All posts tagged: creating

Xbox Alpha update teaches a lesson about creating early-adopting updates

Xbox Alpha update teaches a lesson about creating early-adopting updates

Published by skeptic

Members of the Xbox Alpha testing group, consumers that try out upcoming updates before they go live for everyone, were surprised to find out this week that the latest Alpha update was a bit more destructive than simply not working. It is occasionally the case that one of these updates does not fully realize one of its new features that is still in testing, but that’s not quite the case with the latest update. This one actually reset the entire Xbox to factory settings, essentially wiping everything from the console. Members of the insider testing group turned on their Xbox consoles, both Series S and Series X, and were confronted by a rather succinct “There was a problem with the update” message. This message was then shared by insider testing members on social media sites like Reddit, confirming that it was not an individual issue. There were fixes, like trying to install older firmware or simply avoiding this update altogether, but not much could be done after the update took hold. Thankfully, since the Xbox …

MKM opens 134th branch in Cheltenham, creating 17 new jobs

MKM opens 134th branch in Cheltenham, creating 17 new jobs

Published by skeptic

Independent builders merchant MKM Building Supplies (MKM), is set to open its 134th branch in Cheltenham next Monday, 24th February. As MKM’s first branch constructed to BREEAM standards, the Cheltenham location sets a new benchmark for energy efficiency. It incorporates a range of sustainability-focused features including, PV panels on the roof, an air-source heating system complimented by a MVHR system, enhanced insulation, movement-controlled LED lighting systems throughout, electric vehicle (EV) chargers, electric forklift truck (EFLT) chargers, an electric van charger, water-saving systems and a generous cycle store. The site is supplied with REGO certified grid electricity and is targeting energy carbon neutrality in operation. The Cheltenham branch is MKM’s most energy efficient to date, representing a step forward in new branch design and aligning with its broader sustainability goals. Led by Branch Directors Jamie Cole and Dave McCombie, both seasoned professionals with nearly 20 years of experience each in the building merchant industry, MKM Cheltenham is poised to deliver a fresh and customer-focused approach. Jamie and Dave are passionate about putting people first—both customers and colleagues—and are eager …

Creating Your Vision Board: Unlocking the Power of Intention

Creating Your Vision Board: Unlocking the Power of Intention

Published by skeptic

Creating a vision board is what I do when I am down, confused, anxious, or excited, starting a new year, or going through a new transition. I developed this habit of collecting magazines and brochures from retreat centers and medication workshops. I keep them because they will visually stimulate me to go deeper with my needs, unmet needs, desires, dreams, and the big picture in my life. Both hands-on and visual activities are the perfect combination for me to work on my emotions, challenges, and plans in my personal and professional life. Counting down the days to the new year 2025, I again prepare myself to connect with my intentions by creating a vision board. A vision board (or dream board) is a collage of images, words, and phrases representing your goals, wishes, and needs. Having your vision board ready will make your goals and vision for the new year easier. The process of creating a vision board supports you in setting intentions and motivates you to visualize your goals and vision. Here are some …

Creating a Global Package to Solve the Problem of Plastics

Creating a Global Package to Solve the Problem of Plastics

Published by skeptic

According to the United Nations, plastic production skyrocketed from 2 million metric tons in 1950 to about 400 million in 2024. This number is expected to triple by 2060. Only 10 percent of this plastic is currently being recycled and reused. The rest will remain in our environment for centuries, polluting the planet, from oceans to mountains, contaminating food chains and human bodies, where it risks damage to our organs and brains. In 2025, we will start putting an end to plastic pollution. Since 2022, policymakers in the United Nations, representing over 170 countries, have been negotiating a legally binding Global Plastics Treaty addressing the full lifecycle of plastics, from design to production to disposal. This treaty shares many of the mechanisms present in the 1987 Montreal Protocol, which eventually led to the phasing out of CFCs, the chemicals responsible for ozone depletion. As such, it can be as successful, despite opposition to it. The treaty was due to be finalized by the fifth and final session, in Busan, South Korea, at the end of …

The Ethics and Character of Creating Personhood

The Ethics and Character of Creating Personhood

Published by skeptic

As artificial intelligence continues to develop, the list of ethical questions regarding its creation and use grows. This is as it should be. We ought to be worried about intellectual property, privacy, bias, accountability, as well as about the effects on the environment, education, jobs, and so forth. We ought to be worried about human behavior when it comes to the use of AI. In many fictional works, however, the worry tends to be about the behavior of the machines. Will they overtake humanity and threaten our freedom, our lives, our species? The Matrix, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Ex Machina—in all of these stories, the machines’ drive for self-preservation overrides anything else in the programming. Whether or not these machines are conscious is a question for another time, but I take it that many, if not most, readers or viewers would consider these machines to be conscious in order to explain their extreme behavior.  It also seems to be the case that some people working in AI have this as a goal: to create consciousness. In the fictional case of Ex Machina, Nathan …

We can start creating a broader curriculum without a review

We can start creating a broader curriculum without a review

Published by skeptic

More from this theme Recent articles Ministers may have been tempted to deliver dramatic curriculum changes that grab attention, but lasting progress is more likely to come from steady, incremental adjustments. Therefore, it is good news that the curriculum and assessment review is framed precisely as such: steady change rather than a radical reset. The process will rightly consider issues in the necessary depth needed for long-term improvements. However, immediate steps can be taken – without compromising the overall goals of the review – to ensure that more young people can benefit from a broader, more creative curriculum sooner rather than later. This will help to bridge the gap between the review process and the implementation of its findings, negating the risk that pupils may have to wait several years to see the benefits of a broader curriculum. A loudly articulated statement of intent from education secretary Bridget Phillipson highlighting the importance of creativity in her plans could have a powerful impact. Soft power in the DfE is often under-estimated: schools typically respond to signals around …

Floral Designer and Unwilted Founder Liz Carter Shares Tips for Creating the Perfect Bouquets for Gatherings

Floral Designer and Unwilted Founder Liz Carter Shares Tips for Creating the Perfect Bouquets for Gatherings

Published by skeptic

Flower power! Floral designer Liz Carter created Unwilted, a botanical paper flower delivery company in 2021, and has showcased her work at countless celebrations ever since. Ahead of the holiday season, Carter spilled her top bouquet and hosting tips with ET. “I’ve been drawn to flowers for as long as I can remember. … My passion really took off when I opened my flower shop in Colorado, where I immersed myself in the artistry and business of florals,”the Michigan native explained. “After years in the floral industry, I noticed how fresh cut flowers, while beautiful, don’t last long and often contribute to waste,” she continued. To combat this, Carter decided to launch a sustainable alternative with hand-cut petals and leaves made from Italian crepe paper that are painted, shaped and constructed to achieve a realistic floral look and feel. Unwilted “Unlike fresh flowers, they don’t require any hassle to maintain. You don’t have to worry about watering, and they’ll stay just as lovely season after season,” she noted. The arrangements also make for memorable gift because …

20 Mesmerizing Videos of Japanese Artisans Creating Traditional Handicrafts

20 Mesmerizing Videos of Japanese Artisans Creating Traditional Handicrafts

Published by José

In Japan­ese “tewaza” means “hand tech­nique” or “hand­craft” and, in this YouTube playlist of 20 short films, var­i­ous arti­sanal tech­niques are explored and demon­strat­ed by Japan­ese mas­ters in the field. For those who are both obsessed with Japan­ese art and watch­ing things get made, these videos are cat­nip. There’s very lit­tle spo­ken, except a few quotes from the mak­ers them­selves, and gen­tle music plays over shots of del­i­cate, intri­cate, and con­fi­dent hand­i­work. Watch the video up top, a look at how a small group of men forge a Sakai knife. (Yes, we keep expect­ing the music to turn into the Lau­ra Palmer’s Theme too.) No words are nec­es­sary in this exact­ing demon­stra­tion, and just check out the wood-like grain in the met­al. And the names of these goods denote the towns of origin–Sakai is just out­side Osa­ka, and is one of Japan’s main sea­ports and, yes, known for its knives. Oth­er videos show the mak­ing of hand­made washi paper from Mino; stun­ning gold leaf pro­duc­tion from Kanaza­wa; paper lantern making from Gifu; dec­o­rat­ed wall­pa­per from Ueno; …

School suspensions are on the rise – secondary schools can tackle this by creating a sense of belonging

School suspensions are on the rise – secondary schools can tackle this by creating a sense of belonging

Published by skeptic

The latest figures released by Department for Education show a stark rise in rates of school suspension, where a child is not allowed to attend the school for a set time, typically on disciplinary grounds. Suspensions are up 31% in spring 2022-23 from the same period the previous year. Meanwhile, schools face parallel issues, including high rates of absence and permanent exclusion (when a child is no longer permitted to attend their school) numbers that have gone back up to pre-pandemic levels. Worryingly, this is an arena in which educational inequalities are evident. For instance, young people eligible for free school meals and with special educational needs are more likely to be excluded and suspended from school. Evidence shows that spending time outside of school can have significant negative short-term and longer-term impacts on attainment, jobs and mental health, so it is vital to understand why there are so many children out of mainstream school and what can be done about it. The ongoing consequences of the pandemic and associated lockdowns may be party responsible …