Latest news with #Clouds
The Herald Scotland
4 days ago
- General
- The Herald Scotland
The Glasgow-based artist that's inspired by 'mudlarking'
'Mum and I would scour beaches looking for curios, such as fragments of pottery, shells, and particularly sea glass. My mother also had a knack for uncovering historic rubbish dumps and instilled in me this love of looking and finding – I like to call it slow meditative scouring,' says Katie. The family moved to Glasgow when Katie was 17 and having long aspired to go to Glasgow School of Art, she undertook a degree course in Sculpture and Environmental Art and graduated in 2017 with First Class Honours in Sculpture. 'When I was in third year GSA acquired a kiln – and I quickly became hooked on clay and its endless possibilities. After graduating, my dad and I built my garden studio and Manifesto was born. 'The name represents a groundwork for new ideas and action, prompting connections with like-minded people,' she adds. Her work has to date been exhibited at The Royal Scottish Academy and The Ingram Collection in London. Katie's inspiration comes primarily from the landscape around her studio or on visits to beaches where she mudlarks for anything from ancient artefacts to sea creatures, fossils, stones, shells, feathers, and general flotsam and jetsam. (Image: Katie Rose Johnston) 'So many things – above and below ground – inspire me, and I love having a free rein to play with clay and see where it takes me and what come out of it.' The problem with being a mudlarker and gatherer of curious objects is what to do with them. Many people keep beach finds in a glass jar, but Katie has a more artistic solution she calls Curiosity Clouds: the cloud being a unique sculptural form made up of numerous niches, each one serving as a tiny shelf upon which to display a foraged find. The catalyst for these Curiosity Clouds, came from a visit to Glasgow's Hunterian Museum, where in amongst a display case of insect and bird nests from around the world, Katie spotted a cross-section of a termite mound, which exposed an elaborate network of tunnels and compartments termites use for ventilation and navigation. Working from the centre outward using terracotta crank clay, each of Katie's Curiosity Clouds (priced from £200 up to £500) has its own unique appearance and size and is coated in slip to achieve a variety of earthy hues. 'Arranging found curios in each compartment is a return to childhood playdays, carefully placing each exhibit in its new space, like a curator in a museum,' she says. Mycelium candleholders are another eye-catching fusion of form and function. (Image: Katie Rose Johnston) Inspired by the complex system of roots that connect fungi together deep underground, each individual candleholder encases slender taper candles within an ethereal nest of coils made from terracotta clay with a white slip finish. These range in price from £400 up to £1,200. Manifesto's range is expansive and includes a recent exploration into tableware following a six-week Anagama firing residency at Shiro Oni Studios in the Gunma prefecture in Japan, which culminated in an exhibition of functional tableware mimicking the shapes of petals and leaves, also a series of ceramic platters, dishes and bowls, pinched from balls of dark red clay. Katie's ceramics can be purchased from Bard in Leith ( and periodically direct from her workshop in the southside of Glasgow.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
NASA Empowers Energy Projects by Providing Global Earth Observation Data
NASA strives to understand the universe, whether that be the stars above us or Earth around us. One way NASA focuses on the Earth is through satellite, ground, and airborne Earth observations and modeling. NASA's Earth Science projects work to further understand the Earth and its systems to better help humanity now and in the future. One such component is energy, which is a vital resource that impacts daily life for millions of people across the world. NASA's Prediction of Worldwide Energy Resources (POWER) project support efforts toward energy resilience and efficiency by providing value-added global solar and meteorological data parameters. Since 1988, the data POWER provides has been leveraged for numerous projects concerning solar, wind, and hydroelectric energy. Since 2018, POWER has answered 764.5 million data requests to more than 1.4 million unique users. The project offers more than 1,000 different parameters that can help companies, researchers, and agencies make actionable decisions, accelerate learning, and improve outcomes in energy, buildings, and agroclimatology sectors. The breadth and no-cost accessibility of POWER's analysis-ready data allows for a wide range of application areas to achieve organizational goals in energy independence and resilience. The project leverages NASA's Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) mission and the NASA Langley Research Center's Surface Radiation Budget (SRB) in association with the Global Energy and Water Exchanges (GEWEX) program, which: Provides solar data in hourly, daily, monthly, and yearly temporal and long-term averages. Dates back to 1984. Supports projects like solar panel sizing, power generation forecasting, and solar thermal systems for buildings. POWER uses Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2) data products, which: Provides meteorological parameters such as temperature, wind, and humidity in hourly, daily, monthly, and yearly temporal and long-term averages. Dates back to 1981. Supports efforts such as wind turbine analysis, hydropower studies, and building energy efficiency. [caption id="attachment_236477" align="aligncenter" width="740"] Global visualization of surface shortwave downward irradiance annually for 2023 expressed in watts per meter squared. Source: Christopher Higham, NASA POWER[/caption] The POWER project prides itself on providing accessible pathways to leveraging Earth observation data for its users. Tools such as the Data Access Viewer (DAV) and PaRameter Uncertainty ViEwer (PRUVE) allow users to easily access and compare data. Along with these tools, POWER also offers geospatial services, allowing users to not only visualize POWER data, but also work efficiently with geographic information systems (GIS) applications. In addition, NASA's partnership with Amazon Web Services allows free access to the full POWER data catalog. The POWER DAV is a web application tool that allows direct access to the project's application programming interface (API) and visualization plots. Data from the DAV can be either downloaded or integrated into software and applications for easy and efficient data acquisition. Users can also subset the data by selecting the user community, location, time period, parameters, and file type so they are only acquiring the data they need. Users can also generate integrated reports to support heating and cooling system implementation to assist in building design. HUBER SE, a wastewater company in Germany, accesses POWER data through the DAV to plan and implement drying systems that maximize efficiency. HUBER SE specializes in treating sewage sludge through solar drying, a process sensitive to climate variability. The company uses the POWER DAV to acquire surface shortwave downward irradiance, temperature, and relative humidity to optimally adapt its systems for each site. '[POWER] enables us to develop tailor-made solutions that maximize the efficiency of the systems and at the same time ensure their long-term profitability. This gives us a divisive and competitive advantage on the market,' said Moritz Marschall, a representative from HUBER SE. PRUVE, a new tool being developed by the POWER team, will serve as an online data validation application using statistical analysis and visualization to compare in situ surface site data. Data validation is important to ensure consistency and accuracy. The comparison data will be sourced from the GEWEX program and Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) for solar data. The meteorological comparison data will be acquired from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). One of POWER's other service offerings is geospatial services, which provides the GIS community friendly formats to integrate data into developing their own tools. The DAV and PRUVE tools are examples of how users can leverage geospatial services in the back end of development. [caption id="attachment_236479" align="aligncenter" width="740"] Global visualization using POWER's image services showing average wind speed in 2023 at 10 meters above the surface, expressed in meters per second. Source: Christopher Higham, NASA POWER[/caption] A large focus area of the NASA POWER project is user engagement to capture current and emerging requirements, use cases, and feedback. User driven feedback helps identify new parameters, tools, and areas of support. Through events like the project's annual Global Community Summit, users can engage directly with POWER project leadership and developers to voice their opinions and needs for future improvements to help further their work. For example, users said they wanted better control of parameter searches with enhanced filter features on the POWER website, so the team created the Parameter Manager and Search Tool. Saildrone is a U.S.-based manufacturer of unmanned surface vehicles that are powered by wind and solar energy. The company uses POWER's hourly solar data to estimate the amount of power that will be generated by the solar panels on the drones. The drones collect meteorological and oceanographic data as well as provide maritime domain awareness for the U.S. military. Saildrone has adjusted mission timelines and instrument payloads based on analyses that use POWER data, saving both time and money on objectives. Another company, Alpha 311, uses POWER's wind speed and wind direction parameters to retrofit vertical axis wind turbines to new and existing infrastructure. To date, POWER data has been applied in Alpha 311 project proposals in 68 countries to help a range of organizations from schools and hospitals to commercial manufacturing plants and sports stadiums deploy renewable energy technology around the globe. POWER also supports other types of projects like Produced Water Ecoservices (PWES), based in Colombia. The ability to treat wastewater from oil and gas plants, also known as produced water, onsite saves on transport costs, shortens the water treatment cycle, and reduces risks of environmental spillage. PWES treats produced water from industrial facilities through mechanical evaporation. The process is sensitive to climatological factors, so PWES uses the POWER DAV to acquire meteorological data to return produced water to a clean state. To date, PWES has treated over one million barrels of produced water with the help of POWER data. Recently, the POWER project released new hydrological parameters from NASA's Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) that can be used in research and commercial applications. NASA's IMERG precipitation data provides a higher resolution than the previous MERRA-2 version. Precipitation data has been used in studies to understand the correlation between meteorological factors and water inflow to hydropower plants. The researchers used POWER data in forecasting models to conclude that temperature and precipitation were the greatest factors affecting inflow. Another group studied the inflow for a hydroelectric power plant reservoir using NASA POWER meteorological parameters to establish the precedent at which data parameters should be used in future machine learning models concerning water inflow. NASA POWER hopes to reach new users and support more energy-focused missions. If you would like to learn more about the data tools and services the project offers, please email the POWER project at larc-power-project@ Be on the lookout for information about the virtual 2025 Global Community Summit, which will be held this fall and check out the POWER website for updates and a date to be released soon. is a scientific and technical writer for the NASA POWER project team. Paul Stackhouse Jr., PhD is a senior research scientist at the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia and leads the POWER team. He also leads the NASA Langley Research Center SRB project, and is a science team member of the CERES project and co-leads the FLASHFlux (Fast Longwave and Shortwave radiative Fluxes) working group. Both projects produce radiative fluxes using satellite analysis, and the latter produces low latency estimates of top-of-atmosphere and surface radiation data products from CERES. Both data sets are key inputs to the POWER web suite. Falguni Patadia, PhD is a research physical scientist at the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia and serves as the deputy lead for the POWER project.
New Indian Express
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Justin Baldoni's USD 400 million defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively dismissed by New York Judge
Justin Baldoni has faced a significant setback in his USD 400 million defamation suit case against his It Ends With Us co-star Blake Lively as a New York Judge has dismissed it after finding that Lively's allegations of sexual assault against Baldoni were legally protected and as a result of it, is immune from his suit. Judge Lewis Liman on Monday dismissed the Clouds director's lawsuit which had also named her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist Leslie Sloan for civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy. But he can amend and refile some allegations regarding interference with contracts. His USD 250 million defamation suit against The New York Times pushing an "unverified and self-serving narrative" was also dismissed citing that the report was protected under "fair report" privilege, which allows media outlets to cover legal proceedings without incurring defamation liability. The legal suit came after Lively filed a complaint in December 2024 with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) against Baldoni and his production company Wayfarer Studios, accusing them of sexual harassment and intimidation on the set of It Ends with Us. She along with Reynolds also alleged that Baldoni conducted a smear campaign against her for complaining about the conditions on set. Baldoni's lawsuit primarily focussed on Lively "stealing the film" from him and his production house Wayfarer Studios by threatening to not promote it and them promoting a false narrative that the actor sexually assaulted her and launched a smear campaign against her.
Forbes
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Alex Lifeson On Envy Of None's New Album: ‘We Were Just So Excited To Keep Going'
Envy of None: (L-R) Alex Lifeson, Maiah Wynne, Alfio Annibalini and Andy Curran. When former Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson recorded the debut self-titled album of his new band Envy of None, which was released two years ago, he thought it mioght be a one-off project. 'I didn't know what the future would hold,' he says today. 'It takes a year or a year-and-a-half to make these records. [I thought,] The enthusiasm of Lifeson and his bandmates — bassist Andy Curran, keyboardist Alfio Annibalini and singer Maiah Wynne — from working on the Envy of None album carried over into the supergroup's new sophomore record Stygian Wavz, which comes out on Friday, March 28. It further builds on the group's first album's moody and melodic mixture of alternative rock and metal, hard rock, industrial and electronic music. 'I think the first record was a little trippier, a little more atmospheric,' Lifeson says. 'Whereas Stygian Wavz is a more focused record. There's lots of funk on this record. There's heavy rock.' He also points out that he played solos prominently on Stygian Wavz after he initially stayed away from doing them. 'I don't want them to be misconstrued as just show-off stuff,' explains Lifeson. 'I believe solos have an integral part of the song and they need to reflect the song and they need to be in the service of the song.' One example of that is his guitar solo near the end of the anthemic track 'Clouds.' That's just a little short solo, but it's really powerful," he says. "It doesn't have to be this big shreddy craziness. That makes a statement at the end, and it's full of dread and danger. And it's fun.' The album's first single, 'Not Dead Yet,' is a driving and seductive-sounding track that lyrically conveys a theme of resilience. 'What attracted me to that song when I started working on it was the funky structure,' says Lifeson. 'It's bouncy and rhythmic. And then it reaches that crescendo where the heavy guitars come in. That's where the song ended when we initially started writing it. Then we added…that sort of James Bond vibe to the end. Now, when I listen to 'Not Dead Yet,' I'm thinking, 'This should be the theme song for the next Bond movie.'" Another single from Stygian Wavz, 'Under the Stars,' begins with a Middle Eastern feel and then morphs into a dreamy power anthem. 'Joey Vitale played drums and tablas in the opening and that sets a particular mood,' Lifeson says. 'Then the vocals come in and juxtapose against Andy's heavy bassline. There's a menace going on in that first verse. Then the heavy chorus comes in…I really like that guitar solo because it touches on a number of things. There's sort of a bluesy feel, but it's very emotive. I was channeling probably more of David Gilmour throughout that solo.' Lifeson describes 'The Story' — which encapsulates Envy of None's mixture of hard rock and electronic soundscapes — as kind of incoporating power pop. 'Lyrically, it's an awesome song,' he says. 'Everybody you know wants to be a better person. And not always can you control that devil that's sitting on your shoulder. And I think Maiah gets that across really, really well. 'Structurally, the song builds in a really interesting way. I got to play my 12-string Rickenbacker in the choruses. So it's got that little bit of a '60s vibe in that guitar part. Then the solo — again, is an ascending solo that reaches the climax. And then [Maiah's] vocal comes back in. It's that vocal reentry, that part where the track just starts to really drive, and it's so emotional and plaintive. That is the high point for me.' Stygian Wavz captures a band sounding more confident and bolder following their the debut album. Lifeson says: "I think we started working on this second album, I don't know, maybe the next day [after Envy of None]. We were just so excited to keep going. And as that project progressed, things got more interesting. Everybody's work was really focused. I think we went from being just this co-op of four musicians recording music to actually being a band.' Lifeson particularly credits Wynne, whose vocal and lyrical contributions complement the music's hard rock and electronic components. 'She is just an absolute joy to work with,' he says. 'The way she delivers, something about her lyrics. I would say that Neil [Peart] was the same way in Rush. Just that ability to deliver something succinctly that it just grabs you immediately and you understand what it is. Maiah has that ability at 27 years old. Her lyrics have just become more and more relatable. And they're very introspective. Her skills as a singer have increased enormously as well.' Envy of None For casual and die-hard fans of Rush, the music of Envy of None, which formed in 2021, may still seem like a stylistic departure for Lifeson, who is obviously more well-known in the world of progressive rock. And that's fine with him. 'I am very proud of what I did in Rush for the music,' he says, 'but also for the relationships that I had with Geddy [Lee] and Neil. But Envy of None is a different thing. It's not Rush. The music's not Rush. And I don't want to play like Alex Lifeson of Rush. This is Alex Lifeson of Envy of None.' 'There are three other guitar players in this band,' he adds. 'Alf plays a lot of guitar. Andy once in a while plays a little riff, usually in the writing stage. And Maiah does a couple of little guitar things here and there. I am so relieved that I can do something else, that I can look at what I can bring to the table in this particular unit and work from there. It's liberating for me, and I'm really lucky.' Remarkably, Envy of None has not yet performed live. But that could change depending on audience interest and the proper staging for a concert, according to Lifeson. 'We would love to [perform]. To do both albums in a beautiful theater with a nice light show would be spectacular. I already know the other musicians I would like to bring on, just to really flesh out the sound. 'I think what we'll probably end up doing is just waiting out the record and see how the reaction is," Lifeson continues. "If it does well, and there's an audience where we can go into that theater and do two or three nights, and maybe do it in two or three other cities — then we would definitely consider doing it because it would be awesome.' The enthusiasm within Envy of None following the first two albums has prompted consideration of making a third record. 'We're excited to keep the juices flowing,' says Lifeson. 'I'm sure we'll take a break. Everybody's got other stuff, but we're excited to continue.'
Express Tribune
21-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
J. Cole calls out Trump and billionaires in new track 'Clouds'
J. Cole is back with a vengeance. After a quiet 2024 following the Drake and Kendrick Lamar rap battle, the rapper has dropped a new single, "Clouds," that reveals a lot about his state of mind heading into 2025. The moody track, driven by his signature singing voice, sees Cole making pointed references to both Donald Trump and billionaires. In one of the song's most striking lines, he raps, 'I'm that bass in your trunk, the bullet that missed Trump,' alluding to an assassination attempt on the former president. He continues with, "The gun that jammed because it seemed God had other plans," further exploring his frustration with the political landscape. The second verse of "Clouds" is where Cole really goes off, criticizing billionaires for their indifference to the world's problems. 'Throw it in the pan and caramelize for richness,' he spits, adding, 'Served on a plate with sirloin steak to billionaires who don't care the world's gon' break. Long as they make money off it, pain brings profit.' The song offers a raw look into the artist's thoughts on the inequality and corporate greed that has dominated the conversation in 2025. Fans quickly took to X (formerly Twitter) to react to Cole's intense bars. One user wrote, 'Say what you want about J. Cole but when he locks in and raps fr, there's very few that can rap better than him,' while another chimed in, 'If we being honest, Cole really rapping better than Drake and Kendrick.' Say what you want about but when he locks in and raps fr, there's very few that can rap better than him. — LOVELY (@LoveIsback24) February 21, 2025 I feel like J. Cole lowkey spared niggas but we'll talk about that another day — II (@SmithTheIInd) February 21, 2025 If we being honest, Cole really rapping better than Drake and Kendrick. 😭 — A Lawyer you can trust (@LawyerYouTrust) February 21, 2025 Others seemed to appreciate his relentless flow, with a fan commenting, 'J. Cole can't hoop, but he don't miss.' Another user observed, 'J Cole is 40 and his pen keeps getting better,' praising the rapper for continuously evolving his craft. J. Cole can't hoop, but he don't miss. — Throttle-Jockey Jorge (@_naranjojr) February 21, 2025 J Cole is 40 and his pen keeps getting better — chapo 🌹 (@MVPREESE) February 21, 2025 The single "Clouds" was released on Cole's personal blog and gives fans a taste of what's to come, though it's unclear whether the track will appear on his highly anticipated upcoming album, The Fall Off. The album has been teased since 2018, and fans are eagerly awaiting its release. On his blog, Cole explained, "I've been locked in on the music while also balancing family life," hinting that new material will be arriving soon. Fans are excited for what's next, and Cole seems ready to deliver with yet another thoughtful, hard-hitting project.
