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March 13, 2018 How to Fix Education
"Young Voices Matter:" My Fifteen-Year-Old Sister's Response to the Florida Massacre
About Sylvia Denice
Sylvia Denice started her teaching career as an upper-elementary teacher and is now a middle school special educator in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Special Educator: What She Is and What She Isn't - November 7, 2019
Vote for the Voteless: Off-Year Elections Do Matter - November 5, 2019
It Doesn't Have To Be This Way: When I Knew To Look For Something New - October 29, 2019
Teachers Modeling Friendship - September 25, 2019
The Teacher Triangle: Mindful Balance - September 15, 2019
Won't You Be My Neighbor?: The Neuroscience Behind Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood - August 28, 2019
Why Your School Doesn't Need to Adopt a "Social-Emotional Curriculum" - August 6, 2019
New Tricks for Old Dogs: What Novice Teachers Offer - July 15, 2019
Thanks For The Compliment, But I'm Not A Superhero - July 12, 2019
The Motivation Myth - June 10, 2019
Written by Sylvia Denice
This is my sister Ellie. At fifteen years old, Ellie's time is consumed mostly by school, swimming, and socializing. She's an enthusiastic learner, listener, observer, and friend with a cheery disposition. Ellie has goals and dreams of her future, going to college to study Education or Journalism--no denying that relation! On February 14, 2018, Ellie determined, as an Indiana high school sophomore, it was time she assumed a new role: activist.
On that tragic February day, Ellie learned of Florida high schoolers killed in innocence as they exercised their right to be educated. She heard of the terror of a student with a gun opening fire on his school community. She has since learned the stories of sixteen-year-olds not unlike herself whose goals and dreams of the future were abruptly swept from under them at the place where dreams are meant to be actualized: school.
On February 24, ten days after the Florida massacre, I received this message from Ellie: "I was wondering if you could tell me what you think about the gun law so that I can get the view of a teacher of young kids for my letter." This was the first I had heard of Ellie's "letter," and I, of course, was eager to respond to an issue striking me on a personal level as both a teacher and a sister who cares deeply about a fifteen-year-old girl. I responded, "Sure." She followed with, "Do you want a gun in your classroom?"
My mind immediately when to the plea of Andrew Pollack, father of 18-year-old Meadow Pollack who was killed in the Florida school shooting. The mourning father pleaded we put aside talk of gun laws and focus on action around school safety and security. "We need to come together as a country and work on what's important, and that's protecting our children in the schools," Pollack cries. I shared this sentiment with Ellie: our kids are so important.
Measures should absolutely be taken to ensure safety in our schools. In his appeal, Andrew Pollack emphasizes, "We go to the airport, I can't get on a plane with a bottled water… 9/11 happened once, and they fixed everything." Drawing from other instances of shootings in the United States, Pollack adds, "we protect airports, we protect concerts, stadiums, embassies, [and] the Department of Education." He begs the question: "How many schools, how many children, have to get shot?"
In response to Ellie's question, I will be the first to tell you: as a fourth-grade teacher, I have no business keeping a gun at school. The answer to gun violence is not more guns, and the presence of a gun in my classroom with young children would cause me great discomfort. I shudder at the thought of back-to-school staff developments including sessions on how and when to operate your government-funded teacher gun.
As a teacher, I am in need of ammunition; but, don't arm me with a gun. Arm me with an army. An army of compassion, of people relentlessly loving and caring for our nation's youth. An army of advocates, listeners, learners, and teachers for our children. Don't buy me a class set of laptops or the latest SmartBoard technology or a teacher appreciation taco bar luncheon; and certainly, do not buy me a gun. Instead, put money, time, and energy into people. Invest in people to honor and protect, as Andrew Pollack reminds us, "our commodities"--our children. Arm me with more people to hear our students and to keep them safe.
As a teacher, I am in need of ammunition; but, don't arm me with a gun. Arm me with an army. An army of compassion, of people relentlessly loving and caring for our nation's youth. Click To Tweet
Today, my fifteen-year-old sister cries out to her government, demanding assurance of safety for herself and her peers in their places of learning. Teachers having guns in schools, Ellie states, "would make the student environment unsafe. There are too many risks of having a gun in the classroom." When asked her suggestions to bring safety to our schools, Ellie replied, "I think we need more awareness of our surroundings. With the Florida shooting, the murderer had many posts with guns on Instagram and Snapchat stories. This should have been a red flag to so many people who saw it as a joke. It isn't a joke when someone's life is actually endangered or even lost."
Ellie said she felt called to action when she saw someone in her Publications class looking upset. "I asked her what was wrong. She told me a close friend of hers had a cousin who was shot and killed in the shooting. I cannot even imagine the pain that family must be going through. It shouldn't happen to anyone." She has confidence in the importance of the nation's youth stepping forward and demanding change.
She has confidence in the importance of the nation's youth stepping forward and demanding change Click To Tweet
This Wednesday, March 14th, one month after the Florida Massacre, students across the nation are calling for a "walk out" to advocate for safety in schools through safer gun laws. Starting at 10:00 a.m., the National School Walkout will last for 17 minutes, in honor of the 17 fatalities of the Florida High School Shooting. "It's our right, to protest, but schools are disciplining students for that," Ellie shared. At her high school in northeast Indiana, students have been advised that participation in the walkout will result in a school administered consequence. "I know that my school is not tolerating any protests… but if a student's parents say it's okay, then I think they should go for it," Ellie expressed. School districts across Indiana have showed varied levels of involvement in support of the National School Walkout on March 14th. Ellie insists that "young voices matter. It's our generation that will stop this."
#ArmMeWith Starts a Movement Among Teachers
Writing in Action: When Students Step Up
[OPINION] All "Armed" for Our Students
Support Student Voices: March for Our Lives
« Keeping Your Teaching Real: A Teacher's Role
It's Our Fault: A Teacher's Confession »
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Spinefarm Records has set a June 24 Finnish release date for the third solo album from SONATA ARCTICA guitarist Elias Viljanen, entitled "Fire-Hearted". According to the label "there will be 12 tracks on the album and 10 of the tracks will be instrumental." Guest musicians on the CD include vocalists Marco Hietala (NIGHTWISH, TAROT) and Tony Kakko (SONATA ARCTICA), keyboardist Henrik Klingenberg (SONATA ARCTICA), bassist Jari Kainulainen (EVERGREY, ex-STRATOVARIUS) and drummer Mikko Sirén (APOCALYPTICA).
Viljanen has been touted as Finland's answer to Joe Satriani, and his second solo album, "The Leadstar" (2005), featured "lightning speed, spark flying chops, flashy moves, and supreme melodies that rise from below and expand beyond the heavens," according to a press release. That CD also inclided Elias' hard rock, instrumental cover of LIONEL RICHIE's monster hit "Hello".
Viljanen joined SONATA ARCTICA in the fall of 2007.


"Reasons for Missing Antiretroviral Therapy: Results from a Multi-Count" by Olivier Koole, Julie A. Denison et al.
This research has been supported by the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Health Resources& Services Administration (HRSA) under the terms of the contract no. 2006-N-08428 with FHI 360.
Objectives To identify the reasons patients miss taking their antiretroviral therapy (ART) and the proportion who miss their ART because of symptoms; and to explore the association between symptoms and incomplete adherence.
Methods Secondary analysis of data collected during a cross-sectional study that examined ART adherence among adults from 18 purposefully selected sites in Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. We interviewed 250 systematically selected patients per facility (≥18 years) on reasons for missing ART and symptoms they had experienced (using the HIV Symptom Index). We abstracted clinical data from the patients' medical, pharmacy, and laboratory records. Incomplete adherence was defined as having missed ART for at least 48 consecutive hours during the past 3 months.
Results Twenty-nine percent of participants reported at least one reason for having ever missed ART (1278/4425). The most frequent reason was simply forgetting (681/1278 or 53%), followed by ART-related hunger or not having enough food (30%), and symptoms (12%). The median number of symptoms reported by participants was 4 (IQR: 2–7). Every additional symptom increased the odds of incomplete adherence by 12% (OR: 1.1, 95% CI: 1.1–1.2). Female participants and participants initiated on a regimen containing stavudine were more likely to report greater numbers of symptoms.
Conclusions Symptoms were a common reason for missing ART, together with simply forgetting and food insecurity. A combination of ART regimens with fewer side effects, use of mobile phone text message reminders, and integration of food supplementation and livelihood programmes into HIV programmes, have the potential to decrease missed ART and hence to improve adherence and the outcomes of ART programmes.
At the time of writing, David Bangsberg was affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, and Harvard Medical School.


Santorini 5 Star SPECIAL OFFER!
Special offer: From 185 € per person (in double room) for 3 nights in the 5-star Volcano View, with transfers and breakfast.
You can enrich your experience in Santorini with services such as a caldera catamaran sunset sailing cruise, sightseeing tours or even add other destinations to your itinerary at extra cost.
* Optional: You can enrich your experience in Santorini with services such as a caldera catamaran sunset sailing cruise, sightseeing tours or even add other destinations to your itinerary at extra cost.
On arrival at port or airport, you will be transferred to your hotel for 3 nights stay. You will have the rest of the day at leisure to stroll around Santorini and maybe enjoy a majestic sunset at one of Santorini's unique restaurants and taverns.
Free days on this enchanting island to enjoy its breathtaking views, great cuisine and local wines, visit archaeological sites and the sizzling black sandy beaches.
Start the day with a stroll for coffee on one of Santorini's beautiful cafes or maybe go for souvenir shopping. Then you will be transferred from your hotel to the port or airport for your ride to your next destination.


Learning to surf can be an experience that will change your life. Surfer enjoy the rush of crystal wave waves, flying along the edge of the waves more often than ordinary people on earth in enjoying exotic places on earth.
Looks like it sounds interesting is not it? So here will be explained a little way to learn to surf. Below provides all the basics you should know before taking your first surf school or renting your first surfboard. If you learn how to surf properly, you will grow much faster than novice surfers at a surfing school, faster to become an experienced surfer.
If you've never seen a surfing equipment kit, you should at least have a good knowledge of surfboards and where surfers are ideally to learn to surf and here will give you an initial understanding of the correct size of soft top, pop-ups or mini- Can be used for preliminary considerations before being truly a reliable surfer.
Surf breaks, wave points are very varied and if you try to learn in the wrong place can slow down the learning process so much longer and reduce the fun, you may be injured and you will interfere with other surfers. Look for slow and easy beaches, ride waves in the range of 1-2 ft or as high as the chest of an adult. It may not look challenging but it will be the best place to start. It's also possible to try and find places where there are not many crowds – playing with some other beginners and more experienced surfers is not the best way to surf for beginners. If you have a little free space it will be easier to learn to surf.
Remember the answer is to forget to play in the waves of rocks, rocks, (reef break) and heavy.
If you already have a new surfboard under your arm and you've found the right place, a place not too crowded for surfing, it's time to paddle! Rowing is the most basic surfing skill, it is important that this exercise will benefit a lot. Starting from small waves and if possible paddle when there is a fraction of waves.
The best way is to put a surfboard into the water if you reach the water depth around your thighs and waist, then lay down on the deck of the surfboard. Maintain balance on the surfboard so that the tip of the surfboard is slightly out of the water surface. The trick is to find the optimal position to fight the wave currents and give strength when rowing. Once you feel the board slide easily you will find the ideal position, so keep your position and stay in the right position.
Start paddling with your arm moving into the water with your chest lifted up, close your fingers tightly and move firmly, but not necessarily in a hurry. If the water gets wavy or "cut", lift your chest slightly and reduce your weight on the board so that the board nose is not too submerged into the water. If you have learned to balance right and left, head and legs, paddle the board in the direction of the waves!
Duck Diving or duck style is a technique to allow you to pass under the waves while paddling out, rather than losing stamina for continuous waves crashing. Duck Diving applies to smaller and lighter short boards, for long boards there are a number of techniques used to achieve the same results. For duck diving surfing, try to quickly paddle near the waves. About two meters before contact with white froth fracture, hold the strong rails (edge of the surfboard) in the middle between your nose and the midpoint of your body. Push all your upper body weight into your hands and arms until you feel your nose sinking. Take your head and let your body follow.
After the body is just below the surface of water, bend your front legs and use the knee or heel to press the tail of the board under the waves. This momentum should push you under the waves and quickly pass through and only require to be under water for a short time. After the wave passes let your body hold the board and make sure the head moves in the direction of the board nose.
To paddle out on the long board there are several ways to overcome the waves: The slices and ducks, Eskimo roll, push-ups and shoot and shift. On smaller waves the push-up technique may be best. Just lift your chest and waves will pass under your body and on the board. The shoot and shift method is where you sit behind the board and drown the tail, holding the rails around the center of the board so it dances over the approaching waves. Do not get too far back so the board nose will rise up and you'll be turned upside down.
The old Eskimo roll method to get out and back from the waves is by way of flipping the board and hiding on the board when the waves sweep. It's just a matter of grabbing the board and rolling it up so the waves pass through your top. This may not be the most effective method because there is an opportunity to be drilled by waves and pushed further back to shore. The last method is to slice and duck the way by pressing down on one side of the surfboard so that it slices / sinks into the water, at the same time presses on the deck so that the duck nose boards underwater in the same way as duck diving.
To start off remains on the rowing track and it's best to catch the waves that have ruptured and chased and led the wave action. You must have an ideal paddling position at this stage, so your focal point goes straight to the beach and the best way to get to the beach. The wave will take you and push you to the shore, of course your mind is floating and missing, but if your nose gets into the water you will tumble down like a chalkboard , also if the waves pass below because it is too backward and slows the board movement.
It's fun to catch and ride a few times and get a really nice experience, after which it's time to get up and we'll talk about it this time. After understanding how to catch white waves and rowing skills to pick up the white waves coming it is a basic skill of surfing. After learning the way it will take a bit of time to choose the waves and practice in surfing patiently, there is a lot of fun in every session you play surfing.
When the waves approach, change the direction of the board nose toward the beach, lie down and start paddle. When you feel a hard boost from the waves then that's when you paddle with all your strength and begin to hold the rail board, the natural tendency is that most will be reversed because the nose board too get into the water, but it is a slow process that makes you better understand how to catch more experienced waves .
Leaning onto a board and raising your chest when you feel the waves' impulse is the right way to avoid instability that occurs in the effects of ocean trenches that occur due to the strong currents of the waves. But this is the ideal position for beginners who catch the waves and control them before actually standing on the surf papas. Now you are ready and will enter at the next stage.
Standing on a surfboard looks very easy but once you put a surfboard that moves on the beat, a whirlpool wave in which you must simultaneously jump from a prone position while weight and stability of the left, right, front and back legs just to keep away from crass In the future, you will soon realize a lot of practice will be needed! A place to start to stand on the beach. First you need to know which feet will naturally be in front. The left-footed forward is called a natural attitude and right-footed forward is the attitude of goofie feet. The way to find out can be by standing and looking straight ahead, let your friends nudge and push forward, the first leg out is the position you will do on the surfboard.


Welcome back for another episode of Big Red Flix, BigRedBarrel.com's movie podcast. Dave and Jitterbug finally sit down and finish their breakdown The Godfather Part II.
You going to do another take a 2minute Star Wars trailer and make a 60minute break down analyse again?


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Catalogue & Shop
Ecodesign Stationary
Arbos Promotional Articles
The Arbos Private Label
Arbos has become a B-corp
Ecodesign Stationery Products
Promotional Articles
The mosaics of Ravenna: museum merchandising for a patrimony of humanity
17 March 2017 basilica di san vitale, basilica sant'apollinare in classe, battistero ravenna, mausoleo galla placidia, mosaici, mosaici ravenna, museo arcivescovile ravenna, patrimonio dell'umanità, unesco
The Religious Works of the Diocese of Ravenna manage the monuments declared by Unesco as a "patrimony of humanity".
These include the Basilica of San Vitale, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe, the Baptistery, the Archdiocesan Museum and the Chapel of Sant'Andrea. A historical heritage of great value that reminds us that Ravenna was a capital city three times over the centuries: first of the Western Roman Empire, then of the Kingdom of the Ostrogoths and then the Byzantine Exarchate of Italy.
The city and its monuments are a universal witness to the highest level ever achieved in the mosaic art. Of a beauty that is breathtaking to each visitor, the brilliance and magnificence of these mosaics cannot be reproduced on any material or object. Therefore, Arbos wanted to highlight the details by offering fragments capable of arousing curiosity and provoking a desire for a direct experience or able to keep the emotions experienced alive. Arbos did this through the deliberate contrast between the rough surface of the straw paper and the polychrome prints on glossy paper.
Are you interested in developing a customised range of stationery products?
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Innovative and environmentally friendly products made of paper and other environmentally friendly materials. There is a wide range of customisable solutions for unique and distinctive corporate gifts and promotional items. Private label collections designed to satisfy the most diverse needs.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


I want to superscript a trademark (R) symbol ( CFRT® )as you can see in the menu example here: alabamastay.com. The symbol is superscript.
I have placed the symbol in the words that appear in the slideshow photos but the symbol is not showing at all.
You might have to use the entity for it, ® or &_#174; <--delete the "_" there. If not can you provide a link, or the code this error is demonstrable with.
and it will be fine.
General rule - Like quotes used inside a string delimited by those quotes must be escaped by the down slash (\), as shown above.
What you have is (I believe) the registered mark.
Either way it can be complicated. But perhaps not. If it's not showing up on your page even when it's part of the plain HTML code, your document isn't being served with the proper encoding, and/or is not encoded properly to begin with.
So, the first question is - Does it show up when it's part of the page as ordinary HTML text?
But if that string is to be made a part of the DOM via being imported as a textNode, it will have to be appended to a sup element. But I don't think that's what's happening here, though it may be.
As I say though, it may not be all that complex, but may be.
Looks good here, so you are saying this is solved to your satisfaction? If not, what's the problem? Even if you are happy now, feel free to come back if other problems arise with this or anything else we can help you with.


Click HERE to access our Music & Lyrics folder.
Three abbreviated performances at 2:00, 3:00, 4:00 pm followed by the parade (which we hope you will attend).
Two full performances at 1:00 and 4:00 pm.
Note: the Wednesday 4:50 class will perform on Sunday and Thursday 4:45 will perform on Saturday.
Full Cast Rehearsal at Kaatsbaan International, November 25. Between 12-5:00pm (specific times TBA).


The University System of Georgia synchronizes its initiative on talent management with its strategic plan. The goal: To fill leadership positions by promoting from within, while reducing costs related to external recruitment.
The University System of Georgia (USG) is one of the largest and most complex higher education systems in the United States. Our 30 public colleges and universities enroll more than 312,000 students. Five years ago when asked, "What keeps you awake at night?" USG's then–chief administrative officer Rob Watts' responses became the impetus of a systemwide talent management initiative.
His first response was related to the budget and the ubiquitous effects of the 2008 recession that lingered in 2010. He then revealed additional concerns about the impending retirements of a significant number of our incumbent CBOs. Since his assessment was that the system lacked a cadre of leaders that was prepared to assume these critical positions, he suggested that we deem this issue as an institution priority. Given the predicted mass exodus from higher education and other sectors, it was clear that we needed to focus on the development and preparation of executive leadership within all parts of our institution.
The demand for all organizations to value and focus on people is rapidly increasing. Research by E.E. Lawler, in Talent: Making People Your Competitive Advantage (Jossey-Bass, 2008), indicates that decisions about people should be made with rigor, logic, and precision, and to do anything less jeopardizes the effective performance of the enterprise. And, like many other public and private institutions, USG continues to encounter challenges to attract, develop, and retain talent at a time when skilled staff are most needed. We knew that we needed to develop and institute a strategic approach to talent management, particularly in identifying and preparing emerging leaders to transition into the CBO position.
Consequently, we set out to create a formalized talent management plan to fill our leadership gaps from within our own system. Early results are positive, but it has taken a huge amount of effort and fine-tuning along the way.
The University System Office of Human Resources Organizational Development has been responsible for spearheading talent management and leadership development initiatives in the USG, since the department's inception in 2008. In 2010, systemwide retirement data indicated that nearly 40 percent of our incumbent CBOs were eligible to retire within the next five years. This anticipated turnover was the impetus to further focus our efforts on the CBO position.
Some of our institutions are located in geographic areas of the state that pose a challenge for recruiting and retention of top talent. Additionally, research indicates that finding leaders with the right cultural fit and requisite skills is difficult.
Our hiring processes were reactive, cumbersome, and transactional. This resulted in vacant CBO positions, a trend that threatened business operations and leadership continuity on our campuses.
Expenses related to the use of external search firms averaged $20,000 to $30,000 per executive position.
These factors called for a strategic approach to talent management and supported the system's ongoing effort to build a culture of leadership excellence. A strategic and integrated approach to talent management would help develop a diverse internal pool of committed leaders prepared to ascend to the CBO role. Furthermore, such processes would ultimately engage and retain the system's top talent.
Senior management commitment is critical to such systemwide change efforts. Chancellor Henry Huckaby and the chief administration officer, Steve Wrigley, championed the effort by communicating key messages and milestones, as well as by allocating resources and recommending best practices to support the progress of the talent management initiative. A new vice chancellor, Marion Fedrick, came aboard in 2012 and fully supported a strategic approach to enterprisewide talent management and employee development. Other senior leaders, such as vice chancellors of planning, academic affairs, internal audit, and legal affairs, engaged in the study and provided helpful feedback at various points during the process. Internal conditions were ripe for the vital change necessary to institute a strategic and integrated talent management system.
Interest in this initiative gained momentum when we contacted chief human resources officers (CHROs) from each institution group—all of whom possessed extensive management and human resources experience—to discuss the issue and to extend an invitation to participate on a team to address talent management issues, in particular the CBO position.
Prior to our initial meeting, we requested recommendations of CBOs who could advise the team of CHROs and invited three incumbent CBOs to participate as advisers. With a knowledgeable and highly enthusiastic team and advisory group established, we planned the first of many meetings to begin tackling the CBO talent crisis in the USG.
Recognizing that we could only effectively bite off one piece at a time of this enormous task, we initially sought to define a reasonable and feasible project scope. Given the size of the USG, we decided to work initially with CBOs who were geographically accessible; willing to take on additional responsibilities associated with this study; and represented different institution groups: research universities, comprehensive universities, state universities, and state colleges. We ultimately identified 13 CBOs who participated in the pilot phase of this study.
The team conducted a benchmark study of higher education systems and institutions, and findings suggested that few higher education institutions had implemented comprehensive talent management processes. This finding was consistent with our team's general knowledge that higher education had been slow to adopt management practices, such as talent management, that had proven effective and efficient in businesses. We also acknowledged that management practices that work well in private companies do not unilaterally apply in higher education. We intended to invest resources wisely due to industry criticism that talent management practices in general were time-consuming, expensive, and disruptive.
Because of the increasing complexity and evolution of the CBO role, the team agreed to examine the CBO position to learn more about the leadership complexities and nuances in relation to future demands of the position. (For more details on the expanding CBO role, see "Skill by Skill," in the November 2014 Business Officer.) The team also reached consensus to pilot a talent development process for potential successors to the CBO position and measure the impact of the process on CBOs, as well as their successors.
We endeavored to surface issues, challenges, and benefits of designing and beginning to implement a strategic talent management system in the unique higher education environment. Therefore, we developed an "action research study" to understand which talent management strategies would be most effective in the unique ecosystem of public colleges and universities.
This research method involves those who are affected by a problem to collectively and collaboratively engage in solving the problem as well as to bring about change in the organization. One of the benefits of this approach was the ability to improve our understanding of strategic talent management in higher education and share our findings with other higher education institutions and organizations to inform their work in talent management.
Create a culture of leadership excellence throughout the system.
Develop a program that drives the development of a pool of leaders that is prepared to transition into the role of a CBO.
Design a process and tools that facilitate communication and integration of internal candidates into the selection process.
Engage incumbent CBOs in selecting and developing high potential successors.
Achieve return on investment and decrease external recruitment costs per institution by 33 percent.
Minimize the costs of external search firms, develop a pipeline of leaders to ensure leadership continuity, and increase retention in the USG.
CBO job descriptions and organization charts from each institutional group in our system (research universities, comprehensive universities, state universities, and state colleges).
NACUBO's 2010 Profile of Higher Education Chief Business and Financial Officers.
The team also reviewed human resources, succession planning, and talent management literature spanning 20 years. One find was the work of authors Rob Silzer and Ben Dowell. The Talent Stewardship Model, described in their book Strategy-driven Talent Management: A Leadership Imperative (Jossey-Bass, 2009), contains six components of an integrated talent management strategy. These seemingly aligned with our culture and needs: strategy, identification, assessment, development, retention, and talent stewardship.
Using the Talent Stewardship Model as the foundation, the team developed the initial strategy for CBO talent management: (a) design a CBO job model, (b) implement a process to review and identify talent, (c) assess and coach potential successors, (d) develop a talent review database, (e) and facilitate career dialogues and individual development planning.
During the initial team meetings, we conducted a stakeholder analysis and identified critical stakeholders as the chancellor, chief administration officer, vice chancellor for fiscal affairs, vice chancellor for human resources, presidents, chief business officers, and chief human resources officers. One of the primary responsibilities the team identified for these critical stakeholders was to help drive the implementation of the communications strategy to provide timely and updated messaging throughout the development and implementation of the project.
The chancellor distributed the initial announcement via a series of white papers to the presidents of our various colleges and universities. The chief administrative officer distributed memoranda to presidents' cabinets. Project team members frequently presented project overview, goals, and timelines at internal systemwide conferences and departmental meetings; the project team charter was shared with CHROs, and the chief administration officer distributed project updates to presidents and CBOs regularly.
It was clear that in order to effectively select high-potential talent for the CBO role, we needed a succinct job model that would encapsulate the primary responsibilities and desired competencies of the CBO. We initially planned to use job descriptions to develop a job model; however, we polled the CHROs and learned that CBO job descriptions were either nonexistent or outdated.
After a team member described the job analysis process in progress at her institution, we began considering the benefits of conducting a job analysis for the CBO position. The team found that a legally defensible job analysis is costly, time and labor intensive, and requires a certain level of subject matter expertise and credentials. We then considered the development of a job performance model based on Human Performance Technology theory, as it would assist the team in identifying job factors—such as performance results, competencies, metrics, and optimal work environment—and would produce an overall higher-quality profile of a CBO in behavioral terms to meet the future demands of the role.
Go to the source. We developed an interview script using a performance consulting template adapted from authors Dana Robinson and James Robinson in Performance Consulting: Moving Beyond Training (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 1995). We interviewed a sample of CBOs from each of the four institution groups that were in close proximity to the CHRO's home institution. The CBOs who participated in the interviews averaged 18 years of experience in higher education and seven years in their current positions. Given that the interviews were recorded with the CBOs' consent, we subsequently transcribed the interviews and provided a copy of the transcript to allow the CBOs to clarify their responses, if desired.
Do data analysis. We used a useful book chapter that delineated a four-stage process for analyzing qualitative data, using word processing software that we subsequently used to analyze the interview data. We adapted the Performance Consulting Model template to include essential position information from a traditional job description to create a template for our USG Job Performance Model. The team met extensively to review and modify the job model, until we agreed that the model included an accurate synthesis of the position data we collected from various sources.
Capture and distribute details. After drafting the initial job performance model, we e-mailed copies to the CBOs who participated in the interviews, their presidents, and their chief HR officers to validate the model. We solicited feedback concerning their overall perception of the accuracy of the model, how effectively the model could serve as a developmental tool for CBO successors, ways in which they envisioned using the model, and any suggested changes.
The responses were overwhelmingly positive, and some reviewers provided feedback that the team used to enhance the model and clarify meaning in certain sections. The complete USG CBO Job Performance Model takes up 16 pages, which may be considered lengthy. In an effort to allay potential concerns about the length of the model, we summarized essential information in the first four pages and included detailed supplemental information in an appendix.
Environmental factors (supportive and inhibitive).
Career dimensions (derailers and developmental activities).
Appendix (competency definitions, best practices, quality criteria, and supporting data).
The goal of the talent identification and assessment processes is to identify emerging leaders, whose current skills, performance, and leadership potential align with the CBO Job Performance Model. Selected high-performance employees would participate in a talent assessment and other developmental experiences according to their specific learning and development needs.
1. eview the CBO Job Performance Model.
2. ssess potential and performance of direct reports and other key talent.
3. alibrate talent pool with institution leaders.
4. otify employees in the key talent pool.
5. onduct a career dialogue with key talent.
While this looked fine on paper, the next challenge the team encountered was to effectively communicate the steps of the talent review process to the incumbent CBOs. We considered a webinar as a way to leverage technology and enable asynchronous learning; however, due to the time requirement and need for clarity of communication, our stakeholders advised the team to meet face-to-face with the CBOs to explain the process and to conduct the initial talent review.
Consequently, we developed a Talent Review Guide, a 15-page primer outlining the steps in the talent review process (see sidebar, "Talent Review Defined" for more details). We forwarded the CBO Job Performance Model and Talent Review Guide to the CBOs with whom we were scheduled to meet to conduct the initial talent reviews. These documents, along with the performance potential assessment, served as the organizing documents for the talent review meetings.
As mentioned, the CBO position is increasingly complex given the expanded roles and responsibilities that fall under the CBO's purview. In an effort to depict the essence of the position, the team analyzed (1) CBO job descriptions and organizational charts from each institution sector; (2) results from a position questionnaire each CBO was asked to complete; and (3) data from interviews of 13 incumbent CBOs, which had resulted in 90 pages of transcribed data.
Themes related to CBO responsibilities, competencies, critical performance results, and other position factors became the foundation of the comprehensive job performance model. This model served as the centerpiece of the CBO talent management process.
CBOs were asked during interviews to respond based on their perception of current and future needs of the CBO position concerning institution goals/strategy, environmental factors affecting the position, behaviors that would derail a CBO, critical performance results, competencies, appropriate developmental activities for successors, and effective performance metrics. It is well known that leadership responsibilities in different institution groups vary significantly; therefore, the team was not surprised to learn that CBOs were concerned that attempting to create a single job model that encompasses the position scope for four institution groups would be problematic and beyond the scope of phase one of this initiative.
Major focus areas for CBOs include communicating and collaborating with multiple diverse internal and external constituency groups to forecast the institution's needs; then developing multiyear plans to align the institution's resources (human, facilities, and financial) with goals and initiatives; actively advocating for institutional resources; navigating the political landscape, including increased shared governance; and ensuring excellence in audit performance, rankings, budgets, and certifications.
Critical performance results align with the most important duties reported in NACUBO's 2013 National Profile of Higher Education Chief Business Officers.
1. Manage institution resources (financial, physical, and human resources) to meet the strategic goals of the institution.
2. Work collaboratively with the president's cabinet to drive the development and execution of the strategic plan.
3. Attract, develop, support, and retain high-performing talent.
4. Establish and maintain communication for mutual understanding and cooperation with various constituencies.
5. Collaborate with president's cabinet to promote initiatives that raise the awareness of the institution locally and throughout the state.
Accordingly, USG CBOs may need to give more attention to other needs of CBOs, such as becoming more in tune with the academic and information technology sides of the institution. The critical performance results are listed in the model and in the appendix of the model to include best practices, competency definitions, and supporting information derived from CBO interviews.
Inadequate funding of critical resources.
Loyalty to an outdated, traditional model of education.
Limited time and funding for professional development.
Campus fragmentation and operating in silos.
Additionally, they reported that CBOs will not be effective in the role if they fail to build relationships with key constituencies, lack deep understanding of the system, lack interpersonal skills, and demonstrate tunnel vision.
Chief business officers, presidents, and chief HR officers who reviewed the draft job performance model unanimously agreed that if future CBOs were developed in accordance with the job performance model, they would be sufficiently prepared to lead effectively in that role.
Overall, the chief business officers viewed the job performance model as a comprehensive, high-quality model that clarified their role within higher education—grounded in rigorous qualitative data that sought to deeply understand the role, responsibilities, and performance required of excellent CBOs in the system.
Morale and relationships are upbeat. Interactions between CBOs and their direct reports were enhanced, as supervisors engaged in candid conversations with their key talent about their strengths and developmental needs. CBOs also reported a high level of excitement among individuals selected to participate in the talent development process. Talent management literature indicates that employee morale increases when talent pools are established.
Talent mobility sparks different takes. A few CBOs indicated that they did not want to lose their key talent to other USG institutions. They were concerned that by including their high potentials in a systemwide database of high-potential talent, other institutions would launch recruiting processes targeted at those individuals.
Preliminary Results—Where Do We Go From Here?
This action research study began with a critical review of the current and future state of CBO talent in the USG. This review served to raise the collective awareness of a critical talent gap and prompted leaders to take ownership and provide funding for intentionally developing talent in our system.
Numerous factors affect the total cost of replacing an employee. However, recently the Center for American Progress study (www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/CostofTurnover.pdf) reported the cost to replace an executive is 213 percent of his or her annual salary. Given the average USG CBO salary of $157,000, our estimated savings so far on replacement costs is roughly $334,000.
Talent on the move. Upon the completion of phase one of the talent management initiative, a CBO at a USG state college was promoted to CBO at one of our regional universities, creating a vacant CBO position for which there was no heir apparent. The institution's chief HR officer contacted our office to request access to the talent report for potential CBOs in the system. We recommended a high-potential leader who at the time occupied the assistant vice president of fiscal affairs role. The chief HR officer contacted him and, following a series of interviews, offered him a stretch assignment as CBO. He served as the interim CBO for approximately one year, and then accepted the position full time.
The word is out. USG presidents and CBOs are beginning to contact our HR office to request names for assistant VP and/or VP of fiscal affairs positions. Recently, a CBO at a state college was promoted to assistant vice president at a research university, saving the USG additional replacement and training expenses. Internal candidates reduce the time to high productivity, because they are already familiar with our culture, policies, and procedures. Institutions may reduce advertising, candidate screening, and certain onboarding costs when hiring an internal candidate. Moreover, internal candidates are, most likely, familiar with other USG CBOs and may already possess the internal social capital to seek assistance with initial problem solving and training associated with the CBO role.
Patience along the way. Higher education will benefit significantly from a comprehensive shift of the cultural mindset toward talent development. Culture change does not usually occur within a short time span. We recently observed that all final CBO candidates at one of our state universities were external to the USG. Communication of talent management processes and benefits, as well as accessibility of talent pool data, are paramount to effective culture change.
Establishing an internal talent pool of future CBOs is certainly a step in the right direction for higher education institutions, considering that 40 percent of externally recruited senior level executives are deemed to fail in their first 18 months, by not performing at the expected level. Studies, including J. Yarnall's 2011 review of case study literature in Leadership & Organization Development Journal, indicate that strategic talent management can contribute to efficiency and profitability; however, higher education has been historically passive concerning implementing integrated processes to develop and retain talent.
As a Chinese proverb states: "If you want one year of prosperity, grow grain. If you want 10 years of prosperity, grow trees. If you want 100 years of prosperity, grow people." The University System of Georgia adopted the mantra "Developing the Talent Within," as we deliberately and proactively identify, develop, and retain leaders to ensure a prosperous future for the system.
TINA WOODARD is assistant vice chancellor for organizational development, and WENDY RUONA, is assistant professor, at the University System of Georgia, Atlanta.
We developed an "action research study" to understand which talent management strategies would be most effective in the unique ecosystem of public colleges and universities.
The goal of the talent identification and assessment processes is to identify emerging leaders, whose current skills, performance, and leadership potential align with the CBO Job Performance Model.
CBOs will not be effective in the role if they fail to build relationships with key constituencies, lack deep understanding of the system, lack interpersonal skills, and demonstrate tunnel vision.
Higher education leaders can use theory and evidence-based approaches to talent management to ensure effectiveness. This Talent Growth Model includes findings from our study and research from talent management literature on effective strategies applicable to any industry.
This three-part research-based model illustrates anchors, processes, and outcomes that are essential to establish a productive talent system. The model may be used to establish evidence-based practices to increase the capacities that enable key talent to succeed as leaders in higher education.
Source: Growing Higher Education Leaders Through Strategic Talent Management: An Action Research Case Study, T.C. Woodard, 2013 (reprinted with permission).
Define role of USG leaders in the talent review process (includes the institution president, CHRO, and CBO).
Review the Job Performance Model.
Assess potential and performance of direct reports and other key talent.
Conduct career development dialogue with employees.
Draft an individual development plan.
Provide guidelines for experiential developmental experiences/activities.
Develop sample questions to encourage introspection.
During the talent review, we provided an overview of the Talent Review Guide, then used the organizational chart to facilitate a discussion and assessment of the CBO's direct reports' performance and potential. Subsequently, the talent review report was shared with the CBO and institution president for calibration. CBOs notified their key talent of their selection to engage in CBO talent development. We administered the Hogan Assessment to key talent and provided a template, coaching, and support to develop their initial Individual development plan. The CBOs met with their key talent individually to conduct a career dialogue consisting of reviewing and enhancing their individual development plans.
Hands-on experience in and across functions.
Exposure to opportunities to serve on committees and attend meetings on behalf of the CBO.
Self-directed learning to acquire technical skills.


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Snarky Spaceships and Big Guns: Revealing The Stars Now Unclaimed
Thu Jan 11, 2018 9:00am 2 comments 2 Favorites [+]
In an effort to save the universe, she just might destroy it…
We're excited to share the UK cover for the action-packed sci-fi romp The Stars Now Unclaimed! A massive, galaxy-spanning tale of war, betrayal, friendship, The Stars Now Unclaimed is the first novel in the Universe After series from debut author Drew Williams. Check out the full cover by Jack Smyth below, alongside the US cover.
The Stars Now Unclaimed publishes with Simon & Schuster (UK) on 23 August 2018 from Tor (US) on Aug 28. From the UK catalog copy:
A century ago, a mysterious pulse of energy spread across the universe. Meant to usher in a new era of peace and prosperity, it instead destroyed technology indiscriminately, leaving some worlds untouched and throwing others into total chaos.
AN UNSTOPPABLE ENEMY
The Justified, a mysterious group of super-soldiers, have spent a hundred years trying to find a way to restore order to the universe. Their greatest asset is the feared mercenary Kamali, who travels from planet to planet searching for gifted young people and bringing them to the secret world she calls home. Kamali hopes that those she rescues will be able to find a way to reverse the damage the pulse wreaked, and ensure that it never returns.
But Kamali isn't the only person looking for answers to unimaginable questions. And when her mission to rescue a grumpy teenaged girl named Esa goes off the rails, Kamali suddenly finds herself smack in the centre of an intergalactic war… that she started.
AND THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING
UK cover design; art by Jack Smyth
US cover design
cover revealsDebut Authordebut novelsDrew WilliamsScience FictionSimon & SchusterThe Stars Now UnclaimedTor Books
E H Buchan-Kimmerly on Empty Earths: Five SF Stories Set on a Depopulated Planet 10 mins ago
Ellynne on Demon Possession—IN SPACE! Lewis's Perelandra as Exorcism Narrative 1 hour ago


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Bachelor of Science Business, Language & Culture Studies
Bachelor of Science Finance
Immerse yourself in the world of international business. Live, work, and succeed in a business environment that's anything but local. Choose between Arabic, French, German, Russian, or Spanish. Spend a semester abroad to enhance your language skills. You'll graduate with both practical, on-site work experience and a thorough academic background in international business affairs.
Visit Program Page for Bachelor of Science Business, Language & Culture Studies
Our finance bachelor's program trains you for a rewarding career with industrial, financial, governmental, not-for-profit, or consulting organizations. You'll have the opportunity to independently manage more than $850,000 with our Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF). Our program graduates are well-prepared to sit for the first level of the Chartered Financial Analyst or the Certified Financial Planner exams.
Visit Program Page for Bachelor of Science Finance


I mentioned it recently on this post and lots of you wanted to know more about the wonder-tool that allows you to make HSTs without ruling a single line or using a pin.
Well, it is now available at Amitie's online shop.
OOoh thanks for the link. Even better is the free postage in Australia - Yay!


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Client Voices
Senior Associates
Admin Managers
Life at Lavan
©2016 Lavan. All rights reserved.
Quadrant Advisory
Terms & Credits
Foreign investment policy and changes to FIRB rules
Revenue Laws Amendment Bill receives Assent: Changes to Western Australia's State Revenue Laws
Misleading and deceptive conduct by breach of contractual warranties and conduct
Exercise of an option - a cautionary tale for Landlords
Developers beware: duty implications for strata subdivisions
View all Property Updates
Treasury released an options paper in late February 2015 calling for feedback and comments to the Federal Government's proposal to tighten up its foreign investment policy (Proposal). This update focuses on the following key changes to that policy outlined in the Proposal:
the introduction of application fees for all foreign investment proposals;
changes to advanced off-the-plan certificates; and
increasing current criminal penalties and introducing new civil penalties for breach.
For an overview of the foreign investment in real estate framework, please see our October 2014 Property Update.
Application fee for FIRB approval
Currently, there are no costs for foreign investors when making applications to the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) for approval to purchase property in Australia.
The idea of imposing an application fee on potential foreign investors was recommended in 2014 by a parliamentary enquiry led by Liberal MP Kelly O'Dwyer. That inquiry sought to levy a $1,500 administration fee on the applicant. The Proposal considers the imposition of a much higher figure on potential foreign investors.
Under the Proposal, foreign investors will be charged up to $5,000 per application for properties valued below $1 million and up to $10,000 for properties over $1 million in value. Each additional $1 million in the property's value will attach an increment of $10,000 on the application fee. This fee will be paid before the application is processed by FIRB, and the 30 day statutory time period to assess the application will only begin after receipt of payment.
The Government has stated that the purpose of these fees is not to deter foreign investment in real estate, but to alleviate the burden of administrative costs off the taxpayer.
Advanced off-the-plan certificates
As the law stands today, developers of any development with 100 lots or more may apply to the FIRB for advanced off-the-plan certificates to sell apartments to foreign investors. The condition for granting such certificate is that the developer must also market the apartments domestically to ensure that Australian buyers have the same opportunity to purchase the apartments. There are currently no application fees for advanced off-the-plan certificates and no penalties for breach of the domestic marketing condition.
The Proposal recommends that developers be charged an application fee similar to the fees for individual applications based on the number of dwellings sold to foreign investors. It is not clear how will this be enforced. The amount levied on developers cannot be known at the time of application. To require developers to pay FIRB application fees for an advanced certificate could mean imposing ongoing reporting duties on the developer. Further, criminal and civil pecuniary penalties have been proposed for developers who fail to market apartments domestically, including potential imprisonment for up to two years.
The Government also proposes to limit the value of all apartments that can be bought by a single foreign investor to $3 million in any single development. Individual approval will need to be sought by the foreign investor who wishes to do so.
New penalties
Currently, the penalties available for breach of the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975 (Act) are limited to criminal penalties and divestment orders. In practice, the FIRB does not often prosecute offenders and, prior to the surge of recent publicity, has not prosecuted a single case since 2006.
On 3 March 2015, the Treasurer ordered the sale (within 90 days) of a $39 million Sydney home by the foreign investor who acquired the property without FIRB approval.
The Government's Proposal could see a civil penalty of up to 25 per cent of the value or purchase price of a property ($9.75 million in the above scenario) being imposed on an offender under the Act.
Furthermore, the Government has revived the idea of imposing civil penalties for any third party (lawyers, accountants and the like) who knowingly assists the foreign investor in breaching the rules of the Act. This was proposed a number of years ago but was never legislated. Instead prosecutors prosecuting third parties for knowingly assisting foreign investors to circumvent the Act could only rely on the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth) which allowed for fines of up to $85,000 or imprisonment of up to two years, or both.
Recently, the Treasurer announced that from 1 March 2015, foreign investors must obtain prior approval for a proposed acquisition of an interest in rural land where the cumulative value of rural land owned by that investor (including the proposed acquisition) is $15 million or more. This is a significant lowering of the threshold from the current $252 million. The Government will also establish a foreign ownership register and will start collecting information on existing foreign ownership of agricultural land from 1 July 2015.
Lavan Legal comment
Interested stakeholders have been given until 20 March 2015 to comment on the Treasury's options paper. There has been indication that the Property Council of Australia will be lobbying against the implementation of FIRB application fees as it will place undue burden, not only on foreign investors, but also local developers developing affordable housing.
The wide scope and general wording of the Proposal make it difficult for us to comment on the consequences of implementation without speculation. A number of pressing issues still need to be considered, such as the potential conflict of the Proposals with existing foreign investor programs and what anti-avoidance measures could be put in place to ensure third party compliance.
The Proposal has been made in light of growing public concerns, whether warranted or not, of high levels of foreign investment in real estate pricing local buyers out of the market. However, such a policy should be based on hard evidence, such as the percentage of new dwellings and Australian agricultural land that have actually been acquired by foreign interests. The policy runs the risk of being driven by populist politics rather than hard facts. Some consideration must be given to the impact of the Proposal to ensure that unintended consequences are avoided.
Foreign investors and developers alike should expect to be scrutinized over the coming months and should ensure that they are in compliance with the Act and the conditions of FIRB approvals.
Peter Beekink
Property and Leasing
Level 20, 1 William Street, Perth Western Australia 6000 Telephone +61 8 9288 6000
©2016-2019 Lavan. All rights reserved.


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Home > urban > Trash of the Count s Family > CH 776.50
Trash of the Count s Family CH 776.50
Author:Cale Category:urban Update time:2022-11-08 22:34:27
TCF2-28
In the middle of the dark night...
A red pillar shot up far beyond the wall.
The clear red color looked as if it would burn up all of the darkness around.
That light was clearly visible in this world where everything was dark.
"Hey Sui Khan! Look at that, do you see it"
Raon, On, and Hong...
The children averaging nine-years-old had their faces pressed against the window with their eyes wide open.
The black Dragon's blue eyes looked into Sui Khan's red eyes.
"That red pillar! I'm certain that this light is our human using his power!"
On spoke next very calmly but also very quickly.
"It is pretty far but if we can see the fiery thunderbolt from here...
It must mean that he used quite a lot of his power, nya."
"That means something dangerous must have happened, nya!"
Hong became anxious and didn't know what to do.
"We should have followed him!"
Raon clenched his cheeks with his front paws.
The black Dragon looked toward Sui Khan who had been silently standing by another window.
"Hey Sui Khan! Why aren't you saying anything"
On slowly turned her gaze to observe Sui Khan.
This was a new friend who had been with them since they came to this planet.
Based on Cale, Choi Han, and especially Alberu's demeanor, he seemed like someone they could trust.
Unlike Cale who frequently lacked a sense of vigilance, Choi Han followed by Alberu were the two most vigilant people in the group.
Those two people had accepted Sui Khan as a part of their team.
'Ah!'
On held back a gasp after checking what Sui Khan was observing out the window.
'He's observing the castle!'
While On's gaze had been focused on the red light, Sui Khan was observing the inside of the castle.
No alarm had gone off in the castle.
But On knew.
'I'm sure they saw what we saw as well.'
That was when On could finally see people moving in the darkness, especially by the distant wall out of the precinct.
She could see soldiers, knights, and even black mages.
On, who was in her human form, opened the window.
Clunk.
She then looked out the window.
'...The light in the Margrave's bedroom turned on!'
The room next to the Margrave's bedroom was the office for his top executives and that room had the light on twenty four hours a day.
She was certain that the Margrave and the entire top executives team were on alert right now.
The castle seemed quiet but it was quite chaotic underneath the surface.
That chaos would soon rise above the surface as well.
'What do I do'
They couldn't let people figure out about Cale's visit outside.
On's mind quickly started to move.
It was at that moment.
"Hey On.
Isn't it cold"
On heard a slow voice behind her.
"The night breeze is cold."
Sui Khan was looking at her.
He was petting Raon's head with one hand while messing Hong's hair with his other hand.
On leaned back into the room and closed the window.
It was because she suddenly realized that someone might see her in her human form.
On heard Sui Khan's voice.
"Variables always come up."
His voice was calm but it was different from Cale's calm voice.
Cale sounded crude, cold, and indifferent but his voice held warmth within it.
Sui Khan spoke slowly as if everything was boring and there was warmth in his voice as he gently called her name, but...
"We also can't be swept around by the variables."
It oddly sounded cold and rational.
This was something she had felt back in the Empire's capital.
Of course, that coldness was not directed at 'me' or my 'little brothers.'
"I'm sure they are in more chaos than we are."
Toward their enemies, toward their goal...
Sui Khan did not hide that coldness.
"Hey Sui Khan! But what if our human comes back hurt What about Mary Goldie gramps Choi Han"
"That's right! That's what we are worried about, nya!"
On saw Sui Khan's gaze heading somewhere outside the window as Raon and Hong could not hide their anxiety.
He was looking where Eruhaben had teleported them to before they crossed the wall.
"He's smarter than I am so I'm sure they are heading back right now."
On could see the corners of Sui Khan's lips curling up.
"Or they are already here."
Raon raised his head at that moment.
Raon's gaze headed toward the center of the room.
On could see Sui Khan close the curtains as soon as Raon did that.
Chhh.
The moment the curtains closed and the only light was from the candles in the room...
Ooooooooong---!
Mana gathered in the room.
Raon smiled after sensing this familiar mana.
"They're here! It's Goldie gramps!"
Paaaat-!
There was a bright light and a total of five people appeared on top of the golden teleportation magic circle.
Cale, who was standing at the center of the magic circle, looked into Sui Khan's red eyes as soon as he confirmed that they were back in the bedroom and started to speak.
"Did you find the coordinates of the Margrave's bedroom"
Figuring out the enemy's location, always confirming their movements, and making it so that they could reach their target at any moment...
That was the basics of the work Kim Rok Soo and Lee Soo Hyuk used to do for the company.
"What the heck is going on!"
The Margrave.
Marquis Helson was seated at the center of the top executives' meeting room connected to his bedroom.
He was dressed lightly because he had been sleeping for a bit but an attendant would soon bring his armor.
"Eaen!"
"Yes, Marquis-nim!"
"Have you determined the cause of that light"
Marquis Helson, who had felt the fluctuation of a strong power not too long ago, had seen a red light shooting up from the distance through his bedroom window.
The black mages had said that they detected some faint vibrations after that as well.
"Not yet, we have yet to determine the cause, sir!"
"Tell them to hurry!"
The red pillar of light had been temporary but it had definitely happened quite far from the wall.
However, the vibrations had been detected by the black mages who were in the basement located at the center of the Lord's Castle.
There was probably a much stronger vibration at the center of that pillar of light.
'Shit! What could it be'
Marquis Helson was getting a headache.
His mind was so complicated that it felt as if it would blow.
"...Chief!"
"Yes sir."
Eaen.
The true identity of this woman who was known as the top aide was actually the Chief of the top executives.
Some of the top executives were currently disguised as aides to observe some of the candidates.
"Will it be difficult to dispatch a team beyond the wall"
"...Mm."
Eaen frowned and was deep in thought for a moment before she shook her head.
"It may be possible once the sun comes up but it is dangerous right now.
We don't know when the black rain cloud might come and suddenly dispatching people like this may cause a different kind of issue."
It wasn't that Eaen didn't want to send a team past the wall.
In fact, she wanted to send people so that they might at least get a clue about what happened.
"...Marquis-nim.
We have a lot of individuals missing."
"I know! That's why I am asking!"
The past half year...
Quite a lot of the Dark Elves, black mages, and scouts they had sent out in the past half year had gone missing.
The Imperial Palace had ignored the reports about these missing individuals as mere accidents but the Margrave and his team had seen this as a sign as well.
The Marquis slammed down on the table with his palm.
"The Second Imperial Princess didn't come back either.
I'm sure something must have happened beyond the wall.
We shouldn't have accepted the candidates!"
"Please calm down, Marquis-nim."
Eaen calmly continued to speak.
"But I'm certain that the Imperial Palace will pay attention to the current situation because the candidates are here.
It will become possible to figure out what is going on past the wall."
Marquis Helson preferred political neutrality.
The reason this man, who had dedicated his life to protecting the edge region, had accepted the candidates' test being in his precinct was to learn about what was going on beyond the wall.
I'm sure that the Imperial Palace will pay attention to our report this time.
They will want to save their precious candidate."
The Marquis said candidate and not candidates.
"What about the First Imperial Prince and the Fourth Imperial Prince"
"They are quiet."
"It is highly likely that the two of them know what is going on beyond the wall.
Of course the Fourth Imperial Prince might not, but I'm sure the First Imperial Prince does.
He is with the young lady of the House of Huayans."
"I have already increased the level of surveillance on them already."
The Marquis was not thinking about only getting information through the candidates.
He was certain that the Imperial Palace had some knowledge of what was going on beyond the ten edge villages.
That was what he believed, so he was thinking about stealing information from the First Imperial Prince who was being supported by the Imperial Palace and the House of Huayans.
'And one more thing.'
The strong candidate who could keep the First Imperial Prince in check...
He was planning on secretly contacting that candidate.
'The Margraves of the North and East have agreed to be with me as well.
The Margrave of the South agreed to remain neutral.'
North, South, East, and West.
The Margraves responsible for the defense of the Empire were all from families with deep histories that have continued on for generations.
They had fought valiantly in the edge precincts generation after generation to protect the Empire.
There had been quite a lot of support from the center for them as well.
'...It's weird.'
However, the intentions of the center, the intentions of the Imperial Palace had been a bit suspicious lately.
'Are they really trying to protect the Empire'
This was a thought that most of the Margraves have had and they were currently suspicious of the House of Huayans.
The House of Huayans.
Most people saw them as people who did not seek out power and protected the Empire as the Emperor's instructor.
The respective Margraves had their own reasons for suspecting the House of Huayans.
Marquis Helson had a reason to be suspicious as well.
'...The House of Huayans was the ones who most strongly emphasized a need to set the Church of the Fire of Purification as a heretic cult.
They are basically the reason the Church of the Fire of Purification became a cult.'
The former patriarch...
His grandfather had believed in the Church of the Fire of Purification.
Marquis Helson was hiding the fact that his grandfather was a member of the church because any members would be executed on the spot, but...
'That church is not a cult.'
Marquis Helson had seen the Pope's abilities when he was young.
Destroying dead mana, that red-
'Red'
The Marquis jumped up from his seat.
Bang-!
The chair he had been sitting on fell backward.
"Marquis-nim"
A shocked Eaen approached and called out to him but the Marquis didn't even look at his niece's face.
He headed toward the window.
'That red pillar just now-'
That was different from a pillar of fire.
There was a reason the Marquis had been calling it a pillar of light.
'It felt as if a thunderbolt was shooting up from the ground toward the sky-'
Yes, it was definitely that kind of power.
And that clear red pillar had been so so visible.
It was because the darkness retreated temporarily to avoid that pillar.
The dead mana had avoided that red pillar of light.
'Perhaps-'
The Marquis recalled something the former patriarch, his grandfather, the person he loved and respected the most, had once told him.
'Helson.
The god that I believe is said to have defeated darkness and death with a fire imbued with a thunderbolt.'
He put his hand in his pocket.
His hand was shaking.
There was a note he had been keeping on him because he couldn't let anybody find it.
< I heard heretics are to be executed immediately >
Heni Wishrop.
The note from her people...
They knew that Marquis Helson had some relationship with the church.
'...I thought they were going to use this to grab my weakness.'
He had also been curious as to how they knew this information.
It had made him anxious.
'But what if-'
This red pillar of light...
'What if they are people from the church'
This pillar of light-
'What if this is that Fire of Purification or something'
Marquis Helson's fingertips that were holding the note were still shaking.
'That would mean that the church has a strong necromancer who could rival the First Imperial Prince.
If that is the case.'
He had a hypothesis.
'Heni Wishrop is not the leader.'
Although a necromancer could have a high-ranking position in the church, she could not create this pillar of light.
That means!
Marquis Helson recalled Heni Wishrop's subordinate he had made eye contact with when he received the note at the tower.
Now that he thought about it all of her subordinates had the same hair color and eye color.
It was as if they were trying to camouflage on purpose.
'Is that guy perhaps-'
Screeeech.
The Marquis' bedroom that was connected to the top executives' meeting room...
It was like this because the Marquis had given up his personal life to defend the edge precinct.
The closed door to the bedroom opened.
Although there should be nobody inside the bedroom.
That door was opening.
"Identify yourself-"
The Marquis raised his hand the moment a shocked executive was about to shout.
His action made everybody close their mouths.
The door creaked and completely opened in the silence.
The Marquis felt as if he knew.
He felt as if he knew who was in the bedroom.
"Marquis-nim.
May we have a chat in private"
The man in a white mask who appeared in the door...
The smile on his face was visible as his mouth was not covered by the mask.
'It's him.'
The man he believed to be Heni Wishrop's subordinate...
The man who had smiled when Marquis Helson had received the note...
'He might not be her subordinate.'
The man was standing in the bedroom alone.
"None of you come inside."
"Marquis-nim-"
"Obey my order."
Chief Eaen called out to him but the Marquis gave an order to all of them before entering the bedroom alone.
The man was standing in the room alone with a smile still on his face as he welcomed the Marquis inside.
"We should probably close the door if we want to chat in private"
The moment Marquis Helson spoke calmly despite not feeling that way...
The man raised his hand and...
Screeech- bang!
The door closed.
It was as if by magic.
'...Magic'
Marquis Helson's mind became complicated again after thinking of that word and almost as if this person understood the complicated mess in his mind...
Inside the dark bedroom that now had the curtains closed and only a candle was lighting it up...
The man reached his hand forward.
Crack.
A rose gold fiery thunderbolt crackled and pushed away the darkness in the bedroom.
"......!"
The Marquis stiffened as if he had been paralyzed by poison.
Cale slowly started to speak at that moment.
'We don't have time to chat for a long time.
I guess we need to suppress him thoroughly to start'
He called for someone.
"Raon."
Marquis Helson could see dark blue eyes in the darkness.
"...Dragon......!"
Although it was small, a real black Dragon appeared.
"Nice to meet you, Marquis Helson-nim."
Cale greeted the Marquis in a new way.
'Ha.
I never expected to say this with my own mouth.'
He had an oddly unsettled smile on his face as he introduced himself.
"I am the purifier."


text:
Q: Email message recall does it actually work? I was asked to recall a message I sent out to remove some personal info from it and replace it with a generic made up person as an example.
Does message recall really work?
It's my opinion because you get told a message has been recalled it just causes you to want to find out what was in the original message. All you do is find someone who had already read it.
Can exchange server be adjusted to not tell users when a message is recalled or replaced?
What about bcc, recall doesn't seem to work on these and global emails tend to be the ones you really need to recall.
EDIT Also people with smartphones which is common now don't seem to get email retrieved from their phone either

A: Only works on unopened mail, for users of MS Exchange/Outlook.
read this blog post and comments for more information.

A: To add a bit of information, if the message is displayed in a preview pane, it is considered read making recalling impossible.
We did some testing just yeasterday and discovered that the recall feature is pretty lame.  As mentioned above it is only recalled if it is unread (or unpreviewed).  In the case where it has been read, the recall only makes the message MORE obvious.  Not the desired effect by far.

A: In most cases, it's too late, it just let's me know there was an email you didn't want me to read.

A: Only works on unopened mail, local to the server you sent it on.  (as far as I know, I suppose it could work on server farms/clusters too?)

A: If the recipient is offline and message is not delivered to his PST by the Exchange server, then RECALL works and you get the message accordingly.
Thanks & Regards,
Ajay

A: Yes it is true that the Recall This Message Outlook functionality very often does not work.
WinDeveloper just released a server-side solution for Excahnge 2007/2010. It works equally well for both emails addressed to local recipients and for emails sent to foreign recipients. For more details:
WinDeveloper vs Native Exchange Message Recalling
http://www.windeveloper.com/recall/recall_features.htm
Message Recalling Works! Here is how
http://www.windeveloper.com/recall/recall_howitworks.htm

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Anthony Smith | Christian. Husband. CofE ordinand in Durham. Previous lives: organist, astronomer, software developer. Singer (classical).
I wouldn't say I'm the biggest Peter Singer fan in the world, but this is pretty powerful (hat tip: Make Wealth History).
AV again: support or preference?
Does the AV guarantee majority support?
Happy first birthday, Herschel and Planck!
Zidane is reported to "apologise" for his "inexcusable" headbutt in Sunday's World Cup final. But he added, "I can't regret it". Huh?


text:
package io.typebrook.fiveminsmore.res;

import android.content.Context;
import android.content.DialogInterface;
import android.support.v7.app.AlertDialog;

import io.typebrook.fiveminsmore.Constant;
import io.typebrook.fiveminsmore.MapsActivity;

import static io.typebrook.fiveminsmore.Constant.COOR_WGS84_D;

/**
 * Created by pham on 2017/4/9.
 */

public class CoorSysList {
    public static int coorSetting;

    public static void setCoorSys(final Context context) {
        AlertDialog.Builder builder = new AlertDialog.Builder(context);
        builder.setTitle("選擇座標系統")
                .setItems(Constant.COOR_METHODS, new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {
                    @Override
                    public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which) {
                        coorSetting = which;
                        ((MapsActivity) context).getMapsManager().onCameraMove();
                        dialog.cancel();
                    }
                });

        builder.show();
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


A focus will be on the ecosystem services and tools and strategies for a sustainable use of soil as a resource will be developed.
Work on the five thematic syntheses will start in autumn 2016. Intensive exchanges with practitioners will be a key aspect of this work. An advisory group composed of representatives of different stakeholder groups is appointed for each thematic synthesis. The aim of the thematic syntheses is to place the research results within an overall context in line with the needs of stakeholders and to develop specific tools, concepts and strategies for practitioners and the cantonal and federal offices. These syntheses will make an important contribution to the programme's goals. Results are expected in spring 2018.
The challenges posed by the sustainable use of soil and the approaches developed in NRP 68 will be described in an overall synthesis. This document will also include the core messages and final recommendations of NRP 68, as defined by the programme's Steering Committee. It is expected to be published in spring 2019.


text:
Former prosecutor charged in Ahmaud Arbery case booked into jail, released
RUSS BYNUM
SAVANNAH, Ga. — The former prosecutor charged with misconduct for her handling of the Ahmaud Arbery case was booked at a Georgia jail on Wednesday and released.
Former Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney Jackie Johnson turned herself in Wednesday morning at the Glynn County jail, county Undersheriff Ron Corbett said. Jail records show she was released on her own recognizance, meaning she did not have to pay a cash bond.
A grand jury indicted Johnson, 49, last week on a felony charge of violating her oath of office and a misdemeanor count of obstructing police. Johnson was the area's top prosecutor when three white men chased and fatally shot Arbery last year. The indictment alleges she used her position to discourage police from making arrests in the 25-year-old Black man's killing.
Johnson did not immediately return a phone message Wednesday. Officials at the jail and the Glynn County Superior Court clerk's office said their records did not list an attorney for her.
Previously reported:Ex-prosecutor shielded men who chased and killed Ahmaud Arbery, misconduct charges allege
Read More:Why the Ahmaud Arbery story still matters and how Brunswick is moving forward
Greg McMichael and his grown son, Travis McMichael, armed themselves and pursued Arbery in a pickup truck on Feb. 23, 2020, after they spotted Arbery running in their neighborhood just outside the port city of Brunswick, about 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of Savannah.
A neighbor, William "Roddie" Bryan, joined the chase and took cellphone video of Travis McMichael shooting Arbery at close range with a shotgun. Greg McMichael told police they suspected Arbery was a burglar and Travis McMichael shot him in self-defense.
Prosecutors have said Arbery was unarmed and was carrying no stolen items when he was slain.
The McMichaels and Bryan weren't charged in the killing until more than two months later, after the video was leaked online and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation took over the case. Now all three men are scheduled to stand trial this fall on murder charges.
Greg McMichael worked for Johnson as an investigator in the district attorney's office before retiring in 2019. Phone records introduced in court show he called Johnson and left her a voicemail soon after the shooting.
Johnson has previously denied any wrongdoing, saying she recused her office from the case immediately because of its relationship with Greg McMichael.
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr's office is prosecuting Johnson. Carr sought the misconduct investigation last year, saying the first outside prosecutor he appointed to handle the case had been recommended by Johnson, who never disclosed that she had already asked that prosecutor to advise police in the immediate aftermath of Arbery's killing.
That outside prosecutor, Waycross Judicial Circuit District Attorney George Barnhill, later recused himself — but not before sending a letter to Glynn police advising that he believed the shooting of Arbery was justified.
Johnson lost reelection last year and blamed controversy over Arbery's death for her defeat.


CAN THE WIND INDUSTRY BANK ON WIND LIDAR TO DELIVER IMPROVED, MORE ACCURATE ANNUAL ENERGY PREDICTIONS?
There are many motives for improving wind measurements, but is wind lidar the solution? Since the technology's introduction in 2003, the wind energy industry has sought to confirm this. The report outlines the demand for improving measurement techniques and examines whether wind lidar technology is the most effective way to achieve this, across different wind energy project applications.


Concave back and fully contoured shape especially for fixed position trap shooting: 400 series has heavily defined horizontal ribbing on the face that improves stability for a smooth follow-through.
This is called a trap pad, but we like it for any type of shooting that requires maximum recoil absorption.
At last, technology meets usability for reducing recoil. Previous shotgun recoil accessories and recoil reduction systems are now obsolete because of the amazing features offered when using Sorbothane and its performance as a recoil reducer for shotguns.
Powerful enough to protect a space shuttle and durable enough to be a highly-effective recoil reduction system, no set of shotgun recoil accessories is complete without Sorbothane recoil pads. If your main objective is to introduce a recoil reduction system that doesn't make you have to fundamentally change your positioning, or require expensive add-ons or gizmos, then using a Sorbothane recoil pad is your perfect solution.
Sorbothane, a one-of-a-kind visco-elastic polymer, has been medically and scientifically proven to be the FINEST cushioning material available today with a spectrum of properties never before realized.
By virtually eliminating the rebound effect of the first shot, second shots are quicker and more accurate. Sorbothane will not distort or lose its effectiveness after being compressed thousands of times and will not "bottom out" as do most common rubber materials on the market today. Sorbothane remains effective in all weather conditions.


When the latest issue of Pastel Journal arrived the other day, I was immediately reminded of a familiar response to a student's inquiry about how to paint something unfamiliar: It's all the same. I first witnessed this lesson when attending a workshop given by a nationally renowned artist, famous for his still life and portrait work. He began the first day with a still life demonstration. A friend of mine, who greatly admired the instructor, watched intently as he laid every stroke to the surface. When the workshop instructor finished, we were instructed to return to our easels and paint. As the instructor made his final rounds for the day, he stopped at my friend's easel and congratulated him on how well he had done. It was indeed a beautiful rendition that emulated the technique of the instructor very well. As you can imagine, my friend was beside himself with joy. Having earned the praise of his hero, he could hardly wait to return for the next day's session.
The following day, as we entered the classroom, we were confronted with new subject matter. Two models had been posed at opposite ends of the room. Anticipating that the instructor would again begin with a demonstration, we patiently waited. As the hands of the classroom clock marked the appointed hour, he entered the room. Instead of approaching an easel and beginning, however, he turned to the group and announced, "Today you paint the portrait. Begin!" Everyone hurried back to their stations, intently sized up the nearest model, adjusted their positions, and set to work. Everyone, that is, except my friend, who stood quietly at his easel and did nothing. As the instructor made his first pass, he stopped at my friend's easel and asked why he was not working. "You have not shown me how to paint a portrait," he replied. A hush fell over the classroom and we eavesdropped to hear the response. Calmly, looking up at my friend (my friend is a tall man and the instructor considerably shorter), he stated, "It's all the same," and continued on his rounds.
As I worked, I would occasionally glace towards my friend to see how he was doing. To my astonishment, he had not made a single mark. Slowly the instructor made his way back to my friend's easel. Again, he paused, looked up at my friend and said, "Why haven't you been working?" My friend replied, "I'm sorry. I could paint the still life because you showed me, but I've never attempted a portrait." At this point, you could have heard a pin drop in the room. Standing directly in front of my friend and looking up into his eyes, the instructor slowly reached up and grabbed his ears in his hands. Gently pulling his head up and down, he firmly repeated, "It's all the same, it's all the same, it's all the same. Do you agree?" In a somewhat shaky voice, my friend replied, "Yes." The instructor released his ears and walked away to help another student.
As the session ended for the day, I approached my friend to inquire about the exchange and how he had finally mustered the courage to plow into the portrait. "It's like this", he said, "The first day, I had watched him do the still life and was able to go back to my easel and emulate the process. Today, though, I was clueless about how to paint the portrait since he had not demonstrated this morning, but I knew after our last interaction that if I didn't agree with him he wouldn't have released my ears. I still didn't know what to do, but figured I might as well approach it like the still life since I knew how to do that. I just kept thinking, this is a round shape, this is a flat plane, this cooler, this warmer, and you know what? It is all the same! The still life is the portrait, and the portrait the landscape." A lesson learned.
Learn all the latest pastel painting techniques and tips when you sign up for the Pastel Journal email newsletter. Sign up today and receive a downloadable issue of Pastel Journal completely free!
As I flip through the beautiful pages of the Pastel 100 winners in the current Pastel Journal, starting with the lovely Terri Ford painting on the cover, I am again reminded that the subject matter might be different, the personal style and application unique, but when it is all said and done, it really is all the same!
Congratulations to the winners and to those that took a chance and entered. We all benefit artistically from your efforts!


On April 17 Japanese Sci Fi /Alt-Rockers MOLICE release their 3rd album Neugravity and re-release their debut effort Doctor Ray, via Good Charamel Records in North America. The band also contributes two songs to Good Charamel's just-released I Love J-Rock 2 compilation, where they appear alongside some of Japan's best female fronted rock bands, such as Shonen Knife, TsuShiMaMiRe, LAZYgunsBRISKY and the label's latest signing, tricot. I Love J-Rock 2 is out today, April 10.
MOLICE's Neugravity retains the band's raw rock sound punctuated by clever hooks, and lyrically goes deeper into sci-fi. Blade Runner in particular seems to have been an influence, demonstrated by songs titled "Rachel", "Please Please Pris" and "Tomei Mamire" (Wiped Clean). Rambunctious rock, robots and romance? Welcome to the wonderful world of MOLICE.
MOLICE are a modern Japanese band who draw inspiration from 70's punk's DIY spirit, 80's new wave and power pop as well as 90's unchained indies guitar rock. While many Japanese bands are the product of management hired producers and stylists, MOLICE have gone their own indie way, and created their own sound from a wide and unlikely combination of influences. Music writers have scrambled to find comparisons, with the Pixies and the Pretenders coming up most often.
The band was formed in 2007 by the charismatic female singer/rhythm guitarist Rinko, high tension guitarist Yuzuru Takeda, and rock solid drummer Takeshi Koyama. Just months after coming they were invited to play Summer Sonic, one of Japan's biggest festivals.
After a year of polishing their material playing Tokyo's numerous rock venues, the band made their recorded debut in November 2008 with their album 'Doctor Ray'. The album quickly drew attention amongst Japanese rock fans, and surprisingly, substantial acclaim from abroad. The singles "White Vertigo", "Ms. Panic" and "Headphone" found their way into rotation on numerous US college radio stations. Good Charamel Records proudly re-releases this classic album in North America on April 17.
Their sophomore effort Catalystrock was released in March 2010 and caught the attention of Good Charamel Records, who released the album in North America with bonus remixes included.


For anyone who didn't see it last week, Fun Fact Friday is a new feature in which I post a fun fact about myself that doesn't involve my Cerebral Palsy.
Some of you may have gathered by now that I love to read, so this week I'm going to tell you all what my favourite book is.
It's My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. I fell in love with this book when I first read it while I was still in highschool. I cried for ages after I'd read it. I still haven't watched the movie though.
That's all for now folks, I'm off to make a cup of tea and dive into the book I'm currently reading. At the time of writing this post it's Lisey's Story by Stephen king.
I read the book and also saw the movie. Such a powerful book. Enjoy your current read!
Is the film good? I've heard mixed things. Thank you!
As with all movies from books I'd argue the book is much better. But it is a very watchable movie and most certainly will have you reaching for the tissues!