text:
"""Options for saving SavedModels."""

from __future__ import absolute_import
from __future__ import division
from __future__ import print_function

import enum
import six

from tensorflow.python.util import compat
from tensorflow.python.util.tf_export import tf_export

@tf_export("saved_model.experimental.VariablePolicy")
class VariablePolicy(enum.Enum):
  """Enum defining options for variable handling when saving.

  NONE
    No policy applied: Distributed variables are saved as one variable, with no
    device attached.

  SAVE_VARIABLE_DEVICES
    When saving variables, also save their device assignment.
    This is useful if one wants to hardcode devices in saved models, but it also
    makes them non-portable if soft device placement is disabled (more details
    in `tf.config.set_soft_device_placement`). This is currently not
    fully supported by `saved_model.load`, and is mainly intended to be used
    when one will be reading the saved model at a lower API level. In the
    example below, the graph saved by the call to `saved_model.save` will have
    the variable devices correctly specified:
    ```python
    exported = tf.train.Checkpoint()
    with tf.device('/GPU:0'):
      exported.x_gpu = tf.Variable(1.0)
    with tf.device('/CPU:0'):
      exported.x_cpu = tf.Variable(1.0)
    tf.saved_model.save(exported, export_dir,
        options = tf.saved_model.SaveOptions(
            experimental_variable_policy=
              tf.saved_model.experimental.VariablePolicy.SAVE_VARIABLE_DEVICES))
    ```
    Distributed variables are still saved as one variable under this policy.

  EXPAND_DISTRIBUTED_VARIABLES
    Distributed variables will be explicitly expanded into their respective
    distributed replicas, and their assigned devices will be saved. This is
    useful when one wants to use the model for training in environments where
    the original distribution strategy is not available. Checkpoints are
    currently incompatible with this option, so it is not implemented in
    `saved_model.save` (only the internal `saved_model.export_meta_graph` API
    supports it for now).
  """

  NONE = None

  SAVE_VARIABLE_DEVICES = "save_variable_devices"

  EXPAND_DISTRIBUTED_VARIABLES = "expand_distributed_variables"

  def _save_variable_devices(self):
    """Checks whether variable devices should be saved."""
    return self != VariablePolicy.NONE

  def _expand_distributed_variables(self):
    """Checks whether distributed variables should be expanded."""
    return self == VariablePolicy.EXPAND_DISTRIBUTED_VARIABLES

  @staticmethod
  def from_obj(obj):
    """Tries to convert `obj` to a VariablePolicy instance."""
    if obj is None:
      return VariablePolicy.NONE
    if isinstance(obj, VariablePolicy):
      return obj
    key = str(obj).lower()
    for policy in VariablePolicy:
      if key == policy.value:
        return policy
    raise ValueError('Invalid VariablePolicy value "%s".' % obj)

@tf_export("saved_model.SaveOptions")
class SaveOptions(object):
  """Options for saving to SavedModel.

  This function may be used in the `options` argument in functions that
  save a SavedModel (`tf.saved_model.save`, `tf.keras.models.save_model`).
  """

  # Define object attributes in __slots__ for improved memory and performance.
  __slots__ = ("namespace_whitelist", "save_debug_info", "function_aliases",
               "experimental_io_device", "experimental_variable_policy")

  def __init__(self,
               namespace_whitelist=None,
               save_debug_info=False,
               function_aliases=None,
               experimental_io_device=None,
               experimental_variable_policy=None):
    """Creates an object that stores options for SavedModel saving.

    Args:
      namespace_whitelist: List of strings containing op namespaces to whitelist
        when saving a model. Saving an object that uses namespaced ops must
        explicitly add all namespaces to the whitelist. The namespaced ops must
        be registered into the framework when loading the SavedModel.
      save_debug_info: Boolean indicating whether debug information is saved. If
        True, then a debug/saved_model_debug_info.pb file will be written with
        the contents of a GraphDebugInfo binary protocol buffer containing stack
        trace information for all ops and functions that are saved.
      function_aliases: Python dict. Mapping from string to object returned by
        @tf.function. A single tf.function can generate many ConcreteFunctions.
        If a downstream tool wants to refer to all concrete functions generated
        by a single tf.function you can use the `function_aliases` argument to
        store a map from the alias name to all concrete function names.
        E.g.
        ```python
        class MyModel:
        @tf.function
        def func():
          ...

        @tf.function
        def serve():
          ...
          func()

        model = MyModel()
        signatures = {
            'serving_default': model.serve.get_concrete_function(),
        }
        options = tf.saved_model.SaveOptions(function_aliases={
            'my_func': func,
        })
        tf.saved_model.save(model, export_dir, signatures, options)
        ```
      experimental_io_device: string. Applies in a distributed setting.
        Tensorflow device to use to access the filesystem. If `None` (default)
        then for each variable the filesystem is accessed from the CPU:0 device
        of the host where that variable is assigned. If specified, the
        filesystem is instead accessed from that device for all variables.

        This is for example useful if you want to save to a local directory,
        such as "/tmp" when running in a distributed setting. In that case pass
        a device for the host where the "/tmp" directory is accessible.
      experimental_variable_policy: The policy to apply to variables when
        saving. This is either a `saved_model.experimental.VariablePolicy` enum
        instance or one of its value strings (case is not important). See that
        enum documentation for details. A value of `None` corresponds to the
        default policy.
    """
    self.namespace_whitelist = _validate_namespace_whitelist(
        namespace_whitelist)
    self.save_debug_info = save_debug_info
    self.function_aliases = function_aliases if function_aliases else dict()
    self.experimental_io_device = experimental_io_device
    self.experimental_variable_policy = (
        VariablePolicy.from_obj(experimental_variable_policy))

def _validate_namespace_whitelist(namespace_whitelist):
  """Validates namespace whitelist argument."""
  if namespace_whitelist is None:
    return []
  if not isinstance(namespace_whitelist, list):
    raise TypeError("Namespace whitelist must be a list of strings.")

  processed = []
  for namespace in namespace_whitelist:
    if not isinstance(namespace, six.string_types):
      raise ValueError("Whitelisted namespace must be a string. Got: {} of type"
                       " {}.".format(namespace, type(namespace)))
    processed.append(compat.as_str(namespace))
  return processed


Through a mix of product innovations and integration with advanced technology, Sharp is dedicated to providing improved accessibility to its full line of office products and imaging solutions.
Through our corporate commitment to Sincerity and Creativity, Sharp is focused on today's lifestyles by creating new products, satisfying new demands and realizing unimagined possibilities.
In keeping with our corporate credo, Sharp has a variety of document imaging products that are compliant with the requirements of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Sharp is also striving to make all of its products, software and documentation more accessible by applying the principles and guidance of Section 508. Consistent with our corporate heritage of innovation, Sharp believes Section 508 represents an opportunity to design and manufacture products that are more versatile, functional and user-friendly.
Section 508 requires that "Electronic and Information Technology" (EIT) products, procured or used by government agencies, allow access to Federal employees and members of the public with disabilities that is comparable to the access available to non-disabled individuals. Sharp is helping government purchasers of EIT products meet their obligation by making available products that use the latest technologies and that are reliable, easy to use and Section 508 compliant.
The Voluntary Product Accessibility Template, or VPAT, is a tool used to document a product's conformance with the accessibility standards under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
The purpose of the VPAT is to assist Federal contracting officials and other buyers in making preliminary assessments regarding the availability of commercial "Electronic and Information Technology" products and services with features that support accessibility.


text:
Kalateh-ye Arab (, also Romanized as Kalāteh-ye 'Arab and Kalāteh 'Arab) is a village in Zarrin Rural District, Atamalek District, Jowayin County, Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 1,196, in 355 families.

References

Populated places in Joveyn County

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
AccueilPoliticRita Fan Hsu Lai-tai
Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai
Dr Rita Fan Hsu Lai Tai was born in 1945 in Shanghai and attended the St Stephen's Girls' College in Hong Kong. She holds a BSc (in Chemistry and Physics), a Certificate in Personnel Management and an MSocSc (in Psychology), all from the University of Hong Kong. With over 25 years to her political career, Dr Fan was first appointed as the member of Legislative Council in 1983 by Sir Edward Youde, the then Governor of Hong Kong. In 1989, she became a member of Executive Council and the Chairperson of Education Commission.
In the lead-up to Hong Kong's reunification with China, Dr Fan served as a member of the Preliminary Working Committee for the HKSAR and the Preparatory Committee for the HKSAR. She was elected as the President of the Provisional Legislative Council from 1997 to 1998 and then the Legislative Council for three terms. Dr Fan was the first woman elected to the post and is also its longest-serving, holding the elected Presidency from 1997 to 2008. She is currently a member of the Standing Committee of the Eleventh National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China.
In recognition of her contributions to public service in Hong Kong, the University has resolved to confer upon her the degree of Doctor of Social Sciences honoris causa.
ASIA Hong Kong Politic

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Here is an interesting article showing the REAL cost of public education. While this article focuses primarily on five large metro areas and DC schools, I think these numbers may follow many of districts here in Missouri. Note the guest comments at the end of the article...some excellent points raised by education watchdogs.
Pay particular attention to the SAT numbers, showing decreases over 38 years. The ACT scores show slight improvement, from 20.6 in 1990 to 21.1 in 2008.
We had "No Child Left Behind" instituted to ensure national standards so test scores would rise and states would operate under the same benchmarks. Money was given and/or withheld based on students' scores. In theory, it sounded reasonable. In actuality, it hasn't worked. We have spent millions of dollars...on what? A theory that has proven to be a fallacy?
Now we are being sold a bill of goods by Arne Duncan and our own State Board of Education. Note the link below with the State Board of Education meeting agenda for August 6 in Jefferson City. The Common Core issue is listed as 19a. The Board will be considering adopting the Common Core standards for Missouri students. The State Board of Education is close to handing over our state sovereign right to set curriculum to the Department of Education.
Did you know the Common Core standards have not been finalized and many of them have not even been written? Were you aware Missouri is being asked to sign on to non-existent standards that may very well be below our current standards? Perhaps it's true what Nancy Pelosi said about the Health Care Bill..."we have to pass it to find out what's in it". The same hold true for this common core standards the Board is requested to sign. I thought Missouri was the "show me" state. What has happened to signing on to concrete proposals? Why are we signing on to uncertainty? This truly is incredible.
So, fellow Missourians, if the Board passes this, get ready for more federal control, more taxes to pay for this control, and let's see if this oversight and increased money helps increase our students' test scores. Based on past factual data, I'd bet this won't help our kids. This mass infusion of control and money hasn't helped in the last 38 years, what's different now?


text:
REVIEW: Miracle on 34th Street (Porchlight Music Theatre)
Posted on December 3, 2010 by Scotty Zacher
A charming Santa works his magic
Porchlight Music Theatre presents
By Patricia DiBenedetto, Will Snyder & John Vreeke
Directed by Christopher Pazdernik
at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont (map)
through Jan 2 | tickets: $38 | more info
Reviewed by Keith Ecker
Christmas has become so commercialized that we now have genuine shopping holidays that serve as a preamble to one of the most sacred days of the Christian faith. Black Friday. Cyber Monday. I'm Jewish, and even I wince when I see the words "Doorbuster Deals" printed on the same flier as an angel trumpeting the arrival of Jesus.
Valentine Davies, the novelist behind Miracle on 34th Street, saw this commercialization when it was in its infancy. His story is intelligent and effective at satirizing the season. The classic movie adaptation, directed by George Seaton, lives on in the American zeitgeist, in part because of just how strongly the story appeals to our sense of love and compassion over commodities and materialism.
Porchlight's somewhat musical version of Miracle on 34th Street isn't going to go own in history as influencing the minds of the American public, but it's an entertaining ticket that has some truly charming elements.
And the most charming element of all is the plays' Santa (Jim Sherman). Sherman's got the humble magnanimity down. He plays Kris Kringle with both an endearing aloofness and a fiery passion for good and righteousness. Plus, he knows how to pander to the kids in the audience, which doesn't hurt a bit.
For those that have never seen Miracle on 34th Street, the story centers on Macy's, in a time before the department store grew to swallow al competition. The store has a new Santa Claus for the holiday season because the last one liked hitting the sauce a little too much. However, this new Santa is quite peculiar. In fact, he takes the whole thing way too seriously, referring to himself as Kris Kringle and claiming his next of kin as Prancer and Blixen.
Still, he's a damn good Santa, and the customers sure do love him, which makes Mr. Macy happy. Yet, some aren't so pleased with his success and seek to take him down. When the store's counselor Mr. Sawyer (Michael Pacas) claims Kris attacked him, Santa is locked away and put on trial.
But it's not just Santa whose fate is in the air. The fate of little Susan Walker (Nicole Karkazis) and her mother Doris (Christa Buck) also hinges on whether Santa really is Santa. That's because both have been confronted with a crisis of faith, and if Kris is not who he says he is, then cynicism may just ice over their hearts forever.
Director Christopher Pazdernik does a good job keeping the story moving along swiftly. There's no reason for slow drama to create tension. We know the story, and children only have so much attention to devote to a courtroom drama. The little holiday song interludes between scenes are cute, but don't do much to really enhance the show. And the big holiday opening number is a high-energy beginning, but it feels too over-the-top for the rather subdued play.
Audience interaction in certain parts is encouraged. In fact, a couple children were pulled out of the audience and got to sit on Santa's lap in the middle of the play. Afterward, kids are encouraged to participate in a meet-and-greet with the jolly man in red.
Jana Anderson deserves special recognition for designing one of the classiest Santa costumes I have ever seen. This isn't your usual red felt with cotton fuzz. This is old-world Santa, with a quality coat decorated in a multi-toned print.
Miracle on 34th Street is definitely a kid pleaser, though adult chaperones are sure to enjoy themselves as well. It's a fairly barebones production. But with such a convincing Santa, the ornamental takes a backseat to holiday spirit and heart.
Filed under: 2010 Reviews, Holiday Show, Keith Ecker, Porchlight Music Theatre, Stage 773 | Tagged: Alex Radtke, Chase McCurdy, Christa Buck, Christopher Pazdernik, David Heimann, George Seaton, Jana Anderson, Jim Heatherly, Jim Sherman, John Vreeke, Katharine Cikanek, Keith Ecker, Kelly Hackett, Lindsey Pearlman, Matthew Wilson Miles, Michael Pacas, Mick Weber, Miracle on 34th Street, Nicole Karkazis, Patricia DiBenedetto, Porchlight Music Theatre, Stage 773, Steve Tomlitz, Valentine Davies, Will Snyder |	Leave a comment »
Review: Porchlight's "Miracle on 34th Street"
A Retro Christmas Miracle
Porchlight Music Theatre presents:
Adapted by Patricia DiBenedetto Snyder, Sill Severin and John Vreeke
Story by Valentine Davies
Screenplay by George Seaton
directed by L. Walter Stearns
thru January 3rd, 2010 (ticket info)
I have to admit to a bit of "Scrooge-ism" when it comes to the holiday season in America. The commercials, the billboards, the store windows dressed in fiberglass snow and plaid carolers when I am still finishing Halloween candy stuffed in the bottom desk drawer- you get the idea. I managed to get into the spirit in spite of myself. I got a visit from a little angel in the form of my niece Alexandria. She is a very precocious seven years old who likes spiders. Porchlight Theatre's publicity for Miracle on 34th Street stated that this was the perfect first theater experience for children and would become a holiday tradition. I am happy to say that the publicity was right.
This production of Miracle on 34th Street is from the Porchlight Music Theatre Company. They are known for classic productions as well as new interpretations of musicals. This is already a classic film and now it has been excellently translated to the stage. The moment that Kris Kringle's sleigh appears on the stage is when the magic begins. A veritable toyland pops out of Santa's big red sack and performs to start the play. We are then told that this Santa is a lucky replacement for the other guy who showed up drunk. The twist is that this Santa believes that he is the real thing. It is a tale that we all know from afternoons around the television or at the repertory movie house.
Christa Buck plays the cynical 1940's career woman Doris Walker. She is all business and doesn't have time for the fantasy that is Christmas. She also has little patience for the complications of romance that shows up in the form of Fred Gailey played by Karl Hamilton. They both seem to have stepped out of a Technicolor production. The entire cast is a step back in time and that is perfect for this production. The cynicism of Doris Walker and her daughter Susan is born out of divorce and abandonment issues. That is my modern interpretation but the portrayals are embodied with the post-war innocence of the 1940's. Somehow everything works out in America if you only believe. It's a beautiful idea whose time is coming around again. The part of Susan Walker is played by Laney Kraus-Taddeo. She is another talented product of the Piven Theatre Workshop in Evanston. Ms. Kraus-Taddeo doesn't hit any false notes or project any of the treacle that is the risk of any child actors. All of the children in this production are a delight to watch. The play makes room for a child in the audience to talk to Santa on stage. It was a funny moment with an untrained participant who asked for Christmas lipstick. Your guess is as good as mine as to what that is but Jim Sherman as Kris Kringle played right along with jolly humor.
I have to say that it was the performance of Jim Sherman that really put me in the Christmas spirit. He has the sparkle and the charm that – for me – embody Santa Claus. He wears a suit that is more in the tradition of Father Christmas or Sinter Klass from the Netherlands. Even when he was clad in layperson's attire he looked like Santa. I also enjoyed the character of Mr. Macy played by Chuck Sisson. I'm a girl who grew up on Mr. Drysdale, Mr. Mooney, and Thurston Howell III. There is a certain carriage and technique to carrying off the bluster of such a character in my opinion and Mr. Sisson has it much to my enjoyment.
The entire cast is a joy to watch in Miracle on 34th Street. The supporting villain character of Mr. Sawyer is played with relish by Rus Rainear. Like the movie, Mr. Sawyer is a ferret-like guy who almost kills Christmas while in cahoots with the ambitious District Attorney played by Steve Tomlitz.
Suspense! Romance! Knee Slapping Laughs! It was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Most importantly, it passed the "Alexandria Test". My niece Alexandria was enchanted the moment the action began. That is saying something considering that we had been to Uncle Fun and bought a "can of salted nuts" which contained three fake snakes. Lexie was all about the snakes until Kris Kringle and the music began. She also got to take a picture with Santa on the stage after the play that was a big thrill. "Auntie Kathy! I got to see Santa Claus and be on the stage!"
You have to bring your own camera and resist the urge to want to sit on Jim Sherman's lap yourself. I'm telling you, the guy took me back to 1965 when I really believed.
Filed under: 2009 Reviews, Holiday Show, Piven Theatre, Porchlight Music Theatre | Tagged: Brenda Didier, Christa Buck, Christa Buck Van Ernen, Chuck Sisson, Eugene Dizon, George Seaton, Ian Zywica, James Nedrud, Jana Anderson, Jim Heatherly, Jim Sherman, John Vreeke, Jon Steinhagen, K.D. Hopkins, Karl Hamilton, L. Walter Stearns, Laney Kraus-Taddeo, Liviu Pasare, Patricia DeBenedetto Snyder, Piven Theatre, Porchlight Music Theatre Chicago, Rus Rainear, Sill Severin, Steve Tomlitz, Valentine Davies |	2 Comments »


text:
Свинушки — многозначный термин:

 Свинушки — семейство равнокрылых насекомых;
 Свинушки — деревня в Скопинском районе Рязанской области;
 Свинушки — прежнее название села Калинино Александро-Невского района Рязанской области.

См. также
 Свинушка


text:
MoboReader> Billionaires > Cold CEO Vs. Sweet Wife
Chapter 751 You Are Truly Beautiful
Cold CEO Vs. Sweet Wife By Shi Liu Xiao Jie Characters: 8561
Juan tried to make a sense of the situation. Did Moore feel regretful because he'd broken Avery's heart, which in turn made her go out for drinks and led to the injury?
Even if Adolf now accused Moore to be the cause of the accident, he kept quiet and didn't argue back.
In his place, Zed and Jean spoke to Adolf, trying to calm him down as Moore stood away, motionless, leaning against a wall.
He acted as if he had nothing to do with anything, completely indifferent.
Juan was someone who could be a bystander, but not Moore.
Even though Avery was soon to become an actress in his corporation, he had the least say in the current situation.
Moore's role was different.
He was Avery's boyfriend. It truly was complicated.
Nevertheless, Avery lay in the hospital, struggling for life, and he said nothing, did nothing, or rather, maybe found himself incapable of.
He didn't even furrow at Adolf's blunt accusations, neither did he join Zed and Jean in his own defense.
What was Moore thinking?
Juan was puzzled, growing restless by the minute.
Just as Adolf, Jean and Zed went on in that intense argument, a nurse came running out of the ward and said hurriedly, "The patient is awake."
Without stopping for any questions, she walked on to find the surgeon in-charge.
Everyone got excited at the news, as if life was granted back not just to Avery, but them too.
Juan looked at Moore and furrowed.
Moore didn't show a lot of excitement upon hearing the news, instead, just looked into the room through the glass window.
He saw Avery's beautiful eyes opening slowly, after which she looked around herself, trying to process the surroundings, wincing in pain.
Moore couldn't bear to see her like that, the pain reflected in his own face.
He sighed and opened his eyes again. Now, his face was resolute.
It seemed like he had just made the hardest decision of his life.
What did he want?
Juan looked at him from a distance, his heart twitching, wondering if Moore had decided to break up with Avery?
That was what it looked like.
From their argument earlier, he could tell that Moore and Avery had had a fight, which had somehow ended in the current situation.
Was their relationship really that problematic?
Juan realized the seriousness of the matter and nudged Zed to go out and talk about it. Then he started walking away from the ward.
Zed didn't know what Juan wanted but decided to follow him, nevertheless. They ended up in a corner with almost nobody around them. Juan stopped, tur
It all starts on that fateful night.
When Ella, who is the dear sister of Samuel's best buddy, sneaks into the hotel where the drunken Samuel resides and gets pregnant…
"I don't want a divorce!"
"I did no such thing!"
Ella jumped on the bed and cried out. "I don't want a scheming woman as my wife. Just sign the paper...
k as he saw Avery upset like that. He held her hand and gently wiped her tears. "Alright, stop crying. Remember, you need to look pretty all the time," he joked.
The softness in his voice and the smile on his face were unusual.
This genuineness was something she could've only imagined in a dream. But it was real and it was for her. This was Moore like she'd never seen him before.
Avery closed her eyes, heartbroken. She knew this could only mean one thing.
This was the last of Moore she was getting, this soft, truthful Moore.
However, she was already satisfied.
Even though her heart ached endlessly, there was no way to forcibly get something that didn't belong to her.
"I know..." she managed to say. She opened her eyes and looked at his beautiful face. "I know it's hard for you to be with me. But you've made your decision, and you are not to blame for anything," she said, trying to sound strong.
"Avery, I can't thank you enough. You are truly one of the best people I have ever known." He smiled at her as his eyes filled up. "You are truly beautiful, inside out," he said, clutching her hand.
She couldn't control the flood of tears that appeared then. She let herself go completely.
Zed and Jean gazed at each other, at a loss of words. Juan and Adolf also listened to the exchange closely.
Everyone knew, it could not be that simple.
Why had Moore transformed completely into a different person the moment Avery woke up?
He seemed like a tender lover, saying all things sweet and soft to Avery, drowning her in a sea of gentle caresses.
'Is this out of guilt of finally deciding to let her go for real? Was Juan right, after all?' Zed got worried.
Similar Billionaires Ebooks to Cold CEO Vs. Sweet Wife
Trapped with Colin
Mr. Ceo & I
Running From The Billionaire
The Billionaire's Mistress
The Billionaire's Wife
The billionaires ex wife


text:
U.S. Commends Progress Leading to U.A.E. Removal from Special 301 Watchlist on Intellectual Property
Officials from the U.S. Department of Commerce reviewed the U.A.E.'s "remarkable" progress in protecting intellectual property during a Discover America webinar co-hosted by the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council. A video of the webinar, which took place on 25 May 2021, can be found here.
In conversation with U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council President Danny Sebright, Thomas Bruns, Regional Senior Commercial Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi, shared the "terrific news" of the U.A.E.'s removal from the USTR's Special 301 Report Watch List, which designates countries with areas of concern related to intellectual property protection. Thomas stated that the U.A.E.'s removal from this list is "only the beginning" for the U.A.E., as there is a "real momentum toward further reforms to develop the intellectual property environment in-country." He tied these reforms to the U.A.E.'s goal to move further toward a "knowledge economy."
Peter Mehravari, U.S. Intellectual Property Attache for Middle East and North Africa, honed in on the factors that contributed to the U.A.E.'s removal from the Section 301 watchlist. Peter explained that the 301 process is "industry-driven," meaning that private sector input led to the inclusion of the U.A.E. on the Section 301 Watch List. Peter described the U.A.E.'s listing as a "wake-up call" to everyone involved. Peter described the conversation that followed between the U.S. and U.A.E governments, and between industry and government, as "one of the most incredible experiences" of his career.
Peter explained that a pharmaceutical issue in particular "sparked the realization there needs to be tangible change" with how the U.A.E. handles intellectual property. Prior to 2017, the U.A.E. was deemed "one of the safest places to bring innovative pharma and bio" due to "behind-the-scenes" measures to protect intellectual property in this vertical. The challenge to U.S. IP rights in one instance "shocked industry" and made everyone in the industry "nervous." Peter stressed that "for intellectual property, certainty is key," particularly in an industry like pharmaceuticals where there is "so much IP." The U.A.E. government worked to find an industry-driven solution, and the U.A.E. passed Decree 231, which provides "some of the best protection for innovative pharma and bio in the region." Peter noted that this Decree demonstrates the U.A.E.'s desire to bring more innovative pharmaceutical companies to the country, and underlines that the "U.A.E. is a good place to do business for bio and tech."
Peter also noted "incredible developments" in the U.A.E.'s crackdown on counterfeit goods, and its importance for tightening the U.A.E.'s intellectual property enforcement regime. He noted the "significant increase in proactive seizures" by Dubai Customs, as well as "quick raids" by Abu Dhabi authorities. Moreover, he signaled out the "transformation" of Ajman China Mall, which used to be the "biggest challenge regarding counterfeit goods" for U.S. companies in the U.A.E. He noted that U.A.E. authorities are not just seizing goods, but publicly destroying or recycling them as well, in a visible sign of its intolerance toward counterfeit goods.
Peter also noted some promising signs related to Collective Management Organizations (CMOs). He remarked that music licensing is "critical" not just for ensuring compensation for U.S. artists, but also for supporting local U.A.E. artists and building a local music scene. He said that the U.A.E. is making progress in this regard, although this progress may be "slower than one might like." He added that Expo is putting in place a requirement that all music at the venue is properly licensed, which he sees as an important "win for industry" and a baseline for further progress.
Thomas and Peter also shared their thoughts on the GCC Patent Office, noting that the Office announced in January that it would no longer be taking new patent applications. Peter explained that there is no clear answer yet on what is next, and resolving this uncertainty is a "huge priority" so U.S. companies will have a predictable way to get patents in the U.A.E. and region. Thomas stressed that U.S. companies need a predictable way to get patents in the U.A.E. and region.
Looking ahead, Peter flagged trade secrets as an area of future focus, as this is a relatively "new topic" in the U.A.E. He noted that the U.A.E. government is preparing a new patent law that seeks to better protect trade secrets. He stressed the importance of this for high-tech, aerospace, energy, and defense companies in the U.A.E. He also underscored the significance of this for SMEs.
In this regard, Peter asked the SMEs in the audience to consider "what makes them competitive," and, "if it disappeared over night, could their business continue?" If not, Peter suggested that they may have intellectual property they need to seriously consider how to protect. Thomas encouraged SMEs to take advantage of the resources available to them, as the Department of Commerce helps provide SMEs with the advice that they need to do business in another country.
Alongside talk of intellectual property, the panelists briefly discussed Expo 2020, and the opportunities that American companies have to be involved in the U.S. Pavilion. Pete noted that the U.S. will be convening an IP Attache conference during Expo 2020 that will have an industry component supported by the Business Council. Thomas and Peter encouraged all interested companies to contact them for more information.
For more information about the Business Council's slate of upcoming events, please contact the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council's head of communications, Ms. Mary Zuccarello at mzuccarello@usuaebusiness.org or visit our website at www.usuaebusiness.org.


text:
Fire Risk Sees Toyota Recall a Million Hybrids
192,000 Prius are affected by this recall in the US, all of which are 2016 to 2018 models. Checking if your vehicle is one of them simply requires entering a license plate number or VIN on Toyota's website. The fix involves a trip to your dealership.
By Matthew Humphries
Matthew Humphries
I've been working at PCMag since November 2016, covering all areas of technology and video game news. Before that I spent nearly 15 years working at Geek.com as a writer and editor. I also spent the first six years after leaving university as a professional game designer working with Disney, Games Workshop, 20th Century Fox, and Vivendi.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/fire-risk-sees-toyota-recall-a-million-hybrids
Last month, Ford recalled 50,000 charging cables used with the Focus Electric, Fusion Energi, and C-Max Energi due to a fire risk. This month, it's Toyota's turn for a fire risk recall, only this one involves over a million hybrid vehicles.
As CBS News(Opens in a new window) reports, the recall affects Prius and C-HR crossover hybrid vehicles shipped worldwide. The fire risk is due to an engine wire harness connected to the Power Control Unit in the vehicles. The wire can come into contact with the cover and wear down over time eventually causing an electrical short circuit. At that point enough heat can be generated to start a fire.
In total, some 1.03 million vehicles are included in the recall, with 554,000 of those in Japan. As Toyota USA explains on its recall page(Opens in a new window), 192,000 Prius sold in the US could experience the wire fault and therefore need to have the engine wire harness replaced.
The affected vehicles are 2016 to 2018 models of the Prius in the US. To find out if your vehicle is one of them, simply visit toyota.com/recall(Opens in a new window) and enter either your vehicle's license plate number or Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Toyota will then provide instructions as to what to do next if your car needs fixing.
Typically, fixing the problem will require a scheduled visit to your local dealership for assessment. If you'd like further information, you can also call the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1.800.331.4331. The recall is apparently a reaction to one vehicle in Japan experiencing the wire short circuit and producing smoke, but no fire.
Recommended by Our Editors
Auto Execs: Yeah, Car Ownership Will Probably Dip by 2025
Owl Car Cam Adds Android Support, Enhances Security Features
Ford Recalls 50K Charging Cables Due to Fire Risk
Get Our Best Stories!
Sign up for What's New Now to get our top stories delivered to your inbox every morning.
Tesla Has Been on the Road for 15 Years: 6 Big Questions for the EV Maker's Future
By Emily Dreibelbis
Following Tesla, Ford Drops Price on Electric Mustang Mach-E
The Best Electric and Hybrid Cars for 2023
By Alex Colon & Doug Newcomb
Entry-Level EVs: 7 Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles You Can Buy for Under $40,000
About Matthew Humphries
I hold two degrees: a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and a Master's degree in Games Development. My first book, Make Your Own Pixel Art, is available from all good book shops.
Read Matthew's full bio
Read the latest from Matthew Humphries
Netflix Adds Spatial Audio to Over 700 Titles (But It'll Cost You)
Use Discord? It's Probably Slowing Down Your Nvidia Graphics Card
Microsoft Increases Xbox Series X, Series S Price for the First Time
Can E3 Survive Without Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft? We May Find Out This Year
These 2 Streaming Services Are Merging Later This Year
More from Matthew Humphries


The primary manuscript addressing the main vegetation hypotheses and objectives has been published in the Journal of Applied Ecology.
An additional paper examining the suitability of our plots for Greater sage-grouse habitat has been published in the journal Ecosphere.
A manuscript describing the fuel characteristics of ES&R treatments is also in the early phase of preparation, and we also plan develop a structural equation model of major factors influencing ES&R seeding outcomes.
Approximately one million hectares currently burn each year within the Great Basin region of the western USA. A large proportion of these burned areas are managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which implements an emergency stabilization and rehabilitation (ES&R) program to mitigate potential negative effects of wildfire in Great Basin shrublands. ES&R treatments used often include aerial or drill seeding with native and non-native perennial grasses, forbs, and shrubs. Common ES&R treatment objectives are to decrease soil erosion, increase desirable perennial plant cover (typically deep-rooted perennial grasses and shrubs), improve habitat for wildlife, and reduce abundance of invasive plants, particularly non-native annuals.
Although BLM currently monitors ES&R projects for three years after seeding, very little information is available to land managers evaluating the effectiveness of ES&R seeding over longer time periods. To meet this information need, we revisited and sampled BLM post-fire aerial and drill seeding projects implemented from 1990 to 2003 using a study approach similar to a chronosequence. Our approach provided data on both short- and long-term vegetation recovery of treated sites and allowed an assessment of treatment responses over a range of ages, climate patterns, and plant associations.
Our primary goals were to determine post-fire seeding effects on cover and density of seeded perennial life-forms, cover of undesirable non-native life-forms (primarily annual bromes and forbs), and cover of bare ground that would inform future adaptive management decisions regarding the ES&R program. We also investigated the role of environmental factors such as annual precipitation, elevation, and topography on seeding outcomes across our study area to better identify locations where future ES&R projects might meet program objectives. Other study goals included determining the effects of ES&R seedings on long-term fuel structure patterns and also the long-term effects of ES&R seedings on wildlife habitat.
We established 826 sampling plots at 101 ES&R seeding projects throughout Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah in 2010 and 2011. Five field crews of 2-3 persons sampled vegetation and fuels data at these sites in 2011. Two field crews in 2010 also sampled a subset of projects to verify field methodology and assisted with ES&R project assessment and establishment. At each ES&R project sampled in the study, burn-seeded, burn-unseeded, and unburned plots were established to compare effects across these three treatment types. Primary vegetation sampling methods included plant cover, shrub density, and herbaceous biomass.


Massages are one of the oldest form of relaxation known to mankind. Over the years, different versions of it have come about to accommodate different people and nowadays for people who live busy lives and do not have time to sit and relax there are massage chairs that they can buy and use while they get some free time in between their busy schedule. There are so many health benefits associated with massage chairs but you have to select the one that works for you and for that you will have to do your research thoroughly. You should look at Health Nerdy for latest zero gravity massage chair guide and other massage chairs as well, it is one of the most informative blog you will find on massage chairs. With that said, following are some of the advantages of buying a massage chair, check them out below.
There have been multiple research studies that have conclusively showed that massage therapy has helped people in relaxing and reducing their stress levels. Certain pressure points when stimulated can produce endorphins and other hormones that help in reducing stress and symptoms of anxiety along with fatigue. Not only that, but having a massage chair is also great for people who are hypertensive and tend to have high blood pressure due to stress. So if you think you get stressed out frequently or have anxiety symptoms we would suggest that you give massage chairs a try.
Another great benefit of using a massage chair is that it will help in relaxing all the tightened muscles that can cause sensory fatigue. This will in turn help you sleep better at night.


i howl at the moon.
how do you ever forget the eyes.
do the faces ever go away?
and inside, keep you near.
you can choose to be enlightened.
we flourish by the wind.
we are of the sky.
as I sit chained here.
to be held quite dear.
but you left me outside.
my neck hurts, my body.
i am twisted and sad.
i ask because i always did.
who am i trying to kid.
you finally hold the deed.
that is all you ask.
the sad, the uncaring, the lonely.
the not nice, the bad.
it was not as it seemed.
by the whos and the wheres.
or who sit in a pair.
but we will eagerly share.
the world likes to travel around the sun.
the most horrific genocides are borne of the narrow mindthink of BSL. it is both evil and ignorant to lump one group of anything under an ugly umbrella.
this has caused death, heartache and tragedies throughout history.
in lennox' name and in honor of all animals, and humans, who have been decimated by this manmade misery, we stand up and we say NO MORE!!!
and at the "heart" of it all.
if not now, then when????
your joy to an end.
when we need to hide.
i have lived in dread.
we have to let it slide.
if faith could change the world, this would be a wonderful start.
please belfast somebody, please find your heart.
this could have happened to you.
that i can work hard to save.
i have the means to try.
says alice in her palace.


Durham resident Andrew Thompson is taking on 10 marathons in 10 months to raise money for Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research, in memory of a friend he lost to leukaemia.
Starting at the Gin Pit Marathon in Manchester on Saturday 12th March, Andrew, 30, aims to complete a further nine marathons across the UK, including the Edinburgh and Nottingham Marathons, finishing his challenge at the Newcastle Town Moor Marathon in November. Remarkably, he also plans to take part in the Great North Run.
Andrew's epic feat of endurance is dedicated to the memory of school friend Chris Hills. Chris was first diagnosed with the acute myeloid leukaemia in 1998 and responded well to treatment. Sadly, the disease returned and despite undergoing a bone marrow transplant he died in 2003, aged 23.
"It was a huge shock," says Andrew. "I'd been travelling around for the world for three years and came home to find that Chris had died. I'm running as a gesture in Chris' memory, to support his mum, and to make something good come out of it all."
Despite completing six marathons last year, Andrew admits he has set himself a daunting target: "Managing my recovery will be the hard part, and maintaining the fitness. It's going to be tough but, as a runner, you're always looking for a new challenge and I'm determined to make it. Improving treatment for blood cancers like leukaemia is so important."
Andrew, a payroll administrator for HR specialists Cintra in Gateshead, is aiming to raise £5,000 for Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research to support the charity's groundbreaking research into better treatments and cures for all blood cancers, including leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma. He hopes to raise a similar amount for children's charity COCO.
Kate White, Director of Fundraising at Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research, says: "We wish Andrew the very best of luck. Running just one marathon takes real commitment and determination, so running ten is an incredible challenge to take on. It's thanks to people like Andrew that Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research can continue investing in groundbreaking research into all blood cancers."
You can support Andrew throughout his 10 marathon challenge by visiting his justgiving page.


text:
Q: What is the purpose of the NPN and PNP transistors in this low-side driver circuit? The circuit is a low-side driver. I currently have the PWM signal set to 5 V with a duty cycle of 50% to achieve an output voltage of 5 V. I know what the overall purpose of the circuit is, but what is the purpose of the NPN transistor (Q1) and PNP transistor (Q2)?
I believe they help charge and discharge the gate of the MOSFET, but I am unsure how.

A: Q2 should have emitter to Q1 emitter and collector grounded.
The transistors are configured as emitter followers.
They have a gain of 1 (and a voltage drop for base to emitter of about 0.6V when on).
But, each transistor has a current gain equal to its Beta or Hfe.
This is typically in the 50 to 300 range depending on devices used.
Input drive sources are often limited in the drive current that they can provide.
The transistors act as "current amplifiers".
For a Beta of say 100, for every 1 mA of input drive they can provide 100 mA of drive to the FET gate.
The result is that the FET gate capacitance is much more rapidly charged or discharged during switching.
This greatly reduces switching times and so decreases switching losses.
Rgate serves two purposes.

*

*It sets an upper limit on the gate drive current to prevent extremely fast switching with increased EM radiation.

*It provides damping of any gate voltage oscillations which are prone to occur during switching.

A: If you assume a 1st order response to a step input to Gate = Ciss and Rg for FET and transistor with  hFE current gain.
Time response
T = (100 +Rg)*Ciss without transistor
T = (100 +Rg/ hFE)* Ciss /hFE with transistor.
oops ... on PNP now your inverted Q2 now has hFE=1 and if Vbe goes >> |-5V| that will "break" it as the skinny little depletion zone has extremely high power density when it has a zener like breakdown.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
State bad bank fails to disclose relevant material to investigating judge; and separately to pursue former Nama executive, Paul Pugh, for disclosing confidential information
by Frank Connolly 26 September, 2018, 12:37 pm 0 Comments
The revelation that the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) has failed to disclose "relevant material" to the Commission of Investigation into its controversial sale of its 11.5 billion (£1.24 million) Project Eagle loan portfolio in the North in 2014 will not come as any surprise.
Many NAMA watchers have been wondering how the Commission, headed by retired High Court judge, John Cooke, has been progressing given that it is now more than a year since it was established.
It took the previous two years to convince the reluctant former Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan, and then Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, to concede to a formal inquiry into the portfolio sale to US fund Cerberus despite the dramatic and shocking allegations of corporate and political corruption that first emerged in July 2015.
At that time, Independent TD, Mick Wallace, told the Dáil that a sum of £7m had been lodged in an Isle of Man bank account in connection with the sale and that it was intended for political and business interests associated with Project Eagle.
NAMA executives were not exactly forthcoming about the background to the loan disposal and rejected out of hand the conclusions of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), in September 2016 that the agency had incurred a loss of a potential €223m (£190m) from the sale.
The C&AG, Seamus McCarthy, resisted intense pressure from Noonan, the Department of Finance and NAMA executives and board to withdraw his damning report which then formed the basis of an inquiry by the Public Accounts Committee in late 2016. Its report was even more damning of the agency and of Noonan's role in permitting the sale to proceed despite knowledge of questionable fee payments relating to it.
The finance committee at Stormont carried out its own investigation in 2015 to which many of the parties to the deal gave evidence – although the NAMA chairman, Frank Daly and chief executive, Brendan McDonagh declined an invitation to attend as did the senior staff and advisors of the agency most intimately connected to the Project Eagle sale.
Although it was essentially a 'value for money' exercise the C&AG report highlighted serious conflicts of interest in the sale process, not least relating to the role of Frank Cushnahan, the former member of the Northern Ireland Advisory Committee of NAMA.
The C&AG reported that NAMA underestimated the value of the loans, applied too high a discount and had failed to act when it discovered details of some £15m in "success fees" promised to Cushnahan, US law rm Brown Rudnick and Belfast solicitor, Ian Coulter of Tughans by US fund PIMCO before it withdrew from the sale in March 2014.
Since then Cushnahan, Coulter and a former head of asset recovery at the agency, Ronnie Hanna, have been questioned by the National Crime Agency in connection with the deal while former first minister, Peter Robinson and his son Gareth, have also come under scrutiny for their role in the extraordinary Project Eagle affair.
Hanna and Cushnahan were arrested in May 2016 while Coulter, a former head of the Confederation of British Industry in the North who was responsible for transferring some £5 million to the Isle of Man in late 2014 after the sale to Cerberus was completed was also subjected to a grilling by the NCA team. Property developer John Miskelly who admitted to the BBC some years ago that he had legitimately paid large sums of cash to Cushnahan, and had secretly taped his exchanges with the business consultant, was also arrested in 2017 as part of the NCA probe.
Last month, it emerged that charges may now be brought against two of the nine people under investigation and there is intense speculation as to who, if anyone, will finally be brought to account over a property disposal that helped to Enrich Cerberus and associated accountancy, legal and other professionals at the expense of the public purse.
Also intriguing is the recent decision by the DPP to withdraw charges against a former NAMA official who was accused of disclosing confidential information from the agency. In this case, NAMA executives made the complaint which led to the arrest of its former staff member Paul Pugh in 2013. Pugh was charged with intentionally disclosing loan and other details relating to builder, John McCabe and his UK company, McCabe Builders. Pugh was accused of sending the information to Gehane Tew k of London based Connaught & Whitehall Capital UK in June 2012.
When the case came to court in recent months the DPP and investigating gardaí said that they were not proceeding with the prosecution for reasons that were not fully explained to the judge or the public. It appears that the NAMA executives whose complaint prompted the arrest of Pugh in the first place are now less than enthusiastic about pursuing the case, despite the five-year investigation into the matter. Not for the first time, NAMA has failed to disclose its reasons for not pursuing this case to conclusion.
Tagged with: bank, charges, confidential information, investigation, Ireland, Judge, NAMA, Paul Pugh, Village Magazine
Previous article Mr Eddie Sheehy and Village
Next article THE DUP SKELETONS IN THERESA MAY'S CLOSET
Ireland, Italy and the Disclosures Tribunal
by David Langwallner 11 May, 2018 0 Comments
Conflict in Corner
by Michael Smith 29 October, 2017 0 Comments


Plug-ins are dynamically-linked extensions to Acrobat or Adobe Reader. They can hook in to the user interface in a number of ways and can register to be called when a variety of events occur in the application.
A plug-in is written in ANSI C/C++ and uses the Acrobat public APIs. It can add functionality to Acrobat Pro Extended, Acrobat Professional, Acrobat Standard, or Adobe Reader. A plug-in program file goes into a Plug_ins folder or directory and is initialized during Acrobat or Adobe Reader startup.
Regular Acrobat plug-ins—These plug-ins run on Acrobat Professional and Acrobat Standard. Plug-ins for Acrobat Professional can use any of the Acrobat SDK APIs. Plug-ins for Acrobat Standard do not have access to some APIs.
Adobe Reader-enabled plug-ins—These plug-ins use a restricted set of APIs. Adobe Reader-enabled plug-ins are developed with permission from Adobe and require special processing to load under Adobe Reader. Plug-ins for Adobe Reader can use additional APIs if the PDF document has additional usage rights.
Certified plug-ins—These plug-ins have undergone extensive testing to ensure that they do not compromise the integrity of Acrobat's security model. A checkbox in the Acrobat and Adobe Reader user interface can be used to ensure that only certified plug-ins are loaded. Certified plug-ins can be provided only by Adobe.
On Windows, plug-ins are DLLs. However, plug-in names must end in .API, not .DLL. On Mac OS, plug-ins are code fragments, whereas on UNIX, plug-ins are shared libraries.
When developing plugins using AFC Library the user has to derive his own plug in application class from the AFC core class AfcPIApp. And subsequently he/she has to override the member functionsSetPluginName , PluginInitialize , PluginImportReplaceAndRegister , PluginExportHFTs and PluginUnload.
The SetPluginName function needs to be overridden by the user and should be implemented thus, so that the function returns a pointer to a character string which is a unique name associated with the plug-in.
The PluginInitialize function is called by the Acrobat viewer during initialization to allow a plug-in to do any sort of initialization it requires, such as adding user interface. If the function returns false, thePluginUnload member function is called.
The PluginUnload function is called by the Acrobat viewer when the plug-in unloads to allow it to perform any sort of cleanup needed. Use this member function to release any system resources you may have allocated.
The PluginExportHFTs member function is called by the Acrobat viewer during initialization to allow a plug-in to export one or more HFTs to other plug-ins. Inside this member function the user should not do anything other than export HFTs. Plug-ins should not change the user interface at this time, do that in the PluginInitialize member function.
The PluginImportReplaceAndRegister member function is called by the viewer during the initialization to allow a plug-in to import HFT to another plug-in or replace an HFT method. This is the only place that a plug-in may replace a HFT method. Plug-ins should not change the user interface at this time, do that in the PluginInitialize member function.
// Import HFT to another plug-in or replace an HFT method.


Unfortunately, the field of HYIP investments is, in fact, quite closed. Everyone knows everything and the order of things hasnt been changed for years. But it seems so only at first glance. In fact HYIP industry is constantly developing and changing. Investors preferences and strategies are changing as well as the rules of the game. Information field is also changing. More than 30 blogs which simply didnt exist a year ago are operating now!
ArbsBetting admin mentions on his website that he is not interested in offers from monitors. I wanted to find out why and I didnt. But it turned out that none of those present administrators are interested in advertising. This is not surprising cause their relationships with investors are based on almost a friendly basis. Ritish Dorai knows the 80% of his investors. But this is a completely different category of projects and it is even difficult to call them HYIP. Actually, not many of them call themselves so.
For example, each of them accepts payments with bank wire transfer. Michael said that the minimum for such payments is ... $ 250. I think this is a record. I have never seen such an affordable option for making a deposit via the bank.
In general, the conversation turned to be very sincere. Administrators also discussed the policy of different HYIPs, agreed that the DDoS is not used everywhere now (thank God). And they wished all investors all the luck in the world. Im giving you all their wishes. Unfortunately, the administrator of Flamanta (the project that looks a lot like GeniusFunds) was not present. But I hope that next Monday he will appear.
HYIPNews.com welcomes Lea Gaos initiative with great joy and promises to support this idea in all possible ways. We will keep you informed by posting announcements of upcoming sessions, as well as reports on past meetings. And I hope there will be a lot of them in the future.


text:
Sustainable Leadership in Europe Report
Sustainable Leadership – what it is
Alongside values, managerial behaviours and Sustainability management are also affected by beliefs, character traits, styles and attitudes. The following article, from the "Sustainable Leadership in Europe" report, therefore analyses such factors in order to understand and point out how they can shape and define Sustainable Leadership.
"A Sustainable Leader must have a set of personal characters and managerial traits that enable him/her to lead with empathy inside a multitask-holder environment. A Sustainability leader is someone who inspires and supports action towards a better world."
Alberto Pastore 2020
"The Sustainability Leadership Model" by Visser and Courtice[1], which was tested on a group of senior business leaders, will be taken into consideration while examining this topic. This model identifies three major components of Sustainability Leadership: the context wherein the leader operates; the characteristics of the specific leader; the actions of the leader. If understood as a whole, these components constitute a distinctive system which effectively responds to the Sustainability challenges. Naturally, each Sustainable Leader expresses his/her own peculiar combination of these elements.
Cambridge Sustainability Leadership Model / Source: Visser W., Courtice P. (2011), Sustainability Leadership: Linking Theory and Practice, 2011.
The authors describe the model components as follows:
Leadership context:
"Context refers to the conditions or environment in which leaders operate, which have a direct or indirect bearing on their institutions and on their decision making. Referring to the context companies incorporate in their vision and mission what they are in business for, and then that gets enacted by continuous improvement processes that they carry out."
Individual leader characteristics: traits, styles, skills and knowledge:
"Individual Sustainability leaders are unlikely to embody all of the traits, styles, skills and knowledge in our model. Rather, they need to draw on what is appropriate or fitting to their own personality and circumstances, so as to be most effective in addressing Sustainability challenges. Furthermore, they will seek to develop these qualities in others, building teams that bring as many of the required elements to bear, and in effect enabling a form of distributed leadership."
Figure 2.5-4 – Cambridge Individual Leader Characteristics of Sustainability Leadership Model
Typical TRAITS
of Sustainability Leaders
Caring / morally driven Care for the well-being of humanity and all other forms of life, as well as being guided by a moral compass.
Systemic / holistic thinker The ability to appreciate the interconnectedness and interdependency of the whole system, at all levels, and to recognise how changes to parts of the system affect the whole
Enquiring / open-minded Actively seeking new knowledge and diverse opinions, questioning received wisdom, including being willing to have one's own opinions challenged
Self-aware / empathetic High levels of emotional intelligence, (the ability to understand their own emotions and those of others), sincerity, personal humility and reflexiveness (the ability to see their own place in and influence on a situation)
Visionary / courageous Bringing inspiration, creativity, optimism and courage to bear in the role, driven to produce results and possessing the ability to balance passion and idealism with ambition and pragmatism
Typical STYLES
Inclusive Collaborative and participative, building commitment through dialogue and consensus, democratic approaches, coaching, and a culture and structure that provides peer support, encouragement and recognises achievement
Visionary Brings passion and charisma into the mix, focusing on challenging and transforming people's perceptions and expectations, and motivating them to transcend narrower forms of self-interest
Creative Playing the role of designer, architect, innovator, gamechanger and transformer of the system
Altruistic Transcending self-interest and focusing on the collective or the good of the whole, which is often characterised as servant leadership
Radical Highly visible leadership, characterised by taking risks, acting like a revolutionary, campaigner, crusader or activist and challenging of the status quo; often referred to as missionary leadership
Typical SKILLS
Manage complexity Analysing, synthesising, and translating complex issues, responding to risk, uncertainty and dilemmas, recognising and seizing opportunities and resolving problems or conflicts
Communicate vision Sharing a vision and facilitating dialogue that inspires action and creates shared meaning (active listening, emotional intelligence, reflection) and creating conditions that encourage learning from experience
Exercise judgment Making good and decisive decisions in a timely fashion, including prioritising, making difficult choices and handling dilemmas
Challenge and innovate Imagining possible solutions/futures or alternatives, thinking outside the box, and bringing creativity into thinking and practice
Think long term Envisioning and using strategic, long thinking and planning, seeing the whole, while not discounting the future
for Sustainability leaders
Global challenges and dilemmas Social and ecological system pressures and the connections between these systems and political and economic forces
Interdisciplinary connectedness The relevance and interconnectedness of the physical sciences, social sciences, technology, business and other disciplines
Change dynamics and options How complex systems work and the range of options for promoting beneficial change in them, e.g. financial markets, policy options and trends, technology options, consumer behaviour and attitudes, organisational dynamics, change models and metrics
Organisational influences and impacts An organisation's full impact (footprint), finding and developing opportunities for value creation and new markets
Diverse stakeholder views Different world views and belief systems, both within communities and across geographic, cultural and political divides, and how to incorporate these appropriately
Source: Visser W., Courtice P. (2011), Sustainability Leadership: Linking Theory and Practice, 2011.
Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1947221
Courtice also provides an additional study on Traits and Style, identifying seven key traits and styles for the Sustainable Leader[2].
1. Systemic, interdisciplinary understanding
The leaders who will help steer us towards a low carbon, more equitable world will need to deal with the depth and breadth of this challenge and make this a positive force within the organisations they lead.
2. Emotional intelligence and a caring attitude
Leaders play a vital role in clarifying the values of the organisation, framing the relevant questions and helping to create a vision for a new future. It takes courage to challenge deeply held beliefs and ideological assumptions and it takes insight and skill to think systemically, build the adaptive capacity of an organisation, and inspire others to develop new strategies and learn new ways of operating.
3. Values orientation that shapes culture
"There is personal, almost spiritual commitment that needs to be epitomised in someone who is going to be successful in this Sustainability space. So, a morality, a spirituality [which has] a great coupling with [having a] longer-term vision… Our credibility must come from the way that we behave and interact with the world. They epitomise interconnectedness. They understand community [in the sense of] communion with facets of the world around us." Truett Tate (2010), Group Executive Director (Wholesale) for Lloyds Banking Group
4. A strong vision for making difference
The real test, of course, is the actions these leaders take and the performance they deliver. One off actions and isolated Sustainability initiatives are no longer seen as a leadership position. What matters is how they run their businesses, whether they deliver tangible results and reward performance.
5. An inclusive style that engenders trust
"Leaders actually lead through teams. The idea that you have a superstar leader is just nonsense. A great definition of leadership is about getting people to go where they wouldn't have gone on their own. If they can get there on their own, then they don't really need a leader. Equally, you can't always be dragging them in the opposite direction to where they want to go." Ian Cheshire (2010), CEO of Kingfisher
6. A willingness to innovate and be radical
"Future capabilities will be very different, and will put a premium on lateral thinking and cross-functional, collaborative problem solving". Jeffrey Swartz (2010), CEO of The Timberland Company.
7. A long-term perspective on impacts
"Companies think much longer term than governments and good companies think much longer term than bad companies…." Neil Carson (2010), CEO of Johnson Matthey.
[1] Visser W., Courtice P. (2011), Sustainability Leadership: Linking Theory and Practice, 2011. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1947221
[2] Courtice P., (2011), "The Challenge to business as usual", in "A journey of a thousand miles. The state of Sustainability leadership", Cambridege University.
Elements of Sustainable Leadership
Sustainable Leadership elements
Concepts used in economics and business
Context Recognising interdependence; complexity; ambiguity; interconnectedness; resource constraint; regulators; mega-trends
Consciousness Mind-sets; worldviews; beliefs; mental models; attitudes
Continuity Long-term horizon; courage; strength; common purpose; centredness; change processes
Connectedness Serving needs of all stakeholders; both long- and short-term influencing; collaboration; trust; fairness; altruism; relatedness; needs instead of wants
Creativity Innovation for sustainable shared value creation; sustainable business models; new value measurement models; flow
Collectiveness Scale up for collective impact; embedding sustainability in business structure; sustainable consumption
Source: Tideman S., Arts M., and Zandee D., (2013), "Sustainable Leadership: Towards a Workable Definition", The Journal of Corporate Citizenship, N. 49
Sustainable Leadership Guidelines Sustainability milestones from a European perspective


Over the past year we've made some really great hires in our R&D division. Today, I'd like to talk a little bit about what we look for in technology people who are going to work in healthcare, and perhaps suggest some ways that people can be more successful in their own job searches.
As you might imagine we get a wide range of candidates for positions ranging from intern to senior management. Having some experience of healthcare is usually very helpful, but we also get great hires that don't have any industry experience.
The first thing I look for is the ability to do the job. Does the candidate have the requisite technical background, or alternately do they have the ability to learn the skills with our support? I don't assess this by looking at their resume, and in fact, more often than not I have very little interest in a piece of paper that wasn't written by the candidate and presents a very one-sided view of the world.
I'm a fan of seeing people do things. This is pretty easy with developers as all you have to do is give them an online coding test and then take the time to review the work. The Director of product development sets them up with an online testing service and then we have the people they would work with go through the results.
As you might expect I took the exam myself so I had some sense of how challenging it is and it was really great fun.
Other roles such as test engineering, systems/network administration, or analysts are harder to assess. The best results seem to come from presenting a mock problem of moderate complexity and looking at how the candidate works it. The best advice I can give here is to not talk, except for prompting when they get stuck.
People can get nervous and underperform. It's important to know when that's happening so that you can either reschedule the interview would a more appropriate time, or try to get them to loosen up.
I'm always interested in a person's ability to learn. People who read anything at all always do better in my interviews. I don't care if it's the cornflakes packet, just the fact that you took the time to try to learn something new is a vote in your favor.
Many people in healthcare have a calling to their profession. While this doesn't have to be the case, some deep personal connection can really work for you. I've always enjoyed working in healthcare, but my motivation greatly increased when my son was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Suddenly, I could understand why it was all so important, and my commitment level greatly increased.
One of my favorite management gurus, Peter Drucker is often quoted as saying that "culture eats strategy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner", and I believe an emphasis on culture fit in job interviews is incredibly important. We don't need technical people who cannot come to work each day and hook into their team and the overall mission of the company.
So how do you assess culture? First you need to know what your culture is. At eHealth Technologies we have defined a culture in terms of the 7 C's. I've listed these below in no particular order.
Commitments are delivered on time and with quality.
"Do whatever it takes" attitude.
Creativity and thoughtful approaches are needed and encouraged.
Collaboration is essential and must happen across organizational boundaries.
Constructive and supportive approaches are required.
Build up, don't tear down.
Careful Management of patient information.
Access only what you need to do your job.
Who have I thanked today.
A lot of this culture is about being able to work in a team that's pulling hard to get across the finishing line. Roles and personas don't matter as much as getting work done so that our customers can see the patients on time. It's great that you work as a technical person, but if we need help getting images to our customers then I'd prefer that you are willing to pitch in rather than sit back and focus only on your goals.
So, I've given you a lot to reflect on before the interview. I think if you take the time to do so you'll be more successful.
Prev Why should patients have the right to a copy of their imaging data?


The Fabulous Womens Guide Through Cancer – Book Review and Giveaway!!
Nicola Bourne, the author of the book, is herself a Cancer survivor. She was diagnosed in 2012 with colorectal Cancer and told by doctors that she may not make it! Being a mother of two small children at the time (one of which being only 3 moths old!) I cannot even begin to imagine how this must have felt. But thankfully, despite all the odds Nicola was given the all clear in 2014 and was therefore able to produce this amazing book to help other women going through the same thing!
The book is written in a chatty, down to earth style which makes you feel like you are listening to a friend rather than a doctor. I think it is important to not only have technical support but also emotional and practical support which I believe Nicola delivers through her personable account. She is open and honest about her experiences which allows you to relate, to know that you aren't alone in this, that someone else has been there before and managed to get through it! Nicola also tragically lost her own mother to this disease which allows her to comment on both sides, I feel that this opens the book up to family and friends of Cancer patients, letting them know how they can help and what effect they have on their loved one.
Nicola, although a survivor of bowel Cancer, does not hone in on this … her experiences, hints and tips are generalised which makes the book accessible for women going through any type of Cancer. Personal accounts from other women, all going through different Cancers, are also included. This struck me as genius especially in the chapter which talks about changes in your appearance. Nicola had not lost her hair during her treatments and instead of trying to write about this herself she sought the tale of another lady who had actually gone through it. I think this is a true statement to Nicola's passion for the book and its integrity, ensuring that her readers get the best information possible.
What I loved most about this book is that each chapter starts with a positive quote… no matter what the subject you enter with a positive outlook and I think this is an important skill to have when dealing with Cancer. Having expressed my love for organisation it is no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed Nicola's hints and tips on how to plan for everything! Including how to keep a chemo diary, how to prepare for a holiday, what to pack for hospital… I honestly think that if I had to go through this now I would be able to approach certain situations with a little more clarity! She also writes about things that you may never have known existed such as, yoga for Cancer patients!!
As the book is written specifically for women Nicola speaks about not being able to fulfill her traditional role within the family and how this affects her – I think this is an important factor and one that many women going through cancer, or any illness, will relate to. Certain parts of treatment or recovery that make you feel less feminine and not being able to care for your own children must be such a hard concept to get your head around! The book also shows the importance of family and friends, how they can help you, how to deal with awkward situations (such as asking a friend to leave when you become too tired) and how to remain upbeat and sociable. It is so important to try a grasp some sense of normality while going through this and Nicola has some great hints and tips to ensure this happens! One which I found to be so simple yet effective is to take pictures of your loved ones to the hospital with you, or any trinkets that will make it feel more like a home away from home, these items will help to keep you upbeat and give you that drive to keep up your fight!
However, it's not all happy days and positive thoughts. Nicola openly and honestly touches on the down days, the depression, the how am I ever going to get through this? Again letting her readers know that they are not alone, that it is okay to feel like this and to let it all out and then work on building yourself back up! It's important not to make comparisons between yourself and others, take this at your own pace and don't push yourself! This is a message which is strongly conveyed in the final chapter.
1. How did you remain so positive all the time? I followed your journey on facebook and I was so inspired by how happy and full of life you seemed to be even at such a rough time!?
I had this question asked a lot through my time of treatment etc and I have come to the conclusion that it was just 'easier'!! I knew nothing different at the time and figured it was much easier and more pleasant to stay on the bright side !! I do consider myself very very lucky that for me, it was very easy to remain positive. I understand that other would really struggle, but I didn't see any other way. At least when I look back at pictures etc i have lovely, funny memories.
2. Did you have down days and how did you cope with that?
No, not really. I had days where I was/felt sick and was sick but it didn't affect me emotionally. I was so focused on getting on with things – i didn't let things get me down.
3. Did you ever look for or read any self help books/blogs/articles?
Nope, never. I am terrible at reading- cant sit still!
4. Do you think a book that is more personable and deals with every day issues such as how to remain social when you don't feel up to going out and where to find certain information on things such as yoga for cancer patients would be beneficial for people going through this?
Yes, possibly. The best thing is to talk to others but some are even afraid or too poorly to do so, so this would the next best thing.
5. What would be your top 3 tips for anyone going through the same thing?
TALK. Talk things through- enough- a lot. To anyone, even yourself through meditation. It is so therapeutic to talk and discuss things. Not necessarily with health professionals either- people you can trust or complete strangers maybe in the same boat.
KEEP BUSY. Keep your mind active, I did lots of creative writing and meditation. Busy doesn't have to mean up and running around- exercise is great but it is so so important to keep your mind and your soul healthy and recharged.
Women like Jessie and Nicola, who have gone through something traumatic and instantly thought – How can I make this better for others? Are truly inspirational – we need more of this in the world and I cannot thank these ladies enough for their contributions to the Cancer society!
As far as I can tell there is nothing else like "The Fabulous Women's Guide Through Cancer" on the market. I think it is THE essential self help guide for ladies handbags everywhere! And if you want to get your hand on a copy … look no further!
One lucky Life by Laura reader will be able to own a copy of this amazing book completely free of charge! All you need to do is give this post a like and comment below with your email address… The competition will end in one week (Sunday 8th November 2015) where I will put all the email addresses in a hat and pick a winner!! I will then contact that person by email, but will also announce the news on my twitter feed and facebook page.
But not to worry if you don't win cause you can still grab your very own copy on Amazon.
Cancer is always such a terrifying word!
We are constantly being told that pretty much everything we do or consume will in someway give us Cancer so it is difficult to know how to live … but I think the answer is just that, to live! We never know when this horrible disease may come knocking at our door so instead of sitting around worrying about it lets go out and live life to its full potential so that if anything ever did happen… we would have no regrets!
Say what you feel, do what you love, hug, kiss, eat, dance, sing, run… whatever your passion – just do it!