Brooks Hamilton is an independent pension fiduciary and founder of Brooks Hamilton & Partners. Brooks is a native Texan and received a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Houston in 1958, and his Juris Doctor Degree from Southern Methodist University School of Law in 1963. Starting at age twenty-two, Brooks has now worked continuously and exclusively in employee benefits for well over forty years. Many credit Brooks with identifying and confronting what the media has labeled "yield disparity" – that is, the huge gap between the 401k investment performance of the few who do well versus the many who do poorly. TV appearances have included CBS Evening News, FOX News, Kiplinger's TV Financial News, a PBS Frontline Special "Can You Afford to Retire?" produced by Hedrick Smith, and most recently, a 60 Minutes program on 401k Plans where Brooks was interviewed by Steve Kroft.
BrightScope: Brooks, you have been in this industry for over 40 years. Can you describe your current business and how it has evolved over the years?
Brooks Hamilton: After decades of striving to be the major influence regarding my client's retirement strategy, and thus likely a key factor if not in fact the deciding factor regarding my client making the proper decisions regarding their retirement strategy, I recently made a sea change in my professional service offering. Now I simply recommend to any legitimate prospective client that they outsource all fiduciary decision making to an independent fiduciary; that is, to me or to an independent fiduciary professional like me. So, instead of management making dozens of important decisions regarding the design, administration, operation, communications, evaluation, et cetera, of their retirement plan, pursuant to the influence exercised by perhaps a dozen others, they make just one decision: outsource all fiduciary decision making. My initial impression has been that once the elegance of this simple approach clicks in, management loves the idea. As evidence of its appeal, a large national plan recently named Brooks Hamilton & Partners the "Named Fiduciary" and "Plan Administrator" in the Plan document, with explicit power to hire/oversee/fire all plan providers. Sea change indeed.
BrightScope: Your experience in the industry gives you a unique perspective regarding how effective ERISA has been at securing retirement income for participants. Do you think the current system is working?
Brooks Hamilton: No, not at all. If >90% of the students in a school system failed, we'd conclude that education in that system had failed. Likewise, if >90% of our brave Service men and women were casualties in a battle, we'd also conclude that our military leadership had failed in that battle. So, when over 90% of our workers are on track to retire in despair and run out of money about half-way down their life expectancy road why the reluctance to call a spade a spade, and simply state the obvious? The current retirement income system is not working.
BrightScope: What do you make of the recent court decisions about fee disclosure and revenue sharing?
Brooks Hamilton: Pathetic; no, actually shameful. I remember being taught in law school that a Motion for Summary Judgment was hardly ever granted, as a Court granting such a Motion had to assume the truth of every allegation made by the plaintiffs, and conclude, basically, so what? To illustrate, assume a complaint alleges that a neighbor's son is a Boy Scout, and asks the Court to award damages of $100,000. Now assume the neighbor files a Motion for Summary Judgment – it will be granted, as no cause of action has been alleged. But this result is a very rare situation, for obvious reasons. I was also taught that even a first year law student is able to write a Complaint making a case which if all is assumed to be true would survive what I have come to call the 'so what?' test. And yet, with some of the best and brightest ERISA attorneys in America writing Complaints alleging, among other wrongdoing, acts of willful indifference by "fiduciaries" vis-à -vis plan participants whose interests such fiduciaries are commanded to place ahead of all others, the Courts appear to yawn, exclaim 'so what', and toss the plaintiffs out on their ear for failing to even state a claim, and in one well-known case, refused to even have a hearing. Pathetic; shameful. In fact, unbelievable! Or, as I have heard others vent, shades of Star Chamber (over time Star Chamber, an English Court of Law, evolved into a political weapon and has become a symbol of the misuse and abuse of power by the courts).
BrightScope: Do you think that the establishment of a fiduciary standard for all providers of investment advice will help protect participants?
Brooks Hamilton: It will help, but probably not be decisive. One implication of the Milosfsky case is the idea that perhaps the Named Fiduciary should have taken the lead in holding the non-fiduciary service provider accountable for the losses. That failure to act against the record-keeper could be, in itself, a breach of fiduciary duty for the Named Fiduciary. The first step for any ERISA litigation initiated by participants today probably ought to be, but almost never is, an attempt to get the fiduciary to act as a fiduciary.
Bleak House was the ninth novel by Charles Dickens, published between March 1852 and September 1853.  It is held to be one of Dickens's finest novels, and is emblematic of the failure of Chancery revealing the flaws of the British judiciary system.
BrightScope: BrightScope has been a big advocate of fee transparency. Do you think full transparency of fees will help fiduciaries better manage 401k plans?
Brooks Hamilton: It should; but we must recognize that the fundamental architecture of 401k Plan design is such that fiduciaries are really spending other people's money to pay service providers for services delivered to other people. Query: do I care, really, if a friend is getting a good deal on his cell-phone minutes? If I am the person responsible to select my friend's cell-phone provider, will it help me do a good job if the cost of his minutes is more transparent? Your readers should take a hard look at The 4 Ways to Spend Money by Milton Friedman. It is no coincidence that the most inefficient method to spend a dollar, according to this recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, is the very method upon which the 401k paradigm has been erected.
BrightScope: At times in the past you have criticized ERISA pre-emption. What is your current thinking on that issue?
Brooks Hamilton: I am still in shock that in Scalia's decision the Supremes simply declined to first craft, and then apply, a reasonable ERISA remedy to facts and circumstances where they had concluded that Congress "forgot" to provide one, after Congress had destroyed via a global, unconditional preemption all pre-existing remedies. Frankly, this audacious act could inevitably lead to what I'll call "democratic tyranny" – in short, is there any new federal law that Congress could not enact, in order to regulate a particular economic, business, and/or social, et cetera condition, and then by means of an imbedded global preemption clause, void all other laws and pre-existing remedies, without regard to whether such laws and remedies had previously been intended by state, federal, or even the common law to assure justice? Shades of George III. Isn't this what ERISA did? That is, a remedy fabric, which had been spun for centuries to deliver a rational and moral justice to "we the people" ever since Magna Charta, was willfully shredded by Congress, and yet, as Scalia observed, Congress at the same time apparently "forgot" to establish a new set of remedies to a near infinite number of wrongs. Isn't the impossibility of bureaucrats mentally conceiving such a morally justifiable framework of justice really a core reason why Socialism has never gained traction? As well as why Smith's invisible hand has been able to weave such a sound, moral framework over time and doesn't the supremacy clause in the Constitution make such a totalitarian and despotic preemption provision unnecessary in the first place? Frankly, our Founders were better men than to consider imposing a law voiding all existing remedies, while providing none, upon We the People; have we lost our way?
BrightScope: Can you give our readers an example of how pre-emption works?
Brooks Hamilton: To illustrate, case law is emerging that when health care due under a Plan is wrongly denied to a Participant, and the person denied such care dies as a result, his/her family can sue the pants off the person/entity wrongfully denying and withholding such a benefit, under common, state, and/or other laws providing a remedy when ERISA provides none. And in so doing, be entitled to a jury; compensatory damages; punitive damages; legal fees; et cetera. In short – the deceased victim's champion will enjoy access to all of the laws s/he had before ERISA as they are in play. This result should apply to retirement type benefits, as well as to healthcare. Where the participant is dead due to benefit denial, it is ludicrous to sue under ERISA to enforce benefit delivery. Ditto where the healthcare benefit was delivered in a careless and negligent manner (say the surgeon was drunk and carelessly/negligently killed his patient).
The problem is not that the benefit due was not delivered; the problem is that the benefit due was in fact delivered, but was defective. Just as a participant can sue for medical malpractice, and ERISA does not preempt such a suit, so can a 401k participant sue for financial malpractice. That is, having a $100,000 benefit delivered, due to financial malpractice, when $1,000,000 should have been delivered. All plaintiff litigation have, in my opinion, mounted a dead horse headed in the wrong direction.
BrightScope:Â Why do you think judges are "ERISA novices" as you have indicated in your writings?
Brooks Hamilton: Judges "appear" to be ERISA novices at their very best, or so it seems to me. Some may indeed even have a heartfelt bias, or perhaps an honest predisposition regarding fundamental ERISA issues, which in the altogether render them fundamentally indifferent, if not viscerally opposed, to the fiduciary standards imposed by ERISA. It must be remembered that "Trust law" as a descendant of the Common Law was not a basic part of federalism in the first place.
BrightScope: Thank you for speaking with us.
Interview disclaimer: Brooks Hamilton's views are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of BrightScope Inc.


The Fire Safety Dogs remind you that it is important to pick a safe place that it easy to remember outside your home. After you get out of your home, be sure that everyone in your family knows to meet there!
The Fire Safety Dog's meeting place is the mailbox. Where is your meeting place?


Carson Wentz and the Eagles flattened Dallas in their only meaningful game last season. The Birds are favored by 6.5 points ahead of this Sunday night's game at Lincoln Financial Field.
It's the first Eagles-Cowboys game since sports betting was legalized outside of Las Vegas. The Eagles are favored by 6.5 points, according to Philly.com oddsmaker Vegas Vic.
The Eagles, of course, are coming off a bye at 4-4. Dallas is 3-5 and, after Monday's listless loss to the Titans, leaking enough oil to require a derrick.
Philadelphia rolled the Cowboys, 37-9, in Dallas last season behind two touchdown passes by Carson Wentz and 215 rushing yards by the offense. The rematch was a meaningless meeting in Week 17 won by Dallas, 6-0. Most of the Eagles regulars did not play, but Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott played full games.
Point spreads for this week's NFL slate and some notable college football games are below.
Jason Garrett is obviously free to do what he pleases with his personal time. But opting to hang out at the World Series in LA during the bye week as HC of an underwhelming 3-4 team, only to get hammered at home on MNF by a lousy Titans squad, makes for horrible optics.
Double V is gonna look ahead to some key games on Turkey weekend. And there are some projected spreads that will make your brain melt.
In the SEC, Alabama will be favored by approximately 25 points over Auburn in the annual throw down at the Iron Bowl on Nov. 24. Gotta check my memory card, but don't believe I've seen a number that high in this game in the last 40 years.
If Notre Dame gets by Florida State and Syracuse, the only speed bump left in the quest for a regular season perfecto is USC. And right now, the Fighting Irish are projected out as an 8/9 point favorite over the Trojans IN Los Angeles. And when it comes to dotting the i, barring any injuries, Michigan will come into Columbus as a projected 2/3 point favorite over the Buckeyes.
"Money" is looking for more money. Floyd (Money) Mayweather Jr. (50-0-0, 27 KOs) is looking for another ginormous payday, and has signed on for a bout against MMA star, Tenshin Nasukawa from Japan. Don't know his nickname yet, but I'm gonna call him "Ten."
Ten is opening up as a favorite at around -$140, with Mayweather an underdog in the neighborhood of +$120. That would be the number if they used MMA rules. If it was strictly boxing, the number would turn around, and Money would be a heavy favorite. Ten is only 20 years old and rumored to have a very heavy punch. Might have to throw down if they actually go into the Octagon.


text:
OB/GYN Clinical Alert
Pregnancy Outcomes in Cancer Survivors
Under-Resourced Public Health Leaves Healthcare Vulnerable
Tactics to Improve Diagnostic Performance When Caring for Older Adults
OSHA Draft COVID-19 Rule in Healthcare Expected Soon
Emergency Clinicians More Worried About Patient Harm Than Lawsuits
By Ahizechukwu C. Eke, MD, PhD, MPH
Associate Professor in Maternal Fetal Medicine, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore
SYNOPSIS: This study demonstrated that women with a prior history of chemotherapy exposure have a higher prevalence of adverse pregnancy outcomes compared to those without a previous history, with no differences in neonatal outcomes.
SOURCE: Sorokine A, Czuzoj-Shulman N, Abenhaim HA. Maternal and neonatal outcomes in women with a history of chemotherapy exposure: A population-based study of 8 million obstetric admissions. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2022; May 7. doi: 10.1007/s00404-022-06566-5. [Online ahead of print].
Pregnancy following cancer chemotherapy can be challenging because of the negative effect of cancer chemotherapy on the female reproductive system.1,2 Although fertility can be affected after cancer chemotherapy, long-term data are lacking.3 Although maternal and fetal outcomes in future pregnancies among cancer survivors are dependent on several factors, including maternal age, type of cancer therapy, and dose of chemotherapy received, fertility and favorable pregnancy outcomes seem to be higher in younger women (< 35 years of age) and those who receive vinca alkaloids compared to other agents.4
Although there are no evidence-based recommendations on how long to defer pregnancy after cancer treatment, most practice guidelines recommend deferring pregnancy between six months to two years after completing cancer chemotherapy to allow damaged eggs to be eliminated from the ovaries, to enable maternal tissues to recover from the toxic effects of chemotherapy, and to allow for intermediate metabolites to be cleared from body tissues (mainly from muscle and fat).5
With advancements in cancer chemotherapy and new developments in fertility preservation, many cancer survivors seek to become pregnant after chemotherapy.6 However, little is known about the maternal and neonatal outcomes in women with a prior history of chemotherapy exposure. In this paper, Sorokine and colleagues sought to evaluate the effects of prior chemotherapy exposure on maternal and neonatal outcomes.7 This study was a retrospective cohort conducted using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-Nationwide Inpatient Sample (HCUP-NIS) between 2006-2015. Pregnant women with a personal history of prior chemotherapy captured in the HCUP-NIS database were included. The remainder of pregnant patients in the HCUP-NIS database served as the control group. Pregnancy and postpartum outcomes included preeclampsia, venous thromboembolism, disseminated intravascular coagulation, placental abruption, chorioamnionitis, postpartum hemorrhage requiring blood transfusion, and maternal death. Fetal outcomes included intrauterine growth restriction, small for gestational age, preterm birth (< 37 weeks' gestation), neonatal intensive care unit admission, intrauterine fetal death, neonatal death, and infant death.
Statistical analyses were performed in three steps. First, the overall and prevalence of chemotherapy exposure in the population were estimated. Second, basic demographic and clinical characteristics were compared between exposed and unexposed groups, and third, using multivariate logistic regression models, the adjusted effects of chemotherapy exposure on maternal and neonatal outcomes were estimated. All models were adjusted for maternal baseline characteristics.7
A total of 7,907,139 deliveries were identified during the study period. Of these, 613 had prior exposure to cancer chemotherapy, resulting in an overall prevalence rate of approximately 0.008%. Women with a prior history of cancer chemotherapy were more likely to be white, be older, be obese, smoke, have preexisting diabetes, have a higher household income, and have private insurance. The most common types of cancers identified were Hodgkin's lymphomas (32%), breast cancers (26%), non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (17%), and leukemias (15%). All the other types of cancers constituted the remaining 10%. Thyroid and skin cancers were rare (< 1% of all cancers).
Women with a history of prior chemotherapy were at increased risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes, including a greater risk for preeclampsia (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.75; confidence interval [CI], 1.28, 2.39; P < 0.001), placental abruption (odds ratio, 2.07; CI, 1.22, 3.52; P < 0.01), chorioamnionitis (aOR, 2.31; CI, 1.52, 3.51; P < 0.0001), postpartum hemorrhage requiring blood transfusion (aOR, 2.11; CI, 1.49, 2.98; P < 0.0001), venous thromboembolism (aOR, 10.60; CI, 6.90, 16.30; P < 0.0001), disseminated intravascular coagulation (aOR, 6.37; CI, 1.60, 25.44; P < 0.01), and maternal death (aOR, 9.39; CI, 1.31, 67.32; P < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in fetal and neonatal outcomes between women who had prior chemotherapy and those who did not.
Cancer survivors are known to have higher rates of cardiovascular disease, thromboembolism, diabetes, and other adverse outcomes when compared to the general population.8,9 Therefore, the findings from this study are not surprising, since cancer survivors with a history of cardiovascular disease and thromboembolism prior to pregnancy will be at higher risk of developing preeclampsia, venous thromboembolism, and other pregnancy complications compared to women without this history.
Cancer survivors also can develop recurrence of malignancies during pregnancy that would necessitate cancer chemotherapy. Although surgery and chemotherapy are acceptable treatment options during pregnancy, radiation therapy typically is absolutely contraindicated in pregnant women.10 Although most cytotoxic chemotherapy is small enough to traverse the placenta and affect the fetus, vinca alkaloids are an exception, since they rarely cross the placenta because of their high molecular weight and high protein-binding. This characteristic makes them especially useful during the first trimester.11 Hence, when chemotherapy is indicated during pregnancy for recurrent cancers, vinca alkaloids and doxorubicin/cisplatin/carboplatin usually are the preferred cytotoxic agents. The findings from this study indicate that chemotherapy increased the risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes, similar to findings from other studies.12,13 Adverse long-term outcomes following exposure to cancer chemotherapy to the fetus are rare, as evidence demonstrates no significant adverse effects of cancer chemotherapy on intellectual development in neonates and infants.13 Also, data do not demonstrate an increased risk for malignancies in fetuses exposed to chemotherapy during pregnancy.13
In women undergoing active chemotherapy during pregnancy, delivery timing typically occurs three to four weeks after a chemotherapy treatment cycle (the last treatment cycle usually is timed to occur between 32-36 weeks' gestation), since this practice decreases the risk for myelosuppression and susceptibility to infection.14 After delivery, histopathological examination of the placenta for evidence of metastases is good practice.15 Breastfeeding typically is contraindicated in women on active chemotherapy, since transfer to the neonate can increase the risk for infection. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends pretreatment fertility conservation counseling, use of effective contraception, and discussion of risks associated with pregnancy prior to cancer treatment in sexually active young women diagnosed with cancer.16
In addition, ACOG recommends risk assessment during pregnancy in women, including those with malignancies, for concerns regarding the benefits of chemotherapy to the pregnant woman and the fetus, the probability of adverse effects to the pregnant woman and her fetus, and the risks and benefits of cancer chemotherapy.17
Waimey KE, Smith BM, Confino R, et al. Understanding fertility in young female cancer patients. J Womens Health (Larchmt) 2015;24:812-818.
Tang M, Webber K. Fertility and pregnancy in cancer survivors. Obstet Med 2018;11:110-115.
Rodriguez-Wallberg KA, Oktay K. Fertility preservation during cancer treatment: Clinical guidelines. Cancer Manag Res 2014;6:105-117.
Lee SJ, Schover LR, Partridge AH, et al. American Society of Clinical Oncology recommendations on fertility preservation in cancer patients. J Clin Oncol 2006;24:2917-2931.
Hartnett KP, Mertens AC, Kramer MR, et al. Pregnancy after cancer: Does timing of conception affect infant health? Cancer 2018;124:4401-4407.
Matthews ML, Hurst BS, Marshburn PB, et al. Cancer, fertility preservation, and future pregnancy: A comprehensive review. Obstet Gynecol Int 2012;2012:953937.
Sorokine A, Czuzoj-Shulman N, Abenhaim HA. Maternal and neonatal outcomes in women with a history of chemotherapy exposure: A population-based study of 8 million obstetric admissions. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2022; May 7. doi: 10.1007/s00404-022-06566-5. [Online ahead of print].
Strongman H, Gadd S, Matthews A, et al. Medium and long-term risks of specific cardiovascular diseases in survivors of 20 adult cancers: A population-based cohort study using multiple linked UK electronic health records databases. Lancet 2019;394:1041-1054.
Xiao Y, Wang H, Tang Y, et al. Increased risk of diabetes in cancer survivors: A pooled analysis of 13 population-based cohort studies. ESMO Open 2021;6:100218.
Folsom SM, Woodruff TK. Good news on the active management of pregnant cancer patients. F1000Res 2020;9:F1000 Faculty Rev-487.
Miyamoto S, Yamada M, Kasai Y, et al. Anticancer drugs during pregnancy. Jpn J Clin Oncol 2016;46:795-804.
Esposito S, Tenconi R, Preti V, et al. Chemotherapy against cancer during pregnancy: A systematic review on neonatal outcomes. Medicine (Baltimore) 2016;95:e4899.
Hahn KME, Johnson PH, Gordon N, et al. Treatment of pregnant breast cancer patients and outcomes of children exposed to chemotherapy in utero. Cancer 2006;107:1219-1226.
Wolters V, Heimovaara J, Maggen C, et al. Management of pregnancy in women with cancer. Int J Gynecol Cancer 2021;31:314-322.
Botha MH, Rajaram S, Karunaratne K. Cancer in pregnancy. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2018;143 Suppl 2:137-142.
[No authors listed]. ACOG Committee Opinion No. 747 summary: Gynecologic issues in children and adolescent cancer patients and survivors. Obstet Gynecol 2018;132:535-536.
[No authors listed]. Committee Opinion No. 664: Refusal of medically recommended treatment during pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol 2016;127:e175-e182.
This study demonstrated that women with a prior history of chemotherapy exposure have a higher prevalence of adverse pregnancy outcomes compared to those without a previous history, with no differences in neonatal outcomes.
OB/GYN Clinical Alert: Online - $349
Self-Assessment of Gestational Duration Among People Seeking Abortion
Permanent Contraception: How Effective Is it, Really?
Breast Cancer Screening: Tomosynthesis Is Beneficial for High-Risk Patients
OB/GYN Clinical Alert Welcomes Michael Roche as Peer Reviewer
Financial Disclosure: Dr. Rebecca H. Allen (editor) reports that she receives grant/research support from Bayer and is a consultant for Cadence. All of the relevant financial relationships listed for this individual have been mitigated. None of the remaining planners or authors for this educational activity have relevant financial relationships to disclose with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.

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Are Fatal Auto Accidents Becoming More Common in North Carolina?
Home > News & Resources > Are Fatal Auto Accidents Becoming More Common in North Carolina?
You may have heard that there has been a tremendous increase in fatal auto accidents in the United States. The National Highway Traffic Administration reported that between 2014 and 2015, the increase was greater than 7%, with more than 35,000 fatalities in US auto accidents in 2015. With this information, you might be wondering if the same holds true for North Carolina, and the unsettling answer is, 'yes.' North Carolina, in fact, is number 5 in the top ten states which have seen such a tremendous increase in auto accident fatalities, with an increase of 26% from 2014 to 2015. This includes those fatalities associated with auto accidents involving pedestrians, cars, motorcycles, bicycles, trucks and commercial vehicles, and other auto accident fatalities.
This naturally leads us to the question of why this increase in deaths caused by auto accidents is happening and what, if anything, can be done to curb the unsettling rise in fatalities. This question is especially important when we observe how safety measures have increased and improved over the years. There are better airbags these days, blind spot warning systems, backup cameras, and more that can certainly help to prevent such incidents from occurring or from resulting in death. So, why are these deadly collisions on the rise and what more can we do?
Why Have Fatal Auto Accidents Increased in North Carolina and the United States?
This important question is not only on the minds of the citizens of the US and North Carolina, but is also of key importance to the researchers of the National Highway Traffic Administration and the Department of Transportation. Thus, these entities have set about investigating the possible causes in hopes of identifying and implementing effective solutions to the problem.
The combination of reduced gasoline prices and diminished unemployment rates has resulted in 3.5% more total miles driven in the United States between the years of 2014 and 2015. We have not seen such an increase in driven miles in nearly a quarter of a century. Naturally, the increase in drivers on the road is going to contribute to the increase in auto accidents, which again leads to an increase in fatal accidents. Then, you have the added factor of an increase in negligent behavior from drivers, particularly in the area of distracted driving, as technology use increases from year to year.
Other than distracted driving, intoxicated driving and drowsy driving are also increasing as contributing factors to auto accidents and fatalities. Even choosing not to buckle up can result in death in a serious accident. No amount of improved safety measures can entirely eliminate these factors, but is there anything that can be done to reduce traffic fatalities in North Carolina and throughout the states?
Among the most serious and common of contributors to the increase in auto accident fatalities is the rise in distracted driving cases. Although many other factors contribute to such auto accidents, none is more prominent than the factor of distracted driving. Other mistakes that people make, such as not buckling up, have remained steady in their numbers from one year to the next; but the number of accidents caused by distraction continues to grow and remains a leading cause of collisions in NC.
This comes from the use of complex navigation systems, the temptation to check your smart phone, text your friends and family, and look up your favorite songs on mobile devices. Then there are the distractions that have always existed and continue to lead to accidents, such as talking to other passengers, fiddling with your radio, eating, or searching for dropped items.
What Can We Do To Stop the Rise in North Carolina Auto Accident Fatalities?
Because the rise in technology use has led to a tremendous rise in distracted driving auto accidents and auto accident fatalities, this has led some researchers and seekers of solutions to wonder if the best route forward is to invest more time and money into self-driving vehicles. Yet, we are not only seeking solutions to these new issues that arise from technology use, but are also seeking ways of preventing auto accident fatalities that are caused by the same old problems that have been around since people first started driving motor vehicles. For this reason, there are campaigns and laws concerning wearing a seatbelt, avoiding drowsy driving, and not getting behind the wheel while intoxicated.
What Can You Do if Someone You Love Died in a North Carolina Auto Accident?
While the efforts to investigate, minimize, and prevent auto accident fatalities are welcome news to those who have already lost loved ones to such incidents, they do not bring back those who have been forever lost to those who loved them most. If you have lost a loved one to an auto accident that was caused by the negligence of another driver or a faulty mechanical part in a vehicle, then you may be able to seek compensation through a wrongful death auto accident claim. Contact a determined North Carolina auto accident lawyer at Brown Moore & Associates to learn more about how we can pursue your claim for compensation.


Born Apr. 29 (May 12), 1917, in the village of Chlou, in what is now Ochamchira Raion, Abkhazian ASSR. Soviet Abkhazian writer and state and public figure. People's Poet of Abkhazia (1967). Member of the CPSU from 1946.
Shinkuba graduated from the Sukhumi Pedagogical Institute in 1939. He first published his works in 1935. He is the author of two novels in verse: My Countrymen (1950), which is about the postwar life of kolkhozniks, and Song of the Cliff (1965; Russian translation, 1967; film version entitled The White Bashlyk), which describes the revolutionary events in Abkhazia from 1905 to 1907. Shinkuba's other works include the novella Chanta Has Come (in Russian, 1969) and the historical novel The Last to Leave (1974; Russian translation, 1976).
Shinkuba has been a member of the Auditing Commission of the Communist Party of Georgia since 1976. Since 1958 he has been a candidate member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Georgia and chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Abkhazian ASSR. He was a deputy to the fifth convocation of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Shinkuba has been awarded the Order of Lenin, three other orders, and several medals.
lalkaau ifymtakua, vols. 1–2. Akua, 1967–68.
Izbrannoe. [Introduction by K. Simonov.] Moscow, 1976.
Tsvinaria, V. L. Tvorchestvo B. V. Shinkuba. Tbilisi, 1970.


text:
Q: Calling a (document).resize and (document).ready I'm trying to call an equal height function using $(document).ready, though I had to call it like this, because I was getting a Type Error.
jQuery(function($) {
$(".cols").equalHeights();
});

Instead of
$(document).ready(function() {
    $(".cols").equalHeights();
});

This works great, but I would also like the plugin to run when the page is resized, (so it will adjust to the content overflow). Below is the resize call, how can  I combine it with the document ready call?
$(".cols").resize(function(){
    $(".cols").equalHeights();
});

A: How about:
(function($) {
    $(document).ready(function() {
        var cols = $(".cols");

        cols.resize(function(){
            cols.equalHeights();
        });

        cols.trigger('resize');
    });
})(jQuery);

A: This code calls the jquery equalHeights plugin found here: http://www.cssnewbie.com/equalheights-jquery-plugin/#.UcOQiPm1HOU

It now works when the window is resized.

(function ($) {
    $(document).ready(function () {
       var cols = $(".cols");
       cols.resize(function () {
           cols.equalHeights();
        });
        cols.trigger('resize');
    });
      $(window).resize(function(){
            $(".cols").css("height","auto").equalHeights(); // maybe reset the height?
      }).resize() // trigger a resize to start off everything.
})(jQuery);

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text:
Fact Blindness Syndrome: Why skeptics suffer just as much as the hard-core religious from it
December 18, 2017 0Comments by Morgan Giddings
Skeptics, you can go rot
rot away
in your own personal hell of self-created delusion
thinking you have
it all figured out
when you're no different
than a religious fanatic
While the haiku makes it sound a bit like I really hate skeptics, I don't. I hate skepticism, and it's evil twin cynicism.
"How could you possibly hate something so important to the scientific method and progress of mankind?" I hear certain skeptical people thinking to themselves…
Because said skepticism hasn't been nearly as useful as most skeptical-leaning people seem to think.
Take for example Climate Change. For anyone who has the ability to look around at our world, and accurately compare what is happening now to what was happening in the 1980's, the climate is changing.
I recently visited Rocky Mountain National Park and Banff, Canada. I had visited this in 1983 with my family. One would have to be suffering from some major hallucinations to not notice that the glaciers have receded big time since back then. And that's just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.
So, when it comes to all the "Climate Change Deniers" who argue that the Climate Change isn't real, or isn't caused by human activities, guess what their favorite tool is?
See, these deniers operate like religious fanatics, using skepticism to block out all evidence that doesn't fit their theory of the world.
This illustrates at its core what skepticism is: selectively blocking out facts that don't fit one's pre-conceived notions of what is "true."
Now, this certainly applies to many of the hardcore religious. But ironically, it also applies to their biggest opponents, the so-called "skeptics movement."
On each side you have people who've formed a certain belief system about the world, and who adhere to that belief system no matter what evidence to the contrary arises.
We could call this the "Fact Blindness Syndrome" or FBS for short.
While there's been lots of documentation of FBS by certain skeptics when it comes to religions, there's not nearly as much documentation of FBS about the skeptics. That's because the skeptics have used the tools of logical deconstruction to pretend to be "above the fray" and therefore immune to attack.
Much like climate change deniers, they just attack, deconstruct, and negate, conveniently ignoring or trivializing facts that don't fit the model.
My favorite example of this is the response skeptics have when I bring up the Princeton Pear Labs and their 20 years of experiments showing that the mind has a (very) subtle influence over matter.
These folks that started Princeton Pear Labs didn't set out to be weirdos who were derided repeatedly by scientific skeptics. Who would do that to their own career?
No, instead, they set out early on, when Brenda Dunne was a graduate student, to test a simple hypothesis: "Can mind influence matter?"
Her adviser was initially a skeptic, but not so much so that he didn't let her try the experiments. He gave the nod, in the name of "good science." He was a good scientist, because truly good scientists always approach experiments with an open mind, rather than with pre-conceived notion of what's true.
Lo and behold, they started getting some weird data. Weird in the sense that it didn't fit the conventional wisdom that says mind just keeps to itself, and of course can't influence the movement of matter except directly through motions caused by nerves and muscles.
They remained cautious. They did hundreds of experiments, and later thousands. What emerged was clear evidence that the mind has a very subtle, remote effect on material systems that is tied in with intentionality of the experimental subject.
Now, the skeptics like to do the same thing climate change deniers do: they go on the attack. They make claims like "maybe they were doing bad science." Well, it takes only a cursory reading of their research papers to understand that they were very careful in their experiments.
Another claim: "they were falsifying data to boost their careers." Yet this is logically unsound; nobody would hope to boost their career by going so much against the grain of conventional wisdom as the folks at PEAR Labs have. Besides, the accusers have not once found any real evidence of experimental fraud. Furthermore, others have replicated these kinds of results in disparate labs, showing effects of the mind on all sorts of experimental systems.
What's really going on here is that the skeptics are no different than religious fanatics. They have a certain model of the world, i.e. a very strong belief that mind is simply a byproduct of biochemistry, and they are unwilling to admit evidence to the contrary. Worse, they attack anything that doesn't fit their model.
And like the climate change deniers – who are backed by powerful interests that don't want to curb carbon emissions – the science skeptics are actually backed by powerful religions like the Catholic Church.
SCREECH…. SAY WHAT!?
Ok, to be clear, I'm not saying that there is money directly funneled from the Catholic Church or any other church to the skeptics. I have no evidence of such thing or reason to believe that such thing is happening.
Instead, I'm talking about a "philosophical backing." The two are philosophical brethren, each coming from the same basic world view. While the religions view the world as originating from God, and the skeptical materialists view the world as originating from ???? (Randomness?), they both end up at the same place when it comes to where we are now.
They both promulgate the view that the world as it is is a cold, hard, material place. They both promulgate the view that mind doesn't influence matter. To many religions this is the highest form of heresy, a sort of "witch magic." To the skeptics, it is the highest form of heresy, a sort of "fantasy witch magic."
Weird, isn't it, that the skeptics who often claim to be so much against religious-type thinking end up adopting the same kind of mindset as the people they struggle against, which boils down to Fact Blindness Syndrome.
In the end, for those who truly believe in the scientific method – which is an open-minded exploration of how our world works – skepticism is no more helpful than any religious fanaticism. Neither one pursues the real truth, according to the facts and the data. Both pursue the truth according to some pre-ordained viewpoint of reality, and that isn't good science.
If you truly care about science, then perhaps it's time to drop skepticism. That doesn't mean that one doesn't carefully examine the facts or data to be sure self-delusion is not involved in any interpretation. However, when that is a one-sided examination of the data with a firmly-rooted belief system in the background, then self-delusion is assured, and FBS reigns supreme!


Currently horizontal, one puts the menu bar vertically. It could be display in a lateral pane or as a floating pallet. Two options at least for accessing to the menus : one at once, that needs a root menu or a selector; one expands them separately.
What do we gain by this way? Mainly some space. If each menu's entries are illustrated by an icon, one could reduced the width of the pane to the size of the icons and one gets there something like a toolbar. Though, and depending the localization, the function's name can be long, not mentioning the keyboard shortcuts, all that takes a little bit more space.
This entry was posted on mai 31, 2007 at 10:40 and is filed under Concepts & Methods, GUI.	You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


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Catalonia in Spain and Gorkhaland in India
When a region is not respected, revolution is the repercussion. Catalonia in Spain and Gorkhaland in India have intensified their assertion for a greater autonomy. The underlying issue behind these protests is the discontentment generated due to the subjugation of their regional aspirations by the corresponding governments. Though the displeasure in both the regions was simmering through many decades, the immediate cause was the negligence of their language by their governments. Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal imposed Bengali as the compulsory language in the Gorkhaland. Similarly, Spain never respected the Catalan language. So, the protests were imminent and led to political unrest in the region. As of now, peace is established in Gorkhaland but the war is just about to begin in Catalonia.
The present-day Catalonia is on the border of Spain and France. Through ages, it has its own culture and identity. By 1715, Spain was able to subjugate Catalonian provinces and brought the entire islands under its control. Till 1938, Catalonia was granted greater autonomy and it was able to protect its traditions. However, in that particular year, General Francisco Franco destroyed Catalonian nationalism with a deadly war which consumed 3,500 lives. Since then, Catalonian people tried to gain more independence through various protests. But, the drastic step taken by Catalan leader this September, led to present crises. Carles Puigdemont brought in a resolution in Catalonia urging for its complete independence. 90% of the participants voted for independence but only 43% of voters participated in the elections conducted.
This was not in line with the agreement between Spain and Catalonia. So, Spain had to take a drastic measure of imposing Article 155 of Spanish constitution which brings Catalonia's governance under Spain's control. In response to which Catalonia lawmakers passed a resolution demanding complete independence. Now that the Catalonia has taken the extreme step, Spain is left with no other choice but to impose direct rule. Further action by both the governments is yet to be seen. Political parties such as Catalan European Democratic Party are adamant are not accepting anything short of complete independence. Spain on the other hand, cannot lose Barcelona, present in Catalonia, which contributes to 20% of its GDP. The situation is nowhere near peace and it will just add the fuel to the already burning European crisis in the form of Brexit.
In India, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha is demanding for the creation of Gorkhaland. They needed a separate identity for themselves. They also feel that Bengal is slowly intriguing into the affairs of its administration. Gorkhaland, similar to Catalonia has got autonomous powers to create their own rules in the form of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). However, both the Catalonian administration and Gorkhaland administration has to abide by their nation's constitution. Few fringe elements in Gorkhaland used artillery to demand their independence which cannot be tolerated by India. Similarly, Catalonia went ahead and passed the resolution which is contravening with Spain's constitution. So, it has to ready to face the backlash from the Spain's government. If India were to take a stand, we would definitely support Spain, as we have Kashmir sitting right above our head.
Article Originally Written by Adithya N
Amaravati – The place for immortals
Being one of the capitals of the Sathavahana dynasty from second century BCE to second century CE, Amaravati was one the most prosperous cities from our history. Geographically located on the banks of river Krishna in Current Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, Amaravati is chosen to be the capital of Andhra Pradesh after its separation from Telangana. Amravati is a conurbation of two metropolitan areas of Guntur and Vijayawada.
After 58 years of unionized rule and living, on June 2nd, 2014, both the brotherly states Telangana and Andhra Pradesh decided to part ways and form separate states as they were before 1956. Hyderabad, the capital of the united Andhra Pradesh lies in the heart of Telangana state and did not show any scope for being a combined capital for both the states as in the case of Chandigarh.
Here arises the concept of building a new state capital from scratch. All the cities of India had a long track record in the history and took the current shape of Capitals by substantial and continuous development. So, how feasible is it for us, to build a capital from foundations?
Temporary facilities for legislative buildings were set up and the staff was moved from Hyderabad to Velagapudi (An area in Amaravati) in March 2017. The Chief Minister's office was moved in April 2016 itself. Now, we hardly have small skeletons of staff working at Hyderabad as the major portions of every administration has already been moved.
It's not just Rome, even Hyderabad was not built in one day. After 1956, people have clearly portrayed Unified Andhra Pradesh as their home to last for centuries together. Not just investments but also relationships of the people has moved across both the regions. How unimpeded can people be in a place now they know is not theirs? Only time has to answer all these questions.
Amaravati, a 52,000 CRORE project as estimated by CRDA or at least a 10000 CRORE project as estimated by Andhra Pradesh government is estimated to take a first phase shape by 2024 (until then Hyderabad will serve as a residuary capital) and have a final shape by 2050. Planned to span over 217 sq.km, the project has entered the execution phase. The city is planned to be built in three phases and the Singapore government delegation headed by Iswaran has submitted the plan for second phase development recently.
The special status for the state that has been asked for has never been approved. The project also had huge rebellion from the local farmers about the land acquisitions. Amidst all these problems, Amaravati still stands as a ray of hope with a city with three national highways, 940 kms of roadways which is going to be a home for more than 14 million people providing 5.6 million jobs. With 21% of the city planned to be covered with greenery including islands, theme parks and 80 km of well-planned water network over the banks of river Krishna still gives us a hope of an oasis lying in the desert of problems.
Article Written By Bommineni Jyothirmaie Reddy
Posted on 25 October, 2017 15 April, 2018
Valuation of a Company v/s Valuing a Person
A wide range of models exists in the market to value a company. May it be the evergreen Discounted Cash Flow Model (DCF), which considers the future cash flows of the company or more advanced RE and AEG Models. On the other hand, we would value a person based on her Net worth. The underlying assumption for all the models is that the value is dependent on money generated. However, in the real world, neither the value of a firm is assigned based on fundamental analysis nor a person's worth is based on the amount hidden in her wallet. The Price-Earnings (P/E) Multiple is at all-time high (28x) when the economy is in doldrums and ofcourse Abdul Kalam is valued way higher than Subrata Roy.
Indeed, the value of the company and the person depends on the intangibles they possess. For a company, it is in the form of Intellectual Property, the expertise of employees, the brand perception among the customers etc., never can these intangibles be completely measured. And these factors contribute to the growth of the firm which drives the share price in the market. Similarly, the worth of a person is measured using the value system she is adhered to. Which also reflects the potential of the person thereby leading to her growth. Moreover, the growth of the person or company is dependent on the efficiency through which the investments are utilized.
The worth also depends, both, on the returns the company gauges for itself and also to its shareholders. For a person, the value is derived both from her ability to develop herself and the capability to contribute to others development. Return on Operating Assets (ROOA) reflects the core capabilities of the firm to generate wealth for itself with the assets employed. In the above case, only the operating income is considered which mostly eliminates the external interactions. Likewise, the value of a person is attached to the efficiency through which she could generate higher returns with low resources. The whole Tata Group is worth around $126 Billion and Facebook alone is worth around $350 Billion. The difference in the assets employed by both companies is well known. With minimal resources, Nelson Mandela could eliminate apartheid and with all the available resources Vijay Mallya escaped to London.
The other component which exemplifies the value is the Return on shareholders or well-wishers investment. Return on Common shareholders' Equity (ROCE) demonstrates the ability of the firm to satisfy its investors. A firm is punished when it could not reach the expectations of its shareholders. Infosys had to forcefully opt for a Buyback as it could not please the investors. Similarly, a person's social capital is shattered if the return on emotions invested is not satisfactory. Tiger Woods had to face the brunt of his wife for blatantly cheating her and Arvind Kejriwal was contended by people, for he could not reach their expectations.
In the first case, as the Asset turnover and Profit Margins are important for a company so does the discipline and hard work for a person. In the second case, as the Dividends payment and customer relationship are important for a firm, so does the person's capability to instil trust among her well-wishers.
Swimming – Needs to be learned not mandated
As an Indian who has studied in a CBSE school, I was taught that Mawsynram and Cherrapunji are among the wettest places on planet earth. But as of late, there are many unexpected places that are receiving higher rainfall above the mean values. The Climate Change phenomenon is taking shape at a new level altogether. The expected increase in temperature is about 8-10 degrees for a century. The increase in temperature would cause the icebergs and the ice on top of the peaks of mountains to melt. This would in turn lead to an increased level of water in the rivers and would increase the level of water bodies on earth. As the water level rises, the coastal regions are more prone to be invaded by the inanimate force of the water leading to floods and high inland tides, making it virtually inhabitable.
On the other hand, the recent rains in Bangalore are a great example of how life gets disrupted due to rain. The rain lashed for days together and flooded the city. The rains have uprooted almost a thousand trees. Is this an effect because of the cutting of trees in the first place? Or is it because of some other reason such as construction activities after the uprooting of trees?
The water retention capacity of soil goes down because of the absence of roots of trees, which on the other hand absorb the water and act as an impetus to the gushing flow of water. Apart from the nature's brute force, the outbreak of epidemics permeates during the rainy seasons. The arrangement of the clogged water is apt for mosquitos and its other cousins to breed. The number of deaths due to Dengue, Malaria and other diseases are generally high during this period.
Rains are not bad. But excessive rains are ones to combat especially in places like Bangalore, Chennai and Mumbai. Majorly, all three places should have contingency plans to reduce the losses. The approximate loss during the infamous Chennai floods was anywhere between 2 billion dollars to 2.3 billion dollars (Depending on various sources). Government could actually allow the builders or collaborate with them to build a few townships right outside the cities so that, the relocating is easier during mishaps. The saving of lives is the prima donna during such events. Thus, we must do our best in preventing a scenario where swimming would be a mode of travel to office along with boats and jet skis!! Some momentum in the fiscal spending can also be generated in addition to the infrastructural growth and contingency measures. Providing insurance is only a short term measure and has proved to be a short term cure. Hence, more prominent action needs to be stepped up to build a more resilient economy.
The Future of Device Technology: Intangibility
The internet landscape is growing at an exponential rate. It's not just about computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones anymore. There are now a multitude of devices that are internet connected.
The Garnter Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies 2017 focuses on three emerging technology mega-trends that will shape the future: Artificial intelligence (AI) everywhere, transparently immersive experiences and digital platforms. The buzzwords are becoming popular and it is certainly going to rule the future. However, I would like to introduce you to some other emerging technologies in device computing that you must watch out for in the future:
First one is Smart Dust devices. They are small wireless microelectromechanical sensors (MEMS) that can detect everything from light to vibrations. It is a tiny dust size device with extraordinary capabilities. Smart dust will be able to collect data that can be used to understand or monitor better. If Smart Dust becomes a reality, then it's time for Internet of Things to say goodbye sooner.
Already, glued to your smartphones and computers? Get ready – Neural Lace is coming soon to link your brain with intelligent computers. A neural lace is an ultra-thin mesh that can be implanted in the skull, forming a collection of electrodes capable of monitoring brain function. It creates a link between your brain and a device. Elon Musk announced his new venture in 2017 called "Neuralink" that aims to connect computers to your brain through the use of neural lace. Brain-computer interface is certainly going to change the future of device computer.
Finally, we have Edge Computing. It brings the core building blocks of cloud – compute, storage and networking – closer to the consumers. By moving compute closer to the origin of the data, the latency involved in the roundtrip to the cloud gets reduced. Image a self-driving car – it's effectively a data center on wheels. Thus, Edge Computing might make Cloud Computing take a back seat.
There are many exciting new device technologies that are emerging that will continue to transform the world.
Let us know your comments about any other new device technologies that will transform the future.
Posted on 6 October, 2017
Book Review: My Gita- Devdutt Pattanaik
"Yada Yada hi Dharmasyaa glanirbhavati bharata.
Abhithanaamadharmasya tadat manam srijayam yaham." (Chapter 4, Verse 7)
It is an elaborative yet eloquent book which has laid out the basics of life. The book comprises of 18 chapters similar to the Bhagavad Gita, but the interpretation by the Chief Belief Officer of Future Group, Devdutt Pattanaik is resoundingly easy to understand. I for one had a pre-conceived notion that the book might be philosophical, religious and all about God. But I was totally proved wrong.
The book starts with the definition and overview of Gita. The author then goes on to explain the meaning of Tyagi, Yoga and Yogi. All the three are distinctive and are explained elusively. The book incessantly stresses that the humans have a "Need for Association" and social acceptance. It is a proven fact that many people assert validation in life to make themselves feel important.
The explanation of Matsyayana is also provided in the context of life. People often ponder over the difference between Ramayana and Mahabharata in terms of the learning obtained from mythology. The difference between the yugas such as dvapara yuga and kali yuga is provided in terms that are understandable to the common man. The taxonomy used to explain important facts and concepts by Devdutt is intriguing. The usage of matrix to explain the difference of rules and principles, arrow diagrams and block diagrams for other concepts help the reader recall the same with minimal effort.
The book further delves deeper to help the reader understand the differences between deha, dehi, aatma and aham. All four are different and knowledge about the same is vital for a person to remain at peace. The elucidation of dharma and adharma is also outlined with the help of relevant context. The importance of subjectivity countermands objectivity in the real world unlike MCQ question papers at college or school. This concept is driven home with placid examples eliciting the perception of truth from the participants of the conversation.
The innocuous approach of Arjuna in Mahabharata guided by Krishna in the battlefield is synonymous to a guide seeker striving in his/her life to accomplish a goal. Krishna provides the words of wisdom to Arjuna on a constant basis to enable him to unleash his entire potential. The book further elicits the effects of the "Three Gunas" viz. Rajas, Tamas and Sattva in defining a person's life. Greed drives away peace. The analysis of Maya and Moh is commendable. Speaking frankly, this was one of the best concepts explained in the book!
Also, one wonders the differences existing between heaven and hell, except the colloquial fact that states, suffering is in hell! Devdutt has conveyed as to why only one pandava went to heaven (Read the book for further details on who went to heaven) and not all. The book also highlights the involvement approach vis-à-vis the hermit and solitary approach which focuses on an amazing act called "Meditation". The learnings one can embark on practicing the suggestions from the book is almost infinite.
So, why should one read this book? Should one be mythology savvy or a connoisseur to appreciate the script? My take on this is simple. The reader should accept the arguments of the author with an open mind. One need not necessarily be a connoisseur to appreciate the book. No doubt, one needs to be interested in listening to stories as most of the concepts in the book are substantiated with stories. All in all, this is an outstanding book which focuses on awakening the inner self of a person. I would rate the book a 4 on 5 and it is a must read for all. Business leaders have a lot of takeaways with respect to designing the motivational programs and leadership summits as well!
If you have found this article to be interesting, do comment in the box below! Happy learning!
Article Written by Adithya N
Posted on 5 October, 2017 15 April, 2018
Google Pixel Event: Transition from "mobile first" to "AI first" strategy
On 4th October, Google announced a range of hardware at a special event conducted in San Francisco. Artificial intelligence is the most important development that takes place in the consumer technology space. Google's equation for new products seems to reflect the same – software + hardware and then integrate it with AI. Here are some important highlights from the event:
Google Announced Pixel 2 smartphone – a 5 inch and a 6 inch display version. The phone is powered by a 12 Megapixel rear cam and an 8 megapixel front cam. There are a lot of exciting features in Pixel 2 like activating Google Assistant by squeezing your phone, Google Photos capabilities including Lens, as well as virtual- and augmented-reality capabilities and finally you have a male voice to Google Assistant. The Pixel 2 phone will be available in three colors – "Just Black," "Clearly White" and "Kinda Blue". The 5-inch Pixel 2 starts at $649, while the larger 6-inch Pixel 2 XL will cost at least $849.
The most interesting announcement that we felt interesting was the Google Pixel Buds – a wireless headphones that is going to rival Apple's Bluetooth-powered AirPods. The most interesting feature is that it can do an instant translation for a variety of languages. When the user speaks her native language, an English translation is provided from the phone's speakers. So, next time if you stuck in another country, just put up your Pixel Buds and start conversing. The Pixel Buds come in the same three colors as the Pixel phone and cost $159.
Google also debuted the Pixelbook – a brand new laptop powered by Chromebook. It has a 12.3 inch screen that's meant to function both as a laptop and a tablet. Priced at $999, it's also the first laptop to have Google Assistant. You can also purchase a stylus for $99 that lets you interact with your laptop.
Google also announced Home speakers – Google Home Mini, a smaller version of Google Home speaker and a high-end smart speaker called Google Home Max. Google claims that the Home Max offers deeper bass powered by dual 4.5-inch woofers, and it's 20 times more powerful than the original Google Home. It shows that Google clearly intends to compete with Apple's HomePod and Amazon's new Echo. The Google Home Mini will cost $49 whereas Google Home Max will cost $399.
They also showed off called Google Clips – a new clip-on camera that can take photo and video remotely and synchronizes what it captures instantly with a connected phone through an app. Well, GoPro's share did fall when the announcement was made.
Google also redesigned the virtual-reality headset Daydream view that works with the Pixel smartphone. It has better lenses that will increase the image clarity and field of vision.
If we look at brand new Pixel 2 phones, Google Home Mini, Google Home Max, Google Pixel Buds, and Google Clips camera, everything is powered by Google Assistant. It's clear, the future is going to be AI driven and Google has already made its moves.
Another interesting point to observe is that there were more female presenters for the event. There were four when compared to last year's two. Google was embroiled in controversy earlier this year when former company engineer James Damore wrote a manifesto arguing that women are underrepresented in tech because of "biological causes" rather than bias and discrimination. Looks like Google is just getting started.
Posted on 29 September, 2017 15 April, 2018
Making Life Multi planetary: Elon Musk's master plan in a nutshell
Last year, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk unveiled a masterplan to make humans a multi-planetary species by establishing a colony in Mars at the International Astronautically Congress (IAC) in Guadalajara, Mexico. In his latest presentation at the IAC in Adelaide, Australia, he has provide an update to his 2016 presentation. Let's have a look at the master plan in a nutsell:
In order to make humans multi-planetary, the first step is making a reusable rocket that can transport cargo and humans to anywhere in the solar system. The Interplanetary Transport System (ITS) is a huge spaceship that will make this possible. It will be powered by 42 of SpaceX Raptor Engine, which is still in development. It will be the most powerful rocket that will ever be build which can carry cargo to Mars of up to 450 tons. The booster system is referred to as the BFR. In his latest plan, he has scaled down the number of raptor engines to 31 in the ITS.
ITS rockets will launch spaceships into a parking orbit around Earth. The first stage will come back to the Launchpad to be refuelled. Then. It will launch a tanker version of the spacecraft. The propellant tanker goes up anywhere from three to five times to fill the tanks of the spaceship in orbit. Once the tanks are full, the ship would begin its long journey to Mars every 26 months.
Another key factor is making the trip affordable. It is estimated that the trip will cost $140,000 per ton. Hence, a trip per person will cost approximately $200,000 over time. But, it's going to be a challenge to fund the whole endeavour. SpaceX will need to generate a lot of net cash flow from launching satellites and cargo to ISS.
According to the latest plan, he hopes to have the first launch by 2022 (that's not a typo). At least two cargo ships are planned for 2022, in a move to confirm water resources and identify hazards as well as set up power mining and life-support infrastructure for future flights. The first crewed mission is planned by 2024. The craft will be able to hold 100 people in 40 cabins.
He also laid out a plan to establish a base on the moon. We will have to wait and see how this would emerge out in future. Another interesting fact is that BFR could also be used to transport people within the earth. The rocket would be able to travel across major cities in 30 mins and anywhere on Earth in less than an hour. A trip from Delhi to Sydney will take 36 mins. Although we don't want a cost estimate, this could possibly work if it's affordable.
At the end of the day, Space exploration is going to get even more exciting. Lockheed Martin Corp has also announced separate plans for a manned Mars journey – unveiling concept drawings of a "base camp" space station orbiting Mars and landing craft that would carry four astronauts to the planet's surface. Many more players are expected to join the space race to colonize Mars. Only time will tell, who will be the real winner?
Some real heroes/heroines of India – Part- 2
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw
One of the most enterprising persona of India in the recent past. She is the founder of one of the largest 35 billion INR Bio-Pharmaceutical Company in India called "Biocon". Her company has made many acquisitions, thus transforming a small company into a billion INR one. She studied in Bangalore University and IIM-B. Her quotes are regarded to be inquisitive and thought provoking. She does not prefer to use the term philanthropy as she believes that a long term solution is needed instead of a short term improvement. She is also a recipient of Padmashri and Padma Bhushan from Indian government. According to her, the so called "philanthropist acts" should have sustainability and innovating is the name of the game. Apart from philanthropy, she is also in board of many top notch institutions and companies. She is one of the most inspiring personality for every Indian aspiring to carve a niche in the global arena. Every Indian needs to be aware of such eminent entrepreneurs, especially when the country is!
Meghnad Desai
He is a British Indian economist. He serves UK Parliament and is a labor's politician. He is awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India. He is an astounding economist. He is the founder of Meghnad Desai Academy of Economics, Mumbai. He gives his opinions in the majority of the prime time news shows. His works are revered across the world and his books provide a path breaking thinking approach towards solving worldly economic issues. He is probably one such individual about whom very less is known.
Yamini Krishnamurthy
A vast part of India is interested in Arts and Dance. One of the prominent dancers in India who changed the traditional dance form into something more stunning and wonderful was Yamini Krishnamurthy. She is regarded to be one of the most profound dancers India has ever seen. She is known for her sublime expressions. She gave her first performance in the 1960s. She is known to have taken Kuchipudi dance form, which is an indigenous dance of Andhra region to a global arena when the knowledge about Kuchipudi was not widely prevalent. She had the privilege to learn Bharatnatyam from one of the "Dance Mozarts" of 20th century, Rukmini Devi Arundale. Amongst all the dancers and the aspiring artists, she is one to look forward while embarking on the art journey.
Self-made artificial reality – "Dreams"
You can turn your can't into a can when you can turn your dreams into plans. As Abdul Kalam once said, "you have to dream before your dream can come true". Let us analyse what all you have dreamt for 20+ long years and some facts about your fantasy world of Dreams.
A daydream or a night dream, your brain now will never accept others as a Hero of your fictional world. But, believe me, until you turn four years old, your dreams would have never accepted you as a Hero. Yes! You should turn 4 years old to start your own dreams. Blessing you to have a long life, we also bless you to have 6 years of your life spent dreaming (its proven fact man! "6years").
Had someone not dreamt about DNA double helical structure, Alternating current generator periodic table etc., I'm sure the science textbook would have been a lot thinner. Yes! They discovered or invented them after dreaming about them. It seems that you cannot read or tell the time in your dreams. Then how could Dmitri dream about a periodic table? Well, he left us without explaining it.
I'm sorry to tell all those 99 percentile scorers of the world, whom-so-ever you are, you will forget 90% of your dream in 10 minutes once you are awake. If you didn't, then you definitely need a doctor. Also, understand that our brain functions more actively during the night than during the day. So from here on, you can challenge anyone that you were more intelligent during the night than during a day.
"Men, men and men" in a man's dream but "men and women in equal numbers" in a female's dream! Oops! Gender discrimination in dreams also. Men, please control the number of men in your dreams as dreams can be controlled. It's called lucid dreaming. If you still can't control, try having some female talking beside you while you dream as brain incorporates external voices into the dreams while dreaming. If this option is also not possible, then try to snore. You can't dream while you snore.
Not everyone's dreams are colourful. 12% of the people dream in black and white. Are you one amongst them? This doesn't mean that blind people can't dream. They dream about other senses like smell, taste and feel etc. My dog, your cat, his parrot, their cow every animal dreams. But remember everyone who comes into your dreams are the ones whom you would have seen at least once in your life. Hereafter, no confusion that some unknown girl has come into your dreams. Go, find her, she might be somewhere around.
Foretelling is completely possible by dreams. People of Titanic and 9/11 dreamt about their crash and believe me 18-38% of the foretelling has proved to be true. These kinds of dreams are called premonition dreams.
Haaa! Not all dreams are sweet dreams. There are negative sides for these dreams as well. Rapid eye movement (REM) is a stage of dream where you sleepwalk, injure yourself etc. there are cases where people killed and got killed by being in this state. Sleep paralysis occurs to some during their sleep where they report inability to move their body or strong evil presence in their room. Dimethyltryphamine, famously called as dream drug is available in the market which is actually banned. These help in prolongation of your dreams and take you to a state where you can't differentiate between a real world and a dream world.
Finally, though there is a darker side for dreams as well, you still have a treatment for them and they are not life-threatening. If your aim is to work in Google, know the fact that Google was also an invention from a dream. So dream, dream and dream. "Have a fantabulous dream".
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'Throwback' of 71 years
'Throwback' of 71 years
Soon. X-Men, Fantastic Four and Deadpool may come together!!
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Q: Measuring the execution time in multithreading environment I have an application that uses Task (TPL) objects for asynchronous execution.
The main thread waits for a trigger (some TCP packet) and then executes several tasks. What I want to do is to measure the time spent in the tasks.
Take a look at the code. I have some lengthy operation (Generator), enclosed in Stopwatch's start/stop.
Task.Factory.StartNew((t) => {

    Stopwatch sw = new Stopwatch();
    sw.Start();

    Generator g = new Generator();
    g.GenerateIntervals(); // lengthy operation

    sw.Stop();
    GlobalStopwatch.Add(sw.Elapsed);
});

Here is the problem. Stopwatch uses DateTime.UtcNow.Ticks at the moment of Start() and then again at the moment of Stop(). Then it subtracts those two to get the elapsed time.
The thing is, some other thread (in a single-threaded system) can get some processor time while the Generator (from the code) is doing its GenerateIntervals() lengthy operation. That means that the elapsed time recorded by the stopwatch would contain not only the Generaor.GenerateIntervals() time, but also the time that the other threads did their job inbetween.
Is there any simple way to know exactly how much of processor time did some method take, not including execution time from other threads as a result of timesharing mechanisms?

A: The answer to your question is "No"... No, you cannot measure the accumulated time ON THE CPU for a particular thread.
(Side-rant: I really wish people would read the question and understand it before answering!!!)
Ok, back to your question... the most accurate thing you could do would be to spin off a separate process for each of your tasks, and then measure the CPU time for the process (which can be done in .Net)... but that's overkill.
If you need help on how to do that, you should ask another question specifically for that.

A: Here is nice Article . You can use it or you can compare those times using in-built performance analyzer in VS2010.

A: You could use the Windows API QueryPerformanceCounter() and QueryPerformanceFrequency() methodsto retrieves the number of milliseconds that have elapsed since the timer was started.
using System;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Threading;

namespace Win32
{
    internal class WinTimer
    {
        [DllImport("Kernel32.dll")]
        private static extern bool QueryPerformanceCounter(
            out long lpPerformanceCount);

        [DllImport("Kernel32.dll")]
        private static extern bool QueryPerformanceFrequency(
            out long lpFrequency);

        private long startTime, stopTime;
        private long freq;

        // Constructor
        public HiPerfTimer()
        {
            startTime = 0;
            stopTime  = 0;

            if (QueryPerformanceFrequency(out freq) == false)
            {
                // high-performance counter not supported
                throw new Win32Exception();
            }
        }

        // Start the timer
        public void Start()
        {
            // lets do the waiting threads there work
            Thread.Sleep(0);

            QueryPerformanceCounter(out startTime);
        }

        // Stop the timer
        public void Stop()
        {
            QueryPerformanceCounter(out stopTime);
        }

        // Returns the duration of the timer (in seconds)
        public double Duration
        {
            get
            {
                return (double)(stopTime - startTime) / (double) freq;
            }
        }
    }
}

A: In fact the answer is YES (but you need to use interop).
There is a WINAPI function which is called QueryThreadCycleTime and does exactly this:
"Retrieves the cycle time for the specified thread."


I thought I'd heard it all. Every single perception lovingly held by British folks about America had been brought to my attention for critical assessment.
Why is it called the the World Series when it is only American teams?
Why are there so many fat people in America? How come you're not fat?
What on earth is a fraternity or sorority and why do they use Greek letters for their names?
Is your fridge the size of my flat?
Why do you talk about distances in minutes instead of miles?
Yes, I had heard it all. Until today.
Red plastic dixie cups have been called an icon of American culture. Who knew? Not a single British person has ever asked me about red dixie cups. Suddenly they show up in the comments of this blog post from The Guardian about looking for American tv cliches in real life America.
Yes, I have had many a drink from a red dixie cup. We use them at picnics. We used too many in college, usually paired with some scary form of jungle juice or a keg. Of course, the cups also make an appearance in the occasional game of beer pong. I wouldn't be surprised if some American families even use them on a daily basis in their homes. We even used them at the outdoor rehearsal dinner for our wedding. Oh yeah, rehearsal dinners – another topic that puzzled my British in-laws.
But, it had never occurred to me that these cups were absent from my life in Britain. Nor had I considered that anyone outside of America may have picked up on their presence by watching American tv shows.
I can think of plenty of American icons: Barbie, Coca Cola, Elvis, pick up trucks, McDonald's, Michael Jackson etc… But red dixie cups? I can't believe that is the item causing me to rethink whether I fully immersed myself in British culture during my time there. There must still be hundreds of other things about America boggling the minds of our transatlantic friends. Perhaps I will ponder these while I sip my Cherry Coke Zero from a shiny red plastic dixie cup FULL of ice.
It wouldn't be an authentic experience of living in Britain without the inevitable friendly jabs about the way Americans seem to have made up our own version of the English language. Once I had someone tell me 'I love how Americans just seem to make up words and still claim they speak English'. One of the most embarrassing terms was 'bachelorette party'. Although I couldn't bring myself to say 'hen do' either. Even now when I hear that term I imagine drunk chickens dressed up in matching outfits and tiaras clucking through the streets of some city in Spain or maybe Newcastle or York.
Anyways, it is hard not to notice how many places in America and Canada copied British names. I've been known to wake up in the middle of the night panicked that perhaps I just bought a plane ticket to Manchester, New Hampshire or London, Ontario on accident. There are many places all over North America named after British places which is no surprise given our history.
British In-Law: 'Like a robbin, but really big. With bits of red on the fronts'.
In 4 years in Britain, how did I never notice that the European Robin was completely different than the North American Robin? They are not even related – we all looked it up on Wikipedia together. Who knew?
Where do you start when you want to move to America?
Happy 2010! This post is inspired by a comment from Lisa B on this post about BigApplePie's recent move back home after living in Britain for 5 years. Lisa's goal for 2010 is to move back to America with her British husband. I too just took the plunge and arrived back in my hometown last summer. It is a big decision to move across the pond in either direction. But the question here is: Once you have decided, where do you start? Here are some of my thoughts on the practical aspects of initiating the move.
There are two places you could start.
Find a job and let that determine where you move.
Pick a place and let that determine where you begin your job search.
Mr. Charismatic and I chose option #2. There were several factors that influenced our decision.
We saved our pence for a year in preparation for the move and subsequent unknown period of unemployment.
We don't have any debt or dependents.
We bought short term health insurance to cover us in catastrophes. Using ehealthinsurance.com we found decent policies to cover the both of us for $65/month for up to six months.
We knew if we chose option #1, I would have to travel first and we'd be apart for some unknown amount of time. It also meant that we would be dealing with the Visa process apart and we were really glad to have each other to lean on for the ups and downs that came. By the way, it might be helpful for you marrieds out there to know that you may be able to apply for your British partner's visa through the London Embassy thus avoiding the long(er) waiting periods you have to face if you apply through the normal US visa agency.
We also had a lot of support from friends and family in all sorts of ways. We stayed with family to save on rent before we left Britain and we stayed with family again when we arrived in America. Without this, we would have been saving our pence in Britain for a second year before we would have been brave enough to quit our jobs and move.
If option #1 is best for you, I'm afraid my experience is a little lacking here. I suppose it really depends on what kind of job you are looking for. One thing that has changed in the last few years is the importance of networking. I conducted several informational interviews, one of which led to a second one and that led to me hearing about the job that I now have. Many people are using LinkedIn – a social networking site for career minded folks and job seekers. Contact anyone you know in the US and let them know you are looking. And don't get discouraged by those who want to tell you how bad things are in America. It really varies depending on where you go. In fact, it may be helpful to know which places are thriving or struggling. Here's a list from the housing market perspective and from the job perspective.
If option #2 is best for you then there are several factors to consider. Take a good look at a map, your lifestyle, airports, weather, cost of living, schools, and narrow down a place or region. For us, our decision came down to experience and family. Mr. Charismatic has already spent plenty of time in the Pacific NW and we bought our plane ticket to my hometown where most of my family still live. When we started our job search with two cities in mind, and we later decided to stay in my hometown because one of us got a job worth staying for.
We'd both recommend you visit any place before you move there. If you can, narrow down a region and then spend a week or two exploring it on holiday before you commit. But remember that your holiday may be very different from your experience when you do eventually live there.
Finally, consider this process a wonderful adventure. You'll need the same set of coping skills you needed when you moved to Britain – flexibility, open-mindedness, endurance, a sense of humor, and willingness to take some risks… to name a few.
In my own move, I've experience a lot of nostalgia for my first few months in Britain. I get to witness Mr. Charismatic's adventures and frustrations. It all takes me back to mine. So, be prepared for a little of that. It has also changed our relationship in some ways. Be prepared for that too. I'll post another blog on some of the more emotional aspects of moving soon.
Readers – what other practical advice do you have for heading West?
Lisa B and others, keep us up to date on how it goes!
1. Cheeky digs at the groom about settling down, no more single life, gaining in-laws etc with a really loving undertone because he really is so happy for his friend.
2. Charm and flattering anecdotes for you, the bride, because he wants you to know that the cheeky digs are just a right of passage for the groom and not something to take too seriously.
3. The comfort of knowing that your groom is getting a bachelor party that will exceed all of his expectations and never leave him feeling like he didn't get a proper send off – but that his British best man has the taste and discretion to keep it classy.
4. When you make your entrance and begin to walk down the aisle – if your groom starts to get a little emotional – the British best man won't be afraid to put his arm around his friend, give him a knowing look and help him keep it together.
5. Your American wedding guests will find the best man (and the other British groomsmen for that matter) so charming and you will be eternally grateful to him for helping your guests be comfortable and entertained while you and your groom do your best to connect with everybody there.
6. When it is time for the toasts, the British best man will appear just nervous enough but be prepared with a thoughtful, hilarious, and tastefully appropriate speech. He will manage to take the mick just enough so that everyone finds the groom even more charming and interesting than ever before.
7. And after the wedding is over, the best man will still be the same great friend he was before you got married even though he might be just a little freaked out that his best friend got married.
Ladies – just think you should know what your getting if you decide YOUR British man is the one for you.
I'm guessing most of you ladies already know this: When you bring your British man to America, his accent attracts attention from all kinds of interesting people.
I brought my lovely British husband to Non-Profit Networking night as part of our job search. Immediately, I got stuck talking to an angry lady who wanted to discuss the health care system in America. Meanwhile Mr. Charismatic was talking to someone else and I was convinced he'd found a dynamic and interesting career professional with great connections. Turns out, no – this woman is pet pyschic trying to promote her business. Pet psychic… really?
Back in Britain, I remember being asked about the perception that Americans are crazy for their pets. Me? Not so much. But a typical card shop does tend to carry gretting cards from the dog, for the dog, for the loss of a pet etc… so perhaps we are a little. What do you think?
That reminds me – in a great little place called Friday Harbor located in the San Juan Islands there is a doggy daycare that actually takes dogs on field trips using their Downtown Dog bus. It is pretty cute to see the bus driving around town with all the doggies in the windows. Click on the link to see what I mean.


We are officially one week away from Valentine's Day guys, and I honestly can't wait. I know a lot of people have a rocky relationship with this feeling-themed holiday, but I just love every moment of it! Personally, I use it as a reminder to simply appreciate the people I love in my life. Now Matt is great and all but I think Valentine's Day extends past romantic relationships, for instance, I always try to text my best friends a sweet message or mail my Mom a card.
I have so many friends that will try to give me the good ole fashion budget excuse, but guys, ANY gest count no matter the budget. So whether that means you're doing something as simple as picking up there go-to Starbucks drink or baking them a strawberry stuffed cupcake; Valentine's Day is a reminder to give a little love not spend a lot of money.
Anway, I'll admit I'm on a really tight budget this year, due to travel plans, so I told Matt that instead of purchasing him a present I would bake him up something delicious. Now Matt's favorite foods are as followed: chocolate, strawberries, and cake. Lucky for me these ingredients are pretty easy to throw together and bake up. So yesterday I called up Tessa our TCC videographer and begged her to stop by to film this quick recipe in exchange for a cupcake or two. Being the savor that she is, she agreed to drop everything and to help me shoot this video, and give these cupcakes a test run before the official day.
Full disclosure here I'm in no way a skilled baker, in fact, I had serious concerns and self-doubts when it came to whipping up the homemade frosting. Surprisingly though, this WHOLE recipe was effortless. The cupcakes baked really well and almost had a muffin like consistency, making inserting the strawberries in the middle non-disastrous. I mean when I first saw the images of strawberry stuffed cupcakes online, I thought there was noooooo way I could pull it off but, I think they came out not too shabby if I do say so myself.
Overall I hope this video and recipe inspires you all to get creative with your budget this year. I often find that as I get older, I spend less money on holiday purchases and more time creating things or in this case food that makes my loved ones smile. Now I'd love to hear from you guys, what exactly are you planning on doing this Valentine's Day? Leave a comment down below and don't forget to follow us on Instagram for more behind the scenes footage.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 6-cup jumbo muffin pan with paper liners. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the strawberry milk, beginning and ending with flour, until just combined.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
Using a paring knife, cut a cone-shaped piece of cake out of the top of each cupcake (about the same size as the strawberries), stopping about 1/2 inch from the bottom. Stuff with the strawberries, then cover with a small piece of the removed cake.
Sift the confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder into a medium bowl. Transfer half of the sugar-cocoa mixture to a large bowl; add the butter and 1/4 cup cream and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth.
Add the remaining sugar-cocoa mixture and 1/4 cup cream and beat until fluffy. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe onto the cupcakes. Top each with a strawberry half.
Yum! What a fun treat for Valentine's day!
These look absolutely delicious! I have been trying to bake more and these sound pretty easy!


the will and tenacity to finish the job."
Outplacement is a term used to describe the complex efforts made by a downsizing company in order to help its redundant employees in adjusting to the job loss. The outplacement services can include a wide portfolio of actions: psychological counseling, active support in search for new job, help in definition the best career path or professional presentations and communications trainings.
Solid Bridge Solutions offers both Individual and Group Outplacement programs.
The Individual Outplacement program can be dedicated for the managers from the middle up to the top managerial level. Solid Bridge Individual Outplacement program's goal is to define the best further career path for the particular manager and subsequently help him/her in searching for the new employer.
The first stage of the program helps the employee to adjust and accept the incoming change in the professional life and to determine his/her strengths and weaknesses as a candidate at the present labour market. This includes personal support from one of our team of professional consultants. This stage can also include running additional psychological tests, which would help in more precised assessment of personal potential and the most crucial development areas.
The second stage include the professional assistance in preparation of CV and other application letters (both in Polish and English) as well as building up the personal profiles on professional web portals. Additionally this program stage can include also the direct contact on behalf of the manager with HR departments of selected companies, which could benefit in most from employing particular manager.
The Group Outplacement program can be dedicated for the group of employees starting from the specialists to the middle management level. Solid Bridge Group Outplacement program combines the communication to the company employees (together with the Client management) about the incoming employment downsizing, presentation of program steps and expected results. The next program stage is a workshops with professional consultant support. Our consultants work with selected groups of employees facing redundancy or career change in small groups to cover all the important issues and questions arising at times of job change.


Do you know what you don't know? I don't! Even though I've been using Excel version 2010 for ages and have done various "What's new in Office 2010" rollouts I was still using old habits when it came to filtering data in a list. OK, I use the new date, text and number filters and the PivotTables slicer (I don't think I ever wrote a tip about these, so watch this space) but it wasn't until one of my course participants pointed out the Search box that I realised I missed a trick.
Click on the down arrow at the right side of the heading's list box.
Click in the Search box (or press ENTER seven times ;) and start typing your search term.
Thanks, Stuart! This sure beats CTRL+F and right-clicking the cell to filter. I now not only use this fast filtering in Excel lists, but also in PivotTables!


text:
Ford government to eliminate carbon tax from natural gas rates
by Christine Chubb
Posted Aug 29, 2018 2:42 pm EST
Last Updated Aug 30, 2018 at 4:53 am EST
In a move to help alleviate some financial strain from both families and small businesses across Ontario, the Ford government announced that it will be eliminating the carbon tax from natural gas rates, but critics of the announcement say it's "short-sighted" that will harm the environment in the long-run.
Speaking at Troy's Diner in Milton, Premier Doug Ford bashed the carbon tax, calling it "a big scam" and "the worst tax ever, anywhere."
"It has nothing to do with protecting the environment, it just is one more way for the government to line its pockets and gouge the people of Ontario," he said.
"It makes gas more expensive. It makes home heating more expensive. It makes everything more expensive. Driving your car and heating your home is not a luxury, it's a necessity."
According to the premier, eliminating the carbon tax from natural gas rates will save Ontario businesses about $285 a year.
"If you are a small business owner in Ontario, working hard to meet your payroll, we want to help," Ford said.
"Today's announcement is one way we're helping you."
Ontario Energy Minister Greg Rickford said families across the province should see their natural gas bills shrink by about $80 to $100 a year.
"We promised to deliver real relief for families and small business and I'm proud to say that's exactly what we're doing," Ford said.
But not everyone is happy about Ford's continued actions to dismantle cap-and-trade and eliminate the carbon tax.
"It is a short-sighted move and not a good one"
Sarah Buchanan, Program Manager at Environmental Defence
"A better way to put money into people's pockets is to actually do it permanently and that's by making homes and businesses more energy efficient so they actually use less natural gas in the first place and they also reduce their carbon pollution which fights against climate change," said Sarah Buchanan, Clean Economy Program Manager with Environmental Defence.
In an interview with 680 NEWS, Buchanan said the Liberal programs that were scrapped by the PC government brought long-term cost savings for consumers, instead of short-term bill adjustments.
"They also brought in big reductions in carbon pollution to fight climate change, so it was a win-win way of reducing bills and also fighting climate change."
The federal government has been working to put in place a national plan to fight climate change, which would replace Ontario's cap-and-trade system with its own carbon levy.
"The premier and I talked directly about the fact that we have very clear mandates from the people who elected us," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the media last month after he sat down with the newly elected premier.
"The clear mandate that I got elected on was to bring in a national plan to fight climate change. That's exactly what I'm going to do."
The province has joined with the government of Saskatchewan in a court case challenging the federal government's jurisdiction to impose a carbon price on provinces.
Alberta, B.C., Manitoba and Quebec all have carbon pricing plans that are expected to meet federal requirements for 2019, meaning the federal system will not be imposed there. Nova Scotia has a cap and trade system that will kick in next year that also could meet federal requirements.
Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick both have put forward carbon reduction plans that don't include a new price on carbon and are therefore unlikely to meet the federal threshold. Newfoundland hasn't yet made public its plan.
The carbon tax is scheduled to be eliminated from natural gas rates in Ontario starting Oct. 1.
With files from The Canadian Press
carbon tax | Doug Ford | natural gas
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