Latest news with #KORA
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kansas Senate efficiency committee justifies slow response to open records request
Gordon Self, a legislative staff member working with the Senate Committee on Government Efficiency, explained how the Kansas Open Records Act process works. (Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA — The Kansas Senate Committee on Government Efficiency spent the first minutes of its Tuesday meeting explaining why it delayed release of messages to news organizations, defying Kansas Open Records Act requirements. Sen. Renee Erickson, a Wichita Republican and chairwoman of COGE, said news articles had been written about the subject, and she felt it was important for the committee to hear what occurred. Max Kautsch, a First Amendment rights and open government attorney, said COGE failed to meet requirements laid out in the law, specifically that records should be made available as soon as possible. Kansas Reflector made an open records request to access submissions to the COGE portal and email address. The records were not released for more than two months after the request, although Sen. Patrick Schmidt made a KORA request for those records and received them well before that. KORA requires records be made available within three business days or as soon as possible. The two-month timeline could have met KORA requirements if, as the law requires, there had been a 'detailed explanation of the cause for further delay,' Kautsch said. Gordon Self, a legislative staff member who specializes in statutes, said the portal where people could submit suggestions for COGE indicated those 'may be' public records. When KORA requests were received, there were concerns the submissions might contain protected or confidential information, such as Social Security numbers or personal health information, he said. To complete a submission on the COGE portal, a checkbox requires that the individual acknowledge the records are public records and subject to the law. 'Once the KORA requests were received and a response was made, there was a review of the records, all 2,000, to determine if any of the records did contain information,' Self said. 'After a thorough review, there were some identified that did have some sensitive information in them.' That information was redacted, he said. Kansas Reflector received a copy of the emails from an unnamed source before the KORA request was fulfilled. The official copy received later showed few redactions and most appeared to be names, addresses and phone numbers. The Reflector's request yielded disclosures of more than 1,600 submissions that Kansans had made to the portal, Kautsch said. The names and contact information for just 55 submitters were redacted, while the names and contact information for 1,500-plus Kansans were disclosed. 'I thought it was important because there's been a lot of articles and things out on social media – I thought it was important that this committee hear the process, the rationale for the process,' Erickson said after Self's presentation. 'At the end of the day, there are none that have been deleted, there are none that are not available for review. But as was said, we wanted to make sure that we were not including information that was not appropriate for such a situation.'
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kansas Legislature's supermajority makes mockery of open records law over efficiency portal messages
Sen. Renee Erickson chats on the Senate floor during the April 10, 2025, veto session. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) Since the 1980s, the Kansas Open Records Act has mandated that all public agencies, including the Legislature, produce public records either within three business days or 'as soon as possible' in response to requests for records. But the current Legislature seems to believe those words mean 'whenever we feel like it.' And for almost 20 years, KORA has allowed public agencies to redact information from public records that, if disclosed, would amount to a 'clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.' Such information includes Social Security numbers, dates of birth or other information that could enable identify theft. But this iteration of the Legislature seems to think it is entitled to redact information that could traditionally be found in a phonebook, and that it may do so in a futile attempt to shield the identity of a handful of powerful Kansans but not the rest of us. Isn't it time the Legislature follows its own laws for the benefit of everyone and not just a select few? Wichita Sen. Renee Erickson, chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Government Efficiency and a member of the Republican supermajority, viewed timely KORA compliance as optional this legislative session when she was faced the prospect of disclosing information submitted to the supermajority's online 'government efficiency portal.' The portal itself makes clear that 'submissions are public records that are subject to the Kansas Open Records Act.' But when Kansas Reflector made a KORA request in February for submissions to the portal, Erickson said the Reflector would have to wait, not three business days, but rather two months for a response. Such a long timeline could, potentially, be permissible under KORA if Erickson had offered a 'detailed explanation of the cause for further delay,' as the law requires. But by Erickson's own admission, the delay was necessitated not by the Legislature's inability to produce the records in a timely way, but because it preferred not to. In response to Reflector's request on March 7, Erickson wrote that the requested submissions should be kept under wraps until May 1 because they were to be discussed 'during meetings to be called during the 2025 interim' before next session 'as a basis for possible legislation to be considered during the 2026 legislative session.' Erickson would later amend the timeline, indicating that the records would be disclosed April 9. But Erickson proved even that date was not 'as soon as possible,' as she allowed the records to be disclosed to members of her committee in mid-March — well before April 9. Ultimately, Kansas Reflector received leaked copies of the requested records, and their authenticity was corroborated by Erickson's tardy disclosure. In due course, the real reason for her delay became clear: the portal was a repository for criticism of the supermajority's legislative agenda, and it was in the supermajority's interest to keep that fact from the public for as long as possible. Kansas Reflector's request yielded disclosures of more than 1,600 submissions that Kansans had made to the portal. The names and contact information for just 55 submitters were redacted, while the names and contact information for the other 1,500-plus Kansans were disclosed. Comparing the leaked records to Erickson's disclosure shows that Senate President Ty Masterson's submission is one of the 55 from which the name and contact information were redacted. Redacting the identities of anyone, a potential gubernatorial candidate such as Masterson or not, violates KORA. Redactions due to privacy concerns are authorized under KORA only when disclosure of such information poses a serious risk to the person identified and is not 'of legitimate concern to the public.' There can be no doubt that the submissions to the politically charged government efficiency portal are of legitimate concern to the public, negating application of KORA's privacy provision on that basis alone. Moreover, disclosure of someone's name, address and email address does not put them at undue risk when that information is most likely available through a Google search. Additionally, every person who submitted information to the portal was required to check a box acknowledging that submissions would be subject to KORA. That means each submitter effectively waived any application of KORA's privacy provision. Even so, in the April 9 email in which the Erickson disclosed the requested records to Kansas Reflector, she claimed that redactions were made for 'the portions of records containing information of a personal nature where the public disclosure thereof would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.' Simply put, it is not credible to claim that KORA's privacy provision applied to Kansas Reflector's request. Moreover, the Legislature's attempt to shield information about certain submissions and not others is evidence that it is willing to play favorites at the expense of being fair and complying with KORA in a timely manner. Max Kautsch focuses his practice on First Amendment rights and open government law. Through its opinion section, the Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.
Forbes
09-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- Forbes
How Miranda Kerr's KORA Organics Redefines Beauty And Skincare
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 09: Miranda Kerr attends the 2024 Baby2Baby Gala at Pacific ... More Design Center on November 09, 2024 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic) Australian-born Miranda Kerr is the founder and Managing Director of KORA Organics, a certified organic skin care line she launched in 2009. What began in Australia has since gained international recognition, with KORA products now available in over 25 countries worldwide. "From a business perspective, the most important lesson is the power of staying true to the mission," Kerr shared in an interview with Forbes over Zoom. "There are many moments of pressure to cut corners, save costs, or speed up development, but you have to stay firm in maintaining quality and authenticity." This commitment to quality has been her guiding principle throughout KORA's development. The brand originated from Kerr's personal quest for effective skin care products she could confidently use herself and share with loved ones. Kerr's brand was born out of a desire to help people and give them the results they needed without jeopardizing their health. Since founding KORA Organics, Kerr continues to expand her knowledge about skin care while growing both personally and professionally. Her journey demonstrates that building a purposeful brand requires patience, resilience, and unwavering focus while focusing on the needs of an evolving customer base. Kerr built KORA Organics on a foundation of scientific research and genuine customer needs. She invested significant time understanding the science behind her products and personally reviewing the testing results. A cornerstone of KORA's philosophy is challenging industry conventions. While retinol dominates the beauty market as a celebrated anti-aging ingredient, it comes with limitations: pregnant women can't use it, and it often causes dryness. Kerr saw an opportunity to innovate. "If you look at the before and after pictures, the results speak for themselves," Kerr explains. "For example, our retinol alternative moisturizer impressed 90% of dedicated retinol users, who reported better results for fine lines and wrinkles compared to traditional retinol." At the heart of KORA's formulations is noni extract, an ingredient with personal significance for Kerr. "I have been drinking noni juice since I was young for both its internal and external benefits," she shares. "My grandmother introduced it to me when I was 13 and would suggest applying it directly to treat my acne I had through my teenage years." Noni extract is a key ingredient in KORA Organic's range of products. This Southeast Asian fruit, native to Tahiti but also grown in Australia, is packed with vitamin C and contains over 100 antioxidants. It works at the cellular level to support skin rejuvenation, strengthen the skin barrier, and reduce inflammation, delivering the radiant complexion KORA customers seek. It's been Kerr's 'hero ingredient' since day one and every single product contains it, she adds, drawing from her studies in Nutrition and Health Psychology at Australia's Academy of Natural Living and her certification as a health coach. Her commitment to organic ingredients intensified after her mother's cancer diagnosis. "What we realized is that what you put on your skin goes in," Kerr reflects. "We were horrified to discover potentially carcinogenic ingredients in mainstream products, which strengthened our dedication to certified organic formulations." Given that clean beauty is a trend that has become mainstream, Kerr draws a crucial distinction between "clean beauty" and "certified organic" - a difference that defines KORA Organics' unique market position. "Certified organic means you're avoiding pesticides and unnecessary chemicals while getting 60% more antioxidants," Kerr explains. "When you have clean beauty, you're not getting those three things because it's very different." This commitment to certification has established KORA as the only certified organic brand stocked by Sephora worldwide, creating a distinctive niche in a crowded market. The rigorous certification process involves meeting the strictest industry standards, positioning KORA at the forefront as consumers become increasingly conscious about chemical-free products and wellness-oriented skincare. One fascinating trend Kerr has observed is the shifting demographics of her customer base. "Gen Z is incredibly ingredient savvy," she notes, highlighting how younger consumers demand both sustainability and efficacy without compromise. Research backs Kerr's observation; one study notes that 81% of the demographic note that ingredient transparency influences their purchasing decisions and they are opting for fragrance-free skincare and 33% are preferring paraben-free formulations. KORA Organics focuses on sustainability and creating products that are appealing across different ... More demographics and age groups. This evolution in consumer priorities has shaped KORA's approach to business. As a carbon-neutral and climate-neutral brand, KORA offsets its environmental impact through tree planting, water infiltration projects, and renewable energy investments. This commitment extends to their innovative approach to packaging updates. Rather than following industry norms of discarding old inventory when updating packaging designs, KORA launched an archival sale. "I don't want anything to go to waste," Kerr states. "Instead of discarding, we're giving the community a chance to stock up on moisturizers, sleeping masks, exfoliating masks and more at 20% off until they sell through." This strategy represents a win-win scenario: preventing waste while offering value to customers without compromising on the formula. After all, it's the same high performing formula that customers love, while the brand moves forward with its packaging evolution without compromising its sustainability principles. As a mother of four children (Flynn, Hart, Miles, and Pierre), Miranda Kerr has discovered that parenthood offers valuable lessons in entrepreneurship, though balancing family and career presents its challenges. "I need to stop micromanaging and need to step back," Kerr admits. She emphasizes the importance of establishing routines and building trust in her team, empowering them to advance the company's mission while she balances her responsibilities. Kerr has observed how parenthood naturally draws customers to KORA Organics. "When you become a parent, you want the best for yourself in those postpartum days and for your children," she explains. This awareness has influenced KORA's development as a family-friendly brand. The universal appeal of KORA products transcends gender boundaries. "More and more men are embracing it," Kerr notes, mentioning that her husband is "obsessed with" the turmeric brightening and exfoliating mask. Beyond adult use, she applies the brand's body oil and lotion on her children, finding them particularly beneficial during teething. This turmeric moisturizer is a personal favorite of Kerr's husband, representing that the brand aims ... More to be gender neutral and appeal to everyone. "This is what we all use in our house," she shares proudly. 'I want this to be a unisex product that every member in your household can benefit from. That's how we build repeat customers who understand that health is wealth.' This holistic approach to family wellness reflects Kerr's commitment to creating products that nurture both body and business and prove that when personal values align with professional vision, both can flourish together.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Keysight to Demonstrate Wireless Innovations at Mobile World Congress 2025
February 21, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Keysight (NYSE: KEYS): What: At Mobile World Congress 2025, Keysight will showcase how to empower the wireless future, with artificial intelligence (AI) and secure devices and networks to achieve breakthroughs in 5G-advanced and 6G research. Keysight pioneers innovation with connected intelligence by pushing the boundaries with an end-to-end wireless portfolio that enables advanced use cases, reduces risk, and speeds time to market. When: March 3-6, 2025 Where: Hall 5, Keysight booth #5F41 Fira de Barcelona Gran Via, Barcelona, Spain Info: Keysight at Mobile World Congress 2025 Keysight will present the following demonstrations: Artificial Intelligence AI-RAN Orchestration: This demo will highlight the potential of AI-RAN orchestration to transform traditional RAN systems into intelligent, adaptive networks that meet the evolving needs of modern telecommunications. Keysight's Open RAN Architect (KORA) solutions not only enable users to validate AI and RAN coexistence but also provide a comprehensive framework for benchmarking performance and gaining insights into energy consumption across various O-RAN traffic models and AI / ML service usage profiles. AI-Powered Device Test: This demo will feature the Atlas Test Management Center, a new automation platform for all device acceptance testing. This platform leverages AI to optimize execution time and delegate preparation tasks. Additionally, it uses AI / ML-driven data insights to predict and manage trade-offs under time constraints. AI/ML Channel Estimation: This demo will present a novel receiver with an ML-based channel estimator for the uplink data channel. This approach significantly enhances throughput performance, increases system capacity, and reduces RU power consumption. By leveraging AI, it processes wireless channel data across joint frequency-temporal-spatial domains, applying AI in real-world test scenarios created with Keysight's Channel Studio solution. 6G 6G Simulation to Emulation: The advancement of new wireless technologies demands innovative design tools capable of accurately simulating RF propagation environments. Keysight will introduce its new Channel Studio RaySim RF ray tracing solution, which swiftly and precisely creates site-specific RF propagation across FR1, FR2, and FR3 environments for digital twin simulations and real device testing with emulation using Keysight's Wireless Network Emulation Solutions. 6G AI Design Automation: Keysight will demo its new electronic design automation (EDA) software featuring 3D Circuit-EM-Thermal multi-physics co-design capability. The software offers high-performance automation with AI / ML, robust RF, and millimeter-wave design validation. Digital Twins for 6G: This demo will feature a digital twin of a large-scale private network covering the city of Malaga, Spain. The network model is created by importing a diverse set of data sources including ray-tracing models, LIDAR, telco configurations, open-source data, laboratory measurements, and live telemetry. The digital twin is calibrated through live measurement and then used to gain insights into the current performance of the overall network and potential improvements that can be achieved from deploying new 6G candidate technologies. FR3 RFFE Characterization: Keysight will showcase the PNA-X Pro as a comprehensive system for FR3 RF Front End (RFFE) characterization. The PNA-X portfolio offers high-performance VNAs for EVM measurements on components, utilizing full vector spectrum analysis. 5G-Advanced Industrial 5G and NTN: Keysight will demonstrate how to optimize connectivity in industrial private 5G networks and how to measure live NTN network quality and coverage. 5G Interference Mitigation and MIMO Design from FR1 to FR3: These demos will showcase how to mitigate 5G interference in Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) scenarios and evaluate and optimize MIMO designs from FR1 to FR3. 5G Field Issue Replication: Keysight will demonstrate how to automatically analyze and convert device field logs into lab test cases to recreate protocol signaling sequences or enable functional and performance testing under the same network conditions. ORAN O-RAN and Core Testing: Keysight will showcase its solutions for Cloud-Native ORAN and Mobile Core, for optimizing Cloud RAN energy efficiency, validating 5G network security, and proving RIC readiness with large-scale performance testing. Security Secure and Fast Network: Keysight will demonstrate how its security solutions can analyze device cybersecurity defense mechanisms, in both hardware and software, detect vulnerabilities, and run penetration tests and fuzzing attacks. Additionally, we'll showcase how user and application behaviors can be emulated across various network topologies to identify and resolve performance and security issues. Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 7 Test and Analysis: Keysight will showcase a solution to benchmark the performance of Wi-Fi 7 Access Points (AP) in the 6 GHz band at 320 MHz bandwidth, emulating hundreds of high throughput OFDMA clients. Additionally, Keysight will demonstrate how to capture and analyze Wi-Fi 7 messages to enable detailed issue analysis, with correlation between the protocol and RF. About Keysight Technologies At Keysight (NYSE: KEYS), we inspire and empower innovators to bring world-changing technologies to life. As an S&P 500 company, we're delivering market-leading design, emulation, and test solutions to help engineers develop and deploy faster, with less risk, throughout the entire product life cycle. We're a global innovation partner enabling customers in communications, industrial automation, aerospace and defense, automotive, semiconductor, and general electronics markets to accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world. Learn more at Keysight Newsroom and View source version on Contacts Keysight Media Contacts North America PR Teampdl-americas-keysight@ Fusako DohiAsia+81 42 660-2162fusako_dohi@ Jenny Gallacher, Europe+44 118 927
Associated Press
21-02-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Keysight to Demonstrate Wireless Innovations at Mobile World Congress 2025
Keysight (NYSE: KEYS): Keysight will present the following demonstrations: Artificial Intelligence AI-RAN Orchestration: This demo will highlight the potential of AI-RAN orchestration to transform traditional RAN systems into intelligent, adaptive networks that meet the evolving needs of modern telecommunications. Keysight's Open RAN Architect (KORA) solutions not only enable users to validate AI and RAN coexistence but also provide a comprehensive framework for benchmarking performance and gaining insights into energy consumption across various O-RAN traffic models and AI / ML service usage profiles. AI-Powered Device Test: This demo will feature the Atlas Test Management Center, a new automation platform for all device acceptance testing. This platform leverages AI to optimize execution time and delegate preparation tasks. Additionally, it uses AI / ML-driven data insights to predict and manage trade-offs under time constraints. AI/ML Channel Estimation: This demo will present a novel receiver with an ML-based channel estimator for the uplink data channel. This approach significantly enhances throughput performance, increases system capacity, and reduces RU power consumption. By leveraging AI, it processes wireless channel data across joint frequency-temporal-spatial domains, applying AI in real-world test scenarios created with Keysight's Channel Studio solution. 6G 6G Simulation to Emulation: The advancement of new wireless technologies demands innovative design tools capable of accurately simulating RF propagation environments. Keysight will introduce its new Channel Studio RaySim RF ray tracing solution, which swiftly and precisely creates site-specific RF propagation across FR1, FR2, and FR3 environments for digital twin simulations and real device testing with emulation using Keysight's Wireless Network Emulation Solutions. 6G AI Design Automation: Keysight will demo its new electronic design automation (EDA) software featuring 3D Circuit-EM-Thermal multi-physics co-design capability. The software offers high-performance automation with AI / ML, robust RF, and millimeter-wave design validation. Digital Twins for 6G: This demo will feature a digital twin of a large-scale private network covering the city of Malaga, Spain. The network model is created by importing a diverse set of data sources including ray-tracing models, LIDAR, telco configurations, open-source data, laboratory measurements, and live telemetry. The digital twin is calibrated through live measurement and then used to gain insights into the current performance of the overall network and potential improvements that can be achieved from deploying new 6G candidate technologies. FR3 RFFE Characterization: Keysight will showcase the PNA-X Pro as a comprehensive system for FR3 RF Front End (RFFE) characterization. The PNA-X portfolio offers high-performance VNAs for EVM measurements on components, utilizing full vector spectrum analysis. 5G-Advanced Industrial 5G and NTN: Keysight will demonstrate how to optimize connectivity in industrial private 5G networks and how to measure live NTN network quality and coverage. 5G Interference Mitigation and MIMO Design from FR1 to FR3: These demos will showcase how to mitigate 5G interference in Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) scenarios and evaluate and optimize MIMO designs from FR1 to FR3. 5G Field Issue Replication: Keysight will demonstrate how to automatically analyze and convert device field logs into lab test cases to recreate protocol signaling sequences or enable functional and performance testing under the same network conditions. ORAN O-RAN and Core Testing: Keysight will showcase its solutions for Cloud-Native ORAN and Mobile Core, for optimizing Cloud RAN energy efficiency, validating 5G network security, and proving RIC readiness with large-scale performance testing. Security Secure and Fast Network: Keysight will demonstrate how its security solutions can analyze device cybersecurity defense mechanisms, in both hardware and software, detect vulnerabilities, and run penetration tests and fuzzing attacks. Additionally, we'll showcase how user and application behaviors can be emulated across various network topologies to identify and resolve performance and security issues. Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 7 Test and Analysis: Keysight will showcase a solution to benchmark the performance of Wi-Fi 7 Access Points (AP) in the 6 GHz band at 320 MHz bandwidth, emulating hundreds of high throughput OFDMA clients. Additionally, Keysight will demonstrate how to capture and analyze Wi-Fi 7 messages to enable detailed issue analysis, with correlation between the protocol and RF. About Keysight Technologies At Keysight (NYSE: KEYS), we inspire and empower innovators to bring world-changing technologies to life. As an S&P 500 company, we're delivering market-leading design, emulation, and test solutions to help engineers develop and deploy faster, with less risk, throughout the entire product life cycle. We're a global innovation partner enabling customers in communications, industrial automation, aerospace and defense, automotive, semiconductor, and general electronics markets to accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world. Learn more at Keysight Newsroom and Asia +81 42 660-2162 [email protected] Gallacher, Europe +44 118 927 4003 [email protected] KEYWORD: SPAIN EUROPE SOURCE: Keysight Technologies, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 02/21/2025 11:00 AM/DISC: 02/21/2025 11:03 AM
