Is Your Business Prepared to Negotiate the Hybrid Cloud Skills Gap?

(Gloucestercitynews.net)(February 26, 2020)–Today\’s IT specialists are working overtime to garner fast-evolving skills. That\’s why industry leaders are reaching out to third-party hybrid cloud experts.

Many business operators consider the hybrid cloud a significant asset. That’s largely because it allows work product to seamlessly move between public and private clouds in a cost-effective and secure fashion. This best-of-both-worlds flexibility offers an uptick in data deployment possibilities. But one of the challenges industry leaders continue to face is that navigating the hybrid cloud calls for particular skills many in-house IT teams have yet to acquire.

In fact, a recent Cloud Complexity Management survey found that nearly 50 percent of upper-management decision-makers indicated working in the cloud was increasingly more complex. And 42 percent of the 504 cloud professionals polled stated that having appropriately trained talent was the best solution to negotiating the cloud. As technology rapidly advances, it’s likely that working in the cloud will prove even more beneficial. Profit-generating improvements, however, are likely to be coupled with the need for additional skills development. In order to overcome the growing skills gap, it’s essential that business leaders answer some crucial questions before attempting to negotiate the hybrid cloud.

Elevate Services Group provides

managed IT services in Denver

and shares some insights into addressing the cloud skills group.

How Much Time Will You Spend in the Cloud?

Cloud utilization varies between industry sectors and unique outfits. Some organizations see the hybrid cloud as a layover along a journey to a permanent and fully public cloud. Other companies envision the hybrid cloud as a perfect fit for goal achievement. It’s important to conduct high-level discussions between the management team, in-house IT staff, and a third-party expert to determine whether your organization is best served lingering in the hybrid cloud or setting down roots.

Are You Prepared to Make Long-Term Cloud Decisions?

Having management, IT, and a third-party hybrid cloud expert together creates an environment for fruitful discussion. Outfits with in-house technicians can speak to the current state of the technology, and third-party experts generally have the pulse of where the cloud is heading. This gives CEOs and entrepreneurs the definition necessary to make informed decisions.

The bedrock of those decisions calls for determining the company’s needs. As communication and networking become increasingly complicated, specific tasks may be better served to migrate to the public cloud. Others, such as sensitive data, maybe best guarded by heightened cybersecurity of your own network. Although concerns of the public cloud being less-than-secure have been somewhat exaggerated, it’s up to you and your team to bring cybersecurity into the discussion. At the end of the day, how you proceed will be driven by wide-ranging business needs.

Do You Know the Infrastructure Realities?

Hybrid cloud productivity can be streamlined by employing advanced backup tools that underscore an infrastructure that is hyper-converged. In-house IT teams are usually open to the efficiency benefits infrastructure solutions deliver. This tends to be an area where skills gaps also exist. Decision-makers would be well served to consider forward-thinking infrastructure in the context of developing necessary skills. It’s crucial to keep a candid dialogue about skills on the table as you work through hybrid cloud development.

What Are Your Team’s Present Skills?

The wide-ranging skills required to be considered an expert in any sliver of the IT world can be quite humbling. Consummate professionals understand that fast-improving technologies have a ripple effect across the industry in terms of skill development. It goes without saying that no IT team can do it all, and that’s one of the reasons a hybrid skill gap has emerged.

Before diving into the hybrid cloud, it’s worthwhile to take an honest inventory of the in-house team\’s skills. Then, identify what development is needed to bring your valued employees int the future. Other solutions may be outsourcing to a hybrid cloud specialist or short-term staff augmentation. The point is that once you understand where this journey is going and the skill sets of your team members, you’ll have a clear picture of how to succeed.

According to the Cloud Complexity Management study, 49 percent of industry professionals said that training was the best way to address unexpected complexities, and 32 percent pointed to effective people.

image courtesy of unsplash.com

AG\’s from New Jersey, New York and Others Suing EPA Over Pollution from Other States

By Kim Jarrett |

The Center Square

The attorneys general of New York, New Jersey and three other states are accusing the U.S. Environmental Protection (EPA) of violating the Clean Air Act by not addressing pollution that is coming from other states.

The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in New York is asking the court require the EPA to propose and adopt a plan addressing the problem and set a specific date.

New Jersey is leading the lawsuit that also includes Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts and New York City.

The governments say upwind sources from Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia are creating ground-level ozone filled with harmful nitrogen oxide that can cause coughing, throat irritation and lung damage, according to a statement from New York Attorney General Letitia James. People with asthma, bronchitis and heart disease may have additional problems because of the pollution.

The lawsuit also contends that the EPA’s failure to address the issue “places unfair economic and administrative burdens on certain Plaintiff states.”

James said the EPA is refusing to address the problem and the pollution is going unaddressed.

“The transport of air pollution from upwind states continues to threaten the health and safety of New Yorkers,” James said.

New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said it’s time for the EPA to “live up to its legal duty.”

“We already beat EPA in court and won an order demanding the federal government tackle out-of-state pollution, and yet EPA still did not act,” Grewal said in a statement. “Enough is enough: this is a serious environmental and public health problem, and it demands a serious response from Washington.”

The EPA, in

a news release

, stated that 2019 data showed significant decreases in pollutants from power plants.

“Under President [Donald] Trump, our economy continues to grow, and we are enjoying ever-improving air quality,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said. “Through state and federal fulfillment of the Clean Air Act, as well as advances by the power sector, we have seen significant reductions in key pollutants. Notably, annual emissions of [sulfur dioxide] from the power sector fell 23 percent and are below 1 million tons for the first time in modern history.”

The EPA also noted declines in pollutant levels from nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide and mercury.

\”The annual data show a 23 percent decline in [sulfur dioxide] emissions compared to 2018, a 14 percent decline in [nitrogen oxide] emissions, an 8 percent decline in [carbon dioxide] emissions, and a 13 percent decrease in [mercury emissions] emissions,\” the news release said. \”Additionally, ozone season [nitrogen oxide] emissions dropped by 13 percent. During this time period, electric generation from these power plants decreased by 3 percent.\”

The states have successfully sued the EPA before, but the federal Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled last October that the agency’s proposed solution was inadequate and invalid and the agency breached its duty to hold the upwind states accountable.

The court ruled again in November the EPA should develop a solution under the “Good Neighbor Provision” of the Clean Air Act. The EPA has not done so, the complainants said in their lawsuit.

The attorneys general say the court must rule before the 2020 ozone season begins in May. They are asking the court to create a federal plan for each of the upwind states and award the plaintiff’s the cost of the attorney’s fees.

“EPA’s failure to take immediate action will prolong harms to the state plaintiffs and the health of our residents from high ozone levels, and foreclose the ability of plaintiff states to demonstrate attainment of the 2008 NAAQs by the July 2021 deadline,” the attorneys general say in their lawsuit.

published by Gloucestercitynews.net with permission of

The Center Square

OFFICER DOWN: Sumter County Corporal Andrew Gillette Murdered

ANDREW GILLETTE

Sumter County Sheriff\’s Office, South Carolina

End of Watch

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

SUMTER COUNTY, SC (February 26, 2020)–Corporal Andrew Gillette, age 37, was shot and killed while he and other deputies attempted to serve a detention order and eviction notice at a

home at 3120 Thomas Sumter Highway at 11:30 am.

The subject named on the orders opened fire, striking Corporal Gillette in the chest. Other deputies who were on the scene returned fire and killed the subject.

Corporal Gillette was a U.S. Air Force veteran. He served with the Sumter County Sheriff\’s Office for seven years and was assigned to the Civil Process Division. He is survived by his wife and 11-year-old son.

Via

Officer Down Memorial page

CNB Crime

Blue Line

CNBNews Tips and Snippets

CNBNews Point of View

BREAKING NEWS

published Gloucestercitynews.net | February 26, 2020

NIH Purchases of Aborted Fetal Parts for ‘Humanized Mice’ Testing

(Washington, DC)

– Judicial Watch announced it received

676 pages

of records from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) showing that the agency paid thousands of dollars to a California-based firm to purchase organs from aborted human fetuses to create “

humanized mice

” for HIV research.

The records show that NIH paid at least $18,100 between December 2016 and August 2018 to Advanced Bioscience Resources (ABR) for livers and thymuses from second trimester aborted fetuses. They include at least 26 such purchases from ABR by Dr. Kim Hasenkrug,

senior investigator

at the

NIH lab

in Hamilton, Montana.

Purchase orders associated with the transactions state: “These tissues, liver and thymus, are required [by] Ron Messer for ongoing studies of HIV in the Hasenkrug Lab. Our mice will be ready for reconstitution soon.”

Beginning with a December 21, 2016, payment to ABR and running through April 2018, the records show that a fetal liver and thymus set costs $680, and payment was due upon receipt. On May 23, 2018, the cost increased to $750.

The records also include “Tissue Acquisition Invoices” and sales receipts issued by ABR. Payment was made by credit card.

Judicial Watch received the records through a March 2019

lawsuit

against the Department of Health and Human Services for all contracts and related documentation between the FDA and Advanced Bioscience Resources (ABR) for the provision of human fetal tissue to be used in humanized mice research (

Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department Health and Human Services

(No. 1:19-cv-00876)).

ABR has been the subject of

criminal referrals

from House and Senate committees investigating whether Planned Parenthood or any other entity was illegally profiting from the handling of fetal tissue from aborted babies.

Federal

law

regulates the purchase and acceptance of human fetal tissue for research purposes. It is unlawful to knowingly transfer fetal tissue for profit. According to the records, agency officials concluded in March 2018 that: “Federal regulations for the protection of human subjects do not apply to above named activity.”

The records include a November 2009 “

Request for Review of Research

Activity Involving Human Subjects” with the protocol title “Study of HIV infection and vaccine protection in mice reconstituted with a human immune system” that describes the development of a “cohort” of humanized mice using human fetal tissue:

Recent reports have demonstrated that immunodeficient mice reconstituted with 17-19 week old human fetal tissue develop a human immune system and are susceptible to HIV infection and disease. The goal of this project proposal is to create such humanized mice to study the role of immune cell subsets and virus-neutralizing antibodies in vaccine protection. The experiments will entail the development of a cohort of mice all reconstituted with the same human cells so as to be histocompatible. This will require transplantation of the mice with 1 mm

pieces of fetal thymus as well as reconstitution with stem cells isolated from cord blood and liver. Once the humanized mice have been established some will be vaccinated to prime distinct subsets of immune cells. Immune cell subsets from vaccinated mice will be adoptively transferred into naive mice, which will then be infected with HIV to test the antiviral activity of the immune cells. The goal of these experiments is to establish correlates of immunity against HIV.

In an “

Overview

” provided by Advanced Bioscience Resources, the firm describes itself as a “non-profit corporate foundation” which is “devoted to providing services in connection with the procurement of human organs and tissues for medical and scientific research.”

In Hasenkrug’s November 2009 “

Request for Review of Research

Activity Involving Human Subjects” he is asked: “Where are the subjects of this research activity located?” Hasenkrug answers: “The material for this research is obtained from natural or induced abortions from females in California.” Another question is: “Has the research activity that you are proposing in this form been approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) elsewhere?” Hasenkrug answers: “No IRB review of the research activity … has taken place.”

The records include a November 2009

from the deputy director of the Office of Human Subject Research (OHSR) in Bethesda, MD, to Hasenkrug at the NIH lab, approving his research project and instructing him: “Provide documentation that you will not seek the identity of the subjects who have provided the samples you will receive as well as documentation from ABR that under no circumstances will the identity or link to the identifiers of the subjects be released to you.” The signature block concluding the email includes the phrase: “The NIH is committed to maintaining the highest stands for the protection of human subjects.”

The Advanced Bioscience Resources’ “Tissue Acquisition Invoices” show:

On December 21, 2016, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by credit card on January 10, 2017. The “justification” states: “These tissues, liver and thymus, are required [by] Ron Messer for ongoing studies of HIV in Hasenkrug Lab. Our mice will be ready for reconstitution soon.”

On January 25, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card in February 2017.

On February 8, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on February 15, 2017.

On March 9, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on March 24, 2017.

On March 30, 2017, ABR provided a second trimester thymus and liver to Hasenkrug’s lab at no charge due to a “delivery delay.” The parts were needed by March 17, 2017 and NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was to have been

charged $680

but the parts weren’t delivered until April 19, 2017.

On April 20, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card in May 2017.

On May 17, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on May 19, 2017.

On June 28, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were received on May 30, 2017.

On July 5, 2017, a redacted NIH employee placed an order for a second trimester liver and thymus on behalf of Ron Messer. NIH redacted the price from the email, citing confidential commercial information. However, the $680 price is included in the

purchase order

. The tissues were delivered on August 21, 2017.

On August 10, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card in September 2017.

On August 24, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card in September 2017.

On September 21, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card in October 2017.

On October 5, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on October 24, 2017.

On October 26, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card in November 2017.

On December 13, 2017, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by credit card on December 22, 2017.

On January 3, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on January 11, 2018.

On January 25, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on January 30, 2018.

On February 7, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on February 16, 2018.

On March 1, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on March 16, 2018.

April 4, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $680

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on April 18, 2018.

On May 23, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $750

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card in June 2018.

On May 31, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $750

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa card on June 26, 2018.

On June 27, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $750

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by credit card and delivered on July 10, 2018.

On August 15, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $750

for a second trimester thymus and liver, which were paid for by Visa and delivered on August 23, 2018.

On August 10, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs ordered a second trimester liver and thymus and

paid $750

by credit card. They were to be delivered on September 10, 2018.

On September 6, 2018, NIH’s Rocky Mountain Labs was

billed $750

for a second trimester liver and thymus, which was paid for by Visa on September 14, 2018.

“These records detailing the federal government’s purchases of organs of aborted fetuses are the most disturbing I’ve ever seen in all my time at Judicial Watch,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “Every responsible official in government – from President Trump to HHS Secretary Azar should investigate and stop the trafficking of organs of aborted unborn human beings for taxpayer-funded Frankenstein-type experimentation.”

Camp Invention Summer STEM Program Coming to Charles G. Harker School

Nationally Recognized Program Inspires Local K-6 Students to Become Confident Problem Solvers

Woolwich Twp, NJ February 25, 2020

Camp Invention®

, a nationally recognized, nonprofit summer enrichment camp program, is coming to Charles G. Harker School the week of July 27 – July 31, 2020.

A program of the National Inventors Hall of Fame® (NIHF) in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Camp Invention challenges children in grades K-6 to find their inner inventor by learning the process of innovation. Using hands-on activities, Camp Invention promotes science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning; builds confidence, leadership, perseverance, resourcefulness and problem-solving skills; and encourages entrepreneurship in a fun and engaging environment.

Each year, the program features a new curriculum inspired by some of our nations most world-changing inventors the NIHF Inductees. This years Elevate curriculum features several video challenges from these Inductees encouraging children to be confident in their ideas and explore their innovativeness. These hands-on activities include:

Camp Invention Flight Lab:

Imaginations soar as children learn about flight with gliders, rockets, heliballs and hand-copters. They build a cityscape from upcycled materials, navigate planes through a storm and take apart a robot.

Design Thinking Project:

Campers learn the value of their creativity as they bring their biggest ideas to life. To become successful innovators, they create sketches, build prototypes, design logos and find out how to pitch their invention while protecting their intellectual property.

Rescue Squad:

Using teamwork and problem-solving skills, children protect the Earths ecosystems. Inspiring activities include creating pods to compete in zipline races, exploring energy conservation, eliminating pollution and helping wildlife in habitats across the country.

Camp Invention Champions:

As they discover the unseen inventors behind their favorite sports, campers apply their own ingenuity. They trade inventor playing cards, create and play their own high-energy hover-ball games, and design and build the ultimate sports complex.

At the end of the program, each camper will bring home a robot! Learn more about this years

all-new curriculum.

All local Camp Invention programs are facilitated and taught by certified educators who reside and teach in the community. Camp Invention serves 130,000 students every year and partners with more than 1,800 schools and districts across the nation. For additional information or to find a camp near you, visit

invent.org/camp

About Camp Invention:

Camp Invention is the only nationally recognized summer program focused on creativity, innovation, real-world problem solving and the spirit of invention. Through hands-on programming, Camp Invention encourages children entering kindergarten through sixth grade to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics curriculum inspired by some of the world\’s greatest inventors. Since 1990, our education programs have served more than 1.5 million children, and 170,000 teachers and Leadership Interns. Regional program sponsors include the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Nordson Corporation Foundation, NAVAIR – Lakehurst and ShurTech Brands, LLC.

NEW 2020 DEMOCRATS FEATURED IN COMIC BOOK SERIES

TidalWave Comics is proud to announce the addition of several comic books to its popular “Political Power” series focused on the Democratic Party candidates vying to replace President Trump.

With the 2020 U.S. presidential election in full swing, TidalWave’s latest slate features Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Bernie Sanders, Mike Bloomberg and Elizabeth Warren.

TidalWave has profiled politicians for more than 11 years using the unique storytelling properties of comic books. In 2016, the company published books featuring Republican presidential candidates, including Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, Rand Paul and, of course, Donald Trump.

“In 2016, we focused heavily on Republicans. This time, we are heavy on the Democrats,” TidalWave Comics Publisher Darren Davis said.

Davis’ balanced approach appealed to writer Michael Frizell, an administrator at Missouri State University who wrote several of the biography comics during the last election cycle. “My goal is always to tell a good story,” Frizell said.

The biography comic format allows TidalWave writers to delve into the history of newsworthy figures and explore what shaped them. Several media outlets, including CNN, FOX News, “The Today Show” and Time and People magazines, have featured the company’s line of biographical comic books.

“As a reluctant reader, I found the comic book form easy to access, so I always believed comics could both entertain and teach,” Davis said.

The comic books give readers insights into the candidates’ personal stories, plus they make great political memorabilia.

Print copies of the biography comics are available on Amazon. Digital versions are available from iTunes, Kindle, Nook, ComiXology, Kobo and wherever e-books are sold.

Political Power: Joe Biden

Written by Wey-Yuih Loh

Art by Jonathan Rector

Joe Biden was once America’s youngest member of Congress. As Barack Obama’s running mate and eventual vice president, Biden gradually carved a place for himself in American history. Like all long-serving politicians, his road to the presidency has not been easy. This biography comic traces Biden’s life in an easily accessible story that gives the reader insight into Biden’s character.

Political Power: Peter Buttigieg

Release date: April 2020

Written by Michael L. Frizell

Art by Juan José Pereyra

Cover by famed comic book artist: Dave Ryan

Peter Paul Montgomery Buttigieg, a veteran of the Afghanistan War, is the son of professors at Notre Dame who instilled in him a desire to learn. After graduating from Harvard and studying at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, Pete became the nation’s youngest mayor. His tenure at the helm of South Bend, Indiana, has met with some controversy, but Mayor Pete, the first openly gay candidate for U.S. president, has grown to be a rising star in the Democratic Party.

Political Power: Bernie Sanders

Written and art by Joe Paradise

The longest-serving independent member of Congress in American history, the often-fiery senator from Vermont enjoyed a grassroots-level groundswell of support that brought him within striking distance of the nomination for president in 2016. Bernie is back, consistently polling high with Democrats and Independents and ready to take on the establishment in 2020.

Political Power: Mike Bloomberg

Release date: May 2020

Written by Michael L. Frizell

Cover by famed comic book artist: Dave Ryan

Mike Bloomberg, the once Republican mayor of New York City, is now a Democrat and ready to take on President Trump in the 2020 election. The billionaire is self-funding his race for the nomination and has traded barbs with the president in some very public feuds. Read the story of a self-made billionaire who wants to lead the United States of America.

Female Force: Elizabeth Warren

Written by Michael L. Frizell

Art by Pablo Martinena & Vincenzo Sansone

Senator Elizabeth Warren is a favorite target of President Trump. Undaunted, Warren has carved a name for herself as a rising star in the Democratic Party and a presidential candidate who fights big banks and large corporations to support the middle class. From her modest roots in rural Oklahoma to her exalted role as a senator from Massachusetts, Warren’s story comes to life in this issue of Female Force.

The latest books featuring 2020 Democratic Party presidential candidates join TidalWave’s ever-growing library of more than 200 comic book biographies. Previous titles have profiled Donald Trump, Condoleezza Rice, George Bush, Marco Rubio and Rand Paul, among others.

Please feel free to use the images and credit TidalWave Productions. To download some PDF’s and covers click here:

http://bit.ly/38UiSZG

Review copies in PDF form and interview opportunities are available upon request.

For more information about the company, visit

www.tidalwavecomics.com

About TidalWave Comics

TidalWave is a multifaceted multimedia production company with the mission of delivering dynamic storytelling in a variety of forms by developing graphic and literary fiction and nonfiction, audio, film and more. The company’s wide range of diverse titles delight readers through its creative and innovative storytelling available in high-quality print and electronic formats.

TidalWave delivers a multimedia experience unparalleled in the burgeoning graphic fiction and nonfiction marketplace. Dynamic storytelling, coupled with groundbreaking art, delivers an experience like no other. Stories are told through multiple platforms and genres, gracing the pages of graphic novels, novelizations, engaging audio dramas and cutting-edge film projects. Diversity defines TidalWave’s offerings in the burgeoning pop-culture marketplace through its use of fresh voices and innovative storytellers.

As one of the top independent publishers of comic books and graphic novels, TidalWave unites cutting-edge art and engaging stories produced by the publishing industry’s most exciting artists and writers. Its extensive catalog of comic book titles includes the bestsellers “10th Muse” and “The Legend of Isis,” complemented by a line of young adult books and audiobooks.

TidalWave’s publishing partnerships include entertainment icon William Shatner (“TekWar Chronicles”), legendary filmmaker Ray Harryhausen (“Wrath of the Titans,” “Sinbad: Rogue of Mars,” “Jason and the Argonauts” and more), novelists S.E. Hinton (“The Puppy Sister”) and William F. Nolan (“Logan’s Run”), and celebrated actors Vincent Price (“Vincent Price Presents”), Dirk Benedict of the original “Battlestar Galactica” (“Dirk Benedict in the 25

Century”) and Adam West of 1966’s “Batman” fame (“The Mis-Adventures of Adam West”). TidalWave also publishes a highly successful line of biographical comics under the titles “Orbit,” “Fame,” “Beyond,” “Tribute,” “Female Force” and “Political Power.”

FACE OF DEFENSE: United States’ only Heavy Icebreaker completes Antarctic Treaty Inspections

MCMURDO STATION, Antarctica — The 159 crewmembers onboard U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10) departed McMurdo Station Wednesday after escorting three refuel and resupply vessels and assisting with a five-day inspection of foreign research stations, installations and equipment in Antarctica.

MCMURDO STATION, MCMURDO STATION, ANTARCTICA 02.05.2020 Photo by Senior Chief Petty Officer NyxoLyno Cangemi U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area Subscribe41 The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB-10) is moored Feb. 5, 2020, next to the Maersk Peary in McMurdo, Antarctica. The crew of the 44-year-old icebreaker created a channel in the ice near McMurdo Station as a part of Operation Deep Freeze – the U.S. military’s contribution to the U.S. Antarctic Program, which is managed by the National Science Foundation. U.S. Coast Guard photograph by Senior Chief Petty Officer NyxoLyno Cangemi

The departure marks the Polar Star’s 23rd journey to Antarctica in support of Operation Deep Freeze, an annual joint military service mission to resupply the United States Antarctic stations, in support of the National Science Foundation, the lead agency for the United States Antarctic Program.

The Seattle-based 399-foot, 13,000-ton

Polar Star

created a 23-mile channel through the ice to McMurdo Sound, which enabled the offload of over 19.5 million pounds of dry cargo and 7.6 million gallons of fuel from three logistics vessels. Together these three ships delivered enough fuel and critical supplies to sustain NSF operations throughout the year until Polar Star returns in 2021.

Two scuba divers are lowered to the ice Feb. 1, 2020, from the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB-10) approximately seven miles north of McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Scuba divers from the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army and the Royal Canadian Navy are serving aboard the Polar Star in order to effect emergency repairs if needed to the 44-year-old heavy icebreaker. The crew of the Seattle-based Polar Star is working near Antarctica in support of Operation Deep Freeze 2020, the U.S. military’s contribution to the National Science Foundation-managed U.S. Antarctic Program. U.S. Coast Guard photograph by Senior Chief Petty Officer NyxoLyno Cangemi

The Polar Star also supported a team of U.S. government officials from the U.S. Department of State, National Science Foundation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and U.S. Coast Guard who

conducted a five-day inspection

of foreign research stations, installations, and equipment in Antarctica.

The United States continues to promote Antarctica’s status as a continent reserved for peace and science in accordance with the provisions of the Antarctic Treaty of 1959. The inspection serves to verify compliance with the Antarctic Treaty and its Environmental Protocol, including provisions prohibiting military measures and mining, as well as provisions promoting safe station operation and sound environmental practices.

The team inspected three stations: Mario Zucchelli (Italy), Jang Bogo (South Korea), and Inexpressible Island (China). This was the fifteenth inspection of foreign research stations by the United States in Antarctica, and the first since 2012.

Inspections emphasize that all of Antarctica is accessible to interested countries despite territorial claims and reinforce the importance of compliance with the Antarctic Treaty’s arms control provisions. The United States will present its report on the inspection at the next Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting in Helsinki, Finland, in May 2020.

“I am immensely proud of all the hard work and dedication the men and women of the Polar Star demonstrate each and every day,” said Greg Stanclik, commanding officer of the Polar Star.

“Maintaining and operating a 44-year-old ship in the harshest of environments takes months of planning and preparation, long workdays and missed holidays, birthdays and anniversaries with loved ones. The Polar Star crew truly embodies the ethos of the Antarctic explorers who came before us — courage, sacrifice and devotion.”

Commissioned in 1976, the Polar Star is the United States’ only operational heavy icebreaker, capable of breaking ice up to 21 feet thick. Reserved for Operation Deep Freeze each year, the ship spends the winter breaking ice near Antarctica, and when the mission is complete, returns to dry dock in order to conduct critical maintenance and repairs in preparation for the next Operation Deep Freeze mission.

If a catastrophic event, such as getting stuck in the ice, were to happen to the

Coast Guard Cutter Healy

(WAGB 20) in the Arctic or to the Polar Star near Antarctica, the U.S. Coast Guard is left without a self-rescue capability.

By contrast, Russia currently operates more than 50 icebreakers – several of which are nuclear powered.

The Coast Guard has been the sole provider of the nation’s polar icebreaking capability since 1965, and is seeking to increase its icebreaking fleet with

six new polar security cutters

to ensure continued national presence and access to the Polar Regions.

In April, the

Coast Guard awarded VT Halter Marine Inc.

of Pascagoula, Mississippi, a contract for the design and construction of the Coast Guard’s lead

polar security cutter

, which will also be homeported in Seattle. The contract also includes options for the construction of two additional PSCs.

\”Replacing the Coast Guard\’s icebreaker fleet is paramount,\” said Vice Adm. Linda Fagan, commander of the Coast Guard\’s Pacific Area. \”Our ability to clear a channel and allow for the resupply of the United States\’ Antarctic stations is essential for continued national presence and influence on the continent.\”

FACE OF DEFENSE

AMERICAN HERO

CNB Business News: 20 Digits Establishes Executive Team in Preparation for National Expansion

GLOUCESTER CITY, NEW JERSEY—February 24, 2020—20 Digits, a start-up developing innovative solutions for the integrated facilities management (IFM) industry, has named Scott Dickson as Chief Technology Officer amid a

year of strategic expansion. 20 Digits is a subsidiary of

NEST

, the

Scott Dickson to guide the start-up’s growth as Chief Technology Officer

integrated facilities management consultant and analytics solution serving enterprises in the United States and Canada.

“As an organization, we recognized just how important technology is for an IFM program,” said Rob Almond, Chief Executive Officer of NEST. “Though 20 Digits was originally established to fill that need and develop solutions for IFM, it quickly exceeded our expectations. Now, with Scott leading the group, I have full confidence 20 Digits will expand as a company just as it grew its initial offering.”

In his new role, Dickson will be responsible for overseeing the continued expansion of 20 Digits, as well as development, product management, infrastructure and security for the existing platform offering.

Dickson joined 20 Digits from multinational retailer David’s Bridal after 15 years. During his tenure, Dickson was responsible for introducing DevOps practices built upon Amazon Web Services in order to deliver cloud-native services into a complex ecosystem with aging technologies.

“I’m thrilled to be helping 20 Digits on the next leg of its journey,” said Dickson. “IFM is an industry that’s ripe for tech innovation. We have the opportunity to save clients a lot of money and solve issues they haven’t even identified yet.”

###

About 20 Digits

20 Digits Technology is a provider of technology solutions for the integrated facilities management (IFM) industry. Comprised of a team of technology veterans but maintaining the agility of a start-up, 20 Digits is developing cost-saving solutions for enterprises with multiple large-scale brick and mortar locations, including those with robust digital experiences. A subsidiary of NEST, the leading IFM solutions provider, 20 Digits is driven to provide next-generation solutions that are both innovative and secure. For more information, visit

http://20digitstechnology.com/

CNB BUSINESS NEWS

75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF IWO JIMA (VIDEO)…Thank a Veteran Today for their Service

SOURCE:

The American Legion Burn Pit

First, from Yahoo News:

This month marks the 75th anniversary of the start of the Battle of Iwo Jima, which saw some of the bloodiest fighting of World War Two take place on a small Japanese island 1,200 km (745 miles) south of Tokyo.

Iwo Jima was the first native Japanese soil to be invaded during the Allied advance. Located halfway between Tokyo and Guam, it was regarded as a strategic outpost. Close to 7,000 U.S. Marines and nearly all of the 21,000 Japanese defenders of the island died during the 36-day battle.

The Japanese troops held the heavily fortified island for more than a month, supported by a network of bunkers and tunnels and hidden artillery positions.

From Feb. 19, 1945, over 500 warships and 1,000 warplanes from the U.S. navy and army pounded Iwo Jima so heavily that the shelling and bombing changed the shape of the island\’s highest point, Mount Suribachi, located at its southern tip.

The Washington Post has a story on Woody Williams

, who as you know is one of my favorite people:

The Japanese soldiers came out of their concrete “pill box” with bayonets fixed, determined to get the Marine who had been killing them all afternoon with a flamethrower.

Their target was Hershel Williams. He was 5-foot-6, the youngest of the 11 children of a dairy farmer from Quiet Dell, W.Va. He had a nice smile, and a girl back home named Ruby whom he planned to marry when the war was over.

He was 21, and known as “Woody.”

But 75 years ago this month, on a Godforsaken volcanic island in the Pacific called Iwo Jima, he was a terrifying destroyer of the Japanese, incinerating men in their hideouts with jets of blazing diesel fuel and high octane gasoline.

They had to stop him.

Not to ruin the ending, but yeah, they didn\’t stop him.

CONTINUE TO READ

Visit Philadelphia & Megabus Offer $2.29 Fare to Philly on Leap Day

Visitors Can See The Flower Show, Celebrate Black History Month & More on February 29 & March 1, 2020

Saturday, February 29, 2020 is Leap Day, and to celebrate the once-every-four-years occasion, VISIT PHILADELPHIA

has partnered with Megabus to

offer $2.29 fares from New York and Washington, DC to Philadelphia. A limited number of $2.29 fares will also be available for departures from Philadelphia on Sunday, March 1, 2020. The deal is bookable

here

Those who take advantage of the offer can partake in the expected (Liberty Bell, cheesesteaks, Rocky steps) and the unexpected (public art, breweries galore, tax-free clothing shopping) fun in Philadelphia. They can:

Celebrate the last day of

Black History Month

at the African American Museum in Philadelphia at Belmont Mansion, Johnson House Historic Site, Mother Bethel A.M.E. and National Marian Anderson Museum, to name a few.

Enjoy the first day of

PHS Philadelphia Flower Show

See

Hello Dolly!

at the Academy of Music.

Experience the Selma and suffrage exhibits at the

Brandywine Museum of Art

Spend the night in Philadelphia by booking the perks-packed

Visit Philly Overnight Hotel Package

More trip ideas for Leap Day and every day are available at

visitphilly.com

and

uwishunu.com

VISIT PHILADELPHIA

is our name and our mission. As the region’s official tourism marketing agency, we build Greater Philadelphia’s image, drive visitation and boost the economy.

On Greater Philadelphia’s official visitor website and blog,

visitphilly.com

and

uwishunu.com

, visitors can explore things to do, upcoming events, themed itineraries and hotel packages. Compelling photography and videos, interactive maps and detailed visitor information make the sites effective trip-planning tools. Along with Visit Philly social media channels, the online platforms communicate directly with consumers. Travelers can also call and stop into the Independence Visitor Center for additional information and tickets.

CNB BUSINESS NEWS