Latest news with #TheObserver
Hamilton Spectator
7 hours ago
- Science
- Hamilton Spectator
AI pros outweigh the cons, says U of G researcher
Artificial intelligence (AI) has been used for a long time to make life as a farmer easier, but it does come with some risks, says a University of Guelph professor. Dr. Rozita Dara told The Observer that AI has been used in agriculture in at least some fashion for a while now. That's created advantages, including reducing the need for physical labour, improving quality, and ensuring consistent growing conditions. Planning with AI has also been a major proponent in the sector in recent years, with farmers able to predict future needs and increase efficiency. 'One of my projects was on mushroom harvesting using computer vision and sensors to detect the environment and building decision support tools to enhance decision making,' said Dara of the use of such technology. She has also used AI models for disease detection, the likes of dairy cow mastitis, and is currently using them to monitor avian influenza. It is also in robots to identify weeds and spray fertilizers or pesticides. Farmers are already using AI to manage food production in Canadian greenhouses, and robots have also been indevelopment to harvest and plant crops. But with all of these positives that come with using AI in agriculture, some risks ultimately arise with technology of this nature, added Dara, noting that such concerns may have slowed its adoption. The first challenge is the high cost of entry into these systems. 'These tools are quite expensive because it's not just about developing the tool, you must also maintain it. Make sure the control data collection processes are accurate. Then from there, data is aggregated and used in a reliable format, and that cycle continues,' noted Dara. The nextconcern of using AI, no matter the industry, is data privacy and what is being done with the collected data. Dara mentioned that people are concerned about who owns this data and what is being done with it. 'Also, the reliability and accuracy of AI systems can vary, and farmers may be hesitant to rely heavily on new technology until they are confident it works well in their specific environment. Data privacy and security are other concerns, as sensitive farm data must be protected from potential hacking or misuse.' The best way to combat this problem with data is to ensure transparency between tech companies and farmers and not move too quickly into adoption. 'Like any smartphone, they have developed over time, and we have learned how to fix the issues and what the end users need. For farming technologies, we also need to go through that process to understand the farmer's needs.' That leads to the next concern that some farmers have: that we as a society might become over-reliant on AI and lose our manual skills. Going hand in hand with these concerns is the reliance on technology, which could leave them open to shutdown or hackers. The technology is likely to cause a slight shift in the job availability in the industry, with cybersecurity and those with experience with this type of technology becoming more valuable in the industry, added Dara. Though there are some concerns with the technology, Dara told The Observer that the positives outweigh the negatives. With the proper implementation, AI can continue to be an amazing tool in the agriculture industry. 'The benefits are way more than the concerns. But we have to move towards it gradually,' said Dara. 'Ensuring transparency around how AI makes decisions, maintaining security to protect data and promoting equitable access will be vital to ensuring AI advances contribute to a sustainable and fair food system for everyone.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
The Age
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
‘Radical creator' takes a ‘kaleidoscopic look at love' in Shakespeare-adjacent opera
'The scenarios that are presented in The Fairy Queen are a kind of kaleidoscopic look at love in every aspect,' she says. 'It's all about love and marriage, loss, sorrow, unrequited love – every possible angle. The universal experience of love.' Indeed, one of the opera's most affecting numbers begins with the line, 'If love's a sweet passion/why does it torment?' The libretto, thought to be by Thomas Betterton, is best described as Shakespeare-adjacent. No named characters from A Midsummer Night's Dream appear in it. Instead, we have personifications of the seasons, night and sleep, and fairies and green men. There's a comic scene for a rustic couple, Corydon and Mopsa, traditionally sung by bass and countertenor. 'What felt more interesting for me, for this production, was to allow The Fairy Queen to stand very much by itself,' Jones says. 'It's got a fantastic structure, it really works as a theatrical piece. Although it's a series of vignettes, they are structured together in a very clever way. Purcell was brilliant – he died when he was 36 – but he was such an interesting, curious, people-loving person. He was amazing.' British director Jones is known as an innovative theatre-maker who often incorporates video in her shows. Her recent production of Peter Grimes for Gothenburg Opera in Sweden was praised in The Observer for its devastating impact, and noted Jones as a 'radical creator who uses video to original effect'. She works with a team of designers and technicians at her creative studio, Lightmap. This is her first project with an Australian company, although in 2017 she brought her production of The Dark Mirror – a version of Schubert's Winterreise – with Ian Bostridge, to the Perth Festival. Pinchgut was lucky to secure Jones' services; last December she took up the newly created role of associate director of the Royal Opera. Jones has set this production of The Fairy Queen in a modern city that could be Sydney, with the action taking place across a 24-hour period. A wide video screen will reach across the back of the stage. 'The production will be very visual – there are lots of changes, lots of colour,' she says. 'The first production of The Fairy Queen almost bankrupted the theatre because they put everything in it. We can't do that but we can use the technology at our disposal to do something that's very visual. We've included dance and other elements of baroque theatre but we've just made it very contemporary.' Loading At the Royal Opera, Jones is charged with bringing in new commissions, new artists and new ways of addressing opera as an art form, working out of the Linbury Theatre. '[Opera] has been with us 300 years, it's not going away,' she says. 'It's an art form, not a medium. Media do tend to come and go – we may have something different to television in our domestic lives in the future. Whereas opera and painting and poetry and play-making, they are not the same. 'Companies have felt the squeeze but the work will live on and shift into something that is much more central to our cultural life. Sometimes when something is under threat you become more active in protecting it.' Purcell's music for The Fairy Queen was all but lost until its rediscovery in 1901. Growing interest in early music led to its revival. In 2003 the barely year-old Pinchgut Opera chose The Fairy Queen for its second production, after making its debut the previous year with Handel's Semele. Helyard says he has chosen to return to The Fairy Queen to show how far this small but musically rigorous company has come. 'Back then we weren't quite as stylistically confident with playing and singing this kind of music,' he says. 'This seemed like the perfect piece to go to the Ros Packer Theatre, our premiere there, and to revisit Purcell.' Back in the rehearsal room at the Drill Hall, the wedding party is in full swing. Mezzosoprano Anna Fraser rises from her seat, mock-drunkenly staggers to centre stage and begins to sing: 'Hark! How all things in one sound rejoice …' Almost on cue, rain starts to fall, like a thousand fairies drumming on the iron roof.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Radical creator' takes a ‘kaleidoscopic look at love' in Shakespeare-adjacent opera
'The scenarios that are presented in The Fairy Queen are a kind of kaleidoscopic look at love in every aspect,' she says. 'It's all about love and marriage, loss, sorrow, unrequited love – every possible angle. The universal experience of love.' Indeed, one of the opera's most affecting numbers begins with the line, 'If love's a sweet passion/why does it torment?' The libretto, thought to be by Thomas Betterton, is best described as Shakespeare-adjacent. No named characters from A Midsummer Night's Dream appear in it. Instead, we have personifications of the seasons, night and sleep, and fairies and green men. There's a comic scene for a rustic couple, Corydon and Mopsa, traditionally sung by bass and countertenor. 'What felt more interesting for me, for this production, was to allow The Fairy Queen to stand very much by itself,' Jones says. 'It's got a fantastic structure, it really works as a theatrical piece. Although it's a series of vignettes, they are structured together in a very clever way. Purcell was brilliant – he died when he was 36 – but he was such an interesting, curious, people-loving person. He was amazing.' British director Jones is known as an innovative theatre-maker who often incorporates video in her shows. Her recent production of Peter Grimes for Gothenburg Opera in Sweden was praised in The Observer for its devastating impact, and noted Jones as a 'radical creator who uses video to original effect'. She works with a team of designers and technicians at her creative studio, Lightmap. This is her first project with an Australian company, although in 2017 she brought her production of The Dark Mirror – a version of Schubert's Winterreise – with Ian Bostridge, to the Perth Festival. Pinchgut was lucky to secure Jones' services; last December she took up the newly created role of associate director of the Royal Opera. Jones has set this production of The Fairy Queen in a modern city that could be Sydney, with the action taking place across a 24-hour period. A wide video screen will reach across the back of the stage. 'The production will be very visual – there are lots of changes, lots of colour,' she says. 'The first production of The Fairy Queen almost bankrupted the theatre because they put everything in it. We can't do that but we can use the technology at our disposal to do something that's very visual. We've included dance and other elements of baroque theatre but we've just made it very contemporary.' Loading At the Royal Opera, Jones is charged with bringing in new commissions, new artists and new ways of addressing opera as an art form, working out of the Linbury Theatre. '[Opera] has been with us 300 years, it's not going away,' she says. 'It's an art form, not a medium. Media do tend to come and go – we may have something different to television in our domestic lives in the future. Whereas opera and painting and poetry and play-making, they are not the same. 'Companies have felt the squeeze but the work will live on and shift into something that is much more central to our cultural life. Sometimes when something is under threat you become more active in protecting it.' Purcell's music for The Fairy Queen was all but lost until its rediscovery in 1901. Growing interest in early music led to its revival. In 2003 the barely year-old Pinchgut Opera chose The Fairy Queen for its second production, after making its debut the previous year with Handel's Semele. Helyard says he has chosen to return to The Fairy Queen to show how far this small but musically rigorous company has come. 'Back then we weren't quite as stylistically confident with playing and singing this kind of music,' he says. 'This seemed like the perfect piece to go to the Ros Packer Theatre, our premiere there, and to revisit Purcell.' Back in the rehearsal room at the Drill Hall, the wedding party is in full swing. Mezzosoprano Anna Fraser rises from her seat, mock-drunkenly staggers to centre stage and begins to sing: 'Hark! How all things in one sound rejoice …' Almost on cue, rain starts to fall, like a thousand fairies drumming on the iron roof.
Hamilton Spectator
22-05-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Children's Farm Safety Day set for June 7
Waterloo Rural Women will host their annual Children's Farm Safety Day on June 7 at Kyle and Jolene Horst's Hidden Lane Dairy farm, 7144 Line 86, RR#4 Elmira. Waterloo Rural Women is a volunteer-led group of women from mostly farming backgrounds who meet a few times yearly to organize events for rural women and families through continuing education and leadership. The group's Susan Martin told The Observer that this event is for more than just farm kids. 'This day is for anybody who visits a farm, has relatives or friends who have a farm, because it's to learn how to be safe in that environment,' said Martin. The event will have six stations, including a large-animal station where the kids will use goggles that simulate how these animals see and attempt an obstacle course. They will also go through equipment safety with Equipment Ontario. The Waterloo Regional Police will be doing road safety when walking and biking. Floradale firefighters will be putting on three stations, including calling 911, chemical safety, and a bouncy house to help with emergency exit training. This event will allow the kids to have fun while learning these vital tools for safety when being on the farm, added Martin. The event is more pertinent since there have already been three accidents on farms this year. 'If we can save one life or bring awareness to that person to make a smarter safety decision, then we've done our job. We all believe very strongly in this as a group.' Martin added that this event can only happen with the help of generous donations from businesses. 'We have different businesses that donate money to help us run this day, and we're always so very grateful for that, but we also can't run this day without our volunteers,' said Martin. The kids run through the stations in groups, and these volunteers help lead them through the six stations. 'It's because of the wonderful volunteers that we have to help us run this day, and our people volunteering their farms for us. It's a feel-good day, we hope it's a feel-good day for everybody.' Parents who want to register for the event can contact Donna Rogers at dmrogers@ or Susan Martin at florahills2416@ .
Otago Daily Times
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Scramble for safety continues for Gazans
Gaza is shrinking Lilly Cheslaw, of The Observer, writes. For Palestinians across the Gaza Strip, the past 19 months have been a dizzying and near-constant scramble for relative safety under bombardment. Now the Israeli army is preparing for its most intense offensive yet to squeeze Gaza's entire population into a rapidly shrinking space; possibly forcing Gazans out of the strip altogether. Throughout the war, Israel has systematically restricted Palestinians' access to large parts of Gaza through scores of evacuation orders announced on army social media channels or in leaflets dropped from the sky. At times, residents have been allowed to return to their homes following Israeli ground manoeuvres aimed at crushing local Hamas battalions. But other areas have remained off-limits. Of a total pre-war population of 2.2 million, an estimated 1.9 million Gazans have been forced to flee during the lengthy ground offensive, most of them many times over. Israel has routinely emphasised that its operations in Gaza are intended to eliminate Hamas and free the hostages, of whom 59 remain in captivity. Yet its army has also seized large swathes of territory, razing thousands of structures to create military corridors that bisect the Strip and a buffer zone along its perimeter. Originally extending 1km into Gaza, the buffer zone has doubled in size and swallowed up an entire city since Israel unilaterally broke off the ceasefire in March. For much of the war, Israel has directed fleeing Palestinians towards a 6.5sq km "humanitarian zone" in al-Mawasi — a narrow, sandy coastal strip in southern Gaza. Originally comprising just 3% of Gaza's total area, this zone has expanded to accommodate more than 1million refugees living in tents. Despite designating it a safe zone, Israel reportedly bombed the area 97 times between May 2024 and January 2025. Israel recently announced plans for a new ground offensive in Gaza as early as this week, pledging to permanently capture more territory and flatten what remains of Gaza's buildings and infrastructure. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the entire Palestinian population would be "moved for their safety" — reportedly to an area on the ruins of the city of Rafah near Gaza's border with Egypt. As Israel seizes more land and makes it increasingly uninhabitable, its leaders continue to advocate for the transfer of Gaza's population (in line with Donald Trump's "Riviera Plan"), facilitated by a newly established "voluntary emigration bureau" within Israel's defence ministry. October 2023 A week after the war began, Israel ordered 1.1 million Palestinians — half of Gaza's population — to leave the north of the territory within 24 hours, before a ground invasion. Soon after, the military imposed a buffer zone roughly 1km wide inside Gaza's border, ostensibly to push threats away from Israeli communities. Measuring about 60sq km, it comprised more than 16% of the strip and 35% of Gaza's agricultural land. Before October 7, these areas were home to about 250,000 people. A report by the UN Satellite Centre found that, by April 2024, roughly 90% of the buildings within the buffer zone had been destroyed or damaged. November 2023 After launching its invasion of Gaza, the Israeli army began occupying a 6km stretch of land that cuts across the middle of the territory, dividing the north from the south. The Netzarim corridor — named after a Jewish settlement that used to exist there — was quickly expanded to house a number of military bases used to monitor and control Palestinian movement. Between September and November 2024, the army demolished more than 600 buildings in the surrounding area, expanding the corridor to about 50sq km of land. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz described Netzarim as a "kill zone" where Palestinians who entered would automatically be considered a terrorist and shot. May 2024 Israel disregarded the Biden administration's warnings that invading Rafah, a city close to Gaza's southern border with Egypt, would cross a "red line". By then, Rafah had grown from a city of 280,000 people to a shelter for 1.4 million Palestinians who were fleeing bombardment elsewhere in Gaza. Israel's incursion also displaced more than 900,000 people to the "humanitarian zone" in al-Mawasi. October 2024 As Hamas battalions continued to regroup, the Israeli army adopted a new policy: forcibly displacing the entire civilian population from Gaza's northernmost districts. In October 2024, the army issued evacuation orders for 400,000 Palestinians living in the north, telling them to go to al-Mawasi. What became known as the "generals' plan" involved severing these areas from the rest of Gaza, surrounding hospitals and denying aid entry. As Israel tightened its operation, the UN's commissioner-general for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, warned that "people attempting to flee are getting killed, their bodies left on the street". April-May 2025 After the ceasefire's collapse in March, Netanyahu announced the seizure of another military corridor, this time dividing the cities of Khan Younis and Rafah in the south. It was named Morag after another Jewish settlement. The area contained some of Gaza's last remaining agricultural land and water infrastructure. The military also seized control of Rafah and its surrounding area after issuing new evacuation orders, absorbing an additional 20% of Gaza's territory into the "buffer zone" and rendering the entire city inaccessible. Israeli security officials said the aim of the manoeuvre was to "permanently empty" the area. Israel's defence minister said the IDF were "dismembering the Gaza Strip" to put pressure on Hamas, while Netanayahu announced the army was "shifting gears" towards a continuous ground presence in Gaza, rather than targeted incursions and withdrawals. Already one of the world's most densely populated areas, the UN has declared that 70% of Gaza is now inaccessible owing to the expanded "buffer zone" and new evacuation orders.
