Astroturf or Simple Bribery? Do We Need a New Term?
What is the term for when a professional organization heavily funded by a pharma company that is trying to get a drug approved for a particular condition issues a statement that the condition is "a real condition and not a fabrication, nor a result of disease mongering"?
This is the situation currently with ISSWSH, the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health.
What is the right term to describe this situation?
ADDENDUM 2/21: Dr. Tiefer responded to this post by way of a personal e-mail in which she suggests her own name for this phenomenon, based on my comment above, "a drug firm gets to circulate its marketing message as if it came out of the mouths of independent people, not from the company itself": ventriloquism marketing.
Rodwin's book looks at conflicts of interest in medicine across the board. Very roughly, one could divide the COI he discusses into three general categories--COI in how physicians are reimbursed for direct patient care; COI in other financial aspects of the health system (e.g., physician ownership of hospitals or labs); and COI created by relationships with third parties such as the pharmaceutical and device industries. Rodwin then looks in some depth at three medical systems: the US, France, and Japan. he compares how the three quite different systems address all the various COIs. He concludes by making some policy recommendations, based on a comparison among what seems to have worked best, or not worked, in each of the three countries.
Compared to most previous material in this blog, Rodwin's approach has a downside and an upside. The downside is that a lot of time and energy are focused on COIs that have nothing to do with the medicine-Pharma interface, and for which the necessary solutions are therefore quite different. The upside is that on occasion, looking at COI with drug and device companies from a more general perspective illuminates the issues in a novel way. I was worried about the downside as I slogged through the acronym soup that was requireed to give a detailed analysis of each health system, but in the end I was persuaded that the upside triumphed.
Rodwin ends up at somewhat the same point I did in HOOKED, arguing that in the end, COI with Pharma will require both addressing physician professionalism, and also instituting a number of legal and regulatory changes. But he has some fresh things to say about how those two different approaches relate to each other.
First, a side trip into the lessons from the three nations. If you were looking for pillars of professional ethics in the French and Japanese systems, you'll be sadly disappointed. At first blush, when you see that those systems come in at about 8-10% of GDP going to health care, while still managing to provide universal coverage for their populations, and the US is about at 17% and has a large swath of the population uninsured--then you might imagine that physicians in France and Japan are professionalism role models, compared to the profligate (and presumably profit-driven) habits of their US counterparts. Rodwin shows that any such view would be terribly overromanticized. France and Japan, to summarize briefly, have professional medical organizations holding a level of power over public policy that the AMA would kill for. Yet neither has taken step one to limit the contacts or the bribe-taking of physicians with Pharma. Moreover, while the French medical society has taken the lead in prohibiting a number of entrepreneurial types of practice, the Japanese society has essentially functioned as a doctors' union pure and simple, doing next to nothing to restrain greed and profit among its members. In short, the international track record, no less than the experience within the US, suggests that professionalism, as a tool to deal effectively with COI and Pharma, is a flop.
So what does Rodwin then propose? He says, "Ironically, professionalism requires a medical economy under mixed rather than professional control, and it functions best when the medical profession, the market, and the state have overlapping authority, each with checks on the others." This is a fairly radical departure from one view of professionalism, which argues that the whole idea behind professionalism is the autonomy of the professional group--that as soon docs end up under the thumb of economic interests or the state, goodbye to all professional ethics. Rodwin claims by contrast that allowing unfettered power in any portion of the system--including the professional group itself--will never lead to optimal ethical behavior around COI at least. Checks and balances is the name of the game.
As we saw in the last post, that means that Rodwin is in favor of a straight legal ban on Pharma gifts/bribes. He also advises taxing the industry, hospitals, and physicians to fund CME, and turning the funds over to a neutral agency. The agency should assess need and then decide on CME content, rather than allow industry and the speakers to decide what they want to talk about. Rodwin notes that we taxpayers now pay for CME anyway via pass-through of costs, so we might as well have a say in what topics are taught.
Rodwin MA. Conflicts of interest and the future of medicine: the United States, France, and Japan. New York: Oxford U. Press, 2011.
Cutting the Gordian Knot: Legal Ban on Gifts/Bribes?
Some time in the past I declared that for purposes of this blog, I was going to stop using the word "gifts" for things that drug and device companies give to physicians and others as part of their marketing campaigns and revert to the more truthful descriptor, "bribes." For this post I'll go back to "gifts" since the sources I'll be citing use that term.
A quick review--first we decided the way to deal with these gifts was to have professional organizations develop codes of ethics, or for Pharma to self-police. Some victories occurred, such as when Pharma felt really under pressure and feared serious federal laws in 2008-9 and decided to throw all the "reminder items" (coffee mugs, pens, etc with drug logos) under the bus. Pharma showed us what they think really is essential for successful marketing by refusing to consider giving up free meals. Mostly this general strategy has been a flop. Codes of ethics either cannot get past the organization's members (such as the AMA House of Delegates) or else make useless distinctions such as how much is the gift worth, is it directly related to patient care, etc. During the era of mostly relying on codes of ethics and self-policing, physicians in the thrall of the drug industry fell from a high of 94% all the way down to a measly 87%-- a drop many of us would consider not quite equal to the actual need for reform.
Then we decided that sunshine laws were the way to go, just disclose all gifts and the amounts and docs will be ashamed of themselves and stop. So several states passed disclosure laws, generating (as in the case of MN) a lot of paperwork that sat in boxes in a warehouse because there was no budget to process it or put it on the web in searchable form. Not until ProPublica got on this just recently (http://brodyhooked.blogspot.com/2010/10/propublica-launches-database-on-docs.html) was there a really user friendly way to access this info. Too soon to see, therefore, if this approach can work.
So, if these past approaches seem to have little effectiveness, what would be better? Two recent works cut the Gordian knot and propose simply outlawing all these gifts and meals.
First I'll mention Marc A. Rodwin's just-out book, Conflicts of Interest and the Future of Medicine: The United States, France, and Japan. Law prof Rodwin (Suffolk U.) has written an interesting volume that I'll be blogging more about in a little while. The point here is that he views these bribes as against the public interest and therefore suitable for legal action, both in defense of prescribing quality and to control costs.
Next is a paper by a law student who reviews all the arguments for saying that these marketing practices are contrary to public interests, and then proposes a model statute to ban gifts and free meals. Joshua Weiss's main concern in this review is the usual defense used by corporations when restrictions on their marketing are proposed, that this is a violation of free commercial speech. Weiss in lawyerly fashion studies all the legal precedents and shows how he's crafted his model statute to resist the various free speech objections, given that the courts have ruled that you can restrict commercial speech if certain conditions are met. A key condition he addresses is how narrowly the restriction is crafted, so as to eliminate only the specific behaviors that are offensive.
Two comments. I am of course not a lawyer. I note that Rodwin apparently sees no problem in suggesting a legal ban on gifts and free meals. Weiss is worried about free commercial speech objections. What seems possible from a non-lawyer's view is to ban gifts and free meals and still permit as much interaction between drug reps and medical folks as the companies want. That way there is clearly no interference with free speech. The drug industry seems to be betting that if these bribes were totally eliminated, drug reps could hardly get a foot in the door. Let's see.
Next comment--don't expect any of this to be easy. Weiss goes after his fears of legal objections to a model statute by defining at some length exactly what relations between Pharma and docs would be still allowed, vs. what would be prohibited. We can expect that the drug companies would make every effort to find the loophole that would allow them to still shovel something into the docs' pockets that would make them feel indebted to the giver, but it will be speakers' fees or consulting fees or whatever seemed the new line of least resistance. Consider again the example of the device industry--paying docs million-dollar royalties, but insisting that the device on which they get the royalty is a different device from the one they do research on or implant into patients (http://brodyhooked.blogspot.com/2010/12/in-defense-of-paranoia-suspecting.html).
So an interesting question is: legal commentators are quite ready to contemplate laws that simply ban gifts and free meals. Is any legislature ready to undertake this step? It would be at least interesting to see how the Pharma lobbyists would fight against such a bill. Would they go on saying "it's not marketing, it's education," their usual mantra to defend detailing, when the only thing being banned is freebies and not any "education"?
Weiss J. Note: medical marketing in the United States: a prescription for reform. George Washington University Law Review 79:260-292, November, 2010.
About a year ago, I discussed the Avandia debacle (http://brodyhooked.blogspot.com/2010/02/secret-avandia-tapes-comedy-or-smoking.html) including the outrageous behavior of a journal reviewer, Dr. Steven N. Haffner, then of University of Texas-San Antonio, who leaked a manuscript he had been sent for review by the New England Journal of Medicine to his handlers, the drug company. This of course was in violation of the explicit confidentiality agreement that all journal reviewers are subject to, and without which the peer review process for scientific journals could not happen. I was later pleased to report (http://brodyhooked.blogspot.com/2010/07/still-awaiting-academic-physician-to.html) that it seemed that Dr. Haffner, unlike most academic physician wrongdoers, had actually suffered some negative career consequences for his actions.
Neurology sent the paper for review to a dentist, Kenneth Shay, not otherwise identified by ABC, but who Google informs us appears to be an adjunct professor at University of Michigan and a big wheel at the VA Hospital there. (Assuming this is the right Shay; many apologies if it's the wrong person.) Dr.Shay lambasted the study, said it was basically garbage, and managed virtually single handedly to hold up publication for a couple of years and to force the authors considerably to tone down what they said. Unbeknownst to the journal editors (apparently), Shay was a paid consultant to Procter & Gamble, and he also at least once leaked the manuscript to P&G. There was no question of his simply being ignorant of the rules; in an e-mail to P&G, he said, "Please be circumspect because, as a reviewer, I'm not supposed to be passing an unpublished manuscript around."
OK, again assuming the accuracy of charges, there are two very big things wrong with this picture: a conflicted reviewer agreeing to review a manuscript in the first place; and a reviewer violating the confidentiality agreement and sharing the manuscript with anyone, let alone a commercially interested firm. We have to assume the editors at Neurology knew none of this; if somehow they did know then the wrong is greatly multiplied.
Now, let's talk reform. What should happen here? First, U-Mich should investigate and if the charges are substantiated, Shay should be out the door, period. No excuses.
Second, how about this as a statement of adherence to professional ethics? All commercial firms engaged with health-related products should agree to a compact. If any of them is sent a confidential manuscript under review by a misguided paid consultant like Shay or Haffner, the agreement would call for the firm immediately to notify the journal editors.
--based in part on her 2005 book, University, Inc.: The Corporate Corruption of Higher Education.
Washburn , a journalist, reviews some of the cases of conflicts of interest at major universities, such as the David Kern and Martin Keller episodes at Brown (on the latter see previous post, http://brodyhooked.blogspot.com/2008/06/alison-basss-side-effects-another-hall.html). The university seems to have taken little of any action against Keller, their chair of psychiatry who brings in huge research grants from industry, despite his serious COI and his role in suppressing unfavorable data about the antidepressant Paxil in kids. Kern, by contrast, blew the whistle on corporate wrongdoing in the defense of public health, and saw his academic career destroyed as a consequence. Seems like Brown University stands ready to beat up any faculty member who upsets a major corporation, but is happy to look the other way at the wrongdoing of another faculty member who brings in a steady stream of corporate cash.
Washburn also cites a worrisome case at Berkeley around a $500M biofuels research alliance. Two resolutions were introduced into the faculty senate. One called for creation of a blue-ribbon faculty panel to oversee the BP alliance and draft protocols to govern similar corporate alliances so as to protect core university values and academic independence from corporate influence. (Note that nothing was said about stopping the alliance or others like it, just that such arrangements need independent oversight.) The second, introduced by a prominent scientist, stated that no faculty should infringe on the "academic freedom" of other faculty to deny them access to whatever research support they choose to pursue. The second resolution won hands down and the first was forgotten.
If the academic community wants to address the formidable challenges raised by academic commercialism, it must reject this overly narrow, individualistic interpretation of academic freedom and return to the highly persuasive arguments about collective academic freedom and the public good that the AAUP originally advanced to justify academic freedom in its 1915 Declaration of Principles on Academic Freedom and Academic Tenure and other early statements. This original defense of academic freedom may be roughly summed up as follows: in order for US universities to have the ability to fulfill their research and teaching responsibilities for the benefit of society, professors must be treated not as mere contract employees but rather as professional scholars who are free to think critically and speak openly without fear of arbitrary dismissal or other workplace censorship and retribution. The societal benefits that can emerge from this unique academic sphere include the provision of a broad-based, liberal education; expert advice (for government agencies, industry, and the broader public); pathbreaking scientific research; noncommercial research for the public good; graduate-level training; and other educational and knowledge functions uniquely performed by universities. This founding justification for why the public should grant tenure and intellectual freedom to professors is essentially one of "rational instrumentality": if society is going to subsidize the university, and its professors are going to be asked to provide scholarship, expertise, and advice, then society must have bona fide assurances that those professors' research and academic work are rooted in rigorous scholarship, scientific methods, and disinterested inquiry and have not been unduly influenced by outside special interests. This was a profoundly bold concept in 1915: before then, most university boards of trustees treated academic employees as workers for hire who could be dismissed at will.
This is the underlying social compact into which the academic profession entered in order to ensure its intellectual freedom. Our current tendency to view academic freedom as a personal "right"—disaggregated from these collective commitments—has made regulating campus-based commercialism more difficult. Emphasis on individual rights has enabled powerful academic constituencies to use the banner of academic freedom to argue— inappropriately, in my view—for a laissez-faire approach to campus commercialism, which has made collective faculty attempts to rein in commercialism far more challenging.
Washburn goes on to say that the AAUP has been relatively toothless in defending this broader view of academic freedom--for instance, getting involved in the Kern case only after all the damage was done. She offers several suggestions as to how AAUP ought to partner with other non-profit organizations to better protect academic values from commercial corruption.
--warns medical organizations and patient advocacy groups to watch out for financial entanglements with the food industry (and provides a detailed appendix of recent entanglements of note).
One issue I've been following closely (most recently, http://brodyhooked.blogspot.com/2010/12/aafp-and-coca-cola-update.html) is the money paid to the American Academy of Family Physicians by Coca-Cola to develop patient education materials for the AAFP website. The editorial by Yoni Freedhoff and Paul C. Hebert fills in two points that I was previously unaware of. First, they give the actual amount of the "grant," $600,000, which initially AAFP was pretty mealy-mouthed about. Second, they add the detail that the CEO of Coca-Cola attempted to leverage this tie with AAFP when lobbying against a tax on sugary sodas, indicating why corporations think that these financial ties are worth their money. In a pro-con debate over the soda tax in the Atlantic Journal-Constitution, Sandy Douglas, president of Coca-Cola North America, argued against the tax by saying, "At Coca-Cola, we're playing our part in helping develop and support workable solutions. Let's stop pointing fingers and start working together productively." As evidence of "working together," Douglas said: "We're for education, through support for organizations such as the American Academy of Family Physicians, which is providing consumers science-based information about sweeteners" (see full article at http://www.ajc.com/opinion/pro-con-is-a-438123.html).
The most egregious single example Freedhoff and Hebert provide is the Save the Children organization, which started out staunchly in support of the soda tax, and then suddenly changed its mind. It claims that the fact that it recently got big grants from both Coke and Pepsi had nothing to do with its change of heart.
Freedhoff and Hebert start by claiming that the food industry has discovered that its highest and surest profits come from marketing high-calorie, maximally processed foods, that is, foods of the least nutritional value. (Is there another Inverse Benefit Law waiting to be described here?) They also claim that the best research now available targets increased caloric intake rather than lack of exercise as the main driver of today's global obesity "epidemic," yet by buying the loyalties of medical groups and patient organizations, the food industry manages to disseminate the obfuscating message that we'd be able to eat all the junk food we wanted if we'd just get off our duffs. That message coming straight from the food industry would be viewed with the skepticism it deserves; coming from supposedly credible health-related organizations, it works.
Freedhoff and Hebert conclude: "Corporations are not the problem. By definition, corporate spending must serve to increase shareholder value... Health organizations, even when desperate for money or resources, should avoid co-branding with the food industry. At the very least, partnerships should comprise unconditional arm's-length grants with clauses limiting how corporations use health organizations brands.... When they partner, health organizations become inadvertent pitchmen for the food industry."
This post might seem a bit off the wall for this blog, but I'll defend it by noting that we discuss ethical issues at the medicine-Pharma interface, and so unavoidably touch on the ethics of drug research more generally. The article I will discuss here (subscription required) makes some excellent points that have not previously been a part of that ethical discussion.
Frank Miller, a philosopher-bioethicist at NIH, and Steve Joffe, pediatric oncologist with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, write on the question of "equipoise." The standard view today of the ethics of randomized clinical trials takes off from the apparent dilemma of a physician enrolling subjects in a randomized experiment. Traditional medical ethics says that the physician's duty is to advise the patient with regard to therapy, according to the doc's best clinical judgment. This seems inconsistent with allowing a patient of yours to get a treatment, or not, at the toss of a coin. The solution, according to ethical thinkers back in the 1980s, was that a randomized trial is ethical only in a state of clinical equipoise--when the relevant community of physicians considers it a toss-up as to which of the two treatment arms is superior.
First thing to note is that the equipoise rule would prohibit the vast majority of placebo-controlled trials. Yet the FDA routinely requires placebo-controlled trials for most of the meds they approve. So tons of supposedly unethical trials are conducted to win FDA approval. Is the FDA unethical, or does this signal a flaw in the equipopise theory?
A few years back, Frank Miller and I argued that it's the equipoise end of the stick that has the problems. (Not that the FDA doesn't have problems, but that's another post.) We relied at that time heavily on a set of arguments that claim that clinical medicine and clinical research are two quite different enterprises and require different ethical rules. To argue that the clinician trial investigator has the same duty to the research subject as the physician has to the patient mixes up those different sets of rules.
Miller and Joffe here expand that argument considerably by arguing that it's not just a matter of conducting research according to the ethics of the individual physician-patient relationship, erroneous as that may be. There's another issue at stake. The equipoise argument is based on the idea that the only "consumer" of the research findings is the individual doc trying to make treatment decisions for individual patients. If that doc is in a fog about which of two treatments is superior for any given patient, then it's presumably ethical to do a randomized trial. But as soon as that doc becomes unfogged, and has a clear preference for one treatment over the other, then scrap the trial. (Ending trials early, before they allow definitive conclusions, is one deleterious consequence of equipoise that Miller and Joffe list.) Or in the case of clinical equipoise, stop the trial when the relevant community of docs becomes unfogged to a sufficient degree (whatever that is, yet another problem with equipoise).
This view, say Miller and Joffe, is fundamentally incomplete. There are other important consumers of this research, namely policymakers, including those often-derided folks at the FDA. And policymakers don't have the luxury, or the burden, of dealing with patients one at a time. These folks are duty bound to adopt a population perspective, asking what the impact of a drug (for example) is on the entire patient population. To get such data, randomized trials are usually needed (not always), and the trial may have to go on often beyond the stage at which individual physicians have reasonable preferences for one treatment over the other. The policy need for these data is legitimate and ethically sound, and so it's shortsighted to invoke "equipoise" as a reason to rule out those trials, or to stop them too early.
Bottom line--ethics is important in research and the rights of subjects must be adequately protected, but the concept of equipoise is quite a wrong-headed way to go about that task.
Miller FG, Joffe S. Equipoise and the dilemma of randomized clinical trials. New England Journal of Medicine 364:476-80, Feb. 3, 2011.
Miller FG, Brody H. A critique of clinical equipoise: therapeutic misconception in the ethics of clinical trials. Hastings Center Report 33(3):19-28, 2003.


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About Scott Doty
Scott grew up in suburban Ohio, just outside of Cleveland. He received his B.A. in Studio Art with an emphasis in sculpture from the College of Wooster in 1997. Originally pre-med, he took a sculpture class during his first semester. While looking at one of the chairs in the sculpture studio, it suddenly occurred to him that the chair had been designed. Soon after, he discovered that this was the field of industrial design.
He received his MFA in industrial design from The Rochester Institute of Technology in the spring of 2000. In addition to a strong industrial design department, he found his interactions with the mechanical and manufacturing engineering, wood working, and metal working departments to be invaluable to his development as a designer.
Upon graduation, he cut his teeth working as a designer for one of the world's most influential designers, Michael Graves. While there, he designed products for Target, Dansk, Marshall Fields, and Delta Faucets among others. He gained experience in a broad range of categories that include housewares, electronics, furniture, soft goods, tabletop, and faucets, etc.
He started his own design practice in 2006 in Philadelphia, focusing mainly on housewares and consumer electronics. Clients include Fred and Friends (Owned by Lifetime Brands), Dansk (Owned by Lenox), Fresco Housewares, and PHAZ Music. In the last decade, he has lived and worked in Philadelphia, New York City and Birmingham, Alabama. Recently relocated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania he and his wife are enjoying exploring the vibrant food scene and looking for a lot in downtown Pittsburgh.
The Rotary Cheese Grater for Fresco was featured in the Housewares Design Showcase in the Winter 2010 edition of Innovation Magazine
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Operating throughout NSW, HCH offers a quality, driven approach to the collaborative development and delivery of cost effective and timely projects.
However, SAFETY is, and always will be, the primary driver of all HCH activities.
We understand what is required to work in high risk environments while ensuring safe work practices and minimising impact on operations and operational infrastructure.


Welcome to Live Blogging from UNESCO HQ in Paris on their Internet Study, and as part of 2015 Year of the WSIS and MDG reviews (+10 and +15 respectively).
Council of Europe Meeting on CoE Guide to Human Rights for Internet Users "Prevention is better than Cure". The event includes panel discussions with representatives of various international organisations, NGOs and the private sector on challenges to human rights online and possible solutions. IRP Coalition members present.


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Shining a spotlight on species in peril
Posted on 15th December 2021 15th December 2021 by Kate Tointon
Over the last nine months, several CLP alumni have been featured in The Revelator – an online news and ideas initiative of the Center for Biological Diversity in the US – where they have shared their stories and the plight of the species they are fighting to protect.
The Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus) is just one of the many species featured in The Revelator's Species Spotlight feature series this year © Muntasir Akash
This year, seven alumni wrote articles featured in The Revelator's Species Spotlight series, which aims to highlight interesting and important endangered species around the world along with the personal experiences of the people working to understand or protect them.
Commenting on the series, John Platt, editor of The Revelator, said: "Some [of the Species Spotlight stories] are sad, some are full of awe, but they all share something in common: passion for the wild world. I think our readers have really responded to that. I've received several emails thanking us for bringing these species and their threats to light."
Here we round up the Species Spotlight articles written by our alumni about the species they are working to protect – from sawfish to snow leopards and stream frogs – all of them in peril but fighting for survival with the help of our heroic conservation leaders.
The Asian Small-Clawed Otter – A Victim of the Pet Trade
Muntasir Akash, 2020 Future Conservationist Award-winner, explains that the Asian small-clawed otter – the smallest of the planet's 13 otter species – finds its habitat shrinking every day. "We know little about these mustelids — especially in Bangladesh, where I conduct my research — but they face a horde of threats", he writes.
In his Species Spotlight article, Akash describes an unforgettable, "heart-melting" moment watching camera-trap footage of multiple otter families. He captured the footage through his team's intensive camera trapping surveys in north-eastern Bangladesh forests, which aim to uncover the secret lives of lesser known small carnivores. Watch the below video to find out more.
The El Rincon Stream Frog is in Hot Water
Dr Federico Kacoliris received a 2020 CLP Follow-Up Award (worth $25,000) to support his work ensuring the long-term survival of the Critically Endangered El Rincon stream frog, which only lives in hot springs at the headwaters of a small Patagonian stream.
The Critically Endangered El Rincon stream frog (Pleurodema somuncurense) © Hernán Povedano
In his Species Spotlight article, Federico writes, "Invasive predators, rainbow trout, have cornered these frogs in their last remaining habitat. And even there, they also face habitat destruction by livestock."
Luckily, Federico and his team at the Somuncura Foundation are running an action plan based on habitat restoration and population recovery, including ex situ breeding and reintroduction of frogs into restored habitat.
Velvet Scoter – the Disappearing Diving Duck
Just a few years ago, it was thought that a geographically isolated population of velvet scoters – a wide-ranging sea duck – was completely extinct in the Caucasus. Yet in 2017, PhD student Nika Paposhvili discovered a small breeding population of these birds at Lake Tabatskuri, Georgia.
A velvet scoter (Melanitta fusca) brood hen sitting on her nest © Nika Paposhvili
In his Species Spotlight article, Nika describes the moment he first spotted them: "It was a joy and at the same time a great assault on my emotions, hard to describe in words — like the feeling a father has when he first sees his first child."
Nika has since been leading efforts to protect this remnant population from egg poachers and gull predators, supported by CLP grants in 2017 and 2020.
The Gentle and Quirky White-Bellied Pangolin
PhD student and 2020 CLP Future Conservationist Award-winner, Charles Emogor, studies white-bellied pangolins in Nigeria, and is working to protect them from poachers and illegal wildlife trade.
CLP alum Charles Emogor with a white-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis) in Nigeria © Charles Emogor
"These gentle and somewhat quirky animals should be celebrated, but instead they're often killed for their unique scales," he writes in The Revelator.
They are so rare that the experience of seeing a live white-bellied pangolin filled Charles with "excitement and hope," having hiked 11 hours into the heart of Nigeria's Cross River National Park to tag five of them with GPS transmitters so that he could monitor them from a distance.
Charles recommends several conservation actions to protect pangolins, including further understanding their ecology and increasing anti-poaching patrols. Recently, Charles discovered that Nigeria has a much larger role in international pangolin trafficking than previously thought.
The Large-Antlered Muntjac Faces a 'Quiet Extinction'
PhD student and CLP alumna Minh Nguyen is working hard to "change the fate of the species she loves" – the Critically Endangered large-antlered muntjac, which is heading fast towards a "quiet extinction" hidden away in a miniscule global range in the Annamite Mountains of Laos and Vietnam.
Widespread intensive snaring for the wildlife trade throughout their small range is the number one problem. Although the large-antlered muntjac is not a focus of the trade, snares are indiscriminate.
In her Species Spotlight article, Minh writes eloquently about her beloved study species and recommends strategies to save it, including "better informed, strategic in situ conservation management – but it has been disappearing so fast that "just in case" ex situ conservation breeding is needed."
The Elusive Snow Leopard
Ajay Bijoor, Assistant Head of the High Altitude Program at Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF), focuses on implementing community-led conservation efforts across some snow leopard landscapes in India. Ajay is a member of the team that won CLP's top prize, the Conservation Leadership Award in 2020 (worth $50,000) and a Follow-Up Award in 2015.
The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) © Prasenjeet Yadav
As Ajay writes in The Revelator, snow leopards are threatened by illegal hunting, conflict with livestock farmers, and climate change, and have a decreasing population trend. The Global Snow Leopard & Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP) – an alliance of all 12 snow leopard range countries – has now been formed, with one goal: to save the snow leopard and its habitat.
The Greater Hog Badger, Cornered by a Hunting-Driven Extinction Crisis
Another elusive small carnivore captured by Muntasir Akash's camera trapping surveys, the greater hog badger, is a victim of rampant snaring and illegal trade.
The species had never been described in north-eastern Bangladesh until Akash and his team spotted an individual at one of their camera trap stations.
Camera trap image of the greater hog badger (Arctonyx collaris) © Northeastern Bangladesh Carnivore Conservation Initiative
"To protect and understand hog badgers, their habitats need immediate conservation attention. That should involve thorough research, conservation education programs, and sustainable-yet-strict habitat-management practices," writes Akash in his second Species Spotlight article.
To Save the Narrow Sawfish, First We Must Find Them
CLP alum Sihar Aditia Silalahi received a CLP Future Conservationist Award in 2020 to support his work to protect threatened sawfish species in Indonesia. In The Revelator, Sihar writes about the narrow sawfish, which has suffered a population decline of 50-80% over about 18 years.
Its toothed rostrum, and the fact that it swims close to the sea floor, makes this species susceptible to being caught as by-catch, especially via gill nets and demersal trawls.
Sawfish have toothed rostrum that accidentally get caught in fishing nets, making them susceptible to being caught as by-catch © Dicky Nugroho
"To save them, I must first find them," Sihar writes. "That's the most basic mission for me and my team, and it's not easy. It took three months in the field before we saw any — and when we finally did, it was seven dead juveniles in a single fisher's catch in Merauke, Papua."
Sihar has worked with the Sawfish Project Indonesia, which is one of few conservation initiatives directed at sawfish species throughout their range.
Through our annual Team Awards and internships, CLP aims to continue supporting conservation leaders in their vital work saving priority species and sites worldwide. We thank The Revelator for bringing the efforts of our alumni and the plight that their focal species are facing into the spotlight.
Unique insights help uncover the true value of conservation internships
Posted on 14th December 2021 19th January 2022 by Kate Tointon
Fauna & Flora International (FFI) intern Bradley Knight presents some of the inspiring stories and surprising insights emerging from the Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP) Internship Scheme.
Previous CLP intern, Mariana da Silva, with jaguar footprint tracks in Bolivia © Mariana da Silva/WCS
The CLP Internship Scheme places early-career conservationists within regional host organisations of one of the CLP partners (FFI, BirdLife international, and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) to provide them with on-the-job training and skills development.
Below we hear directly from previous CLP interns and now established conservation leaders, Mariana da Silva (Bolivia, WCS), Thiri Dae We Aung (Myanmar, BirdLife) and Emmanuel Kutiote (South Sudan, FFI).
As you'll discover, their remarkable achievements show just how valuable internships can be to both emerging conservationists and the biodiversity they are striving to protect.
Tackling complex conservation issues
During her CLP internship with WCS in Bolivia, Mariana da Silva documented the extent of the international wildlife trade (IWT) of jaguar teeth, claws, and paws across the country. She worked with local law enforcement to create an updated, reliable summary of legal cases, police seizures, and media relating to IWT of jaguars.
Jaguar (Panthera onca) resting on a tree © Unsplash
Interestingly, Mariana said that when she started her internship in 2018, there was no interest or funding for IWT in Bolivia, remarking: "What I did with the CLP internship was the basis for everything that happened after."
The database that Mariana developed during her CLP internship became key evidence showing the scale of the IWT conservation problem in Bolivia, and served as a foundation for WCS to build upon and tackle IWT across Latin America.
Mariana deploying camera traps in the field © Mariana da Silva/WCS
Along with these accomplishments, Mariana explained that she used the grant proposal writing skills she developed during her internship to successfully secure funding to tackle IWT in Bolivia – which is still ongoing today.
After her internship, WCS Bolivia hired Mariana to continue her work and oversee other aspects of WCS Bolivia's IWT programme. She was later promoted to Chief of Research to combat IWT across Bolivia and Latin America in 2019.
Commenting on her recent promotion to Coordinator of the Wildlife Trade programme at WCS Bolivia, she spoke fondly about her CLP internship as "really opening the doors for me for my career by providing me with the opportunity to highlight IWT in Bolivia and develop myself as a leader."
Uncovering new data on threatened species
Baer's pochard, a species of duck categorised as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, winters in Myanmar but had not been surveyed in the country for ten years when Thiri Dae We Aung's CLP internship started in 2014.
Male Baer's pochard © Pete Morris/WWF
Placed as an intern with BirdLife International, Thiri surveyed 25 wetland areas across central Myanmar and used the data to develop an updated understanding of Baer's pochard distribution across the country. She also shared her findings with the Asian waterbird census to further inform knowledge about Baer's pochard across the eastern Asian region.
Thiri explained that her CLP internship helped her learn various skills, including project management, report writing, communications, and community and government stakeholder engagement. "These skills contributed to two of my main achievements: improving conservation in Myanmar, and building the capacity of staff in the region," she said.
As well as helping her attain remarkable conservation impacts, Thiri also revealed that her CLP internship had been the foundation on which she had built her career as a leading ornithologist and conservation leader for the region.
Baer's pochard survey in Myanmar as part of the Asian water bird census © Thiri Dae We Aung/BANCA
In particular, Thiri credits the writing skills she developed during her internship to the nine research papers she has published in just five years, which all relate to biodiversity conservation and endangered bird species in Myanmar.
What's more, after receiving technical support from BirdLife International, Thiri went on to successfully apply for five project grants to continue her work with Baer's pochard in central Myanmar.
Thiri continues to study birds, including the Baer's pochard, and develops conservation infrastructure in Myanmar in her current role as Executive Director for the Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association (BANCA).
From intern to Programme Officer
Speaking about his CLP internship, Emmanuel Kutiote described it as a unique opportunity to work on all aspects of FFI's South Sudan programme, from training rangers on GPS use and camera deployment to engaging with stakeholders and government officials: "The internship allowed me to develop key skills, gain experience to start my career, but also gave me the means to build my own home and start my life independently," he said.
Emmanuel training rangers about how to use GPS © Emmanuel Kutiote/FFI
As a CLP intern, Emmanuel was heavily involved in all areas of applied conservation and area management work for three protected areas in South Sudan: Bire Kapatuo game reserve, Bangangai game reserve, and Southern National Park. All three protected areas host globally important populations of threatened species such as African elephant, chimpanzee, pangolin, and African wild dog.
On patrol in Southern National Park © Emmanuel Kutiote/FFI
Among his many responsibilities, Emmanuel acted as a focal point between FFI in South Sudan and the chiefs of the local communities close to the protected areas. "Engaging with government, chiefs, and local communities was hard at first – but this internship really nurtured me and helped me get used to that," he said.
During his internship, Emmanuel also helped set up three new ranger posts and deployed cameras in the Southern National Park. As few surveys had been conducted in the area due to the recent civil war conflict, it was a proud moment for him when the new cameras discovered key species in the area like African wild dog, pangolin and African golden cat: "We got to confirm the sightings to the IUCN, telling them that these species are in the area!"
Endangered giant pangolin image captured by a camera trap in Southern National Park, South Sudan © Bucknell University/FFI
After his internship finished in 2020, FFI were so impressed that they employed Emmanuel permanently. Commenting on this achievement, Emmanuel said: "I really gave my internship my all, and right now, as we're speaking, I'm the Programme Officer for the biomonitoring department, which I'm really enjoying."
To this day, Emmanuel continues supporting FFI in administration, biomonitoring and engaging with stakeholders as a South Sudan Programme Officer by employing skills learned from his time as a CLP intern.
Leading on the front lines of conservation
These first-hand insights from previous CLP interns reveal how their internships have benefited both their careers and their impact on conservation. From these conversations, it's clear that internships can be a valuable springboard for emerging conservationists who are looking for opportunities to work on the ground and develop skills essential for their future careers. CLP plans to continue to provide grants and capacity support for conservation leaders like Mariana, Thiri and Emmanuel who are spearheading efforts to protect threatened biodiversity around the world.
CLP is grateful to Fondation Segré for funding all three internships featured in this article. We'd also like to extend our thanks to Emmanuel, Thiri, and Mariana for taking the time to talk with Bradley about their internships.
Conservation marketing (1)
Gender and conservation (1)
Grants Awarded (5)
Learning exchange (2)
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The Black Hills & Badlands of South Dakota
The Black Hills, covering an area of 125 miles long and 65 miles wide in western South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming, is home to six national parks, monuments and historic sites. Here you'll find Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Devils Tower National Monument, Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, Crazy Horse Memorial and the moon-like surfaces of Badlands National Park.
Adjoining Badlands National Park is the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, a new park dedicated to the Cold War events that shaped our lives.
The Black Hills and Badlands of South Dakota offer an abundance of activities for families, outdoor enthusiast, motorcyclists and history buffs.
Explore The Beautiful Black Hills
EXPLORE BLACK HILLS COMMUNITIES
Nestled among the prairies of the upper-Midwest, you'll find majestic granite spires, pine covered peaks and unique rock outcroppings. The Black Hills, home to Mount Rushmore, is an isolated mountain range located in the western edge of South Dakota. Named "Paha Sapa" by the Lakota Sioux, the Black Hills area is full of scenery, rich history and tons of family fun.
The Black Hills area is claimed as sacred ancestral land by nearly two-dozen Native American tribes. A variety of museums and historical sites provide insight into local Native American history and heritage. The discovery of gold brought the first white settlers and miners to the Dakota Territory in 1874. The hunt for riches gave birth to many of the modern day towns located in the area, including the Wild West town of Historic Deadwood and the southern town of Custer, the gateway to Custer State Park. The gold rush reached its peak in 1877 but gold was still actively mined until 2002. Today, you can tour gold mines and even pan for real gold that still flows through the streams and creeks of the Black Hills National Forest.
Discover The Legendary Badlands of South Dakota
EXPLORE BADLANDS COMMUNITIES
Sharply eroded buttes, jagged spires and colorful sediment create "out-of-this-world" scenery in the Badlands region of western South Dakota. This area, located on the eastern edge of the Black Hills, is home to Badlands National Park, the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site (reserve a tour), Wall Drug, the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and the Wounded Knee Museum and historic cemetery. You'll also find South Dakota's original 1880 Town, the Pioneer Auto Museum, and the country's only National Grasslands Visitor Center. The Badlands region is known for its scenic drives, abundant wildlife, rustic horseback rides and wilderness camping.


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 Home  Technology  Facebook set to Build a Video Chat Device
Facebook set to Build a Video Chat Device
Okechukwu Solomon August 02, 2017 Technology
The Social media giant Facebook is working on a laptop sized touchscreen" and to be announced next year, according to a report from Bloomberg on Tuesday.
The device is being developed inside Facebook's secretive Building 8 hardware lab, which is tasked with creating consumer hardware and shipping it to millions of people.
READ ALSO: How to Check, Recover and Secure Hacked Facebook Account
This Device will come with a touchscreen measuring between 13" and 15" diagonally, and might run a version of Android. It will feature a wide-angle camera and AI-powered microphones and speakers. The device is said to be in testing at the moment, including "in people's homes",
despite still being in the prototype phase.
Facebook is also working on an Amazon Echo-like smart speaker, per Bloomberg, echoing a recent report from Digitimes that said the speaker is on track to ship in early 2018.
READ ALSO: How to download Facebook videos on Android
Both devices will reportedly be powered by a Facebook voice assistant that functions similarly to Apple's Siri. The new devices represent a new phase in Facebook's hardware ambitions.
Okechukwu Solomon - August 02, 2017


HVAC Training Schools announced that they have just launched a new website http://hvactrainingschools.org/. This was done in a bid to tighten up new grounds when it comes to providing information for people interested in pursuing a career in the HVAC industry.
May 9, 2017- Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Training Schools already known for evoking high flying deeds when it comes to training the stewards of human comfort in the modern age, has announced the launch of their new website http://hvactrainingschools.org/. This was done in a bid to tighten up new grounds when it comes to providing information for people interested in pursuing a career in the HVAC industry.
As highlighted by the administrator, "hvactrainingschools.org, have grouped specific HVAC programs together that are available within certain states. Some are even available for certain U.S. cities. Useful data is provided including the number of students graduated from HVAC programs, the schools graduated from and the year graduated. Programs are organized by enrollment and size, with details on school accreditation, licensing and occupation demand for each state. The list is comprised of large universities, community colleges and small schools, since all of these institutions now offer HVAC programs."
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning technicians in this modern age have become the stewards of human comfort. They are responsible for the installation and maintenance of heating and cooling systems in residences and corporations. HVAC technology has over the years become an increasingly popular profession. With the new website launched by HVAC training schools, students can expect to learn everything they'll need to know in order to secure a job and excel in the field. Read on to learn more about how to become an HVAC professional.


As you may have heard, there's a new business brokerage in town – No Coast Business Advisors! A locally owned and operated business brokerage specializing in facilitating transactions in the Lincoln and Omaha/Council Bluffs markets as well as connecting clients with opportunities across Nebraska, No Coast Business Advisors officially opened in October and has since hit the ground running.
With the company's ownership comes extensive firsthand experience in starting, developing and selling a business. You might recognize Jethro Hopkins, co-owner of No Coast Business Advisors, as the owner of three local businesses under the umbrella of J. Hopkins Inc. – Convergence Cleaning, Clean Pro Janitorial Service, and Clean Tech Carpet – and more recently, the newest co-owner of Herbs & More in Lincoln. While owning and operating his businesses over the years, Jethro grew his working knowledge, expertise and network to the point that opening a business brokerage was a natural progression. While Jethro has largely been the face of the businesses, his partner Jason Wollen has always been at the helm of operations. Their individual strengths and skill sets have again come together with this new business endeavor, this time forming an ideal business advisory team. Upon finding the perfect office inside Money Smarts to complement the company's offerings, everything came together and No Coast Business Advisors was born.
Comprehensive Business Brokerage Services: No Coast Business Advisors offers a complete suite of services specifically targeted to those who are looking to buy or sell a business, including consultation, valuations, listing and promotion to target audience, selection and presentation of businesses that fit a buyer's criteria, preparation and management of all key details, closing, and more.
Excellent Customer Service: As this type of purchase or sale generally spans across 6-12 months, developing a strong relationship and keeping open lines of communication with the client is paramount. Their mission is to work alongside the client to ensure that all aspects of the process are properly addressed and in line for a smooth transaction. With a wealth of referral sources, if it's not something that the team can handle in-house they can connect the client with an experienced professional who can.
Market & Opportunity Knowledge: As a member of the North American Alliance of Independent Business Brokers, No Coast Business Advisors has access to referrals from in-network associates across the country. Combined with the specific knowledge of the local markets, No Coast Business Advisors is able to find the right fit for any buyer or seller.
Confidentiality & Ethical Business Practices: When it comes to buying and selling a business, client confidentiality is of the utmost importance and NCBA takes every measure to ensure that sensitive details are protected and only shared as permitted. No Coast Business Advisors establishes trust with clients through transparency and delivering on its promises. Furthermore, they don't get paid until the deal is done.
Targeted Exposure: As each business is unique, marketing it the right way is essential and that's exactly where NCBA's expertise lies. With a wealth of options to utilize, No Coast Business Advisors will develop a strategy that is effective for reaching the specific target audience who would be an ideal fit for the particular business being sold.
Professionalism & Passion: The NCBA team is committed to the highest level of professionalism and is passionate about helping their clients with whatever is needed to get the desired results.
In conclusion, when working with No Coast Business Advisors you'll be teamed up with ethical, experienced professionals who are passionate about what they do and who will always have your best interests at heart, protect your confidentiality, provide valuable referrals when needed, and ensure that the entire transaction from start to finish is conducted effectively and with the utmost regard for your goals and wishes.
No Coast Business Advisors keeps its clients' best interests at the forefront of the working relationship from the initial consultation to the final signature on the contract – and beyond! Whether you're looking to invest in a new business or are ready to sell the business that you've sacrificed for and worked so hard to build, No Coast Business Advisors is ready to help you reach your goals.
Headquartered in Lincoln, the company's office is located at 4316 S. 48th Street #1. For more information about No Coast Business Advisors, Nebraska's newest business brokerage, please call (402) 217-3252, email ncbalincoln@gmail.com, or visit the recently launched website at NoCoastBusinessAdvisors.com.


Whether your company is already operating in some other country or you are simply looking to start an entirely new business in Dubai, both would be considered 'start-ups' within the new market. Dubai is quickly becoming a global hub for trade, but before rushing in to do business there, it helps to know a few things that could make or break your endeavour. The first thing any good business man or woman needs to assess is cost. Here are a few sound bits of cost management advice for start-ups in Dubai.
Upon registering a business in Dubai, the Ministry of Commerce requires a monetary guarantee against liabilities. This amount varies, but the norm is between £6,500 and £33,500 and is meant to prove to the government that you have a sizeable enough investment that can be used as an added measure of protection against any losses you may be held accountable for. This is one financial requirement you can't work around, which is why it is listed first on this list. This figure must be factored into your calculation, so if you are trying to keep costs low, this is one static cost that you need to be on top of.
Here is where it may get a bit tricky. Part of government regulations requires you to be sponsored by a local. If you aren't prudent in your choice of sponsors, it could get quite costly. Make sure to research the person who will be sponsoring you. This is especially the case if you've found your sponsor online. You may have found a less than reputable person of debatable character. In the end, it could cost you a small fortune if he/she absconds with any of your investment or guides you inaccurately.
Another thing you may want to consider are the ways to keep operating costs to a bare minimum. One of the easiest ways to do this is with serviced office space in Dubai. Usually you can find office spaces that come with shared internet, janitorial services, security and some even have a reception area in a central lobby to direct your clients to your office space. Rather than paying individually for all those services, shared costs amongst other businesses keeps your cost much lower. Sometimes these costs are included in the base rental agreement and sometimes they may be 'add-ons,' but they will certainly save you money in either case.
One final bit of advice is to take ample time to research the area and customs. There is a huge divergence between cultures in the UK or the US, for instance, and those in the United Arab Emirates. Not only is it essential to build up business contacts, but in doing so, you don't want to offend any potential clients with behaviours that are perfectly normal back home but frowned upon by the locals. How does this factor into cost? If you don't have a good working relationship with the professionals you will be dealing with, you may soon find that you have no business at all or are asked to pay exorbitant costs for their services.
Starting a business in Dubai isn't as daunting as it may sound because the government actually welcomes new industry. They have even made it easy to do many of your legal transactions online with e-services. It is up to you to manage costs and these tips should point you in the right direction.


200 Kg Butterfly Valve Stainless Steel Powder Mixing Machine(RT-M200SB) - Rong Tsong Precision Technology Co.
It is suitable for mixing various powders quickly. The butterfly valve is used in outlet and is disassembly quickly, clean easily, and can avoid cross-contamination. The safety fence design for user. The machine is made of SUS 304 with polish process. It is equipped with the timer and easy to clean.
The butterfly valve is used in outlet and is disassembly quickly, clean easily, and can avoid cross-contamination.


Do a split. Our chic Clara top features split sleeves for a vacay-friendly feel that's also effortlessly polished. Show off your sunkissed shoulders with this unexpected, embellished top—pair it with drawstring shorts for day, or cover up with our crop pant to complete the look.


Located in the heart of the Nilgiri hills of Southern India is the Thiashola Tea garden.
The Temi Tea Garden is situated at the foothills of the Himalayas in Sikkim.
The Temi Tea garden in Sikkim produces some of the most celebrated teas worldwide.
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The Heyland Swift Sailing Boat can be put on a roof rack and is a fun craft that will row, sail or motor.
Ideal yacht tender with loads of freeboard, equally at home on rivers or lakes for the family to enjoy.
Many children have learnt to row and/or sail in their Swift.Retired couples/families have had years of pleasure in having her as part of the family.


Cindy Lee is a media artist from Melbourne, Australia, and her work consists of both live video footage and video installation. While in her residency at 18th Street, she interviewed Americans, and used family footage as well as domestic footage from her own life to create juxtaposition between the cinematic narratives of film with the personal narratives we make. In her videos she often looks at and analyzes the way people perform in their lives. Her work also places her family footage, which would normally not appeal to the ordinary viewer, and places it into an interesting context that then becomes intriguing to the viewer. Lee is also a VJ (video-jockey) and enjoys using more abstract 2-D and 3-D forms in her work.


Excerpt: "The positive impact of parks investments is well demonstrated (and will be explored in Gravel's forthcoming book). But what is of particular interest here is the impact of the Atlanta Beltline as a comprehensive investment in parks, trails, transit, housing, and economic development. As downtown Toronto faces significant development pressures, communities are increasingly looking to edge spaces and infrastructure corridors as potential open space assets, to be transformed into linear parks and railpaths. Taking notes from the Atlanta Beltline, we should consider these projects from a city systems perspective–what is the potential for transit, active recreation, enhanced urban design, and good development along these new linear parks, and how can we harness that potential to build the Toronto we want?" >> More.
For a follow-up Q&A after my talk on July 8, click here.


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Comparison of low dose and standard dose CT in the evaluation of inflammatory diseases of paranasal sinuses
Karabulut, N.; Akti, U.; Kazil, S.
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic value of low dose CT (LDCT) by comparing the identification of sinonasal anatomical structures, anatomic variations and detectability of inflammatory changes at low and standard dose CT (SDCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 30 patients who were referred to CT scan for the assessment of paranasal sinuses underwent CT examinations at both standard [110 mA, 120 kV, 5 mm collimation (3 mm collimation at the level of the ostiomeatal unit)] and low dose [22 mA, 120 kV, 5 mm collimation (3 mm collimation at the level of the ostiomeatal unit)]. All images were photographed at identical window settings (window width, 4000 HU; window level, 50 HU) on laser film. Ten sinonasal anatomical structures (five on the right and five on the left) and inflammatory mucosal changes were recorded for each patient. The detectability and conspicuity levels were scored for each finding. RESULTS: A total of 297 sinonasal anatomical structures were identified at SDCT, whereas 296 structures were detected at LDCT. Inflammatory mucosal changes and anatomical variations were equally identified at both SDCT and LDCT (p > 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between SDCT and LDCT in the detection on of anatomical structures, variations and inflammatory changes (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The low dose CT protocol used in this study provided images of adequate quality, and proved to be reliable in the evaluation of normal and diseased paranasal sinuses.


This stunning kitchen is designed by Manhattan decorator Nannette Brown. The warmth from the vintage wood table, island and bistro chairs provides a visually delightful contrast against the sleek and modern appliances. The combination of beautiful brass vintage pendant lights and vintage style cabinet evokes a nostalgic feel which I find to be quite charming. Such a gorgeous, timelessly chic kitchen, what's not to love about this space? Are you drawn to this updated classic kitchen as well? Your thoughts?


At one point, this issue was going to parody the Y2K bug (remember that?) The issue would start normal, then a some point the computer would flip and print the issue for Cracked 1900. I remember writing a parody of the Sears' Wish book. In the end, the concept was abandoned, but this history of comedy came out of it.


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Tourism Music
Les Schwab Concerts Drive Summer Spending in Bend
The 26,000-plus fans that attended the Les Schwab Summer Concert Series shows last year spent roughly $3.6 million on dining, lodging and entertainment, according to a recently completed study commissioned by Visit Bend. The study quantifies what many people have long sensed: That the LSA Summer Concert Series big-name acts draw a significant number of out-of-town visitors who stay and play in Central Oregon because of the music. According to a summary of the findings, about 39 percent of concert goers come from outside of the region. On average, out-of-state concertgoers spent more than two nights in Central Oregon during their visit. Most of them, 71 percent, stayed in Bend hotels, motels and resorts.
"The Les Schwab Amphitheater is one of the unsung heroes of Bend's tourism industry," said Visit Bend CEO Doug LaPlaca, in a press release. "While other events receive more attention and generate more headlines, there are none that draw as many out-of-town visitors as the concerts at the Les Schwab Amphitheater."
The Source Staff


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goMadridPride.com is the Reference Madrid City Guide among international gay travelers and their friends seeking unique experiences.
We select and review the Best of Madrid to stay, eat, drink, buy, visit and live. Different and authentic.
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We also offer some advanced features such as reservations, contact forms, purchase buttons.
Your business does not have to be exclusively directed to the LGBT public. It only has to be "Gay Friendly" welcoming gays and their friends.
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Once published, you can update your page for free whenever you want.
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A strategic partner aligning science and strategy to create meaningful messaging.
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We believe success is best achieved through integrated, cross-functional collaboration. Our process brings scientific depth, strategic acumen, and energized creativity into harmony with industry needs, standards, and requirements to produce real-world, effective results.
Whether you are seeking a strategic partner or are simply curious to learn more, get in touch.
© Copyright 2019. Synchrony Group, LLC. All rights reserved.


Nitin Khanna is a native Indian entrepreneur who is based in the United States, Portland city in Oregon State. He is the current chairman and the Chief Executive Officer of Mergers which is an international mergers and acquisitions advisory company. Before this, Khanna cofounded the Saber Corp in 1998 which he later sold it to EDS and was responsible for the all aspects of the development of the company until EDS bought it. Read more Nitin Khanna on ventures.
Nitin Khanna studied his early education in Sanawar, a school known as The Lawrence School. He joined the University of Purdue in Portland where he proceeded with his higher studies.it is in this institution where he obtained his bachelor's degree and master's degree in industrial engineering. He started practicing his career softer graduating from his postgraduate studies.
Nitin Khanna is known in the US for founding the Saber Corp which used to provide stated government solutions in the united states in 1998. He worked hard until the company grew to 1200 employees and a revenue of more than $120 million by 2007. See more on Khanna's journey at Saber Corp.
Before founding Saber, he used to work with Oracle Corporation where he assumed numerous top positions. He later sold it at $ 460 million to EDS and worked with EDS in leading them on the government business operations. While he was working with Saber Corp, Khanna got to manage eight mergers and acquisition transactions, and it is here where he gained experience which helped him to start MergerTech later.
In 2015, Nitin Khanna launched Cura Cannabis Solutions which is now the largest cannabis oil provider in Portland city, Oregon State. Recently, the investor was involved in Indian tech, and he invested over 4 million dollars in ISOS Inc.; a software company which provides features like inventory management, smart attendance, security management, cashless transactions, and real-time tracking. Khanna is also a member of the board of directors at Vendscreen, TiE Oregon, Freewire Broadband and Classic Wines Auction.
Some of the mergers and acquisitions which Nitin Khanna has led include the acquisition of Arc Touch by Gret, Serene Corporation by AST Corp, Springbrook by Accela, and GlobeSherpa by RideScout and many others.
It was shortly after he was hired for this endeavor that he moved to the United States and was nominated to the be the president of Gano Excel. The company was focused on producing products with ganoderma, a living organism within the mushroom family that promotes good health. The goal for Gano Excel, was to put the ganoderma into capsules and instant coffee products to promote a healthier lifestyle.
The popularity of the company grew tremendously, and it didn't take long for the company to determine a successful future for itself. A rebranding of the company took place is 2008, giving it the name Organo Gold. During this time, the company was known more for it's instant coffee products that were often referred to as "healthy coffee".
Chua has now expanded the company into Turkey, and eventually changed the name to Organo in 2015. Turkey was the 39th country in which Bernardo Chua has opened up more opportunity for his company. The decision to do this was simple. Turkey was noted as the first country to ever open a coffeehouse, dating back to the 15th century.
Guilherme Paulus recently became the newest billionaire in Brazil. The businessman invested a lot in the tourism industry, and he never expected that his net worth would expand tremendously, turning him into a billionaire. Representatives from the Forbes Magazine have also traveled to the South American country to verify his net worth, and when they found out that Guilherme Paulus made it to the billion dollar mark, the magazine stated that his name would be included in this year's billionaires list. He will be joining the likes of Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffet in the 2018 edition of the famed magazine. Connect with Guilherme Paulus by visiting his linkedin acount.
Before he became a successful entrepreneur, Guilherme Paulus used to be an intern for IBM. He was only a teenager when he joined the company, and he worked with them only for a short time. However, the knowledge that he learned from his colleagues left an impact, and the decided four years later to apply what he learned from IBM and created his own business. He had to think about where he should be investing his money, and he thought that establishing a business in the tourism industry would have the most advantage because Brazil back then was a haven for tourist. He established a tour operator services firm in 1972 with the help from a Brazilian politician, and they successfully managed the company. However, his business partner left him four years after the business' establishment, and he was left to manage the company alone.
Felipe Montoro is renown journalist and reporter in Brazil. He has reported on several topics and speeches by the top-notch people in his country. The following are among the many speeches he has reported.
According to Felipe's report, the minister for planning, development, and management, Mr. DyogoOliveir stresses the centrality of creating financial support on the private investments. The minister retaliates on the importance of availing financial guarantees systems that will leverage private investments into the fracture projects in Latin America.
The minister also proposed that the Inter –American Development Bank (IDB) should promote awareness towards efficient solutions for the risk management in the projects.
Luis Caputo, the minister for finance and the chairman of the board of governors. He agreed with Dyogo, the minister for planning's proposal. He suggested that IDB should leverage private investors in the region.
According to him, Oliveira, there is the need for new investors from other nations being supported by IDB. This investment is key to reach the industry 4.0 revolution. The revolution is already on the way coming.
Felipe Montoro Jens continued to report that the president of IDB, honorable Moreno Albert. The president said that the Latin American challenge e is the convergence in infrastructures. This will, without the connectivity. The minister, Dyogo Oliveira pointed out that several partnerships between the private and the public sectors have been made in Brazil. The reporter continued to emphasize that the action taken by the government especially in the area of finance development is in line with the practices in the region.
These are some of the reports done by Jens Felipe Montoro. He is an earnest reporter in the country. Information is power, and that is what he does, supply power to the people.
Ted Bauman grew up in Washington, D.C. He went to college overseas in South Africa. He lived on the African continent for twenty five years. He dedicated over two decades of his life to Africa to do good works for humanity. He put both his history degree and economics degree to work. He worked with Habitat for Humanity in Latin America. He went onto be apart of the establishment of an organization that serves fourteen million people in need.
When Ted Bauman joined Banyan Hill Publishing he had no clue of the effect he would have on tens of thousands of readers. Banyan Hill Publishing is a leader in financial and economic news for investors. The team of experts this publication has offers one of a kind insight on investment. Ted Bauman came to the website to be a writer and editor.
Ever since he began working for the publication, he has grown a loyal following of readers who are very attentive to the content he creates. Ted Bauman makes sure to let readers know the most up to date information on investments happening around the world. Researching is one thing the writer looks forward to and is skilled at. He does not let anyone else research his information for him. One of the biggest trends right now he is into is studying and writing on global economics. Right now, he is also into large companies. He explains to his readers through text the investment benefit of how these companies aid society and how people can cash in on investing in large companies.
Dyogo Oliveira, the Minister for Planning, Management, and Development, took the chance of defending the private sector for the high increase in infrastructure projects in Brazil. He did this during a meeting that took place in Mendoza, Argentina. It was a special meeting of the Inter-American Development Bank, which brought together all the governors.
According to Oliveira, the IDB should promote education that aims at more solutions that are effective for a project risk managing and facilitate the influence of the individual investments in the region.
Luis Caputo, Argentina's finance minister and president of the Banks' Board of Governors, seconded Oliveira in his point that stated the IDB should consider leveraging the private investment in Latin America.
Felipe Montoro Jens reported that Garrido who is the secretary of State for Economy and Business Support of Spain had earlier on emphasized on the vigor of the markets in the region. He also highlighted Brazil as the perfect country for Spanish investment.
Minister Oliveira Dyogo feels that there is the need for the new investments from other countries, to be supported by the IDB. It is essential because the new investments will be able to face the 4.0 industry revolution, which is already coming. He said that the challenge they were facing was building the sanitation and roads in the country with the aim of providing water to the people. Oliveira saw it best if they also invest in a better infrastructure with the objective of promoting the fourth industrial revolution.
If you are looking for a banker who has an impeccable reputation and unmatched experience, then look no further as Anil Chaturvedi has been able to showcase all these qualities in his career of nearly forty years. He continues to be active in the banking world and has helped many banks and financial organizations to smoothen their financial, business, and investment strategies to get more revenue and improve their standing in the market. Anil Chaturvedi started his career in India by working for several local banks after completing his studies in the field of finance and business. After working for several local banks in India and gaining considerable experience, he moved to the United States where he joined the State Bank of India.
Working for the State Bank of India in the United States gave him the opportunity to showcase his business and financial skills, and it is what he did to get the results that the bank was looking for. Within just a few years that he worked for the State Bank of India, Anil Chaturvedi managed to increase the revenue of the bank by more than $500 million. It is one of the most remarkable achievements in the bank ever, and it also won him the title of the Man of the Year at State Bank of India. Currently, Anil Chaturvedi is based in Switzerland where he is working for Hinduja Bank. Working as the Managing Director of Hinduja Bank has helped him develop marketing strategies that would attract more Indians settled abroad to the bank, and he is also focusing on bringing foreign investments to India. As the trade laws in India has become much more flexible than what it used to be, it has become much more beneficial for the foreign companies to relocate their business to India.
Anil Chaturvedi is a graduate of the leading Delhi University and has always had the affiliation to enter the banking industry. But, he did not know that he would get an opportunity so early in his life. He took on the opportunity and with his knowledge and skills; he has become one of the top bankers in the industry.


Wisepalace Big size 6 pack Drink Coasters + holder, comes with sphere ice ball maker mold, suits for all bar drinks hot&cool, whisky glass, coffee mugs, Top Grade Silicone Lifetime Warranty This is a great set made of silicone, and your glass won't slide off the coaster, and your ice balls come out of the mold easy and perfect!
PERFECT COMBO! - on top of our great coasters, for the same price you get an ice ball maker mold. add a stylish round ice balls to your drinks and elevate your drinking style while protecting your furniture - best set for summer!
SIZE MATTERS - these big 4.3 inch coasters provides the best spill and condensation protection for your cups and mugs, we specially designed the coasters to have a solid grip without sticking to the bottom of the cup and special design To create easy detach 4 perfect sphere ice balls.
ELEGANT AND MULTIFUNCTIONAL - double sided silicone patterns makes it suitable for any wood or glass table tops, coasters are heat resistant so can be used to put on hot pans or as handles to lift hot pots.
EASY CLEAN EASY LIFE - just drop them in the dishwasher no worry it's dishwasher safe! made from Safe food-grade material; FDA Approved; BPA Free, so it can be used around food, and as spoon and spatula placement when cocking.


11/8/2018 November Spazio Westport Gus Delgado OpenLegacy Open Innovation. Open APIs.
4/9/2017 April Meeting Spazio Westport Jim Buck Failure to Modernize - The Real Cost!
5/9/2013 May Meeting Spazio Westport Barbara Morris Modules, service programs, activation groups, oh my!
9/13/12 September Meeting Graphic Arts Jeff Carey Image Catalogs: How They Changed My Life!
12/09/10 December Meeting Mike Pavlak PHP for RPG Developers.
05/13/10 May Meeting Aaron Bartell "WDSC First Kiss" and "WDSC Tidbits of Goodies"
04/08/10 April Meeting Mike Pavlak "Getting Started with PHP on IBM i"
03/11/10 March Meeting Pat Botz "Object Level Security"
"Step by Step Approach to Object Level Security"
02/11/10 February Meeting Scott Klement "Pattern for Reusable RPG"
"RPG User Defined Functions & Table Functions"
12/10/09 December Meeting Bruce Vining "CL Story Continues"
11/12/09 November Meeting Bryan Meyers "WWW.RPG.IV"
"Database Modernization: Object Creation and Access" and "SQL Stored Procedures"
10/12/06 October Meeting ALL DAY Bryan Meyers RPG IV Update -- What's New?
All Day Event! Al Barsa and Jim Sloan all day presenting topics covering: API's, V5R3, Save techniques, System Values and sophisticated CL programming.
2/12/04 February Meeting Remote System Explorer and the latest and greatest in RPG IV coming to an iSeries near you!!!


text:
Mitrasacme es un género con 96 especies de plantas con flores perteneciente a la familia Loganiaceae.

Especies
 Mitrasacme aggregata
 Mitrasacme albomarginata
 Mitrasacme alsinoides
 Mitrasacme ambigua
 Mitrasacme archeri

Enlaces externos

 http://biopl-a-181.plantbio.cornell.edu/

Loganiaceae

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
How to Leverage Empathy to Create an Inclusive Environment for Women
by Sudhansu Batra / ⠀Entrepreneurship• Startup Advice / November 22, 2021
So you've achieved gender diversity in your workplace. Great! Now what? Diversity matters, of course — but not just for its own sake. Inclusion is the key to retaining both new and longer-term women employees.
And it's critical to your organization's success. If diverse employees don't feel valued and acknowledged, their engagement could suffer. You might find yourself starting the candidate search all over again.
As a business leader, how can you build and retain meaningfully diverse teams on which women feel empowered to succeed? By leveraging empathy and emotional intelligence in a way that creates inclusion for women.
In your leadership role, you can also model empathy for others.
Building a culture of emotionally intelligent colleagues for whom the inclusion of women — and other diverse colleagues — can become second nature. And on a personal level, you might discover a degree of authenticity that empowers you as well. It might inspire you to stand up for your women colleagues. You may find yourself pushing your peers and superiors to provide equity for women organization-wide.
Get Started with Diversity
Of course, like many inclusive leaders of today, you might understand that empathy is important yet sometimes feel at a loss as to how to cultivate it.
Fortunately, you can teach empathy — and it's contagious! This means not only that you can learn to be empathetic to build diversity but also that you have the power to build a workplace culture of empathy in which women are truly included, feel recognized, and valued for the unique contributions they make. Joshua Jones, CFP®, CEO of Everspire and an advocate for women, offers further perspective on the opportunity:
"It's hard to imagine a reasonable leader who does not see how well-aligned inclusivity is with both economics and ethics. The current corporate structure was mostly crafted by men, for men. Regretfully, it was intentionally built with little consideration for how to be inclusive of women, but that now needs to change. There are many disadvantages and challenges women face that even the most well-intentioned men don't see owing to the male privilege."
Inclusive Companies Are More Successful
A company that recognizes and accommodates talented women — who are often primarily responsible for the upbringing of the next generation — will create a progressive organization with newfound potential. We must proactively set out to offer a nurturing and equitable culture where young career-oriented women who choose to become mothers can thrive.
"Not only is it the right thing to do, but it's also good for business. For instance, there are powerhouse women in our own organization leading, guiding, and inspiring the company towards remarkable growth, without whom we would restrict our potential and development," says Jones.
In collaborating with Everspire over the past two years, we discovered that their culture aligns seamlessly with Girl Power Talk's foundation of diversity and inclusion. We subsequently featured Taynia Vakapuna, a paraplanner at Everspire, writing about the necessity to push boundaries.
Empathy, Emotional Intelligence, and Mindfulness
We hear the terms "empathy" and "emotional intelligence" often these days. Simply put, having empathy means being able to understand and experience another person's feelings — not merely recognize them.
Having emotional intelligence refers to mindfully managing both your emotions and the emotions of others.
Doing so is critical to creating an inclusive environment of diversity that allows women to thrive — and your entire team to excel. Mindfulness comes into play as you train yourself to notice your thoughts and emotions and then make conscious choices about whether, when, and how to express them.
Maybe an Example of Inclusion Might Help
What do these inclusive skills look like in practice for leaders interacting with female employees? Consider this one-on-one scenario.
Mia enters Joe's office to inform him that she has failed a professional certification exam. They both expected she would pass. For Mia, the credential was important to her career advancement and financial success. Joe was counting on Mia's certification to qualify his team for an upcoming proposal. Here are two tactics Joe used to ensure that Mia felt included and valued following this setback:
Empathy: Joe listens to Mia, allowing her to take the lead in sharing the news and her feelings about it before responding. When he speaks, he mirrors Mia's emotions. "I understand how you feel." "I know you are disappointed." At that moment, he avoids stereotypically male responses such as problem-solving ("You can take the exam again") and faultfinding ("Did you use that exam prep service I recommended?"). He simply takes in her words and expressions, pauses, and mirrors them back to her. And he truly means everything he expresses.
Emotional Intelligence: Joe listens to Mia, refraining from speaking and giving her ample time to share. As she speaks, he empathizes. He also takes notice of — but does not express — his own feelings of anxiety and disappointment. The leader mindfully balances his feelings with hers, consciously choosing what he feels is the most inclusive, supportive response. He opts for sympathy ("I'm sorry it didn't go as well as you'd hoped") and empathy ("I understand how you feel"). For the good of the team, and for Mia's personal and professional well-being, Joe evaluates both their emotions and refrains from expressing his personal reaction to the news.
Refraining from Problem-Solving
And here is what not to do: Research shows that, unlike women, men tend toward problem-solving and faultfinding, but these responses are likely to leave Mia feeling pressured or even judged. Such feelings can destroy the sense of inclusion you want to create.
When you're faced with a situation like this one with Joe and Mia, simply listen as your female colleague speaks. Pause, and then mirror her thoughts and emotions back to her.
If you become aware of your own reactions as you listen, simply note them, keep listening, pause, mirror your colleague, and then weigh the value of expressing your perceptions right then versus continuing to focus on her feelings.
Modeling Empathy for the Good of the Group
In groups — meetings in person or via audio or video conference, on team projects, and in all-hands gatherings — take extra care to involve your female colleagues. They might be more hesitant to draw attention to themselves based on past experiences of exclusion.
Again, bring empathy and emotional intelligence to your interactions.
Tune into what these women feel. (Intimidated? Inspired? Defensive?) Imagine what they want at the moment. (Acceptance? Encouragement? Acknowledgment?) And find a way to meet them where they are.
As an inclusive leader committed to bringing empathy to your team or organization, recognize that you are modeling behavior. When employees see you employing empathy as a way of including women, they will get the message. Women employees have distinct and valuable contributions to make, and they are an integral part of the team, just like everyone else.
Inclusion Is a Partnership, Not a Gift
In leveraging empathy, your goal is to create a workplace in which women are valued and supported. Encourage everyone to bring both their career expertise and their soft skills to their assignments.
Take care not to give the impression that you are bestowing inclusion on your women employees. You are not doing them a favor.
If anything, your female coworkers are providing you with an opportunity to grow and develop as a leader and as a person. Together, as colleagues in an inclusive culture, you can make the most of diversity. Everyone can begin drawing on one another in a way that enhances collaboration, boosts productivity, and improves recruitment and retention.
Our Commitment to a Better Future for Women at Work
The culture at our workplace advocates for women at work. Our vision for the working world is one in which women are free to achieve. That they have all the resources and support that have long been afforded to men.
We acknowledge men who share our vision, and we invite all men to learn from our perspective. In our view, gender equality is a human right. Investing in women's development is a hallmark of our mission. It's a crucial element that's helping men understand how they can contribute to fulfilling that goal.
business diversitymindfulnesswomen in business
Sudhansu Batra
Sudhansu Batra is an advocate for gender equality, AI and Big Data enthusiast, and a passionate mentor for women in technology. He serves as the chief operating officer at Girl Power Talk and vice president at Blue Ocean Global Technology based in New York. He was previously a senior software engineer at Wipro Limited, where he focused on enterprise relationships in the United States and UK. He is passionate about helping growth companies improve profitability through effective digital transformation. Sudhansu's technical expertise includes open-source development, Microsoft Azure, T-SQL Stored Procedures, MongoDB, DynamoDB, Informatica, Power BI, AWS, SQL, SSIS, SSRS, and SSAS. He ensures that clients follow an agile but flexible plan for leveraging new technologies. He is relentlessly committed to developing young leaders and building a special work culture at Girl Power Talk that celebrates gender diversity. He is an example of how men can be both allies and flag bearers for building an equitable workplace and world. Sudhansu finds inspiration in Andrew Carnegie's definition of teamwork: the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.


WOBEON seeks to provide a quality source of news, events and other resources for discerning World Music afficionados at the local, national and international levels. At the centerpeice of our first offering is a definitive calendar of World Music events in your neck of the woods and elsewhere. Also featured are op-ed pieces by a fine, growing group of World Music luminaries who have a point of view and are keen to share it. Our start may be small, but our vision is large, our passion limitless. Stay tuned. WOBEON. Go Beyond.


I won a battle. Clara walked up to the skillet and said, "Mom that looks good!" She didn't even notice the vegetables right away. Until she started eating, but she finished her dinner for a change anyway.
This isn't anything fancy obviously, and maybe that's the key. If the school lunch humans would mix vegetables into their meals instead of leaving them as a side, maybe more would be eaten instead of tossed untouched into garbage cans.
Too bad there are all those stupid rules that prevent any creativity from the school lunch staff. Maybe someday, and someday soon. Things are starting to change for the better I hear. Clara came home last week and bragged about the slices of fresh cantaloupe on her tray.
A fast, fun and slightly adapted Taste of Home recipe.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, brown beef with the onion and a dash of seasoning salt, drain. Stir in vegetables, ketchup, water, mustard and garlic powder. Cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Add cheddar cheese and stir until melted. Mix in macaroni and cheese. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Yield: 4-6 servings. Total time 25 minutes.
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home. Picture by Laura Flowers.
Don't even get me started on school lunch. If all parents were like you and trying to take small steps...kids would most certainly eat more veggies.
Love that picture of Clara! She's such a pretty girl. I agree, even as an adult, veggies are much easier to eat if they're part of the meal instead of on the side. WTG!
That's a wonderfully prepared skillet. I would love to add up some gravy on top of it as an added twist.
Clara does look like she's ready to dig in! I want to too!


text:
Bruce Nicholson is a special effects artist who received the Special Achievement Academy Award in 1980 for the visual effects of the film The Empire Strikes Back, which he shared with Brian Johnson, Richard Edlund and Dennis Muren. He won his first competitive Oscar for Raiders of the Lost Ark at the 1981 in the category of Best Visual Effects, where he shared his award with Richard Edlund, Kit West and Joe Johnston. He got one more Oscar nomination, for the 1982 for the film Poltergeist, which lost to E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

He has worked on nearly 50 films since 1977.

References

External links

Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)
Special Achievement Academy Award winners
Best Visual Effects Academy Award winners
Special effects people