Latest news with #MikeWood
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Ministers ban civil servants from buying gay and trans pride flag lanyards in drive to reduce 'wasteful spending'
Civil servants will be banned from buying lanyards featuring a gay and trans pride flag under a clampdown on 'wasteful spending' in Whitehall, ministers have confirmed. Purchasing cords for security passes that feature the 'progress flag' will be affected by a review of taxpayers money spent on 'corporate-branded and non-essential merchandise'. The flag features the Pride rainbow flag but adds other stripes and chevrons to represent other 'marginalised communities' including transgender and those with HIV /AIDS. And in an answer to a written question by Tory MP Mike Wood, first reported by the Times, Cabinet Office Minister Georgia Gould confirmed that flag-bearing lanyards were included in the review. She noted that staff will be allowed to wear their existing lanyards, but added: 'The announcement sets out the requirements for all departments to review their policies on procuring corporate-branded and non-essential merchandise, with a view to restricting future purchases. 'These stricter rules will permit government merchandise only when essential, for example, in overseas trade and diplomacy, or to promote growth.' The Cabinet Office announced last month that it planned to refuse to fork out for 'unnecessary branded merchandise' and staff 'away days'. Senior minister Pat McFadden said that 'cutting wasteful spending' means cash can be targeted on other public services such as the police and schools. Ministers have pledged to slash the cost of bureaucracy, and the latest measures come after civil service credit cards were frozen. The Cabinet Office set out requirements for departments to review their policies on branded and non-essential merchandise, with the idea that future purchases could be restricted. New rules will mean that Government-branded kit will only be allowed when it is essential for official work such as overseas diplomacy. As well as the restrictions on merchandise, officials will be told that team-building days will have to be held in Government buildings to avoid paying to hire venues. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Mr McFadden said: 'By cutting wasteful spending we can target resources at frontline public services with more teachers, extra hospital appointments and police back on the beat. 'We will use taxpayers' money to deliver our Plan for Change, kick-starting economic growth, rebuilding the NHS and strengthening our borders.'
Express Tribune
29-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Mike Wood, LeapFrog founder, dies by physician-assisted suicide due to Alzheimer's diagnosis
Mike Wood, founder of the educational toy company LeapFrog Enterprises, has died by physician-assisted suicide following a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. He was 72. Wood passed away earlier this month in Switzerland, where physician-assisted suicide is legal, his brother confirmed. He was reportedly "surrounded by family" at the time of his death. According to family statements, Wood chose to end his life before the Alzheimer's disease progressed significantly, maintaining his desire for dignity and control in the face of a devastating illness. Wood, a California resident, launched LeapFrog in the mid-1990s after noticing his three-year-old son's struggles with reading. The company quickly rose to prominence with the 1999 release of the LeapPad, a groundbreaking educational device that became the best-selling toy during the 2000 holiday season. Wood stepped away from the company in 2004 but remained a respected figure in the educational technology space. LeapFrog Enterprises paid tribute to its founder in a statement posted on Instagram. "We are saddened by the loss of LeapFrog founder, Mike Wood," the company said. "His passion to find a new way to help his child learn led to something remarkable... We loved working with Mike and are honoured to continue what he started." Wood is survived by his son and three grandchildren. His death marks the passing of a visionary entrepreneur whose innovations in early childhood education technology have impacted millions of children worldwide.
Daily Mail
24-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Read famous toy maker's heartbreaking words to his family about ending his own life
When he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's seven years ago, iconic toymaker Mike Wood had a simple request of his beloved family: don't let me languish in the darkness. And so when the time came, Wood's family traveled with him to Dignitas, the Swiss assisted suicide clinic, to be with him as he ended his life.
Malaysian Reserve
24-04-2025
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
Lumen Brings Big Bandwidth to the Big Hats: Powering the Kentucky Derby® with Network-as-a-Service
DENVER, April 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — 'The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports®' just got a serious tech upgrade. As Churchill Downs Racetrack ('Churchill Downs') prepares to host the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby, the historic venue has teamed up with Lumen Technologies (NYSE: LUMN) to bring Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) capabilities to the racetrack, delivering enhanced connectivity for hundreds of thousands of guests, media outlets, and mutuel operations during Derby Week. 'When you're hosting one of the greatest sporting spectacles on Earth, speed matters — and not just on the track,' said Mike Wood, Senior IT Director 'With Network-as-a-Service technology, we can bring high-capacity, secure connections online in minutes to power everything from media coverage to vendor support and guest Wi-Fi. It's that kind of behind-the-scenes innovation that ensures Derby Week runs smoothly and delivers unforgettable experiences to fans in the stands and around the globe.' With more than 385,000 visitors descending on Churchill Downs each year, the digital demands of Derby Week have vastly increased —jumping from 2–3 Gbps on a normal day to nearly 200 Gbps daily. Streaming, seamless mutuel operations, high-definition live broadcasts, mobile point-of-sale transactions, and Wi-Fi access all require network connections with low latency and high reliability – especially when milliseconds matter. 'Churchill Downs is an iconic venue operating in a high-stakes, high-velocity environment,' said Dave Ward, Lumen chief technology and product officer. 'By replacing temporary, hardwired circuits with a dynamic, on-demand Network-as-a-Service platform, they're gaining a self-service, cloud-like network experience that scales to match the pace of the Derby. That's the future of connectivity—and we're proud to help bring it to the track.' With 83 race days annually, Churchill Downs requires year-round high-performance connectivity and by using Lumen NaaS, the team can dynamically scale bandwidth up and down as needed, delivering continuous connectivity for critical operations such as veterinary services, security systems, and mutuel platforms. Beyond the track and grandstands, Lumen's network also supports the backside community, home to many equestrians and their families who need schooling, internet, and communication. Get the full story of how Lumen is powering the Kentucky Derby. Watch the video and read the use case to discover how Network-as-A Service is elevating the experience at Churchill Downs: About Lumen Technologies Lumen is unleashing the world's digital potential. We ignite business growth by connecting people, data, and applications – quickly, securely, and effortlessly. As the trusted network for AI, Lumen uses the scale of our network to help companies realize AI's full potential. From metro connectivity to long-haul data transport to our edge cloud, security, managed service, and digital platform capabilities, we meet our customers' needs today and as they build for tomorrow. For news and insights visit LinkedIn: /lumentechnologies, X: @lumentechco, Facebook: /lumentechnologies, Instagram: @lumentechnologies, and YouTube: /lumentechnologies. About The Kentucky Derby The $5 million Kentucky Derby takes place on the first Saturday in May at historic Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Inaugurated in 1875, the legendary 1 ¼-mile race for 3-year-olds is the longest continually-held major sporting event in the United States and the first leg of horse racing's Triple Crown series. Also known as The Run for the Roses® and The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports®, the Kentucky Derby is the most attended horse race in the nation. The 151st Kentucky Derby will take place on May 3, 2024. For more information, please visit Tickets for the 151st Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby on May 2-3 are available by visiting and or call (502) 636-4447 to be a part of the most extraordinary Kentucky Derby yet.
Time of India
23-04-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Beloved toy company founder who helped millions of kids learn to read dies by assisted suicide, leaving legacy of literacy; who is he and why did he take this step?
Mike Wood , founder of LeapFrog Enterprises , the firm that revolutionized how children learn to read, has died by physician assisted suicide at the age of 72, as per a report. Wood died on April 10 in Dignitas , a nonprofit assisted dying center in Zurich, Switzerland, in the presence of family members, The New York Times reported. Why Mike Wood Chose Physician-Assisted Suicide His brother, Tim shared that Wood was suffering from Alzheimer's and so he had decided to end his life before the disease could progress too far, according to the report. Switzerland permits assisted dying, but only if the person who's making the request is of sound mind and not driven by selfish reasons, like for money, according to Daily Mail. Clinics like Dignitas, the country's most famous clinic where hundreds of people have died in the past 20 years, has strict rules that its clients must be terminally ill, suffering extreme pain or living with an 'unendurable disability', reported Daily Mail. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like When Every Gram Matters Trek Kit India Buy Now Undo LeapFrog's Success and Growth A pioneer of children's learning, Wood's innovation has reached millions of homes, infinite classrooms, and a whole generation of readers. His foray into this industry wasn't an intentional career choice, but it was his experience as a dad, worrying for his young son, that led him to create this global toy company, as per Daily Mail. When Wood noticed that his then three-year-old son, Mat, knew the alphabet but could not pronounce the letter sounds, he was concerned that if his child lagged as a reader, he would forever struggle, as per the report. His concern about his son's learning, led him to make a prototype of an electronic toy that played sounds when children squeezed plastic letters and then he developed the Phonics Desk in 1995, according to Daily Mail. Live Events LeapFrog's success attracted investors such as Michael Milken and Oracle founder Larry Ellison, as per the report. In 1997, their education firm, Knowledge Universe, acquired a majority stake in LeapFrog for millions of dollars, investing in product development, reported Daily Mail. With this capital, Wood bought a company that assisted in developing the LeapPad, which he demanded be no more than $49 for Toys R Us customers, according to the report. Wood's Continued Impact On Children Even though the company was very successful, Wood had decided to step down from his position in the toy company in 2004 at the age of 51, as per Daily Mail. Wood then, founded and sold another reading education company, Smarty Ants , an online learning program, as per the report. Recently, he had volunteered as a reading teacher at a school near his home, where more than half of the students are classified by the state of California as socioeconomically disadvantaged, reported Daily Mail. FAQs Where did Mike Wood die? Wood died at Dignitas, a nonprofit assisted dying clinic in Zurich, Switzerland, as per a report. Why did Mike Wood choose to end his life? Wood chose to end his life before his Alzheimer's progressed further.
