Automobile Technology: BMW Unveils ‘iVision Dee’

CNET (January 5, 2023) – BMW i Vision Dee is the futuristic mid-size sedan with a new and pared-down design language. The name “Dee” stands for Digital Emotional Experience – and that is precisely its aim: to create an even stronger bond between people and their cars going forward. Future digital functions will go far beyond the level of voice control and driver assistance systems we are familiar with today.

The BMW Head-Up-Display extends across the full width of the windscreen, providing a glimpse of the next vehicle generation. From 2025 onwards, this innovation will be available in the models of the NEUE KLASSE. The BMW Group has also refined its use of colour-change technology. Having unveiled the BMW iX Flow Featuring E Ink, with the ability to change from black to white, at the last CES, BMW i Vision Dee can now curate its exterior in up to 32 colours. 

Winter 2023 Views: Snow Monkey Park In Japan (4K)

The Snow Monkey Park was established in 1964 as a facility where wild Japanese macaques can be observed in an environment without fences or cages. All this while providing others with the chance to learn about primate behavior.

The park also aimed to keep the monkeys in the area and away from their other great love, pillaging the neighboring farmland. Staff at the park have fed the monkeys daily ever since its opening. They live in the surrounding mountains, but come down for the free meals.

The monkeys visit the park year-round, and can be seen soaking in the hot springs in winter. December to March is usually the best time to witness them bathing.

Research Preview: Science Magazine – January 6, 2023

Science | AAAS

Science Magazine – January 6, 2023 Issue:

China is flying blind as the pandemic rages

Official death tolls are impossibly low, and some worry new variants may escape detection

Did ancient tentacled microbes kick-start complex life?

New studies suggest early Asgards evolved into eukaryotes

Once banned, spending earmarks see resurgence

Lawmakers can’t resist steering cash to universities and research projects back home

Ancient points suggest Asian roots for early American tools

Finds may support coastal route hypothesis for first settlers

Virus hunters test new surveillance tools

Ropes, drones, insects, and dust cloths could make monitoring faster, safer, and cheaper

Headlines: West To Send New Weapons To Ukraine, U.S.-Mexico Border Policy

January 6, 2023 – We discuss the West’s renewed efforts to send weapons to Ukraine. Plus: the US president, Joe Biden, announces a plan for the Mexican border, a flick through the day’s papers and Singapore Art Week.

Front Page: The New York Times – January 6, 2023

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House Adjourns Without a Speaker as McCarthy Offers Concessions

The California Republican signaled he would give in to more demands from hard-right rebels in a frenzied effort to win enough support for the speakership but continued to lose ground on vote after vote.

‘Nobody Is in Charge’: A Ragged G.O.P. Stumbles Through the Wilderness

With no unified agenda or clear leadership, Republicans face the prospect that the anti-establishment fervor that has powered the party in recent years could now devour it.

Church Lays Benedict to Rest, if Not Its Divisions

An extraordinary period for the modern church ended with Francis presiding over the funeral of his retired predecessor. Some conservatives found the ceremony too modest for their standard-bearer.

‘We’re Going to Need Everybody’: Recordings Captured Response to N.F.L. Crisis

When Damar Hamlin’s heart stopped during a game on Monday night, medical personnel can be heard responding to the kind of emergency the league hoped it would never face.

Travel In Italy: Bellissimo Magazine – Winter 2023

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Explore Trentino-Alto Adige, the gorgeous mountainous region in the far northeast of Italy. You’ve probably seen photographs of the mighty Dolomites and maybe you’ve dreamed of exploring these mountains, meadows, and high alpine lakes. And while the region’s natural beauty is unsurpassed, Trentino-Alto Adige is so much more than its famously jagged mountain ranges. As a cultural and strategic crossroads for millennia, it’s home to pockets of unique regional traditions, a language (Ladin) found only in this part of Italy, and cuisine that bears witness to the dueling influences of Mediterranean and Tyrolean culture. And there are castles everywhere here — further testament to the region’s importance to emperors, traders, and marauders. 

Stampa

As a cultural and strategic crossroads for millennia, it’s home to pockets of unique regional traditions, a language (Ladin) found only in this part of Italy, and cuisine that bears witness to the dueling influences of Mediterranean and Tyrolean culture. And there are castles everywhere here — further testament to the region’s importance to emperors, traders, and marauders. 

Aerial Views: Antalya In Southwestern Turkey (4K)

World in 4K – Antalya is a Turkish resort city with a yacht-filled Old Harbor and beaches flanked by large hotels. It’s a gateway to Turkey’s southern Mediterranean region, known as the Turquoise Coast for its blue waters. Remnants remain from Antalya’s time as a major Roman port. These include Hadrian’s Gate, built to honor the Roman emperor’s visit in 130 A.D and 2nd-century Hidirlik Tower, with harbor views. 

Preview: Foreign Policy Magazine – Winter 2023

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Foreign Policy Magazine – Winter 2023 Issue:

The New Rules of War

Twelve experts on what the world needs to learn from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Biden Is Now All-In on Taking Out China

The U.S. president has committed to rapid decoupling, whatever the consequences.

Why Japan Should Join AUKUS

Tokyo has become an indispensable security actor in the Indo-Pacific.

Analysis: Apple’s Supply Chain Shifts From China To India And Vietnam (WSJ)

Wall Street Journal – Apple is facing an uphill battle as it plans to shift its production out of China. Here’s why it’s difficult to replicate Foxconn’s ‘iPhone City’ in Zhengzhou and the company’s finely-tuned ecosystem in countries like India and Vietnam.

Previews: The Economist Magazine – January 7, 2023

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The Economist – January 7, 2023 Issue:

A realistic path to a better relationship between Britain and the EU

The question of Europe has caused a decade of turmoil. Here’s how to use the next ten years better

What the Kevin McCarthy saga means for America’s Congress

Power struggles, public humiliation and a government shutdown may follow

News, Views and Reviews For The Intellectually Curious