text:
Rear Admiral Douglas Small
Commander, Naval Information Warfare Systems Command
Rear Adm. Doug Small is a native of Birchwood, Wisconsin. He is a 1988 graduate of Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Physics. He also holds a doctorate degree in physics from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.
Small's operational tours included mechanical division officer and main propulsion assistant on USS Camden (AOE 2), in which he deployed in support of Operation Desert Storm, as well as combat systems officer (plankowner) on USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7). During Operation Iraqi Freedom he served as the first technical director of Joint Crew Composite Squadron (JCCS) 1, assembled by the Navy to assist with defeating then-prevalent radio-controlled improvised explosive devices (IED).
An engineering duty officer since 1997, Small had a number of tours in acquisition, starting at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division and then the Missile Defense Agency. Moving to the Program Executive Office for Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS), Small was the electronic warfare assistant and then the major program manager for above water sensors (PEO IWS 2), overseeing the development of improvements for the Navy in electronic warfare and radar. Following this tour he served as the executive assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition.
Small's first flag assignment, in 2016, he was the program executive officer for Integrated Warfare Systems, where he led the team responsible for development, delivery, and sustainment of all surface navy combat and weapon systems. He assumed command of the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command in August 2020, leading a global workforce of 11,000 civilian and military professionals who design, develop, install, and support Navy's networking, communications, information, and cyber capabilities and systems.
Small's personal awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, and Bronze Star; unit awards include the Army Meritorious Unit Commendation and various campaign and service awards.


There you go little bro, that's how you treat a lady be very nice and sweet to her.
ROFL Halima is a cutie pie, treat her like a queen little bro.
Fulaman & Fulaboy you two though Fulaboy what's your real name ?
Miyetti Allah!!!!! Fulani is one tribe i find vry funny...... Frm my observation,i think fulanis aint ORIGINALLY Nigerians!!!!! Anoda thing i dnt like about fulanis is dey get angry easily and dnt forgive!!!!! I had my nysc in kano and worked there before leaving cos of bokoharam.....i think fulfulde language is also going to extinction cos many fulanis now speaks hausa very well......lastly,i think itz high time 'herdmanship' is stopped!!!! I love fulani girls too......dated zainab when i was in kano. I pray to have my honeymoon in Adamawa state,heard lot of mountains are there.
I think the poster above me is right.. The fulani dialect is hardly heard in the major town in northern Nigeria!!
Its hausa all the way!!
The fulanis sha, the babes make sense die!!!
Fulanis aren't originally Nigerian? Which Nigerian is originally Nigerian? Whilst Fulanis have been in West Africa for 10,000 years, we are just as Nigerian as anyone else.
that's not true, what about Yola? What about Jalingo?
In 3 states, you will hear a lot of Fulfulde, Adamawa, Gombe and Taraba.
Cool we like you too.
all you guys are talking about is Northern Nigeria o, when will u decide to do what yout topic is all about.
You are a bigot and you are really disrespectful!
Nnamdi Kanu - Radio Biafra, Voice Of Free Biafra / Hierarchy Of Kings In Yoruba Land: The Top 5 / Pounded Yam Eulogy/ Oriki Iyan Ni Ede Abinibi.


text:
HTC Desire 826 vs. HTC Desire 626 – HTC's Mid-Range Smartphones Set to Dominate the Market
With two new models for the middle range coming in the first few months of the year, HTC is set to be a major player.
The Desire 826 is already launched and available for purchase, while the Desire 626 should be launched during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona at the start of March. Which of the two phones to choose? We've got all the information for you, and based on the comparison, you can make a decision.
Both phones feature the Desire design language line. The big difference is in the size and quality of the display. The Desire 626 offers a 5 inches display, with a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels. The Desire 826, on the other hand, is closer to the phablet dimensions, with a display of 5.5 inches and resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels, or full HD 1080p display.
Hardware and Operating System
The Desire 626 is the weaker handset. While both will feature an octa core processor, the Desire 826 uses the Snapdragon 615, while the Desire 626 is powered by a MediaTek chipset. Both the Desire 826 and the Desire 626 offer 2 GB of RAM for its users. The built in memory options for the Desire 826 include a 16 GB version and a 32 GB version. The HTC Desire 626 can offer users just 16 GB of internal storage. However, both devices can further expand the storage via microSD card.
The Desire 826 has another advantage, and that is the OS. The handset ships with the Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box, while the Desire 626 will ship with the Android 4.4 KitKat. The Desire 626 is expected to get the Lollipop update, but for the time being, it runs on an older version of the Android operating system.
The rear camera of both devices is a 13-MP sensor. The front camera, however, is where things get interesting. The Desire 626 is equipped with a 5-MP sensor, while the Desire 826 has a 4-MP ultra pixel camera on the front. HTC is starting to use the ultra pixel technology more and more for the front facing camera, as it looks that the sensor is better suited for selfies in low light conditions.
The difference in price is not something to make a final decision on. The Desire 826 is priced at $350. The price for the Desire 626 is unknown at the moment, but early rumors suggest it won't cross the $300 line.
Related ItemsHTC Desire 626HTC Desire 826
How To Make Sure Your Website Is Ready For 2015
5 Big Benefits of Sound Sleep
How to Access PC on your Android Device with Chrome Remote Desktop?
Even though, users now have a lot of devices to access data from the cloud, do their job…
Most Popular Internet Service Providers
Your internet service provider can be said to be your gatekeeper to the internet. How they provide services…
WhatsApp Best Wallpapers and Backgrounds
Free messaging apps contain various options for users to personalize their profiles and the app itself. Fortunately, WhatsApp…

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
advice for young actors
WHY YOU DON'T WANT TO BE FAMOUS… YET
This post starts off a little anecdotal, so please bear with me. It's something I really want you to think about.
I remember when I was first starting out I used to read a lot of 'how to audition' and 'how to work as an actor' books. I remember they used to describe the acting industry as 'tough' and 'competitive' (der) and suggested that not many people actually 'make it' as actors. I figured I'd just be in the tiny percentage that did 'make it'. I was pretty arrogant and fairly naïve… but that probably worked in my favour at times. I never told anyone that I believed that about myself, which probably worked in my favour as well – people are often pretty quick to laugh at you or shut you down when you say you want to be an actor, so I can imagine they would have found it pretty hilarious if I'd told them I thought I'd be the next Nicole Kidman (these were the days before Cate Blanchett… I'm showing my age now).
Years later, I'm certainly not the next Nicole Kidman (but hey, give me another ten years), and I honestly couldn't tell you whether I've 'made it' or not. I actually don't think that's something I can measure. I strongly dislike the use of the terms 'breakthrough' and 'make it'. They imply that there's a definitive point where it's ok to declare yourself an actor – and that point is usually based on fame or money. Not many actors I know are famous or make huge amounts of money, but they're still actors, no doubt about it. If you can follow me for a bit with this line of thinking, I'd like to persuade you not to think about it in those definitive, unhelpful terms as well.
Acting is just like any other profession; it requires patience, time and dedication. There's a ladder to be climbed, not an invisible wall to 'break through'. Most successful actors start off small and work their way up. It feels pretty similar to starting off as a receptionist and working up to CEO, and it takes just as long. To really 'make it' – if you want to think about it in terms of title, money, power – it will take you a good 10 years or so. At least.
Think about the CEOs of powerful companies, or the Artistic/Executive Directors of arts companies – do you think one day they got 'discovered' and became a CEO within a year? No – that would be an incredibly stupid thing to do for that person (who would have no experience to back them up) and the company (which would be run by someone with no experience!). Perhaps they have some great instincts that would get them by for a while, but eventually the company would start to flounder, and that person would probably be fired. The same is true of acting. Being 'discovered' or 'getting a breakthrough role' doesn't really exist, and it's certainly not something you want to wish for yourself.
Let's look at some actors who were 'discovered' at a young age.
Kristen Stewart. Became internationally known as Bella Swan in the Twilight Series, aged 18. Began working in theatre and TV aged 8. Breakthrough: 10 years
Zac Efron. Became internationally known as Troy Bolton in the High School Musical series, aged 19. Began working in the theatre at age 11. Breakthrough: 8 years
Sarah Michelle Gellar. Became internationally known for playing Buffy the Vampire Slayer at aged 20. Performed in commercials and TV series since aged 4. Breakthrough: 16 years
Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Became well known as Tommy in 'Third Rock From the Sun' at age 15. Appeared in theatre and commercials since age 4. Breakthrough: 11 years
Has only really achieved 'Leading Man' status this year with Looper, aged 31. 'Leading Man' Breakthrough: 27 years
Mila Kunis. Became well known as Jackie Burkhart on 'That 70s Show', aged 15. Began working in TV aged 7. Breakthrough: 8 years
Has achieved 'Leading Lady' status recently with Black Swan, Friends with Benefits, etc, aged 27. 'Leading Lady' Breakthrough: 20 years
I could go on, but I think you can see my point.
There is also the other side of the coin, where child actors are discovered and become famous incredibly quickly. That sort of quick rise to fame is often terribly detrimental to the wellbeing of that actor, due to the pressure and sudden need for maturity. I don't really want to point at particular actors here, but I'm sure you've heard stories of where child actors have ended up making some terrible personal and professional decisions. It seems to be the exception rather than the rule where young actors are able to rise to fame and stay there – I would list Dakota Fanning, Chloe Grace Moretz and the Harry Potter trio as the main current examples of personal and professional maturity and courage that has allowed them to continue successfully.
I don't want this to dishearten you, or for you to panic that you should have started acting years ago. It is still absolutely possible for you to be a successful actor during those ten or twenty years on your journey to becoming well known (if that's what you want to become). It just requires a shift in mindset. Do you really want to only consider yourself an actor if you're internationally famous, or do you want to feel and conduct yourself like an actor from the very beginning of your journey?
I encourage you to decide for yourself when you can officially call yourself an actor. You really don't need to wait until the whole world recognises that you are one, you just need to recognise that you are one. What will it take for you to feel like an actor? Is it money? A certain number of roles? A certain type of role? Getting an agent? Whatever it is, that's fine, just make that decision now – and don't make it too hard for yourself. When you can declare yourself an actor according to your own rules, it lessens that feeling of needing to prove yourself to the world, whether that's at an audition or a family barbecue. You can start to build a genuine confidence in yourself from understanding that you're at the beginning of your journey, but it's a legitimate journey nonetheless, and no one but you can decide whether you're a success or not.
Here's a bit of perspective to help you out with this:
Most professional actors in Perth (and around the world) still do some sort of teaching or trade to fill in the gaps while they're not acting. There's no shame in that, and it doesn't have to be a disappointing reality. For many, teaching is an incredibly rewarding part of being an actor, because they get to share what they've learnt and help other people on their journey. For others, working in a trade (such as a masseuse or yoga teacher) helps them develop as an actor.
Get real. It will actually makes things easier. I'm not saying give up on your dreams, I'm not even saying you should make your dreams smaller – but perhaps they might need a longer timeframe.
Enjoy the journey, it'll make your success even sweeter when you get there.
Practical Things You Wish You KnewSarah McKellaracting, expectations, Perth1 comment
The #1 mistake actors make in auditions
HOW TO GET THE PERFECT HEADSHOTS (PART 1)
One thought on "WHY YOU DON'T WANT TO BE FAMOUS… YET"
get layed
My brother suggested I might like this blog. He used to be totally right.
This post truly made my day. You cann't consider simply how much time I had spent for this info! Thanks!
5 TIPS THAT WILL GUARANTEE YOU AN AUDITION
5 REASONS YOU DON'T NEED TO GO TO DRAMA SCHOOL


text:
package org.apache.camel.component.splunk;

import java.net.Socket;
import java.util.Map;

import com.splunk.Service;

import org.apache.camel.CamelContext;

public final class Helper {

    private Helper() {
    }

    public static DefaultSplunkConfigurationFactory mockComponent(final Service service, final Socket socket) {
        return new DefaultSplunkConfigurationFactory() {
            @Override
            public SplunkConfiguration parseMap(Map<String, Object> parameters) {
                return new MockConnectionSettings(service, socket);
            }
        };
    }

}

final class MockConnectionSettings extends SplunkConfiguration {

    MockConnectionSettings(Service service, Socket socket) {
        setConnectionFactory(new MockConnectionFactory(service));
    }

    class MockConnectionFactory extends SplunkConnectionFactory {
        private Service service;

        MockConnectionFactory(Service service) {
            super("foo", "bar");
            this.service = service;
        }

        @Override
        public Service createService(CamelContext camelContext) {
            return service;
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


I have been needing to get a real pair of hiking boots for some time. Not so much for "real" hiking, but for walking the dog in the park in wee hours across dew-laden grass and working in the yard. Hiking is certainly in my future, as well.
Unless you count combat boots, I had never owned a pair of real hiking boots. So, I really had no idea what to get. I had heard good things about Red Wing Boots. They have a subdivision, Vasque, that specializes in hiking boots. That also happens to be the brand that my wife has (and she likes them).
I tried heading to a Red Wing store, only to find out that, although we had many of them in the area, they generally only carried the main Red Wing line and Irish Setter, the hunting and fishing subdivision. Further, the sales person at the store I visited seemed to just read the labels in front of me, as opposed to being remarkably knowledgeable. I called their other locations and, while they were willing to *order* Vasque, none of them stocked them.
So, I headed to my local REI.
I tried a host of different boots, to include Vasque, Merrell, Asolo, Oboz, Keen, and Lowa. Among those, I tried around a dozen different boots, 2-4 lacings per boot, and a few repeats. I probably laced up a pair of boots about 40 times that afternoon.
The clerks guided me to boots 1 and 1.5 sizes bigger than my foot measurement. Five years ago, that would have been startling, but lately, I am relieved by that tendency, as I have come to learn that, for some reason, shoes designed for your foot size often end up smashing one or more toes in heavy use. I had a pair of cross-training shoes that literally smashed one of my toes so much on a 5k power walk that the nail gave up the ghost and fell off. Ouch.
REI has a fake rock formation for trying out the shoes and the clerks tell you how to use it to evaluate sliding along the boot, adequate room for toes, and sliding along the back of the foot.
Every clerk was infinitely patient and courteous.
The only boot that was a contender was, humorously, the first pair I tried - the Vasque Breeze. It was also the winner.
What was fascinating is that the pair I tried at the first REI felt too tight across the foot, but the pairs at the second REI did not. Further, for two of the pairs of Vasque I tried, the left foot created an uncomfortable pressure on the medial malleolus. Just the left foot. On two of four pairs I tried.
Given the fantastic service, I was obliged to buy the boots at REI, but the researcher in me couldn't help but check out the cost on Zappos for the same shoes. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they were the same for the pair I wanted and only 15% less for a pair I did not. Well, given that 20% discounts are somewhat easy to come by, and they had one that day, it turns out that REI was cheaper overall; another pleasant surprise.
Good luck with your hiking purchase!


text:
FDA History
Zemdri
Zemdri FDA Approval History
Last updated by Judith Stewart, BPharm on March 2, 2021.
FDA Approved: Yes (First approved June 25, 2018)
Brand name: Zemdri
Generic name: plazomicin
Dosage form: Injection
Company: Achaogen, Inc.
Treatment for: Urinary Tract Infection
Zemdri (plazomicin) is an aminoglycoside antibacterial for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections.
BOXED WARNINGS: NEPHROTOXICITY, OTOTOXICITY, NEUROMUSCULAR BLOCKADE AND FETAL HARM
Nephrotoxicity has been reported with Zemdri. The risk of nephrotoxicity is greater in patients with impaired renal function, the elderly, and in those receiving concomitant nephrotoxic medications. Assess creatinine clearance in all patients prior to initiating therapy and daily during therapy. Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) is recommended for complicated urinary tract infection (cUTI) patients with CLcr less than 90 mL/min to avoid potentially toxic levels.
Ototoxicity, manifested as hearing loss, tinnitus, and/or vertigo, has been reported with Zemdri. Symptoms of aminoglycoside-associated ototoxicity may be irreversible and may not become evident until after completion of therapy. Aminoglycoside-associated ototoxicity has been observed primarily in patients with a family history of hearing loss, patients with renal impairment, and in patients receiving higher doses and/or longer durations of therapy than recommended.
Aminoglycosides have been associated with neuromuscular blockade. During therapy with Zemdri, monitor for adverse reactions associated with neuromuscular blockade particularly in high-risk patients, such as patients with underlying neuromuscular disorders (including myasthenia gravis) or in patients concomitantly receiving neuromuscular blocking agents. Aminoglycosides, including Zemdri, can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman.
Contraindications: Zemdri is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to any aminoglycoside.
Additional Warnings and Precautions
Nephrotoxicity: Reported with the use of Zemdri. Most serum creatinine increases were ≤ 1 mg/dL above baseline and reversible. Assess CLcr in all patients prior to initiating therapy and daily during therapy with Zemdri, particularly in those at increased risk of nephrotoxicity, such as those with renal impairment, the elderly and those receiving concomitant potentially nephrotoxic medications. In the setting of worsening renal function, the benefit of continuing Zemdri should be assessed. Adjust the initial dosage regimen in cUTI patients with CLcr ≥ 15 mL/min and < 60 mL/min. For subsequent doses, TDM is recommended for patients with CLcr ≥ 15 mL/min and < 90 mL/min.
Ototoxicity: Reported with Zemdri (manifested as hearing loss, tinnitus, and/or vertigo). Symptoms of aminoglycoside-associated ototoxicity may be irreversible and may not become evident until after completion of therapy. Aminoglycoside-associated ototoxicity has been observed primarily in patients with a family history of hearing loss (excluding age-related hearing loss), patients with renal impairment, and in patients receiving higher doses and/or for longer periods than recommended. The benefit-risk of Zemdri therapy should be considered in these patients.
Neuromuscular Blockade: Aminoglycosides have been associated with exacerbation of muscle weakness in patients with underlying neuromuscular disorders, or delay in recovery of neuromuscular function in patients receiving concomitant neuromuscular blocking agents. During therapy with Zemdri, monitor for adverse reactions associated with neuromuscular blockade, particularly in high-risk patients, such as patients with underlying neuromuscular disorders (including myasthenia gravis) or those patients concomitantly receiving neuromuscular blocking agents.
Fetal Harm: Aminoglycosides, including Zemdri, can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Patients who use Zemdri during pregnancy, or become pregnant while taking Zemdri should be apprised of the potential hazard to the fetus.
Hypersensitivity Reactions: Serious and occasionally fatal hypersensitivity (anaphylactic) reactions have been reported in patients receiving aminoglycoside antibacterial drugs. Before therapy with Zemdri is instituted, careful inquiry about previous hypersensitivity reactions to other aminoglycosides should be made. Discontinue Zemdri if an allergic reaction occurs.
Clostridium difficile-Associated Diarrhea (CDAD): Reported for nearly all systemic antibacterial drugs and may range in severity from mild diarrhea to fatal colitis. Treatment with antibacterial drugs alters the normal flora of the colon and may permit overgrowth of C. difficile. Careful medical history is necessary. If CDAD is suspected or confirmed, antibacterial drugs not directed against C. difficile may need to be discontinued.
Development of Drug-Resistant Bacteria: Prescribing Zemdri in the absence of a proven or strongly suspected bacterial infection is unlikely to provide benefit to the patient and increases the risk of the development of drug-resistant bacteria. Please click here to see the full Prescribing Information, including BOXED WARNINGS, for additional Important Safety Information.
You may report side effects to the FDA at (800) FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. You may also report side effects to Achaogen at (833) AKAO-402.
Development Timeline for Zemdri
Jun 25, 2018 Approval Zemdri (plazomicin) Approved by FDA for the Treatment of Adults with Complicated Urinary Tract Infections (cUTI)
May 2, 2018 Achaogen Announces FDA Advisory Committee Voted Unanimously in Favor of Plazomicin for Treatment of Adults with Complicated Urinary Tract Infections
Jan 2, 2018 Achaogen Announces FDA Acceptance of New Drug Application with Priority Review for Plazomicin for Treatment of Complicated Urinary Tract Infections and Bloodstream Infections
Oct 26, 2017 Achaogen Submits Plazomicin New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. FDA for Treatment of Complicated Urinary Tract Infections and Bloodstream Infections
List of Common Antibiotics & Types
Antibiotics and Alcohol
Probiotics and Antibiotics
Antibiotics for Strep Throat
Antibiotics for a Tooth Infection
Antibiotics for UTI's
News & warnings for this drug
FDA Safety Alerts for all medications


text:
South America Sojourn
Peru Galapagos Adventure
Purely Peru
Patagonia Highlights
North Argentina Wine & Food Tour
Peru Culinary Wonders
Culture and Nature of Colombia
A Glimpse of Colombia
CENTRAL AMERICA & CUBA
Central America Sojourn
Costa Rica, Cuba & Mexico
Glimpse of Guatemala
8 Day Original Cuba Tour
9 Day Cuba In Comfort
15 Day In Depth Cuba
20 Day Complete Cuba
Colonial Treasures of Central America
Nicaragua Highlights
6 Day Galapagos Land Tour
10 Day Galapagos Adventure
Galapagos Superior Cruise
Galapagos First Class Cruise
Galapagos Luxury Cruise
Walking in the European Alps
Greek Islands Walking & Food Tour
Crete Explorer
Spain Walking & Food
Norway Hiking & Cruising
Camino de Santiago Walking Tour
Japan Walking and Culinary Tour
Bangkok to Saigon Cycle & Food Tour
Saigon to Hanoi Cycle & Food Tour
Cambodian Luxury E-Bike & Cruise
Saigon to Angkor Cycle & Food Tour
Hilltribe Cycle and Trek – Vietnam to Laos
Mongolia – in the Footsteps of Dinosaurs
Trans Mongolia and Siberia
AFRICA & OTHER REGIONS
Botswana Wild Parks
Cape Town to Vic Falls – Grand Explorer
South African Rainbow Route
Zimbabwe and Botswana Game Tracker
Walking South Africa
NEW ZEALAND & SOUTH PACIFIC
Top of the South – NZ
South of the South – NZ
Roving Southern Explorer – Motorhome Trail
High Country Explorer – Motorhome Trail
A Crafted Journey – Central Otago
Chichen Itza – World wonder worth the hype
Visiting the 7 Wonders of the World are bucket list things to do for many people. The 7 Wonders are famous for being some of the most impressive and historically significant structures in the entire world – and Chichen Itza in Mexico is just that!
Today, visiting Chichen Itza means exploring 46 different build ings that are over 1,500 years old. These structures represent the life of the Mayan people in this ancient city. A trip to Chichen Itza is a unique experience offering visitors the chance to travel back in time and learn about the culture of the Mayans all while appreciating the incredible architecture.
A "New" 7 Wonders
In 2007, over 100 million people voted on the "new" 7 Wonders of the World. With this vote came about a whole new list of the World's 7 Wonders, and included on this list was Chichen Itza.
There was some criticism about this vote and how the new 7 Wonders were determined. Essentially, it was a popularity contest that some countries endorsed while others didn't. In fact, some businesses helped voting by allowing free voting via telephone or providing advertising. These efforts were seen to some as "unfair" and also may be the reason certain structures won their spot over others that could be argued as more impressive.
To this day many people still criticise the 7 Wonders list saying certain places should not be included and other sites should replace them.
However, Chichen Itza is one of the 7 Wonders that is absolutely deserving of its title – let us tell you why!
History of Chichen Itza
Chichen Itza is a historical pre-Colombian city that was built by the Mayan people. It is said to have been a thriving city between the time of 600 AD and 1000 AD. During this time it was a trading centre for many different things as the Mayan people were talented craftsmen.
The city was built near two large sinkholes or "cenotes" as they are referred to in Mexico. These cenotes provided fresh water for the city but are also said to have been used for human sacrifice as many human bones and other artefacts have been found in the cenote.
The Mayans were great astronomers and their knowledge of the stars and planets is represented throughout Chichen Itza. During the solar equinoxes each spring and fall, a shadow is cast on the main pyramid (El Castillo) in the shape of a snake or serpent.
In 1021, a civil war broke out and Chichen Itza lost its throne to the Mayapan. During this war and over time many of the structures were destroyed. However, there are many buildings that have been repaired to their original glory. These include The Great Ball Court, The Warrior's Temple, and El Castillo.
El Castillo or the Temple of Kukulkan
The largest and most famous structure of Chichen Itza is El Castillo or the Temple of Kukulkan. This pyramid has four sides and is made entirely of stone. It stands 30m tall and there is 365 steps to get to the top (one for every day of the year.) This temple is where the eerie serpent shadow appears at both the fall and spring equinoxes each year.
The Warriors Temple
This temple is a large pyramid surrounded by 200 round and square columns. These columns are all carved with images of Toltec Warriors and once would've held up a roof. At the top of the temple staircase is a statue figure called Chac Mool. Chac Mools were considered messengers of God which is shown by the bowls resented on their stomachs with offerings.
The Great Ball Court
The Great Ball Court is a very interesting place to visit in Chichen Itza. It resembles ball courts seen today with a large flat area for playing, hoops on either side of the court and a seating area for spectators. This game involved a ball and hoops but not much else is known about the actual rules of the game. It is said that the losers of the game would be sacrificed.
Ik Kil Cenote
Near to Chichen Itza is a very popular cenote. Ik Kil is a beautiful cenote where visitors can swim and cool off after a day of exploring Chichen Itza. If you are going to venture all the way to Chichen Itza be sure to make time to also stop at Ik Kil – you won't be disappointed!
What to Expect When Visiting Chichen Itza
Once you arrive, you can tour around the grounds with or without a guide. Going with a guide is a great idea as this way you can actually understand the significance of what you are actually seeing.
There are 46 different structures to see at Chichen Itza. While you can't climb El Castillo or any of the other pyramids anymore, you can explore from the base and take as many pictures as you'd like! It is also possible to walk on the Great Ball Court!
The grounds around the structures have been cleared so there isn't much shade around. Be sure to wear a hat and sunscreen. Comfortable walking shoes are also a good idea!
1.2 million people visit Chichen Itza annually making it one of the most visited places in all of Mexico. This also means that it can be very busy. Expect to see lots of tourists while at Chichen Itza! That being said, it is only this busy because it is that impressive! Going early in the morning or late in the afternoon is the least busy time to visit with fewer crowds and tour buses around.
Truthfully, Chichen Itza is an amazing place. You will be awe from the moment you enter by the impressive stonework. The pyramids are gorgeous and the way the Mayans built them relating to the Mayan calendar is nothing short of extraordinary.
It is definitely one of the world wonders that is worth all of the hype and place you should see for yourself!
Want to visit Chichen Itza? Our Costa Rica, Cuba and Mexico tour spends a day at Chichen Itza as well as cenote Ik Kil. Contact us today for more information!
Day of the Dead Festival
If you want to celebrate Day of the Dead in Mexico, there are some fundamentals…
Tikal: one of the many reasons to visit Guatemala
Located in the northern rainforests of Guatemala, is one of the largest Mayan excavated archaeological…
7 of the best things to do at Lake Atitlan
Lake Atitlan is easily one of the most visit tourist destinations in all of Guatemala,…
Dancing Sands Distillery in Takaka
What's it like at high altitude?
Interesting things to do and see in Spain
Must do food festivals from around the world
First name Last name Your email address
Terms & Conditions Booking Form Payments
© Copyright 2021 - Southern Exposure Tours - All Rights Reserved. a slightly different website


text:
Andreina
Marinda
Fatima Isa
Margarete
Khartoum, Sudan
Accra, Ghana
Byung-kun
Kin-Hui
Roselyn
Baghdad, Iraq
Pristina, Serbia
Tsigereda
Nawaporn
Kinshasa, DR Congo
Arwinda
Sumet
Laayoune, Western Sahara
Duangrat
Mojisola
Entebbe, Uganda
PhD in Philosophy, War College for Political Military Studies, Moscow, Russian Federation
Russian, English and Arabic
Working in peace operations in the United Nations exposes you to a truly dynamic environment where variety certainly can be expected. There is always a new challenge – and it is my job to find the best solutions from a leadership perspective. If you have excellent analytical skills, a proven leadership ability, and sensitivity to the importance of maintaining gender balance in your team, then a career as a Chief or Director of Mission Support demands all of these attributes and more.
I joined the Organization as civilian staff after a distinguished military career. I believe this background has been of tremendous value in my United Nations career. I have worked in seven peacekeeping and special political missions, which has given me comprehensive knowledge and experience of managing complex missions in multiple environments. As Chief of Mission Support, I leverage my planning and coordination skills to manage the human and financial resources of multifunctional operations effectively and efficiently, while ensuring that my team is positioned to proactively support the mission's requirements.
In my current role, I am responsible for ensuring seamless support to both the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) and the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO) operations, which are spread across five countries. This dual function comprises responsibility for an integrated support service covering all key components of our operations including human resources, logistics, communications and information technology, engineering, facilities management, supply and central warehousing, medical, budget and finance, procurement, and property and information management. It is my job to support our military observers and humanitarian substantive staff who are stationed across the region.
One of the more unusual roles I have held was Chief of Mission Support for the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-United Nations Joint Mission. I was responsible for providing support to the international community and the Syrian Arab Republic Government regarding the elimination of the Syrian chemical weapons programme. It was particularly challenging to ensure the safety and security of my team while operating in this context.
I have held various positions at Headquarters in New York. Most recently as a Senior Support Officer with the Integrated Operational Team, I facilitated synergies between the political, military, police and administrative components to ensure that the mission budgets under my responsibility were successfully submitted to the legislative bodies.
Prior to this, I was Chief of the Entebbe Support Base, in Uganda, which serves as a regional support hub for a supply chain that operates through Eastern Africa. It was extremely satisfying to oversee the smooth expansion of the base, including the construction of additional warehousing, and a 500-personnel capacity transit camp. Our team also doubled the volume of cargo movement through the base within one month by streamlining processes to enhance the delivery of support to our regional clients.
I believe the words "Mission Support" sum up the nature and priority of my tasks. The Support component of any mission will only be successful if its substantive clients, who are directly responsibility for executing the mission's mandated tasks, are fully satisfied with the level of support they receive. While achieving this goal may often be challenging in peace operations, my focus is always to enhance service delivery to clients.
INTERN - HUMAN RESOURCES [Temporary] I-1 172334 Internship Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia BEIRUT 30/12/2022
INTERN - ADMINISTRATION [Temporary] I-1 167446 Internship United Nations Office at Geneva GENEVA 06/11/2022
INTERN - ADMINISTRATION (UN Library & Archives) [Temporary] I-1 154315 Internship United Nations Office at Geneva GENEVA 11/10/2022
INTERN - Podcast Production and Multimedia Communications, I (Temporary Job Opening) [Temporary] I-1 166079 Internship United Nations Office at Geneva GENEVA 11/10/2022
Intern-Finance [Temporary] I-1 168436 Internship Human Security Unit NEW YORK 31/08/2022
INTERN - RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATIONS [Temporary] I-1 171688 Internship United Nations Office at Geneva GENEVA 30/08/2022
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ... >>


text:
Home » FirstVet Raises €18.5M in Series B Funding
FirstVet Raises €18.5M in Series B Funding
Published on November 6, 2019 By FinSMEs
FirstVet, a Stockholm, Sweden-based startup which provides pet-owners with on-demand video consultations with local, qualified veterinarians, closed an €18.5M Series B funding.
The round, which brought total funding to-date to €24.5M, was led by Omers Ventures, with participation from Creandum.
The company intends to use the funds to expand its service globally, in markets such as the United States, Germany, and France, and to continue to develop its product and introduce new features to improve the experience for pet owners and vets alike, such as new automation tools and integration with clinics' existing systems.
Founded in Stockholm in 2016 by David Prien, Per Victor, Joakim Widigs and Lars Martin Norviit, FirstVet provides pet owners with a mobile app service that offers video call consultations via qualified, registered veterinarians. With a presence in five markets (the United Kingdom, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and its native Sweden), the company has 150 veterinarians and more than 200,000 registered users.
Through partnerships with over 20 major insurance companies across all markets, including with Bought By Many in the UK, the service is free-of-charge for pet owners.
The company employs a team of 35.
Tagged with: Creandum, FirstVet, OMERS Ventures
Previous storyKnowIt Raises $2M in Funding
Next storyProductiv Raises $20M in Series B Funding
FinlandfundingStart Upventure capital
Nonstop Games Raises $2.9M in Seed Funding
By FinSMEs	Published on May 7, 2013
Enterprise Sales Startup Nudge Raises $5M in Seed Funding
By FinSMEs	Published on June 3, 2016
Taxfix Raises €2M in Seed Funding
By FinSMEs	Published on October 2, 2017


We're all familiar with Republican obstructionism in the U.S. House, right?
House Republicans let the five-year farm bill expireat the end of September without a new law to replace the massive measure covering billions of dollars in programs, including food stamps and agriculture subsidies. The Senate passedits own bipartisan, 10-year farm bill in June, and House Democrats and farm state Republicans attempted to force the House to consider a bill to replace it. But the GOP leadership steadfastly refused to vote on it.


text:
10 Cracked Posts Everyone Went Nuts Over Last Week 11/1
Cracked Writers ·
This week there was a chill in the air - it brushed up against us all and whispered, "the news is a pile of crap."
5 Ways Modern Men Are Trained To Hate Women
Most movies teaches men they'll receive one (1) hot girl from life, free of effort. Hell, at the end of 'An Officer and a Gentleman', Richard Gere walks into the lady's workplace and carries her
"From my experience, if there is a fundamental difference between male and female sexuality, it's this: There are actual occasions where women aren't thinking about sex."
5 Ways Modern Men Are Trained to Hate Women: Update
5 Sinister Old Films Way Too Disturbing For Modern Audiences
A Short Vision is a six-minute cartoon from 1956 that details what happens after a nuclear attack. Spoiler: A lot of melting flesh happens.
"The film then ends on what sounds like a particularly morose slide whistle."
7 Archaeological Discoveries Out Of Your Darkest Nightmares
This is the body of Xin Zhui, a Chinese noblewoman who died over 2,000 years ago, yet continues to be blessed with the skin, flesh, organs, and sunny disposition of a fairly fresh corpse. How? Experts aren't in agreement exactly but she had one Hell of a burial.
"All kidding aside, Xin Zhui is one of the most important and awesome archaeological discoveries of the past century, as evidenced by the fact that she's still being studied to learn about ancient methods of corpse preservation."
21 Tricks Stores Use to Control Your Brain
We think the person who came up with this actually has dollar bills where his or her soul should be.
"We all know that, even with list in hand, the minute you walk into a store your plan goes to hell. There's a reason for this."
5 Ways Stores Use Science to Trick You Into Buying Crap
5 Lies About the Vietnam War You Probably Believe
Sorry, Rambo, we can find no record of you being spit on.
"It's a tough call, but we're going to have to take the word of the leading cultural historian and Rutgers University professor over that of a fictional character portrayed by Sylvester Stallone."
4 Reasons Pokeman Is The Scariest Alien Invasion Story Ever
"Normal animals are virtually never shown in the franchise, except as part of a display in a natural history museum in which they're being murdered by Pokemon."
"Pokemon are an invasive weapon sent to Earth by alien conquerors. Once on a planet, they assimilate all natural life and transform it into a Pokemon-based ecosystem."
6 Giant Blind Spots In Every Movie Alien's Invasion Strategy
5 Real Soldiers Who Were Walking Super Weapons
"The Expendables are a bunch of pussies."
"Of her many duels with German snipers, Pavlichenko recalled the longest lasting over three days."
12 Eerily Convincing Gifs Of Paranormal Activity
"The doll in the background moved while this YouTube video was being made. And the uploader never would've noticed, if not for the comments..."
"In case you haven't noticed, we've kind of made it our mission every October to make sure you never sleep again."
The 6 Most Eerily Convincing Ghost Videos on YouTube
The 5 Creepiest Stories in the History of War
You have to have an extra gear of awful to be this inhuman.
"Irma Grese loved her job like a white woman loves Oprah."
The 19 Most Inexcusable Ways the Media Failed You
The news: don't fall for it!
"Misinforming the public has happened so often that it's almost become a staple of today's information outlets. But, perhaps unsurprisingly, this is absolutely nothing new."
The Top 10 Cracked Posts You Shared Last Week - 4/5


· Answer inquiries relating to drainage problems and drain easements.
· Receive monies and write receipts; prepare monthly receipt deposit.
· Prepare payment vouchers and drain orders to pay invoices.
· Prepare purchase orders and maintain office supplies.
· Prepare affidavits for postings & mailings.
· Keep records of development reviews.
· Researches drain easements in old records.
· Answer petition requests and verify landowners in a drainage district.
· Enter data into drain fund computer ledger system.
· Calculate bank interest for individual drains.
· Balance drain funds monthly with Treasurer's Office.
· Keep financial records for water quality grants and prepare grant financial reports.
· Maintain employees' accrual balances for vacation/comp/sick time.
· Keep hourly records of field personnel and equipment for individual drains.
· Keep accounting of permit fees and send out invoices.
· Keep accounting of special drain assessments.
· Prepare reports on drain assessments, wage reimbursements, Drain Office Annual Report.
· A minimum of three to five (3-5) years of experience in a modern office environment performing responsible clerical tasks.
· Considerable knowledge of accounting principles, practices and procedures.
· Familiarity with legal descriptions of real estate property.
· Familiarity with legal terminology.
· Familiarity with drainage and land use issues.
Must be able to obtain a license as a notary public.


If your replacement screen doesn't work properly after you've put your phone back together, you should check a couple of connectors on the inside. Namely, these three leading from the display to the logic board.
Underneath the cable you will find the third connector (green rectangle).


Abortion giant Planned Parenthood is facing harsh criticism after the release of footage allegedly showing its top doctor describing how the organization offers body parts from aborted babies for money.
The video was released July 14 by the Center for Medical Progress, a non-profit group focused on medical ethics. It is the first in the center's "Human Capital" series, a nearly three-year-long investigative study of Planned Parenthood's practice.
Click here to read more and watch the video - warning, the content in this story is disturbing.


text:
Two Kinds of Commitment in a Relationship
ANNA GREEN
... MM Productions/Photodisc/Getty Images
Within a relationship, couples can commit themselves in many different ways. For young couples, one common challenge is the decision between committing to casual dating or to a serious relationship, possibly leading to marriage, cohabitation or other long-term commitment. Committed, casual dating is often the precursor to long term, relationships, however, so early casual relationships can lead to greater commitment as the couple gets to know each other.
Casual or Committed?
1 Casual or Committed?
Casual dating might involve seeing each other exclusively and regularly, but might not involve serious commitment, such as meeting each other's families, combining finances or making decisions based on the other partner's needs. These relationships might be based on physical attraction or infatuation, rather than on love. Couples who are casually committed might go on dates, hang out or even have an intimate relationship, but plan little for the long term. On the other hand, long-term relationships generally involve planning for the future. These relationships take work and time, explains psychologist Carl Pickhardt in the article, "Confronting the Complexity of Young Love" in "Psychology Today." Pickhardt defines a long-term, loving relationship as "hard effort and continual work." Conversely, casual dating more often involves excitement and spontaneity. Regardless, commitment is a process, says psychologist Michelle Drew of "PsychCentral." Commitment does not just happen overnight.
1 PsychCentral: Love Versus Infaturation
2 Psychology Today: Confronting the Complexity of Young Love
Anna Green has been published in the "Journal of Counselor Education and Supervision" and has been featured regularly in "Counseling News and Notes," Keys Weekly newspapers, "Travel Host Magazine" and "Travel South." After earning degrees in political science and English, she attended law school, then earned her master's of science in mental health counseling. She is the founder of a nonprofit mental health group and personal coaching service.
Does Infatuation Turn to Falling in Love?
What Do You Do When You're Unhappy With the Relationship...
What Is Committed Love?
How to Know When You Are Exclusive & Monogamous in...
Can I Be in Love With Somebody but Not Be Ready to...
Do Romantic Feelings Develop Over Time?
Religious Beliefs on Cohabitation
Can I Expect Exclusivity in Casual Dating?
How Long Must a Relationship Be to Be Considered Serious?
How to Go From Dating to Long-Term Love
How to Begin a Serious Relationship
Casual Relationships vs. Serious Relationships
How to Decide Whether to Break Off a Long Term Relationship
What Makes a Good Foundation for a Long-Term Relationship?
Can a Long-Term Relationship or Marriage Result From...
What Is the Difference Between Fear of Intimacy & Fear...
Differences in Casual Dating & Committed Dating
Why Relationships Go Cold & How to Make Them Warm &...
How to Deal With a Clingy Partner in a Relationship
Characteristics That Make a Strong Relationship


text:
Joget Workflow as a Citizen Developer Platform
By Jack - March 03, 2014
On July 14, 2011, Gartner published a press release that "Citizen developers will be building at least a quarter of new business applications by 2014...". This article has brought renewed interest in end-user application development which had been propositioned as early as the 1980s, if not earlier.
The definition of citizen developer as defined by Gartner states that:
"A citizen developer is a user who creates new business applications for consumption by others using development and runtime environments sanctioned by corporate IT. In the past, end-user application development has typically been limited to single-user or workgroup solutions built with tools like Microsoft Excel and Access. However, today, end users can build departmental, enterprise and even public applications using shared services, fourth-generation language (4GL)-style development platforms and cloud computing services."
According to Gartner, employees bypassing the IT departments to develop their own applications have been on the rise and by 2014, 25% of the applications would have been developed by citizen developers. One should also take note of another prediction by Gartner, that "at least a third of enterprises without formalized citizen developer governance policies will encounter substantial data, process integrity and security vulnerabilities." The article further states that these risks can be mitigated through education and IT governance.
What does the Joget Workflow platform offer for Citizen Development?
For the IT Department
Offers a standardized, secure platform that empowers business users to build their own solutions.
Reduces IT burden by allowing citizen developers to make changes without reliance on IT.
Provides an agile environment to adapt apps to business requirements immediately.
Improves relationship between IT and business by allowing business users to actively participate directly and also to collaborate closely.
Provides better governance by allowing IT to monitor and track apps developed by citizen developer.
For the Citizen Developer
Offers instant access to development, as well as instant deployment, monitoring and administration of apps.
Simplifies how apps are built for non-technical users with a web-based visual point-and-click, drag-and-drop platform.
Allows process or workflow driven app development. e.g. build a sales force automation app instead of just a sales quotation approval process.
Provides rapid development features (e.g. app generation directly from forms) to get started quickly.
Offers ready-made apps that can be used as templates to build customized solutions.
For organizations that are embracing citizen development and looking to manage these developers on a unified platform, the Joget Workflow platform would be a good fit.
Try out the platform on the cloud here or download and install on-premise here.
A Guide to Get Started With Joget Workflow v3
Joget Community and Knowledge Base
Joget Workflow v3 Enterprise 3.1.5 Announced


text:
Quick Six Interview: Beth Hart
Martina O'Boyle 04.2018 Live Music, Music, Quick Six, UKLeave a Comment
Quick Six Interview and a review of Beth Hart at Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, UK
Food poisoning is no match for the power of the Blues, and last night Beth Hart recovered from a weekend under the weather to deliver a great performance at Nottingham's Royal Concert Hall.
If Janis Joplin and Peter Gabriel had a baby when they were too young, and they would have been, and thus that little girl grew up knowing the feel of heartbreak and struggle, she would sound just like Beth Hart. She has a big fan base here in the UK, and the press love her as well – The Guardian has praised her "daring, brooding performances" and The Times just calls her "extraordinary."
From the opening of "Sinner's Prayer" through 19 more songs and lots of wise and wonderful stories, she had the crowd at hello. Including "We're Still Living in the City," dedicated to the husband who has been by her side through thick and thin, and a Tom Waits cover that we learn below in our exclusive Quick Six interview is a song she wish she had written herself, the night was full of superb musicianship and emotional moments. Lucky Euro Beasts will get to see Hart in the next few weeks – with the Kris Barras Band opening – who put in a fine acoustic set to start off the night.
Beth Hart took time for the Quick Six Interview
What inspires you recently?
The new Lana Del Rey record (Lust for Life) . I find her very inspirational – all of her productions are great. I know she works with a lot of great, a lot of different producers, and she's a producer herself. It's very soundscape, very thematic, big and beautiful, I find her voice is amazing, I've been listening to that a lot.
Who decides on your album cover art?
I guess I do. At the end of the day we go in and we do a big photo session, take a ton of photos for both press and the record company and we pick what we think looks the coolest and we go with that, or, I might in advance know what I want, specifically like I did on Bang Bang Boom Boom, but it is usually not that way – that was just for that record.
What would you be doing if you weren't in the music industry at all?
There a lot of things I love – camping, outdoors; I love fishing. Maybe I'd gotten into being a fisherman? I adore gardening, I could have been a gardener, but then I love cooking, so I could have gone to chef school or something?
Morning or night person for work? and for a day off?
For work – both. I love to work first thing when I wake up. But sometimes the night can be really inspirational too, it depends on where I am at.
Days off, I'm up early. As I said, I get involved in stuff like painting, I always paint out in the garden.
How do you know when a song is finished? Do you ever go back and dig out unfinished or old songs?
Yes, yes yes, I do do that, done that forever. So how do I know when a song is finished? I just know! I don't just write melodies and lyrics, I write all the chord changes and also parts. I write parts for bass and drums, parts for guitar, parts for string, all through the piano – its all self-explanatory. We will make a really easy demo – unless its a co-write. If I write with someone else then we will make a more specific demo, and we will put out a drum track or whatever, we will mess with stuff like that. But if I am working on my own, it's all self-explanatory through the piano, and … I just know. It's like when you do your hair and your makeup or you get dressed, how do you know you're finished dressing and ready to go out? You just kind of feel it and it works, it works for you.
What song do you wish you had written?
So many… "Moonlight Sonata" would probably would be number one… it's a Beethoven song, piano song, wonderful, phenomenal. So many Leonard Cohen songs, Tom Waits songs – "Chocolate Genius" is so killer! , Carole King and all of her incredible songwriting, James Taylor and all his incredible songwriting. Ricki Lee Jones – her whole first album – any song on her incredible first album. "Danny's All Star Joint" is a killer song … I could go on forever!
If you could duet, vocally or instrumentally, with anyone alive or dead, who would that be?
It would have been with Leonard Cohen for sure. Even just getting his coffee for him in the studio, I'd have been very happy doing that, or Tom Waits, would love to do anything with him, love him.
What would be your perfect weekend?
Being with family, and going to the garden shop, getting stuff for gardening, going out into the dirt all day, planting things and trimming things, getting out my paints and easels, and painting all day. Then cooking a really yummy meal that night, hanging out all of us together and laughing, taking a really beautiful hot bath. Where there's been a sunshiney day, I love that…I could go on about different kind of days that I love – there is so much to living that is so wonderful.
I start a record when I get home from this tour. December 11th I go into the studio with Rob Cavallo, he's producing my next record. (Longtime collaborator) Joe Bonamassa and I just finished up a record with Kevin Shirley, who produced our third studio album together, and then I have two other "side" albums coming out soon, I'm learning, and working on them, now. I'm not going to say who with – they are kind of a surprise.
THE QUICK SIX INTERVIEW: POP CULTURE BEAST LETS ARTISTS CHOOSE FROM OUR STANDARD TEN QUESTIONS – WE LET THEM TELL US WHAT THEY'D LIKE YOU TO KNOW.
BETH HART TOUR DATES
FOLKESTONE LEAS HALL – THURSDAY 19th APRIL 2018
CARDIFF ST DAVIDS HALL – SATURDAY 21st APRIL 2018
CAMBRIDGE CORN EXCHANGE – TUESDAY 24th APRIL 2018
BLACKPOOL OPERA HOUSE – THURSDAY 26th APRIL 2018
HULL CITY HALL – FRIDAY 27th APRIL 2018
READING HEXAGON – MONDAY 30th APRIL 2018
PORTSMOUTH GUILDHALL – TUESDAY 1st MAY 2018
LONDON ROYAL ALBERT HALL SOLD OUT – FRIDAY 4th MAY 2018
CHELTENHAM JAZZ FESTIVAL – SATURDAY 5th MAY 2018
RUHR CONGRESS – BOCHUM GERMANY – THURSDAY 10 May 2018
ZIGGO DOME AMSTERDAM – SATURDAY 12 May 2018
PALAIS DES CONGRES PARIS – MONDAY 14 May 2018
More PCB Quick Six Interviews:
Comedian Tim Heidecker has time to share and time to stare
Sheng Wang wants to be a park ranger when he grows up
What inspires author K.B. Wagers? Douglas Adams and Lin-Manuel Miranda, for a start.
Tags: Beth Hart, Blues, Kris Barras Band, Leonard Cohen, Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall, Tom Waits
Martina O'BoyleQuick Six Interview: Beth Hart 04.18.2018


We've probably all seen the spectacle of a pre-fight weigh-in on TV. Boxers strut and trash-talk each other, while sometimes the theatrics turn into a brawl with trainers and supporters also getting into the action.
Notwithstanding the histrionics, there is also serious side to the weigh-in. Fighters will often 'cut weight' coming into a weigh-in, involving rapid weight loss prior to competition. Boxers dehydrate themselves in order to compete within a specific weight class. Individuals can lose up to 15 kilograms within a 48-hour period.
In a professional bout, after weigh-ins, fighters are given 24 hours to rehydrate before the competition. This means that a fighter weighing in at 75kg on Friday could show up to the Saturday fight weighing 85 or 90kg.
These tactics can give a fighter a huge advantage on fight night. When fighters cut weight, they do so in order to gain a size advantage over their opponent. In the realm of professional fighting, size does matter. The bigger you are, the harder you hit, the harder you are to hit, and the more your attacks exhaust your opponent. The fighter who masters how to effectively cut weight will always have the upper hand.
The weight class system creates an incentive for boxers to engage in gamesmanship such as cutting weight. In a similar way, might a focus on peer relative returns incentivise a superannuation fund to engage in a form of weight cutting tactics? If so, how might they do it?
Historically, growth assets such as shares out-perform defensive assets such as bonds around 60-80 per cent of the time.
Competition is intensifying as the government and the regulator are keen to promote consolidation of the superannuation industry.
Like a boxer trying to make weight, super funds could be incentivised to run portfolios that pack as much punch as possible (i.e. highest weighting to growth assets) while still making the 'Balanced' weight division.
The pressure to 'make weight' would intensify as more and more funds adopt such tactics. Nobody wants to be slugging it out against a competitor that's running a growth assets exposure that's 10-20 per cent higher!


There are all sorts of stories and complaints coming from Atlanta about this weekend. Many center around people being unhappy with the scoring and the live webcast. The scoring complaints range from the normal "My Team was Screwed" type complaints to questions about how a team could make up so much ground on day 2, fueled by some scores being posted on the web, then changed. Some of the scoring complaints are not warranted and caused by a lack of understanding of Cheersport's scoring system and the subjectivity that is present at all cheerleading competitions. Some of the complaints are simply bias in favor of or against another team. Some of the complaints come from results that have many people scratching their head wondering what the judges saw that they didn't.
There is also a rumor about a spitting incident involving 2 high profiles teams. Supposedly a cheerleader from one of the teams spit on a coach from the other team in the warm up area. I hope this isn't true, but there has been enough information given to me about it from reliable people that I can't rule it out.
As far as the competiton goes, Cheersport says the results will be posted on the web on Tuesday.


Detached detached house in Los Altos, Orihuela Costa.
2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, living room with fireplace, kitchen.
he estate offers communal swimming pool, parking and green areas for residents.
Only 5 minutes drive from the beach and local resturants, bars and shopping centres.


So Messy Anne is based on what you would like your daughter to be?
D: I don't want to encourage anyone to be like anyone else. Let's just say I want to encourage an approach to things. I want to encourage using your imagination and being your own person.
And is Messy Anne based on anyone in particular?
D: My late wife. She was the most individual, strong, talented and creative person I've ever met. I wanted to share her spirit with my daughter especially, but also with every little girl and boy.
Then it's significant that Messy Anne is a girl-based property?
D: I don't think it's girl-based at all. The main character is a girl and that's significant. And important. But it's not defining.
Relationships between house cats and their "wild" friends make for exciting adventures and sweet tales. Get your copy of "Sweet Tales: The Adventures of Miss Jade and Britt the Kit today – a must for animal lovers of all ages.
Remember to give thanks for the furry friends in your life.
Animals express gratitude in unique and loving ways as illustrated in "Sweet Tales: The Adventures of Miss Jade and Britt the Kit." Order your copy today.
We need to be gentle, caring, and intuitive, have fun, learn and teach one another by example. I've learned that if you want to get a point across the best way to do that is by telling a story and letting the listener learn what you want them to hear by telling the story rather than dictating 'what to do.' I actually think that was in the book "Women that Run with the Wolves" by Clarisa Estes Pincola. Speaking of which, I should mention a few of the books that inspired me when writing 'Sweet Tales' – "Black Beauty" by Anna Sewell, "Watership Down" by Richard Adams and "Tailchaser's Song" by Tad Williams. I believe each of those was written to teach humans about animals and how to treat them better since most had been mistreated and misunderstood in the past. The issue still exists today.
Click here to receive your copy and dive into some Sweet Tales!
It's November and National Novel Writing Month. I've never participated in it, yet I've earned my living as a writer for over 14 years. I have had to push out work in ridiculously short amount of times when I thought it was absolutely impossible. Yet I never missed a deadline!
I've written over 50 books and numerous articles, and I wish I had some magical answer as to how to stay on track when faced with a tough deadline. Mostly I make it happen with a mixture of silly and practical things. The practical preparations include writing a detailed outline and coming up with a writing schedule. I figure out how many chapters (or words, depending on the project) I will be able to comfortably get done in any given day. Then I figure out the number of chapters or words I realistically need to get done in a day. I allow myself to cry for a little bit. Then I do it.
Laundry. I get up and walk a lot when I'm writing. It helps me think. Doing laundry gives me movement with purpose, plus I get a household chore done, which is one of the biggest benefits from working from home. The days I'm writing at my best, my clothes are always clean, folded and put away. So if you ever run into me and my Muppets t-shirt is stained and rumpled, pretend you don't see me and walk off in a different direction. You'll be glad you did.
Talk to my pets. It must be an unwritten law that you're not allowed to be a writer unless you own a cat. I have two plus a dog. The problem is not talking to your pets, but having them answer. That's when you should start to worry. Or should you? If you're a writer, of course they are going to answer! The cats always suggest my characters take a nap. If my characters encounter a sunny bench, they say nap. A laundry basket filled with fresh, clean clothes, still warm from the dryer? Nap. The keyboard of a writer's computer? Nap. The dog, on the other hand, suggests all my characters eat. A lot. "Why can't they go to an all-you-can-eat buffet?" she asks. "What do you think I would be doing right now if I could drive?" This is why my next book is entitled "The Art of Eating and Napping Lots." It's absolutely scintillating.
Eat crunchy foods. It really helps me think, and no, carrot sticks don't work the same as potato chips or pretzels or crackers. I don't know why. I'm not a scientist, just a writer.
Mindless computer games. It's the reset button I use to clear my head. When I first start in the morning, I play a few minute of something like Diner Dash or Plants Versus Zombies. Then I'll play it after lunch, or if I'm stuck at a particular point. It tends to work for me. If you're the type of person who starts a computer game at 8 am. and then before you know it it's midnight, and you haven't done anything else, then this will not be helpful for you.
I hope everyone out there participating in NaNoWriMo is having fun with it! Enjoy your time writing and the ability to express the story that's inside of you. To be able to unleash it is a gift. Congratulations on taking that step!
Have a big, fat, happy day!
PURCHASE MIRROR MIRROR BY CLICKING HERE!


1. Gentle Flow: Suitable for all levels.
The Gentle Flow allows beginners to discover and develop a safe yoga practice, focusing on alignment and breath.It is also beneficial to those who have not practiced for some time, and would like to step back on to the mat and refresh their practice on a gentle flowing sequence.
2. Power Yoga: Suitable for intermediate to advance yogis.
The Power Yoga session focuses on strength, flexibility and balance. These dynamic flow of poses are more than just a physical workout -it also creates energy, vitality and freedom through your body and mind.
3. Yin Yoga: Suitable for all levels.
In Yin Yoga practice, each pose is held for 3 to 5 minutes. On the physical level, Yin yoga enhances the natural range of motion in the joints. By keeping your muscles soft, you release deeper layers of connective tissue. On the energy level, Yin enhances flow of prana(energy) in the tissues around the joints, where energy often stagnates.
Lana has participated in 200-hours Yoga Teacher Trainingunder Jonas Westringat Shantaya Yoga School. She is also trained inIyengar, Yin, Bikram, Ashtanga, Restorative and Acroyoga.
In Lana class, she emphasizes on mindful practice, with body alignments and breath. At the same time, she weaves playful and heart-themed philosophy into the practice. She hopes that everyone stepping out from her class does so with a relaxed, nourished and joyful mind and body.


text:
Cricket Article
There is no surprise that the capital-rich competition has reshaped the careers of several sportsmen by serving up a seductive combination of wealth and fortune. Additionally, players from outside as well as the locals enjoy the tournament in the desire to gain expertise by participating against famous cricketers. The auction event is the first step in the campaign of IPL 2023, and several cricket players are included in the franchises at the incredibly high rates.
The following list includes a number of international competitors who are the most expensive players of IPL 2023:
1. Sam Curran (18.5 Crore) by Punjab Kings
In the event of the IPL auction on 23 Dec, Sam Curran, the England bowler cum batsman, is hired by Punjab Kings at the cost of 18.5 crore which makes him the most expensive player of IPL 2023. Chris Morris, who previously got the title of most expensive player in the IPL history, has now been surpassed. For Curran, the opening offer was Rs 2 crore and many franchises attempted to get Sam Curran, including Royal Challengers Bangalore, Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, and many more, but Punjab took the final step and signed Curran for 18.5 crores.
In the last T20 World Cup 2022, Sam Curran became the Player of the tournament by taking 13 wickets. His 3 wickets for 12 runs only in the final competition against Pakistan helped the England team to lift the T20 World Cup 2022.
2. Cameron Green (17.5 Crore) by Mumbai Indians
Cameron Green, an Australian all round player, holds the 2nd position for the most expensive player of IPL 2023. He was picked up by Mumbai Indians at the price of 17.5 crores. In the beginning, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians offered Rs 2 crore in the auction for the Australian talent but It didn't take long for the sale to surpass Rs. 7 crores.
As the amount exceeded Rs. 10 crores, Delhi Capitals also jumped into the fray, and even after surpassing the 15-crore barrier, the Capitals and Indians battled for Cameron Green. His value surpassed several records, but Mumbai Indians continued and eventually acquired the Australian talent.
3. Ben Stokes (16.25 Crore) by Chennai Super Kings
CSK spent a whopping Rs. 16.25 crore for Ben Stokes in an effort to find a skipper to replace MS Dhoni.
Considering his pivotal performance in England's T20 World Cup triumph journey in 2022, Stokes garnered attention from a number of clubs. Stokes has surpassed Deepak Chahar by becoming the most expensive player ever purchased by CSK.
Stokes, an English all-arounder, enrolled for Rs 2 crore but prior to LSG's proposal of Rs 7 crore, RCB and RR were already engaged in battle. Soon thereafter, CSK and SRH also joined the battle and then Stokes was finally acquired by the MS Dhoni-led franchise for Rs 16.25 crore, the third-highest IPL purchase price ever.
4. Nicholas Pooran (16 Crore) by LSG
The wicket-keeper batsman of West Indies, Nicholas Pooran is standing at the number 4th position for the most expensive player of IPL 2023. Nicholas Pooran whose base price was 2 crore reached quickly to the value of 16 crores and was finally acquired by Lucknow Super Giants. In the history of IPL, Nicholas Pooran has appeared in 47 matches and added 912 runs at the strike rate of 151.24 including 77 as his best.
5. Harry Brook (13.25 Crore) by SRH
Harry Brook, a promising English batter, holds the 5th position for the most expensive player of the Indian Premier League 2023. The starting price of Harry Brook was 1.5 crore but Sunriser Hyderabad picked him at the price of 13.25 crore. Before Sunrisers Hyderabad entered the bidding battle, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals were fighting each other. The price was then raised repeatedly by SRH and RR until Brook's value reached Rs 13 crore, at which time RR ultimately withdrew.
Harry Brook is an English player who has appeared in 20 T20 international matches where he scored 372 runs at the strike rate of 137.78.
The Hundred 2022 Match Hero List Man of the Match List BPL 2023


text:
Report: Kovalchuk will play in China next season
By Joey AlfieriMar 24, 2016, 10:20 AM EDT
The Ilya Kovalchuk saga has taken another strange twist. It seems like Kovalchuk will be leaving SKA Saint Petersburg to join another team. According to a report out of Moscow, Kovalchuk will join the KHL's Chinese expansion team next season.
The sniper seems to have had a falling out with the coaching staff at SKA Saint Petersburg. He was removed from the lineup in the first round of the playoffs, but after rumblings of him leaving the team surfaced, he was put back in during the team's second round series. Again, they opted to take him out of the lineup.
Sources tell Russia media that Ilya Kovalchuk is leaving SKA St Petersburg to join the KHL's expansion team in China next season.
— Gabrielle T-F (@gabrielletf) March 24, 2016
Gazeta.ru, sighting "two informed sources", says Kovalchuk will play for Red Star Kunlun, KHL's Chinese expansion team, next season.
— Slava Malamud (@SlavaMalamud) March 24, 2016
After his relationship with SKA started disintegrating, many people expected him to make a return to the NHL. Obviously, that doesn't look like it's going to happen at this point.
The 32-year-old had 16 goals and 49 points in 50 KHL regular season games this season. He had no points in four playoff games.
—Kovalchuk 'removed' from KHL team after first game of the playoffs
—Kovalchuk stripped of captaincy by KHL club
—SKA makes Kovalchuk a healthy scratch again


text:
Buddy Bolden's Birthday
by Seán Collins|Published 5 September 2013
Posted by Seán Collins on 6 Sept 2013
Loud. Fat. And brassy.
That's what they said his playing was like, the first man to earn the title of the "King" of jazz, the music he is credited with inventing.
Charles "Buddy" Bolden was born on 6 September 1877 at 319 Howard Street in New Orleans. And what he did with a cornet Uptown and in Storyville no one had done before.
We know this much. They danced until the sun came up, and at some point during the night, a member of Bolden's band suggested they better open a window or two.
Which leads to another first in music: the use of the word funky. Bolden's tune "Funky Butt" became a sort of theme song for his band.
Here is a recording of Jelly Roll Morton, made in 1939 or 1940, of Funky Butt/Buddy Bolden's Blues. It was Morton who said that Bolden was "the blowingest man since Gabriel."
Buddy Bolden's Blues/Jelly Roll Morton
No recordings of Buddy Bolden are known to exist.
Bolden was diagnosed with dementia praecox, what now would be called schizophrenia. He was institutionalized and died in 1931. He's buried in an unmarked grave in Holt Cemetery.
National Parks Service Jazz History
Red Hot Jazz
Seán Collins
Seán Collins a veteran radio producer and web content manager. He served as the Senior Producer of NPR's All Things Considered for many years. He is Music Inside Out's web producer and manages social media for the program. He lives in Saint Louis.
Three for the PRPD
posted by Seán Collins on 8 August 2013
In September, the Public Radio Program Directors (PRPD) will meet in Atlanta for their annual conference. It's like any industry get-together: except it's much more… public radio.
For Music Inside Out, it's our first opportunity to get this radio program on the radars of the men and women who do a good deal of the gate-keeping at public radio stations around the country.
Long before you ever hear a radio show on your station, a staff member of a public station has heard it, and liked it, and has bugged their program director about it. And it's that program director who makes the decision to air the program in a local market.
So, we have been debating: Which shows should we highlight for the PRPD? If we were going to press a thumb drive into the hands of a potential champion of the program, which three shows would we like them to hear? What programs should we have them audition?
Let us know what you think. Which three hours would best highlight the scope and mission of the show? Do you have a favorite or two?
And wish us well at the PRPD.
Six Songs You Should Listen To On Louis Armstrong's Birthday
Posted by Gwen Thompkins on 4 August 2013
Dear Music Lovers: This is by no means a complete list of Armstrong's best, most historic, or favorite moments. Here are six musical rosettes to enjoy with a slice of birthday cake.
Don't You Think I Love You?
King Oliver & His Orchestra
CD: The Legendary King Oliver
Don't You Think I Love You
Without Joe "King" Oliver … perish the thought. Louis Armstrong said he would never have left New Orleans for anyone but Oliver and thank goodness Oliver called. What makes King Oliver stand out is not just his musicianship, but the fact that he would talk to young musicians and show them what he knew about playing the cornet. In his autobiography, Armstrong says this was a rare quality among the best of the best players in New Orleans. Most established musicians kept their secrets to themselves. But Oliver, Armstrong said, would stop on the street and blow his horn to teach youngsters what they should be doing. As music lovers, we are still benefitting from Oliver's remarkable generosity. We are also benefitting from Oliver's remarkable foolishiness. He once turned down a gig at the Cotton Club in New York that ultimately went to a young'un call Duke Ellington.
It was my ambition to play as he did. I still think if it had not been for Joe Oliver jazz would not be what it is today. He was a creator in his own right. (Louis Armstrong)
The Strong Crust of Friendly Bread
posted by Seán Collins • 19 July 2013
Years ago, long before I joined the church of radio, I was a Benedictine monk living in a monastery in Missouri. I spent five years in the community. We looked after a parish church and ran a prep school, and some monks served as chaplains for nearby convents and hospitals.
Some of the monks were scholars. Some were gardeners. We had a few artists and musicians in the community, a scientist or two, and a greater than average collection of philosophers, theologians, linguists, and poets.
It was, perhaps, thanks to the poets that a piece of art was hung in the refectory, the room in the monastery where we took all our meals. (We didn't talk during meals. One of the monks ate later and read to us during supper.)
The art on the wall contained this line of text: "These I have loved: wet roofs, beneath the lamplight; the strong crust of friendly bread; and many tasting food."
I stared at those words month after month, year after year.
Cedar Walton: Blues for Myself
Posted by Seán Collins on 19 Aug 2013
Legendary Jazz Pianist Dies
Cedar Walton Had A Long Career As Bandleader & Composer
He was known the world-over as a 'hard bop' pianist and was recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts as a Jazz Master. Cedar Walton died Monday, at his home in Brooklyn, at the age of 79.
Born in Dallas, he studied for awhile in New Orleans. As he told the NEA:
NEA: When you went to Denver, did you go specifically intending to study music?
Cedar Walton: Yeah, I'd gone to a school even prior to that, a small school in New Orleans named Dillard University. And me and Ellis Marsalis, the father of Wynton and Bradford, we registered the same day. He wasn't even playing piano then. I mean, not as much as I was. He was, like most of the musicians I met there, amazingly playing three or four instruments. He might have been studying piano too, but he played bass on a little gig we had there, the one gig I had in New Orleans as a college student.
NEA Interview
While in Denver, he met the likes of Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and John Coltrane. He would be hired on as a pianist-arranger for Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers.
He's being remembered today by many, including NPR's Mark Memmott and Tim Wilkins at WBGO.
We add our voice of thanks for his artistry.
Here's a recording of "Blues for Myself."
Blues For Myself
There's more of Walton's music linked and being discussed in The Music Room.
The MiO blog
Remembering JFK
Remembering Pops Foster
Happy Birthday Frank Ocean
The Beatles Come To New Orleans
The Original Jelly Roll Blues
This Week on Music Inside Out: Taj Mahal
Remembering Gatemouth Brown
Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On
Trombone Shorty Debuts New Album Online
Previous post Trombone Shorty Debuts New Album Online
Next post Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On


Office of Representative Don Young May 10, 2013.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the House Armed Services Committee began its debate on the FY2014 National Defense Authorization Act, Alaskan Congressman Don Young testified Wednesday before the Armed Services Committee, and laid out some of Alaska's national defense priorities for the upcoming fiscal year.
In his testimony, Rep. Young spoke in support of more robust Army and Air Force training in Alaska's Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex (JPARC), more manpower and aircraft for the Alaska National Guard's 168th Refueling Wing, basing the F-35A in Alaska, retaining Alaska's C-23 Sherpa aircraft and drew attention to two former Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians that created a realistic Improvised Explosive Device (IED) training center at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson (JBER).
"Alaska is a proud state and it is a proud military state. Not only is Alaska home to the largest per capita population of veterans in the country, it is also home to significant force structure for both the Air Force and Army. In Alaska, we appreciate our service members as much as any community in the country," Rep. Young said.


Food safety company Alvarita has launched the world's first portable nitrate and radiation detector in South Africa.
GreenTest is a compact, award-wining, device that tests nitrate levels in fruit, vegetables, meat, and water, helping people to quantify their daily nitrate intake and make healthier choices. The food safe nitrate levels are determined on the bases of World Health Organisation (WHO) standards.
Nitrate occurs naturally in fruit and vegetables, and in small amounts is not harmful, but over the years the levels of nitrate occurring in food has increased due to modern agricultural methods.
"Sadly, most people are not aware of the risks they face daily when shopping for fruits and vegetables; foods that we know are good for us, but the issue is the excess of nitrogen in what we are consuming, that our bodies convert to damaging carcinogenic nitrates," says Damian Michael, owner of Alvarita.
WHO recommends a maximum daily intake of 3,7 milligrams of nitrate per 1kg of body weight, and we now ingest 10 times more nitrate than recommended. According to many health studies, an excess of nitrates can lead to medical issues including diabetes, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, and even baby blue syndrome, which is characterised by an overall skin colour with a blue or purple tinge, called cyanosis.
Registered Johannesburg-based dietitian Lila Bruk highlights the importance of consumers being able to test their own food. "As consumers we are becoming increasingly aware of not only the nutritional value, but also the safety, of the food we eat.
"With conditions like cancer on the rise, it is clear that greater precautions need to be taken to choose foods that will not only provide immediate nourishment but will also manage our future health and wellbeing. Nitrates in food have been linked with cancer and thus are very important to be conscious of in our food. Therefore, the ability to test our own food for nitrate content is both revolutionary and extremely empowering for the consumer."
The technology was conceived by a group of specialists from Russia, the US and Taiwan in 2006, who gathered with the aim of developing a revolutionary technology that would promote healthy living. In 2014, Anmez was established in China and started the development of the GreenTest device.
Currently, the company operates globally through exclusive distributors in over 20 countries.
"I was introduced to this product when I attended the 37th Gitex Technology Week in Dubai in October 2017, and immediately saw how this innovative technology could be relevant in promoting the health of South Africans," says Michael. "There are close to 10 000 new cases of diabetes in South Africa each month, and we have the highest incidence f type 2 diabetes on the African continent. With the current drought that parts of the country are experiencing, there is also concern around water quality."
Michael, who is also the owner of tech company, Innovo Networks, believes in empowering consumers by giving them choices. "I want people to be armed with the knowledge they need to make the choice that's right for them. What I love about GreenTest, is that it only takes three seconds to measure the levels of toxins in your food, enabling you to make a choice right there and then."
Currently, South African regulation does not make provision for mandatory package labelling of nitrate and nitrite concentration in foods. In this light, Michael hopes to put the power back into the consumers hands by encouraging the lobbying of retailers and food producers to start including nitrate content on food labels.
"We also want to encourage restaurant chains and independent foodies to practice better sourcing of their meat and fresh produce," says Michael.
A percentage of all GreenTest sales is donated to Operation Smile South Africa, a global organisation dedicated to helping children with cleft lip and cleft palate.


Renovation of an old 2-story downtown building to house new entrepreneur center. The Incubator nurtures ideas for small businesses, helps them grow and then launches them to success. The renovated space, designed by MSE, was a partnership involving Morehead State University's Booth Entrepreneurship Center, Morehead-Rowan County Economic Development Council, City of Morehead, Rowan County Fiscal Court and the KY Cabinet for Economic Development.


text:
Feb 8, 2017 / Ratna Gill
Four Trends to Consider as Cross-Sector Partnerships Begin a New Year
Four useful trends emerged from our Cross-Sector Partnership Assessment tool results, based on our analysis of over 750 responses from partnerships in the field.
Ratna Gill Coordinator, Living Cities
This is the first post in a two part series. Read part two: "Form, Storm, Norm, Perform: How to Consider the Stage of Your Cross-Sector Partnership in a New Year."
About a year ago, Living Cities launched the Cross-Sector Partnership Assessment, a tool to help cross-sector partnerships around the country think through the development and progress of their partnerships and receive immediate, tailored feedback, tools and resources to help partners get better results, faster. Not only did the Assessment provide insights to users, it allowed us to collect data on the state of cross-sector partnerships across issue areas, geographies and sizes.
Now, over 750 partnerships across the country have taken the assessment. So as we entered the new year, we decided to analyze that data to see what insights we could find. Four trends stood out that are particularly interesting and applicable to cross-sector partnerships now:
Formalized partnerships are more likely to have agreed-upon shared results.
Partnerships that aren't sure of their goals are more likely to be structured informally.
If a partnership has a specific shared result, it is more likely to do both programs–and systems-level work.
Regardless of the formality of a partnership, it will go through all stages of the form/storm/norm/perform cycle.
A specific & measurable shared result includes a metric, time frame and location.
Living Cities defines formal partnerships as those that have established procedures, roles and commitments that are codified through operating documents. Meanwhile, informal partnerships also have procedures, roles and commitments, but they are implicit and not established or documented. We use the term shared result to describe the specific purpose of a cross-sector partnership, (e.g. a decrease in regional unemployment rate). In most cases, "shared result" can be synonymous with "goal" or "outcome." A specific shared result includes a metric, time frame and location (e.g. "a 5 percentage point decrease in the unemployment rate in Detroit by 2030").
These insights come directly from the work of the over 750 partnerships who have completed the Assessment, and represent a kind of "state of the field" on cross-sector partnerships. We hope that these learnings from your peers can help you set up your partnership to achieve results. If you want more tailored, specific feedback, complete the Cross-Sector Partnership Assessment for yourself.
State of the Field
750 Partnerships Data and insights collected from the work of the over 750 partnerships represent a "state of the field" on cross-sector partnerships.
Our observations are based on correlation; that is, we can't say that the traits we've observed in cross-sector partnerships across the field cause certain results to come about, but we can confidently share that the traits that we have seen go hand-in-hand when it comes to the success of a cross-sector partnership in achieving results.
1. Formalized partnerships are more likely to have agreed-upon shared results.
We have seen that formalizing a partnership leads to clearer goals and outcomes. This is important because:
Hope SF, a member of our Integration Initiative has a formalized leadership board with representatives from the Mayor's Office, philanthropy, city agencies and local non-profits. Each of these representatives has a specified role at the cross-sector table or one of HOPE SF's sub-tables (such as the Economic Mobility Workgroup or the Data & Evaluation Workgroup). The structure allowed the partnership to develop alignment, leading to a specific and measurable shared result, and one that provides a time frame within which the city aims to effect its intended outcome. For HOPE SF, that shared result is also ambitious: "By 2020, we quadruple the number of (formerly) public housing households of color that are thriving in the City." The specificity of the result allows members of the partnership to own a shared vision of the objectives of the partnership.
Hope SF's Shared Result
400% Quadruple the number of (formerly) public housing households that are thriving in San Francisco by 2020.
Formal partnerships are significantly more likely to have built consensus & established alignment about their partnership's main objective.
The Cross-Sector Partnership Assessment data confirmed our anecdotal experiences with the Integration Initiative. Formal partnerships are significantly more likely to have clearly articulated a shared result than informal partnerships. Whether their shared result is specific—as in the case of HOPE SF—or more general, formal partnerships are more likely to have built consensus/established alignment about their partnership's main objective. Furthermore, we've found that formal partnerships are also more likely to have taken the additional steps to articulate a specific shared result that includes a metric, timeframe and location.
Formalizing a partnership around procedures, roles and commitments can also add more specificity to the objective of a partnership, so that it is clearly apparent to all partners what the vision of a partnership is. For further resources on creating a specific shared result, see our blog on Four Components of a Shared Result that Creates Enduring Change.
2. Partnerships that aren't sure of their goals are more likely to be structured informally.
We also found that partnerships that are unsure of their shared result are more likely to be informally organized. Based on our data, of the partnerships that were unsure of their shared result, 77% were structured in an informal way. This finding confirms the observation above, and again suggests that formalizing a partnership can lead to a clearer shared vision of the partnership's objective. This relationship also suggests that identifying a shared result may lead to a more formal partnership structure. This makes sense, as a shared result can serve as one of the codified commitments that kick off a partnership's work together. In fact, identifying a shared result is the first step we take when working directly with cross-sector partnerships.
3. If a partnership has a specific shared result, it is more likely to do both programs- and systems-level work.
Individual programs are incredibly important to receive results for low-income people, but they aren't enough to achieve and sustain change. We believe that work at the systems level is needed to create change that is sustainable and long-lasting. (It's not enough to give hungry people food, but you also have to try and fix underlying issues that are leading to people go hungry.)
We believe that work at the systems level is needed to create change that is sustainable and long-lasting.
The Assessment data revealed that partnerships with a specific, measurable and time-bound shared result were more likely to work on both programs and systems change than partnerships with a general shared result or those that were unsure of their shared result. Additionally, partnerships with a general or unsure shared result were more likely to work only at the programs level than partnerships with a specific shared result.
Based on these results, we believe that a specific shared result can help a partnership identify and work toward common objectives at multiple scales. Clearly delineating a metric, time frame and location for a partnership's objective should serve to identify strategies needed at various levels and to accelerate the process of aligning resources in service of these strategies.
The Network for Economic Opportunity, another member of our Integration Initiative, is a great example of this practice at play—their shared result is dramatically increasing the number of working African-American males earning family-sustaining wages in New Orleans by 2025. They use initiatives at the program and policy levels to work toward this vision; their focused shared result allows them to work toward change through a local hiring policy as well as small business training programs. The shared result has a specified population and timeline, and New Orleans is working to figure out an exact percentage by which they aim to increase employment as they continue their work. They recently launched BuildNOLA Mobilization Fund is providing capital to disadvantaged small businesses, which provides a programmatic solution while also changing the long-standing funding systems for small businesses.
4. Regardless of the formality of a partnership, it will go through all stages of the form/storm/norm/perform cycle.
What we found as we looked for relationships between certain performance indicators and stage of a partnership's development is that no clear patterns emerge as to which types of partnerships have greater capability to advance to later stages of group development. In other words, regardless of how you structure your partnership, at some point it will go through each of the stages. Our next blog post will be devoted to exploring this fourth trend in more detail.
Thank you for reading our takeaways from our analysis of the results from the Cross-Sector Partnership Assessment! We'll be sharing more insights in a subsequent post, so be sure to check back in.
To share comments, questions or experiences from your own cross-sector partnership, please leave us a note in the comments section. Or, read part two of the series now.
Take the Cross-Sector Partnership Assessment
Contributor Coordinator, Living Cities Ratna Gill
As a former Coordinator for Collective Impact, Ratna provided support to The Integration Initiative, helping to capture and share knowledge with both the organization and the field.
By Ratna Gill
Systems Change
Blog Post Nadia Owusu & Ratna Gill on May 17, 2018
Operationalizing Racial Equity & Inclusion: Centering Arts, Culture, and Healing
What did Living Cities find in our scan of practices being used by organizations to operationalize racial equity? This series highlights the twelve themes we uncovered.
Blog Post Ratna Gill & Hafizah Omar on Oct 25, 2017
What We're Learning About Entrepreneurship as a Job Creation Strategy
We looked at hundreds of initiatives focused on accelerating entrepreneurship and small business growth, and these are the common themes that emerged.
Blog Post Ratna Gill on May 5, 2017
Interviewing Candidates for Social Sector Jobs: Four Tips for Interviewers
Embodying your company's culture is crucial for recruiting. These four tips are designed to help interviewers in the social sector attract young talent.
Blog Post Nadia Owusu & Jeff Raderstrong on Jun 14, 2018
Connecting Communities to Close Racial Gaps
Living Cities has been committed to ending the systemic challenges to poverty for over 25 years. But despite the best efforts of this organization and our many partners, forty six million Americans a…
Blog Post JaNay Queen Nazaire on Jun 20, 2017
The Social Determinants of Economic Security
We have heard about the social determinants of health, but how do social indicators impact an ecosystem's ability to provide economic security?
Blog Post Ratna Gill on Apr 18, 2017
Radical Self-Care: Four Lessons from Our Meeting with City Leaders in Albuquerq…
Burnout is all too common in organizations working for social change. How can the social sector put self-care into practice?
Blog Post Marlon Williams on Dec 22, 2019
Strength In Numbers: The Importance of the 2020 Census
Blog Post Ronak Davé Okoye on Oct 9, 2019
Healing-Informed Collective Impact: The Reflection and Practice
This two-part series details HopeSF's healing-informed collective impact approach to public housing in San Francisco.
Blog Post Stefanie Thomas on Jun 27, 2019
Through the Eyes of Wakanda: On Screen Lessons for Off Screen Impact
View more posts about Systems Change
Blog Post Elizabeth Reynoso & Ben Hecht on Jun 27, 2018
Realizing the Potential of Data, Tech and Local Government Collaboration
Today we're launching a suite of resources based on the lessons of the Civic Tech and Data Collaborative, for other communities looking to harness the potential of this type of cross-sector collabora…
Blog Post Elizabeth Reynoso on Mar 28, 2018
The Power of Ecosystems for Problem-Solving
What do biological ecosystems have to do with promoting social change? In our work, using the metaphor of ecosystems has been a powerful tool for taking on complex and evolving problems.
Blog Post Louise Carter & Elaine Albertson on Jan 22, 2018
5 Lessons for Harnessing Data and Tech to Meet Community Needs
A community data intermediary in the Seattle area reflects on lessons learned in bridging between data, tech, and community-based organizations.
View more posts about Big Data