Archives for May 26, 2018

Spotify will revise artist behavior policy following backlash

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Spotify may already have to backtrack on its policy limiting promotion for artists based on their conduct. Bloomberg sources have heard that it will alter the conduct policy in response to an uproar over its decision to pull XXXTentacion’s music from playlists for his behavior, including charges for allegedly beating a pregnant woman. Artists like Kendrick Lamar reportedly called Spotify chief Daniel Ek and artist relations head Troy Carter to not only show their displeasure, but to threaten to pull their music from the service if it didn’t make changes.

Carter threatened to leave, according to the tipsters, but he decided to stay put after promises of reform from Ek. There’s no talk of restoring R. Kelly’s music.

The parties involved have declined to comment so far. However, the incident illustrates the gray areas involved with Spotify’s new policy. At what point does an artist’s off-stream conduct go too far, for example? And can these artists do anything to restore trust (such as XXXTentacion’s donation to domestic violence prevention programs)? While Spotify doesn’t want to be seen as tacitly ignoring or endorsing horrific acts, there’s a concern the policy is too subjective and could be prone to racism or other forms of bias.

This article originally appeared on Engadget.

Scientists to test if Loch Ness monster exists using DNA sampling

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Researcher is no believer in Nessie, but he wants to take people on an adventure and communicate some science

This famous photograph from 1934 of what was believed to be the Loch Ness monster was later exposed as a hoax by one of the participants, Chris Spurling, who, on his deathbed, revealed that it was staged. (Keystone/Getty Images)

The stories seem as tall as the lake is deep. For hundreds of years, visitors to Scotland’s Loch Ness have described seeing a monster that some believe lurks in the depths.

But now the legend of “Nessie” may have no place left to hide. A New Zealand scientist is leading an international team to the lake next month, where they will take samples of the murky waters and conduct DNA tests to determine what species live there.

University of Otago professor Neil Gemmell says he’s no believer in Nessie, but he wants to take people on an adventure and communicate some science along the way. Besides, he says, his kids think it’s one of the coolest things he’s ever done.

One of the more far-fetched theories is that Nessie is a long-necked plesiosaur that somehow survived the period when dinosaurs became extinct. Another theory is that the monster is actually a sturgeon or giant catfish. Many believe the sightings are hoaxes or can be explained by floating logs or strong winds.

Gemmell said that when creatures move about in water, they leave behind tiny fragments of DNA. It comes from their skin, feathers, scales and urine.

He said his team will take 300 samples of water from different points around the lake and at different depths. They will filter the organic material and extract the DNA, he said, sequencing it by using technology originally created for the human genome project.

‘It’s unlikely there is a monster’

He said the DNA results will then be compared against a database of known species. He said they should have answers by the end of the year.

“I’m going into this thinking it’s unlikely there is a monster, but I want to test that hypothesis,” Gemmell said. “What we’ll get is a really nice survey of the biodiversity of the Loch Ness.”

He said the real discoveries may come in determining things like the prevalence of invasive species.

Gemmell, 51, said he first visited Loch Ness in his late 20s while on vacation. Like thousands of tourists before him, he gazed out over the lake trying to catch sight of a monster. He said he first came up with the idea of testing DNA from the lake a couple of years ago and it resonated with many, including his children, aged seven and 10.

In our lives, we want there still to be mysteries, some of which we will ultimately solve. That’s part of the spirit of discovery. And sometimes, what you find may not be what you were expecting.
– Neil Gemmell, University of Otago professor

Graeme Matheson, chief of the Scottish Society of New Zealand, said he, too, has visited Loch Ness and gazed out over the water, and that he wishes Gemmell all the best.

“I hope he and his cohorts find something, although I think they’ll be battling,” Matheson said. “Still, it’s a good way to get a trip to Scotland.”

Gemmell said that even if they don’t find any monster DNA, it won’t deter some Nessie believers. He said they’ve already been offering him theories, like that Nessie might be on vacation after swimming to the sea via hidden underwater caves, or that the creature might be extraterrestrial and not leave behind any DNA.

“In our lives, we want there still to be mysteries, some of which we will ultimately solve,” Gemmell said. “That’s part of the spirit of discovery. And sometimes, what you find may not be what you were expecting.”

‘Gentle professor’ Bernard St-Laurent honoured with lifetime achievement award

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His career has spanned nearly a half century, and his name has become synonymous with political reporting in Quebec.

But, as those who worked alongside Bernard St-Laurent during his years on air and in print can attest, his encyclopedic knowledge of Quebec politics is trumped only by his dedication to the craft and his mentorship of the next generation.

“Bernie made it come alive for me,” said Nancy Wood, host of CBC Montreal News at 11, who first met St-Laurent when she was a 22-year-old Montreal Gazette reporter assigned to Quebec’s National Assembly.

“Bernie made me realize that politics was a blast: it was exciting. It was competitive. It was ruthless…. He was such a mentor to the younger reporters like me who were coming along, to show us how it was really working — what was going on behind the scenes.”

St-Laurent was honoured Friday by the Radio Television Digital News Association Canada (RTDNA) with its lifetime achievement award.

The longtime CBC broadcaster was one of three recipients of the award, handed out at a ceremony in Toronto.

“It’s an incredible honour. I am very proud to be recognized,” St-Laurent said.

“I’m grateful to all of the colleagues, editors, producers and news directors who went out of their way to help me become a better journalist and storyteller over the years.”

St-Laurent retired from the CBC in 2015, but he returned last year as a weekly political columnist on CBC Montreal’s Daybreak.

The great-nephew of a prime minister, St-Laurent discovered his passion for the rough-and-tumble world of Quebec politics at a young age. He started his journalism career as a cub reporter at the Sherbrooke Record in 1969.

He co-founded a weekly newspaper, The Gaspé Spec, then became Standard Broadcasting’s first full-time reporter at the National Assembly for Montreal’s CJAD.

St-Laurent first joined CBC in 1981, opening the English-language service’s first bureau in the Eastern Townships and working as a National Assembly reporter. He left the national broadcaster to help launch the Montreal Daily News before returning to CBC in 1990.

 He went on to become a national reporter, assignment editor, producer and host of Radio Noon, Homerun and C’est la Vie.

His decades in the industry left its mark on Quebec politics and on his audience.

“He’s there to explain. He’s the gentle professor,” said Jean-François Lisée, leader of the Parti Québécois.

St-Laurent was a fixture on political campaign buses and in the halls of the National Assembly for decades. He covered every major political event in Quebec from the time René Lévesque’s first PQ government was elected.

Former Quebec premier Jean Charest said St-Laurent’s presence is a mixed blessing of sorts for politicians.

“It’s both a source of anxiety and a source of comfort,” he said.

“Anxiety in the sense that there’s no passes, and there’s no easy questions, and there’s no breaks. In that respect, that’s what I liked a lot about him, and I miss that.”

In addition to his weekly column, St-Laurent now works as a volunteer and mentor with the Recovery Transition Program at the McGill University Health Centre.

St-Laurent said he’s been lucky to have had some stellar mentors throughout his career and urged his peers in the industry to take on that role and guide the next generation.

“Journalism plays a vital role in democracy,” he said. “My advice to young journalists is: keep the standards high. Don’t give up. We need you more than ever.”

See what politicians and St-Laurent’s colleagues had to say about his decades in the business:

New minor planet named after B.C. First Nation

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Naming process took over a decade of math

This orbital projection shows Tsawout’s journey in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. (NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory)

Vancouver Island’s Tsawout First Nation now has a presence among the stars.

After years of work, Victoria astronomer Dave Balam has pinpointed and named a minor planet in honour of the First Nation.

Tsawout, also known as 402920, is about two kilometres in diameter and is located in our solar system’s asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

Balam — who has named about four dozen celestial bodies in his career — said he named the space rock, Tsawout, partly because of his admiration for the First Nation.

“The people of Tsawout have maintained their traditions all this time, for hundreds of years,” said Balam.

“Regardless of famines, floods, starvation or all the bad things that happen to people over the years.”

Lights in the sky

Balam said one of the traditional beliefs of the Tsawout people is that when someone dies, they go to the heavens and become lights in the sky.

“These are the eyes of the people looking down upon us. And so now they have yet another, 402920 Tsawout.”

The Tsawout First Nation is now forever commemorated among the stars. (Mike Blake/Reuters)

Balam presented a plaque commemorating the new name to Harvey Underwood, Chief of the Tsawout First Nation, during the Canadian Astronomical Society’s 49th annual conference in Victoria this week.

Before the hundreds of assembled scientists and astronomers, Underwood thanked Balam for his hard work, which began in 2007 when Balam first spotted the asteroid, also known as a minor planet.

Naming a celestial body is much more difficult than people think.

Balam said the familiar practice of “buying” a star and naming it after someone is a scam, as the name isn’t officially catalogued or recognized by astronomers or any recognized astronomical association.

The criteria for actually naming something in space involves five to 20 years of precise calculations, he said.

The object’s calculated trajectory must be so well plotted, that if someone set up a telescope in 50 years, they would be able to pinpoint exactly where it was, based on Balam’s prediction.

The object’s trajectory projection must then be cleared by the International Astronomical Union, before they will accept suggestions for a name.

Balam said he also choose the name Tsawout because his family can trace its lineage back to the community which is one of five bands that constitute the Saanich Nation.

B.C. government to fund 1,500 homes for women fleeing violence

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The housing will be operated by non-profit providers, who can apply for funding for new projects

B.C. Premier John Horgan, Housing Minister Selina Robinson, left, and Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity Mitzi Dean, right, announce funding for 1,500 homes for women and children fleeing violence. (CBC News)

The B.C. government says it will build 1,500 supportive homes across the province for women and children fleeing violence.

The province will invest $734 million over the next 10 years to build and operate the new units, including transition houses, safe homes, second-stage and long-term housing.

Premier John Horgan says it’s the first significant investment in transition and supportive housing in 20 years and will give needed security to women and children escaping dangerous situations.

“Often times, it’s difficult to escape the cycle of violence, because often women feel they don’t have an alternative,” he said.

“We need to do more to ensure that there is hope for women fleeing violent situations, and more than hope, we need to have practical solutions.”

The new housing is to be operated by non-profit providers and will include staff who will provide a range of services, including emotional support and safety planning.

The money was originally announced in February’s budget as part of the government’s 30-point plan to improve access and housing affordability in the province.

Joanne Baker, executive director for the B.C. Society of Transition Houses, applauded the move.

“If you’re a woman who in the past has experienced violence … what this means is there will be some additional, second stage housing that you can live in, usually for one to two years, after you have fled violence,” she said.

However, both Baker and government officials couldn’t say whether the units would ensure enough space in the future for every woman fleeing a dangerous situation.

“Fifteen hundred units of housing is great news. It’s a drop in the ocean of what’s needed … but this is a really important step.”

Amazon to bring 1,000 jobs to Ottawa with new warehouse

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MPs confirm that online giant will create large transportation hub

Online retailer Amazon is planning to create a massive warehouse in Ottawa, two MPs have confirmed. (Abhishek N. Chinnappa/Reuters)

Online retail giant Amazon is set to make a major investment in Ottawa, with a warehouse that will employ roughly 1,000 people, according to two members of Parliament.

Orléans MP Andrew Leslie confirmed in an interview with CBC News that the company plans to take over a giant warehouse proposed for 5371 Boundary Rd., near Highway 417. An application submitted to the city says the facility will be over one million square feet and require 99 truck bays and more than 1,000 parking spaces.

“It will employ approximately 1,000 people, good middle class jobs, and it’s going to be a transportation hub,” said Leslie, late on Thursday. “We have been working with Amazon for a couple of months now and we are just thrilled that it’s all coming to maturation.”

3 levels of government involved

Leslie said that provincial, federal and municipal governments have all been involved in efforts to attract the firm.

He said an announcement of the project was planned in the future. He did not have details of any government funding that might have been involved in attracting the project.

Leslie said it’s a fantastic opportunity for the city and the site is well-situated.

“We are thrilled. I think this is fantastic news for Orléans.”

Francis Drouin, MP for the adjacent riding of Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, said it would be good for the entire region and the site is perfectly situated, with highways nearby and close to both Ottawa and Montreal.

“It will drive traffic away from the downtown core, which is perfect,” he said.

The warehouse site is adjacent to Highway 417 in the eastern end of Ottawa. (Felix Desroches/CBC)

Mayor silent on issue

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson declined to confirm the news at a press conference on Friday. However, he said it would be great news for the city.

“Obviously we welcome any investment in our community,’ he said.

He added that it would be good to have a major employer in the eastern part of the city.

In 2015, city council voted to extend municipal water services to the area and in 2016 council identified the site as an important employment opportunity.

“A lot of my efforts have been trying to get companies to locate in the east end,” Watson said.

Pierre Leroux, the mayor of Russell Township, said he also couldn’t confirm the news, but said it would be good to have a major employer in the community.

“Amazon is a multi-billion dollar, multi-national company so if they are here it will be for the long term,” he said. “The offshoot of everything else will just be incredible for the area.”

The company also declined to confirm its plans.

“Amazon is constantly investigating new locations to support the growth and increase the flexibility of its North American network to address customers’ needs,” they said in a statement. “Amazon is not yet commenting on any specific plans in Ottawa.”