Digital marketing is not only the future, it's the present. But do today's marketers have the skills they need to operate in a digital world?
New research by The Boston Consulting Group shows that they do not—and that the gaps and shortfalls are bigger than companies assume. The signs for the future are even more troubling, as many marketers seem focused on catching up on yesterday's needs rather than embedding into their organizations the capabilities and expertise that will be required tomorrow. The companies that act now to transform their marketing capabilities will be much better positioned to connect with their customers in the years to come.
Marketers know that digital channels are critical to engaging today's consumer. Global spending on digital advertising will reach $178 billion in 2016, almost 30 percent of total ad spending, according to eMarketer. Digital advertising already represents a third of all ad spending in the U.S. today, and many forecasts see digital reaching parity with TV in a few years' time. In the UK, almost 60 percent of consumers use social media each week for an average of 52 minutes per day. In Germany, about 13 percent of all commerce is now transacted online or via mobile devices; online sales are growing at more than 20 percent a year. Worldwide, a quarter of consumers use smartphones, a percentage that will rise to a third, or some 2.5 billion people, by 2018. In developed economies, of course, the percentages are much higher.
With the rapid growth in digital spending and the expanding impact of digital channels on consumers' behavior, it's more important than ever for marketing organizations to understand where and how they can most effectively influence consumer behavior and whether they can do so efficiently.
Google commissioned BCG, supported by digital-training experts The Knowledge Engineers and a team of marketing industry organizations (see the Acknowledgments for a list of the organizations involved), to assess the current state of digital skills in marketing organizations. The findings outlined herein were discussed with Google executives, but BCG is responsible for the analysis and conclusions.
We surveyed some 1,100 marketers at 57 companies to understand how they rate their marketing organizations against digital-marketing best practices. Participating companies were from the retail, consumer products, financial services, and technology, media, and telecommunications industries, as well as from public-sector, education, and not-for-profit organizations. We focused the survey on companies in the UK and Germany, two highly developed economies that are following different trajectories with respect to digital's economic impact but that together broadly represent the current state of the digital market in developed Western nations.
We asked marketers to assess their organizations' capabilities across a digital-marketing framework that includes nine categories of skills. (See the exhibit below.) The first three categories are related to planning: marketing and brand strategy, partner management, and critical organization enablers. The next three involve execution: digital targeting, digital-content development and distribution, and expertise in seven digital channels (search, websites, display media, mobile advertising, mobile Web and applications, social media, and video). The final three sets of skills relate to measurement: metrics and measurement, marketing analytics, and testing.
Marketers rated their teams' current capabilities and performance in each skill and in each of the seven digital channels on a scale of one to six. Responses were turned into an index with 100 equaling best practice. We also asked respondents to list the capabilities that are critical for business success in the medium term (three years) and the skills in which they need learning and development support in the next 12 months.
The results are eye-opening. On BCG's 100-point Digital Capabilities Index (DCI) (with 100 indicating best practice), the average digital-skills score for all marketers was 57. While a few companies ranked higher than 70, the majority fell squarely into the 55-to-60-point range. (See Exhibit 1.) Industries such as retail and financial services were particularly weak.
On the one hand, these scores should be a wake-up call for CEOs and CMOs of any customer-facing organization. On the other, the current state of play is not that surprising, given the relative youth and rapid development of digital marketing in general.
Companies face the biggest shortfalls in some of the most important capabilities—skills related to mobile, video, testing, partner management, and organizational enablers, for example—which will only increase in importance in the next several years. At the moment, at least, marketers are not singling out these skills as immediate or longer-term learning and development (L&D) priorities for their teams. Moreover, in many instances, companies do not see these critical skills as top near-term business priorities.
The scale and nature of the skills gaps suggest that companies need to do much more than tinker with their recruitment and training programs. Most require a transformation in their marketing functions: making the development of digital capabilities a top business priority, rewiring the organization accordingly, and significantly boosting L&D programs to produce the needed skills. In addition to championing digital engagement, top management must deliver resources, support for new initiatives, and investment in capabilities and platforms that capitalize on the opportunities digital technologies offer. In L&D specifically, companies ought to shift their focus to support an agile marketing organization characterized by self-learning (in addition to more traditional training), an adaptive strategy based on the test-and-learn approach, and much more calculated risk taking.
This is a big undertaking—and an equally big opportunity for those that seize it first. The playing field is mostly even; research shows that most companies face broadly similar gaps and needs. Since the DCI rates companies against best practice, there's plenty of room for improvement. Even companies at the top of their industries have major gaps in critical capabilities.
Better talent will lead to better business performance. Moving now and moving quickly can deliver long-lasting improvements in both skills development and the marketing organization's ability to drive top-line results. Given the shortage of digital talent, and the time it takes to revamp L&D programs and push the results through large, multilayered organizations, those companies that get a head start will have a huge opportunity to accelerate ahead of their peers and build sustainable long-term advantage.
The digital capabilities of today's marketing organizations vary in quality by individual skill, channel, and industry. (See Exhibit 2 and the Appendix.) Moreover, there's a big dichotomy between skills related to leadership, strategy, and planning and those necessary for effective execution. Take one example: marketers give credit to senior leaders for emphasizing the importance of adapting marketing to a digital world (a score of 74 out of 100 on the DCI), but access to technology platforms to make the most of consumer data—a basic but essential necessity in today's digital marketplace—garners a score of only 47.
Marketers do a number of things well. They believe they have the ability to connect diverse sets of data on consumers to better understand motivations and behaviors (a score of 70). Companies are good at sourcing and using a variety of digital content (72). With the exception of the retail industry—which scored 61, drawing down the overall average—marketers think they are generally successful at translating marketing objectives into actionable metrics (69).
Marketers are relatively clear about the role that websites play in the consumer journey (69), and many believe their websites can do more to serve differing customer needs (58). Marketers also feel they have a relatively good understanding of the role of social media in the consumer journey (66), although they need to do more to create a consistent voice for each brand across various platforms (60). Public-sector, education, and not-for-profit marketers feel they do an especially good job with social media (71), much more so than marketers in retail (56), technology, media, and telecommunications (64), and financial services (57).
But look more broadly and more deeply, and a different picture emerges—one that shows marketing organizations largely unprepared for digital, particularly with respect to evolving technology. While senior leadership gets high marks for support (74), the grades for structure and talent fall mostly in the low- to mid-50s. Scores for investing in new capabilities that address a changing marketplace (53) and for developing marketing platforms that make the most of customer data (47) are especially low. Companies see themselves as developing content well (63), but they fall short on distribution and, especially, on making content relevant to where consumers are in the purchasing journey (49). Respondents from public-sector, education, and not-for-profit organizations and from technology, media, and telecommunications companies think they perform reasonably well on marketing analytics and on metrics and measurement; not so for those in the consumer products, financial services, and retail sectors. Testing received some of the lowest scores in the survey from marketers in all sectors and was especially low for consumer goods companies, with a score of 45.
Even more telling, perhaps, is where marketers see themselves with respect to various digital channels. The relative strength in websites and social media falls away quickly when marketers are asked to rate their capabilities in video (a score of 49), mobile advertising (40), and mobile Web and apps (48), scores that should be cause for concern at a time when consumers are increasingly on their smartphones and watching videos.
Video. Scores were particularly low (38) in the use of technology to keep consumers engaged with a brand.
Mobile Advertising. This capability received low scores across the board, with the lowest assessment being on the use of location data in mobile campaigns (36)—one of mobile's most beneficial attributes for marketers—and a low score on the use of data to determine the right spending levels for mobile (38).
Display Media. Advertisers have a serious shortfall of talent in the fastest growing and most important area of display advertising: programmatic advertising using real-time bidding (41).
Testing. In an increasingly data-driven function, one of the basic skills of an agile marketing organization is the ability to test, learn, adapt a campaign, then test again. But few advertisers use online channels as a testing ground for offline channels (a DCI score of 34).
Partner Management. Marketers are less than sanguine about the capabilities of their agency partners and about the relationships they have with these suppliers. Many do not believe their creative or media agencies are at the cutting edge of digital marketing. They have trouble working effectively with their agency partners and challenging them to get better results. Partner management received a DCI score of 54.
Marketing staff are frustrated by the level and quality of the training that they have available. They gave their employers an average score of only 46 for offering "a very effective and impactful learning and development program for digital marketing"—less than halfway to best practice. The retail industry scored especially poorly (39), but none of the sectors we surveyed scored over 48 on this topic.
Digital training materials are seen as neither up to date (45) nor easily available when they are needed (51). Organizations are not effective at facilitating sharing of best practices (50), and they do not allow staff sufficient time to build their digital skills (47). L&D programs scored slightly higher in the consumer goods and in the public, education, and not-for-profit sectors, but the overall average was only 49.
Looking to the Future…or Living in the Past?
The situation does not appear set to improve in the near term. If marketing organizations are not well prepared now, they will be even less digitally capable in the future—especially in the channels where demand for up-to-date skills is likely to be greatest.
One might expect that the areas with big skills gaps, such as those discussed above, would be targets of concerted attention going forward. Yet when we asked marketers about their top L&D priorities for the next twelve months, video scored 43; mobile advertising, 37; display media, 27; and testing, 44.
There are several explanations for this disconnect, including the possibility that many marketers do not have a good grasp of the importance of newer digital channels (which would also be a troubling indication of the degree of their engagement with consumers). Whatever the reason, the data clearly indicates that many marketers seem to be living in the past rather than looking to the future. They are not putting a priority on developing or improving the skills that correspond to impending areas of growth; as a result, they risk being left behind or even out of the game. In the fast-developing digital-marketing environment, backward-looking or reactive approaches to L&D will almost certainly fail to deliver the talent that companies need, especially considering the lead times required to embed new practices in the daily practice of large, multilayered organizations.
Among the many skills and channels that appear to be in danger of receiving insufficient attention, the following are some of the most important, given current market trends.
Mobile Advertising. The UK Advertising Association reports that spending on mobile advertising in the UK grew almost 60 percent, to £1.62 billon, in 2015. According to eMarketer, UK mobile advertising accounted for 30 percent of a total £7.3 billion in digital spending in 2014; it expects mobile advertising to become the single largest ad channel this year and to claim 40 percent of total paid media spending in the UK by 2018. Globally, mobile ad spending will reach $75 billion in 2017, according to ZenithOptimedia. Marketers feel they perform poorly at mobile advertising—and they consider it of low business importance (43) and a low priority in terms of L&D (37).
Mobile Web and Apps. The situation is slightly better for mobile website and app development, but not by a lot. This channel scored only 48 for current performance, 56 for business importance, and 50 as a top-three L&D priority—at a time when Internet access on mobile devices has surpassed access on PCs, according to comScore. The primary experience with the Internet for an entire generation of consumers in the developed world—the 16- to 34-year-old Millennials, who outnumber the baby boomers and have a far greater degree of technical sophistication, appetite for consumption, and desire to be connected—is mobile. The vast majority of the world's population lives in developing markets, where the Internet experience is and will continue to be mostly mobile.
Video. Online video presents a similar dichotomy between market reality and marketer priority. The IAB UK reports that mobile video-ad spending rose 142 percent to £164 million in 2014, more than a third of total video-ad spending of £442 million (a 43 percent increase from 2013). Similarly, a recent IAB survey found that more than two-thirds of all advertisers expect to increase digital video-ad budgets in the next 12 months. Globally, Statista estimates that online video-ad spending will grow 18 percent in 2015 to some $10 billion. Nonetheless, video received very low scores for importance (44) and priority (43), with some exceptions in consumer goods and financial services.
Display Media. Our research has shown that for display advertisers and their agencies, digital display campaigns that employ programmatic, or automated, buying of advertising placements can achieve big gains in performance—an average 32 percent improvement in cost per action—and in some cases, improvements of more than 50 percent. (See Improving Engagement and Performance in Digital Advertising, BCG Focus, September 2014.) But to achieve these gains in large-scale campaigns, advertisers need to take advantage of the potential to experiment and learn online and make effective use of individuals with advanced digital skills. It does not bode well when marketers rank their current display-media skills at only 49 and the priority they assign to improving these skills dead last (22) among the capabilities and channels we surveyed.
Testing. One of the great benefits of digital technology is the ability to test just about anything with consumers quickly, easily, and inexpensively—from ad copy to campaigns and offers. In pricing, for example (a complementary function to marketing), the ability to test, learn, and adapt in real time is the basis for dynamic pricing, which, pioneered by Amazon and others, has helped upend the retail business. Marketers, however, are slow and inconsistent in determining how and to what extent to test. Few place a priority on developing their testing skills (44)—a serious oversight or miscalculation, in our opinion.
Other Skills. Marketers give some digital skills, such as marketing analytics, digital-content creation, and digital targeting, higher marks for business importance and skills development, but even these scores (which fall into the 55-to-65 range) trail the realities of the marketplace. Big data, branded content, and targeting consumers for advertising delivery based on digital behavior are three of the biggest trends in marketing today. Other key skills, such as partner management and metrics and measurement, score even lower for importance and as an L&D priority.
The current talent gap could easily lead to a vicious circle, especially for those companies that are slow to address their shortcomings. Marketers that cannot attract, develop, and retain staff with advanced digital skills risk falling behind, since talent in today's increasingly transparent marketplace is quick to recognize companies that do not measure up. The reverse is also true: talent attracts talent. Companies that commit themselves to transforming their marketing operations into agile outfits, with L&D playing a front-and-center role, have the opportunity to market themselves as go-to destinations for digital talent. Those companies that transform their capabilities first may be hard for others to catch up with.
No company should underestimate the challenge. The research, which our experience confirms, shows that many organizations require a broad transformation of their digital capabilities just to stay in the game, much less lead the field. This means both upgrading basic digital skills, such as website management, search, and digital targeting, and rapidly developing more advanced skills, such as data analytics and testing, in channels such as mobile and video. But it's not enough to address individual skills. Marketing organizations need people who appreciate the strengths and shortcomings of each channel and can marry this knowledge with a comprehensive understanding of the consumer journey, supported by technology to make use of the ever-increasing amounts of data available. The goal for forward-looking companies should be not only to "follow the consumer" but to get ahead. Given where many companies stand today, this is a tall order and will likely require a broad corporate commitment to a multiyear journey.
In theory, companies can choose to build or buy talent, but in practice the current imbalance in supply and demand means that acquiring talent from outside is both difficult and expensive. For one thing, it's never easy for nontechnical people, such as those who staff most HR departments, to assess technical skills. Moreover, in a fast-developing field, the best people want to work close to the cutting edge, in an environment where their skills are challenged and their efforts are recognized and rewarded. They will expect much more comprehensive training than what many companies' "lunch and learn" programs can provide, as well as training tied to specific roles and career paths within the organization.
Companies that are not good at digital marketing today are doubly challenged—they will find it proportionately more difficult to attract digital talent than companies that are already performing well. Candidates today use an array of digital tools, including social media and specialized job-seeking sites such as glassdoor.com, to research prospective employers. It's simple to find out how well a company measures up—and easy to move on if it doesn't.
Most marketers need to rebuild their learning and development capability. The first question a company should ask itself is whether its L&D plans, as currently constructed, will help it to close the digital-marketing skills gap—or whether they are just set up to do more of the same. Many organizations need to reassess their priorities through an evidence-based approach, one that not only reflects internal requests but also provides an objective assessment of where L&D investment is actually required.
To find talent for newly defined roles, more and more companies are no longer looking at grads with marketing degrees or people with branding backgrounds. The need for technically proficient and specialized staff is leading companies to new talent pools. Demand is rising for data scientists, Ph.Ds, econometricians, mathematicians, agency managers, and media professionals. Marketers are hiring more people who have worked in nontraditional roles in digital and branded content as well as in media companies.
As with many other things, where you start depends on where you stand, and companies should not try to address all their digital-skills gaps at once. Nor should they shy away from the time commitment this kind of step-change involves. Most marketing organizations can benefit from doing five things.
Start with a strategic vision and roadmap. Companies need to identify early on the role that digital marketing will play in fulfilling business objectives, and this will help dictate the marketing platforms and capabilities that will enable them to better connect with consumers and create competitive advantage going forward. One consumer products company, for example, chose digital as the key to building competitive advantage for its brands because its assessment of the competitive landscape and the company's financial resources showed little opportunity to win in traditional channels. The company established digital channels as a clear business priority, with the goal of becoming "the most advanced digital company in the marketplace." This set the company on a multiyear journey: expanding its digital knowledge and capabilities, increasing digital spending, and embedding a digital-first mind-set throughout the organization.
Understand the real gaps. Understanding what and where the gaps are between current performance and best practice—and how these gaps compare (or quite possibly contrast) with current L&D priorities—is an essential step. Advertisers looking to get a comprehensive assessment of their digital-marketing skills and how they compare with those of their peers can participate in the annual Talent Revolution survey, developed with the assistance of more than 30 advertisers, agencies, and marketing experts to help companies assess what they currently do well and where they can improve.
Focus on today and tomorrow. The fast-evolving world of digital marketing requires marketing organizations to expand the focus of their L&D programs—and their marketing efforts generally. It's no longer sufficient to optimize training and execution for today; forward-looking companies look to the future while fixing current gaps. Above all, their revamped learning programs need to be agile and able to evolve over time.
Companies should think in terms of a roadmap rather than a snapshot solution; L&D programs need to be as fluid as the digital marketplace and to continually incorporate new technologies and applications. For example, while one team addresses shortcomings in Web search, another team can be looking at the challenges in social media. And when the upgrading effort moves on to social media, an advance team can be exploring mobile. Mandating a rising percentage of total spending on digital each year can help the entire organization learn by doing.
Make a step-change in L&D. Changes in L&D should support a broader transformation in capability and focus. L&D is not only for digital specialists; most companies will need to expand the universe of executives and staff targeted for digital training. For a digitally oriented culture to take hold, all levels of the marketing organization, from the CMO to marketing assistants, need to be engaged. Content can and should be customized, but the importance of developing enhanced digital skills needs to be reflected across the entire organization. One European company requires marketers to attend 24 mandatory training sessions a year—which means essentially a session every two weeks.
Our research shows that across all industries, the quality of digital L&D is seen to be wanting. Engaging, relevant, and memorable content is essential for any training program; it is all the more important in a technical field such as digital. Not everyone needs to know how to design a programmatic advertising platform, for example, but every marketer today needs to be conversant in how programmatic exchanges work and the advantages they bring to both advertisers and publishers. Similarly, performing data analytics or digital targeting requires a high degree of technical expertise and training, and marketers need to understand and appreciate the role these capabilities play in today's marketing programs. Business and marketing teams need to be involved in the design of training programs and to play a role in program development. Off-the-shelf materials can be helpful, but customized, industry- and company-specific content will also be necessary.
The pace of digital change is such that traditional training approaches will not keep an organization current. Companies need to foster an acceptance of and appreciation for self-learning, promoting ongoing learning as a basic responsibility of staff and executives at all levels. As with other key enablers, leadership from the top can play a critical role. Increasingly, we see top management going through digital-leadership programs with their entire teams in order to lead by example and seed a culture of continual learning.
Enable a broader digital transformation. Revamping L&D may not be sufficient by itself. Rethinking the marketing organization more broadly may be necessary. For example, some companies may want to centralize marketing functions for greater control and efficiency. This can also make it easier to transform marketing initiatives into agile cycles measured in weeks rather than months. In addition, companies can create digital centers of excellence to facilitate sharing of best practices and promote digital education and adoption. Adjusting marketing's interface with other corporate functions, such as legal, finance, and HR, is also critical to the effectiveness of an agile organization. No company will have all the skills it needs in-house; transforming how marketing collaborates with an expanding universe of agency partners is another critical component.
No one can predict how digital technologies will evolve or how they will affect consumer behavior in the future. But it's easy to see the digital-skills divide expanding between companies that have committed themselves to developing the marketing skills they need—and are consequently looking to the future with confidence in their capabilities—and those that are struggling to catch up. Much of the difference will be determined by which companies embrace the talent revolution in digital marketing now.


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Art exhibits and Christmas letters to Santa and armed forces personnel: Sudbury events Dec. 3-10
A look at what's happening in Sudbury in the next week
Dec 3, 2020 7:00 PM By: Sudbury.com Staff
Join the Lockerby Legion in the long-standing tradition of writing Christmas cards to random members of the Canadian Forces stationed on a Canadian base or serving abroad. (Supplied)
Sudbury.com publishes a weekly list of events happening around our city, either virtually or otherwise.
If you're planning an online performance, class, presentation or other event in Greater Sudbury, send the details to holiver@sudbury.com so we can spread the word.
Operation Christmas Cheer
Join the Lockerby Legion in the long-standing tradition of writing Christmas cards to random members of the Canadian Forces stationed on a Canadian base or serving abroad. Cards can be mailed to: Any Canadian Forces Member, P.O. Box 5004 Stn Forces, Belleville, ON, K8N 5W6. No stamps are required as this is a public service through Canada Post.
December 5 to 6
Walden Art Club will be showcasing artwork from Christine Bassett, Brigitte Bere, Jan Browning, Holly Cashmore, Ed Decker, Doug Goodale, Kerry Mitchell, Helen Townend, Rita Vanderhooft and Ruth Wallace at 174 Elgin Street on Dec. 5 and 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free. COVID protocols will be followed.
Watch Santa read your letters live on Sudbury.com
Until December 12
Sudbury.com and the Northern Ontario Railroad Museum and Heritage Centre (NORMHC) are inviting children to send in their Christmas letters, which will be read by Santa himself during a special webcast on Dec. 12 at noon on Sudbury.com. Tell Santa why you deserve to be on his good list by emailing hohoho@sudbury.com or you can drop-off your letters at the NORMHC on Dec. 5 or 6.
Lockerby Legion 564 Fundraiser
Lockerby Remembers project is one of many cenotaphs that will be rebuilt across Northern Ontario. In order to offset the cost of the project, the legion has launched a paver stone fundraiser. Stone will be sold to veterans (serving, retired or deceased) and their family members, as well as legion members for $75 per stone. Donations in any amount are welcomed to help complete the project. Phone 705-522-6060 for more information.
Franklin Carmichael: An Artist's Process
The new exhibit at the Art Gallery of Sudbury features work by Group of Seven artist Franklin Carmichael (1850-1945). Due to COVID-19, visitors are asked to pre-book online at artsudbury.org or phone 705-675-4871. Visit artsudbury.org for more information.
Porketta Bingo
Sudbury Performance Group is once again starting porketta bingo on Saturdays at the New Trevi Restaurant. Starting Sept. 19 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Trevi Bar & Grill, located at 1837 Lasalle Blvd. The event is limited to 50 players. Tickets are $30. Patrons will be required to wear masks while moving in and out of the restaurant, or whenever they are out of their seat.
Nickel City Trivia is hosting "The Quarantine Quiz" every Tuesday night at 8 p.m. Watch for it on Facebook.
Virtual Knit Nights
December 3 & 10
Sweet Yarns, located at 1465 Bancroft Dr., is livestreaming knitting circles on its Facebook page every Thursday night from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Join in here.
Sudbury Indie Cinema
December 3 to 10
Now screening:
Born to be Blue with Jazz Sudbury
Yalda, A Night of Forgiveness
Visit http://sudburyindiecinema.com/ for more information
YES Theatre
November 27 to December 13
Bed & Breakfast is the story of Brett and Drew who just lost their seventh bidding war on a house in Toronto. When Brett unexpectedly inherits the historic family home in a quiet little tourist town, the couple decides to make the move and start up a B & B. But when the guys face friction in their new community, they discover the simple life is more complicated than they thought… Two actors play over 20 roles in this fast-paced comedy about being "out" in the country, skeletons in the closet, and finding a place to call home. Click here for showtimes and ticket information.
YES Theatre Cabaret Series
These intimate cabarets held at the Sudbury Indie Cinema will give you that much needed fix of beautiful live music. Love For … stars Katie Behun, Dieter Lische-Parkes and Maryn Tarini, who explore the complex and difficult process of loving something during the pandemic. Limit of 40 tickets per performance. Tickets are $25 and are available by emailing info@yestheatre.com.
'Dream project': Azilda now has its own flag
Greater Sudbury seeks 3 people to serve on Arts and Culture Grant jury
'Coolest thing ever': Subject of 1989 portrait located thanks to Sudbury.com story
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The critical water emergency continues and citizens should not utilize any City water until further notice.
6:00 PM, November 24, 2016 – CRITICAL WATER NOTICE – The water emergency continues to be critical, the connection to the Big Hill last night was disconnected earlier today as they were unable to supplement our system and their own. Citizens need to continue to not utilize any City water until this crisis is resolved. This affects all City of Independence, Kansas residents; Montgomery County Rural Water Districts #1, #4 & #8; and Montgomery Consolidated Rural Water District #1.
Businesses can remain open if they do not use any City water. Restaurants must meet all State requirements, as the State is monitoring the situation very closely.
Please be advised that if City water is being used, the City will disconnect service.
We still have non-potable and bottled water available at two locations at City Hall at 811 W. Laurel and ICC West at 2600 W. Main Street. Please bring your own containers for the non-potable water that can be utilized for flushing your toilet, however, do not consume it. If you have transportation please check on your homebound neighbors to see if you can assist in providing water for them. If you have questions, wish to volunteer or if you are homebound and have no way to obtain water at one of the distribution points please call 620-332-2500. Do not call 911 unless you have an emergency.
We anticipate having more information to share with the public on Friday. Thank you for your conservation efforts and patience.


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Degradation of microbial fluorescence biosignatures by solar ultraviolet radiation on Mars
Dartnell, Lewis R. and Patel, Manish R. (2014). Degradation of microbial fluorescence biosignatures by solar ultraviolet radiation on Mars. International Journal of Astrobiology, 13(2) pp. 112–123.
Recent and proposed robotic missions to Mars are equipped with implements to expose or excavate fresh material from beneath the immediate surface. Once brought into the open, any organic molecules or potential biosignatures of present or past life will be exposed to the unfiltered solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation and face photolytic degradation over short time courses. The key question, then, is what is the window of opportunity for detection of recently exposed samples during robotic operations? Detection of autofluorescence has been proposed as a simple method for surveying or triaging samples for organic molecules. Using a Mars simulation chamber we conduct UV exposures on thin frozen layers of two model microorganisms, the radiation-resistant polyextremophile Deinococcus radiodurans and the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Excitation–emission matrices (EEMs) are generated of the full fluorescence response to quantify the change in signal of different cellular fluorophores over Martian equivalent time. Fluorescence of Deinococcus cells, protected by a high concentration of carotenoid pigments, was found to be relatively stable over 32 h of Martian UV irradiation, with around 90% of the initial signal remaining. By comparison, fluorescence from protein-bound tryptophan in Synechocystis is much more sensitive to UV photodegradation, declining to 50% after 64 h exposure. The signal most readily degraded byUV irradiation is fluorescence of the photosynthetic pigments – diminished to only 35% after 64 h. This sensitivity may be expected as the biological function of chlorophyll and phycocyanin is to optimize the harvesting of light energy and so they are readily photobleached. A significant increase in a *450 nm emission feature is interpreted as accumulation of fluorescent cellular degradation products from photolysis. Accounting for diurnal variation in Martian sunlight, this study calculates that frozen cellular biosignatures would remain detectable by fluorescence for at least several sols; offering a sufficient window for robotic exploration operations.
Project Funding Details
Funded Project Name
FPGA Development Support for the ExoMars UVIS Instrument ST/J000884/1 STFC
Special issue: Fifth UK Astrobiology Conference (ASB5))
biosignatures; extremophile; fluorescence; life detection; Mars, spectroscopy; ultraviolet radiation
© 2013 Cambridge University Press
Manish Patel


Fifty years after its premiere at Lincoln Center, three of the world's most celebrated ballet companies come together for a once-in-a-lifetime presentation of George Balanchine's masterpiece, Jewels, featuring the Paris Opera Ballet, New York City Ballet, and Bolshoi Ballet, each dancing one act.
Youth America Grand Prix's (YAGP) First Position Club celebrated the performance Friday night with ballet dancers from around the world at Susan Gutfreund's Upper East Side residence. Mrs. Gutfreund's famous hospitality ensured that guests from more than a dozen countries were not only made to feel at home but were greeted in their own language.


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SPHMBO relaunches 313@somerset LED screen with Valentine's Day wefie contest
Singapore, 26 January 2016 – SPHMBO, the Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising arm of Singapore Press Holdings Limited (SPH), has re-launched its 313@somerset façade advertising space with a brand new digital LED screen. Situated prominently along Orchard Road, this exciting shopping mall draws locals and tourists all day long. The coveted and unblocked screen will see sharper display resolution capable of conveying any message effectively to the outdoor audience day and night.
Measuring 5m (W) x 4m (H), the screen offers brand owners a greater variety of new and interesting ways to showcase their campaigns and engage their target audiences.
In conjunction with the re-launch, SPHMBO is rolling out a Valentine's Day wefie contest to promote interaction with consumers.
All participants have to do is to take a wefie with the LED screen in the background, include a creative caption in less than 10 words and hashtag #wefie313vday on their own Instagram account. Five contestants with the most creative posts will win fine dining vouchers. The contest period is from 31 January to 6 February. Photos will be selected daily to form a 'Wefie of the Day' showcase and displayed on the LED screen.
Ms Julie Wee, Product Development Director of SPHMBO, said: "It is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the launch of our new LED screen with a Valentine's Day wefie concept by using Instagram which is popular amongst shoppers, youths and trendsetters. With the expansion of our OOH presence in prime CBD locations, SPHMBO looks forward to better serve brands with an array of advertising options to extend their campaigns."
Don't miss out on this contest and the attractive prizes to be won at 313@somerset from 31 Jan to 06 Feb 2016.
To find out more about SPHMBO Out-Of-Home advertising opportunities, call 6319 5226 or visitwww.sphmbo.com.sg
Download 313-LED-Screen (158 KB)
Co. Registration. No. 198402868E
Evan Lau (Mr)
Product Developement Manager
Email: evanlau@sph.com.sg
Deror Wong (Mr)
Corporate Communications & CSR
Email: derorw@sph.com.sg
Incorporated in 1984, main board-listed Singapore Press Holdings Ltd (SPH) is Asia's leading media organisation, engaging minds and enriching lives across multiple languages and platforms.
The English/Malay/Tamil Media group comprises the print and digital operations of The Straits Times, The Business Times, The New Paper, Berita Harian, My Paper (English section) and two student publications IN and Little Red Dot. It also consists of Tamil Murasu Ltd, which publishes Tamil Murasu and tabla!; book publishing arm Straits Times Press; SPH Data Services, which licenses the use of the Straits Times Index, in partnership with the Singapore Exchange and FTSE Ltd; financial data company ShareInvestor; and the two English stations of SPH Radio - Kiss92 and ONE FM 91.3.
The Chinese Media group publishes three Chinese newspapers - Lianhe Zaobao, Lianhe Wanbao and Shin Min Daily News; the digital editions of Lianhe Zaobao and Lianhe Wanbao, four student weeklies - zbCOMMA, Thumbs Up, Thumbs Up Junior and Thumbs Up Little Junior, ZbBz Newsgazine and My Paper (Chinese section). It also operates SPH Radio's Chinese radio station, UFM100.3, and Focus Publishing, which produces a range of books and magazines including U-Weekly.
SPH's other new media initiatives include AsiaOne, Stomp, omy.sg and SPH Razor.
On an average day, 2.8 million* individuals or 68 per cent of people above 15 years old, read one of SPH's news publications in print copies or one of our digital platforms. (* Nielsen Media Index 2015, Monday-Sunday, read any SPH newspapers in print or digital format)
SPH Magazines, SPH's wholly-owned subsidiary, publishes and produces more than 100 magazine titles and has various online sites, like hardwarezone.com, herworldplus.com and luxuryinsider.com in Singapore and the region, covering a broad range of interests from lifestyle to information technology. It has also invested in digital newsstand Magzter.
SPH also provides out-of-home (OOH) advertising through its digital out-of-home platform SPHMBO.
SPH Buzz is a modern retail convenience chain with a network of stores around the island.
SPH has a 20 per cent stake in MediaCorp TV Holdings Pte Ltd, which operates free-to-air channels 5, 8 and U, and a 40 per cent stake in MediaCorp Press Limited, which publishes the free newspaper, Today.
SPH REIT is a Singapore-based REIT established to invest in a portfolio of income-producing real estate primarily for retail purposes. SPH REIT comprises Paragon, a premier upscale retail mall and medical suite/office property in Orchard Road and The Clementi Mall, a mid-market suburban mall in the centre of Clementi town.
The Seletar Mall, located in Sengkang, is SPH's latest retail development. This property is a potential asset to be injected into SPH REIT. SPH's wholly-owned subsidiary, Times Development Pte Ltd, also developed a 43-storey upmarket residential condominium, Sky@eleven, at Thomson Road.
Online Classified
SPH's online classifieds include the leading online marketplace for jobs (STJobs, FastJobs), property (STProperty), cars (STCars) and general classifieds (STClassifieds,Trezo), sgCarMart and StreetSine.
SPH's regional joint venture online classified business has a number of leading online classified sites in the region.
Sphere Exhibits, Sphere Conferences, Exhibits Inc and Bizlink Exhibition Services organise innovative consumer and trade events and exhibitions as well as large scale conferences in Singapore and the region.
SPH has a 22 per cent stake in preschool and enrichment provider MindChamps.
For more information, please visit www.sph.com.sg.


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News > Medscape Medical News > Conference News > 15th World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC)
Lung Cancer Patients Up and Walking Within Hour of Surgery
Zosia Chustecka
SYDNEY — Early-stage lung cancer patients undergoing thoracic surgery usually stay in bed until the next morning, but a new study presented here at the 15th World Conference on Lung Cancer shows that early ambulation is feasible and safe.
Patients were set a target of walking 250 feet within an hour of extubation, and 77% (579 of 750 patients) managed to walk that distance, 60% of them within the hour.
This early ambulation shortens the hospital stay, reported lead investigator Sandeep Khandhar, MD, medical director of thoracic surgery at the Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Virginia. It also appears to reduce pain and the need for narcotic analgesics, as well as the incidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), compared with what has been seen historically.
Most importantly, there were no adverse events from the ambulation and, he added, there was a zero rate of complications.
"This is really amazing," commented Hiroshi Date, MD, chair and professor of thoracic surgery at Kyoto University, Japan, who acted as discussant for the study. Even a healthy person takes some time to get going in the morning, but these were patients who had just undergone lung resection, and the majority were up and walking within an hour of the surgery finishing, he said. The usual care is for such patients to lie in bed until the next morning, he added. As far as he is aware, this is the first study to look at aggressive early mobilization of patients.
Asked by Medscape Medical News whether this is a good idea, Dr. Date said he "is not sure yet." It is encouraging that there were no adverse events, he said. However, this was not a randomized trial, and he said that he would like to see some data comparing outcomes for the patients who were ambulatory early with those who were not.
In the study, about 10% were unable to ambulate because of weakness or hypotension.
Initial Reluctance from Nursing Staff
The patients in this study had early-stage lung cancer and had undergone minimally invasive surgery, including video-assisted thoracic surgery, robotics, laparoscopy, and thoracotomy. The results were collected over a period of 3 years (July 2010 to 2013).
The idea behind the early ambulation was to return patients to their preoperative state as quickly as possible, Dr. Khandhar explained.
The goal of walking 250 feet within an hour of surgery was chosen rather arbitrarily, he added. It was initially met with skepticism and also significant reluctance from the nursing team because the extra time needed bedside nursing involved, he said. But once the study was underway, nurses became competitive and tried to outdo each other with how quickly they could get patients up and walking. "The record is 6 minutes," he said.
The early ambulation reduced the length of hospital stay, from around 3 to 5 days to an average of 1.6 days, Dr. Khandhar reported.
It also reduced the need for pain relief. "Ambulation inherently reduces pain as the upright position takes tension off the intercostal spaces," he explained. Only 20% of patients needed intravenous narcotics; the majority were managed with acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
In addition, it appears to reduce the risk for DVT, as the incident rates in this study population were about 10% lower than the national average, he said. "We did not use chemical thromboprophylaxis either during or after surgery," he added.
Dr. Khandhar told Medscape Medical News that further studies are planned, and there is a comparison underway of these patients who were mobilized early with patients who stayed in bed until the next morning and used chemical thromboprophylaxis. So far, the results suggest that the incidence of DVT is similar and may be lower in the early ambulatory group.
The key to success in this project was engaging the family and patient beforehand, as well as the nursing staff, and setting the expectations high, he said. Patients were told that they were expected to walk within the hour, and the majority of them managed to do so.
15th World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC): Abstract 007.06. Presented October 28, 2103.
Medscape Medical News © 2013 WebMD, LLC
Send comments and news tips to news@medscape.net.
Cite this: Lung Cancer Patients Up and Walking Within Hour of Surgery - Medscape - Oct 28, 2013.
Zosia Chustecka is the News Editor for Medscape Oncology. A pharmacology graduate based in London, UK, she has edited and written extensively for publications aimed at clinician audiences. Winner of a 2011 Award for Excellence in Urology Health Reporting for an article on prostate cancer, her work also has been recognized by the British Medical Journalists Association, and recently she was awarded a Harvard University Fellowship on Cancer Genetics (May 2011) as well as a US National Press Foundation Cancer Issues Fellowship (October 2010). She can be reached at zchustecka@medscape.net.
Disclosure: Zosia Chustecka has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
Now Takeda Offers Rebate if Lung Cancer Drug Fails to Work
Health Policy Expert Peter Bach, MD, Goes to Biotech Company
Annual Cost of Cancer Care Reached $156 Billion
ICIs for NSCLC: Patients With ILD ShowGreater Risk
Fast Five Quiz: Molecular and Biomarker Analysis in Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
Monotherapy or One-Two Punch AgainstEGFR-Mutant NSCLC?
Expert Disagree on Adding Chemo to Targeted Drugs in EGFR+ NSCLC
Imaging in Lung Cancer Staging
Small Cell Lung Cancer Staging
Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC)
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Imaging
Fast Five Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Lung Cancer?
10 Brain Lesions to Recognize
Neoadjuvant Cemiplimab Promising for Resectable Liver Cancer
Oncology and Hematology Clinical Practice Guidelines - 2021 Year in Review
Cancer Journal With Hefty Retraction Record Retracts Another 15
According to ONCOLOGIST/HEMATOLOGISTS
Fast Five Quiz: Key Aspects of Metastatic Breast Cancer
Fast Five Quiz: Metastatic Breast Cancer Signs and Symptoms
Fast Five Quiz: Are You Prepared to Confront Metastatic Breast Cancer?
Fast Five Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of Mantle Cell Lymphoma
A Retired Teacher With a Constant Headache and Vomiting
Lung Cancer News & Perspectives
b:curatedcuratedHasData : true


5th Grade Language Arts teachers Rebekah Ellis and Jeff Koch are probably not thinking about the term "workflow" as they plan for their daily Language Arts classes. What they are thinking about is student engagement, deep learning and efficiency (with a bit of fun sprinkled throughout).
To that end they offer a mix of large group and center activities throughout the week.
Students are quick and comfortable with the variety of workflow solutions that Mr. Koch and Mrs. Ellis use.
They receive content and assignments through gmail, Weebly, eBackpack, Nearpod, assignments projected on the screen, and handouts.
Teachers collect assignments, work, and projects through eBackpack. Their Reader's Response journals and their story writing files are in Google Drive.
In addition to REAL books, papers, and dictionaries, students use a variety of Apps and digital resources including Brain Pop, Notability, Google Drive, Mad Libs, Pages, Dictionary.com, ReadWriteThink.com and Time For Kids.com.
Everyday in 5th grade Language Arts the work flows; the teachers teach, facilitate, and inspire; the students interact, experience and learn. And, although you won't hear the term "workflow" in these classrooms, the work is indeed "flowing" from teacher to student, student to teacher, student to student, and teacher to teacher.
It's spring and the perfect time to learn about life cycles with authentic experiences.
Among the life cycles our 2nd graders are learning about is the plant life cycle.
Students have observed and learned about different types of seeds and noted their observations and facts in their Science Journals.
Then they planted seeds in their garden plots.
But....when it came time to write about their seed growth in their Science Journal, one astute student piped up: "Let's use this new Timeline App on our iPad!"
He explains why he likes it below.
Our student iPads have recently had existing apps and the iOS updated; and had some new apps added.
Among the new apps that the 2nd graders have been discovering is this Timeline app.
When this student suggested the Timeline app, Christine Stueve agreed with him that Timeline would be a great way to document their seed life cycle studies.
After Mrs. Stueve shared her work with the Timeline app with her team, Lauren Wolff, student teacher in Kelly Manzano's 2nd grade, was ready to integrate this app into her total teach time and their life cycles study.
When I heard she was using this brand new app, I was really excited to see it in action.
Miss Wolff had prepared a very well organized activity with the app that included modeling and instruction on how to use it and how to put in the photos needed to document their seed study. And...she welcomed me into her classroom.
After helping the students get their seed timeline started, she confidently took 20 second graders out to the garden with iPads to photograph the growth of the seeds they had planted earlier.
Once the students had photographed their "sprouts" (important vocabulary for this study, which the students used very comfortably), they went back to the classroom to enter their sprout growth photos onto their seed timeline.
As is always the case with gardening, some seeds didn't sprout. Mrs. Manzano helped these students replant more seeds in hopes to see some sprouts soon.
2nd Graders will be using this app, among other tools, as they continue to authentically learn about plant life cycles with a living garden.
When the students checked their gardens on April 1st they were excited to discover radishes!!! Here's how they showed them on the Timeliner app.
The description box in the Timeline app.


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Oporteo Shortlisted for Best Ecommerce Platform Award
Home / Oporteo Shortlisted for Best Ecommerce Platform Award
By Aneesa.Siddique 17th October 2018 NewsAwards/Certificates, ecommerce
We are pleased to announce that Oporteo has been shortlisted at this year's Northern Ecommerce Awards. This annual event, hosted by Prolific North and Don't Panic Events, celebrates the very best in ecommerce and online retailing from across the North of England.
As finalists for the "Best Ecommerce Platform" award, Oporteo has been recognised for its unique functionality and industry specific features which help B2B businesses thrive in today's online marketplace.
Andy Pratt, Business Development Executive, says "Oporteo represents BCP's major investment and commitment to helping wholesalers and retailers overcome the challenges of ecommerce. We are proud to be shortlisted and have the opportunity to celebrate the success and talents of online businesses across the region."
Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on 6 November at the Hilton Deansgate Manchester. Wish us luck!
BCP launch new Oporteo PIM system to make managing data simple


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N. Ireland Politics
NI 100
Coronavirus: Line of Duty filming is suspended
By Robbie Meredith
BBC News NI arts correspondent
duration 16 March 2020
image captionLine of Duty stars Adrian Dunbar (first left) and is filmed in Northern Ireland
Filming on the new series of Line of Duty has been suspended due to the spread of the coronavirus.
The award-winning BBC crime drama stars Northern Ireland actor Adrian Dunbar and is filmed in the region.
Series six of the hit show, which first aired in 2012, is currently in production in Belfast.
A BBC spokesperson said similar concerns about Covid-19 had also halted production on the drama series Peaky Blinders.
EASY STEPS: How to keep safe
A SIMPLE GUIDE: What are the symptoms?
CONTAINMENT: What it means to self-isolate
HEALTH MYTHS: The fake advice you should ignore
MAPS AND CHARTS: Visual guide to the outbreak
VIDEO: The 20-second hand wash
Line of Duty follows the staff of AC-12 as they investigate their fellow police officers.
Written by Jed Mercurio, it has become one of the most popular series on British television.
The series five finale was one of the most-watched programmes of 2019, with a consolidated viewing figure of 13.7 million.
A BBC spokesperson confirmed the decision to suspend filming of both series.
"In light of the spread of Covid-19, after much consideration, the producers Caryn Mandabach Productions and Tiger Aspect Productions of Peaky Blinders Series 6 have postponed filming, and World Productions on Line of Duty Series 6 have suspended filming, both in consultation with and supported by the BBC," the corporation said.
"We will continue to review all productions on a case-by-case basis and will continue to follow the latest news and advice from the Foreign Office, World Health Organization and Public Health England."
Line of Duty: All you need to know to get up to speed for series six
Coronavirus: BBC delays over-75 TV licence fee changes


Wedding preps can go crazy. Stop. Breathe. Hold hands and go back to what's important.
Sometimes, we get so wrapped up in the wedding process, the details, that we forget what's more important: the two of you. This entry is for you to see beyond all the hullabaloo and fluff and re-discover what you and your fiance is all about. Love.
This photographer sums it up pretty much. Read on.
The wedding train has derailed.
Put down those mason jars, store away that vintage typewriter and fairy lights and sit down because you need to listen. This is an intervention. The whole wedding industry has gone detail bananas and we need to clear a few things up.
- You! Over there! Step away from the hay bales and the Vintage Navajo rugs and come over here. Sit! Down! No, you don't have to put lavender on the plates, you need to wake up!
We're getting lost in details. The whole wedding industry is drifting away from what weddings are about and we're all part of the problem – bloggers, photographers, planners and vendors – all hypocrites feeding the detail beast.
At the center of every wedding we have a girl. Who fell in love with a boy. Or a girl who fell in love with a girl. Or a boy who fell in l… you get my point.
If you read magazines and wedding blogs today, you'd think it's all about the dress, the decorations, invitations or a million other things.
It's about celebrating love, a manifestation of commitment, a gathering of friends and family.
But if you visit many of the blogs today, you'd think it's about other things. Heck, there are even themed shoots with no people. As if candles and old LP players on a blanket in a clearing in a forest make a wedding. Just add people. And maybe a groom. Or actually don't, the wedding is about the details, remember? Details, details, details.
Weddings are about people, it's about commitment and celebrating love. It's about you. Build on that and everything else will follow.
I am a detail person, so it's not that I don't like details. I love details. Details, details, details. Love them. I honestly do. I've worked with some of the best planners in the business and they've styled weddings to perfection, made details stand out and it's always been great, because they've built on the couples, starting with who they are. And I actually like shooting details. A lot.
When I was younger I used to record mix tapes and give to girls I liked.
Every detail was thought out, every letter, every scribble, every word on that tape had meaning. I love me some details. I grew up in a house with vintage bottles and mason jars everywhere. That and rocks collected from oceans and fields. So I get the jar and bottle thing, I truly do. Throw in some rocks and I'm there. But remember what the wedding is about, why you're doing this, that's all you really need. Don't stress out about building a fairytale wedding, perfectly crafted, every detail borrowed from somewhere else.
Look away from the blogs and magazines.
Why are you doing this? What does it mean to you? Do you really need all that…stuff? And if you want stuff, are you adding stuff that actually means something to you? What do you want to remember from your day? The cake, the flowers, the dress from Hoya de la Poopy?
Or do you want to focus on that moment between you two? The boy? Who fell in love with a girl?
In the end, what's really important is two of you and what you want. May your wedding be the start of peeling off the layers and being able to just be. Good luck to all those doing their wedding preps.
i love details..my wedding has lotsa details..but above everything am so excited to hear my fiance's vow! can't wait.


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Tips to Produce the Best Sports Footage for Video
If you decide to shoot your own footage to add to your highlight video, use these tips to produce the best sports footage for video. This will help you make an impact with coaches and recruiters with your professional highlight video.
Shoot video from games, practices, workouts, camps, or training facilities, and still photo in uniform.
Use tripod whenever possible.
Light subject from front.
Use ambient sound from game.
Audio level should register but not peak frequently.
FORMATS ACCEPTED:
DVD, Mini-DVD, DVCam, Mini-DV, VHS, Video-CD
GAME FOOTAGE
Shoot every play the subject is involved in throughout the game noting the timecode at the beginning of each play. If you think it may be used, enter the timecode with a brief description of the play. Later on, you will enter the top 10 plays on our shot sheet to save time in the editing process.
Shoot the subject tightly enough to identify the individual effort without losing the overall impact of the play.
Shoot from angles typically seen in college and professional sports.
Where skill positions are involved, it's best to follow the ball keeping it in the frame with the subject.
ISOLATION FOOTAGE
Shoot the subject head to toe leaving space for an opponent in the frame.
Lead the subject in the frame. For example if running left to right, keep subject on the left half of the frame instead of center to allow for sudden stops or change in direction.
Stay with the subject throughout the play. They may become the focal part of the play even though they weren't the intended target.
Try to capture the impact of the subject on the play.
Try to control the environment as much as possible by moving away from distracting noises, lights, or activity.
The subject should be the brightest object in the frame. Try to avoid dark shadows or direct sunlight. Reflected light or flat lighting is best.
Frame the subject from the middle of the chest to a couple of inches above their head.
Get the microphone as close as possible to the subject. Use lapel mic if possible.
Have the subject look directly into the lens of the camera or just to the side.
Have the subject rephrase the question as part of their answer.
What is your goal in (sport)?
What was the highlight of your career?
What do you do outside of (sport)?
What sets you apart from other student athletes?
What would a scholarship mean to you?


North-westerly winds blow away pollutants, but will respite last?
GURUGRAM: With north-westerly winds blowing into the city, its air quality index (AQI) on Tuesday stood at 309 (very poor), a slight improvement over Monday's 325. Skies were also clear, so visibility was favourable. Despite apprehensions in some quarters that air quality might deteriorate on Diwali, the forecast is that while situation may worsen in Delhi and other NCR cities, AQI is likely to improve in Gurugram — remaining between 310 and 350 over the next three days. Elsewhere in the NCR, AQI stood at 338 (Delhi), 350 (Faridabad), 334 (Ghaziabad) and 347 (Noida).
Speaking to TOI, officials of the Regional Weather Forecasting Centre said there was a strong movement of north-westerly surface winds that helped disperse pollutants. "That's the reason behind the improvement in AQI, as well as visibility, which was 600m during Tuesday morning, and improved to 2,000m by evening," an official said.
HSPCB officials, meanwhile, ascribed the improvement in AQI to implementation of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) measures. "Due to change in wind direction and efficient implementation of GRAP measures, the situation has improved slightly in the city. We're expecting a further dip in air pollution on Wednesday," said an official of Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB).
On Tuesday, MCG lauded the efforts by specialised teams to impose compliance with GRAP. "It's to be noted that to ensure compliance with GRAP, MCG had constituted teams for round-the-clock campaigns between November 1 and November 11. "Within six days of the campaign, police imposed a total fine of Rs 3,83,500 on 49 violators while patrolling," went the official statement by MCG. It also claimed that 13 challans of Rs 43,500 were pressed for burning garbage in the open, three challans of Rs 15,000 for dumping garbage in the open, 22 (Rs 1,70,000) for not keeping construction material covered, eight (Rs 1,40,000) for continuing construction work despite prohibition, and three challans (totalling Rs 15,000) for transporting construction debris without covers.
MCG also said four mechanised sweepers are currently working at night to clean the main roads in four MCG zones. "Last night, cleaning took place between the railway station and Rajiv Chowk, between IFFCO Chowk and Sikanderpur metro station, from Bakhtawar Chowk and Star Mall near Medanta Hospital to the signal at Sector 45," it said.
MCG is also watering streets, trees and green belts with tankers to prevent dust from flying. Officials said water hosing is being carried out at many areas of the city, including Basai Chowk, Sector 37, crossing of sector 4/7, Court Road, inside Sector 15, near crossings at Krishna Chowk, Atul Kataria Chowk, Maharana Pratap Chowk, Mahaveer Chowk, Old Delhi road, Wazirabad road, Huda City Centre, Signature Tower, Vatika Chowk on SPR, and sectors 31 and 40.


Kyrie Irving's player exclusives continues with a story behind every colorway, and now we take a look at the Nike Kyrie 3 Rainbow PE, which was debuted by Irving against the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers last week.
The meaning behind this Nike Kyrie 3 PE is explained by beensmoove, the journey for any leprechaun is symbolized by the rainbow, which is seen on the shoes' multicolor outsole. Its upper receives a full Green makeover accented with Metallic Gold.
While this Kyrie 3 "Rainbow" PE will not be releasing, you can look forward to the Nike Kyrie 4 debuting on December 20th.


… because the Pacific Coast, and bicycles!
Long Beach. Huntington Beach. Venice Beach. Hermosa Beach. Manhattan Beach. Redondo Beach. Newport Beach. Laguna Beach. Capistrano Beach. Seal Beach.
In Santa Monica we started to notice abandoned electric scooters lying about, discarded, seemingly flung aside at random on sidewalks, in parks, and along the beach. Imagine our surprise when we found that these were "scooter share" devices, that could be rented by the hour or day, and collected by the next user where they were left, or presumably gathered at night by municipal workers, or robots.
We were enjoying our ride south on the bike paths that stayed down flat along the sand, but every so often our route took us up into the towns along Hwy 1 or an arterial paralleling it. It was from those stretches that the true character of the beach town became evident.
We loved Hermosa Beach for its wide sand fronted with homey rentals (we hope, for we wish to return soon for a longer visit). Huntington Beach sported a walkable and interesting Main Street, but is–we were happy to discover–a little tamer and less crowded than Santa Monica.
Santa Monica is so urban, so bustling and crowded and almost obnoxiously, desperately hip, that we left it worried about what was to come.
From there it was another 34 miles or so to our stop for Monday night, Huntington Beach. We didn't know what to expect, but what we found was charming, still lively but without the sidewalk crush we'd found in Santa Monica. Another beach town, this one the home of a major surfing museum. Locals call it "surf city," and that seems fair. Unlike Santa Monica or preppy Santa Barbara, Huntington Beach feels delightfully casual, blue collar, more comfortable in every way. We walked along the ocean road to the local brewery and felt at ease, despite our scrubby bike-tourist attire.
On Tuesday morning, we got a late start, accidentally sleeping in. Had brunch at Sessions West Coast Deli (no association with the racist dirtbag currently running the department of injustice). A breakfast sandwich and avocado toast–but despite the latter it was not an oppressively hipster joint. Got going around 10:30, bound for Oceanside.
Our route map offered a warning about the Orange County beach towns, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, and Dana Point, to the effect that aggressive drivers had been reported creating risky conditions for bicyclists. Back in Hermosa Beach we'd asked a local biker to whom we'd lent the use of our pump if these warnings were true. Nah, he said. He thought Venice Beach was bad, where he'd been yelled at not just by motorists but by cops as well. We had kept to the beach path through there and hadn't had a problem.
Newport Beach was surprisingly urban, insofar as it had a towering skyline, a Ferrari dealership, and a lot of sprawl. But the bike lane was generous, drivers were friendly, and we had no trouble.
Laguna Beach–a whole other story. It was prefaced by beautiful rolling hills, the road lined with purple flowering jacaranda trees and blossoming bushes of many kinds, but the town itself proved a nightmare, far more anxiety-inducing than the 16 miles we had ridden inland along busy 4-lane boulevards through the LA industrial centers and downscale commercial districts of Torrance and Carson, which culminated in a lovely Los Angeles River bike path to Long Beach.
The LA River Path to Long Beach and the sea.
No, in supposedly much more upscale and idyllic Laguna Beach, the shoulder was mostly occupied by parked cars, which forces bicyclists into the right lane, and usually locals and tourists alike understand and respond well. Not here, despite the enormous electric sign entering town asking motorists to share the road with bicyclists and give them 3 feet of clearance. We were crowded, brushed into the shoulder, deliberately frightened, yelled at (nothing printable).
Many of the offending vehicles were worth well over $50K. (Why?) Some hills were steep but there was no slowing, definitely no stopping. Our heart rates were up and our tempers flaring for the duration of our stay. Ashley got cut off by a tourist trolley; a little red hatchback with a megaphone on its exhaust startled us both by brushing past very fast and too closely. And when we reached south Laguna, and the parked cars disappeared, the shoulder was occupied by overgrown flowers and bushes.
We passed into rather cute Dana Point, and immediately felt safer. The drivers heeded the ubiquitous roadside signage (same "share the road" sign we've seen since Washington). The difference was stark.
Ashley feels safe enough to mail some postcards.
After that, somewhat to our sprawl-addled surprise, the path turned into a remote-feeling scrubby-desert frontage road paralleling I-5, passing SONGS (San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station) and the strangest state park ever, basically a mile-long rest area parking lot with water, restrooms, paths through the bushes to the beach, and even a few tents pitched on the asphalt. We'd assumed there'd be something for lunch, but somehow our route kept us away from everything commercial, so once again we were rationing our water.
Having pre-registered with the USMC online a few days ago, our Nevada driver's licenses sufficed to pass us through the main gate at Camp Pendleton, which saved us 10 miles or so of shoulder riding on I-5. The base itself is sprawling, like a whole city unto itself with housing developments, a shopping mall, office parks, an elementary school, and installations marked only with incomprehensible acronyms and numbers. Single-file riding was mandated, and no stopping. Passing out of the base we were quickly dropped into Oceanside, and after a few miles along its bustling beach scene we powered up a short but steep hill into town and our boutique hotel, one of the finest on a trip that, sadly, has only two riding days remaining. We had dinner at the Local Tap House (highly recommended) and then a nightcap at the Breakpoint Brewery (definitely not recommended: okay wine but the beer tasted like dishwater). And so to bed, less than 65 miles from the border.
The Fin Boutique Hotel: Recently remodeled, open only a month, and wayyyy nicer than the 1927 building looks from the outside.
Monday stats: 50.2 miles, 696 (!) feet of climbing, 4 hours and two minutes.
Tuesday: 56.7 miles; 2286′; 4:40.


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Energy industry and Canada's national interests go hand in hand
Posted by Mark Milke | May 27, 2021
Canadians are used to peace and relative prosperity compared to the rest of the world and are occasionally naïve about it. They assume it's a regular state of affairs rather than an exception.
Canada is an exception, in large part because the country is surrounded by three oceans with one neighbour, the United States, a democracy and a superpower. That would give serious pause to any other country thinking of invading Canada.
During the height of the Cold War, for example, the Soviet Union was never going to invade Canada as it did Czechoslovakia in 1968. There were easier targets to invade or disrupt.
A self-satisfied, cocoon-like approach leads some Canadians to be glib about our lucky position in the world. That also leads to flippancy about the critical usefulness of energy – oil and gas still being the bulk of that concept – to Canada's national interest.
An example arrives regularly when an energy firm from some foreign country, say Saudi Arabia's government wealth fund or some other nation with a regressive regime, invests in a Canadian energy company. This occurred in the first quarter of 2020 when Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund bought shares in Suncor Energy (US$481 million worth) and Canadian Natural Resources ($408 million).
Ignore that the Saudi government increased oil production dramatically in early 2020, collapsing world oil prices and making Canadian resource company shares cheap to buy. (The same Saudi fund recently sold the Suncor shares for US$1.2 billion.)
Consider that when such investments are made, social media lights up with comments along the lines of "I guess all that concern about tyrannies having too much control over the world's oil and natural gas production is misplaced. After all, now that the Saudis own part of a Canadian company, tyranny oil exists in Canada."
This is a rudimentary failure of analysis.
When foreign funds buy small chunks of Canadian energy companies, that doesn't somehow magically change Canada from a constitutional monarchy to a banana republic or a rogue regime. Such purchases also don't somehow corrupt Canada's longstanding tradition of the rule of law or independent courts.
Such purchases, when minimal, don't allow a questionable foreign government to disrupt Canada's energy supply chain, as happened when Russia cut off Ukraine's natural gas in the winter of 2009. Nor do such shares hook a country on energy from autocracies in the manner that Russia's Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline will soon make Germany more dependent on Russia, where the regime has been tied to murders journalists and critics and apparently tries to do the same to opposition figures.
But if a non-democratic country bought a controlling interest in multiple Canadian-based energy firms, there would be legitimate questions raised about whether this was wise and in Canada's national interest.
In 2012, China's state-owned CNOOC bought Nexen Inc. for US$15.1 billion. There was legitimate concern about an entity controlled by a non-democratic regime getting a toehold in Canada's energy sector. That purchase followed Chinese state-owned Sinopec's purchase of Daylight Energy for $2.1 billion in 2011.
The best free-market argument against such deals was that Canadians should oppose a foreign state-run oil company buying Canadian resource companies for the same reason Canadians should oppose the return of Petro-Canada as a state-owned oil company: nationalized companies are inefficient and far too subject to political directives rather than market forces.
The recent Saudi purchases in Canada seem opportunistic, while the Chinese acquisitions seem more long-term. Neither buy has fundamentally changed Canada's institutions or on-the-ground realities – so far. But the Chinese regime is aggressive in advancing its interests, including national interest as defined by the Communist Party of China.
The occasional opportunistic buying of slivers of shares in Canadian oil companies doesn't turn Alberta, or the rest of Canada, into an autocracy or tyrannical dictatorship. In contrast, it matters immensely if democracies – Ukraine, Poland, Germany – are too dependent on oil and natural gas pipelines from suppliers where the regime is wolfish.
Natural resources are used as political weapons by some regimes; it's naïve to think otherwise. That should mean that no more than a sliver of Canada's natural resources should ever be controlled by non-democracies.
Oil and natural gas should always be looked at as part of Canada's national interest, though few people think in those terms.
Hampering Canada's oil and natural gas sector will allow autocracies and tyrannies to garner even more market share. And nearly half the world's oil and natural gas production already flows from wells in such countries.
Keep an eye on regimes that don't have Canada's best interests at heart. Flippancy in analysis should be avoided.
And Canada's oil and gas firms, whether majority-owned by Canadians or liberal democratic allies, shouldn't be forced to end exploration, production and exports any time soon. The opposite should be the assumed policy.
Mark Milke is with the Canadian Energy Centre, an Alberta government corporation funded in part by carbon taxes, and co-author of the report, The 2021 Tyranny Index for Oil and Gas.
Mark is one of our Thought Leaders. For interview requests, click here.
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Mark Milke, Ph.D., is a public policy analyst, keynote speaker, author, and columnist with six books and dozens of studies published across Canada and internationally in the last two decades. Mark's work has been published by think tanks in Canada, the United States, and Europe, including the Fraser Institute, the Montreal Economic Institute, American Enterprise Institute, Heritage Foundation, and Brussels-based Centre for European Studies.
Bow Valley College, ATB Financial collaborate on skill development program
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The Flames arena's demise good for Calgary taxpayers


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New Spanish frigate to be named after former Majorcan admiral
Virtual image of the future F-110 class frigate. Five units will be built for 4.5 billion.
17-12-2019Ultima Hora
The Spanish Navy will name one of five F-110 frigates that are to be built by the Navantia state-owned shipbuilding company after the Majorcan admiral, Antonio Barceló. The new ships will all have been delivered by 2031, but in the meantime, Barceló has been recognised on a new coin.
The Real Casa de la Moneda (the Mint) has produced collectors' coins dedicated to the history of navigation, and while Barceló doesn't himself feature, his xebec ship does.
There is a scene of an encounter with two Algerian galleys that is a reproduction of a painting by Àngel Cortellini which is in the Naval Museum in Madrid. This scene was during the Bombardment of Algiers in 1783. The coin has a face value of 1.50 euros. Originally a privateer at the service of the crown, Barceló climbed the ranks to admiral due to his great naval successes. But not all the campaigns were successful, as was the case with the Great Siege of Gibraltar by the Spanish and French from 1779 to 1783.
New warships
The F110 class are a new class of future Aegis combat system frigates of the Spanish Navy.
The project is being developed by the Ministry of Defence and the public company Navantia. The construction of the frigates began last year and are scheduled to be delivered between 2025 and 2031.
According to statements by Frigate Captain Carlos Martínez-Merello, Head of the Resources and Media Definition Section of the General Staff of the Navy in 2010, during the Conference on Naval Programs in progress and future programs, that the new frigate must be adapted to the current scenarios in response to conventional and asymmetric threats such as patrol of a coastline or operations against pirates that do not require a large vessel.
According to the Navy, the new frigates must have an operative life of 40 years, be able to incorporate embarkable groups, as well as be able to operate with unmanned vehicles, both aerial, surface and under surface. Regarding the desired characteristics, the Navy requests a sustained speed of more than 35 knots.
The F110 will have a multipurpose space for different mission profiles, 240 days of operation and 18 months of high availability.
Antonio Barceló
Majorcan admiral


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Scientists give mice infrared vision turning them into tiny Predators
Share your voice 1 Tags dra_schwartz/Getty/Jackson Ryan Pop culture is full of superheroes and villains that can see their worlds in infrared. Superman can do it. So can the fearsome Predator. Sadly for us, the ability has remained confined to comics and film. Yes, the human eye is a marvel in itself, but the ability to see beyond the visible spectrum is just not within its capabilities.However, a group of Chinese scientists might have just changed that, creating an injectable nanoparticle that provides superhuman vision.Researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China and the University of Massachusetts Medical School developed an "ocular nanoparticle" that can detect near-infrared light (NIR). They then injected it directly into the eyes of mice. Their study, published in Cell on Feb. 28, shows that the mice were given "super vision", allowing them to see beyond the visible spectrum, without any effects on their regular vision.Essentially, they created a Supermouse. This is its origin story — and no, it (sadly) does not involve any radioactive spiders.Mouse eyes, like human eyes, are limited to seeing "visible light", which makes up just a tiny portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Typically, our eyes only respond to wavelengths in the spectrum between approximately 400 and 700 nanometers. Wavelengths longer than 700 nanometers are invisible to us and are designated as "infrared" (and even longer wavelengths are things like microwaves and radio waves, which we certainly cannot see).To enable the mouse eye to see in infrared, the research team developed a nanoparticle that would shift the wavelength of incoming infrared light (at 980 nanometers) to a wavelength that was detectable by the cells in the eye (535 nanometers). The nanoparticle is so tiny that it can be injected into the inner eye where it attaches to the retinal cells — those responsible for converting light to electric signals that can be interpreted by the brain. And by shifting the wavelength down to 535 nanometers, the mouse eye should be able to detect the once-invisible infrared light as a green glow. The researchers tested if the mouse could detect the light by assessing their pupils. When exposed to light, mouse (and human) pupils contract to regulate how much light is passing into the eye. If the nanoparticles were working, the scientists should be able to shine the invisible infrared light into the eye and still see the pupils contract. And that's exactly what happened. Supermouse was born.Injected mice were able to locate a hidden underwater platform, in a Y maze, in the dark! University of Science and Technology of China/Cell Not only that, but the team ran the mice through a series of water Y-mazes in an effort to determine whether they could make out visual patterns in infrared light to find a hidden platform. They trained the mice to associate an infrared light pattern with the platform and then tested both injected mice and non-injected mice to see how they fared.Mice that did not receive the ocular injections only correctly found the platform 50 percent of the time, but those with the nanoparticles lurking in their eyes were able to do so around 80 percent of the time even in the dark. Moreover, the nanoparticles continued to work for up to 10 weeks without any residual side effects or long-term damage to normal vision. Because the new technology is compatible with regular vision, it could provide a new way for mammalian vision enhancement or even open up new avenues to repair normal vision — you could tinker with the nanoparticles so they parse different wavelengths or alter them enough that they deliver drugs into the eye. This isn't a blink and you'll miss it technology either — there's still a ways to go before we obtain comic book hero levels of infrared vision. The nanoparticles used in this study only pick up a very specific infrared wavelength — anything outside this would remain invisible. But hey, it's still a pretty good origin story. I'm keen for the sequel. Comment Sci-Tech
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calendar girls November 18, 2014
See Gigi Hadid, Karen Elson, Joan Smalls in Latex and More in the 2015 Pirelli Calendar (NSFW)
By Kathleen Hou
Photo: Steven Meisel/Courtesy of Pirelli
Kind of like an invitation to Hogwarts, the annual Pirelli calendar comes, without being summoned, to a chosen few. You can't buy it in stores or order it online; the list of calendar recipients is unknown. This year, those recipients will get 12 pages of supermodels in latex, shot by Steven Meisel, styled by Carine Roitfeld, with Pat McGrath as the lead makeup artist. Embodying this year's fetish theme are models Sasha Luss, Anna Ewers, Carolyn Murphy, Adriana Lima, Isabeli Fontana, Joan Smalls, Gigi Hadid, Karen Elson, Natalia Vodianova, Cameron Russell, Raquel Zimmermann, and Candice Huffine. It's a calendar first for Hadid (who told the Cut she got into calendar character by singing Beyoncé), Huffine (the calendar's first-ever plus-size model), and Meisel.
Click through the slideshow for some shots from the calendar (some of which are NSFW) and behind-the-scenes pictures.
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Gigi Hadid Photo: Steven Meisel/Courtesy of Pirelli
Adriana Lima Photo: Steven Meisel/Courtesy of Pirelli
Anna Ewers Photo: Steven Meisel/Courtesy of Pirelli
Joan Smalls Photo: Steven Meisel/Courtesy of Pirelli
Sasha Luss Photo: Steven Meisel/Courtesy of Pirelli
Isabeli Fontana (NSFW) Photo: Steven Meisel/Courtesy of Pirelli
Karen Elson (NSFW) Photo: Steven Meisel/Courtesy of Pirelli
Natalia Vodianova (NSFW) Photo: Steven Meisel/Courtesy of Pirelli
Carolyn Muprhy (NSFW) Photo: Steven Meisel/Courtesy of Pirelli
Candice Huffine (NSFW) Photo: Steven Meisel/Courtesy of Pirelli
Joan Smalls (NSFW) Photo: Steven Meisel/Courtesy of Pirelli
Sasha Luss (NSFW) Photo: Steven Meisel/Courtesy of Pirelli
Raquel Zimermmann (NSFW) Photo: Steven Meisel/Courtesy of Pirelli
Cameron Russell Photo: Steven Meisel/Courtesy of Pirelli
pirelli calendar 2015
carine restoin roitfeld
steven meisel
sasha luss
the wedding files 7/12/2019 at 11:12 a.m.
The Bride Who Designs Wedding Flowers for a Living A New York wedding full of roses and sea oats.
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The Best Street Style From the Contemporary African Art Fair From traditional textiles to of-the-moment jumpsuits.
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By Lee Musho


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Terrible bot. Kicked me from multiple servers for being 'an alt', when it dmd me at like 3am. Smh. Some of these servers I've not been able to rejoin.


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Home » Genres » Heavy Metal
Bank Atlantic Center
by jinky1
It's been 13 years since Maiden played Florida, it's been a long time coming, and the Bank Alantic arena was filled with anticipation to see this final show of the "Somewhere Back in Time" Tour.
Revisiting the band's early years, this tour's set list focuses almost entirely on the 1980s, and the stage set is loosely based on the 1985 classic "Powerslave" tour.
Iron Maiden have earnt the right to indulge in a bit of nostalgia, but more importantly it's a real thrill for any long time Maiden fan!
From the opening gambit of "Aces High" it's clear that these guys still play with the enthusiasm and vigor of bands half their age, and from hereon we are treated to a 2 hour show that covers all bases.
Highlights include long time classics "Rime of the Ancient Mariner", "Sanctuary", "Wrathchild", "Wasted Years" and set closer "Iron Maiden" complete with a giant "Eddie" emerging from an Egyptian tomb, the whole concert set to a backdrop of amazing light show and pyrotechnic display!
With singer Bruce Dickinson promising to return to Florida in 2011, the 13 year wait is forgotten - welcome back and roll on the next tour!
This review is the subjective opinion of the individual reviewer and not of ConcertBuzz
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Whether it's kids shooting each other over drugs or a teen using affluence as an excuse for a fatal DUI...you wonder...is Santa scratching his fluffy white beard and wondering...are there any little ones worthy of his time?
Well Santa, I know a little lady who keeps the Christmas spirit in her heart year round. A little girl with a pixie's smile and nature as sweet as a ton of sugar cookies.
Her name is Kadyn (Kady) McClure.
Last year, Kady sent Santa a letter with a different sort of request.
She didn't ask for dolls, or even the big ticket item of the day, the iPad.
Nope. She didn't want any of that.
She wanted to try her hand at being an elf!
Well, sort of. Kady admits she lacks the pointy ears to be a real elf, but she does have a giving spirit and she wanted that money to shop for a child from the Angel Tree!
And Santa, being the wise man that he is, set her up. This year, Kady's mom, Kari, got a certified letter from the North Pole post office...in it? $100 cash.
working hard for Santa in the Non-Pointy Eared Elf, West Virginia Division.
I'm sure she warms Santa's heart quicker than a mug of cocoa, because in Kady's own words, "I told Santa I would take less under my tree, to be able to buy for other kids, but you know, I still got just as much!"
No doubt Santa spends extra time at your house, little Kady. No doubt.
That's a remarkable young lady! I'd work for Santa like that.
Kadyn is a little Christmas angel.
My oldest two kids pick a kid off the tree to buy for every year. Next year kid #3 will start, too. It's good to keep them thinking of others and not just their wish list. Very cool that Kady was able to do that all on her own.
Good for her, that was Awesome!
How sweet! It seems like we only hear about the rotten kids these days. It's nice to see something positive!
Lovely story! Kady is a little angel and I loved the interview.
(PS: Can I offer Kady a suggestion? She's obviously a little angel who has a wise head on her non-elf ears head, so I think she could easily work with a better interviewer.
She's a perfect elf and we could use more of her kind. Lovely story. Lovely kid.


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TELA Bio Appoints Renowned Surgeon as Vice President of Clinical Development
Bruce Freedman, M.D. joins innovative MedTech company to advocate for more natural surgical hernia mesh options
MALVERN, Pa., Jan. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TELA Bio, Inc. ("TELA") (Nasdaq: TELA), an innovative MedTech company focused on advancing the field of soft-tissue reconstruction, announced today that it has welcomed Bruce Freedman, M.D., FACS as Vice President of Clinical Development. After 32 years as a private practice general surgeon specializing in hernia repair and abdominal wall reconstruction, Dr. Freedman has joined TELA Bio to advocate for a more natural hernia repair mesh option as an alternative to permanent and resorbable synthetic mesh.
"As a surgeon who has performed thousands of hernia repairs with plastic mesh over the past three decades, I fully understand the clinical limitations of using synthetic mesh to repair human tissue," said Dr. Freedman. "Unfortunately, plastic mesh has the potential to create a foreign body response and inflammation in some patients, the effects of which can cause complications immediately after surgery or even many years down the road. OviTex® is a very different material and was designed specifically to reduce this foreign-body response. As I incorporated it in my practice, I saw first-hand how the careful work that went into the design positively impacted my patients." He added, "TELA Bio is providing much needed innovation in the hernia repair specialty, and I believe this product has remarkable potential to help surgeons break decades-long dependence on plastic mesh, while advancing treatment and better serving the patient."
In his role, Dr. Freedman will be using his extensive experience as a healthcare provider to share the clinical and financial benefits of the OviTex Reinforced Tissue Matrix portfolio with surgeons and hospital administration. "TELA Bio has spent the past several years working closely with surgeons in capturing and documenting clinical and financial evidence. They've got a powerful message, one I'm enthusiastic to help spread," Dr. Freedman added.
"We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Freedman to our team. Improving patient access to our innovative technology requires education throughout the healthcare delivery system, which includes surgeons, clinical resources, supply chain, hospital administrators, and patients," said Antony Koblish, Co-founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer, TELA Bio. "Dr. Freedman adds a credible, experienced voice that will help distinguish us from the many larger, legacy companies. Like us, he shares a passion for safer hernia repair and his decision to join our mission further reinforces the critical need to offer patients a more natural hernia repair."
To find practicing surgeons throughout the country who believe in providing patients with a more natural hernia repair option, click here.
TELA Bio, Inc. is a commercial stage medical technology company focused on designing, developing, and marketing a new category of tissue reinforcement materials to address unmet needs in soft tissue reconstruction. TELA Bio's products are designed to improve on shortcomings of existing biologics and minimize long-term exposure to permanent synthetic material. TELA Bio's portfolio is supported by quality, data-driven science, and extensive pre-clinical research that has consistently demonstrated advantages over other commercially available products.
About OviTex
OviTex Reinforced Tissue Matrix is intended for use as a surgical mesh to reinforce and/or repair soft tissue where weakness exists. Indications for use include the repair of hernias and/or abdominal wall defects that require the use of reinforcing or bridging material to obtain the desired surgical outcome. Do not use OviTex in patients known to be sensitive to materials of ovine (sheep) origin. For prescription use only. For additional important safety information, please see the OviTex Reinforced Tissue Matrix Instructions for Use.
The statements made or results achieved by TELA Bio customers described herein were achieved in their specific setting. Due to variations in clinical experience and technique, there is no guarantee that these results are typical. A surgeon must use his or her own clinical judgment when deciding which products are appropriate for treatment of a particular patient. Always refer to the package insert, product label, and/or instructions for use before using any TELA Bio product. Products may not be available in all markets because product availability is subject to the regulatory and/or medical practices in individual markets.
TELA Bio Contact Stuart Henderson Vice President, Corporate Development and Investor Relations TELA Bio, Inc. 484-320-2930 Investor Contact Greg Chodaczek 347-620-7010 ir@telabio.com