the streets but also for drivers and passengers. A recent case depicted this perfectly where a young girl died because of the negligence of a hasty driver who crashed into her car at a very high speed as he couldn’t hit the brakes at the right time. Not only did this end her life, but it also left her family disturbed for a long time. Cases like this tell us how carelessness on the road causes dangerous incidents, which are hard to recover from. 

Road crimes:

According to the city’s police data, there were 790 arrests for rash driving, which is 31% more than in 2019. Yet there were only 115 convictions as there are a lot of speeders who are not caught on the spot as per the policy of not trying to catch them if they are above a certain speed. As a consequence, a lot of people are not proven guilty because of a lack of evidence. Not to add, minor sanctions like limited convictions and small fines are not enough to keep people from driving these days mindlessly. According to well-known Memphis Attorney Allen Yates, of Yates & Wheland, “The penalty of reckless driving should not count for misdemeanor and should be considered a felony instead to warn people of the consequences of their actions.”

Solution:

To solve the problem of these super speeders, the government has proposed the idea of increasing the fine up to $2500 and increasing the time you need to spend in jail by up to a year or more. This will automatically stop a group of people from speeding over the limits. To fix the problem of lack of evidence, the police will now be allowed to chase speeders down irrespective of what speed they are driving at. 

Source: TG Daily – Super Speeders

Mead Johnson & Company, and Abbott Laboratories Inc., are at the center of a lawsuit filed by the parents of a 34-day-old infant who died from necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). 

According to the lawsuit, baby Sanders was born prematurely on December 25, 2020, and was fed baby formulas produced by the two companies intravenously. By January 25, 2021, the baby had developed the fatal gastrointestinal disease, NEC, that led to his death on January 27, 2021. This lawsuit alleges that baby Sander’s death directly resulted from consuming the defendants’ cow milk-based formulas that were unreasonably dangerous.

The Companies Knew the Dangers

The lawsuit is based on the two companies’ failure to stop the use of cow milk in creating the baby formulas as there has been evidence of cow milk having the potential of causing NEC for over three decades now. According to a study published in the Lancet in 1990, the prevalence of NEC was six to ten times higher in children fed cow milk-based formulas compared to other formulas. The report also showed that premature babies fed on milk-based formulas were three times more likely to suffer from NEC than those fed with different formulas or breast milk.

The 1990 study is not the only one showing cow milk in baby formula as a contributory factor to NEC. A 2020 study published in the Journal of Pediatrics showed a 90% less likelihood of developing surgical NEC for infants fed on human milk and human milk fortifiers. 

According to the lawsuit involving Mead Johnson and Abbott Laboratories, the respondents were aware of the dangers of cow milk to infants and premature babies. Still, they failed to change their formulas or add a warning label on the products’ packages, placing consumers in unreasonable danger. 

Common Symptoms Associated with NEC

NEC symptoms include diarrhea, bloody stool, greenish-yellow vomit, lack of appetite, weight loss, fever, difficulty breathing, and lethargy. If your child shows any of these signs and has been consuming products from these companies, you may want to have them checked by your primary care physician to rule out the chances of NEC. 

According to experts, NEC results in death in almost 50% of all diagnosed cases, so you may need to seek medical intervention as soon as possible to save your child’s life.

Product Liability Law

Under product liability law, a manufacturer is liable for the damages resulting from a defective product. In the case of Abbott and Mead, the lawsuit is anchored on design defects because there is evidence to show the dangers of cow milk products on infants, but they went ahead and used it in their formulas.

“The liability in defective products lies squarely with the manufacturers,” says attorney Jason Schneider of Schneider Hammers. The future could be grim for these two companies if the parents of baby Sanders win the lawsuit as more and more parents are filing lawsuits against the companies for injuries and deaths resulting from their products. 

If your infant is diagnosed with NEC after consuming cow milk-based formulas produced by these two companies, you may want to talk to an injury lawyer to look at the viability of your case.

Source: TG Daily – Cow’s Milk-Based Formulas Lawsuits

Patients may be victims of medical errors due to the healthcare provider’s negligence during treatment or surgery. This is, however, not the only risk that patients are exposed to. Some patients are injured before they even get to the hospital through an ambulance crash.

Ambulance crashes, unlike what many people have come to believe, are common and can lead to a worsening of a patient’s condition and in extreme cases death.  In an ambulance crash, the patient is not the only one at risk of sustaining injuries. Everyone traveling in the ambulance can become a casualty if a crash occurs.

According to a report, an estimated 6,500 ambulance crashes are recorded annually, with fatalities recorded in 35 percent of these accidents. Often, ambulance drivers are under pressure to get to the hospital and may have to weave through busy intersections to make it in time. When an ambulance driver takes too many risks, they endanger their lives, the passengers’ lives, as well as other road users.

The Right of Way for Ambulances

The law gives the right of way to emergency response vehicles when they sound their siren or display flashing lights. The alarm or siren is an indication that someone’s life is in danger and the response team needs to get to a destination as fast as possible.

Because every second counts when responding to an emergency, other road users are therefore required to yield once they hear the sirens or see flashing lights. Many times, police vehicles, ambulances, and firetrucks will use both sirens and lights to alert road users that there is an emergency.

Causes of Ambulance Crashes

Although ambulances, like other emergency response vehicles, have the right of way, they can still be involved in accidents. Drivers are required to get the injured victims to the hospital as soon as possible, yet, they are required to carry out such duties with the utmost sense of responsibility and as safely as they can. When ambulance drivers become reckless in carrying out their duties, the likelihood of an accident increases. 

Some of the causes of ambulance accidents include:

#1. Excessive Speeding

While there is pressure on the driver to transport injured persons to a medical facility in a timely manner, it does not justify excessive speeding. When ambulance drivers go way above the recommended speed limit, the risk of being involved in an accident increases.

#2. Failure to Yield

Like other emergency response units, ambulance drivers have the right of way during an emergency. Other road users are therefore required to yield once they hear the sound of the siren. However, some motorists do not yield to the right of way, and this can result in an accident.

#3. Mechanical Failure

Ambulance operators must ensure that the vehicles go through routine maintenance. This helps to detect any mechanical faults on time. If the ambulance is not adequately maintained, mechanical failure can occur while the car is in motion leading to a crash.

#4. Distracted Driving

Many drivers fall victim to distracted driving, and ambulance drivers are not an exception. While behind the wheel, the driver’s eyes and mind should be entirely focused on the road, as any form of distraction can lead to a crash.

#5. Driver Fatigue

Most ambulance drivers are always on the go and can get exhausted as a result. When a driver is tired, it lowers their ability to make good decisions while on the road. 

Some drivers may nod off due to tiredness. It is therefore crucial for drivers who are tired to stay away from the wheel.

#6. Not Activating Emergency Sirens

Emergency sirens help alert other road users to yield to the right of way. When the driver fails to activate the sirens, motorists may not yield, allowing more room for accidents.

#7. Recklessly Driving through an Intersection

Many accidents happen at intersections. Drivers who do not exercise caution at intersections, especially when they hear sirens, may run the risk of getting involved in accidents.

#8. Lack of Training

Some ambulance drivers are not adequately trained, and this lack of training surfaces in their driving decisions. It is vital to ensure that the operators are well-trained. This will go a long way to minimize the number of ambulance accidents.

Common Injuries in an Ambulance Crash

Victims of ambulance crashes can suffer severe injuries and, in horrific cases, death. Some common injuries in an ambulance crash include:

• Whiplash
• Traumatic brain injury
• Spinal injuries
• Cuts and lacerations
• Bone fractures
• Paralysis
• Internal injuries

Ambulance Accident Liability

Although ambulance drivers are allowed to run a red light, which other motorists are not permitted to do, the law also requires them to operate in a way that makes the road safe for other road users. Ambulance drivers are trained to take a minimal amount of risk while driving when they are able.

Some ambulance drivers may take unnecessary risks, resulting in accidents leading to severe injuries and even death. If it is discovered that the driver’s negligence resulted in an accident, they will be held liable for the outcome. In an ambulance accident, the victim may be a medical emergency patient who has previously been involved in an accident which makes them even more vulnerable. 

Where this is the case, it may be difficult to determine who to hold liable for the injuries sustained and how much the liability should be shared. Therefore, victims of ambulance accidents need to consult a competent accident attorney. The attorney will advise on the best line of action to follow after carrying out a thorough investigation.

Wrapping Up

An ambulance accident can be very traumatic for the victims. A good number of the victims of such accidents become permanently impaired. Although ambulances have the right of way, it is very critical that their drivers exercise utmost caution while behind the wheel to prevent accidents. 

Accident victims often wonder if there is any need to involve a lawyer. It will be challenging to get your due payment from the insurance company without the help of an experienced accident lawyer.

Source: TG Daily – Ambulance Crashes and the Right of Way

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX) is a U.S. federal law that was enacted in response to the corporate scandals of the early 2000s. These scandals, which involved companies such as Enron and WorldCom, led to the loss of billions of dollars in shareholder value and shook public confidence in the stock market. Because of this, it is now more important than ever to monitor for sox violations.

SOX was designed to protect investors by creating new standards for all public company boards, management, and public accounting firms. Among other things, SOX requires that companies maintain accurate financial records, disclose any material off-balance sheet arrangements, and establish internal controls to prevent fraud. SOX also created the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) to oversee the activities of public accounting firms.

The Goal of SOX

The goal of SOX is to restore investor confidence by increasing transparency and accountability in the financial reporting process. SOX sets forth strict rules and regulations that publicly traded companies must follow to achieve this goal. Violating these rules can result in heavy fines and even jail time. As a result, most companies take their compliance with SOX very seriously.

SOX compliance can be costly, both in terms of money and time. Companies must invest in new processes and systems to comply with the law. They also need to train their employees on these new procedures. For some companies, the cost of compliance is a significant burden. However, most companies believe that the benefits of SOX outweigh the costs.

The Components Of SOX

SOX consists of 11 sections, or titles, that address different aspects of corporate governance. Some of the key provisions include:

• Requiring all public companies to establish an internal control framework
• Prohibiting insider trading
• Establishing new responsibilities for audit committees
• Requiring enhanced financial disclosures
• Imposing stricter penalties for fraud

The act also created the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) to oversee the auditing of public companies. The PCAOB is a nonprofit corporation governed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Public companies must disclose their internal control framework in their annual report to ensure compliance with SOX. They must also obtain an independent audit opinion on their internal controls from their auditors. If a company’s internal controls are deficient, it must disclose that deficiency in its filings with the SEC.

How To Avoid SOX Violations In Your Company

The penalties for violating the Act can be severe, so companies need to do everything they can to avoid violations. 

Here are five ways to avoid Sarbanes Oxley Act violations:

Implement Internal Controls

One of the key provisions of the Sarbanes Oxley Act is the requirement that companies implement internal controls to prevent and detect fraud. Internal controls should be designed to address specific risks that are unique to your company. There are many different types of internal controls, but some common examples include separation of duties, dual approval requirements, and physical custody over assets.

Keep Accurate Books and Records

Another key provision of the Sarbanes Oxley Act is that companies keep accurate books and records. Accurate books and records are essential for adequate internal controls. If your books and records are inaccurate, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to design and implement adequate internal controls.

Comply With SEC Regulations

The Sarbanes Oxley Act also requires companies to comply with all applicable SEC regulations. The SEC has a variety of rules and regulations that apply to publicly traded companies, so companies must ensure that they comply with all relevant laws. Some standard SEC regulations that apply to publicly traded companies include the reporting requirements under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the proxy rules under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Cooperate With Government Investigations

If your company is the subject of a government investigation, it’s essential to cooperate with the investigators. The Sarbanes Oxley Act requires companies to cooperate with government investigations and will monitor for sox violations for potential violations of the act. Failure to cooperate with an investigation can result in severe penalties, including fines and jail time.

Seek External Guidance

The Sarbanes Oxley Act is complex, and complying with all of its provisions can be challenging for even the most experienced compliance officers. If you need help ensuring that your company complies with the act, seek external guidance from a qualified lawyer or accountant familiar with the act’s requirements. 

Final Thoughts

The Sarbanes Oxley Act imposes strict rules and regulations on publicly traded companies to prevent fraud and improve corporate governance. The penalties for violating the act can be severe, so companies must do everything possible to avoid violations. By implementing internal controls, keeping accurate books and records, complying with SEC regulations, cooperating with government investigations, and seeking external guidance, you can help ensure that your company avoids violating the act.

Written by Spencer Calvert

Source: TG Daily – How To Avoid Sarbanes Oxley Act Violations

It’s a tough market out there. Every business faces stiff competition, and law firms are no exception. Although firms have some repeat customers, you rely on a steady stream of new ones coming through the door.

When people need a new car, they start going from dealership to dealership, taking leisurely test drives, and negotiating prices. In many cases, when people need a lawyer, they need one now. That means law firms can’t expect casual comparison shoppers to simply happen by their offices.

When a potential client needs an attorney, your firm must distinguish itself, or it will get lost in the crowd. That isn’t easy, but it can be done if you’re willing to do the work. Here’s how you can make your law firm stand out in a competitive market.

Take Your Firm to the Top of the Rankings

Those Martindale-Hubbell Preeminent and Distinguished Lawyer designations are great. But those aren’t the only rankings you need in order to place your firm front and center with a prospective client. Your law firm needs to land on page one in a Google search.

If you think buying an ad to put you there is enough, think again. Most people skip those and click on the top organic search results. To get to a pole position, you need to invest in ways to increase your website’s search engine optimization.

Unless you happen to have a digital marketing specialist on staff, your law firm SEO will benefit most from outsourced expertise. Google makes multiple core updates every year and smaller algorithm changes once or twice a day. It’s smart to hire an agency that not only reacts to changes in real-time but fundamentally understands them.  

People who need a lawyer aren’t attracted by the firm with the most garish billboard on the highway. They’re increasingly pulling up Google to search for one. Focus on your SEO so they can find you when they do.

Speak Up

Recommendations from trusted sources continue to be one of the primary ways people find a lawyer. Every time your firm delivers great service to a client, that client will tell friends and family. Word-of-mouth advertising is still alive and well in the legal field.

There are other ways your firm should be capitalizing on the strength of referrals. For example, make sure your website highlights your experience, practice areas, and case results. Actively solicit happy clients for compelling testimonials you can use on your website.

You should also let your content speak to your legal expertise and use it to increase your SEO. Authoritative content is helpful and relevant to readers, so make sure yours incorporates top long-tail keywords without clickbait titles. If ever there were a perfect space for evergreen content, it’s a law firm’s blog.

To stand out among crowded competition, let your clients, your experience, and your expertise speak for you. What they have to say is more likely to resonate with prospective clients than a Facebook ad. These are ways you can brag without the braggadocio.

Communicate Effectively

Good two-way communication builds trust, and clients need to trust the law firm they hire to represent them. Moreover, people are often at their most vulnerable when they need an attorney. Your firm needs to demonstrate that communication is part and parcel of what you provide, even before someone hires you.

For prospects who click on your website, video can be an effective medium to begin building a feeling of trust. Attorneys speaking directly to them in plain English, assuaging fears and anxiety, can put potential clients at ease right away. The impression that you’re easy to talk to can prompt them to contact you. Meanwhile, that video can boost your SEO.

Responding quickly to online contact requests and calls requires constant attention, but it will pay off. Those who need a lawyer right away often hire the first one who gets back to them. And if your website enables them, don’t forget to monitor chatbot interactions to contact prospects who use them to ask questions.

Your law firm is selling a service, not physical goods. Effective communication allows you to set realistic expectations so you aren’t accused of overselling and underdelivering later. Remember that you need those glowing testimonials to give you an edge over the competition.

Evaluate Your Branding

Too many law firms think a nice logo, crisp letterhead, and catchy tagline constitute the full sum of their branding. In fact, branding is also your voice and values, what you promise, and how you position yourself amid your competition. Those aspects may be less tangible, but they might be more important than your office signage.

That’s not to say your logo and tagline aren’t important — they are. They should provide a strong visual and tell people who you are in a nutshell. And in the digital age, your website is the best tool you have to communicate your brand.

Your website should tell your story in a way that attracts the clients you want. You show and tell them who you are, what you deliver, and what makes you different from the other lawyers out there. Everything on the site that makes an impression on your target market is part of your brand.

Lawyers tend to consider themselves as their own brand, forgetting that a law firm is indeed a business. If you haven’t developed a content strategy to communicate who you are, it’s time. Otherwise, you’re just another sleek logo in a crowd of many.

Get Noticed

If you aren’t seeing enough clients walking through your front door, there’s probably a reason for it — or more than one. Technology is rapidly changing the way every business is found, including law firms. If you aren’t keeping pace, you need to step up your digital marketing game.

Make these smart moves to draw attention to your law firm. Once you do, you’ll start getting noticed for all the right reasons.    

Source: TG Daily – How to Make Your Law Firm Stand Out in a Competitive Market

More than a third of the global economy will see two consecutive quarters of negative growth, while the three largest economies — the United States, the European Union, and China — will continue to slow, the report said.

In its report, the IMF laid out three major events currently hindering growth: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the cost-of-living crisis, and China’s economic slowdown.

The war in Ukraine continues to “powerfully destabilize the global economy,” according to the report, with its impacts causing a “severe” energy crisis in Europe, along with destruction in Ukraine itself.

The IMF also highlighted that the risk of monetary, fiscal, or financial policy “miscalibration” had “risen sharply,” while the world economy “remains historically fragile” and financial markets are “showing signs of stress.” The energy crisis is also weighing heavily on the world’s economies, particularly in Europe, and it “is not a transitory shock,” according to the report.

“The geopolitical re-alignment of energy supplies in the wake of Russia’s war against Ukraine is broad and permanent,” the report added.

‘The worst is yet to come’: IMF issues stark recession warning | CNN Business

The International Monetary Fund has once again downgraded its forecast for the global economy with a sharp warning: “The worst is yet to come, and for many people 2023 will feel like a recession.”

Continue reading on CNN

‘We must change course’: UN warns that the world is on the brink of recession

“All regions will be affected, but alarm bells are ringing most for developing countries, many of which are edging closer to debt default,” the UNCTAD warned.

Continue reading on CNBC

IMF chief warns world heading towards age of greater instability

Kristalina Georgieva points to fundamental shift, with fragile global ties and more frequent natural disasters

Continue reading on the Guardian

Source: TG Daily – ‘Next Year Is Going to be Painful’, IMF Chief Economist Predicts