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'Opt Out' Will Return; Pay Attention
August 15, 2017 Bob Wilson	Leave a comment
I had the opportunity to participate in a high-octane session at the 72nd Annual WCI Conference in Orlando, FL. With the somewhat imposing title of "The Grand Bargain or Contract of Adhesion: The Ongoing Debate Over Benefit Adequacy, Procedural Efficacy and Blanket Immunity in Workers' Compensation," it was a 90-minute discussion about both specific state legal challenges and the future viability (constitutionality) of workers' comp overall. It featured Florida defense attorney H. George Kagan, Wyoming law professor Michael Duff, Georgia Administrator and Judge Elizabeth Gobeil and me. It was moderated by Florida plaintiff's attorney Paolo Longo. While we covered a variety of challenges that the industry continues to face, there was one that I regret we did not have the opportunity to address. That one issue is the concept of allowing employers to opt out of workers' comp altogether.
Since the Oklahoma Opt Out scheme was torpedoed by the state Supreme Court's upholding of an earlier decision declaring it unconstitutional, many have assumed that this chapter has closed for the industry. We are quite content to put our heads back in the sand and wait for the next crisis before we stir from our slumber. You may pick up from my tone that I believe this to be a mistake. I am predicting here that the "threat" of Opt Out will return, faster than expected, and with an improved concept that will quickly gain traction. I'm telling you, we need to pay attention and be prepared, as this next round will be a more formidable challenge.
The advocates of Opt Out have, quite simply, made a few key changes in their pitch and approach, and the changes, for the sake of argument, have merit. The Achilles heel of Oklahoma Opt Out was "exclusive remedy"; the approach had been allowed to develop a closed and tightly controlled system that maintained the benefits of liability protection afforded to employers within the highly regulated workers' compensation system. This was found to provide inconsistent benefits to some workers, and, combined with the one-sided controls granted employers within Opt Out, was deemed an unconstitutional restriction on employees' rights of due process. Today, the backers of Opt Out seem to have learned a lesson and are now proposing an Opt Out scheme that operates without the layer of protections afforded by the exclusive remedy provisions.
See also: What Schrodinger Says on Opt-Out
In other words, they are saying, "Allow us to accept the risk of full liability and set up our own alternative plans to mitigate that risk." Although I am known for my opposition to Oklahoma Opt Out and am not a fan of Texas non-subscription, I believe this concept is more intellectually honest than its Sooner State predecessor and therefore worthy of inclusion in the debate about the future of workers' compensation.
With my involvement with "national conversations" on comp over the last year and a half, one thing has become firmly etched in my mind. There is a feeling of frustration simmering in the industry over the regulatory complexity and paperwork required in helping injured workers. There is tremendous appeal in the idea of bypassing all the oversight and just doing the job that needs to be done. After all, in some systems, treatment of the injured worker now seems to be a secondary goal; we can get to it when all the appropriate paperwork has been completed in triplicate and submitted to the various participants that are required to have it.
By saying, "We accept the risks of open liability and can control those risks by doing the right thing by our employees," backers change the argument significantly from that where exclusive remedy protected the employer either way. The new approach is going to have tremendous competitive appeal to employers and the legislators whose ears they reach.
There are, of course, concerns with this concept. One of the oft-understated purposes of the "Grand Bargain," which created a system that was supposed to be no-fault in nature, is that it assures treatment and benefits for the careless and negligent worker. People who represent the injured workers' interests hate to discuss this, but many accidents occur not because the employer was negligent but because the employee screwed up. The employee may have been simply careless or willfully bypassed safety practices. Either way, the injury is often the fault of the worker who suffers it. Workers' comp, with few exceptions covers that. Employers who find no liability in an accident may not.
For example, let's say you run a delivery service. You maintain a strict "no texting while driving" policy for your drivers, even going so far as to install apps on company-provided phones that will not allow texting when movement is detected. However, one of your drivers pulls out a personal phone (banned by company policy), over which you have no control, and drives headlong into a tree while texting his BFF. Were you negligent? If you did not have workers' comp, would you need to be concerned with the liability of pain and suffering, loss of consortium and all the other threats of a negligence suit? Unlikely. Without the threat of a suit, would you be compelled to provide medical and indemnity benefits to this worker? Equally unlikely, I would suspect, especially in an Opt Out world.
Believe me, there is a real attraction to being released of financial responsibility for things that were not your fault. This really becomes a discussion at a societal level. Are we willing to start assigning blame, potentially placing the burden on taxpayers for injuries that occur while someone is working for the benefit of an employer? Are we ready to return to the days before workers' comp existed?
Another issue, of course, will be how the concept is actually created in legislative form. Saying you will accept the risk of open liability is different than legislating that element. As with all things, the devil will be in the details of any specific proposal.
These questions will certainly be a part of the debate. In the meantime, the simplicity of bypassing an over-regulated system is going to provide tremendous appeal for some. At our Orlando session, George Kagan observed that Florida legislators have enacted so much legislation for workers' comp that it would make the "central planners of the Soviet Union proud." Employers will eventually look to escape an overly complex system where regulators cannot even agree on a simple standardized reporting form.
When the argument can be successfully made that benefits for the injured worker can be improved by leaving a burdensome system, then we will have a real dogfight on our hands.
See also: Debunking 'Opt-Out' Myths (Part 6)
PartnerSource President Bill Minick, who is the primary supporter of the Opt Out concept, and I do agree on a couple things. One of those is that competition is healthy and almost always results in improved service for all. The concept that backers are beginning to put forth represents the opportunity for true competition to a system that cannot seem to respond to other external stimuli.
I remain a vociferous advocate for the workers' comp system; its importance in stabilizing a contentious area of labor relations has been well proven over the past 100 years. However, I also want to see a vibrant and relevant workers' comp system for the next 100 years. That means we must address some of our issues head on, and answer the questions about what is important to us as a society.
Opt Out will again soon be an issue we are debating, but with a change in focus on their side. It will be a concept worthy of a larger debate.
It will be a debate that we best be ready to participate in.
bob wilsonoklahomaopt-outtexaswilsonworkers compworkers' compensation
Top 10 WC Predictions for 2017
January 24, 2017 Bob Wilson	Leave a comment
2016 was a hectic year here at the Cluttered Desk. That is due in part to the fact I wasn't behind it much of the time these past 12 months. Travel demands this last year exceeded all before it, and I spent a fairly significant amount of time away from the office. This makes foretelling the events of 2017 difficult; mostly because I am still trying to accomplish the tasks I was supposed to finish way back in 2015.
Now that I think about it, predicting the past would be much easier.
At any rate, I wanted to lay out for you EXACTLY what will be occurring as the year 2017 unfolds. I wanted to do that, but have absolutely no clue as to what the future will exactly be. Instead I will make these Top Ten Predictions and hope for the best.
1. The president will appoint a federal commission on workers' compensation
President Trump will appoint a federal commission to identify and recommend improvements for the workers' compensation system. The 142-member group, composed mainly of fellow students from Ivanka's Hot Yoga class, will toil for 10 months trying to identify the most pressing issues for the industry. They will ultimately be overwhelmed by the system's current complexities, causing complete work stoppages for the panel. Originally intended as a key part of the "drain the swamp" campaign, workers' comp will ironically instead "swamp the drain," causing chaos and confusion throughout the government. The commission's final report will be issued via Twitter, with seven characters left to spare.
2. A federal emergency guest worker program will be established
Construction of the long-awaited "Great Wall Numero Dos" will begin along our southern border just four weeks after the new administration is in place. Unfortunately, it will be discovered that in the third week of new management the country deported all the people willing to perform the back-breaking labor in the middle of the desert Southwest. An emergency guest worker program will be established to allow people to return to the country to build the wall designed to keep them out of the country in the first place.
3. Florida will successfully reform its workers' compensation system
Florida legislators will pull out all the stops to fix the state's ailing workers' compensation system this year. When the dust of reform settles, the system will be housed in a large canvas tent with three rings, and there will be shiny new cages for all the animals. Caretakers will be allocated glistening new poop-scooping shovels. The job of Chief Deputy Judge of the Office of Judges of Compensation Claims will be retitled "Ringmaster."
See also: 10 Predictions for Insurtech in 2017
4. The state of California will opt out
Unhappy with the fact that much of the rest of the nation did not agree with it in the recent presidential election, California will push for and ultimately be successful at separating itself from the U.S. The effort will get a huge boost when petitions supporting the measure gain 162 million signatures from people living outside the state. The move will not quite be complete, however, as most of the inland and southernmost regions will choose to remain a part of the U.S. This will leave Los Angeles County and the San Francisco Bay area to go their own ways. They will have screaming internet and cutting-edge technology but no food, because all of that is grown inland. Additionally, most LA commuters will have to register as foreign workers, because their three-hour commute means they now reside on foreign soil. The newly formed country of Los Angelinos will have an immediate crisis in workers' comp, because their outrageous injury costs will no longer be subsidized by what used to be the rest of the state. The chairperson of the Los Angelinos People's Politburo will embark on a reform effort modeled after Florida efforts. The new system will look quite similar, with the exception that the tent will be resistant to earthquakes, and all bathrooms will be gender-neutral.
5. Healthcare reform will meet medical marijuana
As Republicans dismantle the Affordable Care Act, they will strive to develop an affordable alternative to ensure prompt medical care for the dozens of people who actually paid for health insurance they obtained through the government exchanges. It will be discovered that locally sourced, organically grown and affordable medical marijuana will be the singularly stellar solution for the country's medical ills. Free marijuana will be distributed to all persons with any illness or ailment and will serve as the single authorized medicine listed on the new health systems formulary. No one will really recover from anything, but no one will really care, either. The national anthem will be changed to Bob Dylan's "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" (Everybody must get stoned).
6. Artificial Intelligence will make inroads into workers' compensation
The first rounds of automation will be employed in the workers' comp industry in 2017. Artificial Intelligence will make inroads in claims management, transportation and the medical industry. Surprisingly, artificial intelligence will make the most dramatic advances in the online publishing arena; notably, many workers' comp blogs will be taken over by these wunderkind computers. This will be ironic, as it will represent the first time actual intelligence of any kind has been applied to that sector.
7. Workers' compensation will almost be named workers' recovery
Long a personal goal of this prognosticator, the industry will come perilously close to being renamed "workers' recovery" this year. The International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIABC) will commit to the cause and put the full power of its influence behind it. The effort almost succeeds, but falters slightly in the final moments. The German representatives on the Industry Rebranding Committee insist on a slight change to the word "Recovery." The final result is the industry will be called "Nur die Klappe Halten und Arbeiten," which essentially means, "Just Shut Up and Work." All is not lost, however. The people at WorkersCompensation.com successfully obtain the domain name www.nurdieklappehaltenundarbeiten.com, ensuring that these inane predictions can continue for years to come.
8. Illinois will dramatically simplify and improve its workers' comp program
In a completely unforeseen move, Illinois legislators will totally scrap their currently chaotic workers' compensation system and replace it with a simplified, recovery-centric program based on an advocacy-based claims model. Injury durations decrease, litigation ceases to exist and everyone benefits from what is now considered the model workers' compensation program in the nation. On a completely unrelated note, pigs will fly, and hell will freeze over.
See also: 5 Predictions for the IoT in 2017
9. Amazon will sell workers' compensation insurance
Online retailing behemoth Amazon will start to sell workers' compensation insurance via their Prime "One Click Order" system. Alternately, Amazon Echo owners will be able to order a policy by saying, "Alexa, buy me workers' compensation coverage." Policy paperwork will be delivered within one hour via drone. When an injury occurs, employers will simply be able to return the broken worker to Amazon by generating a return authorization and shipping label from within their account area.
10. Bob Wilson will lose 50 pounds – again
Suffering with chronic knee issues and having been told to lose weight by his orthopedic surgeon, Bob Wilson will try in vain to find a new orthopedic surgeon, preferably one who weighs 300 pounds and smokes. Failing in that attempt, he will lose 50 pounds. Again. This will bring his total lifetime weight loss to more than 1,750 pounds.
And there you have it. We will look forward to returning at year's end to see how accurate I was. Until then, have a great 2017!
This article first appeared at www.workerscompensation.com.
affordable care actaiamazonartificial intelligencebob wilsoncaliforniacluttered deskfloridaiaiabcillinoislos angelesopt-outwilsonworkerscompensation.com
Fixing Illinois' Outdated Workers' Comp
August 3, 2016 Mark Adams	Leave a comment
The American workplace has changed dramatically since Illinois created its workers' compensation system in 1911. But the workers' compensation system, especially in Illinois, has not kept pace. Not only does the current system do a poor job of serving the majority of workers, especially parents and other workers who need flexibility to work hours outside the traditional workday and in off-site locations such as their own homes, but it also prioritizes the financial interests of groups such as lawyers and workers' compensation doctors over the needs of both workers and employers.
The system needs to be reformed. Illinois policymakers should allow workers and employers to opt out of the state-run workers' compensation system and to craft their own agreements around their particular circumstances – rather than forcing all workers and employers to adhere to rigid regulations that often no longer serve their purpose.
The early 20th century origins of workers' compensation
At the turn of the 20th century, increasing numbers of Americans found themselves in new, hazardous working conditions in the jobs created by the Industrial Revolution. But few protections existed for workers who might be unable to support their families if they became injured at work. Workers' compensation was designed to remedy that situation by providing medical care and income replacement to injured workers. The system, however, has not evolved to meet the needs of today's workers and employers and is ill-suited to address the problems of the modern workplace.
Changes in the modern workplace
Far fewer people work in inherently risky jobs today. The industrial sector employed nearly a third of the workforce in 1900, but employed just 19% in 1999. And even today's dangerous jobs have become less hazardous. Deaths per 100,000 workers fell more than 93% to just four by the end of the 20th century, down from 61 deaths per 100,000 workers at the start.
But workers also face new challenges. In the middle of the 20th century, just 30% of women were part of the workforce. That number has risen to nearly 60%. Increasing numbers of Americans must now balance work responsibilities with caring for a child or elderly relative: 82% of parents are in families where both parents work. Many employers have met those challenges by offering more flexible work environments such as telecommuting and flexible schedules. But workers' compensation – a system supposed to protect workers – increasingly stands in the way of new work arrangements to meet workers' needs.
See also: How Should Workers' Compensation Evolve?
Workers' compensation was designed for an industrial workplace. Yet, it applies equally to a telecommuter working from home. A professor who slips on papers in his home office or an interior designer who trips on her dog can claim workers' compensation.
That makes businesses less likely to give workers flexibility to work at home or, when employers do, to let workers set their own hours. A worker who answers email at night, after taking time to pick up children from school and prepare dinner, could still be considered in the workplace as though the distinction between work and home could be drawn as simply as when workers punched a time card. Employers have little control over possible costs if the employee is injured at home, and the broken workers' compensation system gives employers an incentive to take away flexible working arrangements for fear of legal liability.
These problems are not unique to Illinois, but the Prairie State is unusual both in having one of the most costly workers' compensation systems in America and in not having exemptions for small businesses or domestic workers. The absence of an exemption for domestic employees hurts increasing numbers of workers who must balance work with child or elder care. As with telecommuting, this can affect all workers, but it disproportionately affects women, who tend to spend more time caring for children. And, while not everyone can afford a live-in nanny, reducing impediments to hiring domestic help makes it easier for women to hold more senior positions.
Opting out of the state-run workers' compensation system
While Illinois has one of the most restrictive workers' compensation systems, Texas has one of the least restrictive, even allowing employers to opt out entirely. Critics of the Texas system allege this has led employers to cut services, but the evidence suggests employers prefer to save money by cutting areas prone to fraud, while often increasing benefits that employees value. Employers often provide better benefits than required for the same reason they offer flextime: to recruit the best employees at the lowest cost.
Special interests benefit from the current workers' compensation system to the detriment of workers and employers
The government-imposed workers' compensation system has also been far more susceptible to co-option by special interests. While workers and employers use the workers' compensation system only when there is an injury, lawyers interact with workers' compensation every day. As a result, although the workers' compensation system is supposed to provide quick resolution to workers' claims, the powerful lawyers' lobby helped create a system that can stretch claims out over years. This costs businesses money and denies injured workers rapid settlement of their medical bills.
Medical providers, too, have benefited from a system that unnecessarily prolongs treatment and facilitates the overprescription of certain medications, including addictive opioids.
See also: The Pretzel Logic on Oklahoma Option
Employers and workers both have an incentive to design a better system, but the false presumption that the government-run system is better prevents them from doing so. Interestingly, Texas employers who opted out of the state-run workers' compensation system have all but eliminated opioid overprescription.
Fixing Illinois' workers' compensation system means government must step back and allow workers and employers to reach agreements that make sense in their specific situations – arrangements that suit the needs of workers and employers, rather than line the pockets of special interest groups benefiting financially from the current system.
adamsgrand bargainillinoismark adamsnonsubscriptionopioidopt-outtexasworkers compworkers' compensation
The REAL Objection to Opt Out
June 28, 2016 David DePaolo	Leave a comment
I have never really understood why the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America has been so vehemently against opt out.
While it seems that opt out returned to the back burner for this year with constitutional defeats in Oklahoma and political stalemate in other states, PCI has reignited the debate with an inflammatory paper.
The basic arguments, which PCI supports with some data, is that opt out results in costs shifting to other systems and that a lack of standards and transparency is detrimental to consumers (i.e. injured workers).
PCI also argues that opt out is all about saving employers money to the detriment of consumers by denying more claims earlier and paying less with capitations and restrictions not found in traditional comp.
I get that alternative work injury systems must meet certain standards and need to be more transparent to consumers — to me, that's a no-brainer.
But the objections that PCI raises are exactly the same complaints made against traditional workers' comp: inadequate benefits, unnecessary delays, cost shifting, etc.
Each statistic cited by PCI against opt out can be asserted against traditional workers' comp — just use another study or data source.
For instance, just a couple of years ago, Paul Leigh of University of California at Davis and lead author of the study, Workers' Compensation Benefits and Shifting Costs for Occupational Injury and Illness, told WorkCompCentral, "We're all paying higher Medicare and income taxes to help cover [the costs not paid by workers' compensation]."
That study, published in the April 2012 edition of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, found that almost 80% of workers' compensation costs are being covered outside of workers' compensation claims systems. That amounts to roughly $198 billion of the estimated $250 billion in annual costs for work-related injuries and illnesses in 2007. Just $51.7 billion, or 21%, of those costs were covered by workers' compensation, the study said.
Of the $250 billion price tag for work-related injury costs, the Leigh study found $67.09 billion of that came from medical care costs, while $182.54 billion was related to lost productivity.
In terms of the medical costs, $29.86 billion was paid by workers' compensation, $14.22 billion was picked up by other health insurance, $10.38 billion was covered by the injured workers and their families, $7.16 billion was picked up by Medicare and $5.47 billion was covered by Medicaid.
The study drew criticism from the workers' comp crowd, which defended its practices, challenged the data and anecdotally attempted to counter argue, with limited success.
If one digs deep enough in the PCI study, I'm sure one could likewise find fault with the data and the reporting on cost shifting — because the truth is that absolutely no one has a fix on that topic.
My good friend Trey Gillespie, PCI assistant vice president of workers' compensation, told WorkCompCentral that "the fundamental tenets of workers' compensation [are] protecting injured workers and their families and protecting taxpayers. The general consensus is that the way programs should work is to protect injured workers and taxpayers and avoid cost-shifting."
Of course! All work injury protection systems should do that.
But they don't.
That's what the ProPublica and Reveal series of critical articles about workers' compensation programs across the country tell us, both anecdotally and statistically: Injured workers aren't protected, costs are shifted onto other programs, and taxpayers are paying an unfair portion of what workers' comp should be paying.
Indeed, in October, 10 federal lawmakers asked the U.S. Department of Labor for greater oversight of the state-run workers' compensation system, to counteract "a pattern of detrimental changes to state workers' compensation laws and the resulting cost shift to public programs."
I started thinking about the one truism that governs human behavior nearly universally: Every person protects their own interests first. And I thought of PCI's name: Property and Casualty Insurers Association of America. "Property and casualty." Ay, there's the rub!
There's no room for P&C in opt out! ERISA-based opt out uses only health insurance and disability insurance.
Workers' comp is the mainstay of the P&C industry, the single biggest commercial line and the gateway to a whole host of much more profitable lines.
If opt out spreads beyond Texas, it is hugely threatening to the interests of the PCI members because they stand to lose considerable business, particularly if opt out migrates to the bigger P&C states.
PCI is protecting its own interests (or those of its members) by objecting to opt out.
And I don't blame them. Their impression of this threat is real.
Michael Duff, a professor of workers' compensation law at the University of Wyoming, told WorkCompCentral, "These are interested observers. They're going to have an agenda. They represent insurers who are in the workers' comp business."
Bingo.
"Every commercial actor that participates in traditional workers' compensation has an interest in seeing traditional workers' compensation continue," Duff went on. "But that traditional workers' compensation imposes costs on employers. There is now a group of employers who would like to pay less, and Bill Minick has developed a commercial product that is in competition with this other conceptual approach to handling things."
Here's THE fact: Traditional workers' compensation and ANY alternative work injury protection plan require vendors pitching wares and services to make the systems work.
Insurance companies are as much a vendor in either scenario as physicians, bill review companies, utilization review companies, attorneys, vocational counselors, etc.
Each and every single one makes a buck off workers' comp, and each and every one has an interest in maintaining the status quo.
See also: States of Confusion: Workers Comp Extraterritorial Issues
Arguing that one system is better than the other without admitting one's own special interest is simply hypocrisy.
Workers' compensation is going through some soul searching right now. Employers leading the debate are asking, "Why stay in a system that facilitates vendors' interests ahead of employers or workers?"
THAT's the question that BOTH the P&C industry and the opt out movement need to answer. Further debate about the merits of one over the other is simply sophistry.
This article first appeared at WorkCompCentral.
cost shiftingdavid depaolodepaolojournal of occupational and environmental medicinemichael duffoklahomaopt-outpaul leighpciProperty Casualty Insurers Association of Americapropublicarevealtexastrey gillespieuniversity of california at davisuniversity of wyomingwork compWorkCompCentralworkers compworkers compensationworkers compensation benefits and shifting costs for occupational injury and illnessworkers' compensation
Hidden Motives on Workers' Comp
March 31, 2016 Daryl Davis	Leave a comment
As legal alternatives to workers' compensation (WC) grow in number and popularity, employers will save money, and employees will—in aggregate—receive better care. [1] As this market grows, my income will also grow.
Such forthrightness should seem unnecessary from a proponent of the opt-out movement, like me. But a vocal (and boisterous) contingent of the opposition to alternatives avoids the necessary logical inversion by hiding behind other, less relevant motives.
As companies move away from WC, the income for opponents of alternatives will shrink, though they will never acknowledge financial well-being as a motive in opposing the opt-out. Attorneys, judges, cost-containment companies, third-party administrators, industry regulators, the NCCI and a host of other WC stakeholders [2] veil their financial motives by redirecting the argument to "what is fair and just for the employee." They are being disingenuous.
Over time, it becomes easier to expose financially motivated WC stakeholders. But a second component of the opposition is free from poorly hidden financial agendas. This ideological group—which compels me to write this essay—claims to oppose free market alternatives on altruistic grounds. The group's members—just like their financially motivated brethren—lean quite heavily on the noble ideas that they hope are conveyed in the two-word, nebulous term "grand bargain" and that they treat as sacrosanct.[3]
The U.S. was a little late to the WC party. Pressure had been building on policy makers since the second half of the 19th century, but it was the Pittsburgh Survey by the Russell Sage Foundation that provided the greatest influence in the rapid adoption of WC laws in the U.S. between 1911 and 1920. Anecdotes (e.g., The Jungle) helped, but legislatures needed statistically compelling factual evidence to reform the legal schemes governing workplace accidents. Crystal Eastman stood and delivered. In her seminal study, Work-accidents and the Law (which was part of the Pittsburgh Survey and was published in 1910), Eastman gathered and reported on workplace accident data for a 12-month period between 1906 and 1907 in the small but industrially relevant sample of Allegheny County, PA. She rightly and importantly spent the first 200 pages of her study explaining the devastating effects of workplace accidents on individuals, families and communities.[4] After dozens of case studies concerning widows, orphans and maimed workers, she dove into the problem with aplomb.
The root of the problem was that common law systems couldn't keep up with changes stemming from the Industrial Revolution—especially those in the U.S. It's no coincidence many countries that eventually committed to industrialization were also, to some extent, relying on English common law. From the Pittsburgh survey, Eastman summarized the problematic common law system on page 206 as follows:
It is wasteful:
The state expends a large amount in fruitless litigation.
Employers expend a large amount, as the result of work accidents, only a small part of which is actually paid in settlement of accident claims.
The injured employes [sic] spend nearly half of what they get in settlements and damages to pay the cost of fighting for it.
It is slow; recovery is long delayed, while the need is immediate.
It fosters misunderstanding and bitterness between employer and employees.
It encourages both parties to dishonest methods.
The institutions which have been resorted to as an escape from its evils, liability insurance and relief associations based upon a contract of release, are often advantageous to employers, but disadvantageous in important respects to employees.
The irony—over a century later—is too obvious. Eastman's first four points might as well be the outline for states like Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee when contemplating legal alternatives to their inefficient, caustic, modern WC systems. Granted, there was substantially more urgency for Eastman when she created this list—deaths per 100,000 hours worked were at all-time highs. Today, that statistic is at an all-time low. As significant as our modern occupational accident problems are, they are a different breed from—even if they are similarly described to—what Eastman studied.
Eastman's study was so powerful that many state legislatures used it to outline their original WC laws. Stakeholders were generally agreeable to this grand bargain, which, 1) prevented employees from suing employers for common law negligence, 2) required employers to pay medical and lost income benefits for employees injured on the job and 3) removed negligence from the conversation by making the entire WC scheme "no fault" in nature.
But there are some important contextual factors that contemporary WC stakeholders forget to mention regarding the grand bargain that gave us WC to begin with. First, most states made these new-fangled WC systems optional. That's right; of the 45 states that passed WC legislation between 1911 and 1920, 36 allowed employers to choose which system they wished to participate in. The original Texas law—which still stands iconoclastically today—was perfectly ordinary when it was originally enacted in 1913 (it gave private employers the opportunity to subscribe to WC or stick with common law, albeit without three powerful common law defenses). When the grand bargain was being born, options were the norm.
See Also: Key Misunderstanding on Oklahoma Option
A second, forgotten characteristic of the grand bargain is how disputes—though rare—were handled. By design, attorney involvement was minimal. One of the primary goals of the grand bargain was to decrease the amount of litigation, not to recategorize and grow it. Eastman's suggested mechanism (pp. 211-220) for dispute resolution was arbitration, which was embraced by a number of states.[5] However, never count attorneys out. Primal due process ideals eventually compelled them to increase their involvement (and compensation), all in the name of giving clients the day in court to which they are constitutionally entitled. This aberration—attorney involvement—is now sold to the public as part and parcel of the grand bargain.
Opponents will accuse me of misinterpreting Eastman's time and message. All interested parties are, of course, welcome to read her study [6] and draw their own conclusions.
We invite interested parties to tour the facilities of our opt-out employers and interview employees. They can even search for hidden torture chambers filled with injured workers, but they won't find them, because they do not exist. Our employees are happy, and our employers are delivering top-notch care to them at a fraction of the cost of WC.
But our opponents won't accept this reality. "Facts be damned!" they cry. "The employer needs to pay full fare for WC." That reasoning, again, is understandable from those WC stakeholders who fear they will starve if they can't slurp from the trough of WC. Inexplicably, however, this attitude is even more pronounced among the opposition's altruistic contingent, which maintains that employers must continue covering the inflated costs of employee welfare under WC, whether or not that financial burden improves the situation of injured employees.
Medicare presents an interesting litmus test for this ideological perspective. It is obvious to anyone paying attention that our entitlement healthcare program for seniors could—and should—deliver better outcomes at substantially lower costs. This is self-evident to Americans of all political stripes, in large part because we all pay for those costs via taxes. We would all like to see outcomes improve and our tax burden decrease.
In both Texas nonsubscription and the Oklahoma option, we eliminate the vast majority of legal overhead, which allows us to focus on medical outcomes. The same sorts of inefficiencies and abuses that occur within Medicare also infect WC, so it shouldn't be hard to believe that the free market (given the legal opportunity to do so) can economize them.[7]
Yet, our vocal, altruistic opponents won't allow their own criticisms of Medicare to influence their opinion about opt-out saving money and improving outcomes. It's perfectly obvious that Medicare (a healthcare system rife with bureaucratic inefficiencies) could deliver better results at lower costs if it were redesigned. However, when we demonstrate that WC (a healthcare system equally rife with bureaucratic inefficiencies) could—and should—deliver better results at lower costs, they opponent of opt-out close their eyes and cover their ears. "It can't be done!" they cry.
Somehow, from this perverse perspective, the solution to workplace injuries does not need to make the little guys (the employees) any better off, so long as it does a sufficient job of making the big guys (the employers) pay.
Ah, the joys of spending other people's money.
This litmus test provided by Medicare shows our altruistic opponents have an unexpected hidden agenda: politics. Is such a desire—to have the employer pay more than necessary—relevant to the welfare of employees? No, it is not.
It is political. It is an impediment. It is stupid.[8]
The grand bargain was about rationalizing what had become out-of-control non-solutions for workplace injuries. Throughout the past century, many WC systems have become burdensome for employees and employers alike. They are now, ironically, non-solutions. The grand bargain wasn't fundamentally about WC; it was about protecting employees and employers as sensibly and pragmatically as possible. It accomplished that objective with minimal use of attorneys, while generally allowing employers to elect (or subscribe) to a statutory scheme that took the name "workmen's compensation."
With slightly different jargon, that sounds eerily similar to what Oklahoma did in 2013. The Sooner State took a critical look at its non-solution for workplace injuries and created an alternative to more efficiently protect employer and employee alike. This statutory scheme has taken the popular name of "the Oklahoma option."
What's next for opt-out proponents? First and foremost, Oklahoma must tend to its new creation. After that, we'll just have to wait and see what other states will do—if anything.
What's next for our opponents? I suspect they will not advertise their fear of losing income. They will continue to tout the grand bargain as sacrosanct, without examining the historical context from which it emerged. They will try to hide behind arguments that appear noble.
We at WorkersCompensationOptions.com will remain at the cutting edge of this movement and will provide whatever legal occupational accident programs our clients wish to implement. Our results already speak for themselves—and they will continue to do so.
[1] If the reader is determined to think of "care" in only post-injury terms, so be it; my claim still stands. However, our idea of "care" starts with motivating employers to create the safest workplaces possible and motivating employees to avoid injuries in the first place. Because "no fault" is a cornerstone of the WC structure, our emphasis on safety is far easier to convey to our opt-out clients than to our WC clients.
[2] The panoply of stakeholders in WC (ranging from payroll auditors to WC Medicare Set Aside reporters and from private investigators to coding specialists tasked with maximizing reimbursements) is quite a spectacle. To avoid overwhelming my audience, I generally categorize this excessive cast of characters into the five communities of WC: insurance, medical, legal, employer and employee. Watch the first seven minutes of this video for an explanation of how perverse the incentives are for most of these stakeholders. Regrettably, the employer and employee have become afterthoughts in a system ostensibly designed to meet their needs.
[3] In both form and content, this article borrows heavily from the first 12 pages of John Kenneth Galbraith's The Affluent Society. In particular, I have modeled my discussion on his examination of "the obsolescence of ideas," where he explains the danger of leaving "sacrosanct" concepts unexamined as a matter of convenience.
[4] Sensitive readers beware; stories of aching necks are completely ignored by Eastman in favor of gruesome accounts of deaths and dismemberments.
[5] Arbitration was much less formal a century ago. Typically, a disinterested but experienced third party would simply perform a records review and make a determination. Testimony could be heard. For a glimpse of how WC disputes were resolved in the 1920s, see pages 88-194 of Bureau of Labor Statistics Bulletin 301, April 1922. The report by Carl Hookstadt details the various methods of dispute resolution for 21 states and two Canadian provinces. Voluntary resolution between employer and employee was universally sought. In its broadest sense, "arbitration"—in varying layers—successfully prevented litigation in the vast majority of cases (with the California sample offering the singular, glaring exception).
[6] I urge all industry insiders to read Eastman's survey, as it's fascinating, historically significant and accessible for free via the link above.
[7] While this argument is esoteric, I remind the reader we have actual results. Texas nonsubscription and the Oklahoma option are not theoretical; they are real.
[8] Reza Aslan delivered one of the greatest uses of the term "stupid" in September 2014, when interviewed on CNN. This nine-minute video is certainly worth watching in its entirety, but, for his thoughtful and appropriate deployment of a term many of us are too cowardly to invoke, watch from 6:20 to 7:00.
Crystal EastmanDaryl DavisDavisemployerfinancial motivegrand bargainindustrial revolutionnccioklahoma optionopt-outRussell Sage Foundationstakeholderwork compworkers compworkers' compensation
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By 3Q Digital on 06/17/2013 in "FBPPC Blogs"
Today's post is by Molly McCarty, Account Associate at PPC Associates.
Every time a post that you choose to promote reaches an interested audience member and they choose to take an action (like it, share it, comment on it), that audience member's friends are likely to see a story about that action, thereby learning more about your brand without you having to promote to them!
Of course, this is even better if you are reaching people similar to the user who already took the action. Conventional wisdom tells us that many of the average Facebook user's friends are similar, in some regards, to the original user. This may be same age, interests, career path, education, etc. So, simply by reaching one person on Facebook, you are reaching similar friends and helping to promote your brand.
All of this, of course, loops back to the importance of Facebook targeting. From an advertiser's standpoint, Facebook has provided the ultimate platform– the ability to place ads on the newsfeed, one of the most popular landing pages on the Internet. It's up to you to use this power effectively.
– Molly McCarty joined PPC Associates in April of 2013 after working as a marketing and social strategist for a web development firm in Washington DC. Molly has experience with online advertising for members of Congress, as well as a variety of small businesses.


Don´t Believe your Reality. Take a Step Back and Create your Reality.
Set Goals Worthy of Your Life.
Imperfect Beauty: No Right, No Wrong. No Failure. Only Pieces of the Diamond, to Polish.
Faith in the Unseen: Just because you can't see the complete picture it doesn't mean that it is not there.
Allow God's Gifts to flow into your life. Let go of resistance, surrender, and allow.
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, for what is seen is, temporary and what is unseen, is eternal.
Everyday is a New Life. Whatever you want to do, do it now.
The way is not the Highway, it is, the High Way.
The question we should be asking is not "Can i do it". But instead, "Is it Important"?
Passion and Money are not mutually exclusive. Finding your passion, will fuel your ability to make even more money, even if your are not yet making a living from that which you love.
When you shine your own unique Light, in a way that only you can do, then you are way beyond competition.
He: "I need to go away, go find myself"
She: "Wherever you go, you with you"
Set Goals with a Soul. Goals aligned with your Purpose.
Your Dreams and Goals are Important. They are not things you could achieve, but things you should achieve!
"Do not fear change, Let it Guide you to your Higher Purpose". With Awakening, comes change. You may feel that you don't quite fit in, or feel like you don't know how to deal with all this change that is happening in your life. Yet, "Do not fear change. Let it Guide you to your Higher Purpose".


BP announced that it has agreed to renew its agreement with the Western Australian state government for a further 30 years, subject to parliamentary approval. The renewal of the agreement, which was due to expire in 2020, will enable the ongoing operation of Kwinana Refinery, Australia's largest refinery and a significant contributor to the state economy. Kwinana Refinery employs more than 700 people and supplies more than 6 million tonnes of fuel each year to Western Australia, Tasmania and South Australia.
It has been introduced to the Western Australian parliament as a bill with modernised terms, including a focus on ensuring local businesses continue to have access to supply chain opportunities generated by the refinery.
"BP is proud of its long history of more than 60 years as part of the Kwinana community and working with local businesses, and is focussed on underpinning continued safe operations at the refinery," said Des Gillen, refinery manager of BP's Kwinana Refinery.
BP has also invested significantly in growing its retail fuels business over recent years, approximately AUD150 million (USD114.9 million) per annum. BP is one of the largest suppliers of fuel to Australia's industrial sector and also has a network of some 1,400 retail service stations.
"We are leading the way in being the first fuels retailer to bring exclusive and innovative new offers to our customers in the Australian market," said Brooke Miller, BP's vice president, Sales and Marketing, Australia.


text:
Hutchinsons has kiwi ingenuity, cleverness and an adventurous spirit embedded into its past and present.
Established in Auckland in 1906 by George Hutchinson and his three brothers, it is one of the original merchants of branded consumer foods in the New Zealand retail market.
The early days saw the brothers focused on retailing specialty and gourmet food products – opening local stores in Ponsonby, Newmarket and two stores in Auckland City. As they earned a reputation as an expert supplier of international goods, the Hutchinson brothers then ushered in a new direction, becoming New Zealand's preeminent importer of fine foods through the establishment of Hutchinsons Wholesale in 1914.
Hutchinsons continued to thrive into the 21st century, growing its portfolio of brands while supporting the rapidly developing supermarket environment in New Zealand.
Today we take the same approach as the Hutchinson Brothers, going to great lengths to carefully source and promote exceptional products, and to partner with a number of food producers from the world over.
With years of experience, our team has an unparalleled passion for developing reputable brands in the New Zealand market. We pride ourselves on our ability to develop new growth opportunities for our brand partners and retail customers, ultimately…Bringing New Zealanders a world of food.
Our Regional Distribution Network
Hutchinsons' sister company Manassen Foods is part of a network of brand marketing, sales and distribution companies. Its marketing reach includes New Zealand with Hutchinsons, in Hong Kong and Macau with Metro Alliance and Rainbow, and in Shanghai with Qinzhou.
We foster an environment that encourages open debate, ingenuity, boldness and considered risk-taking. We support creative thinking to solve problems, provide solutions, and introduce new and exciting ideas to product lines, business models, processes and strategies.
Our employees can trust what we say and what we do. We understand that we are the torchbearers for our company's reputation and we take full responsibility and accountability for upholding it.
As a company that sources supplies from around the world, manufactures and operates in Australia and New Zealand, and has a growing focus on Asia, diversity is fundamental to our business success. It enables us to understand the market and our consumers better, and operate more effectively in a global marketplace.
We make decisions in our employees' best interests, negotiate proactively on their behalf and support them in their growth and successes.
We set a high standard and challenge ourselves to succeed. We achieve this by believing in ourselves, working hard, demonstrating leadership at all levels, and concentrating on actions and activities that deliver on our aspirations.
By staying true to our original objective – ensuring we have the right people in the right roles, providing adequate training and constantly improving our procedures, processes and systems – we are able to build a strong, united workforce.
Bringing New Zealanders a World of Food

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Списък на войните

 Списък на битките
 Списък на войните и битките през древността
 Списък на битките в Древен Китай
 Списък на войните и битките през античността след 500 пр.н.е.
 Списък на битките на Древен Рим
 Войни и битки на Римската империя
 Месенски войни (8 – 5 век пр.н.е.)
 Войни и битки през късната античност
 Списък на битките в Древен Китай
 Сицилиански войни (600 – 265 пр.н.е.)
 Гръко-персийски войни (500 – 449 г. пр.н.е.)
 Пелопонески войни (431 – 404 пр.н.е.)
 Коринтска война (395 – 387 пр.н.е.)
 Войни на Александър Велики
 Пунически войни (264 -146 пр.н.е.)
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 Войни и битки на Римската империя
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 Римски граждански войни
 Готски войни (3 – 6 век)
 Първа Готска война (376 – 382)
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 Руско-персийски войни
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 Списък на войните в Северна Америка
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Източници

 R. Ernest Dupuy, Trevor N. Dupuy: The Harper Encyclopedia of Military History. From 3500 B.C. to the Present. 4. Auflage, HarperCollins Publisher, 1993, ISBN 978-0-06-270056-8.
 Vittorio Ferretti: Weltchronik der Kriege und Demozide – Ein Abriss der Ursachen, Abläufe und Folgen von über 5.000 gewalttätig ausgetragenen Konflikten bis zum Jahr 2000. Amazon, 2014, ISBN 978-3-00-040353-8.

Външни препратки
 www.regis-net.de
 Heidelberger Institut für Internationale Konfliktforschung (HIIK)
 Arbeitsgemeinschaft Kriegsursachenforschung (AKUF)

Списъци

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


NBC has bathed its version of The Slap in the green glow of success by green lighting the full eight part series.
The award-winning Australian series produced by Matchbox for the ABC was based on the novel of the same name by Christos Tsiolkas.
NBCU, the parent company for Matchbox, plucked it from the various offers from its worldwide network of boutique companies to re-concieve it for the US market. The eight episode series went into development in mid-2012 and has this week NBC chairman Bob Greenblatt told reporters at the Television Critics Association that the network has ordered The Slap together with its 75th anniversary retelling of The Wizard of Oz, entitled Emerald City.
Though Matchbox principal Tony Ayres has signed on as an Executive Producer, the US version has been completely rewritten by Jon Robin Baitz, known to us for The West Wing.
The suburban story begins at a backyard barbecue when an unrelated adult slaps a misbehaving child. The fallout leaves friends and family relationships in ruins. Tsiolkas set the story in a Greek Australian family with a racially-diverse group of characters, who were reproduced in the television series.
In directing some of the Australian production Matt Saville (below) emphasised the story's Australian character and its 'healthy cynicism towards political correctness'.
Both aspects will challenge the US remake.


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提出一种利用反应精馏并加入异佛尔酮作为助溶剂的新方法生产环己醇. 反应原料环己烯和水以及助溶剂异佛尔酮进入反应精馏塔RDC,RDC釜液再经过两个精馏塔(PDC1和PDC2)进行纯化分离得到高纯度的环己醇和可以循环使用的异佛尔酮. 选用NRTL物性计算方法,使用Aspen Plus流程模拟软件对设计流程进行模拟计算,最终可得到摩尔分数为99.9%的高纯度环己醇产品以及可循环使用的异佛尔酮,系统能耗为0.982 3 kW. 在此计算结果的基础上,研究反应精馏塔中异佛尔酮和环己烯、水和环己烯的摩尔配比,以及塔压对环己烯转化率和系统能耗的影响,对整个工艺流程进行了优化,并和其他工艺的环己烯转化率进行了比较.
A process used reactive distillation with isophorone as a cosolvent to produce cyclohexanol was proposed. Feeding the reactants cyclohexene and water with the cosolvent isophorone into the reactive distillation column(RDC),then using two rectifying columns(PDC1 and PDC2) to purify and separate the bottom product,a high-purity product of cyclohexanol can be obtained and the purity of isophorone can be recycle back to the RDC. The whole process was simulated with the NRTL thermodynamic equation,then it was simulated and calculated by the Aspen Plus software,a high-purity cyclohexanol (99.9%,mole fraction) and a recyclable isophorone can be obtained finally,the heat duties of the system were 0.982 3 kW. On the basis of the calculation,we discussed the operating conditions including the molar ratio of isophorone and cyclohexene,the molar ratio of water and cyclohexene,the pressure of column,which have effects on the cyclohexene conversion and heat duty of the system to optimize the process,and the cyclohexene conversion of the proposed process is compared with other process.


There has always been a clear element of fear in religion, and this is evidence today in people's reaction to even things that I write. Most Christians have been brought up in an environment that is dominated by the belief that only the people who believe a certain way will be "saved" — will go to heaven, and that all others will go to hell. And so, the gut reaction of some Christians (many really) to things that I write is FEAR that letting their minds wander beyond the safe boundaries that have been defined by their church might open them up to ideas that will lead them straight to hell.
The primary effect of this seems to be some sort of mental and emotional paralysis which makes people want to cling to what is familiar, to what seems safe. The practical effect of this is that people tend to stay in the religion in which they were raised and never go beyond its safe boundaries, AND THIS leads me to ask the question; how is it that Jesus gathered followers? In other words, if all people at the time had taken the same fear-based approach to religion that we see in modern Christians, how did the early Christian movement ever get off the ground?
Well, the people that Jesus encountered were mostly Jews, and they had been brought up with much the same approach to religion as what is seen with most Christians today. They thought then that if they just followed all the prescripts of the Jewish religion that they would be safe. Yet, if they strayed beyond that, then they were guaranteed to go someplace pretty awful. And so, following someone like Jesus, who preached a rather bizarre, unorthodox message, carried a rather severe penalty. And this leads me back to the question; how did Jesus acquire followers if all of the people that he encountered in his day were paralyzed with fear like we see with most Christians today?
Well, what happened is that the people who were not afraid of leaving "the safe zone" were gathered to Jesus. Yep. What I'm saying is that in order to follow Jesus, one had to be willing to boldly go where no Jew had gone before, and that was pretty scary stuff for Jew. And so it is today, that in order to find a deeper understanding of Jesus' teachings than what is offered by mainstream Christianity, one has to be willing to boldly go where few Christians have gone before, and this takes some work, the overcoming of fear being a large part of it.
Jesus was always giving his followers things that could expand their consciousness and their "kingdom" knowledge base, and this is important because fear is largely based on a lack of knowledge. You fear the unknown, meaning; that when you have profound insight into something, you often see that your fear is irrational, which makes the fear just go away.
Fear can become a closed mental box for people though, a kind of spiritual catch-22. I say this because you usually fear something because you have a lack of knowledge about it, but at the same time the fear has the paralyzing effect of making you afraid to even look for knowledge and insight beyond what you already know. It's a bit nuts, really. So once the fear has entered the psyche, it prevents a person from finding the knowledge and insight that can set them free from the fear, and the fear then feeds on itself.
It sure seems pretty clear that Jesus wanted his followers to feel free to be able to expand their knowledge and to expand their consciousness and to even be part of the ongoing quest to expand the total knowledge and consciousness of humankind, and this means that fear in his followers had to (and has to) be extinguished.
It's really too bad that so many modern Christians have grown up in a church that has so heavily focused on the potential for "burning forever in hell." Man, does that ever mess up psyches. The leaders of the Jewish religion in Jesus' day were pretty skilled at scaring people too, but Jesus set himself apart from the religious establishment of the day by taking an approach that is not based on fear. Jesus' intention as a teacher was simply to impart truth that would set people free. I like his way.


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text:
Q: How to store values from a while loop to a list as a property in JMeter Is there a way to add each session Id that is retrieved from a Loop Controller to a list and assign it to a property for use in the following thread group? Below I used a couple of Dummy Sampler to explain my requirement.
I had 3 users stored in a list to retrieve 3 session ids in the setUp Thread Group.
JSR223 PreProcessor
List usernames = Arrays.asList('Peter', 'Alex', 'Mary');
props.put('accounts', usernames);

I was able to read a username from this property to get a session id in the response accordingly per iteration in the Loop Controller.
"sessionId": "this_is_my_session_id-${__groovy(props.get('accounts').get(${__jm__LoopController__idx} % 3),)}-${__jm__LoopController__idx} "

I parsed the 3 session ids out by a JSR223 PostProcessor
import groovy.json.JsonOutput
import groovy.json.JsonSlurper

def jsonSlurper = new JsonSlurper();
def response = jsonSlurper.parseText(prev.getResponseDataAsString());
def json = JsonOutput.toJson(response.sessionId)
def sessionId = new JsonSlurper().parseText(json)
log.info('The session id is:' + sessionId)

ArrayList<String> sessionIds = new ArrayList<String>();
props.put("sessionIds", sessionIds.add(sessionId))

I needed to add these 3 session ids to a list and assign it to a property so that I can use one session id inside the property per VU/thread in the following Thread Group. But it didn't work as expected. It threw error saying No such property: sessionIds
 ${__groovy(props.get(sessionIds).get(${__jm__UseSession__idx} % 3),)}

A: We don't know what do you "expect"
Most probably the problem is here:
props.put("sessionIds", sessionIds.add(sessionId))

Collection.add() function returns a boolean value so it puts true to the sessionIds property instead of the real value of the ArrayList.
So I believe you need to change it to something like:
sessionIds.add(sessionId)
props.put("sessionIds", sessionIds)

if you're going to run the JSR223 Test Element in the loop you can also reconsider the way you're initializing the sessionIds and implement the following logic:

*

*If sessionIds property exists - read its value

*If it doesn't exist - create a new ArrayList

Something like:
ArrayList<String> sessionIds = props.get("sessionIds") ?: new ArrayList<String>()

More information on Groovy scripting in JMeter: Apache Groovy: What Is Groovy Used For?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


What do you get when you combine preseason top-10 expectations, a disappointing 4-8 record featuring seven one-possession defeats and rumors of a head coach on his way out into one season?
At Notre Dame, this offseason revealed that the answer can be summed up in two words: reset button.
Mike Elko speaks to the media after being introduced as Notre Dame's new defensive coordinator in Loftus Sports Complex on Jan. 30. Elko previously served as the defensive coordinator at Wake Forest for three seasons from 2014-2016 before joining the Irish coaching staff. In 2016, his defense at Wake Forest ranked 20th nationally in scoring defense.
While head coach Brian Kelly is still leading the charge for Notre Dame as it looks ahead to the 2017 season, he's one of the few familiar faces from last year's coaching staff still around. For each of those heartbreaking one-score losses from last season, the Irish brought in a new member to its coaching staff, totaling seven new hires in all. The turnover occurred everywhere, too, as the offensive, defensive and special teams coordinators are all different from last year's.
And with each of those coaching changes comes new schemes for the players to learn. So one thing is certain: The Notre Dame team that takes the field against Temple on Sept. 2 will look very different from the one that suffered through an eight-loss season in 2016.
On offense, the first change that will be noticeable is the new signal caller directing the Irish offense. Junior quarterback Brandon Wimbush replaces DeShone Kizer, who departed after last season for the NFL Draft. And with him will be two other new faces — offensive coordinator Chip Long, who comes from Memphis to replace the departed Mike Sanford, and quarterbacks coach Tom Rees.
And as would be expected with so many new faces, much of Notre Dame's offseason and spring has been spent with each of the new coaches familiarizing themselves with each other and their personnel.
And for some of the offensive coaches, the spring has also been an opportunity to hone their own coaching techniques and learn about themselves as much as it has been a chance to get to know their personnel.
On the field, however, the new staff has gone full-steam ahead with its schematic changes. The most significant alteration Long brings to the offense is an up-tempo, no-huddle component that was not present last season. He emphasized that it's the no-huddle aspect that really defines the increased tempo for his scheme.
The emphasis on tempo doesn't necessarily mean the offense will be faster, however.
And while the offense is seeing its fair share of changes during the spring, the defense has seen arguably seen even greater turnover from last season. After being led by two different defensive coordinators last season, the unit will now be under the control of Mike Elko, who left Wake Forest to become the third defensive coordinator at Notre Dame in less than a year. With him came new linebackers coach Clark Lea, which in turn pushed Mike Elston back to defensive line coach.
Tom Rees answers questions from the media after being introduced as Notre Dame's quarterbacks coach on Jan. 30.
And with all these changes to the defensive coaching staff, the focus throughout the spring has been largely on evaluating the strengths of the unit and figuring out which positions will be best for each player in order to offer them the best opportunity to succeed within the scheme.
But in the eyes of the Elko, the unit has all the tools to be amongst the best in the nation if it's willing to put in the work throughout the rest of the offseason and in the fall.
"If we're going to be a good defense, it's going to take a lot of work," Elko said March 24. "We can't become a good defense in one practice, in three practices, a bunch of winter meetings — it's not going to a short-term [process]. It's going to take time. We didn't just become a good defense because I got here, we have to become one. … I'm not anything. I watch, I evaluate, I try not to yell and scream too much — I do it at times, but we're just trying to get better every day. That's all we're trying to do.
But the emphasis on evaluation is far from unique to the defense. New special teams coordinator Brian Polian is no stranger to the position; he served in the position at Notre Dame for five seasons from 2005 to 2009 before eventually ending up as the head coach at Nevada for four seasons. Now back in a familiar position, he's spent the majority of his spring introducing himself to his unfamiliar personnel.
And for a special teams unit that struggled in key moments throughout last season, the most significant change will be a rather obvious one: emphasizing the need for execution and the urgency with which that emphasis is placed.
Amongst all of the team's units, there is one common theme, however: This spring has been just the beginning of a process that will last throughout the season and never end, but it might just culminate in a season far better than the disappointment 2016 offered.


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The Insider Secrets of Miami Dolphins Discovered
by roomalba.kr · December 27, 2022
He looks the portion with his length and physicality permitting him to be rather successful in press. On the other side, the coverage in the secondary is consistently glove-like. Xavien Howard hasn't garnered significantly publicity the initial few days simply because he's so seldom targeted.
Hill stated the offense was riding off a higher from how the defense had been limiting the Ravens. And on second-and-aim from the 7-yard line, a completely placed throw to Waddle for the game-winning touchdown. Thursday night's game against the Super Bowl runner-up Bengals is the subsequent stiff challenge. Cincinnati got back on track in Week three with a stronger defensive work in beating the Jets, running its record to 1-2 just after suffering narrow losses the 1st two weeks of the season. The greatest way to watch all the touchdowns at the same time is with NFL RedZone and the best point is that channel is out there on most satellite solutions and live streaming solutions.
The AFC and NFC Pro Bowl teams will be announced Wednesday, Dec. 21 at eight p.m. The Pro Bowl Games will take spot Sunday, Feb. five at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Phillips currently is second on the team with 5 sacks, but leads with 16 QB hits. But he also looks like he's on a bit of a run, which is what he did last year when he went on a tear in the second half of the season. The Chargers are coming off a loss against the Las Vegas Raiders for the duration of which they permitted five sacks and quarterback Justin Herbert absorbed 14 quarterback hits — nine much more than Tua Tagovailoa took in the Dolphins' loss at San Francisco.
But Trent Sherfield had much more yards against the Steelers than Wilson Jr. has all season, and at least River Cracraft has touchdowns to his name. It could be time to reduce ties with the guy that was supposed to be the third wide receiver. By searching at the numbers and circumstances from last year, the Dolphins already appear on paper to be far more equipped to deal with division match-ups and boost upon a surge in success in a historically bad decade for the Miami Dolphins. In the 2021 season, Tua Tagovailoa battled injury and a coach that may possibly or may possibly not have wanted him to be the team's starter. Mac Jones was instantly noticed as the franchise quarterback replacing Cam Newton and was given plays to benefit the players' traits in New England. These plays integrated a heavy run offense and passing routes that were meant to help a pocket passer in timing and choices.
Simply How Much You Should Expect You'll Pay For A Good Miami Dolphins
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had a single of the ideal games of his career, throwing for 382 yards and 3 touchdowns on 29-of-36 passes to overcome a 10-point second-half deficit. Baltimore jumped out to a 28-7 lead following scoring on the game's opening kickoff and three of its initial four offensive drives. Right after the Dolphins led for the entirety of their season-opening win more than the New England Patriots, coach Mike McDaniel hoped they would face a deficit Sunday to see how they would respond to adversity. "Every single club is anticipated to make a great faith work to win every game," Goodell's statement read.
The Patriots are in disarray following the usually reputable Nick Folk failed to connect on either of his PAT attempts against the Bengals. Michael Palardy also dropped a fantastic snap before a single of his punts, top to a brief kick that allowed the Bengals to get started with fantastic field position. The coverage units also struggled, permitting https://holossnews.blogspot.com/ Trayveon Williams to cross the 25 on all 4 kickoff returns, including 1 out to the 40, and Trent Taylor to average 11.7 yards on his punt returns. It really is been a disaster of late, but Miami hasn't been a lot much better. Kicker Jason Sanders has been scuffling lately and missed a essential field aim in a tie game in the loss to the Packers.
The Miami Dolphins Trap
Head Coach Zac Taylor speaks about the Bengals offensive line, the matchup against the Bills defense, and the Bengals resiliency prior to the week 17 matchup vs. the Buffalo Bills. Study about defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and his effect on the group in this week's edition of Behind The Stripes. The Dolphins announced Jenkins' death Saturday evening, not long just after the get started page of the preseason finale against the Eagles. As a group, the members of the '72 Dolphins acquire a plethora of mentions and interview requests anytime any individual gets closer to matching their undefeated, Super Bowl-winning season. The closest therefore far came in 2007, when the New England Patriots carried an 18- record into Super Bowl XLII, exactly where they had been favored by double-digit points more than the New York Giants.
Tagovailoa had taken an additional difficult hit 4 days before the Cincinnati game in the course of a win more than Buffalo. He appeared to show concussion symptoms but was evaluated and stayed in the game. It marks the second time this season Tagovailoa has been placed into the protocol. With a record of eight-7 and a playoff spot on the line, the Dolphins close out the season at the Patriots and then host the New York Jets on January eight. McDaniel on Wednesday was non-committal on shutting down Tagovailoa for the season even if he is cleared to play once more.
Finding The Most useful Miami Dolphins
"We enjoy it," Dolphins running back Myles Gaskin said this week, ahead of the Dolphins' substantial early-season showdown with the Buffalo Bills. Dolphins fans don't even actually know what it feels like to have their team playing beneath the brightest of lights. Considering the fact that 2006, Miami has appeared on SNF a pathetic 3 instances, the least quantity of any team other than the Jaguars . But their list of Sunday Night appearances reads like a barren wasteland. Dolphins GM Chris Grier has been loath to part with 2023 draft picks, and that position has likely only hardened given that the NFL stripped Miami of its very first-round pick due to tampering. A late-round pick — even into the future — might be enough to pry 1 loose.
All it takes is 1 of the other 31 teams to worth Ralph very like you do, then Ralph will be gone. And I see no way you could know that no one particular else has also noticed in Ralph what you've observed. It'd be perform to figure that out, but quite basic and apparent as to how to do so.
Miami will open with a trip to Tampa Bay on Saturday, Aug. 13. The Buccaneers are Miami's most familiar preseason opponent as this will be their 33rd preseason meeting and initially considering the fact that 2019. That alterations this year when the Jets come to Really hard Rock Stadium on Jan. 7 or eight for Week 18. Miami lost that season finale to the Jets in 2014 but have won the previous four times they ended the season with the Jets .
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Curated trips
The Yas Island Day Out
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Enjoy a full day out on Yas Island, a landmark family-friendly entertainment hub just a 30-minute drive from Abu Dhabi city and a 15-minute drive from Abu Dhabi International Airport. Yas Island is home to a F1™ race track, several theme parks, an incredible links golf course, a beautiful beach, stunning hotels, an impressive mall and much more.
First, make a huge splash at Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi, a waterpark with Emirati heritage at its heart. Spanning 15 football pitches and with over 40 rides, slides and attractions – five of which are one of a kind – you're sure to make lifelong memories here.
Then, explore Yas Marina. Attracting superyachts from as far away as Australia for the annual Formula 1™ Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina invites you to connect with a sailing legacy that stretches back hundreds of years while also enjoying world-class modernities, luxurious facilities and food whipped up by top chefs.
Wrap things up with a visit to Yas Marina Circuit, host of the annual Formula 1™ Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Get connected with the track through a series of track-day packages at the centre of the action.
1 dayLong transit
International Abu Dhabi Airport - Yas Waterworld
Bus, Car
Day 1 highlights
Number of stops
Walk,Bus, Car
Make a splash at Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi, then explore Yas Marina to enjoy luxurious facilities and great food. Finally, wrap up with a visit to Yas Marina Circuit, host of the annual Formula 1™ Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi
Recommended Time: 3 hours
Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi is a waterpark with Emirati heritage at its heart. The Lost Pearl is the central theme, following the story of a young Emirati girl on a quest to find a legendary pearl. Sitting atop Jebel Dhana, the park's towering centrepiece, sits an enormous pearl, bringing The Lost Pearl theme to life visually.
Spanning 15 football pitches, this amazing full-day park experience brings you and your family exhilarating water-based activities across a range of thrill levels. With over 40 rides, slides and attractions – five of which are one-of-a-kind – you're sure to make lifelong memories here.
Try the world-first, largest hydromagnetic-powered, 238-metre long, six-person tornado waterslide, Dawwamma, or check out three-metre-high waves on Bubble's Barrel, which boasts the world's largest surfable sheet wave for flow boards and bodyboards. The Bandit Bomber, a 550-metre coaster, showcases onboard water and laser effects, with riders shooting jets of water at targets, dropping water bombs and triggering special effects. Passersby below them, meanwhile, can also get in on the action, spraying riders with water as they pass. All that activity should work up an appetite, and you'll find various restaurants on-site, as well as a souk (market) and pearl-diving exhibits. Entry to the park is AED 250 for adults and AED 230 for children.
Yas Marina
Yas Marina is not only one of Abu Dhabi's finest marinas, but also a vibrant venue offering dining, fitness and leisure facilities for the whole family. Situated at the heart of Yas Island, alongside Yas Marina Circuit's Formula 1™ race track, the 227-berth marina caters to vessels from eight to 150 metres, with competitive packages and track and non-track views available during the Formula 1™ Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Casual berthing rates with complimentary visitor berthing for up to four hours allow boat owners to dock, dine and discover Yas Marina's many outlets.
Speaking of which, Yas Marina features several licensed restaurants and lounges that cater to travellers of all tastes and budgets. Every outlet along the waterside promenade boasts iconic views of the W Abu Dhabi - Yas Island, the only five-star hotel built next to a Formula 1™ race track.
As the sun sets, this family-friendly destination transforms into a bustling dining and nightlife entertainment hot spot. But it doesn't only come alive after the sun goes down. From premier fitness facilities and physiotherapy services to watersports, boat charters, a children's playground, musical water fountain, promotions and events, there's something on offer for all ages throughout the day.
Launched in 2009 to host the Formula 1™ Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina Circuit is still one of the UAE's most epic motorsports, sporting and business venues. Created to elevate Abu Dhabi's status as a world-class sporting destination, this impressive mega-budget circuit draws travellers from around the world.
Sign up for exciting Abu Dhabi news, learn more about our events and get great travel ideas.
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At Sacrament, we affirm the historic creeds of the Church, particularly the Apostles and Nicene Creeds. By affirming these creeds, we are saying that we are part of this great Christian Story. We recognize that, by affirming the creeds alone as our doctrinal statement, we are less easily recognized as a particular "brand" of church. We recognize value in many expressions of the orthodox Christian faith. The word "Catholic" in the creed is simply a designation for the historic Christian church. It is not specific to the Roman Catholic Church.
And ascended into heaven, And is seated on the right hand of the Father.
Who was spoken by the Prophets.
And we believe one Catholic and Apostolic Church.


For the buyers and category managers out there, especially those of you deep in the weeds of buying and managing commodities, here's a quick rundown of news and thoughts from particular commodity markets.
MetalMiner's Stuart Burns delved into the future of zinc, and how it could transform from its more humble, traditional status into a metal of technology.
As The New York Times reported, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong's NantEnergy, developers and manufacturers of zinc air storage batteries, could see zinc demand rising in the coming years.
"No one is suggesting zinc air batteries will take over in retail appliances, electric cars or drones," Burns wrote. "For these kinds of applications, weight is a critical factor and the power density of zinc air batteries is not the same as lithium-ion.
As winter approaches and another round of winter capacity cuts is on the way in China, Beijing has changed its approach.
Rather than hard caps on capacity — part of the country's efforts to combat rampant pollution — Beijing has opted for emissions targets to be decided by local authorities.
"China will not renew significant cuts on steel production and coal use aimed at improving air quality this winter," the Financial Times reports, suggesting the reason is slowing economic growth in the face of the U.S.-China trade war, Burns writes.
The decision isn't great news for steel mills outside of China.
September proved to be a down month for a number of major automakers in the U.S. market last month.
As noted in this month's Automotive Monthly Metals Index (MMI) report, General Motors reported a Q3 year-over-year sales decline of 11%. Ford also was down, falling 11.2%.
Fiat Chrysler was up 15%, while Honda and Nissan were down 7% and 12.2%, respectively.
August construction spending jumped 6.5% compared with August 2017 spending.
Over the first eight months of the year, spending increased 5.3% compared to the same time frame in 2017.
Meanwhile, at 54.8, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) reached its second-highest value this year (values greater than 50 indicate architecture billings growth).
Many predict a continued rise of the oil price this year, particularly given political instability in Venezuela and the specter of sanctions looming over Iranian oil supplies.
Having recently hit $85/barrel, the Brent crude price is now at approximately triple its early 2016 level, Burns notes.
Upon recent pressure from President Donald Trump, Saudi Arabia has increased oil production to near-record levels, at 10.7 million barrels per day, according to a Bloomberg report.
Where Will Steel, Stainless, Nickel, Aluminum, Copper and Zinc go in 2008?


Bored with the design of current invitation? Want to make your own invitation design, different, bold, unique and like no other? In this article, we going to tell you about awesome college graduation invitation! Lets see how to apply this idea in your invitation. College graduation invitation will inspire you with 5 awesome inspirations for your graduation invitation with a various styles and trends.
This college graduation invitation is being packed with 5 cool design pics. So, we hope this college graduation invitation will give you an extra inspirations to make your own graduation invitation! Get more creative ideas below and get inspired!


MadPsychMum | Singapore Parenting + Travel Blog: What's In a Name?
I have always wanted to do a sequel to "Top 10 Horrible Names to Give Your Baby", which has since become one of the most popular posts on my blog, so when MummyMoo suggested a bloghop I thought, "hey why not?"
After all, the whole point isn't just to snigger and joke about it (what? You think this is mean? You haven't met 90% of the kids in their class..), it's to save children from the constant bullying and emotional abuse that they are going to experience for the rest of their lives because of a name! Until they reach the age where they are able to change it legally that is.
If just one parent can be convinced to reconsider a name for their child because of it's implications, we have succeeded in our mission!
To be fair, it really isn't easy to come up with a name for anything, much less a baby. Not only does the name have to sound nice and have a special meaning, it also needs to be unique but yet not sooo unique that it is out of this world.
So for the year 2013, I'm inviting you to blog about anything related to baby names and your thoughts on it. Good or bad, we want to hear from you!
Join me as we embark on our campaign for better baby names.
1) Write a blog post on baby names.
2) Copy the code below and add this button to the bottom of your post.
3) Add the link of your blog post to the Linky below.