Adidas Wilson's Blog, page 169
April 6, 2017
Star Wars 8: Benicio del Toro Character Details Revealed
After months of information about Benicio del Toro’s mystery character in Star Wars: The Last Jedi being hard to come by, the latest rumors about the film reveal some new details about the Oscar winner’s role. Del Toro was officially confirmed to appear in the highly-anticipated sequel back when writer/director Rian Johnson began principal photography back in February 2016, and since then, fans have been left to their own devices to speculate how the actor will fit in. A popular fan theory is that del Toro will portray a live-action version of Rebels villain Grand Admiral Thrawn, while other unsubstantiated claims suggested he was Boba Fett’s son. However, it seems to be something else entirely.
Episode VIII will introduce the planet of Canto Bight to audiences, which has long been described as a “casino planet.” It would appear this world factors heavily into the story, since it’s here where del Toro’s “man in black” is situated. How exactly this character factors into the main narrative remains to be seen (and could stay that way for a while), but this latest report gives fans a better idea of what to expect, at the very least.
According to Making Star Wars, del Toro will play a figure named “D.J.” in The Last Jedi, though it’s said that could be a code name used during production (much like “Gorilla Walkers”). His costume and physical appearance is that of someone who is part of some shadier corners of the galaxy, as he wears all-black and sports a trench coat with a belt for his blaster. The character “looks slimy and dirty” and has short hair. He also dons a “bill-less cap.” This description matches up with what was previously rumored about del Toro, who does not sound like a clear hero or villain. However, the Resistance apparently does not view him as a “bad guy,” so they must see some potential in him.
The second part of the rumor concerns del Toro’s ship, which is a complete contrast from his rather messy look. It’s considered a hybrid of Queen Amidala’s vessel from The Phantom Menace and the interior of the Kelvin Timeline’s Enterprise, making it “really fancy.” In the cockpit, he has one seat to pilot the vehicle, and there is also a “communal section” inside featuring a booth and table. This new ship has the feel of “a nice hotel,” and there’s some question as to how D.J. acquired it. Right now, specifics are few and far between, so viewers will have to resort to what they do best – theorize about Star Wars on the internet. Making Star Wars also covered a Canto Bight police department that will be shown, so perhaps D.J. has to get broken out of jail at some point.
Episode VIII is going to have a major presence at Star Wars Celebration next week, so ideally Lucasfilm will make some sort of official reveal about the new characters we’ll meet in The Last Jedi – including Laura Dern and Kelly Marie Tran. If nothing else, it would be nice to get glimpses of that trio in the teaser trailer expected to premiere at the convention, giving fans their first looks at the actors in-costume. The studio still has eight months to roll everything out, so by the time December rolls around, moviegoers will know everything they need about all the fresh faces.
Source:
http://screenrant.com/star-wars-8-last-jedi-benicio-del-toro-character-rumors/
Meet The 18 Year-Old Islamic Fashion Designer Who Just Made Her Fashon Week Debut
Firdaws translates to “Garden of Paradise”. A Muslim name representing beauty, grace and serenity is also the moniker of an Islamic fashion house that 18-year-old Aishat Kadyrova designs for. Started in 2009 by her mother, Medni Kadyrova, Firdaws is now under the new direction of the young Aishat who recently made her debut during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia. As Islamic friendly fashion is growing at the moment, Aishat is paving the way in bridal and evening wear fitted for the modern Muslim woman.
For her debut collection, a glamorous venue was picked to showcase the Firdaws FW 2017 line. Taking place within the Petroff Palace, a historic lacale previously belonging to an old czar, the runway show had a unique start. Traditional Circassian dancers performed for the attendees in several connected rooms representing the designers heritage.
Coming from Russia’s primarily Muslim area of Chechnya, Aishat has firsthand experience with the type of designs her demographic would like. Her collection represents the beauty of Islamic clothing and the possibilities that come with it. From detailed appliqués, intricate beading and floral accents Aishat’s debut line not only attracted the attention of Russian fashionistas but made waves throughout the Middle East. Orders have come in from as far as Dubai, UAE and there has been talk of bringing her designs to Abu Dhabi.
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Attendees of the show included Russian fashion insiders (famed designer Slava Zaitsev was in attendance), Chechnyan elites and Middle Eastern representatives.
Firdaws originally started in 2009 with Aishats mother, Medni Kadyrov. Since then the Fashion house has become popular online and sought after internationally. She was able to bring attention to the demand for more Muslim friendly apparel, a market that $230bn is spent on annually. For observing Muslim women there are still limited options despite the Muslim population growing worldwide.
It is estimated that by 2019 the Islamic fashion market will make up over 14 percent of the global fashion market. By that time the amount spent on Muslim friendly clothing will grow to $327bn which is larger than the clothing market of the UK, Germany and India combined. The demand for clothing that is both beautiful and accommodating to religious standards is high and Aishat is making a name for herself in the business.
Source:
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Would you trust your life to an ‘autopilot’ robo-doctor?
I am in an aeroplane crossing the Atlantic Ocean as I write this. We took off from Heathrow Airport more than three hours ago. By now, it’s likely the plane’s captain and crew are not physically in control of the aircraft. Something as complex as flying a metal tube packed with more than 300 living souls at 12,000 meters and 900kph is left to a computer and a set of algorithms. The autopilot.
Such a device is badly needed in our hospital wards. Critical patients needing 24/7 intensive care could certainly benefit from data-based approaches that could leverage on state-of-the-art analytics and AI.
For instance, a wise intensive care unit (ICU) nurse once told me: “Don’t get sick, but if you do get sick, don’t do it at night.” Data suggests evenings and weekends are not a good time to fall ill due to an increase of the patient’s risk of death. If our healthcare professionals had their capabilities augmented like the pilot in charge of my plane (who is able to rest now, so he can be 100 per cent focused during the approach and landing), we could not only get sick anytime without an increased risk of dying, we would also improve patient outcomes and decrease overall costs for the healthcare system. Just consider the upcoming shortage of medical professionals in the NHS and in the US, and the fact that medical errors are already the third-highest cause of death in the US (after heart disease and cancer) with 251,000 deaths in 2013.
Many healthcare organisations are working on potential AI applications. Research groups such as the Stanford Vision Lab are devoting efforts to the general use of AI in healthcare, and startups such as Etiometry in Boston and Better Care in Barcelona are focusing on critical care hospital units. Etiometry’s goal is to develop a predictive analytics platform to improve the quality of care in the ICU. Better Care is focusing on a software platform to capture biomedical data around the ICU patient – incorporating medical knowledge and algorithms. This is also an area of focus for companies such as Google, IBM and Qualcomm.
In the ICU, data from a patient is extensive and complex. But AI deals well with complexity. Based on a patient’s data, an AI platform could ensure the most basic mission of the ICU team (“keep the patient alive”): provide descriptive analytics for “what is going on”, predictive analytics for “what’s going to happen” and prescriptive analytics for “what shall you do”.
The first layer with descriptive analytics would help them understand “what is going on” with a specific patient within the context of thousands of other patients with that same condition. Crunching all that data in real time is an example of a skill set that is not yet available to human beings. The second layer would allow them to allocate resources according to “what’s going to happen” and the progressing complications of patients who are fighting for their lives. Finally, as the presence of AI in the ICU becomes the norm, the availability (and quality) of data would allow for the use of prescriptive analytics as a complement to trial and error that is still predominant when managing critical patients.
Of course, hospitals are not ready for this yet. Just consider that, in 2016, most world-leading hospitals still had no internet access in their operating rooms. Furthermore, doctors have historically been reluctant and conservative when it comes to the introduction of new technologies. To some extent, technology companies have also made the mistake of suggesting that AI will replace doctors – and no trade group likes to feel threatened. We cannot expect healthcare professionals to be free from error. It has been their creative thinking and diligent care that has driven our healthcare systems to greater heights. It has also been their human problem-solving that has allowed us to develop novel medical technologies, contributing to increased life expectancy.
The first step should be in complementing our doctors, not replacing them. Just imagine an ICU room with three screens reporting 20 essential parameters in real time – both invasive and non-invasive monitoring – along with data coming in from the labs, imaging tests and the discrete measurements and clinical observations made by healthcare professionals. The potential in this scenario is not just to mimic the doctors, but to perform tasks that no doctor can manage. If we are able to develop systems that enhance their capabilities and allow them to provide their patients better care, we will be in a win-win situation for healthcare professionals, patients and taxpayers.
Source:
http://www.wired.co.uk/article/autodoctor-artificial-intelligence-healthcare
Bezos is selling $1 billion of Amazon stock a year to fund rocket venture
Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos said on Wednesday he is selling about $1 billion worth of the internet retailer’s stock annually to fund his Blue Origin rocket company, which aims to launch paying passengers on 11-minute space rides starting next year.
Blue Origin had hoped to begin test flights with company pilots and engineers in 2017, but that probably will not happen until next year, Bezos told reporters at the annual U.S. Space Symposium in Colorado Springs.
“My business model right now … for Blue Origin is I sell about $1 billion of Amazon stock a year and I use it to invest in Blue Origin,” said Bezos, the chief executive of Amazon.com and also the owner of The Washington Post newspaper.
Ultimately, the plan is for Blue Origin to become a profitable, self-sustaining enterprise, with a long-term goal to cut the cost of space flight so that millions of people can live and work off Earth, Bezos said.
Bezos is Amazon’s largest shareholder, with 80.9 million shares, according to Thomson Reuters data. At Wednesday’s closing share price of $909.28, Bezos would have to sell 1,099,771 shares to meet his pledge of selling $1 billion worth of Amazon stock. Bezos’ total Amazon holdings, representing a 16.95 percent stake in the company, are worth $73.54 billion at Wednesday’s closing price.
Source:
http://www.cnbc.com/2017/04/06/bezos-is-selling-amazon-stock-to-fund-rocket-venture.html
The Meaning of Success and How to Define Success in Life
This article about accomplishment is going to explain the meaning of success and shall answer the question: “How to define success in life?” In the following, you can find a definition of success and what it means to be successful in life. (For a more detailed explanation of success, have a look at what is success. Also, be sure not to miss: how to measure success and what does success mean to you. Definition of Success: Success (the opposite of failure) is the status of having achieved and accomplished an aim or objective. Being successful means the achievement of desired visions and planned goals. Furthermore, success can be a certain social status that describes a prosperous person that could also have gained fame for its favorable outcome. The dictionary describes success as the following: “attaining wealth, prosperity and/or fame”.
How to define success in life?
The only person that can answer the question above is you. I am neither able nor willing to prescribe the ultimate definition of success, as this is not possible. Every person is thinking differently about being prosperous in life and is defining success in another way, so there can’t exist a definition that is suitable for all. It is very important that you know exactly how to define success in life! Make yourself aware what accomplishment, success, and prosperity in general means to you in your life. Some might define success as having luxurious cars and a huge mansion, whereas others consider a life full of joy and happiness with their family as the true meaning of success. Once you have figured out what is important for you personally you are able to focus on your visions and goals.
The meaning of success
One of the most important key steps to achieving success in life is to know the meaning of success for your personal life. The true meaning of success goes far beyond the common definitions of success, such as having a lot of money, being wealthy, having a lot of tangibles and earned degrees. Quite the opposite: true success in life cannot be measured with the above-named factors, but instead with the amount of people that are able to live a better and more advanced life because of what you created. This is the meaning of success. Not the trophies people are collecting in their lives. Media and society let us often conclude that living a successful life means to be extraordinarily wealthy and have a lot of tangibles. But the meaning of success is to live a happy life and to make this world a better place for everyone.
Definition of failure
The opposite of success is failure as it means to fail while trying to achieve aims or objectives. Besides this regular definition of failure, it also can be said that even wealthy and successful persons fail in their lives. Just think about the rich and famous and all their scandals, addictions and suicides. All of them were extraordinary persons but a lot of them were also extremely unhappy with their lives and were not able to see the meaning of success. Wealth cannot be defined with money, but instead with values in your life that make you a happy person, such as friendship, relationships, and your family.
The difference between accomplishment and success:
Accomplishment is often associated with success, but it is not the same. Accomplishment refers to the results we desire when we attempt to reach specific goals. Basically it is the results that we plan or expect to occur. Success is the positive consequence or outcome of an achieved accomplishment.
The definition of accomplishment
Accomplishment can be seen as the process to become successful and with every accomplished goal you take a step towards prosperity and a life full of success.
How to achieve success in life?
The process of becoming successful starts with elaborated goal setting
Define a strategy and a plan how you intend to reach your goals, aims, and visions
Keep in mind that success is the consequence of having earned a series of accomplishments, so make sure to divide your goals into easier to reach subgoals
Success quotes:
In the following, I have found some very inspiring and motivating quotes that shall accompany you on your journey to achieve happiness.
Action is the foundational key to all success. ~ Pablo Picasso
Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other. ~ Abraham Lincoln
Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure. ~ George Edward Woodberry
Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment. ~ Jim Rohn
Keep in mind the meaning of success and always try to remember how to define success in life, so that you will be able to live a life full of happiness and joy.
Source:
April 5, 2017
A floating techno-libertarian city might be coming to the Pacific
In May, a group will gather in Tahiti to discuss building floating cities off the French Polynesian coast.
That’s right. The men of the Seasteading Institute (and something suggests, it will be mostly men) dream of building extra-national platforms in the ocean.
The organisation has been derided as a techno-utopian pipe dream, or more prosaically, as a means of tax evasion since it was created in 2008. Still, its appeal has proved enduring.
The micro-nations movement is nothing new, but the idea of creating permanent dwellings at sea found a regulation-rejecting Silicon Valley incarnation thanks to PayPal founder and Donald Trump backer Peter Thiel, as well as Patri Friedman, economist Milton Friedman’s grandson.
The seasteading idea came to Friedman out of his “personal dissatisfaction with the range, as a consumer,” he told N+1 in 2013. The range, of course, being countries.
Hour one of the Aquatic Age. https://t.co/mFqRT8N6fF
— SeasteadingInstitute (@Seasteading) January 14, 2017
Thiel is no longer officially involved, and these days, he seems a little less bullish on the idea. Maybe because he’s got a secret New Zealand passport to fall back on. “They’re not quite feasible from an engineering perspective,” he told the New York Times in January. “That’s still very far in the future.”
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Nevertheless, the project continues. Thiel’s comments came just as the Institute announced it had an agreement with the French Polynesian government to explore creating sustainable islands off the coast.
Originally intended to be in international waters, the deal with French Polynesia will require the institute to produce an environmental and economic analysis before it can get started.
As it turns out, creating an extra-legal island still requires some paperwork.
Who would still be a seasteader?
Ashley Blake is the Seasteading Institute’s unpaid Australian ambassador. Speaking at the Myriad startup festival in Brisbane on Friday, he acknowledged the broader seasteading idea remains “one of those long shot things.”
Joining the Institute around two years ago, he said the appeal of a “kind-of secessionist, creative movement” is in finding a way to live where the whims of government can’t wipe away progress.
“I worked in carbon trading for the early years of my career, and a lot of the businesses died just because of the sign of a pen,” he said, referring to political changes in Australia that saw it get rid of the government-mandated price on carbon in 2014.
“For some people, society is not changing fast enough, for others, it’s far too quickly,” he said. Seasteading, clearly, is strictly for the former.
Humans will always dream of new ways of living. The question of who gets to lead the way must follow. Society is already purpose-built to benefit select white men, so why trust them not to simply build the new world in their image?
Blake acknowledged the majority of those interested in seasteading are young men. In an email, the institute’s executive director Randolph Hencken said his best estimate is, “that we have been supported by 2/3 males and 1/3 females and numerous folks who would decline to be binary classified.”
There’s also the strong libertarian slant to the project. Blake, for his part, doesn’t like the label: “I’m a fan of good ideas. Libertarians have some good ideas. Do I think people should be roaming the streets with guns? Maybe not.”
He likes to think of the project as a startup — a place to test new technologies and ways of living with a small, willing cohort.
Source:
http://mashable.com/2017/04/04/seasteading-french-polynesia-project/?utm_cid=hp-r-2#PZK3eAuhTaqR
Waze takes a small bite of the food business with ‘Order Ahead’ and Dunkin’ Donuts
Waze is going to help you get your coffee, donuts and breakfast food constructions faster, with a new “Order Ahead” feature that lets you do exactly that: order Dunkin’ Donuts food ahead of time to pick up when you get to the restaurant. Dunkin’ calls itself the “first partner” for this Waze endeavor, meaning it’s likely to team up with other food providers if this works out.
Waze’s order ahead feature requires users to also have the updated version of the Dunkin’ mobile app on their iPhone or Android device, which connects in directly to the Waze app via its existing mobile ordering feature.
Why start with Dunkin’ Donuts? Well, Waze and the coffee/confection provider are old friends, it turns out – Waze mapped all of Dunkin’s dunk destinations (that’s what they call Dunkin’ Donuts store locations; or at least, that’s what I call them) within the app in 2012. Waze’s in-app favoriting native ad unit also started out with Dunkin’ Donuts as its first partner.
Ordering ahead via app has become a curse and a blessing for fellow coffee seller Starbucks, which is dealing with big changes to its retail model to handle the popularity of the feature. Tying it to navigation software the people are using already to get from place to place seems like a way to juice interest even further; I’m far more likely to decide that yes, I would actually like a coffee after all when I open up my navigation app and see it as an option.
It’s also another way Waze is doing a sly, indirect end-around on Uber; the Google-owned company’s Carpool is a ride-hailing competitor in certain, very specific circumstances, and Order Ahead could fit a similar niche in the realm of on-demand food, where UberEATS also operates.
Source:
Waze takes a small bite of the food business with ‘Order Ahead’ and Dunkin’ Donuts
Netflix’s ‘The Defenders’ announces summer 2017 premiere date
Iron Fist may have left a bad taste in the mouths of many critics and fans, but that hasn’t slowed the excitement for The Defenders.
After months of anticipation, Netflix has finally announced when the highly anticipated miniseries will be upon us. The streaming service released a brief teaser, which revealed the show’s release date to be August 18, 2017. Most assumed that the show would be released around the summer, so this should come as no surprise.
The actual teaser shows the heroes through an elevator camera at Midland Circle Financial. All four appear to be catching their breath before Jessica Jones knocks out the camera feed. Before she does so, the camera’s time-code stops at 08: 18: 20: 17 cleverly displaying the premiere date.
It’s also worth noting that Midland Circle Financial is where the giant sinkhole was located in Daredevil Season 2.
In addition to the teaser, a viral website called the New York Bulletin has also been launched by Marvel and Netflix to promote the show. Fans of course know this to be the fictional publication that covers the “unusual” events that occur in this universe.
The eight-episode miniseries is intended to be the culmination of the four preceding Netflix series—Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist—and will bring together the four title heroes of each. It will also feature supporting characters from each show.
Source:
https://bamsmackpow.com/2017/04/04/defenders-release-date-new-teaser-revealed/
‘The Purge’ is getting a TV show because apparently we need more nightmare fuel
The Purge has already spawned a lucrative movie franchise and plenty of anxiety about the potential fall of civilization, but why stop there?
Mashable has confirmed that Blumhouse, the studio behind the movies, is currently developing a TV series based on the anarchic property with Universal Cable Productions.
According to reports, Blumhouse Television will produce the series, which will be set in the same universe as the films but tell a new story about the one day each year when all crime is legalized for 12 hours.
The show is slated to air on two of NBCUniversal’s cable networks, USA and Syfy, although specifics about the show’s scheduling have yet to be determined.
No word yet on a specific concept or plot for the show, but we’re rooting for a 24-esque series that covers one hour of Purge Night each week.
Franchise creator James DeMonaco will oversee the series, with Platinum Dunes and Sebastien K. Lemercier executive producing.
The project hails from Blumhouse’s newly launched independent TV studio, which is backed by an investment from the UK’s ITV Studios. In addition to The Purge, Blumhouse TV is also tackling Secure and Hold: The Last Days of Roger Ailes, a limited series about the Fox News founder who left the company following multiple allegations of sexual harassment. That project, based on Gabriel Sherman’s biography, The Loudest Voice in the Room, is in development at Showtime.
“Over the past few years, we have been working to build Blumhouse Television into an independent studio so we can have the autonomy to work with the best storytellers and give them freedom to create the best dark genre programming. It is a dream that day is here,” said Blum in a statement. “Julian [Bellamy] and his team at ITV are remarkable partners and we can’t wait to kick things off with The Purge and Secure and Hold. We are excited that with the launch of this new studio, we are expanding our partnership with NBCUniversal by growing The Purge franchise into a television series and are grateful for their incredible support of Blumhouse overall.”
Source:
http://mashable.com/2017/04/04/the-purge-tv-show-syfy-usa/?utm_cid=hp-r-3#.N5gRk6nTsqt
Amazon will soon refund up to $70 million of in-app purchases made by children
Nearly one year after Amazon was found guilty of illegally billing users for unauthorized in-app purchases, the company has dropped its appeal against the decision, paving way for refunds to finally commence.
The in-app charges stemmed from purchases made by kids when playing with freemium apps. In the 2016 decision, a US federal judge found that Amazon failed to clearly inform parents that free apps may still include in-app purchases, and did not provide enough notice and password requirements to prevent unwanted charges. The Federal Trade Commission estimated that parents were charged upwards of $70 million between November 2011 and May 2016.
According to the FTC, Amazon will begin is refund program “shortly.” In November, Amazon’s request to refund the purchases in the form of gift cards was rejected by a US district judge, so the company is expected to refund affected customers money back directly to their debit or credit card, or via paper checks.
Source:
http://www.theverge.com/2017/4/4/15183254/amazon-ends-appeal-refund-70-million-in-app-purchases
