Learn How to Code and Get Microsoft Visual Studio for Only $56

TL;DR: Business owners and freelancers can all profit from coding and data visualization. Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 + The Premium Learn to Code Certification Bundle are on sale now for only $55.97 (97% off the regular price) through March 30. Whether you have your own business or would like to provide additional services as a freelancer, there are many advantages to knowing how to code and visualize data. Even complete beginners can learn to code and program projects with the Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 + The Premium Learn to Code Certification Bundle. Best of all, it’s currently on sale for just $55.97 at TechRepublic Academy. Premium Learn to Code Certification Bundle Absolute novices have a choice of languages they can learn from scratch with The Complete Python Course: Learn Python by Doing in 2024, Learn to Code with Python 3, C++ for Absolute Beginners 2024, Java Programming for Complete Beginners, and 2024 Complete Ruby on Rails 6 Bootcamp. The whole family can get in on the fun with Game Development and Coding for Kids. Former students love this one, rating it 4.9 stars out of 5. It’s offered by Zenva, a leading educational platform that specializes in game creation, AI skills, programming, and more. Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 provides numerous features that will help increase your productivity while maintaining the highest quality code. IntelliCode, for example, makes it possible for you to quickly create more accurate code with less typing. And Live Share makes collaborations seamless. CodeLens provides critical information and a comprehensive overview so you can make more informed decisions. You’ll have everything you need to build, edit, test, and debug code, plus much more. It’s no wonder that Visual Studio Professional 2022 has a perfect five-star rating on Microsoft Choice Software. Only through March 30, you can get the Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 + The Premium Learn to Code Certification Bundle for $55.97. Prices and availability are subject to change. source

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荃灣汀九全海景豪華別墅正式命名「GRANDVIEW OCEANIA 嘉富海灣」

(相)偉達地產有限公司四位高層:董事蕭偉霖先生 (左二)、新華集團家族成員蔡頌思小姐 (左一)、路勁家族成員單頌曦、(右一)、香江國際集團楊華勇。 由偉達地產有限公司重新打造,傲立於荃灣汀九麗都灣泳灘畔的青山公路 368 號全海景豪華別墅項目,今日正式命名為 「GRANDVIEW OCEANIA 嘉富海灣」。 由香港發展商家族成員聯同資深物業投資者共同創立的偉達地產有限公司,匯聚香港頂尖的物業發展和投資專家,其中包括以個人名義投資 的單頌曦先生 (路勁家族成員及創變未來青年企業家聯盟理事長)、以個人名義投資 的蔡頌思小姐 (新華集團家族成員),及以集團名義投資的香江國際集團楊華勇先生。 偉達地產有限公司董事蕭偉霖先生表示:「 『GRANDVIEW OCEANIA 嘉富海灣』 位於的荃灣汀九一帶,屬低密度住宅亦是傳統豪宅區之一,項目前臨遼闊海岸及海灘,為市場稀有臨海豪宅府邸。偉達地產有限公司看好項目得天獨厚之地利及海景優勢,並為項目設計加以優化,把物業之優點完美呈現。 項目以嘉富海灣為名,源於本人小時候在嘉慧園居住,當中嘉與家同音,帶出家庭溫暖的感覺;而英文名 Grandview亦與嘉慧園的英文名 Grenville同音,以 GRANDVIEW OCEANIA為名,更能突顯出項目無遮擋海景 Grand View 嘉富海灣這個名字比喻除了擁有物質上的富有,住戶更感受生活和自然環境的結合,令心靈和健康同樣富足。」 新華集團蔡頌思小姐表示:「GRANDVIEW OCEANIA 嘉富海灣位於荃灣汀九,是最接近九龍的無敵海景項目,前臨有小淺水灣美譽的麗都灣泳灘,是難得一見的優美海灣,水天一色盡享『天・海・岸』三重雅致景觀,擁抱天空、大海與海岸的和諧大自然元素,為住戶帶來寧靜而優雅的生活。由於本人特別喜歡海,於項目實地考察時,看到每幢別墅和每個樓層都能看到全海景,其中二樓及三樓更可以欣賞到優美的海灘,屬市場罕有的臨海發展。 GRANDVIEW OCEANIA 嘉富海灣背山面海,依山而建,由翠綠山巒所環抱,戶戶坐北向南,景致天成。住戶每天早上在客廳和睡房望出窗外,都能看到太陽升起以及浪漫美麗的日落景色。而項目委聘之著名建築設計團隊及室內設計 師團隊,充分發揮物業坐落於山丘之上,背山面海的優勢,令到每幢别墅從室外到室内, 均可盡覽 210 度一望無際的海景,以及近觀海灘和青馬大橋及汀九橋之雙橋美景。」 「GRANDVIEW OCEANIA 嘉富海灣」坐擁尊貴地段及高私隱度,每幢別墅實用面積由 2,469 至 3,150 平方呎,設有多種戶型間隔選擇,包括 3 房 2 廳至 5 房2 廳,適合各類型家庭及人士。至於室外方面,提供約 683 至 1,652 平方呎的 花園和室外泳池(別墅 H 除外);頂層天台面積則由 627 至 880 平方呎不等。 而家更設有私家路直通每幢專屬豪宅,每戶更備有兩個車位,供住戶停泊車輛,住戶更可經由獨立電梯直達室內各個樓層,展現尊貴奢華的顯赫地位。 項目的室內設計分別由屢獲殊榮的國際知名室內設計公司梁志天設計集團有限公司,以及經驗豐富的 Primocasa Design 和 Mokchuen Design 聯手打造。並由在港上市的豐展控股有限公司 (01826),董事馮奕駿先生擔任項目的認可人士。物業外貌方面,邀請到著名的元新建城創辦人及設計總監阮文韜先生,以及該公司董事李嘉聲先生為 13 幢別墅重新塑造形象,締造閒逸生活的理想空間。 項目在匠心規劃及翻新後,別墅換上雙層反光落地玻璃,可高效隔熱、隔音及 防 UV,同時客廳向海的落地玻璃更擴展至 3.1 米,又升級配置德國品牌 Schuco 3.1 米高的全落地玻璃門,讓住戶可無遮擋欣賞面前的海景,置身其中仿如與天海融為一體。 此外,「GRANDVIEWOCEANIA 嘉富海灣」亦特別配合買家自訂個人化的設計, 打造出獨一無二的居停。例如買家可以選擇通力(Kone)的普通電梯或玻璃門電梯,選用玻璃門電梯的好處是每次搭乘時,都可以欣賞到海天一色的優美景 致。而廚房用料方面,項目買家可按個人喜好或需要選用頂級家電及爐具品牌。合作夥伴包括意大利廚具供應商 Unox Casa,他們於 2016 年獨家研發、2022 年在米蘭發佈,Unox Casa 多年來供應廚具給予米芝蓮餐廳,近年開始生產適合 家居使用的系列,當中 Model 1S 是全球唯一會自動清洗及自動抽走油煙的系統, 將產品帶入家居。買家可選用 Unox Casa 或其他與合作夥伴的頂級廚具品牌,締造出不一樣的生活體驗。同時項目還有更多不同品牌的產品供買家選擇,從廚房及浴室的所有廚具或潔具,均可按業主的喜好或需要,人性化地作出配置。 「GRANDVIEW OCEANIA 嘉富海灣」的另一個合作夥伴是 Nextwave Yachting, 這是香港最大的綜合遊艇公司之一。Nextwave Yachting 代理了多個頂級遊艇品 牌,包括英國的 Princess Yachts、法國的 Beneteau 和 Excess Catamarans,以及意大利的 Invictus。透過與 「GRANDVIEW OCEANIA 嘉富海灣」的合作,業主們可以享受租賃時的 VIP 折扣優惠。COLOURLIVING 與 「GRANDVIEW OCEANIA 嘉富海灣」新穎的合作,旨在為業主提供國際一流的高品質浴室設備和生活產品。這次合作將涵蓋多個全球知名品牌,包括 Gessi、Villeroy & Boch、Dornbracht、Emco 和 Armani/Roca。這 些品牌將高端時尚與實用性完美融合,讓每位業主都能在日常生活中享受到一 種生活品味。 路勁家族成員單頌曦先生表示:「GRANDVIEW OCEANIA 嘉富海灣位置優越交通便捷,從項目出發,往中環國際金融中心 (IFC) 及西九龍的環球貿易廣場 (ICC),分別只需 18 及 16 分鐘車程,而往荃灣大型商場 Citywalk、海之戀等僅需 8 分鐘左右,交通非常便利。另外,項目矜罕及優越,是最靠近商業中心的臨海大自然位置,無論上班、購物及親近大自然均十分方便。由項目前往各著名地標建築及口岸,包括香港國際機場、港珠澳大橋口岸,以及深圳灣公路大橋,僅需約 18 至 20 分鐘車程;另外,項目毗鄰充滿自然風光、富有文化氣息且以美食馳名的深井,僅需 5 分鐘車程即可到達。」 香江國際集團楊華勇先生則表示:「無論是周末出海遊山玩水,享受親子活動, 或是馬術或高爾夫球運動愛好者,「GRANDVIEWOCEANIA 嘉富海灣』優越的地理位置,往返多個優尚消閒會所亦十分便捷,例如提供超過 220 個豪華遊艇 停泊的屯門「黃金海岸鄉村俱樂部.遊艇會」,驅車前往只需 16 分鐘;前往香港迪士尼樂園亦僅需 12 分鐘。 LinkedIn Email Facebook Twitter WhatsApp source

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UK autonomous driving unicorn Wayve enters Germany

British autonomous driving startup Wayve is set to establish a testing and development hub in Germany as it prepares to deploy self-driving vehicles in Europe’s largest automotive market.  Wayve’s new hub will be built near Stuttgart, home to big name car brands including Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Audi. Alex Kendall, co-founder and CEO of Wayve, called it the “perfect place” for the company to accelerate the development and testing of AI-powered driving technology.   “2025 is a year of global expansion for Wayve, and we are incredibly excited to establish operations in Germany,” said Kendall. Wayve is already testing its technology in the UK and the US. The startup’s new testing hub in Baden-Württemberg will focus on refining its Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) features, including lane change assistance, and advancing automated driving technology. The site also offers access to Germany’s deep pool of software engineering talent, key to the company’s development efforts. TNW Conference – Groups get the best fun and the best deals Bring your team and multiply your efficiency to cover more grounds and collect new leads. Founded in Cambridge in 2017, Wayve fits a regular car with a range of cameras and sensors that interpret the surrounding environment. This data gets fed to Wayve’s so-called “embodied AI” system. Unlike many other self-driving AI models, which have to be trained on each possible driving scenario and are confined to geofenced limits, Wayve’s AI is more free to act and learn on its own. The more the AI “drives,” the better it becomes at responding to hazards. Wayve’s approach to autonomous driving is similar to Tesla’s. But unlike Elon Musk’s firm, Wayve will sell its technology directly to carmakers. This means you won’t have to buy a Tesla to access top spec self-driving tech. “I look forward to partnering with Germany’s world-leading manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers to bring safe, scalable, and production-ready AI software to vehicles worldwide,” said Kendall.  The news follows Wayve’s mega $1bn raise in May — the largest-ever single investment in a European AI startup. SoftBank led the Series C round alongside tech giants Nvidia and Microsoft.  “Wayve is a singularly important company for Europe,” Suranga Chandratillake, partner at Balderton and an early investor in Wayve, told TNW at the time.  “Embodied AI will be the next big frontier of artificial intelligence — bringing machine intelligence to the physical world around us and not just the computer screen that large language models are confined to.”   The approach has also attracted attention in the US. In August, Wayve secured a “strategic investment” from Uber, which is integrating autonomous driving tech into its fleet of taxis.     source

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Riyadh Air and IBM forge AI-Driven partnership to revolutionize aviation

In a groundbreaking move, Riyadh Air has announced a strategic partnership with IBM to integrate AI across its operations, aiming to establish itself as the world’s first digital-native airline. This collaboration is set to revolutionize the air travel experience by leveraging IBM’s WatsonX AI portfolio and consulting services to enhance both guest and employee experiences. As Riyadh Air prepares for its inaugural flights in late 2025, this partnership marks a crucial step in aligning with Saudi Arabia’s ambitious Vision 2030 goals. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 outlines a bold vision for the aviation sector, aiming to triple annual passengers to 330 million and expand connectivity to over 250 destinations by 2030. This ambitious plan positions Saudi Arabia as a global aviation hub, driving economic growth and diversification beyond oil. The aviation sector is expected to contribute significantly to the Kingdom’s GDP, reaching 74.6 USD billion by 2030. “Riyadh Air is more than just an airline; it is a gateway to new opportunities for travelers from the Kingdom and beyond,” said Adam Boukadida, Riyadh Air Chief Financial Officer. “As we move closer to our first flight later in 2025, our vision is to deliver a seamless, world-class travel experience by expanding our reach, pioneering innovations, and redefining industry standards. By deepening our collaboration with IBM, we are harnessing the power of AI, from intelligent customer interactions to optimized flight operations, to set a new benchmark for the future of aviation.” source

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IT infrastructure: Inventory before AIOps

In addition, there is another aspect that he believes is too often overlooked: “Ultimately, the introduction of AIOps also reveals potential on the employee side. The fewer manual interventions in the infrastructure are necessary, the more employees can focus on things that really require their attention. For this reason, I see the use of open integration platforms as helpful in making automation and AIOps usable across different platforms.” Storm Reply’s Henckel even sees AIOps as a tool for greater harmony: “The introduction of AIOps also means an end to finger-pointing between departments. With all the different sources of error — database, server, operating system — it used to be difficult to pinpoint the cause of the error. AIOps provides detailed analysis across all areas and brings more harmony to infrastructure evaluation.” Overall, experts note a wide variation in the degree of maturity in the implementation of AIOps. Particularly with regard to “naturally” evolved IT landscapes, you should plan carefully and, above all, not neglect the basics to create the necessary database in the first place. A clearly defined trigger that signals the pressure to act at the decision-making level is most effective. Instead of a “big bang” approach, it is better to introduce AIOps in a targeted manner in areas where there is an acute need, to quickly achieve visible effects and generate initial benefits, for example through more efficient and secure processes. All of this not only helps to build internal acceptance but also facilitates support from management. source

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It’s Time To Define Your Professional Existence And Articulate Your Story

Data and AI leaders need to be ready and able to articulate their value at all times. Back in my lifeguarding days, we had a drill where a supervisor would lob a red plastic ball into the water and we had mere seconds to snag it or face the music. Data and AI leaders are playing a similar game in enterprise boardrooms and offices. Senior leaders, board members, consultants, and even peers launch the metaphorical red ball and want to hear a justification for the ongoing investments they make in you, your team, and the data and AI capabilities you build.   It’s a reality of the modern workplace: Individuals need to articulate what they do, who they work with, their objectives, and how these contribute to positive business outcomes, along with the values that drive them. The current climate is sending a clear message to data and AI executives everywhere: Now is the time to identify and articulate your story. The ability to convey the value you bring to your organization is not just about securing your position; it’s about defining your professional identity in a rapidly evolving business landscape. The Framework To Navigate This New Reality As Data And Technology Leaders In response to this urgent need, Forrester’s research, Roles, Goals, And Values: Impactful Data Leadership Starts Here, offers a lifeline. This comprehensive report delves into the intricacies of roles, goals, and values as foundational elements for outlining a cohesive, innovative, and resilient leadership vision. Understand yourself and your audience via roles, goals, and values   Understanding and articulating your role within an organization goes beyond mere job titles. It’s about pinpointing the skills and task expertise you bring to the table. Goals, on the other hand, serve as your compass, providing direction and purpose. Lastly, values act as anchors, underpinning your beliefs and actions as a leader. Together, these elements form a powerful framework that can guide executives in navigating the complexities of today’s business environment. Charting Your Course Forrester’s report, Roles, Goals, And Values: Impactful Data Leadership Starts Here, is more than just a guide; it’s a blueprint for navigating the challenges of modern leadership. By anchoring yourself before activating others, you can develop a clear narrative that not only secures your position but also enhances team communication, collaboration, and strategic alignment. The time to define and articulate your professional existence is now. The “red ball drill” of the business world waits for no one, and only by understanding and communicating your roles, goals, and values can you hope to navigate the choppy waters of today’s business landscape successfully. Explore the full report here and embark on your journey of articulation, aligning your professional identity with the evolving demands of the corporate world. Reach out to schedule an inquiry with me by emailing [email protected] to learn more. source

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Overcoming data compliance and security challenges in the age of AI

We are in the era of artificial intelligence (AI), and businesses are unlocking unprecedented opportunities for growth and efficiency. In IT service and operations (ServiceOps), AI agents are providing assistance for in-context insights, incident response, change risk prediction, and vulnerability management. AI technologies, like large language models (LLMs), require large and diverse datasets to train models, make predictions, and derive insights. However, the diversity and velocity of data utilized by AI pose significant challenges for data security and compliance. Many AI models operate as “black boxes” and can be difficult for users to understand how their data is processed, stored, and compliant with policies. AI technologies may include multiple components and data sources, which can also lead to questions regarding data residency. Without proper data governance, transparency, and security, customer data, intellectual property, or other sensitive corporate information can be fed into LLM models, risking unintended data leakage. Questions about AI models that CIOs and CISOs should be asking CIOs and CISOs play pivotal roles in maximizing the benefits of generative AI and agentic AI while keeping applications, usage, and data secure. Staying abreast of the latest developments and approaches to data security and compliance is crucial for harnessing the benefits of AI and limiting risk. Selecting the right AI platform that includes AI agents requires thinking through various factors and the specific needs of your organization. The questions below cover seven of the most important aspects of this decision. How are access controls implemented? Look for solutions that honor role-based access controls and ensure sensitive information is only accessible to authorized users. Controls should include varying levels of permissions, strict adherence to least-privilege policies, and extensive safeguards against unauthorized access and data breaches. How is data encrypted? Look for solutions that encrypt data transmitted over the internet and use allowlists to restrict any unauthorized IP addresses or IP address ranges from accessing your AI applications. What are the data residency considerations? Ensure data remains stored within contracted regions in accordance with existing agreements and applicable commercial or federal regulations. This alignment with regional and sector-specific compliance requirements simplifies regulatory adherence for customers. What type of data is used to train AI models? Know what type of data is used to train AI models for specific use cases and ensure strict adherence to data privacy and compliance regulations. Do I retain ownership of my data? Ensure to retain full ownership of your data. Know the LLM provider’s data logging, retention policies, and configuration options. Do the AI models expose my data to third-party AI vendors? Ensure that your chosen LLM provider meets your organization’s data compliance requirements. How are AI models audited? Contact your chosen LLM or AI infrastructure provider for a data compliance assessment. How BMC Helix satisfies top security concerns BMC Helix customers retain full ownership of their data, ensuring that all incident tickets, knowledge articles, and files remain within their BMC Helix or third-party applications. This open-first approach enables organizations to use security and compliance mechanisms already in place, eliminating concerns about data copying, retention, or misuse by the LLM, which fosters trust and clarity in AI operations. Data sources include tickets, incidents, observability data, knowledge articles, configuration data — across BMC Helix applications, with roles and permissions governing GenAI responses. For example, an IT support agent cannot access HR support tickets; a support agent and an administrator receive different answers to the same question based on their access credentials. Additionally, BMC Helix customers have the option to configure whether internal knowledge articles can be used for their GenAI responses. The content in the customer’s third-party applications is indexed using an admin profile, which is available to end-users interacting with HelixGPT, BMC’s proprietary GPT model. Other benefits and factors include: BMC Helix uses strong encryption for data in transit over the internet and for data at rest. Data in BMC Helix AI applications remain within the customer’s contracted regions. Organizations need to directly contact their chosen LLM provider for their data residency policy outside of BMC. BMC HelixGPT does not copy or store customer data in AI models. The data is used only for training purposes and adheres to string data privacy and compliance regulations under BMC’s policies. Furthermore, the data is isolated and logically segregated from other customer access or use. For service management use cases, BMC HelixGPT uses a stateless AI model to process each ITSM, employee navigation, service collaboration, or other requests independently. For IT operations management with AIOps use cases, BMC HelixGPT is trained using the customer’s incident data, resolution worklog, and more to assist the AI with categorizing incidents, identifying root causes, summarizing impacts, and assessing risks intelligently. BMC HelixGPT exposes customer data to third-party AI vendors. Therefore, IT organizations are responsible for ensuring their chosen LLM or AI infrastructure providers meet their data processing and retention requirements, as well as satisfying commercial and federal compliance requirements specific to their BMC HelixGPT use cases. The bottom line As AI continues to transform IT work, the importance of building trust and ensuring compliance is crucial. By responsibly managing data and prioritizing transparency and security, organizations can maximize the benefits of AI while reining in risk. In thinking about the approaches to overcoming some of security and compliance challenges, organizations can create a future where AI enhances work and multiplies human productivity. Contact BMC if you would like to discuss this further. source

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2. Religious switching

Millions of Americans have changed their religion over the course of their lifetimes, switching from one religion to another, leaving religion altogether, or choosing to identify with a religion after having grown up without one. If Protestants are counted as a single category – rather than separated into subgroups such as Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans, etc. – then the 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study (RLS) finds that 35% of U.S. adults were raised with a different religious identity than the one they have now. This is roughly on par with what we found in the 2014 RLS, using the same definition of switching. At that time, 34% of Americans were categorized as having switched religions when Protestantism was treated as a single group. (By this definition, religious switchers would include – to give just a few examples – a person who was raised Protestant and is now religiously unaffiliated; a person who was raised Catholic and now identifies as any kind of Protestant; a person who was raised in no religion but now identifies as Jewish; and a person who was raised as an Orthodox Christian and now identifies as a Catholic. However, a person who was raised as a United Methodist and now identifies as a Southern Baptist would not be considered to have switched religions, because both of those denominations are Protestant. Similarly, a person who was raised with no particular religion and now identifies as an atheist would not be counted as having switched, because both of those categories are part of the religiously unaffiliated grouping.) The overall patterns of religious switching in the 2023-24 RLS are similar to the patterns that appeared in the previous landscape studies. Christianity, as a whole, continues to lose more adherents than it gains through switching: For every American who has become Christian after having been raised in another religion or no religion, six others have left Christianity and now describe themselves as religiously unaffiliated, as belonging to another – i.e., non-Christian – religion, or they don’t answer the question about their current religion. Both Protestantism and Catholicism experience net loss from switching. In the 2023-24 RLS, 1.8 people have left Protestantism for every person who has become a Protestant after having been raised in another religious group or in no religion. The ratio for Catholicism is even more lopsided: For every U.S. adult who has become a Catholic after being raised in some other religion or without a religion, there are 8.4 adults who say they were raised in the Catholic faith but who no longer describe themselves as Catholics. Pew Research Center uses the term “religious switching” rather than “conversion” to reflect the fact that movement occurs in all directions and is not necessarily accompanied by any rituals. The category that has grown the most through religious switching is the religiously unaffiliated population. This group is sometimes called the “nones” and is made up of Americans who answer a question about their present religion by saying they are atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular.” For every person who was raised as a “none” and now identifies with a religion, 5.9 people have switched away from their childhood religion and no longer identify with any religion. This chapter details the religious switching among U.S. religious groups. We show both sides of the equation: how many U.S. adults have entered and left each group. We also show the retention rates of the large groups: what percentage of all people raised in a religious group as children remain in it as adults. In addition, this chapter explores a pair of questions asking respondents to evaluate, in broad terms, how they have changed religiously and spiritually as they have aged. When asked how their religiousness has changed, 28% of Americans say they have become more religious, while roughly the same share – 29% – say they have become less religious. The remainder describe their religiousness as unchanged (21%), say they have sometimes grown more religious and other times less so (21%), or they decline to answer the question (1%). When asked how their spirituality has shifted over the course of their lifetimes, more U.S. adults say it has increased (43%) than decreased (11%). The remainder say their level of spirituality has stayed about the same (22%), indicate that it has sometimes risen and sometimes fallen (23%), or they give no answer (1%). Jump to sections on: Net gains and losses among religious traditions Religiously unaffiliated Americans have experienced the greatest net gains, as a share of the U.S population, through religious switching. Among all U.S. adults, 12.6% say they were raised with no religious affiliation (as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular”). About a quarter of that group – 3.5% of all U.S. adults – no longer identify as religious “nones.” Instead, they now identify with a religion (or, in a small number of cases, decline to answer the religion question). Still, the share of people who have joined the ranks of the “nones” is nearly six times larger: 20.2% of all U.S. adults were raised in a religion and now identify as religiously unaffiliated. The picture is reversed for Christianity. Overall, 21.9% of U.S. adults are former Christians – people who say they were raised as Christians but no longer identify as such. That’s six times higher than the share of U.S. adults who now identify as Christians after having been raised in some other way (3.6%). Catholics have experienced the greatest net losses due to switching. About three-in-ten U.S. adults (30.2%) say they were raised Catholic. But 43% of the people raised Catholic no longer identify as Catholic, meaning that 12.8% of all U.S. adults are former Catholics. Meanwhile, on the other side of the ledger, 1.5% of U.S. adults have become Catholics after being raised another way. Overall, 18.9% of U.S. adults currently identify as Catholics, according to the new RLS. Protestantism also has lost more people than it has gained through religious switching. Overall, 13.7% of U.S. adults say they

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Bridging the gap between mainframe data and hybrid cloud environments

A high hurdle many enterprises have yet to overcome is accessing mainframe data via the cloud. According to a study from Rocket Software and Foundry, 76% of IT decision-makers say challenges around accessing mainframe data and contextual metadata are a barrier to mainframe data usage, while 64% view integrating mainframe data with cloud data sources as the primary challenge. Mainframes hold an enormous amount of critical and sensitive business data including transactional information, healthcare records, customer data, and inventory metrics. Much of this data must adhere to regulations for organizations to remain compliant, which is why they are often housed in a secure mainframe. The mainframe also often holds the most current and complete view of transactions within an organization. Data professionals need to access and work with this information for businesses to run efficiently, and to make strategic forecasting decisions through AI-powered data models. Without integrating mainframe data, it is likely that AI models and analytics initiatives will have blind spots. However, according to the same study, only 28% of businesses are fully tapping into the potential of mainframe data insights despite widespread acknowledgment of the data’s value for AI and analytics. In order to make the most of critical mainframe data, organizations must build a link between mainframe data and hybrid cloud infrastructure. Bringing mainframe data to the cloud Mainframe data has a slew of benefits including analytical advantages, which lead to operational efficiencies and greater productivity. It enhances scalability, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness, while maximizing existing infrastructure investments. Integrating this data in near real-time can be even more powerful so that applications, analytics, and AI-powered tools have the latest view for businesses to make decisions. Giving the mobile workforce access to this data via the cloud allows them to be productive from anywhere, fosters collaboration, and improves overall strategic decision-making. Additionally, integrating mainframe data with the cloud enables enterprises to feed information into data lakes and data lake houses, which is ideal for authorized data professionals to easily leverage the best and most modern tools for analytics and forecasting. Connecting mainframe data to the cloud also has financial benefits as it leads to lower mainframe CPU costs by leveraging cloud computing for data transformations. Despite the benefits of bringing mainframe data to the cloud, many organizations are not taking advantage of this opportunity, as the Foundry survey shows. Four key challenges prevent them from doing so: 1. Accessing data and contextual mainframe metadata from the cloud – One of the most significant hurdles of connecting mainframe data to the cloud is the tools commonly used for cloud data integration, analytics, and management often lack the ability to access or understand mainframe data. These tools don’t have the necessary connectors, metadata relationships, or lineage mapping that spans both mainframe and cloud environments. As a result, cloud data teams can struggle to determine what mainframe data is available and which data to use. This presents a lack of visibility in the metadata lineage spanning across mainframe and cloud data. 2. Ensuring security and compliance during data transit – Mainframes are some of the most secure environments in IT, housing highly sensitive transactional data. However, transferring this data to the cloud introduces new security concerns. Protecting data in transit and understanding which sensitive information should be redacted is critical to maintaining compliance. Differences in security models, access controls, and tracking the origin of data across platforms further complicate this process. 3. Integrating mainframe data with cloud data sources – Data teams working with cloud infrastructure often lack visibility into what data lives in the mainframe and how it can be used effectively. The absence of contextual metadata, variations in data formats and structures, and the different skill sets required to handle both cloud and mainframe data further hinder integration efforts. Without these insights, leveraging mainframe data in cloud initiatives remains a challenge. 4. Simplifying data integration for business or non-technical users – For mainframe data integration to become more widespread, it must be easier to use. Current ETL tools often require specialized skills, and many workflows have evolved into legacy code that’s difficult to maintain. Bridging the gap will require making mainframe data as accessible to business analysts and data teams as any cloud-based data source, removing the complexity that currently limits broader adoption. Accessing data from the edge Bridging the gap between mainframe data and hybrid cloud infrastructure can solve the challenges of leveraging modern applications with critical business data at scale, and give data professionals a complete, real-time view of critical business information. For example, Rocket® DataEdge simplifies mainframe-to-cloud integration with easy-to-use, bi-directional connectors that enable seamless data movement between any mainframe source and cloud destination. Automated metadata scanning and linking provide visibility across data tiers, while unified governance features ensure sensitive data is filtered, redacted, and protected in accordance with mainframe security models. DataEdge also supports batch replication, real-time change data capture (CDC), and virtualized data access, allowing full bi-directional integration with open data formats to streamline hybrid environments. Additionally, it empowers data analysts and engineers to quickly discover, understand, and select relevant mainframe data, making it easier to generate actionable insights across the enterprise.   It’s incredibly important for enterprises today to leverage hybrid infrastructure for a variety of reasons, including scalability and adaptability, but it’s equally important to leverage this infrastructure with critical mainframe data. Learn more about how Rocket® DataEdge can help organizations bridge the gap between mainframe data and hybrid cloud infrastructure. source

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DraftKings To Pay $10M In NFT Proposed Class Settlement

By Brian Dowling ( February 27, 2025, 12:26 PM EST) — DraftKings Inc. will pay $10 million to users of the sports betting site who owned nonfungible tokens offered through its marketplace, according to a proposed settlement in the putative class action…. Law360 is on it, so you are, too. A Law360 subscription puts you at the center of fast-moving legal issues, trends and developments so you can act with speed and confidence. Over 200 articles are published daily across more than 60 topics, industries, practice areas and jurisdictions. A Law360 subscription includes features such as Daily newsletters Expert analysis Mobile app Advanced search Judge information Real-time alerts 450K+ searchable archived articles And more! Experience Law360 today with a free 7-day trial. source

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