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The Davos delusion

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NewsHubDavos leaders are gathering this week to change the world. Again.
Sounds pretty good to me. Except this is a quote by the Chairman on the focus of Davos 2007. In 10 years , nothing seems to have changed at Davos.
Meanwhile inventors and doers who were likely not at Davos in 2007 have changed the world in ways never imagined by the billionaires and technocrats who appear to run the world as we know it.
Wrapped in the rhetoric of changing the world and solving inequality, what you have is a collection of successful and (mostly very) rich people who are there to get to know each other and make deals.
Nothing wrong with that.
But let’s stop pretending that the solution to any of our world’s problem is going to emanate from Davos.
The next iPhone, Tesla, CRISPR, solar panel, Uber, self driving car is being invented in a lab or a garage somewhere while dealmakers of today gather in an artificially constrained city in the middle of Europe purely because of history. The rational thing would be to throw the same party in Bali or Durban. But the rational thing is inconvenient for the crowd that is used to things staying the way they always have been while preaching radical change to others.
Unlike the other critics, I am an optimist. The world is getting better when you look at it through the arc of history. Billions of people have been lifted out of poverty and while we keep fearing the rising inequality in this world, the ability of the poor to get access to technology has never been better. This seems hard to believe because our experience suggests that the world is ever more divided between billionaires and the average person.
Illumina just announced that we will be able to read the full human genome for $100 — something that would have taken $2.7B a decade ago will soon be available for $100 to you and me.
We all know that our iPhones have more computing power and memory than the computers for Apollo 13.
The median income earner in America today has access to technology that would cost millions of dollars just a few decades ago. Rather than argue about the perceived inequality between the billionaires and millionaires, we need to get the next billion global citizens into the fold of the global middle class.
Davos continues to be a hub for the movers and shakers but it is an opaque event whose presentations and content are nowhere close to the energy of a TED event. Or even a vibrant open discussion on Twitter on a good day.
Perhaps the fundamental fallacy of Davos is that its a geographically constrained closed network of a select few when we live in a world where presidents of nations, and CEOs of companies like AirBnB, are interacting with a much larger open network of humanity through social media.
Perhaps, Davos needs to morph into a different beast — warmer, more open, and accessible to everyone especially those that are truly changing the world.

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Retro Patents turns famous inventions into art you can buy

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NewsHubA fun little side project-cum-startup from two of the founders of Soundwave, the social music company acquired by Spotify, wants to turn patents into art. Launching today, Retro Patents lets you buy prints of famous patents to hang on your office wall, or at home, if that’s your thing.
The patent prints for sale include games consoles, such as the original Nintendo Gameboy and Sony PlayStation, mobile devices, including the Apple iPhone and original BlackBerry, and more ubiquitous inventions like the humble calculator or computer mouse. Each patent has been designed and printed using HDR ink-jet technology on Ultra Premium Luster Photo Paper with a basis weight of 180 gsm.
“When we set up Soundwave, we were always looking for inspirational art to decorate our homes and offices. We thought founder quotes and motivational posters were interesting but a bit played out,” explains Retro Patents’ Craig Watson.
“We preferred to focus on the spark of inspiration around a product. We used to find early screenshots of successful startups (Instagram, Evernote etc) and print these out and laminate them by hand! It was a good way of reminding us that every great company started out with a basic idea and not to get bogged down in all the other distractions that often get in the way of scaling out a startup”.
But Watson says it took a trip to Copenhagen with Aidan Sliney (both are co-founders of Soundwave) and their respective wives, who now make up Retro Patents’ four founders, before the new startup idea was born. It was in the Danish capital city that they came across a boutique design shop that had an old Harley Davidson patent in the window.
“We really liked the minimalist look to it and remembered how we’d used early product prototypes for inspiration in the past. On the trip home we started brainstorming how we could apply this to the tech and gaming world which we both know and love,” he says.
And so it was that Retro Patents was set up to scratch an itch. At first, the team were just printing patent artwork to hang on their own walls, “but we kept getting asked by friends to send them copies. After this happened a few times we felt like others might also enjoy them so we built the patent art website which you see today”.
But do patents really make good art? “I’m obviously biased but I really do think patents make good art,” answers Watson. “It’s a fun contrast mapping classic inventions onto a contemporary design. We’ve also tried hard to keep the prints as minimalist as possible so that the focus is on the product itself. There was a temptation to include too much information (like a patent itself) but we’re really proud of the final result and the quality of the prints”.
To get your own custom patent print, just visit the Retro Patents site , choose your favourite design, the size that you want, and complete the checkout process. The startup says it ships worldwide, with an estimated delivery time of 3-7 business days.

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Panasonic wants to expand Tesla partnership to sensors for self-driving

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NewsHubPanasonic is hoping that it can get even closer to partner Tesla, after the relationship between the two has proven so fruitful in the realm of electric vehicle batteries. The Japanese company is looking to become involved in the production of Tesla’s self-driving system, too, with a proposal of collaborating on sensor development.
That’s according to Panasonic CEO Kazuhiro Tsuga, who expressed interest in Tesla’s self-driving tech in an interview with Reuters on Thursday.
“We are deeply interested in Tesla’s self-driving system,” CEO Kazuhiro Tsuga told Reuters. “We are hoping to expand our collaboration by jointly developing devices for that, such as sensors.”
Currently, Panasonic is the exclusive supply partner for Tesla for batteries used in its vehicles, including the Model S and Model X. It will also supply the upcoming Model 3, which will require a significant increase in supply since Tesla aims to ship 500,000 of these cars in its first year.
Panasonic is a co-investor in Tesla’s Gigafactory, with $1.6 billion contributed to the $5 billion facility, and it will be working with Tesla more extensively on solar energy products going forward. The company also makes CMOS image sensors, and is currently working on a new version which would allow for sensing at very high-speeds of objects in motion, without the sacrifice in terms of distorted images normally associated with that kind of image detection.
Imaging sensors are a key part of an autonomous car, and the more accurate these become in a range of settings, the better for the eventual sensor fusion that combines data including photographic images, radar and LiDAR sensor info.
Teaming with Panasonic on sensors could help Tesla move more of that part of the business in-house, a move which is currently part of former Google self-driving car project Waymo’s strategy to help build more integrated systems with lower component costs over time.

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At least 30 firefighters killed in collapse of Tehran high-rise

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NewsHubAs US President Barack Obama prepares to leave office on January 20, here are 10 things his presidency may be remembered for.
Iranians watch the Plasco building where smoke rises from its windows in central Tehran, Iran. (AP)
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WATCH
Tehran – Dozens of firefighters were feared trapped under the rubble after Iran’s oldest high-rise, the 15-storey Plasco building in downtown Tehran, collapsed live on TV on Thursday following a fire.
State television said 200 firefighters had been called to the scene and 38 had already been injured battling the blaze before it fell.
The building, dating from the early 1960s and including a shopping centre and clothing workshops, had been evacuated after the fire broke out early on Thursday.
But state television said „tens“ of firefighters may have been inside when it collapsed.
Dramatic images showed flames pouring out of the top floors before it crumbled to the ground.
„We had repeatedly warned the building managers about the lack of safety of the building,“ fire brigade spokesman Jalal Malekias said, adding that it lacked fire extinguishers.
„Even in the stairwells, a lot of clothing is stored and this is against safety standards. The managers didn’t pay attention to the warnings,“ he said.
The Plasco building was the first high-rise and shopping centre in Tehran and was the city’s tallest building when it was finished in 1962, before being dwarfed by the construction boom of later years.
It was built by Habibollah Elghanian, a prominent Iranian-Jewish businessman who was arrested for ties to Israel and sentenced to death and executed after the 1979 Islamic revolution.
UPDATE:
24.com encourages commentary submitted via MyNews24. Contributions of 200 words or more will be considered for publication.

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© Source: http://www.news24.com/World/News/watch-dozens-of-iran-firefighters-feared-trapped-in-building-collapse-20170119
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Novak Djokovic: Australian Open champion knocked out by world 117 Denis Istomin

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NewsHubDefending champion Novak Djokovic suffered a shock defeat by world number 117 Denis Istomin in the second round of the Australian Open.
The six-time winner struggled for rhythm and lost 7-6 (10-8) 5-7 2-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 in four hours and 48 minutes.
It is the first time Djokovic, 29, has lost in the second round of a Grand Slam since 2008 at Wimbledon.
The result leaves world number one Andy Murray as favourite to win his first Australian Open title in Melbourne.
Britain’s Murray, who has already reached round three, has lost five finals in the past seven years in Melbourne, four of them to Djokovic.
It is only the second time in seven years that Djokovic has lost to a player ranked outside the top 100 – his defeat by Juan Martin del Potro, ranked 145th, at the Rio Olympics in 2016 being the other occasion.
„He deserved to win. No doubt, he was a better player in the clutch moments,“ Djokovic said.
„Many things came together for him today and he’s a well-deserved winner. There’s not much I could do. “
Djokovic could not find his rhythm, eventually winning his first service game after 15 minutes but going on to lose the first set in one hour and 25 minutes.
He won four consecutive games in the third set as his opponent faltered but Istomin came back in the fourth set to take it to a tie-break.
Both players served aggressively as they received vocal support from the crowd, with Istomin taking the match to a deciding set with a brutal ace.
Istomin, who broke in game five, remained strong on his own serve and raised his arms to the crowd after Djokovic sliced his final shot into the net.
Uzbek Istomin will next face Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta, who beat Britain’s Kyle Edmund on Thursday.
„It is the biggest win [of my career] for me and means so much, now I feel I can play with these guys and be with them on the same level,“ said Istomin.
„From the third set I had cramp in my leg, I don’t know how I held it. I was playing so good. I surprised myself. “
Istomin had two years out of the game after breaking his leg in a car accident in 2001 and spending three months in hospital.
Coached by his mother Klaudiya, he dropped out of the top 100 in 2016 and was given a wildcard to play in the Australian Open.
Prior to his win over Djokovic, Istomin had won just one of 33 matches against a player ranked in the world’s top 10.
His best Grand Slam result is reaching the last 16 at Wimbledon in 2012 and the US Open in 2013, where he lost to Murray.
Djokovic has struggled for consistency since winning his first French Open title in June 2016 and completing a career Grand Slam.
He was knocked out in the third round at Wimbledon by American Sam Querrey but looked to have returned to form when he won the Rogers Cup in July.
However, he went on to lose to Del Potro in the first round of the Olympics and was knocked out of the doubles competition the following day.
He struggled physically in the US Open final, losing in four sets to third seed Stan Wawrinka, before he lost the world number one ranking to Murray in November.
Murray also ended his run of four consecutive ATP World Tours Finals titles in the same month.
„Djokovic is not the same Djokovic we saw this time last year, who was at the peak of his career,“ two-time Australian Open finalist Pat Cash told BBC Radio 5 live.
„It’s clearly the mental edge. He’s done so much and worked so hard to grab those four Grand Slams, I think he’s just lost the edge. “
Tennis, Fri 20 Jan, 03:00 GMT, BBC Radio 5 live sports extra
Thu 19 Jan, 21:00 GMT, BBC Radio 5 live
16-29 January
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高層ビル火災で20人死亡か イラン首都、消火中に崩壊

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NewsHub【テヘラン共同】イランの国営テレビによると、首都テヘラン中心部にある17階建ての高層ビルで19日午前8時(日本時間同午後1時半)ごろ、火災が発生し、数時間後、消火活動中に崩壊した。テヘラン市長は20人以上の消防隊員が行方不明になっていると話しており、大半が死亡している可能性がある。 消防当局は、がれきの中に生存者が閉じ込められている可能性もあるとみて救助活動を急いでいる。 出火原因は電気配線のトラブルとみられ、政府はテロの可能性を否定。周辺にはトルコ大使館や英国大使館があり多くの人が避難した。在イラン日本大使館によると、邦人の被害は確認されていない。

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山下澄人さん:芥川賞受賞も“他人ごと”? 「ウソやろって」

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NewsHub第156回芥川龍之介賞(以下、芥川賞)が19日、発表され、山下澄人(やました・すみと)さんの「しんせかい」(「新潮」7月号)が受賞した。同日、東京都内で行われた記者会見に山下さんは革ジャン姿で登場すると、「(受賞を)人ごとみたいに感じている。すごいな芥川賞って」とひょうひょうと話し、「僕が芥川賞作家ですよ。ウソやろって。友達はびっくりすると思う」と笑った。
芥川賞を受賞したことで作風や心境に変化が起こるのか聞かれると、山下さんは「ないです」とし、「心境はないです」と笑顔で強調。「手法みたいなものは後からついてくるもの、読んだ人が言うことであって(自身の変化は)ないです」と繰り返した。
受賞の報告は「六本木のおしゃれな感じのカフェ」で待っていたという山下さん。電話で受賞の一報が届いた時は「『ありがとうございます』とは言いました。あともうちょっとしゃべったりはしましたけど、『あ、そうですか』とか」とにやり。4回目のノミネートでの快挙となったが、「ホッとしましたというのが一番。本当にホッとしました」と“4度目の正直”に少し本心をのぞかせた。
山下さんは富良野塾2期生で、恩師にあたる倉本聰さんには「(受賞の報告を)留守電には入れました。(受賞作の)題字を書いていただいて、『ありがとうございます』しかない」と感謝。さらに「僕は若い頃に両親が死んでいて、倉本さんは父親みたいなもの。今、一番思うのは、どっかで(この会見を見て)『ちゃんとしゃべれよ』って怒られるのかな。そういう存在です」と思いを口にしていた。

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渡良瀬遊水地で2人死亡 誤ってボートから転落か

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NewsHub19日夕方、栃木県栃木市の渡良瀬遊水地の貯水池で、水質を測定する装置の点検などをしていた男性2人が浮いているのが見つかり、病院に運ばれましたが死亡しました。 19日午後5時半すぎ、栃木市藤岡町の渡良瀬遊水地の第一貯水池で男性2人が浮いているのを、遊水地を管理する国土交通省の職員が見つけ、消防に通報しました。 2人は消防に引き上げられ、病院に搬送されましたが、死亡しました。 警察によりますと、死亡したのは茨城県守谷市の橘義則さん(55)と、東京・江東区の枝久保卓也さん(25)です。 警察によりますと、2人は、見つかった際、ライフジャケットを身に着けていて、近くには、無人の小型のボートが浮かんでいたということです。 2人はいずれも埼玉県にある会社の社員で、国土交通省の委託を受けて、19日午前中からボートで貯水池に設置された水質を測定する装置の点検などをしていたということです。 警察は、2人が作業中に誤ってボートから転落したと見て詳しい状況を調べています。

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直木賞:恩田陸さん「蜜蜂と遠雷」に決定

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NewsHub第156回芥川・直木賞(日本文学振興会主催)の選考会が19日、東京・築地の料亭「新喜楽」で開かれ、芥川賞に山下澄人さん(50)の「しんせかい」(新潮7月号)が、直木賞に恩田陸さん(52)の「蜜蜂と遠雷」(幻冬舎)が選ばれた。山下さんは4回目の候補、恩田さんは6回目での受賞となった。
贈呈式は2月下旬に東京都内で開かれ、正賞の時計と副賞の賞金100万円が贈られる
山下さんは神戸市生まれ。同市立神戸商業高卒。脚本家の倉本聰さんが北海道で主宰していた演劇塾「富良野塾」の2期生。1996年から劇団「FICTION」を主宰する一方、小説「緑のさる」が2012年の野間文芸新人賞を受賞した。他の作品に「ルンタ」「鳥の会議」など。
受賞作の主人公は19歳の男。遠くにある演劇塾に入り、過酷な農作業をしながらけいこに励む2年間を描く。山下さん自身の体験が色濃く反映されており「懐かしいとか、思い出したくもないとか、そのどちらでもないから書けた」と振り返る。執筆は喫茶店に出かけたり自宅で寝そべったりしながら、主にスマホで書いたという。
主人公は淡い恋や芝居の難しさ、人間関係のあつれきを味わうが、いつも冷めてぼんやりとしている。成長や挫折とは無縁の筆致ながら、かけがえのない青春の日々が浮かび上がってくる。昨年10月に新潮社から刊行された単行本の題字は、山下さんの求めに応じて倉本さんが書いた。
恩田さんは早稲田大卒業後、会社勤めの傍ら執筆を続け、日本ファンタジーノベル大賞の最終候補になった「六番目の小夜子」で1992年デビュー。吉川英治文学新人賞や本屋大賞、山本周五郎賞など受賞を重ねてきた。他の作品に「ユージニア」(日本推理作家協会賞)など。
受賞作はピアノコンクールを舞台に、参加者たちの才能と生きる姿、コンクールを通して成長するさまを描いた青春群像小説。さまざまな音楽を豊かな文章で多彩に表現するという、見事な腕力を見せつけた。【鶴谷真、内藤麻里子】

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Powraca "choroba szalonych krów". Nowy wariant jeszcze groźniejszy. Są pierwsze ofiary

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NewsHubPonad 20 lat po pierwszym naukowym opisie choroby Creutzfelda-Jacoba, wywodzącej się z encefalopatii gąbczastej bydła nazywanej popularnie „chorobą szalonych krów“, lekarze stwierdzili nową formę tego schorzenia, wariant vCJD. Zmarł na nią w Wielkiej Brytanii 37-letni mężczyzna. Lekarze uznają, że zakażenie mogło nastąpić przez spożycie skażonego mięsa, transfuzję krwi, przeszczep lub przez skażone narzędzia chirurgiczne.
„Musimy spodziewać się następnych przypadków“
Opisany przypadek może być początkiem nowej fali zachorowań – stwierdzili lekarze z University College London na łamach „New England Journal of Medicine“ (NEJM). Eksperci już od dawna obawiali się takiego obrotu spraw.
– Musimy spodziewać się wystąpienia następnych przypadków – ostrzega Inga Zerr, kierująca grupą naukowców prowadzących badania nad prionami na uniwersytecie w Getyndze.
– Nie można jeszcze z pewnością stwierdzić, ile przypadków już wystąpiło, ponieważ należałoby uwzględnić wiele nieznanych czynników – zaznacza badaczka.
Narażony co drugi człowiek
Choroba Creutzfelda-Jacoba wywoływana jest przez priony, małe cząsteczki białka z defektem strukturalnym i jest najprawdopodobniej skutkiem przeniesienia encefalopatii gąbczastej bydła (BSE) na człowieka. Jeżeli priony dostaną się do organizmu ludzkiego np. po zjedzeniu mięsa wołowego od bydła zarażonego BSE, zdeformowane priony mogą przedostać się do mózgu człowieka.
Może to wywołać efekt domina, dochodzi wtedy bowiem także do deformacji prionów ludzkiego organizmu, co powoduje np. degenerację tkanki mózgowej.
Choroba jest śmiertelna i nie ma przeciwko niej ani szczepień, ani terapii. Do tej pory przypadki CJD rejestrowano tylko u ludzi o określonej kombinacji genów, występującej u około 40 proc. populacji. Obecnie w Wielkiej Brytanii na vCJD zachorował mężczyzna o innej kombinacji, występującej u co drugiego człowieka.
DPA, Deutsche Welle

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© Source: http://www.polsatnews.pl/wiadomosc/2017-01-19/powraca-choroba-szalonych-krow-nowy-wariant-jeszcze-grozniejszy-sa-pierwsze-ofiary/
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