text:
Inland Mission
Home > Blog > Articles & Stories > Nothing prepared us – Looking back over 33 years among the Rendille.
Focus article
Barriers to the gospel within the Laarim people.
Living and working among the Karimojong.
Building the church among the Antakarana.
More about the Focus team working amongst the Alagwa.
22 June 2016 // Articles & Stories
Nothing prepared us – Looking back over 33 years among the Rendille.
[contentblock id=56 img=gcb.png]
In 1981 Nick & Lynne Swanepoel moved to Korr, northern Kenya, originally to translate the Bible for the unreached Rendille people. Now, having returned to South Africa, they look back over the 33 years they spent there:
Nothing in our missionary training prepared us for the physical needs we encountered when we first came to the Rendille. Our initial desire to learn the language was dampened when every encounter ended up in harsh begging. In 1984, the famine reached crisis proportions. The church accessed famine relief and was involved in the distribution. The next Sunday service the church was overflowing! We underlined that people were welcome to come and find out more about Christ, but that the distribution was not connected to their attendance. The next Sunday numbers dropped back again.
The Rendille
The Rendille live in the Kaisut Desert of Kenya, east of Lake Turkana, as semi-nomadic pastoralists. There are two distinctive groups: the northern Rendille, who herd camels, and the southern Rendille who herd cattle as well. Related to the Samburu, the Rendille are Eastern Cushitic peoples who migrated from the Suez Canal and Ethiopia, moving south to escape rivalry and conflicts over grazing land and water for livestock.
They live in 'manyattas' or homesteads of 70-100 houses. Each house is made of a stick framework with mats made from wild sisal fastened to them. Cow skins form the doorway. The whole house is designed to be taken down and strapped onto a camel, in accordance with their semi-nomadic traditions. Manyattas are built in a circle. Thorn enclosures for the livestock are inside the circle, so that any marauders would have to pass by the Rendille houses to get to the animals. Right in the centre is the naabo or gathering place where the Rendille meet to discuss village matters.
Rendille was an unwritten language, so first we worked on creating an alphabet. Teaching the Rendille literacy required starting from scratch, the students never having been exposed to literature before. But this work enabled the New Testament to be translated into their heart language. Although translating passages about agriculture proved difficult (the Rendille are nomadic camel herders living in an arid area where growing crops is impossible), stories like the good shepherd resonated with them very deeply.
The result of encounters with the written Scriptures using terms and idioms they were familiar with was explosive! One lady, Indubaayo, started literacy classes but then fell ill. Given the newly translated Gospel of Mark, she read chapter 13 verse 26 "…men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory," and became afraid. She cried out and asked the Lord Jesus into her life. The Lord gifted her with the ability to write Christian songs in the Rendille music style, which has greatly enhanced the worship of the church.
The small church soon grew, and a much larger building was put up. Almost every literacy class resulted in a group of believers. Every Sunday they would walk long distances to the central Korr church for fellowship.
God Built It
Lynne worked on developing the Tirrim schools; 12 nursery classes in nomadic villages fed into two Primary Schools and a Secondary School. The Tirrim Nomadic Primary was built in an area that served many further villages. The church service there was eagerly attended. When asked what to call their church, the people replied, "Waakh Disse", ('God Built It' church!)
The Rendille believers place a strong emphasis on evangelism. The local team engages in outreach to each of the fifty villages around Korr. When the team arrives, they are welcomed. "Why have you taken so long to come? We need to know more, come and teach us!"
Nick & Lynne Swanepoel
Our desire isn't just that there will be individual Christians amongst every people group in Africa but that there would be Christ-centred churches among all African peoples.
Pray for the unreached Rendille
The Rendille live in Northern Kenya as semi-nomadic pastoralists. There are two distinct groups: the northern Rendille, who herd camels, and the southern Rendille who herd cattle.
The latest news from AIM Europe and the work in Africa
Recent articles & stories about what God is doing in Africa
Watch films about various ministries across Africa
News and updates about AIM events
Why do we still need missionaries in Kenya?
Why send missionaries to Africa?
The Mwani of Mozambique: People of faith & fear
Work & Cultural Renewal
A day in the life of an Ik child
Receive our monthly email, with up to date stories and prayer news.
Founded in 1895, Africa Inland Mission is an evangelical, interdenominational organisation with the goal of seeing 'Christ-centred churches among all African peoples.'
Find out more about AIM
AIM Europe, Halifax Place
Nottingham NG1 1QN
+44(0)115 9838 120
admin.eu@aimint.org
Africa Inland Mission International, a company limited by guarantee (04598557), a registered charity in England and Wales (1096364) and a charity registered in Scotland (SC037594)
Jobs at AIM Europe
©copyright 2018 AIM Europe
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Lees meer


text:
SBA Paycheck Protection Update
SBAPPPloanspaycheck protection program
SBA Improving Paycheck Protection Program Processes
The U.S. Small Business Administration is taking steps to improve the First Draw Paycheck Protection Program loan review so small businesses have as much time as possible to access much needed PPP funds.
The Biden-Harris Administration is focused on ensuring small businesses receive the support they need to keep their doors open and continue to employ millions of Americans across the country. The Administration is working with the Agency to identify immediate solutions to address eligibility, compliance, integrity, and promote transparency.
While reviewing the initial draw of PPP loans, anomalies – mostly data mismatches and eligibility concerns – were identified in approximately 4.7% of the lender-submitted data. These concerns will require follow-up between the lender and the borrower so borrowers can access a second round of loans.
"The SBA is committed to working with lenders and eligible borrowers to provide the necessary information for follow-up and help get small businesses back on track so that they're able to receive another round of PPP loans swiftly," said SBA Utah District Director Marla Trollan.
The SBA encourages borrowers and lenders to work together as quickly as possible to resolve the issues. The SBA will automatically move favorable decisions to approval. During the newest round of PPP, the SBA has already approved over 400,000 loans for approximately $35 billion.
"Prior to this newest PPP round, the SBA supported 5.2 million PPP loan borrowers, providing more than $525 billion in economic relief to small businesses and other eligible entities. The Agency is committed to making sure compliance checks are executed on the front-end. The SBA is also committed to addressing issues more efficiently moving forward, to ensure fair and equitable access to small businesses in every community," said SBA Acting Administrator Tami Perriello.
The SBA is immediately addressing the PPP loan review to allow for Second Draw PPP loan applications to be processed in an efficient manner by:
Hosting a national call to brief lenders on the Platform's additional detailed information that will assist in the resolution of First Draw PPP loan review and potential holds that impact Second Draw PPP loan application approvals
Equipping the Agency's field team of lender relations specialists with information so they can provide support to lenders and borrowers in understanding the issues and facilitating the appropriate responses to resolve
Providing additional guidance to PPP lenders on the review and resolution process
Through SBA's 68 district offices, the Agency will work in close partnership with the Administration to further leverage its resource partner network and expand on multilingual access and outreach about the PPP. Updated PPP information, including forms, guidance, and resources is at www.sba.gov/ppp and www.treasury.gov/cares.
Paycheck Protection Program Update
-- Dear Lenders --
SBA has been receiving a significant number of questions from lenders regarding the revised rules on First Draw PPP loans, First Draw Loan Increases, Second Draw PPP loans, and streamlined Forgiveness. SBA wants to assure all participants and their small business customers that we understand there are many changes that businesses have undergone since the beginning of the pandemic in order to maintain operations and continue employing America's workers.
These changes may include entity size, location or staffing, methods of operation, organizational structure, and changes in ownership. SBA is working with national lender trade associations and stakeholder groups along with lenders to identify these potential program and system updates. Your partnership, commitment, input and patience greatly assist in this effort.
SBA is providing this information along with recently released additional PPP guidance and resources. To assist lenders in how to best access PPP as amended by the Economic Aid Act, here are a couple of reminders related to existing program guidance:
Reminder – First Draw PPP Loans Under Review May Be Delayed Getting Second Draw PPP Loan number
***As described in SBA's interim final rule on SBA Loan Review Procedures and Related Borrower and Lender Responsibilities, SBA may review any PPP loan, of any size, at any time, as the Administrator deems appropriate. If a borrower's First Draw PPP Loan is under review by SBA for any reason, including if information in SBA's possession indicates that the borrower may have been ineligible for the First Draw PPP Loan it received or for the loan amount it received, the lender will receive notification from SBA when the lender submits an application for a guaranty of a Second Draw PPP Loan, and will not receive an SBA loan number until the issue related to the unresolved borrower's First Draw PPP Loan is resolved. SBA is working to improve the information provided to lenders about the issues and how lenders can help clear issues as quickly as possible.
Reminder - Second Draw loan applications require an SBA loan number used for the First Draw PPP loan that was originated in 2020. Please verify that the applicant has the correct SBA loan number, and the correct Borrower TINto assure that the portal can match up the two loans.
Recent Guidance Issued:
Second Draw Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loans: How to Calculate Revenue Reduction and Maximum Loan Amounts Including What Documentation to Provide (Released 1/19/2021) provides detailed information regarding calculating and documenting the mandatory 25% reduction in revenues and maximum loan amount.
PPP: How to Calculate Maximum Loan Amounts for First Draw Loans and What Documents to Provide (sba.gov) (released 1/17/2021) provides updated guidance, by business type, regarding calculating and documenting payroll costs in order to determine the maximum amount of a First Draw loan.
Interim Final Rule: Loan Forgiveness Requirements and Loan Review Procedures as Amended by Economic Aid Act (01-19-21)
PPP Loan Forgiveness Application Form 3508 (Revised 1/19/21)
PPP Loan Forgiveness Application Form 3508EZ (Revised 1/19/21)
PPP Loan Forgiveness Application Form 3508S (Revised 1/19/21)
Borrower's Disclosure of Certain Controlling Interests Form 3508D (Released 1/19/2021).The 3508-D only needs to be completed by borrowers that received a PPP loan before 12/27/20 AND were directly or indirectly controlled by certain government officials (President, VP, member of Congress, head of Executive department and their spouses) at the time the loan was made.
For more information and updates, visit SBA.gov/PPP or Treasury.gov
For continued updates business owners and nonprofit organizations should subscribe to the SBA Utah District Office newsletter at www.sba.gov/offices/district/ut/salt-lake-city and follow on Twitter @SBA_Utah as information will be updated as it changes.
You may contact the Utah District Office at (801) 524-3209 or by email at utahgeneral@sba.gov. You may also contact the Rapid Response Team at coronavirus.utah.gov or by phone at 1 (800) 456-7707.
SBA Proposes Rule to Eliminate Regulations Excluding Faith-Based Organizations from Seven SBA Programs
Public Comments Due by February 18, 2021
The U.S. Small Business Administration invites public comment on a proposed rule designed to remove regulatory provisions that exclude certain faith-based organizations from seven business loan and disaster assistance programs. These programs include the Intermediary Lending Program (ILP), Business Loan programs (7(a), Microloan and 504 programs), Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loan (MREIDL) program and Immediate Disaster Assistance Program (IDAP).
Because these provisions exclude otherwise eligible applicants based on their religious status, they violate their constitutionally guaranteed religious liberty rights. By eliminating the provisions, the proposed rule would ensure that SBA's programs provide equal treatment for faith-based organizations, which the Constitution requires, and would correspond with the President's Executive Order Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty.
"Today's proposed rule would remove barriers to SBA loans and disaster assistance that current regulations unfairly impose on faith-based businesses and organizations," said SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza. "America's faith-based small businesses and organizations play a vital role in providing employment opportunities, products, and essential educational, training and youth social services that benefit both our local communities and the overall national economy. Today's proposed rule would ensure that these businesses and organizations are not forced to choose between their faith and the SBA financial assistance that they need to continue serving the public and employing our neighbors."
Public comments on this proposed rule can be submitted on or before February 18, 2021 at www.regulations.gov, using the following RIN number: RIN 3245-AH60. The public may also comment by mail to Valerie Mills, Executive Operations Officer, Office of General Counsel, U.S. Small Business Administration, 409 Third Street, SW, Washington, DC 20416.
SBA will post all comments on https://www.regulations.gov.
For more information about SBA's assistance to faith-based communities, click here.
Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) borrowers may be eligible for loan forgiveness if the funds were used for eligible payroll costs, payments on business mortgage interest payments, rent, or utilities during either the 8- or 24-week period after disbursement. A borrower can apply for forgiveness once it has used all loan proceeds for which the borrower is requesting forgiveness.
Borrowers can apply for forgiveness any time up to the maturity date of the loan. If borrowers do not apply for forgiveness within 10 months after the last day of the covered period, then PPP loan payments are no longer deferred and borrowers will begin making loan payments to their PPP lender.
The Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Venues Act signed into law on December 27, 2020 includes $15 billion in grants to operators of shuttered venues, to be administered by the Small Business Administration's Office of Disaster Assistance. Of this amount, at least $2 billion is reserved for applicants with up to 50 full-time employees. Grants of up to $10M will be disbursed to eligible applicants in accordance with applicable Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200) requirements. This guidance explains the rules associated with the use Federal grant funds.
Eligible Entities
Live venue operators or promoters • Theatrical producers • Live performing arts organization operators • Relevant museum operators, zoos and aquariums who meet specific criteria • Motion picture theater operators • Talent representatives, and • Each business entity owned by an eligible entity that also meets the eligibility requirements
Other requirements of note: Must have been in operation as of Feb. 29, 2020
Shuttered Venue Grant Information
Additional PPP Guidance and Forms
The following information is located on www.sba.gov/ppp :
The PPP is intended to provide economic relief to small businesses nationwide adversely impacted by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Subsequently, SBA published 23 interim final rules providing additional guidance on the PPP (some of which were jointly issued with the Department of the Treasury) and Treasury published one interim final rule.
The Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act (Economic Aid Act) (Pub. L. 116-260) became law Dec. 27, 2021. The Economic Aid Act extends the authority to make PPP loans through March 31, 2021 and revises certain PPP requirements.
For ease of borrower and lender reference, this interim final rule also consolidates the interim final rules (and important guidance) issued to date governing borrower eligibility, lender eligibility, and PPP application and origination requirements for new PPP loans, as well as provides general rules relating to loan increases and loan forgiveness.
Please access the following links for policy guidance on the new round of PPP loans as authorized by the recently passed stimulus bill.
SBA Guidance on Accessing Capital for Minority, Underserved, Veteran and Women-Owned Business Concerns (Released 1/6/2021)
Interim Final Rule on Paycheck Protection Program as Amended by Economic Aid Act (Released 1/6/2021)
Interim Final Rule on Second Draw Loans (Released 1/6/2021)
Top-line Overview of First Draw PPP
Top-line Overview of Second Draw PPP
Updated First Draw Forms
Form 2483 – First Draw Borrower Application
Form 2484 – First Draw Lender Guaranty Application
Second Draw Forms
Form 2483-SD – Second Draw Borrower Application
Form 2484-SD – Second Draw Lender Guaranty Application
Guidance & Resources
SBA Procedural Notice 5000-20074 - Modifications to SBA Forms 3506, 3507, and 750 CA (for purposes of PPP only)
SBA Procedural Notice 5000-20075 - Repeal of EIDL Advance Deduction Requirement for SBA Loan Forgiveness Remittances to PPP Lenders
Per the Economic Aid Act, a Community Financial Institution (CFI) is one of the four types of lenders.
Community Financial Development Institution (CDFI)
Minority Depository Institution (MDI)
Community Development Corporation (CDC)
Microlender Intermediary
Eligibility has been expanded to include 501(c)(6)s, housing cooperatives, destinationmarketing organizations, among other types of organizations; not direct marketing organizations as previously stated.
Further information and background is contained lower in this newsletter.
Eligible Paycheck Protection Program expenses now deductible
The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service issued guidance today allowing deductions for the payments of eligible expenses when such payments would result (or be expected to result) in the forgiveness of a loan (covered loan) under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
Today's guidance, Revenue Ruling 2021-02, reflects changes to law contained in the COVID-related Tax Relief Act of 2020, enacted as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Act), Public Law 116-260, which was signed into law on Dec. 27, 2020.
The COVID-related Tax Relief Act of 2020 amended the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) to say that no deduction is denied, no tax attribute is reduced, and no basis increase is denied by reason of the exclusion from gross income of the forgiveness of an eligible recipient's covered loan. This change applies for taxable years ending after March 27, 2020.
Revenue Ruling 2021-02 obsoletes Notice 2020-32 and Revenue Ruling 2020-27. This obsoleted guidance disallowed deductions for the payment of eligible expenses when the payments resulted (or could be expected to result) in forgiveness of a covered loan.
For more information about this, the COVID-related Tax Relief Act of 2020, and other tax changes, visit IRS.gov.
SBA Disaster Loans
SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage. The deadline to apply for an SBA economic injury disaster loan is July 27, 2021.
Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.
Interest rates can be as low as 3 percent for businesses, 2.75 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 1.188 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant's financial condition.
Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information and download applications at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/. Applicants may also call SBA's Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. Individuals who are deaf or hard‑of‑hearing may call (800) 877-8339. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
Virtual Mentoring and Training
Offices around the country may be closed to the Coronavirus pandemic, but SCORE, Small Business Development Centers, Women's Business Centers, and Veterans Business Outreach Centers and other resource partners are providing free business mentoring and training by phone, email, and video.
Find an SBA resource partner near you
We're Hiring, Join Our Team
The SBA is hiring temporary employees to assist with disaster relief efforts during these unprecedented times. The positions include:
Call Center Customer Service Representative
Document Preparation/Legal Review/Loan Closings
Loan Processing/Credit Analysis/Mortgage Underwriting
Financing Your Business
Free online courses from the SBA Learning Center
Assess your financing needs and discover financing options for your business.
There are many other courses available at the site as well.
UTAH SBA DIRECTORY
Marla Trollan, District Director
marla.trollan@sba.gov, (o) 801-524-3209 (c) 385-218-1995
John Gygi, Deputy District Director
john.gygi@sba.gov, (o) 801-524-3209 (c) 801-889-6170
Karl Wernick, Lender Relations Specialist
karl.wernick@sba.gov, (o) 801-524-3209 (c) 385-355-5815
Don MacMillan, Lender Relations Specialist
donald.macmillan@sba.gov, (o) 801-524-3209 (c) 385-429-8627
Melinda Workman, Economic Development Specialist
melinda.workman@sba.gov, (o) 801-524-3209 (c) 385-266-1853
Rachel Bennett, Economic Development Specialist
rachel.bennett@sba.gov, (o) 801-524-3209 (c) 385-355-5677
Cody Neville, Business Opportunity Specialist
cody.neville@sba.gov, (o) 801-524-3209 (c) 801-828-0796
Siobhan Carlile, Public Affairs Specialist
siobhan.carlile@sba.gov, (o) 801-524-3209 (c) 706-267-1145
George Janes, Outreach and Marketing Specialist, Office of Disaster Assistance
george.janes@sba.gov, (o) 801-524-3209 (c) 202-941-8106
Charla Allred, Program Support Assistant, Office of Disaster Assistance
charla.allread@sba.gov, (o) 801-524-3209 (c) 202-941-8106
Cheryl Richens, Administrative Officer
cheryl.richens@sba.gov, (o) 801-524-3209
Sharlene Miller, Paralegal
sharlene.miller@sba.gov, (o) 801-524-3209

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
TUJ graduate Dr. Tomoko Kaneko becomes president of Showa Women's University
In 1992, Tomoko Kaneko received her doctoral degree in education (Ed.D.) from Temple University, Japan Campus (TUJ), and became a professor at Showa Women's University (SWU). Kaneko was appointed a member of board of trustees at SWU in 1996, and then a professor and head of the Department of English and American Literature. She became dean of the Literature Department before becoming a vice president in 2005.
This April, Kaneko was named the ninth president of SWU after her predecessor Mariko Bando finished her term. This is the first time SWU appointed one of their alumni to take the presidency of the university. Kaneko graduated from SWU's Department of English and American Literature.
After graduating from SWU, Kaneko taught at Showa Junior and Senior High School and moved to the U.S. to get her master's degree in TESOL at San Francisco State University. In 1980, Kaneko became an associate professor at SWU and also worked as the head secretary at the Office of the Chancellor. She has worked as an SWU councilor since 1990.
Upon her appointment, Kaneko sent an encouraging message to TUJ students and students-to-be: "I am proud of myself for having been educated at TUJ, which has cultivated my base as an educator and a researcher. Through direct interaction, I was so inspired by both world-renowned faculty leading second language education and English education research as well as by young top-notch researchers. There are opportunities one may not be aware of, but they are right in front of everyone. A failure is a step to a success. Keep on challenging yourselves, everyone."
Second Language Acquisition – SLA and Foreign Language Education (第二言語習得-SLA研究と外国語教育) (Taishukan)
Second Language Acquisition and English Teaching (第二言語習得と英語科教育法) (Kaitakusha)
A Handbook of Learner Corpus Research (英語学習者コーパス活用ハンドブック) (Taishukan)
Use of English by Japanese Learners: Study of Errors (Sanshusha)
Junior High School English – Comprehensive Studies (中学校総合的研究英語) (Obunsha)
Classroom English You Can Use – From Important Expressions to Lesson Development (現場で使える教室英語-重要表現から授業への展開まで) (Sanshusha)
Temple University, Japan Campus Law School International Cybersecurity Conference
Learning the Responsibility of an Employee—Internship Experience at Audi Japan
TUJ graduate Dr. Tomoko Kaneko becomes president of Showa Women's University


Emily McWaters used her entire savings – $10,000 – to buy her first business when she was still in her early twenties, turning it over within twelve months at a significant profit. Essentially, she has never looked back, and is now Founder and CEO of the SOL Group, which encompasses The Hamper Emporium, Gifts Australia, Everything But Flowers and Men's Gift Store.
What has been the biggest obstacle you've faced in your business career and how did you overcome it?
Lack of capital. Having remained self-funded, I've had to learn to watch my expenses, even if those expenses are on stock that can be resold. It is so easy to get more than what you need or feel pressure to prove a point about your buying capacity. I still do it sometimes to try and prove to a new supplier that we are worthy of good service by putting in an initial order that is simply more than we need. This is a bad habit to get into, particularly in a seasonal business where cash flow can fluctuate dramatically.
You work remotely part of the year – how have changing work modes such as telecommuting and flexible work arrangements been reflected down through your businesses?
The beauty of an online business is that, as long as you have a reliable internet connection, it can be run from anywhere. I have an experienced and trusted team to run the operation in Sydney, and I stay in touch with them through any one of a number of modes of communication. We also have a number of team members who work remotely in areas of the business such as SEO and content, product development, web development and creative design. The focus is on work output and results rather than micromanaging the hours worked.
You have bought businesses and built them up, rather than establishing start-ups. What do you think are the major pros and cons of taking that path?
The pros are that you are thrown in the deep end and are forced to work hard without procrastination – if you buy a business that's up and running, you've got to keep it up and running! You can also get an exceptional deal and less risk if you are prepared to put in the time to research and shop around. Let someone else spend $100k plus on an extravagant fit out or machinery, then you can pick it up as part of a package deal with a business or even just with a lease on premises.
The only con would be coming up with the cash for the purchase as well as some working capital up your sleeve, but this can be avoided with smart buying. However, don't underestimate how much working capital you need and always do proper calculations to figure it out.
How important is it to be agile in response to changing consumer behaviour, like advocacy on social media and browsing for goods on mobile devices, and how have your businesses adapted in this environment?
With all the talk of Mobilegeddon back in 2015, we focused heavily on responsive website design for mobile and tablet. Our results that year saw a 30% year over year (YOY) increase in mobile traffic and significant increases in conversion. Small details make a big difference to the experience on mobile, and it's constantly on our radar. We don't rely heavily on social media or influencers, as our websites and products largely speak for themselves. We're in gifting, so most of the recipients of our products are potential customers, so it's important that the gifts are presented in a way that is impactful and will encourage them to visit our sites.
What are your top tips for someone thinking about following in your footsteps?
Go hard, and commit to going hard for many years. My journey to being self-sufficient and successful took many, many years of battling through, feeling disheartened and often just scraping in on paying suppliers and staff. For the good part of decade I had nothing to spend on myself. Reading articles about entrepreneurs can at times be misleading, often it sounds like success happens overnight. Maybe for 1 in 100! It certainly hasn't been for me.


text:
Football Finals Re-Airing This Week
The championship games of the 2013 MHSAA 11-Player Football Playoffs will have encore presentations on FOX Sports Detroit in the week ahead.
Here is the complete schedule:
11:30 a.m. – Division 1 Final – Detroit Catholic Central vs. Clarkston
2 p.m. – Division 7 Final – Detroit Loyola v. Ishpeming
5 p.m. – Division 3 Final – DeWitt v. Zeeland West
8 p.m. – Division 2 Final – Birmingham Brother Rice v. Muskegon
6 p.m. – Division 5 – Grand Rapids West Catholic v. Menominee
9 p.m. – Division 4 – Marine City v. Grand Rapids South Christian
9 a.m. – Division 8 – Muskegon Catholic Central v. Beal City
Noon – Division 6 – Clinton v. Ithaca
In July, FOX Sports Detroit will air all of the championship games from the 2014 MHSAA Boys and Girls Basketball Tournaments.
Tags: MHSAA.tv
Title IX Continues to Fuel Growth of Girls and Women's Sports, Olympic Dominance
By Karissa Niehoff
NFHS Executive Director
To say that American female athletes dominated the recent Olympics in Tokyo would be an understatement.
Among the 66 medals earned by American female Olympians – most by any country in the history of the Games – were gold-medal performances by the U.S. basketball, volleyball, water polo and beach volleyball teams. Eighteen medals were earned by the U.S. women swimmers, female track and field athletes claimed 15 medals, and the U.S. women's softball and soccer teams won silver and bronze medals, respectively.
In the past 30 years of the Olympic Games, the United States has dominated the women's team sports of basketball (nine golds), soccer (four golds, one silver, one bronze) and softball (three golds, two silvers) — not to mention the untold number of medals in track and field. And this past summer, the U.S. women's volleyball team claimed its first gold medal.
These performances by some of our nation's most skilled female athletes never would have been possible without the passage of Title IX and the offerings of these sports through our nation's schools. With the chance to play afforded by the landmark Title IX legislation in 1972, girls participation in several high school sports skyrocketed in the years that followed.
When the NFHS conducted its first participation survey in 1971, basketball and outdoor track and field were the primary girls sports, comprising about two-thirds of the 294,000 total. However, with the opportunity to play additional sports, girls flocked to volleyball and softball first, along with cross country and eventually soccer.
Soccer, in fact, has had the most remarkable growth. In 1971, only 700 girls were playing high school soccer. Twenty-five years later, that number had climbed to almost 210,000; and as the 50th anniversary of Title IX approaches, there are now almost 400,000 girls playing high school soccer – a staggering 56,200 percentage increase in 50 years. Soccer now ranks fourth in popularity among girls high school sports – all because of that opportunity in 1972.
There are many other success stories, however. The pre-Title IX survey in 1971 indicated that 1,719 girls were participating in cross country. With increases every year until 2015, today, there are 219,345 girls competing in high school programs and the sport ranks sixth in popularity.
Although participation numbers have leveled a bit the past 10 years, fast-pitch softball is another sport that flourished after the passage of Title IX. With fewer than 10,000 participants in 1971, the numbers quickly rose to 220,000 by 1985 and 343,000 by 2000, and softball is currently fifth among girls sports with 362,038 participants.
Since track and field and basketball were the primary sports in the early days of girls sports programs, increases in those sports have not been as dramatic; however, they remain the first and third most-popular sports, respectively, today. Volleyball, however, much like soccer, continues its upward climb.
Without a doubt, volleyball has seen the steadiest increases among girls high school sports the past 50 years. After starting with 17,952 participants in 1971, the numbers jumped to 300,810 by 1990 and 409,332 by 2010 and 452,808 by 2018. During its climb, volleyball surpassed basketball as the No. 2 girls sport.
And among the top six girls sports from 2010 to 2018 (numbers are not available the past two years due to the pandemic), volleyball has gained the most participants (43,476), followed by soccer (32,549). And all of this has occurred thanks to legislation passed in 1972 that was not fundamentally meant to address opportunities for girls to participate in high school sports.
The NFHS is leading a yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of Title IX, which officially occurs on June 23, 2022. "Title IX at 50 – Celebrating and Growing Opportunities" is highlighting the law's impact by celebrating the inspirational individuals and landmark moments in the history of Title IX, and continuing to grow the educational and competitive opportunities for the future.
More information, including a Title IX Timeline, Title IX Milestones, The History and Importance of Title IX, Title IX Fact Sheet, Title IX Frequently Asked Questions and several Title IX videos, can be accessed on the NFHS Website.
Dr. Karissa L. Niehoff is beginning her fourth year as executive director of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) in Indianapolis. She is the first female to head the national leadership organization for high school athletics and performing arts activities and the sixth full-time executive director of the NFHS. She previously was executive director of the Connecticut Association of Schools-Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference for seven years.
Tags: Title IX


White flower petal earrings on a gold hoop earring with pearls in between the petals. These are perfect for everyday wearing as well as a great bridesmaid gift, bachelorette party favor for the bride to be to wear, etc. Come flower party with us and get some flowers on your ears!


This is a very solid block construction building with 22' ceilings, zoned I-1, LIGHT INDUSTRIAL. Can be used for many different types of businesses. I have a complete list of usage types the city will allow. Main building is 1800 sq' and the secondary workshop is 600 sq' with 12' ceilings. Used as a storage warehouse. Watertight and solid. Clean concrete floor. Metal and foam roof approx. 7 years old. 4 ton A/C unit replaced in 2000. 200 amp service. 2 huge drive-in doors. Stucco finish exterior.


text:
const SETTLE_TIMEOUT = 5000
const STACKTRACE_FILTER = /(node_modules(\/|\\)(\w+)*|wdio-sync\/build|- - - - -)/g

class JasmineReporter {
    constructor (params) {
        this._cid = params.cid
        this._capabilities = params.capabilities
        this._specs = params.specs
        this._cleanStack = params.cleanStack
        this._parent = []
        this._failedCount = 0

        this.sentMessages = 0 // number of messages sent to the parent
        this.receivedMessages = 0 // number of messages received by the parent
    }

    suiteStarted (suite = {}) {
        this._suiteStart = new Date()
        suite.type = 'suite'

        this.emit('suite:start', suite)
        this._parent.push({
            description: suite.description,
            id: suite.id
        })
    }

    specStarted (test = {}) {
        this._testStart = new Date()
        test.type = 'test'
        this.emit('test:start', test)
    }

    specDone (test) {
        /**
         * jasmine can't set test pending if async (`pending()` got called)
         * this is a workaround until https://github.com/jasmine/jasmine/issues/937 is resolved
         */
        if (Array.isArray(test.failedExpectations)) {
            test.failedExpectations.forEach((e) => {
                if (e.message.includes('Failed: => marked Pending')) {
                    test.status = 'pending'
                    test.failedExpectations = []
                }
            })
        }

        if (test.failedExpectations && this._cleanStack) {
            test.failedExpectations = test.failedExpectations.map(::this.cleanStack)
        }

        var e = 'test:' + test.status.replace(/ed/, '')
        test.type = 'test'
        test.duration = new Date() - this._testStart
        this.emit(e, test)
        this._failedCount += test.status === 'failed' ? 1 : 0
        this.emit('test:end', test)
    }

    suiteDone (suite = {}) {
        this._parent.pop()
        suite.type = 'suite'
        suite.duration = new Date() - this._suiteStart
        this._failedCount += suite.status === 'failed' ? 1 : 0
        this.emit('suite:end', suite)
    }

    emit (event, payload) {
        let message = {
            cid: this._cid,
            uid: this.getUniqueIdentifier(payload),
            event: event,
            title: payload.description,
            pending: payload.status === 'pending',
            parent: this._parent.length ? this.getUniqueIdentifier(this._parent[this._parent.length - 1]) : null,
            type: payload.type,
            file: '',
            err: payload.failedExpectations && payload.failedExpectations.length ? payload.failedExpectations : null,
            nonerr: payload.passedExpectations && payload.passedExpectations.length ? payload.passedExpectations : null,
            duration: payload.duration,
            runner: {},
            specs: this._specs
        }

        message.runner[this._cid] = this._capabilities
        this.send(message, null, {}, () => ++this.receivedMessages)
        this.sentMessages++
    }

    send (...args) {
        return process.send.apply(process, args)
    }

    /**
     * wait until all messages were sent to parent
     */
    waitUntilSettled () {
        return new Promise((resolve) => {
            const start = (new Date()).getTime()
            const interval = setInterval(() => {
                const now = (new Date()).getTime()

                if (this.sentMessages !== this.receivedMessages && now - start < SETTLE_TIMEOUT) return
                clearInterval(interval)
                resolve()
            }, 100)
        })
    }

    getFailedCount () {
        return this._failedCount
    }

    getUniqueIdentifier (target) {
        return target.description + target.id
    }

    cleanStack (error) {
        let stack = error.stack.split('\n')
        stack = stack.filter((line) => !line.match(STACKTRACE_FILTER))
        error.stack = stack.join('\n')
        return error
    }
}

export default JasmineReporter

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


** Orders will be taken until Feb 10, then the website will close and orders will be filled. The completed orders will be delivered to our contact person and they will get the orders to everyone. The orders will be completed approx. 1-2 weeks after close date.


It too can be utilized in a formal lounge, household room or wherever else in the house you wish to use it. It's strongly recommended that on the time of buy, any cotton fabric needs to be treated with a solvent base stain repellent. Many times you will discover wool blended with other fibers to get the best part of every fiber.
A barking canine alarm, also known as digital watch canine actually present optimum security to the one using it because it creates practical barking sound that may deter burglars from breaking inside your home. Polyester is a material that may very well be utilized in a bedroom, lounge, or different low use room of the house because of its soil and stain traits.
In the event you or a member of the family is growing older, otherwise you expect to reside in your home selection for years, stairs generally is a major drawback. Many occasions the results are fairly poor and the cleansing value is excessive. Olefin is blended with different fibers, (example polyester) to recreate its look so the patron may use it as a formal fabric for a lounge, or a high use fabric in a busy family room.
This cloth is ceaselessly utilized in family rooms due to its fiber power. This can be a fabric that when bought is really helpful to have a stain repellent utilized at the time of buy. Cotton is a good fabric selection for a medium to high use lounge.


text:
Home»News»NYSC Board Expresses Confidence On Management
NYSC Board Expresses Confidence On Management
By Orientalnews Staff January 19, 2023 No Comments3 Mins Read
Uche Cecil Izuora
The Chairman, National Governing Board of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Ambassador Fatima Balla Abubakar has expressed satisfaction on the leadership style of the managers of the Scheme.
She said the cordial relationship between the NYSC Management, Staff, Corps Members and other Stakeholders is highly commendable.
Abubakar, who stated this in her goodwill message at the 2023 Batch 'A' Pre-Orientation Workshop held in Abuja, declared, "The Management is doing very well. We don't have problems with our Corps Members and everything is working well", she said.
She appraised the state of Orientation Camps in the country, adding that some of the facilities are good while she has been advocating through the State Governors for the upgrade of others.
The Chairman also assured of NYSC's readiness and neutrality during the 2023 general elections.
"We will do all things to ensure that our Corps Members are safe during the elections by collaborating with all the security agencies", she said.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Alhaji Muhammed Musa Bello while declaring open, the 2023 Batch 'A' Pre-Orientation Workshop, themed; "The NYSC Orientation Course as a veritable tool for Socio-Cultural and Moral Re-Engineering of the Nigerian Youths", also commended the efforts of the Acting Director General of NYSC in repositioning the Scheme for optimal performance by deploying a wealth of analytical skills at ensuring the realization of the NYSC set goals.
He added that the FCT Administration shall not relent at providing the necessary support to the NYSC at all times especially as it relates to the security and welfare of all Corps Members.
Alhaji Bello, whose address was read by the Director, Social Development Secretariat, FCT, Ambassador Asabe Umar urged the participants to use the Pre-Orientation Workshop as an avenue to review the previous Orientation Course with a view to improving performance in subsequent ones by mapping out strategies and programmes for a hitch-free forthcoming Orientation Course.
In her welcome address, the NYSC Acting Director General, Mrs Christy Ifeyinwa Uba said Management is working closely with critical stakeholders for the successful conduct of the forthcoming 2023 Batch 'A' Orientation Course.
She expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for its unwavering faith in the Scheme, as demonstrated through sustained provision of funds for the smooth conduct of NYSC operations.
"Despite the tremendous successes recorded by the Scheme, there are certain operational challenges bordering on inadequate/ dilapidated facilities at some Orientation Camps among others.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is heartwarming to note that the NYSC Trust Fund Bill is currently awaiting assent by Mr President. Once it comes to fruition, corps entrepreneurs will draw seed capital from the fund for the development of their businesses. This will not only provide job opportunities for millions of youth but will also reduce the rate of insecurity in the country", She said.
In his introductory remarks, the Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Alhaji Ahmed Wada Ikaka appreciated the Minister of FCT, Mallam Mohammed Musa Bello alongside other guests for gracing the occasion.


Are You Ready for the Solar Eclipse of 2017?
By now we've all heard the news about this eclipse season: Total Solar Eclipses are glorious, awesome remember-for-the-rest-of-your-life events.
Millions of Americans are making preparations to see the eclipse – downloading travel maps, buying eclipse glasses and road-trip snacks – to make the pilgrimage to witness the upcoming Total Solar Eclipse blazing a coast-to-coast trail from Oregon to South Carolina Aug. 21.
But eclipse preparations can go even deeper. You can cultivate a mindset that helps you prepare for what the eclipse might mean for us as individuals, or as a society.
For millennia, eclipses have been regarded as the world's greatest omen. They've heralded times of accelerated change for the places from which they are visible.
It's the changing of the guard, so to speak. What's old and no longer working passes away, to be replaced by new ideas, new cultures, new leaders.
And so we've feared them, because change isn't usually humans' favorite activity.
But change-points can also become times of great opportunity, creativity and compassion. Change can open our hearts in unimaginable ways.
Here are eight strategies for embracing change that will serve you well in the coming weeks and months of eclipse season.
Make time to breathe and ground yourself in the present.
Remember being present in our physical bodies is the most empowering place to be. When we hang onto the past, or dwell in fears of possible futures, we are not focused on making the most of what we can do right now.
Remember to breathe. Feel your body as your breath flows in and out. Feel the Earth under your feet. Do this as many times a day as it takes to remind you to be present.
Both modern science and ancient wisdom tell us the same thing: the tone of our thoughts shape how we experience the world around us. If we focus on the negative aspects, we are more fearful, stressed and less able to think clearly. But when we focus on the positive, we are more relaxed and able to act with clarity of purpose.
If you find yourself in the middle of a negative spiral, interrupt it by looking for a positive alternative. Speak the positive version of events out loud; it can help make it more real.
When societies are going through periods of accelerated change, it's likely the anxiety you feel is shared by others. When they are uncertain, people don't always react as well or as kindly.
Slow down, and remind yourself you got this. And help others to do the same by not adding fuel to their fire. Listen with compassion, and offer help if appropriate.
As change deepens and it's clear that you'll need to adjust to something new, it's important for you to remember your own values. What is important to you? What non-essentials can you let go of, because in the long run, they aren't important.
Clarify your intentions for you own life in these moments, for they will help you choose between the new options presented to you during this eclipse season.
One of the upsides of change are the new ideas and opportunities it can generate. If you can cultivate your curiosity, if you can take small steps by trying new things, you will move beyond a fixed mindset, into a growth-oriented one.
It's tempting to try and analyze our way through life; our culture encourages it. But when everything is new, there's often not enough information to fill our rational decision-making pipeline.
In other words, we rely more heavily on intuition to guide us. We listen to our hearts, and do what feels right for our body and soul. This is how we act in alignment with ourselves.
No one ever does it all alone. Humans are social creatures. We feel safest when we are with our tribe. Especially in times of change, we need support from our friends, loved ones, and our community.
Reach out and connect with others who are feeling the change of this eclipse season. Especially with those who are committed to doing so with open eyes and open hearts.
At Astrology Hub, we know the value of holding hands with others as we create our world.
That's why we we are hosting the Global Eclipse Meditation series to anchor love in our lives at this pivotal point in time.
The 14-day free, live, online, global meditation series, between the lunar eclipse on Aug. 7 and the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, features some of the world's top spiritual teachers and astrologers will offer a guided meditation on how to anchor love on a personal and collective level.
But to make this Global Eclipse Meditation Series truly great, Astrology Hub is donating all profits from the sales of the event's Upgrade Package to support Ivy Child International, an organization dedicated to making meditation and mindfulness training available to children to secure our future generations.
Come join us for the Global Eclipse Meditation. All faiths are welcome.
Go to AnchoringLoveMeditation.com to reserve your space.


text:
using System;

namespace De.Osthus.Ambeth.Log
{
    public interface ILoggerHistory
    {
        bool AddLogHistory(ILogger logger, Object contextHandle, String logTextForHistory);

        bool DebugOnce(ILogger log, Object contextHandle, String logTextForHistory);

        bool InfoOnce(ILogger log, Object contextHandle, String logTextForHistory);

        bool WarnOnce(ILogger log, Object contextHandle, String logTextForHistory);

        bool ErrorOnce(ILogger log, Object contextHandle, String logTextForHistory);
    }
}


Our same day handyman service based in Hainault does exactly what it says on the tin.
Whenever you're in desperate need of IG7 home repairs or appliance repairs then call our fantastic team of expert handymen.
Our same day handyman service will be there on the same day that you call our team and our handymen are the finest that you'll find anywhere in IG7 with a wide range of experience in trades and services over years and years. No job is too big or too small so call now to obtain a free quote for all of our services.
Don't spend your hard earned weekends doing frustrating and arduous DIY, kick back and enjoy some of the finer things in life and our Hainault home repairs and home refurbishment services will transform your home.
No job is too big or too small and our prices are unbeatable in IG7. There's a reason why our reputation is second to none, and that's because we offer brilliant services with a friendly attitude and all of our work is available at an affordable price.
We all have to roll up our sleeves every now and then in Hainault to complete those necessary home repairs.
In Hainault, many people don't have the tools they need, the materials they want or the skills that would help them accomplish home improvement.
If you are in that situation it's very easy to get help from professional handymen by calling Handyman Services Handymen and booking us in for your home repairs in IG7. We work to complete any kind of handyman jobs cheaply, efficiently and at the time that you need them doing. We have local handymen in Hainault and we can provide them to you at short notice where required.
Your home needs regular Hainault home maintenance to ensure that it's always looking as good as it should for you and your family.
The professional handymen at Handyman Services Handymen are just waiting to help you with every single one of your IG7 home repairs and you're just a phone call away from hiring the experienced handymen that you need! We can help you with appliance repairs, emergency repairs and we can even give you the assistance you need when it comes to renovating your home! To find out more and to hire the best in the business for your house just call us today on 020 8610 9016!
For office maintenance service that doesn't cost you a fortune, doesn't cause disturbance in your workplace and knows all of the tricks of the trade to provide you with a clean, stylish and well maintained office floor call our IG7 handyman services today.
We have years of experience in all forms of electrical services and even plumbing repairs whilst our Hainault painting and decorating service is of the very highest quality so we'll make sure your office repairs are completed to the highest standard and your work place experiences no disturbance or distractions.


text:
Freight frights
Features - Spring Survival Guide
Changes in the trucking sector are challenging growers to get creative with distribution.
Heading into spring, the horticulture industry appears to be faring quite well and industry members are optimistic, says Tal Coley, director of government affairs at AmericanHort.
However, the trucking industry, which has an impact on growers, has been hurting. Payrolls declined for the third straight month in September 2019 — that time by 4,200 jobs — and layoffs are continuing in 2020, with startup NEXT Trucking Inc. having laid off about 70 employees in mid-January, according to The Wall Street Journal.
As another chaotic spring season approaches, here's what growers should know about shipping their product.
Renting vs. owning trucks vs. working with a carrier or broker
Some growers own trucks, while others rent them, and others work with a common carrier or broker. A combination of shipping methods can also sometimes prove useful.
Coley says he has seen more large growers with their own fleets while medium- or smaller-sized growers often utilize common carriers.
Carts can expedite the process of loading and offloading trucks.
Photo courtesy of Olson's Greenhouses
If growers don't already own trucks, it will cost a lot of money to buy them, and meeting safety and emissions standards can also be a hassle. In addition, "Insurance costs are skyrocketing from everything I've read, mainly because the payouts from lawsuits as a result of these accidents has gone way up, so in turn, the insurance rates have gone up," he says.
Olson's Greenhouses in Raynham, Massachusetts, calculated that even having to maintain trucks it already owned would prove a poor investment. Co-owner Matt Piscitelli says the greenhouse had its own fleet when he bought the business in 2006. Since then, they've "gotten out of the trucking business."
"They had trucks, and we slowly, as we could, as the trucks reached their limited lifespans, we scrapped the trucks, sold the trucks, traded the trucks and moved to basically a three-truck fleet just to keep things simple," Piscitelli says. Olson's does still own one tractor, two trailers, one 26-inch box truck, a 14-inch box truck and an F350 dump truck.
Olson's has 5 acres of greenhouse production, 1 acre of high-tunnel production and 65 acres of outdoor mums, cabbage and kale production. It has seasonal increases in sales during mid-April to mid-June, and again from late August to early October. During these periods, Olson's rents trucks from Penske and Ryder, and works with one self-employed driver who has his own tractor. One of Olson's employees also has a commercial driver's license (CDL), which the company paid for, in addition to training.
Olson's relationships with the rental companies are established, and those companies know what to expect ahead of the busy seasons, Piscitelli says. Olson's gives the companies 60 days' notice for rentals.
In addition, in the event of an issue, the rental companies have one extra truck ready for Olson's in the busy seasons.
Piscitelli says working with rental companies eliminates the headache of maintenance. "It takes the burden off of our operations team [of] having to look at a truck, figure out a truck, drop a truck off to get it fixed, to get it repaired, to rent a truck in the meantime, because you can't go down a truck in the middle of a season," he says.
Nicholas Moser is chief of distribution at Willoway Nurseries, based in Avon, Ohio. Willoway has 550 acres of field production and 450 acres of container stock, including 32 acres of greenhouse production.
Unlike Olson's, which doesn't ship outside of 150 miles from its greenhouse, Willoway ships to customers in about 25 states. When using its own six trucks and six year-round drivers, it stays within a 500-mile radius of the nursery.
For longer shipments, Willoway works with both carriers and brokers. The carriers supply drivers and power units that attach to Willoway's trailers, and the brokers supply power units, trailers and drivers, Moser says. During the busy spring season, Willoway has about 28 to 30 trucks on the road.
Because it ships long distances, Willoway has been impacted by the electronic logging device (ELD) mandate, Moser says. The mandate went into effect in December 2017 and requires drivers to have ELD technology installed to track their Hours of Service (HOS).
Olson's rents trucks from Penske and Ryder, and works with a self-employed driver with his own tractor to make deliveries.
"Being that our freight is a little different, with being that it's live, just a nursery stock, it's not just a widget in the back of the truck," Moser says. "Time is everything to get it offloaded."
Willoway has been looking at its routes to see how it can improve efficiencies, such as matching its delivery times with the times that customers request and seeing when it could use fewer trucks. It uses a third-party database to help with routing.
On the carrier and broker side, Moser says, "We really try to develop great relationships with the companies that we work with that are carriers for us, so that we understand what we're looking at year-round. We kind of give them the expectations of what we expect by season."
Hours of Service questions
AmericanHort is seeking assurance from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) that horticulture qualifies for the Hours of Service Agriculture Exemption. While the FMCSA previously said that the industry does not qualify, they have since put out an advance notice of proposed rulemaking asking for help to define an agricultural commodity, Coley says.
The exemption allows drivers to travel within a 150-air-mile radius of the source of a commodity without having time counted as HOS. "For some who are involved in interstate commerce, that can mean getting home that night or that can mean a guy having to spend the night on the side of the road or at a hotel or whatnot — or an extra stop on a run," Coley says.
Final clarification on the Agriculture Exemption may be coming this year, he says.
Labor in trucking
For as long as driving remains a predominantly human task, trucking will directly relate to another issue that is frequently on growers' minds: labor.
"Qualified drivers are hard to come by," Moser says. "Anybody that we've looked at that we feel are very good drivers — they're secured in their spots, even though we've seen quite a few companies shutting their doors down."
In California, a new labor law is further complicating trucking. In September 2019, state lawmakers passed Assembly Bill 5 (AB5), which says workers are employees, rather than independent contractors, unless hiring businesses can prove otherwise through multiple specific points.
AB5, which took effect Jan. 1, has been the cause of numerous legal disputes, including a lawsuit by the California Trucking Association against California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, according to Land Line, the official publication of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.
As the work of independent drivers in California remains under a microscope, one grower in the state told Coley that, on advice of counsel, it isn't using an independent driver this spring as it has in the past, Coley says.
Willoway has been looking at ways to improve shipping efficiencies and routing.
Photo courtesy of Willoway Nurseries Inc.
"Right now, [this type of law] is only in California, so I think the big question is, 'Does that proliferate to other states?'" Coley says. "I am not aware of any other state putting anything out there like that. That's why we're monitoring it. We don't really get involved in state-level issues, but it is affecting our industry."
Olson's Greenhouses' co-owners Matt Piscitelli, left, and Clive V. Olson
Photo courtesy of Olson's Greenhouses
Piscitelli says he prefers using a Form 1099 with independent-contractor drivers rather than a Form W-2 that is used for employees.
"It's always much easier for us to 1099 someone because you don't have to match the Social Security and Medicare, so that's always a bonus," he says. "You don't have them on payroll, so you don't get charged for the payroll processing. As long as the person has a company and they are insured and they are licensed, I really find doing a 1099 with drivers is the best way to do it."
Ideas for better distribution
While regulations and the state of the trucking industry may make it appear that trucking solutions are out of grasp for growers, industry experts say an eye for detail can help.
Piscitelli points out, for instance, that it's important to use trucks with operational lift gates as not all retailers and landscaping companies have loading docks and forklifts. Olson's works with both Ryder and Penske to ensure the trucks can fit the right cart sizes and the lift gates can sustain the weight of carts, plants and water.
"Weight is always an issue when you're shipping, but no customer wants to get a truck full of dry plants," Piscitelli says. "I'd rather have quality, watered, healthy plants land at somebody's gate than save a couple dollars on having to unload a dry truck and save a few dollars on gas. Quality of product delivery is very important to us."
"Weight is always an issue when you're shipping, but no customer wants to get a truck full of dry plants." — Matt Piscitelli
Willoway Nurseries also tries to service all its customers with carts so it can help them with some of their labor in offloading, Moser says. The nursery can usually fit about 49 carts on a 53-foot trailer.
Moser also notes that because carts have wheels, which help in loading and offloading, they can also move around in a truck. Logistic posts and E track equipment can tie down carts and prevent them and their contents from falling, so growers can look for those when calling to rent trucks or work with carriers.
Some large growers have proposed that hub-and-spoke distribution models or green industry distribution centers could further improve efficiencies, Coley says.
"Building those relationships with those companies are really key to understanding what you're looking at to ship out, how many trucks you're going to really envision yourself needing each week during that peak season, and just making sure that you have them ready," Moser says. "Because at the end of the day, we all need to put our best foot forward and get these trucks shipped.
AmericanHort
Spring Survival Guide
Use fan and pad cooling this summer
Departments - Tech Solutions
Through ventilation, greenhouses must remove heat that is not used for transpiration and evaporation.
John W. Bartok Jr.
Evaporative cooling works best when the humidity of the outside air is low. it can cool the greenhouse up to 20° below the outside temperature.
Photos courtesy of John W. Bartok Jr.
On a bright, sunny summer day, a 30 x 100-foot greenhouse will gather about 32 million Btu's of heat. This is equivalent to burning 32 gallons of fuel oil or 320 therms of natural gas. If the greenhouse is full of plants, about half of this heat is used for transpiration and evaporation. The remainder of the heat must be removed through ventilation.
Shade on the outside will keep some of the heat out. Shade on the inside, if it contains aluminum foil, will reflect some of the heat back out. Ventilation, either natural or fan, will remove a considerable amount of heat that is collected. Still, on summer days, the temperature may exceed the desired level that promotes good plant growth. Excessive temperature results in delayed flowering and internode stretching. Evaporative cooling may be the best choice under these conditions.
Evaporative cooling is a simple system that uses the heat in the air to evaporate water from leaves and other wetted surfaces. It can cool the greenhouse to 10-20° F below the outside temperature. It takes 1 Btu of heat to raise the temperature of 1 pound of water by 1° F, but it takes 1,060 Btu's of heat to convert the 1 pound to a vapor.
With an evaporated cooling system, humid air containing the heat that it picked up within the greenhouse is exhausted through the vents or fans to be replaced by cooler, drier outside air. Evaporative cooling works best when the humidity of the outside air is low. For example, in Reno, Nevada, the average summer dry bulb temperature is 96° F and the wet bulb temperature is 61° F. With an evaporative cooler having an efficiency of 80%, the temperature would be cooled to about 68° F. In more humid sections of the U.S., less cooling can occur, but in humid climates like New Orleans where the average summer dry bulb temperature is 93° F and the wet bulb is 78° F, the cooled air would be cooled to about 81°F, which is acceptable for the production of most plants. Fig. 1 shows a comparison of the temperature of cooled air leaving the evaporative cooling system at different relative humidity of the outside air.
Fan and pad system
Several evaporative cooling systems work well in commercial greenhouses. The most common is the fan and pad system. It contains a cellulose pad, overhead water supply pipe, gutter to collect excess water, a sump tank, pump, piping and control.
The 4- or 6-inch thick pad is treated with anti-rot salts, stiffening and wetting agents. The pad system is normally installed continuously along the side or end of the wall opposite the fans. The pad area needed is calculated by multiplying the floor area times 8 feet and dividing by 250 for a 4-inch pad or 400 for a 6-inch pad. For example, a 30 x 100-foot greenhouse would require 30 x 100 x 8 ÷ 250 = 96 sq. ft.
The overhead water supply pipe should distribute the water so that the pad is wet uniformly. The minimum water flow rate is ½ gpm/sq. ft. for the 4-inch pad and 0.8 gpm/sq. ft. for the 6-inch pad.
Excess water is collected below the pad in a gutter and piped to a sump tank. Tank capacity needs to be 0.80 gal/sq. ft. of pad for the 4-inch pad and 1.0 gal/sq. ft. for the 6-inch pad. Water returning to the sump should be filtered to remove any debris.
A make-up water supply and float valve keeps the water level constant. In areas that have water with a high mineral content, it is advisable to bleed 3-5% of the water to minimize salt buildup. Algae growth in the recirculated water can be controlled with a biocide.
Modular pad systems of 5 and 6 feet high are available. These are self-contained and come completely assembled ready to bolt to the wall. Installation time is reduced considerably. Only water and electrical connections have to be attached.
Self-contained evaporative cooling units, known as "swamp coolers," consist of a metal enclosure that contains a blower or fan and either cellulose pads and a water pump or a polyester belt that rotates in a pan of water. The dry outside air drawn in through the pads or belt picks up moisture before it enters the greenhouse. After the cool air is heated inside the greenhouse, it is exhausted through the louvers or vents, taking the heat with it. Portable swamp coolers are also available. They are usually placed inside the door, on the end opposite of the fans. They work well in naturally vented greenhouses.
Fog is an alternative evaporative cooling method. Its advantages include more uniform cooling throughout the greenhouse, higher efficiency and lower maintenance costs. It also provides a better method for large gutter-connected greenhouses. This was reviewed in the June 2018 issue of Greenhouse Management (bit.ly/fog-cooling-gm).
The author is an agricultural engineer, an emeritus extension professor at the University of Connecticut and a regular contributor to Greenhouse Management. He is an author, consultant and certified technical service provider doing greenhouse energy audits for USDA grant programs in New England. jbartok@rcn.com
Cultivating a legacy
Departments - Meet the Grower: Joe Rahn
Fourth-generation grower Joe Rahn carries on a 130-year-old family tradition at A.J. Rahn Greenhouses.
Brooke Bilyj
The Rahn family from left to right: Susan Rahn Patten, Mary Patten Sharp, Katie Rahn Hau, Andrew (Andy) Rahn, Debbie Rahn and Joe Rahn
PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAN SMyTH
A lot has changed at A.J. Rahn Greenhouses since Joe Rahn's great grandpa started the business 130 years ago. As the crops, processes and equipment continue to evolve, Rahn joins the generations before him to uphold the family's legacy of producing quality plants.
The business began back in 1890, when John Rahn began growing vegetables to sell at local markets around Cincinnati. In the mid-1950s, as the national highway system brought cheaper veggies from West Coast climates, Joe's father (and company namesake, Albert John Rahn) began experimenting with flowers. By the mid-'60s, the operation had shifted from lettuce and tomatoes to retail ornamental plants.
Joe Rahn grew up working in his family's greenhouse during the transition to potted crops and annuals. While learning the growing aspect of the business under his father's leadership, Rahn studied marketing at Xavier University "to get a better take on business," he says, knowing he'd be next in line to take over the company.
Rahn became a partner in the business around the mid-1980s. Today, he co-owns the company with his sister, Susan Patten. While sharing the title of CEO, she oversees the retail operations, and he follows his forefathers' footsteps as head grower.
Equipped with more than a century of growing experience, Rahn continues to lead his family's greenhouse forward, while preparing the way for the next generation.
Joe's father, Albert Rahn, center, with a tomato plant
Working closely alongside his father in the greenhouse, Rahn learned how to grow a wide variety of healthy plants. As the business grew, adding more employees and more production space, his father also taught him how to effectively manage people.
"I learned from my father how to work with people, how to manage them better," he says. "He was a sergeant in the Army, so he knew how to get things done. He taught me to expect a lot out of people, but also to understand their limitations and their strongpoints, and apply people where they work best."
Over time, the operation has grown from a handful of employees to nearly 20. The team still comprises several family members — including Rahn's son, Andrew, who's an assistant grower.
Rahn takes a hands-on approach to transferring his knowledge on to Andrew and the other growers — demonstrating tasks by doing rather than just telling, and asking everyone to keep careful notes so they can all stay on the same page.
"They record what they watered and what they applied so the next person who may have to take over can read what was done. You can always fall back on that," Rahn says. "When we make mistakes, that's written down, so we don't make that same mistake again."
A.J. Rahn Greenhouses started out as a vegetable grower, but pivoted to flower production in the 1950s.
Updating old ways
Rahn is quick to admit that A.J. Rahn Greenhouses "is not a state-of-the-art-operation. It's an old place and an old-fashioned way of growing," he says. While many tasks, like transplanting, are still done by hand, the operation has gradually evolved by making small improvements over time.
For example, Rahn is starting to update the greenhouses with automatic ventilation controls. "They do a better job of keeping the temperature right on spot," he says. Likewise, a new pot-filling machine "fills pots twice as fast," and a mixing machine "makes larger volumes of soil mixes," he says. "It just makes us more productive."
Although the operation is far from fully automated, these updates help Rahn streamline some old-fashioned processes. "Our production area is definitely more efficient today than it used to be 10 or 15 years ago," he says.
Growth ahead
When Rahn began working in the family business, A.J. Rahn Greenhouses spanned about 40,000 square feet. Gleaning steady expansions through the years, the production space now covers about 80,000 square feet, while retail encompasses about 20,000. The family is planning more growth ahead, on both sides of the business.
"Last year, we built two new gutter-connect greenhouses," Rahn says. "We put up a 6,000-square-foot range, with the capacity to add another six greenhouses covering approximately 20,000 square feet.
We're going to build two greenhouses a year, approximately 5,000 to 6,000 square feet at a time."
After that, the next stage of growth will be expanding the retail space with a new building. Rahn says the 12-acre property offers plenty of room to grow — enabling them to produce more plants and serve more customers. As the business advances into the fifth generation, greenhouses full of healthy plants speak volumes about the Rahn family's shared passion.
"When you achieve a beautiful-looking crop, that gives you a good feeling," Rahn says. "People come in and say, 'Wow, these are really beautiful,' but they don't realize all that it took to create. That's part of your reward in this business, is seeing that living color you helped produce, with all the variables you had to battle."
The author is a freelance writer and frequent contributor to Greenhouse Management magazine.
Meet the Grower
A.J. Rahn Greenhouses
Bohemian bouquets
Departments - Hort Truths
When it comes to cut flower trends, brides and stylists want a natural feel, but nothing messy.
Leslie F. Halleck
Vibrant colors and natural feels are a hit in this year's bridal bouquets, along with the unexpected desire for dried botanicals.
Photo: © hiv260 | Adobe Stock
Go ahead, immerse yourself in nature! If you follow cut flower trends, that's the word on the street for 2020. A focus on a more natural feel and eclectic mix of materials could make it easier for you to get back to your natural roots and boost your floral product offerings this year.
Go boho?
As an avid lover of cut flowers, I'm always keen to keep an eye on floral trends and how they inform or are influenced by other horticulture industry trends. If I had to label all the different trends and styles I'm seeing emerge this year, it would be refined bohemian. Brides and cut flower stylists are looking to create a more natural feel with their creations, but they aren't looking for anything messy. Sophistication is in, but with a soft edge.
The most exciting thing I'm seeing in floral design and events is that live plants, cut foliage, fresh flowers and dried materials are all being mixed to create unusual and beautiful arrangements. And that's apparently exactly what consumers are looking for right now: something different.
DRIED FLOWERS PHOTO: © vikakurylo81 | Adobe Stock
Natural vibes
If you look at the Flower Trends Forecast Floral + Design Trend Book for 2020, you'll find this common thread ties all their trend themes together. Two themes that stand out to me are called "A New Leaf" and "Posh + Polished." The former creates a style immersed in nature where cut flowers are mixed with plant materials, cut foliage and dried botanicals. The latter blends unexpected materials such as painted tropical foliage and brown dyed flowers.
According to Jill Mullaney, owner of Platinum Petals — and my accounts manager here at Halleck Horticultural — these are BIG trends among her Millennial and younger brides. Mullaney states that her brides want more and more tropical foliage, especially palm leaves. They also want more foliage that is reminiscent of their houseplant collection — both fresh and sprayed white or other colors. When it comes to live plants and fresh foliage, we've moved beyond the standard succulent centerpiece to painted Monstera and fern foliage.
Dead is in
Back to that brown-dyed flowering thing. Yes, it's for real. But it's not just flowers dyed brown that brides are seeking, it's all things fully dried — flowers and foliage. My florist friends call it the "dead look" and it is also a very real thing. How does a big uptick in the popularity of dried botanicals help you as a cut product grower? Well, it certainly offers up an opportunity to make use of overstock. Consider drying leftovers and marketing them to your local florists or wholesale floral buyers. This is also a great way to market "no waste" floral.
PAMPA GRASS Photo: © yuriy | Adobe Stock
Plant parents
As this relates to the rest of the horticulture industry, the most important market shift to pay attention to is how the houseplant craze is influencing cut flower trends. My inside sources tell me that more and more of their brides are "into houseplants" and as a result request more tropical foliage in their bouquets and arrangements. They want to see more of the nature they are surrounding themselves with at home reflected in floral for their special events.
Color please!
When it comes to color, it appears that autumn colors will be in year-round. Peachy beige, orange, crimson and deep burgundy flowers are trending. Pastels such as pale lavender and pink are also sneaking back in. There is also hope on the horizon for a return to more bright colors with Flower Trends Forecast's "Vibrant Vibe" trend, which sports harmonious bright oranges, pinks and yellows that give off an international flair.
When it comes to live plants and fresh foliage, we've moved beyond the standard succulent centerpiece to painted Monstera and fern foliage.
When it comes to specific materials, Mullaney tells me that she needs ALL your pampas grass. Apparently, pampas grass foliage and inflorescence are in big demand. She's also seeing increased demand for air plants incorporated into bouquets. She also sees a big opportunity for locally grown dahlias because they don't ship well. Cut dahlias are trending right now, so you might want to reach out to your local florists to get a pulse on demand. When asked what she always needs but can't ever seem to get, Mullaney says, "Clematis, I always need white clematis!"
Floral trends for 2020 give growers a chance to grow and sell a bit outside the box. If you grow live plants, have cool cut foliage or flowers that dye or dry well, this is your year.
The author (CPH) owns Halleck Horticultural, LLC, through which she provides horticultural consulting, business and marketing strategy, product development and branding, and content creation for green industry companies. lesliehalleck.com
Dried Botanicals
Cut Foliage
New Guinea impatiens production checklist
Departments - Production Pointers
By following these best practices, growers can succeed in growing one of the most popular bedding plants on the market.
Christopher J. Currey
Photos courtesy of christopher J. currey
New Guinea impatiens are one of the most popular bedding plants. Their attractive foliage and large, colorful and plentiful flowers have made them an important annual crop for growers. While they are not the hardest crop to produce, they are not without their challenges. This article highlights the top "Do's and Don'ts" for producing high-quality New Guinea impatiens.
Compared to most herbaceous annuals, New Guinea impatiens are a warm-growing crop and are sensitive to cold temperatures. Their optimal temperature, the rate at which growth is fastest, is around 75° to 80° F, whereas temperatures below 60° F can slow down growth. Day temperatures between 68° and 75° should be targeted. When rooted cuttings are first transplanted, it is best to maintain night temperatures at or above 63° F to get them established. Once root systems have established and shoot growth resumes, night temperature can be lowered slightly but should still be maintained at or above 60° F.
New Guinea impatiens are day-neutral plants and can flower under a range of day lengths. However, plant growth and flowering do respond to the daily light integral (DLI). A DLI of 4 mol·m–2·d–1 is required for a minimally acceptable crop. While good- and high-quality crops are grown under 6 to 8 mol·m–2·d–1 and 10 to 15 mol·m–2·d–1, respectively, avoid DLIs higher than this. Some of the newer varieties of New Guinea impatiens developed for full sun can be grown under higher DLIs, as these plants are more adapted to the stronger light intensity compared to traditional green- and bronze-leaf cultivars.
It is best to grow them on the slightly drier side right after transplanting cuttings to let their root systems establish. Overwatering at this stage can slow roots down from developing. Once established, the substrate can be kept more moist than it normally would be. New Guinea impatiens growth responds positively to irrigation, and they are provided with as much water as they can take up, growth is pushed to the point of being excessive. Therefore, restricting excessive irrigation is one effective method of non-chemical growth control for this crop. However, be careful in moderating New Guinea impatiens substrate moisture. If they are repeatedly dried down too hard, plants will suffer and can collapse from repeated stress.
New Guinea impatiens' optimal temperature, the rate at which growth is fastest, is around 75 to 80° F, whereas temperatures below 60° F can slow down growth.
One key to finishing New Guinea impatiens is to avoid over-fertilizing plants during production. New Guinea impatiens are light-feeding plants, growing best with a substrate electrical conductivity (EC) between 1.0 and 2.5 mS/cm using the PourThru test. Providing too much fertilizer and allowing substrate EC to get too high can result in salt-stressed and damaged plants. Once cuttings are transplanted, fertilizer applications are not required for the first few weeks as plants establish, especially if the substrate has a starter charge. As plants establish and start growing, fertilizer can start to be applied. Using 100 to 200 ppm Nitrogen (N) at each irrigation, depending on irrigation leaching fraction, is sufficient. To avoid high salts, incorporating clear water irrigations and leaching with clear water is useful. In addition to managing EC, maintain substrate pH between 5.8 and 6.2. Too much fertilizer, or a pH below 5.8, may cause micronutrient toxicities.
Growth regulation
From propagation through finishing, New Guinea impatiens can be produced with little to no plant growth regulator (PGR) application. Cuttings root without any rooting hormone application. After planting, neither a mechanical pinch nor branching PGR is needed since modern cultivars are free-branching. New Guinea impatiens generally do not require growth regulators to control growth, as this can usually be accomplished through cultural factors such as managing irrigation. Should chemical growth regulation be required, paclobutrazol sprays (1 to 15 ppm) are recommended. For large containers with long crop times, ethephon sprays (up to 300 ppm) may be applied to abort flowers and buds and to keep plants vegetative as they are bulked up.
Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) and impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV) are two particularly devastating viruses for New Guinea impatiens crops. Rigorously inspecting incoming cuttings and rooted liners for the necrotic lesions and concentric rings. Additionally, stay on top of thrips control, as they are vectors for TSWV and INSV and can transmit the viruses to otherwise healthy plants. Also keep an eye on root rots that may develop in New Guinea impatiens crops resulting from their water requirements.
To avoid high salts, incorporating clear water irrigations and leaching with clear water is useful.
Well-grown New Guinea impatiens can be show-stopping plants on the bench. By providing adequate heat and light and adequate moisture, limiting excess fertilizer and drops in pH, and staying ahead of thrips and root rots, New Guinea impatiens can finish strong for strong spring sales.
The author (ccurrey@iastate.edu) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Horticulture at Iowa State University
Pest and Disease


<>Newegg offers B.E.S. WIRE PYTHON IN WALL WIRE PULLING & RETREIVAL [ MAG6589 ] at $129.99, the lowest price out of 2 sellers with Free Standard Shipping. Frys increased price by $10 from previous $119.99 after the Christmas holiday season sale in 2016. It's still the current best offer. Frys made the biggest price drop by $10 on Christmas holiday season sale in 2016, offered at $119.99, made it the best offer since 2016-09-26. Click here for price change detail.


Who here cleans discs before burning them? I know, I do.
Sometimes I come across discs with lint on them. I try to get rid of them to ensure a good burn. Who else has come across this? I wonder if its okay to clean before burning.
If by cleaning you mean checking the disc for dust and wiping it off before writing to it, then yes. If you mean using a cleaning solution, then no. You should get a better disc brand if they're coming that dirty right off the spindle!
A eye glasses cleaning kit would probably be ideal as it uses alcohol 'dries without residue' and a scratch free cloth plus it could probably be purchased at your neighborhood Dollar Store.


text:
Close this section Close this section Expand this section Previous Next caret-right-red Open menu Search loading-icon Skip to main content
Secondary Header Menu
CVS MinuteClinic
CVS Specialty
CVS Payor Solutions
Prescription Help
Employee and Consumer Rights
Multicultural Products and Services
CVS Health At a Glance
CVS Health Foundation
Aetna Foundation
Building Healthier Communities
Leading and Inspiring Growth
Be The First Tobacco-Free Generation
Tobacco-Free Generation Campus Initiative
Health Care Transformation
Quality & Access
CVS Health Impact Dashboard
Why CVS Health
Military Hiring
Pharmacy Residencies & Fellowships
Pharmacy Internships
FNP/AP Clinical Rotations
Virtual Job Tryout Process
Return Visitor Login
Investor Story
Results Center
CEO's Shareholder Letter
At the heart of health
Interactive Annual Report
Five-Year Financial Summary
Comprehensive Financial History
Fixed Income Information
Proxy Archive
Stock Calculator
Cost Basis Calculator
Stock Purchase & Dividend Reinvestment
Shareholder Information Request Form
CVS Health Research Institute Study Finds that Initial Prescription Fills Can Accurately Predict Long-term Medication Adherence
Approach can help quickly identify patients most likely to benefit from interventions to improve medication adherence
WOONSOCKET, R.I. [September 21, 2015]–A new study by researchers at the CVS Health (NYSE:CVS) Research Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital provides evidence that patients' patterns of medication fills in the first few months after starting on a chronic therapy accurately predict future medication adherence behavior. The study, published in The American Journal of Managed Care, suggests that this approach may help quickly identify those patients most likely to benefit from medication adherence interventions.
"With the increasing availability of rich patient data, we can better anticipate how the patients we manage will take their medications," said Niteesh Choudhry, MD, PhD, associate physician, Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Brigham and Women's Hospital and associate professor, Harvard Medical School and the study's senior author. "This research shows that by focusing on a patient's initial, short-term medication filling behavior – are they or are they not refilling their prescription on time during the first few months of therapy – we can predict with great precision whether a patient will continue to take the medication as prescribed over the long-term."
The study included claims data from more than 77,000 Medicare beneficiaries that began taking a statin or statin combination drug over a three year period and whose pharmacy benefits are administered by CVS/caremark, the pharmacy benefit management company of CVS Health. Based on patterns of prescription filling over the year following therapy initiation, the researchers used group-based trajectory models to classify patients into six adherence trajectories– ranging from non-adherent to near-perfect adherence–to help capture both duration and intensity of medication taking. The results showed that patient patterns of initial medication filling in the first two to four months following initiation of a prescription accurately predicted future adherence behavior, allowing precise prediction of the patterns of medication taking over the subsequent year.
This research helps to further validate group-based trajectory modeling as an accurate approach to classify patient medication adherence behaviors. This study builds on a growing body of peer-reviewed literature developed through the research partnership between Brigham and Women's Hospital and the CVS Health Research Institute. Previous studies by these research partners have demonstrated that the group-based trajectory model offers greater precision than other sophisticated computational approaches to predict adherence, after initially describing this methodology in a publication in the journal Medical Care in 2013.
"This approach is helping us better target interventions to those patients who are most likely to benefit because trajectory modeling differentiates between patients who struggle with adherence at different times during their treatment," said William Shrank, MD, MSHS, senior vice president and Chief Scientific Officer of CVS Health and study co-author. "It can also be easily replicated and available to support a wide spectrum of payors and providers who are attempting to improve the quality and reduce the costs of health care. Increasingly, we are finding that, through better analytics, we can deliver the right intervention to the right patient at the right time."
Research shows that half of people who have long-term prescriptions for chronic conditions do not take their medicines as prescribed, costing the U.S. nearly $300 billion and tens of thousands of lives each year. As a pharmacy innovation company, CVS Health is using advanced analytics to more effectively target medication adherence interventions, improve health outcomes and reduce health care costs. In fact, CVS Health recently launched the Vulnerable Patient Index (VPI), a tool that uses pharmacy claims data to risk-stratify patients and identify CVS/caremark members most likely to generate high total health care costs resulting from poor medication adherence or unsafe use of complex regimens. By leveraging rich claims databases to better understand risk and to anticipate patient behaviors, CVS Health is better positioned to manage the health of populations by delivering tailored interventions that address individual patient medication use challenges.
The CVS Health Research Institute is focused on contributing to the body of scientific knowledge related to pharmacy and health care through research collaborations with external academic institutions, participation in federally-funded research, analysis and sharing of CVS Health data sources and coordination of pilot programs and initiatives. This analysis is part of a multi-year research collaboration with Brigham and Women's Hospital to better understand patient behavior, particularly around medication adherence. CVS Health Research Institute findings support a continuous quality improvement environment, which encourages product innovation and development to benefit CVS Health patients, clients and their members.
About CVS Health
CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Through its 7,800 retail drugstores, nearly 1,000 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with more than 70 million plan members, and expanding specialty pharmacy services, the Company enables people, businesses and communities to manage health in more affordable, effective ways. This unique integrated model increases access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at www.cvshealth.com.
Article Related Content
CVS Pharmacy – Retail Products and Services, ExtraCare, Digital
CVS Caremark PBM Services, CVS Specialty
MinuteClinic
Get the latest CVS Health news
At CVS Health, we share a clear purpose: helping people on their path to better health. Through our health services, plans and community pharmacists, we're pioneering a bold new approach to total health. Making quality care more affordable, accessible, simple and seamless, to not only help people get well, but help them stay well in body, mind and spirit.
Corporate Integrity Agreement Policy
Ethics & Human Rights
Our Opioid Response
Political Activities & Contributions
Footer Disclaimers
© Copyright 1999 - 2019 CVS Health


Skidompha Library in Damariscotta will host two Chats with Champions programs on Tuesday, April 16, in the library's Porter Meeting Hall. The first, at 10 a.m., will feature a talk by Mac Smith, author of "Mainers on the Titanic." At 5:30 p.m., Abdi Nor Iftin, author of "Call Me American," will discuss his book.
The New York-bound Titanic left England on its maiden voyage on April 11, 1912, struck an iceberg three days later, and sank. Over 1,500 of the 2,224 people on board died, making it the worst peacetime naval disaster in history. Smith's book focuses on Mainers who were involved in the tragedy.
Chats with Champions are free. Recordings of many previous Chats are available on Skidompha Library's YouTube page. For more information, call 563-5513 or visit www.skidompha.org.


text:
Mask rule delays trial for ex-Hawaii prosecutor's brother
By JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER Associated Press | Thursday, July 22, 2021, 12:05 a.m.
HONOLULU (AP) — A former high-ranking city prosecutor once took a photo with a line of cocaine on the desk of her husband, then-Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha, according to court documents filed in preparation of a drug-dealing trial against her pain physician brother.
Dr. Rudolph Puana's trial was scheduled for September, but lawyers on the case agreed Wednesday to postpone it to December because of concerns that jurors would have to wear masks. Clint Broden, Puana's attorney, said in an email that while he supports state-issued mask mandates, most federal courts are allowing face shields during the jury selection process because "facial expressions are so important" in putting together a fair panel.
According to federal prosecutors, the Big Island doctor prescribed drugs to nearly 1,000 patients between 2012 and 2017. Twenty-one of them received 30-milligram oxycodone pills, but a "staggering number" of those pills went to just two patients, prosecutors said.
Magnitude-7.0 earthquake hits Panama, no tsunami threat to Hawaii
Council Planning Committee delays subdivision vote