Although religion is commonly thought to divide people, the Peacemakers hosted a forum on Oct. 26 about Buddhism to bring students together to open a dialogue.

Dr. Kenneth Faber was present at Buddhist Insights on Peace & Love, to highlight details of his own personal journey with Buddhism. His initial interest in Buddhism was sparked by his involvement in martial arts at a young age.

Faber most recently studied under Venerable Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche at the Padmasambhava Buddhist Center (PBC). Although the PBC is based in New York, Ven. Khenpo Tsewang Rinpoche has visited Nashville before.

Faber earned his doctorate degree in philosophy from Vanderbilt University. He also taught at Belmont University and Austin Peay State University.

Faber introduced the program by discussing his background as well as major parts of Buddhism. Some of these components included the four brahmavihrs and the six pramitas.

Faber also explained Buddhism from a scholarly perspective. His background in philosophy allows him to detail how the area of study relates to Buddhism.

In religious-philosophical studies, students can expect to learn about various principles between different religions. Questions regarding peace relations, virtue, and violence in Buddhism were also covered in the forum.

However, in line with the Peacemakers mission, Faber centered the talk on how the act of compassion was connected to both subjects at hand. The intersection where philosophy and Buddhism relate is also reflective of the Peacemakers call to action to incite peace across the campus.

For example, the idea of karuna is a Buddhist concept that emphasizes compassion. Karuna is also studied in philosophy in questions of compassion versus pity. Philosophers and Tibetan Buddhist practitioners are not the only sources of education in this conversation.

The Peacemakers are also working on more efforts to promote peace, human rights, and compassion across campus and the global community as a whole.

After all, as Faber emphasized to the Peacemakers crowd, How can you have joy if others are suffering?

I am a senior studying for a major in Political Science and a minor in International Studies. During this semester, I am using my past education and experience in politics to focus on coverage for the 2020 presidential election. Aside from The All State, I am also involved in APSUs Pre-Law Society and Pi Sigma Alpha. Ultimately, I am interested in law and public policy. Outside of academic pursuits, I often spend outside hiking and exploring. However, I am also a homebody and I enjoy time at home with family. I am usually at home trying new cooking recipes or making music playlists.

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Buddhist Insights on Peace & Love, Hosted by the Peacemakers - The All State

This is the second essay in The Angsty Buddhist, a series about being Chinese American, nonbinary, and finding my own relationship with Buddhism, in a country where so many of its ideas have been whitewashed.

My college roommate taped a poster of Dalai Lama quotes on the ceiling over her bed so that she could lie down and reflect on them. I didnt think much of this at a time. She did a lot of things that I thought were odd, like drinking fruit-flavored tea and insisting we end each day by listing three good things that had happened. I was and still am the kind of person who copes by stress eating potato chips and making jokes about death and was kind of annoyed at being forced into gratitude by my roommate every night, but I just went with it.

Despite our differences, A. and I were close for our first year living together, mostly because we went to a school where neither of us felt like we fit in. A. was the child of Ukrainian immigrants, and I was a nonbinary Chinese American weirdo. The school we went to was named after a former owner of the East India Company who made his fortune off of slavery. The students there were wealthier than I had known was possible, the children of CEOs of huge corporations, and Wall Street bankers. One of the kids in our freshman dorm was the son of the third richest man in India. The university used the protection of the student body to justify the heavy policing of the Black and brown communities in the surrounding city. For those of us on financial aid, we were told both directly and indirectly that we should be grateful to the billionaires who had funded our education. Werent they generous for deeming us worthy of becoming like them?

I appreciated having A. around because even though both of us were bad at articulating why exactly we felt so uncomfortable in our environment, it was nice to have someone around who also felt awkward trying to make small talk with the children of corporate attorneys. For the most part, we were both absorbed in our own lives. A. threw herself into her pre-med classes and extracurriculars, always running between meetings and study sessions. Because I had grown up middle class, I had more wiggle room to make questionable decisions, like taking an ancient Greek history class and falling in love with a boy who kept miniature busts of George Washington and Alexander Hamilton on his desk. When our schedules overlapped, I liked hanging out with A. Mostly, we sat on our Ikea futon and drank cheap tequila out of mugs wed stolen from the dining hall while complaining about classes.

A. had grown up Ukranian Catholic and struggled to find religious community during the time we lived together. Every Sunday, she seemed to go to a new church and reported back each week that something had felt off. At the time, I had started sporadically attending meditation sessions held by the campus Buddhist life organization, Indigo Blue. Indigo Blue was run by a white man but one that I actually liked. He was, for the most part, conscious of his privileges as a white man and didnt presume to know more about Buddhism than any of the students many of whom were Asian and Asian American. Instead, he opened up the space for people to practice the way they wanted, in keeping with their own cultures and traditions. We didnt even have to meditate. I appreciated this because I had grown up with a type of Buddhism that didnt center meditation and Id felt alienated before in spaces where meditation and Buddhism were equated. Mostly, I spent my time arranging the candles into smiley faces and chattering at anyone who was willing to be distracted. I felt at ease there in a way I didnt feel anywhere else on campus.

A. attended one of the meditation sessions one night I wasnt there. Later, she told me, It just wasnt what I was looking for. She seemed mildly offended by this. I remember thinking, So what? What does it matter what you were looking for? It wasnt made for you.

A. said a lot of things I told myself werent a big deal, like the time she joked about me being a generic Asian girl or how whenever I tried to talk about race, she said, Thats something youre into. Its not what Im into. I was used to dismissing my own anger.

I brushed this off, though. A. said a lot of things I told myself werent a big deal, like the time she joked about me being a generic Asian girl or how whenever I tried to talk about race, she said, Thats something youre into. Its not what Im into. I was used to dismissing my own anger. Wasnt she going through a lot? I should be less sensitive.

Eventually, A. found a church, sort of. One Sunday, she came back to our room to announce that she had gone to the Black Church at the campus African American Cultural Center. I know its weird, she said to my perplexed face. But I really like the preacher. There were many things I should have said to her then and every Sunday afterwards, when she came back complaining about how people didnt seem to want her there. Its like Im the white girl, she said once.

You are the white girl is something I could have said. Maybe you should think about how you being there makes other people feel? What makes you think youre entitled to be in a Black space? But by that point, our friendship was strained, and I had given up on feeling responsible for her, though in this situation I realize now that I should have tried. I still think about A. sometimes. About how white people turn to cultures and spiritualities that are not their own when they are looking for solace or trying to fill a void in themselves how they do this carelessly without realizing how violent that can be.

In college, I was obsessed with white Buddhism in a wrathful sort of way. Whenever I heard someone saying something like Buddhism is a peaceful religion or Buddhism is more a philosophy than a religion, I felt myself seething. Then I would tell myself to calm down. Whats wrong with them thinking Buddhism is peaceful? Think about Islamophobia. This is not a big deal. And I thought you didnt like organized religion, so isnt it better for it to be a philosophy?

I have always had a hard time allowing myself to feel anger. I always think that I am being selfish for expecting more of people, and I dont want to center my own feelings when there are other people we should be focusing on. When it comes to the cultural appropriation of Buddhism, I feel this especially if people are feeling like whatever version of Buddhism theyre practicing helps them, then why should I care? Arent there more important things to be thinking about?

Then around my junior year of college, Indigo Blue was suddenly shut down. Students arrived at the shrine for the nightly chanting session and found a sign on the door that said, This event has been cancelled. Later, we found out that all Buddhist life activities had been suspended without a replacement and that this had to do with some internal politicking and office drama. After a couple of weeks, a group of students got the head chaplain, a white woman, to meet with them. At the meeting, she started crying and said, I didnt know there were any of you going to those Indigo Blue things. How was I supposed to know?

Eventually, they hired teachers from a nearby Zen center who came to give dharma talks and hold meditation sessions. These teachers were, like the head of Indigo Blue, all white and mostly men. I only went to one of their events, a dharma talk given by one of the white men. The talk started with meditation, but I didnt feel like closing my eyes and relaxing in that room. I remember that it felt overly philosophical and that part of it was about dealing with anger. I didnt like that a white man was telling me what to do with my anger. There were other Asian and Asian American students at the talk who I chatted with after, and they seemed to like it. But I never went back.

I remember that it felt overly philosophical and that part of it was about dealing with anger. I didnt like that a white man was telling me what to do with my anger.

I hadnt realized how much Indigo Blue had meant to me until it was gone, and the way it had been replaced by this whitewashed version of Buddhism made it hurt even more. Still, I felt self-conscious about how much this had affected me. Why are you so upset about not being able to go to meditation sessions where you didnt even meditate?

At the same time, I got obsessed with proving that white Buddhism is bad. I took a bunch of classes on Buddhism and latched onto anything that suggested Buddhism wasnt really peaceful or rational, that it was an actual religion and not more of a philosophy. I was really into Buddhist depictions of hell, which often involved demons dismembering humans, and would show pictures of Buddhist hell to people in the dining hall who annoyed me.

But it was in learning about how imperialism has shaped Western ideas of Buddhism that I finally was able to articulate a lot of the problems I had with white Buddhism. In one of my classes, I learned about how Western ideas of Buddhism originated in Sri Lanka in the nineteenth century. Leaders there decided to frame Buddhism as rational, not as ritualistic or spiritual as other religions, so that Sri Lanka would seem civilized and worthy of independence from British colonialism. Many of the cultural aspects were toned down in order to be more accessible to a Western audience, instead highlighting practices that we now associate with mindfulness and meditation. These ideas underlie why I think white people find it so easy to claim Buddhism. The version most know was made to appeal to them.I also learned about the violence Buddhists had committed and continue to commit against Muslim and Hindu communities in countries where Buddhists are the majority.

I also learned about the violence Buddhists had committed and continue to commit against Muslim and Hindu communities in countries where Buddhists are the majority.

I also learned about the violence Buddhists had committed and continue to commit against Muslim and Hindu communities in countries where Buddhists are the majority. Once in a class on Himalayan cultures, we talked about the ethnic cleansing of the Lhotshampa in Bhutan. Most of my classmates were white, and I got the feeling many of them were in the class because they wanted to go backpacking in Nepal or had gotten into Tibetan Buddhism. It was obvious that thinking about the atrocities a Buddhist country had committed against a Hindu minority made them uncomfortable, and they quickly rushed through the discussion and onto the next reading. It made me think about how people would rather cling to their orientalist fantasies than start thinking about the real violence that their fantasies obscure.

When I complain about white Buddhism, sometimes people ask me about white people who practice Buddhism respectfully. Im not sure what people mean by respectfully, but I think they mean learning the correct practices and not simply buying into Western, commercialized ideas of Buddhism. I think this is important, but it isnt enough.

Right now, Im quarantining with family in San Francisco Chinatown. People have varying and sometimes infuriating ideas of what it means to behave respectfully towards other people in a pandemic, especially the white people. The white people are much less likely to wear masks, and they always seem to be jogging or walking their dogs, oblivious to the people around them. In the whiter neighborhoods adjacent to Chinatown, there are fewer people on the sidewalks. I guess thats an excuse to not think about how your body takes up space. Occasionally, Ill see a white person jogging mask-less towards one of the busier Chinatown streets, and Ill wonder why Im so conditioned to shrink out of their way than scream, Wear a fucking mask!

It is not just how much knowledge you have of the religion, how much you respect the teaching themselves, but also how we engage with the histories that have shaped our views of Buddhism and our relationship to it, how we take up space, how entitled we do or dont feel to take up space how this is related to legacies of white supremacy and imperialism.

Then there is the outdoor dining, the white restaurants that spill out on the sidewalks. I try to avoid the streets with lots of these restaurants because its impossible to walk on the sidewalk without passing through a large clump of laughing, mask-less white people. I dont begrudge the restaurants this. Its not like they have much of a choice. But most of the restaurants in Chinatown dont have room for outdoor dining. The sidewalks are too narrow. There are too many people walking around. It makes me think again about who is allowed to take up space and the ways in which people take up space can be a matter of survival.

This is similar to how I feel about what it means to practice Buddhism respectfully. It is not just how much knowledge you have of the religion, how much you respect the teaching themselves, but also how we engage with the histories that have shaped our views of Buddhism and our relationship to it, how we take up space, how entitled we do or dont feel to take up space how this is related to legacies of white supremacy and imperialism. Grappling with this is an ongoing process, and it makes me think about the idea of interconnectedness, not in the white hippy way where we hug trees and braid flowers in our hair, but the kind where we refuse to ignore the complex webs of power that we are all oppressed by and complicit in, the ties that bind us all together.

When it comes to Buddhism and cultural appropriation, I still sometimes worry that Im making a big deal out of nothing, that Im angry for no good reason. But I also think that dismissing my own anger is dismissing the histories that have shaped our ideas of Buddhism in the West that even if my own anger is only a small blip, it still points to a larger system. Ignoring it is not useful because then I wont be able to see how I fit in.

I mediate now, not in a religious way but to manage anxiety and chronic pain. Sometimes, the meditation recordings will reference Buddhism, usually when theyre talking about finding calm or learning not to be attached to negative emotions. Im often invited to cultivate inner peace, which I think is funny and kind of irritating. If Buddhism has taught me to cultivate anything, its anger, the kind that gives clarity. This isnt always something that is easy for me to access, but I would never give up the moments I can touch anger, even in exchange for enlightenment or whatever. It is something I will hold onto, earthly and overly attached, as long as I can.

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The Angsty Buddhist: Learning Anger And White Buddhism - Autostraddle

On October 14, 230 residents of a Ghaziabad village, who were members of Valmiki community, said they converted to Buddhism in the presence of Rajratan Ambedkar, great-grandnephew of Dr B R Ambedkar.

On October 14, 230 residents of a Ghaziabad (Karera) village, who were members of Valmiki community, said that they converted to Buddhism in the presence of Rajratan Ambedkar, great-grandnephew of Dr B R Ambedkar. On Thursday, days after the incident, the filed an FIR against unknown persons for allegedly spreading false rumours about religious conversion, the Indian Express reported.

An FIR was filed on Thursday at Sahibabad police station after a 22-year-old social worker, Montu Chandel filed a complaint. The FIR has been registered under IPC Sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, etc) and 505 (whoever makes, publishes or circulates any statement, rumour or report).

Some unknown persons and organisations spread false rumours about religious conversion of 230 people. The certificates issued in its connection bear no name and address and there is no date of issuance, nor is there a registration number. Anyones name can be written on it. There has been an attempt to flare caste-based tensions as per a criminal conspiracy, the FIR states.

Rajratan Ambedkar, the great-grandnephew of Dr B R Ambedkar, said certificates were issued to 236 people by The Buddhist Society of India, founded in 1955 by Dr Ambedkar. The certificates bear the signature of Rajratan, who is the organisations trustee-manager, and Bhadant Arya Nagarjuna Surai Sasai, chairman of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Memorial Committee, as per the Indian Express report.

Mr Ambedkar said: How can they say religious conversion in Karera on October 14 is a rumour? I was present there. There is aFacebookLive video of the event; there are photographs of the event. What is the basis of this FIR?

Keshav Kumar, Sahibabad circle officer said, We are investigating the allegations. The certificates only bear the date of conversion. The allegation that the documents are not authentic will be investigated. No arrests have been made in the matter so far.

According to the report, Pawan, a resident of Karera village, had coordinated the October 14 event. Pawan, who used to work as a housekeeping supervisor at an apartment complex until March, said the religious conversion did take place on October 14. Stressing that we did convert, Pawan rejected the rumour theory. He said: This is not a rumour. We dont know this complainant. He is not a resident of the village. We have not been paid by any political party.

Excerpt from:
Days After 230 Dalits Accepted Buddhism In UP, FIR Registered Over "Conversion" Rumour | HW English - HW News English

Isabella and enlightenment.

When it came time to meet Isabella, I was so into a Zen calm that it wasnt possible to overthink what to wear. To fake it would be resisting the new spiritual stream that was carrying me along.

I put on Brooks Brothers cotton shorts with a blue grid pattern, a gray t-shirt with Rita Hayworth on it, a denim jean jacket and J. Crew black blucher shoes.

Isabella and I hadnt seen each other in decades, since high school. But I knew shed like the shoes. They were me, kind of preppy and stylish but not obnoxiously so. Shed get that. Wed reconnected after Id been the focus of intense national attention in 2018 when I got tangled up in a sinister and ridiculous political hit. That people cared enough about politics to engage in extortion, lies and death threats made me sad; what hollow lives they led, making Washington the lodestar of their entire existence.

In the aftermath of that war I got a job washing dishes. From there I went to a garden center, working in the mulch pit. I toss big sacks of fertilizer into idling cars.

The workcomes in waves. Ill be out there for an hour and nothing happens, with me leaning against a five-foot tower of Scotts Red Mulch, thinking about God or sex or a good song, just watching the birds go by. Then suddenly its five cars deep: Do-it-yourselfers getting 10 bags of Miracle Grow, a bored housewife with two of the Leafgro compost, guys with erosion problems need four rolls of topsoil and two units of peat moss, landscapers loading up with 50 bags of the black mulch and a couple bales of hay.

After years in journalism and caring about politics, the new job made it easy to adapt to a Zen way of living. As Buddhist master Norman Fisher explains it, Zen Buddhism is a stripped-down, determined, uncompromising, cut-to-the-chase, meditation-based Buddhism that takes no interest in doctrinal refinements. Not relying on scripture, doctrine or ritual, Zen is verified by personal experience and is passed on from master to disciple, hand to hand, ineffably, through hard, intimate training.

Essential to that is physical workmundane, repetitive, physical work, not work sitting behind a computer or doing Zoom meetings. As Fischer notes, In Zen practice, our work itself is an essential avenue for waking up. He explains that for centuries Indian Buddhist monks were prohibited from working; this changed when Buddhism arrived in China, where people didn't understand a group of aesthetics meditating and living off the generosity of others. One old Zen master, Abbot Baizhang, refused to eat when his students tried to save him from work sayinga day without work is a day without food!

I spend all day loading bags of peat moss, mulch, topsoil, sod, and the occasional hay bale into cars. It builds your muscles and focuses your mind so sharply on the immediate task in front of you that the mind becomes free. You forget about current events, bills and personal dramas. You come home worn out but satisfied in your labor, attaining a kind of Buddhist living-in-the-present vibe, if not flat-out enlightenment.

During the 2018 battle my past, particularly my Reagan-era high school days, got dragged onto the national stage. While sides were drawn between left and right, some of us reconnected because we care for each other outside of politics. One of the people I rediscovered is Isabella. We only dated briefly as teenagers, but our personalities clicked on several different levels. The daughter of a Puerto Rican mother and Scottish-Irish father, Isabella was artistic, very intelligent, passionate and spiritual, and witty. Back then she looked like Ana Gonzalez-Barrara of the Pew Research Center. She had moved to Mexico after college and lived there for 23 years, and wed lost touch decades ago. Now her father, who lives in D.C., is ailing, and she was back in the area. She contacted me and we decided to meet at the Tastee Diner, a spotthat had been a late-night gathering place when we were younger.

When word got out that we were meeting, some of her friends asked Isabella why in the world she was seeing me, and several of my friends asked me the same thing about her. It was a note-for-note repeat of what we heard when we dated in high school. She was artistic, sarcastic, and whip-smart, the kind of thing that intimidated young boys. I was, everyone knew, a bit of a lunatic. Both of our sets of friends didnt understand why we were with each other.

I wasthrilled to see Isabella, knowing that we could still lock in to each others frequencies the way we did in high school. We both were spiritual seekers, liked literature and culture, and loved music and parties. After the political fiasco, after bouts with illnesses, after broken relationships, I was almost desperate for someone who knew me deep down and who could read me without saying too much. Isabella and I could be on different sides politically and still have a beautiful affection for each other, the kind that only comes from people you were close to when young. On top of that, the garden job was both tiring me out and energizing me so much with its physical demands that a kind of preternatural Buddhist calm was vibrating in my being, allowing me to gently propel myself through life without overthinking things.

It didnt take long for us to pick up where wed left off decades earlier. Isabella is still vivacious, funny, intense and beautiful. We talked about the whereabouts of old friends, laughed about our teen makeup sessions, empathized about caring for ailing parents, empathized about failed loves. The Tastee Diner, where we had been for so many late nights in the 1980s, was now dwarfed by a new $600 million Marriott global headquarters, built on top of where we sat eating French fries. Like the diner, Isabella and I had refused to sell out.

After a few hours we hugged and parted ways.Hey, she said before heading off, I really like those shoes. Theyre really you.

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Miracle Grow: Zen in the Mulch Pit - Splice Today

NBA Legend Shaquille ONeal talks about Lakers legacy and Clippers future, especially concerning Paul George.

On The Big Podcast with Shaq, Shaquille ONeal talks about a lot this episode. A conversation was initiated about whether LeBron would return to Cleveland again, and was laughed off immediately.

Then Shaq and guests went on to talk about what would it take for the current Lakers squad to solidify their legacy. They came to the conclusion that the Lakers need a 3-peat to be called a legacy.

Also Read: Lakers star LeBron James still best in the world, NBA 2k ratings say so

While talking about championships, they went to talk about the Clippers and how they signed Tyronn Lue as their new head coach. The co-host calls the Clippers a rudderless ship and Shaq weighs in too. According to Shaq, if the Clippers want to get better, they need to get rid of someone.

According to Shaq, the Clippers need to break the Kawhi-PG duo in Los Angeles. While it looks good on paper, it doesnt allow Kawhi to officially step up as the leader. Shaq needs Kawhi to be the man.

With Paul George, he feels the Clippers have a guy who thinks hes the man, a guy whos actually the man, and a guy coming off the bench(Lou Williams) thinking hes the man.

Paul George has been subjected to some heavy criticism this season, especially because of his playoff performances. The Clippers faithful echo what Shaq is saying in terms of how Paul George needs to step back and let Kawhi Leonard be the man.

However, that does not seem to be the case, as per all the locker room distress reports and hence trading PG13 could be an option they could excercise.

On the podcast Shaq conceded that Clippers needed to get rid of someone post Doc Rivers firing

[The Clippers] gotta get rid of someone. Shaq said

Other people on the show wanted Shaq to get rip the band-aid off and reveal the name of the player he wants traded.

Cmon, bro. Shaq smirked.

The co-host asked, Pandemic P? They aint gonna get rid of him, they gave up the farm for him.

Well, guess what? They gave up the farm, but we can change some crops on that mug. Shaq concluded.

Also Read: Dont date NBA Players: Shaquille ONeal to his daughters

Shaq goes on to say that the Clippers can trade Paul George for 2 good players, which would help the Clippers in the longer run.

What Shaquille ONeal says isnt totally off the mark here, but I believe the decision would end up going to Kawhi to decide what PGs fate would be. Whatever the case, everyone expects to see Kawhi Leonard step up and be the Alpha in the Clippers next season.

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'Clippers need to trade Paul George; he thinks he is the man': Shaquille O'Neal on why Kawhi Leonard... - The Sportsrush

Robotics, AI (artificial intelligence) and VR (virtual reality) three buzzwords that have often been difficult for investors to wrap their heads around.

But like other sectors, the COVID-19 pandemic has been an accelerant for change in the use of robotics and machine learning.

A cohort of robotics and AI stocks are looking to capitalise with a partnership approach to established industries such as ecommerce and healthcare where demand has surged.

A good recent example of that is Vection Technologies (ASX:VR1), the only VR-focused company among ASX small caps.

The stock chalked up a 10x return this year amid a positive run of news flow through early October.

And speaking with Stockhead, chief operating officer Gianmarco Orgnoni said its key near-term focus is on deploying VR tech to assist hospitals in Europe combat the pandemic.

In terms of key drivers, we see healthcare as a very strong opportunity, Orgnoni said.

Especially with the Covid-19 situation in Europe. Hospitals and health departments are looking for solutions that enable them to continue to operate, while avoiding contact as much as possible between patients and doctors.

The company has commenced its first trial at Moscati hospital in southern Italy, for a wearable AR (augmented reality) device that allows surgeons to incorporate data from endoscopic equipment into their field of view.

Our strategic goal is to become the first accredited solution for the introduction of augmented reality, Orgnoni said.

In our view thats a very strong opportunity. Were currently in talks with multiple parties in the healthcare sector, and that will be one of our key drivers over the next six months.

Closer to home, Stockhead also took the opportunity to catch up with James Hemmings, Vice President of Perth-based advanced robotics company Stealth Technologies.

A subsidiary of listed research company Strategic Elements (ASX:SOR), Stealth has caught the markets attention with the development of its patented Autonomous Security Vehicle (ASV), in partnership with NYSE-listed engineering conglomerate Honeywell.

Earlier this month, the two companies successfully passed User Acceptance Testing (UAT) with the WA Department of Justice for the deployment of the ASV at Eastern Goldfields correctional facility.

Hemmings explained that the technology has been initially developed for two perimeter security use cases autonomous patrol and surveillance of a property perimeter, and automated testing of perimeter intrusion detection systems, performed by the ASVs onboard robotics.

If you look at how that work is traditionally done, patrol and surveillance is largely done manually via human labour, Hemmings said.

First that labour cost can be quite expensive. And second, you can find yourself with surveillance blind spots if the level of accuracy isnt where it should be, because of the mundane and highly repetitive nature of this work.

So that use case really lent itself to a robotics and automation solution in form of the ASV. For starters it has onboard technology capabilities which are far superior to that of a human security guard, in terms of video surveillance and sensor monitoring.

Additionally weve built the ASV from the ground up to operate, day and night in outdoor environments that are often subjected to variable and harsh weather conditions. And with its start of the art battery systems the ASV can operate continuously for hours at a time.

For sectors such as robotics and AI, the level of advanced innovation involved means identifying the next multi-bagger investment is a particularly tricky excercise.

And in that context, Stockhead got some interesting insights from Richard Lightbound, the London-based CEO of EMEA and Asia for ROBO Global.

Established in 2013, ROBO Global built the first global benchmark index series to track robotics & AI companies.

The indices are now used as a platform for exchange traded funds, such as the NYSE-listed Robo Global Robotics and Automation ETF.

We like the world of indexing for disruptive innovation because it brings a lot of structure, Lightbound said.

We can see robotics and automation is a multi-decade growth and return opportunity. But in the short term it can be difficult to pick winners. So weve created a platform that gives investors a broadly diversified basket of exposure.

ROBO Globals advisory panel includes industry luminaries such as Daniella Rus, director of the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at MIT (the home of AI, Lightbound said.)

The companys robotics index is comprised of over 80 stocks across 12 sub-sectors in 14 countries.

We evaluate companies based on metrics such as revenue maturity, market leadership, and quality of the management team, Lightbound said.

We also factor in our ESG policy and a liquidity filter. That process gives us a score, and highest scoring companies go into the strategy.

Over a five year period, Lightbound said the index had posted an average return of 16.9 per cent.

So its been doing exactly what it was designed to do, which is outperform the global market and give investors something new.

Turning back to the ASX, both of the companies we spoke to also highlighted the commercial application of their technology across multiple sectors.

For Stealth, the broader strategic focus is to make inroads in the critical infrastructure market sectors where perimeter security is of particular importance.

What were seeing is very much an emerging theme from governments globally certainly in Australia and the US around proactive steps to strengthen and protect critical infrastructure, he said.

Amid that backdrop, Stealth has also flagged opportunities across utilities, transport, energy, communications and defence.

Our market research suggests all these sectors have some common attributes around maintaining high levels of perimeter security. So theyre all sectors were looking to test the ASV and validate market sector fit, Hemmings said.

In a recent report, industry research group Data Intelo said the global perimeter security market is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 12 per cent over the next six years, reaching $US282.6bn in size by 2026.

Thats encompassing patrol and surveillance, and testing of perimeter intrusion detection systems, Hemmings said.

So through robotics and automation, were looking to really disrupt that and offer a higher quality solution, that generates a strong positive ROI for customers.

Hemmings said Stealths initial strategy is to deploy the technology with Honeywell across the Government correctional facility sector in Australia and then build upon this with entry into the US. But the broader market fit goes well beyond this.

For Orgnoni at VR1, the goal is to execute Vections operational strategy in an environment where the take-up of VR and AR has accelerated.

I think every investor is understanding that VR and AR are technologies that are becoming a must-have, not a nice-to-have for companies, he said.

He added that 5G will play a massive role in the rollout of VR solutions, by allowing for the effective deployment of heavy data across multiple devices.

From the investor standpoint particularly in the second half of this year weve received a lot of interest because people are understanding this tech isnt just a gimmick, Orgnoni said.

Thats why I firmly believe 2021 will really be the year this kind of technology will be deployed on a larger scale.

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The ASX robotics stocks looking to capitalise on the rise of the machines - Stockhead

The main reason organic produce appeals to consumers is that it promises safety. We can debate how reality and perceptions differ. But that core message that organic produce will not harm either humans or the environment is its main selling point to shoppers.

In 2020, that message really resonates. Amid the chaos and stress this year generated, food is a refuge. And organic food is a comfort.

So far, organic produce sales and the crop volume has grown by double digits year over year. Organic Produce Network, working with Category Partners report organic 2020 Q2 sales in the West grew by a whopping 25% over 2019, and volume grew by 23%. Even in the countrys weakest organic region, the Midwest, year-over-year sales grew by 12% and volume by 13%.

Logistically, that makes sense, since retail sales the biggest organic produce sector are surging during ongoing partial lockdowns. But Im guessing that safety message drives some of those sales, too.

When you look at the daily fresh produce year-over-year sales (which includes all produce, not just organic), sales are up significantly. But theyre not reaching the same heights as organic produce on its own.

Eventually, this pandemic will be over. Many things will go back to normal. But Im guessing some buying habits adopted during these difficult months will continue. And organic purchases will likely be one of those.

Since theres a difference in how conventional produce and organic produce sales grew in 2020, that means consumers who did not buy organic in the past are now doing so. Despite the high unemployment. Despite the housing insecurities.

If you arent devoting part of your operation to organic produce, you may be missing out on something big. Even if you started immediately, it wont happen overnight. It takes a few years to bring a field into compliance and earn the organic label. And a lot of record keeping. The only short cuts are bringing previously uncultivated land into production or creating a new organic greenhouse operation.

Current organic growers are in luck. Many (43%, according to our 2020 State of the Vegetable Industry Survey) are already planning to expand their organic acreage.

In a rough year, organic produce is offering a refuge to growers, too.

I further explored what our State of the Vegetable Industry Survey had to say about organics.

Here are a few more stats you might find interesting:

We took a look at which pests organic and conventional growers reported were their top problems last year. There were a few pests that were a bigger problem for organic growers than their conventional peers.

Source: 2020 State of the Vegetable Industry

Carol Miller is the editor of American Vegetable Grower, a Meister Media Worldwide publication. See all author stories here.

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Why Organic Produce Is Booming Right Now [Opinion] - Growing Produce

Organic foods are more popular today than ever before. In fact, nearly 3 out of 4 grocery stores in the US now sell organic products.

Here's a breakdown of what it means for food to be organic, the benefits of eating organic food, and whether it's truly a healthier alternative to non-organic foods.

Organic food is a term used to describe any foods that have been grown or bred using organic farming methods. The goal of organic farming is to reduce pollution, promote sustainable farming, encourage animal welfare, and provide safe and healthy foods for us to eat.

In order for vegetables to be certified organic by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), they must:

For meat to be considered 100% organic, the following USDA requirements must be met:

A 2016 report from the European Parliament concluded that the techniques used in organic farming can improve the health of animals and help prevent disease in humans.

Specifically, the scientific-backed health benefits of organic food include:

A 2014 review found evidence that organic crops have higher concentrations of antioxidants than their non-organic counterparts.

Antioxidants help to reduce the risk of developing conditions like heart diseases and certain cancers. Here's how the following types of antioxidants stacked up in organic vs. non-organic crops:

"The meat from free-range animals tend to have healthier fats, like omega 3 fatty acids," says Michael Dann, MD, a gastroenterologist, affiliated with NY Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center."So organic meat, dairy, and eggs could potentially be healthier than their non-organic equivalents."

For example, research shows that organic cows milk contains about 50% more omega 3 fatty acids than conventional, non-organic milk.

Organic food is free of synthetic pesticides, which can be harmful to our health. For example, a 2014 study looked at the effect of exposure to pesticides on pregnant women. Researchers found that a third of the women who lived close to farms where synthetic pesticides were used had an increased risk of giving birth to a child with autism or other developmental disorder.

Organic foods aren't completely free of pesticides just synthetic pesticides. Synthetic pesticides are more toxic than organic ones and may remain on foods for longer, which makes using organic pesticides safer.

"With both organic and synthetic pesticides, it's important for fruits and vegetables to be properly washed to ensure that there are no pesticide residues on them," Dann says.

Overall, the 2014 review on antioxidants found evidence that organic foods contain lower degrees of pesticide residues and lower concentrations of toxic metals when compared to non-organic foods.

"When it comes to nutritional benefits, there have been arguments for and against organic foods," Dann says. "But there is a growing body of evidence that does show that there are potential benefits to consuming organic foods."

In the past, studies have cast doubts on the real benefits of organic foods. For example, a 2012 report suggested that there might be no additional nutritional benefits from consuming organic food, and that there was little evidence to show that non-organic foods pose greater health risks than organic foods.

But more recently, a 2017 scientific review found evidence that organic food may reduce the risk of allergic diseases like asthma and sinusitis and obesity. In addition, research shows that organic farming is better than conventional farming for the environment.

The one universal downside to organic food, however, is that they typically cost more than non-organic produce. For people who would like to eat more organic foods, but are worried about the high costs, Dann suggests buying both organic and non-organic foods as a more realistic solution.

"You should buy a mixture of organic and non-organic foods, especially if the cost is an issue," Dann says. "Pick what types of organic foods are most important for you to incorporate into your diet. It could be more important to some people to include hormone-free meats in their diet, while others might prioritize eating range-free chicken and eggs, or avoiding fruits and vegetables grown with synthetic fertilizers and pesticides"

Choosing organic foods is likely a better option than non-organic, but because organic foods can be expensive, you should be selective when making purchases. If avoiding produce grown with synthetic fertilizers and pesticides is your priority, you should take a look at the Environmental Working Group's (EWG) "Dirty Dozen" list.

The dirty dozen is an annual list of fruits and vegetables that contain higher levels of pesticide residues, based on USDA and FDA reports. As a result, it may be important to buy these organic. For 2020, the top 5 fruits and vegetables you should buy organic are:

The EWG also publishes a "Clean Fifteen" list that highlights fruits and vegetables with the lowest amount of pesticide residues. As a result, it might not be as important to buy these organic. For 2020, the top 5 fruits and vegetables you don't need to buy organic are:

To make matters even trickier, not all foods labeled organic are 100% organic. Here's what the USDA organic labels on your food mean:

The USDA stipulates that a government-approved certifier inspects the farm where food is being grown, to make sure all the USDA's organic food standards are met before a product is labeled organic.

Even though some research has questioned the benefits of organic food, it's never a bad idea for you to buy organic. There's evidence to show that it contains more antioxidants, healthier fats, and uses less toxic pesticides. It also makes use of farming techniques that are better for the environment.

The major downside to buying organic food is the higher cost. Because of this, realistically, it's likely best to opt for a mixture of organic and non-organic foods, depending on your priorities and preferences. If your budget constraints make it unrealistic for you to buy organic foods, don't worry. Fruits and vegetables whether organic or not are healthy and even when conventional produce contains pesticide residues, the amounts are low. Whichever type you choose, aim to eat a variety of them daily.

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Is organic food better for you and the best foods to buy organic - Insider - INSIDER

Eating organic food may help reduce the amount of chemicals you consume (Shutterstock)

Organic food is food produced or farmed in ways that avoid the use of chemical fertilisers, antibiotics, hormones and genetically modified organisms.

There is a local growing trend in favour of organic produce, particularly with fruit and vegetables.

While eating organic food may help you reduce the amount of chemicals you are consuming, it is difficult to ascertain whether mama mbogas claims to have organic produce can actually be verified. If in doubt, surface chemicals at least can be washed off using a commercial veggie wash.

Organic food is also touted as being healthier. Soil quality can improve due to organic farming, which can in turn improve nutrient content in both plant and animal products.

However, organic farming methods will lead to an increase in the cost of organic foods as well as a shorter shelf life as most foods are not treated externally to extend their shelf life.

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Ruto: I will defeat the deep state - The Standard

Increasing demand for organic food is expected to propel growth of the global biological organic fertilizers market over the forecast period. For instance, according to 2019 Organic Industry Survey by the Organic Trade Association, organic food sales in the U.S. increased 5.9% in 2018 to reach US$ 47.9 billion and organic food sales made up 5.7% of overall food sales, which rose 2.3% in 2018

Significant growth in the organic food business is expected to offer lucrative growth opportunities for players in the global biological organic fertilizers market. For instance, according to India Brand Equity Foundation, organic food business in India is expected to reach US$ 130 million by 2025. Moreover, increasing demand for food is also expected to aid in growth of the global biological organic fertilizers market. For instance, according to Food and Agriculture Organization, worldwide food demand is expected to increase by 70% by 2050.

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The global biological organic fertilizers market is witnessing several M&A strategies. For instance, in December 2019, Bioenergy DevCo, a developer of anaerobic digestion facilities, partnered with Perdue Farms for acquiring an organic commercial fertilizer processing facility and to supply organic material from Perdue processing facilities.

Major players operating in the global biological organic fertilizers market are focused on expanding their production capacity to enhance their market share. For instance, in March 2019, Biostar Organics, part of BioStar Renewables, announced the commissioning of its first OMRI-listed, SuperSix organic liquid fertilizer plant, located in Othello, WA (U.S).

Major players operating in the global biological organic fertilizers market are also focused on launching new products to expand their product portfolio. For instance, in May 2019, Agroplasma Inc. launched Ferticell Explorer 10-0-0. It is certified by the California Department of Food and Agriculture Organic Input Materials.

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Key Takeaways

Increasing demand for organic food is expected to propel growth of the global biological organic fertilizers market over the forecast period

Major players operating in the global biological organic fertilizers market are focused on launching new products to expand their product portfolio. For instance, in March 2019, Miracle-Gro launched two category innovations: Miracle-Gro Performance Organics and the Miracle-Gro Twelve Indoor Growing System that consist blend of natural and organic materials and locally sourced, specially aged compost.

Major players operating in global biological organic fertilizers market include, Italpollina spa, ILSA S.p.A, Biostar Renewables, Plantin, Sustane Natural Fertilizer Inc., Agroplasma Inc., True Organic Products Inc., California Organic Fertilizers Inc., Miracle-Gro, The Fertell Company, Purely Organics LLC, Pupuk Kaltim, and Qingdao Sonef Chemical Co., Ltd.

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Biological Organic Fertilizers Market to Surge at a Robust Pace in Terms of Revenue Over 2020 to 2027 - re:Jerusalem