Years ago while part working for a global entertainment company here in Los Angeles, something I had joked about for years…finally happened. I was in yet another Senior Team meeting. It was the third meeting of the day. Five minutes into the meeting I realized I was in a meeting-about a meeting!! That was it…I'd had enough. The time had come to take matters into my own hands. I swore from that day on that I would do everything in my power to make sure that any meeting I was part of would have an agenda. It's the only way to not waste everybody's time.
Here are some helpful tips to run a successful team meeting.
1.) Set a specific time for the meeting. Give it a start time and an ending time. This will help with the pacing of the meeting. If your meeting is an hour long with 5 agenda points (see 4 below) you pretty much know that you have roughly 10-12 minutes for each point to be discussed.
2.) Be on time. It sends a terrible message to your team if you are the one habitually late to meetings. First it displays your bad time management skills and secondly it sends a message that your time is more valuable than others. Yes, we all know problems arise, fires need to be put out and projects get derailed-but make an effort to be on time.
3.) Make sure the right team members are present. Who is actually vital to the main topic of the meeting? Make sure they are there…not the entire team.
4.) Have an agenda. This helps everybody in the meeting to know exactly what's going to be discussed during the meeting. Break down the meeting into small bite sized bits. This helps to accomplish a few things. First, everyone in attendance will be able to determine which parts of the meeting agenda specifically pertains to them. This also allows them to make notes ahead of time to answer questions.
5.) Use a timer. I have found through the years that this can be a really handy way to keep yourself and your team members on time. Use your iPhone timer or your watch. Let people you will be using this method for the benefit of everyone at the meeting. Trust me…it works.
6.) Take notes. This does not mean that you have to take notes…but make sure it gets done. There a few different ways to approach this. You can either assign it someone on a permanent basis or a rotating basis. Once the notes have been taken make sure that they are distributed to all team members in attendance as soon as possible after the meeting.
7.) Assign action points. During the course of the meeting when new tasks are discovered make sure that they get assigned during the meeting. Make sure that the tasks are assigned to the team members with complete info: what the task involves, what is the due date and who gets confirmation of the task being completed.
Finally, there is one last question to the throw out to the room once you've completed the meeting. What needs to be done from this point forward to take us to our next step? Look around the room and you will see a sigh of relief that you asked the question. Everybody had it on their mind and are now relieved that it has been put on the table.
Keeping your team on point and happy is crucial to work getting done and productivity staying high. This happiness doesn't always have to be paid out in dollars. Let's take a quick look at how some of the biggest companies out there motivate and incentivize their employees.
Google: Every wonder why Google employees love their jobs? Maybe, just maybe it's because some of these perks.
Netflix: When you work here you never have to worry about asking for days off-there's no vacation policy. As long as you get your work done there is no limit to the number of days you can take off. What about a dress code? There isn't one.
Facebook: Free food. There is $3,000.00 for child care reimbursement. So, what about time off? 21 days paid time off, 11 paid holidays and unlimited sick days. There is also four months off-paid for-for maternity/paternity leave.
Now that we've seen what life is like at the top of the food chain…let's come back to reality for you and your small business! Once again-showing your appreciation doesn't always have to be about dollars.
Employees want to be appreciated and they want to know "what is going on". Working from this statement let's take a look at a few things you can to keep your workplace a great, positive place for your employees to come to everyday.
When you have an employee that is doing stellar work-don't it go unnoticed. Either taking them out to lunch or a verbal, "thanks for the great job you're doing" can make a huge difference in an employee's day. This is an instance where a little bit can go a long way.
Communicate-Make sure you have consistent communication with your team. It's vital to keep moral up and positive. Don't sequester yourself away from everyone. Try to be as open and real as you possibly can with your communication in the office. Remember…your attitude and vibe can often set the tone for the entire office.
Don't Lie-If your employees find out that you have lied to them…your toast. Any trust that existed will be obliterated. Trust is directly linked to positivity and productivity in the workplace. Also, try not to ever over extend yourself to your people. If you promise to do something, then do it! Lying to your people is a guaranteed path to destroying morale in the office.
Stay Out Of It-The dreaded "M" word is micromanaging. Everyone knows you care about your company, your clients and your employees. Show that passion. Be that person to rally the troops and lead them into battle. DON'T micromanage them. You hired them all for a reason. Let them do their job. Hands off!
A Clear Goal-It's really simple. When your employees have a clear and concise goal in front of them…it will make their road to success that much easier. Being vague never works. Be crystal clear about what you expect out of them so that they can feel good about the hard working they are doing and so that they can feel confident in your leadership.
It's inevitable that it will happen. You have to come to the conclusion that you have a "bad client". For whatever reason or reasons, the relationship is just not working. When it does happen, the first thing you need to ask yourself is this: Is this relationship mutually beneficial to both sides? If your answer is no-you need to figure out exactly why?
When you are preparing to go into a business relationship with any new client it's a good idea for both parties to first determine the benefits of working together. This needs to a vital process in your business dealing with anybody-what will we, as a company, achieve from working with this particular client? The specific answers can only be determined by you and your team. Here are some factors to take into consideration.
1.) Value. Can each party clearly articulate the value of working together?
2.) Styles. Do your styles match? If you are a company that moves at a continuous, quick pace will your client be able to "keep up" or will you always have a feeling that you are "dragging" the client along?
3.) Clarity. Is there complete clarity about what the client is looking to achieve? This works for both sides. Does your team clearly understand the goal of the client and does the client understand what will be needed from their team to achieve their goal?
4.) Qualification. Wanting a goal and having the qualified people in place to achieve that goal are two different things. The client may want to build that very groovy, cool new mobile app but do they have the team in place to utilize it once it is built? Do they have the funding-now? Is your team qualified to build the app in a timely fashion?
5.) Communication. Does the client really understand? Do they really listen well? Do both parties do what they say they will when they say they will? This is a big one.
So you've covered all five checkpoints above and come to the conclusion that it is not going to be a good fit. You are now at the point where you are ready to "fire the client". Do it with dignity and class.
First make sure ALL of your contractual obligations (up to this point) are fulfilled as best as possible. Second, stick to your guns about ending the business relationship. This will be really useful in the event that they make a request for you to do more work. Learn to say NO…with a thank you tagged on the end. Prepare a concise and constructive answer if they do request more work from you. You never know. Sometimes having these conversations can turn positive-for both sides.
In conclusion, always make sure you are being a great service provider to your clients. This can only be done by assessing the real value of entering into any new business relationship-before the relationship starts.
You Have Spent Money to Build a New Website But Now What?
Now what? Meaning…now that I've spent all this money…how do I get it to help me with my business? Spending the money on the tools isn't enough. It's just the beginning. Now comes the really hard part. It's all about building a plan that utilizes the tools in a way that works for YOU and YOUR business.
Here are some social media tools that you are going to need to incorporate into your plan.
Facebook-Can't get around this one. If you are not active on Facebook yet-get started now. Secure your business name as a Business Fan Page. Research some similar businesses in your area and on a national level. Check and see what type of activities they run on a regular basis. A Business Fan Page lets you create a page where customers or fans of your business can register as a "fan". This will help to expand the presence of your business (because your updates will also flow to their pages).
Twitter-Once again, if you don't already have an account-sign up for one immediately. Twitter offers a great marketing platform. Reserve an account in the name of your business. This will give you the option to tweet from your business account. Research various terms and phrases that have to do with your type of business. Also check out your competitors-see what they're doing on a daily basis. Make sure to connect your Twitter account to Facebook so that your tweets will appear in your public updates on Facebook. This will let you leverage your time on Twitter to also update your Facebook fans.
LinkedIn-It's the world's largest professional network. There are 300 million users worldwide. The U.S. alone has 100 million users. There are 3 million LinkedIn business pages. You get the idea. Reserve your business name. Once again…look around to see how your competitors are using it. Also consider looking up your customers to "connect" with them. Don't be shy about asking your customers or vendors to give you a "recommendation on your profile.
Your Business Name/Company Blog-For any small business, a blog can offer tremendous value. WordPress-go ahead and learn it and use it. A blog has one Golden Rule-content is king. Choose a focus-one that displays your expertise in your field. Next, write, write, and write. Once you've spent some time on your own blog and you have started to gain a level of credibility and trust, consider reaching out to the blog owners with similar businesses-ask whether they'd allow you to guest post an article on their blog. It can be a great way to get in front of a bigger audience.
Local Strategies-Google Maps and Yelp. You can add your business to Google Maps, or update your listing to include additional details. Yelp will allow you to include the URL of your business website. Don't hesitate to ask your customers who've used your services for a review on Yelp.
Analytics-Google Analytics is a free tool from Google that provides detailed, useful information about your website traffic and the effectiveness of your marketing efforts. Without this data you will never know what's working and more importantly what's not working.
Multimedia- YouTube. You can make whatever type of video that works for your business and your marketing efforts. You can upload videos to YouTube to reach a broader audience and also embed the video content in your company blog posts. YouTube also has powerful analytics tools available so that you can evaluate the effectiveness of your video content.
In conclusion, whether you are using some or all of the above mentioned tools you must strive to maintain a strong brand consistency and a common voice. That doesn't to say that the voice has to come from just one person at your company. What it does mean is that everyone that speaks on behalf of your company through your social media network must absolutely maintain the "voice" of your company.
As a child I was able to travel the world because my Father was in the military. Yes, I confess, I am an Army brat. As we moved from country to country, military base to military base, state to state, I could feel the influence it was having on developing my personality. When you are stationed somewhere for a little as 12 months at a time you learn to make friends quickly.
As I grew older and started my career in the entertainment business I joked to friends that all that moving served as a good training ground to learn how to deal with ALL kinds of people in the business. These are not normal people by any stretch of the imagination.
One of the biggest advantages to this upbringing was the honing of tenacious networking skills. To this day it repeatedly puts me into business situations and opportunities that otherwise would never be possible.
In the last two weeks I have been able to put two groups of people together to accomplish a common goal. The first group is the people looking for an experienced, reliable mobile app developer. The second group is the developer. E-mails and conversations are now taking place at a rapid pace…it's now down to "go time". What is this "thing" we are building going to cost? Time and time again-this is where things get sticky. I've seen it from both sides. In this case the company looking to build the app has posed the question to the developer-how much? WRONG!!! It is your job-as the client to know exactly what your budget is…to be able to relay this to the developer. Why? Here's why. When you make the grave misstep of putting it out into the world that you either don't have a budget or don't want to share the info-you are painting yourself into a corner.
Again, why? Here's why. You have now used or rather tried to use the not so strategic maneuver of "guess my budget". This never works. You are wasting your time and more importantly the time of the developer. Be bold. Give THE number up. If you don't, here is what most likely is going to happen. The developer is now getting a sense that you're trying to out maneuver them. Guess what-you have not. All you have done is irritated them. You will now be getting a number from the developer that is loaded with a little extra "you are wasting my time" added to the budget. This will immediately stall the negotiations AND make you start second guessing the integrity, reliability and worth of the developers. So, I say to you today…be bold…put forth great plans into motion…give up the number!
Facebook…Twitter…Instagram. Each three are all new, powerful social media tools of the modern world. Each three of these tools are vital components of any social medial plan assembled for your business. They are in essence, broadcast tools by which you will send messages out into the world conveying information pertaining to your business. These messages will help to spread your brand message, drive traffic to your site, increase your audience and ultimately increase your customer base. That's looking at it from a positive perspective.
Suggestions from followers ranged from writing a hit song about the dry cleaner to bringing in deliberately soiled garments to the dry cleaners. Sia then posted yet another message. "Please write ridiculous terrible reviews here." She then put the link of the dry cleaning business together with her post. Subsequently, Yelp was flooded with negative reviews of the dry cleaners from many of her fans that don't even live in New York and could have ever used the service. Due to the fact that Yelp's Terms of Service states that reviews must be based on your personal experience with a business- the bad reviews which were a direct result of Sia's tweets, had to be removed.
While this is a rather extreme case of social media being abused it does speak to a bigger issue. When you are crafting messaging to send out to the world via your social media network, make sure it is done in a concise and positive manner. The messaging you are sending hopefully represents all the hard work that you and your company do on a daily basis. If it doesn't, then you need to rethink the message. Think of it this way. Years ago when e-mail became our main source of communication in the world I had one suggestion for all my business colleagues. Never send messaging in an e-mail that you would not say to the person if they were standing right in front of you. It's not rocket science…make your message simple and straight forward.
Years ago I had the opportunity to be part of a development team here in Los Angeles for a large, global entertainment company. The team was to put together by some of the brightest and best of the music/entertainment industry in the U.S. The reason for this was as follows. While the company had a large presence around the world…this team was being assembled to build the first e-commerce offering for the brand. The powers that be were aware enough to realize that the team had to work out of the Los Angeles office-home of Hollywood. It was an exciting and inspiring time. Nobody in the business world knew yet exactly was "e-commerce" was going to be-things still felt a bit…like the wild, wild West.
As things progressed and we inched closer to our launch date, I began to notice some interesting happenings in the office between the U.S. team and our counterparts in the U.K. Syntax of language became a big part of my day. We quickly became two teams divided by a common language. Here are some examples of what would happen. The word "sale" here in America indicates that some of the stock you hold is going to be put on a special discount…it's going to be part of a "sale" you are having. This concept was met with horror and disbelief from our counterparts across the pond. In their mind a "sale" meant that times were tough and you were trying to liquidate stock…trying to save the business. As more of these terms came to light as being misinterpreted I realized I needed to quickly create a playbook…a glossary of terms that we would be using moving forward. It was initially looked upon as a bit of comic relief-but soon became the bible for both teams to fully understand how we were going to approach and assemble a marketing and sales plan that would help us hit our sales goal. There were a few lessons that I quickly learned from this scenario.
The first was-everybody on your team has to be on the same page. Whether separated by countries, cities or office-every team has to have a complete understanding of what goals of the business are-where you're going. The second lesson I learned was even more important. The speed of the boss becomes the speed of the team. What that means is that if there are weak or insufficient leaders in place-it will hold the team back. Deadlines and goals will not be met-ever. Conversely, when there are leaders in place that inspire and continuously display a complete grasp and understanding of the business and the goals that are to be met-great things can and will happen.
Inspiration serves to motivate individuals to believe that they can do anything. They will make significant strides towards achieving their goals. Why? Because they believe they can. They see from their leaders that they can. They become more engaged-they believe more passionately that they will succeed. Their success quickly becomes the success of the company. A great secret and success only of any great company is not just measured in how well the "top" employees perform but rather in how some of the lower achievers are brought along-inspired developed and motivated. As always, onward and upward.
First…this has nothing to do with President Obama. Now that we've got that out of the way, let's begin. A frequent comment I hear from people discussing their business strategies is this: "Well, we're going to try this out and hope for the best." Umm, huh, what? Here's a quick list of some vital strategies you are going to need to figure out for your business.
Technology Strategy-This is often the one strategy that doesn't get the priority it deserves. What I mean by that is that there is usually a bigger focus on marketing and advertising as a means of achieving business goals. The truth is that developing a solid IT strategy can save your business time, money and resources. One of your first decisions will need to be whether you will hire staff internally or outsource IT staff and network security.
Marketing Strategy-This will help you to identify the best target markets for your business based on what it is that you offer as a service or goods that makes your business unique. Your marketing strategy should also outline all the aspects of your business-opportunities that exist, your strengths and weaknesses as well as a clear and concise budget. This will allow you to set up expectations and keep track of your spending so that it doesn't get out of control.
Advertising Strategy-Marketing and advertising are similar-but not the same. Once you've built out a marketing strategy, you will need an advertising strategy to determine which methods you are going to use to build public awareness of your business and the services or products that you offer. A "message" as well as a call to action needs to be created and then the determination of which advertising media and channels will most effectively communicate the message. In simple terms, what is the message we want to convey about our business and what is the best way to get that message out into the world?
All three of these strategies require scoping and thorough planning. Here's a really quick to understand why it's so important to do the work up front-to avoid spending more money than necessary further down the line.
Take a look at the graph below. In the lower left hand corner is the convergence point of money and work. The bottom line of "work" also serves as a timeline. Say you decide you need to make changes to parts of your strategies-6 week after you have launched. To see how much additional money you will need to spend, move straight up from the bottom line-this is the additional amount of money it will be necessary to spend.
This is proof positive that doing the necessary work up front can save you money in the long run.
Pay now or pay more later. Hoping won't help to avoid this dilemma-good business strategies will.
My father was a man that I truly adored. He had a long and illustrious career in the military which lasted over 30 years. Once he had made a decision to leave the Army the rest of the family was pretty sure he would never be able to survive off a military base as a civilian. The first few years he went through an array of different employment choices. It wasn't until he took a position at a major newspaper in Florida that he began to realize that he had found his second calling. His first assignment at the newspaper was literally in the print department…not glamorous work at all. He did it because he enjoyed the challenge and more importantly he had a family to support. After a short time at the newspaper someone in upper management scoured through my father's records-a glorious history of success and achievements. It was then quickly decided that it was time to put my father's talents-his assets to work. Within a few short years my father became an editor at the newspaper. This was a position he held until the time of his passing more than 20 years later.
My point is this. You and your employees are the most valuable asset to the success of your company. When you begin to optimize the talents of each individual that works as part of your team you will then be able to put your business on your path to success.
Optimizing these assets can often times be the great differentiator between your company and the competition.
You might be asking yourself-what exactly are some of these assets? Some of them will be tangible-degrees, awards, certifications, etc., while many others might not be quite so obvious.
• Intuition – This can be an invaluable asset. Perhaps there is a team member that goes on "feel and instinct" rather than always relying on critical analysis of data. Coupled with team members that do work strictly from data analysis can sometimes be an interesting match.
• Life Experiences – Team members that possess diverse and rich experiences in their life can often times bring new, unique and fresh perspectives and ideas to their work.
• Connections/Relationships – Nothing better than to find out you have a tenacious networker on the team. Those relationships and connections can be a potential gold mine of new clients.
• Creativity – Creativity can show itself in many ways other than just concepts, campaigns and designs. It can also be applied to the way that you and your team communicate and problem solve. Instead of thinking outside the box…perhaps you might be able to completely do away with the box.
Hopefully some of these ideas and suggestions will allow you to see yourself and your team in a different light. It can be a rejuvenating process to approach things from a different angle by utilizing all the assets of everybody involved with your business!
The word culture in the title above most likely has some of you wondering-why is culture in your business so important? Here's one of the most important reasons. As a small business owner, you are able to create a company culture of your own making!
Whether it's part of your mission statement or "understood", your sense of culture for your business can only grow and thrive through the efforts of the people working for you. Even the best strategic business plans on the planet mean absolutely nothing without the proper people to do the work. Attracting driven, inspired, capable employees is the one of the most crucial steps in creating a new business. However, beware. Being part of a startup isn't for everybody. It takes a particular type of individual-someone who possesses a taste (translation: high tolerance) for risk and is willing to get in the trenches to get the job done. Very often projects can require long work days that quickly turn into long nights. It's vital that you consciously work to create a healthy, encouraging culture which will help to remind people "why" they have chosen to be part of your business.
Below you will find a short list of factors that can contribute to your business culture in a positive manner.
Accessibility/Communication. There are advantages to working with a small staff. It gives you, as the leader, an opportunity to sit with small groups or in one on one employee sessions to let people voice their questions and concerns about the business. It's also a great forum to let everybody know where the business is headed. Warning…you must be brave to sit and listen with open ears and an open mind to what your people are saying and then devise an action plan to deal with their questions and concerns.
Appreciation. This can be as simple as buying the entire staff pizza on a Friday for lunch or planning once a quarter outings-away from the office. Whether it's a company day outing with employees and family or a pint at the local pub there's no better way to get to know your people then by spending time with them out of the office. Lampshades are optional.
Flexibility. Allowing employees to have the option to work from home a certain amount of days within each work quarter of a year accomplishes two things quickly. It sends a message to your employees that you value them and it also develops a sense of loyalty.
Giving Back. This can be as simple as rallying the troops to vote for a cause that the company will support. Perhaps let the staff suggest different ways to help through on-site messaging for volunteering or providing info for fundraising. In addition to the company chosen "causes" you might want to consider the creation of a program where interested employees are allowed to take off a certain amount of days per calendar month to volunteer for causes that are more personal.
In other words, what happens in the office doesn't always stay in the office.


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Durañona oder Duranona ist der Familienname folgender Personen:

 Julián Duranona (* 1965),  kubanisch-isländischer Handballspieler
 Walter Durañona, uruguayischer Schwimmer
 Yordanys Durañona (* 1988), dominicanischer Dreispringer

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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casino| Topics
Strategic Planning and Alliances
Casino Design
Measuring Financial Performance
Leadership & Human Resource Issues
Format and Schedule
The only program of its kind in the world, the Executive Development Program attracts a diverse and dynamic group of participants. Celebrating its 30th year of offering an exceptional educational experience, the program has graduated more than 1,500 executives from gaming companies and regulatory agencies from throughout the world.
As a participant of the Executive Development Program, you will be among the pacesetters in the gaming industry — leaders from around the world who grapple with important strategic issues common to casino gaming. You will establish lasting professional relationships that will be valuable to you and critical to your organization well into the 21st century.
In a series of stimulating and demanding class sessions, participants will examine key issues — sustaining competitive advantage, responding to political uncertainties, managing organizational change, developing strategic alliances and adapting to the rules of a new playing field in the continually evolving gaming industry.
Participation in study teams and case-study analysis is an integral part of the program and is required of all participants. The program considers this daily interaction among faculty and participants as crucial to its success and vital to the overall experience. Fluency in English is required of all participants.
November 2021 program schedule TBA
Casino Industry Experts and Researchers
Our faculty has included program founder Bill Eadington, Brett Abarbanel, Amy Ayoub, Maria Christina Annaloro, Rich Baldwin, Randy Bardwell, Larry Barton, Jan Jones Blackhurst, Eugene Christiansen, Kim Copp, Roberto Coppola, Shondra DeLoach-Perea, Mike Dreitzer, Rodrigo Fernandez, David Forst, Geoff Freeman, Greg Giordano, Holly Gagnon, Dick Haddrill, Becky Harris, Todd Haushalter, Shekinah Hoffman, Per Jaldung, Connie Jones, Kevin Kuklok, Mark Lerner, Anthony Lucas, Kenneth Manuel, Punam Mather, Jim McClenahan, Virginia McDowell, Robert Melendres, Gillian Murphy, Dennis Neilander, Terry Oliver, Drew Pawlak, Phil Shoemaker, Marcus Prater, Toni Repetti, Robert Rippee, Jennifer Roberts, Bruce Rowe, Daniel Sahl, Seth Schorr, Roger Snow, Paul Steelman, James Stewart, Simon Thomas, Andre Wilsenach, Dusty Wunderlich and Kent Young.
Program Moderators
Bo Bernhard, Ph.D.
Executive Director, International Gaming Institute, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Dr. Bo Bernhard is a proud fifth-generation Nevadan and student of Dr. Bill Eadington's. Over the course of his career, he has worked with the international gaming industry on all six inhabited continents and in more than 100 jurisdictions overall. He is the recipient of the Harry Reid Silver State Award, which is UNLV's most prestigious research award, given for career accomplishments researching the global gaming industry. In his current role as the Executive Director at UNLV's International Gaming Institute, he has delivered over 200 keynote addresses to industry, regulatory, and policy leaders.
Mark Lipparelli, M.S.
Mark Lipparelli is an American politician who is a former member of the Nevada Senate, representing District 6. He was appointed to the seat by the Clark County Commission after Mark Hutchinson was elected as Lieutenant Governor of Nevada in 2014. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Nevada, Reno Foundation and serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Golden Entertainment, Inc.
Mark is founder president of Gioco Ventures, LLC., a development stage technology company. Lipparelli served for more than 15 years in senior management roles with the gaming industry's leading technology providers including Bally Technologies, Shuffle Master and Casino Data Systems, and currently serves as an advisor to clients in the gaming, entertainment, investment and sport industries.
Alan Feldman
Alan Feldman is an internationally respected figure in responsible gaming. After a long and distinguished career in the gaming industry, he was appointed as a Distinguished Fellow of the International Gaming Institute at UNLV, where he leads the Institute's responsible gaming programs. Feldman also serves as chair of both the National Center for Responsible Gaming, as well as the Nevada Advisory Committee on Problem Gambling. Additionally, he serves as a member of the Gambling Research Advisory Committee for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. Feldman has developed relationships with academics, clinicians, public health officials and problem gambling patients throughout his almost 30-year career. He is a frequent speaker on responsible gaming at conferences, universities and media events around the world.
Confronting Challenges and Embracing Opportunities — Strategic Leadership in the Gaming Industry
Cosponsored by the University of Nevada, Reno College of Business and Extended Studies and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas International Gaming Institute.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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New Report Shows Racial Disparities in NYC Children's Access to Early Intervention Programs
12.05.2019 | Today, Advocates for Children of New York published a new report in partnership with Citizens' Committee for Children of New York (CCC) entitled Early Inequities: How Underfunding Early Intervention Leaves Low-Income Children of Color Behind [PDF], which shows that State disinvestment in New York's Early Intervention program has caused major racial and socio-economic disparities in access to services.
The analysis is based on data from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene obtained through a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request. The data track children's progress through the Early Intervention program—from referral, to evaluation, to eligibility determination, to service receipt—disaggregated by race and neighborhood from 2016-2018. As this report demonstrates, the data show that children under the age of three with developmental delays or disabilities are less likely to receive critical services that could help them reach their full potential if they live in low-income neighborhoods of color.
In 2018, one out of every four children found eligible for Early Intervention services in New York State had to wait longer than the 30-day legal deadline for services, losing valuable opportunities to address developmental delays at a time when their brains are rapidly developing. Access to Early Intervention evaluations and services also varies widely across communities in New York City. In the Bronx, for instance, only 61% of children found eligible for services received them by the 30-day legal deadline—less than in any other borough. Overall, children in low-income communities of color are the least likely to receive the Early Intervention evaluations for which they are referred and the Early Intervention services for which they are found eligible. For example, the neighborhoods where children referred for Early Intervention evaluations due to concerns with their development were least likely to receive evaluations were Hunts Point-Mott Haven, Crotona-Tremont, Central Harlem-Morningside Heights, High Bridge-Morisania, and East Harlem.
The report makes a number of recommendations to New York City and New York State in order to increase access to Early Intervention services.
In order to increase children's access to services, the report recommends that New York State should:
Increase rates for Early Intervention evaluators, service providers and service coordinators by 10% to help address provider shortages.
Fund a cost-study to assess and recommend changes to the methodology used to determine payment for evaluations, service provision, and service coordination.
Adopt policies to ensure that commercial health insurance companies pay their fair share to help cover the cost of services.
Conduct a statewide analysis of disparities in access to evaluations and services and develop a plan to address such disparities.
The report recommends that New York City should:
Enact Intro. 1406-2019, requiring the city to issue annual public reports on the provision of evaluations and services so the public can hold the city and state accountable.
Analyze the disparities and develop a plan to address them, including plans to recruit evaluators and providers for underserved neighborhoods, train service coordinators and providers in culturally responsive practices, and follow up with families whose children have not received evaluations or services.
View the press release [PDF]
Read the report [PDF]


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Home Blog TWENTY20's Valente Wins Gold At U.S. Track National Championships
TWENTY20's Valente Wins Gold At U.S. Track National Championships
Racing Velodrome Women
Jennifer Valente of TWENTY20 earned four gold medals at the 2018 USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships, adding to her already impressive national and world jersey collection. Valente was victorious in Points Race, Scratch Race and Madison (with Christina Birch) in addition to defending her 2017 title in the International Omnium event. Valente has her eyes focused on the 2020 Olympiad in Tokyo and uses the road racing to hold consistent her fitness level for the track.
"It's never easy to win races and I came into this Elite Nationals very prepared. It was great to see such a big field for a National Championships. My focus now shifts to the Colorado Classic, which will be my final road race of the year and prep starts for the UCI Track World Cup season. This is such a big stepping stone in the lead up to Tokyo," said Valente on the championship wins and her long-term plan for Tokyo.
Valente currently sits atop the UCI Omnium event rankings and is the 4th position in the points race rankings.
"Jennifer continues to impress and improve as the season progresses. Her confidence continues to grow and with a recent successful trip to Japan with the National team she came to Elite Track Nationals head and shoulders above the competition. She truly is a world-class athlete. Jennifer continues to dig deep on the road endurance side and with only two years until Tokyo this is only going to help her on the world stage this winter in the UCI World Cups, where she will be facing off against the current World Champion and newly crowned European omnium champ Kirsten Wild (NED) and Katie Archibald (GB) to name a few," said Nicola Cranmer, General Manager, TWENTY20 Pro Cycling
Young Sawyer Taylor, an 18-year-old development team addition, raced a strong championship performance with a 6th in the omnium and a silver medal in the team pursuit.
Juniors Zoe Ta Perez and Megan Jastrab raced to a silver medal in the omnium. Valente and Birch took the gold in an exhilarating event Tuesday evening.
Elite Omnium
Jennifer Valente (USA) TWENTY20 Pro Cycling
Kim Geist (USA) The Velo Shop
Christina Birch (USA) Unattached
Sawyer Taylor (USA) TWENTY20 Development
Points Race
Jennifer Valente (USA) TWENTY20 Pro
Megan Jastrab (USA) iCademy
Sawyer Taylor (USA) TWENTY20 Development Team
Scratch Race
Kendall Ryan (USA) Tibco SVB
Colleen Gulick (USA) Pickle Juice Pro
Jennifer Valente (USA) TWENTY20 Pro & Christina Birch (USA) Unattached
Zoe Ta Perez (USA) TWENTY20 Development & Megan Jastrab iCademy)
Kendall Ryan (USA) Tibco SVB & Colleen Gulick Pickle Juice Pro Cycling
ABOUT TWENTY20
When the team was formed in 2005, TWENTY12 had a definite goal of taking athletes to the 2012 London Olympics. London resulted in two Olympic medals; gold and silver, the only U.S based road program to achieve this. The team replicated its success with a gold and silver in the Rio 2016 Olympics. Youth cycling is an important component to the program, supporting 14 of the top juniors in the nation ranging in ages 11-18. These young women learn essential skills such as teamwork, sacrifice and commitment, which they can carry over to the workplace if a professional athletic career is not pursued. In 2011, TWENTY16 was the first American team to recruit a Para-Cycling athlete to the roster of a professional squad and is the only professional team to have an integrated junior program. After the success of TWENTY16 in Rio, the team is now focused on Tokyo 2020 with TWENTY20. Learn more at the team's website.
Inspiration Road
How To Prepare Your Road Bike For Winter Riding
Winter has arrived in the northern hemisphere, and that means shorter days, colder weather, and additional precipitation. Of course, racing cyclocross is also a great way to stay fit in the wintertime. But for those sticking to the road, here are a few tips to maximize your bike's ability to handle some big-mile days during winter.
Inspiration Triathlon
Global Triathlon Network Choose Felt Bicycles As New Official Bike Partner
Play Sports Group, publisher of Global Triathlon Network (GTN), has announced its selection of Felt Bicycles as the media organization's new official bike partner for its GTN channel. As part of its new partnership with the Southern California-based bicycle manufacturer, GTN will feature Felt bikes in future content.
Inspiration Racing Triathlon
Triathlon's Toughest Day. Here's What Makes Kona So Hard.
After a few miles on the bike course along the legendary Queen K highway, everything seemed to be going according to plan for four-time and reigning Kona World Champion Daniela Ryf. But by race's end, Ryf would finish well off her usual pace. But it's not always results that define what the Kona triathlon experience truly is.


Paul Krugman: Here's What No One Is Talking About With Trump's Horrific EPA Pick | "Global Possibilities"
Photo Credit: YouTube/Moyers & Co.
It was also, however, a very polluted country. Choking smog was quite common in major cities; in the Los Angeles area, extreme pollution alerts, sometimes accompanied by warnings that even healthy adults should stay indoors and move as little as possible, were fairly common.
It's far better now — not perfect, but much better. These days, to experience the kind of pollution crisis that used to be all too frequent in Los Angeles or Houston, you have to go to places like Beijing or New Delhi. And the improvement in air quality has had clear, measurable benefits. For example, we're seeing significant improvements in lung function among children in the Los Angeles area, clearly tied to reduced pollution.
The key point is that better air didn't happen by accident: It was a direct result of regulation — regulation that was bitterly opposed at every step by special interests that attacked the scientific evidence of harm from pollution, meanwhile insisting that limiting their emissions would kill jobs.
That turned out not to be the case. Krugman points out what should seem obvious to anyone with a brain that better public health and a cleaner environment also bring about benefits to the economy. Still big business and even the EPA itself keep falsely claiming that regulating emissions and focusing on cleaner air is costly.
The only slim consolation Krugman can find is that dirty air is a lot more visible and obvious than climate change and Americans will know exactly who to blame for it.


1. Candidates should have passed Graduate and Diploma.
1. Candidates age limit should be Minimum 18 years and Maximum 30 years.
1. Candidates will be selected based on Counselling and Medical Test & basis of Percentage.


Here at Android Headlines we're pretty big gamers and we love to play alsorts of games. Whilst some of us play more on the PC or the Xbox we all take the games we love with us in our pockets. The game market on Android has gotten far bigger than it ever has been before with big name games being released every single week. This is a lot of many of you - us included - to keep with so, once again we've tried our best to zone in on the best game releases for the month of September. This time around we're trying something different - trailers will be included for each game! We're open to discussion here and if there's a game you've been playing that isn't on the list then shout out!
Let's be honest with ourselves here - we all love to draw, even if you're not very good at it you love to draw and at the same time we all love physics based games. Combine the two together and you'll get Drawdle which is an innovative drawing application that challenges you to draw shapes and fling them to where they fit. It's a challenging game that's a lot of fun!
From the folks that brought us Tiny Tower and Pocket Frogs comes Pocket Planes - a fantastic little simulator that sees you managing your fleet of planes on a number of different cities throughout the country. It's got some real nice retro flair to it and it's pacing is perfect for gaming on the go.
This one is from big name studio Gameloft and whilst it might not be what we've come to expect from racing games on Android these days it's certainly a solid offering. Especially if you're a fan of Hyundai cars, this is a good choice if you're looking for a quick and simple racing game that doesn't weigh you down too much with needlessly added flair to catch your attention.
There's something about being able to take a game reminiscent of Space Invaders in your pocket that's appealing to us gamers and the more and more times the formula is messed with, the better it gets. Not everyone gets it right when riffing on Space Invaders however in Voxel Invaders there's a lot to love, the combination of 2D and 3D gameplay is genius and it's incredibly satifying to play. One of the few games to use a portrait layout it's perfect for gaming on the go and for one-handed use.
Touchscreens have long been thought of as the perfect input method for Real Time Strategy games however, there's not really been that many great games to take a stab at touchscreen strategy. Developers couldn't exactly do much with the Nintendo DS now could they? Desert Stormfront however delivers handsomely and conjures up a very good RTS experience indeed with all the firepower you'd expect from a roung of Civilisation on the PC.
Despite a delayed launch from Ubisoft it's finally here and it's pretty damn good as well. We all love Rayman, right? Yeah, I thought you'd say that. This latest entry in the franchise brings fast paced gameplay and stunning graphics to your smartphone or tablet. It's a clean cut Rayman game so if you're familiar with the series you'll feel right at home here and if you're new to the series this is a great starting point. There's good music and smooth controls to go with everything else here, well worth the cost!
Sega may have been out of the hardware game for some time now but that hasn't stopped them from producing great games and in recent years they've brought some of their biggest franchises to Android. They're here again with Shogun and they've delivered a good experience that isn't unlike the brilliant PC game. The graphics are good and this is a pure strategy game with everything we've come to expect from the franchise.
This is an absolutely huge game, it's almost 4GB in size and if that hasn't scared you off then good! This is a fantasticly crafted RPG game for Android devices and not the type of half-completed games you see quite often but a full-blooded RPG that brings a lot to the table. Stunning graphics, storytelling and brilliant combat are but a few of them. If you're a fan of Neverwinter Nights or Dragon Age then this is going to bring back memories for you!
There doesn't seem to be any stopping Rovio when it comes to producing some of the best - if not the best - casual games for Android. This time around they've shifted focus and put you in control of the Pigs' fate, you'll have to use your head and master physics in order to help your new friends escape. Combining different bits together will garner you a different result each time and either help you or hinder you as you complete levels.
Finally, the game that the Amazon App Store has enjoyed exclusively has now hit the Play Store! It was certainly worth the wait that's for sure. This is so much fun that it's hard to see anybody not liking it. This is from the same developer that gave us the brilliant gift that is Fruit Ninja and with such an addicting title already under their belt you'd think that this was just as addictive but you'd be wrong. It's even more addictive than Fruit Ninja, there's so much going on at any given time you'll be taping your eyes open! A brilliant game that's fun on phones, tablets, on the move or at home. Did I mention that it's free?


West Jordan car insurance is something that you should research right before you make a transaction just because this particular marketplace, either virtually or in person, is always changing. Laws and regulations or various portions of UT coverage will change on occasion and you want to make sure that your West Jordan car coverage plan not only meets these standards, but also continues to be added to in terms of the benefits that you're getting for your monthly West Jordan auto insurance payment amount. This is why more providers are looking into flexible options that allow their clients to customize their Utah auto coverage on many different levels. If you researched this topic regarding West Jordan car insurance six months ago, then what you gathered at that time may not apply today.
You'll find as you're looking at West Jordan car insurance that you may run across unfamiliar terms, phrases or even clauses involved in their explanatory articles. Without previous experience working in the car insurance field in UT or anywhere else, you might be at a loss trying to figure out what each of these mean. They may be beneficial for you as a client or they may mean you're going to end up paying more, but without further explanation, you'll be at the mercy of whatever West Jordan automobile insurance company is behind them. In order to understand these better, take advantage of the glossaries and dictionaries that are online and available to explain these definitions to you. Clear, understandable terms is what you're looking for when it comes to figuring out what these particular benefits mean to you as a West Jordan car coverage customer.
Also, the process of getting price estimates for monthly car insurance premiums is much simpler now that technology has taken us over. You're no longer required to grab a glass of tea, a notebook and prepare to be on the phone for a couple hours. This process has been replaced by the simple submission of your personal data on a short West Jordan vehicle insurance form using the web. When this is done, you'll be able to evaluate the estimates you receive from West Jordan car insurance on your own time and schedule. You will not be required to work with any particular UT provider simply because they send you a car coverage price quote. Instead, you can look through each of these data sources and compare the included West Jordan services and benefits equally. This will help you make the choice between the companies that have communicated to you via this method.
One thing that will be very helpful as you're looking for Utah car insurance to make sure that your driving record is clear. For those who have had several citations and moving violations in the past, depending on how recent they were, these points may still be on your driving record. What does this mean for you? This means that any time you are considering which West Jordan car insurance providers to look at for car insurance information, they will see this traffic. Obviously, the more present these instances are, the higher the West Jordan liability risk you are. Of course, this means that your monthly West Jordan insurance payments will be higher as well. You'll have a much better chance of getting a cost effective plan if you take the time to follow the rules as they are laid out by the state regulators. This is because there are certain characteristics that can only be met by providers who are willing to look at these numbers and then reward their clients.
However, if you have worked very hard to maintain a clean driving record with a minimum number of accidents or citations, then this will help you in your financial planning. You'll be eligible for safe driver discounts that would not be available to someone who did not care as much. By taking this time to follow all the rules of the road, you'll see financial benefits that extend years in the future if you look up replacement policies. This is important because you don't want to end up paying more for coverage of your West Jordan car insurance than you do for your car payment. Shopping around between the local Utah providers will give you a clear picture into exactly what you can expect to pay and how often that bill will be sent to you. You may decide to accept and pay an electronic bill in some cases where this may result in a discount and convenience combined. Measures like this make certain providers of car insurance in West Jordan more attractive to both current and future clients.


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TV shows we're losing this year
Oliver, who filled in for Jon Stewart on The Daily Show over the summer, with executive-produce the series along with Tim Carvell, James Taylor and Jon Thoday. Liz Stanton will produce.
Oliver joined The Daily Show in 2006 and has received three Emmys for his work as a writer on the satirical series.
View original HBO Sets Premiere for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver at TVGuide.com
Liz Stanton
Jon Thoday


On An Overgrown Path: Are concert halls the new recording studios?
Are concert halls the new recording studios?
This could indicate that the center of economic activity in classical music is no longer records but live events. On top, concert halls are the new recording studios and EMI LBO [leveraged buy out] was doomed from the start.
That comments was added by Antoine Leboyer to What price Mahler? Now Antoine is one of the few bloggers still writing what he thinks rather than what big music wants him to think and I can't disagree with his point. But the eclipse of the studio by the concert hall as a recording venue has many implications. Live recordings have been around for ages. But how many of your all time favourite discs come from concert recordings? A quick scan across my well-stocked shelves identifies only two, Richter and Gavrilov's Handel Suites and Bruno Maderna's Mahler Nine.
Just recently a musician friend was lamenting the compromised technical, musical and emotional quality of the new generation of orchestra label live recordings. This guy has good ears and he questioned the ability of these live recordings to withstand repeat listening, saying "Fine as a substitute for being at the concert, but not as a substitute for a great studio recording". It is an important point, how many live Mahler recordings will still be in the catalogue almost fifty years after release?
Except for recordings of live performances concert halls, like for example London's Barbican which is used for many LSO Live recordings, are rarely used for sessions for the simple reason they do not have the unique acoustic properties needed for top quality recorded as opposed to concert sound. (One notable exception is Snape Maltings which Britten created as a dual purpose hall, but it is small as a concert venue). So the compromised sonic properties of concert halls coupled with the problem of audience noise (listen to those Handel Suites) opens the door to close miking, digital reverberation and other trickery - heard that one before? It may just be semantics, but I think my headline shouldreally be 'The recording studio is dead, we are going to have to live with concert halls'.
* Header image tells a fascinating story. It is from a wonderful CD by the vocal group Cantica Symphonia titled Stella del nostro mar - Past and present reflections of the Marian inspiration and it was made for the enterprising independent Spanish label Glossa. The disc is remarkable for its glorious juxtaposition of the ancient and modern, with the latter represented by contemporary composers Carlo Galante and Yakov Gubanov. It is even more remarkable because no engineer or producer was present for the sessions in the church in Colletto, Italy. Engineering and production credits go to the group's tenor Giuseppe Maletto who also operated the recording equipment seen in the foreground of the photo. Let me hasten to add that there is no compromise at all in the quality of the music making or sound. Stella del nostro mar is quite one of the most ravishing discs I have heard for a long time, helped I am sure by the distant position of the microphones seen in the photo and the long takes mentioned in the excellent accompanying booklet . So is it goodbye Concert halls are the new recording studios and hallo Musicians are the new production team?
Let's see...Well, the majority of Furtwängler recordings. Since he hated the recording studio, Furtwängler's live recordings have an energy and mystique unparalleled.
The same can be said for Toscanini's NBC concerts and especially for Bruno Walter's live performance of Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde (issued by EMI, no less).
Yes, these are historical recordings. But, in my ears--ears that have produced studio recordings as well as live concert recordings--performance trumps technology.
Now, how about some more modern examples?
Well, Bernstein's Beethoven Cycle for DGG: live.
Frans Brüggen and the Orchestra of the 18th Century performing Suites from Rameau's Les Boréades and Dardanus: live (a desert-island disc).
Same coupling performing Nozze di Figaro Overture and Symphony No. 38: live (another desert-island disc).
The other major importance, for me, of live over studio recordings is the fact that live recordings will have far fewer edits and are therefore more performance than pastiche.
I can't, and don't, give a damn about a flubbed note here or there. The real curse of the recording industry has been the idea of total sonic perfection. It. Does. Not. Exist.
Get over it, people, and listen to the MUSIC!
There was an interesting experiment tried a few years ago, though, by a label called Eye Of The Storm, which attempted to provide two "takes" of each work presented on disc (and, therefore, making each set a 2 CD package), as edit-free as possible, in order to give the impression of how different any two performances of one work by the same artists can be.
David, fair comment. At least this post has sparked a debate about an important and these days largely forgotten topic, the quality of recorded sound.
You are quite right about valuable historical live recordings and I should have mentioned those. But the subject of the post was the new generation of live orchestra label recordings. It is not just a question of "a flubbed note here or there", which are covered by multiple takes anyway. For many including me, when we listen to the MUSIC these live recordings lack the frisson of great studio recordings.
I'd be interested to hear David how many LSO, SFS or equivalent live recordings you have in your collection and whether they rank alongside the recordings you mentioned.
I think, Bob, that the problem with some of these newer LSO recordings, or that of many major orchestras, is that the lack of frisson lies as much, if not more, with the performances than with the way they were recorded. Sure, there are bad live recordings. But there are just as many bad studio recordings. And, an uninspired performance is an uninspired performance, whether it is a studio session or live.


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Clinical Sudden Death| Volume 18, ISSUE 4, P570-576, April 01, 2021
Systematic quantification of histologic ventricular fibrosis in isolated mitral valve prolapse and sudden cardiac death
Hui-Chen Han, MBBS, PhD
Hui-Chen Han
Department of Cardiology, Austin Health and University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Sarah A. Parsons, MBBS
Sarah A. Parsons
Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine and Monash University Department of Forensic Medicine, Victoria, Australia
Claire L. Curl, PhD
Claire L. Curl
Department of Physiology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Andrew W. Teh, MBBS, PhD
Andrew W. Teh
Department of Cardiology, Eastern Health and Monash University, Victoria, Australia
Antonia J.A. Raaijmakers, PhD
Antonia J.A. Raaijmakers
Anoop N. Koshy, MBBS
Anoop N. Koshy
Trishe Leong, MBBS
Trishe Leong
Department of Anatomical Pathology, Austin Health and University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Louise M. Burrell, MBChB, MD
Louise M. Burrell
Department of Medicine, Austin Health and University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
David O'Donnell, MBBS
David O'Donnell
Jitendra K. Vohra, MD, FHRS
Jitendra K. Vohra
Department of Cardiology, Royal Melbourne Hospital and University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Jonathan M. Kalman, MBBS, PhD, FHRS
Jonathan M. Kalman
Prashanthan Sanders, MBBS, PhD, FHRS
Prashanthan Sanders
Centre for Heart Rhythm Disorders, University of Adelaide and Royal Adelaide Hospital, South Australia, Australia
David L. Hare, MBBS, DPM
David L. Hare
Omar Farouque, MBBS, PhD
Omar Farouque
Lea M.D. Delbridge, PhD, FHRS
Lea M.D. Delbridge
Han S. Lim, MBBS, PhD, FHRS
Han S. Lim
Address reprint requests and correspondence: Dr Han S. Lim, Department of Cardiology, Level 5N, Austin Hospital, 145 Studley Rd, Heidelberg 3084, Victoria, Australia.
Department of Cardiology, Northern Health and University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Published:December 24, 2020DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2020.12.021
Previous ArticleFixation beats: A novel marker for reaching the left bundle branch area during deep septal lead implantation
Next ArticleThe missing pieces in the puzzle of arrhythmic mitral valve prolapse: Papillary muscles, mitral annulus dysjunction, and myocardial scarring
Cardiac fibrosis in mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is implicated in the development of sudden cardiac death (SCD); however, the pattern remains poorly characterized.
The purpose of this study was to systematically quantify left and right ventricular fibrosis in individuals with isolated MVP and SCD (iMVP-SCD), whereby other potential causes of death are excluded, compared to a control cohort.
Individuals with iMVP-SCD were identified from the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Australia, and matched for age, sex, and body mass index to control cases with noncardiac death. Cardiac tissue sections were analyzed to determine collagen deposition in the left ventricular free wall (anterior, lateral, and posterior portions), interventricular septum, and right ventricle. Within the iMVP-SCD cases, the endocardial-to-epicardial distribution of fibrosis within the left ventricle was specifically characterized.
Seventeen cases with iMVP-SCD were matched 1:1 with 17 controls, yielding 149 samples and 1788 histologic regions. The iMVP-SCD group had increased left ventricular (anterior, lateral, and posterior; all P <.001) and interventricular septum fibrosis (P <.001), but similar amounts of right ventricular fibrosis (P = .62) compared to controls. In iMVP-SCD, left ventricular fibrosis was significantly higher in the lateral and posterior walls compared to the anterior wall and interventricular septum (all P <.001). Within the lateral and posterior walls, iMVP-SCD cases had a significant endocardial-to-epicardial gradient of cardiac fibrosis (P <.01) similar to other known conditions that cause cardiac remodeling.
Our study indicates that nonuniform left ventricular remodeling with both localized and generalized left ventricular fibrosis is important in the pathogenesis of SCD in individuals with MVP.
Cardiac fibrosis
Valvular heart disease


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Blue Bell Is Back, but It Needs a New Plan
The company's wholesome image doesn't match its current reality.
By John Nova Lomax
John Nova Lomax
After four months in quality control rehab, Blue Bell ice cream is back, swearing she's changed her ways and she really means it this time. She'll never break our hearts—or spread listeria—again.
Texan loyalty to Blue Bell is, or was, like few other regional brand loyalties in America. Yes, the state loves Whataburger, Shiner, and H-E-B, but I would argue that Blue Bell's brand mystique and hold over Texans transcended all of those. This is largely due to the late adman Lyle Metzdorf, who crafted and honed Blue Bell's image for 33 years.
The commercials he created can still bring a tear to my eye—the brief trips to the bountiful Texas of yore, to porch swings and screen doors, Papaw in his Stetson and sweaty overalls, Meemaw in her Gold Medal flour–dusted apron. Brenham is one of the loveliest small towns in Texas, bluebonnet-painted, live oak–shaded rolling hills, stamped by speckled longhorns and roamed by white-tailed deer, all serenaded by cooing white-winged doves. That's the Brenham and the Blue Bell that Metzdorf showed us.
He showed us with Belle the singing cow and her little girl:
"Have yourself a Blue Bell country day…"
And, wait. Is that …? It is! It's a little Jesse Plemons, who grew up to be an actor in Breaking Bad and Friday Night Lights! Look at him running from those geese!
Plemons, whose two major TV roles have taken him in vastly different directions, offers up a tidy little analogy: he is Blue Bell. For those of us who grew up with Blue Bell, he's that little kid in the commercial, the one who grew up to become the hapless but indispensable Landry Clarke on Friday Night Lights. Jesse Plemons didn't mean to do it. He made a mistake! But for those of us who grew up without the company's pastoral lens, he's the sociopathic Todd Alquist of Breaking Bad, quite willing to put the bottom line ahead of basic humanity. He is evil. Those two versions of Blue Bell became the Great Divide in public reactions to this summer's deadly blunder.
You also have to think that Metzdorf was turning in his grave when the brand he worked so hard to craft was drawn into this summer's Jade Helm conspiracy freak-out, with bloggers insisting that the company's refrigerated trucks were being used as mobile morgues. You have to give the conspiracy theorists credit for that one. It was the essence of horror, the transformation of love and comfort into terror and oppression, like your grandmother sprouting claws.
But those efforts to discredit Blue Bell would have been laughable had it not been for the company's own actions during the listeria outbreak. And I believe that to thrive again, it's going to have to rip its business model down to the studs and start over.
This is not the same world it was in 1970, when Metzdorf came aboard and turned the creamery into a juggernaut. Setting aside the whole food safety thing, people now pay more attention than ever to what is on product labels, and Blue Bell's lists of ingredients bely its down-home image. Long before the listeria outbreak, my dad, a Texan exiled in Tennessee for more than four decades now, was alternately elated and disappointed when Blue Bell arrived in Nashville. First he was pleased as punch to be reunited with an old friend, but then saddened when he read words like "high-fructose corn syrup," "sodium benzoate," and "artificial colors" on the carton.
Maybe there are enough people out there who are willing to set aside the listeria crisis and Blue Bell's plentitude of synthetic ingredients. I polled my Facebook friends twice over the weekend and found a few such diehards.
"Exxon, Shell, BP and Chevron all kill people. I still use their gas," said Clint Heider. "[And] I can safely say that compared to the list of horrible things that I have eaten, and will continue to eat, Blue Bell is pretty much like eating raw kale with gluten free macrobiotic carrot spread."
"Death by Blue Bell is a far site better way to die than a lot of other, more probable possibilities," said Kimberly Elizabeth Clarady.
"I'm a rebel. An outlaw. I live on the edge. Danger is my middle name. Death-defying feats of eating ice cream are right up my alley," says Albert Nurick.
Even so, maybe the company should work on coming back as a more natural Blue Bell, one more in keeping with the image so many of us treasure, an advertising-created idyll that never really was.
https://www.texasmonthly.com/the-daily-post/blue-bell-is-back-but-it-needs-a-new-plan/?utm_source=texasmonthly.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=sharebutton
Dining Guide: Highlights From Our February 2022 Issue
How a Houston Restaurant Became the Source for Afghan Refugees' First Meals in America
By Claudia Kolker
Recipe: Texas Citrus Rustic Cake
By Catherine Downes


iPod shuffle now "world's smallest MP3 player"
Damn, looks like even the humble iPod shuffle is getting a bump today. After having sold 10 million of the first-gen shuffles, the new model is now reportedly the size of the iPod radio remote, comes in just a 1GB capacity, and sports a shiny new aluminum body with a clip for easy wearability. Steve's calling it the "world's smallest MP3 player" and hey, who are we to argue? It's available for preorder today and expected to ship with its itty bitty dock and ear buds sometime in October, for the bargain basement price of only $79.


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Music December 20, 2012
Iceland's New Artist To Watch: Pascal Pinon
Pascal Pinon is comprised of Icelandic twin sisters Jófrídur and Ásthildu. The pair just released "Þerney (One Thing)", the first single off their upcoming sophomore album, appropriately titled, Twosomeness. The album, out February 5th via Morr Music, was produced by Alex Somers who's worked with notable Icelanders, Sígur Rós and Jonsí.
The single features breathy vocals set to twinkling, undulating keyboard and guitar strokes. A bittersweet song about facing, and eventually accepting, the 'one thing' that can lead everything off course, the sisters sing, "With a tiny heart beating as quietly as it can I stand, I surrender. I guess happiness is only for the innocent." Similar to Sigur Ros the seemingly gentle song contains great strength and depth. Consider Pascal Pinon an artist to watch.
Santa's On Fitz & The Tantrums' Naughty List
Sound Dessert's 25 Best Albums of 2012


Stripped down machines, for example, the Canon Copier ImageClass D320 do have their focal points, for example, low cost and for the most part little impression, also effortlessness of utilization. Other than that however, their office applications are exceptionally restricted, and ought to be considered essentially for light obligation home utilize.
One of only a handful couple of highlights of the unit that does really emerge as being very great is its duplicate determination. With 1200 x 600 spots for every inch, the Canon Copier ImageClass D320 is more than acceptable in this class at the same time, in an odd bit of destiny, this unit has a print determination much lower than this, rendering the underlying duplicate quality practically futile.
A basic USB port is incorporated for PC availability, and Canon Windows printer driver is incorporated to join the gadget with your PC. No Macintosh programming is incorporated, and there is no specify of particular Linux similarity.
Despite the fact that the duplicate memory is to a great degree little at just 4 MBs, this sum is quite adequate for a unit of this gauge. For a machine this straightforward, 4 MBs should turn out to be bounty.
The print speed of the Canon Copier ImageClass D320 is, pretty much, inadmissible in an expert situation. With letter measured paper maximizing at 15 pages for each moment in speed, reports will be created at a large portion of the speed of a higher end demonstrate. When managing huge volume prints, this time restriction can obliterate, or possibly irritating. Lawful measured print speed is far more atrocious, checking in at 12.5 pages for each moment.
Standard consolidates their interesting single cartridge framework into a large number of their little MFCs and monochrome laser printers. With the disposal of the drum unit by method for consolidating drum and toner cartridge into one, toner swapping turns out to be less entangled and quicker, so even an amateur can execute a swap in seconds. The Canon Copier ImageClass D320 specifically does not offer a high return toner cartridge, and is along these lines constrained to cartridges with 3,500 page yields at 5% scope.


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text:
'Did what I had to do:' Witnesses lifted signboard, freeing deputy after FedEx driver struck it
By Ashley Sears and Kasey Chronis
Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office
Good Samaritans lifted signboard, freeing deputy after FedEx driver struck it
OAK CREEK -- A Milwaukee County sheriff's deputy was recovering Wednesday, Dec. 11 after being struck Tuesday night on I-94 near Drexel Avenue in Oak Creek. Authorities said the driver of a FedEx truck struck a signboard, and didn't stop.
The deputy was struck by the electronic signboard that knocked him to the ground after it landed on top of him.
It all unfolded just after 10 p.m. Tuesday when Milwaukee County sheriff's deputies responded to a crash in the northbound lanes. The driver of a semi had traveled through a construction closure -- crashing into a signboard that had been placed in a barreled-off area for overnight construction work.
That board was pushed over the median wall, with a portion hanging into the southbound lane of traffic. As a responding deputy was working to clear that sign, authorities say a white FedEx tractor-trailer headed southbound crashed into it -- propelling the sign into the deputy, knocking him to the ground.
Authorities said another responding deputy and a good Samaritan helped lift the board off the injured deputy, stabilizing him until an ambulance responded.
"I just jumped out and did what I had to do," said Cameron Mathe, good Samaritan. "I stopped right next to it, kind of looking around, making sure everything was OK, and that's when I looked and saw a deputy was pinned underneath the electronic signboard. Me and another lady grabbed our blankets out of our car, covered him, tucked him, make sure he stayed warm."
He was taken to the hospital in serious but stable condition. Authorities were looking for the driver responsible.
Deputy struck by signboard struck by FedEx driver on I-94 near Drexel
The incident highlighted the dangers first responders face every day.
"While driving, remember to slow down, move over for law enforcement, stay alert, and put your phones down," said Denita Ball with MCSO.
Lt. Tom Konieczka
A Greenfield firefighter/paramedic was responding to a call when he was clipped by a vehicle near 60th Street and Layton Avenue on Tuesday morning.
"One of the most dangerous places for us to work at any time is a road," said Lt. Tom Konieczka, Greenfield Fire Department. "When our driver went back to the engine to go put some equipment away, on that side, a car actually came and grazed his arm as it went by."
Officials asked that everyone please slow down and move over for law enforcement.
"It's important that we all stay safe and for drivers to be attentive to that," said Lt. Konieczka.
FOX6 News reached out to FedEx on Wednesday regarding the incident involving the MCSO deputy. A spokesman issued this statement:
"First and foremost, we extend our sincerest thoughts and concerns to the deputy involved in this incident. FedEx is cooperating fully with investigating authorities at this time. As this is an active investigation, further questions should be directed to local law enforcement."
Investigators were considering these incidents Tuesday night to be two separate crashes, with MCSO handling the initial crash investigation for the semi versus the signboard on the northbound side. The semi driver had a valid license and showed no signs of impairment. That driver was cited for unreasonable imprudent speed/failure to control the vehicle.
The Wisconsin State Patrol was handling the crash investigation for the injured deputy. The driver of the semi, described as being a white FedEx tractor-trailer with tandem trailers, continued southbound after striking the signboard.
MCSO asked anyone who witnessed this crash or who has any information to call dispatch at 414-278-4788.
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text:
Professor Dr. Mohammed Masum Iqbal Dean
Professor Dr. Mohammed Masum Iqbal
Faculty of Business & Entrepreneurship
https://faculty.daffodilvarsity.edu.bd/profile/bs/masum.html
masum@daffodilvarsity.edu.bd, deanfbe@daffodilvarsity.edu.bd
PhD, MBA
ACD Working Committee Meeting of ACD MBA, 15-17 April, 2018, Asia e University, Kualalampur, Malaysia.
AACSB Business Accreditation Seminar, 13-14 February, 2017, Mumbai, India.
Leading Globally Engaged Universities (LEGU) Programme, Sunday 10th- Friday 15th April 2016, University College Dublin, Ireland.
Short Course on Supply Chain Management, December 6-10, 2014, Directorate of Continuing Education (DCE), Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology.
Developing a Research Framework for Educational Technology under the auspices of the LEADHER Project, IAU, November 28 and 29, 2012, Organized by Universitiy Sains Malaysia, International Association of Universities and Daffodil International University.
Applied Research Methodology in Business, October to December 2008, Organized by The Bureau of Business Research, University of Dhaka.
Research Methodology with the Application of SPSS, May 23 to June 02, 2005, Organized by Bangladesh Institute of Management, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.
SPSS for Professionals, Researchers and Students, May-June 2008, Department of Statistics, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Workshop on SPSS, August 11th and 12th, 2006, School of Business, Independent University, Bangladesh.
Marketing Communication & PR Conference, Rapport, Dhaka,July,2005
International Conference on Marketing, Marketing is Business and Business is Marketing, Rapport Bangladesh, Dhaka, July 2001
Marketing is everything, DCCI and GTZ, Dhaka, Bangladesh, January 2001
Intensive Course in Basic English, Department of English, University of Dhaka, from August 29 to November 8 1997.
Consumer Behavior, International Marketing, Marketing Management, Principles of Marketing, Organizational Behavior
Does FinTech credit scale stimulate financial institutions to increase the proportion of agricultural loans? (Taylor & Francis), https://doi.org/10.1080/23322039.2022.2114176
Green logistics and environment, economic growth in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative, Heliyon (Elsevier), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09641
Attitude towards Online Buying Behaviors of People in Dhaka City in Bangladesh during Covid-19 Pandemic, International Journal of Special Education, Vol. 37, No.1, Scopus Indexed, 2022.
Forecasting e-waste recovery scale driven by seasonal data characteristics: A decomposition-ensemble approach, Waste Management and Research: The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy, Scopus Indexed, November 25, 2021 SAGE, https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0734242X211061443
Differential game model and coordination model for green supply chain based on green technology research and development, Heliyon, Scopus Indexed, August 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07811
Strategy of Sustainability: A Reflective Model Validation by AMOS, Academy of Strategic Management Journal, Scopus Indexed, Volume 20, Special Issue 6, 2021.
Impact of Supply Chain Management on Customer Loyalty to the 'Aarong' Fashion House Brand, International Journal of Supply Chain Management IJSCM, Scopus Indexed, Vol. 9, No. 2, ISSN: 2050-7399 (Online), 2051-3771 (Print), April 2020,
Customer Relationship Management in Financial Services: A Study on Some Selected Private Commercial Banks in Bangladesh, International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, Scopus Indexed, Volume 24, Issue 06, 2020.
The Strategy of Management System Standards: A Variance-Based Structural Equation modelling (VB-SEM), International Journal of Science and Technology, Scopus Indexed, Volume 29, Number 35 (2020), pp (1882-1893).
Revisiting the Impact of Intrinsic Financial Risks on Firm Value of Banks among ASEAN Countries: A Panel Data Approach, International Journal "Banks and Bank Systems, Scopus Indexed, Volume 14, Issue 04, 2019.
Strategic Thoughts and Expectations of Students on the National Budget,2019-20 in Bangladesh, Academy of Strategic management Journal, Vol-18, Issue 04,2019. (SCOUPUS Indexed)
Factors Influencing Consumer Buying Behavior: A Case Study on Cosmetic Products in Dhaka City, Daffodil International University Journal of Business and Entrepreneurship, Vol. 11, No. 2, December 2018.
Measuring Impact of Word-of-Mouth on Travel: A Study Based on Bangladeshi Tourists' Experience at Cox's Bazar, Dhaka University Journal of Business Studies, Accepted for Vol.39, No.1, April 2018.
14. Key Soft Skills Influencing the Employment Decision of the Employers: A Case Study on Graduates of Business of Dhaka City, Daffodil International University Journal of Business and Economics, Vol. 11, No. 1, December 2017.
Customer's Perception of Services Quality of Banking Sectors in Bangladesh, International Journal of Law and Management, Scopus Indexed, Emerald publishing Services, April 2017.
Investigating the Impacts of Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives on Customers' Loyalty: A Study from Selected Private Banks in Bangladesh, Daffodil International University Journal of Business and Economics, Vol. 10, No. 1, June 2016.
The Depressed Higher Education in Bangladesh: Issues and Prospects, Journal of Thai Interdisciplinary Research, ISSN 2465-3837, No. 2559, February, 2016.
Corporate Social Responsibility Practice in Bangladesh: A Comparative Study on Conventional Banks and Islamic Banks, The Jahangirnagar Journal of Business Studies, Vol. 05, No.01, June 2015.
An Analysis of Day-of The- Week Effects in Bangladesh Stock Market: Evidence from Dhaka Stock Exchange, Daffodil International University Journal of Business and Economics, Vol. 9, No. 1, June 2015.
Developing Linear Programming Model to Reduce Bottleneck Operation: An Approach to Minimize Labor Cost of Ready Made Garments Sector in Bangladesh, Jahangirnagar University Journal of Science, Volume 37, Number 1, June 2014.
Patients' Satisfaction with the Medial Services in Bangladesh: A Case Study on the City Hospital Limited, Dhaka, Daffodil International University Journal of Business and Economics, Vol. 8, No. 1, June 2014.
Job Satisfaction in Commercial Banks of Bangladesh with different Ownership Structures: A Comparative Study, The Eastern University Journal, Volume# 05, Issue # 01, December 2013, ISSN No.1998-7889.
Service Quality of Financial Services in Bangladesh: A Distinction between Public and Private Commercial Bank, Journal of the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh, ISSN 1817-5090, Volume XLI Number 6, November-December, 2013.
Leadership Patterns in the Private Universities of Bangladesh: An Evaluation, Daffodil International University Journal of Business and Economics, Vol. 7, No. 1, June 2013.
Service Quality of Financial Services in Bangladesh: A Study on a Private Commercial Bank, Daffodil International University Journal of Business and Economics, Vol. 7, No. 1, June 2013.
Research Monograph: Consumer Attitudes toward Customized Marketing: Prospects and Possibilities in Bangladesh, LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing, 2011.
27.Consumer Attitudes Toward Customized Marketing: Prospects and Possibilities in Bangladesh, Journal of Business Administration, IBA, University of Dhaka, Vol. 32, No. 3&4, July & October 2006.
The Insight of Customer Retention Management: Bangladesh Perspective, Dhaka University Journal of Business Studies, Vol. XXXII No. 2, December 2006.
Word of Mouth (WOM): A key to Marketing Success, Journal of Business Studies, Southeast University, Vol. 2, No. 2, July-December, 2006.
Corporate Identity Modeling Through A Local Corporation In Bangladesh, Dhaka University Journal of Business Studies, Vol. XXVII No.1, June 2006.
Corporate Identity in Service Industry: A Review on American Life Insurance Company Bangladesh, Journal of Business and Technology, Northern University Bangladesh, Vol.1, Issue 1, January-June 2006.
Environmental Disclosure- A Bangladesh Perspectives, Journal of the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh, Number 4 Vol. XXXIII, July-August, 2005.
Determinants of Sustainable Competitive Advantages: A Study of Telecommunication industry in Bangladesh, Journal of Business Studies, Southeast University, Vol.1 No. 2 July-December 2005.
Disclosure Practices: A Comparison of Commercial Banks and Insurance Companies in Bangladesh. Journal of the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh, Vol. XXXIV No. 1 January- February 2006.
Consumers' Opinion about Mass Communication in Dhaka City, Daffodil International University Journal of Business and Economics. Vl.1, No.1, July 2006.
Newspaper Marketing in Bangladesh: A Case Study on The Prothom Alo, Daffodil International University Journal of Business and Economics Vol.1,No. 1, July 2006.
Consumer Attitude toward New Products in Dhaka City: A Case Study of Two Products, Daffodil International University Journal of Business and Economics, Vol.2, No.1, January 2007.
Life Insurance Marketing in Bangladesh, Daffodil International University Journal of Business and Economics Vol.2, No.2, July 2007.
Motivation through Self-leadership: An Emerging Trend of The Leaders of Private Universities, Daffodil International University Journal of Business and Economics Vl.2, No.2, July 2006.
i. The 2012 International Education Faculty Achievement Award by the International Association of University Presidents.
ii. Rajshahi University Merit Scholarship
iii. Scholarship for HSC Result
iv. Obtained Junior Scholarship
v. Obtained Primary Scholarship
i. Executive Member, Human Rights and Environment Development
ii. Member, Academic Council, Daffodil International University
iii. Member, Finance Committee, Daffodil International University
iv. Member, Rajshahi University Alumni Association (RUAA)
v. Member, Social Business Research Centre, Daffodil International University
vi. Member, Knowledge Centre, Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industries (DCCI)


London is great. You can find anything here. You can be anyone here. It offers so much entertainment. It's full of buzz. It's full of ideas. London is full of life.
But let's admit it. Sometimes it can be overwhelming. And noisy. And dirty. And crowded. And whenever we feel like that, it is time to leave the traffic and congestion behind and go to the countryside. Beautiful, tranquil and green places can be found surprisingly close to the city, and I am not talking about the fantastic London parks but proper woods, landscaped gardens and picturesque scenery. After 15 years, we have finally done it : we became members of the National Trust.
Okay, the kids are not overexcited every time we announce another day trip to one of the National Trust properties. "A walk around an old house again?" "When are we doing something for us kids?" But once we are there, they love it. When they were younger we were always on the look out for pirates and treasures, for dinosaurs and dragons. Now they enjoy the climbing on trees, the den building or just covering themselves in mud.
A few weeks ago we went to Greys Court. I think it might have been the only sunny day in about 6 weeks of rain, so we were lucky. This time, we were in constant light sabre battles as my youngest loves Star Wars at the moment, but hey – anything to make them walk! See for yourself how much they did actually enjoy the day!
I'm part of another blog circle with some photographer friends of mine this month. I'm linking to Taneill Davis of Hucklebee Photography on the other side of the big, big pond. She is one of the best Newborn Photographers in Medicine Hat, Canada and wonderfully combines lifestyle and studio newborn photo sessions. So inspiring! It's well worth continuing to click through our blog circle as you will meet some fantastic photographers on the way!
Sounds like an amazing membership to be a part of! Looks like a place my kids would love as well!
We haven't regretted joining it. There is so much to do for the whole family!


Hiroshi Maeda has been living a somewhat solitary life, leading tourists and students on excursions of a mostly uninhabited southern island, but now he's ready for something more challenging.
He's been making a living taking kids and tourists to Kayama Island, an uninhabited piece of land in the shadow of Yaeyama's Kohama Island, which is famous because of popular television program that's been filmed there. Maeda concentrated his life on the small island just to the north, to Kayama, and has made enough money to fulfill his dream.
The 57-year-old Maeda is about to begin a trip around the world, taking a two-year voyage aboard his yacht that will carry him around the globe. He'll leave from Yaeyama March 24th. His plan for circumnavigation is to travel "from north latitude 24 degrees to south latitude 24 degrees, the coral area", which he says he wants to focus attention upon. Maeda is worried about what is happening to the coral around the world, but specifically in the Yaeyama district.