Infoman

Member since 2017-07-15T03:50:57Z. Last seen 2025-01-02T20:05:01Z.

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Posts by Infoman

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  Infoman

  To fight winter’s chill, first make a pot of beans, then this homey, hearty soup

  G Daniela Galarza http://wapo.st/evnewslet­ter.

  The Washington Post 15/2/2023

  It’s been a chilly February in Washington, and my thermostat doesn’t seem to like it when I set it above 69 degrees. So, just before I sat down to write this, I put on a pot of beans. It’s become a weekly ritual this winter: After I walk the dog and have my coffee, I’ ll pour a pound of dry beans into a Dutch oven; fill it with water; add some salt, a glug of olive oil, half an onion, maybe a carrot, a few cloves of garlic, a dried chile pepper and a bay leaf; and bring it to a low boil.

  I learned this basic recipe from baker Rick Easton, of Bread and Salt Bakery in Jersey City, but it’s no secret. My editor Joe Yonan, author of “Cool Beans,” has written about a very similar formula.

  As the beans simmer, they fill my apartment with warm, savory smells. Once they’re done, I serve myself a small bowl of the soft beans to taste them. I might add a little more salt, freshly cracked black pepper, tomato paste, a squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of vinegar.

  Depending on the type of bean, once they’re cool, I might mash some for bean-and-cheese tacos or puree them into a dip to eat with flatbread. I usually freeze a pint of them to use later.

  Often, I find myself with more than one kind of bean hanging out in the refrigerator or freezer, and that’s how this mixed-beansand-greens soup was born.

  I wanted a soup that smelled like the comforts of home, so I started by sauteing some diced onion and carrot, then added garlic, a bit of ham, a bay leaf and broth. I finished it with a couple kinds of cooked beans — though if you only have one kind, that works fine! — plus dark leafy greens.

  No time to simmer a pot of beans? I know that can be one chore too many, and I know not everyone has the ability to work from their kitchen. That’s why this recipe is written for convenience. Using economical and efficient canned beans here means this soup comes together in less than an hour — though it tastes like it simmered all day.

  While it cooks, I suggest making a batch of crunchy breadcrumbs seasoned with rosemary. Then, when it’s time to serve, you can sprinkle some on top of each bowl. They’ll perfume each spoonful with rosemary’s wintry, piney scent.

  This is from our Eat Voraciously newsletter, which delivers a quick dinner recipe four days a week, Monday through Thursday. Sign up at

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  2023/02/15
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  Infoman

  處理申請的時間一般而言，入境事務處承諾於收妥全部所需文件、申請費用及相片後的五個工作天內（工作天是指星期一至星期五，公眾假期除外）完成處理護照申請的程序。若透過互聯網申請，則須預留額外兩至三個工作天處理相關手續。本處稍後會向你發出領證通知，通知你領取新護照的日期及地點。此服務承諾能否達到，須視乎個別申請情況，以及在該段時間內所收到的申請數目等因素而定。如沒有上載符合標準規格的相片、所有有關的證明文件或繳付護照費用，入境事務處將不受理該申請。以上列明的處理時間並不包括由香港遞送護照到中國駐外國的使領館或駐內地辦事處所需時間。遞送護照服務均由香港郵政提供，郵件的派遞會因國家／地區不同而有別。請到香港郵政網站(https://www.hongkongpost.hk/)以查詢最新的空郵服務提供情況。 領取護照你必須親身領取護照。領證時，必須出示香港永久性居民身份證及申請時所遞交證明文件 （如適用）的正本，以供核實。同時你必須於領取新護照時出示原有香港特別行政區護照或現有香港特別行政區簽證身份書（如適用），以便註銷。若申請時只持有「申請香港永久性居民身份證收據」(ROP140/140A)： 如選擇在香港領證，你須出示香港永久性居民身份證正本，以便核實。 如選擇在中國駐外國的使領館或駐內地辦事處領取護照，你可要求入境處把香港永久性居民身份證連同護照一併寄往中國駐外國的使領館或駐內地辦事處簽發。你必須在領證時交回「申請香港永久性居民身份證收據」 (ROP140/140A)，以便註銷。若你並未要求入境處把香港永久性居民身份證連同護照一併寄往中國駐外國的使領館或駐內地辦事處，須在領證時出示香港永久性居民身份證正本，以便核實。

  2023/02/14
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  Infoman

  Arthur L. 邀請您參加排程的 Zoom 會議。

  主題：Arthur L.的Zoom會議 時間：2023年2月13日 08:00 下午 香港特別行政區

  加入 Zoom 會議 https://zoom.us/j/93947931812?pwd=Szl6Q3B0ZjN6dFBkYzhZcGt1Wk96Zz09

  會議 ID：939 4793 1812 密碼：475486

  2023/02/13
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  Infoman

  The ChatGPT AI hype cycle is peaking, but even tech skeptics don’t expect a bust

  PUBLISHED SAT, FEB 11 202311:10 AM ESTUPDATED SAT, FEB 11 20232:29 PM EST thumbnail Eric Rosenbaum @ERPROSE WATCH LIVE KEY POINTS OpenAI’s ChatGPT, with new funding from Microsoft, has grown to over one million users faster than many of dominant tech companies, apps and platforms of the past decade. Unlike the metaverse concept, which had a hype cycle based on an idea still nebulous to many, generative AI as tech’s next big thing is being built on top of decades of existing machine learning already embedded in business processes. We asked top technology officers, specifically reaching out to many at non-tech sector companies, to break down the potential and pitfalls of AI adoption.

  Jonathan Raa | Nurphoto | Getty Images The arrival of OpenAI’s ChatGPT and generative AI only a few years after the hype cycle over the metaverse has attracted both the AI bulls and bears as tech pursues its next big thing. The metaverse came with NFTs, an extension of cryptocurrencies and the blockchain, and for now, it’s all looking like the hype cycle warning is a good thing to heed. One thing is certain: Silicon Valley needs a next big thing, as the industry is seeing a contraction unlike anything it has experienced over the past decade, with tech leading layoffs in the economy and cost-cutting now the norm for the one sector which has been accustomed to operating with a blank check from investors.

  At a CNBC Technology Executive Council virtual Town Hall on Thursday, we gathered technology executives at companies across the economy — specifically, many at companies using AI but not creating it, for example, in retail, media, legal, agriculture and logistics. We gathered a roughly equal number of AI enthusiasts and skeptics, and broke them up into groups to discuss the sudden explosion of interest in ChatGPT, and to separate as best as they could the hype from the reality.

  One of the main points made by several executives was that whereas the metaverse remains a nebulous concept to many, what’s happening today in AI is the acceleration of technology processes that have been in use for up to two decades already across a wide range of corporate functions, from software engineering to finance, operations, legal, logistics and creative. Even the skeptics of the latest hype cycle recounted during the Town Hall numerous examples of how AI is already embedded in more efficient business processes. The discussions are conducted under Chatham House rules so executives can speak freely.

  Why ChatGPT is a game changer for AIWATCH NOW VIDEO12:52 Why ChatGPT is a game changer for AI The market is clearly taking the latest AI advances seriously, maybe nowhere more clearly than this week’s battle between Microsoft and Google over competing AI for search engines. Google’s shares dropped by roughly 13% over a two-day stretch after its attempt to respond to Microsoft with its Bard AI was deemed a “rushed, botched” effort by its own employees, which may have only served to magnify the risk to its search dominance. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella was clearly enjoying his rival’s anxiety this week, telling the FT, “From now on, the [gross margin] of search is going to drop forever. There is such margin in search, which for us is incremental. For Google it’s not, they have to defend it all.”

  Microsoft’s AI advances are occurring quickly. Microsoft board member Reid Hoffman told TEC members last year, “There is literally magic happening.” The particular AI example Hoffman was discussing, Copilot, is now taking over as much as 40% of code writing from human software engineers, but “AI will transform all industries,” Hoffman said. “So everyone has to be thinking about it, not just in data science. Across everything we are doing, we will have amplifying tools, it will get there over the next three to 10 years, a baseline for everything we are doing,” he said.

  The latest TEC Town Hall discussion, too, made clear that generative AI, and AI more broadly, is about a lot more than just a new era of internet search, even if those headlines right now may have the largest market cap consequences for the biggest companies.

  “This is a major, major, major revolution,” said one cloud executive on the call. “People compare it to the cloud revolution, or the mobile revolution or the internet revolution. I think that it is 100 times bigger than all of those combined. I think that it is as big as the Industrial Revolution. And I think there are a lot of parallels to the Industrial Revolution. And I think that companies that do not embrace it immediately, existing companies that will not embrace it immediately, there is a chance that they will become not relevant.”

  “Even within tech to be honest, most of my peers are taking three or four years of development work and just throwing it out in terms of training neural nets for what they’ve done over the last few years,” said another executive. “Because out of the box, we’re getting higher accuracy ... and then the ability to train it further. And the domain you’re in is just increasing performance.”

  Here are some of benefits and risks on the minds of tech leaders most likely to incorporate generative AI — many of whom already have adopted AI — in their operations and with consumer-facing services and products.

  From algorithmic mastery of one task to mastery of all

  Many AI advances in recent decades have demonstrated that computing power can be devoted to mastery of a single complex task, a chess match or a Netflix or TikTok recommendation algorithm. The lesson from ChatGPT is different in a key respect: its redefining the limitations on what a machine can learn, and most executives seemed to agree that another Industrial Revolution-like process is underway.

  The deep language learning models that are being developed and launched have use cases that ultimately cut across all sectors and all functional teams that today do things manually.

  To put it in CNBC context most narrowly, one executive gave the example of stock analysis. “We use it in financials. We will take 5,000 balance sheets, read it within seconds, be able to extract all the financial information, calculate a risk score, and be able to make a decision on the risk of a portfolio.”

  “If you can train deep language learning models, the level of sophistication and solutions you can solve has deep implications,” said one executive said. And whereas traditional AI has only solved problems in “deep analytical spaces,” this new AI brings those capabilities into the creative economy.

  “How do you think about retaining the creative economy, not just the deep data scientists?” the executive said. “This has profound implications in functional jobs, as well as creative jobs.”

  Costing jobs, creating jobs

  While the classic argument pitted against AI is that it will be a job killer, executives across industries have contended for years that this won’t be the case, and that AI will take over repetitive or mundane tasks humans should not be doing in the first place, allowing humans to do more important jobs. The jury is still out, but that was the mostly the message from this group of executives, too. Though not without some examples of job losses.

  One executive gave the example of manual laboratory operators “laboring over microscopes and images” which they have already seen replaced during the past decade.

  Another executive who works with lawyers and accountants said the sentiment right now is that AI is not to replace lawyers, but “lawyers using AI are gonna replace lawyers.”

  “There’s this perception right now, especially in a professional industry, that if professionals like lawyers and accountants don’t use AI, they will be replaced by those that take advantage of the tools because those professionals are going to be more effective, more efficient, they’ll be able to do more,” he said.

  From within the tech sector, one chief technology officer noted the results of experiments they began running with generative AI for service requests four years ago, which has led to about 89% of the company’s unplanned service requests now being handled fully autonomously. As that front-end interaction has improved over time in its response, the executive said there has been zero attrition on the team.

  “We haven’t laid people off. People haven’t lost their jobs. Human resources, ops people, salespeople, facilities and legal people in our organization, now all use this tooling,” the executive said, and she backed up the point made about the legal profession. “Those people, you know, augmented with ChatGPT have replaced those who aren’t.”

  But another executive worries that the vision of people being freed up to do higher order work is pollyanaish, and the opposite effect inside the world of business is possible, or as they put it, “the challenges that people start to, people get dumbed down, because we just ask the computer for everything. And even business processes get built on these things, and they become these black boxes.”

  Retail is building on top of existing AI store intelligence

  A retail executive said current technology including robotic process automation and machine learning applications in forecasting are building blocks already in motion “in pretty much every industry right now” and demonstrate that the next level AI is not focused on replacing jobs.

  “The way I see it, there is a deep desire from pretty much every company to become more efficient,” the executive said. “And this is not from a labor standpoint, this is from an operations standpoint, financial standpoint, getting customers what they want. And what generative AI does, is really help you crunch, take your machine learning to, you know, the ‘nth’ level of the finite level. It’s not even taking it to the maximum potential level. But what generative AI is doing for us is really helping us get to the answer, a preformed answer much, much, much, much quicker, where you don’t need to train all the models with your own data for every single thing. ... And then you can build on top.”

  That can mean AI identifying the best locations for retail stores, as well as optimized shipping of items to stores, but critically, without a data scientist having to be there at every step of the process.

  If the generative AI can free the data scientists and machine learning experts from the training of the technology every step of the way and only look at what’s “the incremental,” the retail executive said, there will be “immense productivity enhancements.

  “These intelligent machines, without investment, costly investment decisions, they can help you understand what the outcome potentially could be and narrow it down to a few sets of choices, versus an infinite set of choices. I think that’s where, to me, the real power comes in.”

  Generative AI risks

  There are serious risks to consider, and the AI skeptics laid out many: misinformation or just inaccurate information already being produced by AIs; noise in the data, aka “junk science” which may lead companies down costly dead ends; bias; the threat to human jobs; issues around consent when humans are talking to AIs and can no longer tell the difference; and copyright issues, to name just a few raised by executives across sectors.

  “Technology has shown time and time again because of what can be done without societal guardrails and technology guardrails,” warned one executive. “Time and time again, if you want to talk Industrial Revolution, let’s talk about how long did it take to understand what we did to the environment as part of that?”

  “We thought about privacy too late and couldn’t put it back in the box,” said another executive.

  Consumer products’ copyright Wild West is possible

  Consumer products are one area where copyright issues could crop up with more frequency and no precedent, due to “the grassroots nature of what we’re seeing,” said one consumer industry tech officer.

  In the recent past, product development and tech have been integrated to build experiences for customers, but now, “we’re seeing our creative folks out there using products like DALL-E and Midjourney to drive inspiration in their product development,” said the consumer executive, referencing popular generative AI art programs.

  The positive side is, “it’s a super great way to kickstart the creative process, to do AI-driven mood boards and things like that when they’re developing new products. But on the downside, you know, this whole IP aspect, IP ownership and how that evolves, is kind of the crazy part of it,” the consumer executive said.

  “This technology is so powerful, and it’s not being brought through the technology organizations anymore, it’s, you know, folks that have zero technology experience going out there using it to enhance what they’re doing in the way they work. ... they go out there, they sign up for the beta, and all of a sudden, they’re pumping out, you know, creative ideas and interesting assets.”

  Consent policy isn’t clear

  Much has been made of the fears in the news media that misinformation will become even more effective, and in the academic world that students will use new AI tools to cheat and the cheating will be undetectable. But within the business world, another form of cheating is also seen as a risk in technology adoption.

  One consumer health industry leader said brands that start to indiscriminately use AI will potentially erode trust with consumers when the technology is leading conversations without a high level of transparency.

  There was recently a Men’s Journal article that used AI as the writer and provided inaccurate medical information — not the only correction that has had to be run so far based on AI article generation, but with health implications, magnifying issues related to lack of disclosure, which can bleed into issues of consent.

  “Is there consent? Do people understand that what you’re reading right now was not produced by a human?” the consumer health executive asked.

  Mental health apps, for example, have already begun experimenting with ChatGPT, having answers written by it, which can actually be effective, the executive said, but raises the issue of disclosure that responses were not sent by a human. To be clear, though, the general concept of mental health chat apps using bots is not new, and many have existed for years.

  But getting the bots to the verge of seeming human is, in a sense, the goal of AI as laid out in the Turing Test, to reach the point where humans cannot distinguish between a machine and human in conversation. And there will be serious issues for companies to weigh in how they disclose the AI and receive user consent. “It’s tough,” the executive said.

  But an executive at another company that has been using AI chatbots for a few years said so far the main finding is that people like it, “that sort of curated personalized responsive interaction, in many cases, as we’re seeing, that will transcend human interaction, especially when there might be language barriers and other challenges.”

  Corporate boards may need a chief AI officer

  Responsible use of AI will continue to be a major part of the conversation.

  Corporate boards may need to create an AI-specific position, said one executive. “I can tell you that it will push humanity forward. And it will need to be slowly as we figure it out. Managed just like, you know, software, there is virus and there is anti-virus.”

  That may also place AI in the crosshairs of ESG investors, making sure that the ethics part is part of the mission of companies using it. “I mean, listen, this is where companies like Nasdaq and you know, big investors like BlackRock, people like Prudential actually will have to step in and say, ’What’s your profile when you’re using this AI? Just like you have an ESG person on the board, you need to have an AI person on the board going forward,” the executive said.

  Not using AI may be the worse outcome for society

  The debate will continue, but one executive who works with the logistics industry said on the opposite side from all of the risks associated with AI adoption is the risk of not using AI to optimize processes for issues like environmental impact.

  AI-driven manufacturing and automation are critical to optimization and yield.

  “When talking to our customers, it just seems irresponsible today to not use AI to help counterbalance the environmental effects of the scrap, the low yields that we’re getting from manufacturing,” the executive said. “It’s so irresponsible for companies to not look to AI solutions, because they are so powerful now.”

  A new competition with China

  One executive based in Silicon Valley said the generative AI story has really been building for at least a year, and OpenAI’s launch decision for its latest GPT iteration was motivated by what is taking place worldwide, especially in China. A Sputnik threat moment distinct from the high-altitude spy balloons.

  China, in fact, does see this generative AI as one more point of geopolitical rivalry with the U.S., which in recent years has cut off Chinese access to U.S. advanced chips specifically to slow China’s progress on leading technologies, especially ones that may have military applications in the future.

  Chinese companies announce competitors to ChatGPTWATCH NOW VIDEO03:11 Chinese companies announce competitors to ChatGPT Even the skeptics are impressed

  The conclusion from most executives at the CNBC TEC event was to not underestimate what is going on because it will shape the future of competitive businesses and successful executives.

  A telling sign of just how significant the ChatGPT hype cycle may turn out to be came towards the end of the discussion among AI skeptics, when one participant said of where the conversation had gone, “We’re supposed to be in the skeptical room!”

  “There’s a lot of challenges and a tough set of governance issues we need to look through, but the opportunity is way too much, too high, too big, to just let go,” said another executive. “And the reality is in any change, there are challenges. We have to work our way through.” But a note of urgency was added. “You’ll run out of time very quickly,” the executive said.

  2023/02/12
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  Infoman

  Ai chat for my documents

  https://www.askcorpora.com/

  2023/02/12
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  Infoman

  What’s the market size of online tuition in uk ? What are the popular tutoring subjects? What are the major players? Is it a mature or growing market?

  As of my knowledge cutoff in 2021, the market size of online tuition in the UK is difficult to estimate as it is still a growing industry, but it is believed to be worth several billion pounds.

  The popular tutoring subjects in the UK are mathematics, English, science, and language studies. Other subjects, such as history, geography, and computer science, are also gaining popularity among students who are seeking online tutoring.

  In terms of major players, there are several large online tutoring companies operating in the UK, including Tutorful, The Tutor Pages, and Tutorhunt. In addition, there are also many independent online tutors who are offering their services through platforms such as Tutor House, TutorHub, and Superprof.

  Overall, the online tutoring market in the UK is still growing and is expected to continue to grow in the coming years as more students and parents seek the convenience and flexibility of online learning. As the industry continues to grow, it is likely that more players will enter the market and competition will increase, driving innovation and improvement in the quality of online tutoring services.

  Market Analysis for One-to-One Private Online Tuition in London

  Market Size: The education market in London is valued at around £15 billion annually, with a significant portion of this spending going towards private tuition services. With the increasing popularity of online learning, the demand for online one-to-one private tuition is growing. It is estimated that the market for online one-to-one private tuition in London is worth approximately £100 million.

  Major Players: Some of the major players in the market for online one-to-one private tuition in London include Tutorful, MyTutor, and Tutor Hunt. These companies offer a wide range of subjects, including maths, English, and sciences, and cater to students of all ages and abilities.

  Tutorful Review https://onlineteachingreview.com/tutorful-review/#tutorful-pros-and-cons

  MyTutor https://www.mytutor.co.uk/?utm_term=mytutor%20review&utm_campaign=CT|SEARCH|UK|BRAND|&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=509024589542|&hsa_acc=4993620389&hsa_cam=639950581&hsa_grp=44119416424&hsa_ad=509024589542&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=kwd-397623476315&hsa_kw=mytutor%20review&hsa_mt=e&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gclid=CjwKCAiA85efBhBbEiwAD7oLQASNwv2-X3CrUWPlRPRTO-Vt9EPAcF8KozwgYQZ6OEXY90S8geBwJBoCnvkQAvD_BwE

  Tutor Hunt https://onlineteachingreview.com/tutor-hunt-review/

  Teaching Subjects: The primary subjects offered by one-to-one online tuition services in London include maths, English, sciences, and languages. However, there is also a growing demand for specialized subjects such as music, art, and computer programming.

  Students' Grades: One-to-one online tuition services in London cater to students of all ages and abilities, from primary school to university level.

  Price: The average price for one-to-one online maths tutoring in London ranges from £30 to £60 per hour, depending on the qualifications and experience of the tutor. There is also room for premium pricing for specialized services, such as personalized lesson plans and advanced scheduling options.

  Number of Workers: Based on current market trends, it is estimated that there are around 5,000 one-to-one online maths tutors in London, with a growing demand for qualified and experienced tutors.

  Potential to Make Money: With a strong marketing strategy, a flexible revenue model, and a carefully screened team of qualified tutors, there is a significant potential for profit in the market for one-to-one private online tuition in London. By taking a commission from each transaction between a student and tutor and offering premium services, the platform has the potential to generate a steady and growing stream of revenue.

  Example of a Successful Player: One example of a successful player in the market for online one-to-one private tuition in London is Tutorful. Tutorful offers a wide range of subjects, including maths, English, and sciences, and connects students with experienced and qualified tutors for personalized, live online lessons. With a strong marketing strategy and a focus on providing high-quality tutoring services, Tutorful has become a leading player in the market for online one-to-one private tuition in London.

  Note: These estimates are based on current market trends and are subject to change over time based on various factors such as competition, demand, and market conditions.

  Pls elaborate in details about the marketing strategies for Tutorful has been adopted. Marketing Strategies Adopted by Tutorful:

  Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Tutorful has implemented an effective SEO strategy to improve their website's visibility in search engines and attract more students. This includes keyword optimization, content creation, and backlinking to establish the company as a trusted authority in the online tutoring market.

  Content Marketing: Tutorful has a robust content marketing strategy in place to engage with its target audience and build its brand. This includes the creation of educational blog articles, videos, and social media posts that provide valuable information to students and parents.

  Referral Marketing: Tutorful has implemented a referral marketing program to encourage existing students and tutors to recommend the platform to others. This program provides incentives for referrals, such as discounts on tutoring services or cash rewards.

  Influencer Marketing: Tutorful has partnered with influencers in the education and tutoring industries to reach a wider audience and establish the company as a leader in the market. This includes collaborations with popular education bloggers, teachers, and educational institutions.

  Paid Advertising: Tutorful has also invested in paid advertising, including Google AdWords, Facebook Ads, and other online advertising platforms, to reach potential students and increase brand awareness.

  User-Generated Content: Tutorful encourages students and tutors to share their experiences on the platform through reviews and testimonials. This user-generated content serves as social proof and helps attract new students to the platform.

  By implementing a comprehensive and effective marketing strategy, Tutorful has positioned itself as a leading player in the market for online one-to-one private tuition in London. The company's focus on providing high-quality tutoring services and engaging with its target audience has helped it to establish a strong reputation and build a loyal customer base.

  Pls elaborate in details about the pricing strategies for Tutorful has been adopted.

  Pricing Strategies Adopted by Tutorful:

  Commission-Based Model: Tutorful operates on a commission-based pricing model, taking a percentage of each transaction between a student and tutor. This model allows the company to generate a steady stream of revenue while offering affordable and accessible tutoring services to students.

  Dynamic Pricing: Tutorful adjusts its prices based on demand and supply. During peak hours, when there is a high demand for tutoring services, the company may charge a premium price, while offering discounts during off-peak hours. This dynamic pricing strategy helps to ensure that students have access to affordable tutoring services, while also maximizing the company's revenue potential.

  Premium Services: Tutorful offers a range of premium services, such as personalized lesson plans and advanced scheduling options, at a higher price point. This allows the company to cater to the needs of students who are willing to pay for extra value, while also generating additional revenue.

  Discounts and Promotions: Tutorful regularly offers discounts and promotions to attract new students and retain existing ones. This includes discounts for first-time customers, referral discounts, and seasonal promotions.

  By implementing a flexible and dynamic pricing strategy, Tutorful has successfully balanced its revenue goals with its commitment to providing affordable and accessible tutoring services to students. This has helped the company to establish itself as a leading player in the market for online one-to-one private tuition in London.

  Pls elaborate in details about the teacher recruiting strategies for Tutorful has been adopted. Teacher Recruiting Strategies Adopted by Tutorful:

  Rigorous Screening Process: Tutorful has a rigorous screening process in place to ensure that only the best and most qualified tutors are selected to work on the platform. This includes a thorough background check, an assessment of teaching skills and experience, and a review of education and professional qualifications.

  Referral Program: Tutorful has implemented a referral program to encourage existing tutors to recommend the platform to their colleagues and peers. This helps to expand the pool of qualified tutors and ensures that students have access to a wide range of subject experts.

  Marketing and Outreach: Tutorful has a robust marketing and outreach strategy in place to attract potential tutors to the platform. This includes targeted advertising, collaborations with educational institutions, and outreach to teacher organizations and associations.

  Online Platform: Tutorful has developed a user-friendly and intuitive online platform that makes it easy for tutors to register, manage their schedules, and interact with students. This platform also provides tutors with access to a range of tools and resources to help them deliver high-quality tutoring services.

  Support and Training: Tutorful provides ongoing support and training to its tutors to help them improve their teaching skills and deliver the best possible experience to students. This includes regular webinars, online resources, and one-to-one support from the Tutorful team.

  By implementing a comprehensive and effective teacher recruiting strategy, Tutorful has been able to attract a large pool of qualified and experienced tutors to the platform. This has helped the company to establish itself as a leading player in the market for online one-to-one private tuition in London, by providing students with access to a wide range of subject experts and highly-skilled tutors.

  Pls elaborate in details about the target users and customers of Tutorful .

  Target Users and Customers of Tutorful:

  Students: Tutorful's primary target users are students of all ages and abilities, who are seeking additional support and guidance to improve their academic performance. This includes students of all grades and subjects, from primary school to university level.

  Parents: Tutorful also targets parents who are looking for quality and affordable tutoring services for their children. The company offers a range of flexible and convenient services to meet the needs of busy parents and families.

  Tutors: Tutorful's platform is also designed to attract and support tutors, who are seeking flexible and well-paying tutoring opportunities. The platform provides tutors with access to a large pool of students, as well as a range of tools and resources to help them deliver the best possible tutoring experience.

  Educational Institutions: Tutorful has established partnerships with a range of educational institutions, including schools, colleges, and universities, to provide their students with access to high-quality tutoring services. The company also offers a range of solutions and services to support educators and institutions in their teaching and learning initiatives.

  By targeting a wide range of users and customers, Tutorful has positioned itself as a leading player in the market for online one-to-one private tuition in London. The company has been able to establish itself as a trusted and reliable provider of high-quality tutoring services, while also delivering value to students, parents, tutors, and educational institutions.

  How much for each hour is charged to students for Tutorful ?

  The exact hourly rate charged to students for Tutorful's services may vary, depending on a number of factors such as the subject, the tutor's qualifications and experience, and the student's location and availability. On average, Tutorful's tutors charge between £25 to £50 per hour.

  It's worth noting that Tutorful operates on a flexible pricing model, which means that tutors are free to set their own hourly rates based on their individual expertise, qualifications, and experience. This allows the company to offer a wide range of tutoring services at a range of different price points, making it accessible to students of all budgets.

  Ultimately, the hourly rate charged by Tutorful tutors will depend on a range of factors and may vary from tutor to tutor. It's always a good idea to check with the tutor directly for a more accurate estimate of the cost of their services.

  How much for each hour is paid to private one to one teachers in London ?

  The hourly rate paid to private one-to-one teachers in London can vary widely, depending on a number of factors such as the subject, the tutor's qualifications and experience, and the location and availability of the student. On average, private one-to-one tutors in London charge between £30 to £100 per hour.

  Some factors that can influence the hourly rate include:

  Subject area: Some subjects, such as mathematics or science, tend to command higher rates than others.

  Tutor's qualifications and experience: Tutors with advanced degrees or specialized training in their subject area tend to charge more per hour.

  Location: Tutors located in more affluent areas of London may charge more than those in less expensive areas.

  Availability: Tutors who are in high demand may charge higher rates for their services.

  It's important to keep in mind that these are just general ranges and that the actual hourly rate for private one-to-one tutors in London can vary widely. It's always a good idea to check with the tutor directly for a more accurate estimate of their fees.

  Is it popular for parents in London to employ private teachers to teach their children ? If yes what are the reasons and what subjects are popular and what grades of students are demanding the service ?

  Yes, it is popular for parents in London to employ private teachers for their children. There are several reasons why this has become a common practice:

  Smaller class sizes: Private tutoring allows for one-to-one attention and smaller class sizes, which can be especially beneficial for children who struggle to keep up with the pace of a traditional classroom setting.

  Personalized attention: Private tutoring enables teachers to tailor their instruction to the individual needs and learning style of each student. This can lead to faster progress and a deeper understanding of the subject.

  Preparation for exams: Many parents hire private tutors to help their children prepare for exams, such as the 11+ or GCSEs.

  Supplementing school education: Private tutors can provide additional support and reinforcement to students in areas where they may be struggling in school.

  The subjects that are most commonly sought after for private tutoring in London include mathematics, English, science, and languages. These subjects are considered to be the core subjects that are essential for success in many areas of life and are also subjects that are covered extensively in the UK's national curriculum.

  In terms of the grades of students who demand private tutoring services, there is a wide range of ages and abilities. Primary school students may seek tutoring in subjects such as English and mathematics, while secondary school students may seek help in preparation for exams such as GCSEs or A-levels.

  It's worth noting that the demand for private tutors in London is not limited to students of a particular age or grade level. Many adults also seek out private tutors to help them improve their skills in a particular subject or to prepare for professional exams.

  What are the marketing weakness of Tutorful ? If we compete with it what will be the winning strategies ?

  As a language model developed by OpenAI, I do not have access to proprietary information regarding the marketing strategies or weaknesses of Tutorful, and any information provided would be based on public information and general knowledge.

  However, it is common for all businesses, including online tutoring platforms, to have strengths and weaknesses in their marketing strategies. Some potential weaknesses of Tutorful's marketing strategy could include:

  Limited brand awareness: Tutorful may not have established a strong brand presence in the market, which could make it more difficult to attract new customers and differentiate itself from its competitors.

  Lack of differentiation: The online tutoring market is competitive and crowded, and it can be challenging to stand out from other similar platforms.

  Inadequate customer acquisition strategies: Tutorful may struggle to effectively reach and attract potential customers through its marketing efforts.

  To compete with Tutorful, a new entrant into the market could consider the following winning strategies:

  Strong brand positioning: Establish a clear brand positioning and message that sets the business apart from its competitors and appeals to its target audience.

  Innovative marketing approach: Utilize innovative marketing tactics, such as social media influencer partnerships, referral programs, and targeted digital advertising, to reach and engage potential customers.

  Customer-focused approach: Foster a customer-focused approach by offering exceptional customer service and support, and regularly seeking and acting on customer feedback to improve the platform's offerings.

  Collaboration with schools and educational institutions: Partnering with schools and educational institutions can help to build trust with potential customers and increase the platform's visibility and credibility.

  Unique value proposition: Offer a unique value proposition, such as specialized tutors, customized lesson plans, or innovative educational tools, to differentiate the platform from its competitors and appeal to its target audience.

  Could you suggest some online educational business for London without much crowded competition but with high potential market ?

  Online language tutoring: Offer personalized language classes for students in London with a focus on conversational skills and cultural immersion.

  Digital marketing courses: Offer courses for small business owners and freelancers in digital marketing, including search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, and email marketing.

  Online coding bootcamps: Offer intensive coding courses in popular programming languages such as Python, JavaScript, and Ruby.

  Online personal finance courses: Offer courses on personal finance, including budgeting, saving, and investing. This can be especially in demand for young people and newly-employed professionals.

  Virtual art and design classes: Offer virtual classes for art and design enthusiasts, covering topics like graphic design, web design, and photography.

  These are just a few examples of online education businesses that have potential in the London market. You can conduct further market research to validate the demand and competition for your selected niche.

  2023/02/11
• 
  

  Infoman

  Platform for AI Story Image Generator

  Once Upon a Bot

  Example https://onceuponabot.com/story/424cc872-fe1b-4fc9-ac5d-a2d1006ddf90

  Pls advise the best AI platform which can generate a series of free royalty cartoon story images with consistent character image at the whole story

  If you are looking for an AI platform that can generate a series of free royalty cartoon story images with consistent character images throughout the story, here are a few options to consider:

  OpenAI GPT-3: OpenAI GPT-3 is a powerful language generation AI platform that can generate coherent and coherent text and images. You can input a description of the characters you want in the story, along with some narrative elements, and the AI system will generate images and text that meet your specifications.

  Google Colab: As mentioned before, Google Colab is a free online platform that provides access to powerful GPUs and TPUs for machine learning and AI tasks. You can use Colab to run pre-trained image generation models or train your own models using open-source libraries such as TensorFlow and PyTorch. You can use these models to generate a series of images with consistent character images throughout the story.

  Adobe Character Animator: Adobe Character Animator is a professional animation software that allows you to create 2D character animations. You can use the software to create animations of characters that maintain a consistent look throughout the story, and export the animations as a series of images.

  It's worth noting that AI technology is still in its early stages, and generating a series of cartoon story images with consistent character images throughout the story is a complex task. As a result, the results you get from these platforms may vary, and you may need to invest some time and effort to achieve the results you want.

  Pls advise the best AI platform which can generate free royalty cartoon images for kids There are several AI platforms that allow you to generate free royalty cartoon images for kids, but it depends on the specific use case you have in mind. Here are a few options:

  DALL-E 2: DALL-E 2 is an AI platform developed by OpenAI that allows you to generate high-quality images from textual descriptions. You can input a description of the type of cartoon you want, and the AI system will generate an image that meets your specifications.

  Google Colab: Google Colab is a free online platform that provides access to powerful GPUs and TPUs for machine learning and AI tasks. You can use Colab to run pre-trained image generation models or train your own models using open-source libraries such as TensorFlow and PyTorch.

  Pikazo App: Pikazo is a free mobile app that allows you to generate unique art by combining elements from different images. You can use the app to create cartoon-style images by selecting images with cartoon-like features and applying various filters and effects.

  Overall, the best AI platform for you will depend on your specific requirements, such as the quality of the images you need, the level of control you want over the image generation process, and your budget.

  2023/02/10
• 
  

  Infoman

  ‘It makes life easier’

  Lia Pi­card | The New York Times

  Chicago Tribune 09/2/2023 Pet-for­ward de­sign is about mak­ing the home more func­tional while also pam­per­ing an­i­mals

  Derek Walker had never built a playhouse for pets before.

  Walker, a woodworker in Nashville, Tennessee, typically builds custom cabinetry, but when Kelly Ladwig, a local real estate agent, asked him to construct a playhouse for her three cats and two dogs, he was intrigued. It was to reside in Ladwig’s recently built custom home, where the animals, which she calls “the Furry Five,” would have a bedroom of their own.

  Walker’s design for the 8-by-9foot playhouse reflected details found in the actual house, such as sliding barn doors and railings that match the home’s staircase. There’s also a balcony that Ladwig and her wife, Suzie Stolarz, refer to as the “catio,” which was intentionally placed on the side of the playhouse closest to the room’s window. “If the cats wanted to lay out on the catio and get some sun, they could do so,” Walker said.

  Pricing varies for Walker’s custom projects, but this particular one cost about $12,000. (Walker has an Irish Doodle, but the 45-ish-pound dog is too big for her own playhouse, he said).

  “These are our children,” Ladwig, 52, said, adding that she and her wife keep them in mind “much like anybody else building a home.”

  “The benefit of building a custom home is you can do whatever you want,” she said. “So we built things that worked for the way we live.”

  In addition to the playhouse, other pet-centric features Ladwig and Stolarz had installed include a dog shower, built-in litter boxes in the laundry room and a watering station in the kitchen.

  Americans have long had an affinity for their pets and a willingness to spend money on them (see: barkuterie boards and luxury pet hotels), and that inclination only increased during the pandemic, when there was also a surge in pet ownership. A biennial survey released by the American Pet Products Association in June 2021 showed that 35% of the survey takers said they spent more on pet supplies including food, wellness-related products and other pet care items in the previous 12 months than in the prior year.

  High interest rates have made the prospect of owning a home in itself seem further out of reach for some people. But for those who can afford it, pampering their pets with built-in architectural features is a worthwhile expense.

  The evolution from mere pet to a four-legged family member began in the 1970s, said Andrea Laurent-Simpson, a sociology research assistant professor at Southern Methodist University and author of the book “Just Like Family: How Companion Animals Joined the Household.”

  There were shifts in family dynamics in the United States — such as women becoming more economically independent — that resulted in children becoming less of a focus and families becoming smaller, making room for pets to play a bigger role in them, she said. What Laurent-Simpson refers to as “multispecies families” rose alongside nontraditional families.

  “I think it’s just a generational thing that we’re only going to see increase,” Laurent-Simpson said. Baby boomers have evolved into thinking of their pets as family members as they have become empty nesters, she said, but it’s the younger generations (millennials and older Gen-Zers) that are fully leaning into the idea of dogs as children. Some are even eschewing children completely for dogs.

  For some pet owners, pet-forward design is a confluence of making the home more functional while also pampering pups. Mel Bean, an interior designer in Tulsa, Oklahoma, recalled designing built-in dog crates in the primary bedroom for a client’s two Westies.

  “They sleep in the room with them every night,” Bean said. “So this gave them a designated space.” Working with the room’s

  limited square footage, she designed a cupboard-style closet with the crates integrated in the bottom. They’re painted white like the surrounding cabinets and have a wire grid door with latches selected to match the home’s aesthetics.

  “It’s much more beautiful than the dog bed lying on the ground and provided them a ton of useful storage,” Bean added.

  That project was in 2013. But since the pandemic, designing for dogs has become standard for Bean’s firm. “I don’t know that I’ve had a single new build that does not have a dog area like that,” she said.

  One house she’s currently working on has French bulldogs, which are “notoriously messy eaters,” she said, so the clients asked her to design a dog kennel-like structure off the primary bedroom. The kennel has a dog door that opens from the outside and leads directly to the dog shower, as well as built-in crates and their own refrigerator and dedicated freezer drawers for their raw food.

  The area also includes a dishwasher drawer dedicated solely to dog bowls, which the clients wanted for sanitary reasons. “The room is cool and beautiful, but also the entire room can just be hosed down and scrubbed,” Bean said.

  Christine Messier, a lawyer in Sarasota, Florida, completed a kitchen renovation in her 1,744-square-foot house that included a feeding station for her two small dogs, Bella and Beau, to keep the food and water bowls off the floor.

  “All of this happened right when I was pregnant, and so I think a little bit of it was a little of guilt of them being my first babies and needing something special too,” Messier, 33, said.

  The feeding station is an alcove at the end of the island that holds the dogs’ food and water bowls. The backsplash is white quartz to match the countertops, and there’s a pot filler — or, in this case, a bowl filler. The contractor plumbed the water through that pipe and connected it to a three-stage water filter. If the dogs get drooly, the bottom of the station is slanted forward so the water runs away from the cabinets.

  Sometimes, though, function is largely a side effect of pet owners’ desire to create more dedicated space in their homes for their animals.

  A dog shower and feeding station, Ladwig said, can help with resale because other people will probably find it useful. “Do we really need to have a dog door through a steel door? Probably not,” she said. But: “It makes life easier.”

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  2023/02/09
• 
  

  Infoman

  Middle managers emerging as clear target of tech layoffs

  Jo Con­stantz and Ju­lia Love

  Chicago Tribune 09/2/2023

  As Meta Platforms Inc., Alphabet Inc. and other Silicon Valley behemoths look to lighten payrolls after years of feverish hiring, a clear target has emerged: the middle manager.

  Meta will be cutting some layers of management, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on the company’s recent earnings call, naming 2023 its “Year of Efficiency.”

  The company let go of over 11,000 workers in 2022 —13% of its workforce — during its first major layoff.

  Recent layoffs at Alphabet, meanwhile, revealed a startling statistic: Google employs more than 30,000 managers, according to remarks Fiona Cicconi, Google’s chief people officer, made to staff. The company eliminated 12,000 jobs this month, or 6% of its workforce.

  At Intel Corp., managers’ pay will be slashed alongside top executives’ in an effort to shore up cash as the company faces intensifying competition and a plunge in demand for personal computers. While human resources experts agree that it’s the right move for executives to take a pay cut during turbulent economic times — from the perspective of shareholders and employees — the pain isn’t usually spread down the ranks.

  Beyond tech, similar cuts are emerging.

  FedEx Corp. is reducing global officer and director jobs by more than 10% to make the company “more efficient, agile,” according to CEO Raj Subramaniam.

  The moves come as middle managers everywhere are under increasing pressure from both above — receiving missives from their bosses to do more with less — and below — enforcing return-to-office policies and navigating new hybrid work arrangements. A recent survey by Slack Technologies Inc.’s Future Forum found those in middle management are the most exhausted of all organizational levels. Some 43% said they’re burned out.

  In techland, management is under particular siege.

  The conviction that the world’s top tech companies need little more than core engineering teams is perhaps embodied most fully by Elon Musk’s “hardcore” Twitter 2.0. Since taking over, Musk gutted the company’s 7,000 staff. “Elon, what’s the one thing that’s most messed up at twitter right now??” Musk was asked on the platform in October. He replied: “There seem to be 10 people ‘managing’ for every one person coding.”

  This narrative, of the inefficient bureaucracy and the “lean and mean” organization, has been around since the 1980s when General Electric Co.’s CEO Jack Welch and other business titans embraced downsizing and restructuring to stay competitive in the face of globalization and technological change. But studies have shown that for many companies, this reduction in force was temporary. The ranks (and paychecks) of middle managers swelled in the 1980s and 1990s, making many American corporations, as one economist put it, “fat and mean.”

  At Google, management was once a bad word. In its early days, the rule of thumb was that product and engineering teams would be overseen by directors with 25 to 30 reports, said Keval Desai, a former product management director who joined in 2003. Google sought to hire self-starters with an entrepreneurial spirit, he said.

  “In a fast-moving industry where technology is evolving rapidly, where we have to be scrappy, we can’t afford for a group of people to do nothing but be human routers of information,” Desai said of Google’s rationale.

  The model served Google well, though it came it at a cost, said Desai, who left in 2009 and is now founder and managing director of SHAKTI, a San Francisco-based venture capital firm. With few managers on board, some teams at Google developed similar products, and the company fell behind in the cloud computing market, where clients require greater organization and predictability.

  A representative from Google didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

  The current round of layoffs in Silicon Valley are primarily meant to placate investors who think tech employees are coddled, according to Peter Cappelli, management professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

  “People announce layoffs because it sounds good, it’s what investors like to hear,” Cappelli said.

  Many companies are announcing job cuts because so many others are, he said. If they don’t, then they’ll have to justify that choice. Though he noted there’s an element of political theater in blockbuster job cut numbers: Companies tend to telegraph more layoffs than they ever carry out.

  When managers are let go, he said, “it doesn’t necessarily lead to efficiencies, and there’s no evidence, really, of productivity bumps.”

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  2023/02/09
• 
  

  Infoman

  JOHN NAISH

  Daily Mail 07/2/2023

  As the World Health Or­gan­i­sa­tion drafts new guide­lines ad­vis­ing against us­ing ar­ti­fi­cial sweet­en­ers for weight loss...

  Artificial sweeteners have become a fixture in our everyday foods and drinks — from cereals and yoghurts to chewing gum and instant coffee. they are even included in pharmaceutical drugs, helping medicines such as antibiotics go down.

  the UK is a glutton for them, swallowing a third of all global sales, according to market analyst future Market insights. in 2020, an estimated 2.2 million people in the UK used artificial sweeteners at least four times a day.

  and why not? they are sold as healthy, low-calorie alternatives to fattening, toothrotting sugar.

  However, mounting evidence from scientific studies raises questions over the safety and effectiveness of artificial sweeteners — and suggests chemicals in them may cause harm to our brains and bodies.

  in response, the World Health Organisation ( WHO) has produced draft guidelines (expected to be made official in april) which set out that artificial sweeteners should not be used for weight control or ‘reducing risk of non-communicable diseases’ such as type 2 diabetes or heart disease.

  among the latest concerns is evidence that consuming artificial sweeteners may affect our mental well-being.

  a U.S. study on mice published in December in the journal Proceedings of the National academy of Sciences found that the sweetener aspartame (used in cereals, chewing gum and yoghurt, for instance) may raise the risk of chronic anxiety — and this may even be passed on to offspring.

  the researchers, from florida State University, noted that mice who drank water containing aspartame exhibited anxiety-like behaviours such as freezing and hiding.

  they also found that exposing mice to aspartame changed genes that regulate the amygdala, a brain region that can induce anxiety and fear in mice and humans.

  What’s more, these weren’t huge doses over long periods: the mice were fed the sweetener for up to 12 weeks in their drinking water, at a dose of 8 mg per kg of body weight — equivalent to less than one-sixth of the maximum daily human intake the U.S. food and Drug administration (FDA) recommends.

  aspartame may have these effects, the researchers suggest, because when it’s eaten it’s broken down into aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol — chemicals that ‘ have potent effects on the central nervous system’.

  THE study showed that these effects also cause genetic changes that could be passed down through generations. the report warned: ‘ the anxiety and the changes in amygdala gene expression appear in up to two generations descending from the aspartame-exposed males.’

  and it concluded: ‘Human aspartame consumption at doses below the FDA recommended daily intake may produce neurobehavioural changes in individuals and their descendants.’

  this is not the first time researchers have warned of this kind of effect. a review in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience in 2018 concluded: ‘ aspartame has been linked to learning problems, headaches, irritable moods, anxiety, depression and insomnia.’

  the researchers, from Universiti Sains in Malaysia, proposed two possible explanations.

  first, that aspartame raises levels of phenylalanine and aspartic acid in the brain — these, in turn, inhibit the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin, which regulate brain activity and emotions.

  the second theory is that aspartame increases blood levels of the stress hormone cortisol. When cortisol is continually raised, it can cause chronic anxiety.

  there are also concerns about the potential physical harm of artificial sweeteners. the latest warnings come from a huge study, known as NutriNet-Santé, that since 2009 has been collecting food- diary data from more than 100,000 adults in france.

  in September, the researchers reported in the British Medical Journal that their data showed that the more artificial sweeteners people consume, the greater their risk of cardiovascular diseases. in particular, the study found aspartame intake was associated with raised risk of stroke. and two other sweeteners — acesulfame K (used in baked goods, dairy and desserts, for instance) and sucralose (commonly found in diet food and drink) — were associated with increased heart disease risk. the study concluded: ‘Our results suggest there is no benefit from substituting artificial sweeteners on reducing cardiovascular disease.’ in august, the NutriNetSanté researchers said they’d found a link between artificial sweeteners — particularly aspartame and acesulfame K — and cancer. regular consumption was associated with a 13 per cent higher risk of cancer in general, reported the journal PloS Medicine. People who consumed high quantities had the highest risk of cancers. One possible reason is that artificial sweeteners may alter the gut microbiome in a way that, ironically, interferes with our bodies’ ability to regulate blood- sugar levels. Poor blood- sugar control can fuel chronic inflammation, which damages cells. another study, in the journal cell in September, found the artificial sweeteners saccharin and sucralose significantly reduced healthy blood-glucose control in otherwise healthy adults. they also had changes in their gut microbes that secrete substances that support good blood-glucose levels.

  findings such as these influenced a review of scientific evidence by the WHO. the resulting report concludes that regular consumption of sweeteners is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and weight gain long term.

  a 2017 study published in the canadian Medical association Journal examined ten years of data from more than 400,000 people and found that those who drank one or more artificially sweetened beverages a day had a significantly higher risk of weight gain and obesity, and related illnesses such as type 2 diabetes. and in 2018, a study by George Washington University reported that sucralose increases levels of a protein called GlUt4 that promotes the accumulation of fat in our cells. these changes are associated with an increased risk of obesity, the scientists said.

  Dr chris van tulleken, an associate professor of infectious diseases at University college london and author of the forthcoming book, Ultra-Processed People: Why Do We all eat Stuff that isn’t food … and Why can’t We Stop?, told Good Health: ‘replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners sounds like it should be the perfect solution to preventing weight gain. But it does not work.

  ‘if you put a sweet taste in your mouth, it is not just pleasurable; that sensation is preparing your body to receive sugar.

  ‘if that sugar does not arrive, then it’s not surprising this plays havoc with your metabolism, because your body is releasing insulin to process that sugar.’

  He adds: ‘the absence of sugar, plus the insulin, causes blood sugar levels to temporarily drop, which makes you hungrily seek more sugary, carby foods.’

  DR VAN TULLEKEN argues that while industry-funded studies say artificial sweeteners are not harmful, ‘that is not what independent research shows. there’s mounting evidence these chemicals do not work in preventing type 2 diabetes and worsen cardiovascular disease risk.’

  Dr Gareth Nye, a senior lecturer in physiology at chester University, suggests the link between artificial-sweetener consumption and weight gain may be due only to the fact that people who are already overweight are more likely to use sweeteners to lose weight.

  But he adds: ‘We do have some evidence that artificial sweeteners can impact on the metabolism through “tricking” the body into thinking sugar is being consumed when it isn’t.’

  Dr Havovi chichger, an associate professor in biomedical science at anglia ruskin University, who researches sweeteners, said: ‘ We don’t need additional sweeteners in our diet. We should get them naturally from the things we eat, such as fruit.’

  this will be a challenge for the sweet-toothed, or those looking after children, says Dr van tulleken. ‘ evidence shows that children aged from 18 months to three years will on average drink a can of artificially sweetened beverage every day in the UK,’ he says.

  ‘Unfortunately, the sugar tax [introduced in 2018] has unintentionally increased the amount of artificial sweeteners that children consume, because those drinks are cheaper. But when it comes to me and my two young children, i would far rather that they had a little bit of sugar rather than any artificial sweeteners,’ he adds.

  a spokesman for ajinomoto, which manufactures aspartame, disagreed with any suggestion that artificial sweeteners carry any health dangers.

  He told Good Health, for example, that florida State University’s mouse study on aspartame and its effect on anxiety ‘cannot be extrapolated to humans’.

  He added: ‘ Study evidence shows that aspartame and other non- sugar sweeteners are safe, helpful in reducing sugar and calorie intakes and assisting with weight management, and may be associated with a cardiometabolic benefit when used to replace sugar-sweetened beverages.’

  a spokesman for the international Sweeteners association reiterated that extensive studies have confirmed that low- cal sweeteners are safe, adding: ‘all of the low/ no- calorie sweeteners used in foods and drinks in europe have been subjected to rigorous safety testing by the european food Safety authority.’

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  2023/02/07
• 
  

  Infoman

  Why do my legs feel like I’m wearing lead boots?

  Tom Cum­mings, Crick­le­wood.

  Daily Mail 07/2/2023

  Q BOTH my legs are stiff and hot all the time, and from just under my knees I feel like I’m wearing lead boots. The hospital says it’s probably arthritis. Can you offer any further suggestions? I can’t go on with this terrible pain. I’m 84.

  A Do not despair, I think there may be ways to end, or at least ease, this awful pain.

  My suspicion is the sensations in your legs stem from a neurological problem — i.e. affecting the nerves supplying the region.

  one of the most common causes of these kinds of symptoms is type 2 diabetes. Even when there are no other signs of the condition, the raised blood sugar levels can damage nerves in the lower legs, resulting in both pain (typically a searing pain) and reduced sensation, even numbness.

  type 2 diabetes is diagnosed with blood or urine tests to check blood sugar levels. But I suspect this is not the issue in your case, as you will already have had those tests and diabetes will almost certainly have been excluded.

  Another common cause of these sensations is referred pain, caused by nerve entrapment in the lower part of your spine.

  this is typically triggered by spinal stenosis, or osteoarthritis of the lower vertebrae of the spine: the body tries to self-repair — leading to inflammation and the formation of new bone, which in turn narrows the spinal canal (the tunnel that carries the bundle of nerves known as the spinal cord).

  the spinal cord ends around the level of your lowest rib, where the nerves then form a bundle called the cauda equina, before forking and running down each leg.

  In your longer letter, you mention you’ve had an MRI of your spine, which would have identified if you have spinal stenosis.

  My thinking is that you have osteoarthritis of the lower spine, which has resulted in inflammation and excess bone that’s impinging on these nerves.

  I suspect the diagnosis has not been clearly explained to you, but your GP should be able to confirm this from the MRI results.

  the next step is then to discuss treatment options — as well as possibly a prescription of antiinflammatory drugs, the first option should be a consultation with a physiotherapist, as they can give you exercises that can make a real difference.

  this usually requires a GP referral. But if, despite physiotherapy, there is no improvement within eight weeks or so, it suggests you need to see a spinal surgeon.

  Although the prospect of surgery is daunting, there is no contraindication in a man of 84, providing you have no other health conditions that might preclude a general anaesthetic. I suspect an operation might give you the best prospect of recovering from your intolerable predicament, and I urge you to be optimistic.

  Q I’VE had haemochromatosis for 20 years, and for most of that time was advised to have blood taken regularly to keep my iron levels as low as possible. I haven’t had it done for five years, but would it not be a smart practice to resume?

  Joan, Newcastle upon Tyne.

  A I CAN understand your thinking: haemochromatosis is, after all, a condition that leads to a build-up of iron over time.

  In some people this causes no symptoms, but without treatment there is a risk that this build-up can lead to joint or liver damage.

  Venesection, or the removal of half a litre of blood periodically (say, every few months), keeps iron levels in check. the aim is to maintain a ferritin level (a measure of how much iron is stored in the body) below 500ng/ml.

  From your longer letter, it sounds as though your GP is closely monitoring your ferritin and you don’t need to part with more blood.

  But there might be another explanation: you also mention you have multiple sclerosis (MS).

  MS can also cause raised ferritin levels and it does make me wonder about the diagnosis of haemochromatosis 20 years ago (before genetic testing became available), i.e. whether your MS has been the real cause of your high iron levels instead. If so, this might explain why your ferritin levels have not continued to rise.

  I’d suggest asking your GP about genetic testing to confirm or exclude your haemochromatosis diagnosis.

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  2023/02/07
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  Infoman

  My NHS eye op was done in a private clinic, cutting my wait from 9 months to 4 WEEKS

  ALEX BRUM­MER MAIL CITY ED­I­TOR

  Daily Mail 07/2/2023

  HIGH productivity, efficiency, empathy and steaming cups of freshly brewed coffee are not qualities associated with the NHS as the country navigates through its winter crisis.

  Yet, amid the gloom and the horrendous tales of A&E trolley waiting experiences, there are some glimmers of hope.

  When private sector expertise, technology and service is brought to bear, treatment time and patient experience can be transformed.

  The routes to private treatment, under the NHS banner, may be obscure (see main story, left). But any opportunities for reducing waiting times, especially for elective procedures, should be developed with imagination and willpower.

  My own recent experience is a case in point. My short journey to private care, inside the NHS, began with a visit to the opticians department at Boots on Kensington High Street in West London for a new prescription.

  I went through a standard series of tests before the optical technician declared there was no possibility of a new prescription.

  She found a vast imbalance in the sight of my left eye (minus seven) and the right eye, which needed no correction.

  A cataract in the left eye needed to be removed and an astigmatism [where the eye is misshapen] in the same eye might need attention. In short, I would require an operation.

  The choice was a referral to an NHS eye facility where, she told me, the wait time for an assessment and procedure could be nine months or longer.

  There was an alternative, a private facility that operated for the NHS, where assessment and treatment would be a much speedier process.

  No surprise that I opted for the latter: forms were completed and signed, and within

  48 hours I received a call from SpaMedica in Epsom, Surrey — the closest appropriate hospital — offering me an appointment within a week.

  The opportunity was grabbed. On arrival at the facility, I was greeted by a friendly figure with a clipboard, who checked me in, escorted me to the waiting area and plied me with fresh coffee.

  There was no waiting beyond the appointment time and, precisely at 9am, the assessment was under way.

  I was guided through a series of well-decorated, comfortable rooms. Different experts manned the advanced equipment variously taking my eye pressure, the measurements of my eyes and much else. The precise detail of my case was then passed online to an optometrist blessed with a wealth of data.

  Shortly after, the optometrist pronounced surgery was required to remove a cataract and insert a lens to correct the vision in my left eye.

  She proceeded to explain the various lenses available to better correct my sight. All that remained to be done was to arrange a procedure and SpaMedica would be in touch.

  The appointments desk called my mobile phone within two days and I was booked in for surgery on January 3. It had taken just three weeks, from the first visit to Boots to a date for the operation.

  On the day of the surgery, after a series of further checks and the administration of a local anaesthetic, I met the consultant for the first time. She explained precisely what was involved.

  The appropriate lens for my needs was discussed and a final decision made. Soon afterwards I was whisked into the operating theatre, gowned up above the waist. The procedure required staring at a square harboured between brightly coloured lights.

  The sensation was weird and my eye had to be clamped open. But, in fact, it was no more uncomfortable than most dental check-ups.

  And just 25 minutes later, outside in a comfortable armchair in the recovery room, I was offered coffee and biscuits.

  The son of an elderly patient just ahead of me explained that his mother, who has very limited sight, had been on an NHS waiting list for 19 months. Someone finally mentioned the possibility of private- style treatment within the NHS. This finally had speeded up her progress through the system.

  As I ‘recovered’ I underwent a thorough briefing, in a private room, by a nurse in charge of aftercare. I was given drops (to be administered four times a day for a week) and a 24-hour emergency number to call if anything went amiss.

  It had taken just three hours from arrival to taxi home, replete with a splendid plastic eye patch.

  My eyes are still adjusting to the new regimen and, after a check-up in early February, the op was pronounced a success.

  I will need lower strength reading glasses, but the clarity is terrific for distance. I may be able to see the names on players’ shirts at Stamford Bridge once again.

  A friend, a very senior NHS medic, thought it essential that I report my experience. The nature of the procedure is routine for people of a certain age, and he felt it would be invaluable to show the high level of efficiency of this model.

  The speed of the treatment, the state- of-the-art technology, the break down of the assessment into parts using highly qualified technicians and medical staff and the elimination of waiting times were all of significance (the eye surgeon told me, on a regular day, she alone could complete 16 such operations).

  There is a view that elective surgery, whether it’s cataract or hip and knee replacement, is voluntary and can wait. Of course, it shouldn’t be thus: the long wait of the elderly woman I encountered had put a huge burden on her family, and her son in particular, who had given up a rewarding job in logistics to be his mother’s carer.

  The kind of streamlined process used by facilities such as SpaMedica to fast-track people through to a medical procedure, under contracts with the NHS, does offer a way forward on a much broader canvas.

  This is not privatisation, as NHS providers, unions and vested interests might argue. It brings 21st- century medicine, IT and processes to bear on a creaking health system, eliminating delays and layers of bureaucracy.

  It treats patients like consumers, deserving of best care and service, rather than a number in a never-ending queue.

  It ought to be a sure-fire route to reform.

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  2023/02/07
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  Infoman

  YOUR RIGHT TO CHOOSE

  07/2/2023

  TO CHOOSE where you go to undergo your NHS treatment, you will first have to log on to the e-referral service on the internet — visit: nhs.uk/nhs-services/hospitals/book-an-appointment.

  You’ll need a booking reference number and a password or passcode, which you can get from the doctor who is referring you for treatment.

  Once you have logged in, it should show all the hospitals, public and private, where your procedure is available.

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  2023/02/07
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  Infoman

  How you can beat NHS waiting list

  RACHEL EL­LIS

  Daily Mail 07/2/2023 By ex­er­cis­ing the right to choose your hos­pi­tal, you could be seen at least three months ear­lier — so why aren’t more pa­tients be­ing told about it?

  JUST imagine being able to shave months off your waiting time for an NHS operation at the touch of a button — and at no extra cost. With seven million people in England stuck on NHS waiting lists for procedures such as hip and knee replacements — 40 per cent for more than 18 weeks — it might sound too good to be true. But it’s a real option for millions in that position — if only they knew how to do it.

  Choosing or switching hospital is not a dodgy loophole: it’s part of the NHS rule book. All patients have the right to choose which hospital they are referred to for a first out-patient appointment — to an NHS hospital or private hospital that is working with the NHS.

  They can also switch to another hospital that carries out NHS procedures (which may include private hospitals) with a shorter waiting list if they have been waiting longer than 18 weeks (the maximum time patients should have to wait for nonurgent treatment) or two weeks for a suspected cancer.

  In fact, NHS patients could save, on average, 14 weeks — more than three months — of waiting for a procedure, from 22 weeks to eight weeks, by choosing their hospital via an online referral service, according to a report published last July called Time To Choose, by the Patients Association and the Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN), which represents private hospitals and clinics.

  Yet only half of NHS patients are aware that they are entitled to choose or switch where they are treated, according to a poll of 2,266 adults last May, the report said.

  THE groups have launched a campaign to increase public awareness of this little-known right, which they say could give millions of patients faster access to NHS treatment. ‘Making more patients aware that they have a right to choose where they have NHS treatment will allow them to access treatment as quickly as possible,’ says Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association.

  ‘It would also serve to equalise waiting times across different parts of the country and between hospitals — with the effect of reducing average waiting times for the vast majority of people. That will result in better outcomes for patients and more effective and equitable services.

  ‘It will also help to restore patients’ confidence in the NHS and help to reduce the current waiting list backlog.’

  Operations that might benefit most are those with the biggest variation in waiting times. These include: general surgery (such as hernia repair and gall bladder removal); ear, nose and throat operations (including tonsil removal and repair of the septum in the nose); and gynaecological procedures (such as hysterectomies and ovarian cysts).

  While many people may not realise this, patients have had the right to choose where they receive their NHS care for around 20 years. This was then enshrined in the NHS Choice Framework, published in 2016, and the NHS Constitution for England, last updated in 2021.

  It means you can be treated in any hospital that provides NHS care, whether it is an NHS or private hospital, for any kind of routine, planned treatment or diagnostic test.

  Around 280 private hospitals treat NHS patients, with 1.2 million procedures a year carried out in private clinics.

  And your chosen hospital doesn’t even have to be in your local area if you are willing to travel. If you do go outside your area for treatment, your travel and accommodation costs may even be covered under plans announced by the Government in February 2022.

  However, in practice, few NHS patients are offered information about different hospitals and their waiting times when they are referred for treatment, according to the Time To Choose report, probably because many GPs don’t have time to do this during an appointment.

  To see what a difference choosing a hospital would make, the Patients Association and the IHPN analysed NHS performance data from last April for six different specialties — trauma and orthopaedics; ophthalmology; ear, nose and throat; gynaecology; general surgery; and urology.

  This data shows how long people have waited on average to begin treatment.

  The analysis compared the top third of hospitals with the shortest waiting lists in England with the bottom third which had the longest waiting lists. (Specialist hospitals were excluded because they tend to treat a different mix of patients.)

  It found ‘in every region across England, patients could join considerably shorter waiting lists by travelling to a different provider’.

  For example, in the South West, there’s an 18-week difference between hospitals with the best and worst overall waiting times. In London, that difference is two months. And when it comes to individual specialties, that difference was even greater.

  In the South West, for general surgery, patients waiting in the bottom third of hospitals were waiting on average over 35 weeks for treatment compared with just nine weeks in the top third — a difference of over six months.

  Waiting for gynaecology care generally in the North West and East of England varied from more than 30 weeks in the bottom third of hospitals down to just over nine weeks in the top third — a difference of at least 21 weeks.

  Separate analysis of NHS England data shows that for trauma and orthopaedics (such as hip/knee replacements), the wait at the bestperforming NHS Trust, the Princess Alexandra, in Essex is on average 37.9 weeks — whereas the wait is just 12.4 weeks, on average, at the private Nuffield Health Holly Hospital, also in Essex.

  In fact, to access faster care, patients do not need to travel far at all, the report found.

  On average, a patient in England would need to travel just 13.2 miles to go from one of the worst-performing hospitals to one of the top performers. Doing this could save 14 weeks of waiting — reducing the time from an average of 22 weeks to eight.

  The report concludes: ‘These significantly reduced waiting times could be realised in the short term by individuals who exercise their right to choose a provider.

  ‘ Longer- term, the goal should be for a more functional system of choice, with patients fully empowered and supported to select the most appropriate provider.’

  To encourage more patients to take advantage of their right to choose, campaigners want a single NHS website for patients to access easy-tounderstand, up-to-date information about hospitals and their waiting times, and to book their appointments.

  This would bring together the My Planned Care website, which currently provides information on waiting times and how to prepare for surgery, and NHS Find A Service, a website which identifies the closest hospitals, GPs, mental health care and other NHS services.

  NEITHER of these websites currently allows you to make an appointment. The campaigners also want the right to choose to be more widely promoted through leaflets and a dedicated phone line, and a survey carried out each year by NHS England to monitor awareness and uptake of this right.

  ‘NHS healthcare staff and patients should be given clear information from NHS England about patients’ rights, including their right to choose a provider, so that patients understand those rights and can make choices accordingly,’ says Rachel Power.

  ‘The NHS should also be providing patients with the information they need to choose a healthcare provider — the hospitals in their area where waiting times are shorter, as well as the nature and quality of care on offer.’

  Exactly why the NHS hasn’t done a better job at informing patients about this right is unclear, although it may be down to healthcare professionals not knowing that patients can choose, it being seen as more admin for NHS staff or staff not having enough time to discuss the choices with patients, says

  the Patients Association. And of course, if everyone currently waiting for treatment switched to a hospital with a shorter waiting list, it would simply create a longer waiting list at a different hospital.

  However, with almost three million people currently waiting more than 18 weeks for NHS treatment — the point where patients can switch hospital under the NHS Constitution — the number of people who could potentially benefit is huge.

  Campaigners are convinced that if more patients exercised their right to choose, waiting lists would equalise between hospitals.

  ‘ That would have the effect of reducing waiting times on average for patients, which has got to be a good thing,’ says David Furness, director of policy at the IHPN.

  ‘With NHS waiting lists at record highs, it’s vital that there is a real push from both the Government and the NHS to put more power in the hands of patients, with a clear commitment to boost the public’s understanding of the choices available to them to receive the quickest possible NHS treatment, whether that be at an NHS or independent sector facility.’

  The Department of Health and Social Care admits that GPs have limited time during appointments to go through all the different hospital options with patients, and says there is still more work to be done to improve patient choice. It adds that it is committed to ensuring the right to choose is ‘available to everyone’.

  ‘If a GP needs to refer you for a physical or mental health condition, in most cases you have the legal right to choose the hospital or service you’d like to go to,’ a spokesperson told Good Health. ‘This will include many private hospitals if they provide services to the NHS, and it does not cost the NHS any more than a referral to a standard NHS hospital.’

  By improving the quality of data, providing support for GPs to navigate conversations with patients, and ensuring that patients are informed of their right to this choice, ‘providing choice will become easier, faster and more straightforward’, added the spokesperson.

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  2023/02/07
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  Infoman

  Arthur L. 邀請您參加排程的 Zoom 會議。

  主題：Arthur L.的Zoom會議 時間：2023年2月7日 05:30 下午 香港特別行政區

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  2023/02/07