Innovative design firm Nottingham-Spirk, featured in the June 8 issue of Fortune Magazine, uses the following rating system for new ideas. All new concepts are voted on with a black "who cares" card, a blue "nice" card or a red "wow!" card. What a great way to cut through the clutter and prevent lukewarm ideas from turning into time-consuming projects.
Rating ideas provides creative focus. Simple, democratic, with no room for mediocrity.
Why not focus on on the WOW! ???
Seizing opportunities in the "off season"
Infographics - the merger of marketing and creative?
Marketing Metrics - are we missing the fundamentals?
"Creativity is not just for artists. It's for businesspeople looking for a new way to close a sale; it's for engineers trying to solve a problem; it's for parents who want their children to see the world in more than one way"
The Most Fragile Supply Chain of All?


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HOLOCAUST EDUCATION AND GENOCIDE PREVENTION
Holocaust Education
International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) MembersNon-IHRA MembersInternational Organizations
Salzburg Global Publications
Holocaust EducationGenocide PreventionCombating Extremism
Additional USHMM Resources
About the Holocaust Education and Genocide Prevention series
Since 2010, Salzburg Global Seminar has implemented the Holocaust Education and Genocide Prevention program series in partnership with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Through a series of global and regional gatherings, the Program has engaged participants from more than 40 countries on six continents, the majority of which are non-Western countries, and many of which have a recent experience of mass atrocities. The Program has established a network of individuals and NGOs across these countries, and strives to deepen and extend their collaborative work, allowing practitioners to identify cross-regional strategies to empower institutions and individuals with tools for ethical education and peaceful conflict resolution.
Faced with a rise in violent extremism, policymakers are under pressure to invest in prevention and to show that it works. Structured efforts to reduce extremist mindsets and behaviors have existed for some time, but evidence of effectiveness is often not widely known or utilized. Many interventions require considerable time to affect change, making rigorous measurement of their success over the long-term resource-intensive with sustained political will around an often-unpopular topic. What works? How do we know? And will it work in different geographic, cultural, and political contexts?
Salzburg Global Seminar's Holocaust Education and Genocide Prevention program works across cultures and contexts, including where perceptions and definitions of "extremism" differ widely. The emphasis on grassroots activity within existing institutional budgets anchors projects in their local communities and improves chances for longer-term sustainability. Activities depend on the partners and are demand-driven: the Program provides no financial support to activity implementation, but rather the Program facilitates networks and exchange of experiences across borders to help in-country partners achieve their own institutional mandates, and to help external partners (government, academic, and other interested parties) to have access to practical feedback from on the ground within affected countries and communities.
For detailed information on countries that are not currently part of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), please see: Holocaust Education.
For detailed reports from Salzburg Global Seminar sessions and compiled by Fellows, please see: Salzburg Global Publications
For further Holocaust Education resources from our partner, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, please see: Additional USHMM Resources

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Helping the Good Do Better
How a White Hat Lobbyist Advocates for Social Change
by Thomas F. Sheridan
How to effect positive social change by the top progressive white hat lobbyist in Washington.
HELPING THE GOOD DO BETTER pulls back the curtain on the corridors of power in Washington to reveal how social change really happens. This book offers lessons from the trenches on how some of this generation's most defining social issues-AIDS, disabilities, global poverty, cancer, human trafficking, national service, early childhood education, and social entrepreneurship — engendered landmark federal policies. Each chapter tells the story of how a particular issue was shaped by the movements and legislation at the center of public debate. Each case provides powerful lessons about how coalitions are built, strategies crafted, and powerful interests challenged in high-stakes, no-holds-barred political battles.
Doing good requires more than just providing programs and services. It requires coordination, organization, and a new, stronger emphasis on and dedication to advocacy. Participating in advocacy is no longer a luxury — it is a necessity. Visionaries and activists together with "white hat" lobbyists — people who understand the power of politics and who are able to put it to work to serve the public interest — have won some of the most transformative policy fights in recent times. The culmination of those experiences, of fighting and winning on behalf of public interest causes, is presented here in a new theory for social change. Successful campaigns and movements must possess a lobbyist's combined approach to policy, politics, and press. Leveraging these 3 Ps, with true passion and discipline, can create results that are nothing short of awe-inspiring.
An insightful first-person guide to advocacy by a white-hat lobbyist who was in the rooms where historic social changes were made, HELPING THE GOOD DO BETTER is a direct and honest look at government in action and the behind-the-scenes players who help make progress a reality.
Genre: Nonfiction / Political Science / Public Policy / Social Policy
On Sale: June 25th 2019
"Tom Sheridan is a voice for the voiceless, and a champion for transformative change. His powerful book comes at a critical time for our democracy, delivering an electrifying message of optimism, idealism, and empowerment to America."— Speaker Nancy Pelosi
"Stopping the Bad from Making Things Worse!!! is another title for this book. That's one of the reasons I held on to Tom Sheridan quite tightly in the early days at the ONE Campaign when we were fighting despair and deprivation in the poorest places on the planet. He is rich company."— Bono
"Tom Sheridan's book is as timely as it is important. He poignantly reminds us that good happens only when the good get in the fight. Tom has led important battles that have changed this country for the better. This excellent book tells those stories and, in the process, gives us a road map for making positive change in the future."— Vicki Kennedy
"There is much that corporate citizenship executives can learn from Helping the Good Do Better. Tom's book pulls the curtain back on how social issues, many that are important to business, get turned into policy, legislation, and law. This is of particular importance in the era of brands taking stands, the rise of employees demanding that the company's values reflect their own, and customers' purchasing preferences often determined by a company's social positions."— Jeff Hoffman, corporate citizenship, philanthropy & civic engagement leader
"Helping the Good Do Better is a compelling and hopeful playbook for how to make positive social change happen in a Washington where that doesn't always seem possible. This book is full of practical advice and important lessons from someone who is so often in, as the play Hamilton would put it, 'the room where it happens.' This is a powerful guide for advocates on how to fight the good fight!"—U.S. Senator Chris Coons
"Sheridan formed and executed a strategy that changed the world. And he's done it more than once. Who else can say that?"— Bobby Shriver, co-founder, ONE and (RED)
"In order to fix what is broken with Washington and our divisive politics, we need good people to get involved and stay engaged. This book is a call to action for more engagement and it reminds us about the goodness that is possible in America. Helping the Good Do Better is not only a chronicle of awesome work, it is the backbone of what will keep America great even through troubled times. Tom writes beautifully but it is his actions that truly inspire."— U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin
"Finally, someone has challenged the reflexive, conventional view about lobbying and power in Washington. Helping the Good Do Better is a testament to everyday Americans who, collectively wielding their passion and principles, have transformed public policy while leaving an indelible reminder that our elected officials work for the people -- not the other way around."— Kevin Madden, senior advisor to Mitt Romney's presidential campaigns
"You'll start reading Helping the Good Do Better because of your commitment to social change; you won't be able to put it down because of the riveting -- often funny -- stories and the pragmatic lessons from one of Washington, D.C.'s finest strategists. Tom not only takes you behind the scenes as policy gets made and movements built, but every chapter provides practical advice whether you're working in your community, your state capital, or on Capitol Hill."— Melody C. Barnes, co-director, Democracy Initiative, University of Virginia, and former director, White House Domestic Policy Council (2009-2012)
"The stories Thomas tells are inspiring, colorful, vast, and personal. He captures the fear of the early AIDS epidemic, the infighting among cancer groups lobbying for federal research dollars, and the joy of seeing your national service agenda embraced by the next president. Best of all, Thomas demonstrates why the fight is worth it. Thomas's career is more than a lesson: It's an inspiration."— Patti Solis Doyle, CNN contributor and presidential campaign manager
"Helping the Good Do Better chronicles the aspirational vision, authentic values, and tenacious strategies that led me to partner with Tom and the Sheridan Group as the main policy and advocacy consultancy for the ASBC. Our organization is committed to the 'Triple Bottom Line' of people, planet, and profit."— Hammad Atassi, CEO, American Sustainable Business Council
"I read Helping the Good Do Better in one sitting. Packed with vivid stories and practical tips for both citizens who care and committed change agents, Sheridan makes a compelling argument for the essential role of advocacy in any effort to improve communities. The insightful commentary, hard-won lessons, and tools contained in Helping the Good Do Better are incredibly relevant for this generation of citizen entrepreneurs asking 'What can I do?'"— Cheryl Dorsey, CEO, Echoing Green
"Sheridan makes a much-needed contribution with his new book. Most significantly for me, Tom offers those of us who straddle the applied and academe a better understanding of the theoretical foundations of advocacy so that it can be captured and communicated to students of government and political science everywhere."— Patrick Griffin, academic director, Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute, American University
"Sheridan opens an enjoyable and insightful window into his work on behalf of Americans who deserve better. Through engaging stories, he reminds us that our government has great power to do good. In our era of highly partisan politics, Sheridan boldly asserts that 'the non-profit sector needs to offer leadership that brings the American public together.'"— John Staud, PhD, executive director, ACE Program, University of Notre Dame
"At last, there is a true bible for how nonprofits can effect real transformative change. I was a witness to many of these stories -- from the front lines of the AIDS epidemic in Atlanta to the White House. Tom's brand of pragmatism and political savvy might occasionally ruffle feathers, but he fights to win with the clear understanding that when you fight for those who can't fight for themselves the stakes are always higher. However, these pages bring those fights into perspective with his signature honest, humorous 'Irish storytelling.' Here is a book that tells you how a good guy finally won, and taught countless advocates how to win in the process."— Sandy Thurman, White House AIDS Czar (Clinton Administration, 1997-2001)
"For four score and two years, I've been a witness to a generation of social change and I know what it takes to take on the big issues and win. Tom is wise, disciplined, tough, strategic, and deeply committed to American Idealism and the promise it still holds for the great task of citizenship. This book passes the baton and inspires the reader to carry on."— former U.S. Senator Harris Wofford, author of Of Kennedy and Kings
"[Sheridan] combines his sharp intellect, political acumen, and impressive record of successful measures into a sage guide on how social change occurs. Overall, [his] message that even small action can have a collective impact is compelling, and the challenge is for people to 'step up, lean in, push harder, and take action' to make American government work better for the people. An empowering motivational tool for readers interested in proactive politics."—Kirkus


I see more Security Budgets moving away from Enforcement and Facility Operations and becoming funded by Technology Budgets.
Technology Budgets are moving under management of CISO and CIO executives.
What seems to be driving these changes? In talking with I.T. contacts, there appears to be growing concern regarding network data vulnerabilities in the private sector. For many large companies, successful network attacks can cost the equivalent of years of operational budgets. We don't hear about this kind of activity for obvious reasons – the idea of at-risk sensitive data is toxic to employees / partners / customers.
DDoS attacks overload and bring down large networks by adding more traffic than the network can support. No hacking of security passwords and such, just network failure due to moving massive amounts of data. In this piece, the author emphasizes that in 2013 a researcher was able to successfully launch a DDoS botnet attack hijacking 420,000 IoT (Internet of Things) devices, including thousands of IP Addressable Security Cameras. I am sure very few physical security professionals have considered designing a video surveillance system around defending against that kind of attack! Many strategies can help, such as: address filtering, traffic monitoring apps, restrictive network permissions, etc.
As I noted in a previous post (link: Physical and Logical Security Convergence), Access Control and Intrusion Systems generally utilize un-encrypted data transmission… even though there are technologies available (see link above) to close that gap and eliminate the vulnerability. Intercepting data from Physical Security Systems can allow individuals to gain access to facilities that house mission critical processes. Eliminating opportunity is a key element in deterrence here.
It is possible to utilize certificate based identity authentication in a card access environment today. Formats such as Microprocessor Based Credentials (cards), Edge Controllers and virtual Mobile Credentials can manage encrypted certificate information. See these links: Mobile Keys / SEOS / PoE Locks. These safeguards have the ability to verify the status of certificates (expired/revoked), proof of possession and more. Most physical security professionals think of Identity Management as printing a current photo on an access control badge. Safeguarding identity information on the credential is important, but just as critical is the the security of that data as it moves from the credential to the reader and reader to controller.
When designing systems with Host-Client architecture these concerns become even greater. Client applications typically can permit full access to the server core. Safeguarding identity information and verifying authenticity is critical, before allowing administrator access to your core via a client connection.
The obvious safeguard is often overlooked. Today, IP Cameras and IP Controllers are intelligent devices with enough processing power on board to be a laptop computer five years ago. These devices frequently offer password protected access features and NO, default passwords are not acceptable.
Every layer in system design usually has at least a few built-in data safeguards. In physical security, we are so focused on physical unauthorized access and intrusion events, we forget that the security systems themselves must be designed with Cybersecurity in mind (defend data). Commissioning of security systems just took on a whole new level of importance in the deployment process. Consider adding a line item to your project Gantt Chart for commissioning of data security safeguards. You will make a CISO somewhere very happy!
Does your company house a blade rack containing servers and switches in an electrical, telco, or I.T. closet (IDF Room) OUTSIDE your data center? Are 3rd party contractors permitted to physically access these spaces? How is the rack secured? With some $15 cam lock that can be broken with a screwdriver? There is a fantastic new product that can add a card reader directly to blade racks to manage access, provide alarm signaling AND audit trail. See this link: Server Rack Card Reader Lock.
Douglas Levin is a consultant employed by ASSA ABLOY, Inc. Please contact him on LinkedIn for more information on this topic.
Doug is a certified (PSP, AHC, LEED AP), experienced business development professional with a focus on the physical security industry. With a diverse background that includes delivering products & services through multiple channels (manufacturing, distribution, specialty & general contracting), he brings a broad industry perspective that adds greater value for his clients. Having decades of experience with sales engineering and design-build of low-voltage automated systems, he also offers a strong emphasis on technical knowledge and consulting services. His career has included responsibility for: profit & loss, operations and sales management with front-line experience in estimating, sales/marketing, project management and developing security design documents & spec writing.
This entry was posted in Cybersecurity, Physical Security, Technology and tagged Automated Building Systems, CISO, Cybersecurity, Data Encryption, Data Security, Identity Management, IoT, IP Data, Physical Security, Security, Technology. Bookmark the permalink.


Art instruction at Varna Free University commenced back in 1994 with the establishment of the two specialities forming the professional field of Fine Arts - Fashion Design and Textile Design. Initially, courses were delivered at the Faculty of Art, Culture and Mass Communications, comprised of the specialities of Cultural Studies and Journalism. The next three years saw the establishment of many new specialties in all three professional art fields – Fine Arts, Music and Dance Art, and Theatrical and Film Art. Later, we founded an Academic and Scientific Complex of Arts, while since 2007 instruction has been taking place at the Department of Art at Varna Free University.
With a view to the establishment and advancement of our specialities, we are employing prominent pedagogues and artists, including Academician Professor Petar Angelov, Professor Vladimir Ivanov, Professor Todor Tachev, etc. Today, the Department of Art boasts an own team of academics, including our young assistant professors who have graduated from our University. Our tutors guarantee the high quality of education according to Bulgarian tradition and the European and global standards in the field of art.
Graduates from the Department of Art have the chance to embark on a successful career in the field of art – designers, artists, conductors, choreographers, pedagogues, art directors at art institutes, as well as actors and directors for theatrical and film productions, the TV and the media.
All specialities are accredited by the National Evaluation and Accreditation Agency. The VFU Department of Art is a member of the European League of Institutes of the Arts. The Department of Art has been working under agreements with over 20 secondary schools of art in Bulgaria, as well as with many European universities in the field of academic and creative cooperation. All students studying at the Department are provided opportunities for mobility to European universities of the arts under the Socrates and Erasmus programmes.
The needs of the educational process are met thanks to our modern campus equipped with the most cutting-edge technology.
The Department boasts creative student collectives, including an academic dance theatre comprised of two groups: a folklore ensemble and a modern choreography ballet group, performing a large set of art and concert shows in Bulgaria and abroad. Students from the Fine Arts specialities regularly hold fashion shows, exhibitions and plenary sessions.
All members of the art groups founded at the Department are eligible for a discount from their tuition fees.
Bogdanov, Miroslav Milkov, Assoc. Prof.
Atanasov, Nikolay Dimitrov, Assoc. Prof.
This speciality is aimed at training future highly-qualified specialists in the following subspecialties: Clothing and Clothing Accessory Design, Clothing Production, Fashion Advertising, Fashion Business Marketing and Management. All graduates can start a career as a clothing and clothing accessory designer, sewing industry constructor and technologist, stylist, fashion consultant, advertising expert, tutor, and marketing specialist in the fashion business, also possessing high qualification in the field of management.
An art director with a professional and amateur ensemble, choreographer at a professional art institute, and ballet master.
A teacher at a secondary school of art with dedicated Bulgarian dance and classic dance classes, as well as at a children's and youth school, club, children's centre, etc.
An instructor for future professionals with regard to work in the tourism and entertainment industry.
As a result of postmodern art, modern dance techniques put the "think", "feel", "act" concept to practice freely and harmoniously. A number of choreographs around the world have developed folklore, classic and modern dance techniques by inventing new style trends. The principle uniting all these still-developing techniques is the one combining the inertia of the body and the energy stemming from its gravity centre.
Academic instruction in modern dance techniques gives body language spatial freedom and increases the creative abilities of students.
The VFU Academic Dance Theatre performs an average of 40 shows per year with participation by choreography students. Our young designers from the speciality of Fashion and Fashion Management organise a minimum of 12 fashion shows every year. Besides, the Department boasts a number of prestigious awards from national and international competitions and contests.


We have seen the Boys as Girls trend some seasons ago and it has been one of my favorite trends since then.
Being a girl in the world of fashion has it's advantages, we can experiment creating so many looks as we want, even wearing boy´s clothes. This season the trend is more elegant, refined and feminine, so it is time to borrow the tuxedo from your boyfriend´s closet.
Since Yves Saint Laurent gave birth to 'le smoking' in the 1960s with an androgynous appearance, has now become a fashion statement and this 2011/2012 season returns improved. We've already seen on the Fall-Winter runways like Chanel, Acne and Jason Wu.
But how to create a wise look inspired by this trend without looking too masculine?
It is really simple without being too boyish, too baggy or too slouchy. The Tuxedo despite being a garment originally designed for men, when a woman use it she looks stylish. Find an black or white blazer, skinny trousers and use them with a smooth white shirt. Don´t forget the feminine touch, a block color heels or a beautiful wedges. If you want that your tuxedo outfit looks more fun, add a bow tie – a must have this season-.


Strength coaching might be outlined as an exercise kind that is designed to increase lean muscle tissue, improve structural strength, lower extra body fats, increase endurance, and supply several further physical and psychological benefits. The company is also called the trainer's trainer," offering well being and fitness consulting to a number of the largest names in the world together with; Gold's Fitness center, Bally's Total Health, 24 Hour Health, Aspen Health, Cardio Instructors, Fortune 500 Weight Loss Professionals, Nikken Representatives, Wellness Practitioners, Physical Therapists and more.
Know what's scorching, and what's not, in the health and fitness area. ACSM's Well being & Health Journal , a bimonthly journal for members of ACSM's Alliance of Health and Health Professionals, responds to the practical data wants of fitness instructors, private trainers, exercise leaders, program administrators and other front-line well being and health professionals.
Encouraging wholesome existence, sturdy our bodies and genuine neighborhood by means of an accessible and high quality health center. Actual individuals, supporting one another to get match, wholesome, and robust. Fitness is a way of life for us, and we're committed to growing custom goals and programs to maneuver your well being ahead.
Group exercise courses are a motivational alternative to exercising alone. A wide range of classes are provided at Windom Area Health & Fitness (see class descriptions beneath). Present matters of interest for well being, medical, wellness, and health industries. All our staff members are CPR and AED certified and our group train instructors, private trainers and therapeutic massage therapists hold nationally accredited licenses and certifications to provide exceptional service at the highest industry normal.
At the annual Health & Fitness Day, members of the community can see stay health demonstrations and reap the benefits of wellness measures such as blood strain screening, and the Novant Health Cellular Mammography clinic. There are video games for kids, a hula hoop contest, and wholesome eating choices from City vendors.


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Cloud Trends & Innovations
EMIR Level III – Changes in regulatory standards for November 1, 2017 Part 1
24 October 2017 | Stefan Schröer | Product Manager Business Unit Utilities, SEEBURGER
The European Market Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR) framework set up a reporting regime for entities trading derivatives in Europe. With the new Level III regulations the framework received this year, traders will be faced by new challenges in their quest for compliance.
The European Market Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR) is the key framework for the regulation of over-the counter derivatives trading in the European Union. It came into force in August 2012 and received an overhaul in late 2014 before being updated to Level III this year. The revisions of the Regulatory Technical Standards (RTS) and the Implementing Technical Standards (ITS) are intended to bring more clarity into the existing regulatory process. The amendments entered into force on February 10, 2017 and are mandatory with effect from November 1, 2017.
The upcoming Level III update changes how reporting will be facilitated and the formalities concerning the definition of trade parties, positions as well as how to report special transactions. The following aspects will be elaborated on in the upcoming second blogpost concerning EMIR Level III updates:
Use of the LEI (Local Entity Identifier)
Position Reporting
Delegation Scenarios
Buyer and Seller Identification
Reporting Collateral
Generation and use of UTI's (Unique Transaction Identifier) for the Trade ID
Reporting of Compound Derivative Contracts
A rather big part of these regulatory updates leads to urgent needs for changes in order to make existing reporting systems compliant as of November 1st. But the changes in the regulation's requirements also resulted in updated specifications regarding the message structure and processes used by the transaction registers (such as REGIS-TR or DTCC). These will also be covered in a second blog post concerning EMIR Level III updates.
Traders, banks and financial firms have many of the systems and data sets needed to cover their EMIR reporting. But compared to previous changes, these new ones have a considerable impact on the IT-side implementation requirements and force companies to quickly change their existing reporting structure to stay compliant. Due to the nature of the aforementioned changes and the implications of translating and implementing the requirements for existing IT-systems specialized consulting support for technical and procedural questions is advised.
SEEBURGER has been offering a solution for EMIR reporting since the mandatory launch in February 2014, with hudreds of customers utilizing the solution. The Trade Reporting Solution (TRS) is supported by a rounded team of technical and business experts who ensure that published regulatory changes are available for the start of each new release through a content subscription.
Find out how SEEBURGER can simplify your EMIR reporting
Written by: Stefan Schröer
Stefan Schröer, Product Manager, Business Unit Utilities is responsible for thought leadership and product development related to SEEBURGER's trading and reporting technology for the Financial Services and Utilities Industries. Stefan has more than 20 years of business and technology experience working with specific technology initiatives for the Utilities industry, both on-premises and in the cloud. Stefan has been with SEEBURGER since June 2013, and prior to this with various players in the German utilities industry.
EMIR Level III - Changes in regulatory standards for Novmeber 1, 2017 Part 2
Modernize or Else?
Legacy Modernization - A big topic of the modern day
The Roadtrip to Digital Transformation
It is all about Faster Payments … or NOT!
API's a Driving Force in Social Media Companies Payment Service Offerings


Have you noticed more meetings happening at your local place of worship on days not necessarily considered popular for worship? This is because most church facilities are utilized far more for service rather than just their services and sermons. Before our increasing populous and technologically dependent society, places of worships used to only be open on Saturdays, Sundays, and the occasional Wednesday night. Now, many churches are open and accessible seven (7) day a week, nearly 24 hours a day.
With so many different meetings happening in your local church, you need to a partner that understands the church's various functions and has a way of addressing your needs in a value-based, stewardship-guided way. Pinnacle is that partner!
We understand the importance of focus, flexibility, function, and format for an adaptive operating program for your facility.
We understand how to utilize the latest technology, providing you with low VOC chemicals, safe and effective ways of disinfecting, and low moisture, chemical-free stripping processes that guarantee little to no downtime.
All of our team members are background checked, uniformed, bonded, and insured for your peace of mind, as we understand that our team members will be in constant contact with children, senior citizens, and those in need.
Our Stewardship Operating Principal is our guideline for how we operate and is a direct reflection of who we are as a company.
We talk in terms of Stewardship, Partnership, Flexibility, and Understanding of Need and the best way to be of service to our places of worship. We understand the importance of value vs. price and how best to utilize your precious maintenance dollars.
If your current company doesn't talk about or understand any of the above, it's time for a change!


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08 April - Minister Coughlan Visits Tullacmongan Family Resource Centre
Mary Coughlan T.D., Minister for Social and Family Affairs, today praised the work of the staff and Management Committee of the Tullacmongan Family Resource Centre during the course of an official visit to the centre.
During her visit Minister Coughlan said: "Initiatives like the Tullacmongan Family Resource Centre help to address marginalisation and exclusion. The services which your Centre provides address the multi-faceted needs of men, women and children who may be going through particularly traumatic situations or are experiencing a whole range of problems which have left them feeling isolated and powerless," said Minister Coughlan.
"All of this dedication and commitment is, of course, inspired by a vision of a change for the good of the community. This is a vision to which both myself as Minister and the Family Support Agency which administers the Family Resource Centre Programme are wholly committed to," said Minister Coughlan.
"It is through a combination of local community initiatives on the ground and support from statutory agencies and other bodies that local communities can realise their potential to play a real part and have a real say in their own development," said Minister Coughlan.
Minister Coughlan emphasised the centrality of the family in our society and the need for public policy to reflect this. In this context she referred to the major European Conference on families which she will host in Dublin during May and the family conference to be hosted by the Family Support Agency in October.
"I feel that it is also important to get an Irish perspective on these important issues and I am delighted to be able to confirm that the Family Support Agency will host a major Irish conference on the family and family issues in October this year," said Minister Coughlan.
She also referred to the report of the nationwide consultation process on family policy launched recently and the €1m she is providing for a special awards scheme to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the UN International Year of the Family. This funding is open to family and community groups nationwide.
"I am sure that the Tullacmongan Family Resource Centre will be interested in this scheme and indeed I look forward to receiving applications for the scheme from family groups throughout the country," added Minister Coughlan.
ENDS 8 th April 2004
Notes for News Editor
Tullacmongan Family Resource Centre
The Tullacmongan Family Resource Centre is funded by the Family Support Agency under the Family & Community Services Resource Centre Programme. Its funding has increased from €51,848 in 2001 to €65,400 last year.
Its aims include:
to co-ordinate and provide support to existing groups in the area
to tackle unemployment and the issues for the unemployed in the area with the aim to empower the unemployed in their community
to raise awareness regarding health & lifestyle issues within the community
to respond to the needs of the community especially those most at risk, i.e. the elderly, lone parents, travellers, early school-leavers and men
Kilmooney Drive
Family Resource Centre Programme
The FRC Programme was established in 1994 with the aim of combating disadvantage and improving the functioning of the family unit. The centres funded under the programme provide special services, such as counselling and information for lone parents, young mothers and socially excluded families. They seek to enhance the self-esteem and potential of people by working closely with them within their communities. They encourage the participation of local people in all aspects of the centres work, including planning and management.
Family Support Agency
Minister Coughlan formally launched the Family Support Agency on May 15 th last. Its main task is to protect the family, by supporting the stability of family life and addressing the effects of changing family formation.
The Family Support Agency provides a family mediation service, develops marriage and relationship counselling, undertakes research and advises the Minister on family issues and works in partnership with the community and voluntary sector. The Family Support Agency has been allocated a budget of more than €20m for this year.
Awards Scheme for the 10 th Anniversary of UN International Year of the Family
Applicants are asked to refer to one or more of the general themes, in their applications, that have already featured in the family consultation forums hosted around the country last year by Minister Coughlan, namely:
Parenting and childhood
Balancing work and family life
Family as carer
Community support for families.
Awards will be on a once-off basis and must be uses and accounted for within the year.
The closing date for applications is Friday 30 th April 2004. Application forms and further information are available on the website http://iyf2004.welfare.ie or from:
The Family Affairs Unit
Department of Social and Family Affairs
Store Street
Tel: (01) 704-3060
Email: iyf@welfare.ie
Last modified:08/04/2004
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... galleries, museums, festivals and more. There's something for everyone. For further information please contact James Glancy, ( Email address removed ), tel 01432 364071 Closing date: 1 May ...JOBSWORTH: £27,724 P.A.?
. Cycling, canoeing, climbing and kayaking sit neatly alongside theatres, art galleries, museums, festivals and more. There's something for everyone. For further information please contact ...JOBSWORTH: £27,571 P.A.?
... galleries, museums, festivals and more. There's something for everyone. Schooling We have over 100 independent and publicly funded primary, secondary and special schools in Herefordshire ...JOBSWORTH: £30,584 P.A.?


The purpose of this parable is to show that even if God were to exist, that a God as described by the theist (or at least Wisdom's and the common skeptical understanding of it) would be indistinguishable from no God at all. So why not simply accept Occam's razor and believe that there is no God at all rather than believe in an invisible, intangible, eternally elusive one?
The problem with all of this is that the analogy is not, well, analogous to what theists in general and Christians in specific say that God's activity in the world is like. Let us alter the analogy to make it more analogous.
Now, what should the skeptic think? That it is all coincidence at that there just must be a natural explanation for it all because there is no direct empirical evidence of the gardener? Or is it possible that indirect evidence, in the form of design, fine tuning, information, and varied independent experience can count as evidence?
The New Atheists frequently will appeal to Saint David (Hume) in their rejection of miracles. In this article, in brief, I will present why I find Hume's On Miracles to be fundamentally flawed on numerous levels. More can be said on Hume than what I present here however so please, if you have any questions leave them in the comment section and I will do my best to reply in a timely manner.
1. His primary argument relies on what he has already said is impossible in the first half of On Miracles, that is, the logical use of induction. Hume spent the first half of On Miracles refuting the notion of induction only to turn around and use it (and a pretty vague concept of it at that) to attempt to disprove miracles.
P1) Every jelly bean I have eaten from the jar tastes like licorice.
P2) Therefore all the jelly beans in the jar will taste like licorice.
The question is, can we ever be justified in positively or certainly claiming P2? Hume despairs and says no.
Here we can also bring in things like justification. What if there are 5000 jelly beans and P1 is true, but I have only eaten 5. Would I be justified in asserting P3? Not really. But if I ate 3000 then maybe or if I ate 9 out of only 10 then probably yes.
P1) No miracles have occurred in the past.
P2) Therefore no miracles will occur in the future.
Besides the fact that this is not really even a syllogism where the conclusion is drawn from true premises, it would rely on some principle of induction in order for it to work. Something Hume has already said we should not allow.
Another inductive problem is that another one of Hume's arguments, that miracles cannot happen because they violate the laws of nature, assumes that natural laws have been or will always be the same. Think of the billiard ball. If Hume wants to deny induction by saying that the billiard ball isn't guaranteed to move simply because it has always behaved that way in the past, then how is he able to say that a natural law cannot be violated in the future because they have not been violated in the past? One possible recourse would be to say that laws of nature just are things that are inviolable. Yet again, all he is doing is assuming that because natural laws have been the kinds of things that are inviolable in the past that they are guaranteed to be inviolable in the future.
And before you go on to say that these are facts that can be observed through science, you have to realize that you are still only appealing to induction – science has lead to true knowledge in the past, therefore it will lead to true knowledge in the present and the future. It is still circular and still relies on induction.
Now, you may resolve the issue by simply agreeing with me that Hume is wrong on his rejection of induction and therefore be free to make his argument against miracles. However, it must be stated explicitly which position you will take. Do you deny the 1st half of On Miracles or the 2nd? Do you deny his arguments against induction or do you deny his arguments against miracles? We simply cannot have both.
P1) We know that miracles do not occur because we have universal experience of no miracles occurring.
P2) We know that we have such universal experience or no miracles occurring because we know that all reports of miracles are false.
P3) We know that all reports of miracles are false because we know that no miracle has occurred.
That is a circle of the most vicious kind.
Ok, those are the obvious problems. The next ones become a bit more complicated.
3. Next is Hume's assertion that miracles are impossible because they just are violations of the inviolable natural laws. We have already seen that this poses a problem for his objection to induction, but now we will see that it also presupposes the truth of naturalism – which is his intended conclusion.
In order for this objection to work, we must accept two of Hume's definitions, neither of which I think we should. The first is the definition of a natural law as inviolable. This seems a bizarre stance to take in modern times considering that most scientists and philosophers of science would define natural laws merely as descriptions of the normative behaviors of the natural world. All of science, and indeed natural laws, function on the assumption of "caeteris paribus" or "all things being equal." Science and natural law are only descriptions of what happens when nature goes about its merry way without any interruption, injection of new information, or exertion of some other force, natural or otherwise.
This is where C.S. Lewis' famous example of arithmetic comes in. I do not say the bank thief who robbed my bank broke the laws of arithmetic because the ledgers do not balance, but rather the laws of California. The laws of arithmetic have not been violated, new circumstances arose. Not all things were equal.
In fact I noticed something quite ironic a while back. This exact defense is used by evolutionists against creationists who assert that the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics makes evolution impossible. They claim that because evolution is the tendency toward increased complexity and that the 2nd Law is that all nature tends toward entropy, that evolution violates the 2nd Law and is therefore not possible. Besides that this is not the best understanding of either evolution or thermodynamics, evolutionists often point out the same response we should give to Hume. Evolutionists quite rightly point out that other factors are at work that lead to less entropy. That is, the 2nd Law is not violated, it is superseded. The influence of outside actors can override the normal operation of the natural world. Like before, it is not all things being equal.
This leads us to Hume's definition of a miracle just as a violation of a law of nature. Why must we accept that definition? Why can it not simply be the influence of an outside actor overriding the normal operation of the natural world. We can think of resurrection as an example of this. Many anti-theists seem to have a love affair with calling it a "zombie" apocalypse but that is really just a deficient way of understanding it. Imagine that I died of cardiac arrest right now and was rushed the hospital. The doctors would try CPR and defibrillation on me and hopefully my heart would suddenly start again. Now, do we say that the doctors have violated the law that dead bodies stay dead? (There is no actual natural law to this effect but I think it is a common enough belief that dead bodies stay dead.) Well no. We recognize that if I was truly dead (and not just swooning or something), and all things being equal, no one did anything I would have stayed dead. But there was the intervention of an outside actor, the infusion of new information (in the form of energy), etc. The law was not violated, the circumstances simply did not remain "caeteris paribus".
Yet if we allow for doctors to revive patients dead for a short period of time, why is it logically impossible (for that is Hume's contention) that a being like God could not simply do something of the sort for people dead for a longer period of time? It would not be the violation of natural law, but merely the intervention of an outside actor inserting new information into the system.
The only recourse to deny this as logically possible, is if one is already precommitted to naturalism. That is, that no such being or action can possibly exist. But then one is arguing from the premise that no such action can possibly occur to the conclusion that no such action can possibly occur. It simply begs the question. Therefore this argument of Hume's fails.
4. The final argument I would like to look at is his argument from probability – "that no testimony is sufficient to establish a miracle, unless the testimony be of such a kind, that its falsehood would be more miraculous, than the fact, which it endeavors to establish".
Firstly, it should be pointed out that this is not actually one of Hume's arguments. It is set up in Part 1 of the book as the ground work for his later argument. It is not an argument against miracles (as many try to cast it now) but rather is a contention about the kind of evidence that should be permissible in the demonstration that miracles do or do not occur.
Well one could argue that it has been found that there is in history an event which was attested by a sufficient number (what counts as sufficient for Hume?) of eyewitnesses, who give no sign of lack of good sense, education (how much is needed to know – "Hey… he was dead and entombed… and now he is eating fish with us"), we have no reason to think that they intentionally deceived others (especially since they gained nothing from their testimony and did actually "have a great deal to lose incase of their being detected of any falsehood," and were even more disadvantaged in some brutal ways for even asserting it. Not to mention that they did assert it publically and allowed for contradiction even though none came.
This is just one of several examples that he gives where all of his criteria have ostensibly been met. And yet he goes on to say he would "still reply that the knavery and folly of men are such common phenomena" that he would rather believe that it was a conspiracy than a miracle. So, ironically even Hume basically admits that his standard is so high that even in his most modern time if all the criteria were met, that he would still reject it! Why? Because it's just impossible. It just has to be wrong and that his just saying so should "be regarded as a sufficient refutation" to "all reasonable people." Well that's not an argument. It's mere presumption and circular reasoning.
John Earman's principle in his book Hume's Abject Failure is much the same as my own: "An epistemology that does not allow for the possibility that evidence, whether from eyewitness testimony or from other sources, can establish the credibility of a UFO landing, a walking on water, or a resurrection is inadequate." Basically, there is the appearance of reason in the standard but when it is examined it is intentionally set up so as to be impossible to appease. The standard itself is on principle that no evidence could ever meet the requirement and thus no fact could ever be brought to bear against the truth of naturalism.
No eyewitness will ever be credible enough. No experiment that has the outcome of a miracle would ever be more likely than conspiracy, etc. It is not reasonable, it is presumptive. It is the empiricist equivalent of a fanatical conspiracy theorist riddled with confirmation bias. Now, I am skeptical about a great many things. I think skepticism is healthy. But skepticism that is so extreme, almost Cartesian, cannot be helpful in anyway. Try to convince someone who has their mind made up that we are living in the Matrix that we are not and you will be frustrated indeed. There is nothing you could ever point to in this world that would prove otherwise because everything will be infused with the air of conspiracy. Everything would simply be a part of the construct.
To illustrate this, let us imagine that we live in a universe where miracles have in fact occurred. If we accept Hume's epistemological standard then we would have set up a standard, by assuming naturalism, whereby we could not only not know a fundamental fact about the universe, but where we would actually be positively irrational if we believed what was actually true. It seems to me that any standard where by true knowledge = irrationalism has a fundamental flaw somewhere contained within its assumptions.
Another problem is one that even Hume's contemporaries noticed. They gave the example of a Prince from a tropical land who had never seen ice. By Hume's line of reasoning, the Prince would be just as validated in not believing in ice as the skeptic is for not believing in miracles. Hume tried to counteract this by saying that just because the Prince might be reasonable for denying the existence of ice, there were other humans who did experience ice and therefore it is reasonable for them to believe in ice (and indeed for others to take their word for it.) The problem here is that this just reduces down to a subjective argument from experience – a kind of argument skeptics are loathe to endorse. If we accept this principle, then the atheist must accept the Christian's statement of belief based on religious experience as a reasonable means of knowledge. They might have no experience of God, but others have. The prince had not experienced ice, but others had.
It is further undermined by Earman who responds by saying that if this is so, then if homo sapiens arose in Africa, "there was a stage in human history where the total collective experience of the species coincided in relevant respects" with that of the prince who lived in a tropical climate. This means that we could literally echo Hume's argument that we have the universal experience of "no ice" and therefore any testimony about ice existing in the future are more likely to be false.
Hume then went on to attempt to argue that for the prince, the existence if ice could possibly be deduced by analogy to something else. He stated that the Prince could come to believe in a solid form of water simply by a positive analogy from other phase changes in water. Earman makes a good point in one of his footnotes: "If one sees a positive analogy for a solid form of water in other phase changes, why not see a positive analogy for resurrection in near death experiences, catatonic states, and the like?"


Last night, I had a beautiful Broadway night with The Mom's Denise Albert and a few other bloggers. We went to see Alicia Keys' play Stick Fly, which is playing on Broadway at the Cort Theatre. Produced by Alicia Keys, among others, this play is a vivid look at family drama in an affluent African American home. After the play, there was a talk-back with the cast and Alicia Keys, moderated by La La Vasquez.


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Course and predictors of symptomatic remission in late-life schizophrenia: A 5-year follow-up study in a Dutch psychiatric catchment area
Sjors M M Lange, Paul D Meesters, Max L Stek, Lex Wunderink, Brenda W J H Penninx, Didi Rhebergen
BACKGROUND: The number of older schizophrenia patients is growing, the majority being treated in outpatient settings. Reported symptomatic remission rates in younger cohorts vary largely. Further insight into course trajectories and putative predictors of remission in older persons with schizophrenia is needed.
METHODS: 5-year follow-up course trajectories of symptomatic remission were examined in a catchment area-based group of 77 older Dutch patients (mean age 66.0 years) with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. A modified version of the 'Remission in Schizophrenia Working Group' criteria was used to determine remission status. In individuals who did not fulfil remission criteria at baseline (n = 56), predictors of conversion to remission status at 5-year follow-up were analysed using multivariable regression analyses.
RESULTS: A substantial increase in remission rate at 5-year follow-up (27.3% at baseline (T1), 49.4% at follow-up (T2)) was found. Of all participants, 23.4% was in remission at both assessments and 46.8% was in non-remission at both assessments. 26.0% of the participants converted from non-remission at T1 to remission at T2, while 3.9% fell back from remission at T1 to non-remission at T2. Two significant baseline predictors of conversion to remission at follow-up were found: lower score on the PANSS positive symptom subscale, and having a partner.
CONCLUSION: Symptomatic remission was as an attainable goal for almost half of all older patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder at 5-year follow-up. With a lower PANSS positive symptom subscale score, and having a partner emerging as the only predictors of conversion to remission, there remains a need to search for modifiable predictors.
Schizophrenia Research
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2019.04.025
10.1016/j.schres.2019.04.025
Course and predictors of symptomatic remission in late-life schizophrenia_ A 5-year follow-up study in a Dutch psychiatric catchment area
Final publisher's version, 3.95 MB
Lange, S. M. M., Meesters, P. D., Stek, M. L., Wunderink, L., Penninx, B. W. J. H., & Rhebergen, D. (2019). Course and predictors of symptomatic remission in late-life schizophrenia: A 5-year follow-up study in a Dutch psychiatric catchment area. Schizophrenia Research, 209, 179-184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2019.04.025
Lange, Sjors M M ; Meesters, Paul D ; Stek, Max L et al. / Course and predictors of symptomatic remission in late-life schizophrenia : A 5-year follow-up study in a Dutch psychiatric catchment area. In: Schizophrenia Research. 2019 ; Vol. 209. pp. 179-184.
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title = "Course and predictors of symptomatic remission in late-life schizophrenia: A 5-year follow-up study in a Dutch psychiatric catchment area",
abstract = "BACKGROUND: The number of older schizophrenia patients is growing, the majority being treated in outpatient settings. Reported symptomatic remission rates in younger cohorts vary largely. Further insight into course trajectories and putative predictors of remission in older persons with schizophrenia is needed.METHODS: 5-year follow-up course trajectories of symptomatic remission were examined in a catchment area-based group of 77 older Dutch patients (mean age 66.0 years) with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. A modified version of the 'Remission in Schizophrenia Working Group' criteria was used to determine remission status. In individuals who did not fulfil remission criteria at baseline (n = 56), predictors of conversion to remission status at 5-year follow-up were analysed using multivariable regression analyses.RESULTS: A substantial increase in remission rate at 5-year follow-up (27.3% at baseline (T1), 49.4% at follow-up (T2)) was found. Of all participants, 23.4% was in remission at both assessments and 46.8% was in non-remission at both assessments. 26.0% of the participants converted from non-remission at T1 to remission at T2, while 3.9% fell back from remission at T1 to non-remission at T2. Two significant baseline predictors of conversion to remission at follow-up were found: lower score on the PANSS positive symptom subscale, and having a partner.CONCLUSION: Symptomatic remission was as an attainable goal for almost half of all older patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder at 5-year follow-up. With a lower PANSS positive symptom subscale score, and having a partner emerging as the only predictors of conversion to remission, there remains a need to search for modifiable predictors.",
author = "Lange, {Sjors M M} and Meesters, {Paul D} and Stek, {Max L} and Lex Wunderink and Penninx, {Brenda W J H} and Didi Rhebergen",
note = "Copyright {\textcopyright} 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.",
doi = "10.1016/j.schres.2019.04.025",
journal = "Schizophrenia Research",
publisher = "ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV",
Lange, SMM, Meesters, PD, Stek, ML, Wunderink, L, Penninx, BWJH & Rhebergen, D 2019, 'Course and predictors of symptomatic remission in late-life schizophrenia: A 5-year follow-up study in a Dutch psychiatric catchment area', Schizophrenia Research, vol. 209, pp. 179-184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2019.04.025
Course and predictors of symptomatic remission in late-life schizophrenia : A 5-year follow-up study in a Dutch psychiatric catchment area. / Lange, Sjors M M; Meesters, Paul D; Stek, Max L et al.
In: Schizophrenia Research, Vol. 209, 07.2019, p. 179-184.
T1 - Course and predictors of symptomatic remission in late-life schizophrenia
T2 - A 5-year follow-up study in a Dutch psychiatric catchment area
AU - Lange, Sjors M M
AU - Meesters, Paul D
AU - Stek, Max L
AU - Wunderink, Lex
AU - Penninx, Brenda W J H
AU - Rhebergen, Didi
N1 - Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
N2 - BACKGROUND: The number of older schizophrenia patients is growing, the majority being treated in outpatient settings. Reported symptomatic remission rates in younger cohorts vary largely. Further insight into course trajectories and putative predictors of remission in older persons with schizophrenia is needed.METHODS: 5-year follow-up course trajectories of symptomatic remission were examined in a catchment area-based group of 77 older Dutch patients (mean age 66.0 years) with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. A modified version of the 'Remission in Schizophrenia Working Group' criteria was used to determine remission status. In individuals who did not fulfil remission criteria at baseline (n = 56), predictors of conversion to remission status at 5-year follow-up were analysed using multivariable regression analyses.RESULTS: A substantial increase in remission rate at 5-year follow-up (27.3% at baseline (T1), 49.4% at follow-up (T2)) was found. Of all participants, 23.4% was in remission at both assessments and 46.8% was in non-remission at both assessments. 26.0% of the participants converted from non-remission at T1 to remission at T2, while 3.9% fell back from remission at T1 to non-remission at T2. Two significant baseline predictors of conversion to remission at follow-up were found: lower score on the PANSS positive symptom subscale, and having a partner.CONCLUSION: Symptomatic remission was as an attainable goal for almost half of all older patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder at 5-year follow-up. With a lower PANSS positive symptom subscale score, and having a partner emerging as the only predictors of conversion to remission, there remains a need to search for modifiable predictors.
AB - BACKGROUND: The number of older schizophrenia patients is growing, the majority being treated in outpatient settings. Reported symptomatic remission rates in younger cohorts vary largely. Further insight into course trajectories and putative predictors of remission in older persons with schizophrenia is needed.METHODS: 5-year follow-up course trajectories of symptomatic remission were examined in a catchment area-based group of 77 older Dutch patients (mean age 66.0 years) with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. A modified version of the 'Remission in Schizophrenia Working Group' criteria was used to determine remission status. In individuals who did not fulfil remission criteria at baseline (n = 56), predictors of conversion to remission status at 5-year follow-up were analysed using multivariable regression analyses.RESULTS: A substantial increase in remission rate at 5-year follow-up (27.3% at baseline (T1), 49.4% at follow-up (T2)) was found. Of all participants, 23.4% was in remission at both assessments and 46.8% was in non-remission at both assessments. 26.0% of the participants converted from non-remission at T1 to remission at T2, while 3.9% fell back from remission at T1 to non-remission at T2. Two significant baseline predictors of conversion to remission at follow-up were found: lower score on the PANSS positive symptom subscale, and having a partner.CONCLUSION: Symptomatic remission was as an attainable goal for almost half of all older patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder at 5-year follow-up. With a lower PANSS positive symptom subscale score, and having a partner emerging as the only predictors of conversion to remission, there remains a need to search for modifiable predictors.
U2 - 10.1016/j.schres.2019.04.025
DO - 10.1016/j.schres.2019.04.025
JO - Schizophrenia Research
JF - Schizophrenia Research
Lange SMM, Meesters PD, Stek ML, Wunderink L, Penninx BWJH, Rhebergen D. Course and predictors of symptomatic remission in late-life schizophrenia: A 5-year follow-up study in a Dutch psychiatric catchment area. Schizophrenia Research. 2019 Jul;209:179-184. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2019.04.025


Best Selling House Plans 2017-Allowed for you to my weblog, within this moment I'll explain to you about best selling house plans 2017. And after this, here is the very first image:... Floor plans are often included in pattern books and developer's catalogs in order to better sell the presented real estate. In the early 1900s, the American Foursquare was popular. This method of advertising and selling product was used in the 1950s and 1960s to market dreams of home ownship well before home computers.
The best plans combine a mix of different media such as internet sites, signboard, print advertisements, social and search advertising and letter box drops to name a few channels. It has been proven that Print + Online = More Exposure = More Buyers = More Competition = Higher Prices.


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Home Authors Posts by R. Shyam Khemani
R. Shyam Khemani
Dr. R. Shyam Khemani has extensive global and country specific experience in providing advice, analytical economic and litigation support to public and private sector entities in the area of competition/antitrust [mergers and acquisitions (M&A) transactions, cartels and monopolization cases, economic damages], industrial organization, competitive strategy, economic regulation, international trade and investment.
He has held several senior positions at the World Bank Group, which included Advisor, Competition Policy and Manager, Competitive Strategy, Business Environment and Foreign Investment; the Canadian Competition Bureau, where he was Chief Economist and Director of Economics and International Affairs; academia and private consulting. He also served as an Advisor to the Raghavan Committee established by the Government of India and was integrally involved in developing the framework for India's competition law and policy, which subsequently led to the passage of the Competition Act (2002).
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Competition, Innovation, and Dynamic Change in the Internet Information Search Industry
Reforming Credit Rating Agencies: More Competition, Less Regulation or Both? A Proposal for Moving Forward
Merger Control in India


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How to Invest in Europe — A Superinvestor Perspective
November 1, 2012 in Audio, Equities, Europe, European Investing Summit, European Investing Summit 2012, Ideas, Transcripts
Thomas A. Russo presented his in-depth investment thesis on How to invest in Europe at European Investing Summit 2012.
Thomas A. Russo joined Gardner Russo & Gardner as a partner in 1989. Eugene Gardner, Thomas Russo and Eugene Gardner, Jr., as partners, each manage individual separate accounts and share investment approaches and strategies. In addition, Thomas Russo serves as General Partner to Semper Vic partnerships. Mr. Russo oversees $6 billion through separately managed accounts and Semper Vic partnerships. Gardner Russo & Gardner is a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and is not associated with any bank, security dealer or other third party.
Mr. Russo's investment philosophy emphasizes return on invested capital, principally through equity investments. His approach to stock selection stresses two main points: value and price. While these would seem to be obvious key considerations in any manager's approach, it is equally obvious that all too often they are either misjudged or, perhaps more frequently, simply not viewed together.
Mr. Russo looks for companies with strong cash-flow characteristics, where large amounts of "free" cash flow are generated. Portfolio companies tend to have strong balance sheets and a history of producing high rates of return on their assets. The challenge comes in finding these obviously desirable situations at reasonable or bargain prices.
Mr. Russo's investment approach is focused on a small number of industries in which companies have historically proven to be able to generate sustainable amounts of net free cash flow. (These industries typically have included food, beverage, tobacco, and advertising-supported media.) This fairly narrow approach reflects his training and discipline at the Sequoia Fund in New York, where he worked from 1984 to 1988. Mr. Russo tries to limit risk by not paying too large a multiple of a company's net free cash flow in light of prevailing interest rates. He attempts to broaden this otherwise narrow universe by including companies with smaller market capitalizations and companies in similar industries based abroad.
Mr. Russo's goal is one of an absolute return rather than a relative return, and he continues his long-term investment objective of compounding assets between 10 and 20 percent per year without great turnover, thereby realizing a minimum amount of realized gains and net investment income.
Thomas A. Russo is General Partner of Semper Vic Partners, L.P., and Semper Vic Partners (Q.P.), L.P., limited partnerships whose combined investments exceed $500 million, along with overseeing substantially more funds through separate accounts for individuals, trusts, and endowments. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College (B.A., 1977), and Stanford Business and Law Schools (JD/MBA, 1984). Memberships include California Bar Association and Dean's Advisory Council for Stanford Law School. Mr. Russo is a charter member of the Advisory Board for the Heilbrunn Center for Graham & Dodd Investing at Columbia Business School. He is a member of Dartmouth College's President's Leadership Council. He serves on the boards of the Winston Churchill Foundation of the U.S. and Facing History and Ourselves.
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About The Author: MOI Global Editorial Team
The MOI Global Editorial Team, led by John Mihaljevic, CFA, includes community builders, event organizers, writers, editors, research associates, security analysts, and fanatical member support advocates. Our sole purpose is to serve the members of MOI Global as well as we possibly can in order to help them learn, invest intelligently, and build lifelong friendships with like-minded people.
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Dr. Qi (Harry) Zhang is an Associate Professor in the School of Community and Environmental Health at Old Dominion University in the U.S. As a health economist, he has an active research agenda on socioeconomic determinants of health and related health policies in the U.S. and China. He has more than 30 publications in international journals and has been a Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on multiple grants funded by National Institutes of Health and US Department of Agriculture. He received his B.A. in economics from Fudan University in 1998 and his Ph.D. in economics from the University of Alabama in 2001.
Dr. Zhuo (Adam) Chen is a Senior Health Economist with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)*. His research has focused on health economics and applied econometrics. He has published more than forty articles in peer-reviewed journals on topics including social determinants of health, forecast combining, and economics of obesity. He received his PhD (2004) in Economics from Iowa State University. He is the President of the Association of Asian and Pacific Islander Employees of CDC/ATSDR (2014-2016) and the Founding Editor of China Health Review. He received the 2013 CDC Excellence in Behavioral and Social Science Research Award.
Dr. Youfa Wang is Professor of Epidemiology, Environmental Health and Pediatrics at University at Buffalo, State University of New York. As an internationally known expert, he has over 160 publications, and has secured about $23 million research grants from the NIH as the PI over the past 13 years. His research interests include nutritional epidemiology; child growth and nutrition; childhood obesity prevention; non-communicable chronic diseases; health disparities; global health; and application of systems science in public health. He has served on numerous national and international expert panels and leadership positions. He received his PhD in nutritional epidemiology from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2001, his medical degree from Beijing Medical University in 1992, and his master's degree in Epidemiology from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College in 1995.
Dr. Lu Shi is an assistant professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences. Lu earned his PhD in Policy Analysis from F.S. Pardee RAND Graduate School in 2008. His research interests include population health modeling, empirical methods, and behavioral and cognitive economics. He has joined the preparatory work of China Health Policy and Management Society since 2008, and is the current Executive Editor of China Health Review.
Dr. Zheng (Jane) Li is a Lead Environmental Health Scientist with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)*. Her research areas include environmental health, environmental epidemiology, exposure assessment, air pollution, etc. She was the President of the Association of Asian and Pacific Islander Employee of CDC/ATSDR (2012-2014). She received a BS in chemistry from Wuhan University, MS in chemistry from Mississippi State University, PhD in Environmental Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology with a minor in environmental health from Emory University, and a MPH in public health practice from the University of South Florida.
* Drs. Chen and Li are serving in their personal capacity.


text:
Delvendahl Martin Architects
Practice Diary
KH House – UK
2020 – Built
KH House is a residential project involving the extension of an existing Grade II listed farmhouse in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Delvendahl Martin's design introduces an asymmetrically vaulted roof that maximises views towards the river to the South whilst reducing the visual impact of the building to the approach from the North. The roof form makes reference to the agricultural building typology found not just in the immediate farm setting of the project but also in the wider region.
The use of flint along the north elevation of the extension references the walls of the existing farmhouse and employs local construction methods. This deep wall provides protection and privacy to the living space within. In contrast, the glazed south elevation of the building opens up to views over the existing waterways. A structural framework of tapered, pre-cast concrete profiles supports the roof and provides passive solar shading to the façade. Internally, the exposed curved oak beams define the open plan living area.
The primary materials of flint, pre-cast concrete, oak and copper were selected for their tactility and robustness. Over time, these materials will develop a natural patina that will help ground the project in the landscape. The careful selection and detailing of materials allows the extension to be contemporary whilst also sympathetic to the heritage and character of the listed farmhouse.
Max Gelibter
Finbarr O'Dempsey
Stephanie Thum-Bonanno
TZG Partnership
Services Engineer
P3r Engineers
Tim Crocker
© 2021 Delvendahl Martin | Contact


text:
Love in Elevator è un gruppo alternative rock italiano attivo sulla scena musicale dal 2004, anno in cui debuttano con la prima prova discografica, Venoma ep.

Biografia

Il nome della band non vuole far riferimento alla hit degli Aerosmith, bensì vuole essere un omaggio a due band di culto degli anni '60: i Love di Arthur Lee e i 13th Floor Elevators di Roky Erickson.

Il progetto sin dalle origini ruota attorno alla figura di Anna Carazzai (voce, chitarra, basso, piano, autrice di testi e musiche).

Dal 2004 la band inizia una collaborazione con l'etichetta Jestrai Records con la quale producono un ep Venoma (2004, distribuzione Venus), e due album: Sue Me (2005, distribuzione Venus) che contiene un'originale versione di Afterhours dei Velvet Underground in cui Luca Ferrari (Verdena) suona la batteria.
Nel 2004 sono anche presenti nella compilation tributo ai Beatles con una versione punk del brano Helter Skelter (The Beatles) in The Beatles Tribute (Jestrai 2004).

Sin dall'ep di debutto la band si distingue all'interno del panorama rock italiano indipendente per le forti influenze internazionali e un'attitudine tipica del rock alternativo anni '90.
Nel corso degli anni sono stati avvicinati dalla critica al sound di band americane quali Babes in Toyland, Sonic Youth, Nirvana, Fugazi, Jane's Addiction.

Il percorso live comincia ad ingranare partendo da piccoli club underground e bar, fino ad arrivare a palchi di supporto a band come Verdena (I), One Dimensional Man (I), Tre Allegri Ragazzi Morti (I), Art Brut (UK), Shellac (USA), e partecipando al grande Rock in Idro nel 2005, insieme a grandi artisti internazionali come Juliette Lewis and the Licks, Turbonegro, The Hives.

Nel 2008 pubblicano per la Jestrai Records l'album Re Pulsion, che vede alla batteria Francesco Valente già (Il Teatro degli Orrori, One Dimensional Man). Al disco hanno partecipato anche Giulio Favero (chitarra), Luca Ferrari (batteria) e Andrea Garbo (ex-Jennifer Gentle,chitarra). Con Re Pulsion (2008), la band mette meglio a fuoco il proprio sound: strati di riff grondanti di bontà grunge e post punk, e la voce sbarazzina e impressionante di Anna, timbro distintivo della band, che alterna ringhiate aggressive a dolcezza infantile.

Nel 2008 la band scollina in Francia per un fortunato mini tour che tocca Bordeaux, Montpellier, Toulose, Marseille e Nimes.

Nel 2009 sono la band di supporto ufficiale scelta dai Mudhoney, padrini del grunge statunitense, per le loro date italiane.
Ad ottobre dello stesso anno, esce anche il video di "2:20", brano tratto da Re Pulsion, curato da Elisa Fabris, una giovane artista trevigiana. Il video, in bianco e nero, ricco di citazioni che rimandano alle pellicole anni 1960, è stato girato e montato dalla regista in Nuova Zelanda.

Alla fine del 2010 esce il terzo album Il giorno dell'assenza, il primo cantato interamente in lingua italiana. In questo album è presente un nuovo strumento ossia il pianoforte usato dalla cantante-leader del gruppo Anna Carazzai. Il singolo estratto dall'album è Mata Hari, di cui è stato girato un video per la regia di Elisa Fabris,già regista del video di "2:20".

Nel 2012 i LIE sono la band di supporto ufficiale scelta dagli statunitensi Meat Puppets per il loro tour italiano. A dicembre dello stesso anno partecipano al prestigioso festival inglese "All Tomorrow's Parties", accanto a Neurosis, Shellac, Kim Deal, e molti altri. Nel 2015 sono scelti anche dai Refused, padrini dell'hardcore svedese, come supporto ufficiale in Italia .

Nel 2019 esce per Lagoonar il quarto album Lies To Stars, registrato e mixato da Andrea Volpato al Fox Studio e masterizzato da Bob Weston al Chicago Mastering Service.

Formazione

Formazione attuale
Anna Carazzai - voce, chitarra, basso, piano (2004-presente)
Andrea Volpato - batteria, synth (2015-presente)
Federico Mellinato - basso (2018-presente)

Ex componenti
Michela Modesto - basso (2004-2008)
Tommaso Sogne - batteria (2004-2005)
Roberto Olivotto - batteria (2008-2011)
Christian Biscaro - basso, voce (2008-2012)
 Francesco Valente - batteria (2008 solo per le registrazioni di Re Pulsion, in tour 2011-2012)

Discografia

Album studio
2005 - Sue Me (Jestrai)
2008 - Re Pulsion (Jestrai)
2010 - Il giorno dell'assenza (E&F Music/Go Down Records)
2019 - Lies To Stars (Lagoonar)

EP
2003 - Not In My Name (demo autoprodotto)
2004 - Venoma EP (Jestrai)

7"
 2017 - Unlocked // Beyond Your Inner Sea (Coward Records)

Curiosità
 Il nome della band viene spesso abbreviato in LIE, in inglese: "bugia".
Il 15 febbraio 2021 nasce la seconda figlia Maddalena dalla relazione con il batterista Francesco Valente

Note

Collegamenti esterni

Pagina su facebook, su facebook.com.
Pagina su instagram, su instagram.com.

Gruppi musicali statunitensi

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Castlewood Discgolf Club's dominant competition is Riddarrundan (RR), an ever-growing competition which attracts both novice and experienced players. In 2016 Riddarrundan had an average of 70 players each week.
This season we will continue to use the revolutionary discgolf app, Spinn, which takes care of player resgitration before each round and brings live scoring and instant online results and stats after each round.
To participate all you need to do is become a Riddarrundan player by signing up and joining a group on the web app. You must join a group at least 30 minutes before each rounds' teeoff, after which registration closes in order for us to prepare the scorecards ready for teeoff at 18.30.
Players who hold season passes (see Cost) are able to join a group from 48 hours before each round's teeoff, and those who don't hold season passes are able to join from 24 hours before.
The field is open to the first 90 players who join a group.
Note: if you can not participate, please ensure you remove yourself from your group at least 30 minutes before teeoff. Failure to do so will inflict a penalty where you will not be able to participate in the next round. Circumstances beyond your control will be reviewed and in legitimate cases waived.
If you are late for teeoff, your group will add a score of 6 for each hole you do not play. If after six holes you have not arrived to play, your group will remove you from the scorecard and you will not be able to participate in the round.
There are up to 21 rounds that a player can play during a season. A player's average score from their best 7 rounds is counted. A player must play and complete at least 7 rounds to get an average score and have the chance to finish in the top five of their respective league and be eligible for winnings.
King: any player who played 7 rounds or more the previous season with an average score of 49.9 or lower. Plus any Battlefield players with that same average (see The Battlefield).
Queen: any female player. Note: a female player who played 7 rounds or more the previous season can choose to play Kings, Knights or Soldiers based on their average score or via The Battlefield (see The Battlefield).
Knight: any player who played 7 rounds or more the previous season with an average score between 50.0 and 55.9. Plus any Battlefield players with that same average (see The Battlefield).
Soldier: any player who played 7 rounds or more the previous season with an average score of 56.0 or over. Plus any Battlefield players with that same average (see The Battlefield).
Player 1 was a Knight and had an average score of 48.0. This means they will be promoted to the Kings' league.
Player 2 was a Knight and had an average score of 62.0. This means they will be relegated to the Soldiers' league. When a player such as Player 2 plays a higher average and gets relegated, they may choose* to go to The Battlefield the following season to try and prove they are still worthy of being a Knight. An example of why Player 2 might choose to do this is if they have developed their game between the ending and beginning of the seasons and feel they don't belong in a lower league.
All players** who have not played at least 7 rounds during the previous season will go to The Battlefield for their first three rounds. After a player has played three rounds, the average score from their best two rounds will decide which league they will play in.
** Female players may choose to play in the Queens' league regardless of whether they have a 7 round average or not.
Player A scores 47, 51 & 54. Taking 47 & 51 as the best two scores makes their average 49.0, which means they must play in the Kings' league.
Player B scores 55, 53 & 49. Taking 49 & 53 as their best two scores makes their average 51.0, which means they must play in the Knights' league.
Player C scores 59, 58 & 55. Taking 55 & 58 as their best two scores makes their average 56,5, which means they must play in the Soldiers' league.
Note: a player's three results from The Battlefield will follow them to their respective league.
Players who have played 7 or more rounds during the previous season do not have to go to The Battlefield since their average score will determine the correct league for them (see The Leagues above).
Note: DNF players and players who are not present during the prize announcement are ineligible for prizes. When a player is announced who is not present we will randomise again. CTP winners who are not present will also miss their prize which will then be given to the next closest.
65% of Riddarrundan's income is distributed as prize money at the end of the season between the top players: top 7 Kings', top 4 Queens' and top 7 Knights'.
The top 5 players in the Soldiers' league will win discs and other no-cash prizes.
Prize money is distributed between the placings as shown in the two tables below.
Riddarrundan costs 400 kr for a season pass (300 kr if you are a Castlewood club member, see here for details about that). Being a season passholder enables you to join a group 24 hours before players who are not (see How).
If you only want to play one or a few rounds then you may prefer to simply pay per round, which costs 40 kr and should be paid in cash (or with Swish) at the course to a member of the Riddarrundan team before the round starts each Tuesday (after 10 rounds are paid you don't pay anything more to participate). If you are planning to play 10 or more rounds, then we please ask you to pay 300 kr in advance via our Bankgiro or Swish accounts to make management more streamlined our end :).
Enter your personnummer (10 digits) as the reference.
When we receive your payment we will send you a confirmation email.


STC has grown to become one of the largest professional theatres for young audiences in the country. During the coming year, it will serve approximately 150,000 young people and their families from throughout the Twin Cities.
Since moving to the HCA in 1997, STC has significantly grown artistically and broadened its audience base. In addition to the main stage, HCA also houses a black box studio space (Hopkins Jaycees Studio), where STC is able to present more intimate and dramatic material that would not have the same impact if produced on the main stage. The black box studio is the venue for productions dealing with subject matter that demands a more intimate environment, such as Hidden Heroes The Black Women Of NASA (based on the book Hidden Human Computers: The Black Women of NASA) and Stone Hearts (a piece commissioned that portrays a Muslim family's struggles during the Bosnian War).
During the last 20 years, STC has increased its annual attendance from 20,000 to 150,000, grown the annual operating budget from $100,000 to more than $2.3 million, dramatically increased the size of full-time staff, and significantly expanded the theatre's production, education and outreach offerings. In addition to its acclaimed main stage productions, STC also offers an Acting Conservatory Program, community workshops, summer and winter theatre workshops and school outreach programs.
STAGES THEATRE COMPANY MISSION: Stages Theatre Company is committed to the enrichment and education of children and youth in a professional theatre environment that stimulates artistic excellence and personal growth.
STAGES THEATRE COMPANY STATEMENT OF INCLUSION: Stages Theatre Company is dedicated to creating a space where diverse opinions, courageous dialogue, and local, national, and international community engagement is not only valued, but vital to our shared artistic and educational success. We make this pledge in the hope of curating a welcome home for all.
Stages Theatre Company (STC) operates out of the Hopkins Center for the Arts (HCA), a 37,000 square-foot art facility located on Mainstreet in the heart of Downtown Hopkins. STC spearheaded the effort to build the HCA, which is the recipient of the James C. Howland Award for Urban Enrichment, that recognizes community efforts which have preserved and/or enriched the environmental quality of life in cities and towns, and an Arts Access Award for Accessible Performance Space by Very Special Arts Minnesota.
The HCA, which is owned by the City of Hopkins, houses two separate theatre performance spaces, a dance studio, an art gallery, an art classroom and other separate spaces available to the community. For directions and parking information, visit the tickets page.


According to data from statistics firm Statista, residents of Hong Kong spend far more than any one place on earth.
The average consumer spends $2,686 per year online shopping from Hong Kong. The country with the next highest spend online is Norway with an average of $2,448 per consumers. Israel rounds out the top three in most online spending per capita with $2,171.
What the research reveals is that online spending correlates with country wealth. Consider, for example, residents of the Phillipines, who spend an average of just $38 per year online.
For a visual representation of the 50 most digitally connected countries in the world and their spend per year online, check out the infographic at WebMag.co.