Senator Diane Feinstein (D) Chairperson of the Senate Intelligence Committee excoriated the CIA earlier today for withholding information from her committee and spying on its investigation into allegations that CIA officials tortured suspected terrorists after 9/11 in violation of federal laws.
Her committee is responsible for monitoring the government's intelligence community, including the CIA. In turn it's required to keep the committee informed about its activities. To that end the CIA supplied senate staff investigators with 6.2 million documents loaded onto several computers at a secure site off CIA property.
Based on a review of those records, the committee produced a 6,300 page report, which has not been declassified.
Senator Feinstein said today that the committee investigators discovered that the CIA leadership seriously misled the committee about its activities. Instead, the interrogators used brutal methods, including waterboarding, that constitute torture and they lied about it afterward while falsely claimed that their brutal methods produced useful intelligence.
She said that, although the CIA disputed some of the findings in the committee report, the CIA Inspector General conducted his own review and reached similar conclusions.
Drafts of that internal review were included in the documents provided to the committee alerting them to its existence.
How that happened is unknown, but committee staff subsequently noticed that those drafts mysteriously disappeared from the database and that led to Senator Feinstein's accusation today that the CIA was spying on the committee's investigation.
Meanwhile, general counsel for the CIA has accused senate staffers of hacking into agency computers and stealing classified documents.
This is our 929th post and donations are lagging. We work hard to keep you informed by filling in the blanks between the lines. After 30 years in the trenches, I am familiar with all of the rules and strategies prosecutors and defense counsel utilize. Experience counts and most of my predictions have been accurate.
Adjusting and fine tuning to dial in the white fear and racist corruption frequencies in the Florida courts took some doing, but I am on track now.
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Literature Locked Up: How Prison Book Restriction Policies Constitute the Nation's Largest Book Ban
Some 2.2 million people are currently incarcerated across the country. Against that backdrop PEN America's new policy paper, Literature Locked Up: How Prison Book Restriction Policies Constitute the Nation's Largest Book Ban, details the types of book bans prisoners face, the arbitrariness with which they are implemented, and the lack of transparency and oversight that leads to bans on titles from Nobel Prize winners and leading historical figures.
Among the paper's core findings:
PEN America finds that literature on race and civil rights are disproportionately subject to bans, often on the grounds that such texts threaten to disrupt a prison's social order. Often entire categories of books are banned, and these often reflect discriminatory approaches to regulation.
PEN America also found that review mechanisms fail to offer meaningful oversight over these bans. While the U.S. Supreme Court has established that prisons must provide some form of administrative appeal process, there is no requirement that such reviewers are independent of the prison system, nor are there any criteria regarding reviewers' qualifications.
PEN America also explores how in addition to content-specific bans, prison systems have enacted wholesale restrictions on book deliveries, such as requiring purchases come only through "secure vendors," as well as shutdowns on book donations and deliveries writ large. PEN America finds that these "content-neutral bans" have the effect of banning potentially thousands of titles by limiting the range of books available to people who are incarcerated.
PEN America recommends that prison systems follow the American Library Association's Prisoners' Right to Read—Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights as a guide. PEN America also urges state and federal officials to implement periodic review of book restriction policies; develop clear and non-discriminatory policies governing such restrictions; encourage prison authorities to consider the educational, literary, and rehabilitative merit of texts; make any banned book list available and accessible; and most crucially, enact meaningful review policies.
The publication comes amid PEN America's Literature Locked Up initiative for Banned Books Week 2019. Find out how you can take action against prison book bans here.
READ THE FULL REPORT »
Expert Contact
James Tager
Deputy Director, Free Expression Research and Policy
Literature Locked Up: A Banned Books Week 2019 Reading List

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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You are here: Home	› Channels	› Ecology	› What is the Emission Trading Scheme?
This animation explains how The Emission Trading Scheme works and how you as an individual can contribute. The purpose is to inspire other nations to both inform their citizens and to create easy systems for individuals to buy carbon units and to make a difference.


« The Best Year Yet with the new Mommy Mundo Mom 24/7 Planner this 2018!
A great article. I fell in love a couple of years back in essential oils, but being new and uninformed I relied on coconut oil and boy was I in for a treat. With my sensitive skin, I was experiencing breakouts twice a week. After reading an article over at HealtHead I finally figured it out. Will be ordering this kit soon enough.
A lovely article looking forward to ordering it soon enough and hoping it will work as exactly what you have been explained.


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Why CalAmp Stock Jumped Today
The wireless tech company reported fiscal fourth-quarter earnings.
Evan Niu, CFA
(TMFNewCow)
May 6, 2020 at 2:00PM
Evan is a senior technology specialist at The Motley Fool. He was previously a senior trading specialist at Charles Schwab, and worked briefly at Tesla. Evan graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, and is a CFA charterholder.
Follow @TMFNewCow
Shares of CalAmp (NASDAQ:CAMP) have jumped today, up by 7% as of 12:50 p.m. EDT, after the company reported fiscal fourth-quarter earnings. The results topped expectations for both the top and bottom lines.
Revenue in the fiscal fourth quarter ended February came in at $87.2 million, ahead of the $85.9 million in sales that Wall Street was looking for. That translated into adjusted earnings per share of $0.03, $0.01 better than what analysts were forecasting. The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the wireless tech company's supply chain, and demand for mobile resource management (MRM) telematics products has been soft, but investors had already priced that in after CalAmp had provided updates in March.
Total subscribers increased 30% to 1.3 million, which CalAmp attributed to recent acquisitions. The company acquired Synovia a little over a year ago for $50 million and CalAmp has been expanding Synovia's reach.
"As we navigate the COVID-19 worldwide crisis, our primary concern is the health and safety of all employees who are effectively working remotely by utilizing technologies to support virtual communications across our organization and also with our customers, partners and suppliers," interim CEO Jeff Gardner said in a statement. "At the same time, I am closely evaluating the entire business for implementing further strategic enhancements, and I remain fully committed to transforming CalAmp into a leading SaaS solutions provider, supported by steady and predictable recurring revenue streams."
CFO Kurt Binder said the company would not be providing guidance for the next quarter due to ongoing uncertainty around the coronavirus outbreak, including limited visibility into customer demand.
CalAmp Corp.
NASDAQ:CAMP
CalAmp Corp (CAMP) Q3 2021 Earnings Call Transcript
Here's Why CalAmp Stock Tanked in September
3 Tiny Stocks Robinhood Investors Should Be Buying
Got $500? Here Are 3 Great Stocks Under $10 to Buy Now
Why CalAmp Stock Jumped Today @themotleyfool #stocks $CAMP Next Article


Susan will be a media guest at the Edmonton Comic and Entertainment Expo on September 22nd – 24th, 2017, in Edmonton, Alberta Canada. She will be signing autographs and taking photos with fans, and will be on a Sunday speaker panel.
The Edmonton Comic & Entertainment Expo (AKA: Edmonton Expo) is a three-day pop-culture convention held annually each fall in Edmonton, Alberta at the Expo Centre. Attendees can shop hundreds of vendors, exhibitors and artists, check out panels and workshops, meet their favorite stars and creators, and celebrate what makes them geeky with thousands of other fans in cosplay. There is something for every fan at Edmonton Expo!


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Speedy puede referirse a:
Speedy Gonzalez, personaje animado de la serie Looney Tunes.
Speedy, dos superhéroes de DC Comics, ambos compinches adolescentes de Flecha Verde.
Speedy, película de 1928 de Harold Lloyd
Speedy Gonzales (canción de 1962), canción del cantante estadounidense Pat Boone.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Audiobooks can be a powerful tool when raising kids. These are a good option if you are a parent who would like his children to share the same passion for books. If you want your kids to read, you can start by playing audiobooks until they are able to master the written concept on their own. This will show them how fun reading a book can be. These following audiobooks are among the best for kids from 3 to 7 years of age.
Meet Charlotte the spider. Charlotte's Web is #1 in many audiobooks lists for kids. Since its first edition in 1952, this book is a mandatory reading for every child. It has also been adapted to a movie in 1973, also having a great success. It is narrated in a dynamic manner by George Plimpton thus making it more entertained for kids. This book will help your child to come to grips with the role of friendship by understanding the relationship between Charlotte and Wilbur. Likewise, its author chose animals like spiders and pigs that children tend to be afraid of in order to help them overcome their fears. Lastly, it is helpful because it teaches about the rural life which urban children don't know much about.
It is a mouse; it is "Stuart Little". Coincidently, it was written by the same author of Charlotte's Web. Whites wrote it in 1945 to tell the story of a mouse born into a human family. Like Charlotte's Web, it was also adapted to the big screen in 1999. Although the original book was written in an archaic language, the audiobook versions introduced changes to make them more comprehensible for children. Kids can learn a lot of things from this book like the relationship among siblings and the necessity of overcoming obstacles to achieve personal goals.
Learn the importance of a tree house with "The Magic Treehouse". It is the most famous work of Mary Pope Osborne. The Magic Treehouse is a collection of books that have siblings as main characters who decided to read different stories in a tree house. It is narrated by the author herself, which means that the intonation and rhythm of the audiobooks are excellent. Many parents have said that these adventures have truly helped their kids to improve their reading skills.
Last but not least, it's "Mr. Popper's Penguins". Mr. Popper's Penguins is about a humble house painter who ends up raising twelve penguins on his own. It's one of American literature's classic for kids. It was written by Florence and Richard Atwater in 1938. The audiobook version is narrated by Nick Sullivan. As a book, it helps kids to know more about these amazing animals and the importance of treating animals respectfully. This excellent book has become even more popular after its movie adaptation by the actor Jim Carrey.
If you use these audiobooks, you will not only entertain your kids but also educate them in a different and effective way. Give them the opportunity to know more about classic literature.


text:
// PkgCmdID.cs
// MUST match PkgCmdID.h
using System;

namespace KevinBoyle.UserNotificationDemo
{
    static class PkgCmdIDList
    {
        public const uint cmdidShowNotification =        0x100;

    };
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
LinkedIn Stories Ads: How...
LinkedIn Stories Ads: How Law Firms Can Use Them
by Vondrae McCoy | Dec 16, 2020 | Social Media | 0 comments
Perhaps you've heard of Stories. They are mobile, full-screen, vertical videos and images that appear outside of your regular social media feed and only last for 24 hours before they disappear. Facebook and Instagram both have a version of these casual, temporary posting options, and LinkedIn recently rolled out their own Stories program. Now, due to the success of LinkedIn Stories, the company has started testing Stories Ads in a closed beta. In this blog post, we'll dive into the functionality of Stories Ads and how law firms can leverage them to reach and engage with their target audience.
How Powerful are Stories Ads?
Other platforms have seen tremendous success by implementing them. Taking Instagram – the Story pioneer – as an example, you'll see that 1.7 billion accounts use stories every day. 500 million users create stories every day, and up to 25% of people "swipe up" (follow a call-to-action) on branded stories. Furthermore, Instagram Stories Ads received 10% of all ad spending on Facebook.
The response to LinkedIn's own Stories platform has been incredibly positive, sparking hundreds of thousands of conversations in just a short period of time. As Brenda Tsai, Chief Marketing Officer at BNY Mellon says "The stories format gives brands a chance to speak in a different voice than they otherwise might have on LinkedIn" (WSJ).
Even better news: while LinkedIn was developing Stories, they were constantly thinking of marketers and the capabilities that will help their brands. In fact, executives have stated that Stories are a place for marketers to explore in a way that they did not think of on LinkedIn before.
What are LinkedIn Stories Ads and How Can Law Firms Use Them?
Stories Ads are immersive, full-screen video and single-image ads served in vertical and square orientations from your existing Sponsored Content campaigns. They are served in between member-posted Stories and LinkedIn Page Stories at the top of the LinkedIn mobile app.
LinkedIn offers particularly powerful targeting and the Stories Ads will be no exception. You can reach and engage decision makers at your target accounts, targeting company name, job title, industry, and more, plus retarget with additional content from those who watched or viewed your Stories Ads. LinkedIn is also offering additional reporting, including the ability to measure the performance of your Stories Ads against other placements, such as in the Feed.
People engage differently on LinkedIn than on other social platforms, so law firms are unlikely to be able to replicate efforts from their Facebook or Instagram Stories. Rather than personal content, LinkedIn Stories (and Ads) should focus on helping and educating clients and prospects. More personal content could be a distraction on LinkedIn, so marketers will need to be strategic about engaging in conversation using Ads.
So far, law firms and companies have been trying LinkedIn Stories Ads for different purposes, including seeking new clients, reaching potential hires, generating business leads and promoting upcoming virtual events. WeWork has tested Stories ads in Latin America to promote a campaign on its efforts to ensure clean workspaces during the pandemic, for example, as well as to drive interest in a virtual conference it held in the region in September.
It's important to remember that while other technology platforms are doing away with third-party data collection (the death of the 3rd party cookie), LinkedIn continues to offer robust targeting because people opt in to providing that data themselves. Users self-report titles, organizations, interests, and more which is the real value in any form of LinkedIn advertising.
LinkedIn has spent the last several years developing new ways for law firms to target prospective clients at a low cost and without unnecessary guesswork. And now, LinkedIn Stories Ads are in beta mode, being largely tested with encouraging results. It's no wonder that LinkedIn usage in the legal industry is up 68% (both paid and organic).
As an online marketing agency for law firms, we create and manage campaigns for lawyers on social media network platforms such as LinkedIn. If you need help creating short videos for Stories Ads or managing an ongoing campaign, we can help. Contact us today for a consultation.


Sewing for myself has been on the back burner for the past few weeks. With one thing and another I suddenly found myself with a pile of orders to fill for StaceyMade :-O which is no bad thing but did mean I wanted to knuckle down a bit and get stuck in.
Fortunately one of those orders was for a new pattern – a Nettie Dress from Closet Case Files. If I've never used the pattern brand or design before I like to make a trial version for me first since I know my shape better than anyone's. This way I can iron out any fit issues or strange sizing etc. before cutting into my friend's fabric. Bonus here was I have been eying the Nettie Pattern since it came out. It looked like such a good basic design and although I doubt I'll ever make the body suit up (maybe as a costume?), the dress can also be altered into a t-shirt so for only $10 or so you get a good basic dress, t-shirt and bodysuit pattern. When I had a friend after this exact design I rejoiced because now I had a reason to buy the pattern finally!
I won't lie, part of the appeal of this pattern was the very low scoop back combined with a built in bra. I adore low backs, particularly in combination with long sleeves and high necklines – I think it is the epitome of understated sexiness. Add in fire engine red fabric and I think this is one hot dress!
I cut a size 6 high neck, low back dress after a LOT of deliberation given the pattern is designed with negative ease and I am not a hugely confident stretch sewer. I have been dipping my toes into stretch sewing this year and I do love how quick and easy it is to sew up but I still struggle with fitting and sizing issues simply because my brain isn't wired to think in stretch fabric terms just yet. The size 6 turned out to be a perfect fit even though the body measurements given for this size were slightly smaller than mine. I think it also depends on what sort of fabric you use so each new make will have to be individually assessed.
I used some cheap and cheerful bright red cotton interlock stretch fabric I bought in Melbourne at G & J's fabrics (I think). It only just had enough stretch to make this dress but as it is a little heavier than a jersey it did help smooth out my silhouette lines in the final dress so :-).
Overall, this is a fantastic basic pattern that is quick and easy to sew up. I finished all the seams on my overlocker and top stitched the neckline and hems using a stretch twin needle. My only DUUUUUH! Moment came when I perfectly attached the neckband using my overlocker only to discover it was attached right side to wrong side! Cue cutting off that band and starting again. As a result of this the back neckline is quite narrow on the shoulders and has a tendency to fall off a little but I don't think this will be a problem if you sewed it normally in the first place!
This was a great run through before making my final version for my friend – she was after the scoop neck and high back version of the dress and since we are the same size (yay) I could try this version on to check fit and there will definitely be a version of this in my life soon, along with a t-shirt version with the medium back using the left over scraps from this project. I'm actually planning a lot more Netties. They are quick and easy to sew up – great instant gratification sewing, they look great on and are super comfy to wear while still looking really polished 😀 wins all round!
It's so nice to whip up some quick sewing projects 🙂 I love beautiful detailed makes but sometimes you just want a finished project right now!
Next Post New Blog Feature!
Wahou, your Nettie is spectacular ! Love the back !
Hi Threadie, glad you like it – I love this pattern!


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Is 'The Good Doctor' Any Good at Representing Neurodiversity?
October 5, 2017 reflectivemeded1 Comment
By Kayhan Parsi
The Good Doctor recently debuted on ABC. Billed as an unconventional medical drama, it features an autistic surgical resident, Dr. Shaun Murphy, played by Freddie Highmore. As a parent of an autistic adolescent, I welcome more varied depictions of autistic individuals in popular culture. Unfortunately, the trailer for the show concerned me, as it played up some now familiar tropes in depicting individuals with autism. Dr. Murphy is not only autistic but is a savant as well. The autistic savant is an irresistible cliché for creators of film and television programs. For example, Dustin Hoffman's depiction of Raymond in Rain Man is the granddaddy of savants in popular culture. Raymond was able to count cards at an incredible level, something his estranged brother (played by Tom Cruise) tried to exploit to his own advantage. The savant trope also reared its head in the recently released Netflix series Atypical featuring an adolescent male with autism (played by Keir Gilchrist). Although he doesn't exhibit the kind of genius-level savant characteristics that Dr. Murphy displays, Sam in Atypical goes to a mainstream school, holds down a part-time job, and is struggling with dating…


Novelty gift for a new mum.
Surprise your friend/loved with a unique novelty gift to prepare them for parenthood and give them a giggle. A perfect keepsake! All items are placed in a gorgeous organza bag and finished with a laminated label highlighting the significance of each item. Items may differ slightly from those shown in the picture.
Great novelty gift for a new grandparent!


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Q: How can I get satisfactory random numbers from the RAND function (or elsewhere)? I'm creating a pseudo-random data set for application users to train on.
I'm surprised that if I seed the RAND() function with 1, 2, 3, etc., I get very nearly the same result from the seeded function.  However, this seems to be followed by "properly random" but repeatable values when a seed is not supplied.
SELECT   RAND(1) AS R1A, RAND() AS R1B, RAND(2) AS R2A, RAND() AS R2B,
         RAND(3) AS R3A, RAND() AS R3B, RAND(4) AS R4A, RAND() AS R4B

0.713591993212924

0.472241415009636

0.713610626184182

0.217821139260039

0.71362925915544

0.963400850719992

0.713647892126698

0.708980575436056

At first sight, it appears that I can evaluate RAND(@seed) and discard the result, then evaluate RAND() to get several really "random" numbers for my training data - so far I've planned to use four per record; I might need some more.
Is that plan going to work properly?  And, what am I looking at, here?  And, should it be in the documentation?  I haven't found it.
Documentation says this, which may be meant as a clue:

The RAND function is a pseudorandom number generator that operates in a manner similar to the C run-time library rand function.  If no seed is provided, the system generates its own variable seed numbers.

Does the rand function in C produce similar output for similar seed input?
I think the documentation could also state more clearly that RAND(@number) followed by RAND() always generates the same numbers.  But that is what I wanted and what any experienced computer programmer will expect.
I suppose I could fill a table with random data keys obtained from https://www.random.org/
to use for the purpose - but that has drawbacks.
Update, provisional conclusion
I have the following conclusions about RAND() and for now I think I'll continue with it, but keeping alternatives in mind.
RAND(@int) sets the seed of the random number generator using the integer value given, and returns a float result which is not statistically independent, inasmuch as RAND(@int) and RAND(@int+1) produce almost exactly the same result.
Of course, RAND(@int) always produces the same result.
RAND(-@int) and RAND(@int) produce the same result.
RAND(0) is an exception: there may be other exceptions.  RAND(0) always produces the result 0.943597390424144, but it is not similar to the result of RAND(1).
RAND() called n times after RAND(@int) always produces the same n numbers.  If we call the nth number "rand(@int, @n)" -
CREATE PROCEDURE sproc_rand(@seed int, @nth int, @rand float OUTPUT) AS
SET @rand = RAND(@seed);
WHILE ( @nth > 0 ) BEGIN SET @rand = RAND(); SET @nth = @nth - 1; END

The difference between rand(@int, @n) and rand(@int+1, @n) "modulo 1" -
(1.0 + rand(@int, @n) - rand(@int+1, @n) % 1

Is a constant or nearly constant; for @n = 1 it is approximately 0.75.  For @n = 5 it is 0.991.  For @n = 6 it is 0.91.  For @n = 100 it is 0.83.
So, no, these are not good "random" numbers when a simple incremented seed is used - although they bounce around quite well for @n IN (1, 2, 3, 4).
What I'm now considering as a mitigation is using not RAND(row_id) but,
RAND(row_id * @factor_1 + @factor_2)

where @factor1 and @factor2 are constant terms and @factor_1 is approximately 10,000.  And for different projects, different factors.
So far, if I want repeatable results, the other method available (besides the Multiplicative Inverse thing, which I haven't quite understood yet) is to create a table and fill it with non-repeating random numbers from one of the other methods, then draw the numbers from that table, when required.

A: The only reason to ever provide a "seed" for RAND() is if you want the exact same sequence of (pseudo) random values for testing purposes.
Just call it without a seed, and that should be good enough for most purposes.
If you do need a predictable sequence, and you're simply unhappy with the starting (random) value, RAND() takes seeds from -2,147,483,648 all the way up to 2,147,483,647 (full range of int), so try some seeds that differ by more than 1 or 2.
Finally, if you were on SQL 2008 or better, you'd also have the option of considering CRYPT_GEN_RANDOM instead (warning, it returns a varbinary, not a float, so you'd likely need to change your code a bit): see this article for some differences and discussion.

A: Yes, calling RAND() with a seed produces the same result across all / most versions of SQL Server. I tested on SQL Server 2012 and got the same results as what is in the question. Also, if you run the following, you should see that any number of RAND() with no seed will produce the same result each time if there is at least one RAND(<seed>) in the group, even if they are in separate batches:
SELECT RAND(), RAND(2), RAND(), RAND(),
             RAND();
GO
SELECT RAND(), RAND();
-- 0.302870228294199    0.713610626184182   0.217821139260039   0.570956802191052
--           0.213689267406154
-- 0.68442381362486 0.201630044636296

However, if you are looking for pseudo-random numbers that are:

*

*guaranteed unique

*repeatable

*pattern can vary by input params

then you need to take a look at using Modular Multiplicative Inverses (MMI). I explain this in more detail in an answer to the following StackOverflow question:
Generate different random time in the given interval
This technique is also very fast and requires no pre-generation (i.e. no storing of the random set). It also works on earlier versions of SQL Server – 2000 and 2005 – where CRYPT_GEN_RANDOM isn't available.
I also have a presentation that I gave on this topic that includes generic T-SQL UDFs for generating the values. Check out the Efficiently Generate Unique, Pseudo-Random Numbers presentation available at:
http://www.SqlQuantumLeap.com/presentations/

A: I can create very good randomness with technique. If you need actual values, try creating a tinyint table etc. Obviously, it's not optimal for large sample sizes.
SELECT TOP 1 [Value]
  FROM [TinyInt]
 ORDER BY NEWID();
I don't just use it for just random numbers. I use it for anything that might not finish in time so I want to make sure I get to everything over a couple of batch runs. Works great for maintenance.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


(November 24th, 2018) by Brett Stevens | Comments.
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BALKANS Contenuto disponibile in Italiano
Montenegro: street protests and clashes with police. Metropolitan Hilarion (Moscow) invites to "constructive dialogue" for civil peace
M. Chiara Biagioni
A bishop and seven priests from the Diocese of Nikšić in Montenegro were arrested on the night of May 14 after an unauthorized procession violating anti-Covid measures. The incident occurred against the backdrop of the unresolved issue of the law on religious freedom passed by the Parliament in Podgorica, that caused a deterioration in relations between Serbia and Montenegro. From Moscow, Metropolitan Hilarion invoked "constructive dialogue", the only way - he said - to "restore peace and harmony in society"
Street protests, clashes with police. In Montenegro, tensions unfortunately remain high. Last night, at 2 a.m., the bishop of Budimlja-Nikšić Joannice of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro and seven priests of the diocese, after having been interrogated for two hours in the security centre in Nikšić and then by the public prosecutor, were ordered into custody for 72 hours. Charges are linked to a procession held in Nikšić to celebrate the local saint, St Basil of Ostrog, that violated the ban preventing the spread of the Coronavirus. The bishops and the priests had not requested any authorization to hold the procession that was in fact promoted by the local population, who, on their own initiative, gathered in large numbers in front of the Cathedral of Nikšić. Police officers intervened and arrested the bishop and the priests. But the latter refused to enter the police van and reached the police station with their own vehicles. The clergy who remained on the site of the procession asked the people who had stood in defence of their bishop to leave and not to attack the police.
The news rapidly spread to the Balkan region, where, over the past months, the promulgation of a law on religious freedom by the Parliament of Podgorica reignited tensions. The Act stipulates that religious communities in Montenegro must provide evidence of their pre-1918 property rights. Citizens took to the streets at the end of 2019 in the Serbian capital Belgrade and in several Montenegrin cities in support of the Serbian Orthodox Church because in their view this "unconstitutional and discriminatory" law was designed to strip the property of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro and register it as State property instead, including medieval monasteries and churches.
The Moscow Patriarchate spoke out in defence of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro. In a statement to Russian news agency Ria Novosti, the president of the Department of External Relations, Metropolitan Hilarion, said that "the Russian Orthodox Church is deeply alarmed" over the arrest of Bishop Joannice of Budimlje-Nikšić and seven clerics of Nikšić Cathedral by the Montenegrin police, including "the humiliating treatment inflicted on the members of the Orthodox clergy." The Moscow Patriarchate thus endorses the appeal launched by His Holiness Patriarch Irenaeus and the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church calling for "the prompt release of the prisoners." From Moscow, the Patriarchate called for "a constructive dialogue between the authorities of Montenegro and the hierarchy of the Orthodox Church in that country. Only such dialogue would restore civil peace and harmony in society, disrupted by a series of expressions of hostility against the Serbian Orthodox Church", reads the Declaration.
The arrest was the object of a telephone conversation between Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Serbian Patriarch Irenaeus who "expressed great concern" in a joint communiqué, inviting the population to adopt "peaceful and calm behaviour, at a time when no reasonable person would ever hope for conflicts and disputes." In the statement, Patriarch Irenaeus of Serbia recalled that the hostilities of the State of Montenegro against the Serbian Orthodox Church began with "the adoption of the controversial law on religious freedom, in flagrant contempt of the Serbian Orthodox Church's request for equal treatment with all other churches and denominations and for the safeguarding of the rights it has enjoyed for centuries. President Vučić offered "his full support" to the Patriarch of Serbia Irenaeus and to the bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro, hoping that "all the problems encountered will be resolved through dialogue, in a peaceful manner, in full respect and freedom of the faithful of the Serbian Orthodox Church" in the certainty – reads the communiqué – "that Archbishop Joannice and the other arrested priests will be released as soon as possible."
15 maggio 2020 © Riproduzione Riservata
Altri articoli in Balcani
Nel campo di Lipa e nell'inverno bosniaco, un migliaio di migranti in condizioni disumane
Over a thousand migrants stranded in Lipa camp face freezing winter in inhumane conditions
Terremoto in Croazia: la "cura dell'ascolto" per i terremotati di Petrinja e Sisak
Terremoto in Croazia. Mons. Kosic (Sisak): "Non molliamo, non ci arrendiamo"
Terremoto in Croazia. Borko (Caritas): "Nessuno sarà abbandonato"
Srebrenica e il nazionalismo oggi. Marco Erba: "Seminare odio è un gioco pericoloso"
Montenegro: proteste di piazza e scontri con la polizia. Metropolita Hilarion (Mosca) invoca "dialogo costruttivo" per pace civile
Migranti. Sulla Rotta Balcanica si gioca il "game" della vita


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The Gutter Twins is a side project of Greg Dulli (ex-Afghan Whigs, current member of Twilight Singers) and Mark Lanegan (ex-Screaming Trees, ex-Queens Of The Stone Age). On Christmas Day 2003, the guys began work on their collaboration. It took a few years for all the timing to fall into place. Their long awaited debut, Saturnalia, was just released a few weeks back. It definetely has a dark, bluesy feel to it. It features guest appearances by Joseph Arthur, Martina Topley-Bird, Queens Of The Stone Age's Troy Van Leeuwen and the touring band of the Twilight Singers.
The Gutter Twins will be here on Wednesday at Antone's. Ticket info for the Austin show is down below, along with the rest of the tour dates.
They recently appeared on Letterman with the song "Idle Hands". He really seemed to enjoy it, check out his reaction at the end of the video.


Is Aileen a female or a male name and where does Aileen originate from?
What is the full meaning of Aileen ?
Is the gender of the name Aileen male or female and what people use it most often?
Like to add another meaning or definition of Aileen?
What is the meaning/definition of the letters in the name Aileen?
AILEEN means: Scottish Anglicized form of Gaelic Aibhilín, AILEEN means "little Eve."
EILIDH means: Pet form of Scottish Aileen, EILIDH means "beauty, radiance."
Aileen means: Light. From the name Eibhlin, derived from Evelyn or Evelina. Light.
ALENE means: Variant spelling of English Aileen, ALENE means "little Eve."
ALEEN means: Variant spelling of English Aileen, ALEEN means "little Eve."
AILEE means: Short form of English Aileen, AILEE means "little Eve."
Tags: Horoscope & Zodiac Meaning of Aileen. Meaning of Aileen. Did you find the numerology meaning of the name Aileen? Please, add a meaning of Aileen if you did not find one from a search of Aileen.


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The Cooney Law team
Our lawyers and legal team are here to help. Below is a little bit more information about each of us.
Jocelyn Cooney - Partner
Jocelyn has been practising as a Barrister & Solicitor for more than 40 years. After practising in Auckland, Tauranga and Rotorua, she and her husband David returned to Cambridge in 1982.
Jocelyn has strong ties to Cambridge having completed her own High School education here and returning to raise her family. Jocelyn has two children, Emma is a lawyer working in Wellington and Rob is the Finance Director for an International Travel Company in Toronto.
In 1996 Jocelyn was appointed as the Coroner of the Cambridge District and continued in that role until June 2007 when part time Coroners were replaced by full time Coroners.
Jocelyn's husband David is an insurance broker. His firm, Cooney Financial Services, is also based in Cambridge.
While Jocelyn practices in several main areas of law, in particular family law, she is committed to continuing the development of the conveyancing practice of the firm.
Jocelyn is the Honorary Solicitor for a number of community and charitable organisations including Cambridge Parents Centre, Grey Power Cambridge, Cambridge Creative Fibre, Cambridge Health and Community Trust, Lyceum House and Cambridge Riding for the Disabled. She was a Trustee of the Waipa Community Trust for more than 9 years and is currently serving on the Cambridge Safer Community Charitable Trust (Neighbourhood Support), The Cambridge Autumn Festival Trust and has been on the Board of Salisbury School in Nelson for more than 7 years.
Email: jocelyn@cooneylaw.co.nz
Michael Jones – Partner
Michael has been with Cooney Law since 2007 and has been a Partner since March 2018. Prior to joining Cooney Law, Michael spent his previous 12 years of practice in Hamilton, Melbourne and Auckland.
Born in Matamata and educated at Waikato University in Hamilton, Michael is very proud to be from and working in the Waikato.
In his years of being a lawyer, Michael has built up a strong expertise in property transactions at all levels including farms, subdivision and development. He also has a lot of experience helping his clients buy and sell businesses, lease commercial buildings, enter into or start franchises and protect their homes and other assets with family trusts.
Thanks to his time in Melbourne and Auckland and the stint he had working as a lawyer on the payroll at AgResearch in Hamilton, Michael can also deal with complex commercial transactions and agreements if the need arises.
Outside of work, Michael enjoys all sports but particularly soccer, tennis, golf and touch. He loves to travel with his wife Tania, socialise with mates and family and to spend time with his two children.
Main Practice Areas:
Business sales and purchases
Farm sales and purchases
Sharemilking agreements
Commercial property sales and purchases
Residential property sales and purchases
Bank securities for property investment and development
Email: michael@cooneylaw.co.nz
Sinead Kennedy – Senior Solicitor
Sinead joined Cooney Law in 2014. She has many years' experience in general litigation and has a particular interest in Mediation and dispute avoidance. Sinead has recently completed the Lawyer for Child programme with a view to being appointed by the Family Court to represent children and other individuals in family disputes.
Sinead and her husband Mark thoroughly enjoy what lifestyle Cambridge has to offer them and their three children.
Email: sinead@cooneylaw.co.nz
Elaine Hunt – Personal Assistant
Elaine has been part of Jocelyn's team since 1999 and is Jocelyn and Sinead's PA. Her office administration background is invaluable in her management of the firm's family law, litigation and Will files. Elaine particularly enjoys her contact with clients and finds her role rewarding.
Elaine and her husband Murray have been established in the Cambridge community for many years, but now reside on a lifestyle block at Matangi. They have two children, Tarah and Javin and one grandchild.
Email: elaine@cooneylaw.co.nz
Rebecca Whittall – Legal Executive
Rebecca is a qualified Legal Executive and commenced employment with Jocelyn Cooney in 1999. She specialises in the administration of estates and trusts, along with the preparation of Wills and Powers of Attorney.
She lives in Cambridge with her husband, David, and their two children, Aimee and Jack.
Email: rebecca@cooneylaw.co.nz
Jennifer Coxon - Legal Executive
Jenn commenced her employment with Cooney Law in September 2017 in the conveyancing team. She has 10 years' experience working in law firms in all areas of law.
Jenn lives in rural Te Aroha with her partner Daniel and in her spare time enjoys being on the farm, going fishing and spending time with their family and friends.
Email: jennifer@cooneylaw.co.nz
Jeanette Alexander - Legal Secretary
Jeanette comes from a wide and varied employment background but in particular loves working in administrative law employment. At Cooney Law she is Michael Jones' full-time Legal Secretary.
Jeanette returned from overseas in 2016 with her partner and they have recently established their new household in picturesque Kihikihi.
Email: jeanette@cooneylaw.co.nz
Natalie Hughes – Legal Secretary
Natalie has over 11 years' experience as a Legal Secretary and commenced part-time employment with Cooney Law in October 2007, as part of Michael's team.
Natalie lives with her husband, Gerald and their three children Thomas, Emma and William in Morrinsville and they are enjoying the country lifestyle.
Email: natalie@cooneylaw.co.nz
Nikita Saunders - Legal Secretary
Nikita joined Jocelyn's team, part-time in late 2019.
Nikita and her husband Scott have recently moved to Cambridge with their two young children, Nixon and Isla. Scott is a Real Estate Agent in Cambridge.
Email: nikita@cooneylaw.co.nz
Lynette Maddocks - Receptionist
Lynette joined Cooney Law in March of 2018, following her return to New Zealand after 16 months travel throughout the U.K. and Europe with her husband.
Having chosen Cambridge as their perfect place to resettle, Lynette is looking forward to welcoming clients at reception, when she has administrative experience in accounting, insurance and legal professions.
Email: reception@cooneylaw.co.nz
Barbara Riggir - Trust Account Administrator
Babs joined the team in July 2016. She has over 20 years' experience in accounting and has completed the New Zealand Law Society Trust Account Administration Course.
Barbara and her husband Louis have both lived in Hamilton most of their lives and currently enjoy living in the countryside near Cambridge. They have three children and three grandchildren.
Email: barbara@cooneylaw.co.nz
22 Dick Street, PO Box 369, Cambridge,
New Zealand Phone: (07) 823 1555


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Colin Slade
Stories / Colin Slade
When Colin Slade talks about the stigma experienced by suicide survivors, he's speaking from personal experience.
Read about depression Suicide: coping with suicidal thoughts
Colin, who manages a disability support service, has lived with depression for much of his life. His first suicide attempt came at the age of 13 and at various times in his life he's continued to have suicidal thoughts.
His last serious attempt was as a result of the combination of more than one medication whose side-effects were depression, along with the end of a relationship that he thought was going well, but wasn't.
The stigma of attempted suicide
Following the last attempt on his own life, he was admitted to hospital, where he felt the stigma associated with suicide first-hand.
"My face was all black from the charcoal they made me drink to counteract the overdose. Everyone walking by could tell that I'd tried to overdose and the nurses and the registrar were very cold with me... I got the sense that they were only there for people who wanted to live."
Colin hopes the stigma associated with suicide and attempted suicide is diminishing, but he says he isn't convinced. He hears about situations where suicide is discussed and there is discrimination.
"Usually it's a third party point of view, with someone saying 'what a horribly selfish thing to do'. But having been through the experience, you know that the suicidal person is actually thinking the opposite - that their family and friends really will be better off without them."
Being open is a strengthening thing
Speaking as a suicide survivor, Colin says sharing personal experiences is part of the healing journey and also helps to educate others.
"The most empowering and affirming thing is for people to learn and know that they are not alone," he says. "In the midst of despair, it is so uplifting and liberating to hear about other people's similar experience. Being open is a strengthening thing - you are stronger than you would be if you had something to hide."


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Call Of Duty: Warzone Demon Glitch Is Now Wreaking Havoc In Vanguard
Warzone's infamous texture bug known as the "demon gun glitch" is now plaguing Vanguard's multiplayer matches.
By S.E. Doster on January 18, 2022 at 10:20AM PST
PS5 XBSX XONE PS4
$53.00 at Walmart $69.99 at Best Buy
Call of Duty: Warzone players are all too familiar with the texture bug known as the "demon gun glitch" that distorts one's view in the battle royale, but now the frustrating bug is popping up in Vanguard's multiplayer.
With this texture bug in Warzone, the demon glitch turns guns and operators into a jagged mess of polygons that distorts a player's view. Sometimes the visual glitch just affects the surface of a weapon, but other times it will take over the whole screen. However, Vanguard players report entire multiplayer maps seem to be swallowing them in a sea of jagged polygons.
Reddit user, Fatal_Overflow shared a clip from a match of Domination on Vanguard's Das Haus, where you can see clusters of polygon shapes burst all around the player as they navigate the map. These types of textural distractions can make the game difficult to play, especially in situations where the bug seems to take over the whole map.
Severe texture bug on PC, game is unplayabale. from CODVanguard
Additionally, Reddit user Juujuubeanss posted a clip from a match on Shipment, showing their operator spawn with their entire view completely blocked by the polygon demon textures. The player spawned and died a few times, then tweaked their settings, but eventually left as the texture bug continued to cover their entire field of view.
Beenox, the PC developer for Call of Duty, tweeted awareness of the Vanguard issue with some Nvidia cards and offered a temporary solution for players. "We're working hard to get it fixed," the developer said. "In the meantime, please roll back your drivers to at least 472.84."
However, the demon glitch doesn't seem to be just a PC issue, as players are commenting on Fatal_Overflow's post to say they've experienced this bug on console as well. Hopefully Beenox and Sledgehammer Games can squash this frustrating bug soon.
This texture bug is just one of many issues with Vanguard, as players have voiced enough complaints over the rough state of both Vanguard and Warzone that Activision issued a formal statement on January 13 to promise fixes for the games. The tweet specifically mentioned things like freezing and console performance for Warzone and matchmaking issues for Vanguard.
It's too early to tell how the change will impact Call of Duty, but Microsoft announced it has acquired Activision Blizzard--pending regulatory approval--in a deal to be valued at nearly $70 billion. Activision Blizzard has been struggling as of late with employee walkouts and lawsuits and other investigations related to alleged sexual harassment and discrimination against women.
Best Call Of Duty Games: Ranking The 10 Greatest Entries
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[...] AI can increasingly help to power essential business processes, and organizations look to harness this power, it's keep in mind that AI is fundamentally different from other technology trends that sweep the business world every few years. With AI, we are talking about the ability to exponentially accelerate cognitive powers of the human brain. This will have meaningful impacts across all of society, and specifically for businesses, across the entire value chain. Those impacts will be seen in back office operations like finance automation, improved customer insights and personalized marketing, and all the way up to the way customer interaction is handled.
Business applications of AI are already widespread. "Just look at your smartphone" has quickly become a cliché in the context of AI. Customer-facing or customer-oriented applications of AI are very common, with applications such as natural language processing and predictive marketing. In supply chain and distribution centers, we see the application of intelligent robots and demand forecasting. However, many experts agree that we're just at the beginning of an AI revolution -- currently at the stage of Artificial Narrow Intelligence (Think: Siri). As we move towards Artificial General Intelligence, leveraging deep learning and neural networks, AI will play a role in every business function and process: strategy, operations, marketing, finance, and so on.
When it comes to the benefits of adding AI to business processes, the most tangible wins are in terms of automation and efficiency, which in turn improve time to market and enable stronger financial results as businesses add value for their customers. Scratching beneath the surface, and depending on the application of AI, there are myriad other benefits that emerge from AI. For example, the ability to intelligently act upon volumes of data can unlock numerous opportunities, from identifying new customer segments to preventing fraud.
Of course, measurement and reporting are key when it comes to demonstrating the ROI of any new technology. To this end, it is crucial to have a clear understanding of the primary objectives of AI adoption. Much like any technological adoption or process improvement, these objectives need to be mapped to KPIs, and vigorously monitored. If anything, measuring the impact of AI is relatively easier than say, a major change management initiative. It is to be expected that some of the unexpected impacts, such as the business benefits discussed above, may not have clear KPIs established at the forefront, but should also be considered in terms of the overall AI platform.
[...] We're already in the AI-age, seeing applications in numerous ways. To stay competitive and maintain value, adoption is not really a question. However, there are many ways to do AI wrong. For example, if Elon Musk is correct, AI handled irresponsibly can lead to devastating effects. Therefore, skeptics and enthusiasts alike need to have honest and clear conversations on their organization's AI strategy moving forward.
For 2018 and beyond, hospitals are required to submit their meaningful use data through the QualityNet Secure Portal, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services affirmed this month.
Reporting began on Jan. 2 for hospitals and critical access hospitals eligible for Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive programs.
CMS said its goal is to simplify reporting, as the hospitals can now report meaningful use using one portal, instead of two.
No other changes are needed. Eligible hospitals and CAHs can continue to collect data in the way they always have, CMS said.
CMS sent out a notice in October that eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals attesting to CMS for the EHR incentive program must use the QualityNet Secure Portal or QNet.
QNet streamlines data submission methods to make it easier for eligible hospitals and CAH's to report data.
The requirement covers eligible Medicare and Medicaid hospitals and critical access hospitals.
Medicaid-only hospitals and CAHs need to update their registration and coordinate with their respective state Medicaid agencies to for information on where to attest, according to CMS.
Hospitals dually-eligible and CAHs will need to register or update their registration with both QNet and the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive program registration and attestation system.
Medicare Part B clinicians eligible to participate in MIPS should visit app.cms.gov for more information on how to report.
The attestation period ends on Feb. 28.
A recent study by researchers from Google, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), Stanford University, and University of Chicago Medicine (UCM) found representations of a comprehensive patient EHR using Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) can be used for more accurate predictive analytics.
Researchers used de-identified EHR data from UCSF and UCM gathered from 2009-2016 during inpatient and outpatient encounters. Datasets included patient demographics, provider orders, diagnoses, procedures, medications, lab values, vital signs, and flowsheet data. In total, the study included data about 216,221 hospitalizations involving 114,003 patients.
Researchers then used a single data structure to predict health outcomes instead of requiring custom datasets for each new prediction.
"This approach represents the entire EHR in temporal order: data are organized by patient and by time," noted researchers in the report. "To represent events in a patient's timeline, we adopted the FHIR standard."
Ultimately, researchers determined deep learning could produce valid predictions across a variety of clinical problems and health outcomes. Researchers were able to predict outcomes ranging from mortality rates to readmissions, as well as length of stay and diagnoses. Additionally, the single predictive model could be used at different medical facilities.
"A deep learning approach that incorporated the entire electronic health record, including free-text notes, produced predictions for a wide range of clinical problems and outcomes that outperformed state-of-the-art traditional predictive models," wrote researchers.
The study showed the potential for advancements in the scalability of predictive analytics models in clinical care, researchers said.
"First, our study's approach uses a single data-representation of the entire EHR as a sequence of events, allowing this system to be used for any prediction that would be clinically or operationally useful with minimal additional data preparation," they stated.
Despite potential problems associated with predicting patient discharge diagnoses, researchers stated the study serves as a proof-of-concept for gaining a diagnosis from routine EHR data. The ability to predict health outcomes or diagnoses from routine EHR data could help to improve clinical decision support or clinical trial recruitment.
"Accurate predictive models can be built directly from EHR data for a variety of important clinical problems with explanations highlighting evidence in the patient's chart," researchers concluded.
Findings from this study could be used to encourage clinicians to leverage comprehensive patient EHRs for improved predictive analytics and health outcomes.
Another recent study published in the American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC) showed the value of utilizing diagnostic EHR data to lower patient mortality rates and improve health outcomes. Researchers found sharing diagnostic EHR data within health systems and hospitals is associated with lower rates of patient mortality and reduced hospital readmission rates for patients with heart failure and pneumonia.
The exchange of radiology images, lab results, and other kinds of diagnostic data allows for more accurate, informed patient care.
The Government Accountability Office has hit the Coast Guard for failing to implement an electronic health record system and creating havoc by resorting to a paper process.
The House Transportation Committee has scheduled a hearing Jan. 30 to consider the Coast Guard's failure to implement an Epic electronic health record back in 2015.
The Coast Guard canceled the contract two years ago without explanation, according to Epic Systems, the EHR vendor who had won the contract.
Today, the Coast Guard is tangled in a web of paper processes, which is creating havoc, GAO found.
After canceling the project in October 2015, the Coast Guard could not return to using its electronic legacy system because the technology had been decommissioned in 2015, according to GAO findings.
The agency is recommending the Coast Guard "expeditiously and judiciously" pursue the acquisition of a new EHR, adding that, in doing so, the Coast Guard should ensure key processes are implemented. The government watchdog also called for the establishment of project governance boards to oversee the project.
As for Epic, it posted a project timeline of the abandoned Coast Guard work on its site prior to the GAO report. In the post, Epic noted its work on the project was repeatedly rated "exemplary" by the Coast Guard in formal documented reviews. "Epic was paid in full for the work done," the EHR vendor writes on its website. "The U.S. Government did not request any refund. The software was ready to go live."
GAO concluded the Coast Guard could not demonstrate effective management of the project, lacked governance and failed to document lessons learned from the project. Also, relevant documentation was often not available.
"Management told us documentation either did not exist or could not be located because several of the key project management team members were no longer employees of the Coast Guard," GAO said.
GAO noted that the Coast Guard also lacked governance mechanisms for its health information system and recommended the Coast Guard develop new performance goals or describe how existing goals are sufficient, publicly report its goals, assess the limitations in performance data are documented, document measurable corrective actions and implementation timeframes, as well as document efforts to monitor implementation of corrective actions.
The Department of Homeland Security concurred with all five recommendations.
Virtually all hospitals and providers, or at least the overwhelming majority, have adopted an EHR and that's a start. Next up: Harnessing EHRs to move to value-based care because of the data they house.
"There are also tests where there is no value, or limited value," said Weingarten. "If you take an otherwise perfectly healthy person and do carotid ultrasounds, the data suggests that's not going to help an asymptomatic, otherwise healthy patient. And it's going to cost money without providing benefit.
"The EHR can provide benefits in real time in that it can share information with the provider," he said. "After the fact, data is available to see how many doctors have prescribed low-value tests or treatments in comparison to your peers. When you give providers comparative information ... they often respond by reducing their prescribing of low-value care."
Further elevating EHR's importance is increased interoperability, which enables different EHR systems to communicate with one another. This allows for a freer flow of information between providers, which is of prime importance when it comes to clinical quality and patient satisfaction.
"EHRs can all talk to each other, similar to ATMs," said Weingarten. "Anywhere in the world, I can withdraw money from an ATM ... because the ATM that I intend to withdraw money from is interoperable with my bank. There was one time I was in a remote area in Argentina, hiking, and I came across a small town and was able to withdraw money from my bank in Los Angeles. So there was that interoperability -- this ATM in Argentina knew I had money to withdraw from my bank. That's the benefit, when you can communicate patient information between different EHRs."
"We haven't achieved an endpoint yet, but my sense is things are going in the right direction."
"I think we'll continue to see a progression of value-based care," Weingarten said. "Providers who deliver the best care at the lowest cost and provide the best patient experience will grow and thrive, and those provider organizations that do not provide high-value care are going to struggle."
Today, organizations often focus on high-acuity programs like telestroke, which successfully serve some of the highest-needs populations. These programs often boast the greatest success rates--and help make the case for a more comprehensive, system-wide strategy. As a part of this, a growing number of hospitals also want to offer patients on-demand services: A 2015 survey from the Advisory Board Company indicates more than 80 percent of healthcare providers are interested in offering direct-to-consumer (DTC) telehealth (which, researchers note, is inclusive of remote monitoring and virtual visits).
What healthcare organizations must do, therefore, is seek vendor partners that can offer a more comprehensive, end-to-end solution instead of a "patchwork" solution. Specifically, organizations that want to offer system-wide telehealth need a platform that facilitates a seamless technology experience for patients anytime and anywhere -- whether they are experiencing a stroke, or simply need to call a doctor while on vacation.
Experience. A technology partner should have a proven track record in working with healthcare organizations to help them accomplish their goals. Organizations that want to roll out DTC programs and outsource remote providers should make sure that their partners have established relationships with credentialed, board certified provider partners for virtual and onsite care coverage. As the KLAS report noted, DTC telehealth should ideally help boost healthcare organizations' access to vendor-employed urgent or specialty care providers when an organization does not have access to such clinicians through other means. The ideal telehealth platform should also allow providers to document the visit in the patient's record within the EHR, researchers added.
Interoperability. As value-based care becomes more of a norm (and less of an alternative to fee for service), the need for tighter care coordination and information exchange will increase. If a vendor partner's platform isn't interoperable with all major EHRs, an organization will waste a lot of time and money in trying to coordinate care and record visits.
Flexibility. An organization's needs, programs and partnerships are always evolving. A vendor partner must be flexible and able to accommodate today's needs and future plans to launch new telehealth programs. Technology cannot simply be great, powerful, and secure. It must also be able to adapt to multiple use cases. These may include providers who want to conduct secure DTC virtual visits between their mobile phone and patients' mobile phones, as well as remote specialists who conduct "virtual" visits with patients in remote exam rooms. Each of these use cases requires different tools, back-end technology, and expertise. A vendor should possess the technology to empower additional use cases with customizable technology solutions and quality providers, to ensure high-quality virtual care reaches patients in any location throughout the continuum.
The AHA Annual Information Technology supplement gathered information from providers about their hospital's health data sharing behaviors. Providers submitted responses about how frequently their hospital exchanged data between providers in their own health system, as well as with providers at outside health systems. AHA collected separate responses from providers about hospital sharing of radiology reports and lab results.
Researchers linked AHA survey data from 3,113 distinct hospitals to each hospital's corresponding CMS Hospital Compare scores.
"Hospitals sharing diagnostic data through their EHRs with other hospitals and physicians within their system were associated with significant reductions in 30-day patient mortality scores," stated researchers in the report.
Comparatively, sharing diagnostic EHR data with hospitals part of other health systems was associated with higher patient mortality scores - particularly for patients with heart failure.
"It is possible that hospitals within a system share EHR data more effectively due to team dynamics," they suggested. "Further, as hospitals in different systems may have different EHR systems, there may be unique difficulties with sharing data across systems."
"This may partially account for the differential between sharing with providers within and outside of systems because physicians within the system may be able to access the source images through other means when necessary," wrote researchers. "Hospitals that solve the communication challenges associated with EHR data may be able to significantly reduce patient readmissions and mortality."
"If hospital sharing is limited by communication or compatibility among different EHR systems, the ability of EHRs to improve patient outcomes or access to care may be limited in the long run," wrote researchers.
"Our study found some evidence that when hospitals do share EHR data with hospitals outside their system, patient mortality has the potential to increase," researchers explained. "Therefore, although there may be benefits to sharing EHR data, it may be that hospitals are not yet able to effectively use EHR data from other hospitals as well as would be desired."
"Thus, best approach for increasing patient outcomes through better provider communication of diagnostic information may not be simply expanding the degree of EHR data sharing among providers, but rather developing common standards when using different EHR systems to ensure that providers can share diagnostic information in ways that are easy for other providers to access and accurately interpret," they concluded.
Patient health data - Using blockchain for health data exchanges would ensure health data interoperability, integrity and security. It would give providers easy access to historic and real-time data from disparate electronic medical records systems scattered across multiple facilities.
Billing and claims management - Using blockchain to automate the claims resolution and payment processes could speed payments, reduce administrative costs and eliminate the need for intermediaries to resolve issues.
Pharmaceuticals - Counterfeit drugs cost pharmaceutical companies $200 billion each year. Blockchain could track the chain of custody for drugs through the supply chain and establish smart contracts to maintain drug integrity and veracity.
Drug testing and development - Experts estimate 50% of clinical trials are not reported, creating knowledge gaps for patients, clinicians and policy makers. Using blockchain for clinical trials would establish permanent records of testing protocols and results for use by all stakeholders.
Health care internet of things (IoT) - Health care data breaches have increased and the growing use of health care IoT devices poses a looming threat. Analysts expect up to 30 billion health care IoT devices will be in use around the world by 2020. Blockchain could securely bridge the interoperability gap between various devices and protect their data outputs.
Regardless, there's been an uptick in SamSam attacks since about Jan. 11, although some security experts saw the start Dec. 25. As these attacks show no signs of slowing down, it's important for healthcare security leaders to understand how the virus gets in to prevent falling victim.
There are a few different ways a hacker can use SamSam to get into a system, explained Kim. For example, those who use weak passwords, reuse passwords and fail to limit admin credentials. A brute force tool can break weak credentials to get in, especially if an organization has failed to limit the number of attempts allowed by a user to get into a system.
"It needs to be on all of your endpoints," said Finn. "We sometimes forget about those servers being endpoints."
While SamSam is highly effective, Finn said, "it isn't terribly sophisticated."
The virus is spread through the web and Java apps, as well as other web-based applications, explained Finn. And once it gets into the system, it spreads -- without a malicious email. SamSam can be stopped if detected before it gets into a system, but "once it's spread: it's over."
"It speaks to effectiveness not sophistication," said Finn. "That's one of those things that makes it more insidious. It can traverse the network without human intervention. That's why the prevention piece becomes more critical."
Skilled nursing facilities are moving into the digital age, and the impact is being felt in areas ranging from hospital readmissions to workforce efficiency and clinical quality. Increasingly, skilled nursing facilities are using new approaches to improve not only their own performance but the wellbeing of the healthcare system generally.
"The burden of paperwork in these buildings is absolutely astounding," said Paul Liistro, managing partner of Vernon Manor and Manchester Manor, both in Connecticut. "If you can find a technological answer, it'll save you a lot of frustration. It makes the quality of work, the experience they have when they come to work, more enjoyable. They just want to solve medical problems."
Rather than stay in the paper-based environment common to many skilled nursing facilities, Liistro's facilities are moving forward into what he sees as the future of long-term care.
For two years now, Liistro has been using a platform that sits on top of a facility's electronic medical record, analyzes 150 clinical data fields, provides recommended interventions and consolidates the data into a single report. [...] It gives the two Connecticut facilities a fresh report each day at 12:01.
Now, Liistro and his staff don't have to wait until the EMR's minimum data set pinpoints a trend that's happening. That has improved clinical quality, which in turn has resulted in fewer patients being readmitted to a local hospital.
"That is a metric that is problematic, because it's very expensive for the federal government," said Liistro. "It's problematic for us and the industry because the government is now creating a program where they penalize us for readmissions, and that starts in 2018. So you have to look for solutions that are going to help you avoid those things. If you're lowering the readmissions rate, you're starting to do things better."
The two facilities have also been able to improve their patients' lengths of stay. In Connecticut, the average length of stay for a patient in a skilled nursing facility is 30 days, and by Liistro's estimate, that translates into about $18,000 a stay -- the cost of episodic care. By contrast, Liistro's buildings average about 14 of 15 days per length of stay.
"Someone sees I'm responding to the mantra of shorter lengths of stay, lower readmission rates," he said. "So what hospitals and insurance companies are going to do is send us more patients. It's been driving volume."
Hospitals aren't complaining, either. The federal government levies financial penalties against hospitals for underperforming against their peers when it comes to 30-day readmission rates; Medicare financially penalizes about two-thirds of U.S. hospitals based on that metric. Harnessing technology to improve clinical quality and reduce that metric has benefitted not only Vernon and Manchester Manors, but hospitals that serve those communities.
It's part of a broader technological approach that has helped in other areas, as well. The Connecticut facilities have been using Providigm's Abaqis tool, a quality management system distributed by Medline that helps reduce survey deficiencies, to help prepare for surveyors who come in and determine skilled nursing facilities' competencies in several key areas. When CMS announced the facility assessment requirement, Providigm decided to add an assessment tool to abaqis to provide nursing home operators with an efficient means fulfilling the requirement.
It's already paying off. By the time the surveyors come in, Vernon and Manchester Manors have typically already identified any issues that might be found, and taken steps to correct them. The two buildings routinely score a full five stars on nursinghomecompare.gov, one of several federal websites that rank healthcare facilities on quality.
"If you can intercept that assessment, if you can know it before you complete that form, it doesn't become data," said Liistro. "You can fix it. The software technology gathers that information every night in our building. It will tell us specifically which patients have triggered something that will affect our five-star (rating)."
The efforts to bolster care and quality through technology is part of the two skilled nursing facilities' drive to follow the so-called triple aim: better outcomes, lower cost, and better patient satisfaction. There's an upfront investment required to overhaul systems and processes in a 21st century framework, but it pays off down the road.
"We spend about $325,000 on IT-related software," said Liistro. "When I tell people that, they stare at me and ask, 'Why do you have this?' The theory is, every department, and in some cases specific people, need to have a sharp tool in their shed. The software makes them do their job much better. If you're a paper-driven nursing home, you're not going to be as attractive to a new graduate nurse, because they are attracted to technology."