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North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System
Situation: The Bigger the System, the Harder to Manage
North Shore-Long Island Jewish ("North Shore-LIJ") Health System is the largest integrated healthcare system in New York state (and the 14th largest in the United States), with 13 hospitals, 18 surgical sites and 186 operating rooms. It performs about 180,000 surgical procedures every year. Some of these procedures are routine, and some are complex, but all demand excellence of execution in the three phases of perioperative service: preoperative (what happens from the time the procedure is scheduled to when a patient is brought into the operating room), intraoperative (what happens during surgery) and postoperative (how the patient is cared for until discharged from the recovery room). The goal of all perioperative services is to provide the best possible care for patients before, during and after their surgery.
North Shore-LIJ has grown to its current scale largely through mergers and acquisitions with other healthcare systems, hospitals and independent physician practices. As a result, it has had to accommodate and integrate many disparate protocols and procedures into its perioperative services. Doing so effectively in such a large environment — optimizing its assets and ensuring consistent quality of care — can be a daunting management challenge. To help it develop an executable vision for how a world-class perioperative practice should be organized and governed and to execute on that vision, North Shore-LIJ engaged FTI Consulting.
FTI Consulting's Role: Developing a Systemwide Approach
FTI Consulting began reviewing North Shore-LIJ's perioperative services across all its surgical facilities, looking at operating room utilization, patient throughput, the way operating rooms were supplied for each type of procedure, variances in protocols, and the processes for how each facility within the North Shore-LIJ system tracked and reported such critical data.
"The input of the exemplary leadership of FTI Consulting helped all system perioperative facilities come together as a united group to implement best practices and identify many opportunities for improvement. This has resulted in significant cost savings and improved processes and practices systemwide."
Kelly Cifu-Tursellino, System Vice President, Perioperative Services, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System
FTI Consulting found that many hospitals in the North Shore- LIJ system were employing varied reporting formats and using different key performance indicators (KPI), which made it challenging for North Shore-LIJ's leadership to acquire a holistic view of operations. Indeed, FTI Consulting discovered that due to these reporting variances and the difficulty of consolidating them, North Shore-LIJ's operating rooms were underutilized to a greater degree than the leadership had believed. This presented a variety of challenges that, left unaddressed, could lead to both patient and physician dissatisfaction.
To optimize the use of its operating rooms and to enhance patient safety, it was essential for North Shore-LIJ to adopt a systemwide approach to perioperative services while recognizing and respecting local needs and differences.
FTI Consulting helped North Shore-LIJ's leadership implement a unified strategic vision for perioperative care and establish system-wide policies, procedures, processes and guidelines, as well as develop and put in place an enterprise-wide KPI dashboard that recognized and displayed multiple operating room information systems. Working collaboratively with North Shore-LIJ's leadership and gaining buy-in from North Shore-LIJ's key physicians and opinion leaders, FTI Consulting suggested strategies intended to introduce a greater degree of standardization in both surgical protocols and operating room material supply, thereby lowering the cost of surgical services — including supply costs — without affecting quality of care or patient outcomes
Outcome: More Effective Perioperative Care
Reducing the range of instrumentation used by surgeons in joint replacement procedures allowed North Shore-LIJ to realize a 15 percent cost reduction within that surgical category, which amounted — when combined with greater operating room utilization that improved patient throughput — to $12 million in annualized savings while ensuring patient satisfaction with quality of care and timeliness of service.
Through its dashboard and the integration of disparate information systems, FTI Consulting provided supporting data that helped North Shore-LIJ better manage operating room booking and capacity by, for example, being able to move less complex cases from the main operating rooms to ambulatory facilities or from one hospital to another with greater capacity. Among other benefits, this has enabled North Shore- LIJ to build a robust platform for more effective, world-class perioperative care.
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I work on behalf of an individual that relies heavily on getting customer reviews. Often, he'll receive a review by email but the client doesn't go the distance and post it on Zillow or anything like that. To date, I've been using the VPN to make my location California and then post the given review from the agent. I don't want to risk his account getting flagged so I've been very careful to not post a review from the same location. What I noticed however is that when I select for example Los Angeles (Asia Optimized), the IP address while changing is always the exact same location on the map. Is there something I can do to safely be able to post the reviews where it looks like it's coming from a different location each time? Thanks!


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Comcast announces its new wireless business, Xfinity Mobile
Sarah Perez @sarahintampa / 6 years
Comcast, a cable company notorious for poor customer service, now wants to be your cellular provider, as well. The company today announced its new business, Xfinity Mobile, a wireless service offering unlimited data plans at $65 per line, that can be brought down to $45 per line for customers that subscribe to Comcast's high-end X1 packages.
The service will run over top Verizon's network*, but will also include access to Comcast's existing 16 million Wi-Fi hotspots already offered to current customers. If you're on the wireless network and enter an area where Comcast's Wi-Fi coverage is available, your phone will auto-connect to the hotspot, giving you a better connection.
Comcast and Verizon already had a relationship since 2011, when the two companies made a deal that would allow Comcast to resell Verizon's wireless network services. Comcast last fall had announced its intentions to enter the wireless business by mid-2017.
Xfinity Mobile also includes access to Comcast's TV streaming service, available through the Xfinity Stream app, which provides up to 200 live TV channels on demand as well as 40,000 on demand shows and movies. Mobile customers can use the Xfinity Home app, too, in order to remotely control their smart home devices.
There are more than a few caveats about Xfinity Mobile, however. Unlike some rival MVNO's – mobile virtual networks, or those that run atop another carrier's infrastructure – Comcast's reach is limited.
For starters, the service is initially only available to Comcast's 25 million internet customers, or any new customers who sign up for its broadband in the markets where Comcast has its footprint.
In addition, to get its lowest per line price on its unlimited plans, you have to buy its "best" (read: more expensive) X1 packages. In other words, you're not really saving as much as you'd think – you're just giving the company your money as a part of another service offering. After all, Comcast had effectively said before this service is meant to help retain and boost its cable subscriptions.
At present, the unlimited plan is priced at $65 per line for up to five lines with no usage limits, and $45 per line for those with the top-tier X1 packages. Speeds are throttled after 20 GB on this plan.
Customers can also choose to pay $12 per GB of data to share across their lines – something that could bring costs down for those who don't consume much data. That's a bit higher than the $10 Google charges for its similar offering via its Project Fi service.
With the included hotspot access, though, it may be possible for customers to keep data usage lower. Case in point: Comcast in its announcement cites a Nielsen report that found 70% of U.S. wireless customers use less than 5 GB of data per month.
Xfinity Mobile customers can switch between the unlimited plan and "by the gig" plan whenever they want, with no penalties. This can be done in the Xfinity Mobile app, where you can also track your data usage. Customers can mix and match plans across your lines, too. For example, mom and dad might have unlimited plans, while kids are put on a data diet.
Mobile services will be auto-billed, meaning your credit card will be automatically charged when payments are due. That might not work for everyone who need to adjust the exact day they pay from month-to-month, due to fluctuating access to funds.
Another caveat about Comcast's MVNO is that you can't bring your own device at this time. That will limit its appeal those just looking to switch networks but aren't ready for a device upgrade.
However, Comcast will sell a range of iPhone and Android devices from Samsung and LG. Its iPhone lineup includes the 6s, 6s Plus, SE, 7, and 7 Plus, as well as the 7 Plus [PRODUCT] RED Special Edition, announced last month.
But Comcast is not doing anything to encourage those switchers who need a new phone, either. While many carriers today tout offers where they'll pay the early termination fees or your remaining bill with your old carrier, Comcast is making no such offer to potential customers.
That said, Comcast isn't necessarily trying to compete with the big guys – after all, it's reselling Verizon, not exactly taking them on. Instead, the effort seems to be about being able to offer a more complete package to its customers at a time when the TV, broadband and wireless industries are merging and overlapping. Today's customers are cutting their pay TV subscriptions, but then often turn to the same business to buy access to TV yet again – except, this time, it's via the internet and streamed to their phones, as with AT&T's DirecTV Now or Dish's Sling TV, for instance.
Whether Comcast customers will want to double down and buy it all from one place remains to be seen, of course. The company's reputation for customer service has suffered over the years, and though it claims to offer 24-7 support for Xfinity Mobile via text messaging and a call center, customers may be wary of the potential headaches they'll face.
Xfinity Mobile is not immediately available, but will launch sometime later this year.
* Disclosure: TechCrunch parent company AOL is owned by Verizon.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Thanks to a tweet from @manross on Twitter, I found the Zappos 2007-2008 profit and loss statement buried deep within documentation from Amazon.com.
Net Sales of $635 million in 2008. If quoted gross sales of a billion are accurate, then the return rate is more than thirty percent, pretty typical for footwear, but crippling to a profit and loss statement.
Gross Profit percentage is about 35%.
Advertising Expense was $72 million in 2008, about 11.4% of net sales. For my catalog audience, pay close attention to this number --- it is far greater than your typical online marketing / advertising percentage, but is far less than the percentage of sales you're spending on catalog marketing. Long-term, the catalog industry will have to become significantly more efficient.
Profit Flow-Through, after backing out advertising and G&A expense is 19%. You can run a profitable business with a 10% or 15% flow-through, but you need tremendous volume and a high level of operational efficiency. Conversely, most businesses I work with (many selling the same product that Zappos sells) generate 25% to 40% flow-through rates. Because Zappos has a comparatively low gross margin rate, they must generate significant sales volume without the aid of any advertising in order to cover this very low flow-through rate. To me, this one metric is the most disappointing thing I've seen in the Zappos business model.
Pre-Tax Profit is 4%, and was 3% the year prior, far lower than what would be posted by a healthy shoe and/or apparel business. Granted, Zappos is early in the life of their business. The low flow-through rate destines Zappos to have mediocre pre-tax profit rates.
All that being said, Zappos is still clearly a success. Because of Amazon's purchase, we finally get to see the warts, and all of our businesses have warts, don't they?
Time for your thoughts. How does the Zappos p&l stack up against your business?
As someone who has run a catalogue business in the UK, I was interested to read your breakdown on the Zappos P&L.
The gross margin of 35% is worrying low. I have clients who also sell branded goods who achieve much better than this.
I think there are two issues for the business, firstly their repurchase rate (as to whether they are in Retention, Acquisition or Hybrid Mode). If they are in retention mode (and IMO, I doubt it), they may be able to ride on the back of their upfront investment customer acquistion.
The second issue is whether their acquisition by Amazon can result in either back office savings and/or cross-promotion.
In terms of increasing their gross margin, their own brand effort looks pretty lame. There's room for improvement there.
I don't know where I found the data, but I found somewhere that their retention rate was in the low 60s ... putting them in Retention Mode if my memory serves me correct. I could be wrong.
As a retail shoe store owner, the most distressing part of Zappos' business, besides the low gross margins, is their inventory level. Shoes are not like wine, they don't get better with age, and shoes that come back up to a year later, with Zappos footing the bill, (pardon the pun)will have a deleterious effect on their business. Too-high inventory levels are a kiss of death, and too-high inventory of high fashion shoes, that don't retail in the first place, will eventually cause major pain. But, as long as they keep selling shoes at an incredible rate, the pain will come later--but it will come. But Zappos does get an A for PR.
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Tax cuts actually threaten to exacerbate the crisis, not solve it. While few CEOs dare admit it, government spending actually is the best way for corporations to externalize many of their costs: health care, education, social stability and perhaps most obviously, physical infrastructure. A CCPA study released last January concluded that Canada would have to spend $30 billion a year for the next decade to bring infrastructure spending back to historic levels. Ottawa accounted for 34 percent of such spending in 1955 in the days when our current infrastructure was being built. But by 2003 it was down to 13 percent.
The Tyee is your independent daily online magazine reaching every corner of BC and beyond.
The Friedman ideology led directly to the first 9/11. I usually refer to the NYC 9/11 as the second one because by a strange quirk of historical coincidence, 9/11 1973 was the date the CIA overthrew Allende in Chile and it is widely agreed that the Friedman ideology was at the root of that coup by Pinochet.
If you look at Canada's debt you will find that after many decades of relatively minor ups and downs, the debt took off geometrically in 1976 and has seldom reversed its growth since then. This too results from the Friedman economic ideology. Few have looked at what changed in the mid seventies to cause this explosive growth in the debt.
For those interested in more about Friedman (and how debt arose from his policies) check out some recent articles in ER (Economic Reform) at . The University of Chicago is proposing a throne from which Friedmanites can preach their gospel and an economist has published his objections to that plan in ER.


To start, a reminder that today is the last day to register for our hockey pool. And, while you're in the competitive mindset, we've launched a contest for ten tickets to BeefTech in Edmonton.
Top Ag News – Alberta Agriculture's provincial crop report; wildfires resulting in the tragic loss of an Alberta rancher, two still in hospital, and around 750 cattle dead or euthanized; Canada moves to the offensive on the trade file; Republican Senators showing both optimism (and concern) with North American Free Trade Agreement; another big merger (Agrium and Potash Corp); and AccuWeather's winter forecast for Canada.
Agronomists Norm Flore and Peter Johnson join for today's Agronomy Panel, discussing fall weed control and fertility, the impact of wildfires, and a crop update.


Diesel has reappointed Anomaly Amsterdam as its global agency of record, six years after the shop resigned the account.
Anomaly's first work for Diesel since the appointment will arrive in February, consisting of an integrated campaign across TV, print and digital.
Diesel's artistic director, Nicola Formichetti, said the brand was looking for reinvention.
She said: "Diesel's success rests on its ability to reinvent itself to stay relevant and compelling without being locked in a beautiful past.
"We were looking for a partner that understands the changing consumer landscape, and thinks of innovative solutions beyond advertising, and we found that in Anomaly,"
Anomaly worked with Diesel in 2010 on the "Be stupid" campaign (above). The agency resigned the account after only nine months.


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Alternatively an electrician installs a ceiling box and pulls wires to a switch fixture. Wire connections may vary according the the manufacturer of the fluorescent light fixture. Refer to the.
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Diamond is a precious gemstone frequently incorporated into some of the most modern, beautiful handmade jewelry in the world. It is a clear stone revered for its ability to reflect light, and is widely recognized as the April Birthstone and the center stone used in most American engagement rings. But beyond its modern-day uses and associations, diamonds hold a decadent mythological, spiritual and etymological history that add nostalgic value to their already strong aesthetic worth. Read on for more information that will help you fall in love with your diamond jewelry – or inspire you to buy some today!
Diamonds are prized for their beauty and durability. A form of carbon, the Diamond is the world's hardest known natural material. In fact, the word "Diamond" comes from the ancient Greek adamas, which means invincible. Because of their durability, Diamonds have been used in tools for since antiquity. Diamonds were first used as religions icons in India nearly 2,500 years ago. Since then, they've become highly coveted gemstones.
Diamonds are often described and valued by their gemological characteristics: The Four C's (carat, color, cut and clarity). Although Diamonds are used in many types of fine jewelry, they are traditionally associated with engagement and wedding rings. Most people think diamonds are white or colorless. In fact, yellow and brown Diamonds are the most common. Any Diamond with a hue other than brown or yellow is considered a colored Diamond. Colorless Diamonds are pure or nearly pure. The color scale for colorless diamonds goes from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow).
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Almost half of all Diamonds come from mines in central and southern Africa. The other half comes from mines in Canada, India, Russia, Brazil and Australia. Today, the jewelry industry is buzzing about high-quality or lab-created diamonds. These synthetic diamonds possess the same molecular structure as natural diamonds. With public concerns about the mining industry, these man-made beauties offer a compelling alternative to the real thing.
Mohs' Hardness score is based on a 10 point scale where 10 is the most resistant, like a diamond, and 1 is easily scratched, such as Talc. Diamonds are often proved real by the fact that they can scratch glass. Because they are such scratch resistant stones, diamonds are extremelty suitable as a component of oft-worn jewelry. Diamonds should be regularly cleaned by a professional or with a soft rag and mild soap and water. Avoid ultra-sonic cleaners, solvents and harsh chemicals when cleaning your handcrafted jewelry as exposure to these elements can damage semi-precious and precious gemstones and pearls.
Hugo Boss! Famous Brand perfume.


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Other Worlds Austin: 2016 Preview
Other Worlds Austin:
Airman Xley
Past OWA Reviews
Call Girl of Cthulhu
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But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? Tis the east, and Other Worlds Austin Sci-Fi Film Festival is the Sun!
That's right, dear readers—it's my absolute favorite time of year, and not because of the holidays. Instead, I get to enjoy a blissfully perfect weekend surrounded by the best individuals humanity has to offer and watch SCIENCE FICTION (and a smattering of horror). Other Worlds Austin 2016 is only a few days away, and it's my civic duty to ensure you make the most of this year's festival. If you're scratching your head in disbelief that there's an entire film festival devoted to science fiction in Central Texas, never fret! Yours truly will give you the inside scoop so you don't wind up getting blasted into bantha fodder (Note: this is a highly unlikely outcome unless you cut me in line or spill my beer).
Anywho, Other Worlds Austin is one of the premier sci-fi film festivals in the U.S. and easily the best use of your time this weekend. Now in its third year, founder Bears Fonté and the rest of the OWA team have put together an exciting lineup complete with Under Worlds Austin—a dedicated horror sidebar full of feature films and an assortment of spine-tingling shorts. This year's festival runs December 1st through the 4th at Flix Brewhouse in Roundrock, so be sure to grab one of the remaining passes!
Let's take a look at what's screening, shall we?
The 2016 OWA Poster designed by artist David Poe
Now, if you're a long-term reader of Drive-in Zeppelin, you'll know I love two things more than anything else—beer and robots. Incidentally, it should come as no surprise to you that one of my favorite sci-fi shows of all time is Futurama if for no other reason than it has an alcoholic, foul-mouthed, chain-smoking robot (also the original seasons might be the greatest animated work of our time).
Fortunately, this year's OWA fest—in addition to changing to a more beer-friendly venue—kicks off with the Israeli sci-fi comedy OMG, I'M A ROBOT?! which I'm sure will set the tone for yet another unforgettable cinematic experience. The feature film debut of Tal Goldberg and Gal Zelezniak, OMG I'M A ROBOT?! is the story of Danny, who tries to commit suicide after his girlfriend Noa leaves him. Unbeknownst to Danny, he is actually a robot—more specifically an indestructible war machine capable of shooting laser beams. He soon learns that Noa did not, in fact, walk out on him, but instead was kidnapped by a mysterious organization who may or may not hold the secrets to Danny's origins. Will he save the girl? Will he figure out why he's a robot? Is that a gorram Menorah gun?
I guess you'll have to come out Friday to find out the answers to these questions for yourself at Other Worlds Austin 2016.
In the meantime, check out the hilarious and action-packed trailer for OMG, I'm A ROBOT?!
Now, as someone who has yet to miss an Other Worlds Austin festival—though I've been terribly remiss in attending their year-round programming—I can safely say that half the fun is in discovering films for yourself and then talking about them for hours on end with your fellow festival goers. While I'm inclined to dive into a preview of each and every feature film and short playing in this year's festival, I'm simply going to leave you with this advice (and the list of films I intend to see so we can drink together):
The dedicated team over at OWA has worked tirelessly to put together the most diverse programming to date, and I guarantee that there is something (and probably several somethings) for everyone at this year's festival. There will be some tough choices—particularly when you have to choose between the UnderWorld Shorts and the Texas premiere of Battledream Chronicle—but rest assured knowing you will leave satisfied and hungry for more world-class science fiction. Also if you miss anything, check Netflix in the following months. Many of the films screened at previous festivals have found a home on the more popular streaming services.
Here are just a few of the films I'm most excited for this year.
Dark Star (1974)
John Carpenter | USA | 83 min
Island of Lost Souls (1932)
Eric C. Kenton | USA | 70 min
(World premiere of an original score by Jay Woelfel with the composer in attendance)
Somnio (Texas Premiere)
Travis Milloy | USA | 103 min
I, for one, have had my film itinerary set since the day OWA released their find round of programming, so look for the Drive-in Zeppelin team in the following screenings. Our newest addition to the crew—Airman Glock—will also be in attendance, so look for him too!
OMG I'M A ROBOT?! (Beta Theater)
Sci-Fi Shorts: How to Recognize a Monster (Beta Theater)
UWA: Under World Shorts (Alpha Theater)
Ghost Rockets (Beta Theater)
Dark Star (Alpha Theater)
UWA Centerpiece: We Go on (Alpha Theater)
Somnio (Alpha Theater)
Sci-Fi Shorts: Tomorrow's Hearts Broken Today (Alpha Theater)
Island of Lost Souls (Beta Theater)
Domain (Alpha Theater)
The Unseen (Either Theater)
For a full list of showtimes and a summary of films (including trailers and other features), please visit the Other Worlds Austin website.
FULL SPEED AHEAD! DON'T MISS THIS UNFORGETTABLE FESTIVAL
You'll have to pardon our mess. The Drive-in Zeppelin website is in the early stages of getting a makeover, and it doesn't look particularly pretty when you venture outside the newer reviews and articles. We apologize for any inconvenience. That being said, be sure to check out some of our other reviews and past OWA coverage.
Battledream Chronicle (OWA 2016)
Battledream Chronicle: Review Airman Xley Animated Science Fiction Oh, we still have some readers after that Rogue One: A Star Wars Story review? I thought surely there would be rioting in the streets and piles of angry letters...
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story: Review Airman Xley Action Science Fiction You may not know this, dear reader, but your intrepid Airman Xley was once a child full of unbridled imagination who looked to the future through rose-colored...
Up: Review Airman Xley Adventure Animated Comedy Airman Xley—shame on you! You're supposed to be reviewing all those quality Other Worlds Austin films like OMG, I'm a Robot?! and [Insert new review here]! Yes, yes—I know, dear...


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Dance All Nite/O Do Not Love Me to Long è un 45 giri della cantautrice pop italiana Lu Colombo, pubblicato nel 1983 dall'etichetta discografica EMI.

I brani
Dance All Nite, scritto da Lu Colombo e David Riondino e arrangiato da Mario Saroglia è un brano italo disco che ebbe un grande successo, raggiungendo l'ottava posizione dei singoli più venduti.

Il brano, vincitore de Un disco per l'estate 1983, è stato utilizzato nella colonna sonora del film Vacanze di Natale.

Lato N
O Do Not Love Me to Long è il lato b del singolo, scritto da W.B. Yeats, su musica di lu Colombo.

Tracce
Lato A

Lato B

Classifiche

Note

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


This entry was posted in Provence and tagged Brantes, Crestet, France, Most Charming Villages in Provence, Provence, Vaucluse by Cheryl. Bookmark the permalink.
I hope that your cold didn't stay around and that you could enjoy your days in full.
Thank you. It only lasted a day and a half thanks to an elderberry syrup I take that has zinc in it. It works every time!
Looks like another great village to visit—thanks for the tip!


The largest university in the state, the UK occupies a 1000-acre campus with almost 200 buildings. Atop historic Mount Oread in Lawrence, KS. UK serves as a major comprehensive research and teaching institution as well as a center for learning, scholarship, and creative endeavor. It draws more out-of-state students than any other institution of higher education in Kansas. There are almost 17,000 full-time undergraduates in addition to about 8500 graduate students. Participates in intercollegiate sports at the NCAA Division I level.
The University is the only Kansas Regents university to hold membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU), a select group of 58 public and private research universities that represents excellence in graduate and professional education and the highest achievements in research internationally.


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Across the Nation, Charter Schools Are Surging
By Robert G. Holland
There has been a bumper crop of charter school stories this graduation season. What's more, the articles have been largely positive, a sign that these independently managed public schools are gaining popularity.
In Greenfield, Massachusetts, the first graduating class at Four Rivers Public Charter School–26 strong–celebrated the fact that six years ago they had gathered as seventh graders, along with their parents, on an overgrown field. Their school hadn't even been built yet. They took a leap of faith and fashioned a new school together.
A start-up success story on a larger scale comes from New Orleans, where charter schools have brought an entrepreneurial spirit to education restoration in a city devastated by Hurricane Katrina three years ago. Charters now handle 53 percent of the city's post-hurricane enrollment; pre-Katrina, they had just 2 percent.
Charters are booming in the state with the longest track record. Although overall public school enrollment in Minnesota is declining, charter schools last year experienced their largest increase since 1991-92, the year the nation's first charter school opened in Minnesota.
Charter schools are free of most of the rules that hamstring other public schools, including regulations pushed by teacher unions to benefit their members instead of students. This freedom allows charter schools to tailor programs to children's real needs.
The University of Minnesota's Joe Nathan, one of the authors of the Center for School Change's report on "Enrollment and Demographic Trends for MN Charter and District Public Schools," offered these reasons for the rise in charter enrollments:
"First, small size of the schools. Secondly, safer schools. Third, distinctive programs, whether they're language immersion, … the arts, things like that. Fourth, there's a feeling of great respect from teachers to parents and from teachers to students" (Minneapolis Star-Tribune, June 19).
It also doesn't hurt that charters are public schools that parents can actually choose.
In Rochester, members of the Democrat and Chronicle newspaper's editorial board visited True North Rochester Preparatory School to learn how it's racking up some of the highest math scores in New York State. The answer is shorter than the school's name: discipline.
On Principal Stacey Shells' watch, students do not talk in the hallways and must walk a straight line to and from the lunchroom. There are carrots, too, in the form of rewards for good conduct and high achievement.
"After all, it's impossible to teach amid disorder," the board noted in a June 19 editorial. "Too many City School District teachers know that all too well. Many tell disturbing stories of constant disruptions by students uninterested in learning. They create chaotic environments that make it almost impossible for other students to pursue knowledge."
There is abundant statistical evidence of the impact of the charter movement. EdSource, an independent research organization, recently found charter middle and high schools performed much better than regular public schools on California's 2007 achievement tests. Oakland's charter middle schools scored an eye-popping 210 points higher than the city's noncharters on an 800-point scale (Oakland Tribune, June 19).
In Denver a group of angry parents came to a school board meeting last month demanding to know why the same choice was not available to them. "We want this for our kids and our families," said Luci Saenz, mother of a child at Valdez Elementary. "We are ready to fight. We believe in our children, and we believe they deserve it" (Denver Post, May 7).
The successes of charter schools are grabbing attention within the education establishment, but for a different reason. Vested interests want less competition from excellent schools, not more. Thus the Delaware State Education Association (DSEA), the state's teachers union, expropriated its members' dues to commission a Washington, DC public relations firm to craft a slick strategy for halting further charter start-ups in the state.
If the likes of the DSEA get their way, students and parents won't be the only parties with diminished choice. Teachers will join them–unless, that is, success stories just keep coming in and eventually overwhelm the selfish resistance.
Robert Holland ([email protected]) is a senior fellow for education policy with The Heartland Institute in Chicago, Illinois.
Robert G. Holland
Robert Holland, a journalist and author who has championed school choice throughout his career, is a Heartland Institute Senior Fellow addressing education policy.


I'm nearly six feet tall!
I often dream of being lost in a forest at night, and I wake up terrified.
Storyteller. Unpretentious. Truthful. Imaginative. Deep.
I'm presently trying to write about the 70s. 1977 to be specific and it's hard remembering the details!
Take heart! Have a go! Don't worry about looking like an idiot.
My greatest influence might well be the Irish writer Maeve Binchy. I love her attitude to writing. So warm, intelligent and completely unpretentious.
I've always loved books. To write one seemed like a dream come true.
11. What is your favorite word and why?
My favorite word would have to be 'suddenly'. I use it too much. I'm not sure why. But when I come to the end of a draft I have to check each page to make sure that it hasn't got the better of me!
Well I guess it had better be a big one! So I'll go for War and Peace. I first read that when I was about seventeen and it took me the best part of six months. (I skipped a lot of the boring bits) I reckon a proper reread might keep me occupied for a few years.
Maureen McCarthy is an Australian author of books for children and teens. Her novels include The Covenant, Rose by Any Other Name and the bestselling Queen Kat, Carmel and St Jude Get a Life, which was made into a 4-part mini-series for ABC TV. Her latest novel is Stay With Me, published by Allen & Unwin.


If you sew with kids, then you probably know about Sew a Softie organized by the lovely Trixi of Coloured Buttons. It's a month long tutorial extravaganza of softie tutorials with kids in mind.
My contribution was this Magical Unicorn Softie. The best part is that you can design the face, mane, and horn! It's fun - you should make one.
Want to see all the Sew a Sofie awesomeness?! You can find the link up to all the posts here.
Happy Sew a Softie Month!


Notes of Black Iris of Jordan, Medjool date, pomegranate, apricot, and amber.
This is Petra, the Rose City.
offers treasures for the weary traveler.
and succulent medjool dates sustain you.
and embrace a blushing apricot.
you with drops of captured sunshine.
one of the world's most alluring secrets.


If you use these techniques in your own work, and you find that they help you improve, please tell other people simply by mentioning where you got it from and by providing a link back to this page. Thanks!
The HDR Cookbook is a collection of recipes for better post-processing of HDR images. Many people think that an HDR image is finished when it drops out of the HDR software. Nothing could be further from the truth! Actually, this is where the real work only starts. Find out how you can improve your images in post processing.
The Before-and-After section contains the largest collection of HDR Before-and-After comparisons on the web. Each comparison chart presents the source images, the tone-mapped image and the final result in a concise way. Discover what you can potentially make of your source images with the right techniques.
The Dynamic Before-and-After section lets you compare the before and the after for selected images directly through an overlay technology. You can click and slide directly on the image to slide back and forth between the before and the after version to discover the changes. Try it! It's fun.
A video says more than a 1000 images! While the Before-and-After comparisons do a good job of showing what is possible, actually seeing how it is done can reveal so much more information. Watch the making-of time-lapse videos that show the post-processing process. Watch them full-screen in HD and pause at arbitrary positions to see exactly which parameters have been used to produce an effect.
When you are done viewing the Before-and-After comparisons and watching the Making-of videos, you will surely want to practice the techniques you have seen. But if you use your own source images, there is no objective way of verifying your progress because every set of source images is a bit different. Maybe you also find it difficult to produce the source images in the first place. But that is no problem. You can simply go to the Pics-to-play-with section and download some of my source images. Use them to create HDRs and practice the newly acquired knowledge as you wish and compare the results with others.


The New York Stock Exchange was quiet this morning. I couldn't really get a trade off as I saw that the market had thinned out considerably once the opening bell rang. I'm not sure if people just don't like committing money early in the day or they just sincerely think it's better to wait for some type of news thing. I'm starting to wonder whether or not playing the news is the new norm. Speaking of which, when word of the tomahawk missile launch hit my twitter feed last night, I bolted right up from my couch to my dining room where I keep my laptop to get short. I was thinking that this was gonna be an easy short but in the end, the market wasn't as woozy as I thought it was gonna be and I cut out of the trade for a handful of ticks on no size.
This morning though was different as there was a little bit of action in the market but not enough where it was moving the way I wanted it to move. So I decided that instead of waiting on my protective stops to be hit, I just went ahead and flattened myself out – I immediately regretted it. The market would then proceed to move down 12 more ticks and I literally sat there hoping that it would bleed back up to where I went flat. It did but at that point, I just decided to call it a day before some sinister force in me would take hold of my finger and click the Sell Market button.
This lead me to thinking about taking the wheel and just letting things go for what they're gonna do. At the end, we're all in it for profits and the more the merrier. But we just don't have control over the markets. We can only make a profit or protect capital. I don't know how I really feel about it except to say that I kind of wish that I just left it alone.
It particularly stings because I had taken a trade on Cocoa that just didn't work out from the get go. There's nothing more to be said about it than the fact that I just didn't make the right assessment. What hurts more though is that the loss was on size. And what triply hurts with the cherry on top is that this was on a Friday. I don't know about other traders but when I go into the weekend negative, that really sets the tone for my state of mind. I'm not gonna turn into a raging killer or anything like that but my mood is a tiny bit different and all I'm thinking about from Friday afternoon to Sunday 17:00 is that big fat red number on the daily PnL. It doesn't really matter to me if the rest of the week was positive. I'd rather lose on any other day, just not on a Friday because you lose both capital and momentum.
Well, the day is over for me so there's no point in getting all riled up. I'm lucky that I have a weekend to even look forward to so I just look at things from that perspective. To be able to have the time to type out these thoughts on a clutter-free dining room table in a clutter-free dining room looking out the window at a beautiful spring day…I'm just lucky. I really am because of the man upstairs.
Now all I gotta do is not look where the Nasdaq ended up going. I want to own my market experience, I don't want the market experience to own me.


text:
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Our Norso magnetic headwrap provides deep penetration with 8 (1/2") neodymium magnets (manufacturers gauss rating of 12,000-12,300/surface output 1,500-2,000 each). Our magnetic head wrap contains 2 removable Velcro pads containing 4 magnets each. You can place these magnetic pads wherever you like. Some customers place the magnets around the temple or sinus area or they place the magnets at the back of the head near the base of the skull.
Our magnetic headband is not constricting like most neoprene wraps therefore you have the maximum amount of blood flow. It is best not to combine tight wraps with magnets because you want to be able to allow the magnets to circulate and stimulate blood flow to the area. Our magnetic head wrap is washable after you remove the magnetic pads. This wrap is not meant for support and it is not a brace as it simply holds the magnets in place.
One size fits all: Fits up to 26"


While Charles Darwin sat on his revolutionary theory for 20 years, terrified of his conservative contemporaries, Wallace boldly set out to solve the great problem of the origin of species. Not afraid to announce unorthodox views, Wallace published a radically innovative theory of evolution (minus only natural selection) in an 1855 paper.
Then, while on the island of Gilolo and prompted by thoughts about the local races, Wallace hit on the idea of the struggle for existence and natural selection. He immediately wrote up his theory and posted it to Darwin on the next mail steamer.
Darwin, however, withheld the paper for perhaps two weeks before he let it become known. During this time, according to some, Darwin stole some ideas to use in his own otherwise identical theory.
Rather than having Wallace's paper published immediately on its own, which was normal practice at the time, Darwin's friends cooked up a scheme to rob the working-class Wallace of his priority and instead put their friend Darwin first. Papers by both men were read at a scientific meeting in 1858, but Darwin is remembered as the discoverer of the theory because his contribution was placed first.
In a letter written about two weeks later, Wallace mentioned that over the past four years he had found differently coloured tiger beetles on different islands which exactly matched the colour of the sand or mud where they lived. "Such facts as these puzzled me for a long time, but I have lately worked out a theory which accounts for them naturally."
Wallace already believed that new varieties of animals appeared randomly and frequently, the offspring of their parent species. If lots of varieties of various shades are constantly appearing, how does one come to perfectly match the colour of the environment? He remembered the idea of the struggle for existence. The varieties best suited to survive would be those that happened to be the right colour.
If the environment slowly changed colour, the parent species might go extinct. One of its daughter varieties could then be well adapted and replace it as the species. It could never revert back to the colour of its parent as that was now inferior. Thus through a struggle for existence, randomly generated variants would be sifted to form new species. It was a brilliant breakthrough.
Evolution is a combination of many ideas, some of which pre-dated both Darwin and Wallace. If natural selection is considered to be the big idea, then it appears that Darwin was scooped by Wallace, with Darwin rushing into print to make it appear that he had the idea all along.


text:
Voter rights advocates submitted the 46-page class action complaint Thursday, arguing the state's current process is "unequal, inaccessible, opaque, and error-ridden," while stressing that it has resulted in a "disparate impact" on Black Tennesseans.
The legal challenge is being led by the Campaign Legal Center on behalf of the Tennessee NAACP and five Tennessee residents who have unsuccessfully attempted to restore their right to vote.
Defendants named in the lawsuit include Republican Gov. Bill Lee, Department of Correction Commissioner Tony Parker, Secretary of State Tre Hargett, the state's Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins, and the Rutherford County circuit court clerk.
Spokespeople for the defendants all declined to comment on the pending litigation. The Attorney General's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
"Taken together, these deficiencies demonstrate defendants' creation of a woefully inadequate rights restoration system, devoid of adequate process, that erroneously deprives tens of thousands of eligible voters of their statutory right to a (certificate of restoration of voting rights)," the complaint reads.
The lawsuit comes as Tennessee's disenfranchisement rates among Black adult voters remains notably high as the national rate has seen declines, according to a report by nonprofit The Sentencing Project. More than 20% of Tennessee's Black voting age population cannot vote due to a felony conviction, while an estimated 8% of the state's overall adult population is disenfranchised.
Tennessee law outlines various paths to restoring voting rights after a convicted felon completes their sentence, but advocates have long complained that the process is broken and overly cumbersome.
According to the complaint, Tennessee has delegated voter rights restoration efforts to county-level officials and the corrections agency rather than have a central office handle the task. This means each of the state's 95 counties have a slightly different system. Furthermore, there's no opportunity to appeal if a person believes they've been wrongly denied.
Under state law, convicted felons must fully pay off their restitution, court costs and be up-to-date on child support before restoration of voting rights can be approved. However, the lawsuit says that counties have spiked applications due to errors in determining a person's outstanding restitution and court costs because there is no statewide system that tracks such information.
One of the plaintiffs, Curtis Gray Jr. of Shelby County, said he was blocked from getting his voting rights restored because the county said he has outstanding legal fees. Gray, who was convicted of drug possession, says he owes only $279 in court costs, but the county says he still has to pay much more than that — including a $500 fine.
The lawsuit alleges that Tennessee law does not require fines to be paid in full in order to restore a person's right to vote.
Similarly, Lamar Perry also alleges that Shelby County officials wrongly denied his application by claiming he still has $1,160 in court costs even though his records show that the only outstanding fee is a $952.10 criminal fine — which attorneys argue shouldn't bar him from getting his right to vote restored.
Meanwhile, attorneys have specifically named Rutherford County's county clerk of circuit court because of the county's requirement that people seeking rights restoration pay a $25 processing fee. Attorneys says this is "effectively a poll tax."
The governor and other defendants are accused of violating the U.S. Constitution's requirements of Procedural Due Process and Equal Protection, as well as components of the National Voter Registration Act.
McConnell: Trump 'provoked' Capitol siege, mob 'fed lies' Jan 19 @ 12:54P
Biden DNI pick says no room for politics in intel agencies Jan 19 @ 12:54P


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Kingsgate Workshops
Kingsgate Workshops is a multi-use art space housed within a labyrinthine Victorian factory, providing affordable workspace for an exciting mix of artists, makers and designers.
Kingsgate Workshops' Public Programme encourages experimentation, production and critical discourse. We support a crossover between disciplines, an exchange of skills and the development of critical and timely conversations about process, image making and object making. Our Project Space aims to profile a diverse range of contemporary national and international artists with a focus on emerging talent.
The Public Programme is generously supported by Arts Council England. As part of the programme, artists are provided with a free studio space for six months, a small stipend and professional support in creating a new body of work for exhibition at Kingsgate Project Space.
history of the site:
Kingsgate Workshops is a converted 19th century warehouse providing studio and workshop space for over 50 artists and crafts people. Located in West Hampstead and close to Kilburn High Road, it was first built by John Allen and Sons as their builders workshops, with a saw mill to produce the large number of doors and windows they needed to construct many of the surrounding streets.
After John Allen and Sons, the building became a furniture depository, and then was used as a sheet metal folding factory and various other businesses until it became derelict and empty. In 1978, a small group of local people put forward a scheme to Camden Council to stop it being demolished and give it a new lease of life as an artist's studio complex.
Dan Howard-Birt (Director)
110-116 Kingsgate Road
NW3 2JG London 51° 32' 38.3712" N, 0° 11' 47.868" W
work only
number of studios:
types of studios:
ongoing (this site)
Kingsgate Studios: Front of building (c1978)
Kingsgate Studios: Invite Winter Show 08


text:
Adraneothrips is a genus of thrips in the family Phlaeothripidae. The genus has its highest species diversity in the New World, particularly the Neotropics, though species are also known from Asia, Australia and Africa.

Many species in Adraneothrips have two-color patterns, and sexual dimorphism is limited. They are associated with leaf litter and other dead leaves, and are presumed mycophagous.

Species
 Adraneothrips abdominalis
 Adraneothrips acutulus
 Adraneothrips acutus
 Adraneothrips alajuela
 Adraneothrips albicollis
 Adraneothrips alternatus
 Adraneothrips andrei
 Adraneothrips antennatus
 Adraneothrips apalus
 Adraneothrips aztecus
 Adraneothrips bambusae
 Adraneothrips bellus
 Adraneothrips biadenes
 Adraneothrips bilineatus
 Adraneothrips braccatus
 Adraneothrips brasiliensis
 Adraneothrips cautus
 Adraneothrips chinensis
 Adraneothrips cinctiventris
 Adraneothrips coloratus
 Adraneothrips darwini
 Adraneothrips decorus
 Adraneothrips desocellatus
 Adraneothrips diligens
 Adraneothrips disjunctus
 Adraneothrips elegans
 Adraneothrips ephippium
 Adraneothrips exiguus
 Adraneothrips falsus
 Adraneothrips faustus
 Adraneothrips fuscicollis
 Adraneothrips gandoca
 Adraneothrips hani
 Adraneothrips hoffi
 Adraneothrips huachucae
 Adraneothrips imbecillus
 Adraneothrips inca
 Adraneothrips infirmus
 Adraneothrips inflavus
 Adraneothrips laticeps
 Adraneothrips lepidus
 Adraneothrips limpidus
 Adraneothrips madrasensis
 Adraneothrips makilingensis
 Adraneothrips microsetis
 Adraneothrips nilgiriensis
 Adraneothrips obliquus
 Adraneothrips oculatus
 Adraneothrips okajimai
 Adraneothrips onustus
 Adraneothrips opacus
 Adraneothrips pallidus
 Adraneothrips peruviensis
 Adraneothrips pinicola
 Adraneothrips poecilonotus
 Adraneothrips pteris
 Adraneothrips pulchellus
 Adraneothrips rostratus
 Adraneothrips russatus
 Adraneothrips saturatus
 Adraneothrips septimanus
 Adraneothrips setosus
 Adraneothrips silvaticus
 Adraneothrips simulator
 Adraneothrips spadix
 Adraneothrips stannardi
 Adraneothrips stenocephalus
 Adraneothrips strasseni
 Adraneothrips tibialis
 Adraneothrips transversus
 Adraneothrips tupi
 Adraneothrips uniformis
 Adraneothrips vacuus
 Adraneothrips waui
 Adraneothrips xanthosoma
 Adraneothrips yunnanensis

References

Phlaeothripidae
Thrips
Thrips genera


Summary BestOffersNetworks.SmileySource is an application which allows a user to insert smiley face icons into emails. This application alone does not present a threat, but is installed with several adware threats.
Description BestOffersNetworks.SmileySource is an application which allows a user to insert smiley face icons into emails. This application alone does not present a threat, but is installed with several adware threats.


text:
Employer needs to hear employees before deducting wages for 'go slow' tactics of employees orders SC
You are here: Home / Posts Tagged "Employer needs to hear employees before deducting wages for 'go slow' tactics of employees orders SC"
Tag: Employer needs to hear employees before deducting wages for 'go slow' tactics of employees orders SC
Fact and Issue of the case
It is an admitted position that the appellant – Bata India Limited and the first respondent – Workmen of Bata India Limited, an association of the appellant's employees, had entered into the settlements dated 11.03.1998 and 14.12.1998. As per the appellant, by virtue of the settlements, the workmen had agreed to produce a minimum of 1,200 pairs of shoes per shift. The weekly target for production was fixed at 21,600 pairs of shoes in three shifts working per day. The norm for calculation of incentive on production was fixed at 12,960 pairs of shoes per week.
It is a case of the appellant that after 01.02.2001, workmen had deliberately adopted "go slow" tactics and did not produce the minimum agreed production as per the settlement. The production was below 50 per cent of the normal production. Despite repeated requests and warnings, the workmen did not pay any heed to increase production. Consequently, the appellant decided to pay pro-rata wages to those not meeting the mutually agreed target. However, the workmen refused payment and resorted to stay-in- strike. Apprehending danger to safety, the management declared lockout on 08.03.2000, which was lifted on 03.07.2000.
The industrial dispute pertaining to justification of the lockout, strike of the workmen and "go slow" strategy on the part of the workmen was referred by the Government before the Industrial Tribunal, Bangalore. Despite referral, the dispute escalated as the strike continued for a long time resulting in prohibitory order1 by the Government dated 08.02.2001 over the continuance of the strike. By another order, the Government invoked power under Section 10-B2 of the Industrial Disputes Act, 19473 whereby the workmen were directed to report for duty. Following the order, the workmen resumed work from 12.02.2001.
Observation of the Court
Court need not refer to other details as the issue raised is limited but observe that the respondent association dispute that the workmen had never adopted the "go slow" tactic. The impugned judgment by the High Court of Karnataka at Bangalore dated 11.04.2008 partly allowed the Writ Appeal No. 2256/2006(L) filed by the appellant, inter alia, holding that "go slow" is nothing but sort of intentional refusal to work. In such a situation, the management could be justified in reducing or paying pro-rata wages. The mere presence of the employee at work without the workmen contributing and doing work would not entitle them to wages. The judgment observes that the workmen, 40 in number, had given normal production but significantly large number of workmen had deliberately not given adequate production in view of the call to "go slow". Nevertheless, the appellant was at fault as it was required to adhere to the principles of natural justice, especially when the workmen were disputing the factual position that there was fall in production by 50 per cent. The appellant should have heard the Union or the workmen before the management proceeded to deduct the pro-rata wages for "go slow" work. Having held so, the Division Bench took notice of the argument of the appellant that they had put notices on the notice board justifying the deduction of wages on a pro-rata basis. This, the Division Bench observed, was a matter of fact that cannot be gone into while exercising writ jurisdiction. What was required and necessary was giving proper opportunity to the affected person before making any deduction on pro-rata basis. Having observed so, the management was directed to pay the deducted/reduced wages to the employees within one month from the date of receipt of the order passed by the Division Bench. However, liberty was reserved for the appellant to take appropriate steps regarding "go slow" strategy adopted by a large section of the workmen and proceed in accordance with law.
Court does not think that most of the findings recorded in the impugned judgment require any interference or even clarification. The contention of the appellant that the finding in the impugned judgment pertaining to "go slow" strategy nothing sort of misconduct should be set aside does not impress us. The impugned judgment does not hold that any inquiry should have been conducted by the appellant. However, taking holistic and pragmatic view, it is stated that a fair opportunity shall be granted to the Union or workmen, especially when there was a dispute whether or not there was production on the agreed terms. Further the observations as to misconduct have been made in different context to hold that the "go slow" work was similar to or like intentional refusal of work. However, what is highlighted by the appellant before court is the failure of the Division Bench to take notice of the public notices which were put on the notice board to justify the pro rata reduction of wages. The notices are in the form of calculation of the wages actually paid. The workers were not given any opportunity to respond to these notices. Thus, on this aspect, we do not see any reason to disagree with the findings in the impugned judgment.
While issuing notice vide order dated 24.08.2009 in the present appeal, the operation of the impugned order had been stayed, which order is continuing. In view of the aforesaid findings, we vacate the stay with the direction that the appellant would make payment of the reduced/deducted wages within one month. This means that full wages would be paid. Court does not feel it will be appropriate to direct factual investigation or resort to the procedure of issue of notice, reply etc. at this belated stage. Accordingly, court also modifies the direction given in the impugned judgment giving liberty to the appellant to take appropriate steps/actions regarding the "go slow" strategy for the period in question.
The appellant has raised the grievance that the "go slow" strategy is still in continuation because of which the work and production are affected. The respondent herein has interpreted the impugned judgment as a direction to pay full wages. This is disputed by the counsel for the first respondent. However, the first respondent does not dispute and has accepted the findings in the impugned judgment that pro rata deduction/reduction in wages is permissible if there is a deliberate attempt to not produce or do work by resorting to "go slow" strategy. Court perceives and believes that the impugned judgment protects the interest of the appellant and the workmen by prescribing the right procedure which should be followed in case the appellant is of the opinion that the workmen, though present on duty, are not working and are not giving the agreed production on the basis of which wages and incentives have been fixed. This would depend upon the factual matrix and have to be ascertained in case of dispute to render any firm opinion. The procedure prescribed should be followed.
The appeal is disposed of without any order as to cost by the court.
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Christine Ockrent (born 24 April 1944) is a Belgian journalist whose career has principally centered on French television.

She interviewed Amir Abbas Hoveyda, the former Iranian prime minister, in Evin prison after the Islamic revolution in 1979.
It was the last interview with Hoveyda before his execution.

Early life
Ockrent was born in Brussels, Belgium, daughter of Belgian diplomat Roger Ockrent.
She attended the Cours Hattemer, a private school in Paris. She graduated from the Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po) in 1965.

Career
She worked for the CBS news magazine, 60 Minutes, while in charge of morning news for Europe 1 in France. In 1981, she became the first female anchor of the 8 pm news on the Antenne 2 television channel. Afterwards, she worked for TF1 as anchor of the evening news at France 2; and since 1990 for France 3 as the host of different news magazines.

She was chief of the L'Express editorial office. For over a decade she presented France Europe Express, a TV show about European issues. She is a fervent supporter of a united Europe, signing the Soros letter for a federal answer to the crisis of the euro.

Ockrent held the number two post at the Société de l'audiovisuel extérieur de la France, until she was relieved in May 2011. She refused to resign, saying that she had had to endure "nine months of manoeuvres that have sullied my honour and reputation".

She is a former member of the Saint-Simon Foundation think-tank.

In 2002, Ockrent wrote the preface to Ma guerre à L'indifference (English: My war against indifference), a book by United Nations official Jean-Sélim Kanaan. She is the author of more than a dozen works including:
La Double vie d'Hillary Clinton (The Double Life of Hillary Clinton), Robert Laffont (2001)
Les Oligarques : le système Poutine (The Oligarchs, The Putin System), Robert Laffont (2014)
Le Prince mystère de l'Arabie (The Mysterious Prince of Arabie). Mohammed Ben Salman, les mirages d'un pouvoir absolu, Robert Laffont (2018).

Other activities
 European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), Member

Personal life
Ockrent is the life partner of Bernard Kouchner, a French politician and the former foreign minister, with whom she had a son, Alexandre, born 11 March 1986.

References

External links
 PostGlobal Panelist

1944 births
Living people
Belgian radio journalists
Belgian television journalists
Belgian women journalists
Belgian women radio journalists
Belgian women television journalists
Sciences Po alumni
Officiers of the Légion d'honneur
Officers of the Ordre national du Mérite
Young Leaders of the French-American Foundation


NavCom's SF-3040 pole-mount StarFire/RTK GNSS Survey Receiver provides RTK-level accuracy up to 40 km away from the base station or 5 cm-level position accuracy, anywhere in the world, anytime. Powered by the Sapphire™ Engine, the SF-3040 provides 66 channel tracking, including multi-constellation support for GPS, GLONASS and SBAS including StarFire.
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2GB removable SD card and a geodetic-quality antenna enable millimetre-level accuracy from post-processing.
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Best way to start the week… Nikki Beach Dubai's recently launched 'Amazing Sundays Brunch'! Yesterday, we made the weekend last little longer at the stunning resort. Can't wait to do it again!
When I am "off mama duty" and I get to chill and unwind by the beachside with my bestie, it's gonna be a good time. It sure was - thanks to a great atmosphere, lovely setup and delish food. We loved the boho chic look, happy trendy vibes with cool tunes and live performances.
The brunch is from 12 to 4 pm, a simple elegant menu to choose from served at your table. Not the overwhelming buffet option. Everything was good, from a simple sushi selection, a choice of egg dish (favourite: Lobster oeuf cocotte), main course and a sample of mini deserts. The brunch including a selection of Frosé cocktails, beer and wine by the glass is AED350. The nonalcoholic brunch AED 250 including soft drinks, chilled juices, water (still and sparkling) and mocktails. The deal also include (subject to availability) a complimentary pool bed / beach access for after dining.
Loved the lively but not busy vibe of the week day brunch, feeling more exquisite and private. It's a cool and classy brunch by the pool. A great option for girlfriends catching up over rosé wine and yummy food in beautiful surroundings. The service was super friendly, maybe not very efficient but when you feel on holidays, nothing to stress you about… you let it go.
A must do lovely mamas!


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Politics ⋅ Live Blog
Live Updates: State of the Union
Read the transcript of Obama's speech here and the transcript of Sen. Joni Ernst's GOP response here, and follow along for news and analysis of Obama's proposals, responses, and more.
VIDEO: Ernst: 'We were raised to live simply, not to waste'
January 21, 12:18 AM
VIDEO: Clawson delivers Tea Party State of the Union rebuttal
Obama's line about winning both his elections was the top moment on Twitter
Hunter Schwarz
"I have no more campaigns to run. I know because I won both of them." —President Obama #SOTU
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 21, 2015
President Obama's remark about winning both campaigns was the moment that spurred the most conversation during the State of the Union, according to Twitter data.
The most tweeted topics were community college, equal pay, climate change, tax reform, and healthcare.
The speech as a word cloud
Niraj Chokshi
President Obama's speech, as delivered. (Wordle)
The above word cloud shows the relative frequency with which the president used various words in his speech, as delivered on Tuesday night.
That's a lot of applause
Katie Zezima
100 applause breaks in @washingtonpost's Obama transcript: http://t.co/5ymj3SZlhF
— Michael Gold (@migold) January 21, 2015
Complete transcript of Ernst's response
Mark Berman
Here are the complete remarks of Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), who is delivering the Republican response to the State of the Union.
Possible presidential candidates weigh in
A few of the politicians who may wind up running to succeed Obama in office issued responses to his speech:
@BarackObama #SOTU pointed way to an economy that works for all. Now we need to step up & deliver for the middle class. #FairShot #FairShare
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) January 21, 2015
Obama claims his budget is practical, not partisan – what about it being balanced? #sotu
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) January 21, 2015
Mr. President, you can't wave a magic wand and declare something free. Someone has to pay for it. #sotu
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R), who lost to Obama in 2012 and is considering a third presidential campaign in 2016, called the speech "disappointing" in a Facebook post.
"True to form, the President in his State of the Union speech is more interested in politics than in leadership," he wrote. "More intent on winning elections than on winning progress, he ignores the fact that the country has elected a Congress that favors smaller government and lower taxes."
Rick Santorum, a former presidential candidate and U.S. senator, issued a statement that was critical of what he called Obama's "only passing reference to national security."
"He failed to pay any meaningful attention to the threat of radical Islamic terrorists," Santorum (R) said. "President Obama calls for a broader, smarter strategy, but that is not possible if he refuses to articulate who our enemies are. We need someone in the White House with the experience to navigate our national security challenges and the fortitude to be straight with the American people on how to tackle them. Inauguration Day 2017 cannot come soon enough."
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) posted a video response on Facebook:
Post by Senator Ted Cruz.
Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida, praised the official Republican response given by Sen. Joni Ernst.
"It's unfortunate President Obama wants to use the tax code to divide us – instead of proposing reforms to create economic opportunity for every American," Bush (R) posted on Facebook. "We can do better. My friend Joni Ernst offered a great contrast, outlining a positive, conservative vision for reform. I hope President Obama will be mindful of the strong message American voters sent in November and will work with our new Congressional majority on achieving solutions we know have broad-based appeal."
Other possible candidates, like Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R), criticized the speech before it had occurred.
President Obama announces new 'Precision Medicine Initiative'
Dennis Brady
The shift in recent years away from blockbuster drugs aimed at millions of patients toward more specialized treatments aimed at an individual's genetic makeup has been rapid and profound. On Tuesday evening, the approach known as personalized, or precision, medicine got a boost from President Obama.
"I want the country that eliminated polio and mapped the human genome to lead a new era of medicine — one that delivers the right treatment at the right time," Obama said in a prepared copy of his State of the Union address. He said he intends to launch a new Precision Medicine Initiative "to bring us closer to curing diseases like cancer and diabetes — and to give all of us access to the personalized information we need to keep ourselves and our families healthier."
The brief mention was short on details about the goals of such an initiative, how it would be funded and who would benefit. But the push comes at a time when the biotech industry is soaring, largely because of recent success in using genetic research to target promising new treatments to very specific disease populations.
Of the 41 new drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration last year, nearly half were aimed at rare diseases that affect 200,000 or fewer Americans. The push toward more personalized medicines in recent years has led to breakthroughs in treatments for a growing range of diseases, including hepatitis C and specific types of cancer.
"In some patients with cystic fibrosis, this approach has reversed a disease once thought unstoppable," Obama said.
One of those patients, 27-year-old medical student William Elder, Jr. , was a guest of Michelle Obama's guests in the House chamber on Tuesday evening. Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis nearly two decades ago, Elder once might have been expected to survive only into early adulthood. But he has benefitted from a much-heralded drug known as Kalydeco, approved by the FDA in 2012, that targets the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis for a subset of patients with a specific genetic mutation. Like many new targeted medicines, the price tag of the drug has caused concern among patients and insurers – it runs about $300,000 per year. But for patients who can reap its benefits, the drug has been nothing short of a miracle.
"For most of medicine's history, and with notable exceptions like blood transfusion, physicians have been forced to approach prevention and treatment of disease based on the expected response of an average patient because that was the best that could be done," Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, wrote recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association. "However, a more precise, personalized approach to medicine is becoming possible. One major reason is that the cost of sequencing a human genome has declined substantially and is approaching $1000—an astounding figure considering that it cost about $400 million to produce the first sequence of the human genome a little more than a decade ago."
An LGBT first?
The Washington Blade reports on an alleged State of the Union first.
BREAKING | Obama just made history by being the first president to say "bisexual" and "transgender" in a State of the Union speech #SOTU
— Washington Blade (@WashBlade) January 21, 2015
Indeed, a review of archived addresses since shows no mention of either term since at least 1990.
Maybe they're Instagramming?
Terri Rupar
Rep. Marsha Blackburn looks at her phone during the address. (Ricky Carioti/The Post)
Rebekah Erler
President Obama had lunch with Rebekah Erler, the woman he mentioned in the speech, last year in Minneapolis. Our colleague David Nakamura wrote about it in June.
Left to right: Anthony Mendez, First Lady Michelle Obama, Rebekah Erler and Jill Biden. (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)
Obama and Tesla's CEO
"Obama's State of the Union speech is one, giant hug for Elon Musk," writes Brian Fung over on The Switch.
To be sure, Obama has a particular obsession with solar. But it's hard to avoid noticing the considerable overlap here with SpaceX, Tesla and SolarCity.
In Obama's eyes, Musk may as well change his name to Midas.
'I won both of them'
During a section on improving politics and moving forward, Obama made a departure from his prepared remarks. "I have no more campaigns to run," he said, remarks that drew some applause from those in attendance. He followed that by adding a line that was not in the address released by the White House: "I know, because I won both of them."
"I have no more campaigns to run….I know because I won both of them." — Obama. WHOA. #sotu
— Chris Cillizza (@TheFix) January 21, 2015
Reminder: Obama won campaigns
"I have no more campaigns to run," Obama said. "I know because I won both of them."
The White House quickly tweeted this line, and the response was what you might expect:
Burn Notice RT @WhiteHouse: "I have no more campaigns to run. I know because I won both of them." —President Obama #SOTU
— Ryan Parker (@TheRyanParker) January 21, 2015
If you wanted the media coverage of this #SOTU to concentrate on policy, "I know because I won both of them" is not what you wanted.
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) January 21, 2015
"I know because I won both of them." my new comeback for everything
— Amber (@missambear) January 21, 2015
Wonder if he had that: "I know, because I won both of them" line planned in case of cheers from GOP
— Leigh Munsil (@leighmunsil) January 21, 2015
Thank god we have Obamacare now so the GOP can get treated for that "I won both of them" sick burn.
— Matt Haughey (@mathowie) January 21, 2015
Obama on voting rights, Ferguson, criminal justice reform
Wesley Lowery
"We may have different takes on the events of Ferguson and New York. But surely we can understand a father who fears his son can't walk home without being harassed. Surely we can understand the wife who won't rest until the police officer she married walks through the front door at the end of his shift. Surely we can agree it's a good thing that for the first time in 40 years, the crime rate and the incarceration rate have come down together, and use that as a starting point for Democrats and Republicans, community leaders and law enforcement, to reform America's criminal justice system so that it protects and serves us all."
After a year in which a series of high profile deaths of unarmed black men at the hands of police officers reignited debate about law enforcement and justice in minority communities, President Obama invoked the unrest in Ferguson, Mo and New York City in tonight's State of the Union address.
"That's a better politics. That's how we start rebuilding trust. That's how we move this country forward. That's what the American people want," Obama said. "That's what they deserve."
Protests and, at times, violent riots, broke out last August in Ferguson, Mo following the shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown by a white police officer. After months of national spotlight, a grand jury declined to charge the officer, Darren Wilson, prompting new riots and renewed protests across the country. Weeks later, a grand jury in New York declined to charge the NYPD officer who choked and killed Eric Garner whose final words "I can't breathe" became a protest rallying cry.
Many have questioned how, as the first minority president of a nation whose domestic issues are often belied by race and ethnicity, Obama should best handle the tension in Ferguson and protests across the country. The president has publicly addressed Ferguson and the current tension between protesters and law enforcement at least half a dozen times. During those remarks, he has stuck to a similar script: avoiding remarks about the specifics of any individual cases, stressing that law enforcement officers make tremendous sacrifices, but insisting that the distrust between many communities and police is real and must be undone.
The comments tonight were the first time since 2010 that Obama directly referred to issues of racial civil rights during his State of the Union speech.
In that speech, his first State of the Union address, Obama invoked the 1965 Bloody Sunday march in Selma, Alabama that was a major turning point in the Civil Rights Movement's push for voting rights legislation. That march, during which police officers attacked protesters leaving many injured, was recently recreated in the movie "Selma," and the White House announced earlier in the day Tuesday that Obama will visit Selma in March to mark the 50th anniversary.
"It's tempting to look back on these moments and assume that our progress was inevitable, that America was always destined to succeed. But when the Union was turned back at Bull Run and the Allies first landed at Omaha Beach, victory was very much in doubt. When the market crashed on Black Tuesday and civil rights marchers were beaten on Bloody Sunday, the future was anything but certain," Obama said near the beginning of the 2010 speech. "These were the times that tested the courage of our convictions and the strength of our union. And despite all our divisions and disagreements, our hesitations and our fears, America prevailed because we chose to move forward as one nation, as one people."
Obama again addressed Selma in tonight's speech, invoking the march led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders in calling for Congress to work to expand ballot access — which has been a major legislative focus for some Democrats since the Supreme Court gutted parts of the Voting Rights Act two years ago.
"We may go at it in campaign season, but surely we can agree that the right to vote is sacred; that it's being denied to too many; and that, on this 50th anniversary of the great march from Selma to Montgomery and the passage of the Voting Rights Act, we can come together, Democrats and Republicans, to make voting easier for every single American," Obama said tonight.
Live-sketching the speech: Equal pay
Editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes is live-sketching the State of the Union address. You can follow her on Twitter or Instagram or here, with us.
The different reactions to equal pay during #SOTU
A photo posted by Ann Telnaes (@anntelnaes) on Jan 20, 2015 at 6:59pm PST
Gay marriage a 'story of freedom'
Obama said he has seen same-sex marriage go from a "wedge issue used to drive us apart to a story of freedom across our country, a civil right now legal in states that seven in ten Americans call home."
'I still believe that we are one people'
"Over the past six years, the pundits have pointed out more than once that my presidency hasn't delivered on this vision. How ironic, they say, that our politics seems more divided than ever. It's held up as proof not just of my own flaws – of which there are many – but also as proof that the vision itself is misguided, and naïve, and that there are too many people in this town who actually benefit from partisanship and gridlock for us to ever do anything about it. I know how tempting such cynicism may be. But I still think the cynics are wrong. I still believe that we are one people. I still believe that together, we can do great things, even when the odds are long."
'A nation that gave someone like me a chance'
"You know, just over a decade ago, I gave a speech in Boston where I said there wasn't a liberal America, or a conservative America; a black America or a white America – but a United States of America. I said this because I had seen it in my own life, in a nation that gave someone like me a chance," Obama said, reflecting on the 2004 Democratic National Convention speech that vaulted him to national fame.
"I said this because I had seen it in my own life, in a nation that gave someone like me a chance." —Obama #SOTU pic.twitter.com/ieOHHJxc7h
'We respect human dignity'
As Americans, we respect human dignity, even when we're threatened, which is why I've prohibited torture, and worked to make sure our use of new technology like drones is properly constrained. It's why we speak out against the deplorable anti-Semitism that has resurfaced in certain parts of the world. It's why we continue to reject offensive stereotypes of Muslims – the vast majority of whom share our commitment to peace," he said, which is why the U.S. defends free speech and condemns "the persecution of women, or religious minorities, or people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender."


One of the (many) things that keep us inspired around here is the discovery of great products and the encounter of true craftsmanship along the way. With masculine - minded gifting on our minds in the spirit of Father's Day, we thought it was the perfect time to share with you why we love one of our long-time vendors, Norden Goods.
It's not often we come across a company who's collection authentically demonstrates a conviction to craftsmanship, longevity, and process. Husband and wife team Erika and Pete founded Norden Goods with the purpose to create products that feel like they were designed specifically for you, a discovery of something meaningful that you'll keep with you throughout your life. The result is a refined collection of goods with an earthy modernism and (we think) slightly masculine bent.
You may have read about our love of their Ojai candle. Its fragrance is a mix of frankincense, earthy patchouli, and the citrus woody scent of burning palo santo. Hand poured soy wax all served up in hand-thrown ceramic vessel thrown in their Southern California studio.
They've recently expanded their collection to tabletop items, planters, throws and more; all with the same balanced, polished take on home goods.
With simplicity, longevity and a distinctive point of view in mind, we designed our Handsome Essentials Deluxe gift box. We included the Oresund candle as it so effortlessly highlights the masculine sensibility that we love.
We think Norden does the job of capturing that certain, special feeling in every product they make. We love this about them and hope that you do, too.


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Home › Fashion Fix
EXCLUSIVE: Behind The Scenes With Serena Williams For Essence
Ty Alexander
Ty Alexander is an experienced lifestyle writer with a portfolio covering a broad range of topics including fashion, beauty, health, fitness, bridal and celebrity. She's gained experience through working with notable publications like Style.com, Huffington Post, and XOJane. With a bubbly personality and a sassy voice to match, Ty is a budding online content editor eager to win the heart of every fashion and beauty girl. Known for her gorgeous grey tresses, she also edits her own fashion and lifestyle blog, GorgeousInGrey.com. Follow her on Twitter @gorgeousingrey
Stick It! Nine Fool-Proof Tips For Applying False Lashes
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Serena Williams took some time off from the tennis court to show off her curves for ESSENCE Magazine's body issue. Serena talks about her devastating battle against a pulmonary embolism over two years ago, and being 31-years-old and in the best shape of her life. We got a sneak peek behind the scenes of her latest shoot, check it out above.
Serena Williams Beats Maria Sharapova & Reclaims French Open Title
Serena Williams Says Her Curves Are in Style!
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