Fans Reveal Frustration Over ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ ‘Station 19’ Crossovers Weekly – TV Shows Ace

February 27, 2020 medical

Most fans of Greys Anatomy have watched the show for years. Recently they added a spin-off calledStation 19. A lot of people watch both shows, but not everyone jumped on board with the new series. Now fans are sharing their frustration over the fact that they are basically a crossover every week.

Some weeks they callGreys Anatomy andStation 19 a crossover. Other weeks, it just happens to be that way. This season they have really started making the two hours worth of television seem like one big show. One big part of it is that Avery is now dating a character onStation 19 meaning that he will show up on that series a lot.

This week they are advertising a blizzard crossover event. When the episode is revealed that way, fans know they have to watch both. Other weeks you could be confused if you only watch one or decide to watchGreys first.

Fans are not very happy about the way that this is happening lately. Some like to watch both shows and others only watch one of them. The other thing is that if you use a DVR normally you could choose which one you would prefer to watch first. That isnt an option anymore. You now need to watchStation 19 first so you arent confused.

This seems like it is a way to bring in new viewers, but instead, it appears they are turning off some of their faithful fans.Greys Anatomy has been able to make it through a few really big cast changes. Now with the exit of Justin Chambers basically being ignored and the crossover events some fans are just done.

After a promo for both shows aired duringThe Bachelor, fans went to Twitter to air their frustrations. Here are a few of the tweets from fans.

I watch Grey's Anatomy I do NOT watch Station19! I gave Station19 a chance on the night it first aired back after the car crashed through the Windows of the bar but I soon realized that Station19 didn't do much of anything after getting that door unstuck therefore it is boring!

~Jasmine~~M~~Murray~ (@JasMarieMurray) February 24, 2020

So I havent watched Greys Anatomy all season. do I need to watch Station 19 and Greys back to back for each new episode? @GreysABC @Station19

Diamond Dawn (@DropOfADime_) February 25, 2020

Stop with the Station 19/Greys Anatomy cross overs!!

Meredith Mannier (@MereMannier) February 17, 2020

The viewers will just have to wait and see if the writers listen and decide to changes things up. For now, dont miss new episodes of Greys AnatomyandStation 19 on Thursday nights on ABC. You will probably need to watch both.

Mandy Robinson has been a freelance writer for 10 years now. Her passion is writing reality television. Mandy loves being able to work at home and make a living by writing about crazy reality television scandals.

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Fans Reveal Frustration Over 'Grey's Anatomy,' 'Station 19' Crossovers Weekly - TV Shows Ace

Anatomy

‘Grey’s Anatomy’: Will Alex Cheat on Jo? Fans Aren’t Buying This Storyline – Showbiz Cheat Sheet

February 27, 2020 medical

[Spoiler alert: Greys Anatomy Season 16, Episode 14.] Greys Anatomy Season 16 has been a wild ride, but not in the way fans originally expected. Midway through the season, Justin Chambers who played Alex announced his departure from the show. The ABC series hasnt formally addressed why the character is ghosting his friends and family. Then in the Feb. 20 episode titled Diagnosis Alexs wife, Jo (Camilla Luddington), began insinuating the worst, speculating Alex might be having an affair. But is Alex cheating on Jo in Greys Anatomy? Even the idea seems too crazy for fans, especially given Alexs character development for the past 15 years.

Alex has been in Iowa since the Greys Anatomy Season 16 winter finale. He originally left Seattle to take care of his mom. Most characters seemed to accept this fact, noting Alex will one day return. But eventually, Jo begins to question whether her husband will ever come back.

In Diagnosis, a man is brought to Grey Sloan Memorial after jumping in front of a bear to save his wife. The case makes Jo realize how much she misses her husband. She also wonders whether there will be a sudden attack on her relationship with Alex, too. Link (Chris Carmack) calms his friend down, reminding her about what a great guy Alex is.

Later, the doctors find out the wife was cheating on her husband, escalading Jos fears. My worst-case scenario is off the charts right now because this patient is cheating on her husband right under his nose she reconnected with an ex from high school and then one thing led to another, Jo tells Owen (Kevin McKidd) in surgery.

She then theorizes Alex will do the same. But like Link, Owen tells Jo to place her trust in Alex and reinforces the peds surgeon wont screw it up.

Towards the end of the episode, the husband dies and Jo breaks down. She calls Alex and reaches his voicemail.

Hey Alex. I need you to call me, I need to hear your voice. I need to know whats going on, Jo says and starts to cry. Whatever it is, I need to know. I want to know. Because I would jump in front of a bear for you, Alex. Please call me.

Following the Feb. 20 episode, Greys Anatomy fans were firm on one stance Alex would never cheat on Jo.

The fact those writers really want jo to believe that Alex would ever cheat on her, a fan on Twitter wrote. This is the same guy that for all the time they broke up never dared looked at another woman. Please make it make sense.

Alex would never cheat on jo, another fan tweeted. WTF are they trying to do? make that a storyline? Cause he would NEVER.

Meanwhile, other fans had differing opinions, noting Jos conversation with Owen could foreshadow whats to come. Now, some people think Alex met up with Izzie (Katherine Heigl) and one thing led to another. And to no ones surprise, fans werent on board.

Jo talking about Alex cheating has got me real nervous that theyre gonna try to make him cheat on her with izzie and thats his exit and I am not here for it if thats the case, a fan wrote.

But even if Alex doesnt have an affair with Izzie, Greys Anatomy writers will feel the wrath of fans if they choose to go down the cheating path.

I swear if Alex is cheating, I will quit greys, a fan wrote on Reddit.

Years and years of character development would be flushed down the drain, another fan added.

For now, Greys Anatomy fans will have to be patient as the Shondaland drama carves out Alexs exit. In an interview with Variety, showrunner Krista Vernoff revealed the series will address the departure, but it will take some time.

It was a very careful threading of a needle, where we are giving a little bit of information and pain to Jo, Vernoff said. Were, episode by episode, illuminating the story of where Alex is. And it takes us quite a few more episodes to get there and to give the audience clarity.

Meanwhile, Luddington teased multiple wild storylines in Greys Anatomy moving forward.

YOU GUYS! Im currently on the floor reading these scripts right now, the actress wrote on Twitter, along with #cantgetup.

Unfortunately, Luddington didnt confirm whether or not those particular storylines deal with Jo and Alex. And as always, Greys Anatomy fans will just have to hold on tight for the ride. So stay tuned.

Read more: The Bachelor: Peter Weber Debunked 3 Theories About How the Finale Ends and Honestly, Were Disappointed

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'Grey's Anatomy': Will Alex Cheat on Jo? Fans Aren't Buying This Storyline - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Anatomy

Is Your Favourite Greys Anatomy Couple Really Over Forever? – Refinery29

February 27, 2020 medical

Maggie is the one who spends Diagnosis trying to help her sister metabolize her pain over the Link situation. It would be easy for Greys to have Maggie, in this case the voice of reason, fully turn on Link because he made her sister sad. However, Maggie doesnt. During the meatiest part of the conversation when Maggie finally learns about the Owen part of the pregnancy equation Maggie explains why Links reaction to the messy paternity twist is sensible. She reminds Amelia that she and Owen have a complicated relationship, to put things mildly.

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Is Your Favourite Greys Anatomy Couple Really Over Forever? - Refinery29

Anatomy

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 16: Character development has had the most painful death on the show – MEAWW

February 27, 2020 medical

Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) almost drowned in Season 3. The intense shooting scene of Season 6. Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) watching as Izzy Stevens (Katherine Heigl) almost died at the end of Season 5. The devastating plane crash in Season 8 which killed Mark Sloane (Eric Dane) and Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh). Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh) aborting her child because she did not want children. This isn't just delirious ramblings, this is recalling the times the ABC medical drama 'Grey's Anatomy' had powerful storylines, hard-hitting dialogues and characters of varying shades of grey.

Sixteen seasons were spent in astounding character development. And Season 16 is just burning it all to the ground. Well, to be fair, the last few seasons have been quietly digging the grave that the show has now found itself in.

The show is known for the painful and horrifying deaths of its characters. However, the show has managed to kill off its characters, even when they're alive. The most complex and intriguing characters like Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) and Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone) are part of stale, romantic and entangled plots that actually serve no purpose. And that's a royal shame, especially for those who have kept up with the show from the first day. Try comparing the Owen of the earlier seasons (preferably 6-10), to the one you see now. The military doctor, who became head of trauma and had suffered enormously in his life. He worked hard to overcome his deep-seated trauma. And now he's just caught up in one romantic drama after another.

And his relationship with Cristina was not just a will they-won't-they. Their love was flawed and haunting, with moments of pain and tears. This was also partly due to Cristina's dynamic character. The allure of Cristina's character lay in her constant tussle to be the best cardiothoracic surgeon, more so than just falling in love and settling down. She was a woman who was wrestling with her ambition. It's not that she loved Owen or even Burke (Isaiah Washington) less, it's that she loved her work more.

'Grey's Anatomy' broke away from the run-of-the-mill dramas when it addressed the fact that a woman did not have to settle down and have a child. She could have a fulfilled life, with or without getting married. Having a child wasn't the be-all or end-all for a woman. This was such a relief, considering many shows portrayed women not wanting children and then finally reconciling to the idea of one. In an intense scene, Meredith tells Owen that she knows what it is to be a child, not wanted by the mother. She requests Owen to ensure Cristina doesn't go ahead with the pregnancy, as she would never be able to accept the fact that she loved her work more than her.

Where did all that character development go? Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams) and April Kepner's (Sarah Drew) love story was struck down. There was a time when Jackson had depth and feeling and his story arcs were not just about shuttling between women. Considering Williams is known for his emotional intensity, why don't they put him to more instructive use? Remember how Jackson finally resorts to praying when he thinks that April was dying?

Catherine Fox has turned downright diabolical and Andrew DeLuca is now whiny, while Meredith has to put up with it. Moreover, Meredith seems to be getting phased out in her own show. Alex has left the show and fingers crossed, we hope that his character gets an honorable exit. Might as well kill him, because making him ghost his wife Jo (Camilla Luddington) and best friend Meredith is so unlikely, as the writers spent years honing his character.

The stories in the show are now just staid romantic angles. Nico and Schmitt are the LGBQ couple, replacing Callie Torres (Sarah Ramirez) and Arizona Robbins, but they have none of that vigor. Callie and Arizona's storylines weren't just about dealing with coming out, they had so much more to deal with. Even the patients' stories don't evoke much emotion.

'Grey's Anatomy' airs on ABC Thursdays at 9pm.

Human Behavior

Disinformation and hacking could threaten 2020 elections, former U.S. attorney warns – TribLIVE

February 26, 2020 medical

Threats to elections in the United States and democracy as we know it are a given in the age of the internet, said David Hickton, founding director of the University of Pittsburgh Institute for Cyber Law, Policy and Security.

The good news: Theres something we can do about it, he said.

The digital landscape seems like its a technology challenge, and therefore it seems overwhelming and daunting to most people, said Hickton, who served as U.S. attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania from 2010 to 2016.

His office investigated the computer hacks by Russian military intelligence officers of Democratic Party officials during the 2016 presidential campaign. The case was among the indictments by special counsel Robert Mueller.

But it is really a human behavior challenge masquerading as a technology challenge, Hickton said. Because the best thing we can do is change our human behavior.

Hickton gave a lecture at the University of Pittsburghs Oakland campus Tuesday titled Can Democracy Survive the Internet? as part of Pitts Dick Thornburgh Forum for Law and Public Policy, outlining two major challenges looming over the 2020 primary and general elections.

The first is keeping elections secure by preventing hacking of election results.

Pennsylvania is a purple state along with Michigan, Ohio, Florida and Wisconsin, which were all targets for election interference from Russia in 2016 which puts it at risk for election interference in 2020, Hickton said.

Hes confident that this time around, Pennsylvanias elections will be among the most secure in the country.

That includes here in Allegheny County, where voters will use a new hand-marked paper ballot system for the first time during the April 28 primary.

I think theyve made an improvement, Hickton said. We have to train people, we have to make sure there are sufficient people on the ground who can deal with glitches. We really need to get our elections right.

Allegheny County selected the new voting system in September.

Gov. Tom Wolf called for all Pennsylvania counties to replace voting machines in 2018 after federal authorities uncovered Russian hacking in the 2016 election.

The independent, bipartisan Blue Ribbon Commission on Pennsylvanias Election Security was co-chaired by Hickton and Grove City College President Paul McNulty, a former U.S. attorney and deputy U.S. attorney general during the George W. Bush administration. The commission concluded in 2019 that Pennsylvanias voting systems were vulnerable to the same election interference seen in 2016.

Those efforts included an aggressive misinformation campaign, largely on social media; hacks of sensitive campaign emails; and probing and accessing of state voter registration databases and election vendors, Hickton said during his lecture. And just this past week, there are reports that the Russian government is once again meddling in our presidential election and trying to sow discord among Americans. Even if they dont manipulate the counting of a single vote, these efforts can succeed if Americans lose faith in the results.

Thats why Hickton is also encouraging voters to be wary of the other major challenge this election year: disinformation that will be spread online, especially on social media.

You dont just take things at face any more than you would in an interpersonal conversation, or something that you would read thats not online, Hickton said, adding that news consumers should take the time to fact-check what they read and compare coverage across programs or outlets.

I cant really help someone who is reading news with the idea that it supports their previous point of view, Hickton said. Thats not really news, thats propaganda. There are many people it appears who are looking to go to news to reinforce what their preexisting belief is.

He also encouraged internet and social media users to keep their personal accounts secure by changing passwords regularly and using features like two-factor authentication.

As elections draw closer, its likely new challenges to election security and combating disinformation will emerge, Hickton said.

I cant really describe it, because the speed with which technology is changing is outstripping our ability to make new laws and policies, and thats one of our challenges, he said. So the only thing thats a given is that technology is going to change, and were going to have new threats. Cyber criminals are nimble, and theyre going to adapt to whatever response we have.

Jamie Martines is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Jamie at 724-850-2867, jmartines@tribweb.com or via Twitter .

TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox.

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Disinformation and hacking could threaten 2020 elections, former U.S. attorney warns - TribLIVE

Human Behavior

Rats! People got to change or rats will prevail – Escondido Grapevine

February 26, 2020 medical

(Editors Note: A statewide panel of pest control experts says San Diego and other urban areas in California are experiencing a rat infestation that threatens public health.A report released by Reform California last year said a survey of 23 rodent control companies across the state showed a sharp increases in rat populations everywhere.More than 78 percent of the companies reported an increase of at least 50 percent, and 43.6 percent reported an increase ranging from 76 percent to more than 100 percent.)

For centuries, rats have thrived in cities because of human behavior. In response, humans have blamed the rats and developed techniques for poisoning them.

We research urban rat populations and recognize that rats spread disease. But they are fascinating creatures that think, feel and show a high level of intelligence. Public concerns about rat poison harming wildlife are growing a trend that we believe could eventually lead to rodenticide bans in many parts of the world. Without poison as an option, humans will need other rat control methods.

Rats many negative traits are well known. They are among the most detrimental invasive animals in cities. Urban rats are like disease sponges, congregating in the foulest reaches, where they pick up harmful pathogens. They carry the antibiotic-resistent MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius). Inside the rat gut, MRSA can interact with other diseases like ingredients in a mixing bowl, creating newer bugs that can be transported from septic systems into homes.

But common approaches to managing rats often fail to address the most important factor contributing to infestations: humans and the prolific quantities of food that they waste. The more research we do on rats in New York City and worldwide, the more we realize that rat behaviors contribute less to infestations than do humans.

On Jan. 4, 2020, Malibu, California banned rodenticides due to their harmful effects on nontarget wildlife, such as mountain lions. This came after the California Assembly passed a bill to ban rodenticides statewide; the measure died in the State Senate, but could reappear this year.

If curbs on use of rat poison start to spread, communities will need other ways to manage infestations. Rats cost the worlds economy billions of dollars yearly, mostly from contaminating food in warehouses, restaurants and home kitchens. The costs of illnesses vectored by rats are unknown because medical providers treat many sicknesses without knowing what caused them. As human populations become increasingly clustered in cities, these effects could increase.

Meanwhile, climate change is shortening winter seasons that limit rat reproduction. Globalization, climate change and inability to use rodenticides could result in a perfect storm of vulnerability to rodents on a scale humans have not experienced since the Middle Ages.

Rats dietary habits are predictable. In Brooklyn, New York, they eat pizza, bagels and beer. In Paris they consume croissants, butter and cheese. Whatever local tastes people prefer, rats eat. Interrupt the continuous food supply and the rat population will drop.

Many city dwellers eat when they are busy, stuck in traffic or otherwise on the run. They drop wastes, such as grease-soaked napkins and hot dog buns, onto streets, playgrounds and subway tracks. Even highly conscientious people may hastily toss uneaten food and wrappers onto the top of an overflowing rubbish bin when they are stressed for time.

People who are working and caring for families do not take time to think about what unseen rats are doing. But our research convinces us that society can learn to stop feeding rats inadvertently. Pest management professionals, academics, policymakers and citizens can all help advance this goal, because people can radically change the ways in which they handle and dispose of food.

We believe that giving people incentives to create sanitary environments is an effective and socially progressive strategy. Here is one example: Because so much of the rat problem in New York City is driven by curbside garbage sitting outdoors overnight, we suggest hiring unemployed or homeless individuals as evening sentinels. They would move garbage bags from the curbside into guarded common areas and then return them to the curb for early morning collections.

Some cities could establish citizen rat patrols that would train residents to identify and notify property owners when they detect that rats are present. The typical indicators are barely noticeable openings appearing around buildings, or dark grease stains on sidewalks, parks or undeveloped lots. This approach eliminates the social stigma often associated with rats by showing people how to take proactive steps before an infestation develops.

Rats cause very expensive problems, but they also are surprisingly engaging animals that exhibit human-like qualities, such as remorse and empathy. Scientists have trained them to drive tiny cars. As evidence that rats are thinking, feeling beings accumulates, we expect that it could make many communities more reluctant to poison them.

In our view, since rats are deeply rooted in human society, people need to understand how their own actions encourage rat behavior. We want to encourage brainstorming about this issue and help identify the most promising ways to manage urban rat problems effectively and humanely.

******************************************************************************************

Used by permission in partnership with The Conversation.

By Michael H. Parsons, Visiting Research Scholar, Fordham Universityand Jason Munshi-South, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, Fordham University.

Human Behavior

Critics of program that allows offenders to check-in with parole officers via phone say it should exclude violent felons – 10TV

February 26, 2020 medical

COLUMBUS (WBNS) A county prosecutor, a state lawmaker and the union representing parole officers all say a new monitoring program meant to ease the heavy caseload burden on parole officers should exclude those convicted of violent crimes.

A months-long investigation by 10 Investigates found that a violent convicted felon now charged with murder - was among thousands of other ex-prisoners in Ohio assigned to a new pilot program that allows them to check-in with their parole officers over the phone.

The program commonly referred to as ATR or automated telephone reporting, began in 2018 in part as a means to reduce heavy parole officer caseloads.

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Critics worry the program reduces face-to-face contact between parolees and officers limiting the ability to know if those on post-release supervision are complying with their supervision or committing new crimes.

Currently, there are 485 parole officers in Ohio assigned to monitor more than 33,000 ex-prisoners.

10 Investigates has learned that Roshawn Cumberlander, charged with the October murder of his on-again-off-again girlfriend, Tomika Turner, was participating in the telephone reporting program at the time of the murder.

Tomika Turners brother, Tyren, alleged that he did not know Cumberlander was under any type of post-release supervision but alleged that Cumberlander made general threats of violence and used drugs.

A review of police records found that days after Cumberlander was assigned to ATR in June of 2019, Tomika Turner called police to report that Cumberlander smashed the windshield of her sons car. The police report shows the case was referred to the prosecutors office but no charges were ever filed. 10 Investigates also found that more than a week before Tomikas murder, Whitehall police cited Cumberlander for possession of marijuana a charge that was later dismissed in December only after his arrest for murder.

It is not clear if Cumberlanders parole officer was aware of either of these incidents. Tyren Turner said he believes his sister would be alive if Cumberlander had been under stricter reporting requirements.

He was definitely not the type of guy that you would have out here just having to call and talk. Because I didn't see him call anybody. I didn't think he had to report to anything, Tyren Turner said.

I didn't know they did that. That's not cool at all. If they would have had a way where he had to be seen twice a month by a probation officer, parole officer pulling up on him, and making sure he was doing the right things, I don't think this ever would've happened.

Cumberlander, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge, was among approximately 2,600 other ex-prisoners on post-release control assigned to the program. When you factor in the number of individuals who avoided prison or are on different types of supervision including probation that figure balloons to more than 6,000 ex-offenders now enrolled in ATR or automated telephone reporting.

Our investigation found that Cumberlander was assigned to the program meant for low risk offenders despite having multiple felony convictions including aggravated assault.

Rep. Kristin Boggs, D Columbus, one of a handful of lawmakers pushing a bill that would increase how offenders are monitored once theyre released from prison, says this new pilot program should exclude violent offenders.

Anyone with a violent criminal history is in my opinion not appropriate for this type of monitoring. This type of monitoring, if even utilized at all, should be reserved for the lowest level offenders with no violent history whatsoever, Boggs told 10 Investigates. I would say that person was not an appropriate person to be on this type of program - that he needed much more intense monitoring. He should have been someone that a parole officer face to face and regular contacts with - it's unfortunate that wasn't the case.

Anthony Caldwell, a spokesman for SEIU 1199, the union representing parole officers, told 10 Investigates that the only way to improve the system is to hire more parole officers and actively monitor violent offenders with GPS.

The point of the parole authority is to make sure folks are staying on that path - that they are holding down a job and doing all the things that they need to do.When you put them on a telephone system there is no way to verify that that's what they are doing, Caldwell told 10 Investigates.

In an interview with the director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction last month, Annette Chambers-Smith told 10 Investigates that it is difficult to predict future crime or human behavior for those on post-release supervision.

Here's the thing, just because someone qualifies for telephone reporting does not mean that they will never do anything wrong, she said. If you are thinking that there is some kind of 100 percent accuracy that you can get out of human behavior where that my behavior up until now qualifies me for this and I'm never going to do anything wrong after that. That's not how people work. Could there be someone do something bad on any level of supervision? The answer is yes.

10 Investigates found other problems with telephone reporting. For example, its implementation has not been without hiccups.

Through an open records request, 10 Investigates obtained quarterly reports submitted by a Chicago-based company the runs the automated telephone reporting program.

In September, a senior parole officer out of Cincinnati reported that she had cases enrolled in ATR that should not be. There were also technical errors including five offenders assigned to Union County instead of their proper region.

A spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction said that ATR was part of a grant program and that once the grant cycle is complete in September, the program will be evaluated.

The reporting by 10 Investigates comes at a critical time for the state as Governor Mike DeWine has assigned a working group to come up with ways to better monitor ex-prisoners once theyre released.

DeWines executive order last fall came after a number of high-profile murders in Ohio including the 2018 murder of Ohio State student Reagan Tokes and the 2019 murder of Rachael Anderson both killed by men who were under the watch of the states Adult Parole Authority. The governor has tasked the working group with making recommendations on ways to improve how offenders are monitored. A preliminary report was due at the end of January.

A DRC spokeswoman said this week there were no updates on the working group.

Human Behavior

MBCN completes 21 yrs of empowering the specially-abled – Outlook India

February 26, 2020 medical

MBCN completes 21 yrs of empowering the specially-abled

New Delhi, Feb 26 (IANS) Its been 21 years that Mata Bhagwanti Chadha Niketan (MBCN), one of Indias largest school for specially-abled, has been enabling the ''children with special needs. To commemorate the achievement, the school celebrated its 21st Annual Day on Wednesday.

MBCN works under the aegis of The Ponty Chadha Foundation that works towards the social and economic development of the society.

The school launched an iOS version of Vaakya, a picture based AAC (augmentative and alternate communication) mobile app designed for people who are speech impaired, and/or affected by autism, cerebral palsy and various other mental and physical conditions that will further their mission.

Present on the occasion were Nimesh G. Desai Director Institute of Human Behavior and Allied Sciences (IHBAS), Delhi and Shri Som Prakash, Union Minister of State Commerce and Industry, former I.A.S Punjab, MP from Hoshiarpur LokSabha BJP.

The app can be customised by the user according to their special needs and doesn''t rely on internet connectivity. Multiple user accounts can be created by adding multiple students/patients to the application with unique actions and speech specifications as per individual users. The speech associated with actions can be recorded and played back in any language, providing greater flexibility. It is available on Google Play Store for free of cost.

To reach the wider audience and relevant users, the school organized orientation programs for various developmental centres and exhibitions globally like NIEMD (National Institute For Empowerment Of Persons With Multiple Disabilities) -- Chennai, Ananth Centre For Learning And Development-Delhi, INSAR (International Society for Autism Research)Canada.

Talking about the annual day Manpreet Singh Chadha, Chairman, Wave Group said, "It gives me immense pleasure in launching the iOS version of VAAKYA, our initiative will reach more people and it will help the specially-abled in communicating efficiently.

"This picture based mobile app aids the people who are speech impaired, affected by autism, cerebral palsy and various other mental and physical conditions. We believe that our recent initiatives will give an impetus to our on-going efforts in bringing vital changes to the lives of hundreds of specially-abled children.

"It is our endeavour that with each initiative we move closer to Shri Gurdeep Singh Chadha''s vision of creating an environment where people with special needs could become socially and economically independent."

The school also launched ''Department of Behavioural Sciences''to address the intellectual disabilities affecting individual''s functioning in everyday life. Intellectual disability is the impairment of general mental abilities which affects an individual''s functioning in everyday life posing a high risk of Psychiatric disorders, prevalence is as high as 40.9 per cent based on clinical diagnosis, most common are the behavioural problems, followed by mood disorders, Anxiety & Psychosis. Realizing the alarming need to address these issues, the school is now introducing department of Behavioral Sciences headed by a Mental Health Professional

Speaking on the occasion, Vandana Sharma Director & Principal, Mata Bhagwanti Chadha Niketan said: "We strive hard each day to empower and make our students independent. As we celebrate 21 wonderful years of this great institution, we have undertaken some very innovative methods to bring the specially-abled children into the mainstream. With VAAKYA and the launch of the ''department of behavioural sciences'', we aim to further bring assistance in the lives of the specially-abled. We will continue to channelize our efforts towards empowering them."

With dance performances and other programmes highlighting the theme - "Har Rang Kuch Kehta Hai", the students enthralled the parents and guests. The school felicitated the teachers for their contributions and students'' for their achievements in various national & International competitions and sports tournaments.

--IANS

Disclaimer :- This story has not been edited by Outlook staff and is auto-generated from news agency feeds. Source: IANS

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MBCN completes 21 yrs of empowering the specially-abled - Outlook India

Human Behavior

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

February 26, 2020 medical

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 - GlobeNewswire

Human Behavior

5 Things You Must Add to Your Incident Response Plan in 2020 – TechNative

February 26, 2020 medical

An incident response plan (IRP) is a plan you can use to identify vulnerabilities and detect and respond to security incidents

The purpose of an IRP is to standardize and facilitate effective incident response and minimize damage caused by incidents. In this article, youll learn what are the key considerations when creating an IRP, and what components to include in the plan.

Creating an effective incident response plan requires significant time and effort but can greatly improve the security of your systems and data.

When developing and refining your IRP, make sure to consider the following elements:

Threats are constantly evolving as attackers attempt to find new ways to bypass security measures and infiltrate systems. This evolution requires organizations to consistently and reliably update their IRPs. Below are three ways you can update your current plan to ensure you remain ready for any attack.

Playbooks are documents that fully outline steps to be taken to perform a process. These tools can be created for any process but are particularly helpful for standardizing IRPs. With playbooks, you can design exact response strategies for a wide variety of situations. These playbooks can then be applied by responders when an incident occurs.

Since the playbook fully outlines the actions to be taken, responders are less likely to forget steps or make mistakes due to the stress of responding. Additionally, playbooks enable you to easily pass on information and expertise to any responder. For example, you can provide a playbook that outlines how to disable and redeploy compromised containers. Any team member using the playbooks should be able to perform the procedure competently regardless of their background.

Additionally, you can benefit from experience outside your organization by adopting playbooks written by external experts. These playbooks can help you ensure that you are employing best practices regardless of who is available to serve as part of your incident response team.

You should incorporate threat intelligence feeds into your incident response tooling. Threat intelligence enables you to better correlate events and can improve your detection rates and increase your response effectiveness. Additionally, threat intelligence can help you perform threat hunting for threats that have bypassed your detection tools. Threat hunting is a process in which threats are proactively searched for as opposed to passively identified.

Automation of repetitive or tedious processes can free your security teams to perform more specialized and demanding work. It can provide you with more consistent and continuous monitoring and response. Automation can also enable you to be more proactive in your incident responses, triggering actions as soon as a suspicious event is detected.

When used correctly, automation can help you avoid overlooking alerts and notifications by prioritizing alerts according to predefined thresholds. Automation tools can more quickly process and analyze data and can provide analysts with valuable context for incidents. This enables security analysts to focus their time on the most relevant threats and improves your ability to mitigate damage.

Automation tools can also help you evaluate system vulnerabilities in the preparation stage of your IRP. For example, you can use automated scanners to inventory system components and check for out of date versions. Or, you can use automated penetration testing tools to simulate attacks and verify the functionality of your existing security systems.

Each security incident is unique; even if it shares characteristics with other threats there are some aspects that differ. To account for this, you need to ensure that your detection and response tools can account for these differences. Make sure you include both specific responses in your plan as well as information that can help responders adapt to attack specifics.

One way to accomplish this is to create multiple response levels for each threat type or severity. For example, you can include one response for when ransomware is found that had not yet been activated and another for when ransomware has been triggered and is affecting multiple data stores.

UEBA is a process that uses machine learning to collect and analyze data. UEBA solutions use analyses to develop baselines of normal behavior in a system. Solutions then monitor event data in real-time and compare it to these baselines. When an anomaly is detected, an alert is sent to security teams or automatic responses are triggered.

UEBAs method of baseline comparison allows security teams to detect and address incidents that might otherwise be missed by traditional tools or manual searches. For example, UEBA can detect incidents caused by malicious insiders despite their use of valid credentials. Traditional tools overlook these threats because credentials pass authentication checks. UEBA solutions, however, enable you to dynamically assess system conditions and respond intelligently according to the most recent data.

UEBA is often integrated with System Information and Event Management (SIEM) solutions for greater impact. By combining these tools, you can gain visibility across your systems and respond from a centralized console. This is particularly useful for incident response since it enables teams to respond more quickly and effectively.

The cyber criminals of 2020 use advanced technology and social engineering to hack networks, systems, and devices. They deploy bots, use AI to mimic human patterns and behavior, and trick users into revealing information.

As machines get better at mimicking human behavior and authentic resources, it becomes increasingly difficult to differentiate between normal user behavior and malicious activity. To ensure the continual safety of networks, incident response plans and tooling must be continually updated. Automated playbooks, threat intelligence, UEBA, and response actions can help keep the network secure even during zero-day events and new attack techniques.

Featured image: Skozewiak

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5 Things You Must Add to Your Incident Response Plan in 2020 - TechNative