text:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;

namespace InstaAPI.Entities
{
    [Serializable]
    public class Comment
    {
        /// <summary>
        ///     <para>gets or sets the creation time of the comment</para>
        /// </summary>
        public DateTime CreatedTime;
        /// <summary>
        ///     <para>gets or sets the comment text</para>
        /// </summary>
        public String Text;
        /// <summary>
        ///     <para>gets or sets the user who owns the comment</para>
        /// </summary>
        public User From;
        /// <summary>
        ///     <para>gets or sets the id of the comment</para>
        /// </summary>
        public String Id;
    }
}


text:
import * as types from './mutation-types.js'

/**
 * Actions
 * @param {*} param0
 * @param {*} product
 */
export const addToCart = ({ commit }, product) => {
  if (product.inventory > 0) {
    console.debug('Adding product', product, product.id)
    commit(types.ADD_TO_CART, {
      id: product.id,
      title: product.title,
      price: product.price
    })
  }
}

export const removeItemFromCart = ({ commit }, id) => {
  console.debug('removing item from cart')
  commit(types.REMOVE_FROM_CART, {
    id: id
  })
}

export const decrementInCart = ({ commit }, id) => {
  console.debug('decresing item cound in the cart', id)
  commit(types.DECREMENT_IN_CART, {
    id: id
  })
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Another president's son caught with his hand in the cookie jar?
This is probably the last thing Guinea's President Alpha Condé needed smack in the middle of a very heated election campaign. In mid September, as the acrimony between Condé and his opponents peaked in the run-up to yesterday's presidential elections, French newspapers revealed details of charges made against Condé's son, Mohamed Alpha Condé, in France.
He is accused of living it up in Paris and spending ill-gotten gains, dished out by French companies who do business in Guinea.
Guineans voted yesterday in the elections that saw sporadic violence break out across the country. Conde was up against his arch rivals Celou Dalein Diallo and Sidya Touré in a tight race. In the past few months, the opposition accused the incumbent of trying to manipulate the voters' roll. It also alleged that the electoral commission cannot be independent given that it's headed by one of Condé's friends; and they also said that voters' cards weren't distributed evenly.
In the early years of his presidency, following the December 2010 elections, the opposition accused Condé of irregularities in favouring French companies for business deals in Guinea. The charges against Mohamed Condé include benefiting from the largesse of those companies involved.
Predictably, Condé sees the accusations against his son as a political plot against him. He told the pan-African weekly Jeune Afrique in an interview last week that the charges 'by an unknown NGO' were both vague and defamatory. 'What I notice, though, is the link between these charges and the proximity of the presidential election,' he said.
The NGO that laid the complaint is a little-known organisation called the Foundation for Democracy and Governance, based in Brussels. Its director, Gregory Matthieu, is a former European Council official and has been a fierce critic of President Condé for a number of years now.
He accused the Guinean president of cheating in the 2010 elections, notably by using a South African company to organise the polls that allegedly favoured Condé. This is the same accusation made by the opposition and local media in Guinea at the time. Matthieu also noted in an interview in 2013 that Condé's son was the presidential advisor when it came to mining contracts. He denies, however, that his gripe with Condé is personal.
This is not the first African president's son to be accused of siphoning off funds to finance their expensive lifestyles abroad. Last year, Teodorín Nguema Obiang Mangue – the son of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea – was indicted by a French court for money laundering and fraud involving public funds. Teodorín is known for his flamboyant lifestyle and frequent visits via private jets to places like Rio and Miami, where he stays in luxury hotels.
The investigation also saw a number of luxury cars seized at an apartment belonging to the Obiang Nguemas in a posh area of Paris. The president's son is not only one of the country's deputy presidents, but also in charge of the army and state security in Equatorial Guinea.
The indictment against Teodorín Nguema Obiang is part of a wider investigation against African elites who spend their money in France, known as the bien mal acquis (ill-gotten gains) investigation. The investigation was launched in 2008, following a complaint by Transparency International.
Nguema senior, the Republic of Congo's President Denis Sassou Nguesso and the late Omar Bongo were also on the list of those being investigated. However, there are so many vested interests in such a case that none of the serving presidents have yet been indicted. It is also infinitely difficult to prove that the money spent is, in fact, public funds that should rather go to uplifting poverty-stricken citizens in their countries.
These legal processes, even if they are still at the investigations level, do spell danger for heads of state like Condé and Obiang Nguema. Sooner or later the escapades of their sons could catch up with them, as it did with former Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade. His son, Karim, is currently behind bars in Senegal after being found guilty of several accounts of fraud amounting to millions of euros.
Karim was given an all-powerful ministry when his father was still in power between 2000 and 2012. At the time, it was said that to conduct any business in Senegal, you first had to deal with the president's son, dubbed 'mister 15%'. When the row started over Wade's attempt to secure a third term, one of the main causes for public dissatisfaction was the suspicion that he wanted to give over power to Karim. Wade was duly defeated at the polls in an election widely considered to be free and fair.
Karim was sent to jail for six years in March 2015 by a special anti-corruption court. He was also given a fine of €209 million. The anti-corruption court reportedly found proof of cash stashed offshore by Karim Wade thanks to big infrastructure and energy deals.
If the accusations against Mohamed Condé are true, it could in the long run be to the detriment of his father's career. Clearly, the behaviour of Karim Wade was damaging to his father's reputation as Senegalese head of state. When Wade tried to muster enough support for a third term in 2012, the accusations of nepotism were one of the issues that led to his defeat at the polls against President Macky Sall. President Condé already has enough on his plate to stay in power in a very volatile political situation. He should probably rein in his son before it is too late.


text:
"""Ce fichier contient le conteneur des canaux.
C'est un objet unique.

"""

from abstraits.obase import BaseObj

class Canaux(BaseObj):

    """Classe contenant les canaux.

    C'est une classe enveloppe de dictionnaire.

    """

    enregistrer = True
    def __init__(self):
        """Constructeur du conteneur"""
        BaseObj.__init__(self)
        self._canaux = {}
        self._construire()

    def __getnewargs__(self):
        return ()

    def __contains__(self, nom_canal):
        """Retourne True si le nom de canal est dans le conteneur"""
        return nom_canal in dict(self._canaux)

    def __getitem__(self, nom_canal):
        """Retourne le canal si existe dans le conteneur"""
        return self._canaux[nom_canal]

    def __setitem__(self, nom_canal, canal):
        """Place 'canal' dans 'nom_canal'"""
        self._canaux[nom_canal] = canal

    def __delitem__(self, nom_canal):
        """Supprime le canal"""
        del self._canaux[nom_canal]

    def __len__(self):
        """Retourne le nombre de canaux"""
        return len(self._canaux)

    def iter(self):
        """Retourne le conteneur sous forme de dictionnaire"""
        return dict(self._canaux)

    def get_statut(self, personnage):
        """Retourne le statut de personnage dans les canaux du jeu"""
        statut = "user"
        for canal in self._canaux.values():
            if canal.auteur is personnage:
                statut = "admin"
                break
            if personnage in canal.moderateurs:
                statut = "modo"
                break

        return statut

    def canaux_connectes(self, personnage):
        """Retourne un tuple contenant les canaux auxquels
        le personnage est connecté.

        """
        canaux = []
        for canal in self._canaux.values():
            if personnage in canal.connectes:
                canaux.append(canal)

        return tuple(canaux)


text:
Ambient / Drone / Minimal
Avant Garde / Experimental / Improv
Classic Rock & Pop
Indie / Alternative / Garage / Grunge / Post Rock
Heavy Metal / Doom / Stoner / Death Metal / Black Metal
Modern Classical / Neo Classical
Psych / Prog
Rock & Roll / Rockabilly
60's Pop & Garage / Freakbeat / Mod
Soundtracks / Library Music
Bauhaus 'In The Flat Field' LP
Bronze coloured vinyl.
2018 marks the 40th anniversary of Bauhaus. To celebrate, Beggars Arkive are reissuing six records from the band's catalogue on special edition coloured vinyl.
Formed in 1978, The legendary and hugely influential quartet hailed from Northampton, England and is comprised of Peter Murphy, Daniel Ash, David J and Kevin Haskins. The dark, dramatic music that they made, possessed far more force, variety and playfulness than the 'founding fathers of goth' tag that is always attached to them.
Bauhaus' landmark debut album, 'In The Flat Field', came out towards the end of 4AD's first eventful year. Following the plan at the time, the band then 'moved upstairs' to Beggars Banquet, for whom they cut three further albums before dissolving in 1983. They charted with their cover of David Bowie's 'Ziggy Stardust', they've been and namechecked by everyone from Nine Inch Nails, Sepultura, Janes Addiction, MGMT, Interpol, Bjork, Nirvana and more. They remain a huge cult concern, periodically reforming to wow their legions of dedicated followers.
The band's members continue to make new music. Peter Murphy enjoys a successful solo career, Love And Rockets consisted of Daniel Ash, David J and Kevin Haskins. Tones On Tail was comprised of Daniel Ash and Kevin Haskins. Poptone is a retrospective project, featuring Daniel Ash, Kevin Haskins and his daughter Diva Dompé, revisiting the music of Bauhaus, Tones On Tail and Love and Rockets.
'In The Flat Field' is the band's debut studio album, released by 4AD and considered to be one of the very first 'goth' albums. This was mastered from HD audio files transferred from the original tapes.
"This record's influence on the impending goth scene cannot be underestimated or denied" - Drowned in Sound
Catalogue number: 4AD
Label: CAD2901LPX
Algebra Mothers 'A-Moms = Algebra Mothers' LP
Amyl and the Sniffers 'Amyl and the Sniffers' LP
Amyl and the Sniffers 'Big Attraction and Giddy Up' LP (UK Version)
Anti-Flag '20/20 Vision' LP
Copyright © 2020 Bear Tree Records | Powered by Shopify

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
How to Go Back on an iPad Touch Screen
More Business Planning & Strategy
By Julius Vandersteen
How to Erase All Contacts & Settings for iPad
How to Factory Reset a Sony Walkman A Series
How to Scroll Large Documents on the iPhone
How to Find Your Scanner on Android
How to Get Siri for iPad
Apple's iPad enables small business owners to keep on top of the information they need to manage their company's daily operations without having to be chained to a desktop computer. For example, you can walk around the facility and still have access to documents, perform an Internet search or review the latest photos for your company's catalog. Instead of clicking with a mouse to go back, you make gestures with your finger on the iPad's touch-sensitive display.
Tap the left side of the iPad's screen to go back when you are reading a document, such as a book in the iBooks app. Each time you tap the screen, you go back one page.
Swipe from left to right across the screen of your iPad when you want to go back to the previous screen. For example, you are looking at the third screen of your iPad, where your spreadsheet and utilities apps are located, and you want to go back to the second screen, which contains folders filled with memos from vendors and clients. The swiping gesture also lets you go back when you are viewing images with the native Photos app.
Tap the "Back" button, which is shaped like a left-facing triangle at the top of the display, to go back to the previous page when you are using an app such as the native Safari Web browser.
Apple: iPad User Guide
Apple: iPad Support
Apple: iPad in Business
Julius Vandersteen has been a freelance writer since 1999. His work has appeared in "The Los Angeles Times," "Wired" and "S.F. Weekly." Vandersteen has a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from San Francisco State University.
How to Use the Multi-Touch Display on the iPod Touch
How to Turn Off Private Browsing Mode on an Apple iPad
Do iPads Have Voice Memos?
How to Use a Mac Mini and iPad Together
How to Print Via Bluetooth With the iPad
How to Move Apps to a Different Screen on an iPad
How to Remove the Portrait Lock on an iPad
How to Add a Shortcut to a Website on an iPad
How to Get iWork on an iPad
1 How to Use the Multi-Touch Display on the iPod Touch
2 How to Turn Off Private Browsing Mode on an Apple iPad
3 Do iPads Have Voice Memos?
4 How to Use a Mac Mini and iPad Together


Create an exterior commercial lighting design with ease using heavy-duty SPT-2 stringers this holiday season. This 1,000 foot, green wire stringer has candelabra sockets spaced 12 inches apart for screw-in C7 Christmas light bulbs. Use this stringer with C7 incandescent, C7 retrofit LED, and G40 globe shaped bulbs. Available for indoor/outdoor use, this stringer has a lead and tail length of 12 inches each. There is no end plug, so you determine length and plug position. Let your imagination go wild this holiday season with lighting design possibilities!


FM Generator – We're On When the Power's Off!
At FM Generator, we do more than sell and service emergency power systems, we provide peace of mind through reliability. We are dedicated to rapid response around the clock, in any situation, while providing quality workmanship and expert solutions!
We're On When the Power's Off!
Our commitment to reliability makes us a preferred source for commercial and residential generators, rental equipment, parts, generator preventative maintenance and repairs, and disaster recovery. We have been dedicated to keeping you on when the power is off since 1970!
Committed to supplying customer with power systems tailored to any application and requirement.
service ensures equipment reliability and customer satisfaction.
Having access to parts of every kind, our knowledgeable parts department provides you with the parts needed to keep your equipment maintained and functioning properly.
With a full line of rental generators available for immediate deployment, our comprehensive rental program includes delivery, tie-in assistance, cables, fueling, and onsite maintenance.
Equipment is designed to meet both industry standard and custom specifications. Startup, preventative maintenance, and warranty services help ensure project satisfaction is extended long after the project is completed.
With technicians strategically located throughout our service territory, we are committed to world class customer service with minimal emergency response time.


We hope that you find your visit to AllAroundTheGlobe.com useful for plans to visit Trelew. Our partners and ourselves have built a list of Trelew hotels and accomodations that we hope are useful in your search for information.
While visiting Trelew, our selections of Bariloche Hotels, Comodoro Rivadavia Hotels, Neuquen Hotels, San Carlos de Bariloche Hotels, or Villa la Angostura Hotels may offer you a better hotel option.


Let us take care of your berth reservations before you arrive. We have strong contacts with all of the major marinas and shipyards in the area, and can often secure that hard to find slot in the high season. For boats that are staying off-season we can often negotiate a discount on the berth of your choice or recommend cost-effective alternatives to the main marinas.


The Sirch brand has it's roots in traditional coachbuilding in Southern Germany's Alpine foothills and has, over the last 30 years developed into a modern industrial enterprise.
MOOD now have a wonderful selection of Sirch children's furniture from beautiful plywood toys, to children's chairs, tables, desks, modern miniature houses (dolls houses) and Toboggans. The Sibis range came into production in 2000 which owes its name to the two designers SIrch and BItzer: their initials forming the basis of this simple but memorable brand name.
Sirch and Bitzer conceived the range based on considered aesthetic principals, simple but exceptional in form and construction so that the products would compliment the most chic modern houses and sit comfortably within a an interior design led environment.
Both the Sibis Max and Sibis Flix ride on Toys were the first products in this collection and other wonderful examples followed including the miniature Dolls house 'Villa Sibis' encouraging an architectural interest from a young age.


What will happen to the Mumbai Metro Smart Card Chip in case I wish to close my Credit Card?
In case you want to close your ICICI Bank Unifare Mumbai Metro Credit Card, you may do so by calling ICICI Bank Customer Care. All your outstanding amounts will become payable immediately and your Credit Card will be closed as per your request. You will also need to deactivate the Auto Recharge facility on your Mumbai Metro Smart Card Chip by visiting the customer service window at any of the Mumbai Metro Stations with your ICICI Bank Unifare Mumbai Metro Credit Card.


I couldn't concentrate on a thing, unless I got it or (in the rare case) forgot!
For who knows if that pencil was in the flowing stream or on rough terrain!
With the meaning of loss until it was time for destiny to flounder!
When I had got myself a career and graduated from dolls to friends.
Away she was taken never to be returned to teach me what was loss!
Greater things had been taken from me, several others will continue to be sent!
I appreciate His presence and understand now there's no time to drool.
What it taught me is a comfort when it's hot, in the cold, my blanket.
The journey must continue unabated, I must reach my goal!
Yes, the journey must carry on, I must reach my goal!


A sweater can be a great way to stay warm and comfortable, but it requires some special care and styling method to retain the perfect appearance. Keep reading to get the answers to commonly asked questions about sweaters.
How do you hang up a sweater?
Knowing how to hang sweaters is very important because an improperly hung sweater can get stretched out of shape permanently. In general, just using a wire or plastic hanger normally can end up causing strange bulges in the shoulders of your sweater. If you want to hang up a sweater, you need to use a wide wooden or padded hanger. The key to hanging up the sweater without stretching it is to fold the sweater before hanging it up. Fold the sweater in half vertically before putting the hanger hook in the armpit area and draping the folded sleeves and waist over the hanger. This helps to distribute the weight and reduce stretching.
What is the best way to store a sweater?
Since most sweaters are made of a knit material, they need special storage methods to retain their shape properly. Follow these expert tips to learn how to store sweaters. Before putting a sweater in storage, make sure it is clean and dry. Fold sweaters neatly and store them in a breathable container or garment bag. This helps to prevent pilling, musty smells, or bug infestations. Stack the wrapped sweaters neatly in a cool dry place on a horizontal surface.
How do you wash a sweater?
The key to how to wash sweaters will depend on the material your sweater is made from. Read the label carefully to see the sweater's material and recommended care instructions. You can always wash the sweater with a gentler method than the tag suggests, but avoid using harsher methods than those listed on the tag. If the sweater is made of wool or a sturdy synthetic material, it can probably be machine washed and dried. Sweaters made of more delicate materials might need to be hand washed and laid flat to dry. For wool and other water-sensitive materials, your best method to wash them may be steam cleaning or dry cleaning.
How should you fold a sweater?
When storing your sweater, you might be wondering how to fold sweaters in the tidiest and safest method. The right folding process is important because it will help your sweater to retain shape, avoid wrinkles, and fit neatly on any shelf. Start by laying your sweater facedown and then fold each arm straight across the back of your sweater. Then fold each side until the edges of the sleeves meet in the middle of the back. Fold the back up until it reaches the neck of the sweater. If you are wearing a long sweater, you might need to fold it twice. Finish by flipping the sweater over and storing.
How do you wear an oversized sweater?
If you do not know how to wear oversized sweaters, you risk ending up with an outfit that looks sloppy instead of stylish. The key to wearing an oversized sweater is to keep every other part of your look tailored, fitted, or polished. Large sweaters often work well with very fitted bottoms like leggings or skinny jeans. They can also provide a nice contrast to a pair of tailored slacks or a crisp pencil skirt. You can balance the bulk of the sweater by wearing medium-weight shoes like high-top sneakers or ankle boots. If desired, wear a collared shirt that can peek over the top of the sweater. Keep in mind that oversized sweaters can look pajama-like if not properly accessorized. Wear tasteful makeup, make sure your hair is styled neatly, and add some earrings or a ring to the outfit.
What do you wear with long sweaters?
How to wear long sweaters will depend on the overall length and style of the sweater. If the sweater does not open in the front and does reach past your rear, you can style it like any other shirt dress. This style of sweater dress can look great with knee high boots and tights. If the sweater is a little shorter, you will most likely want to pair it with pants. Just like an oversized sweater, this type of sweater pairs best with skinny pants or leggings. For long sweaters that open in the front, balance the loose, flowing shape with something fitted. Try wearing it over skinny or straight legged pants with a button down or scoop neck shirt.
Can you dry a sweater after it gets wet?
Knowing how to dry sweaters is just as important as knowing how to wash them. Once your sweater is ready to be dried, you need to avoid twisting it or doing anything else that may disturb the knitwear. Instead, start by laying the sweater flat on a clean towel. Gently fold the towel over the sweater and press down to get rid of all the excess water. If the sweater is made from a very thick material, you may need to repeat this step a few times. Once the sweater is just slightly damp, lay it flat on a dry towel and wait until the sweater dries. You need to carefully spread it to the correct shape and smooth it out. If desired, you can flip it over once or twice during the drying process. Always make sure the sweater remains flat and in its desired shape. It may take up to 24 hours for it to dry fully.
What are the steps to wash a wool sweater?
The first thing you need to do when learning how to wash wool sweaters is to look at the care instructions on the garment's tag. Some types of wool are very delicate and can only be steam cleaned or dry cleaned. If the wool can be machine washed, remember that you need to avoid any heat or excessive friction that could felt the wool. To clean the wool sweater, submerge it in a basin of cool water with only a drop or two of soap. Gently swish the sweater through the soapy water and let it soak for a few minutes before rinsing it with cold water. Avoid wringing, rubbing, or twisting the sweater. Instead, press it gently to remove extra water, then place it flat on a dry towel and let it air dry.
How do you remove fuzz from a sweater?
When a sweater is frequently used, the fibers that make up the knit structure can become loosened and fuzzy. Unlike a pilled sweater, the fibers in a fuzzy sweater do not form small balls. Instead, they remain as loose, individual fibers that make the entire sweater look fuzzy. It is possible to use a professional sweater restoration service, or you can learn how to remove fuzz from sweaters yourself. To remove fuzz from a sweater, you will need a fine toothed sweater comb. Lay the sweater flat and gently stretch it so that the material is slightly taut. Hold the comb at a 45 degree angle to the sweater and lightly drag it down the surface while being careful not to snag the teeth in the knit. The comb will gather up the fuzzy bits and help to make the sweater look tidier.
Can you get rid of pilling on sweaters?
Knowing how to remove pilling from sweaters is a little different from removing lint. If the sweater has pilled, this means that all of the fuzzy little fibers have stuck together into balls that will not come away when loosely combed. To remove the pills by hand, you can use scissors or a razor blade to cut off each individual pill. This can take a little time and you will need to be careful to avoid cutting the fabric itself. For more convenience, consider getting a fabric shaver. This electric machine will automatically remove pills as you drag it across the sweater. Whatever method you choose, always be sure to let the sweater dry and take it off your body before you start removing the pills.
What is the process to remove lint from sweaters?
The lint on a sweater may be caused by sweater fibers themselves, or it can occur when your sweater is exposed to other fibrous fabrics. Whatever the cause, lint can be quite unsightly, so it is good to figure out how to remove lint from sweaters. If you have a lint roller, this is the simplest and quickest method. All you have to do is roll the lint roller over the surface of the sweater and take off all the lint. Those who do not have a lint roller can try wrapping tape around their hand with the sticky side facing outward and then using their hand as a makeshift lint roller. This helps to pick up lint, pet hairs, and other debris. Another alternative option is to use a sweater comb or brush to sweep away lint.
What is a cardigan sweater?
A cardigan is a special type of sweater that is characterized by its unusual shape. Instead of being a pullover sweater that goes over the top of your head, a cardigan opens in the front. This allows you to pull it on like a jacket. A traditional cardigan buttons up the middle, but there are styles that have hook closures or just stay open altogether. This versatile type of sweater can be worn under suits for a formal outfit or paired with t-shirts and jeans for a casual look. Cardigans come in all shapes and styles. There are short sleeved and long sleeved ones, and you can find cropped styles that end at midchest or long styles that reach the knees.
How do you wash cashmere sweaters?
The steps for how to wash cashmere sweaters is a little different than usual sweater washing instructions because cashmere is such a unique material. Cashmere typically does best when hand washed at home. Fill a large basin or sink with lukewarm water and mix in a small amount of gentle detergent without any bleach. Then press the sweater into the water until the fibers of the sweater are completely wet. Use your hands to softly swish the sweater around for a few moments, and then let it soak for five minutes. After soaking, rinse the sweater with cool water. Ball it up gently, being careful not to scrunch or twist it, to remove excessive water. Then place it flat on a dry towel on the floor and roll up the towel to get rid of even more water. After the sweater is just damp, lay it flat, reshape it, and let it dry.


text:
Frontiers in Addiction Research - NIDA Virtual Meeting
Deprecated function: preg_replace_callback(): Passing null to parameter #3 ($subject) of type array|string is deprecated in nida_node_view() (line 64 of modules/custom/nida/nida.module).
Past Meetings & Events
Meeting/Event
Thursday, January 7, 2021 - 11:00am to Friday, January 8, 2021 - 2:00pm
Meeting Information and Registration
Upcoming Meetings/Events
2023 NIDA International Forum
Thursday, June 8, 2023 to Friday, June 9, 2023
| Virtual
Past Meetings/Events
Health Economics at NIMH and NIDA – Domestic and International
Wednesday, January 25, 2023 11:00am to 5:00pm
NIDA HIV Seminar Series - Outside In and Inside Out: Neuroimmune Mechanisms Linking Stimulant Use and HIV
Wednesday, January 25, 2023 1:00pm to 2:00pm
Pre-Application Technical Assistance Webinar for "HEAL Initiative: Sleep Predictors of Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Outcomes Program"
Tuesday, January 10, 2023 12:00pm to 1:00pm
NIH Calendar of Events


My apartment is slowly but surely emptying. The majority of my things are already in Chicago, and I'm making good progress on moving the rest - either packing it up for the last round of boxes, leaving it in a box outside my office marked "free" (lots and lots of books), or selling it on Craigslist.
I sold it this weekend to a local couple looking to get something for their grandson, to encourage him to get more active. I hope he enjoys it as much as I did, and I hope it's better for his health than it ended up being for mine.
Biking shaped so much of my experience here in California. Besides the calorie burning benefit, my main objective with getting a bike was functional: since I don't have a car (or a drivers license, for that matter), it was my main mode of transportation, getting me to and from work, the grocery store, and around town.
Shortly after meeting one another, Justin and I ran into each other a few times while biking to work. I'd continue straight on Yosemite to Lake and he'd turn left at G and right onto Bellevue. And he marveled at how fast I was, how I always beat him to campus. And I told him, Well, of course - I'm an athlete. It was a few days before our first date; I still believed it confidently.
When the original bike was stolen in February, I grieved so hard - it was my broken iPod all over again. I wasn't just aching for the material loss, it was a connection to the experience of the previous semester. I wasn't just hurting for the bike, I was hurting for him. The loss was overwhelming, and in a lot of ways, I'm still hurting - something the replacement bike just couldn't fix.
Even before, practically from the beginning even, the bike was my main source of entertainment. I didn't have any family or friends here other than Justin, his two co-workers that we occasionally had dinner with, and the three or four girls from the book club ("friends" being used rather loosely here, of course). And at my new employee orientation shortly after being hired, a woman asked what there was to do in this town; the girl leading the orientation replied, in all honestly, that she enjoyed online shopping. Coming from Chicago, an incredibly vibrant and culturally rich city, this was a difficult transition. So, I'd head to work, teach, hold my office hours, head home, grab some lunch, and then head out and spend a few hours biking.
It always bugged me when I'd hear people say they started biking to work and suddenly lost 7, 10, 15 pounds. I biked to work! Heck, I biked EVERYWHERE! So where was my loss?
Well, here's part of the problem: for me, 1 mile of running burns about 150 calories, 1 mile of walking burns about 100 calories, and 1 mile of biking burns about 50. That seems small, until you factor in miles per hour - I walk 3-4 miles per hour (let's call that 350 calories), run 6 miles per hour (900 calories), and ride 12-15 miles per hour (750 calories). I rarely run 6+ miles more than once a week, but 1-2 hour bike rides? I could do them daily - and more often than not, I did.
A two-hour bike ride burned 1300-1500 calories. So why didn't I lose any weight?!
Because when you move like that all the time, your body adapts. You have to mix up your workouts to keep your body always guessing. In Chicago, I typically did three days of running (one long, two shorter) alternating with three days of elliptical/stationery biking/basic weight training. It was always different. Here, it was always biking - there was more running in the Fall semester as I prepared for my half marathon, but in the Spring, when I wasn't actively training for a longer race, I filled most of my afternoons with biking.
Also, when you bike for hours and hours every day, you feel hungrier. Your body needs more fuel. And I struggled to find a healthy balance for myself. It seems like most days were either "bike a ton, feel extra hungry, overeat, get depressed" or, more often, "get depressed, overeat, feel extra guilty, bike a ton." Neither situation is good for my health - physical or mental.
As much as I'll miss biking, it's definitely for the best right now. In the two and a half weeks I have left in California, I can't depend on the bike for big calorie burns. The gym membership, which was only good for 30 days, ran out a few days ago. And the TV is gone, so no Wii Fit. With running and walking as my only workout options right now, I have to pay closer attention to my eating, to find my healthy balance. I am still doing well with my June goal of no binges, thanks mostly to training for the Chicago Marathon (and the Rock 'n' Roll Chicago Half Marathon at the end of July) - knowing I have to wake up the next morning and run 6, 7, 8 miles makes the "should I order a pizza?" decision a lot easier.
What about you? How do you find a good balance between eating and exercise?
I exercise at night, about an hour or two after eating dinner. When I finish exercising, I drink a ton of water and take a shower. By then, it's almost bedtime. If I'm hungry, I eat an apple or something really tiny. Usually, I'm too tired to feel hungry, and since I've eaten all day, my body is fueled. It's very rare that I'm hungry after exercising at night.
Plus, by the time my body realizes I've burned off most of those calories, I'm already asleep and don't feel the hunger. Haha, body. ;) I do wake up hungry, but it's time for breakfast at that point, so I get to eat! Yay!
I found that if I exercise in the morning, I'm ravenous all day, so I switched it up. Plus, I hate getting up early.
I love getting my workouts done and over with in the mornings, but I find that I'm so hungry the rest of the day. With my current work schedule, I can't work out in the morning and I think that's a good thing.
I find exercising suppresses my hunger for a little bit as well. So if I work out after work, I have some time to make a good dinner before I get too hungry. If I don't workout after work, then I'm starving by the time I get home and normally start snacking while cooking dinner.
That particular balance has been the hardest for me to find, but sub running for cycling. When I was marathon training, I couldn't for the life of me find my "sweet spot" in terms of eating/burning calories. Like you, shorter workouts of varying intensity - constantly changing things up - seem to be the way forward. Or downward, as it were.
I exercise in the evenings. I love my sleep so much that I find it difficult to get up any earlier that I have to since I have to be at work at 7am.
I do however find myself waking up in the middle of the night starving, which I am trying to find ways to stay asleep all through the night.
Balance between eating and exercise is something I'm always struggling to find. Sometimes I think I have it figured out and other times I totally don't! I think it might be something I always have to be aware of! I think it's starting to become more natural though... I hope!
Still working on it Mary! I can be a bit compulsive with exercise, too, mainly on the arc trainer.
I struggle with a balance to do both food and exercise. Some weeks are good and some are horrible. I just have to keep trying and hoping something works.
I also tend to get bored with my workouts so I have to find the right variety to keep me motivated.
I think that's been the most frustrating part about this journey - finding the food/exercise balance. Still working on it!!
You will love the Rock and Roll Half Marathon. I did the Portland one and had a great time!
The balance will always be a process in learning for me - but I'm at the point where I have at least a few good days of balance at a time.
So excited for your move back!
I know exactly what you mean by wondering why you weren't losing weight despite the daily rides.
I was walking 50+ miles a week and struggled to see any loss at all. It was so frustrating!!


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Visa Empowers SMEs' Owners With More Essential Business Skills
The free education resources platform created by Visa for small businesses and entrepreneurs called Practical Business Skills has been expanded.
The Practical Business Skills is built on Visa's global expertise in financial education and offers growth-minded entrepreneurs tools to help start, manage and expand a business.
The platform gives SMBs access to a video library with lessons and to resources businesses can easily download and customise, such as calculators to manage cash flows or determine the cost-benefits of a taking a loan.
With more than 50 online learning modules, the platform addresses the needs at various stages of the business lifecycles like starting a business, managing a business, and tactics on how to drive businesses into a more profitable long-term success.
In a statement made available to Business Post, Visa explained that it expanded the Practical Business Skills platform to support business owners in the midst of the current economic crisis that has impacted millions of small business owners worldwide.
It noted that it expects the resources to provide the needed tools to aid in keeping their businesses afloat and to identify opportunities for potential growth amidst the situation.
"SMBs are the backbone of our economy. It is crucial to empower SMB-owners with knowledge, skills, and access to services that support them in rebuilding -or starting- stronger, digitally-enabled businesses," the Vice President and Country Manager of Visa West Africa, Ms Kemi Okusanya, explained.
She further said, "Practical Business Skills is part of Visa's commitment to providing resources and knowledge to help drive inclusive, sustainable and equitable economic growth for entrepreneurs, businesses and communities here in Nigeria and around the world."
SMBs account for more than 90 per cent of global businesses and are the source of 50 per cent to 60 per cent of global employment.
With the one-year mark of the COVID-19 pandemic approaching, the SMB community needs support to continue adapting, as their contribution to their communities and the global economy cannot be overstated.
Related Topics:Practical Business SkillsvisaVisa Practical Business Skills
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Modupe Gbadeyanka is a fast-rising journalist with Business Post Nigeria. Her passion for journalism is amazing. She is willing to learn more with a view to becoming one of the best pen-pushers in Nigeria. Her role models are the duo of CNN's Richard Quest and Christiane Amanpour.
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Nigeria Rakes N174.9bn from 2020 Marginal Field Bid Round
The Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Petroleum Commission (NURPC) has disclosed that the 2020 marginal field bid round, which was concluded last year, has so far yielded about N174.944 billion, with owners of 30 fields having partially paid and two fields stalled by court cases.
The new commission further stated that 20 companies that won the bids had partially paid up, among those who won the 57 oilfields.
In May 2021, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), which transmuted into NURPC with the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), concluded the 2020 marginal oilfield bid round, the first successful exercise since 2003, when 24 assets were put on offer.
The process which culminated in the presentation of letters to the bid winners in Abuja by the industry regulator, started in June 2020, with 57 marginal fields spanning land, swamp and offshore put up for lease by the federal government.
Marginal fields are smaller oil blocks typically developed by indigenous companies and have remained unproduced for a period of over 10 years.
Some of the companies which emerged winners at the time included: Matrix Energy, AA Rano, Andova Plc, Duport Midstream, Genesis Technical, Twin Summit, Bono Energy, Deep Offshore Integrated, Oodua Oil, MRS and Petrogas.
A few others that succeeded in crossing the hurdle and had fully satisfied all conditions were: North Oils and Gas, Pierport, Metropole, Pioneer Global, Shepherd Hill, Akata, NIPCO, Aida, YY Connect, Accord Oil, Pathway Oil, Tempo Oil, Virgin Forest among others.
The process was hailed as a big win for local oil and gas companies in the country, which had a good outing during the ceremony as 100 per cent of the beneficiaries of the exercise were indigenous entities.
Nigeria last conducted marginal field bid rounds in 2003, with 16 of the fields contributing just two per cent to the national oil and gas reserves.
The commission also stated that its target revenue for 2022 remained N3.38 trillion, substantially exceeding its 2021 revenue projection of N3 trillion and that of 2020 which was pegged at N1.746 trillion.
In a presentation it made to the Senate Committee on Petroleum, Upstream, led by Mr Bassey Akpan, during an oversight meeting at its headquarters in Abuja, the agency led by Mr Gbenga Komolafe, explained that it hit N1.99 trillion revenue in 2020, surpassing its forecast of N1.746 trillion by about 13.98 per cent.
But in 2021, with a revenue target of N3.066 trillion, the commission pointed out that it generated N2.711 trillion, achieving 88.45 per cent of its revenue forecast which is usually paid into the federal government coffers.
It stated that in spite of the reduced fiscal provision in the PIA, the organisation was set to achieve its desired revenue target for 2022.
Furthermore, the NURPC lamented that with the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) production quota of 1.683 million bpd in January and 1.701 million barrels per day in February, it is only able to pump 1.396 million barrels per day currently, leading to a loss of at least 115,926 million barrels per day on a daily basis, put at roughly $300 million monthly.
"We are losing about 115, 926 barrels per day, so that literally translates to roughly about $300 million and that's a huge loss to a nation that actually requires these funds," he stated.
Mr Komolafe attributed the underperformance to mostly oil theft, sabotage, vandalism as well as technical issues, including ruptures associated with the assets.
"But the larger percentage is due to crude oil theft and as a commission we know the impact of this and recognising our regulatory role, we have been able to reach out to other operators as to what we can do about this.
"We are trying to put in place an industry-wide initiative to ameliorate the situation and we are expecting to go live in terms of implementation in collaboration with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) and the other stakeholders," he added.
However, he stated that despite the encumbrances, it would continue to promote an enabling environment for investment in the upstream petroleum sector, establish, monitor and regulate as well as enforce environmental measures and optimise government's take from the country's hydrocarbon resources.
In addition, the commission vowed to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of leases and licences granted, enforce all laws relating to upstream operations as well as maintain a petroleum industry data bank.
Mr Komolafe, responding to issues raised by the senators on the environmental degradation in the Niger Delta, stated that there are provisions in the PIA which provide for remediation.
He stated that the commission recognises that the job was enormous and had set up an internal committee to liaise with the senate steering committee to work on regulations for the industry.
The agency's chief executive stated that if fully implemented, the PIA would take care of issues connected with the environment, adding that while some pollutions are attributable to normal oil operations, others could be credited to sabotage by other parties.
AfDB to Establish Onion Commodity Exchange in Sokoto
The Sokoto State Governor, Mr Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has revealed that the African Development Bank (AfDB) will soon facilitate the establishment of an Onion Commodity Exchange in the state.
According to the Governor, this was part of the outcomes of a high-level meeting he and some of his Commissioners had with the management team of the bank last week in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
A statement signed by his media aide, Mr Muhammad Bello, said the Governor made this known at the closing of a three-day training for budding entrepreneurs in the state last week, adding that his administration was dedicated to supporting indigenous farmers.
The realisation of the plan will make such an establishment the 15th of its kind in Africa and the fourth in the country after the Abuja Securities and Commodity Exchange, Lagos Commodities and Futures Exchange; and AFEX Commodities Exchange Limited.
In economic parlance, trading in exchanges includes derivatives contracts, such as forwards, futures, options and spot trades- focusing on immediate delivery.
It could also be traded on interest rates, foreign exchange futures, freight contracts instruments and environmental instruments.
According to the statement, Mr Tambuwal revealed that "during our visit to the AfDB, we had engagements with them and agreed that an Onion Commodities Exchange will be established in Sokoto with the help of the bank on the framework and technical support."
He said the potential for onions trade abounds in the state, thus putting it in the topmost position of states cultivating the commodity in the country.
He cited an example of an individual in Abidjan, who transacts over N2.8 billion onion trade annually from Sokoto-Côte d'Ivoire, elaborating that the result of a survey he commissioned has revealed that from onion trade alone, the state engages in an annual transaction of between N250 and N300 billion.
Over the past few months, several stakeholders have been looking at how to push the onion species produced in the country to one of the best in the world.
Experts note that because of its strong pungency, it is exported to many countries including France, Japan, India, Niger Republic, Ghana and others.
GSK Consumer Healthcare Business Not Worth Than £50bn—Unilever
Dipo Olowookere
By Dipo Olowookere
Unilever Plc has said it will not increase its £50 billion bid for the acquisition of GSK Consumer Healthcare business owned by GlaxoSmithKline, which was earlier rejected by the company.
In a statement issued last Saturday, GSK confirmed that it "received three unsolicited, conditional and non-binding proposals from Unilever" for the acquisition of its consumer healthcare arm, which is jointly owned by GSK and Pfizer, with GSK holding a majority controlling interest of 68 per cent and Pfizer 32 per cent.
According to GSK, the acquisition value of £50 billion comprising £41.7 billion in cash and £8.3 billion in Unilever shares was below the true value of the business.
The offer was rejected, according to the company, because the consumer healthcare business was "fundamentally undervalued" as the business has great "future prospects", which was not factored into the proposals.
"The board of GSK is strongly focused on maximising value for GSK shareholders and has carefully evaluated each Unilever proposal.
"In doing so, the board and its advisers assessed the proposals relative to the financial planning assessments completed to support the proposed demerger of the business in mid-2022, including the sales growth outlook," a part of the statement noted.
But reacting to the rejection in a statement on Wednesday, Unilever said it does not feel that the value of the GSK consumer business is worth more than its £50 billion valuations and because of that, it would not increase it.
"We note the recently shared financial assumptions from the current owners of GSK Consumer Healthcare and have determined that it does not change our view on fundamental value," the statement said.
Unilever said, "Accordingly, we will not increase our offer above £50 billion," noting that it will continue to maintain "strict financial discipline to ensure that acquisitions create value for our shareholders."
"Unilever also reiterates its commitment to continuing to improve the performance of its existing portfolio through its ongoing focus on operational excellence, its upcoming reorganisation and by rotating the portfolio to higher growth categories," it added.
Unilever and GSK both have subsidiaries in Nigeria and are also listed on the local stock exchange.
Business Post reports that on Wednesday, shares of Unilever Nigeria closed flat N13.20, while GSK rose by 0.84 per cent to N6.00 from N5.95.


linear algebra with applications 6th edition keith nicholson Sat, 15 Dec 2018 15:58:00 GMT linear algebra with applications 6th pdf - WILLIAMS 6TH linear... Overall, the aim of the text is to achieve a balance among computational skills, theory, and applications of linear algebra. It is a relatively advanced introduction to the ideas and techniques of linear algebra targeted for science and engineering students who need to understand not only how to use these methods but also gain insight into why they work.
Linear Algebra with Applications by W. Keith Nicholson and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at AbeBooks.com.
About the Contributors Author. Dr. W. Keith Nicholson earned his undergraduate Degree in Applied Mathematics at the University of Alberta, and received his Ph.D. in Pure Mathematics from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1970.
Modern algebra with applications / William J. Gilbert, W. Keith Nicholson.—2nd ed. p. cm.—(Pure and applied mathematics) Includes bibliographical references and index.
Introduction to Abstract Algebra, Solutions Manual pdf - W. Keith Nicholson. At which stems from high school, in the whole package of algebraic symbolism negative.


legend of Gilboy lives on. We have a PA student taking your class soon.
in my life. Thanks for your support.
I just got word that I passed my board exam!!! I took it Nov 2nd, and my results came yesterday.
Joe, there's no way I could have been successful without your patience, encouragement, and academic instruction. The Lord has truly been gracious to me by placing you in my path.
I was the 3rd student to take the board. Since then there have been 10 of us total........, and we've all passed.
It's Shelly from SJVC who has been struggling to pass the PANCE. Well, I am very proud to say that I PASSED!!! WOOOOOHOOOO!!!!!!!! I took your class back in March & recorded you & am thankful I did cuz I was listening to the tape on my way to take my exam & everything you lectured on cardio was on the test!! THANK YOU JOE!!!
I am a USC student that took your course at the beginning of May and wanted to send you a HUGE thank you. Everybody I know that took the course, passed the exam.I look forward to coming back for a refresher! Thank you again so much!
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Fiori Tiles are nice – I just haven't had the time to learn about them yet. I primarily code in ABAP. So I used a transaction in the Fiori tiles. I did not really program in them. I started with a good old friend ABAP ALV. Then tried to print on one page in landscape and had too many fields. ALV doesn't word wrap very easily.
First off I'm on Netweaver 7.5 / HANA on-premise. Plus one long time developer in ABAP.
ALVs are wonderful things. (See your system / SALV*Demo*) They cut development – well about in half. They provide a nice UI. They work great with Fiori Tiles. They are easy to implement. A quick development trick for those of us just learning is to write the program is attach our code to the Fiori Tile via a transaction. It's very nice if you need to get something done yesterday. This PDF gives great instructions on how to do that.
Cool right? I've attached my transaction to a Fiori Tile. Amazingly it looks nice. OK next on the agenda is printing. The requirement was to print everything in Landscape. There were a lot of LONG fields. The ALV wouldn't print entirely in landscape. Or rather it would – but in very tiny letters. I couldn't limit the fields – that wasn't an option. So I posted here on the sap community. I love this place. The suggestion was to use ABAP2XLSX. Seeing that and NOT reading the complete answer, I proceed to change my program to display in Excel.
I've used ABAP2XLSX before and it is a lot like ALV. However their are many benefits to Excel. The one I had to have was the ability to wrap text. In the ALV I couldn't wrap the text easily.
So I began to change my program over to ABAP2XLXS. Do you know Excel doesn't play well with Fiori Tiles? I didn't. If I had read the entire answer, I would have known that.
At this point, I could just put a button out there for download into Excel. (My second program). But I really didn't like that option.
So I thought about it. Aha – I thought, I'll let them send via e-mail. That's what he really wanted anyway. They wanted to be able to hand a list to different people. Back to a quick search. I could probably have done this one myself. But why do it if someone else already has right? I found this blog. And that really cut down on development time.
The application is on a Fiori Tile. It displays in ALV. It is simple to send it to the people you want to see it. Or send it to yourself, edit and send out. This is much better than the Excel download. Word wrap, colors, and more… It looks nice. Yes, I'd like to have done more. But I'm on to my next project.
Please comment – there are probably better ways to do this. Also if I get enough requests, I'll try to put my very first project into GITHUB.


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Very fast service delivery and simplicity: these are the cornerstone principles of the PRESTIGE Service Kiosk. It's a versatile multimedia equipment, with the ability to perform direct sales and take payments in cash or card. It can be used to dispense products such as stamps, tickets and vouchers, subscribe services, pay for invoices or top-up mobile phones, saving precious time for the customer, and allowing businesses to make better management of their resources.
— Modular Design & Built
— 15" High Quality Touchscreen interface
— External framework branding and customization
— 60mm Thermal Printer, with no proprietary requirements
— Allows payments by Debit/Credit Card and Cash (Coins and Bank Notes)
— Multiple available methods for customer identification
— Wide and flexible range of integration capabilities
— Incorporated Industrial-grade PC
— Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)
— Wi-Fi or GSM Communication
— Maintenance Software
— Software Development Kit (SDK)
— 24/7 Service Availability
— Meets mandatory standards for people with disabilities
— Real-time management of ROI and operational maintenance, via the SIRIG software suite


Turkish security forces announced on Saturday that two PKK members were killed in a clash in Diyarbakir in northern Kurdistan.
Security forces in a statement reported that a special force of the "gendarma" clashed with gunmen from the Workers' Party in the village of "Boz Baglar" in the town of "Kuja Kui".
The statement added that the Special Force was able to kill two elements of the Kurdistan Workers' Party.
The security forces and the Turkish army to target sites within the Kurdistan region, under the pretext of presence elements of the PKK.


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Diversity, dissent and disruption: 5 leadership lessons from Zillow Group CEO Spencer Rascoff
by John Cook on December 7, 2016 at 12:38 pm December 10, 2016 at 1:35 pm
Zillow Group CEO Spencer Rascoff speaks at the Seattle Metro Chamber on Wednesday morning. (Photos / GeekWire)
Zillow Group CEO Spencer Rascoff started his own podcast earlier this year dubbed "Office Hours," in part so the 41-year-old technology executive could continue a helpful tactic he started many years ago of peppering top business leaders with questions that could help shape his own career.
After six months of shows — including episodes with Box CEO Aaron Levie; OpenTable CEO Christa Quarles; former Twitter CEO Dick Costolo and others — Rascoff has learned a lot. And he shared some of those lessons Wednesday morning at a breakfast meeting with business leaders hosted by the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.
"This was a habit I formed long ago, of just having to grill other executives and other leaders, and learn from them," said Rascoff. "I did this out of necessity. When I was 23 and I started Hotwire, I did not know what I was doing. When I was 30 and started Zillow, I didn't really know what I was doing either, so I figured I'd fake it until I made it, and one way to do that was to ask a lot of questions."
So, what has Rascoff learned over the years? Here are five of the key leadership ideals he's picked up:
Lesson 1. Inexperience can be your biggest advantage, enabling you to see solutions that seem viable to you but not to others who know your space.
Rascoff summarized this approach at startups as the "less you know, the more dangerous you are." He pointed out a meeting he had yesterday with a 25-year-old entrepreneur in L.A. who showed absolutely no fear of potentially competing with Zillow. When Rascoff noted that some of her services overlapped with Zillow, the young woman didn't seem to care. "She looked at me like: 'Look old man, I am not worried about you….' I thought: That's awesome. That's amazing. That's what entrepreneurship is."
Lesson 2: Mature companies drive innovation by focusing on people and giving them the best infrastructure to stay competitive.
Rascoff said he learned a lot from interviewing OpenTable CEO Christa Quarles, which had been operating on a monolithic code base up until 2012 and radically overhauled its systems in order to become more agile. Companies like OpenTable, which in technology terms are dinosaurs, need to be innovative. And they need to disrupt their own product offerings, or face death. If staffers can't ship new features and stay at the forefront of innovation, it can become "dispiriting" for employees, said Rascoff. In fact, Rascoff said that was one of the reasons why he left Expedia, whose code base at the time had ballooned to the point where it took months to implement new features. It took Expedia about two years to rewrite their systems, and after that investment it is now as "agile" as any startup. "Infrastructure, whether its your code base or your office space or your company, infrastructure creates culture, it creates agility and it creates innovation," he said. At Zillow, Rascoff said they are trying to stay innovative by having teams spend 20 percent of their time on what he calls "velocity projects," where certain team members update and enhancing existing projects. This is to "avoid paying the piper five or ten years later" with outdated systems.
Lesson 3: Servant leadership drives productivity and innovation. Managers should focus on what they can do for their people; they shouldn't spend time relaying orders.
When Rascoff worked at Goldman Sachs in the late 1990s, he said the CEO of the investment banking firm would send out a voice mail to staffers with marching orders of what's ahead. It was a very top-down structure. But business communication no longer flows in that manner, and Rascoff says he's "usually the last to know" what's going on at Zillow. "Management used to be about having proprietary access to information, said Rascoff. Now, it is the people who operate tools like Tableau and Concur and Salesforce.com who hold the keys. In other words, information now resides in the "nodes" versus the "executive suite," he said. Given this changing dynamic, Rascoff describes his role as an "HR executive" where his main job is to "recruit, motivate and retain the best people" and create "an environment where people can do their best work." Rascoff added: "I pretty much spend all day long on people stuff."
Lesson 4: If they're just like you, hire someone else. Diverse opinions and an environment that encourages dissent give companies a competitive edge.
The financial crisis of 2007-2008 was really created by a lack of diversity. That's one of the takeaways that Rascoff pulled out of an interview he did with Wall Street veteran Sallie Krawcheck, who in an interview with Rascoff discussed how the financial sector's homogeneity and group think — with too many people who attended the same colleges and country clubs — led to the shenanigans going on in the financial sector. In his own experience, Rascoff recalls a meeting in the early days of Hotwire where one of the founders adamantly told staff to "stop agreeing with me." Rascoff was 25 years old at the time, and the message resonated with him. "I think of that all of the time. The whole point of having people around you is to have them disagree with you," said Rascoff, adding that Zillow has created an "argumentative culture" where dissent is rewarded, praised and expected. "I try very, very hard to create a culture where people dissent," he said. Later, Rascoff said Zillow operates as a data-driven consensus-oriented meritocracy where they try to make decisions by following the practice of "argue-disagree-commit."
Lesson 5: Missions help companies stay small while getting big. Employees feel connected to the larger purpose and understand the role they play in its achievement.
You gotta have a mission, and Rascoff noted the bold mission of Bill Gates and Paul Allen — a computer on every desktop and in every home — that set Microsoft on its path to success. Without a bigger mission, Rascoff said that people feel disconnected. Rascoff said its critical to get employees to believe that they are part of something that's bigger than just themselves. "It is much more exciting the interesting to get people to get fired up about going to work if they feel they are creating this giant thing that's bigger than them," he said.
John Cook is GeekWire's co-founder and publisher, a veteran reporter and the longest-serving journalist on the Pacific Northwest tech beat. Follow him @johnhcook and email john@geekwire.com.
Made in Seattle: Submissions wanted for a special GeekWire holiday gift guide
Zillow Group joins 43 other companies in signing White House Equal Pay Pledge
Filed Under: Tech Tagged With: Leadership • Real Estate • Spencer Rascoff • Zillow
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