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⛪ . .Buds Burst Open. . .⛪
A Prayer of Thanksgiving Thanksgiving focuses on God's gifts. Our challenge is to take nothing for granted, but to appreciate every blessing. Thanksg
Thanksgiving focuses on God's gifts. Our challenge is to take nothing for granted, but to appreciate every blessing. Thanksgiving is a way of life. Indeed, the prayer of thanksgiving characterizes a eucharistic people. Our gratitude centers on the greatest gift of all—Jesus. This gift, and all the other gifts through God's providence, are expressions of God's love. How fitting and just it is that we always and everywhere express our gratitude to the Lord.
—from the book Living Prayer: A Simple Guide to Everyday Enlightenment by Robert F. Mourneau
† Saint Quote
"Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the most tender of friends with souls who seek to please Him. His goodness knows how to proportion itself to the smallest of His creatures as to the greatest of them. Be not afraid then in your solitary conversations, to tell Him of your miseries, fears, worries, of those who are dear to you, of your projects, and of your hopes. Do so with confidence and with an open heart."
— St. Damien of Molokai
"The fullness of wisdom is fear of the Lord, she is present with the faithful in the womb (Sirach 1:14). Fear of the Lord does not mean to be afraid of God. It means to stand in awe and wonder before the greatness of the Lord. When we recognize that God is God and we are creatures, we develop a healthy sense of humility. We acknowledge our need for wisdom and grace, which are both gifts of the Holy Spirit."
— Rev. Jude Winkler, p. 9
Daily Meditations Holy Spirit
"Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.'"
BLESSED DENIS OF THE NATIVITY
Blessed Denis of the Nativity (1600-1638) was born as Pierre Berthelotin in France and became a sailor at the age of twelve. He had a successful career as pilot-in-chief and cartographer in service to the Kings of France and Portugal, even being knighted for bravery. He later chose the religious life and became a Carmelite friar, taking the name Dionysius (Denis) of the Nativity. He was sent by his superiors on a diplomatic and missionary mission to the Sultan of Aceh (Sumatra). Once there, all the members of his party were seized at the instigation of the Dutch authorities. They were tortured by their Islamic captors and were told to renounce their Catholic faith and become Muslims. They refused and were martyred. St Denis was martyred last, as he desired, in order to be able to strengthen the others. He was killed by a scimitar blow that split his head in two. His last words were: "Jesus, Mary."
Dn 7:2-14
In a vision I, Daniel, saw during the night,
the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea,
from which emerged four immense beasts,
each different from the others.
The first was like a lion, but with eagle's wings.
While I watched, the wings were plucked;
it was raised from the ground to stand on two feet
like a man, and given a human mind.
The second was like a bear; it was raised up on one side,
and among the teeth in its mouth were three tusks.
It was given the order, "Up, devour much flesh."
After this I looked and saw another beast, like a leopard;
on its back were four wings like those of a bird,
and it had four heads.
To this beast dominion was given.
After this, in the visions of the night I saw the fourth beast,
different from all the others,
terrifying, horrible, and of extraordinary strength;
it had great iron teeth with which it devoured and crushed,
and what was left it trampled with its feet.
I was considering the ten horns it had,
when suddenly another, a little horn, sprang out of their midst,
and three of the previous horns were torn away to make room for it.
This horn had eyes like a man,
and a mouth that spoke arrogantly.
As I watched,
Thrones were set up
and the Ancient One took his throne.
His clothing was snow bright,
and the hair on his head as white as wool;
His throne was flames of fire,
with wheels of burning fire.
A surging stream of fire
flowed out from where he sat;
Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,
and myriads upon myriads attended him.
The court was convened, and the books were opened.
I watched, then, from the first of the arrogant words
which the horn spoke, until the beast was slain
and its body thrown into the fire to be burnt up.
The other beasts, which also lost their dominion,
were granted a prolongation of life for a time and a season.
As the visions during the night continued, I saw
One like a son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
When he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
He received dominion, glory, and kingship;
nations and peoples of every language serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.
Responsorial Psalm
Daniel 3:75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
"Mountains and hills, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
"Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!"
"You springs, bless the Lord;
"Seas and rivers, bless the Lord;
"You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord;
"All you birds of the air, bless the Lord;
"All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord;
Lk 21:28
Stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.
Lk 21:29-33
Jesus told his disciples a parable.
"Consider the fig tree and all the other trees.
When their buds burst open,
you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near;
in the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that the Kingdom of God is near.
Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away."
His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:14)
Fantastical characters, carnage and battle, unexpected plot twists—Hollywood blockbusters certainly have nothing on Daniel's vision! Movies use creative techniques and special effects, but at their core, they are still just trying to tell a story. And so is Daniel. So we should ask ourselves what he's saying.
It can be tempting to try to dissect Daniel's story. What does the horn mean? Why does one beast have his feathers plucked? Why were the beasts, once defeated, granted a "prolongation of life" (Daniel 7:12)? And why, in the midst of the story of all those beasts, do we have descriptions of an "Ancient One" (7:9, 13)? Biblical scholars say Daniel's vision is a creative interpretation of Israel's past and present, ending with the promise that God's justice will prevail. But that doesn't keep us from wanting to look for predictions of the future in the cryptic symbolism Daniel uses.
Jesus cuts through it all. In today's Gospel, after he himself has described the end times, he makes a simple but crucial point: when the tree buds, summer is coming. It's not mysterious; it's something we can see for ourselves. We don't need complicated tools to dissect scary prophesies. We know how the story ends—with Jesus' victory!
Will we confront turbulence? Yes. Will natural disasters occur? Yes. Will people try to deceive the faithful? Yes. But don't forget: all of this has gone on since the fall of our first parents, and it will continue until Jesus comes again. But no matter what the future holds, Jesus is victorious.
As Pope Francis proclaimed at the inaugural Mass for his first World Youth Day, "The 'dragon,' evil, is present in our history, but it does not have the upper hand. The One with the upper hand is God, and God is our hope!"
Even Daniel's bizarre-sounding tale ends with the everlasting dominion of the Ancient One. That's what we have to hold on to in times of turmoil, confusion, and fear. Take heart; hold on. Christ is in you, and he is victorious!
"Jesus, I believe that you have authority over all things. Help me not to take my eyes off of you."
(Psalm) Daniel 3:75-81
When we choose the poor, we can always be sure of not going wrong. ... When we choose an ideology, we can never be sure of not being at least partly wrong. When we have complied with an ideology, we can never be sure of having taken the right course. When we choose the poor, we are always sure, doubly sure, of having made a good choice. We have chosen like Jesus. And we have chosen Jesus.
from Paradoxes of Faith
"His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed."
Thinking back, on the thousands of years of kingdoms, they have come and gone, and wouldn't you say that most have been some type of democracy, where the king suits the needs or desires of most? Lest they be a "dictator", someone completely opposed to being open. It is sad to see that in our Kingdom, in the modern country, to see the people call our Lord such a thing, someone "opposed" to them. But, even at that, does not make Him less of a King. The crown of thorns is proof. Proof of our poor King. And I don't say this in a bad tone, but in the most Holy of Holies, because being poor is what He set Himself to be...humility, meek, and leading the way to Heaven all the way.
Let us pray: "Give glory and eternal praise to him! "Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever."
Bless the Lord. I was asked "Adrian, how can I show God that I love Him?" I talked about obedience and a few days later I asked him a question back "so how do you show your new wife that you love her?" He said things like gestures, communicating, talking, spending time. YES Exactly. That is exactly how we are to show love...but there is still more....think, and think hard with your heart: Sacrifice.
In the Holy Gospel, our Lord ends with: "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." Things we know and love pass. They pass through and they pass away. But His word shall not pass. It does not pass away. And what He says goes. What He says lives. What He says shall be. What He says is everlasting dominion. We heard of a figure in Heaven with white hair, sitting on a throne of fire, pouring forth fire, purifying fire even, and we heard of beasts, and we heard of a lopping of one of them, its head cast into fire. And we heard of dominion. This was thousands of years ago proclaimed. And today? It is still proclaimed. The great King, is YOUR King...if you choose Him to be.
Lord, us people need a King to lead us on the right path, not only to security, but a security of Heaven for our own souls and the whole world.
I pray for the whole world Lord, for your light to become brighter in a time when things to get darker. We need a crusade of great love, not of physical wars, but one that can penetrate an unwilling soul and animate it with a pure burning fire of love for You above all in Heaven.
Because you are worthy, to be honored and adored, cherished, because you are MY Father, because you are the Father of all things, and you care for us so deeply. I am thankful, and I love you, and love so many gifts you pour out on us and on the whole world. Mercy Lord, Mercy....
hear it read
Random Bible Verse 1
Proverbs 27 5-6
Better is open rebuke
than hidden love.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend;
profuse are the kisses of an enemy.
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Search The International Orchid Register
Orchid details
Paphiopedilum Hsinying Rubyweb
Hsinying Rubyweb
Synonym Flag
This is not a synonym
Registrant Name
Ching Hua
Originator Name
Pollen parent
Paphiopedilum Paphiopedilum
Hsinying Web Ruby Leopard
Begin a new parentage search
Search the International Orchid Register by Parentage
Notes on searching by parentage
Partial word searches can be carried out by appending the % sign to a search term. Accents or apostrophes should not be included when searching for grex names.
The International Orchid Register can be interrogated to identify whether hybrids with different pollen and seed parents have been registered. Enter either or both the genus and grex names of the pollen and seed parents and click search. With all such grex names listed the Pollen Parent and the Seed Parent will be given, together with the name of the Registrant and the Originator and the Date on which the grex name was registered.
Please note that with many early grex names the parentage is not known and is therefore cited as "na" or "uk" and similarly some early Registrants and many Originators (including some of recent grexes) are unknown - these are indicated as "O/U".
All dates of registration prior to 1990 are given to the year only (e.g. 1/1/65).
Begin a new grex name search
Notes on searching by grex name
The International Orchid Register can be interrogated by entering the name of a genus and/or a grex in the search boxes and clicking the search button. If you know the exact spelling of the name, check exact match. With all such grex names listed the Pollen Parent and the Seed Parent will be given, together with the name of the Registrant and the Originator and the Date on which the grex name was registered.
If you have a further inquiry about the names of orchid hybrids and/or their parents, it should be made to the International Orchid Registrar, at the following address: 83 Victoria Road, Selston, Nottinghamshire, NG16 6AR, UK. Tel. 0044 1773 511814. fax. 0044 115 876 7963. Email: orcreg@rhs.org.uk.
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Interview with Chris Cornell
1. So ,it’s your first time performing in front of the greek audience . How do you feel about that?
Ah…It’s great. I wanted to play a show or shows in Greece for years ,to be honest ,and it’s really hard to get the different bands I’m into ,on a tour for that long or just to ,you know ,come to Europe and play more than just a usual few shows, spend some time off to struggle. Since I met my wife Vicky ,it was the first time I started coming to Greece and I really fell in love with it .So since then , I’m trying to put together a tour where I can play some shows in Greece and I was gonna actually start doing quality shows by myself and play in Greece but this offered a first full show which I think is probably the best way to come and play there for the first time .And actually playing in Athens ,playing for a lot of people, I think it’s gonna be really fun. I don’t really know what to expect, I don’t know what the greek audience is like but from what I hear it’s great . I think the greek culture sort of understands how good singing and singing from the heart it’s a sort of motivated singing and not every culture gets that . They take it differently but the emotion in song is something that not every country and every culture gets as well .So I’m curious ,you know …I feel like it will be really an exciting connection with the audience because that is the most fun for me .Really not just to be onstage singing a song .That’s more important than anything ,that’s more important than any kind of a show .Stage ,moves or aggression or anything that happens live ,I think the most important thing for me is just to connect emotionally ,so I can get in the songs and sing and I feel Greece is a country where people really understand that.
2.Which was your inspiration and you decided to put out a solo album again after 1999?
In a way, it’s just another record for me . Every record that I record whatever band I was in or whenever, it was something. I was taking really seriously and treated the same way. This one was very important to me, every single song .I’ve written many many songs ,you know, for different bands and at different times but it’s still different to me necessarily to write a song for Audioslave or for Soundgarden than to write a song just for Chris Cornell .The only difference , I suppose ,is that there’s a sort of an image of a band that I have to keep in mind when writing a song .Writing a song that’s just my own song ,I don’t want to think about anything in terms of images ,I want to think what I want to sing and what I want to say , but it’s not that difficult to go from the one to the other .I mean, I spent years of my life writing songs by myself for Soundgarden in a baseline ,just day after day ,working on songs ,it’s still kind of the same thing (laughs) .
3.I guess you are sick of answering questions related to the past, although as I’m really interested in the grunge era, I’d like to know some feelings or memories of that period, maybe about the “Singles” movie or your friendship with bands like Mother Love Bone or Pearl Jam ?
Hm…you know, this is past and it’s sort of a scene that it was constantly changing .It was really a true organic scene . The real Seattle scene it was before anyone else was there. It was before anyone outside Seattle really knew that there were a few bands, making indie records, like two or three and that was it . It started off before Mother Love Bone ,before Pearl Jam, there were Malfunkshun ,Green River ,Soundgarden and they were just playing in small places in front of fifty people And certainly after a period of time like four years of self-being ,Soundgarden started to realize so many bands for there. Green River put out and became Mudhoney and Mother Love Bone that of course ended and became Pearl Jam .
These are people that were in different bands ,they go much further back once the scene was kind of real…Once the scene became an international success, there were bands touring .It wasn’t really a scene anymore .No one was there, everyone was on tour ,everyone was in the studio or traveling and everyone left and then they played a show when they get home but that was it (laughs).We kind of changed! There was a period of like two years that I was pretty crazy ,everyone was making records and making records and I remember that being kind of stressful, more than anything .It was also exciting ,though we weren’t really sort of sitting around and busking the glory of being the guys in the bands that certainly were such an international success .We were working ,writing songs ,making records, touring ,but it was pretty chaotic.
4. If I had the time I would ask more about that period of time, although I have to ask some more things .So, how did you realize that the whole Audioslave thing couldn’t work out anymore?
I guess…things get in a way...I think when you’re in a band, you get in the way of making records and touring and all the things may come ,it’s unnecessarily negative. You know ,I didn’t want to be in a band after Soundgarden ,that’s the bad …It’s no point in it ,there’s no point in the negativity .With Soundgarden, we were all very young and we did all the things that young bands do and we really got along very well. So did with Audioslave , but I hadn’t the patience in a term to work out agreements and everything being democratic and have any band meetings and disagreeing about everything and have to try to work it out and all these to work on another rock song .For me ,it’s not worth it ,if that’s happening. I’d rather just work on my own.
5. What are you listening to, this period of time? Any new bands you really like?
Ah...It’s sort of existing a big kind of indie scene, or young bands and singers that reminds me a lot of the early ‘80s post-punk Canada independent scene ,but nowadays there are bands like Arcade Fire and bands like the Arctic Monkeys ,from different parts of the world . Bands like Modest Mouse ,bands kind of nerdy and rock music played by guys that wear glasses (laughs) . A sort of ,you know, different fashion ,that’s kind of coming back and that reminds me more of the early ‘80s bands, like The Cure and that kind of thing. Although I think the bands are really good and the songs are good and I like the people who can sing again. It still sounds like older music to me in a different way ,but it’s fun!
Κάλλια Κακαλέτρη
kallkak@hotmail.com
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Kaiser Permanente Vacaville honored For environmental excellence | Environment
Kaiser Permanente Vacaville honored For environmental excellence
Submitted by Chyresse Hill
Thursday, May 25th, 2017, 9:10pm
Topics: Environment, Health
Kaiser Permanente Vacaville Medical Center has been named a top 25 hospital for environmental excellence by Practice Greenhealth, a national group dedicated to environmental sustainability in healthcare. In all, Kaiser Permanente received 16 Practice Greenhealth Environmental Excellence Awards. The Environmental Excellence Awards are given each year to honor environmental achievement in the health care sector. Kaiser Permanente has been recognized by Practice Greenhealth for its sustainability work every year since the awards program began in 2002.
“As a health care organization, we recognize that we have a responsibility to contribute not only to the health of our members and patients, but also to our environment,“ said Nor Jemjemian, senior vice president and area manager for Kaiser Permanente in the Napa Solano area. “At the Vacaville Medical Center, we have created more earth-friendly processes and reduced the environmental impact of our operations. This award validates that we have met some key sustainability goals and we couldn’t be prouder of the team that has made it happen.”
Vacaville Medical Center was specifically highlighted for achievements including:
A partnership with United Cerebral Palsy of the North Bay (a member of the SDA Alliance) that employs developmentally disabled adults to empty all mixed recycling containers and to recycle the contents at an offsite location. http://goneforgooducpnb.com/
A successful sustainable food program
Several electric vehicles (EV)in service fleet and EV charging stations in our parking lots for employees, members and guests • Active programs to reduce energy and water use
A project underway to install onsite solar panels
The Vacaville facility also benefits from Kaiser Permanente’s broader efforts to create a non-toxic environment, such as centralized procurement of chemically safest products; voluntary purchasing of renewable energy to cover 29% of our nationwide electricity needs in 2016; and our technology-enabled health services like secure messaging, telemedicine, and mail-order prescription refills that empower members to be healthy while avoiding unnecessary car trips to our facilities.
Kaiser Permanente’s awards recognize the commitment, embodied in its 2025 Environmental Stewardship Goals, to buying safer products, conserving energy, using solar and wind power and managing waste that puts the organization among the nation’s leaders in environmental responsibility.
The awards will be presented at the Practice Greenhealth Environmental Excellence Awards Gala, set for May 18th in Minneapolis, Minn., at the conclusion of the CleanMed Conference & Exhibition.
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出自專輯
Camila Cabello (哈瓦那情人 卡蜜拉)
發行月份
這首歌也出現在...
通勤路上的最佳解藥！來點醒腦的好心情
西洋狂潮
李的歌單4
本機離線歌曲
作詞：Justin Tranter, Ali Tamposi, Mattias Larsson, Robin Fredriksson & Camila Cabello 作曲：Justin Tranter, Ali Tamposi, Mattias Larsson, Robin Fredriksson & Camila Cabello
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, I promise
Tell me something, but say it with your hands, slow
When you touch me, paint me like a Van Gogh (Oh)
I wanna study every inch of you
'Til you trust me to make the angels come through
Like a choir singing "Hallelujah"
When my body's crashin' right into you
When we align, ooh yeah
Do you feel me?
Can you feel me?
'Cause I can't breathe
Where did you come from, baby?
And were you sent to save me?
Ooh, there's God in every move
Ooh, and you're the living proof (Oh)
The way your hands can't shake me
Soft to the touch like, baby
Countin' freckles, as they run down your spine
Show your demons, and I might show you mine
One at a time, yeah, yeah
What are you hidin'?
What a design, yeah, yeah
I wanna dive in, what a divine moment
Can you feel me? (Oh)
Ooh yeah, choir singing "Hallelujah"
Choir singing "Hallelujah"
Body's crashin' right into you (Oh)
'Cause I can't breathe (Oh)
Where did you come from, baby? (Where did you come from, baby?)
And were you sent to save me? (Sent to save me)
Ooh, there's God in every move (Oh)
Ooh, and you're the living proof (And you're the living proof, oh)
The way your hands can't shake me (The way your hands can't shake me)
Soft to the touch like, baby (Soft to the touch like, baby)
Ooh, and you're the living proof (Ooh, and you're the living proof, oh)
Like a choir singing "Hallelujah" (Baby, baby)
Ooh yeah, choir singing "Hallelujah" (Baby, baby)
Like a choir singing "Hallelujah" (Ooh, ooh)
Hallelujah, hallelujah (And you're the living proof, oh)
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Context Is Everything
Context is everything. That’s what my wise acquaintance Dutch Rall taught me years ago. (I think he learned it from someone else, too.)
The more I think about it, the more I realize how fundamental that concept is in figuring out everything.
In short, a context determines when a particular theory, hypothesis, advice, concept, or statement applies.
“Don’t cross the sidewalk when the signal is red,” is a sound advice. But we all know we don’t follow it all the time.
To a three-year old, we should tell him/her to follow this advice, without giving conditions. The default for the above concept is true, and you don’t want to confuse a young mind by giving lots of conditions where you can break that rule.
But if you’re a grown-up, walking hurriedly to see your dying parent before s/he passes away, maybe you’ll feel justified to break the rule. (Of course, we have to assume that every time you cross a road, you look both ways to verify that there are no cars coming.)
But maybe not if you hear an ambulance’s siren nearby.
Or maybe it’s not an emergency like that. It’s just a pretty small road where cars rarely come.
But maybe not if there’s a tight curve nearby that obstruct your view and you know cars that do come tend to speed.
Or maybe it is a big street but you can safely follow all the other pedestrians jaywalking.
But maybe not if there’s a police officer nearby looking menacing.
See how there’s a statement that defaults to true as the foundation, but whether it applies or not depends on the context? That’s a pretty benign example, I don’t know if any of us adhere to that rule rigidly.
But the same concept applies to everything.
Like when you are justified to kill someone.
Like having an abortion.
Like when it’s OK to steal.
Like when to tell the truth.
There may be best practices and default answers that apply to most of situations.
But few of them apply universally, without exceptions.
That’s why laws get complicated. Mature systems and world views grow to accommodate different contexts. Few things in life are black and white.
Part of being a grown-up, is to realize this. It’s important.
August 31, 2016 August 31, 2016 Life Insights context
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Autism Friends Network / Distractions / Time Out
/ Favourite and least favourite actors
Pages (5): 1 2 3 4 5 Next »
Favourite and least favourite actors
I use the term actors in the modern Australian sense, where it covers both genders.
My top 5 actors have to be John Travolta, Christopher Walken, Robert De Niro, Michael Caine and Sean Connery. It is difficult to separate any of those out. I'm not saying they are the finest actors, just the ones I always really enjoy watching.
My least favourite actors include Nicholas Cage, Al Pacino, Sly Stallone and Tom Cruise.
Nicholas Cage - obvious. Al Pacino just seems to me like he either overacts - badly - or he doesn't bother to act at all. Sly - he was good in Rocky, and it was all downhill after that. Tom Cruise just seems sneaky or shifty to me in every role he plays.
Captain Jigglypuff
Hey! Don't pawn your trash on me!
RE: Favourite and least favourite actors
My favorites are John Travolta, Heath Ledger, Joquin Phoenix, Matthew McCongehey (don't know how to spell his name), Tom Hanks, Jennifer Aniston, Jane Lynch, Jennifer Hudson, Christopher Lloyd, and Whoopi Goldberg.
Ones I loathe: James Franco (arrogant jerk), Courtney Cox (overrated and not very good to begin with), Gwynth Paltrow (needs to suffer for naming her daughter "Apple"), the annoying current Prilosec spokesman WHO shall remain unnamed, and the Queen of Evil herself, Natalie Portman.
Helga: So I'm not Kate Moss. Big deal.
Milo: Kate Moss isn't stuck in a sewer.
Helga: Gee I don't know. When you think about it is there no sewer BIGGER than the world of professional modelling?
˜The Oblongs
Respected senior member
Hugh Jackman, I love him, particularly when he gets his shirt off! (Yummy!) Also, I find Christopher Lilley's work to be incredible - his social mimicry really leads me to think he may be autistic, particularly when you examine the sharp cut-off between how his characters act and how he is in real life (big wide loud bogan characters versus quiet, shy and retiring irl.) Jennifer Lawrence is an amazing actor, she nails every character I've seen her act, and I've started watching Elizabeth Banks with a good deal of interest as well.
I don't know that there's any actors I particularly loathe: if I don't like their performance I just don't watch, so I don't really get so invested in it.
(This post was last modified: 05-14-2014 07:39 AM by Alison.)
Some_Bloke
I won't list my favorite actors as really I can't decide on a small few. I've seen in amazing performances in films, TV and even as voice actors in videogames.
Sadly, for actors I hate there is also a long list. But I will say this: I detest Adam Sandler. I don't think I need to say why. I had at least some hope left in the career he was not only flushing down the toilet, but clogging it up with his awfulness.
Anyway, the brink of the toilet overflowing with his crap (for me) was this movie:
Christ, even looking at the poster gives me shivers and Vietnam-styled flashbacks to just how terrible this movie was. Sure, I've seen worse movies...I've seen movies that make Jack and Jill look like 12 Years A Slave, Saving Private Ryan and even The Godfather.
There is a film that terrible. I will not reveal its title to you for I do not want you to suffer the same fate that I have. If Jack and Jill gives me Vietnam-styled flashbacks every time I see the poster...You can imagine what seeing the poster for these other films does to me.
But the fact of the matter is that Jack and Jill was the final nail in the coffin (or the final crap in the toilet) that has made me lose all hope in Adam Sandler.
I will never watch an Adam Sandler movie again. Every copy of an upcoming Adam Sandler movie I will personally destroy...And I urge all of you reading this warning to do the same.
(05-14-2014 09:08 AM)Some_Bloke Wrote: I won't list my favorite actors as really I can't decide on a small few. I've seen in amazing performances in films, TV and even as voice actors in videogames.
Wait...is he playing his sister?
Hey I just noticed, the release date for that movie was 11/11/11. Some people predicted that the world would end on that day. Maybe it did...Almost.
Maybe when Satan's army (or whatever the Hell was meant to end the world this time) invaded our plain of existence, he was stopped. An epic battle began that threatened to tear the planet apart. When the evil was finally defeated, in his/her/its last move he/she/they transferred what remained of their powers into one final blow to mankind...
That blow...Was this godawful "movie".
(05-14-2014 09:10 AM)LanguageWolf Wrote:
Yes. He tried to emulate Eddie Murphy in The Nutty Professor movies.
I never saw it, but it was universally panned.
(05-14-2014 09:10 AM)LanguageWolf Wrote: Wait...is he playing his sister?
He should have checked himself before he Shrecked himself.
I liked Anger Management
(05-14-2014 09:31 AM)LanguageWolf Wrote: I liked Anger Management
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Top 5 Soundtracks of 2012
Rad about the full top ten over on Film.com! We highly recommend it. The phrase "hand jobs for everyone" may or may not have been used."
Later this Awards Season, we'll have the Academy and numerous other awards bodies talking to us about the best scores of the year, (link to eligible scores), but what about the best soundtracks of the year? No love for music supervisors from the movie hemisphere? Sure, the Grammys honor such folk, but coming from a completely different perspective, TV soundtracks are eligible, and the films are honored in most cases an entire year after the typical film awards season. So we took it upon ourselves to honor our favorite soundtracks of 2012.
5. On The Road
A wonderful compilation of that strange and beautiful musical era in american history that bridged the gab between swing and modern jazz where bebop and soul vocals ruled the youth scene, and paved the way for the massive radical change to come. Beat era jazz rose to popularity in the early 50s and its proto-hippie fans could all be found jamming to upcoming entry "Not Fade Away'"s soundtrack 10-15 years later. But before we ever got there, we were toe tapping to Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker and slow dancing to Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holliday. "On The Road" perfectly encapsulates a time rarely depicted on screen and the corresponding tunes are not to be missed. Oh and Gustavo Santaolalla's score will force you to get up and bop around - money back guarantee!
Favorite Track: Yip Roc Heresy by Slim Gaillard
4. This is 40
While some have joked that this soundtrack is humorously better built for those in their 60s than their 40s, truly anyone can appreciate the old school folksy jams Judd Apatow so regularly leans towards, in this case specifically courtesy of legendary rockers Graham Parker & The Rumour, a central part of the film. Aside from that bands' reunion, the soundtrack showcases original tunes from the likes of Fiona Apple. Norah Jones and Lindsey Buckingham and features oldies but goodies from Ryan Adams, Wilco, Loudon Wainwright (duh), Jon Brion, Paul Simon, Paul McCartney, and The Avett Brothers. Wondering why you aren't listening to this right now? Us too.
Favorite Track: Wilco's reworked I Got You (At The End of the Century)
3. Lawless
If "The Hunger Games" is for the kiddies then consider "Lawless" for the grown men who speak unintelligibly while wearing sexy vests and the grown women who get nekkid with them. Hmm. That's how we all remember "Lawless", right? Anyhoo. This song listing shows off how well the new can blend with the old, used "as a way of stretching time…" according to music supervisor and composer, Nick Cave, with rousing bluegrass covers of punk songs from The Bootleggers (Cave and Warren Ellis featuring plenty of Emmylou Harris), Ralph Stanley and Willie Nelson, along with a gorgeous score also from Cave & Ellis. One of the most inventive soundtracks of the year, that you can't help but sing along to, whether you know the songs or not. If you loved the "Oh Brother Where Art Thou" soundtrack, you'll flip for this.
Favorite Track: White Light / White Heat by the Velvet Underground, covered by bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley
2. Not Fade Away
While none of these songs were written *for* the film, unlike our #1 choice, "Not Fade Away" features the best compilation of the year, providing a freakishly accurate soundtrack to the lives of anyone who came of age in the late 60s and provides a lesson in the importance of the British Invasion on America to anyone who didn't. Rather than going for the obvious, music supervisor Steven Van Zandt (Springstein's longtime guitarist and "Sopranos" actor) delves into the obscure yet recognizable, going for options that are specific and meaningful to those who lived through this time, rather than a skewed version of what we today think music was back then. For example, while the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison and the Sex Pistols all appear on the soundtrack, its with songs like Tell Me, She Belongs To Me, T.B. Sheets and Road Runner as opposed to their more well known tunes. Artists like Bo Diddley, Small Faces, The Rascals and Lead Billy balance out the soundtrack, all artists that influence the in-film band, The Twylight Zones, and as an added bonus, a tune Van Zandt wrote for Norweigan girl band Cocktail Slippers, appears, as performed by The Twylight Zones (as do many other songs recorded by the band) and is so good, it'll make you mad it wasn't written for the film and is thus ineligible for Oscar.
Favorite Track: Go Now by The Moody Blues
1. The Hunger Games
Our favorite compilation of music written for a film, "The Hunger Games" is to bluegrass/americana what the "Twilight" soundtracks have been for emo: the best of its genre, aimed to introduce the tween set to a stronger level music. The way Twilight took tweens' interest in emo and used it to introduce them to Muse and Florence and the Machine, "The Hunger Games" rode the wave of pop country and newgrass as emerging genres to introduce tweens to The Civil Wars through their stunning song written in collaboration with Taylor Swift, the Punch Brothers, Low Anthem and the Secret Sisters, just to name a few. Each song is inspired by a different aspect of the film and book and is the perfect example of what a soundtrack should aspire to be. Unfortunately, due to Academy rules, the exceptional Safe & Sound is ineligible for a nomination, but on the plus side, this may be the year we can say The Arcade Fire became Oscar nominated.
Favorite Track: Aside from the obvious Safe & Sound? Secret Sisters' Tomorrow Will Be Kinder and Run Daddy Run from Miranda Lambert with Pistol Annies.
11-6:
The Master, Searching for Sugarman, Perks of Being A Wallflower, Les Miserables, Django Unchained and Moonrise Kingdom. Read about them here.
Other 2012 soundtrack (and score) recommendations:
Holy Motors 3! 12! MERDE! LISTEN FOREVER TO THIS
The Comedy (hat tip: @davidehrlich)
Beasts of the Southern Wild (by the soon to be oscar nominated Behn Zeitlin & Dan Romer)
Anna Karenina (by the very likely to be oscar nominated Dario Marianelli)
Life of Pi (by the maybe oscar nominated Mychael Danna)
Paranorman (by Jon Brion)
Ruby Sparks (by Nick Urata of Devotchka)
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Super Duper Last Minute Holiday Gift Guide! Books ...
Les Miserables Prize Pack Giveaway!
Our 8 Most Anticipated Movies of December 2012
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#1532: Barbara Delozier
A.k.a. Rev. Bee
We’ve talked about MUFON before. Barbara Delozier is the State Section Director Northwest of MUFON. I suppose it tells you a bit about MUFON that Delozier is also a Dolphyn Wisdom of the Ancient, Metaphysical Minister, and responsible for something called the My Psychic Friends network. She actually calls herself “Dr. Barbara Delozier, Msc.D., Minister and Psychic Counselor”. It should be unnecessary to say that her education is not from an institution worth taking more seriously than your average spam mail, but at least her areas of expertise are “[p]ositivity life coach, expert dream interpretation, psychic/sensitive, advisor, Ufology, ordained metaphysical minister” (it’s not “grammar”), and her “career focus” is “paranormal sensitive, psychic counselor, metaphysician, Ufologist, minister, speaker, author”. And as a “Metaphysician” (no, she means “New age stream of consciousness fluff”, not metaphysics) she can help you ascend the ladder on which the “physical aspect of our lives is merely the bottom rung […] by delving into the heretofore ‘unknown’ of the psyche, the ethereal, interdimensional reality in which we ‘also’ operate as Soul. Whether it be understanding the mystery of your dreams, asking the ‘big’ question about God, or merely attempting to reach out and touch your Higher Self” (goodness knows what the quotation marks are for). And apparently her “weekly Positive Affirmations are highly prized bits of wisdom from her Inner Guides that come through to the physical to help you.” How? Well, at least you should start by “strik[ing] the words ‘I can’t’ and ‘I don’t know how’ from your vocabulary [no, those aren’t words, but whatever].” Well, realizing that Delozier will systematically refuse to admit that “I don’t know how” actually explains quite a bit of her behavior, doesn’t it? What do you do when you don’t have a clue? Make it up and fill in the gaps with whatever you fancy. Delozier is probably a stellar example of what can happen when you follow that rule and your mind is otherwise unfettered by the limits imposed by reality.
You can also join her “Miss Peg [apparently Peggi “Don’t allow your human intelligence to overrule your spiritual needs” Torbert] and Astoria [Brown]” for “Trinity Psychics Quantum Metaphysics and Psychic Chat” on Blog Talk Radio every Saturday night. She is also “a gifted paranormal sensitive who explores and photographs energy beings, interdimensional beings and extraterrestrial travelers.” Like “quantum”, “energy” and “dimension” are apparently words that can mean whatever she wants them to mean at any time (and usually means nothing whatsoever).
Delozier runs several webpages, and we found the webpage “Dolphinpsychic” (with one Michelle Caporale) to be perhaps particularly interesting. It features testimonies of Delozier’s powers by … one “Psychic Norbert”. She is also involved with the “Empower U Metaphysical Academy”, which is apparently a (poorly designed) webpage where you can download “home study courses and attunements blessed crystals for healing”. As for their crystal healing course, “[i]t is now possible to give a powerful crystal healing, without crystals. Through attunement you will gain access to the energy of specific crystals and be able to channel it by intention. These ethereal crystals are much stronger than those found within the Earth. You can place them on the body, just by pointing at a certain area and thinking the stone’s name. The stone will disappear when the energy is no longer needed.” I have to admit that it was almost tempting to flesh out $12 for that course package. Same thing with the “Full Spectrum Course”: “Tachyon is the source of all frequencies. Full Sprectum Healing IS all frequencies. This makes FSH much more direct and targeted than Tachyon.” Try to falsify that claim with a well-designed test, you darn skeptics.
Diagnosis: Woo! WOOOO-O-O-O! And there is not a thing Delozier cannot do after she learned how to transcend coherence and sense and any sort of grounding in reality. Probably pretty harmless.
#1531: Gayle DeLong
Age of Autism is an antivaccine cesspool if there ever was one, and Gayle DeLong is zealous. DeLong is among those who refuse to let go of that most cherished and thoroughly refuted piece of nonsense, that vaccines are causally linked to autism. Originally, the idea was that mercury in vaccines was the culprit. The fact that thimerosal is safe, has been removed from all childhood vaccines since the conspiracy was first launched, and was never in the MMR vaccine anyways is not going to deter DeLong, for “although mercury has been removed from many vaccines, the remaining mercury as well as other culprits such as aluminum and live viruses may link vaccines to autism.” Heck, she has even published a study suggesting such a link in a low-tier journal. DeLong is not a scientist but a faculty member in the Department of Economics and Finance in the Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College/City University of New York. Nor does she know much about science, and the study design of the study in question suggests complete incompetence – or perhaps an attempt to avoid a rigorous design out of a suspicion that a good study design would fail to give her the results she wanted (details here and here). That the referees for the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health failed to notice is good evidence that the journal is one you should not put a lot of trust in. One Margaret Dunkle nevertheless took the bait and used DeLong’s article as part of a hysterically idiotic antivaxx article for the Baltimore Sun.
Apparently DeLong also managed to get a commentary in some journal called Accountability in Research entitled “Conflicts of Interest in Vaccine Safety Research”. Oh, yes, there is a conspiracy, no less. Doctors who fail to find an association between vaccines and autism are scientists at research institution who know their stuff in the pocket of science Big Pharma – as opposed to Andrew Wakefield and concerned parents who torture data into arguing for such a link based on no understanding of the science whatsoever. She cannot cite a single instance of distortion of the data in the science she rejects, of course, but she blithely asserts that FDA is in on the game. The evidence is apparently that they deny a vaccine-autism connection, and since she thinks there is one there must be a cover-up. What other possible explanation could there be?
The important point, of course, is that it doesn’t matter what science or evidence says – DeLong and her merry band of antivaccinationists don’t need to try to engage with any of that, since all those scientists are tainted by conflicts of interests and collusions with BigPharma. Their theory is thus unfalsifiable. Therefore they must be correct.
DeLong does, however, have two daughters with autism; both “have benefited greatly from supplements, diet, chelation, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.” Right. She is also a former member of SafeMind’s research committee and has participated in various antivaxx rallies.
In 2014, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, which is, to emphasize, something we don’t wish on anyone. We still need to mention that she, rather tastelessly, referred to her condition as “autism-induced breast cancer”. You see, she blames it on having to deal with her autistic kids (and hence, ultimately, on vaccines). “There is virtually no cancer in my family, I eat organically, I exercise, I’m a good weight.” So, caring for children with autism is the only remaining possibility. Yes, even yours truly is left somewhat speechless both by the inference and the premises. But the core idea is actually pretty typical of pseudoscience: As long as you stay healthy and have the right attitude, you avoid cancer; so if you get cancer … well, never mind that the association between stress and cancer is at best “weak”. She also used the diagnosis to launch a pseudoscientific tirade against chemotherapy.
Diagnosis: A truly horrible person, unfortunately. We’re sure she means well, but it really doesn’t matter much when your premises are so detached from reality as DeLong’s pseudoscientific nonsense in fact is.
#1530: Rick DeLano
Like intelligent design creationists there are plenty of groups of weird kooks on the Internet who lament the fact that their particular brand of alternatives to mainstream science (i.e. anti-science) isn’t taken seriously or e.g. given equal time in public schools. “Teach the controversy,” is the common battle cry, and for Rick DeLano, the really controversial idea is heliocentrism, which he rejects. He has even produced a documentary on the subject, “The Principle”, in which he interviewed several real scientists and clipped it to make it appear as if modern cosmology is in trouble and that his completely ridiculous delusion is somehow respectable and taken seriously even by people like Lawrence Krauss, who was interviewed but, uh, expressed dissatisfaction with the editing. DeLano also, famously, got Kate Mulgrew to narrate it, though according to her he was not particularly forthcoming with what claim the documentary was going to promote.
The documentary is based on the views of Robert Sungenis, and DeLano proudly admits to never having finished high school or had any relevant education – so he is certainly not corrupted by the status quo. Like all anti-science fanatics, DeLano readily admits that “I have great respect for science.” However, “[w]here I become offended is when people ignore the evidence,” which is an interesting statement given the approach he takes in his documentary. “They haven’t proven that something can come from nothing,” argues DeLano, which … isn’t particularly relevant to anything whatsoever. And science refuses to consider the evidence because science is an atheistic conspiracy to undermine the Bible. So much for loving it.
Some examples of DeLano’s understanding of science can be found here. NASA, by the way, has conspicuously removed material from their website that suggest geocentrism, it seems, so neither DeLano nor you will find any such material there – which is apparently evidence that there must be a conspiracy and that geocentrism is correct.
The WND promoted the “documentary”, of course (their review by Drew Zahn, who knows as little about science as DeLano, is discussed here).
Diagnosis: Village idiot. Even committed creationists seem very reluctant to take DeLano seriously (which tells you a bit about how radically fringe-idiotic the WND is, if you didn’t already know). Probably pretty harmless in the grand scheme of things.
#1529: Harold Delaney, Michael Kent & David Keller
Delaney (not a very good picture)
Though rare, there exist creationists with real positions at real universitites, and who make real efforts to save their students from reality and science. Harold Delaney is a Professor of Psychology at the University of New Mexico and a signatory to A Scientific Dissent from Darwinism. Unlike many of those signatories, Delaney is a real scientist, but like almost all of them he has no background in the relevant fields. He did, however, receive a grant from the religious, anti-science Templeton Foundation in the 2000s, when the Foundation was still throwing money at creationists who also happened to be scientists (yes, the Templeton Foundation is anti-science; they have, at present, dropped the explicit anti-science part from their American projects in favor of just promoting religion, but look at what projects they are funding abroad!). Delaney is particularly notable for having taught an honors seminar in 2003 and 2004 on “Origins: Science, Faith and Philosophy” at his university, where he “presented both sides” of the evolution–creationism “debate”. Otherwise Delaney seems to think that creationism is an academic freedom issue, and that rejecting all the science should not be a matter given any weight when determining whether someone can get an academic position in biology. Oh, yes, academic freedom. Delaney’s course was originally classified as a science course, but when the university learned about its contents it was reclassified as a humanities course. Delaney claimed that this reclassification was a violation of his academic freedom.
The aforementioned course was co-taught with Michael Kent, a scientist affiliated with Sandia Laboratories. Kent is also a signatory to the Discovery Institute list. Kent’s PhD is in materials science, and he has accordingly no background in any relevant field. Funny that. Kent does, however, have a background in the New Mexico chapter of ID-net, and is on record trying to claim that the ID side has won the debate over the science standards in New Mexico public schools (absolutely, laughably false but effective as a PR stunt to make the creationist “strengths and weaknesses” strategy look reasonable).
Perhaps it was Delaney’s and Kent’s awareness of their lack of expertise in the fields in which they were misleading students that prompted them to invite David Keller to give a guest lecture. Keller is an associate professor of chemistry at the University of New Mexico. Why on earth would they invite a chemist rather than, you know, an expert in the field? You didn’t need to ask, did you? Keller is perhaps the most vocal creationist among the faculty at the University of New Mexico, and that, of course, was the qualification Delaney and Kent were looking for. Keller is on the editorial team of Bio-Complexity, the Discotute’s sad, creationist pseudojournal, and contributed an article (w. Jed Macosko) to the creationist anthology Darwin’s Nemesis: Phillip Johnson and the Intelligent Design Movement”.
Diagnosis: Oh, the creationists and their blatantly subversive tactics for, well, leading young people to Jesus by whatever means necessary, including lies and subversion. But though their efforts may look merely pathetic to the rest of us who know a bit about the science (and the workings of the denialists), these people are actually dangerous.
#1528: Roger DeHart
Roger DeHart is a young earth creationist who rose to some fame in 1997 after he, as a longtime biology teacher (apparently affiliated with the Discovery Institute) at Burlington-Edison High School in Washington, had been teaching intelligent design in his curriculum through excerpts of Of Pandas and People since 1986 (though he had done so rather quietly and subversively). DeHart later resigned and took a teaching job some at Christian school in California, where he had more leeway when it comes to preventing kids from learning about the parts of reality that may conflict with his fundamentalist religious views. In his notoriously anti-scientific book The Politically Incorrect Guide to Darwinism and Intelligent Design, creationist Jonathan Wells portrayed DeHart as a religious martyr by blatantly distorting the facts of the case (while all the same trying feebly to claim that intelligent design is not about religion). The same as always.
Given his status as something of a celebrity in the creationist movement, DeHart was among the many called to testify during the Kansas evolution hearings. Taking a cue from the creationist textbook on rhetoric (see above), he fervently tried to portray himself as a martyr and claimed to have felt pressured to resign from his teaching job after trying to force his religious views on his students and just because he wished to replace the science that kids really ought to know with his personal religious beliefs.
Diagnosis: Well, yet another religious fundamentalist that intelligent design promoters are trying to promote as a martyr for his efforts to replace reality, evidence and science with religious dogma and thereby to force his religious beliefs on others. No: His students were the victims here; he was the bad guy. DeHart himself seems to have sort of faded from view at this point, though.
#1529: Harold Delaney, Michael Kent & David Keller...
#1527: Rose De Dan
#1526: Karen De Coster
#1525: Ed Decker
#1524: Vicky DeBold
#1523: Jeannie DeAngelis
#1522: Bill Deagle
#1521: Steve Deace
#1520: Sheldon Day & John DiNardo
#1519: Phillip Day
#1518: William Dannemeyer
#1517: Eileen Dannemann
#1516: Christine Daniel
#1515: MaryAnn D'Ambrosio
#1514: Jeff Daly
#1513: Joe Dallas
#1512: Janet Dagley Dagley & Beth Lowell
#1511: Anne Dachel
#1510: Sussanna Czeranko
#1509: Candace Czarny
#1508: Malcolm A. Cutchins
#1507: Kenyn Cureton
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From Africa to India
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Manu, Satyavati, Vyasa, Saraswata, Matsya and the fish
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The missing link of Mount Meru
For more than a century, the only human migrations to India that were discussed at length ware based on AIT and AMT theories. AIT (Aryan Invasion Theory) and AMT (Aryan Migration Theory) had its merits. But they had lost all the strength due to lack of solid evidence. The genetic studies conducted all over the world, has revealed that there has been no large scale genetic addition to India and regions around it, from other regions (except from Africa) to signify an invasion or migration. This is especially true for the 2000 BC to 1000 BC time period, which is mentioned as the time period within which the Aryans invaded or migrated to India. There was some migration from north or north west to India occurred as per genetic analysis, but earlier than 15000 BC. This time period is too early and the AIT or AMT theorists themselves have problem to choose such an early date for Aryan invasion or migration to India, since it will shatter other assumptions of the theory related to the spread of Indo-European languages to Europe and those related to other civilizations in Central Asia, West Asia, Greece and Eastern Europe.
On the contrary, the genetic studies as well as analysis of Ancient Indian literature, points to a large scale outflow from India to rest of Asia. Though there were some minor movements of people from north of Himalaya to India (which also is indicated in the literature, like I mentioned in the article Migration of the Aila tribe), the major movement of people was from India to the rest of Asia.
See this excellent illustration of Human Migration from Africa to the rest of the world through India by Stephen Oppenheimer:- Stephen Oppenheimer provides a virtual global journey of modern man over the last 160000 years.
Our species of humans Homo Sapiens originated in Africa around 150,000 years ago. Human migrations from Africa started 100,000 years ago and moved out of Africa around 70,000 years ago. A major portion of that migration, was received by India starting from 50,000 to 40,000 years ago. This is the only large scale migration to India. It is this migration that populated India with humans for the first time.
The population that migrated from Africa, towards India, traveled along the eastern sea-coast of Africa, then along the eastern sea-coast of Arabian peninsula, and then spread into the western sea coast of India and the finally eastern sea coast of India. Thus the entire coastal region of India was populated. From the eastern sea coast of India it spread to the sea coasts of south-east-Asia and beyond, to Australia. When the population reached the western sea coast of India, they also migrated along the large rivers that drained into Arabian sea. One among the mighty rivers that drained thus into sea was the river Saraswati and the other was the river Sindhu. The ancient Indian population thus migrated from the western sea coast of India to northwards along these rivers. They spread along the valleys of these rivers and then spread along its tributaries also. Thus they spread all around the five rivers of Punjab. They also traced Saraswati river and its tributaries originating in the Himalayas and thus crossed the Himalayas reaching the Manasa Lake (the Manasa Saras of Mahabharata) in Tibet, which is considered to be the northern origin of ancient Saraswati and Sindhu rivers. Along the tributaries of Sindhu, like the Kabul River (Sanskrit: Kubha) they also spread to north-western regions of India like Afganistan. From Saraswati river this ancient people spread to river Yamuna and Ganga and its tributaries. Similarly along the sea shores of India, the population spread into the interior of India along the rivers like Narmada, Tapati, Kaveri, Krishnavenna, Godavari and Mahanadi that drained into sea, and penetrated further along the tributaries of these rivers. People from these rivers and those from Sindhu, Saraswati, Yamuna and Ganga were then completely mixed giving rise to the ancient population of India.
People migrating from Africa predominantly depended upon sea food. Fishing was a major occupation. So they always sought sea shore. They found the big rivers like Saraswati and Sindhu also suitable for their living, since these rivers also contained plenty of sea food, especially fish. Some of the ancient kingdoms or settlements were thus created by the fishermen community. They were called the Matsyas in Mahabharata and in other ancient Indian texts. Matsya means 'fish' in Sanskrit. As per Indian texts (the epics and the Puranas), Manu is mentioned as the earliest king of humanity. It is from the name 'Manu', that the words Manushya' (Sanskrit), 'Manava' (Sanskrit), 'Man' (English) and 'Human' (English) arose. All of them is used to denote a member of the human race. Manu was one among the ancient Matsya chiefs. He is mentioned as escaping from the great flood. The Great Flood was an important event kept in the memory of all humans who migrated from Africa. It is found in the oral traditions and literature of almost all civilizations. It happened around 7000 BC to 5000 BC). The location of this incidence could be anywhere along the many migratory paths taken by humans. Probable locations are, the eastern sea shore of Africa, western sea shore of the Arabian peninsula, the Mediterranian_Sea, the Black_Sea or the western sea shore of India where the Saraswati river joined the sea. It is also possible that this flood like situation occurred in all of these places at the same time or at different times. Flood could be a reason for people to migrate from one place to other. In any case, Manu is informed about the coming of the flood by a certain 'Matsya'. Later Indian texts interpret this 'Matsya' to be a fish, and in much later texts, this Matsya is mentioned as an incarnation of Vishnu. I consider the Matsya who informed Manu about the flood to be a fisher-man, or a member of the fisher-men tribe (the Matsya tribe).
The name Manu also can be seen as transforming into Manoah, which can then transform into Noah, the Bibilcal equivalent of Manu, in saving the human race from the flood. Among the sons of Manu, was Uttanapada 1, mentioned in many ancient Indian texts. In Mahabharata he is mentioned as the father of Dhruva. In the Babylonian flood-story, he is mentioned as Utnapishtim or Uta-na-pistim, the king of Shuruppak / Shurrupak (Surupaka?) and as the savior of Babylonians from the great flood!. Thus the great flood witnessed during the time of Manu became the story of the flood witnessed by his son Uttanapada. Thus the history of flood might have spread to the whole world through generations of oral traditions. But the person who saved people from the flood, or urged them to migrate to safer places, changed from somebody to Manu, from Manu to Uttanapada, from Uttanapada to somebody who was contemporary to or lived in recent times, with respect to the time period of each generation. Thus it became Noah mentioned in the Bible too. Uttanapada's son, Dhruva became very famous. The pole star, which the ancient astronomers found to be remaining constant in the sky was named 'Dhruva'. It was this star that is mentioned in the Bible, as the guiding star, which guided the travelers from the east on their way to meet Jesus in Jerusalem. The pole star was used as a navigational aid in those days by travelers, since it indicates the direction of the north accurately.
The Matsya culture and the Matsya settlements in India were spread through out the coastal region of India as well as across the Saraswati, Sindhu river valleys. This culture later matured into a great civilization that generated the Vedas on the banks of river Saraswati. Vyasa the sage who is considered as the arranger (classifier or divider) of the Vedas is mentioned as the son of a Matsya woman or princess Satyavati. Thus the connection of the Vedas to the Matsyas is very strong. Another sage Saraswata is mentioned in Mahabharata, as teaching the Vedas to many thousand sages after a long period of gap. The long period of gap is mentioned as due to the drying up of the river Saraswati. Due to this drying up people who lived along the banks of Saraswati, had to leave and hence created a break in the oral transmission of the Vedas. Sage Saraswata, who stayed on the banks of Saraswati is mentioned as re-establishing that oral tradition again.
In the whole of the region near Saraswati, now in Rajasthan, there were many Matsya kingdoms, as mentioned in Mahabharata. One among them was the kingdom of king Virata. It lied to the east of the dried up Saraswati river, indicating a migration from Saraswati to the east. Kuru kingdom lied to the north of this Matsya kingdom. There were many Matsya kingdoms that lied along the northern course of Saraswati river and along the Yamuna river, which lied close to Saraswati. Satyavati, who became the queen of the Kuru king Santanu was from one of these kingdoms, since she is mentioned as a daughter of a Matsya chief who ruled in a Matsya settlement on the banks of river Yamuna.
The lineage of the Kurus are traced to Tibet again close to the Manasa lake in Tibet which I have referred in the article on the Origins of Aila Kings. This lineage thus is the same people who migrated to Tibet along the northern course of Saraswati and Sindhu rivers. Thus in the union of Satyavati and Santanu we find the union of two tribes, the Matsyas who migrated slowly along Saraswati to north and the Aila-Puru-Bharata-Kurus who migrated quickly to north to reach the north-west and Tibet following the northern course of Saraswati, Sindhu and their northern tributaries, who then migrated again southwards crossing the Himalayas from the Tibeten side to Saraswati in Kurukshetra as well as to Ganga and Yamuna.
Other tribes mentioned as lying on the banks of Saraswati are Sudras and Abhiras. The Sudras were again can be considered as tribes similar in occupation to the Matsya tribe, probably more focused on farming rather than fishing on the banks of Saraswati and Sindu. They were also known as Suras, probably identical to the Sauviras (Sauvira > Sura > Sudra). The Abhiras were traders. We also know that trade, supported by agriculture was an important aspect of the Indus Valley or Saraswati-Sindhu-Civilization. In the remote past, the city of Kusasthali which later became Dwaraka that lied close to where Saraswati merged with the sea, became a great sea-port and center of trade and commerce. It was well connected with the regions later occupied by Indus valley cities and Saraswati valley settlements. It had trade-routes or roads linking it along the Sindhu river with kingdoms like Sindhu, Sauvira, Sivi, Madra, Kekaya, Gandhara and Kamboja as well as with other trade routes like the Uttarapatha. Thus a grand trading civilization flourished in the Sindhu-Saraswati river valley.
Thus we find all the element of the puzzle suddenly making sense. The human-migration from Africa to India, the fishing culture, the Matsyas, the Vedas, the Kurus, the Sindhu-Saraswati civilization, Dwaraka, the links between all these are now finally emerging. However my attention also shift to the Meru mountain. Meru is mentioned in Mahabharata and other epics as the center of the world. Thus ancient Indians gave a central place to Meru. Interestingly Meru is a mountain peak in Africa, from where the humans (including the would-be Indians) started their migration! It is not only Mount Meru, there are other place names like the Arusha_Region and the Usa River around Meru, that sounds like Sanskrit words. Mount Meru is the 5th highest peak in Africa and 2nd highest in Tanzania. It is 4566 meters in height. The Arusha region is a region surrounding the Mount Meru. In Mahabharata, Arushi is mentioned as a daughter of Manu. Arushi can also be translated as a person belonging to the Arusha region. The regional capital of Arusha region and its major city is Arusha. Towards the east of this city is the river Usa. In many Indic texts, Usha is mentioned as the goddess of sun-rise (which take place in the east). In Mahabharata Usha is mentioned as an epithet of the sun-god. Again in Mahabharata a lake named Usanasa is mentioned on the banks or Saraswati river. A great king named Usangava (also as Ushangu is mentioned in connection with Yama (and Shiva) who is connected to southern regions (an indication of Africa?). Another person Ushampa also is mentioned connected to Yama (thus with southern regions). A king in the line of Yadu also is mentioned by the name Ushadgu. Sage Usana or Usanas is mentioned as a priest of the Asuras, who is also known as Sukra. Another sage Ushango mentioned as from the western region (Africa also is to the west of India).
Thus there is a possibility that the group that migrated from Africa and settled in India, could be originally living close to (south of) Mount Meru of Tanzania. They might have taken the memory of Meru, of Arusha region and of Usa river while they migrated to India. Where ever they found a high mountain peak, they might have called it Meru. Thus when they reached northern Sindhu river banks, Afganistan and the Himalayas, they might have identified some mountain peak in Pamir_Mountains or in the Himalayas also as Meru.
There are also several place name in Africa, with the word 'Kam' forming part of the name. The word Kam in African dialects mean 'a place'. This word is also found in tribe names like Kamboja or Kamvoja. This also shows the African connection of the people migrated to India.
Hide All Comments Unfold All Fold All
Mawaram Supan (guest) 15 Jan 2011 13:46
Namaste Ji,
Great work and please continue.
Mewa.
Reply Options
Unfold by Mawaram Supan (guest), 15 Jan 2011 13:46
Neeta (guest) 28 Feb 2011 10:30
Both Europe and Africa are vying to lay the claim that Vedic civilization originated from Europe/Africa. cant be true.
1. Vedas make absolutely no mention of alost ho,eland of the people who wrote Vedas anywhere in Europe or Africa. Vedas sing praises of the Saraswati rivers/ and the himalayan peaks.
2. In Vedic philosophy, moving away from your matre-bhoomi (Mother-land) is considered inauspicious. In vedic shastra, if in a person's horoscope, if it predicted that a person will leave his home and make a home away from were he was brn, was considered the result of negative energy from inauspicious planets.
3. A Nomadic/moving civilization cannot produce something as profound and as scientific a philosophy as that contained in the Vedas. the best art/literature comes from civilizations that are settled. Nomads do not produce philosophies. Even solely agricultural societies only produce, well, agriculture. Not art/music. Education and learning is a pre-requisite for producing refined arts,science, culture.
Unfold by Neeta (guest), 28 Feb 2011 10:30
Jijith Nadumuri 02 Mar 2011 09:23
Appreciate your comments. 1) Let me assure you that this article is not making any claim that Vedas were written in Africa (or in Europe). We cannot, for example, rule out the possibility of the African place-names mentioned here as being the influence of the ancient Indian sea-traders who went to Africa.
My current conviction is that the Vedas were created by the people who settled on the banks of Saraswati river in western India who lived there for many thousand years. 3) Thus I agree with you that it is not the product of a nomadic tribe who was on the move (like the many tribes who migrated from Central Asia to Europe).
However it will be wrong to assume that there was no culture before the Vedas. Human migration from Africa to India happened taking several tens of thousands of years and hence does not impact the question of the origin of the Vedic civilization on the banks of Saraswati in India. Some of the concepts like the central mountain named 'Meru' and of several chiefs who lived thousands of years apart with the titular name 'Manu' and the Matsya lineage could all be part of a pre-Vedic culture.
2) On the point of considering foreign lands (lands other than India or motherland) as inauspicious. I believe all the countries and places in the world to be equally sacred. What you mentioned could be a superstition. Certainly I have not seen any mention of it in the Vedas or in the two epics. May be I have missed it (you could help me with some reference?) or it could be in the Puranas. Perhaps you are hinting at ancient people's preference to the fertile Indian lands against the mountainous neighborhoods or their fear of loosing their traditions in the foreign lands.
Unfold by Jijith Nadumuri, 02 Mar 2011 09:23
The out of africa theory has long been debunked
Lisa House 01 Oct 2018 10:10
My take on this post is that the assumption of Mt Meru being a mountain in africa is contradicting the description of this mountain along with other geographical locations mentioned by the ARYANS in the Mahabharata. The Out of Africa theory is just a hypothesis and has been debunked when human fossils dating much older than the ones found in africa has been found in europe , Siberia , east Asia and Russia . Also according to Manu , the only description of the only home he has known was land of the seven rivers synonymous with North india. This assumption of humans migrating out of africa to other regions of the earth is absolutely hilarious and has no sound scientific proof . The vedas also give accounts of dates as much as millions of years old. If Noah's ark did land on the highest mountain peak , from which he and his sons descend , then it is by all means a peak of the Himalayas ,being the highest mountain on earth and he would've mentioned his original homeland about geographical places in africa which is not coresponding with the descriptions given in the mahabaratas , vedas etc.
Unfold The out of africa theory has long been debunked by Lisa House, 01 Oct 2018 10:10
abilash (guest) 09 May 2011 05:00
Great article… In a single shot it resolves a lot of riddles about our history and existing wrong assumptions.
Unfold by abilash (guest), 09 May 2011 05:00
Dr Mnks Varma Vizag India (guest) 13 Jul 2011 11:07
Great research work. Explanations are so strong that no one can ridicule them so easily because they are interlaced with modern space and scientific knowledge. Young generation should go through this site..Thanks 12-7-2011
Unfold by Dr Mnks Varma Vizag India (guest), 13 Jul 2011 11:07
T_St_Amant 11 Dec 2012 09:13
This site is such a wonderful resource for studying Rig Vedic culture! You have don't an amazing job of making this kind of research much easier and your level-headed, unbiased and clinical handling of the information is very much appreciated. Thank you. :D
I've been trying to collect together the locations of the hermitages/asylums/ashrams of the Rig Veda composers by sifting through the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas and Rig Veda. I have a list of coordinates for 11 rishis (See below). Considering north to be Punjab, South to be the southern tip of the subcontinent, west to be the Arabian Sea coast near Gugarat and east to Assam, it seems that I've found more descriptive details on those Rig Veda sages who had their hermitages in the east. I haven't found any reference to specific locations within the IVC site range along the Indus, except for Kashyapa near Kurukshetra. Perhaps I will use the info from the AnukramanIs (…/books/rig/ch1.htm) to search on other RV sages.
Yet, at this point, it seems the RV was mostly composed in the east by rishis of the Somavanshi and the Kshatriya employed the services of the Brahmana sages to propitiate the deified ancestors for support in gaining booty and territory from other Somavanshi tribes or 'dasas'. The 'dasas' seem to be, like the 'mlecchas', simply tribes that didn't participate in the RV culture. A few hymns to Indra ask for aid in vanquishing other tribal leaders, pointing out that these leaders do not make ritual offerings. If the IVC tribes were living comfortably, they might not have had a need to bribe the deified ancestors.
Recent discoveries at IVC sites reveal very little RV-type rituals, but a good measure of foreign trade, civil planning and something of a rather flat social hierarchy, which makes it seem like the IVC were far more established and peaceable and thus distinctly different from the RV culture. There is evidence that they knew yoga, so maybe they were already living according to Sanatana Dharm principles.
The later Vedic culture seems to have emulated the IVC lifestyle, putting more emphasis on intellectual and civil application of spiritual practice. Yet, once Kaliyug began, the influence of Buddhism elevated ahimsa to a level that makes any comparison between RV culture and modern spirituality in India impossible. I was shocked to read that Bharata's wives killed nine of his sons because he wasn't pleased with their potential as heirs to the dynasty (Ref: …/src-mbh-01:section-94). Frankly, it seems to me that the RV kshatriya and brahmana were ill-tempered psychopaths. Yet, the oral tradition of transferring knowledge without the need for any tools is a feat of true genius. Given what we know of human migration due to climate change, I think the Brahmanic method of education should be preserved and promoted. Already, we're 13,000 years into a 10,000 to 20,000 year interglacial period and may find ourselves in an other ice age, unprepared and looking for new homes around the equator, just as the tribes that left Africa long ago.
The Stephen Oppenheimer slides presents a migration route that makes perfect sense to me. Yet, given the distinctly different lifestyles between the IVC and RV cultures, there may have been a remnant in India after Sumatra erupted. If not, then perhaps there were a few migration waves out of Africa afterward. The archaeological information from IVC just doesn't seem to correspond with the fratricidal, chauvinistic and acquisitive RV culture. If the two cultures were contemporary, they were starkly different. However, if the RV culture came before the IVC, the problem is solved. After a few thousand years of living comfortably the aggressiveness would dissipate and tribes with different practices would simply agree to disagree, and be capable of coexistence within an abundant environment.
Feel free to advise on any of the opinions express or recommend information.
Here's the list of rishi hermitage coordinates I mentioned.
1. Gotama Rahugana, who delivered verses in Mandala 1, settled in Janakpur (26°42′44″N 85°55′18″E).
2. Agastya, delivered verses in Mandala 1, 7, 8 and 10, was originally from Haridwar or Kasinagara, relocated to near Chengannoor (9°19′6.54″N 76°36′50.46″E). The reason for the migration is given as 'Earth started to Tilt. Lord Shiva then requested Agasthya Muni to rush to the then South India and balance the Earth from further tilting.'
3. Dirghatamas Aucathya (Kaksivan Ausija), who also was inspired with verses in Mandala 1, was a chief priest of King Bharata in Hastinapur (29.17°N 78.02°E).
4. Grtsamada Saunohotra (Suhotra), a Bharadwaja inspired with Mandala 2, and his son of Vitahavya, a king of the Haihayas, is dubiously placed in the capital of the Haihaya Kingdom, Maheshwar (22.11°N 75.35°E).
5. Vishvamitra (King Kaushika), known for Mandala 3 practised near the confluence of the Saptakoshi River (26°54′47″N 87°09′25″E) in honor of his deceased sister, whose title was Kaushiki.
6. Atri (Athri), inspired to deliver Mandala 5, was met by Ram and Sita at his hermitage near Chitrakuta (19°12'35.00"N 81°42'4.08"E).
7. Angiras (Bharadwaja Barhaspatya), inspired with the verses of Mandala 6 is recorded to have had his hermitage near Prayag (25°26'14.38"N 81°50'41.71"E), and his ashram can still be seen there in Allahabad.
8. Vasistha, attributed with Mandala 7, had his hermitage near Guwahati (26° 5'41.77"N 91°47'4.28"E).
9. Kanva, inspired with Mandala 8, dwelt in his hermitage near Kotdwar ( 29°45′0″N 78°31′48″E).
10. Kashyapa, inspired with Mandala 9, resided near Kurukshetra (29.965717°N 76.837006°E).
11. Bhrgu's son named Chyavana is recorded to have had his hermitage near Dhosi Hill (28° 3'33.75"N 76° 1'48.71"E ) and it is assumed that Bhrigu would have been there too.
Unfold by T_St_Amant, 11 Dec 2012 09:13
Jijith Nadumuri 03 Jan 2013 11:45
One issue with the geographical location of sages I found is that, when their name is expressed as a single name such as Agastya, Vasistha, Atri, Angira, Gautama, Bharadwaja, Kanva etc, it cannot be pin pointed to a single individual; it can refer to any individual belonging to the respective gotra, since these names are used to refer to any individual belonging to the gotra or who is a descendant of the epynomous ancestor of that gotra. But ofcourse there is some accuracy when two names are involved such as Gotama Rahugana.
Unfold by Jijith Nadumuri, 03 Jan 2013 11:45
Iris Goosen 19 Oct 2014 18:43
Dear Jijith,
You are doing a great job analysing the ancient Vedic and Hindu scriptures. Thank you for all your dedicated work!
I'm also doing some research and would be delighted to hear your comment on the following questions.
1) ARYAS VS. MATSYAS MLECCHAS YAVANAS AND VAISYAS.
You mentioned in one of your essays that the Kurus were cultivating brahminical and ksatriya castes and had little sympathy for the trading and fishing communities surrounding their territories. The
arya brahmins dispise also the mlecchas and yavanas (Turks and Greeks) until today.
The reason for their disdain may be that the noble aryas disqualify them for their habit of meateating. Arya is about morality in life and spiritual advancement independent of bodily features, isn't it?
2) OUT OF AFRICA THEORY ABANDONED
The Out of Africa theory is no longer supported by intelligent scientists, except the mainstream, which turns the theory doubtfull anyhow. There have been two great scholars who maintain that the
arya nobility migrated from the North Pole.
One mystic is Lokamanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, the inspirator of Nehru and Gandhi, who analysed the Rg Veda in jail during British rule. In the vedik rituals he found proof of the Arctic home of the Vedas. They worshipped the dawn of the new sun (after half year of darkness) and celestial bodies at the intervals of natural seasons existent only on the North Pole. At that time that place consisted of a land mass with a subtropical climate and lush greens. So, the oral tradition of Rg Veda must be prediluvial at least 10,500 years ago. Gangadhar Tilak, 'The Arctic Home in the Vedas' 1903 - (guests and low-karma users are not allowed to post links)
The other mystic was Manly Palmer Hall explaining that scientient life entered earth on the North Pole in subtle bodies that were not physical yet. Every living being and all biological cells in nature are constructed with a north and a south pole. Even an egg has a north and a south pole beaming different electromagnetic charges. Therefore, entrance onto the earth was possible only due to the magnetic fields on the Arctic. Hall says, the arya community existed on earth at least one million years ago (guests and low-karma users are not allowed to post links) The archaeological artifacts discussed by Michael Cremo in his books and videos support Hall's theory empirically.
3) CALCULATION OF THE YUGAS
There is confusion about the duration of the yugas mentioned in the Puranas. Svami Sri Yukteshvara Giri from the Himalayas, the disciple of Haidakhan Baba and teacher of Yogananda, published a small
book entitled 'The Holy Science', in the Introduction of which he shows the correct durations of the four yugas. Reason for the miscalculation of the brahmins was, that after the War of Kuruksetra, Yuddhisthira left for the Himalayas and took with him the best of his astrologers and scientists. Those who were left behind on the subcontinent didn't possess enough knowledge to calculate the complex astrological systems in the galaxy. The result was that they inflated each yuga with a factor of 100.
The Puranas tell us that Kali-yuga will last for 432,000 years. In reality, it will last only 4,500 years. Kali-yuga began at the end of Kurukshetra War and had its darkest period around 500 BC. The
dark age ended around 1500 AD. So according to the calculation by the yogis in the Himalayas, where the correct knowledge still exists, we are 500 years in Dvapara-yuga now.
4) THE VEDAS WERE LOOTED FROM THE TAMILS
The Tamils however will say that the Aryan deities - Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma - were 'looted' from the Tamils. The Persian 'immigrants' Sanskritised ancient Tamil knowledge and modified their scriptures
according to taste. The man who's doing the research of Tamil and Aryan history says, "The Deities are Tamil, the stories are Aryan". Their original mystic system was called 'Aaseevaham'.
The knowledge of the Four Vedas was given by Shiva at the First Sangam 10-20,000 years ago. Shiva contracted four disciples (the Four Kumaras, his 'brothers') to hear and remember his teachings. The researcher shows that Shiva was from the Paleolithic era, Murugan Mesolithic and Vishnu Neolithic. All these 'deities' were human beings who later became deified in temples of worship for the common man. Vishnu was a keen astronomer who went to Meso-America to teach the Mayas. The Mayan Calendar was taught by Vishnu. Shiva started the first Sangam and introduced written language in images for the first time. Two Sangams followed in later times from which the Tamil language was generated. 'The Ancient Culture of Tamils' (playlist) (guests and low-karma users are not allowed to post links)
What are your thoughts on these subjects, please, Jijith?
Unfold Four questions by Iris Goosen, 19 Oct 2014 18:43
Re: Four questions
Iris , very informative post. I would've love to hear Jijith's reply to your questions. I couldn't agree more with you that the Out of africa theory has no scientific bearing. however , according to the Mahabaratas and vedas , It couldn't be more resounding that India was indeed the homeland of the aryans . Its also the only region where the culture and Sanskrit language has remained alive . There are also no artifacts, symbols eg swastika , monuments , religious practices or names of geographical places mentioned by the aryans anywhere in the world that resembles the homeland or origins of the aryans but India.
Unfold Re: Four questions by Lisa House, 01 Oct 2018 10:23
Created by Jijith Nadumuri at 18 Feb 2010 18:45 and updated at 12 Dec 2011 12:52
africaarushaarushicivilizationfishhomohumanindiamanmanumatsyamerumigrationmontainregionriversapienssaraswatitanzaniausaushauttanapadauttanapistim
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'"Lear"' in Character
1-10 of 233 results | Page 1 of 24
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King Lear (2019 Video)
Nancy Meckler
Recording of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre 2017 production of King Lear directed by Nancy Meckler. With Kevin McNally, Saskia Reeves and Emily Bruni. The production is directed for Opus Arte by Ian Russell.
Bridget Caldwell; Michael Buffong
Caroline Roberts-Cherry
Stage to screen film of the Talawa Theatre Company’s production of King Lear staged at the Royal Exchange, Manchester in 2016. Don Warrington is Lear. Directed for stage by Michael Buffong and for screen...
King Lear (2018 Television)
Noëlette Buckley
In an alternative present, England is ruled by a military dictator, King Lear (Anthony Hopkins). In deciding upon his successor, Lear makes the mistake of being swayed by the flattery of his perspective...
National Theatre Live: King Lear (2018)
Jonathan Munby
A recording, from London’s Duke of York theatre, of Shakespeare’s tragedy broadcast live to UK and international cinemas on 27 September 2018 by National Theatre Live.
Lear’s Shadow (2018 Film)
Brian Elerdin
David Blue; Katie Peabody; Asia Lemasters
Two friends from a theatre company cope with a recent tragedy in their lives by discussing and acting out scenes from Shakespeare’s King Lear.
Gregory Doran
Live video recording of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2016 production of King Lear directed by Gregory Doran with Antony Sher in the title role.
King Lear (2017 Audio)
In ancient Britain, the elderly King Lear plans for the future of his estate by putting his three daughters to the test. By indulging his vanity, the King delivers a terrible injustice that wrecks havoc on...
King Lear (2017)
Alexander Barnett
A low budget feature-film adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragedy starring Alexander Barnett, who also directed and edited the film. Also available in a version edited into 15 episodes.
Roger Allam (2016 Video)
Shakespeare Solos
Dan Susman
Leading actors perform some of Shakespeare’s greatest speeches in a video series to mark the 400th anniversary of the playwright’s death. Roger Allam speaks the ‘blow, winds, and crack your cheeks’...
King Lear (2016 Radio)
Drama on 3
Gaynor Macfarlane
Radio production of King Lear with Ian McDiarmid in the title role.
You are currently searching in Shakespeare. Search all the BUFVC's collections for '"Lear"' in All fields.
Shakespeare productions: 233
To Order: ~204
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Another list! Commendably short, this one, but with a long thought-full preface addressing the subject of list-making, listener fatigue, aesthetic judgement and other crucial issues.
I nodded my head especially at this bit, the Impostume talking about how he requires
"some broad operative criteria in order to be able to navigate the vast reaches of modern music consumption/production"
"the pleasure I take in something has to be imaginatively enjoined to some overarching concept, some set of grounding ideas. In other words music is a part of the way I conceptualize things, it’s part of the architecture of my understanding of the world. This means it has a rather different status for me than it does for others, perhaps (I feel it’s a big “perhaps”). I suspect that there’s even a certain moralistic aspect thrown in. I tend to approve of records I enjoy. In other words there’s a whole, admittedly shifting, personal/political/cultural edifice that records slot into."
That's the way my brain's wired too, nothing I can do about it, even if I wanted to. Clearly my experience of music (I should say, new music) is distorted because in addition to all the normal things (pleasure, thrills, surprise, solace etc) I'm also always looking for it to create new thoughts in my head and to "compute" (in some way or other, infinitesmal or involuted though it may be) as an advance in the dialectic. (Both those things = the same thing, maybe. Obviously). That creates a subliminal pressure to move on, because an artist or genre really has to be incredibly fertile and vibrant and changeful to keep on catalysing a stream of new ideas, and that's rarely the case. People who don't have that extra requirement of music (let's call them "civilians") are much happier sticking with a performer or a genre long into that second phase where it's essentially static but still churning out "quality".
Now did I get like this as a side effect of my occupation, or did I always have a critic-head (and a certain kind of critic-head)? Increasingly I think the latter, I seem to remember always thinking and feeling music this way, although perhaps you could say this was because for much of my youth I was mentally preparing for what I would go on to do (and indeed was a critic-fan as much as follower of bands).
What Carl is maybe suggesting is that for a certain kind of person there's always going to be a fatal confusion of Favourite and Important, matters-to-me and Matters, pleasure and "truth".
Now how does that relate to the entropic listmania so noticeable this season?
You can see various impulses battling it out--the gigantism of all-inclusiveness versus whittle-it-down brevity. The latter drive ("get back to what you really care about"--define "care" though!) could be seen as a retreat to the incontestable solidity of "Favourite" (unchallengeable subjective preferences) and an avoidance of the quicksand of "Important" (the slippage into Rockism). The shorter the list (the thinking goes) the less likely it'll succumb to worthiness, tokenism, dutiful eclecticism that doles out praise across the genrescape, and other liabilities of the profession.
Yet equally the expanded list can be a celebration of ravenous hedonistic appetite, an ostentatious amassing of pleasures, a glutton's testament to yet-another-year-of-plenty (i.e. pure Poptimism). And the shrivelled micro-list could actually be an expression of diehard rockism, a paring down to just those few things that warranted commemoration (because they alone lived up to the Ideals, were innovative/extreme/intense or arguable as such).
^^^^^^^^^^^
Throughsilver chips in, concurring with another of Impostume's pungent points:
"I also wonder why anyone would give a rat’s behind about what a single person considers their 43rd favourite album of a year. I understand when The Wire does it – they pool many people. But the individual top 50? I’m now old and ugly enough to realise the folly (both Narcissistic and Promethean) of such a move.
Top 20, max. I don’t care how many albums you’ve heard.
Let’s not forget that little correlation: the greater amount of albums you have heard means less time available to actually digest each one"
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Whitewashing: Asian and Asian-American Representation in Film/TV
Diversity Speaks at the LA Film Festival, Saturday, June 17 at the Kirk Douglas Theatre
Los Angeles film fans! The LA Film Festival invites you to Diversity Speaks, two days of panel discussions focusing on expanding the definition of diversity and act as a call to action for the entertainment industry.
On Saturday, June 17, I'll be participating in a panel discussion entitled "Whitewashing: Asian and Asian-American Representation in Film/TV," along with Leonardo Nam, Kelly Hu, Kelvin Yu, Ally Maki, Bruce Thierry Cheung and Gloria Fan, and moderated by Jenny Yang. It's happening at 2:00pm at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City.
Here's some more info about the full Saturday lineup:
Diversity Speaks: Saturday
Diversity Speaks features panel discussions taking place over two days at the LA Film Festival. The conversations address topical issues both on and off the screen. Diversity Speaks' focus is to expand the definition of diversity and act as a call to action for the entertainment industry.
Cis in a Trans World: Transgender Visibility
The trans creative community is thriving, but the limited amount of on-screen portrayals of trans characters are mostly awarded to the cisgender community. Audiences and activists have said enough is enough and are calling out cis appropriation of trans roles and for the development of more authentic trans stories.
Panelists to include: Candis Cayne (The Magicians), Shaan Dasani (Bollywood Invasion), Mari Walker (Swim) and Rachel Crowl (And Then There Was Eve)
Moderated by Riley Silverman (Not Safe with Nikki Glaser)
The anti-whitewashing protests are getting louder and the social pushback is hard to ignore. Hollywood's packaging of Asian and Asian-inspired cultural properties should be reconstructed.
Panelists to include: Leonardo Nam (Westworld), Kelly Hu (The Scorpion King), Kelvin Yu (Master of None), Ally Maki (Wrecked), Phil Yu (Angry Asian Man blog), Bruce Thierry Cheung (Don't Come Back from the Moon) and Gloria Fan (VP of Current Programming, FOX)
Moderated by Jenny Yang (comedian, Disoriented Comedy)
In Conversation: Lena Waithe Sits Down with Elvis Mitchell
Lena Waithe (Master of None) sits down with Film Independent at LACMA curator Elvis Mitchell for an intimate off-the-record talk.
The Other: Documenting Marginalized Stories
Accessing primetime slots and movie theater screens to tell stories continues to be a struggle for many marginalized voices. Here we shine a light on how these filmmakers and storytellers work within, and around, the current systems to be seen and heard.
Panelists to include: Sydney Freeland (Deidra & Laney Rob a Train), Valerie Red-Horse Mohl (Mankiller), Amy York Rubin (Boxed In), Xan Aranda (Room 104), Julius Tennon (President, JuVee Productions) and Marvin Lemus (Gente-fied)
Moderated by Jennifer Kushner (Director of Artist Development, Film Independent)
Reclaiming Gay for Pay: What It Means to be 'Out' in Hollywood
More performers and leaders of the industry are out members of the LGBTQ+ community than ever before, but the questions remain… why is it still hard to come out in Hollywood? As more platforms and outlets for storytelling continue to develop, what is the future for LGBTQ+ Hollywood?
Panelist to include: Keiynan Lonsdale (The Flash), Karey Dornetto (Portlandia), Noah Galvin (The Real O'Neals), Anne Clements (Political Animals) and Guy Branum (Talk Show the Game Show)
Moderated by Marc Malkin (Managing Editor, E!)
All panels are free to the public, no ticket or pass required, on a space-available basis. For further details about Diversity Speaks, including directions and parking info, head over to the LA Film Festival website.
FILE UNDER: events, los angeles, los angeles events, los angeles film festival, panel discussion, whitewashing
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« Consumables, Landfill, Heirlooms
Follies: Fabulous, Fanciful and Frivolous Buildings »
How Easy It Is To Strip Metadata
Tags: metadata; stripped; removed; lost; Adobe Photoshop; overcharging; The Sun; News International; Gabor Poszgai; fotoLibra
Here’s a great photograph by Gabor Poszgai that we sold to The Sun yesterday:
Purely as a matter of interest I tried to drag the image off the page. Obviously it had no fotoLibra watermark, as we had sold them the image, but I wanted to see how easy it would be to copy the image and use it for my own nefarious purposes — steal it, that is.
Here’s the message I got:
That’s interesting. I couldn’t drag the image off, and there was an image protection warning.
So I tried right-clicking it, a procedure incomprehensible to we Mac users but which involves holding down the ctrl key while tapping the pen on the tablet.
This is what came up:
Gosh again. They really didn’t want me to pull off the photo.
So we pulled it off, and I had a look at the metadata.
When The Sun bought the image, it was supplied with full metadata including this caption and these keywords:
So you can see who took the picture, what it is, and where to find it. When I looked at the metadata for the image in The Sun, this is what I got:
Empty. Blank. Nada. Bare. Stripped. Descamisados.
Why should they do that? Damien somewhat cynically remarked “Why keep it? They didn’t need it, so they threw it out.”
But that would mean extra work — someone would have to be specifically employed to hack off the metadata, unless it was an automated procedure. Why would News International want to remove the metadata from images they buy? Maybe Photoshop, with its inbuilt metadata stripping feature (see ‘Adobe — Stop Overcharging UK Customers‘) was to blame.
Anyway, I’m puzzled. What is the point of embedding metadata so it travels with the picture, telling you what it is, who took it and when, where it is, all about it, how to find it and buy it, if it’s simply thoughtlessly stripped out the first time it’s sold? It’s the writing on the back of the print. Why rub it out? What is the point? Who benefits?
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32 Responses to “How Easy It Is To Strip Metadata”
Diana Korchien says:
I think someone should ask News International if they’re allowing resale of the picture as one of their own. Do they do this with all the pictures they license from 3rd parties? Are they that cash-strapped?
Gwyn Headley says:
I couldn’t possibly comment on a valued client.
Mike Jeffries says:
Very interesting, now everyone who reads this will know how to breach copyright if they follow your instructions.
Try it and tell me if it works, Mike.
Boyd says:
You didn’t delete any metadata with the procedure from above.
Go and look in the last tab of the window showed above “Raw Data” and you will see all the metadata.
Check that and let me know.
OK, I checked. No caption. No keywords. No photographer credit. No copyright info URL. There is data along the lines of < ?xpacketbegin=""id="W5M0MpCehiHzreSzNTczkc9d"?>
but I’m not certain how useful that is to a picture library trying to protect its photographers.
“Save for Web & Devices” on PS strips metadata, as it was for web use I presume this is what they did.
Interesting. We never use that function.
It was more relevant before the age of broadband, when webmasters needed to make their web page content as small as possible for faster page upload. Thankfully upload speeds now make this less relevant, making this need redundant.
Not true. From CS4 onwards Adobe listened to the grumbles of photographers and “Save for Web” has a panel in that dialogue called “Metadata” allowing you to select:
COPYRIGHT AND CONTACT INFO
ALL EXCEPT CAMERA INFO
Tony Sleep says:
It used to. It no longer does by default. You have to explicitly tell PS Save for Web to dump metadata since, IIRC, CS2.
It could be that someone in IT routinely strips out metadata to reduce file size.
That’s what our IT guys say.
Mark Goodwin says:
I think that what News International has done is tantermount to fraudulently changing or altering copyright and ownership information of a piece of copyrighted work!
Even if they purchased the pic for life, they have no right to alter the fact that the ownership belongs to Gabor.
I am no lawyer but I would think that unless this was challenged, News International would probably claim the right to sell and re-sell this photo as many times as they like. And how is Gabor going to find out, not to mention the agency that provided the shot in the first place.
Talk about a “law unto themselves”. Unbelievable!
Well I understand your rage because I share it, but the fact is that NI would not use a picture they had bought in another context for that very reason. Specific rights were bought and they are unlikely to transgress. They don’t need the hassle that would cause. So why strip the metadata — unless, as our IT guys aver, it’s to save 8k on the file size.
Oh dear Gwyn, I admire your faith in newspaper morality but it is utterly misplaced. There is an epidemic of unreported use with intent to avoid payment. I say that as a moderator of EPUK, whose 1,000 pro members encounter the problem on a daily basis – it is probably the most common issue we deal with.
Infringement is part of the cost-saving business model, and any photo they can get to is liable to be used without permission or payment. You will sometimes even see absurdities like (c)internet or (c)Facebook alongside – the Daily Mail has used both of these. The Sun, Mail, Independent and Guardian (and BBC) are particularly slack. They will always claim it is an innocent mistake if caught. However it’s a mistake they keep on making on an industrial scale.
This should not be news. It has been widely and repeatedly reported (BJP, AP, EPUK website, numerous photo blogs).
It took a long time to persuade Alamy that unreported newspaper sales are a serious problem but after being presented with hundreds of examples they now have a project group investigating the issue.
The fundamental problem is that pursuing infringements is time consuming and difficult, and what can be recovered is little more than the infringer would have paid for a license. That makes it a good bet to infringe and see if the copyright holder finds out and complains. Mostly they won’t. If they do, and try to claim more than the newspaper wants to pay, they are told they’ll be blacklisted. Of course, suing to recover microstock level fees is a complete non-starter – nobody is going to spend a day or two assembling a case, £50 on a summons, attend court, to recover £10.
I’m off on my holidays now so I won’t be able to respond to any more comments until Friday. Have fun!
Pete Glastonbury says:
it depends on what program they use. If they use something like paintshop pro and resize the image and save it then it loses the Metadata. Also with the right click protection this is easily overcome by doing a screen grab (Print screen in Windows) which also strips out the metadata.
All too common these days,
Ian Hooker says:
Another one for the Leveson enquiry?????
A Green says:
I think you are making life too hard for yourself – simply find the print screen key, on the keyboard, or use the snipping tool, and take the image that way or look at the image source..
http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01540/CHICKS-MAIN_1540751a.jpg
and then look at the image properties
If you can see something on screen NOTHING can stop you copying the version on display.
As for stripping metadata – it is a basic “cleaning” process these days
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metadata_removal_tool
I’m disappointed at the misinformation and ignorance displayed here. Removing metadata is like taking the plates off a car, there is no legitimate reason to do it. Rest assured that sites that do it do not strip 500bytes for page load times. They do it because they have no respect whatsoever for the creator or owner.
Once your metadata is gone, your photo is likely to be propagated around the web, and nobody will know you own the rights.
Many of you appear to be unaware of the ongoing battle to annexe the copyright of photographs and other works whose authors cannot be found (“orphan works”). This has been running since 2005, through the Gowers Review, the Lammy and IPO consultations, the Digital Economy Bill (where the offending clause was defeated by photographers) and the Hargreaves review and endless subsequent consultations.
If you want to know where we are now, read this week’s Register piece by Andrew Orlowski
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/07/02/govt_copyright_white_paper/
Dickie Bamford says:
I’d agree with David – They’re only doing everything that they can to reduce page load times. Suggesting that there’s any deeper malice at work here is quite ridiculous.
Within any modern news organisation there will be a team of folk responsible for publishing content online who look and consider every element on the web page they’re delivering. Not only that but the systems and automations they employ ensure that content published online is optimised as far as it can be – the size of everything is hugely important.
Technically, the thing that makes The Sun online more of a challenge I imagine is that they tend to have very long home pages by comparison to other newspaper sites, with literally dozens of different elements loading.
If they were to include the metadata for every image published then their customers who weren’t fortunate to have broadband probably wouldn’t bother waiting for the page to load.
Personally I think they’ve done a pretty good job at getting so much content onto their home page.
Nice shot too BTW.. (Hope the mother returned)
You are wrong. Stripping metadata has been a near universal newspaper practice for many, many years. Sometimes they insert their own.
Tampering with metadata is a criminal offence under the Copyright and Related Rights Regulatons 2003 – http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/2498/regulation/25/made
The uselessness of these regulations is that you have to be able to prove intent to infringe copyright.
Blaz Obeniel Arias Juárez says:
Peter Russell says:
This is, sadly, no surprise to me. I have just discovered one of my images used by the on-line Sun that has been digitally modified by an in-house artist, published with no credits and then, remarkably, licensed by News Group Newspapers!
News International, and the Daily Express and Daily Mail, are masters at this sort of con. Any material sent to them at their request, once used legitimately, goes into the big syndication pot. This is despite statements that once used the material should be removed from all storage media. Material is routinely re-licensed and the author is only paid if he or she discovers the use. I have a friend who used to work on the Mail picture desk and have had this verified!
The problem is widespread and newspapers get away with it on two counts; one because authors seldom discover the illegal use and two because most authors are afraid to take on the might of the newspaper empire.
The problem with metadata in an image file is that it can be stripped out so easily; either on purpose or with software designed to reduce file size for on-line use as a previous correspondent noted. Both are illegal – ignorance of the law is no defence. Adobe should modify Photoshop et al so that metadata is locked in and can only be modified by the registered copyright owner or legal licensor.
Photographers often ask for this. Unfortunately no existing image file format can be modified to lock metadata. This is not my opinion but a statement of fact from Adobe’s John Nack. Besides there are legitimate reasons why the data has to change sometimes.
I’ll refer you to the only solution I know, which photographers really need to get behind and push, Plus. Read about it here: http://www.epuk.org/Opinion/985/on-the-plus-side
UK.gov proposes massive copyright land snatch... says:
[…] have recieved many representations that stripping metadata is of concern….here's an example:- Sun strips metadata and claims ownership… But again, the IPO do nothing and claim its already illegal. It is, but there is no effective […]
Rob Johns says:
I have never heard such ridiculous comments to justify stripping metadata. If the removal was so innocent then why change the Copyright Status tab from ‘Copyrighted’ to ‘Unknown.’
How is this going to impact page load times. People who don’t know what they are talking about should keep their mouths shut rather than justify the actions of news corporations who fail to give any regard to copyright and photographer’s rights. And yes, I’m talking from first hand experience.
dirk van der werff says:
If Stipple takes off ….. maybe that’s the future for image use on the web
http://www.stippleblog.com/
I’m not saying it’s justified or questioning the illegality of purging the metadata. I can also understand the concern and frustration at not being credited for the photo but the original question Gwyn posted here was ‘Why rub it out? What is the point? Who benefits?”
The answer to that question is that the removal of the metadata when the file was ‘optimized’ for the web simply saves on the amount of data being sent.
The fact that they have the javascript pop-up dialogoue window appear to tell Gwyn that he can’t copy the image doesn’t impact on the initial page load but is a successive command.
Who is going to benefit? Well one large group are going to be those readers of The Sun online who access it via dial-up or with a mobile device as they’re not going to have to wait so long.
Maybe if the image were submitted with the photographer’s credit and copyright info overlaid as text on top of the image (and to form part of the image) justified bottom right might be one way of having more success in getting the recognition deserved?
Mike Holden says:
Seriously, if they really wanted to optimise their content for the web, do you really think their home page would be so bloated, and full of images (many of them animated, or changing through some code add-on) and other metadata? The html is almost 3000 lines of code, and contains hundreds of images.
That’s not an exercise in cutting delivered content size in action.
Images will be compressed as part of the settings on the website (assuming they use something sensible, and their users also use a vaguely sensible browser), so textual metadata will effectively be pretty small, and even when uncompressed, will only account for a few dozen bytes, or a few hundred if the description is verbose. I have no big issue with description text being cut, but the copyright information should be preserved, and there’s no excuse on that.
I would just like to add my weight and support to everything Tony Sleep says.
I think it is totally naive to think that large International organisations such as NI are concerned with stripping metadata to reduce file size. If file size is a problem for them they will just get their huge IT departments to sort it out.
On the other hand, especially if the picture is of major international importance, hiding the original copyright could mean the difference between the organisation earning possibly £100,000’s and the photographer earning. If you were the head of a major paper which would you choose? I think taking a chance – from the newspapers point of view – is well worth the increase in the bottom-line. And, if and when they are found out, they can easily apologise for the ‘error’ pay the licensing fees due to the photographer and no more will be said. meanwhile they have had the benefit of having the money in THEIR bank account all the time, and the continuing future possibility of future sales rather than the the Photographer.
Look….if a mighty, major conglomerate such as NI is prepared to routinely break the law by listening in and tapping into private conversations, do you really think they are going to worry about the copyright of some unknown photographer, somewhere in the world complaining about the ownership of one photograph.
I spent a great deal of my early life in the Music Industry, you wanna talk about copyright theft????
Strength to your arm Tony, BTW I am a member of EPUK and would recommend to all fellow Togs.
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Tag Archives: washington
Best States Ranking
December 6, 2019 Robert Payne Leave a comment
Seems like good timing when you move to Seattle, and then not long after the U.S. News & World Report releases their “Best States Ranking” with the state of Washington at the top of the list.
Education, fiscal stability and infrastructure are just a few of the categories they used to assess the strength of a particular region. After working in economic development for more than 7 years, and servicing EDs from the interactive agency side for more than 5 years, I can attest to how important these factors are to site consultants and companies. People often assume that discretionary and statutory incentives play the largest role in a company’s decision to relocate. And they wouldn’t be wrong. Job tax credits, R&D tax credits, investment tax credits, energy savings, and many other mechanisms to save companies money – that they can reinvest – are all very important.
But without the available workforce, and solid workforce training programs in place, any region is going to suffer over the long haul. Washington has that figured out, hence the reason they ranked #4 in that particular category. But what about “Natural Environment”? We all love it. We all need it. But here there is a Governor who has made it a cornerstone of his policies.
It has certainly been an awesome experience getting my little future workers out in the beauty that surrounds Seattle. Here are some recent outings.
A boy takes a leap from Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park.
A woman looks out over Puget Sound from Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park.
Mount Baker looms large over a lighthouse in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
A tanker passes by Dungeness Spit.
A sailboat makes its way across Puget Sound outside of Seattle in the afternoon light.
But certainly looking forward to seeing/learning/experiencing more.
Congrats on your ranking Washington!
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Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
DC Moore Gallery
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Blue Medium is a New York–based public relations company serving the visual arts, architecture and design communities. Over the past 19 years, we’ve had the pleasure of working with some of the best, like-minded clients in the world.
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Crucial to our success is our relationship with the media. We have always strived to treat our media colleagues as autonomous, independent voices, and we value the coverage and critical thinking they bring to our communities and clients.
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Jan 21, 2020 Visual Arts
Paula Cooper Gallery Presents: Ja’Tovia Gary ‘flesh that needs to be loved’
Opening February 15, 2020, “flesh that needs to be loved” marks Ja’Tovia Gary’s inaugural exhibition at Paula Cooper Gallery. The presentation includes the East Coast premiere of THE GIVERNY SUITE, 2019—an immersive, three-channel extension of her acclaimed forty-minute film, The…
Jan 17, 2020 Architecture & Design
Magnusson Architecture and Planning Announce Completion of The Printhouse
Project brings 71 market rate and affordable units targeted at young professionals seeking a more affordable urban lifestyle in New Rochelle, NY. Magnusson Architecture and Planning (MAP) recently announced the completion of The Printhouse, a six-story, 68,300 sf mixed-use development….
Friedman Benda presents Misha Kahn ‘Soft Bodies, Hard Spaces,’ opening February 27, 2020
Soft Bodies, Hard Spaces February 27 – April 4, 2020 New York, NY (January 13, 2020) – Friedman Benda is pleased to present Misha Kahn’s third solo show at the gallery. In Soft Bodies, Hard Spaces, the Brooklyn-based artist exploits…
Paula Cooper Gallery at FOG Design + Art 2020
For the 2020 iteration of FOG Design + Art, Paula Cooper Gallery will present a booth of works featuring: Carl Andre Tauba Auerbach Cecily Brown Sophie Calle Sarah Charlesworth Bruce Conner Mark di Suvero Sol Lewitt Christian Marclay Claes Oldenburg…
Jan 7, 2020 Visual Arts
Paula Cooper Gallery Presents: Dan Walsh
An exhibition of new work by Dan Walsh will examine the artist’s ever-expanding vocabulary of material, form and scale. On view will be paintings, works on paper, a wood carving, and a sculpture, whose geometric patterns and programmatic compositions lead…
DC Moore Gallery Presents Charles Burchfield: Solitude
DC Moore Gallery is pleased to present Charles Burchfield: Solitude, an exhibition highlighting 14 works created predominantly between 1917 and 1957 that give visitors a remarkable opportunity to examine the artist’s vibrant landscapes, which reveal his luminous, spiritual interpretations of the…
DC Moore Gallery Presents Mary Frank: ¿Or Was it Like This?
DC Moore is pleased to present Mary Frank: ¿Or Was it Like This? an exhibition of new paintings by Mary Frank. The exhibition is Frank’s tenth solo show with the gallery and explores her decisive return to painting after a primary focus in…
Acquavella Galleries Presents Miró the Sculptor: Elements of Nature On View January 13 – February 28, 2020
May my sculptures be confused with the elements of nature, trees, rocks, roots, mountains, plants, flowers… — Joan Miró Acquavella Galleries is pleased to present Miró the Sculptor: Elements of Nature. Late in his storied career characterized by a lifelong…
Dec 19, 2019 Visual Arts
Galerie Lelong & Co. Presents Krzysztof Wodiczko: A House Divided
Galerie Lelong & Co. is pleased to present Krzysztof Wodiczko: A House Divided…, a new projection-installation work exploring contemporary political polarization in the United States and reflective of the world at large. This exhibition follows the opening of the artist’s most…
Dec 19, 2019 Architecture & Design
Friedman Benda presents ‘Comfort’, curated by Omar Sosa
Comfort, Curated by Omar Sosa January 9 – February 15, 2020 Opening reception: Thursday, January 9, 2020, 6–8pm Press preview: January 9, 2020, 10am–12pm “We must rediscover for ourselves the mystery of comfort, for without it, our dwellings will indeed…
Three affordable housing developments by Magnusson Architecture and Planning among the winners of New York State’s Buildings of Excellence Competition
The awarded projects exemplify MAP’s commitment to high standards for design, health and sustainability in affordable housing Three affordable housing developments designed by Magnusson Architecture and Planning (MAP) were among the winners of the First Round of the Buildings of…
BOHLIN CYWINSKI JACKSON DESIGNS NEW HEADQUARTERS FOR THE HENRY J. KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson has partnered with the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) to design its headquarters in San Francisco’s China Basin neighborhood. Located just across the AT&T park, the new 26,700 square foot space is intended to meet the…
UNTITLED, ART Closes with Solid Sales and Sold Out Booths, Emmanuel Van der Auwera wins Otazu Art Prize and other Highlights
Tuesday’s VIP and Press Preview brought the highest attendance since its inaugural edition in 2012, with 7,000 in attendance. Strong sales were reported to both familiar and new faces, private collections, and institutions. Numerous exhibitors reported sold out booths, including…
Dec 2, 2019 Visual Arts
Paula Cooper Gallery at Art Basel Miami Beach 2019
At this year’s Art Basel Miami Beach, Paula Cooper Gallery (Booth G10) will present a booth of artists featuring Tauba Auerbach, Jennifer Bartlett, Cecily Brown, Sarah Charlesworth, Liz Glynn, Meg Webster, among many others. Contact: Abby Addams
Nov 27, 2019 Visual Arts
Galerie Lelong & Co. at Art Basel Miami Beach 2019
Galerie Lelong & Co. (Booth F11) is pleased to present at Art Basel Miami Beach with works by Etel Adnan, Petah Coyne, Leonardo Drew, Günther Förg, Alfredo Jaar, Samuel Levi Jones, Jannis Kounellis, Ana Mendieta, Jaume Plensa, Zilia Sánchez, Michelle…
DC Moore Gallery at Art Basel Miami Beach 2019
Valerie Jaudon, Joyce Kozloff, and Robert Kushner are artists central to the groundbreaking Pattern & Decoration art movement of the 1970s. P&D was a feisty movement that began as a contrarian embrace of cross-cultural traditions, nonwestern art, decorative arts and women’s traditional crafts….
UNTITLED, ART Announces Exhibitor List for the Fourth Edition of UNTITLED, ART San Francisco
UNTITLED, ART Announces Exhibitor List, Expanded Ambassadors Committee, New Partnerships, and Writer in Residence, for the Fourth Edition of UNTITLED, ART San Francisco UNTITLED, ART is pleased to announce the nearly 60 international galleries and nonprofit arts organizations, from 12…
DC Moore Gallery Presents Duane Michals: Mischievous Eye
Coinciding with the Morgan Library & Museum’s expansive retrospective The Illusions of the Photographer: Duane Michals at the Morgan (through February 2, 2020), Duane Michals: Mischievous Eye highlights the artist’s wide-ranging curiosity and irreverent spirit with several groupings of recent works as well as…
City of Miami Beach Art in Public Places Program to Unveil Bent Pool by Elmgreen & Dragset
Art in Public Places Program to Unveil Bent Pool by Elmgreen & Dragset Culmination of Six Large-Scale Works at Miami Beach Convention Center This winter the City of Miami Beach Art in Public Places Program will install Elmgreen & Dragset’s…
Nov 7, 2019 Visual Arts
Galerie Lelong Presents Eros by Zilia Sánchez
Galerie Lelong & Co. is pleased to present Eros, its second solo exhibition of Cuban artist Zilia Sánchez, timed to coincide with the artist’s first retrospective at El Museo del Barrio. Recalling the Greek god of love, the exhibition title encapsulates…
The Galerie St. Etienne to Transition into The St. Etienne Foundation
After 80 years of championing German and Austrian expressionism and self- taught American artists, Galerie St. Etienne will be transitioning into a fully non-profit organization named The St. Etienne Foundation by the end of 2020. The recently formed St. Etienne…
Nov 6, 2019 Architecture & Design
Friedman Benda announces collaboration with artist Daniel Arsham at Design Miami/
This year at Design Miami/, Friedman Benda will present an immersive installation by acclaimed artist Daniel Arsham in collaboration with the gallery. The latest project in his multi-disciplinary practice, Arsham breaks away from the traditional constraints of an art fair….
SWA Group Designs Pacific Plaza Park in Downtown Dallas
SWA Group has designed Pacific Plaza, a new public park that transforms the experience of the central business district in downtown Dallas. Pacific Plaza is the first of an ambitious four-park initiative spearheaded by Parks for Downtown Dallas in a…
Magnusson Architecture and Planning Announce Completion of Selis Manor
Magnusson Architecture and Planning (MAP) announce the completion of Selis Manor, a tenant-in-place renovation of a 205-unit special needs apartment building serving a population that is blind and physically disabled. Located in Chelsea, the building consists of studio, 1- and…
Magnusson Architecture and Planning Announce Completion of Webster Green
Magnusson Architecture and Planning (MAP) recently announced the completion of Webster Green, a $30 million affordable and supportive housing development in the Bedford Park neighborhood of the Bronx. The mixed-use affordable and supportive housing development provides apartments and supportive homes…
Oct 26, 2019 Visual Arts
Paula Cooper Gallery Presents Sophie Calle, Bruce Conner, Paul Pfeiffer
Major photographic series by Sophie Calle, Bruce Conner and Paul Pfeiffer will be presented in a group exhibition at Paula Cooper Gallery opening October 26, 2019. Together, the works challenge accepted histories, or construct new narratives, to engage notions of…
Acquavella Galleries Presents Wayne Thiebaud: Mountains 1965-2019
Acquavella Galleries Presents Wayne Thiebaud: Mountains 1965-2019 On View November 5 – December 13, 2019 Opening Reception: November 4, 6 – 8pm Acquavella Galleries is pleased to present Wayne Thiebaud: Mountains 1965-2019, featuring 33 works by the distinguished American painter….
The Fabric Workshop and Museum Announces Christina Vassallo as Executive Director
The Board of Directors of The Fabric Workshop and Museum (FWM) is pleased to announce the appointment of Christina Vassallo as its next Executive Director. She will replace Susan Talbott, who announced her retirement earlier this year. Vassallo joins FWM…
Paula Cooper Gallery Presents an Exhibition of Works by Donald Judd and John Chamberlain
A two-person exhibition of work by John Chamberlain and Donald Judd, organized by Jim Jacobs and Paula Cooper Gallery, will open on November 2, 2019. The show will examine the artists’ parallel experimentation with material, form and color during the…
The Octavian Report will present the 2nd Octavian Forum
WHAT: The Octavian Report will present the 2nd Octavian Forum WHEN: Wednesday, October 23, 9:00AM – 5:00PM WHERE: Sotheby’s, New York City, 1334 York Ave, New York, NY 10021 (between 71st & 72nd St.) WHO: Featured Forum Speakers: Bernard-Henri Lévy,…
Galerie Lelong Presents: Ana Mendieta “La Tierra Habla”
Galerie Lelong & Co. is pleased to present a solo exhibition of works from Ana Mendieta titled, La tierra habla (The Earth Speaks). Deeply affected by her exile from Cuba to the United States at just 12 years old, Mendieta made…
Oct 2, 2019 Architecture & Design
SWA Designs Landscape & Public Realm for Chase Center, San Francisco’s New Arena & Entertainment District
People-centric landscape design supports the center’s programmed activities and creates a new major public open space for San Francisco San Francisco, CA (October 2, 2019) – SWA’s San Francisco studio has designed the landscape for Chase Center, the new waterfront…
Oct 2, 2019 Visual Arts
Galerie St. Etienne Presents The Expressionist Legacy
The Expressionist Legacy, an exhibition of important works by celebrated German and Austrian Expressionists, will open at the Galerie St. Etienne on October 22 as the third and final exhibition celebrating the gallery’s 80th anniversary. The survey will feature some…
DC Moore Gallery Presents Robert Kushner: By My Window
Robert Kushner’s ongoing fascination with decorative and modernist traditions, the use of fabric as a form of cultural expression, and the interfacing of ‘high’ and ‘low’ traditions is evident in this sumptuous exhibition of new paintings. Robert Kushner: By My Window October…
Sep 30, 2019 Visual Arts
Atelier 4 Announces Annual Registrar of the Year Award to Celebrate 30th Anniversary
Art logistics company Atelier 4 announced today its launch of a Registrar of the Year Award as a feature of its 30th Anniversary celebrations. The national award is the first of its kind and celebrates an often underrecognized, unseen professional…
Smithsonian Institution’s Archives Of American Art To Honor Artist Howardena Pindell, The American Academy Of Arts And Letters, And Art Historian Alexander Nemerov At 2019 Gala In New York City
October 22, 2019 Essex House 160 Central Park South, New York 6:30 PM Cocktails | 7:30 PM Dinner | 10:00 PM After Party The annual gala to benefit the Smithsonian Institution’s Archives of American Art will take place this year…
UNTITLED, ART Announces Emily Counihan as Head of Collector and Institutional Development
UNTITLED, ART, the international, curated art fair is pleased to announce the appointment of Emily Counihan as Head of Collector and Institutional Development. Counihan joins the UNTITLED, ART team with more than a decade of experience organizing art fairs and…
dieFirma Announces Inaugural Exhibition: “…for Gloria Kisch”
dieFirma is pleased to announce its inaugural exhibition “…for Gloria Kisch”, featuring the work of sculptor Gloria Kisch in a newly renovated exhibition space on Cooper Square. The show will center on two key series from Kisch’s 50- year career…
Sep 25, 2019 Architecture & Design
SWA Group Chosen to Create Landscape Master Plan for Walmart Home Office
SWA Group (SWA) has been chosen to develop the overall landscape architectural design of the Walmart New Home Office Campus headquarters in Bentonville, AR. Part of the design team, which also includes Gensler, Walter P Moore and Arup, SWA Group…
UNTITLED, ART Announces Exhibitor List, Guest Curator and Inaugural Writer in Residence
UNTITLED, ART, the international, curated art fair is pleased to announce its list of exhibitors for the eighth edition of UNTITLED, ART Miami Beach, taking place December 4–8, 2019. A collection of 126 international galleries and nonprofit spaces from 28…
Friedman Benda announces design industry veteran Alex Gilbert as newest member of the gallery’s sales division
Friedman Benda is pleased to announce that design industry veteran Alex Gilbert will join the gallery’s sales team. With over 15 years of experience working at the intersection of design and technology, Gilbert was formerly a Vice President at Sotheby’s…
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson Designs Largest Everlane Store to Date in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson (BCJ) announces their design of Everlane’s newest and largest store to date in the heart of vibrant Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Located at 104 North 6thStreet, the space is a redesign of an existing 1960s, two-story brick building. The store…
Rhode Island School of Design’s Board of Trustees Elects New Members
Shepard Fairey, Gabrielle Bullock, Shahzia Sikander, Norman Chan, Michael Rock and William Schweizer to serve as Term Trustees; Donald Choi, Deborah Mankiw named Ex Officio Trustees New York, NY (September 9, 2019) – Blue Medium is proud to announce the election of Shepard Fairey, Gabrielle…
Rhode Island School of Design Presents Collection 19 at New York Fashion Week
(New York, NY) September 4, 2019 – Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) returns to New York with Collection 19, its fourth annual showing at New York Fashion Week (NYFW), featuring work by 17 recent Apparel Design graduates. The runway…
The Fabric Workshop and Museum Presents Jacolby Satterwhite: Room for Living September 13, 2019 – January 19, 2020
The Fabric Workshop and Museum (FWM) is pleased to present Jacolby Satterwhite: Room for Living, on view September 13, 2019 through January 19, 2020. The opening reception will be held on Friday, September 13 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Collaborating…
Sep 5, 2019 Visual Arts
Amy O’Neill: The Zoo Revolution at Paula Cooper Gallery
On view from September 7 through October 12, 2019, is an exhibition of Amy O’Neill’s film The Zoo Revolution. Created between 2006 and 2019, the film combines original and found footage to examine the derelict remnants of twentieth-century Americana through a…
DC Moore Gallery Presents: Yvonne Jacquette: Daytime in New York
DC Moore Gallery is pleased to present Yvonne Jacquette: Daytime New York, an exhibition of recent paintings and pastels featuring the artist’s signature aerial views of New York City buildings, in the vibrant light of day. Jacquette has lived and worked…
DC Moore Gallery presents: George Tooker: Contemplative Gaze
DC Moore Gallery is proud to present George Tooker: Contemplative Gaze, featuring a selection of paintings, drawings, and prints. Tooker (1920-2011) painted in egg tempera, and due to the careful process, requiring a thorough and precise application, he was not a…
Paula Cooper Gallery Presents Technological Tool Racks by Liz Glynn
A selection of Technological Tool Racks by Liz Glynn will be presented in the gallery’s vitrine space at 529 West 21st Street from September 7 through October 12, 2019. For the past decade, Glynn has worked in sculpture, installation, and performance, examining…
Veronica Ryan: The Weather Inside at Paula Cooper Gallery
An exhibition of work created by Veronica Ryan over the last ten years will open at Paula Cooper Gallery on September 7th, 2019. Born in Plymouth, Montserrat and raised in England, Ryan has engaged with issues of history, identity, dislocation,…
Sep 3, 2019 Architecture & Design
Friedman Benda gallery presents ‘Gaetano Pesce: Age of Contaminations’ October 24 – December 14, 2019
Friedman Benda is pleased to present a critical survey of the Italian architect, designer and visionary Gaetano Pesce, examining the pivotal period of his career from 1968 to 1992. Age of Contaminations brings together rarely seen iconic works from key historic collections…
Samuel Levi Jones: Mass Awakening at Galerie Lelong
Galerie Lelong & Co. is pleased to present Samuel Levi Jones: Mass Awakening, an exhibition that examines how the artist has broadened his scope of unmaking and remaking objects to question their moral and ethical implications. For the past decade, Jones…
Aug 22, 2019 Visual Arts
Archives of American Art Announces Major Gift of Records of Andrea Rosen Gallery
The Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution (the Archives), announced today that it has received a major gift of records from Andrea Rosen, the trailblazing art dealer whose eponymous gallery opened in 1990 in New York City. The 250 linear…
Paula Cooper Gallery Presents The North American Premier of Christian Marclay: 48 War Movies
48 War Movies (2019) is a single-channel video that collapses conflicts from the Civil War to Iraq into a horrifying aggregate spectacle of war. Dramatizations are collaged into almost indistinguishable narratives and presented through concentric rectangles, like a flickering conveyor…
Two Palms at The 2019 Korea International Art Fair
At the 2019 edition of the Korea International Art Fair, Two Palms will exhibit for the first time in South Korea, offering an array of works representative of the kind of boundary-pushing printmaking the studio has become known for, with…
Aug 8, 2019 Architecture & Design
Magnusson Architecture and Planning Expands Leadership Team With Three New Associate Principals
Magnusson Architecture and Planning (MAP) recently announced the promotions of three Senior Associates – Sara Bayer, Joe Moyer and Jen Stencel – who will be joining Chris Jones as Associate Principals. The four will continue to manage many of the…
Aug 6, 2019 Visual Arts
Acquavella Galleries Presents the First US Solo Exhibition of Wang Yan Cheng September 11 – October 18, 2019
Acquavella Galleries Presents WANG YAN CHENG September 11 – October 18, 2019 Opening Reception September 10, 6-8 pm Acquavella Galleries is pleased to present their first exhibition of works by Wang Yan Cheng, from September 11 – October 18, 2019….
Jul 30, 2019 Visual Arts
Paula Cooper Gallery Announces Two New Appointments
Paula Cooper Gallery is pleased to announce the appointment of Suzanne Egeran as a Director, and Cara Zhuang (庄楷) as their representative in Asia. Egeran will be based in New York at their 26th Street location, and Zhuang will be based…
Jul 30, 2019 Architecture & Design
Magnusson Architecture + Planning Announce Construction of “The Bryant,” a 100% Affordable-Housing Development in the Bronx
Magnusson Architecture and Planning (MAP) recently announced the start of construction for The Bryant, a 62-unit affordable and supportive development in the Bronx. This is MAP’s second collaboration with the nonprofit developer New Destiny Housing, which will also provide support…
Estate of Alice Leffmann Files Petition for Rehearing in Holocaust Restitution Case Against Metropolitan Museum of Art
Laurel Zuckerman, the Ancillary Administratrix of the estate of Alice Leffmann, today announced that she has filed a petition with the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit requesting a panel rehearing and rehearing en banc before the…
The Galerie St. Etienne Presents The Art Dealer as Scholar
The Art Dealer as Scholar, an exhibition of important works by Käthe Kollwitz, Alfred Kubin, and Egon Schiele, will open at the Galerie St. Etienne on July 16. The second of three exhibitions celebrating the Galerie St. Etienne’s 80th anniversary,…
Jul 5, 2019 Visual Arts
Paula Cooper Gallery Presents Non-Vicious Circle
“Non-Vicious Circle,” Paula Cooper Gallery’s summer show will present a selection of sculptures and installations by Sam Durant, Liz Glynn, Walid Raad, Kelley Walker, and Meg Webster. The exhibition takes its title from one of the works on view, a…
Project 1 Announces New Commissions and Projects for Inaugural Edition
Project 1: Crossed Lines September 7 to October 27, 2019 Throughout Grand Rapids, MI Project 1 is pleased to announce the new works and commissions for the inaugural edition. Differing from traditional biennials, Project 1 will focus on five artists,…
Jul 1, 2019 Architecture & Design
Magnusson Architecture + Planning Oversees Design For Expansion of Flatbush Caton Market
Magnusson Architecture + Planning (MAP) recently announced the ground-breaking for the expansive redevelopment of what is now the Flatbush Caton Market in Brooklyn. The project, called Caton Flats, will invigorate the predominantly Caribbean American neighborhood with improved facilities for local…
Jun 6, 2019 Architecture & Design
Friedman Benda Presents Summer: A Group Exhibition
Friedman Benda will present Summer, a group exhibition opening Thursday, June 20th. A collaborative effort by the gallery staff, this curated exhibition highlights representations from practices at the intersection of art, design and craft. From iconic and historic objects to cutting-edge contemporary…
Jun 6, 2019 Visual Arts
DC Moore Gallery Presents The Unusual Suspects: Curated by Richard Kalina
DC Moore Gallery is proud to present The Unusual Suspects: A View of Abstraction, curated by Richard Kalina, and featuring work by twenty-one artists. There will be an Opening Reception Thursday, June 13th, 6-8pm A panel discussion moderated by Richard…
Paula Cooper Gallery at Art Basel 2019
Paula Cooper Gallery in Booth B7 June 11–16, 2019 Hall 2 — Messe Basel Paula Cooper Gallery Art Basel | June 2019 The gallery is pleased to present works by gallery artists including Carl Andre, Tauba Auerbach, Jennifer Bartlett, Bernd…
Friedman Benda Presents Andrea Branzi At Design Miami/Basel
“The distance between the natural world and the artificial world no longer exists today, because the latter has become second nature. So when I gather together nature, techniques, industry, arts and crafts, high technology and archetypes, everything seems much clearer.” -Andrea Branzi For…
Two Palms at Art Basel 2019
At the 2019 edition of Art Basel, Two Palms will present a selection of works by Mel Bochner, Cecily Brown, Carroll Dunham, Cameron Jamie, Jeff Koons, Chris Ofili, Elizabeth Peyton, Richard Prince, Dana Schutz, Stanley Whitney, and Terry Winters. Making…
The Fabric Workshop and Museum Presents Bill Viola: The Veiling
The Fabric Workshop and Museum (FWM) is pleased to present Bill Viola: The Veiling, on view June 26 through October 6, 2019. The installation will be shown concurrently with a survey of works by the pioneering video artist at the…
RISD 2019 Graduate Show and MFA Exhibitions in NYC
Last Week, the Rhode Island School of Design closed another installment of its annual Graduate Show. The show, held in the Rhode Island Convention Center was on view from May 23 -June 1. The 28,000 square foot convention center featured…
Paula Cooper Gallery Now Represents Ja’Tovia Gary
Paula Cooper Gallery is pleased to announce its representation of the artist and filmmaker Ja’Tovia M. Gary (born in 1984 in Dallas, TX; lives and works in Brooklyn, NY). Gary’s work seeks to liberate the distorted histories through which Black…
Bryan Stevenson, Calls on RISD Graduates to Change the World at 2019 Commencement
“There is something that feels more like equality, that feels more like freedom than what we’ve experienced…. We’ve got to change narratives…. we’ve got to change the world.” Last weekend, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, Bryan Stevenson,…
May 30, 2019 Visual Arts
Galerie St. Etienne at Art Basel 2019
At the 2019 edition of Art Basel, Switzerland, Galerie St. Etienne is pleased to present a selection of works by celebrated German and Austrian artists commemorating the gallery’s 80th anniversary. The artists on view — including Egon Schiele, Käthe Kollwitz,…
Acquavella Galleries at Art Basel 2019
Acquavella Galleries are pleased to announce their presentation for the 2019 edition of Art Basel. A highlight of this year’s booth is a 1987 enamel-on-aluminum mask by Keith Haring, one of only eight masks created by the artist. Two new…
May 21, 2019 Architecture & Design
Johnson Favaro to Redesign Beverly Hills La Cienega Park
The new La Cienega Park Master Plan will include new outdoor and indoor recreation facilities, a community center, and pre-school in addition to expansion of ball fields, playgrounds, and park open space The City of Beverly Hills has selected Culver…
Galerie Lelong & Co. Presents Leonardo Drew Solo Exhibition
Galerie Lelong & Co. is pleased to present Brooklyn-based artist Leonardo Drew’s first solo exhibition with the gallery. For the past 30 years, Drew has transformed varied new materials into expressive assemblage, often distressing raw ingredients to evoke the passage…
May 6, 2019 Visual Arts
Paula Cooper Gallery Presents David Novros
An exhibition of work by David Novros will open at Paula Cooper Gallery on May 11th, 2019, highlighting the breadth of his artistic production. In addition to several large-scale multipartite canvases—for which the artist is most well-known—the show will explore…
Apr 29, 2019 Architecture & Design
Rhode Island School of Design’s Furniture Design Department presents RISDXMABEO 2019 at ICFF
The department of Furniture Design at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) is pleased to present RISDXMABEO 2019 at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair. RISDXMABEO recently debuted as part of the second edition of Ventura Future during Milan Design Week. The exhibition…
Rhode Island School of Design Launches RISD Stands Against Gun Violence
In honor and remembrance of the victims of the rampant gun violence that plagues America, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) launched a multidisciplinary community response this month, marking the 20th anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre on April…
Apr 22, 2019 Visual Arts
Acquavella Galleries Presents “Damian Loeb: All Hope Is Lost” at Frieze New York 2019
Acquavella Galleries is pleased to announce a solo exhibition of a new body of work by Damian Loeb at Frieze New York this May. Titled All Hope Is Lost, the series depicts the solar eclipse that was visible from North…
Frick Environmental Center Honored by AIA Committee on the Environment
The Frick Environmental Center, designed by architecture firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, has received a prestigious 2019 Committee on the Environment (COTE) Top Ten Plus Award. Sponsored by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on the Environment, this national honor is…
Bryan Stevenson to Deliver Keynote Address at Rhode Island School of Design’s 2019 Commencement
On Saturday, June 1, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) will award degrees to 487 undergraduate and 214 graduate students at its 136th Commencement ceremony. Commencement 2019 will take place at 10:30 am at the Rhode Island Convention Center in…
Leonard Contino at Paula Cooper Gallery
An exhibition of paintings by Leonard Contino opens on April 13th, 2019 in the gallery’s vitrine space at 529 West 21st Street. A self-taught artist, Contino (1943–2017) worked extensively in painting as well as sculpture, wall relief and collage for…
University of Michigan’s Biological Sciences Building by Ennead Architects and SmithGroup Celebrates Grand Opening
Today, the design firms of SmithGroup (Architect of Record) and Ennead Architects (Design Architect) celebrates the grand opening of the University of Michigan’s new Biological Sciences Building (BSB). Characterized by a transparent, open-lab concept that combines cutting-edge scientific research and…
One Night Only by DC Moore Gallery Artist Carrie Moyer
For her One Night Only celebration, Carrie Moyer’s new work continues to expand upon her sensual and cerebral visual language. Saturated hues, enchanted surfaces and the overt aesthetic beauty of Carrie’s paintings act as a subversive entry point to her broader…
DC Moore Gallery Presents: David Driskell
DC Moore Gallery is proud to present David Driskell: Resonance, Paintings 1965-2002. Driskell, soon to be 88, is a legendary African American artist and art historian. As an artist, scholar, and curator, he has made substantial contributions to these fields that…
Apr 8, 2019 Architecture & Design
Magnusson Architecture + Planning Unveils St. Augustine Terrance in The Bronx
Magnusson Architecture + Planning (MAP) will debut St. Augustine Terrace, a new mid-rise building that will provide 112 units of affordable housing for low-income families in the Bronx. The project was commissioned by The Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of…
Rhode Island School of Design’s Furniture Design Department presents RISDXMABEO 2019 in Milan
The department of Furniture Design at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) is pleased to present RISDXMABEO 2019 at Ventura Projects in Milan. Debuting as part of the second edition of Ventura Future during Milan Design Week, the exhibition is…
Apr 1, 2019 Visual Arts
Paula Cooper Gallery Presents a Group Exhibition of Major Sculpture
Opening on April 4th, 2019 is a group exhibition of major sculpture by Céleste Boursier-Mougenot, Liz Glynn, Robert Grosvenor, Justin Matherly, and Paul Pfeiffer, each inhabiting a discrete part of the gallery. Encompassing a range of material and scale, the…
Mar 27, 2019 Visual Arts
Paula Cooper Gallery Presents Walid Raad Solo Show
A one-person exhibition of work by Walid Raad will open at Paula Cooper Gallery on April 13th, 2019. The presentation will include a number of recent photographic, video and print works from the artist’s ongoing project titled Sweet Talk—a set of…
The Fabric Workshop and Museum Announces Karen Patterson as Curator
The Fabric Workshop and Museum (FWM) is pleased to announce the appointment of Karen Patterson as its new Curator. She will be the first to hold the title in FWM’s 42-year history and joins the museum after seven years at…
Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture Announces 2019 Awards Dinner and Honorees
Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture, one of the country’s preeminent artist residencies, will hold its 48th annual Awards Dinner at Cipriani 42nd Street on Tuesday, April 23, 2019. Celebrating Anonymous Was A Woman (Susan Unterberg), Francesco Clemente, Paula and…
Mar 21, 2019 Architecture & Design
Ennead Architects Completes Denning House at Stanford University
Ennead Architects has completed Denning House, the new home for the Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program at Stanford University. Working with the University and the Denning Family, Ennead Design Partner Richard Olcott developed a design that supports the ambitious goals of the…
Atelier 4 Acquires New Miami Facility
Leading Art Logistics Company Expands Capacity in Region by 300% Art logistics company Atelier 4 announced today its move to a larger facility for its Miami operations, effective April 1, 2019. Located at 2170 Northwest 87th Street, in Doral,…
Magnusson Architecture and Planning Selected to Design Casa Celina, Affordable Senior Housing in the Bronx
Magnusson Architecture + Planning (MAP) will bring to fruition its exciting concept for 100% affordable senior housing at NYCHA’s Sotomayor Houses in the Soundview section of the Bronx. MAP worked with Xenolith Partners, The Kretchmer Companies, ELH Mgmt., and the…
Jaume Plensa’s Behind the Walls, a New Sculpture to be Installed at Rockefeller Center
Richard Gray Gallery and Galerie Lelong & Co. are thrilled to announce the international debut of Jaume Plensa’s Behind theWalls, a monumental new sculpture to be installed at the historic Rockefeller Center on 5th Avenue in NewYork. Standing over 24…
Galerie Lelong & Co. Presents Barthélémy Toguo
Galerie Lelong & Co. is pleased to present Urban Requiem, Barthélémy Toguo’s first exhibition at the gallery and first solo exhibition in New York in a decade. The artist will be present for the opening reception. A Cameroonian artist based in…
Project 1 by ArtPrize Announces Inaugural Exhibition Artists
Amanda Browder, Heather Hart, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Olalekan Jeyifous, and Paul Amenta and Ted Lott to produce new public artworks for “Project 1: Crossed Lines” in Grand Rapids, Michigan this fall. Project 1 by ArtPrize, the first in a series of…
Mar 7, 2019 Visual Arts
DC Moore Gallery Presents Milton Avery: A Selection of Paintings
DC Moore Gallery is pleased to present Milton Avery: A Selection of Paintings featuring four important works Avery made between 1947-1960. In the pantheon of twentieth century art, Avery stands alone. Never persuaded by the artistic trends, movements, and manifestoes that surrounded…
Mar 6, 2019 Architecture & Design
Ennead Architects Wins International Competition to Design The Shanghai Estuary Chinese Sturgeon Nature Preserve
Ennead Architects has been announced winner of an international design competition for the Shanghai Yangtze River Estuary Chinese Sturgeon Nature Preserve. Led by Ennead Design Partner Thomas Wong, in partnership with Andropogon Landscape Architects, the project is an ambitious plan…
Magnusson Architecture & Planning Completes Affordable Housing Residential Development MLK Plaza
Magnusson Architecture + Planning (MAP) has completed MLK Plaza, a 13-story, 167-unit, affordable residential building in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx. It was one of the first developments to use the new Zoning for Quality Affordability regulation, which…
Leonardo Drew is Represented by Galerie Lelong & Co., Paris and New York
Galerie Lelong & Co. is pleased to announce representation of Leonardo Drew. Drew will present his first solo exhibition at Galerie Lelong & Co., New York, in Spring 2019. Leonardo Drew is known for creating contemplative abstract sculptural works that…
Acquavella Galleries presents Lucian Freud: Monumental
Acquavella Galleries Presents LUCIAN FREUD: MONUMENTAL April 5 – May 24, 2019 Opening Reception April 4, 6-8 pm Acquavella Galleries is pleased to present Lucian Freud: Monumental, a major loan exhibition focusing on the artist’s naked portraits, a subject that…
DC Moore Gallery Presents Claire Sherman: New Pangaea
DC Moore Gallery is proud to present Claire Sherman: New Pangaea, an exhibition of large-scale landscape paintings by Claire Sherman. Sherman’s current works represent the natural world in a manner that makes her landscapes both recognizable and utterly imaginative, inviting yet daunting….
Friedman Benda Presents Wendell Castle: A New Vocabulary at TEFAF New York
For its inaugural participation at TEFAF New York, Friedman Benda will present Wendell Castle: A New Vocabulary, a solo exhibition of the late American designer Wendell Castle (1932-2018). Throughout a celebrated career spanning six decades, Castle introduced new ways of looking…
Feb 28, 2019 Architecture & Design
Friedman Benda Presents Najla El Zein: Transition
Friedman Benda is pleased to announce Transition, Beirut-based designer Najla El Zein’s first solo exhibition. Developed over the course of two years, this marks the debut presentation of three series: Distortion, Fragmented Pillar and Seduction. Organic and gestural, these objects act as varied embodiments of El Zein’s personal…
Feb 26, 2019 Visual Arts
Two Palms at Art Basel Hong Kong
Two Palms is pleased to announce a selection of new works by Dana Schutz, Cecily Brown, Jeff Koons, Elizabeth Peyton, Mel Bochner, Stanley Whitney, and David Row to be shown at the 2019 edition of Art Basel Hong Kong. The…
DC Moore Gallery Presents Forgotten Nature at The Armory Show featuring Charles Burchfield, Ralph Eugene Meatyard, Carrie Moyer, Claire Sherman
Artists often point to issues and experiences that we have ignored. It is not a normal art fair experience to confront the tangle, chaos and delight of nature, or to examine the contradictions of taking nature for granted in a…
The Fabric Workshop and Museum presents Sonya Clark: Monumental Cloth, The Flag We Should Know
The Fabric Workshop and Museum (FWM) is pleased to present Sonya Clark: Monumental Cloth, The Flag We Should Know, on view March 29 through August 4, 2019. The opening reception will be held on Friday, March 29, 2019 from 6:00…
The Galerie St. Etienne Presents: Looking for America
Looking for America, a group exhibition of important 19th and 20th century self-taught artists, will open at the Galerie St. Etienne on March 19, 2019 with a reception from 6–8 p.m. The first of three exhibitions celebrating the 80th anniversary…
Galerie Lelong & Co., New York Presents Carolee Schneemann Solo Booth at ADAA: The Art Show
Galerie Lelong & Co., New York, is pleased to present a solo booth of work by Carolee Schneemann from the late 1950s and early 1960s for ADAA: The Art Show. Since Schneemann trained as a landscape painter and always considered it…
DC Moore Gallery Presents Carrie Moyer at ADAA: The Art Show
DC Moore Gallery is proud to present Carrie Moyer: More Joy, a one-person booth of recent paintings by Carrie Moyer. Carrie Moyer’s paintings extend the narrative of American Abstraction while engaging the legacies of its key female figures, including Georgia O’Keeffe,…
Rhode Island School of Design Museum Presents Gorham Silver: Designing Brilliance
The Rhode Island School of Design Museum is pleased to present Gorham Silver: Designing Brilliance 1850–1970 on view May 3, 2019 through December 1, 2019. Curated by the RISD Museum’s David and Peggy Rockefeller Curator of Decorative Art and Design,…
Art in Public Places Program to Unveil Large-Scale Works By Six Renowned Artists at Miami Beach Convention Center
The City of Miami Beach Art in Public Places Committee announces the debut of six permanent, site-specific permanent works of public art at the newly renovated and expanded Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC). The works by artists—Franz Ackermann (Berlin), Elmgreen…
Acquavella Galleries Presents Solo Wayne Thiebaud Booth at Frieze LA 2019
Frieze Los Angeles Stand B11 Preview Days February 14 – 15; Public Days February 16 – 17, 2019 Paramount Pictures Studios New York, NY, February 12, 2019 – Acquavella Galleries are pleased to announce their presentation for the inaugural edition…
Magnusson Architecture and Planning Announces Groundbreaking for Sunset Park Library
As the architects for the redevelopment of the Sunset Park Library in Brooklyn, New York, Magnusson Architecture and Planning (MAP) is pleased to announce the ground breaking for the new mixed-use building. The new development will be completed in December 2020 and will…
Feb 7, 2019 Visual Arts
Paula Cooper Gallery Presents Sarah Charlesworth
Paula Cooper Gallery is pleased to announce a one-person exhibition of work by Sarah Charlesworth (1947–2013) at 524 West 26th Street from February 23 through March 23, 2019. The show will focus on Charlesworth’s rarely exhibited work from the late…
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson Designs High Meadow Dwellings at Fallingwater
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson has designed High Meadow studio, a re-purposed educational hub for students of the Fallingwater Institute’s summer residency programs in architecture, art, and design. The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, entrusted to preserve and conserve Fallingwater and the natural and…
DC Moore Gallery Presents The Life of Toussaint L’Ouverture by Jacob Lawrence
DC Moore Gallery is pleased to present Jacob Lawrence: The Life of Toussaint L’Ouverture, a complete set of prints created by the artist between 1986 and 1997, rarely appearing together. The prints are derived from 41 tempera paintings completed in 1938…
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson Completes Colorado School of Mines, Coorstek Center
The new CoorsTek Center at the Colorado School of Mines – an education and research facility dedicated to connecting students, faculty, researchers, and industry professionals – designed by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson in association with Anderson Mason Dale Architects is now complete….
DC Moore Gallery Presents New Works by Mark Innerst
Opening Reception with the artist Thursday, January 31st, 6-8pm DC Moore Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of new paintings by Mark Innerst, his fourth solo show with the gallery, and the first in four years. Over the course…
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson Honored with Architecture Interior Award for Apple Store, Upper East Side
The American Institute of Architects have selected the Bohlin Cywinski Jackson-designed Apple Store, Upper East Side as one of nine projects to receive its prestigious award. The awards program honors notable achievements in architecturally spectacular interior spaces. Located at Madison…
Paula Cooper Gallery Presents Group Show: 1967-1980: Explorations
A group exhibition of work created in the 1970s will open at Paula Cooper Gallery on January 10th, 2019, at 524 West 26th Street. The presentation includes work by Jennifer Bartlett, Lynda Benglis, Jonathan Borofsky, Elizabeth Murray, Joel Shapiro, and…
Paula Cooper Gallery to Present Works by Alan Shields
Paula Cooper Gallery is pleased to announce a one-person exhibition of work by Alan Shields (1944–2005) at 521 West 21st Street. Shields, who showed with the gallery from 1968 to 1991, is known for his magnanimous fluency across painting, drawing,…
Galerie Lelong & Co. Presents Michelle Stuart: “Flight of Time”
Opening reception: Thursday, January 31, 6:00-8:00pm Galerie Lelong & Co. is pleased to present Michelle Stuart: Flight of Time, the artist’s first solo exhibition at the gallery since joining in 2018. The exhibition will feature drawings, photographs, and sculptures that span…
DC Moore Gallery Presents Group Show: “THREE”
DC Moore Gallery is pleased to present THREE, a group show featuring work by Beverly Acha, Theresa Daddezio, and Jim Gaylord. Beverly Acha uses boldly colored linear and curvilinear shapes, precisely layered against each other to create vibrant grid structures. Her…
Rhode Island School of Design Appoints Kent Kleinman as Provost
After an extensive international search, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) is pleased to announce the appointment of Kent Kleinman as provost, effective March 2019. “Kent brings broad teaching and administrative experience to RISD coupled with a vision for how…
DC Moore Gallery Presents Max Kozloff: “The Atmospherics of Interruption”
DC Moore Gallery is proud to present, for the first time ever, an exhibition of paintings by noted art and photography critic Max Kozloff. Kozloff has long been highly regarded as a writer who also makes art. He has exhibited…
Felix Burrichter to Curate “Blow Up” at Friedman Benda
Friedman Benda announces its fifth annual guest-curated exhibition entitled Blow Up, opening on January 10 through February 16, 2019. Curated by Felix Burrichter, the founder and editor of the architecture and design magazine PIN–UP, the exhibition will take the miniaturized domestic…
Nov 28, 2018 Architecture & Design
Johnson Favaro Designs New Master Plan for UCLA’s Library System
Johnson Favaro has been commissioned to redesign a comprehensive library master plan for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), to be completed in the coming year. The master plan will include seven out of the ten libraries located across…
Laura Hunt at Paula Cooper Gallery
Paula Cooper Gallery is pleased to announce an exhibition of new works by Laura Hunt. The exhibition in the gallery’s vitrine space at 529 West 21st Street will be up from Thursday November 15 through December 15, 2018. There will…
DC Moore presents Eric Aho: “Guide”
DC Moore Gallery is pleased to present Guide, a solo-exhibition of new paintings by Eric Aho. Aho is known for his landscapes that abstract the natural world, and this new body of work, at times both inviting and confrontational, challenges…
Galerie Lelong & Co. at Art Basel Miami Beach
Galerie Lelong & Co. is pleased to present at Art Basel Miami Beach with a selection of work by Etel Adnan, Günther Förg, David Hockney, Alfredo Jaar, Samuel Levi Jones, Ana Mendieta, Hélio Oiticica, Jaume Plensa, Zilia Sánchez, Antoni Tàpies,…
The NYC AIDS Memorial Launches #LightTheFight with Jenny Holzer on World AIDS Day 2018
The NYC AIDS Memorial is pleased to announce #LightTheFight, an interactive art experience which will take place on World AIDS Day, Saturday December 1, 2018. #LightTheFight, a collaboration with world-renowned visual artist Jenny Holzer, will kick off with an interactive…
Rhode Island School of Design and N Square Collaborate to Explore New Approaches to Addressing Nuclear Proliferation
A network of innovators collaborating on new solutions to nuclear weapons threat will come together November 13-16, 2018 for the N Square Innovation Summit at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). N Square and RISD will co-host the intensive program…
Sol LeWitt at Paula Cooper Gallery
An exhibition of large gouaches by the preeminent American artist Sol LeWitt will open at 521 West 21st Street on November 3rd, 2018. Painted between 1992 and 2005, the selection illuminates the breadth and playful dynamism of the artist’s work…
GALERIE LELONG & CO. IS PLEASED TO PRESENT “HÉLIO OITICICA: SPATIAL RELIEF AND DRAWINGS, 1955–59
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Hélio Oiticica Spatial Relief and Drawings, 1955–59 November 3 – December 22, 2018 Opening reception: Saturday, November 3, 6-8pm New York, October 6, 2018 – Galerie Lelong & Co. is pleased to present Hélio Oiticica: Spatial Relief…
Oct 30, 2018 Architecture & Design
Friedman Benda at Design Miami/
Friedman Benda returns to Design Miami/ with a presentation inspired by the ancient Japanese tradition of a dry rock garden (karesansui). Works by six internationally acclaimed designers drawn from the gallery roster integrate a balance of volume and form, material…
DAG Presents India’s French Connection: Indian Artists in France
DAG is pleased to present India’s French Connection: Indian Artists in France at their New York gallery, Fuller Building Suite 708, from November 13 – March 1, 2019. The exhibition will survey the many Indian artists who lived and worked…
Exhibition and Symposium Exploring Role of Craft
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) is hosting an exhibition and symposium as part of a partnership launched in 2017 with the Ministry for Tourism, Air Transport, Handicrafts and Social Economy of Morocco, La Maison de l’Artisan and Holmarcom. Crafting…
City of Miami Beach Art in Public Places Program to Unveil Permanent Audio/Video Installation Sonic Dreamscapes by Bill Fontana
The City of Miami Beach Art in Public Places program is proud to present Sonic Dreamscapes, a new outdoor installation at SoundScape Park created by leading sound artist Bill Fontana, opening October 26, 2018. Using microphones, vibration sensors and hydrophones,…
Galerie Lelong & Co. to Represent Michelle Stuart
Galerie Lelong & Co. is delighted to announce representation of American artist Michelle Stuart. Since the 1960s, Stuart has created a multifaceted body of work that defies easy categorization, shifting between large-scale earthworks, collage, drawings, photography and sculpture. Stuart has…
Peter Moore at Paula Cooper Gallery
On the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the gallery, October 1968, Paula Cooper Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of photographs by Peter Moore, the prolific visual historian of the avant-garde in the 1960s and 70s. Taken primarily…
Hélio Oiticica at Galerie Lelong & Co.
Galerie Lelong & Co. is pleased to present Hélio Oiticica: Spatial Relief and Drawings, 1955–59, a solo exhibition of the artist’s early gouache drawings and and an example of his signature Relevo Espacial (Spatial Relief). On view will be two…
Friedman Benda Presents “Dialogues” at the Salon Art + Design
For its annual exhibition at The Salon Art + Design (November 8-12, 2-18), Friedman Benda will present Dialogues, aligning two emerging voices in context with the groundbreaking Italian architect and designer Ettore Sottsass (1917-2007). Focusing on three radically different approaches…
James Rosenquist: His American Life
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Acquavella Galleries Presents James Rosenquist: His American Life October 25 – December 7, 2018 Opening Reception October 24, 6-8 pm James Rosenquist, Lanai, 1964, oil on canvas, 62 x 182 inches. Ryobi Foundation. I’m interested in contemporary…
Johnson Favaro Completes New Allied Health Sciences Building at Southwestern College in National City, CA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Johnson Favaro Completes New Allied Health Sciences Building at Southwestern College in National City, CA Building serves as new face of Southwestern College and enables more students to pursue health sciences Los Angeles, CA (September 19, 2018)…
Rhode Island School of Design Announces Collaboration with Murray Moss
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Rhode Island School of Design Announces Collaboration with Murray Moss Partnership centers on innovative frameworks for teaching and thinking about design PROVIDENCE, RI (September 17, 2018) – Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and Murray Moss, founder…
Galerie Lelong & Co. Presents “Having Gone I Will Return” by Petah Coyne
Galerie Lelong & Co. is pleased to present Having Gone I Will Return, a solo exhibition of new and recent work by Petah Coyne. In her first solo exhibition in New York in nearly a decade, Coyne conceives ambitious tableaux…
Suzanne Bocanegra: Poorly Watched Girls
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Suzanne Bocanegra: Poorly Watched Girls Friday, October 5, 2018 – Thursday, February 17, 2019 Philadelphia, PA, September 13, 2018 — The Fabric Workshop and Museum is pleased to present Suzanne Bocanegra: Poorly Watched Girls, on view October…
A Benefit Exhibition for March For Our Lives
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 50 Years: An Anniversary A Benefit Exhibition for March For Our Lives 524 West 26th Street October 10 – November 3, 2018 Opening Reception: Tuesday October 9, 2018 NEW YORK — “50 Years: An Anniversary,” presented at…
Adam Silverman: Occupation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Adam Silverman: Occupation Friedman Benda September 6 – October 13, 2018 Detail of installation maquette by Adam Silverman New York, NY – Friedman Benda will present the largest gallery exhibition to date of work by Los Angeles…
BARBARA TAKENAGA: OUTSET
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BARBARA TAKENAGA: OUTSET September 6 – October 6, 2018 Opening Reception Thursday, September 6, 6-8pm DC Moore Gallery is pleased to present Outset, an exhibition of new paintings by Barbara Takenaga, the artist’s fifth at the gallery….
Under the Night Sky
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Under the Night Sky albertz benda & Friedman Benda October 25 – December 15, 2018 “Be clearly aware of the stars and infinity on high. Then life seems enchanted after all.” —Vincent Van Gogh NEW YORK, NY—…
Artists Marina Adams and Stanley Whitney and conservator Suzanne Siano to be honored at 2018 Edition of ARTWALK NY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Artists Marina Adams and Stanley Whitney and conservator Suzanne Siano to be honored at 2018 Edition of ARTWALK NY November 28, 2018 Spring Studios 50 Varick Street, New York 6:30 PM Silent Auction | 8:00 PM Live…
SITE Santa Fe Announces: Casa tomada
SITE Santa Fe Announces New Commissions and Opening Weekend Programming for SITElines.2018 Casa tomada SITElines.2018: New Perspectives on Art from the Americas The upcoming exhibition, titled Casa tomada, is the third edition of SITE’s ongoing biennial series with a focus…
Johnson Favaro Completes Phase I of Redevelopment Project for The Center for Early Education
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Johnson Favaro Completes Phase I of Redevelopment Project for The Center for Early Education and Breaks Ground on Phase II At completion campus to feature 70,000 SF in two new buildings replacing two existing buildings, plus campus…
A Kansas City Arts Experience Announces Artist Lineup for “The Weekend”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Open Spaces 2018: A Kansas City Arts Experience Announces Artist Lineup for “The Weekend” Oct. 12-14 KANSAS CITY, Mo. (July 9, 2018) – Open Spaces KC is pleased to announce a lineup of 11 recording artists slated…
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson Previews Two New Carnegie Mellon University Projects
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Bohlin Cywinski Jackson Previews Two New Carnegie Mellon University Projects Both buildings designed to be cutting-edge maker and collaboration spaces © Bohlin Cywinski Jackson Pittsburgh, PA (July 10, 2018) – Renowned architecture firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson (BCJ)…
Jun 26, 2018 Visual Arts
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Rhode Island School of Design’s Board of Trustees Elects New Members Ilene Chaiken, Caroline Baumann, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani to serve as Term Trustees; Michael Rock, Stephen Metcalf named Ex…
albertz benda presents Kelly Reemtsen
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE albertz benda presents Kelly Reemtsen: Value Opening June 21; 6:00-8:00pm June 21 – July 27, 2018 Kelly Reemtsen. Pattern Behavior, 2018. Oil on panel. 60 x 60 inches (152.5 x 152.5 cm) New York, NY – Expanding…
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson Awarded ‘Design Innovation Hub’ Project at Kent State
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Bohlin Cywinski Jackson Awarded ‘Design Innovation Hub’ Project at Kent State Pittsburgh, PA (June 12, 2018) – National architecture firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson (BCJ) has been awarded Kent State University’s new Design Innovation Hub (d.i.Hub) project. The…
albertz benda presents Zoë Buckman
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE albertz benda presents Zoë Buckman: Heavy Rag Opening June 21; 6:00-8:00pm June 21 – July 27, 2018 New York, NY – Zoë Buckman presents an entirely new installation entitled ‘Heavy Rag’ that addresses motherhood and the domestic…
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson Opens New York City Office
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Bohlin Cywinski Jackson Opens New York City Office New York, NY (June 5, 2018) – National award-winning architecture firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson (BCJ) announced today the opening of its New York City office, marking the sixth location…
Etel Adnan, Ione Saldanha & Carolee Schneemann
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Etel Adnan, Ione Saldanha & Carolee Schneemann Of the Self and of the Other June 28 – August 3, 2018 Opening reception: Thursday, June 28, 6-8pm Galerie Lelong & Co. is pleased to present Of the Self…
ZIG ZAG ZIG
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ZIG ZAG ZIG Chie Fueki, Joyce Kozloff, Doron Langberg, Duane Michals, Bridget DARREN WATERSTON Mullen, Didier William, and Alexi Worth REMOTE FUTURES OCTOBER 4 – NOVEMBER 3, 2012 st June 21 – August 10, 2018 Opening Reception…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TWO PALMS at Art Basel 2018 Art Basel Booth E13 Basel, Switzerland June 14 – 17, 2018 Basel, Switzerland – At the 2018 edition of Art Basel in Switzerland, Two Palms will premier a selection of new…
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson Honored with AIA Housing Award
FOR IMMEDIAT RELEASE Bohlin Cywinski Jackson Honored with AIA Housing Award Seattle, WA (May 21, 2018) – The Bear Stand Residence, designed by architecture firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson (BCJ), is the recipient of a 2018 Housing Award from the American…
Paula Cooper Gallery: Sam Durant
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PAULA COOPER GALLERY SAM DURANT 529 W 21st Street May 19 – June 23, 2018 NEW YORK – Paula Cooper Gallery is pleased to announce a presentation of work by Sam Durant at our 529 West 21st…
ROBERT KUSHNER REVERIE: DUPATTA-TOPIA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ROBERT KUSHNER REVERIE: DUPATTA-TOPIA “Thought is the labor of the intellect, reverie its pleasure.” – Victor Hugo – May 3 – June 16 Opening Reception with the Artist May 3rd, 6-8pm Kushner is seeking a balance between…
SITE Santa Fe Announces Participating Artists And New Commissions for SITElines.2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SITE Santa Fe Announces Participating Artists And New Commissions for SITElines.2018 Casa tomada SITElines.2018: New Perspectives on Art from the Americas The upcoming exhibition, titled Casa tomada, is the third edition of SITE’s ongoing biennial series with…
May 3, 2018 Architecture & Design
Frick Environmental Center Achieves Prestigious Living Building Certification
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Frick Environmental Center Achieves Prestigious Living Building Certification Center is Bohlin Cywinski Jackson’s First Living Building-Certified Project Pittsburgh, PA (May 3, 2018) – After more than a year of extensive testing and documentation, the Frick Environmental Center…
Sedimentations: Assemblage as Social Repair
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE THE SHELLEY & DONALD RUBIN FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES Sedimentations: Assemblage as Social Repair AN EXHIBITION FEATURING EL ANATSUI, MARY MATTINGLY, MICHAEL RAKOWITZ, JEAN SHIN, SHINIQUE SMITH, MIERLE LADERMAN UKELES, AND OTHERS Michael Kelly Williams, Wodakota, 2017. Courtesy of…
University of Illinois Breaks Ground on New Siebel Center for Design
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE University of Illinois Breaks Ground on New Siebel Center for Design Bohlin Cywinski Jackson Creates ‘Playground’ for Future Designers Champaign, IL (April 26, 2018) – The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UI) yesterday celebrated the groundbreaking for the…
Paula Cooper: Carl Andre and Lynda Benglis
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CARL ANDRE 534 W 21st Street May 10 – June 16, 2018 LYNDA BENGLIS 534 W 21st Street May 10 – June 16, 2018 PAULA COOPER GALLERY NEW YORK – Paula Cooper Gallery is pleased to announce…
Ursula von Rydingsvard Ursula von Rydingsvard
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Ursula von Rydingsvard TORN May 3 – June 23, 2018 Opening reception: Thursday, May 3, 6-8pm Galerie Lelong & Co. presents TORN, a solo exhibition of new and recent work by Ursula von Rydingsvard. The artist will…
BOHLIN CYWINSKI JACKSON DESIGNS MODERN WEST SEATTLE FIREHOUSE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BOHLIN CYWINSKI JACKSON DESIGNS MODERN WEST SEATTLE FIREHOUSE Seattle, WA (April 25, 2018) – Seattle’s newest firehouse, designed by architects Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, is now complete. The modern facility, which recently earned LEED Platinum certification, replaces a…
Ron Arad: Fishes & Crows, ‘85-‘94
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Ron Arad: Fishes & Crows, ‘85-‘94 June 21 – July 27, 2018 Opening reception: Thursday, June 21: 6-8pm New York, NY – Friedman Benda is pleased to present a survey of the pioneering early work of Ron…
Frick Environmental Center Honored by AIA Committee on Architecture for Education
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Frick Environmental Center Honored by AIA Committee on Architecture for Education Bohlin Cywinski Jackson Receives Design Award of Excellence for Living Building Challenge-targeted project in Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA (April 16, 2018) – The Frick Environmental Center (FEC),…
Jonathan Trayte: Fruiting Habits
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Jonathan Trayte: Fruiting Habits June 21 – July 27, 2018 Opening reception: Thursday, June 21: 6-8pm New York, NY – Friedman Benda will present the gallery’s first collaboration with London-based artist Jonathan Trayte, which marks Trayte’s first…
KATIA SANTIBAÑEZ: A TIMELESS GAZE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE KATIA SANTIBAÑEZ: A TIMELESS GAZE Opening Reception with the Artist May 3 , 6-8pm Katia Santibañez is an American, born in France. She studied painting at Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts. This is her first show…
Rhode Island School of Design and the Ministry of Tourism, Air Transport, Handicrafts and Social Economy of Morocco, Maison de l’Artisan and Holmarcom Group Announce Pilot Collaboration and Partnership
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Rhode Island School of Design and the Ministry of Tourism, Air Transport, Handicrafts and Social Economy of Morocco, Maison de l’Artisan and Holmarcom Group Announce Pilot Collaboration and Partnership PROVIDENCE, RI, USA / CASABLANCA & RABAT, MOROCCO…
BERND AND HILLA BECHER: IN DIALOGUE WITH CARL ANDRE AND SOL LEWITT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BERND AND HILLA BECHER: IN DIALOGUE WITH CARL ANDRE AND SOL LEWITT 534 W 21st Street March 31 – April 28, 2018 NEW YORK – Paula Cooper Gallery is pleased to announce Bernd and Hilla Becher: In…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CHARLES GAINES 521 W 21st Street May 3 – June 9, 2018 Opening Reception: Thursday, May 3, 6 – 8 pm NEW YORK – Paula Cooper Gallery is pleased to present a new series of large-scale works…
BEN ESTES, ALAN SHIELDS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BEN ESTES, ALAN SHIELDS 529 W 21st Street April 19—May 12, 2018 Opening Reception: Thursday, April 19, 2018 NEW YORK – Paula Cooper Gallery is pleased to present Ben Estes, Alan Shields opening April 19 at 529…
Ursula von Rydingsvard: The Contour of Feeling
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Ursula von Rydingsvard: The Contour of Feeling Curated by Mark Rosenthal Friday, April 27, 2018 – Sunday, August 26, 2018 Philadelphia, PA, March 29, 2018 – The Fabric Workshop and Museum is pleased to present Ursula von…
A Blade of Grass Announces 2018 ABOG Fellows for Socially Engaged Art
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE A Blade of Grass Announces 2018 ABOG Fellows for Socially Engaged Art Brooklyn, NY—March 2018—A Blade of Grass (ABOG), the only arts nonprofit that supports socially engaged artists nationwide, is pleased to announce their 2018 cohort of…
DARREN WATERSTON: ECSTATIC LANDSCAPE DARREN WATERSTON
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DARREN WATERSTON: ECSTATIC LANDSCAPE DARREN WATERSTON REMOTE FUTURES MARCH 23 – APRIL 28, 2018 Opening Reception with the Artist March 23rd, 6-8pm DC MOORE GALLERY is pleased to present its first exhibition by Darren Waterston, Remote Futures….
PAULA COOPER GALLERY: JOEL SHAPIRO
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PAULA COOPER GALLERY JOEL SHAPIRO 521 W 21st Street March 24 – April 28, 2018 Opening Reception: March 24, 6-8pm NEW YORK – Paula Cooper Gallery is pleased to announce an exhibition of recent work by Joel…
PAULA COOPER: ZOE LEONARD, KAYODE OJO
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PAULA COOPER GALLERY ZOE LEONARD, KAYODE OJO 529 W 21st Street March 17—April 14, 2018 Opening Reception: Saturday, March 17, 2018 NEW YORK – Paula Cooper Gallery is pleased to present Zoe Leonard, Kayode Ojo opening March…
Crozier to Acquire Artex Fine Arts Service
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Crozier to Acquire Artex Fine Arts Service Acquisition will add five facilities and more than 160,000 square feet, strengthening Crozier Fine Arts offerings across all major art markets in US NEW YORK – March 22, 2018– Crozier…
Acquavella Galleries Presents The Worlds of Torres-García
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Acquavella Galleries Presents The Worlds of Torres-García On View April 12 – May 25, 2018 Opening Reception: April 11th, 6 – 8pm New York, NY, March 21, 2018 – Acquavella Galleries is pleased to present The Worlds…
gt2P (great things to People): Manufactured Landscapes
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE gt2P (great things to People): Manufactured Landscapes May 3 – June 9, 2018 Opening reception: Thursday, May 3: 6-8pm New York, NY – February TBD, 2018 – Friedman Benda is pleased to present “gt2P: Manufactured Landscapes,” the Chilean…
Erez Nevi Pana: Consciousness
For Immediate Release Erez Nevi Pana: Consciousness Friedman Benda Project Space May 3 – June 9, 2018 “In a way, the earth became my town and I roamed – digitally and physically on the move – working with the flow…
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Crozier Appoints Tom Hale as General Manager and Senior Vice President New York, February 22, 2018 – Crozier Fine Arts, an Iron Mountain Incorporated (NYSE: IRM) company and the nation’s leading fine art storage and logistics provider…
DARREN WATERSTON: ECSTATIC LANDSCAPE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DARREN WATERSTON: ECSTATIC LANDSCAPE SMARCH 23 – APRIL 28, 2018 Opening Reception with the Artist DC MOORE GALLERY is pleased to present its first exhibition by Darren Waterston, Remote Futures. This recent body of work explores the…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Armory Show Booth 604 New York, New York March 7 – 11, 2018 Galerie Lelong & Co. is pleased to present at the 2018 Armory Show with a selection of work by Sarah Cain, Günther Förg,…
Jigger Cruz: Picture Towards the Other Side
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Albertz Benda Presents Jigger Cruz: Picture Towards the Other Side On view March 15 – April 21, 2018 515 West 26th Street New York, NY 10001 Opening Reception: March 15, 6-8pm February 7, 2018, New York, NY…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ADAA The Art Show Mildred Thompson: Magnetic Fields Booth A11 New York, New York February 28 – March 4, 2018 Galerie Lelong & Co. is proud to present a solo booth of paintings and works on paper…
JONATHAN BOROFSKY, MANDY HARRIS WILLIAMS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JONATHAN BOROFSKY, MANDY HARRIS WILLIAMS 529 W 21st Street February 13—March 10, 2018 Opening Reception: Tuesday, February 13, 6-8pm NEW YORK – Paula Cooper Gallery is pleased to present Jonathan Borofsky, Mandy Harris Williams opening February 13…
UNDER ARMOUR’S CONNECTED FITNESS MOVES INTO NEW WORKSPACE DESIGNED BY BOHLIN CYWINSKI JACKSON
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE UNDER ARMOUR’S CONNECTED FITNESS MOVES INTO NEW WORKSPACE DESIGNED BY BOHLIN CYWINSKI JACKSON San Francisco, CA (February 5, 2018) – Connected Fitness, part of Under Armour’s health and fitness division, has moved into a new office space…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BRUCE CONNER 534 W 21st Street February 15 – March 24, 2018 Opening Reception: February 15, 6-8pm NEW YORK – Paula Cooper Gallery is pleased to announce an exhibition of two films by Bruce Conner, REPORT (1963-1967)…
SKOWHEGAN SCHOOL OF PAINTING & SCULPTURE ANNOUNCES 2018 AWARDS DINNER AND HONOREES
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SKOWHEGAN SCHOOL OF PAINTING & SCULPTURE ANNOUNCES 2018 AWARDS DINNER AND HONOREES Awards Dinner on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 in New York City New York, NY, February 22, 2018 ABOUT THE HONOREES Peter Doig (F ’07) will…
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Daily Plinth Launches as the First Video Platform for the Art World New York, NY – January 31, 2018 – Daily Plinth , the art world’s first online platform for viewing and sharing editorial-quality video content, is…
Mildred Thompson Radiation Explorations and Magnetic Fields
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Mildred Thompson Radiation Explorations and Magnetic Fields February 22 – March 31, 2018 Opening Reception: Thursday, February 22, 6 – 8pm Galerie Lelong & Co. is pleased to present Mildred Thompson: Radiation Explorations and Magnetic Fields. This…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ROBERT GROSVENOR 521 W 21st Street February 10 – March 17, 2018 Opening reception: February 10, 6–8 pm NEW YORK – From February 10th through March 17th, 2018, Paula Cooper Gallery will present an exhibition of work…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Zona Maco Booth C211 Mexico City, Mexico February 7 – 11, 2018 Galerie Lelong & Co. is pleased to present for the second time at Zona Maco with work by Etel Adnan, Günther Förg, Alfredo Jaar, Samuel…
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BOHLIN CYWINSKI JACKSON WINS AIA INSTITUTE HONOR AWARD Firm Receives Recognition for Square’s San Francisco Headquarters Image © Matthew Millman San Francisco, CA (January 18, 2018) – National architecture firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson (BCJ) has been honored…
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CARRIE MOYER PAGAN’S RAPTURE DARREN WATERSTON February 8 – March 22, 2018 REMOTE FUTURES DC MOORE GALLERY is pleased to present its first exhibition by Darren Waterston, Remote Futures. This recent body of work explores the allure…
JACKIE WINSOR, LINNEA KNIAZ
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JACKIE WINSOR, LINNEA KNIAZ 529 W 21st Street January 11–February 10, 2018 Opening Reception: Thursday, January 11, 6–8pm NEW YORK – Paula Cooper Gallery is pleased to present Jackie Winsor, Linnea Kniaz opening January 11 at 529…
California Landscapes: Richard Diebenkorn | Wayne Thiebaud
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Acquavella Galleries Presents California Landscapes: Richard Diebenkorn | Wayne Thiebaud On View February 1 – March 16, 2018 Opening Reception: January 31st, 6 – 8pm New York, NY, January 8, 2018 – Acquavella Galleries is pleased to…
Jan 2, 2018 Architecture & Design
MARK DI SUVERO
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PAULA COOPER GALLERY MARK DI SUVERO 534 West 21st Street January 6 – February 3, 2018 Opening Reception: January 6, 6 – 8pm NEW YORK – Paula Cooper Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of work…
Blue Medium@BlueMediumInc·
On the occasion of her 10th solo exhibition with the gallery, @DCMooreGallery will host a conversation between artists #MaryFrank and #DavidHornung this Saturday from 4:30-6pm. To RSVP, email Sabeena Khosla (skhosla@dcmooregallery.com).
📸: Mary Frank, Courtesy of Vanessa Hoheb
#KrzysztofWodiczko will also have a solo exhibition opening this Saturday @GalerieLelongNY. The artist will present 'A House Divided...' a new projection-installation work exploring political polarization in the United States.
Retweet on TwitterBlue Medium Retweeted
Brian 🥁📝Boucher@briankboucher·
Today’s dispatch from @UNTITLEDFAIRS San Francisco Fair is a chat with the artist Noel W. Anderson, showing with Zidoun-Bossuyt Gallery. His works get at powerful subject matter in subtle ways. #untitledfair #untitledart #NoelWAnderson https://t.co/xZwu6zISwa
What do you do:
Subject: (required)
20 West 22nd Street, Suite 807
Visual Arts:
Architecture & Design:
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Interact with CMS
Paper on observation of Higgs boson decay to bottom quarks submitted!
By CMS Collaboration
The discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012 at the Large Hadron Collider marked the beginning of a comprehensive experimental program to measure its properties. Milestones since then include the observation of Higgs boson decays to γγ, ZZ, WW, ττ as well as precision measurements of its mass, spin, and couplings. Recently, the CMS and ATLAS Collaborations reported observations of the Higgs boson produced in association with a top quark pair thus representing the first direct measurements of the Higgs boson coupling to quarks. Today, on Aug. 28th, at a special seminar organized at CERN, the two collaborations presented another major achievement: the observation of Higgs boson decay to bottom quarks (H→ bb)
A precise measurement of the rate of the H→ bb process directly tests the Yukawa coupling of the Higgs boson to a down-type quark, and is necessary to solidify the Higgs boson as the possible sole source of mass generation in the fermion sector of the Standard Model (SM). While the decay of the Higgs boson to bottom quarks is the most frequent of all Higgs boson decays, it has been a real experimental challenge to observe it. This is on account of the overwhelmingly large background contribution from a number of other SM processes that can mimic its experimental signature characterized by the appearance of a bottom quark and anti-quark. The CMS Collaboration overcame this challenge by deploying modern sophisticated analysis tools and by focusing on particular signatures where a Higgs boson is produced in association with a vector boson V (a W or Z particle), a weak interaction process known as VH(bb), shown in the figure below, leading to a significant reduction in the background.
Data collected during the 2016 and 2017 runs at 13 TeV center-of-mass energy, as well as earlier data taken at 7 and 8 TeV, have been used by the CMS Collaboration to maximize the sensitivity of this measurement. An excess of events is observed with a significance of 4.8 standard deviations, over the expectation from the background-only hypothesis. The corresponding expected significance for the SM Higgs boson with a mass of 125.09 GeV is 4.9 standard deviations. A combination of all CMS search results for the H→ bb decay is performed, including all four primary production processes at the LHC: VH (reported above), gluon fusion, vector boson fusion, and associated production with top quarks. The observed (expected) signal significance is 5.6 (5.5) standard deviations and the measured production rate is compatible with the expected rate for the SM Higgs boson.
This result, just submitted to the journal Physical Review Letters, represents the observation of the H→ bb decay by the CMS experiment.
Candidate event showing the associated production of a Higgs boson and a Z boson, with the subsequent decay of the Higgs boson to a bottom quark and its antiparticle.
This current measurement is consistent with the SM expectation, however, its precision still leaves room for contributions from new physics. In the coming years, much more data will be collected and the precision will be improved in our quest to see if the Higgs boson reveals the presence of physics beyond the Standard Model.
Find out more about the H→ bb process:
CERN Press Release, 28 August 2018
High-resolution event display
H→ bb decay animation: https://youtu.be/M4EEQdn-2Ms
Follow the CMS experiment on Instagram and Facebook to discover Stories from the people behind the H→ bb result
CMS Physics
Observation of Higgs boson decay to bottom quarks, Submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett.
All CMS Papers
All CMS Physics Analysis Summaries
All CMS results
Images of real collisions in CMS
Follow @CMSpapers on Twitter
The CMS Experiment at CERN
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Review: JSA: Lost trade paperback (DC Comics)
0 comments | Tags: Justice Society of America
JSA: Lost reminded me very much of JSA: Justice Be Done and JSA: Darkness Falls, and not just because of the presence of Extant. In the five stories presented here -- two one-shots, one three-parter, and two two-parters, all tied by common subplots -- we once again see the JSA split off into small teams, following up on multiple facets of a case. And like those first JSA trades, these vignettes are all about the legacy, all about tying up JSA plotlines both recent and old.
After the one-two punch of JSA: Princes of Darkness and JSA: Black Reign, I found JSA: Lost incredibly satisfying. It was during "Wake the Sandman" that I felt JSA: Lost really shined, as half the JSA traveled to the Dreaming while the other journeyed to the center of the Earth. After bringing back Fury in the last trade, JSA continues to integrate Vertigo's Sandman mythos into the DCU with Brute and Glob, among others. There's action, romance, and the art of comics stalwart Jerry Ordway, to boot. JSA: Lost is heavy on good emotion, and I was impressed with how, even as the various stories stood on their own, themes of faith, especially, followed throughout.
This trade is unmistakably Hourman's story, despite the focus on both the Spectre and Sand. Rex Tyler's hesitation to see his wife now that he's been resurrected continues in the first chapter, and the choice that he makes -- prompted both by the hunt for the missing Sand, and Mr. Terrific's coming to terms with his own wife's death -- is only the precurser to the final two-parter, which deals with the time-lost Hourman once and for all. Though I enjoyed the time-travel aspects of "Out of Time" (and the Memento approach to the opening chapter of this book), I found myself less enchanted with both Hourmans junior and senior as the story went on. Rick Tyler, who seemed bold and heroic in his Stealing Thunder debut, appeared all too quick to commit suicide here to save his father, rather than seek out another solution. This, combined with his concerns about falling off the addiction wagon in Black Reign, have made the character more human, but also somewhat whiny. I'll be watching him closely again during Black Vengeance.
Another character I found suprisingly whiny, too, was Hal Jordan. The Spectre returns in the first storyline, which also brings back JSA-villain the Spirit King, and spotlights Mr. Terrific. Longtime Justice Society fans will see where that's going immediately, and I appreciated the nod to JSA lore. But knowing that Hal Jordan would be next to appear in Green Lantern: Rebirth, I was surprised to find him spending much of his time in this story on his knees, whimpering. I'm having a hard time really getting a handle on Jordan's character, and I hope Rebirth shores it up for me. Better in this story was the spotlight on Dr. Mid-Nite's and Mr. Terrific's friendship, Mr. Terrific coming to terms with issues of faith, and lush artwork, including some incredible church scenes.
And let me make special mention of what can only be called an "art cameo" in JSA: Lost -- "art cameos," perhaps, being something indigenous to sequential art that makes this medium so great. In this case, whomever snagged Tom Mandrake to draw selected pages -- whether it was Geoff Johns or the editor -- it was a moment of absolute genius. Again, I won't spoil it, but readers familiar with Mandrake's recent work can probably figure it out. By and large, I couldn't tell most of the artists in this trade apart, which is good; given the large amount of artists, it's nice when their styles mesh, instead of jar. And again, it's always great to see Jerry Ordway.
JSA: Lost is also notable for two text pages that set the scene for Identity Crisis. The Crisis tale in this trade relies heavily on the miniseries itself, with less explanation and less real weight than found in the Flash trade; it's strange for this reason that DC chose to mark the front of the JSA trade as an Identity Crisis tie-in and not the Flash trade. For this reason, the two text pages have to work very hard to balance the very sudden "I know who killed Sue Dibny" that comes at the end of the trade. "The Autopsy" is good, even if it only repeats the "heroes snuggle up to their familes" moral of Identity Crisis. A short two-page scene between Superman and Power Girl stands out now, however, in the wake of Infinite Crisis.
If you were turned off, perhaps, by some of the indomitable blockbuster action of previous JSA trades, I highly recommend giving JSA: Lost a try -- it's the kind of tone I'd like to see for further JSA stories. Me, I'm on to Manhunter, as everyone's been raving about it, and then maybe a little past and future with Legion and Teen Titans. Will you join us?
Posted at 8:24 PM (Permalink) | 0 comments | Tags: Justice Society of America
Collected Editions 2005 Trade Paperback Year-in-Re...
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Timeline update 12/12/05
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Former WFAN radio host Craig Carton sentenced for financial fraud
Friday, April 5, 2019 1:25 PM EDT
MANHATTAN -
Former WFAN radio host Craig Carton has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison and three years probation for defrauding investors in a ticket reselling business.
The 50-year-old promised investors prime seats to big concerts, but instead spent $7 million to pay off his own gambling debts.
Carton says he thought he was building a real business, and blames his severe gambling addiction for the scheme.
Carton had asked the federal judge in Manhattan for leniency.
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Updated: Wednesday, January 22 2020 5:43 AM EST2020-01-22 10:43:04 GMT
The U.S. Senate plunged into President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial with Republicans abruptly abandoning plans to
Police: 3 men accused of $250K comic book theft in Shelton
Three men are accused of stealing $250,000 worth of rare comic books in Shelton.
Toyota, Honda recall millions of vehicles over unrelated safety issues
Updated: Wednesday, January 22 2020 10:36 AM EST2020-01-22 15:36:00 GMT
Honda and Toyota are recalling millions of vehicles over unrelated safety issues.
Chinese health authorities urged people in the city of Wuhan to avoid crowds and public gatherings.
Winter storm research gets a local helping hand
Forecasting East Coast snowstorms may soon get a little easier, thanks in part to the faculty and students at one of our area universities.
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Sights and scenes from the 2020 SAG Awards
Highly anticipated movies for 2020
Here's a list of some highly anticipated movies coming out in 2020.
Your January 2020 Storm Photos
Have a great or fun photo during snowstorms in January 2020? We want to see them!
PHOTOS: Earthquake damage in Puerto Rico
Debris from a collapsed wall of a building litters the ground after an earthquake struck Puerto Rico before dawn, in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020.
A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck Puerto Rico, killing one man, injuring at least eight other people and collapsing buildings in the southern part of the island.
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Why We Cannot Print/Borrow/Spend Our Way to Prospe...
America's Four Socioeconomic Classes
Why Employment in the U.S. Isn't Coming Back
Why Employment Is Dead in the Water
Part 36: Three things happen in the house on Green...
The Road to Debt-Serfdom
The Global Economic Disease in 8 Points and the Cu...
The Hipster Techie Mental Map
Is the Central State Too Big to Fail or Too Big to...
The Grand Tradeoff of Risk/Innovation/Growth and F...
A Note of Gratitude and a Few Things About New Med...
Money Velocity Free-Fall and Federal Deficit Spend...
Misunderstanding Austerity, Stimulus and Demand
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The Neoliberal Financial Skim
Part 35: Dinner, Confession and the Blossoming of ...
Themes for 2013
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What If Corporate Earnings Have Topped Out?
Why Austerity Is Triggering a Crisis
Part 34: An unexpected and extremely unwelcome hou...
The United States of Delusion
Spoiled Teenager Syndrome
The Dangerous Blindspots of Clueless Keynesians
Will the Next Bear Market be a Planned Event or a ...
The irony is that clinging to delusion rather than face the necessity of deep cuts in borrow-and-squander budgets will lead to the involuntary reset of the entire system, depriving every vested interest of their share of the swag.
We are living in the United States of Delusion. The delusion has four key sources:
1. We can borrow-print-and-spend our way to prosperity when debt and fiscal/monetary stimulus are yielding ever more marginal returns:
The Dangerous Blindspots of Clueless Keynesians (January 2, 2013) The Keynesian model is a Cargo Cult, mired in a distant, romanticized past where Central Planning, intervention and manipulation were solutions rather than the root of the economy's fatal disease.
2. The risks of this fatal fiscal delusion are masked by a complicit Mainstream Media and a perception-management, manipulation-dependent Central State and Federal Reserve.
Spoiled Teenager Syndrome (January 3, 2013) Masking risk, cost and consequence creates an illusory world that eventually crashes on the unforgiving rocks of reality.
Is masking risk, cost and consequence a strategy that leads to success? No; it is a pathway to repeated catastrophic failure. What is the Central Planning strategy being pursued by our Central State and the Federal Reserve? Masking risk, cost and consequence.
3. The true costs of the Neoliberal Cartel State are cloaked, massaged and distorted by bogus budgets and wildly unrealistic projections.
Sickcare Will Bankrupt the Nation--And Soon (March 21, 2011)
Sickcare is fundamentally a system of interlinked politically powerful cartels.Insiders who refuse to speak on the record for fear of antagonizing the powers that be, exorbitant price increases, confidential agreements and a tug-of-war between warring tribes. Is this the Mafia we're talking about?
From the point of view of investigative journalism, it could al
so describe America's health care industry. Stated truthfully, the industry is a highly profitable and politically powerful group of companies which operate in cartel-like fashion: that is, they use their clout to limit competition and establish highly profitable pricing.
Western Pennsylvania has about 140 MRI machines, while the 32 million residents of Canada share 151 MRI machines. And the U.S. machines are getting a lot of use: the number of CT and MRI scans (scans other than old-fashioned X rays) tripled from 85 to 234 per thousand insured people since 1999.
While proponents are quick to note that scans are cheaper than the alternative diagnostic procedures, one firm's research found that a doctor who owns his own machine is four times as likely to order a scan as a doctor who doesn't.
As if that wasn't enough to highlight the self-serving nature of "fee for service" cartels, MRI scanner manufacturer General Electric waged a two-year lobbying campaign to roll back cuts in Medicare reimbursements for scans. While the effort proved unsuccessful due to the intense political pressure to reduce soaring Medicare costs, critics observed that providers simply made up the reduced reimbursements by increasing the number of tests administered.
The only solution that actually addresses the systemic problem is to get rid of the entire fee-for-service structure and break up the cartels.Healthcare must be reconnected to diet, nutrition, fitness, lifestyle and community, and to education and emotional well-being.
If You Want Solutions, First Pin Down Where the Money Is Going (May 23, 2011)
If you really want a solution, then start by pinning down exactly who's getting all the money. Then find out if they're accountable for how it's spent. Nobody wants to admit the reality: our nation is dominated by cartels and fiefdoms serving entrenched constituencies whose budgets are simply not sustainable.Please consider this chart of the University of California system's employment of professors and administration. If we extrapolate the lines, then soon there will be more highly-compensated seat-warmers in administration than there will be professors teaching in the classrooms.
It seems that some members of the Education Cartel and Fiefdom came to do good but stayed to do well--as in triple the national median earnings of full-time workers:
(Source: www.championnews.net/ftf_teacher.php?tid=78195&year=2010)
Salary: $172,163
Position: High School Teacher
Full/Part Time: Fulltime
Percent Time Employed: 100%
Assignment: Physics (Grades 9-12 Only)
Years Teaching: 30.5
Degree: Master's
Assignment: Driver Education
Years Teaching: 32
And how about those pension and retirement costs? We have an answer for New York City, and it is sobering. NYC budget - pension costs skyrocketing:
Over the past decade, New York City hasn’t really grown its population but has increased expenses from $28.8 billion to $49.7 billion. The vast majority of that $20.9 billion increase has been in the form of more dollars to fewer employees. Pension costs are killing us most: this has grown from $1.3 billion in 2002 to $8.3 billion in 2012.
That's a 638% increase in pension costs in one decade, while the city budget leaped 72% despite a stable population. The share of the budget devoted to pensions jumped from 4.5% in 2002 to 16.7% in 2012.
I have addressed these issues many times, for example in The Devolution of the Consumer Economy, Part II: Rising Costs, Declining Wages (April 8, 2011) and Complexity: Bureaucratic (Death Spiral) and Self-Organizing (Sustainable) (February 17, 2011).
I have highlighted the Education and Sickcare Cartels, but there are many others with exploding costs and zero alignment with accountability or performance. The Department of Defense, famous for routinely losing track of hundreds of billions of dollars (and does anyone lose their job over that gross mismanagement? No, everyone gets a promotion and raise for doing such a swell job), manages to triple the cost of every weapons system, regardless of the actual performance benefits (increasingly marginal, perhaps?)
The new F-35 fighter aircraft cost $150 million each, once we add in the overruns, replacing the Super Hornet F-18 E/F that cost $57 million each. (Once lifetime costs are included, the F-35 will cost upwards of $300 million each.) Is the F-35 really three times better than the F-18? Which would a commander facing 100 bogeys rather have, 30 F-35s or 90 F-18s? (I suspect they'd take the 90 F-18s, as long as they were loaded with the latest Sidewinder and long-range air-to-air missiles. As has been famously pointed out, at some point quantity becomes a winning quality.)
Will 100 F-35s prevail over 1,000 dirt-cheap drones? How about 10,000 drones? If the future of warfare is increasingly powerful unmanned networked drones (and it clearly is), why are we spending $1 trillion+ on hyper-costly aircraft that are essentially designed for a previous era?
4. The consequence of substituting delusion for reality is ignored or hidden from view, with the complicity of all the self-serving, entrenched vested-interests.
Is there any evidence that continuing to borrow and squander money on diminishing returns will magically cause a sudden return to productive investment? Of course there isn't; the magical belief that doing more of what has failed will eventually evade causality is delusional.
Does anyone seriously think that counterproductive "investments" in diminishing returns will "grow our way out of debt"? Of course not; everyone with a vested interest in the crumbling Status Quo is terrified that their share of the borrowed/printed swag will be cut. So the only alternative is to cling to a delusional state where belief in the impossible replaces a realistic assessment of risk, cost and consequence.
The irony is that this strategy of clinging to delusion rather than face the necessity of deep cuts in borrow-and-squander budgets will lead to the involuntary reset of the entire system, depriving every vested interest of their share of the swag. Is delusion a sustainable state? No. Thus we can confidently predict that causality, factuality and karma will eventually sweep aside delusion and all those who cling to it.
My new book Why Things Are Falling Apart and What We Can Do About It is now available in print and Kindle editions--10% to 20% discounts.
Things are falling apart--that is obvious. But why are they falling apart? The reasons are complex and global. Our economy and society have structural problems that cannot be solved by adding debt to debt. We are becoming poorer, not just from financial over-reach, but from fundamental forces that are not easy to identify or understand. We will cover the five core reasons why things are falling apart:
10% discount on the Kindle edition: $8.95(retail $9.95) print edition: $24 on Amazon.com
To receive a 20% discount on the print edition: $19.20 (retail $24), follow the link, open a Createspace account and enter discount code SJRGPLAB. (This is the only way I can offer a discount.)
Thank you, Paul F. ($10), for your much-appreciated generous contribution to this site -- I am greatly honored by your support and readership. Thank you, Karen B. ($30), for your wonderfully generous contribution to this site --I am greatly honored by your support and readership.
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Home/News/Forex News/Is a real China trade deal possible?
Commodities NewsFinancial NewsNewsStock Market News
Is a real China trade deal possible?
Mark Holden December 2, 2019
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An interesting article was published on Bloomberg.com
By Christopher Smart
December 2, 2019, 2:00 AM GMT+2
Investors, There’s No China Trade Deal You’re Going to Like
Even if modest progress is made, the relationship won’t revert to the way it was.
Investors are betting that President Donald Trump will deliver a partial trade deal with China soon, boosting anemic economic growth, sustaining the bull market in stocks and offering the hope of calmer waters for global commerce.
But careful what you wish for. What looks like a step forward may actually be a step back. The prospect of as so-called phase one deal, even if it sticks through next year’s tumultuous presidential election campaign, may make a broader phase two agreement even harder.
In theory, a narrow deal creates trust that helps both sides move on to more difficult disagreements. America’s recent reliance on punishment rather than incentives, however, means the next phase of negotiations offers Beijing few incentives to tackle sensitive structural reforms beyond still more threats of yet more tariffs. Why would these work in phase two when they delivered so little in phase one?
Ever since the U.S. backed China’s accession to the World Trade Organization in the late 1990s, American policy has been more or less consistent in its vision for the relationship. Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama all hoped Beijing would embrace markets and even some democracy, as the country accrued the benefits from integration in the global economy and participation in international financial institutions.
The strategy included a mix of both positive enticements and punitive sanctions. There were countervailing duties to punish Chinese dumping, restrictions on the sale of technology with potential military applications and blocks on Chinese investments that were deemed a threat to U.S. national security. But there were also moments of closer cooperation on economic stimulus after the 2008 financial crisis and on joint climate goals in 2015.
Trump’s tougher rhetoric and his escalating tariffs represented an extreme version of a shifting consensus, and it certainly got Beijing’s attention. But his demands, beyond more orders to reduce America’s trade deficit with China, were vague and his negotiating tactics left the Chinese wondering if any deal would stick.
At the same time, there has been a broader reassessment in the U.S. on just how much reform China has delivered in return for gaining access to global markets. Businesses have complained that the Chinese never eased policies that favored domestic enterprises. American China hands counting on more political openness have worried that there is even less tolerance for dissent than in the past.
Details are sparse, but recent reports suggest the narrow deal will hinge on Beijing’s commitment to make large agricultural purchases in return for a partial roll-back of U.S. tariffs. This takes the sides essentially back to where they were at the start of the Trump administration, except perhaps for some large orders that ease the pain for beleaguered American farmers.
The agreement may also include some further Chinese commitments to allow new U.S. investment on more favorable terms, but these will be hard to assess anytime soon. It’s also difficult to see where negotiations will go next without a more balanced U.S. strategy that includes at least some incentives for cooperation and a clearer vision of the economic relationship.
In fact, it’s much easier to imagine U.S. sentiment souring further as China’s market access remains subject to restrictions and government subsidies continue to flow to key industries. Even if Trump is not re-elected, none of the leading Democratic presidential candidates suggest they will shy away from a tough line on Chinese trade practices.
For its part, Beijing will feel it has resisted another awkward Western attempt to keep China down as it braces for more threats of tariffs, more sanctions on its leading tech companies and more scolding from Western powers that don’t entirely have their own acts together.
And this is before other emotional issues spill out on to the table. Escalating violence in Hong Kong has already triggered U.S. legislation requiring annual reviews of the city’s special status and its human-rights record.
This carries all the makings for both sides to emerge embittered and even less willing to discuss the broader relationship, let alone make further compromise.
The upshot may be that many investors find themselves longing for the late months of 2019 when they could price in the hope for a narrow deal between Washington and Beijing without staring at the yawning gap that remains.
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Chelsea Record
Chelsea Massachusetts Newspaper
General Information Chart
Deadly weekend – Authorities and residents are reeling after a pair of homicides over Thanksgiving holiday
by Josh Resnek • December 2, 2010 • 10 Comments
170 Bellingham street (above) and 759 Broadway (below) were the sites of two homicides over the holiday weekend.
Random violence resulted in two homicides over the long Thanksgiving Holiday weekend causing local officials and residents great consternation.
The first to die was Frederick Allen, 56, who lived at 170 Bellingham Street. He was found dead in his apartment with a belt tied around his neck and was apparently strangled, according to police sources and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner who ruled his death a homicide.
The second to die was 30-year-old Carlos Ramirez.
He was stabbed to death following an altercation in front of 759 Broadway.
It is believed by police investigators that an argument over drugs took place between Ramirez and his assailant, 21-year-old Dennis Bowen.
During the altercation, Bowen apparently pulled out a knife and stabbed Ramirez in the heart, according to police and the results of an autopsy that was later performed by the Chief Medical Examiner.
Police sources believe Allen’s death may have been related to domestic violence.
Police have not yet identified his assailant.
An investigation is underway.
Bowen gave himself up to police and surrendered November 26.
He was arraigned in Chelsea District Court before Judge Benjamin Barnes.
He was held without bail after pleading innocent to one count of murder.
Bowen’s police record is limited, according to police.
Ramirez, however, had a lengthy record and more than a half dozen outstanding court cases at the time of his death.
“His rap sheet is almost seven feet long,” said a source close to the investigation.
While many of the details surrounding the death by strangulation of Mr. Allen remain unknown, prosecutors were able to give clarity to what happened between Bowen and Ramirez.
Witnesses told police that they heard two men arguing and swearing at each other from inside a common hallway at 759 Broadway where Bowen lives.
The shouting and swearing intensified.
The two men, according to witnesses were next seen on the sidewalk fighting in front of 759 Broadway.
A third party, whom police have not identified, apparently intervened in an attempt to break up the fight.
Bowen, according to witnesses and later described by the prosecutors in the District Attorney’s office, was on top of Ramirez, who had fallen to the ground under his weight.
Bowen punched Ramirez several times.
Ramirez got up from the sidewalk and Bowen charged him with a knife, stabbing him twice in the chest, striking his heart and lung.
Bowen then fled on foot.
Bowen is represented by attorney John Cardiff.
← Is nothing sacred? Violence extends to courthouse
All-Chelsea Awards – A packed house celebrates some of Chelsea’s most valued and popular residents →
10 comments for “Deadly weekend – Authorities and residents are reeling after a pair of homicides over Thanksgiving holiday”
WHAT DOES IT MATTER IF RAMIREZ HAD A RAP SHEET OR NOT? THE POINT OF THE MATTER IS HE WAS A VICTIM!! HE GOT MURDERED!!!!!!!
WHAT IS GOING TO BE DONE ABOUT ALL THIS VIOLENCE???????
Who ever write these stories for the Chelsea record is so ignorant! Just because these young guys get killed they automatically go to ” its related to drugs”, learn what happened first, whether the guy had a rap sheet or not!!!
I’d really like to know more than suspected domestic violence!! What is being done to determine who strangled Mr. Allen? He didn’t strangle himself. Who is this person of interest?
FRED ALLEN WAS MY LIFE LONG FRIEND. I’D REALLY LIKE TO READ MORE THAN HOMICIDE , SUSPECTED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. JUST HOW MUCH IS BEING PUT INTO THIS ONGOING INVESTIGATION? IF IT’S ANYTHING LIKE THIS ARTICLE, IT’S VERY LITTLE. FRED LIVED LARGE AND DESERVES MORE THAN THIS PIECE. THIS READS LIKE AN AFTER THOUGHT AND FRED WAS EVERYTHING BUT….
My Beloved ERIC ALLEN…….. Best Friend and Confident. (Frederick Allen lll) 26 yrs. ago we met and loved and continued to …I spoke to you with utmost concern for your safety until the end. Stacy(ey) deserves the gas… but in fair Ma. I believe it is not to be. RIP Dear Friend you are ineffably missed and loved always. KRS.
Hello and I am sorry we meet in such a time, as this… my Eric is soaring with eagles and painting the sky.
Why was it not mentioned that the home of the Murder is the home of Chelsea City Councillor PAULA BARTON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Who is a SLUMLORD
Why is it not mentioned that the house on 170 Bellingham was owned by Chelsea City Councilor and reported SLUMLORD PAULA BARTON!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would to know more info about that
Why is it not mentioned that the home @170 Bellingham st where a murder happened is owned by CHELSEA CITY COUNCILOR AND WELL KNOWN SLUMLOERD PAULA BARTON!!!!!!!!!!!!! i WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT
Why was it not mentioned that the home of the [email protected] Bellingham was owned by CHELSEA CITY COUNCILOR AND WELL KNOWN SLUMLORD PAULA BARTON!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would like to know more avbout that wouldnt you?
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ChEMBL 22 Released
We are pleased to announce the release of ChEMBL 22. This version of the database, prepared on 8th August 2016 contains:
2,043,051 compound records
1,686,695 compounds (of which 1,678,393 have mol files)
14,371,219 activities
1,246,132 assays
11,224 targets
65,213 documents
Data can be downloaded from the ChEMBL ftpsite or viewed via the ChEMBL interface. Please see ChEMBL_22 release notes for full details of all changes in this release.
CHANGES SINCE THE LAST RELEASE
In addition to the regular updates to the Scientific Literature, PubChem, FDA Orange Book and USP Dictionary of USAN and INN Investigational Drug Names this release of ChEMBL also includes the following new data:
Deposited Data Sets:
Two new deposited data sets have been included in ChEMBL_22: the MMV Pathogen Box compound set (http://www.pathogenbox.org) and GSK Tres Cantos Follow-up TB Screening Data (http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0142293).
Patent Data from BindingDB:
We have worked with the BindingDB team to integrate the bioactivity data that they have extracted from more than 1000 granted US patents published from 2013 onwards (https://www.bindingdb.org/bind/ByPatent.jsp) into ChEMBL. This data is incorporated into ChEMBL in the same way as literature-extracted bioactivity information, but with a new source (SRC_ID = 37, BindingDB Database) and a document type of 'PATENT'. In total this data set provides 99K bioactivity measurements for 68K compounds.
Withdrawn Drugs:
We have compiled a list of drugs that have been withdrawn in one or more countries due to safety or efficacy issues from multiple sources. Where available, the year of withdrawal, the applicable countries/areas and the reasons for the withdrawal are captured. Withdrawal information is shown on the Compound Report Card and a new icon has been added to the availability type section of the Molecule Features image to denote drugs that have been withdrawn (e.g., https://www.ebi.ac.uk/chembl/compound/inspect/CHEMBL408).
Tissue Annotation:
We have identified tissues used in assays (e.g., tissues in which measurements were made after in-vivo dosing, isolated tissues on which assays were performed, or tissues from which sub-cellular fractions were prepared) using the Uberon ontology (http://uberon.github.io). A TISSUE_DICTIONARY table has been created, which stores a list of the identified tissues, their corresponding ChEMBL_IDs, names and Uberon IDs. Mappings are also provided to the Experimental Factor Ontology (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/ols/ontologies/efo), Brenda Tissue Ontology (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/ols/ontologies/bto) and CALOHA Ontology (ftp://ftp.nextprot.org/pub/current_release/controlled_vocabularies/caloha.obo). Tissue Report Cards have been created (e.g., https://www.ebi.ac.uk/chembl/tissue/inspect/CHEMBL3638244), providing a mechanism to view all of the assay data associated with a particular tissue. The keyword search now also allows searching by tissue name, Uberon ID, EFO ID, Brenda Tissue ID or CALOHA tissue ID.
Indications for Clinical Candidates:
Indication information has now been extended to cover clinical candidates. This information has been extracted from ClinicalTrials.gov and is included in the 'Browse Drug Indications' view and on Compound Report Cards.
Drug Metabolism Viewer:
An additional section has been added to Compound Report Cards to display drug metabolism schemes (e.g., https://www.ebi.ac.uk/chembl/compound/inspect/CHEMBL1064). These schemes can be opened in an expanded view by clicking the link above the image. Where known, enzyme information is shown on edges and clicking on an edge of interest will provide additional information about the reaction, including references. Clicking on the nodes allows linking to Compound Report Cards for the metabolites.
Variant Sequences:
For cases where assay data has been measured against a variant protein (e.g., site-directed mutagenesis or drug-resistance studies) we have created a VARIANT_SEQUENCES table to store the variant protein sequence used in the assay (the target for the assay will still be the wild-type protein). Since the exact protein sequence used in an assay is rarely reported in the medicinal chemistry literature, these sequences have been re-created by introducing the specified point mutation into the current UniProt sequence for the target. The resulting sequence is not therefore guaranteed to be the exact sequence used in the assay but provides a more robust way to document the relevant mutation(s) than the current use of residue name and position in most publications and ChEMBL assay descriptions (which quickly becomes obsolete when sequences change). In cases where the reported residue positions could not be reconciled with any UniProt sequence, variant sequence information has not been included in ChEMBL. Further sequences (requiring more curation) will be added in future releases. Assays with variant sequence information available are linked to the VARIANT_SEQUENCES table via the VARIANT_ID column. Please note, this information is not yet displayed on the ChEMBL interface.
We recommend you review the ChEMBL_22 release notes for a comprehensive overview of all updates and changes in ChEMBL 22, including schema changes, and as always, we greatly appreciate the reporting of any omissions or errors.
Keep an eye on the ChEMBL twitter and blog accounts for news and updates.
The ChEMBL Team
ChEMBL_22 is coming soon....
ChEMBL_22 will be released in the next week or two. For those of you who want to plan ahead, here is a preview of the new schema (full documentation here)
We would also like to inform users that we plan to discontinue the Oracle 9i download format after this release. Please contact us as soon as possible if you rely on this version.
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Tag: Hermione Lee
Podcast – Simple Tricks and Nonsense (ep. 101)
Virtual Memories Show:
Levi Stahl – Simple Tricks and Nonsense
http://traffic.libsyn.com/virtualmemories/Episode_101_-_Simple_Tricks_and_Nonsense.mp3
“The biggest thing I learned editing The Getaway Car is that a working writer’s work is never done.”
Let’s kick off 2015 with a podcast about one of the 20th century’s great America writers, Donald Westlake! Our guest, Levi Stahl, is the editor of The Getaway Car: A Donald Westlake Nonfiction Miscellany (University of Chicago Press). We talk about his history with Westlake’s crime novels, why Parker is Westlake’s greatest achievement, why the author wrote under so many pseudonyms, what it was like to be a working writer and how that concept may not exist nowadays, and what Westlake project he’d love to bring into print.
We also talk about Levi’s day job as publicity manager for U of Chicago Press, his advice for people looking to get into publishing, why he loves twitter, how the internet has helped and hurt book criticism, what makes him put a book down, what he’s learned about book marketing over the years, his favorite menswear store in NYC, how he can support both the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs, and more! Give it a listen!
Michael Dirda
Sarah Deming
Rupert Thomson
Levi Stahl is the publicity manager for the University of Chicago Press. He has served as the poetry editor for the Quarterly Conversation, and has written for the Poetry Foundation, the Chicago Reader, the Second Pass, the Bloomsbury Review, the Front Table, the New-York Ghost, the New York Moon, and McSweeneys Internet Tendency. He tweets at @levistahl
Credits: This episode’s music is Life of Crime by The Triffids. The conversation was recorded on a pair of Blue enCORE 200 microphones feeding into a Zoom H5 digital recorder. I recorded the intro and outro on a Blue Yeti USB Microphone . Processing was done in Audacity and Logic Pro. Photo of Mr. Stahl by me.
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Gaza Mourns It's Dead
Huge coincidence that as Jews are berating the Left for anti-semitism, demanding that criticism of Israel is stopped, Israel is in the news for killing 17 Palestinians and wounding 1,400 demonstrating against Israel stealing their land.
Israel are claiming they are killing rioters and those performing acts of terror but that story is undermined when the first to die, a 27 year old farmer, was killed by a tank shell while picking parsley in his field before the protests had even begun.
The terror acts include youths throwing stones at the wall where hundreds of heavily armed Israeli soldiers are sat firing down from atop the 8 metre high wall at thousands of unarmed people on the Palestinian side in Gaza.
Mahmoud Abbas said he held Israel entirely responsible for the deaths and has called on the International Community to intervene and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called for an independent and transparent investigation into the violence and the use of military weaponry against civilians while the EU diplomatic chief, Federica Mogherini, also called for for a probe into the use
of live ammunition by the Israeli military.
Human Rights Watch called the number of killed and wounded shocking and released a statement saying: 'Israel’s presumption that it can dictate the actions of Palestinians inside the Gaza Strip is absurd. The decision where and whether and how to demonstrate in Gaza is not Israel’s to make. Israel has the power to immediately change life in Gaza for the better, but has chosen not to do so.
It has made Gaza a huge prison, yet forbids the prisoners even to protest against this, on pain of death.'
Israel have decided that marching on your own side of the defensive wall is grounds to murder people which could have far reaching ramifications for the Middle East if Hezbollah join the fight on the side of the Palestinians.
Their modernised stockpile of an estimated 130,000 missiles and rockets, and its 50,000 battle hardened fighters would escalate and bring death and destruction to Israel and Hezbollah hardliners are already making noises about intervening.
American is no longer an honest broker in the region, Donald Trump has proven himself to be as ignorant as he is pro-Israel and as they have a history of defending the indefensible when it comes to Israel, Palestinians must look elsewhere for support it needs to stop yet another Israeli disproportionate attack on the nation it has imprisoned and attacks with shocking regularity.
I just hope that the expected demonstration from the left recognises that it is the barbaric actions of the Israeli Government we are against, not Jews or Israel itself because Israeli supporters will try and shut down any protests with shouts of anti-semitism, let's not give them that opportunity.
Financial Cost If You Get Shot In USA
The Florida students are doing a good job of keeping the attacks at their school which killed 17 of their fellow students in the news, nothing has happened of course and the gun laws are still as brain-numbingly crazy as they were before the killings but at least it isn't just going away as many of the gun-nuts would have hoped.
Cemeteries full of school aged children with bullets holes in their young bodies isn't a good look for the selfish second amenders who put the right to bear arms above the right not to be blasted to death by a gun wielding maniac but there is something which i never considered which neatly brings together Americas other bizarre institution, the health care costs if you are a shooting victim.
Will McAleer, president of the Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada, has urged Canadians to make sure they have travel insurance if they are making the trip across the border as the cost of being treated in an American hospital can land you a bill of up to hundreds of thousands.
McAleer used the story of Manitoba woman, Jan Lambourne, to illustrate his point as she was one of four Canadians injured in the Las Vegas shooting and was rushed to hospital with gunshot wounds after being shot in the stomach and after surgery, rehabilitation and air transport she was handed a bill for $300,000.
'“We are talking about one of the most expensive, if not the most expensive, place to receive medical treatment,” McAleer said referring of the U.S. health care system and the financial burden if you are caught up in one of the daily mass shootings in the nation when it is always too early to talk about gun control from the last mass killing before the next one comes along.
The War On Easter
I once had the pleasure of a conversation with a dullard about the Political Correct Brigade trying to stop Christmas by banning the word 'Christmas' and using 'Holiday's' instead while standing in front of a supermarket with six foot high MERRY CHRISTMAS message along its window.
Not saying that the religious right wing are a bit dense but, well they are a bit dense especially when they perceive an attack on their man in the clouds religion such as Easter which apparently is being turned into a non Christian Event by banning the Word 'EASTER'.
'It’s amazing in such a politically correct society that we can’t call Easter Eggs Easter Eggs anymore', the official Ukip Twitter account said triggering a tirade of photographs of packaging Easter Eggs which clearly feature the word Easter on them.
The Churchy types have also been hammering the message that the Christian origins of Easter are not given enough prominence, that would be the Easter Festival stolen from the Pagan's with the story of a man crucified and reborn three days later plagiarised from the Romans, Sumerians, Indian and Egyptian religions, that Christian festival you mean?
The Christian origins would appear to be then a group of early Christians sitting around and nicking bits from other religions to copy and paste into their new shiny one which came with added chocolate.
Another Middle Eastern War With Familiar Faces
Perfect timing that just as the 15th anniversary of the invasion of the Iraq War arrives, one of the architects of the disaster is bought back into play with John Bolton sliming into the Donald Trump administration as national security adviser.
Never having seen a country he didn't want to bomb, Bolton was part of the George W Bush team who mislead the public about weapons of mass destruction to push for, and get, their War in Iraq War which continues to reverberate catastrophically today.
A quick recap shows that the War In Iraq left an estimated 1 million Iraqis dead, 4.5 million displaced, 5 million orphaned and caused birth defects and cancer rates in some Iraqi cities that are significantly worse than those seen in the aftermath of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan at the end of the Second World War.
Their actions in Iraq led to a jihadist movement and the rise of Islamic State, an offshoot of Al Queada, who took their hostility further afield to places such as Syria and Libya with the West turning a blind eye to their actions as they were on the same side of regime change as the West until they doubled back into Iraq and started kidnapping and killing westerners when the West realised they had created and monster and despite helping one version to succeed in Libya, and after arming them in Syria, fought them in Iraq.
The massive refugee flows which resulted from the Wests encouragement of war and regime change in the Middle East led to the destabilisation of much of Europe and the rise of Donald Trump who campaigned on the fear-mongering of ISIS, refugees and Muslims.
Now we are where we are and all the terrible consequences can be traced back to the George W Bush administration's decision to needlessly invoke a war in Iraq.
One of the unintended consequences was the rise of a strengthened Iran in the region threatening American, Saudi and Israeli dominance in the Middle East and now one of the same the Iraq war planners, John Bolton, is pulling the Presidents strings on what to do about it.
As Bolton has previously pushed for a war with Iran, a devastating conflict with the Tehran leadership is now much more likely and the irony is that it is the catastrophe of the Iraq War that has led to the same architects being in power and bringing another Middle Eastern war more closer.
For the war industry and the cheerleaders for yet more wholesale killing, the Iraq war that their disturbed minds started is the gift that keeps on giving.
Looking At Them Looking At Us
Best estimates say there are 400 billion stars in our galaxy and if you multiply that by another 100 billion for the number of galaxies in the universe then that is a ridiculous amount of Planets where life could be also looking out into space and wondering if they are the only ones.
There are some humans who don't believe that any of the planets rotating around those 40,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.00 stars is enough places for life to have started up and our planet is the only one in the 91 billion light-years wide Universe to harbour life but then humans once thought they were at the centre of the Universe which was created just for them.
Unfortunately those humans who still think the odds are against something being out there are in for a shock at the end of the century according to Dr. Jill Tarter, chair of Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) who says we will find life beyond Earth this century.
Dr Tarter has exclaimed that due to new advancements in science and the way we monitor the sky 'We might, within the 21st century, have the answer to whether there is life beyond Earth. And we've been asking that question for a very, very long time'.
Meanwhile, out there somewhere there is a very high probability that someone or something is gazing towards our arm of the Milky Way Galaxy in the Virgo Supercluster billions of light years away and wondering if any of those estimated 400 billion stars over there has life on a ball of rock going around just one of those stars.
Donald And His Daughter Weirdly Creepy
As i have said before, with Donald Trump in the White House this is a great time to be a journalist or a comedian and with the salacious revelations about his affairs with porn stars and playboy bunnies continuing to tumble out, it's a golden era.
With all the previous allegations against him from women he sexually assaulted, the two front at centre at the moment are porn actress Stormy Daniels and Playboy Model Karen McDougal and they both have a rather disturbing similarity to tell about Trump and his daughter Ivanka.
The small handed racist is alleged to have compared both woman he reportedly had sex with to his daughter, telling Ms Daniels: 'Wow, you are special. You remind me of my daughter' and Ms McDougal that she was: 'beautiful like Ivanka'.
Comparing people that he was actively attempting to have sex with to his daughter is creepy in the extreme but it isn't the first time he has made eyebrow raising comments about her.
When asked about Ivanka in a 2015 interview, Mr Trump said: 'If I weren't happily married and, ya know, her father...' and previously replied to a question about how he would react if Ivanka posed for Playboy magazine with: 'I don't think Ivanka would do that, although she does have a very nice figure. I've said if Ivanka weren't my daughter, perhaps I'd be dating her'.
When asked what he and his daughter both consider their favourite things, Trump answered: 'I was going to say sex, but I can relate to golf and real estate'.
In another interview he said: 'You know who’s one of the great beauties of the world, Ivanka. My daughter, Ivanka. She’s 6 feet tall, she’s got the best body'.
Not sure what to make of it all, the man is obviously a moronic sexual deviant and creepy in the extreme but this thing with his daughter is just beyond weird.
Labour's Anti-Semitism Problem
When it comes to Israel, the left doesn't have much love towards it due to their awful genocidal behaviour towards the Palestinians.
That any criticism of Israel is met by the howling of anti-semitism to try and shut down the argument doesn't do the Jewish community any favours and if anything it waters down their cries when real anti-semitism rears it ugly head.
Labour is currently having a harsh look at itself as it is quite rightly being lambasted for anti-semitism remarks emanating from within the Party.
I have cringed and corrected people many times when left-wingers have failed to separate Judaism and Israel when criticising the countries actions and far worse is when they physically attack Jews whose only connection with Israel is their religion.
What some Labour members fail to recognise is that being Jewish does not make you an Israeli as being Roman Catholic does not make you Italian so they fail to engage the few braincells that they possess and attack an innocent religion.
Israeli actions against Palestinians have been abhorrent so by all means criticise Israel, boycott Israeli goods or join one of the many regular demonstrations against Israel but don't take out your anger on Jews.
I don't think the left is anti-semitic, more ignorant but while we should not be shut down by cries of anti-semitism, to criticise Israel for its actions as we criticise Russia, America or Britain if they did the same is not the same as criticising Jews who are probably as disgusted at Israel as you.
France Should Honour This Real Hero
France loves a statue and i don't know if there are any plans afoot to build one of Lieutenant Colonel Arnaud Beltrame but if there isn't there should be because amidst all the so called 'heroes' who have their image on a plinth, Beltrame is a honest to god proper one.
Lieutenant Colonel Beltrame voluntarily took the place of a female hostage being used a human shield during a terror attack at a French supermarket on Friday and suffered three gunshot wounds from a religious fanatic and died in hospital from his injuries in Trebes, southwest France.
'He did what needed to be done and thanks to him, many lives were saved and yes, I think the word hero is very appropriate' said President Macron so let's hope that this French Officer who made the ultimate sacrifice is remembered as a real, genuine hero and his image takes it's place amongst the 'other heroes' who have conquered, enslaved or killed as many as possible and don't deserve
to be honoured beside Lieutenant Colonel Beltrame.
Posted by Falling on a bruise at 19:20 1 comment:
Younger Generation Ignoring Religion
A European Social Survey of young people aged between 16-29 around 21 European nations shows that the majority of them no longer follow a specific religion with 70% of British youngster not associating themselves with any religion or religious practices.
The Czech Republic was the country with the least religious percentage of young adults, with a huge 91 per cent identifying themselves as not having a faith in the while over half in The Netherlands, Sweden, Estonia, Hungary, Belgium, France, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Spain also said religion was not for them.
Stephen Bullivant, leader on the report said that: 'very few of today's young adults have had any serious connection with religion at all' and over the next decade there will be even fewer young religious people and the default setting is no religion, and the few who are religious see themselves as swimming against the tide.
As religion has been the cause of so many conflicts down the ages which continue today, it can't be a bad thing that religion is being sidelined by the coming generations.
The Jesus Easter Weekend
Some people make the assertion that the stories in the Bible were stolen from other, older religions around at the time and the story of Mithras is the Deity that the early Christians borrowed most heavily from when making up their own Deity.
Just because Mithras was born of a virgin, in a cave, on December 25th, his birth attended by shepherds, had twelve companions, promised his followers immortality, performed miracles, sacrificed himself for world peace, was buried in a tomb and rose after three days and will return in the last days to raise the dead and judge them does not necessarily mean that his story was rewritten with the name 'Jesus' tippexed in.
The truth is that at that time there was plenty of other Gods around who were crucified and resurrected who the Christians could have plagiarised from, like the Sumerian goddess Inanna, or Ishtar, who was nailed up and subsequently resurrected or Greek Attis who was crucified on a tree, buried but on the third day the priests found the tomb empty.
The Indian Buddah died on a cross, buried but arose again after his tomb was opened or the other Indian Krishna who died on a cross but came back to put in an appearance three days later.
To say that the Biblical stories of Jesus's Easter weekend were based on Mithras is even more off when you hear that Osiris of Egyptian legend was betrayed, crucified between two thieves and then buried in a tomb from which he arose on the third day.
If you hear non-believers trying to refute the story of Jesus by saying it is stolen from Mithras then you can point out that actually, it was probably stolen from a lot of stories about people being crucified and resurrected around at the time.
Then hope they shove an Easter Egg in their mouth and don't have any follow up questions.
Melania's Public Humiliation Continues
You do sometimes wonder what is going on inside Melania Trumps head as yet another female comes forward with talk of an affair with her husband.
Obviously she knows he is a racist idiot, that is blatantly obvious but a racist idiot who was having a string of affairs behind her back is another thing altogether.
Just what does Melania see in Billionaire Trump that she would stay with him even after his affairs and attempts to cover them up come to light?
Following hot on the heels of the $130,000 hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels, not to mention the dozen or so allegations of sexual misconduct, now we have former Playboy Model, Karen McDougal, piping up that her and the 3rd fattest US President had an affair in 2006 and 2007.
Ms McDougal was paid $150,000 in 2016 by American Media Inc for rights to the story of her affair with the tiny handed sex fiend but story never ran the story but the agreement effectively stopped her from talking to any other publications about what her and the Trump got up to.
McDougal says Mr Trump and AMI's owner David Pecker were close personal friends and the media company tried to buy her silence and cover up the relationship with threats of financial ruin if she spoke out.
With the cost of his affairs currently standing at over a quarter of a million dollars and i'm sure with more tales of clandestine hotel-room meetings, payoffs, and complex legal agreements to keep affairs out of the press, Melania must be eyeing the exit or so you would think
If she and is content to put up with the prolonged public humiliation from her husband, then i think we may have answered our own question at the start of the third paragraph above.
Top 10 Happiest Songs
Music lovers have their go-to songs when they need a bit of a boost but Dutch cognitive neuroscientist, Dr. Jacob Jolij, recently ran an expansive survey of songs ranging across all genres to compile the top 10 of feel-good songs that scientifically make people happy.
The science bit is that to be a mood changer the song must have a high tempo, positive lyrics and the listener should be able to sing-a-long to it.
Mostly comprising 70s and 80s numbers, his list undoubtedly doubles as the happiest karaoke playlist ever and here is the entire playlist for your mood enhancing pleasure:
Don't Stop Me Now - Queen
Dancing Queen - ABBA
Good Vibrations - Beach Boys
Uptown Girl - Billy Joel
Eye of the Tiger - Suvivor
I'm a Believer - The Monkees
Girls Just Want To Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
Livin on a Prayer - Bon Jovi
I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor
There you have it, if you want to be a shooting star leaping through the sky or like a tiger defying the laws of gravity or even a racing car passing by like Lady Godiva, upload these ten onto your MP3 player and nobody will be able to stop you.
Today is International Day of Happiness and the 2018 World Happiness Report puts the happiest people as those who live in the Nordic nations of Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland who take the top four positions in the report with Switzerland making up the top five.
With those nations topping the chart you would be forgiven for thinking that snow is the common denominator to making us happy but the people at Happy Science beg to differ and offer up the things that make us happy, scientifically speaking.
Listen to music from the happiest moments in life
Melodic lines have an impact on the brain, remembering the places we’ve heard those specific tracks, you get to connect with those happy moments, managing to conjure up of the feelings of those times.
Caring About Other People
We have something in us called the 'moral molecule', which is associated with both love and pain relief. This molecule releases high levels of oxytocin when we think about those we care for and love.
Being grateful, optimistic, kind and realising just how lucky you are provide for better well-being and overall joy.
When people work out, endorphins, which are natural painkillers, are released creating feelings of euphoria.
Having Pets
The happiest people around are the ones who have a pet as pets not only increase our self-esteem, but also give us a better sense of belonging and bring a deeper meaning to our lives.
Not Thinking Too Hard About Being Happy
People who focus on trying to be happy are actually less happy than those who just go about their lives. While wanting to be happy is a good thing, it’s when we don’t let go enough to enjoy ourselves that we end up facing defeat.
So the secret to being happy is to either turn on the CD Player and get yourself a puppy and do some star-jumps or move to Helsinki.
Show Us The Evidence
Theresa May came to the conclusion very quickly that the Russian state was culpable for the attempted murder of Sergei Skripal and his daughter while Boris Johnson today came out and said that the UK has evidence Russia has been developing the nerve agent used in the attack, Novichok, for international assassinations for the last decade.
Russian officials have denied involvement and as yet, our Government has not yet provided any evidence to back up their claims which led Jeremy Corbyn to note caution and for the Government to not 'rush way ahead of the evidence being gathered by the police, in a fevered parliamentary atmosphere'.
We have been here before of course where we are being asked to trust the Government and Intelligence Services, the Iraq War was based on phony dossiers and manipulated intelligence provide George W Bush and Tony Blair the justification for a war they had already decided on waging so excuse us for being cautious when we are asked to take you on trust.
What is similar to the Iraq War build-up is the vilification of anyone who doesn't just swallow the Government line, Corbyn being labelled a 'Putin apologist' and a 'naive dupe' but he is right to question the lack of evidence because the Government have not explained what evidence they have which convinces them that the Russian state was behind the attack.
The facts are sparse on the ground, we have been told that the agent used 'is of a type developed by Russia' and 'Russia have history of assasinations' but that isn't enough to justify their actions especially as we have a history of falsifying intelligence.
Possibly the Government do have concrete evidence to prove Russian involvement but if they did why are they not presenting it to us as they surely would as the questions about 'show us the proof' mount?
As the Government have made such a mess of everything else and as the British public have already been burnt being asked to trust our Government and intelligence services with evidence, i think it is right that we should be wary until we are shown the same evidence that makes our Government so certain it was Russia, if only to galvanise us behind them.
Qualifications Of The World Leaders
The G20 nations represent approximately two-thirds of the world's population, 85% of global gross domestic product and over 75% of global trade.
They are also the ones who make most of the big decisions so you would expect them to have some serious qualifications so let's have a look at who from the G20 countries have the educational background to guide us through the choppy waters of the current set of global ups and downs.
MACRI (Argentina) - Civil Engineering Degree
TURNBALL (Australia) - Political Science Degree, Law Degree
TEMER (Brazil) - Law Degree
TRUDEAU (Canada) - Literature Degree, Education Degree
JINPING (China) - Law Degree, Chemical Engineering Masters Degree
MACRON (France) - Philosophy Degree, Public Affairs Masters Degree
MERKEL (Germany) - Quantum Chemistry Masters Degree
KOVIND (India) - Commerce Degree
WIDODO (Indonesia) - Forestry Engineering Degree
MATTARELLA (Italy) - Law Degree
ABE (Japan) - Political Science Degree
NIETO (Mexico) - Law Degree
MOON (South Korea) - Law Degree
PUTIN (Russia) - Law Degree, Economics Masters Degree
Al Saud (Saudi Arabia) - no qualifications
RAMAPHOSA (South Africa) - Law Degree
ERDOGAN (Turkey) - Business Administration Degree
MAY (United Kingdom) - Geography Degree
TRUMP (United States) - Economics Degree
TUSK (EU) - History Degree
Twenty World leaders and between them they muster 2 qualification in Politics, 3 in Economics and 8 in Law. Unhelpfully we also have 1 in forestry engineering, philosophy, geography and history and 1 has no educational qualifications whatsoever.
When you see that only 10% of the G20 leaders have been educated in Politics, 15% in Economics but 40% in law, it explains a lot of things as decisions are being made by a group where the largest majority are lawyers!!
How Russians Want To Punish The Brits
It seems that the Russians people have taken umbrage at the British Government getting uppity about them using nerve gas in our country to knock off their own spies.
Their 23 diplomats told to get out of our country will passed by Brit diplomats going the other way as Russia ordered 23 of our diplomats to clear their desks in response but those Ruskies aren't content and the RT website has asked it's readers how to punish us Brits further and the response was great.
One website user said that Putin should 'abolish all organised queuing in Britain' while another wanted to hit us in the chocolate aisle by 'increasing the price of Freddos in a random and extreme fashion'.
Another wrote that Putin should 'hire an army of people to play rubbish 90s dance music through their phone speakers on all public transport', another said 'interfering with the message so that every single item in the bagging area is unexpected' while our tea obsession was evident in the comments that Russia should 'cut their supply of tea from reaching the British shores' and 'by making digestive biscuits that instantly dissolve in tea'.
Some wanted to get direct on our Brit arse and wanted to 'just nuke 'em' or give us the silent treatment by 'just ignore them'.
My favourite and a bottle of cheap vodka and a potato go to the contributor who said that Putin should 'cut off the gas supply around lunchtime on Sunday just before the British pigs are about to sit down to their revolting Sunday roast!'
The British announcement that we won't send Prince William to the World Cup in Russia must have really stung but what threatens a dangerous escalation is if they do swamp the nation with biscuits which dissolve instantly in tea, that would be taking things too far.
MacArthur Park Explained Finally
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don't think that I can take it
Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again.
I always assumed the lyrics in MacArthur Park were some crazy reference to drugs and a 60's psychedelic hippy trip but turns out there is a rather sweet meaning to the cake which was left out in the rain.
The Sky Arts channel were talking to the lyricist Jimmy Webb who explained that everything in the song is real, MacArthur Park is in Los Angeles and his then girlfriend worked for an Insurance Company close to it and they would meet there for lunch.
There would be old men playing checkers by the trees like in the song and he would sometimes turn up with a cake that he had baked to share for her lunch.
If it rained they would run for shelter, leaving the cake behind so when they broke up and wrote the song about the break up, the cake being left out in the rain became a metaphor for his loss, never having that recipe again representing losing his love.
Not a psychedelic hippy trip at all then, a poignant metaphor for losing a girl which is rather lovely and puts a whole new spin in my mind for the beautiful song now that it makes sense.
Now if only they can get hold of Michael Stripe to explain what the hell he was singing about in those REM songs!
In one of his most famous songs, John Lennon asked us to imagine that there was no heaven above or hell below but the next line he asks us to imagine no countries with nothing to kill or die for and all the people living life in peace.
A world where there are no antiquated doctrines to die for, no dogma of generations long gone to blindly support, no wars fought in the name of people that we’ve never seen or met and no heaven or hell to believe that we’re working towards.
The idea of one world with no countries or borders is an old one but so are wars and most of them have been fought over either borders, doctrine or religion.
'Nothing to kill or die for' means that since the thing that would evolve into man first dragged its carcass out of the trees, there has always been something dividing people to the point that they are killing for it.
If there are no borders to fight over, no tensions between ethnic and religious groups, no invasions and occupations of each others land we could eliminate much of the pathetic things we fight over now.
If humanity stopped competing against one another, bound together in a common cause, we could accomplish spectacular things and solve problems such as global warming, disease and famines, it would be human helping humans rather than a nation only looking out for their own selfish interests.
The present set up, the world divided into nations and religions has been tried and resulted in the deaths of billions over millenia, the English, Scots, Irish and Welsh were slaughtering each other for centuries before they came together as one nation and worked together.
The EU's raison d'etre was to come together to promote greater peace and prosperity for its Member States after the ravages of centuries of European wars and that has worked out fine, no more wars.
Maybe us all coming together as one huge country and putting aside our differences is the only hope we have for the sake of the entire human race as Lennon said 'A brotherhood of man, all the people sharing all the world'.
Lennon also sadly lamented that it may be the pondering's of a dreamer but as you watch the news and hear of yet more wars and conflicts over territory and killings in the name of one persons God over another, you do wonder what have we got to lose to give it a try apart from the chance that we may just find a way to live in peace with each another?
Sun Still Doesn't Set On The British Empire
I once had a geography teacher who would produce a large map with large swathes of the Worlds nations coloured pink and he would say: 'This bit was ours, and this bit, and this bit, and this bit, the French got this bit, not sure how that happened but we got this bit, and this bit.
Of course what he was talking about was the British Empire which spanned the globe and led to the saying that the Sun never set on it, since it was always daytime somewhere in the Empire.
To some the Empire was the good old days, to the rest of us it was the dark days when we would turn up in nations already occupied by other people, shoot many of them and then stick a flag in the ground and claim it for Britain before stealing their natural resources and shooting a few more when they got uppity.
Since the turn of the 20th Century the Empire has been dwindling and now Britain has only fourteen overseas territories but as the Sun never sets on all fourteen British territories at once, the saying is still accurate, the Sun still doesn't set on the British Empire.
My old geography teacher would be very proud.
A Tau In The Face Is Not The Same As A Pi
March 14th is said to be the most exciting day for Mathematicians which not only shows that Mathematicians should get out more but it gives them the chance to show their fun side by eating circular treats dressing like Albert Einstein and make humorous jokes about Sir Cumference who was the fattest knight at the round table because he ate too much pi.
Three hours i was in the hospital getting my sides sewn back together the first time i heard that one.
The reason for the Math's nerds getting overexcited today is down to Greek Archimedes who first calculated pi in 3 BC as 3.14 and although NASA have said that you only need to calculate pi to 39 digits, scientists have calculated it to over one trillion digits beyond its decimal point which seems a bit extreme.
After 2000 years of dominance though Pi has a challenger in the shape of 'Tau' which by all accounts is a number that serves much the same purpose but instead of adding on digits, doubles the previous number.
Some scientists are getting their pens in a spin over it but mainly because you can't make jokes about Tau like you can about pi but let's leave them to swing their handbags at each other and let us know when they have worked it out because for most of us the only pi we care about is the one with apple in it.
It's hard to write about Stephen Hawking without the focus being on the horrendous condition he had to deal with and how he rose to such magnificent heights despite it.
Quite rightly he is being lauded all over the media today for his scientific achievements but there is a great article in the Guardian Newspaper where the focus is on his brilliant sense of humour, the Time Travellers Party where he sent out the invites after the event, the appearances on The Simpson's and Big Bang Theory and the Red Nose Day sketches where actors auditioned to become his voice box and his reworking of the Monty Python Galaxy song.
'It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can lose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general' he said but there are two quotes which should be chiseled into stone and put where everyone can see them.
'We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star' and 'Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet'.
A life very well lived, well done Sir and not just for selling 10 million copies of a book about
general relativity and quantum mechanics.
Responding To Russia
The clock is ticking around to the midnight deadline and Britain's 'response' if Russia doesn't admit to the killing of Sertgei Skripal with military grade weapons on UK soil.
Theresa May must be looking at her phone to check if she has any missed calls with a Moscow dialling code but what if Putin hasn't called by midnight, what can May actually do about it?
As she has called it 'an unlawful use of force by the Russian state against the United Kingdom' this would enable her to invoke Article 51 of the United Nations charter and all of NATO could tilt their nuclear weapons eastwards but as Russia as many more nuclear weapons than us, they would just tilt theirs westwards so that won't happen.
As it stands, the only threat we have made is to withhold Prince William from going to the World Cup in June but it is being rumoured that they may request that England refuse to go.
Far better would be to go but play really badly and get knocked out at the first stage but denying the Russians the sight of Dele Alli shanking the ball off the pitch and falling over like he has been shot by a cannon in the box is so far our only plan.
We could go for expelling Russian Diplomats like we did after the last Russian murdered here, Alexander Litvinenko, or banning or expelling Putin's pals which include Chelsea's owner Roman Abramovich and Arsenal's Alisher Usmanov.
Relegating Chelsea is a plan i can get behind, at least docking them points but some would call for the same to Arsenal so we won't do that.
Russia Today (RT) is likely to get the hook with Ofcom sniffing around especially as it recently yanked Fox off the British airwaves for being not as fair and balanced as it stated.
Other media outlets owned by Russians and another pal of Putin's include the Independent, i and Evening Standard all owned by Evgeny Lebedev which would leave a large hole if they were pulled, especially the i which has become an above average newspaper.
Seems we are stuck with playing badly at the World Cup and not letting the Royals watch us doing it but May decides to dock Chelsea points or make them play Alvaro Morata in attack and David Luiz in defence every game as punishment, then i can support that.
Don't Say We Didn't Warn You Mr Putin
All the evidence points to the fingerprints of Russia all over the assassination attempt of Sergei Skirpal and the Prime Minister is under pressure to come out and condemn Russia and not just spout more of the carefully scripted words like 'it appears' and 'it seems highly likely that the Russian state was responsible for the attacks'.
If all the evidence leads straight to the Kremlin's door, why is the Prime Minister not coming out and pointing the finger?
As usual, it's prudent to follow the money as Theresa May's Government has received millions in Russian donations since they came to power, the friends of President Putin donating an estimated £3 million into Conservative Party coffers.
The Electoral Commission initially declared many of the donations as 'impermissible' before subsequently backing down and allowing them.
Attempts to introduce legislation to prevent certain Russian individuals entering Britain or block their assets were blocked by the Tories for 'technical reasons which were never explained.
The Russians, all friends of Putin, are not donating out of the kindest of their hearts because they like Theresa May and her cabinet,they expect something for the Rubles they shove her way and what they are getting is a weak Prime Minister who has demanded a response from Moscow to the accusation that they were behind the release of military grade nerve agent on the British mainland by
the end of today otherwise we will respond.
Our response? Not sending Prince William to the World Cup in June. They will rue the day they messed with Britain when the heir to the British Throne doesn't go watch a football match in Russia.
Then, when it all cools down and things have moved onto the latest stupid thing Donald Trump has said, we can all be friends again and Russian Cheque's will be gratefully received by Mrs May and her bunch once again.
Hammond's Debt Spin
Chancellor Philip Hammond has just been talking a lot about debt falling in his Spring Statement, referring to the predictions from the Office for Budget Responsibility, saying: 'it forecasts a shrinking debt'.
As politicians are as slippery as a greased eel, you shouldn't take the Chancellor's words at face value because as usual he has spun the figures like a child's toy.
The figure for debt that he is using is the total amount the government owes divided by GDP, so his charts show debt falling from 85.6% to 77.9% and it's all rainbows and fairycakes and three cheers for the Conservatives.
Problem is, the real unspun figures show the nations debt rising from £1,783bn to £1,893bn so although it isn't technically wrong to say that debt as a proportion of GDP is expected to fall, the actual amount of debt has risen.
If you listening carefully the phrase 'debt as a proportion of GDP has fallen under this Government' will quickly change to debt has fallen under this Government' at which point we can politely point out that actually Phil, despite all your austerity cuts, the debt has risen by 1 hundred billion.
I'm sure he would appreciate the help because he seems a bit confused.
USSR Baton Handed To China
In 1982, China introduced two term limits on their leaders with the aim of preventing a repeat of the bloody reign of Mao Zedong which saw 45 million Chinese die and prevent too much power concentrated in the hands of one person ever again.
In 2012 Xi Jinping took over the reins and this weekend dismantled the whole thing and voted himself President for Life with a thumping Politburo majority who announced that it was a good thing that China had become a one-man dictatorship as if they would dare say anything else.
Since taking power in 2012 Xi has used an anti-corruption campaign to bring down a succession of potential rivals including more than 100 generals and admirals and six top party figures who were accused of plotting a coup so he has started as he means to go on obviously.
Following the ceremony in the Mao-era Great Hall of the People, it was announced that Xi’s political theory:'Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era' will now be the nations guiding principles and written into the party’s constitution and taught in schools.
Not sure what his thoughts on Socialism for the New Era are exactly, it's not easy to get a handle on what i expect will be Marx-tinged musings, but we could be about to pick up another clash of political and economic systems where the Soviet Union left off.
Even worse, with so many dullard leaders ruling at the moment you hope a few more don't get the same idea, one of the saving graces of Democracy is that at some point they will be replaced.
My Guitar Gently Weeps
In a magnificent piece of self-deference Status Quo called their 2007 album 'In Search of the Fourth Chord' in reference to the much repeated cliche that they always plays the same three chords, which to be fair they pretty much did but did it very well.
Many Punk songs were based on the D, G and A chords with an E occasionally thrown in to mix it up , something my guitar teacher told me when i was first learning the instrument and wanted to just learn to play short, punchy songs by The Ramones and the like.
My guitars have always been of the generic Stratocaster models but i have always had a hunkering for a Gibson Les Paul, mainly so i could stick a cigarette in my mouth and do my best Slash from the November Rain video impression but the opportunity may have passed me by because the Gibson guitar company is facing bankruptcy with debts of £260 million.
The Les Paul, designed by the guitarist himself, first went into production in 1952, and has since been used by luminary musicians like Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Chuck Berry, Bob Marley, Frank Zappa, Dave Grohl, George Harrison, Joe Walsh, Pete Townshend, David Gilmour, Marc Bolan, Gary Moore, Peter Frampton, Don Felder, Billie Joe Armstrong, Jeff Lynne, Mark Knopfler and of course the daddy of them all, Slash.
The troubles may be caused by gross over pricing of their guitars, on the official Gibson Les Paul Guitars Main UK Dealer website prices range from £700 to £5200 so it isn't something you would purchase to just sit around in your bedroom playing Blitzkrieg Bop.
In a brilliant twist which i can fully support, the blame is being put on the charts being dominated by either R&B, rap and moping balladeers and a serious lack of guitar bands blazing a trail for the youth of today which is something which i have bemoaned to anyone who would listen for years.
Guitar bands have been steadily pushed to the margins in the mainstream media and X-Factor type manufactured boy and girl bands have depressingly come to the fore, the bland Ed Sheeran is the biggest thing at the moment for crying out loud!
Gibson may become the latest victim of Simon Cowell and deny me the chance to ever stand in a desert outside a church with a Gibson guitar strapped to my back, cigarette in mouth and reliving my overriding memory of early 90's rock and that's just spiteful.
Dropping The Front Of National Front
Ex-Trump adviser Steven Bannon turned up in France this weekend at a National Front rally and told the extreme right wing party that they should: 'wear the racist tag like badge of honour'.
On the eve of conference, he is claimed to have called a bouncer at a bar in Lille 'a black piece of shit' to prove that the Donald Trump cheerleaders racist tag is front and centre.
National Front leader Marine Le Pen suggested her party change its name to National Rally in an attempt to detoxify its image of racism and anti-Semitism as the word 'Front' was a problem.
I think she has a point with the problem being the name of her party and not the dangerously racist and xenophobic nonsense she and the likes of Steven Bannon spouts, give the name change a go Marine and maybe invite the KKK over next time, you both have so much in common.
Y2038K Computer Bug
In January 2038 i will be 68 and retired and living in Monaco on my gold plated pension but for those of you who are not so lucky and discover this post before this date then here is a little heads up, you're screwed.
Allow me to explain about this thing called the Year 2038 computer problem and why you should spend January 19 2038 in a hard topped bomb shelter.
The problem relates to representing time in many digital systems as the number of seconds passed since January 1, 1970 and tops out at a billion after 03:14:07 on 19 January 2038 when the counter runs out of usable digit bits and flips the sign bit and starts to count up toward zero instead of down, basically the clock will then think it's 1901 rather than 2038.
This will cause immense problems for embedded systems that use dates including airplanes and cars as well as communications devices, including mobile phones and the internet servers which have already crashed and refused to restart when the time was changed to that date in an experiment to see what would happen.
I'm sure between 2018 and 2038 software engineers will come up with a solution but i will be supping cocktails beside a swimming pool with the other rich and famous retirees that year so it's your generations problem, good luck and i will be thinking of you especially if the AI is as advanced as we expect it to be when it all goes belly up.
Not Nice Doing Business With You
Back in the days of Tony Blair and New Labour they had an ethical foreign policy which set out the top 20 countries that it would refuse to sell arms to as there was: 'an identifiable risk that the weapons could be used aggressively against another country or it's own population'.
When it was revealed that out of the 20 blacklisted countries we deemed as too quick to abuse Human Rights, we sold military weapons to 19 of them it quickly became ethical foreign policy? What ethical foreign policy?
No surprise then that we have flogged 48 Typhoon fighter jets to the peace loving Saudi Arabians after Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited Prime Minister Theresa May for talks this week.
'We are committed to supporting the kingdom as it modernises the Saudi Armed Forces and develops key industrial capabilities critical to the delivery of Vision 2030' said the Government before ducking out quick before anyone shouted 'WHAT ABOUT YEMEN?' to them.
Andrew Smith of Campaign Against Arms Trade said: 'This shameful deal will be celebrated in the palaces of Riyadh and by the arms companies who will profit from it, but it will mean even greater destruction for the people of Yemen'.
Yemen has endured three years of bombardment and is suffering one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world which is not good for the people of Yemen but Kerching for the UK arms companies.
Both May and bin Salman said the relationship between the allies is vital and it is, they get the weapons to kill ten of thousands more in Yemen and the UK bank account get billions of pounds stuffed into it, a win win all round if you are a heartless bitch of a Prime Minister or a warmongering Human Rights abusing Saudi Crown Prince.
The Pips Are Squeaking
It's the Spring statement next week, when the Government explains the current financial state of the nation and what it is going to do about it but the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) who scrutinise Government fiscal policy today came out and told us that already and used the phrase 'the pips are squeaking'.
'Not only are we not out of austerity but we’re nowhere near coming out of austerity' Paul Johnson the IFS Director explained saying there was still big spending cuts and big social security cuts to come.
Not only are we £2 trillion in debt but running up extra debt at £40bn a year with only low interest rates saving us from further misery as the debt is twice as big as it was in 2008 despite a decade of severe austerity measures.
'The fact is that soon taxes are going to have to rise or public services will fall to pieces, the pips are already squeaking. There comes a point when you can no longer kick the can down the road because the road is no longer usable' said Johnson who thinks it is about time the politicians level with the public about the financial challenges facing the UK.
'It’s very hard to see what’s left to squeeze' he says. 'Where do you go next? We are going to have to increase spending as a fraction of national income and increase taxes over the next 10 or 20 years.'
This Government, in one of their very first acts, cut the top rate of tax for the richest from 50% to 45% so raising taxes will not be the first, second or third place they turn.
The poor pips will be squeaking much louder before they even think about possibly considering it because pips don't count as we have found out with their horrendous and spiteful austerity cuts which have done nothing to cut the debt.
Meeting Of Fat Man And Little Boy
It is an amazing coincidence that 'fat man' and 'little boy' were the names of the nuclear bombs used on Japan and now a fat man and a little boy are meeting to discuss nuclear weapons.
The White House have announced that Donald Trump has accepted the invitation offered by Kim Jung-Un to get together soon and have a bit of a chinwag over things.
Jaw-Jaw is always preferable to War-War and it was only a few short months ago that Trump haters (almost all of us) were screeching about the American President trying to start a war with North Korea and now they are screeching about him agreeing to meet for talks.
I'm not sure if anyone has told him that Pyongyang had been seeking a one-on-one meeting with a US president since the 1970s when Kim's father and grandfather invited the then residents of the White House to a chat, all refused.
That Trump has agreed when others turned them down is a recognition that North Korea is now seen as a formidable foe, a nation who could do serious damage as it is now a nuclear power, a sign which will not go unnoticed by Iran and others who find themselves in America's gun sights.
Kim is not inviting Trump so that he can surrender North Korea’s weapons, no deal will involve Kim removing North Korea's existing nuclear devices or the ability to build more.
Trump, as the egomaniac bully that he is, is sure to spin this as North Korea as cowed into talks by Trump’s threats to annihilate them and he will probably screw it up with an unwise tweet long before the meeting happens but we can hope it goes ahead and real progress is made.
In the short term, both win as the Little Boy gets to boast that he has raised his country to such strength that the American President is coming to meet him and the Fat Man has an effective way of deflecting attention away from things he doesn't want people to focus on, like affairs with Porn Stars, children shooting up their school friends and dodgy dealings with Russia.
Histories Most Famous Women
As i knew it was International Women's Day today and i would be asked a few thousand times by my male colleagues when International Men's Day was, i looked it up this morning so i could reply 'November 19th, enjoy it won't you'.
It is said that if you look hard enough you can find a good man in every corner of the World which falls down when you consider the Earth is round so that argument is flawed and while men can point to the many accomplishments they have achieved, women have given birth to every man that has ever been born so stick that in your man-bag and smoke it.
Anyway, today is the day that we celebrate all things with wombs but who are some of the most famous bra wearers in history?
Even though she would be 606 if she was alive today, Joan Of Arc would need to be included on any list which is remarkable when you think she didn't reach her 20th Birthday.
Anne Frank was even younger, a mere 16, but her tragically short life, cut short in a German concentration camp, is known throughout the Globe.
Queen's Elizabeth I and Victoria would have to gain a mention as would Russian Queen Catherine The Great and the cake eating Marie Antoinette.
From politics, the most well known would have to be Indira Gandhi and Margaret Thatcher while Emmeline Pankhurst is truly deserving of a mention in any list of History's most famous women as would Rosa Parks who gained fame through a single bus trip home from work in 1955.
Literature has given us giants such as Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, the Brönte sisters, Enid Blyton, Virginia Woolf and Beatrix Potter and Amelia Earhart is known throughout the World as is Mother Teresa and Florence Nightingale.
Double Nobel Prize winner Marie Curie work's contributed substantially to shaping the world of medicine and if all things where fair she would be the most famous women in history but if we use the criteria of most famous, meaning most well known, i would have to plump for the Egyptian Pharaoh Cleopatra who is responsible for more donkey milk baths than anyone in history.
Bush or Trump The Worst?
George W Bush was recently heard to say that Donald Trump's Presidency: 'Sorta makes me look pretty good, doesn't it?'
Choosing between the two may seem like a choice of having needles inserted behind your fingernails or being waterboarded but considering Bush started a couple of illegal wars that killed millions and devastated a region that spurned further wars, i'd say no, the racist, sex offender is still not worse than you yet, but give him time.
We Don't Need Your Stinking Peanut Butter
With his extra marital affairs with a porn actress still in the news, the Trump idea of trying to get everyone to look elsewhere is in full swing and rather than concentrate on where his tiny little pudgy hands have been straying its the impending Trade War everyone is discussing.
He may have declared that Trade Wars are easy to win but as a five time failed businessman he may not be the best person to take economic advice from especially if you are an American exporter of peanut butter.
The American food spread is the latest to be tacked onto a growing list of things which will be targeted by the European Union if Trump goes ahead with his threat to add a 25% surcharge on steel and 10% on aluminium with his economic adviser Gary Cohn already quitting over the controversial plans.
The provisional list of US products that will face punishing EU tariffs is being drawn up and EU leaders are meeting at the end of March in Brussels to discuss what else should be added to the list.
As well as Peanut Butter, exporters of jeans, bourbon whiskey, Harley Davidson motorbikes, cranberries and orange juice should be concerned as they are the first in the sights of the EU and with the rest of the World making their own lists, the only thing that could come easy for Americans could be unemployment cheques as Trump makes America not so great as it was before he got his teeny tiny hands on it.
What Aren't The Belgians Telling Us?
For no reason whatsoever, the Belgians have started distributing iodine pills free for all 11 million of its citizens as announced during the presentation of a new,updated plan in case of a nuclear emergency.
The government have launched a website, explaining to its citizens step-by-step what to do in case of a nuclear accident, advising Belgians to follow recommendations of the authorities, which include seeking shelter, following evacuation orders and taking iodine pills.
According to Belgian Interior Minister Jan Jambon, Brussels is trying to 'properly inform the public', adding that all measures are solely precautionary and the nuclear facilities present no threat 'For now'.
Not sure i like the 'for now' part of that statement so either the Belgians know something about nuclear weapons due to come winging their way soon but are not telling us or those micro cracks discovered in both of the nations nuclear power stations last year are not so micro anymore.
Either way, sending out pills to help against radiation poisoning is not a good sign.
It's Raining Space Stations
If you are planning on visiting Spain, Portugal, Italy, Bulgaria or Greece in April you may want to take a hard hat because a dodgy paella may be the least of your concerns as the European Space Agency has narrowed down the sites of where the out-of-control Chinese satellite, Tiangong-1 space station, will likely come down to Earth with a thump next month.
The chances of being hit by a piece of space metal as you gaze at the Acropolis are slim but engineers acknowledge that the they are worried that the craft’s layered construction, which they liken to an onion, could make it harder for the 8.5-ton vessel to fully disintegrate in the atmosphere.
The spacecraft has been steadily losing altitude since losing contact with Chinese mission control in 2016 but has been tracked by the ESA who managed to narrow down any potential crash site to hundred of kilometres but will become more certain as the time nears.
There has only ever been one case of a piece of space debris striking a person. In January 1997, a resident of Oklahoma in the US, reported that she had been struck in the shoulder by a piece of metal while walking through a park. Analysed later, the sample was found to have been part of a fuel tank of a Delta II rocket that launched a satellite in 1996.
According to the Registration Convention, the set of laws governing the responsibilities of countries who launch objects into space, China would be liable for any damage done to property or people if the Tiangong-1 came down over land so you may want to make sure you pack the required claim form and the address of the Chinese Embassy along with your bikini before travelling.
Weddings At All Time Low
The Office for National Statistics has revealed that just 239,020 male and female marriages took place in 2015, almost half the number that took place in the previous lowest year of 1940 which when you consider it was wartime in 1940 and vast amounts of men were out the country involved in war things, it makes the statistic look even starker.
The man from the Marriage Foundation isn't a happy bunny about it, pointing out with brilliant hyperbole that it is a disgrace and Britain is languishing in shame at the bottom of the developed world league table for family stability.
I don't know if owned a florist shop selling carnations or maybe he had a job as a wedding photographer but he seemed very ticked off about it and the further revelation that the average newlywed is now 36 years old.
Seems i am in the minority then as i am one of those fast dwindling married people but i can think of two reasons that could put people off.
Firstly, unless you are a massive masochist, the wedding day itself is beyond stressful with so much to plan and arrange and so many people to keep happy while it goes by in a blur of champagne and crying bridesmaids that you do wonder why you didn't just nip off to another country and do a Britney Spears style secret wedding.
Secondly, on top of the stress the average UK wedding costs £33,884 and despite the ranting, the man from the Marriage Foundation won't be chipping in so saving until you are 36 seems about right considering the other grown-up activities such as rent/mortgage and having children.
Although there are some legal complications to common-law relationships, getting married is not essential to a loving relationship so i say unless the Marriage Foundation is going to help organise the flowers and act as usher or make a sizable donation to the day then they can tut all they like about languishing in shame because they're not invited.
Another MASH Star Bugs Out
Over the past few years the list of dying stars has been strangely long and the grim list of stars from one of my favourite comedy's, M*A*S*H* has been steadily growing and the sad list has been extended today with news that David Ogden Stiers who played surgeon Major Charles Emerson Winchester III has died aged 75.
The actor replaced Larry Linville's Frank Burns character after Linville left the show after six series.
To anyone over 40, M*A*S*H* was one of the most loved television series ever and regularly crops up in lists of best ever TV shows.
Set in the Korean War, such was the excellence of the show and feeling for the characters that it still appears on TV stations today despite ending 35 years ago.
As the show was around from 1972, most of the shows actors are now in their 70s and 80s so who have we lost so far from the 4077?
Hawkeye Pierce played by the brilliant Alan Alda is still with us as is Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan (Loretta Swit), Max Klinger (Jamie Farr), Radar (Gary Burghoff) and BJ Hunnicutt (Mike Farrell).
Hopefully it will be quite a while until we have to revise the list.
What They Should Teach At School But Don't
The National Curriculum is set by the Government and governs which subjects and standards are used by schools so children learn the same things. It covers what subjects are taught and the standards children should reach in each subject and are meant to set them up for life but there are many subjects that our children should be learnt which would be more useful in life but the students don't find out about until they have left education.
Thinking back to my own experiences, some of the things that i would have benefited from being taught at school were:
Taxes: Taxes are confusing enough with tax codes, rate bands, national insurance, expenses, Self-Assessment or PAYE and personal allowances and even a brief introduction could make paying your taxes a little simpler and help make the whole process smoother because i have spent a small fortune paying someone to do it all for me.
The Imperial System: Quite rightly the metric system ruled in my school and it is quite easy to pick up but once you get out into the World you come across people who continue to use the Imperial System and knowing how many centimetres are in a metre or grams in a kilogramme when you are faced with a carpet salesman asking you how many square feet you need or a market trader how many pounds of potatoes you want can be awkward. I cope by once being told that a standard door is 6ft which is almost 2m so when faced with imagining something 12ft tall for example, i imagine 2 doors on top of each other or 3ft is half a door. It's got me through so far but i always end up with too many or few potatoes as door sizes are no good for buying vegetables.
Cars: Cars can be incredibly unreliable but knowing how to change the oil or replace a spark plug or bulb would not only have saved me time but from paying a greasy man in overalls to charge me an extortionate amount for something that takes minutes to correct.
Computer Maintenance: When i was at school Computers were the domain of the nerds and floppies and Microsoft was the cruel nicknames for any boy who upset us and while i now know my way around Office and Email, being able to repair and maintain my own PC would have said me hundreds of grovelling trips to the IT Team at work when the useless beige box on my desk at home refuses to work properly.
Home Maintenance: Unless you are lucky enough to marry a handyman, at some point your property will need some work done and hiring a carpenter, electrician, or plumber can be an expensive hassle to fix something so small that it takes them longer to drink the strong, sweet cup of tea you made them then to fix the problem.
Self Defence: You never know when you might find yourself alone in an unsafe part of town, and knowing how to defend yourself is definitely a helpful skill to help you out of an unsafe situation when a kick in the assailants plums and running is not an option. You don't need to be trained to black-belt standard just enough to use a few techniques to protect yourself if the worst ever happens.
First Aid: Everyone gets a nosebleed at some point and you will simultaneously be told to hold your head forward, hold it back, pinch your nose, don't pinch your nose or as one person told me, just shove a tissue up your nostrils. The ability to treat a minor wound or injury can be invaluable or at best save getting blood all over your new blouse.
I'm sure there are many more things and we tend to pick them up as we need them as we go through life but knowing Pi or who was the third wife of King Henry VIII isn't going to help you complete your Tax Return or if you are choking on a peanut.
Trade War Blunder By Trump
If you ask a five times bankrupt businessman to run your business then you would not be surprised if he's decisions knackered your business so no surprise then that Donald Trump with his quintet of bankruptcies under his belt, has landed on a decision described by many on his own side as 'folly' and a 'blunder'.
Showing as little understanding of economics as he does of race relations, the non-tax paying commander-in-chief has announced steel imports would face a 25% tariff and aluminium 10% and tweeted that 'trade wars are good' as the International Monetary Fund said that the plan would damage America’s own economy whose exports of goods and services account for approximately 13% of US gross domestic product (GDP).
Immediately Canada and the EU said they would bring forward their own countermeasures with Mexico, China and Brazil also saying they will announce their own retaliatory steps.
Europe has hit back by stating that if the Americans impose tariffs on steel and aluminium, then they would treat American products the same way and pointed to imposing their own tariffs on American icons such as Harley-Davidson, Levi’s jeans and Kentucky bourbon if the trade war sparks off.
China have expressed 'grave concern' over the plans and said they would also take 'necessary measures against the USA' so with the rest of the World lining up to torpedo America's export market, the trade war may not be as good as Trump thinks.
With American steel and Aluminium more expensive, the costs of items from canned goods to automobiles with rise drastically and lead to massive job losses in America.
You wouldn't ask someone who had written off five of their own cars to drive your new car but America have put a man who has a career of disastrous economic decisions in charge of running their economy, so i wonder how's that's going to work out for them.
An Idiot Speaks
Reading through the Wikipedia page of Senator Lindsey Graham he sounds like a right idiot so i don't know how much weight his words carry or it is just the idiotic musings of a moron but he has come out and said that the damage caused by a US war with North Korea would 'be worth it'.
'If there’s going to be a war to stop Kim Jong-un, it will be over there. If thousands die, they’re going to die over there.
They’re not going to die here,” he said, adding 'And Trump told me that to my face'.
For his thousands read tens of millions as South Korea's population of 51 million would suffer the full arsenal of North Korea making it's away across the border as well Japans 127 million and the 25 million living in North Korea.
Graham’s comments make it look as thought Trump is considering military action against North Korea after its latest round of sanctions against North Korea for its nuclear and ballistic missile tests.
Following the Winter Olympics there seemed to be a thawing of relations and both the North and South Korea agreed to engage in dialogue but America seems intent on pricking any burgeoning friendship.
Hopefully Graham is not typical of the America politicians and is just speaking moronic nonsense but with an even bigger moron making the decisions nothing can be ruled out but South Korea may be well warned to tell their American buddies that as it is them who would suffer they won't think it 'worth it' and they should keep their big fat noses out of Korean business and if they weren't such warmongering imbeciles stomping around the world then nations wouldn't be so keen to build nuclear missiles to defend themselves against them.
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Biotech boost
PAREXEL International Corp.
BOSTON—Emerging biotech companies face an increasingly critical task of identifying and developing new medicines in a more cost-efficient, timely and simple manner than ever before. PAREXEL Biotech, a new, dedicated division of PAREXEL International Corp., attempts to support emerging biotech companies in reaching their drug development and commercialization goals quickly and cost-effectively. It combines the biopharmaceutical service company’s expertise and global infrastructure with a model tailored to this specific segment, providing enhanced strategic consulting and asset development capabilities through a new biotech-focused team and organizational structure.
The new division, which is being led by James Anthony, global head of biotech, and Graciela Racaro, global head of biotech operations, is designed to assist emerging companies in minimizing complexity, reducing costs and accelerating timelines. PAREXEL Biotech takes a consultative approach to develop tailored strategies that help companies achieve their objectives throughout the journey from discovery to proof of concept, development, registration and ultimately, commercialization.
PAREXEL Biotech includes the following services: global regulatory consulting, with over 50 former regulators from around the world and more than 1,000 regulatory experts on staff; strategy consulting led by Health Advances, a boutique consultancy with over 26 years of experience in the biotech sector; China Advisory Services to enable companies to participate in the growing, yet complex market opportunity within China; Quantitative Clinical Development and Genomic Medicine Services to optimize clinical success and maximize product value; and patient recruitment services said to provide 22 percent faster enrollment from first subject randomized to last subject randomized. Additionally, there are trial execution services, with completion rates historically 4 percent faster than industry averages from final protocol available to Clinical Study Report approved, and Real World Evidence programs informed by and connected to biotech stakeholder perspectives and requirements.
To solve challenges for emerging biotech companies, PAREXEL Biotech provides strategic guidance for challenging decisions, such as partnering options, indication selection, M&A, raising capital and competitive assessments, according to its website. The company focuses on developing strategies based upon an emerging company’s unique goals backed by PAREXEL’s track record.
Believing that starting with the end in mind is the best way to maximize a company’s chances of success, PAREXEL Biotech offers expert consultants to supply strategic, regulatory, development and market access guidance. That includes many former regulators, payers and business experts who can help emerging companies to optimize the value of their assets and chart the fastest, most efficient course to achieve business goals.
The new division takes a flexible approach to drug development. It can provide as much advice as is needed, customizing and scaling the approach specifically to meet a biotech company’s unique needs. It gives companies the opportunity to work with a single development partner across clinical development, providing regulatory and strategic consulting and commercialization expertise to keep a company’s study from stagnating in incomplete planning or missing pieces.
According to Anthony, “Today’s emerging biotech companies have an increasingly critical role in identifying and developing new medicines that truly serve as the innovative arm of the industry. However, these companies face significant pressures and challenges in terms of timelines, resources and funding to succeed. Our reputation for supporting clients gives us the opportunity to work on a wide variety of projects. So, no matter your drug’s method of action or therapeutic area, we’ve run trials with similar therapies and can guide you to appropriate sites and protocol definition.”
Racaro added, “We look forward to combining PAREXEL’s expertise and global infrastructure with an agile and efficient delivery model that is aligned to this specific segment, enabling emerging biotech companies to focus on their core capabilities and reach their strategic goals.”
“PAREXEL has been working to support biotech companies across the globe with clinical research services and regulatory consulting for many years, successfully accomplishing more than 650 projects in this space and developing a deep understanding of the needs of these companies,” summarized Peyton Howell, chief commercial and strategy officer for PAREXEL. “To build on our commitment to biotech success, we have grown our capabilities to include management and strategy consulting, pipeline development, value substantiation and evidence vetting. This enables us to provide experience, expertise and partnership throughout the biotech journey, and bring even greater value to this sector.”
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Title: Little Henry and His Bird
*** Start of this Doctrine Publishing Corporation Digital Book "Little Henry and His Bird" ***
HIS BIRD
NEW LONDON:
JOHN R. BOLLES.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1851, by John R.
Bolles, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Connecticut.
LITTLE HENRY AND HIS BIRD.
Little Henry took his book one day and went into the garden to study.
He sat where the arbor cast a pleasant shade, and he could smell the
fragrance of the flowers that he himself had planted. At times, he would
forget his book while listening to the music of the birds, or gazing at
the peonies and tulips, but he would soon think again of his lesson, and
commence studying with new zeal. He was to recite in an hour, so he had
wisely chosen a comfortable place, and bravely resolved to conquer his
lesson as soon as possible. All at once the yellow cat, which had been
watching on the wall, sprang at a beautiful red bird and tumbled down
with it at Henry's feet. He started and caught the bird away from the
furious cat, but some of its bright feathers were flying about on the
ground, and one wing was so hurt that it could not fly, so he ran into
the house and told the story to his mother. She pitied the poor little
thing, and brought an old cage from the garret, where, placing the bird
softly upon the perch, she fastened it in so as to have no more trouble
from the cat. It was well that Henry had learned his lesson, and was
able to repeat it to his mother, for now he could think of nothing but
the bird. He gathered chickweed and flowers to place in its cage, and
gave it water and some crumbs and seeds. For a long time it seemed too
ill to eat, and when at last it picked up a few seeds, he danced about
the room for joy.
Next day the little bird seemed better, for it ate seeds and crumbs,
and dipped its bill in the water. So Henry shut the cat into another
room, and placed the bird on the sill of the open window. He did not
suppose it was well enough to fly away, and he even fancied it would
never wish to leave him, but would live in his house and sing to him,
sit on his finger and be his own bird, and think itself the happiest of
birds, too, with such a friend and protector. The tall flowers growing
around the window, and the gentle breeze and sunshine, made it very
pleasant, and the little bird seemed to enjoy it, for raising its head
it sung as if delighted, and Henry was doubly delighted to think he
possessed such a treasure. By-and-by a bird like Henry's came and sat
on a rose bush, close to the open window, and sang a joyous strain. It
then flew away, and behold Henry's bird lifted up its wings and flew
away with it, and together they went to the top of a great oak tree,
and then there was such a singing as if all the birds were rejoicing
together. Henry stood alone at the window--his beautiful bird was
gone. The cage stood there with the cup of water and the seeds, but he
turned away his eyes, and covering his face with his hands, burst into
tears. His father came in, and seeing his grief, inquired the cause.
When Henry had told him, he took him on his knee and said, "My son, if
you should go away on an errand, and should get hurt by some furious
animal, so that you could not come back, we should all be in trouble,
and when you became able to return, we should be very happy. Shall we
not be glad, then, with the birds, because their lost one is found? You
may still hear it sing from the trees, and see its bright plumage as it
skips about the garden, and know that it is happier there than it would
be in confinement, where its song would seem to be--
"Thanks, little stranger, for all thy care,
But dearly I love the clear cool air;
And my snug little nest, on the old oak tree,
Is better than a golden cage to me."
Still, if you want something which will fly in the air, and yet return
when you wish it, be a good boy, and when I come home again I will bring
it for you." Henry no longer shed tears for the bird when he thought of
its being so happy in freedom.
All the afternoon he studied and worked and played as usual, often
wondering what it was that his father would bring him. At length sunset
came, and his father returned, bringing him a handsome kite, adorned
with painted pictures. "O, father," cried Henry, after he had joyfully
examined it, "may I go and play with it now?" "Not now," replied his
father, "but in the morning when the wind is fresh I will show you how
to raise it, and you may see it fly." Early the next morning Henry rose
while a faint star was still shining in at his window, and kneeling
down with a confiding heart, he repeated softly and slowly, his morning
prayer. He then took his kite and went down into the garden, where the
sun was just lighting up the dew-drops, making them shine like diamonds,
and the breeze was fresh and strong. In a few minutes his father
appeared, smiling at his promptness, and went with him into the field to
assist in raising his kite.
Proudly it soared away until the yellow star upon it looked smaller
than the morning star that had peeped in at Henry's window, and as they
watched it moving through the air like a bird, his father told him that
Benjamin Franklin, a philosopher, once tried an experiment with a kite,
by which he discovered the nature of lightning. Henry said he thought
Benjamin Franklin was a little boy that paid all his money away for a
whistle. "So he was," said his father, "but he learnt wisdom by his
mistakes, and that made him a philosopher." Henry wanted to hear all
about the experiment. So his father told him how Franklin made his kite
with an iron point at the top, and the string of hemp with the lower
part of silk, and a key fastened where the two were tied together, and
how he raised it in a thunder-storm, and the iron drew the lightning
which passed down the hemp-string to the key, but no further, because it
could not pass down a silken string; that he then drew it down so as
to touch the key, when he received a spark like that from an electrical
machine, which showed that electrical sparks are of the same nature as
lightning, which no one knew before, and which was a great and useful
discovery. Henry was pleased with the story, but when his father told
him that another man trying the same experiment afterwards, was killed
by the lightning, the little boy said that he should not care about
trying it himself.
Thus the time passed pleasantly until they returned to breakfast, and
when they heard the birds singing sweetly among the trees, Henry was
glad that his little red bird was among them, free and happy.
BETWEEN A CHILD AND BIRD.
Little bird, little bird, come to me!
I have a green cage ready for thee;
Many bright flowers I'll bring to you,
And fresh ripe cherries, all wet with dew.
Thanks, little stranger, for all thy care,
And my snug little nest on the old oak tree,
Is better than a golden cage to me.
Little bird, little bird, where wilt thou go
When the fields are all buried in snow?
The ice will cover the old oak tree--
Little bird, little bird, stay with me.
No, little stranger, God guides me,
Over the hills and over the sea--
I would be free as the morning air,
Chasing the sunshine everywhere.
*** End of this Doctrine Publishing Corporation Digital Book "Little Henry and His Bird" ***
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The Teen Tones (1) aka The Meloaires
Written by dion1 in *MELOAIRES on 20 November 2019 à 22:35
The Teen Tones (1) (Columbus, GA.)
aka The Meloaires
Gerald Powers (Lead)
Larry Kent
Gordon Barksdale
Bob Burnett
The Teen Tones (1)
1958 - Faded Love / Gypsy Boogie (Nu-Clear 1/Wynne 107))
The Meloaires
Single:
1958 - Indebted To You / You Know Baby (Nasco 6019)
Unreleased :
1958 - I'm So Glad (Nasco/Excello)
1958 - Don't Ever Get Married (Nasco/Excello)
The Teen Tones were a Vocal group included Gerald Powers, Larry Kent, Gordon Barksdale and Bob Burnett. All were students at Baker High School in Columbus, Ga. In early 1958, The teen Tones signing a recording contract with Sam Persons owner of Nu-Clear Records in Columbus.
They cut "Faded Love" b/w "Gypsy Boogie". The Teen-Tones' record will be the first edited by the company in February 1958. A few months later in the same year, they change their name to the Meloaires and recorded four songs for Ernie Young (founder of Nashboro, Nasco and Excello labels).
"Till The End Of The Dance" b/w "My Pretty Baby" appeared on Nashboro's, subsidiary label Nasco in September 1958. The Nasco label had success with the Crescendos in 1958 with a song called "Oh, Julie," which made the pop music Top 10. The company was a part of Excello rec Music who produced a great many doowop groups of the 50's.
Faded Love Gypsy Boogie
Indebted To You You Know Baby
I'm So Glad Don't Ever Get Married
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13-0326-EL-GAG
PERRY TOWNSHIP
CL-CLOSED
GAG-Certification Application for governmental aggregators
1 - 13 of 13 documents 1 / 1
08/22/2017 Notice of cancellation of Certificate No. 13-640E(2) issued. 4
01/03/2017 Opt-Out Notice to be sent to eligible residential and small commercial customers of Perry County electronically filed by Mr. Benjamin T Rich on behalf of FirstEnergy Solutions. 11
03/16/2016 Notice (Notice of Material Change) Pursuant to OAC 4901:1-21-11(B)(8), FirstEnergy Solutions Corp. is submitting changes to the contact information for the above referenced dockets electronically filed by Mr. Benjamin T Rich on behalf of FirstEnergy Solutions. 3
03/23/2015 Certificate No. 13-640E (2) issued. 4
03/05/2015 Notice of Material Change: Pursuant to OAC 4901:1-21-11(B)(8), FirstEnergy Solutions Corp. is submitting changes to the contact information for the above referenced dockets electronically filed by Mr. Benjamin T. Rich on behalf of FirstEnergy Solutions. 3
02/18/2015 Renewal application of Perry Township's (Columbiana) Application for Recertification of their Electric Aggregation Program, filed concurrently with a motion for extension of the old certificate. electronically filed by Mr. Benjamin T Rich on behalf of FirstEnergy Solutions. 36
02/18/2015 Motion for extension of the Township of Perry's (Columbiana) electric aggregation certificate to allow for a 30 day review of the new certificate without a lapse. and Memorandum in Support electronically filed by Mr. Benjamin T Rich on behalf of FirstEnergy Solutions. 4
03/20/2014 Opt-Out Notice - to be sent to residential and commercial accounts in the Perry Township aggregation program, electronically filed by Ms. Lyn Corliss on behalf of Perry Township (Columbiana County). 11
12/19/2013 Opt-Out Notice to be sent to residential and commercial accounts in the Perry Township aggregation program, electronically filed by Ms. Lyn Corliss on behalf of Perry Township. (Columbiana County) 11
10/03/2013 Opt-Out Notice - to be sent to residential and commercial accounts in the Perry Township aggregation program, electronically filed by Ms. Lyn Corliss on behalf of Perry Township, Columbiana County. 11
03/05/2013 Certificate 13-640E (1) issued. 3
01/29/2013 In the matter of the application of Perry Township for Governmental Agggregators filed by Benjamin Rich on behalf of Perry Township (Columbiana County). 36
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We help you get better deals.
Get availability in your area
to get the best deals on internet , cable , phone
Category Archives: AT&T
What AT&T® Has at Stake for the Streaming and Cable Industry
The best internet providers in the US are trying every bit to reduce the trait of cord cutting with newer offerings, even as new competitors have surfaced to rival them. Soon after the acquisition of Time Warner®, AT&T® announced the launch of streaming services, including one touted as a skinny bundle dubbed as “WatchTV”. The skinny bundle comes at a monthly cost of $15 and offers a select number of channels for binge-watchers to enjoy at their convenience. Further, the company has announced more streaming video services by 2018.
Another trait that followed suit was applicable to the cable industry as a whole. Some of the best internet providers, including AT&T®, have raised the price of their subscription-TV services by $5. The upcharge to the monthly cost of DIRECTV NOW® has made the cost of the pay-TV service of the Dallas-based Telco to $40 from $35. Another ISP or cable operator to have adopted a similar strategy earlier this year is Comcast®, who raised the price of their triple-play deals on XFINITY® by $5 per month.
Moreover, AT&T® reportedly increased the administrative fee they charge wireless subscribers from the previous 76 cents to $1.99. As per reports, the fee applied to subscribers who have contract-based wireless plans. The Telco giant has confirmed that the fee is applicable for the industry and that it helped cover costs incurred for maintenance of cell site and interconnection amid carriers.
The AT&T® Unlimited plans begin at $70 per month for a single line and range up to $160 per month for 4 lines with auto pay. Subscribers who sign up for the Unlimited plan also get a select number of cable channels aside from data, voice, and text. The number of channels is not just the forte – that is why it has the characteristic of a quadruple play package.
On the other hand, the WatchTV offers a limited channel lineup, including those of Turner Broadcasting System, which is part of AT&T® WarnerMedia. The skinny bundle provides a more flexible deal for independent users or those who feel cord cutting is the only way to stream programming. The acquisition also paved way for the best internet provider to control and deploy WarnerMedia content, which comprises popular shows on HBO® like Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, and True Detective.
ctp2016 Posted in AT&T Best Internet Provider, Best Internet Providers Leave a comment
AT&T® to Buy Digital Ad Exchange AppNexus for $1.6 Billion
Pay-TV Service Provider
It seems like one of the best internet providers in the US, AT&T® is on a buying spree. Recently, this telecom giant completed their merger with Time Warner® at $85 billion, and following that came the announcement that AT&T® is bidding to buy the digital ad exchange AppNexus for $1.6 billion.
Reports say that AT&T’s aim is to have deeper inroads with digital advertising by making use of the advertising technology of AppNexus. AT&T® has been having interest in digital advertising since this conglomerate became the largest pay-TV service provider in the US, following the acquisition of DirecTV® in 2015. After its merger with Time Warner®, AT&T® is said to be running a dedicated analytics and advertising segment that indicates that the company seems to be having more interest in digital advertising.
AT&T® is counting on digital advertising as a means to reduce the prices for the consumers, transferring a part of the content creation cost from the consumers to the advertisers. The telecom giant has a particular interest in databased advertising like addressable TV ads, mobile ads, and digital ads. AppNexus would possibly give the corporation a stronger position in the field of digital ad marketing.
Unlike some tech companies that work only for app developers and publishers for managing inventory, or for the marketers who purchase ads, the software platform AppNexus is known to carry out both these tasks. The digital ad marketing is a highly competitive zone, with Silicon Valley giants Facebook and Google dominating the space. As per the report by eMarketer in 2018, Facebook and Google are projected for holding 60 percent of the digital advertisement market in the United States of America. The wireless rival Verizon® by AT&T® has a distant third position in the digital ad market with the help of its Oath subsidiary that operates the erstwhile Yahoo! and AOL.
Even though AT&T® may play a small role in the digital ad market, it may still have many advantages. Firstly, the conglomerate can make use of its wireless data to much better target ads. In the digital ad market, the mobile data is the most difficult to obtain, as advertisers use traditional browser cookies for targeting consumers on the desktop don’t work universally on mobile devices.
AT&T® could be able to outwit this with wireless data used by 130 million consumers. In addition, the reach of AT&T® across channels including TV and mobile could build up a buying platform, which includes many ad formats including digital video and TV ads.
ctp2016 Posted in AT&T Best Internet Providers, Dish Network Packages Leave a comment
AT&T® Plans to Leverage Investments in FirstNet®
Safety Broadband Network
AT&T’s new plans include leveraging the company’s investment in FirstNet® for expanding its coverage in rural areas, solidifying its network and preparing cell sites for supporting 5G services through upgrades to software. In March last year, AT&T® was selected as the contractor of the nationwide public safety broadband network by the First Responder Network Authority. As per FirstNet® contract, AT&T® is responsible to build a broadband network for first responders, in exchange for commercial access to FirstNet’s 700-Megahertz spectrum and $6.5 billion grant that would be given on the condition that the fastest internet provider meets broadband deployment milestones.
Going by the contract, AT&T’s task is to provide a public safety broadband network to first responders. Yet, the CEO of AT&T® Communications, John Donovan, has said that the rural deployment of FirstNet® will not be limited to serving first responders only.
“If you look at where T-Mobile® in wireless and Verizon® in wireless are succeeding, they’re polar opposites — T-Mobile® much more urban, Verizon® much more rural,” Donovan said during an investor conference held in New York. “FirstNet® gives us a great opportunity to go into the rural markets. Not only will we be building the network for first responders, it dawned on us that we should also be putting up stores and going after the consumers. So, I think Verizon’s going to have their hands full with our strategy going forward in the more rural areas.”
Verizon® will have to compete with AT&T® for public safety customers during this year’s second half, said the CEO of AT&T® Communications. Most of the first responder agencies to have previously signed FirstNet® contracts were commercial subscribers of AT&T®. Yet again, the fastest internet provider anticipates public safety agencies to switch from Verizon Wireless® to FirstNet® for broadband internet services, Donovan said.
“The benefit for them is that not only do they get onto a dedicated core with a fallback on the commercial network, but they also get features like preemption and all of those sorts of things that provide them benefits,” he added. “We anticipate, starting this year, to build wireless-customer growth from those, because—as I’m sure you are aware—today the preponderance of that market share sits with Verizon®, and we anticipate a lot of that moving to [FirstNet®].”
The same sentiment was echoed by Randall Stephenson, the AT&T® CEO, at an investor conference held in Boston.
ctp2016 Posted in AT&T Best Internet Providers, Fastest Internet Provider Leave a comment
AT&T® Outlines Commercial Fixed Wireless 5G Deployment Strategies
As per the results of fixed 5G trials conducted in select cities, AT&T® anticipates 5G mobile services that operate on mmWave spectrum to have transmitters placed inside 150 to 250 meters from one site to the other. The current mobile broadband services of AT&T® are deployed through a network infrastructure, which operates on 700 megahertz to 2 gigahertz band. However, AT&T® plans to deploy 5G mobile services that rely on 39 GHz millimeter wave spectrum. This band not only offers higher speeds and lower latency rates of below 10 milliseconds, but also transmits signals almost as good as the airwaves of lower band.
The Chief Financial Officer of AT&T®, John Stephens, said that the officials of the best internet provider are persuaded by the outcomes of fixed 5G tests. “We’re seeing gigabit-plus speeds under line-of-sight conditions to distances up to 900 feet and with extremely low latency rates, some as low as 9 milliseconds,” he said during a quarterly earnings call of AT&T®. “These trials have shown that millimeter-wave [signals are] able to penetrate foliage, glass—and even walls—better than anticipated with no discernible signal performance impacts due to rain, snow or other weather issues.”
The Assistant VP of Radio Technology and Strategy at AT&T® Labs, Dave Wolster, said that the engineers of the company are certain that fixed wireless connections that operate on mmWave spectrum will deliver desired signals, even at ranges above 300 meters and under conditions favorable to line of sight communication. “With fixed wireless at millimeter wave, we have a lot of antenna gain to work with,” Wolter said. “At the base station, we have an antenna array of maybe 64 elements that are beam-forming, so they concentrate the energy in the direction of interest toward your user. The user also has an antenna array with higher gain than what you would have in a mobile device, and it uses higher power than typical mobile devices are using.”
The best internet provider expects fixed antennas to be placed outside of a construction window using Low-E glass, unlike how they used it inside of such windows in fixed 5G tests. “With millimeter waves, you lose quite a bit of power just going through a window, so we’re having to deal with that, as well. If you can put [the antennas] outside, you’ll get substantially more range, just because you don’t have that loss through the window,” Wolter added.
ctp2016 Posted in AT&T Best Internet, Cheap Internet Leave a comment
AT&T® Remains Confident About the Time Warner® Merger
AT&T-Time Warner Merger
One of the leading internet providers in the country, AT&T® is still holding discussions with the US Department of Justice about their planned $85.4 billion acquisition of Time Warner®. John Stephens, who is the CFO of the telecom giant, recently claimed that he is still confident that AT&T® will seal the deal soon.
In addition to that, the officials from the telecom company also disclosed that their online streaming service, DirecTV Now® recently hit the 900,000 subscriber mark. DirecTV Now® was launched by AT&T® back in November 2016 and these numbers indicate that the streaming service has already become a big success.
The officials from AT&T® said, “About half of these subscribers are cord-cutters or cord-nevers, with about 10 percent of those coming from AT&T’s DirecTV® and U-Verse® services. The other half has migrated from other traditional TV providers.”
In addition to that, Stephens also talked about their acquisition of Time Warner® and said, “We are in discussions with the DOJ.” However, he refused to share information regarding the recent discussions of AT&T® with the Department of Justice. Yet, he stated that the timing of the close of Time Warner® merger remains uncertain currently.
Online Streaming Service
Stephens said, “We continue to believe that the transaction will close. If you look at the antitrust history, the facts, law, the economics, [that leads to] the conclusion that we will be able to close.”
Reports from several sources had earlier claimed that AT&T® would be selling CNN, DirecTV®, or even the entire Turner cable networks unit of Time Warner® to close the merger between the two parties. Randall Stephenson, who is the CEO and Chairman of AT&T® responded to these false reports and said, “Irrespective of what you read yesterday, I have never been told that the price of getting the deal done is CNN. Period. And, likewise, I have never offered to sell CNN.”
The AT&T CEO also said that, “from an antitrust perspective, it’s illogical for me to think this deal doesn’t get approved.” It is reported that the US Department of Justice would most probably file a lawsuit in a few days to block the merger between the companies. Yet if the estimated deal is completed, the entertainment executive of AT&T®, John Stankey will most likely oversee Time Warner®, which means that he will be able to control HBO, CNN, and more networks.
ctp2016 Posted in AT&T Best Internet Provider, Internet Providers Leave a comment
AT&T® Will not Sell any Assets to Close the Time Warner® Merger
AT&T® -Time Warner® Merger
Randall Stephenson, the CEO of one of the best internet service providers in the country, AT&T® recently released an official statement, in which he confirmed that the telecom company would sell neither CNN nor its key assets to satisfy the demand of the Justice Department to close $85 billion their merger with Time Warner®.
AT&T® and the Justice Department are currently engaged in a war of words on whether the Trump Administration would approve the merger or not. The Trump Administration has been reviewing merger between both the parties for about a year now.
As a result, Stephenson recently stated that if there is zero progress on the ongoing negations, then the telecom giant would most likely seek the help of the court to protect their planned merger and to prevent the chances of any divestiture. In addition to that, Stephenson also expressed his frustrations over false reports that the telecom giant might be selling CNN.
He said, “I have never been told that the price of getting the deal done was selling CNN, period. And likewise, I have never offered to sell CNN.” A Justice Department source had insisted that AT&T® promised to trade CNN as part of the negations over the Time Warner® merger.
The sources also claimed that the Justice Department had informed AT&T® that they need to sell one of their important assets such as DirecTV® or Turner Broadcasting that includes CNN in order to get approved for the acquisition of Time Warner®.
High Speed Internet Service
Stephenson responded to these reports and he said that the telecom company should not be expected “to sell something larger.” He added, “It’s why you did the deal, it’s where the synergies come from. Selling the key franchises makes no sense, and those are the kind of things we’d move to litigation.”
The managing director of telecommunications policy at Cowen & Co, Paul Gallant said, “I expect the DOJ is concerned that AT&T® would abuse its new power with Time Warner® content and unfairly leverage Time Warner® content against its distributor rivals.”
However, a senior litigation analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence, Jennifer Rie commented that the Justice Department blocking the deal seems surprising. “From what we’re hearing, they’re at a stalemate,” she said. “The DOJ is staunchly sticking to structural remedies, and AT&T is staunchly against selling assets.”
ctp2016 Posted in AT&T Best Internet Service, Internet Providers Leave a comment
AT&T® to Use New LTE Technologies to Speed up Existing Networks
LTE-Advanced Technologies
It is true that the internet customers in the United States will soon be able to enjoy 5G in the near future, but that doesn’t mean that the LTE, the 4G technology that we love and know, is done, at least for now. LTE-Advanced, which is the name assigned to a number of innovative new technologies by leading internet providers, can still offer a better internet using experience to subscribers.
In a recent earnings call, the CFO of AT&T®, John Stephens announced that the telecom company would be deploying LTE-Advanced technologies to approximately 20 cities in the country and all the new networks will start to run by the end of this year. Reports from several reliable sources indicate that the telecom giant is eyeing to offer a maximum internet speed of 400 Mbps to their internet customers. The average internet speed available to customers due to the implementation of these new technologies is estimated to be around 40 Mbps, which is twice as high as the current average internet speed offered by AT&T®.
Officials from the telecom company also hinted that they are planning to combine three new technologies and use them for capacity upgrades and to deliver impressive internet speed. Some of the best internet providers in the country, including AT&T®, have been using the technology of carrier aggregation for quite a few years. This innovative technology efficiently combines more than one chunk of LTE spectrum across a wide range of frequencies, thereby allowing handsets to access and download data from different LTE bands at the very same time. 2CA, which aggregates two different carriers together, has already gained popularity among Americans.
LTE-Licensed Assisted Access
Another new technology pushed out by AT&T®, Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO), combines data streams from multiple antennas in order to boost the entire bitrate available to users. In addition to that, it also partners exceptionally well with carrier aggregation.
The final piece of the puzzle, LTE-Licensed Assisted Access (LAA) is critical, as it efficiently combines unlicensed 5 GHz spectrum with the usual LTE frequencies. This enables AT&T® to deploy small cell towers, which use 5 GHz in order to communicate with multiples devices in the close vicinity. This in turn significantly reduces the load on the traditional LTE network of AT&T®.
Experts believe that these technologies will be critically important during the rollout of 5G too. Therefore, incorporating the use of these technologies in the existing networks is certainly a smart move.
ctp2016 Posted in AT&T Best Internet, Internet Providers Leave a comment
AT&T’s U-Verse® Service to Become Unavailable on Web Browsers
U-Verse® Service Unavailable
The concept of live TV has shifted away from the traditional forms of viewing such as on a television set to more advanced platforms like smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Many of the TV and internet providers operating in the country have adjusted accordingly making sure that the contents are catered to and delivered across all mediums and not only on television. AT&T’s DirecTV Now® is one such live streaming service that has made available its service across a range of platforms. In view of this, AT&T U-Verse® will become unavailable through internet browsers from the next month onward.
Due to this, customers will no longer be able to access on-demand programming or stream live content using their internet browsers. An AT&T U-Verse® statement said, “In an effort to focus our U-Verse® streaming application development on core platforms, we will no longer support U-Verse® streaming via uverse.com effective October 31, 2017. We encourage our U-Verse® customers to take advantage of the other streaming applications available to them, including via the iOS and Android platforms.”
Streaming Application Development
AT&T U-Verse® has set forth this new move because of its decreasing investment in its legacy cable TV service. Besides, this service is also diverting many of its customers into another prominent streaming service owned by the Telco, DirecTV®. Last year the number of U-Verse® connections lost by AT&T® amount to approximately 1.4 million. Moreover, the streaming service has also lost a significant part of its customer base amounting to 428,000 connections in the first quarter of this year.
Customers who have left their U-Verse® connections have already subscribed to other AT&T® services like DirecTV® and DirecTV Now®. At the second quarter of the year, AT&T® had a TV subscriber base of about 25.2 million. Recently, the Telco has declared in a SEC filing that during the third quarter it has lost around 90,000 of its video subscribers. Due to this large drop out of subscribers, AT&T® has minimized the investments to keep up the streaming service particularly U-Verse®.
Previously, AT&T® considered shelving the U-Verse® service entirely. The Telco simply intends to focus its resources on many of its streaming services that are most popular amongst its subscriber base. It is not the first time that AT&T® decided to roll back the U-Verse® service. The Telco had rolled back the U-Verse® branded internet and phone service to improve its other services such as the AT&T® Internet and AT&T® Phone.
ctp2016 Posted in AT&T Fastest Internet Provider, Internet Providers Leave a comment
AT&T® and FirstNet Launch Developer Program to Ensure Public Safety
FirstNet Developer Program
AT&T®, one of the best internet service provider of the country, has joined hands with FirstNet to launch the first-ever developer program that is aimed at the first responders of the country. The program is to encourage and improve innovations that are aimed at public safety to equip first responders with the latest communication tools. The program also makes public safety responders closer to having their app store where they will be able to find solutions that are built to cater to their needs.
“This program will tap into the expertise and creativity of the developer community to drive innovation for public safety,” said CEO of FirstNet, Mike Poth. “It will also connect first responders with developers to create apps that will help them stay safe and save lives.”
The developer program is devised to offer apps to the FirstNet app store, offering public safety with a one-stop shop that provides secure and reliable solutions that are optimized for the FirstNet network. Based on the open and common standards, the developer ecosystem will act as an engine to have innovative, cost effective, and interoperable solutions for public safety.
“The FirstNet app ecosystem is an important building block as we work to modernize public safety’s communications tools and capabilities,” said Chris Sambar, senior vice president at AT&T®. “The FirstNet network will bring public safety the connectivity they need to communicate and collaborate. But it’s really what we’re able to build on top of that connectivity that will make the biggest difference in these brave men and women’s day-to-day operations.”
Public Safety Communications Tools
Through the developer program of FirstNet, developers can make public safety apps and customize them for the first responders. The developers will have access to specialized portal that house resources, which can help them crate, test, deploy, and maintain various applications for public safety. In addition to the programming tools like software development kits and application programming interfaces, the portal also offers guidelines to be followed while developing apps for public safety.
Some key focus areas for the potential developers are in-building mapping, situational awareness, telemetry solutions, and wearable devices, records management and field reporting, and forensic intelligence. The developer program will also provide collaboration between the developers and the first responders to offer mission critical apps aimed at public safety and tools to provide access to timely data. Both AT&T® and FirstNet will conduct challenges and events to support the collaboration.
“The developer program establishes a clear line of sight between public safety and app developers,” Sambar added. “It will help ensure the apps developed truly meet first responders’ field needs. It’s a really important thing that was missing from the market. Until now.”
ctp2016 Posted in AT&T Best Internet Service, Fastest Internet Provider Leave a comment
WRAL-TV And WRAZ Go Dark On AT&T U-Verse®
WRAL-TV And WRAZ Gone Dark
AT&T U-Verse® customers recently loss access to Fox affiliate WRAZ and Local NBC affiliate WRAL-TV. Reports from several reliable sources indicate that the blackout of these two popular channels is due to a dispute between the parent company of the stations, Capitol Broadcasting, and AT&T®. However, it seems that AT&T®, who is one of the best internet providers in the country, is currently trying to resolve the issues as soon as possible.
In their website, WRAL wrote, “Our channels are currently not airing on AT&T U-Verse®. Capitol Broadcasting Company stations WRAL and FOX 50 are affected and we apologize for the inconvenience to you. While we work to get this resolved, it’s always helpful, for you, the customer, to call AT&T U-Verse® and tell them you expect to get the channels you’re paying them for. That number is 1-800-288-2020.”
The website further said that users could watch the channels anytime over-the-air for free. “You can always watch WRAL/NBC and FOX 50/Fox Network for free in crystal clear HD with an over-the-air antenna, available at local big box stores or get one here. Other ways to watch WRAL: All WRAL newscasts are available live right here on WRAL.com or you can download the free WRAL channel app and stream the newscasts live on Roku, AppleTV and Fire TV,” the web page states.
During the outage of these channels, the TV screens of customers who are currently under AT&T U-Verse® carried the following message:
“The owner of this channel has removed it from the U-Verse lineup despite our request to keep it available to you. Visit att.com/fightingforyou for more information on this station’s return.”
In addition to that, a spokesman from AT&T U-Verse®, Josh Gelinas, blamed the parent company of WRAL for the outage. He added, “Capitol is deliberately stopping WRAL and WRAZ from reaching their homes until Capitol receives a significant increase in fees.”
In their full statement, AT&T® wrote, “We want to get WRAL and WRAZ back into our Raleigh, Durham and Fayetteville customers’ lineups as soon as possible. Doing so requires permission from their owner, Capitol Broadcasting, since FCC rules grant WRAL and WRAZ exclusive control over whether those stations remain available on U-Verse®.”
WRAL Channel App
“We share our customers’ frustration because Capitol is deliberately stopping WRAL and WRAZ from reaching their homes until Capitol receives a significant increase in fees even though the same people can still watch its shows for free over the air on channels 50 and 5 and, often, at nbc.com and fox.com or using the NBC and Fox Now apps,” the statement added.
Officials at AT&T® further said, “Capitol has blocked its stations from reaching our own and other providers’ customers before, while also threatening to disconnect others. All Capitol needs to do is grant its permission, and we can have WRAL and WRAZ back into our customers’ homes within moments. Our goal is to resolve this matter quickly and reasonably, and we appreciate our Raleigh, Durham and Fayetteville customers’ patience while we attempt just that.”
Customers who lost access to these couple of channels will miss a few important college football games that will air on Fox and WRAL on the weekend. In addition to that, the NFL football matches on the same channels on Sunday will also be unavailable to customers.
ctp2016 Posted in AT&T Best Internet Providers, Cheap Internet Leave a comment
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Tag / Rakesh Roshan
Hrithik Roshan staring ‘Kaabil’ movie releasing in China!
Kaabil to get a grand release in China Kaabil, is an Indian action thriller film brimmed with romance and emotions. This epic love chronicle stars Hrithik Roshan and Yami Gautam in the lead roles. It is a story of a specially abled couple; Rohan and Supriya, who lead a blissful married life. But their happiness...
Hrithik Roshan Rakesh Roshan
Hrithik Roshan Craves Challenges
New Delhi – On screen, he has portrayed difficult roles ranging from a blind man to a quadriplegic and a mentally disabled character, and actor Hrithik Roshan says he doesn’t rule out going behind the camera as he loves challenges. Asked if he sees himself directing in the future, Hrithik told Desi-Box l: “I love acting,...
Akshay Kumar film to clash with Shah Rukh Khan next How Akshay SRK box office clashes played out earlier
Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar’s films to clash at the box office for the third time. As Toilet Ek Prem Katha goes head-to-head with Imtiaz Ali’s next, here’s how SRK and Akshay clashes have played out. Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar’s films to clash at the box office for the third time. As Toilet...
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Ranveers act in Bajirao Mastani stirred me says Hrithik
Actor Hrithik Roshan says the level of competition in Bollywood is great, and he feels it motivates one to push the envelope. The actor, who is awaiting the release of “Kaabil”, also lauded actor Ranveer Singh, especially for his performance in “Bajirao Mastani”. “When I saw Ranveer Singh in ‘Bajirao Mastani’, it really...
Hrithik Roshan Rakesh Roshan Ranveer Singh
Rakesh Roshan is planning on making Krrish 2
Rakesh Roshan has not taken the debacle of Kites lightly. Highly disappointed with the failure, he gears up to bring back son’s career on the track. He is looking forward to the sequel of Krrish 2. Hrithik Roshan will again play a superhero in the flick. A source said, "The meetings for the sequel have...
Hrithik Roshan Kites Rakesh Roshan
Rakesh Roshan puts Krissh sequel on hold
It looks like James Cameron’s “Avatar” has affected Bollywood in unexpected ways. Director Rakesh Roshan is having second thoughts about making the sequel to “Krrish” after watching the Hollywood sci-fi saga. However, he thinks it is possible to create effects on par with Hollywood. “I saw the film (‘Avatar’) in Los Angeles. And it certainly...
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Weekend riders out to ask local election candidates to support cycling
Riders set off in Cambridge to ask their candidates to support cycling.
By TomGuha
In the lead up to local elections, voters around the country cycled out to ask their candidates to support cycling. Cycling UK's Infrastructure Campaigner, Tom Guha reports.
As local elections approach on 3 May, cycling groups around the country are riding out to ask their candidates to pledge to support cycling. Below is a summary of the rides that have taken place so far:
In Cambridge, Camcycle gathered around forty people outside the railway station before heading off on a loop around the city centre. Local MP Daniel Zeichner waved the group off from the starting line, calling Camcycle "the premier campaigning organisation in Cambridge." He went on to highlight a few key problems in the city, picking up specifically on the issue of cycle parking, saying "it will be very difficult to persuade people to take up cycling if every journey is doubled by the time it takes to find a cycle stand." A video of the ride can be found below:
Riders gathered outside the municipal buildings in Crewe as part of their 'Crewetical Mass' Space for Cycling event. Ben Wye helped to organise the event with his CreweACT group and sent through the picture below of a very similar bike ride in the same location in 1965. I wonder how supportive councillors were of cycling back then!
Around 100 people gathered in St George's Square to secure commitments from candidates to improve cycling. Candidates from all parties came along and offered their support. John Lewis, of the Kirklees Cycle Campaign said, "The event was a breath of fresh air. The last few years have been a struggle but we are finally beginning to see cycling form a more central part of the local political debate - I am hopeful that following the local elections, we can begin to be a bit more ambitious with cycling in Kirklees."
The Huddersfield Examiner reported on the event and put together a short film.
In Leeds, boundary changes mean that all council seats are up for election in a city where councillors are usually elected by thirds each year. The Leeds Cycling Campaign gathered over forty people in Victoria Square to secure the support from as many candidates as possible for improved cycling. Cycling UK's Head of Campaigns, Duncan Dollimore, was at the event. He said, "Our national vision of a country where everyone can cycle requires buy-in at all political levels.The election in Leeds of all council seats is a crucial opportunity for the city to start its cycling revolution and pave the way to get Britain cycling.”
Ahead of the local elections, Leeds Cycling Campaign are trying to get all candidates to pledge to support a motion that would commit the council to plan, invest in and build a comprehensive network of cycleways. You can take action on their website.
A third of council seats are up for election in Portsmouth. Cycling has been a big issue in the city, since the tragic death of Tim Atkins, who was killed cycling home last year. Cycling UK's Infrastructure Campaigner, Tom Guha, was at the event. Speaking to those present, he said, "It is sad that it took such a tragic event to raise the profile of cycling in this city. The council has done a lot of work to make conditions better but more always needs to be done. As a third of the council's seat potentially change hands, it is our duty to ensure whoever is elected carries on championing the good work that has been started."
Read more in the Portsmouth News report.
200 riders braved the rain and cold to pedal around Sheffield city centre with Cycle Sheffield. As the city prepares to elect its first ever metro mayor for the South Yorkshire region, plus new councillors, a lot is at stake in determining the future of cycling in the city. Cycle Sheffield has already received commitments from many of the mayoral candidates and are hopeful that, whoever is elected, the new political figurehead will help to trigger some positive changes.
In Thirsk, local resident Jacqueline Green organised a ride along the A61 between Thirsk Railway Station and Carlton Miniott Primary School to raise awareness of the need for safe cycling facilities on the road.
In typical fashion, Pedal on Parliament mobilised thousands of people to pedal out across the three cities of Aberdeen, Inverness and Edinburgh! The record-breaking cyclist Mark Beaumont led the ride in Edinburgh. He said: "While I believe progress has been made over the past seven years to make Scotland a safer country to cycle in, it is massively important that our MSPs understand how vital safer roads and better infrastructure are for everyone.
"It's only through a mindset of sharing roads and respect for everyone that we will see more adults and children feeling safe enough to cycle as part of their everyday lives."
Campaigner and activist Space for Cycling Vote Bike Local Cycle Campaigning
Can Newcastle be a cycle-friendly city for kids? View
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cP-RNA-Seq
2′,3′-cyclic phosphate (cP) RNA Sequencing
2′,3′-cyclic phosphate (cP) RNA sequencing (cP-RNA-Seq) is a method to isolate and sequence RNA species protected by cP at their 3′ terminus, which usually prevents adapter ligation (Honda et al., 2016). The researchers originally developed this technique to identify transfer RNA (tRNA) species that generate sex hormone_dependent tRNA-derived RNAs (SHOT-RNAs) in human breast cancer cells, but it can be used for other RNA species protected by cP at the 3′ end (Honda et al., 2015). Total RNA from samples is isolated and gel-purified to the desired length. This mixture contains RNA species with 3′ hydroxy, 3’phosphate, and 3′-cP. Phosphatase treatment removes phosphates from the 5′ and 3′ ends. The RNA is treated subsequently with periodate to cleave the 3′-hydroxyl ends into 2’3′-dialdehydes, while leaving the 3′-cP ends intact. RNA strands with 2’3′-dialdehydes at their 3′ terminus are inert to adapter ligation. Strands with 3′-cP are cleaved with T4 polynucleotide kinase (PNK) and ligated to sequencing adapters. After flanking both ends with adapters, the RNA strands are reverse-transcribed, amplified, purified, and sequenced.
Selective isolation, amplification, and sequencing of RNA species protected by cP
Considerable improvement in efficiency and specificity compared to an earlier method using recombinant tRNA ligase and multiple gel purifications (Honda et al., 2016).
False positives will arise when sequencing RNA species with 2′-O-methylribose modificationsãsuch as plant miRNAs, plant and animal short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), and animal PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs)ãdue to periodate cleavage specificity
None available yet
Honda S., Loher P., Shigematsu M., et al. Sex hormone-dependent tRNA halves enhance cell proliferation in breast and prostate cancers. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2015;112:E3816-3825
Edit: cP-RNA-Seq
History: cP-RNA-Seq
2',3'-cyclic phosphate (cP) RNA Sequencing
2',3'-cyclic phosphate (cP) RNA sequencing (cP-RNA-Seq) is a method to isolate and sequence RNA species protected by cP at their 3' terminus, which usually prevents adapter ligation (Honda et al., 2016). The researchers originally developed this technique to identify transfer RNA (tRNA) species that generate sex hormone_dependent tRNA-derived RNAs (SHOT-RNAs) in human breast cancer cells, but it can be used for other RNA species protected by cP at the 3' end (Honda et al., 2015). Total RNA from samples is isolated and gel-purified to the desired length. This mixture contains RNA species with 3' hydroxy, 3'phosphate, and 3'-cP. Phosphatase treatment removes phosphates from the 5' and 3' ends. The RNA is treated subsequently with periodate to cleave the 3'-hydroxyl ends into 2'3'-dialdehydes, while leaving the 3'-cP ends intact. RNA strands with 2'3'-dialdehydes at their 3' terminus are inert to adapter ligation. Strands with 3'-cP are cleaved with T4 polynucleotide kinase (PNK) and ligated to sequencing adapters. After flanking both ends with adapters, the RNA strands are reverse-transcribed, amplified, purified, and sequenced.
False positives will arise when sequencing RNA species with 2'-O-methylribose modificationsãsuch as plant miRNAs, plant and animal short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), and animal PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs)ãdue to periodate cleavage specificity
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Items where Author is "Chowdhury, S"
James, N and de Bono, J and Spears, M and Clarke, NW and Mason, M and Dearnaley, D and Ritchie, A and Amos, C and Gilson, C and Jones, R and Matheson, DJ and Millman, R and Attard, G and Chowdhury, S and Cross, W and Gillessen, S and Parker, C and Russell, M and Berthold, D and Brawley, C and Adab, F and Aung, S and Birtle, AJ and Bowen, J and Brock, S and Chakraborti, P and Ferguson, C and Gale, J and Gray, E and Hingorani, M and Hoskin, P and Lester, J and Malik, Z and McKinna, F and McPhail, N and Money-Kyrle, J and O'Sullivan, J and Parikh, O and Protheroe, A and Robinson, A and Srihari, N and Thomas, C and Wagstaff, J and Wylie, J and Zarkar, A and Parmar, M and Sydes, M (2017) Abiraterone for Prostate Cancer Not Previously Treated with Hormone Therapy. The New England journal of medicine, 377 (4). pp. 338-351. ISSN 0028-4793 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1702900
James, ND and Sydes, MR and Clarke, NW and Mason, MD and Dearnaley, DP and Spears, MR and Ritchie, AWS and Parker, CC and Russell, JM and Attard, G and De Bono, J and Cross, W and Jones, RJ and Thalmann, G and Amos, C and Matheson, D and Millman, R and Alzouebi, M and Beesley, S and Birtle, AJ and Brock, S and Cathomas, R and Chakraborti, P and Chowdhury, S and Cook, A and Elliott, T and Gale, J and Gibbs, S and Graham, JD and Hetherington, J and Hughes, R and Laing, R and McKinna, F and McLaren, DB and O'Sullivan, JM and Parikh, O and Peedell, C and Protheroe, A and Robinson, AJ and Srihari, N and Srinivasan, R and Staffurth, J and Sundar, S and Tolan, S and Tsang, D and Wagstaff, J and Parmar, MKB (2015) Addition of docetaxel, zoledronic acid, or both to first-line long-term hormone therapy in prostate cancer (STAMPEDE): Survival results from an adaptive, multiarm, multistage, platform randomised controlled trial. The Lancet, 387 (10024). 1163 - 1177. ISSN 0140-6736 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(15)01037-5
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Mercedes unveils electric sibling for flagship S-Class
Admin September 10, 2019 Automobile
Samsung kicks off 2020 with array of gadgets
Tesla deliveries set record
BMW beats Mercedes in US first time since 2015
Mercedes-Benz gave car buyers a glimpse of the top-end of its electric model plans, showing off a sleek silver battery-powered concept version to complement the flagship S-Class sedan.
So far luxury cruisers have remained a mainstay for traditional combustion-era heroes, with only plug-in hybrids available for the likes of BMW 7-Series or the recently revamped Audi A8.
Mercedes-maker Daimler AG’s plans for at least 10 purely battery-powered cars through 2022 will give the manufacturer the right lineup to meet stricter European emissions rules, Chief Executive Officer Ola Kallenius told reporters in Frankfurt. However, meeting the targets was a “substantial challenge” because consumer demand “can’t be mandated.”
The world’s bestselling luxury-car maker introduced the EQC electric sport utility vehicle last year, its first model to challenge U.S. electric-car market leader Tesla Inc. It followed up with a battery-powered version of the V-Class minivan this year and has shown a prototype EQA compact.
The S-Class, favored by wealthy managers and politicians the world over, has for decades delivered premium profits to Mercedes. The future for stellar returns on powerful and heavy sedans is darkening with the need to cut fleet emissions, with heavy fines looming in Europe.
Mercedes didn’t say when the car will be on sale, but outlined a real-world driving range of 700 kilometers (435 miles), and a battery that can charge to 80% in less than 20 minutes. The car also offers highly-automated driving on highways.
The interior features traditional and new materials, like white microfiber made from plastic bottles combined with maple. The roof material is a textile created with recycled ocean waste.
Daimler was one of the first manufacturers to warn of the growing headwinds triggered by the US-Chinese trade spat. Homegrown problems have also beset the world’s biggest luxury carmaker, like production hiccups of the popular GLE SUV alongside growing regulatory scrutiny over its diesel emissions that have torpedoed the company’s earnings forecasts.
Previous Huawei, Samsung’s new 5G chips a threat to Qualcomm
Next Uganda needs $3.5bn to expand electric network
Lexus confronts midlife crisis
Big red bows and the “December to Remember” tagline of year-end Lexus ads have become ...
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Canadian Film Page
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First Place Finnish
Travel: Celebrating Finland’s 100th anniversary
Rod Mickleburgh returns to the land of his ancestors to discover an almost genetic propensity to fight for social justice and a rather bizarre predilection for odd sports
By Rod Mickleburgh
You may have missed it, but the land of my ancestors recently celebrated it’s centennial. On Dec. 6, 1917, small but mighty Finland officially severed itself from Russia, becoming an independent country for the first time. Russia’s new Bolshevik rulers did not protest. I remember leafing through one of my great aunt’s photo albums and seeing a grainy picture of the raising of the Finnish flag in their small community for the first time. A bit more than two and a half years after independence, my mother was born in the fishing/farming village of Sideby. When I first visited “the relatives” in the winter of 1971, I was given the very room where her birth took place. Under the mountain of blankets my two great aunts supplied, I remember going to sleep that night looking at the same walls that oversaw my mother’s first breath of life and pondering the chains of existence. Because my great-grandfather August Jossfok, a rough-looking, bearded fellow in big boots, and a young woman down the road, Ida Mathilda Karlsdottor, found favour with each other 130 years ago, I am here today. (My grandmother’s family was from the small farming community of Karperö, further north.)
My mother’s family are Swede-Finns, part of the predominantly Swedish-speaking communities that line the Gulf of Bothnia, left over from the several hundred years when Finland was part of imperial Sweden. In the old days, Swede-Finns spoke only Swedish. When the family left for Canada in 1928, my mother didn’t know a word of Finnish. Few outside Finland realize that the country remains officially bilingual, although mixed-marriages and migration to Sweden have reduced those for whom Swedish is their first language to barely 6 percent of the population.
In fact, there is probably much else people don’t know about Finland, besides saunas, Sibelius (a Swede-Finn, incidentally), the prowess of its hockey players and its remarkable education system, which consistently produces student results among the best in the world. Herewith, in honour of Finland’s 100th birthday, are a dozen things you might like to know about a country that has punched above its weight for a long time, and continues to march to its own drummer. (Even before independence, Finland had been the first jurisdiction in Europe to give women the right to vote, in 1906–10 years before good old Canada.) First, some history.
Thousands of “Red Finns” left their divided homeland, now in the hands of the vengeful Whites, and emigrated to Canada. Many found work in the logging camps and mines of northern Ontario. The new arrivals did not leave their politics behind. A number became political activists and radical union organizers.
The fierce polarized politics of early Finland were frightful. Immediately after independence, conservative Whites and socialist Reds duked it out for ascendancy, resulting in a short, brutal civil war that claimed 36,000 lives in a country of just three million people. With the critical assistance of several thousand German troops, the Whites were victorious.
The bitterness of the civil war had a tangible impact on far-away Canada. Thousands of “Red Finns” left their divided homeland, now in the hands of the vengeful Whites, and emigrated to Canada. Many found work in the logging camps and mines of northern Ontario. The new arrivals did not leave their politics behind. A number became political activists and radical union organizers. In 1929, Janne Voutilainen and Viljo Rosvall “drowned” while trying to organize some nearby loggers. Most believe they were murdered by anti-union thugs. Their funeral was the largest ever held in Thunder Bay, which retains a Finnish flavor even today, most notably with the venerable, 100-year old Hoito restaurant, still on the bottom floor of the Finnish Labour Temple. My grandfather was also among the “Red Finn” contingent, but thankfully, he brought his family to Vancouver.
Shredding the neo-con argument that taxes and government get in the way of economic development, Finland’s per-capita income has more than held its own among other Western industrialized countries.
In World War II, Finland was an ally of Germany. Hitler made a brief visit in 1942 to wish the country’s military leader, Carl Gustaf Mannerheim, a happy 75th birthday. The previous year Finnish forces had attacked the Soviet Union to regain territory lost to the USSR during the Winter War. After some initial success, the venture ended disastrously. After the war, the Soviets exacted heavy reparations, claimed a chunk of border territory, and took jurisdiction over a strategic peninsula not that far from Helsingfors (as Swede-Finns call the capital) until 1956. Finland was also required to remain “neutral” in world affairs, a position they scrupulously maintained until the collapse of the Soviet Union.
During the post-war years, Finland established one of the most extensive state social services systems in the world, believing, along with other Nordic countries, that governments have a duty to intervene on behalf of their citizens. Shredding the neo-con argument that taxes and government get in the way of economic development, Finland’s per-capita income has more than held its own among other Western industrialized countries. In 2016, the World Economic Forum ranked tiny Finland first in terms of World Human Capital. Other international reports found Finland the most stable country in the world from 2011-2016, and second best in terms of the gender gap. As baseball broadcaster Mel Allen used to say: “How about that?!”
In 1929, Janne Voutilainen and Viljo Rosvall “drowned” while trying to organize some nearby loggers. Most believe they were murdered by anti-union thugs. Their funeral was the largest ever held in Thunder Bay, which retains a Finnish flavor even today, most notably with the venerable, 100-year old Hoito restaurant, still on the bottom floor of the Finnish Labour Temple.
Finland has military conscription. All my male cousins, on turning 18, had to interrupt their education to serve at least six months with the Finnish army. Coalition governments are the order of the day. For many years (until 2015), the small Swedish People’s Party (Svenksa Folkpartiet), supported by just about all of my relatives, was part of the government.
Easy to lick: Touko Laksonen’s stamp features homoerotic artwork that you can stick to any package.
In 2014, Finland became the first, and so far, only country to put homoerotic drawings by a gay artist on its stamps. They were the work of the artist known as Tom of Finland (Touko Lasksonen), subject of a recent bio-pic this year by director Dome Karukoski. (The one above is the mild one.)
Of course, Finland isn’t perfect. Alcoholism remains a big problem, no doubt contributing to the country’s relatively high homicide rate, while youth unemployment is stuck at around 20 per cent. And, as in most European countries, anti-immigration sentiment has become an issue, fueling the growth of a worrisome, nationalist party. The good news, however, is that political leaders banded together in June to freeze out the Finns Party, after it elected a hard-line, anti-immigration leader. Twenty elected members of the party left to help the coalition government maintain its majority. “This decision will likely ruin our political careers, but we are determined to do this,” they said in a statement. “Today, we are not politicians, but we are doing this for the fatherland’s sake.” How rare is that in today’s political world?
In the final of the world hockey championship in 2011, playing against their loathed, arch-rivals, Finland whacked neighbouring Sweden 6-1. It was the greatest triumph in the history of Finnish hockey.
Believe it or not, the national sport of Finland is not hockey, but baseball. However, banish any thought of the North American version of rounders. The Finns call it Pesäpallo, and the rules seem to come from outer space. Would anyone else other than the fun-loving Finns have three designated players on each team called “Jokers”? You think cricket is complicated? It takes this guy more than five minutes to explain all the ins and outs of Pesäpallo. Unlike any sport you’ve ever seen.
Well, maybe not. There’s also the Finns’ fondness for fen football, otherwise known as swamp soccer. The august New York Times had a hard time taking it seriously, headlining their story on the competitive bog slog: “Finland has a sports screw loose.” This from a country that relishes bowling. But never mind. Read about it here. Try hard not to laugh.
12. Last, but certainly not least: according to the Guinness World Records, the 19-letter Finnish word saippuakivikauppias (a soapstone vendor), is the world’s longest palindromic word in everyday use. That prompted my friend Lorne Slotnick to ponder: “Why would the word for a soapstone vendor be in “everyday use”?” And the answer is: Because it’s Finland!
Happy 100th birthday, land of my mother’s birth, and a Hyvää Joulua to you all.
For more Mickleburgh, you can check out the Ex-Press archives or visit Mickleblog.
Photo above: Bog soccer combines mud wrestling with the beautiful game to create a homely sport.
THE EX-PRESS, December 27, 2017
Mickleburgh
Red Finns
White Finns
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Expertise in Gout: HELP
Jane C. Richardson
Based on 9 articles published since 2010
(Why 9 articles?)
HideThe current database of articles was compiled on:
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The expertise of Jane C. Richardson ranks in the
Top 1.7%
... of 12,159 published authors worldwide on Gout
... from 2010 through 2020
... based on contributions to 9 articles on the topic.
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About your page.
Aliases Richardson, Jane C · Richardson, Jane
Most likely: University of Keele
Research Institute for Primary Care and Health Sciences, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK. · Research Institute for Primary Care and Health Sciences, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK; Haywood Academic Rheumatology Centre, Haywood Hospital, Stoke-on-Trent, UK. · Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand. · Research Institute for Primary Care and Health Sciences, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK; Haywood Academic Rheumatology Centre, Haywood Hospital, Stoke-on-Trent, UK. Electronic address: · Pubmed 29398125
Research Institute for Primary Care and Health Sciences, Keele University, Keele, Staffs., ST5 5BG, UK. · Research Institute for Primary Care and Health Sciences, Keele University, Keele, Staffs., ST5 5BG, UK. · Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Gibson Building, 1st Floor, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK. · Pubmed 27267878
Research institute for primary care and health sciences, Keele university, ST5 5BG Staffordshire, United Kingdom. Electronic address: · Research institute for primary care and health sciences, Keele university, ST5 5BG Staffordshire, United Kingdom. · Pubmed 27068619
Research Institute of Primary Care and Health Sciences, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK. · Research Institute of Primary Care and Health Sciences, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK. · Pubmed 26245722
Research Institute for Primary Care and Health Sciences, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK. · Research Institute for Primary Care and Health Sciences, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK. · Research Institute for Primary Care and Health Sciences, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK. · Research Institute for Primary Care and Health Sciences, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK. · Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Gibson Building, 1st Floor, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK. · Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Gibson Building, 1st Floor, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK. · Research Institute for Primary Care and Health Sciences, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK. · Pubmed 26710971
Research Institute for Primary Care and Health Sciences, Keele University, Keele, UK. · Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, Oxford University, Oxford, UK. · Pubmed 26369796
Research Institute for Primary Care and Health Sciences, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire ST5 5BG UK. · Division of Rehabilitation & Occupation Studies, Health & Rehabilitation Research Institute, AUT University, Auckland, 1020 New Zealand. · Pubmed 26207143
Arthritis Research UK Primary Care Centre, Keele University, Keele ST5 5BG, UK. · Pubmed 23934311
Arthritis Research UK Primary Care Centre, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK. · Pubmed 23148573
Specific Interests
In the titles of their published articles, experts often reveal their very specific interests.
Here are the titles of all articles written by Jane C. Richardson in 2010-2020 about Gout:
Health-related quality of life in gout in primary care: Baseline findings from a cohort study. 2018
A joint effort over a period of time: factors affecting use of urate-lowering therapy for long-term treatment of gout. 2016
Gout characteristics associate with depression, but not anxiety, in primary care: Baseline findings from a prospective cohort study. 2016
"You want to get on with the rest of your life": a qualitative study of health-related quality of life in gout. 2016
"Why me? I don't fit the mould … I am a freak of nature": a qualitative study of women's experience of gout. 2015
Mapping patients' experiences from initial symptoms to gout diagnosis: a qualitative exploration. 2015
Foot problems in people with gout in primary care: baseline findings from a prospective cohort study. 2015
Health-related quality of life in gout: a systematic review. 2013
Prospective observational cohort study of Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL), chronic foot problems and their determinants in gout: a research protocol. 2012
Show List of Full Article Records
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Richardson site:keele.ac.uk
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Yearly article counts 0 0 1 0 3 3 0 1 1 0 0
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about SpinGym
Team SpinGym
Corporate SpinGym
Shop SpinGym
National Fitness Hall of Fame
In 2010 I was inducted….
“Fitness Legends Gather for Memorable Occasion”
March 14, 2010 – Addison, Illinois
Many legendary fitness professionals were on hand to help celebrate the 5th anniversary of the National Fitness Hall of Fame’s Induction Ceremony as nearly 200 people packed the Shiners’ banquet facility in Addison, IL on the 14th of March.
NFHOF Founder John Figarelli, “I am both proud and honored to bring together so many quality fitness professionals and have the Hall of Fame recognize their wonderful careers.
In attendance were Bill Pearl, Fred Schutz, Terry Todd, Ph.D, David P. Webster, Esther Gutierrez-Sloan, Melissa Orth Fray, Dr. Joseph C. Maroon, MD and Forbes Riley. (Dr. Bob Delmonteque was unable to attend because of illness).
One audience member proclaimed, “This year’s event was EXCELLENT in every respect! The venue, the menu and all the fine people you brought together all added up to a most memorable experience.”
Dr. Bob Goldman, 2006 HOF inductee, helped co-host the event and present Bill Pearl, five-time Mr. Universe and the most widely traveled Mr. America with the this year’s “Lifetime Achievement Award.” The always helpful, Del Reddy received the “Volunteer of the Year” Award.
For the past five years, the HOF event was held in conjunction with the “Don of Sports” Awards Dinner. This year, Don Figarelli honored Addison resident, Rick Aiello and Joliet native, Frank “Rudy” Ruettiger. At the end of the evening, an attendee commented, “I had a ball, thank you so much for everything!”
Forbes Riley2017-08-12T15:49:08-04:00
Copyright © 2015 SpinGym, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Powered by: michaelpharrold.com | Erben Ventures | SEOTampa-Bay
Motivational Keynote Speaker
http://forbesfactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Forbes-Riley-4P.mp4
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Best Buy > Video Game Console & Games > Sonny With A Chance - Pre-owned - Nintendo Ds
Sonny With A Chance - Pre-owned - Nintendo Ds
It's time to take your chances in a game loaded with adventure, random events and even wacky powerups like a whip cream pie and a banana peel. Based on the hit Disney television show, Sonny with a Chance, this game lets you enter the hilariously zany world of Sonny, Tawny, Nico, Grady and Zora where anything can happen. Join your favorite cast of characters for an exciting time loaded with mini games, random events and a chance for anything to go right or wrong. With the Sonny with a Chance video game, you can complete more than 40 mini games inspired by episodes from the hit TV show. Comical whip cream pies, party tickets, banana peels and more fun items allow you to power up your character. Custom costumes help your characters come to life and let you feel like you are in the TV show with the cast. Navigate five game boards, modeled after sets from various episodes to make you feel like the show has come to life right on your DS.
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St. Joseph in the Kingdom of the Divine Will
Saint Joseph in the Kingdom of the Divine Will
Saint Joseph, you will be my protector, the guardian of my heart, and will keep the keys of my will in your hands. You will keep my heart jealously and shall never give it to me again, that I may be sure of never leaving the Will of God.
Book of Heaven
J.M.J.
In the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Out of pure obedience, I begin to write.
You know, oh! Lord, the sacrifice it costs me, such that I 0 submit myself to a thousand deaths rather than write one single line of the things that have passed between me and You. Oh! my God, my nature trembles, it feels crushed and almost undone at the mere thought of it. O please! give me strength, oh! Life of my life, that I may do the holy obedience! You who have given inspiration to the confessor, give me the grace to be able to execute what is commanded of me.
Oh! Jesus, oh! Spouse, oh! my strength - to You I rise, to You I come, into your arms I introduce myself, I abandon myself, I rest. O please! relieve me in my affliction and do not leave me alone and abandoned! Without your help, I am sure I will not have the strength to do this obedience that costs me so much - I will let myself be defeated by the enemy, and I fear of being crushed by You, justly, because of my disobedience.
O please! look at me, again and again, oh! Holy Spouse, in these arms of yours – see by how much darkness I am surrounded; it is so thick as to allow not even one atom of light to enter into my soul. Oh! my mystical Sun, Jesus – let this light shine within my mind, that it may dispel the darkness and I may freely remember those graces that You had given to my soul. Oh! Eternal Sun, unleash another ray of light into my inmost heart, and purify it of the mud in which it lies – ignite it, consume it with your love, so that my heart, which, more than anything, has experienced the sweetnesses of your love, may manifest them clearly to the one to whom it is obliged to do so. Oh! my Sun Jesus, one more ray of light upon my lips, that I may say the pure truth, with the sole purpose of knowing whether it is really You, or rather, an illusion from the enemy. But, oh! Jesus, how poor in light I still see myself in these arms of yours. O please! content me – You who love me so much, continue to send me light. Oh! my Sun, my beautiful One, I want to enter right into the center, that I may remain completely sunken within this most pure light. Oh! Divine Sun, let this light precede me in front of me, follow me behind me, surround me everywhere, and penetrate into every intimate hiding place of my interior, that my terrestrial being may be consumed, and You may transform it completely into your Divine Being.
Most Holy Virgin, lovable Mother, come to my aid, obtain for me from your sweet Jesus and mine, grace and strength in order to do this obedience. Saint Joseph, my dear protector, assist me in this circumstance of mine. Archangel Saint Michael, defend me from the infernal enemy, who puts so many obstacles in my mind to make me fail this obedience. Archangel Saint Rafael, and you, my guardian Angel, come to assist me and to accompany me, to direct my hand, that I may write the truth alone.
May everything be for the honor and glory of God – and to me, all the confusion. Oh! Holy Spouse, come to my help. In considering the many graces You have given to my soul, I feel all horrified and frightened, all full of confusion and shame at seeing myself still so bad and unrequiting of your graces. But, my lovable and sweet Jesus, forgive me, do not withdraw from me, but continue to pour your grace into me, that You may make of me a triumph of your mercy.
So, from the beginning, the Divine Master began to strip my heart of all creatures, and through an interior voice, He would tell me: “I am all that is beautiful and that deserves to be loved. See, if you do not remove this little world that surrounds you – that is, thoughts of creatures, imagination – I cannot enter freely into your heart. This murmuring in your mind is a hindrance to letting you hear my voice more clearly, to pouring my graces, to truly enamoring you of Me. Promise Me that you will be all mine, and I Myself will put my hand in the work. You are right that you can do nothing. Do not fear, I will do everything; give Me your will - this is enough for Me.”
This would happen mostly during Communion. So I would promise Him to be all His own; I would ask His forgiveness, for up to that point, I had not been so; I would say to Him that I truly wanted to love Him, and I prayed Him never to leave me alone again without Him. And the voice would continue: “No, no - I will be together with you, observing all of your actions, your movements, your desires.”
So, I would feel Him upon me for the whole day; He reprimanded me in everything. For example, if I let myself be carried away in conversing a little too much with my family, even of indifferent things which were not necessary, the interior voice would tell me: “These discourses fill your mind with things that do not belong to Me; they surround your heart with dust, such as to make you feel my grace as weak, no longer alive. O please! imitate Me when I was in the house of Nazareth – my mind was occupied with nothing but the glory of the Father and the salvation of souls; my mouth uttered nothing but holy discourses. With my words I tried to repair for the offenses against the Father, to dart through hearts and draw them to my love – and primarily my Mother and St. Joseph. In a word, everything called upon God, everything was done for God, and everything referred to Him. Why could you not do the same?”
Volume 2 - April 21, 1899
This morning, while I was in my usual state, in one instant I found myself within myself, but without being able to move. I realized that someone was entering my little room; then he closed the door again, and I felt he was drawing near my bed. In my mind I thought that someone had entered furtively, without anyone of my family seeing him, and had penetrated even into my little room. ‘Who knows what he will to do me?’ My fear was so great that I felt my blood freeze in my veins, and I trembled all over. Oh! God, what to do? I said to myself: ‘My family did not see him; I feel all numb and I cannot defend myself, nor can I ask for help. Jesus, Mary, my Mama – help me! Saint Joseph, defend me from this danger!
Volume 4 - December 25, 1900
…Who can tell the beauty of the Little Baby who, at the moment of His birth, transfused, also externally, the rays of the Divinity? Who can tell the beauty of the Mother, who remained all absorbed in those Divine rays? And Saint Joseph? It seemed to me that he was not present at the act of the birth, but remained in another corner of the cave, all engrossed in that profound Mystery. And if he did not see with the eyes of the body, he saw very well with the eyes of the soul, because he remained enraptured in sublime ecstasy.
As I continued to see the Holy Baby, I saw the Queen Mother on one side and Saint Joseph on the other, adoring the Divine Infant profoundly. Being all intent on Him, it seemed to me that the continuous presence of the Little Baby kept them engrossed in continuous ecstasy; and if they could work, it was a prodigy that the Lord operated in them; otherwise they would have remained motionless, unable to attend to their external duties. I too did my adoration, and then I found myself inside myself.
Volume 5 - March 19, 1903
This morning I saw the confessor all humiliated, and also blessed Jesus and Saint Joseph, who said to him: “Get down to work, for the Lord is ready to give you the grace you want.” After this, on seeing my dear Jesus suffering as in the course of His Passion, I said to Him: ‘Lord, did You not feel tiredness in suffering so many different pains?’ And He: “No, on the contrary, one suffering would ignite the heart more to suffer another one. These are the ways of Divine Suffering; not only this, but in suffering and operating, It looks at nothing but the fruit It receives from it. In my wounds and in my blood I saw nations saved and the good that creatures would receive; and my Heart, instead of feeling tiredness, felt joy and ardent desire to suffer more. So, this is the sign that what one suffers is participation in my pains: that there is suffering united with joy to suffer more; that in operating, one operates for Me; that one does not look at what he does, but at the glory he gives to God, and at the fruit he receives.”
As I was outside of myself, I saw father all in difficulty with regard to the grace he wants; and once again, blessed Jesus with Saint Joseph were saying to him: “If you get down to work, all your difficulties will disappear, and will fall off like fish scales.”
Volume 7 - May 9, 1907
It has been a few months since I wrote, and with great repugnance, and only to obey I begin to write again. Oh, what a weight I feel! Only at the thought that I could say to my beloved Jesus: ‘See how I love You more, and how my love grows, since for love of You alone I submit myself to this sacrifice, and for as long as it lasts, I can also say that I love You more’ – thinking that I can say to my Jesus that I love Him more, I feel the strength to make the sacrifice to obey. Now, since I do not remember everything distinctly, I will tell of the past, all together and confusedly, starting from where I left when I was praying that He would take my mother to Paradise without her touching Purgatory. Then, on March 19, the day dedicated to Saint Joseph, in the morning, while I was in my usual state, my mother passed from this life into the sphere of eternity; and blessed Jesus, allowing me to see her as He was taking her, told me: "My daughter, the Creator takes his creature."
Volume 11 - August 14, 1912
Finding myself in my usual state, my always lovable Jesus told me: “My daughter, in order for the soul to forget herself, she should do each thing which is necessary for her as if Jesus wanted to do it within her. If she prays, she should say: ‘It is Jesus who wants to pray, and I pray together with Him.’ If she has to work: ‘Jesus wants to work; Jesus wants to walk; Jesus wants to take food. He wants to sleep, He wants to get up, He wants to enjoy Himself...’ and so on for all other things of life - except for error. Only in this way can the soul forget herself; not only will she do everything because I want it, but because I want to do them: they are necessary to Me.”
Now, one day I was working and I thought to myself: ‘How is it possible that Jesus works in me while I work? Does He really want to do this work?’ And Jesus: “Yes I do. My fingers are in yours and they work. My daughter, when I was on earth, didn’t my hands lower themselves to work the wood, hammer the nails, and help my foster Father Joseph in the smithing work? While I was doing that, with those very hands and with those fingers, I created souls and called other souls to the other life; I divinized all human actions; I sanctified them, giving a Divine merit to each one of them. In the movements of my fingers I called in sequence all the movements of your fingers and those of others; and if I saw that they were doing them for Me, or because I wanted to act within them, I continued my life of Nazareth in them, and I felt cheered by them for the sacrifices and the humiliations of my hidden Life, giving them the merit of my own Life.
Daughter, the hidden Life that I conducted in Nazareth is not taken into account by men, when in fact, after the Passion, nothing could benefit them more. By lowering Myself to all those little actions and those acts which men exercise during their daily life, such as eating, sleeping, drinking, working, starting the fire, sweeping, etc. - all acts which no one can do without - I made flow inside their souls a tiny divine coin of incalculable price. Therefore, if my Passion redeemed them, my hidden Life provided each human action, even the most insignificant one, with Divine merit and with infinite value.
Do you see? As you work - working because I want to work - my fingers flow within yours, and as I work in you with my creative hands, in this very instant, how many am I giving to the light of this world? How many others am I calling? How many others do I sanctify, correct, chastise, etc.? Now, you are with Me creating, calling, correcting and so forth; therefore, just as you are not alone, neither am I alone in my work. Could I ever give you greater honor?”
Who can say all that I understood, and all the good that can be done for ourselves and for others, by doing things because Jesus wants to do them in us? My mind gets lost, therefore I stop here.
Volume 12 - December 25, 1918
‘My Love, there are certain times in which my life becomes bitter, especially because of the conditions in which You put me.’ And Jesus, knowing what I wanted to say to Him, added: “What do you fear? I will take care of everything; and when one directs you I give my grace to him; when another does, I give grace to the other. And then, it is not you whom they will assist, but Me; and I will be generous with them according to how they will appreciate my work, my sayings and my teachings.” And I: ‘My Jesus, the Confessor appreciated very much what You said to me. He cared very much about it, and he worked very hard to make me write. What will You give to him?’ And Jesus: “I will give him Heaven as recompense, and I will consider his office as that of Saint Joseph and of my Mama, who, having assisted my Life on earth, had to go through hardships in order to nourish Me and assist Me. Now, since my Life is in you, I consider his assistance and sacrifices as though my Mama and Saint Joseph were doing them again for Me. Aren’t you happy?” And I: ‘Thank You, O Jesus.”
…However, know that my Sacramental lot is even harder than my lot as an Infant. Though cold, the grotto was spacious, and had air to breathe; the Host too is cold, but so small that I almost lack air. In the grotto I had a manger with a little hay for bed; in my Sacramental Life, I don’t even have hay, and I have nothing but hard and ice cold metals for bed. In the grotto I had my dear Mama who took Me very often with her most pure hands, covered Me with ardent kisses in order to warm Me, soothed my crying, and nourished Me with her most sweet milk. In my Sacramental Life it is all the opposite: I do not have a Mama; if they take Me, I feel the touch of unworthy hands which smell like earth and muck. Oh! how I feel their stench - more than the manure I smelled in the grotto. Instead of covering Me with kisses, they touch Me with irreverent acts; instead of milk, they give Me the bile of sacrileges, of indifference, and of coldness. In the grotto, Saint Joseph never left Me without the light of a little lantern at night. Here in the Sacrament, how many times I remain in the dark also at night! Oh, how much more painful is my Sacramental lot! How many hidden tears, not seen by anyone. How many wails not listened to. If my lot as an Infant moved you to pity, much more should my Sacramental lot move you to pity.”
Volume 12 - January 24, 1921
“My daughter, calm yourself - I choose whomever I please. However, know that I begin all of my works between Myself and one creature; and then they are spread. In fact, who was the first spectator of the FIAT of my Creation? Adam, and then Eve. It surely wasn’t a multitude of people. Only after years and years did crowds and multitudes of people become spectators of It. In the second FIAT my Mama was the only spectator; not even Saint Joseph knew anything, and my Mama found herself more than in your condition: the greatness of the Creative Power of my work which She felt within Herself was such that, confused, She did not feel the strength to mention it to anyone. And if, then, Saint Joseph knew it, it was because I manifested it to him. So, this FIAT germinated like a seed within Her virginal womb; the ear of grain was formed in order to multiply It, and then It came to the light of day. But who were the spectators? Very few. In the room of Nazareth my dear Mama and Saint Joseph were the only spectators. Then, when my Most Holy Humanity grew up, I went out and I made Myself known - but not to all. Afterwards, It spread more, and It will still spread.
So will the third FIAT be. It will germinate within you; the ear of grain will be formed; only the priest will have knowledge of It. Then, a few souls - and then, It will spread. It will spread, and will follow the same path as Creation and Redemption. The more crushed you feel, the more the ear of the third FIAT grows and is fecundated in you. Therefore, be attentive and faithful.”
… I was thinking about the act in which the sweet little Baby came out of the maternal womb to be born into our midst. My poor mind wandered within a mystery so profound and all love; and my sweet Jesus, moving in my interior, stretched out His little hands to embrace me, and said to me: “My daughter, the act of my birth was the most solemn act of the whole Creation. Heaven and earth felt plunged into the most profound adoration at the sight of my little Humanity, which kept my Divinity as though enclosed within walls. So, in the act of my birth, there was an act of silence and of profound adoration and prayer: my Mama prayed, and remained enraptured by the power of the prodigy which was coming out of Her; Saint Joseph prayed; the Angels prayed; and all Creation felt the strength of the love of my creative power being renewed upon them. All felt honored and received true honor, because the One who had created them would make use of them for what was needed for His Humanity. The sun felt honored, in having to give its light and heat to its Creator; it recognized the One who had created it – its true Lord, and made feast for Him and paid Him honor by giving Him its light. The earth felt honored, when it felt Me lying in a manger; it felt touched by my tender limbs, and exulted with joy with prodigious signs. All Creation saw their true King and Lord in their midst; and feeling honored, each one wanted to perform its office for Me: the water wanted to quench my thirst; the birds, with their trills and warblings, wanted to cheer Me; the wind wanted to caress Me; the air wanted to kiss Me – all wanted to pay Me their innocent tribute. Only men, ungrateful, even though all felt something unusual within themselves - a joy, a powerful strength – were reluctant; and suffocating everything, they did not move. And even though I called them with tears, with moans and sobs, they did not move, except for some few shepherds. Yet, it was for man that I was coming upon earth! I was coming to give Myself to him, to save him, and to bring him back to my Celestial Fatherland. Therefore, I was all eyes to see whether he would come before Me in order to receive the great gift of my divine and human Life. So, the Incarnation was nothing less than placing Myself at the mercy of the creature. In the Incarnation I placed Myself at the mercy of my dear Mama; as I was born, Saint Joseph too was added, to whom I gave the gift of my Life. And since my works are eternal and not subject to ending, this Divinity, this Word who descended from Heaven, never withdrew from the earth, so as to have the occasion to give Himself continuously to all creatures. As long as I lived, I gave Myself in an unveiled manner; then, a few hours before dying, I made the great prodigy of leaving Myself in the Sacrament, so that, whoever wanted Me, could receive the great gift of my Life. I paid no attention either to the offenses they would give Me, or to their refusals to receive Me. I said to Myself: ‘I have given Myself - I do not want to withdraw, ever. Let them do to Me whatever they want – I will always be theirs, and at their disposal’.
Volume 19 - June 15, 1926
…The same will be for my Will: knowledge will give life to the fruits of my Will. This is why I wanted to renew what I did in Redemption, choosing another virgin, remaining hidden with her for forty years and more, segregating her from everyone as if in a new Nazareth, to be free with her to tell the whole story, the prodigies and the goods contained in It, so as to be able to form the life of my Will in you. And just as I chose Saint Joseph to be together with Me and my Mama, as our cooperator, tutor and vigilant sentry for Me and for the Sovereign Queen, in the same way, I have placed near you the vigilant assistance of my ministers, as cooperators, tutors and depositories of the knowledges, goods and prodigies contained in my Will. And since my Will wants to establish Its Kingdom in the midst of peoples, through you I want to deposit this celestial doctrine in my ministers as my new apostles, so that first I may form with them the link of connection with my Will, and then they may transmit it into the midst of peoples. If it were not so, or were not to be so, I would not have insisted so much on having you write, nor would I have permitted the daily coming of the priest, but I would have left all my work between Me and you. Therefore, be attentive and leave Me free to do what I want in you.”
Now, who can say how confused I remained at this speaking of Jesus? I remained mute, and from the depth of my heart I repeated: ‘Fiat, Fiat, Fiat…’
… I was thinking of how unhappy was that grotto in which little baby Jesus was born; how exposed it was to all winds and to cold, so much as to make one numb with cold. Instead of men, there were animals which kept Him company. So I thought: ‘Which prison was more unhappy and sorrowful – the prison of the night of His Passion, or the grotto of Bethlehem?’ And my sweet baby added: “My daughter, the unhappiness of the prison of my Passion cannot be compared to the grotto of Bethlehem. In the grotto I had my Mama near Me, in body and soul. She was with Me, therefore I had all the joys of my dear Mama, and She had all the joys of Myself, Her Son, which formed our Paradise. The joys of a Mother who possesses her child are great; the joys of possessing a Mother are even greater. I found everything in Her, and She found everything in Me. Then there was my dear father Saint Joseph who acted as a father to Me, and I felt all the joys which he felt because of Me. In my Passion, instead, all of our joys were interrupted, because we were to give place to sorrow, and between Mother and Son, we felt the great pain of the nearing separation, sensible at least, which was to occur with my death. In the grotto the animals recognized Me, and honoring Me, they tried to warm Me with their breath. In the prison, not even men recognized Me, and in order to insult Me, they covered Me with spit and opprobrium. So, there is no comparison between the two.”
Volume 30 - January 1, 1927
See, when I came upon earth, I wanted to give many examples and similes about how I wanted the human will to end. I wanted to be born at midnight, so as to break the night of the human will with the refulgent day of Mine. And even though at midnight the night continues and does not finish, it is yet the beginning of a new day; and my Angels, to honor my birth and to point out to everyone the day of my Will, from midnight on, enlivened the vault of the heavens with new stars and new suns, such as to turn the night into more than daylight. This was the homage that the Angels gave to my little Humanity, in which dwelled the full day of the sun of my Divine Will, and the call of the creature into the full day of It. Still little, I submitted Myself to the cruel cut of circumcision, which made Me shed bitter tears for the pain – and not only to Me, but with Me cried my Mama and dear St. Joseph. It was the cut of the human will that I wanted to make, so that all might let the Divine Will flow within that cut, and so that a broken will might have life no more - but only Mine, which had flowed within that cut in order to begin Its life again.
Still little, I wanted to flee to Egypt. A tyrannical and iniquitous will wanted to kill Me – symbol of the human will which wants to kill Mine; so I fled, in order to say to all: ‘Flee the human will, if you do not want Mine to be killed.’ My whole life was nothing other than the call of the Divine Will into the human. In Egypt I lived like a stranger in the midst of that people – symbol of my Will, which they keep as though estranged within their midst; and symbolizing that whoever wants to live in peace and united with my Will, must live as though estranged to the human will. Otherwise, there will always be war between the two of them, because they are two irreconcilable wills.
After my exile, I returned to my fatherland – symbol of my Will which, after Its long exile of centuries upon centuries, will return to Its dear fatherland, to reign in the midst of Its children. And as I went through these stages in my life, I kept forming Its Kingdom in Me, and I called It with incessant prayers, with pains and with tears, to come and reign in the midst of creatures. I returned to my fatherland and I lived hidden and unknown. Oh, how this symbolizes the sorrow of my Will which, while living in the midst of the peoples, lives unknown and hidden! And with my hiddenness, I impetrated that the Supreme Will might be known, in order to receive the homage and the glory which are due to It.
…I was thinking about the Holy Magi, when they visited the little baby Jesus in the grotto of Bethlehem; and my always lovable Jesus told me: “My daughter, see the order of my Divine Providence: for the great portent of my Incarnation, I chose and used a Virgin, humble and poor; and the Virgin Saint Joseph as my custodian, who acted as a father to Me, and who was so poor that he needed to work in order to sustain our lives. See how in the greatest works – and the mystery of the Incarnation could not be greater – We use people whose outward appearance attracts no attention from anyone, because dignities, scepters, riches, are always fumes which blind the soul, and prevent her from penetrating into the celestial mysteries in order to receive a great act of God - and God Himself. But in order to manifest to the peoples the coming of Myself, Word of the Father, upon earth, I wanted and used royal authorities, learned and erudite men, so that, by their authority, they might diffuse the knowledges of the incarnate God and, eventually, also impose themselves to the peoples. In spite of this, the star was seen by everyone, yet only three of them move, pay attention and follow it. This says that, among all, these alone possessed a certain dominion over themselves, which formed a little empty space in their interior. So, beyond the appearance of the star, they felt my call which echoed within their interior; and heedless of sacrifices, of gossip, of mockeries – because their were leaving for an unknown place and they had to hear much of it – disregarding everything and dominating themselves, they followed the star united to my call, which resounded in their interior as more than a speaking star. It enlightened them, it attracted them, and said many things about the One whom they were to visit; and, drunk with joy, they followed the star.
Volume 21 - April 16, 1927
I was thinking about the pain of my Mama, when, sorrowful and pierced in Her Heart, She departed from Jesus, leaving Him dead in the sepulcher; and I thought to myself: ‘How could She possibly have so much strength, as to be able to leave Him. It is true that He was dead, but it was always the body of Jesus. How could Her maternal love not consume Her, rather than letting Her take one step alone away from that extinguished body? What heroism - what strength!’
But while I was thinking of this, my sweet Jesus moved in my interior and told me: “My daughter, do you want to know how my Mama had the strength to leave Me? All the secret of Her strength was in my Will reigning in Her. She lived of a Will which was Divine - not human, and therefore She contained an immeasurable strength. Even more, you must know that when my pierced Mama left Me in the sepulcher, my Will kept Her immersed within two immense seas – one of sorrow, and another, more extensive, of joys and beatitudes; and while that of sorrow gave Her all the martyrdoms, that of joys gave Her all the contentments. Her beautiful soul alone followed Me into Limbo, and was present at the feast that all the Patriarchs, the Prophets, Her father, Her mother and our dear Saint Joseph made for Me. Through my presence, Limbo became Paradise; and I could not do without letting the One who had been inseparable from Me in my pains, participate in this first feast of the creatures. Her joy was so great, that She had the strength to depart from my body, withdrawing and waiting for the fulfillment of my Resurrection, as the fulfillment of Redemption. Joy sustained Her in sorrow, and sorrow sustained Her in joy.
To one who possesses my Will, neither strength, nor power, nor joy may be lacking; rather, she has everything at her disposal. Do you not experience this within yourself? When you are deprived of Me and you feel consumed, the light of the Divine Fiat forms Its sea of happiness and gives you life.”
Oh, if the creatures could see what happens in the secret of our hearts, how surprised with amazement they would be! This happened when I and my Mama were on earth, as we were preparing, between the two of us, the Kingdom of Redemption – all the remedies which were needed so that everyone might find salvation. We did not spare sacrifices, nor work, nor life, nor prayers; and while we were all intent on thinking about everyone - on giving our life for all, no one would think about us; no one knew what we were doing. My Celestial Mama was the depository of the Kingdom of Redemption, and therefore She took part in all of the sacrifices, and in all of the sorrows. Only Saint Joseph knew what we were doing, but he did not take part in all of our sorrows.
Volume 23 - March 11, 1928
I was following my Divine Fiat, doing my round in It; and as I arrived at the home of Nazareth in which my lovable Jesus had conducted His hidden life, in order to follow His acts, I was saying to Him: ‘My Love, there is no act You do in which my ‘I love you’ does not follow You, to ask You, by means of your acts, for the Kingdom of your Will. My ‘I love you’ follows You everywhere – in the steps You take, in the words You speak, in the wood You hammer; and while You hammer the wood, You hammer the human will, that it may be undone, and your Divine Will may rise again in the midst of creatures. My ‘I love you’ flows in the water You drink, in the food You take, in the air You breath, in the rivers of love that pass between You and your Mama and Saint Joseph, in the prayers You do, in your ardent heartbeat, in the sleep You take. Oh! how I wish to be near You, to whisper to your ear: “I love You, I love You…. O Please! let your Kingdom come”.’
Volume 24 - July 7, 1928
…while accompanying my sweet Jesus in the little room of Nazareth in order to follow His acts, I thought to myself: ‘Certainly my beloved Jesus had the Kingdom of His Will during His hidden life. The Sovereign Lady possessed His Fiat, He was the Divine Will Itself, and Saint Joseph, in the middle of these seas of endless light – how could he not let himself be dominated by this Most Holy Will?’ But while I was thinking of this, my Highest Good, Jesus, sighing with sorrow told me in my interior: “My daughter, indeed my Divine Will reigned in this house of Nazareth on earth as It does in Heaven. My Celestial Mama and I knew no other will, and Saint Joseph lived in the reflections of Our Will. But I was like a king without a people, isolated, without cortege, without army, and my Mama was like a queen without children, because She was not surrounded by other children worthy of Her to whom She could entrust Her crown of queen, so as to have the offspring of Her noble children all kings and queens. And I had the sorrow of being a king without a people; and if those who surrounded Me could be called a people, it was a sick people – some were blind, some mute, some deaf, some crippled, some covered with wounds. It was a people that gave Me dishonor - not honor; even more, it did not even know Me, nor did it want to know Me. So, I was king only for Myself, and my Mama was queen without the long generation of Her offspring of royal children.
But in order to be able to say that I had my Kingdom, and to rule, I had to have ministers; and even though I had Saint Joseph as prime minister, one minister only does not constitute a ministry. I had to have a great army, all intent on fighting to defend the rights of the Kingdom of my Divine Will; and a faithful people that would have, as law, only the law of my Will. This was not so, my daughter; therefore I cannot say that, on coming upon earth, I had the Kingdom of my Fiat at that time. Our Kingdom was for Us only, because the order of Creation and the royalty of man were not restored. However, by the Celestial Mother and I living wholly of Divine Will, the seed was sown, the yeast was formed, to make Our Kingdom arise and grow upon earth. Therefore, all the preparations were made, all the graces were impetrated, all the pains were suffered, so that the Kingdom of my Fiat might come to reign upon earth. This is why Nazareth can be called the point of recall of the Kingdom of Our Will.”
Volume 27 - October 21, 1929
“My daughter, my Divine Will reigns. It can be paralleled to Me, Eternal Word, who, in descending from Heaven, enclosed Myself in the womb of my Celestial Mother. Who knew anything? No one, not even Saint Joseph knew, at the beginning of my conception, that I was already in their midst. Only my inseparable Mama was aware of everything. So, the great portent of my descent from Heaven upon earth had occurred, and in reality; and while with my immensity I existed everywhere - Heaven and earth were immersed in Me, with my person I was enclosed in the maternal womb of the Immaculate Queen – no one knew Me, I was ignored by all.
And so, my daughter, here is the first step of the parallel between Me, Divine Word, when I descended from Heaven, and my Divine Will that takes Its first step to come to reign upon earth. Just as I directed my first steps toward the Virgin Mother, so did my Will direct Its first steps in you; and as It asked for your will and you surrendered it, It immediately formed Its first act of conception in your soul; and as It manifested Its knowledges, giving you as though many divine sips, It formed Its Life and gave start to the formation of Its Kingdom. But, for a long time, who knew anything? No one; only you and I were aware of everything; and after some time my representative, the one who directed you, became aware of what was happening in you – symbol of my representative, Saint Joseph, who was to appear as my father before creatures, and who, before I came out of the maternal womb, had the great honor and gift of knowing that I was already in their midst.
After the first steps I took the second: I went to Bethlehem to be born, and I was recognized and visited by the shepherds of that place. But they were not influential people, they kept for themselves the beautiful news that I had already come upon earth, therefore they did not occupy themselves with making Me known, with spreading Me everywhere, and I continued to remain the Jesus hidden and unknown to all. But, though unknown, I was already in their midst – symbol of my Divine Will: very often other representatives of mine have come to you, from afar and from nearby, who have listened to the beautiful news of the Kingdom of my Divine Will, the knowledges about It, and how It wants to be recognized. But, some for lack of influence, some of will, they did not occupy themselves with spreading It, and It remained unknown and ignored, even though It already exists in their midst; but because It is not known, It does not reign – It reigns only in you, just as I was only with my Celestial Mama and with my foster father Saint Joseph.
The third step of my coming upon earth is the exile, and I had this because the Holy Magi came to visit Me, who aroused some interest in searching for Me. This search of Me made Herod fearful, and instead of joining with them to come to visit Me, he wanted to plot against my life in order to kill Me, and by necessity I was forced to go into exile. Symbol of my Divine Will: very often it seems that they arouse some interest, that they want to make It known by publishing It. But – nothing! Some are taken by fear, some are afraid to compromise themselves, some do not feel like sacrificing themselves; now with one pretext, now with another, everything ends up in words, and my Divine Will remains exiled from the midst of creatures. And just as I did not depart for Heaven, but in the exile I remained in the midst of creatures, only with my Divine Mother and with Saint Joseph who knew Me very well and I formed their paradise on earth, while for the others it was as if I did not exist; in the same way, having formed Its Life in you with all the cortege of Its knowledges, if It does not receive the effects, the purpose for which It has made Itself known, how can my Fiat depart? In fact, when We decide to do a work, a good, no one can move Us. Therefore, in spite of the exile and of Its hiddenness, just as I did – doing my public life and making Myself known after thirty years of hidden life – so will my Divine Volition not be able to remain always hidden, but will obtain Its intent of making Itself known in order to reign in the midst of creatures. Therefore, be attentive, and know how to appreciate the great gift of my Divine Will in your soul.”
I was thinking about how the Kingdom of the Divine Will could come upon earth, and in what way It may unfold. Who will be the first fortunate ones to have such a great good? And my sweet Jesus, making Himself seen, clasped me all to Himself, and giving me three kisses, told me: “My daughter, in the same way as the Kingdom of Redemption unfolded, so will the Kingdom of my Will unfold. It can be said that Redemption is making Its round throughout the whole world, a round which It has not yet entirely completed, because not all the peoples know about my coming upon earth, and therefore they are without its goods. Redemption keeps preparing and disposing the peoples for the Kingdom of my Divine Will. So, just as my Redemption had Its beginning, not in the whole world, but in the center of Judea, because in this nation there was the little core of those who were awaiting Me, there was She whom I had chosen as Mother, and Saint Joseph, who was to be my foster father - in this nation I had manifested Myself to the prophets by letting them know that I was going to come upon earth; it was right that, there where this was known, they be the first ones to have Me in their midst; and even though they were ungrateful, and many did not want to know Me, yet, who can deny that my Celestial Mama, the Apostles, the disciples, were from the Jewish nation, and that they were the first criers who exposed their lives to make known to the other nations my coming upon earth and the goods which are in my Redemption? – so it will be for the Kingdom of my Divine Fiat: the towns, the provinces, the kingdom, which will have been the first to know the knowledges about my Divine Will and Its expressed Will of wanting to come to reign in the midst of creatures, will be the first to receive the goods that Its Kingdom will bring. And then, making Its way with Its knowledges, It will do Its round in the midst of the human generations. My daughter, there is much analogy between the way in which Redemption unfolded and the way in which the Kingdom of my Divine Will will unfold. See, in my Redemption I chose a Virgin; in appearance She had no importance according to the world, either of riches, or of height of dignity or positions which would indicate Her; the very city of Nazareth was not important – a tiny little house was Her whole abode. But even though I chose Her from Nazareth, I wanted for it to belong to the capital city, Jerusalem, in which there was the body of the pontiffs and priests who then represented Me and announced my laws. For the Kingdom of my Divine Will I have chosen another virgin who, in appearance, has no importance, either of great riches or of height of dignity; the very city of Corato is not an important city, but it belongs to Rome, in which resides my representative on earth, the Roman Pontiff, from whom come my divine laws; and just as he makes it his duty to make my Redemption known to the peoples, so will he make it his duty to make known the Kingdom of my Divine Will. It can be said that one and the other will proceed in the same way and manner, as the Kingdom of my Supreme Fiat must unfold.”
Volume 28 - June 2, 1930
…my daughter, I know where my aims tend to, what they must serve for, what I do, great and beautiful, when I choose a creature. What do they know? And this is why they have always something to say about my operating. And not even my short life down here was spared, when my Most Holy Humanity was in their midst and I was all love for them; and yet, if I drew too close to sinners, they had to say that it was not decorous for Me to deal with them. And I let them talk, and without giving importance to their talking, I did the facts, I drew closer to sinners, I loved them more in order to attract them to love Me. If I did miracles, they had something to say, because they believed I was the son of Saint Joseph; they had to say that the promised Messiah could not come from a carpenter, and they kept arousing doubts about my Divine Person, so much so, as to form clouds around the Sun of my Humanity. And I aroused the little breezes to get rid of the clouds, and I reappeared more blazing with light in their midst, in order to accomplish the purpose of my coming upon earth, which was Redemption.
Therefore, do not be surprised that they have found something to say on the way I have conducted Myself with you; and even though they have formed clouds around the operating I have had with you, I will arouse my little breezes to get rid of these clouds. And if they love the truth, they will know that the way I have conducted Myself with you, even though I have not used it with other souls, was necessary to Our Love, because it was to serve Our very Will, in order to make It known and to make It reign.”
Volume 29 - May 31, 1931
…I continued my acts in the Divine Fiat, and my poor mind paused in the little house of Nazareth, where the Queen of Heaven, the Celestial King Jesus, and Saint Joseph, were in possession of and lived in the Kingdom of the Divine Will. So, this Kingdom is not foreign to the earth; the house of Nazareth, the little family that lived in It, belonged to this Kingdom and kept It in full force. But while I was thinking about this, my great King Jesus told me: “My daughter, indeed the Kingdom of my Divine Will has existed upon earth, and therefore there is the sure hope that It will return again to Its full force. Our house of Nazareth was Its true Kingdom; however, We were without peoples. Now, you must know that each creature is a Kingdom; therefore, one who lets the Divine Will reign within herself can be called a little Kingdom of the Supreme Fiat. So, she is a tiny little house of Nazareth that We have upon earth; and, though little, since Our Will is in her, reigning, Heaven is not closed for her; she observes the same laws of the Celestial Fatherland, she loves with the same love, feeds herself with the foods from up there, and is incorporated into the Kingdom of Our interminable regions. Now, in order to form the great Kingdom of Our Will upon earth, first We will make the many tiny little houses of Nazareth – that is, the souls who will want to know It in order to let It reign within themselves. I Myself, and the Sovereign Queen, will be at the head of these tiny little houses, because, We having been the first to possess this Kingdom on earth, it is Our right, which We will not surrender to anyone, to be the directors of them. Then, with these tiny little houses, repeaters of Our house of Nazareth, We will form many little states of Ours, many provinces, which, after they have been formed well, and ordered like many little Kingdoms of Our Will, will fuse together and will form one single Kingdom and one great people. Therefore, in order to have Our greatest works, Our way of acting is to begin, first alone, one on one with one single creature; when We have formed this one, We make her a channel in order to enclose in Our work two or three more creatures; then We expand, forming a small group, and then We expand it so much as to take the whole entire world. Our works begin in the isolation of God and the soul, and end by continuing their life in the midst of entire peoples. And when there is the beginning of a work of Ours, it is the sure sign that it will not die at birth; at the most, it may live hidden for some time, but then it will go out and will have its perennial life. Therefore, always forward do I want you in my Divine Will.”
…In fact if I might not have manifested to you that I can give and want to give my Divine Will dominating and reigning in the midst of creatures, you would have been indifferent like all the others for a good so great. So that your interest, your prayers have been effects and parts of that which you have known. And I myself when I came upon the earth, [in] the thirty years of my hidden life it can be said that I apparently didn’t do good to anyone, nor did even one know me. I remained in the midst of them unobserved, the whole good was developed between me and the Celestial Father, my Celestial Mother and dear St. Joseph, because they knew who I was; all the others [knew] nothing. Instead when I went out from my hideaway and openly made myself known saying that I was really the promised Messiah, their Redeemer and Savior, and although with having made myself known I attracted on me calumnies, persecutions, contradictions, anger, hatred of the Hebrews and the Passion and death itself. All these evils that as copious rain rained on me had the beginning in making myself known, I affirmed that which I really was, the Word Eternal descended from heaven in order to save them. So very true that even when I (was) in the house of Nazareth, not knowing who I was, no one said anything of me, nor did they slander me nor did they hurt me. As I revealed myself all the evils fell on me. But this was necessary to make myself known, otherwise I would have left again for heaven without completing the purpose for which I came upon the earth. Instead with making myself known, in spite that I attracted so many evils, in the midst of this abyss of evils I formed my Apostles, announced the Gospel, worked prodigies, and my knowledge instigated my enemies to make me suffer so many sufferings, even to give me death on the cross. But I obtained my intent, that so many would know me in the midst of so many that didn’t want to know me, and to complete my Redemption. I knew that, with making myself known, the perfidy and pride of the Hebrews would have done so much. But it was necessary to make myself known, because a person, a good if it isn’t known it is not bearer of life nor of good. The good, the truths not known remain impeded in itself without fecundity, as so many sterile mothers that finish with their generation.
NOVENA TO THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE DIVINE WILL
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Your love.
Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.
Volume 17- May 17, 1925
(Our Lord to Luisa:) “My daughter, to what you have said on fusing yourself in My Will, another appeal must be added—that of fusing yourself in the order of grace, in everything that the Sanctifier—the Holy Spirit—has done and will do for those who are to be sanctified. More so since, while We, the Three Divine Persons, are always united in operating, if the Creation points to the Father, and Redemption to the Son, the Fiat Voluntas Tua will point to the Holy Spirit. And it is precisely in the Fiat Voluntas Tua that the Divine Spirit will make display of His work. You do it when, on coming before the Supreme Majesty, you say: ‘I come to requite You in love for everything that the Sanctifier does for those who are to be sanctified. I come to enter into the order of grace, so as to be able to give You the glory and the requital of love as if all had made themselves saints, and to repair You for all the oppositions and lack of correspondence to grace’. And as much as you can, you search within Our Will for the acts of grace of the Spirit Sanctifier, so as to make His sorrow your own, as well as His secret moans, His anguishing sighs in the depth of the hearts, in seeing Himself so unwelcome. And since the first act He does is to bring Our Will as the complete act of their sanctification, in seeing Himself rejected, He moans with inexpressible moans. And you, in your childlike simplicity, say to Him: ‘Spirit Sanctifier, hurry, I implore You, I pray You again—make Your Will known to all, so that, by knowing It, they may love It, and may welcome Your first act of their complete sanctification—which is your Holy Will.’ My daughter, We, the Three Divine Persons, are inseparable and distinct, and in this way do We want to manifest to the human generations Our works for them—that while being united among Ourselves, each One of Us wants to manifest individually His love and His work toward the creatures.”
Prayer: Seven Glory Be’s in honor of the Holy Spirit, praying that His prodigies may be renewed over the whole Church; Little Chaplet of the Divine Will; and the following prayers from Volume 17- May 17, 1925:
“(Supreme Majesty), I come to requite You in love for everything that the Sanctifier does for those who are to be sanctified. I come to enter into the order of grace, so as to be able to give You the glory and the requital of love as if all had made themselves saints, and to repair You for all the oppositions and lack of correspondence to grace.”
“Spirit Sanctifier, hurry, I implore You, I pray You again—make Your Will known to all, so that, by knowing It, they may love It, and may welcome Your first act of their complete sanctification—which is Your Holy Will.”
Round of the soul in the Divine Will, Twenty-fourth Hour
(Luisa:) My Jesus, after rising from the dead, You do not depart for Heaven. This tells me that You want to establish the Kingdom of Your Divine Will among creatures, and I won’t abandon You for a single instant. I follow You step by step with my “I love You” as You appear in the risen state to Your Mother. Through the joy You shared, I ask You ever more insistently for the Kingdom of Your Fiat… My “I love You” accompanies You as You appear to Mary Magdalene and to the Apostles. It asks that Your Divine Will be known in a special way to priests, so they in turn, as new Apostles, may make It known to all the world. My “I love You” follows You in all the acts You accomplish among Your friends after the Resurrection. Lastly, it invites Heaven and earth to be present at Your glorious Ascension.
While You with Your triumphant entry into Paradise open the Gates that have been closed for so many centuries to poor humanity, I place my “I love You” on those Eternal Gates. I ask You, through that same blessing You gave to all Your disciples who were present at the celebration of Your Ascension, to bless all human wills, so they may know and appreciate the gift of life lived in Your Will.
Through the great love with which You open for us the Gates of Heaven, I ask You, O my glorious Jesus, to let Your Divine Will descend from those Gates. May It reign upon earth as It reigns in Heaven.
My, Love, You are now seated at the right hand of the Father: Entrenched in my poor little nothingness, “I adore You, praise You, thank You” and I continually form with my “I love You” long chains reaching from earth to Heaven.
Please leave open always the Gates of the Heavenly Home, so I may constantly come and kneel at Your feet, climb into Your arms, and repeat to You incessantly my song of love: “Send us the Kingdom of Your Holy Will and may Your Divine Will be done on earth as It is in Heaven!” Amen.
The Virgin Mary in the Kingdom of the Divine Will, Day 30
(Our Lady to Luisa:) Now listen to Me, My child. Our Highest Good, Jesus, has departed for Heaven and is now before His Celestial Father, pleading for His children and brothers, whom He has left upon earth. From the Celestial Fatherland, He looks at everyone; no one escapes Him. And His love is so great that He leaves His Mama on earth as comfort, help, lesson and company for His children and Mine.
Now, you must know that as My Son departed for Heaven, I remained together with the Apostles in the cenacle, waiting for the Holy Spirit. They were all around Me, clinging to Me, and we prayed together; they did nothing without My advice. And when I began to speak to instruct them and to narrate some anecdotes about My Son that they didn’t know—as for example, the details of His birth, His baby tears, His loving traits, the incidents which happened in Egypt, and the so many wonders of the hidden life in Nazareth—oh, how attentive they were in listening to Me, and how enraptured they were in hearing of the so many surprises, the so many teachings that He gave Me, which were to serve for them; since My Son had said little or nothing about Himself to the Apostles, reserving for Me the task of letting them know how much He had loved them, and the details which only His Mother knew. So, My child, I was in the midst of My Apostles more than the sun in the midst of the day. I was the anchor, the wheel, the ship in which they found refuge, to be safe and sheltered from every danger. Therefore, I can say that I delivered the nascent Church upon My maternal knees, and that My arms were the ship in which I led her to a safe shore, and I still do.
Then the time came for the descent of the Holy Spirit, promised by My Son in the cenacle. What a transformation, My child! As they were invested, they acquired new science, invincible strength, ardent love. A new life flowed within them, which rendered them brave and courageous, in such a way that they scattered throughout the whole world to make Redemption known, and to give their lives for their Master. I remained with beloved John, and was forced to leave Jerusalem, as the storm of persecution began.
My dearest child, you must know that I still continue My Magisterium in the Church. There is nothing which does not descend from Me. I can say that I pour myself out for love of My children, and that I nourish them with My maternal milk. Now, during these times, I want to display an even more special love by making known how My whole life was formed in the Kingdom of the Divine Will. So I call you onto My knees, into My maternal arms, so that, forming your ship, you may be sure to live in the sea of the Divine Will. Greater grace I could not give you. I beg you, make your Mama content! Come to live in this Kingdom so holy! And when you see that your will wants to have an act of life, come and take refuge in the safe boat of My arms, saying to me: “My Mama, my will wants to betray me, and I deliver it to you, that you may put the Divine Will in its place.”
Oh, how happy I will be, in being able to say: “My child is all Mine, because she lives from Divine Will.” And I will make the Holy Spirit descend into your soul, that He may burn away from you all that is human; and by His refreshing breath, He may rule over you and confirm you in the Divine Will.
Volume 18- November 5, 1925
(Luisa:) I was fusing myself in the Holy Divine Volition according to my usual way; and while I was trying, as much as I could, to requite my Jesus with my little love for all that He has done in Redemption, my lovable and sweet Love, Jesus, moving in my interior, told me: “My daughter, with your flight in My Will, reach all the Sacraments instituted by Me; descend into the depths of them, to give Me your little requital of love. Oh! how many of My secret tears you will find, how many bitter sighs, how many suffocated moans of the Holy Spirit. His moaning is continuous, before the many disillusions of Our love. The Sacraments were instituted in order to continue My Life on earth in the midst of My children. But, alas!, how many sorrows. This is why I feel the necessity of your little love. It may be small, but My Will will make it great. My love does not tolerate for one who must live in My Will not to associate herself with My sorrows, and not to give Me her little requital of love for all that I have done and that I suffer. Therefore, My daughter, see how My love moans in the Sacraments.
“If I see a newborn being baptized, I cry with sorrow, because, while through Baptism I restore his innocence, I find My child again, I give back to him the rights over Creation which he had lost, I smile at him with love and satisfaction, I make the enemy flee from him, that he may no longer have any right over him, I entrust him to the Angels, and all of Heaven makes feast for him—soon My smile turns into sorrow, the feast into mourning. I see that the one who is baptized will be an enemy of Mine, a new Adam, and maybe even a lost soul. Oh! how my love moans in each Baptism; especially, then, if one adds that the minister who is baptizing does not do it with that respect, dignity and decorum which befit a Sacrament that contains the new regeneration. Ah! many times they pay more attention to a bagatelle, to whatever show, than to administering a Sacrament. So, My love feels itself being pricked by the baptizer and by the one who is baptized, and it moans with unutterable moans. Would you not want, then, to give Me a requital of love, a loving moan, for each Baptism, so as to keep company with My sorrowful moans?
“Move on to the Sacrament of Confirmation. Ah! how many bitter sighs. While, through Confirmation, I restore his courage, I give back to him the lost strengths, rendering him invincible to all enemies and to his passions, and he is admitted to the ranks of the militia of his Creator, that he may fight for the acquisition of the Celestial Fatherland, and the Holy Spirit gives him His loving kiss again, lavishes a thousand caresses on him, and offers Himself as the companion of his career—yet, many times He feels Himself being requited with the kiss of a traitor, His caresses being despised, His company shunned. How many moans, how many sighs for his return, how many secret voices to the heart, for the one who shuns Him—to the point of tiring Himself from speaking. But—no, it is in vain. Therefore, do you not want to give your requital of love, your loving kiss, your company to the Holy Spirit, who moans because of so much neglection?”
FIFTH DAY
Volume 18- November 5, 1925 (continued)
(Our Lord to Luisa:) “But, do not stop, keep flying, and you will hear the anguishing moans of the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Penance. How much ingratitude, how many abuses and profanations, on the part of those who administer it and on the part of those who receive it. In this Sacrament, My Blood places Itself in act over the contrite sinner, in order to descend upon his soul, to wash him, embellish him, heal him and strengthen him, to give back to him the lost grace, to place in his hands the keys of Heaven, which sin had snatched away from him; to impress on his forehead the peacemaking kiss of forgiveness. But, ah! how many harrowing moans, in seeing souls approaching this Sacrament of Penance without sorrow, out of habit, almost as a vent of the human heart. Others—horrible to be said—instead of going to find the life of their souls, of grace, go to find death, to pour out their passions. So, the Sacrament is reduced to a mockery, to a nice chat; and My Blood, instead of descending as a bath, descends as fire, which withers them even more. And so, in each Confession, Our love cries inconsolably and, sobbing, repeats: ‘Human ingratitude, how great you are. Everywhere you try to offend Me; and while I offer you life, you turn the very life I offer you into death.’ See, then, how Our moans await your requital of love in the Sacrament of Penance.
“Do not let your love stop; go through all the Tabernacles, through each Sacramental Host, and in each Host you will hear the Holy Spirit moan with unutterable sorrow. The Sacrament of the Eucharist is not only their own life that souls receive, but is My very Life that gives Itself to them. So, the fruit of this Sacrament is to form My Life in them, and each Communion serves to make My Life grow, to develop It, in such a way that one may be able to say: ‘I am another Christ’. But, alas!, how few take advantage of it. Even more, how many times I descend into hearts and they make Me find the weapons to wound Me, and repeat for Me the tragedy of My Passion. And as the Sacramental Species are consumed, instead of pressing Me to stay with them, I am forced to leave bathed with tears, crying over My Sacramental lot; and I find no one who calms My crying and My sorrowful moans. If you could break those veils of the Host, which cover Me, you would find Me bathed with crying, knowing the lot that awaits Me in descending into hearts. Therefore, let your requital of love for each Host be continuous, in order to calm My crying, and to render less sorrowful the moans of the Holy Spirit.
“Do not stop, otherwise We will not find you always together with Us in Our moans and in Our secret tears; We will feel the void of your requital of love. Descend into the Sacrament of Ordination. Here, yes, you will find Our most intimate hidden sorrows, the most bitter tears, the most harrowing moans. The Ordination constitutes man to a supreme height, to a Divine character—the repeater of My Life, the administer of the Sacraments, the revealer of My secrets, of My Gospel, of the most sacred science; the peacemaker between Heaven and earth, the bearer of Jesus to souls. But, alas!, how many times We see, in the ordained one, how he will be a Judas for Us, a usurper of the character which is being impressed in him. Oh! how the Holy Spirit moans in seeing, in the ordained one, the most sacred things, the greatest character which exists between Heaven and earth, being snatched away from Him. How many profanations! Each act of this ordained one, not done according to the character impressed, will be a cry of sorrow, a bitter crying, a harrowing moan. The Ordination is the Sacrament which encloses all other Sacraments together. Therefore, if the ordained one is able to preserve whole within himself the character he has received, he will almost place all other Sacraments in safety, he will be the defender and the savior of Jesus Himself. But, not seeing this in the ordained one, Our sorrows are sharpened more, Our moans become more continuous and sorrowful. Therefore, let your requital of love flow in each priestly act, to keep company with the moaning love of the Holy Spirit.
SIXTH DAY
Volume 18 - November 5, 1925 (continued)
(Our Lord to Luisa:) “Lend Us the ear of your heart and listen to Our profound moans in the Sacrament of Marriage. How many disorders in it! Marriage was elevated by Me to a Sacrament, in order to place in it a sacred bond, the symbol of the Sacrosanct Trinity, the Divine love which It encloses. So, the love which was to reign in the father, mother and children, the concord, the peace, was to symbolize the Celestial Family. I was to have on earth as many other families similar to the Family of the Creator, destined to populate the earth like as many terrestrial angels, to then bring them back to populate the Celestial Regions. But, ah! how many moans in seeing families of sin being formed in the Marriage, which symbolize hell, with discord, with lack of love, with hatred, and which populate the earth like many rebellious angels, who will serve to populate hell. The Holy Spirit moans with harrowing moans in each Marriage, in seeing so many infernal dens being formed on earth. Therefore, place your requital of love in each Marriage, in each creature which comes to the light; in this way, your loving moan will render less sorrowful Our continuous moans.
“Our moans are not yet finished; therefore, let your requital of love reach the bed of the dying one when the Sacrament of the Extreme Unction is administered. But, ah! how many moans, how many of Our secret tears! This Sacrament has the virtue of placing the dying sinner in safety at any cost; it is the confirmation of sanctity for the good and the holy; it is the last bond which it establishes, through its Unction, between the creature and God; it is the seal of Heaven which it impresses in the redeemed soul; it is the infusion of the merits of the Redeemer, in order to enrich her, purify her and embellish her; it is the final brush stroke which the Holy Spirit gives her in order to dispose her to depart from the earth, so as to make her appear before her Creator. In sum, the Extreme Unction is the final display of Our love, and the final clothing of the soul; it is the rearranging of all the good works; therefore, it acts in a surprising way in those who are alive to grace. With the Extreme Unction, the soul is as though covered by a Celestial dew, which extinguishes, as though in one breath, her passions, her attachment to the earth and to all that does not belong to Heaven. But, alas!, how many moans, how many bitter tears, how many indispositions, how many negligences. How many losses of souls; how few the sanctities it finds to be confirmed; how scarce the good works to be reordered and rearranged. Oh! if all could hear Our moans, Our crying, over the bed of the dying one, in the act of administering the Sacrament of the Extreme Unction—all would cry with sorrow. Do you not want, then, to give Us your requital of love for each time this Sacrament is administered, which is the final display of Our love toward the creature? Our Will awaits you everywhere, to have your requital of love and your company with Our moans and sighs.”
Volume 20 - September 20, 1926
(Our Lord to Luisa:) “It is My Will alone that places the Creator and the creature, the Redeemer and the redeemed ones, the Sanctifier and the sanctified ones, in accord and in communication. Without It, it is as if Creation and Redemption were nothing for them, because that which makes flow the life and the goods that they contain, is missing. The very Sacraments will serve them as condemnation, because since My Will is missing in them, that which breaks the veil of the Sacraments so as to give them the fruit and the life they contain, is missing. Therefore, My Will is everything; without It, Our most beautiful works, Our greatest prodigies, remain extraneous to the poor creatures, because It alone is the depository of all Our works, and therefore only through It can these be given birth for creatures. Oh! if all knew what it means to do or not to do My Will, they would all place themselves in accord with It in order to receive all possible and imaginable goods, and the transmission of the very Divine life.”
(Our Lord to Luisa:) “What a crime to impede the walk, the step of My Volition in the will of the creature. Thus I created creatures in order to form for Myself many ways in the human wills, to be able to have My continuous walk, and therefore My operative act in them. And the one who impedes My walk would want to impede Me in the continuation of My creation, to block My steps and tie My hands so that I would not be able to operate. Alas! not doing My Will seems to be nothing, and yet it is the greatest of crimes that before the Divine Majesty cries out vengeance toward poor creatures, especially when it is known that My Will does a work, that It wants a sacrifice, and not doing it is as if one wanted to contest the truth. And this is a sin against the Holy Spirit, and cries out for vengeance before God. To know My Will and not do It is to close Heaven, to break the Divine relations, and to not know the Divine command that every creature is obligated to know and to submit to what My Volition wants, even though it might cost them their life. Therefore be attentive, adore My Will and what It has disposed for you if you want to content your Jesus.
Volume 24 - July 29, 1928
(Our Lord to Luisa:) “You must know that during the course of My mortal Life, in everything I did, I always blessed. It was the first act of Creation that I called back upon creatures, and in order to confirm it, in blessing I invoked the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit. The very Sacraments are animated by these blessings and invocations. So, while calling the Likeness to the Creator within souls, My blessing calls also the life of My Divine Will, that It may return as in the beginning of Creation to reign in souls, because My Will alone has the virtue of painting in them, vividly, the Likeness of He who created them, of making it grow and of preserving it with the vivid Divine colors.
“See then, what blessing means: confirmation of Our creative work, because the work We do once is so filled with wisdom, and with sublimity and beauty, that We love to repeat it always. And if Our blessing is nothing other than the longing of Our Heart to see Our Image restored in creatures, as well as the repetition of Our confirmation of what We want to do, the sign of the cross that the Church teaches to the faithful is nothing other than impetrating Our Likeness on the part of creatures; and so, echoing Our blessing, they repeat: ‘In the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.’ Therefore, without knowing it, the Church and all the faithful harmonize with the Eternal Creator, and all want the same thing: God, by blessing and pronouncing the words, ‘Father, Son and Holy Spirit,’ wants to give His Likeness; creatures impetrate it by making the sign of the cross, pronouncing the same words.”
NINTH DAY
(Luisa:) I was following the acts of the Divine Fiat according to my usual way, in order to repair and bind all the relations between Creator and creature, between Redeemer and redeemed ones, between Sanctifier and sanctified ones, broken by the human will; and my beloved Jesus, moving in my interior, told me: “My daughter, one who wants to know all the relations existing between Creator and creature, and to keep their bonds in force, must let My Divine Will reign within herself with absolute dominion.
And one who wants to know and receive all the relations and bonds of sanctity, must love the Sanctifier. The Holy Spirit puts His flames on the way toward one who truly loves, and binds her with the relations of His Sanctity. Without love there is no sanctity, because the bonds of true sanctity are already broken.”
Volume 18 - October 1, 1925
(Our Lord to Luisa:) “One who does My Will and lives in It maintains whole the bonds of Creation which exist between Creator and creature, the bonds of Redemption, and the bonds between the Sanctifier and the ones who are being sanctified. My Will seals all these bonds and renders the creature inseparable from Me. Therefore, be sure that your Jesus does not leave you.”
Heavenly Father, I pray in the Most Holy Divine Will, in the name of Jesus and Mary through Luisa, for everyone and everything past, present and future that The Holy Spirit come with His Divine Fire and Sanctify the earth.
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts those who are linked to Luisa with the inextinguishable Fire of Your Divine Love; the Fire of Divine Love that transmutes the soul in God; the Fire of Divine Love that with Its flames invests all the human operations and gives them the form of Divine Operations.
Come Holy Spirit, fill those who are linked to Luisa with the Fire of Your Divine Will that contains such Power as to be a New Baptism for the soul, as Jesus told Luisa, “even more than Baptism itself.” Wash from us every stain, and give us that new Baptism that will strengthen us in Grace, to be admitted to Live with You on earth as it is in Heaven.
Come Holy Spirit, baptize those who are linked to Luisa with the Baptism of Your Divine Fire. Restore and heal us with Your Breath of Fire. Purify us with Your Divine Fire and devour and consume all our passions and evil tendencies, and finding our souls naked with no extraneous humors, it will be easy for You, Holy Spirit, to convert us into Your very Divine Fire. Let us feel the burning of Your Divine Fire and the palpitating Divine Life of our Creator so that all mankind will return to be the “bearer of his Creator.” Then You, Triune God, will feel the happiness, glory and appreciation for Your Creative Work, as it returns Love into Your Divine womb, as it came out, in a Fire of Love from Your Paternal Bosom.
Come Holy Spirit with Your Divine Fire of Your Divine Love and Sanctify the earth. We ask this in the name of Jesus, Our Lord, under the blue mantle of Mary, Our Mother and through the intercession of the little daughter of the Divine Will, Luisa Piccarreta. Amen.
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FWS Forgotten Classics: TERMINATOR: The Burning Earth (NOW Comics 1990)
With the last Forgotten Classics blogpost series about a Outer Limits episode not going over well, I decided to whip out a classic from my comic collecting day...Terminator: the Burning Earth from NOW Comics circa 1990. For Terminator fans like me, it was not Skynet's human-shaped death machines traveling back through time to kill Sarah Conner or other common plot-points in the Terminator universe that intrigued us, but the dark future war against the machines that haunted us. There was just something about the night battlefields lit up with plasma bolts, littered with skulls and darkened with the ashes of the pre-Judgement Day world. Sadly, most comics, movies, and TV shows with the Terminator label give us little of the dark world of 2029, and the desperate conflict. That was not so in 1988, when NOW Comics gave the world a monthly Terminator series taking place in 2031 with various resistance groups. The series would end in 1990, but was soon followed up with the subject of this blogpost, Terminator: the Burning Earth (T:TBE).
The Plot of Terminator: The Burning Earth (SPOILERS!!)
Published by NOW Comics between March and July of 1990, the Burning Earth continued the story laid down in the original series with their vision of John Conner and his organization, and a few characters, like Tim Reese (brother of Kyle Reese). Any new reader of the Terminator: the Burning Earth could go into this series cold, without the knowledge or pollution of the NOW regular series. It is around the year 2041, and the war is not going well for the human resistance. We see John Conner's once elite band of mobile fighters worn down and unable to mount an offensive against the machines. Skynet has also grown tried of the four decades old war, and has been waging a massive offensive against the humans with nuclear strikes, spraying of biological and chemical weapons, which are taking their toll. During a desperate battle, Conner puts a plasma pistol in his mouth to commit suicide. Just before he pulls the trigger, he witness two resistant fighters, one wounded, and one refusing to leave her side, get run over by an H/K ground unit. That awakes Conner the hell up, and proposes a bold strike on the HQ of Skynet, Thunder Mountain, Nevada, a former NORAD center, to end once and for all, win or lose.
Issue one detail the losing battle in the valley, and the horror of fighting in 2041, where even Conner is starting to doubt that humanity can win against the machines. At the end, once the ground and aerial HKs drive Conner's army from the field, Skynet deploys simple robotic soldiers, less complex than the Terminator model. In issue two, we are introduced to Skynet narrating it's own POV, and it's new female Terminator model, Aurora. Before you ask, I have no good idea why writer Ron Fortier even bothered with adding this element, she doesn't really come up again during T:TBE. At the end of issue two, Conner tells the ragtag group that they are hitting Skynet HQ, and they see the first wave of nuclear equipped aerial Hunter-Killers on their way to bomb the ashes of the old world. There is some nice writing here at the end. The next issue opens with what appears to be the Rocky Mountains. Now, I've been to the Rockies several times, and it looks more like Mars than Colorado or even Nevada. Added to this, the cover art has a Terminator holding a plasma rifle that bears a striking resembles an Colonial Marines M41a1 Pulse Rifle. While one team under Conner takes the main path, and suffers from stiff resistance, another smaller non-motorized team under Conner's third in command, sneaks in to disable Skynet's power plant. As the comic closes, team one is agreed by a massive Terminator welcoming committee. Here is the weird thing, most, if not all of the 'nators are wearing skins and sunglasses....why?
Conner Issue four opens with Skynet carpet nuclear bombing the remains of humanity in the rubble, and the Earth rebelling against the use of nukes. Conner and company are in deep serious, unable to move forward, until a nuclear-explosion wind pushing the humans over the cliff and onto the balcony. Earthquakes and the wind, damage the former NORAD complex, giving the humans the moment to invade the complex. More of the second team are cut down by mud-slides and quakes, leaving three to take on the power plant off-line. By the final issue, Conner (called Bear in the comics), is fighting QRF 'nator units, but gets to the central core of the machine. Blazing away with this plasma rifle, John Conner takes his rage out on the massive banks of computers, until a Terminator gets him on the ground, and just before it pulls the trigger, the second team comes through, knocking off the power. There is the end dialog: "Was that my own heart beating at triple time? Then the lights went out. For a second, I was bathed in darkness. Then came the silence. Oh, god, the sweet silence. The puppet's strings had been cut. Skynet was gone. The metal monster just stood in front of me waiting for further instructions that would never come."
The Historical Context of T:TBE
In September of 1988, Chicago-based NOW Comics acquired the permission to publish a comic based on the original 1984 Terminator film. At the time, was the ONLY Terminator film that existed. According to some article I read in Comic Shop News at the time, NOW Comics founder Tony Caputo walked out of a theater in 1984 after seeing the original film and knew it would make a great comic series. From September 1988 to February 1990, NOW Comics published 17 volumes that followed different resistance groups around 2031, mainly the Sarah Slammers out of Miami. Despite the bold attempt to bring the war against the machines to a comic form, it failed to depict the darkness that Cameron showed us in 1984 and had plots that seemed straight out of a Saturday Morning cartoon most of the time. Only one of the comics, number seven, gave us a similar feel to those dark visions present in the Cameron directed films. Looking back over my own collection, the letters from readers seem to greet with this analyzes, it just wasn't dark enough. That was until Terminator: the Burning Earth that is....
What Happened to T:TBE?
You might ask if T:TBE was so epic, than why didn't it led to anything? It just seems it died off, and Dark Horse Comics took over in 1990, ignoring the NOW Comics story line. Terminator: the Burning Earth was the right move for the Terminator comics, it was just too late. By this time, any comic collectors had been turned off by the lame story and art of the NOW comic line, and it didn't help the T:TBE series that a uber-lame 1990 Terminator: All My Future's Past was published right after the original run of the Burning Earth. It was reprinted into a trade paperback by iBooks in 2003, which was a reprint of the 1990 trade paperback that came out just before NOW Comics shut down. It mainly lives on in the mind of old collectors like me...
Why is T:TBE a Classic?
As I've stated a few times on this blogpost and other posts, I'm a huge fan of the war against the machines, and there have been a few works devoted to the dark future, Dark Horse's recent 2029 miniseries, for example. All but one have been unable to show the horror of fighting the machines in the post-Judgement Day world, that is Now Comics Terminator: the Burning Earth. These five comics display the full horror of fighting Skynet, and how the toll of this endless war is felt on the main characters with all the blood, mud, and blazing blue plasma bolts to boot.
Much of the credit for the success of the book in most people's mind is the muted glory of Alex Ross's art work. Terminator: the burning earth was his first published comic work.
Within his watercolor-based art for the comic, are celebrity cameos, Cindy Crawford was the basis of the Aurora female Terminator unit, one of the bums killed my a nuclear bomb was based off William Defoe, and even David Letterman makes an appearance in issue #4 as a rebel fighter. One of these bums were also based of the cover art of Jethro Tull's 1971 Aqualung. On the cover of issue number five, Alex Ross put a series of numbers and letter made to appear to be the POV of a terminator unit, and there in the code is the words: NOW COMIX BLOZ. Nice.
NOW Comics Interpretation of the Terminator Universe
Unlike Star Trek or Star Wars, the Terminator universe suffers from a lack of canon. Nearly every comic, film, or book forges new mythology, often conflicting with previous works. I wanted to take some space for a series that as disappeared and little information exists on the internet, especially their take on the dark world of Terminator. What makes the NOW Comic series unique was that is was one of the first works outside of the original 1984 film. This series takes place in 2031, which does not make any sense, has Kyle Reese said in Terminator: "It had no choice. Their defense grid was smashed. We'd won. Taking out Conner then would make no difference. Skynet had to wipe out his entire existence." This point was made by a reader via a letter, and NOW response was shitty, saying that their comic was not a history textbook. That gives you the level of thinking here in this series. This extends to the machines of Skynet, no HK tanks are seen, only the aerial units, and all appear the same has the film, then all of the terminator units seen are infiltrators, with grown skins, new clothing and sunglasses. Yes, most to all, 'nators in the NOW comics wear sunglasses...even at night. Which makes no damn sense. Only one infiltrator seen in #7, tries to do its job like we fans imagined. When in comes to the skin-covering for the infiltrators, NOW created these 'flesh farms' where real humans live in a community, only to be slaughtered later for their skins. In #10, one 'nator unit uses skin from one of its victims to repair its damaged exterior. But it does really matter, the 'nators look like Arnold Schwarzenegger in a world of humans always on the brink of starvation! This level of illogical things applies to Skynet itself, which treats itself has a god, and often interacts with its terminator units via normal oral communication as do the terminators when among themselves...WTF?
When it comes to the resistance, John Conner is features in issue #12 and #13, as well as in the burning earth, who is known has 'the bear', and he is always mobile, but no where near has rough and scarred as seen in other works. His organization is structured similar to a classic resistance cell, but also has an interesting birthing program. Conner's group did not` want to tie up their fighting force with being breeders, so they turned to artificial wombs, and in-vitro.
What is a real shame, besides the substandard art, and writing, is that most of the time in 2031, there are blue skies and greenery returning to the world. Which completely breaks the mood of the original film.
Should you buy/steal/read Terminator: the Burning Earth?
If you are fan of the war with the machines, especially the dark the better, than the burning Earth is for you. It does suffer from a few gaps in logic, like most of the NOW Comics Terminator comics, but the art, like a empty-headed supermodel, makes up for it. This book, even now, is pretty goddamned beautiful. The muddy, soft tones of the watercolor coupled with the bright blue plasma bolts pairs brilliantly, giving the world of 2041 the right tone for expression Cameron's dark vision of the war.
Great article!I remember reading this way back in the late 90´s and thinkin?"this makes no sense.Wasn't Resse the one who say the resistance has already defeated Skynet?i don't get it..."hahahah good memories!And like always.Alex Ross work here is superb!
Again,great article and great blog!Long live FWS!!!
William November 14, 2012 at 9:26 AM
I always enjoy going back, opening up my old comics and looking back and forward on these old books.
The Terminator series, in all of its forms, is deeply flawed. Really only T1 and T2 work. I wish that Cameron would come back, direct a prequel telling the story of Kyle Reese and the Time Machine. And Michael Biehn MUST play Kyle. Seriously.
Thanks for reading and commenting...and there is more 1980's and 1990's comic goodiness in the coming months.
tom February 13, 2018 at 8:54 PM
very interesting, never even saw this title.
FWS Video Game Review: HALO 4
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FWS News Flash: BSG: Blood & Chrome Sneak Peak!
FWS News Feed: Disney buys LucasFilms and ILM
FWS Video Game Review: Medal of Honor: Warfighter
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HOTEL BOUTIQUE ROOMS
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Category: Camping Pod News
Holiday park undergoes expansion
The lodge development at Newquay View Resort.
ONE of Newquay’s largest holiday resorts has undergone improvements as part of its five-year expansion plans.
Newquay View Resort has created a new lodge development, with plots that people can purchase as holiday homes. A lodge or a caravan can be placed on the site.
There have been 27 plots incorporated in the first phase, which has been completed, and an undetermined number will be included in the second phase.
The holiday park has also transformed its leisure complex, housing brand new changing rooms in the impressive indoor pool which is used by community groups, including surf life saving clubs from across Newquay.
New additions to the leisure complex, which is open to all, include a sauna and steam room for holidaymakers and owners to use, an Endless Swimming Pool for sports training, in conjunction with Lee Stanbury, plus a coffee house and bistro serving food, drinks, meals and snacks in partnership with the team behind the catering at Chapter 1 restaurant in Newquay.
Local contractors working on site include Beefold Services and Mad Dog Developers.
Newquay View Resort also now houses a brand new fitness studio run by Academy Fitness, which will provide space for classes and athletes to train.
As part of the continued development, the team has introduced a brand new run into the sporting calendar, the Valley View Run 5/10K, which takes place on Sunday, May 22, and can be entered online.
The independently-run Blue Surf School is also based at the adventurous resort. Peter Bull Resorts, owner of Newquay View Resort, is undertaking the latest developments to make its three Cornish holiday parks five-star.
Employee numbers have more than doubled since the business was taken over. The family-friendly resort also now has a holiday home owner community of 57 – up from only six owners in the previous year.
The resort’s seasonal touring van community has jumped from five to 50.
New self catering holiday vans accommodation has also been introduced to the resort, including Elite caravans and glamping pods.
Ian Smith, joint managing director, said: “Our exclusive new lodge development at Newquay View Resort will encourage new and existing audiences to visit Newquay. In just eight weeks we’ve made massive changes to the resort and we’re getting excellent Trip Advisor reviews and comments from our owners who are investing into our vision.”
ask@greenecoliving.co.uk
Useful links: greenecoextensions.co.uk: greenecooffices.co.uk
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What the UN is doing
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You are here: Home > News > WFP: LEEDing the way in sustainable construction
WFP: LEEDing the way in sustainable construction
Wed, 22/02/17
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“Humanitarian response, sustainable development, and sustaining peace are three sides of the same triangle” – UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) aims to mainstream environmental management across its operations and 'tread lightly' on the earth. One way it has embraced environmental sustainability is in the ‘green’ methods used during recent construction and renovations in Rome headquarters, a building of 31,613 m2.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a certification body leading the way in encouraging green building practices globally. In late 2016, WFP HQ received LEED Platinum certification for three buildings constructed in the Rome compound, and in January 2017, LEED Gold was obtained for a renovation project. Platinum LEED is the highest environmental sustainability construction award possible, and WFP is one of only 23 organizations in Italy to have successfully obtained it.
Childcare centre with roof garden
WFP achieved LEED certification for implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions aimed at achieving high performance in: water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, indoor environmental quality, innovation and sustainable site development.
Sink taps were fitted with aerators, reducing the amount of water used for washing by up to 80%. A 6,000m3 rainwater tank was installed to recycle water.
Green buildings use approximately 46% less energy than baseline buildings.
More than 90% of construction waste from the four green buildings was diverted from landfill to recycling centres.
All adhesives and paints used contained low VOC (volatile organic compounds) to ensure better air quality.
A roof garden was planted on 100% of the walkable area of the roof of the childcare centre, for natural insulation.
Sustainable transport, another part of LEED certification, is also encouraged at WFP HQ. Bicycle racks, dedicated showers, changing rooms and lockers have been provided for cyclists.
Green building is the concept of incorporating environmentally responsible and resource-efficient processes during the design, construction, operation, maintenance and renovation of buildings.
“Achieving LEED certification is more than just implementing sustainable practices, it represents a commitment to making the world a better place and influencing others to do better, which World Food Programme demonstrates every day,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, USGBC. “Buildings that achieve LEED certification are lowering carbon emissions, creating a healthier environment and reducing operating costs while prioritizing sustainable practices.”
Forum meeting centre with optimization of natural light
Senior Project Manager Massimo Mastromatteo noted that with 90% of WFP’s staff based in field locations, headquarters should lead by example, but must also advocate practical actions that will work in developing countries too. “Energy efficient lighting and water efficient taps or toilets, and even rainwater capture and solar hot water, are even more important in field locations where water may be scarce or we depend on generators for power” he said.
Sustainable building is just one aspect of WFP’s commitment to looking after the environment globally. In WFP Somalia, a hybrid power supply system provides clean power to the Bossaso compound. The system combines solar panels and wind turbines with generators and city grid power. Located close to the port, this warehouse is vital for safely storing food destined for Somali people.
WFP is currently working with UN Environment and the Government of Sweden to pilot an Environmental Management System (EMS) in its operations in Kenya, and will seek to build on this work through a new environmental policy, presented for executive endorsement in February.
Categories: Buildings, Energy, Water
Towards a Climate Neutral UN
The UN System's footprint and efforts to reduce it. Read it here.
About Greening the Blue
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Masonry 2 cols
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Business Amaya founder bids $3.5B to take over the company
By groundskeepersaccess_time4 years agochat_bubble_outlineLeave a comment
If you remember it, late in the August of this year, some 2 months before the general election day in the US, the presidential race saw a new contender enter the place – Evan McMullin.
This former CIA operative, born and raised as Utah’s Mormon, hoped to clinch his home state and thus deny both major party contenders their electoral college majority.
While this all was a theory (that proved to be horribly inaccurate), both of the major nominees never tried to give any concessions to this 3rd party candidate, even in the small state of Utah. Neither Trump, nor Hillary wanted to lose even these 6 electoral votes in a race that seemed to be so close, electoral college-wise.
So while Evan McMullin did secure some kind of a polling lead over Donald Trump in Utah, according to at least a few opinion polls in October, still Trump tried to campaign his way through Utah all Fall long.
The only little problem with Donald Trump’s easy victory over this deeply red state (which has voted for Republicans since 1964 – which totals to 52 years in a row), was the faith of the locals.
The Mormons, who make up more than a half of the state’s citizens, have been (or seemed to be, prior to November the 8th) staunchly opposing all the bigotry that Donald J. Trump has ever uttered while on his one and a half years long campaign trail…
Even the Mormon standard bearer, the previous Republican nominee for President in 2012, Mitt Romney has voiced his concerns over Trump’s divisive rhetorics and authoritarian tendencies, numerous times throughout 2016.
Ultimately, as Donald’s last opponents in the primary, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz and John Kasich has left the race, leaving him a straight road down to clinching the nomination, it all came down to the birth of the “Never Trump” movement.
Funny enough, that political movement (oftentimes also referred to as the conservative think tank) consisted primarily of GOPers, who due to one reason or another just weren’t able to stomach Donald Trump as their party’s official nominee.
While their first pick, the conservative writer, and attorney David French was a floppy one, exiting the race 1 week after announcing he’d enter, there seemed to be no hope in sight.
However, when it was all but 4 major nominees in late August, as the party conventions were left behind, a brand new face emerged – an energized, young (44, compared to Hillary’s, Trump’s and Johnson’s late 60s) candidate.
His name was Evan McMullin, he was a CIA operative for years, praised by many GOP insiders and CIA officials prior to the election. But even most importantly, he was both a Mormon, just like Mitt Romney and a social conservative.
Ultimately, in a desperate hope for the “Never Trump” movement, McMullin managed to get on 11 state ballots, and effectively became the 5th major nominee in the race (or the 6th, if you count the Constitution Party’s Darrel Castle, who received whopping 0.14 % of the US vote, or if counted – almost 200 thousand votes).
But though Evan and his running mate Mindy Finn have ultimately received just 0.34 % of the vote, or just under half a million votes, as the world greeted Trump as President-elect, McMullin did begin to talk about making his run that earned 1 in each 200 US votes into a brand new conservative party.
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Mr. Buoyega was born in one of Detroit’s poorest blocks, all before pursuing his successful managerial career in the future. For him, the breakthrough happened when he was able to get on Harvard University’s Law School list. After graduating from there, he was working for a few years for a number of multi-million dollar corporations, climbing up the corporate ladder and...
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Jul 16 2006, 05:50pm | Edgar A. Gunther
Solar Renewable Energy Programs and resources in New Jersey: The Solar Garden State
Although the California Solar Initiative (CSI) has dominated renewable energy headlines, New Jersey’s Solar Renewable Energy Programs (part of New Jersey’s Clean Energy ProgramTM (NJCEP) administered by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, NJ BPU) are among the best in the United States.
346 Solar Systems totaling 4533kWp of solar capacity were installed in Q1/2006 with $21.25 Million in NJCEP Solar Rebate assistance. This represents 82% of New Jersey solar capacity installed in all four quarters of 2005!
The basic NJCEP programs for solar photovoltaic systems include:
Customer On-Site Renewable Energy Rebates (CORE Program)
Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SREC Program)
Clean Energy Financing Program
The CORE Program offers “financial incentives” (rebates) of $4.35 per watt for residential solar electric systems of 10kWp (10,000 watts peak) or less in size. This CORE Program incentive covers about 50% of the solar electric system’s cost. The financial incentives for private and public/non-profit solar electric systems of various sizes are shown in the New Jersey Clean Energy Program Incentives – Chart II for applications since 3/15/06.
CORE Program incentives have driven a boomlet in New Jersey private solar electric installations, and solar rebate applications have outpaced program funding. As a result, private sector solar rebates are being held in an application queue until final rebate approval is issued by the NJ BPU Office of Clean Energy. There are rebate queues for systems less than or equal to 10kWp (CORE Queue LT 10 kW) and systems greater than 10kWp (CORE Queue GT 10 kW). These queues provide solar installers and manufacturers a competitive view into the New Jersey solar photovoltaic market.
New Jersey exempts solar photovoltaic installations from the state’s sales tax (increased to 7% on Saturday, July 15, 2006) although there is no property tax exemption. In addition, New Jersey solar photovoltaic installations are eligible for the Federal – Residential Solar and Fuel Cell Tax Credit for 30% ($2,000 maximum) of the purchase and installation cost of a residential solar photovoltaic system. Almost every practical solar photovoltaic system easily qualifies for this tax credit which directly reduces your US Federal income tax bill.
New Jersey’s revolutionary SREC Program creates tradable Solar Renewable Energy Certificates representing the clean energy benefits of electricity generated by solar electric systems independent of the actual power. An SREC is issued for every 1000kWh (1MWh, 1 megawatt-hour) of electricity a solar facility has generated and delivered to the grid, either through estimated or actual metered production. SRECs facilitate a medium of exchange for individuals and businesses to finance and invest in clean solar electricity.
New Jersey‘s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requires electricity suppliers to provide a percentage of their electricity sales from solar generation, and the NJ BPU requires electric suppliers to purchase and retire SRECs to satisfy this requirement. In April 2006, the NJ BPU increased the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) for renewable energy to 20% of New Jersey’s electricity by 2020. The new RPS mandates 2% from solar photovoltaic or an estimated 1500MWp of installed solar electricity capacity by 2020.
New Jersey launched the world’s first on-line marketplace for trading SRECs on June 25, 2004. Once a solar facility owner has registered and opened an SREC account, SRECs are automatically accumulated on a monthly basis. SRECs may only be traded in discrete 1MWh increments and have been trading for about $200 (or $0.20 per kWh) in March 2006. Solar Alternative Compliance Payments (SACP) allow suppliers to satisfy their solar generation requirements by paying $300 to the NJ BPU fund in lieu of each SREC, capping the price of SRECs. In effect, the SREC Program encourages efficient solar electricity production and provides an additional payback revenue stream for the solar facility owner. For example, a 5kWp solar facility in southern New Jersey is estimated to generate just over 6MWh (1200kWh per kWp annually) of electricity or 6 SRECs per calendar year. At $200 per SREC, this represents $1200 of annual income for the solar facility owner in addition to the electricity savings from grid connected, net metering. If they are willing to forego this income, solar facility owners can retire their own SRECs or abstain from the SREC program to retain the clean, green benefits of their solar electricity production.
Clean Energy Financing and Assistance Programs are offered by the NJ BPU in partnership with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJ EDA) through the NJCEP to encourage businesses to invest in clean, renewable
energy projects. Grants and financing are available to encourage the development of large-scale renewable energy facilities larger than 1MWp. Grants are available to finance up to 20% of eligible, renewable project development costs. The NJ EDA can also arrange long-term, low-interest rate bonds or loans to finance the balance of project costs, although project developers are required to make a minimum 10% project investment.
Vergulti Residence, New Jersey – The Solar Garden State
NJCEP August / September 2006 CORE Program and Queue Updates
Summer Solar Rebate freeze highlights November 2006 NJCEP CORE Queues
Solar Grant: What is a Refundable Renewable Energy Tax Credit?
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Almast Media
Forgotten stories brought to life
Story of the Sikhs
Become a Story Of The Sikhs Partner
[ May 14, 2016 ] Stories of Sikh children who survived the 1984 Delhi Massacre Plays
[ May 2, 2016 ] Kultar’s Mime Books
[ May 1, 2016 ] Coming Soon : Kultar’s Mime, the poem and the play Plays
[ May 1, 2016 ] Kultar’s Mime : A devised work that tells the stories of two massacres – Kishinev 1903 & Delhi 1984 Plays
[ May 1, 2016 ] The House of Mardana Volume 1 : Traditional Gurmat Sangeet by Devinder Singh Gulbagh Singh Music
Welcome to Almast Media
April 22, 2015 Sarbpreet Articles 0
Almast Media is dedicated to telling stories that the world has largely forgotten. Our first project is the spectacularly successful Kultar’s Mime, which has been presented globally on the SIkh Research Institute platform.
Watch this space for updates.
About Sarbpreet 7 Articles
Sarbpreet Singh is a playwright commentator and poet, who has been writing while pursuing a career in technology for several years. His commentary has appeared on NPR's Morning Edition, The Boston Herald, The Providence Journal, The Milwaukee Journal and several other newspapers and magazines. He writes a weekly column for the popular culture magazine, Sikhchic.com. He is the founder and director of the Gurmat Sangeet Project, a non-profit dedicated to the preservation of traditional Sikh music and serves on the boards of various non-profits focused on service and social justice. He is very active in Boston Interfaith circles and was recognized for his interfaith work by the Boston Globe.
Stories of Sikh children who survived the 1984 Delhi Massacre
Kultar’s Mime
Coming Soon : Kultar’s Mime, the poem and the play
Kultar’s Mime : A devised work that tells the stories of two massacres – Kishinev 1903 & Delhi 1984
The House of Mardana Volume 1 : Traditional Gurmat Sangeet by Devinder Singh Gulbagh Singh
Copyright © 2016 | Almast Media - Sarbpreet Singh
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hh.sePublikasjoner
http://hh.diva-portal.org/smash/resultList.jsf?query=&language=no&searchType=SIMPLE&noOfRows=50&sortOrder=author_sort_asc&sortOrder2=title_sort_asc&onlyFullText=false&sf=all&aq=%5B%5B%7B%22personId%22%3A%22authority-person%3A53409%22%7D%5D%5D&aqe=%5B%5D&aq2=%5B%5B%5D%5D&af=%5B%5D
Ahlborg, Tone
Nordic School of Public Health, Göteborg, Sweden.
Dahlöf, Lars-Gösta
Göteborg University, Sweden.
Hallberg, Lillemor R.-M.
Högskolan i Halmstad, Sektionen för hälsa och samhälle (HOS), Centrum för forskning om välfärd, hälsa och idrott (CVHI).
Quality of the Intimate and Sexual Relationship in the First-Time Parents Six Months After Delivery2005Inngår i: Journal of Sex Research, ISSN 0022-4499, E-ISSN 1559-8519, Vol. 42, nr 2, s. 167-174Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
This study aimed to describe the quality of the intimate relationship among parents six months after the birth of their first child. The Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) has been modified and used on 820 responding first-time parents, of which 768 were couples. The results reveal that most parents were happy in their relationship, but both mothers and fathers were discontented with the dyadic sexuality. "Being too tired for sexual activity" was a problem, especially for the mothers, and the most common frequency of intercourse was once or twice per month. The result does not support the assumption that the couples compensate the lacking sexuality with sensuality. Good communication within the couple was associated with higher levels of several dimensions of the intimate relationship, especially dyadic consensus and satisfaction. Thus, one way to stabilize and strengthen a relationship when dyadic sexual activity is low would be to emphasize dyadic communication and sensual activity.
Nordic School of Public Health.
Persson, Lars-Olof
University of Göteborg.
Assessing the Quality of the Dyadic Relationship in First-Time Parents: Development of a New Instrument2005Inngår i: Journal of Family Nursing, ISSN 1074-8407, E-ISSN 1552-549X, Vol. 11, nr 1, s. 19-37Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
The purpose of this research was to psychometrically evaluate the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS), modified for use with new, first-time parents by extending the items of communication, sensuality, and sexuality. A total of 820 Swedish respondents, 6 months after the birth of their first child, participated in the study. Psychometric evaluation was conducted with factor analysis. The obtained factor structure was tested with multitrait analysis program. Thirty-three itemswere found to fit into a five-factor solution, explaining 50% of the total variance. Descriptive data revealed thatmost new parentswere satisfied with their intimate relationship in general, but dissatisfied with their sexual lives. Themodified DAS, now called the Quality of Dyadic Relationship Instrument includes 33 items and seems to be a useful, updated measurement for assessing quality of the intimate relationship in new first-time parents.
3. Berggren, Ulf
Hägglin, Catharina
Hallberg, Ulrika
Psychological and Quality of Life Aspects of Edentulousness and Treatment with Dental Implants2005Inngår i: The osseointegration book: from calvarium to calcaneus, Berlin: Quintessence Publishing , 2005, s. 157-172Kapittel i bok, del av antologi (Fagfellevurdert)
Bergman, Bodil
Department of Psychology, Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden.
Högskolan i Halmstad, Akademin för hälsa och välfärd, Centrum för forskning om välfärd, hälsa och idrott (CVHI).
Moving away from facades: in-depth interviews with subjectively healthy women diagnosed with distress2005Inngår i: Qualitative Research in Psychology, ISSN 1478-0887, E-ISSN 1478-0895, Vol. 2, nr 2, s. 169-183Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
To gain a deeper understanding of why women, diagnosed with mental distress, reported good physical and mental health. What could the reason be and how did they feel four to five years later?
In-depth interviews were conducted with seven women; age 33 to 52, who worked in a Swedish male-dominated industry. The methodological approach relied on grounded theory.
A conceptual model was generated in the analysis, describing a temporal process of change in the women's self-image. Three core concepts illuminated this process:(1) maintaining an ideal self-image, (2) waking up/reappraising health and (3) struggling for a realistic self. The women were moving away from facades of meeting social expectations and pleasing others toward trusting and setting boundaries for themselves. Moving away from symptoms such asasthma, migraine and infections, as well as family problems, they felt and hoped that they had more control over their lives.
A conceptual model was proposed to illustrate a temporal change in women's self-image related to their changing perception of health. Women's newway of life challenges the support system within organizations and society.
Bernson, Jenny M.
Department of Behavioral and Community Dentistry, Institute of Odontology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
Elfstrom, Magnus L.
Department of Psychology, School of Sustainable Development of Society and Technology, Mälardalen University, Eskilstuna, Sweden.
Hakeberg, Magnus
'Making dental care possible - a mutual affair'. A grounded theory relating to adult patients with dental fear and regular dental treatment2011Inngår i: European Journal of Oral Sciences, ISSN 0909-8836, E-ISSN 1600-0722, Vol. 119, nr 5, s. 373-380Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
Dental fear is a common and widespread problem, which can cause severe stress. Even so, most patients with dental fear undergo regular dental treatment in spite of their fear and many enjoy good oral health. The aim of this study was to obtain a deeper understanding of how patients with dental fear manage to undergo dental treatment. Fourteen patients with dental fear, who undergo regular dental care, were interviewed. Qualitative analysis of the transcribed interviews was performed according to the principles of grounded theory. A conceptual framework was generated, and the main concern was identified as 'making dental care possible - a mutual affair'. Four additional categories explained how patients handled their dental fear and how dental care became possible. The strategies were labelled 'taking part in a mental wrestling match', 'trust-filled interaction with dental staff', 'striving for control' and 'seeking and/or receiving social support'. The results showed that making dental care possible for patients with dental fear is a mutual challenge that requires interplay between dental staff and patients, involving verbal and non-verbal communication reflecting respect, attention, and empathy. Moreover, a balance between nearness and distance and between professional and personal treatment is required.
Brink, Eva
Dept. of Nursing, Health and Culture, Univ. of Trollhättan/Uddevalla.
Grankvist, Gunne
Dept. Studs. Individual and Soc., Univ. of Trollhättan/Uddevalla.
Karlsson, Björn
Division of Cardiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg.
Health-related quality of life in women and men one year after acute myocardial infarction2005Inngår i: Quality of Life Research, ISSN 0962-9343, E-ISSN 1573-2649, Vol. 14, nr 3, s. 749-757Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
The purpose of the present study was, first, to detect possible changes in health-related quality of life (HRQL) over time and, second, to predict HRQL at 1year based on measures made 1 week and 5 months after a first-time acute myocardial infarction. There was an improvement in HRQL at 1year, as measured by the questionnaire 36-item Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form (SF-36), for both men and women as compared with the assessment 5 months after the acute myocardial infarction. However, the pattern was somewhat different for women and men. Women mainly reported increased scores on scales reflecting better mental health, whereas men, on the whole, demonstrated higher scores in the physical health domain. Depression (HAD) and fatigue were identified as early predictors of lower HRQL at the 1-year follow-up. Our conclusion is that early assessment of fatigue and depression is worthwhile, as they may indicate decreased HRQL in men and women 1year after first-time myocardial infarction.
West University, Vänersborg, Sweden .
Karlson, Björn W.
AstraZeneca R&D, Mölndal, Sweden.
Hallberg, Lillemor R-M
Readjustment 5 months after a first-time myocardial infarction: reorienting the active self2006Inngår i: Journal of Advanced Nursing, ISSN 0309-2402, E-ISSN 1365-2648, Vol. 53, nr 4, s. 403-411Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
This paper reports on an interview study exploring the self-regulation process in women and men, 5 months after a first-time myocardial infarction.
Somatic, psychological and social factors affect readjustment after a first-time myocardial infarction, and studies have demonstrated substantial rates of depression in patients after myocardial infarction Women report poorer mental health and physical condition than do men. Reconstruction of the self begins when disease poses novel problems and is more likely to occur in cases of long-lasting and disruptive illnesses. Experiencing myocardial infarction is likely to alter a person's mental representation of self. However, the self-regulation process following first-time myocardial infarction is not yet fully understood.
Twenty-one people (11 women, 10 men) were interviewed 5 months after first-time myocardial infarction. The grounded theory method provided the strategies for data collection and analysis.
Interviewees' definition of themselves as active was threatened by fatigue and other health problems that kept them from taking part in activities as they had done before the heart attack. Although reorienting the active self was central to the process of recovery from myocardial infarction, reorienting was restricted by illness perception and coping.
Participants had not established a stable health condition 5 months after first-time myocardial infarction. They mainly preferred to moderate rather than radically change their daily life activities. They needed more knowledge and support. Nurses can help with information and advice on managing daily life activities, including dialogue about lifestyle changes at this phase of readjustment.
Carlsson, Ing-Marie
Hallberg, Lillemor
Odberg Pettersson, Karen
Vad gör vi med latensfasen?2008Konferansepaper (Fagfellevurdert)
Länssjukhuset i Halmstad, Halmstad, Sverige.
Högskolan i Halmstad, Akademin för hälsa och välfärd, Centrum för forskning om välfärd, hälsa och idrott (CVHI), Hälsa och omvårdnad.
Odberg-Pettersson, Karen
Lunds universitet, Lund, Sverige.
Kvinnor som söker vård i tidigt förlossningsskede och deras upplevelse av latensfasen2007Inngår i: Reproduktiv Hälsa, Stockholm: Svenska Barnmorskeförbundet , 2007, s. 21-21Konferansepaper (Fagfellevurdert)
Högskolan i Halmstad, Akademin för hälsa och välfärd, Centrum för forskning om välfärd, hälsa och idrott (CVHI), Hälsofrämjande processer.
Högskolan i Halmstad, Akademin för hälsa och välfärd, Centrum för forskning om välfärd, hälsa och idrott (CVHI), Gruppen för forskning om hälsofrämjande och Livsstilsförändrande arbete.
Swedish women's experiences of seeking care and being admitted during the latent phase of labour: A grounded theory study2007Inngår i: Midwifery, ISSN 0266-6138, E-ISSN 1532-3099, Vol. 25, nr 2, s. 172-180Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
Objective: to gain a deeper understanding of how women who seek care at an early stage experience the latent phase of labour.
Design: a qualitative interview study using the grounded theory approach.
Setting: the study was conducted at a hospital in the southwestern part of Sweden with a range of 1600-1700 deliveries per year. The interviews took place in the women's homes two to six weeks after birth.
Participant: eighteen Swedish women, aged 22-36, who were admitted to the tabour ward while they were stilt in the latent phase of tabour.
Findings: 'Handing over responsibility' to professional caregivers emerged as the core category or the central theme in the data. The core category and five additional categories formed a conceptual model explaining what it meant to women being admitted in the early stage of tabour and their experiences of the Latent phase of tabour. The categories, which all related to the core category, were labelled: (1) 'longing to complete the pregnancy,' (2) 'having difficulty managing the uncertainty,' (3) 'having difficulty enduring the stow progress,' (4) 'suffering from pain to no avail' and (5) 'oscillating between powerfulness and powerlessness.'
Conclusions and implications for practice: findings indicate that women being admitted to the tabour ward in the latent phase of tabour experienced a need for handing over responsibility for the tabour, the welt-being of the unborn baby, and for themselves. Midwives have an important role in assisting women with coping during the latent phase of tabour, and in giving the women opportunity to hand over responsibility. This care should include validation of experienced pain and confirmation of the normality of the slow process, information and support. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Dellve, Lotta
Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden.
“Making it work in the frontline” explains female home care workers' defining, recognizing, communicating and reporting of occupational disorders2008Inngår i: International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, ISSN 1748-2623, E-ISSN 1748-2631, E-ISSN 1748-2623, Vol. 3, nr 3, s. 176-184 Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
Epidemiological research has so far failed to explain the high incidence of occupational disorders among home care workers (HCWs) and the great differences in organizational incidence rate. A qualitative approach may contribute to a deeper understanding of work group reasoning and handling in a more contextual manner. The aim of this grounded theory study was to gain a deeper understanding of the main concern in the processes of recognizing, communicating and reporting occupational disorders among HCWs. Focus group interviews were conducted with 40 HCWs in 9 focus groups. The selected municipalities represented variations in municipality type and incidence rate of occupational disorders. Making it work in the frontline was identified as the core category explaining that the perceived work situation in home care work was the main concern but interacted with work-group socialising processes as well as with the communicability and derivability of the occupational disorder when defining and reporting occupational disorders. Complex problems could be reformulated and agreed within the workgroup to increase communicability. Described significances for reporting/non-reporting were related to financial compensation, to a part of organizational political game or to an existential uncertainty, i.e. questioning if it belonged to their chosen work and life. Our conclusion is that working situation and work group attitudes have importance for reporting of occupational disorders. To support work-related health for HCWs, integrating communication should be developed about work-related challenges in work situation, as well as about attitudes, culture and efficiency within work-group.
Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Samuelsson, Lena
Regional Rehabilitation Centre for Children and Adolescents, Queen Silvia Children's Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Tallborn, Andreas
Queen Silvia Children's Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Fasth, Anders
Institute for the Health of Woman and Children, Department of Paediatrics, Gothenburg University, Sweden.
Stress and well-being among parents of children with rare diseases: a prospective intervention study2006Inngår i: Journal of Advanced Nursing, ISSN 0309-2402, E-ISSN 1365-2648, Vol. 53, nr 4, s. 392-402Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
This paper reports a study to assess stress, well-being and supportive resources experienced by mothers and fathers of children with rare disabilities, and how these variables were affected by an intensive family competence intervention.
Despite diagnosis-specific studies, little overall knowledge exists about life-consequences for families of children with rare disorders.
We used a prospective design with baseline data and two follow-ups (at 6 and 12 months) after an intervention. The intervention aimed at empowering parents in managing their child's disability. Parents from all parts of Sweden visiting a national centre for families of children with rare disabilities were consecutively selected (n = 136 mothers, 108 fathers). Instruments of parental stress, social support, self-rated health, optimism and life satisfaction and perceived physical or psychological strain were used. Stratified analyses were carried out for mothers and fathers, and related to parental demands: single mothers, full-time employment, participation in a parent association, child's age and type of disability.
We found high parental stress, physical and emotional strain among mothers, especially among single mothers. Fathers showed high stress related to incompetence, which decreased after the intervention. Decreased strain was found among full-time working mothers and fathers after the intervention. Parents' perceived knowledge and active coping and mothers' perceived social support were increased at follow-up. Factors related to parents' overall life satisfaction (57–70% explained variance) changed after the intervention, from being more related to internal demands (perceived strain, incompetence and social isolation) to other conditions, such as problems related to spouse, paid work and social network.
Parents, especially fathers and full-time working parents, may benefit from an intensive family competence programme.
Editorial2007Inngår i: International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, ISSN 1748-2623, E-ISSN 1748-2631, Vol. 2, nr 4, s. 194-194 Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
Editorial2006Inngår i: International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, ISSN 1748-2623, E-ISSN 1748-2631, Vol. 1, nr 1, s. 2-3 Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
Some reflections on qualitative research2008Inngår i: International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, ISSN 1748-2623, E-ISSN 1748-2631, Vol. 3, nr 2, s. 66-67 Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
Univ Gothenburg, Sahlgrenska Acad, Inst Odontol, Dept Behav & Community Dent, S-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden..
Nordic Sch Publ Hlth, Gothenburg, Sweden..
Facing a moral dilemma - introducing a dental care insurance within the Public Dental Service2012Inngår i: Swedish Dental Journal, ISSN 0347-9994, Vol. 36, nr 3, s. 149-156Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
Through the reform entitled "Dental care insurance dental care at a fixed price", patients are offered a dental insurance, a capitation plan, that ensures that they can visit the dentist regularly during a period of three years at a fixed price per month (Frisktandvard). This insurance may be offered to all patients. The aim of this study was to generate a theory explaining the main concern for the staff at the public dental service when they have to introduce and advocate dental care insurance to patients. Interview data from 17 persons, representing different professions within the public dental service, were collected and analyzed simultaneously in line with guidelines for grounded theory. The results indicated that dentists/dental hygienists experienced several difficult standpoints concerning the implementation of the dental insurance, somewhat of a moral dilemma. The staff generally had a "cautiously positive attitude" to the forthcoming dental care insurance, but had perceptions how and when the patients should be offered the insurance and what that may mean to the clinic. The respondents reflected about the economic aspects for the clinic and how the oral health may be affected over time for the patients.
Forskningsmiljön Välfärd & Välbefinnande vid Högskolan i Halmstad: Tema: välfärd och välbefinnande2007Inngår i: Socialmedicinsk Tidskrift, ISSN 0037-833X, Vol. 84, nr 3, s. 177-180Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
Hälsa och livsstil: forskning och praktiska tillämpningar2010Collection/Antologi (Fagfellevurdert)
Kränkande särbehandling eller mobbning på arbetsplatsen2005Inngår i: Att utveckla en god arbetsmiljö i skolan: en konferensdokumentation / [ed] Ewa Menckel & Gunilla Lundkvist, Halmstad: Högskolan i Halmstad & Arbetslivsinstitutet , 2005, s. 40-58Kapittel i bok, del av antologi (Annet (populærvitenskap, debatt, mm))
The “core category” of grounded theory: Making constant comparisons2006Inngår i: International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, ISSN 1748-2623, E-ISSN 1748-2631, E-ISSN 1748-2623, Vol. 1, nr 3, s. 141-148 Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
Approximately 40 years ago, Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss and their joint research approach, the constant comparative method of grounded theory, were at the forefront of what can be called a qualitative revolution. The publication of their book, The discovery of grounded theory (1967), was a breakthrough because of the systematic procedures for qualitative research that were presented. Prior to this publication, qualitative research methodology was traditionally most often taught orally. Through their book, Glaser and Strauss defended the method of qualitative research and countered the prevailing opinion that quantitative research provided the one and only approach to scientific inquiry. They argued that qualitative research is a field of inquiry in its own right, not merely to be used for pre-studies to “real” statistically based studies. The grounded theory method fits in with life world research, because the emphasis is on individuals as unique living wholes and the researcher focuses on the world as it is experienced by the individual. The researcher does not formulate any hypothesis in advance and tries to approach the research area with as few preconceptions as possible. Preconceptions, taken-for-granted assumptions, and interpretations must be handled by reflexive strategies in line with what Dahlberg (2006) has labelled “bridling”. Grounded theory offers the researcher a set of guidelines for building conceptual frameworks that specify the relationships among categories. The guidelines should be used as flexible tools rather than being seen as rigid rules. Grounded theory is a broad method with distinct procedures that work in practice and that are suitable to pragmatic researchers. The “core category” in grounded theory is, as I see it, the constant comparative method. The grounded theory method has been modified by the era within which it exists and by new ideas encountered in the world of inquiry (Annells, 1997). Varying views of what reality is and how it can be known affect the modes of the grounded theory method.
Bergman, Stefan
Research and Development Center, Spenshult Hospital, Oskarström, Sweden.
Minimizing the dysfunctional interplay between activity and recovery: A grounded theory on living with fibromyalgia2011Inngår i: International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, ISSN 1748-2623, E-ISSN 1748-2631, Vol. 6, nr 2, artikkel-id 7057 Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
The aim of this study was to generate a substantive theory, based on interviews with women with fibromyalgia, explaining how they manage their main concerns in daily life. The study has an inductive approach in line with classic grounded theory (Glaser, 1992). Twenty-three women living in the southwest region of Sweden were interviewed in-depth about their daily living with fibromyalgia and problems related to this. Probing and follow-up questions were asked by the interviewers when relevant. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and consecutively analysed in line with guidelines for grounded theory. The results showed that the main concern for women with fibromyalgia was to reach a balance in daily life. This concern was resolved by them using different strategies aimed at minimizing the dysfunctional interplay between activity and recovery (core category). This imbalance includes that the women are forcing themselves to live a fast-paced life and thereby tax or exceed their physical and psychological abilities and limits. Generally, the fibromyalgia symptoms vary and are most often unpredictable to the women. Pain and fatigue are the most prominent symptoms. However, pain-free periods occur, often related to intense engagement in some activity, relaxation or joy, but mainly the "pain gaps" are unpredictable. To reach a balance in daily life and manage the dysfunctional interplay between activity and recovery the women use several strategies. They are avoiding unnecessary stress, utilizing good days, paying the price for allowing oneself too much activity, planning activities in advance, distracting oneself from the pain, engaging in alleviating physical activities, and ignoring pain sensations. Distracting from the pain seems to be an especially helpful strategy as it may lead to "pain gaps". This strategy, meaning to divert attention from the pain, is possible to learn, or improve, in health promoting courses based on principles of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). We suggest that such courses are offered in primary care for patients with fibromyalgia or other types of longstanding pain. The courses should be led by registered nurses or psychologists, who are experienced in CBT and have extensive knowledge about theories on longstanding pain, stress and coping. Such courses would increase well-being and quality of life in women suffering from fibromyalgia. © 2011 L. R.-M. Hallberg & S. Bergman.
Johansson, Mattias
Borås Hospital, Sweden.
Jansson, Gunilla
Wiberg, Agne
Daily living with hyperacusis due to head injury 1 year after a treatment programme at the hearing clinic2005Inngår i: Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, ISSN 0283-9318, E-ISSN 1471-6712, Vol. 19, nr 4, s. 410-418Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
The aim of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of the quality of daily living of persons with hyperacusis after a traumatic head injury 1 year after these persons had participated in a treatment programme at a Swedish hearing clinic. The study group consisted of 21 patients with a mean age of 36 years. In-depth interviews, conducted 1 year after the treatment programme, were analysed using the grounded theory method. Five emergent categories were labelled moderating vulnerability, awareness of restrictions, conditioned participation, structuring daily life and controlling mood changes. The core category, moderating vulnerability, describes the necessary balancing act between activity and recovery. The informants were aware of their new restrictions and managed daily life by structuring and planning each day in detail to minimize exposure to sensory stimuli. They had learned to prioritize their activities and, thereby, rationed their time. The evaluated programme appears to have positive effects and facilitates patients' adjustment process to hyperacusis with relatively restricted costs for the society.
Kramer, Sophia E.
Vrije University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Self-reported hearing difficulties, communication strategies and psychological general well-being (quality of life) in patients with acquired hearing impairment2008Inngår i: Disability and Rehabilitation, ISSN 0963-8288, E-ISSN 1464-5165, Vol. 30, nr 3, s. 203-212Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
PURPOSE. The aims were to (i) translate the Amsterdam Inventory for Auditory Disability and Handicap (AIADH) into Swedish and evalute its usefulness, (ii) describe hearing difficulties and psychological well-being (quality of life) and (iii) explore variables related to psychological well-being in a Swedish population. METHOD. Seventy-nine consecutive patients, referred to the hearing clinic for hearing examination and audiological rehabilitation, formed the study sample. Along with pure-tone audiometry, the AIADH, the Psychological General Well-being index and the Communication Strategies Scale were used. RESULTS. Men had significantly worse hearing on the high frequencies (2, 3, 4 and 6 kHz) than women but their quality of life was significantly higher than for women. Men scored significantly lower on 'auditory localization' and adopted non-verbal communication strategies less often than women. A stepwise regression analysis showed that 'maladaptive behaviours' and 'intelligibility in quiet' explained 48% of the variance in quality of life. CONCLUSION. Psychosocial consequences of hearing loss, such as lowered quality of life, cannot be predicted from audiometric data alone. The adverse relationship between maladaptive behaviour and quality of life emphasizes the relevance of developing training programs aiming to improve coping with the consequences of a hearing impairment.The AIADH may be useful in assessing self-reported difficulties among patients with hearing problems, but needs to be further developed in terms of psychometric evaluations and reliability testings based on a larger representative sample.
Reichenberg, Kjell
Nordic School of Public Health and Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Göteborg University.
Allowing for the Opposite: The Parents of Asthmatic Children Cooperate by Making Use of Each Other's Differences2008Inngår i: Journal of Health Psychology, ISSN 1359-1053, E-ISSN 1461-7277, Vol. 13, nr 5, s. 659-668Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
This article focuses on one of the interactive processes that parents use to cope with their child's asthma. The concept allowing for the opposite was developed in the course of a clinical project designed to improve consultation methods in pediatric allergy care. We examined material from 67 conversations carried out with 22 heterosexual couples held with two family therapists: one male pediatrician and one female social worker. We found that parents made use of each other's differences in personality and parenting style, allowing each other to take opposing positions on how to cope with their child's asthma. Disagreement should be added to the list of coping mechanisms used by parents in their cooperative efforts to handle their child's asthma.
Ringdahl, Anders
Department of Audiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden.
Living with cochlear implants: experiences of 17 adult patients in Sweden2004Inngår i: International Journal of Audiology, ISSN 1499-2027, E-ISSN 1708-8186, Vol. 43, nr 2, s. 115-121Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
The aim of this grounded theory study was to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to profoundly deaf adults to undergo cochlear implantation and their experience of living with it daily. The aim of grounded theory is theorizing, i.e. constructing from data an explanatory scheme that systematically integrates various concepts and their relationships. The study group consisted of 10 women and seven men (age 29-78 years; mean age 56.5 years), who had had their cochlear implant (CI) for between 1 and 12 years (mean 4.1 years). Open taped interviews were carried out and analysed. The core category, coming back to life , defines a psychological process basic to existence, elucidating the existential value of hearing, including perceived harmony in life and becoming a part of the living world as important dimensions. This core concept is related to four additional emerging categories in a temporal order. Preventing disappointment concerns the decision to undergo the operation governed by the conception of having nothing to lose combined with low expectations of successful outcomes. Waiting in silence relates to experiences during the postoperative period such as sensations from the head and uncertainty about the outcome of surgery. The `switch-on' was experienced as a significant revelation and the emotionally loaded starting point for their coming back to life. Retraining the brain concerns the lengthy audiovisual learning process, finally resulting in `a car sounding like a car'. Strengthening of self-worth concerns psychosocial outcomes of cochlear implantation, in terms of less dependency and increased social participation. CIs provide a substantial improvement in the quality of life, as identi- fied in the emerging generic process of coming back to life, fundamental for psychological existence.
Hörselvårdsavdelningen, Sahlgrenska universitetssjukhuset, Göteborg.
Vad innebär cochlea implantat (CI) som rehabilitivt hjälpmedel för vuxna med postlingual dövhet: tema: välfärd och välbefinnande2007Inngår i: Socialmedicinsk Tidskrift, ISSN 0037-833X, Vol. 84, nr 3, s. 220-229Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
Cochlea implantat (CI) ordineras numera allt oftare som rehabilitativt hjälpmedel till personer med allt bättre ”resthörsel” och omkring 40 nya operationer genomförs för närvarande per år på Hörselvårdsavdelningen, SUS i Göteborg. För att förstå vad det innebär för patienter med grav hörselnedsättning/vuxendövhet att leva med CI och hur deras livskvalitet påverkas, krävs både traditionellt kvantitativa studier på slumpmässigt utvalda grupper ur populationen och mer inträngande kvalitativa studier på strategiskt utvalda grupper. Två av våra studier, en med kvalitativ och en med kvantitativ ansats, kommer kortfattat att beskrivas i denna artikel och belyser hur metodologisk mångfald bidrar till önskvärd kunskapstillväxt på ett komplicerat område.
Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg University, Sweden.
Holmes, A.
Department of Communicative Disorders, University of Florida.
Carver, C.
Psychological general well-being (quality of life) in patients with cochlear implants: Importance of social environment and age2005Inngår i: International Journal of Audiology, ISSN 1499-2027, E-ISSN 1708-8186, Vol. 44, nr 12, s. 706-711Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
The purpose of this study was to investigate the variables that affect psychological general well-being (quality of life) in patients with cochlear implants (CIs). The study sample consists of 96 adult patients with a CI, aged 24–86 years (Mean = 61.8 yrs; SD = 15.3 yrs). 48 were patients from the Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Sweden and 48 were patients from the University of Florida, USA. The Psychological General Well-being Index and the International Outcome Inventory-Cochlear implants were used in collecting data. Possible independent variables were socioeconomic factors such as age, gender, nationality, living arrangement, education, and social support; as well as length of time since implantation, age when hearing loss became a problem, and subjective benefit of the CI. A stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that 49% of the variance was explained by attitudes from others, restricted social participation, perceived social support and age.
Strandmark, K. Margaretha
Division of Social Science, Department of Public Health, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden.
Health consequences of workplace bullying: experiences from the perspective of employees in the public service sector2006Inngår i: International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, ISSN 1748-2623, E-ISSN 1748-2631, E-ISSN 1748-2631, Vol. 1, nr 2, s. 109-119 Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
The aim of the study was to explore the perceived health consequences of workplace bullying. Open interviews were conducted with 22 informants; 20 bully victims and two persons working with bullying prevention. Data was assessed and analysed simultaneously in line with grounded theory methodology. A conceptual model was grounded in data, describing experiences of deteriorating psychological and physical health following bullying and efforts of returning to a “normal” life. The core category, “remaining marked for life”, illuminates the manner in which bullying was perceived as a psychic trauma or a traumatic life event causing the bullied person to be marked forever. The model includes five additional categories: “feeling guilt, shame and diminishing self-esteem”, “developing symptoms and reactions”, “getting limited space of action”, “working through the course of events” and “trying to obtain redress”. Bullying included the spreading of rumours and repeated insults aimed at changing the image of the victim and resulting in feelings of guilt, shame and diminishing self-esteem. Physical and psychosomatic symptoms gradually emerge and medical treatment and sick listing follow. The longer the bullying continues, the more limited the possibility to change the situation and the victim has a more limited space of action. Returning to a “normal” life was possible, but presupposed that the victim had worked through of the course of events. The bullied person also tried to obtain redress, such as through monetary compensation or professional confirmation. Despite this, bullying left an internal scar: the bully victim was marked for life.
Helvik, Anne-Sofie
Innlandet Hospital Trust, Division Tynset, Norway & Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway & St. Olavs University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
Iversen, Valentina Cabral
St. Olavs University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway & Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.
Steiring, Randi
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.
Calibrating and adjusting expectations in life: A grounded theory on how elderly persons with somatic health problems maintain control and balance in life and optimize well-being2011Inngår i: International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, ISSN 1748-2623, E-ISSN 1748-2631, Vol. 6, nr 1, artikkel-id 6030 Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
Aim: This study aims at exploring the main concern for elderly individuals with somatic health problems and what they do to manage this.
Method: In total, 14 individuals (mean-74.2 years; range-68-86 years) of both gender including hospitalized and outpatient persons participated in the study. Open interviews were conducted and analyzed according to grounded theory, an inductive theory-generating method.
Results: The main concern for the elderly individuals with somatic health problems was identified as their striving to maintain control and balance in life. The analysis ended up in a substantive theory explaining how elderly individuals with somatic disease were calibrating and adjusting their expectations in life in order to adapt to their reduced energy level, health problems, and aging. By adjusting the expectations to their actual abilities, the elderly can maintain a sense of that they still have the control over their lives and create stability. The ongoing adjustment process is facilitated by different strategies and result despite lower expectations in subjective well-being. The facilitating strategies are utilizing the network of important others, enjoying cultural heritage, being occupied with interests, having a mission to fulfill, improving the situation by limiting boundaries and, finally, creating meaning in everyday life.
Conclusion: The main concern of the elderly with somatic health problems was to maintain control and balance in life. The emerging theory explains how elderly people with somatic health problems calibrate their expectations of life in order to adjust to reduced energy, health problems, and aging. This process is facilitated by different strategies and result despite lower expectation in subjective well-being. © 2011 A.-S. Helvik et al.
Ear, Nose and Throat Department, St Olav's University Hospital of Trondheim, Norway.
Jacobsen, Geir
Department of Public Health and General Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
Psychological well-being of adults with acquired hearing impairment2006Inngår i: Disability and Rehabilitation, ISSN 0963-8288, E-ISSN 1464-5165, Vol. 28, nr 9, s. 535-545Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
Aim: To study psychological well-being (health-related quality of life) in a population of adults 20 years and over with hearing impairment (HI) and its relation to audiological factors, consequences of the HI, sense of humour, and use of communication strategies.
Subjects and methods: Consecutive adults (n = 343) at the outpatient Unit of Audiology of a Norwegian university hospital answered the Psychological General Well-being inventory (PGWB), Hearing Disability and Handicap Scale (HDHS), Sense of Humour Questionnaire-6 (SHQ-6), and Communication Strategies Scale (CSS) in relation to an audiological examination and medical consultation.
Results: Mean PGWB index for the whole sample was 81.4 (SD 14.3) and females reported a significantly lower psychological well-being. In multiple linear regression analyses well-being was negatively associated with high levels of activity limitation and participation restriction. PGWB index was positively associated with high sense of humour, but was neither explained by audiological factors nor use of communication strategies.
Conclusions: Psychological well-being was associated with the outcome of a standard HI assessment of activity limitation and participation restriction, but not with degree of HI and use of communication strategies.
ENT Department, St Olavs University Hospital of Trondheim, Norway.
Department of Public Health and General Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.
Svebak, Sven
Department of Neuromedicine, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.
Hearing Impairment, Sense of Humour and Communication Strategies2007Inngår i: Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, ISSN 1501-7419, E-ISSN 1745-3011, Vol. 9, nr 1, s. 1-13Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
One purpose of this study was to describe sense of humour and communication strategies in a general population of adults who needed hearing aid (HA) fitting or refitting. Another purpose was to explore the correlation between characteristics of hearing impairment (HI), sense of humour, and other participant characteristics and the communication strategies as outcome. Consecutive patients (n=343) at the Department of Audiology during 1 year completed the Sense of Humour Questionnaire-6 (SHQ-6) and the Communication Strategies Scale (CSS with maladaptive behaviour, verbal and non-verbal strategies). It was found that a high sense of humour was related to female gender and younger age. In multiple regression analyses, use of non-verbal communication strategies was more prevalent among females and increased with younger age, longer duration of HI, and previous HA experience. Use of verbal communication strategies and maladaptive communication behaviour increased with increasing HI. Use of verbal strategies was further associated with younger age and previous HA experience. Frequent use of maladaptive behaviour was related to younger age, longer duration of HI and less sense of humour. Maladaptive behaviour, alternatively expressed as negative reactions to stressful events in communication, was negatively associated with sense of humour. This study may indicate a role for sense of humour in prevention of maladaptive behaviour. It may also improve our understanding of what factors influence the use of communication strategies.
Jacobsen, Geir W.
Effects of Impaired Hearing on Perceived Health and Life Situation2006Inngår i: Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, ISSN 1501-7419, E-ISSN 1745-3011, Vol. 8, nr 4, s. 263-277Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
The aim of this study was to determine the association between level of hearing loss (HL) and perceived health and life situation. A population sample of 343 outpatient adults who consulted a university hospital in Norway for hearing aids and rehabilitation was studied. Health and life situation was assessed by self-reported measures of general health, anxiety, participation in social activities, and life satisfaction. Level of HL was estimated by mean hearing threshold in the better ear, and categorized according to international standards. Subjects with normal hearing in the better ear were used as reference. Explanatory health and life situation variables were dichotomized and analysed using logistic regression models. The results showed that perception of good health was negatively affected by increasing HL before and after adjustment for potential confounders (p for trend <0.05). Compared with non-impaired individuals, the odds of perceiving their health as “not good”, were four times higher for the most severely affected subjects (p < 0.05). The odds for reporting anxiety, of abstaining from participation in social activities, and of being generally dissatisfied increased for patients with moderate and higher levels of HL. In conclusion, perception of health was negatively associated with increasing HL, while anxiety, participation in social activities, and perceived life satisfaction did not significantly correlate with the level of loss. Thus, degree of HL seems to be of quite limited importance when consequences of HL are judged.
Life Consequences of Hearing Loss in Terms of Activity Limitation and Participation Restriction2006Inngår i: Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, ISSN 1501-7419, E-ISSN 1745-3011, Vol. 8, nr 1, s. 53-66Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
The consequences of hearing loss in terms of perceived activity limitation and participation restriction were studied in a general population of 343 adults with hearing impairment using the Hearing Disability and Handicap Scale. Coping was measured by the Sense of Humour Questionnaire and the Communication Strategies Scale and combined with objective and subjective audiological variables and demographic factors (age, gender and education). In stepwise linear modelling, several variables contributed significantly to the outcome (adjusted R2=53.3% for activity limitation and 47.2% for participation restriction). Audiological factors explained most of the variance in activity limitation (R2=37.1%), while coping factors were the main predictors for participation restriction (R2=35.2%). Maladaptive behaviour in the Communication Strategies Scale was the strongest predictor and explained 13.7% and 32.4% of the variance in activity limitation and participation restriction, respectively. More frequent use of maladaptive behaviour was related to larger limitation and restriction. This study adds to the understanding of factors that negatively influence daily life in terms of activity limitation and participation restriction. This may in turn have consequences for aural rehabilitation efforts.
ENT Department St. Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
Department of Public Health and General Practice, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.
Wennberg, Siri
Arnesen, Haakon
Department of Audiology, Göteborg University, Sweden.
Activity limitation and participation restriction in adults seeking hearing aid fitting and rehabilitation2006Inngår i: Disability and Rehabilitation, ISSN 0963-8288, E-ISSN 1464-5165, Vol. 28, nr 5, s. 281-288Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
Purposes: We first aimed to describe demographic and audiological characteristics of adults referred to a university hospital for hearing aid (HA) fitting and rehabilitation. Our second aim was to employ an inventory that assesses life consequences of hearing impairment (HI) in terms of perceived activity limitation and participation restriction for the first time in a Norwegian adult outpatient population. A third aim was to study life consequences by audiological and demographic characteristics.
Subjects and methods: During one year consecutive patients (n?=?343) were requested to answer the Hearing Disability and Handicap Scale (HDHS) assessing activity limitation and participation restriction in relation to an audiological examination and medical consultation. The mean threshold of hearing (MTH) was ascertained by pure tone thresholds at 0.5?–?1?–?2?–?4 kHz in the better ear.
Results: Activity limitation and participation restriction were both higher for HA experienced than HA naïve subjects ( p < 0.01). In a multivariable model, the explained adjusted variance of activity limitation (R2) was 43.4% with MTH, perceived duration, and severity of hearing problems as predictor variables. Correspondingly, the explained adjusted variance of participation restriction was 28.4% for a model with MTH, age, gender and perceived severity of hearing problems as predictors.
Conclusions: As a standard supplement to audiometric tests, HDHS may be successfully applied as a clinical tool among similar hearing impaired outpatients in order to assess activity limitation and participation restriction as part of audiological rehabilitation.
Ear, Nose and Throat Department, St Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
Thürmer, Hanne
Blefjell Hospital, Notodden, Norway.
Department of Public Health and General Practice, Norwegian University of Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
Bratt, Mette
Psychometric evaluation of a Norwegian version of the Communication Strategies Scale of the Communication Profile for the Hearing Impaired2007Inngår i: Disability and Rehabilitation, ISSN 0963-8288, E-ISSN 1464-5165, Vol. 29, nr 6, s. 513-520Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
To evaluate the Communication Strategies Scale (CSS) in an adult Norwegian sample with hearing loss.
Subjects and methods.
Of 474 invited patients, a total of 337 consecutive adults admitted to the outpatient Unit of Audiology, ENT Department of a university hospital answered the CSS of the Communication Profile for the Hearing Impaired. The inventory assesses the use of three specific coping strategies; Maladaptive Behaviour, Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Strategies. The psychometric evaluation included construct validity by corrected item-total correlation, the internal consistency reliability by coefficient alpha (Cronbach's) and standard error of the measurement (SEM). Internal structure was evaluated by factor analyses using principal factors followed by a varimax rotation.
CSS showed good psychometric properties with acceptable and good internal consistency reliability for the subscales. The internal structure of the entire scale gave main loadings at 24 of 25 items at the same factor as the original one.
CSS may well be used as a clinical tool in the routine assessment of maladaptive and adaptive communication strategies in an unselected adult population of hearing impaired outpatients.
Ear, Nose and Throat Department (ENT), St Olavs University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
Psychometric evaluation of a Norwegian version of the Hearing Disability and Handicap Scale2007Inngår i: Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, ISSN 1501-7419, E-ISSN 1745-3011, Vol. 9, nr 2, s. 112-124Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
To evaluate the Hearing Disability and Handicap Scale (HDHS) in an unselected population of adults with hearing impairment.
Subjects and methods:
A total of 342 consecutive adults who consulted the outpatient unit of audiology in the ENT department of a Norwegian university hospital answered HDHS, which intends to assess the negative consequences of hearing loss. The psychometric evaluation included internal structure analyses and made use of principal factors followed by varimax rotation, construct validity by corrected item-total correlation, and internal consistency reliability by Cronbach's alpha coefficient.
HDHS showed good psychometric properties with three factors, i.e. speech perception (five items), non-speech sound (five items) and participation restriction (10 items). All had good internal consistency reliability. The inventory distinguished between activity limitations and other problems related to social life participation.
HDHS was found to be adequate for research and clinical purposes in an unselected adult population with a quite different cultural background and language than the original one.
ENT Department, St. Olavs University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
Why do some individuals with objectively verified hearing loss reject hearing aids?2008Inngår i: Audiological Medicine, ISSN 1651-386X, E-ISSN 1651-3835, Vol. 6, nr 2, s. 141-148Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
We investigated, in new hearing aid candidates, whether or not the use of coping strategies and the life situation, in terms of activity limitation, participation restriction and psychological well-being, were associated with the outcome of audiological counselling, i.e. the patients’ acceptance or rejection of a hearing aid (HA). The study included 173 consecutive adult patients (104 men and 69 women) with a need for audiological rehabilitation including HA-fitting. Use of communication strategies (Communication Strategies Scale, CSS), experience of activity limitation and participation restriction (Hearing Disability and Handicap Scale, HDHS), and general psychological well-being (Psychological General Well-being scale, PGWB) were assessed by self-report inventories. The hospital records, reviewed 1.5years after the first consultation, showed that 39 patients (25 men and 14 women, 23%) had not accepted a hearing aid. In crude and adjusted logistic regression analyses a low report (high scores) of maladaptive behaviour in communication was associated with a three-times higher odds for rejecting a hearing aid, while a highly perceived activity limitation and participation restriction were related to lower odds for rejection. Patients who felt they had few problems with their hearing or overlooked or repressed their shortcomings, rejected HAs more often.
Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim.
Department St. Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
Coping ability and everyday life situations in relation to audiological rehabilitation2007Inngår i: Audiological Medicine, ISSN 1651-386X, E-ISSN 1651-3835, Vol. 5, nr 2, s. 112-118Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
The relationship between the reported use of coping strategies and experience of everyday life prior to audiological rehabilitation and the number of rehabilitation consultations needed, were studied in a group of adults. The study took place at St. Olav's University Hospital, Norway and included 132 adult patients (77 men and 55 women) with no previous audiological rehabilitation or experience with hearing aid (HA) use. Hearing impairment was assessed by pure tone audiometry, while use of communication specific coping strategies and daily life situations were obtained using self-report inventories. The latter concerned activity limitation, participation restriction, and psychological well-being. The patients' hospital records were reviewed approximately 18 months after their first consultation. In total, 41 patients (31%) needed no more than the required minimum number of three consultations to complete rehabilitation including HA fitting, while 91 patients needed more than this. Logistic regression was used to study coping and everyday life in relation to the need for three versus more consultations. Little experienced participation restriction was related to the need for only three consultations. Use of communication specific coping strategies, activity limitation, or psychological well-being was not associated with the number of consultations needed. © 2007 Taylor & Francis.
Häggblom, A.M.E.
Möller, Anders R.
Nurses' attitudes and practices towards abused women2005Inngår i: Nursing and Health Sciences, ISSN 1441-0745, E-ISSN 1442-2018, Vol. 7, nr 4, s. 235-242Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
The present article is a descriptive survey assessing nurses' knowledge, training, and practices regarding the care of abused women. A self-administered questionnaire was sent to all nurses working within the government health organization on the Åland Islands, Finland. The response rate was 57%. Most nurses had no formal training in domestic violence and were less likely than the in-service-trained nurses to intervene with abused women. Nurses' knowledge, beliefs, and practices were found to be unsystematic and had drawbacks. Nurses were not familiar with the formal structure provided by the health administration. The results suggest that in order to meet the urgent need for training among nurses, an in-service training program needs to be set up. This program would help the nurses in identifying survivors of abuse and make them prepared to intervene more effectively to promote the health of these women.
Josefsson, Eva
Högskolan i Jönköping. Hälsohögskolan.
Lindsten, Rune
Högskolan i Jönköping. Hälsohögskolan. Odontologiska institutionen.
A qualitative study of the influence of poor dental aesthetics on the lives of young adults2010Inngår i: Acta Odontologica Scandinavica, ISSN 0001-6357, E-ISSN 1502-3850, Vol. 68, nr 1, s. 19-26Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
Although many countries offer some publicly funded orthodontic treatment for children, not all conditions receive treatment and some adolescents enter adulthood with persisting poor dental aesthetics or malocclusions. The aim of this study was to generate a theory highlighting the main concerns of young adults, either native-born or of immigrant background, with poor dental aesthetics and the measures they adopt to manage their condition in everyday life.
A qualitative method, classic grounded theory, was applied in order to generate a substantive theory highlighting the main concerns and managing mechanisms of 13 strategically selected 19- and 20-year-olds with poor dental aesthetics. Open interviews were conducted with each participant, the topics covering different aspects of social and dental conditions.
A core category and three conceptual categories were generated. The core category was labelled "Being under the pressure of social norms" and was related to categories explaining three different ways in which these young adults handle their main concern: (1) avoiding showing their teeth; (2) minimizing the importance of appearance; and (3) seeking orthodontic treatment. The theory offers the potential for improved understanding of young adults who, despite poor dental aesthetics, are managing well with life, and also of those who have not adjusted well.
In early adolescence it may be problematic to make decisions about orthodontic treatment. Undisclosed dental fear can be an important barrier. Some of the young adults in the present study would probably benefit from treatment.
Lindqvist, Gunilla
School of Health Sciences and Social Work, Växjö University, Växjö, Sweden.
'Feelings of guilt due to self-inflicted disease': a grounded theory of suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)2010Inngår i: Journal of Health Psychology, ISSN 1359-1053, E-ISSN 1461-7277, Vol. 15, nr 3, s. 456-466Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
The aim of this grounded theory study was to illuminate the main concern of people suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and how they handle their everyday life. Data were collected through interviews with 23 people with COPD at different stages, from mild to severe. A substantive theory was generated showing that the main concern was feelings of guilt due to self-inflicted disease associated with smoking habits. This core category was related to five managing strategies termed making sense of existence, adjusting to bodily restrictions, surrendering to fate, making excuses for the smoking-related cause and creating compliance with daily medication.
Malm, Dan
County Hospital Ryhov, Sweden and Jönköping University, Sweden.
Högskolan i Halmstad, Sektionen för hälsa och samhälle (HOS).
Patients’ Experiences of Daily Living with a Pacemaker: A Grounded Theory Study2006Inngår i: Journal of Health Psychology, ISSN 1359-1053, E-ISSN 1461-7277, Vol. 11, nr 5, s. 787-798Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
The purpose of this study was to examine patients’ experiences of daily living with a pacemaker. A total of 13 pacemaker patients (seven women) aged 22-82 (mean = 59.2) years were interviewed. The informants had had a pacemaker from 0.5 to 33 (mean 13.1) years. The grounded theory method was the basis for collection and analysis of the data. The results of the analysis of the semi-structured interviews showed that variations in ‘perceived social participation’ and ‘emotional state’, the two core categories, were related to four qualitatively different ways of experiencing daily living after pacemaker implantation.
Odell, Annika
Department of Cardiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, S-413 45, Göteborg, Sweden.
Grip, Lars
Restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI): Experiences from the patients' perspective2006Inngår i: European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, ISSN 1474-5151, E-ISSN 1873-1953, Vol. 5, nr 2, s. 150-157Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
PCI has been established as an effective treatment for coronary artery disease. Restenosis is a recurrence of a significant narrowing in the treated vessel. Although a part of the investigative and research funding is invested in the prevention and resolving the restenosis problem, little is known about its clinical significance apart from further revascularisation.
The intention of this study was to clarify the patients perspective of what it means to suffer from documented restenosis after PCI.
Patients interviewed had undergone PCI. Data collection and analysis was done simultaneously according to Grounded Theory methodology and continued until new interviews provided no additional information.
“Living with uncertainty” was identified as the core category, and the central focus in the data explains what it means to patients' to suffer from restenosis. The core category was further illuminated in four additional categories labelled “fighting for access to care”, “moderating health threats”, “trying to understand” and “controlling relatives anxiety”.
Patients' perceptions of illness and illness-related events, such as symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis, are considerably affected by uncertainty. This infiltrates their struggle to acquire the care needed, their endeavour to comprehend and moderate health threats, and caring for their family.
Pedersen, Eja
Högskolan i Halmstad, Akademin för ekonomi, teknik och naturvetenskap, Bio- och miljösystemforskning (BLESS).
Persson Waye, Kerstin
Arbets- och miljömedicin, Göteborgs universitet, Göteborg, Sweden.
Living in the Vicinity of Wind Turbines - A Grounded Theory Study2007Inngår i: Qualitative Research in Psychology, ISSN 1478-0895, Vol. 4, nr 1-2, s. 49-63Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
Little is known of wind turbines' impact on people living in their vicinity. The aim of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of how people perceive and are affected by wind turbines in their living environment. In-depth interviews with 15 informants, strategically chosen to form a heterogeneous group, were analyzed using the constant comparative method of grounded theory. The informants were to different extents affected by the swishing noise, flickering light, and constant movement of the turbines' rotor blades. Some informants perceived the exposures as outside their territory while others perceived them as intrusion into privacy; a divergence partly determined by the informants' personal values about the living environment. The feeling of intrusion was associated with feeling a lack of control, subjected to injustice, a lack of influence, and not being believed. Informants used various coping strategies, such as rebuilding their houses or complaining, but mainly tried to ignore exposures from the wind turbines. The findings can help us to better understand the severe reactions wind turbines sometimes evoke and contribute to the knowledge base used when planning for new wind farms.
Rolandsson, Margot
Division for Health and Caring Sciences, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden.
Hugoson, Anders
Department of Natural Science and Biomedicine School of Health Science, Jönköping, Sweden.
Influence of the ice-hockey environment on taking up snuff: an interview study among young males2006Inngår i: Acta Odontologica Scandinavica, ISSN 0001-6357, E-ISSN 1502-3850, Vol. 64, nr 1, s. 47-54Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
In Sweden, snuff-use is an established and accepted phenomenon in society, especially in connection with certain sports. The aim of this qualitative study was to analyze and describe the psychosocial environment influencing young male ice-hockey players into starting to use snuff. The study sample comprised 16 male participants between 15 and 32 years of age strategically selected for being active or having been active as ice-hockey players-snuff-users and non-users alike. A grounded theory design, including in-depth interviews, was used to generate a theory from data and thereby create theoretical concepts explaining social phenomena, human behavior, and process. An interview guide containing different themes was used to cover the study area. Five higher-order categories were developed and labeled: having a role model, residing in a consenting environment, experiencing performance demands, experiencing a sense of community and creating an image. Socialization in and through psychosocial norms of the ice-hockey environment was identified as a core category describing the central meaning of the informants' experiences of snuff in the ice-hockey environment. In the present study, the identified categories that integrate within the environment in which the young people reside and pursue their sports activities have been interpreted as factors enhancing the commencement of snuff-use. We suggest health promotion activities within the ice-hockey environment based on a health psychology model of planned behavior.
Seylani, Katereh
Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, IR Iran & Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Karlsson, Staffan
Swedish Institute for Health Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Rahm Hallberg, Ingalill
Mohammadi, Easa
Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran, IR Iran.
Negarandeh, Reza
Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Spirituality Among Iranian Nursing Students During Undergraduate Study2016Inngår i: Nursing and Midwifery Studies, ISSN 2322-1674, Vol. 5, nr 3, artikkel-id e33044Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
Background: Nursing students are expected to deliver holistic care in their upcoming career. Developing spirituality during nursing training is poorly understood.
Objectives: The current study aimed to explore the process of developing spirituality among Iranian nursing undergraduates.
Patients and Methods: The study employed Grounded theory approach and purposive sampling with maximum variation to select the participants among undergraduate nursing students in their fourth-year of study in the nursing school of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Data were gathered through semi structured interviews with nineteen nursing students and one faculty member (n = 20). Corbin and Strauss approach was selected for data analysis.
Results: Data analysis revealed that developing spirituality during nursing education is an intuitive development including three stages: early frustration, intuitive development through hardship and seeking meaning and fulfilment. This process is influenced by educational/caring environment as well as role models.
Conclusions: Upbringing capable nurses to deliver spiritual care require supportive environment and influential role models to encourage students’ spiritual development. Developing spiritually may end in delivering spiritual care and provide nursing students with inner strength for better confrontation with serious situations common in their upcoming career.
Karlstad university.
Being Rejected and Expelled from the Workplace: Experiences of Bullying in the Public Service Sector2007Inngår i: Qualitative Research in Psychology, ISSN 1478-0887, E-ISSN 1478-0895, E-ISSN 1478-0887, Vol. 4, nr 1-2, s. 1-14Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
The aim was to describe how bullying was experienced by individuals who had been exposed to bullying at their workplaces. Open interviews were conducted with 22 participants from different professional and organizational status groups in the public service sector, who had experienced bullying at their workplaces. The interviews were analyzed according to guidelines for grounded theory. The core category illuminated a social process of “being rejected and expelled from the workplace.” Based on the informantś descriptions, the meaning of bullying seemed to be conflict resolution through rejection of a threatening workmate. Additional categories described assumed intentions of indirect aggressive behaviors; “changing a person's image by means of slander,” “betraying a person through deceit,” “devaluing a person through insults,” and “legitimizing bullying through unjust treatment.” The category “mobilizing power through support” showed that the informants perceived temporary relief from suffering through support from others. Often support from those other than family and close friends was sparse. All categories formed a conceptual model describing a process of workplace bullying, as experienced and described by the informants. A conceptual model is proposed to illustrate a social process of rejection and expulsion from the workplace, based on interview data from informants who have experiences of bullying at the workplace. Bullying seemed to hold meaning in that it was perceived by the informants to solve values conflicts in the workplace.
The origin of workplace bullying: experiences from the perspective of bully victims in the public service sector2007Inngår i: Journal of Nursing Management, ISSN 0966-0429, E-ISSN 1365-2834, Vol. 15, nr 3, s. 332-341Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
Workplace bullying has attracted increased attention during the last decade due to its severe consequences on health. However, the origin of bullying has, so far, been insufficiently described.
This study investigates the manner in which bullying is initiated at workplaces in the public service sector.
Twenty-two bully victims were interviewed in-depth and data were analysed according to grounded theory methodology.
The findings of this study demonstrated that bullying was preceded by a long-standing struggle for power. This power struggle emanated from conflicts of values caused by organizational conditions, leadership styles and the involved parties' work expectations. In particular, individuals who perceived themselves as strong and competent or as vulnerable and sensitive persons were targeted in these types of power struggles.
In these cases, if values conflicts were solved, the power struggle ebbed. When values conflicts remained unsolved, the gap widened between the targeted individual and that person's opponents. Thereby, the conflict escalated and grew into one characterized by systematic and persistent bullying.
Svenningsson, Irene
Sahlgrenska School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden & Research and Development Unit, Primary Health Care FyrBoDal, Vänersborg, Sweden.
Hallberg, Lillemor R-M.
Gedda, Birgitta
Research and Development Unit, Primary Health Care FyrBoDal, Vänersborg, Sweden.
Health care professionals meeting with individuals with Type 2 diabetes and obesity: Balancing coaching and caution2011Inngår i: International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, ISSN 1748-2623, E-ISSN 1748-2631, Vol. 6, nr 2, artikkel-id 7129 Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
The burden of diabetes and obesity is increasing worldwide, indicating a need to find the best standard for diabetes care. The aim of this study was to generate a theory grounded in empirical data derived from a deeper understanding of health care professionals’ main concerns when they consult with individuals with diabetes and obesity and how they handle these concerns. Tape-recorded interviews were conducted with seven groups and three individual members of a diabetes team in an area of western Sweden. The grounded theory (GT) method was used to analyse the transcribed interviews. A core category, labelled Balancing coaching and caution and three categories (Coaching and supporting, Ambivalence and uncertainty, and Adjusting intentions) emerged. The core category and the three categories formed a substantive theory that explained and illuminated how health care professionals manage their main concern; their ambition to give professional individualised care; and find the right strategy for each individual with diabetes and obesity. The theory generated by this study can improve our understanding of how a lack of workable strategies limits caregivers’ abilities to reach their goals. It also helps identify the factors that contribute to the complexity of meetings between caregivers and individuals with diabetes. © 2011 I. Svenningsson et al.
Svensson, Ove
Högskolan i Halmstad, Akademin för lärande, humaniora och samhälle, Centrum för samhällsanalys (CESAM), Samhällsförändring, lärande och sociala relationer (SLSR). Högskolan i Halmstad, Akademin för hälsa och välfärd, Centrum för forskning om välfärd, hälsa och idrott (CVHI), Wigforss-gruppen.
Hunting for health, well-being, and quality of life2011Inngår i: International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, ISSN 1748-2623, E-ISSN 1748-2631, Vol. 6, nr 2, artikkel-id 7137 Artikkel i tidsskrift (Fagfellevurdert)
Health, well-being, quality of life, and lifestyle are central concepts within health science, although generally accepted definitions are still lacking. Lifestyle can either be seen as an independent variable and the cause of unhealthy behaviour or as a dependent variable, which is affected by conditions in the society. In the first case, the attention is directed on each individual case: maintaining or improving health requires changes in lifestyle and living habits. In this perspective, diet and physical activity are important features for health promotion. In the second case the attention is rather directed on structural conditions in society, for example the food industry, the lunches for children at school, and the "fast food" industry should be influenced to protect human health. The structural perspective has, so far, received restricted impact when it concerns prevention and promotion of health. Processes of individualisation in the society have to an increasing extent viewed health as an affair for the individual. The benefits of physical activity, healthy food and beverage, social support, and joy are documented scientifically. In general, the trend towards increasing responsibility for one's lifestyle and health is positive, but might reinforce the inequality in health. With an even harder climate in society there might be a risk that individual health projects undermine the solidarity and the will to accept costs for medical treatment and care for people who risk their health through an unhealthy and risk-taking lifestyle. However, we argue that peoples' well-being and quality of life presupposes a society that stands up for all people.
Högskolebiblioteket i Halmstad
Info för studenter
Info för forskare
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MAN UNDERGROUND -- Movie Review by Porfle
MAN UNDERGROUND (2016) is about how hard it can be for one man to get the truth out to the people when nobody wants to hear it or believe it. Especially when shadowy forces in the hush-hush inner government would rather such truth remain secret despite the obsessive efforts of one lone conspiracy theorist (i.e. "nut") to shine a light on it.
Unkempt, eccentric loner Willem Koda (George Basil) is the "nut" in question, or at least he seems like one to the waitresses at the diner in rural Middle America where he eats the same thing every day.
One of them, Flossie Ferguson (Pamela Fila), takes a shine to him and, being an aspiring actress, agrees to appear in an autobiographical shot-on-video film Willem has decided to make with his goodnaturedly nerdy pal Todd Muckle (Andy Rocco) in order to tell Willem's story to the public more effectively than with the occasional sparsely-attended speech or social media video.
So far, the whole thing seems to play like an ultra-dry deadpan comedy, especially when we start to see the three of them filming Willem's comically overdramatized account of his past trauma under the most amateur of conditions.
The events that made him the man he is today, we find, involve his working as a geologist for the government until having a terrifying close encounter of the worst kind after uncovering a sealed underground vault.
We know of Willem's horrific past experience, resulting in a painful breakup with his wife, solely through these humorously-staged, laughable recreations (there are no dramatic flashbacks), and thus have no way of knowing whether he's telling the truth or simply tragically delusional.
Still, the smartly-written script of MAN UNDERGROUND by co-directors Michael Borowiec and Sam Marine manages to come up with some spooky clues here and there which, at times, have us hanging on this pathetic, socially-malajusted paranoiac's unsettling nocturnal encounters as though we're watching a low-key political thriller or an episode of "The X-Files."
All of this potential background intrigue, meanwhile, is presented within the context of three societal misfits (and Flossie's annoying boyfriend Francis, played with smooth-nerd aplomb by Felix Hagen) making a glorified home movie while stumbling through their own awkward relationship problems--most of which stem from Willem's mercurial, distrustful nature--as deadpan humor gives way more and more to increasingly absorbing human drama.
The film's climax, in fact, is surprisingly dramatic, and by this time the writer-directors have managed to make these borderline-farcical characters more than sufficiently well-rounded enough for us to care about them. More than that, they're quite thoroughly sympathetic and likable, even realistic in their own way, which is due in no small part to some wonderfully deft performances by the leads.
MAN UNDERGROUND is unlike any "conspiracy theory" story I've seen, mixing subtle humor and serious drama the way real life often does, with the same variances in tone and lack of clear-cut resolution, and with the same kind of unsettling yet somehow appealing unpredictability.
Runtime: 93 mins.
Format: 1:85 Flat
Sound: Dolby 2.0
Website: www.IndicanPictures.com
Genre: Sci-Fi/Horror/Comedy
Labels: Comedy, Indican, movie, Porfle, review, sci-fi, science fiction, thriller
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Guest Post by Will and Ben G MATHS (ESTIMATION GAME)
In maths this week we are focusing on ESTIMATION. Today we played a game called ice ice maybe. We played this game in groups of four, one person played on the computer and the other three played it in their maths book and then they rotated until everyone had a go. Here is a link to the the game
ice ice maybe
We had to create icebergs for the penguins to jump on based on estimating the equations on the screen. The higher levels got faster and faster. Here is some of us in action:
This entry was posted in Ben G, Uncategorized, Will and tagged discover, learning, maths numbers, sharing, think by 34mk2012. Bookmark the permalink.
16 thoughts on “Guest Post by Will and Ben G MATHS (ESTIMATION GAME)”
Bianca on February 26, 2013 at 5:58 am said:
I loved playing that game, I loved how it was fun and educational at the same time.
Do you think they got the name of the game from the song Call Me Maybe?
Hope to hear from you!
Bianca.
34mk2012 on February 26, 2013 at 8:49 am said:
Hi Bianca.
I am glad you enjoyed the game. I had never thought about where the name came from! I wonder if you are right? I think the game could be improved by adding a few more levels and working with hundreds, tens and units. DO you have any ideas for how the game could be made better?
will on February 28, 2013 at 9:26 am said:
Hi Bianca and Mary,
I also think it was fun to.I really liked playing this game because it was really exciting to see what your next sum was going to be.I think they based it on “Ice ice baby” the song what do you think? Please reply
from Will
Thanks for replying to my comment. An idea to make the game better would be to make the estimation a bit closer to the answer to make people think a bit more. What do you think?
biancahs on March 4, 2013 at 5:13 am said:
I never thought of the game being named after that song, I always thought the name was based on Call Me Maybe. Who wrote that song?
Caleb on April 25, 2013 at 11:09 am said:
we play ice ice maybe in England and we just play it by ourselves instead of groups of four also it’s on the maths website we use.PS how about having a look at our blog.
Louis on April 25, 2013 at 11:13 am said:
Cool writing, may name is Louis and our school is in contantine and we also use mangahigh for homework.Please comment on the work for our blog Louis
Guy on May 23, 2013 at 9:01 am said:
Hi. At Constantine Primary we have Manga High and we LOVE IT!
I hope you LOVE IT too!
Mabye someday, we can have a Fai To battle!
You might also enjoy some of our writig on our Blog.
Louis on May 23, 2013 at 9:02 am said:
Wow my name is Louis and I go to Constantine school in cornwall and we also play Mangahigh.
Joanna on May 23, 2013 at 9:03 am said:
Hello Joanna here from Constantine Primary School,we play Ice Ice Maybe in England on a website called Mangahigh. We use it for homework and there are lots of different maths games on it. I think it is named after the song: Ice Ice Baby, because the game was around way before the song: Call me maybe ever came out.
Overall a good post with some good pictures.
daisycg on May 23, 2013 at 9:04 am said:
hello, my name is daisy and I like ice ice mabye too. I like your writing of the game, we do manga high too. From Daisy
benvv on May 23, 2013 at 9:06 am said:
Hello, my name is ben and I also play manga high. Unlike your school we do it ourself not in groups of four.
mya.m on May 23, 2013 at 9:08 am said:
Hi, i’m Mya and im from constantine we play mangahigh to we could challenge schools!! it would be great fun! i hope you did well on Ice Ice Baby.
Rufus.R on May 23, 2013 at 9:09 am said:
Hi its Ru from cornwall i’m Louis’ freind we play mangahigh aswell
finn on May 23, 2013 at 9:10 am said:
hi i hope you enjoy manga high, mabye one day we could challenge you.We have many talented children as i am sure you have too.
henri on May 23, 2013 at 9:11 am said:
hi Henri here from constantine school, nice work and we ply that game at our school I think it’s actully abit fun goodbye
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Perspectives of Women during Reproductive Years for Cervical Cancer Scans and Influencing Factors
Acar, Gokce Banu (Department of Oncology, Ankara Ataturk Training And Research Hospital) ;
Pinar, Gul (Director of Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Yildirim Beyazit University)
https://doi.org/10.7314/APJCP.2015.16.16.7171
Background: This descriptive study was performed in order to assess health perspectives of women, who applied to Yildirim Beyazit University Ataturk Education and Research Hospital, Outpatient Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology for cervical cancer scans and were in the reproductive years. Factors influencing their perspectives were also assessed. Materials and Methods: In this study, a simple random sampling formula was adopted to calculate the volume (300) of the targeted sample. Results of the research were obtained through individual diagnosis form and cervical cancer and the Pap smear test health belief model scale (HBMS). Results: It was found that 75.0% of the women heard of the Pap smear test before, and 48.7% had undertaken one. Some 51.4% of the women who had Pap smear test expressed that they had the test at irregular periods. Most of the women stated that they heard about the smear test from the health staff (51.7%). Lack of any health complaints (28.3%) and not having adequate information about the test (21.0%) were among the reasons for not undergoing a Pap smear test. It was found that lower dimension average scores of the women obtained from the cervical cancer and Pap smear test HBMS varied from $7.7{\pm}2.3$ to $33.5{\pm}9.3$. When the lower dimension average scores of women from the HBMS were examined, the perception of usefulness was high but the susceptibility and health motivations were low. Conclusions: In this study, it was determined that the awareness of women about cervical cancer and the Pap smear test was insufficient, and susceptibility and motivation perception towards having a Pap smear test were low.
Risk factors-reproductive period;cervical cancer;health perspectives;health belief;Turkish women
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Moreira ED, Oliveira BG, Ferraz FM, et al (2006). Knowledge and attitudes about human papilloma virus, Pap smears, and cervical cancer among young women in Brazil: Implications for health education and prevention. Int J Gynecol Cancer, 16, 599-603.
Mutyaba T, Mmiro FA, Weiderpass E (2006). Knowledge, attitudes and practices on cervical cancer screening among the medical workers of Mulago Hospital, Uganda. BMC Med Educ, 1, 6-13.
Natphopsuk S, Settheetham-Ishida W, Sinawat S, et al (2012). Risk factors for cervical cancer in northeastern Thailand: detailed analyses of sexual and smoking behavior. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 13, 5489-95. https://doi.org/10.7314/APJCP.2012.13.11.5489
Nazlican E, Akbaba M, Koyuncu H, et al (2010). Cervical cancer screening between 35-40 aged women at Kisecik region of Hatay provinence. TAF Prev Med Bull, 9, 471-4.
Ozan H (2005). Pap Smear: When? How? Who is from?. Turkish J Obstet Gynecol, 2, 35-40.
Parkin DM, Bray F, Ferlay J, et al (2005). Global cancer statistics 2002. CA Cancer J Clin, 55, 74-108. https://doi.org/10.3322/canjclin.55.2.74
Pinar G, Topuz S, Dogan N, et al (2009). The knowledge and practice of girls tudents of Baskent University about cervix cancer and its prevention. Turkish J Gynaecologic Oncol, 3, 66-73.
Reis N, Beji KN, Coskun A (2010). Quality of life and sexual functioning in gynecological cancer patients: results from quantitative and qualitaty data. Eur J Oncol Nurs, 14, 137-46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejon.2009.09.004
Saegrov S, Halding AG (2004). What is it like living with the diagnosis of cancer? Eur J Cancer Care, 13, 145-53. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2354.2004.00442.x
Shekhar S, Sharma C, Thakur S, et al (2013). Cervical cancer screening: knowledge, attitude and practices among nursing staff in a tertiary level teaching institution of rural India. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 14, 3641-5. https://doi.org/10.7314/APJCP.2013.14.6.3641
Urasa M, Darj E (2011). Knowledge of cervical cancer and screening practices of nurses at a regional hospital in Tanzania. African Health Sci, 11, 48-57.
WHO, Cancer, Retrieved 2014-03-20, from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs297/en/index.html.
WHO (2006). Comprehensive cervical cancer control: a guide to essential practice, Retrieved 2014-05-15 from http://www.who.int/reproductive health/publications/cervical_cancer_gep/text.pdf.
Factors affecting Pap smear uptake in a maternity hospital: A descriptive cross-sectional study vol.74, pp.11, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.13769
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jandavidblais.com
Suspenseful, sweeping, provocative...
...an American War And Peace.
~ TWENTIETH CENTURY LIMITED
TWENTIETH CENTURY LIMITED
JBlog/News/Events
EXCERPTS FROM TWENTIETH CENTURY LIMITED
MEMORIAL FOR A FALLEN SOLDIER
Paul Bernard recalls the memorial he witnessed as a small boy, for a young man of the neighborhood fallen in World War Two.
A number of soldiers with musical instruments stood in the street, one with a huge drum hanging from a strap around his neck. Then everybody sat down and they started to play. I was so close, my throat and chest pounded like it was me being played, not the drum. A number of soldiers with musical instruments stood in the street, one with a huge drum hanging from a strap around his neck. Then everybody sat down and they started to play. When the music stopped a soldier with shiny metal on his collar got up. He said something in Italian then the name of Angelo’s brother Cosmo. The soldier was tall and serious and said how brave Cosmo was. Then he went over to Mrs. D’Andrea and placed the flag in her lap. I had never seen a flag folded. I didn’t know they let you do that. She crossed herself, pulled her veil down and placed her hands on the flag. I could tell she’d been crying.
Then some man in a suit came to the microphone. Councilman Napolitano, my mother told me that’s who it was, he went on and on and finally he stepped across to the telephone pole. I hadn’t noticed the cloth on it before. The man stepped across to the telephone pole and yanked a cord. As he did, the cloth fell away and you could see a piece of dark wood with gold letters and two little crossed flags, also flowers.
COLLEGE YEARS
In his first year at a Jesuit college Paul Bernard takes part in a religious retreat and considers the state of his immortal soul.
ON A CHILL OCTOBER EVENING three hundred sixty young men filed past the massive wooden doors of the college chapel. Inside, candles flickered, the air heavy with spent incense. From the spacious interior came an overwhelming impression of stability, the arches and columns less about soaring praise than accountability, responsibility. Fittingly the church was named for that most solid of saints – St. Joseph, bedrock of the Holy Family. …
As Father Barry stepped down another priest appeared – tall and lean in his cassock, a purple stole about his neck, shadows from the dim light marking his long face. I looked at my seatmate and we shook our heads. Never seen him before. He settled into the pulpit. “‘I will go unto the altar of God,’” he began, “‘to God, the joy of my youth. Words from the Book of Psalms, Chapter 42, Verse 4. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” “Amen,” we responded, making the sign of the cross.
Pulling on steel-rimmed glasses, he went on. “Our Lord said it best. ‘What does it profit a man if he gain the whole world but suffer the loss of his immortal soul?’ My dear young men, your most important task in life, the only job that really matters, is to prepare yourselves for eternity.” Deep and sonorous, the priest’s voice reverberated through the half-empty church. He spoke deliberately, pausing often. “These few days we will meditate on The Four Last Things – Death, Judgment, Hell and Heaven.” The priest stared down at us, two bright discs obscuring his eyes. “At that all-important moment, when you are called on to account for your life, what will the condition of your soul be?”
While attempting to take a mountain objective, Pvt. Paul Bernard and his unit come under heavy fire. Bernard hears a scream and believes his best friend has been hit.
The next morning we wake to a beautiful sunrise. Gibbs orders us to regroup. Grousing and complaining, we form up with an ARVN platoon, but at least Gibbs doesn’t give away a lot of the altitude we worked so hard to gain. We maneuver around to a gentler slope on the southwest face where the brass who are directing all this from observation choppers and their base camp below think we might make better gains. We start out okay but by late morning have stalled out, coming under heavy fire from another NVA dugout uphill. That’s the nature of the mission – they are up, we are down trying to get up.
Problem is, this crowd has a grenade launch operator who is damned good, almost as good as me. He soon has us zeroed in, and the ground around us erupts in earth fountains – mud and metal flying every direction. Two, maybe three machine gunners up there, too. I am not feeling good about this. Nathan and I have been working side by side but at one point we get separated. Darting out from behind a big rock, Murph and I and a couple others return fire when I see a blast maybe twenty meters away and hear a scream. Nathan! Was that Nathan? Jesus – don’t let it be Nathan!
NEWSPAPER CITY ROOM
Paul Bernard as a reporter on the prestigious New York Gazette.
My new assignment meant more time in the field, which was what I wanted, but the newsroom never ceased to amaze and fascinate. I’ve waited until now to paint it for you – it took time to sort it all out. The Gazette’s newsroom occupied a good two-thirds of the fourth floor, with pillars here and there but almost devoid of partitions, a room so vast that several times a day a certain editor would climb on a chair with his binoculars to see who he could grab for an assignment. Fluorescent ballasts hung from the tiled ceiling, casting a flat, shadowless light which hurt your eyes after a few minutes of close work. The noise is what got to you. Typewriters everywhere, teletype machines, phones ringing, radios, pagers, talking, shouting, moving around, the infernal PA, the exercise bike screeching next to the rowing machine, for some unaccountable reason the two of them named Harold and Maude.
COVERING THE GULF WAR
Kuwait’s liberation complete, Paul Bernard and his cameraman prepare to leave Kuwait City.
I located a hotel rooftop and made a satellite call to New York, giving an account of the scene and recapping our days on the drive. I passed along reports that the Iraqi Army was withdrawing on all fronts and setting fire to Kuwait’s oil fields. Em’s footage captured spectacular pillars of fire ringing the horizon, dense, oily smoke blackening the nighttime sky. “A glimpse into hell,” I called it. The wind pushed the foul air our way, making breathing difficult. “I wish I’d kept my gas mask handy,” I said, showing the oily drops on my skin and clothes, the streaks on my forehead and hands. Holding up my smeared night vision goggles, I pronounced them useless.
Later in the hotel lounge I caught a replay of George Bush’s call for the world to pray for the Coalition forces and for “God’s blessing on the United States of America.” His comments were paired with Saddam’s message to his troops to “fight them, brave Iraqis … fight them with your faith in God.” Made me think God probably doesn’t spend much time on political petitions, but I wondered how He would sort through the prayers of the simple people on both sides for their loved ones in harm’s way, for their land.
THE LTN LOCAL NEWS WITH PAUL BERNARD
Paul Bernard prepares to take the air for his debut as a television news anchorman.
I looked at the big clock on the wall, squirming around in my chair, thinking maybe it was a bit too low but decided it was okay… too late anyway. Another glance at the clock on the wall… hands moving toward the top of the hour.
“One minute!”
I cleared my throat, took another sip of water. Looking around I saw Bell behind the glass that separated me from the control room. McKay was standing behind him. Bell gave me a thumbs up. I thumbed him back. Now the sweep second hand was at fifteen… ten… five… I cleared my throat and took a deep breath. Running through my mind a weird thought – this is the first night of the rest of my life. The ON-AIR sign on the side wall lit up. I looked straight into the camera. Red light’s on, and flashing on the screen – THE LTN LOCAL NEWS WITH PAUL BERNARD
In a prime-time report, Paul Bernard presents his views on fundamentalism and evangelical movements.
We next turned to the link between fundamentalism and evangelism, noting the vitality of early Christianity, the spread of Islam, the current wave of proselytizing by fundamentalist Protestants and Mormons, and contrasting this energy against the weariness and self-satisfaction that these days all too often characterize established religion. “The true believer is afire, driven by an expansive, thrilling vision. He shares a dream and a quest. ‘Born again’ is not merely a slogan – it is once more to be young and filled with enthusiasm, passionate for sharing the life-transforming gift, whatever it may be.
“These days political Islam is much in the news. From our outpost in America, accustomed to separation of church and state, it is difficult to grasp such an intimate union of religion and political life. The specter of the Islamic Republic confounds us – witness Khomeini’s stunning turnabout in Iran, or our complex Saudi ally. Disconcerting indeed, though if we recall our European history it won’t be so unfamiliar. The fact is, some in our country understand the Islamic approach all too well. They disagree with the content – wrong God, wrong religion – but the idea of a religious nation excites them. A Christian America! By God, that’s the way to do it! Be sure to tune in tomorrow,” I said, pointing to the screen – THE UNITED STATES AND ITS RELIGIOUS RIGHT.
9-11 – THE TWIN TOWERS ATTACKED
Paul Bernard reporting from lower Manhattan, September 11, 2001.
In my earpiece information was straggling in. There was talk of hijackings, a terrorist attack. I thought again of bin Laden, of our missed opportunities. A few minutes later, a plane reported crashed into the Pentagon, fires raging. What other scenes of devastation, I wondered. No mention, but buildings all over are being evacuated. The White House, U.N. headquarters, Sears Tower. U.S. airspace is shut down. Has anyone claimed responsibility? What’s happening with our air defense? Where is George Bush and what is he doing?
At 9:59 the screams begin. “The building’s coming down!” “THE BUILDING’S COMING DOWN!!”
Slowly, from the top, the South Tower starts to settle on itself, falling… falling… a grinding, screeching cry, the great building in its death throes. I glance at Charlie. His eyes fill with tears but still he mans his camera. An enormous cloud of dust and debris rushes forward, obscuring the lower stories of the doomed building, then settles, flooding across the plaza, into the street, up, down, across Church Street… ten, fifteen stories high! A maniacal blizzard, thousands of papers borne aloft, tens of thousands. “As dry leaves before the wild hurricane fly,” I murmur, beside myself with horror.
BUSH-CHENEY-RUMSFELD
The gloves come off. Paul Bernard rips the Bush administration as the drumbeat for war grows.
It was June of 02. “How about another war?” I asked. “What better way to rally the country behind its faltering leader? Trade tough Afghanistan for a place we’ve been before, where, as Donald Rumsfeld puts it, there are a lot more targets, against a guy we’ve hated ever since we stopped being his friend. If the spate of reports and hints coming out of the White House are true, Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld-Wolfowitz have already decided Saddam must go. The case for Iraq will be harder to make. It’ll take real creativity, but Bush’s team is up to it. In fact they’ve already started.
“In November of 01,” I went on, “Bush said Afghanistan is still just the beginning and Iraq – can you believe it, Iraq? – may be the next target in his War on Terror. In December, for the first time Dick Cheney suggested an Iraq – al-Qaeda link, charging Iraq with harboring terrorists. Newspapers headlined White House warnings about Saddam’s revitalized WMD program, then in an impressive display of bootstrapping, the administration cited these very stories as proof that Saddam has WMDs. But with all this, by the end of last month polls showed a declining number of Americans, only four in ten, believe we are winning the War On Terror. Clearly, it’s time to step up the pressure.”
Readers and website visitors might like to know about some of the people who contributed their talents to TWENTIETH CENTURY LIMITED.
Principal editor MARY SULLIVAN’s YA book Dear Blue Sky has just been published by Penguin and is now available. She’s also the author of Ship Sooner and Stay. Mary has received a Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers’ Award, a Massachusetts Cultural Council Grant for Literature, and a St. Botolph’s Award. www.marysullivan.net
PAULA BLAIS GORGAS, long a source of encouragement and advice, is also a noted author. Her Earth Magic won the Oklahoma Writers’ Federation Award for Best Juvenile Book, and Other Worlds was named its Best Book of Fiction. Paula’s YA novel Court of Honor was winner of the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart Award. www.pbgorgas.com
PAT NIESHOFF was responsible for book, cover and page design. Nieshoff Design, Lexington MA. www.nieshoffdesign.com
A listing of WORKS CONSULTED for TWENTIETH CENTURY LIMITED will be posted on this website when it is published in September.
SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY OFFER! Personalized signed copies of TWENTIETH CENTURY LIMITED and FLIGHT PATH available exclusively through this website, for a limited time!
Subscribe to JBlog/News/Events
Highpoint Press® is an independent publisher based in Gloucester, MA.
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Copyright © 2020 Jan David Blais, All Rights Reserved
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Inspiring Voice Reviews Yossi Green & Shlomo Simcha “Layl Shishi”
Run For Chai/Shlomo Simcha
Inspiring Voice Reviews Shlomo Simcha “Ani Kan”
Shlomo Simcha Carpool KaraOYke
Ner Dolek! New Single from Shlomo Simcha’s upcoming album!
New Single! Yishuma – Shmueli Ungar
Shirei Pinchas – All Star Cast – Audio Preview
Hislahavus’ Review of Bishvili
OutOfTowner Reviews Shlomo Yehuda Rechnitz – Shir
A Fresh New Face & Sound In Jewish Music. Moshe Laufer Presents: David Simcha
Hislahavus’ Review of Chabad with Moshe Laufer
General — By Hislahavus on July 6, 2011 8:14 am
About fifteen years ago, I used to wonder why there were so few albums of Lubavitcher niggunim. I don’t wonder about that any more, because there are now dozens of collections of Chabad niggunim of varying styles and genres. Yet, I still eagerly pick up virtually any such album, primarily because of my love of Lubavitcher niggunim. I’m always eager to hear what an artist can do with an old favorite, or to hear and learn a niggun I never knew. I am critical of albums that only do rehashes of old favorites (for example, I have 8 versions of Keili Ata in my iTunes), and for the most part, this album succeeds in putting out “new” material.
Moshe Laufer is an old hand at arranging Lubavitcher niggunim – it was he who put together the classic album (ca. 1985) “Music of the Lubavitcher Chassidim”, and he also arranged Avraham Fried’s Hupp Cossack and The Baal Shem Tov’s Song. All three of those albums had great impact, by bringing Lubavitcher Niggunim to ears that otherwise may never have heard them. Laufer’s most recent such production, Chabad with Moshe Laufer, follows very similar musical lines to his previous offerings.
This time, however, unlike Music of Lubavitcher Chassidim – which was basically instrumental, this album has guest vocalists Shlomo Simcha, Mendy Jerufi, Menachem Levy, and 90’s child soloist Amit Shmulik Listvandt’s little brother, Shmulik. From a production perspective, it is very well done. The men’s and boys’ choirs both sparkle, and the mixing is superb. While for the most part, they keep to the origin of the nigunim, I will note wherever they strayed from the nusach that I know. On to the album:
1. Eimosai (Shlomo Simcha): A niggun stolen from the Yerushalmim, inlaid with lyrics from a letter of the Baal Shem Tov to his brother-in-law, R’ Gershon Kitover. For some reason, they repeat the stanza of “Mosai ko-osi mar” four times. When singing the nigun, Chassidim only repeat it twice. Shlomo Simcha sings with gusto, and it seems that the vocal power that had been somewhat lacking on Aish II is back. In the arrangements, the flip from simcha to hora at 2:40 is a bit awkward, especially considering the fact that it only lasts a few seconds. Despite that, it’s a good beginning.
Lubavitcher Chassidim talk about getting the message of Chassidus out the furthest reaches of the world in order to fulfill this “prophecy”. I got a taste of that at a Lakers game about four or five years ago, when during a time out, the PA system started blaring Matisyahu’s King Without a Crown. 20,000 people at a pro basketball game listening (and some singing along) to “We want Moshiach now/And it’s time to start revealin’…” The fact of the matter is, though, it’s about time that Moshiach fulfills that promise!
2. Lechatchila Ariber (Shmulik Listvandt): The arrangement for this unbelievable nigun sounds like it came directly off of Fried’s The Baal Shem Tov Song. However, the nigun is played too quickly, and the second stanza is repeated, when it should be only sung once. Shmulik Listvandt has a very good voice for a child, but I take two issues with his style: Basically, he focuses too much on power, and too little on natural emotion. On this nigun, however, he does a very good job of keeping everything under control.
The name of the song comes from R’ Shmuel of Lubavitch’s favorite saying: “The world says, if you can’t go under, go over. I say, from the outset, go over!” People usually mistake this to mean that when you come across an obstacle, deal with it by refusing to acknowledge that it is an obstacle. I remember a memorable farbrengen when my Rosh Yeshiva explained that in fact, the focus should be “from the outset” – in other words, when you begin something for Hashem or for Torah, obstacles simply do not exist. A space shuttle doesn’t worry about potholes on the highway!
As for the best child soloists in Jewish music? I’d go with Zohar and Meydad Tasa.
3. Horah Medley: This is a fun medley, and will certainly get lots of play on my iPod. The sound is fresh and funky, but generally stays true to the nigunim.
Ana Avda (Shlomo Simcha): I was waiting for someone to record this nigun! This fun, joyful nigun is a delight to sing, and truly expresses the Chassidic joy in being a servant of G-d. While I’m ok with what they did, some artist will eventually do more with it, especially considering the fact that the song is usually sung slowly picking up speed, going faster and faster in dizzying repetition, rather than fast and then having a semi-cantoral intermission. It works fine, though. I really like the choral work on the song.
Ochein Ato (Shmulik Listvandt): Another nigun full of geshmak – expressing joy in G-d’s infinitude. Unfortunately, Listvandt’s vocal inflections are all repetitious, which makes it sound robotic rather than heartfelt.
Mipi Keil (Shlomo Simcha): This is cheating! This is a Sefardic zemer that he Rebbe loved, but I don’t think it really belonged on this collection. Shlomo Simcha sings it in double time, but with a decent false Sefardic style. I’d expect some clapping along, and more “Hey!” shouts, because that’s what it brings out when we sing it on Simchas Torah in my shteeble. In any case, it’s another great song on a great medley.
4. Ashreinu Medley (Menachem Levy): Who is this guy? I think he has ability – he emotes the nigun properly, and he’s got good color to his voice. The keep-it-simple method works perfectly with this number, while the false ending gives it a bit to spice it up. However, I wish they would have focused on tune #1, which has never been adapted with a modern interpretation. Tunes #2 and #3 have had plenty of playing time. Besides, there’s an element of depth that the first tune gives that the others don’t – it seems to express the idea that one needs to work to internalize the beauty of our fortune. It’s a good late-night nigun.
This concept is particularly stressed in Chabad philosophy, to the extent that there are four niggunim with these words. Here are three of them.
Ashreinu 1: This mellifluous niggun is performed nicely by Levy and the boys. Nice and smooth, and well done. One small correction – when singing this niggun, the pace changes, steadily getting faster and more upbeat.
Ashreinu 2: This is an upbeat tune, often sung with alternative lyrics – Hallelu es Hashem kol goyim, during Hallel.
Ashreinu 3: Other words are occasionally tossed in to this well-known classic in honor of the Alter Rebbe’s liberation from Czarist prison on the 19th of Kislev.
Chelek, Goral and Nachala – portion, lot and inheritance. Note the difference between them – “portion” refers to what you get in accordance with your deeds; “lot” refers to what you get according to your mazel; and “inheritance” is what you have by virtue of simply being a Jew. All are worthy of thanks!
5. Shabbos and Yom Tov Waltz (Shlomo Simcha): A beautiful nigun, again, with classic arrangements. This little-known tune should become a regular at many Shabbos tables. Shlomo Simcha does a perfect job with it.
6. Vayiten Befi (Mendy Jerufi): This nigun was composed for the fortieth anniversary of the Rebbe’s leadership. The pop-style arrangement is a bit too heavy for me, but I think Jerufi performs well. It fits his style.
7. Podoh Besholom (Shmulik Listvandt): Another gorgeous nigun that was waiting for its day in the sun. This one is extremely well known among Chassidim, as it is sung on the days of the release from prison of the Alter Rebbe – Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi (19-20 Kislev), the Mitteler Rebbe – Rabbi Dovber of Lubavitch (10 Kislev), and the previous Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson (12-13 Tamuz). Shmulik Listvandt sings sweetly most of the way through, but he shrieks on the high part at the end. They should have released him from duty at that point. The ending, besides for being weak, was completely expected – I’d have voted for a retake.
8. Rikud Medley (Menachem Levy): A mechaye! A wonderful medley, beautifully arranged, beautifully sung, and well pieced together.
Uvyom Simchaschem: While it is sung here without lyrics, this great number is often sung to the words from Torah describing the blowing of trumpets during the olah sacrifices. Alternatively, it can be tossed in during Sim Sholom – as we do in my shteeble, after Birchas Kohanim. It’s a nigun that cries out Simchas Yom Tov!
Nigun Simcha: another easily learned, bright and lively nigun. This is the kind of nigun that you can carry with you – and it will carry you an entire day. And in this case, the pace changes and beat changes add fun and fit the totality of the medley very well.
Easily my favorite pick of the album.
9. Tiku (Shlomo Simcha): This slow and introspective nigun had always touched me. Shlomo Simcha does a nice job on it here. And again, the choir does a stellar job backing him up.
A different girsa of a similar tune uses these Ukrainian lyrics:
Nashi klamki na ulitza biz klamka
Mozhne tarkovati
Hey, shot vas?
Tiku bachodesh, bachodesh hashvi’I, shuva yisrael
Nash tavlyar
Roughly translated, this song says, “Our store is open to the street, without a lock, and one may do business.” “Hey, what do you have?” “I have the Chassidic discourses that begin with these words! This is our merchandise!”The message is that during Tishrei, we have the ability to “buy” and “sell”- gaining spiritual “merchandise” for the rest of the year, represented by the verses that many of the Chassidic discourses of that time of year begin with.
10. Shluchim Medley: For the finale, I expected more. Most of these nigunim are old hat, some of them done by Laufer himself.
Rosh Chodesh Kislev Nigun: This famous nigun, composed in honor of the Rebbe’s miraculous recovery from a heart attack in 1977, is sung by Jerufi and Listvandt. While Jerufi does a fine job, Listvandt is straining. However, Laufer already developed this nigun, for his album “Music of Lubavitcher Chassidim” – it did not need to be produced again. However, the choir does a noteworthy job with it.
Vaharikosi: You may know this from Piamenta’s 1990, Fried’s Around the Year 3, and others. The slapping bass line sounded like it was lifted from 1990.
Vechol Karnei: Another well-known nigun, but it’s only given one.
V’ato Omarto: Ah! A nigun that’s a fresh product. And as expected, Jerufi and Levy do a great job.
Im Esak: This is one of those nigunim that can be either fast or slow. In this case, I like the slow version better.
Utzu Eitza: A fitting finale for the album, with the lyrics lifted from the end of Shacharis. However, they don’t sing all the way through the song! This issue is compounded by the fact that we’re missing the better half of the nigun. Oh well.
Bikitzur: This is a good album, if you like standard Jewish music. My only real gripe is that it was not billed as such – aderaba; in press releases, it is billed with great superlatives, as surpassing anything that had come until now, and being absolutely unique. Not only is it not unique, it is very similar to Laufer’s earlier work with Lubavitcher nigunim. Not that there is anything wrong with that, because it is good work, but don’t expect anything new. Simply put, it’s a good album to learn some great nigunim from in a pleasurable way. I think the vocalists do a very good job with their tasks, and despite all my critiques, I think the album holds up very well.
Tags: Menachem Levy, Mendi Jerufi, moshe laufer, Shlomo Simcha, Shmulik Listvandt
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Parker Hannifin - Europe - Liquidation Center (PARK0113)
Termes et conditions de la vente
Nom de la vente: Parker Hannifin - Europe - Liquidation Center
Date de début : 14 Jan 2009 16:15 PST
Nous vous remercions pour votre intérêt. Les offres doivent être faites suivants les termes et conditions et certains termes et conditions de vente spécifiques peuvent être imposés par le vendeur.
Avis aux acheteurs:
Frais de vente:: 18%
Rabais: 2%
Devise: Euro
Conditions de paiement par carte de crédit
Une carte de crédit est nécessaire pour soumettre une offre pour cette vente
Termes de vente spécifiques & conditions:
All buyers must sign and return a copy of the Parker Hannifin Terms and Conditions of Sale to Erika Krug at +1 410 654 5876 before equipment will be released.
Auctioneer’s Terms and Conditions
By participating in this Online Auction, you consent to be bound by these terms and conditions in addition to our General Terms and Conditions [hyperlink].
For the purpose of the Online Auctions the relevant GoIndustry DoveBid Group Company or, where applicable, the Associated Auctioneer named in the Notice to Purchasers or its agent will be the auctioneer and agent for the seller (the "Auctioneer") and will sell goods to a buyer. The Auctioneer may at its discretion or upon the instruction of the seller:
(c) bid for any lot or lots offered for sale at the Online Auction on its own account or on behalf of a third party; and/or
The completion of a sale shall be indicated on the Site by showing the item as "SOLD" online - if an Online Auction for a lot closes without the lot being sold, it will show as "CLOSED", if a lot is withdrawn, it will show as "WITHDRAWN".
Unless otherwise provided for in the Notice to Purchasers for the Online Auction in question, immediately after the Announcement of the Sale, the successful buyer shall pay a 25% deposit towards the purchase price. Buyers expressly authorise GoIndustry DoveBid and/or the Auctioneer to charge buyers’ credit cards for the amount of such deposit. If a successful buyer fails to make a timely deposit, the Auctioneer and the seller may resell the item in question without notice. In addition, unless otherwise provided for in the Notice to Purchasers, the successful buyer shall pay the full purchase price of the lot (including in addition Buyer's Premium and any value added tax or the equivalent or similar sales taxes) to the Auctioneer on behalf of the seller (in cleared funds) on or before the Payment Date. More information about the applicable taxes may be given in the Notice to Purchasers for the Online Auction in question, however, buyers should seek their own tax advice. The buyer agrees that invoices may be issued in electronic form by email.
(d) be responsible for the disconnection, dismantling, packing and collection and insurance of the purchased lot(s) at its own expense.
If, in the Auctioneer's opinion, removal of any lot or part thereof will be likely to cause serious damage to the seller's premises, or any other damage which the buyer is either unable or unwilling to rectify, the Auctioneer may by notice to the buyer rescind the sale of such lot or permit the removal thereof from the premises to proceed subject to such conditions as it may think fit to impose.
could contain blue or white asbestos, hazardous substances, dangerous chemicals etc. which if not handled correctly during their removal from a site could be in breach of the Health & Safety at Work Etc. Act 1974, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 or any other current legislations covering the use of such substances in a working environment in the UK, the EC or any other relevant jurisdiction.
remove, ship and use any purchased plant and equipment within the UK or EC or any other relevant jurisdiction in a way that does not contravene any relevant legislation and in full compliance with all applicable safety standards; comply with all current applicable legislations in any relevant jurisdiction and reasonable instructions by the Auctioneer in relation to the removal/disposal of waste including hazardous waste.
Participants agree to comply with all applicable export or import control or related laws or regulations and not to violate any applicable local, state, national or international law, statute, ordinance, rule or regulation. Participants acknowledge that the Auctioneer is not the exporter of record of any asset unless expressly stated. The Auctioneer gives no representation or warranty concerning and has not conducted any investigation to ascertain which items, if any, constitute, for example, “Restricted Technology” for US law purposes or whose export is otherwise restricted under applicable law. The Auctioneer reserves the right to cancel or rescind any sale in an Online Transaction at any time if it determines, in its absolute discretion, that the sale does or may violate applicable export or import control or related laws and regulations.
All goods are sold "AS IS, WHERE IS, WITH ALL FAULTS AND WITHOUT RECOURSE". Illustrations, pictures or videos posted on the Site are for the convenience of the buyers only. The Auctioneer and, where applicable, GoIndustry DoveBid has used its reasonable endeavours to ensure that the description of each lot(s) appearing on the Site are accurate, but the buyer relies upon such description at its own risk. Buyers should satisfy themselves prior to the sale as to the condition of the lot and should exercise and rely on their judgment as to whether the lot accords with its description at their own risk.
Subject to the obligations accepted by GoIndustry DoveBid and, where applicable, the Auctioneer under these Terms and Conditions neither the seller nor GoIndustry DoveBid nor, where applicable, the Auctioneer nor any of their respective employees or agents are responsible for errors of description or for the genuineness or authenticity of any lot and no warranty whatever is given by GoIndustry DoveBid or, where applicable, the Auctioneer, or their respective employees or agents or the seller to the buyer in respect of any lot and any express or implied conditions or warranties are hereby excluded to the greatest extent permitted by law.
Where the buyer loads any item of plant, machinery or equipment contained in a lot or lots to remove it from a site, neither GoIndustry DoveBid nor, where applicable, the Auctioneer shall be under any liability whatsoever to the buyer or any third party for any damage however so caused by the removal and the buyer shall be responsible for and indemnify GoIndustry DoveBid and, where applicable, the Auctioneer against any damage or loss which GoIndustry DoveBid or, where applicable, the Auctioneer may suffer or incur in respect of loss, damage or injury suffered by the buyer's employees or any third party arising from the removal of the plant, machinery or equipment. The buyer shall indemnify GoIndustry DoveBid, or, where applicable, the Auctioneer against any loss damage suffered by GoIndustry DoveBid or, where applicable, the Auctioneer which directly or indirectly is attributable to the nature of the plant, equipment or machinery acquired by the buyer whether through breakage, rust, decay, desiccation, leakage, wastage, inherent or latent defect or vice or natural deterioration.
If a sale consists of real property in a country outside England and Wales, the Participants and GoIndustry DoveBid and/or, where applicable, the Associated Auctioneer agree, at their own cost, to do all things and execute all contracting deeds, assignments, instruments, transfers and other documents as may be necessary or desirable to give full effect to the transaction in that country.
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Fanatic’s Bane
Posted by ionosphere in on June 28, 2019
Title: Fanatic's Bane
Series: Malbane Chronicles #1, Spacefarer #1
Genre: Science Fiction, Space Opera
Agent Emma Malbane has to deal with terrorists, a homicidal priest, race riots, and invading aliens. It's just another day in the life of a Free Agent in the service of the Interstellar Trade Commonwealth.
Get ready for a thrill ride to the next frontier.
Meet Free Agent Malbane. She's a tough as nails government agent capable of doing whatever the mission requires.
Her latest mission is to quell racial strife on the largest space station in the Interstellar Trade Commonwealth. The Human and Narath races have been at peace for over 300 years but horrific killings could spark a new race war. This should be a simple task for a seasoned professional like Malbane.
But life is never simple - even for a Free Agent. Standing in her way are bureaucrats, terrorists, corrupt cops, religious zealots, a former lover and possibly the vanguard of an alien invasion.
It's high action space opera with the gritty feel of a spy thriller. Climb aboard and meet the new face of action-adventure in outer space.
If you like the fast action of Jason Bourne or the military space adventures of Honor Harrington.
If you love the high-speed thrills of the Aliens franchise, Spacefarer is the universe for you!
A short humanoid shape scuttled from shadow to shadow; his pursuers close behind.
Total darkness never falls on Barbo Transfer Station. Many shadows blanket the alleys of the city when the night cycle is engaged in the torus. Someone can be furtive if they avoid the lights coming from the buildings crammed cheek to jowl.
Dim light reflected from the day side of the torus filtered through the roof panels a thousand feet above. The figure paused and looked around for signs of his pursuers.
The back door of an all-night noodle café gaped and a rectangle of light illuminated the figure. His bald head reflected the light. The bulbous head had green skin coated with a sheen of sweat. The green man panicked and ran down the alley to return to the safety of the darkness. His body was a block, almost half as wide as he was tall but he moved with a light agility remarkable for such a bulky form.
Brother Cassius smiled from a darker patch of shadow. He watched the Narath sprint away, escaping the revealing purity of the light. Cassius hugged the concrete wall. He focused his senses until he felt every imperfection in the wall and became one with it. The fleeing alien’s efforts at evasion were wasted. The Narath’s pursuers were too skilled to lose their quarry in the darkness. Even Cassius ebony skin alone would not be enough to hide in the darkness. Skill was required—a skill he possessed. He pulled the cowl of his cassock lower over his features. Detaching himself from the wall he walked after the running man. He had followed the Narath for over an hour trying to learn where he was heading. Cassius heard the sounds of others in the darkness. He was not the sole observer of the running man. His concealing robes and years of training in stillness rendered the priest invisible. Neither the hunters nor the pursued noticed him. He remained unmolested; a witness to the drama playing out in the alleys.
Irregular flashes of yellow, white, and blue light created a confusion of shadow and color. The scent of rotting garbage almost masked a more rancid scent—fear. The air was ripe with the sour scent of the pursued. Over that laid the more pungent, predatory aroma of his stalkers. The men hunting the Narath smelled of sweat and alcohol. A metallic scent clung to them, almost as herald to the blood they wished to spill. The smells tickled Cassius’ nose. Scent revealed both the Narath and his pursuers better than any of the faint lights.
“Where you goin’ greenie?” A nasal voice cut the darkness.
They found the Narath. Cassius moved forward by inches. The drama was reaching climax.
“Leave me alone,” the Narath’s voice shook with terror. “I haven’t done anything to you.”
Brother Cassius reached the edge of a building and pressed himself against the wall. He forced his heart rate to slow, becoming one with the darkness before peering around the corner. The Narath’s desperate race had ended. Seven Human men surrounded the shorter alien. Light glinted from pipes and knives as they circled their hapless victim.
“Hey boys,” a pinch-faced man with a knife longer than any of the others said. “The freak thinks he hasn’t done anything.”
The men laughed. It was the laughter of hyenas circling their prey, devoid of humor and lusting for blood.
“Oh you did something greenie,” the man stepped closer to the Narath. “You came to my station.”
“Please,” the Narath whimpered. “Don’t hurt me.”
“That’s not the way this works. You and the other alien freaks think you’re better than us. You insult us by daring to mingle with Humans.”
Pinch face was within an arm length of the Narath. His left hand struck like lightning. He grabbed the cloth of the man’s shirt and pulled him close.
“I can’t allow that,” he drove his knife to the hilt into the Narath’s belly.
The green skinned Humanoid howled in agony as the blade violated his torso. The sound of his pain released the rest of the Human pack and they rushed forward. Knives, pipes, fists, and feet slammed into the Narath’s body.
The shorter alien was more powerful physically than any one of the Humans. But even a lion can be brought down by a pack of hyenas. His strength was useless against the gang. He collapsed to the ground. The Human predators continued their assault. Sprays of blood, black in the darkness of the alley formed a mist around the violent huddle. Cassius heard the panting of the attackers, almost sexual in its intensity. The cries of the victim soon stopped. The only sound that came from the Narath was a sickening, wet sound as they slashed and beat his body. Soon it bore little resemblance to a humanoid.
In a short time, which seemed to last forever, the attack ended as abruptly as it had begun. The Human hyenas backed away from the ruin that had once been a living man. Pinch face spit on the corpse.
“Tag him Rico.”
The smallest member of the gang pulled a canister from his pocket. He sprayed paint in three sweeping motions over the corpse. The thugs laughed and joked as if they had just shared a friendly game of chance rather than a bloody massacre. The gang walked away from the corpse and disappeared into the night.
Brother Cassius detached himself from the concealing darkness and walked up to the corpse. He threw his cowl back revealing a bald head with an encircling tattoo of thorny vines. He wanted all his senses unhindered as he examined the scene.
The Narath was barely recognizable as having been a living thing. His head was a shattered egg and every inch of his body was covered in gaping wounds. Blood covered the body.
If Cassius had not known the man was green skinned he would assume it was dark red instead. The blood spread like a lake around the corpse. Cassius stood unconcerned in the lake that was the man’s life. Bright orange paint was the only color on the corpse other than blood. The paint formed two arcs, almost half circles. The arcs met at the apex of their curves. A smaller circle rested above the intersection of the arcs. The arcs formed a stylized Human shape. It was the calling card of the Armia Razvod Chelovechestvo—the Army for Species Separation.
ARCh was a xenophobic Human group that harassed and killed alien races whenever they could. This bloody assault was exactly what would be expected of them.
“Stipendium peccatum mors est.” The wages of sin is death.
He reached into his robe and withdrew a bottle and pipette. He deposited a small amount of the blood into the bottle and returned it to its hiding place. He then stood and turned from the corpse.
Cassius raised his cowl once more. He looked down the alley where the hyena pack departed. He turned in the opposite direction and walked away from the scene of the attack.
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Rewind the Decade: The best female songs of the 2010s
Ryan Reichard, Columnist
The 2010’s have been a rather turbulent decade, not only politically, but musically as well. The emergence of new technologies made it easier for the blending of musical genres that had not been previously available.
At the forefront of this musical progression has been women. They have been the driving force in the progression of music over the last decade, with many of them dropping the best albums of their respective years and creating some of the best songs this decade had to offer. Here is a list of the best songs female artists released throughout this decade.
1. “All Too Well” – Taylor Swift
Buried in the emotional bombast of Taylor Swift’s fourth studio album, “Red,” lies the singer’s most personal song to date. “All Too Well” is built around Swift’s world-class songwriting, featuring Swift’s ability to find the beauty in being vulnerable.
Swift’s magnum-opus is a big story packed into five and a half minutes that freezes time and hones-in on the small details that would otherwise be cast aside as mere background noise; the scarf that has spurred a thousand tears and a refrigerator light that gave way to midnight dance parties and doubled as a warning. All of these small and otherwise seemingly unimportant details give Swift the room to build her story as she chronicles her pain.
As the pain grows, the mild-mannered guitar cannot hold back any longer and rises as a scream in the lonely night before symbols begin to clash and Swift’s vocals soar, as she cannot contain her emotions anymore. Then, as quickly as it builds it is over and Swift is left lamenting in her most vulnerable state.
It’s the quiet moments on “All Too Well” that haunt the most, making the audience lean in close enough to hear her heartbreak one crack at a time.
2. “Run Away With Me” – Carly Rae Jepson
Built around a rather simple proposal — let’s run away from reality hand-in-hand — Jepson is able to turn a simple premise into one of the best pop songs of the decade. A large portion of this can be attributed Jepson, who sells the central theme with an outstanding amount of conviction.
Trapped in the possibility of a future romance, Jepson allows it to take control of her and carry her away completely. She gets lost in a world of 80’s inspired synths and a saxophone riff paired with monumental drums that anchor the song before it gets too carried away.
“Over the weekend, we could turn the world to gold,” Jepson sings softly, before letting the image of two lovers linger in the midnight air.
3. “Three Days In Bed” – Jennifer Nettles
Most known for her status as a member of the country music duo Sugarland, Jennifer Nettles was able to fully come into her own with the release of her second solo album, “Playing With Fire.”
While the album remains in obscurity — a true injustice — so does most of the album’s songs. “Stupid Girl,” another song from the same album, almost made the cut for this list, but “Three Days In Bed” edges it out due in part to Nettles’ incredible vocal delivery. The singer pines for a romantic rendezvous with a stranger to allow her to feel an emotion other than the exhaustion stemming from her depression.
“Some days I wanna run/ From the place I call home / Guess I’m just needing some danger / Give me three days in bed / With a stranger,” the singer’s exhaustive vocals sing across the track, allowing Nettles to sell the central theme with incredible conviction.
“Three Days In Bed” is structured around a gentle accordion, wiry guitars, a pulsating backbeat and flourishes of steel guitar to create the tired atmosphere. A true accomplishment, “Three Days In Bed” is a criminally overlooked song that is as beautiful as the French scenery it describes.
4. “The Louvre” – Lorde
The New Zealand-born songstress has never been a fan of romance. Often times, she sneers at it, waiting to dissect it down to its very core as if it was an experiment of hers — all the while she manages to let down her defenses and fall in love with the very thing she sought to dissect.
“The Louvre” is a prime example of this. The song reminisces on a summer romance Lorde had that manages to still bring her happiness on the inside as she rolls her eyes at the very notion on the outside.
Lorde’s voice ominously hovers above a whisper as she recounts the tale over top of soft, rumbling chords. The singer realizes that the physical connection that she shares with her lover is more than purely physical — she begins to deeply care about them. As she falls deeper into this person, her scorned façade begins to fade and she embraces the cold waters of love.
The song is not as explosive as other songs on her landmark “Melodrama” album, such as the literally explosive “Homemade Dynamite” and the bombastic “Green Light;” however, it is one that best expresses her natural skills as a songwriter. “The Louvre” belongs in the very building it is named after.
5. “Into You” – Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande’s journey to musical superstardom has been the story of legends. Her story spans from her very beginnings on the Nickelodeon TV show “Victorious” to releasing one of the most consistent and acclaimed discographies of the last decade.
While the singer’s last two albums have been more scattershot in terms of overall quality, it was her 2016 album, “Dangerous Woman,” that cemented her place among the best in the game. This is due to the exploration into a more mature and darker pop sound that had only been hinted at in previous Grande releases (“Love Me Harder”).
Released as the second official single from the album, “Into You” serves as a prime example of Grande’s pure vocal talent as well as her knack for putting together a catchy pop tune. Added by pop producer extraordinaire Max Martin, “Into You” is structured around pulsating 80’s inspired synths that progressively build throughout the song.
Grande’s gentle coos build as she struggles to hold back her intentions before finally letting them get the best of her (“Tell me what you came here for / ‘Cause I can’t, I can’t wait no more / I’m on the edge with no control”).
When this happens, the singer’s vocals soar to new heights and the synths race, ramping up the intensity and tension as she gives into temptation resulting in an explosion of euphoria. “Into You” is easily Grande’s best songs and one of the best pop songs of the decade.
Ryan Reichard,
New menstruation initiative provides free products around campus
Newly elected IFC, PHC presidents look forward to making waves in 2020
GV students explore misinformation, memes after Iranian general killed by US airstrike
GV students help spread the word about ROTC
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take – Wayne Gretzky – Michael Scott” – The Campus Activities Board
Tweets by GVLanthorn
Just a kid from West Ottawa: Van Tubbergen reflects on scoring 1,000 points, newly-acquired strength and GVSU Basketball’s recent success
Team-wide effort spurs Lakers past Northwood, SVSU in GLIAC play
GV offers Social Justice Education to students and faculty
Alumna spurs international discussion following harassment from Michigan senator
Dramaturgy student works on new GRCT production
GVSU Basketball sweeps GLIAC match-ups, claims top spot in the conference
GV fortifies relationship with military-connected students
GV Student Senate members join student voter engagement task force
Lost in London: Lessons from studying abroad
While corporate media goads progressive in-fighting for ratings, journalism suffers
Spotting the fabulous five types of partygoers
Bad news for the world, good news for the President
Tindér: Red and Gold
Sack Lunch Bunch: subpar SNL episode, but with kids
Say no to “detox” fad diets this holiday season
Rewind the Decade: Best male albums of the 2010s
A hate letter to my gut instinct
Kaepernick workout too little, too late for NFL
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Gerry Armstrong's Legal Archive
Scientology v. Armstrong and related cases
Scientology v. Armstrong
Armstrong Exhibits
Armstrong 1 Trial Transcripts (April 19 – June 8, 1984)
Armstrong 1 Trial Exhibits
Armstrong 1 Appeals
Correspondence in Armstrong 1 and Appeals
Armstrong 4: The Record On Appeal
Armstrong 4 Record on Appeal: Exhibits
Correspondence in Armstrong 5
Documents By Author
PETITION FOR WRIT OF SUPERSEDEAS OR OTHER APPROPRIATE STAY ORDER; MEMORANDUM OF LAW; STAY REQUESTED (April 29, 1991)
April 29, 1991 by Clerk2
Author: Eric M. Lieberman, Esq.
View/Download: PETITION FOR WRIT OF SUPERSEDEAS OR OTHER APPROPRIATE STAY ORDER; MEMORANDUM OF LAW; STAY REQUESTED (April 29, 1991)
Filed Under: Armstrong 1 Appeals Tagged With: Armstrong 1 Documents Under Seal, Attorney-Client Privilege, By: Eric M. Lieberman Esq., Case No. B025920, Collateral Estoppel, Crime-Fraud Exception, Exhibit 500-CCCCC, MCCS tapes, Petition For Writ, The Five Exhibits
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L. Ron Hubbard: Biographical
**Hubbard Biography Project** Alaskan Radio Experimental Expedition Algol Allied Enterprises Biography Debug Project Black Magic Ring Blood Ritual Breckenridge Decision By: Ledora May Hubbard Dive Bomber Excalibur Hubbard: Arrest record Hubbard: Australia Hubbard: Bigamy Hubbard: Black magic Hubbard: China diary Hubbard: False claims Hubbard: Family Hubbard: Fingerprints Hubbard: Handwriting Hubbard: Medical Hubbard: US Navy records Hubbard: Veteran's Administration Hubbard: War medals Hubbard Archives Hubbard deposition Hubbard Explorational Company L. Ron Hubbard L Ron Hubbard: Messiah Or Madman? Oak Knoll Naval Hospital PC 815 Puero Rico Expedition Savannah The Admissions/Affirmations of L. Ron Hubbard The Admissions Of L. Ron Hubbard: The Book The Admissions Of L. Ron Hubbard: Your Soundscriber
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https://piction.clevelandart.org/cma/ump.di?e=EA821DD34ABD0057922387AD36F5F0E05C6B5D97046959BABA8A55B7916768B5&s=21&se=209946297&v=&f=1959.190_o2.jpg
https://piction.clevelandart.org/cma/ump.di?e=EA03FAEFEB2C79C2E9885358AD8238A33F9DA0C08032C9F584030E8E2669F81A&s=21&se=209946297&v=5&f=1959.190_o2.jpg
https://piction.clevelandart.org/cma/ump.di?e=3AA5A4797A37E4134C387B6FAF074988BA3F3EAC69800471083925C4058A0BB3&s=21&se=209946297&v=1&f=%5C1959.190detFR_o2.jpg
Diana and Her Nymphs Departing for the Hunt
Peter Paul Rubens and Workshop
(Flemish, 1577-1640)
Flanders, 17th century
Framed: 261 x 225 x 11 cm (102 3/4 x 88 9/16 x 4 5/16 in.); Unframed: 216 x 178.7 cm (85 1/16 x 70 3/8 in.)
Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund 1959.190
212 Baroque Painting and Sculpture
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Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt, wears a crescent on her forehead, also identifying her as the moon goddess. Diana lived apart from men, accompanied by a group of nymphs; she often represented unattainable beauty or chastity. With a nymph at left fending off a lustful satyr, Rubens refers to a struggle between vice and virtue, combining a sensual display of female bodies with a moral undertone. To bring the viewer more fully into the narrative, Rubens pulls the full-bodied figures to the front of the picture plane, and Diana steps forward, activating the space between viewer and subject. The nymph at the right has the features of Isabella Brant, the artist’s wife, and can be compared with Rubens’s portrait of her, also in the museum's collection.
How Do We Know this is the Goddess Diana?
The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
(Rosenberg & Stiebel, New York, NY, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
Édouard [1868-1949] and Germaine [1884-1975] de Rothschild, Chantilly, sold to Rosenberg & Stiebel through Robert Leclerc1 1
In possession of the Allies; restituted to Édouard and Germaine de Rothschild1 2
In possession of Hermann Goering [1893-1946], probably Carinhall, Brandenburg1 3
In possession of the Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg (ERR), selected by Hermann Goering for his collection1 4
Probably 1905-1940
Édouard [1868-1949] and Germaine [1884-1975] de Rothschild, Ferrières, confiscated by the Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg (ERR)1 5
Probably by 1899-1905
Mayer Alphonse de Rothschild [1827-1905], Ferrières, by descent to his son, Édouard de Rothschild
1873-probably by 1889
Thomas George Baring, First Earl of Northbrook [1826-1904], sold to Mayer Alphonse de Rothschild1 6
By 1857-1873
Thomas Baring, Esq. [1799-1873], London, by descent to his nephew Thomas George Baring1 7
1840-by 1854
C. Nieuwenhuys, sold to Thomas Baring
(Clarke sale, Christie's, London, May 8-9, 1840, no. 52, sold to C. Nieuwenhuys)
Sir Simon H. Clarke, 10th Baronet Clarke [1818-1849], Oakhill, Hertfordshire
(Sale, Greenwood & Co., London, Feb. 19, 1803, probably sold to Simon H. Clarke)1 8
(Michael Bryan, London?)1 9
(Clarke/Hibbert sale, Christie's, London, May 14-15, 1802, no. 71, sold to Michael Bryan)1 10
Sir Simon Haughton Clarke, 9th Baronet Clarke [1764-1832], Oakhill, Hertfordshire, and George Hibbert [1757-1837]1 11
(Coxe, Burrel & Foster, London, Bryan sale, May 17, 1798, no. 42, sold to Simon H. Clarke)1 12
Michael Bryan [1757 – 1821], London1 13
Van Coevorden1 14
(C. Blasius, et.al., Amsterdam, Hooft estate sale, August 31, 1796, no. 32, sold to van Coevorden)
Elisabeth Hooft [c. 1711-1796], Amsterdam
Wouter Valckenier and family [1705-1784], Amsterdam, by descent to his widow, Elisabeth Hooft
Provenance Footnotes
1 1Leclerc was a banker for various members of the Rothschild family.
2 1According to the Munich Central Collecting Point Property Card (5133/B,gaden 95/3. 5057 Berchtesgaden 1 - 5490 Berchtesgaden 445. Records Relating to Property Accessions, compiled 1945 – 1949. Records Concerning the Central Collecting Points ("Ardelia Hall Collection"): Munich Central Collecting Point, 1945-1951, Record Group 260. National Archives Identifier 3725277. M1946, Roll 177, page 1. Fold3.com, http://www.fold3.com/image/312471209, retrieved January 22, 2015), the Allies found this painting at Berchtesgaden, where Goering had sent his collection when the Allies began their approach to Veldenstein. The painting appears in Tome II (no. 3294) of Le Répertoire des biens spoliés en France durant la guerre 1939-1945, which lists property removed from France by the Nazis during the war. The painting arrived at the Collecting Point on July 25, 1945 and was assigned number 5133. On June 3, 1948 the Rubens was repatriated to France and then returned to Édouard and Germaine de Rothschild.Provenance Footnote:
3 1On October 20, 1942, Goering selected works at the Jeu de Paume for his personal collection. This painting is No. 163 (as “Diana mit Gefolge") on the Liste der für die Sammlung des Reichsmarschalls Hermann Göring abgegebenen Kunstgegenstände, Oct. 20, 1942 (Liste der für die Sammlung des Reichsmarschalls Hermann Göring abgegebenen Kunstgegenstände October 20, 1942. Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg (ERR): Consolidated Interrogation Report (CIR) No. 2 (Attachments And Index). Restitution Research Records. Records of the U.S. Occupation Headquarters, World War II, Record Group 260. National Archives Identifier 3725274. M1946, Roll 122, page 17. Fold3.com, http://www.fold3.com/image/114/269975002/, retrieved July 15, 2013). Throughout the war, Goering kept the selected works in his possession at his two residences, Carinhall and Kurfürst, but in February, March, and April of 1945, he sent them away for safekeeping: two shipments went to a castle in Veldenstein – the Rubens appears as No. 404, “Diana mit Gefährtinnen,” on the list of Goering’s paintings from Veldenstein (Bilder aus Kurfürst nach Veldenstein 1945-1950. Göring, Hermann: Paintings from Veldenstein. Restitution Research Records. Records of the U.S. Occupation Headquarters, World War II, Record Group 260. National Archives Identifier 3725274. M1946, Roll 127, page 21. Fold3.com, http://www.fold3.com/image/114/270007303/, retrieved July 15, 2013). Then, as the Allies approached Veldenstein on April 7, Goering ordered all of the art objects removed; they were packed into freight cars and sent to Berchtesgaden three days later (Annex 1: The Looting of the Göring Train 1945-1950. Berchtesgaden: Göring Train. Restitution Research Records. Records of the U.S. Occupation Headquarters, World War II, Record Group 260. National Archives Identifier 3725274. M1946, Roll 118, page 33-38. Fold3.com, http://www.fold3.com/image/#270038349/, retrieved July 15, 2013), where they would be found by the Allies.
4 1The ERR located Rothschild's hidden collection at the Chateau de Reux and confiscated it, including the Rubens, in September 1940, as is recorded in the Rothschild claim file (F185, Rothschild, Édouard Baron de. Cultural Property Claim Applications. Records of the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives (MFAA) Section of the Reparations and Restitution Branch, OMGUS, 1945-1951, Record Group 260. National Archives Identifier 1571289. M1949, Roll 13, page 5. Fold3.com, http://www.fold3.com/image/292890009/, retrieved January 26, 2015). After its confiscation, the painting was taken to the Jeu de Paume in Paris (ERR Card No. R 90).
5 1By 1940, Édouard de Rothschild had hidden much of his collection at the family’s Chateau de Reux in Calvados (French Documents — Misc. Subject Files. Records of the American Commission for the Protection and Salvage of Artistic and Historic Monuments in War Areas (The Roberts Commission), 1943-1946. Record Group 239. National Archives Identifier 1537311. M1944, Roll 86, page 216. Fold3.com, http://www.fold3.com/image/273365234/, retrieved January 26, 2015).
6 1The Descriptive Catalogue of the collection of pictures belonging to the Earl of Northbrook does not include this painting, which indicates Baring had sold it to Rothschild by its publication in 1889. This is consistent with Ludwig Burchard's letter of Nov. 19, 1958, which notes that Rothschild purchased the painting from Baring c. 1890. The Northbrook catalogue does contain several other Rubens paintings that, like the CMA painting, were sold by C. Nieuwenhuys to Thomas Baring, and then passed to Thomas George Baring.
7 1 Some versions of this provenance say the painting was owned by Alexander Baring rather than Thomas Baring, perhaps due to the inclusion in Treasures of Art in Great Britain (1854) of a Rubens Diana and Nymphs overtaking a stag (vol. II, p. 102), in the collection of Alexander Baring and formerly with Joseph Bonaparte. Both the provenance and the description of this painting make it clear, however, that it is not the CMA painting. Furthermore, several sources state that Thomas George Baring inherited the painting from his uncle: the Baring genealogy (http://www.baringarchive.org.uk/barings_people/baring_family_genealogy/) shows that his uncle was Thomas Baring, not Alexander. Thus, it can be concluded that the CMA painting was not in Alexander’s collection (by 1854 or otherwise), but rather was sold by Nieuwenhuys to Thomas Baring.
8 1The Rubens painting is not printed in the Greenwood sale catalogue, but rather is handwritten on page 3 of the Courtauld copy of the 1803 sale, along with Rubens's Rape of the Sabine Women. "Clarke" is written in as the buyer for the CMA painting; "Angerstein" for the Sabine Women. Written above both paintings is the notation: ""Mr.___d that Mr. Birch [sic?] sold 2 Picts. by Rubens." See note 6 for additional information.
9 1There are suggestions both in the museum's files and in the provenance of another Rubens painting, The Rape of the Sabine Women, also sold in the 1803 sale and currently in the National Gallery, London, that the consignor in the 1803 sale was an individual by the name of "Birch," identified by Gregory Martin in his 1970 catalogue of the Flemish paintings in the National Gallery as Charles Birch, a dealer at the time (p. 116). However, it seems probable that "Birch" is in fact "Bryan," and perhaps the result of a misreading of the handwritten notation in the 1802 sale catalogue. If Bryan was indeed the consignor, this would account for the small provenance gap from 1802-1803, and would, of course, make sense chronologically, given that Bryan purchased the painting at the 1802 sale. Evidence situating the Sabine Women in Bryan's possession prior to 1803 would provide confirmation that "Birch" is in fact "Bryan," and that the former was an error on the part of the author of the catalogue notation. Of course, it is also possible that after purchasing the painting from Christie's in 1802, Bryan transferred the painting to Birch, who then put it up for auction at the 1803 Greenwood sale.
10 1This sale included paintings from "the united cabinet of Sir Simon Clarke, Bart. and George Hibbert, Esq." Some sources, including the Getty Provenance Index, indicate the Rubens was bought in at this auction, while the buyer notation in the catalogue lists Bryan. Because Bryan was a dealer as well as a collector, he could have had an arrangement with Christie's whereby he purchased the painting after it failed to sell; he may then have put it up for auction at Greenwood & Co. in 1803.
11 1Clarke and Hibbert were business associates who purchased a number of paintings together.
12 1According to the Getty Provenance Index, this painting may have been bought in; however, William Buchanan's Memoirs of Painting (1924) says that the painting sold to "Sir S. Clarke." Clarke indeed most likely purchased the painting at the 1798 sale, as it makes sense in terms of timing, and furthermore, his name does follow this sale in the provenance in the case of at least one other painting (Salvator Rosa's Pythagoras Emerging from the Underworld, currently in the Kimbell Art Museum).
13 1The 1798 sale catalogue of Bryan's collection says that Bryan, an art historian, dealer, and connoisseur, purchased the painting from a descendant of the Valckenier family. If a "van Coevorden" indeed purchased the painting from Elisabeth Hooft's estate sale, this would suggest that van Coevorden was a descendent of the Valckenier family; however, a connection between them has yet to be identified. Another possibility is that Bryan was the buyer at the Hooft sale and van Coevorden acted as his agent.
14 1This buyer's identity is unknown. The name is written next to the painting in the catalogue of the Hooft sale and appears to read "van Coevorden." He may have been the agent for Michael Bryan.
Provenance Citations
Handwritten note re: Clarke & Hibbert sale, May 14-15, 1802, in CMA curatorial file.
"Sales History - Rubens' Diana and her Nymphs," in CMA curatorial file.
Christie. A Catalogue of a Most Superb and Truly Valuable Collection of Pictures, Containing Admirable and Celebrated Specimens, Chef D'œuvres of the Principal Masters of the Italian, Flemish, Dutch, and French Schools, Being the United Cabinet of Sir Simon Clarke, Bart. and George Hibbert, Esq.: Selected by Them with Distinguished Taste, and at a Considerable Expence, Out of the Collections of the Duke of Orleans, Mr. Gildemester of Amsterdam, Mr. De Calonne, Mr. Woodhouse, &C. &C. [London]: [J. Christie], 1802.
Christie, Manson & Woods. Most Superb and Truly Valuable Pictures, Containing Admirable and Celebrated Specimens, Chef D'oeuvres of the Principal Masters of the Italian, Flemish, Dutch, and French Schools. 1802.
Yeide, Nancy H., and Robert M. Edsel. Beyond the Dreams of Avarice: The Hermann Goering Collection. Dallas, Tex: Laurel Publishing, 2009.
Buchanan, William. Memoirs of Painting: With a Chronological History of the Importation of Pictures by the Great Masters into England Since the French Revolution. London: Printed for R. Ackerman, 1824.
Ludwig Burchard, letter, Nov. 19, 1958, in CMA curatorial file.
Martin, Gregory. The Flemish School, Circa 1600-Circa 1900. London: National Gallery, 1970.
Smith, John. Supplement to the Catalogue Raisonne of the Works of the Most Eminent Dutch and French Painters. London: Smith, 1842.
Christie, Manson & Woods. A Catalogue of the ... Gallery of Pictures of the Late Sir Simon H. Clarke, Removed from Oakhill, Herts. London: Christie, Manson & Woods, 1840.
Smith, John. A Catalogue Raisonnë of the Works of the Most Eminent Dutch, Flemish and French Painters. London: Smith and Son, 1830.
Greenwood (Leicester-Square, London, England). Pictures ... of the Italian, Dutch, Flemish, and English Schools. 1803.
Dallaway, James. An Account of All the Pictures Exhibited in the Rooms of the British Institution, from 1813 to 1823: Belonging to the Nobility and Gentry of England. 1824.
Peter Coxe, Burrell, and Foster (London, England), and Michael Bryan. A Catalogue of All That Valuable and Magnificent Collection of Italian, French, Flemish, and Dutch Pictures, Selected with Singular Taste and Admitted Judgement, the Property of Mr. Bryan: And Comprising the Original Works and Great Performances of the Following Masters: Rubens, Vandyke, Titian ... &C. : Which Will Be Sold by Auction by Peter Coxe, Burrell, and Foster, at Mr. Bryan's Celebrated Gallery in Pall Mall, Where They Are Displayed, on Thursday, May 17, 1798 and Two Following Days at Twelve O'clock. 1798.
Bergveld, Hendrik Cornelis (Amsterdam). Catalogus van een uitmuntende collectie schilderyen, door allerberoemste Nederlandsche meesters. Benevens een keurlyke verzameling gecouleurde en ongecouleurde teekeningen, capitaale prent-konst, en gebonden en losse prent-werken.: Alles naargelaaten door wyle vrouwe Elizabeth Hooft, weduwe den heere Wouter Valckenier. Welke verkocht zullen worden op Woensdag den 31ste Augustus 1796 en volgenden dag, ten huize van de overleedene, op de Kolveniers Burgwal, by de Nieuwmarkt. Door de makelaars: C. Blasius, Ph. van der Schley, J. de Bosch, Jeronimusz. I. Hen, B. de Bosch, Jeronimusz. W. H. Stoopendaal, J. Yver en J. J. Rycken. By wien de catalogus, zoo in het Fransch, als Nederduitsch zal te bekoomen zyn, mits betaalende 2 stuyvers. Te Amsterdam: by Hendrik Cornelis Bergveldt, boek- en papierverkooper, in de Pieterjacobsstraat, het zevende huis van de Fluweele-Burgwal, 1796.
Schley, Philippe van der. Schilderyen; teekeningen; prent-konst; prent-werken. 1796.
Jaffé, Michael. Rubens: catalogo completo. Milano: Rizzoli, 1989.
Schley, Philippe van der. Schilderyen; teekeningen; prent-konst; prent-werken. 179
List of Property Removed from France During the War, 1939-1945. Vol. 2: Pictures, Tapestries and Sculptures. [Berlin]: [Impr. nationale], 1947.
Datenbank - Die Kunstsammlung Hermann Göring, Deutsches Historisches Museum, http://www.dhm.de/datenbank/goering/dhm_goering.php?seite=5&fld_0=RMG01394
Datenbank zum Central Collecting Point München, Deutsches Historisches Museum, http://www.dhm.de/datenbank/ccp/dhm_ccp_add.php?seite=6&fld_1=5133/3&fld_1_exakt=exakt&suchen=Suchen
Cultural Plunder by the Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg: Database of Art Objects at the Jeu de Paume, http://www.errproject.org/jeudepaume/card_view.php?CardId=8835
Alford, Kenneth D. Nazi Plunder: Great Treasure Stories of World War II. Cambridge, Mass: Da Caporess, 2001.
Mitchell, Arthur. Hitler's Mountain: The Führer, Obersalzberg and the American Occupation of Berchtesgaden. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co, 2007.
Gerald Stiebel, email to Victoria Sears Goldman, June 26, 2013, in CMA curatorial file.
Gerald Stiebel, email to Victoria Sears Goldman, Sept. 19, 2013, in CMA curatorial file.
Nicholas, Lynn H. The Rape of Europa: The Fate of Europe's Treasures in the Third Reich and the Second World War. 1994.
France. List of Property Removed from France During the War, 1939-1945. Vol. 2: Pictures, Tapestries and Sculptures. [Berlin]: [Impr. nationale], 1947.
Rosenberg & Stiebel, invoice, July 9, 1959, in CMA curatorial file.
Catalogue of the Art Treasures of the United Kingdom Collected at Manchester in 1857. London: Bradbury and Evans, 1857.
L'Art 64 (1905): repr. p. 32.
Cleveland Museum of Art, “Recent Acquisition Press Release,” September 14, 1959, Cleveland Museum of Art Archives. archive.org
The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1966. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1966. Reproduced: p. 119 archive.org
The Cleveland Museum of Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art Catalogue of Paintings, Part 3: European Paintings of the 16th, 17th, and 18th Centuries. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1982. Mentioned: p. 27-32; Reproduced: p. 29
McGrath, Elizabeth, et. al. Rubens: Mythological Subjects. Achilles to the Graces. London: Harvey Miller Publishers, 2016. Reproduced: pl. 242, no. 27a
Jonckheere, Koenraad. "Aertsen, Rubens and the questye in early modern painting." Nederlands kunsthistorisch jaarboek 68 (2018): 72-99. Reproduced: p. 70, 82
Arendsee, M., and M. Steinman-Arendsee. "Take the CAN disability aesthetics tour, at the Cleveland Museum of art." CAN Journal (Winter 2019/20): 76-87. Mentioned & reproduced: p. 77
London, British Institution, 1821, cat. no. 61.
London, British Institution, 1839, cat. no. 141.
The Art Treasures of Great Britain, Manchester, 1857: cat. no. 549.
Four hundredth Anniversary of the Birth of Peter Paul Rubens, CMA, 1977: dossier show: no catalogue
Mexico City, Mexico: The Museo Nacional de San Carlos, INBA (11/5/98 - 2/28/99); Ferrara, Italy: Palazzo dei Diamanti (3/28/99 - 6/27/99) "Rubens and His Time" cat. no 18 (Mexico) cat. no. 16 (Italy)
Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage (March 29, 2007 - July 8, 2007): "Masterpieces of European Painting from the Cleveland Museum of Art"
Rubens and His Time. Museo de San Carlos (INBA) (November 5, 1998-February 28, 1999); Palazzo dei Diamanti, Ferrara (Galleria d'Arte Moderna et Contemporanea) (March 1-June 1, 1999).
{{cite web|title=Diana and Her Nymphs Departing for the Hunt|url=https://clevelandart.org/art/1959.190|author=Peter Paul Rubens|year=c. 1615|access-date=22 January 2020|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
P - Netherlandish-Flemish
Type of artwork:
Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund
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iControl Networks and NETGEAR Launch Android Touchscreen for the Smart Home
High-quality, cost effective touchscreen broadens consumer access to next generation connected home features
Redwood City, CA and San Jose, CA - April 24, 2014 -iControl Networks and NETGEAR® announced today the launch of the NETGEAR Security Touch Screen (STS7000), a new Android™ touchscreen for iControl Connect™ solutions. The seven-inch screen is a high-quality, cost effective option that allows users to manage and interact with their homes while staying connected to relevant internet content such as weather, traffic, news, sports and more. The NETGEAR STS7000 is designed to offer end-users superior WiFi performance with fast 802.11n speeds and 2x2 WiFi, helping to ensure reliable connectivity to the dedicated home security network. The STS7000 enables end-users to manage their connected security and home automation devices, all from a simple to use, graphical user interface from anywhere in the home.
"Consumers have rapidly adopted large-screen Android and iOS tablets as the primary interface for countless applications," said Paul Dawes, senior vice president and general manager at iControl. "Our partnership with NETGEAR allows us to offer smart home customers a high-end touchscreen experience at a low price point, providing a breakthrough product for connected home security."
End-users can experience added comfort and peace-of-mind with proven NETGEAR reliability. The STS7000 comes with a failsafe mechanism to support over-the-air software upgrades, a removable and replaceable battery for extended device life, and a robust industrial design with durability to help protect the device from the inside out.
The NETGEAR STS7000 utilizes the Android operating system, and provides both home security and management functions in conjunction with interactive applications including:
• Music application allowing users to stream iTunes anywhere in the home via Apple Airplay® technology
• Energy monitoring, management and thermostat control
• Lighting control, enabling users to automate their lights and remotely turn on/off lights in and out of the home
• Google Maps™, with real-time traffic alerts
• INTELLicast™, for weather tracking and forecasting
• News and sports alerts
"We're excited to partner with iControl to bring consumers an integral piece of the connected home," said Michael Clegg, senior vice president and general manager of the Service Provider Business Unit at NETGEAR. "The NETGEAR STS7000 gives users the power to do almost anything - from disarming their security system to turning on lights, locking doors, checking traffic and even viewing family photos, all from the palm of their hand. It's the centerpiece of the next generation smart home."
The NETGEAR STS7000 is now available for service providers.
Find the NETGEAR STS7000 online at: http://www.netgear.com/service-providers/products/home-monitoring-automation/touch-panels/sts7000.aspx .
NETGEAR is a member of iControl's OpenHome Partner Program, which allows a vast portfolio of app and device partners to be easily certified compatible with iControl-powered solutions.
For more information on iControl, please visit www.icontrol.com/.
About iControl Networks
iControl Networks' vision is to provide a connected home solution for every household, so people worldwide spend less time managing their lives and more time living them. iControl is making the connected home a reality through its software platforms, which are deployed by home security companies and service providers, and the all-in-one Piper Home Awareness device for consumers. iControl is further pioneering the next generation of connected living through its OpenHome™ Partner Program, the first community for application and device makers to partner on a common platform. Venture investors in iControl include Charles River Ventures, the Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers iFund, and Intel Capital, with strategic investments from a variety of service providers including ADT, Comcast Ventures, Comporium and Rogers Communications. For more information about iControl Networks and Piper, visit www.icontrol.com and www.getpiper.com.
NETGEAR (NASDAQGM: NTGR) is a global networking company that delivers innovative products to consumers, businesses and service providers. For consumers, the company makes high performance, dependable and easy to use home networking, storage and digital media products to connect people with the Internet and their content and devices. For businesses, NETGEAR provides networking, storage and security solutions without the cost and complexity of big IT. The company also supplies top service providers with retail-proven, mobile broadband solutions for their customers on the go. NETGEAR products are built on a variety of proven technologies such as wireless, Ethernet and Powerline, with a focus on reliability and ease-of-use. NETGEAR products are sold in approximately 50,000 retail locations around the globe, and through approximately 39,000 value-added resellers. The company's headquarters are in San Jose, Calif., with additional offices in over 25 countries. More information is available at www.NETGEAR.com or by calling (408) 907-8000. Connect with NETGEAR at twitter.com/NETGEAR and www.facebook.com/NETGEAR.
© 2014 NETGEAR, Inc. NETGEAR, the NETGEAR logo and NETGEAR genie are trademarks or registered trademarks of NETGEAR, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Android and Google Maps are trademarks of Google Inc. INTELLiCast is a trademark of WSI Corporation. AirPlay is a registered trademark of Apple Inc. Other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Information is subject to change without notice. All rights reserved.
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 for NETGEAR, Inc. : This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Specifically, statements concerning NETGEAR's business and the expected performance characteristics, specifications, reliability, market acceptance, market growth, specific uses, user feedback and market position of NETGEAR's products and technology are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Safe Harbor. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, the following: the actual price, performance and ease of use of NETGEAR's products may not meet the price, performance and ease of use requirements of customers; product performance may be adversely affected by real world operating conditions; failure of products may under certain circumstances cause permanent loss of end user data; new viruses or Internet threats may develop that challenge the effectiveness of security features in NETGEAR's products; the ability of NETGEAR to market and sell its products and technology; the impact and pricing of competing products; and the introduction of alternative technological solutions. Further information on potential risk factors that could affect NETGEAR and its business are detailed in the Company's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. NETGEAR undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
Margaret Hoerster
icontrol@finnpartners.com
Jocelyn Shaw, Weber Shandwick
for NETGEAR, 415.262.5904
jshaw2@webershandwick.com
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Call Us Today 1-888-345-4322 Help
Visit Our Clients Sites
Designers Choose NetStores
It doesn’t take a visitor to vixswimwear.com long to figure out that V i X Swimwear is all about form—they design things that look good.
The company sells several lines of designer swimwear to boutiques and highend retail stores around the world. But one only has to order a suit online to also realize that the company also appreciates function—they chose the NetStores ecommerce solution.
Burity uses the NetStores drag-and-drop tools to create pages with Dreamweaver. He notes that the company has been able to adapt to his changing needs.
“Over the years they have added a lot of new features that fit my needs quite well,” he says. “I’m really pleased with the new UPS interface where you’re linked directly to the UPS shipping charges.” And though V i X started without a credit card gateway, he added one through NetStores as business continued to grow. “My experience with NetStores has been positive,” says designer Ze Burity.
“The system is very easy to set up.” They’ve added a lot of new features over the years.”
—Ze Burity, Designer V i x Swimwear
Businesses Choose NetStores
Todd Morin, owner of Web-based auto parts store eeuroparts.com, says he is happy to have come across NetStores by accident in early 2001.
“We started in 2000 on eBay, then began to grow using a Miva Merchant shopping cart,” he says. “The database structure didn’t work, and we were losing data. The checkout process was very slow.” “We were looking into a Java-based menu system for a new site,” he says. “We were close with another company before NetStores owner Adam Fishman called me (looking to buy an eBay product), and the rest is history.”
Morin took advantage of NetStores custom business integration services to build the reliable, powerful site he needed. NetStores built eeuroparts a custom toolkit, including a true relational database–driven OS X Server solution.
“The cart is fairly intuitive,” says Morin, “but the real story is the Java menu system, and database behind the site. NetStores was able to help us bring automotive products to the consumer with diagrams.” Morin also takes advantage of NetStores optional merchant account and credit card gateway. He says he believes that NetStores has helped his business to grow.
“We doubled our business after only three months with NetStores,” says Morin. “We are now taking over 1/3 of our orders online (not including eBay), and do about three times our pre- NetStores sales per month.” “The NetStores customer service has been great,”
Morin concludes. “No problem has gone unanswered. No problem has gone unanswered.”
—Todd Morin, Owner eeuroparts.com
Photographers Choose NetStores
When DigiStock owner Eric Kabik happened across NetStores by chance two years ago, he was not really satisfied with his order processing system. DigiStock, a stock photo agency that provides high-quality photographs to ad agencies and graphic designers, was able to display images online, but customers still had to do their purchasing the old-fashioned way — by phone. Now, DigiStock’s Royalty-FREE Line of stock images is sold through NetStores.
The highlight of the NetStores e-commerce solution is its flexibility, and the software is easily modified to manage downloadable products as well as shipped items. NetStores even co-locates some of the images, which take up a great deal of disk space, for DigiStock. “Through NetStores, clients can search and locate the images, select from three sizes, and purchase and download the image.
It was a huge advancement for us,” says Kabik. Kabik is also the website designer. “I design the site and work with NetStores tools to modify it,” he says. He uses the NetStores dynamic template technology with direct HTML coding to customize the product presentation.
“The Netstores solution is fast and easy to learn,” he adds, “and we had the site up and running in a very short time frame. It’s a brilliant tool.” DigiStock also takes advantage of NetStores optional merchant account and credit card gateway for instant credit card verification—essential for downloadable products. “I was attracted by the price for the available functionality,” Kabik says.
Kabik says his experience with NetStores has been very positive. “The staff at Netstores has been incredibly helpful, courteous and easy to work with,” he concludes. “NetStores is fast and easy to learn— we had the site up and running fast.”
—Eric Kabik, Owner DigiStock.com DigiStock llc., found at www.digistock.com, uses NetStores to process orders for downloadable stock photography.
Home | Downloads | Products | Services | Clients | Press | Contact Us | Help
© 1995--2004 Fishbone Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. NetStores is a registered trademark, and MacCommerce is a trademark, of Fishbone Communications, Inc. Macromedia and Dreamweaver are registered trademarks of Macromedia, Inc. Adobe and GoLive are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated. UPS OnLine is a registered trademark of United Parcel Services of America, Inc. Intuit, Quicken and Quickbooks are registered trademarks of Intuit Inc.
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Marty Allen Executive Profile Sf Business Times
Party America CEO
Marty Allen Interview
Still Partying
Technology Turnaround
Gordon Brothers II
Turn Around Success
Profiles of Leadership
Strong Season
PA Whoops It Up
Turnaround to Party
Turnaround to Party II
Retailing Hall of Fame
Buy Rival Chain
Party Concepts Purchase
Record Profits
More Marty
Party America
Retail Simplified
Party America is Gordon Brothers
First Major Foray Beyond Liquidation Services
Boston – Gordon Brothers may never shake its reputation as the company failed retailers call when they need to clear out inventory and pay creditors, but sometimes the 100-year-old firm finds a retailer in need of resuscitation rather than liquidation. That was the situation in which Gordon Brothers found itself five years ago when it bought the bankrupt chain of 26 Party America stores.
“It wasn’t so much that we wanted to own a party goods retailers as it was the circumstances,” said Gordon Brothers Chairman, Michael Frieze of Party America, which was in bankruptcy at the time and being bid on in court by liquidators.
Michael Frieze, Chairman, Gordon Brothers Group
The party supply chain had hit bottom, and although there was a risk in acquiring the business, according to Frieze, “there was not a lot that could go wrong, but there was a lot that could go right.”
A lot also had to do with Party America CEO Marty Allen.
“Before we invest in a company we have to have an awful lot of confidence in the CEO of the company. We had the confidence we needed after meeting Marty,” Frieze said.
While in bankruptcy, Party America had closed 21 stores and emerged with 26 stores that were operational under renegotiated real estate contracts. Investments had also been made in technology so the retailer could replace manual systems with point-of-sale inventory and replenishment systems. Those systems are essential for any retailer, but especially for a party supply chain that emphasizes seasonal merchandise.
Today, Party America operates 36 stores with annual sales of nearly $50 million and is self-funding growth of three to five new stores annually.
“Considering we came out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1998 following three consecutive years of losses, our record sales and profits for the past five years have been a tremendous success for us,” Allen said.
The company’s prototype store measures 10,000 square feet and stocks 20,000 everyday items, but also places a strong emphasis on seasonal goods as a means to differentiate itself from mass competitors against whom Allen said Party America fares very well.
Our No. 1 store sits less than 50 yards from a Wal-Mart,” Allen said.
Still, it is the seasonal aspect of the business and the inventory management aspects of the operations that is the most challenging and has been the undoing of the other party superstore retailers.
“I don’t think there is a retailer in the United States that has to deal with the seasonality of the party channel. That is what has made running these companies so difficult,” Allen said. “We have unusual spikes that most businesses don’t have.”
Party America targets 18 seasonal holidays, including the obvious major holidays of halloween and New Year’s Eve as well as Marti Gras, Passover and Labor Day.
However, when the holiday is over, the merchandise is practically worthless and only in rare cases, such as Halloween and Christmas are a limited number of items repacked for the following year. In other cases, Party America will actually give away seasonal merchandise if it has not sold at reduced prices after the holiday.
Despite the challenges, Allen is optimistic about the party goods retailing business and Gordon Brothers is pleased with it’s investment.
“I believe the party goods sector is strong and getting stronger,” Allen said.
Party America receives the first “Retailer of the Year” award at the National Party Retailing Awards gala in Chicago, an event sponsored by American Greetings, Hallmark and Greetings, Etc.
Marty Allen is nominated and becomes a finalist for the prestigious Ernst & Young Award for Entrepreneur of the Year.
Party America completes ten consecutive years of growth and increased profits under the leadership of Marty Allen.
Party America makes the list at number 32 of the 100 fastest growing companies in northern California three years in a row, clocking a growth increase of 180%. Amazingly, it is also the fifth largest company in sales on the list.
Greetings, Etc., establishes a Party Retailing Hall of Fame to honor individuals who have made a significant contribution to the industry. Marty Allen is the first to be inducted. Editor Ms. Krassner points to Mr. Allen’s creativity and leadership in growing the Party America chain from just a few dozen stores into an industry powerhouse by upgrading in-store and corporate technology, overhauling the inventory system and improving customer service through better employee training.
Press Room Right Sidebar
©2018 Marty Allen. All Rights Reserved.
Contact Marty
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Refugee rescue boat sent to help far-right anti-immigrant ship stranded in Mediterranean with mechanical failure
Countries, Help Refugees
Volunteers on a German refugee rescue ship say they have been deployed to help a far-right vessel that has become stranded in the Central Mediterranean.
Sea-Eye said Italian officials had told their crew that the C-Star, operated by an anti-immigration group calling itself Defend Europe, had suffered a mechanical failure and could not manoeuvre.
A spokesperson for the group, which is among those Defend Europe has accused of “colluding” with Libyan people smugglers, said it was on its way to offer aid.
Michael Buschheuer, the chairman of Sea-Eye, said: “To help a ship in distress in the duty of anyone at sea, without regard for their origin, race, religion or beliefs.”
Defend Europe confirmed its ship was suffering a “minor technical problem” that was being resolved.
“C-Star developed a minor technical problem during the night,” a spokesperson said, saying that its engine was stopped so it could be fixed.
“This means that under [maritime laws to prevent collisions] the vessel is considered ‘not under command’ and information was sent out to vessels nearby in accordance with regulations.
“This problem is about to be resolved.”
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Why Are The Mets Doing This To Harvey?
It was one thing to let Matt Harvey start the season in the Opening Day rotation. It is another thing all together to let Harvey take the mound right now. It really only serves to embarrass him. That’s certainly how he felt after he struggled last night:
Harvey upset again. pic.twitter.com/Jihb1sfLX8
— Matt Ehalt (@MattEhalt) September 19, 2017
Once again, you have to question why he is even pitching in these games.
In his first season back from TOS surgery, Harvey had an atrophied muscle in his right shoulder. His rush to pitch under these circumstances led to a stress reaction. Even if he’s healthy, he’s still not ready to pitch.
He didn’t look good in his rehab starts. He didn’t even last five innings in any of those starts. Since coming back, he’s only lasted five innings once. Other than that, it’s been four innings or less with five earned or more.
What does this accomplish? Make him more humble? Reduce the numbers he could get in arbitration? Find a way to justify non-tendering him? Seriously, what’s the end game here?
You have to ask because the Mets are not going to accomplish anything by putting Harvey in there game after game. Actually, that’s not true. With each and every start he makes, he becomes more and more dejected in front of his locker. Ultimately, that’s what’s accomplished. The Mets are just stripping out the last thing that makes Harvey great – his confidence. Once that’s gone, you can then really question whether the Dark Knight will ever truly return.
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One of my Elderflower Champagne bottles has just exploded.
I only made 7 litres this year, so I can't afford to lose any more. We need something to drink this Summer!
At least I know that the alchemy has worked!
Bloody Cars.
Fizz, steam, hiss, panic, HELP, jeeeeze, garage, hands in air, shaking head, expensive, next week, take numbers, order radiator.
Yesterday: deliver car, no new radiator, wait half an hour, radiator arrives, walk around village, bloody hot, watch mounted Gendarmes riding about, visit church, back to garage, more head shaking, mon dieu, yellow liquid, prepare bill, pay bloody fortune, stinking hot, drive home, throw myself into pool, cold beer, life OK again, relax, breathe.
Old Pals.
Meanwhile (deep sigh), we have guests from the USA.
When Lady Magnon (left) was living in Caracas Venezuela, Jane (right) was her best friend.They would make mud pies together, play together with their puppies, and generally do what small girls do.
The last time they met was about 25 years ago in Monterey California, where Jane and her husband live.
Jane has been on a singing tour of Spain with her choir, and popped in for a short stay whilst en route to Switzerland.
Lawrence, Jane's husband (middle), is the author of 'In Defence of Chaos: The Chaology of Politics Economics and Human Action'. Don't you just love that word 'Chaology'... the science of Chaos. Wiki will tell you of all his other exploits.
It's only a short visit, but it's great to see Lady M with one of her childhood buddies; musing over old times. It's like they'd never been apart.
What a bloody mess!
Just a few days ago I was by myself in the pool doing my 100 metres leisurely breast-stroke, basking in 30C of clear sky sunshine, and (unusually for me), feeling incredibly fit. Everything seemed perfect, and I smiled outwardly as I swam. Life was good!
Now I feel depressed and angry; not only because the referendum vote went against my way, but also because the result has brought out the very worst in people.
The 'cheap seats' are insulting both Dave and Boris, the press are blaming northern lefties, the Scots are wanting to leave the UK, everyone is gunning for Jeremy Corbyn, Corbyn is gunning for Benn, and the leaders of mainland Europe are plotting reprisals.
The Conservative party is in turmoil, the Labour party is in turmoil (it always was), and the Liberal Democrats are promising to re-join the EU. Frankly there seems to be no part of European society that isn't angry one way or the other.
So, what to do. Firstly I suppose we should detach ourselves from all the hatred, we should try to be positive, and we should just hope that someone with real guts gets to deal with Brussels. There's a big mess which needs to be sorted.
The inept Corbyn has now sacked his only front-bencher with an ounce of common sense, and half his team have resigned as a result. No doubt more reprisals are already being hatched.
As far as the Labour party is concerned, Hilary Wedgwood-Benn would make quite a good leader; he's a clear logical thinker (unlike his father). As for the Conservatives maybe Theresa May could do the job; she is forthright, calm, and intelligent, and she doesn't suffer her fools gladly.
There's a lot of shit flying, and frankly I don't want to be a part of it; wake me up when it's all over.
If only the Common Market had remained the Common MARKET.
My little village. What's on, Summer 2016.
Having been a little depressed and confused over the past couple of days, here's something to boost my morale.
Everything from spit-roasted lambs, to Baroque music, a Pétanque competition, and a boot sale; my dinky little village puts on a pretty good selection of events throughout the Summer.
Well done lads, and well done to all at the Mairie.
EU Blame.
Over the years I have been VERY critical of the inefficient and interfering EU; and I think rightfully so.
It's not rocket science; if anyone is to blame for the UK's decision to ditch the union, it has to be those who run it.
There is no question that Merkel and her acolytes wish to control a European state. The Germans cannot forgive the loss of two world wars during the last century, and are now trying to spread their influence through financial and industrial strong-arm tactics instead. The people of the UK have simply said "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH".
Yes, I voted to stay inside the EU, but I can see quite clearly why the people of Britain voted to pull out.
I blame Merkel, the EU commissioners, the bureaucrats of Brussels, and all the recipients of gravy-train perks; I also blame the 'old boy network' at the top of the EU pyramid; just look at the Kinnock family if you want a classic example.
I also blame Blair's open door policy, and the pathetic Corbyn's limp-wristed stance.
But, don't worry too much. It's going to take a long time to detach ourselves from the club, during which time mainland EU countries will be shitting themselves hoping that, as the UK is no longer a member of their exclusive single market, we will still allow the huge amount of imports that we've been forced at accept over the past 40 years. We were even forced to accept 20% of our milk and dairy products from Europe; that can stop for a start.
If British politicians have the balls to take the upper hand, I'm sure the UK will thrive; if they allow themselves to be dictated-to as before, they will not.
Merkel, Hollande, Tusk, and Junker are all now expressing their sadness at the UK's leaving the fold. They really should have thought about that before, when Cameron was trying to negotiate terms.
In 1975 the UK joined a COMMON MARKET; not a COMMON PARLIAMENT.
Window Cleaning; French Style!
French hinges are not like UK hinges; ours slot on from above, and can be lifted off quite easily.
I don't clean windows too often; this isn't a show house by any means. But occasionally I do take the windows off, sponge them with soapy water, then hose them down to remove all the suds. It's easy, quick, and does the job.
These ones also needed a light 'oiling' with linseed; it preserves the wood and gives it a 'glow'.
The windows were made for us by a local man about 35 years ago, and have lasted very well. We replace bits of missing putty occasionally, but other than that they simply receive a really good cleaning about every five years; whether they need it or not.... More than enough!
It's HOT; cyclists are melting!
With temperatures now reaching over 30C, there's really only a few things we can do. Either we spend our time in the shade here...
or we cool ourselves in the water here...
Otherwise I'm usually working here (which I do early in the mornings whilst there's still a bit of shade).
Or best of all we do a bit of this in the evening.
It's a hard bloody life.
Woof, woof.
I've shown this picture before, but as it's a favourite of mine I'm showing it again.
It's an 'American Primitive', painted on a split panel of what looks like hand-hewn Walnut. I imagine it was once part of a cupboard, and not intended to be framed as such. It has been partly 'restored' around the head and mouth.
On the back, in very faded ink, is written.... Mrs Ellen McAulay, Fitts Corner, Wyoming, 1842. No name for the dog, or why she painted him.
On several occasions when visiting dogs have seen the picture, they've put their front feet up against the wall beneath it, and barked. I think Mrs McAulay would have been very amused.
It hangs in our sitting room.
Mr White (son of chef).
I don't watch 'Reality TV Shows'; I like to think that I still have some functioning brain (and reasonable taste), and I'm not particularly interested in watching other people have 'sex'.
But these shows appear to be popular, and are no doubt partly responsible for the ongoing decline and fall of the UK; not that I wish to put myself forward as an arbiter of public morality.
The idea of putting a bunch of Z listers in a pretend TV house, then waiting to see who shags who first, is to my mind rather abhorrent.
Mr White (with the tattoos above) may have his adoring pre-pubescent fans, but to most of us he's simply an attention-seeking half-witted Neanderthal lookalike. Unfortunately he now has that celebrity status which he so desperately sought.
Well, at least his mother loves him; actually I was just reading that she doesn't!
Margaret.
When I came to live here in 1972, I'd imagined that I was the first Englishman to step foot in the area since the 100 year's war.
I later learned that the village Chateau had been owned by an English family since the 1930's (I think); we later became good friends, and still are.
So you can imagine my surprise when, not long after we'd arrived, I noticed an English registered car outside a nearby village house. I knocked on the door, and the occupant was as equally amazed as I was to find a fellow Brit in the area (even though she is a Kiwi). Nowadays there are Brits and Dutch everywhere.
Margaret (for that is she) is an international garden designer and author of note. Her book 'Tropical and Subtropical trees: A Worldwide Encyclopaedic Guide' is a classic. Her garden here in nearby St Caprais has just been featured in a French 'Homes and thingies' mag'.
One doesn't meet many 'remarkable' people in life, but Margaret is certainly one. Life would never have been so much fun had we not met.
Poor Margaret is going through a few hip and knee-related health issues at the moment, so she is a bit out of action; but you can't keep a good woman down, and she's still working on garden designs from her sick bed.
Here she is in her beautiful garden with her funny dogs.
Cro, whatever happened to that nasty orange wall?
It became camouflaged.
No licence? No problem!
In France not having a pukka driving licence does not stop you from driving a car. It just has to be something like the above (although newer models are available).
There is a small amount of reading-up to do before you set off, but it is very basic and does not involve lengthy lessons, driving tests, etc.
Otherwise the rules are these; your car must be a two seater, have an engine of no more than 4 Kw or 50cc, and have a maximum speed of 45 Kph (I think this is right).
So, there you are. If you're a really hopeless driver, or you've had your driving licence taken away, you can be back on the road in no time; provided that you're willing to be seen out driving something akin to a Noddy Car.
Nothing in France holds you back, but you do have to be over 14.
Are other countries like this?
Awash with Goodness.
The weather here in Sunny Southern France has been foul. Rain, wind, sunshine, fog, cold, hot; you name it, we've had it. And it's been perfect for growing!
The first of our Cauli's is ready; this one we ate last night.
The beans are in flower, so we'll be eating those in about a week's time. Lady Magnon scolds me if I don't provide enough.
The Spinach is up and about; I love Spinach. I will make a Saag Dal tonight to celebrate.
These Red Cabbages are growing much too quickly; I really don't know what I'll do with them, make instant fridge pickles maybe?
I didn't have much room left for my Pumpkins this year, so I've enlisted the help of an old compost heap. So far my plants seem to be enjoying themselves. These are those big, ribbed, powdery grey jobs. I'm expecting a bumper crop.
Don't you just love the word 'bumper'!
Clement Freud.
My first active involvement with politics was when I was still at school. I offered my canvassing services to Sir Harry Legge-Bourke, and ended up doing the menial task of posting flyers through letter boxes. Sir Harry later bought me a pint of beer as thanks for my invaluable assistance!
In 1973 Sir Harry died, and a by-election was called. Ely (where I'd been at school) had been a staunchly Conservative town since Adam, and from my home in France I'd imagined that another Conservative would quite naturally replace him.
However, dog food celeb' Clement Freud (above) stood as the Liberal candidate; and won the seat. I was genuinely shocked.
It was only then that I realised how fickle people can be, especially when it comes to politics. The idea of having a 'celebrity' as their MP had swayed the voters away from their natural convictions en masse.
I am only writing this because of yesterday's shocking 'alleged' revelations that Mr Freud was both a paedophile and a rapist. He now joins fellow paedophile fat-boy Cyril Smith, and snappy-dresser Jeremy Thorpe (who was tried in 1979 for attempted murder) in that exclusive Liberal MP's Club of criminal perverts and odd-balls.
Freud died back in 2009; it might have been better if his victims had spoken-out earlier.
Too late now!
The Sidhe.
Ever since The Sidhe were rudely expelled from their native Éire by the evil bastard Druids, they headed South and crossed the seas, in order to head for a new more peaceful home in Aquitaine.
Here they installed themselves in sun-dappled woodland glades, where they are little seen, or even known of, by native populations.
However, those who venture amongst the Oaks and Chestnuts, well before the dew is off the Badgers' whiskers, do occasionally see them; I myself have caught glimpses.
Rather like W B Yeats who, in the Liffy kissed city of Dublin, saw The Sidhe disguised as copies of The Irish Times, I spotted several yesterday morning whilst out collecting mushrooms. But they are no simpletons The Sidhe; as soon as I turned to face them, they transformed themselves, not into old newspapers, but into gnarled and ancient trees.
I shall see them again; I am sure, and they will again hastily transform themselves into trees so as not to be seen. And as soon as my foraging is done, they will dance amongst the bracken as is their wont, leaving their tiny footprints to be spotted by those who dare to dream.
Top Fruit.
Early Spring looked very promising, all our trees were covered in flowers, and it looked as if we were in for a bumper crop.
Now, however, the truth has become plain to see; there's hardly any fruit on the trees at all.
Some trees never fail, our Bramley usually has quite a good crop, as does the wretched Quince. No doubt all our Fig trees will over perform as usual, but it's the Apples, Pears, Plums, and Peaches that we really need, and there are hardly any.
Wiser and more philosophical gardeners than myself would simply shrug their shoulders and say 'there's always next year', but I'm more the type to shout, feel cheated, and become pissed off.
Our Spring started early then became wet and windy, exactly what fruit trees don't like. We are now paying the price.
Above was just a tiny part of last year's crop; no such bounty this year I fear.
Two birds, one stone.
Every Sunday morning I drive to the small nearby village of Frayssinet le Gelat to buy my week's supply of bread; their's is the best in the area.
Luckily, my trip yesterday happened to coincide with their annual village Boot Sale.
It was a pretty average sale; all the usual stuff, broken plastic toys, chipped plates, unwanted holiday souvenirs, etc.
Anyway, Lady Magnon spotted this bike which will be perfect for the boys this Summer; we only have one bike at the moment, and this extra one should stop any fighting.
For a mere €25 it has plenty of gears and gizmos; just what boys like.
I shall spray some WD40 onto all the moving parts, and pump the tyres; that's as far as my knowledge of bike maintenance goes.
Looks pretty cool, don't you think?
A man's work is never done!
Cleaning Girolles takes almost as long as finding them.
Most mushrooms are simply cleaned with a damp sponge, and maybe a brush, but Girolles have to be washed under a steady stream of water. Dirt gathers both between the gills and on the top, and the only way to dislodge it is with water.
One of the consequences of this washing process is that when frying, rather a lot of water comes out which has to be 'boiled' off before the frying process begins.
It's a lengthy business, but the rewards are great. A Girolle omelet is a beautiful thing.
I'm spending quite a lot of time at the kitchen sink at the moment.
p.s. My arms are not wrinkly; the camera lies!
Maurice and Karl.
I mentioned Maurice a few years back when he was living in his Volvo estate car with his dog Rex. Other than the car and dog, he owned just one white plastic chair.
Nowadays he has an old caravan parked in our neighbour's poly/barn, where he lives with his latest Alsatian, Karl. I think there was another dog in between; he's a big Alsatian fan.
Maurice pops round to see us every so often, he's a friendly soul. Unfortunately he speaks in an almost 100% incomprehensible voice. I think he must have had a stroke at some time, and it has affected his speech badly.
Anyway we get by. We talk about dogs, and life, and the weather, and how awful certain things are, and how he loves it here. My best bet with Maurice is to keep talking, and not give him time to reply. That way I don't have to ask him to repeat himself.
Poor old Maurice; life hasn't been kind to him in his later years. He's been living just down the road in his caravan for the past 4 or 5 years, otherwise I don't really know much about him.
Karl is a lovely dog.
While the sun shines.
The smell of newly mowed, and drying, grass is everywhere.
Most of the silage and hay making is done, and farmers can concentrate on other things.
It's like having a beautiful new lawn in front of the house; now, where are my golf clubs?
Heroes/heroines: Ron Kitaj.
There are very few painters whose work makes me gasp; Kitaj is one.
He was one of that highly influential group of RCA students from the late 50's/early 60's that included Hockney, Peter Blake, Allen Jones, Pat Caulfield, and Derek Boshier (amongst others). Some of the liveliest work since the glory days of Matisse.
I was at school when these guys were at the RCA, but their influence even reached as far as the backwaters of Cambridgeshire. In 1961 my wise Art teacher (Norman Wadey) took me down to London in his tiny MG to see the 'Young Contemporaries' show at The Whitechapel Art Gallery, at which all the above were exhibiting.
The young 15 year old Cro was literally astounded. I'd never seen anything like it; it was like being born again into a whole new unknown world of painting. Kitaj's work shone like a beacon, and his 'Jewish Philosophy' subject matter a total revelation.
Kitaj was blessed with superb draughtsmanship, and rare intellect. He was an exceptional colourist and created complex and challenging compositions. He was top of the class.
Kitaj left us in 2007, unfortunately to suicide. At his Tate retrospective in 1994 he had been unfairly savaged by the press as being a pretentious name-dropping Yankee poseur, and he moved back to the USA in disgust. No doubt this attack, and the death of his wife (the painter Sandra Fisher) led to his demise.
Thank you for all your wonderful work Mr Kitaj; I love you. RIP.
First Courgettes.
The first new season picking of any vegetable is always a delight, even just a few baby Courgettes.
These we ate for lunch. They were diagonally sliced, fried in garlic butter, and eaten tepid.
What could be better.
Heroes/heroines: Ivon Hitchens.
Being in the business, I've quite naturally met many 'well known artists'; we tend to congregate. One of the most inspirational having been Ivon Hitchens.
When he invited me to his ramshackle home near Petworth in Sussex, it was FILLED with paintings. One could hardly move without squeezing past stacks of framed pictures leaning against the walls. There was a subliminal message in there.
Ivon painted first and foremost for himself, and his relaxed visual influence continues to be seen in works by Howard Hodgkin and his many acolytes.
We didn't spend a long time together, enough for a tour, tea, and a chat, but his wise words rang true throughout. His work ethic, and unflinching dedication to his craft, were exemplary. So many well known painters often become no more than 'picture factories' once they become popular, but Ivon remained very much an 'Artist' to the end.
I salute you Ivon. RIP.
Cabbage?
Sometimes I wonder why I bother to grow Cabbages. I only grow a few, then have difficulty thinking of what to do with them.
This one was young and very tender. I took out the core, then ROASTED it with lots of garlic butter in between the leaves, it was cooked beside half a Chicken. Experimentation occasionally pays off; this time it certainly did. It was bloody delicious; we ate the lot.
Now I'll have to think of what to do with all the others. Bubble-n-Squeak maybe? No, I think I'll do this again; it was so good.
Any other suggestions gratefully accepted!
I'm sure that Hippo won't mind me passing on such good news, but his lovely wife Marcia has given birth to this beautiful baby girl, who will be known as Charlie.
I'm sure you will all join me in sending big blog-world congratulations.
Red Fruits and other matters.
We've already had plenty of Strawberries, and now it's the turn of the Cherries.
Unfortunately this year the weather has been against us; with all the rain we've had the early ones have swelled and split, and frankly their flavour is not as good as it should be. Of course it's only just the beginning of the Cherry season, and with some up-coming sunshine on their backs they'll be OK again quite soon.
I thought I'd also just let you see my Calabrese 'aftermath', and there's even more to come from that same one plant.
It's worth remembering; don't grub-up your Calabrese plants too quickly!
My first true gastronomic experience.
When I was about 8 years old I stayed with a family in Dieppe as part of an exchange scheme. I spent a few weeks with them, then their son returned to England to spend a few weeks with us. Such things were popular then; I don't know if the same things happen nowadays.
As part of my time with the family we went on a round trip to Normandy, down into the Loire valley, across to Paris, then back up to Dieppe. It was a tour filled with wonderment, and some memorable food.
I wish I could remember where this particular restaurant was, but this is what I recall.
It wasn't a 'restaurant' in the classic sense, it was more of a woodland 'taverna', with rustic vine covered pergolas and even more rustic tables and benches. Running through the middle of the establishment was a small stream.
I don't think the place even had a menu, as with so many French eateries you just ate what you were given. In this particular case I believe it was famous for this trademark dish.
I remember seeing the chef dip a huge wire scoop into the stream and pull out a mass of small wriggling silver fish; something like tiny Sprats or Whitebait. These were drained of excess water then tipped directly into a large pot of boiling oil. The fish cooked in a matter of seconds and were served 'crispy' with a slice of lemon and some salad. As soon as one plateful was finished, another appeared.
As a small Surrey lad who had never travelled further than East Grinstead, I was enthralled. I seem to remember that we ate the fish whole, but maybe we removed the heads; it doesn't really matter.
It was a totally different attitude to food than I'd ever known. None of your meat and two vegs, but piles of tiny, just cooked, tiddlers. They were delicious, and we were actually encouraged to eat with our HANDS.
Such food, and even the method of eating it, is now commonplace, but in those days.....
Nancy Ska Jazz Orchestra-Hatcha!
Three bones, three saxes, three trumpets, and even a french horn. Live music outdoors on a summer's evening somewhere in France. What could be better.
Very rare to find a Ska band that sits and reads music; usually they're leaping about like a bunch of Whirling Dervishes!
Veg' Growing: Pros v Amateurs.
This is a good example of the difference between commercial veg' growers, and backyard growers such as myself.
A commercial grower would simply remove the head of this Calabrese plant, and ditch the rest.
However I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing as there are always secondary growths ready to be harvested.
You may have to enlarge the second picture to see what I mean, but there are at least four secondary growths which will easily make another couple of meals in a few days time. The commercial grower wouldn't be interested.
The global wastage must be enormous. Shame on them!
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Mahathir's Economic Legacy
Mahathir�fs Economic Legacy
By Jomo K.S.
Jomo K.S. is a professor in the Faculty of Economics and Administration, University of Malaya. This essay appeared in Aliran Monthly (vol. 28, no. 8), along with other articles on the theme of �gDe-Mahathirizing Malaysia.�h It is an edited version of his new introduction to M-Way: Mahathir�fs Economic Policies, a collection of essays available from Gerakbudaya (gerakbudaya@pd.jaring.my). Aliran can be read online at www.aliran.com.
When analysts evaluate Dr. Mahathir Mohamad�fs 22-year impact on Malaysia�fs economic development, they would do well to avoid two very different positions.
The more common position, which the domestic media regularly promotes, uncritically praises Mahathir as a legendary leader of exceptional vision who has single-handedly transformed, modernized, industrialized, and strengthened the national economy. The opposite position, most obviously adopted by many domestic and foreign critics during the 1985-86 and 1997-98 recessions, cast Mahathir as an oddball of doubtful sanity who only sought to remain in power to protect the interests of his family and closest associates.
Neither position is tenable.
Mahathir had his ambitions, initiatives, and plans, and launched his favored projects with flourishes of economic nationalism. Yet many of those pet projects entailed huge problems, flaws, and abuses. Moreover, Mahathir�fs policies were inconsistent, and several of his major policy turns were in fact �gU-turns�h made in response to crises, some of which were created by him, albeit unwittingly.
Hence, Mahathir�fs interventions in the economy were neither uniformly impressive nor simply whimsical. It would be fairer to say that Mahathir leaves behind him a checkered record of bold experiments, false starts, partial successes, and narrow escapes. This may be gleaned from an analysis of Mahathir�fs economic management over three almost distinct phases – 1981-85, 1986-97, and 1998-2003. Each phase can be seen as involving policy responses to a preceding crisis, but also as envisioning a new stage and type of development.
First Phase: 1981-1985
In his first five years in office, from 1981 to 1985, Mahathir utilized greater state intervention to promote heavy industrialization and domestic imitations of Japanese sogososhas. The slogan of the period was �gLook East�h to emulate Japan and South Korea. Yet this was a difficult period when the world economy faced a recession following oil price hikes and interest rate increases instituted in 1980 by Paul Volcker, newly appointed chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank. The Malaysian economy was badly affected by falls in primary commodity prices as demand for manufactured exports fell.
For a year after becoming prime minister, Mahathir seemed to endorse Finance Minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah�fs counter-cyclical pump-priming efforts to turn the economy around by increasing public spending. However, after winning the April 1982 general election, Mahathir imposed an �gausterity drive�h that reduced government spending and placed state-owned enterprises under closer scrutiny. Notably exempted from the austerity drive was the state-sponsored and HICOM-led program of heavy industrialization. This program signaled a second round of import substitution. Often implemented in joint-ventures with Japanese firms, the HICOM enterprises were primarily financed by heavy borrowing from the Japanese government at very low interest rates.
This mixed approach of reversing public sector expansion while changing the course of state intervention was accelerated by Daim Zainuddin after he was appointed finance minister in 1984. Daim, with Mahathir�fs endorsement, made significant economic policy reversals, including regressive fiscal (tax and spending) reforms, more stringent public expenditure cuts, privatization, deregulation, and financial liberalization. The 1985-86 recession was the culminating economic crisis of this first phase of Mahathir�fs management of the economy, for which Mahathir and Daim were blamed in the run-up to the UMNO split of 1987.
Second Phase: 1986-1997
Just as the first phase was not uniformly marked by growing state intervention, government spending, or regulation, the second phase was not a simple headlong rush towards the economic liberalization pushed by the so-called Washington Consensus. Mahathir permitted selective economic and cultural deregulation and partial privatization.
From 1985 onwards, Mahathir and Daim�fs investment regime reduced business regulation for inter-ethnic redistribution purposes formerly required by the Industrial Coordination Act 1975 and the restructuring objective of the New Economic Policy. The Promotion of Investments Act 1986 attracted export-oriented manufacturing investments and reduced the insulation between export-oriented and domestically-oriented production. The new investment regime significantly encouraged higher value-added export-oriented industries, skill development, and technology up-grading.
Wave of Growth
In 1985, the G-7 governments, via the Plaza Accord, acted to raise the value of the Japanese yen against the U.S. dollar. Malaysia�fs yen-denominated sovereign debt doubled in ringgit terms. Bank Negara responded to the mounting foreign debt burden and to the collapse of commodity prices by letting the ringgit depreciate against the U.S. dollar, effectively securing some competitiveness through devaluation. Among other reasons, the sharp appreciation of the yen, then the Taiwanese dollar and the South Korean won, encouraged the relocation of Japanese, Taiwanese, and South Korean industries to China and Southeast Asia, including Malaysia. This new wave of foreign direct investment helped to usher in a decade of structural transformation and rapid growth that only ended when the �gEast Asian financial crisis�h erupted in July 1997.
However, Malaysia�fs strong economic recovery did not quite head off the banking crisis building up from the 1980s�f recession, commodity price collapse, and bursting of property and stock market bubbles. In 1987-88, almost 30 percent of commercial bank loans were �gnon-performing.�h The government was compelled to oversee and regulate more strictly the financial system, using the Banking and Financial Institutions Act 1989 and other regulations. More prudent and stricter banking supervision limited Malaysian exposure to (private) foreign borrowing. For example, private interests needed Bank Negara�fs approval to borrow from abroad, notably by showing that borrowed funds would generate foreign exchange earnings.
The economic recovery was followed by financial liberalization, especially in stock market development. Despite the banking failures and stock market collapse of the late 1980s, Mahathir and Daim persisted with stock market promotion albeit with stricter banking regulation. But as if the problems from the 1980s banking crisis had been forgotten, commercial banks again lent generously and again induced property and stock market bubbles. Many Malaysian corporations, especially those associated with the regime�fs �gcronies,�h were very highly leveraged. The consequences of these economic and financial developments were mixed and, as it turned out in 1997, disastrous.
Third Phase: 1998-2003
During the third phase, Mahathir�fs economic management resorted to unorthodox counter-cyclical interventions to stimulate economic recovery and sustain growth in the face of a more adverse international environment. When the 1997 crisis erupted, it was widely blamed on East Asian corruption, cronyism, and nepotism. No one should condone these well known abuses in the countries that were severely stricken, namely Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea, and Malaysia. Yet the real roots of the crisis lay in the global trends of liberalization and deregulation that abetted bias, abuse, and systemic failure in the international financial system that emerged after the Bretton Woods framework of fixed exchange rates was abandoned in 1971.
At the onset of the 1997 financial crisis, Malaysia had lower levels of foreign debt compared to Thailand, Indonesia, and Korea, because Bank Negara had limited short-term foreign borrowings. But the ensuing �gloss of investor confidence�h in East Asia caused easily reversible portfolio investment, so-called �ghot money,�h to exit quickly from the region. Hence, the Malaysian financial system was no less vulnerable because of the far greater role of foreign investments in the relatively larger Kuala Lumpur stock market.
Controversy and Rift
Mahathir�fs early responses to the crisis exacerbated the situation. Meant to stem the capital outflow, his quixotic attempts caused foreign portfolio investments to stampede out of the country. Mahathir also seemed overly anxious to protect cronies whose indebtedness and heavy losses of asset value were as much due to their own excesses as any �gcontagion�h from the regional crisis. Mahathir and Daim had Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Anwar Ibrahim suspend KLSE rules to allow the leading crony UEM-Renong conglomerate to organize a bailout. That move caused the stock market capitalization to fall by RM70 billion, or 20 percent, in three days in November 1997. To this humiliation Anwar responded by sidelining Mahathir�fs preferences and securing Cabinet support for a new, pro-cyclical policy package in December. Then Mahathir established a virtually unaccountable supra-cabinet creation, the National Economic Action Council (NEAC), which was reminiscent of the 1969 National Operations Council.
These policy divergences between Mahathir and Anwar had little time to deepen. Anwar himself realized the folly of following contractionary policies and began to reverse them in the second quarter of 1998. But in May, Soeharto was overthrown in Indonesia. In June, [UMNO Youth President] Ahmad Zahid openly criticized �gnepotism�h and �gcronyism�h at the UMNO Youth assembly. Suspecting Anwar of plotting a �gpalace coup�h against him, Mahathir sacked Anwar on 2 September 1998.
Capital Controls�f Limited Impact
One day earlier, Bank Negara controversially imposed capital controls. With hindsight, I would argue that Mahathir�fs capital controls and recovery package were well designed and enforced, but too late, biased, and unnecessary.
Mahathir�fs crisis management was correct in one central and critical respect. He opted for a counter-cyclical thrust in opposition to the International Monetary Fund and the market�fs pro-cyclical preferences. In doing so, he went against economic orthodoxy by reversing his pre-crisis commitment to capital account convertibility. Imposed 14 months into the crisis, with stock market de-capitalization exceeding 75 percent, the capital controls had questionable practical value – except to prevent further �gbleeding�h and perhaps to weather another crisis due to the huge ringgit overhang in Singapore.
To be fair, Mahathir�fs capital controls seemed eminently sensible in September 1998 when there seemed to be no end to the crisis. Worse, a crisis developed in Russia which triggered the collapse of the U.S. hedge fund, Long Term Credit Management (LTCM). The LTCM debacle itself ended �gdenial�h in the U.S. that the market could be at fault. The U.S. Federal Reserve bailed out LTCM and lowered interest rates which helped to stabilize East Asian currencies and eventually permitted regional recovery to begin.
Cost of Recovery
The government had established Danaharta, Danamodal, and the Corporate Debt Restructuring Committee to restore banking liquidity, manage non-performing loans, re-capitalize banks, and restructure the banking system and major conglomerates. Now it has become clear that the efforts of these three agencies were variously biased and abused, in practice if not in intent.
When it took over billions of ringgit of corporate debt, the government hardly penalized the borrowers. Ostensibly this was because some of them were said to have been performing �gnational service�h with their borrowings. Moreover, the government used public funds to �gre-nationalize�h privatized assets at prices far exceeding market levels. Critics charged that the regime�fs cronies were doubly blessed – first by benefiting from privatization, and then by walking away unscathed from their debts and liabilities. Despite such abuses, Danaharta, Danamodal, and the Corporate Debt Restructuring Committee managed to restore essential liquidity. Meanwhile, rising government spending and increased global demand for electronics facilitated a strong economic recovery in 1999-2000.
Much to Answer For
Since then, Malaysia�fs growth has slowed owing to the economy�fs continued vulnerability to global conditions. The Clinton era boom has ended. Japan and much of Europe are economically lethargic. And with keener competition from lower cost producers having competitive skill endowments, notably China, Malaysia�fs prospects for continued export-oriented growth are insecure. Presently, it is scarcely comforting that the government�fs post-crisis policy declarations of domestic-led growth rely largely on large budget deficits and public spending, particularly on construction projects that are popularly perceived to be more �gjobs for the boys.�h
Obviously, Mahathir has a lot to answer for the economic management of his �gera.�h He has always had a penchant for expensive prestigious projects. There was Dayabumi at the beginning of his tenure. Now, there are the new administrative capital of Putrajaya (with the prime minister�fs palatial official residence at its center), the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, the Formula 1 Grand Prix race track at Sepang, and the Petronas-owned Kuala Lumpur City Centre Twin Towers.
Despite his attacks on currency speculators, Mahathir�fs government was responsible for very expensive speculative failures. Bank Negara suffered a multi-billion ringgit loss from its massive purchases of sterling before the sterling�fs collapse in September 1992. In the 1980s, the government lost several hundred million ringgit in a disastrous attempt to corner the international tin market.
No Accounting
Besides, the government�fs absorption of corporate losses reached new heights under Mahathir. Perwaja, the steel-making corporation, is a spectacular failure, having lost more than RM10 billion by the mid-1990s. Bank Bumiputra Malaysia was scarcely better. Before it was acquired by Bank of Commerce, Bank Bumiputra had been re-capitalized several times with several billion ringgit of public funds.
As yet, there is no careful accounting of the losses associated with privatization followed by re-nationalization. Public assets were privatized at a discount, but re-nationalized at premiums that were enjoyed by their non-performing beneficiaries. In short, we have experienced 20 years of privatizing profits and profitable assets, and socializing losses and liabilities.
Arguably, the cumulative impact of Mahathir�fs economic management was not an unmitigated disaster partly because his policies and underlying concerns were not motivated by Mahathir�fs own predatory intentions. Many critics, however, argue that notable instances of self-aggrandizement in major policies were more characteristic of Mahathir�fs associates led by Daim, his economic czar. Still, Mahathir should bear responsibility for his own flawed policies, for major failures in implementation, and for not checking abuses in high places, political and corporate. If anything, too many so-called corporate captains have demonstrated an addiction to direct and indirect subsidies, discounts, incentives, and bailouts. But these huge costs to the national economy have not been repaid by enhanced tax revenue arising out of efficient and productive privatization.
The new regime Abdullah Badawi leads after October 2003 may have reason to rue Mahathir�fs inconsistencies and checkered record together with the political crises into which Mahathir threw UMNO and the political system. Abdullah needs to consolidate his party base. He can only do so with limited and conditional access to UMNO�fs finances after those were re-organized beyond proper accountability to UMNO�fs leadership after the party split in 1987-88.
Abdullah will also try to retrieve UMNO�fs battered support among Malay voters, many of whom blame Mahathir�fs policies and mismanagement for the post-1985 and post-1997 economic and political crises. Hence, it is probable Abdullah�fs team will simultaneously turn to NEP-type ethnic preference policies and resort to neo-liberal economic policies. They can be expected to juggle between relying on the state – an option preferred by those who want to re-emphasize interethnic wealth redistribution – and depending on the market – the preferred option of big business and most academic economists.
No matter how Abdullah responds to the challenges he inherits, he will be searching for options under a long shadow cast by 22 years of Mahathirist economics.
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UK GOVERNMENT FORCES SCOTS COUNCILS TO ACT “BLINDFOLDED”
“PROFOUND CONSEQUENCES” FOR LOCAL SERVICES AS SCOTLAND IS “AFTERTHOUGHT”
Marion Fellows, the SNP MP for Motherwell and Wishaw, has this week criticised the UK Government for forcing Scottish councils to set tax rates “blindfolded” after a four-month delay to the UK budget and voiced concerns for services in North Lanarkshire.
Scottish councils are legally required to set their budgets and tax rates by the 11th of March – the same day the UK Government decides their budget meaning councils won’t know how much funding they should receive.
This will cause Scottish local authorities issues with financial planning and operating services and will force the Scottish Parliament to decide its budget in a shorter than usual time period.
Scottish Government Ministers weren’t notified of the UK Government’s budget day and found out after it was announced in the media. This is despite the Scottish Finance Secretary, Derek MacKay MSP, writing to the UK Chancellor on the 22nd of December for clarity on the date of the UK budget.
Commenting, Mrs Fellows said:
“By forcing Scottish councils to set their tax rates on the same day the UK Government decides their budget, they are forcing councils to plan their spending completely blindfolded. It demonstrates the complete disdain the UK Government has for Scottish local authorities and the communities here which rely on their services.
“This could have profound consequences for services in North Lanarkshire, and it is completely disrespectful of devolution. Scotland appears to be an afterthought to the UK Government.
“It isn’t surprising that a Prime Minister who unlawfully prorogued Parliament has no respect for due process or the decision-making of Scottish councils.
“Boris Johnson has been more concerned with personal ambition and stuffing his friends into the unelected House of Lords than he has been with the running of local services here in North Lanarkshire.”
UK GOVERNMENT FORCES SCOTS COUNCILS TO ACT “BLINDFOLDED” was last modified: January 8th, 2020 by Jason Henderson
Tags:Boris Johnson, Councils, Local Authorities, Local Services, North Lanarkshire, North Lanarkshire Council, Scottish Government, UK Government
NEW ROLE: DISABILITIES SPOKESPERSON
DALZELL STEEL JOBS PROTECTED
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Difference between revisions of "The Atlantic"
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The Atlantic is a far-left Newspaper (not by ideology, just by bias), that occasionally lets a good article or two through, and even rarely has some diversity of thought. I had some hope when they hired the prolific conservative intellectual, Kevin Williamson, away from the National Review. But like so often happens in sheep flocks, they got nervous when someone unlike them came in, that the editors actually had to defend their position -- not because Kevin is a bomb-thrower, but because the snowflakes on staff, didn't want "one of them" in their clique. Then, less than a week in, he fired Kevin after his first article. Not because of its contents, but because of the content of his character: scrupulous, intellectual, and individualist (instead of collectivist progressive). Oh, and he committed a thought crime of saying abortion is a bad thing.
Here's some examples of their bias: Atlantic : 12 items
Hillary Clinton: Vandals -
While some partisan sources (FakeNews like Atlantic, FactCheck) will try to spin it as minor “pranks”, reflecting the Clinton Administration’s classlessness, the GAO’s admits that they did $13-14K in widespread vandalism to the WhiteHouse: glue desk drawers shut, profane signs, graffiti and insults on voice mail, destroying 62 computer keyboards and 26 cell phones, massive cleaning bills and stealing or breaking doorknobs, medallions, office signs and the large presidential seal. Of course when the allegations went public, the Democrats tried to spin it that it wasn't THAT bad, and it was tacky of the Republicans to whine about it and make felonious destruction of public property look like anything bad?
Atlantic on Seleimani - Just to demonstrate what a complete anti-American rag that the Atlantic is, here they are trolling to find some far-left anti-American far left law professor talking head to ignore the thousands of people Obama drone bombed, and complain that Trump killed one, with far more justification -- and thus he was wrong not to get congressional approval first. At least if the speculation bad the far left NYT was true, and since they'd made hundreds of mistakes about Trump, that's not likely.
AR-15 Bullets -
There are many people who claim the AR-15 bullets (the .223) are uniquely deadly, or that you can get shot one place and have it exit somewhere else, and other myths propagate by FakeNews outlets like The Atlantic, NYT, or CBS's 60 minutes. Some of these rumors were created by the military to make the troops more comfortable with using a gun that was far less powerful than the AK-47's that our troops were facing, and much weaker than the hunting rifles they had used at home. But sometimes weaker is better. Wounded soldiers cost more resources than dead ones, and lighter guns/rounds are easier to carry and shoot: and that's why the military chose it. But the facts are that.223 isn't even the most powerful varmint round, and is one of the weakest of the rifle rounds. It is so weak that it can't be used to hunt deer or larger game in many states. Anyone trying to sell this AR-15 bullets are more deadly than other rifle bullets, is either a fool or a propagandist. And if they're a media organization with a single fact-checker, you know which one.
2020.01.08 End of Brady - To show you what FakeNews and how self deluded The Atlantic has become, this quote sums it up. While discussing the final demise of Tom Brady and the Patriots, Scott Stossel (National Editor) said, "He’s like Thor, or Superman, or Greta Thunberg—when everything looks lost, he arrives to save the day." Two are fantasy characters, Scoldilocks (Greta) hasn't achieved except ditching school and lecturing people that know more than her on a cause she doesn't understand, while Tom Brady actually achieved something in real life (cheating at football and cheating on his wife). Apparently the Atlantic can't tell the difference between those things.
2019.10.21 Evangelical Support - The Left-Wing Atlantic wrote an opinion hit-piece wrapped up as a fake Study to imply that "Nothing Will Persuade White Evangelicals to Support Impeachment". A delusional headline, and a worse article. If Trump took the left's position of supporting 4th Trimester abortions, he'd lose a bunch of them. And certainly if the left could show evidence of an impeachable offense, and followed the rule of law in impeaching him, it might go a long way towards persuasion. But since Pelosi is holding secret tribunals, with no cross examination of witnesses, no formal charges, and no accountability for their side lying on the stand (like when Schiff made up what he thought Trump was saying), it's not likely to be persuasive to those that value the rule of law.
2019.06.18 Concentration Camps - Our favorite dimwit (AOC) claimed that Trump's America is running concentration camps, with direct comparisons to the Nazi's. This immediately polarized the rational against the Democrats and their media (her water carriers). Moderate Jewish organizations thought the comparison was absurd and said so. But the alt-left came running to her defense, to try to parse words and say that technically they are "concentration camps", in the same way that calling someone a faggot is accusing them of being a bundle of sticks. She not only doesn't back down, but double's down and starts chucking Gitmo and anything else that might trigger the left to try to dig out... but just kept digging deeper. The left does NOT get to pretend the OTHER side is lowering the town or divisive, then go reductio ad Hitler in the next breath. At least not without looking like flaming hypocrites.
2019.04.12 Some People - Ilhan Omar was on video saying the terrorist supporting, anti-semitic CAIR, was founded because they recognized "Some people did something", meaning Islamic Terrorists took down the Twin Towers on 9/11. Fair was actually founded nearly a decade earlier. President Trump tweeted the video because it shows the truth about the left's PC apologism for 9/11. The left couldn't argue the facts, so they put their lie-machine in overdrive. WaPo FakeNews'ed by trying to claim that Bush said it too... before we'd identified the source of the attack (as if the context was the same). Atlantic tried to deflect for her. Other operatives for the DNC pretended that Trump was inciting violence or islamaphobia by showing the video of Ilhan's own words. This is moronic, the Republicans love her! She's the poster-child for stupid, racist (anti-Semitic), Politically Correct terrorist apologism. They need her to run-against in 2020. They're more likely to hire a security detail for her, than wish any harm on her. But still, Dems started a "#IStandWithIlhan", and cries about poor her, for having her own message magnified. The fake pearl clutching is an insult to our intelligence, and is obvious gaslighting.
2019.03.22 Mueller Report - The Mueller Report is out. I don't care if you like/dislike President Trump, I care whether people will defend the truth or perpetuate a lie. Soon we will be able to read the full report, but the summary is a smackdown: (a) there was no hint at collusion by Trump or his team, in fact they rebuffed attempts by the Russians. (b) without collusion there couldn't have been obstruction, but even if there had been, Trump wasn't close to obstruction (c) the media narrative has been a fraud (d) the media wasted 2,284 minutes, and 533,074 articles (245 million responses) to coverage of the fake narrative. The media doesn't admit their mistake and apologize to Trump and the public are not journalists following the facts, but polemics mad that someone shined the light of truth on their deception. And right on cue, a bunch of FakeNews, Democrat politicians, and Hollywood sheep try to spin this as it, "stops short of exonerating on obstruction", or shifting the narrative to Mueller's competence, Trump's guilt on something else, or anything other than their 2-year fraud. But all the outlets that championed it as the end of Trump, or shown for frauds. Expecially when they won't just apologize.
2019.02.06 Assassination "Joke" - Jemele Hill (of ESPN and the Atlantic) made a tweet (now deleted) saying AOC should interrupt Trump's next State of the Union address, with the following quote, "GETCHO HAND OUT MY POCKET". This was what one of Malcom-X's killers said before murdering him. Jemele deleted the tweet and apologized, but few believe it was a joke.
2018.10.03 Cruelty is the point - If you want an example of the blatant partisan bias (and the stupidity) of the The Atlantic, this article, "'The Cruelty Is the Point: President Trump and his supporters find community by rejoicing in the suffering of those they hate and fear'" is a perfect example. The fact that a staff writer could submit this without being immediately fired, let alone that it would be published, ends any pretense as a credible publication. This attack on Trump on their supporters is devoid of historical accuracy and does what it accuses the other side of: demonizes the opposition. Can you ever imagine them running the corollary about how we know that minimum wage, sensationalize racial divisions, or calling the other side bad names shuts down progress and polarizes us, so the left does it because they are vicious assholes? If you can't, then it proves my point that the Atlantic is not a serious publication, but a hate pamphlet for the DNC.
2017.05.25 NATO - Trump criticized NATO (as he has during his campaign) for bearing the brunt of NATO costs (true), and intimidates them into living up to their obligations and coming up with more money. The leftists, their Press and their fact checkers all pretend this is end of days and proof that:
Demanding more defense spending (against Russia) makes him a puppet of Russia.
That him claiming the U.S. pays 70-90% of NATO is a lie. It's true... depending on what you mean.
He "shoved" Montenegro Prime Minister.
That he's alienating our allies and going to break up NATO.
A year+ later, the head of NATO admits that his tough talk got NATO contributions up by over $100B, and it is stronger than ever, thanks to Trump.
2016.11.01 Greenville, Mississippi black church fire - Right before the election, a Greenville, Mississippi church (Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church) was set on fire and spray painted with the words “Vote Trump”, by Andrew McClinton. Of course all the leftist FakeNews outlets (Atlantic, NYT, CNN, SPLC) ran sensational headlines about how bad Trump and his white supremacist supporters were to foster such hate. Only it came out later that it was done by one of the churches black congregants, who hated Trump and it was a false flag effort. Many quietly updated their story, or ran a retraction a month after the damage had been done. SPLC left it on their hate map to mislead the public about how bad the problem is.
The reason for the firing was elucidated in the memo: his views on abortion (which the editorial staff was aware of before they hired him), was that of science: and that a fetus is a human life. His beliefs were of the side that killing a fetus was tantamount to murder (and that abortionists should be punished accordingly): a view far to the right of my own. That view is no more morally offensive than the other extreme that says full term abortions of viable babies is nothing but eliminating bio-waste. That latter is the view which plenty of staffers at the Atlantic hold, including Jessica Valenti, who also writes for the Washington Post, and The Guardian US, without any concerns of retribution.
For his callous and violent remarks (that abortionists should be punished), made years before the hiring, Gates claimed that Kevin Williamson needed to be let go. While the Atlantic has no problems paying the salary of Ta-Nehisi Coates, who compared a police officer who shot a Howard University student to the 9/11 terror attacks, or when contemplating income inequality between Blacks and Whites in America he opined longingly that such corrections "don’t tend to happen peacefully". And in response to riots in Ferguson he defended the violence with, “What clearly cannot be said is that violence and nonviolence are tools, and that violence—like nonviolence—sometimes works.” He sounds frighteningly identical to the same things that the Alt-Right (Richard Spencer) claims, but since it's from an alt-left view, the Atlantic doesn't want to condemn or fire, they want to ponder the intellectual nuances of the charges.
So the hypocrisy of tolerating one extreme, while being intolerant of the other, is something that Gates (editor) lost sight of. Or just never really cared about.
Kevin got the opportunity to do what he should have been able to do at the Atlantic before his firing: he wrong a column expressing what his actual views are (instead of snippets out of context). Nothing in this, seems to be worthy of getting let go. But the Atlantic has differing standards based on political leanings.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/kevin-williamson-the-punishment-i-favor-for-abortion/2018/04/25/5001c6cc-48c5-11e8-8b5a-3b1697adcc2a_story.html?utm_term=.216581f530b8
So what did we learn?
I learned that while the Atlantic’s founding motto was, “Of no party or clique”, that dream is long dead. We also learn that anywhere that progressives get a voice, they will ruin it for others. They have the tolerance of complete intolerance: there is no party or clique at the Atlantic, because like California, Nazi Germany, or anywhere else the progressives rule, they demand complete and utter subjugation to the will of the collective: thus they are not "of" the clique, they are the clique.
📚 References
https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/03/the-sliming-of-kevin-williamson/
http://reason.com/blog/2018/04/05/kevin-williamson-fired
http://thefederalist.com/2018/04/05/ta-nehisi-coates-jessica-valenti-provethe-atlantics-hypocrisy-kevin-williamson/
https://www.nationalreview.com/g-file/kevin-williamson-thought-criminal/
http://babylonbee.com/news/the-atlantic-quickly-patches-echo-chamber-after-discovering-leak/
McCain Photo -
http://michellemalkin.com/2008/09/14/the-atlantic-should-have-googled-jill-greenberg-before-hiring-her/
http://americandigest.org/mt-archives/bad_americans/the_atlantic_mo.php
https://www.theguardian.com/arts/pictures/0,,1830504,00.html
Retrieved from "http://igeek.com/w/index.php?title=The_Atlantic&oldid=41392"
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glomc00 - The Global Millennium Class
Topic: agriculture & rural development | authors | business & finance | design | economy | education | entrepreneurship & innovation | environment | general | healthcare | human resources | nonprofit | people | policy & governance | publishing | reviews | science & technology | university research
4 higher education predictions for the coming decade | Study International News, 22 jan 2020
AI Will Continue to Improve Healthcare, But Only If We Can Trust It | HIT Consultant, 22 jan 2020
Remote patient monitoring to gain big momentum in 2020 | Healthcare IT News, 21 jan 2020
Healthcare's a human right, not 'a privilege for the rich' UNAIDS argues at Davos | UN News, 21 jan 2020
The Workforce Is Changing. Entrepreneurship Is the Answer. | Babson Thought & Action, 21 jan 2020
How higher education can adapt to the future of work | World Economic Forum, 20 jan 2020
Third of world's poorest girls denied access to school | BBC News, 20 jan 2020
5 charts show the latest IMF forecasts for the global economy | CNBC, 20 jan 2020
Farming in 2020 and beyond will require ag technology access | High Plains Journal, 18 jan 2020
Visualizing the Biggest Risks to the Global Economy in 2020 | Visual Capitalist, 17 jan 2020
Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 11 jan 2020
Food security problem is a global concern. Everyone should become a part of the solution. Technologies like drones, data analytics, blockchain etc can assist in solving some of the issues related to farming and agriculture. This is what Agriculture 4.0 is all about. It is a new age of food production that leverages digital technology and the Internet of Things (IoT) to cater more precisely to the needs of crops, farmers and consumers. The coming together of - farming communities, researchers and policy makers; farm equipment and machinery, biotechnology, computer and telecommunication companies - can bring agriculture to a new state of success. Multinational agriculture and biotech companies are competing in the race to achieve the technological breakthroughs and expand their businesses and profits. Advocates of Agriculture 4.0 believe that it will solve the food security problems of the future. While critics on the other hand caution that without proper regulation few big companies will attain huge monopolistic power in global agricultural decision-making that will adversely affect small producers. According to the 2018 report Agriculture 4.0 by World Government Summit, approximately 800 million people currently suffer from hunger and by 2050 we will have to produce 70% more food to feed the world. Juanita Rodríguez, Vice-Chancellor of Innovation at Ean University (Colombia), says, 'Even though it's still not widely known, this fourth revolution in agriculture has been agile and its benefits are beginning to show, helping farmers maximise crop yields and developing ways to stop the epidemic of waste that destroys 45% of our supply.' In Mexico, Mexican engineer Julio López and German economist Manuel Richter, have created a platform helping producers to manage their crops using drone and satellite technology. Mr. Richter says, 'There is a huge potential to make the work more efficient, reduce agro-inputs, improve water use, lower environmental impact and create more economic sustainability for the farmer.' Big data use and privacy are other areas that are part of Agriculture 4.0. In 2018, North American companies spent almost US$ 20 billion on third-party data, 17.5% more than in 2017. Silvia Ribeiro, Latin America director of the Action Group on Erosion, Technology and Concentration (ETC), says, 'Companies have a huge amount of data at their disposal. They can convert it into another business. What lies behind this is the generation of new profits.' Gabriel Cuéllar, an AI researcher, says, 'Data is the new oil. Companies today need data to make their systems more powerful.' Big data and analytics has positive side in agriculture and can assist farmers in effectively detecting pests, spotting failures in agricultural processes, or understanding market demands. The question with data is not only who is collecting it, but who can analyse it, and who wins or loses as a result. In the report 'The Unsustainable Agriculture 4.0 - Digitization and Corporate Power in the Food Chain', Pat Mooney of ETC explains his concerns on big data in agriculture. He believes that the concentration of power in agricultural data collection could result in a few companies controlling seed patenting data, pesticides, fertilisers and machinery, leaving little or no option for farmers and workers to choose what they buy. In recent times many multinationals have been drawn into controversy regarding Agriculture 4.0. According to Ms. Rodríguez, there is also a significant hacking risk associated with Internet of Things devices. Dennis Escudero from UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says, 'The profile of the farmer is changing. It is more digital. You have to understand the new tools. They don't threaten farmers, they empower them.' Read on...
Diálogo Chino: Agriculture 4.0 promises to transform food production
Authors: Emilio Godoy, Alejandra Cuéllar
Tackling climate change and protecting environment is critical for the better future of our planet. Current agricultural practices and economic policies that surround it have substantial impact on the natural environment. Prof. Benjamin Houlton, director of the John Muir Institute of the Environment at the University of Califoria at Davis and champion of the One Climate Initiative, says, 'Agriculture might just be the single most important industry on the planet for creating negative carbon emissions under current economic policy. Carbon farming is the key to help solve climate change. Farmers and ranchers can capture carbon and store it in the soil. They can create negative emissions, which means the amount of greenhouse gases that are going into the air from their industry is lower than the amount that they're drawing out of the air.' Prof. Houlton plans to further develop the carbon farm project through One Climate. He explains, 'The One Climate vision is about transforming society in a way that is sustainable, produces the jobs we need, trains the next generation of leaders and creates a climate-smart workforce. And one of the centerpieces of One Climate is creating the world's most innovative carbon farm.' Carbon farming involves using resources such as compost, biochar and pulverized rock, and using enhanced weathering - basically, accelerating Earth's natural processes - to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Explaining about biochar, Prof. Houlton says, 'We've teamed up with industry partners to use biochar, which is taking organic carbon like trees, vegetation and manure, and burning it slightly at a high temperature. It becomes more resistant to breakdown and helps with water and nutrient use, while also storing carbon for longer periods of time.' In California, biochar can reduce wildfires by removing trees that could be a fire risk and putting it into the soil. Similarly, compost deposits green waste or food waste into the soil to create a carbon sink. Read on...
UC Davis Magazine: How Can Agriculture Be a Part of the Climate Solution?
Author: Ashley Han
Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 26 dec 2019
Graphic design continuously evolves and experts spot the trends and also make predictions. Here are graphic desing professionals predicting trends for 2020 - (1) Intensifying minimalism: Brian Dixon, creative director at Grady Britton; Paul Levy, designer; Adam Murdoch, senior art director. (2) Abstract 3D and vibrant colours: Tamryn Kerr, associate creative director at VMLY&R; Consuela Onighi, UX designer at Illustrate Digital; Alex Halfpenny, design director at Elmwood. (3) Type-only approaches: Emily Benwell, digital design and marketing specialist at Liberty Marketing; Davide Baratta, design director at Impero; Nazar Begen, head of project at Crello; Steve Sharp, director of Fat Cow Media; Chris Willis, head of design at VMLY&R; Katie Larosa, designer at Grady Britton. (4) Super-maximalist and ultra-minimalist: Justin Au, designer at Gretel. (5) Taking GIFs to the next level: Steve Sharp, director of Fat Cow Media; Mark Chatelier, executive creative director at StormBrands. (6) Multisensoral moving content: Davide Baratta, design director at Impero; Iain Acton, head of motion design at DixonBaxi; Emma Newnes of B&B Studio. (7) Motion with intent: Kelli Miller, creative director and partner at And/Or; Dan Healy, image and motion director at Bulletproof. (8) Ingrigue overtakes legibility: Alex Halfpenny, design director for Elmwood; Emily Benwell, digital design and marketing specialist for Liberty Marketing; Dave Gee, co-founder of Jam_. (9) Graphical disruption: Sarah Sanders, head of strategic insight at Precipice Design; Kelli Miller, creative director and partner at And/Or. (10) Backlash against Insta-perfection: Jennie Potts, design director at B&B Studio. (11) Focus on Gen Alpha: Lee Hoddy, creative partner at Conran Design Group. (12) Organic look and feel: Andy Capper, creative director at Echo Brand Design. (13) Action on sustainability: Charlie Smith, creative director at Charlie Smith Design; Steve Austen-Brown, creative director at Avantgarde London; Alex Halfpenny, design director at Elmwood. (14) New perspectives on gender and sexuality: Lee Hoddy, creative partner at Conran Design Group; Davide Baratta, design director at Impero. (15) A spirit of rebellion: Maisie Benson, designer at B&B Studio; Curro de la Villa, creative director at 72andSunny Amsterdam. (16) Device dependent design: Harry East, co-founder and creative director at Equals Collective. (17) Cause-based branding: Adam Murdoch, senior art director at Grady Britton. (18) Immersive experiences: Dave Gee, co-founder of Jam_; Mark Davis, creative director at me&dave; (19) Making brand stories more believable: Andy Askren, partner and creative director at Grady Britton. (20) Uncertainty: Alex Halfpenny, design director at Elmwood. Read on...
Creative Bloq: 20 top graphic design trends for 2020
Author: Tom May
Customers are at the core of any business. No one can think of products and services without thinking of their buyers. Profits are made with happy customers because they continue to buy products and services from those companies and organizations that keep them satisfied. They also recommend to others what they themselves like. For organizations to become truly customer-centric it is essential to create a customer oriented mindset and at the same time develop procedures and actionable tools to provide best possible customer service. This would also involve continuous training and learning on the part of customer service executives and workers. As the customer behavior changes over time with technologies so should the interactive behavior of customer service personnel to adapt to changing scenarios. But above all, the personnel who deal directly with customers should keep the care of customers in their mind and behavior at all times. Organizations should develop a proper framework for customer service excellence. Read on...
ilmeps/read: From Customer-Centric Mindset To Doing What Customers Want - Finding Ways To Do Customer Service Right And Avoiding What Not To Be Done
Author: Mohammad Anas Wahaj
Traditional market research involves quantitative methods like group surveys or self-reporting to obtain valuable data, but to get the whole story, Prof. Rebecca Rast of marketing department at Missouri State University, has embarked upon a new methodology of research that utilizes iMotion software technology and uses facial expression analysis to develop a deeper understanding into the complexity of human behavior in the marketing field. iMotion technology captures physiological reactions, such as how humans think, feel, act and respond, in real time and helps to quantify engagement and emotional responses. The software can measure seven core emotions: joy, anger, fear, disgust, contempt, sadness and surprise. Prof. Rast says, 'I'm continuing to think of other applications I can use the software for to continue to look at marketing behavior...If I can share it with my students so they understand the outcomes, then I can apply it right back into the classroom when it comes to topics such as consumer behavior.' Read on...
Missouri State News: Understanding consumers through emotion
Author: NA
Team of researchers from Poland's Łódź University of Technology (ŁUT) led by Prof. Katarzyna Grabowska, the dean of the Faculty of Material Technologies and Textile Design, have developed a textile charger, which allows to charge phones, tablets, and other portable electronic devices using the power generated by their users' physical activity. Monika Malinowska-Olszowy, the vice dean of the faculty and member of the research team, says, 'The textile charger for mobile electronic devices is an inseparable part of the fabric or knitwear from which it is made, such as clothing...This invention replaces heavy, large batteries and power banks that often contain toxic substances. It is shock resistant and weatherproof. The main purpose of this technology is to ensure its users with uninterrupted access to electricity to sustain the operations of their mobile devices. As a result, this will exclude various problematic processes related to frequent charging of mobile phones or tablets.' ŁUT research has focused on the development of innovative textile inventions. Some of the latest examples include textile clothing for premature infants that is to protect them against dehydration and ensure thermal stability through special layered textile systems, and a prototype textronics solution that allows the integration of muscle-stimulating electrodes within various types of clothing, such as underwear, wristbands and socks, and use it to treat patients with various diseases that require such stimulation, among others. Read on...
Innovation In Textiles: Polish researchers develop textile mobile device charger
Philanthropy is a huge industry and technology is enabling it's transformation. It's contribution to the U.S. economy is significant. According to The 2019 Nonprofit Employment Report (2019), authored by Lester M. Salamon and Chelsea L. Newhouse of the Center for Civil Society Studies at Johns Hopkins University, nonprofits account for roughly one in 10 jobs in the U.S. private workforce, with total employees numbering 12.3 million in 2016. Over the decade since 2007, nonprofit jobs grew almost four times faster than the for-profit ones. Madeline Duva, CEO of Fluxx, provides insights into technological transformation of philanthropy and the positive impact it has on overall growth of nonprofit sector. She says, ' The philanthropic space has begun to adopt new technologies in earnest in order to increase capacity, improve employee job satisfaction and accelerate long-lasting impact. This transformation is further helped by the tech industry entering the space both as a funder of nonprofits and provider of improved tool sets. The innovations that made Amazon a world leader in supply chain optimization are now being repurposed to help nonprofit organizations work more efficiently and collaboratively with their own data, ultimately driving more dollars and hours toward solving long-entrenched societal and systemic issues in the U.S. and beyond.' Philanthropy is on rise and tech industry and their employees are major contributors. According to 'Giving USA 2019: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2018', researched and written by the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IUPUI, in 2018 Americans gave nearly US$ 428 billion to charity, with US$ 76 billion of that coming from foundations and another US$ 20 billion coming from corporations. Tech industry's interest in philanthropy and nonprofit sector is seeing increase in specifically designed tech solutions. Ms. Duva explains, 'I've seen a steady increase (but slower industry adoption) in solutions that help foundations leverage data and efficiency and manage teams, all while scaling their work. Grantmakers (both public and private) and grantseekers (nonprofits and charities) have begun to streamline their operations through SaaS solutions, using data and workflow best practices to create more efficient processes and free up time and resources.' For tech companies seeking to work and design solutions for the philanthropic sector, she suggests - Prioritize flexibility and usability in your solutions; Understand that most nonprofits operate on extremely thin financial margins; Recognize the huge variance in the philanthropic space. One-size-fits-all approach doesn't work this space that covers and touches so many industries. Read on...
Forbes: Technology Improves Nonprofit Sector Growth
Author: Madeline Duva
Achieving global food security is a challenge that requires all humanity to participate and work together. It is imperative to improve food production and distribution, tackle environmental degradation and climate change, alleviate poverty and resolve conflicts through peaceful means. Prof. Miguel Altieri of University of California at Berkeley focuses his research on the concepts of agroecology. His group's research and publications aid in the emergence of agroecology as the discipline that provides the basic ecological principles for how to study, design, and manage sustainable agroecosystems that are both productive and natural resource conserving, and that are also culturally-sensitive, socially-just and economically viable. He explains that urban agriculture has potential to enhance food security in US cities. According to him, 'I believe that raising fresh fruits, vegetables and some animal products near consumers in urban areas can improve local food security and nutrition, especially for underserved communities.' US Dept. of Agriculture estimates that for 1 out of 8 citizens food insecurity is a near-term risk. The current food distribution system in cities of Califormia, where large population resides, requires enormous amounts of energy and generates significant greenhouse gas emissions. Prof. Altieri says, 'The food it delivers fails to reach 1 of every 8 people in the region who live under the poverty line - mostly senior citizens, children and minorities. Access to quality food is limited both by poverty and the fact that on average, California’s low-income communities have 32.7% fewer supermarkets than high-income areas within the same cities.' In the past 30 years, urban farming has grown by more than 30% in the US. Moreover, it is estimated that urban agriculture can meet 15 to 20% of global food demand. But, it is yet to be seen what level of food self-sufficiency it can realistically ensure for cities. There are limitations and challenges. According to a survey, 51 countries do not have enough urban area to meet a recommended nutritional target of 300 grams per person per day of fresh vegetables. Moreover, it estimated, urban agriculture would require 30% of the total urban area of those countries to meet global demand for vegetables. Land tenure issues and urban sprawl could make it hard to free up this much land for food production. Prof. Altieri explains, 'Although urban agriculture has promise, a small proportion of the food produced in cities is consumed by food-insecure, low-income communities. Many of the most vulnerable people have little access to land and lack the skills needed to design and tend productive gardens.' Cuban model of urban farming can be applied, where local urban farmers were trained to use well-tested agroecological methods to cultivate diverse vegetables, roots, tubers and herbs in relatively small spaces. In Cuba, over 300000 urban farms and gardens produce about 50% of the island's fresh produce supply, along with 39000 tons of meat and 216 million eggs. Most Cuban urban farmers reach yields of 44 pounds (20 kilograms) per square meter per year. Access to land and unaffordable water for irrigation are critical challenges for urban farming in US. Discounted water rates and land reforms specifically for urban farming can provide a boost to the concept. Prof. Altieri says, 'Cities have limited ability to deal with food issues within their boundaries, and many problems associated with food systems require action at the national and international level. However, city governments, local universities and nongovernment organizations can do a lot to strengthen food systems, including creating agroecological training programs and policies for land and water access. The first step is increasing public awareness of how urban farming can benefit modern cities.' Read on...
The Conversation: How urban agriculture can improve food security in US cities
Author: Miguel Altieri
Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 30 oct 2019
Nonprofit organizations and employees operate in a challenging environment and the human resources issues can be different from the for-profit sector. According to the 2017 Nonprofit Employment Practices Survey of 420 nonprofits by nonprofitHR, 28% of nonprofits said the top challenge they faced was hiring qualified staff, and 81% of nonprofits said they can't get the staff they do hire to stay. Moreover, nonprofits are unable to do much to address the human resources problems. According to 2019 Talent Management Priorities for Nonprofits survey of 488 nonprofit leaders and HR professionals by nonprofitHR, three reasons employees give for leaving nonprofits are - dissatisfaction with their career opportunities, compensation and benefits, and workplace culture. Prof. Kim Brimhall of Binghampton University, The State University of New York, explains her research on nonprofit human resources and finds out that when employees feel valued and that their colleagues and bosses appreciate them, talented staff members become more likely to stick around. Lower salaries and compensation in nonprofits are not the only factor that makes it difficult to retain talent. Prof. Brimhall says, 'I recently completed a study regarding how managers at hospitals can improve employee performance through greater inclusivity. Inclusion...is also about helping employees feel appreciated as unique individuals and helping them feel valued as key members of their team.' According to 2018 State of the Nonprofit Sector Survey of about 3400 nonprofit leaders by Nonprofit Finance Fund, more than half of all nonprofit jobs are in the health care field and even though nonprofit hospitals generally pay their workers better than other nonprofits, they also have trouble hiring and retaining qualified staff. Prof. Brimhall recommends nonprofits to make their workplace more inclusive and to adopt the following best practices - Engage and involve employees in important work-related decision-making; Appreciate feedback of all employees irrespective of their position; Consider and treat each employee as a unique individual and provide regular training and opportunities to enhance their career; Communicate a shared sense of purpose and inspire a collective vision of the future. Read on...
The Conversation: Making employees feel welcome and valued can pay off - especially for nonprofits
Author: Kim Brimhall
Visibility is critical for the success of business ventures. Public relations is what provides businesses just that when done right. Deborah A. Geiger, CEO of Geiger Communications, suggests a 3-step process to create winning pitches that provide meaningful coverage - (1) Introduce Yourself: Reporters need professional information and capabilites of those they cover in their stories. Provide them all the required details and make them confident about yourself. (2) Place Your News In Context: For the winning pitch place your news in geographical, historical and industry context to make your business and work stand out. Make your story truly unique and newsworthy. Do competitive analysis and differentiate yourself. (3) Consider The News Cycle: News cycle is predictable. Understand it and time your pitch accordingly. Select reporters who cover events and news related to your area of expertise. Keep communication with them helpful and positive, and offer your expertise for their future stories. The core of best PR pitches is simplicity and clarity in communication. 'If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.', said Albert Einstein. Keeping this in mind, with no confusion about who you are, what you do and how you can help, you will no doubt make a positive impression. Read on...
Entrepreneur: How to Write a Winning PR Pitch
Author: Deborah A. Geiger
For CPAs (Certified Public Accountant) to successfully transition from the for-profit sector to the nonprofit sector requires a specific mindset and skill sets. Even though their for-profit experience will highly benefit and enhance the value of nonprofit finance department, but they would need add-on soft skills - (1) Adaptability: Understand and adapt to the new organizational culture. (2) Flexibility: Ability to multitask. With resource challenges nonprofits lack support staff and CPAs would need to handle administrative tasks. (3) Leadership and the ability to drive change: Emphasize the value of accurate financial reporting and use of latest processes and technologies for effective and efficient finance department. Explain that doing so will enhance chances of funding. Implement change through collaborative approach. Nonprofit organizations can benefit from for-profit CPA's in many ways - (1) Technology implementation: Many nonprofits are not fully equipped with latest financial and accounting technolgoies. For-profit CPAs bring the experience to do so. Implementation of online technology maximizes productivity, increases transparency, facilitates document flow and approvals, and improves accuracy and timeliness. (2) Documented policies and procedures: The implementation and maintenance of a documented accounting policies and procedures manual ensures continuing operational efficiency and governance, accuracy, and reliability of financial statements, as well as well-defined roles and responsibilities. (3) Effective and efficient internal controls: The system of internal controls is necessary to mitigate risk, increase transparency, and safeguard the organization's assets. For-profit CPAs are familiar with identifying and evaluating internal controls and aware that the process requires understanding and documenting the step-by-step processes that staff members follow to perform their jobs. (4) Audit management and oversight: CPAs with auditing background are familiar with the types of schedules and documents the auditors will request. The books and records of the finance department should be maintained throughout the year so that when the books are closed, only year-end adjustments are needed. Although CPAs spend most of their time with numbers, processing transactions, generating financial reports, and racing to meet numerous internal and external deadlines, but in nonprofits it is more than that - a mission to improve the lives of those in need and to make the world a better place. The transition to nonprofit career can be highly rewarding both professionally and personally. Read on...
The CPA Journal: Making the Transition to the Nonprofit Sector
Author: Roberta Katz
Even though AI (artificial intelligence) and big data are enabling automation in marketing and customer interactions, enhancing consumer experience, saving cost and improving ROI, but customers still seem to prefer the great old human touch. According to the report by Calabrio titled 'Are You Listening? The Truth About What Customers Want in a Digital World', three out of four consumers in the US and UK are more loyal to businesses that give them the option to interact to human as opposed to only chatbots or digital channels. Morever, 37% even question the legitimacy of the company itself, if not given the option. Michael Brenner, CEO of Marketing Insider Group and author of 'Mean People Suck', explains how organizational empathy is the key to benefit from marketing automation along with becoming more human at the same time. He mentions limitations of AI, automation and martech - Complexity of implementation; Robotic customer service; Uncertainties in decision-making. He explains, 'When businesses use technology such as AI and automation to boost efficiencies, the outcomes will scale quickly. Managing the consequences calls for not just empathy, but alignment of "purpose" between the brand and its consumers. But while humans survive on meaning and a sense of fulfillment, machines thrive on clear instructions...By clarifying their strategic purpose, organizations can not only provide better customer experiences, but also increase brand loyalty, build a community, as well as foster a meaningful and productive work culture.' Kate O'Neill, author of 'Tech Humanist', says, 'Businesses that transform themselves digitally need to do so in a human-centric way and communicate their purpose to their customers.' Mentioning empathy as the missing link between AI and humans, Mr. Brenner says, 'Empathetic Marketing connects companies, brands, employees and customers in a harmonious, productive and win-win way. You might be forgiven for thinking that ROI and the bottom line is all that matters to companies. While authoring my first book 'The Content Formula', I stumbled on the counter-intuitive secret to selling: Don't talk about the stuff you sell. Then what should we talk about? I hear you asking. Show, don't talk. Show empathy towards your customers. Help, don't sell. Help them solve a problem.' Empathy is the only antidote for the phenomenon termed by Google's Noah Fenn as 'collective amnesia of marketers', where marketers begin to see 'people' as users, leads, personas, prospects, audience, cohorts or whatever label is the flavor of the day. Mr. Brenner suggests 'be human, do human' and in order to fix the brand-customer empathy gap, you need to ask (and honestly answer) yourself - Do you understand the core emotional motivators of your customers? Does your messaging resonate with these motivators?; Do you build a connection before you attempt a conversion?; Do you test your assumptions and biases for every marketing campaign?; Does your AI-driven revenue model incorporate the nuances of empathetic marketing? Read on...
Chief Marketer: The AI Paradox: Why More Automation Means We Need More Humanity
Author: Michael Brenner
Concrete is a preferred material, second-most used (about 22 billion ton annually), in the building and construction industry. But, it is also second-largest emitter of Carbon dioxide, as cement manufacturing accounts for 5-7% of annual emissions. According to Lucy Rodgers of BBC News, 'If the cement industry were a country, it would be the third-largest emitter in the world - behind China and the US.' In order to meet the requirements of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, annual cement emissions must fall by 16% by 2030. This situation brings concrete at the cusp of innovation, encouraging architects and scientists to experiment with concrete and help evolve its greener variants. Most innovations in this regard focus on reduction of cement in the concrete mix. MIT researchers developed an experimental method of manufacturing cement while eliminating CO2 emissions. Researchers at Lancaster University in the UK unveiled a novel approach of using nanoplatelets extracted from carrots and root vegetables to enhance concrete mixes. Dr. Sandra Manso-Blanco's approach of 'bioreceptive concrete' has structural concrete layered with materials to encourage the growth of CO2-absorbing moss and lichen. Another alternative mixture becoming mainstream in construction is GFRC (Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete). The material consists of a mortar made of concrete, sand, alkali-resistant glass fiber and water. Plasticity is one of the main qualities of GFRC, enabling the molding of thinner and thus lighter façade pieces. Another novel approach to concrete used by Zaha Hadid Architects is 3D-knitted shell. Termed as KnitCandela, it is inspired by Spanish-Mexican architect and engineer Felix Candela's inventive concrete shell structures. The knitted fabric for KnitCandela was developed at ETH Zurich. ETH Zurich has been at the forefront of a number of innovations concerning concrete. With the intention of maximizing available space and avoiding steep construction costs, researchers from ETH Zurich's Department of Architecture have devised a concrete floor slab that with a thickness of a mere 2 cm, remains load-bearing and simultaneously sustainable. The institute also showcased the potential of robotically 3D printed concrete. Read on...
ArchDaily: What is the Future of Concrete in Architecture?
Author: Niall Patrick Walsh
Personalization and customization of education is becoming a possibility with use of latest technologies. Traditional education systems with 'one-size-fits-all' approach are facing challenges and their ineffectiveness is becoming visible. Every learner has individual capabilities and traits, and educational delivery that caters to his specific needs would work best. Lasse Rouhiainen, author of 'Artificial Intelligence: 101 Things You Must Know Today About Our Future' and an international expert on artificial intelligence (AI) and disruptive technologies, explains that personalization is future of higher education and how correct implementation of AI and big data analytics will help in creating personalized learning experiences that can overcome some of the challenges that educational institutions face like disengaged students, high dropout rates, skills mismatch etc. He says, 'With a personalized learning experience, every student would enjoy a completely unique educational approach that's fully tailored to his or her individual abilities and needs. This could directly increase students' motivation and reduce their likelihood of dropping out. It could also offer professors a better understanding of each student's learning process, which could enable them to teach more effectively. Here's what this might look like: AI-based learning systems would be able to give professors useful information about their students' learning styles, abilities, and progress, and provide suggestions for how to customize their teaching methods to students' individual needs.' One of the key ingredient of this learning approach is the access to large amount of student data. Privacy is the challenge in this regard. But if student data could be collected and processed in a way that is ethical, secure, and transparent, it would allow AI to be used to effectively improve various areas of study. Use of chatbots and virtual assistants can assist in handling routine questions and tasks and will also provide data that represents students' concerns and requirements. This will benefit in designing education that responds to their needs. Moreover, as AI-enabled systems takeover routine tasks, teachers will have more quality time for students and engage them to pursue higher learning. Their role would be to guide, support, and mentor students, assist them to understand their learning, it's value, and it's application in the real world. To some extent chatbots can also be used to assist sudents to manage their mental well-being - to reduce stress and improve motivation to study. This will be beneficial, atleast for immediate relief, as many university health systems are struggling to handle large population of students in their on-campus mental health counseling programs. The outcome of education and learning is to finally prepare students for the world of work and be productive in whatever career they pursue. As the work environment is becoming more technology intensive and routine tasks are automated with AI-enabled systems and robots, it is essential for education systems to provide skills and train students to effectively adapt to such work environment and become successful. There is no substitute for humans. Technology is an enabler. Right mix of AI technology and human abilities can help evolve the education and learning systems for better outcomes. Read on...
Harvard Business Review: How AI and Data Could Personalize Higher Education
Author: Lasse Rouhiainen
Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 29 sep 2019
To tackle complex issues facing the world like environment protection, peace building, human rights, poverty, hunger etc, requires coming together of people, organizations and governments to find solutions through sharing diverse ideas, collaborative efforts and pooled resources. Around the world various platforms are developed to provide just that. At Stanford Social Innovation Review's (SSIR) Nonprofit Management Institute 2019, leaders and experts from diverse fields converged to address the economic and emotional anxieties facing civil society leaders and shared advice for moving forward with confidence. Prof. Tyrone McKinley Freeman of Indiana University said, 'We must pull more people into the philanthropic circle.' Mayor Libby Schaaf of Oakland said, 'We have got to think big and be less afraid of losing something through collaboration.' Jeffrey Moore, Chief Strategy Officer of Independent Sector, said, 'We have to co-create everything with community.' Charlotte Pera, President & CEO of ClimateWorks, said, 'We have to work together in and across philanthropy, civil society, government, academia.' Mayor Michael Tubbs of Stockton said, 'Change in collaboration really only moves at the speed of trust.' Bradford Smith, President of Candid, said, 'Building those relationships will take more than nice memos about teaming up - try joint projects.' The event had various sessions and here are the highlights - (1) THE CHANGING FACE OF AMERICAN PHILANTHROPY: Kim Meredith, Executive Director of the Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society, and Prof. Tyrone Freeman of Indiana University and co-author of 'Race, Gender, and Leadership in Nonprofit Organizations', discussed common myths of modern philanthropy, the true history of giving by minority groups in the US, and ideas on how to better connect with givers in anxious times. (2) MOVING FORWARD - MERGERS AS A GROWTH STRATEGY: David La Piana, Managing Partner of La Piana Consulting, Rinku Sen, a racial justice activist, author, and strategist, and Bradford Smith, President of Candid, discussed the upsides and risks of nonprofit mergers.' (3) VITAL BALANCE - INNOVATION AND SCALING FOR IMPACT IN THE SOCIAL SECTOR: Christian Seelos, co-author of the best-selling book 'Innovation and Scaling for Impact and co-director of the Global Innovation for Impact Lab at Stanford PACS, examined various 'innovation pathologies' that can derail organizations and 'innovation archetypes' - case study-based models that sidestep these threats, blending innovation with scaling. (4) LEVERAGING TALENT - THE POWER OF SKILLS-BASED VOLUNTEERING: Danielle Holly, CEO of Common Impact, Cecily Joseph, former VP of CSR at Symantec, and Greg Kimbrough, Lead Director of executive development at the Boys & Girls Club of America, shared insights gleaned from their experiences with volunteer programs. They talked about how can skills-based volunteering engage and strengthen your teams amid transitional, high-anxiety, or crisis situations. (5) ACHIEVING GREAT THINGS - THE ART AND SCIENCE OF ASPIRATIONAL COMMUNICATION: Doug Hattaway, President of Hattaway Communications, explored the best ways to use strategy, science, and storytelling to connect with an audience. (6) WORKING TOGETHER - HOW PUBLIC SECTOR AND NONPROFIT LEADERS CAN COLLABORATE TO TACKLE TOUGHEST CHALLENGES: Mayors Libby Schaaf of Oakland and Michael Tubbs of Stockton spoke with Autumn McDonald, Director of New America CA, about the best ways to build successful, mutually beneficial partnerships between local government and nonprofits. (7) TRUST, POWER, EQUITY - TELLING BETTER STORY TO OURSELVES AND THE WORLD: Jeffrey Moore, Chief Strategy Officer of Independent Sector, examined trends with the potential to restore the nonprofit sector's self-confidence and bring back the public's trust in it. (8) WEATHERING THE STORM - LESSONS ON EFFECTIVELY MANAGING THROUGH TOUGH TIMES: Maria Orozco, Principal of The Bridgespan Group, explored lessons from the last recession and drew from her organization's work in the years since to share insight on surviving and thriving in difficult times. (9) ACTIVATING AUDIENCES - PARTNERING BEYOND THE 'USUAL SUSPECTS' TO SPOTLIGHT SOCIAL ISSUES: Jessica Blank, a writer, director, actor, lecturer, and social innovator, Nicole Starr, VP for social impact at Participant Media, Marya Bangee, Executive Director of Harness, and Prof. Courtney Cogburn of Columbia University, discussed how storytelling can expand and accelerate social change and provided advice on how to wield narratives. (10) LEADING WITH PURPOSE - ACCEPTANCE, MINDFULNESS, AND SELF-COMPASSION: Leah Weiss, lecturer at Stanford GSB and the author of 'How We Work', described how to lead with acceptance and resilience using proven self-compassion and mindfulness techniques. (11) CLIMATE CHANGE - THE POWER OF TRANSCENDENT ISSUE TO MOTIVATE AND AFFECT REAL CHANGE: Larry Kramer, President of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and Charlotte Pera, President & CEO of ClimateWorks Foundation, discussed the impact of climate change on society and nonprofits. Read on...
Stanford Social Innovation Review: The Speed of Trust in an Anxious Era: Recap of the 2019 Nonprofit Management Institute
Authors: M. Amedeo Tumolillo, Barbara Wheeler-Bride
In the closing speech of United Nations Climate Action Summit 2019, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, 'You understand that climate emergency is the fight of our lives, and for our lives. I thank young people around the world for leading the charge – and holding my generation accountable. We have been losing the race against climate crisis. But the world is waking up. Pressure is building. Momentum is growing. And - action by action - the tide is turning.' Not so long ago, Ernest Hemingway (Novelist and Nobel Laureate) said, 'The world is a fine place and worth fighting for and I hate very much to leave it.' And now the stern remarks of Swedish teenager, Greta Thunberg, in the UN Climate Summit resonated around the world and were call to action for governments, businesses and all those responsible. Although all humans have responsibility to maintain the environment, but along with governments, businesses have extra responsibility towards the upkeep of environment, particularly those that use natural resources or have direct impact on natural environment. So, what it takes to be a sustainable business? The answers are many and approaches different. In 1987, the United Nations Brundtland Commission defined sustainability as 'meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.' For businesses to be sustainable would require change in current practices and they come with a cost. They have to evolve strategies towards sustainability by taking all the stakeholders on board. Moreover, one's move to sustainability may impact the environment in some other way. So, there are challenges to attain sustainability. Here are 4 reasons why it's hard for businesses to be sustainable - (1) THERE IS NO SINGLE DEFINITION OF 'SUSTAINABILITY': UN's Mr. Guterres in the recent Summit sets the goal to completely transform the world's economies to be more sustainable and find solutions to climate change. A daunting task considering the slow pace governments and businesses have been moving in that direction so far. Geoffrey Jones, a business history professor at Harvard University and the author of 'Profits and Sustainability: A History of Green Entrepreneurship', says, 'There is a crippling vagueness about what sustainability means. While carbon emissions are receiving much of the focus because of climate change, deforestation, water shortages and soil erosion are also serious problems that should not be ignored.' Lack of clear definition translates to lack of accountability. At present few companies can provide hard evidence that their businesses are not negatively impacting environment. Socially responsible investment funds (Environmental, Social & Governance - ESG) often include oil & gas companies, and also those that have plastics as an essential component of their business model. Businesses are tryig but it is a long way to go before they become truly sustainable. (2) DETERMINING THE VALUE OF SUSTAINABILITY: Switch to sustainability is costly for businesses. Bruno Sarda, President of the Carbon Disclosure Project North America, says, 'Someone can come up with a cost of doing something different much more quickly than determining what is the value to the business.' Sustainability solutions can be complex and expensive. (3) CONSUMING LESS CAN REDUCE PROFITS: Experts suggest that less consumption is road to sustainability. But, it is contrary to the basics of businesses - more consumption, more profits. There are exceptions though. Doug Freeman, COO of Patagonia (an outdoor clothing and gear company), says, 'We hope our existing customers do indeed buy less. But we hope to attract more customers that are interested in our message: to build the best product, to reduce our impact and cause the least amount of environmental harm.' (4) CLIMATE SOLUTIONS REQUIRE COLLECTIVE ACTION: 'Tragedy of the commons', an economic problem, creates a situation of competitive consumption of natural resources thereby depleting them. To overcome this, collaboration and cooperation, is imperative. Companies are now teaming up with each other and with environmental nonprofits. Joanne Sonenshine, CEO of Connective Impact, says, 'By working together, companies gain more leverage in the national and global marketplace and legitimacy in the eyes of consumers. If you have a group of very respectable nonprofits or research agencies saying we are working with this company because we believe they can make a change, that puts a lot of credence behind what they are trying to do.' Read on...
PBS: 4 reasons it's hard to become a sustainable business
Author: Gretchen Frazee
Utilizing technology to connect with audience & customers is effective and efficient. But, bringing the human element with personalization & customization, and engaging with them to build long-term relationships is even better. Best organizations often try to do that. Gabe Cooper, tech entrepreneur and nonprofit consultant, have suggestions for nonprofit organizations to build personalized communication strategies and making full use of automation technologies available. He says, 'When it comes to marketing software, in particular, nonprofits have long tried to make square pegs fit in round holes, getting locked into software and marketing practices that are fundamentally designed for for-profit marketing or that are based on legacy fundraising practices. This has resulted in mass marketing efforts that make your donors feel like 'sales opportunities' rather than crucial stakeholders in your cause.' Fundraising is an important activity for nonprofits and considering that they lack resources, it becomes even more crucial to be done right. He says, 'In our modern world, impersonal fundraising is a wet blanket on generosity, and that's a problem when you consider that nearly three-quarters of people who give a single gift never give again. They simply don't feel appreciated. That's where personalization through marketing automation comes in. Personalization allows each and every donor feel as though you're talking directly to them...Great personalization provides every donor with the right message at the right time based on their individual passions, capacity and relationship to your organization. Personalization, in this way, creates extreme loyalty.' He advocates a 3 point approach to apply personalization in nonprofit fundraising efforts - Know; Automate; Amplify. (1) KNOW: Gather as much information about your donors as is possible. (2) AUTOMATE: Use marketing automation software to send tailored messages - at the right time - based on what you know about each donor. (3) AMPLIFY: Use data analytics to understand what the right 'ask' should be. He also provides other ways to personalize marketing efforts: Keep the new donor campaigns running to engage them, and make them repeat donors; Use persona segmentation and apply the personalized content to connect with them; Utilize personalization technology/marketing automation that is designed specifically fo nonprofits. Mr. Cooper concludes, 'Taking a more personalized approach to your nonprofit fundraising efforts can result in more donor engagement, higher average gifts, big increases in donor loyalty, and most importantly, you donors will feel that they're part of your cause.' Read on...
Business.com: Personalization Is the Engine That Drives Today's Givers
Author: Gabe Cooper
Jeff Bradford, PR expert and President & CEO of Bradford Group, suggests that now it is imperative to think about business-to-business (B2B) marketing strategy the same way as thinking about building relationships. He says, 'We expect to gain something from our friendships or relationships. Potential customers have the same expectations. You need to prove your value. Tactics like targeted media exposure contributed content, influencer relations, social media, speaking engagements and website downloads invite potential customers into your company story as friends versus onlookers. A strategic B2B marketing approach builds a relationship with the customer by providing valuable, relevant and consistent content.' He provides 3 ways to build lasting customer relationships - (1) Get Social: According to GlobalWebIndex's latest report on social media trends 2019, more than one in three internet users revealed that they go to social networks when trying to find out more information about a brand, company or product; Share recent company news, media coverage and industry articles to keep a steady stream of content; Add CSR initiatives, videos and behind-the-scenes photos to enable deeper customer exploration of brand; Aim to win customer engagement and share content that encourages dialogue; Implement gated content. (2) Tell Your Story: Have a compelling story to reveal to potential customers, just as in new friendships; Each piece of content should invite customer to the brand; Highlight CSR efforts on social media and website; Welcome new faces to your brand by proving you have a clear vision and showing how they can be a part of it; Make sure to honor customer's time by using your social media, website and media exposure to explain how you can help solve your customer's problem, not simply sell your services. (3) Renew And Recycle: Extend value of content by updating and resharing to reach wider audience; Repurposing a blog post into a series of social media posts linking back to the blog, a YouTube video, an infographic or a pitch for a bylined article; Strike a balance between quantity and quality of content; Existing content can be a foundation to build more content. With all this done right will make marketing to businesses simple, making them brand friends and customers for life. Read on...
Forbes: Three Ways To Bolster Your B2B Marketing
Author: Jeff Bradford
According to Learning Enterprise Institute (lean.org), the book, 'Designing the Future' by James M. Morgan and Jeffrey K. Liker, describes the robust new Lean Product and Process Development (LPPD) framework and shares real-world examples from a diverse set of industries. The book explains how the leading companies are using LPPD to create better futures for themselves and all their stakeholders. Authors go beyond broad generalizations on how to 'be innovative' and dig deeper into the theoretical bedrock and concrete development practices that are generating exceptional results at pioneering LPPD companies. Examples in the book show specifically how companies are redesigning product development systems to consistently design and deliver a progression of market-leading products and services. The book explains how LPPD is different from traditional ways of thinking and doing product development. The book helps in learning how to - (1) Avoid the 'extremes' that turn milestones into a 'coercive bureaucracy' and instead turn them into the foundation of a lean development process. (2) Drive out fear, but not accountability. (3) Develop high-performance teams and team members. (4) Cultivate chief architects with complete product and business responsibility. (5) Create flow and reduce rework in the development process. (6) Apply leadership lessons from Alan Mulally and other senior development leaders, as well as the critical elements of a powerful management system. (7) Use the Obeya (big room, war room) system to increase transparency, collaboration, focus, and speed while engaging the entire enterprise. (8) Improve the scientific thinking skills of engineers and developers. (9) Apply the seemingly contradictory concept of 'fixed and flexible' - Yin and Yang - of lean product development as an opportunity, not a conflict. (10) Hire the right people using different approaches, including extreme interviewing events. (11) Use a Commodity Development Plan to develop components in parallel that are on time, functional, and fit together. (12) Improve development problem solving through effective use of A3s and employ a simple but effective 'trick' to check the quality of an A3 report. EXCERPTS FROM INTERVIEW WITH AUTHORS - James M. Morgan: 'The book is for all serious practitioners who are working to find a better way to develop products, processes and services. Especially for those who are in leadership positions who want to improve organizational development capabilities in order to create great products and a great place to work.'; 'Deep immersion at the gemba (the actual place) during the study period to truly understand your customer and their context. To truly study and listen deeply to your customer in a very intentional way. To look broadly across your industry to understand the current state and conduct detailed product or service dissections where called for. Creating an active learning plan and experimentation to test ideas and close knowledge gaps. To create a concept paper to clarify your thinking and engage and enroll others.'; 'Milestones are the key to orchestrating development across functions. They are the primary mechanism for integrating work and for understanding normal from abnormal conditions so that the development team may act accordingly.'; 'The obeya space needs to become the center and the heartbeat of the project. Whether the team is collocated or not, it is the place where they come together to share and collaborate. It is the primary source of project information.'; 'I believe that it (to build aligned and focused teams) is impacted by hiring/selection of people, development of people, manager selection and promotion and of course leadership behaviors. One key is to develop an effective management system. In my view a management system is comprised of two key elements: leadership behaviors and an operating system.'; 'The best leaders have the grit to keep going - and to keep their team moving forward. One key is to look at problems as gems, as opportunities to improve your product, your process, your team - yourself.'; 'Make it okay to experiment, make mistakes, question things and raise issues. Create time and resources for learning - both capturing and applying learning. Design reviews are an excellent mechanism for learning. Then make knowledge available in user-friendly way.'; 'Apply the LPPD principles and practices in your transformation. Start by deeply understanding your current state, develop a compelling vision, learn through pilot experimentation, create an aligned plan, and focus on relentless executing leveraging tools like obeya, milestones, reflection events and design reviews.' Jeffrey K. Liker: 'We also talk about the role of the chief engineer - an overall architect for the product who assimilates all the data and spends time with customers and integrates many perspectives into a vision. These are specially developed people who become the chief architects.'; 'The main failure mode of milestones is viewing them as checkpoints. In LPPD there is feedback and adjustment happening all of the time. The checkpoint is a major opportunity to reflect and learn. It should not feel like passing a test.'; 'The obeya paces the work of many functional specialists so they are checking the status of their work products in short intervals, seeing how they can help each other, seeing gaps between plan versus actual and taking corrective action. It should focus on deviation management.'; 'A big part of the management system is the target setting process. The chief engineer sets the product targets and each function develops appropriate targets to support the chief engineer.'; 'It is also critical to have knowledge gatekeepers for each function who are the keepers of the know-how database for their specialty to avoid lots of information that never gets used.'; 'An exciting culture leads to an exciting product. We also talk about the importance of strong functional groups that are teaching the deep knowledge of their engineering discipline.' Read on...
InfoQ: Q&A on the Book 'Designing the Future'
Authors: Ben Linders, James Morgan, Jeffrey Liker
Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 29 aug 2019
Technology innovations are often associated with taking up jobs from humans. Consider some experts predicting that Artificial Intelligence (AI) could take over 40% of jobs by 2035. But, there is a brighter side to it. The tasks that are taken away by AI are generally those that are repetitive and monotonous, requiring less human creativity. This would infact provide more opportunities for people to be innovative and creative, making their jobs more fulfilling. Charities too have to take advantage of AI to improve efficiencies and let their workforce focus on doing good better and impact lives. Rhodri Davies of Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), the author of Public Good by Private Means' and an expert on philanthropy and technology for giving, says, 'There are plenty of new jobs that will be actually created in the wake of the AI revolution.' Here are some of the charity jobs that artificial intelligence and machine learning can enhance - (1) Fundraiser: Chatbots can support in fundraising tasks. Organizations are already making use of online platforms to do so effectively and reach out to far-flung donors. (2) Support Services Assistant: Charity chatbots can help in guiding people towards the general information they require. This will help human staff to focus on more complex and sensitive queries. (3) Translator: AI-driven language translation can assist charity workers to communicate effectively with populations they serve and have language barrier with. (4) Conservation Scientist: Data science and machine learning is used in sustainability studies. AI can be used by wildlife and conservation charities to understand patterns such as habitat loss, climate change, water use, poaching etc. This will help better understand human impact on natural world and plan ahead. (5) Medical Researcher: AI and robotics are used in diagnostics and patient care. AI-driven data analysis helps spot patterns in behvior, symptoms and treatment effects. Thus providing effective treatment. Read on...
Charity Digital News: The charity jobs that could soon be enhanced by AI
Author: Chloe Green
According to Wikipedia, 'Place branding (including place marketing and place promotion) is a new umbrella term encompassing nation branding, region branding and city branding. Place branding is the process of image communication to a target market. It is invariably related to the notion that places compete with other places for people, resources, and business...A place brand is a network of associations in the place consumers' mind based on the visual, verbal, and behavioral expression of a place and its' stakeholders. These associations differ in their influence within the network and in importance for the place consumers' attitude and behavior (Erik Braun, Sebastian Zenker; 2017). It therefore aims to affect the perceptions of a place and position it favourably in the minds of the target groups. Place branding can even be considered as a governance strategy for projecting images and managing perceptions about places (Erik Braun, Jasper Eshuis, Erik-Hans Klijn; 2014).' Bill Baker, veteran place brander and author of the recent book, 'Place Branding for Small Cities, Regions and Downtowns: The Essentials for Successful Destinations', while speeking with Bobby McGill, founder and publisher of Branding in Asia, shares insights based on his long experience in destination marketing and tourism development. Mr. Baker says, 'Tourism can play a very positive role as part of an economic development strategy. However, locations around the world are recognizing that there is the need for a tourism masterplan to balance the marketing of the destination with the need for sustainable and harmonious development to meet community values and aspirations while meeting the needs of external audiences.' Explaing some of the mistakes in place branding, he says, 'The most common mistake or weakness that we see in place branding very often relates to positioning. Defining the brand position for a city, downtown or region is, without a doubt, the most important and trickiest part of the entire process. If they don't get this part right, everything else will miss its mark, since it's the positioning and its relevance to target audiences that informs and shapes all other elements of the brand. Compounding this is the challenge of dealing with the many competing voices of stakeholders.' He also cautions, 'Place branding can be a perilous journey. Some do a great job with defining their brand identity, but soon falter or fail when it comes to deployment and brand management, and the consistency needed to follow the agreed strategy. Others are unable to sustain the leadership, funding, personnel, and partner enthusiasm required to succeed...Our experiences have shown that a lack of understanding about branding, particularly among key decision-makers can be the Waterloo or graveyard for a place branding initiative. Unless staff and committees can get beyond thinking in terms of logos and taglines, or mistaking a snappy campaign theme, then their efforts to define and deploy a genuine, unifying place brand will likely fail.' Regarding the book, he says, 'The focus of my book is on smaller cities and regions, and their focus may not be on tourism alone. Instead, their brand development may be centered on an overarching brand to embrace tourism, economic development, education, relocation and inward investment. Developing an overarching brand often brings to the table many participants who may not be familiar with branding, or in some cases, marketing.' He suggests, 'A multitude of stakeholders will be, or at least should be, involved in revealing a city or downtown brand, and this will depart from the accepted path for branding corporate products and services. One reason for this variation is the composite nature of places. They are a compilation of many independent and competing businesses, products, and experiences that are owned and managed by many different entities. There's no single custodian or owner of the brand. Community leaders who are aware of the differences in branding places and consumer goods are in a much better space to adapt to these challenges when they become evident...One of the leading determiners regarding who will lead the effort comes down to who is funding the project. Place branding frequently involves a single source of funding...Economic development organizations and DMOs (Direct Marketing Organizations) are usually the best-situated entities to plan, coordinate, and manage a place branding initiative...Determining the lead organization can involve balancing acts...Hence, the calls for DMOs to broaden their roles within communities and bring all parties together.' Read on...
Branding in Asia: Q&A: Insights from Veteran Place Branding Guru Bill Baker
Author: Bobby McGill
Research study, 'Onboard Evolution of Understandable Swarm Behaviors', published in Advanced Intelligent Systems by researchers from University of Bristol (Simon Jones, Sabine Hauert) and University of the West of England (Alan F. Winfield, Matthew Studley), brings development of a new generation of swarming robots which can independently learn and evolve new behaviours in the wild a step closer. Researchers used artificial evolution to enable the robots to automatically learn swarm behaviours which are understandable to humans. This could create new robotic possibilities for environmental monitoring, disaster recovery, infrastructure maintenance, logistics and agriculture. This new approach uses a custom-made swarm of robots with high-processing power embedded within the swarm. In most recent approaches, artificial evolution has typically been run on a computer which is external to the swarm, with the best strategy then copied to the robots. Prof. Jones says, 'Human-understandable controllers allow us to analyse and verify automatic designs, to ensure safety for deployment in real-world applications.' Researchers took advantage of the recent advances in high-performance mobile computing, to build a swarm of robots inspired by those in nature. Their 'Teraflop Swarm' has the ability to run the computationally intensive automatic design process entirely within the swarm, freeing it from the constraint of off-line resources. Prof. Hauert says, 'This is the first step towards robot swarms that automatically discover suitable swarm strategies in the wild. The next step will be to get these robot swarms out of the lab and demonstrate our proposed approach in real-world applications.' Prof. Winfield says, 'In many modern AI systems, especially those that employ Deep Learning, it is almost impossible to understand why the system made a particular decision...An important advantage of the system described in this paper is that it is transparent: its decision making process is understandable by humans.' Read on...
Engineering.com: Robots Learn Swarm Behaviors, Aim to Escape the Lab
Social enterprises tackle societal and environmental issues utilizing business concepts for the larger interest of the society and reinvest profits back to sustain themselves. They support in building inclusive economy. According to the most recent statistics, there are around 5600 social enterprises in Scotland with an economic contribution of around £2 billion, ranging from community co-operatives to housing associations, enterprising charities and more. Duncan Thorp, policy and communications manager at Social Enterprise Scotland, explains how social enterprises are contributing to Scotland's economy and advocates collaborations between them and private sector for greater economic and social benefits. He explains why engaging social enterprises with private sector is win-win - 'Firstly, social failure is bad for business. Unemployment, homelessness, drug addiction and other issues negatively impact on businesses. People without work and opportunity don't have money to spend on goods and services. Social enterprises work at the frontline to solve these social problems. Private sector businesses should also engage with social enterprises because they bring real benefit in terms of opening up new markets and new business opportunities. Joint bids for public contracts and similar partnership working are options too. Businesses can contract social enterprises into their supply chains. This could be a catering contract, graphic design, meeting space hire or something else. It's also about private sector employees volunteering in social enterprises, in a skills exchange, for learning and personal development.' He advocates three key areas of partnership work - consumer demand, supply chains and contracting and procurement. He suggests that building mutually beneficial relationships between social enterprises and private sector businesses paves the way for knowledge exchange, positively influencing business culture and build an economy that benefits all. Read on...
The Scotsman: Social enterprise is good for business - Duncan Thorp
Author: Duncan Thorp
Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 19 jul 2019
Good content is essential for every content marketing strategy. But, getting requisite return on investment (ROI) defines it's business success. Steven van Vessum, co-founder & VP of Community at ContentKing, suggests ways to maximize the chances of success of content marketng strategy - (1) Best Content Is Not Equal To Most Successful Content: Be selective and start small; Assess competitor's weaknesses and know your strengths and leverage that; Put together a content promotion strategy that works for you. (2) Create Multi-Purpose Content: As lot of research and resources are used to create content, leverage it to create other types of content to get better ROI; An evergreen content piece can be partically repurposed as a conference talk, a support article, a podcast topic or a guest post. (3) Creating the Best Content Is Not That Hard, It's Just Hard Work: Focus on creating content that provides most value to the visitors and fulfils their search intent; Create a content piece that makes you think not to give it for free. (4) Core Content Is the Key to ROI: Core content is content that your target audience is interested in, and that's close to your products and/or services. Helps in transition to soft sale; Create core content, and build related content around that. (5) Control & Protect Your Investment: Social media and content platforms are easy to use and have large audience reach but they provide limited control. Moreover, they may shut down or modify their terms of service as per their convenience; External platforms often don't support adding Call-To-Action boxes or newsletter signup forms. This results in questionable or reduced ROI; Better option is to publish a summary or introduction on these platforms and link it back to the detailed or full content on your own website. Read on...
Search Engine Journal: Content Marketing: The 5 Most Important Things You Need to Know
Author: Steven van Vessum
Experts' views are divided on how non-profit hospitals benefit communities. In US, non-profit hospitals received tax-benefits valued at over US$ 24 billion annually in 2011. In exchange for tax exemptions these hospitals provide 'community benefits' like free and subsidized care, investments in public health, community-based health initiatives intended to address the social determinants of health, such as food or housing insecurity. But, many observers argue that hospitals avoid making sustained community investments in favor of counting millions of dollars of 'discounts' to low-income patients as community benefits while aggressively pursuing unpaid bills. Krisda Chaiyachati and Rachel Werner, Senior Fellows at LDI University of Pennsylvania, have recently written two research to add information to this debate. They provide detailed estimates of how much hospitals spend on different types of community benefits, whether community benefits are matched to local need, and what effects community benefits have on health outcomes. Mr. Chaiyachati and Ms. Werner analyzed IRS tax data from over 1600 non-profit hospitals. By law, hospitals report total spending on community benefits, broken out by health care-related spending (e.g. free care), community-directed spending (e.g. anti-smoking initiatives or funds for local community organizations), and research and educational activities. To standardize comparisons, the authors measured all spending as shares of total hospital expenditures. Researchers find out that hospitals still rely on discounted charity care to meet community benefits requirements. In 2014, non-profit hospitals reported that they spent an average of 8.1% (US$ 17 million) of their total expenditures on community benefits, more than 80% of which was health care-related. On average, 6.7% (US$ 11 million) of expenditures were on health care services, compared to 0.7% (US$ 1.2 million) for community-directed contributions. The remainder of community benefits were on educational and research initiatives. The results are disappointing in light of a second study from Ms. Werner and Mr. Chaiyachati, which suggests that community-directed spending could improve health outcomes, specifically, 30-day readmission rates. Readmissions rates are a useful measure of health care quality-capturing in-hospital care, discharge planning, and follow-up. Since the Affordable Care Act, hospitals have been financially penalized for high readmission rates. The evidence from research suggests that increased investment in the social determinants of health, rather than simply writing off free care, has a significant impact on measurable health outcomes. Read on...
Penn LDI Blog: How Do Non-profit Hospitals Give Back?
Author: Aaron Glickman
Landscape design needs to be both functional and artistic. Landscape professional should work towards embodying these elements for beautiful gardens and lawn creations. Here are few ideas to bring art and aesthetics in landscape design - Irrespective of the size of landscaping, massing serves an artistic purpose. Massing is basically grouping of one kind plant species in one big section. It provides good visual impact and also brings balance and proportion to the landscape. Massing plants together helps create texture, form, larger pops of color and it can reduce maintenance in some situations. Incorporating vertical and horizontal layers can provide unique look to massing. Proportioning is also a critical component of garden design if the space has a pool, patio, outdoor kitchen or other similar structure, as their size must fit accordingly with the size of the house; While working with smaller spaces accentuate long views across the garden, as this will help add a greater sense of depth to the area. Instead of creating paths that haphazardly wind around, consider keeping the pathways in one continuous, straight line, as this will help emphasize the garden's length and create more dramatic focal points at each end; Experts suggest use of native or indegenous plants as they would be more resistant to pests and more durable; Landscape lighting also plays an important role as gardens can be utilized in evening. Eliminate hot spots as these will make the lighting look unnatural. Utilize lighting to highlight features in the landscape that should be accentuated, which will also let less important aspects fade into the background; For tiny garden area go vertical. Smaller gardens will feel larger if eyes can be drawn up and over the neighboring fence. Take advantage of vertical gardens along the fence line, running up an arbor or trellis or stretching upward on a brick wall/side of the house. Read on...
Total Landscape Care: More than meets the eye: The artistry behind landscape designs
Author: Beth Hyatt
Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 29 jun 2019
Collecting the right customer data and then understanding it to create usable insights is the key to e-commerce analytics success. But, implementing an effective and efficient analytics strategy and selecting the best tools and solutions from among many that are available in the market is no easy task. Ateeq Ahmad, consultant and founder of Albany Analytics, provides a set of ideas and road map to build an e-commerce analytics solution that would finally be used for predictive analysis. Mr. Ahmad outlines the process flow as - (1) Setting up data collection within current data sources. (2) Merging all data sources into one platform and automate such a collection. (3) Analyzing patterns in these datasets to build reports and dashboards based on KPIs. (4) Based on past behavior of customers, create prescriptive and predictive analytics around key metrics and goals. Data that is collected should include transactional data, social interactions and offline customer data. At the stage of merging all data sources into one central repository there are two possible methodologies - build own data warehouse or buy it from market. Of course, there are trade-offs involved in this selection. The best option seems to be to go initially for an available data merging tool, as it is cost effective, and then once sufficient experience and ROI is obtained graduate to build it in-house. Analyzing data and translating it into valuable business speak that paves the way for data-driven decision making is an essential part of successful analytics implementation. To provide right and timely predictive analyses it is critical to have an analytics team with strong data science expertise. Read on...
Albany Analytics Blog: A Paradigm for Business Intelligence Evolution
Author: Ateeq Ahmad
Wikipedia explains 'Spin' as, 'A form of propaganda in public relations and politics that is achieved through knowingly providing a biased interpretation of an event or campaigning to persuade public opinion in favor or against some organization or public figure. While traditional public relations and advertising may also rely on altering the presentation of the facts, "spin" often implies the use of disingenuous, deceptive, and highly manipulative tactics.' Researchers (Paris Descartes University: Isabelle Boutron, Romana Haneef, Philippe Ravaud; Hôpital Hôtel Dieu, Paris: Amélie Yavchitz, Gabriel Baron; Inspire: John Novack; New York University: Ivan Oransky; University of Minnesota: Gary Schwitzer) in their study, 'Three randomized controlled trials evaluating the impact of "spin" in health news stories reporting studies of pharmacologic treatments on patients'/caregivers' interpretation of treatment benefit', published in journal BMC Medicine, found that participants were more likely to believe the treatment was beneficial when news stories were reported with spin. Prof. Gary Schwitzer of University of Minnesota and founder/publisher of HealthNewsReview.org, says, 'This is important research because misinterpretation of the content of news stories due to spin could have important public health consequences as news articles can affect patient and public behavior.' Prof. Schwitzer says that spin can originate in all stages of the flow of information from researchers to the public. Researchers suggest that spin can be managed by taking the following steps - Train researchers to understand how the public uses the media and, in response, frame their communication to the public in a way which is truthful, relevant, understandable and devoid of distortion or hype; Train PR professionals, journalists and other communicators to detect spin and accurately convey research results; Educate news consumers on the resources available to help them critically evaluate health claims; Support research for developing ideal approaches for communicating scientific and health information. Read on...
University of Minnesota News: Research Brief: Evaluating the effect of spin in health care news
Technology is enabling charitable and philanthropic organizations to perform better in many ways - (1) Donations have just become a click away with expanded reach through online financial payment systems. Moreover, online transactions provide anonymity to donors who prefer it. (2) Crowdfunding has become a great tool to gather funds from all kind of donors, big or small, for the causes that one suppports. Crowdfunding websites are convenient to use and make it easy to reach out to prospective donors. (3) Technology has brought transparency and accountability. Donors are now more aware about how their contributions are utilized. Moreover, financial management tools provide charity organizations ways to efficiently and effectively track their funds. (4) Social media has proven to be effective to spread a charitable cause and seek support. Read on...
CIO Applications: Technology Revamping Philanthropy
According to the research study, 'Comparison of Costs of Care for Medicare Patients Hospitalized in Teaching and Nonteaching Hospitals', published in JAMA Network Open by researchers from Harvard University, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston University and Weill Cornell Medical College (Laura G. Burke, Dhruv Khullar, Jie Zheng, Austin B. Frakt, E. John Orav, Ashish K. Jha), 'Total costs of care are similar or somewhat lower among teaching hospitals compared to non-teaching hospitals among Medicare beneficiaries treated for common medical and surgical conditions.' Researchers analyzed data from more than 1.2 million hospitalizations among Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and older at more than 3000 major, minor, and non-teaching hospitals from 2014 to 2015 for some of the most common medical and surgical conditions, including pneumonia, congestive heart failure, and hip replacement. Prof. Ashish K. Jha, Director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, says, 'These findings are surprising. We always assumed that we had to trade off the better outcomes at teaching hospitals with higher costs. It appears that, at least as far as Medicare is concerned, their payments for care are actually a bit less when patients go to a teaching hospital.' Lead author of the study, Prof. Laura G. Burke of Harvard Medical School, says, 'These findings support the idea that to truly understand variation in health care costs, it's important to look not at just what happens in the hospital but on total spending for an acute episode.' Read on...
HarvardSPH News: Total costs of care similar or lower at teaching hospitals compared to non-teaching hospitals among Medicare beneficiaries
Author: Todd Datz
'Medical reversal' is a term that defines instances in which new and improved clinical trials show that current medical practices are ineffective or misguided. Medical reversals often concern medications but they can also affect surgical procedures. A new meta-analysis of 3000 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in three leading medical journals over the last 15 years identifies 396 medical reversals (154 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, 113 in the Lancet, and 129 in the New England Journal of Medicine). Researchers (Oregon Health & Science University-OHSU: Diana Herrera-Perez, Alyson Haslam, Tyler Crain, Jennifer Gill, Catherine Livingston, Victoria Kaestner, Michael Hayes, Vinay Prasad; University of Maryland School of Medicine: Dan Morgan; University of Chicago: Adam S. Cifu) carried out most of these studies (92%) in high-income countries, while 8% were performed in low- or middle-income countries, including China, India, Malaysia, Ghana, Tanzania, and Ethiopia. Most of the medical reversals occurred in the fields of cardiovascular disease (20%), public health and preventive medicine (12%), and critical care (11%). Specifically, the most common interventions involved medications (33%), procedures (20%), vitamins and supplements (13%), devices (9%), and system interventions (8%). Lead author of the study, Diana Herrera-Perez of OHSU, referring to well-known endeavors to assess the validity of clinical practices says, 'We wanted to build on these and other efforts to provide a larger and more comprehensive list for clinicians and researchers to guide practice as they care for patients more effectively and economically.' Prof. Vinay Prasad of OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, says, 'Once an ineffective practice is established, it may be difficult to convince practitioners to abandon its use. By aiming to test novel treatments rigorously before they become widespread, we can reduce the number of reversals in practice and prevent unnecessary harm to patients. We hope our broad results may serve as a starting point for researchers, policymakers, and payers who wish to have a list of practices that likely offer no net benefit to use in future work.' Co-lead study author Alyson Haslam of OHSU, says, 'Taken together, we hope our findings will help push medical professionals to evaluate their own practices critically and demand high-quality research before adopting a new practice in [the] future, especially for those that are more expensive and/or aggressive than the current standard of care.'Read on...
Medical News Today: Hundreds of current medical practices may be ineffective
Authors: Ana Sandoiu, Gianna D'Emilio
Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 28 may 2019
Prof. David Dubois, who teaches marketing at INSEAD (France), explains that by customizing digital technology according to customer relationships can provide B2B companies competitive advantage. Marketing spend is not defining factor for success, but how well companies integrate technolgical solutions is. Prof. Dubois says, 'A company's digital investment does not necessarily translate into marketing return on investment (ROI). For that to happen the firm needs to build a digital marketing organisation – data-driven marketing capabilities around the customer. A pivotal and enduring dimension of success in B2B markets lies in the relationship a company has with its clients. Thus, identifying the type of relationships that you have or would like to have with your customers is an excellent starting point to select and embed digital technology into your strategy. And this process is increasingly important for B2B companies if they are to maintain growth even as digital disruption accelerates the shift from B2BigB to B2SmallB.' He suggests defining customer-centricity by relationship type. Susan Fournier of Boston University offers a useful framework by likening customer relationships to friendship and romantic relationships. Once this has been done companies should select a technology that matches the relationship. According to Prof. Dubois, getting customer-centricity right in the digital age involves three steps after the relationship is clearly defined - (1) Test and learn: Consider the technologies and communication channels that are adapted to strengthening each type of relationship. Companies would do well to test and learn strategies. (2) Match technology to client (3) Integrate tech and new practices: Understanding the customer relationship should be an ongoing process. One part of that solution is mining big data on social media and news outlets. Prof. Dubois points out, 'At a time when the giant markets of SMEs such as China and India offer unprecedented opportunities, the roadmap to customer-centricity has never been more relevant.' Read on...
INSEAD Knowledge: Driving B2B Digital Transformation Through Customer-centricity
Author: David Dubois
Graphic design enhances the value of the brands and creates their visual memory in the audience's mind. Check out the latest trends in graphic design and keep evolving - 3D design and Typography (Brings life and depth to flat designs); Mid-century Modern Elements (Give both a mid-age and modern touch to any design); Custom Illustrations (Heavily influenced by natural and botanical elements, with softer lines and less bold text); Buxom Serifs (Serifs are smarter, better, and make content stand out); Open Compositions (Make the elements appear to be floating off of the screen); Isometric Design (Creates an entire universe in the tiniest of spaces and gives depth to any design and object); Pops of Vivid Color (Provides attention grabbing graphics); Strong Typographic Focal Points (Make content visually strong and readable, a function much needed for small devices and social media feeds); Light and Dark Color Schemes (Create a visually stunning impact); Futuristic Influences into the Mainstream (Make the brand stand out and be influencer in the marketplace); Complex Gradients and Duotones (Look great on mobile devices. Add depth and create a timeless look); Colorful Minimalism (Combining design with necessary components using minimalist approach. Limited color use); Art Deco (Add glamour quotient); Bookman and Old-style Serifs (High legibility and contrast of the traditional serifs make them a great choice to highlight the brand's value); Subtle Motion (Enhances user experience and engages users with the interface. Adds seamless transformations and transitions); Abstract Geometry and Shapes (Fits in any design that demands a modern and expressive look. Makes visuals stand out); Asymmetrical Layouts (Create visual tension. Elements have a more complex pattern); Variable Fonts (Are flexible within the multidimensional space. Consume less bandwidth and load websites or web pages faster). Read on...
G2 Crowd: 18 Innovative Graphic Design Trends for 2019
Author: Prateeksha Mathur
Ad-free environment is an expected reality with subscription-based models, ad blocking tools and alternatives to traditional media already available. Marc Pritchard, chief brand officer at Proctor & Gamble, predicts that we're evolving into a 'world without ads' as brand engagement with customers changes with technology and consumer requirements. Gary Ellis, Co-founder and COO of Remesh, explains how branding will shift and survive in this ad-free environment. He says, 'There are infinite possibilities for filling the void left by traditional advertising. Success will depend on translating traditional advertising insight into new engagement tactics. Advertisers will need to focus on how they can fit themselves organically into their customer's experience, rather than disrupting a customer's experience as is often associated with traditional advertising.' He adds, 'Consider what is central to the brand building experience, which ranges from embedding tech in products to targeted ads. Pritchard predicts an increased desire for personalization, an interest in learning about a brand's values and more brand experiences. This means a brand's ability to connect with people on a human level plays an even more critical role in this new engagement paradigm. An emotional function will serve as the main connector, and one that can come in many forms.' He further explains, 'Targeted advertising is about two things: relevant content and demonstrating comprehension of customer needs. It stems from the desire to be 'helpful' – providing an audience with the information they need so that they can quickly and easily find what they are looking for. In an ad-free world, what were once targeting challenges can be avoided. This means not just focusing on personalization, but context.' Read on...
AdExchanger: How Will Branding Survive In A 'World Without Ads'?
Author: Gary Ellis
Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 17 apr 2019
Gen Z is one of the most connected and socially aware generations to enter the workforce. But for the progress of businesses and society in the right direction, experienced leaders need to encourage young people to pursue social entrepreneurship. Seven members of Forbes Nonprofit Council provide following suggestions - (1) Rupert Scofield, FINCA International: Educate Youth About Market-Based Solutions. (2) Geetha Murali, Room to Read: Celebrate Social Impact Companies. (3) Tom Van Winkle, Hinsdale Humane Society: Befriend Socially Responsible Organizations. (4) Kimberly Lewis, Goodwill Industries of East Texas, Inc: Show Impact In Real Ways. (5) Gloria Horsley, Open to Hope: Describe The Value On Their Terms. (6) Steven Moore, M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust: Invest In Communities That Bring Entrepreneurs Together. (7) Kila Englebrook, Social Enterprise Alliance: Leverage Media And Entertainment. Read on...
Forbes: Seven Ways To Encourage Gen Z Professionals To Pursue Social Entrepreneurship
HGTV (Home & Garden Television) provides exposure to applicable interior design ideas. Here are a few: (1) Shiplap, a type of siding, is the best thing you can add to a wall to add dimension. (2) Placing an oversized mirror will make any room appear much larger than it actually is. (3) Another way to conserve space is to make sure everything in your home has a function. (4) If you have the patience, DIY (Do It Yourself) is possible for almost everything. (5) Open shelving is a cool way to show off your fancy dinnerware, and will motivate you to keep it organized. (6) 'Open Concept' floor-plans where entire space is one big open room are essential component of interior design. (7) Painting everything white might seem scary, but it's a great way to add more color via furniture and accent pieces. Read on...
INSIDER: 7 of the biggest home decor lessons I've learned from HGTV
Author: Gabbi Shaw
Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 23 mar 2019
Bureaucratic environment of large public agencies often becomes a deterrent for nonprofits to develop collaborative alliances. But according to the new research, 'Collaborative Value in Public and Nonprofit Strategic Alliances: Evidence from Transition Coaching (Authors: Jason Coupet of North Carolina State University; Sue Farruggia of University of Illinois at Chicago; Kate Albrecht & Teshanee Williams, Ph.D. students at North Carolina State University), finds that some nonprofits may be able to better serve their constituents by partnering with public institutions in order to navigate the bureaucracy and access services more efficiently. The researchers interviewed 17 nonprofit personnel and 16 university personnel about the degree to which they sought partnerships and why. Prof. Coupet says, 'These nonprofits were focused on helping high school students transition successfully to college...We found that a driving factor for these public-nonprofit partnerships was the nature of institutional bureaucracies - the very thing we thought would keep nonprofits away.' The researchers found that a public-nonprofit partnership gave nonprofits access to contacts that could help them more efficiently navigate bureaucratic channels in order to access services that were already available. Prof. Coupet adds, 'Making the process more efficient is good for the institutions, the nonprofits, and the students that they both serve - because fewer people can spend less time in order to get the desired result. Less time wasted means lower costs for everyone concerned...And while this study focused on the education sector, the finding is likely relevant for any sector in which public agencies provide services, from public health to housing to veterans affairs.' Read on...
NC State University News: Study Finds Nonprofit Partnerships Can Help Solve Bureaucratic Tangles
Authors: Jason Coupet, Matt Shipman
Financial crisis of 2008 in US became a catalyst for the 'Tiny House' movement. Environmental considerations are also reasons for the popularity of the concept. Tiny house is typically 100 and 400 ft². Modular housing is also gaining ground in the construction world driven by lower costs, more predictability, and a shortage of construction workers. Italian architect Beatrice Bonzanigo is preparing to showcase her miniature house 'Casa Ojalá' in April. Casa Ojalá is a self-contained modular home design, measuring only 27 m² (290 ft²). The circular home can be arranged in 20 different ways by adjusting wooden partitions and fabric walls with built-in ropes, pulleys and cranks. Ms. Bonzanigo says, 'It’s designed to have a minimal impact on the environment around it, and the woods and fabrics used in its manufacture can vary depending on where it is built, for maximum sustainability. Explaining her design she says, 'Ojalá is a word that summarizes the concept of infinite possibilities, hopes related to emptiness and absence, intuition, a key of a door not yet open, a new field of existence, a telescope that brings together and moves horizons, a space of different possibilities and, therefore, a wish that comes true.' Read on...
Engineering.com: Self-Sufficient "Micro-Home" Will Join Milan Design Week
Author: Emily Pollock
Scot Henney (GVP of sales at SAP) and Marcus Venth (GVP of market development at SAP) discussed the importance of customer experience in the digital age with John Furrier and Dave Vellante, co-hosts of theCUBE at IBM Think event in San Francisco, US. Mr. Henney says, 'A new customer-experience domain is open up called the "experience economy". It brings the front office and back office together and adds in "experiential data" on end-users.' As more companies shift from products to subscription-based services, customer-experience becomes crucial. Digital provides more power to consumers and ease of switching brands. Customer feedback becomes valuable. According to Mr. Henney, '80% of customers have switched brands because of poor CX (customer experience) and companies that deliver better customer experience have more than 200% more shareholder value.' Mr. Venth adds, 'The 360 customer view that leads to stellar CX is not achieved with applications, data and professionals in silos. One of the biggest challenges we see [is]...where we have a highly customized environment with lots of disparate applications that really are poorly integrated.' Read on...
siliconANGLE: Analytics mine consumer brains in new 'experience economy'
Author: R. Danes
Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 25 feb 2019
According to the most recent 'State of the Nonprofit Cloud Report' by NTEN and Microsoft, cloud technology has become routine enough that many organizations have adopted new services during the past year or are considering adding new services. Three of four respondents indicated current use of cloud services for at least three purposes. The average number of services used is about six. Nonprofits are using cloud not just to store data, but in many other ways. Emily Dalton, VP of product management at Omatic Software, says, 'The thing that people are abuzz about is AI (artificial intelligence), machine learning and how can we take all the data being generated and harness that into intelligence. It's applying more of the science of fundraising...There are patterns and insights that could be found in the data, pointing to a segment that's ripe for a major giving ask. Having your database and CRM system in the cloud, allows fundraisers to do some pretty incredible stuff. They have access to all their donor data in real time when going to a meeting or on a road trip. Instead of setting up a meeting with a donor, running a report and printing out a donor profile to bring along, fundraiser instead walks into a meeting with the most relevant data possible. They access it quicker and it's not duplicated because the cloud is faster.' Nathan Chappell, CFRE, SVP philanthropy at City of Hope, says, 'We send fundraisers to lunch with people we know have wealth...The data can help determine how best to deploy the workforce in the best way possible...We're very diligent about testing models...The starting point for any nonprofit, even a small one, is ensuring they're capturing all the data possible. The model will be only as good as the quality and consistency of data.' Rodney M. Grabowski, CFRE, VP for university advancement at the University of Buffalo, says, 'In reality, I've been using forms of AI throughout my entire career. Twenty years ago we were calling it data analytics, then machine learning, now it's AI.' Steve MacLaughlin, VP of data and analytics at Blackbaud, says, 'The technology is largely invisible. If your organization is taking online donations, then you're using the cloud. There's no way to take donations without using some cloud. For fundraising and donor management, a larger percentage of nonprofits are using the cloud than not...We're well past the tipping point. Now, it's going to be about what happens next, how does the cloud enable more effectiveness.' Eric Okimoto, COO at boodleAI, says, 'AI and cloud computing are buzz words. But at the end of the day, cloud computing is just the ability to rent capabilities rather than spend heavily on capital, people and security.' Amy Sample Ward, CEO of NTEN, says, 'Fundraisers can benefit from the same elements of efficiency and access as program or communications staff...Let the robots do the work to tell you that someone just made a donation...instead of running a report to check. Nonprofits still must use the cloud in whatever way makes strategic sense for them...What's likely to become more of an issue this year and beyond is data access, security and privacy. It's going to happen anyhow but things like GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and data breaches accelerate it...What nonprofits value about cloud tools is that staff can access data and systems to do their jobs from wherever, but security is important when they evaluate such tools. When we talk to nonprofits about security, it's usually an amorphous, shadowy fear. It's not a specific security concern...Often, it's probably safer to work with a cloud vendor or partner on security than for a nonprofit to try to maintain that security on its own.' Read on...
The NonProfit Times: Cloud Is Raining Data, Flooding Fundraising With Information
Author: Mark Hrywna
According to the research by Prof. Elizabeth A. Minton from University of Wyoming, Prof. Kathryn A. Johnson from Arizona State University and Prof. Richie L. Liu from Oklahoma State University, 'Religiosity and special food consumption: The explanatory effects of moral priorities', published in Journal of Business Research, people with strong religious beliefs are more likely to buy fat-free, sugar-free or gluten-free foods than natural or organic foods. The research could influence the marketing of those specialty food products. Prof. Minton says, 'Religion is the deepest set of core values people can have, and we wanted to explore how those values impacted the market choices people make. We found religiosity influenced the selection of more diet-minded foods...' The study was carried out online and included responses from over 1700 people across the U.S. Prof. Johnson says, 'Often, people make intuitive decisions about food that could require more careful thought. People might make choices based on a cultural narrative or their religious and moral beliefs, without giving measured thought to whether there is a better option.' According to the research, the moral foundation of care drives the choice of sustainability-minded food products, and the moral foundation of purity is behind the choice of diet-minded foods. Prof. Liu says, 'The findings from our work can directly help businesses promote food products to specific groups of people without potentially alienating customers by including religion.' Read on...
University of Wyoming News: UW Researcher: Religion Affects Consumer Choices on Specialty Foods
Author: Chad Baldwin
According to the recent report published by the British Council and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), 'Developing an Inclusive and Creative Economy: The state of social enterprise in Indonesia', millenials are leading a surge in the creation of business that are working to create positive social and environmental impact. More than 70% of a surveyed sample group mentions that the social enterprises started in the last two years and about 50% of the social entrepreneurs are aged between 25 and 34 years. The reports estimates that there are more than 342000 social enterprises in the region. In Indonesia more than 1/5th of social enterprises work in the creative industries, contrary to other countries in Aisa-Pacific region, such as the Philippines, Sri Lanka and India, where agriculture, education and health dominate. Ari Susanti, a senior program manager for the British Council in Indonesia, says, 'Many young people want to work in an area where they can make change, not just earn a salary.' According to the World Bank, Indonesia is an emerging middle-income country that, over the last 20 years, has seen growth in GDP at the same time as poverty has been cut in half. These conditions are enabling the growth of social enterprises. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, executive secretary of UNESCAP, says, 'UN body would support the development of social enterprise as a key means of building an inclusive and creative economy. Social enterprise is an opportunity for Indonesia...This report provides a solid evidence base to inform future policies and strategies.' These social enterprises mainly support and benefit local communities, women and young people. Moreover, they have also become a substantial source of employment - the number of full-time workers employed by social enterprises increased by 42% from 2016 to 2017. The rise in social enterprises is also proving good for gender equality - the social enterprise workforce is estimated to be made up of 69% women and is responsible for a 99% increase of full-time female employees in 2016-17. Government, corporations and universities have all come together to offer their support to social enterprises. Bambang P. S. Brodjonegoro, economist and the Minister of National Development Planning of Indonesia, wrote in the introduction of the report, 'The government aims to be an active partner of social entrepreneurs and is committed to continue building and nurturing the social entrepreneurship ecosystem.' Read on...
Pioneers Post: Millennials lead social enterprise surge in Indonesia
Author: Lee Mannion
Autonomous shopping concept intends to bring brick-and-mortar and internet shopping into a unified and integrated retail experience. The grab-and-go smart shopping carts promote cashier-free automatic check-out eliminating wait in lines. TechSpot's contributing writer, Cohen Coberly, says, 'While it seemed like brick-and-mortar retail would be all but killed off following the explosive rise of online shopping, what we're instead seeing throughout the US is not death, but evolution.' According to a 2018 survey by RIS News, 'The leading new shopping option wanted by consumers was "grab-and-go" technology (in which customers can self-checkout using their smartphones). 59% said they'd like to use this, and 9% had used it.' In a global survey of 2250 internet users conducted by iVend Retail and AYTM Market Research, 'Roughly 1/3rd of respondents said they would like to make automatic payments using digital shopping carts.' Caper is a smart shopping cart startup. Josh Constine, technology journalist and editor-at-large for TechCrunch, reports, 'The startup makes a shopping cart with a built-in barcode scanner and credit card swiper, but it's finalizing the technology to automatically scan items you drop in thanks to three image recognition cameras and a weight sensor. The company claims people already buy 18% more per visit after stores are equipped with its carts.' Linden Gao, co-founder and CEO of Caper, says, 'It doesn't make sense that you can order a cab with your phone or go book a hotel with your phone, but you can't use your phone to make a payment and leave the store. You still have to stand in line.' The current Caper cart involves scanning an item's barcode and then throwing it into the cart. Brittany Roston, senior editor and contributor at SlashGear, reports, 'The smarter version will eliminate the barcode part, making it possible to simply put the items in the cart while the built-in tech recognizes what they are.' Chris Albrecht, managing editor at The Spoon, also reports, 'The future iterations, already in the works, will remove the barcode and will use a combination of computer vision and built-in weight scales to determine purchases. The customer completes shopping, and pays on the built-in screen.' The concept of scanless carts involves deep learning and machine vision. Cameras are mounted in the cart. The screen on the cart gives the shopper different kinds of information - store map, item locator, promotions, deals etc. It recommends items based on contents already in the basket. Read on...
Tech Xplore: Next-level autonomous shopping carts are even smarter
Author: Nancy Cohen
Team of researchers from University of Michigan at Ann Arbor (Prof. Timothy F. Scott, Prof. Mark A. Burns, Martin P. De Beer, Harry L. Van Der Laan, Megan A. Cole, Riley J. Whelan) have developed a new approach to 3D printing that lifts complex shapes from a vat of liquid at up to 100 times faster than conventional 3D printing processes. 3D printing could by highly beneficial for small manufacturing jobs without the need for a costly mold. But the usual 3D printing approach of building up plastic filaments layer by layer hasn't been usable in that aspect. Prof. Scott says, 'Using conventional approaches, that's not really attainable unless you have hundreds of machines.' The U. of Michigan innovative 3D printing method solidifies the liquid resin using two lights to control where the resin hardens - and where it stays fluid. This enables solidification of the resin in more sophisticated patterns. The process can make a 3D bas-relief in a single shot rather than in a series of 1D lines or 2D cross-sections. The printing demonstrations from this approach include a lattice, a toy boat and a block M. Prof. Burns says, 'It's one of the first true 3D printers ever made.' By creating a relatively large region where no solidification occurs, thicker resins - potentially with strengthening powder additives - can be used to produce more durable objects. The method also bests the structural integrity of filament 3D printing, as those objects have weak points at the interfaces between layers. Prof. Scott adds, 'You can get much tougher, much more wear-resistant materials.' The research paper, 'Rapid, continuous additive manufacturing by volumetric polymerization inhibition patterning', is to be published in Science Advances. Read on...
University of Michigan News: 3D printing 100 times faster with light
Authors: Timothy Scott, Mark Burns, Nicole Casal Moore, Kate McAlpine
Prof. Dean Karlan of Northwestern University does evidence-based research to evaluate what works and what doesn't when it comes to helping lift people out of poverty. He is the founder of the nonprofit Innovations for Poverty Action and advises donors and institutions on the best use of their charitable dollars. Prof. Karlan says, '...in 2002 I started a nonprofit out of my living room, dedicated to creating high-quality randomized evaluations of global anti-poverty programs. Today, Innovations for Poverty Action has a US$ 42 million budget, most of which goes directly into research. We're now in 22 countries, but we've worked in 52 countries. We have some 500 permanent staff and have done almost 800 randomized evaluations of anti-poverty programs and initiatives. We apply rigorous economic theories and research to evaluating which global anti-poverty initiatives are working.' He suggests following tips to evaluate whether your charitable dollars are being used effectively: (1) Don't evaluate a charity based on its overhead. (2) Don't be swayed by marketing materials with moving heart-wrenching photographs. (3) Look for evidence of impact. (4) If you are wondering where your money will have the most impact, it's likely in poorer, developing countries. (5) Don't be afraid to give to large organizations. (6) Email the charity for evidence of cost effectiveness. (7) Consider giving to meta-charities. Read on...
WTTW News: It's the Season of Giving. How to Choose Charities Wisely
Author: Andrea Guthmann
When design trends get too hyped they lose relevance. Co.Design editor Susanne Labarre discussed the future of design with the judges of the 2018 Innovation by Design awards. Following are 3 over-hyped design trends - (1) ALGORITHMS AREN'T EVERYTHING: Jason Chua, the executive director of advanced topics at United Technologies, says, 'I think there's this impatience to say we have an algorithm for something, and that'll solve all our problems. Machine learning is not a panacea, and if you don't apply human-centered principles, you may see some of these things run amok. I think it's very valuable...but it needs to be applied in very careful ways.' (2) VIRTUAL REALITY HAS NOTHING ON THE PHYSICAL WORLD: Edel Rodriguez, illustrator and graphic designer, says, 'I don't like VR...I don't care how many times people say this is great new technology. It's just not how I want to experience the world and not how I want my kids to experience the world. There's a lot of information a kid can get through flipping a page or touching things.' (3) DATA IS PRODUCING DESIGN THAT ALL LOOKS THE SAME: Marcelo Eduardo, founding partner at Work & Co, says, 'There's an oversimplification - a lot of things look the same...People are designing in such a strict way using data all the time and they're losing the creative potential...that's when you're disruptive. Data-driven design...stagnates really fast. Someone takes over by doing something different that you wouldn't do if you were analyzing the data. Read on...
Fast Company: The 3 most over-hyped design trends of today
Author: Katharine Schwab
Corporations have student ambassador programs in which they hire students to promote their brand on educational campuses. These campus representatives create buzz about the companies during career fairs, work with student organizations to invite company professionals for guest lectures, talk about their internship both in-class and outside, give samples, post on social media about them etc. Adam Grant, CEO of Campus Commandos (a youth marketing agency that runs student brand ambassador programs), provides essential elements that companies should consider when hiring students to talk about their brands on campuses - (1) Compensation: Think beyond monetary compensation; Enhance their learning and skills; Provide interaction and networking opportunity with company leaders and executives. (2) A Hands-On Approach: Have direct involvement in the program; Keep interacting with students during the program; Preferably, don't entirely outsource the program to another company. (3) Future Opportunity: Provide opportunity for internship and future employment for best performers; Engage students with the company's human resources. (4) Mobile: Incorporate mobile technologies in the program; Utilize documentation tools available on mobile devices that allow student ambassadors to provide pictures, videos and notes. (5) Work Schedule: Understand student's work schedule; Work out expectations of the program around the student's educational priorities. (6) Organization: Build a program that incorporate goals; What is required by students to reach these goals; Their progress reports; Recognize top performers. Read on...
Forbes: The Top Six Elements For A Successful Student Ambassador Program
Author: Adam Grant
The idea of coffee table books with thick pages and attractive glossy covers is accessibility, they are reachable and readily readable. Henry Miller said in his book 'The Books in My Life' (1969), 'A book lying idle on a shelf is wasted ammunition.' But this may not be the case with coffee table books as they hardly lie idle. Moreover, Susan Sontag defined her library as 'an archive of longings'. Here are coffee table books on design that stand out in 2018 - (1) Andrew Martin Interior Design Review (Volume 22): With over 500 pages of the latest interior styles and trends, marks out the World's 100 greatest interior designers and showcases their projects on an international level. A must-have for interior designers and design professionals. Martin Weller, founder of Andrew Martin, says that the 22nd edition of the review 'honours alterity', due to the 'astonishing breadth and variety of work' involved. (2) Nina Campbell Interior Decoration: Elegance and Ease (Giles Kime): The book features a biographical essay that runs alongside images of lofty rooms with fabric-matched armchairs, tablecloths and curtains, antique occasional pieces and wallpapered wall panelling, each of which is punctuated with the finest upholstered furniture. (3) Shelfie: Clutter-clearing Ideas for Stylish Shelf Art (Martha Roberts): The idea of 'shelfie' started with Marie Kondo's de-cluttering trend, followed-closely by a surge in the popularity of open shelving. #Shelfie became a hot trend on social media with creatives and interior designers showcasing their shelfs. Martha Roberts brings the social media into the pages of the book. Her shelfie digest demonstrates a fusion of great design, an unapologetic display of personality and a deep sense of relevance to the digitally engaged generation of aesthetes. Read on...
The Independent: Best design coffee table books of 2018
Author: Anya Cooklin-Lofting
For the success of businesses a solid foundation or strong core is necessary and then only innovative strategies, tactics, programs and technology that are applied will be impactful and bear fruits. Scott Vaughan, CMO of Integrate, suggests the focus on achieving the revenue marketing goals and provides five essentials that high-performing B2B marketing teams consistently focus on to drive high performance - (1) PRECISION - Accurately defining ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) and identifying best account opportunities: Engage the right audiences; Avoid random marketing to general people; Identify smaller group of core audience; Use advanced tech such as predictive marketing and intent data modeling to identify more of the best accounts and buyers. (2) TRUST - Committing to permission-based marketing in an increasingly regulated world: Treat information with care; Ensure the understanding and fulfillment of data-privacy laws; Permission mindset builds trust. (3) HYGIENE - Generating quality, actionable data to drive performance and create experiences: Recent survey by DemandGen Report finds, on average, more than 35% of the data in existing databases is unmarketable. Use effecient data hygiene; Bad data wastes marketing and sales efforts; Audit data-capture processes and sources, and use data governance filters before data enters database. (4) SPEED - Increasing velocity makes everything perform better: Current processes and tech investments need to have a speed evaluation; Identify areas where data can be routed faster and action can be taken within an appropriate time; Watch closely 'pipleline velocity' (Time from when an opportunity identified and finally converted into a deal) (5) INSIGHTS - Measuring to understand the good, the bad and the ugly: High-performing marketing teams use insights with key ingredients like agreed-upon key performance indicators (KPIs), tools that can measure performance, easy-to-use shared dashboards for all stakeholders (marketing, sales, management etc). Read on...
MarTech Today: 5 essential strategies B2B marketers must master in 2019
Author: Scott Vaughan
In today's businesses, digital is one of the critical component that defines their growth and success. With digital and related analytics, organizations can easily track and create insights to better understand consumer behavior for their benefits. Gabriel Shaoolian, founder of DesignRush, provides valuable statistics in marketing, website design and branding for efficient online strategy and subsequent online success - (1) By 2021, mobile e-commerce will account for 54% of all online sales. (2) 38% of users will stop interacting with a website if the layout is unattractive. (3) Long landing pages generate up to 220% more leads than above-the-fold calls to action. (4) Color improves brand recognition by up to 80%. (5) Consistent brand presentation across all platforms increases revenue by up to 23%. (6) 64% of consumers say that shared values help them create a trusted relationship with a brand. (7) Content marketing efforts receive three times the leads per dollar spent than paid search receives. (8) 64% of consumers make a purchase after viewing a branded social video. (9) Facebook Ad revenue in the US will surpass total print ad spending by 2019. (10) Email has a median return on investment of 122%. Moreover, he suggests the following key points to be noted for digital strategy - Create an easy-to-use website that works on all platforms and devices; Design a memorable brand identity that communicates well with consumers; Maintain an honest and transparent relationship with customers; Invest in content marketing and social media advertisements; Test video marketing campaigns to engage users; Don't forget about the power of email marketing. Read on...
Forbes: 10 Marketing, Web Design & Branding Statistics To Help You Prioritize Business Growth Initiatives
Author: Gabriel Shaoolian
When one thinks of marketing, Northwestern University Professor Philip Kotler's name comes right at the top. He is author of the most used marketing texbook in business schools, 'Marketing Management: Analysis, Planning, Implementation and Control', alongwith another 57 books on the subject. Speaking with Paul Talbot, President of a marketing strategy firm Southport Harbour, Prof. Kotler shares his views on the role of CMOs (Chief Marketing Officer) in today's business organizations. Regarding their skills and talents, he says, 'In the 1960s, marketers were hired for their flair for advertising and creativity...Today, we need CMOs with a different skill set. CMOs must be expert at digital marketing...Information and mathematics are crucial. Companies need in-depth information about their customers’ individual beliefs, values, media consumption and channel choices. Marketers today use multiple regression analysis, cluster analysis, discriminant analysis, and predictive analytics to yield customer insight. Marketers increasingly make investments in...social media. CMO has to have good creative marketers on the staff to bring up bright new ideas. The tech approach to marketing is more about efficiency. Marketing creativity and imagination is about winning big.' Regarding collaboration between between marketing teams and others in the organization, he says, 'Back in the 1960s, companies didn’t have a CMO. They had a powerful vice-president of sales who was the driving force. They had added a vice-president of marketing whose job was primarily managing marketing research and preparing advertising and sales promotions...The chief marketing officer concept emerged as markets grew more complex and competitive...who would participate in finding and shaping what the company should produce, in identifying the target markets, and evaluating the overall company strategy...CMOs need to be effective in the following relationships: ...The CMO had to 'carefully' educate the CEO to understand marketing's potential and limitations; ...the CMO and CFO would work together to find and agree on the best way to measure the return on marketing spend; ...I view R&D people to be the masters of what is possible. I view marketers to be the masters of what is valuable; ...If those two executives (CMO and VP of sales) don't get along, the company’s financial performance is doomed.' Read on...
Forbes: Northwestern Professor Philip Kotler On Today's CMO
Author: Paul Talbot
Voters have to apply different standards to political advertising and take them with a pinch of salt. According to Prof. Jonathan Rose, Dept. of Political Studies at Queen's University (Canada), says, 'Political ads aren't subject to the same rules as other kinds of advertising. The Advertising Standards Council is a the professional regulatory body that regulates truth in advertising so I cannot say a nonfactual claim in an ad...But that truth-in-advertising doesn't apply at all to political advertising, so, literally, there's no method of enforcing truth-in-advertising.' Even though there can be limits on spending by political parties and by third parties, but it is hard to enforce the limit on online campaigns as the message can be spread for little to no expense and with virtually no oversight. Prof. Rose says, 'A lot of advertising is priming...priming is putting an item high on the public agenda by way of reinforcing a message...Priming is putting the ballot question in the minds of voters.' There are other tricks that third parties can utilize, for example portraying them as amateurish and create a perception of being a grassroots movement but in reality has been backed by big money. He advises people to be aware of political advertising in any form and be critical and do research about the accuracy of the content. He also suggests, 'At least use the ads to have a conversation with family and friends about the claims they're hearing. If you use an advertisement as a sort of a talking point to thinking about these issues then that’s at least better than accepting them without question.' Read on...
Toronto Sun: Political ads don't have to be true: Professor
Author: Antonella Artuso
Sustainability is evolving into an essential component of fashion and design industry due to environmental concerns. The Brooklyn Fashion + Design Accelerator (BF+DA), a Pratt Institute (US) initiative, is a hub of ethical fashion and design, providing resources to design entrepreneurs, creative technologists and professionals to turn ideas into businesses. Debera Johnson, founder and ED of BF+DA, also established the Center for Sustainable Design Strategies at Pratt Institute and has been integrating sustainability into art, design and architecture programs. She says, 'There are really three things that we're focused on doing. First - redefining the fashion industry around the environment and society...Second - we have production facilities open to designers. Our goal there is to be a local resource for sustainable production and to help educate designers about how to implement strategies around efficiencies and sustainable supply chain...The third and probably the newest part of what we're doing is becoming a research and design center for the integration of technology into smart garments and functional textiles - and, most importantly, with the idea of sustainability alongside it.' Regarding consumer perceptions, she says, 'Consumers need to decide whether they're more interested in saving pennies or saving the environment. Products that are quality are going to cost more. We just have to decide where we stand...At BF+DA, transparency is a big piece of how we do storytelling...' Regarding coming together of technology and sustainability, she says, 'The digitalization is one of them. I also think that biotech is creating really interesting materials in laboratories and not farms...Then you also have things like blockchain to help with traceability...And there's also nanofibers.' Read on...
GreenBiz: Moving the needle: Toward a more holistic and ethical fashion industry
Authors: Lindsey Strange, Katie Ellman
Recent passing away of Microsoft's co-founder Paul Allen (b.21 jan 1953 - d.15 oct 2018) brings to the forefront his contributions, not only to technology and entrepreneurship, but also to education, arts, culture etc as part of his philanthropy. After leaving Microsoft's management in 1983, his philanthropic activities focused on the city of Seattle (US), his hometown. He endowed a separate school for computer science and engineering at the University of Washington. His investments in Seattle's South Lake Union locality has recast the city as an increasingly popular destination for young technologists. Some of his cherished contributions to the city's scene and skyline include artistic and athletic monuments to which he devoted a substantial portion of his wealth. He commissioned Frank Gehry to design a pop-culture museum. He also developed a children's center at the Seattle Public Library, funded an off-campus studio for the beloved public-radio station KEXP, and established a military-history museum outside the city. He was an ardent advocate of environmental protection, computational bioscience, and space exploration, donating millions of dollars to regional nonprofits. He invested in sports and acquired Seattle Seahawks at the time the team was planning to leave the city. In his memoir, 'Idea Man' (2011), responding to criticism that his philanthropy lacked focus, he wrote, 'At times, I cast my net too widely. But my choice of ventures wasn't arbitrary.' In 2000, the chairman of the architecture department at the University of Washington likened him to a modern Medici (an influential banking and political family of Florence, Italy). His contributions to entrepreneurship and technology are public knowledge. He recounted in his memoir regarding the initial mission of his venture with Bill Gates was, 'A computer on every desk and in every home.' Mr. Gates recently wrote, 'Paul foresaw that computers would change the world.' He influenced the technological innovations like point-and-click computing, word processing, and multi-button mouse. Mr. Allen attributed his entrepreneurial ambition and imagination to a wide-ranging autodidacticism and a natural passion for art and literature. Even though a technologist and part of a cut-throat and highly competitive industry, he understood that the products he designed were complements to preexisting lives, all of them rich and varied. He wrote in his memoir, 'That's a core element of my management philosophy. Find the best people and give them room to operate, as long as they can accept my periodic high-intensity kibitzing.' Read on...
The New Yorker: The Rare Humanism Behind Paul Allen's Technological Vision
Author: Eren Orbey
Brands are all around and everything that is put forward for public consumption requires adequate branding. Sumarie Schreiner, founder of BrandBrew Consulting, explains the value of branding and what is essential for building great brands. She provides 5 core pillars for brand building - (1) Link The Thinking And Feeling: Great brands connect, resonate and then become acceptable. They connect thinking with feeling, and attract attention and keep interest with the promise of something extraordinary. They offer value beyond products and services and make a difference. This inturn evoke emotions and provides sense of belonging, thus creating trust. (2) Build Trust: To build trust requires consistency and time. Trust provides reassurance. Trust is inherent part of human senses. It constitutes both environment and people. Trust = Reliability + Desirability x Experiences. In the present push economy people are more empowered and demanding. Their experiences define their standards of expectations. (3) Offer Value Beyond Your Product/Service: Value builds trust and need to go beyond products and services. Value is both objective and subjective and is derived from all the interactions with a business. Value creation needs to run through the DNA of the organization. It should be the way of life. Outside-in approach offers true value. Relevant and valued experiences are build in response to customers' needs at the right time and place. (4) Differentiate To Those People You Want To Connect With: Understanding diversity of needs helps provide solutions accordingly. People want to belong and connect with other people and organizations that share their values. Differentiate but more importantly make a difference. (5) Help Those People To Connect And Belong: Shared values and belonging develops true connections with emotions. Human-centered, outside-in approach connects at an emotional level and builds long-term relationships. Storytelling helps to differentiate and creates a space in people's memory. Brand is defined by what customers and employees feel about the business. Unlock and cultivate the value offered and keep building on the trust earned. Read on...
Customer Think: "Trust me, I'm a brand!" - What is the value of branding?
Author: Sumarie Schreiner
People with business education and experience are now getting inclined towards social enterpreneurship and enterprises. They are realizing that business skills and expertise can be utilized to provide solutions to society's challenges. Prof. Patrick Adriel H. Aure of De La Salle University (Philippines) explains the importance of encouraging social entrepreneurship among business students and shares research and programs that he conducts at the university. The program, Lasallian Social Enterprise for Economic Development (LSEED), involves incubating student-led social enterprises that partner with marginalized local communities, while Social Enterprise Research Network (SERN) undertakes research and advocacy activities. Regarding one of the research conducted in relation to business students and social enterprises, Prof. Aure says, 'Our statistical analysis suggested there are two factors that consistently influence business students' intention to engage in social entrepreneurial activities - (1) Their perceived support from friends, family, and other organizations. (2) Their prior experience in socially-oriented activities such as volunteering.' Research findings suggest - Design social enterprise advocacy campaigns to target group participation and not encourage students individually; Schools may want to consider creating a pipeline of activities that enrich students' socially-oriented experiences. Read on...
The Manila Times: Encouraging social entrepreneurship among business students
Author: Patrick Adriel H. Aure
There are many components of exterior and landscape design for buildings. One such component is the retaining wall with the basic purpose of holding back earth. In addition to functionality, they also expand the usable surface area. Aesthetics of these walls is also an important aspect. There are mainly two things to be kept in mind while designing retaining walls. One is the type of material to be used and the other is the use of the land. Traditional materials used were railroad ties, found stone and treated landscape timber. But nowadays bricks, concrete blocks, poured concrete and steel are added to the list. Environmental friendliness is also important while choosing materials. Aesthetics and functionality should go hand in hand. Design of the front of the wall should be in line with the overall exterior design of the building and land should be effectively and beautifully used with each element appropriately fitted. Garden wall, also called screen wall, is a type of retaining wall used to enclose a garden. It is often used to created a tiered or terraced garden. There are multipe ways in which a garden wall can be designed to provide an elegant addition to home design - wall of flowers and shrubbery, next to a pool or patio, outside a home's garden window etc. Read on...
myAJC: Choosing the right retaining wall for your landscape
Mentors are an important component of learning-based relationships. Wikipedia quotes a definition of 'mentoring' from a research published in 2007 in SAGE Journals, 'Toward a Useful Theory of Mentoring: A Conceptual Analysis and Critique' (Authors: Barry Bozeman, Mary K. Feeney - University of Georgia, Athens, USA), 'Mentoring is a process for the informal transmission of knowledge, social capital, and the psychosocial support perceived by the recipient as relevant to work, career, or professional development; mentoring entails informal communication, usually face-to-face and during a sustained period of time, between a person who is perceived to have greater relevant knowledge, wisdom, or experience (the mentor) and a person who is perceived to have less (the protégé).' On prsa.org (PRSA - Public Relations Society of America) website, PR expert Prof. John Guiniven of Elon University in North Carolina, says, 'Mentoring is all about communication and relationships, so it's natural for public relations to be in the forefront.' Over the course of learning, people can go through many mentoring relationships, brief or long. But, there are few mentors and their inspiring advice that sticks in one's memory and they often share this with others. 10 members of Forbes Agency Council share the most important learning received from their mentors about PR and media strategy - (1) Consistency Is Essential - Darryl Mascarenhas, LivelyGroup (2) Don't Send Garbage To Media Contacts - Ajay Gupta, Stirista Digital (3) Collaborate With Stakeholders - Ana Miller, Asquared Communications Group (4) Nobody Can Tell Your Story Better Than You - Alexander Yastrebenetsky, InfoTrust LLC (5) Go Big, Go All In, Or Go Home - Dan Russell, Vivid Labs (6) The Order Of Operations Matters - Jared Mirsky, Wick & Mortar (7) Create A Connection - Drew Kraemer, Marketplace Strategy (8) Depict Core Beliefs And Values - Chris Gutierrez, TouchFuse (9) Develop Insights - Julia Gardner, MAAST DIGITAL (10) Be Authentic - Mark Stubblefield, Stubgroup Advertising. Read on...
Forbes: Memorable Mentor Advice: 10 Thoughts On PR And Media Strategy
According to the 2011 research study published in The American Journal of Medicine, 'Success in Grateful Patient Philanthropy: Insights from Experienced Physicians' (Authors: Rosalyn Stewart, Leah Wolfe, John Flynn, Joseph Carrese, Scott M. Wright - Johns Hopkins University), 'Facing challenging economic conditions, medical schools and teaching hospitals have turned increasingly to philanthropy as a way to supplement declining clinical revenues and reduced research budgets. One approach to offset these diminished returns is to commit efforts to 'grateful patient' programs that concentrate on satisfying patients and their families, especially families with significant assets. Support from grateful patients is the single most important source for substantive philanthropic gifts in medicine.' According to the latest 2018 research published in the Journal of American Medicine, 'Navigating the Ethical Boundaries of Grateful Patient Fundraising' (Authors: Megan E. Collins, Steven A. Rum, Jeremy Sugarman - Johns Hopkins University), 'Health care institutions in the United States receive more than US$ 10 billion annually in charitable gifts. These gifts, often from grateful patients, benefit physicians, institutions, and other patients through the expansion of clinical and research activities, community-based programs, and educational initiatives.' The topic of 'grateful patient philanthropy' raises some ethical issues in patient-physician relationship. There is general agreement that donation related interaction with patients shouldn't happen during the course of their treatment and should be discussed once patients have fully recovered from their medical condition. The study finds that although physicians consider fundraising as their duty but find it difficult to have a conversation with their patients regarding donations. Read on...
Nonprofit Quarterly: Grateful Patient Philanthropy? Some Fundraising Ethics Shouldn't Need to Be Taught
Author: Ruth McCambridge
It's critical for the marketers to understand the collective habits of the customers of a particular segment they want to sell. Engineers are one such segment that B2B marketers have to deal with while pursuing their campaigns. Patrick D. Mahoney, President and CEO of IEEE GlobalSpec, explains the IEEE GlobalSpec's '2018 Pulse of Engineering Survey - The Changing Work Environment for Engineers Today' and how industrial marketers can utilize the insights to formulate their marketing strategy. The survey of 2236 engineers and professionals was designed to gather measurable and actionable insight on what they think about their industries and work environments. The survey also includes exclusive analysis on two key segments of the engineering workforce: millennials and technical professionals in the electronics industry. Highlights from the research - PRESSURES: 55% of engineers say the pace of engineering is increasing; 53% are required to do more with less; 40% say that pressure to meet deadlines is putting product quality/rework at risk; Majority also say that designs are becoming more sophisticated and that design cycles are shrinking, while time-to-market pressures are increasing; 44% of companies have increased design involvement from external partners and vendors. MILLENNIALS: Marked differences between mindset of younger engineers vs veterans regarding information. Millennials are information hungry. Concerning information access, 24% of surveyed millennials say they are more likely to use video for educational purposes compared to a much smaller 14% of veteran engineers; While the majority (53%) of all engineers are willing to register on a website for access to specific documents, only 44% of millennials indicated such willingness; Younger engineers tend to believe all content should be free and openly accessible (52%). Read on...
Martech Advisor: A Look Into the Mind of the Engineer: For B2B Marketers
Author: Patrick D. Mahoney
According to experts, effective use of data is key to B2B marketing success as it offers precision targeting, better customer experience and personalization at scale. Bernard Tan, APAC Regional Marketing Director at Red Hat, doesn't consider marketing as just B2B or B2C, but prefers it to be 'business-to-all'. He says, '(Data) is transforming the way that we talk to whole markets...it's transforming the way that we can actually have one-to-one conversations in volume markets, and be much more efficient about the way we go to that market...All of us are consumers...We are now at this position where we are now able to start to drive engagement at an individual level and really focus on the customer.' According to IBM's 2017 Customer Experience Index study, APAC (31) scored lower than other regions when it comes to data-driven customer experience in the B2B space [North America (35), Europe (33) and Latin America (33)]. Jodie Sangster, CMO liaison lead of IBM Watson, says, 'Unfortunately in APAC, we are lagging behind in terms of meeting consumer expectations of how we are using their data and delivering great customer experience.' Read on...
WARC: Data is key for B2B marketers, but APAC lags behind
The possibility of eco-friendly biodegradable paper-based batteries is now made a reality by the scientists at Binghampton University (SUNY), Prof. Seokheun 'Sean' Choi from the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and Prof. Omowunmi Sadik from the Chemistry Department. Their research titled 'Green Biobatteries: Hybrid Paper-Polymer Microbial Fuel Cells' was recently published in Advanced Sustainable Systems. Prof. Choi engineered the design of the paper-based battery, while Prof. Sadik was able to make the battery a self-sustaining biobattery. The biobattery uses a hybrid of paper and engineered polymers. The polymers - poly (amic) acid and poly (pyromellitic dianhydride-p-phenylenediamine) - were the key to giving the batteries biodegrading properties. Prof. Choi says, 'There's been a dramatic increase in electronic waste and this may be an excellent way to start reducing that. Our hybrid paper battery exhibited a much higher power-to-cost ratio than all previously reported paper-based microbial batteries. The polymer-paper structures are lightweight, low-cost and flexible. Power enhancement can be potentially achieved by simply folding or stacking the hybrid, flexible paper-polymer devices.' Read on...
BingU News: SCIENTISTS CREATE BIODEGRADABLE, PAPER-BASED BIOBATTERIES
Author: Rachael Flores
Nonprofits have to take the cue from their for-profit counterparts for successful implementation of marketing and technology oriented strategy implementations. Content marketing is now a mature field both in B2B and B2C aspects of business. Best practices are available. Gloria Horsley, founder of Open to Hope Foundation, explains the value of effective content for nonprofit organizations to educate, inform and engage with donors, volunteers and those the nonprofits intend to support and help. She shares her mistakes in content marketing in nonprofit realm and the learning from these experiences - (1) Transferring Existing Print Content Online: Offline content is outward-facing and telling rather than sharing or interactive; Written for entire audience and not personalized for specific segments; Online content need to be written in a way to engage audience; Interactive for audience to share their opinions; Utilizes story telling and visual content. (2) Delivering Content That Lacks Educational Value: Merely information and facts are not always valuable content; Specific content that educate different audiences is more valuable; Produce content that answers specific questions; Educational content attracts more supporters, donors and volunteers. (3) Letting Volunteers Run With It: Giving too much control to volunteers for content development risks consistency and integrity; They may create content that is not fully compliant with regulations; Specific rules and guidelines for content must be laid out; Templates and formats must be shared with temporary workers and volunteers; Provide volunteers access to content management system where content is checked and approved before being published. (4) Failing To Focus On High-Quality Writing: Emotion-based writing may not always be the best quality writing; Long sentences, grammatical mistakes, passive voice use etc leads to content exhaustion where audience lose interest; Use online tools like WordPress and Grammarly for appropriate writing; Professional writing techniques need to be adopted. Read on...
Forbes: Four Nonprofit Content Marketing Mistakes And How To Avoid Them
Author: Gloria Horsley
Apparel production is generally linked to environmental issues like water and air pollution, alongwith the land, water and pesticide use related to growing natural fibers. But now research points at the source of another problem created by apparels made wholly or partially from synthetic textiles. Microfibers, a type of microplastic, are shed during normal use and laundering, and remain in the environment similar to plastic packaging that coats so many of the world's beaches, and they bond to chemical pollutants in the environment, such as DDT and PCB. Moreover, the textiles from which they are shed are often treated with waterproofing agents, stain- or fire-resistant chemicals or synthetic dyes that could be harmful to organisms that ingest them. Also, microfibers are being consumed alongwith food and drink. Research review (Microplastics in air: Are we breathing it in? - Johnny Gasperi, Stephanie L. Wright, Rachid Dris, France Collard, Corinne Mandin, Mohamed Guerrouache, Valérie Langlois, Frank J.Kelly, Bruno Tassin) published last year shows that microfibers suspended in air are possibly settling in human lungs. Research led by Richard C. Thompson from the University of Plymouth (UK) in 2004 (Lost at Sea: Where Is All the Plastic? - Richard C. Thompson, Ylva Olsen, Richard P. Mitchell, Anthony Davis, Steven J. Rowland, Anthony W. G. John, Daniel McGonigle, Andrea E. Russell) documented and quantified the occurrence of microplastics in the marine environment. Research by Mark Anthony Browne, one of Prof. Thompson's graduate student, published in 2011 (Accumulation of Microplastic on Shorelines Woldwide: Sources and Sinks - Mark Anthony Browne, Phillip Crump, Stewart J. Niven, Emma Teuten, Andrew Tonkin, Tamara Galloway, Richard Thompson) found - (1) Samples taken near wastewater disposal sites had 250% more microplastic than those from reference sites and the types of microplastic fibers found in those samples were mainly polymers often used in synthetic apparel, suggesting the fibers were eluding filters in wastewater treatment plants and being released with treated effluent (which is released into rivers, lakes or ocean water). (2) A single polyester fleece jacket could shed as many as 1900 of these tiny fibers each time it was washed. Another 2016 study by researchers from UC Santa Barbara in US (Microfiber Masses Recovered from Conventional Machine Washing of New or Aged Garments - Niko L. Hartline, Nicholas J. Bruce, Stephanie N. Karba, Elizabeth O. Ruff, Shreya U. Sonar, Patricia A. Holden) has shown far higher numbers - 250000 fibers. Rosalia Project, a nonprofit focused on ocean protection, led a study of microfiber pollution across an entire watershed (from the mouth of Hudson River all the way to where the river meets the Atlantic in Manhattan). Rachael Z. Miller, group's director, was surprised to find that, outside of samples taken near treatment plants, there was no statistically significant difference in the concentration fibers from the alpine region to the agricultural center of New York state to the high population areas of Manhattan and New Jersey. This suggested to her that fibers might be entering surface waters from the air and from septic system drainfields in rural areas without municipal sewage systems. According to Textile World, demand for polyester has grown faster than demand for wool, cotton and other fibers for at least 20 years. And by 2030 synthetics are expected to account for 75% of global apparel fiber production, or 107 million tons. All textiles, including carpeting and upholstery, produce microfibers. So do commercial fishing nets. But due to the frequency with which apparel is laundered and the increasing quantities of clothing being purchased throughout the world (thanks at least in part to the so-called fast fashion trend), apparel is the microfiber source on which researchers and policy-makers are focusing attention. Krystle Moody, a textile industry consultant, says, 'Outdoor gear is heavily reliant on synthetic textiles due to their performance profile (moisture wicking) and durability.' Jeffrey Silberman, professor and chairperson of textile development and marketing with the Fashion Institute of Technology at the State University of New York, says, 'Price is the big driver behind the use of synthetics in textiles. A poly-cotton blend is generally far cheaper than a cotton one, but doesn’t look or feel appreciably different to most consumers. The motivation is to get natural-like fibers and still be able to get a price point that people are willing to pay.' Katy Stevens, sustainability project manager for the outdoor gear industry consortium European Outdoor Group (EOG), says, 'Initial research suggested that recycled polyester might shed more microfibers. Are we doing the right thing by using recycled polyester that might shed more? It has added a whole other big question mark.' Other studies have found microfibers in effluent from wastewater plants (Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTW) as a Source of Microplastics in the Aquatic Environment - Fionn Murphy, Ciaran Ewins, Frederic Carbonnier, Brian Quinn), in the digestive tracts of market fish (Ingested plastic transfers hazardous chemicals to fish and induces hepatic stress - Chelsea M. Rochman, Eunha Hoh, Tomofumi Kurobe, Swee J. Teh), throughout riversheds (Mountains to the sea: River study of plastic and non-plastic microfiber pollution in the northeast USA - Rachael Z. Miller, Andrew J. R. Watts, Brooke O. Winslow, Tamara S.Galloway, Abigail P. W. Barrows) and in air samples. Two separate studies released in March 2018 revealed that microfibers are found in bottled water sold all over the world. And a study published weeks later revealed that microplastic - chiefly microfibers - were present in 159 samples of tap water from around the word, a dozen brands of beer (made with Great Lakes water) as well as sea salt, also derived globally. Although most research has focused on synthetics textiles, but Abigail P. W. Barrows, an independent microplastics researcher who has conducted numerous studies on microfibers, says, 'Natural fibers such as cotton and wool, and semi-synthetics such as rayon should not be totally ignored. While they will degrade more quickly than, say, polyester, they may still be treated with chemicals of concern that can move up the food chain if the fibers are consumed before they degrade.' The study she led in 2018 (Marine environment microfiber contamination: Global patterns and the diversity of microparticle origins - Abigail P. W. Barrows, Sara E. Kathey, C. W. Petersen) found that in the surface water samples collected globally while 91% of the particles collected were microfibers, 12% of those were semi-synthetic and 31% were natural. Read on...
GreenBiz: Why are our clothes so bad for the environment?
Author: Mary Catherine O'Connor
Team of 25 researchers from 7 institutes in Europe, USA and China (Linköping University, Sweden: Shula Chen, Xiao-Ke Liu, Liangqi Ouyang, Yingzhi Jin, Galia Pozina, Irina A. Buyanova, Weimin M. Chen, Olle Inganäs, Fengling Zhang, Feng Gao; Georgia Institute of Technology, USA: Zilong Zheng, Veaceslav Coropceanu, Jean-Luc Brédas; Chinese Academy of Sciences, China: Deping Qian, Huifeng Yao, Sunsun Li, Bowei Gao, Jianhui Hou; École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland: Wolfgang Tress; Imperial College, UK: Thomas R. Hopper, Artem A. Bakulin; The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong: Jing Liu, Shangshang Chen, He Yan; University of Cambridge, UK: Jiangbin Zhang) have come together to develop rules for designing high-efficiency organic solar cells. Their research, 'Design rules for minimizing voltage losses in high-efficiency organic solar cells', was published in Nature Materials. Lead researcher, Prof. Feng Gao of Linköping University, says, 'We have formulated some rational design rules to minimize energy losses in organic solar cells. Following these rules, we present a range of examples with low energy losses and high power conversion efficiencies.' The research provides two fundamental rules to minimize energy losses in organic solar cells - (1) Minimize the energy offset between donor and acceptor components. (2) Make sure that the low-gap component in the blend has a high photoluminescence yield. According to researchers, theoretically the limit for the fraction of the sun's energy that can be obtained in solar cells is around 33%, but laboratory experiments with silicon-based solar cells have achieved 25% at best. Prof. Olle Inganäs of Linköping University, 'But we now know that there is no difference - the theoretical limit is the same for solar cells manufactured from silicon, perovskites, or polymers.' Read on...
Photonics Media: Design Rules for Building Efficient Organic Solar Cells
According to the latest research by Stanford University business academics, Prof. Navdeep Sahni and Prof. Harikesh Nair, people are very good at distinguishing native advertisements from digital content, but the ads still exert significant influence on shopping behavior. Native advertisements blend with the digital content and closely match style and layout of the surrounding media. Regulators are often concerned regarding their deceptive sponsorship disclosure and the resulting misguided purchases by consumers. Prof. Sahni says, 'Native advertising is a relatively new form of advertising. Advertisers and publishers have embraced this because of the rise in mobile browsing behavior, and because banner ads are hard to implement on mobile screens, and are known to be not very effective.' Professors developed a field experiment in which they manipulated how native advertising for specific restaurants appeared on a restaurant search mobile app, creating two 'extreme' ad presentation conditions (no-disclure and prominent-disclosure) to compare to a more typical native ad. The study examined differences in how over 200000 users responded to the varied presentations and found that responses to typical native ads were similar to those in the full-disclosure condition. Prof. Sahni adds, 'We found that people who respond to the ad can spot this kind of advertising in its typical format...The effect of advertising seems to happen through direct exposure and can result in conversion even if people don't click on the ad itself.' The study suggests that because consumers who are more likely to be affected by ads can identify typical native ads easily, making the ads more prominent is unlikely to change people's behavior. For consumers, implications of the study are that even in a time of advanced analytics, ad exposure continues to have a deeply subtle, and thus harder-to-quantify, effect. Read on...
Insights by Stanford Business: Disguised 'Native' Ads Don't Fool Us Anymore
Author: Sachin Waikar
Collaborative partnerships between local government, community, nonprofit organizations, academia and businesses can do wonders to enhance the various aspects of localities, cities and regions. An old factory site being rehabilitated as a business park in Lackawanna (New York, USA) is an example of sustainable redevelopment and the impact a local government can have on climate change. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, Deputy Executive Maria Whyte and others officials visited Conrnell Universuty campus and discussed the redevelopment project with faculty and shared county initiatives focused on sustainability and economic growth, quality of life and building strong communities. Mr. Poloncarz says, 'Strong partnerships and sustainable practices are essential to progress, giving more people a say in their community and making responsible use of our resources to effect change that benefits generations yet to come.' Basil Safi, Executive Director of the Office of Engagement Initiatives at Cornell, says, 'The event was organized as a launching point to further community-engaged research and learning collaborations with Erie County', seeding ideas for potential projects involving Cornell students and faculty.' Initiatives for a Smart Economy (I4SE) is an economic development strategy Erie County enacted in 2013 and updated last year as I4SE 2.0. It contains 71 initiatives and is focused on inclusion and creating shared opportunities for all residents, to address persistent poverty and underemployment. Max Zhang, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Cornell, says, 'I can envision that students team up with community partners to address specific challenges they are facing.' Rebecca Brenner, a lecturer at the Cornell Institute for Public Affairs, began a project in spring 2017 in Buffalo (NY) on improving communications during an emergency for that city's diverse, multilingual refugee population, and creating an emergency notification plan with nonprofit resettlement agencies as community partners. Erie County has about 300 current strategic initiatives led by county departments with community partners. They include fostering hiring of disadvantaged residents in high-poverty areas for construction jobs amid Buffalo's building boom; exploring the feasibility of a new convention center to spur tourism; creating an agribusiness park in rural southern Erie County; supporting health and human services agencies and energy programs targeting low-income households; and infrastructure and environmental remediation in county parks. Shorna Allred, associate professor of natural resources at Cornell, says, 'I was quite impressed and intrigued by what they are doing in Buffalo...We are similarly trying to bring together a partnership of people to work on sustainability issues across the city...' Read on...
Cornell Chronicle: Sustainable economic strategies spur engaged research interest
Author: Daniel Aloi
Implementing an effective content marketing strategy with original content that stands out from competitors is a challenging task. Online content needs to be continuously updated, should be valuable to the audience and fulfil the required marketing goals. For this hiring a professional writer, full-time or freelance, is a good option. Professional writers can ensure that the content is more engaging, informative, credible, and persuasive. Following are ways in which he/she can contribute to the content marketing strategy - (1) Improve Search Engine Rankings: Professional writers understand search engine optimization (SEO) and create keyword rich copy. They have knowledge of the latest SEO trends and ensure that content meets the standards of search engine robots. (2) Save Money: Outsourcing content can be more cost effective. Companies using inbound marketing generally experience a 61% lower cost per lead than those using traditional methods (HubSpot). The average cost of hiring an in-house writer is US$ 7221 per month (Society for Human Resource Management). (3) Save Time: Creating quality content is time consuming. Outsourcing content as per requirement assists to focus in other essential areas of business. Moreover, multiple expert writers can be hired at the same time. (4) Meet Deadlines: Professional writers can work as needed and maintain schedule. (5) Boost Your Social Media Presence: Continuous stream of content can make businesses focus on their social media strategy, share content timely and create brand awareness. (6) Increase Conversions: The average web user leaves a web page after less than 20 seconds (Nielson Norman Group). Skillful writers can write persuasively to hold audience on website and increase conversions. (7) Communicate More Effectively: Professional writers can write in conversational tone and keep audience engaged. They communicate effectively about products and services keeping in mind the audience's perspective. (8) Deliver a Wide Range of Content Types: Different experts can be hired for providing different type of content. Read on...
Business 2 Community: How Hiring a Professional Writer Improves Your Content Marketing
Author: Chris Reid
Logos are a brief visual representation of what the brand is all about. They help brands connect with customers and a memorable logo make it easier to do so. According to Siegel+Gale's 2015 study, 'Logos Now', memorable logos are 13% more likely to get consumer attention and 7% more likely to make them want to learn more about the brand. Ross Kimbarovsky, founder of Crowdspring, runs one of the world's leading marketplaces for crowdsourced logo designs, web design, graphic design, product design, and company naming services. Following are five things he recommends all organizations to do before hiring someone to design (or redesign) their logo for optimal results - (1) Your brand has to come before your logo: 'Your logo must derive meaning from your brand, not the other way around. Before a logo can communicate anything about your brand, you will need to better understand your brand. What values, practices, benefits, products or services set your company apart and make it unique?' (2) Assess what styles you like and don't like: 'New design trends and fads in logo design appear every year and not all designers can effectively incorporate popular trends and avoid the fads...Spend some time looking at various styles and build up a list of what you like and don't like.' (3) Decide what you are willing to pay: 'Pre-made logos is a terrible idea that will actually harm your business in the long run...it's not possible for a client to get a great logo for less than several hundred dollars. There's simply not enough incentive for a designer to spend time creating a custom design unless they get a reasonable fee for their work.' (4) Write a stronger 'project brief': 'The project brief can make or break a project...Most designers have limited time to do their work, so they will be picky when choosing which clients to work with...Help designers understand how you see your company or your products...Define the problems and define your goals: designers are problem solvers.' (5) Decide who will make the final branding decision: 'One person should own this process and be able to make the final decision...Pick a group of 2 or 3 people whose opinions you trust, whether in-house or not. In fact, people outside your company can often be better at this than insiders.' Read on...
Forbes: 5 Things You Absolutely Must To Do Before You Design Your Logo
Author: Kate L. Harrison
Food waste is a global concern and innovative solutions are needed to overcome it. Recent data from National Resources Defense Council found that the average American throws out 400 pounds of food a year, meaning that up to 40% of food grown on the farm bypasses the fork and ends up in a landfill. Globally, impact of food waste can be seen in terms of lost resources, wasted water (70% of fresh water is consumed in agriculture), increased levels of climate-change-producing gases, and diverted food that could contribute to alleviating hunger. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) - It is estimated that annually over 60 trillion gallons of water are used to grow food that is ultimately wasted; Roughly 1/3 of the food produced for human consumption every year - approximately 1.3 billion tons - gets lost or wasted, representing nearly US$1 trillion. The cost of producing, harvesting, transporting, and disposing of this food isn't just financial - food waste accounts for about 8% of global climate pollution, more than the nations of India or Russia. According to one report, food waste throughout the US accounts for more than 60 million tons of waste, which translates into US$ 160 billion of produce and, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), represents over 21% of all waste in landfills. Adequate government policy alongwith solutions from for-profit and nonprofit sectors can successfully tackle this challenge. Sherri Welch, writing in Crain's Detroit, highlights two food-box subscription companies that sell produce and other food that retailers won't touch in the Detroit market. One is the Baltimore-based Hungry Harvest; the other is Toronto-based Flash Food. They are both for-profit companies. Denver's We Don't Waste is a nonprofit working on similar lines. Other nonprofits are working with hunger relief organizations and give their customers the option to buy a box of imperfect produce and donate it to a family in need. Phillip Knight, executive director of the Food Bank Council of Michigan, says, 'At this point, I think we are all working together to feed hungry neighbors, reduce waste and lessen the impact on the environment.' Other solutions include processing food waste as bioenergy. In the Pacific Northwest, Impact Bioenergy develops and manufactures bioenergy products that allow communities and commercial food waste generators to lessen their environmental footprint and conserve local soil resources while also reducing their waste disposal and energy costs. Policy approaches can also play an important role to shift the amount of food entering the waste stream. A May 2017 paper published by Harvard Law School's Food Law and Policy Clinic looks at the 2018 Farm Bill as a portal for changing the national conversation on food waste by integrating strategies and initiatives to support diversion efforts. Policy is a major focus on ReFed, one of the nation's leading nonprofits dedicated to addressing food waste. One of their initiatives in partnership with the Food Law and Policy Clinic is the US Food Waste Policy Finder, a tool that provides research on current food waste policy. Another promising approach is to incorporate the reuse of food that has been rejected by the conventional market into social enterprises. DC Central Kitchen is a job-training catering social enterprise that buys food seconds from farmers and uses that produce in the meals it serves to students in schools and catering event guests, even as the nonprofit also addresses the cycle of hunger. According to ReFed's 'Roadmap to Reduce US Food Waste by 20 Percent', an estimated 15000 permanent jobs could be created through policy initiatives alone. 'Wasted! The Story of Food Waste', a documentary produced by the late Anthony Bourdain, offer a glimpse of ways that nonprofits can expand their missions and collaborate with others to reduce food waste while improving the health and well-being of those in need. Read on...
Nonprofit Quarterly: For-Profit and Nonprofit Firms Devise Creative Ways to Reduce Food Waste
Author: Derrick Rhayn
Team of researchers (Prof. José Antonio Rosa of Iowa State University; Prof. Richard J. Vann of Iowa State University; Prof. Sean M. McCrea of University of Wyoming) conducted five experiments to understand how crisis influences motivation and commitment to the goal. Their research titled 'When consumers struggle: Action crisis and its effects on problematic goal pursuit' was recently published in the journal Psychology & Marketing. Prof. Rosa, the lead researcher, says, 'Setbacks are to be expected when pursuing a goal, whether you are trying to lose weight or save money. The challenge is getting back on track and not giving up after a difficulty or crisis.' The research team is working on practical ways to help people stick to health-related goals - specifically, prescribed regimens for medical ailments that require significant lifestyle changes. According to Prof. Rosa, staying committed to a long-term health goal is challenging, because it may feel as if there is no light at the end of the tunnel. He explains, 'These are some of the most difficult goals we face, because the effort has to become a way of life. If you're a diabetic, you have to be thinking about your diet every time you eat. In many ways, it is sacrificial. You must endure this cost and the reward is health.' Prof. Rosa says that action crisis, whether related or unrelated to the goal, is a point during goal pursuit when circumstances change, causing us to question whether the goal really matters. This sets in a process of goal evaluation instead of implementation and can result in the decision to quit, termed by researchers as 'taking the off ramp', and may cause another crisis. Researchers are now working to develop and test interventions for patients on prescribed health regimens. Prof. Rosa says the goal is to provide specific instructions for patients to follow and help shift their mindset from renegotiation or evaluation back to implementation. He adds, 'From a marketing perspective, it is an issue of consumption and making health care more effective for patients. The right intervention will help patients stay on track, lessening the risk for additional health issues and lowering health care costs.' Read on...
Iowa State University News: Crisis can force re-evaluation and derail efforts to reach goals
Author: Angie Hunt
According to Korn Ferry's 'The Salary Surge' report, India would be the only economy that will not face an upward revision of wages by 2030, as it has a talent surplus, bucking the global trend of a talent crunch. For organizations around the world lack of highly skilled talent supply will drive up salaries for the most in-demand workers and is expected to add more than US$ 2.5 trillion in annual labour costs by 2030. The Global Talent Crunch analysed global demand for labour at three key milestones, 2020, 2025 and 2030, in 20 markets, including in India, across three sectors, financial and business services, technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) and manufacturing. Wage premiums by 2030 - US (US$ 531 billion); Germany (US$ 176 billion); Japan (US$ 468 billion); China (US$ 342 billion) Asia Pacific (US$ 1 trillion); Singapore and Hong Kong (10% of 2017 GDP). Wage premium per worker per year by 2030 - Asia Pacific (Average US$ 14710); Hong Kong (US$ 40539); Singapore (US$ 29065); Australia (US$ 28625). Dhritiman Chakrabarti, Head of rewards and benefits for the APAC region at Korn Ferry, says, 'The new era of work is one of scarcity in abundance, there are plenty of people, but not enough with the skills their organisations will need to survive. While overall wage increases are just keeping pace with inflation, salaries for in-demand workers will skyrocket if companies choose to compete for the best and brightest on salary alone.' Manufacturing, one of the sector that is a critical driver of growth for emerging economies, may be stalled by the huge impact of the salary surge. Read on...
The Economic Times: India to be lone economy facing suppressed wages by 2030: Study
Australian fashion designer, Mark Liu, advises creative professionals to recognize the importance of studying STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) at school. He initiated 'Zero Waste Fashion Design' concept in which every piece of fabric is utilized in a fitting pattern. This process is contrary to the traditional linear pattern-making, which assumes a flat surface - with little account for the body's curves. Mr. Liu says, 'When you start pattern-making with zero waste, you really have to understand how it works to a really intricate level. Traditional techniques weren't really cutting it. I had to look at the underlying mathematics. And the more I looked, the more I found problems that mathematics had answers to but traditional pattern-making didn't.' He created 'Non-Euclidean' system of pattern-making that uses a technique called the 'Drape Measure' to record the curvature of surfaces as an angle measurement in order to create a more accurate design. Advocating STEM for creatives and designers, he also want 'A' for 'Arts' to be included to make it STEAM. Mr. Liu also supports and mentors students of International Grammar School (Sydney, Australia) emphasizing importance of maths. Ksenija Doic, design and technology teacher at school, says, 'They come into a creative subject thinking, 'Perhaps all I need is to have an idea, or be good with colours, or have an artistic side'. But what mathematics is useful for is the problem-solving part. The students who do maths find it easier to do the tasks at hand, because they have an innate knowledge of geometry, of working out curves and tangents.' Wynton Lambert, a student, says, 'Without some of the stuff I learned in maths, I wouldn't have been able to do the sleeve (of the shirt). It was very technical.' Mr. Liu considers STEAM to be the future and says, 'There’s this nice intersection between art and mathematics, and when they come together that's when really amazing things happen.' Read on...
SBS News: Why aspiring fashion designers should study maths
Author: Rena Sarumpaet
Researchers at The University of British Columbia (Okanagan, Canada), Prof. Abbas Milani and graduate student Armin Rashidi, are working to solve the issue of wrinkling when it comes to making textile composites. Their research, 'A multi-step biaxial bias extension test for wrinkling/de-wrinkling characterization of woven fabrics: Towards optimum forming design guidelines', was recently published in Materials & Design Journal. According to Prof. Milani, wrinkling is one of the most common flaws in textile composites, which are widely used for prototypes, as well as mass production within prominent aerospace, energy, automotive and marine applications. Researchers have investigated several de-wrinkling methods and have discovered that they can improve their effectiveness by pulling the materials in two directions simultaneously during the manufacturing process. Mr. Rashidi says, 'The challenge was to avoid unwanted fibre misalignment or fibre rupture while capturing the out-of-plane wrinkles. Manufacturers who use these types of composites are looking for more information about their mechanical behaviour, especially under combined loading scenarios.' Prof. Milani, who is director of Materials and Manufacturing Research Institute at UBC Okanagan, says, 'Composite textiles are changing the way products are designed and built in advanced manufacturing sectors. As we continue to innovate in the area of composite textiles to include more polymer resin and fibre reinforcement options, this research will need to continue in order to provide the most up-to-date analysis for manufacturers in different application areas.' Read on...
UBC Okanagan News: Researchers improve textile composite manufacturing
Author: Nathan Skolski
Consistent communication through various channels both internally and externally is the key for successful public relations. Eileen Sheil, ED of Corporate Communications at Cleveland Clinic, shares her PR experience and suggests key elements that PR teams should be focused on. Regarding her PR strategy at Cleveland Clinic, she says, 'We are trying new communication approaches that better reach our target audiences through the media and to our key stakeholders. Sharing our stories internally and externally about patient care, innovative procedures, medical research, opinions on important healthcare issues, and breaking news will help people know more about the work we do to help patients locally, nationally, and around the globe.' Following is her advice for PR teams - (1) Be Strategic About PR: Know the organization and industry; Know the company's narrative and be consistent in your communication; Conduct reputation research and develop a PR strategy; Know your audience; Research and alter strateg as needed. (2) Go Digital: Traditional media is essential but amplify the communication through latest digital technologies. (3) Measure The Value Of PR: The Barcelona Principles (initially developed in 2010 and updated in 2015) are used to measure the real value of PR; Focus on qaulity of coverage to build better reputation; Learn to use metrics, data and analytics to drive strategy. (4) Be One Communications Team And Build One Strategy: Internal and external communications are merging; Be consistent to all shareholders. (5) Know This Is A Journey: Teams should continue to evolve, learn and make their work better together. Read on...
PRWeek: 5 things every PR team should be doing
Author: Eileen Sheil
Traditionally, businesses have been using corporate social responsibility (CSR) to contribute to society and tackle social issues through philanthropy, charitable giving, offering employees volunteer time etc. Recently, a letter to shareholders by an influential investor, Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, rekindled the debate around purpose and effectivenesss of CSR. His messages was, 'To achieve their full potential, public and private companies need to do more than simply give of their time and money; they need to find more innovative and impactful ways to contribute to solving the broader challenges in society.' Katie Bouton, Founder and CEO of Koya Leadership Partners, explains the need to better integrate business goals with public purpose and balance financial obligations to shareholders. This can be achieved through 'Purposeful Engagement', a more impactful CSR strategy. Ms. Bouton suggests the key elements to integrate into this new operating strategy - (1) Articulate a Larger Purpose: Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, described their larger purpose as, 'Coffee is what we sell as a product, but it's not the business we're in. We're in the people business.' Steve Jobs, Founder of Apple, often talked about the company's larger mission of making high quality computers available to everyone. (2) Align Business Goals with Social Purpose: Larger purpose should be designed and implemented in a way that is integral to business success. Every employee should be engaged with larger mission. Measurements should be developed for every department and business line. (3) Integrate Resources to Maximize Impact: Lack of coordination and integration wastes resources. CSR efforts are often siloed in differenet departments. All departments should work together for a common purpose. (4) Build a Diverse and Inclusive Team: A McKinsey study showed companies with higher-diversity leadership teams and boards have 30% more success than those that don't. (5) Understand the Future Workforce: Millennials will make up over 50% of the workforce by 2020, according to PwC. Values and purpose are priorities for them. Purposeful Engagement becomes vital to attract and retain the talent for future. Read on...
Chief Executive: Beyond CSR - Leading With More Purposeful Engagement
Author: Katie Bouton
Utilizing customer data to understand consumer behavior through analytics tools is key to improve products and services, and finally gain and retain customers. Restaurant and fast food industry is customer intensive with direct interactions with them. Restaurant sales were approximately US$ 800 billion last year and continue to grow. With hightened competition and increasing customer expectations it becomes challenging to serve what customer wants and keeps coming back for more. Advanced analytics can come to the rescue in this regard. Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) industry has low average ticket value, customer visit frequency is higher and cyclical, size of the meal matters and customer tastes don't vary that much. The restaurant industry's main goals remain - increase meal size, increase guest frequency and decrease customer lapsation. In today's environment, customers are digital-savvy and restaurants have their data. The value is in gaining actionable insights from this data that positively impact the Net Promoter Score (NPS). Here is what some restaurant chains are doing in this regard - (1) Identified taste affinity clusters: Created various segements of customers and looked at their past purchase behavior to identify taste preferences. (2) Buying behavior analysis: Looked at purchase behavior across different channels to identify which menu items can be added to the combo for someone that orders (mobile vs visit). Used advanced analytics to get a single view of the customer by integrating their POS, mobile, web and social data to identify the customer and hence provide consistent messaging. (3) NPS and Feedback Analysis: Integrated feedback received across all channels and layered it up with sentiment analysis. Customers were given lapsation score and offers were targeted accordingly. (4) Store location analysis: Used predictive models to identify the probability of a new store succeeding in a specific location vis-à-vis another store in the same area. They identified pockets of demand and the model prescribed a set of potential locations in a given geographic area. This data was used to score and rank comparable locations. Read on...
Analytics India Magazine: Advanced Analytics In The Restaurant Industry
Author: Santosh Kumar
Artificial Intelligence is one of the fields that's getting most attention from technology companies. AI researchers specialize in neural networks, complex algorithms that learn tasks by analyzing vast amounts of data. They are used in everything from digital assistants in smartphones to self-driving cars. Those with AI skills are in high demand. But, the salary data related to AI hires hasn't been in public domain. Now OpenAI, a nonprofit AI research organization, had made the salaries of their AI researchers public as their nonprofit setup requires them to do so. Top OpenAI researchers were paid as follows - Ilya Sutskever (more than US$ 1.9 million in 2016); Ian Goodfellow (more than US$ 800000 after getting hired in March 2016); Prof. Pieter Abbeel of University of California at Berkeley (US$ 425000 after joining in June 2016). OpenAI was founded by Elon Musk (CEO of Tesla) and other well-known names in technology. Element AI, an independent lab in Canada, estimates that 22000 people worldwide have the skills needed to do serious AI research - about double from a year ago. Chris Nicholson, Founder & CEO of AI startup Skymind, says, 'There is a mountain of demand and a trickle of supply.' There is scarcity of AI talent. Governments and universities are also seeking AI researchers, even though they may not match the salaries paid by private enterprises. OpenAI too cannot compensate equivalent to private tech companies as stock options are major attraction there. But OpenAI shares its research with the world, considered a positive approach in responsibile tech development. Mr. Sutskever says, 'I turned down offers for multiple times the dollar amount I accepted at OpenAI. Others did the same.' He expects salaries at OpenAI to increase as the organization pursued its 'mission of ensuring powerful AI benefits all of humanity.' AI specialists with little or no industry experience can make between US$ 300000 and US$ 500000 a year in salary and stock. Wojciech Zaremba, a researcher who joined OpenAI after internships at Google and Facebook, says, 'The amount of money was borderline crazy.' He says that tech companies offered 2 or 3 times what he believed his real market value was. At a London AI lab now owned by Google, costs for 400 employees totaled US$ 138 million in 2016. Top researchers are paid higher. Mr. Nicholson says, 'When you hire a star, you are not just hiring a star. You are hiring everyone they attract. And you are paying for all the publicity they will attract.' Other top researchers at OpenAI included Greg Brockman and Andrej Karpathy. In a growing and competitive tech field like AI it becomes challenging for organizations to retain talent. Read on...
The New York Times: A.I. Researchers Are Making More Than $1 Million, Even at a Nonprofit
Author: Cade Metz
Considering the large number of competing nonprofits in a big town with their limited budgets, it's always challenging for them to reach out and attract donors and manage fundraising effectively. There are more than 2300 nonprofits operating in Philadelphia (USA). According to a research report 'The Financial Health of Philadelphia Area Nonprofits', funded by The Philadelphia Foundation, more than 40% of the nonprofits in the area are working at a loss, operate on margins of zero or less and fewer can be considered financially strong. With more than half the nonprofits operating on slim-to-none budget with limited support staff, fundraising is a challnging task. But Drexel University professor, Neville Vakharia, created an online tool, ImpactView Philadelphia, that uses publicly available data on nonprofit organizations from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in combination with the most recent American Community Survey data released by the U.S. Census Bureau to present an easy-to-access snapshot of Philadelphia's nonprofit ecosystem. The tool intends to help nonprofits streamline their fundraising process. It makes information about nonprofit organizations, and the communities they're striving to help, more accessible to likeminded charities and the philanthropic organizations that seek to fund them. Prof. Neville says, 'Through the location intelligence visualizer, users can immediately find areas of need and potential collaborators. The data are automatically visualized and mapped on-screen, identifying, for example, pockets of high poverty with large populations of children as well as the nonprofit service providers in these areas. Making this data accessible for nonprofits will cut down on time spent seeking information and improve the ability to make data-informed decisions, while also helping with case making and grant applications.' Since the tool is open-source it can be easily replicated in other cities. Read on...
DrexelNOW: A Tool to Help Nonprofits Find Each Other, Pursue Funding and Collaborate
Author: Emily Storz
According to Big Commerce, 51% of Americans prefer to shop online, and almost everyone (96%) has made an online purchase in their life. But, with so many competing e-commerce websites and a large number of brick-and-mortar retail stores, the challenge for retailers is to differentiate themselves and, attract, acquire and retain the customers. Retailers can do the following to increase retail sales - (1) Run Beautifully Executed Google Shopping Campaigns: Organize shopping campaigns by best-selling items; Ensure your ad images are high-quality and crawlable; Include merchant promotions and product reviews. (2) Give Shoppers a Reason to Visit Your Store: Provide special in-store discounts to shoppers; Use the power of social media to communicate special in-store deals. (3) Use Social Media Targeting Capabilities to Your Advantage: Configure your social media campaign with detailed targeting to audience who will be most willing to buy the products. Targeting to right demographics is the key. (4) Don't Forget to Be Locally Relevant: Geotargeting; Ad copy and imagery with local appeal; Use local lingo. (5) Invest in Some Guerilla Marketing Campaigns: Use public places innovatively to attract attention and spread the word around. (6) Try Podcast Advertising: According to Edison Research, 67 million Americans listen to podcasts monthly, which is a 14% year-to-year increase. Discover your audience's choice of podcasts and invest in running some advertisements to sponsor the commercial breaks. (7) Get Creative with Video: Use entertainment as a strategic tool in video to attract audience. Getting it viral is a challenge that every creative should take. (8) Celebrate All the Little Holidays: Embrace holidays and link your campaigns to them; Release special limited-edition products around them, run special events, or offer deals in festive holidays colors, it gets people excited. (9) Instill a Sense of Urgency: Urgency in messaging can pressure audience to shop; Run short-term limited-time offers and discounts. (10) Understand Your Seasonal Peaks and Plan Accordingly: Do advance planning for seasonal peaks. This includes adjusting ad spend, working with design for new creative, and executing seasonally relevant campaigns that will boost sales during these peak times. (11) Create Returning Buyers through Smart Remarketing: Remarketing allows you to remind shoppers, re-engage them and assist them in buying again; Think about the lifespan of the product that a customer have bought. Run a remarketing campaign and encourage to buy before the product is finished; Another remarketing tactic is to upsell based on the products customers have previously purchased. Read on...
Business 2 Community: 11 Killer Retail Marketing Tips to Drive Sales Year Round
Author: Margot da Cunha
For the betterment and growth of any local industry, it is imperative that global best practices should be emulated and, modified and customized based on the local needs. Pratyush Sarup, interior designer based in Dubai (UAE), provides key insights from Milan Design Week 2018 for Middle East region - (1) The Power Of Simplicity: Prefer clean lines and minimal materiality in design. An installation by American artist Phillip K. Smith III portrays simplicity principle with use of only one material - glass. Applied along clean angles and a humble curve, the reflective surface offered a kaleidoscopic play on light, form and structure. (2) Divine Expression: History, culture, folk tales, nature etc can be inspiration for design. A collection of chairs by designer Lara Bohinc sought inspiration from the skies above. Aptly titled 'Since the World is Round', the spherical form that characterises the collection is derived from gravitationally curved trajectories of planetary and lunar orbits. Dubai-based designer Talin Hazbar has previously turned to 'Kahf al Baba', a folk tale that originates from villages between Khor Fakan and Fujairah for a lighting collection. (3) The Circular Life Of Design: Understanding sustainability is necesssary for the continued growth of design market. Innovative waste management solutions to waste generated by the textile design industry is at the heart of 'Really', a Danish company. They debuted their latest invention, the 'Solid' textile board. Developed from upcycled end-of-life fabrics from the fashion and textile industries, it's potential was showcased via a range of products created by top designers such as Benjamin Hubert, Christien Meindertsma, Front (Sofia Lagerkvist and Anna Lindgren) and Raw-Edges (Yael Mer and Shay Alkalay). Designers can think about finding ways to repurpose waste into contemporary living solutions. (4) Join Forces: Collaboration is key to better outcomes. New York designer Lindsey Adelman and wallpaper maestro Calico (Rachel Cope and Nick Cope), as they were both working with similar surface techniques, decided to work together and presented a joint show 'Beyond the Deep' that explored the corrosive natural chemicals, like salt, to alter the appearance of surfaces. Coming together of diverse thought processes and creative expressions can fast-track creative economies. (5) Have Some Fun: Many top tier brands stepped away from their typical business-oriented presentations to explore alternative out-of-the-box ideas. Czech glass brand Lasvit took over Teatro Gerolamo, a 19th-century puppet theatre to present Monster Cabaret, its latest collection of accessories centred on mythical beasts, fantastical creatures and outcasts. Read on...
Gulf News: Milan Design Week - 5 takeaways for the region
Author: Pratyush Sarup
To apply the basic idea of 'Small Is Beautiful' as propagated by E. F. Schumacher to the social enterprises and create their collaborative network, have the potential to successfully tackle social causes at a large scale and maximize impact. Anne-Marie Slaughter, President & CEO of New America, explains the working dynamics of social enterprises, the challenges of scale, issues of efficiencies when contrasted with private enterprises and how in a democratic setup a network of independent social enterprises can develop a collaborative system for larger impact. She says, 'In the private sector, companies reap economies of scale...In the social and political marketplace, however - at least in democracies - too much efficiency is dangerous. Tyrants are efficient, which is precisely why America's founding fathers built a system of checks and balances designed to favour resilience over efficiency...Outside government, a rich civil society is the bedrock of a well-functioning democracy. Alexis de Tocqueville made this point about the strength of American democracy in the 1830s.' Ms. Slaughter opines, 'Civic engagement requires the energy and innovation of multiple entrepreneurs. Social entrepreneurship is just one subset of a much larger civil society. But a thriving ecosystem of social enterprise cannot borrow wholesale from the capitalist playbook.' Rebecca Onie, co-founder & CEO of Health Leads, developed a model of healthcare that saves money and improves outcomes by attending to social as well as medical needs and achieved scale by convincing the US government to start experimenting with her approach. Ms. Slaughter suggests, 'Another path to scale in the social sector - one that preserves diversity and reduces competition for scarce resources - is through carefully designed networks of small or medium-sized enterprises that are focused on solving the same basic problem and are demonstrably having an impact in a particular community or region. This approach has worked well in global health through consortiums...The network form allows for small size and large scale simultaneously, preserving individuality and innovation while applying common metrics in the pursuit of a single large goal. Individual actors can form groups, connected to a central co-ordinator and cross-fertiliser.' Read on...
The Financial Times: Thinking big for social enterprise can mean staying small
Author: Anne-Marie Slaughter
Business-to-business world have a different set of rules and dynamics than business-to-consumer when it comes to branding and how interactions happen with prospects and customers. Ryan Gould, VP of Strategy & Marketing Services at Elevation Marketing, explains how B2B world is fragmented, challenges related to inconsistency in branding and what can be done to improve, enhance and control it. He explains, 'The role of the B2B buyer has evolved along with the rest of the world, and importantly, power has gradually shifted to the hands of millennials. Despite 73% of millennials making purchasing decisions, we are still seeing the world of B2B approach these individuals as if they are the same buyer from 5, 10 and even 20 years ago.' Millennials are the new B2B buyers and B2B marketing had to evolve accordingly. Emphasis on branding and brand building becomes critical. Marketing efforts should be aligned, whether it is social media, email marketing, sales collateral, video etc, and focus on addressing the need of potential buyers and differentiate effectively from competition. Sales-driven nature of B2B sector still holds supreme with marketing becoming secondary to it. But with new buyers sales pitch is not sufficient and they seek better connect with brands they deal with. B2B marketers have to understand this dynamic to build strong business relations. B2B marketers also face challenges related to their budget and lack resources to accomplish all their tasks and had to shuffle between various roles. This gives them insufficient time to focus on brand strategy and to build an overall brand value. Fragmented nature of B2B business adds to the chaos with various departments working in silos. Branding consistency in this environment becomes a challenge and customers get confusing inputs. The brand in this scenario lacks uniformity in content, design and messaging. According to HubSpot, only 50% of B2B marketers are treating visual content as a priority. Marketers have to work on this and fully utilize the power of digital and develop creative strategies to have a better connect with millennial decision-makers. B2B organizations must prioritize branding as their target consumer market is sensitive to it. One statistics suggests that 23% of average revenue increases are attributed to brand consistency. B2B marketers should play their role accordingly - understand target audience, recognize the importance of branding, realize where brand is falling short and develop better brand consistency by using latest tools and solutions to have a connect with customers and establish trust. Read on...
The Drum: Why is inconsistent branding so prevalent in B2B organizations?
Author: Ryan Gould
Every nation had architects and designers at different periods of time that have influenced these creative fields and inspired the work of others after them. Following is the list of 10 select architets of the modern era - (1) Frank Lloyd Wright (USA): Inspired by buildings in American prairies, he created the simple and practical 'Prairie House' style as a reaction to the over-embellished Victorian aesthetic. (2) Norman Foster (UK): A disciple of both Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier, he worked with Buckminster Fuller and made geodesic designs on his buildings facades as his trademark style. (3) Antoni Gaudi (Spain): Cathedral of La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona (Spain) is his most famous creation. It has a style that is a mix of Baroque, Gothic, Moorish and Victorian elements. He also derived influence from nature. (4) Daniel Libeskind (Poland): Notable works include Berlin's Jewish Museum, Grand Canal Theatre in Dublin and Imperial War Museum in England. (5) Renzo Piano (Italy): Has many unique and varied styles that range from the Neo-Brutalism of his Whitney Museum of American Art in New York's Meatpacking District, to the elegant Menil Collection in Houston, Texas. (6) Ben van Berkel (Netherlands): Notable works include Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam, Theatre Agora and the Mercedes-Benz Museum. (7) Santiago Calatrava (Spain; Switzerland): Termed as sci-fi baroque architect by some, he has designed buildings that resembled the ribcages of dinosaurs. One of his recent creation is the Transit Hub for the World Trade Center. (8) Philip Johnson (USA): His modern architectural work includes Glass House in New Canaan, Connecticut. He is founding director of MoMA's (Museum of Modern Art, New York) Department of Architecture. (9) Eero Sarinen (Finland; USA): He is noted for his neo-futuristic style, later known as the Bauhaus's straight-line philosophy. This became the aesthetic for business and government office buildings around the world. (10) Frank Gehry (Canada; USA): His billowing forms quite literally seem to defy gravity. Design of the Guggenheim Museum branch in Bilbao (Spain) is one of the finest example of his style. Read on...
Architecture & Design: Our top 10 architects of the modern era
Author: Branko Miletic
Corporates often fund nonprofits to fulfil their commitments and responsibilities to the communities they operate in, and also to enhance their brand value and achieve a positive public relations. But, since the funds are limited and there are number of competiting nonprofits, corporates seek best value and return on their giving and investments. Nonprofits have to find ways to differentiate themselves and give an attractive proposition as part of their corporate fundraising effort whether they are considering cause sponsorship, 'pin-up' or point-of-purchase campaigns, corporate volunteering/employee engagement or cause marketing. Chris Baylis, president and CEO of The Sponsorship Collective in Ottawa (Canada), suggests ways to consider for successful corporate fundraising - (1) Corporate partnerships are not just philanthropy. Think beyond the good cause, clearly define your audience and understand the value of your brand. Determine the interest and buying power of your audience. (2) Use your cause to attract (and define) your audience and your audience to define and attract prospects. Use the cause as a valuable link to connect your audience and prospects. (3) Make your value known to the prospects and list every single asset you have to offer. Estimate the cost of similar exposure and services that prospects can avail elsewhere. Understand the value of your audience. (4) Logo placement, although more visible to the public, is just a small component of cause partnership. Think more of real value and outcomes. (5) Share fulfillment report with your partners and how it is tied to their goals. It explains the value they got in return, satisfies internal decision makers, helps in renewal of contract and build long-term partnerships. Read on...
The NonProfit Times: 5 Realities of Corporate Fundraising
Architecture and design of living spaces has to adapt to the changing behaviors and lifestyles of people, changing climate and environmental patterns, evolving social and cultural landscape etc. Following are architectural trends for 2018 - (1) Understanding how millennials occupy and use space (Piedad Rojas): Behavior and habits of millennials point to their inclinations for minimal spaces that are highly flexible. They seek small, modern, multifunctional and minimalist apartments. (2) Architects facing the construction of their own work - the urgency of being on site (José Tomás Franco): To attain knowledge, understanding and training about materials and construction processes is a growing trend. To reconnect with the materialization of projects and work in multidsciplinary collaboration with others is key to better architecture. (3) The challenge of current architecture to approach the rural context (Fernanda Amaro): Rem Koolhaas said in 2016, 'The current challenge of architecture is to understand the rural world'. He appeals to architects that the future is in intervening in 'bare, semi-abandoned, sparsely populated, sometimes badly connected spaces', since this is where architects are seeing accelerated processes of change, and must take the lead. The trend is now emerging that understands the need to go to these areas and get to know these communities in order to incorporate, from a contemporary perspective, their ways of living, materials, traditional techniques and vernacular forms to guide the architect to make friendlier, more respectful and harmonious decisions with the natural and social environment in which they are inserted. (4) Social architecture faces the return of the pendulum (Nicolás Valencia): The trend visualizes and values informal architecture, vernacular techniques and commitment to those who have been left behind in society. The selection of Alejandro Aravena as the Director of the XV Biennial of Architecture of Venice and winner of the Pritzker Prize in 2016, signifies this trend. (5) The post-digital era enters the graphic representation timeline in architecture (Karina Zatarain): By merging the available digital tools with the representative intention of collage, some contemporary architecture firms have chosen to move away from the dominant hyperrealism, instead creating a new trend - post-digital representation. This is just the beginning of a new stage of negotiation between the cold precision of technology and the expressive quality inherent in architecture. (6) Political Architecture - creativity faces the regulations and the future of cities (Fabián Dejtiar): Spanish architect Andrés Jaque mentioned in the XX Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism of Chile 2017, by default 'all architects are politicians' and the real question is what forms of policy architects are willing to defend. In this regard, political action is a tool to enhance, incorporate or transform creativity. The process of balancing creativity in the framework of regulations will influence the future of cities. (7) The revenge of women in architecture (Camila Marín, Pola Mora): This year, the Venice Biennial of Architecture will be directed by two women architects - Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara - and the list of curators in charge of the national pavilions already has a much higher female participation than in previous years. Architectural discipline will see concrete actions taken to empower women and bring them in more powerful and prominent position. (8) Learning from Bamboo to reinforce our sensitivity and efficiency (José Tomás Franco): Bamboo is a multifaceted material and has more than 1500 documented uses. In construction, its current use is related to resistance, versatility and efficiency, and is linked to the beauty of the organic and innate respect for the environment. (9) A glimpse of the direction of post-earthquake architecture (Karina Zatarain): Architecture plays an important role in response to the reconstruction needs after different types of natural disasters. Japanese architect Shigeru Ban received the Pritzker Prize in 2014 and is known for his experimental and innovative use of materials such as paper and cardboard in buildings, and for his efforts to help homeless people after natural disasters or in refugee situations. Team of architects from Hong Kong was awarded in World Architecture Festival (WAF) in Berlin for their post-earthquake reconstruction project. They developed a new and economical compacted earth construction technique that will be more resistant to seismic activity. Topics like seismic resistance of different local materials and self-construction are part of architectural discussions. Read on...
ArchDaily: The 9 Architecture Topics You Need To Know About in 2018
Authors: Marina Gosselin, Piedad Rojas, José Tomás Franco, Fernanda Amaro, Nicolás Valencia, Karina Zatarain, Fabián Dejtiar, Camila Marín, Pola Mora
Basic principles of business success remains the same, but with time new ideas, concepts and rules become game changers and critical to its success. Inspired by David Politis's book '66 Rules for Publicity Success', Sheryl Conner, entrepreneur, author of 'Beyond PR: Communicate Like A Champ In The Digital Age' and co-creator of Content University, explains how public relations has transformed and brought in new dynamics while some of its concepts remain the same. THE NEW - (1) New publishing platforms give more freedom to publish and provide metrics and analytics about how much interest and engagement the content has created. (2) Know the rules of publishing on varied platforms and understand the difference between owned (company blog), earned (national journals and publications), leased and rented (social media platforms) publishing space. (3) Search results are the greatest ally (and one of the most significant risk). (4) Visual content is becoming increasingly important. Text content with video/audio and compelling images provides effective multimedia experience to the audience. (5) Customer feedback is equal (or more) important to purchases than traditional analyst views. THE USUAL - (1) Press releases are still important. (2) Value add educative information for your audience is more valuable than promotion and hype. According to Conductor.com, a consumer is 131% more likely to purchase from a vendor who publishes an educational article they have read. (3) Meaningful and consistent messaging is vital. (4) Authenticity is more important than ever before. (5) Earned media is important. Remember what others say about your company is more valuable and add to reputation, than what you say yourself. Read on...
Forbes: The New Rules For Public Relations Success
Author: Cheryl Conner
Measurement and analysis of marketing data is becoming critical for understanding the effectiveness of marketing initiatives. The insights help in focusing efforts and money in the right direction. Marketing analytics tools and technologies continue to advance. David Sanderson, CEO of Nugit, explains what will be driving marketing analytics in 2018 and how marketers can keep pace with them - (1) Marketing analysts will need to use many new data sources: Combining data from internal data repositories with other sources like Google Analytics, SEO platform, CRM, Email, Social Media, Chat applications etc will provide better insights that will help to drive consumer interest, optimize pricing, and deliver an improved customer experience. Now analysts must also identify where important data resides, determine what needs to be extracted and devise a strategy for using new data sources to drive business decisions. (2) Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be essential for analytics: Speed of incoming data in large volumes make it difficult for human data analysts to process it effectively. In such a scenario, machine learning and AI tools come to the rescue and help analysts find patterns in customer data, elicit recommendations for optimizing performance, and allow non-professionals to access complicated analytics using simple language. (3) Analysts will become storytellers: Usual data analyst skill like SQL, Excel, business analysis etc, crunching data and making reports will not suffice now. Analysts have to do more - Obtain data from non-traditional sources; Clean data with programming languages such as Python; 'Polish' the data using data visualization tools and create attractive charts and graphs; Transform data into easy-to-understand stories which help non-analysts understand emerging trends and opportunities. Read on...
Econsultancy: The three trends driving marketing analytics in 2018
Author: Jeff Rajeck
As with most technology and design trends, there is always something new happening in web design intended to capture the imagination of the audience. Experts in the field suggest the following trends that will dominate 2018 - (1) Paul Jarvis (Designer; Writer; pjrvs.com): Bright and bold minimalism and engaging photographic content. (2) Jane Portman (UI/UX Consultant; Book Author; Founder of Tiny Reminder; Co-founder of Userlist.io): Polished web applications. High-end aesthetics need to get more affordable for SaaS founders globally. As SaaS craftsmanship gets more refined, another wave of frameworks and ready-made UI solutions are expected. (3) Josh Haynam (Co-founder of Interact Quiz Builder): Interactive content. Customers expect more personalized and entertaining experience when they interact with brands, that can inturn be delivered by content like polls, quizzes, and games. (4) Vytautas Alech (UX Designer; Product Developer): Asymmetry and brutalism inspired free-form. (5) Alexey Galyzin (Product and Lead Designer at Crello): Illustrations and animations. Illustrations set a tone for a brand and add playfulness to their content. While, animations allow one to translate more information in an efficient way, driving attention and helping to tell a story in a few seconds. (6) Paula Borowska (Freelance Designer): Consistency and focus on understanding the end users. More user research and interviews to understande target audience. More consistency of the message across all channels. The tone, the company message, the language used, the visuals etc need to stay the same. It increases customer loyalty. (7) Sunil Joshi (Co-founder and Lead Designer at WrapPixel): More video, fluid shapes, use of gradients, animated CSS and typography. Videos are becoming part of a brands presentation and communication. Videos can deliver a great deal of information quickly and visually. Read on...
Forbes: Top Web Design Trends To Watch In 2018
Author: Tomas Laurinavicius
As streaming video services on internet get popularity, advertising on television is seeing a decline. Now advertisers are shifting their dollars towards digital. In 2016, US revenues from digital advertising exceeded revenues from TV for the first time - US$ 72.5 billion (+22%) compared to US$ 71.3 billion from TV. This trend is also reflected in global markets. Some corporates are even focusing solely on digital advertising. The young (13 to 24 years age) are showing less affinity towards traditional advertising as they spend more time on Internet in comparison to TV. Only 36% of consumers noted that they cannot do without a TV screen. Meanwhile, 67% cannot imagine their lives without YouTube and 51% seem to lose meaning in life without Netflix. The same audience is watching 2.5 times more internet videos than traditional TV. Video-bloggers are the new influencers for the young population as they advocate brands and products while sharing their experiences with them in the form of effective video presentions. Video bloggers are becoming a guaranteed way for advertisers of reaching target audiences and getting predictable results. Influencer marketing is becoming more relevant. Return on investment from online videos is 77% more than from TV promos. The main trend nowadays is native advertising through opinion leaders. Traditional advertising is slowly getting outdated and a personalized Internet, along with personalized advertising, is becoming the real future. Read on...
The Next Web: Advertising in the digital age - Why online-first is the future
Author: David Geer
Charity requires commitment through time and money. But in the new world of technology there can be ways in which effortless charity has become a possibility. Here are few options that can be explored - (1) Amazon Smile: Buying through smile.amazon.com automatically contributes 0.5% of every eligible purchased made to a charity of choice. (2) Altruisto: A Chrome extension that works with over 1000 partner stores to make charitable donations from a portion of your purchases. Currently, the donations are distributed between three charities, Against Malaria Foundation, Schistosomiasis Control Initiative, and Give Directly. (3) Charity Miles: An app that converts activities into charitable donations. It logs miles, transforms them into money and donates to valuable causes. (4) CheckPoints: A rewards app that provides points when one engages in various activities like scanning barcodes, watching videos, taking surveys etc. The points collected can be redeemed and made into charitable donations. (5) Donate a Photo: A free app through which every photo submitted, limited to one per day, transforms into one dollar by Johnson & Johnson that can be donated to a cause or charity of your choice. Read on...
CNET: 5 ways to give to charity without even trying
Author: Rick Broida
Diversity and inclusion can be key to unlocking new ideas in creative disciplines. Current statistics suggest massive underrepresentation of minorities in design sector. According to the 2016 AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts)/Google Design Census, 73% of graphic designers are white, 8% are Asian, 7% are Hispanic, and 3% are African-American. This doesn't mirror the U.S. population, which, according to the 2016 U.S. Census, is 17% Hispanic, 13% African-American, and 5% Asian. Jacinda Walker, chair of AIGA's Diversity & Inclusion Task Force, is working to encourage diversity in design education, discourse, and practice. She is also founder of designExplorr that creates opportunities that expose youth to design. Her MFA thesis, 'Design Journeys: Strategies for Increasing Diversity in Design Disciplines' presents strategic ideas to expose African-American and Latino youth to design-related careers. She provides actionable steps that can be applied for building diversity in design fields - (1) Develop a Diversity Plan: Assess requirement. Set specific goals. Develop strategy. Evaluate. Read 'Designing for Diversity: Gender, Race, and Ethnicity in the Architectural Profession' by Kathryn H. Anthony. (2) Recruit Talent from Different Places: Seek niche online recruiting platforms that cater to underrepresented communities. (3) Hire Diverse Interns: Interns are potential employees. Target minority colleges to get them. (4) Use Diverse Imagery: Use diversity in marketing materials and website to attract minorities. (5) Visit a School to Talk about Design: Design educators emphasise the value of interaction of design professionals with students. (6) Mentor: Regularly meeting high school or college students to provide advice, guidance, and portfolio reviews is a necessary commitment. (7) Job Shadow: Allow students to come into the working environment so that they can observe, experience and learn in a professional setting. (8) Support Minority Business Enterprises: Build relationships with minority businesses and support them. Search them through special directories and databases. (9) Expand your Social Networks: Join various social media networks and explore special groups that focus on minority designs and designers. (10) Travel: Travel extensively and explore diverse cultures. It expands thinking and provides different perspectives. It builds emphathy and enhances creativity. Read on...
Fast Company: 10 Steps To Increase Diversity In Design Right Now
Author: John Clifford
Philanthropic giving is often influenced by governmental tax policies, social sector needs, economic conditions etc. Bruce DeBoskey, Philanthropic Strategist and Founder of The DeBoskey Group, explains the transformations that will happen in philanthropy - (1) 'Trickle-down philanthropy' not likely: It is a philanthropic notion that lowering taxes for businesses and corporations will result in increase charity and philanthropic giving. The new federal income tax law doubles the standardized deduction and will likely reduce giving by US$ 20 billion in 2018. Wealthiest 5% only give to big institutions like universities and hospitals and less to local, social service and safety-net nonprofits. While middle class donors, without tax incentives now have less to give to their historical segment, local and smaller charities. Moreover, increased estate tax exemption takes away any tax incentive for all except a minority 1800 richest Americans, further reducing giving by more billions. (2) Trump-inspired giving will sustain: Last year politically-motivated 'rage philanthropy' was a big trend. This will continue in 2018 and most will likely continue to use philanthropy as an important and influential form of civic engagement.(3) Giving circles will continue to grow: There will be growth in collective giving. According to the report by The Collective Giving Research Group, giving circles are 'a highly accessible and effective philanthropic strategy to democratize and diversity philanthropy, engage new donors, and increase local giving.' (4) Impact investing will flourish: According to US SIF Foundation, that monitors sustainable, responsible and impact investing, trillions of U.S. dollars of assets are under management using environmental, social and governance factors. In 2018 more foundations will 'put their money where their missions are' and work to achieve their missions from the engine of their philanthropic assets. (5) Benefits of volunteering recognized: Ichiro Kawachi, professor of social epidemiology at Harvard's School of Public Health, says, 'Voluntarism is good for the health of people who receive social support, but also good for the health of people who offer their help.' Such research studies will inspire increase in volunteering opportunities and activities. (6) Philanthropic strategy to go 'mainstream': Philanthropy now is much more than just a monetary transation. It is considered as a strategic and intentional investment that can be transformational - for both society and the donor. Read on...
The Denver Post: On Philanthropy - Six trends to affect philanthropic landscape in 2018
Author: Bruce DeBoskey
Confluence of sales and marketing is not often seamless. It brings challenges and creates conflicts. Business leaders keep them in silos to avoid friction. But if done effectively, collaboration between the two can bring more benefits and success, saving time and money, and yielding more leads and conversions. Following are ways in which this collaboration can be achieved - (1) Buyer Personas: Both sales and marketing have information about customer segments they serve, albeit from different sources. By sharing the two they can have much better understanding of customers. Together, they can create a precise description of the buyer personas. These descriptions generate personalized content and service delivery. (2) Timing: When the messaging and content is shared is the key to its effectiveness. Through collaboration, marketing can utilize the feedback that sales team receives from customers and time their campaigns, and plan for future strategy accordingly. On the other hand, sharing marketing strategy schedule with sales will help them know when to follow-up with prospects. (3) Content Developent: When sales team creates content it takes away their valuable time from their critical sales activities. By collaboratively developing content, sales and marketing can pool in their strengths and expertise, and focus on customers effectively. This will give sales the content they need and marketing a blueprint to create high value content that inturns generate more leads for sales. (4) Proposals and Agreements: There are software platforms that can help marketing and sales collaboratively create documents like proposals, agreements etc. According to James Kappen, CEO and Founder of Proposable, 'Marketing can go a long way to taking some of the tedious work off the shoulders of the sales team. This includes generating branded proposals with consistent formats and messaging based on the insights the sales team shares with them. That way, marketing can use its expertise in branding, corporate identity, and value-focused content to deliver a more compelling proposal to the sales team to use. The shared information and understanding of the potential buyer elevate the relevancy and engagement that the proposal can offer, enabling more conversions.' Similar tools like Eversign provide the collaborative platform marketing and sales need to work together effectively. The result is that documents can be created, revised, signed and shared between those within the company and the prospect. (5) Analysis: End of the sales cycle can also bring collaborative benefits. Working together of marketing and sales blurs the process of attracting and acquiring customers, thus making the analysis of the role each played in the process difficult. Hence, it becomes beneficial to analyze lead generation data together. This gives everyone opportunity to find out how they are contributing to the whole process and generate the necessary return. Read on...
Forbes: 5 Places Where Sales And Marketing Can Collaborate In 2018
Author: Steve Olenski
Design evolves with time and new trends become visible accordingly. Here are 5 design trends that are expected to make a mark in 2018: (1) Explained Algorithms: For the last couple of years artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have been most talked about in technology. Tech companies often kept the algorithms secret as protected IP. But now, considering the role of AI in serious decision-making situations, the need for openness and transparency in algorithms is becoming necessary. In this regard, AI community initiated the field of computer science termed as 'Explainable AI (XAI)'. David Gunning of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is building a system on XAI. This new field commits itself to make algorithms more accountable as their use involves sensitive user data. XAI expects to ensure that the relationship between technology and users is built on trust by explaining the working of AI and machine learning in critical decision-making. (2) Less Minimalism: Anti-consumerist in principle and aesthetically pleasing in practice approach to design, called minimalism, that has been at the forefront of design through lifestyle tidying guru Marie Kondo's life-changing concepts, will see a shift. More color and bolder concepts will bring new freshness. In home decor world, companies have replaced cleaned-lined Scandinavian design with chunky, gilded, colourful pieces. Online, people are celebrating ugly design with Tumblrs and Instagrams dedicated to a glittering and gaudy aesthetic. (3) Optimal Use of Technology: Excessive use of technology, specifically social media, has started taking its toll. User well-being is the new technology design mantra, as compared to the user time-spent. The idea is to build apps and technology that quietly augment our lives, not commander it. Some people who are propagating this 'Calm Tech' movement are former Xerox Parc employees Mark Weiser, Rich Gold, and John Seely Brown, who literally wrote the book on calm tech. Tristan Harris, an ex-Google ethicist, is also attempting to loosen technology's excessive grip on our attention spans through technology and app re-design. (4) No More Boring Hardware: New trends are beginning to surface in technology product design hardware, as compared to the typical - cold glass, shiny plastic, blunt shapes. Gadgets are now an inherent part of our living spaces and how they are designed influences the look and feel of our living environment. Some examples in this direction include Google's new smart speakers that were covered in a layer of soft polyester that came in white, grey, and a warm salmon hue and Microsoft Surface Pro tablet with a keyboard covered in teal and maroon Alcantara, the stain-resistant fabric that's used in luxury vehicles. (5) More Inclusive Design: Earlier products were often designed for an average user with a concept - 'If you design for everyone, you'll exclude no one.' But it is now changing and 'Inclusive' design ideas are becoming prominent. Companies like Microsoft and Google are developing a new design process that considers the problems of underserved populations as a lens for designing more thoughtful products and experiences for everyone. The idea is that by building products that are accessible to people with special needs, you're building better products. Read on...
GIZMODO: 5 Design Trends We'd Like To See More Of This Year
Author: Liz Stinson
Marketing continuously evolves, and there is always something new for marketers to test, experiment and validate, and bring it to mainstream, whether it be ideas or technologies. Here are expert predictions for 2018 - (1) Zoe Burns-Shore (Head of Brand & Marketing, First Direct): 'Hopefully, more companies will start to realise digital marketing and marketing are one in the same, and the joy of all of that is seeing how everything works together, not in channel-led silos.' (2) Rachel Bristow (Director of Client Partnerships & Collaboration, Sky Media): 'It's no longer enough for brands to be passive about their brand identity as consumers are expecting more from the brands they engage with. Often this means taking a political viewpoint in order to be relevant and engaging...Although having a political voice can elevate a brand's purpose, it comes with a host of reputation risks which brands need to carefully consider. CSR also helps align a brand with a purpose while mitigating some of those reputation risks of being politically vocal.' (3) Harry Lang (Marketing Director at Online Sportsbook Pinnacle.com): '...I'm going with eSports...Now it's getting organised and brands are paying over the odds to jump on the bandwagon - the trend lines suggest it's only going to get bigger.' (4) Aedamar Howlett (Marketing Director, Coca-Cola Great Britain): 'We will add more choice and breadth to our portfolio...tap into macro consumer trends like healthy living, exotic flavours and on-the-go snacking...we will evolve the ways we communicate and engage our consumers. The trend for instant, real-time conversations and connections with brands will continue...also trialling chat bots and AI, as well as investing in editorial-style content-led media partnerships that tap into the mass appeal of social influencers to consumers...(there) is an evolution in the way marketers use and present data insights...(insights) will allow a more personalised, targeted approach for 2018.' (5) Craig Greenberg (Head of Strategic Planning & Insight, William Grant & Sons UK): 'As consumers are constantly bombarded with information across various channels, we will see more brands attempting to cut through the clutter to become memorable...it is brands that have a differentiator aligned with their brand heritage in a credible way that will win in the long term...consumers will seek brands that build on their identity, meaning a bigger push towards 'local' specificity in luxury brands...in a period of uncertainty, big brands may feel detached from a sense of place and strive to get closer to communities.' (6) Ben Rhodes (Group Marketing Director, Royal Mail): '...continued growth in retail ecommerce - and the associated need for more convenience and choice in delivery and return options...consumer trust in messaging received via physical mail to continue to grow, compared with digital channels.' Read on...
Marketing Week: What's in store for 2018? Marketers share their predictions
Author: Lucy Tesseras
Corporations and businesses are actively involving themselves in social and community development through corporate social responsibility (CSR), philanthropy, nonprofit partnerships, volunteering etc, to create social impact and a better world. Volunteering can play an important role in providing skills that help in building a solid foundation for a successful career. Ebony Frelix, SVP of philanthropy and engagement at Salesforce, says, 'Some of my most memorable character building experiences and important learning moments have come from volunteering. I really do feel that giving back deepens our connections, bringing companies, people and communities together.' During her early career at Salesforce she managed interns from a nonprofit and later on joined Salesforce.org to lead the company's volunteer programs in Americas. She adds, 'The role opened my eyes to the possibility that I could merge my passion for volunteering with my professional career.' Salesforce applies 1-1-1 model for CSR and philanthropic activities. Marc Benioff, founder and CEO of Salesforce, at the time of founding of the company in 1999, set aside 1% of employee time for volunteering, 1% of equity for philanthropic donations, and 1% of products or services to give away to nonprofits. As a result of applying this model, Salesforce has given more than US$ 184 million in grants, 2.5 million hours of community service and provided product donations for more than 33000 nonprofits and higher education institutions. Business, technology and social impact are interconnected. Businesses realize that to do well, they have to participate in doing good. Consumers are now sensitive to ethical aspects of businesses and expect them to align with their values. Cone reports that 87% of Americans will purchase a product because a company advocates for an issue they care about and 76% refuse to purchase a company's products upon learning it supported an issue contrary to their beliefs. Ms. Frelix says, 'I'm excited about the intersection of the nonprofit and technology industries, and seeing innovative systems and products now accessible to nonprofits after traditionally only being available to large corporations.' Read on...
Forbes: How Volunteering Can Be The First Job That Sets You Up For Life
Author: Deborah Dugan
According to the website tate.org.uk, 'Emotional architecture is a style of modernist architecture conceived in the 1950s that embraced space, colour and light, creating buildings that encouraged meditation and reflection. It was conceived by the Mexican architect Luis Barragán and the sculptor and painter Mathias Goéritz who were frustrated by the cold functionalism of modernism. In 1954 Barragán and Goéritz published 'The Emotional Architecture Manifesto' in which they argued that architecture needs to be spiritually uplifting.' Emotional architecture emphasises and respects human wants and needs. Researchers Ann Sussman (architect), Janice M. Ward (designer) and Justin B. Hollander (academic at Tufts University), are developing a scientific approach to this strategy, gleaning useful insights on how people look at structures and spaces. According to them the best way to understand what factors catch the eye is to literally study its movements through biometrics. Researchers used the same eye-tracking and facial-expression analysis software used by advertisers, software developers, and automotive designers to study our near-subconscious reactions to what we see. Ms. Sussman says, 'At the moment, biometrics are predominantly used to get people to purchase things. We'd like to use them to improve public welfare, health, and well-being. We want to promote better place-making in the world and ease of walkability.' Read on...
Architectural Digest: Is Biometric Scanning the Future of Architecture Planning?
Author: Tim Nelson
According to a recent survey by Create, a new marketplace for health systems, local health networks best serve the needs of today's healthcare consumer. The survey took a detailed look at the preferences of individuals when selecting and receiving healthcare. It finds that 1/3rd have received care from more than one health system, or network of affiliated providers. Simeon Schindelman, CEO of Brighton Health Plan Solutions, says, 'This data uncovers that individuals are already taking their own steps to make their care more localized and personalized, but they aren't reaping the cost and quality benefits of such a network model. The survey also finds that there is a strong discrepancy between how loyal healthcare consumers feel they are to their primary care doctors, and how loyal they actually are. Mr. Schindelman and his team observed that 'our current healthcare system simply does not meet the needs and expectations of today's consumer...To enhance healthcare for everyone, we must move away from the current one-size-fits-all health plan, and instead listen to the needs of individuals across the country.' He explains, 'Managed care executives are responsible for managing cost, utilization and quality of care provided, while pursuing strategies for value-driven solutions. As such, hearing the preferences and expectations of today's healthcare consumer is at the center of performing those duties...this survey also uncovers a value-driven solution that has not been explored in the industry: plans that prioritize local, integrated healthcare systems.' Mr. Schindelman suggests - (1) Offer personalized plans. (2) Stop giving people benefits they don't need or use. (3) Explore new ways of lowering costs that don't compromise quality. Read on...
ModernMedicine: Three ways to make healthcare consumers happier
Author: Tracey Walker
EDIT (The Expo for Design, Innovation & Technology), the 10 day event held in Toronto (Canada) showcased art, installations and projects, focused on innovation and design to build a sustainable future for the world. It included talks from David Suzuki, Ian Campeau (A Tribe Called Red), among others. Here are 5 selected ideas and innovations - (1) Prosperity For All: Curated by Canadian designer Bruce Mau, the main exhibit juxtaposed Paolo Pellegrin's photos of devastation throughout world, with people and inventions that are helping to combat issues such as famine, refugee crisis, smog and more. It highlighted Smog Free Project (Dutch artist and innovator Daan Roosegaarde's smog free bike that works to purify the air around you while you ride), The Ocean Cleanup (Boyan Slat's creation that intend to remove 50% of the trash found in Great Pacific Garbage patch in just 5 years) and many more. (2) Art With Purpose: Dennis Kavelman, an artist and tech investor, collaborated with the Digital Futures team at OCAD University (Canada) to create a piece of work inspired by Andy Warhol. Expiry Dates works in two phases - It compiles answers from an online questionnaire, measuring your life expectancy against a myriad of points such as your fitness level, whether you smoke, if you're married and more. Then you sit for a self-portrait, which you attach to a QR Code with all your data. In a few minutes your heartbeat appears on the big screen, taken from a reading from your eye, and then your portrait appears along with your predicted date of expiry. Another piece of the installation, titled That's Not Very Many, uses a magnetized digital board to break down those days in months. (3) The New Housing: Living sustainably means looking at where we live and providing affordable housing for all. Exhibit included Mickey Mouse's Home of the Future that was a fully functional shipping container created by students at OCAD. The One House Many Nations home was created by grassroots organization Idle No More, that seeks to provide affordable housing based on traditional indigenous ideas, and consists of two modules that link together, one dubbed shelter and the other service, that can be pieced together based on the family or individual's needs as well as the landscape in which they live. (4) The Future Of Fashion: Fashion Takes Action's Design Forward award was given to a sustainable fashion label Peggy Sue Collection (founded by Peggy Sue Deaven-Smiltnieks), a line of eco-friendly cotton and denim. (5) Waste No More: Keeping in mind the concept of feeding many with minimal impact, Waterfarmers created an on-site aquaponics exhibit to show how fish waste can be used to fertilizer food. The idea is to utilize water that is housing fish to then fertilize plants, providing protein and vegetables in a sustainable manner. Read on...
CBC.ca: 5 design innovations that just might change the world
Author: Michelle Bilodeau
Nonprofits have big ideas for social good but limited resources to accomplish them. Nonprofit-corporate partnerships can be a solution to match the vision and commitment of nonprofits with the resources and practices of corporates for making a better world. According to Danielle Silber, director of strategic partnerships at American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), 'Whether it's tackling the Muslim ban or protecting green spaces, nonprofits have products and services that many companies realize they need to create a healthy business environment, and to contribute to a world their stakeholders - employees, investors and customers - want to live in.' Jessica Scadron, founder of Social Harmony, explains ways to make nonprofit-corporate partnerships successful - (1) A Shared Vision: Although companies and nonprofits have different reasons for partnering, both should agree on the partnership's purpose and outcomes. (2) Define the Partnership: Make sure each organization knows who is responsible for what, how decisions will be made, and which organization will lead the project; Appoint individuals to fulfil commitments; Cheryl Damian, SVP of Ketchum Social Purpose, says, 'Partnership terms are negotiated like any other contract. Not only does it drive accountability, it provides a clear understanding of roles and expectations...' (3) Monitor and Evaluate: Measure progress and figure out how to align metrics with disparate entities; Measurement is critical to the success of the project in order to quickly build on what works, learn from what doesn't, and keep momentum. (4) Communicate: Open dialogue will strengthen your collaboration and lead to better outcomes; Establish processes for communicating with your partner, and your internal team; Create a project work plan, schedule weekly check-in calls, and use technology to communicate. (5) Flexibility: Organizations have their own culture and they evolve and grow, and so do partnerships. Be flexibile and accomodating in approach and resolve conflicts with patience and understanding. Read on...
Triple Pundit: 5 Ingredients to Make Your Nonprofit-Corporate Partnership Succeed
Author: Jessica Scadron
Customer data is key for effective decision-making in marketing and advertising. Even though technology has provided tools to collect and analyze data, and obtain valuable insights, both brand marketers and agency buyers are unsure of the transparency and effectiveness of the data their partners are providing. According to the recent study, 'More Data, More Problems: Trust, transparency, and Targeting in 2017' by Bazaarvoice and Ad Age, more than 75% of survey respondents admitted they are not fully confident that the data they're utilizing is hitting consumers who are in-market to buy. Additionally, 65% of respondents claimed they do not fully understand the origin of their data sources. Here are 10 important questions that one should ask the advertising data provider before embarking on a marketing campaign and get the best value from it - (1) What are the sources of your data? (2) How far does your data reach? (3) What percentage of your data is created from a look-alike model? (4) Which intent signals or behaviors place a user into an audience segment? (5) How do you maintain your audience segments? (6) Can you explain the process behind how you define your audience segments - and the data that feeds into them? (7) In which categories does your data best perform, and why? (8) For which metric(s) does your data best perform, and why? (9) Can you reach the same user across their multiple devices? (10) Does your data drive brand consideration and/or sales, and can you accurately attribute the performance lift directly to your campaign? If so, how? Read on...
AdAge: 10 Questions You to Need to Ask Your Advertising Data Provider
Author: Toby McKenna
Over the years the dynamics of relationship between patients and healthcare providers have evolved into customers and healthcare businesses type. Rising cost of healthcare, multiple providers, privatization and technology are some important reasons for this transformation. Brad Dodge, President of Dodge Communications, and Andrew Pelosi, President of Partners & Simons, provide in detail what the patients as consumers of healthcare services expect from providers and how healthcare businesses can develop robust customer oriented strategies and fulfil the role of trusted partner in providing care services. They explain, 'Healthcare consumers have come to the realization that they have options. They don't have to settle for poor service, long wait times, limited hours, or confusing bills. Customer loyalty has to be earned - as in any other business. And consumers make it perfectly clear that if a provider can't deliver a better and more personalized experience, then they will switch to one that can. Moreover, the shift in mentality demands that providers be transparent and personal as much as possible. And from generation to generation, consumers are demanding clear communication and a trusted connection with their providers.' According to the Solutionreach Patient-Provider Relationship Study, 'The Ripple Effect Starts with Boomers', 43% of millennials are likely to switch practices in the next few years, 44% of Generation X are likely to switch primary care physicians in the three years and 20% of Baby Boomers are likely to switch in the next three years. Also, 70% of patients desire the ability to text the doctor's office, and 70% would like to receive text messages from their doctor, especially about appointments. Healthcare providers have to keep in mind expectations of these consumers and provide them personalized experience if they want long-term continuous relationships. Authors suggest - (1) Communication Drives Experience: 'The essence of creating a positive experience is making customers feel that they are heard and important — before, during, and after a transaction. Consistent, relevant communication between your company and customers is the answer to optimize that experience and engender trust. Honest communication with an emphasis on personalization builds the trust that all companies need to grow in this new information-driven, engagement economy.' (2) Entering the Engagement Economy: 'Consumers are demanding a more personalized relationship that requires a depth of knowledge of their wants, needs, and buying behaviors - and, ultimately, the best ways to engage them. Brands that succeed are the ones that manage engagement across the entire customer lifecycle. In most instances, the lifecycle and trust-building process starts very early in the customer's buying decision, even before they are considering a purchase.' (3) Who Are You Talking To: 'Creating a positive customer experience requires knowing your audience, engaging interpersonally, and meeting their needs. Answering those questions helps you develop an understanding that will be reflected in how you communicate with them across all channels, as well as what content you deliver. Also, organizations must be clear and concise; they must also offer up a valuable story; and they must be prepared to tweak that story as the marketplace changes.' (4) Focus on Delighting Customers: 'Focusing on ways to delight customers will go a long way in nurturing engagement and trust in your brand. Again, communicating and delivering valuable information to potential and existing customers can please them, especially when that information demonstrates an understanding of their pain points and goals.' (5) Harnessing Engagement: In an environment where trust is in short supply and customer engagement is spread across a broad digital ecosystem, companies must focus on their customers and on nurturing relationships through effective, relevant communication. Focusing on customer experience, needs, and preferences will not only enable brands to differentiate their products and services in a competitive market but also build the trust that results in loyalty.' Read on...
MarketingProfs: Engaging Customer Experiences Are a Make-or-Break Business Factor - The Case of Healthcare
Authors: Brad Dodge, Andrew Pelosi
Social enterprises are businesses driven by the purpose to do social good and work for the uplifment and betterment of society. Business corporations too are creating similar impact through their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and often partner with social enterprises. The concept of doing good while making money is becoming mainstream. According to a survey by Rappler, '90% of millennials today value purpose as highly as salary and career progression in choosing their place of work. They prioritize impactful businesses that are sustainable and responsible in conducting their operations.' Thomas Graham, founder of MAD (Make A Difference) Travel and author of 'The Genius of the Poor', explains how a community of social entrepreneurs, 'Gawad Kalinga (GK) Enchanted Farm' in Bulacan (Near Manila, Philippines), is making a difference in the local community and market, what for-profit businesses can learn from their way of working, and provides an example of a growing social enterprise that is part of the system. Even Jean-Philippe Courtois, President of Microsoft International, visited the GK Enchanted Farm, a 42-hectare farm-village-university, not only to give back but also to meet the entrepreneurs there and learn more about how their values-driven approach has been able to make an impression in the market. Mr. Graham says, 'The greater goal of the farm, however, is not to convince everyone to become a social entrepreneur, but to demonstrate that doing business in the spirit of 'walang iwanan' (no one gets left behind) can be beneficial to everyone, no matter how big or small a business is.' Explaining the working model of a social enterprise in the GK farm, 'Plush and Play' (founded by a Frenchman Fabien Courteille), Mr. Graham says, 'Instead of conducting a more conventional business approach, which might involve extensive market research and a strict business model, followed by the importing of skills from elsewhere, Courteille instead spent his time living in the GK village, discovering the aspirations and talents of the community - in this case, sewing - and building a business plan out through unleashing the potential he saw before him.' Mr. Courteille comments, 'I did not choose an industry, but a beneficiary.' There are lessons that are to be learned from the working and progress of social enterprises. Mr. Graham says, 'Of course, 'Plush and Play' still has a long way to go before its volume of sales can compete with other mainstream brands in the Philippines, but there are lessons we can take from Courteille progress thus far. As consumers become increasingly patriotic and socially/environmentally conscious, having a great and authentic story to tell can set you apart, even in the most congested of markets. In this sense, doing good really does make good business sense.' He further explains, 'There are over 40 different social enterprises all at varying stages of growth and development, but what is to learn from them is valuable to any business: hard work, resilience, ingenuity, creativity, innovation, sustainability and taking care of one's employees and environment.' Read on...
BusinessMirror: Big businesses could learn from social enterprises
Author: Thomas Graham
To interact with customers, keep them connected and build long-term beneficial relationships is the goal of every business. But, achieving it is a challenge and takes a lot of planning and work. According to Cody Burch, founder of Red Anchor Marketing, far too many business owners are limiting themselves to one offering, and missing the bigger picture of what they can do to serve their target audiences. He suggests that businesses should focus on customer experience and offer them multiple products and services to choose from. Mr. Burch provides five steps to establish a complete customer journey - (1) Start with the ideal/ultimate solution that can be provided to people and gives best result. Find the price for this offering and set it as the benchmark. (2) Take a step down from the ideal and design an offering. Repeat the steps until you have an array of offerings from low-cost/low-touch to concierge-level service. Mr. Burch stresses that businesses need a variety of solutions at various price points. (3) Be clear on the transformation you provide. Make sure that the solution you offer is presented in a way your market intuitively understands and values. (4) Cross-sell (products related to and that will enhance your current offering) and upsell (an upgraded offering). Even after the first sale, continue to cross-promote your products and services. (5) Think about your customer experience as a competitive advantage. Mr. Burch says, 'No matter how big or small your business is, you can create a memorable customer journey, one that serves your market, highlights your brand, and makes it stand out from the competition.' Read on...
Huffington Post: Your Customer Journey - Five Steps to Business Success
Author: Lain Ehmann
Design conscious renters and buyers seek well designed interiors when searching for living spaces, in addition to location, price and amenities. Mary Cook, founder and principal at Mary Cook Associates (MCA), explains the fundamentals of design that should be kept in mind for successful interiors. Moreover, answering the following questions focused on the end user is key to achieve best results - who is my client, where do they live and what does that mean to how they live? Design basics she suggests are - (1) Scale and Proportion: Balancing the scale and proportion of the elements of the interior (like furniture etc) with the overall space is key to achieving comfort. Also keep in mind the target market and adjust the elements accordingly. (2) Function and Livability: Effective design is achieved by understanding the various functions that take place in the living space. Also understand the requirements of those who are expected to occupy it. Designers should consider how the target market will experience and utilize the various spaces within the unit before implementation of their ideas. (3) Lighting: Lighting design is essential and proper balance need to be achieved. It is one of the often overlooked element of interior design. Comprehensive lighting plans that fulfil the needs of those who will occupy the space makes it attractive. Layered lighting is the key to achieving optimal illimination. A combination of natural lighting, foundational lighting and task-centered lighting brings the necessary balance and efficiency. Read on...
Multi-Housing News: 3 Common Design Mistakes That Keep Renters at Bay
Author: Mary Cook
Handling failures effectively is an important aspect of learning from the process of doing. When it comes to social entrepreneurship, understanding the dynamics of failure may be more complex then for-profit entrepreneruship. While pursuing social goals for the betterment of the world, it might be harder to reconcile and recuperate when one fails. Keep the following things in mind when one recovers from failure in the social sector - (1) You raised awareness: Understand the value of spreading a good idea and message. It can be a satisfaction in itself. (2) You learned what not to do: Lessons learned from the failed project can lay the foundation for success in future projects. (3) Your leadership will be refined: Leading a social impact organization is very challenging. Skills get honed and further developed during the process. Failure can bring humility, ownership, accountability and resiliency - the traits of an influential leader that can embark on the tough journey of bringing social change and serving others. Read on...
Forbes: 3 Ways Social Entrepreneurs Can Think About Failure Differently
Author: Tori Utley
Data can be gold for those who can mine and transform it into a valuable form. Mastercard is giving a new meaning to it and evolving a concept of 'data philanthropy.' Shamina Singh, president of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, explains the idea of data philanthropy and how data can be utilized for social good and social impact. She says, 'The initiative first came up through a partnership with DataKind in the United States. They were set up to galvanize data scientists from around the world and plug them into social impact work. And so a number of our Mastercard data scientists signed up to DataKind programs, and this gave us the opportunity to form a much more lasting and strategic partnership between the organizations. It opened a new conversation about data for good, what it could look like, and who was doing what in this space. It was also around this time that we had the United Nations opening up to data and data initiatives, and companies like Microsoft thinking about data for good.' Explaining some of the elements of data philanthropy Mastercard is focused on, she says, 'One is working with actual Mastercard data and trying to figure out if there are uses with anonymized and aggregated data that will not only respect the rules of the road around privacy, but can be used for research. We first opened our data for use by Harvard University, who approached us with a proposal to use the data to understand how economies grow, with a specific focus on tourism data and understanding how tourism dollars move in a country. Using Mastercard transaction data, we were able to provide new insights into this area...The other area of data philanthropy is around data analytics. What we have found is that many social impact organizations or NGOs do not need Mastercard data at all. Instead, they need to understand their own data, but often don't have the capacity or resources to help themselves. In those instances, we provide either a grant to hire a data scientist, fund an expert consultant, or provide our own data scientists to build their capacity and ability to learn. The inspiration for this element of data philanthropy came from our work with an organization called DoSomething...' Providing information on how Mastercard data scientists are internally looking for insights, she says, 'We started something called the charitable donations insight, and that is something that one of our colleagues is doing where she is using Mastercard data and drawing insights to help nonprofits understand charitable giving. We asked what a spending poll would look like for not-for-profits and social impact organizations, and insights is the first attempt at that...What she realized is that a lot of the not-for-profits have to raise their own funds, but there is not a lot of science behind potentially where and how they should be doing this. So she thought if she could unlock some of the data around the charitable contributions that we know of, she could offer insights to assist them. The other thing we did, which was very interesting, was we created a dataset that organizations could pull down if they want to, and mix it with your own data to self-regulate your own work.' Read on...
devex: Q&A - How Mastercard uses data for better philanthropy
Author: Lisa Cornish
Team of researchers - Anatoli Colicev of Nazarbayev University (Kazakhstan), Ashwin Malshe of University of Texas at San Antonio (USA), Koen Pauwels of Northeastern University (USA) and Peter O'Connor of ESSEC Business School (France) - in their paper 'Improving Consumer Mind-Set Metrics and Shareholder Value through Social Media: The Different Roles of Owned and Earned' published in Journal of Marketing, describe the impact of social media on stock market performance via three consumer mindset metrics: brand awareness, purchase intent, and consumer satisfaction. According to the research all the social media posts are not created equal. Owned social media (OSM), i.e. company's own posts, is likely to increase brand awareness and customer satisfaction but not purchase intent. While earned social media (ESM), i.e. what consumers say about brands on social platforms, is even more valuable, potentially increasing all three consumer mindset metrics. Prof. Koen Pauwels says, 'Consumers look to their peers before making purchasing decisions, which is why earned social media is so valuable. Both investors and consumers distrust companies who boast about themselves, because it's hard to know what weaknesses they're trying to hide.' The researchers also found that consumer satisfaction and purchase intent are primary contributors to firm value. While higher consumer satisfaction was found to increase stock market returns, greater purchase intent was shown to both increase stock market returns and lower idiosyncratic risk - risk that is endemic to a particular stock and not a whole investment portfolio. The researchers used time series analysis to decipher the link between social media posts on various platforms consumer mindset metrics, and shareholder value. Prof. Pauwels suggests that research findings could assist marketers to develop more effective social media strategies. He says, '...marketers and social media managers should craft their OSM messages to target customers to improve brand awareness and customer satisfaction. Due to the value-relevance of customer satisfaction, OSM that is targeted toward helping customers post-purchase, addressing their concerns, and reinforcing their purchase decisions is much more valuable than OSM crafted to persuade customers to buy the firm's products.' The research also found that brands with high credibility (reputation) are far more likely than brands with low credibility to increase purchase intent with their own posts. Read on...
News @ Northeastern: When it comes to social media, consumers trust each other, not big brands
Author: Jason Kornwitz
According to various studies corporate ethics and social responsibility (CSR) are becoming integral to the realm of businesses and corporations. Ethisphere Institute has been compiling list of 'World's Most Ethical Companies' since 2007. Robert Reiss, host of CEO TV Show and co-author of 'The Transformative CEO', interacted with business leaders to discuss the state of business ethics and CSR, particularly emphasizing on the concepts and their meaning, relationship between ethics and responsibility, best practices in building an ethical culture, and insights on measuring ethics. Here are their summarized responses - (1) Dan Amos (Chairman and CEO of Aflac): 'Ethics is a mindset, not an option.' Consumers respond to it in positive way; Ethics is a subset of CSR. Ethical companies will always display strong governance and compliance. Socially responsible companies are ethical but also understand their overall obligation to make the world a better place; Culture begins at the top. Communicate and celebrate responsibility regularly. Don't be partially ethical; Annual scientific CSR survey, work with Ethisphere and Reputation Institute to validate the direction of ethics and CSR programs. (2) Timothy Erblich (CEO of Ethisphere Institute): 'Good Ethics is Good Business.' Financial return of ethics is significant; CSR is a critical component of overall ethics quotient just like governance culture, transparency, customers, gender equality, philanthropy etc. Its all combined to build trust; Empower managers at the local level. Top leadership must be all in. Be committed and focus on integrity. Measure and communicate results. Incorporate culture at all levels and in all activites; Measure through peer-to-peer analysis and networking. Directly engage with employees. Routinely survey employees, customers and stakeholders. Join exclusive networks like the Ethisphere's Business Ethics Leadership Alliance (BELA). (3) Rodney Martin (CEO of Voya Financial): 'Ethics is a reflection of our commitment to doing business the right way. We emphasize trust and transparency.'; CSR includes key aspects of company culture like ethics and transparency, diversity, inclusion and equality, environmental sustainability, governance, and volunteerism and philanthropy; Exemplary leadership is essential. It should be part of the core values. Building ethical culture must be centered on doing the right thing in a safe and open environment; Participate in Ethisphere Institute's annual World's Most Ethical Companies. It enables to benchmark the company with other industry leaders. Read on...
Forbes: Top CEOs Place High Value On Corporate Ethics And Social Responsibility To Drive Business
Author: Robert Reiss
E-commerce has disrupted traditional retail but at the same time pure-play e-commerce companies find it challenging to be profitable. Steve Dennis, strategic advisor, keynote speaker and founder of SageBerry Consulting, provides economic dynamics of e-commerce companies and analyzes the challenges to their road to profitability. He cites the case of e-commerce behemoth, Amazon, that accounts for 45% of US e-commerce and being in business for more than 20 years, still operates at below average industry margins. Some e-commerce companies are even investing to have physical retail presence. Regarding e-commerce among traditional retailers, Mr. Dennis says, '...it's clear that the e-commerce divisions of many major omni-channel retailers run at a loss - or at margins far below their brick & mortar operations.' According to him, increasingly high cost of acquiring (and retaining) customers online is one of the main dynamics that is an impediment to profitability. He explains, 'As it turns out, many online brands attract their first tranche of customers relatively inexpensively, through word of mouth or other low cost strategies. Where things start to get ugly is when these brands have to get more aggressive about finding new and somewhat different customers.' He provides three factors that lead to this - (1) Marketing costs start to escalate: To seek growth, advertising spend increases; Online platforms like Facebook, Google etc are utilized to gain broader audience. (2) More promotion, less attraction: Customers in the growth phase need more incentives, so gross margin on these incremental sales comes at a lower rate; Customers now expect discounts for future purchases, making them inherently less profitable than the initial core customers. (3) Questionable (or lousy) lifetime value: Customers that are acquired as the brand scales have lower incremental lifetime value, both because on average they spend less and because they are inherently more difficult to retain. Read on...
Forbes: Unsustainable Customer Acquisition Costs Make Much Of Ecommerce Profit Proof
Author: Steve Dennis
Education and learning has to keep pace with the happenings in industry, and equip students with the cutting-edge knowledge and skills, to assure their success in the highly competitive marketplace. Simon Biggs, Education Liaison Officer for Wales at Renishaw, explains how 3D printing is the new technology that is becoming mainstream part of the classrooms for engineering and mathematical learning. Mr. Biggs says, '3D printing is a well-established industrial technology for prototyping and manufacturing, particularly popular with the aerospace and defence sectors. Also known as additive manufacturing (AM), 3D printing is the process of making a solid 3D object from a digital computer aided design (CAD) file...3D printing is a rapid production method with minimal waste material. Its design flexibility means users can manufacture bespoke objects for a low cost...Understanding and using this growing technology can benefit children's learning, particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects but also beyond these more traditional fields in music, design technology, history, geography and biology...Exciting and innovative projects are also a simple way to keep pupils engaged in STEM subjects, which is a vital step forward in addressing the STEM skills shortage.' Explaining the rise of 3D printers in schools and their use to develop new skills in students, he says, 'The increasing numbers of 3D printers in schools is not only due to the increasing recognition of 3D printing being a relevant and engaging educational tool, but also relates to the number and availability of low cost 3D printing machines...Advances in resources available for teachers and other education professionals are also making 3D printing more widely accessible...Using 3D printing as a production method enables students and pupils to move from the conception of an idea to producing a physical object with relative ease...Interrogating a physical object can make it easier for pupils to spot mistakes in designs. This allows them to gain valuable problem solving skills in a creative, hands-on way.' Read on...
The Engineer: The future of 3D printing in education
Author: Simon Biggs
Executive pay is always a topic of debate and more so when it is a case of nonprofits. Moreover, when nonprofit healthcare executives are in focus, the dynamics of the issue become even more complex. As healthcare is an essential aspect of everybody's life, rich or poor, and has a humanitarian dimension, the issue is an everyone's concern. In healthcare, just like in education, for-profit and nonprofit delivery models co-exist, but general population treats these sectors as noble and a large number despises the business-like profit-making approach. A debate is brewing up at the University of Vermont Medical Center (USA), a nonprofit healthcare provider, where CEO's salary is more than US$ 2 million. To justify the compensation, hospital board members say that their executive pay is in line with competitors and makes up a small portion of their budget. But there are other differing views. Sen. Chris Pearson (P/D-Chittenden) says, 'To see that the CEO of our hospital is getting US$ 2 million...it's just way out of whack with the Vermont economy.' State of Vermont has 14 hospitals, all of them nonprofits. Kevin Mullin, the state's chief health care regulator, decided to highlight the salaries of top officials in these hospitals. He says, 'I think it might be illuminating to the public.' Scottie Emery-Ginn, UVM's board chair, justifying executive compensation, says, 'Our health care professionals come from a national market...In order for us to get the best people and keep the best people, we need to pay competitively.' There are no clear rules on salaries of nonprofit employees. The IRS requires only that compensation be 'reasonable', which has been interpreted to mean comparable to similar organizations. A Wall Street Journal analysis of Form 990s found that, in 2014, 2700 nonprofits provided seven-figure compensation packages, and 3/4th of those organizations worked in the health care sector. Executive pay is a concern during the debates on cost of medical care. The US spends US$ 3 trillion annually on health care - more than any other country - and administrative costs are 20-30% of that sum. Sen. Pearson says, 'It obviously inflates our health care costs...When you have public-relations people at the state's largest nonprofit hospital making half a million a year, it undermines confidence in the entire system.' Views of other employees are important in this regard. Maggie Belensz, a nurse at UVM's neurological unit, says, 'It's difficult to hear those numbers as a nurse.' Laurie Aunchman, a UVM nurse and president of Vermont Federation of Nurses & Health Professionals, acknowledged the need to pay competitively but said the hospital should balance 'offering someone a million dollars or 2 million dollars' with investing money in 'taking care of the patient.' Mari Cordes, a UVM nurse and health care activist, says, 'We think it's an ethical issue. That excess money could be used to improve access to health care for everyone in Vermont...It could be used to provide support for people actually providing the frontline high-quality care.' Dr. Deb Richter, a universal health care proponent, described executive pay at Vermont hospitals as 'obscene.' Read on...
Seven Days VT: Million-Dollar Question - How Much Should Nonprofit Hospital CEOs Earn?
Author: Alicia Freese
Businesses invest heavily on external communication and PR, but internal PR can sometime take a back seat and get neglected, although it is as important and keeps organizations focused and uniformly branded. Lindsay Nahmiache, Co-founder and CEO of Jive PR + Digital, explains the value of internal PR and provides three creative ways to enhance internal PR strategy. She says, 'Effective internal PR benefits brand identity, boosts employee retention and paves the way for a connected culture where teams are focused on common collaborative goals.' Moreover, digitally evolved workplaces and remote collaboration has brought in new communication dynamics that need to be addressed with robust internal PR strategy. She explains, 'In my experience, creating a forward-thinking internal strategy requires consistent and open two-way communication that is fueled by team cohesion and recognition.' (1) Openness: Promote teamwork; Place trust in your team; Attend outing with employees and do team oriented activities; Start hashtags that reflect your office culture and encourage team member participation; Once a month organize socializing events during office time. (2) Consistent Two-Way Communication: Encourage questions and open discussions on best practices and solutions; Consistency is key for collective innovation and individual responsibility; Publicize internal PR through multiple channels; Hold scheduled weekly meetings with all employees in one place to ensure lines of communication are open about current and future projects; Give higher-level insight into new employee hirings, business decisions, holiday news and more during weekly manager meetings. (3) Team Recognition: Team members respond positively to recognition of their work because it confirms their impact on the bottom line; Take time to reward your team through informal or formal awards; Hold innovation challenges by creating opposing teams; Focus on client wins as much as you do with client struggles. Read on...
Forbes: Three Creative Ways To Boost Your Internal PR Strategy
Author: Lindsay Nahmiache
Students often take part in initiatives outside of the structured academic curriculum and pursue their independent learning interests. They create common interest clubs, publish magazines, develop websites etc. Architectural education is an area that demands continuous stream of ideas and creativity. Digital world of collaboration and speed sharing, and reaching out to wider audience is giving new meaning to student-driven platforms. KoozA/rch, Bartlett's Lobby, AA Files (Architectural Association's Journal), Yale School of Achitecture's Perspecta are some examples. Sabrina Syed, Co-founder of Volume64, shares the story of their design platform (Volume64) that evolved out of conversations among students. She explains, 'We test different micro-typologies and challenge architectural norms through our drawing experiments: isometric cubes of 4x4x4 meters - coined the CubeLab. In one season, around 50-70 drawings are produced by a constantly changing team of contributors. Our collaborators write, curate, and edit briefs which our team of contributors (regular and visiting) respond to in drawings that get released in 2-week installments, with 5-6 briefs marking a season...The idea of Volume64 was sparked when our co-founder Lloyd Lee attended a workshop on diagrams during his first term at the Architectural Association.' Mr. Lee says, 'What can we do without the decades of practical experience and necessary compromises in architecture? Can there be a space dedicated purely to the experiments and drawings resulting from this line of questioning? Volume64 finally came to light as we continued our conversations from these questions.' Ms. Syed further explains, 'Challenging everyday spaces, and thus questioning the perception of architecture, became the motivation behind Volume64. The idea of a platform developed: To express these small exercises that could challenge existing rules without the limitations of academic or professional submissions...Volume64 is run by a group of students in their final years of architecture education. Currently, our team members are from the Architectural Association, the Bartlett School of Architecture and the Edinburgh School of Architecture (ESALA). Collaboration is at the heart of the platform.' Jonathan Wren, Bartlett School of Architecture M.Arch, says, 'Cross-school collaboration has encouraged very different takes on similar briefs. [It creates] a lot of cross--fertilization of ideas, approaches, and methods that go beyond speaking with friends at other schools, reading about others' work or visiting degree shows.' Henry Schofield, Bartlett School of Architecture M.Arch, says, 'Volume64 is an essential tool for architecture students to not only exercise their ability to think and question but also to share and engage in a dialogue with their fellow contributors, in order to produce productive architectural content that contributes to the critical discourse of the platform...' Read on...
ArchDaily: This Student-Run Website Is Experimenting With Architecture Through Cubes
Author: Sabrina Syed
Rapid pace of innovation is the defining feature of the current era. According to the World Economic Forum, 'The speed of current breakthroughs has no historical precedent.' Financing industry now have innovative lending platforms, both for-profit and nonprofit, for small businesses. But there are concerns regarding many products as they may trap small businesses in a cycle of debt. Gina Harman, CEO (U.S. Network, Accion), explains the challenges that nonprofit lenders face due to rapid innovation happening in the industry and shares insights from the conversation between industry experts - Kate Mirkin (Salesforce.org, Salesforce's nonprofit social enterprise); Prashant Reddy (DemystData); Patrick Davis (CRF, Community Reinvestment Fund); Shaolee Sen (Accion). Myth 1 - The only barrier to scale is the absence of technology: Technology investments get wasted if there are no capable people to deploy it internally and manage the necessary changes in business processes. Challenges are even more when multiple organizations are involved in the project. Establishing and maintaining discipline is essential. Right technology with right data is required to maximize its utility. Myth 2 - For nonprofit organizations, passion to serve more people outweighs fear of change: Nonprofits must overcome lack of investment in talent, knowledge and resources required to drive technological innovation. Nonprofit organizations in business lending industry must consider change necessary to better serve their stakeholders. Collaborative approach to manage technological change must be adopted between the organization and the key stakeholders. Myth 3 - Only organizations with large technology budgets can innovate: Small investments in incremental improvements can add real value to organizations. Even effective data utilization can bring transformative changes at low cost. Within the social impact and mission-driven space, an approach with shared purpose and collective interests can help organizations collaborate and pool resources to implement and utilize costly technological innovations to provide value to the group. Read on...
Huffington Post: 3 Innovation Myths that Nonprofit Lenders Should Abandon
Author: Gina Harman
Design influences products and services from inception to completion. John Maeda, Global Head of Computational Design & Inclusion at Automattic, in his '2017 Design in Tech' report explains that markets are relying on intangibles like design for a higher ROI. Tracy Leigh Hazzard, CEO of industrial design firm Hazz Design, explores the value of design in today's market, and the details Mr. Maeda has provided in his recently released report. Mr. Maeda is spearheading the new convergence across the design & technology industries. Data shows that design is an all-encompassing process of offering something to the market that is complete in every way, and also inclusive. Linking design directly to ROI provides measurement of value that design offers to organizations and how sucessful it actually was/is. Design is about market relevance and meaningful results. Mr. Maeda says, 'We moved from 'tech-led' to 'experience-led' digital products as services on smartphones took over and gave access to everyone.' Designers are finding more acceptance in the technology industry and their headcount is increasing. Linda Naiman, Inc.com Columnist, says, 'Making inclusive design profitable hinges on the principle that if you want to reach a larger market, you have to reach people you're not already reaching by being inclusive. This new frontier of design requires some technical understanding outside of purely classical design. The hybrid designer/developer, referred to as a 'unicorn' in the tech industry, is often relied upon to bridge that gap.' Read on...
Inc.com: Why Design Is the Best Bottom-Line Strategy
Author: Tracy Leigh Hazzard
A research study by Strategy Analytics' AppOptix practice (AO) brings good news for B2B players as it finds that 50.4% of consumers use their personal smartphone for business purposes. Employees are using their personal smartphones to conduct business and installing public domain and company-sponsored apps for file sharing, data security, time sheets, expense reporting, and collaboration. B2B companies can identify these business users disguised as consumers to target their offerings. The study also found - 20.5% of business users utilize their personal smartphone over 50% of the time to conduct business; 20.8% of business users are compensated by their employer for their network/wireless operator charges. Author of the study, Prabhat Agarwal (Director, AppOptix), says, 'This research showcases and substantiates there are entry points for B2B players that are looking to offer business services to consumers...By analyzing combinations of apps, we can create probability profiles that identify likely users of business services.' Barry Gilbert (VP, Strategy Analytics), says, 'The business and enterprise user is a critical and lucrative market for mobile operators, device OEMs, and many enterprise software firms...' Read on...
Business Insider: 50.4% of Consumers Use Their Personal Smartphones to Conduct Business, Finds Strategy Analytics
Research paper 'Secular Trends and Technological Progress' by Prof. Enrico C. Perotti and Robin Döttling (Ph.D. student) from University of Amsterdam (Netherlands) finds intangible capital or assets have played a key role in shaping growth, asset prices and inequality in recent decades. Researchers explain, 'The transition to a knowledge-based economy and the associated shift from physical to intangible capital is a primary cause for the rising excess savings over productive investment in advanced economies, presented in the 'secular stagnation' hypothesis. Falling interest rates and rising long-term asset values can be interpreted as a direct consequence of this gradual process. Critically, the approach also allows (us) to interpret the growing share of income gained by innovators, the progressive reallocation of credit from productive to asset financing uses (primarily for housing) and the rise in household leverage.' Secular stagnation, with its low inflation and low growth, can be understood by the growth of information economy and the expansion of intangible assets. In the information economy companies rely more on intangible assets and over the years they have boosted their investment in intangibles like intellectual property from about 30% of company capital in 1980 to nearly 70% today. According to the researchers, both intangible capital and skilled labor have outpaced the broad economy in productivity growth. James Saft explains the implications of the research findings - Secular stagnation may be here to stay, at least until the intangible economy starts coming up with projects that require huge capital investment; Monetary policy may be fighting a losing battle to spark investment and build inflation and lower-skilled wage growth; Taxation and redistribution may end up the only way to let the market work in producing innovation and also reach a democratically acceptable allocation of the proceeds. Read on...
Reuters: How the knowledge economy causes secular stagnation - James Saft
Author: James Saft
According to Prof. Pritam Singh, Oxford Brookes University (UK), BRICS nations will lead the global economy and play vital role in spatial shift of the global capitalist economy. While speaking at expert session on 'Global Economic and Environment Crisis Faced by BRICS Economies' at Chandigarh University, Prof. Singh said, '...By 2050, if the Indian economy continues to maintain the current growth pace (GDP growth 7%), it will be the dominant global supplier of services while China would dominate the global manufacturing industry...' Read on...
The Tribune: BRICS nations to lead economy - Oxford professor
2017 'Consumer Email Habits Report: What Do Your Customers Really Want', a study of 1003 online respondents commissioned by Campaign Monitor and conducted by Market Cube, finds that nonprofit email marketers are lagging behind peers, and the preferences of constituencies, in their ability to provide personalized, relevant messaging. 81% of consumers in the report want touches of personalization in emails they receive from nonprofits. In terms of relevancy of emails to supporters and potential supporters, nonprofits lag behind substantially with only 42% respondents stating that they regularly receive relevant emails. Andrea Wildt, chief marketing officer for Campaign Monitor, says, 'Email personalization can be based on either personal demographics or behavior - how an individual is interacting with an organization...personally relevant emails resonate better with recipients - building a trust that is sometimes hard to foster when recipients are bombarded with so many contacts from so many senders.' According to Ms. Wildt, 'Nonprofits struggle to provide personally relevant emails due to overall lack of ability to capture data and use that data to segment. Resources available to nonprofits are often far more modest than those of retailers.' Further complicating matters for nonprofits is the disparate ways various age groups interact with emailed material. Ms. Wildt suggests, 'Nonprofits must take a multi-pronged approach to marketing (using different tactics/strategies/technologies to target specific age groups)...They are just not quite as mature at leveraging some of the technology. There is so much noise that nonprofits really need help cutting through. The competition for donors' wallets is still fierce.' Read on...
The NonProfit Times: Marketers Not Giving Consumers What They Want
Author: Andy Segedin
According to 'Instructional Design Report 2016' funded by the Gates Foundation, there are 13000 instructional designers in US. The field is increasing in popularity as online education proliferates and the need to translate content into digital forms rises. Designing online learning experiences is becoming essential training employees, mobilizing customers, serving students, building marketing channels, and sustaining business models. Instructional design has deep roots in distance education, human computer interaction, and visual design. ontemporary instructional design sits at the intersection of three core disciplines: learning science, human-centered design, and digital marketing. Following are some lessons and resources for those starting out in the field of instructionl designs - (1) Start with a deep understanding of your learners: Start by developing an Empathy Guide similar to one put together by Stanford d.School or reviewing the free book 'Talking to Humans' by Giff Constable; Conduct observations and interviews with target learners; Synthesize finds into learner archetypes; Test instructional concepts and product ideas by building rough prototypes; d.School 'Protyping Dashboard', Design Thinking process courses by IDEO.org or free resources offered by IDEO's Teacher's Guild. (2) Ground yourself in the fundamentals of learning science: Research on learning and teaching; 'The ABCS of How We Learn', a 2016 book by Daniel Schwartz; 'How People Learn', the 1999 foundational text edited by John Bransford, Ann Brown, and Rodney Cocking; Online Stanford lectures on Education's Digital Future. (3) Determine the 'powerful ideas' you want to teach and build your curriculum using backwards design: For education technology read Seymour Papert's 'Mindstorms: Children, Computer and Powerful Ideas'; Then use 'Understanding By Design Framework' (ascd.org) to structure your curriculum. (4) Go study other great teachers and other great learning experiences: altMBA program by Seth Godin that runs using Slack; Angela Duckworth's delivery of messages on camera; Animations produced by Amnesty International; Interactive lessonas produced on Oppia; Screen-based technologies produced by groups like Paulo Blikstein's Transformative Learning Technologies Lab; Explore multiple approaches from diverse instructional materials available online. (5) Get a lay of the technological landscape, but don't let your LMS hold you hostage: Get familiar with various platform options, particularly with most popular ones - Coursera, Udacity, Udemy, and EdX; Check out the list of global MOOC platforms curated by Class Central; Read some critical perspectives from the likes of Digital Pedagogy Lab or the MIT Media Lab; Check out the blogs of online learning pioneers like Connie Malmud. (6) Don't try to migrate an in-person experience into an online format: Read 'Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology' by Allan Collins and Richard Halverson; Explore perspectives and research of Mitch Resnick and the late Edith Ackermann of the MIT Media Lab. (7) If you build it, they won't come. Understand the fundamentals of digital marketing: Check out blog post of Alex Turnbull (Founder of Groove) that explains 6-step marketing strategy for selling online course; Udemy has also created a great toolkit to help online course instructors market their learning experience. (8) Collect student feedback. Iterate. Share what you learned. Read on...
EdSurge: A Starter Kit for Instructional Designers
Author: Amy Ahearn
Richard J. Weller, professor of landscape architecture at University of Pennsylvania, and team of academics have created an online project called 'Atlas for the End of the World', a collection of maps and graphics to help viewers see where and how urbanization is in conflict with biodiversity. According to Prof. Weller, 'We mapped that interface between urban growth and the world's most valuable diversity...That conflict is bloody, it's disastrous, it's happening all over the world.' The project is an answer to Ortelius's 'Theatrum Orbis Terrarum' (Theatre of the World), printed in 1570 and thought to be the first modern atlas. Prof. Weller hopes that by 'mapping the intricacies of ecological conflict...architects, designers, and others can help create more ecologically sustainable relations between people and the planet.' Read on...
Nonprofit Quarterly: Data Activists Map the World's Ecological Conflict
Author: Cyndi Suarez
Technology is taking away traditional jobs from many industries. Even the workers in technology intensive graphic design sector face challenges from online artifical intelligence (AI) platforms that provide graphic design services. Canada-based Logojoy is one such platform providing personalized graphic services for small businesses, startups and entrepreneurs. It's AI platform is intuitive and mimics the process of working with human graphic designer. Dawson Whitfield, founder of Logojoy, says, 'The magic of Logojoy is the groundbreaking algorithm, user-friendly interface, and premium design ingredients. Logojoy has close to 1000 design rules built into its algorithm.' According to EY's recent 'Millennial Economy Report', 72% of new businesses do not have the funding for graphic design services. Mr. Whitfield adds, 'As a graphic designer, many of my clients were looking for budget solutions for their businesses, so this is when I realized I could help a lot of people in the start-up and SMB spaces with this software.' Read on...
ITBusiness.ca: The next job being eaten by AI: Graphic Design
Author: Mandy Kovacs
Time management is a critical component of work-life balance. Content marketing is a busy and stressful job. Following are valuable tips for content marketers - SETTING THE STAGE: Make a plan before you start creating content; Use to-do lists; Set clear goals; Know who your audience is. INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY: Work when you feel alert and creative; Do similar tasks in groups; Do one thing at a time; Reuse your content; Take breaks. USING TIME WISELY: Find productivity tools that work for you; Automate chores; Delegate when it's appropriate; Prioritize tasks that give you the most ROI; Drop unnecessary tasks; Create evergreen content; Spend time on the right social media channels; Curate content; KEEPING THE WHEELS TURNING: Make an idea bank; Have a backlog of content; Listen to your audience; Stay on the same page as the rest of your team. Read on...
Search Engine Journal: 21 Awesome Time-Saving Tips for Content Marketers
Author: Amanda DiSilvestro
Social media is a great digital marketing tool for businesses to connect and engage with customers, and for internal communication. Integration of social media within customer relationship management (CRM) modules can help to draw, close and create repeated engagements with customers. Inputs from different social media platforms can assist in lead generation and also set up post-sale engagement with customers. Following are some advantages of social media to businesses - (1) Business professionals can find and engage with peers and customers. (2) Responding to customer complaints, obtain feedback and engage with other customer communication has become much common on social media platforms. (3) Sales people seeking prospects and leads can utilize professional networks on platforms like Linkedin. (4) Companies with robust social media strategy can counter and overcome issues before they transform into crisis due to viral nature of social media. (5) Social media can be utilized as an effective recruitment tool. Somesh Misra, VP at Deskera, a global cloud-based ERP and CRM provider, says, 'In fact, CRM providers are developing functionalities in order to deliver the benefits of Enterprise 2.0 and built-in Web 2.0 technology. Embedding innovative features such as activity feeds, conversation threads, chatbots, etc. into CRM applications could open doors to new and immense possibilities in the field of software development as well as integrated digital marketing.' Read on...
DATAQUEST: Five ways social media can strengthen your customer relationship management
Author: Muqbil Ahmar
Innovation Showcase (ISHOW) by American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is a hardware competition for socially minded projects. The purpose is to create awareness that hardware engineers too play a role in social innovation. K. Keith Roe, President of ASME, says, 'Our research showed a tremendous lack of support for hardware innovators seeking to enter global markets and make a societal impact.' Paul Scott, ASME ISHOW Director, says, 'From South America to West Africa to Southeast Asia, there are many talented folks that are changing paradigms with their work.' Currently, ASME ISHOW is held in US, Kenya and India. This year's American competition will be held on 22 June 2017. According to ISHOW website (thisishardware.org), 10 American finalists alongwith their projects are - (1) Hahna Alexander (SmartBoots: Self-charging work boots that collect status and location data and provide workforces in hazardous environments with actionable insights); (2) Jonathan Cedar (BioLite HomeStove: An ultra-clean cookstove that reduces smoke emissions by 90% and biomass fuel consumption by 50% compared to traditional open fire cooking, while also co-generating electricity from the flame to charge mobile phones and lights); (3) Matthew Chun (RevX: A transfemoral rotator that restores dignity to low-income amputees by enabling them to sit cross legged, dress themselves, get back to work, and more); (4) Shivang Dave (QuickSee: PlenOptika developed the QuickSee to disrupt the barriers to eyeglass prescriptions for billions of people worldwide so that they can get the eyeglasses they need); (5) Alexandra Grigore (Simprints: With a novel fingerprinting system, Simprints aims to create a world where lack of identity is never the reason why anyone is denied basic services in healthcare, education and finance); (6) Mary McCulloch (Voz Box: Millions of people, right now, are nonverbal. Current devices are too expensive and uncustomizable. The Voz Box is an innovative speech generation device that has customizable sensors and is affordable); (7) Erica Schwarz (Kaleyedos Imaging Device (KID): A revolutionary infant retinal imager that will empower neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) worldwide to decrease the incidence of visual impairment and blindness due to infant retinal disease); (8) Kenji Tabery (VeggieNest: Smart home gardening systems, and aims to address the growing market need for access to organic, affordable, and nutritious produce that enable global consumers to be food secure); (9) Team Sixth Sense (Team Sixth Sense: We have designed a system of sensor to attach to lower-limb prosthetics that works with NeoSensory's current technology to provide realtime vibrotactile feedback); (10) Quang Truong (EV 8 Cooler: Evaptainers creates low-cost mobile refrigerators that run on water. These are perfect for low income families who live off grid or cannot afford a conventional refrigerator). Read on...
Technical.ly DC: 10 engineers will showcase hardware's role in social innovation
Author: Nia Dickens
Personalization and customization are key for better customer relationships. According to a new research commissioned by RICOH, more than 2/3 of European consumers say the best brands are those who treat them as individuals. The survey of 3600 consumers across Europe was conducted by Censuswide. Consumers were asked to rank brands in terms of the quality of the relationships with them before (reach), during (respond) and after (retain) purchase. Chas Mahoney, director at RICOH Ireland & UK, says, 'The research we commissioned shows 57% of consumers would also spend more with brands that make them feel like valued customers. This heightens the fact that driving business growth must be intimately linked to making interactions easy and ensuring consumers feel appreciated. ...The right technology along with streamlined digital processes are the most powerful tools in the battle to satisfy and retain today's consumers.' Read on...
Independent.ie: A survey has found who the 'customer relationship leaders' are and the results will surprise you
Author: Ellie Donnelly
Volunteering for a charitable cause is not only a popular way to give back to society, but it also helps individuals to hone their skills and add to their experiences. There are number of platforms, both online and offline, like United Way, Points of Light, VolunteerMatch etc, that can assist in finding the right cause to volunteer. According to Basil Sadiq, marketing associate at VolunteerMatch, 'Our platform gives volunteers the ability to search for opportunities that adhere to their skill level or learning outcomes.' Following are some innovative ways to volunteer - (1) Strut your stuff: Volunteer for a community theater production; Share music with hospital patients; Share your voice with the community by giving tours; Interpreting exhibits at a local museum or zoo; Share your voice that can help people who use assistive communication technology. (2) Plan a party: Help in birthday celebrations to homeless kids and families; Contribute for hospice agencies and senior centers that plan events. (3) Get crafty: Knit and sew for those in need. (4) Make very special deliveries: Bikers can participate in logistics service for a charity. (5) Build and rebuild: Help veterans to build and maintain homes; Build and improve parks and playgrounds for kids. (6) Create Code: Address community problems with technological solutions; Write code and develop website for a cause; Help raise money for charitable causes by participating in computer games events. (7) Volunteer virtually: Blogging; Language translation; Virtual interaction with people in trauma and offer relief. (8) Hike or climb for a higher cause: Keeping and maintaining trails; Add service to a hiking vacation; Helping with outdoor adventures. (9) Help a pet get to a new home: Transport a rescued pet. Read on...
Reader's Digest: 9 Creative Ways to Volunteer and Really Make a Difference
Author: Catherine Holecko
Nonprofit boards can be critical resource for the organizations if utilized effectively. Board members bring diverse set of skills, experiences, networks etc. But above all, the passion to do good for the society by supporting the causes of the nonprofits is one of their main driving force. Organizations have to devise mechanisms and methods to effectively use board's time to avail full benefits of the skills and passions. Members of the Forbes Nonprofit Council share the following advice - (1) Pamela Hawley, UniversalGiving: Cultivate a real relationship; Understand board members and their interests; Find out what they care about. (2) Elizabeth Cromwell, Frederick County Chamber of Commerce: Use a consent agenda; Board members are fully prepared and know the deliverables; Productivity is enhanced. (3) Gloria Horsley, Open to Hope: Hold smaller discussions online; Helps to timely address issues; Improves working partnership. (4) Eleanor Allen, Water For People: Engage board members through individual action plans; Customized to each member's strengths; Improves engagement and commitment. (5) Daniel Speckhard, Lutheran World Relief: Seek the board's help with strategy; Engage the board on broad, macro and strategic issues to set the strategic direction of the organization. (6) Peggy Smith, Worldwide ERC: Focus on transparency and efficiency; Stay in frequent contact with board members and perform due diligence on all information - financial, strategic and operational - before it's shared with the entire board. Read on...
Forbes: Six Ways Nonprofits Can Improve Board Relations
According to design experts at 'ASEAN Creative Cities Forum and Exhibition' (Philippines), creative industry plays an important role in a country's economic growth. Some of the experts that participated include Prof. John Howkins (Author of the book 'The Creative Economy'), Nora K. Terrado (Chairperson, ASEAN 2017 Committee on Business and Investment Promotion-CBIP), Paolo Mercado (Nestle Philippines), Andrew Erskine (Tom Fleming Creative Consultancy), Katelijn Verstraete (British Council East Asia), Kenneth Cobonpue (Philippines), Anon Pairot (Thailand) and Colin Sean (Singapore). Ramon Lopez, Secretary of Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), says, 'The goal of the event is to channel these (creative) assets into innovation , employment, trade opportunities, and mobilizing it to drive each of the economies in the whole Southeast Asian region.' Rhea Matute, executive director of Design Center of the Philippines, says, 'We really are committed to develop the creative quotient of the Philippines...This is really an important opportunity by which our designers, our creatives, can branch out beyond our borders to have a more open system of having dialogue with our ASEAN partners in view also of the ASEAN integration.' Moreover, the event was also intended to initiate a movement to have at least one Philippine city to be a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). UCCN currently have 116 cities from 54 countries covering seven creative fields: Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Music and Media Arts. It's goal is 'to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development.' Following are some takeaways from the forum: (1) Working in the creative industry is a lucrative career. (2) The road to success is challenging yet fulfilling. (3) Always look around you, and be original. (4) Standing up with your decisions. (5) Government plays a big role in developing the creative industry. (6) School plays an important role, too. According to Colin Seah, Singapore-based architect and Ministry of Design's Founder and Director, 'At the school level, I'm not saying you need to train everyone to be a creative but if you introduce design education at an early stage, then what you do is two fold - you unlock any potential for people who may be seeking these professions. Secondly, you train and educate people who will eventually become patrons and consumers...then it becomes a cycle. You have good creatives, and you get people who can pay for creatives.' Read on...
InterAksyon: ASEAN Forum - Creativity is the driving force in economic growth
Author: Romsanne Ortiguero
The way technology is applied and the transformations it brings, can be analyzed by viewing technology as a complement or a replacement to humans. Every industry is impacted by technological advancements. Gartner predicted in 2011 that 85% of all customer interactions with the enterprise won't involve another human. Artificial intelligence (AI) software is now capable of helping employees from both a people standpoint and a hard data standpoint, a combination of culture with productivity. Mario Martinez Jr., CEO of M3Jr Growth Strategies, interacts with Rob Käll, creator of Cien, an app that helps sales teams use AI to fix productivity, improve motivation, and increase sales effectiveness, and explores how AI can successfully help sales teams. Mr. Käll believes that AI can also solve one of the greatest challenges to sales - Motivation. He says, 'Productivity goes down as you grow your sales team. As you grow, it's hard to keep the passion.' Following are three factors that AI can assist to create successful sales team - (1) LEADS: According to Gleanster Research, only 25% of all leads are legitimate and deserve further attention. AI can help sort leads quickly and look out for good leads. Loren Baker, member of Forbes Agency Council, 'AI bots and other AI solutions will better prequalify inbound leads and assist with customer retention. Chatbots and messenger bots can lead the lead or concerned user down a path that lets the sales team know exactly what they need from a lead (qualification) perspective.' (2) PEOPLE: AI doesn't remove people from the process, it assists them to do better. AI helps select good leads and opportunities, offer personal advice, provide daily reminders, lead prioritization performance measurement comparison etc. AI can help to monitor and evaluate team members. (3) MACRO: In sales, macro factors are to be kept in mind - economic growth, competition, seasonality etc. AI can gauge macro factors and help plan accordingly. It can assist in predicting and calculating things. Mr. Käll says, 'How do you incorporate human behavior into a quantitative model? There are plenty of learning algorithms out there, but very few take human behavior into account...We give them the ability to see and understand how and why they achieve their goals.' Read on...
Business 2 Community: 3 Ways Sales Managers Can Use AI to Increase Sales Effectiveness
Author: Mario Martinez Jr.
The rise of the mobile phones and mobile internet users worldwide is expected to result in growth of mobile advertising. But according to Celtra and On Device Research, mobile ads are unpopular with users - 60% of clicks on mobile banner ads being an accident, 71% saying half the ads disrupt the mobile experience and 69% saying that mobile ads obscure content. The research also finds that top-performing mobile ads (top 20%) follow some common principles, when followed (6 or more) by brands will lead to better ad performance - Logo presence on every frame; Human presence; Product shots; Placing branding at the top; Caution with dual branding; Single clear message; Video; Humour; Interactivity; Strong call to action. Alex Saric, CMO of Celtra, says, 'To effectively tell their stories, brands must ensure quality creative in their ads...By combining the guidelines from this study with a compelling story, and enabling such quality ads at scale, only then will advertisers realize the full potential of their advertising efforts.' Alistair Hill, CEO of On Device Research, says, 'These recommendations are rooted in robust quantitative analysis and as such provide a useful check list for mobile marketers to reference before embarking on a mobile brand campaign.' Read on...
The Drum: Logo, human presence and branding are key to top-performing mobile ads, says Celtra
Author: Benjamin Cher
John Murphy, founder of Interbrand, first coined the term 'branding' in 1985 in his book 'Branding: A Key Marketing Tool'. He explains the value of brands and branding and its evolution through the years. According to him, 'Our view of a brand 25 years ago was quite prosaic and utilitarian. We viewed it as a business asset whose purpose was to enhance the earnings of the brand owner. We saw a brand as a product or service, or business, which had developed a personality that was appealing to consumers. This is still mainly true today, but with the development of branding has come a great deal of over-elaboration. Much of what is being offered by branding consultants today seems to be deliberately over-complicated...A good consultant makes the complicated simple, not the simple complicated.' He adds, 'A further trend, which I dislike, is to view branding as a kind of religious or life-enhancing process...It amazes me that brands, things developed to benefit their owners, have acquired such reverence. In practice, branding's reach has expanded greatly over the last quarter century, but the fundamentals have not changed much at all; and a great deal of the increased sophistication of the brander's art is illusory.' He cautions, 'Just remember that a brand is a differentiated product or service, or company, with a distinct persona. Treat it carefully and appropriately in order to reflect and enhance this persona. Even if you develop the most wonderful brand in the world, you may still suffer business failure. On its own, a brand can never guarantee business success; conversely, without a brand, business success may prove impossible.' Read on...
Campaign: Branding might be everywhere, but it's as simple as it ever was
Author: John Murphy
Among the many challenges that startups face during their early stage is that of hiring a first employee. With unspecific and variable requirements, and limited financial resouces, hiring a full-time employee could be a costly option. Autumn Adeigbo, ethical fashion advocate and founder of a fashion label, explains how first hiring or working with freelancers can be an optimum alternative for startups. It not only saves on costs associated with full-time employee, but also prepares the entrepreneur to select the best candidate in future based on specific needs. She shares 7 steps to successfully hire a freelancer - (1) Create A Job Description, Experience & Education Requirement: Be specific in creating a human resource document for every freelancer, advisor and intern needed during the first year of company's operation. (2) Work with an HR Mentor/Advisor: To obtain right guidance, get a mentor. Moreover, obtain information through articles and high quality content. (3) Source Your Talent: Use a combination of offline and online processes to reach out for the talent. Post requirements on focused websites and job boards, in addition to approaching your own network. (4) Interview The Candidates: Take time to prepare the questions to be asked. Browse their profiles diligently. Discuss specific requirements with the candidate. Seek for the right fit with balanced expectations. (5) Alert The Chosen Candidate & Sign Paperwork: Communicate to the selected candidate the period for which they would be needed initially and do the necessary paperwork. (6) Train The Candidate With Company Culture, Background, Rules & Expectations: Create a brand/company culture document to avoid ambiguity. Share brand's evolution. (7) Start Work & Review Their Early Performance: Observe and review the work and communication style for better understanding and working partnership. Read on...
Forbes: 7 Steps To Successfully Hiring Your First Freelancer
Author: Autumn Adeigbo
Sometimes a simple idea or a message can provide a direction and approach that leads to great long-lasting results. Same happened with Alan McCormick, a partner with a Dubai-based investment firm Legatum, when he was seeking investment ideas for philanthropic funding. He came across a simple message from Alan Fenwick, professor of tropical parasitology at Imperial College London - 'For a fraction of the amount being donated to treat HIV and other potentially fatal infectious diseases, the annual distribution of basic existing drugs to schoolchildren could help prevent widespread infection by a parasite that causes stunting of growth and malnourishment, and limits access to education - with life-long consequences.' The quote inspired Mr. McCormick and his firm to fund pilot programs in Africa to tackle neglected tropical diseases and finally create their own health-focused funding vehicle, The End Fund, with a small staff to co-ordinate and support programs. The programs have provided impressive return on investment and inspired others searching for ways to donate for maximum impact. According to Mr. McCormick, 'It's relatively tough giving away money and doing it well...Ideas need champions, so you need to create an organization...The End Fund model is about the ability to have people come together and collaborate, and bring their expertise.' Read on...
The Financial Times: Philanthropy - The search for the best way to give
Author: Andrew Jack
According to the findings of KPMG 2017 Global Technology Innovation report, US and China continue to be the most promising markets for technology breakthroughs that have global impact, with India and the UK progressing in third and fourth place with innovative tech hubs of their own. The report is based on survey of 841 business executives globally that focus on technology, and highlights the changing landscape of disruptive technologies, with perspectives on technology innovation trends, barriers to commercialize innovation, and insights into technology innovation leading practices. Although various countries are trying to emulate Silicon Valley to develop their own technology hubs, some are finding success in their efforts while others are facing macroeconomic and infrastructure challenges. Tim Zanni, Global and US chair of KPMG Technology, Media and Technology practice, says, 'What we have seen emerge over time is the result of countries and cities striving to replicate and build on the Silicon Valley tech innovation blueprint, and their increasing degree of success. One can debate whether or not replicating Silicon Valley is possible, but the benefits of the effort are undeniable.' Mr. Zanni states in the report that growing ecosystems as tech innovation has spread across all industries, is fueling the expansion of technology innovation development. Respondents of the survey consider the following as the top global technology innovation visionaries - Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX; Tim Cook, CEO of Apple; Jack Ma, Chairman of Alibaba; Larry Page, CEO of Alphabet; Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google; Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft; Bill Gates of Microsoft; Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook; Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon. Read on...
The Next Silicon Valley: US and China are top innovation hubs, followed by India and UK
Author: Nitin Dahad
According to CMS.gov website, 'Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) are groups of doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers, who come together voluntarily to give coordinated high quality care to their Medicare patients. The goal of coordinated care is to ensure that patients, especially the chronically ill, get the right care at the right time, while avoiding unnecessary duplication of services and preventing medical errors. When an ACO succeeds both in delivering high-quality care and spending health care dollars more wisely, it will share in the savings it achieves for the Medicare program.' ACOs promise to get patients more involved in their own treatments. These healthcare delivery systems are held accountable to meet cost and quality criteria. The study, 'A Multilevel Analysis of Patient Engagement and Patient-Reported Outcomes in Primary Care Practices of Accountable Care Organizations' (Authors - Stephen M. Shortell, Bing Ying Poon, Patricia P. Ramsay, Hector P. Rodriguez, Susan L. Ivey, and Thomas Huber of the UC Berkeley School of Public Health (USA); Jeremy Rich of HealthCare Partners Institute for Applied Research and Education, Los Angeles, CA; and Tom Summerfelt, Advocate Health, Chicago, IL), published in Journal of General Internal Medicine, found that adult patients who were treated in a primary care practice site that promoted a patient-centered culture reported fewer depression symptoms and displayed better physical functioning. According to Prof. Stephen M. Shortell, principal investigator of the study, 'These findings add to a growing literature on the importance of engaging patients in their care to achieve better outcomes that matter to patients like how they function physically and socially. In addition, it breaks new ground by identifying specific features of primary care practices that appear to be associated with achieving such outcomes through increased patient engagement.' He adds, '...more highly activated, engaged patients ask more questions to have their concerns addressed, and, as a result, are more satisfied with their care experience and more motived to achieve desired outcomes.' Prof. Hector P. Rodriguez, study co-investigator, says, 'Healthcare organizations will increasingly need to find ways to efficiently collect patient-reported data and strategies to use this information for monitoring treatment plans, engaging patients in their own care, and improving their health behaviors.' Read on...
UC Berkeley Research: How patients, ACOs, and researchers partner to achieve better health
Author: Jaron Zanerhaft
In recent years, more than 50 countries have increased their restrictions on foreign aid to non-government organizations (NGOs). One of the concerning aspects of the trend is that it's happening not only in authoritarian regimes but also in democracies. The research paper, 'Globalization Without a Safety Net: The Challenge of Protecting Cross-Border Funding of NGOs', by Prof. Lloyd Hitoshi Mayer of University of Notre Dame Law School, identifies this problem faced by NGOs and explores options for countering the restrictions. Some of the new restrictions are - additional registration and reporting obligations, requirements to obtain government approval before seeking or accepting funding and mandates that funding be routed through government agencies or used only for specific activities. Prof. Mayer cites three factors that led to crackdown on cross-border funding - (1) A steady rise over the years in the amount of money flowing from Western donors to NGOs in other countries. (2) An increase in funding designated for human-rights protections and pro-democracy efforts. (3) An overall swelling of nationalist feelings in many countries. Prof. Mayer says, 'I think it's part of the larger trend we see globally of countries becoming more suspicious of foreign influences and the influences of outsiders, and more suspicious of attempts to empower and encourage minorities within countries. They are concerned about the importation of foreign values and views.' The challenges created by restrictions may require alternate strategies. According to Prof. Mayers, 'It creates a huge burden on both the funders and domestic NGOs that seek to challenge these restrictions, because the landscape is constantly changing, and they have to customize their response to every country where they're involved.' Read on...
Notre Dame News: Professor offers options to counter escalating crackdowns on NGOs
Author: Kevin Allen
As crowdfunding becomes a mainstream strategy for individual fundraisers and nonprofit organizations, it becomes imperative to understand the industry trends that provide best fundraising results, and have potential to continue into the future. Christopher Moore, Marketing Mixologist at Floship, shares important trends shaping the industry and shows how to incorporate these ideas in crowdfunding campaigns - (1) Diverse Crowdfunding Platforms: Assess crowdfunding needs. Select the right platform to get specific target audience. Niche platforms are now available. (2) Nonprofit Crowdfunding Campaigns: Many crowdfunding websites are specific to nonprofits. It's easier for nonprofits and charitable organizations to meet their fundraising goals through crowdfunding. The benefits include - Expanded social reach; High speed fundraising; Low-risk giving. (3) Fully Customizable Fundraising Experiences: Fundraising process is becoming more customizable. Campaigns could be specifically designed and promoted. Ways it is happening is - Brandable campaign pages; Fundraising model flexiblitiy; Variety of sharign options. (4) Crowdfunding Campaigns Paired with Events: Events add a real-world component to the online campaign. It boosts the fundraising potential. Following ideas can be used - Pick the perfect theme; Include a variety of fundraising activities; Simlify event registration. (5) Highly Visual Campaigns: To make an impact on online donors include videos, photos, graphics and to-the-point campaign story. Read on...
Business 2 Community: 5 Crowdfunding Trends That Are Here to Stay
Author: Christopher Moore
Norimasa Nishiyama of German Electron Synchrotron DESY, and international team of researchers from Germany and Japan (Ryo Ishikawa, Hiroaki Ohfuji, Hauke Marquardt, Alexander Kurnosov, Takashi Taniguchi, Byung-Nam Kim, Hidehiro Yoshida, Atsunobu Masuno, Jozef Bednarcik, Eleonora Kulik, Yuichi Ikuhara, Fumihiro Wakai, Tetsuo Irifune), have created a 2mm diameter disc of transparent silicon nitride, one of the hardest material known. The scientific report titled, 'Transparent Polycrystalline Cubic Silicon Nitride', was recently published in Nature. The transparent ceramic could be used for ultra-tough windows able to withstand extreme conditions. Windows that let users peer into engines and industrial reactors, or protect optical sensors from high pressures or heat are usually made of diamond, an expensive material that becomes unstable at 750°C. On the other hand, transparent silicon nitride ceramic can withstand temperatures upto 1400°C and is much cheaper. Read on...
Chemistry World: Super-hard transparent ceramic looks good
Author: Katrina Krämer
Tony Bacigalupo, founder of New Work Cities, on his website (Whatiscoworking.com) explains 'Coworking' as - 'The word "coworking" as it is known today originates with a concept put forth by Brad Neuberg in 2005...It is directly related to Neuberg's original concept and had since evolved into a decentralized movement centered around a core set of shared values: Community, Openness, Collaboration, Accessibility, and Sustainability...A Coworking Space is generally a phrase used to describe a business or organization that is dedicated to the full Coworking concept. These spaces represent a critical foundation of infrastructure for a new and growing workforce of people who work where, when, how, and why they want. A coworking space's relationship with its members is one that is primarily predicated on the values that drive the Coworking Movement, in direct and deliberate contrast to a more traditional relationship predicated on renting space from a landlord.' Kara Kavensky, President of Absolutely Consulting, shares how the coworking space 'The Refinery Center' in Marion (Indiana, US), created by Shelby Bowen (VP of Development at Envoy Inc.), is helping economic development of the city along with establishing a sense of community in local population. The space was developed with financial support from the Community Foundation and Indiana Wesleyan University. Jim Swan, owner of the building that was transformed, understood the concept and worked with The Refinery on their financial constraints of starting a coworking space. The Refinery offers low-cost monthly access without long-term leases. The amenities include Wi-Fi, a professional environment with other like-minded people, conference rooms, dedicated workspace, and an on-site cafe. According to Mr. Bowen, 'We listened to the needs of the community. We have not taken a cookie cutter approach to the coworking space. We offer very affordable monthly memberships starting at US$ 30/month and host a lot of meetings here at no charge. We are also a community center in addition to a work space.' Entrepreneurial events at The Refinery are facilitated by Indiana Wesleyan University with the help of the grant from Lilly Endowment. Carol Brown, Associate Dean of Life Calling & Career at Indiana Wesleyan University, says, 'This program is funded through the Lilly Endowment's "Accelerate Indiana" grant, which seeks to encourage entrepreneurial activity among students and local entrepreneurs. We fund internships, even if the company is a student-run business with the goal of creating jobs in Indiana.' Read on...
Inside Indiana Business: How Coworking is Impacting Economic Development
Author: Kara Kavensky
Seeking customer loyalty is a challenge that every business faces. But to achieve success at it consistently, requires precise understanding of what customers want and provide it to them. Hotels are utilizing big data analytics to gain insights into which amenities help them attract and retain customers. According to Anil Kaul, CEO of Absolutdata, which provides marketing and customer analytics to hotels, 'We want to help hotels determine which free amenities give them the best chance to boost their hotel's appeal, increase sales, and improve customer satisfaction.' He explains two scenarios that hotels deal with while attracting customers - (1) 'When the customer first begins to seek a hotel. You want to offer a free amenity package that will convince him or her to choose your hotel over many other possibilities.' (2) 'Providing a great customer experience to your guest during his or her stay. Part of this customer satisfaction is achieved by offering the right free amenities. If you do this well, the guest is likely to return.' Based on Mr. Kaul's research and analytics on different types of hotels, Wi-Fi is at the top of guest's expectations, followed by free bottled water. To gather the data and compute a hotel's amenity analytics, the software uses a methodology that taps into the hotel's reservation system and then combines this data with survey data from customers on amenities and other elements of their stays. Read on...
TechRepublic: How big data analytics help hotels gain customers' loyalty
Author: Mary Shacklett
Researchers from Hokkaido University (Japan) have created 'fiber-reinforced soft composites' or tough hydrogels combined with woven fiber fabric. The study, 'Energy-Dissipative Matrices Enable Synergistic Toughening in Fabric Reinforced Soft Composites' (Authors - Yiwan Huang, Daniel R. King, Taolin Sun, Takayuki Nonoyama, Takayuki Kurokawa, Tasuku Nakajima, Jian Ping Gong), was recently published in Advanced Functional Materials. Researchers combined hydrogels containing high levels of water with glass fiber fabric to create bendable, yet tough materials, employing the same method used to produce reinforced plastics. They found that a combination of polyampholyte (PA) gels, a type of hydrogel they developed earlier, and glass fiber fabric with a single fiber measuring around 10µm in diameter produced a strong, tensile material. The procedure to make the material is simply to immerse the fabric in PA precursor solutions for polymerization. The developed fiber-reinforced hydrogels are 25 times tougher than glass fiber fabric, and 100 times tougher than hydrogels. Moreover, the newly developed hydrogels are 5 times tougher compared to carbon steel. According to lead researcher, Prof. Jian Ping Gong, 'The fiber-reinforced hydrogels, with a 40 percent water level, are environmentally friendly. The material has multiple potential applications because of its reliability, durability and flexibility. For example, in addition to fashion and manufacturing uses, it could be used as artificial ligaments and tendons, which are subject to strong load-bearing tensions.' Read on...
Hokkaido University News: New "tougher-than-metal" fiber-reinforced hydrogels
Authors: Jian Ping Gong, Naoki Namba
Richard Howells, Vice President of Solution Management for Supply Chain at SAP, says, 'New technologies get the most press before they reach maturity, part of a phenomenon Gartner calls the hype cycle. When people stop talking about new innovations...is just about the time they get deployed in a meaningful way.' Following are 7 supply chain developments he expects in 2017: (1) IoT will begin to disrupt the extended supply chain (There are 6 billion IoT devices in use today, and there will be 21 billion within the next three years). (2) 3D printing will begin to revolutionize R&D and manufacturing (Worldwide sales of 3D printers doubled in 2016, and 6.7 million will ship in 2020. While only seven percent of companies use additive manufacturing to produce end products today, 31% use it for prototyping, and 42% will rely on 3D printing for mass manufacturing in the next few years). (3) Robotics and augmented reality will infuse manufacturing (Robotics use will grow by 10% a year over the next 10 years. In some industries, robots will soon handle 40% of manufacturing). (4) Autonomous vehicles and drones will become proof of concept (In October 2016, Uber's self-driving truck made its first autonomous delivery...Amazon, for one, is actively pursuing 30-minute delivery, and companies from Google to Walmart are also investigating drones). (5) Cybersecurity needs will drive new technologies such as blockchain. (6) New Big Data tools will drive predictive analytics (With the emergence of IoT, Big Data is just getting started. That will drive a critical need for predictive analytics in 2017). (7) Focus on customer centricity and product individualization will only increase (Fully 90% of companies believe their customers value or strongly value individualized products. But 3/4 say it's hard to get a clear understanding of what customers are willing to pay for). Read on...
Digitalist Magazine: 7 Supply Chain Predictions For 2017
Author: Richard Howells
'healthymagination Mother and Child Program', a collaborative effort of GE and Santa Clara University's Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship, provides mentorship and training aimed at improving and accelerating maternal and/or child health outcomes in Africa. The program was designed to help the social entrepreneurs acquire business fundamentals, improve their strategic thought processes and articulate a business plan that demonstrates impact, growth and long-term financial sustainability. According to Robert Wells, Executive Director of healthymagination, 'GE believes there is much for social enterprises and large businesses to learn from each other. As the center of the ecosystem, social entrepreneurs are key to building Africa's sustainable future.' First cohort of 14 social entrepreneurs that have completed the program are ready to present their social enterprises to a group of potential investors and supporters. Jay Ireland, President & CEO of GE Africa, says, 'This group of people are helping solve some of Africa's biggest health challenges through their initiatives aimed at improving mother and child care. This is another great example of the strong entrepreneurial spirit in Africa.' According to Thane Kreiner, ED of Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship, 'Addressing the global health challenges of women and children living in sub-standard conditions or facing high-risk pregnancies demands all the determination, diligence and creative solutions we can muster.' Following are the social entrepreneurs and their respective social enterprises - Daphne Ngunjiri, Kenya (AccessAfya.com); Habib Anwar and Zubaida Bai, Kenya (ayzh.com); Tyler Nelson, Rwanda (HealthBuilders.org); Pratap Kumar, Kenya (Health-E-Net.org); Steve Alred Adudans, Kenya (HewaTele.org); Stefanie Weiland, Uganda, Burundi and DRC (LNInternational.org); Julius Mbeya and Ash Lauren Rogers, Kenya (LwalaCommunityAlliance.org); Brian Iredale, Uganda (NurtureAfrica.ie); Segun Ebitanmi, Nigeria (Outreach Medical Services); Cobby Amoah, Ghana (Peach Health); Olufemi Sunmonu, Nigeria (ThePurpleSource.com); Yohans Emiru, Ethiopia (HelloDoctorEthiopia.com); Natalie Angell-Besseling, Uganda (ShantiUganda.org); Anne Gildea, Kenya (VillageHopeCore.org). Read on...
CNBC: 14 social entrepreneurs to improve maternal & child health in Africa
'Drop Shipping' is a practice adopted by retailers where orders are shipped directly from the supplier's warehouse. It gives retailers opportunity to provide more products on their website without keeping them in stock, thus saving on inventory. Some analysts predict that drop shipping will be a mainstream process this year. According to a retail industry survey by SPS Commerce, 40% of respondents said they expect more drop-ship vendors in 2017. This will also benefit logistics companies as small suppliers and manufacturers often outsource tasks like inventory management, shipping etc to them. Josh Miller, VP of business development at CTL Global Inc, says, 'The (supplier) gets the audience, the retailer gets the sales. Drop shipping accounts for about 20% of CTL's revenue, compared with 5% five years ago.' The downside of drop shipping is that retailer has to give control of inventory management, shipping etc to third parties, while in case of wrong orders retailers are still on the hook. Nikki Baird of Retail Systems Research LLC, that conducted the survey for SPS, says, 'It's a big trust issue. Heavy, bulky things are better to ship from the supplier. But the problem is that the retailer then doesn't have control or visibility as to how that process is going.' Moreover, retailers also run the risk of turning suppliers into rivals by sharing customer data. Moreover, number of manufacturers are themselves turning to ecommerce to sell directly to customers. Following are some expert comments on the dynamics of online retail - (1) Irv Grossman, EVP at Chainalytics: 'Retailers are looking at Amazon and saying I may miss an opportunity. They're concerned about market share.' (2) Cathy Morrow Roberson, head analyst at Logistics Trends & Insights LLC: 'Managing capacity as drop-ship orders ebb and flow could pose a challenge for logistics companies.' (3) Frank Layo, retail strategist at Kurt Salmon: 'The practice (drop shipping) also costs more than buying items wholesale, because logistics and delivery get baked into the price.' Read on...
The Wall Street Journal: 'Drop Shipping' Looks Set to Go Mainstream as More Retailers Get on Board
Author: Jennifer Smith
Society continues to face challenges to construct affordable, high-quality, innovative and future-focused built environments. Many building processes are sub-standard and obsolete, with sustainability concerns. Current research on integration of digital technologies within architectural and construction processes promises substantial contributions to sustainability and productivity. Research connections between diverse fields like architecture, structural design, computer science, materials science, control systems engineering, and robotics are required. Researchers during the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 2017 reveal latest developments in digital fabrication in architecture at 1:1 building scale. They explain successful integration of digital technologies in design, planning, and building processes to transform the building industry. (1) On Site Digital Fabrication for Architecture: Prof. Jonas Buchli, Agile and Dexterous Robotics at ETH Zurich (Switzerland), proposes a radical focus on domain specific robotic technology enabling the use of digital fabrication directly on construction sites and in large scale prefabrication. (2) The New Mathematics of Making: Prof. Jane Burry, Director of the Spatial Information Architecture Laboratory at RMIT University in Melbourne (Australia), explores how these opportunities (Digital computation; Linking of design attributes to extraneous factors; Mathematical design models etc) for automation, optimization, variation, mass-customisation, and quality control can be fully realised in the built environment within full scale construction. (3) Building Materials for 3D Printing: Prof. Ronald Rael, Architecture at University of California at Berkeley (USA), reveals the development of new materials that can overcome the challenges of scale and costs of 3D printing on 1:1 construction scale. He demonstrates that viable solutions for 3D printing in architecture involve a material supply from sustainable resources, culled from waste streams or consideration of the efficiency of a building product's digital materiality. Read on...
ETH Zurich Global News: Digital Fabrication in Architecture - The Challenge to Transform the Building Industry
Author: Rahel Byland Skvarc
Although simulations and branching scenarios are valuable online training tools, but 'Virtual Reality' is a step ahead and provides learners ability to seamlessly immerse themselves into the learning environment without distractions. Christopher Pappas, founder of eLearning Industry, shares ways to use virtual reality (VR) in online training - (1) Take The Risk Out Of Compliance And Safety Online Training. (2) Allow Corporate Learners To Perfect Their Approach. (3) Offer Online Training For The Masses. (4) Prepare New Hires For Professional Success. (5) Provide Mistake-Driven Learning Opportunities. (6) Transport Corporate Learners To Another Locale. Read on...
eLearning Industry: 6 Tips To Use Virtual Reality In Online Training
Author: Christopher Pappas
Creating long-term and sustainable partnerships between businesses and nonprofits, can play a valuable role in tackling social challenges facing communities. Hussein Farah, founder and executive director of New Vision Foundation, explains how nonprofits can build partnerships with corporations and derive benefits from these meaningful relationships for the communities they serve - (1) Have a strong and relevant mission that provides distinctive value to the community and relates to the values of a corporate partner and identifies it as a significant contributor. (2) Leadership of nonprofits should effectively and compellingly communicate the mission to the corporate partner. Strong marketing effort is required that embodies the mission and displays business sense. (3) Nonprofits should create a solid board that assists in dissemination of its value proposition on a peer-to-peer basis. Boards that include corporate members would be more effective in negotiating the terms of partnerships. Moreover, nonprofits must be clear in their expectations from corporate partners, who should beforehand know their resource commitments. Read on...
Star Tribune: Building partnerships between corporations and nonprofits can produce big payoffs
Author: Jack Militello
Team of researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA) (Markus Buehler, Zhao Qin, Gang Seob Jung, Min Jeong Kang), has designed one of the strongest lightweight materials known, by compressing and fusing flakes of graphene, a 2-dimensional form of carbon. The new material, a sponge-like configuration with just 5% the density of steel, can have a strength 10 times more. The findings, published in the journal 'Science Advances', show that critical factor of 3-D form is their unusual geometrical figure, suggesting that similar strong, lightweight materials can be made from other materials by creating similar geometric figures. 2-D materials have exceptional strength alongwith unique electrical proberties. But they are extraordinarily thin. Prof. Buehler says, 'They are not very useful for making 3-D materials that could be used in vehicles, buildings, or devices. What we've done is to realize the wish of translating these 2-D materials into 3-D structures.' Prof. Qin adds, 'Once we created these 3-D structures, we wanted to see what's the limit - what's the strongest possible material we can produce.' According to Prof. Buehler, 'You can replace the material itself with anything. The geometry is the dominant factor. It's something that has the potential to transfer to many things.' Prof. Huajian Gao of Brown University comments, 'This is an inspiring study on the mechanics of 3-D graphene assembly. The combination of computational modeling with 3-D-printing-based experiments used in this paper is a powerful new approach in engineering research. It is impressive to see the scaling laws initially derived from nanoscale simulations resurface in macroscale experiments under the help of 3-D printing. This study shows a promising direction of bringing the strength of 2-D materials and the power of material architecture design together.' Read on...
MIT News: Researchers design one of the strongest, lightest materials known
Author: David L. Chandler
Building a successful CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) program requires commitment, consistency, continuity and culture within an organization. Claudia Schiepers, Chief Marketing Officer of Greystone and winner of The CMO Club's CSR Award'2016, helped promote a culture-centric curriculum for CSR and shares valuable insights to inspire marketing leaders to develop a successful CSR program in their organizations - (1) Start from the ground up: 'We try to engrain it in everything that we do. I would say start small, test and grow it from within the company...It's all about making suggestions, trying things out and then rolling them out across the organization.' (2) Assemble a top-notch toolbox: 'We gave them a lot of tools. We have employee engagement data that we share with managers, (teaching) them how to have difficult conversations and great conversations. So, it's all about empowering the managers in your company to use the system, having your employees feel like they are involved in it.' (3) Give instruction: Developed a culture book that outlines standards of behavior when it comes to being charitable. 'We say, at Greystone, (caring) means being interested in or concerned about the wellbeing of others. It means that you actively listen, keep an open mind, seek to understand, treat people with respect and kindness. We don't allow yelling. Mentor others, foster other's development, lead by example.' (4) Know that if you build it, they will come: Strikes a balance between good PR and sincerity by publicly commending their local offices' good deeds on social media platforms. 'I think that makes the story more powerful because it is not a corporate driven initiative. We don't do it to get a pat on the back afterwards. I think that's the key for our social responsibility. That is the biggest return on the investment, that we get people that care about other people to join our company.' Read on...
AdAge: Four Tips for Building Sustainable CSR
Author: Drew Neisser
According to eMarketer's Sept'2016 ad spending forecast, digital will overtake TV ad spending this year for the first time (Digital - US$ 72.09 billion; TV - US$ 71.29 billion), and will represent 36.8% of US total media ad spending. Scott Symonds, MD of media at AKQA, 'In 2017, digital will become the single largest media investment channel, passing television for the first time...digital is no longer just a test or an innovation budget. It needs to be expected to work as hard or harder vs. every other investment channel.' Experts from across the industry suggest ways digital marketing will evolve in 2017 - (1) Artificial intelligence gets smarter: Tom Edwards, Chief Digital Officer at the agency within Epsilon, says, 'From leveraging machine learning to accelerate sentiment analysis and domain-specific insights to cognitive computing solutions that automate experiences without human intervention to the rise of voice-based user experiences that will continue to expand in 2017 to deep learning that will fundamentally change how brands approach SEO to predictive API's that will expose access to predictive models to further create seamless experiences for consumers, cognitive and intelligent systems will play a key role in how we approach marketing in 2017.' (2) Measurement takes priority: Brigitte Majewski, an analyst at Forrester Research, says, 'The fundamentals have to take priority. Measurement and data are the only way for marketers to get control of a situation they have completely lost control of. They have to understand what part of the mix is truly working and that takes measurement...Once marketers get control of their measurement and connect the dots with the data, they can really start to do orchestrated branded experiences told in a sequence that makes sense.' (3) Turning up the volume: Audio-driven experiences will become mainstream in 2017. Trevor Guthrie, Co-founder of Giant Spoon, says, 'Giant Spoon believes the rise of voice-based AI - Google Home, Amazon Echo, etc. - will have a profound impact on computing and how consumers interact with technology. The next wave of computing will be driven by voice, and clients need to begin to build a voice strategy for their brands.' (4) Reestablishing trust: Forrester's Majewski says, 'The biggest difference in 2017 is going to be a focus on transparency. But now marketers have gotten much smarter and they can legitimately ask hard questions that they might have let pass before. They will really dig into the numbers from agencies and platforms - they are not going to let things slide.' (5) A clearer picture for digital video: AKQA's Symonds says, 'As video becomes untethered from television in terms of its primary investment opportunity or most likely viewing occasion, we believe it will continue to have exciting emerging opportunities in and around the space including augmented and virtual reality, 360 video, live video, programmatic innovations, etc.' (6) Social pivots back to sharing: David Song, MD at Barker, says, 'It will no longer be about paid, earned, and owned social but rather, how a consumer engages with a brand through its social channels. Social channels are and will continue to become more important than client websites.' Epsilon's Edwards says, 'Marketers will need to shift their strategy from one of personification of the brand to a seamless experience that is about simplifying and predicting needs while also empowering consumers to create their own stories.' (7) Cleaning up the landscape: Anna Bager, SVP and GM of mobile and video at Interactive Advertising Bureau, says, 'The days of static display banners are numbered. Consumer expectations for rich, relevant ad and content experiences are growing.' Gabe Weiss, digital experience and transformation leader at SapientNitro, says, 'I feel like there's been a significant maturation of understanding within leadership that the old-normal approaches no longer work. They have bought into designing approaches that work for their brand and for their customers. They will be more committed to delivering their messaging in all forms of content and fragmented channels to make an impact. They will offer engaging and unique experiences and not just yell at their audiences.' (8) Getting the message: IAB's Bager says, 'In the U.S., the rapidly evolving messaging space represents a tremendous opportunity beyond social media platforms to engage with consumers in a native way.' (9) Mobile evolves into people-based marketing: Kurt Hawks, SVP of cross-device and video, at Conversant, says, 'Additionally, as the digital and physical worlds continue to converge, a focus will be placed on the intelligent and responsible use of location data to better understand and anticipate consumer needs and track in-store visits. Mobile will finally evolve from a device to a set of behaviors that inform people-based marketing.' Giant Spoon's Guthrie says, 'We're finally starting to see UIs truly built for mobile instead of just converting what we're used to on desktop. I don't simply mean 'make it vertical' or 'make it short and snackable.' A few companies are completely reworking the structure - not just the details of the content pieces.' (10) Looking towards a post-broadcast, post-digital future: Giant Spoon's Guthrie says, ' The digital media bubble will pop this year. Media will bifurcate into massive networks that roll up many properties for scale and synergy or niche publications charging premium prices based on the strength of their brand. Media's middle class of independent venture-backed digital publishers will either get acquired or fold.' Jeff Liang, Chief Digital Officer at Assembly, says, 'Digital marketers can no longer think inside the box to reach and engage with digital consumers effectively. They must quickly adapt to how audiences are using new forms of digital media to avoid getting lost in the sea of change.' Read on...
Marketing Dive: 10 ways digital marketing will evolve in 2017
Author: Chantal Tode
According to the recent report by Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN), 'Impact Investing Trends: Evidence of a Growing Industry' (Authors: Abhilash Mudaliar, Aliana Pineiro, Rachel Bass), impact investors have demonstrated strong growth, collectively increasing their assets under management (AUM) from US$ 25.4 billion in 2013 to US$ 35.5 billion in 2015, a compound annual growth rate of 18%. The report provides compelling evidence that impact investing industry is growing, both in terms of size and maturation. More than 60% of AUM was allocated to emerging markets each year, and the top three sectors receiving the highest proportions of AUM were microfinance, other financial services and energy, respectively. Read on...
The NonProfit Times: Assets Under Management Grew For Impact Investing
10 biggest architecture trends of 2016 - (1) Minimalist interiors finished with cool-toned marble, uniform woodwork and block coloured walls (2) Prefabricated houses for long-term housing (3) Co-living and co-working spaces, largely targeting millennials (4) Shingles (Concept is broadly utilized with a huge variety of materials and scales demonstrating the versatility of the cladding) (5) Charred timber (Japanese wood-preservation technique known as shou sugi ban has been used to blacken the cladding of hotels, houses, pavilions and studios the world over) (6) London house extension boom resulting from inclination towards contemporary design (7) Sustainability (8) Backyard and garden studios are constructed by architects, designers, writers and artists as they seek to maximize limited inner city space (9) Skinny skyscrapers (10) Carbon fibre is tipped as building tool of the future. Experts suggest that when the material is combined with robotic construction techniques is paving the way for a fourth industrial revolution. Read on...
Dezeen: Dezeen's 10 biggest architecture trends of 2016
Author: Jessica Mairs
To identify common traits of entrepreneurs, Harvard Business Review (HBR) and Ernst & Young (EY) recently collaborated on a study to review three decades of entrepreneurship and 9200 winners of EY's Entrepreneur of the Year program. According to the report, winners over the past 30 years created more than 14 million jobs and contributed roughly US$ 1 trillion of revenue to the U.S. economy. Moreover, 46% percent of the winners were the founders of more than one business. The report found the following charachteristics that entrepreneurs share - (1) They recognize talent. (2) They are focused on growth. (3) They do their research. (4) They're purpose driven. Read on...
Entrepreneur: All Successful Entrepreneurs Share These 4 Qualities
Author: Nina Zipkin
Gifts are an important tool for initiating and enhancing relationships, and it is often challenging to give just the right gift that connects well. According to Prof. Cassie Mogilner Holmes of University of California at Los Angles, 'What we found was that the recipient feels more connected to you as the gift giver after receiving an experiential gift rather than a material one.' Prof. Holmes is a social psychologist and marketing expert, and is a world's leading authority on consumer happiness. She says, 'Everbody wants to be happy. But we don't often know the best path towards that end. I am trying in my research to understand what are the ways we can think and behave that are most conducive to our happiness and well-being.' Prof. Holmes has been exploring the relationship between happiness, time and money for almost a decade. Her studies found that when your attention is drawn subconsciously to time, you are more motivated to engage with other people, and that will make you happier than if you were thinking about money. Prof. Holmes and her UCLA colleague, Prof. Hal Hershfield, posed the question of what people want more of - time or money - to thousands of Americans representing different ages, socio-economic levels, occupations, races and genders. According to her, 'We found that those who were more likely to choose having more time over having more money were happier.' She further explains that the psychology around these choices has less to do with age than with people's outlook on their futures and on time. She adds, 'Younger people who feel their time is expansive and that they have a very long future in front of them will enjoy greater happiness from extraordinary experiences. For older people who feel their time is limited and fleeting, they feel a need to savor the moment. These people extract happiness from even mundane, ordinary experiences, like having coffee with a friend.' Read on...
UCLA Newsroom: UCLA marketing prof probes what will make you happier
Author: Cynthia Lee
The rising tide of mobile devices brought with it the deluge of apps. As of June 2016, there were an overwhelming 4.2 million apps available on both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. For an app to stand out among such a crowded app-place is not an easy task. Dima Rakovitsky, Founder and CEO of ROKO Labs, shares the following best practices for an aspiring app inventor - (1) Know Your Audience: Diligently figure out who will use the app and what problem will it solve; Focus on customer aesthetics based on the platform (iOS or Android) they use and design accordingly. (2) Validate Before You Build: Research the competitive market; Do customer surveys; Draw user flows; Professionally design the app and make a clickable prototype; Share it with potential users and seek suggestions and feedback. (3) Marketing And User Acquisition Plans: Make sure app has viral components; Create a marketing strategy supported with strong tactics; Have a marketing and advertising budget. (4) Make a Positive First Impression: It is key to acquiring and retaining users; Have a well-designed and memobrable app icon with short engaging description; To reduce churn rates, make sure your app is fast, intuitive and allows anonymous usage. (5) Easier is Always Better: Keep your app simple and accessible to everyone; Have understanding of UI (User Interface) and UX (User Experience). (6) Consistency Is Key: The app should look and feel cohesive; Have unified color scheme and consistent typography; Make sure your app takes advantage of the unique features and norms of each mobile platform, but still coordinates with your website. Read on...
Alley Watch: 6 Tips for Aspiring App Inventors
Author: Dima Rakovitsky
Philanthropic giving continued to thrive in US and exceeded US$ 373 billion in 2015. Educational institutions got 12.86% (US$ 48 billion) of the total. As public funding to education gets reduced, colleges and universities are realigning strategic objectives and development goals to suit the funding priorities for donors and organizations. Donors have their own criteria to determine the funding goals that make an impact. According to Charles Koch, businessman and philanthropist, 'It is simply identifying organizations which want to make life better by empowering free will and enterprise. I decided that I wanted to give as many people as possible ideas so that they could transform their lives. That's been my motivation.' Michael Lomax, President and CEO of UNCF.org, recently shared his views on the potential for social modeling between UNCF and Charles Koch Foundation, and their US$ 29 million partnership for tuition assistance and career development. He says, 'The success of this program lies in our shared vision that a mind - and a life - is a terrible thing to waste. It is why our partnership's ultimate goal is to give students the opportunity to explore the values and skills of an entrepreneur, and better understand how an entrepreneurial mindset will benefit both them and their communities.' Nicholas Perkins, Founder and CEO of Perkins Management Services Inc, explains about his support to Howard University, 'Anytime that a minority company has an opportunity to partner with an historically black institution, that partnership should be the base from which growth and progress for that particular campus comes. So we always try to fit ourselves into that puzzle.' Educational institutions often find funding success by proactively tapping into the goodwill of graduates and stakeholders. Miami University of Ohio invested a substantial amount from its fundraising campaign towards enhancing academic programming in media studies, writing and gerontology. It launched 'Miami Plan', a 36-credit hour course mandate for all students to be immersed in and appreciative of the impact of liberal arts across all career paths. Gregory Crawford, President of Miami University of Ohio, says, 'For me, people don't expect a physicist to have such a passion for the liberal arts, but it had such a big impact on my life, my leadership style and my interests. I couldn't be more enthusiastic in sharing how it helped me to learn about human flourishing and in thinking more holistically, which was super important to me in the physics world.' He adds, 'Many of our own alums and donors understand the value of the education provided to them, and they love what we're doing with the Miami plan, so they freely invest in that vision.' Read on...
Education Dive: What inspires people, corporations to give to higher education?
Author: Jarrett Carter
Local climate conditions and natural environment defines the efficiency, effectiveness and aesthetics of landscape design. Arizona's (USA) climate is charecterized by abundance of sunlight throughout the year with warm days, refreshing night and dry air. Therefore, outdoor living spaces are given extra importance by residents. To cater to this requirement, and provide comfort and functionality, architects and landscape designers are giving special emphasis to trends observed by CreativeEnvironments.com - (1) Sustainability: Residential Landscape Architecture Trends Survey conducted by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) considers sustainability as one of the leading trends of 2016; Water-starved state like Arizona, with twenty year of draught, has more relevance; Xeriscaping; Use of native, draught-tolerant, desert-adaptive plants; Grouping plants based on their water consumption; Rainwater harvesting; Use of rain barrels to capture water flowing off the roof; Designs can include contours like depressions, berms, or basins that collect rainwater; Edible gardens with native plants. (2) Indoor Comforts: Extending the comforts of indoors to backyards; Outdoor living spaces like kitchens, seating areas, fireplaces etc; Use of technology like WiFi, TV sets, irrigation controlling advanced systems; Energy-efficient LED lighting. (3) Modern Design: Modern landscape design includes a minimalist approach to planting, as well as geometric pools and patios that are defined by straight lines and right angles. These are a natural match for desert environment that is generally admired for stark beauty, simplicity, and clean lines. The austerity of modern design allows nature to take center stage, accentuating rather than distracting from the beauty of the surroundings. Read on...
AZ Big Media: Top landscape design trends harness the beauty of Arizona
Research by Prof. Ali Besharat of University of Denver, 'The Effect of Review Valence and Variance on Product Evaluations: An Examination of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Cues' (Other authors - Ryan Langan of University of San Francisco; Sajeev Varki of University of South Florida), explores how the rating and variance in reviews affect the decision process. Researchers find that the nature of products, a product's brand, reviewers' credibility, and the structure of online customer reviews all significantly impact consumer decision-making and, subsequently, a company's bottom line in terms of sales. According to Prof. Besharat, 'In the case of high online review variance, we find that when brand equity is high - Nike for example - then reviewer credibility does not influence consumers' purchase intentions. But when a consensus among reviews exists (low variance), reviewer credibility emerges as a significant diagnostic cue.' Another research by Prof. Ana Babić Rosario of University of Denver, 'The Effect of Electronic Word of Mouth on Sales: A Meta-Analytic Review of Platform, Product and Metric Factors' (Other authors - Francesca Sotgiu of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam; Kristine De Valck of HEC Paris; Tammo H.A. Bijmolt of University of Groningen), confirms Prof. Besharat's findings and demonstrates that a wide variance in consumer opinions has a detrimental effect on product sales. According to Prof. Rosario, 'The reason why variability of reviews can harm sales more than negativity is that electronic world of mouth, in theory, is a way for consumers to reduce risk and uncertainty, which does not happen when other consumers' feedback is highly inconsistent.' Prof. Rosario's findings should be of interest to product and platform managers, internet and social media monitoring agencies. Read on...
University of Denver News: What Brand and Marketing Managers Need to Know About Online Customer Reviews; How They Influence Purchase Decisions
Author: Amy Jacobson
One of the ways in which health systems, particularly in the resource-starved developing countries, can improve is by applying concepts that make social enterprises successful. Health systems serving the most vulnerable, bottom of the pyramid market, can learn from social enterprises that make challenging markets work better. Yasmin Madan, global marketing director at Population Services International (PSI), explains in an interview with Lizzie Cohen, that adapting the model of a social enterprise can ensure a more sustainable health system that continues beyond donor funding. She says, 'Any successful business has the consumer right at the center as its main audience and it generates value for the consumer as well as the market.' According to Ms. Madan, 'Social enterprises by addressing failures, by putting consumers at the center, by generating value, are strengthening health systems, or put simply - making markets work better.' Read on...
devex: The evolution of health systems - Service providers as social enterprise
Authors: Lizzie Cohen, Jacques Jimeno, Julie Espinosa
Organizations should continue to seek innovation to stay relevant and competitive. Achieving continuous innovation is challenging and organizations have to create an innovation-driven culture as a long-term strategy to sustain it. Manoj Vig, Enterprise Architect at Shire Pharmaceuticals, shares his views on innovation, how to establish innovation teams and what should be done to ensure innovation success - (1) Organizational DNA: Innovation is neither a project nor a process, it needs to be part of organizational DNA; Focus on teams and groups. (2) Collaboration is important: Collaborative environment helps innovation to sustain and succeed in innovation; Collaboration develops and refines innovative ideas. (3) Find zoom out team members: Include members with diverse set of skills and competencies, and those who can zoom out to get a bigger picture. (4) Innovation teams and performance engines: Innovation teams are necessary to provide performance teams to work better. Better coordination and partnership between the two for seamless and continuous innovation. (5) A crazy man's idea: Nurture ideation in organizations even though ideas may initially seem difficult or impossible; Encourage sharing and free flow of ideas. (6) Glocalization and reverse innovation: Innovation teams should learn from these concepts and seek out what has been successfully done as a prlect for a specific use case at one place and reconfigure it for a larger user base within the organization. (7) Innovation catalysts and champions: Look for innovation catalysts that will become part of a dedicated team and then find innovation champions within existing and potential user communities to work with catalysts to solidify the innovation-based culture thinking within the organization. (8) Don't worry, be crappy: As Guy Kawasaki once said the phrase to make a point that when something is done to be radically different and better, waiting for perfection is not a good strategy; Deliver products and services quickly and without fear of failure. Such products/services can be tagged as beta or in incubation for user awareness. This helps engage with users early, set the right level of expectations and create a positive feedback loop. (9) Don't just focus on problems: Solving current problems with users provide quick wins and credibility boosters and must be used by innovation teams to expand their focus and work towards identification of opportunities for users that did not exist before; Focus on creating new opportunities and disrupting current ways of doing things. Read on...
icrunchdata: 9 Tips to Establish Innovation Teams
Author: Manoj Vig
There is always a difference of opinion when it comes to whether entrepreneurship is an inherent trait or it can be taught and learned. Both sides seem to have reasonable examples to justify their perspective. For those who value the concept of entreprenuership in business or are contemplating to tread entrepreneurial path, here are some good reads - (1) 'Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish' by Rashmi Bansal (2) 'Creativity Inc.' by Ed Catmull (3) 'Zero to None' by Blake Masters and Peter Thiel (4) 'Business Start Up 101' by Chris Gattis (5) 'The Four Hour Work Week' by Timothy Ferriss (6) 'How To Win Friends And Influence People' by Dale Carnegie (7) 'The Life and Business Lessons of Warren Buffett' by George Ilian (8) 'The Fountain Head' by Ayn Rand (9) 'Think and Grow Rich' by Napoleon Hill. Read on...
Entrepreneur: 9 Must Read Books on Entrepreneurship
Author: Saumya Kaushik
45% of increase in jobs has been recorded in the creative economy since 1997 and it made upto 2.6 million jobs in total. Web design demands creativity, attention to detail, and practice. To observe and understand the work of successful designers and learn from it can help budding designers to master the art of web design. Here are some ways to enhance web design skills - (1) Avoid slideshows and carousels: They provide more information than what visitors can absorb; Offer a concise value proposition, particularly on homepage; Provide meaningful and relevant content. (2) Simplify the navigation through your design: Complex website with too many options can be counterproductive; Uncrowd your sidebar and header; Minimize dropdown menus; Be mobile-friendly. (3) Use a sketchbook: Assists during brainstorming and helps to organize design process better. (4) Try the squint test: Continuous staring at screen harms visions, take a break and view the design with partially closed eyes. Squint few times, and the prominent aspects of the design will be clearly visible; Provides clarity on website's focal points and sections that are to be highlighted. (5) Black, white and gray should be your starting point: Beginning with shades of gray and then adding colors helps to create a website that lets user focus on the crucial aspects of the site; Also helps to prevent from overdesigning a page. Moreover, technology facilitates creativity and helps design better websites through following ways - Seamless integration; Breaking down barriers; Creative alliances; Informational accessiblity; Advanced graphic tools; Expert feedback; Low cost of failure; Massive marketing platform; Adapt to survive; Percolation of creativity. Read on...
Business 2 Community: 5 Ways Web Designers Can Create Amazing Websites
Author: Amy Hayes
According to Mapp Digital's whitepaper, 'Consumer Views of Email Marketing', more than 98% of consumers, aged 18-64, check emails at least one to three times a day. The survey for whitepaper included a national panel of 1765 consumers between the ages of 18-64, 70% had a household income of over US$ 35000 and participants were evenly distributed by gender and geographic region. The findings point out the importance of age in receptiveness of email marketing. Nearly 2/3rd (64%) of respondents aged 55-64 said that they will delete email, as opposed to 38% of 18-24 year-olds. 91% aged 18-24, and 83% aged 25-34 said that they use smartphones to view emails. It suggests that for effective email marketing, optimize for smartphones. Mike Biwer, CEO of Mapp Digital, says, 'Email marketing is still very relevant to brands, specifically for the hard-to-reach 18-34 year-old audience. The survey results suggest that this group of consumers are engaging with fewer brands on a more intimate level. Millennials and Gen Y are strong audiences for email marketers, but now more than ever, the email marketing experience needs to cater to what they want and how they want it.' Read on...
Enterprise Innovation: Email marketing still vital for targeting young US consumers
Conflicts and wars, apart from taking human lives, causing destruction and displacing ordinary people, also disturbs affected children's educational future and creates regional human resources imbalances. The ongoing Syrian Civil War has led to an estimated quarter-million young people getting deprived of college education. Gordon Brown, former Prime Minister of UK and currently UN Special Envoy for Global Education, explains collaborative role of charities, philanthropists and nonprofit foundations to overcome educational deprivation of displaced students. He advocates the need of realizing the potential of social enterprises to fill the gaps in global education. He says, 'With 260 million children not in school worldwide, education needs more champions to match the enthusiasm of advocates in, say, the global-health and environmental movements. There is more room for innovation in education than in any other international-development sector, especially as digital technologies and the Internet become more accessible even in the world's poorest regions.' He shares how Catalyst Trust for Universal Education, an education focused social entperise founded by former New York University President John Sexton, is helping out in global education efforts. Catalyst Trust participates in PEER (Platform for Education in Emergencies Response) project intended to connect college-ready Syrian refugees with refugee-ready colleges. Explaining the future of PEER project, he comments, 'In time, PEER will serve as a conduit to higher education for displaced students worldwide, and it will cater to all education levels, by providing web-based information, points of contact, and much-needed counseling and support.' He advocates support to social startups like Catalyst Trust, that are working on various aspects of education globally. He encourages education reformers to learn from pioneering work of Sir Ronald Cohen on social-impact investing. He cites some specific pilot projects that individuals and organizations can support to make a difference in education - help refugee students in their education; human-rights education to determine how school curricula can best cultivate inter-faith understanding; help the two million students who are blind or visually impaired, and whose educational needs have long been neglected. With new technology, we can now leapfrog the 150-year-old braille system and instantly render text into audio recordings, making all types of learning materials accessible to the visually impaired. Mr. Brown concludes, 'For anyone who cares about education, our task is clear: to furnish millions of poor people, especially in the remotest parts of the world, with the innovations they need to transform and improve their lives through learning. As the Catalyst Trust intends to show, a little social enterprise goes a long way.' Read on...
Project Syndicate: Education Needs Social Enterprise
Author: Gordon Brown
In the world of charitable giving, generally 20% givers use techniques and expert knowledge to maximize their effectiveness, while the remaining 80% are unaware and together pay millions in taxes that would otherwise be used for charitable work. Robert G. Collins, Tampa Bay President of NCF (9th largest US charity), provides specialist philanthropic advice and shares some valuable tools and techniques to enhance value of giving - (1) Use a donor-advised fund (DAF): DAF works like charitable account where the giver gets a charitable deduction when assets are contributed. It is also similar to private grantmaking family foundations without the work and expenses of running a corporation. DAF enables the giver to give when it's convenient for them and decide the amount, timing and recipient of the gift at a later date. (2) Stop writing checks: Giving with cash are after-tax dollars exchanged for a charitable giving. Gift appreciated assets to gain a fair market value deduction, but avoid the capital gains taxes embedded in the asset. This way you get a double benefit i.e. giving pre-tax dollars and still getting the charitable deduction. (3) Plan ahead for tax events: Capital gains taxes are optional taxes - you don't have to pay them if you don't want to. If you are charitable and you have a taxable event expected in future, explore your charitable options today. (4) Have a charitable shareholder: Consider gifting a partial interest in your business or income-producing real estate to your DAF. It is critical that the DAF or charity you are giving to has expertise in taking in business interests. (5) Give generously through your estate: Check out givingpledge.org to find out reasons why many respected business leaders are leaving a charitable legacy. A DAF is a simple, easy solution for a family foundation legacy, but ask the fund sponsor whether they have rules about appointing successors. Read on...
Tampa Bay Business Journal: 5 things smart givers know
Author: Robert G. Collins
To avoid customer attrition in the digital age requires multiple service-centric online strategies. Cynthia Johnson, Managing Partner & Director of Marketing for RankLab, provides some of them - (1) Use Your Customers' Information to Benefit Their Experience: Ensure effective customer data collection using browser cookies, account login data in CRM and marketing automation tools; Personalization; Targeted product recommendations, send event triggered messages and auto-fill forms. (2) Make it Easy for People to Reach You: Display contact information prominently; Use multi-channel chat solutions. (3) Have a Mobile-Friendly Website Design: Mobile digital media time with 51%, exceeds desktop and other devices combined; Use responsive web design; (4) Pay Attention to Reviews and Rants on Social Media: Ensure monitoring of social chatter about your business; Use tools that can provide you with alerts when there are comments, reviews and inquiries on social media. (5) Above All Else, Listen and Respond. Read on...
Search Engine Journal: How to Avoid Digital Customer Service Fails
Author: Cynthia Johnson
According to the IMF's October 2016 'World Economic Outlook' report, global economic growth will remain subdued this year (3.1%), as US slowdown and Brexit happened. Moreover, persistent stagnation in advanced economies could further give rise to anti-trade sentiments and populist call for restrictions on trade and immigration. Maurice Obstfeld, IMF chief economist, says, 'Such restrictions would hamper productivity, growth and innovation. t is vitally important to defend the prospects for increasing trade integration. Turning back the clock on trade can only deepen and prolong the world economy’s current doldrums.' IMF suggests - For near term growth, central banks in advanced economies should maintain easy monetary policies; Governments should spend more on education, technology, and infrastructure to expand productive capacity while taking steps to alleviate inequality; Many countries also need to counteract waning potential growth through structural reforms to boost labor force participation, better match skills to jobs, and reduce barriers to market entry. IMF found emerging markets and developing economies as the only bright spots, where growth will accelerate for the first time in 6 years to 4.2%. They are expected to grow 4.6% next year. Although, prospects differ sharply across countries and regions. Growth in emerging Asia, and especially India, continues to be resilient. India's GDP is projected to expand 7.6% this year and next, the fastest pace among the world's major economies. Sub-Saharan Africa's largest economies continue to struggle with lower commodity revenues, weighing on growth in the region. While, economic activity slowed in Latin America, as several countries are mired in recession, with recovery expected to take hold in 2017. Middle East remains in challenging conditions due to subdued oil prices, civil conflicts and terrorism. Commenting on the policy challenge, Mr. Obsfeld concludes, 'By using monetary, fiscal, and structural policies in concert - within countries, consistent over time, and across countries - the whole can be greater than the sum of its parts.' Read on...
IMF News: IMF Sees Subdued Global Growth, Warns Economic Stagnation Could Fuel Protectionist Calls
According to the first experts' poll conducted by Thomson Reuters Foundation (poll2016.trust.org), in partnership with Deutsche Bank, the Global Social Entrepreneurship Network (GSEN) and UnLtd, the top nations for social entrepreneurs are - (1) United States (2) Canada (3) United Kingdom (4) Singapore (5) Israel (6) Chile (7) South Korea (8) Hong Kong (9) Malaysia (10) France. The poll included survey of about 900 social enterprise experts (social entrepreneurs, academics, investors, policy-makers and support networks) in the world's 45 biggest economies. 85% of the experts said the number of social entrepreneurs finding ways of combining business with social purpose was growing although there is little data tracking the sector. According to Natalia Oberti Noguera, founder of Pipeline Angels (US), 'If someone's interested in financial return on investment, that's not a good fit. We're about so much more. We're about doing good, we're about doing well.' Nearly 60% of the experts surveyed cited three major challenges in the growing sector - people do not know what social entrepreneurs do, which makes raising funds difficult and selling to governments is an uphill struggle. Anne Katrine Heje Larsen, founder and CEO of KPH (Denmark), says, 'There are still too many people who view social entrepreneurs as a bunch of hash-fuming utopian people in knitted sweaters. They couldn't be more wrong.' According to Ayşe Sabuncu, co-founder of Impact Hub Istanbulin (Turkey), 'People do not understand social entrepreneurs create money making businesses like any other business, and they question the philosophy of it if the entrepreneur ends up making profit.' Andy Carnahan, a Swedish social entrepreneur, says, 'A greater understanding of how for-profit businesses can be a driving force for social good would help. We need this (awareness)...among the public who don't realize how much good can be done by a for-profit business that has a social good built into its business model.' Poll found that India, Philippines and South Korea are among those where social entrepreneurs were finding it easiest to access investment. According to Prashanth Venkataramana of Essmart Global, 'A lot of people see India as an opportunity overseas, especially in America.' Bank of America's 2016 survey found that 85% of millennials were interested in having a social impact through investment. It also found that women were more interested in impact investing than men. Peetachai 'Neil' Dejkraisak of Siam Organic (Thailand) says, 'World-class social enterprises are run by women in Asia. They do a really good job balancing the social and financial objectives.' Rosemary Addis, chair of Impact Investing Australia, says, 'Individual enterprises are finding a niche and finding they can engage the market and sell their products or services. But as a sector, the concept of social enterprise and purpose-driven business has not yet got mainstream awareness. That's a job ahead to educate the public.' Read on...
Huffington Post: U.S. Is Best Country For Social Entrepreneurs - Poll
Authors: Pietro Lombardi, Ellen Wulfhorst, Pauline Askin, Nita Bhalla, Alisa Tang, Belinda Goldsmith
Patient focused care delivery driven by technological advancements is bringing transformations in healthcare ecosystem. Experts in a panel discussion 'Future of Health Care: Technology Innovations' shared their views on high level technology that has been in use in Pittsburgh (USA) as biotechnology, informatics and medicine are used to create a more responsive system for both consumers and health providers. Dr. Rasu Shrestha, Chief Innovation Officer and EVP of UPMC Enterprises, said, '...we'll go with a 'best of breed' approach, solutions that work best toward specific ends and, while doing so, invest in interoperability, or making those systems talk to each other. This was 10 years ago. No one else was doing this; this was before 'interoperability' became the buzzword that it is today in the industry.' According to Prof. Don Taylor, Assistant Vice Chancellor of University of Pittsburgh, 'The future of health care coordination rests, in part, with analytics, the ability to make data useful in the same way companies like Amazon and Netflix are able to suggest what movies to watch or what products to buy.' Ellen Beckjord of UPMC Health Plan, while describing the current state of digital health information, used the analogy of the cookbook that contains unorganized list of all ingredients that are disaggregated from recipes. She said, 'Just because it's integrated and all in one place doesn't mean it's actionable.' Kim Jacobs, VP of consumer innovation for UPMC Health Plan, said, 'Close to 60% of UPMC's telemedicine encounters led to emergency room avoidance.' According to Prof. Steven Handler of University of Pittsburgh's School of Medicine, 'Telemedicine increases access to qualified professionals and reduces variability of care. It hits the sweet spot of medical devices, informatics and clinical medicine.' Read on...
Pittsburgh Business Times: Analytics key to future of health care coordination, panel says
Author: Lydia Nuzum
Comedian John Oliver in one of the recent episode of 'Last Week Tonight' on HBO described journalism industry's 'dire straits' and analyzed the depressing financial state of journalism in 2016 and the subsequent tendency for news outlets to focus on stories that get the most traffic. Moreover, he emphasised the importance of traditional reporting via newspapers that often get quoted by TV news channels. He says, 'It's pretty obvious without newspapers around to cite, TV news would just be Wolf Blitzer endlessly batting a ball of yarn around. The media is a food chain which would fall apart without local newspapers.' On the current financial situation of journalism, falling print advertising revenue and digital journalism, he says, 'A big part of the blame for this industry's dire straits is on us and our unwillingness to pay for the work journalists produce. We've just grown accustomed to getting our news for free and the longer that we get something for free, the less willing we are to pay for it...If journalists are constantly required to write, edit, shoot videos and tweet, mistakes are going to get made. It is clearly smart for newspapers to expand online. But the danger in doing that is the temptation to gravitate towards getting the most clicks.' Read on...
the guardian: John Oliver examines journalism's many problems: The blame is on us
Author: Adam Gabbatt
Researchers from Stanford University [Po-Chun Hsu, Alex Y. Song, Peter B. Catrysse, Chong Liu, Yucan Peng, Jin Xie, Shanhui Fan, Yi Cui] have developed a low-cost, plastic-based textile that, when woven into clothing, has the ability to keep the body cool more efficiently as compared to the natural or synthetic fabrics that are used today. The research was published in journal 'Science' titled, 'Radiative human body cooling by nanoporous polyethylene textile'. According to Prof. Yi Cui of Materials Science and Engineering, 'If you can cool the person rather than the building where they work or live, that will save energy.' The new material cools by letting perspiration evaporate through it, as fabrics normally do. But the other most innovative characteristic of the material's cooling mechanism is that it allows heat that the body emits as infrared radiation to pass through the plastic textile. Prof. Shanhui Fan of Electrical Engineering says, '40-60% of our body heat is dissipated as infrared radiation when we are sitting in an office. But until now there has been little or no research on designing the thermal radiation characteristics of textiles.' Researchers engineered the cooling material by blending nanotechnology photonics and chemistry to give polyethylene, the material used as kitchen wrap, a number of characteristics desirable in clothing material. It allows thermal radiation, air and water vapor to pass right through, and it is opaque to visible light. Prof. Cui says, 'If you want to make a textile, you have to be able to make huge volumes inexpensively.' According to Prof. Fan, 'This research opens up new avenues of inquiry to cool or heat things, passively, without the use of outside energy, by tuning materials to dissipate or trap infrared radiation.' Read on...
Stanford News: Stanford engineers develop a plastic clothing material that cools the skin
Author: Tom Abate
Journalism industry faces numerous challenges and is going through a difficult phase, as comedian John Oliver recently expained in his show on HBO. But there is also a ray of hope as the demand for good content is high and there is need of editorial skills. Journalism aspirants, who aspire to be Bob Woodward or Carl Bernstein, may not feel happy about it though. Kayvan Salmanpour, chief content officer at digital marketing agency iCrossing, says, '99% of brands struggle with content because they publish without an editorial mindset. So I think (editorial is) hugely important - now more than ever.' He explains what brands can learn from media companies when it comes to content and suggests the following - (1) Hire an editor in chief who can have ultimate control of the content produced and can assure it's quality. Content represents the brand. (2) Create an editorial mission statement before anything else. There is need for clarity of objectives and everyone in the organization should be aligned to it. (3) Put the audience first as compared to brand/product first. Create content that is audience focused. Find the intersection between what the audience wants to read and what the brand stands for. (4) Don't try to be everything to everyone. Good content fits seamlessly between the brand and its target audience. It may even require conducting psychographic studies of the target audience and thinking about their habits in excruciating detail. Read on...
The Drum: Journalists, take heart - Content marketing needs you
Author: Lisa Lacy
Students have to be taught about entrepreneurship and innovation early in their educational stage to better prepare them to adapt to the technology-enabled disruptive future of the world of work. Experts predict that technology is transforming work so rapidly that 40% of the jobs of today will disappear within 10-15 years. According to The Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA), advances in computer technology and automation would result in around five million job losses. Prof. Stephen Martin, Chief Executive of CEDA, says, 'If we do not embrace massive economic reform and focus on incentivising innovation, we will simply be left behind in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.' Jo Burston, serial entrepreneur and founder of small business platform 'Inspiring Rare Birds', has created an education venture 'Phronesis Academy' with Prof. Richard Seymour of Sydney Business School. According to Ms. Burston, 'Phronesis in Greek means practical wisdom - it's all about learning in action. There is actually no right or wrong and there is no pass or fail because we know that in entrepreneurship those things don't actually exist...We need to have young people thinking as entrepreneurs as they go into businesses because businesses are wanting to innovate. So the people who can innovate and create new revenue lines are the ones who are going to be highly regarded in their positions and I think there's an entrepreneurial mindset around being able to do that.' Jayant Prakash, business teacher at Darwin High School, says, 'It's very important to know entrepreneurial skills because every day we get up in the morning and we are dealing in the world of business, we want our young people to be innovative in nature and this subject gives them the chance to develop ideas.' Read on...
Huffington Post: Why High School Is The Best Place To Nurture Our Entrepreneurs
Author: Cathy Anderson
Multidisciplinary team of researchers lead by Prof. Amin Salehi-Khojin from University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) have engineered a process through a solar cell to mimic plants' ability to convert carbon dioxide into fuel, a way to decrease the amounts of harmful gas in the atmosphere and produce clean energy. According to Prof. Salehi-Khojin, 'The artificial leaf essentially recycles carbon dioxide. And it's powered entirely by the sun, mimicking the real photosynthesis process. Real leaves use the energy from the sun and convert carbon dioxide to sugar. In the artificial leaf that we built, we use the sun and we convert CO2 to (synthetic gas), which can be converted to any hydrocarbon, like gasoline.' Describing the process Prof. Salehi-Khojin said, 'The energy of the sun rearranges the chemical bonds of the carbon dioxide. So the sun's energy is being stored in the form of chemical bonds, which can be burned as fuel...Scientists around the world have been studying carbon reduction, as this type of reaction is called, for years.' Prof. Nathan Lewis of California Institute of Technology, who has been studying solar fuels and artificial photosynthesis for more than 40 years, says, 'UIC's development is only a small piece of an eventual solar fuel product that can be widely implemented. There's a lot of steps that need to occur to envision how these things would translate into a commercializable system, but it's a step for building a piece of a full system that may be useful.' Prof. Michael R. Wasielewski of Northwestern University comments, 'UIC's development could push renewable energy technology forward.' The research, 'Nanostructured transition metal dichalcogenide electrocatalysts for CO2 reduction in ionic liquid', was recently published in journal 'Science'. UIC News Center website (news.uic.edu) provides the following information about co-authors and collaborators of this research - Amin Salehi-Khojin, Mohammad Asadi, Kibum Kim, Aditya Venkata Addepalli, Pedram Abbasi, Poya Yasaei, Amirhossein Behranginia, Bijandra Kumar and Jeremiah Abiade of UIC's Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department, who performed the electrochemical experiments and prepared the catalyst; Robert F. Klie and Patrick Phillips of UIC's Physics Department, who performed electron microscopy and spectroscopy experiments; Larry A. Curtiss, Cong Liu and Peter Zapol of Argonne National Laboratory, who did Density Functional Theory calculations; Richard Haasch of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, who did ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy; José M. Cerrato of the University of New Mexico, who did elemental analysis. Read on...
Chicago Tribune: UIC researchers develop artificial leaf that turns CO2 into fuel
Author: Ally Marotti
Technology-driven transformations are clearly visible in human resources management. HR experts from Forbes Human Resources Council share their views regarding five areas where technology is impacting to make human resource practices more effective and efficient - (1) Digital Interviews Save Time And Money: Rohit Paul of Academy For Urban School Leadership, says, 'Digital interviewing allowed candidates to use whichever technology they preferred - phone, tablet or laptop - to record their responses and provided screeners with an opportunity to review on their own time. It saved my team hundreds if not thousands of hours.' (2) Everyone Can Connect Through Social Media: Ben Martinez of HireVue, says, 'Social media opened doors for human resources professionals years ago, allowing us to be more open and to connect with people in a different way...we use live-streaming apps like Periscope or Facebook Live for big meetings or Snapchat to share stories of our workdays.' (3) Paper Records Are Now Digital: Sarah O'Neill of Digital Trends, says, 'Technology has allowed everything from new hire paperwork to cases of discrimination to be easily trackable by including date/time stamps and reminders to help keep never-sleeping HR departments on track.' (4) More Focus Can Be Placed On Relationship Building: Angela Nguyen of Ad Exchange Group, says, 'With technology greatly helping to streamline (basic HR tasks)...professionals can now spend more time on what humans do better than machines. They can keep their ears to the ground, analyze what motivates employees, ensure that values from leadership align with the culture of the company, and refine ways to develop stronger and happier teams.' (5) Geographical Boundaries Are Eliminated: Sabrina McGrail of Techstars, says, 'It's now entirely possible to have a global team and talent pool...alignment to our values is stronger than it's ever been. That wouldn't be possible without tools like Slack and advanced video conferencing.' Read on...
Forbes: Five Ways Technology Is Impacting HR For The Better
The interactions and engagement of brands with their audience and customers now happens in real-time, thanks to social media and technological innovations. But the similar engagement with employees and worker is far off, and happens only through annual performance reviews or employee surveys. Michael Papay, Co-founder and CEO of Waggl, explains, 'Even organizations that really care about personal development typically run a 360-degree feedback process only every 3-5?...Most business and HR leaders agree that traditional methods of listening to and engaging with employees, while full of positive intent, have had little impact on driving business health, let alone business strategy. Yet, despite this shift in attitude, most organizations are still relying primarily on the annual survey to communicate with employees.' Waggl conducted a survey on its platform obtaining response from 575 people (business leaders, HR leaders and consultants) - 98% were positive about listening to employees and incorporating their ideas is critical to an organization's success; Only 38% were positive about hearing from employees once a year (via an annual survey) gives organizations the timely insights they need to be successful. Following were the response (526 answers, 7550 votes) about top human capital/people priority for 2016 - (1) Encouraging/engendering a growth/ownership mindset, we call it leadership at all levels. (2) Leadership development throughout the field, with a strong emphasis on personal accountability. (3) Agility, collaboration and trust. (4) Finding the right talent who are innovative and can take the organizations to the next level. (5) Influencing the company culture to have more authentic, people oriented people managers and reward and promote those who are successfully engaging their people, not the ones that get the best results but do not show the right leadership behaviors. Read on...
Business 2 Community: The Importance of Developing a People Strategy that Supports Your Business Strategy
Author: Michael Papay
Businesses work in ever changing environment and they have to effectively adapt to it for survival and success. Continuous learning and knowledge seeking approach can help owners and employees safeguard their business's future. Nowadays, with technology-enabled knowledge and learning available all the time online, they don't even have to leave their work and can get it whenever they have time. Flexibility and accessability are the strengths of online education. Currently, with a number of online initiatives by many education providers, the range of learning modules available in a number of diverse fields have multiplied. The choice is in the hands of the learner and acquiring new skills is just a click or tap away. Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) provide courses on various topics of business, management, technology etc, and students can submit coursework, receive feedback and marks, and participate in duscussion forums with mentors and peers. Synchronised teaching allow students and teachers to connect and communicate in real-time from different locations. MOOCs have made massive progress since 2008, when they were first launched. Many traditional education providers have MOOCs as part of their online strategy. MOOCs incorporate various elements like forums, social networks, blogs, videos and written materials as part of their learning environment. With continuing advancements in communication technologies, MOOCs will also improve and transformation will also happen in their business model. Latest concept under research in online education is MiRTLEs (Mixed Reality Teaching and Learning Environments). The emphasis here is to enable students to virtually join a lecture through webcam. As the research in online education continues, there will always be availability of better learning environments that fulfil the needs of business owners and their employees. Read on...
Tech.co: 2 Ways Technology Revolutionized Online Education
Author: Marcelo Brahimllari
Entrepreneurs thrive in regions and countries that have developed better and facilitating entrepreneurial ecosystem than others. According to Alberta's Center for Innovation Studies, Canada has the second-highest level of entrepreneurial activity in the world. Andrea Stairs, Managing Director of eBay Canada, provide five traits of successful online entrepreneurs shared by winners of eBay Canada's 'Entrepreneur of the Year' award - (1) They are strategic. They map out their growth. A recent BDC survey of Canadian entrepreneurs found that successful businesses are much more likely (71%) to have a strategic plan than less successful companies (46%). (2) They think globally from the outset. (3) They focus on niches to differentiate themselves from the competition. (4) They are passionate and resourceful. (5) They are resilient. They learn from failure and pivot in the face of obstacles. Read on...
Huffington Post: 5 Traits Of Successful Online Entrepreneurs
Author: Andrea Stairs
Social media provides ease of connecting and sharing information with ones network and communities. Peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising works towards bringing the supporters and their networks together for financial contributions. Social media can be an effective tool to reach donors and networks to fulfil nonprofit's fundraising goals. Following 8 strategies can be utilized to successfully implement social media into P2P fundraising campaign - (1) Optimize online components - Ensure that all fundraising pages are functional, user-friendly and mobile responsive; WHY: Strong online fundraising gives a positive signal to supporters. Social media is an extension of online fundraising. Having a strong online background is needed to support individual fundraisers that may lack technological expertise; WHAT: A clear, straightforward, and simple fundraising page. A platform that allows individual fundraisers to create their own giving pages. Active social media accounts. (2) Tell a cohesive, simple story - Telling a story about the recipients of your aid is the perfect way to engage with social media while reaching your donors; WHY: Compelling stories add value to your nonprofit. They connect people to people, generating an emotional response that can lead to action; WHAT: An individual or a community to focus your story. An interview with your chosen subject. An accompanying photo. A short, postable format. (3) Use a multimedia approach - Pictures, videos and sound, capture our attention. They offer the user a diverse, vivid experience, one that can connect supporters more directly to the cause; WHAT: High-quality content. A posting schedule. (4) Strategize for each platform - Nonprofits often post the same content to each site with little adjustment. For maximum effectiveness the approach should differ for each platform; WHY: Different social media platforms offer different opportunities for engagement, and likewise, different opportunities to reach your donors in meaningful ways; WHAT: Hashtags. Character-limit copy. The right language. Specific calls to action. (5) Post, share, tag, and like - Active social media presence gives positive signals. It also helps in tracking the online conversations regarding the campaign; WHY: Liking and sharing supporters' fundraising milestones and accomplishments shows supporters that you're engaged with their work and appreciate what they've done for your mission. Posting the campaign's success at regular intervals inspires individual fundraisers to keep working toward long-term goals; WHAT: A social media coordinator. Tracking tools. The rules of operation. (6) Set goals for your fundraisers - Set goals in a way inspires your supporters and anyone who stumbles upon your campaign; WHY: Clearly displayed goal will show the supporters the level of progress they have made and how much more is needed. Similarly, an individual goal establishes each individual fundraiser's role in the campaign. Setting clear goals is the only way for your supporters to meet your expectations; WHAT: Fundraising metrics. Fundraising thermometers. Integrate fundraising goals into user-friendly pages for clear communication at different stages. (7) Provide toolkits to supporters - Right materials and tools helps to keep message consistent and clear for supporters and their networks; WHY: Providing toolkits helps supporters create the most effective tasks. Provide templates to easily relay the message; WHAT: Suggested copy. Images. Suggested posting schedule. Background information. (8) Generate friendly competition - Needed to push the campaign reach its goal within time and even go beyond its goal; WHY: Competition inspires to work effectively with vigour. It's easy for family and friends to get caught up in the fun and donate more to see their own reach the goal and get on top; WHAT: Leaderboards. Badges. Recognition. Read on...
Crowdfund Insider: 8 Social Media Strategies for Nonprofit Peer-to-Peer Fundraising
Author: Abby Jarvis
According to WordStream.com, 'Marketing analytics is the practice of measuring, managing and analyzing marketing performance to maximize its effectiveness and optimize return on investment (ROI). Understanding marketing analytics allows marketers to be more efficient at their jobs and minimize wasted web marketing dollars. Beyond the obvious sales and lead generation applications, marketing analytics can offer profound insights into customer preferences and trends. Despite these compelling benefits, a majority of organizations fail to ever realize the promises of marketing analytics.' It is imperative for marketers to overcome analytics related challenges and bring customers closer to the brands and serve each one of them in the best possible way. Ensuring better data quality, effective knowledge and skills to analyze data, focus and clarity of goals, collaborative approach and creativity, will provide what marketing analytics promises. In KPMG's 2016 Global CEO Outlook, 84% of CEO's indicated their concern about the quality of the data they use to make decisions. Moreover, Forrester Research noted that 58% of the work in a business intelligence initiative is spent on trying to find the right data and integrate it for analysis. Openprise released a study on marketing data management, noting barriers to data management success included - Poor data use/accessibility (54%); Poor data quality (44%); Poor database integration (37%). Study by Ascend found similar challenges to data-driven marketing, listing integrating data across platforms and enriching data quality and completeness as the top two challenges. Finding the right data and analyzing it properly and gain valuable insights is the key to effective data-driven marketing. This requires specialized knowledge and expertise for marketers. eMarketer points to an IAB study that found that 34.8% noted a lack of internal experience at the functional and operational level as a major obstacle to deploying and deriving value from data-driven marketing. Moreover, collaborative approach and focus are other critical factors required to get maximum results. Amar Doshi, VP of Product at 6sense, says, 'Marketing can't operate in a silo if the enterprise wants to be successful at data-driven marketing. It takes a team that includes resources across the organization to work together.' He adds, 'Marketers are also trying to do too much and, as a result, not doing anything well.' The key is to agree on performance goals and metrics. CMO Solution Guide suggests to always be testing and measuring. But in all these processes and focus, importance of creativity should never be forgotten. Robert Glazer, founder and managing director of Acceleration Partners, says, 'Marketing needs to do both, but too often it's choosing the data over creative. Focusing on creative doesn't mean ignoring data. In fact, data plays an important role in directing creative. Incorporating both data and creativity means maintaining a balance between insight-driven ideas and compelling execution. Smart marketers bring their creative team and data geeks together.' Read on...
diginomica: Why do marketers struggle to do analytics well?
Author: Barb Mosher Zinck
Team of multidisciplinary researchers from Case Western Reserve University (USA) [Victoria Webster; Roger Quinn; Hillel Chiel; Ozan Akkus; Umut Gurkan; Emma L. Hawley; Jill M. Patel; Katherine J. Chapin], have created a 'biohybrid' robot by combining sea slug materials with 3D printed parts, that can crawl like sea turtle. Scientists suggest that in future, swarms of biohybrid robots could be released for such tasks as locating the source of a toxic leak in a pond that would send animals fleeing. They could also be used to search the ocean floor for a black box flight data recorder, a potentially long process that may leave current robots stilled with dead batteries. According to Ms. Webster, PhD student and lead researcher, 'We're building a living machine - a biohybrid robot that's not completely organic - yet. For the searching tasks, we want the robots to be compliant, to interact with the environment. One of the problems with traditional robotics, especially on the small scale, is that actuators - the units that provide movement - tend to be rigid.' Researchers also explain that if completely organic robots prove workable a swarm released at sea or in a pond or a remote piece of land, won't be much of a worry if they can't be recovered. They're likely to be inexpensive and won't pollute the location with metals and battery chemicals but be eaten or degrade into compost. Read on...
think - CWRU Blog: Researchers build a crawling robot from sea slug parts and a 3-D printed body
Author: Kevin Mayhood
According to Wikipedia, 'Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) became popular in 1960s and is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model. CSR policy functions as a self-regulatory mechanism whereby a business monitors and ensures its active compliance with the spirit of the law, ethical standards, and national and international norms.' While BusinessDictionary.com defines CSR as 'A company's sense of responsibility towards the community and environment (both ecological and social) in which it operates. Companies express this citizenship - (1) Through their waste and pollution reduction processes. (2) By contributing educational and social programs. (3) By earning adequate returns on the employed resources.' According to a Global CSR Study conducted by Cone Communications/Ebiquity, 91% of global consumers expect companies to do more than make a profit but also operate responsibly to address social and environmental issues. From integrating a social mission into cross-departmental activities to engaging in sustainability practices, there are myriad ways in which organizations can adopt both a good business and commerce-driven model. A new report from PSFK Labs, 'Impact Debrief', explores how brands can innovate around this decades-old concept of CSR to elevate their social impact and influence. The study provides 5 key ingredients for creating social innovation - (1) Identify And Unite Around A Relevant Social Problem. (2) Promote Cross-Functional Integration. (3) Incentivize And Empower Employees. (4) Create Value By Maximizing Sustainability Efforts. (5) Deliver Transparency. Read on...
PSFK: The 5 Fundamentals For Corporate Social Innovation
Packaging is an important component of product handling, logistics, advertising, marketing and selling. There are variety of materials that are currently in use for packaging. Environmental challenges arise due to the waste generated through discarded packagings. The packaging industry is exploring better materials that can reduce environmental footprint. In spite of scientific breakthroughs in developing new packaging materials, there are issues related to their performance and price, inhibiting their mass adoption and usage. Bryan Shova, packaging designer and industrial design director at Kaleidoscope, explains sustainability aspects of packaging. He says, 'I dream of the day when material science and manufacturing can deliver on the promise of zero environmental impact, high performance, premium finish and low costs.' He explains, 'The viability of true sustainability is a complex economic challenge, and the ugly truth is that few consumers, brand owners or municipalities are willing to pay the premium price for cutting-edge sustainable packaging solutions. True solutions will come through "systems thinking" that requires the material supplier, manufacturer, retailer, consumer and the municipality to share in the premium costs and labor required to design, collect and recycle packaged materials.' He provides 10 principles for designing sustainable packaging - (1) Start with commodity materials that are commonly recycled. (2) Design the package from a single material. (3) Focus on the product-to-package ratio. (4) Design for assembly at the point of manufacture. (5) Avoid gluing and laminations. (6) Design for distribution. (7) Eliminate secondary and tertiary packaging when possible. (8) Design for disassembly. (9) Clearly mark the materials on the packaging components. (10) Use Lifecycle Assessment. Read on...
Packaging Digest: 10 ways to design sustainable packaging with intent
Author: Bryan Shova
Prof. Henry Chesbrough of University of California at Berkeley, coined the term 'Open Innovation' in his book "Open Innovation: The New Imperative for Creating and Profiting from Technology" that was published on 2003. According to website OpenInnovation.net, 'Open Innovation is a paradigm that assumes that firms can and should use external ideas as well as internal ideas, and internal and external paths to market, as the firms look to advance their technology.' Organizations are now more commonly adopting open innovation. As Prof. Chesbrough suggested in his research few years ago that nearly 80% of organizations were already dabbling with open innovation in some form or other. In 2015, Carlos Moedas (European Union's Commissionar for Research, Science and Innovation), outlined the goals for his organization as 'Open Innovation, Open Science and Open to the World'. Recently EU published a paper to highlight its commitment to an open and transparent approach to innovation and related policy initiatives. In terms of supporting open innovation throughout Europe, the EU's focus is in four key areas - PUBLIC SECTOR: By providing a regulatory framework that supports and incentivizes open knowledge and cooperation; FINANCIAL SECTOR: By ensuring that innovation-friendly funding is available; INNOVATIVE BUSINESSES: By reducing market fragmentation throughout Europe to help companies commercialize their work; ACADEMIA: By supporting the development of co-creation capabilities and the ease with which research finds its way into business. Supporting 'Open Science' is a key part of the EU's desire for more effective and open innovation as it facilitates the free movement of knowledge throughout the continent. In this regard, EU is focusing efforts in five key policy areas - Fostering and creating incentives for open science; Removing barriers to open science; Mainstreaming and further promoting open access policies; Developing research infrastructures for open science; Embedding open science in society as a socio-economic driver. The final component of EU's open innovation strategy is to foster international cooperation in research and innovation. Horizon 2020, is one such program in the direction of making open science a norm globally. Moreover, international cooperation is key to tackle issues like climate change, driverless technology etc. The paper concludes, 'Science and innovation are global endeavours and researchers should be able to work together smoothly across borders, particularly on large-scale common challenges. The strategic approach to EU international cooperation aims to develop common principles and adequate framework conditions for engaging in cooperation.' Read on...
Huffington Post: Open Innovation, Open Science And Open To The World
Author: Adi Gaskell
In today's highly competitive and fast paced world of business, innovation can be a differentiating factor and a source of strategic advantage. It can help businesses to stay ahead on the success curve. Risk-taking is an important component of innovative thought process and activity. Val DiFebo, CEO of Deutsch New York, suggests three ways to encourage employees to take risks and build an innovation seeking organization - (1) Explore Unchartered Territory: Encourage risk-taking by rewarding and applauding new ideas and by listening and building when teams want to do things that don't exist. Explore the uncharted territory strategically and patiently. (2) Support the Ideas: Provide support financially and practically. But budget carefully for risks involved. Be realistic when evaluating returns on these investments. Encourage employees to take calculated risks. (3) Be Passionate: It takes courage and passion to introduce new idea. Ask employees to bring ideas they are passionate about. Asking people to be a bit vulnerable encourages risk-taking and can be tremendously rewarding, as well as provide an element of team bonding. Accepting failures of the past and learning from them minimizes the risk of repeating them in future. A smart risk is well thought out and demonstrates that employees have looked at other options and genuinely believe that the risk is worth the gain. Read on...
Fortune: The One Thing Every Company Gets Wrong About Innovation
Author: Val DiFebo
Local communities require participation from its members for their better development. Individuals have to be proactive and should make valuable contribution, and work as a team to make a difference. Pawel Alva Nazaruk, social entrepreneur and owner of Better World International, suggest 7 ways to support communities and change neighbourhood - (1) Support Children - They Are Our Future: Support a child or team for a community activity. (2) Build A House - Sweat And Get Dirty: Find opportunities to help build homes for the disadvantaged. (3) Shop In Your Community - Keep Your Money In Your Local Area: According to American Independent Business Association, 48% of each purchase made in your local independent businesses stays in your community. Also helps create more local jobs. (4) Clean Up Your Neighborhood: Start from the area around your home and then organize a community cleaning event. (5) Take Part In Your Local Political Process: Vote for local representatives. Organize around issues of community development and support the best candidate. (6) Support Community Events: Support activities like farmers market and community gardens. Engage in events that create fun and build a healthy environment in community. (7) Be Friendly: Develop better relations with neighbors and other members of the community. Introduce yourself to the new member who joins the community. Be helpful, caring and supportive to members who are in need. Read on...
Huffington Post: 7 Ways To Support Your Community
Authors: Pawel Alva Nazaruk, Ray V. Bennett Jr.
Team of researchers from IIT-Madras (India) and University of Nebraska at Lincoln (USA), are developing an ingestible capsule, that can stay in human body for close to a week, with sensors that will take readings of an individual's calorie intake, that can eventually help in diagnosis of diseases like cancer and permit sustained delivery of drugs. According to Prof. Benjamin Terry of UNL, 'The capsule, made of biocompatible materials, works like a parasite by latching on to the intestinal wall.' The sensors communicate their readings to an external device through low-intensity radio waves. Prof. P. V. Manivannan of IIT-M, says, 'The device is kept a metre away from the body. We use only low intensity waves that don't harm the body.' According to experts, biosensors could help monitor factors that influence digestive health. Prof. Terry adds that the mechanism could also serve as a long-term vessel for capsule endoscopes, the ingestible pill-shaped cameras that permit physicians to record images of the gastrointestinal tract. Read on...
The Times of India: From IIT-M - Capsule in body to count calories, diagnose cancer
Author: Ekatha Ann John
E-Commerce strategy once was a source of competitive advantage and differentiating factor in business. But now it is an essential strategy for businesses to connect and engage with their customers and, market and sell their products and services online. AJ Agrawal, Founder and CEO of Alumnify, suggests 4 affordable marketing strategies to boost e-commerce efforts and stand out from the competition - (1) Start Testing More On Facebook: Utilize split testing or A/B testing to evaluate advertising effectiveness and save cost. Continue the process until best results are achieved. One tactic you can implement in your testing is to prequalify leads. (2) Use The Right Influencers: Word of mouth generates twice the number of sales as paid advertising. Invest in reputation marketing and word of mouth marketing. Use the right and relevant influencers. (3) Invest In Your Email Marketing Campaign: 44% of customers click on promotional emails and then make a purchase. Build email list and invest in email marketing campaign. Finally get a group of brand ambassadors from the list and initiate word of mouth marketing through them. (4) Retargeting In The Right Style: Use retargeting to highlight and establish that unique selling point to convince them to buy and not go to competitors. Use data analytics to understand customer behavior. Segment your adds based on user interactions with site. Keep testing advertising effectiveness until best results are achieved. Continuous testing of marketing strategies and improving upon them will help in differentiating from competitors and attract customers. Read on...
Forbes: 4 Marketing Strategies To Take eCommerce To The Next Level
Author: AJ Agrawal
There are almost 50 million people living in poverty in the United States, almost 15 percent of the population. Although there are continuous efforts by governments, organizations and individuals to eradicate poverty, but the challenge is huge and at times results are not what are expected. Sometimes there is also lack of coordination between nonprofit agencies and difference in approaches to tackle poverty, even in same locations and dealing with same people. Kavitha Cardoza of WAMU shares her views on poverty with Morning Edition host Matt McCleskey. She says, 'As someone who grew up in India, where you interact with tons of poor people every day. But here (US), poverty is so hidden. Think of people who work minimum wage jobs - office cleaners come in overnight; if you have a maid at home, she comes in when you're at work. And if you think of say, a McDonald's, everyone is wearing a uniform and looks the same. We have sanitized poverty.' She explains, 'We tend to see poverty as fixed when it's really fluid. Of course it's about not having enough money, but we tend to forget all the challenges that go along with that. It becomes about food and housing and transportation and healthcare. And each of those problems leads to more problems.' Moreover, owning a cell phone, a TV or a kid having fancy sneakers, shouldn't be questionable in a poor situation, as they may serve a purpose contrary to typical perceptions. She quotes Greg Kaufmann, Editor of Talk Poverty, who says, 'Put yourself in a poor parent's place. People don't want their children to seem poor, they don't want to seem poor. Clearly, we have so much stigma attached to poverty. Kids get teased. Again as a parent, you can't get what middle class kids get - the sports camp or the music class, and so wouldn't you want to try to do something for your kid? And maybe actually that pair of sneakers is the cheapest thing you could do.' Speaking on lack of coordination and cooperation among charities that are helping poors, she says, 'There isn't a lot of incentive to collaborate...Part of it is each has different ideas about tackling the same problem, they want to do it their way and they all have different governance structures. And different ways of measuring success.' She quotes Bruce McNamer, President and CEO of the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region, which works with lots of human services organizations throughout the area, who says, 'The biggest challenge is charities compete with each other for funds. And that does sometimes create incentives for people not to work as closely or to be jockeying among themselves for the attention of funders...And the funding models that are in place to fund nonprofits in some sense encourage that inefficiency.' She quotes Katherine Boo, author of 'Behind the Beautiful Forevers', a book about poverty in Mumbai, who says, 'Journalists often cover poverty by going to a nonprofit and doing a story on someone who is doing well, they've had challenges, now they're fine. The story ends with everything tied up in a neat little bow. That's doing listeners a disservice because then they think that's how it is. There are no relapses, no challenges, no one who doesn't make it. And that's just not true.' Read on...
WAMU.org: How Traditional Nonprofits Run Into Problems Trying To Tackle Poverty
Author: Kavitha Cardoza
Women are more prominently visible in some professions, but not in all. According to the International Interior Design Association, 69% of the 87,000 design practitioners in the United States are women. But the dismal stat is that, only 25% of firm leaders are female. Although Zaha Hadid, Odile Decq and Jennifer Siegal have reached the top and inspired other women to walk in their footsteps, but there are challenges that women face to get there. Here are views of the four creatives that have worked hard to be leaders in design and architecture - (1) Nicole Hollis, Principal and Creative Director of NICOLEHOLLIS: CHALLENGES - 'Working on construction sites can occasionally be challenging...Also, getting out of my office and working together on site, rather than via email or phone, generates a lot of mutual respect.' OPPORTUNITIES - 'I believe that women have the same opportunities as men. Often having quiet determination and hanging in there during the tough times can be more of a factor than gender.' (2) Lisa Bottom, Design Principal at Gensler San Francisco: CHALLENGES - 'I learned early on that my proclivity for hard work would serve me well. I had to work harder than most of the men and ensure that all my delivered product was the best I could produce.' OPPORTUNITIES - 'The Co-CEO of Gensler, Diane Hoskins, is a woman. Our most recent Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Gensler, Robin Klehr-Avia, is a woman, and the Managing Directors of many of the Gensler offices are women. Gender is no longer the determining factor for success in a design career.' (3) Anne Fougeron, Principal of Fougeron Architecture: CHALLENGES - The challenge is to convince people that you are as capable as your male colleagues. There seems to be an underlying assumption that men understand and know more about construction than women!' OPPORTUNITIES - 'I think women are primed to take over and be the new emerging voice in the field of architecture...We must remember to always ask for what is rightfully ours.' (4) Kendall Wilkinson, Principal of Kendall Wilkinson Design: CHALLENGES - I never thought about being less or more because of my gender, I always knew that I had something to bring to any table, regardless of the audience.' OPPORTUNITIES - 'Doors are opening in so many areas related to design now. More and more, you are seeing women in construction be it electricians, project managers, or even general contractors...our industry is undergoing disruption which I think will lead to interesting new paths for both women and men.' Read on...
7x7: 4 Creative Women Taking the Lead in Design & Architecture
Author: Anna Volpicelli
According to the survey by U.S. Trust (a subsidiary of Bank of America), of 684 high net worth (HNW) individuals, all with investable assets of US$ 3 million or more, there is increasing interest and activity in social impact investing, particularly among women, Millennials and Gen Xers. The survey also found the 7 out of 10 HNW Americans have more confidence in the private sector to solve social and environmental problems than the public or nonprofit sector. Moreover, another 6 in 10 believe that private capital invested in social and public programs can produce superior outcomes, all while ownership and interest in impact investing climb. Jackie VanderBrug, Managing Director of U.S. Trust, says, 'Understanding how and why individuals make impact investments is an increasingly important component of nonprofit management. I think that nonprofit executives that look at impact investing as a trend to be welcomed and embraced are going to be the ones ahead of the curve. Impact investing is not going away. It's fundamentally changing how investments are being made by individuals and fund managers. Understanding that and what it means to your donor base, constituency and board members is an important part of a nonprofit executive's job.' The survey report also finds that, environmental protection and sustainability is the issue that matters most to HNW investors, followed by healthcare equality and access; disease prevention, treatment and cure; access to education; and assistance for veterans. Ms. VanderBrug further adds, 'This is not about confusing philanthropy. Our clients are extremely philanthropic and we don't think that that should stop. My experience is that most individuals who are interested in impact investing are also very philanthropic. They understand that all sectors of the economy need to work.' Read on...
The NonProfit Times: Big Donors Losing Faith In Charity To Solve Problems
Designers need continuous flow of creative ideas and motivation in their work. Sometimes they reach a state of creative block when they lack internal motivation and inspiration to generate ideas. In such situations an external source of inspiration would be of assistance. Following are 8 online resources for designers that can provide the spark of creativity and rekindle inspiration - (1) Designspiration: A design portal that has architecture, typography, illustrations and print. Features the work of global artists and innovators. (2) Dribbble: A hub for creatives to connect, share and inspire one another. Includes typography, website design, logos, illustrations and graphics. Designers can also be hired through the site. (3) Awwards: Recognizes best designed website from around the world. Jury comprises of renowned designers, bloggers and agencies. It rates websites and gives score comprised of different elements, including creativity, design, content and usability. (4) Siteinspire: Has some of the best filtering of any design portal. Can choose from multiple categories, and follow designers and their work. (5) Smashing Magazine: Includes editorial and professional resources for designers and developers. Have blogs from designers. (6) The Best Designs: Includes web design works of best designers. Helps find, connect with and share work with other designers. (7) Behance: Have archives of graphic design, photography, interactive design, art direction, illustration and more. (8) Adobe Kuler: As color is one of the most important aspect of design, Adobe Kuler can help one share, create and browse color schemes from designers and users around the world. Read on...
Business 2 Community: 8 Incredible Online Resources for Creative Design Inspiration
Author: Brittney Ervin
Family-owned businesses exist through out the world. According to Wikipedia, 'A family business is a commercial organization in which decision-making is influenced by multiple generations of a family - related by blood or marriage - who are closely identified with the firm through leadership or ownership...Family business is the oldest and most common model of economic organization.' During the formative stages, these businesses reflect the decision-making and working style of the owner and the ideas follow a top-down approach. But as the organization grows and become successful, and the management systems evolve there arise a need of outside professionals and top managers to bring fresh ideas and expertise, take over some tasks and roles from the owner, and further accelerate the growth of business. But according to Prof. Marleen Dieleman of National University of Singapore, an expert in strategy and policy, 'Unfortunately, this arrangement frequently does not end well because of a simple, crucial mistake: While they may invest considerable time and money in finding, hiring and training the right outside professional, all too often owners of family businesses assume that an outsider can do the job without the owner changing their own behavior.' If the owners are unable to embrace the change, the approach generally fails. With regards to Asian family businesses, she says, 'In Asia most family firms are built around strong, hands-on family leadership, but are weak in systems.' So to successfully strengthen managerial systems through hiring an external professional, Prof. Dieleman suggests four steps that family firms should consider - (1) Take Stock: Introspection is the first step in the process. Owners should ask themselves critical questions regarding the whys and wherefores. (2) Set Up Formal Corporate Governance Rules: Before hiring an outside professional, build proper procedures and systems. Clearly define responsibilities, performance targets and authority levels. (3) Implement New Routines: Owners should feel comfortable with a hands-off approach and should not overstep their boundaries. This requires awareness, acceptance, training, and practice for all parties involved. It shouldn't be just designing the system, but the discipline to stick to the new rules and roles. (4) Hire Multiple Outside Professionals: Once the system is in place and implemented, then hire for clearly defined roles. Accept increased overheads and cost of professionalization. It may require a team of professionals to fulfil the multiple roles that owner single-handedly performed. Read on...
CNBC: Family business owners must be ready to stop meddling
Author: Marleen Dieleman
Dr. Amantha Imber's new book, 'The Innovation Formula: The 14 Keys for Creating a Culture where Innovation Thrives', provides an authoritative curation of insights into innovation. Dr. Imber is an innovation psychologist and founder of Australian innovation consultancy Inventium. The book draws upon author's experiences, academic journals and research studies on innovation. It begins with an 'innovation culture audit' based on a survey of 28 questions, that will help assess an organisation's readiness and journey on the innovation path. The tips and case studies are classified into four levels or units of analysis: individual, teams, leadership and organization. These levels have a total of 14 key factors of innovation. (1) INDIVIDUAL LEVEL: CHALLENGE [Imagination breakthroughs (GE), Personal development hacks (Inventium)]; AUTONOMY [Design changes (Etsy, Vimeo)]; RECOGNITION [Innovation Awards (Intuit)]. (2) TEAM LEVEL: DEBATE [Voice of Youth (Infosys), Reverse mentoring (GE, Cisco, HP)], SUPPORTIVENESS ['Flat' teams (Mirvac]; COLLABORATION [Experts from other business units (Pfizer)]. (3) LEADER LEVEL: SUPERVISOR SUPPORT [Design thinking (Disney)]; SENIOR LEADER SUPPORT [CEO office hours (FourSquare), Customer Meetups (Etsy)]; RESOURCES [Hack Days (LinkedIn), Innovation Champions (Pfizer), Toolkits (Adobe, Nestle, CBA)]; GOAL CLARITY [Innovation KPIs (Mirvac)]. (4) ORGANIZATION LEVEL: RISK-TAKING [Annual failure report (EWB), Dare To Try awards (Tata, Pfizer)]; COHESION [Buddy Program (Buzz Products)]; PARTICIPATION [Hack Weeks (Etsy)]; PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT [Central atrium (Circus Oz), Participatory office design (Mirvac)]. Dr. Imber cautions, 'Creating a culture won't happen overnight.' She sums up, 'Innovation is a learned skill.' Read on...
Your Story: The Innovation Formula - 14 tips for business creativity and growth
Author: Madanmohan Rao
Creativity and innovation help organizations thrive, grow and, stay relevant and competitive. Fast Company developed a list of 100 most creative and innovative professionals for 2016. The list includes individuals from 13 countries and has 50% representation of women. Here are selected few in HUMAN RESOURCES, ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CORPORATE CULTURE (The numbering is retained as in the original list) - (15) Carlos Mario Rodriguez (Director of Global Agronomy, Starbucks): For keeping Starbucks and farmers everywhere, full of beans. (22) Anna Young (Co-founder, MakerHealth): For enabling nurses to create their own solutions. (25) Kakul Srivastava (VP of Product Management, GitHub): For seeing the people behind the code. (26) Yasmin Belo-Osagie (Co-founder, She Leads Africa): For developing female entrepreneurs across Africa. (33) Abby Falik (Founder & CEO, Global Citizen Year): For channeling teenage wanderlust toward social good. (39) Alex Wolf (Founder & CEO, BOSSBABE Inc): For leading a millennial girl gang. (42) Dani Rylan (Founder & Comissioner, National Women's Hockey League): For giving women a shot at a professional sport. (48) Mary Roach (Author of 2016 book 'Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War'): For finding innovation on the front lines. (49) Wendy Davis (Founder, Deeds Not Words): For continuing to stand up for gender equality. (50) Quincy Delight Jones III (CEO, WeMash): For fostering harmony between mashup artists and copyright holders. (55) Adam Grant (Professor of Management and Psychology, The Wharton School, U. of Pennsylvania): For pinpointing the secrets of success. Author of the book 'Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World'. (59) Tony Long (Founder & Director of FabLab, Northrop Grumman): For luring DIY to defense. (64) Amy McDonough (VP, FItbit Wellness, Fitbit): For bringing exercise to the enterprise. (65) Neha Narkhede (Co-founder & CTO, Confluent): For teaching businesses to read Kafka. (71) Ivan Askwith (Founder, Askwith & Co.): For knowing how to get fans more of what they want. Specializes in community building and crowdfunding projects that empower fans. (73) Kate O'Keeffe (Director, Cisco Hyperinnovation Living Labs, Cisco): For enabling huge companies to figure out the future, faster. (77) Bill Johnson (President, Corrisoft): For helping ex-offenders and detainees, get their lives back. (79) Markus Kressler (Co-founder and Managing Director, Kiron University): For providing refugees with a pathway to employment through higher education. (85-86-87-88) Jerry Stritzke (CEO, REI), Diógenes Brito (Product Designer, Slack), Shannon Schuyler (Chief Purpose Officer, PwC), Michael Fenlon (Global Talent Leader, PwC): For taking radical steps to improve corporate culture. Read on...
Fast Company: The 100 Most Creative People in Business for 2016
According to the new research by Prof. Eliza Forsythe of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, when hiring slows during recessions, the brunt of job losses is borne by job-seekers in their twenties and early thirties. Prof. Forsythe is an expert in labor economics. She says, 'Younger workers are less likely to be hired during recessions and, when they are hired, they tend to find lower-quality jobs and earn lower wages. More-experienced workers see neither of these effects. In fact, the evidence indicates that these more-experienced workers actually crowd young workers out of the labor market during recessions.' Prof. Forsythe explains that this disproportionate affect on young workers during recession make it difficult for them to acquire skills and experience, and establish their careers. Moreover, it also has negative effects on overall economy. It can become difficult for firms to get trained workers when older workforce retires. Explaining the plight of students who graduate during recession, Prof. Forsythe gives an example of Great Recession when the market for new lawyers collapsed. She says, 'In more recent years, hiring has recovered, but firms prefer to hire new graduates rather than those who happened to graduate during the recession and couldn't find jobs.' Prof. Forsythe suggests that clear understanding of hiring patterns and labor market mechanism during recession, is crucial for the design of effective labor market policies. She says, 'Since there are these long-term consequences, it means we might need to do more active interventions for young workers during recessions to make sure that they're not left behind.' Read on...
Illinois News Bureau: Research - Young workers hit hardest by slow hiring during recessions
Author: Phil Ciciora
Creativity and innovativeness are some of the most sought after skills and qualities that are required in all types of industries. These abilities keep the wheel of businesses and organizations running, and stay competitive. Fast Company developed a list of 100 most creative and innovative professionals for 2016. The list includes individuals from 13 countries and has 50% representation of women. Here are selected few in MARKETING, BRANDING, ONLINE COMMUNITIES, MEDIA and ENTERTAINMENT (The numbering is retained as in the original list) - (1) Lin-Manuel Miranda (Composer, Lyricist & Performer. Rap Musical 'Hamilton'): For making history in entertainment. (2) Divya Nag (Head of ResearchKit and CareKit, Apple): For moving Apple into the doctor's office. (3) Jill Soloway (Writer, Director, Producer at Topple, Amazon Studios): For televising the revolution. (4) Jean Liu (President, Didi Chuxing): For building China's biggest ride-sharing business at breathtaking speed. (5-6) Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli (Co-Creative Directors, Valentino): For turning a storied fashion house into a US$ 1 billion juggernaut. (7) Cindy Holland (Vice President of Original Content, Netflix): For offering Netflix viewers a lot more to binge on. (10) Amit Agarwal (VP and Country Manager, Amazon India): For extending Amazon's reach, one vendor at a time. (12) Katie Nolan (Host of Sports-Comedy Show Garbage Time): For shaking up sports. (13) Mark Fields (President and CEO, Ford): For steering Ford in a more adventurous direction. (15) Carlos Mario Rodriguez (Director of Global Agronomy, Starbucks): For keeping Starbucks and farmers everywhere, full of beans. (17) Rachel Tipograph (Founder & CEO, MikMak): For making infomercials binge-worthy. (18-19-20-21) Sarah Schaaf (Community Director, Imgur), Alex Chung (Founder and CEO, Giphy), Adam Leibsohn (COO, Giphy), Nick Bell (VP of Content, Snapchat): For creating and curating the most clickable content on the Internet. (25) Kakul Srivastava (VP of Product Management, GitHub): For seeing the people behind the code. (27) Baba Ramdev (Founder, Patanjali Ayurved): For disrupting India's US$ 49 billion consumer packaged goods market. (28) Martin Lotti (VP, Global Category Creative Director, Nike): For stretching Nike in new directions. (29-30-31) Will Ruben (Product Manager, Facebook), Laura Javier (Product Designer, Facebook), Jasmine Probst (Content Strategy Manager, Facebook): For seizing the moments through Facebook Moments photo app. (35) Sara Wallander (Concept Designer, H&M): For putting a new face on H&M through eco-conscious beauty products at low cost. (37) Kathleen Kennedy (President, Lucasfilm): For restoring the Force to "Star Wars". (38) Dylan Field (Co-founder & CEO, Figma): For redrawing digital design. (39) Alex Wolf (Founder & CEO, BOSSBABE Inc): For leading a millennial girl gang. (40) Chance The Rapper (Musician, Chance The Rapper): For generating music that's priceless. (41) Jennifer Bandier (Founder, Bandier): For turning leggings into art. (42) Dani Rylan (Founder & Comissioner, National Women's Hockey League): For giving women a shot at a professional sport. (43) Jill Szuchmacher (Director, Google Fiber Expansion, Alphabet): For shaking up the hidebound business of broadband. (44) Zainab Salbi (Host of The Nida'a Show): For being a voice of change and foster frank communication in the Middle East and North Africa. (45-46) Abby Schneiderman and Adam Seifer (Co-founders and Co-Chief Executives, Everplans): For helping us make arrangements through a mobile-optimized consumer platform to build a digital vault of everything. (47) Chris Young (SVP & GM of Intel Security Group, Intel): For expanding Intel's arsenal through products with focus on bettering customer's security infrastructure. (50) Quincy Delight Jones III (CEO, WeMash): For fostering harmony between mashup artists and copyright holders. (51) Jeff Turnas (President, 365 by Whole Foods Market): For lowering the grocery bill. (52-53) Heben Nigatu (Social Producer, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert), Tracy Clayton (Co-Host, Another Round, BuzzFeed): For mixing comedy with commentary. (55) Adam Grant (Professor of Management and Psychology, The Wharton School, U. of Pennsylvania): For pinpointing the secrets of success. Author of the book 'Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World'. (60) Ryan Coogler (Director, Marvel Studios): For being a knockout filmmaker. (63) Emily Oberman (Brand Designer & Partner, Pentagram): For giving Snoop's product line some California cool. (64) Amy McDonough (VP, FItbit Wellness, Fitbit): For bringing exercise to the enterprise. (65) Neha Narkhede (Co-founder & CTO, Confluent): For teaching businesses to read Kafka. (66) B. J. Novak (Co-founder, Li.st): For putting everything in order. Allowing people to create and share content in the form of list on Internet. (69) Ricardo Vice Santos (Co-founder and CEO, Roger): For being a fresh voice in messaging. Lets users exchange recorded sound snippets. (71) Ivan Askwith (Founder, Askwith & Co.): For knowing how to get fans more of what they want. Specializes in community building and crowdfunding projects that empower fans. (76) Susan Salgado (Managing partner, Hospitality Quotient): For spreading hospitality. (80) Asako Shimazaki (President, Muji USA): For importing the cult of Muji, Japanese housewares brand, to the United States. (81) Cassidy Blackwell (Brand Marketing Lead, Walker & Company Brands): For combining razor-sharp storytelling with product marketing. (82-83) Caitlin McFarland and Emily Gipson (Co-founders, ATX Television Festival): For getting television fans off the couch. (84) Nicole Van Der Tuin (Co-founder and CEO, First Access): For turning mobile phone payments into credit histories. (91) Kamasi Washington (Jazz Saxophonist, Kamasi Washington): For breathing new energy into jazz. (94) Moj Mahdara (CEO, Beautycon): For seeing beyond the cosmetic. (96) Sally-Ann Dale (Chief Creation Officer, Droga5): For energizing brands. (98) Ahmed Abdeen Hamed (Research Assistant Professor, University of Vermont): For discovering drug links in hashtags through computer program that data mines social media. (100) Lilly Singh (Entertainer, YouTube): For creating a unicorn business. Read on...
As the need for intensive and intermediate care increases, the hospitals must have spaces that can fulfil the requirement. The multi-organizational collaborative EVICURES project at Seinäjoki Central Hospital in Finland was undertaken to develop a new design model for future intensive and intermediate care needs. The result of research conducted by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland on evidence-based design (EBD) and user orientation were applied to design work. Currently, there are no ICUs with single patient rooms in Finland. According to Kari Saarinen, Project Manager of the EVICURES project and Chief Physician at ICU of Hospital District of South Ostrobothnia, 'The international trend is that the need for intermediate care in particular is increasing. More and more demanding methods are being used for treating patients, and the share of elderly patients is increasing.' Regarding the project, he adds, 'The operations will be more cost-efficient and of higher quality, when the equipment and nursing staff are concentrated into one place. We also expect the solution to have remarkable effects on patient healing.' The hospital staff, management, patients and their families, the hospital district, and other cooperation partners participated in the design work. Tiina Yli-Karhu, Design Coordinator at Hospital District of South Ostrobothnia, says, 'A user-oriented approach was an essential foundation for the whole project. This way we can all together make the major change about to happen easier, when the nursing staff is moving from facilities for multiple patients to working alone in single rooms.' Using the Human Thermal Model tool, VTT performed questionnaire studies and measurements to evaluate the individual thermal sensation and comfort of both the staff and patients, that were utilized in HVAC design. Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences used CAD methods to model a virtual space in accordance with the architectural drawing, which VTT utilised for improving user-friendliness. From this 3D model, VTT developed a Unity3D game for computer and tablet, allowing the staff to move around in the ICU facilities virtually and to experience realistic interactive care situations in the new working area in advance. Finland's first single-patient intensive and intermediate care and cardiac unit designed in accordance with this model will become operational in 2018. Read on...
VTT Research News: A new treatment room design model for future hospitals
Author: Nykänen Esa
A number of studies have strengthened the common belief that being around trees and close to nature improves one's mental and physical well-being. Research by Prof. Bin Jiang of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (now at University of Hong Kong) and his team, further emboldens the belief regarding the soothing aspects of green environment on stress levels and blood pressure. The study was undertaken to determine the dose-response curve between tree cover density and stress recovery. It included 158 volunteers in mildly stressful situations. The experiment utilized virtual reality headset to view 360-degree videos of an urban space with varying amounts of tree canopy visible. Results obtained from the tests showed a positive linear association between the density of trees and the self reported recovery from stress. Prof. Jiang comments, 'These finding suggest that viewing a tree canopy in communities can aid stress recovery and that every tree matters.' Researchers found that regardless of age, gender, and baseline stress levels the greater the exposure to trees, the less stress the subject felt. Read on...
Total Landscape Care: University study - Stress falls as exposure to trees increases
Author: Jill Odom
Technology continues to transform healthcare in a substantial way. Digital health expansion is visible and growing as technology infrastructure is getting better. Ryan Beckland, Founder and CEO of Validic, explains that optimizing the full potential of digital health will be the key to real progress, and building strong infrastructure to support patient engagement and data exchange capabilities will help make sustainable changes to care delivery and to achieving the full transition to value-based care. He predicts four major trends for 2016 - (1) Patients' expectations for care and care delivery are changing, and will force the industry to change: Patient expect accessability, affordability and better experience; Seek digital services. (2) We are going to see the evolution and increased sophistication of remote clinical technology: Advancements in wearables as sensors detect new data points; Digital therapies in the form of ingestibles and implantables; Platforms and applications are becoming smarter tools for consumers; Consumer empowerment through analytics and valuable health information. (3) Providers are going to begin seriously tackling long-standing interoperability and data access challenges: More investments in infrastructure for better connected systems. (4) There is going to be a shift in payment models to drive an outcome-based healthcare economy: Prevalent fee-for-service will transition to reimbursement for value instead of volume. Read on...
HealthcareITNews: Healthcare Innovation and the Four Key Digital Health Trends Expected for 2016
Author: Ryan Beckland
Altimeter Group's April 2016 report, 'The Race Against Digital Darwinism: Six Stages of Digital Transformation', defines 'Digital Transformation' as, 'The realignment of, or new investment in technology, business models, and processes to drive new value for customers and employees to effectively compete in an ever-changing digital economy.' According to Brian Solis, an analyst at Altimeter, 'Many conversations around digital transformation are focused on the IT side, and technology does play a big role, but there's a human side of the story and it's driven by the customer experience.' He explains that most digital transformation happens without top leadership, and it actually develops from the middle of the organization, from change agents, who act as lawyers, cheerleaders, and politicians, as they have to gather evidence, rally everyone together, and convince people to work together. The report provides six stages for digital transformation - (1) Business As Usual: Digital is present but not prioritized; Leadership is change resistant; Roadmap focuses on technology, not customer experience; Customer strategies and processes are siloed; Teams are not collaborating. (2) Present and Active: Occurence of early adopters experimenting with new technologies; Teams operating independently; Focus on customer experience starts to develop; Change agents are present and engage with colleagues to share latest digital trends. (3) Formalized: More collaboration happens between change agents and early adopters; Decision making driven by data, analytics and insights starts; Conversations revolve around customer experience, digital vs traditional; Need for formal vision regarding digital transformation and executive sponsorship for it; Education and training for digital begins. (4) Strategic: Most parts of the organization are now aware of digital transformation efforts and mapped processes; They start to get streamlined; Change agents become prominent; Role of CDO (Chief Digital Officer) or CCO (Chief Customer Officer) emerges; Data and analytics become more important; More collaboration is visible; Digital investments become ROI focused. (5) Converged: Digital efforts converge and get streamlined; Customer experience efforts now influence all processes; Change agents become leaders; Top leadership gets actively involved in digital transformation; Governing body is established to oversee changes; More collaboration between IT and customer experience teams. (6) Innovative and Adaptive: Digital transformation and innovation become interwoven into the fabric of the organization; An omni-channel system develops and provides consolidated information on customer data and its effects; New teams and roles evolve that prioritize digital. Read on...
TechRepublic: Altimeter report outlines 6 stages necessary for digital transformation in business
Author: Conner Forrest
According to the latest report by PwC, 'Connecting the World: Ten Mechanisms for Global Inclusion', providing internet connectivity to the remaining 4.1 billion people and bringing them online would increase global economic output by US$ 6.7 trillion. It will lift 500 million people out of poverty over five years. The report says that affordability, rather than infrastructure and availability, is the main barrier to internet adoption in most areas. Therefore, the report suggests that improvement of existing technology or even simply installing existing technology in developing nations, will be sufficient to achieve the essential cost reduction. The report was prepared for Facebook, that itself advocates cost reduction through Internet.org project. Facebook's approach of limiting the low-cost access to a subsection of the web, giving access to select sites like Wikipedia and Facebook, termed as 'zero rating', has critics in 'net neutrality' advocates like Tim Berners-Lee, who says, 'I tend to say 'Just say no.' In the particular case of somebody who's offering...something which is branded internet, it's not internet, then you just say no.' On the other hand, Jonathan Tate of PwC argues, 'Facebook's approach is worth it in the long term. While zero rating provides access to a slimmer version of the internet than the full web, it's a crucial stepping stone to full access. The important thing here is to get things moving.' Efforts like Google's Project Loon and Facebook's Aquila, are geared to achieve total connectivity by creating 'disruptive technologies'. Read on...
the guardian: Connecting everyone to internet 'would add $6.7tn to global economy'
Author: Alex Hern
Companies partner with public relations firms to build and enhance value of their brands. Chuck Cohn, Founder and CEO of Varsity Tutors, suggests identifying the right PR firm that is affordable, free of conflict of interest, have a skilled staff, understands your industry, provides the appropriate level of attention and support as you grow. He explains four criteria to consider while getting a PR agency on board - (1) Timing: Assess the need for PR; Are products and services mature enough; Is website optimized for sales; Is the content PR worthy. (2) Agency Type: Search for the right fit of agency for the business goals and desired outcomes. (3) Agency Staffing: Interact with the right people in the firm who will handle the account and not just the pitch team; Seek continuity in the team for a long-term. (4) Agency Size: Depending on the budget and specific requirements choose the optimum size PR agency. Read on...
Entrepreneur: What to Consider When Evaluating Potential PR Partners
Author: Chuck Cohn
As more innovation shifts towards entrepreneurial startups in the pharmaceutical industry, a number of executives are changing their stable big pharma tracks and joining the riskier, but more dynamic and rewarding world of small biotechs. They are somewhat championing the title of the book, 'Small is Beautiful' by E. F. Schumacher, in the pharma context. The shift also seems like a typical case of siding with David and abandoning Goliath in the race for developing breakthrough innovative drugs. Victoria Richon, as vice president of oncology drug development at Sanofi, experienced constant reorganization - teams shuffled, priorities shifted and processes changed - a usual situation at big corporations. After joining as president of a startup, Ribon Therapeutics, she says, 'At a small company, it's so much more about the science, and that's so much more satisfying to me.' The number of such career jumps are on the rise. According to pharma experts, startups have cash and they generate more innovative drugs (64% of drugs approved in 2015 originated from startups - HBM Partners). Graham Galloway of Spencer Stuart says, 'The shift is further fueled by rapid consolidation among the giants, shake-ups inside R&D departments, and succession planning inside big companies.' Some of the other prominent executives who made this big to small move include - Doug Williams, from Biogen to Codiak BioSciences; Don Nicholson, from Merck to Nimbus Therapeutics; Jeremy Levin, from Teva Pharmaceuticals to Ovid Therapeutics. Jackie Bandish, a biotech recruiter, puts it correctly, 'For many of these guys, a small company can be a breath of fresh air.' To compete in such an environment, giants are also modifying their strategies. Some are trying to become more entrepreneurial, others are enhancing their R&D. Moreover, they are also deliberately leaving early scientific research for startups, so that they can make deals later, licencing the drug (Small firms received US$ 5.6 billion in upfront licensing payments in 2014 - BIO.org) or outrightly acquiring the startup. High-risk and high-reward is the mantra for startups. Tony Coles, formerly with Bristol-Myers Squibb and Merck, got a US$ 62 million payout as CEO of Onyx Pharmaceuticals, when it was acquired by Amgen. While former Amgen executive, Terry Rosen, sold his startup Flexus Biosciences within 17 months of its inception for US$ 1.3 billion. According to PwC MoneyTree report, venture capitalists invested a huge US$ 7.4 billion in biotechs last year. But Greg Vlahos, parter at PwC, says that the pace has slowed a bit and expects a funding to top US$ 5 billion this year. Prof. Erik Gordon of Ross School of Business at University of Michigan, being positive on executive moves says, 'If anything, the flow of people to biotech startups may accelerate. because that's where they can make big stuff happen.' Jeff Jonas's motivation to move from Shire to a startup Sage, echoes with the trend. According to him, 'It's the chance to work unfettered - where everyone is rolling in the same direction - and the chance to do something big and unexpected. Who wouldn't want that kind of privilege?' Read on...
Fortune: Big Pharma Innovation in Small Places
Author: Jennifer Alsever
Online education is continuously evolving and over the years have gone through many iterations. In recent years, MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) have been trying to change and tranform online education with active involvement of traditional education providers and their expanded reach to global learners. Although, inspite of their popularity with millions of users, providers are still struggling for success as the learner drop-out rates are high. Instructional designers, faculty members and education providers are experimenting with improvements in learning design environments to provide better value to learners. Prof. Curt Bonk of Indiana University is the author of the book, 'The World is Open', and conducts research in the field of self-directed open learning environments and online motivation. According to him, 'The MOOC is just one idea of many that are causing us to reflect on changes in higher education today. There are a lot of derivatives of MOOCs, and there will continue to be more. Community-building, sharing and peer support are three key aspects of success in building new types of course experiences.' In a video chat hosted by consultant and futurist Bryan Alexander, Prof. Bonk shares his own online learning experiences, his research and explores trends in the design of open courses. He says that in future, the majority of learning is going to be informal and self-directed. But government is still emphasizing on traditional education and less attention is paid to adult learning and informal learning. To better design learning environments it is important to understand self-directed learners and their experiences. According to him, 'Professional development could be what changes the discussion around open education and MOOCs. This could be for doctors, dentists, lawyers and physical therapists. They could take modules in the summer at their own leisure as part of a cohort that does community-building. That is the game changer.' He emphasises on a feedback process, collaborative approach, continous design improvements and redesign, if the need be, for better online course development. Commenting on faculty and their use of technology, he says, 'Instead of focusing on the technologies themselves, focus on what the faculty members want to do to foster feedback, goal setting, relevance or autonomy.' On using videos in learning, he says, 'We are moving from an age of Wikipedia to Videopedia.' Read on...
Campus Technology: The Keys to Designing Successful Open Course Experiences
Author: David Raths
'It's an exciting time to be an edtech company,' says John Doerr, long-time partner and now chair at one of the prominent Silicon Valley venture capital firm, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. He has been at the firm since 1980 and led investments into some of technology industry's most successful companies like Google, Amazon, Twitter, Sun Microsystems, Compaq etc. Some of his investments are now focused on education technology companies and organizations. Although he sees the present environment to be conducive for entrepreneurs, but he points out, 'Building a huge company requires tremendous capital to get established.' Moreover, referring to billion-dollar-valued companies, he says, 'I'm concerned about the obsession with unicorns.' For him most VC's don't see edtech companies to fall in this unicorn category. He says, 'Edtech companies will attract edtech investors - but not general purpose investors. On the other hand, edtech entrepreneurs shouldn't want just any VC. Interview your venture backers - the way you'd interview a potential VP.' He considers 'augmented reality' to be the next wave of technology. According to him, 'inclusion' is another area that companies and industry overall should work on as a mission. Read on...
EdSurge: John Doerr's Passions and Cautions
Author: Betsy Corcoran
Shifts in healthcare systems, driven by policy, regulations, rising costs, technologies etc, signal towards a complex and uncertain future to deliver better and affordable health solutions to people. Stephen K. Klasko, President and CEO of Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health in Philadelphia and Jack Welch, Executive Chairman of the Jack Welch Management Institute and former CEO of General Electric, explain the challenges that healthcare leaders face in coming years and how they can prepare themselves with knowledge and skills, and take actionable steps to successfully navigate the evolving healthcare landscape. According to them, 'Historically, physicians have pursued MBA programs to learn leadership, management and other critical business skills not gained in medical school. But shaping individuals who can make a difference in the changing health care field requires even more specialized training that will foster critical, game-changing thinking.' They believe that understanding and managing 'transformation' is the single most important concept that will guide healthcare leaders to ensure the survival and success of healthcare systems of tomorrow. They further suggest that physician leaders should assume the role of 'Chief Meaning Officers' as they guide their organizations through change and transformation. To achieve this they have to first develop clarity in their vision and then develop a comprehensive roadmap that they should communicate to their team. Mr. Klasko and Mr. Welch explain about creating a mind map through a three step process and bringing the right people in the team. They say, 'An environment of trust allows everyone around you to join in building the future of your rapidly changing business. Add speed and flexibility to this mind map, and you've imagined the kinds of skills needed to create a new generation of physicians prepared to lead in the new age of health care.' Read on...
Hospital & Health Networks: Transforming Today's MBA for Tomorrow's Doctors
Authors: Stephen K. Klasko, Jack Welch
Sir Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web and founder of the Web Foundation, is concerned about governments not providing open access to their data online. He says, 'The lack of free access to government data - or 'data poverty' - is contributing to widening inequality around the world...Inequality and poverty are about more than income. They are also about information.' Openly published data can help fight corruption and improve services for citizens. It can also be of value in understanding and fighting global warming and related issues like deforestation, floods, fall in crop yields etc. The study by the Web Foundation found that that more than half of the 92 countries it studies now have open data initiatives in place. Moreover, fewer than 10% of the datasets surveyed were open, and most of these are in the rich world, and almost non in African countries. Anne Jellema, CEO of the Web Foundation, says, 'Trying to use traditional data sources to tackle complex development challenges like climate change and hunger is like tunnelling through rock in the dark with a teaspoon. It takes ages and you may come out in the wrong place. Making development data open is vital for fast and accurate collaboration on the SDGs (United Nations Sustainable Development Goals), and the urgency now is to move from promises to implementation.' Read on...
Information Age: Sir Tim Berners-Lee - Data poverty is the next frontier of inequality
Author: Ben Rossi
Vinod Khosla is one of the most visible face of PIO (Person of Indian Origin) entrepreneurship in Silicon Valley. He initiated his entrepreneurial journey in 1982 with Sun Microsystems, evolved into a top venture capitalist with Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and now runs his own venture capital firm, Khosla Ventures, where he focuses on assisting entrepreneurs to build companies in the areas of energy, technology, internet, education, digital health etc. He shares 10 points from his accumulated wisdom for entrepreneurial success - (1) Be Persistent. (2) Keep Innovating. (3) Add Value. (4) Have The Guts To Follow Your Beliefs. (5) Try And Fail, But Don't Fail To Try. (6) Transcend What's Traditional. (7) Shake Things Up. (8) Build A Great Team. (9) Dare To Be Great. (10) Be Brutally Honest. Read on...
Inc42: 10 Keys To Success From Vinod Khosla, Self Made Billionaire And VC
Author: Meha Agarwal
As web technologies continue to evolve along with user expectations, businesses have to keep pace with them for successful digital marketing and search engine optimization (SEO). User experience optimization (UXO) and user experience design (UXD) are at the core of online marketing and SEO strategies. UXO keeps customers hooked to the website and UXD is the process that is used to create the website with customers in mind. Optimal UXD utilizes best usability principles to provide best user interface by keeping customer interactions at the core of design. Dan Makoski, VP of Design for CapitalOne and most currently Chief Design Officer at Garage Partners, says, 'Experiences are personal moments felt by people, something that can't be owned by designers; however, we can design for it. The experience of the people we design for is what determines the success of the products, services and relationships that we create.' Don Dodds, Managing Partner and Chief Strategist at M16 Marketing, suggests a list of 38 tips for website design, content creation and online marketing strategies for better user experience. Here are some selections from the list - (1) Top of the page is critical for user attention. (2) Make sure content is visible and readable for everyone including colorblind users. (3) Provide symmetry in object placement. (4) Place objects in logical order for better user flow. (5) Keep site navigation panel consistent. (6) Design for ease of use and easy comprehension. (7) For better loading use content before images. (8) Keep pages as short as possible for ease of content utilization by user. (9) For long pages use sticky menu that moves with the scrolling. (10) Make sure your pages load quickly, preferably in couple of seconds. (11) Make it easy for users to undo an action or back out of a navigation option. (12) For mobile content, do not require a double-click to activate an element. (13) Pay attention to contrast when designing your mobile content. (14) Link anchor text should tell the user exactly where the link will take them. (15) Use fonts that are easy to read. (16) Most website visitors scan your content first before reading it. Use elements like bold text, headlines etc to attract attention to the content that is most meaningful to users. (17) Avoid pop-ups, banners and slideshows as much as possible. (18) Always be truthful regarding what you can offer. Avoid false advertising and misleading information. (19) Use icons that are simply designed and easy to understand. (20) Establish a brand image and include it everywhere you've established a presence online. Read on...
Huffington Post: 38 Design Tips for Creating an Amazing User Experience
Author: Don Dodds
Financial services industry has vast amount of consumer data and firms can utilize analytics to gather purposeful insights for better customer relationships and business success. Consumers are now more digitally connected than before. But according to Boston Consulting Group, despite the huge availability of data and better analytics tools, banks are far from realizing big data's full potential. Some of the reasons are - Competing priorities like regulatory changes that happened during financial crisis; IT complexity due to multilayered systems and siloed data; Lack of coordinated vision. Jim Marous, Co-Publisher of The Financial Brand and Publisher of the Digital Banking Report, suggests steps that traditional banking and financial institutions can take to take advantage of consumer data and analytics - (1) The Partnership Between Banking and Fintech: A win-win is created by combining data and technology skills of many of the entrepreneurial financial technology firms with the data from the larger legacy firms. (2) Removing Friction from the Customer Journey: Focus on providing better digital experience at each step of customer interaction by leveraging advance customer insights that go far beyond simple demographics to include channel preferences, lifestage insights and even geolocational information. (3) Making Data Actionable: Beth Merle, VP of Enterprise Solutions at Epsilon, says, 'Banks need to stop talking about gathering big data and starting using big data to make a difference for the consumer. We need to see the integration and synchronization of data sources, enabling real-time determination of relevant data points for analysis, communication, and decision making, the 'trifecta' of big data. (4) Introduction of Optichannel Delivery: Financial organizations have to go beyond multichannel and omnichannel strategy and provide 'optichannel' experience by delivering solutions using the best (optimum) channel based on the customer's need and preferred channel. In the future, the integration of processes from the consumer's perspective is foundational to the optichannel theme. According to Nicole Sturgill, Principal Executive Advisor for CEB TowerGroup, 'Rather than looking at channels independently, banking needs to develop and provide financial tools that are integrated in daily life.' (5) Exploring Advanced Technology: Jim Eckenrode, Executive Director of the Deloitte Center for Financial Services, says, 'By enabling the collection and exchange of information from objects, the IoT (Internet of Things) has the potential to be as broadly transformational to the financial services industry as the Internet itself.' In the process of leveraging customer data legacy firms face multiple challenges that they need to overcome to reap financial benefits and establish data and analytics expertise that would be hard to replicate by competitors. Some of these challenges include - Lack of talent; Lack of resources; Lack of urgency. Despite advanced data analysis being one of the top challenges mentioned in the recently released State of Financial Services Marketing, only the largest regional and national banks (over US$ 10 billion) ranked improving data and analytics capabilities in their top three priorities (47%), compared to community banks and credit unions (only 8%). Read on...
The Financial Brand: Data Analytics Critical to Success in Banking
Author: Jim Marous
According to a recent study by Prof. Leanne Cutcher of the University of Sydney Business School, a leading expert on intergenerational employment, ageism in the workforce is built on a faulty premise and the most innovative companies are the ones where the age of employees does not matter. Prof. Cutcher says, 'When we say baby boomers are not good with technology and Generation Y don't have enough experience, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Because people who have good ideas then don't share them because they have been told they are too old. But you are just going to replicate the same ideas where you start labelling people as either too old or too young for a role. Where that is happening, it is stifling knowledge exchange.' Michael Shaw, Executive Vice President Healthcare at Siemens Australia, comments, 'Siemens takes the best people for the job. Personally, for me it's not important if the person is in their 20s or in their 60s, I am simply looking for the best minds with the best attitude.' Another study by Australian Seniors Insurance Agency (ASIA), based on survey of 1200 people across Australia, found that age discrimination at workplace is rife. According to the study, close to half the Baby Boomer respondents claimed they have been turned down for a job since they turned 40, and 3 out of 5 people over 50 said that they faced substantial obstacles in attempts to find a job. The research also found that more than 3/4 of Baby Boomers adapt well to technological innovations, and 73% are actively seeking training opportunities. According to Simon Hovell, spokesman for ASIA, 'The findings point to what many organisations, academics and economists have known all along - Baby Boomers are a real asset to the workplace.' Read on...
The Sydney Morning Herald: Companies that use older workers are the most innovative - New research
Author: Anna Patty
To build human-like machines that can demonstrate ingenuity and creativity, the race is on to develop next generation of advanced AI (Artifical Intelligence). AI is already tackling complex tasks like stock market predictions, research synthesis etc, and 'smart manufacturing' is becoming a reality where deep learning is paired with new robotics and digital manufacturing tools. Prof. Hod Lipson, director of Creative Machines Lab at Columbia University, has embarked upon exploring a higher level of AI and develop biology-inspired machines that can evolve, self-model, and self-reflect - where machines will generate new ideas, and then build them. To build self-aware robots is the ultimate goal. Prof. Lipson explains, 'Biology-inspired engineering is about learning from nature, and then using it to try to solve the hardest problems. It happens at all scales. It's not just copying nature at the surface level. It could be copying the learning at a deeper level, such as learning how nature uses materials or learning about the adaptation processes that evolution uses...We are looking at what I think is the ultimate challenge in artificial intelligence and robotics-creating machines that are creative; machines that can invent new things; machines that can come up with new ideas and then make those very things. Creativity is one of these last frontiers of AI. People still think that humans are superior to machines in their ability to create things, and we are looking at that challenge.' He is working on a new AI termed as 'divergent AI', that is exploratory and involves creating many new ideas from original idea, and is different from 'convergent AI' that involves taking data and distilling it into a decision. ON SELF-AWARENESS IN AI: He says, 'Creativity is a big challenge, but even greater than that is self-awareness. For a long time, in robotics and AI, we sometimes called it the "C" word-consciousness.' ON AI IN MANUFACTURING: He comments, 'When it comes to manufacturing, there are two angles. One is the simple automation, where we're seeing robots that can work side-by-side with humans...The other side of manufacturing, which is disrupted by AI, is the side of design. Manufacturing and design always go hand-in-hand...When AI creeps into the design world through these new types of creative AI, you suddenly expand what you can manufacture because the AI on the design side can take advantage of your manufacturing tools in new ways.' ON TWO COMPETING SCHOOLS OF THOUGHTS IN AI: He explains, 'There's the school of thought that is top-down, logic, programming, and search approach, and then there is the machine learning approach. The machine learning approach says, "Forget about programming robots, forget about programming AI, you just make it learn, and it will figure out everything on its own from data"...I think the machine learning approach has played out perfectly, and we're just at the beginning. It's going to accelerate.' Read on...
Singularity Hub: The Last Frontiers of AI - Can Scientists Design Creativity and Self-Awareness?
Author: Alison E. Berman
Businesses apply different set of strategies and tactics when they market and sell to other businesses or directly to consumers. Daniel Scalco, CEO of Digitalux, provides 5 important B2B (Business to Business) marketing strategies that should be considered to increase leads, ROI (Return on Investments) and finally sales - (1) Dig deeper when targeting your demographic: Use 'hyper-targeting' to narrow down audience. (2) Get feedback: Strategy should be data driven; Use survey process into marketing methods. (3) Extend your funnel: B2B marketing strategy cycle to go from a prospect, to lead to consumer is much longer than B2C; Nurture leads by extending funnel through better content, webinars and social media to engage with target audience. (4) Invest in an explainer video: eMarketer study found that B2B buyers consider video as top 3 most useful content for marking purchases; Inform potential customers through a story-based video. (5) Create goals and milestones: Break down the journey to reach marketing goals into smaller steps or milestones for effective execution. Read on...
Huffington Post: 5 B2B Marketing Strategies You Need To Consider
Author: Daniel Scalco
This year's World Health Day, that falls today (07 April 2016), has the theme 'Beat Diabetes!'. The World Health Organization has singled out tackling diabetes as one of the most critical healthcare challenge but at the same time tried to give a strong message that it is not too hard to manage if people can put their thoughts and actions in the right direction. Alex Jones, health economist at the social enterprise Oxford Policy Management and researcher at University of the West Indies, provides historial perspective on how international health organizations and governments over time have developed and implemented different types of policies in tackling global health issues. Sometimes they have utilized a single disease approach and at others they have been more holistic and tried to improve health systems around the world. He further explores two approaches and provides opinion on their long-term benefits. According to him, 'A quick look back through history reveals a disturbingly cyclical pattern: As an international community we've been flip-flopping between the two approaches - vertical and horizontal - for at least the last century.' He explains, 'As far back as the 1920s, the sector saw the growth of what was known as the 'Social Medicine Movement' - based on the consideration that ill health could actually be a consequence of poor social conditions...Throughout the first half of the 20th century the Rockefeller Foundation became one of the most influential organisations in global health, implementing programmes in over 80 countries...it always kept the aim of combating specific diseases through targeted campaigns. Post-war politics saw the creation of a number of international agencies that pursued similar vertical programmes...The failure of the GMEP (WHO's Global Malaria Eradication Project) and the relative success of Mao Zedong's community-led 'Barefoot Doctors' programme in China both helped to swing the global health pendulum towards a more horizontal 'systems' approach. In 1975, the WHO launched its Primary Health Care strategy and in 1978 (after sustained advocacy from the Soviet Union) the famous Alma-Ata conference was held...this was a pledge to build up basic health systems around the world...and heralded the birth of the 'Health for All'...The beginning of the 80's, however, saw the pendulum swing firmly back towards vertical interventions...the last ten years have seen a swing back to the ideals of Alma-Ata and the mantra of putting people - rather than pathogens - front and centre of health initiatives...In 2012, the United Nations General Assembly formally recognised and unanimously endorsed the idea of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).' While explaining the current state of health policy focus and interventions, he comments, 'Given the benefit of hindsight, there's a strong risk that today's current focus on UHC might not survive the constant push towards seemingly more feasible, targeted interventions. This apparently inevitable swing to the vertical, however, misses the point on two key fronts: First, history shows us that morbidities are integrated, both with each other and with our ways of life. Second, when something new comes along, a health sector built around a few target pathogens simply cannot deal with it.' Finally, he suggests, 'Let's continue to focus resources where significant advances in disease eradication are possible, partnering with those who can make this happen - but let's take care not to do this at the expense of overall systems strengthening.' Read on...
The Financial Times: Healthcare for all: A zero-sum game?
Author: Alex Jones
Food wastage is becoming a substantial cause of concern around the world. France recently passed laws to restrict throwing away or destroying food and UK's biggest retailer, Tesco, pledging to give all leftover food to charities. According to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations website (fao.org) - Roughly one third of the food produced in the world for human consumption every year, approximately 1.3 billion tonnes, gets lost or wasted; Food losses and waste amounts to roughly US$ 680 billion in industrialized countries and US$ 310 billion in developing countries. Governments, food chains and retailers, charitable organizations and social enterprises, need to come together to find ways to restrict and minimize food waste and make substantial part of it available to where it is required most. Following are some valuable suggestions - (1) Logistics: Efficient coordination between supermarkets and charities is essential. Supermarkets shouldn't just dump food at charities. Elaine Montegriffo, CEO of SecondBite, says, 'It is not just having enough trucks and storerooms...Some organisation has to take responsibility for coordinating donations so the right food reaches people in useable condition.' (2) Education: Create awareness about food labels and other specifications among consumers. Ronni Kahn, CEO of OzHarvest, says, 'Consumers need to understand what date marks mean.' (3) Food consumed at home should have minimal losses and consumer buying and eating behaviors need to be transformed. (4) Growing less food: Ms. Montegriffo says it's counterintuitive but if producers and retailers were not throwing away 1/3 of the food produced, the cost of producing it would drop. If supermarkets did not over-order food, their costs would reduce. (5) UK's model of collaborative understanding and commitment, between environment ministry, sumpermarkets, manufacturers and packaging companies has been effective and can be emulated. (6) Denmark's model with an organization buying surplus food from other supermarkets and selling at discount can also be helpful to reduce food waste. (7) Legislative measures can be considered and that should evolve with deliberations among various stakeholders. A number of organizations in Australia, for example retailers like Woolworths and Coles, and charities like OzHarvest, SecondBite and Foodbank, are currently working towards achieving minimal food wastes through the following 6 methods - (1) Reasonable and achievable long-term targets through diverse strategies like food donations, commercial composting, fertiliser, electricity production and animal feed. (2) Using food charities. (3) Buying ugly fruit and selling at cheaper rates. (4) Supermarkets are ordering less by using supply chain technologies and ordering systems. (5) Good incentives: Australian Environment Minister Greg Hunt introduced an incentive for businesses to reduce food or garden waste in landfill. (6) Talking about food waste and seeking collaborative solutions through participation from wide array of public and private organizations. Read on...
The Age: Seven solutions to supermarket food waste
Author: Deborah Gough
According to the latest study 'The State of Consumer Healthcare: A Study of Patient Experience from Prophet and GE Healthcare Camden Group', that incorporates responses from 3000 consumers and 300 senior leaders (Vice President or higher) at healthcare provider systems that employ at least 20 physicians, patient experience is one of the main concern as 81% of consumers surveyed indicate that they are unsatisfied with their healthcare experience. Moreover, the study also points towards a large gap between consumer expectations and what providers believe regarding their service offerings. Jeff Gourdji of Prophet says, 'There is a misperception among providers about how well they are truly meeting consumer expectations.' CEO's surveyed in the study also said that patient satisfaction is not currently among their top five priorities. According to Helen Stewart of GE Healthcare, 'The common misperception is that focusing on the patient experience means spending less time on other cost and revenue initiatives...Investments to improve the patient experience can drive both growth and cost reduction.' Paul Schrimpf of Prophet says, 'Providers are struggling to adapt to the rising culture of 'consumerism', which has heightened people's expectations. The power has shifted to the consumer in nearly every industry, and now it's healthcare's turn.' Laura Jacobs, President of GE Healthcare Camden Group, explains, 'Creating better and more holistic experiences doesn't just mean happier patients. It translates to increased capacity, lower operating costs, improved financial performance, and higher employee satisfaction and retention. For healthcare providers, the key to profitability and longevity lies in their ability to deliver a superior consumer experience.' Read on...
BusinessWire: 81% of Consumers are Unsatisfied with their Healthcare Experience, According to a New Study by Prophet and GE Healthcare Camden Group
Author: Saige Smith, Katie Lamkin
Organizations invest money, time and efforts in branding to build their credibility and reputation. In the online world with expanded global reach, social media and changing dynamics of customer relationships, there are further challenges that the organizations face to keep and sustain their brand image. Moreover there are also steps that are required before embarking upon creating and developing a brand. John Lincoln, Co-founder and CEO of Ignite Visibility and professor at University of California San Diego, explains 8 branding mistakes that should be avoided for brand value and business success - (1) Not Getting a Trademark. (2) Not Vigorously Searching Google and Doing Proper Research. (3) Not Coming Up With a Good Domain Name. (4) Picking a Name That Competes With a Well-Established Brand. (5) Picking Color Schemes and Visuals That Aren't Relevant to What You Do. (6) Not Checking Cultural References Around the Name. (7) Not Checking the Name's Translations in Other Languages. (8) Check Potential Stigmas Associated With the Name. Read on...
Huffington Post: 8 Branding Mistakes That Can Result in Major Setbacks
Author: John Lincoln
Gender equity and women empowerment are issues that are often discussed at various forums. Women are trying and working hard to make their mark in different fields and professions. Philanthropy and nonprofits are getting women in leadership roles. 'Inside Philanthropy' has created a separate section on their website where it exclusively covers developments related to women and girls. Recently the website listed influential women in U.S. that are making an impact by participating in various different capacities in the field of philanthropy, charity and nonprofit sector. The categorised list currently includes the following women - MEGA-DONORS: (1) Karen Ackman, Co-founder, Pershing Square Foundation; (2) Jody Allen, Co-founder, Paul G. Allen Family Foundation; (3) Laura Arnold, Co-chair, Laura and John Arnold Foundation; (4) Connie Ballmer, Chair of Philanthropy, Ballmer Group; (5) Jennifer Buffett, Co-president, NoVo Foundation; (6) Susan Buffett, Chair, Sherwood Foundation, Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation and Buffett Early Childhood Fund; (7) Priscilla Chan, Co-founder, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative; (8) Alexandra Cohen, Co-founder, Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation; (9) Barbara Dalio, Co-founder, Dalio Foundation; (10) Susan Dell, Co-founder and Board Chair, Michael and Susan Dell Foundation; (11) Melinda Gates, Co-chair, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; (12) Lyda Hill, Founder, Lyda Hill Foundation; Laurene Powell Jobs, President, Emerson Collective; (13) Laurene Powell Jobs, President, Emerson Collective; (14) Pam Omidyar, Co-founder, Omidyar Group; (15) Barbara Picower, President and Chair, JPB Foundation; (16) Lynn Schusterman, Chair, Schusterman Family Foundation; (17) Marilyn Simons, President, Simons Foundation; (18) Cari Tuna, Co-founder and President, Good Ventures; (19) Diane von Furstenberg, Director, Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation; (20) Alice Walton, Walton Family Foundation and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art; (21) Shelby White, Founder and Trustee, Leon Levy Foundation. FOUNDATION LEADERS: (22) Sue Desmond-Hellmann, CEO, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; (23) Patricia Harris, CEO, Bloomberg Philanthropies; (24) Carol Larson, President and CEO, Packard Foundation; (25) Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, President and CEO, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; (26) Clara Miller, Director and President, F.B. Heron Foundation; (27) LaJune Montgomery Tabron, President and CEO, W. K. Kellogg Foundation; (28) Sally Osberg, President and CEO, Skoll Foundation; (29) Judith Rodin, President, Rockefeller Foundation; (30) Julia Stasch, President, MacArthur Foundation; CORPORATE FUNDERS: (31) Suzanne DiBianca, President, Salesforce Foundation; (32) Deb Elam, President, GE Foundation; (33) Sally McCrady, President, PNC Foundation; (34) Kathleen McLaughlin, President, Walmart Foundation; (35) Kerry Sullivan, President, Bank of America Charitable Foundation; (36) Michele Sullivan, President, Caterpillar Foundation; THE CATALYSTS: (37) Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen, Founder and President, Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen Foundation; (38) Melissa Berman, President and CEO, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors; (39) Jean Case, CEO, Case Foundation; (40) Hillary Clinton, Former Secretary of State and Candidate for U.S. President; (41) Amy Danforth, President, Fidelity Charitable; (42) Kriss Deiglmeier, CEO, Tides; (43) Kim Dennis, President and CEO, Searle Freedom Trust; (44) Jane Greenfield, President, Vanguard Charitable; (45) Donna P. Hall, President and CEO, Women Donors Network; (46) Ruth Ann Harnisch, Founder, Harnisch Foundation; (47) Vanessa Kirsch, Founder and CEO, New Profit; (48) Kim Laughton, President, Schwab Charitable; (49) Michele Lord, President, NEO Philanthropy; (50) Teresa Younger, President and CEO, Ms. Foundation; (51) Jacki Zehner, President and Chief Engagement Officer, Women Moving Millions. Read on...
Inside Philanthropy: Meet the 50 Most Powerful Women in U.S. Philanthropy
Authors: David Callahan, Kiersten Marek
According to the recent forecast available at IDC.com, the big data technology and services market will grow at 26.4% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to US$41.5 billion through 2018, or about six times the growth rate of the overall information technology market. While on the other hand, McKinsey estimates 1.5 million more data managers will be required by 2018 in the US alone. The demand for talent with big data and analytics skills may far exceed the supply. A new field of study has emerged in educational institutions to fulfil anticipated talent shortage. Business schools are partnering with companies that are at the cutting edge of big data technologies to structure big data and analytics focused programs. Some are providing MOOCs to impart knowledge and train business professionals for the data-driven world. While others are leveraging the strengths of their computer science departments to bring technology know-how to the business classrooms. Massimo Beduschi, CEO of WPP in Italy, says, 'The big data wave is surging through every sector - and profound digital transformations are making it mandatory to leverage analytics.' MIT Sloan School of Management has launched master's in business analytics and the senior lecturer and associate dean at the school, Jake Cohen, says, 'Recruiters have said they are looking for training in advanced business analytics...people who can take insight to action.' Prof. Soumitra Dutta, dean of Cornell University's Johnson School of Management (US), says, 'Many schools have courses linked to digital technology, one way or another.' Cornell is partnering with Twitter and Linkedln for analytics in their MBA program. Prof. Dutta is concerned at slow pace of transformation towards blended technology and business management education. Radhika Chadwick, a partner at Ernst & Young, comments, 'I applaud that we have universities tackling this, but we need to do it at a higher speed.' Stanford Graduate School of Business have electives like digital competition, business intelligence from big data, and data-driven decision-making. Maeve Richard, director of Career Management Center at Stanford GSB (US), says, 'Most of the curriculum is about looking for opportunities to be transformative.' University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School (US) offers a program track and MOOCs on business analytics. According to Prof. Peter Fader, co-director of Wharton's Customer Analytics Initiative, 'Now we have all this data, how do we actually build strategies? How do we use the data and the models to run businesses better?' Prof. Juergen Branke of UK's Warwick Business School, that was one of the pioneers and had a program since 2008 developed in partnership with IBM and SAS, advocates for new education and skills to managing effectively in the digital economy. Prof. Jeffrey Camm, chair of business analytics at Wake Forest University (US), says, 'Managers need to understand analytics, how it converts data to valuable insights, and also understand issues such as data privacy, and the ethical use of data and analytical models.' Commenting on slow development and adoption of new curriculum, Prof. Jim Hamill, director of futurdigitalleaders.com and teaches digital leadership module at University of Edinburgh Business School (UK), says, 'Most senior deans and professors are not 'digital natives'. They are baby boomers.' According to Prof. G. Anandalingam, dean of Imperial College Business School (UK) that launched a Data Observatory in partnership with KPMG and offers a degree in business analytics, 'Big data is changing the way everyone operates...need to be able to make sense of all the valuable information.' Prof. Juan José Casado Quintero, director of masters in business analytics at IE School of Business (Spain), developed with IBM, says, 'Companies are struggling to fill their data science positions.' Prof. Gregory LaBlanc, faculty director at Haas School of Business at University of California at Berkeley (US), that works with Accenture, says, 'There is huge unmet demand for data science.' Industry-institution collaborations are a win-win for both, as they provide companies access to talent and to universities the expertise and knowledge of latest business practices and market technologies. Read on...
BusinessBecause: Future Of Big Data - These Business Analytics Degrees Are Bridging The Gaping Skills Gap
Author: Seb Murray
Instances like female architect Denise Scott Brown getting the AIA Gold Medal and women heading some of the best architecture schools in US, may show that architecture profession is making efforts towards gender equality. But Architectural Review's fifth annual 2016 Women in Architecture Survey of 1152 female practitioners (68% based in UK), tells a different story. According to the survey - One in five women worldwide say they would not encourage a women to start a career in architecture; About 40% (in UK) and over 40% (in other countries) thought that they would be paid more if they were male; 72% say they have experienced sexual discrimination, harassment, or victimization on the job; 67% believed that the building industry does not accept female authority. Read on...
Fast Company: Survey - 72% Of Female Architects Have Experienced Harassment Or Discrimination
Author: Diana Budds
In most organizations, CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) is not a clearly defined strategic activity at the senior executive and top internal stakeholder level, even though a number of them have CSR and sustainability departments. According to a research study by London-based economic and strategy consulting firm, Economic Policy Group (EPG), 71% of companies in the U.S define their CSR spending as in-kind donations and free product giveaways. Another 16% define it as cash donations, and the remaining 13% as employee volunteering and giving. Large organizations often consider investments in social programs as not providing direct returns. One of the most difficult challenge for sustainability teams is to sell embedded CSR and sustainability programs internally to the top executives and senior managers and advocating that isolated initiatives like philanthropy and volunteering are not enough for corporations to be socially responsible. Organizations have to effectively integrate CSR and sustainability into the overall strategy to drive long-term growth and success. Sustainable thinking should be imbibed into corporate culture and strategic thought processes. Jeff Sutton, Vice President of thinkPARALLAX, provides 7 benefits of integrating sustainability into overall business strategy - (1) Increase in sales. (2) Innovate and differentiate. (3) Enhance and build reputation. (4) Future-proofing. (5) Recruit and retain. (6) Cut costs. (7) Unify teams and align decision making. Read on...
Triple Pundit: Securing Buy-in From the Top - 7 Benefits of Integrated Thinking
Author: Jeff Sutton
According to American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) survey of 803 US-based landscape architects, people are overwhelmingly concerned with water conservation. Some of the highlights of the survey include the following top 5 trends - (1) 88% reported that clients seemed most interested in rainwater or graywater harvesting elements. (2) Native plants. (3) Native or adaptive drought tolerant plants. (4) Low-maintenance landscapes. (5) Permeable landscapes. Nancy Somerville, CEO of ASLA, says, 'It does reflect a much greater awareness from the population as a whole, about critical issues like water conservation and energy efficiency, as well as water efficiency, and stormwater issues.' James Brown, Governor of California, considering the expected 5th consecutive year of drought, in addition to other measures also ordered that 50-million square feet of state-owned lawns be replaced with drought tolerant landscaping. According to Prof. Mitchell Pavao-Zuckerman, Department of Environmental Science and Technology at the University of Maryland, 'People are starting to think about how their house and property fits into the broader urban landscape context, and how they might contribute to more sustainable built environments than we've had in the past.' The survey also observed that the creative shift towards water conservation is already visible. Lush, maximalist gardens and fountains, are being replaced by cool, sculptured minimalism. Prof. Pavao-Zuckerman adds, 'There are non-profits springing up devoted to teaching homeowners how to install water-saving elements themselves.' Read on...
WIRED: Saving Water Is So Hot Right Now in Landscape Design
Author: Margaret Rhodes
According to World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution has become the world's biggest environmental risk, linked to over 7 million deaths a year. A global team of scientists (Farid Touati, Claudio Legena, Alessio Galli, Damiano Crescini, Paolo Crescini, Adel Ben Mnaouer) from Canadian University Dubai, Qatar University, and the University of Brescia (Italy), have developed a technology, known as SENNO (Sensor Node), that enables high-efficiency air quality monitoring, to help promote a cleaner environment and reduce the health risks associated with poor atmospheric quality. The technology promises to make air quality monitoring cost-effective. The research paper, 'Environmentally Powered Multiparametric Wireless Sensor Node for Air Quality Diagnostic', was published in Sensors and Materials journal. Prof. Adel Ben Mnaouer of Canadian University Dubai (CUD), says, 'Sensor networks dedicated to atmospheric monitoring can provide an early warning of environmental hazards. However, remote systems need robust and reliable sensor nodes, which require high levels of power efficiency for autonomous, continuous and long-term use...Our technology harvests environmental energy...it optimises energy use by the sensory equipment, so as to function only for the time needed to achieve the operations of sensor warm-up, sampling, data processing and wireless data transmission, thereby creating an air quality monitoring system that measures pollutants in a sustainable and efficient way.' Read on...
The Gulf Today: Dubai professor develops innovation to combat increasing air pollution
According to a study by Prof. Sachin Modi of Iowa State University (USA) and Saurabh Mishra of McGill University (Canada), a strong marketing department is crucial to helping a firm leverage its efforts to be socially responsible. Study results show the combination of marketing and CSR can provide shareholders with a 3.5 percent gain in stock returns. Researchers defined CSR as discretionary firm activities aimed at enhancing societal well-being and analyzed six different types of CSR activities - environment, products, diversity, corporate governance, employees and community - to determine whether marketing of these efforts increased long-term firm value and stock price. Firms often consider CSR as a cost and have to make an investment and may not always see the benefits. Prof. Modi says, 'What we want to show is that if a firm is good and has some complimentary capabilities, it can gain a lot from CSR activities...The return is dependent upon the type of activity. Firms benefited from five of the six types of CSR efforts studied, with the exception of charitable giving and philanthropy...We're not saying firms shouldn't give to charity, because it is a very important component, all we're saying is we don't see a financial return.' Prof. Modi further suggests, 'Our hope is that firms see it is important to be socially responsible. It's not a choice of one versus the other. Firms have to do multiple aspects of being socially responsible.' Read on...
ISU News Service: Marketing key to return on corporate social responsibility investment, ISU study shows
As digital get seamlessly interwoven into the fabric of life, it will not remain anything extraordinary. In future, advancements in digital technologies will converge to enhance physical experiences that involve our bodies, feelings, emotions, actions and reactions. Auro Trini Castelli, Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer at gyro, explains how the 'Physical Revolution' will be driven by the following five trends - (1) Sensors will be the new devices (Virtual Reality; Motion and Gesture Recognition Technologies; Haptic Technology). (2) Surfaces will be the new screens (Interactive digital screens on walls, floors, ceilings, walkways etc). (3) Smart cities will make us smart citizens (Interactive city systems and digital environments). (4) Only meaningful interactions will survive (Well-integrated interfaces that get activated when required; Focus on human experience). (5) The world will be printed (3D printing for mass customization; Laser cutting; Computer modeling). In this experiential world, architects, designers, engineers, technologists, marketers, advertisers etc have to increasingly think and create with focus on providing solutions that appeal to all five human senses. The success will depend on how invisibly the digital will become part of the physical and improves every aspect of human interactions and experiences. Read on...
AdvertisingAge: The New Revolution Will Be Physical, Not Digital
Author: Auro Trini Castelli
There is an established relationship between built environment and human health. It is important to understand how architectural design, interior design, building technologies and materials etc, interact with external natural environment. Health-centric design approaches are now being utilized for built environments like hospitals, schools, office spaces, homes etc. Urbanization is another aspect that has public health related consequences. According to the study, 'Walls talk: Microbial biogeography of homes spanning urbanization' (by Jean F. Ruiz-Calderon, Humberto Cavallin, Se Jin Song, Atila Novoselac, Luis R. Pericchi, Jean N. Hernandez, Rafael Rios, Oralee H. Branch, Henrique Pereira, Luciana C. Paulino, Martin J. Blaser, Rob Knight, and Maria G. Dominguez-Bello) published in journal Science, certain aspects of a house's design could have an influence on the types of microbes found inside, with more urban homes separating humans from the outdoors and keeping out the environmental microbes we once evolved to coexist with. Researchers speculate that these changes may be having impact on public health. The study focused on four communities of Amazon Basin with similar climates and outside environment, but with different levels of urbanization. Prof. Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello of NYU School of Medicine, 'We humans build the environments we live in and spend most of our time (in), and these may be very different to the natural environments. Very little is known about microbes of the built environment.' According to Prof. Graham Rook of University College London, who was not part of the study, 'There is increasing evidence that exposure to microbial biodiversity from the natural environment is important for health.' Prof. Humberto Cavallin of University of Puerto Rico's School of Architecture, comments, 'As we move from rural to urban...houses become more isolated from the outside environment and also become more internally compartmentalized according to the function of the spaces.' Prof. Jean Ruiz-Calderon, a biologist at University of Puerto Rico and lead author of the study, says, 'The results of the study reveal that microbes from house walls and floors differ across habitations. With increasing urbanization, houses contain a higher proportion of human-associated bacteria...and decreasing proportions of environmental bacteria...walls become reservoirs of bacteria that come from different sources depending on the use of the spaces.' Prof. Dominguez-Bello adds, 'We are in environments that are highly humanized, and therefore a lack of ventilation and high concentrations of human bacteria may...facilitate human-to-human transmission of microbes.' Prof. Ruiz-Calderon warns, 'As we alter our built environments in ways that diverge from the natural exposures we evolve with, we need to be aware of the possible consequences.' Read on...
The Washington Post: The hidden health consequences of how we design our homes
Author: Chelsea Harvey
Corporations can find themselves in situations where their profit seeking goals can develop conflict with their ethical and sustainability related direction. According to Wikipedia, 'Corporate sustainability is a business approach that creates long-term consumer and employee value by creating a "green" strategy aimed toward the natural environment and taking into consideration every dimension of how a business operates in the social, cultural, and economic environment. It also formulates strategies to build a company that fosters longevity through transparency and proper employee development.' Most reputed organizations now have sustainability department that manages sustainability issues and integrates them with overall business objectives. Sustainability and marketing departments are trying to develop a converged approach to influencing customer behavior and persuading more responsible habits. But it can be a challenging task to align strategy and resources of both these departments. 73% of 1000 listeners of a webinar 'Influence customer behaviour through integrated marketing and sustainability' on website ethicalcorp.com believe that their organisation has not successfully integrated marketing and sustainability to influence customer behaviour. To do so they can utilize the following tips - (1) Start at the top: Senior managers should be made aware of all sustainable efforts in the organization to drive their support and channel effective internal and external communication through them. (2) Ensure internal integration: Continuous and consistent sharing of ideas between different departments help in integration. According to Rupert Maitland-Titterton of Kellogg Company, 'Our marketing and sustainability departments report to one and other and see each other every day. This ensures that ideas are shared and a feeling of inclusion rather than "us and them" is created.' (3) Understand your customer: Customers demand more sustainable and responsible behavior from companies. Both departments should focus on customer-centricity and develop collaborative approach to fulfil consumer expectations. (4) Keeping messaging consistent: Have long-term sustainable goals, communicate regularly and involve customers in achieving them. Dr. Kirstie McIntyre of HP says, 'Companies need to make it part of the value proposition.' David Brunt of AkzoNobel suggests seeking a 'win-win' situation. (5) Make sustainability the norm: Sustainability should be integrated seemlessly into every process and product so that the overall organization is marketed as a sustainable one. Read on...
Ethical Corporation: How marketing and sustainability can drive customer behaviour change - 5 top tips
Author: Liam Dowd
Collaborative multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches are needed to tackle complex real world problems that require large amount of resources, diverse set of perspectives, and extensive expertise and skills. A similar joint effort is being utilized to create 'Human Rights Methodology Lab' by Center for Human Rights and Global Justice (CHRGC) at NYU Law School, Human Rights Institute (HRI) at Columbia University Law School and Human Rights Watch (HRW). The lab will bring together leading human rights investigators, advocates, and scholars with experts across disciplines to develop new approaches to the investigation of human rights abuses and to propose concrete improvements in advocacy-oriented human rights research. According to Prof. Margaret Satterthwaite, co-chair and faculty director at the CHRGC, 'Rigorous, interdisciplinary methods are essential to making human rights advocacy more effective. Improving methods helps us solidify the evidence base for our advocacy, and gives us tools to help understand the dynamics behind violations, their scope and intensity, and ultimately, their causes.' Prof. Sarah Knuckey, co-director at HRI, says 'The lab will bring together small, carefully curated groups to develop methods for human rights projects during their early stages of development. There are currently too few formal spaces for human rights advocates to critique and experiment, and the lab responds to the needs of researchers to innovate, test and share new research tools and techniques.' According to Amanda Klasing, senior women's rights researcher at HRW, 'The chance to discuss methods with experts in other disciplines is an invaluable resource. It allows researchers to develop innovative projects with data and approaches that can help us improve our advocacy for ending abuses.' In addition to above persons, the other convener of the lab is Brian Root, quantitative analyst at HRW. The lab will also have participation and assistance of Holly Stubbs, a researcher at Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR). Read on...
Human Rights Watch: Innovative Lab Launched to Strengthen Human Rights Work
Team of researchers from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Prof. Dipanjan Pan (Bioengineering), postdoctoral researchers Manas Gartia and Santosh Misra, along with Dr. Leanne Labriola, an ophthalmologist at Carle Foundation Hospital, are collaborating to develop a portable sensor that can quickly and inexpensively detect whether the eye injury is mild or severe. The device measures the levels of vitamin C in the fluids that coat or leak from the eye. According to Prof. Pan, 'The sensor takes advantage of the fact that the ocular tear film - the viscous fluid that coats the eyeball - contains low levels of ascorbic acid, which is just vitamin C, while the interior of the eye contains much higher levels. So the concept is, if there is severe damage to the eye that penetrates deeply, the ascorbic acid will leak out in high concentration.' Dr. Labriola says, 'The new device will change the standard of care for evaluating eye traumas. This technology has the ability to impact a large number of patients, particularly in rural settings, where access to an ophthalmologist can be limited.' Researchers suggest accident sites and battlefields as other places where the device will be of great use as chances of eye injury are high there. Prof. Pan comments on the new engineering-based medical college coming up at UIUC, 'This is a perfect example of physicians and engineers working together to find solutions to current problems in healthcare.' The team is further collaborating with a U of I industrial design professor to build a housing for the sensor that will be portable and easy to use and have founded a startup to bring the device to market. Read on...
Illinois News Bureau: Portable device can quickly determine the extent of an eye injury
Author: Diana Yates
Reviews and recommendations related to products and companies are an important part of consumer buying decisions. Nowadays, technology has transformed word of mouth into word of clicks and taps, bringing consumers closer to other consumers and brands. Online communities around interests, products, and brands have mushroomed. Social media has further brought quality, quantity and speed into the recommendation and review process. According to a study by McKinsey, social media recommendations induced an average of 26% of purchases in 2014, that's up from 10% in 2013. Kishore Kumar, serial entrepreneur and CEO of AllThingsMine, explains how social media networks are assisting cosumers in their buying and purchasing decisions and what companies need to do to effectively utilize these channels for their product marketing and competitive strategies. According to him three aspects of social media influence consumers, and companies have to incorporate them to expand their product sales - (1) Social Referrals: Brands have to encourage and invest in social media referrals. Adweek infographic suggests that 71% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase based on social media referrals. Recommendations from friends and trusted sources are more valuable than product advertisements. (2) Access to Reviews: Consumers research before buying products and reviews are an important source. Companies should provide product reviews and give incentives to those consumers that leave a review. (3) Social Media Accessibility: Social media is freely available to anyone with an internet connection. Consumers can now purchase products directly from their social media feeds when people in their network recommend them. Companies need to effectively tap this potential and reach out to larger public through influencers. Read on...
Young Upstarts: How Social Networks Impact Buying Decisions And The Modern Consumer Society
Author: Kishore Kumar
Good designers often seek a balance between comfort and fashion while designing their clothes. They design to improve human lives. For most people jeans provide comfort and also fulfil their fashion quotient. Professor Elazer Edelman, a cardiologist and director of Harvard-MIT Biomedical Engineering Center, is going a step further and utilizing scientific approach to create 'FYT Jeans', that are designed for health and comfort. These jeans, developed in collaboration with designers from Portugal, are particularly suited for people who sit for long hours, like office workers. Initially the project was targeted for wheelchair dependent people, to provide them safe clothes. According to Prof. Edelman, 'There are a variety of modifications to the design around the knee...The zipper on the back is a very important and innovative design.' FYT Jeans don't bunch up behind the knee. He further adds, 'It's extra material, extra pressure. It's uncomfortable and it can actually be unsafe. It's everything from a little irritation to when people have diabetes or poor circulation, developing sores that never heal.' While explaining the future of healthy clothings, he says, 'You could certainly embed all kinds of sensors in them, and you could even give something, or embed something that was itself therapeutic.' Read on...
CBS Local: MIT Professor Designing Jeans Made For Sitting
Author: Kathryn Hauser
According to a study, pharmaceutical promotional and marketing expenditures, that include direct-to-consumer advertising (like TV ads), promotions to physicians, journal advertising, distributing free samples etc, increased from US$ 11.4 billion in 1995 to US$ 28.9 billion in 2005. But a recent research study titled 'Does Increased Spending on Pharmaceutical Marketing Inhibit Pioneering Innovation?' by professors Denis Arnold and Jennifer Troyer from University of North Carolina at Charlotte, found that the more pharmaceutical firms spend on marketing drugs, the less likely it is that the firm will produce breakthrough drugs that offer major advances in treatment. Conversely, the more pharmaceutical companies spend on research and development, the more innovative are the results in terms of the development of pioneering drugs according to FDA classifications, i.e. drugs that will improve public health. Authors of the study comment that the research has important policy and ethics outcomes. Prof. Arnold says, 'This article is the first using empirical data to demonstrate that aggressive marketing of pharmaceutical drugs and truly innovative new drug development are at odds. The current patent regime, that provides equal patent protection for drugs regardless of their innovativeness, can be manipulated by firms to increase sales and drive up costs for society without improving public health.' According to Prof. Troyer, 'The effects of increased spending on R&D are large for pioneering drugs. For firms producing at least one pioneering drug over the period (1999-2009), increasing permanent R&D spending by 1% results in an almost one pioneering drug approval per firm.' Read on...
UNC Charlotte News: For Pharmaceutical Companies, More Marketing Equals Less Innovation
Authors: Kirsten Khire, Buffie Stephens
Product returns are an important part of customer-retailer relationship dynamics. In 2014, customers returned US$ 280 million worth of products across all US retailers. The latest research by doctoral student Ryan Freling (University of Texas at Dallas), Prof. Narayan Janakiraman (University of Texas at Arlington) and doctoral candidate Holly Syrdal (University of Texas at Arlington), conducted the meta-analysis of existing studies on return policies to quantify the policies' effect on consumers' purchase and return behavior. The study challenges the underlying assumption that all return policies affect purchases and returns in a similar manner. The study suggests that this is not the case, as retailers tend to impose restrictions to dissuade returns or offer leniency to encourage purchases by manipulating five return policy elements: time, money, effort, scope and exchange. The study found that overall lenient return policies positively affect purchase and return decisions. According to Mr. Freling, 'In general, firms use return policies to increase purchases but don't want to increase returns, which are costly. But all return policies are not the same...Return policy leniency should depend on the retailer's objectives. If a retailer wants to stimulate purchases, offering more lenient monetary policies and low-effort policies may be effective.' Read on...
UT Dallas News Center: Researchers Examine Effect of Return Policies on Consumer Behavior
Author: Brittany Magelssen
Social entrepreneurship takes initiatives to solve world's complex social problems through creativity, innovation and passion. Education and healthcare are two areas that require huge amount of resources and efforts to improve quality and access. In a number of cases various government, non-government and private organizations have to pool their resources and efforts for better outcomes in education and healthcare. Richard Barth, CEO of KIPP Foundation (US-based Education Social Enterprise), and Jonathan Jackson, Co-founder and CEO of Dimagi (Technology and Healthcare Social Enterprise that operates globally), explain how their two organizations are finding common ground, pooling their expertise and resources, utilizing technology and collaborating to find solutions to uplift their communities. Through their experience the organizations have observed that education and healthcare are substantially connected to each other. They explain, 'Dimagi and KIPP learned that the same child struggling with poor health is often unable to access a good education. There's no single solution that will improve their quality of life, and we can't fully address one challenge at the expense of the other.' This prompted the organizations to invest in each other's areas of expertise. Dimagi is branching out into education, and KIPP is incorporating healthcare into its approach. Since their interactions and relationships with communities in which they operate are central to their work, therefore, their collaboration will play an important role in effective application of solutions. The collaborative and partnership model can be applied by social enterprises working in different areas to maximize their impact and save efforts and resources. Read on...
The Seventy Four: Social Entrepreneurship - Connecting the Worlds of Education and Health Care
Authors: Richard Barth, Jonathan Jackson
Home interior design concepts continue to evolve with both designers and customers seeking new ways to update and upgrade the living environment. Following are the 25 latest design trends that include materials, strategies and concepts for modern homes in 2016 - (1) Two-tone kitchen cabinets (2) Outdoor fabric used indoors (3) Colored stainless steel appliances (Black stainless steel is one of the preferred color) (4) Extra-large-format tile (5) Separate bidet unit in bathroom (6) Deep kitchen drawers (7) Formal dining rooms (8) Niche appliances in kitchen (Steam ovens, warming drawers, induction cooktops, kimchi refrigerators etc) (9) Heated entryway floors (10) Workhorse islands (Becoming central features in modern kitchens with deep storage, prep sinks, room for sitting etc) (11) Statement mirrors in bathrooms (12) Barely there kitchens (13) Living rooms that ditch the tech for family (14) Kitchens that embrace openness and raw materials (15) Surprising backsplash and countertop pairings (16) Fully decorated living rooms that don't go overboard (17) Special kitchen features (18) Sunrooms (19) Punched-up white kitchens (20) Bold powder room wall coverings (Use of dazzling prints, textures and custom graphics) (21) Mixing modern materials, finishes and colors in the kitchen (22) Attention-seeking bedrooms (23) Bathrooms that feel more like living spaces (Use of graphic wallpaper, ornate chandeliers and furniture-like pieces etc) (24) Fireplaces and fire features (25) Farmhouse entryways. Read on...
Houzz: 25 Design Trends Coming to Homes Near You in 2016
Author: Mitchell Parker
Social media has provided opportunities for publishing industry and their reporters, editors, journalists and columnists, to promote and market their content. In many cases this has resulted in the elevation of individual personal brands to iconic status with huge following, immensely benefiting the individuals and their employers. In some other cases it has also created challenging situations and adversely affected their careers. There are a number of academic studies that has been done to understand the role of company branding and personal branding. But Prof. Avery E. Holton of the University of Utah and Prof. Logan Molyneux of Temple University, assert that questions about the trend's impact on journalists' personal identities were largely left unanswered. Their study, 'Identity Lost? The Personal Impact of Brand Journalism', explores this issue and is based on interviews of 41 reporters and editors from various US publications. The authors suggest that publishing groups may need to reconsider how social media is used for branding, promotion and identity creation. Journalists find it challenging to balance their jobs and personal online identities and often have to choose one over the other. According to the authors, 'This choice presents a paradox: If journalists choose to present too much of a personal identity, they risk punishment by their employers. If they present only a professional identity, they risk offending their audiences.' Read on...
Journalist's Resource: Journalism branding - Impact on reporters' personal identities
Author: Denise-Marie Ordway
Concerned authorities try to provide affordable housing to their marginalized communities. In regions with extreme climate conditions it becomes even more challenging to manage costs related to energy consumption. Nanaimo Aboriginal Center (British Columbia, Canada) in partnership with the city administration is planning to build an affordable housing complex that will abide by the energy efficiency standards. The project will use passive housing design, that is more economical and is an alternative to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design). According to Chris Beaton, Executive Director of Nanaimo Aboriginal Center, 'You build your building so it's oriented to the sun and during the winter, you're allowing in the heat of the sun to warm the interior of the building. You put in robust insulation...then you vapour barrier it so no cold air is coming in and you're not losing heat during the winter.' Read on...
Nanaimo News Bulletin: Affordable housing project aims to use passive house design
Author: Karl Yu
According to a recent study by business psychologists at OPP, based on an online survey of over 300 people (71% female and with average age of 47 years) Modern features such as shared space and open-plan floors appeal mainly to extroverted workers and made introverts uncomfortable. The study explains that modern features like shared space and open-plan floors appeal mainly to extroverted workers and made introverts uncomfortable. John Hackston, Chartered Psychologist and Head of Research at OPP, says 'Despite changes in technology many people still work in an office. Understanding how personality interacts with the office environment is key to improving job satisfaction and productivity.' He suggests some of the simple changes that can be made - Allowing staff more storage for personal items when hot desking; Creating smaller neighbourhoods within open-plan offices; Not overdoing clear desk policies as clearing away all personal items can be demotivating to some people; Providing quiet zones for people to work in when needed. Read on...
Workplace Insight: Modern office design principles favour extroverts, study claims
Author: Mark Eltringham
According to US Bureau of Labor Statistics website (bls.gov), 1987 United Nations conference defined sustainable development as, 'Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.' A report from the National Association for Environmental Management describes sustainability as, 'Company's strategies for acting as a responsible corporate citizen, ensuring its operations are financially sustainable and minimizing its environmental footprint. Sustainability initiatives may include natural resource reduction, supply chain management, worker safety and health initiatives, stakeholder engagement and external reporting.' Sustainability professionals are often employed by companies to achieve their goals by ensuring that their business practices are economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable. Sustainability is a diverse field and to pursue right careers requires thorough search starting from CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) or sustainability departments of corporations, nonprofit or social startups, or social impact or social consulting firms. But apart from these usual approaches, Katie Kross (Managing Director of the Center for Energy, Development, and the Global Environment (EDGE) at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business), provides some other out of the box ideas for professionals seeking sustainability careers and want to make social impact - (1) Mission-driven brand manager (2) University sustainability director (3) ESG (Environmental-Social-Governance Investing) portfolio analyst (4) CSR account executive for a creative agency (5) Post-graduate intern at an environmental NGO (6) Foundation program officer. Read on...
Triple Pundit: 6 Sustainability Careers That Haven't Occurred to You Yet
Author: Katie Kross
Economic predictions are hard to make and it is even harder to guarantee their correctness. Falling of oil prices since summer of 2014 and sharp decline in China's economic growth that started recently, were events that analysts hardly predicted and took the world by surprise. And just now the escalating tensions between Saudi Arabia, largest producer of oil, and Iran, may see another swing in the oil prices. But there are signs and signals that can be observed to make a studied judgement regarding the direction of the global economy and how to be prepared in the best possible way to cushion against the shocks. Here are the top five new economic trends for 2016 - (1) The Global Economy Will Continue to Be Powered by America: With other developed economies growing even more slowly and collapse of economic growth in China, US seems to be a ray of hope. As US has largest trade deficit in the world, the other big economies depend on it. (2) China Will Stay Stuck in Second Gear: China's capital investment, both government and private, was enabled by growing debt, rather than profits. The wealth in China must shift to Chinese households, and away from powerful government officials and managers of public enterprises. Which is politically hard to happen soon. (3) Commodities Will Be Cheap: Bloomberg commodities index fell 26% in 2015. Collapse in Chinese growth is the main reason. (4) Europe will edge closer to crisis: European debt crisis continues. Unemployment rate for euro area remains at 10.7%. Imbalances that caused the crisis still are there. Euro binds together diverse set of economies, giving unfair advantage to some. (5) India will become the new growth king: IMF expects Indian economy to grow at 7.3% in 2016. It has advantage of demographics with large workforce and in next 10 years it will grow larger than the Chinese workforce. Read on...
Fortune: These 5 Trends Will Shape the Global Economy in 2016
Author: Chris Matthews
The technology-enabled interactions of consumers and businesses have provided opportunities to capture data and utilize analytics to improve business processes and enhance products and services for customers in variety of industries. The analytics industry ecosystem is mushrooming with numerous vendors, from niche providers to one-stop solutions that include capture, storage, access and study of data for valuable insights. Suhale Kapoor, Co-founder of Absolutdata Analytics, captures various aspects of the analytics industry and its evolution in 2015 and explains what are the expected trends in the year ahead. Trends in 2015 - Growth of new startups and digital marketing tools; Increased use of analytics and Business Intelligence (BI); Rise in use of social media and social advertising on mobile; Rapid expansion of Internet of Things (IoT); Video content; Content marketing and predictive analytics; End-user experience and integration of online and offline content to improve service standards. Trends for 2016 - Shift towards cloud; Streaming architectures will hasten data computations; Visuals will come to rule; Data integration tools will assume more importance; Centre of Excellence (COE) will equip a business in understanding the peculiar needs and challenges for a data scientist; The Internet of Things (IoT) is all poised to bring about a data revolution; Non-analysts will start to dabble in data. Read on...
DATAQUEST: The Analytics Sector - Emerging trends and forecast for 2016
Author: Suhale Kapoor
Although Business Intelligence (BI) and Big Data Analytics (BDA) are being successfully utilized for incremental innovation, but they are insufficient to provide breakthrough innovation, which is more challenging and requires uncovering latent needs, or even creating needs and meaning. Soren Petersen, author of the book 'Profit from Design', and Finn Birger Lie (Co-founder and Chairman of Northern Analytics AS), explains how combination of BDA and Small Data (SD) when integrated at the early stages of new product development process can create breakthrough innovation. The conventional design process includes steps that combine analysis and synthesis, prototyping, testing and learning to create unique and valuable insights. While more advanced design processes, like Design Thinking, include an element of design research or Design Science Research, to enable design teams gain better understanding of the current and future market, and technologies, leverage this knowledge, and then create roadmap that includes the concurrent building of new capabilities that assist them to design future offerings. Mr. Petersen says, 'Innovation is often ambiguous. The 'Market-Technology Risk Matrix' provides a useful mapping of new ventures and offerings according to their position in the market (Recognized Needs, Clarifying Needs and Realizing Needs) and their technology level (Current Technology, Applied New Technology and Development of New Technology). Different combinations of Big Data Analytics (BDA) and Small Data Analytics (SDA) may prove more productive, depending on where design identifies insights within the Market-Technology Risk Matrix.' With grounded research and vertical thinking, BDA can support incremental innovation, while through lateral thinking, SDA can utilize a combination of hypothesis and grounded research to support breakthrough innovation. Read on...
Huffington Post: Creating Breakthrough Innovations Through Design With Big and Small Data Analysis
Authors: Soren Petersen, Finn Birger Lie
Concepts regarding the success and failure of business teams are continuously evolving based upon the behaviors of individuals and changing business landscape. Earlier the main philosophy was that team strength, performance and resilience came from a homegeneous, assimilated group of people that worked together in machine-like processes. It was considered a sure recipe for success and a lot of top executives when departed from one organization took their most loyal people with them to the other. Some industries still consider this concept as part of their human resources strategy. But overall business environment with technology, market diversity and globalization as main drivers, has shifted the power of teams towards diversity, complimentary strengths, diversity of views, beliefs and ways of working. But to effectively manage diversity in teams can be a challenging task. Paul Keijzer, CEO and Managing Partner of Engage Consulting, suggests the following to keep the team together and get the best out of them - (1) Intent, Intent and Intent: Be convinced that a team with diversity provides better outcomes. Invest time and energy to bring team together. Accept differences and be tolerant and patient. (2) Share the Passion: Clarity and passion about the goal is key to keep the team motivated. (3) Take a Personal Deep Dive: Know and understand people who are part of the team. Take time to help team member know each other well. (4) Agree How You Want to Work Together: Put together team's rules of engagement. Assist team in sharing what team members expect from each other. (5) Get the Best Out of Conflict: Avoid personal conflicts and let everyone know the value of constructive conflicts. Develop clear rules for conflict resolution and identify positive conflicts. (6) Have Fun: Enjoy being part of the team. Find the right balance of emotions. Use humour and laughter. Have respect for each other and contribute positively to the environment. And finally pool all your strengths to get the work done successfully for which the team got together in the first place. Read on...
Business 2 Community: How to Be Part of a Team With People You Don't Like
Author: Paul Keijzer
Design education promises to inculcate and enhance creativity within students and equip them with skills to build and develop products, services, spaces and environments in diverse industries. Given below is the select list of America's top design academics and educators from the disciplines of architecture, industrial design, interior design and landscape architecture, that was created with inputs from design professionals, academic department heads and students - Amale Andraos (Architecture, Planning & Preservation at Columbia University); Alan DeFrees (Architecture at University of Notre Dame); Dawn Finley (Architecture at Rice University); Steve French (Architecture at Georgia Tech); Geraldine Forbes Isais (Architecture & Planning at University of New Mexico); Charles Graham (Architecture at University of Oklahoma); Aki Ishida (Architecture & Design at Virginia Tech); Kent Kleinman (Architecture & Interior Design at Cornell University); Sharon Kuska (Architecture & Civil Engineering at University of Nebraska); Alison Kwok (Architecture at University of Oregon); Mohsen Mostafavi (Architecture & Design at Harvard University); Daniel Nadenicek (Planning & Landscape at University of Georgia); Guy Nordenson (Architecture & Structural Engineering at Princeton University); Juhani Pallasmaa (Architect & Lecturer from Helsinki. Visiting Professor at Washington University in St. Louis & University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign); James Rose (Architecture & Design at University of Tennessee); Hashim Sarkis (Architecture & Planning at Massachusetts Institute of Technology); Jeff Shannon (Architecture at University of Arkansas); Robert Shibley (Architecture & Planning at SUNY Buffalo); Christine Theodoropoulos (Architecture & Environment Design at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo); James Timberlake (Architecture at University of Pennsylvania); Ada Tremonte (Architecture & Interior Design at Drexel University); Rod Underwood (Architecture &' Planning at Ball State University); Adam Wells (Architecture at University of Houston); Jim West (Architecture, Art, & Design at Mississippi State University); Keith Wiley (Architecture & Environmental Design at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo). Read on...
DesignIntelligence: 25 Most Admired Educators for 2016
To keep pace with the happenings in the world of business and management, books written by entrepreneurs, business leaders, experienced professionals, learned academics, theorists, practitioners, subject-matter experts etc, provide valuable insights, diverse perspectives, latest practices and examples of what it takes to succeed. Here is a top ten list of leadership and management books of 2015 - (1) 'Work Rules!' by Laszlo Bock: Explores recruitment and various other aspects of HR and management. (2) 'Power Score' by Geoff Smart, Randy Street and Alan Foster: Provides mantras for business success. PxWxR - Priorities, Who (right people), Relationships. (3) 'Hiring For Keeps' by Janet Webb: Explains in detail the 'right fit' for hiring. (4) 'Triggers' by Marshall Goldsmith and Mark Reiter: Explain the relationship between beliefs and behavioral change and how to avoid the resistance to change by using triggers, the stimuli that reshape thoughts and actions. (5) 'Transitions at the Top' by Dan Ciampa and David Dotlich: Explores the role of stakeholders within the organization in the success and failure of the new executive's transition. (6) 'The 27 Challenges Managers Face' by Bruce Tulgan: Describes how organizational emergencies can be tackled successfully with minimal damage by applying a proactive, structured and rigorous approach to accountability on a frequent basis as part of the organizational processes. (7) 'The Wallet Allocation Rule' by Timothy Keiningham, Lerzan Aksoy and Luke Williams: Explains the approach where companies should accept that customers frequent their competitors and not focus merely on customer loyalty. Understanding these other relationships can help them gain a bigger share of their spending. (8) 'Leadership BS' by Jeffrey Pfeffer: Describes the shortcomings of the leadership industry and claims that it misleads on many fronts. (9) 'Your Strategy Needs a Strategy' by Martin Reeves, Knut Haanaes and Janmejaya Sinha: Explains that strategy systems should adapt to specific situations and offer five approaches depending on the organization's environment. (10) 'I Know How She Does It' by Laura Vanderkam: Studied lives of working women and suggests how to make the best use of one's time. Other notable mentions - 'The Automatic Customer' by John Warrillow: Describes how to create a subscription business in any industry; 'Shadow Work' by Craig Lambert: Explores commitment to sustainability by large, reputed organizations. Read on...
The Globe and Mail: Top 10 leadership and management books of 2015
Author: Harvey Schachter
Public relations need to continuously evolve with the changing behavior of society, advancement in technologies, and new ways of communication and reaching out to public. The industry is undergoing shifts in business models, traditional firms are finding shrinking revenue streams and there is excessive competition along with the wave of consolidation. To navigate successfully in this environment, PR firms have to move ahead with the latest practices and technologies. John Hall, co-founder and CEO of Influence & Co., explores 7 digital PR trends that firms should keep into consideration in 2016 - (1) The traditional press release is no more: Utilize social media. Develop relationships with industry leaders and influencers. Attract journalists and other outlets through quality visuals in the messages. (2) Thought leadership will become a growing PR budget priority: To position as a leader in a particular space is not an easy task. Need to build original content around the brand. For thought leadership the content has to be valuable, educational and engaging. (3) Content amplification will become (even more) critical: First focus on the quality of content. Then amplification for the targeted audience will be easier. Distribution avenues will also expand. (4) Negative brand advocates will be prevented through content: Train the PR team to handle all types of situations and experiences. Learn from the book 'Hug Your Haters' by Jay Baer where he advocates a proactive approach to handle negative people. Moreover use content to educate and engage the team. Give them knowledge to effectively tackle clients and avoid negative brand advocacy. (5) Online reputation management will be necessary: Create and publish quality content to achieve better online reputation management and getting the message to the right audience. Credible online reputation will attract publishers and journalists to use your content. (6) True influence will win over number of followers: High quality smaller network wins over ineffective large following. Focus on developing a network and building influrnce among a targeted, valuable audience and social following. (7) Use of paid promotion and social ads will continue to rise: Content Marketing Institute's 2016 content benchmark report found that more than 50 percent of B2B marketing professionals use social ads and promoted posts to distribute content. The effectiveness ratings for each of these methods have increased since last year. Read on...
Forbes: 7 PR Trends You Need To Know In 2016
Author: John Hall
Healthcare systems in US are taking initiatives to achieve sustainable designs in their buildings. They are targeting high levels of energy efficiency as part of their new facility design. They are trying to balance both sustainability and bottom line and seek to positively impact their communities. They consider sustainability design as a continuously evolving process so that they can adjust, tweak, and redesign, and achieve higher standards. Alan Eber of Gundersen Health System, one of the industry's green leaders, says 'Our goal was to achieve 115 kBtu per square foot per year. The average for hospitals in our region is about 250 kBtu so it was well below half of what the average hospital uses.' Mr. Eber adds, 'One of the biggest design lessons on the project was the potential to reduce energy use with the geothermal heat pump. The system takes excess heat in the hospital and puts it back into the system so burning fossil fuels isn't required to heat the hospital, resulting in a huge energy savings.' Another health organization, Ascension Health, adopted new design standards and achieved an Energy Star rating of 97 for its new facility, through a combination of technologies such as energy recovery air handling units and a variable air volume turndown in non-critical spaces to minimize fan, cooling, and reheat energy. According to Gerry Kaiser of Ascension Health, 'We use a lifecycle approach to justify what might be a slight upfront premium to put in the kind of systems and equipment that it does. Once the hospital is open, it's very difficult to get money spent on upgrading equipment, whether it's five or 20 years old. We try to design our hospitals to last and to perform knowing that no one wants to spend money on the unglamorous things in the future.' Palomar Medical Center (PMC), for which the work started in 2002 and got completed in 2012, utilized the latest concepts, best practices and technologies available at that time. Building Information Management (BIM), Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) and sustainable design were at the initial stages of their development. Thomas Chessum of CO Architects says, 'PMC took advantage of the technology of the time, such as passive shading systems, heat-load reduction, and daylighting, to reduce its energy consumption, since LED lighting was still cost-prohibitive and active building programs like chilled beam systems weren't yet mainstream.' PMC had two main directives in their design process - (1) Create an environment that promotes health and healing. (2) Reduce the impact on the natural environment in construction and operations. Healthcare systems around the world have to effectively merge sustainability into their design processes and collaboratively work with the architects, engineers, designers, and their stakeholders like health staff and patients, and community at large, to provide better health solutions with reduced ecological footprint. Read on...
Healthcare Design: Hitting The Mark In Sustainable Design
Author: Anne DiNardo
It has been observed in many cases that science fiction writers have talked about products that became reality later on. For example earbud headphones were first mentioned by Ray Bradbury in his classic novel 'Fahrenheit 451'. Emphasis on technological development and advancement is also part of economic agendas of many nations. Japan is one country that gives siginificant importance to merging technology with social and economic development. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his economic roadmap, often termed as 'Abenomics', puts technologies like Internet of Things (IoT), big data, robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) at the core of his revitilization strategy. Japan leads the world with its strength in robotics by bringing out the first personal robot 'Pepper'. But the robot lacks the expected intelligence as it couldn't pass the Turing Test which is a benchmark in AI to determine how close the machine thinks like humans. Although Japan's strength in industrial robotics is visible but it lags the advancements in IoT, big data and AI. According to Prof. Mitsuru Ishizuka of Waseda University and University of Tokyo, 'Japan is considerably behind the United States in 'deep learning', a central technology in AI, although the country is working hard to catch up...These companies (Google, Facebook, IBM etc) can invest big money in AI and add the resulting new values to their services. In Japan, there are much smaller companies with specific AI technologies.' IBM developed Watson, an AI computer, and over the years it has evolved into multiple applications. The computer's core framework reflects human decision-making (observe, interpret, evaluate, decide) but its data crunching abilities are incomparable. William Saito, Japanese entrepreneur and professional cook, utilized Watson to prepare some unique recipes. Citing Watson's strengths in IoT, big data and AI, Mr. Saito comments, 'Combine Watson with a refrigerator, for instance. You go to your refrigerator and it gives you a recipe based on the food in the fridge prioritized by expiration date.' Japan's focus on creating cyborgs (humans with mechanical parts) is also understandable considering its ageing population and growing need for assisted living. Toyota is collaborating with Stanford and MIT on technologies with emphasis on creating automobiles that assist the driver for safer travel, contrary to the approaches of Google and Tesla Motors that are working on driverless cars. Mr. Saito believes that Japan has to come out of its 'Galápagos Syndrome' and strike a balance between logic and creative thinking and move from electro-mechanical robotics to thinking and self-learning machines. Prof. Masakazu Hirokawa, AI researcher at University of Tsukuba, expresses similar views on Japanese model that focuses more on technology that addresses social issues and is less about creating global solutions. He comments, 'We have the hardware to be able to do it, but the important thing is developing the software...I'm trying to create algorithms that help robots learn and predictively determine what and how humans want them to act through experience-based inferences.' Read on...
JapanToday: Artificial Intelligence - Can Japan lead the way?
Author: Richard Jolley
Experts suggest that computers have to think more like humans to make artificial intelligence and smart machines more successful. Scientists are now able to create an algorithm that captures the unique human ability to grasp new concepts from a single example in a study involving learning unfamiliar handwritten alphabet characters. Cognitive and data scientist Brenden Lake of New York University says, 'We aimed to reverse-engineer how people learn about these simple visual concepts.' According to Prof. Joshua Tenenbaum of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 'Standard algorithms in machine-learning require tens, hundreds or even thousands of training examples to yield similar results.' Prof. Ruslan Salakhutdinov of University of Toronto says, 'This new work would help guide progress in artificial intelligence by leading to next-generation intelligent machines that hopefully will come close to displaying human-like intelligence.' Prof. Lake suggests that the approach used in the study might also be applicable to machine learning for many other tasks like speech and object recognition. Read on...
The Japan Times: Scientists coax computers to think more like people
According to the recent Morgan Stanley Research report, 'Can Demographics Reverse Three Multi-Decade Trends?', by Prof. Charles Goodhart of London School of Economics, Manoj Pradhan of Morgan Stanley, and Pratyancha Pardeshi of Morgan Stanley, the age of the abundant labor available to the global economy for the last few decades is coming to an end, spelling the end of the deflationary super-cycle and the era of zero interest rates. The demographic 'sweet-spot' was the result of plummeting birth rates and longer life spans from 1970 onwards. Moreover the collapse of the Soviet Union and China's entry into the global trading system made the conditions even sweeter. The working age cohort was 685 million in the developed world in 1990. The work pool of globalized market was more then doubled by China and eastern Europe together adding 820 million. Prof. Goodhart says, 'It was the biggest 'positive labour shock' the world has ever seen. It is what led to 25 years of wage stagnation.' But now the shift is expected to happen leading to scarcity of labor and rise in wages. The balance of power will shift towards workers and there would be a reversal in the rise of inequality that has been happening within economies. 'We are at a inflection point,' says Prof. Goodhart. The report explains that healthcare and ageing costs will drive fiscal expansion, while scarce labour will set off a bidding war for workers, all spiced by a state of latent social warfare between the generations. Prof. Goodhart comments, 'We are going back to an inflationary world.' In a recent speech, Andrew Haldane of The Bank of England, cautions that we may be stuck in a zero-interest trap for as far as the eye can see, with little left to fight the next downturn. Mr. Haldane said, 'Central banks may find themselves bumping up against the 'Zero Lower Bound' (ZLB) constraint on a recurrent basis.' The report made few assumptions. It discounts the role of automation and robots in offsetting the labor shortages. It also doubts the effects of demographic dividend of India and Africa, with increasing working age population, by citing lack of infrastructural support to repeat the 'China Phenomenon'. The report also debunks the claims made by French economist Thomas Piketty in his book 'Capital in the 21st Century', that the return on capital outpaces the growth of the economy over time, leading ineluctably to greater concentrations of wealth in an unfettered market system i.e. the rich will further gain from investments while the condition of the poor will continue to worsen. Read on...
The Telegraph: The world economy as we know it is about to be turned on its head
Author: Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
U.S. spends a total of US$ 2.8 trillion on healthcare and surprisingly about half of it is spent on just 5% of the general population. To expand healthcare reach the general solution is to spend more money. But Prof. David S. Buck of Baylor College of Medicine and director of the Primary Care Innovation Center (PCIC) in Houston (Texas, US), explains that spending more money, specifically in Harris County, has yielded poor outcomes, no coordination between healthcare providers and no safety net system for those most in need. According to him the healthcare system is non-existent in the region and it is merely a grouping of medical silos. The nonprofit PCIC is working towards creating a true healthcare system to reach the most vulnerable and most medically expensive residents, and provide affordable and better healthcare overall by reducing hospital costs. PCIC is first identifying 'super-utilizers', a small group of patients that are extremely sick and costly. These patients utilize most of the healthcare services and are generally treated in emergency rooms. Health staff after identifying these 'super-utilizers' will work with them individually and develop a treatment and care plan for better management of their health issues. This will finally reduce their hospital emergency visits and lower healthcare costs. Delay in treating small problems leads them to become emergencies and bring inefficiencies in the health system along with increased difficulties to patients. Prof. Buck suggests an integrated database of these patients for timely and effective treatment and care. According to him, 'Developing a safety net takes time, commitment and shared data...If hospitals share data, it won't just improve the institution's bottom line; it'll improve care for the community...We also need school systems to share data, so that we can learn how health and social factors are linked, and improve the health of students and their families.' Read on...
Houston Chronicle: Medical data-sharing could curb cost of 'super-utilizers'
Author: David S. Buck
While peer recommendations and other customer's views have an important influence on purchasing decisions, but an experiment by Cranfield University's Prof. Hugh N. Wilson, Prof. Emma K. Macdonald and doctoral student Shane Baxendale, identified another influential touchpoint that is mostly ignored by marketers: observing what other customers actually do. They analyzed brand touchpoints of 14000 people from N. America and Europe over a week. The data was collected as text message by using research agency MESH Experiences's real-time experience tracking approach. The people were asked to report their experiences of a brand in one of four categories: mobile handsets, soft drinks, technology products, and electrical goods. The results collected from 69000 text messages found that observing other customers in influencing purchase decisions is as important as word-of-mouth recommendations for mobile handsets and soft drinks, and even more important in case of technology products and electrical goods. The experiment overall found that peer observation was equal in importance to the costly brand advertising. Similar thinking that Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman, psychologist and economist, termed as 'System 1 Thinking' also applies in consumer behavior: with many decisions to take, it saves effort to assume that if others are using a product, it's probably good. For marketers, the researchers have the following suggestions - (1) It's important to think about distinctive branding for the product in use not just for the purchase moment. (2) If decision-making is made by the group rather than the individual, marketers can try to win the group. (3) Expose normally invisible customer behaviors to their peers. (4) Build in peer observation to product launches. Read on...
Harvard Business Review: What Really Makes Customers Buy a Product
Authors: Hugh N. Wilson, Emma K. Macdonald, Shane Baxendale
According to Wikipedia, 'Employee Experience' is defined as 'What an employee received during their interaction with careers' elements (e.g. firms, supervisors, coworkers, customer, environment, etc.) that affect their cognition and affection and leads to their particular behaviors.' Professor Kaveh Abhari of University of Hawaii at Manoa conceptualized 'Employee Experience Management' (EEM) as 'An approach to deliver excellent experience to employees, which leads to the positive customer experience by emphasizing on their experiential needs.' Successful and future-focused organizations are both customer- and employee-centric, and they shift away from thinking of work as just a utility and emphasise on creating 'beautiful experiences', a term used by Pat Wadors (Chief Human Resource Officer of Linkedin). Jacob Morgan, entrepreneur and author of 'The Future of Work', defines three employee experience environments that all organizations must focus on - physical, cultural and technological. Here he explains the nature of physical environment and its impact on employee experience. Physical environment includes - Demographics; Workplace Perks; Workplace Layout; Workplace Creative. There is a strong correlation between employee well-being and employee productivity and performance, and physical workspace is one of the largest factor for well-being. Mr. Morgan's suggestions regarding the physical aspects of work environment include - (1) Focus on multiple ways of working: According to Gensler employees need spaces to focus, collaborate, learn, and socialize. Organizations need to shift away from having a single floor plan to integrating and incorporating multiple floor plans. (2) Make the space reflect the culture: Organizations should make efforts to build an environment that reflect their values and culture. (3) Look at how employees work: Engage with employees and ask what they value and care about at work and make investments in those areas. (4) Treat physical space like software: Just the way software is continuously iterated, upgraded and evolves, organizations should use the same process to bring necessary transformations in the work space. Read on...
Forbes: How The Physical Workspace Impacts The Employee Experience
Author: Jacob Morgan
The fast-paced world of fashion and related consumption leads to generation of large amount of waste that leaves a substantial ecological footprint. According to the nonprofit GrowNYC, in the city of New York the average person throws out 46 pounds of clothings and textiles every year (totals 193000 tons for NY). While Council for Textile Recycling found that US generates 25 billion pounds of textile waste per year (82 pounds per person) and estimates that it will increase to 35.4 billion pounds by 2019. But only about 4 billion pounds (15%) gets donated and recycled and the remaining reaches landfills, contributing 5.2% to all trash generated in US. Elizabeth Cline, author of the book "Overdressed: The Shockingly High Price of Cheap Fashion", says 'There is so much waste being created and that has changed really dramatically in the last 15 years with the rise of fast fashion and disposable consumption.' Adam Baruchowitz, CEO of Wearable Collections, which coordinates textile recycling in partnership with GrowNYC, acknowledges the increasing rise in textile waste. While Nate Herman, VP of international trade at American Apparel and Footwear Association, have a contrarian view and explains 'People are actually buying less than they did 10 years. While there has been a lot of press about [wastefulness], the numbers don't bear that out.' But he acknowledges that the industry is trying to effectively handle the clothing's end-of-life issues. Some companies provide small credit to consumers who trade-in used garments, while others donate used clothings to charities. Some companies provide support and contribute to the recycle programs where used textiles end up in producing materials used in other industries like insulation in buildings. Moreover, there are a number of startups that are working to give a second life to used clothings. A small number of fashion companies are also incorporating recycled materials in their new line of clothings. Eco-friendly strategies are considered costly by the industry. According to Jill Dumain, director of environmental strategy at Patagonia, 'It's an industry-wide dilemma, for sure, on how do we do something at scale that the industry can participate in...The end result is that you have smaller-scale production that ends up to be more expensive.' She suggests that awareness about recycling is necessary and at the same time there need to be a thinking among consumers not to treat clothes like a cheap disposable item. Slow fashion might be the way forward. She further explains, 'I do think consumption is a big part. People need to learn how to buy less and companies need to learn how to be profitable in selling less.' Read on...
CBS News: Is the fast fashion industry ready to change its wasteful ways?
Author: Michael Casey
Nonprofit organizations intend to bring social change and serve communities by involving themselves in the areas of education, healthcare, environment, poverty alleviation etc. Large number of these organizations are professionally managed and utilize business practices for efficiency and effectiveness to make better impact in the society. Elizabeth Gore, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Dell and Chair of the Global Entrepreneurs Council at United Nations Foundation, explains how working and volunteering in the nonprofit sector benefits individuals and is a viable career option - (1) Since nonprofit sector is an organized industry, individuals with an undergraduate degree in fields like business, engineering etc can pursue master's in nonprofit management and pubic policy. (2) Volunteering gets your foot on the door and provides global experience in a number of areas. (3) You don't have to build your own thing and your game changing charitable idea can be developed by utilizing the infrastructure of the existing nonprofit. It has better chance of success as there are networking opportunities in such an environment. (4) Most national nonprofits and humanitarian groups have an attractive pay structure and value talent. It would be sufficient to cover ones expenses. (5) As the nonprofit industry involves working with committed individuals, it helps in building long-term relationships and lasting friendships. Read on...
Cosmopolitan: 5 Surprising Things to Know About Jobs That Give Back
Authors: Elizabeth Gore, Danielle Kam
Successful companies provide exemplary customer service. Companies have huge amount of data regarding their customers that they can utilize to achieve better understanding and insights and serve their consumers in the best possible way. But the big question is, how many metrics can customer service professionals focus on to get the best results. Piyanka Jain, President and CEO of Aryng, explains 'There is a better way to drill into the treasure trove of data you have, to find the root causes of your most important metrics slipping - and you don't need to use any complicated systems to do it. 80% of the business problem faced by most front line managers can be solved by using simple business analytics methodologies - (1) Aggregate Analysis (2) Correlation Analysis (3) Trend Analysis (4) Sizing and Estimation. If you and your team can learn to master these four techniques, you can solve most of the business problems you will encounter in your day-to-day workflow. And it can be all done using simple tools like Excel, with the data you already have at hand.' She further povides three simple steps that are to be followed - (I) Determine your team's analytics aptitude (II) Learn how to ask intelligent questions and derive actionable insights from your data (III) Practice and learn to become more proficient with your business analytics. Ms. Jain has devised a framework, 'BADIR Process', that include steps that most analytics projects follow - Real 'B'usiness Question; Hypothesis-driven 'A'nalysis Plan; Collecting Relevant 'D'ata; Deriving 'I'nsights; Making Actionable 'R'ecommendations. If the 'BADIR' framework is utilized in a way as explained, the analysis will find the following biggest drivers of customer dissatisfaction - (1) Multiple calls needed to get an issue resolved. (2) Hold times greater than 150 seconds while the agent looks for the answer. (3) Unprofessional agents. The analysis would show that addressing these drivers would bring customer satisfaction (CSAT) up from 57% to 69%. These important driver metrics should become the part of the daily dashboard - (1) First Call Resolution (FCR) (2) Agent Hold Time (3) Professionalism Among Agents (graded on scale). Read on...
Harvard Business Review: Improving Customer Satisfaction with Simple Analytics
Author: Piyanka Jain
Anomalies in a business may arise due to exceptional situations and can be ignored by the management due to their minimal chance of repeat occurence in the similar form. But extraordinary and perfection seeking businesses don't just leave these anomalies as one of a kind happening. They often try to understand and explore them, do due diligence to find the reasons and causes, analyze them and gain insights. One such anomaly was observed by Yves Morieux and his colleagues from Boston Consulting Group while conducting interviews to probe why employees feel disengaged and dissatisfied at work, and to find out falling productivity in spite of organizations using tools and technologies to make workers efficient. They found a senior manager crying during the interview while mentioning the lack of recognition that he received at work. This anomaly promted Mr. Morieux and his team to dig deep into the case. Mr. Morieux says, 'Before we put the guilt on the abnormal psychology of people, we should first have a concrete understanding of what they want to be recognised for.' They found that similar sentiments were expressed by other people who were interviewed. The conclusion was that the workers were not recognized for their cooperation and collaboration with colleagues that was done for the betterment of the company and sometimes they were actively disadvantaged by it because it reduces the efficiency of their own performance. The cooperative efforts are ignored by performance evaluation systems and therefore their value is not recognized. Mr. Morieux explains, 'If there is anything on earth that you can't measure, it's cooperation. We discovered that the real value added by that person wasn't in his own silo, but in making his team cooperate with other silos like the back office, finances and IT, and this wasn't being captured because your evaluation is based on key performance indicators (KPIs) which don't measure cooperation.' Cooperation is the key to achieve superior results for the organization. But individual performance and productivity can get affected in the process of helping and supporting others. Based on his understanding of such situations, Mr. Morieux designed his strategy of 'Smart Simplicity'. It is built on six key rules that allow people to use their intuition, judgement and energy and to encourage cooperation. Three of the rules are about giving people more power, autonomy and knowledge, while the other three involve feedback and accountability, to make sure they use that autonomy in the best interests of the company. He suggests that organizations should address the root causes that prevent people from cooperating. They should utilize social sciences based on game theory instead of obsolete scientific management tools. Read on...
BDLive: Recognition leads to a happy workforce
Author: Lesley Stones
Prof. Nouriel Roubini, an economist at New York University, came to fame as 'Dr. Doom' when he predicted the US housing bubble crash of 2007-2008. Following are seven ideas about the global economy that he shared in a recent event - (1) Aging population and the end of the 'golden era': Worldwide economic slowdown; Governments and private sector is saving more and spending less; Aging population is changing consumption model; Individuals are inclined towards saving. (2) China - expect a "bumpy landing" but no crash: Slowdown but no complete collapse; 5-6% potential growth next year. (3) On Silicon Valley: Localized technological and scientific innovation at specific hubs like Silicon Valley; Not leading to productivity growth, that is key to the growth of global economy. (4) Are robots taking over our jobs?: Shrinks demand for labor; Will bring changes to labor force structure and therefore structure of the economy. (5) The central banks are broken: Government policies are not optimal; Instruments of monetary policy seem ineffective; Fiscal policy instruments are not used to their full potential; Need for structural reforms globally, which is a challenging task. (6) The hyped-up Grexit: Lot of attention to Greek exit; Greece is only 2% of European GDP; Grexit will have political implications and potential to transform Eurozone. (7) Commodity super cycle: End of commodity super cycle; Economic slowdown in China; Supply issues like innovative shell gas, oil tech, and significant reserves in Latin America and Africa; Low demand for raw materials. Read on...
FinBuzz: 7 ways the global economy is going to change, according to Nouriel Roubini
Marketing technologies are changing the nature and dynamics of strategies that marketers use to reach, engage and serve their customers. Moreover these technologies continue to evolve and marketers have to keep pace with these advances to stay ahead of the game. The four key innovation areas in marketing technology in which all marketers should have deep understanding and continue to emphasise in their strategies are - (1) Use Advanced Analytics (2) Optimize the Mobile Experience in Real-time (3) Cut Down on Call Center Time to Value (4) Maximize the Voice of Customer (VOC). Marketers should be able to collect, analyze and act on omnichannel data throughout the whole customer funnel (customer journey & engagement process) for each of the mentioned areas to achieve success. This will finally help build better customer profiles, prioritize business actions, analyze macro trends, optimize customer engagement and customize offerings to get better outcomes. Read on...
MarTech Advisor: 4 Advanced Use Cases of Marketing Technology Innovation
Author: Rohit Roy
The Office of the Chief Scientist of Australia (chiefscientist.gov.au) recently released a report, 'Boosting High-Impact Entrepreneurship in Australia', prepared by Colin Kinner (Director of Spike Innovation). The study highlights entrepreneurship as the key to a high-growth, innovation-led economy, able to capitalise on Australia's investment in research and skills. According to Ian Chubb, Australia's Chief Scientist, 'Knowledge is the foundation of the high-growth industries of the future - but it must be knowledge efficiently acquired, skilfully managed and creatively applied.' He considers that entrepreneurship can be taught. He says, 'To be a more innovative country we need to encourage an entrepreneurial mindset at every level of education - starting in schools, continuing in higher study and enduring throughout working lives.' The report finds that Australia has one of the highest rates of business creation in the world, but few startups have the capacity to grow beyond the local level. The report lists the following core skills that today's high-impact entrepreneurs need - (1) Business model innovation (2) Product development (3) Sales (4) Financial management (5) Legal management (6) Intellectual property management (7) Platform economics (8) Capital raising (9) Employee Share Ownership Plans (10) Building and managing teams (11) Managing rapid international growth. Read on...
Business Insider: The 11 core skills needed to be a high-impact entrepreneur, according to the chief scientist
Author: Chris Pash
According to recent research regarding consumer psychology by marketing professors Gina S. Mohr of Colorado State University, Margaret C. Campbell of the University of Colorado, and Peeter W. J. Verlegh of the University of Amsterdam, 'Consumers remember and like products better after seeing covert marketing, such as a product placement in a sitcom, but reminding them that product placement is "marketing" eliminates the effect.' Prof. Campbell, the lead invesigator of the study, comments 'Frankly, we were a bit surprised at the power of covert marketing across a variety of studies. Even though most US consumers know that marketers pay to surreptitiously get their brands in front of consumers, consumers are still influenced by covert marketing efforts.' Prof. Mohr adds, 'In the US there has been some reluctance to incorporate disclosures for fear that it may interfere with creative content. This research suggests that product placement disclosures need not occur at the time of product placement to be effective.' Researchers suggest that the study provides support for the idea that requiring disclosure after exposure to covert marketing would give information to consumers that helps them make better decisions. Read on...
domain-b: Consumers resist influence of covert marketing when paid placements are disclosed
User experience is one of the most critical factor to be considered while designing a product or service. Great designs make customers feel good, enjoy and above all fully utilize the desired functionality of the product or service for their benefit. Scott Sundvor, co-founder of 6SensorLabs, explains that there are generally two schools of thought in the product design process - 'Design-First' approach, that promotes the process of initially designing look and feel of the product and then make engineering fit that design, and the other is 'Engineering-First' approach, in which the engineering aspects of the product are considered first while the industrial design works under constraints of the engineering specifications e.g. hardware, components etc. Apple generally applies the design-first approach and gives substantial importance to the aesthetics of the product, and of course without compromising on the engineering. Mr. Sundvor suggests that startups and companies with relevantly less funds as compared to Apple can find success by following the engineering-first approach. They should focus on the utility of the product i.e. providing better usability and functionality. Hardware startups that pursue crowdfunding to generate capital often sell products with a different initial industrial design while ship something else. This generally happends due to lack of convergence of engineering and hardware aspects with the industrial design. In other cases it might happen that original industrial design was not manufacturable or the cost to manufacture it was too high. Startups and companies on low budget can avoid such problems by focusing first on making the product work and then create aesthetic aspects of industrial design around it. Engineering team and industrial design firm should work together closely. Product leader should be created within the product/engineering team to coordinate collaboration between the two and should gather feedback from all sources including user's perspective and engineering constraints. The selection of the right industrial firm could be a challenge and should be done by doing thorough research based on budgetary constraints, product requirements and the design firm's capabilities. Once the selection is made product/engineering team should pitch their product vision and specifications to the industrial design firm. The design firm should be convinced regarding the long-term viability of the product. To raise funds after this would depend on the high-quality prototype design that comes through a partnership with the design firm. Startups should be prepared to spend right amount of money to create this prototype and if they don't have much funds they should consider giving equity to the design firm. This is the critical stage of product development and startups shouldn't shy away from pulling all the strings to get a good design firm to work on their product vision and specifications. Read on...
ReadWrite: Which Came First - Product Utility Or Design?
Author: Scott Sundvor
According to Pew Internet Project's research on social networking, as of January 2014, 74% of online adults use social networking sites. While as of September 2014, the usage statistics of popular social networking sites is - Facebook (71%); Twitter (23%); Instagram (26%); Pinterest (28%); LinkedIn (28%). Moreover research by Full Impact Studio found that social media has surpassed Google as Americans' 'number one daily activity'. All these stats point towards the relevance and importance of social media to reach people. Brands and businesses have to carefully carve out their marketing strategies on social media, and engage with their target audience accordingly. Social media can be utilized to gain subscribers, promote a service or sell a product, and helps build a business's social brand. Following are the five social media branding strategies for business suggested by Full Impact Studio's infographic - (1) Choose channels that best support your brand image: Facebook (For brand awareness and promotion. Biggest and most influential); Instagram (For heavily visual brands. Targets young adults); Pinterest (For Visual brands. To reach women); LinkedIn (To connect with corporate influencers and promote business-related content) (2) Provide exemplary customer service: Timely engage with customers and provide effective answers and solutions. (3) Don't forget about Google+: Still relevant considering that its part of Google ecosystem. Posted content's visibility on Google search. Connected to YouTube. Acts as free ad space for each post when searched on Google. (4) Deliver interesting and engaging content: Regularly update. Keep content fresh and relevant. Include articles, updates, audios, videos and visuals. (5) Get involved and make connections: Attract audience and build relationships through relevant engagement tactics like contests, giveaways or meaningful advocacy. Make them feel part of the community. Read on...
Business 2 Community: Infographic - 5 Social Media Branding Strategies for Business
Author: Deanna Zaucha
To transform cities into 'HUBs' of something requires deliberate collaborative efforts and partnerships between the people and government. There are numerous examples from US and around the world where residents, local businesses, city administration, civil society and governments have come together to create ideas and concepts, developed a concrete roadmap, and carefully executed strategy, that lead to the evolution of a city or region to become great at doing something and attract other people, businesses and investments that helped develop and grow its economy. They worked relentlessly as a team towards the shared vision and goal. Kansas City in United States is one such example where the city and its citizens built upon its strength and made it into a hub of 'Social Entrepreneurship.' Josh Schukman (Founder of Social Change Nations), explains five essential elements that helped transform Kansas City and how other cities can replicate and implement this model - (1) Capitalize on the strengths of area universities. (2) Rally local foundations. (3) The effort must be driven by the social entrepreneurs themselves. (4) Embrace the startup culture. (5) Remember this is a long term play. Read on...
Huffington Post: How to Make Your City a Hub For Social Entrepreneurship
Author: Josh Schukman
Business environment is consistently evolving due to shifts, both inside and outside the organization, in areas like technology, processes, customer behavior, regulations etc. To succeed in this ever changing environment businesses have to effectively manage change and consistently innovate. According to Andrew Blau of Deloitte and Touche LLP, 'We have seen four new features of the world that are game changers for business and innovation. These four truths are making what was once difficult, expensive, or complex now easy, cheap, and simple.' (1) Coordination and collaboration between individuals and teams has become better and easier, resulting in development of new processes and business models. (2) Improved financial services has made it easier to aggregate, organize, move and exchange money. (3) Improvements in making and manufacturing things, from small batch prototypes to mass production of complex objects. (4) Better access to learning and knowledge resources. These four drivers are leading to the increased pace of three V's of new business formation - volume, variety and velocity. Mr. Blau explains, 'New types of organizations are emerging - organizations that are established not over multiple generations, but that can emerge and grow to dominance within a decade. As we witness new companies developing at exponential rates, we are also seeing the accelerated pace at which long-established organizations stumble when faced with disruption...In short, a new generation of businesses is forming around these trends.' To better prepare and respond to the changes that are happening and uncertainties of the future, organizations have to develop a set of tools and systems, and safeguard themseleves from vulnerabilities of strategic risks that threaten to disrupt their busness models. This system should include people, processes and capabilitie to - Accelerate discovery; Scan ruthlessly; Confront biases; Prepare for surprise. Mr. Blau concludes, 'Strategic risks can destroy huge amounts of value very quickly, and they can threaten the existence of the institution or entire lines of business. Identifying these potential risks early can only be to an organization's advantage.' Read on...
Deloitte Perspectives: Truths and consequences - Four drivers of change that threaten business as usual
Author: Andrew Blau
According to a recent report by Commonwealth Fund, 'U.S. Health Care from a Global Perspective: Spending, Use of Services, Prices, and Health in 13 Countries', based on data by OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) and other cross-national analyses, the US spent US$ 9086 per person on healthcare in 2013, which corresponds to 17.1% of GDP. This was about 50% more than the second highest spender (France-11.6% of GDP) and almost twice of what UK (8.8%) spent. In US if the patients are unable to pay their healthcare bills, it either becomes a bad debt for the patient or is written off as 'charity-care', adding up to US$ 57 billion in uncompensated care. To study and analyse this aspect of healthcare, researchers from Northwestern University - David Dranove, Craig Garthwaite, and Christopher Ody - argue that there is room for efficiency improvement in the charity-care system and the supply and demand for charity care are not geographically inclined. This means that hospitals that have more resources available for charity-care, ones mostly located in high-income areas, are not located in the places where people most need it, i.e. the low-income areas. To rectify this situation, researchers propose a 'floor-and-trade' system, in which all hospitals are required to provide some charity-care to low income patients. One of the researcher, Craig Garthwaite, comments 'As the Affordable Care Act has rearranged the flows of patients to hospitals and decreased the number of uninsured Americans, it's a good time to reconsider how hospitals commit themselves to serving their surrounding communities.' Read on...
The Atlantic: Who Pays Hospital Bills When Patients Can't?
Author: Bourree Lam
According to Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN), 'Impact investments are investments made into companies, organizations, and funds with the intention to generate social and environmental impact alongside a financial return...The growing impact investment market provides capital to address the world's most pressing challenges in sectors such as sustainable agriculture, clean technology, microfinance, and affordable and accessible basic services including housing, healthcare, and education.' The recent report by Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, 'Great Expectations: Mission Preservation and Financial Performance in Impact Investments', based on the evaluation of financial performance of 53 impact investing equity funds that include 557 individual investments, explores the two most important aspects of impact investing - financial returns and long-term impact. The study suggests that - in certain markets segments - investors might not need to expect lower returns as a tradeoff for social impact. According to authors of the report, Wharton finance professors David Musto and Chris Geczy, certain market segments of funds in the sample yield returns close to those of public market indices. Prof. Geczy explains, 'Our research fills a near-void of rigorous analysis of private investment and social impact outcomes and most importantly the link between the ideals of doing well and doing good. The study examines the tension between profits and purpose, also bringing to bear analyses characterizing relative performance as well as statistical certainty about the result. It represents an exciting initial advancement in our ongoing social impact research agenda.' Read on...
GlobeNewswire: New Wharton Research Shows "Doing Well While Doing Good" Is Viable Investment Strategy, Investors Seeking Social Impact Can Receive Comparable Returns
Author: Peter Winicov
Transformation in healthcare industry is increasing the demand for 'out of the box' executives and leaders that can adapt to the pace of change and at the same time bring in new ideas and innovate. These executives have diverse experiences in different industries. They can be from industries that are creating better and advance ways of doing business for example technology organizations that are influencing business processes and models in many industries. Recruiting for some select positions like CMOs (Chief Marketing Officers), CHROs (Chief Human Resources Officers), CIOs (Chief Information Officers) etc from mainstream healthcare can sometime stifle innovation as these executives may bring traditional set of experiences and perspectives from within the healthcare industry. Moreover healthcare industry is known for slow adoption of latest technologies and processes due to regulatory and systemic issues. Hence the leaders and executives from other industries have a better chance to drive innovation. But healthcare recruiters have to be cautious while seeking candidates from outside the traditional healthcare industry. Kimberly Smith (FACHE), managing partner of the executive search firm Witt/Kieffer, provides some basic rules they should apply while recruiting for such positions - (1) Know where the need of innovation is and in which area the person will have most impact. (2) Understand whether the new roles are required or current leadership framework needs modification or not. (3) Perform thorough research for sources from where the candidates can be recruited. (4) Clearly define the roles, responsibilities, demands, deliverables and expectations from the new hire. (5) Be specific in defining the competencies, skills and experiences that are saught in the change and innovaiton agent. (6) Be sure of the readiness and need for out of the box candidate. Have diverse set of candidates. Explore how the person can be onboarded before extending an offer. (7) Have a clear onboarding plan for this candidate. Make sure how the nontraditional hire would be smoothly integrated and assimilated into the organizational structure and culture. Ms. Smith concludes, 'The act of looking outside the box to recruit requires forethought, a comprehensive evaluation process and a commitment to helping the executive to adjust. Going outside the box doesn't mean that hiring diligence should go out the window - in fact, just the opposite.' Read on...
Executive Insight: Recruiting "Out of the Box" Healthcare Executives
Author: Kimberly Smith
Human resources component of organizations is getting transformed through technology-enabled innovations. There are a number of technological solutions that human resources practitioners are using in areas like workforce management, recruiting, learning management, performance management, analytics, compensation management, wellness, succession planning, collaboration, onboarding, workforce planning, talent management and mobile. According to March'15 survey by Human Capital Media Advisory Group, that polled 127 HR professionals at various levels in organizations of various sizes and industries mostly located in US (85%), a little more than half of talent and HR managers say that their companies have increased spending in HR technology as compared to last year. About 50% of the respondent said that HR systems provide data that helps them to make better talent management decisions. While most of the HR practitioners consider technology as useful but they also heavily scrutinize the technologies that are available and thoughtfully make decisions about which technologies should be considered for investment. Most popular and useful technologies - Mobile HR Software (38% already use, 26% plan to purchase); Talent Management Suite (37% already use, 24% plan to purchase); Workforce Planning (27% already use, 27% plan to purchase). Least popular technologies - Wellness Software (59% no plans to use, 14% already use); Succession Planning (56% no plan to use, 23% already use). The survey also points out that most HR managers (77%) agree that their staff has the skills and expertise to effectively use the HR technologies that are implemented in their organizations. Read on...
Talent Management: Firms Boost HR Tech Spending
Author: Elyse Samuels
Mainstream financial institutions are exploring to integrate potentially disruptive blockchain technology that is behind virtual cryptocurrencies like bitcoin. Blockchain is a decentralized public and transparent ledger of all bitcoin transactions. While traditional banks work through a centralized electronic banking system. Now 13 of the leading global banks have joined a project to collaborate on the use of blockchain-based distributed ledger. R3, a New York-based innovations firm, is one of the leading project partner and seeks to establish a set of standards that banks can use. The project will research and experiment shared ledger solutions to meet banking requirements for security, reliability, performance, scalability and audit. Financial executives, Niall Cameron of HSBC, Satoshi Murabayashi of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, and Robert Sams of Clearmatics are positive about the project and its usefulness for the financial sector. Read on...
CNBC: How Wall Street is embracing bitcoin
Author: Matt Clinch
India's Central Statistics Office (CSO) recently revised the methodology to calculate the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The new growth numbers brought a bit of surprise, both in the local as well as the global economic circles, as they made India the fastest growing economy in the world, beating China to take the top spot. According to recent WSJ survey of US economists, China's GDP figures are often seen with skepticism. But when India Real Time asked about India's official GDP numbers to a group of international economists, they seem generally comfortable with its economic direction, even though they haven't fully figured out the official data. Following are the views of some global economists - (1) Shaily Mittal of MNI Indicators (London): 'Although reliability of data can be questioned to some extent, there is no denying the fact that India seems to be growing at a much healthier pace. Overall we remain positive on India.' (2) Chua Han Teng of BMI Research (Singapore): 'The repeated surprises under the new GDP series for the past two quarters and the subsequent revisions to previous data have given rise to more questions than answers regarding India's economy.' (3) Jeremy Schwartz of WisdomTree (New York): 'Overall there has been a big boost in investor attitudes towards India. Recent changes have helped steer India in the right direction.' (4) Kilbinder Dosanjh of Eurasia Group (London): 'Brazil, Russia and South Africa are virtually in recession. If you look at the components within BRICS, India is actually doing very well regardless of the methodology.' (5) Vishnu Varathan of Mizuho Bank (Singapore): 'GDP numbers probably leave unanswered questions about mis-stated growth. But the broader macro-stability objectives of the RBI dilute the direct risks.' Read on...
The Wall Street Journal: What Do International Economists Really Think of India's Rosy GDP Readings?
Author: Anant Vijay Kala
According to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 'Nearly 170 million tons of building-related construction and demolition (C&D) debris was generated in the United States in 2003.' Although C&D waste has potential for recycling and re-use but considering its high volume and accumulation leading to adverse impact on environment, builders and developers continue to seek ways to reduce waste and increase efficiency. This need for eco-friendy materials is bringing wood back as a sustainable construction material in the designs of architects and engineers. Developers are utilizing prefabricated wall technology in their constructions and utilizing other environment-friendly materials and processes to show their commitment to greener and better environment and get LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification granted by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). Alex Knecht, President at Pacific Wall Systems says, 'One of the greatest advantages to using prefabricated wall panels is simultaneous construction. While your grading and foundation crews are working, so are we.' Mr. Knecht adds, 'Assembling the frame components in a controlled environment allows us to deliver a superior product on the client's production schedule. As real estate becomes more valuable and building continues to go vertical, on-site lumber storage is practically non-existent. Having your wall panels delivered just in time is very attractive, especially on tight job sites.' Prefabricated wall panels result in 90% reduction of waste on average and saving of 50% on framing labor alone for developers. According to Norm Dowty, Vice Presidentl at R&H Construction, 'I think it is a trend and as you have more congested urban sites, prefab and panelization can really expedite things...other thing that makes it more viable is computerized drawings. They can do the prefab planning digitally, execute it off-site and bring the panels on-site.' Read on...
Multi-Housing News: Developers' Eco-Friendly Solution for More-Efficient Construction
Author: Andie Lowenstein
Nonprofits and charitable organizations need to evolve their processes, systems and strategies alongwith the technology-driven changes that are happening in businesses, governments and the world in general. Effective, efficient and timely fundraising and financing of projects is critical for the survival and success of nonprofits. According to the report 'The Business of Nonprofits: Amplify Your Fundraising Success With New Technologies and Proven Business Practices' by 121Giving.com, based on the survey of 450 nonprofit executives and program directors in the US that was conducted in July 2014, '54% of nonprofits raised less than 25% of an intended goal during their last online fundraiser. Additionally, more than 1/3rd of those surveyed describe their adoption of technology as "struggling" and 74% state that they collected less than US$ 5000 in valued goods from a donation drive.' The survey also found that fundraising, donor solicitation and financing of daily operations are challenges for many nonprofits. Moreover, the results of the survey indicate that most nonprofits still rely on traditional processes and outdated technologies that fail to deliver fundraising outcomes required to succeed in today's competitive digital-driven environment. Other main findings of the report are - 54% of nonprofits do not ask retailers for discounts on products; Only 2% of nonprofits raise money online to buy products in stores or online; 22% ask the community to donate products; 68% of nonprofits pursue grants to cover expenses for their programs; Only 7% of nonprofits use online crowdfunding tools to raise funds. Liz Deering, co-founder of 121Giving.com, says 'Nonprofits are wasting precious time, dollars and resources to raise funds and procure the products they need to run their operations.' The report points out that nonprofits are indeed making attempts to improve their operations through proven business practices (33% of nonprofit leaders upgraded hardware or software in 2014 to improve programs). The report also highlights the opportunities for nonprofits to reach their campaign goals through - Adopting latest business practices; Focusing on project-specific funding needs while seeking grants; Ask, negotiate and bargain like a business to obtain product discounts; Using data and analytics for measurement; Utilizing social media connected individuals and communities to publicize initiatives and programs; Investing in technologies to improve efficiencies and reduce labor intensity of core operations. Read on...
PRWeb: Are Nonprofits' Operations Keeping Pace With Advances In Fundraising?
Author: Sara Leiter
Timely access to funds is one of the critical component for the survival of nonprofits. Their funding sources are limited and mostly include endowments and grants. Moreover, to obtain funding from traditional sources like banks and financial institutions is difficult. They should find innovative ways to raise and create funds and achieve long-term sustainability. According to Ryan McCrary, founder of Great Outdoor Adventure Trips (GOAT), 'Most nonprofits see rapid growth right away but quickly stagnate. GOAT, a youth development organization for at-risk students, followed that format. To continue growing, nonprofits must innovate like any other company.' He suggests creating a side revenue stream, that may be in the form of a business, which can support the nonprofit. Creating a monthly donor group is another approach that he suggests. Moreover he argues that nonprofits shouldn't shy away from generating profits and should re-invest them in the company. Individuals who have ideas and solutions to do social good can also model their startups as for-profit social enterprises. Moreover, they can also join board of existing nonprofit and share their ideas and assist it to innovate and grow. Read on...
Upstate Business Journal: Nonprofits face unique startup challenges
Author: Benjamin Jeffers
Design thinking is used by organizations to spur innovation. It is often a source for product innovation teams to generate radical new product ideas and concepts. Once applied effectively and become a part of organization's culture it can emerge as a sustainable competitive advantage. According to Professor Michal Herzenstein, who teaches marketing at University of Delaware, 'Radically new products are products that allow consumers to do something that they couldn't have done before. They are products that create a shift in consumption - how consumers respond to and use products.' Her chapter 'Optimal Design for Radically New Products' alongwith Prof. Steve Hoeffler of Vanderbilt University and Tamar Ginzburg of Vanderbilt University, appears in PDMA Essentials book titled, 'Design and Design Thinking' by Michael I. Luchs of College of William and Mary, Scott Swan of College of William and Mary, Abbie Griffin of University of Utah. Prof. Herzenstein provides six processes that product innovation teams need to implement to create ideas for radically new products. Large organizations can use them in an ascending sequence with a focus on communicating the goal of achieving breakthrough product to innovation team. While smaller companies and startups can pick any process that they feel will assist them to learn more about developing radically innovative product ideas. The six processes are - (1) Communicate the Challenge Goal Toward Radically New Products. (2) Shift Time Frames to Future and Past. (3) Promote an Emerging Technology Focus Across the Product Consumption Chain. (4) Promote the Use of Analogical Thinking. (5) Look for Novel Ways to Solve Simple Problems. (6) Leverage More Ideators Via Crowdsourcing. Read on...
Product Innovation Educators Blog: 6 Processes for Generating Ideas for Radical Innovations
Author: Chad McAllister
People are one of the most critical asset that organizations have and managing them successfully is not an easy task. Organizational leadership can fail to get the best out of their people as a result of poor people management skills. Organizations can also lose their best talent as a result of their leadership's inability to understand and handle their team members. People have diverse behaviors, views, opinions, working abilities, skills etc and to make them work as a cohesive team towards a common goal require special set of skills. Following is the 12-step process to enhance people management capabilities - (1) Outline Your Goals: Write down the reasons you want to improve. (2) Determine Where You Want to Improve: Take professional assessments and personality tests. (3) Talk to Your Team: Ask your team for feedback on your leadership related information and share with them your intent to improve. (4) Get Organized: Outline areas that need to be organized and use software tools that can help you to organize. (5) Take a Leadership Course: Spend time in a classroom or online course to get knowledge and develop skills on leadership. (6) Read Management Books: They provide new perspectives and ideas on leadership and management. (7) Learn How to Listen: Understand and embrace five aspects of good listening- receiving, understanding, remembering, evaluating, and responding. (8) Practice Praising and Rewarding: Provide honest feedback to your employees and particularly be specific while praising and be generous and rewarding. Appreciate their performance. (9) Find a Mentor or Coach: Seek an experienced mentor or executive coach who can enhance your capabilities in specific areas that you need to improve. (10) Learn How to Effectively Communicate with Anyone: Master the four communication styles to understand people at workplace and communicate accordingly- Thinkers, Socializers, Directors, Relators. (11) Be More Transparent: Embrace transparency and frequently share relevant and important information with the team to build trust. (12) Create a Feedback System: Seek your employees perspectives and views. Solicit their suggestions and inputs. Read on...
Business 2 Community: The 12-Step Process For Improving Your People Management Skills
Author: Rob Wormley
In a highly competitive market, brands can utilize excellent customer service strategies to differentiate themselves. Listening to voice of the customer, understanding their behavior and analyzing their interactions, can provide companies the needs and wants of the customer. Companies can use these insights to better serve their customers and that has direct impact on their bottom line. According to Defaqto Research, '55% of consumers would pay more for a better customer experience.' Study published in Journal of Marketing (2004 Edition) by team of researchers, Prof. Eugene W. Anderson of University of Michigan (now at University of Miami), Prof. Claes Fornell of University of Michigan and, Prof. Sanal K. Mazvancheryl of Georgetown University (now at American University, Washington DC), quantified the consequence of quality customer service on shareholder value. Study points out, 'Among 200 businesses represented in the Fortune 500 across 40 industries, a 1% improvement in customer satisfaction increased a firm's value by US$275 million.' Danny Wong, co-founder of Blank Label and digital marketer, explains the importance of customer feedback and how ecommerce stores can turn this into a competitive advantage through effective engagement, building relationships and developing better products and services. According to him, 'Develop an intimate understanding of what your customers know, want and need to establish a competitive edge that helps you improve how you do business and the value you offer to end consumers. Start by categorizing reasons for why your customers purchase your products i.e. their primary motivations.' He suggests stores to source high-impact feedback and utilize the following tactics to expand the scope of their customer research - (1) Audit the reviews competitors receive (2) Conduct surveys (3) Dive into your analytics (4) Encourage user-generated content (5) Track public conversations. Once the research is at hand, stores need to summarize actionable takeaways and use the following three steps to build a strong business case for doing anything - (1) Quantify its impact (2) Measure its market opportunity (3) Get leadership buy-in. To implement new changes the stores can use gradual strategies to first consider the high-impact initiatives that are easy to do and then to implement moderate changes and finally move on to more resource intensive projects for long-term meaningful outcomes. Companies should incorporate excellence in customer service into their corporate culture and should consider the opportunity of every interaction with customers to build lasting relationships. Read on...
Huffington Post: How to Leverage Customer Feedback to Improve Your Ecommerce Store
Author: Danny Wong
Timing of talent management initiatives and their implementation is critical in defining their success for an organization. Excellence in talent management is to ensure consistent supply of right talent, for right roles and at the right time. Kevin D. Wilde, Executive Leadership Fellow at Carlson School of Management (University of Minnesota), explains 'Over time, I improved by watching and learning from the masters of timing in my organization. The best teachers were often sales professionals or skillful research and development product advocates. The best ones displayed excellence in situational scanning, product readiness and personal preparation.' Situational Scanning: Constant scanning of company environment and key stakeholders. Product Readiness: Ability to judge the readiness of new talent proposal. Finely tuned sense of what degree of product readiness is necessary for success. Personal Preparation: Being ready for the demand of courageous leadership. Ability to take the challenge, thoroughly prepared, committed and humility to be open to learn and adjust when required. Read on...
Talent Management: Be a Master of Timing
Author: Kevin D. Wilde
The United Nations Sustainable Development Summit 2015 will be held in New York from 25 to 27 September 2015, to adopt the post-2015 agenda for sustainable development. The 2030 agenda includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that will replace the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that were adopted by 193 UN member states in 2000 to root out poverty from the world. The 17 SDGs continue to build upon MDGs to end poverty alongwith fighting inequality and injustice. These goals will also include tackling the concerns of climate change, global health and hunger. Helen Clark, UNDP Adminstrator and former Prime Minister of New Zealand, says on the UNDP.org, 'World leaders have an unprecedented opportunity this year to shift the world onto a path of inclusive, sustainable and resilient development...If we all work together, we have a chance of meeting citizens' aspirations for peace, prosperity, and wellbeing, and to preserve our planet.' The 17 SDGs are - (1) End poverty in all its forms everywhere (2) End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture (3) Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages (4) Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all (5) Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls (6) Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all (7) Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all (8) Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all (9) Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation (10) Reduce inequality within and among countries (11) Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable (12) Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns (13) Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts (14) Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development (15) Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss (16) Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels (17) Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development. Read on...
UN Sustainable Development: Transforming our world - The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
Retailers need to identify their most valuable customers to specifically target and focus their specialized marketing campaigns for building long-term customer relationships with them. Most valuable customers are to be retained for maximizing profitability. But according to the study 'Engaging Customers Across the Lifecycle Journey: How Clienteling Helps Enhance Customer Relationships' by Yes Lifecycle Marketing and Retail TouchPoints, based on the survey of nearly 200 retail marketing executives, most retailers are still struggling to utilize customer data effectively to find and nurture these important customers. Main highlights of the study are - 52% say identifying and engaging their most valuable customers is one of their top business challenges; Nearly 1/3rd of respondents (32%) say they're not able to integrate or analyze their data in a timely fashion; Employee access to data is uneven and most who need it don't have it (44% of C-level executives have customer data while only 27% of store managers and 13% of store associates have access); Only 27% of retail marketing executives have their customer's lifetime spend on file and only 18% have data related to shopping preferences of customers. Read on...
Direct Marketing News: Infographic - Retailers Fail to Fully Leverage Customer Data
Authors: Elyse Dupre, James Jarnot
Innovations in certain industries take longer for adoption and proliferation in the consumer market. Consider the case of healthcare industry where innovations take years to diffuse into the market. Sandeep Acharya, Vice-President of strategy and new business at One Medical Group, explains how the healthcare innovation works, provides reasons for longer time the innovation takes to reach healthcare consumer and suggests the role that consumers can play to bring changes in healthcare and accelerate the pace of innovative products and services to reach them. The three main reasons why innovation in healthcare takes longer to reach consumers are - (1) In healthcare, the consumer is not the payer: Most patients don't pay their healthcare bills directly. Large corporations are payers and in order to generate revenue for the innovative service they have to agree to imburse patients for it, and doctors have to recommend it. The process may take years for entrepreneurs to pass through. (2) All healthcare is local: Healthcare decision makers - physicians, hospital systems, insurance companies and regulators - vary from state to state and sometimes even cities. For healthcare innovation to get adopted more broadly, entrepreneurs have to navigate a different set of decision makers for every new market they want to serve - each with its own rules, politics and dynamics. (3) The healthcare industry is used to moving slowly: Healthcare industry has seen too many great ideas stall. Over time, optimists became skeptics, and some even became cynical. When it comes to change, many in the industry have accepted the slow pace as a given. But to bring the necessary change in the pace of healthcare industry, consumers need to be proactive. They should expect more, demand more, provide timely & impartial feedbacks & reviews, do thorough research and be informed about latest health products and services. Read on...
USA TODAY: Why is healthcare innovation taking so long?
Author: Sandeep Acharya
According to Wikipedia, 'Talent Management refers to the anticipation of required human capital for an organization and the planning to meet those needs. The field increased in popularity after McKinsey's 1997 research by Steven Hankin and the 2001 book "The War for Talent" by Ed Michaels, Helen Handfield-Jones, and Beth Axelrod...Talent management is the science of using strategic human resource planning to improve business value and to make it possible for companies and organizations to reach their goals. Everything done to recruit, retain, develop, reward and make people perform forms a part of talent management as well as strategic workforce planning.' Research from Bersin by Deloitte points out, 'Organizations with strategic talent management programs in place generate more than twice the revenue per employee, have a 40 percent lower employee turnover rate, and have a 38 percent higher level of employee engagement than those without.' Contrary to these findings, many business executives underestimate the value of strategic talent management processes in their organizations. A recent white paper, 'Designing Talent Management to Meet an Organization's Strategic Needs' by Chris Miller (Program Director of Executive Development at Kenan-Flagler Business School of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) suggests the importance of formal talent management processes and identifies the business factors that support the need for creating them. According to him, 'Employers are starting to realize that they should broaden talent management to all organizational levels to develop a deeper talent pool. Deeper talent pools can help widen an organization's leadership ladder and can help channel talent into skill-specific jobs.' He further adds, 'Organizations that have strategic workplace plans are generally more agile in assessing and meeting change than their peers, giving them a competitive advantage.' The paper advises HR and talent management professionals to follow the 4 basic steps to convince senior leaders regarding the value of a formal talent management process - (1) Create a Narrative (2) Create Absolution (3) Identify Current and Future Business Needs (4) Find Champions. Read on...
ATD: 4 Steps to Creating a Formal Talent Management Process
Author: Ryann K. Ellis
Technology in education transforms many aspects of teaching and learning. Considering wide landscape of education (Primary Education, Secondary Education, University Education, Distance Education, Continuing Education etc), technological interventions may have different outcomes in different areas. Moreover, outcomes also depend on how technology is implemented. Generally around the world, and specifically in developed countries, there are trends to equip classrooms in schools with computers, laptops and tablets, with an intent to better engage students, enhance their learning and bring them into a digital age. But according to a recent report by OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development), that covers the period between 2000 and 2012, 'The impact of information and communication technologies (ICT) for education is "mixed, at best". Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results from 31 countries show no appreciable improvements in student achievement in reading, mathematics or science in the countries that had invested heavily in ICT for education.' The report highlights that frequent use of computers in classroom can be a distraction and have weaker learning outcomes. OECD analyst Francesco Avvisati says, 'Technology is most effective when students use the Internet in the classroom for guided research and project work.' Commenting on the content of the report, Professor Jim Slotta of Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at University of Toronto says, 'If you read this report as saying that it's up in the air about whether technology is helpful for learning, that's the wrong reading.' He further adds, 'Personally, my feeling is that the research on how to use technology well for learning is just beginning to turn over some interesting, useful new leaves in the book...Technology is most effective in the classroom when it is used to develop skills similar to those that adults are using in everyday life, such as finding resources, critiquing arguments, communicating with peers, solving problems and working with data.' According to Mr. Avvisati, 'It is important that educators remain in the driver's seat...The key to any technology rollout in the classroom is clear goals and training for teachers, but ultimately it is about training good teachers.' Read on...
The Globe and Mail: Computers in classroom have 'mixed' impact on learning: OECD report
Author: Affan Chowdhry
Gaming technologies can transform the architecture practice with their ability to create interactive visual spaces. Architects at Tsoi/Kobus & Associates in Cambridge (USA) are utilizing processing system that powers virtual reality games to put clients inside development projects before they are built. Using a cloud based system, architects can create the building and then ask clients to visualize it through entering it with a pair of virtual reality goggles. Client gets a immersive first-person view, can walk around the building and make suggestions to tweak designs. The process can be used before the contract for the building project is awarded and could eliminate the need for creating life-size physical models. Architect Luis Cetrangolo was responsible for bringing the system to the firm. Read on...
The Boston Globe: Architecture firm turns to virtual reality to show off building designs
Author: Katie Johnston
Social enterprises seek to develop innovative solutions to the real world problems and engage with local communities. With democratization of technology and availability of funds more entrepreneurs are able to create social enterprises and become part of the development landscape. Along their evolution to sustainability and during the process of scaling up, social enterprises face a range of challenges. Accelerator programs can play an important role in assisting them to overcome obstacles and grow. According to Anya Lim, co-founder and MD of ANTHILL Fabric Gallery, 'More than the financial resources, we need mentorship and guidance. We felt that being in an accelerator program will increase our accountability to implement changes for growth more efficiently and effectively.' Manny Alkuino, CEO and chairman of Sidlakpinoy, also acknowledges the role of accelerator in helping to reach next level in terms of both operations and social impact. Both these organizations are part of Philippine-based Impact Investment Exchange Asia's Impact Accelerator program. Following are the suggestions they share with other social entrepreneurs who are working to scale up their enterprises - (1) Do it at the right time. (2) Have a clear company ethos and a solid team. (3) Know your numbers. Know your market and details of issues you are tackling through proper research. (4) Engage your team and stakeholders in the process. Read on...
Devex Impact: 4 tips for taking your social enterprise to the next level
Author: Liana Barcia
Human resources are a source of competitive advantage for organizations. They compete with each other to acquire and retain the best talent. Start-ups and small companies find it more challenging and difficult to attract and retain talent as compared to large and established corporations. According to Gallup's '2013 State of the American Workplace Report', 'Employee engagement in the workplace can affect retention and even a company's bottom line. Millennials are the most likely of all the generations to say they will leave their jobs in the next 12 months if the job market improves.' Other highlights of the report are - 'Opportunities to learn and grow' at companies as an important factor for millenials and members of Generation X deciding to stay with a company; 70% of American workers are 'not engaged' or else are 'actively disengaged' at their jobs, costing U.S. companies US$ 450 billion to US$ 550 billion per year; 22% of U.S. employees are engaged and thriving at work. Gregg Pollack, serial entrepreneur and founder of Code School, explains that policy-driven culture of 'self-improvement' and 'betterment' is a competitive advantage and how better employee engagement at workplace can minimize the chances that they will leave. He says, 'People want to be engaged at work, and one way to increase engagement is through policies that help employees nurture personal growth.' Following are some employee engagement concepts that he implements in his company - Giving a day in a month to employees to encourage them to work on something that would make them better at their job. This may include exploring a new technology, learning a new language, reading a book, building a tool that helps business or taking an online course; Paying employees to attend conferences; Paying for learning materials like books, online courses and workshops. Read on...
Entrepreneur: Why a Culture of 'Personal Betterment' Is a Competitive Advantage
Author: Gregg Pollack
Healthcare industry in US is undergoing transformation driven by multiple factors that include technology, changes in consumer behavior, rising costs, legislation etc. Employees are becoming more independent in making their healthcare decisions that were earlier influenced by their employers. Healthcare providers are now dealing with more proactive consumers. Healthcare marketers need to understand consumer preferences, adapt to the changing needs, create products and services that fulfil needs and satisfy customers and utilize consumer insights to develop effective marketing progams. Brent Walker, Chief Marketing Officer of c2b Solutions, explains the drivers that are leading to shifts in healthcare and how marketers should adapt and succeed in this new healthcare scenario. According to him, in addition to rising costs, the three main reasons that we are evolving towards consumer-driven healthcare are - (1) Demographic and Socio-Economic Realities: More pronounced health issues and chronic conditions of aging Baby Boomers; Lack of health insurance for a sizeable population; Heterogeneous population; Expensive healthcare products and technologies. (2) Legislation: Healthcare system is adapting to Affordable Care Act; Health insurers have to deal with individual consumers; Healthcare providers are investing in infrastructure; Integrated Electronic Health Records and Big Data technologies; Reimbursement based on medical outcomes and patient satisfaction. (3) Technological: Digital media is a catalyst of consumerism; Informed consumers due to internet and mobile apps; Improved transparency; Better ability to assess cost and quality, and research about products and services with more choices; Inclination towards prevention and wellness. He explains three implications that healthcare providers have to plan for - (1) Massive investments are required for technological upgrade and update of systems to facilitate integrated patient record sharing and also reporting care quality. (2) Business models must change. Physicians are leaving smaller firms to join large healthcare systems due to IT investments and scale necessary to control costs and manage risks. (3) New competitors are entering as a result of advancement in technologies and consumer-driven approaches. In this changing healthcare landscape marketers have to continuously evaluate and assess their direction. He suggests four dimensions to do so - (1) Data: Right data to understand and reach the target audience. (2) Systems: Infrastructure to understand consumers, create insights and build valueable customer-firm relationships. (3) People: Have consumer marketers in team with experience in latest web and mobile technologies. Combine industry experience with consumer insights and customer behavior understanding skills. (4) Processes: Newer sales methods. Analytics and measurement of marketing effectiveness. Focus on analyzing consumer acquisition, retention and satisfaction. Read on...
Forbes: The New World Of Healthcare Marketing: A Framework For Adaptation
Authors: John Greenfield, Kimberly A. Whitler
The relationship between consumers and businesses is continuously evolving. Technology is playing an important role in creating a shift in consumer behavior. Smartphones are providing consumers with connectivity that is driving this change. Ori Karev, US CEO of Gett, explores the reasons that are leading to transormations in consumer dynamics and how they interact and connect with brands. According to him, 'Consumerism has shifted from a world of physical images and personal communication to a world of imagery and perception. Regardless of industry, product or service, vendors that enable instantaneous access and deliver on their digital promise will survive.' Consumers have become more pragmatic. They have access to tools and services to research for best solutions at best prices that are available with just a tap on their phones. Online consumers have become more like business-to-business consumers. But they do have emotional attachment to brands that can provide them with the best experience. The power is shifting towards consumers and businesses are getting more and more consumer dependent. Mr. Karev explains, 'On-demand industry has gone through such a rapid change of behavior within a mere five years. The swift change stems from two factors: the availability of smartphones, and people's desire to maximize the convenience and efficiency of procuring services and products.' He further points out that certain fundamentals of consumer-seller relationship will remain - 'Shoppers want to do business with companies that are fair, so this treaty must hinge on veracity, transparency, credibility, honesty and good will.' Today people place most value on fulfillment and satisfaction. They have concerns regarding how a vendor treats its employees and suppliers and would get influenced by these factors while making purchases. Online research, decision and purchase behaviors have now made consumers a strong part of businesses. Companies that understand and fulfil the consumer expectations - real-time, always-on support; competitive pricing; respect and transparency towards vendors and suppliers; ethical corporate culture - in the current on-demand environment will be the one that survive and succeed. Read on...
ReadWrite: The Changing Face Of Today's Consumer
Author: Ori Karev
Technology provides automation, efficiency and scalability to businesses, thus improving processes and saving costs. Moreover technology also has a sizeable impact on the human resource aspect of businesses as it takes over certain tasks and works that were earlier performed by humans. Technology's affect is now even felt in knowledge related work. So will the technology replace humans and be the competitive advantage? Prof. Thomas H. Davenport of Babson College and Julia Kirby of HBR argue that although technology has a critical role to play in success of businesses but people will continue to remain as the source of enduring competitive advantage. While citing example of Southwest Airline, they explain, 'Industries like airlines have been obsessed with asset utilization as the key to competitiveness. And making the minute-by-minute decisions required to maximize asset utilization is unquestionably done better by smart machines. But optimizing asset utilization isn't enough to sustain a competitive advantage. Once smart machines are built to solve problems in asset efficiency (or indeed any area of operations) they very rapidly spread and become pervasive across an industry. Therefore, they cease to provide a competitive advantage.' They also cite Geoffrey Colvin's book 'Talent is Overrated' in which he makes a point that talented people always succeed in the context of a system. And star employees often get more credit then they're due. Boris Groysberg's research also points in the same direction that high performance may not be replicated in a different environment. It's often a well-designed system that brings out the best in people and makes them valuable. They mention Geoff Colvin's recent book 'Humans are Underrated', in which he explains that effective organizational system isn't just a mechanistic one of capital investment. It's a human system that relies heavily on unique human capabilities. So collectively, human talent is not overrated; it is extremely valuable. There are unique human capabilities like empathy, storytelling etc, that will keep them employable even if technology is taking over jobs. And even in cases where humans are competing with technology, there will still be certain tasks and decisions that will remain with humans. Prof. Davenport and Ms. Kirby conclude, 'To create an enduring competitive advantage, you will always need people. And you need a system that engages them and allows what is unique and valuable about individual people to be leveraged - not a system that compels people to perform standardized acts in the same way and therefore commoditizes them as undifferentiated human resources.' Read on...
Harvard Business Review: Automation Won't Replace People as Your Competitive Advantage
Authors: Thomas H. Davenport, Julia Kirby
Collaborative approaches in tackling healthcare can play an important role in reducing costs and also lessen burden on already overstretched healthcare systems. In such a collaborative setting niche and focused nonprofits can share some responsibilities of healthcare providers and lessen their loads. The disruption of healthcare and enactment of Affordable Care Act have forced hospitals and physicians to evolve new ways of imparting efficient healthcare and redirect patient care from the acute care setting to primary care 'medical homes' that focus on prevention and coordinate patient care. The New York State Medicaid reform is a step in this direction and intends to bring nonprofits and government together to address issues that influence healthcare like food, housing, finances etc. Such coordinated preventative measures are expected to reduce emergency visits to hopsitals. Medicaid funding to such programs that have been undertaken by nonprofits would enhance their capabilities and they can more holistically work towards providing solutions to residents to live healthier lives. Moreover similar partnerships will also help in tackling chronic diseases. Shoshanah Brown, executive director of a.i.r. NYC, an organization that helps asthmatic children in poor neighborhoods, says 'Community-based organizations like ours that are close to the ground and are very much in the community can keep patients healthier.' Montefiore Medical Center in collaboration with YMCA conducts a program to prevent pre-diabetic patients from full-blown diabetes with a 16-week class. Patient with mental illnesses or substance abuse issues will also benefit from this reform for collaboration as healthcare providers can work with a housing group so that they have a safe place to live and stay out of hospital. Read on...
Nonprofit Quarterly: Could Collaborations Mean Better and Less Costly Healthcare?
Author: G. Meredith Betz
'Digital Marketing' utilizes online technologies and provides opportunities to add prospective customers at the top of the sales funnel and nurture them to build a strong customer base for products and services. Advancement in technologies have provided multiple ways and channels through which marketers can connect and engage with the prospects and build strong relationships. One of the most important aspect of digital marketing is the measurability of the campaign through analytics. The availability of metrics provides marketers with clear understanding of the audience, their interaction with the brands and success of the marketing campaign. According to Jamie Turner, founder of 60 Second Marketer and co-author of 'Go Mobile', the 7 essential channels of digital marketing are - (1) Responsive Websites (2) Search Engine Marketing (SEM) that includes Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Paid Search (3) Online Display Advertising (4) Video (5) Social Media (6) Mobile Marketing may include Mobile Website, Mobile Search, Mobile Display Ads, In-app Display Advertising (7) Email Marketing. The action steps required to leverage digital marketing include - Taking the initiative and start using digital marketing; Implement gradually with complete understanding and continuously analyze campaign progress; Use analytics to measure and track campaign results, make adjustments and optimize the process for better ROI. Read on...
Business 2 Community: Digital Marketing - The 7 Essential Channels
Author: Jamie Turner
As modern businesses and technologies evolve, their convergence brings organizational complexities. Business environment becomes chaotic and creates challenging situations that need to be overcome effectively to succeed. These challenges are giving rise to shifts in large organizations where design is becoming a center of focus. John Kolko, Vice President of Design at Blackboard, explains how these organizations are applying principles of design, not much of the aesthetic part, to the way people work. People would like to handle complexities efficiently and want their interactions with technologies and other complex systems to be simple, intuitive and pleasurable. These principles of design, termed as 'Design Thinking', involve empathy with users, a discipline of prototyping, and tolerance for failure, as core concepts to create these interactions and develop a responsive, flexible organizational culture. Mr. Kolko elaborates on the design-centric culture as one that transcends design as a role and imparts a set of principles to all people who help bring ideas to life - (1) Focus on users' experiences, especially their emotional ones. (2) Create models to examine complex problems. (3) Use prototypes to explore potential solutions. (4) Tolerate failure. (5) Exhibit thoughtful restraint. As design thinking is considered as an essential tool to simplify and humanize, most future ready organizations are utilizing it as part of their core strategy and competence. According to Mr. Kolko, 'Every established company that has moved from products to services, from hardware to software, or from physical to digital products needs to focus anew on user experience. Every established company that intends to globalize its business must invent processes that can adjust to different cultural contexts. And every established company that chooses to compete on innovation rather than efficiency must be able to define problems artfully and experiment its way to solutions.' The shift towards design as a core competence brings its own challenges - (1) Accepting more ambiguity (2) Embracing risk (3) Resetting expectations. Mr. Kolko further explains that, 'Organizational focus on design offers unique opportunities for humanizing technology and for developing emotionally resonant products and services...It helps create a workplace where people want to be, one that responds quickly to changing business dynamics and empowers individual contributors. And because design is empathetic, it implicitly drives a more thoughtful, human approach to business.' Read on...
Harvard Business Review: Design Thinking Comes of Age
Author: Jon Kolko
According to a report, 'Resourcing Social Enterprises: Approaches and Challenges', lack of standard definition and limited knowledge and awareness about 'Social Enterprises' among financiers and general public are the key sourcing challenges. The report focused on assessing the resilience of social enterprises in Western Australia. Lead author of the report, Professor Jo Barraket of Swinburne University, says 'Social enterprises are a hybrid form of business. It's still a relatively new concept to the market, and mainstream financial providers don't necessarily understand it...We don't have any consistent standard for social-financial accounts in Australia. So the tools that social enterprises have to communicate their business operations to external financiers are still underdeveloped and that makes it challenging.' Moreover Prof. Barraket adds that most social enterprises look towards generating funding internally similar to small and medium businesses. Accessing external equity is constrained depending on their legal form thus limiting external finance opportunities. Report also identified the governance structure as a further challenge, with financial resilience not considered as a top priority particularly in case of social enterprises that work within larger not-for-profit structures. Prof. Barraket explains, 'The boards in those contexts are quite rightly having to juggle requirements of larger charitable concerns, and therefore not always able to respond in the same sorts of ways that a small business that's not governed by such a large governance structure would do.' Prof. Barraket suggests that communication has to get effective between the supply and demand, those in the business of social finance understand the needs of social enterprises, and these enterprises have right tools to explain effectively to financiers. Moreover this change will take time and requires culture change and different thinking, both within the social enterprises and organizations that intend to support their development. Read on...
Pro Bono Australia: Social Enterprises Misunderstood - Financial Resilience Report
Author: Ellie Cooper
Wikipedia defines 'Social Enterprise' as, 'An organization that applies commercial strategies to maximize improvements in human and environmental well-being - this may include maximizing social impact rather than profits for external shareholders. Social enterprises can be structured as a for-profit or non-profit, and may take the form (depending in which country the entity exists and the legal forms available) of a co-operative, mutual organization, a disregarded entity, a social business, a benefit corporation, a community interest company or a charity organization.' Like any other organization the success of 'Social Enterprises' depends on variety of internal and external factors like leadership, teamwork, passion, infrastructural ecosystem, investor capital etc. Dick Gygi, a veteran social ventures leader & co-founder of 3 social enterprises, shares his experience and outlines factors essential for social entrepreneurs to lead their enterprises to success - (1) Get clear on the mission and stay mission-centered. (2) Test the business model for sustainability before you bet the farm. (3) Don't do it alone. Build a strong team and do your best. Then, delegate the rest. (4) Persevere. It takes more time and money than you think. (5) Measure desired outcomes - financial and mission impact. Read on...
Nashville Business Journal: 5 lessons learned in 10 years of leading Nashville social enterprises
Author: Dick Gygi
Entrepreneurs need to proactively get involved at the early and formative stages of their ventures. Core functions should be as much in their control as possibe as they are required to translate their vision and roadmap into a marketable entity. As the venture evolves and the need for assistants, experts and consultants arises, they may delegate some of their tasks and then may focus on the bigger picture and strategic aspects of the business. Hands-on traits are a necessity for entrepreneurs when they are building and developing their initial ideas. Martin Zwilling, startup mentor and venture capitalist, shares his experience and suggests the following attributes that entrepreneurs should have to succeed in developing a new business - (1) Be recognized for innovative actions as well as ideas. (2) Communicate a clear vision, as well as a path to the destination. (3) Capitalize on relationships inside and outside the company. (4) Track and measure both long-term and short-term objectives. (5) Able to adapt or pivot the business to respond to the market. (6) Provide constructive feedback and growth opportunities for the team. (7) Accept accountability for all decisions, with no excuses. Read on...
Entrepreneur: 7 Ways Founders Demonstrate They Can Run a Startup
Author: Martin Zwilling
According to The Data Governance Institute website, 'Data Governance is a system of decision rights and accountabilities for information-related processes, executed according to agreed-upon models which describe who can take what actions with what information, and when, under what circumstances, using what methods.' While TechTarget.com explains, 'Data governance (DG) refers to the overall management of the availability, usability, integrity, and security of the data employed in an enterprise. A sound data governance program includes a governing body or council, a defined set of procedures, and a plan to execute those procedures.' Angie Pribor of First San Francisco Partners provides 8 data governance design principles as logical steps before getting deep into the specifics of Master Data Management (MDM) - (1) Be clear on purpose (2) Use enterprise thinking (3) Be flexible (4) Simplicity and usability are the keys to acceptance (5) Be deliberate on participation and process (6) Align enterprise-wide goals (7) Establish policies with proper mandate and ensure compliance (8) Communicate effectively. Read on...
Information Management: 8 Data Governance Design Principles
Author: Angie Pribor
A facilitating environment is required for innovation and entrepreneurship to flourish. Cities and their administrations can work towards building and developing this ecosystem through proper policies and infrastructure and attract investments and talent. A recent report 'CITIE' (City Initiatives for Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship) by UK-based innovation charity Nesta, in collaboration with Accenture and Future Catapults, provides suggestions for policy makers and city administrators to create best possible environment for innovation and entrepreneurship in urban context. Following are some characteristics of cities that provide such an environment - (1) They act as customers: Open up their procurement processes to make them accessible to young city firms and small businesses. Provide them with public sector contracts. (2) They make for great hosts: Integrate the needs and requirements of startups into their development plans and have excellent infrastructure and collaborative spaces like accelerators and incubators to attract talent. (3) They advocate for startups and innovation: Provide visibility to local businesses by branding themselves as startup or innovative locations or hubs and attract international investors and corporations. (4) They act as connectors: Facilitate digital and physical connectivity through high speed internet networks and sustainable physical mobility solutions. (5) They have a long-term strategy: Provide consistency through a clear long-term strategy by having a focused public official overseeing technology, innovations and entrepreneurship. Moreover they should also have a public set of KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to measure the success of their strategy. Read on...
Forbes: What Are The Key Traits Of Innovation-Friendly Environments? Some Cities Have Figured It Out
Author: Federico Guerrini
'Product Marketing' function in an organization is not very clearly defined and people more often confuse it with 'Product Management' or 'Marketing Management'. According to Wikipedia, 'Product marketing deals with the "7 P's" of marketing, which are product, pricing, place, promotion, physical environment, process and people. Product marketing, as opposed to product management, deals with more outbound marketing or customer-facing tasks.' Justin Topliff, Product Marketing Manager at Infusionsoft and Founder at ProductMarketingSummit.com, explains that product marketing managers are often a bridge between the product management and marketing management. Their role becomes significant when product managers and marketing managers become hyper-focused on their respective roles and as a result product management and marketing become siloed. The communication between the two functions get disconnected. Mr. Topliff describe 3 categories of responsibilities of product marketing department - (1) Research: Keep tab on industry, market and competition; Competitor profiling; Qualitative and quantitative research of customers and prospective users; Recommend and implement iterative product improvements. (2) Messaging, Positioning and Pricing: Humanize the technology in messaging; Train about product communication; Create effective marketing communication; Package and price products scientifically. (3) Product Launches and Lifecycle Management: Develop and execute go-to-market strategies; Coordinate with other deparments for product launch; Drive product consumption; Manage continuous improvement of product. Read on...
LinkedIn Pulse: What is product marketing? How is it different from product management or 'regular' marketing?
Author: Justin Topliff
'Dark Data' is the data that would be lost to public after researchers have utilized it for publishing their research papers. Team of researchers led by Professor Arcot Rajasekar of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, are working on a project termed as 'DataBridge' to expand the life cycle of the dark data. The project will serve as an archive for data sets and metadata, and will group them into clusters of information to make relevant data easier to find. According to Prof. Rajasekar, 'You can reuse it, repurpose it, and then maybe someone else will reuse it, and see how we can enable that to get more science.' The researchers are also interested to include archives of social-media posts in the project. Prof. Laura Mandell of Texas A&M University at College Stations adds, 'People spend a lot of time cleaning their data, and we don't need to each be reinventing the wheel, performing the same tasks on the same data sets.' Thus saving time for researchers. Moreover according to Prof. Bruce Herbert, 'It could also extend researchers' "trusted network" of colleagues with whom they share data.' Read on...
The Chronicle of Higher Education: Researchers Open Repository for 'Dark Data'
Author: Mary Ellen McIntire
UN 'Millennium Development Goals' will now be replaced by a set of development objectives termed as 'Sustainable Development Goals' in September'2015. These include ending poverty, reducing child mortality and tackling climate change. Recent report by the 26-member Scientific Advisory Board to UN Secretary General points out that Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) can help alleviate poverty, reduce inequalities, increase income and improve health. The report further highlights that countries with strong and effective STI systems invest upto 3.5% of their GDP (Gross Domestic Product). Thus governments have to set up a sufficient national minimum target investment for STI and achieve development. Specific investment areas that scientists recommended are - alternative energy solutions, water filters that reduce pathogens at the point-of-use and nanotechnology for health and agriculture. According to the report, 'A better informed and educated society would help establish policies that help long-term well-being over decisions that favour short-term economic and political interests.' According to the UNESCO website, UN Secretary-General's Scientific Advisory Board (2014) includes the following scientists - Tanya Abrahamse (South Africa); Eva Kondorosi (Hungary); Susan Avery (USA); Sir Hilary McDonald Beckles (Barbados); Joji Cariño (Philippines); Rosie Cooney (Australia); Abdallah S. Daar. (Oman); Gebisa Ejeta (Ethiopia); Vladimir Fortov (Russian Federation); Fabiola Gianotti (Italy); Ke Gong (China); Jörg Hinrich Hacker (Germany); Maria Ivanova (Bulgaria); Eugenia Kalnay (Argentina); Reiko Kuroda (Japan); Dong-Pil Min (Republic of Korea); Carlos Nobre (Brazil); Rajendra Kumar Pachauri (India); Shankar Sastry (USA); Hayat Sindi (Saudi Arabia); Wole Soboyeyo (Nigeria); Laurence Tubiana (France); Judi W. Wakhungu (Kenya); Ada E. Yonath (Israel); Abdul Hamid Zakri (Malaysia); Ahmed Zewail (Egypt). Read on...
Reuters: Investing in science can be "the game changer" for development - experts
Authors: Magdalena Mis, Leslie Gevirtz
In recent years marketing has been consistently evolving due to the changes driven by technological advances. These digital transformations are creating a resource crunch in marketing departments of organizations. They are facing more challenges and to effectively manage the digital require new skillsets. Initially digital was considered as a medium of communication like TV, Print etc. But according to Jean-Luc Ambrosi, a marketing expert and author of the book 'Branding to Differ', 'Blending traditional marketing skills with the new age of digital is not an easy affair...What has changed, however, is that digital is not simply a medium, it is many mediums with different media consumption patterns. Both a push and a pull mechanism, it is above-the-line, direct marketing, social media as well as point-of-sales, all under one big label.' Marketers now need multiple skills and to clarify roles and resource accordingly is becoming a difficult task for marketing departments. Mr. Ambrosi further explains, 'With the shift in emphasis around treating digital as a multi-medium platform, the solution may lie in building teams focused on the customer rather than the digital channel. With customer centricity at the core, marketing teams can treat digital for what it is: A multifaceted mechanism to interact with customers, and a means rather than an end.' The best sourcing solution would be to seek marketing specialists with the specific skillsets adapted to the digital environment. The basics of marketing should not be ignored while focusing on digital. Mr. Ambrosi advises, 'The under resourcing of digital activities is a function of the expansion of marketing activities in the digital ecosystem, rather than the disappearance of traditional marketing. Therefore, it should be answered via the adaptation of marketing specialist resources to digital rather than a shift towards technical digital specialists.' Read on...
CMO: Marketing skills in a virtual world
Author: Jean-Luc Ambrosi
Consumer psychology plays an important role in influencing their buying decisions. They buy products and services from companies that they trust and make them feel good about the purchase. As brands get more connected with their customers through technology, transparency and trust become critical factors in customer relationships. Customers intend to learn and understand more about the companies and their work culture. To keep customers closer and informed, and influence their behavior, brands can integrate the following - Treat your employees better; Invest in employee's future; Aesthetics of the workplace matter. Moreover as internet presence is a critical component of today's marketing strategy, brands need to have a robust digital strategy and in addition to providing relevant and usable information about the products and services offered, they should create a section that focuses on what the market wants to see - Being honest e.g. share customer interactions, that may not always be positive, through social media feeds; Try to share work-in-progress and engage customers in the process; Get involved with customers through effective social media strategy and share relevant content and information; Include wide array of stakeholders as the innovative ideas may come from anywhere like customers, interns etc. Companies should be careful in implementing fringe marketing tactics and should not go overboard in doing so. Read on...
Business 2 Community: Integrating Winning Trends In The Workplace
Author: Rachel Winstead
Effective collaboration between private and public entities, by pooling their strengths and resources, can bring better and efficient outcomes of public and civic services for the citizens. An example of such a collaborative approach is the Small Business Portal that was launched in 2014 in San Francisco. For the project, Mayor's Office, Department of Technology, Office of Economic and Workforce Development, Office of Small Business and Tomorrow Parter's (a design firm), came together to create a one-stop portal for people that provides information for starting, managing and expanding a company. The design firm utilized human-centered design principles to shape the innovation strategy and build a website that simplified and streamlined the process of starting a business. They took an 'inside out' and 'outside in' approach to understanding the challenges. Extensive research and focus groups were used and this finally led to establishing six main attributes for building a successful interface. According to Gaby Brink, founder and chief designer of Tomorrow Partners, 'They were filters for us to evaluate our design and establish clear guidelines for the various people developing content to ensure that we had a consistent voice.' The six key principles of digital design that represent their approach are - (1) Do the Right Thing: Sets the overall tone of the project. Sets clear expectations and make the process transparent. Assures the caring attitude. (2) Curate Content: Maintains the quality and availability of the right information to the diverse set of audience. (3) Make It Accessible: Responsive design and customization utilized to provide access to website on multiple devices and platforms. (4) Treat Constituents as Consumers: Users are to be treated as consumers, instead of taxpayers or voters, that civic authorities serve. (5) Dole Out Delight: Make the experience of the users pain-free, simple and as enjoyable as possible with a human approach. Shouldn't be a typical government portal. (6) Increase Trust: Make sure that the users feel that the government is working for them. Assuring that interacting with government is not a difficult and doubtful process. Jane Gong, Program Director of the Department of Technology, says 'From a user perspective, most of the time government thinks about putting together a website, it's copying from municipal code and pasting in some clip art. For the first time we did UX/UI research. This needs to be the approach of all government websites. It's time for government to take a step back and say we're here to serve people and make sure that we're accessible and responsive.' Read on...
Fast Company: 6 Principles Of Digital Design For Civic Innovation
Wikipedia article on 'Emotional Intelligence' explains it as, 'The ability to recognize one's own and other people's emotions, to discriminate between different feelings and label them appropriately, and to use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior'. The article further categorizes EI into three models - (1) Ability Model (by Peter Salovey and John Mayer): Focuses on the individual's ability to process emotional information and use it to navigate the social environment. (2) Trait Model (by Konstantin Vasily Petrides): Encompasses behavioral dispositions and self perceived abilities and is measured through self report. (3) Mixed Model (by Daniel Goleman): A combination of both ability and trait EI. It defines EI as an array of skills and characteristics that drive leadership performance. While most people may believe that innovation and creativity are born traits and might not have any connection with EI, but Harvey Deutschendorf, author and EI expert, explains that EI plays an important role in innovative and creative thinking. He outlines 7 common EI-related traits that innovators have - (1) Innovators have their ego in check. (2) Emotionally intelligent people are confident, not arrogant. (3) They are continually curious. (4) They are good listeners. (5) They don't let their emotions affect their innovation efforts. (6) They can take direction. (7) They empathize with co-workers and customers. Read on...
Fast Company: 7 HABITS OF INNOVATIVE THINKERS
Author: Harvey Deutschendorf
Design is an important aspect of web and mobile strategy of businesses. It is necessary that users of the website and apps have ease of access to information regarding products and services, and can effectively interact and engage with it. Usability and other aspects of design become all the more critical when the website is a social platform like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter etc. Continuous improvement and transformation of design on these platforms is driven both by internal and external necessities. The redesigns are generally due to the evolving and dynamic nature of technologies and the changing behavior of users and needs of the customers. According to Amy Parnell, Director of User Experience at LinkedIn, 'Our design principles focus on creating experiences that are approachable, streamlined, personalized and guided. We want to ensure the experience feels efficient and productive, helping our members to achieve their goals.' According to her, redesign at LinkedIn is based on data collected from multiple sources - market research, user research, site metrics and analytics and help center feedback. Internal feedback from employees is critical before the public launch. External feedback from customers is obtained to further refine or modify the design based on user requirements. Valuable content is needed to engage and retain customers. Read on...
Adweek: How Important is Design? Q&A with LinkedIn's Amy Parnell
Author: Justin Lafferty
Companies spend substantial time and money to create their brands. It is a continuous process to keep the brand value intact. Jarad Hull, CEO of Blueroof360, elaborates on the mistakes that companies should avoid while pursuing their branding journey - (1) A lack of passion: Be passionate about your branding and create an emotional connect with customers. Passion leads to genuine enthusiasm. (2) Inconsistencies: Create a consistent brand identity and showcase it to both employees and customers. As representatives, employees should maintain this branding consistency. (3) No focus: Keep focus and have a detailed marketing plan before embarking on a branding process. Concentrate on the target audience. (4) Trying too hard: Don't use excessive humor or get too trendy as it may repel customers. Engage them with meaningful and relevant messages. (5) No branding communication: Ensure that employees understand the branding strategy. Train them as brand representatives. Read on...
Inman: 5 branding mistakes you might be making
Author: Jarad Hull
According to Gartner forecast for global education sector, including higher education as well as primary and secondary schools, technology spending to grow 2.3% to reach US$ 67.8 billion in 2015. A report by Global Industry Analysts (GIA) predicts that the global e-learning market will reach US$ 107 billion in 2015. The increasing cost of education alongwith the need to enhance its value and impact is encouraging education providers to experiment with new business models and utilize innovative technologies. The education technology industry is growing with enormous speed and startups are sprouting in a number of areas that includes content management platforms, online course delivery platforms, adaptive learning, digital assessments, mobile apps etc. This mushrooming of startups creates challenges and extraordinary competition for survival and success. Zach Cutler, founder of The Cutler Group, provides 5 challenges that ed-tech startups face and solutions to overcome them - (1) The edtech industry has exploded: Innovators have to search for unmet needs and provide niche solutions instead of using copycat models. (2) Funding for edtech startups is not extraordinarily high: Although EdSurge estimates that ed-tech investment reached US 1.36 billion in 2014, but it is not sufficient to fulfil the need of crowded startup situation. Startups have to create strong revenue models from even the early stage and survive through revenue generation initially. (3) The education industry is slow to move: Resistance to change is a common aspect of traditional education systems and administrations. Entrepreneurs need to have data-backed approach to demonstrate the real value of ed-tech to educators. (4) Most schools don't have excess money in their budgets: Resource crunch is a reality and innovators need to provide low-cost high-value models to get accepted. (5) Academia is more about theory and less about action: Entrepreneurs can add a co-founder with an academic background to communicate effectively with academic decision-makers. Read on...
Entrepreneur: 5 Challenges Facing Education-Tech Startups
Author: Zach Cutler
Over the years economists have used different terms to represent economic downturn or slow down in economic activity like 'Stagnation', 'Contraction', 'Recession', 'Depression' etc. Often these words have different perceptions and may have different impact on public's sentiments. Alfred Kahn, one of President Jimmy Carter's economic advisors and professor at Cornell University, even called 'recession' a 'banana'. In 1930s, Keynesian economist and professor at Harvard University, Alvin Hansen, outlined the term 'Secular Stagnation' in his book 'Full Recovery or Stagnation?'. According to him, 'American economy would never grow rapidly again because all the growth ingredients had played out, including technological innovation and population growth. The only solution, he argued, was constant, large-scale deficit spending by the federal government.' Although the term lost its prevalence during the economic boom of 1940s and 1950s, but recently Professor Lawrence Summers of Harvard University used the term to represent slow pace of the current economic expansion. He himself is an advocate of deficit-financed government spending. Ed Yardeni, President and Chief Investment Strategist of Yardeni Research, explains how the current economic situation is leading to 'Secular Stagnation' and what are the main reasons behind it. He says, 'I think it is mostly attributable to too much fiscal and monetary intervention by our governments. More of these policies will make things worse, not better.' He explains that global economic growth slowed down in June with contraction in emerging market economies. While Japan and Eurozone posted growth and US above global average, BRIC economies were the weakest. Only positive sign is the rise in employment m/m for the overall index. Read on...
Investing.com: Global Economy - More Secular Stagnation Ahead
Author: Ed Yardeni
Technology-enabled innovative models in healthcare hold promise to bring digital doctors, diagnostics, health monitoring etc in the hands of patients. According to Bob Wachter, author of 'The Digital Doctor' and professor at University of California at San Francisco, 'There are many things that patients can do to help themselves...if armed with good algorithms and good backup plans.' But he cautions that there is a limit to such interactions and patients need to know when to visit a doctor. Digital healthcare space is in the boom phase with US$ 2 billion invested in 2014, says Ahmed Albaiti, founder and CEO of Medullan. Moreover well entrenched healthcare organizations have also inclined their strategies towards a digital health future. To pursue their goals they are opening labs, practices and divisions exclusively focused on digital technologies and innovations. They are also partnering with entrepreneurs and innovators. All these transformations are contributing towards a new digital healthcare ecosystem. Brian Tilzer, Chief Digital Officer of CVS Health, says 'The recently opened Digital Innovation Lab at CVS is a warehouse-size space where innovators and entrepreneurs can come together, test new products and hash out ideas with each other.' The lab's current work includes - Connected otoscope; Connected blood pressure monitor; Apple Watch integration. According to StartUp Health's 2015 mid-year report, 'More than 7,500 startups around the world are developing solutions in digital health.' Read on...
USA TODAY: The digital doctor is in - Next wave in health care
Author: Trisha Thadani
Higher education is undergoing shifts due to involvement of technology, pressures of rising costs, newer methods of teaching and learning, and changing perceptions of its quality and value with customers demanding better offerings. In this transformative scenario traditional higher education ecosystem seems unprepared to manage the challenges. European Commission's 'Study of Innovation in Higher Education' observed, 'The blockages for innovation can be found both at the institutional level, such as the lack of institutional support for innovative practices, and at national/regional, for example influenced by different degrees of autonomy of higher education institutions. Regulatory frameworks are also a crucial potential blockage to some innovative practices'. Patrick Harker, President of the University of Delaware, notes that 'One of the biggest limitations of the design of education services is that we assume teaching is the same as learning, and the resistance to change reflects the belief that too much variety in learning approaches would disrupt our highly optimized, highly engineered teaching system.' Rahul Choudaha of World Education Services (WES) explains that the time is ripe for the development of higher education innovation ecosystem with expanded stakeholders. There is pressure on traditional institutions regarding the approaches to learning due to some of the recent innovations like adaptive learning, competency-based learning and MOOCs. According to Mr. Choudaha, 'Innovation is taking place at a much faster rate at the fringes of the education system than at its core. It is getting accelerated by the energy of entrepreneurs, employers, investors and most importantly, new types of learners who are open to experiment. The opportunity for higher education institutions and systems is to embrace outsiders as an important part of the innovation ecosystem.' He suggests that they should work towards building new partnerships and collaborations and include new stakeholders in the innovation ecosystem to adopt and accelerate innovations. Read on...
Huffington Post: Building an Ecosystem of Higher Education Innovation
Author: Rahul Choudaha
Professor Clayton Christensen of Harvard University on his website claytonchristensen.com, defines 'Disruptive Innovation' as 'A process by which a product or service takes root initially in simple applications at the bottom of a market and then relentlessly moves up market, eventually displacing established competitors.' Eli Schwartz, Director of Marketing (APAC) at SurveyMonkey, explains that continuous customer feedback through surveys is an effective approach to be disruptive by staying in the customer's value perception. In a disruptive scenario, satisfying customer needs and obtaining their loyalty are two most important considerations. He cites an example of Uber's constant feedback process that successfully keeps the company closer to the customers and provides them ability to tweak the service offerings based on customer suggestions. He offers following tips on how to utilize Uber like feedback to disrupt the markets - (1) Gather feedback after every customer interaction. (2) Ask actionable questions and act on the feedback. (3) Make feedback an integral part of business metrics. (4) Use Net Promoter Score (NPS) i.e. a question where a customer is asked to rate their likelihood of referring a product or business to their friends. Read on...
Tech in Asia: A successful disruption requires customer feedback
Author: Eli Schwartz
Technology impacts and improves various aspects of healthcare delivery. Companies and organizations are embracing technological innovations to provide better healthcare services. According to Valter Adão of Deloitte Digital Africa, 'One of the most damaging myths surrounding digitisation is that it is an "all or nothing" process...Healthcare providers do not need to massively overhaul their practices to meet the oncoming wave of new technologies when they can integrate certain technologies within traditional healthcare structures, or adopt technological solutions in a gradual and modularised process.' While mentioning pace of technology adoption, he says that it is going to be sooner. Data management and analytics are two areas that will bring most transformations in healthcare. Patient records on cloud, wearables and monitoring devices and analytics to customize treatment to patients are some of the changes that will happen soon. Concerns of data security and privacy have to be resolved. Technology will also bring efficiencies in medical care processes through mobile devices and apps. Moreover improvements in printing technologies and 3D printing will also make a significant impact in healthcare. Heinrich Pretorius, OKI printing products specialist at DCC, says 'Printing technology is advancing to allow medical practitioners and facilities to use one printer for all their printing needs, as opposed to maintaining several different printers for different types of scans and imaging processes. Printing technology is also evolving to allow users to print directly from medical equipment without the need for time-consuming conversion software or external hardware.' Read on...
ITWeb: Healthcare tech adoption 'not far off'
Author: Michelle Avenant
Technology's impact is not restricted to certain industries but every business and their processes are influenced by it. Moreover the increased connectivity and speed of communication has brought about newer challenges. For businesses to survive and flourish in this era of information and communication technology (ICT), newer type of leadership is required to effectively manage and grow businesses and to balance the pace of digital transformation both inside and outside of the organizations. Research points out the shortage of e-Leadership skills in Europe. According to European Commission demand for digitally skilled employees is growing by around 4% a year and that shortages of ICT professionals in the EU could reach 825,000 unfilled vacancies by 2020. Professors, Álvaro Arenas and José Esteves, of IE Business School in Spain define e-Leadership as 'the accomplishment of a goal that relies on ICT through the direction of human resources and uses of ICT...In the case of e-Leadership, both the goal and the resources involve using ICT. An e-Leader must be both business and ICT-savvy.' They mention previous studies that define e-Leaders as having T-shaped portfolio of skills (Vertical Skills- Specialized skills in specific fields like ICT, science, engineering, social sciences etc; Horizontal Skills- Transversal skills like negotiation, ciritcal thinking, design and systems thinking, business and entrepreneurship etc). Their study and research found three characteristics that represent e-Leaders - (1) Innovation is central in e-Leaders' organisations, and the e-Leaders are the force driving innovation. (2) e-Leaders exploit digital trends. SMAC (Social, Mobility, Analytics and Cloud) tech were exploited. (3) e-Leaders envision and drive change for business performance. Their study also found that to develop e-Leaders requires a variety of educational ecosystem actions. There is learning need in some specialized and technical areas alongwith strong need for developing transversal skills. Multiple channels and formats are required to continuously update and upgrade e-Leaderships skills like MOOCs, blended education, short courses etc. Both traditional and new age learning systems are to be utilized for effective learning. Read on...
Forbes: Anatomy of an e-Leader
Authors: Álvaro Arenas, José Esteves
Technology-driven transformation of healthcare is happening in multiple ways. Shomit Ghose of ONSET Ventures explains how medical care is shifting from physician-focused dynamic to patient-focused dynamic through collection and assessment of individual data directly, independent of the physician encounters. According to him, 'Going forward, our cell phones and wearables will be by far our biggest source of health-related data, providing a continuous stream of information that promises, for the first time, to enable the practice of "continuous healthcare". This data is collected non-invasively and will specifically help us understand how patient behaviors affect patient outcomes.' He further explains, 'Continuous healthcare brings a brand new class of fine-grained behavioral data into the clinical assessment process. Further, the provision of this type of real-time data at population scale allows strong correlations to be made between best practices in health and best outcomes. Continuous data, when supplemented with other data sources, promises to revolutionize the current methods of population health, including the monitoring of disease and disease vectors in real time.' This data-driven continuous digital healthcare, with its ubiquitous nature and low-cost, has potential to serve communities and regions that are deprived of basic healthcare infrastructure and facilities of the present medical systems. But providers also have to overcome the concerns of privacy and security to realize the full benefits of digital healthcare. Read on...
VentureBeat: Continuous healthcare - Big data and the future of medicine
Author: Shomit Ghose
Marketing strategies for startups are different from established companies as they have limited budget and resources. Over the years SEO (Search Engine Optimization) has evolved due to changes and improvements in search engine technologies. SEO strategies for today require a fresh look to keep business relevant in search engine results. John Rampton, entrepreneur and president of Adogy, provides 10 suggestions for startups to develop effective SEO to market their business - (1) Figure Out Your Target Keywords (2) Mobile Friendly is a Necessity (3) Simple is Usually Better (4) Develop and Follow a Marketing Strategy (5) Leverage the Power of Infographics (6) Prioritize (7) Figure Out Your Social Networking Channels (8) Link Building (9) Keep Your Content Relevant (10) Analytics are your Friend. Read on...
Forbes: 10 SEO Tips For Marketing Your Startup in 2015
Author: John Rampton
Companies are targeting their product and service offerings to the growing Millennial market. Pew Research predicts that this year Millennials, with 75 million people in US under 34, will overtake the Baby Boomers. But the question is: Should the companies consider Millennials as homogeneous entity and design their products and services accordingly? Authors, Timothy Morey and Allison Schoop of frog (a global product and strategy design firm), argue that to design offerings with exclusive focus on generational cohorts will result in meaningless or potentially damaging outcomes. There is little that unites them totally. According to them, 'A better approach is to design for archetypes that are representative of certain attitudinal and behavioral traits, and then combine these with social, market and emerging technology trends-all things that transcend age or generation. Defining an ideal customer for a potential product or service using broader human themes allows you to create solutions that resonate with a larger group of people.' They further explain, 'Far too many companies take a "product-out" view of segmentation, where they essentially ask their customers to line up around their products by demographics such as age or income. They should take an "outside-in" view that orients its products around their customers' attitudes and behaviors instead. Meeting the functional and emotional needs of a group of people is much more likely to generate transformative results than targeting a generational cohort with tenuous links.' Read on...
Harvard Business Review: Stop Designing for Millennials
Authors: Timothy Morey, Allison Schoop
Diversity in nonprofit boards and leadership is an essential element of governance. It helps in bringing different perspectives and expertise in the decision-making process and affects the culture and dynamics of the nonprofit boards. Team of researchers led by Professor Garry W. Jenkins of The Ohio State University undertook the study to understand the ways in which the composition of the nonprofit boards has evolved in recent years in US. They examined the biographies of governing directors in 1989 and 2014 of three sets of nonprofit organizations: major private research universities, elite small liberal arts colleges, and prominent New York City cultural and health institutions. According to Prof. Jenkins, 'The most striking finding was the sizable presence and growth on charitable boards of those whose primary professional background and skill set were drawn from the financial services industry. The tally indicates that the percentage of people from finance on the boards virtually doubled at all three types of nonprofits between 1989 and 2014.' Another important takeaway from the study is the presence of high percentage of board leadership positions from the finance sector (Liberal Arts Colleges - 44%, New York City Nonprofits - 44%, Private Universities - 56%). Prof. Jenkins while mentioning the 2012 figures for finance sector contribution to GDP (7.9%) and employment (6% of private non-farm workforce) explains, 'If nonprofit boards were composed of a representative group of people from society, one would expect trustees with a finance background to represent roughly 6 to 8 percent of board members. Instead, according to our research, trustees with professional backgrounds and skills primarily from the financial services industry represent about four times that number.' While answering about this shift in composition of nonprofit boards, Prof. Jenkins says, 'Nonprofit organizations are simply following the money. Driven by the heightened pressure and expectations to raise ever larger sums, nonprofit boards and managers are selecting new board members with an eye toward those with the greatest capacity for making "transformative gifts."' The dominance of financiers in the nonprofit boards also influences the working dynamics of the board with inclusion of specific practices, approaches and priorities (Data-driven decision making; Emphasis on metrics; Prioritizing impact and competition; Managing with 3-5 years horizons and plans; Advocating executive-style leadership; Compensation etc). Although these practices do have benefits for nonprofits, but at the same time too much financial and business-like emphasis in the functioning of the board may have adverse impact on charitable goals and objectives. For the long-term success and effectiveness of the nonprofit boards the need would be to balance the composition of the board with inclusion of individuals that have expertise and skills in different fields alongwith consideration of racial and gender diversity, minority representation etc. Read on...
Stanford Social Innovation Review: The Wall Street Tak
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South Fremantle (@1.61) vs Claremont (@2.25)
South Fremantle will win
South Fremantle vs Claremont
South Fremantle – Claremont Match Prediction | 14-09-2019 19:10
Across the weekend Subiacos Womens team will take on Swan Districts on Saturday with game bounce down at 2pm. Subiacos Rogers Cup team will be looking to keep their grand finals chance alive as they take on East Fremantle prior to the league match with bounce down at 11:20pm.Subiaco Reserves will also clash on the Sunday prior to the League game against East Fremantle.
But really to the 20-minute mark of the last quarter we were pretty good when the game was there to be won. They kicked a couple of goals late but I thought early in the last quarter when it was really on the line that we were pretty good. ANSWER: We always thought that they would come out and be super competitive. We ran out of gas a little bit and they were always going to keep coming and go super attacking at the end. Sometimes it's hard for you when you know you are definitely playing next week and we're trying to manage a few sore blokes. We were a bit scrappy in that first half and probably didnt take our chances or advantage of some of our opportunity by kicking poorly. QUESTION: How did you come away feeling after that win over West Perth?
No doubt South Fremantle will bring their best footy to Leederville Oval, as they look to headline in the WAFL Grand FInal. South Fremantle have been able to play some quality football throughout the season which has ultimately led them to this weeks 2ndsemi-final after finishing in 2ndspot on the ladder. Last weeks match against Claremont saw them walk away with a seven-point win after the Tigers kicking ten consecutive goals, after being behind by 39points at three-quarter-time.
NAIDOC Round Preview v Claremont
Match odds (1X2). Automated self-learning system which crunches numbers to predict results of Australian Rules games with high accuracy. Now there is no doubt that with so many variables, betting on sport is risky business. Here are all of our Australian Rules betting tips for today and tonight. Free mathematical Australian Rules/Australian Rules predictions and tips to help you to choose the best picks for you. Free mathematical Australian Rules/Australian Rules predictions and tips. 1X2, Under/Over 2.5 goals, HT/FT tips, Both to score.Sportus thousands of betting tips added daily across 13 sports. But with the right Australian Rules prediction app, you can be sure of making your bets based on more than just your gut feeling.
AFL Betting tips and match previews for the Australian Football League including how to bet on AFL in Australia. While the VFL moved into the 20th century as the leading competition, the VFA remained nearly as strong into the 1920s. Its game that is pretty much exclusively played in Australia and the only professional league of its kind, the Australian Football League (AFL) is also situated there. Players can tackle using their hands or use their whole body to obstruct opponents. Our experts provide in-depth analysis surrounding recent form and head-to-head records, perfect for those looking to gain an advantage ahead of kick-off. Our Australian Rules Betting experts give you their latest Tips and Predictions. Many players affectionate with the sport may call it a mix of footy, football, Aussie rules and Australian rules. Learn how to Bet on Aussie Rules Football & conquer advanced Aussie Rules Football Betting tips & strategies. In 1925 the VFL added VFA clubs Footscray, Hawthorn, and North Melbourne, giving the league 12 teams. Sportus.com writers provide you with free AFL betting tips and predictions, The Australian Football League (AFL) is the heart and soul of Australia. The match preview to the Australian Rules match vs compares both teams and includes the latest matches of the teams, the match facts, head to head (h2h), over/under statistics, table standings, match strengths and at least a computer calculated match prediction. One of the most popular sports in Australia is Australian rules football, with the AFL. Aussie Rules has been around since 1841 in some form or another. Possession of the ball is in dispute at all times except when a free kick or mark is paid. Below, we will list the types of Aussie Rules betting markets and hopefully you'll be ready to place your bets! vs : Australian Rules Predictions, Tips & Statistics, The most detailed statistics and predictions ahead of the League match between vs , Aussie Rules statistics, team information, match predictions, bet tips, expert reviews, bet information. Dangerous physical contact (such as pushing an opponent in the back), interference when marking and deliberately slowing the play are discouraged with free kicks, distance penalties or suspension for a certain number of matches, depending on the seriousness of the infringement. The game features frequent physical contests, spectacular marking, fast movement of both players and the ball and high scoring.
"With the way the ladder is, it's fairly likely we'll either end up second or third anyway so whether we play at home or away, we dont care too much to be honest. We think we are just as hard a team to beat as we are at home, we've had a pretty good record as an away team.
Coming off a one-week bye and prior to this a 63-point win against East Perth, the Lions will be looking to maintain strong form across the field. Subiaco has well and truly shown their dominance and strong ability to move the ball forward and hit the scoreboard effectively throughout the entire 2019 Optus WAFL Premiership Season.
In wet weather conditions, Subiaco showed their experience and strength andtherefore enabled them to play some quality footy. The last time Subiaco clashed with South Fremantle was in round 11, which saw Subiaco win by 33 points.
Jessica Andrade / Weili Zhang Prediction
Matt Mitrione / Sergei Kharitonov Prediction
Valentin Moldavsky / Timothy Johnson Prediction
Warrington Wolves / St Helens Prediction
Carlos Taberner / Daniel Gimeno-Traver Prediction
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Elicitations
Upcoming Issues | CFPs
The Moldy Strategy
8-2 Table of Contents | http://dx.doi.org/10.17742/IMAGE.LD.8.2.9 | HernándezPDF
Antonia Hernández | Concordia University
The Moldy Strategy (video, 38’)
The Moldy Strategy is part of a series of art experiments that interrogate what we do when we live with a digital network. In this video, mold, a common inhabitant of the house, performs under a microscope and becomes a vehicle for thinking through the network. It is an exploration of the ecology of the home that renders as an opportunity to speculate on complex interactions and companionships among all sort of components, including software and non-human bodies, data and space.
The Moldy Strategy proposes to observe a digital network as a circulation of affects, a transactional reality that, rather than being constrained to a computer screen, involves the domestic space and the bodies of their inhabitants. It is an exercise in thinking through the speculative (but possible) encounters with mold that gives insight into the nature and behaviour of that network, as well as clues about an imagined non-human domesticity.
Mold appears here not as a metaphor for a network but rather as a vehicle that allows the imagination of some virtualities discarded in a human-based model. By stressing the importance of non-human elements, an affective consideration of the ecology of domestic space shows how bits from different sorts can be mixed, creating new and unexpected entities. An exploration of domesticity in a networked context offers an opportunity to reflect on the entangled relationship between bodies and media, physicality, and metaphorical language. This complex interaction presents an alternative perspective to the current uniform model and vocabulary used to describe any kind of network, while taking into account processes, influences, and relationships among their components.
Further information at artwork.cordltx.org/the-moldy-strategy/
The Moldy Strategy would never have been possible without the support of Dr. Tagny Duff and FluxMedia, and Dr. Kim Sawchuk and the Mobile Media Lab, both at Concordia University.
Featured Image Credit: Antonia Hernández
This article is licensed under a Creative Commons 4.0 International License although certain works referenced herein may be separately licensed, or the author has exercised their right to fair dealing under the Canadian Copyright Act.
Markus Reisenleitner, Editor-in-Chief
237 Vanier College, York University
M3J 1P3
Email: mrln@yorku.ca
Open Access and Licensing Policy
Imaginations is committed to ensuring that ethical standards are met at all stages of the publication process.
Imaginations est dévouée à s’assurer que des standards étiques sont respectés tout au long du processus de publication.
Copyright © 2015 · All Rights Reserved · Imaginations · ISSN 1918-8439
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The David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies
About David S. Wyman
About the Wyman Institute
The Wyman Institute In The News
The Abandonment of the Jews
The Jews Should Keep Quiet
Blowing the Whistle on Genocide
Cartoonists Against the Holocaust
The Student Struggle Against the Holocaust
FDR and The Holocaust: A Breach of Faith
A Race Against Death: Peter Bergson, America, and the Holocaust
Millions of Jews to Rescue
George McGovern and the bombing of Auschwitz
Video Interview with Josiah E. DuBois, Jr
The Bergson Group, A History in Photographs
The Bergson Group, Leadership
The Bergson Group, We Will Never Die
The Bergson Group, Emergency Conference
The Bergson Group, The Rabbis March
The Bergson Group, Capitol Hill
The Bergson Group, A Flag is Born
The Bergson Group, Voyage of the Ben Hecht
The Day the Rabbis Marched
The Day the Rabbis Marched, History and Impact of the March
The Day the Rabbis Marched, Documents
The Day the Rabbis Marched, Testimonials from relatives of those that marched
The Day the Rabbis Marched, Did your father or relative march?
January 19, 2016 Wyman Institute Books Comments Off on A Race Against Death: Peter Bergson, America, and the Holocaust
In his landmark bestseller, The Abandonment of the Jews, David Wyman exhaustively detailed America’s failure to help rescue the victims of Nazi genocide. But one man, Peter Bergson, led a tireless battle against that tide of indifference, making it impossible for American leaders to plead ignorance of the German atrocities. Now, Wyman, along with Rafael Medoff, tells for the first time the story of the man who led America’s most effective campaign to rescue victims of the Holocaust.
A Race Against Death utilizes extensive firsthand interviews to present Peter Bergson’s own account of his remarkable life and struggles. Facing deportation from America and threats on his life, Bergson employed every conceivable method to influence policy and public opinion: he personally hounded Congressmen to support a rescue; placed controversial full-page ads in major newspapers demanding action; and drew a record crowd of 40,000 to a rally and memorial pageant at Madison Square Garden.
Award-winning historian David Wyman is the definitive authority on America’s action—and inaction—during the Holocaust. In A Race Against Death, he and Rafael Medoff return to this tragic era in American history and chronicle one of its few heroes.
TO ORDER: Available for $15 plus $2.50 postage from the Wyman Institute. Click here to order.
David WymanPeter Bergson
Previous Post:A Holocaust Scholar who Stepped into Israel’s History
Next Post:The Student Struggle Against the Holocaust
WYMAN INSTITUTE AND SMITHSONIAN COLLABORATE ON HISTORY PROJECTS
As part of a new collaborative relationship, Wyman Institute director Rafael Medoff was recently invited to take part in an event at the Smithsonian Institution commemorating the 75th anniversary of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s order authorizing the mass internment of Japanese-Americans.
Dr. Medoff also spoke as part of a Smithsonian panel at the annual conference of the American Alliance of Museums, held at the America’s Center convention complex, in St. Louis. The panel was called “TransformiveEd: Exploring Difficult Subjects through Comics”; Dr. Medoff discussed the Wyman Institute’s use of comics, cartoons and animation to teach about the Holocaust.
The panel also included Evan Keeling of the Smithsonian, artists Liz Laribee and Jason Rodriguez, and Jenny Robb, director of the Billy Ireland Comic Library and Museum at Ohio State University, which is the largest comic library in the world.
Wyman Comic Wins Silver Medal
The Wyman Institute's comic book, Karski’s Mission: To Stop the Holocaust, has been awarded a Silver Medal in the 21st annual Independent Publisher Awards.
Karski's Mission, which was authored by Wyman Institute director Rafael Medoff and illustrated by renowned comic book artist Dean Motter, was awarded the Silver Medal in the category of "Graphic Novel/Drawn Book – Drama/Documentary category."
Karski's Mission is based on the true story of Jan Karski (1914-2000), a Polish Catholic and member of the Polish Underground during World War II, who risked his life to bring Allied leaders his eyewitness account of the ongoing slaughter of the Jews in Nazi-occupied Poland.
Karski's Mission, which was co-published by the Wyman Institute and the Jan Karski Educational Foundation, received additional support from Fundacja Edukacyjna Jana Karskiego, the Association of Friends of the Polish History Museum, Sigmund A. Rolat (chairman of the Wyman Institute's board of directors), Carole Bilina, and John McLees. With assistance from the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, a Polish-language edition of Karski's Mission is now being used widely in schools in Poland.
See the full list of 2017 medalists
Wyman Institute most frequently published topics
A Flag is Born American Jewish Congress Anne Frank antisemitism Atrocities Prevention Board Auschwitz Ben Hecht Breckinridge Long Columbia University Darfur genocide David Ben-Gurion Dr. Rafael Medoff Elie Wiesel Genocide George McGovern Henry Morgenthau Jr. Hillel Kook Hitler International Criminal Court Irgun Zvai Leumi Jewish refugees Kristallnacht pogrom Marlon Brando Nazi genocide Obama administration Palestine Palestinian Authority Peter Bergson President Bush President Obama President Roosevelt Prof. Laurel Leff Rabbi Stephen S. Wise Raoul Wallenberg Roosevelt administration Sudan Syria The Abandonment of the Jews The Bergson Group United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Varian Fry War Refugee Board Winston Churchill Yad Vashem Zionism
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Last Updated: Saturday, 11 August 2007, 09:23 GMT 10:23 UK
Venice bridge operation under way
Hundreds of people watched parts of the bridge being moved down the canal
Work is beginning to fix the first bridge to be added to Venice's Grand Canal in decades into place.
The canal's fourth bridge will be jacked up and lowered into place between two steel side buttresses.
Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava designed the structure which has attracted controversy over how it will affect the Italian city's landscape.
Parts of the 55-metre bridge were transported down the canal, past the Rialto Bridge, earlier this week.
This project will link the city's train station with the Piazzale Roma, a car and bus terminal on the other side of the canal.
Officials believe the bridge is necessary because of the increasing number of activities which will be held in Roma Square.
The 10m euros project ($13.6m, £6.4m), which is expected to be finished by the end of the year, will include the introduction of stone paving and glass railings for the bridge.
Tests on the bridge's foundation structures have also been completed.
Mr Calatrava, who designed the Athens Olympics sport complex and the Palace of the Arts in Valencia, won the bid to build the bridge in 1999.
VIDEO AND AUDIO NEWS
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25 Jan 07 | Europe
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My share in the conversation...These Dreams
Have you read These Dreams by Nicole Clarkston? If you have not, I strongly encourage you do so. Even if you are not fond of some angst, you will still find much in this novel to enjoy. Do you like reading a good story with a great Colonel Fitzwilliam? Then this story is for you. Thanks for taking some moments out of your day to stop by and read my review.
These Dreams by Nicole Clarkston
These Dreams is unequivocally, one of the best books I have ever read. It left me thinking about it for days. The author wrote a story that vividly portrays love, heartache, agony, feelings of betrayal, desperation, fear, joy, hope, romance, oh, the romance, and so much more. The narrative moved along at a steady pace, and there was nothing artificial in the solutions to the plot twists. It kept me on the edge of my seat, experiencing a multitude of emotions.
The story begins with Darcy arranging the marriage of Wickham and Lydia. While doing a kindness to an unknown person, he is knocked unconscious, kidnapped, and transported to Portugal. A body, found in the streets and dressed in Darcy’s clothes, leads his family to believe he is dead! This was such a difficult part, and I could hardly wait for answers. Thankfully, we are quick to learn that he lives, but his family is not as fortunate as the reader.
The one thing that keeps Darcy going is Elizabeth. No matter how horribly he is treated, no matter how alone he feels, he has hope in the darkest of those moments. He sees Elizabeth in his dreams, he hears her in his thoughts, and he feels her touch.
Elizabeth, in despair of all that could have been, grieves for the loss of the best man she has ever known. Her feelings for Darcy had changed but she had not the opportunity to tell him. That alone, increases her anguish thinking he never knew of her love. Life for Lizzy becomes almost unbearable. Lizzy’s only comfort comes in her dreams, asleep or awake. There she hears and sees Darcy. She feels his arms around her. She talks with him. What can this mean? Is she losing her mind?
The deep emotions that both Darcy and Lizzy experience and the unfathomable love they share, connect them in a way that is poignant and thrilling. I shed tears many times as these scenes evoked strong feeling and touched me deeply. They were tormenting and enchanting at the same time.
Colonel Fitzwilliam cannot get past the feeling that Darcy lives. Thankfully, he never gives up his quest for the truth. At Colonel Fitzwilliams’ request, Elizabeth stays with Georgiana at Pemberley, and Lydia tags along. Lydia is a light spot in this tale and totally unpredictable. She was refreshing and fun. In the search for what happened to Darcy, dear Colonel Fitzwilliam meets up with his past. What a thrill it was to have him play such a leading role. At times, he stole the show and it was delightful!
When Darcy makes his way back to England, the author allows Darcy time to heal, to learn to trust again, to regain his strength of character, his physical strength, and once again, to be the Darcy who is ready to fight for those he loves and for what is his. Watching him go from near broken back to confident and strong because of love, was both heart-wrenching and inspirational. The story comes full circle when the author reveals the who and the why of Darcy’s capture and imprisonment, bringing a satisfying conclusion to an awesome novel.
Nicole Clarkston was not afraid to tackle a tough premise, and she did it skillfully, with ease and authenticity. The story flows and never skips a beat. I didn’t want to put it down. If you have yet to read These Dreams, I cannot recommend it highly enough. Get it and read it as soon as you can. It is a book you will not soon forget. Well done, Nicole Clarkston!
If you have read These Dreams, what are some of your thoughts? I would love to know what you think. If you haven't, what are you waiting for? I'm giving away the eBook to help you get started. Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM on the 5th of March! The giveaway is international. Good luck!
Nicole Clarkston is also the author of two North & South variations, No Such Thing as Luck, Northern Rain, and two other Pride and Prejudice variations, Rumours & Recklessness, The Courtship of Edward Gardiner.
The February Author of the Month at From Pemberley to Milton, Rita Deodato's blog, is Nicole Clarkston. Nicole shares an excerpt from each of her works in progress. Stop by and comment for a chance to win No Such Thing as Luck.
Posted by Janet T at 5:16 PM 33 comments:
Wickham Is Besotted...Don Jacobson
Mr. Wickham, during an interview by a reporter from The Times, opens up much more than I would have expected. I was pleasantly surprised by his frankness and his admissions.
This character interview of Lieutenant George Percival Wickham has been composed in the form of a short vignette which, if it had been included in The Exile: The Countess Visits Longbourn, would have fallen within Chapter XXXIV of the book. © 2018 by Don Jacobson. Publication or other use of this work without the expressed written consent of the creator is prohibited. Published in the United States of America.
This is a re-post from Barbara Tiller Cole's blog, Darcyholic Diversions. Barbara was unable to post on her original date, February 24th, and it seems most people missed the later date, February 25th, as it was not on the schedule. Due to the subject and information revealed, this interview deserves a second chance at being seen. Thanks for taking the time to stop by and get to know the new and improved George Wickham. :)
March 24, 1815,
A café in Hietzinger Hauptstraße opposite Schöbrunn Palace, Vienna
The man stepped from the street into the café. His black suit, if one looked closely, betrayed considerable wear with fraying threads drooping from the cuffs of the jacket’s sleeves and his pant legs. Shiny spots and knees and elbows likewise suggested that his chosen trade paid little and irregularly at that. His deep-set eyes scanned the tables distributed around the cheerily decorated room, candlelit now even though the first day of spring had heralded longer days. Finding his desired target, he doffed his hat, ran his fingers through unkempt brown hair, and wove between guests and furniture toward a lone British officer seated by a window looking out onto the boulevard.
While the city was full of officers of all stripes given the Great Congress, this man, handsome to be sure, was one of the lowliest but, in his own way, one of the most important—at least to a reporter for The Times. He was only a lieutenant in a city where colonels were often used to fill gaps on the lower end of countesses’ tables. However, his regimental facings were easily identified as being of the 33rd Infantry, Wellington’s Own. That and the silver cords of an aide de camp looping down from his left epaulet made him the object of the journalist’s desire.
Reaching his destination, the fellow unceremoniously dropped into the vacant chair opposite the lieutenant. Barely acknowledged by his quarry, the reporter dug into a pocket under his left lapel. Successfully removing a well-folded and somewhat grubby newspaper he dropped the publication next to the officer’s cup of chocolate. Using an ink-stained finger, he stabbed at a column-length article under a screaming header.
Without ceremony he addressed the Lieutenant, “What you gave me a few weeks ago was pure gold, Wickham. My editor is beside himself wondering what comes next. And if John Stoddart[i] is asking, that means that everybody from the Prince Regent to the charwoman at Carlton House wants to know.
“And that means, I need to know what the Duke plans to do now that the Emperor is back in Paris.”
George Wickham grinned back at the earnest newshound. Brigadier Fitzwilliam, his master, already had given him his remit: he was to feed Tomlinson exactly what the Duke was planning to do.
As his old playmate had put it, “Well, George, his Grace wants that bloody man to come to him. Rather than leave him to wonder, we will let him know exactly where to find us.
“So, tell the Times that the Coalition will defend the path to Antwerp somewhere outside of Brussels. We will feed his spies the same information, thus confirming one with the other. With luck, Napoleon will have to prove his claim to the throne by showing his followers that he can defeat our best and avenge Leipzig and Toulouse. That means he will want to take on Wellington.
“But he still has to raise his force and arm his men. So do we. That should take the better part of two months, time enough for us to scarper from Vienna up to Brussels with stops along the way to get our Allies committed to sending their troops to the Low Countries. Nothing should happen until sometime in early June.”
In several curt sentences delivered in low tones to convey the seriousness of the information, Wickham passed on the general outlines of Wellington’s plans. Tomlinson had fished out a pencil stub and took notes at a furious pace. In a few minutes, all was as the Duke wished it to be. Wickham signaled a waiter who bowed over the table before scuttling off with Tomlinson’s order.
While he had fulfilled his commission, Wickham still had something else he wanted to cover with the scribe. However, he did not know how to begin.
Tomlinson sensed his hesitation and employed his own interrogator’s skill.
“How long have we known one-another, Wickham? Four, five years? Certainly since before your marriage. When was that? The year ’11? So, at least five years. You crossed my path when you were still one of the ‘leading lights’ of the demimonde.
“But, since then, I have heard just that little tidbit about you and some elderly French Countess. After that, nothing,” Tomlinson quizzed.
Wickham sighed and leaned back into his seat. He tipped his head to the side and regarded the reporter much as a bull mastiff would consider a puppy intent upon disturbing his afternoon nap in the sun; he wondered how much energy he would expend explaining himself. Eventually he chose to offer some meat to cover the bones knowing that Tomlinson would be more inclined to fulfill Wickham’s request if he understood what rested behind it.
In the same low tone he had used before, thus, he hoped, placing the information on par with his earlier tip, Wickham related his thoughts, “I am not the man you first met. On the contrary, that young lady who married me has become quite dear. That tittle-tattle your gossipmonger printed back in December ’11 could have sorely hurt Mrs. Wickham’s trusting heart.
“You know she is nearly three-and-ten years my junior. I will own that my motives for marrying her were less than honorable, but shortly after we were wed, I began to reconsider the path down which the currents of life had been carrying me. I began to find that I wanted to comport myself in a manner that would give credit to my name and raise myself in her eyes.”
Tomlinson interjected, “So, poor fool that you are, you fell in love with your wife?”
Wickham chuckled, a relaxed smile easing his features, and replied, “There you have it. George Wickham, dissolute rake and gambler, had his locks shorn by a Delilah from Hertfordshire. Yes, I will own up to it; I have discovered that I love my wife. She has made me a better man, although, the Good Lord knows that anyone could have made me better given the state of my soul at the time.
“But, Mrs. Wickham made me think. And, then she captured me lock, stock, and barrel one chilly January eve early in ’12. After that, I really changed my ways.”
So saying, he raised his cup of chocolate in silent salute to a woman who waited for his return at her old family home, although she was in mourning for her father’s recent passing. They had rarely been together since the Second Battalion had posted to Portugal in the spring of 1812. Lieutenants were not colonels or majors. Unlike in the past years, leave had not been granted often to any officers as Wellesley pursued the French from Iberia across the Pyrrenes and into the Midi. However, there was a lively correspondence between himself and Lydia, augmented by another stream between his color sergeant, Henry Wilson, and his wife, the former Laura Jenkinson. Wickham read his letters from Lydia to an attentive Wilson while the blonde giant related his from Laura. Between the two of them, they managed to patch together a fairly clear picture of the goings-on in Meryton.
Then he continued, “I have truly come to treasure my wife. But, I am worried about what the future will bring. There are no guarantees in my business. The fight we are going into will be desperate indeed…and the infantry will take the worst of it. A voltagieur could easily place a ball between wind and water (his hand touched first his shoulder and then dropped to his stomach) and put paid to old George. Rather not think about what a 32 pounder from the Beast’s le Brutal would do to me.
“I have made sure she will be provided for. I’ve invested in a closed trust set up by some of those clever men from the City. But, money is not the sort of legacy I want to leave. I wasted too many years chasing gold. I have something else much more important to my posterity.
“No, t’is nothing anyone else would care about. But, I think Lydie would find comfort that her husband had grown to be more akin to her other brothers who are serious, thoughtful, and upright men.”
He reached underneath the table and pulled out a leather valise, its straps securely buckled. The thump it made when he dropped it to the table was noticeable, giving testament to the weight of what was contained inside.
Wickham added, “This is my journal. I have been writing in it since December of ’11. I am going to presume that you will read it, however, I beg of you to give me your word of honor that you will not publish a word of it, and that you will deliver it only to me if I survive or my wife if I do not. If the latter, make whatever arrangements with Mrs. Wickham you will.
“I would, however, remind you that those brothers I mentioned are Fitzwilliam Darcy and Charles Bingley. Her uncle is Edward Gardiner. Between the three of them, they could buy your great newspaper and use every copy they print to wrap fish from Wapping to the mouth of the Estuary.”
Having said his piece, he pushed the case across the table into Tomlinson’s waiting hands. The Lieutenant stood and shook hands with his messenger. He then shook the other’s hand, gave him a quick nod, and, wrapping his cloak around him against the Austrian chill, swiftly strode out the door into history.
&&&&&
The Bennet Wardrobe books are best read in the following order:
The Keeper: Mary Bennet’s Extraordinary Journey
Henry Fitzwilliam’s War
The Exile: Kitty Bennet and the Belle Époque
Lizzy Bennet Meets the Countess
The Exile: The Countess Visits Longbourn
[i] Editor of The Times of London from 1812 to 1816
Buy Links: Paperback & Kindle
Feb. 14 Austenesque Reviews; Guest Post, Excerpt, GA
Feb. 15 My Jane Austen Book Club; Guest Post, GA
Feb. 17 My Love for Jane Austen; Character Interview, GA
Feb. 19 So little time… Excerpt, GA
Feb. 20 Interests of a Jane Austen Girl; Review, GA
Feb. 21 Babblings of a Bookworm; Guest Post, GA
Feb. 23 More Agreeably Engaged; Review, Excerpt, GA
Feb. 25 Darcyholic Diversions; Character Interview, GA
Feb. 26 From Pemberley to Milton; Excerpt
Feb. 27 More Agreeably Engaged; Character Interview, GA
Feb. 28 Just Jane 1813; Review, GA
Mar. 2 Diary of an Eccentric; Guest Post, Excerpt, GA
Mar. 3 My Vices and Weaknesses; Author Interview, GA
Mar. 5 Laughing With Lizzie; Guest Post, GA
What do you think of Wickham now? I like how Mr. Jacobson has revealed this new side of him. How about you? I would love to have your share in the conversation so please leave your thoughts in the comments below.
If you have not read my review of The Exile: The Countess Visits Longbourn, and would like to, click here. It is toward the bottom of the post. Thanks for stopping by.
If you want to enter for a chance to win one of ten eBooks or one of two Paperbacks, use the Rafflecopter below. By re-posting the Wickham interview, you get more chances to win! :)
Posted by Janet T at 10:11 AM 18 comments:
My share in the conversation...The Exile: The Countess Visits Longbourn
It's a pleasure to participate in Don Jacobson's blog tour for his latest book in the The Bennet Wardrobe series, The Exile: The Countess Visits Longbourn. I am sharing my thoughts on the book and Don is sharing an excerpt that you are going to love. I know I did when I read the book.
My review follows the excerpt, but before getting to the review and excerpt, let's take a look at the blurb and learn more about Don.
“I have been shaped by the events of over forty years. The world is a nasty place full of awful persons, Mr. Wickham, and does not get any lighter through complaining or blaming.”
The Countess: An Enigma? A Mystery? Or a young girl all-grown-up?
Kitty Bennet, the fourth daughter of the Master and Mistress of Longbourn, had spent far too long as the shadow of her youngest sister. The all-knowing Meryton chinwaggers suggested that young Miss Bennet needed education—and quickly.
How right they were…but the type of instruction Kitty Bennet received, and the where/when in which she matriculated was far beyond their ken. For they knew nothing of that remarkable piece of furniture which had been part of the lives of clan Bennet for over 120 years: The Bennet Wardrobe.
Forty-six years from when she left her Papa’s bookroom, the Dowager Countess of Matlock returned to that exact same moment in 1811 to tend to many important pieces of Family business.
In the process, Kitty Fitzwilliam helped her youngest sister find the love she craved with the hero who, as the Duke said, “saved us all.”
Who can resist the magic of time-travel? Pages of worldwide history rustle back and forth between Regency grand salons, Napoleonic battlefields and more recent conflicts as, guided by Don Jacobson’s masterful pen, the Bennet sisters grow as people and come into their own. ‘The Countess Visits Longbourn’ is a wonderful new instalment, and we cannot fail to revel in the excellent writing and the abundance of detail as the mysteries of the Wardrobe continue to unfold. This captivating series, that brings together real and much-loved fictional characters from all walks of life, is one to savour, and I will revisit it again and again.
Joana Starnes, author of Miss Darcy’s Companion
Don Jacobson has written professionally for forty years. His output has ranged from news and features to advertising, television and radio. His work has been nominated for Emmys and other awards. He has previously published five books, all non-fiction. In 2016, he published the first volume of The Bennet Wardrobe Series—The Keeper: Mary Bennet’s Extraordinary Journey, novel that grew from two earlier novellas. The Exile is the second volume of The Bennet Wardrobe Series. Other JAFF P&P Variations include the paired books “Of Fortune’s Reversal” and “The Maid and The Footman.”
Jacobson holds an advanced degree in History with a specialty in American Foreign Relations. As a college instructor, Don teaches United States History, World History, the History of Western Civilization and Research Writing.
He is a member of JASNA-Puget Sound. Likewise, Don is a member of the Austen Authors collective (see the internet, Facebook and Twitter).
He lives in the Seattle, WA area with his wife and co-author, Pam, a woman Ms. Austen would have been hard-pressed to categorize, and their rather assertive four-and-twenty pound cat, Bear. Besides thoroughly immersing himself in the JAFF world, Don also enjoys cooking; dining out, fine wine and well-aged scotch whiskey.
His other passion is cycling. Most days from April through October will find him “putting in the miles” around the Seattle area (yes there are hills). He has ridden several “centuries” (100 mile days). Don is especially proud that he successfully completed the AIDS Ride—Midwest (500 miles from Minneapolis to Chicago) and the Make-A-Wish Miracle Ride (300 miles from Traverse City, MI to Brooklyn, MI).
This excerpt from Chapter XXVII of “The Exile: The Countess Visits Longbourn,” brings you into a waiting area in the offices of Wilson and Hunters, the Bennet family’s London solicitors. The pas de deux between Laura Jenkinson, the spinster sister-in-law of Mrs. Jenkinson who works as a lady’s companion in Kent, and Sergeant Henry Wilson, late of the South Essex Regiment are the first shots in a relationship that will help shape aspects of the Wardrobe’s Universe.
This excerpt is ©2018 by Donald P. Jacobson. Reproduction in any form of this work without the expressed written consent of the creator is prohibited. Published in the United States of America.
Laura Jenkinson settled herself in one of the well-stuffed chairs. The modest waiting area was made cozy by a coal-fed blaze sputtering in the hearth. Never one to leave things to chance, the companion pulled a small folio containing nearly a dozen foolscap quarto sheets from her reticule.[i] She then settled herself in for a wait—long or short. Luckily, Miss J was familiar with the tightly crabbed hand that had copied out the extensive fragment entitled Canto The First. She would have been otherwise utterly out-to-sea as she read the poetry that covered the slightly yellowed fine linen paper.
To this point, she had only briefly noticed the giant footman standing adjacent to the mantle, so placid was he, although not in a bovine nature, but rather akin to a South American jaguar poised upon a branch observing fauna passing unawares underneath. There was a tension which emanated from him, a controlled fury awaiting release, although not born of anger, but rather a potential for unknown action, either for good or not. Beyond that, though, she expected to consign him to blend into the woodwork, as was the nature of her class: servants were seen only when needed.
Yet, he defied this normal practice simply through his presence which overwhelmed her efforts to ignore him: first unconsciously and then with awakened sentiments as she tried to concentrate on the writing spread across the leaves resting in her lap. Even though she kept her head bowed, Laura could not avoid the sense of his thereness. T’was not his massive frame, towering well over six feet nor his near white blond hair above eyes bluer than the skies above the North Sea on a midsummer’s day. His body, broad—impossibly wide—at the shoulders, v’ed down to narrow hips leaving the impression of an inverted arrowhead. His entire being—both physical and spiritual—unsettled her in a manner thoroughly unfamiliar.
He wore a livery with which she was not acquainted: black wool of the finest quality—cashmere, perhaps—and richly dyed, with gold frogging anchoring richly embossed buttons. The device embroidered on his coat’s left breast, a deeply entwined “M and H,” bore testament to his position as a member of a household of note.
His eyes stopped their perpetual perambulation around the room and concentrated on her. She could feel their boring gaze penetrating through the brim of her bonnet as it blinkered her vision. Her inner self trembled under the intensity of that observation, that dissection which was laying her naked before him. Soon the vibrations that had plucked her psyche’s hidden strings manifested themselves in her lightly shaking hands.
This has to stop! He is a footman…a man…no more, no less! And I am his better.
Laura raised her eyes from the poem and shot a potent look toward the servant fully expecting him to avert his attention, ignore her, and allow her to slide back into the anonymity of her position. Instead he refocused his orbs swallowing hers in their depths, further rocking her sensibilities.
The titan cleared his throat. He wished permission to address her, but was aware enough of his lowly status to petition her. She nodded her assent.
In a rolling baritone that annihilated her last defenses he spoke, not as a servant, but as an educated man, “Please forgive my forward behavior. I am aware that you are Mrs. Wickham’s companion. Since it appears that we are to be near one another for some time, I hope you will allow me to introduce myself.”
Given another stuttering nod by the young lady, he slowly continued, “I am Sergeant Henry Wilson, soon to be of Wellesley’s own 33rd, that is infantry, ma’am. I am on detached duty in the service of the House of Deauville. I accompanied my Lady here today for her meeting with your charge.”
She absorbed his military background that explained his powerful presence to her. However, his cultured speech surprised her.
This is a man who has probably spent years dispatching His Majesty’s foes. That he is a Sergeant means that he has survived long enough to be recognized by his commanders. However, he speaks as a man with education. Perhaps there is more to him than a common soldier and footman to be scorned as a creature of the slums.
She quickly and graciously responded. “I am pleased to meet you, Sergeant Wilson. I am Miss Laura Jenkinson, lately from Northumberland where I lived with my brother and his wife. However, fever swept the vicar and his children off, forcing Mrs. Jenkinson and me to find employment. I am now under the protection of young Mr. Hunters and this firm.
“As you may divine, I receive various commissions from the gentleman in exchange for my bed and board. I live at Oakham House.”
Wilson paused as pieces clicked into place.
A preacher’s sister, like dear Miss Smythe. Thankfully when Mr. Smythe passed on, he did not leave her without resources. Me and the other Mersey boys who’d made something of themselves, thanks to his ministry, worked all the bawdy houses and hellholes around the docks until we added another 100 guineas to send the poor lady off to her cousin in Bath with a decent inheritance.
Miss Jenkinson, though, has more steel in her. Not for her the predictable life of a lady’s companion…or a governess: instead she is an operator who takes the unusual and makes it her own.
And, she is all lady, not like that vacant piece of fluff who just flounced past here on her way into that meeting from which both Miss Jenkinson and I have been barred.
He frankly, but not obviously, appraised the lady’s attributes. What he saw was a full-grown woman with medium brown hair—based upon the curls that were escaping from her bonnet’s confines—and an attractive face graced with light brown eyes. A blush of health suffused her cheeks that framed a pert nose above a mouth that may have been characterized by the tabbies of the ton as unfashionably wide. When her lips parted, he could spy white teeth evenly spaced. A gentle dusting of freckles bore testament to her love of the outdoors. Little could be made of her body that was now curled in the chair. However, Wilson recalled watching her approach after she was sent back to wait. He could attest to the fact that she was neither thin nor plump and had the requisite curves in all the right places.
Her loveliness nearly unmanned him. Shaking himself, he asked Miss Jenkinson what she was reading.
Taking the opportunity to regain her composure, Laura happily replied, “This is a wonderful little bit of work by a friend of Mr. Hunters. You may have heard of him, perhaps: Mr. Gordon who is also Lord Byron.
“He has long been a friend of the Hunters family. When Mrs. Hunters, whom I attended during the last year of her life, was failing, Byron, knowing that she loved lyric poems, presented her with a rough draft of the new verses upon which he was working…Childe Burun.[ii]
“Byron is one of those new breed of poets rising in England—the Romantics.”
Wilson nodded and offered back as he, more comfortable now, circled around from his station by the hearth, and settled into a chair, “I myself favor the Romantics…in fact their Founder, Mr. Blake, is someone who has brought me comfort many a cold night on the lines in the Peninsula.
“His words speak to me and remind me of the trials and matching wonders that confront us every day.
He lifted his head and quoted, entrancing Laura with every word,
The little boy lost in the lonely fen,
Led by the wandering light,
Began to cry, but God, ever nigh,
Appeared like his father, in white.
He kissed the child, and by the hand led,
And to his mother brought,
Who in sorrow pale, through the lonely dale,
Her little boy weeping sought.[iii]
Laura was astonished at the depths to which the currents of the Sergeant’s soul ran. She could well imagine him as a child alienated from his mother through circumstances beyond his control. How Blake’s words helped him mourn his loss of a mama’s love, she knew not, but that these were the stanzas he was able to quickly quote told the tale.
However, not to be outdone, she challenged back, “Mr. Gordon has yet to fully make his name, so the comparison may be unfair. If, my fine sir, you chose to quote an established poet to me, then I can only respond with Mr. Wordsworth.”
What possessed her to select that poet or those specific verses would cause her to wonder that evening and the countless thousands more of her long and joyous life. Perhaps it was the cant of the universe at that odd moment…or not. The dice with which the gods determine the fates of men and women tumbled out of the cup to her eternal pleasure.
If I should be where I no more can hear
Thy voice, nor catch from thy wild eyes these gleams
Of past existence—wilt thou then forget
That on the banks of this delightful stream
We stood together; and that I, so long
A worshipper of Nature, hither came
Unwearied in that service: rather say
With warmer love—oh! with far deeper zeal
Of holier love. Nor wilt thou then forget,
That after many wanderings, many years
Of absence, these steep woods and lofty cliffs,
And this green pastoral landscape, were to me
More dear, both for themselves and for thy sake![iv]
The gleam in his eyes told her all. He was as captured as she. Agape exploded throughout her being.
At that exact moment, the door to Mr. Hunter’s office popped open and the Lady, her shroud lifted, strode out with Lydia and Mr. Hunters trailing behind her like two frigates attending the flagship of the fleet, eagerly awaiting their orders. Miss J and Wilson both shot to their feet and turned expectantly.
She and he both felt the Countess’ appraising glance speedily read them far better than any Gypsy fortuneteller. Then the Lady nodded and mumbled mostly for her ears only, “Hmmmpf: as I expected. Besotted!
“They are utterly lost to us. Liam and Sean were correct. The story was assuredly not apocryphal.”
[i] 6.5” X 8” See http://www.papersizes.org/old-imperial-sizes.htm accessed 12/11/17.
[ii] Byron retiled the reworked final poem and published it in 1812 as Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage.
[iii] The Little Boy Found from William Blake, Songs of Innocence (1794). https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1934/1934-h/1934-h.htm accessed 12/11/17.
[iv] William Wordsworth. Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey, On Revisiting the Banks of the Wye. July 13, 1798. (1798). https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45527/lines-composed-a-few-miles-above-tintern-abbey-on-revisiting-the-banks-of-the-wye-during-a-tour-july-13-1798
My review includes some thoughts on the Bennet Wardrobe as a whole, as well as The Exile: The Countess Visits Longbourn.
A Book Review, The Exile: The Countess Visits Longbourn by Don Jacobson
I love The Bennet Wardrobe Series and have been fascinated with it since reading the first book, The Keeper: Mary Bennet’s Extraordinary Journey. Don Jacobson is an exceptional writer and his interweaving of history, fictional characters, real-life people, and events is brilliant. He makes it all fit together seamlessly, not contrived nor forced, but realistically, as if his world was truth. It is, isn’t it?
I love that the Wardrobe takes its occupant to a place where he/she needs to go, to become the person that he/she is meant to be, to develop to their full potential. The person of Bennet blood does not have a choice of where to travel. The Wardrobe makes that decision for them.
Don Jacobson’s newest release in The Bennet Wardrobe series is the second part of book two, The Exile, with the continuation of Kitty Bennet’s story. Kitty is now Lady Kate Fitzwilliam, the Dowager Countess of Matlock, and is of an age, forty-six years more than when she first entered the Wardrobe. Kitty is at her beach house in Deauville, making plans to return to Longbourn. After much research, Kitty believes she has discovered the driving force behind the Wardrobe, and that discovery stretched her mind almost beyond what was sanely possible. ‘Without revealing her stunning conclusion’, she must make sure her father has sufficient knowledge to secure the Wardrobe and the future of the Five Families. She can scatter ‘a fistful of breadcrumbs’ without changing any events to come or destroying the purpose of the Wardrobe.
I loved reading about Kitty and her father. Per the Wardrobe rules, Kitty returns to the moment in time when she left. She is now sixty-three, but her father has not aged, thus he is younger than Kitty. It was fun to see her older than Mr. Bennet, yet at times still feeling like the girl of seventeen. How strange that must have been for them both. Lady Kate is now a strong, independent woman of means and influence. She sets some events in motion that give answers to a few things mentioned in earlier books, ah-ha moments. The inception of and the reasons for the Founder’s Letters were excellent and satisfying. There are so many neat things in this story of Kitty and her visit back to the point of her first departure. Those tasty morsels I will leave for the reader to glean themselves.
I loved learning more about Wickham and Lydia. I began to like him and that is quite unusual. Mr. Jacobson teased us well with this inclusion. Now I eagerly wait for Lydia’s book!
There are new characters, relatives of some from P&P and some that are introduced for the first time. There are minor characters from canon that are developed and grow into strong forces of nature, as the author envisions they could and will be.
At the front of each book, Mr. Jacobson gives a dramatis personae, a list of characters and from whence they came. The Gibbons’ Rules of the Wardrobe will follow this list. Next is the Bennets of Longbourn, and it is the family tree, past, present, and future. I enjoy going back and perusing these inclusions as I read each book in the series.
Toward the end of this Bennet history, Kitty travels back to the beach house in Deauville, where her future awaits. It is a touching, yet bittersweet grand finale to the story that is the life of Miss Kitty Bennet, the fourth daughter of Mr. Thomas Bennet of Longbourn. It leaves us a with a hint and hope for what awaits us in the next book.
I am amazed at the author’s ability to bring to life this universe that is the Bennet Wardrobe. He makes it a reality and keeps the telling of it, flowing smoothly and with ease. I highly recommend this series by Don Jacobson. His stories have depth and a style that move them into a league of their own. They are different from any in this genre I have read in the past. I am glad that I have had the opportunity to encounter this author and his books. Thank you, Don Jacobson.
Don Jacobson is offering a fantastic giveaway of 12 books – 10 eBooks and 2 Paperbacks. Enter the Rafflecopter for a chance to win.
Readers may enter the drawing by tweeting once a day and daily commenting on a blog post or review that has a giveaway attached for the tour. Entrants must provide the name of the blog where they commented (which will be verified). If an entrant does not do so, that entry will be disqualified. Remember: Tweet and comment once daily to earn extra entries.
A winner may win ONLY 1 (ONE) eBook or Paperback of The Exile: The Countess Visits Longbourn by Don Jacobson. Each winner will be randomly selected by Rafflecopter and the giveaway is international.
I'm glad you stopped by my blog today. Thank you for reading my thoughts on Don's book. Have you read it yet? Have you read any other books in this series? If so, what are your thoughts. I would love to know what you think. Be sure to visit all the other blogs in the tour and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway.
A Short Period of Exquisite Felicity, my share in the conversation...
It is my pleasure to be the first stop of the blog tour for A D'Orazio's new book, A Short Period of Exquisite Felicity. I'm so excited to take part in Amy's blog tour and especially to open it with my review of her book. I loved her first book and was anxious to read this new one. But before I get to my review of it, let's learn a little more about the author and the book. Isn't the cover lovely! The red roses on the back (you will see those further down in the post) and red cape are breath-taking!
Is not the very meaning of love that it surpasses every objection against it?
Jilted. Never did Mr. Darcy imagine it could happen to him.
But it has, and by Elizabeth Bennet, the woman who first hated and rejected him but then came to love him—he believed—and agree to be his wife. Alas, it is a short-lived, ill-fated romance that ends nearly as soon as it has begun. No reason is given.
More than a year since he last saw her—a year of anger, confusion, and despair—he receives an invitation from the Bingleys to a house party at Netherfield. Darcy is first tempted to refuse, but with the understanding that Elizabeth will not attend, he decides to accept.
When a letter arrives, confirming Elizabeth’s intention to join them, Darcy resolves to meet her with indifference. He is determined that he will not demand answers to the questions that plague him. Elizabeth is also resolved to remain silent and hold fast to the secret behind her refusal. Once they are together, however, it proves difficult to deny the intense passion that still exists. Fury, grief, and profound love prove to be a combustible mixture. But will the secrets between them be their undoing?
Amy D’Orazio’s Facebook Page
Amy D’Orazio at Meryton Press
Amy D’Orazio Goodreads Author Page
Twitter: @AllAbtAusten
Amy D’Orazio is a former breast cancer researcher and current stay at home mom who is addicted to Austen and Starbucks in about equal measures. While she adores Mr. Darcy, she is married to Mr. Bingley and their Pemberley is in Pittsburgh PA.
She has two daughters who are devoted to sports which require long practices and began writing her own stories as a way to pass the time she spent sitting in the lobbies of various gyms and studios. She is a firm believer that all stories should have long looks, stolen kisses and happily ever afters. Like her favorite heroine, she dearly loves a laugh and considers herself an excellent walker.
Now it's time to share my thoughts on A Short Period of Exquisite Felicity by A D’Orazio.
A Short Period of Exquisite Felicity, the newest release by A D’Orazio, begins at Netherfield. In the hopes of helping their friends find the same happiness they share, Charles and Jane Bingley, now married, with a son, are hosting a house party. They have invited an equal number of single men and women, including Fitzwilliam Darcy. Darcy, hesitant to attend for fear of seeing Elizabeth Bennet, decides to accept, believing Elizabeth will not be in attendance.
Elizabeth Bennet, living in Cheltenham for the past year, has agreed to make her home with the Bingleys. A changed woman, Lizzy is not the impertinent woman of the past. Her arrival during the house party sets the stage for the events and trials that follow.
Go back a little over a year when Lizzy visits Pemberley with the Gardiners. The misunderstanding that came from the Hunsford proposal has been resolved. Lizzy accepts Darcy’s second proposal and for a short period, they experience exquisite felicity, thus the title. The title is referred to several times throughout the book and those references are apropos.
Lydia’s unfortunate adventure/misadventure with Wickham proves too much and Lizzy calls off the engagement with no explanation. Not only does she call if off, she does so in a letter. Darcy has been jilted and he cannot imagine why. Heartbroken he refuses to attend Bingley’s wedding nor does he visit until the house party. There is much more to Lizzy’s departure than the reader will know until nearer the ending. Lizzy and Darcy struggle while trying to come to terms with what happened, what could have been, what each does not know, and their inability to quit loving each other. Throw into this mix, eligible men and women and some sparks will fly. Oh my, let the fun begin!
Lizzy’s reason for living in Cheltenham is questioned. Rumors fly and one source of those rumors caught me totally offguard. Even Darcy begins to believe some of the rumors. Will they make a difference in those feelings he still has for her or will they put an end to those feelings forever?
This novel grabbed my attention from the beginning. I felt invested in the characters and the story, enough so that I got a bit frustrated at times. I wanted to shake Darcy and Lizzy and tell them to please sit down and talk to each other. When they finally did try, they kept getting interference from first one and then the other. The angst was not only caused by Darcy’s and Lizzy’s misunderstanding but also by the so-called ‘help’ of friends and family. Anytime there is angst, the romance, when it happens, will be all the sweeter. That certainly is the case in this novel.
A D’Orazio is an excellent storyteller, and her novel is well-written. It kept this reader up late into the night. It had some twists and turns that I never saw coming. Amy’s first book, The Best Part of Love, was exceptional and I eagerly awaited the publication of her second. It did not disappoint. Thank you, Amy, for such an entertaining read.
A Short Period of Exquisite Felicity Tour Schedule
February 21 More Agreeably Engaged / Book Review & Giveaway
February 22 From Pemberley to Milton / Book Review & Giveaway
February 23 Austenesque Reviews / Guest Post & Giveaway
February 24 My Vices and Weaknesses / Excerpt Post & Giveaway
February 25 My Love for Jane Austen / Vignette & Giveaway
February 26 Babblings of a Bookworm / Book Review & Giveaway
February 27 Savvy Verse and Wit / Guest Post & Giveaway
February 28 Laughing with Lizzie / Vignette Post & Giveaway
March 1 So Little Time / Excerpt Post & Giveaway
March 2 Of Pens and Pages / Book Review & Giveaway
March 3 Liz’s Reading Life / Author Interview
March 4 Just Jane 1813 / Book Review & Giveaway
March 5 Diary of an Eccentric / Guest Post & Giveaway
March 6 Margie’s Must Reads / Book Review & Giveaway
8 eBooks of A Short Period of Exquisite Felicity are being given away by Meryton Press and the giveaway is open to international readers. This giveaway is open to entries from midnight ET on February 21 – until midnight ET on March 8, 2018.
Readers may enter the drawing by tweeting once each day and by commenting daily on a blog post or review that has a giveaway attached to this tour. Entrants must provide the name of the blog where they commented.
Each winner will be randomly selected by Rafflecopter and the giveaway is international. Each entrant is eligible to win one eBook.
Thanks to all of you for stopping by. If you have read either or both of Amy's books, will you share your thoughts? I would love to hear them. If you haven't read this new release, be sure and visit all the stops in the tour for a chance to win it. You won't be disappointed. Thank you to Amy for giving us such a lovely book, to Meryton Press for hosting the giveaway and to Claudine Pepe for organizing the blog tour. Best wishes for your book, Amy, and have fun during your blog tour.
Posted by Janet T at 1:09 AM 66 comments:
My share in the conversation...The Exile: The Coun...
A Short Period of Exquisite Felicity, my share in ...
A More Engaging Guest Review...Henry Fitzwilliam's...
A More Engaging Guest Review...The Keeper: Mary Be...
Amy George...The Sweetest Ruin
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Nicola Sturgeon left red-faced as Scotland ‘underperforms in key areas’ since devolution
‘Only Olamide supported Majek Fashek financially during health issues’ – Umenka Uzoma
Pinnick thanks all as more world citizens congratulate him
Posted on Apr 7 2017 - 6:29am by admin
citizenscongratulatemore…PinnickThanksWorld
President of Nigeria football Federation, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick has formally expressed heartfelt appreciation to the Federal govt of Nigeria, the NFF executive Committee, President of the Senate, Speaker of the house of Representatives, the NFF Congress, contributors of the Senate Committee on sports, participants of the house of Reps’ Committee and a couple of different people and teams for their improve against his recent election as a Member of the CAF govt Committee.
The Member of the Organizing Committee for FIFA Competitions again to Nigeria few days ago ahead of a special thanksgiving service in Warri this weekend, and to attend to vital concerns in Nigeria soccer sooner than heading to the FIFA beach Soccer World Cup (starting within the Bahamas in three weeks), from where he will fly to Bahrain for the 67th FIFA Congress early subsequent month.
“I cannot probably specific appreciation to everybody and teams who gave me ample enhance. however, i have to very in particular thank President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR), vice chairman Yemi Osinbajo (GCON), Senate President Bukola Saraki (CON), the Speaker of the house (Most Honourable Yakubu Dogara, CFR), sports Minister Solomon Dalung, Chairman and contributors of the Senate Committee on sports, Chairman and members of the house Committee on sports and of course, the NFF Congress. Chairman of the Senate Committee, Senator Obinna Ogba was once in my opinion current at the elections in Ethiopia.
“I also want to specially thank the Governors of Delta, Lagos, Edo and move River States (Their Excellencies Ifeanyi Okowa, Akinwunmi Ambode, Godwin Obaseki and Ben Ayade, respectively), the Minister of State for Petroleum (Dr. Ibe Kachikwu), the Director general of Nigeria Maritime Administration and security company (Dr. Dakuku Peterside), eminent newspaper columnists, revered sports editors, sports managers, reporters and correspondents and indeed everybody who played a task to peer to the actualization of the dream.
“I want to guarantee everybody that I harbour no ill –feeling in opposition to any individual who did not outrightly give their give a boost to. folks have requested me in regards to the individuals of CAF committees who spoke towards my aspiration, and i have responded that they’re extremely –experienced directors and we cannot want away their expertise and institutional information.”
Pinnick insists that the landmark feat, which makes him most effective the 0.33 Nigerian in CAF govt Committee, and the appointment into one of world football’s most important committees, won’t becloud his vision and that of the current NFF Board to build a sustainable soccer tradition for Nigeria.
“Now, we have a voice in African football politics, and we can play some role in world soccer. then again, we remain committed to taking Nigeria football to new heights of excellence and we intend to place the whole lot into the qualification campaigns for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the 2019 Africa Cup of countries finals.
“we’re also working exhausting to deal with the problem of funding, with the aid of interfacing with Nigeria corporates to convince many more of them to embody strategic partnership with the Nigeria sport.”
meanwhile, more congratulatory messages have landed on Pinnick’s desk following the victory in Addis Ababa, the most recent coming from the presidents of Egyptian soccer affiliation and the Federation Burkinabe de soccer.
In his message, FBF boss, Colonel Sita Sangare wrote: “Following your good election as African member of the chief committee of CAF all the way through the CAF Congress held on the 16th of March in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), I would like, on behalf of the football association of Burkina Faso and on my own behalf to ship you my warmest congratulations.
“i am very assured that your wealthy expertise will probably be highly really helpful to the development of African soccer. I therefore want you full success in your responsibility.”
EFA president Hany Abo Rida, who’s a Member of the FIFA Council, wrote: “On behalf of the EFA president, board members and the manager supervisor, now we have the pleasure to ship you our best greetings for the arrogance of the CAF common assembly and your success at the CAF election as CAF government committee member.
“This confidence expresses the desire of the CAF basic meeting, which contributes to advance the level of the game in the African continent and co-operation between CAF and its affiliated federations so as to serve the African soccer.”
Russia 2018 World Cup qualifier : Pinnick goes spiritual over Eagles, Indomitable Lions’ tie
2018 World Cup: Super Eagles to play four friendlies – Pinnick
Russia 2018 World Cup qualifier : No automatic shirts for CHAN Eagles –Pinnick
2018 World Cup: Pinnick reveals class of friendly matches lined up for Super Eagles
Pinnick speaks on Super Eagles’ chances at 2018 World Cup
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NewYorkImprovTeams
Ben Sterling
Ben is a large man. Larger than life. He has won awards. But those don't matter. He has run his own Theatre company, but that doesn't matter. He has played Hamlet in freezing weather, with his shirt off, and stabbed a man with a rapier, but that doesn't matter. He has been in 7 improv troupes, started three, helped found and run 2 sketch troupes, and appeared naked on film, but that really doesn't matter. What matters is that Ben is an enormous man, and he is made of meat.
Start Trekkin'
Lyra BrennanKevin BrownJuan CardenasHeather JewelsCasey JonesKara MoseleyAdam SterlingBen SterlingFrank Todaro
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Perth Theatre Reviews
The Importance of Being Earnest - University Dramatic Society (29 April 2015)
Over the last 12 months or so I’ve seen a lot of student theatre, especially at Curtin and Murdoch Universities and they tell me ECU has pretty handy acting and musical theatre departments on their Mount Lawley campus. It had me wondering what my alma mater UWA was up to on the theatrical front especially given I’ve seen a couple of independent productions at the Dolphin Theatre recently. So off I went to see my first University Dramatic Society (UDS) production with a sense of curiosity and, to be honest, no real expectations.
I’ve written before about those shows that sneak up and surprise you. Last year it was WAAPA’s Children of Eden and Roleystone Theatre’s The Great American Trailer Park Musical. Well, you can add The Importance of Being Earnest to that list. I knew none of the cast or crew but this was a thoroughly entertaining evening that even with two intermissions whizzed by.
Any discussion of the play has to start with the writing. It is dazzling and full of the trademark wit and dry observation Oscar Wilde is renowned for. The dialogue crackles and fizzes with intelligence and razor sharp humour that makes listening to the exchanges an absolute delight. The tale of fictitious identities and resultant romantic entanglements is expertly crafted even if the major revelation at the end now suffers somewhat from what I call “Luke, I am your father” syndrome. Yes, modern audiences have endured variations of the familial twist for well over a hundred years which tends to temper our surprise. However, that is a minor consideration.
The major one by comparison is how well performed and presented the whole endeavour was. The standouts for me were Ben Thomas as Algernon who relished the language and was suitably sly and mischievous; and Rebecca Egan as Cecily Cardew whose recounting of her engagement to ‘Earnest’ was a highlight. Rupert Williamson was excellent as John Worthing and his verbal jousting with particularly Thomas was rapid fire and engaging. Grace Chapple made for a haughty Gwendolyn and her set piece exchange with Egan in what was a dazzling second act was another highlight.
I warmed to Rebecca Cole’s Lady Bracknell over time – her more deliberate delivery and impressive rolling R’s felt a little out of kilter at first but she was a forceful presence in the third act as befitted the character’s status. Sally Clune’s Miss Prism, she of the formidable pout and excellent aging makeup, stumbled a few times with the dialogue and tended to, along with Ben McAllister’s Reverend, to flirt with caricature. The latter was playing up exaggerated physical movement for laughs but the writing is so good that it felt superfluous. Matt Perrett and Lily Protter rounded out the cast as the ‘hired help’.
As mentioned, the second act where the all major characters collide in the countryside was quite an inspired piece of theatre brimming with comedy. It is also a very handsome production with excellent costuming and well-appointed sets such as the trestles laced with flowers in that countryside setting along with a tree and even swing to stage left. The interior sets were all lounge chairs and settees and an amazing amount of cucumbers and muffins were sacrificed in the making of the show. In this regard, Ben Thomas showed an almost Brad Pitt level of skill in eating whilst acting!
I very much enjoyed the first UDS production of 2015 and walked away impressed by the acting and overall presentation. I was sitting next to a couple whose grand-daughter I believe it was had been involved with the costuming. They had seen the play starring Judi Dench in London but liked this one more. When I inquired as to why they remarked that Dame Judi was head and shoulders above the rest of the cast which unbalanced that production. It is fair to say that this is not the case here where the scintillating dialogue and banter is well delivered by the principals. It is a very funny and breezy show that was well appreciated by a good sized audience.
Written by Oscar Wilde, Directed by Antonina Heymanson and starring Rupert Williamson, Ben Thomas, Grace Chapple, Rebecca Egan, Rebecca Cole, Sally Clune, Ben McAllister, Matt Perrett, and Lily Protter there are three more shows left at the Dolphin Theatre on the UWA campus, Thursday through to Saturday 2 May.
Posted by Misadventures in WA Film at 16:46 No comments:
Labels: Dolphin Theatre, Oscar Wilde, Perth Theatre Reviews, The Importance of Being Earnest, UDS, University Dramatic Society, UWA
Melancholy Play: A Contemporary Farce - Hayman Theatre Company (21 April 2015)
There is a word – a Polish word I believe – that means the sadness one feels as the echo of laughter slowly fades from a recently emptied theatre. If only I could remember what that word is…
If I could then that’s how I would describe the aftermath of watching this very funny play that was wonderfully performed and staged. That and my now sudden guilty feelings about eating almonds!
Yes, this is a gloriously off-the-wall farce that spirals off into strange territory indeed as one of its characters turns into… an almond.
But let’s backtrack a little and start with Sarah Ruhl’s deliciously subversive script. Here it is melancholy and sadness - as embodied by Tilly (Zoe Street) - that is sexy and irresistible with happiness being a chaotic force that causes all kinds of disaster. Flipping the expected stereotypes around is a masterstroke that allows for the farcical and absurd but retains a key message with the almond transformation a clear metaphor. The last third of the play flirts with going way over-the-top but is grounded by an almost too obvious passage of dialogue delivered by Tilly that urges the characters to genuinely be there and support the nut afflicted Frances (Olivia Dugandzic)… even if they have to become nuts themselves. Yes, how does one truly support a friend or loved one who is enmeshed in sadness and melancholy?
Street is excellent as the bank employee Tilly. Her world weary, languid and poetic turn in the early going that marks her sadness as being so potent is terrific to watch. In turn, her therapist Lorenzo (Kane Parker); a tailor (Nathan Whitebrook); a hairdresser Frances (Dugandzic) and then Frances’ lover, the nurse Joan (Daisy Grant) all are drawn to and ultimately fall in love with her. Buoyed by such emotion that is magnified on her birthday, Tilly suddenly becomes inextricably happy causing everyone else to slip into sadness as her allure is somehow diminished. Here Street switches gears to become almost annoyingly ecstatic, playing children’s games and even riding a bike onstage at one point. It’s an eye-catching performance.
Whitebrook is the tentative tailor who kicks off proceedings by offering a defence of melancholy directly to the audience which is a technique used throughout as characters speak through hanging window frames. They also represent the portals to vistas that inspire melancholy such as wistfully gazing through a window on a rainy afternoon. His character’s descent into tear-filled and hiccupped sadness is nicely observed as is the boisterous rivalry with Lorenzo. Parker sports a very good Italian accent as the lovelorn therapist and he gives an exuberant performance that is amusingly capped off by his plaintive pleas to know if he too now is an almond. The fight scene with Whitebrook is a highlight.
Dugandzic gives Frances that air of infatuation despite herself and the fact the character is already in a relationship. It is as if she is compelled to be with Tilly. I especially liked her ‘delivery’ as an ‘almond’ perched alongside the audience in her ‘letterbox’. Her ‘resurrection’ is masterfully staged. There is a late revelation regarding a dubious backstory that was perhaps one step too far for me but is well acted nevertheless. Daisy Grant’s nurse is seemingly far more practical so it’s a treat to see her play the ‘gaga’ looks and clinginess as Joan falls for Tilly’s charms as well.
The cast is rounded out by Savannah Wood, resplendent and elegant in a gown as she plays the cello to stage left. Wood played beautifully and added so much texture and tone to key moments. Of course, the cello is perhaps the instrument most suited to melancholy so it was cheeky and fun when Lorenzo asks her to play something ‘happy’ after the other characters suddenly realise she is there. This is another example of playing around with conventions with Tilly even handing her red balloon to the young boy sitting next to me.
The play fairly rockets along at just under 80 minutes and is well directed by Leah Mercer with seamless scene transitions and handoffs between characters. There is great energy throughout and, as I’ve come to expect with the Hayman Upstairs Theatre, good use of multiple entry and exit points for the actors. This is the second show I’ve seen there this year and it appears they have really taken their set designs up a notch with this and Spring Awakening. The wallpaper on the back wall; the varied rugs on the stage; the hanging frames; the centrepiece couch; Frances and Joan’s apartment space – all well-appointed and adroitly used.
Above all this is very funny even as the farce turns into something quite surreal in its last third. The performances are excellent, especially in the first half as Tilly weaves her spell. This is a really enjoyable production with only four more performances, 22-25 April at Curtin University’s Hayman Theatre Upstairs.
Written by Sarah Ruhl, Directed by Leah Mercer, Melancholy stars Olivia Dugandzic, Daisy Grant, Kane Parker, Zoe Street, Nathan Whitebrook, and Savannah Wood.
Labels: Curtin University, Hayman Theatre Company, Hayman Theatre Upstairs, Leah Mercer, Melancholy Play, Nathan Whitebrook, Perth Theatre Reviews, Sarah Ruhl, Savannah Wood, Zoe Street
The Dreaming Hill - Western Australian Youth Theatre Company & Southern Edge Arts (15 April 2015)
One hundred years ago our youth were asked to fight a terrible war far beyond our shores at immeasurable cost - soldiers as young as 14 died on the Gallipoli Peninsula and later on the fields of France and Belgium. In this centenary year, a year that will see many commemorations to honour the deeds of those men and women who served both at home and abroad, it is particularly fitting that the Western Australian Youth Theatre Company (WAYTCo) in partnership with Southern Edge Arts commissioned this original play. Written by Hellie Turner, The Dreaming Hill explores the day before that fateful landing on 25 April 1915.
The cast of predominantly teenagers from both companies - including a 14 and 15 year old – was a powerful reminder that in another age these were the very people who served our country as soldiers and nurses in the chaos of ‘the war to end all wars’. The tragedy of what followed was captured eloquently in a line delivered by a Greek fisherman to a young Australian serviceman – “only dead men see an end to war.” The fact that we still put young men and women in harm’s way to this very day illustrates the point. The clear message was to us as an audience, as a community and as a country to never forget the cost exacted to protect our freedoms.
The play follows five Australian diggers and four nurses with their Matron as they spend a last day on the Greek island of Lemnos before the amphibious assault. They encounter various locals including the aforementioned fisherman, Spyros (Luke Binetti); a good-natured shyster, Ascesto (Lachlan McGregor), who promises girls, grog and garlic while protecting the honour of his beautiful sister Phoebe (Liannah Prior); with a haughty ‘witch’ (Zali Stipanicev) thrown in for good measure. There are portents of impending doom from the flock of crows that fly overhead to a speech by Spyros about chaos. For the lads though there is a mix of excitement, apprehension, and naivety which is beautifully counterpointed by the nurses who know (and have trained for) the deadly ramifications of what is about to come. The hospital ship that they will shortly return to is another potent symbol by its very presence offshore.
The script by Turner is lyrical and poetic with one of the soldiers, Leo (Campbell Greenock) himself a ‘philosopher-warrior’ quoting Shakespeare, reciting his own attempts at poetry, and having conversations with Spyros about Homer’s The Illiad. The beauty of the island and its people is nicely conveyed as is all the exuberance and impetuousness of youth. But the script never loses sight of what is to come with references to Death, Chaos and symbolism like The Ferryman intruding. In the most powerful sequence, the fragile romance and tenderness on display at the end of the party is torn apart by a flash forward to only a few hours hence with sickening detail. It is wonderful piece of theatre as we have come to identify and even care about these characters only to have their possible futures blown apart before our eyes. Equally impressive is the company intoning each of their character’s fate on the day and beyond in a chilling postscript.
The acting is very strong across the board – from the innocent flirtatiousness of the nurses played by Daisy Coyle, Mikayla Merks and Tahlia Norrish to the over-exaggerated accent of the New Zealand nurse (Michaela Barker) used for comic relief. Tess McKenna reins in their antics as the stern Matron and is decisive and calm as the glimpse of battle shows us the grim reality of war.
Greenock opens the play by walking onto the impressive outdoor set as a modern day teenager before stripping down and changing into his uniform. It was a potent message – what would it be like to step into their shoes given all we now know. He gave a well measured performance that grounded the more poetic elements within the context of the horror to come. He has a particularly fine moment with a rallying speech towards the end of the play exhorting the men to “go forth” as the time of battle draws ever nearer. The only slight drawback was the string of lights in front of him that had lowered for part of the party sequence that cast shadows over and partly obscured his face from my vantage point.
Liam Longley’s and Thomas Blowffwitch’s characters both try their luck with romance, Longley to sweet effect; Blowffwitch’s to amusing reversal. Andrew Phillips was a stout physical presence as Frank which made sense on reading the program notes to see he has served with the Australian Army – his bearing and demeanour was perfect for the character. While not as accomplished, Austen Faulkner’s Harry was the decent kid from Fremantle out of his depth in both war and love but had some nice moments all the same.
The standouts for me were Binetti and McGregor, the former working well with Greenock as they discussed Aristotle and Homer and the nature of war and chaos. Binetti has that intangible quality that makes him eminently watchable even when prowling on the outskirts of the set. McGregor, on crutches no less after breaking his ankle a fortnight ago, was sly and mischievous, providing a lot of humour to lighten the stark knowledge of these people’s likely fate.
Director Renato Fabretti makes full use of the set as his actors clamber over sandbag emplacements and literally feel the soil under their feet. There was a tendency in the party sequence, however, as soldiers and nurses paired off, for the actors not in whatever featured duo was talking, to be impassively waiting for ‘their turn’. Live music is provided for atmosphere to one side of what really is a thrust arrangement with the audience enclosing two sides of the courtyard at the Museum. External street noise was minimal and not too invasive, even from the movie playing on the big screen in the cultural centre.
Overall this was a wonderfully acted, evocatively written, and well directed play that looked at a brief moment of joy and discovery before being wrenched into the horrible reality of war. That it was performed by actors the very age of the men and women being portrayed gives it special significance and it is a thoughtful and powerful addition to the ANZAC canon.
Directed by Renato Fabretti, Written by Hellie Turner and starring Michaela Barker, Luke Binetti, Thomas Blowffwitch, Daisy Coyle, Austen Faulkner, Campbell Greenock, Liam Longley, Lachlan McGregor, Tess McKenna, Mikayla Merks, Tahlia Norrish, Andrew Phillips, Liannah Prior, Sam Reeves and Zali Stipanicev, The Dreaming Hill runs until 18 April in the WA Museum courtyard before moving to the Albany Museum 23-26 April.
Labels: Gallipoli, Hellie Turner, Perth Theatre Reviews, Renato Fabretti, Southern Edge Arts, The Dreaming Hill, WAYTCo, Western Australian Youth Theatre Company
Point and Shoot: Farewell Show - Holland St Productions (11 April 2015)
I first saw Point and Shoot at Fringe World 2014 where it won two major awards including $10,000 to assist touring the production interstate and overseas. It was subsequently performed in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney towards the end of that year garnering more awards and praise with an encore season at Perth’s Fringe this year. As the team prepare to take the show to the Brighton Fringe Festival in the UK they announced 4 final shows in WA – two in Perth and another two in Busselton to raise money to assist with costs or, as one declared at the end of Saturday’s performance, so they can afford to eat while on tour!
It would be fair to say that after witnessing the show for a second time that it is my favourite piece of original content generated out of Perth (in all formats) for quite some time. I revisited the brief review I wrote back in February 2014 and this still holds true:
“This is a hilarious and pointed satire of Hollywood and the filmmaking business with a clever plot ("twist") and biting lyrics. The four actors play multiple roles and instruments and all are in fine voice. The transitions are seamless and this rockets along at a frenetic pace.”
What struck me on Saturday night though is that after touring the show and making tweaks here and there it is such a tightly constructed and slickly performed production. The writing (Book and Lyrics by Tyler Jacob Jones) is clever and witty which has fast become the Jones trademark as witnessed by his subsequent play F**k Decaf and work on Skin Deep which debuted at Fringe this year. It is also a wonderful synthesis of a love and understanding of both movies and musical theatre. A passion shared by Robert Woods who wrote the music and crafted the filmed excerpts for the fictional 1961 sitcom Selma Saves The Day and its bombastic, over-the-top 2042 feature incarnation.
This is the mischievous conceit of the whole undertaking – inverting the current Hollywood paradigm to posit a world in 2042 where the Independents rule the roost in the name of ART and the blockbuster of yesteryear is in disgrace after every single property was plundered for entertainment. All except the obscure, one season show where Selma, her meatloaf, and trusty pet canine literally save the day. In steps the granddaughter of its original creator who comes to Hollywood with dreams of bringing Selma to the big screen. What follows is so furiously entertaining and funny with twists galore that you are swept up in the sheer audacity and inventiveness of it all. The script none-too-subtly lampoons the state of cliché ridden filmmaking but also betrays an intimate understanding of genre and how to subvert it.
This in itself is impressive but the kicker is in the execution. Four actors playing over fifty characters with rapid fire character transitions AND playing multiple instruments during the course of the story with musical motifs cleverly used throughout. It’s a dizzying display of talent, chemistry between the performers, and tight direction and choreography. All four – Jones, Woods, Tamara Woolrych and Erin Hutchinson inhabit different personas so distinctly with such diversity across their multiple roles that it truly showcases triple threat ability – singing, acting, and musicianship. This isn’t used as a gimmick but rather as a meticulously crafted and wildly inventive presentation of the story.
Jones is ever the showman as the screenwriter who dreams of bringing the movies of his childhood back to the big screen. Woods has a manic intensity as the hobo who portends cinematic doom. Woolrych is both ditzy newcomer and knowing femme fatale while Hutchinson is the desperately lovelorn secretary who will sacrifice everything for her unrequited love. But they are so many more iterations including their parts in the filmed footage. It’s simply a dazzling fusion of writing, performance, direction and music.
An added bonus was that as part of their fundraising drive an original cast recording was available for sale on CD. The standout song for me – Absolute Perfection – so beautifully sung by Woolrych will no doubt be stuck in my head for days to come. It was also no surprise to see so many local filmmakers in the audience with even a brief discussion afterwards about how you would go about adapting Point and Shoot for the screen. For art, of course!
All that’s left to say is that I wish the four performers and their support team all the best for their UK performances. I have no doubt the show will be a hit and deservedly so.
Labels: Brighton Fringe Festival, Erin Jay Hutchinson, Holland St Productions, Musical Theatre, Perth Theatre Reviews, Point & Shoot, Point and Shoot, Robert Woods, Tamara Woolrych, Tyler Jacob Jones
Spring Awakening - Fresh Bred Productions (10 April 2015)
Hot on the heels of the performance of Frank Wedekind’s 19th century play at Curtin University last month comes the Tony Award winning musical adaptation, presented by Fresh Bred Productions. Fresh Bred hit the scene in February last year with the Patrick Marber play Closer which was followed by their first musical, The Last Five Years, in August. They appear to have found a home at UWA’s Dolphin Theatre and a niche in mounting ambitious musical theatre productions with Sweeney Todd up next. Even Closer betrayed their intentions with an original score composed by regular musical collaborator Kohan Van Sambeeck.
Having seen the source material only a month ago certainly helped my understanding of the story but what struck me most was this: how audacious it was to take a play written in 1891 and turn it into a rock musical. It is testament to the thematic potency of the original even though some of the darkest aspects have been toned down for the different format. There’s still plenty of honest and uncomfortable examination of teenage sexual awakening in its various forms married to a superb set of songs.
Here lies the strength of this production. The orchestra, led by Musical Director Joshua James Webb, was terrific throughout. The music by Duncan Sheik is an impressive yet eclectic mix of strings and more rock oriented elements – electric guitars and drums - with Webb on keyboards. This collection of musicians certainly knew how to rock when required – The Bitch of Living and Totally Fucked for example – but was perhaps even sharper when providing the mood and atmosphere to numbers like Whispering and Touch Me. Situated at the back of stage behind the gauze stripped ‘trees’ representing the German woods, they were tight and focussed with the only blemish a false start at the beginning of the second act but that appeared to be related to a backstage issue. Well played Van Sambeeck (percussion), Hanna Lee-Smith (Violin/Guitar), Cristina Filgueira (Viola), Beren Scott (Cello/Violin), Tim Perren (Electric Bass), Ben Griffith (Guitar) and Webb (Piano/Conductor).
Matching the musicians was the vocal talent on display. This really was a strong cast from a singing perspective – the featured vocalists excelled and were given tremendous support from the ensemble. I had not come across Madeline Crofts (Wendla) before but she set the tone from the beginning with Mama Who Bore Me and sang beautifully throughout with Whispering a highlight. Finn Alexander (Melchior) unfortunately had a dead microphone for the opening sequences which cruelled All That’s Known but once that technical problem was rectified he too showcased a fine voice, notably in songs like Touch Me. Both impressed with their acting skills especially in two pivotal scenes – the beating of Wendla with the switch and the now more ambiguous sexual congress that ends the first act.
Cal Silberstein played Moritz with an exuberance that marked the character’s incarnation here as most recognisably a musical theatre construct as distinct from the more sombre version in the original play. He did it well in the first act driving a lot of the comedic energy but this gave way to darker hues at the end of the first (And Then There Were None) and into the second that provided a nice arc. Kimberley Harris, another fine singer, was an almost ever present observer as Ilse with a featured scene with Silberstein in Don’t Do Sadness/Blue Wind. The musical started with the teenagers seemingly listening to Ilse intently and that configuration was reprised at the end as if she was relating the tale just witnessed. Indeed the whole company was almost always in sight with the ensemble in the wings and actively watching when not in a scene. The Ilse character also appeared to take on aspects of the Masked Man who has been otherwise excised from the adaptation.
Naomi Denny (Martha) had a notable moment with The Dark I Know Well and the effective welt makeup on her shoulder elicited an appropriate audience response when revealed before that song. Sven Ironside made for a charismatic, mischievous Hanschen and his work with Andrew Longo (Ernst), particularly during The Word of Your Body (Reprise) was playful but hauntingly beautiful as well. I really enjoyed the acting work of Michael MacCuish who added real authority and presence in the ‘Adult Men’ roles, and Nat Burbage played a mix of stern adult female authority figures and the more emotional mother roles.
The set harked back to the setting of the source material with the woods and classroom represented in minimalist style before we switch to the Reformatory and graveyard in the second act. There was an interesting use of glow sticks during the raucous Totally Fucked which gave a real sense of energy but jarred a little stylistically. The cast was buoyant during The Song of Purple Summer and final bows. Having been in rehearsals since November the hard work and preparation was evident in particularly the musical and vocal quality on display.
Adapted from the Frank Wedekind play with Book and Lyrics by Steven Sater and Music by Duncan Sheik, Spring Awakening is directed by Craig Griffen with Musical Direction by Joshua James Webb. It stars Finn Alexander, Cal Silberstein, Madeline Crofts, Nat Burbage, Michael MacCuish, Pete Martis, Daniel Kirkby, Sven Ironside, Andrew Longo, Shanice Palfrey, Olivia Everett, Naomi Denny and Kimberley Harris. There are two more shows at UWA’s Dolphin Theatre, 17-18 April.
Labels: Craig Griffen, Dolphin Theatre, Duncan Sheik, Frank Wedekind, Fresh Bred Productions, Joshua James Webb, Musical, Musical Theatre, Perth Theatre Reviews, Sprink Awakening, Steven Sater
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Philip Keezer CEO of Playster
Top 10 Quotes About Success (And The Power Of Failure)
5 Innovative Snapchat Accounts Entrepreneurs Should Follow
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Top 10 Fatherhood Quotes
If there’s one lessons I would like to share from my years as an entrepreneur, it’s that no matter how great your adventures are or how many great achievements and milestones you hit, being able to share these career highlights with family is what makes them truly fulfilling. Since becoming a father of two, the way I approach most things in my life has certainly changed.
I used to think that was just something parents said, but now that I’ve experienced fatherhood first-hand, I can confirm that it’s true. Once you become a dad, there’s a serious shift in priorities and the things that once brought you the most joy may not make you as happy as they once did. Conversely, you learn to find happiness in smaller things that you previously might not have paid attention to.
I recently came across an interesting article in Fortune, titled “How Business Has Changed Fatherhood”. As the writer points out, “recent societal changes are shifting the landscape of fatherhood. There are now more opportunities than ever before for dads to be involved in the lives of their kids, no matter where they work or how many hours they work… Smart dads are taking note of the cultural shifts in our society, adjusting accordingly, and avoiding the potential pitfalls these changes bring.”
After reading the article, I couldn’t help but look for others addressing the realities of ‘dadpreneurs’. The search results not only proved that I wasn’t alone in my feelings, but encouraged me to embrace them further. I highly recommend giving ‘4 Ways Fatherhood Has Made Me a Better Entrepreneur‘ a read in which Peter Gasca boldly writes: “Becoming a father toppled the paradigm that entrepreneurs had to chose between business and parenthood. In reality, I found them to be very complementary.”
Also fascinating is Inc.’s interview with ‘4 Dadpreneurs [who] describe what drives them to succeed in fatherhood and business’. They also share their best pieces of advice. Take Howard Berkowitz, investor in British Swim School, for example. “Lead by example and have strong integrity and work ethic,” he says. “Start a business that gives you the opportunity to teach your own children how to run the shop themselves. Setting your children up for success in life is one of the most important duties of fatherhood and, by opening your own business, you’re creating a real-life learning opportunity for them.” So true.
The reality is that whether we’re talking about business or personal life, I look at things differently now. Although business and entrepreneurship will always be close to my heart, they no longer hold the top spot that’s now devoted to my family. What’s more, my kids, although still toddlers, have inspired the way I conduct my business as well. Take Playster, for example. I want this streaming service to be great for all members of the family, which is why I’ve put such a big focus on offering content that’s suitable for even the youngest entertainment lovers. A sentiment that I think is perfectly highlighted in these 10 famous parenting quotes.
Top 10 Quotes On Fatherhood And Family
♦ “My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person – he believed in me.” – Jim Valvano
♦ “Being a father has been, without a doubt, my greatest source of achievement, pride and inspiration.” – Naveen Jain
♦ “I sustain myself with the love of family.” – Maya Angelou
♦ “My son’s the most precious thing to me; he’s changed me from being selfish to selfless.” – Ricardo Antonio Chavira
♦ “Family is not an important thing, it’s everything.” – Michael J. Fox
♦ “Children are the keys of paradise.” – Eric Hoffer
♦ “My father always told me: ‘Find a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life’.” – Jim Fox
♦ “To me, having kids is the ultimate job in life. I want to be most successful at being a good father.” – Nick Lachey
♦ “Anyone who tells you fatherhood is the greatest thing that can happen to you, they are understating it.” – Mike Myers
♦ “A happy family is but an earlier heaven.” – George Bernard Shaw
To me, having kids is the ultimate job in life. I want to be most successful at being a good father. Nick Lachey
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_fathersday.html
Philip Keezer
I’m Philip Keezer, the founder of Playster. I’m passionate about entrepreneurship and family. My goal is to make entertainment more accessible and affordable for everyone.
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Philip J. Keezer (MBA) is the Montreal entertainment mogul behind Playster, the world’s first and only all-inclusive streaming service. A born-and-raised Montrealer, Keezer set up his dream business in his hometown in 2014 with one major goal in mind: Make entertainment more accessible, more fun and more affordable for everyone.
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Dana Dudley Executive Director
Dana Dudley, Executive Director of Pittman Law Group utilizes her strategic vision to guide projects and foster business relationships. Her background in business and community involvement have extended the research and development arm of the Pittman Law Group team. Dana attended Florida State University where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Finance.
In 1994, Dana began a long career with McKenzie Tank Lines, Inc. and rose to the ranks of Vice President. In 2016, Dana joined Pittman Law Group and brings her years of experience in accounting, human resources, training, and project management, while providing organizational knowledge and skills for our clients and colleagues. In addition to her commitment to Pittman Law Group, Dana manages Pittman Investments LLC, handling media relations, community relations, internal communications, and budget management. All of her duties coincide, giving her an in-depth understating and allow her to make comprehensive decisions when operating each business entity.
Dana takes pride in developing and maintaining relationships with organizations in the surrounding communities. She has volunteered with the HOPE House, March of Dimes, New Harvest Christian Center, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, American Cancer Society, and Comcast Cares.
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ArtistsExhibitionsNews & EventsArt FairsPublicationsGalleryCollect WiselySearchEN繁
ArtistsExhibitionsNews & EventsArt FairsPublicationsGalleryCollect WiselySearch
Selected Works Press Release Press
Installation Views Thumbnails
Sean Kelly at Art Basel Miami Beach 2018
December 6 - 9, Booth D14
Photography: Sebastiano Pellion di Persano
Selected Works Thumbnails
An Invitation to Disappear - Sanggau, 2018
archival pigment print on Hahnemühle Photo Rag, mounted on aluminum dibond,
framed, Mirogard anti-reflective glass
paper: 59 1/16 x 73 13/16 inches (150 x 187.5 cm)
framed: 60 9/16 x 75 5/16 x 2 inches (153.8 x 191.3 x 5 cm)
edition of 3 with 1 AP
JCh-287.1
The Levitation of Saint Therese, 2009
single flatscreen video installation, color, no sound, 11:21 loop
Red/Orange Solo Pavilion, 2018
framed archival pigment print mounted to dibond
paper: 66 3/4 x 46 inches (169.5 x 116.8 cm)
SET IV, 2018
10 mm square section mild steel bar
76 3/4 x 20 1/2 x 11 13/16 inches (195 x 52 x 30 cm)
edition of 5 plus 1 AP
AG-3927
Exposed Painting Phthalocyanine Blue, 2018
76 3/4 x 74 13/16 inches (195 x 190 cm)
CI-78.18
Stoned Magnolia, 2018
marble, hand painted canvas mounted to MDF panel
90 x 59 3/4 x 1 1/4 inches (228.6 x 151.8 x 3.2 cm)
SM-P.18.1124
The Perennial Gaze, 2018
glass mosaic mounted on plywood in brass frame
70 1/4 x 43 1/4 inches (178.4 x 109.9 cm)
ShS-S.18.041
Ute's Books, Odessa, 2018
image/paper: 50 x 40 inches (127 x 101.6 cm)
framed: 55 x 45 x 2 9/16 inches (139.7 x 114.3 x 6.5 cm)
AS-HF.18.89
Balancing into the Deep, 2018
casein and watercolor pencil on canvas
signed and dated by the artist, verso
JTs-P.18.4446
Double Glass, 2018
oil and varnish on acrylic faced panel in perspex box frame
54 15/16 x 66 3/4 x 2 3/4 inches (139.5 x 169.5 x 7 cm)
JWh-53
December 6 - December 9, 2018
Sean Kelly is delighted to return to Art Basel Miami Beach 2018 for the 17th consecutive year since the fair’s inception. Our booth will feature a dynamic, carefully curated presentation of new works by the gallery’s artists and an immersive experience as part of our Collect Wisely campaign.
Featured artists include Antony Gormley, whose new sculptures continue to push his exploration of the human body and its relation to space, both internal and external; new work by Sam Moyer which continues her abstraction of the languages of painting and sculpture, and addresses formal and theoretical issues regarding the construct of painting; a new series of exposed paintings by Callum Innes, which highlight the contrast between additive and subtractive processes; a selection of paintings and watercolors by Janaina Tschäpe whose distinctive language of abstraction suggests growth, transition and metamorphosis; and photographs of imagined and constructed “Pavilions for the Future” by James Casebere, a new hybrid form of public accommodations by the sea. Also included on the booth are new works by artists Marina Abramović, Julian Charrière, Jose Dávila, Laurent Grasso, Candida Höfer, Ilse D’Hollander, Idris Khan, Hugo McCloud, Landon Metz, Alec Soth, James White, and Kehinde Wiley.
The Collect Wisely Experience will focus on one of the core elements of the campaign, connoisseurship. Encouraging visitors to slow down and pay closer attention to art, the installation will create a space for quiet reflection in the midst of the busy fair. Visitors will be invited to sit in an iconic REPUBLIC OF Fritz Hansen Egg Chair, designed by Arne Jacobsen, and reflect on a single artwork by Callum Innes, Idris Khan, Hugo McCloud, Shahzia Sikander, and Janaina Tschäpe, which will change each day. To become fully immersed in the experience, the viewer will don a pair of Master & Dynamic noise isolating headphones and listen to the voice of each artist introducing their work, followed by a period of silence encouraging the viewer to contemplate the piece before them.
Follow us on Instagram @SeanKellyNY and join the conversation #CollectWisely
Support for Collect Wisely is provided by REPUBLIC OF Fritz Hansen and Master & Dynamic.
The following panel discussion will take place concurrent to the fair:
The Passion and Purpose of Collecting
Thursday, December 6, 10 - 11am
UBS Lounge, Art Basel Miami Beach Convention Center
Moderated by Jan Dalley, arts editor of the Financial Times. With panelists Mary Rozell, Head of the UBS Art Collection and Sean Kelly, Founder of Sean Kelly Gallery and host of the Collect Wisely podcast
What’s New This Week, From Our List Members
Surface, December 14, 2018
Download PDF View More
Art Basel in Miami Beach diary: the ghost of Dan Flavin, Dan Sallick wants to start a 'slow art movement' and Fab 5 Freddy talks art
The Art Newspaper, December 8, 2018
Scenes from Miami Art Week: Day 2
ARTnews, December 6, 2018
The Day After a Stock-Market Nosedive, Art Basel Miami Beach Opens With a $17 Million Picasso and Other Surprisingly Swift Sales
artnet News, December 5, 2018
Your Concise Guide to Miami Art Week 2018
Hyperallergic, December 3, 2018
Sean Kelly Gallery urges Art Basel Miami Beach to "Collect Wisely"
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You are here: Home > 'Special Prosecution'
Special Prosecution complains about obstructions
By Naser Pajaziti / 02/02/2017 / F. Y. R. O. Macedonia, MK Social, Social / Comments Off on Special Prosecution complains about obstructions
The Special Prosecution in FYROM is complaining that its work is being hindered by the Criminal Court. This prosecution which is investigating the so called wiretapping affair, says that the Criminal Court has rejected four motions for raids in the homes of suspects who are suspected in the wiretapping affair. “As part of our motions, […]
Special Prosecution launches two fresh inquiries
By Naser Pajaziti / 24/01/2017 / F. Y. R. O. Macedonia, MK Social, Social / Comments Off on Special Prosecution launches two fresh inquiries
Today, Special Prosecution has launched two new inquests called “Tariff” and “Tank”. In the first one, there are seven people suspected of abusing with their duty in relation to a tender for a software which was needed by a power company 50% owned by the state, called “AD ELEM”. According to the prosecution, the financial […]
Charges relating to the “Putch” case have been dropped
By Naser Pajaziti / 18/01/2017 / F. Y. R. O. Macedonia, MK Social, Social / Comments Off on Charges relating to the “Putch” case have been dropped
The Special Prosecution in FYROM says that it has dropped charges relating to the “Putch” case, because according to this institution, the accusations contradict the evidence that it possesses. Charges were addressed in this case against the leader of opposition, Zoran Zaev who, who published the materials relating to the wiretapping scandal. The Special Prosecution […]
Op-Ed/ “Target” of the Special Prosecution
By Naser Pajaziti / 21/11/2016 / F. Y. R. O. Macedonia, Headlines, MK Politics, Politics / Comments Off on Op-Ed/ “Target” of the Special Prosecution
By Atanas Vangelov What does the latest case that the Special Prosecution has opened, called Target, relate to? The novelty is that this prosecution has secured valid evidence that prove that the secret police continues to keep the citizens under surveillance or that this police continues to work with the government, as it is said […]
The head of the Special Prosecution is attacked by the media
By Naser Pajaziti / 16/11/2016 / F. Y. R. O. Macedonia, Headlines, MK Social, Social / Comments Off on The head of the Special Prosecution is attacked by the media
The head of the Special Prosecution, Katica Janeva has been attacked by several media and political parties. In the recent days, a receipt has been published showing Janeva’s name. According to this document dating 31 July 2015, Janeva has paid her SDSM membership fee. Chief prosecutor Janeva has denied the existence of the document in […]
VMRO-DPMNE accuses Special Prosecution
By Naser Pajaziti / 31/10/2016 / F. Y. R. O. Macedonia, MK Politics, Politics / Comments Off on VMRO-DPMNE accuses Special Prosecution
The largest Macedonian party, VMRO-DPMNE has accused Special Prosecution of sending subpoenas to its members and putting pressure on them. Member of VMRO-DPMNE steering committee, Antonio Milososki said that this prosecution must put an end to such operations. “Such attempts of the Special Prosecution to subpoena VMRO-DPMNE members in order for them to offer false […]
Attacks against Special Prosecution
By Naser Pajaziti / 25/10/2016 / F. Y. R. O. Macedonia, Headlines, MK Politics, Politics / Comments Off on Attacks against Special Prosecution
The largest party in power, VMRO-DPMNE has not stopped its accusations against the Special Prosecution, an institution which was established last year as part of the political agreement. The leader of VMRO-DPMNE, Nikola Gruevski said that his party is not making obstructions to this institution, but according to him, the Special Prosecution is serving the […]
Parallel security institutions in FYROM?!
By Naser Pajaziti / 24/10/2016 / F. Y. R. O. Macedonia, Headlines, MK Social, Social / Comments Off on Parallel security institutions in FYROM?!
Skopje, 24 October 2016/Independent Balkan News Agency By Naser Pajaziti Political analysts in FYROM say that parallel structures have been created at the Ministry of Interior and the Department of Security and Counter Intelligence (UBK), following the recent raid of the Special Prosecution in these institutions to investigate and secure materials regarding the surveillance system. […]
Justice must not be prevented, says British ambassador
By Naser Pajaziti / 21/10/2016 / F. Y. R. O. Macedonia, MK Politics, Politics / Comments Off on Justice must not be prevented, says British ambassador
Skopje, 21 October 2016/Independent Balkan News Agency By Naser Pajaziti British ambassador to Skopje, Charles Garett declared that nobody must dare to prevent the justice system from doing its job. Garett made this comment following the latest moves of the Special Prosecution, which has started an investigation on the Secret Services regarding the wiretapping affair. […]
Special Prosecution launches a probe for the Secret Services in FYROM
By Naser Pajaziti / 20/10/2016 / F. Y. R. O. Macedonia, Headlines, MK Social, Social / Comments Off on Special Prosecution launches a probe for the Secret Services in FYROM
Skopje, 20 October 2016/Independent Balkan News Agency By Naser Pajaziti Investigators of the Special Prosecution in FYROM have visited the premises of the Department of Security and Counter-Intelligence to secure the necessary documents in relation to the surveillance carried out from 2008 until 2015, a part of which were made public by opposition leader, Zoran […]
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2017-18 Young Players’ Team of the Week #6: Anthony Martial & Bruno Xadas feature
A regular feature on our website is the Talent Radar Young Players Team of the Week with the best young players compiled into an XI from across Europe’s top seven leagues. You can read this for all details on Talent Radar, who is eligible under it and what else we publish within this feature.
[Max. Age Limit: 22 years old on match-day for outfield players, 23 years old for goalkeepers]
There was some fascinating football this past week including some top tier European clashes. Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea made the biggest statements there while this weekend the likes of Manchester City, Napoli and Borussia Dortmund can be considered the biggest winners. Our team this week was incredibly hard to compile, not owing to a dearth of options but rather an abundance of players to choose from specifically for the attacking positions. As we mentioned on Twitter, the likes of Hirving Lozano and Richarlison who had fantastic weekends miss out as a result.
Thomas Strakosha, current leader of our Talent Radar Keeper Rankings, is in goal for the second time this season. The Albanian had a comfortable enough game owing to a twenty-three minute period in the second half where his side scored five goals in an eventual 6-1 win over Sassuolo. But it wasn’t all plain sailing as the 22-year-old was called to action multiple times, specifically from Domenico Berardi – a task he was up for throughout the game.
At right-back is 18-year-old Achraf Hakimi, debutant for Real Madrid this weekend in the 2-0 win over Espanyol. The Moroccan became the first Arab to play in Los Blancos’ first team (Zidane & Benzema’s origins aside) and put in a decent shift (seemed a bit nervous on occasions) in what was not as simple a game for the defending champions.
Central defence this week sees an ex-Ajax centre back, along with one who could possibly be taking the void left by his predecessor. Last season’s Young Defender of the Season, Davinson Sanchez, has slotted in well into life at Tottenham Hotspur – and this past weekend saw another confident performance that we’ve grown used to from him in the 4-0 away win over Huddersfield. Partnering him is Maximilian Wober, the 19-year-old Austrian who signed from Rapid Wien, made his full league debut for Ajax this weekend in the 4-0 away win over Heerenveen. Partnering fellow teenager, Matthijs De Ligt in defence, the duo put in a stellar shift. The young defender also got on the scoresheet, with a rather scrappy goal.
We go to Champions League football for the left back position as Celtic’s Kieran Tierney makes his first ever Talent Radar Team of the Week appearance. Alumnus from last season’s 100 Best Young Players to Watch, the Scot was fantastic in his side’s 3-0 win over Anderlecht, even managing an assist in the comfortable victory.
Leon Goretzka, with his excellent free-kick in Schalke’s 1-1 draw with Leverkusen on Friday night, takes his place in central midfield. The German took eleven matches to reach two goals last season; doing that four games early this season. Partnering him in central midfield is Roma’s Lorenzo Pellegrini who had his best week yet for the capital club. In mid-week he started his first Champions League game for his new side, getting an assist in the 2-1 win over Qarabag; while on the weekend he came off the bench in the clash against AC Milan with one hour to go and set up Edin Dzeko’s opener mid-way through the second half – Roma won 2-0.
Braga’s 6-0 win over Estoril sees them two points behind defending champions Benfica who are in third – instrumental in the big win was 19-year-old Bruno Xadas. It was the teenagers’ best game yet in senior football, truly announcing his arrival to viewers. He first squared a ball perfectly on the counter for Dyego Sousa to open the scoring before delivering a perfect free-kick for Raul Silva to head home. But his best moment was just before the hour mark, receiving a cross field ball outside the box and absolutely plummeting it home with his left for his second goal of the season. On the opposite flank was Manchester United’s Anthony Martial, who much like many members of the squad (Mkhitaryan, Fellaini to name a few) has revived his stint at the Manchester club. Across the Champions League in mid-week and the Premier League this weekend, the Frenchman managed two assists and a goal from the spot.
Upfront sees two contrasting young strikers in terms of footballing stories – firstly we have the world-renowned 18-year-old Kylian Mbappe who had another solid week for PSG. In their 3-0 win over Bayern, Mbappe received the plaudits for his fantastic foot work to set up Edinson Cavani and leave David Alaba in his wake. While this past weekend in the 6-2 win over Bordeaux, he set up the side’s 5th goal with a perfect deep cross for Julian Draxler to volley before the German returned the favour in the second half, playing Mbappe through for his third goal of the season. Partnering him is comparatively lesser known, Dimitri Oberlin of Basel, on loan from Red Bull Salzburg. The Swiss youngster scored twice as Basel coasted to a 5-0 win over Benfica in the Champions League. His energy and determination was there for all to see as he ran from his own box at break-neck speed to make his way into the opposition box and score the first of his goals on the counter.
Read all our Talent Radar Team of the Week articles here
Sami Faizullah
Co-founder and Chief Editor here. Obsessed with tactics. Keen follower of young players. Creator of #TalentRadar.
Latest posts by Sami Faizullah (see all)
2018-19 U-22 Young Players’ Team of the Week #6: Luka Jovic, Anthony Martial and Reiss Nelson feature - October 25, 2018
World Cup 2018: Young Players Team of the Tournament - July 17, 2018
U-22 Young Players’ Team of the Week #13: Calvert-Lewin, Gnabry and Harit feature - December 4, 2017
Related Topics:Achraf Hakimianthony martialBruno XadasDavinson SanchezDimitri OberlinFootballKieran TierneyKylian MbappeLeon GoretzkaLorenzo pellegriniMaximilian WoberSoccerThomas Strakosha
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Hiking Quotes
You want to have a shooting contest? You want to go hiking? Give me a pocketknife and a set of matches and I'll go up against anybody. - Tim Kaine
You tend to see some very interesting things when you go hiking in Malibu. - Brody Jenner
Yes, I think it's going to be a fantastic buy. I think we're going to pack the whole year's Super Bowl rate-of-gain, which tend to average 16 percent during the last 18 years, compound annual growth of the S&P 500, 16 percent a year. We've had zero so far and the outlook is improving very, very significantly for the worst worry that people have had. And that is the Fed rate-hiking. It really looks like the probability is increasing dramatically that the Fed rate hikes are over and inflation pressure is in check. And as that continues to happen through year-end, we can get a fantastic rally, 15 to 20 percent on the S&P 500 in three months. - Robert Robbins
With the election out of the way, the attention is now on the Bank of Canada. We're still at the early stages of a hiking cycle, which is moderately supportive of the Canadian dollar. - Adam Cole
With the economy doing very well, the risks of the Fed hiking rates are even higher. We have no interest in buying Treasuries. It is not the right time. - Takashi Yamamoto
With lower-than-expected growth, it makes the job a lot easier for the Fed -- especially with its two new Bush-appointed members -- to pause from its rate-hiking plan. - Paul Mendelsohn
Why wouldn't you live here? We've never done any heavy marketing. We never have enough inventory. Things are bought as fast as we can build them. It's an hour to the airport, a half hour to anything you need, a small town, no crime, beautiful vistas, hiking trails, good schools. It's a lifestyle everybody would like to have if they could. - David Bennett
While the US Federal Reserve Board is exploring ways to exit from the interest rate-hiking cycle, investors are gaining strong confidence in the strength of Japan's economic fundamentals. - Ryohei Muramatsu
When you're out there hiking with the girls at 5:30 and you see the other girls working out just as hard as you are and panting and puffing ... you feel like you have to go on because they're going on. - Connie Anderson
When you have people enjoying the hills and hiking that evolves into the [Stough Canyon] nature center and then becomes a hub of the offerings up there. - Eric Hansen
Katie Dolge Sharon Fanning Edward Callahan Ray Tanner Danielle Jackson Brad Smith Trish Murray Jennifer Nolan Lyndsay Miller Sid Vicious Hamid-Reza Asefi Scott Drabenstadt Keira Knightley Joe McDaniel Bob Harlan Andrew Greeley Mohammed Daoud Pierre Parenteau Rich Ingold Thomas Graham James Hamilton Robert Phillips Robin Yount Mike Williamson Jim Weddle
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Lodge Paintings
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CHARTERED: May 10, 1927 • WORSHIPFUL MASTER: José Cruz, Sr.
Welcome to Patuxent Lodge No. 218
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Patuxent Masonic Lodge is proud to be an active, vibrant and growing Lodge with a diverse group of men reflecting our communities in Southern Maryland. LEARN MORE
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Patuxent Masonic Lodge No. 218 Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Maryland is located in Upper Marlboro, Maryland and serving Southern Maryland.
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Patuxent is proud to be an active and growing Lodge with a diverse group of members reflecting our communities in Southern Maryland.
We have members with up to 65 years of Masonic service.
Involved in the Community
We as Freemasons are deeply involved in the communities of Southern Anne Arundel and Prince George’s County including Edgewater, Davidsonville, Deale, Harwood, Riva, Shady Side, Tracys Landing, Upper Marlboro and Woodland Beach.
Patuxent Lodge sponsors South River and Southern High Schools in Anne Arundel County and Suitland High School in Prince George’s County through the Masonic Charities of Maryland Scholarship Program. – This is a very important program that has a high visibility that recognizes and rewards qualified seniors for their accomplishments with scholarships.
Freemasonry is the oldest, largest Fraternity in the world. Its members has included Kings, Presidents, Prime Ministers, Statesmen, Generals, Admirals, Supreme Court Justices, Corporate CEO’s, Opera Stars, Movie Stars and probably, your next door neighbor. Contact us at patuxentlodge218@gmail.com or 240-516-8114.
Patuxent Masonic Lodge No. 218 Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Maryland is located in Upper Marlboro, Maryland and serving Southern Maryland. Patuxent Masonic Lodge was chartered on May 10, 1927, under the jurisdiction of The Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Maryland.
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newswire article reporting united states 26.Jul.2003 20:43
Gov. Dean's Police State of Vermont
author: scott huminski e-mail: s_huminski@hotmail.com
Dean's subversion of the bill of rights
In a 1997 Vt News Bureau interview, Dean admitted his desire to appoint judges willing to subvert the bill of rights. Now the fallout from Dean's appointments are before the US 2nd Circuit at Foley Square, NYC in two outrageous cases. Docket #s 03-7036, 02-6150, 02-6199, 02-6201 One case is being prosecuted by Washington, DC first amendment attorney Robert Corn-Revere against two of Dean's judges for their banishment of a Vermont "citizen-reporter" for life from all state courthouses because he criticized one of Dean's judicial appointees. The other case features Dean's judges violating Double Jeopardy, First Amendment, State law and the State constitution. See Docket No. 99-445 (Vt. Dec. 13, 2000), aff'g, Docket No. 167-1-99 WmCr (Windham D. Ct. Aug. 30, 1999) Both cases have been briefed before the Manhattan Court awaiting oral argument. Also filing a brief in federal court against Dean's appointees is the Thomas Jefferson Center For The Protection of Freedom of Expression.
Below are links regarding Dean's voicing his problem with the Bill of Rights. He constantly complains about "legal technicalities" (i.e. the Bill of Rights) as he did in the June 22 meet the press interview.
http://www.thomhartmann.com/government.shtml
http://www.txtriangle.com/archive/1049/coverstory.htm
A link to a story regarding the courthouse banishment case.
http://www.freedomforum.org/templates/document.asp?documentID=13300
A commentary on Dean's subversion of the public defender system.
http://www.talkleft.com/archives/003681.html#003681
Dean's statement on "re-evaluation" of our "civil liberties".
http://rutlandherald.nybor.com/News/Story/33681.html
Criminal sentences doubled during Dean's tenure as a result of his appointments. I wonder how many of those serving these inflated sentences were also subjugated to constitutional deprivations at the hands of Dean's Judicial appointees leading to their convictions? How many of those serving inflated sentences were prejudiced by Deans' subversion of the public defender system mandated by the 6th amendment?
In the Meet the Press interview with Dean while discussing the death penalty he stated,
"So I justlife without parole, which we have which I actually got passed when I was lieutenant governor the problem with life without parole is that people get out for reasons that have nothing to do with justice. We had a case where a guy who was a rapist, a serial sex offender, was convicted, then was let out on what I would think and believe was a technicality, a new trial was ordered and the victim wouldn't come back and go through the second trial. "
http://www.msnbc.com/news/912159.asp?cp1=1
Now, according to Dean, the Bill of Rights (ie. legal technicalities) has "nothing to do with justice". In the above quote, is he saying that if someone was unconstitutionally convicted it is better that the government kill them before they can point out the constitutional problems with their conviction?
A further commentary on Dean's death penalty stand.
link to www.washingtonpost.com
Scott Huminski
But He's Electable 27.Jul.2003 00:03
A Liberal link
Say what you like. Dean is the only Democrat who can beat Bush. This is what we should focus on. Everybody has faults if you look at them under a microscope.
But He's... huhn? 27.Jul.2003 01:09
A different Liberal link
He's electable... hmmm. That's the exact opposite of the CW, and certianly of the OLD CW. I happen to agree with you, but I don't think that's the best argument to be floated for him. Or at least, with your formulation. Perhaps a bit of specificity is in order to adress this issue. This issue, of being too tough on criminals, isn't going to hurt his general election chances. It helps his image as an advocate of the limp-wristed liberal posistion that criminals should be let out of jail (this is the perception, the fact that the reality is that public defender system and the constitution are VITAL to protecting the INNOCENT isn't really important). I don't like this stuff, but it's a hell of a lot better than Ashcroft's America.
Dean Ditto-heads? 27.Jul.2003 01:18
x link
You know how people refer to Rush Limbaugh as "ditto heads"? Well, I'm beginning to think there's a growing ditto-head trend in the Dean camp. I constantly see Dean supporters posting comments like the one above. The catch phrase being some derivative of "he's the only one that can beat Bush."
What's up with that? Reading from talking points published at Dean's websites?
Most liberals (and I'm not one) would say Kerry is the most able to beat Bush (so-called liberals consider Kerry a traditional liberal).
It's kind of funny. It's as if these Dean-dittoheads need to convince themselves that Dean is a liberal. Hell, I'd rather vote for Kerry than Dean if given a choice between only those two because at least Kerry is a little more honest. Dean is a centrist lying about being a liberal. It's rather shameful.
The other catch phrases I see focus on fire, on passion.... Give me a break. Dean's politics are not progressive, and any passion he proffers is usually about how he's progressive -- about how he has new ideas for America. By and large, he doesn't have new ideas. It's just that simple. He's a generic Wilsonian/Rockefeller Democrat when it comes to international relations (boils down to "imperialism lite" via "constructive engagement") and his domestic policies are an improvement over Bush, to be sure, but are not something to crow about. That has been well documented on PDX IMC - no need to tread there.
If comes down to Dean vs. Bush, yeah, I'll probably vote for Dean (even though I'd want to vote green or something else). But let's be honest here Mr. Liberal. Take off your blinders. Dean isn't a liberal, Mr. Liberal. What are you? A ditto head?
self-fulfilling prophecy 27.Jul.2003 01:27
its ok canada isn't far link
"Dean is the only Democrat who can beat Bush"
If so, it may well be largely because there are so many people who keep repeating this over and over and over.
If you need to do a election mantra, try repeating something more like this instead maybe: "Kucinich is the only Democrat who deserves to beat Bush".
I mean, look at that stuff. Dean sounds like f****** Ashcroft and Rumsfeld!!!!! Did we not learn anything last time guys who sounded like that got voted in? Helloooooo????
I'd sooner shoot myself in the foot than vote for Dean, because at least that I'd only be inflicting on myself.
Yikes 27.Jul.2003 03:50
James link
The Rutland Herald article was simply frightening. I've emailed Dean's campaign inquiring about Dean's quoted remarks. If he stands by them today, my support for the man is over.
I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for now. In the immediate aftermath of the September 11th attacks, I said some strong words myself. I'll hope that's all these were too.
Fools Never Learn 27.Jul.2003 04:36
Fuck the Republicrats link
The Demo-rat Party is no better and no different than the Republicans. All of this bickering about candidates and rhetoric that you should suport "Anybody But Bush" is of course propaganda pushed by the Democrat Party and its sympatherizers in the so-called "progressive" media.
It bears repeating again and again that every policy implemented by the Bush Regime has been based up the significant and necessary support of the Demo-rats. The Invasion of Afghanistan, the Patriot Act, Homeland Security Dept., the Invasion of Iraq--all were supported by the Demo-rats.
Remember also that the Bush Regime was actually reluctant t to implement the Homeland Security Dept. in the first place! The idea for this Fatherland Dept. was first proposed and pushed by Demo-rat Joseph Lieberman and only adopted by Bush after much political pressure.
If you want to actually have an impact on issues, instead of bickering about which lying American politician or which wing of the Republicrat Party you should support, focus on Policy and political agenda. Regardless of which criminals are in the Congress and White House, if you put pressure on them to adopt this or that policy, they will do so if you hold their feet to the fire....
Warts and ALL!! 27.Jul.2003 05:12
E. Olsen link
I just got done reading an article by Dean where he hammered Bush on everything from the environment to the War. Sooner or later, you Greens will need to throw your support behind someone (a lessor of two evils) or we WILL have "W" for another 4 years. Without a doubt, if Nader would have thrown his votes to Gore, we NEVER would have wound up with Bush. You need to get real and see who COULD take on "W" and WIN. You'll just have to accept the guy, "warts and all", or we'll have another 4 years of these neo-con nuts tearing up the planet. To date, the only candidate willing to stand up to "W" on all issues has been Dean.
there it is again......Dean ditto-heads 27.Jul.2003 07:30
"To date, the only candidate willing to stand up to "W" on all issues has been Dean."
E. Olsen is sharing that refrain I spoke about in my first message.
Kucinich confronts Bush on far more issues than Dean. Kucinich has his flaws too, but he's far better than Coward Dean and if one generally embraces the lesser of two evils / vote for Democrat strategy, it's only common sense to fight like hell now, in the pre-primaries, for Kucinich, not Coward Dean. As has been pointed out by many on PDX IMC, supporting Kucinich as such pushes the entire debate more toward the progressive camp. Dean's presence has been doing this to a far lesser (but still positive) extent. But I'm sick and tired of these ditto-heads that keep telling us that Dean is the "only" candidate "wiling to stand up" to W. Total horse shit.... And what's irritating is not that these ditto-heads fail to see grater passion and bravery that Kucinich embodies, but the ditto-head inability to see the blatant hypocrisy and generic talking from both sides of his mouth that is represented by Dean's record. Kucinich detractors can point to his change on abortion and make an issue out of it. That's valid. But Dean? Good lord, the guy reeks of hypocrisy across a very long list of issues.
E. Olsen, support who you want, but do so with honesty. Support Dean if you wish, but don't worship him. You're acting like you're in a cult.
Genital Warts and All! 27.Jul.2003 07:51
DeanforAmerica link
Hey, here is a great campaign slogan for Howard Dean--(Genital) Warts and All!
Woo-hooo!
--Brought to you by People for Howard Dean, the electable Warmonger.
Dems is soooo gullible 27.Jul.2003 11:31
slkejgzdfg (formerly A Liberal) link
Actually I posted that first message about Dean being electable. It was a joke, but you weak Dem sheep fell for it. What you gotta do it support Lieberman! OK thats a joke too...wait ALL the Dem candidates are a joke.
Abandon politics. Stop giving control over your life to hired hands. Your unwillingness to make your own decisions will not save you.
Bush isn't doing that bad 27.Jul.2003 12:54
GWB link
It is a sign of a suicidal Left that thinks that wasting
five words attacking Howard Dean is a good use
of time with Bush-Ashcroft launching an assault on womens
rights internationally, on labor rights domestically, and
on peace and security globally through Star Wars
strategies.
and another thing 27.Jul.2003 13:05
kjahdsf link
Dems tend to fight among themselves more than Reps during the primaries and hold grudges longer. Remember how people were so hateful toward Bradley in 2000 and Brown in 1992 because they wouldn't shut up and drop out. McCain supporters had much less trouble getting in line behind Bush. Perhaps this is because Dems are marginally more principled than Reps. I don't know. Right now, Dems are divided against themselves. One side wants to win at all cost. The other wants to pull the party back toward its (rumored) progressive roots. Personally, I'd suggest the right wing of the party drop the act and regester Rep and the left wing of the party abandon politics altogether and get to work rebuilding society from the ground up. I'm not holding my breath.
NADER BACKS BUSH 27.Jul.2003 13:12
posted link
nader profits while he preaches
http://www.bushwatch.com/nader.htm
No GWB , you're wrong 27.Jul.2003 16:32
Kucinich is an easy choice vs. Dean -- a far better choice. At this stage of the game, either Kucinich or Dean have about the same chance of winning (despite Dean's higher profile and bigger money chest, Kucinich will gain more momentum because the guy isn't quite the liar Dean is, and because as people actually listen to Kucinich speak, they will be inspired by his vision to cut the Pentagon budget by 50% and all the other things he has in his platform).
No, Mr. GWB, oh one of meager binary thinking, we have more choices here and now, in the pre-primary process. Even registered greens should switch to registered Democrat just temporarily so as to vote for Kucinich in the primary process (and go back to green later -- no harm done, and this stands for all other progressive and left parties). In the pre-primary through primary season, even anarchists and people that don't vote out of protest have nothing to lose for stepping into the primary processes and pushing Kucnich forward since Kucinich is the most left of the Democrats (Sharpton might be deemed as such in other ways, but Sharpton isn't as vocal about cutting the Pentagon, and Sharpton has paltry previous experience in public office whereas Kucinich is the co-chair of the largest caucus in Congress). The bottom-line is that supporting Kucinich aggressively in the primary and pre-primary period is a smart move even for those that note the corruptness of the Democratic Party and have the "Fuck the Republicrats" sentiments (rightfully so!).
just a thought from another generation 27.Jul.2003 18:11
mom link
I was surprised at the intense support for Dean by some fairly well educated white younger adults who like to think of themselves as progressive until I stopped to look at the huge media blitz. Those who design ads for the visual media (TV) are clever at telling people what to do --- "Dean is the only candidate who can beat Bush etc. etc" --- and really well meaning people buy into the messages.
Don't be too hard on them --- there are bilions of dollars spent to get inside people's minds and convince them to buy this or support that...
The important conversation that is going on now is on media like indy where thougtful people can post links to information that does not get out in the news.
I threw my TV out 14 years ago and couldn't be happier --- I feel much better informed now than ever before.
WE all need to talk to each other --- cite your sources and talk to your neighbors and friends... name calling only makes people dig into their positions....
I relly want bush thrown out
but I don't want some bushlite guy if there is a chance to get someone really able to think differently.
Yes, I support Kucinich --- heard about him first on alternative news sources including indy...
Hey, Mom! 27.Jul.2003 21:03
Bill link
There is no well-meaning in chanting, 'beat bush",
without even bothering with a chorus of, "lesser evil".
Dean is scum. He has flaunted it.
Those junkies bend over willingly and spread their brains wide-open
in return for a few seconds of adrenaline fix from the idiot-box.
Then, they swarm to the ballot-box in twitching herds
and vote to hold me down, too.
And you want me to "Don't be too hard on them".
There is this guy, who used to live in the same house as me,
whose mom doesn't want the judge to be too hard on him.
He's sitting in a cell,
waiting for his sixth sentence :
three to five for theft.
The bitch doesn't want to know her poor baby,
until it is time to put on the rags of motherhood wronged
and perform before of the court.
Every little boy loves his mom,
and wants her to be 'there' for him.
She would be more 'there',
don't you think,
if she would stop making excuses for him,
tell him to pry his lips off the glass-teat,
and take some responsibility.
Running as a Liberal? 28.Jul.2003 00:25
Jumbo link
" Dean is a centrist lying about being a liberal. It's rather shameful'"
That's pretty much totally incorrect. I dare you to find Dean saying anything like "I'm a liberal" or "I'm running as a liberal with a liberal agenda". Dean has always run as centrist who happened to disagree with the Bush administration's Iraq war. His main issue before Iraq was balancing the budget. Sure he's cribbed a few good soundbites from Paul Wellstone, but he's always made sure to mention that he's not as liberal as Paul was. I understand all you good leftists need to prove that any one who seeks power is really a craven, sociopath bent on world destruction, but come on. The guy is trying to keep Bush out of the White House from 2005 to 2008. Is that not a noble goal worthy of some meager respect. Just ignore him if his quest to provide health care for all Americans irks your anarchist sensibities. Wait till he's actually won an election (or better yet, wait till YOU'VE actually won an election) before you start canibalizing the dude and calling him a shameful liar when he's really not. Are pleas for sanity too much for this site?
Kucinichites are dead-enders 28.Jul.2003 00:33
Kucinich! He's going to gain momentum when people hear about his plan to cut the Pentagon by 50%! Hey, I'm all for cutting the Pentagon's budget but even I can see that's not a winning issue. Sorry, but, Kucinich is going nowhere. I'd back that statement up with all kinds of facts, figures and news clippings but frankly the guy's not worth the research. I mean is PDX.indymedia the only thing you read? You must not get out much if you think Dennis Kucinich can win a national election. Al Sharpton has a MUCH better chance than Kucinich. Socialist-peaceniks make up maybe %1 of the country. And half of them won't vote for a white man just out of principle.
What Hypocricy 28.Jul.2003 00:52
X man, you're going to have to do better than hurl Tom DeLay style insults. What hypocricy? I'm a Green Dean supporter who according to you has been "suckered" or fooled into some sort of mindless acceptance of Dean's "lies". What are you talking about? I know his health care plan is incrementalist, I know he supported the war in Afghanistan and wouldn't touch millitary spending, I know he's pro-Israel, I know he's against medical marijuana iniatives and he's pro-death penalty. He's always been very up front about these things and yeah, I don't agree with him on those issues. But guess what, I'm not running for president. I don't expect to ever vote for a candidate who's as progressive as I'd like him to be. But have you noticed this George W. Bush guy? Maybe you've been living in a tree the past 3 years (you never know on indymedia) but he's like, super-nasty-bad. Howard Dean's just a politician who's for providing health care for kids (you DO like kids don't you? How's Dennis Kucinich's healthcare for all bill making its way through Congress these days?) and signing the Kyoto Protocol AND he supports Instant Runoff Voting. As a Green whose faced with the choice between health care for kids, reduction of greenhouses gasses, and IRV or George W. Bush (I don't have time to explain how awful this guy is but, trust me, it's really important that he not be in the oval office in 2005.) well, the choice is clear. Kucinich is so far behind and has such pathetic prospects (CW it may be, but it's the truth, Ruth) that he's just a non-option. I'm in it to win this time around. But once Dean's elected, I'll be right back to criticizing him like a good leftist should.
bill 28.Jul.2003 01:17
okay, i hadn't eaten dinner yet.
i don't want to sink into despair or name calling.
i really don't understand why young educated adults are going for dean.
he hasn't said anything about fundamental change which is what we need.
he seems to be just a prettier version of Kerry...
sorry if this is a second reply.
i hit submit and the whole thing disappearedi should go to bed.
That's All Right, Mom, 28.Jul.2003 04:44
I'm only bleeding. (Bobby had some great lines!)
Yes, I was harsh. But it would certainly defeat my purpose to go easy on you, now. Wouldn't it?
So Dean can sing, "Love me. LOVE me. Love me. Mumble MUMble mumble!", and people think he's the lesser of two evils.
Do you know how long we have been ** knowingly ** voting for the lesser of two evils? Sometimes, for variety I suppose, the greater?
USA, CAN, UK are probably the only places in the world where a man can spend his life lying and murdering and stealing; then, smile charmingly and say, "Honest, deep down inside I'm a really nice guy.". And people will believe -- without the bonus offer of a gun-barrel up their nose -- "Oh, that's alright then. I saw it on TV, so it must be true."
Young adults are going for Dean because they are educated. They have been taught all their lives to ignore what a man does and invest their feeble faith in teleprompters. They have memorized a language gutted of its most important meanings. They know that whoever is named President will take his orders from other Masters, so they make the best with what they've given to play with.
No need to despair.
YOU were jolted by my comment.
YOU recognized there was some truth nagging you.
Run with what you can carry.
Little Hughie has to save himself.
His mom has to save herself.
At least get a better acting coach : she's not impressing those judges.
Sometime you have to wait a _long_ while for your comment to reappear out of the ether.
imcPortland is just another part of the system. You gather up the ovaries to speak your mind. You get the words right. You arrange them gracefully. Then, they remind you :
Vote 28.Jul.2003 05:38
Elt link
You wont have to worry about who is elected with electronic voting the fix is in. We must have a paper trail or the corporation will rig the electronic voting machines.
some thoughts on who can win 28.Jul.2003 09:36
maka waje link
Just some things to keep in mind... Dean has won basically one election, to governor- and then held on to that post.
Kucinich has won more elections than anyone running, and defeated more republican incumbants than anyone running. Every time the press said it was impossible. Everytime he did it with far less money. And every time it was the deep grassroots campaign energized by his integrity that won the day. The dems can NOT out spend Bush. If they try they will fail. The only way to win is to have a different strategy- and Kucinich is the only guy running who has that alternative, strategy.
BE WARY OF THE DLC 28.Jul.2003 11:43
Donna Brazile link
Be wary of the Democratic (mis)Leadership Committee. These clowns have been trying to "marginalize" any candidates who don't tow the Clintonite "New Democrat" line. In fact, there are strong suspicions that the DLC is essentially a Neocon political trojan horse, designed to turn the Democrats into warmongering Neocons just like the Republicans are.
what choice 28.Jul.2003 12:40
fluffy kitty link
What's all this shit about choosing between the lesser of two evils. It's not even that anymore. Now we're forced to choose between the evil of two lessers. What's the point of saying Dean is the only one who can beat Bush, when they act like the same person. They both suck.
And not to be a cynic, but like it matters who we vote for anyway, aren't there a dozen other states that have that new online voter database that kicks out anyone of color or whose name sounds like that of a felons?
how's that handbasket, comfy?
Kerry in 2004 29.Jul.2003 21:28
Mary MacElveen xmjmac@optonline.net link
As a person who at one time backed Governor Dean, that support now goes to Senator John F. Kerry. Here is one among many reasons for my support of Senator Kerry.
Most likely, we will still be engaged in overseas actions during the 2004 presidential campaign and for the reasons listed below you will see why this honorable man NEEDS to become the 44th President of the United States.
Out of all the candidates, only Senator Kerry has served in the military. Only Senator Kerry knows what life is like for any soldier and he knows all too well what they are going through at this point. A man who understands through experience what war is truly about, is the better man to bring about peace. This man in my opinion is Senator John F. Kerry.
I am sure that he feels angry because he knows the environment these armed forces of ours are now living in. As a former soldier who was trained to believe in his commander in chief and believe in the mission, he must feel betrayed. I believe through recent events where our soldiers are speaking out against this administration, they too must feel betrayed. A President Kerry would not betray our troops.
Mary MacElveen
Sound Beach, NY
Very disheartening news about Dean 29.Jul.2003 22:36
Pamela saramagoddess@yahoo.com link
This is just one more in a long line of disheartening news about Dean. I hope people wake up before it is too late.
John Kerry is a far better choice for President! He can and will beat Bush!
http://kerryblog.blogspot.com/
juvenile pseudo intellectuals 29.Jul.2003 23:06
magicman magicman@texas.net link
Seems there is at least ome Kucinich ditto head out there. There is no one holding elected office at the national level who has not sold out. You kids have not done your homework. Generation X does not vote or even know that there civil rights are being trampled on. White middle aged people elect the canidates, you kids just whine and posture and beat your chest. Kucinich hasn't got a prayer nor does any other canidate who would run on a platform of 50% reduction on defense spending. The lemmings out there who do vote believe all the disinformation about "having a strong national defense". Climb down out of your fantasy lives and look around. Do you know anything about the "IRS Act of 1933" how about the owners of the "Federal Reserve". I guarantee it's not " We the People". You have to know who your enemy is before you can defeat him.
GWB is not the enemy. He's just the front man. If you ask anybody who knew him in Midland they will tell "He was the dumbest guy in town.". He was the worst governor in Texas history, but the lemmings liked his posturing, "his packaging" and in the end it was five guys in black robes who handed.over the Presidency to him. Who controls The United States Government (a corporation called "government). When was it incorporated and by whom? Are you a "US citizen"or an " American Ciizen"? Do tou know the difference?
Shame 29.Jul.2003 23:47
If you remember that odorous scam from last year, the "Kerry Amendment", you may be more inclined to shower him with cobbles and hods than with votes.
Nice nym. One does not often meet a goddess who admits to being clay.
Chill out 30.Jul.2003 11:12
Okay, why don't we look closely at the person who is critcizing Dean in the Rut article, the Law Prof Mello:
"It's why they attacked us," he continued. "I think our freedom is what they find so threatening, our freedom and the power that I think results directly from that freedom."
Sound familiar at all? "They attacked us because we're so wonderful, and powerful."
Dean should be careful what he says, but maybe we should keep in mind where these critcisms are coming from, and what these critics are generally trying to accomplish.
Kucinich for President 2004 30.Jul.2003 14:14
James Partsch-Galván galvan@myway.com link
Thanks for all those links to some great information on Dean especially the story in the Texas Triangle. I read the Texas Triangle here in Houston, Texas.
I will not vote for Howard Dean if he is the Democratic Candidate for President. I would rather vote for the devil that I know(George Bush) or for a 3rd Party Candidate. \
Right now, I am supporting Dennis Kucinich for the Democratic Party Nomination. I hope he wins it.
James Partsch-Galván http://www.galvan.org
http://www.galvan.org
1611 Holman Houston, Texas 77004
TO HELL WITH JOHN KERRY AND THE DEMOCRAP PARTY 31.Jul.2003 15:53
My Lai Massacre link
What the hell is with all the Democrap political partisans coming on Indymedia to promote their favorite criminal/presidential candidate? All of you Demoraps should go back to your fellow Democrap Party partisans and attempt to convince them on the respective merits of your assortment of lying and murderous politicians.
For all you John Kerry supporters (like Mary MacElveen and Pamela), get the hell out of here. All your pathetic disinformation promoting Kerry and trashing his rivals don't fly here. You are not dealing with your typical Whitebread "We support our War Criminals/troops" patriots here. Your laughable attempts at playing the Patriot Card and portraying Kerry as some kind of "War Hero" may fool the average Flag waving sheeple but they don't have any moral authority here.
Vote for John Kerry? Fuck him. Kerry supported the invasion of Iraq. Kerry supported the invasion of Afhganistan. Kerry supported the Patriot Act and Homeland Security. In short, Kerry is a (Democratic) fascist Warmonger no different from any other American leader.
BTW, Mary, Take your Patriotic bullshit about "supporting the troops" and go back to hell. You and other American miltiary goons are murderers, war criminals, and mercenaries. You don't deserve support. You and your leaders (from John Kerry to George Bush) deserve to be hunted down as the fascists fucks which you are. Let's hope the Iraqi Resistance movement is giving your "troops" all the misery, death, and pain which you deserve.
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“Whatever the father and the spiritual master order should be taken without argument: ‘Yes.'”
17 June 2015 by acbs
Prabhupada said, “The son or disciple should accept the words of his spiritual master and father without hesitation.” – SB 3.24.13, purport
“Two words in this verse are very important; one word is pitari, and another word is guroh. The son or disciple should accept the words of his spiritual master and father without hesitation. Whatever the father and the spiritual master order should be taken without argument: ‘Yes.’ There should be no instance in which the disciple or the son says, ‘This is not correct. I cannot carry it out.’ When he says that, he is fallen. The father and the spiritual master are on the same platform because a spiritual master is the second father. The higher classes are called dvija, twice-born. Whenever there is a question of birth, there must be a father. The first birth is made possible by the actual father, and the second birth is made possible by the spiritual master. Sometimes the father and the spiritual master may be the same man, and sometimes they are different men. In any case, the order of the father or the order of the spiritual master must be carried out without hesitation, with an immediate yes. There should be no argument. That is real service to the father and to the spiritual master. Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has stated that the order of the spiritual master is the life and soul of the disciples. As a man cannot separate his life from his body, a disciple cannot separate the order of the spiritual master from his life. If a disciple follows the instruction of the spiritual master in that way, he is sure to become perfect. This is confirmed in the Upanishads: the import of Vedic instruction is revealed automatically only to one who has implicit faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead and in his spiritual master. One may be materially considered an illiterate man, but if he has faith in the spiritual master as well as in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then the meaning of scriptural revelation is immediately manifested before him.”
authoritydictatorshipfreedomHare KrishnaISKCONliteralismPrabhupada
“…It is a fact that great souls cheat others for a great cause.”
1 June 2015 by acbs
Prabhupada said, “That great souls cheat others may be astonishing to know, but it is a fact that great souls cheat others for a great cause.” – SB 1.13.37, purport
“That great souls cheat others may be astonishing to know, but it is a fact that great souls cheat others for a great cause. It is said that Lord Krishna also advised Yudhistira to tell a lie before Dronacarya, and it was also for a great cause. The Lord wanted it, and therefore it was a great cause. Satisfaction of the Lord is the criterion of one who is bona fide, and the highest perfection of life is to satisfy the Lord by one’s occupational duty. That is the verdict of Gita and Bhagavatam. Dhritarashtra and Vidura, followed by Gandhari, did not disclose their determination to Sanjaya, although he was constantly with Dhritarashtra as his personal assistant. Sanjaya never thought that Dhritarashtra could perform any act without consulting him. But Dhritarashtra’s going away from home was so confidential that it could not be disclosed even to Sanjaya. Sanatana Gosvami also cheated the keeper of the prison house while going away to see Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and similarly Raghunatha dasa Gosvami also cheated his priest and left home for good to satisfy the Lord. To satisfy the Lord, anything is good, for it is in relation with the Absolute Truth. We also had the same opportunity to cheat the family members and leave home to engage in the service of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Such cheating was necessary for a great cause, and there is no loss for any party in such transcendental fraud.”
cheatfraudfreedomHare KrishnaISKCONPrabhupada
“They are becoming degraded so much so that they are doubting, asking questions.”
22 March 2015 by acbs
Prabhupada said, “They are becoming degraded so much so that they are doubting, asking questions.” – Morning walk, 21 January 1977, Bhuvanesvara
Prabhupada: Kṛṣṇa says one who is completely free from sinful life, he can become perfectly a devotee. So these are the four pillars of sinful life. Yesam tv anta-gatam papam [BG 7.28]. Oh, it is nice park.
Ramesvara: But because this is the age of Kali, even if the Krishna consciousness movement spreads and even captures governments, how can we stop individual people from doing this? (car stops)
Prabhupada: No. You cannot expect cent percent will be sinless. But there must be an ideal section—”Oh, here is…” That is wanted. That is wanted, not that you can expect cent percent ideal.
Gargamuni: Gate’s locked?
Hari-sauri: So that ideal should be the persons who are living in our asramas.
Ramesvara: No, they’re in there.(?)
Gargamuni: That’s our man. He jumped over the fence to get the gate open open.
Ramesvara: But now, suppose there is some businessman, and he knows that everybody is wanting this sex. So he is making movie or writing a book describing these things.
Prabhupada: These things were formerly restricted-censor board.
Ramesvara: So there must be censorship…
Prabhupada: Yes.
Ramesvara: …in a Kṛṣṇa conscious…
Prabhupada: Oh, yes.
Ramesvara: …government.
Ramesvara: Censorship of television, radio, all media.
Prabhupada: So let us… (car door opens—break) The people are becoming godless. How much degradation. Lord Ramacandra appeared, Lord Krishna appeared, Lord Buddha, Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared and many others, and the people of India, they are becoming godless. Why? Do you follow what I say? Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata, tadatmanam srjamyaham [BG 4.7]. And He does it in India within this universe. And they are become now… This is Kali-yuga. Other countries, they may, but India, so fortunate birth… Bharata-bhumite hailamanusya janma. They are becoming degraded so much so that they are doubting, asking questions.
censorshipdoubtfreedomHare KrishnainquiryISKCONPrabhupada
“In the Western countries, the women are given freedom like man, but that is unnatural.”
Prabhupada said, “Woman requires protection. According to Vedic culture, woman has no independence, because they cannot keep their independence. It is not possible. A sixteen-year-old boy can go safely all over the world, but a sixteen-year girl cannot. That is not possible. By nature, they are weak. So they require protection. And until she reaches youthhood, she is protected by the father. As soon as she reaches youthhood, she is given to a young man, her husband, to give protection. And in old age, she is protected by the elderly sons. This is the Vedic culture. They have three phases of life: childhood, youthhood, and old age. So… Because they are weak. In the Western countries, the women are given freedom like man, but that is unnatural. Unnatural. Therefore these poor souls are being exploited by the other section. It is a great deficiency of the Western sociology. But the Vedic culture is different from this. Woman is not given independence.” – Lecture on SB 1.15.20, 30 November 1973, Los Angeles
freedomHare KrishnaindependenceISKCONPrabhupadaprotectionVedic Cultureweakwomen
“I like this position, dictatorship. Personally I like this.”
Prabhupada said, “I like this position, dictatorship. Personally I like this.” – Room conversation, 21 August 1975, Bombay
dictatorshipfreedomHare KrishnaISKCONPrabhupada
“…He wants His representative to rule over this material world.”
Prabhupada said, “He’s the supreme controller. Therefore Krishna, as supreme controller, He wants His representative to rule over this material world.” – Lecture on SB 1.8.18, 28 September 1974, Mayapur
“Woman should not be given independence. She must remain just like a child remains under the control of the parents. That is good.”
5 March 2015 by acbs
Prabhupada said, “So therefore, woman is advised by the Manu-samhita, they should remain under the intelligent man, not declare freedom. That will be their life nice. Therefore it is advised that until one is married with an intelligent husband, she must remain under the control of her father. Still in India, until a girl is married, she cannot move freely. Where is our Syamasundara? You know, what happened about that Sharma girls. Two girls in Nairobi, they wanted to join our society. So Brahmananda, as other girls are joining, he welcomed, but it created a havoc to the family of the girl. They went here and there. ‘Oh, the girl has gone out of home. There will be no marriage.’ That’s a fact. In India still, in respectable family, if a young girl goes out of home for three days, it will be difficult, or she will not be married. So this still I saw in Nairobi.
“So anyway the system is unless one is married, a girl, she must remain under the control of the parents. Therefore it is the parents’ duty to see that the girl is married to a suitable boy. That is the duty. When the girl is married, then parent’s duty is finished. Not by the age. Up to this point. So during young time, say, up to, say, forty years, she should remain under the husband. And when there are grown-up children, she should remain… Just like that Mrs. Sharma. She is under the care of her elderly sons. So Manu-samhita says that na stri svatantryam arhati. Woman should not be given independence. She must remain… Just like… That is not bad. Just like a child remains under the control of the parents. That is good. Similarly, woman remaining under the control of father or husband or elderly boy, that is good for them. And still, they are very happy.” – Lecture on SB 1.3.21, 26 September 1972, Los Angeles
freedomHare KrishnaindependenceISKCONManu-samhitaPrabhupadaprotection
“You have to understand that woman is never given to be independence.”
Prabhupada said, “You have to understand that woman is never given to be independence. Independence means just like child has to be taken care, similarly, woman has to be taken care. You cannot let your child go in the street alone. There will be danger. Similarly, according to Vedic civilization, Manu-samhita, woman should be given protection. In this way, acara, this is called acara. So the demons, they do not know. The demons, they do not know what is what, how one thing should be treated, how… They do not know. In the Western countries there is no such distinction between man and woman, but there is. We have to accept it and construct this social institution in that way. Then it will be perfect.” – Lecture on BG 16.7, 3 February 1975, Hawaii
demonsfreedomHare KrishnaindependenceISKCONManu-samhitaPrabhupadaprotectionVedic Culture
“How can I give you equal rights, because your brain is less substance.”
Prabhupada said, “How they can have equal rights? Up to date in the history there is not a single woman who is a great scientist or great philosopher or great…” – Morning walk, 9 January 1977, Bombay
Prabhupada: I condemn everyone, that “You are all dogs and hogs.” And United Nations a pack of dogs barking. That’s a fact. And in Chicago I said, all women, “You cannot have freedom. You have got only thirty-four-ounce brain, and man has got sixty-four-ounce.” I told them. So I became a subject of very great criticism.
Trivikrama: Women’s liberation.
Prabhupada: I denied, “No, you cannot have.” I told them. One girl in the airship, she was seeing like… I asked her, “Give me 7-Up.” “It is locked now.” So I frankly said that “No, no. You cannot have equal rights because your brain is thirty-four ounce.” Actually that’s a fact. Where is woman philosopher, mathematician, scientist? Not a single.
Dr. Patel: Apart from that, I mean, they are made for a particular mission.
Prabhupada: How they can have equal rights? Up to date in the history there is not a single woman who is a great scientist or great philosopher or great…
Dr. Patel: Madame Curie was a…
Prabhupada: All bogus.
Dr. Patel: You are getting too harsh on them because…
Prabhupada: No, no. How can I give you equal rights, because your brain is less substance.
Dr. Patel: We cannot degrade our mothers that way.
Prabhupada: It is not degrading. It is accepting the actual fact.
Dr. Patel: These girls are misled, these American girls.
Prabhupada: There is no history. There is no history. Just like Kunti’s mother. She produced so many heroes, but she was not hero. She could produce heroes like Arjuna, like Bhima. But not that she becomes hero.
Dr. Patel: Mother can produce heroes…
Prabhupada: That’s all right. Still, nobody will say that Kunti is as good as Arjuna or Bhima.
Dr. Patel: How can anybody say?
Prabhupada: That is… How you’ll get the equal rights?
Dr. Patel: No woman smaller than Kunti could have produced an Arjuna.
Prabhupada: You can produce. That is another thing. A cook can produce foodstuff suitable for rich man, but that does not mean he is rich man.
biologybrain substanceequalityfreedomHare KrishnaISKCONless intelligentPrabhupadawomen
“The same process as the Mohammedans did, with sword and Koran, we’ll have to do that.”
Prabhupada said, “When there will be military march of Krishna conscious soldiers. Anyone who does not believe in Krishna, ‘Blam!’ Yes. The same process as the Mohammedans did, with sword and Koran, we’ll have to do that. ‘Do you believe in Krishna or not?’ ‘No, sir.’ ‘Blam!’ Finished.” – Morning walk, 15 March 1974, Vrindavana
dictatorshipfreedomHare KrishnaISKCONIslamPrabhupadaviolence
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Maine potato growers love what they do and they do it extremely well
by Christina DiMartino | October 20, 2016
Potatoes are the leading vegetable crop in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service. The nationwide crop contributes about 15 percent of farm sales receipts for vegetables each year. Annually over 30 billion pound of potatoes are produced in the nation.
Over 50 percent of potato sales are to processors for french fries, chips, dehydrated potatoes and other potato products. The remainder goes to the fresh market.
Economists who crunch food consumption data collected by the USDA have determined the average American eats 142 pounds of potatoes a year, or almost 365 potatoes per person. That’s an average of a potato a day. Potatoes are grown commercially in every state from Florida to Alaska, but about 30 states produce the commercial crop, including Maine.
In terms of nutrition, the potato is best known for its carbohydrate content, about 26 grams in a medium potato. That potato, eaten with the skin, provides 27 milligrams of vitamin C, 620 milligrams of potassium, 0.2 milligrams of vitamin B6 and trace amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, folate, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and zinc.
The fiber content of a potato with its skin is equivalent to that of many whole grain breads, pastas and cereals. But unlike most of its processed carbohydrate-cousins, that medium potato has just 110 calories and is sodium and cholesterol free.
According to the Maine Potato Board, the state’s industry prides itself on producing a high-quality product, regardless of where the potatoes are destined.
Before potatoes can bear the red, white and blue State of Maine Quality Trademark -- a guarantee that the contents of the potatoes are only the highest quality -- they are inspected and pass requirements stricter than the USDA’s U.S. No. 1 grade.
Technology and innovation have changed the way Maine growers plant, cultivate and harvest potatoes. And technology and innovation have changed the way they communicate. Smartphones, social media, websites, YouTube videos and more now provide innovative ways for them to communicate with one another, their customers and consumers.
While every technological development spurs industry and company growth, the Maine Potato Board knows that consumers grow right along with it. Every step of the way, the consumer has become more knowledgeable, more savvy and harder to market to through traditional means.
Maine’s geography requires minimal reliance on irrigation to produce a crop. Growers there are blessed with a production area that receives nearly all of its crop water needs through rainfall. In a growing season that might have a typical five- to six-week dry period, Maine’s industry averages five inches of water per acre. This means that irrigation is only applied to about 25 percent of its total acres, compared to irrigation being required on 100 percent of crops in other production areas. The energy saved and environmental impact diminshed by not having to rely on irrigation to supply all of Maine’s crop water needs is significant.
Maine also stands out as a natural production area. With long cold winters, fumigating the soil is not necessary, resulting in significantly fewer pesticides used. When compared to other North American production areas, Maine uses 10 times fewer total pounds of active ingredients per acre.
Potatoes have been grown in Maine for over 200 years. The advantage of having warm days, cool nights and productive soils make it a prime production region.
Additionally, Maine’s potato growers have multigenerational family histories.
The Maine Potato Board promotes itself as helping to Growing Maine’s Economy. And its grower-members are committed to being good stewards of the land, planting the best seed, taking extreme care during growing, harvesting with the best practices and working continually on food safety and traceability.
United Fresh honors Emanuel Lazopoulos at gala dinner
TUCSON, AZ — The 2020 FreshStart Conference, hosted by the United Fresh Produce Association, took place Jan. 14-16 ...
FreshStart Foundation conference
United Fresh President and CEO Tom Stenzel presented the United Fresh Lifetime Achievement Award to Emanuel Lazopoulos.
Markets and Trends
Florida near freezing, beautiful weather out West
Tonight will bring some of the coldest temps to Florida so far this winter. Plant City in the central part of the state will see m...
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Daniel B Brunton
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PARCC Percent of Students at Each Achievement Level
2016 MCAS Results by Subgroup by Grade and Subject
NOTE: First-year ELL students are not included in achievement level or CPI results. However, first-year ELL students who took the ACCESS for ELLs test are counted as ELA participants; in addition, first-year ELL students who are present for Mathematics/Science and Technology/Engineering are counted as Mathematics/Science and Technology/Engineering participants. Please see the principal's administration manual (PAM) for details.
NOTE: Spring 2016 results in grades 3-8 ELA and Mathematics are not reported because all students in this organization participated in the PARCC test.
More about the data
Data Last Updated on September 26, 2016
GRADE LEVEL 5 - SCIENCE AND TECH/ENG
Student Group School District State
Stud. Incl Part. Rate % at Each Level CPI SGP Incl. in SGP (#) Stud. Incl Part. Rate % at Each Level CPI SGP Incl. in SGP (#) Stud. Incl Part. Rate % at Each Level CPI SGP Incl. in SGP (#)
# % A P NI W # % A P NI W # % A P NI W
Accountability Subgroups
Students w/ disabilities 14 100 0 7 43 50 51.8 N/A N/A 388 100 1 9 37 53 53.2 N/A N/A 13,420 98 3 14 43 40 58.2 N/A N/A
EL and Former EL 15 100 7 47 33 13 76.7 N/A N/A 394 100 3 19 45 33 58.9 N/A N/A 8,913 99 4 16 46 34 56.6 N/A N/A
Econ. Disadvantaged 49 100 8 37 41 14 76.0 N/A N/A 1,404 100 4 21 49 27 63.1 N/A N/A 22,331 99 5 21 47 27 63.5 N/A N/A
High needs 54 100 9 37 39 15 76.4 N/A N/A 1,513 100 4 20 48 28 62.5 N/A N/A 32,892 99 5 21 47 27 63.8 N/A N/A
Afr. Amer./Black 15 100 7 40 47 7 76.7 N/A N/A 342 100 3 21 51 25 64.3 N/A N/A 5,911 99 5 18 49 29 60.9 N/A N/A
Amer. Ind. or Alaska Nat. - - - - - - - - 2 - - - - - - - - 148 99 6 26 43 25 66.4 N/A N/A
Asian 1 - - - - - - - - 47 100 6 38 34 21 76.6 N/A N/A 4,514 100 28 35 28 8 84.5 N/A N/A
Hispanic/Latino 37 100 5 38 38 19 75.0 N/A N/A 1,182 100 4 21 49 26 63.1 N/A N/A 12,812 99 5 19 46 30 60.7 N/A N/A
Multi-race, Non-Hisp./Lat. 1 - - - - - - - - 13 100 15 31 23 31 67.3 N/A N/A 2,402 99 19 32 35 13 77.6 N/A N/A
Nat. Haw. or Pacif. Isl. - - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - - 61 100 16 30 38 16 74.6 N/A N/A
White 7 - - - - - - - - 185 100 16 28 42 15 74.7 N/A N/A 43,793 99 19 37 36 8 82.2 N/A N/A
Other Subgroups
Male 38 100 8 45 29 18 78.3 N/A N/A 918 100 4 24 48 24 65.9 N/A N/A 35,768 99 15 32 38 15 76.0 N/A N/A
Female 23 100 17 30 48 4 79.3 N/A N/A 854 100 6 21 48 25 63.8 N/A N/A 33,895 99 17 31 39 13 76.8 N/A N/A
Title1 61 100 11 39 36 13 78.7 N/A N/A 1,763 100 5 22 48 24 65.0 N/A N/A 26,405 99 7 22 47 25 64.5 N/A N/A
Non-Title1 - - - - - - - - 9 - - - - - - - - 43,236 99 22 37 33 8 83.7 N/A N/A
Non-Econ. Disadvantaged 12 100 25 50 17 8 89.6 N/A N/A 368 100 10 28 45 17 71.7 N/A N/A 47,311 99 21 36 34 9 82.5 N/A N/A
EL 8 - - - - - - - - 274 100 0 8 48 43 50.4 N/A N/A 5,194 99 1 8 43 48 47.0 N/A N/A
Former EL 7 - - - - - - - - 120 100 10 42 39 9 78.5 N/A N/A 3,719 100 7 26 50 16 70.1 N/A N/A
1st Year EL 2 - - - - - - - - 39 100 - - - - - N/A N/A 835 100 - - - - - N/A N/A
Ever EL 18 100 6 44 33 17 76.4 N/A N/A 419 100 3 19 45 33 58.8 N/A N/A 10,966 100 6 19 45 31 60.3 N/A N/A
2016 61 100 11 39 36 13 78.7 N/A N/A 1,772 100 5 22 48 25 64.9 N/A N/A 69,681 99 16 31 38 14 76.4 N/A N/A
2015 57 94 21 39 26 14 80.3 N/A N/A 1,788 99 8 26 45 21 68.5 N/A N/A 70,861 99 16 35 37 13 78.2 N/A N/A
ALL GRADES - SCIENCE AND TECH/ENG
Students w/ disabilities 14 100 0 7 43 50 51.8 N/A N/A 1,023 97 1 6 29 64 46.5 N/A N/A 38,109 98 3 18 41 38 59.7 N/A N/A
EL and Former EL 15 100 7 47 33 13 76.7 N/A N/A 999 98 2 11 37 50 47.0 N/A N/A 18,594 99 3 16 43 39 54.1 N/A N/A
Econ. Disadvantaged 49 100 8 37 41 14 76.0 N/A N/A 3,641 98 3 16 42 39 55.0 N/A N/A 61,476 98 6 26 43 25 65.8 N/A N/A
High needs 54 100 9 37 39 15 76.4 N/A N/A 3,992 98 3 15 42 40 54.4 N/A N/A 89,857 98 6 25 43 26 65.4 N/A N/A
Afr. Amer./Black 15 100 7 40 47 7 76.7 N/A N/A 985 98 3 17 45 35 57.0 N/A N/A 17,761 99 5 24 44 27 63.9 N/A N/A
Asian 1 - - - - - - - - 133 100 11 35 28 27 72.2 N/A N/A 13,043 99 30 39 23 7 86.8 N/A N/A
Hispanic/Latino 37 100 5 38 38 19 75.0 N/A N/A 3,084 99 2 16 44 38 54.7 N/A N/A 35,316 99 5 24 42 28 62.9 N/A N/A
Multi-race, Non-Hisp./Lat. 1 - - - - - - - - 38 98 11 24 34 32 62.5 N/A N/A 6,053 99 19 36 33 12 79.5 N/A N/A
Nat. Haw. or Pacif. Isl. - - - - - - - - 3 - - - - - - - - 208 100 18 32 32 18 75.8 N/A N/A
White 7 - - - - - - - - 671 99 9 28 38 25 68.4 N/A N/A 135,382 99 20 42 30 8 84.1 N/A N/A
Male 38 100 8 45 29 18 78.3 N/A N/A 2,553 99 3 19 41 36 58.4 N/A N/A 106,211 99 17 37 33 14 78.4 N/A N/A
Female 23 100 17 30 48 4 79.3 N/A N/A 2,365 99 4 17 44 35 56.6 N/A N/A 102,022 99 17 37 34 12 79.1 N/A N/A
Title1 61 100 11 39 36 13 78.7 N/A N/A 4,874 99 4 18 43 35 57.6 N/A N/A 62,530 99 6 27 43 24 66.2 N/A N/A
Non-Title1 - - - - - - - - 43 86 0 2 14 84 50.6 N/A N/A 145,655 99 21 41 29 8 84.1 N/A N/A
Non-Econ. Disadvantaged 12 100 25 50 17 8 89.6 N/A N/A 1,276 99 6 25 43 26 64.9 N/A N/A 146,713 99 21 41 29 8 84.2 N/A N/A
EL 8 - - - - - - - - 736 98 0 5 34 61 39.9 N/A N/A 11,822 98 1 8 39 51 45.3 N/A N/A
Former EL 7 - - - - - - - - 263 100 6 27 46 21 66.8 N/A N/A 6,772 99 6 28 48 17 69.4 N/A N/A
1st Year EL 2 - - - - - - - - 108 100 - - - - - N/A N/A 2,688 98 - - - - - N/A N/A
Ever EL 18 100 6 44 33 17 76.4 N/A N/A 1,288 98 2 13 39 46 49.6 N/A N/A 33,065 99 8 25 40 27 64.2 N/A N/A
2016 61 100 11 39 36 13 78.7 N/A N/A 4,919 99 4 18 43 35 57.5 N/A N/A 208,262 99 17 37 33 13 78.7 N/A N/A
2015 57 94 21 39 26 14 80.3 N/A N/A 4,991 98 4 19 43 34 58.3 N/A N/A 210,454 99 15 39 33 12 79.4 N/A N/A
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Cloyne Court by Dodie Katague
(Three Clover Press / 0-981-95533-9 / 978-0-981-95533-9 / December 2009 / 328 pages / $15.95 / Amazon $11.48)
Cloyne Court is billed as a kind of real-life Animal House – a nostalgic memoir-novel about a rollicking all-gender-and-orientation cooperative residential house in Berkeley in the late 1970s, after the flower-power generation had moved on to something resembling an adult life practically everywhere else. Derek Marsdon has just turned 18, a college student, commuting from his family home and wrestling with incomprehensible academic courses – and much else besides.
Spurred by an impulse and the advice of an odd and witchy old woman he sees on the train going home one day, he decides to move into a college residence – and thereby takes the first steps onto the necessary path of becoming something a little more than a teenager. Cloyne Court is, as I interpreted it, not so much an account of four years of carefree pranks, debauchery and substance abuse with a little academic enrichment squeezed in between – but a rambling account of how a young man first encounters the larger world, that world outside the shelter of a family. Going to college, joining the military, or generally moving out into the world of work on our own is the time when most of us are establishing an identity of our own, something beyond just being a son or a daughter, an extension of our parents. This is where we first encounter straight-on a lot of things: all the pitfalls of sexuality and sexual attraction, of responsibility for ourselves, of coping with a bureaucracy which (if we let it!) would control our adult lives, and the randomness of fate. We encounter people very, very different from ourselves on a great many levels, we first cope with love and unrequited devotion, acquire junk furniture with a strange history, taste adult beverages, and get caught up in a student demonstration when all we really needed to do was turn in some necessary paperwork. All these things happen, not to mention that strange camaraderie that arises when you spend a great deal of time with other individuals in an odd environment, where everyone knows the rituals and the place, as well as the importance of seemingly inconsequential things.
Derek wanders through those undergraduate years, feeling some of the pains and disappointments – but always with a steady and observant eye, and a whole heart. One senses that he came through as a complete and secure adult – and that the author had an unerring eye and no little sympathy for those years – which now and again, may have been rather embarrassing for the adults who emerged from the antics of their college years, especially if they now have near-adult children of their own. There is something about those first years which keeps a hold on us for the rest of our adult lives, sometimes making us wince, and sometimes brushed with the golden highlights of nostalgia, something which the writer has caught very well.
See also: Celia's BNN Review
Dodie Katague's Website
Dodie Katague's Authors Den Page
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ENTERTAINMENT | LIFESTYLE
Singapore Architect Issue 223 [.pdf]
Text : Alan Yeung Woo
Photography : Peter Mealin
[.htm]
D+A Issue 020 | 2004 [.htm]
Design and Architecture [Asia]
Text : Ling Hao
Photography : Alex Heng
ISH Fragments of an Urban Scape
Text : Ethel Ong
Photography : Kelley Cheng
Wallpaper Magazine [UK] October 2004 [.htm]
Cafe Society Exterior Tents
Project Design Team :
Poole Associates Private Limited
Ed Poole, Wong Kim Mei
e:mail poole@pacific.net.sg
T: 65 | 6536 | 3928
C A F E S O C I E T Y [now closed down]
The space is well appointed in a modern Euro-Asian cafe style. Open seven days a week from 11:am until 1:am, the venue provides a comprehensive Western and Asian menu, with alfresco dining and live entertainment at the second floor bar. Dress to impress.
Facelift for oldest building 'a winner'
SINGAPORE'S oldest building, the Old Parliament House, is among the winners of the URA Architectural Heritage Awards this year.
It was the only national monument among the winners of the competition, which was expanded last year to include projects that successfully fused traditional and modern architectural elements.
The Old Parliament House reopened in March after a $15-million facelift as an arts and heritage centre called The Arts House.
Built originally as a home in 1826, it served as a Parliament house from 1965 to 1999.
Ms Rita Soh, president of the Singapore Institute of Architects, praised 'the very clever transformation of a historic building into a contemporary arts house without destroying its charm and character'.
For instance, Parliament Chamber, along with its original furnishings and fittings, was restored as a concert chamber hall.
Among the other winners of the competition, originally launched in 1995 to honour well-restored monuments and conservation buildings, are three terrace houses - two in Cairnhill and the third in River Valley.
The former Parliament House building, the oldest surviving government building in Singapore, stands on the banks of the Singapore River. This was where the Temenggong and his followers lived in 1819, when Raffles first arrived. It was also the site of a 13th or 14th century settlement, as revealed by some 300 archaeological fragments of stoneware and earthenware that were uncovered during a 1989 renovation.
In 1823, Raffles ordered the local chief to move to Telok Blangah and claimed this select piece of land for government use. The two-storey Neo-Palladian building was completed in 1827.
Courtrooms and offices first occupied the building. In 1839, the courts moved out and the entire building was converted into government offices. Offices occupied the building until 1875 when the Supreme Court of the colony moved in.
On 9 August 1965, Singapore became a sovereign and independent republic and the Legislative Assembly building was renamed Parliament House. It was gazetted as a national monument on 14th February 1992.
In April 2004, the Annex building will enter a new phase of usage as Poole Associates is commissioned to design a restaurant and bar named Cafe Society to be located in the former ground floor Recreation Room and 2nd floor Court Room. The second floor opposite will revert from The Arts House management offices, to Cafe Society's formal dining room in 2005.
Custom Fabrications :
Fieldworks Trading + Design, Bali
8.18 South, Bayuwangi, Java
Hopo Bright Furniture, Singapore + China
Arista Carpets, UK
Kitchens :
Audio : Fanpro Fantasia Productions
Exhaust : WN Consultants
Willy Baet : Monumental Painting
CAF� SOCIETY � RIVER TAXI SERVICE LAUNCH & �HISTORIC� RIVER TENT OPENING
Singapore, 29 Mar 2005 � Caf� Society, one of Singapore�s elegant riverside caf�s and restaurants, will be launching a river taxi service from Boat Quay to the Sir Raffles� statue at �The Arts House at Old Parliament� on 6 April 2005.
The cross-river taxi service is launched in conjunction with the unveiling of Caf� Society�s artistic Bakau + canvas tents. Designed by renowned American architect, Ed Poole of Poole Associates, the tents overlook the Singapore River and provide a cozy atmosphere for dining.
The tentage is a unique landmark on the �arts� side of the river, reflecting the area�s heritage. The wood comes from a common type of mangrove tree called �bakau� (Rhizophora) and once used extensively along the quays and warehouses during the colonial era. For those who remember will also nostalgically recall their use in street wayang tents and building scaffolds.
Ed Poole explains, �Three black and grey striped tarps provide shade along the designated seating area. The axis of each tarp is offset to create a complex intersection of poles and crossing members, for a casual ad-hoc ambience that is directly opposed to the formality of the symmetrical Greco Neo-Palladian architecture.
A vague expression of a temporary Asian stage-set is apparent. The theatrical nature of the structure is obviously in relation to the new usage of the building as The Arts House at Old Parliament.
The bamboo support poles are given lateral support via crossing poles located over the height of the canvas tarps, thus keeping the floor area relatively free of obstruction. Soft lighting and pots with birds-nest ferns and orchids soften the landscape and create a sense of place with minimal means. We were also trying to invoke a respect for the Temenggong and his followers, whom originally lived here, being displaced by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819�.
Caf� Society�s river taxi service will operate from Monday to Friday between 6pm to 8.30pm. Mr Michael Hough, the Managing Director of Caf� Society said, �It is a quick touch-and-go ride with the boat turning around every 5 minutes, so no one has to really wait. The service is only for our customers. Many come from the financial district side of the river and we think they will appreciate the novel way to get directly to us. It is also a relaxing change of pace and goes a little way towards the �winding down� after work�, much like our philosophy which is to provide a refreshing alternative from the other side of the river.
Caf� Society
Caf� Society celebrated its first anniversary in March and is the largest of the three dining outlets belonging to The Arts House at Old Parliament, a chic contemporary bar on the second floor and a breezy caf� at the ground. The main outdoor dining area faces the Singapore River and is next to the famous Sir Stamford Raffles statue (The Landing Site).
The second floor used to be the Magistrate�s Courts and the chambers are now the Caf�s private dining room. Also on the second floor is a little al fresco Verandah, over the old Porte-Cocher, with splendid views of the surrounding period buildings and the river.
Cafe Society Tent structures added 15th March 2005 � Copyright Poole Associates Private Limited
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And Then, The Volkswagen Full Of Clowns Arrived...
And on the heels of yesterday's post comes word that Acting Chief Shitweasel McCabe is facing three separate federal investigations.
Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, a central player in the Russia election case, is the focus of three separate federal administrative inquiries into allegations about his behavior as a senior bureau executive, according to documents and interviews.
The allegations being reviewed range from sexual discrimination to improper political activity.
As Sheriff Will Teasdale told you in First Blood, "When people go f***ing around with the law, all hell breaks loose."
Douchebag McCabe is finding that out about now.
His career half-life can be measured with a sandglass.
That, coupled with Veritas Project's expose on CNN's motivation for the stories being solely ratings and fakery, has pretty much blown the wheels the hell off of this particular wagonload of fertilizer, once and for all.
Yesterday, Communist Network News tried to downplay the producer shown as a peripheral guy, not a player.
In this video, O'Keefe caught Van Jones stepping on his journalistic weiner with cleats; CNN will have a tough sell saying Jones is an outsider unacquainted with what's what at CNN.
And once again, Trump's tweets are proven 100% accurate, and the media 100% falsified narrative.
At some point, this ceases to be hypothesis, and becomes documentary. That point is about a mile in the rear view mirror at this point.
And the White House should kick the CNN reporter out of the press pool until further notice.
Pour encourager les autres.
Labels: Drain The Swamp, government, Periodista is a Spanish synonym for mentiroso, shitweasels
So it turns out that the entire impetus behind the FBI's "Russia probe" was nothing but a personal vendetta against Flynn, as payback for Flynn sticking up for a superstar female FBI agent that Deputy Director McCabe was busy harassing.
RTWT.
It's clear that Comey The Clown was just the tip of the assberg. What a f***ing clownshow soap opera. Time to shitcan the Bureau along with the BATFE, and fold the minions into ICE. Or maybe TSA.
Or at the very least, fire every executive in the agency that doesn't turn state's evidence and spill it all out.
Posted by Aesop at 11:37 AM No comments:
Labels: Drain The Swamp, government, shitweasels
SCOTUS To Ninth Circus Court - STFU, bitchez
So, it seems Pres. Trump's travel ban is constitutional after all, and SCOTUS stayed all the nonsense preventing it, pending a full hearing on the issues in October.
The case was heard before Gorsuch joined the court, so the ruling was 7-1 in President Trump's favor, and keeping the Ninth Circus' record as the most overturned federal circuit in the nation intact.
Which means all but one of the four solid Leftards piled on in smacking down judicial overreach.
The ruling is a clear sign they want this overtaken and made moot by events, hoping by the time it comes to a full hearing, the government has reviewed and fine-tuned their vetting of potential terrorists from the affected countries. But with this ruling, the multiple asstardian attempts to commit a judicial coup in federal courts have been slapped silly, and ended.
Posted by Aesop at 12:52 PM 2 comments:
Labels: comedy, Constitution Butt, government
Bridge Out - Last Warning
There aren't many actual conservatives (vs. RINOs) left at former nominally conservative website TownHall.com, (which along with horrendous amounts of ad-spam is why I rarely bother with the place) but Kurt Schlicter is one of them.
And this week's essay is out of the park:
If you want real political chaos and real political violence, then just keep going down this path. You can’t light the fuse and not get the explosion. I saw what happens when you toss away the rule of law – don’t do it.
The hatred out there is real and growing. This is not a good thing – it’s a terrible thing. People are buying my novels about the country splitting apart and the horrifying specter of actual civil warfare (Hint: it’s ugly) because that’s where the establishment’s desperate schemes to hold onto power despite the will of the people, as manifested at the ballot box, all lead.
Please, RTWT.
Posted by Aesop at 5:40 PM 9 comments:
Labels: Coming Attractions, trainwreck
Snark Easy, Mathematics Hard v2.0
You'd think someone doing a stock market blog would have some clue about, y'know, numbers, prices, costs, and such. Maybe some insight into how things relate.
You'd be wrong.
Case in point, Karl Denninger's post on Market Ticker (h/t WRSA):
Market Ticker: A One Sentence Bill To Force The Health Care Issue
"Notwithstanding any other provision in state or federal law, a person who presents themselves while uninsured to any provider of a medical good or service shall not be charged a price greater than that which Medicare pays for the same drug, device, service or combination thereof."
One sentence.
If you want to add a penalty clause with it I propose the following:
"Any bill rendered to a person in excess of said amounts shall (1) be deemed void, with all services and goods provided as a gift without charge or taxable consequence to said consumer but not deductible by said physician or facility from any income or occupational tax and (2) is immediately due to the customer in the exact amount presented as liquidated damages for the fraud so-attempted."
It ends the "Chargemaster" ripoff game.
It ends the $150,000 snake bite or the $80,000 scorpion sting.
It ends the $500,000 cancer treatment.
It ends all of that, immediately and instantly.
I remind you that Medicare is required to set pay rates by law at a level that in fact are profitable -- that is, above cost by a modest amount -- for everything it covers. Further, those pay rates are audited regularly to prove that they in fact are above cost.
Does this solve every problem? No, and in fact that would leave alone the existing monopolistic pricing systems that many medical providers, whether they be drug makers, device makers, service providers or otherwise have in place. It would exactly nothing to get rid of the 10 paper pushers hired for every doctor or nurse, none of whom ever provide one second of care to an actual person through their entire time of employment.
But it would instantly end walking into an emergency room and getting hammered with a $50,000 bill for something that Medicare will pay $5,000 for.
It's hard to fisk this amount of sophistry properly without noting it's akin to spackling over the Grand Canyon using a shovel, but I wasn't doing anything better, so here goes.
TL;DR version:
Some will hail this as a simple solution.
The word you’re looking for is “simplistic”, not “simple”.
If we can agree that I may purchase your home and put you on the street by offering you 3 cents on the dollar of its value in cash, we have an accord.
It not, I’ll provide an anatomical diagram for where to shove that communist codswallop.
And If Denninger doesn’t get that, or never thought of it, he’s too simple to be burping his Good Idea Fairy B.S. on the ‘net.
Medicare reimburses healthcare at pennies on the dollar of actual costs.
And deadbeats, indigents, and illegals pay not one damned cent anyways.
(You out there, with IQs above room temperature, see if you can puzzle out why, therefore, your private insurance gets charged $42 for a single Tylenol. Or a $50,000 bill for something Medicare only pays $5000 for. I’ll wait.)
Then factor in EMTALA, in which the feds dictated that emergency medical providers shall treat every recklessly irresponsible shitbag without insurance, and every illegal alien baby momma about to burp out another brat to cash in on Uncle Sugar’s largess to US citizens.
And then, oopsie, "forgot" to fund that unfunded mandate, which basically bankrupted every small community hospital in existence (in case you were old enough to have wondered where they all went somewhere around thirty years ago), and forced everyone to Big Giant Expensive Healthcare Palace, where everything is more expensive.
So, tell me, how long would McDonald’s survive if the feds decreed that anyone who was hungry would receive all the Big Macs and fries they wanted, simply for walking into the establishment…?
Beuller? Beuller…? Ferris Beuller…??
You want to “solve” health care, it’s simple:
get government out of the whole business. Because everything they touch turns to shit.
Here’s your one sentence:
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, all provisions thereof, and all associated legislation and administrative guidelines, are all hereby revoked in their entirety, and in perpetuity.
Pay for your fucking care your own goddamn self, and qwitcherbitchin.
When the bill’s coming out of your ass, you decide, with full responsibility for the decision, whether you want that CT scan or blood test or surgery, and if you die because you fucked up that guess, well, shit’s tough. No lawsuits, just personal fucking responsibility.
Too fucking hard, cupcake?
Contract with an insurance company to gamble on your health, and charge you appropriate premiums, and buy the coverage you want: just like you do in every single fucking facet of the rest of your life.
You want a Ferrari, you pay for it, and you pay Ferrari insurance rates, and Ferrari deductibles.
You can only afford a Chevy Caprice, or a Kia, you pay less, and you get less.
If you want the government to take pity on the poor, let anyone who doesn’t pay income taxes sign up for Medicare, or military Tri-Care.
And force Congress on that too: put the Senate on Tri-Care, and the House on Medicare, effective immediately.
Or don’t do that.
Frankly, I don’t give a shit.
But whether I buy health insurance, and what it looks like, is my decision, and mine alone.
And who gets cared for is between hospitals, doctors, and patients.
None of that is any business whatsoever of anyone in the fucking government, at any level, except insofar as they offer insurance to cover some people.
(Ask around and see how many doctors don’t take Medicare patients, BTW. It’ll open your eyes, if your brain isn’t a shrivelled raisin. Ask yourself, if the reimbursement rates are so damned profitable, why they'd be doing that. Why is it, d'ya suppose, doctors and insurance companies have to hire shit-tons of clerks and coding specialists, to navigate the arcana of federal Medicare billing and reimbursement codes and regs, the very 10 paper-pushers that deliver no actual patient care Denninger damns so casually and thoughtlessly, if Medicare is so damned by-law profitable? {Most people, with a modicum of wit at this point in the discussion, would tenderly back their cleats out of their dicks, and STFU.} Hospitals, OTOH, don't have a choice: everyone 65 and over is on Medicare, and it's 75% of their patient-load.)
Medicare, foisted on the American public by the second-biggest communist ever to inhabit the White House, LBJ, was a tag-along Ponzi scheme like that perpetrated by the absolute biggest communist, FDR, when he passed Social Security.
In both plans, you, your kids, and your grandkids, are paying and will continue to pay for your parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. In Medicare's case, by shifting the actual cost onto your private insurance. That's why grandma's appendectomy was only $5K: because your private insurance is picking up the balance. Well played, communists.
Apparently, financial genius Denninger can't figure this obvious truth out when it's smacking him in the face like a frozen mackerel.
He's probably also stumped as to why health insurance premiums have risen inexorably, as government piles more and more people and things into Medicare etc.: prescription drug programs, no children left behind, illegal aliens, the relatives of illegal aliens with 37 co-morbid chronic conditions, their kids with diseases normally only studied by med students in their tropical disease lectures, and so on. Paid for by Medicare at pennies on the dollar.
Gee, with more and more seniors, and less and less employed workers carrying private insurance, not to mention less full-time employees who even get insurance, why premiums keep going up is a real poser.
Back during WWII, US wages were frozen by law, and labor was tight, what with 1 man in 6 in uniform. So to allow companies to sweeten employment offers without causing economy- and war machine-wrecking inflation, they were allowed to offer benefits, like pensions and insurance, without them being counted (and taxed, thanks to the 16th Amendment) as wages.
LBJ et al finally got around to levying that tax in 1966, with Medicare, by jacking your premiums, so that your insurance would subsidize the costs of seniors' care.
For brevity, we'll skip over the MRIs, CTs, ultrasounds, and laparoscopic and arthroscopic surgeries that are commonplace for everyone now, but used to only be covered for NFL quarterbacks.
The problem isn't insurance. Insurance has been around since at least 1686, courtesy of Lloyd's of London (another boon to mankind courtesy of Dead White Males [tm]). An insurance company spreads risk, and charges you for the coverage. These charges are called premiums. The premiums are a wager on your part that something bad will happen, backed up at odds by the insurer(s) that it won't. They know they'll lose sometimes, and they have to absorb those losses and still make a profit, just like casinos. Because random acts, bad luck, poor actuarial forecasting and people skydiving and riding motorcycles. Call it the Shit Happens Factor.
So the premium calculates normal losses, plus the SHF, plus a reasonable profit to stay in business.
And because insurers have to be able to cut huge checks, and they have a monthly float of premium checks, they have to put their money where it'll grow. They also have to lay off their bets on other bookies insurers, so that one bad payout doesn't wipe out the company. So they do that, and invest a lot of their liquid assets in things like stocks, bonds, etc.
So far, so good, right?
Then government finger-fucks things.
They force insurers to do things they - and even the insured - may not want. Like ObamaCare forcing young healthy males to be covered for childbirth - an anatomically impossible occurrence, and akin to requiring flood insurance for desert dwellers in the Sahara, seatbelts on motorcycles, and diapers on dogs. It's what government does.
Which drives up insurance costs for the services you don't want. (Exactly like your cable TV bill and the channels you don't want, but still have to pay for.)
Then, more recently, government pooch-screws banks into making loans to people that can't afford houses, which plan predictably explodes. Banks fail, the stock market crashes, and insurance companies, just like your 401K, are suddenly out metric fucktons of money. So, gentle premium-paying reader, how, praytell, do you suppose they get that money back, to keep from cratering financially...?
Could it possibly be by...raising premiums??
If you got that on your own, award yourself the No Shit, Sherlock! Prize.
Unless you blog at Market Ticker.
And why would they do that?
Because if insurers fail, everyone loses all their insurance.
So, tell me again: Who was it that made banks give out loans to people who were horrible loan risks?
Who is it, in all of Denninger's hand-waving, that "audits" Medicare to make sure it reimburses providers at a "profitable" rate?
(Bonus points if you can see a problem with letting the fox guard the chicken coop. But hey, "by law", the NSA and CIA aren't allowed to spy on Americans either. So that must never happen either, because government is so respectful and trustworthy of its citizens' rights, and circumspect in their duties towards...sorry, I had to stop before soda cost me another keyboard.)
Who enforces the law on that in case there's a disagreement between Medicare and the payee(s)?
Who piled on all the silly shit that you don't need?
Who's been jamming more people into the shitty-paying government plan(s)?
I'll wait why you write the same answer in all five cases.
Who is it that's been trying to break insurers, while forcing them to jack up premiums, which causes companies and individuals to drop coverage, which forces more people into crappy government insurance plans?
Denninger seems to be stumped on all this. Kind of like Democrats in Congress were.
Color me shocked! Shocked, I say!
This is why simpleton solutions don't work.
If you don't know what the blistering f**k you're talking about, maybe stay in your own lane.
And instead of defaulting to some infantile mental picture of insurers, hospitals, and doctors raping privately insured patients and carting the proceeds to their private vaults,
maybe show the sense God gave a jackass, and put the blame where it belongs:
Firing the government, and laying off thousands of lawyers is always a good first instinct in any problem. And anybody, like Denninger, who reaches for government as part of any solution like a gunslinger going for a .45 Colt, should be run out of town on a rail, after a proper tar-and-feathering.
Posted by Aesop at 11:33 PM 12 comments:
Labels: common sense, economics, Social Justice Is For People Who Suck At Science & Math, Srsly?
Just Saying What We All Know...
h/t PawPaw
How far down on the last panel do you have to go to find a city with a Republican mayor/administration?
Fight crime: ban Democrats.
Labels: Captain Obvious, comedy, politics
Strike A Blow For Electronic Privacy
h/t WRSA
This is somewhat troubling: Sensitive personal details relating to almost 200 million US citizens have been accidentally exposed by a marketing firm contracted by the Republican National Committee.
But hey, seriously…
This was data mined from all sorts of sources.
You’d lie to a pollster, right? RIGHT?!?
Okay, so…
Go by the local bookstore.
Collect 50 magazine blow-in subscription cards while you browse.
From political and religiously slanted periodicals, when possible.
Sign up for the magazines using your own name.
No middle initials.
At 17 real addresses you never lived at, all around the country.
Mail them in.
Next month, do the same thing for 5 people randomly selected.
Forward all your junk mail shit to those addresses.
Ideally, by responding to it using those addresses.
(And if you can’t figure out how to pull the same thing off online using dead end g-mail and yahoo addresses, you’re not tall enough for that ride.)
Out of state?
Go to the DMVs and post offices there. Get voter reg cards.
Get the local voter reg lists.
Re-register random strangers to different political parties than what they’re signed up for.
(Wear gloves. Don’t get caught. The Democrats have been doing this for decades. Of course it's illegal. So is deleting 30,000 official e-mails, and putting beyond-Top-Secret classified material on an unsecured private server. Beiss mich.)
Likely outcome: suddenly, everyone has to show ID to register to vote, or cast a ballot. Boo frickin’ hoo.
And people are registered to all sorts of strange parties.
Go to the local college or university.
Get a graduate name roster.
Get addresses all around the country that match the names, from the White Pages online, etc.
Register them all for the Denny’s Birthday Club.
As senior citizens.
Send $5 to each of 13 religious organizations. All different than yours.
And three atheist organizations.
And the Flat Earth Society, and the Church Of The Flying Spaghetti Monster.
And the NRA, and the ACLU.
Get three mail drops. Prepay them for six months.
Forward just your junk mail to the first one; forward all mail from the first one to the second one; all mail from the second one to the third one, and all mail from the third one to the first one. If they’re in different, but neighboring, counties, so much the better.
Get some cheap burner phones. (Quantity optional.)
Use them, and a prepaid cash gift card from Visa or MasterCard. Give one of the new phone number(s) out, with your name, every time you’re asked for a phone number that’s nobody’s goddam business, and order different inexpensive oddball crap to yourself.
At each of the 17 addresses you don’t live at.
Bonus: Use Amazon.
Send yourself Mein Kampf at one address, Mao’s Little Red Book at another, Shrillary’s It Takes a Village at a third, and Barry Goldwater’s Conscience Of A Conservative at a fourth address, and so on. Get the cheapest crappiest used copies listed.
Send your liberal acquaintances conservative books, in their own name.
Ditto, vice versa, for a few conservative friends.
Send some gay magazines to anyone annoyingly religious, esp. Muslim.
Take those bogus yahoo and g-mail accounts, and post rants on every political website in the spectrum. Daily Kos, HuffPo, TownHall.com, Brietbart, and so on.
Go hog-wild.
Think any obnoxious online jackhole, but with multiple personality disorder. Argue with yourself from different accounts.
Don’t forget Facey book and Twatter accounts. Be the Randy Quaid fan from hell in Major League 2, on social media. Try to offend everyone. Hashtag and “at” sign the known universe.
Lecture mouthy celebrities etc. for not being libtard enough. Make them hate their own causes, their own side, and get them to STFU and dance.
For maybe 200 bucks, you can so f**k up data miners, you’ll be listed at a dozen or more addresses you never lived at, and half a dozen phone numbers you won’t ever use, and be registered as belonging to every political and religious group on the planet. If 100 people did it, then did it to half a dozen random strangers, data mining them would be like looking for a needle in a wrecked auto junkyard, with a metal detector. Blindfolded.
Take some of the unused minutes on the burner phones, and call the embassies of every foreign state with terrorist groups. And terrorist front groups in neutral countries. And UN charities. Link their stuff to your online alter egos.
Leave some time on the burner phones.
Then leave them in public places like courthouse payphones, subway stations, railroad stations, bus depots, downtown cab stands, and casino slot machines.
Before you drop them off, switch the activation cards around.
Now the NSA is chasing Haqqim Appu, Swedish nuns, Shaquisha’s aunt Maisey, some random homeless bum with 27 psych holds, and teenagers from a downtown high school, and trying to tie them to ISIS, Victoria’s Secret, Justin Bieber porn, UNICEF, and inmates at the county jail.
If you have to get a supermarket (or any other) loyalty card, give them a fake name, fake address, and fake phone number: from three different real people, from the local phone book. Get multiple cards from the same chain, from different stores. Use them in rotation.
Feel free to get some more of those cards in the names of your elected representatives.
Use those cards to buy your porn and booze.
Post plastic-wrapped kilo bricks of oregano and baking powder to local politicians. From their political rivals.
And to the DEA from both of them.
Return address in Mexico, Bolivia, or Columbia.
(Bonus points if they’re from the offices of flaming Lefty eco-libtard groups.)
Rent a car the same as the one the local mayor, sheriff, chief of police, or the most special pain-in-the-ass politician(s) in your area drives. Make a set of stick-on cardboard plates, balls-on-accurate, with the right letters/numbers.
Run red light cameras in neighboring cities at 3AM. Park illegally in front of whorehouses, massage parlors, porn or marijuana stores, and get parking tickets. Go for the handicapped spaces. Call yourself in to the meter maids if necessary, mid-day.
Send the parking tickets to the local TV stations and newspapers.
And in case you never read Hayduke’s Revenge books, any time someone asks for a Social Security number that’s none of their goddam business, Richard Nixon’s number is 567-68-0515.
And there’s also a list of more Social Security numbers online, for Kurt Cobain, Walt Disney, etc.
Knock yourself out.
Screw the whole idea of tracking anyone’s digital life right in the butt, until it bleeds. For less than the price of a cheap handgun.
Corrupt the source data so hard it’ll never walk straight again.
And please, stop being lazy, and pay cash for your stuff, to the maximum extent humanly possible.
Privacy invasion game over.
I worked on a movie once, where one of the behind-the-scenes workers was a total dick to everyone. Because that’s what he was.
The sound guy quietly collected subscription cards from everyone on the show, for three months. Didn’t tell them why.
When the production company put out the crew list, he started filling them all out — for Messr. Dickhead.
For every publication known to man: lesbian magazines, dog and cat magazines, the Pennysaver, and about 200 other rags.
The last day of production, he mailed them all in.
Four years later, the dickhead was still fighting the mountains of shit that landed in his mailbox every day.
Another guy signed his vicious ex up for every dopey drawing at every mall and trade show he saw. She was getting junk from the entire planet, and never figured it out.
Have fun with life, and stop taking it so seriously.
Labels: comedy, internet, resistance
A little bit, then all at once...
It's how rich men go broke; how great ships sink; how trains go off the rails.
And how presidencies implode.
Ask Hoover.
Or LBJ.
Or the elder Bush.
President Trump (yet again, not my guy, but better than the alternative...) got elected not as a conservative (indeed, he'd be a Democrat in 47 states, at least) but as a populist.
He's spent nearly 150 days living entirely on the momentum of the power of enough people to put him there, despite the best (and mostly treasonous, for the last five months) efforts of both parties, including the one he nominally leads, to keep him from the job and prevent him from doing it.
He's had some successes.
Emphasis on some.
But his bedrock promises were simple:
Drain the swamp.
Shut down visas for terrorists.
End Obamacare.
Lock her (Shrillary) up.
Build the wall.
He is not only 0 for 5, batting .000 on any of those things, and not merely forfeiting the swing in most cases, but has now, largely because of the drumbeat of opposition from the very people he knew didn't want any of those things to come to pass, completely turned in the other direction.
His loudest cheerleader, one who was laughed at and ridiculed two years ago for predicting his win,
has finally had enough, after the administration recanted their vow to end executive amnesty for hordes of illegal immigrant brats via Obozo's Dream Act, in a series of tweets:
“This daily Trump melodrama is worth it ONLY if he’s really going to build the wall, cut off Muslim refugees and deport illegals,”
“Today’s BORDER WALL CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: Miles completed yesterday–Zero; Miles completed since Inauguration–Zero,” she wrote. “Anyone in a Southwestern state who strolls to the border & drops a brick will have done more to build the wall than @RealDonaldTrump.”
“If Pence were smart, starting making noises about how he’d LOVE to build a wall,” she wrote. “He’d be sworn in as president about 2 weeks.”
Ouch. That's going to leave a mark.
There are two Trumps: one is the BFYTW (Google it) guy everyone who voted for him was voting for. The guy who'd explain to Congress, especially Democrats, and spineless Republicans (that would be just about all of them) in Congress, "You play ball with me, or you get the bat up your @$$" in his best Queens English. (That would be the NYFC variant, not the one from London.)
Then there is the celebrity apprentice, the guy who wants to grip and grin, shrug, get along with everyone, and let his dopey NYFC socialism sensibilities let him make a deal that screws everybody but him, and call it a victory.
By best reckoning, we've had somewhere between 24 and 242 years (I lose track) of exactly that sack of horse droppings from Washington D.C., thankyouverymuch.
It's fine to ride the skittish horse of populism to the ball, but when the voters who brung you see you dancing with anyone else, expect a pair of hoofprints on your ass in short order.
Trump may see, like Obozo did, what it's like to have your supposedly same-side House and Senate yanked away from you by Year Two.
And VP Pence, at that point, will have all the political cachet of Dan Quayle and Spiro Agnew, combined with the wit and wisdom of Joe Biden. Ain't nothing saves that, come the day.
We'd be looking at a sweep of everything in 3 1/2 years, because Trump is looking like he's about to plant both feet firmly on the banana peel of a one-term presidency marked by grievous missteps.
If this isn't reversed, and drastically, the electorate is going to rear up and deliver the celebrity apprentice the two words such conduct merits:
"You're FIRED!"
If you were planning on as much as 8 years' respite after HopeyDopey to secure your situation and preparations, prudence dictates you focus on a far likelier time span:
about eighteen more months.
And if Wall Street tanks, sooner than that.
Invest your time and assets wisely.
Posted by Aesop at 4:11 AM 3 comments:
Labels: Coming Attractions, politics, preparedness, Whatever Doesn't Kill Me Really Pisses Me Off
Color Me Shocked
Entitled racist bitch Democratic Chairwench of the Nebraska Black Caucus (fatass above, right) thinks it's funny Republican congressmen were shot, and shot at:
How tolerant and diverse.
Not a peep from the party of Black Criminal's Lives Matter about firing her ass or toning down the rhetoric that fueled Wednesday's baseball field shooting gallery, and in fact she's doubled down (probably taking her cue from Nancy Botox trying to blame the shooting on Trump and Republicans, instead of one of her own monkeys) so let me just cut to the chase, and add that when I heard Trayvon and a few thousand other perps of color were shot, it gave me the giggles too.
Still does.
Back at ya, lardass. Gonna be even funnier when folks in your locale put your party-size carcass on the to-do list, esp. since Kevlar vests don't come in XXXXXXXL.
And then I find this little bit of litterbox turd-nuggetry from the Lunatard Left, noted over on Solomon's SNAFU! site.
Either the Left reins this crap in, or it's time to declare the Democrat Party a terrorist organization, and set some people to work on solving that problem kinetically.
Libtard PSA: Your circus, your monkeys*. You might want to walk run this thing back, now that the experiment's gotten out of the lab, because if it turns into a two-way range, your side is long on targets and short on marksmanship, ammo, and weapons.
cf. "ethnic cleansing", and start to ponder what making America a Leftist-Free Zone is going to mean for your side.
Hint: It's not going to go like you think.
*(Anyone even slightly racially offended by the use of the term "monkey" in describing both the geriatric white wingnut who did the shooting, and the 400 pound shitbag responsible for cheering the affair on after the fact as noted above, is gently enjoined to get a grappling hook, and yank their own head - and underpants - out of their own tailpipe. This is the part where I remind you I have zero fucks to give over your pseudo-sanctimonious virtue-signaling rage. If that wasn't clear enough, let me leave my card:
Posted by Aesop at 10:46 AM 4 comments:
Labels: random douchebaggery, world-class @$$holes
Trump Derangement Syndrome Goes To Guns
As you've doubtless heard by now, today, a deranged geriatric anti-Trump holdout (whose name and visage you'll never find in this blog, unless in celebratory glee if he swings from a gibbet) from Commie Bernie Sanders' campaign decided to travel from gun-free Illinois to Virginia, to go shoot 'im some Republicans at softball practice today.
With marksmanship worthy of the NYPD, he reportedly fired over 50 rounds, and managed to hit something like 5 or 6 people, including 3 congressman, a congressional staffer, and the two Capitol Police protection cops routinely assigned to House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA), which congressman was one of the victims of the shootings, and which cops, along with Alexandria VA police, managed to shoot up Wingnut and undo his clever plan to even up the House caucuses a bit.
Reportedly, all of the above, including Wingnut, will probably recover, but the two Capitol cops are in serious condition.
Apparently Screwloose Fucktard didn't get the Wikileaks memo that Trump didn't take his guy out, it was Shrillary and Debbie Wasserman Shultz conspiring to prevent democracy from breaking out in the Democratic primaries.
To date, total number of Republicans or conservatives, let alone members of the vast right wing conspiracy, to try collecting scalps against Democrats is zero, going back at least to 1950.
Hopefully Wingnut can be one of the test cases for terrorism death penalties, or maybe help federal prosecutors dust off the sedition statutes.
Word to the DNC: You'd best shut your pieholes, curb your rhetoric, and wrangle your monkeys, or payback is going to have a much higher box score than your side ever dreamed of if this starts being a bilateral team sport. And it's a lot less fun to be stoking the rhetorical fires from the well of the House when they're liable to be returned with lead.
Labels: Assclown Of the Ides, fucktards, politics, random douchebaggery
Hey, @$$hole, Your 15 Minutes Were Up...30 Minutes Ago!
So...lemme see if I got this straight...
James "Comey The Clown" Comey, the FBI director so fired his ass didn't even hit the steps between the door of the Hoover Building and the asphalt on Pennsylvania Avenue; the one whose head most Democrats were screaming for when they thought Shrillary was going to win, and he had stepped on his dick (or hers); the one who broke into government service as a long-time shill for the Clinton Machine since 2000/2001; who excused the corrupt Bill Clinton pardon of Marc Rich; then funneled Lockheed corporate payoffs to the Clinton Foundation; then moved to HSBC to cover up that scandal after they'd funneled drug and oil money to the Clinton Foundation; whose brother "audited" (for some values of the word "whitewash") the corruption of the Clinton Foundation slush fund in return for a $700K loan from FBI Director Comey; and who "couldn't see any reason to prosecute" Hillary Clinton for anything despite acknowledging publicly and in detail that she'd committed metric fucktons of federal felonies worth something upwards of 660,000 years in federal prison, and $33,000,000 in fines under the provisions of 44 USC 3101, 18 USC 1519, and 18 USC 2071, before even addressing the hundreds of egregious and felonious failures and exposure of the most closely held classified-above-Top-Secret material the U.S. government possesses, including the Holy Grail of revealing intelligence sources and methods...
that guy has, without any corroboration whatsoever nor even possible, now suddenly remembered that President Trump improperly suggested that Comey terminate an investigation that, to date, has yet to uncover any actual suspect, of any actual crime, whatsoever, despite hundreds of FBI agents investing man-years and millions of dollars of investigatorial time looking for imaginary actions in a witch-hunt of biblical proportions designed solely to prop up the media's toothless factless narrative that Trump stole the election he won in an electoral landslide, by doing something somehow with somebody and Russians, because...reasons?
The same guy who had no curiosity whatsoever about why former President Clinton travelled all the way to Phoenix AZ in order to conveniently "bump into" AG Lynch, just before Comey cleared Shrillary of any wrongdoing in violating every precept of security and handling of classified material, such that an ordinary citizen doing same would be in a pit in SuperMax Federal Prison with air and daylight pumped in to them in some subterranean penal abyss down hundreds of feet beneath the ground?
The only thing Congress should be doing is hiring a conga line of guys to throw cream pies in Comey's face, every 5 seconds, from dawn to dusk, for a week, just to approach the level of respect his testimony on anything should be accorded.
One can only imagine the fear this pathetic wastrel must hold of the Clinton Machine that after receiving the world's record worst federal firing notice of all time
he would still rather pull his pants down and spank himself in front of the entire Congress than retire quietly to the ignominy he so richly deserves, and await that one-way Tahoe fishing trip into oblivion with one of Clinton minions driving the boat.
You'd think he'd summon a spine, and strike back at those who ruined his life, and career, and who've held his chain for going on twenty years.
But you'd be wrong. He's going to see this thing through right to the end.
You're an inspiration to thousands of people who thought this guy couldn't be topped:
Unfortunately, we already know how the story ends.
Labels: moron, trainwreck, tried to look away but can't unglue my eyes
A Primer On Vehicle Ramming Attacks (VRAs)
by Chris Hernandez
And one caveat to Chris' piece:
Be aware that the VRA may only be the first stage of the attack, but that shooting or stabbing bystanders afterwards may not always be the second.
If everyone starts running after and swarming vehicles, it will be a nasty surprise when the truck bomber, having a large mob surrounding and attacking his vehicle, lets go of the VBIED deadman switch; or steps out with a suicide vest on, for the same deal.
If you're already in the blast radius when the vehicle stops or slows, you have nothing to lose by responding closer.
But if it goes by you and on down the road a ways, taking cover for a bit may be a better way to deal with it than running towards Stage Two and becoming part of the crater.
Posted by Aesop at 4:47 PM 1 comment:
Labels: Aloha Snackbar, preparedness
Pirates Of The Caribbean V: Dead Men Tell No Tales
Trailer #1:
(no spoilers)
BLUF: It's about time.
After the descending spiral of craptacity of II, then the truly abysmal III, and the shamefully unfulfilled promise of IV (squandering Ian McShane as Blackbeard was a mortal sin, hear me God), Disney/Bruckheimer finally found someone who could write a screenplay worthy of the original, and POTC V: DMTNT is it.
It pays off numerous leads from the prior three mostly forgettable placeholders, forges new ground of its own, comes with any number of rousing set pieces and flashbacks, and ties the entire series thus far into a wonderfully satisfying and well-tied ribbon bow.
It's not the best movie ever made, but it's worth seeing first-run if you're a fan of the series, and seeing at all if you just like a good flick. If it fails anywhere, it's that despite its running length of 2:33:00, I would have been happier with more (any way you'd care to parse that word) of the talented and truly delightful Kaya Scodelario.
Beyond that, with a budget of $230M, and the talents of Oscar winners Geoffrey Rush and Javier Bardem, it's hard to screw up any movie so talent-heavy with a decent script.
It is, and they didn't.
If anything, they burned out a lot of fan love from the fantastic and nigh-untoppable original film with the prior three mediocre sequels, and this flick is still financially sucking wind after a pack-leading (but still disappointing) box office last weekend.
Ignore that: this one is another pirate ghost story for which it's worth shelling out your doubloons, or at least a matinee rate of a few pieces of eight.
If they can keep writing them this good going forward, and they manage to trim the budget back down a bit closer to reality, they could pull this series back from the pit, and get it back on course.
And I'd probably get to see more of Kaya Scodelario.
That'd definitely be a two-fer.
My rating: Two hooks up! Set sail on this nearly three hour tour. It's buried treasure, for the taking.
Labels: Hollywood, Movie Of The Day
F*@#!%& Cheap Bastards - A Modest Suggestion
I buy the random electronic device.
Actually, tons of them.
Laptops, two DSLR cameras, three or four handicams, a pocket camera, a few dozen flashlights, a couple of pocket recorders, one hi-def digital sound recorder, multiple monitors, DVD/BD players, a game console, and all with any number of remote controls for same. And then the night vision goggles, laser range finders, red dot scopes, handheld GPSs, and GMRS/HT/SW/Ham radios in small armies.
And almost without exception, every single one of these marvels of 21st century technology comes equipped from the manufacturer, by malign fucktarderry, with the cheapest, shoddiest, shittiest, most-likely-to-explode-and-go-tits-up-at-a-critical-moment piece of Chinese SHIT batteries, pounded together in a yurt by Mongolian yak farmers from old wheel weights, saltpeter, and yak shit in the Chinese #37 A-1 Battery Company, Ltd.
WTBlisteringF, corporate cheapskate @$$holes?!?
It's like buying a Ferrari, and finding out they put the crappiest brand of tires from Madagascar onto $800K of sports car. Only stupider.
I've probably filled a notable portion of the local landfill with those shit-tastic pieces of Chinese Fail Fuckerry, mainly because of long experience with chipping exploded melted battery pus out of delicate and expensive devices every single time in the past beyond misty memory if I don't hurl the goddamned things as far from here as possible immediately after opening the original packaging.
JFC, you cheap bean-counting shitstains on a good company, try shipping Duracell, Energizer, or even Panasonic or Maxell/Hitachi name-brand batteries (perhaps you fuckwits have heard of them?), and tell the Who Flung Poo Asstastic Battery Company to pound their cheap worthless trash right back up the ass of the yak that shat it out before you bought them by the metric fuckton, and shipped them out in your products.
I mean, holy shit, it might add 79 cents to the cost of your $800 piece of electronic wonder, or cost you as much from the bottom line, while not making your customers want to force feed your CEO and board of directors consumer batteries using a 4-lb sledgehammer, up the tailpipe, until they come out your noses.
When the day comes I have terminal cancer, I'm taking a wrist rocket and a few buckets of the damned things to the local US HQs buildings of a number of, primarily Asian, electronics companies hereabouts (all well within a tank of gas) on a Sunday, and I swear to Buddha I'll be returning your batteries through all your corporate plate glass windows at about 200 FPS. Call it my version of free shipping.
I highly urge anyone in the SoCal area, even for a visit, to do the same, every time you visit.
Start a trend, maybe.
Perhaps when the cheap jackholes get the bill for American plate glass replacement, they can suddenly see their way clear through the yawning openings in their former glass palaces to buying actual functional consumer batteries for their consumer electronics.
It's certainly worth trying.
And yes, I feel better now.
Labels: random douchebaggery, Whatever Doesn't Kill Me Really Pisses Me Off
Aliens Cause Global Warming by Michael Crichton
A few days ago, I guest-posted another lecture, from sci-fi legend Robert Heinlein.
Events yesterday make this guest post, from the late great author, screenwriter, and film director Michael Crichton, one that needs to be shared. I've linked to it dozens of times, in posts and comments online, and its truth and applicability never goes away.
It's on a dozen internet sites already, though all rights to this devolve to the author's estate and any other legal holders of same. I reprint it in its entirety here for educational purposes; as homage to a singularly great and gifted mind, too soon departed from our midst; as further insurance against it being removed elsewhere; and for its perspicacity and aptness just now.
The great pity is that it's not on audio, DVD, BD, or even YouTube: word to his estate, I'd buy 20 copies tomorrow if it was, to give away to friends.
Please read it all, and enjoy it with my warmest benediction and compliments.
Caltech Michelin Lecture
by Michael Crichton
My topic today sounds humorous but unfortunately I am serious. I am going to argue that extraterrestrials lie behind global warming. Or to speak more precisely, I will argue that a belief in extraterrestrials has paved the way, in a progression of steps, to a belief in global warming.
Charting this progression of belief will be my task today. Let me say at once that I have no desire to discourage anyone from believing in either extraterrestrials or global warming. That would be quite impossible to do.
Rather, I want to discuss the history of several widely-publicized beliefs and to point to what I consider an emerging crisis in the whole enterprise of science - namely the increasingly uneasy relationship between hard science and public policy.
I have a special interest in this because of my own upbringing. I was born in the midst of World War II, and passed my formative years at the height of the Cold War. In school drills, I dutifully crawled under my desk in preparation for a nuclear attack.
It was a time of widespread fear and uncertainty, but even as a child I believed that science represented the best and greatest hope for mankind. Even to a child, the contrast was clear between the world of politics-a world of hate and danger, of irrational beliefs and fears, of mass manipulation and disgraceful blots on human history. In contrast, science held different values-international in scope, forging friendships and working relationships across national boundaries and political systems, encouraging a dispassionate habit of thought, and ultimately leading to fresh knowledge and technology that would benefit all mankind.
The world might not be a very good place, but science would make it better. And it did. In my lifetime, science has largely fulfilled its promise. Science has been the great intellectual adventure of our age, and a great hope for our troubled and restless world. But I did not expect science merely to extend lifespan, feed the hungry, cure disease, and shrink the world with jets and cell phones.
I also expected science to banish the evils of human thought---prejudice and superstition, irrational beliefs and false fears. I expected science to be, in Carl Sagan's memorable phrase, "a candle in a demon haunted world." And here, I am not so pleased with the impact of science. rather than serving as a cleansing force, science has in some instances been seduced by the more ancient lure of politics and publicity.
Some of the demons that haunt our world in recent years are invented by scientists. The world has not benefited from permitting these demons to escape free. But let's look at how it came to pass.
Cast your minds back to 1960. John F. Kennedy is president, commercial jet airplanes are just appearing, the biggest university mainframes have 12K of memory. And in Green Bank, West Virginia at the new National Radio Astronomy Observatory, a young astrophysicist named Frank Drake runs a two-week project called Ozma, to search for extraterrestrial signals. A signal is received, to great excitement. It turns out to be false, but the excitement remains.
In 1960, Drake organizes the first SETI conference, and came up with the now-famous Drake equation:
N=N*fp ne fl fi fc fL
[where N is the number of stars in the Milky Way galaxy; fp is the fraction with planets; ne is the number of planets per star capable of supporting life; fl is the fraction of planets where life evolves; fi is the fraction where intelligent life evolves; and fc is the fraction that communicates; and fL is the fraction of the planet's life during which the communicating civilizations live.]
This serious-looking equation gave SETI a serious footing as a legitimate intellectual inquiry. The problem, of course, is that none of the terms can be known, and most cannot even be estimated. The only way to work the equation is to fill in with guesses. And guesses-just so we're clear-are merely expressions of prejudice.
Nor can there be "informed guesses." If you need to state how many planets with life choose to communicate, there is simply no way to make an informed guess. It's simply prejudice.
As a result, the Drake equation can have any value from "billions and billions" to zero. An expression that can mean anything means nothing. Speaking precisely, the Drake equation is literally meaningless, and has nothing to do with science. I take the hard view that science involves the creation of testable hypotheses. The Drake equation cannot be tested and therefore SETI is not science. SETI is unquestionably a religion.
Faith is defined by the firm belief in something for which there is no proof. The belief that the Koran is the word of God is a matter of faith. The belief that God created the universe in seven days is a matter of faith. The belief that there are other life forms in the universe is a matter of faith. There is not a single shred of evidence for any other life forms, and in forty years of searching none has been discovered. There is absolutely no evidentiary reason to maintain this belief. SETI is a religion.
One way to chart the cooling of enthusiasm is to review popular works on the subject. In 1964, at the height of SETI enthusiasm, Walter Sullivan of the NY Times wrote an exciting book about life in the universe entitled WE ARE NOT ALONE. By 1995, when Paul Davis wrote a book on the same subject, he titled it ARE WE ALONE? ( Since 1981, there have in fact been four books titled ARE WE ALONE.) More recently we have seen the rise of the so-called "Rare Earth" theory which suggests that we may, in fact, be all alone.
Again, there is no evidence either way.
Back in the sixties, SETI had its critics, although not among astrophysicists and astronomers. The biologists and paleontologists were harshest. George Gaylord Simpson of Harvard sneered that SETI was a "study without a subject," and it remains so to the present day. But scientists in general have been indulgent toward SETI, viewing it either with bemused tolerance, or with indifference. After all, what's the big deal? It's kind of fun. If people want to look, let them. Only a curmudgeon would speak harshly of SETI. It wasn't worth the bother.
And of course, it is true that untestable theories may have heuristic value. Of course, extraterrestrials are a good way to teach science to kids. But that does not relieve us of the obligation to see the Drake equation clearly for what it is - pure speculation in quasi-scientific trappings.
The fact that the Drake equation was not greeted with screams of outrage-similar to the screams of outrage that greet each Creationist new claim, for example - meant that now there was a crack in the door, a loosening of the definition of what constituted legitimate scientific procedure. And soon enough, pernicious garbage began to squeeze through the cracks.
Now let's jump ahead a decade to the 1970s, and Nuclear Winter. In 1975, the National Academy of Sciences reported on "Long-Term Worldwide Effects of Multiple Nuclear Weapons Detonations" but the report estimated the effect of dust from nuclear blasts to be relatively minor.
In 1979, the Office of Technology Assessment issued a report on "The Effects of Nuclear War" and stated that nuclear war could perhaps produce irreversible adverse consequences on the environment. However, because the scientific processes involved were poorly understood, the report stated it was not possible to estimate the probable magnitude of such damage.
Three years later, in 1982, the Swedish Academy of Sciences commissioned a report entitled "The Atmosphere after a Nuclear War: Twilight at Noon," which attempted to quantify the effect of smoke from burning forests and cities. The authors speculated that there would be so much smoke that a large cloud over the northern hemisphere would reduce incoming sunlight below the level required for photosynthesis, and that this would last for weeks or even longer.
The following year, five scientists including Richard Turco and Carl Sagan published a paper in Science called "Nuclear Winter: Global Consequences of Multiple Nuclear Explosions." This was the so-called TTAPS report, which attempted to quantify more rigorously the atmospheric effects, with the added credibility to be gained from an actual computer model of climate.
At the heart of the TTAPS undertaking was another equation, never specifically expressed, but one that could be paraphrased as follows:
Ds = Wn Ws Wh Tf Tb Pt Pr Pe etc
(The amount of tropospheric dust = # warheads x size warheads x warhead detonation height x flammability of targets x Target burn duration x Particles entering the Troposphere x Particle reflectivity x Particle endurance, and so on.)
The similarity to the Drake equation is striking. As with the Drake equation, none of the variables can be determined. None at all. The TTAPS study addressed this problem in part by mapping out different wartime scenarios and assigning numbers to some of the variables, but even so, the remaining variables were-and are-simply unknowable. Nobody knows how much smoke will be generated when cities burn, creating particles of what kind, and for how long. No one knows the effect of local weather conditions on the amount of particles that will be injected into the troposphere. No one knows how long the particles will remain in the troposphere. And so on.
And remember, this is only four years after the OTA study concluded that the underlying scientific processes were so poorly known that no estimates could be reliably made.
Nevertheless, the TTAPS study not only made those estimates, but concluded they were catastrophic. According to Sagan and his coworkers, even a limited 5,000 megaton nuclear exchange would cause a global temperature drop of more than 35 degrees Centigrade, and this change would last for three months.
The greatest volcanic eruptions that we know of changed world temperatures somewhere between 0.5 and 2 degrees Centigrade. Ice ages changed global temperatures by 10 degrees. Here we have an estimated change three times greater than any ice age.
One might expect it to be the subject of some dispute. But Sagan and his coworkers were prepared, for nuclear winter was from the outset the subject of a well-orchestrated media campaign. The first announcement of nuclear winter appeared in an article by Sagan in the Sunday supplement, Parade. The very next day, a highly-publicized, high-profile conference on the long-term consequences of nuclear war was held in Washington, chaired by Carl Sagan and Paul Ehrlich, the most famous and media-savvy scientists of their generation.
Sagan appeared on the Johnny Carson show 40 times. Ehrlich was on 25 times. Following the conference, there were press conferences, meetings with congressmen, and so on. The formal papers in Science came months later.
This is not the way science is done, it is the way products are sold. The real nature of the conference is indicated by these artists' renderings of the effect of nuclear winter.
I cannot help but quote the caption for figure 5: "Shown here is a tranquil scene in the north woods. A beaver has just completed its dam, two black bears forage for food, a swallow-tailed butterfly flutters in the foreground, a loon swims quietly by, and a kingfisher searches for a tasty fish." Hard science if ever there was.
At the conference in Washington, during the question period, Ehrlich was reminded that after Hiroshima and Nagasaki, scientists were quoted as saying nothing would grow there for 75 years, but in fact melons were growing the next year. So, he was asked, how accurate were these findings now?
Ehrlich answered by saying "I think they are extremely robust. Scientists may have made statements like that, although I cannot imagine what their basis would have been, even with the state of science at that time, but scientists are always making absurd statements, individually, in various places. What we are doing here, however, is presenting a consensus of a very large group of scientists."
I want to pause here and talk about how this notion of consensus, and the rise of what has been called consensus science. I regard consensus science as an extremely pernicious development that ought to be stopped cold in its tracks. Historically, the claim of consensus has been the first refuge of scoundrels; it is a way to avoid debate by claiming that the matter is already settled. Whenever you hear the consensus of scientists agrees on something or other, reach for your wallet, because you're being had.
Let's be clear: the work of science has nothing whatever to do with consensus. Consensus is the business of politics. Science, on the contrary, requires only one investigator who happens to be right, which means that he or she has results that are verifiable by reference to the real world.
In science, consensus is irrelevant. What is relevant is reproducible results. the greatest scientists in history are great precisely because they broke with the consensus. There's no such thing as consensus science. If it's consensus, it isn't science. If it's science, it isn't consensus.
In addition, let me remind you that the track record of the consensus is nothing to be proud of. Let's review a few cases.
In past centuries, the greatest killer of women was fever following childbirth. One woman in six died of this fever.
In 1795, Alexander Gordon of Aberdeen suggested that the fevers were infectious processes, and he was able to cure them. The consensus said no.
In 1843, Oliver Wendell Holmes claimed puerperal fever was contagious, and presented compelling evidence. The consensus said no.
In 1849, Semmelweiss demonstrated that sanitary techniques virtually eliminated puerperal fever in hospitals under his management. The consensus said he was a Jew, ignored him, and dismissed him from his post. There was in fact no agreement on puerperal fever until the start of the twentieth century. Thus the consensus took one hundred and twenty five years to arrive at the right conclusion despite the efforts of the prominent "skeptics" around the world, skeptics who were demeaned and ignored. And despite the constant ongoing deaths of women.
There is no shortage of other examples. In the 1920s in America, tens of thousands of people, mostly poor, were dying of a disease called pellagra. The consensus of scientists said it was infectious, and what was necessary was to find the "pellagra germ." The US government asked a brilliant young investigator, Dr. Joseph Goldberger, to find the cause. Goldberger concluded that diet was the crucial factor. The consensus remained wedded to the germ theory.
Goldberger demonstrated that he could induce the disease through diet. He demonstrated that the disease was not infectious by injecting the blood of a pellagra patient into himself, and his assistant. They and other volunteers swabbed their noses with swabs from pellagra patients, and swallowed capsules containing scabs from pellagra rashes in what were called "Goldberger's filth parties." Nobody contracted pellagra.
The consensus continued to disagree with him. There was, in addition, a social factor-southern States disliked the idea of poor diet as the cause, because it meant that social reform was required. They continued to deny it until the 1920s. Result-despite a twentieth century epidemic, the consensus took years to see the light.
Probably every schoolchild notices that South America and Africa seem to fit together rather snugly, and Alfred Wegener proposed, in 1912, that the continents had in fact drifted apart. The consensus sneered at continental drift for fifty years. The theory was most vigorously denied by the great names of geology-until 1961, when it began to seem as if the sea floors were spreading. The result: it took the consensus fifty years to acknowledge what any schoolchild sees.
And shall we go on? The examples can be multiplied endlessly. Jenner and smallpox, Pasteur and germ theory. Saccharine, margarine, repressed memory, fiber and colon cancer, hormone replacement therapy. The list of consensus errors goes on and on.
Finally, I would remind you to notice where the claim of consensus is invoked. Consensus is invoked only in situations where the science is not solid enough.
Nobody says the consensus of scientists agrees that E=mc2. Nobody says that the consensus is that the sun is 93 million miles away. it would never occur to anyone to speak that way.
But back to our main subject. What I have been suggesting to you is that nuclear winter was a meaningless formula, tricked out with bad science, for policy ends. It was political from the beginning, promoted in a well-orchestrated media campaign that had to be planned weeks or months in advance.
Further evidence of the political nature of the whole project can be found in the response to criticism. Although Richard Feynman was characteristically blunt, saying, "I really don't think these guys know what they're talking about," other prominent scientists were noticeably reticent. Freeman Dyson was quoted as saying "It's an absolutely atrocious piece of science but who wants to be accused of being in favor of nuclear war?" And Victor Weisskopf said, "The science is terrible but---perhaps the psychology is good."
The nuclear winter team followed up the publication of such comments with letters to the editors denying that these statements were ever made, though the scientists since then have subsequently confirmed their views. At the time, there was a concerted desire on the part of lots of people to avoid nuclear war. If nuclear winter looked awful, why investigate too closely? Who wanted to disagree? Only people like Edward Teller, the "father of the H bomb."
Teller said, "While it is generally recognized that details are still uncertain and deserve much more study, Dr. Sagan nevertheless has taken the position that the whole scenario is so robust that there can be little doubt about its main conclusions."
Yet for most people, the fact that nuclear winter was a scenario riddled with uncertainties did not seem to be relevant. I say it is hugely relevant. Once you abandon strict adherence to what science tells us, once you start arranging the truth in a press conference, then anything is possible.
In one context, maybe you will get some mobilization against nuclear war. But in another context, you get Lysenkoism. In another, you get Nazi euthanasia. The danger is always there, if you subvert science to political ends.
That is why it is so important for the future of science that the line between what science can say with certainty, and what it cannot, be drawn clearly-and defended.
What happened to Nuclear Winter? As the media glare faded, its robust scenario appeared less persuasive; John Maddox, editor of Nature, repeatedly criticized its claims; within a year, Stephen Schneider, one of the leading figures in the climate model, began to speak of "nuclear autumn." It just didn't have the same ring.
A final media embarrassment came in 1991, when Carl Sagan predicted on Nightline that Kuwaiti oil fires would produce a nuclear winter effect, causing a "year without a summer," and endangering crops around the world. Sagan stressed this outcome was so likely that "it should affect the war plans." None of it happened.
What, then, can we say were the lessons of Nuclear Winter? I believe the lesson was that with a catchy name, a strong policy position and an aggressive media campaign, nobody will dare to criticize the science, and in short order, a terminally weak thesis will be established as fact.
After that, any criticism becomes beside the point. The war is already over without a shot being fired. That was the lesson, and we had a textbook application soon afterward, with second hand smoke.
In 1993, the EPA announced that second-hand smoke was "responsible for approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths each year in nonsmoking adults," and that it " impairs the respiratory health of hundreds of thousands of people." In a 1994 pamphlet the EPA said that the eleven studies it based its decision on were not by themselves conclusive, and that they collectively assigned second-hand smoke a risk factor of 1.19. (For reference, a risk factor below 3.0 is too small for action by the EPA. or for publication in the New England Journal of Medicine, for example.)
Furthermore, since there was no statistical association at the 95% confidence limits, the EPA lowered the limit to 90%. They then classified second-hand smoke as a Group-A Carcinogen.
This was openly fraudulent science, but it formed the basis for bans on smoking in restaurants, offices, and airports. California banned public smoking in 1995. Soon, no claim was too extreme. By 1998, the Christian Science Monitor was saying that "Second-hand smoke is the nation's third-leading preventable cause of death." The American Cancer Society announced that 53,000 people died each year of second-hand smoke. The evidence for this claim is nonexistent.
In 1998, a Federal judge held that the EPA had acted improperly, had "committed to a conclusion before research had begun", and had "disregarded information and made findings on selective information."
The reaction of Carol Browner, head of the EPA was: "We stand by our science; there's wide agreement. The American people certainly recognize that exposure to second hand smoke brings a whole host of health problems."
Again, note how the claim of consensus trumps science. In this case, it isn't even a consensus of scientists that Browner evokes! It's the consensus of the American people.
Meanwhile, ever-larger studies failed to confirm any association. A large, seven-country WHO study in 1998 found no association. Nor have well-controlled subsequent studies, to my knowledge. Yet we now read, for example, that second-hand smoke is a cause of breast cancer. At this point you can say pretty much anything you want about second-hand smoke.
As with nuclear winter, bad science is used to promote what most people would consider good policy. I certainly think it is. I don't want people smoking around me. So who will speak out against banning second-hand smoke? Nobody, and if you do, you'll be branded a shill of RJ Reynolds. A big tobacco flunky. But the truth is that we now have a social policy supported by the grossest of superstitions.
And we've given the EPA a bad lesson in how to behave in the future. We've told them that cheating is the way to succeed.
As the twentieth century drew to a close, the connection between hard scientific fact and public policy became increasingly elastic. In part this was possible because of the complacency of the scientific profession; in part because of the lack of good science education among the public; in part, because of the rise of specialized advocacy groups which have been enormously effective in getting publicity and shaping public policy; and in great part because of the decline of the media as an independent assessor of fact.
The deterioration of the American media is dire loss for our country. When distinguished institutions like the New York Times can no longer differentiate between factual content and editorial opinion, but rather mix both freely on their front page, then who will hold anyone to a higher standard?
And so, in this elastic anything-goes world where science-or non-science-is the hand maiden of questionable public policy, we arrive at last at global warming. It is not my purpose here to rehash the details of this most magnificent of the demons haunting the world. I would just remind you of the now-familiar pattern by which these things are established.
Evidentiary uncertainties are glossed over in the unseemly rush for an overarching policy, and for grants to support the policy by delivering findings that are desired by the patron.
Next, the isolation of those scientists who won't get with the program, and the characterization of those scientists as outsiders and "skeptics" in quotation marks - suspect individuals with suspect motives, industry flunkies, reactionaries, or simply anti-environmental nutcases.
In short order, debate ends, even though prominent scientists are uncomfortable about how things are being done. When did "skeptic" become a dirty word in science? When did a skeptic require quotation marks around it?
To an outsider, the most significant innovation in the global warming controversy is the overt reliance that is being placed on models. Back in the days of nuclear winter, computer models were invoked to add weight to a conclusion: "These results are derived with the help of a computer model."
But now, large-scale computer models are seen as generating data in themselves. No longer are models judged by how well they reproduce data from the real world-increasingly, models provide the data.
As if they were themselves a reality. And indeed they are, when we are projecting forward. There can be no observational data about the year 2100. There are only model runs. This fascination with computer models is something I understand very well.
Richard Feynman called it a disease. I fear he is right. Because only if you spend a lot of time looking at a computer screen can you arrive at the complex point where the global warming debate now stands. Nobody believes a weather prediction twelve hours ahead. Now we're asked to believe a prediction that goes out 100 years into the future?
And make financial investments based on that prediction? Has everybody lost their minds?
Stepping back, I have to say the arrogance of the model-makers is breathtaking. There have been, in every century, scientists who say they know it all. Since climate may be a chaotic system-no one is sure-these predictions are inherently doubtful, to be polite. But more to the point, even if the models get the science spot-on, they can never get the sociology. To predict anything about the world a hundred years from now is simply absurd.
Look: If I was selling stock in a company that I told you would be profitable in 2100, would you buy it? Or would you think the idea was so crazy that it must be a scam?
Let's think back to people in 1900 in, say, New York. If they worried about people in 2000, what would they worry about? Probably: Where would people get enough horses? And what would they do about all the horseshit?
Horse pollution was bad in 1900, think how much worse it would be a century later, with so many more people riding horses? But of course, within a few years, nobody rode horses except for sport.
And in 2000, France was getting 80% its power from an energy source that was unknown in 1900. Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and Japan were getting more than 30% from this source, unknown in 1900. Remember, people in 1900 didn't know what an atom was.
They didn't know its structure. They also didn't know what a radio was, or an airport, or a movie, or a television, or a computer, or a cell phone, or a jet, an antibiotic, a rocket, a satellite, an MRI, ICU, IUD, IBM, IRA, ERA, EEG, EPA, IRS, DOD, PCP, HTML, internet. interferon, instant replay, remote sensing, remote control, speed dialing, gene therapy, gene splicing, genes, spot welding, heat-seeking, bipolar, prozac, leotards, lap dancing, email, tape recorder, CDs, airbags, plastic explosive, plastic, robots, cars, liposuction, transduction, superconduction, dish antennas, step aerobics, smoothies, twelve-step, ultrasound, nylon, rayon, teflon, fiber optics, carpal tunnel, laser surgery, laparoscopy, corneal transplant, kidney transplant, AIDS. None of this would have meant anything to a person in the year 1900. They wouldn't know what you are talking about.
Now. You tell me you can predict the world of 2100. Tell me it's even worth thinking about. Our models just carry the present into the future. They're bound to be wrong. Everybody who gives a moment's thought knows it.
I remind you that in the lifetime of most scientists now living, we have already had an example of dire predictions set aside by new technology. I refer to the green revolution. In 1960, Paul Ehrlich said, "The battle to feed humanity is over. In the 1970s the world will undergo famines-hundreds of millions of people are going to starve to death."
Ten years later, he predicted four billion people would die during the 1980s, including 65 million Americans. The mass starvation that was predicted never occurred, and it now seems it isn't ever going to happen. Nor is the population explosion going to reach the numbers predicted even ten years ago.
In 1990, climate modelers anticipated a world population of 11 billion by 2100. Today, some people think the correct number will be 7 billion and falling. But nobody knows for sure. But it is impossible to ignore how closely the history of global warming fits on the previous template for nuclear winter.
Just as the earliest studies of nuclear winter stated that the uncertainties were so great that probabilities could never be known, so, too the first pronouncements on global warming argued strong limits on what could be determined with certainty about climate change.
The 1995 IPCC draft report said, "Any claims of positive detection of significant climate change are likely to remain controversial until uncertainties in the total natural variability of the climate system are reduced." It also said, "No study to date has positively attributed all or part of observed climate changes to anthropogenic causes."
Those statements were removed, and in their place appeared: "The balance of evidence suggests a discernable human influence on climate." What is clear, however, is that on this issue, science and policy have become inextricably mixed to the point where it will be difficult, if not impossible, to separate them out. It is possible for an outside observer to ask serious questions about the conduct of investigations into global warming, such as whether we are taking appropriate steps to improve the quality of our observational data records, whether we are systematically obtaining the information that will clarify existing uncertainties, whether we have any organized disinterested mechanism to direct research in this contentious area.
The answer to all these questions is no. We don't. In trying to think about how these questions can be resolved, it occurs to me that in the progression from SETI to nuclear winter to second-hand smoke to global warming, we have one clear message, and that is that we can expect more and more problems of public policy dealing with technical issues in the future-problems of ever greater seriousness, where people care passionately on all sides.
And at the moment we have no mechanism to get good answers. So I will propose one. Just as we have established a tradition of double-blinded research to determine drug efficacy, we must institute double-blinded research in other policy areas as well. Certainly the increased use of computer models, such as GCMs, cries out for the separation of those who make the models from those who verify them.
The fact is that the present structure of science is entrepreneurial, with individual investigative teams vying for funding from organizations that all too often have a clear stake in the outcome of the research-or appear to, which may be just as bad. This is not healthy for science.
Sooner or later, we must form an independent research institute in this country. It must be funded by industry, by government, and by private philanthropy, both individuals and trusts. The money must be pooled, so that investigators do not know who is paying them. The institute must fund more than one team to do research in a particular area, and the verification of results will be a foregone requirement: teams will know their results will be checked by other groups.
In many cases, those who decide how to gather the data will not gather it, and those who gather the data will not analyze it. If we were to address the land temperature records with such rigor, we would be well on our way to an understanding of exactly how much faith we can place in global warming, and therefore with what seriousness we must address this.
I believe that as we come to the end of this litany, some of you may be saying, well what is the big deal, really. So we made a few mistakes. So a few scientists have overstated their cases and have egg on their faces. So what?
Well, I'll tell you.
In recent years, much has been said about the post-modernist claims about science to the effect that science is just another form of raw power, tricked out in special claims for truth-seeking and objectivity that really have no basis in fact. Science, we are told, is no better than any other undertaking. These ideas may anger scientists, and they anger me. But recent events have made me wonder if they are correct.
We can take as an example the scientific reception accorded a Danish statistician, Bjorn Lomborg, who wrote a book called The Skeptical Environmentalist.
The scientific community responded in a way that can only be described as disgraceful. In professional literature, it was complained he had no standing because he was not an earth scientist. His publisher, Cambridge University Press, was attacked with cries that the editor should be fired, and that all right-thinking scientists should shun the press. The past president of the AAAS wondered aloud how Cambridge could have ever "published a book that so clearly could never have passed peer review." (But of course, the manuscript did pass peer review by three earth scientists on both sides of the Atlantic, and all recommended publication.)
But what are scientists doing attacking a press? Is this the new McCarthyism-coming from scientists? Worst of all was the behavior of the Scientific American, which seemed intent on proving the post-modernist point that it was all about power, not facts.
The Scientific American attacked Lomborg for eleven pages, yet only came up with nine factual errors despite their assertion that the book was "rife with careless mistakes."
It was a poor display, featuring vicious ad hominem attacks, including comparing him to a Holocaust denier. The issue was captioned: "Science defends itself against the Skeptical Environmentalist."
Really. Science has to defend itself? Is this what we have come to? When Lomborg asked for space to rebut his critics, he was given only a page and a half. When he said it wasn't enough, he put the critics' essays on his web page and answered them in detail.
Scientific American threatened copyright infringement and made him take the pages down. Further attacks since, have made it clear what is going on. Lomborg is charged with heresy. That's why none of his critics needs to substantiate their attacks in any detail. That's why the facts don't matter.
That's why they can attack him in the most vicious personal terms. He's a heretic. Of course, any scientist can be charged as Galileo was charged. I'd just never thought I'd see the Scientific American in the role of Mother Church.
Is this what science has become? I hope not. But it is what it will become, unless there is a concerted effort by leading scientists to aggressively separate science from policy.
The late Philip Handler, former president of the National Academy of Sciences, said that "Scientists best serve public policy by living within the ethics of science, not those of politics. If the scientific community will not unfrock the charlatans, the public will not discern the difference-- science and the nation will suffer."
Personally, I don't worry about the nation. But I do worry about science.
--- # ---
For a taste of what it would have sounded like live, a speech of his that is on YouTube:
Posted by Aesop at 4:09 AM 11 comments:
Labels: common sense, Social Justice Is For People Who Suck At Science & Math
And Then, The Volkswagen Full Of Clowns Arrived......
Hey, @$$hole, Your 15 Minutes Were Up...30 Minutes...
Pirates Of The Caribbean V: Dead Men Tell No Tales...
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Regional Integration and Trade
Technical publication on measures for the improvement of forestry policies in African countries aimed at the promotion of efficiency in the utilization of energy form forestry resources with emphasis on fuelwood and charcoal
Bin-50755.pdf
Bin-50755.pdf (1.597Mb)
UNECA Joint ECA/FAO Agriculture Division.;
The paper emphasizes the need to reinforce silviculture and forest management so that forestry production can be fully utilized and wood energy obtained under sustainable basis. Another point of the paper is to show the policy makers and government officers the importance of investing in training research and extension to ensure the rational utilization of wood energy to the benefit of the forestry sector and the inhabitants of the continent.
“United Nations. Economic Commission for Africa; UNECA Joint ECA/FAO Agriculture Division. (1991-09). Technical publication on measures for the improvement of forestry policies in African countries aimed at the promotion of efficiency in the utilization of energy form forestry resources with emphasis on fuelwood and charcoal. Addis Ababa :. © UN. ECA,. http://hdl.handle.net/10855/10105”
Industrialization [3370]
Back to office report on African deserts and arid lands committee (ADALCO) Meeting held in Algiers (Algeria) 3-5 december 1990
“United Nations. Economic Commission for Africa (1990-12). Back to office report on African deserts and arid lands committee (ADALCO) Meeting held in Algiers (Algeria) 3-5 december 1990. Addis Ababa :. © UN. ECA,. http://hdl.handle.net/10855/3678”
Co-operation and trade in food crop products in the ECOWAS sub-region
United Nations. Economic Commission for Africa.
“United Nations. Economic Commission for Africa. (1980-01). Co-operation and trade in food crop products in the ECOWAS sub-region. Addis Ababa:. © UN. ECA,. http://hdl.handle.net/10855/38716”
Coordination du développement de la sylviculture et des industries forestières dans certains pays de l'Afrique de l'est et du centre
“Nations Unies. Commission Economique pour l'Afrique; Nations Unies. Conseil Economique et Social (1969-10). Coordination du développement de la sylviculture et des industries forestières dans certains pays de l'Afrique de l'est et du centre. NU. CEA Réunion des pays de l'Afrique de l'est et de l'Afrique du centre sur l'agriculture (par secteurs) (1969, déc. 8 - 12 : Nairobi, Kenya). Addis Ababa :. © UN. ECA,. http://hdl.handle.net/10855/13413”
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posted Friday, October 9, 2009 - Volume 37 Issue 41
Obama Tells HRC
By Chuck Colbert And Lisa Keen
Keen News Service
WASHINGTON, DC -- The content of President Barack Obama's speech to an audience of LGBT supporters on the eve of the 2009 March on Washington offered nothing new. He reiterated his promises to the community, said he was "with" the community "in the fight" for equality, and offered no timetable. And the roar of approval from the standing-room-only audience at the Washington Convention Center Saturday night was, at times, deafening -just as it was in June, when Obama greeted gay leaders at the White House.
The 3,000 people gathered for the Human Rights Campaign's annual $250-a-plate National Dinner interrupted the president's speech 35 times with loud and sustained applause, including several standing ovations. But comments from attendees following the speech, as well as from many people who watched the speech live on CSPAN Saturday night, suggest the community likes what it hears but still longs to see some action.
From his opening quip -saying, "It is a privilege to be here tonight, to open for Lady Gaga" -to his campaign-like rousing finish, President Obama delivered a message that was warmly received. That message, said Obama, was "simple: "I'm here with you in that fight" for equality.
The president seemed generally comfortable in front of the enormous LGBT audience, even though many news reports ahead of time suggested he might be facing a community that is impatient with the speed at which the administration has addressed its concerns.
But HRC President Joe Solmonese introduced the president with the declaration, "We've never had a stronger ally in the White House -never." And the audience followed with a welcoming standing ovation that lasted well over a minute.
When a male audience member shouted out at the top of the speech, "I love you, Barack!" the president responded, saying, "I love you back" and the audience cheered wildly.
As he did in June, when he hosted a reception at the White House to mark the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion, the president acknowledged again Saturday night that, "Many of you don't believe progress has come fast enough." But, he reiterated, "My commitment to you is unwavering."
"It may be taking longer than you like," said the president, "but do not doubt the direction we are headed and will reach." And then he repeated another point made in June -- that he expects that, by the end of his time in the White House, the LGBT community will have seen an administration that "put a stop to discrimination against gays and lesbians."
The president offered blunt reiterations of his promises to repeal the Don't Ask Don't Tell (DADT) ban on gays in the military and to seek passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).
"I will end Don't Ask Don't Tell -that is my commitment to you," said the president.
But, he parsed his words carefully on equal rights in marriage, saying that he supports ensuring that "committed gay couples" have the "same rights and responsibilities afforded to any married couple in this country."
"I believe strongly in stopping laws designed to take rights away and passing laws that extend equal rights to gay couples," said Obama, adding that he has "called on Congress to repeal" the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which prevents the federal government from treating any same-sex couple -in a marriage, civil union, or domestic partnership-from receiving the same rights as straight married couples.
The president was made no comment on the Maine ballot initiative, which seeks to overturn a marriage equality law in that state.
Given the raucously positive response the HRC gathering delivered to the president during the speech, the reaction of individual attendees and observers was decidedly guarded.
David Wilson, a plaintiff in the landmark Goodridge marriage decision in Massachusetts and a member of HRC's steering committee in New England, said he was impressed that Obama repeated his campaign promises at an event which was broadcast live nationwide on CSPAN. But he said he believes the community should "hold his feet to the fire" on those promises.
Adam Ellis, a gay man who was there with his parents, from Atlanta, said, the president's speech was "just fluff & and he's reading off a teleprompter, but that it is [the president's] word and that means a lot."
"It's nice to know he is on my side and his intentions are in the right place," added Ellis. "I know no one is perfect. I believe he sincerely has in mind and heart my best interests."
People who viewed the speech on CSPAN weighed in on personal blogs and on blogs of various newspapers.
Joe Mirabella told the Seattle Post Intelligencer blog that he had hoped the president would put in a word against the Maine ballot measure.
"I want to be in love with Obama the way I was the night he was declared the winner," wrote Mirabella. "Unfortunately, the President regurgitated the same flowery placating language filled with false hopes and promises."
In the Chicago Sun Times, reader Ben Hecht blogged, "He talked to gays in June and said give him time; last night all he did was make a campaign speech and again say he needs time. But wait," wrote Hecht, "he's got majorities in the Senate and the House. What's he afraid of?"
If there was anything new in the speech itself, it was the prominence President Obama gave to the fact that many in the LGBT community are parents. He said the community has been "leading by the force of the arguments you make, and by the power of the example that you set in your own lives -- as parents and friends, as PTA members and church members, as advocates and leaders in your communities." He mentioned or referred to parents at least six times, and ended his speech with a story about Jeanne Manford, the founder of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. Manford chastised a police officer who called her, following her son's arrest during a gay rights protest in the early 1970s, to tell her that her son is a "homosexual." Manford told the officer that she knew that and shot back, "Why are you bothering him?!"
Obama also made clear he would stand by any of his openly gay nominees who might be opposed simply for being gay. It was apparent reference to Education Department nominee Kevin Jennings and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission nominee Chai Feldblum, who have recently been subject to opposition in the right-wing press.
"If any of my nominees are attacked not for what they believe but for who they are," said Obama, "I will not waver in my support, because I will not waver in my commitment to ending discrimination in all its forms."
If there was one awkward moment, it came at the end of the speech. Although HRC President Solmonese took considerable time to introduce the president, neither he nor anyone else from the organization joined the president on stage after the speech to shake his hand and enable a polite departure from the podium. Instead, the president stood alone, quickly began looking solemn, and soon found his own way out, behind a screen.
Meanwhile, a number of people in the media have begun blogging about the failure of the White House, thus far, to release a transcript of the text of the speech. The White House usually releases such transcripts within a few hours of their presentation.
© 2009 Keen News Service
Senator Harry Reid endorses National Equality March
Fight to Approve Ref. 71 hits ballots
Hate crimes bill passes US House as amendment to DOD authorization
Obama to address Human Rights Campaign at annual dinner
Tour de Life: In defense of my whining
Domestic partnership certificates issued in Nevada
R. Kelly Ettleman, 1959-2009;
Randy Wells, 1952-2009
Seattle OUTprotest Equality March and Rally
MCC Seattle joins UDECC in feasibility study
Local Gay author to speak at Q-Squared Book Group
Gay History: Wally Stevenson, 'Wizard of the Organ'
Homophobic graffiti reports investigated in West Seattle
MCC Seattle hosts POZ Seattle's monthly social
Pentagon airs criticism of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'
Texas divorce ruling challenges DOMA, state constitution
Arctic Club Hotel goes union
UFCW president pledges support for ENDA
Can Obama win over the gay community?
Rep. Frank says DC gay rights march misses mark
In a Changing Era, a Reminder of AIDS
Governor Signs Harvey Milk Day and Marriage Recognition Bills
Gay Rights Marchers Press Cause in Washington
HRC Building Vandalized
200,000 March on Washington
Gately, of Irish boy band Boyzone, dies in Spain
Leadership on Gay Rights - President Obama isn't the only one falling short.
Reid rips LDS Church's Prop. 8 support
NO on 1 Announces 12,000 Donors, $2.7 Million Raised - 2,000 Mainers volunteer to protect Maine equality
Russian gays express disappointment in Clinton
Joe Solmonese: The Last Thing We Should Do is Wait
Anti-Prop 8 lawsuit OK, federal judge says
Judge refuses to dismiss gay marriage ban lawsuit
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posted Friday, October 21, 2016 - Volume 44 Issue 43
AFL-CIO constituency groups stand with Native Americans to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline
Special to SGN from Pride at Work Washington, DC - Together, the Labor Coalition for Community Action, which includes the A. Phillip Randolph Institute, the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, the Coalition of Labor Union Women, the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, and Pride at Work, rises in solidarity with Native Americans and our allies in protesting against the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) and defending Native lands from exploitation by corporations and the US government. We advocate for a progressive labor movement rooted in dignity and respect for all peoples, including Native Americans and their families.
Though cited to bring 4,500 jobs, the Dakota Access Pipeline seriously threatens tribal sovereignty, sacred burial grounds, and the water supply of the Standing Rock Sioux and potentially 17 million others. As organizations dedicated to elevating the struggles of our respective constituencies, we stand together to support our Native American kinfolk - one of the most marginalized and disenfranchised groups in our nation's history - in their fight to protect their communities from further displacement and exploitation. We recognize this systematic oppression that so intimately resonates with many communities of color and marginalized populations, whether it be fighting for lead-free water in Flint or uncontaminated water in North Dakota.
We remain committed to fighting the corporate interests that back this project and name this pipeline 'a pipeline of corporate greed.' We challenge the labor movement to strategize on how to better engage and include Native people and other marginalized populations into the labor movement as a whole.
Lastly, we applaud the many labor unions working to create a new economy with good green jobs and more sustainable employment opportunities for all. We also encourage key stakeholders - labor unions, including the building trades, the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, and others who would be impacted - to come together to discuss a collective resolution.
As we just recently recognized Native American Women's Equal Pay Day and as we approach November - a time that marks not only a significant change in our country's leadership but also the celebration of Native American Heritage Month - we will continue to campaign and organize for a broader agenda that secures the rights for all working people in all communities.
Pride at Work is an LGBT labor organization affiliated with the AFL-CIO.
Chelsea Clinton speaks with Philadelphia Gay News
7th Circuit grants en banc review to Title VII case
Louisiana court blocks LGBT protections
LGBTQ Allyship raises $31,555 at Just Desserts
PRIDE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES $400,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR LGBTQ & ALLY STUDENTS
The GSBA Guarantee initiative enhances GSBA Scholarship Fund
Gender Justice League seeks award nominations
U.T.O.P.I.A. Seattle crowns first black queen
Worried about voter fraud? Don't be, state official says
7th District Congressional candidates reveal differences
Buy union-made candy this Halloween
LGBT HISTORY MONTH: The Wizard of Oz in the LGBT community
John McCain: OK, I lied. I don't think the next president should fill the SCOTUS vacancy
Clinton worried about LGBT backlash, emails show
Las Vegas Culinary Union builds wall of taco trucks around Trump hotel
copyright Seattle Gay News 2016 - DigitalTeamWorks 2016
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जेनेलिया के साथ इश्क फरमाएंगे शाहिद
फिल्म 'याराना' में अभिनेता अमिताभ बच्चन का बोला गया 'कच्चा पापड़, पक्का पापड़' आज भी काफी मशहूर है। हालांकि इसे लगातार बोलना काफी मुश्किल है। लेकिन हमारे शाहिद मियां ने इसे बोला है।
दरअसल ये सारा ड्रामा केन घोष की अगली फिल्म 'चांस पे डांस' का हिस्सा है जिसमें शाहिद निभा रहे हैं एक मेहनती अभिनेता का किरदार।
बेचारे शाहिद एक्टर बनने के लिए उन्हें क्या-क्या नहीं करना पड़ रहा। इस फिल्म में शाहिद कपूर पहली बार जेनेलिया डिसूजा के साथ इश्क फरमाते नजर आएंगे।
गौरतलब है कि फिल्म 'कमीने' की कामयाबी के बाद शाहिद कपूर एक बार फिर एक अलग किरदार में नजर आएंगे अपनी अगली फिल्म 'चांस पे डांस' में। 6 पैक एब्स और बेहतरीन डांस दिखाते शाहिद, केन घोष की इस फिल्म में दर्शकों को रिझाने में कोई कसर नहीं छोड़ रहे .
My role in Paathshala is just about 30 40 minutes Shahid Kapoor
My role in 'Paathshala' is just about 30-40 minutes: Shahid Kapoor
Shahid Kapoor's 'Paathshala', which has been ready for the last one year, will finally hit screens next year and the actor says his role is substantial even though it is not long enough.
''Paathshala' is small in comparison to some other films that I am doing. Moreover, I not a quintessential hero in the film. However, it isn't as if I have a special appearance in the film, as has been speculated by some. I have a substantial role that lasts for 30-40 minutes in the film,' Shahid, who had two releases -- 'Kaminey' and 'Dil Bole Hadippa' this year --, told IANS.
'Paathshala' was earlier being co-produced by choreographer-turned-filmmaker Ahmed Khan with Big Pictures. However, as per current developments, Eros International would be presenting the film.
The first look of the film was revealed a year ago with 'Karzzzz'. It was expected that the film would release in January 2009, but it continued to move ahead. Directed by award-winning Marathi film director Milind Ukey, 'Paatshala' is expected to release in the first half of 2010.
'Yes, the film moved from Big Pictures to Eros and they would be making plans to line up the film in a proper manner. However, I am sure they would have the right campaign in place for the film's release. The film has to be protected and released when there is no other film of mine coming up,' said Shahid, who plays a teacher in it.
The film brings together Ayesha Takia with Shahid after 'Dil Maange More' and 'Fool-N-Final'. Incidentally, the two had worked together years ago as child artists in the famous commercial for the health drink Complan.
The film also stars Nana Patekar along with child artists Swini Khara, Ali Haji and Dwij Yadav.
Set against the Indian education system, 'Paathshala' deals with contemporary and socially relevant issues regarding children. It claims to carry a heartfelt message for children, parents and teachers.
'It's a very socially relevant film and talks about the education system in the country. I am really happy to have played a role in it. I have seen the rushes of the film and really cried throughout. I get really emotional when watching a film. Even during 'Taare Zameen Par', I cried throughout and was looking around me if anyone was watching me,' he said.
Unlike 'Taare Zameen Par', which was shot on real locations, 'Paathshala' was filmed on a set. To give it an authentic look, Khan had erected a massive set of a school at Film City -- it consisted of class rooms, dormitories, principal's cabin, staff rooms, half a dozen huge corridors, basket ball court, garden, assembly hall, music room and canteen.
Inosent Hot Shahid Kapoor इनोसेंट हॉट
इनोसेंट हॉट
बॉलीवुड अभिनेता शाहिद कपूर के फैंस यूं तो बड़ी संख्या में हैं लेकिन हालिया समय में इसमें काफी इजाफा देखा जा रहा है। हाल ही पूर्व मिस श्रीलंका जैकलीन फर्नाडीज ने भी उनकी जमकर तारीफ की। गौरतलब है कि वे अमिताभ बच्चन और रितेश देशमुख स्टारर फिल्म "अलादीन" के जरिए बॉलीवुड में डेब्यू करने जा रही हैं। उन्होंने अब शाहिद कपूर के साथ फिल्म करने की ख्वाहिश जाहिर की है। खास बात यह है कि शाहिद की क्वालिटीज के बारे में जैकलीन कहती हैं कि वे इनोसेंट होने के साथ-साथ हॉट भी हैं और यही बात है जो उन्हें बाकी स्टार्स से काफी अलग बनाती है। इतना ही नहीं, जैकलीन ने उनके एक्टिंग टेलेंट को भी खूब सराहा और उनके कमिटमेंट की भी तारीफ की। जैकलीन इससे पहले उनके साथ एक एडवर्टाइजमेंट में काम कर चुकी हैं और तभी से खुद को उनका बड़ा फैन मानती आई हैं। वे कहती हैं कि शाहिद की एक्टिंग स्किल्स में पिछले कुछ समय से लगातार निखार आया है और "कमीने" में उनके अभिनय की जितनी तारीफ की जाए, उतनी ही कम है।
PETA To Remove Cloth of Amrita Rao and Shahid Kapoor
Bollywood’s hot Amrita Rao and Shahid Kapoor are going to be ripped off their cloth by PETA in an upcoming advert campaign! Amrita Rao has always been my personal favorite actress and I think this choice of PETA is really going to rock their upcoming campaign.
However we all know PETA is mad! Their mission is great, e.i to encourage people to stop eating meat and also promote vegetarianism but somehow their campaigns are really crazy at times. Just for a recap, below are some of their campaigns which was featured here previously:
And now PETA have signed a deal with Amrita Rao (She is so….hot) and Shahid Kapoor (which we think must marry with Amrita!) to promote vegetarianism since both actors are vegetarians. In this upcoming adverts, both stars will be wearing the minimum of cloth and will be covered with leaves and vines to show that veggies are better.
Wondering how Amrita will be looking in the upcoming advert? It’s not just you who’s waiting for that hot-next-door-girl new look and this new advert is for sure going to boost the image of Amrita Rao from the cute college girl to a more seductive lady.
Shahid Kapoor flat butt exposed
Shahid Kapoor needs to wear bum bags to make his rear look in shape. Shahid, who has worked on achieving a good physique, was still not very confident about his butt. So, in order to make his hips look nice and round, he wears a bum bag, which is a small pouch like thing secured with a zipper and is worn at the waist.
Shahid has been wearing bum bags since his first film in 2003. While he doesn't wear these at home, he needs to wear them during film shoots because he is afraid his near-flat butt will look bad.
Guess everyone has their own little quirks!
News Oneindia
Shahid Kapoor wants link up with Rani Mukherjee
Friday, September 18, 2009, 11:36
By Raymond Ronamai
What is cooking between Shahid Kapoorand Rani Mukherjee ? Nothing. Shahid has been linked with his co-stars from Amrita Raoto Vidya Balan to Priyanka Chopra , so, he is surprised with the indifferent attitude of the rumourmongers this time . He just can't believe that he has not been linked to Rani, his co-star in Dil Bole Hadippa.
Buzz up!Shahid said that both he and Rani are amused with the fact that the media has not linked them in spite of their on-screen romance. Meanwhile, he had fun workingwith her. He said that it was great to play her hero , considering that he acted with her in an ad years ago when she was already a big star.
Besides Dil Bole Hadippa, produced by Aditya Chopra and directed by Anurag Singh, Shahid has a string of films on hand. Chance De Dance with Genelia D'Souza is scheduled for release in November and then Paathshala will follow. He is currently shooting for another Yash Raj film directed by Parmeet Sethi and then he will take up his father's film.
Watch out for more from Shahid. It's just the beginning!
Photos 1 2 3 4
My role in Paathshala is just about 30 40 minutes ...
PETA To Remove Cloth of Amrita Rao and Shahid Kapo...
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schicinos.ml
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A Corner of White: Book 1 of The Colours of Madeleine
By Jaclyn Moriarty
The first in a rousing, funny, genre-busting trilogy from bestseller Jaclyn Moriarty!
This is a tale of missing persons. Madeleine and her mother have run away from their former life, under mysterious circumstances, and settled in a rainy corner of Cambridge (in our world).
Elliot, on the other hand, is in search of his father, who disappeared on the night his uncle was found dead. The talk in the town of Bonfire (in the Kingdom of Cello) is that Elliot's dad may have killed his brother and run away with the Physic teacher. But Elliot refuses to believe it. And he is determined to find both his dad and the truth.
As Madeleine and Elliot move closer to unraveling their mysteries, they begin to exchange messages across worlds — through an accidental gap that hasn't appeared in centuries. But even greater mysteries are unfolding on both sides of the gap: dangerous weather phenomena called "color storms;" a strange fascination with Isaac Newton; the myth of the "Butterfly Child," whose appearance could end the droughts of Cello; and some unexpected kisses...
Praise for A Corner of White: Book 1 of The Colors of Madeleine
"Fun and charming." —CBC The Next Chapter
"[A] fabulously quirky fantasy . . . Psychological depth, heroic action, wit, suspense and invention intertwine beautifully. Not to be missed." —The Toronto Star
*"As always, [Moriarty's] irresistible characters help readers navigate a tantalizingly complex plot that will leave them eagerly awaiting the next book." &mdah;Horn Book, starred review
*"Unlike anything else out there . . . Quirky, charming, funny, sad: another winner from this always-surprising author." —Kirkus, starred review
"Moriarty's marvelously original fantasy is quirky, clever, and delightful . . . Expect readers to flock to Moriarty's name and stay for the whole Colors of Madeleine trilogy." —Booklist
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San Diego's SAP system has tripled workloads for some tasks, report says - PCWorld
San Diego’s US$50 million SAP system has ended up tripling employees’ workloads for certain types of tasks, but the city has also failed to devote enough attention to training, according to a consultant’s report released earlier this month.
Purchasing and contracting staffers are unable to easily generate reports from SAP that are crucial to the department’s operations, and have become “overwhelmed by the exhaustive and mainly transactional workload, resulting in burnout and low morale,” Huron Consulting Group’s report said.
“Most P&C individuals interviewed are frustrated by the time consuming and ‘click-intensive’ requisition process in the SAP system,” the report adds. “Interviewees indicate that barring any additional time caused by approval delays, it can take anywhere between 20 minutes to a few days to process a requisition depending on how many line items it contains, a direct result of the SAP system as implemented.”
The SAP system was primarily implemented to help out the city’s finance department, and it is working well in that regard, according to an official municipal document.
But for purchasing and contracting, the city only implemented SAP’s materials management module, and not an SRM (supplier-relationship-management) module, which would have streamlined procurement and payment processes, the Huron report said.
As a result, “the majority of shopping and quoting activities are conducted outside of SAP,” the report states.
San Diego recently implemented a system called PlanetBids, where vendors can register, but it isn’t integrated with SAP.
Overall, purchasing and contracting department employees’ workloads “increased as much as three times post-SAP implementation compared to the old system,” the report states.
In addition, SAP was used to replicate the department’s existing processes, rather than redesign them for more efficiency.
Some steps are being taken to remedy the situation, including a “deep-dive” training plan aimed at getting users more comfortable with the system, according to the report.
SAP spokesman Andy Kendzie declined to comment on the specifics of San Diego’s situation. However, “SAP’s goal is to make every customer a best-run operation,” Kendzie said via email. “Our systems work exactly as designed and we want to help customers use them to their fullest potential.”
San Diego clearly made some missteps, according to one observer.
“Change management and training are critical parts of any ERP implementation,” said analyst Michael Krigsman, CEO of consulting firm Asuret. “Employees without sufficient training may avoid the new system because they cannot figure how to use it. Bypassing the new system is prescription for disaster because data may then reside in multiple systems, or software applications.”
Also, the fact that San Diego “memorialized” inefficient processes into the SAP system rather than take the opportunity to refine them will require it to “repeat this core implementation step,” Krigsman added.
San Diego began work on the SAP implementation in 2007. It was the biggest IT project ever undertaken by the city and is meant to provide a core IT architecture for 15 years, according to a municipal document.
Chris Kanaracus , IDG News Service
Chris Kanaracus covers enterprise software and general technology breaking news for the IDG News Service.
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First Call NGO Malta Programme May 2013
EEA Grants - Malta NGO Programme Narrative Interim Report First Call May 2013
EEA Grants Malta NGO Programme Financial Interim Report - First Call May 2013
The Beneficiaries of the EEA Grants have been chosen thanks to a Selection Committee. The below are the beneficiaries and a short description of their projects and their aims and objectives.
Project Name: PHROM - Platform of Human Rights Organisations in Malta
Applicant Organisation: ADITUS Foundation
PHROM is the set up of Malta’s first ever network of voluntary organisations working in human rights. Membership is open to any organisation working to improve the quality of human rights enjoyment, whether through service-provision, public awareness or advocacy. Aim is attracting members from varied human rights sectors, to promote cross-sectoral dialogue and learning and to underline the need to view human rights as structural to Malta’s overall democratic growth. PHROM offers human rights NGOs the possibility of speaking with one strong voice in favour of the universal recognition of all human rights for all persons.
Project Outcomes: Training on coalition building, awareness-raising campaigns on human rights; NGO/Media partnerships: social and human rights areas; Cross-border cooperation: building democracy and protection human rights; Advocacy campaigns on human rights issues; watchdog roles of NGOs
Direct benefit of the project for the above marked target group: NGOs
Project Name: IRENE: Women involved in Street Prostitution: Outreach and Basic Services
Applicant Organisation: St. Jeanne Antide Foundation
Aiming to combat poverty, social exclusion and sexual exploitation of vulnerable women, the project focuses on the development and provision of support services to a target group that is undeserved within the continuum of services provision nationally – vulnerable women involved in street prostitution. These Vulnerable women are poor, are socially excluded and have unmet basic human needs; are vulnerable to coercion, violence and exploitation; are likely to suffer form mental health problems; are prone to repeat arrests and imprisonment; are entrenched in drug problems; may be controlled by pimps or partners having drug problems which women end up funding and sustaining through their involvement in prostitution; and lacks support to access services.
The target group of the IRENE Project are vulnerable women involved in prostitution. At the core of their vulnerability to become involved in prostitution is childhood sexual abuse and subsequent relationships with abusive men.
Project Name: Enhancing Capacity to Advocate for LGBT Rights
Applicant Organisation: Malta Gay Rights Movement (MGRM)
Since there is a lack of LGBT awareness, the project is aimed at the coordination of advocacy at national level, organise events, lobby government departments and institutions intended to build the capacity of the organisation to address a number of policy and programmes areas while enhancing the capacity of Malta Gay Rights Movement to advocate for the rights of the LGBT community in Malta in a range of policy areas such as education, health, the elderly, judiciary, the police, healthcare providers, prison wardens and educators.
The project addresses a number of objectives: Advocacy and human watchdog role, active citizenship, Democratic values, including human rights, promoted, Provision of welfare and basic services.
The project contributes towards a number of outcomes: Advocacy campaigns on crucial human rights issues implemented, Increasing advocacy and watchdog roles of NGOs and awareness raising campaigns.
Minorities are expected to benefit, in particular LGBT.
Project Name: And They Lived Happily Ever After
Applicant Organisation: Write Deal Association
Cartoons and traditional fairytales are subconsciously instilling in children a sense of racism, homophobia and xenophobia, whilst promoting gender inequality, social inequality, poverty and exclusion.
The project is a re-launch of three popular and traditional fairytales which are discriminatory and against human rights. The highly-executed cartoons will be recounting these fairytales by promoting social and human rights, addressing gender and social inequality, tackling poverty and exclusion. Stereotyped perceptions will be changed with children at an early age.
Expected Outcomes include: Democratic Values, including human rights, promoted, Empowerment of vulnerable groups and Advocacy and human watchdog role developed.
The project’s relevant objective is to promote issues such as: hate speech; Human rights and democratization; Racism and xenophobia; Homophobia; Gender equality; Migration with major focus on minors and integration; Elderly care; Domestic violence.
Malta NGO Programme 2013 - 2016 Beneficiaries list
EEA Grants - No Hatespeech Campaign
First Call Malta Programme May 2013
Second Call NGO Programme April 2014
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