Features

MERRITT ISLAND, Florida — Europe’s Euclid space telescope blasted off Saturday, kicking off a first-ever mission to shed light on two of the universe’s greatest mysteries: dark energy and dark matter.

“I can tell you, I’m so thrilled, I’m so excited to see this mission up in space,” European Space Agency (ESA) Director General Josef Aschbacher said after the launch.

The telescope successfully took off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 11:12am local time on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

Shortly after, once separated from the rocket, it emitted its first signal, as scheduled.

The ESA was forced to turn to billionaire Elon Musk’s firm to launch the mission after Russia pulled its Soyuz rockets in response to sanctions over the war in Ukraine.

“The launch was perfect,” said Carole Mundell, ESA’s science director. “Now begins that journey.”

After a month-long trip through space, Euclid will join the James Webb telescope at a stable hovering spot around 1.5 million kilometres from Earth called the second Lagrange Point.

From there, Euclid will chart the largest-ever map of the universe, encompassing up to two billion galaxies across more than a third of the sky.

By capturing light that has taken 10 billion years to reach Earth’s vicinity, the map will also offer a new view of the 13.8-billion-year-old universe’s history.

“We will unravel the mysteries of the Dark Universe,” Mundell said.

‘Cosmic embarrassment’

Scientists hope to use information gathered by Euclid to address what project manager Giuseppe Racca calls a “cosmic embarrassment”: that 95 per cent of the universe remains unknown to humanity.

Around 70 per cent is thought to be made of dark energy, the name given to the unknown force that is causing the universe to expand at an accelerated rate.

And 25 per cent is dark matter, thought to bind the universe together and make up around 80 per cent of its mass. 

“Ever since we could see stars we’ve wondered, is the universe infinite? What is it made out of? How does it work?” NASA Euclid project scientist Michael Seiffert told AFP.

“It’s just absolutely amazing that we can take data and actually start to make even a little bit of progress on some of these questions.”

‘Dark detective’

Euclid consortium member Guadalupe Canas told a press conference ahead of the launch that the space telescope was a “dark detective” which can reveal more about both elements.

Euclid, which is 4.7 metres tall and 3.5 metres wide, will use two scientific instruments to map the sky. 

Its visible light camera will let it measure the shape of galaxies, while its near-infrared spectrometer and photometer will allow it to measure how far away they are.

So how will Euclid try to spot things that cannot be seen? By searching for their absence.

The light coming from billions of light years away is slightly distorted by the mass of visible and dark matter along the way, a phenomenon known as weak gravitational lensing.

“By subtracting the visible matter, we can calculate the presence of the dark matter which is in between,” Racca told AFP.

While this may not reveal the true nature of dark matter, scientists hope it will throw up new clues that will help track it down in the future.

As for dark energy, French astrophysicist David Elbaz compared the expansion of the universe to blowing up a balloon with lines drawn on it.

By “seeing how fast it inflates,” scientists hope to measure the breath — or dark energy — making it expand.

‘Gold mine’

A major difference between Euclid and other space telescopes is its wide field of view, which takes in an area equivalent to two full moons. 

Project scientist Rene Laureijs said that this wider view means Euclid will be able to “surf the sky and find exotic objects”, like black holes, that the Webb telescope can then investigate in greater detail.

Beyond dark energy and matter, Euclid’s map of the universe is expected to be a “gold mine for the whole field of astronomy”, said Yannick Mellier, head of the Euclid consortium.

Scientists hope Euclid’s data will help them learn more about the evolution of galaxies, black holes and more.

“We are trying to determine something that escapes us enormously: Dark matter, dark energy,” Marc Sauvage, a member of the Euclid consortium, told AFP.

The first images are expected once scientific operations start in October, with major data releases planned for 2025, 2027 and 2030.

The 1.4 billion euro ($1.5 billion) mission is intended to run until 2029, but could last a little longer if all goes well.

Over the next few years, NASA also plans to launch the Nancy Grace Roman space telescope, its own project to study dark matter and dark energy.

The two missions will complement each other, said Sauvage.

“In the end, there is only one universe.”

Edging out the superb Ford Focus ST hot hatch as the iconic American manufacturer’s most compact performance vehicle in its home market and in the Middle East, the Edge ST’s 2019 arrival came soon after the brand rolled back much of its passenger car models, in lieu of a more SUV-oriented line-up in these regions.

Incrementally updated with new packages, tech revisions and improvements since, the Edge ST however occupies a similarly sporting but practical ground among crossovers as the Focus ST did among hatchbacks.

Athletic aesthetic

The Edge ST is not as sportingly agile in its handling or viscerally charged in driver appeal and engagement as the hot hatch it effectively replaces, in an outright comparison. However, it nevertheless channels and reinterprets much of the same rewardingly eager yet accessible traits that characterised much of the Ford Performance wing’s road-oriented performance products for crossover SUV service. In such a broad segment, the Edge ST is a standout model for combination of responsively nimble handling, punchy performance and user-friendly daily drive practicality. 

The sporting sister to Ford’s spacious and versatile mid-size family crossover, the Edge ST features the same scowling, slim headlights, high waistline, rakish roofline and high-set rear lights. It however adopts an athletic aesthetic with more aggressive bumpers, side skirts and dual integrated rectangular exhaust ports. Ditching the Edge’s heavy chrome detailing for black, body colour and dark brushed aluminium effect accents and body trim, the ST’s big tailgate spoiler and choice of standard 20-inch or optional 21-inch alloy wheels meanwhile lend a tauter look.

Punchy performance

A more focused take on the Edge crossover, the ST is powered by a 2.7-litre twin-turbocharged direct injection EcoBoost V6 engine positioned transversely behind its vast, hungry octagonal grille, and black honeycomb mesh. A familiar yet ever-impressive engine already deployed with luxury Lincoln brand sister models, the Edge ST’s versatile V6 develops 335BHP at 5,500rpm and 380lb/ft torque at 3,000rpm, and is mated to a smooth and quick shifting 8-speed automatic gearbox with plenty of ratios to exploit output for optimised performance, efficiency and flexibility.

Prodigious and efficient, the Edge ST’s twin-turbo 2.7 pulls confidently hard from low-end engine speeds, as it wells up to a rich, versatile and flexibly muscular mid-range sweet spot plateau. Urgent accumulating power from it abundant mid-range and through to redline, the Edge ST overtakes with effortless ease and a more resonant acoustic edge when in Sport mode. Responsive to throttle input, the Edge ST winds up to its top end with a punchy intensity that is underwritten by a deep, wide, flexible and layer of torque.

Clever composure

Consistent and quick, the Edge ST is eager and urgent reaching for its rev limit. It is however similarly responsive from standstill, and launches with muscular confidence, as short gasflow path plumbing minimises turbo lag, while all-wheel-drive provides tenacious traction to propel it through 0-100km/h in around 6.5-seconds. Driving front wheels under normal conditions, it however sends power to the rear wheels when more traction is needed over loose surfaces, or enhanced road holding is required to aggressively power out of corners with confidence and composure.

Utilising a clever independent suspension design of front MacPherson struts and a rear integral-link system, the Edge ST provides both a rigid lateral control and supple vertical compliancy for both good driving dynamics and ride comfort. A faster, firmer and more focused family crossover, it is agile vehicle next to most competitors, and drives with an eager and alert character. Tidy into corners with responsive and quick steering, it is surprisingly willing to be chucked through corners like a smaller, lighter vehicle than its 2,052kg suggests.

Comfortable cruiser

Alert and eager into corners with direct, weighty and more intuitive than expected steering, the Edge ST is committed and grippy throughout corners, and with better body lean control than expected of its weight and ride height. That said, the Edge ST excels in its settled, smooth and stable high-speed cruising capability. Dispatching textural imperfections with comfortable composure — even with optional low profile 265/40R21 tyres — the Edge ST, meanwhile, provides a refined, buttoned down and reassuring ride quality in town and on highway. 

Distinctly sporting inside with leather and Alcantara upholstery, the Edge ST’s combination of high waistline, high-set seating and low steering position initially seems unorthodox, but soon becomes second nature, with user-friendly controls close to hand and good front visibility. Spacious for front and rear passengers, and with generous luggage capacity, it is as comfortable as it is sporty. Well equipped with comfort, convenience, safety and sophisticated driver assistance features, the Edge also gained a bigger and much improved vertically-oriented tablet style infotainment screen as of its recent 2021 update.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Engine: 2.7-litre, in-line, twin-turbocharged V6-cylinders
• Bore x stroke: 83 x 83mm
• Compression ratio: 10:1
• Valve-train: 24-valve, DOHC, direct injection
• Redline: 6,500rpm
• Gearbox: 8-speed automatic, four-wheel-drive
• Ratios: 1st 4.48; 2nd 3.15; 3rd 2.87; 4th 1.84; 5th 1.41; 6th 1.0; 7th 0.74; 8th 0.62; R 2.88
• Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 335 (340) [250] @5,500rpm
• Specific power: 124.3BHP/litre
• Power-to-weight: 163BHP/tonne
• Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 380 (515) @3,250rpm
• Specific torque: 191.1Nm/litre
• Torque-to-weight: 251Nm/tonne
• 0-100km/h: approximately 6.5-seconds (est.)
• Fuel consumption, combined: 11.2-litres/100km*
• Wheelbase: 2,850mm
• Track, F/R: 1,646 / 1,643mm 
• Liftover height: 752mm
• Luggage volume, behind 2nd / 1st row, liquid, to roof: 1,111- / 2,078-litres
• Fuel capacity: 70-litres
• Kerb weight: 2,052kg
• Steering: Electric-assisted rack and pinion
• Turning circle: 12-metres (est.)
• Suspension, F/R: MacPherson strut / integral-link, anti-roll bars
• Brakes, F/R: Ventilated discs, 345 x 32mm / 345 x 19mm
• Tyres: 265/40R21 (optional)
• *(US EPA Estimate)

By Rania Sa’adi
Licensed Rapid Transformational Therapist and Clinical Hypnotherapist

Addiction by definition is anything that takes you away from pain and towards pleasure; this includes any behaviour, not just substances. Some of the most common addictions are to drugs, nicotine, alcohol, gambling, gaming, shopping and sugar, among others. 

Stereotypes

One of the major misconceptions towards addiction in our society is that we treat it as a problem and we treat the addict as an outcast; a person who makes bad choices and wrong decisions, that led to where that person is today- a person who is weak and submits to temptations, or a person who is a criminal and deserves to be punished.

Rehabilitation centres are created on the basis of helping people get off their addictions by treating the addiction as an issue that needs to be eliminated or a behaviour that needs to be altered, instead of what it really is: “The solution”.

Escape

Behind every dysfunctional human behaviour is an attempt to escape suffering. Addictions are no different and they usually arise as a coping mechanism for something deeper.

The best way to get rid of any addiction is to understand the pain behind it. And once the root cause behind the addiction is discovered, it could be resolved easily.

Many studies show a strong correlation between addictions and childhood trauma, like abandonment, emotional, physical or sexual abuse. They usually result in beliefs like “I am not loved, not accepted, or not good enough.” And the addiction becomes a way to escape reality and survive the harsh environment.

In many cases, when a child feels disconnected from the only people who are supposed to provide for safety and security, namely parents, a child will resort to finding that connection through substance abuse or adopting unhealthy behaviours.

Guilt, shame and blame

The addiction will feel like a big hug, filling a void, masking the pain and providing instant gratification and the “feel good” sensation that is usually followed by guilt, shame and blame.

Logically, the addict knows that he has a dysfunctional habit, yet, he can do nothing about it. There’s a feeling of helplessness that keeps him stuck in that loop. The reason why this is the case is that when there is a conflict between logic and emotions, emotions always win — the unloved, unwanted, not good enough feeling, immersed in his subconscious ever since he was a small child, is too overwhelming and no amount of reasoning or logic can make it go away.

Most addicts cannot stop, because the addiction in this case is fulfilling a need. A need to feel loved and valued. Be it the workaholics who work so hard for many days and nights, neglecting family, just to “subconsciously” feel that they have value, because a long time ago they were made to believe that they had no value except when making money.

The gamer

Or the gamer who spends so many hours playing a game resulting in failure in other areas of life, just because he feels a sense of accomplishment when passing from one level to another (in the game) because in real life the gamer believes that she or he is not smart enough, and can accomplish nothing in life.

They all know consciously that it is affecting their life in a bad way, but the subconscious beliefs are what drives most of our choices in life- and it is strongly wired to our survival instinct. If I am not valued, not good or smart enough, I am dispensable and therefore I am alone and unsafe.

The rules of the mind

One of the rules of the mind is that it always takes you away from pain and towards pleasure, to survive and in this case addiction.

In other words: Don’t ask why the addiction, ask why the pain.

Finding out where the root of all these negative beliefs driving the addiction is the first step to breaking them. And once the belief driving that unhealthy behaviour disappears the addiction itself that came as a way to cope with it disappears as well.

So, the best way to help an addict is to show compassion and empathy, understand the pain behind the behaviour and avoid judgement. Let addicts know that they are worthy and deserve a better life and that help is just around the corner whenever they are ready to accept it.

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine

LEAMINGTON SPA, United Kingdom — Charles Bloch remembers well the cold and wet December day seven years ago when he met his guide dog Carlo and they went on their first walk.

“I could see the benefits straight away. And I thought this will change so much for me,” Bloch, who is registered blind, told AFP at a theatre in Coventry, central England, where he works.

Since then, the yellow Labrador-Golden Retriever cross has become “like my right-hand man”, the 29-year-old said, describing his companion as “a bit cheeky” but “very much a hard worker”.

Nine-year-old Carlo, however, is nearing the time to hang up his harness and go into retirement in the next couple of years.

Other guide dog owners retiring their dogs now are looking at a long wait for a replacement. 

The Guide Dogs charity, the largest trainer of guide dogs in the UK, says a halt in puppy breeding and training during the pandemic has caused a “big backlog” of people waiting for a new animal.

“We couldn’t train dogs. We couldn’t train people. And then eventually, we were allowed to restart but in a very much phased, slow way,” said Tony Murray, operations manager at the Guide Dogs centre in Leamington Spa, near Coventry.

He added that, as in other sectors, their staffing was affected following Brexit and certain roles, like guide dog trainers, are not easy to recruit for because what they do is “very unique”.

Now the average wait for a guide dog is at least a year, “but probably more like 18 months and, in some cases, two years”, he said.

Restricting

For Bloch, Carlo’s retirement would mean going back to using a white cane.

“With Carlo it’s just a simple breeze of a walk. I don’t have to worry about stuff very much. I will tell him ‘turn left’, he’ll turn left,” he said.

When they are walking, Carlo, his harness on, navigates Bloch away from obstacles, lets him know when they approach a staircase or arrive at a road crossing.

Bloch, who still has some of his sight, said he would be able to get around with a cane, even if it will make him “a bit more limited”.

But for those with no sight at all, losing their guide dog can be “very restricting”, he added.

“They do feel like they are somewhat quite closed off from the world anyway,” he went on. 

“So not having a dog makes them feel even more that they would have to change their whole entire life and be a bit more of a recluse.”

Murray said that their “ultimate aim” is to have a replacement waiting when a guide dog retires but they “can’t just manufacture a dog on demand”.

He said he is “very confident” that they’ll be able to get back to where they were pre-pandemic but it will take time.

Rewarding

Breeding and training a guide dog is a months-long process. 

At just a few weeks old, the puppies go to live with volunteers, who socialise them and give them their basic training.

When they reach the age of 12-14 months, the dogs start their formal training, which takes around 22 weeks.

If they are successful — and the average success rate is currently at around 55-60 per cent — they are matched with a guide dog owner.

At the Leamington Spa centre, trainee guide dog Monte skilfully leads his handler, Zoey Scott, through an obstacle course of plastic road blocks and traffic cones. 

The black 18-month-old dog taps his chin on a chair, indicating there is a place to sit down. 

He is rewarded with a treat and praises of “good boy” for his hard work.

Scott said it takes “a lot of mental energy” from the dogs to go through the training but you “couldn’t be prouder” when they nail a task. 

And seeing the guide dog partnerships that are created is “really rewarding”.

“Having met some of the guide dog owners that my training dogs have gone to, it’s been really lovely to see how they’ve made a difference and being able to see the smiles on their faces,” she said.

Bloch recalled that he felt “cut off from the social aspect” of university before he had Carlo and there was a “big barrier” to meeting new people. 

“But having Carlo, that was that barrier knocked down pretty much in days because everyone wanted to say hello, everyone wanted to chat”, Bloch said. 

He said that he also improved his grades and graduated with first-class honours.

They walked on stage together during graduation.

“So that was the top tier, like I’ve done this because of Carlo,” he said. 

As the trend for more complicated and ever heavier electric and hybrid cars and high-riding crossovers and SUVs grows, small, lithe and light sports cars are in turn sadly fast becoming a rare commodity. An uncomplicated recipe, the small sports car’s lightweight ethos is one that requires ever lighter parts, materials and engines to deliver efficiency, affordability, manoeuvrability, performance, driver engagement and a fun factor that cannot be replicated by piling on more and more power, technology and equipment.

Caterham Seven 170

An ultra pared down and back-to-basics addition to the already lightweight and minimalist Seven range utilising a tiny and modern Suzuki-sourced engine, Caterham’s entry-level Seven first arrived in 2014 and was revised as the 170 in 2021, to reflect a mild power increase. Offered in road-biased S and track-oriented R variants, the svelte, long-nosed and bug-eyed Seven 170 might likely spawn classically styled editions, harking back to the original 1957 Lotus Seven.

A car that perfectly demonstrates that a fast and fun sports car needn’t be overwrought and over complicated, the Seven 160 doesn’t have or require power-steering or power-brakes and uses slim tyres, solid disc brakes and live axle rear suspension, rather than more sophisticated Seven versions’ De-Dion set-up. It nevertheless delivers superb handling characteristics, with double wishbone front suspension and a classic front-mid engine, rear drive layout providing perfect within-wheelbase weighting and balance.

Promising nimble agility and an engagingly connected and viscerally rewarding driving experience, the “Kei”-compliant Seven 170 is significantly lighter than other small sport cars on this list, with base variants weighing just 440kg. Also more powerful, its turbocharged 660cc 3-cylinder engine develops 84BHP at a peaky 6,500rpm and 86lb/ft at 4,500rpm in a more linear and sporting style of delivery, for brisk 6.9-second 0-100km/h acceleration and a 170km/h top speed.

Specifications

Engine: 0.7-litre, in-line turbocharged 3-cylinders

Gearbox: 5-speed manual, rear-wheel-drive

Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 84 (85) [62.5] @6,500rpm

Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 86 (116) @4,500rpm

0-100km/h: 6.9-seconds

Top speed: 170km/h

Length: 3,180mm

Width: 1,470mm

Height: 1,090mm

Wheelbase: 2,225mm

Weight: 440kg

Suspension, F/R: Double wishbones/live axle

Tyres: 155/65R14

Daihatsu Copen

First launched in 2002 as a tiny Japanese market “Kei” segment sports car, the S660 featured “cute” and rounded styling reminiscent of the more athletic Audi TT and much larger Lexus SC430, and a then fashionable and new folding metal roof mechanism. The Daihatsu Copen soon spawned export variants in its first iteration, while a little changed in dimensions, performance or concept, the second-generation follow-up arrived 2012 with a more contemporary design.

Despite its disarming design, convenient roof system and un-sporting optional continuously variable transmission, the original Copen nevertheless promised plenty of hot hatch-like fun and agile go-cart style driving characteristics. With its low weight, eager front-drive platform, big footprint within tiny dimensions and standard 5-speed manual transmission, the Copen could be as much of nimble corner-carving sports car as it was a manoeuvrable, convenient and efficient low cost fun city car.

Sharper, and more contemporarily aggressive with its jutting lines and creases, big grille and slip headlights, the second generation Copen, however, remains in production, and is also offered in more rounded, retro variants. Powered by a small transverse turbocharged 660cc 3-cylinder engine driving the front wheels, the Copen produces 63BHP at 6,400rpm and 68lb/ft torque at 3,200rpm, and is estimated to carry its 850kg mass through 0-100km/h in 11.5-seconds and onto 170km/h.

Specifications

Engine: 0.7-litre, transverse turbocharged 3-cylinders

Gearbox: 5-speed automatic, front-wheel-drive

Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 63 (64) [47] @6,400rpm

Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 68 (92) @3,200rpm

0-100km/h: 11.5-seconds (estimate)

Top speed: 170km/h (estimate)

Length: 3,395mm

Width: 1,475mm

Height: 1,280mm

Wheelbase: 2,230mm

Weight: 850kg

Tyres: 165/50R16

Honda S660

A Japanese market gem that most of the world lost out on, the Honda S660 was probably the most interesting and “pure” sport model since the demise of the high-revving S2000. Harking back to Honda’s small 1960s “S” series sports cars, the S660 was launched in 2015 as simple but modern miniature mid-engine two-seat targa-top sports car adhering to Japan’s low tax ‘Kei’ car size, weight and displacement restrictions.

The antithesis of the much heavier and more complex Honda NSX hybrid super sports car launched the following year, the diminutive and uncomplicated soft-top S660 shares a similar design ethos in its big grille, slim headlights and wide, low stance. Weighing just 830kg, with rear-centre weight bias, the S660, however, promises superbly agile handling, balance, adjustability and razor sharp reflexes for turning into and negotiating sharp, narrow and successive corners.

Powered by a tiny transversely-mounted turbocharged 660cc 3-cylinder engine, the S660 develops 63BHP at 6,000rpm and 77lb/ft torque at 2,600rpm to power is larger rear wheels. Driven through a standard 6-speed manual gearbox for more driver engagement and authenticity, or an optional automatic continuously variable transmission for greater convenience and in-town ease, the S660 is estimated to be capable of 0-100km/h in 11-seconds and an unrestricted top speed of 170km/h.

Specifications

Engine: 0.7-litre, mid-mounted turbocharged 3-cylinders

Gearbox: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel-drive

Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 63 (64) [47] @6,000rpm

Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 77 (104) @2,600rpm

0-100km/h: 11-seconds (estimate)

Top speed: 170km/h (estimate, unrestricted)

Wheelbase: 2,285mm

Weight: 830kg

Tyres, F/R: 165/55R15/195/45R16

AMMAN — An investigative book by Italian environmental and science journalist Rudi Bressa, titled “Trafficanti di natura: Il commercio illegale di specie selvatiche che minaccia la biodiversità”, which in English translates to “Nature traffickers: The illegal wildlife trade that threatens biodiversity”, has hit stands.

The book provides valuable insight on the workings of the illegal trade of wild species and delves into the significant threat it poses to the planet's biodiversity. Second only to drug and weapons trafficking, the trade in wild species has an estimated annual value of $10 billion and is one of the main causes of biodiversity loss, said a statement from the author.

Tigers, elephants, hawks, seahorses, donkeys, turtles, teak and orchids – these are just a few of the many species threatened by this illegal trade that Bressa discusses through interviews with experts, recent data and studies, news reports and investigations.

Trained as a naturalist, Bressa currently collaborates with various national and international publications. He has led several investigations into species trafficking in collaboration with international teams.

By Sonia Salfity
Desperate Dieter

If you’ve ever watched the Olympic Diving team, then you understand how precise the athletes have to be.

It is not enough that they know exactly when to push off the diving board, but they must keep a perfect form and enter the water without making a big splash.

I’ve always found it fascinating to observe the minute details that play into this sport. There are so many factors in play that would not be evident to the average viewer like you and me. Unless you were one of the judges, you wouldn’t know what details to look out for. What may look perfect to you may actually have many flaws.

Diving into our daily lives

I like to apply this concept to our own efforts to be healthy. After all, we desperate dieters have been training all our lives in this category. Sometimes I think we should get a gold medal for never giving up!

We dive into our daily lives with good intentions and good form. We have the right equipment on hand whether it’s healthy food in our kitchen pantry or a treadmill in our gym or living room. We start off like any athlete with all the desire in our hearts to do our best and hopefully reach our goal. We begin the process so encouraged that we even dare to go for the gold and not just the silver or bronze medals. Yet, like any athlete, without the mental focus, we will never reach our goals.

Mental focus

The older I get, the more I appreciate how essential mental focus is. It can make or break us, and like any good athlete, we learn from our failures more than from our successes. This means failure is part of the journey. It’s part of what makes us more resilient human beings who are willing to get back up on our feet only to find ourselves stronger than our previous attempts.

Keep moving on

It is during this cycle that we discover that we actually do have the grit it takes to keep moving forward and never giving up. The only difference is we are competing with our own selves. We each have a choice as we listen to our inner critic. We either get crushed when failures are revealed or we use the experience to learn from our mistakes. That’s the only way we could ever improve. 

Keep in mind that judges normally assign their numbers to many different categories and higher numbers are given to the more difficult athletic routines thus giving the athlete a higher ranking.

This means that when we observe our own efforts, we too need to look at all the different categories and understand that the harder the effort we make, the bigger the reward we receive.

For example, I might get a 10 out of 10 as far as eating within my daily caloric range, but I might get a five out of 10 for my efforts to drink enough water. I might get a nine for getting my cardio workout in and a seven for fitting in my weight-bearing exercises. I might give myself a six for getting enough greens in my daily intake, but not enough servings to make it a 10 out of 10. 

A quest to live healthier

The reason I like to separate these categories in my quest to live healthier is because it shows me that at any given time there are many moving parts. These parts are always fluctuating and ever so often I’ll get a 10 in each category, but the reality is that none of us can be perfect most of the time.

We slip. We fall. We cry. We get back up on our feet and fight like any good athlete. We are in this for the long haul so we’d better get used to brushing the dust off and trying over and over again. With each time, it will get easier because our bodies are resilient when our minds are focused.

The resilient mind

The opposite is also true. Our minds are resilient when our bodies are focused. When we eat healthier and move our bodies we notice the mental clarity that replaces the mental fog. If you don’t know what I’m talking about then you’re probably not a desperate dieter! All it takes is to eat some junk food and not only will you feel zoned out, but your brain will hardly focus on anything and your body will feel sluggish and as slow as a turtle.

No disrespect to turtles, as I love these precious creatures! Speaking of turtles, I believe it was the tortoise that won the race against the hare. Yep! The slow turtle never gave up while the rabbit thought it would take a nap since its opponent was as slow as they come. I’ve always loved that children’s story because the older I get the more I feel like that turtle.

Advancement on the scale or in my wardrobe department seems to progress ever so slowly. It’s like watching a movie in slow motion! But friends, as long as we’re making improvements in the right direction, then let’s keep going regardless of how excruciatingly slow the process can be. Here’s to a stronger, more resilient you and to the grit it takes to be in this journey for the long haul!

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine

MEXICO CITY — Voice actors around the globe are mobilising against the unregulated use of artificial intelligence (AI) to generate and clone human voices that they fear poses a threat to their livelihoods.

“We’re fighting a very big monster,” said Mario Filio, a Mexican artist who has done voiceovers for Hollywood star Will Smith, the Obi-Wan Kenobi character in Star Wars and the party-loving lemur King Julien in the animated movie “Madagascar”.

Campaigning under the slogan “Don’t steal our voices”, more than 20 voice acting guilds, associations and unions from Europe, the United States and Latin America have created the United Voice Artists coalition.

It represents the faceless voiceover artists and narrators of commercials, movies, audiobooks and video games who fear that their voices will be replaced by machines, or even cloned by artificial intelligence without their consent.

“The undiscriminating and unregulated use of artificial intelligence is a risk that could lead to the extinction of an artistic heritage of creativity and wonder, an asset that machines cannot generate”, according to the group, which says its members include the US National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA) and Latin America’s Organisation of United Voices.

“Our voices are our livelihood,” NAVA vice president Carin Gilfry said in a statement last month.

“And if we don’t have control over how those voices are used, we can’t make a living,” she added.

Voice artists were already competing with text-to-speech technology that turns written words into synthetic voice.

Now artificial intelligence has brought a new threat.

Thanks to machine learning, software can compare a voice sample with millions of existing ones, identifying patterns that generate a clone.

“It’s fed by voices that we’ve been providing for years,” said Dessiree Hernandez, president of the Mexican Association of Commercial Announcers.

“We’re talking about the right to use your voice without your consent,” she added.

‘Adapt or disappear’

Platforms offer human sounding text-to-speech services for a fraction of what professionals would charge. 

One, revoicer.com, says that it does not intend to replace human voiceovers, but to offer a quicker and cheaper alternative.

Although they continued to be hired, voice actors suspect that companies are using their voices to build up their archives.

The artists are seeking tools to track their voices in the face of sophisticated piracy.

They want laws to prevent recordings of their voices being used to develop AI without their consent, and also support setting quotas for human voiceovers, said Colombian voice artist Daniel Soler de la Prada.

In the future, audiences could hear a famous actor’s voice in several languages but with the intonation of a dubbing artist, Filio said.

While that could generate employment and benefits for the public, voice artists “need to charge what’s fair,” he added.

Mexican voice artist Maclovia Gonzalez said that she would only sign a contract with an AI company if it provided enough information about how the content would be used.

“I want to be part of this revolution, but not at any price,” she said.

Art Dubbing, a company that has received several requests from clients to use synthetic voices, faces a dilemma: “adapt or disappear,” said its Mexican founder, Anuar Lopez de la Pena.

Filio for his part said that he stopped recording for many clients for fear of hurting his colleagues’ livelihoods.

But he is sceptical that artificial intelligence will replace voice actors completely because the machines have “no soul,” he added.