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Human Behavior

Meet the Stylist and Anthropology Student Who Walked Her First Fashion Show This Week for Marine Serre – Vogue

Sophie Monseu Gonzalez was nervous before walking in Marine Serres fall 2020 show yesterday. Well, as she said last night, it was really 35% stress and 65% excitement. This was 25-year-old Gonzalezs debut on the runway (for which she wore a fuzzy scarf, black balaclava, and a gray moon-print dress with padded cuffs) as well as her first major moment as a signed model. Before entering the fashion world, Gonzalez, who is of Belgian and Spanish descent, dreamed of someday working in the industrybut more importantly, making a difference within it. Her eclectic style idols include artists Zhang JiaCheng and Cindy Sherman, musicians Solange and FKA Twigs, and former British Vogue fashion director Lucinda Chambers, to name a few. Aside from her modeling, she is currently enrolled in the anthropology and sociology school at the Free University of Brussels. Shes also a freelance stylist, which helps to enrich her studies surrounding human behavior and creativity.

Gonzalez became interested in modeling about five years ago, when she noticed a lack of curvy representation, as she describes it. Many really well-known agents and agencies saw me and immediately asked me to lose weight, to remove my dreadlocks, and to refrain from getting more tattoos. Gonzalez adds, I stopped modeling for a while when I and other curvy babes werent being accepted, but now here I am, and I feel more welcome. As for her first big-name designer supporter, Serre has always embraced a diverse runway that includes women of varying ages, sizes, and ethnicities. She usually showcases one or more mothers with their children each season, highlighting the fact that her brand is both about designing clothes for the future, but also for those of us here in the now, those of us trying to dress for the act of pushing through the great, big fiery messes of the world. Gonzalez appreciates Serres outlook on fashion and the way she connects her designs to real human beingspresent and future. Also, like Serre, Gonzalez used to design clothes for her childhood Bratz dolls and for herself using scraps of discarded fabric.

Marine has no limits when it comes to her imagination, Gonzalez says. She stays true to herself, and we all know how difficult that can be when building a fashion business. Gonzalez also says that walking in Serres show really taught her to trust my inner instinct and to push myself further and deeper in my own creative work. She hopes to build her modeling career while, at the same time, continuing to explore the business of styling (and, of course, seeing out her studies at university). Gonzalez is a model to watch this season not only because of her beauty, but also because she wants to create more meaningful human connections in the fashion industry. In her own words: Fashion gave me the opportunity to show the real me and to face the realities of rejection and hard work. I truly need and love that.

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Meet the Stylist and Anthropology Student Who Walked Her First Fashion Show This Week for Marine Serre - Vogue

Human Behavior

Scoot: Banning tandem floats really? – WWL News, Talk, Sports Radio Station

For many Mardi Gras 2020 was the best of times, but for others it was the worst of times.

If Mardi Gras 2020 were given an iconic movie title it might be the Clint Eastwood western - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Crowds through the Mardi Gras season were massive in New Orleans and Metairie. The weather was largely not an issue. But there were tragedies and incidents and knee-jerk decisions that turned Mardi Gras 2020 into a cradle of controversy.

When a parade-goer was killed while apparently trying to cross over the hitch of a tandem float in the Krewe of Nyxlast Wednesday night, that led to the immediate cancellation of the parades that night, which included the popular Krewe of Muses.

Saturday night, another parade-goer was killed by a tandem float in the super Krewe of Endymion, and that led the Mayor and NOPD to immediately cancel the parade. Some floats had not even left the point of origin. The cancellation of both parades was accepted by the krewes but behind the scenes there was much talk about misguided decision to cancel the remainder of Nyx, Muses and Endymion.

New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrells decisions to cancel parades and to immediately ban tandem floats raised questions about the Mayors judgment. Everyone can understand that Mayor Cantrell was in a difficult position and often politicians feel the need to make a decision even if the decision does not address the real issue.

Mayor Cantrell was also placed in the uncomfortable position of making decisions that appeared to show respect for the families of the two individuals that lost their lives while enjoying a Mardi Gras parade.

However the decision to immediately ban all tandem floats for the remainder of the 2020 Mardi Gras season implied that tandem floats were responsible for the loss of life. Tandem floats have been an integral part of Mardi Gras parades for years, and there is no evidence that the floats pose a danger to the public.

Furthermore the Mayors ban on tandem floats may invite lawsuits on the idea that the ban was predicated on a real danger that the floats pose to citizens. The argument could be made that if the city believes tandem floats do possess an inherit danger to citizens why were the floats not banned prior to 2020?

Publically, the Mayors decisions were accepted by the krewes, but privately, there was tough talk about the Mayor overstepping her authority and making knee-jerk decisions that place unrealistic burdens on parades.

The decisions to halt parades after tragic deaths is less controversial but it is still the source of controversy. In the case of the Krewe of NYX it may have been logistically impossible to divert the parade from Magazine St. onto narrow streets with low hanging trees. But stopping Endymion was questioned because there may have been room for the remainder of the parade to pass the scene of the tragedy.

I do empathize with Mayor Cantrells difficult position during the parade tragedies but we elect politicians to make the right decision and not to just make a decision.

Over the Mardi Gras weekend two riders fell off two different floats. Neither rider was wearing the harness supplied on the float. Also two individuals fell off of balconies during parades. If tandem floats are to blame for the tragic deaths then in theory the floats and the balconies should be blamed for the incidents that left Mardi Gras revelers injured.

Politicians have a tendency to blame tangible items rather than the human decision that lead to tragedies. Politicians can avoid focusing on the human behavior that led to the loss of life, but they can also avoid making decisions that falsely redirect attention from the real issue.

Mardi Gras floats even the tandem floats do not go off course and threaten people along the parade route. People along the parade route often put themselves in danger by recklessly approaching floats. Tandem floats are not to blame for the two tragedies that occurred during Mardi Gras 2020.

The Mayor, NOPD and the City Council will begin discussing way to make Mardi Gras safer as early as tomorrow. It will not be surprising if there is compelling talk about banning tandem floats as a reaction to the tragedies but blaming tandem floats circumvents the need to impress upon citizens that they should be responsible for their behavior.

There are no barriers along the main streets of New Orleans. There are no security guards. There is nothing that prevents you from walking into traffic and getting hit by a car. The only thing that prevents people from doing that is their instinct to survive. Sadly, some individuals use poor judgment and become a pedestrian fatality but that should not lead to a call to put everyone behind barricades.

We cant save people from themselves, and politicians just complicate matters when they feel desperate to make a decision for the sake of making a decision. Im waiting for the day when politicians have the courage to address human behavior over unfairly blaming tangible items.

Lets be honest the reluctance of politicians to blame human behavior is linked to votes. It is far better for politicians to blame anything other than the individuals who are the voters. But if the voters continue to support these knee-jerk decisions of politicians then the voters need to accept some of the responsibility.

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Scoot: Banning tandem floats really? - WWL News, Talk, Sports Radio Station

Human Behavior

You Need to Know Why Humans Are Now the Biggest Challenge in Security – Security Boulevard

This years theme at RSA 2020 in San Franciscos Moscone Center is possibly one of the most non-technological sounding concepts imaginablethe Human Element. And yet, many cybersecurity experts speaking during the week-long event will vehemently disagree. In fact, the universal behavior we all display as thinking, feeling and discerning human beings just so happens to also be a major factor in an industry consumed by computing technology. So, how does human behavior throw up road blocks in security and what are experts saying should be done about it? Lets find out.

When it comes to discussion around data, threats, risk, privacy, management and the drive towards DevSecOps, its important to remember the impact human behavior can have on the practical application of these areas, especially in the way it can build (or break down) a positive and productive security-centric culture. Regardless of where you sit in the framework of an organization, fostering diverse, healthy teamswhether its dev, sec or opsis critical to your success. This one tidbit of wisdom is so valuable, its serving as the center piece of the one of the biggest security conferences in the world. In fact, industry leaders around the globe put together an entire half-day seminar for RSA Conference 2020 opening day to emphasize the need for culture-building programs, effective cross-team communication, non-traditional hiring practices and programs leveraging talent across all generations, geographies and genders.

From Come for the Mission, Stay for Culture to Theres a High School Dropout Waiting to Rock Your Hiring Manager, the Human Element agenda was chock-full of insight on how to better leverage common frameworks, inform decision makers in risk management, mitigate new and emerging threats and build a productive security-centric culture. Through this lens of humanity, experts took on some big stumbling blocks in overall security programs, including more sensitive ones, like the downfall of toxic work environments and how competing egos between security and engineering can tank even the best efforts of innovation.

The biggest priority on everyones list? The need for more effective leadership. This remains a core issue in the supposed talent gap facing cybersecurity, as well as the efficacy of collaborating teams. According to cybersecurity thought leader, Malcolm Harkins, who presented I Believe, I Belong, I Matter this year at RSA, leadership is not just about sitting in the CEO chair, its about the art of mobilizing others to want to struggle for shared aspirations. To achieve this requires nothing more than faith, or an I Believe mentality, that imparts a sense of purpose and conviction to team members.

As a figure of leadership, its critical to believe your own message, otherwise no one else will believe in the message. After believe comes the need to belong. If you dont belong, you cant create a sense of belonging for anyone else. This means feeling genuinely connected to what you do every day because it carries value. And lastly, remembering that everyone matters in an organization is what makes individuals, from engineering to marketing, feel confident, validated and visible. And when development around understanding takes place here, we may begin to see the talent in tech we assume doesnt exist is actually just potential talent that needs growth and attention to flourish. The more energy and focus we invest in talent, the greater it will become.

Leaders can press their understanding on this issue and boost emotional intelligence by asking themselves:

In the trio of I Believe, I Matter, and I Belong, sits the ideal state of teamwork, where people feel fulfilled, connected and purposeful. When any one of these three requirements is absent, professional teams lack the human element of connection, which in turn pushes them to feel isolated, unimportant and unwanted. This lack of confidence doesnt just make people feel bad; it can have real consequences on workplace performance. For people, the absence of any one of these three elements can lead to repeat failures, the need to improve execution and a lack of skills and focus when its needed most. So, how can leaders make a difference? They can share their belief by role modeling it for others, enhance their belong by finding a shared purpose within the organization and find ways to make others matter by seeing and recognizing team members as individuals.

With all the new technologies, methods and computing strength being used today by both security professionals and bad actors, the human element remains the one constant variable. We are the human element in cybersecurity. It is what joins us together, and oddly enough, also tears us apart. We are the ones of the front lines of data protection, from election hacking to the misinformation campaigns on social media. We are the ones making key decisions around privacy, ethics, usability and responsibility, which means our ability to grow into different roles is fundamental to our ability to protect the people and systems of the world. And when we all work as one, as is being touted this year at RSA, the security world itself becomes a better place.

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You Need to Know Why Humans Are Now the Biggest Challenge in Security - Security Boulevard

Human Behavior

Learn how to be a restaurateur and other things to do in the San Gabriel Valley and Whittier – The Pasadena Star-News

Chef Ricardo Diaz will host a discussion about becoming restaurateur 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27 at the Whittwood Branch Library in Whittier.

Diaz is the owner of three Whittier businesses: Colonia Publica, Bizarra Capital and Poet Gardens.

Diazs restaurant Colonia Publica was rated as one of the top 100 restaurants in the Los Angeles area by the late Jonathan Gold. Its a beer and wine bar that serves modern cantina-style plates.

Bizarra Capital is a Mexican eatery with tacos, small plates and is seafood forward. His newest restaurant and brewery is Poet Gardens, which opened recently.

He will discuss becoming a chef and restaurateur, new food concepts and how he hand picks wine. Lastly, hell talk about his newest project: Poet Gardens dining hall, a craft brewery in Uptown Whittier.

I Have Never Forgotten You: Film screening, 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29 at Chabad of Pasadena. After surviving the horrors of the Holocaust, architect Simon Wiesenthal dedicated the rest of his life to hunting down Nazis who escaped prosecution after the war. This documentary details his life and his work with the American War Crimes Unit, which tracked down more than 1,000 Nazi war criminals with his help. The Chabad at Pasadena is at 1090 E. Walnut St., Pasadena.

Unscholarly Gardens: Rethinking the Gardens of China, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29 at the Rothenberg Hall of the Huntington in San Marino. The image of a Chinese garden that most often comes to mind is that of the white-walled, gray-tiled gardens built by scholar-officials and merchants in the city of Suzhou during the Ming dynasty. Despite its iconic status in the contemporary imagination, the Suzhou-style scholars garden is only one type among many. Exploring unscholarly spaces, such as monastic gardens, merchant gardens, medicinal gardens and market gardens, this symposium will challenge common assumptions about what makes a garden in China. $15. (An optional lunch can be pre-ordered for an additional cost.) Registration: huntington.org/calendar. The Huntington is at 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino.

Valley Con: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 1 at the Pasadena Convention Center. Valley Con is one of the largest scale model competitions and exhibitions in Southern California. Hobbyists of all skill levels and ages, along with Hollywood professionals, come to showcase their finest creations from automobiles to tanks, from Star Wars to zombies. The Pasadena Convention Center is at 300 E. Green St., Pasadena.

Golden Gates: Discussion and signing by Conor Dougherty, 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27 at Vromans Bookstore in Pasadena. Punishing rents and the increasingly prohibitive cost of ownership have turned housing into a symbol of inequality and an economy gone wrong. Nowhere is this more visible than in the San Francisco Bay Area. With propulsive storytelling and ground-level reporting, New York Times journalist Conor Dougherty chronicles Americas housing crisis from its West Coast epicenter, peeling back the decades of history and taking readers inside the activist uprisings that have risen in tandem with housing costs. Vromans Bookstore is at 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena.

After/Image: Discussion and signing by Lynell George, 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29. at the Allendale Branch Library. In celebration of Black History Month, the library hosts a wide-ranging discussion with award-winning Pasadena-based journalist and essayist Lynell George. Light refreshments will be served. As a former staff writer for the Los Angeles Times and L.A. Weekly, George has focused on social issues, human behavior, and identity politics as well as visual arts, music, and literature. Following the discussion, George will sign her latest book, After/Image: Los Angeles Outside the Frame. The Allendale Branch Library is at 1130 S. Marengo Ave., Pasadena.

The Impossible First: Discussion and signing by Colin OBrady, 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 4 at Vromans Bookstore in Pasadena. Prior to December 2018, no individual had ever crossed the landmass of Antarctica alone, without support and completely human powered. Yet, OBrady was determined to do just that, even if, 10 years earlier, there was doubt that hed ever walk again normally. The Impossible First reveals how anyone can reject limits, overcome immense obstacles, and discover what matters most. Vromans Bookstore is at 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena.

EDITORS NOTE: This article was edited to correct the date of the Lynell George discussion.

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Learn how to be a restaurateur and other things to do in the San Gabriel Valley and Whittier - The Pasadena Star-News

Human Behavior

Shudda, Cudda, Wudda, If Only – Thrive Global

Does it, did it take you a long time to cut through the bullsh*t of life to get to your real truth? Are you even there yet? Do you know what that looks like, feels like for you?

I dont believe that many of us have NOT given any thought to our lives and where it is that were really going. After all, The Walking Dead tv series had to have come from something!!!???

We start out in life with all kinds of confusing messages, and an unclear idea of what it means to be us. if we did know, perhaps ideas were put into our minds by others and we hadnt given it any further consideration.

How we lead our life now is based upon many different configurations and sequences that weve experienced thus far. Are they the right ones for us? Did we choose the path that was best suited for us?

Experience and an understanding of human behavior tells me that were not there yet. We need to think through, pivot, then action something other than whats occurring in one or more areas of our lives. Thats not easy, as we first need to identify what that is.

The truth that we believe to be true, the truths we tell ourselves, and more importantly the truths that translate into our actions, well theres a disconnect for a lot of us.

Ego plays a heavy hand in this. Our truth is misguided when our ego rears its ugly head. Why? I believe that we get really confused with what were supposed to be doing, and what society tells us we need to be doing, and then, what it is that we know to be best for us.

Weve been so conditioned since youth that it may be that we dont have the ideas nor the words to articulate what it is in fact that we want. We may have a feeling about something. Typically, a feeling that just doesnt sit well with us. Were not sure why, and yet we do know that it feels lousy.

If we cant articulate what it is that we need or want, its difficult to then ask for help, and there lies the struggle. If in fact we did know, often we keep quiet as we feel we may be judged unfairly.

Our brains work overtime talking us out of a lot of things. A. Lot. Of. Things. Not to mention the constant limiting beliefs that we have about ourselves, as we say:No, I cant do that.Our brains still function as if its protecting us from dinosaurs. Our survival instincts are something entirely different now. Maybe even harder?!

The decades go by but were still of the mindset of old school thinking. Technology hasnt changed the way we think about working. Its certainly made it easier, and yet were still functioning in our own confinement and routine-like structure that either we or others have created for us.

The misuse of leadership and the fact that we even need to talk about how to become better leaders is upsetting. The fact that we need to discuss being kind human beings to one another is unsettling. The fact that we dont truly know ourselves authentically is sad. Could it be because we havent taken the time to better understand ourselves, and in turn we take it out on others?

It takes awfully strong humans to be able to manifest what it is that one knows to be true and then, action it.

The shudda, cudda, wudda in our lives happens when were ready. Truly ready to say; PAUSE. I need. No. I must know me. I must be me. I must lead with my truth and not fear that there will be horrible consequences.

Given what Ive said, I am optimistic that we will take the time to create space for ourselves and trust that we can and will lead more thoughtful, caring lives. Because, at the end of the day; guess what, there will be for every single one of us.

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Shudda, Cudda, Wudda, If Only - Thrive Global

Human Behavior

Cutting through the AI, ML hype – Security Systems News

YARMOUTH, MaineFuture possibilities for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are endless and stretch as far as the imagination can go, and continue to be hot topics of discussion among security professionals. While its smart to glimpse into the future, the security industry has to make living in reality a top priority, especially when meaning and current use cases for AI and ML tend to come with an air of confusion.

Defining AI and ML

According to Stuart Tucker, vice president, Enterprise Solutions, AMAG Technology, AI is any process where a machine or computer is programmed to think and/or act like a person whereas machine learning is where a system is capable of looking at past events and changes its behavior based on what it learned from the results.

Taking a historical view point, Jim Shaw, Crystal Groups executive vice president of engineering, defined AI as using a machine/computer to simulate a capability or emulate a biological process associated with human thought. Shaw believes that is what John McCarthy, a mathematics professor, was contemplating in 1956 at Dartmouth College when he coined the term. However, Shaw admitted that his definition of AI is less ambitious and more simplified. I think AI, as it is more commonly used today, is the compute capability to quickly sort through large amounts of data and to look for specific patterns, using algorithms designed to compare and contrast differences.

As for ML, Shaw thinks it is a subset of AI in which an algorithm is provided feedback, assessing how well the algorithm worked on a data set by determining if the right answer was achieved.

This feedback loop modifies the parameters of the algorithm so the system changes how it identifies the next pattern, explained Shaw. Technically, it changes the weighting factors of the neural network layers to improve the accuracy of the last answer. Bottom line, the feedback/correction loop is the learning part of ML.

Adopting a standard industry definition for AL and ML would be a huge step in clarifying and teaching correct meanings across the industry so that all security professionals are on the same page, so to speak. There certainly needs to be a common lexicon, which implies common understanding of these terms, said Shaw.

Tucker looks at a standard definition in terms of clarifying what a system does to end users. If you really dig down deeply, even self-learning systems are based on algorithms and programming at some level which they use to train behavior, he explained. When you look at it from a very granular level, it can get confusing as to what is really deserving of being called AI/ML versus programmed behavior in some cases.

Theres no doubt that these two concepts are difficult and adding to the confusion is other vocabulary wordsneural networks, quantum computing, cryptology, etc.that seem to play into AI and ML, in addition to misinformation, further convoluting meanings and conceptions. Perhaps for the sake of argument and for this article, we can at least all agree that AI is the process and ML is the capability of the process.

Actual trends and real use cases

The security industry is currently witnessing the use of AI and ML to quickly consume, process and analyze data to predict possible risks. AI and ML is used to look for anomalies and elevated risk.

People tend to be creatures of habit, Tucker said. When a person starts doing things that are out of the ordinary for them, it could point to an elevated risk and is at least worth noticing.

Focusing specifically on human behavior through the lens of AI and paying attention to physical human behavior can provide the needed information to make relevant security decisions, such as helping your staff make decisions about an identitys access to physical and logical assets, said Tucker. Should they be granted access to a data center or the C-Suite? Do I allow them to log in at a location when they have not badged into the building?

Also trending with AI and ML is more compute being required farther away from the data center core, while at the same time, network speeds are increasing.

Network interface speeds are increasing from 10GbE to 200GbE, indicating the amount of data is growing significantly, Shaw said. As IoT and 5G continue to come into play, we can expect the number of devices used for security to exponentially increase, making it more critical to push the right data and a lot of it.

Shaw also said that we are currently seeing AI used for retinal scans, facial recognition and finger printing in high-risk places such as court rooms, airports, train stations and large sporting arenas.

I think AI is a great way for us to sort and sift through large amounts of data to look for key pieces of information that are, frankly, boring and mundane tasks for the average personand in many cases, beyond what humans are even capable of, Shaw said.

The security industry is currently seeing and participating in the infancy of AI and ML or as Tucker puts it, just starting to scratch the surface, however, as this technology matures, we will be able to actually pre-detect and prevent issues based on recognized patterns of bad behaviors and the learned outcomes that have occurred in the past, he concluded.

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Cutting through the AI, ML hype - Security Systems News

Human Behavior

Is Oscar-Nominated Actress Florence Pugh Starring in ‘Paddington 3’? – Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Social media has given fans an entirely new level of access to our favorite stars. Because of their very public nature, entire friendships and feuds alike are formed on sites like Twitter and Instagram. Sometimes, the internet brings out the very worst human behavior. And then, just when youre about to sign off and see what this thing called real life is all about, Paddington Bear enters the conversation.

The loveable character created by childrens author Michael Bond has become quite the celebrity in his own right. In 2014, Paddington starred in the film adaptation of the same name. Lauded by critics and audiences, Paddington spawned an even more beloved sequel. Now, thanks to his interactions with Florence Pugh, fans are giving Paddington a hard stare until we get an update on a third film.

Prior to 2019, were willing to bet only hardcore cinephiles had even heard of Pugh. Her most prominent role before then was the 2016 indie drama Lady Macbeth, where she starred opposite Star Wars Naomi Ackie. Now though? Shes well on her way to becoming a household name.

Early in 2019, Pugh played a teenage professional wrestler in the underrated comedy-drama Fighting with My Family. Then just five months later, she headlined the harrowing horror film Midsommar as a woman coping with a monumental personal loss. Finally, Pugh closed the year with the Christmas release of Greta Gerwigs Little Women.

That last film in which Pugh plays Amy March even earned the actress an Oscar nomination. Next, her star is shooting even higher, as Pugh will appear alongside Scarlett Johansson in summer 2020s Black Widow. Ironically, Pugh and Johansson were both nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category, the latter for Jojo Rabbit.

In addition to her career, Pugh has been blowing up on social media. Shes particularly active on Instagram, where she posted stories of her quest to make marmalade. For those who dont know, Paddingtons love for the orange-flavored jam is one of his most famous characteristics. So, of course, he tagged Pugh in a tweet about making marmalade.

This led to an exchange in which Pugh and Paddington plan to get together to make marmalade sandwiches. The dish is Paddingtons favorite, and so he enthusiastically leaps at the chance to chow down on some marmalade with the Oscar-nominated star.

The exchange was likely nothing more than a sweet indulgence for both Pugh and the Paddington marketing department. However, the internet runs with every bit of information it gets its hands on. So now the world is eager to discover if Pugh and Paddingtons newfound friendship means the actress is signed on for Paddington 3.

To be fair, we still dont even know the status of Paddington 3. Producer David Heyman confirmed in 2017 that a third film was in development. But the second film while similarly praised by critics made about $55 million less at the worldwide box office. This drop-off and the likelihood director Paul King wouldnt return for the third film might have caused the filmmakers to take their time, at the very least.

If Paddington 3 is coming together soon, Pugh would be a great fit. The first two films featured Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant, respectively, as their larger-than-life villains. So we dont think Pugh is quite ready to take on that mantle. But Paddington 3 could tap into the sweetness and earnestness she brought to Little Women. If she is cast, just imagine how many marmalade sandwiches she and Paddington could make in between takes.

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Is Oscar-Nominated Actress Florence Pugh Starring in 'Paddington 3'? - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Human Behavior

1st Watch Global Aims to Help Businesses Build a Better Crisis Preparedness and Recovery Plan – Yahoo Finance

WILMINGTON, Del., Feb. 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 1st Watch Global, a new consulting firm specializing in addressing and mitigating security risks, has officially launched. 1st Watch Global offers a comprehensive and fully customized approach to helping companies and organizations with all aspects of preparedness and recovery. These services include risk and threat assessments, active assailant response, Work Force Resiliency training and business continuity and recovery in the aftermath of a serious incident.

Its team of retired FBI agents, intelligence and national security specialists and law enforcement officers works with organizations to find their unique risk factors and then create a specialized plan to effectively address those factors and mitigate risk.

The Advisory Group of 1st Watch Globalwith a combined 100+ years of experiencecomprises:

Raymond HolcombPresident and Managing DirectorMr. Holcomb is a retired FBI special agent, a strategic planner with the National Counterterrorism Center and a homeland security advisor. In 2001, he oversaw the creation of the FBIs Fly Away/Rapid Deployment Team, which provided rapid deployment counterterrorism capability, responding to events domestically and worldwide. He served as Homeland Security Advisor for the state of Delaware for four years.

Michael HowardChief Operating OfficerMr. Howard is a retired FBI special agent who possesses extensive senior-level leadership, investigative, operational, training, crisis and special event management experience in law enforcement at local, state, and federal levels. Using his expertise, he works to match 1st Watch Global clients with the most effective team to meet their unique needs and requirements.

Dave GilliganExecutive Vice President and Director of OperationsMr. Gilligan has spent more than 45 years in the insurance and reinsurance industry, representing many large national and international clients. His depth of knowledge and understanding allows 1st Watch Global to provide its clients with an unprecedented level of support in all aspects of their security needs.

Andrew BinnsChief Strategy Officer Mr. Binns experience in strategic marketing has made him an influential presence in marketing across a number of industries with international scope. Most recently, he served as director of multi award-winning advertising agency, Havas. His specialization in behavior change frameworks has led to numerous individual awards and speaking opportunities. He is a well-regarded marketer who uses understanding of human behavior to create impactful work.

In addition to the extensive experience and knowledge of the 1st Watch Global Advisory Group, the firm also employs a broad range of senior advisors with a wealth of security experience who can provide crucial insight to create comprehensive risk assessments for each of 1st Watch Globals clients.

At its core, 1st Watch Global is committed to empowering institutions and organizations in providing the safest possible environment for their people, said Mr. Holcomb. This passion guides every decision we make and every action we take. Our unparalleled expertise, knowledge and experience are the tools we rely on to ensure we can make a difference in the lives of those we serve.

For more information, visit https://www.1stwatchglobal.com/

About 1st Watch Global1st Watch Global, a consulting firm comprised of retired FBI agents, intelligence and national security specialists and law enforcement officers works tirelessly to help organizations ensure the safety of their people by mitigating factors that could lead to a serious crisis event. With more than a century of experience, the team at 1st Watch Global partners with its clients to address unique risk factors and create a tailored approach to address those risks. To learn more and schedule a consult, visit https://www.1stwatchglobal.com/.

Renee Cree610-228-0404renee.cree@buchananpr.com

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1st Watch Global Aims to Help Businesses Build a Better Crisis Preparedness and Recovery Plan - Yahoo Finance

Human Behavior

Let’s hear it for the skaters | Local – Crow River Media

If you're a fan of big hair, spandex, mullets and leg warmers, you're in for a flash to the past. "Back to the '80s" is the theme of the 40th annual ice show.

Sponsored by the Hutchinson Figure Skating Association and Hutchinson Parks, Recreation and Community Education, shows are 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Burich Arena.

A total of 104 skaters from tots to Freestyle 4 or higher will showcase their skills to popular '80s hits such as "Jesse's Girl," "Let's Hear It For The Boy," "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "Holding Out For a Hero."

The audience is in for a treat when guest skaters Jaden Schwab, 17, and Estelle Schwab, 12, take the ice. They are the children of MiShaun Schmidt, an alumni of the Hutchinson Figure Skating program. The sister-and-brother duo skate with the St. Paul Figure Skating Club. They have competed nationally and internationally. Among their honors is winning the bronze medal in the Novice and Junior Challenge in Salt Lake City, and they also qualified for the 2020 U.S pair final at the novice level and are part of the U.S. Figure Skating 2020 National Developmental Team.

Back by popular demand is the dad/daughter skate. A group of 26 family units are performing to the song "Sweet Child of Mine."

While the skating takes center stage, recognition of milestones is important, too. This is the final skating show for four seniors: Khiana Knuth, Katarina Anderson, Halii Beilke and Anna Farley. Also presented will be the HFSA Most Improved Skater Awards. Allison Schwartz was recognized in 2019 in the Freestyle 1, 2, 3 category and Emma Staples was honored in the Freestyle 4 and Up category.

Joining them is the recipient of the PRCE Most Improved Skater Award, which looks at improved overall skating ability, attitude and good sportsmanship. Elizabeth Becker was the 2019 honoree. Also awarded is the I.C.E. Award, which is presented to a skater who displays integrity, commitment and enthusiasm for the love of skating and the skating program. The 2019 recipient was Emma Schwartz.

Khiana Knuth has been skating since she was 8 years old.

"I wanted to be on the ice," she said. "I liked the idea from watching hockey with my dad."

Knuth has stuck with it for nine years. The reason: It's calming.

"It relieves stress," she said. "It lets me blow off steam."

Knuth encourages others to consider skating as a hobby.

"It can be a laid back activity or you can make it highly competitive, so it's good for a variety of people," she said.

When she's not competing, Knuth enjoys spending time with her sister, Carrie, and cousin, Caydence, at private ice. Looking ahead, Knuth's college plans call for attending North Dakota State University where she plans to study psychology.

"Human behavior interests me," she said.

Knuth admits to having mixed emotions for the coming weekend.

"I'm excited and kind of sad it will be over," she said. "I'll miss having an hour a week where I can do my own thing, blow off steam and refresh."

The Hutchinson High School senior has been skating for 13 years, starting the sport at age 5.

"My mom was a skater and I followed in her footsteps," she said.

Beilke has stuck with it because she likes it and enjoys meeting other skaters.

"It's fun to do and a cool sport," she said.

Her favorite memories revolve around the rink where she has had fun making up moves with her friends. What she'll miss most: The shows.

"I'm sad about the last ice show," she said.

After graduation, Beilke will head to Marshall to attend Southwest Minnesota State University. She plans to study early childhood education with the goal of teaching first grade.

"The age group is cool," she said.

After this weekend's ice shows, Beilke will have more time for her other favorite activities: hanging out with friends, playing softball and photography.

Farley was introduced to skating as a 3-year-old toddler. It was a good fit because she has been skating for 14 years. She stayed with the sport as a way to make friends.

"I've built some really great friendships over the years skating," she said.

Like Knuth, Farley is feeling sad and excited about this weekend's ice shows.

"I'm going to miss being with my good friends I've known since I was little," she said.

That said, Farley admitted she was ready to move on to her next chapter. After graduating from HHS, she plans to head to the University of Minnesota Twin Cities where she will study architecture.

"I love the design appeal of it, the ability to build someone else's home," she said. "It's cool to design and build."

When she's isn't at the rink, Farley can be found at Iron Jungle Crossfit, running or hanging out with her friends. She's also enrolled at Ridgewater College.

When asked if she would recommend skating to others. Farley was quick to say "yes."

"It's a really good way to be involved in a sport and to make new friendships," she said.

It's not surprising Anderson's sport is ice skating. She is named after another skater, Katarina Witt, the German figure skater who earned two Olympic gold medals. Like Farley, Anderson has been skating since she was 3 years old.

"It's been fun for me," she said. "I feel graceful and angelic on the ice."

Anderson also said skating relieves stress.

"I don't have to worry about anything but to try and get the jump," she said.

Her future plans call for attending the University of Minnesota Duluth where she will study biology with a focus on wildlife or marine biology. She chose this career path because she loves animals and wants to help the environment.

When she isn't working on her skating skills, she can be found practicing karate and volunteering at Hutchinson Health. Anderson also plays trumpet in the high school band.

"I picked it up because it would be easy, but I was wrong," she said. "I participate in every band activity I can. I like jazz. I was in all-state this past week."

Anderson also juggles work for the city of Hutchinson and attending Ridgewater College as a PSEO student.

"I'm going to miss the every-day routine of rehearsal and hanging out with my friends," she said.

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Let's hear it for the skaters | Local - Crow River Media

Cell Biology

New study identifies trigger that turns dormant cancer stem cells into active ones – Yahoo Finance

A new study released today in STEM CELLS identifies, for the first time, two morphologically and functionally different types of cancer stem cells found in cervical cancer.

DURHAM, N.C., Feb. 26, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ --A new study released today in STEM CELLS identifies, for the first time, two morphologically and functionally different types of cancer stem cells found in cervical cancer. Of the two types, one exhibits an overexpression of cPLA2, a key enzyme that triggers the transformation of dormant cancer stem cells into active ones, resulting in cervical cancer metastasis and recurrence. The information in this study could lead to new targets for treatments to halt tumor recurrence and metastatic spread. Also, it might accelerate the development of combination therapies.

The current standard of treatments for cervical cancer the second leading cause of cancer death in young women worldwide is radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, the cancer's resistance to chemotherapy and radiation, combined with a tendency to metastasis in the lymph nodes or recur in the pelvis, leaves doctors searching for more effective treatments.

Cervical cancer stem cells (CCSCs) are considered the major culprit behind the cancer's ability to overcome these treatments. At the same time, a majority of cancer stem-like cells or tumor-initiating cells remain dormant. It takes a change in their microenvironment to spur them to metastasize.

"The mechanisms responsible for this must be identified to design more suitable therapies for the different subpopulations of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in various tissue-specific cancers," said Hua Guo, Ph.D., who headed up the investigation along with Yuchao He, Ph.D. The two are colleagues at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital. Researchers at Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and at the Center for Translational Cancer Research, Peking University First Hospital, also participated in the study.

Although several cell surface antigens have been identified in CCSCs, these markers vary among tumors because of CSC heterogeneity. However, whether these markers specifically distinguish CCSCs with different functions is unclear. The study published in STEM CELLS sought to resolve this question. And in fact, its findings demonstrate that CCSCs exist in two biologically distinct phenotypes, characterized by different levels of cPLA2 expression.

"Our study showed for the first time that overexpression of cPLA2 results in a phenotype associated with mesenchymal traits, including increased invasive and migration abilities. On the other hand, CCSCs with cPLA2 downregulation show dormant epithelial characteristics," said Dr. Guo. "In addition, cPLA2 regulates the reversible transition between mesenchymal and epithelial CCSC states through PKC, an atypical protein that governs cancer cell state changes."

Dr. He added, "Now that we know cPLA2 triggers this transformation, we believe that cPLA2 might be an attractive therapeutic target for eradicating different states of CCSCs to eliminate tumors more effectively."

"The novel study by Dr. Guo and team is of very high importance in understanding the transition between dormant cancer stem cells, which evade chemotherapy and radiation treatments, and actively dividing cells which can be better targeted, said Dr. Jan Nolta, Editor-in-Chief of STEM CELLS. "I applaud the group for this important discovery which will help researchers develop better treatments for cervical cancer."

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The full article, "cPLA2 reversibly regulate different subsets of cancer stem cells transformation in cervical cancer," can be accessed at https://stemcellsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/stem.3157.

Figure Caption: This study revealed that there are two morphologically and functionally distinct cancer stem cell populations regulated by cPLA2 in cervical cancer. cPLA2 might be a unique marker to identify different cancer stem cell populations and trigger quiescent epithelial cancer stem cells transform to invasive mesenchymal states. Overexpression of cPLA2 resulted in a CD44+CD24- phenotype with mesenchymal traits, whereas cervical cancer stem cells (CCSCs) with cPLA2 downregulation expressed CD133 and showed epithelial characteristics. cPLA2, as a key role to reversely regulate CCSCs states and EMT, might provide innovative therapeutic strategies intended to halt tumor recurrence and metastasis.

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About the Journal: STEM CELLS, a peer reviewed journal published monthly, provides a forum for prompt publication of original investigative papers and concise reviews. The journal covers all aspects of stem cells: embryonic stem cells/induced pluripotent stem cells; tissue-specific stem cells; cancer stem cells; the stem cell niche; stem cell epigenetics, genomics and proteomics; and translational and clinical research. STEM CELLS is co-published by AlphaMed Press and Wiley.

About AlphaMed Press: Established in 1983, AlphaMed Press with offices in Durham, NC, San Francisco, CA, and Belfast, Northern Ireland, publishes three internationally renowned peer-reviewed journals with globally recognized editorial boards dedicated to advancing knowledge and education in their focused disciplines. STEM CELLS (http://www.StemCells.com) is the world's first journal devoted to this fast paced field of research. THE ONCOLOGIST (http://www.TheOncologist.com) is devoted to community and hospital-based oncologists and physicians entrusted with cancer patient care. STEM CELLS TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE (http://www.StemCellsTM.com) is dedicated to significantly advancing the clinical utilization of stem cell molecular and cellular biology. By bridging stem cell research and clinical trials, SCTM will help move applications of these critical investigations closer to accepted best practices.

About Wiley: Wiley, a global company, helps people and organizations develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. Our online scientific, technical, medical and scholarly journals, combined with our digital learning, assessment and certification solutions, help universities, learned societies, businesses, governments and individuals increase the academic and professional impact of their work. For more than 200 years, we have delivered consistent performance to our stakeholders. The company's website can be accessed at http://www.wiley.com.

SOURCE AlphaMed Press

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New study identifies trigger that turns dormant cancer stem cells into active ones - Yahoo Finance