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Issued on: 24/05/2020 - 06:18

Dubai (AFP)

From smart police helmets to research labs, the novel coronavirus has given Dubai an opportunity to test its technological and scientific clout as it shapes its approach to the pandemic.

A key part of the glitzy Gulf emirate's fight is its COVID-19 Command and Control Centre, set up to coordinate the efforts of Dubai's doctors, epidemiologists and other professionals.

It is hosted within the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) in Dubai's Healthcare City, also home to state-of-the-art hospitals, labs and research centres.

"For several years, Dubai has endeavoured to put in place solid digital infrastructure, and this has contributed to the fight against the coronavirus", said Amer Sharif, who heads the multidisciplinary centre.

It was established at the start of the health crisis by Dubai Crown Prince and social media star Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum.

In one room, young mask-wearing men and women sit at carefully separated desks crunching data on laptops and coordinating with workers on the ground.

The initiative includes a scientific team whose role is "to stay abreast of the latest advances in research and scientific evidence, both in the country and elsewhere in the world", team head Alawi Alsheikh-Ali told AFP.

- 'Data and science' -

The United Arab Emirates has carried out more than 1.6 million coronavirus tests, and has officially declared over 28,700 infections, including 244 deaths.

This high-tech approach, Sharif said, including "the complete digitisation of the health system", has prevented a greater spread of the virus and made the lockdown easier.

Tom Loney, associate professor of public health and epidemiology at MBRU, said the coronavirus was an opportunity for Dubai to put its capabilities to the test.

"It's the ability to react, to make quick decisions based on data and science" that sets Dubai apart, said Loney, who is also an adviser to authorities in the city-state.

According to him decisions were made by order of Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, whose portrait is featured on the MBRU building.

Dubai is one of seven emirates in the UAE, a key Gulf state with big technological and scientific ambitions.

The emirate lacks the oil wealth of its neighbours, but has the most diversified economy in the Gulf, building a reputation as a financial, commercial and tourism hub.

The UAE sent an astronaut into space last year, and in July is set to launch the first Arab probe towards Mars, a project sponsored by the emir of Dubai.

- 'Own model' -

Many tech options were already at Dubai's fingertips when the pandemic struck, and the emirate was quick at putting its technology to a variety of uses during the virus crisis.

Police wear smart helmets that take the temperature of passers-by while laboratories make protective masks using 3D printers.

When a night-time curfew begins, Dubai residents -- 90 percent of whom are expats -- receive a reminder message on their mobile phone in Arabic, English or other languages.

The UAE has regularly announced research advances into the COVID-19 illness, developing several apps to help manage the pandemic.

One of them, Alhosn, which the government has encouraged residents to download, helps track people who are infected with the virus or who may have come in close contact with confirmed cases.

But the use of technology to fight the pandemic has raised concern across the world over government surveillance and privacy risks.

Tech experts and the media have highlighted this issue in the UAE, where some foreign websites and applications are already blocked.

But Sharif pushed back against scepticism.

"Dubai and the Emirates respect privacy, whether it is a question of patient records or smart applications", he said.

The emirate was creating its "own model" of responding to the health crisis, Sharif added, though authorities were also looking at countries such as South Korea, seen as a positive policy response to the crisis.

"We must follow the developments... but also add to them," he said.

2020 AFP

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Pandemic gives Dubai chance to put tech to the test - RFI

Scientistscant yet rebuild someone with bionic body parts. They dont have thetechnology. But a new artificial eye brings cyborgs one step closer to reality.

Thisdevice, which mimics the human eyes structure, is about as sensitive to lightand has a faster reaction time than a real eyeball. It may not come with the telescopicor night vision capabilities that Steve Austin had in The Six MillionDollar Man television show,but this electronic eyepiece does have the potential for sharper vision thanhuman eyes, researchers report in the May 21 Nature.

Inthe future, we can use this for better vision prostheses and humanoidrobotics, says engineer and materials scientist Zhiyong Fan of the Hong KongUniversity of Science and Technology.

Thehuman eye owes its wide field of view and high-resolution eyesight to the dome-shapedretina an area at the back of the eyeball covered in light-detecting cells.Fan and colleagues used a curved aluminum oxide membrane, studded with nanosizesensors made of a light-sensitive material called a perovskite (SN: 7/26/17), to mimicthat architecture in their synthetic eyeball. Wires attached to the artificialretina send readouts from those sensors to external circuitry for processing,just as nerve fibers relay signals from a real eyeball to the brain.

Headlines and summaries of the latest Science News articles, delivered to your inbox

Theartificial eyeball registers changes in lighting faster than human eyes can within about 30 to 40 milliseconds, rather than 40 to 150 milliseconds. Thedevice can also see dim light about as well as the human eye. Although its100-degree field of view isnt as broad as the 150 degrees a human eye can takein, its better than the 70 degrees visible to ordinary flat imaging sensors.

Intheory, this synthetic eye could perceive a much higher resolution than thehuman eye, because the artificial retina contains about 460 million lightsensors per square centimeter. A real retina has about 10 millionlight-detecting cells per square centimeter. But that would require separate readingsfrom each sensor. In the current setup, each wire plugged into the synthetic retinais about one millimeter thick, so big that it touches many sensors at once.Only 100 such wires fit across the back of the retina, creating images thathave 100 pixels.

Toshow that thinner wires could be connected to the artificial eyeball for higherresolution, Fans team used a magnetic field to attach a small array of metalneedles, each 20 to 100 micrometers thick, to nanosensors on the syntheticretina one by one. Its like a surgical operation, Fan says.

The researchers current method of creating individual ultrasmall pixels is impractical, says Hongrui Jiang, an electrical engineer at the University of WisconsinMadison whose commentary on the study appears in the same issue of Nature. For a few hundred nanowires, okay, fine, but how about millions? Engineers will need a much more efficient way to manufacture vast arrays of tiny wires on the back of the artificial eyeball to give it superhuman sight, he says.

See the article here:
A new artificial eye mimics and may outperform human eyes - Science News

CORONAVIRUS lockdown has ruled out the usual Friday night in the pub, but you can still order booze online for home delivery.

Better yet, theres a wide range of delivery service options available, so no matter your tipple, you can enjoy it without having to leave your home.

Weve put together a list of available services below, whether you like to sip on beer, wine or spirits.

Of course, you can order from supermarkets too but with slots sold out online for weeks in advance you may have to try elsewhere.

Before you order, keep in mind that deliveries may be delayed due to high demand.

And as always, if youre enjoying a drink or two, make sure youre Drinkaware.

Below are some of our favourite alcohol online delivery services.

31Dover has a wide range of drinks available to order, from spirits, wine, beer and liqueurs everything you could need for self-distancing in style.

If you order before 7pm Monday to Friday, its typically able to deliver the booze the next day.

Certain restrictions apply though so make sure you check whether its available in your area before you order.

Delivery fees range from 2.49 if you spend over 40, or 9.95 if you spend less than 40.

The e-commerce giant is selling a wide range of beers, wine and spirits online.

Some products come with free delivery, but deliveries may be delayed so just double-check the product page before you order.

Click N Drink sells booze including beers, wines, spirits, cocktails as well as soft drinks.

You can get your items delivered for free if you spend more than 100.

If you dont, youll pay a 6 delivery fee for orders weighing up to 15kg within mainland UK.

Alternatively, if you live in London, youll pay an extra 60p for the same amount.

Drink Supermarket also has everything you could need in terms of booze, including spirits, wine, beers.

Delivery fees start from 5.95, and standard delivery takes between five to seven days to arrive.

If you spend more than 250, youll get the items delivered for free.

Similarly, Drinkdirect.co.uk also sells everything between the moon and the sun when it comes to alcohol.

A statement on its website warns that orders may take longer to arrive, but adds that orders should be out for delivery in three to four days.

The delivery fees vary depending on how much you spend on booze.

If you spend less than 45, youll have to pay a 7.99 fee for the trouble.

Alternatively, youll only have to pay 5.99 for delivery if you spend between 45 and 250.

And if you spend more than 250, youll get the alcohol delivered for free.

Food delivery apps including Delivery and Uber Eats also offer alcohol delivery, as long as a local wine shop or off license has partnered with them to deliver supplies.

Delivery times, prices and availability will differ for each location, but its worth checking out to see whats on offer.

As of this month, Morrisons shoppers can also order red and white wine, beer and lager through the Deliveroo app.

It could come in handy if you need to do some last-minute shopping, as the order will be by your doorstep in just 30 minutes.

Beer52 is a beer lovers dream, full of craft cans, multipacks and offers from IPAs to Stouts, all divided by location and breweries.

You can either shop for individual beers or join their Craft Beer Discovery Club from 24 a month for eight beers.

If you decide to shop individual beers, youll get them delivered for free if you spend at least 50.

If you spend less, youll have to pay 5.95 for the trouble.

Craft beer fans will be pleased to hear that you can also order beer on Brewdogs website.

It has pre-packaged bundles of their favourites including Punk IPA or Hazy Jane, or shoppers can build their own bundles, with prices starting from around 30 for 24 cans.

Standard delivery usually takes three to five working days, for a 5 fee.

New members of cashback website TopCashback can currently also get 15 back if they spend more than 30 on one order you can find out more details here.

You can order cases of beers from across Europe and the UK from Honestbrew.

It also sells other tipples such as gins and seltzers so if hops arent your thing theres plenty to choose from.

Its currently operating with a seven-day dispatch delay though, but once your order has been shipped you should receive it the next day.

Standard delivery cost 4.99, but you can get it for free if you spend at least 50.

If you havent checked it out already, wine drinkers will love Naked Wines.

Theres a wide range wines, featuring unusual but utterly fabulous wines, perfect for vino fans, and those looking for a very good glass of wine.

You can get the order delivered the next day if you order before 7pm on Monday to Saturday, but youll have to pay 4.99 for the trouble.

Another option if wine is your to-go-to booze is Majestic Wine.

Delivery charges cost up to 8.95 if your order amounts to less than 30.

A statement on its website warns about delayed delivery times due to unprecedented demand so keep this in mind before you splash out.

Last but not least, Virgin Wines is another wine specialist worth checking out.

Delivery is charged at 7.99 per address, which cover as many cases as you want in one order.

Virgin Wines said its delivering 98.8 per cent of orders within three working days and 85 per cent of orders the next day.

If youre a fan of all things gin, you might want to check out the Gin Kiosk.

It sells gins from all over the world as well as cocktail ingredients to get your G&T just right.

It offers 24-hour shipping for a delivery fee of 5.95 or 48-hour shipping for 3.95.

Alternatively, youll get it sent for free if you spend more than 80.

Looking for a wider selection of spirits? Then Master of Malt is for you.

The online alcohol superstore is delivering bottles to thirsty customers, and whatever your tipple, theyre sure to have it, with favourites including Bathtub Gin, and Whitley Neil, and a number of Whiskeys.

If you spend more than 99, youll get the items delivered for free, usually the next day.

If not, you have to spend fork out 4.89 for the trouble.

Master of Malt is donating 1 for every order to help people in the hospitality industry affected by coronavirus in partnership with Hospitality Action.

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Where to buy alcohol for home delivery how to order beer, wine and spirits online - Brinkwire

Suiting up for an expert approach to roofing repair in Canton, Michigan, just got easier. Known for their wide range of experience, AllPoint Construction has announced its expanded services to another Great Lake State region. Just in time for warmer weather, the Michigan roofing company brings convenience, professionalism, and timely peace-of-mind to area homeowners in the market to ready their homes for the winter ahead.

With a one-stop-shop approach to getting a new roof in Canton, MI, AllPoint Construction has thought of everything, so customers dont have to. The roof installation company will do everything from start to finish right down to obtaining work permits and securing 0% financing. Ready to keep their clients all-around comfort top priority, AllPoint pros also offer one-day roof installations.

The companys CEO, Tom Krechnyak, said, Were so happy to announce our new service area because we know AllPoints going to be great for Canton and vice versa. Were very excited to meet our new long-time customers.

AllPoint is happy to give free estimates to Canton area residents. For larger projects, the company has an architect on staff and provides 3D design and planning.

If youre seeing bending or cracking shingles, dampness inside your home on the ceilings or walls, bald spots on the roof, or dark discolorations, its time to give us a call. Were here to make it easier for you, adds Krechnyak.

For more information, visit https://allpointconstructionmi.com/15-signs-need-roof-replacement-canton-michigan/.

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About AllPoint Construction

AllPoint Construction provides the Metro Detroit area with small to large home improvement services. The company specializes in all aspects of construction and remodeling. This includes everything from roofs to ventilation, gutters and siding, kitchens and baths, flooring and tiling, windows and doors, and masonry among other necessary renovation services.

Originally posted here:
With a Jump on Winter, AllPoint Construction Launches Their Celebrated Roofing Contractors in Canton, Michigan - PRUnderground

The report on the Roofing Software market provides a birds eye view of the current proceeding within the Roofing Software market. Further, the report also takes into account the impact of the novel COVID-19 pandemic on the Roofing Software market and offers a clear assessment of the projected market fluctuations during the forecast period. The different factors that are likely to impact the overall dynamics of the Roofing Software market over the forecast period (2019-2029) including the current trends, growth opportunities, restraining factors, and more are discussed in detail in the market study.

The Roofing Software market study is a well-researched report encompassing a detailed analysis of this industry with respect to certain parameters such as the product capacity as well as the overall market remuneration. The report enumerates details about production and consumption patterns in the business as well, in addition to the current scenario of the Roofing Software market and the trends that will prevail in this industry.

Get Free Sample PDF (including COVID19 Impact Analysis, full TOC, Tables and Figures) of Market Report @ https://www.marketresearchhub.com/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=2661540&source=atm

What pointers are covered in the Roofing Software market research study?

The Roofing Software market report Elucidated with regards to the regional landscape of the industry:

The geographical reach of the Roofing Software market has been meticulously segmented into United States, China, Europe, Japan, Southeast Asia & India, according to the report.

The research enumerates the consumption market share of every region in minute detail, in conjunction with the production market share and revenue.

Also, the report is inclusive of the growth rate that each region is projected to register over the estimated period.

The Roofing Software market report Elucidated with regards to the competitive landscape of the industry:

The competitive expanse of this business has been flawlessly categorized into companies such as

segment by Type, the product can be split intoOn-PremiseCloud-BasedMarket segment by Application, split intoSMEsLarge Enterprises

Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaCentral & South America

The study objectives of this report are:To analyze global Roofing Software status, future forecast, growth opportunity, key market and key players.To present the Roofing Software development in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India and Central & South America.To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their development plan and strategies.To define, describe and forecast the market by type, market and key regions.

In this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Roofing Software are as follows:History Year: 2015-2019Base Year: 2019Estimated Year: 2020Forecast Year 2020 to 2026For the data information by region, company, type and application, 2019 is considered as the base year. Whenever data information was unavailable for the base year, the prior year has been considered.

Do You Have Any Query Or Specific Requirement? Ask to Our Industry [emailprotected] https://www.marketresearchhub.com/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=2661540&source=atm

Exclusive details pertaining to the contribution that every firm has made to the industry have been outlined in the study. Not to mention, a brief gist of the company description has been provided as well.

Substantial information subject to the production patterns of each firm and the area that is catered to, has been elucidated.

The valuation that each company holds, in tandem with the description as well as substantial specifications of the manufactured products have been enumerated in the study as well.

The Roofing Software market research study conscientiously mentions a separate section that enumerates details with regards to major parameters like the price fads of key raw material and industrial chain analysis, not to mention, details about the suppliers of the raw material. That said, it is pivotal to mention that the Roofing Software market report also expounds an analysis of the industry distribution chain, further advancing on aspects such as important distributors and the customer pool.

The Roofing Software market report enumerates information about the industry in terms of market share, market size, revenue forecasts, and regional outlook. The report further illustrates competitive insights of key players in the business vertical followed by an overview of their diverse portfolios and growth strategies.

You can Buy This Report from Here @ https://www.marketresearchhub.com/checkout?rep_id=2661540&licType=S&source=atm

Some of the Major Highlights of TOC covers:

More here:
Coronavirus threat to global Roofing Software Market Covering Prime Factors and Competitive Outlook Till 2037 - Bulletin Line

You may have heard of the man cave, or a special room in the house (or garage) that a man can have completely to himself. Similarly, women have created their own version called she-sheds. These private spaces allow both men and women to relax and unwind in peace, like going on a retreat on your very own property.

Now theres a way to combine both man caves and she-sheds into one structure: the we-shed.

The we-shed consists of two individual sheds a she-shed and a he-shed joined together by a deck. Each person can use their individual sheds to enjoy some solo time, and then they can come together in the middle for a cute picnic, or even knock on one anothers doors for a quick visit.

Portable Buildings of Greater Houston

This design was originally created by a Houston-based building company called Portable Buildings of Greater Houston for one innovative client. However, if youre outside of their service area, any local shed company should be able to create something similar, and you can customize the layout to your own liking. Heres a different style of we-shed from the same company!

With the growing popularity of both she-sheds and man caves, the we-shed is definitely a fun way to combine the two. Each person can decorate the interior of their shed however they please, and the internet is full of fun ideas. Instagram user @lovely.cuppa.tea added a craft area to her she-shed.

Others keep their she-sheds minimal and clean, with antique touches, like user @agraceful_life. Some even use their she-shed for art, gardening or meditation.

As for he-sheds, those can go in so many different directions. Fill it with games, hardware or sports gear, or just turn it into a cozy lounge area.

The whole point of she-sheds and man caves is to completely personalize the space into your own, so this is one chance to really let your imagination run wild. The possibilities are truly endless, and youll never have to crave solitude again.

Link:
'We-Sheds' Combine Man Caves And She-Sheds In One Charming Structure - Simplemost

New research published in The Journal of Sex Research provides insights into factors associated with emotional and sexual motivations for infidelity. The findings indicate that one of the most consistent predictors is dissatisfaction with the primary partner.

Satisfaction with the secondary cheating partner, on the other hand, is a less consistent predictor.

We have always been interested in the motivations to engage in infidelity, said study authors Jana Hackathorn and Brien K. Ashdown, an associate professor at Murray State University and associate professor at Hobart & William Smith Colleges, respectively.

However, until now we hadnt had access to a population that was specifically using an online website for that behavior. After publishing some previous work on motivations to engage in infidelity, the opportunity to collect data from a sample of folks currently seeking an extradyadic partner presented itself, and we jumped at the chance.

In the study, 545 members of AshleyMadison.com, a popular website for those interested in having extra-marital affairs, completed a brief anonymous online survey regarding their motivations to engage in infidelity and other factors. The majority of the participants (81%) reported they were male and the average age was 48.89 years.

Unsurprisingly, those who indicated that their primary partner did not adequately meet their needs were more likely to report seeking a secondary partner because they had fallen out of love.

One of the things that we found to be most prevalent in the data was that the secondary partner (or the other woman/man) was not as big of an influence or motivation to cheat as the real world might lead us to believe. The biggest influence/motivation to cheat was dissatisfaction in the primary relationship, especially for males. However, greater sociosexuality (i.e., more comfort with casual sex) was very influential for both males and females, the researchers told PsyPost.

The researchers found that participants who were younger and had greater Christian identification were more likely to report seeking an affair to get back at their steady partner.

Women and those who reported lower relationship satisfaction were more likely to report an interest in infidelity because they felt neglected. Participants who were pursuing a secondary partner because they wanted more frequent sex tended to be male, have an unrestricted sociosexual orientation, greater Christian identification, and less satisfaction with their primary partner.

We are both very interested in what happens next. For example, how does someone engage in infidelity and also attempt to continue the current primary relationship simultaneously? We expect to examine this behavior through cognitive dissonance theory, and are really interested in the magnitude of aversion that might be experienced, the dissonance reduction strategies that people might use, and whether they have to keep re-using those strategies over and over, Hackathorn and Ashdown said.

The researchers initially recruited 2,030 paying members of the website. However, 1,485 participants were excluded from the study because they were not using the website to cheat.

The AshleyMadison.com website is a dating website. Due to the hack that happened a couple of years ago, we began our study under the faulty assumption that it was a cheating website and of course some of that came from their slogan Life is short, have an affair. How shocked were we to find out that a clear majority of the participants who completed our study were just in it for dating not infidelity? Some of them were really angry about our assumption too, Hackathorn and Ashdown said.

The study, The Webs We Weave: Predicting Infidelity Motivations and Extradyadic Relationship Satisfaction, was published online on April 6, 2020.

Read the original here:
New psychology research sheds light on motivations to engage in infidelity - PsyPost

COVID-19 and the quick shift to remote work opened federal officials eyes to areas for improvement in their pre-pandemic practices and escalated insiders acceptance of fresh modes and technologies, according to Federal Chief Information Officer Suzette Kent.

Overall, it's been exciting, Kent said during a Dcode virtual session last week with the accelerators Chief Executive Officer Meagan Metzger. Many individuals who I would say might have resisted some of the technology tools, not only have accepted them nownow, because of the duration, they're comfortable with them.

Kent said amid the pandemic, her team and their partners across the federal information technology landscape are primarily focusing on mission continuity and response. Within the realm of response, the CIO said her role is to coordinate and enable, meaning whether through guidance, forumsor beyond, she and her team must act swiftly to move information, to convene and to get action.

I call myself and my teamwe are the enablers of the federal IT community, Kent said.

Usually, that enablingentails tactical work, like developing new policies, but she noted that in this situation it also involves efforts to accelerate data-sharing and install new contracts to get that community resources and tools they need most, while also helping to keep the wheels running in the massive new, nationwide teleworking environment. To her, its been inspiring to see agencies respond aggressively and now two months in, effectively sustain their operational posture.

We're continuing forwardand that gives us some proof points for what the future looks like, Kent said.

Scalable, cloud-based and easily configurable commercial solutions helped federal agencies and officials move quickly in their initial response efforts when the outbreak hit, as did scaling or shifting services that already existed within agencies. And some of the proof points that have emerged in the efforts were spawned by necessity. For instance, some agencies transitioned about 95% of their workforce to remote work due to stay-at-home orders, and in that light, she noted that individuals who might have previously held out against trying new things couldnt refuse new collaboration tools. Officials are also becoming increasingly comfortable with digital signatures and newly-introduced ways to share information online.

It's absolutely thrilling when Ive heard some, again, folks who you might have had to force them to adopt before, or they didn't even take their own their equipment home, talking about, oh, did you see this new feature? Kent said. And that gives us an opportunityagain, use as a proof pointit's not the what if it's when I did it, when that happened, that let me think differently about the paradigm.

The new working reality is also inspiring government officials to rethink their purchasing activities and the flexibilities of distributed workforces, Kent said. Some agencies have teams that endure 24-hour work cycles because they have to, but the current conditions motivated them to make new considerations around shifts and schedules. Further, COVID-19s disruptions have also exposed specific fragilities in the nations supply chains, which the CIO called another proof point to be examined.

Do we understand the critical linkages to certain things and do we have clarity around the things that are most critical to missions of agencies in our citizen service delivery? Kent noted. This unusual situation, it's exposed things that we're going to consider.

And as many agencies are forced to examine their continuity-of-operation plans, Kent added that insiders are realizing that many of those didn't have kind of like the special drill-down for pandemics, or if they did, we are learning things that will help make those assumptions and actions, you know, much more clear and inform them better.

We've captured a lot of those, she explained. So, I think a lot of those are going to help us as we move forward.

Robust data is driving new outcomes across many areas including medicine, commerce, and state and local efforts during the pandemic, and Kent said the needs and efforts are accelerating requirements already put in place by the administration to establish proper infrastructures to help the government become fully data-driven. She noted that almost all agencies now have COVID-19 information links internally for staff or externally on their websites with citizen-serving functions, much of which incorporates shared data. Agencies on the frontlines are recognizing not only how important sharing data and common data models are, but also the crucial need for the consistency of the information, she said.

Still, the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act mandated federal agencies to establish the role of chief data officers within their workforce, yet presently, not all agencies have one in placeincluding a top health agency, during the pandemic.

I don't know that it changed anyone's understanding of the role and the importance, Kent said. It might have certainly changed the urgency.

RELATED PODCAST

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Federal CIO Sheds Light on What Agencies Are Learning in COVID-19 Response - Nextgov

Simon Cowell has lost 60 lbs. through his new health regime.

The 60-year-old media mogul overhauled his lifestyle last year and committed to a diet of white meat, fruit, and vegetables, and can't believe the results he's been getting, as he claims he's managed to shed an impressive 60 lbs in the past 12 months.

He said: "I started this diet a year ago and I've lost 60 pounds."

Simon's been sticking to his diet whilst in lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic, but says he's always tempted to slip into old habits when his six-year-old son Eric - whom he has with his girlfriend Lauren Silverman - has a pizza for dinner.

He added: "I'm doing a bit of cooking. I'm exercising. Funny enough, more during this time as well, sticking to the diet.

"The only difficult thing is when Eric orders a pizza . . . that's the number one thing I miss."

And when he's not busy cooking, Simon has been spending time in the garden with his son, where they often camp overnight at the weekend.

Speaking to The Sun newspaper, he said: "We're camping on the weekends in the garden in tents. Lauren, the first time, at 11 o'clock said, 'I can't deal with this' . . . and I said 'No, we're staying outside'."

Meanwhile, the 'X Factor' creator previously said he can't believe how good he looks since losing weight, as he managed to shave several inches from his waistline.

He said in January: "The most dramatic period was the first month where most of the weight comes off and you look at yourself and think 'wow'. I used to be 36 inch waist and now I've lost four inches. I'm really happy now.

"You can drink this light beer but you've got to be sensible about quantities. I have loads more energy and feel great.

"All I do is avoid just red meat - white meat is fine - and I eat loads of vegetables, salads and drink this great beer. I'm on a diet but it doesn't feel like it now because the food I eat is really healthy and I don't find it tedious. If it's boring you won't stick to it."

Go here to read the rest:
Simon Cowell sheds 60 lbs. through diet - Yahoo New Zealand News

FROM SHEBEEN TO STUDIO, BUSINESS HQ TO WRITER'S RETREAT, LOCKDOWN HAS UNDERLINED HOW THERE'S A SHEDLOAD OF INSPIRATION TO BE FOUND AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GARDEN

Its a place of clutter, a fertile breeding ground for fungi and festoons of cobwebs, somewhere to dump half-used cans of paint and your rusty lawnmower. Or its a retreat, a special spot, your own private world and a world unto itself. The fact is, the humble garden shed has the potential to be pretty much anything you care to make it. As the Mens Shed movement (menssheds.ie) proves, the shed offers the ideal spot for getting away from daily life, as well as for finding and doing something new all of which can be vital for good mental health.

Sheds can be palatial or tiny, luxurious or spartan. Sheds can be inspirational: take Derek Mahons glorious poem, A Disused Shed in Co Wexford, finalist a few years ago in RTs A Poem for Ireland, for an evocative foray into their deeper meanings.

Sheds can also be the start of something big. Companies set up in sheds include Hewlett Packard, Harley Davidson and Dyson. Back in 1943, Ingvar Kamprad used a small green shed as the home depot for his fledgling business. He named it Ikea.

Writers have known the secrets of sheds for years. Roald Dahl wrote many of his much-loved childrens books, as well as his spookier adult stories in a very charming shed, built by one of his pals for just 80. Dahl had an armchair and a board for his desk, and a table for mementoes, including his own hipbone relic of an operation and a ball he made from chocolate bar foil. George Bernard Shaws shed is an ingenious affair: no larger than a regular garden shed, it is built on a rotating platform, so the famous Irish playwright could turn it to track the sun. Both sheds can be visited when were out and about again.

Meantime, if youre looking, as Virginia Woolf said, for a room of ones own, why not follow her inspiration? Woolf also wrote from her garden shed, so if youre lucky enough to have one look no further than your own back yard.

Sheds may be scene of many crimes against home brew, but Fionnuala Harkin raises the bar with her twice-weekly shed-based online wine tastings. Harkin works with Wines Direct and, since last summer had been hosting local wine evenings from her garden shed in west Cork. The shed in question was built by Harkins husband Tim. He insists on it being called a workshop, but I commandeered it and renamed it the wine shed, she says.

The walls are hung with tools and saws but, as Tim also DJs at festivals, youll also find neon lights, illuminated palm trees and disco balls. This all adds to the slightly surreal atmosphere of a swanky wine and antipasti soire in, essentially, a carpenters shed, says Harkin. Some get shed envy, she says, while others exclaim Oh! it actually is a shed.

Now that soires are off the cards, for the next while at least, Harkin is using the time to delve into the differences between your sauvignons and your chardonnays, picpouls and pinots, and bringing joy to many in the process. I got a great text from my friend Jane when she saw my @wineshedwestcork Instagram: After scrolling through all these young ones doing exercises, it was such a relief to find you in a shed with a bottle of wine!, she said.

Una Sealy built her shed at the end of the garden 16 years ago, having worked in studios in Temple Bar and Henrietta Street over the years. After I had children and moved out of the city centre, I started working from home. My studio is lovely, she says. Its warm and bright, has running water and has room for my collection of art books. Its separate from the house, so I cant hear the doorbell or home phone and it has no internet, so the temptation isnt there to zone out online.

Not simply a studio, its also a refuge. I practically live in the place. It has everything I need: music, books and even a bed for a bit of a lie down for when things get too much, which can happen! It has also been a solitary space, until recently. Painting is such a private thing, a bit like meditating, so unless Im working on a portrait, I prefer to be alone, she says. Or so I thought, until I shared with Eileen.

Eileen is Sealys 20-year-old daughter, a second-year painting student at NCAD, and since the colleges closed, she has been sharing the space with her mother. I wasnt sure it would work, Sealy admits. However, we both hook up to our own separate worlds via headphones, and were managing very well. In fact, I think were both quite enjoying each others presence.

I was one of the lucky ones, Eileen adds. I had a place to go and work, rather than repurposing my bedroom, or taking over the kitchen table. With all the family at home now, the studio is a quiet space.

The shed was here when we moved in, says Mags Mulvey. It was in an awful state. Cobwebs everywhere, spiders in every slat of wood big enough to be shed bouncers! Stuffed with junk from previous tenants, you couldnt see the floor. Mulvey, a stage manager, video editor and artist, and her housemate, performer Shani Williams, who also works with the Bord Gis Theatre, were sitting in their back garden one evening, chatting about the lockdown. Shani was now working from home and almost all my work had been cancelled.

I looked over at our garden shed and thought: our shed looks miserable, lets sort it out. And sort it out they did. We spent a day clearing it out. I upcycled some old planks of wood to make shelves and reinforced areas where the wood was completely rotting. The rest went in the skip. Paint was found online, the colours inspired by beach huts in Williamss native Australia, where Mulvey has also spent time. We thought if we cant go to a beach hut, lets bring the beach hut to us.

Now a well-laid-out working garden shed, its full of tools, paints, gardening things, as well as a much-loved garden bean bag. Alongside are raised beds for spuds, broccoli, carrots, runner beans, peas, spinach, mangetout, chillies, rosemary, parsley, lemon thyme, thyme, sage, mint, dill, beetroot, spring onions, cucumber, lettuce, radish, raspberries, blueberries, you get the idea.

Its really lovely waking up in the mornings, Mulvey adds. Looking out the kitchen window while putting coffee on. We printed C-19 on the side, as a reminder.

In a perfect world, everyone would have their own autonomous space, says Turtle Bunbury. An article about how Dylan Thomas wrote from a garden hut inspired the author and historian, and his wife Ally, to look at their own garden anew. Research via Instagram and Pinterest brought them from garden pods to steel portacabins and straw-bale sheds, and finally to Siberia.

The shed we opted for came from Timber Living [timberliving.ie] in Tullow; the wood for their sheds comes from 150-year-old Norway spruce trees that grow in Siberia. By chance my brother-in-law Tom Sykes had just been working on a book with the motorbike fanatic and shed guru Henry Cole, so he was full of excellent tips.

These included painting the shed black (It looks bang on), and cubby shelving here, courtesy of a 25-bay Kallax unit from Ikea. Our house is full of old furniture, so I was happy to go the Ikea route to ensure my office was a little more 21st century. A period desk, inherited from Bunburys aunt, adds a touch of history.

To offset the black, we painted the interior Wimborne white, and put in recessed ceiling lights, as well as wall lights. The combined effect is that its a big, bouncy, optimistic space even onthe days when the sky outside has painted everything it touches a sombre grey.

The shed is also equipped with a coffee machine, so each morning, Bunbury heads off across the garden, jug of milk in hand, ready to work. Carefully sited to provide mountain views, the shed is an absolute joy. I never tire of being there.

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Cabin fever: Why the humble garden shed is having a moment - The Irish Times