There are an insane variety of camouflage patterns. From subtle and understated but effective (solid polar white for snowy battlefields) to ostentatious and loud but surprisingly battle proven (the Belgian jigsaw pattern anyone?).
Main camo patterns of the world.
A Few Interesting Examples. Be Sure To Click On The B/W Images To View In Color.
You get the idea. But what is the best camouflage pattern?
That is an objective question and no doubt everyone has a personal favorite. Our friends at the kommandostore.com make a pretty solid case for the Rhodesian brushstroke pattern. Let’s take a closer look at the history of the Rhodesian Army and the buildup towards the Bush War where said pattern was dutifully employed.
Rhodesia Leading Up To The Bush War: An Overview
What we now know as Zimbabwe was Southern Rhodesia was one of three states merged in 1953 to form the British-administered Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (also known as the Central African Federation). This union was largely a marriage of convenience, as the British protectorates of Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland were significantly less developed than self-governing Southern Rhodesia.
However, the Federation balkanized and dissolved in 1963 amid ethnic tensions, political instability, and deep cultural divides. Simultaneously, changing political winds in London favored a policy of rapid decolonization and majority rule. The collapse of the Central African Federation was viewed as proof positive that failing to quickly implement majority rule would result in the collapse of European-lead African governments.
An early type brushstroke pattern.
The reality was more complex.
Western-style democratic republics require a certain level of social infrastructure in order to function as intended. While the white population of the Central African Federation carried western traditions with them from Europe, the myriads of African ethnic groups had long traditions of tribal organization along ethnic lines, with their own rivalries and blood feuds.
To address this, Southern Rhodesia had created the best educational system in Africa, spending enormous sums on literacy programs, primary and secondary schools, vocational education, technical colleges, and universities. On a GDP adjusted basis, Southern Rhodesia’s expenditures on education were not just the best in Africa, they were world leading. By 1959 this approach yielded incredible results with roughly 85% native children enrolled in school, a trend that would only accelerate through the 60s. Similar initiatives had developed road and rail networks, the best healthcare system in Africa, modern water purification, and cheap, plentiful electricity.
The British governed protectorates of Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland enjoyed little of this economic or social development. In these areas western ideas held no hope for the future and only served to destabilize traditional power structures. These communities, dominated by subsistence farming and rural poverty, contrasted sharply with the economic miracle happening just across the border.
Fresh from the bloody partition of India, English politicians failed to appreciate the likelihood of a similarly violent outcome in the push for immediate majority rule in their African colonies.
Amid intense pressure to solve Britain’s problems at home, the UK’s rush to divest its colonies created a power vacuum that China and the USSR were more than happy to exploit by funding, training, and arming the Marxist-nationalist ZANU and ZAPU groups in Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland.
Southern Rhodesia unilaterally declared independence (known as “UDI”), from Britain, forming the state of Rhodesia in 1965. And almost in unison, the Bush War began.
Formed around a small cadre of 10,000 highly experienced WWII combat soldiers and airmen, the Rhodesian military benefited from extensive counter-insurgency experience serving alongside British forces in the Malayan Emergency of the 1950s. Due to the stability, security, and prosperity in Rhodesia, the military had no problem recruiting a racially-integrated and majority native fighting force. The 60s and 70s would also see an influx of adventure seeking British and American expats, including many Vietnam veterans…
Cool Camouflage. Where Can I Get Some?
I thought you’d never ask. Made in South Africa, this legendary camo has been brought back to life by kommandostore and it is epic.
A Blank Canvas
Rhodesian camouflage, often referred to as “Rhodesian Brushstroke” or simply “Rhodie camo” is a distinct and highly effective pattern created during the height of the Cold War. Its development was driven by the unique circumstances of the Rhodesian Bush War (1964-1979), a conflict characterized by high tempo counterinsurgency operations and great power proxy warfare.
Prior to the widespread adoption of Rhodesian Brushstroke, the Rhodesian military primarily used camouflage patterns from allied British and Belgian forces. Specifically, the British WWII Denison, Belgian Moon and Ball, and Belgian Brushstroke patterns. Looking at these camouflages it’s easy to see how they influenced the development of Rhodesia’s indigenous camouflage.
Cut Off
Sanctions after ‘UDI’ aimed to isolate Rhodesia economically and politically, but paradoxically spurred swift industrial and economic development in Rhodesia, including production lines for vital military equipment. Without these sanctions, Rhodesian manufacturer David Whitehead Textiles Ltd, would not have been contracted to develop and manufacture a uniform for the nascent Rhodesian military.
2nd Time’s the Charm
The print itself was Designed by Dianana ‘Di’ Cameron, an young print designer at David Whitehead in Salisbury. Di hand painted different patterns and presented her canvases directly to senior military officials. This rapid iteration allowed Rhodesian camo to be put into production quickly, and changes continued to be made over several years.
Di’s ultimate ‘2nd pattern’ design was distinctly organic, with large, high-contrast of light and dark. Together these elements create a layered three-dimensional effect which was more effective than previous British and Belgian designs. Sadly, Di passed away in South Africa due to a stroke around 1995.
Pictured: Our remix of 2nd pattern brushstroke with a few minor differences.
Design Details
The fabric used in original Rhodesian uniforms was a 100% cotton twill available in two weights: a heavy denim-like fabric for use in hats, smocks, and some pants, and a lighter twill for shirts, trousers, shorts, and the like.
Throughout the Bush war, a half dozen local producers manufactured ‘official’ uniforms in these two David Whitehead fabrics. However, due to the ad-hoc nature of military procurement in Rhodesia, a handful of smaller companies and cottage producers also made their own copies and derivatives in various forms. The quality of these original uniforms varied widely; for example, early ‘1st pattern’ Rhodesian camo was infamous for totally washing out in the sun, and throughout the war fabric quality varied significantly.
Rhodesian uniforms were constructed in a variety of styles with different finishing, and trims. However most garments shared the same generous cut which prioritized range of motion, user comfort, and airflow in the hot African climate. Although some ‘arid’ versions of the Rhodesian uniforms were prototyped and trialed, the vast majority of Rhodesian forces simply used fresh uniforms with vibrant colors in the rainy season, and switched to their ‘salty’ sun-faded uniforms during the dry season.
A Stroke Of Genius?
Over the course of the Bush war, Rhodesian Security Forces became known for their military prowess. So much so that their distinctive camouflage acquired a certain prestige in Southern Africa. This association was so strong that the pattern was retained by Robert Mugabe after his successful conquest of the country. While attempts to field other camouflages were made, a variant of Rhodesian Brushstroke remains the current standard uniform to this day, presumably to lend credibility to the Zimbabwe Defense Forces.
Outside of Rhodesia, elite South African units adopted the print for clandestine cross border raids during Border War years. Due to its popularity, commercial manufacture of the print continued in South Africa after the fall of Rhodesia.
Among the most famous post-war manufacturers was Adder (aka. Adro), a company founded by Johan Niemoller in 1981 after he finished service as a SADF Recce. Known for his legendary contributions to innovative SADF webbing systems, Niemoller became an established military outfitter in the 1980s, supplying both the SADF and ‘other interested parties’ like Executive Outcomes. Niemoller’s businesses also enjoyed substantial commercial sales, with Adder Brushstroke appearing in stores and on the pages of Soldier of Fortune in the late 80s and early 90s.
All-Over-The-Globe
Outside of Africa, Rhodesian Brushstroke also made a notable appearance in the year 2000 during the USMC camouflage trials (which would culminate in the development of the MARPAT family of patterns.) Brushstroke was deemed one of the world’s most effective patterns and was evaluated alongside CADPAT and a modified US Tiger Stripe print.
In the US, Brushstroke can also be credited with inspiring the ‘All-Over Brush’ pattern featured in the US Army’s universal camouflage trials which took place between 2002 and 2004.
North Equipment
The dawn of the ANC government in 1994 shuttered most of South Africa’s defense industrial base, including Niemoller’s textile businesses. At this time all of Niemoller’s manufacturing equipment was moved to his property for storage.
Years later Niemoller’s neighbor, a former SADF Parabat with a keen interest in sewing, approached him with a proposal to restart textile manufacturing work in South Africa for the commercial and private security industry. In short order, all of Niemoller’s equipment was moved just across the road.
Our History With Brushstroke
‘Brushstroke’ camo has been in high demand with survivalists, outdoorsmen, and even militaries worldwide since it’s inception — we even had some of our own made in the early days of our business.
Nowadays, an average Google search brings up a minefield of low-quality, Chinese, drop-shipped casualwear — a minefield for anyone who hasn’t properly done their homework.
On the contrast, we can appreciate the passion that goes into actual high-quality reproduction equipment on the market, but it’s certainly scarce.
Our main aim was to do something a little different than everyone else. When it was finally our turn to try our hand at making ‘Brushstroke’, we wanted to make it in Africa, just like it was in its heyday.
Giving It Our Best Shot.
With the aid of local contacts in South Africa, we stumbled across this local business in 2021 while sourcing manufacturers for South African webbing and clothing.
It would take several years, but this working relationship would eventually evolve into the North Equipment brand and our exclusive, locally made 2nd-pattern-inspired Rhodesian Brushstroke using much of the same equipment and staff used by Adder in the 1980s.
Cold, wintry and stormy weather in February can feel overwhelming. Its drab and grey and icy and it seems like warm days are a vast memory of the past. But there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Imagine a quiet February day in a snowy State or Province.
The sky is a seamless blanket of dull grey, stretching endlessly and merging with the horizon. The sun is a mere suggestion behind thick clouds, offering no warmth or light to the landscape below. Bare trees stand like silent sentinels along the empty streets, their branches reaching out like skeletal fingers against the monochrome backdrop. Patches of old snow cling stubbornly to the frozen ground, now more slush than powder, dulled by the passage of time and footsteps.
The air is crisp and biting, carrying a faint hint of dampness that seeps into your bones. The world feels paused—no birds chirping, no leaves rustling—just the distant hum of a car braving the cold. Sidewalks are lined with puddles reflecting the somber sky, and the occasional streetlamp flickers as if struggling against the gloom. It’s that in-between time where winter refuses to release its grip, yet spring feels like a distant hope.
On days like this, it’s easy to feel a sense of ennui, a kind of restless boredom that settles in like the overcast sky. But sometimes, in the midst of all the grey, you might catch a glimpse of something quietly beautiful—a warm light glowing from a window, the intricate patterns of frost on a windowpane, or the simple joy of a hot drink warming your hands.
A Turn?
These drab February days have a way of making us turn inward, reflecting on the past and dreaming of the future. Have you found any small comforts or surprises that brighten up these grey days?
Read
It may be obvious, but ask yourself this: when was the last time you actually sat down and read something good? We’re not talking about an old hard copy magazine or newspaper (remember those?) or scrolling through your social media accounts – we’re referring to an actual book with a great story that allows you to escape to another world. The merits of reading a book are known universally, yet so many of us have neglected these merits – so why not start now? If you’re thinking of what you can read, try searching online for recommended book lists; we’d start with a list of classic novels which people have enjoyed for years, even centuries.
Start a journal
Starting a journal is related to reading, in a way, but if you’ve never had a diary or your last one was way back in high school, now’s the perfect time to start (or re-start). The mere act of writing in a diary or journal is relaxing and reduces stress, and it’s a brilliant way to get a better perspective on an issue or problem. In addition, by writing in a journal, you can effectively release your concerns, ideas, feelings, and emotions so they don’t have to stay repressed inside you.
Play an easy game or two
It may also be the ideal time to unleash your love for gaming – and if you’ve spent many hours playing games as a child, then you know exactly what we mean. For example, you can play a board game with your loved ones, or if you are flying solo, you can play a nice and easy online game like those casino games that are so popular nowadays (you may even win a prize or two!). Look for the best online casino in Canada, and you can’t go wrong if you choose a popular and trustworthy site. Moreover, playing a game helps you de-stress since you’re concentrating on another thing that’s entirely different from your work or home concerns, and it can definitely put you in an excellent mood if you win.
Listen to your favorite tunes
If you’re finding it increasingly difficult to concentrate, you may need to rejuvenate yourself and recharge – and what better way to do it than by listening to your favorite tunes? So bring out your playlist and spend an hour or two getting lost in the music you love – and if you want something more relaxing, try looking for relaxation or meditation songs online. Listening to music can lower your heart and pulse rate and reduce your stress hormone levels. For the Silo, Diane Hutton.
Moltbook, an AI-exclusive social media platform launched just days ago and dubbed the “Reddit for AI agents,” has exploded in popularity online. Within its first week, Moltbook attracted over 1.5 million registered AI agents and more than a million human spectators watching the agents interact with each other, sparking countless posts across human social networks.
The project originated with OpenClaw, an open-source AI agent created by Peter Steinberger that runs locally on a user’s machine. The software allows bots to use a computer and internet services just as a human would. Building on this, entrepreneur Matt Schlicht developed his own OpenClaw agent, named Clawd Clawderberg, and tasked it with coding, moderating, and managing the entire Moltbook platform. Now most moltbots on the platform run on OpenClaw.
Vulnerability of Moltbook
Cybersecurity professionals warn that this setup is terribly insecure and creates massive security vulnerabilities. However, most agree that it’s impossible to suppress public curiosity and discourage experimentation. Instead, they are calling for caution and offering some safety tips.
Karolis Arbaciauskas, head of product at the cybersecurity company NordPass, comments:
“Moltbook and OpenClaw have attracted tech-savvy tinkerers with unprecedented opportunities for experimentation because these tools have virtually no built-in security restrictions but have broad access to users’ computers, apps, and accounts. For example, you can connect to your OpenClaw bot through a messaging app to interact with it while you’re away. It can remember your conversations, read and write files on your computer, browse the web, build applications, and even consult other bots on Moltbook for advice on how to do it best.”
Curiosity Killed The Cat
“While it’s exciting and curious to see what an AI agent can do without any security guardrails, this level of access is also extremely insecure. Therefore, please run Moltbook and your personal bots only in secure, isolated environments.
“Do not give your AI agents access to your real accounts. Instead, create disposable alternatives for them to use. Do not let them use your main browser, especially if you store passwords on it. You should also be cautious with enabling autofill because it creates the risk of the agent having permanent remote access to your credentials. If you want an agent to build something autonomously and anticipate it may need to purchase software or rent server space, link it to a disposable payment card.
“Avoid running Moltbook or OpenClaw agents on your personal or work computers. These AI agents are unpredictable and highly vulnerable to prompt injection attacks. This means if your agent processes an email, document, or webpage containing a hidden malicious instruction, it will likely execute that command in addition to its original task. For example, it could be instructed to send all the credentials, personal data, and payment card information it has access to directly to an attacker.
“The risk isn’t limited to hackers with malicious intent. AI agents could leak users’ data unintentionally. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Cybersecurity researchers have already identified critical flaws in Moltbook, including an unsecured database that could allow unauthorized users to take control of any AI agent on the site.
Launching Bots That Con?
“It would not be surprising if threat actors, trolls, and scammers have already found their way onto Moltbook and launched bots tasked with conning other AI agents into cryptocurrency schemes or luring them into hidden prompt injections.
“That’s why it is best to buy a separate, dedicated machine and use disposable accounts for any experimentation. It is also advisable to use encryption and a private mesh network as well as to try to harden your bot against prompt injections.”
Why on earth do you collect old Simmons electronic drums?” At some point I stopped counting how often I was asked this question. But probably the following story is a part of the answer.
Years ago, in May 2015, a scientific assistant of the National Museum of Music Research in Berlin contacted me. He explained that his institute is running a musical instruments museum. They were planning a special exhibition about the history of electronic musical instruments and if I would be willing to provide a Simmons exhibit. Of course I was!
Presenting Simmons gear is always better than storing it until the end of days. But nothing happened. He did finally contact me again and we negotiated the conditions. He was interested in an SDSV and I preferred to bring it by car (600km) rather than unromantically sending it with a carrier. Although the exhibition was from March to June, the institute needed the exhibits at the end of November in order to make the catalogue in time. So just a week before that deadline, I jumped into my car with a blue SDSV with brain and cymbal pad plus my Suitcase Kit and headed for Berlin.
Incidentally at the same time there was another SDSV for sale in Berlin.
I took the opportunity to bring one kit to the museum but also to bring a new kit back home. However… I had the chance to visit the museum and I am glad that I did. It was extremely cool!
Musical instruments representing all centuries.
Musical instruments I have never heard of. Very impressive. If you happened to have been in the Berlin area between March 25th and June 25th at that time and managed to visit the special exhibition “Good Vibrations – A story about electronic musical instruments” you know exactly what I am talking about. If you missed out- there is always this video to fill the void:
Early in the morning… Don’t make appointments at noon if you have 600km to go
At least not much traffic at that time
12:30. We are about to land soon
First stop in Berlin: Appointment with the seller of a white SDSV pad set. To be honest: A friend of mine asked me NOT to buy those pads and leave them for him. I agreed. He had been waiting for years to find a pad set for his brain. A round of applause for my modesty, please…
There is still some time until I meet the guy from the museum. Time to discover some essential buildings
Finally! The hall of fame!
After we brought the gear inside I explained how to set up the kit right
Inside the box on the left there’s a Mini Moog. The exhibition will include around 70 exhibits
I am invited to visit the museum.
It is much much bigger than I thought. It shows classical instruments from the 17th century as well as contemporary gear. But the focus is on classical instruments. My favorite exhibit is a “Trautonium”, a predecessor of the synthesizer
This is the space for the special exhibition. In some special events some of the gear will be explained and played
The craziest musical instrument I have ever seen. The organ is only the controller of a hall full of instruments like percussion, snares, timpanies, chromatic percussion, organ pipes… all triggered by compressed air.
I counted more than 20 harpsichords. All vintage and all restored in the institutes own workshop
I really recommend this museum if you are interested in music.
I will come and visit again (Will any of the instruments still recognize me?) and of course I went back to pick up my SDSV once the exhibition had ended. For the Silo, Wolfgang Stoelzle. Read much, much more about Simmons drums at Wolfgang’s blog here.
Missoku is a traditional Japanese breathing practice rooted in Zen philosophy, emphasizing slow, intentional breaths to cultivate calm, focus, and inner awareness. This article explores its origins, cultural significance, and practical steps for integrating Missoku into modern life.
Akikazu Nakamurabegan his professional journey as a quantum chemist, having graduated from the Department of Applied Chemistry at Yokohama National University. However, it wasn’t long until he turned to the shakuhachi for his future career.
Akikazu studied under numerous shakuhachi masters, including Katsuya Yokohama. He then went on to study composition and jazz theory at Berklee College of Music, USA, graduating summa cum laude. He finished his tertiary studies at the New England Conservatory of Music as a scholarship student in the Master of Music Composition and the Third Stream program.
His compositions are diverse and include orchestral music, choral music, chamber music, big band music, and traditional Japanese music.
He has established a performance method that makes full use of overtones, multiphonics, the traditional Japanese breathing technique of ‘Missoku’, and his own originally developed method of circular breathing, which involves exhaling and inhaling at the same time.
The Zen Origins of Missoku
ミソク
While staying true to the traditions of the Komusō monks and collecting, analyzing, and performing their repertoire, he also performs rock, jazz and classical music using a (previously unknown to the English-speaking world) Japanese Zen breathing technique of Missoku. Realizing that others will benefit from this technique and use it to pave a path towards a peaceful and mindful life, he has shared this zen secret of Japanese culture in this comprehensive book.
Final Thoughts: Rediscovering a Cultural Treasure
The interest in all things Japan, as well as the increasing effort to center both physical and mental health as a core value of any flourishing society, leads to the nexus explored in this book, Missoku, a unique breathing method that has been handed down through Japanese Zen tradition.
Missoku is a form of breathing in which the pelvis is tilted and the abdomen is in an expanded state. It’s proven to be effective in sports, martial arts, dance, theatre, and playing musical instruments. The benefits to overall health and stamina are bountiful. One incentive includes an increase in respiration capacity, which in turn stimulates the brain, balances autonomic nerves, and improves immune defenses.
People Also Ask
Q: Is Missoku the same as meditation?
No. Missoku is a breathing technique that can be used within meditation but also stands alone as a physical and mental discipline.
Q: How often should I practice Missoku?
Beginners can start with 5–10 minutes daily, gradually increasing as comfort grows.
Q: Is Missoku used in martial arts?
Yes. Many Japanese martial traditions incorporate controlled breathing to enhance focus, timing, and calmness.
Q: Can Missoku help with stress?
Yes. Slow, intentional breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing stress and improving emotional regulation.
Why Missoku Matters in Modern Life
Missoku is a lesser‑known Japanese breathing discipline connected to Zen Buddhism and traditional arts such as tea ceremony, martial arts, and calligraphy. It teaches practitioners to synchronize breath with movement and awareness, promoting emotional regulation, clarity, and a grounded sense of presence. The article explains the cultural roots of Missoku, how it differs from Western breathwork, and why it remains an overlooked but powerful tool for stress reduction and mindfulness.
There’s an old joke, later made into an internet meme, that goes something like this: “Have you seen my dog? He has brown fur, he’s missing his right ear, blind in one eye and has three legs. He answers to the name of ‘Lucky’.” An underdog if ever there was one. And it’s in that spirit that I share the next installment of a sadly, almost endless list of cars with not-so-good reputations. They’re cars that for reasons neither I, my parents, my children, my wife, my close friends, nor even mere acquaintances can explain—I still want.
1980–82 Ferrari Mondial 8
Ferrari
What it is: The Mondial was the replacement for the Bertone-designed Ferrari (Dino) 308 GT4, a rather underrated, wedge-shaped mid-engine 2+2. The Mondial incorporated some of the design language of the Berlinetta Boxer and the Testarossa along with a pair of semi-usable rear seats. A cabriolet was added later.
What makes it bad: Road & Track asked if this was Ferrari’s Oldsmobile. Ouch. The two-valve, fuel-injected 3.0-liter V-8 was a bit of a dog. With a little over 210-horsepower, the Mondial 8 took an excruciating 9 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour. Mondial 8s were rust-prone and had fuse boxes reminiscent of the junior electrical engineer educational toy that brother bought my kid for his birthday a few years ago. Some people also found them unattractive. I find that assessment harsh, but truth be told, its predecessor, the 308 GT4 has aged better.
Why I want one: Ten years ago, I had a 308 GTS. It was great. Reliable (once I replaced the fuse box with a modern one), and a lot of fun to drive. Was it fast? Not really, but it sounded great, smelled great, and was wonderful to look at. Sadly, today I’d have to settle for a project car for what I paid for my perfect 21,000-mile 308 back then, so a Mondial is kind of it Ferrari-wise, unless I want to launch a raid on my kids’ college funds. I think the key here is to buy a coupe (the only way the two-valve 8 came). In black, they’re actually quite attractive, and there’s nothing like the sound of the little flat-plane crank V-8 and the tactility of a real gated shifter.
1985–89 Merkur XR4Ti
Ford
What it is: Ford had one success to its name in importing and selling one of its European sporty cars—the Capri was a sort of mini-Mustang that was hugely popular until exchange rate fluctuations made it less profitable to sell here. By the early 1980s, the exchange rate again favored the U.S. dollar and then-V.P. of Ford Bob Lutz thought it might be a good idea to import an Americanized version of the Ford Sierra, under the banner of “Merkur,” which is German for “Mercury.” Get it? The 2.3-liter turbo four, also found in the Thunderbird Turbo Coupe and SVO Mustang made the XR4Ti a credible E30 BMW competitor, but like every car on this list, there were issues.
What makes it bad: Apparently European Ford quality in the ’80s wasn’t at the top of the priority list and the XR4Ti suffered from electrical problems, overheating, and turbochargers with a short life. Mercury dealers despised them, and with Ford’s then-new 48-month/50,000-mile warranty, they saw tons of them. After 1989, the Merkur signs came down and Ford was done with the XR4Ti and its larger brother the Scorpio. Immediately after warranties expired, Merkurs began the not-so-slow slog into the automotive fossil record.
Why I want one: I love the Merkur’s many quirks like the goofy biplane rear spoiler, and XR4Tis are rare even at RADwood or LeMons events, which is precisely why I want one. Honestly, you could do worse that to put together a collection of Bob Lutz-inspired cars—Everything from a BMW Bavaria, to a Viper and a Pontiac G8. An XR4Ti would fit nicely in the middle, and a perfectly nice one would barely cost five figures.
1980–81 Triumph TR8
Triumph
What it is: The Triumph TR7 was supposed to be the car that brought the British sports car out of the paleolithic era of pushrod tractor engines and separate bodies and chassis. And while the story that Harris Mann designed it on the back of a cocktail napkin (after a lot of cocktails) might be apocryphal, it’s totally plausible. The idea behind the TR8 was to make buyers forget about the four-cylinder TR7’s odd looks by offering V-8 noise and performance. The ex-Olds/Buick/Pontiac aluminum 3.5-liter V-8 by Rover just about did the trick.
What makes it bad: The same thing that made every British car of the era bad—lousy workmanship, poor quality components from suppliers that still included the infamous Lucas, and low R&D budgets. While the TR8 was predominantly produced in what was arguably one of Jaguar/Rover/Triumph’s better plants (the Rover factory in Solihull which is still cranking out Land Rovers to this day), the TR7’s reputation soiled the TR8.
Why I want one: What can I say? I’m a glutton for punishment, and I happen to love a V-8 stuffed into a small British sports car. Of the three most famous—Shelby Cobra, Sunbeam Tiger and Triumph TR8—only the latter remains affordable. Nice ones can be had in the high-teens to low-20s.
1975–76 Chevrolet Cosworth Vega
Chevrolet
What it is: The Cosworth Vega was supposed to be a high-performance version of the compact Vega that had debuted for 1971. Cosworth in the U.K. developed an alloy DOHC cylinder head for the Vega’s four-cylinder, which was mated with Bendix electronic fuel injection. It was very modern, very European.
What makes it bad: While the Vega finally had a smooth, powerful engine, it still made 110 horsepower instead of the anticipated 140. Then there was the fact that it still wore the maligned Vega badge, and while good handling and balance were always part of the package, indifferent assembly quality and rustproofing were in the Vega’s DNA as well. Oh, and it was also barely cheaper than a Corvette.
Why I want one: The magazines of the day touted Cosworth Vegas as instant collectibles, and many of the cars were stored, or intentionally kept with very low miles. The idea of owning a genuine Malaise Era time-capsule is more than intriguing. Plus, I’ve always liked the way Vegas look, a bit like miniature Camaros.
1983–89 Isuzu Impulse
Isuzu
What it is: Isuzu had a surprisingly fruitful relationship with the great Giorgetto Giugiaro of Italdesign, and it stretched back to the 1960s, when Giugiaro styled the lovely Isuzu 117 coupe. That car lasted all the way up until 1981, so because of its longevity and popularity, its successor had to be something special. The car was teased as a nearly production-ready Isuzu “Ace of Clubs” concept car. It went on sale the next year as the Piazza outside of North America, and as the Impulse in the U.S. and Canada.
What made it bad: Seemingly, the entire budget for the car went to Italdesign. Brakes, chassis and engine were bargain-basement stuff, as under its pretty Italian skin, the Piazza/Impulse was based on the General Motors T-car platform. That’s right, it wouldn’t be much of a stretch to call the Impulse a Chevette in an Italian suit. Things did get a bit better later in the car’s run with turbocharging and chassis refinements by Lotus, but few were sold and almost none survive.
Why I want one: The low survivorship factor makes these cars exceedingly rare, and it’s one of the few opportunities that anyone has to own something that looks like an ’80s concept car. It’s also an opportunity to be king for a day at RADwood, and when Impulses do turn up, they’re almost always cheap.
This report via our friends at Canadian thinktank C.D. Howe Institute, argues that front-end security screening cannot replace in-person questioning at a hearing.
Accepting Asylum Claims Without Hearings Raises Legal, Security, and Integrity Risks
January, 2026 – Since 2019, the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) has accepted tens of thousands of asylum claims without holding an oral hearing through a paper-based process known as “File Review.” A new report from the C.D. Howe Institute argues that this policy raises serious legal, security, and governance concerns, may exceed the IRB’s authority, and risks undermining core safeguards in Canada’s asylum system.
In “Accepting Asylum Claims Without a Hearing: A Critique of IRB’s ‘File Review’ Policy,” lawyer James Yousif examines how File Review originated as a pilot during the 2017 Yeates Review, when structural reforms, including the possible dissolution of the Refugee Protection Division (RPD), were under consideration. The policy was formally institutionalized in 2019. Introduced as an efficiency measure, the policy allows certain categories of claims – defined by nationality and claim type – to be accepted without questioning claimants or holding a hearing.
Irreplaceable: Oral Interview
The report argues that front-end security screening cannot replace in-person questioning at a hearing, which can reveal inconsistencies, misrepresentation, and inadmissibility concerns that may not be detectable through document review alone.
The report finds that File Review did not achieve its stated objective of reducing the asylum backlog. Despite substantial increases in IRB staffing, resources, and annual decision output between 2016 and 2024, the backlog expanded dramatically from roughly 17,000 claims to nearly 300,000. Over the same period, Canada’s overall asylum acceptance rate rose to approximately 80 percent, roughly double that of peer jurisdictions.
While global migration pressures, post-pandemic travel patterns, and other policy factors contributed to the surge in claims, the report cautions that maintaining a policy that permits rapid acceptance of claims without hearings may reinforce perceptions of speed, success, and reduced scrutiny – potentially increasing Canada’s attractiveness as an asylum destination.
So Called ‘Soft Law’ Was Used To Implement Policy
The report notes that File Review was implemented by the IRB unilaterally using a Chairperson’s Instruction, a form of internal “soft law” typically used for tribunal operations, not for system-wide policy change. The report also raises concerns about adjudicative independence. It argues that File Review may improperly fetter the discretion of RPD adjudicators, delegate aspects of fact-finding functions to non-adjudicative staff, and impose a mandatory internal consultation process. These features, the report suggests, may be inconsistent with established principles of administrative law.
The report concludes that the File Review policy should be brought to an end and that the default requirement of oral hearings should be restored. While this would likely reduce short-term decision volumes, the author argues that a more rigorous adjudicative process would strengthen long-term system integrity, better protect genuine refugees, and help restore public confidence.
“Efficiency gains that rely on shortcuts may prove illusory,” says Yousif. “A policy that prioritizes speed over scrutiny risks reinforcing the very pressures it is meant to relieve.”
The “Russian Code”, one of Raketa’s most emblematic models with a counterclockwise movement, is now launched in a version that dedicated to the all cities and countries where Raketa is present in the world. The first exclusive edition of 50 numbered watches is dedicated to Qatar where Raketa is represented by the prestigious retail store “Blue Salon”.
The Raketa brand (meaning “space rocket” in Russian) was created in 1961 in honour of the first manned spaceflight by the Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. For 65 years, the Raketa Watch Factory has been accompanying space exploration by engineering watches for cosmonauts and drawing continual inspiration from the space. In 2026, the brand will mark this anniversary date with a collection of exclusive space‑themed watch models and collaborations.
The beautiful three-layered dial of the Raketa “Russian Code – Qatar Edition” displays the night sky that was over Qatar on the day it received its independence — September 3, 1971. Depending on the lighting, the blue disk structure emits bright rays of light, bringing to life the constellations printed on the dial.
Behind the elegant design lies the revolutionary concept that time should move in harmony with the natural counterclockwise movement of the planets in our Solar System. Therefore, just like the planets around the Sun, the hands of this model rotate in a counterclockwise direction around the dial. To emphasize this idea, a red circle symbolizing a planet at the tip of the second hand, moves counterclockwise above the applied blue coated numerals.
This edition limited to 50 pieces is available:
▸ In Russia: exclusively in all of Raketa’s channels of sales (online and offline stores) in very limited quantities. ▸ Outside Russia: exclusively at Raketa’s partner and the leading luxury brand store in Qatar: Blue Salon.
Moral Hazard – A situation where one party assumes greater risk because it understands that another will remedy the harmful effects.
While the hundreds of billions of dollars in U.S. foreign assistance spent over the years have dramatically improved many people’s lives and livelihoods around the world, too often the United States’ approach to foreign assistance failed to advance U.S. interests, failed to spur systematic development, and enabled and perpetuated dependence and corruption by leaders in recipient countries. Since 1991, the United States has provided more than $200 billion in foreign assistance to Africa, yet the African Union reports that African countries lose an estimated $88 billion each year through tax evasion, money laundering, and corruption. Too often, what is needed for economic growth and development is not more money, but sound reforms that incentivize enduring private investment and growth.
Instead of insisting on mutual accountability to use U.S. assistance to address the causes of poverty and underdevelopment, too often we funded outputs to allay the symptoms. In so doing, we failed both the American taxpayer and the citizens of developing countries who looked to their governments and ours to help create the conditions to realize a better future.
For decades, the United States did not have a consistent policy as to even whether assistance was charity or a foreign policy tool. We did not require a committed partner, a coherent business plan, equity collateral at risk, or funding subject to performance-based disbursements. We infantilized recipient governments instead of having candid discussions on mutual performance expectations. Too often our approach to developing countries – frequently perpetuated by the excuses of those same governments – reflected the soft bigotry of low expectations. We excused away the lack of political will as “capacity constraints,” dismissed it with “we shouldn’t expect too much,” and did not challenge them when governments acted in contrast to their professed commitments.
Too often, we were content to confuse governments’ commitments for actions. We misinterpreted our access to leaders as influence with those leaders. We mischaracterized aid projects’ outputs as outcomes and program objectives as results. We misconstrued governments’ permission for us to expend aid as evidence that they shared a commitment to advance professed objectives. Perhaps worst, we failed to acknowledge when leaders of aid recipient countries demonstrated over and over through their actions that they prioritized their personal interests over, and at the expense of, the interests of their own country and citizens. Virtually never did we withhold assistance funds because host governments failed to deliver on their commitments, instead we responded by providing even more aid “because they have needs.” By trying to save people from bearing the brunt of the bad governance and corruption of their leaders, we helped perpetuate that very same corruption and bad governance.
Quite simply, we violated the central maxim of international development: the donor cannot want development more than the recipient. By doing so, we fueled moral hazard. From the pure greed of Malawi’s “Cashgate” scandal under Joyce Banda to the systematic kleptocracies of Bangladesh or South Sudan, by back filling health and social service needs recklessly created by bad governance, we have enabled and underwritten government corruption. In the worst cases, such as the predatory abuses of Mali’s Ibrahim Keita or Guinea’s Alpha Conde against their own populations, corruption and the failure to deliver basic public services needs led to military coups and incursions by terrorist organizations.
American foreign assistance is not charity but a tool to advance American diplomacy, security, and prosperity.
To accomplish these goals, we must focus our assistance and insist on administering it with host-government buy-in and mutual accountability for outcomes. This, in turn, will leave space for market driven growth that will also help close off the means by which malign international actors exploit developing economies and workers. We should not be dissuaded by detractors who will attempt to vilify a more transactional approach as “neocolonialism.” Quite the opposite is true. By insisting on systematic reforms that spur transparent and accountable growth and allow governments to retain funds to support their people, the United States can do more to catalyze actual economic development and the upliftment of developing countries’ societies – and advance tangible U.S. interests – better than we have in recent decades. It is the dependency-oriented, NGO-driven old model of development that is fundamentally colonial in mindset – refusing to respect development nation sovereignty, determinism, or agency.
Operationalizing this approach involves adopting investment-oriented goals, requirements, and incentives:
A Serious Host Nation: Secretary Rubio has been clear, “Americans should not fund failed governments in faraway lands…we will favor those nations that have demonstrated both the ability and the willingness to help themselves.” If a government is not already taking steps to stem corruption and grow the economy when its own funds are at stake, we should have no expectation that they will be better stewards of U.S. funds. Without an aligned host-government, we should focus our resources elsewhere.
The Right Focus: Our purpose is not to give money away, but to catalyze systemic reforms that enable sustainable growth and opportunities for the U.S. and recipient country. Neither governments nor donors create growth; instead, our roles are to foster conditions for the private sector to invest, create jobs, spur growth, and pay taxes to fund public services. Hence, U.S. foreign assistance should focus on curbing corruption and overcoming and remediating binding constraints to growth to lay the foundation for a transparent, level, and accountable business enabling environment.
Confidence in The Business Plan: Most developing countries have national development plans, but too often they are unresourced and unprioritized works of fantasy, and seldom do governments enforce accountability for their actual implementation. What President Trump explained in clearly delineating America’s national interests in this year’s National Security Strategy is equally true of developing countries: when everything is supposedly a priority, nothing really can be. We should help sincere host governments develop focused, realistic strategies based on core sectors and targeting key constraints that are founded on candid analysis and include specific, tailored tactics.
Skin in the Game: If a country is not going to put its own resources behind an effort, it is either not really a priority, they are not really serious, or they don’t have confidence in their plan. Few investors would engage where the owner hasn’t put collateral down or his own equity at risk. Why should foreign assistance not require the same? Here, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) has demonstrated two key best practices that ensure buy-in. The first is a requirement for co-financing by the host government. The second is conditions precedent: tangible reform actions a host government takes before funding even begins, to enable the success of the project outcomes.
The Right Resources: Again, our purpose is not to give assistance away, and the history of both corruption and assistance has shown that money is not what is most lacking to spur development. So, building on an analysis of binding constraints to growth and a business plan that we have confidence in, it is incumbent on the United States and the recipient government to craft a bespoke package of technical assistance interventions to inform and enable the reforms needed. This should not be an approach of letting a thousand flowers bloom, and it must not be built around the question of “how can we help?” Instead, we must start with the questions “what are the outcomes we want to achieve in the American interest and what needs to happen to realize them?” and build an assistance program around that.
Have a Contract: Unlike the Development Objective Agreements (DOAGs) of USAID that bound the U.S. to fund sectors but seldom included host governments’ performance commitments, the MCC model again provides a best practice. Explicitly detailing shared objectives and commitments by both governments – typically ratified by the legislature to carry the force of law – reduces uncertainty and improves accountability by enshrining the binding obligations of both parties.
Performance-Based Funding: Too often, once development projects were approved, donors’ focus turned inward to implementation, achieving outputs, and keeping funds flowing even if receiving governments actively undermined them. Gradually, funding agencies have begun shifting to performance-based disbursements. By requiring a host government to demonstrate – through its actions, not merely its rhetoric – that it remains politically and financially committed to achieve professed objectives, we ensure that U.S. assistance achieves greater impacts.
Under President Trump and Secretary Rubio’s leadership, we have the opportunity and courage to acknowledge our mistakes, to embrace candid lessons learned, and to do better. America’s generosity in doing business with those who help themselves remains as strong as ever. We are not turning away from less developed nations, instead now is the time to lean in to lend a useful hand to those who are sincere and treat them as mature stakeholders. In engaging valued, sincere nations, nothing should be imposed, hidden, given as ultimatums, or come at the partner’s expense; we are not China. Foreign assistance that delivers for the American people and our partners must be founded on sincere, voluntary, and transparent engagement. But it must be backed by tangible action and, if a recipient nation proves through their actions that they are not committed to our professed shared objectives, our allegiance must first be to the American people to be stewards of their resources.
Having dedicated my life and career to Africa and the developing world, I am invigorated by the massive potential these nations possess, and I have witnessed how the United States can help turn that potential into a reality that benefits both nations. By restructuring our approach to foreign assistance and engaging developing countries based on national interest, we can help curb the corruption that deprives families of the hope of that better future. We can deliver lasting and systematic growth alongside recipient countries. And, we can deliver tangible value for the American people through a more secure and prosperous world.
For the Silo, U.S. Ambassador Michael C. Gonzales.
Michael C. Gonzales is the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Zambia and the U.S. Special Representative to the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). He has held senior posts throughout Africa and Asia over his career.
Don’t worry, we will get to the jacket- but first the story starts in 1836 in Victorian England. And it you weren’t there you didn’t miss anything. It included a grumpy-looking queen, bad weather, a lot of sexual repression, and rich people throwing buckets of human waste out of their windows.
On the plus side it also had a bunch of scientists running around like kids on acid. One of them was Michael Faraday – Victorian England’s answer to David Blaine.
Over the last 190 years the Faraday cage has gone from a crazy Victorian scientist sitting inside an electrical storm, to critical black-ops architecture, to a wildly experimental jacket that looks like it’s emerged from a craft in Dune.
A Faraday cage at the US Bureau of Standards (now NIST) used to protect delicate measuring instruments from electromagnetic fields.
Now Michael was a showman. But instead of freezing himself in ice, or suspending himself in a glass box, his trick was making super abstract physics feel tangible. And his greatest stunt of all was standing inside an electrical storm. In front of a packed out theatre at the Royal Institution in Mayfair, Faraday lined a large wooden box with metal foil, hit it with discharges from high voltage electrical machines… then calmly stepped inside. Sparks crackled across the outside of the enclosure. Blue light crawled over the metal skin. Faraday meanwhile stood there in silence. Like the final boss. While the energy simply flowed around him.
It might have looked like he’d built his own supersized coffin – complete with all the necessary equipment to kill him – but it turned out Faraday understood equations as well as he understood spectacle.
Made from approx. 50% copper
Blocks electromagnetic waves from 0.2GHz to 14GHz
Eight-pocket defensive storage system with shielding flaps
By the time he stepped into his foil-lined cube, he’d already spent years dismantling older ideas of electricity.
A Faraday cage isn’t a wall. It’s a detour. When an electromagnetic field hits a conductive enclosure, the free electrons inside it immediately start to flow, redistributing themselves across the surface until the field inside is cancelled out. Build the right shape from the right material, and electricity behaves like water flowing around a rock.
It’s one of the simplest demonstrations of how matter tells fields what they are allowed to do. The impact of Faraday’s experiment quickly escaped the lecture hall – because the Faraday cage didn’t just deflect static charge, but whole regions of the radio frequency and microwave spectrum.
The principle was applied in bunkers, test chambers and secure rooms. Then in spacecraft, data centres, radar installations and intelligence facilities, where even a stray spike of interference can crash systems or corrupt data. Today our Faraday Cage Jacket is a descendant not only of that wooden box, but everything that followed in its footsteps. It’s the same physics. Just shrunk. Softened. And wearable. And you can join the waiting list here.
We designed it from scratch, using the principles of clothing and electromagnetic infrastructure at the same time.
And this is what transforms it from a pure physics experiment, to an object that looks like it’s just emerged from a craft in Dune. Most of us spend our lives today inside a semi-permanent yet completely invisible electromagnetic fog: radio waves from antennas. Microwaves from routers. Radar from aircraft. Signals bouncing between satellites, phones, vehicles and buildings.
So the first Faraday Cage Jacket treats that electromagnetic energy the same way someone climbing Everest would treat cold weather – as something you can defend against, and insulate yourself from. It blocks electromagnetic waves across the 0.2–14GHz range. This includes all the unseen wiring of the digital age: WiFi at 2.4GHz and 5GHz. Bluetooth at around 2.4GHz. Mobile networks. As well as higher-frequency Ku-band satellite and radar systems. In lab testing the material reaches shielding effectiveness figures of up to 92 dB – for reference this is the kind of level normally associated with secure infrastructure and electromagnetic test laboratories.
Every seam and every opening affects how energy moves across the jacket.
So the job of the design is to manage those electromagnetic fields.
And that’s why the jacket is built from large, faceted spaceship-style panels and snap-down flaps. Overlapping sections create layered shielding zones and add 10 – 20 dB more attenuation. Each overlap is another place for energy to be redirected – another chance to keep it moving around the body instead of through it.
The jacket’s eight pockets are designed the same way. Instead of flat bags stitched onto a shell, they’re three-dimensional, origami-like bellows pockets that form enclosed volumes that behave less like pockets and more like small rooms – put a device inside one of these pockets and it’s almost impossible to track, hack or even call. So if you’re looking to shield yourself from the dystopian conditions our future digital overlords set – whether that’s surveillance, space radiation, or select parts of the electromagnetic spectrum – the Faraday Cage Jacket belongs in your future.
Technical Details
Outer material: Shieldex® Kiel + 30 non-woven shielding textile
Material composition: 48% copper, 46.5% polyamide, protective acrylic coating
Textile normally used to shield rooms and electronic environments
Shielding effectiveness: up to 92 dB in lab testing
Blocks electromagnetic waves from 0.2GHz to 14GHz
Thermally and electrically conductive
Naturally antimicrobial
Eight pockets including double-entry origami bellows pockets
Snap-down pocket flaps to add additional shielding
Why do we ignore the greatest threats to our pets well being, vulnerability to wildfires, floods, tornadoes, and other disasters?
Enter PHaR (Pet Help & Rescue app): the world’s first pet evacuation app.
Using a tight neighbors network, when disasters strike, activate the app, for a dedicated channel to arrange the rescue of your beloved animal companion.
Dave Crawford, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Animal Help Now, helped write the country’s first state legislative bill to double fines for traffic infractions in wildlife crossing zones; spearheaded RMAD’s nationwide boycott of Nalgene water bottles; stopped a multinational organization from building a Plexiglas zoo at Rocky Mountain National Park; and produced the country’s first video exposing conditions inside intensive egg facilities.
Crawford says, “PHaR was produced following the Marshall fire (Boulder County, CO; December 30, 2021), which took the lives of an estimated 1,000 dogs, cats and other pets.
Studies show – as did David’s personal experience in the Marshall Fire – that when disasters strike and you’re not home, your neighbors are your best bet to have your pets evacuated. PHaR is the only app of its kind. Not only in Canada and the United States, but in the entire world.”
A view of the destruction post tornado Moore, Oklahoma.
With this animal-focused tech nonprofit app, record and then, when needed, provide to your trusted contacts all the info they need to evacuate your beloved pets, including where their go-bag is, where their meds are, where they hide when scared, and how to get into your home.
For more info, visit www.AHNow.orgwww.PHaR.org @animalhelpnow @animalhelpnowapp (IG) @pethelpandrescue
More about the non profit
Animal Help Now, a nonprofit which operates its namesake wildlife emergency app, created PHaR. The 30-month effort started a week after the Marshall fire and culminated in the nationwide release on July 5, 2024.
Animal Help Now is a volunteer-based nonprofit with a budget under $200,000 USD/ $276,000 CAD. Creating PHaR was possible only because of public support and the dedication, perseverance and hard work of the organization’s mission-driven volunteers.
More about David:
David Crawford is co-founder and executive director of Animal Help Now. Dave has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and Mass Communication. He has been working on animal issues since 1989. He is co-founder and former long-time executive director of Rocky Mountain Animal Defense (RMAD). In that role, Dave led one of the most respected and effective regional animal advocacy organizations in the country; he produced the country’s first video exposing conditions inside intensive egg facilities; and he led the successful effort to stop a multinational organization from building a Plexiglas zoo at the Estes Park entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. RMAD also convened the first national conference on prairie dogs – the 2001 Prairie Dog Summit – and was central to the founding of the Prairie Dog Coalition. For the Silo, Kat Fleischman.
Broad Arrow Lights Up the Collector Car Market An Exciting Preview Event at the Iconic Roland-Garros Stadium Roland-Garros Stadium, among the most storied venues in sport, sets the stage for a live preview of iconic collector cars to be offered in the upcoming Global Icons: Europe Online auction 27 – 30 January.
The Headliner
Headlining the event is one of Formula One’s pivotal machines: the 1992 Benetton B192 that Michael Schumacher drove to his first Grand Prix victory at Spa-Francorchamps in 1992.
Presented alongside cars going under the online hammer, a pre-war Bugatti Type 18 known as ‘Black Bess’ will appear courtesy of the Netherlands’ Luwman Museum, a car once owned by French aviation pioneer Roland Garros himself. Guests will also find activations from select global brands and a curated program of experiences throughout the venue.
1913 Bugatti Type 18 ‘Black Bess’ On Display Courtesy of “Louwman Museum”
Our friends at Broad Arrow are pleased to announce that all lots are now live and open for bidding in the Global Icons series of online auctions.
With over 80 collector cars offered across Global Icons: Europe Online and Global Icons: UK Online, plus 100 lots of authentic memorabilia in Global Icons: Memorabilia Online , there’s something for every collector. Register to view and/or bid now. Automotive lots close on 30 January, with memorabilia following on 1 February.
Meet Broad Arrow Car Specialist – Yves Boitel
Getting behind the wheel of a Jaguar D-Type is an unforgettable experience, one Yves Boitel describes as a raw, mechanical connection between driver, machine, and road. Every input passes through an engineering masterpiece designed to endure the grueling conditions of a twenty-four-hour race.
Now bringing to market cars like the Jaguar D-Type XKD 551, sold at last year’s inaugural Zürich auction, and currently representing the Benetton B192-05 in which Michael Schumacher claimed his first Formula One victory, Yves’s journey into the collector car world began earlier than most, with his first words as a toddler being car brands.
He immersed himself in the hobby from there, developing an appreciation for the individual stories behind each car and what separates the significant examples from their contemporaries.
After completing his economics degree in Zürich, Yves joined Lamborghini at Sant’Agata Bolognese, then spent nearly eight years with one of Switzerland’s most respected classic car dealers—a foundation in the industry that continues to shape his work today.
Yves’s enthusiasm surfaces most clearly when discussing sports cars from the fifties and sixties, and rally cars from the seventies, an era he has studied extensively. On a more personal level, he has a particular affinity for Lancia and BMW. Two of the latter see regular exercise under his ownership, though his interests reach well beyond those marques to any car that introduced meaningful technology for its era or carries compelling provenance, especially when accompanied by thorough historical documentation.
Based in Switzerland and fluent in German, English, and Italian, Yves travels regularly to meet clients and attend international automotive events. He’ll be at Rétromobile and the live preview at Roland-Garros Stadium, where he welcomes the opportunity to connect.
Turn Your Garage into a Motorsports Hall of Fame
Showcase your passion for motorsports with artifacts from Global Icons: Memorabilia Online
Collecting motorsport memorabilia offers more than decoration. It provides a tangible link to the moments that defined the sport, moments where drivers demonstrated unrelenting courage, pushing technological marvels to their limits for a chance at lasting glory.
Broad Arrow will present a curated selection of authentic motorsport memorabilia at the upcoming Global Icons: Memorabilia Online online auction, featuring race-worn artifacts from hall of fame drivers like John Surtees and Ayrton Senna, alongside pieces from drivers who will inevitably be remembered among the greats.
Select lots will be available for live preview in Paris. We invite you to register to attend the live preview event at Roland-Garros Stadium and to view the lots on display on the Broad Arrow Rétromobile stand. Bidding begins to close on 1 February starting at 19:00 (CET).
Celebrating Record Attendance at InterClassics Maastricht
When 44,323 people show up to a classic car event, you know something special is happening. The 31st edition of InterClassics Maastricht just set a new attendance record, further cementing its place among Europe’s premier classic car events.
Beyond the expected displays of iconic classics and sought-after modern performance machines, the show offered something more: “Legends of the Rising Sun,” a centennial celebration of Japanese automotive innovation. The exhibit gathered landmarks from Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, and others, including the 2000GT, Skyline GT-R R34, and 787B, into one curated space.
As a partner of InterClassics, Broad Arrow welcomed guests into our VIP lounge, offering a chance to step off the show floor, connect with our team, and absorb the event’s energy surrounded by exceptional automobiles.
Private Sales in Paris Exceptional Collector Cars Available for Immediate Acquisition Broad Arrow Private Sales is bringing an exciting lineup to Paris, with cars available for immediate acquisition, no waiting for the gavel to fall.
At Roland-Garros Stadium, alongside our curated preview for Global Icons: Europe Online, you’ll find an exceptionally original 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Coupe, an ultra-rare 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS Lightweight, and a virtually untouched 2022 Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4.
Across the city at the landmark Rétromobile event, 1,001 horsepower worth of conversation starter in the form of a recently listed 2008 Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 Coupe will be among the collector cars on display on the Broad Arrow stand.
Happiness…..I popped the pink pill into my mouth and waited for the expected feelings of ecstasy. No, the pill wasn’t the drug XTC, but rather a legal and safe “hacking” alternative. Then I put on my trans-cranial stimulation device, known as “The Thync,” and waited to see what happened. Wow! After five minutes, it felt like my brain was flooding me with endorphins. Finally, I placed the scalp stimulator known as the Tingler on my head. When I did this, an orgasmic wave of intense pleasure rippled through my entire body.
After a few minutes of this euphoria, I took off the devices and went about my day. Having just been catapulted into sweet ecstasy, my day became both incredibly productive and happy.
This is not a future scenario.
This is how I like to start my mornings. Nowadays, there are new and improved ways to feel good-even ecstatic-that most people don’t know anything about. In an age when depression is rampant and dangerous drug use is epidemic, amazing new ways to feel peaceful, euphoric, and just plain happy are popping up all over the place. However, people miss out on these amazing methods because they simply don’t know about them. From safe drugs to “happy apps,” to high tech brain stimulation devices, a whole new world of ways to feel good is blossoming.
We live in an age where everything is shifting and accelerating. Yet, most people still pursue an ancient path for finding happiness. Their formula for being happy is to try to control all the external events and people in their lives to be exactly the way they want. This is a tiresome activity at best, and there are always some events and people that we can’t control. However, there is a new model for finding more joy and peace of mind: find it within your self. Of course, this is a not a new idea. Everyone from the Buddha to Jesus has said that heaven can be found within, but now there are cutting edge and more efficient ways to tap into this magical inner kingdom.
As invited to talk to Google employees about “The Future of Happiness.” I described new ways to control their minds and emotions that were more effective than trying to be happy by controlling all the events in their life. The reaction was intense. Everyone wanted to know what some of these innovative ways to “hack happiness” were, and how they could get them. That led me to write a book on the subject.
In my research I learned that different things work for different people.
For example, there are a lot of supplements known as “cognitive enhancers” that can dramatically increase your focus, energy, and mood. Yet, you have to try out many of them in order to find the one or two that really rock your world. I also learned that people define happiness in unique ways. Some people want a gadget that increases their pleasure, while other folks want a tool that improves their relationships or makes them feel totally peaceful.
Gary Numan “Complex” from The Pleasure Principle
As with all technologies, “inner” tech keeps getting better. In fact, some of them are so good that it’s possible to get addicted to them. Ultimately, one has to discern whether a given gadget is truly a friend that helps them find the joy within–or is just another WMD-Widget of Mass Distraction. Since there are many tools that do different things, there’s no simple answer as to whether something is beneficial to you.
For example, people become addicted and dependent on coffee. Yet, on the other hand, caffeine can prevent many types of cancer, and helps people feel good and be productive. So, is coffee a “good” thing? It’s up to you to decide…
In my own case, I decide if a specific technology is truly my friend by asking myself two questions. First I ask myself, “Does this tool lead me to being dependent on it?” It’s always better when technology acts like “training wheels” on a bike-meaning that the tool exists so that you can eventually do without it. If instead a gadget fosters a sense of dependence, then that’s a warning sign it may ultimately not be worth it.
The second question is, “Does this technology help teach me how to better connect with a sense of peace, love, or joy within?” Even the Dalai Lama has reportedly said that if there were a pill that duplicated Buddha’s awakening, he would take it immediately and prescribe it for all living beings. If a tool helps me learn how to get to a more peaceful, loving place more efficiently, I think that’s a good thing.
It’s hard to say exactly what the future holds, though Steve Jobs was seemingly pretty good at predicting it. In 1972 I had the unusual opportunity to be in a computer class with Steve Jobs. Of course, at the time he was just a nerdy teen and I was four years his junior. He and I would vie to play Tic-tac-toe on a 500 pound “computer” that our High School had recently purchased. Steve was obsessed with this machine. One day I asked Steve why he was so fixated on this refrigerator sized computer. He turned to me and said in an intense manner, “Don’t you see? This machine is going to change everything! It’s going to change the world!”
It turns out Steve Jobs was right.
Well, nowadays it may not seem like the latest brain supplement, neuro-stimulator, or mood enhancing app is going to change the world, but technology has a way of discreetly slipping into our lives. This “technology of joy” will only accelerate until the entire way we pursue happiness is transformed in the next few years. I’ve seen that when people try out enough of these new gadgets, apps, and supplements, they inevitably find something that feels good–and is even good for them. When that happens, their lives are never the same. For the Silo,Jonathan Robinson.
The Art of Clairtone: The Making of a Design Icon, 1958-1971 is a fully illustrated stylish look back at the stereo story behind a Canadian design icon. This handsome hardcover is by Nina Munk and Rachel Gotlieb and is available on Amazon.
For an entire decade, in the 1960s, Clairtone Sound Corporation captured the spirit of the times: sophisticated, cosmopolitan, liberated. From its modern oiled-walnut and teak stereos to its minimalist logos and promotional materials, Clairtone produced a powerful and enduring body of design work. Founded in 1958 by two young Canadians, Peter Munk and David Gilmour, Clairtone quickly became known for its iconic designs and masterful advertising campaigns.
Its acclaimed Project G stereo, with its space-age styling, epitomized the Swinging Sixties. Famously, Hugh Hefner owned a Project G. So did Frank Sinatra.
Oscar Peterson affirmed that his music sounded as good on a G as it did “live”. In 1967, suggesting how deeply Clairtone’s G series had come to be identified with popular culture, the G2 appeared in The Graduate with Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft.
With 250 illustrations, including previously unpublished drawings, rare film stills, confidential memorandums, and original photography, The Art of Clairtone is a candid and in-depth look at the company’s skyrocketing success — and sensational collapse.
Through the recollections of those who knew Clairtone best, from its founders to its designers, engineers, and salesmen, and with comments from Karim Rashid, Douglas Coupland, Tyler Brûlé, and Bruce Mau, among others, this elegant book, published on the 50th anniversary of Clairtone’s launch, celebrates an iconoclastic company that once seemed to represent the promise of Canada. For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.
Amazon’s move into online car listings through Amazon Autos in 2024 has been widely framed as a breakthrough for consumers. But, for buyers considering this new option, the real story is more nuanced. While the platform offers a familiar, streamlined shopping experience and no-haggle pricing, it does not eliminate dealerships, negotiations behind the scenes, or the traditional profit structures that shape car pricing.
A quick heads up fellow Canucks- Amazon Autos is not yet available in Canada but plans are in place for expansion so stay tuned.
Trade Offs
As more North Americans explore buying a vehicle through alternative means including Amazon, experts say the key question isn’t whether it’s easier, but whether shoppers understand the trade-offs they’re making. Knowing the pros, the cons, and the fine print can be the difference between convenience and costly compromise.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Watch For When Buying a Car on Amazon
Is It A True Breakthrough?
Amazon’s move into online car listings through Amazon Autos has been widely framed as a breakthrough for consumers. But, for buyers considering this new option, the real story is more nuanced. While the platform offers a familiar, streamlined shopping experience and no-haggle pricing, it does not eliminate dealerships, negotiations behind the scenes, or the traditional profit structures that shape car pricing. As more Americans explore buying a vehicle through Amazon, experts say the key question isn’t whether it’s easier, but whether shoppers understand the trade-offs they’re making. Knowing the pros, the cons, and the fine print can be the difference between convenience and costly compromise.
Amazon Autos, has generated headlines over the past year for a number of reasons. Some heralded the launch as a true game changer in the car market. But in reality, buying a car on Amazon is not all that different from buying a car the old fashioned way.
Participating automakers (like Hyundai) or dealers (like rental car giant Hertz) can now list their inventory on Amazon. But make no mistake: you’re still buying from a dealer. Amazon Autos is only acting as an online marketplace for cars, meaning that the cars you see listed are only there because traditional car dealers listed their inventory on the platform. Amazon is just making online car shopping feel like the Amazon experience that nearly 200 million Americans are familiar with.
There are pros and cons of buying a car on Amazon.
Amazon advertises no-haggle pricing, but there’s something crucial that most shoppers overlook: that rarely means you’re truly getting the best price possible. No-haggle pricing is crafted by dealers to ensure healthy profit margins on their end, while making consumers feel relieved that they don’t have to deal with unpleasant negotiations or salespeople. The truth is, buying the actual vehicle still takes place at a dealership. There are still salespeople involved. It can still be inconvenient or uncomfortable.
Dealers are thrilled with the assumption that pricing is already agreed upon before the customer even arrives. Remember, dealers have plenty of profit in the form of holdbacks, manufacturer-to-dealer cash, and even volume bonuses. That’s not to mention more money for them if you finance with them, or purchase an extended warranty or other add-on.
All of this means that you’re much more likely to overpay than if you were to go your own way and negotiate confidently.
In summary, when you buy a new or used car on Amazon, you’re still buying through a traditional dealership. Amazon doesn’t hold any of the inventory you see online, they’re merely adding the online Amazon experience many consumers are familiar with to online car shopping. In most cases, that means trading competitive pricing for convenience.
For some, that may be a compromise you’re willing to make in order to skip the haggling process. But it’s important to know that you’re limiting your ability to land a great deal when you forfeit your chance to negotiate car pricing.
Research Required
To best ensure you’re not leaving money on the table, thoroughly research the car market. Always research demand factors for the cars you’re interested in. Are you shopping for a car that’s less popular than the hottest sellers on the market? Does it sell slower than the market average in your area? If so, you’re much more likely to overpay with ‘no-haggle pricing’. Find inventory that has been sitting on the dealership lot the longest. Those are the cars that dealers are motivated to sell at a discount.
For the Silo, Justin Fischer.
Justin Fischer is an automotive retail analyst and consumer advocate at CarEdge, a leading consumer platform dedicated to empowering car shoppers to make confident, informed and financially savvy decisions.
Chief Economists Perceive Relative Resilience but Remain Concerned about Asset Prices, Debt and Geoeconomic Tensions
Acknowledging the relative resilience of the global economy amid turbulence, 53% of chief economists surveyed expect global economic conditions to weaken in the year ahead, down from 72% in September 2025.Uncertainty around technology remains high, with 52% expecting AI-related stocks to decline and 40% expecting gains. On growth, expectations diverge by region, with economists expecting strong momentum in South Asia and East Asia and weak to moderate growth in Europe.
On macroeconomics, nearly a third of respondents are concerned about sovereign debt crises in advanced economies and nearly half in emerging economies; over 60% expect governments to rely on higher inflation and tax revenues to manage elevated debt.Learn more about the Chief Economists’ Outlook here.
Follow the Annual Meeting 2026 here and on social media using #WEF26.
Geneva, Switzerland, January 2026 – The global economic outlook has improved modestly but remains uncertain, with asset valuations, mounting debt, geoeconomic realignment and rapid artificial intelligence deployment creating both opportunities and risks, according to the World Economic Forum’s latest Chief Economists’ Outlook, published today. Although 53% of chief economists expect global economic conditions to weaken in the year ahead, this marks a significant improvement from the 72% who held this view in September 2025.
“The Chief Economists survey reveals three defining trends for 2026: surging AI investment and its implications for the global economy; debt approaching critical thresholds with unprecedented shifts in fiscal and monetary policies; and trade realignments,” said Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director, World Economic Forum. “Governments and companies will have to navigate an uncertain near-term environment with agility while continuing to build resilience and invest in the long-term fundamentals of growth.”
AI and other asset valuations are under scrutiny Concentrated AI stock gains are splitting the views of the chief economists. A narrow majority (52%) are expecting AI-related US stocks to decline over the next year, but 40% foresee further increases. Should values fall sharply, 74% believe impacts would spread across the global economy. Cryptocurrencies face bleaker prospects, with 62% anticipating further declines following market turbulence, while 54% believe gold has peaked after recent rallies.
When it comes to the potential expected returns from AI, there is wide variation across regions and sectors. Roughly four in five chief economists expect productivity gains within two years in the US and China. Chief economists expect the information technology sector to adopt AI fastest, with nearly three-quarters anticipating imminent productivity gains. Financial services, supply chain, healthcare, engineering and retail follow as “fast-movers”, with one to two-year timelines. By firm size, the chief economists expect companies with 1,000+ employees to see gains earlier than others: 77% of chief economists expect meaningful productivity gains within two years.
The employment picture in relation to AI is expected to evolve over time: two thirds expect modest job losses over the next two years, but views diverge sharply over the longer term: 57% anticipate net losses over 10 years, while 32% foresee gains as new occupations emerge.
Debt may drive difficult trade-offs Managing elevated debt levels has become a central challenge for policy-makers, particularly as spending pressures rise. Defence spending is almost unanimously expected to increase, with 97% of chief economists anticipating rises in advanced economies and 74% in emerging markets. Digital infrastructure and energy spending are also expected to rise. Most other sectors are expected to see stable levels of spending, while a majority of surveyed economists anticipate spending on environmental protection to decline in both advanced (59%) and emerging economies (61%).
Views are split equally on the likelihood of sovereign debt crises in advanced economies, while nearly half (47%) see them as likely in the year ahead in emerging economies. A large majority of chief economists expect governments to rely on higher inflation to reduce burdens (67% in advanced economies, 61% in emerging markets). Tax increases are also viewed as likely by 62% for advanced economies and 53% for emerging markets. Some 53% of chief economists anticipate seeing debt restructuring or default as a debt management strategy in emerging markets over five years, compared to just 6% for advanced economies.
Trade flows and regional growth outlooks are realigning Global trade and investment are adjusting to a new, competitive reality. Chief economists expect import tariffs between the US and China to remain mostly stable, though competition could intensify in other domains. Some 91% expect US tech export restrictions to China to remain or increase; 84% anticipate the same for Chinese critical mineral restrictions.
In this new context, 94% of chief economists expect more bilateral trade deals and 69% anticipate growth in regional trade agreements. Some 89% expect Chinese exports into non-US markets to further increase, while surveyed economists are split on the future of global trade volumes. Meanwhile, almost half of them foresee the continued rise of international investment flows, and 57% expect FDI into the US to increase compared to 9% who expect increased inflows to China.
When it comes to growth expectation among the chief economists surveyed, South Asia leads with 66% anticipating strong or very strong performance, driven by robust growth in India. Some 45% expect strong growth and 55% moderate growth in East Asia and the Pacific. Some 36% expect strong growth and 64% moderate growth in the MENA region. The US outlook improved notably, with 69% expecting moderate growth versus 49% in September 2025, but only 11% expecting strong growth. China faces mixed prospects, with 47% expecting moderate growth and 24% strong growth and nearly an equal number – 29% – expecting weak growth. Europe confronts the weakest outlook, with 53% expecting weak growth, 44% moderate growth, and only 3% anticipating strong growth.
About the Chief Economists’ Outlook The report builds on extensive consultations and surveys with chief economists from the public and private sectors, organized by the World Economic Forum’s Centre for the New Economy and Society. The report supports the Forum’s Future of Growth Initiative, aiming to foster dialogue and actionable pathways to sustainable and inclusive economic growth. The Chief Economists’ Outlook is complemented by other recent publications with economic foresight. Four Futures for the New Economy and Four Futures for Jobs in the New Economy explore strategic implications for businesses navigating geopolitical shifts, technology disruption and workforce transformation through 2030, offering indicators to track and strategies to prepare for multiple scenarios.
About the Annual Meeting 2026 The World Economic Forum’s 56th Annual Meeting, taking place today the 19th and running until 23 January 2026 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, will convene leaders from business, government, international organizations, civil society and academia under the theme, A Spirit of Dialogue. Click here to learn more.
A Spirit of Dialogue Brings Record Numbers of World Leaders to Davos for World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026
A record 400 top political leaders, including close to 65 heads of state and government – with six G7 leaders expected – nearly 850 of the world’s top CEOs and chairs, and almost 100 leading unicorns and technology pioneers will convene in Davos-Klosters for one of the highest-level gatherings in the Annual Meeting’s history. Held under the theme of A Spirit of Dialogue, the 56th Annual Meeting will provide an impartial platform for close to 3,000 participants from over 130 countries to navigate the major economic, geopolitical and technological forces reshaping the global landscape.
A major focus will be on the unprecedented speed of innovation and technological advancement with key voices from industry and academia present.– At a pivotal moment for global cooperation, the World Economic Forum will convene its 56th Annual Meeting today in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, bringing together close to 3,000 cross-sector leaders from over 130 countries under the theme A Spirit of Dialogue. Marking record levels of governmental participation, 400 top political leaders – including close to 65 heads of state and government and six of the G7’s leaders – are expected to take part, alongside nearly 850 of the world’s top CEOs and chairpersons, and almost 100 leading unicorns and technology pioneers.
Amid the most complex geopolitical backdrop in decades – marked by rising fragmentation and rapid technological change – the need for an impartial platform that brings together diverse and sometimes diverging voices across industries, regions, and generations is urgent. Building on the Forum’s long-standing tradition of providing a trusted space for dialogue and public-private collaboration, the Annual Meeting 2026 will enable an open exchange of ideas and perspectives on the issues that matter most to people, economies and the planet, turning shared understanding into action.
“Dialogue is not a luxury in times of uncertainty; it is an urgent necessity,” said Børge Brende, President and CEO, World Economic Forum. “At a critical juncture for international cooperation – marked by profound geoeconomic and technological transformation – this year’s Annual Meeting will be one of our most consequential. With historic levels of participation, it will provide a space for an unparalleled mix of global leaders and innovators to work through and look beyond divisions, gain insight into a fast-shifting global landscape, and advance solutions to today’s and tomorrow’s biggest and most pressing challenges.”
“As the World Economic Forum enters its next chapter, this year’s Annual Meeting is bringing together a record number of global leaders from government, business, and non-governmental organizations at a moment when dialogue matters more than ever,” said Larry Fink, Interim Co-Chair, World Economic Forum. “Understanding different perspectives is essential to driving economic progress and ensuring prosperity is more broadly shared.”
“At a moment when cooperation matters more than ever, the Annual Meeting provides a unique space to turn dialogue into meaningful progress,” said André Hoffmann, Interim Co-Chair, World Economic Forum. “By bringing together leaders across regions and sectors, it creates the conditions to rebuild trust, align priorities and advance solutions that support long-term, sustainable growth for all, within planetary boundaries.”
Switzerland is the host country for the meeting. 400 government leaders are expected to attend this year, representing the highest level of government participation in the Annual Meeting’s history, including close to 65 heads of state and government, 55 ministers for economy and finance, 33 ministers for foreign affairs, 34 ministers for trade, commerce and industry, and 11 Governors of Central Banks. High-level government representation is expected from all key regions, including six G7 leaders and heads of state from countries central to dialogue on critical global situations – from Ukraine to Gaza and the broader Middle East, and beyond.
Top political leaders taking part include:
Top political leaders taking part include: Donald Trump, President of the United States of America; Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada; Friedrich Merz, Federal Chancellor of Germany; Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission; He Lifeng, Vice-Premier of the People’s Republic of China; Javier Milei, President of Argentina; Prabowo Subianto, President of Indonesia; Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain; Guy Parmelin, President of the Swiss Confederation 2026; Vahagn Khachaturyan, President of the Republic of Armenia; Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan; Bart De Wever, Prime Minister of Belgium; Gustavo Petro, President of Colombia; Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Daniel Noboa Azín, President of Ecuador; Alexander Stubb, President of Finland; Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece; Micheál Martin, Taoiseach, Ireland; Aziz Akhannouch, Head of Government, Kingdom of Morocco; Daniel Francisco Chapo, President of Mozambique; Dick Schoof, Prime Minister of the Netherlands; Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan; Mohammed Mustafa, Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority; Karol Nawrocki, President of Poland; Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar; Aleksandar Vučić, President of Serbia; Tharman Shanmugaratnam, President of Singapore; Isaac Herzog, President of the State of Israel; Ahmad Al Sharaa, President of Syria; Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine.
Heads of international organizations taking part include:
António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations; Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization; Ajay S. Banga, President of the World Bank Group; Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund; Mark Rutte, Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization; Alexander De Croo, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme; Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union; Barham Salih, UN High Commissioner for Refugees; Jasem Al Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Around 1,700 business leaders, including close 850 of the world’s top CEOs and chairpersons from the World Economic Forum’s Members and Partners, will also participate, alongside almost 100 CEOs and chairpersons of Unicorn companies and Tech Pioneers who are transforming industries and shaping the future or technology worldwide.
Some of the top voices in technology and innovation taking part include:
JensenHuang, NVIDIA; Satya Nadella, Microsoft; Dario Amodei, Anthropic; Dina Powell McCormick, Meta; Demis Hassabis, Google DeepMind; YoshuaBengio, Université de Montréal; Alex Karp, Palantir Technologies; SarahFriar, OpenAI; YuvalHarari, Centre for the Study of Existential Risk; Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Mubadala; PeggyJohnson, Agility Robotics; Arthur Mensch, Mistral AI; BretTaylor, Sierra; PengXiao, G42; EricXing, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence.
“In an era where exponential technological innovation and geopolitical disruption are deeply intertwined, the need for constructive dialogue between policy-makers and industry is clear,” said Mirek Dušek, Managing Director, World Economic Forum. “Leaders will share views from across sectors to help build the understanding needed to balance short-term priorities and immediate challenges with long-term value creation.”
Close to 200 leaders from civil society and the social sector – including labour unions, non-governmental and faith-based organizations, as well as experts and heads of the world’s leading universities, research institutions and think tanks – will also participate in the meeting. Heads of civil society organizations participating include:
David Miliband, President and CEO, International Rescue Committee; Sania Nishtar, CEO, Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance; Luc Triangle, General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation; Kirsten Schuijt, Secretary General, WWF International; Mohammad Al-Issa, Secretary General, Muslim World League; Comfort Ero, President and CEO, International Crisis Group; Pinchas Goldschmidt, Chief Rabbi and President, Conference of European Rabbis; Oleksandra Matviichuk, Nobel Peace Laureate and Chair, Ukraine Center for Civil Liberties; Peter Sands, Executive Director, The Global Fund; Amitabh Behar, Executive Director, Oxfam International; Aulani Wilhelm, President and Executive Director, Nia Tero.
The 2026 programme is centred around five pressing global challenges where public-private dialogue and cooperation, involving all stakeholders, are critical for collective progress:How can we cooperate in a more contested world?How can we unlock new sources of growth?How can we better invest in people?How can we deploy innovation at scale and responsibly?How can we build prosperity within planetary boundaries? “In a global economy shaped by technology, geoeconomics, and demographics, the defining challenge will be whether opportunity is broadly shared or if growth remains sluggish and uneven,” said Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director, World Economic Forum. “The meeting will connect leaders to discuss how to unlock growth, jobs and economic transformation that translate into progress for communities everywhere. “The meeting’s Arts and Culture Programme will further amplify the diversity of voices and perspectives needed to advance impact, while showcasing the power of art, influence, and culture to drive change and create unique space for dialogue. Renowned artistic and cultural leaders in attendance include:
Marina Abramović, Jon Batiste, Thijs Biersteker, Sabrina Elba, Renaud Capuçon, Hiro Iwamoto, Suleika Jaouad, Sir David Beckham, Ahmad Joudeh, Yo-Yo Ma, Emi Kusano, Harvey Mason Jr, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Katie Piper, Ronen Tanchum, JR and will.i.am.
The Open Forum, now in its 23rd year, will host public panel discussions for the local community and participants from around the world, encouraging wider participation and open dialogue on key global issues.
Brockett Parsons, keyboardist for Lady Gaga with his PianoArc.
Max Rebo and his circular keyboard. Star Wars Return of the Jedi. 1983
The exhibition will feature an interactive space for visitors to make music through body movement, as well as immersive elements, live performances, and workshops
Exhibition Dates: June 7 –Sept 27, 2026 Location: The Met Fifth Avenue, Gallery 199
(New York, January, 2026)—From clapping hands and tapping feet to beatboxing and whistling, the human body is a musical instrument. In turn, instruments often draw their form and decoration from the body. Musical Bodies, which opens on June 7 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, will explore the multifaceted relationship between musical instruments and the human body. This is the first major exhibition to address this theme and will bring together some 130 works from around the world and across time, including musical instruments, paintings, sculptures, and drawings from The Met collection along with important international loans.
“Musical instruments, which represent an important part of the Met’s collection, have long been recognized and celebrated as dynamic tools for creative expression, and also as works of art in their own right,” said Max Hollein, The Met’s Marina Kellen French Director and CEO. “This multisensory exhibition is the first to explore—through remarkable instruments, objects, and works of art—the fascinating ways in which sound, musical objects and the human form have been in conversation for millennia. Including outstanding instruments, powerful performances and immersive in-gallery experiences, Musical Bodies is a show that will resonate, fascinate and inspire.”
Barbara Mandrell’s Mosrite Crutch Guitar
Patrons Support
The exhibition is made possible by Barbara Tober, the Diane W. and James E. Burke Fund, the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, and the Gail and Parker Gilbert Fund.
Additional support is provided by Anonymous, The Dancing Tides Foundation, and the Vanguard Council.
Encompassing 4,000 years of music history and art, Musical Bodies will feature a range of objects from across the visual arts, literature, religion, pop culture, and mythology. This includes ancient Egyptian rattles, paintings by Titian and Degas, instrument-inspired apparel, and one of Prince’s most notable guitars. The ways in which the boundaries between body and instrument have been artfully blurred will be explored through visionary works such as Nam June Paik’s TV Cello; the PianoArc circular keyboard designed in collaboration with Brockett Parsons, keyboardist for Lady Gaga; and a steel guitar in the form of a crutch that was made for country music singer and songwriter Barbara Mandrell while she was recovering from an automobile crash.
Musical Bodies will include prominent works from across 10 of The Met’s curatorial departments, including over 50 instruments from the Department of Musical Instruments as well as ancient works from Egypt, 19th-century masterpieces from European Paintings, and 20th -century works from the Department of Modern and Contemporary Art. The exhibition will also feature significant loans from collectors and institutions such as the Musée de la musique (Paris), the National Music Museum (Vermillion, South Dakota), and the Royal College of Music (London). One of the earliest surviving bowed string instruments, a rare figural lira da braccio from the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Vienna), and a lavish hurdy gurdy from the Victoria & Albert Museum (London) will be shown in the United States for the first time.
“Musical Bodies first formed in my mind as a deceptively simple question: Why are so many instruments shaped and decorated like the human body?” said Bradley Strauchen-Scherer, Curator in the Department of Musical Instruments at The Met.”The quest for an answer has become an exploration of humanity through the lens of instruments and music. We find ourselves represented in these instruments because, for much of our history, music has been central to who we are and what we do. I hope this exhibition will reconnect all of us with our innate musicality and shared heritage of harmony.”
Through six thematic sections, the exhibition will illuminate the relationship between the body and musical instruments and how they serve as channels for self-exploration and expressions of culture and belief systems. Musical Bodies will also reveal how instruments are used to stand in for the body to address topics that are traditionally considered taboo, such as sex and death.
Musical Bodies was conceived as an experiential exhibition. An innovative interactive will enable visitors to create music through intuitive movements and explore the blurred boundaries between body and instrument. Large-scale projections will display newly commissioned footage of beatboxing, body percussion, tap dancing, and more by such acclaimed New York–based and international artists as tap dancer Savion Glover, Beatbox House, and whistler Molly Lewis. Special activations throughout the run of the exhibition will take place in the gallery and include musical performances from an array of artists as well as workshops that activate the body as an instrument. More details will be announced at a later date.
Credits and Related Content
Musical Bodies is conceived and organized by Bradley Strauchen-Scherer, Curator in the Department of Musical Instruments at The Met, assisted by Ava Valentino, Research Assistant in the Department of Musical Instruments.
A fully illustrated catalogue will accompany the exhibition and will be available for purchase from The Met Store.
The catalogue is made possible by the Mary C. and James W. Fosburgh Publications Fund.
The Met will host a variety of exhibition-related educational and public programs, including a Creative Convening, Artists on Artworks and Met Expert talks in the galleries, a music workshop, and more. Details will be announced.
Musical Bodies will be on view during the presentation of the exhibition Costume Art (May 10, 2026–January 10, 2027), which will examine the centrality of the dressed body in fashion and art. The two shows will provide visitors with distinct and engaging explorations of the body’s relationship to artistic expression.
Featured image– Thomas Zach, Violino Harpa Forma Maxima, 1874. Wood (spruce, maple, ebony), metal strings. Collections Musée de la musique / Cliché Claude Germain, 2020. Cité de la musique-Philharmonie de Paris
Screenshot from the 1981 Canadian sci-fi film Scanners directed by Canadian film maker David Cronenberg.
I am a chronic Migraine sufferer. Are you?
I was diagnosed when I was 18 and now in my 40’s I still get cluster migraines. Cluster Migraines are recurrent, severe headaches that usually stick to one side of the head, for me it’s the left. I’ve probably suffered from them since I was a very young child. Throughout my life, I have dealt with many hurtful comments from those unable to understand my affliction. Their comments used to really get under my skin. Migraines are very severe. They are not just a very bad headache. No two Migraine sufferers are the same when it comes to patterns of pain or management. To make matters worse Migraines are an ‘invisible illness’.
An invisible illness is something that the sufferer feels but no one else sees or acknowledges. Those that are afflicted with migraines are often accused of faking or imagining their disabilities.
But it’s not entirely hard to understand why- these disabilities are not always obvious to the onlooker and the cyclic nature of migraines means that they are a chronic disability that are never going to go away.
To suffer with migraines is to know not only physical pain but also at times, sociological pain and even ostracization. It’s when you’ve been motoring onward through life and everybody looks at you like you are a healthy person but in actuality, there’s that one thing that keeps you from being the person you see yourself to be. This compounds your mood and may even trigger that other “invisible illness”: Depression.
Yes, migraines come with a lot of misunderstandings from critics that refuse to believe what is happening.
My favorite line has always been: “You’re young, there is nothing wrong with you…”. It’s shameful! The idea of simplifying health into a debate about youth and middle or old age. You take the time to try to explain and inform people what your life is about and yet they still believe that your suffering is all in your head. That’s when I usually hear comments like- “Get outside and get some fresh air, that’ll fix it.” or ” You just need to get over it, move on with your life”. The worse thing for me to hear is ” If you’re that sick how come you are doing that?” The sad truth is that all these phrases come from people who can’t understand what it is like to deal with an invisible illness.
Migraines occur when the blood flows through the brain causing blood vessels to rapidly expand, which in turn causes pain and other symptoms.
For me, it all starts with an unbelievable pain that can persist anywhere from 24 to 72 hours. I refer to it as having a huge Mack truck stuffed inside my head. While this happens, symptoms include: vertigo, numbness, mass nausea, fainting, blurred vision, and sensitivities to light, sounds and smells. I have been told that many of these symptoms are very close to what one would feel if they were having a stroke. Sometimes these symptoms can occur without the associated pain. I look at those as ‘added extras’. They include bright sparkles in the sky that only I can see…an added extra.
When things are at their worse and I have tried taking all the suggested and prescribed medications such as aleve, and the pain just won’t go away I plop myself in a car and have somebody drive me to the hospital.
If you were me and had experienced this you may have ended up spending four hours at the hospital on a good night. When you were admitted they may have looked at you like you were a drug addict. They may have checked you for signs of a stroke at which point they may have placed you in a bed where you wait and wait and wait. You may have been hooked up to an IV with sodium solution to help rehydrate you. Then they may have started you on the meds.
For me it’s always been 2mg of Maxeran (anti-nausea medication for people who go through chemotherapy) and 5mg of Toradol ( a strong pain medication). Perhaps it’s that mixture that worked for you and you sat there and waited, maybe even had a snooze. The nurse observed when you started to feel better because the colour flowed back into your face and you became very hungry. At this point you are finally ready to go home and start all over again knowing that the next day will always be the best day.
Perhaps you are like me- I turn into a bit of an energizer bunny… with the pain removed and the symptoms gone I actually feel pretty healthy and am ready to face the world again.
But what triggers these attacks?
This is the hardest part. These horrid brain attacks can be caused by almost anything- physically exhausting yourself on one extreme or simply walking down the soap isle in the grocery store on another. Almost anything and everything can trigger a migraine for me. The weather for instance is a trigger that I have been stuck with for years. Before a storm, a build-up of barometric pressure can be an instant trigger. Flying on airplanes is a trigger due to the change in the atmosphere.
If you want simpler triggers how about MSG, Artificial Food Colourings, Caffeine, Red Wine or Preservatives? Even certain veggies tend to make the list. Other things that are triggers can be strong perfumes/soaps, too much stress, bright lights and loudness. Basically anything that could possibly cause a disturbance to my personal inner balance. It is consoling to know that not all of these are triggers for everyone who suffer with migraines. Somethings effect more people than others. Trying to maneuver between what does and what doesn’t trigger is a battle in itself.
This invisible illness leaves me helpless.
The idea that it can pop up at any point in time means there is no space for future time planning. Making plans in my life is non-existent. I can say I am going to go here or there but in the long run until I get up that morning I will never be sure. Then there are the times that I take the chance and go out because I am just so tired of my couch no matter how bad I feel. Other times I stay home and safe.
Few non-sufferers know that in certain places Migraines have been upgraded to a neurological disorder. Another fact that most people don’t know is that it will never go away. There is no cure only pacifiers that help you to deal with everything that transpires. Sometimes these pacifiers worsen the attack.
And the frequency of attacks?
I get them 15 days out of a month which doesn’t leave much time to actually live a carefree lifestyle. There are so many things that I and other sufferers have lost because of this illness. Jobs and career goals go right out the window. The simplest things like enjoying a movie at the theater, going to see a live band or even a family gathering are at risk. It has to be just right and on a good day. It’s very stressing trying to keep up. I haven’t even mentioned the troubles it creates within a personal relationship, between you and the significant other. Between everything you have to do and the things that you want to do. All this takes place within such limiting time frames. I almost feel grateful, to have dealt with them from such an early age because it has prepared me to deal with this kind of lifestyle. In a way it’s made me so much stronger then I ever thought I could be. I have learned how to look at life in a different way. Don’t get me wrong, I would give anything to live without them but because that is not an option…I will reluctantly settle for this.
This is a side of me that many people do not get to see.
It’s something that I have only shared with the most important people in my life. There is a huge stigma out there when it comes to diseases or conditions that go unseen. When I get an attack you wouldn’t know it, you can’t see it. You can’t see the numb and tingles that invade my body. A lot of people just do not understand nor do they really want to. In our fast paced society it gets lost. I am sharing my story because I would love to see the stigma removed. I want people to understand that just because someone seems healthy and able it doesn’t mean that they actually are.
All those comments that I pointed out at the beginning of this article are things that I have heard for years. I still deal with it to this day. People that I have had to deal with who never understood no matter how much you try to explain it. I know that other people have gone through the same things that I have and I want to let them know that they are not alone. I also want to let other people know that they need to think before making a judgment on somebody else. Keep in mind that old saying: “Do not assume or judge somebody until you have walked a mile in their shoes…” For the Silo, Dawn Bank.
Modern conveniences many take for granted — cell phones, laptops, GPS devices, even coffee makers — run on computer chips introduced by U.S. firms that established America’s leading role in technology. Trace the digital revolution, from its beginnings to the present day, with each groundbreaking advance.
How did these gains happen? Today’s technology emerged from U.S. support for research and development combined with America’s robust private sector, its scientific community, and its innovative spirit.
Bell Labs, a legendary research hub in New Jersey, began as a branch of the Western Electric Company, a subsidiary of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T).
Founded in 1925 to meet a growing need for masscommunications, Bell Labs hired top engineers, physicists, chemists, and mathematicians to design and patent equipment (including a high-vacuum tube that transmitted telephone signals across North America).
Bell Labs encouraged interdisciplinary collaboration that produced groundbreaking discoveries. The labs were driven by scientific curiosity, flexible deadlines, and — thanks to AT&T’s budget — stable funding. Lab directors adopted a hands-off management style, and innovation flourished.
DID YOU KNOW?
In 1932, Bell Labs physicist Karl Jansky discovered radio waves coming from outer space. He’s known as the father of radio astronomy.
In the post-World War II period, Bell Labs’ Mervin Kelly assembled an all-star team of scientists to develop a replacement for the vacuum tube, which was bulky, fragile, and prone to burning out.
In 1947, John Bardeen and Walter Brattain — supervised by fellow physicist William Shockley — invented the point-contact transistor, a semiconductor device that amplifies sound and switches electrical currents on and off.
In 1948, Shockley designed the junction transistor, a more robust and reliable transistor. Its small size, low power consumption, and durability paved the way for computers, portable radios, cell phones, and other devices.
Eight years later, Bardeen, Brattain, and Shockley would be awarded the Nobel Prize in physics for this breakthrough.
DID YOU KNOW?
Bell Labs researchers have been awarded 10 Nobel Prizes in physics and chemistry, spanning from 1937 to 2023. While Bell Labs was at its most productive from the 1940s to the 1970s, important research continues today at its New Jersey headquarters.
Bell Labs continued to improve transistor technology during the 1950s, developing the silicon transistor and the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET).
The MOSFET proved crucial for building high-density integrated circuits (ICs), or microchips, in the 1960s. Microchips — consisting of billions of tiny transistors crafted from semiconductor materials, commonly silicon — work together to power electronics.
Recognizing the potential for widespread impact and profits, Bell Labs created licensing agreements to share transistor technology with other companies.
In 1955, William Shockley left Bell Labs to establish Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory in Mountain View, California. Within a couple of years, some of his employees — engineers and scientists — formed their own company, Fairchild Semiconductor.
Fairchild is credited with the birth of Silicon Valley. The company became a major player in the growing semiconductor industry, and many Silicon Valley firms — including Intel (founded in 1968) and Apple (in 1976) — have ties to Fairchild alumni to this day.
As demand for semiconductors grew, so did the need for manufacturing capabilities.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan became players in the industry, with Japanese companies like Toshiba and NEC influencing the data-storage market and South Korea’s Samsung and SK Hynix focusing on memory-chip production.
Meanwhile, the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) upended a traditional business model of integrating chip design and manufacturing. It introduced the fabless-foundry model, encouraging firms to specialize in either design (fabless) or fabrication/manufacturing (foundry).
This increased efficiency. What’s more, it allowed many small firms — those lacking resources to open manufacturing plants — to design chips.
DID YOU KNOW?
The fabless-foundry business model democratized chip production, allowing startups to enter the market without the need for expensive manufacturing facilities.
Experts predict that quantum computing — with its ability to accelerate AI by overcoming limitations on data size, complexity, and processing speeds — will shape the future.
Quantum AI will develop algorithms that could advance pharmaceutical discoveries, predict financial outcomes, improve manufacturing, and bolster cybersecurity. Quantum/AI partnerships already comprise an active and developing market, with U.S. tech giants like IBM and Nvidia investing in both domains.
Industry leaders point to many factors that shape U.S. technological innovation. One such factor is the U.S. system of intellectual property protection, which fosters the spirit of risk-taking, says Walter Copan. (That system is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, thanks to the foresight of America’s Founding Fathers.)
Sanjay Mehrotra cites the U.S. business culture of “openly, freely being able to debate ideas,” adding, “The best ideas win.”
Thomas Caulfield says, “This is where you can work hard, live your dream, become an entrepreneur, start a company.”
And Jon Gertner notes that key people at Bell Labs came from humble beginnings: “To me, that feels uniquely American — the idea that talent could rise from almost anywhere and shape the future of communications.”
It’s part of Silicon Valley lore that massive tech empires often sprouted from humble roots. As quantum computing and AI herald the next seismic shifts in technology, innovation hubs could emerge in unlikely places. Who knows? The next great U.S. tech companies might now be incubating in a town anywhere in America.
Over the past decade, Canadian math scores on the Program of International Student Assessment (PISA) and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) have declined in all provinces. Canadian fourth-grade students performed below the international average on nearly every benchmark level of math achievement on the 2023 TIMSS assessment.
Research shows early math achievement predicts later academic achievement and future earnings. Strong math skills are crucial for career sectors like technology, finance, and data science.
Canada’s declining math performance is an urgent national concern requiring immediate action by provincial governments.
This E-Brief via our friends at the C.D. Howe Institute outlines five recommendations to reverse Canada’s declining math scores: align math instruction with the science of learning; use assessments and data to drive improvement; strengthen provincial math curricula; improve teachers’ math knowledge; and appoint implementers committed to reform goals.
Introduction
Strong math skills are essential for careers that drive Canada’s economy, including technology, artificial intelligence, finance, and data science. To remain globally competitive and address long-term income gaps, improving math achievement among Canadian students must be a national priority.
The link between early math skills and later academic success is well established (Duncan et al. 2011; Siegler et al. 2012). Early math achievement also correlates positively with future career earnings. According to Werner et al. (2024), math achievement in childhood is a better predictor of adult earnings at age 30 than reading, health, or social-emotional skills. These effects were observed across all demographic groups.
Canada ranked in the top 10 in math on the 2022 PISA survey, an international OECD assessment of 15-year-olds. However, ranking near the top of a falling curve does not imply that all is well. Math achievement has been falling for well over a decade, beginning well before the COVID-19 pandemic. More Canadian students now struggle in math, fewer excel, and in several provinces, the decline is roughly equivalent to two or more years of schooling.
The OECD estimates that a 20-point drop on PISA roughly equates to about one year of learning (OECD 2023). Math scores in all provinces declined more than 20 points since 2003. Seven provinces experienced declines of over 40 points,1 representing approximately two years of lost learning, while the 58-point drop in Manitoba and Newfoundland and Labrador is close to three years.
In all provinces, the share of students below Level 2 on PISA increased since 2003, more than doubling in every province except Prince Edward Island and Quebec. Level 2 reflects the baseline level of mathematics proficiency to participate fully in society. Over the same period, the proportion of top performers declined in every province (OECD 2023; Richards 2025). In four provinces, at least 30 percent of students scored below Level 2 on the 2022 PISA test.2
The latest results from TIMSS3 have flown under the radar in Canada, but they should be another wake-up call. PISA and TIMSS assess different constructs. PISA focuses on mathematical literacy while TIMSS tests Grade 4 and Grade 8 students on curriculum-based academic skills (e.g., arithmetic, fractions, pre-algebra), which are essential for later math courses.
Students from Alberta, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, and Quebec wrote the 2023 Grade 4 TIMSS assessment. While not all provinces participated, these jurisdictions educate well over half of Canada’s students. Results showed a clear downward trend since 2015, predating the COVID-19 pandemic: Canadian Grade 4 students scored below their peers in the United States, well below those in England, and significantly below top-performing countries like Singapore (Figure 1).
Even more alarming, Canadian fourth graders fell below the international median at nearly every benchmark level of math achievement (Table 1).
Provincial assessments tell a similar story. Ontario’s most recent EQAO tests show that 36 percent of Grade 3 students, 49 percent of Grade 6 students, and 42 percent of Grade 9 students are not meeting provincial standards in 2024-2025. Scores have remained stagnant over the last three years, despite provincial efforts to improve math performance (EQAO 2025).
Canada invests heavily in education, spending more per student than the OECD average (Figure 2), but higher education spending does not necessarily translate into better outcomes. Evidence suggests that cumulative expenditure per student between ages six and 15 improves PISA performance up to approximately US$100,000/ CAD $139,000, after which additional investment yields minimal measurable gains in student achievement (OECD 2024). For example, the cumulative spending per student between ages 6 and 15 in Canada is US$125,260/ CAD $173,848, yet Canadian 15-year-olds are outperformed by their Japanese counterparts, even though Japan spends approximately 14 percent less per student (OECD 2024). This suggests that increased funding alone cannot resolve educational performance gaps.
High-performing systems tend to strategically allocate resources toward evidence-based interventions, such as teacher quality improvements, rigorous curriculum design, standardized assessments, and targeted student support. For countries already spending above the threshold, including Canada, improving educational outcomes may require refocusing resources rather than increasing spending.
Evidence-based instructional strategies need to drive education investment decisions. This E-Brief outlines actionable policy recommendations to reverse the downward trend in Canada’s math performance and maximize returns on existing educational expenditure.
Align Math Instruction with the Science of Learning
Math Instruction Must be Grounded in High-quality Evidence
A major barrier to improving math outcomes in Canada is that many school math programs are not grounded in scientific evidence about how best to teach and learn math. Many popular math programs emphasize approaches such as inquiry-based or discovery-based learning,5 collaborative problem solving, or open-ended tasks.6 But a large body of research shows that problem-solving ability develops most effectively through explicit teacher-led instruction, which incorporates clear explanations, worked examples, purposeful practice, and feedback (Archer et al. 2011; Fuchs et al. 2021; Hughes et al. 2017; Stockard 2018; Sweller et al. 2010; Kirschner et al. 2006; Hartman et al. 2023; Guilmois et al. 2025).
As Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills at the OECD, has noted, PISA results reveal that teacher-directed instruction is a stronger predictor of achievement than student-oriented learning (Schleicher 2019). Recent analyses of PISA data from a sample of European countries found that student-oriented (or inquiry-based) instruction was negatively associated with PISA math achievement (Liu et al. 2024). Similar correlations have been observed in the 2010 Pan-Canadian Assessment Program (PCAP) data; the use of teacher-directed instruction was associated with better math performance, while indirect instruction was strongly associated with lower scores (CMEC 2012).
Explicit instruction benefits diverse groups of learners and is particularly critical for novice learners. Powell et al. (2025) describe systematic, explicit instruction as “the instructional approach that has amassed the strongest research base in mathematics, particularly when supporting students with mathematics disabilities or difficulties.” Hughes et al. (2017) identified five essential components of explicit instruction, based on the research literature:
Model: Teacher demonstrates key concepts clearly and concisely.
Break down concepts: Teach complex skills in manageable steps.
Fade support: Gradually reduce instructional guidance as students gain independence.
Respond and feedback: Provide frequent opportunities for student responses and feedback.
Practice: Create purposeful practice opportunities to build mastery.
Teacher professional development in math rarely focuses on explicit instruction. Some popular Canadian math programs even actively discourage teacher-led demonstrations, disparaging explicit instruction as “mimicking” (Boryga 2024). This disconnect between evidence and classroom practices undermines student success.
Provinces Must Set Evidence Standards
Most math programs and instructional approaches are marketed as “research-based,” but the term carries no specific criteria for what qualifies as credible evidence. In science, that phrase usually means rigorous, replicated evidence. In education, it can mean a survey, a case study, or an opinion dressed up as evidence. Without clear standards for what constitutes evidence, schools will continue to adopt programs unsupported by rigorous studies.
The What Works Clearinghouse practice guides published by the Institute of Educational Sciences (IES) identify, evaluate, and rate recommended instructional approaches (e.g., Fuchs et al. 2021; Gersten et al. 2009). High-quality research on effective math instruction has also been summarized by the National Math Advisory Panel (NMAP 2008) and Barak Rosenshine (Rosenshine 2012).
Provincial governments should set evidence standards, drawing on evidence syntheses such as the NMAP Final Report and IES practice guides, prioritizing randomized controlled trials and peer-reviewed studies that show measurable improvements in math achievement. Funding should be directed toward evidence-based programs.
Engage Science of Learning Experts in Math Reform
Cognitive scientists, behavioral scientists, and educational psychologists have warned about the limited use of evidence-based math instruction and persistence of pseudoscientific practices in math classrooms (e.g., Codding et al. 2023; Hartman et al. 2023). These experts offer underused insights about how students develop mathematical knowledge and skills. Provincial governments should actively engage them in setting evidence standards and ensuring that instructional programs align with the best available research on how children learn math.
Math Reform Lags Behind Reading Reform
Recent Right to Read Inquiry reports in Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba (Ontario Human Rights Commission 2022; Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission 2023; Manitoba Human Rights Commission 2025) found that existing practices ignored the abundance of research on how to best teach reading, known as the “science of reading.” In response, some Canadian provinces and school districts have begun to correct decades of damage done in reading instruction by aligning policies with this evidence (Timmons 2024; CBC Radio 2024; Macintosh 2025). Math has not received the same level of attention or urgency. Despite a strong body of rigorous research, there is limited awareness among educators about how students learn math most effectively. Unlike literacy, where students may gain incidental exposure at home (e.g., by parents reading aloud), many Canadian students are only exposed to meaningful math learning in classrooms, making evidence-aligned instruction even more critical.
Actionable recommendations
Set clear evidence standards for math programs, prioritizing randomized controlled trials and peer-reviewed studies that demonstrate measurable gains in math achievement.
Prioritize funding for math programs and professional development aligned with high-quality evidence.
Engage science of learning experts, such as those in cognitive science, behavioural science, and educational psychology, alongside experienced educators with a track record of effective math instruction, to guide evidence-based practices for teaching math.
Use Assessments and Data to Drive Improvement
Canada lacks clear, consistent measures of student progress in math. Without reliable data, schools cannot accurately diagnose problems early, intervene effectively, or determine whether students are on track in math. Provincial governments should prioritize two types of assessments: standardized tests and universal screening.
Provincial Standardized Testing
Standardized tests are typically given at the end of a term or school year to measure student achievement, monitor system performance, and ensure transparency.
Test scores from school-aged students are a good predictor of later academic outcomes, including post-secondary readiness and future earnings (DeChane et al. 2024). Access to reliable data allows education systems to focus on closing proficiency gaps early, thereby narrowing educational disparities later. Bergbauer et al. (2018) analyzed PISA microdata from over two million students across 59 countries, spanning six testing cycles from 2000 to 2015, and found that accountability systems using standardized tests to compare results across schools and students are associated with higher student achievement. In countries like Estonia and Portugal, standardized assessments have led to rising PISA outcomes and greater equity. In contrast, systems with limited standardized testing, such as Spain in the 1990s, struggled to identify and support struggling students, leading to greater inequality (Crato 2021).
Standardized tests provide critical information for teachers, parents, policymakers, and the public. They give parents a clear picture of their child’s academic progress so they can advocate effectively. They provide policymakers with reliable data to evaluate system effectiveness and target resources. It is standard practice in many countries to conduct annual standardized assessments, with aggregate results published by school districts, enabling transparency and accountability to the public, but it is uncommon in Canada.
Current testing is too infrequent, which hinders early intervention and accountability.7 Moreover, provincial assessments may lack diagnostic value. For example, Ontario’s EQAO assessments allow calculators, even for Grade 3 students, making it impossible to determine whether students have mastered basic arithmetic or learned math facts to automaticity.
Math Fact Fluency Matters
Basic arithmetic fluency is the foundation for later math success, yet many provincial assessments do not adequately determine whether students have mastered foundational skills. England addressed this by introducing mandatory multiplication tables checks for nine-year-old (Year Four) students, sending a clear signal that math fact fluency matters, and prompting schools to prioritize automaticity with math facts (Gibb 2025; Gibb and Peal 2025; UK Department for Education 2025).
The ability to recall math facts, like times tables, accurately and effortlessly from memory, is known as math fact fluency8 or automaticity. This is crucial since it reduces cognitive load, making it easier to tackle complex math problems that involve math facts (National Math Advisory Panel 2008; Hartman et al. 2023; McNeil et al. 2025). For example, when adding two fractions with denominators 6 and 8, math fact automaticity allows students to quickly produce 24 as the least common denominator. Students without math fact automaticity will struggle with fraction arithmetic.
Evidence-based methods for developing math fact fluency have been documented (for example, see Codding et al. 2011; Poncy et al. 2007, 2010 and 2015; and Stokke 2024 for an overview), but if reliable data is not being collected, schools may not devote sufficient resources to this critical skill or may fail to identify students who need support. A mandatory times tables check in primary school is a straightforward, high-impact policy.
Universal screening identifies students at risk of falling behind
While standardized tests provide system-level data, universal screeners are brief, timed assessments given two to three times per year. They are designed to quickly identify students who are behind so that evidence-based interventions can be used to provide remediation to ensure more equitable access to the core curriculum.
Provincial Human Rights Commission reports highlight the importance of universal screening for reading (Ontario Human Rights Commission 2022; Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission 2023; Manitoba Human Rights Commission 2025). Math requires the same urgency. Early studies found that when this kind of data is paired with effective math interventions, student math achievement improved (Fuchs et al., 1989; Fuchs et al., 1991; Allinder et al., 2000; Nelson et al. 2023). The IES practice guide on Response to Intervention recommends screening K-8 students in math twice per year using measures that are efficient (less than 20 minutes), reliable, and demonstrate predictive validity (Gersten et al. 2009). Using valid screeners is essential to accurately identify students at risk (VanDerHeyden et al. 2021; VanDerHeyden and Solomon 2023).
Screening alone is insufficient. Screening must be paired with intervention programs that incorporate evidence-based strategies, since ad hoc or “design your own” programs are unlikely to turn things around for struggling students.
Addressing Myths About Timed Activities
Concerns that timed assessments cause math anxiety are not supported by research. In fact, struggling with math has been identified as a factor in the development of math anxiety (Maki et al. 2024). Therefore, the best way to reduce math anxiety is to improve student achievement in math. Timed activities, such as low-stakes timed practice and timed retrieval practice, are essential for developing fluency. Timed activities are a key recommendation in the IES practice guide on evidence-based supports for struggling students, and there is strong evidence that they increase math achievement (Fuchs et al. 2021). Many timed activities and assessments are brief, and students tend to enjoy them.
Timed activities such as standardized tests and screening are essential to ensure students get the support they need. Standardized tests allow students to show what they have learned, and universal screeners are like academic “check-ups,” helping to catch problems early.
Actionable recommendations
Adopt a mandatory times tables check before the end of Grade 4.
Prohibit calculators on primary school provincial assessments.
Implement universal screening in math for all K-8 students using screening tools with demonstrated predictive validity.
Pair screening with evidence-based interventions.
Strengthen provincial standardized testing, implementing tests at key grades and tracking student progress over time.
Strengthen Provincial Math Curricula
Delays in Foundational Content are Holding Students Back
In a 2015 C.D. Howe Institute Commentary (Stokke 2015), I recommended that K-8 math curricula focus on concepts critical for later success in algebra and beyond. Most Canadian math curricula still delay foundational skills, leaving students behind their peers in other countries. When students build strong fluency early, they are better equipped to participate in advanced problem solving and mathematical reasoning.
Some provinces have made changes since 2015. Alberta’s 2023 revisions of the K-6 curriculum reinstated core concepts at appropriate grade levels. Ontario’s 2020 curriculum update requires recall of multiplication facts up to 12 x 12 by Grade 5. This is later than international benchmarks, and it is unclear whether fluency will improve since EQAO tests permit calculators. Manitoba and Saskatchewan also delay recall of multiplication facts (up to 10 x 10) until the end of Grade 5 and provide no accountability measures to ensure mastery. British Columbia’s 2016 curriculum is even worse, delaying or omitting key concepts entirely, and explicitly stating in the Grade 5 curriculum that “memorization of [math] facts is not intended” (Province of British Columbia, Ministry of Education, 2016). In contrast, the US Common Core and other international curricula expect students to achieve multiplication fact fluency by the end of Grade 3.
Fraction arithmetic is a strong predictor of later math achievement (Siegler et al. 2012), but is not taught in most Canadian provinces until Grades 7 or 8. This is two to three years behind the US Common Core State Standards, where students learn fraction arithmetic in Grades 4 and 5 (National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers 2023). The NMAP stressed improving fraction fluency to improve algebra outcomes (NMAP 2008).
Delays in teaching foundational topics widen inequities by disproportionately harming disadvantaged students, whose families are less able to pay for private tutoring to compensate for gaps. Delays reduce practice time, leading to compounding knowledge gaps and lower success in advanced math.
The above table, based on recommendations from the NMAP final report and benchmarks from high-performing jurisdictions, serves as a guide for when key topics should be covered.
Actionable recommendations
Revise provincial math curricula to emphasize foundational topics at earlier grades, using the above table as a guideline.
Require automatic recall of basic math facts as an explicit learning outcome in provincial curricula where it is not currently mandated.
Curriculum changes alone are not enough. Without evidence-based math programs and accountability measures such as mandatory times tables checks, rigorous standardized assessments, and restrictions on calculator use in early grades, even strong curriculum outcomes will have limited impact on improving student achievement.
Strengthen Teacher Content Knowledge in Mathematics
To improve math outcomes for students, we must ensure they are taught by teachers with strong math knowledge. The most practical time to build this knowledge is during university, when teacher candidates complete coursework to prepare for their careers. We have a responsibility to future generations to make this investment now, before teachers enter the profession and impact students.
Math Teachers Need More than High School Math
A high school math background and pedagogy courses are not sufficient preparation for teaching K-8 math. Teachers need deep mathematical knowledge, extending beyond the content they are expected to teach, in order to anticipate misconceptions and prepare students for future math success (Ma 1999; Hill et al. 2005).
Since provincial governments certify teachers, they have a duty to ensure that teacher preparation meets minimum standards. Claims suggesting that teachers’ math knowledge is unimportant or negatively related to teaching effectiveness have been debunked (Barr et al. 2024).
Most Canadian provinces follow a generalist model in K-8, where teachers instruct all subjects, including math. In my 2015 Commentary, I recommended that provinces require K-8 teacher candidates to complete at least six credit hours in math content courses designed to give them a solid understanding of the math they will teach. I also recommended implementing math teacher licensure exams for K-8 teachers to ensure minimum proficiency, a recommendation recently echoed by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) (Drake et al. 2025).
The NCTQ recommends that teacher candidates receive at least 105 instructional hours in math content and 45 hours of math pedagogy,9 which is equivalent to three to four university-level math content courses in Canada. Apart from Quebec, no Canadian province meets this expectation, and some are regressing.
Manitoba briefly required two math content courses for students entering teacher preparation programs after 2015, with the first affected cohort graduating in 2020, but eliminated the requirement in 2024 (Macintosh 2025). While intended to boost enrolment in teacher education programs, this decision comes at the expense of students taught by unprepared teachers.
The NCTQ also recommends that elementary teacher candidates pass a strong math licensure exam, covering four core math topics.10 Ontario has recently introduced a Mathematics Proficiency Test for teacher certification, effective February 2025 (EQAO, n.d.). Other provinces have yet to follow suit.
Actionable recommendations
Require a minimum of six credit hours in math content courses tailored to K-8 teachers, as part of licensing requirements.
Implement rigorous math licensure exams for K-8 teachers prior to certification.
Appoint Implementers Committed to the Reform Goals
Reform in math education cannot succeed when implementation is entrusted to individuals who oppose or misunderstand its goals. Policymakers in Canada may recognize the problems within the current system and propose promising solutions to improve math achievement. However, too often, reforms fail when implementation is led by individuals invested in maintaining the very system that needs fixing. For example, despite the Ontario government’s commitment to improving student achievement, improvement has been inadequate, prompting a newly announced external review (Ontario Ministry of Education 2025). To achieve meaningful and lasting improvements in math outcomes, leaders must stay engaged at every stage of the reform process. This includes carefully selecting implementers who are genuinely committed to the goals of reform, building coalitions of educators and stakeholders who support evidence-based practices, and establishing clear accountability measures to track progress and address resistance.
Conclusion
Improving math achievement in Canada requires both immediate action and long-term investments. Policymakers can implement high-impact, low-cost reforms immediately, such as introducing a mandatory times tables check and implementing universal math screening. At the same time, they can work to ensure math instruction aligns with evidence, improve provincial math curricula, and strengthen teacher certification standards.
Below is a summary of actionable recommendations for provincial policymakers and education leaders:
Use assessments and data to drive improvement
Adopt a mandatory times tables check by the end of Grade 4.
Prohibit calculators on primary school provincial assessments to ensure arithmetic fluency.
Implement universal screening in math for all K-8 students, paired with evidence-based interventions.
Strengthen provincial standardized testing by adding assessments at key grades and tracking student progress over time.
Align math instruction with the science of learning
Set clear evidence standards for math instructional programs, prioritizing randomized controlled trials and peer-reviewed studies showing measurable gains in math achievement.
Prioritize funding for math programs and professional development aligned with high-quality evidence.
Engage science of learning experts, such as those in cognitive science, behavioural science, educational psychology, as well as experienced educators with a track record of effective math instruction to guide evidence-based practices for teaching math.
Strengthen provincial math curricula
Revise math curricula to introduce foundational topics earlier, following benchmarks from the National Math Advisory Panel.
Require automatic recall of basic math facts as an explicit learning outcome in all provincial curricula.
Strengthen teacher content knowledge in math
Require a minimum of 6 credit hours in math content courses tailored to K-8 teachers, as part of licensing requirements.
Implement rigorous math licensure exams for K-8 teachers before certification.
Appoint implementers committed to the reform goals
Appoint committed implementers who support evidence-based practices to ensure policies are carried out as intended.
Better math education is crucial for Canada’s students, workforce, and economic future. The time to fix math instruction in Canada is now. With committed leadership, evidence-based policies, and meaningful action, provinces can reverse the decline and set students up for long-term success in mathematics.
The author thanks Colin Busby, Brian Poncy, Narad Rampersad, John Richards, Andrew Sharpe, Benjamin Solomon, Ross Stokke, Rosalie Wyonch, and Tingting Zhang for comments on an earlier draft. The author also thanks John Mighton and Nuno Crato for discussions and advice. The author retains responsibility for any errors and the views expressed.
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Words like “sweatshirt” and “motel” are so common in Americans’ and Canadians everyday speech that it’s hard to imagine they were ever new. Yet in 1925 those were among the words just coming into regular use in U.S. society, according to Merriam-Webster .
A century later, in 2025, the Springfield, Massachusetts-based company issued the 12th edition of its Collegiate Dictionary, adding 5,000 new words to the volume that the editors call an “up-to-date reference for the current, active vocabulary of American English.”
The new words in Merriam-Webster’s first new Collegiate Dictionary in 22 years offer insight into how American English and the U.S. culture that influences it have evolved over the past two decades.
New additions, like “teraflop,” a measure of computer calculating speed, reflect the technological innovation that is a hallmark of American society.
In a nod to the internet’s continuing influence on North American life, Merriam-Webster President Greg Barlow notes that 1 billion visitors search the company’s website for definitions each year. “But people still love books,” Barlow said, announcing the new Collegiate Dictionary is “thoroughly updated and redesigned for students, professionals and word lovers.”
“Telework” is among the new words that reflect changing cultural trends. Others include “cold brew,” for coffee steeped 12 to 24 hours at room temperature or below, and “farm-to-table,” for food producers sell directly to consumers.
And there are new words for romance. “Love language,” a noun, is “a person’s characteristic means of showing love or care for another,” while “friend zone” is a state of friendship where one person’s romantic interest is unreturned.
The inclusion of informal, slang terms speaks to Merriam-Webster’s mission to “tell the truth about words by describing the language as it’s actually used.” While “rizz” conveys charisma or charm, “adulting” means performing the tasks of a responsible adult. “Doggo” even earned a place as an informal, relaxed term for man’s best friend. (U.S. State Dept./D. Thompson)
When pressure spikes, positive thinking and mental reframing often collapse, leaving people confused about why they cannot regain emotional control. New insights from somatic psychology suggest the issue is not mindset at all, but nervous system capacity. In a timely conversation, Owen Marcus, founder of MELD and a longtime emotional regulation authority, explains how the “window of tolerance” determines whether people stay present or slip into survival responses under stress. His perspective reframes stress, resilience, and emotional stability as trainable physiological skills rather than personal shortcomings, offering a more practical path to lasting regulation and mental steadiness.
Regulation, not mindset, determines how well you handle pressure, emotion, and connection
For years, conversations about stress, emotional regulation, and resilience have focused almost exclusively on mindset. Think differently. Reframe the story. Stay positive. While these approaches sound reasonable, they often fail at the moments people need them most, when the body has already shifted into threat. To understand why so many well-intentioned strategies break down under pressure, it helps to look beneath thoughts and behaviors and examine what is happening in the nervous system itself. That is where the concept of the window of tolerance becomes not just useful, but essential.
The phrase “window of tolerance” is widely used and often misunderstood. Many people treat it as a mindset issue, something to be managed through better thinking or stronger discipline. That framing misses the point. The window of tolerance is a physiological bandwidth. It reflects the capacity of the autonomic nervous system to stay present, relational, and responsive rather than slipping into survival.
When someone is within this window, emotions can be felt without being hijacked by them. Thinking stays flexible. Connection remains possible. When the system falls outside of this range, the nervous system shifts into threat. Choice narrows. Habit takes over. What looks like poor coping is usually a loss of regulatory capacity.
This distinction matters. The goal is not to cope better. Coping is often part of the survival strategy itself. The work is about regulating and recovering more quickly.
What the Window of Tolerance Actually Describes
At its core, the window of tolerance describes how much activation the nervous system can handle before defaulting into protection. Widening that window means increasing the range of activation that can be experienced while staying present.
Within this range, emotions move rather than run the system. Anger becomes an experience that is felt rather than a reaction that spills outward. When anger becomes disproportionate to the moment, it signals that the system has left the window. Others sense that immediately. Disconnection follows. Safety drops. Survival responses cascade.
This is rarely about the situation itself. It is about capacity.
Two Ways the Nervous System Leaves the Window
There are two primary ways the nervous system exits this optimal range.
The first is hyperarousal. This is the familiar fight or flight response. It often appears as anxiety, urgency, anger, fear, or a need for control.
The second is hypoarousal. This is the freeze response. When fighting or fleeing does not feel possible, the system drops into an older survival strategy. Dissociation follows. Emotional and sometimes physical collapse occurs. Fatigue, withdrawal, and numbness dominate.
Most chronic stress problems are not caused by too much stress. They result from too little regulatory capacity. The nervous system loses the ability to stay relaxed under activation.
Why Common Stress Approaches Fail
After decades of working with men and women, including running a mindfulness-based stress reduction company in the 1990s, a consistent pattern emerged. Most stress management approaches fail to create lasting change.
They rely on top-down strategies. Breathe more. Think positively. Reframe thoughts. Avoid triggers. Stay calm.
These methods ask the conscious mind to override a much older survival system. That rarely works when someone is already outside the window of tolerance. In a stress response, physiology dominates. Thinking cannot pull the system back.
The way forward is physiological. Sensation must be reconnected. The nervous system must be reoriented. Insight follows regulation.
The MELD Model and the Order of Change
Drawing on two decades of research and work with thousands of people, the MELD model was developed to align with how the nervous system actually changes.
The first principle is regulation before insight. When regulated, access to creativity, connection, and learning increases. When stressed, resources shift toward survival.
The second principle is capacity before catharsis. Emotional release alone does not widen the window unless the body has enough containment. Regulation must come first.
The third principle is repetition over revelation. Lasting change does not come from a single breakthrough. It comes from repeated mild to moderate activation followed by successful return to regulation. Neuroplasticity follows repetition.
What Widening the Window Looks Like
Widening the window does not mean eliminating activation. It means recovering faster. Spending less time in extremes. Having more choice under pressure.
Tension is noticed earlier. Breath shifts are felt. The body signals reaction before habit takes over. Over time, activation occurs less frequently and resolves more efficiently.
Somatic Awareness as Foundation
Somatic awareness is a foundational skill. It is the ability to track sensation. Stephen Porges describes this as interoception. Awareness of internal signals such as muscle tension, breath changes, or gut tightening.
When these signals are noticed early and named, a different path opens. The system stays within the window rather than sliding into overwhelm. Everything does not need to be felt at once. Small doses are enough.
Practiced over time, this reduces chronic stress, what researchers call allostatic load. Stimuli that once triggered threat become neutral. They pass through without sticking.
The ROC Formula
Another core principle is the ROC formula.
Relax. Slow down and allow the nervous system to settle. Open. Allow awareness beyond insight. Be vulnerable to experience. Connect. First to self. Then to others or the environment.
Emotion follows physiology. When the body is addressed first, the trajectory changes. Without this step, habitual reaction dominates.
Relational Regulation and Co-Regulation
Humans are wired for connection. Attachment theory shows that lack of connection registers as threat. Co-regulation describes how one regulated nervous system helps another settle. Through voice, posture, facial expression, and presence, safety is communicated. Mirror neurons respond automatically. When one person stays within their window, others often follow. Conflict shifts toward cooperation.
Communal Regulation and the Myth of Self-Reliance
The nervous system evolved in communities. Regulation happens more easily together. A supportive group can hold regulation when an individual cannot. Over time, this external regulation trains internal capacity. Children show this naturally. A regulated parent allows a child to settle quickly and return to play. The same principle applies throughout life.
The belief that regulation must be entirely self-generated is flawed. Healthy relationships and group-based somatic work scale capacity far beyond individual effort.
Trauma-Informed Without Trauma-Fixation
Being trauma-informed helps. Being trauma-fixated does not. Much of what is labeled PTSD reflects a physiological pattern stuck outside the window rather than a psychological story needing endless retelling. The goal is presence, not reliving.
Measuring Progress Differently
Progress is not fewer triggers. Triggers remain part of life. Progress is faster awareness. Faster recovery. Greater choice.
The nervous system learns through experience. With the right conditions, it can learn again.
Let’s face it you still misplace your tools from time to time don’t you?
Tools have a habit of disappearing in many shops. Set one down and look away for a moment, and poof! it jumps into an alternate dimension. That happens enough to be a trope, but finding new tools in your shop? Now that’s a wild concept. Could every day be new tool day in your garage? If you know where to look, you’ll probably find these seven.
Funnels
This was one made for some special task, but I have continued to use it because it’s handy. Kyle Smith
Something that is cheap, plentiful, and all of us have a few of that we can never find when we need them. Or worse, are never clean when we need them. Pouring oils and other chemicals can be messy and annoying at best and dangerous at worst, but funnels help keep the liquids flowing where we want them.
And when looking around your shop, a whole host of items are only one sharp blade away from being perfect funnels: Empty oil containers are the prime example. Cut a quart oil container in half, turn it upside down, and suddenly there is a funnel. Empty soda bottles are a great one to consider while on a road trip.
Breaker Bar Extension
Real luxury with the padded handle. Kyle Smith
Sometimes we just need a little extra oomph to get a stuck lugnut or suspension bolt broken loose, and while battery impact wrenches are getting smaller than ever, there is still a time and a place for an old-school breaker bar. And when the two-foot breaker bar still doesn’t have the leverage? Well, make it longer.
There are a few prime things to grab for this, which are often hovering around in a home shop. The handle of a hydraulic jack is often right nearby, but an old metal fence post or other off-cut of tubing is perfect. Be aware though, extending the handle of a breaker bar can create a lot of force for a little effort, so be careful and maybe even prepared for the head of the breaker bar to fail. Don’t put force on the handle in a way that would harm you should it let go. Of course, if you are at this stage, don’t forget penetrating oil and heat as helpers on your stuck-hardware journey.
Light-Duty Jack Extension
A good chunk of 4 x 4 fencepost can be helpful in supporting things a jack can’t reach. Kyle Smith
Floor jacks give us garage-dwellers superhuman strength to pick up and place our rusting hulks on safe stands for work. Sometimes these same jacks are called in to help support items during a repair or maintenance process. Supporting a transmission or lfting a control arm to release the spring pressure from a ball joint are prime examples.
In these instances, it can sometimes be a balancing act to get the car at the right height for the jack to actually reach and provide assistance. For these situations, there is a simpler solution: the good ol’ chunk of wood. Of course, this is something to be used carefully and specifically, and, as always, you should never get below something supported only by a jack. For the example above, the engine is still in its mounts but this block of wood keeps the whole thing from tipping back; the jack alone wouldn’t have reached high enough.
Small Lathe
Kyle Smith
For anyone who reaches a certain level of DIY, the capabilities of a lathe can unlock a kind of superpower. Few of us have the shop space or power required to install a lathe, though, and thus miss out on most of the benefits that come from having a machine to spin parts and pieces. However, you likely have a tiny lathe on your workbench and don’t even realize it: a drill.
Most corded or battery-powered drills have a three-jaw chuck that can hold up to a 1/2-inch round item. This can be useful for cleaning hardware quickly and easily. Chuck small round parts like caliper slide pins in a drill and turn them slowly, giving a perfect even finish when combined with an abrasive pad or polishing compound.
Drain Pans
Free, and easy to drain. Kyle Smith
Much like the funnels above, drain or catch pans can be anything—assuming they are well placed. Large sheet drip pans are great for catching the small drops that happen while parked between drives, but smaller catch containers are nice when doing work, and in my shop one that gets heavy use is a coolant jug with the side cut out. This leaves the lid for easy pouring when full, and I have almost a gallon of capacity. This is perfect for draining a differential or a motorcycle crankcase.
Wrench Extender
Leverage is always your friend. Kyle Smith
Sometimes all that fits on the bolt you need to get out is a wrench, and while there are some of us who multiple copies of each wrench in various lengths, others have the one set in hand and nothing else. Although a jack handle can be used here as seen in example 2 above, it can be tough to get a pipe that fits over the end of larger wrench sizes or that works well on smaller ones. Instead, look in the same wrench drawer rather than elsewhere.
Grab an open-end wrench a few sizes bigger than the one needed and combine the two to make plenty of leverage. Hooking the two wrenches together does take a little staring and thinking to get right sometimes, but in the end this is often a great solution.
Painting Hangers
Kyle Smith
Whether it’s putting a fresh coat of paint on an old part being restored or putting a more durable coat of matching paint on a new part going onto an old car, spraying paint is a common DIY task, and anyone who has done enough of it is familiar with the overspray on fingers and hands that often comes with trying to hold something while spraying. Instead, grab lanyards or wire coat hangers to enable trouble-free suspension of parts, not only for cleaner and more even paint coverage (not to mention cleaner fingers), but also for easy drying.
Modern science lacks a unifying, interdisciplinary theory of life. In other words, current theories are unable to explain why life is the way it is and not any other way.
Dr. David Grinspoon writes about Charley Lineweaver’s review of “Scientists Debate Gaia,” a collection of essays gathered from an American Geophysical Union conference and by the published by MIT press. Charles H. Lineweaver is a Senior Fellow at Australia National University’s Planetary Science Institute.
Gaia author James Lovelock
He explained that James Lovelock (shown) proposed the Gaia hypothesis, in which Earth is an organism or system capable of self-regulation. He wondered: Can the existence of life be recognized from the chemical composition of a planet’s atmosphere? What would the Earth be like now, if life had never evolved on it? Would there be oxygen in the air? Would the surface temperature be hot like Venus or cold like Mars? In the mid-60’s, NASA consulted James Lovelock to assist in developing instruments for the Viking spacecraft to detect life on Mars.
He concluded that it wasn’t necessary to send a spacecraft to Mars. All you needed was to determine the composition of the Martian atmosphere –- if life was there, the atmosphere should be in chemical disequilibrium as it is on Earth. Recent observations, have detected methane on Mars indicating life.
Determining what life is and how to recognize it is the Holy Grail of astrobiology. To make progress, we need to explore the Martian subsurface and analyze the atmospheres of the nearest terrestrial planets. Lovelock’s Gaian chemical equilibrium test for the presence of life is fundamental to these efforts. Both NASA and ESA are putting their astrobiological money into interferometric infrared spectroscopy to look for the traces of chemical disequilibrium in planetary atmospheres as the primary biomarker.
Don’t be fooled by your perspective- we all live on a rotating ball traveling through space!
Lovelock thought that terrestrial life didn’t just passively produce chemical disequilibrium. There seemed to be some element of control or regulation. In 1978, he published a book called “Gaia” that described how the entire biosphere behaves like a living creature suggesting our Earth is alive.
Gaian science and astrobiology have very similar programs. Astrobiologists look at the stars and ask “What has life done to the planets out there and how can we recognize it?” Gaian scientists have been looking at the Earth for decades asking “What has terrestrial life done to our planet and how can we recognize it?” Astrobiology and Gaian science often remain separate fields of inquiry. Astrobiology attracts mainly astronomers and biologists, while Gaian science attracts atmospheric chemists, geologists and concerned ecologists.
The thin Martian atmosphere is mainly composed of carbon dioxide. Planetary scientists have studied the atmosphere of Mars for any signs of gases such as methane that could be generated by life. In this collection, Gaian scientists believe that over the past four and a half billion years, the Sun’s luminosity has increased by about 30 percent, but the temperature of the Earth’s surface doesn’t seem to have followed in step. Lovelock hypothesized that the biosphere regulates the Earth’s surface temperature. There are two obvious ways to do this: Regulate the albedo (light reflected by the planet) and/or regulate the abundances of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Lovelock invented the parable of Daisyworld to demonstrate that the biosphere could regulate the albedo. A nice Gaian extension of this idea is J. Scott Turner’s analysis of the thermo-regulation of termite colonies. So if a termite ecosystem can evolve to do it, why can’t a big one like the Earth? Thus, Gaia does what good scientific ideas are supposed to do. It extends and extrapolates a fundamental theory, from individuals to groups to ecosystems, up to the entire biosphere.
The central debate of this book is: How can Gaia (Earth) be selfish? How can it do anything “for” itself? Will it protect itself from human destruction of the environment by causing earthquakes, earth lights, an ice age, or a great flood?
Tyler Volk’s book “Gaia’s Body” “Gaia is Life in a Wasteworld of By-products.” He proposed that the atmosphere is one giant waste dump. Life produces wastes, and these wastes build up and affect the environment. They become intolerable for some forms of life, but then along come new forms of life who take advantage of these waste products. Volk’s point is that poop just happens. Thus the effects of the biosphere’s wastes are certainly “by” but not necessarily “for” the biosphere..
Volk suggests using cycling ratios to measure “by and for the biosphere” and to determine how beneficial for life something may be. A cycling ratio is the amount of an element cycling through the Earth and biosphere, divided by the amount that would be cycling through the Earth in the absence of life. Volk estimates the cycling ratio of carbon to be about 200 times more carbon flowing through the veins of Gaia than would be cycling through an Earth without life from plate tectonics and volcanism.
A collection of observations by the Earth Observing System flagship Terra were stitched together into a seamless true-color mosaic of every square kilometer (.386 square mile) of our planet.
Dorion Sagan and Jessica Hope Whiteside’s “Gradient Reduction Theory: Thermodynamics and the Purpose of Life” discussed the second law of thermodynamics as the purpose of life. Agnostics looking for purpose in their lives would do well to digest this chapter with Lovelock’s suggestion that agnostics worship Gaia to fill their religious vacuum. There is grandeur and universality in this thermodynamic view of life that can be applied to life anywhere in the universe.
I’d like to see Gaian scientists recognize that Gaia is part of a larger whole – that the Earth is not a closed system and that Gaia has a mother. We begin to wonder whether our Galaxy is a life form called Galactea. For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.
“It is a must read for any life form that is even pretending to look for extraterrestrial life. /
– See more at: http://www.astrobio.net/ Note: It’s logical Mother Earth or Gaia feels totally threatened by environmental abuse from Earth’s humans and that those humans who are not loving to Mother Earth may be removed.
Albert Einstein (left) and Robert Oppenheimer (right) warned then-President Roosevelt about a number of security threats such as Nazi Germany’s work on an atomic bomb but what they sent along in 1947 was earth-shattering.
In June of 1947 Albert Einstein and J. Robert Oppenheimer together wrote a TOP SECRET six page document entitled “Relationships with Inhabitants of Celestial Bodies”. Aliens?
It was in 1947 and it said the presence of unidentified spacecraft is accepted as de facto by the military.
It also deals with where do they come from, what should we do in the event of colonization and/or integration of peoples, and why are they here? Finally, the document addresses the presence of celestial astroplanes in our atmosphere as a result of actions of military experiments with fission devices of warfare. Einstein and Oppenheimer encourage consideration of our potential future situation and safety due to our present and past actions in space. How can we avoid a perilous fate?
Extract majestic document:
Relationships with extraterrestrial men presents no basically new problem from the standpoint of international law; but the possibility of confronting intelligent beings that do not belong to the human race would bring up problems whose solution it is difficult to conceive. In principle, there is no difficulty in accepting the possibility of coming to an understanding with them, and of establishing all kinds of relationships.
If these intelligent beings were in possession of a more or less culture, and a more or less perfect political organization, they would have an absolute right to be recognized as independent and sovereign peoples. Another possibility may exist, that a species of Homo sapiens might have established themselves as an independent nation on another celestial body in our solar system and evolved culturally independently from ours. Living conditions on these bodies let’s say the moon,-or the planet Mars, would have to be such as to permit a stable, and to a certain extent, independent life, from an economic standpoint.
Hypothetically other planets may have life forms. Water has been found on our Moon and Mars that can be separated into hydrogen and oxygen, using an electric current or the short wave radiation of the sun. The oxygen could be used for breathing purposes; the hydrogen night be used as a fuel. There is indication that the inhabitants of celestial bodies, or extraterrestrial biological entitle (EBE) desire to settle here.
1.If they are politically organized and possess a certain culture similar to our own, they may be recognized as an independent people.
2.If they consider our culture to be devoid of political unity, they would have the right to colonize. Of course, this colonization cannot be conducted on classic lines. A superior form of colonizing will have to be conceived, that could be a kind of tutelage, possibly through the tacit approval of the United Nations. We cannot exclude the possibility that a race of extraterrestrial people more advanced technologically and economically may take upon itself the right to occupy another celestial body.
The division of a celestial body into zones and the distribution of them among other celestial states. A moral entity? The most feasible solution it seem would be this one, submit an agreement providing for the peaceful absorption of a celestial race(s) in such a manner that our culture would remain intact with guarantees that their presence not be revealed. It would merely be a matter of internationalizing celestial peoples, and creating an international treaty instrument.
The presence of unidentified space craft flying in our atmosphere (and possibly maintaining orbits about our planet) is now accepted by our military. Military strategists foresee the use of space craft with nuclear warheads as the ultimate weapon of war. Attack no longer comes from an exclusive direction, nor from a determined country, but from the sky, with the practical impossibility of determining who the aggressor is.
When artificial satellites and missiles find their place in space, we must consider the potential threat that unidentified space craft pose. One must consider the fact that miss-identification of these space craft for an intercontinental missile in a re-entry phase of flight could lead to accidental nuclear war.
This document was written in 1947 but extremely relevant what with the recent United States declassified UFO release.
The Global Cooperation Barometer 2026 reveals strong pressures on multilateral institutions are causing global cooperation to evolve rather than retreat.
While multilateral forms of cooperation declined, smaller and more agile coalitions of countries –and, at times, companies – were instrumental in maintaining overall cooperation levels.
Climate and technology saw strong increases in cooperation even in the face of headwinds, health and trade stayed broadly flat and there was a sharp drop of cooperation in peace and security.
Learn more about the Barometer and read the accompanying report here. Follow the Annual Meeting 2026 here and on social media using #WEF26.
Geneva, Switzerland, January 2026 – Global cooperation is proving resilient even as multilateralism continues to face strong headwinds, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Cooperation Barometer 2026. However, cooperation is below where it needs to be to address critical economic, security and environmental challenges. Within a more complex and uncertain geopolitical context, open and constructive dialogue is a critical factor in identifying potential collaborative pathways that advance shared interests.
In its third year, the Global Cooperation Barometer 2026, developed in collaboration with McKinsey & Company, uses 41 metrics to assess the level of cooperation worldwide across five pillars: trade and capital; innovation and technology; climate and natural capital; health and wellness; and peace and security.
The 2026 Barometer indicates that the overall level of cooperation has largely been unchanged in recent years but the composition of cooperation appears to be evolving. Innovative, smaller collaborative arrangements are emerging, often within and between regions, as cooperation through multilateral avenues has weakened. Progress on global priorities has shown the greatest momentum when it aligns with national interests – with climate and nature and innovation and technology seeing relatively strong increases in cooperation. Other pillars, including health and wellness and trade and capital, have stayed flat. The peace and security pillar experienced the largest drop.
“Amid one of the most volatile and uncertain periods in decades, cooperation has shown resilience,” said Børge Brende, President and CEO, World Economic Forum. “While cooperation today may look different than it did yesterday, collaborative approaches are essential to grow economies wisely, accelerate innovation responsibly and prepare for the challenges of a more uncertain era. Flexible, nimble and purpose-driven approaches are most likely to withstand the current turbulence and deliver results.”
“Leaders are reimagining collaboration across borders,” said Bob Sternfels, Global Managing Partner, McKinsey & Company. “Cooperation may look different today, and involve different partners, but importantly, it continues to deliver on some critical shared priorities. Collaborative progress can, and does, continue to happen even amid global divisions.”
Global cooperation is reinventing itself
The changing dynamics of cooperation are visible in each of the five pillars of the Barometer.
Trade and capital cooperation flattened. Cooperation remained above 2019 values, but its makeup is shifting. Goods volumes grew, albeit slower than the global economy, and flows are shifting to more aligned partners. Services and select capital flows show momentum, particularly among aligned economies, especially where they can contribute to bolstering domestic capabilities. While the global multilateral trade system faces rising barriers, smaller coalitions of countries are cooperating through initiatives such as the Future of Investment and Trade (FIT) Partnership.
Innovation and technology cooperation rose to unlock new capabilities even amid tighter controls. IT services and talent flows are up, and international bandwidth is now four times larger than before the COVID-19 pandemic. Restrictions on flows of critical resources, technologies and knowledge expanded – especially, but not only, between the United States and China. However, new cooperation formats are rising, with instances of cooperation on AI, 5G infrastructure and other cutting-edge technologies among aligned countries.
Climate and natural capital cooperation grew, but is still short of global goals. Increased financing and global supply chains stimulated deployment of clean technologies, which reached record levels in mid-2025. While China accounted for two-thirds of additions of solar, wind and electric vehicles, other developing economies stepped up. As multilateral negotiations become more challenging, groups of nations – for example, the European Union and ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) – are combining decarbonization with energy security goals.
Health and wellness cooperation held steady, with outcomes resilient for now, but aid is under severe pressure. Topline cooperation in this pillar did not fall, in part because health outcomes continued to improve after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although health outcomes have stayed resilient, the stability masks growing fragility. Pressures on multilateral organizations have eroded support flows and development assistance for health contracted sharply – with further tightening in 2025 – affecting low- and middle-income countries most acutely.
Peace and security cooperation continued to decrease, as every tracked metric fell below pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels. Conflicts escalated, military spending rose and global multilateral resolution mechanisms struggled to de-escalate crises. By the end of 2024, the number of forcibly displaced people reached a record 123 million globally. However, growing pressures are creating an impetus for increased cooperation, including through regional peacekeeping mechanisms.
The Global Cooperation Barometer shows countries are rewriting the way they engage in cooperation. Creating new cooperative formats will require new structures, from trade agreements to standards alliances, and new types of partnerships, including public-private and private-private, to manage them effectively. The report concludes by highlighting the need for leaders to focus on rebuilding an effective dialogue with partners as the foundation for identifying and advancing shared interests.
About the Global Cooperation Barometer The Global Cooperation Barometer – first launched in 2024 – evaluates global collaboration across five interconnected dimensions: trade and capital; innovation and technology; climate and natural capital; health and wellness; and peace and security. The Barometer is built on 41 indicators, categorized as cooperative action metrics (evidence of tangible cooperation, such as trade volumes, capital flows, or intellectual property exchanges) and outcome metrics (broader measures of progress such as reductions in greenhouse gas emissions or improvements in life expectancy). Spanning 2012-2025 and indexed to 2020 to reflect pandemic-era shifts, the Barometer normalizes data for comparability (e.g., financial metrics relative to global GDP and migration metrics to population levels). Given rapid developments across all the areas the barometer covers, this year’s report complements the 2024 findings with more recent 2025 data where available, through partial-year data or projections. In addition, two surveys were conducted: one with around 800 executives and another with about 170 experts who are current or former members of the World Economic Forum’s Network of Global Future Councils.
About the Annual Meeting 2026 The World Economic Forum’s 56th Annual Meeting, taking place on 19-23 January 2026 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, will convene leaders from business, government, international organizations, civil society and academia under the theme A Spirit of Dialogue. Click here to learn more.
Forum Économique Mondial, [email protected] La coopération mondiale fait preuve de résilience face aux vents contraires géopolitiques
Le Baromètre de la coopération mondiale 2026 indique qu’en dépit de fortes pressions sur les institutions multilatérales, la coopération mondiale ne recule pas, mais progresse.
Alors que les formes multilatérales de coopération ont reculé, des coalitions plus petites et plus agiles de pays, et même parfois d’entreprises, ont contribué à maintenir les niveaux de coopération globaux.
On a pu observer une forte augmentation de la coopération en matière de climat et de technologie, malgré les vents contraires, une relative stabilité en matière de santé et du commerce, et une forte baisse en matière de paix et de sécurité.
Pour en savoir plus sur le Baromètre et consulter le rapport associé, cliquez ici. Suivez l’Assemblée annuelle 2026 ici et sur les réseaux sociaux grâce au hashtag #WEF26.
Genève, Suisse, janvier 2026 – Selon le Baromètre de la coopération mondiale 2026 du Forum Économique Mondial, la coopération mondiale fait preuve de résistance alors même que le multilatéralisme continue d’être confronté à de forts vents contraires. Toutefois, la coopération n’est pas à la hauteur de ce qu’elle devrait être pour relever les défis économiques, sécuritaires et environnementaux décisifs. Dans un contexte géopolitique plus complexe et incertain, un dialogue ouvert et constructif est essentiel pour identifier les voies de collaboration potentielles faisant progresser les intérêts communs. Pour la troisième année, le Baromètre de la coopération mondiale 2026, élaboré en collaboration avec McKinsey & Company, se base sur 41 paramètres pour évaluer le niveau de coopération à l’échelle mondiale, selon cinq dimensions : le commerce et les capitaux, l’innovation et la technologie, le climat et le capital naturel, la santé et le bien-être, ainsi que la paix et la sécurité. Le Baromètre 2026 indique un niveau global de coopération globalement inchangé sur les dernières années, avec toutefois une évolution dans la composition de cette coopération. Des accords de collaboration innovants, souvent de moindre ampleur, émergent au sein d’une même région ou entre régions, dans un contexte de recul de la coopération multilatérale. Les avancées concernant les priorités mondiales ont été les plus marquées lorsqu’elles s’alignaient sur les intérêts nationaux, avec notamment une progression notable de la coopération dans les domaines du climat et de la nature, ainsi que de l’innovation et de la technologie. Les autres dimensions, y compris la santé et le bien être ainsi que le commerce et les capitaux, sont restées stables. La dimension paix et sécurité a connu la plus forte baisse. « Au sein de l’une des périodes les plus instables et incertaines de ces dernières décennies, la coopération a fait preuve de résilience, » déclare Børge Brende, Président-Directeur général du Forum Économique Mondial. « Bien que la coopération actuelle soit différente de ce qu’elle était hier, les approches collaboratives sont essentielles pour faire croître les économies à bon escient, accélérer l’innovation de manière responsable et se préparer aux défis d’une ère plus incertaine. Les approches flexibles, souples et axées sur les objectifs sont les plus susceptibles de résister aux turbulences actuelles et de produire des résultats. » « Les dirigeants redéfinissent la collaboration transfrontalière », déclare Bob Sternfels, Global Managing Partner chez McKinsey & Company. « Si la coopération se présente aujourd’hui sous un nouveau jour, impliquant des partenaires différents, il est important de noter qu’elle continue de 1 répondre à certaines priorités communes essentielles. Le progrès collaboratif peut se poursuivre, et se poursuit, même au milieu des divisions mondiales. » La coopération mondiale se réinvente La dynamique changeante de la coopération est visible dans chacune des cinq dimensions du Baromètre.
La coopération en matière de commerce et de capitaux s’est stabilisée. La coopération est restée supérieure aux valeurs de 2019, mais on observe une évolution de sa composition. Les volumes de marchandises ont augmenté, quoique plus lentement que l’économie mondiale, et les flux commerciaux se redéploient vers des partenaires plus étroitement alignés. On observe un dynamisme des services et de certains flux de capitaux, en particulier au sein des économies alignées, surtout lorsqu’ils peuvent contribuer à renforcer les capacités nationales. Alors que le système de commerce multilatéral mondial est confronté à des obstacles croissants, des coalitions de pays à moindre échelle coopèrent dans le cadre d’initiatives telles que le Partenariat pour l’avenir de l’investissement et du commerce (Future of Investment and Trade – FIT).
La coopération en matière d’innovation et de technologie a augmenté, libérant de nouvelles capacités malgré des contrôles plus stricts. Les services informatiques et les flux de talents sont en hausse, et la bande passante internationale est aujourd’hui quatre fois plus importante qu’avant la pandémie de COVID 19. Les restrictions pesant sur les flux de ressources, de technologies et de connaissances essentielles se sont multipliées, notamment entre les États Unis et la Chine. Toutefois, de nouveaux formats de coopération voient le jour, avec des exemples de coopération en matière d’IA, d’infrastructure 5G et d’autres technologies de pointe entre les pays alignés.
La coopération en matière de climat et de capital naturel s’est développée, mais reste en deçà des objectifs mondiaux. L’augmentation des financements et des chaînes d’approvisionnement mondiales a stimulé le déploiement des technologies propres, avec des niveaux record mi-2025. Si la Chine a été à l’origine de deux tiers des nouveaux véhicules 2 solaires, éoliens et électriques, d’autres économies en développement ont accéléré leurs efforts. Les négociations multilatérales devenant plus difficiles, des groupes de nations, dont, par exemple, l’Union européenne et l’ANASE (Association des nations de l’Asie du Sud-Est), combinent la décarbonisation avec des objectifs de sécurité énergétique.
La coopération en matière de santé et de bien-être est restée stable, avec des résultats qui demeurent pour l’instant résilients, mais l’aide est soumise à de fortes pressions. La coopération en première ligne au sein de cette dimension n’a pas diminué, en partie grâce à l’amélioration des résultats en matière de santé après la fin de la pandémie de COVID 19. La stabilité des résultats en matière de santé masque une fragilité croissante. Les pressions exercées sur les organisations multilatérales ont érodé les flux de soutien, et l’aide au développement de la santé s’est fortement contractée, avec un nouveau resserrement en 2025, affectant plus particulièrement les pays à faible revenu et à revenu intermédiaire.
La coopération en matière de paix et de sécurité a continué à diminuer, tous les indicateurs suivis étant en-deçà des niveaux atteints avant la pandémie de COVID 19. Les conflits se sont intensifiés, les dépenses militaires ont augmenté et les mécanismes multilatéraux de résolution des conflits ont eu du mal à désamorcer les crises. Fin 2024, le nombre de personnes déplacées de force a atteint le chiffre record de 123 millions. Toutefois, des pressions croissantes incitent à une coopération accrue, y compris par le biais de mécanismes régionaux de maintien de la paix. Le Baromètre de la coopération mondiale montre une nouvelle manière pour les pays de s’engager dans la coopération. De nouveaux formats de coopération appelleront des structures renouvelées, des accords commerciaux aux alliances de normalisation, et des partenariats innovants (notamment public-privé et privé-privé) pour en assurer une gestion efficace. Le rapport conclut en soulignant la nécessité pour les dirigeants de se concentrer sur le rétablissement d’un dialogue efficace avec les partenaires, fondement de l’identification et de la promotion d’intérêts communs. À propos du Baromètre de la coopération mondiale Lancé pour la première fois en 2024, le Baromètre de la coopération mondiale évalue la collaboration mondiale à travers cinq dimensions interconnectées : le commerce et les capitaux, l’innovation et la technologie, le climat et le capital naturel, la santé et le bien-être, ainsi que la paix et la sécurité. Le Baromètre s’appuie sur 41 indicateurs, classés en mesures d’action coopérative (preuves d’une coopération tangible, telles que les volumes d’échanges commerciaux, les flux de capitaux ou les échanges de propriété intellectuelle) et en mesures de résultats (mesures plus larges des progrès réalisés, telles que la réduction des émissions de gaz à effet de serre ou l’amélioration de l’espérance de vie). Couvrant la période 2012-2024 et indexé à 2020 pour refléter les changements de l’ère pandémique, le Baromètre normalise les données pour les rendre comparables (par exemple, les mesures financières par rapport au PIB mondial et les mesures migratoires par rapport aux niveaux de population). En outre, deux enquêtes ont été menées : l’une auprès d’environ 800 cadres et l’autre auprès d’environ 170 experts, membres actuels ou passés du réseau des conseils pour l’avenir du monde du Forum Économique Mondial. À propos de la réunion annuelle 2026 La 56e réunion annuelle du Forum Économique Mondial, qui se tiendra du 19 au 23 janvier 2026 à Davos-Klosters, en Suisse, réunira des dirigeants d’entreprises, de gouvernements, d’organisations internationales, de la société civile et du monde universitaire autour du thème Un esprit de dialogue. Cliquez ici pour en savoir plus.
As holistic wellness continues to intersect with technology, science, and sustainability, White Lotus Beauty is emerging as a standout brand redefining how beauty tools and rituals are developed, tested, and used. Founded in 2004 by Kamila Kingston, White Lotus Beauty began not as a consumer brand, but as a specialist cosmetic acupuncture clinic grounded in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and evidence-informed skin health practices.
Now targeting further expansion in the UK and available to consumers in Canada, the brand has grown into an internationally recognized name, stocked by major global retailers including Ulta Beauty, Nordstrom, Debenhams, and Chemist Warehouse Australia, while maintaining a strong emphasis on ethics, education, and long-term skin integrity.
From Clinic to Global Retail
Unlike many beauty brands that follow trends, White Lotus Beauty’s product development originates in clinical practice. Kingston’s background in cosmetic acupuncture and holistic skin therapy informed the creation of crystal facial tools, gua sha systems, and micro-needling devices designed to support circulation, lymphatic flow, and skin resilience rather than aggressive short-term results.
Their crystal tools—crafted from jade, rose quartz, and other ethically sourced stones—are positioned not as gimmicks, but as precision instruments used to support facial tension release, product absorption, and mindful skincare routines. Each tool is designed to align with both traditional techniques and modern skin science.
Holistic Microneedling, Reimagined
One of the brand’s most notable innovations is its holistic micro-needling system, developed as a safer, gentler alternative to conventional at-home devices. Rather than focusing solely on collagen stimulation, the system emphasizes barrier protection, technique education, and long-term skin health—an approach increasingly favored by practitioners and informed consumers alike.
This philosophy reflects a broader shift in beauty toward preventative care and sustainability, rather than over-treatment.
Ethical Beauty Meets Smart Design
White Lotus Beauty’s product range also includes PETA-certified cruelty-free silk accessories, including pillowcases, eye masks, and hair ties, designed to support skin hydration, hair health, and sleep quality. Their plant-based skincare and ritual kits incorporate adaptogenic botanicals and toxin-free formulations, aligning with growing consumer demand for transparency and clean ingredient sourcing.
The brand has received more than 50 international awards, including Queensland Export Awards and Clean + Conscious Awards, and will be featured in the 2026 Oscars gift bags, further cementing its position as a globally respected innovator.
Why the UK (and Canadian) Market Matters
With UK and Canadian consumers increasingly focused on evidence, sustainability, and ethical manufacturing, White Lotus Beauty’s clinic-led, education-first approach positions it well for continued international growth. The brand’s commitment to female leadership, diversity in global retail, and responsible sourcing aligns closely with the values driving purchasing decisions across wellness, beauty, and lifestyle sectors.
What’s Next
White Lotus Beauty is currently offering UK and Canadian media access to high-resolution imagery, expert commentary, and product reviews. Interviews with founder Kamila Kingston are available, along with insights into crystal beauty tools, holistic micro-needling, and the future of ritual-based, evidence-informed skincare. For the Silo, Kat Fleischmann.
Not all ideas are ‘shot down’ by an intimidating boss- Albert Einstein’s formal letter paved the way to American atom bomb research.
Everyone says they want innovation in their organization, but when an ambitious employee offers it to a Boss or CEO, for example, the idea is often shot down, says Neal Thornberry, Ph.D., faculty director for innovation initiatives at the Naval Postgraduate School in California. There has to be a way of getting your ideas accepted, right?
“Senior leaders often miss the value-creating potential of a new concept because they either don’t take the time to really listen and delve into it, or the innovating employee presents it in the wrong way,” says Thornberry, who recently published “Innovation Judo,” (www.NealThornberry.com), based on his years of experience teaching innovation at Babson College and advising an array of corporate clients, from the Ford Co. and IBM to Cisco Systems.
Neal Thornberry: ” Innovation should be presented as opportunities, not ideas. Opportunities have gravitas while ideas do not!”
Thornberry outlines a template for innovation that works:
1 Intention: Once the “why” is answered, leaders have the beginnings of a legitimate roadmap to innovation’s fruition. This is no small task and requires some soul searching.
“I once worked with an executive committee, and I got six different ideas for what ‘innovation’ meant,” he says. “One wanted new products, another focused on creative cost-cutting, and the president wanted a more innovative culture. The group needed to agree on their intent before anything else.”
2 Infrastructure: This is where you designate who is responsible for what. It’s tough, because the average employee will not risk new responsibility and potential risk without incentive. Some companies create units specifically focused on innovation, while others try to change the company culture in order to foster innovation throughout. “Creating a culture takes too long,” Thornberry says. “Don’t wait for that.”
3 Investigation: What do you know about the problem? IDEO may be the world’s premier organization for investigating innovative solutions. Suffice to say that the organization doesn’t skimp on collecting and analyzing data. At this point, data collection is crucial, whereas brainstorming often proves to be a waste of time if the participants come in with the same ideas, knowledge and opinions that they had last week with no new learning in their pockets.
4 Ideation: The fourth step is also the most fun and, unfortunately, is the part many companies leap to. This is dangerous because you may uncover many exciting and good ideas, but if the right context and focus aren’t provided up front, and team members cannot get on the same page, then a company is wasting its time. That is why intent must be the first step for any company seeking to increase innovation. Innovation should be viewed as a set of tools or processes, and not a destination.
If you’re gonna ‘demo’ your idea you better have practiced and perfected your routine before showing your boss-
5 Identification: Here’s where the rubber meets the road on innovation. Whereas the previous step was creative, now logic and subtraction must be applied to focus on a result. Again, ideas are great, but they must be grounded in reality. An entrepreneurial attitude is required here, one that enables the winnowing of ideas, leaving only those with real value-creating potential.
“Innovation without the entrepreneurial mindset is fun but folly,” Thornberry notes.
6 Infection: Does anyone care about what you’ve come up with? Will excitement spread during this infection phase? Now is the time to find out. Pilot testing, experimentation and speaking directly with potential customers begin to give you an idea of how innovative and valuable an idea is. This phase is part selling, part research and part science. If people can’t feel, touch or experience your new idea in part or whole, they probably won’t get it. This is where the innovator has a chance to reshape their idea into an opportunity, mitigate risk, assess resistance and build allies for their endeavor.
7 Implementation/Integration: While many talk about this final phase, they often fail to address the integration part. Implementation refers to tactics that are employed in order to put an idea into practice. This is actually a perilous phase because, in order for implementation to be successful, the idea must first be successfully integrated with other activities in the business and aligned with strategy. An innovation, despite its support from the top, can still fail if a department cannot work with it.
For the Silo, Neil Thornberry.
Working 9 to 5? Think about the best times to approach your boss.
Neal Thornberry, Ph.D., is the founder and CEO of IMSTRAT, LLC a consulting firm that specializes in helping private and public sector organizations develop innovation strategies. A respected thought leader in innovation, Thornberry is a highly sought-after international speaker and consultant. He also serves as the faculty director for innovation initiatives at the Center for Executive Education at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif. Thornberry, author of “InnovationJudo:Disarming Roadblocks & Blockheads on the Path to Creativity”, holds a doctorate in organizational psychology and specializes in innovation, corporate entrepreneurship, leadership and organizational transformation.
It’s hard to say exactly what the future holds, though Steve Jobs was seemingly pretty good at predicting it. In 1972 I had the unusual opportunity to be in a computer class with Steve Jobs. Of course, at the time he was just a nerdy teen and I was four years his junior. He and I would vie to play Tic-tac-toe on a 500 pound “computer” that our High School had recently purchased. Steve was obsessed with this machine. One day I asked Steve why he was so fixated on this refrigerator sized computer. He turned to me and said in an intense manner, “Don’t you see? This machine is going to change everything! It’s going to change the world!” 
Research shows early math achievement predicts later academic achievement and future earnings. Strong math skills are crucial for career sectors like technology, finance, and data science.
