Latest news with #Foss
Belfast Telegraph
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Belfast Telegraph
‘It's one of my proudest possessions': Jay the Barber honoured by local artist
Jay Millar — better known as Jay the Barber — suffered a seizure while driving on April 20, which resulted in him being placed in a medically-induced coma for three weeks. Five weeks after the incident, he was discharged from hospital and last month said he is 'making huge improvements'. The barber became famous for providing haircuts to the homeless and offering training opportunities to others. Recently, he shared a painting online by Belfast artist Foss, who is well known for his unique paintings, which was inspired by him. The artist said that he was inspired by Jay's outreach work and his recent accident. 'I'd seen some clips of Jay on social media,' he said. 'My son is 17 years old and really likes the message that Jay puts out there. After Jay had his seizure, to me, something in the universe just didn't seem right. 'Here's a guy whose message is good. He's spreading the word that God is good, so what is happening here? Something seemed out of balance. 'So I thought, I have to do a picture. I'm working-class, not great at speaking, sometimes I get taken the wrong way, but I thought it was important to do this. I hope that the world is now back in sync.' Jay said he was 'shocked' when Foss reached out to him about the painting. 'When I received the message, I was shocked. I had to look twice,' he revealed. 'I had seen Foss's work before, his art is synonymous with St George's Market. 'To see my face painted on the gable wall of one of his paintings, I didn't quite know what to think. 'I looked at the profile and it was Foss himself, so I messaged back thanking him for thinking of me and asked if I could come down and see it when it was finished.' The painting is called Close Shave and features a mural of Jay among other nods to the Belfast barber. 'The attention to detail is just incredible. When you see it up close, it is breathtaking,' Jay said. 'For example, the street is named 'Wayne Street' after my brother, who passed away. That made me very emotional. Then, leaning against the wall is a homeless man, a tribute to the work I've done with the homeless.' When Jay visited St George's Market on Sunday, he was eager to meet Foss and shared a picture of the painting, but he was surprised when Foss wouldn't let him go home empty-handed. 'He gave me the painting,' he said. 'I thought maybe he'd be able to get them made into prints and I could buy one as a thank you for the time and effort that went into this. But he said, 'What you don't know is — this painting is yours.' 'He said he'll get it varnished and drop it off to me. It'll be hung up in my shop for as long as I'm there. 'Instantly, it's become one of my proudest possessions. I can't thank him enough.'
Daily Record
31-05-2025
- Daily Record
Hero Scots police dog sniffs out 'housebreaker' armed with two knives and 'swag'
It is the second time this week that Foss has helped arrested a knife thug. An a lleged housebreaker was arrested armed with two knives and his loot from the homes he is said to have robbed - after being sniffed out by a police dog. The man in question was spotted by an officer as he tried to make his escape, after Police Scotland received a report of a housebreaker, the force said. The dog in question - Foss - picked up the man's scent and tracked him, with him being found in possession of stolen goods - and two knives, and he was taken into custody. A picture of Foss and details of the arrest were posted on the Police Scotland Edinburgh Facebook page. It read: "#PDFoss caught a naughty man last night. "After a report of someone breaking in to houses, Foss's eagle eyed chauffeur spotted a "likely lad" who was quickly lost to sight. Foss got his nose to work & tracked him down, still in possession of the "swag" and 2 knives! Arrested!" Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. It is the second time this week the dog was involved in the arrest of an alleged knife thug. We told previously how an unlucky knife thug was caught armed with a huge blade by the dog. The arrest came while the pooch and dog handlers were in the middle of a training exercise. The male in question had been seen acting suspiciously in Larbert, near Falkirk. The alarm was raised, resulting in officers being asked to attend the scene, meaning the four dog handlers who were training close by attended the scene. Foss was utilised and the animal helped recover the blade. The black-handled machete measures more than two feet and has a blade which is more than one-and-a-half feet long. A picture of the deadly weapon was shared on social media. The weapon looked like its handle is metal and has been covered with dark electrical tape, and the weapon had what appeared to be string at the bottom. The string seems to act as a wrist strap and the logo for American knife manufacturing firm Mtech USA can be seen at the base of the blade on the weapon. A post on the Police Scotland Forth Valley Facebook page read: "When a male was reported acting suspiciously close to Larbert he clearly wasn't expecting 4 dog handlers to be training around the corner. "They diverted to the scene & after #PDFoss"spoke" to him they recovered this large knife he had concealed. #Pawsome #KnifeCrime." A picture of the dog was also published as part of the post. A Police Scotland spokesperson said: 'On Monday, 26 May, 2025, a 17-year-old male youth was arrested and charged in connection with possession of a weapon in the Larbert area.
Daily Record
30-05-2025
- Daily Record
Scots knifeman caught with huge machete by police dog getting trained nearby
The blade of the machete is over one-and-a-half feet long. An unlucky knife thug was caught armed with a huge blade by a police dog - while the pooch and dog handlers were in the middle of a training exercise. The male in question had been seen acting suspiciously in Larbert, near Falkirk, and the alarm was raised, resulting in officers being asked to attend the scene. That meant that the four dog handlers who were training close by attended the scene. A Police Dog named Foss was utilised and the animal helped recover the blade. The black-handled machete measures more than two feet and has a blade which is more than one-and-a-half feet long. A picture of the deadly weapon was shared on social media. The weapon looked like its handle is metal and has been covered with dark electrical tape, and the weapon had what appeared to be string at the bottom. The string seems to act as a wrist strap and the logo for American knife manufacturing firm Mtech USA can be seen at the base of the blade on the weapon. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. A post on the Police Scotland Forth Valley Facebook page read: "When a male was reported acting suspiciously close to Larbert he clearly wasn't expecting 4 dog handlers to be training around the corner. "They diverted to the scene & after #PDFoss"spoke" to him they recovered this large knife he had concealed. #Pawsome #KnifeCrime." A picture of the dog was also published as part of the post, and we have contacted Police Scotland for further information on the incident. Earlier this week we reported how a was mother leading a campaign against youth violence and pleading with parents and kids to talk about the issue in the wake of Kayden Moy's death. Lynsday McDade, manager of Crimestoppers youth service Fearless, said conversations about attacks involving young people are "more important than ever". Ms McDade old the events that took place at Irvine Beach last weekend made her "feel ill" as a parent. She said that youngsters must tell an adult if they know of someone carrying a weapon, involved or violence or any other crimes. Her calls come after 16-year-old Kayden died after he was stabbed in an incident at the Ayrshire beauty spot on May 17. Kayden, from East Kilbride, was rushed to hospital but was sadly pronounced dead the following morning. Lyndsay said: 'In the wake of the devastating incident in Irvine at the weekend - and other recent events involving young people across Scotland - it's more important than ever to talk about the power of speaking up. "Encouraging young people to share what they know about crime can be a life-saving conversation and one we all need to be having."
Forbes
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
ESPN Debuts Women-Led Sports Show ‘Vibe Check' On Disney+
When sports broadcasters Elle Duncan, Andraya Carter and Chiney Ogwumike took the stage May 14 for Disney's Upfronts presentation announcing new programming, it marked a new era for ESPN—one led by women. The trio of ESPN veterans announced they will anchor Vibe Check, a new studio show launching on Disney+ in late June. In a media landscape still dominated by male viewpoints, Vibe Check will bring women's voice to the forefront, showcasing sports analysis and conversations on their terms. 'Sports is the great equalizer,' Mike Foss, ESPN's senior vice president of Sports Studio & Entertainment, said. 'Women play sports. Men play sports. Women are fans of sports. They talk about sports.' Vibe Check's arrival comes at an explosive time for women's sports. ESPN viewers spent 54% more time watching women's sports in 2023, including WNBA, college basketball, gymnastics and volleyball, Duncan said at the Upfronts launch. Vibe Check will offer three episodes a week, ranging from about 30-45 minutes, providing analysis, behind-the-scenes access and informed opinions across all sports. It joins SC+ on the Disney+ platform, which launched March 3 as a daily digital version of SportsCenter. 'There's been a ton of energy around ESPN programming within Disney+,' Foss said. 'In those collaborations with Disney, they wanted more original programming, and specifically sports programming within studio. The idea emanated both from the great traction that SC+ has received, along with our ability to deliver high-quality sports studio programming.' While Duncan, Carter and Ogwumike are the show's primary hosts, Foss Vibe Check will feature many of ESPN other respected female voices, including Hannah Storm, Laura Rutledge and Holly Rowe. Topics for the show will reflect the hosts' connection with and commitment to women's sports, but Foss said Vibe Check will be more broadly focused and curated around its panelists' interests in all sports. 'If there's an opportunity, and seasonally speaking it's relevant to discuss women's volleyball, we're absolutely going to fit that in,' Foss said. 'Right now, the WNBA season just began, so if we were to do a show today, that's going to be basketball heavy. 'It's looking at the sports calendar and being able to measure the events that are resonating with fans.' The decision to anchor the show with women might generate some skepticism, but Foss said the show is rooted in the talent and interests among ESPN's anchors and analysts. 'The thesis behind the show is not rooted in a gimmick,' he said. 'We have people who are passionate about sports, and my belief is that you put those people in positions to showcase their passion and their authenticity.' While the launch of a new talk-format show may be questioned at a time that legacy panels like 'Around the Horn' are being sunsetted, Foss said the interest in sports has never been higher. 'Fandom is at an all time high,' he said. 'The vessels that we create to reflect that need to be a reflection of the time that we're in right now.' ESPN's goal now is to match the level of fandom with offerings that meet consumers where they are and where they are going. That includes a future focused on direct-to-consumer offerings and a commitment to digital on-demand engagement. 'It's being in tune to your audience and understanding what your audience wants,' he said. 'For me, it's creating [shows] with the right inputs and lessons that we've learned along the way but then being very open to what it could become.'
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AI is coming for the Big Four too
The Big Four dominate the professional services industry. AI may disrupt not just job roles but also their organizational, business, and pricing structures. Meanwhile, some midsize firms say they're better placed to adapt quickly and benefit from AI. The Big Four — Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG — are a select and powerful few. They dominate the professional services industry and have done so for decades. But all empires fall eventually. Large corporations tend to merge, transform, or get replaced by the latest wave of innovative upstarts. It's hard to see that time coming for the Big Four. With huge revenues, international reach, vast workforces, and numerous service offerings, they're indispensable for many corporations. Yet AI could be poised to disrupt their business models, organizational structure, and employees' day-to-day roles, while driving opportunities for the midmarket. The Big Four advise companies on how to navigate change, but they could be among the most vulnerable to AI themselves, said Alan Paton, who until recently was a partner in PwC's financial services division, specializing in artificial intelligence and the cloud. Paton, now the CEO of Qodea, a Google Cloud solutions consultancy, told Business Insider he's a firm believer that AI-driven automation would bring major disruption to key service lines and drive "a huge reduction" in profits. Most structured, data-heavy tasks in audit, tax, and strategic advisory, Paton said, will be automated within the next three to five years, eliminating about 50% of roles. There are already examples of AI solutions capable of performing 90% of the audit process, he added. Paton said automation could mean clients increasingly question why they should pay consultants big money to "give me an answer I can get instantaneously from a tool." Unless they become far more specialized, the Big Four will be in trouble, he said. Others are less convinced AI will make consultants and accountants obsolete, arguing that AI will instead free up time and drive productivity. "AI frees up consultants, but it will never replace them," said Casey Foss, the chief commercial officer at the midsize firm West Monroe. Businesses will continue to require expertise as AI develops — it's not a "set it and forget it" solution, she said. There will always be a need for the human in the loop who can understand problems holistically and has the "expertise of the gut feel," she added. The debate over how AI will disrupt job roles affects all consulting firms, but some industry insiders say the Big Four's business model is also at risk. "No one is more exposed to AI disruption than the Big Four," Foss said. AI is bringing price points down, which will hit revenues, and creating demand for outcomes-based pricing models over traditional billable hours that the Big Four have always used, she said. Firms have to be nimble to adapt to these changes at scale, while upskilling their staff and rethinking services, Foss said. Pivoting a huge organization like EY, KPMG, PwC, or Deloitte is "definitely harder," she said. Offshoring, a cornerstone of the Big Four's business model, could also be a handicap. The Big Four have built their healthy revenue streams on junior-heavy pyramids, with an increasing degree of labor arbitrage, often in Asia. "If work can be done using AI — where you don't need to have an office in Indonesia, you can actually deliver it from the UK into those services — then I think these companies are going to be deeply challenged," Paton said. If the way you deliver a service is based on the number of people you have, "you're really vulnerable," he said. Amid tight market conditions and slow attrition rates, Big Four employees are already suffering. A number of UK and US branches have laid off workers and slowed hiring in the past year. This May, PwC laid off roughly 2% of its US workforce, largely from its audit and tax lines. As disruption heads for the Big Four's established order, AI is proving a boon to midmarket consulting firms. "AI is a necessary enabler for these firms to proliferate and prosper," said Alibek Dostiyarov, a former McKinsey consultant who's now the CEO of Perceptis, a startup that provides AI solutions to smaller firms to streamline "mind-numbing" consulting tasks. Automation diminishes smaller firms' previous disadvantages, like lacking an army of talent or advanced internal tools, while empowering employees to be more productive, Dostiyarov said. Perceptis' clients say the tool allows them to reply to about 10 or 12 project inquiries rather than prioritizing two or three, he said. West Monroe's win rate is higher, Foss told BI, and its pipeline is "bigger than it's ever been." In the past six to 12 months, the firm, which has just over 2,000 employees, has also started to see a new talent set emerge in its recruiting pipeline — leadership candidates from the Big Four. Foss said ex-Big Four candidates were "excited about how boutique firms can use this technology faster and more iteratively to serve clients differently." Others say the Big Four's size and expertise make it inevitable that they'll overcome AI disruption. The four firms have invested billions in artificial intelligence, far more than smaller firms could ever afford. In 2023, KPMG said its plan to invest $2 billion in artificial intelligence and cloud services over the next five years would generate more than $12 billion in revenue over that period. Innovation leaders at EY and KPMG told BI that the scale and breadth of their offerings were an advantage and helped them deliver integrated AI solutions for clients. "While small firms may move quickly, we are uniquely positioned to deliver enterprise-grade AI solutions, manage risk, and integrate technology across global operations," said Cliff Justice, a key figure in KPMG's global AI program. Justice said that while it's true AI is disrupting traditional business models, the assumption that it will break the dominance of the Big Four underestimates their structural advantages, strategic positioning, and ability to adapt at scale. Raj Sharma, EY's global managing partner for growth and innovation, told BI that the firm's breadth of business made it the perfect "test bed for innovation." "Our strength is in our ability to bring to clients more than 100 years of deep sector experience and quality datasets, human-centered and supported by the collective knowledge of 400,000 skilled professionals," Sharma said. Both leaders also said their deep expertise was necessary for handling the increased ethical, security, and regulatory compliance challenges created by AI. "Businesses need a partner that can do more than provide relevant tech capabilities," Sharma said. PwC's chief technology officer, Umang Paw, said that his firm was "more than ready" for this "moment of reinvention." "We're not coming at this cold — we've had an AI practice for more than 10 years and are working with our technology alliance partners to build AI-enabled solutions that embed our expertise and allow clients to access our support in new ways," he said. "Every industrial revolution has reshaped professional services, and AI is no exception," Paw said. Deloitte did not respond to a request for comment. Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at pthompson@ or Signal at Polly_Thompson.89. Use a personal email address and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely. Read the original article on Business Insider Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
