text:
Dolphins 2022 Review: CB Xavien Howard
Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard made the Pro Bowl, even though his season wasn't up to his standards
Dante Collinelli
Jan 20, 2023 12:00 PM EST
In this story:
With the Miami Dolphins' season coming to an end after a loss to the division rival Buffalo Bills in the wild-card playoff round, it's time to review the 2022 performance of some of the team's best players.
This series will include each player's stats, best game, worst game, positives, negatives and outlook for the offseason.
Xavien Howard, Cornerback
Stats: 1 interception, 12 passes defended, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 touchdown, 45 combined tackles
Best Game: 30-15 Win vs. Texans
This game gets the nod for two reasons. One, Howard scored his only touchdown of the season off a fumble return, which put the Dolphins ahead 27-0.
Additionally, it was the only game this season where Howard didn't allow a single catch in coverage, according to PFF. He was only targeted twice, but Howard was playing tight coverage throughout the game.
His performance in Week 18 merits some recognition just for the sheer fact he finished with a season-high three passes defended.
Worst Game: 23-17 Loss vs. Los Angeles Chargers
There were a couple of games in consideration in this spot. The Chargers game wins out for two reasons. First, Howard allowed all five of his targets to turn into catches, and he gave up 106 yards receiving.
He gave up more yards against the Bengals (119) and against the Vikings (110), but a lot of those yards were the result of yards after the catch.
Against the Chargers, only 22 of the yards Howard allowed were after the catch. That means wide receivers were simply beating him in coverage further down the field.
The importance of the Chargers game also holds some weight in this conversation. It was a prime-time game against a fellow AFC wild-card contender, and Howard struggled mightily.
FOR EVEN MORE COVERAGE ON THE MIAMI DOLPHINS, CHECK OUT SPORTS ILLUSTRATED'S MIAMI DOLPHINS PAGE ON SI.COM
Positive Takeaways
Howard had a tough 2022 season. However, there was one positive takeaway — his availability.
He played in 15 games this season, and although he frequently appeared on the injury report throughout the season, Howard was available for the Dolphins this season.
Once believed to be too injury-prone, Howard has now played in at least 15 games three seasons in a row, something he did only once in his first four seasons.
Howard was also named to the Pro Bowl this season despite his down season, proving he's highly regarded around the NFL thanks to his track record of success.
Negative Takeaways
Howard's reaction to making the Pro Bowl indicates even he knows 2022 wasn't his best season.
"I was surprised," Howard said. "It's an honor to be in the Pro Bowl and be consistent with it. But I feel like there were a bunch of plays I left out there on the field. I feel like I can get better. And be better."
He's right; there were a bunch of plays he left on the field this season. Howard finished with a 101.2 passer rating allowed, which was the second-highest of his career, second only to 2019 when he played just five games, according to Pro Football Reference.
Howard made a name for himself by creating turnovers. He finished with 10 interceptions in 2020 and five in 2021, but he produced just one in 2022. Even Howard's passes defended took a dip this season.
He finished with 12, which was down from 20 two years ago and 16 last season.
PFF grades are not the end-all-be-all for player evaluation, but Howard's 55.2 coverage grade was the lowest of his career, and the film would indicate that wasn't an unfair number.
Howard seems to have regressed quite a bit in 2022. Perhaps it was just a down season for the usually solid cornerback, but if his turnovers don't make a return to normal levels in 2023, it might be time to question whether time has finally caught up with Howard.
Offseason Outlook
Although Howard had arguably one of the worst seasons of his otherwise mostly stellar career, he will be back with the Dolphins, and they will rely on him to be a shut-down corner next season.
However, the question this offseason will be whether 2022 was an aberration or the start of a trend.
He's 29 years old, and 30 is typically considered the drop-off point for cornerbacks. This is especially concerning for a player like Howard, who relies on creating turnovers and thrives in man coverage.
Some corners, like Richard Sherman, are capable of milking a couple more years of production out of their clearly aging bodies by playing sound zone coverage and keeping receivers in front of them.
Neither of those things is Howard's strength. He's a risk-taker who relies on remarkable make-up speed to create turnovers. Although Howard hasn't missed a lot of games in recent seasons, he was on the injury report plenty this season, which is another factor in this discussion.
The good news is there's a realistic version of history where Howard takes the offseason to refocus, and he returns to form in 2023.
Thanks for reading. Make sure to bookmark this site and check back daily for the latest Dolphins news and analysis year-round. Also, you can follow me on Twitter at @PoupartNFL, and that's where you can ask questions for the regular All Dolphins mailbags. You also can ask questions via email at fnalldolphins@yahoo.com.
Sunday Dolphins Mailbag: Holland, Biggest Need, Bridgewater, and More


Heat oil on medium heat in a dutch oven or large pot.
Add onion, celery, pepper, and garlic to the dutch oven and fry, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender.
Add smoked brisket and cook, stirring often for about 5-7 minutes.
Lower the heat, stir and cover with a lid.
Let the chili simmer for 90 minutes.


Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd meeting with the Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou (third from right) and other delegates.
Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd (right) shaking hands with the Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou (left).
Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd (right) meets with the Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou (left) and the Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Dollis (centre).
Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd (right) shaking hands with Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas (left) outside the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd (right) shaking hands with Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas (left) at the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd (left) shaking hands with Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas (right) at the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd (left) and the Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou (right) during Mr Rudd 's visit to Greece.
Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd (left) meeting with Greek President Karolos Papoulias (right) at the Presidential Palace in Athens.
Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd (left) meets the Greek President Karolos Papoulias (right) at the Presidential Palace in Athens.
Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd (left) shaking hands with Greek President Karolos Papoulias (right).
Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd delivering a speech at the "Kostis Palamas" Cultural Centre of the University of Athens.
Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd speaking at the "Kostis Palamas" Cultural Centre of the University of Athens.
Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd (left) meeting with Archbishop of Athens and All of Greece His Beatitude Hieronymos II (right) in Athens.
Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd (left) meeting with Archbishop of Athens and All of Greece His Beatitude Hieronymos II (right).


Template for recording a brainball session.
Template for recording a brainstorming session.
Template for recording a feasibility assessment.
Template for Pugh's unweighted method of feasibility assessment.
Template for recording a weighted method feasibility assessment.


text:
Taking President Trump Seriously
Posted by Tod Lindberg in Commentary
On NATO
On the campaign trail, Donald Trump was unsparing in his disparagement of U.S. alliances. In a word, allies were freeloaders—complacent in their reliance on the United States to provide them security, contributing nothing like their "fair share" of the cost of their defense, and lavishing the dividend on their domestic needs. Maybe that was acceptable when they were flat on their backs after a war that left the United States on top, but now that they are prospering and the United States has pressing needs of its own, it's time for the allies to pay up. He also mused about NATO being "obsolete."
This was alarming (to put it mildly) to most American foreign-policy specialists—to say nothing of the reaction of U.S. allies. The postwar alliance structure in Europe has been the backbone of security on a continent where the United States fought two wars. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization underpinned the postwar revival of Western Europe and subsequently, after the collapse of the Warsaw Pact and the demise of the Soviet Union, of Central and Eastern Europe. The relevance of the alliance has gained renewed salience with Russia's aggression against its neighbors, first in Georgia in 2008, then in Ukraine in 2014.
At the heart of the alliance is Article 5 of the Washington Treaty of 1949—the commitment of each member to regard an armed attack on any as an attack on all. In practical terms, the meaning of Article 5 is that American power provides a security guarantee for Europe, a commitment upheld and explicitly reiterated by U.S. presidents since Harry S. Truman. The treaty is binding, yet equally in practical terms, it is the American president whose commander-in-chief powers will dictate the response of the U.S. military to any attack—and by extension, the sincerity of his commitment determines the deterrent value of Article 5 against potential aggressors. Would a President Trump abrogate the U.S. commitment? Or hold it hostage to defense-spending increases by allies—perhaps even by demanding the payment of a much larger past-due bill, as the candidate suggested on at least one occasion?
In Asia, the biggest long-term challenge is the rise of China; the U.S. alliances with Japan, South Korea, Australia, and the Philippines (as well as the more complicated commitment enshrined in the Taiwan Relations Act) represent the underpinning of Pacific security. Would this, too, be up for grabs under Trump? Was "America First" shorthand for an isolationist retooling of U.S. relations with the rest of the world? The short answer to these questions turns out to be no. Trump has no apparent intention to do away with U.S. alliance relationships, however cumbersome and expensive he perceives them to be, and he evinces no intention to try to replace the postwar security architecture with something new and different, whatever that might be. So what happened? Were his many critics sounding the alarm therefore wrong about his intentions? Did he change his mind? Is the question of alliances now settled? Since Trump has taken office, alliance policy seems to have operated on two tracks within the U.S. government. The first track is the president's own. He has continued to warn allies that they need to pay up—though his demands have moderated considerably, coalescing around the 2 percent of GDP that allies have pledged to spend on defense (though very few do). And although he has reaffirmed the U.S. Article 5 commitment on some occasions, on others when it would have been appropriate for him to do so, he has declined, apparently intentionally. Still, he has never repudiated the commitment. There seem to be two possibilities here: either a deliberate exercise in ambiguity, or incompetence and confusion of the kind his critics have long diagnosed.
I think the evidence points distinctly toward the former. That evidence is the second track of policy within the government. Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, and Secretary of Defense James Mattis—as well as officials junior to them—have been on something close to a nonstop reassurance tour of U.S. allies and partners since the beginning of the administration. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster has joined the chorus since he stepped in to replace the ousted Michael Flynn. Their message has been unambiguous: The United States stands by its security and alliance commitments, and allies must contribute more to collective defense. True, some allies continue to harbor doubts centered on the persona of Trump. Yet—therefore?—many are moving to spend more on defense.
Now, the simple fact is that Trump could order his Cabinet members and senior staff to desist from repeating the first half of their message—the reassurance. Trump might have had some resignations to cope with, but it is well within his power to issue such an edict, and he hasn't done so. The most likely reason he hasn't is that he has concluded that too much is riding on these alliances. To continue in this speculative vein, what Trump knew to be true about U.S. allies during the campaign season was that they weren't contributing enough; that's a message that Washington has been sending with little effect for decades. What he didn't know on the campaign trail and has since determined is how central these alliances are to U.S. national security. U.S. alliances aren't quite so fragile as some feared. The case for them, competently made by the likes of Mattis, must be compelling, including to the skeptic in chief.
It's here that we may be getting a little lesson in the cunning of history. From his skeptical premise, Trump sparked a very broad debate over alliances. Senior officials of his administration have probably devoted more time and energy to making the public case for NATO and our Pacific alliances during his first 10 months in office than their predecessors did in the previous 10 years. The latter had taken the utility of alliances to U.S. national security as a given.
All this attention has had an effect on public opinion. But the effect has not been, as many feared, a groundswell of support for isolationist or anti-alliance sentiment. Just the opposite. For the past three years, the Chicago Council Survey has asked, "How effective do you think [maintaining effective alliances is] to achieving the foreign-policy goals of the United States?" In 2015, 32 percent of all respondents responded "very effective." In 2016, the figure was 40 percent. In 2017? Forty-nine percent. Specifically on NATO, 69 percent say the alliance is "essential" to U.S. security, a slight increase from 65 percent in 2016 and well above the 57 percent who said the same when the Chicago Council first asked the question in 2002.
For the first time in the history of the survey, a majority of Americans, 52 percent, say they would support "the use of U.S. troops…if Russia invades a NATO ally like Latvia, Lithuania, or Estonia." The Trump administration has had little to say about the Russian threat to the Baltics but a great deal to say about the danger of North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile program. A year ago, 47 percent said they would favor "the use of U.S. troops…if North Korea invaded South Korea." That was the view of 26 percent of Americans in 1990. Today, it's what 62 percent think.
Finally, on the question of allies paying up, the survey asked which comes closer to the respondent's views: "The United States should encourage greater allied defense spending through persuasion and diplomatic means" or "The United States should withhold its commitment to defend NATO members" until they actually spend more. Overall, 59 percent said persuasion and diplomacy; 38 percent (including 51 percent of Republicans) would put Article 5 at risk. Maybe I'm hearing things, but that sounds to me more like a warning to our allies to take seriously American insistence that they spend more on defense starting now than it does an abrogation of the commitments at the center of U.S. national-security strategy for 70 years.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Is there any solution for sending the result of a counter to a list in pyhton? I wrote a code for a counter in python, but I did not my appropriate result.
I made a list by input numbers,then wanted to make a counter and send the result of the counter in a new list and print it:
How can I do that?
`>>>num1=int(input("plz enter a number: "))
 >>>num2=int(input("plz enter a number: "))
 >>>num3=int(input("plz enter a number: "))
 >>>list1= [num1,num2,num3]
 >>>for n in list1:
 >>>   n=n+1
 >>>   print(n)`

the result after input numbers would be:
plz enter a number: 32
plz enter a number: 15
plz enter a number: 18
33
16
19

but I want to see 33,16,19 in a list. like:
[33,16,19]

A: The idiomatic way to create a now list in Python is called a comprehension:
list2 = [i+1 for i in list1]

It is almost equivalent but shorter and more efficient (we say more pythonic) than:
list2 = []
for i in list1:
    list2.append(i+1)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) - The FBI Director's Community Leadership award is often bestowed upon individuals and organizations that fight against terrorism, crime, drugs, and gang violence - all worthy causes.
But this year, a foundation focused on turning kids into stand up citizens won the honor.
"We thought this was unique, this was different, this was broader," said a FBI spokesperson.
Liberty Learning Foundation got its start in 2010. Today it provides free educational programs and a ten week civic-minded curriculum to local 5th graders.
The projects focus on character education, career development, and financial literacy.
"I tell the story, 'Would you get on the airplane if the pilot didn`t know how to fly it, or have a procedure by a doctor who didn`t go to medical school?' The answer would be no. So why do we think kids will know how to be good responsible engaged citizens if we`re not teaching them how to do that," said Patti Yancey, founder and President of Liberty Learning.
Yancey says their goal is to not only break the cycle of crime, but of apathy.
"We've all got that common denominator of being a citizen, and we've all got that responsibility. We also have great opportunities."
They are partnered with around 270 schools throughout Alabama, as well as a handful of schools in other states.


text:
Corporate, Company & Commercial
Trusts & Tax
Your Personal Life
Your Work Life
Town & Country Planning
Wills, Trust & Probate team recognised for excellence
We are delighted to announce that Attwaters Jameson Hill has been awarded the accolade of Trust & Estate Law Firm of the Year in Lawyer International's Legal 100 Awards for 2021. Each year, the awards recognise those leading professional firms and individuals across the globe who truly excel within their area of specialisation.
Success in the 2021 Chambers and Partners legal rankings
We are delighted to once again have been recognised in the Chambers and Partners rankings, for 2021.
Three members of our valued staff are specifically mentioned within this year's directory, namely: Joyti Henchie, Salvatore Amico and Rob Jameson, with some excellent accompanying comments about these individuals and the Family Law department.
Rob Jameson celebrates 50th anniversary of legal practice
Rob Jameson, a Consultant in the Town & Country Planning Department, is proud to be celebrating his 50th year as a solicitor. Recently named a 'Leading Individual' and highly praised in the latest edition of the Legal 500 directory, he has accumulated vast experience during his distinguished career, with decades spent advising local authorities on important planning matters such as Core Spatial strategies and other development plan documents.
Legal 500: Our "superb" lawyers "punch above their weight"
The hard work of Attwaters Jameson Hill's lawyers has been rewarded once more, with excellent results and complimentary client comments in this year's Legal 500 directory.
Get a free Will and support a good cause in the process!
Attwaters Jameson Hill is very proud to be supporting the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance charity, during Will Month 2020. As one of the charity's participating solicitors, we'll be assisting individuals over the age of 55 to draw up a Will free of charge during the whole month of October, in exchange for a donation.
Your ULTIMATE Guide to Private Wealth
What was Hertfordshire's most expensive property sale in 2019? And at which Essex postcodes can you find the county's highest value homes?
Find the answers within the pages of our second annual Private Wealth Guide, your ULTIMATE guide to how living in these counties can help you grow, manage and preserve your wealth for a prosperous future.
'Mindful employer' status for Attwaters Jameson Hill
We are very pleased to announce that Attwaters Jameson Hill has signed the Charter for Employers Positive about Mental Health, and is now registered as a 'mindful employer'. We join the more than 1,500 firms who have also signed this Charter since 2004. We hope it will offer our employees even more reassurance that we are fully committed to supporting their mental health and wellbeing.
Community spirit – Essex & Herts Air Ambulance
Over the past year, we have been fundraising for our nominated Charity of the Year, Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT). By delivering a first-class pre-hospital emergency medical service to the people of Essex, Hertfordshire and surrounding areas, they are able to save lives, reduce or prevent disability, or suffering from critical illness and injury.
Further recognition for Attwaters Jameson Hill as Planning team wins award
Attwaters Jameson Hill is delighted to announce that its Town & Country Planning team has been selected for a prestigious award by International Advisory Experts, a global network of well-established and experienced legal, financial, tax and consulting firms.
Family Lawyer Nominated One of the Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom
We are delighted to announce that Joyti Henchie, a Consultant Lawyer within Attwaters Jameson Hill, has been selected for inclusion in the Ninth Edition of The Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom.
Page 1 of 2912345...1020...»Last
Corporate, Company and Commercial
Trusts & Probate
Find out how we can help you
Call us now on 0330 221 8855 or fill out the form below for a free evaluation
Which of our offices is most convenient for you?*LondonHertfordWareHarlowLoughtonNo preference
I have read the disclaimer Privacy Policy
(Incorporating Stafford Young Jones)
Becket House
36 Old Jewry
EC2R 8DD
Hertford Office
72-74 Fore Street
SG14 1BY
Ware Office
60-62 High Street Ware
Herts SG12 9DA
Harlow Office
Rothwell House West Square
Essex CM20 1LQ
Loughton Office
147 High Road Loughton
Essex IG10 4LY
Jonathan Clarke, Sheenagh Parsons, Andrew Flannagan, Joanne Westbrook, Nicholas Evans, Karen Wallace, Peter Westbrook, Sheri-Anne Mizon, Catherine Dean, Mark Stigwood, Lesley-Ann Mayhew, Leanne Philp, Tony Brownlie and Salvatore Amico.
Attwaters Jameson Hill has offices in London, Harlow, Loughton, Hertford and Ware. We represent clients throughout Essex, Hertfordshire, Outer London and further afield. Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. SRA No. 665492 (London), 51886 (Hertford), 51887 (Ware), 569746 (Loughton), 569747 (Harlow). VAT Reg No. 246 1485 59
Copyright © 2017 Attwaters Jameson Hill. All Rights Reserved. Web development & hosting by Toucan Internet LLP.


Families are riddled with untold secrets. But Stephen Hinshaw never imagined that a profound secret was kept under lock and key for eighteen years within his family-that his father's mysterious absences, for months at a time, resulted from serious mental illness and involuntary hospitalizations.
James Patterson's BookShots. Fast-paced, high-impact entertainment.
This was no suicide,' says Detective Michael Bennett.
Eat, drink and be murdered.
Someone is poisoning diners in New Orleans' best restaurants. Now it's up to chef and homicide cop Caleb Rooney to catch a killer set on revenge – a dish best served cold.
ALEX CROSS, I'm coming for you – even from the grave if I have to. Along Came a Spider killer Gary Soneji has been dead for over ten years. Alex Cross watched him die. But today, Cross saw him gun down his partner. Is Soneji alive? A ghost? Or something even more sinister?
The book you hold in your hand is a rule book. There have been rule books before stacks upon stacks of them but this book is unlike any other rule book you have ever read. It will not make you rich in twenty-four hours, or even seventy-two hours. It will not cause you to lose eighty pounds in a week.
In this nationally bestselling, compulsively readable account of what makes brain science a vital component of people's quest to know themselves, acclaimed science writer Steven Johnson subjects his own brain to a battery of tests to find out what's really going on inside. He asks: How do we "read" other people?
In the fifth century BC, a global superpower was determined to bring truth and order to what it regarded as two terrorist states. The superpower was Persia, incomparably rich in ambition, gold, and men. The terrorist states were Athens and Sparta, eccentric cities in a poor and mountainous backwater: Greece.
This is the 4th in the Radio 2 Janet & John stories of the Marsh family and Volume 4 - "Sailing Close to The Wind" sees John get into more scrapes, with a supporting cast including Pastor Kidneys and Anita Bush. Inevitably John will end up at the hands of the now infamous Janet - run John, run!
Jonathan Blake, who makes a living stealing back antiquities from thieves and looters, finds himself in way over his head when he is forced by the U.S. government to recover a missing Napoleonic standard, which pits him against the head of a fanatical cult.
From the esoteric account of the evolution of the species to the occult roots of science, here is a narrative history that shows the basic facts of human existence on this planet can be viewed from a very different angle. Everything in this history is upside down, inside out and the other way around.


Welcome to Paddler's Point on the Wenatchee Loop Trail, the Wenatchee Row & Paddle Club Listening Post. It is located at the historic Lindston Barn at Linden Tree Park along the Columbia River at the foot of 9th Street in Wenatchee. From the parking area walk north along the Loop Trail, crossing a wooden walk bridge shortly before arriving at the Lindston Barn. The mission of the Wenatchee Row & Paddle Club is to inspire people to safely use human powered watercraft and exercise stewardship of the mid-Columbia River system.
The Lindston Barn is a watercraft storage facility for the Wenatchee Row and Paddle Club.
The first dock at Paddler's Point.
A cold and beautiful river.


text:
Milbank History
Locations & ATMs
Milbank, SD
In March of 1986 a group of local visionary citizens set out to meet the area's financial needs by proposing that a new locally owned and operated banking institution be established. That vision became a reality when the Community State Bank of Stockholm opened for business. In December 1994 Community State Bank's ownership was transferred to the Fishback Financial Corporation, a privately-held bank holding company, located in Brookings, South Dakota.
Community State Bank was joined by a Milbank location in May 1995, which was moved into its newly constructed facility at the corner of Highway 12 and Highway 15 in Milbank in 2003.
In September of 2006, Community State Bank changed its name to First Bank & Trust and its logo to a green #1. The changes were made to facilitate a synergy with the other banks owned by Fishback Financial Corporation and to promote the bank's newly acquired trust services.
In January of 2007, First Bank & Trust acquired a branch in Toronto, South Dakota (the former BankFirst). A strong community bank, First Bank & Trust has had a long trend of growth. Since First Bank & Trust's origination in 1986, the bank has grown from its original size of $6.7 million to over $150 million in total assets today.
Serving our communities for more than 135 years.


text:
For private investors in Sweden Change
For private investors in Sweden
Investment Viewpoint Elections Healthcare
US election insights: healthcare gains an edge
Andy Acker, CFA
Global Life Sciences | Portfolio Manager
With the 2020 US presidential election nearing, talk of drug pricing and healthcare reform is picking up. But this year, the COVID-19 pandemic has also cast the healthcare sector in a more positive light. In the following Q&A, Portfolio Manager Andy Acker explains how the political discourse around healthcare has shifted, with potential benefits for the sector.
Healthcare reform continues to be a political focal point, but the COVID-19 pandemic has also underscored the importance of advanced medicine and access to care.
Thus, while talk of drug pricing and healthcare reform could increase leading up to the election in November and create near-term uncertainty, we believe future policy could be more moderate than expected.
For example, reforms that lower out-of-pocket costs for patients instead of setting drug prices could both safeguard innovation and improve access to care. In our view, such an approach could benefit consumers, as well as the sector.
Q: Healthcare is typically a hot-button issue during US elections, often leading to volatility for the sector. Is the same true of the 2020 election?
A: This year, COVID-19 and the urgent need to find treatments for the virus has helped to focus attention on the innovative prowess of the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. To that end, more than 170 vaccine candidates for the novel coronavirus are now in development, 31 of which are in clinical trials, including a handful in pivotal late-stage studies.1 Based on early positive data, we expect at least one vaccine to be approved by early 2021, with more to come in the months and years following. When you consider that vaccines have historically taken over 10 years to develop – and COVID-19 surfaced little more than eight months ago – this pace of progress has been astonishing.
So, while healthcare remains a key campaign issue, sentiment toward the sector has improved. In turn, healthcare stocks, particularly biotechnology shares, have benefited. For the year through mid-August, the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index delivered gains of 11%, nearly double the return of the S&P 500 Index. By comparison, for the same period during the 2016 presidential election, biotechnology declined 12.5%, while the S&P 500 gained 8.6% (see chart).
Election years: healthcare stock performance
Source: Bloomberg, data from 31 December 2015 to 15 August 2016 and 31 December 2019 to 14 August 2020. S&P 500® Index reflects US large-cap equity performance and represents broad US equity market performance. The S&P 500® Health Care Sector comprises those companies included in the S&P 500 that are classified as members of the GICS® healthcare sector. The Nasdaq Biotechnology Index contains securities of Nasdaq-listed companies classified according to the Industry Classification Benchmark as either Biotechnology or Pharmaceuticals which also meet other eligibility criteria.
Past performance is not a guide to future performance.
Q: Does that mean the political overhang for healthcare is gone?
A: Not quite. President Trump began his presidency with a promise to lower drug prices. In July, with the election looming, Trump signed four executive orders aimed at prescription drug costs. These orders include allowing medicines to be imported to the US from Canada and linking certain Medicare drug prices to those charged in other countries. The Trump administration also joined a Supreme Court case brought by Texas and other states to invalidate the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the decade-old legislation that expanded healthcare access in the US. Meanwhile, Democratic nominee Joe Biden supports expanding the ACA and says that as president, he would seek to curb annual drug price increases and the launch price of novel drugs. In short, healthcare remains a political focal point.
But there is usually a wide gap between what politicians say and what becomes policy. For one, it has been widely reported that the president does not have authority to fully enact his proposals, and the pharmaceutical industry declined an invitation to discuss Trump's policies. In our view, the executive orders are more political theatre than real policy initiatives.
The fate of the ACA is harder to forecast, but the Supreme Court has ruled against two previous challenges to the law, with the same five justices who made those decisions still sitting on the bench. Furthermore, Republicans have not crafted alternative legislation for the ACA, and eliminating healthcare coverage for 20 million Americans during a global pandemic would be disastrous.
Q: What would happen if the Democrats win the White House, along with a majority in the Senate and the House?
A: If the Democrats sweep the election, Biden could still face an uphill battle to pass his most drastic proposal: rolling out a government-run "public option." Although the plan would be in addition to (not in place of) private insurance, there would be many details to work out, including whether managed care companies could have a role, as they do for managed Medicare and Medicaid programmes.
Furthermore, the government's ability to push reimbursement rates significantly lower could be limited by the tenuous financial state of many not-for-profit hospitals. Too much pressure could lead to hospital bankruptcies, which could create access issues for many Americans.
Even with a Democratic sweep, the Senate would likely be evenly split, and passing controversial future legislation could require changing Senate voting rules, replacing the 60-vote threshold now required to end a debate with a simple 51 majority – with serious long-term implications for governing. In our view, Biden would have an easier time getting more incremental measures achieved, such as expanding Medicaid and making the ACA's tax credits more generous.
As for drug pricing, we believe the pandemic has given pharmaceuticals some more bargaining power. Thus, while campaign pledges might sound extreme, in practice we believe a Biden administration could seek a middle ground that targets what we view as the real issue: rising out-of-pocket costs. In fact, a recent study by the IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science found that while list price growth of US pharmaceuticals was 5.2% in 2019, net price growth, which accounts for discounts and other price concessions, was only 1.7%.2 The problem is patients don't often see the benefit of these discounts – the savings tend to get pocketed by plan intermediaries – and co-payments and deductibles are climbing. In our opinion, this needs to change.
Q: What if neither party gets a majority?
A: If we get the status quo, then it is likely not much alters in the near term. So far, President Trump has been unsuccessful in achieving healthcare reform, even when Republicans controlled Congress. We see little evidence of the task getting easier, particularly without a governing majority. If Biden wins and Republicans keep control of the Senate, we could see modest measures, such as restoring funding for ACA programmes cut under the Trump administration.
Q: Should healthcare investors brace for volatility in the coming months?
A: We believe healthcare stocks could experience volatility in the near term. This autumn, late-stage trials for COVID-19 vaccines will start to deliver data, and the results could have a significant impact on stocks. The market also typically trades on fear of healthcare reform long before any details are decided. The US healthcare system is complex, and final legislation can vary widely from what was initially proposed. In the end, we believe neither Republicans nor Democrats want to undermine pharmaceutical innovation. We are optimistic that we could get to a solution that will ultimately limit out-of-pocket costs, improve access to medicines, and benefit the country and the industry in the long run.
Medicare: US Federal government health insurance programme that subsidises healthcare services. The plan covers people over age 65, younger people who meet specific eligibility criteria, and individuals with certain diseases. Medicaid offers benefits that are not usually covered by Medicare, including nursing home care.
1World Health Organization, as at 25 August 2020
2Medicine Spending and Affordability in the United States, IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science, as at August 2020.
Horizon Biotechnology Fund
The Fund is focused towards particular industries or investment themes and may be heavily impacted by factors such as changes in government regulation, increased price competition, technological advancements and other adverse events.
The Fund may use derivatives towards the aim of achieving its investment objective. This can result in 'leverage', which can magnify an investment outcome and gains or losses to the Fund may be greater than the cost of the derivative. Derivatives also introduce other risks, in particular, that a derivative counterparty may not meet its contractual obligations.
Global Perspectives Healthcare Investment Outlooks
Healthcare builds momentum
A potential turning point in the battle against COVID-19
US Affordable Care Act: "Reports of my death are greatly exaggerated"


There are several things one has to keep in mind when writing Literature paper or essay. First of all, it must contain introduction, body and conclusion. Introduction should include a thesis statement that will be discussed in the body of the essay. Conclusion is a short summary of the arguments that were used in the body to support your thesis. In the conclusion you can also express your own point of view and correlate it with the opinion of other authors. Literature essay can be written on many topics, such as Shakespeare's plays and poetry, Culture and History and absolutely any other topic! Your fancy feels no limits if you are assigned to write your paper by yourself!
Just like Literature essays, Literature research papers can be written on a variety of topics. To write a decent research paper one should conduct a profound research in order to pick up all problems and features of a certain topic. Also he/she ought to explain one's own point of view. Literature research paper composition requires huge volume of information to be analyzed and many books to be read. A large number of topics are still controversial despite the fact that books they are about are quite old. Hamlet's behavior and motives are one of such topics.
Literature term paper is more complicated than research paper or an essay. It has to be accurately formatted and properly referenced. Also, its immersion in the subject is much deeper that in the research paper. Given the aforementioned descriptions of Literature papers it comes as no surprise that annually thousands of students find it hard to write their Literature essays, research papers and term papers.
Innovative Writing Assistance Agency provides a wide variety of Literature papers, as well as summary essays, political science essays, medical papers and basically any essays in English. We appreciate every order that is placed on our website and strive to support and assist our customers and do our best! If you order a custom Literature paper from our company, you can forget about any worries regarding this assignment. We guarantee that every Literature paper is written in accordance with to your direct instructions and paper topic. Our writers are able to write any term paper topics and essays as they have read an unrivaled variety of books. We are uncompromisable and strict when it comes to plagiarized papers. We guarantee that every custom written paper and every Literature paper are written by Innovative Writing Assistance Agency writers from scratch. If you need a genuinely written Literature paper, Literature essay, Literature project, Literature term paper, or any other assignment, you can order it from Innovative Writing Assistance Agency. We have outstanding writing and editing team, respectful and easily accessible support, and plagiarism detection software. We know how hard it is to write a well-reasoned Literature paper, and we offer absolutely free revisions of your custom written paper.
BookWormLab.com is the only online custom writing agency that does not write your Literature papers and book reports instead of you. What we actually do is called help and assistance but not simple custom essay writing. Our custom written papers are outlines, plans, paragraphs or examples for your future work including all possible essay advantages. Submitting custom written essay as your own work is strictly forbidden as it is identical to cheating your professors. Each and every custom written medical paper or other custom written paper must be either cited or properly referenced. We hope that clients of Innovative Writing Assistance Agency realize that ordering their Literature papers as a management paper from other online academic assistance agencies puts at risk their academic career. Try now Innovative Writing Assistance Agency and enjoy benefits of our perfectly written Literature papers, Literature essays, Literature term papers, or any other Literature assignments!


text:
PIPS Constitution & Bylaws
PIPS Policy Handbook
KPU Fine Arts Graduates Prepare for Year-end Exhibition
Students from the Bachelor of Fine Arts program have raised around $2000 for the gallery
Culture / April 18, 2018
by Braden Klassen
A still from Gurleen Virk's digital video, "Bindi." (Submitted)
With the spring semester nearly over, Kwantlen Polytechnic University's art aficionados should be happy to learn that the upcoming BFA graduates will soon be exhibiting some of their best works.
The exhibit, titled Until Now, will be made up of art pieces in a variety of mediums such as paintings, sculptures, ceramic works, photography, and digital art, and will be held at 120 E Broadway throughout April.
"Attack of the Atomic Abomination" – an illustration drawn by Stephane Dufault in acrylic. (Submitted)
"For all the artists involved, it's an opportunity to present their significance or their artistic ability to the art world," says Stephane Dufault, a KPU Fine Arts student in his final year. "It's not just about making a name for themselves. It's about initializing a creative style that could possibly impact future artists who want to go into this career as well."
Dufault spearheaded an online crowdfunding campaign for hosting the showcase which raised $300 between February and March. The crowdsourced money will be added to the $2,000 that the BFA students already received from other sources. According to Dufault, the majority of the money will be spent on renting and insuring the gallery space, as well as on an initial reception that the students have planned for April 13.
"The space we have is quite huge and we want to make that to our best advantage," says Dufault, whose illustrations will be exhibited alongside the works of other students. "We want to make sure that all of our unique personalities and representations are brought into this overall scope of art-making and are presented from the students in turn."
In addition to Dufault, Until Now will include the works from several other upcoming BFA graduates, including Kimberly Ateah, Eric Berg, Alanna Edwards, Sara Grieve, Cameron Palfreyman, Kenneth Yuen, and Gurleen Virk.
"It's like our entrance into the art world," says Virk, who creates paintings, installations and photography inspired by her Indian cultural background. "Vancouver has clearly got a really big art scene going on, so for us to be having this show in Vancouver downtown, it's a pretty big deal."
"Succulent Series" – a ceramic installation piece created by Kim Ateah. (Submitted)
Aside from the important exposure that the event will provide for the soon-to-be graduate students, Virk and Dufault hope that the gallery will offer a source of creative inspiration for all of the people who can attend.
"We're not making art for the sake of just making art," says Dufault. "We hope to make art as an inspiration—what we can make can also influence other artists that are like us who want to be going into a study like ours. It's an opportunity to show what artists from Surrey can present to the world in Vancouver."
The opening reception for the exhibition will be held in a gallery on the second floor of 120 E Broadway from 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm on April 13. The exhibit itself will be open Tuesdays through Sundays from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm until April 28.
What It Takes to Get a Snow Day at KPU
British Columbians Need to Be Smarter About Winter Preparations
Universities Need to Do More to Settle International Students Into Canadian Life
Elbow Room Cafe: The Musical Makes Audiences Laugh in Vancouver
An Update on the Surrey Langley SkyTrain Extension
KPU Announces Plans to Reduce Course Offerings, Increase Class Sizes
KSA Calls on KPU to Suspend the Sale of Textbooks Amid Plagiarism Allegations
Media Bias Has Led to a Morbid Fascination with Privileged People Who Murder
A Critical Look at ABA, a Dubious Autism Intervention Method
Tweets by @Runnermag
Follow @Runnermag
The Runner is Kwantlen Polytechnic University's student newspaper. It has served the KPU community as a freely-distributed, year-round news and culture publication since 2009.
Arbutus Building, 3710/3720
12666 72 Ave. (Surrey Campus)
Surrey, BC, V3W 2M8
Editor in Chief / Aly Laube
editor@runnermag.ca
Web Manager / Alex Rodriguez
web@runnermag.ca
Managing Editor / Connor Doyle
managing@runnermag.ca
Operations Manager / Scott Boux
office@runnermag.ca
© 2020 The Runner Privacy Policy / Advertise With Us
// Track blockers


The "green" list will include names which can be freely given to children. The "yellow" list will contain unwelcome names – these might be ones likely to be mocked or that sound bad in other languages. The names from the third category, the "red" list, will be forbidden. They might refer to people who are considered aggressors against the Azeri people or have double or obscene meaning in the Azeri language.
A government committee has been compiling the list of acceptable names (currently about 8,000) for several years. The most common bans are for "foreign sounding" names like Dmitry and Lenin. "National" names like Pioneer and Tractor are on the green list.
Over the holidays my dad posed a two-part question after dinner: If a vehicle goes 200,000 miles without a mechanical failure does that mean that it is more likely to have a failure soon? And does the same hold true for an employee who goes 25 years without a lost-time accident at work?
In answer to the first question I responded "no." Failure rates of electrical and mechanical devices are typically modeled as an exponential distribution. This distribution is "memoryless" in the sense that the probability of having an accident at time t=1 given no accidents up til time t=0 is the same as the probability of having an accident at time t=2 given no accidents through time t=1.
For the employee question the answer is a bit more complex. Here I would assign workers to two types: accident prone or safe. The longer a worker is accident free, the higher the probability that they are in the safe category. (I would use a beta-binomial model with Bayesian updating for those playing at home). A more realistic analysis might include aging effects such as deterioration of eyesight and balance on the one hand, with gaining wisdom and on-the-job experience on the other. For all I know such a study may exist.
At its core this is the same idea as an athlete "coming due" in baseball–false–or having a "hot hand" in basketball"–also false. The interesting part about all this to me is that for two superficially similar problems different models are required by virtue of the fact that humans are involved. Mechanical parts are memoryless; people are not. That makes all the difference.
On Wednesday we looked at a few extinct English letters. During that discussion you may have thought about the long s, resembling an "f" without the crossbar, frequently used in 18th century texts. You have probably noticed that ſ is used mostly at the beginning and middle of words, but seemingly never at the ends. As it turns out, there is a whole structure of rules governing the use of "s"-sounds in English.
Compound words with the first element ending in double s and the second element beginning with s are normally and correctly written with a dividing hyphen (e.g. Croſs-ſtitch, Croſs-ſtaff), but very occasionally may be written as a single word, in which case the middle letter 's' is written short (e.g. Croſsſtitch, croſsſtaff).
When did ſ drop out of common usage? According to Google N-grams, there was a sharp decline in its popularity around the turn of the 19th century. I wonder whether new printing technologies or textbooks had anything to do with this.
We take our ABC's for granted, learning 26 letters in a precise order from our youngest days. When introduced to a second or third language later in life we may realize that even similar tongues to English contain slightly different alphabets–the Spanish ñ, the French ç–despite the fact that they evolved from the same roots. Historical variation in the English alphabet seems largely glossed over in contemporary education, but identifying some of the "missing letters" can help explain a few historical puzzles.
The word "ampersand" came many years later when "&" was actually part of the English alphabet. In the early 1800s, school children reciting their ABCs concluded the alphabet with the &. It would have been confusing to say "X, Y, Z, and." Rather, the students said, "and per se and." "Per se" means "by itself," so the students were essentially saying, "X, Y, Z, and by itself and." Over time, "and per se and" was slurred together into the word we use today: ampersand. When a word comes about from a mistaken pronunciation, it's called a mondegreen.
On Friday we'll take a look at another missing letter, the long s (resembling "f"). For a sneak peek and a list of nine other extinct English letters, check out this article from MentalFloss (via @johndcook).
We have run into this issue before: you have datasets with different coding schemes for the cross-sectional unit. You need to get them all standardized so you can merge the data and increase the measurement error control for a reviewer's favorite variable run some models.
The author is Vincent Arel-Bundock, a doctoral student in comparative politics at Michigan. Thanks Vincent!
* New here meaning I didn't know about it before and its documentation is dated Jan. 20, 2013.
In the case of Iceland, it's about meeting certain rules of grammar and gender, and saving the child from possible embarrassment. Sometimes, although not in every case, officials also insist that it must be possible to write the name in Icelandic.
There is a list of 1,853 female names, and 1,712 male ones, and parents must pick from these lists or seek permission from a special committee.
Maybe we need stronger regulation to prevent disasters like Hilary, now considered the most poisoned name in US history. More at the BBC.
Theory Talks is an interactive forum for discussion of debates in International Relations with an emphasis of the underlying theoretical issues. By frequently inviting cutting-edge specialists in the field to elucidate their work and to explain current developments both in IR theory and real-world politics, Theory Talks aims to offer both scholars and students a comprehensive view of the field and its most important protagonists.
What is, according to you, the biggest challenge / principal debate in current IR? What is your position or answer to this challenge / in this debate?
How did you arrive at where you currently are in IR?
What would a student need to become a specialist in IR like yourself?
US soldier in WWI. Note the belt is used to carry gear, and is held up by a strap over the shoulder. The pants lack belt loops, which would not be invented until the 1920s.
Men have always worn belts with their trousers, right? Wrong. Until the First World War, belts served one of two purposes. They could be a way for a ruler to accessorize, or an easy way for soldiers to carry around gear (a belt with pouches all around it for ammunition is essentially a manly fanny pack, after all). No one thought of a belt as a way to keep his pants up.
Logic or no logic, the fact remains that it was easier to develop special and general relativity than to imagine trousers secured with leather belts inserted into belt loops. That does not, however, mean that pre-20th century pants have been dropping off. Trousers were highly cut and waist-fitted to the contours of their wearers, as such tailoring adjustments cost pennies. Then, in the 1820s suspenders have been invented. From then onwards, even mass manufactured trousers could be worn without individual fitting (though tailors' services still cost pennies).
Mass production of uniforms for nationally conscripted armies in the time of war shortages forced national governments to trim as much material as possible. The trousers were made with such a low cut that suspenders became loose, and they needed to tie these funny trousers with a wide belt that was worn over the coat. Men discharged from the army got used to this silly fashion. Because the belts did not sit well on trousers, belt loops were introduced in the early 1920s.
Thirdly, those snappy waistcoats and vests that everyone wore before this were not just for fashion–they were hiding suspenders. Suspenders were regarded as undergarments, akin to a woman's corset. After WWI the waistcoat's popularity waned, and with it the use of suspenders. You can read more about these developments here, from which the above quotations were taken.
A daily habit for millions of men around the world turns out to be just another contingent fact of history. Even the things we take for granted are shaped by politics and norms. Who knew you had a micro-institution around your waist?
One week ago Netflix introduced its first original series, House of Cards. The series details the life and crimes of (fictional) US Congressman Francis Underwood and his wife Claire who runs a nonprofit. What is unique about the series is that the entire season–13 episodes–was released all at once. Netflix and streaming services like it have acclimated us to watching shows in bulk like this. Is the new model sustainable?
With Netflix spending a reported $100 million to produce two 13-episode seasons of House of Cards, they need 520,834 people to sign up for a $7.99 subscription for two years to break even. To do that five times every year, then, the streaming TV site would have to sign up more 2.6 million subscribers than they would have. That sounds daunting, but at the moment, Netflix has 33.3 million subscribers, so this is an increase of less than 10 percent on their current customer base. Of course, looking at Netflix's past growth, that represents pretty reasonable growth for the company that saw 65 percent growth from 20 million to over 33 million world-wide streaming customers. Much of that growth, however, comes from new overseas markets. But, even in the U.S., from one year ago, Netflix saw about 13 percent streaming viewer growth jumping from 24 million to 27 million.
The five times per year figure comes from a plan that Netflix CEO Reid Hastings revealed in an interview with GQ. Paying for subscription television like this is not a new idea–it's a similar business model to HBO. But Netflix seems to have the execution right, at least with this first foray.
Linear channels must aggregate a large audience at a given time of day and hope the show programmed will actually attract enough viewers despite this constraint. With Netflix, members can enjoy a show anytime, and over time, we can effectively put the right show in front of members based on their viewing habits. Thus we can spend less on marketing while generating higher viewership.
For linear TV, the fixed number of prime-time slots mean that only shows that hit it big and fast survive, thus requiring an extensive and expensive pilot system to keep on deck potential replacement shows. In contrast, Internet TV is an environment where smaller or quirkier shows can prosper because they can find a big enough audience over time. In baseball terms, linear TV only scores with home runs. We score with home runs too, but also with singles, doubles and triples.
Because of our unique strengths, we can commit to producing and publishing "books" rather than "chapters", so the creators can concentrate on multi-episode story arcs, rather than pilots. Creators can work on episode 11 confident that viewers have recently enjoyed episodes 1 to 10. Creators can develop episodes that are not all exactly 22 or 44 minutes in length. The constraints of the linear TV grid will fall, one by one.
I look forward to seeing more of this strategy, and as I proceed with House of Cards you may even get a post on its politics.
What I find interesting is that there was nothing fundamentally to stop the Romans – or any other ancient civilization – from creating such a network. The Greeks experimented with it in 4BCE but it seems it never really caught on. Tower building is easy, as is flag waving or other mechanical forms of signalling. Their technology was certainly capable of building a proto-Internet. That would have had some profound changes to our history.
You can try the interactive maps for yourself here.


text:
Tech Wizard Trades Working On Million-Dollar Projects For Creating Homemade Skincare Products
Maria Zaldivar
Simon Driscoll (Collect / PA Real Life)
This tech wizard working on multi-million pound projects for global brands has described the "eureka moment" at a Turkish baths when he decided to quit his job to make cleansers, face masks and soap.
After a 20-year career, Simon Driscoll, was at the top of his game – developing new software and search algorithms for broadcaster Sky – when a spa day during a summer holiday to Turkey in 2016 with his wife Liz, changed his life.
"After visiting the Turkish baths it was like I had this sudden eureka moment when I used the soaps," Driscoll said.
Simon Driscoll (UXB / PA Real Life)
"They had soaps for sunburn and dry skin which actually did what they said on the tin. I was so impressed I decided I wanted to make them myself," he said.
"I told Liz, 'I have a business idea, I'm going to set up my own skincare brand.'"
"She thought I was crazy, but I did it and now, a few years on, I think she's pretty impressed."
Soon after returning to the UK, Driscoll started researching ways to start a skincare "side hustle," alongside his day job, in the hope of one day leaving his tech career behind.
And he went right back to basics – learning how to cook up cosmetic formulae at home – which he soon realized he had an excellent skill set for, having gone into technology when it was a fledgling industry.
"Back when the internet was a new thing, I taught myself how to program and code websites in my spare time," he said.
"It was like learning a foreign language, and because the internet was so new, there was no Google search to help me – it was all through books. I really got into it, started off with a data entry job and went from there," he said.
"And I had to do much the same to learn about skin care products."
Applying the same determination to learning about cosmetics, he signed up to a soap making boot camp in London in 2017, followed by a second course on how to make cleansing masks and shampoo and a third learning the art of perfumery.
"If I was going to delve into the world of beauty, I wanted to make the product from scratch," he said. "So, I went on loads of courses and learnt how to make all the different products."
Then he would practice his skills by cooking up products at home.
"It's a bit like cooking food, you try out all sorts of different recipes and have to heat the cream and oil together and wait for it to set," he said.
"I was still holding down my day job, but in my spare time I was in the kitchen cooking cream. My wife hated it – there was ingredients everywhere," he said.
"Although the house did smell lovely for a while, because I was mixing fragrances every night."
It took Driscoll almost two years and more than 100 trials to perfect his beauty recipes, using feedback from friends, family and colleagues to ensure his products were up to scratch.
"I wanted to make a luxury product that was at an affordable price using the very best ethically sourced ingredients, that would appeal to everyone," he said.
"My wife was like my guinea pig – she was always the first to try the products and tell me what she really thought, which wasn't always good."
"I also tried everything out on my family and friends, as well as my colleagues. I did get a bit of a ribbing in the office, because I was this computer guy who kept coming in with different creams for people to try."
For many years, Driscoll had wanted to run his own business and he had finally discovered an area outside tech where he believed he could excel – selling his first batch of cleansers at craft fairs in late 2018.
Spurred on by the positive feedback, he started selling online in January 2019 after first devising a suitable brand name.
"It took me a while to think of a brand name. I know a lot of people name brands after themselves or a place they know, but 'Simon's Skincare' or 'Uxbridge' wasn't really going to work," he said.
"But the shortened version of Uxbridge is UXB and I thought it made a really good name for a brand. It was symmetrical and when it came to designing the label it looked really unique on the bottle, so I decided to go with that," he added.
And in January 2019, with his craft market success and a website up and running selling products costing between $8 and $37, he bid farewell to his 20-year career in tech, investing some of his savings into his new venture as CEO of skincare brand UXB.
"My employers were a bit shocked when I said I was leaving, but it wasn't a big secret, because I'd already spent the last two years coming into the office with cleansers for people to try," he said.
"I'd spent 20 years working with complicated data science and developing everything from software to search algorithms for brands like Channel 4 and Sky, and loved it," he said.
"But it was time to start my own business – although I've always been very science minded, so if you'd told me two decades ago that I'd have my own skincare firm, I would never have believed you."
Driscoll also readily admits that his wife had to twist his arm before he reluctantly visited the spa that changed his life.
"I'd never been to a Turkish spa and baths before in my life," he said.
"When Liz suggested we went, I reluctantly agreed, as I'm not a huge fan of being pampered."
"Getting a massage and having someone use exfoliating cloths was an odd experience for me. It sounds weird, but it made me feel a bit like a dolphin."
"It's definitely not something I'd have chosen to do myself – I would never have gone unless Liz suggested it," he added.
Once there, though, he was totally inspired by the products they used.
"They had all these soaps for dry skin and oily skin, and they all seemed to actually work, so I was really impressed," he said.
Deciding the best way to gain a true understanding of the beauty business was to learn how to make great products, he then spent hours in the family kitchen designing the lotions and other cosmetics himself.
Since the beginning of the pandemic his sales have gone up.
"I've made every item myself – from scratch," he said.
"I've created a range of cleansers for sun damage, anti-pollution, dry skin and oily skin – so there's something for everyone – as well as shower moisturizers, soaps, bath salts and face masks."
Now working from a warehouse near his home, where he employs one person to help him cook up his cosmetics, Driscoll has no regrets about his dramatic career change.
"My products are gender neutral, although most customers tend to be women," he said.
"I don't mind who uses them, as long as they like them. I'm so invested in my products now I could bore you senseless talking about them."
"I always wanted to do everything myself from start to finish, although, I admit, when I was cooking up a batch in my kitchen, I'd sometimes think, 'Oh God, I really don't know what I'm doing.' But it's been worth it in the long run," he added.
Now Driscoll hopes his business will go from strength to strength.
"I'd love it if in five years UXB was recognized as an affordable luxury brand. But, most importantly, I want to help as many people as I can with their skincare regime," he said.
"I absolutely love my business and what I've created – it's one of the best decisions I've ever made," he concluded.
"So I guess I have my wife and that trip to the Turkish spa that day to thank for my newfound passion."
To find out more visit here.


I *almost* didn't blog tonight. But then I thought of Amanda and her punishments and thought better of it. heehee.
On that note…I'm going to bed. Tomorrow is my first wedding photo shoot. I am just hoping I get through it ok. eeeks!
maybe Avery will turn out to be a chef one day. love that he loves to be in the kitchen!
And how appropriate,"Wonder Woman" you are. With all that you do and you still have time to make brownies.
You go girl, uh…. I mean Woman.
I just want to know what Wade thought of the outfit!!!


text:
Congratulations Jimmy and Sonya (Isaacs) Yeary
Written by scoopsnews on December 8, 2015 – 6:09 pm -
Gatlyn Solomon Yeary
Congatulations to Jimmy and Sonya (Isaacs) Yeary
Born December 8, 2015
At 2:30pm
8lbs,10oz. -21 in long.
We at Sgn Scoops are praying for you and rejoicing in the great news!
For more Southern Gospel News: HERE
Tags: Isaacs, Jimmy Yeary, sonya isaacs
Posted in announcements | Comments Off on Congratulations Jimmy and Sonya (Isaacs) Yeary
T. Graham Brown's 'Forever Changed' Now Available in Cracker Barrel Stores
Written by Staff on March 4, 2015 – 9:00 am -
Franklin, TN (Mansion Entertainment) March 5th, 2015 – T. Graham Brown's latest Grammy-nominated album Forever Changed has hit Cracker Barrel Old Country Store locations. The critically acclaimed album features collaborations with some of the top Country artists in the music business including Vince Gill, The Oak Ridge Boys, and Jimmy Fortune. Brown also channels his Gospel side with collaborations with Christian singers Jason Crabb, Sonya Issacs, Three Bridges, among others."I'm so excited that 'Forever Changed' is in the CrackerBarrel restaurant and stores! It's our favorite place to stop when we're out on the road" said an excited T. Graham Brown. "We love the food and it's so much fun to shop and look at all the "cool stuff" in the store. I always check out the CD rack, and to have my album there is a dream come true."
In an industry where you have stories each and every day concerning declining sales, the music program atCracker Barrel Old Country Stores continues to thrive, as it begins its' second decade. The company is responsible for top ten albums by such Country Music Hall of Fame members as Alabama and Kenny Rogers, and also partnered up with the iconic Dolly Parton for her 2012 An Evening With Dolly CD / DVD package, which is the program's only RIAA Gold selling project. In 2015, the 600-plus location restaurant chain resumed its' success story by teaming up with Bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley for his Man Of Constant Sorrow disc, which featured collaborations from a wide variety of artists, such as Lee Ann Womack and Elvis Costello. The set debuted on the Billboard Top Bluegrass Albums chart at #2, and also gave Stanley his highest ranking ever on the magazine's Country Album chart, entering the list at No. 14.
In addition to a Grammy nomination in 2015 for "Best Gospel Roots Album," Brown has also garnered some of the strongest ink of his career. He is set to appear in Country Weekly, in an issue that will hit newsstands later this month. Other features include Billboard, CMT, The Examiner, Power Source (which Brown graces the cover for February), and many more.
1. He'll Take Care Of You (with Vince Gill)
2. From A Stronger Place
3. Soul Talk (with Jason Crabb)
4. Forever Changed
5. Shadow Of Doubt (with Leon Russell)
6. The Power Of Love (with Jeff & Sheri Easter)
7. Out Of The Rain
8. People Get Ready (with Jason Crabb, Leon Russell, Steve Cropper, The Oak Ridge Boys)
9. Pillow Of Mercy (with The Booth Brothers)
10. Midnight Rainbow (with Three Bridges)
11. Which Way To Pray (with Sonya Isaacs)
12. How Do You Know (with The Oak Ridge Boys)
13. Wine Into Water (with Jimmy Fortune)
About Forever Changed:
Co-produced by Mark L. Carman and T. Graham Brown, recorded and mixed by Joe Carrell, Forever Changed is comprised of thirteen tracks featuring guest vocal appearances by popular, award-winning artists Vince Gill, The Oak Ridge Boys, Leon Russell, Jason Crabb Jeff & Sheri Easter, Steve Cropper, The Booth Brothers, Three Bridges and Jimmy Fortune. The lineup of talent collectively boasts 26 Grammys and 37 Dove Awards. Forever Changed was nominated for "Best Roots Gospel Album" and was released by Mansion Entertainment with distribution through Sony/RED on January 27th, 2015.
About T. Graham Brown:
T. Graham Brown has recorded over thirteen studio albums and charted more than twenty singles on the Billboard charts. Three of these singles reached number one and eight more reached the top ten. Brown's voice is also recognized from his singing in advertising campaigns for McDonald's, Disneyland, Almond Joy, Coca Cola, Dodge Truck, Ford, Hardee's and many others including the Taco Bell "Run For The Border" television spots. This past year his appearance in the concept video for "Working on A Building" with Marty Raybon,Jimmy Fortune and Trace Adkins was aired across multiple national television networks. T. Graham Brown still actively tours throughout the year including multiple appearances on the legendary Grand Ole Opry and television appearances such as Larry's Country Diner and Country's Family Reunion. Brown's uniqueness has made him one of the most beloved and iconic performers of the day.
For more, visit www.TGrahamBrown.net
Tags: booth brothers, christian country, cracker barrel, Forever Changed, Jason Crabb, jeff and sheri easter, oak ridge boys, sonya isaacs, T. Graham Brown, three bridges
Posted in announcements, artists | Comments Off on T. Graham Brown's 'Forever Changed' Now Available in Cracker Barrel Stores
The Isaacs Launch New Website
Written by SGN Scoops on August 16, 2013 – 7:08 am -
Nashville, TN (August 15, 2013)Along with the release of their new CD "The Living Years" and DVD "The Isaacs Up Close & Personal" multi-award winning family, The Isaacs have launched a new website where it is easier than ever to order their music and merchandise. You can also keep up with their touring schedule, latest photos, links and more.
Some of the new features include news flashes, where they will post special appearances like Opry shows, online broadcasts, television appearances, last minute additions to their concert schedule, and other exciting events, allowing you can tune in and catch The Isaacs performances.
They also have links to other sites that will be of interest to their fans such as Socialcam, Twitter and Facebook as well as links to outside sources.
Becky Isaacs Bowman stated, "My favorite part of the new website is the fact that you can enter your email address and receive The Isaacs latest news as soon as it is posted. We invite all of our fans to go to the new site, http://www.theisaacs.com/, and tell us what you think."
The Isaacs have been busy this year not only touring and working on their own projects but also working on projects for other artists. Becky Isaacs Bowman and Sonya Isaacs Yeary recently finished studio work singing background vocals for a new CD by Dolly Parton.
Lily Isaacs said, "A wonderful opportunity for my daughters, Sonya and Becky! They have been blessed to do background vocals on many different artists' projects. Many of them just happen to be some of their country artist heroes. Doing this with Dolly has been a dream come true. This is the third time they've had this amazing experience with Dolly. She is such a beautiful and genuine person that my girls were so humbled by her presence in the studio with them. Thank you Dolly for one of the best days ever! I am so proud of Sonya and Becky. "
You can find more information on the Isaacs at www.theisaacs.com or www.facebook.com/TheIsaacs .
To contact the Isaacs E-mail them at info@theisaacs.com
To book the Isaacs contact info@harperagency.com
Tags: Becky Isaacs Bowman, Bluegrass Gospel, Lily Isaacs, sonya isaacs, Southern Gospel News, the isaacs
Posted in announcements | Comments Off on The Isaacs Launch New Website
Hosts and First Performers Announced for 2012 Absolutely Gospel Music Awards
Written by SGN Scoops on February 3, 2012 – 9:43 pm -
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – (January 30, 2012) – The administrators and staff of AbsolutelyGospel.com (formerly SoGospelNews.com) are proud to announce this year's hosts and first list of performers for the 2012 Absolutely Gospel Music Awards Celebration.
The hosts for this year's Awards Celebration of two of the industry's most respected female voices and personalities. This year's hosts are Karen Peck Gooch (Karen Peck & New River) and Sonya Isaacs Yeary (The Isaacs).
Karen Peck Gooch has been lauded as one of the greatest voices to ever take the stage in Southern Gospel music. She has been awarded the Favorite Soprano award in the Singing News Fan Awards 11 times. A veteran of the Absolutely Gospel Music Awards, Karen has won Female Vocalist of the Year twice (including last year), and with her group New River, has won an impressive 15 additional Absolutely Gospel Music Awards. Karen Peck & New River has scored over 10 #1 singles over the course of its 20-year history. Gooch recently made her big screen debut in the hit movie Joyful Noise with Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton. Read more »
Tags: Absolutely Gospl, Deon Unthanks, Karen Peck, sonya isaacs, Southern Gospel News
Posted in awards | Comments Off on Hosts and First Performers Announced for 2012 Absolutely Gospel Music Awards
AWARD-WINNING JASON CRABB Captures LIVE Performance from Historic Nashville Venue
Written by SGN Scoops on September 2, 2011 – 9:49 am -
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—September 1, 2011—For GRAMMY® Award winner and Christian music mainstay Jason Crabb, there is nothing like performing LIVE in front of an audience. On April 19th, 2011, his adrenaline was running high as he stepped onto the stage, following an introduction by friend, mentor and legend Bill Gaither, to record his first LIVE recording, The Song Lives On (Gaither Music Group), which is set to release on DVD and CD on October 18th.
Filmed at Nashville's historic Loveless Café Barn, this all-new collection finds Jason, along with his stage band, putting his own twist to some of the most popular Gospel classics and church favorites of the past few decades. The rustic venue at the Loveless accentuated the rich emotion and soul of Crabb's vocal talents as well as the intimate, down-home charm that has made this "boy next door" a 14-time GMA DOVE Award-winning, nationally acclaimed communicator.
Known for a uniquely commercial vocal style that blurs the lines between musical genres, Crabb, along with Gaither, collaborated to select songs for this recording that have now become classics—songs that Crabb grew up singing in his hometown church, tunes that remain fan favorites today and messages that Jason could bring to life with his unique flair that ranges from sheer, powerhouse force to "raw," vulnerable interpretations.
"I wanted to record songs that have stood the test of time," Crabb describes, "and as Bill Gaither suggested, 'songs that have sound theology.' Many of these songs I first heard in church while growing up in Kentucky. Some of them were sung as a congregation, and some were performed as what we called 'specials' at our country church."
Some of those "specials" include hits such as "Who Am I," "Beulah Land," "God on the Mountain," "Midnight Cry," "I Saw the Light," "Until Then" and "Why Me" among others. The evening featured special performances by The Gaither Vocal Band, including a new rendition of "Please Forgive Me," a Crabb Family hit penned by Crabb's father, songwriter of the year Gerald Crabb. The song, which was recently re-recorded by Crabb's longtime friend and inspiration Michael English with the Gaither Vocal Band, included a special reprise that brought Crabb and English together on stage.
Another highlight of the evening occurred when Gaither and Oak Ridge Boy William Lee Golden stepped onto the stage spontaneously to join Crabb singing his version of the Kris Kristofferson hit "Why Me." Other standout moments included a cameo appearance by Sonya Isaacs Yeary and Becky Isaacs Bowman, who joined Jason for the classic "Who Am I" as well as a guest appearance by The Crabb Family, who joined their brother for the family tradition "Through the Fire." Performers and studio vocalists Reggie and Ladye Love Smith and Angela Primm sang background vocals that evening. Jason's band includes Lorie Sikes, Blaine Johnson and Michael Rowsey.
"This was a night I had looked forward to for so long," Crabb describes with his usual "aww, shucks" grin. "To get to sing these classic songs and have my band do what we do live is something I've wanted to do for a while now. To look into the front row and see the faces of people I've looked up to for years was intimidating…what an honor! For several of them to join me on stage, well, that's just beyond belief for this small-town boy…what a night! I'll treasure it forever."
The Song Lives On will also include a new version of Crabb's GMA DOVE Award-winning Song of the Year for 2011 "Sometimes I Cry," which Crabb recently re-recorded at the Billy Graham Library in NC, as part of the filming for the fall releases of the two new Gaither Homecoming videos—Tent Revival Homecoming and The Old Rugged Cross.
The Song Lives On DVD and CD, produced by Gaither, will be available in stores and online on October 18th. The projects will be featured on multiple tv networks as part of a direct campaign this fall and will be strategically positioned across retail and online accounts. Both releases are distributed exclusively by EMI CMG Distribution. For a SNEAK PREVIEW of the DVD, please visit http://youtu.be/NhmHabgfw_E.
In addition to his heavy touring schedule, Jason can be seen at various HOMECOMING arena concerts and video recordings. For further information, contact Celeste Winstead at CWinstead@springhillmusic.com or visit www.gaither.com or www.jasoncrabb.com.
Tags: Becky Isaacs, bill gaither, Cafe Barn, Dove Awards, Gaither Music Group, gerald crabb, Jason Crabb, Michael English, sonya isaacs, Southern Gospel News, William Lee Golden
Posted in new music | Comments Off on AWARD-WINNING JASON CRABB Captures LIVE Performance from Historic Nashville Venue
SONYA ISAACS AND JIMMY YEARY WELCOME SON AYDEN JAMES YEARY
Written by SGN Scoops Staff on July 25, 2011 – 9:10 pm -
NASHVILLE, TENN. (JULY 25, 2011) – SONYA ISAACS YEARY and husband JIMMY YEARY announce the birth of their first child, AYDEN JAMES YEARY. The healthy baby boy was born at 7:36 PM, Monday, July 25, 2011 at a Nashville, TN area hospital weighing 9 lbs. 5 oz. and 22 in. long.
Mother, Father and baby are resting comfortably.
ABOUT THE ISAACS:
Sonya Isaacs Yeary is a member of The Isaacs, a multi-award winning family group who began singing 30 years ago. Lily Isaacs, Ben Isaacs, Sonya Isaacs and Rebecca Isaacs Bowman have a unique style that blends tight, family harmony with contemporary acoustic instrumentation that appeals to a variety of audiences. They perform frequently at the Grand Ole Opry, are active members on the Gaither Homecoming Videos and Concert Series and travel throughout the year performing internationally.
Tags: Grand Ole Opry, Homecoming Videos, Jimmy Yeary, sonya isaacs, Southern Gospel News, the isaacs
Posted in announcements, Christian interest | Comments Off on SONYA ISAACS AND JIMMY YEARY WELCOME SON AYDEN JAMES YEARY
Martina McBride's New Release Touches Many
Lily Isaacs' battle with breast cancer has inspired her daughter, Sonya Isaacs, husband Jimmy Yeary and Ben Hayslip to write a new heart-felt song called "I'm gonna love you through it." The emotional lyrics tell a story from the vantage point of being a 38 year old mother of three children who has just received a cancer diagnosis. The ballad is destined to strike the hearts of many families that have been devastated by the disease of breast cancer.
Country super-star artist, Martina McBride has recorded the ballad and is set to release the single to country radio on July 25, 2011. For a preview of the song and complete review, visit http://t.co/Vib1jBn.
Tags: ben hayslip, Jimmy Yeary, Martina McBride, sonya isaacs
Posted in new music | Comments Off on Martina McBride's New Release Touches Many
Daywind Records Announces Release of Reach Out From Karen Peck & New River
Written by SGN Scoops on July 12, 2011 – 8:51 am -
Hendersonville, TN (July 12, 2011) – Daywind Records is excited to present the newest release from the GRAMMY® nominated group, Karen Peck & New River, entitled Reach Out. This project, which is the first to feature new male vocalist, Jeff Hawes, will hit stores nationwide this week.
Produced by Wayne Haun, Reach Out features songs from writers such as Sue C. Smith, Twila McBride LaBar, Kenna West, Sonya Isaacs, Jimmy Yeary, and others. Every lyric carries a message of hope and grace meant to uplift and encourage the listener. Every melody is presented with the true excellence consistently delivered by Karen Peck & New River.
Both the first Southern Gospel single, "On The Banks of the Promised Land," and Soft AC single, "This Is What Mercy Does," have already received a positive response from DJs and are expected to become favorites among listeners.
Reach Out is available at Christian retail stores across the country and digitally at iTunes and other outlets. Bulk purchasing for gift and ministry purposes is available by calling 1-800-635-9581.
Daywind Records is based in Hendersonville, TN, and is distributed worldwide through New Day Christian Distributors. In addition to Karen Peck & New River, Daywind is home to many other great artists such as Marshall Hall and Greater Vision, among others. For more information on Karen Peck & New River, visit karenpeckandnewriver.com. For more information on Daywind Records, visit daywindrecords.com.
Tags: Daywind Records, Greater Vision, jeff hawes, Jimmy Yeary, karen peck and new river, Kenna West, marshall hall, New Day Christian Distributors, sonya isaacs, Sue C. Smith, Wayne Haun
Posted in new music | Comments Off on Daywind Records Announces Release of Reach Out From Karen Peck & New River
Sonya Isaacs and husband Jimmy Yeary Expecting Child in 2011
Written by SGN Scoops Staff on January 6, 2011 – 12:17 pm -
Sonya and Jimmy
NASHVILLE, TN (January 6, 2010) – The Isaacs' award winning female vocalist and mandolin player Sonya Isaacs and her husband, songwriter Jimmy Yeary, are anticipating the birth of their baby in July 2011.
"Baby I don't see how I could love you anymore than I do today…" is the lyric written for Sonya in Jimmy's number one Rascal Flatt's hit "Why Wait." The excitement of their announcement just added more love and inspiration for more hit songs.
Sonya says, "One of my greatest desires in life has been to be a mommy. I've loved being an aunt, and being so close to my nieces and nephews has given me a taste of what it's like to love and raise a child. We are so excited and can't even begin to express our thankfulness to the Lord for this great big little blessing! Thanks for your continued prayers as we continue on this amazing journey."
Jimmy adds, "It's hard to put into words how excited I am at the thought of having a child with the love of my life. It just doesn't get any better."
Sonya and Jimmy were married December 20, 2009 in Nashville, Tenn.
ABOUT JIMMY YEARY:
Jimmy Yeary is originally from Hillsboro, OH. From the early ages of 8, Jimmy began singing in churches with his family. Moving to Nashville, TN in 1994, Jimmy began writing for some of country music's top artists. His songs have been recorded by Brooks & Dunn, Craig Morgan, Joe Diffie, John Michael Montgomery and more. His latest cut, "Why Wait," co-written with Neil Thrasher and Tom Shapiro is Rascal Flatts 12th No. 1 hit single.
Tags: Gaither Homecoming, Jimmy Yeary, Rascal Flatts, sonya isaacs
Posted in announcements, breaking news, christian entertainment | Comments Off on Sonya Isaacs and husband Jimmy Yeary Expecting Child in 2011
Hosts Announced for 2010 SGN Music Awards Celebration
Written by Scoops Staff on March 5, 2010 – 12:52 pm -
HisSong and Beyond the Ashes Added as Featured Performers
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Deon and Susan Unthank, administrators of SoGospelNews.com, are proud to announce the hosts for this year's SGN Music Awards Celebration.
Hosting the Awards Celebration this year are Mike Bowling and Sonya Isaacs Yeary. Madison Easter will also be doing additional emcee work for the event.
Mike Bowling is a celebrated vocalist, producer and songwriter. He is a 2-time winner of Male Vocalist of the Year in the SGN Music Awards (2005, 2007). Mike has won 9 SGN Music Awards over the course of his career as a vocalist and producer. Last year, his group won three awards – including Song of the Year (for "Your Cries Have Awoken the Master"). His family group, The Bowling Family, just released their new recording Shine.
Sonya Isaacs Yeary is no stranger to fans of Southern Gospel music. Her family group, The Isaacs, is a regular fixture on the Gaither Homecoming Tour as well as prominent figures in both the Bluegrass and Southern Gospel music communities. Sonya has won eight individual awards in the SGN Music Awards as a musician, vocalist, and songwriter. Sonya is currently the reigning Songwriter of the Year (Artist) – an award she shared with her sister, Becky, last year.
Madison Easter is the youngest individual to ever co-host the SGN Music Awards program. Easter is a beloved musician who travels with his family group – Jeff & Sheri Easter. Easter's brand of humor has made him a popular individual on social networks and within the Southern Gospel community. Madison scored his first nomination this year for Musician of the Year.
"We are absolutely thrilled with our hosts this year," mentioned Deon Unthank of SoGospelNews.com. "We've got a lot of really neat things planned for this year – including a different kind of set up for our hosts. You aren't going to want to miss the event this year! It's destined to be our biggest and best yet!"
In addition, HisSong and Beyond the Ashes have been added as featured performers for the Celebration. They will join previously announced performers The Isaacs, Booth Brothers, Karen Peck & New River, The Perrys, Jeff & Sheri Easter, The Freemans, The Bowling Family (formerly Mike & Kelly Bowling), Soul'd Out Quartet, and McMillan & Life.
The evening will also feature a mutli-artist collaboration that will honor the Southern Gospel veterans the Singing Cookes and the legacy that they have left and continue to leave today.
Additional performers and sponsors are still being confirmed and will be announced at a later date.
The date for this year's SGN Music Awards Celebration is Tuesday, April 13, 2010. The event will again take place at the River of Life Church in Smyrna, Tennesse and is free to the public. The awards program will start at 7:00 p.m. Doors open at 6:00 p.m.
As far as nominations go, two artists tied for the most nominations among performers this year. Both The Perrys and Karen Peck & New River landed a stellar nine nominations apiece – more than any other artist this year. 2008's Pacesetter the Dove Brothers earned eight nods. Following behind those artists were Legacy Five, The Isaacs, and Booth Brothers with seven nominations apiece. Triumphant Quartet and Brian Free & Assurance both landed six nominations. Two artists received five nominations – the Bowling Family (formerly Mike & Kelly Bowling) and Talley Trio.
Songwriter and producer Wayne Haun earned the most individual nominations for his work during 2009. Rodney Griffin earned six individual nominations for his songwriting work. Earning five individual nominations were songwriters Marty Funderburk (2009's Songwriter of the Year winner) and Rusty Golden. Gospel legend Bill Gaither, songwriter Joel Lindsey, and The Perrys' lead singer Joseph Habedank all earned four individual nominations.
The Pacesetter Award is awarded to any artist, individual, or organization which has shown great strides in the industry and has raised the bar for others. This year's nominees for the 2010 Pacesetter are new Gospel music celebration Branson Gospel Music Convention, Crossroads Music Group, SGShowPrep's Chuck Peters, digital news outlet SGN Scoops Digital, and Vine Records.
For a full list of nominees, visit SoGospelNews.com.
Tags: madison easter, mike bowling, sgn music awards, sonya isaacs
Posted in awards | Comments Off on Hosts Announced for 2010 SGN Music Awards Celebration


2015 was a big year for me. Sounds cliché, but my dream has always been to help people in some way and last year I decided "it's now or never"! In spring 2015 I ran a healthy living week at my workplace where I conducted a circuit training session, and one of the owners of the business said to me: "have you ever thought about doing this as a living, you'd be great" … the answer was yes, I had! In the summer I decided to take a personal training course. I have a Master's degree in Nutrition, and felt like the two combined perfectly to set up a Nutrition and PT business that enabled me to reach my goal of helping people to lead healthier lives.
I spent a long time investigating this. There are a lot of courses out there, and they certainly vary quite a lot in price too! Choose something that fits your lifestyle. I did a weekend course, giving up 10 alternate weekends, which enabled me to still work part-time and use my other days to study and think about the business venture (oh, and relax a bit too!!). There are other options though, like intense short-term courses where you study all week for a number of weeks – or alternatively you can study one day per week over a longer period of time. If you don't know where to start, this website can help you see some of the top providers of courses.
Like with any other business, setting up a PT business is an investment. Not only do you have to pay for your qualification (which can be quite pricey if you choose a good course), but there are so many other costs you may not consider (think insurances, marketing, website, registering with the Information Commissioner, equipment, rent for gym space… the list goes on!). So I would recommend having savings (I'm not a fan of loans, but I guess that's an option too), and also it might be wise to have an alternative income.
This is especially important if you are looking to become self-employed. Some courses cover a level of business skills. For my course we had to complete a business plan, which was really useful as it helps you cost up your outgoings and predicted incomings, and helps you to think about your target market too. If you are thinking of making the move, completing a rough business plan would be a great place to start, just to check it is feasible. Marketing skills are important too; you need to think of ways to sell yourself and what you have to offer in order to continually grow your business.
I absolutely couldn't have done this without the support of my family and friends. My fiancé Stu has been an absolute diamond and has supported me financially, mentally and emotionally! It is tough going when you're studying for a course whilst having a job, trying to plan a business, and also trying to stay on track of your own healthy living too. Oh, and not to mention those days where you wake up thinking "OMG what on earth am I doing?!" (they were quite frequent, but very normal – don't panic and trust your instinct!). It is always great to get advice from others too, it is likely that your friends and family with have a skillset that can come in handy. Whether they are self-employed and have business tips, or know someone who is a PT that can give you advice… or maybe they are handy at social media and can give you pointers on the best ways to market your business. You can always offer them some free PT sessions for their time!
This is so important. One idea would be to organise a meeting with another local PT and see if they can give you any advice on setting up your own business. However, don't forget the more informal kind of networking too. This might simply be having a chat to your neighbour about your new venture – you never know who they might know; a local business that might need a PT, or a friend who wants training. Recently I spoke to a couple of ladies in a shop about what they would look for in a fitness class: a bit of free market research about my local community!
If you have a passion, a goal or a dream to do something, get on and do it! You never know where your journey might take you. It is still early days for me, so hopefully I can share some more insider knowledge when things have been up and running for a bit longer, but I hope I have given you something to think about… and perhaps even pushed you to take the leap of faith!