Alabama Farm Credit appoints nine young farmers to advisory board
CULLMAN, Ala. – Nine young farmers from North and Central Alabama have been appointed to Alabama Farm Credit’s Young Farmer Advisory Board. They will advise the lending cooperative’s management and board of directors on the financing needs and challenges facing young, beginning and small producers in the region.
Ranging in age from 26 to 37, pictured from left to right Steadman Rutherford, Lawrence County; Ben Brown, Southside; Jerry Allen Newby Jr., Limestone County; Cade Grace, Jasper; Anna Yeager Brakefield, Huntsville; Jordyn Upchurch, Lineville; Ellie Watson, Autaugaville; Erin Duke, Munford; and Karah Skinner, Fruithurst.
"This is an exceptional group of leaders representing all aspects of agriculture. We at Alabama Farm Credit are honored to have them serve on our inaugural Young Farmer Advisory Board," said Mel Koller, Alabama Farm Credit's chief executive officer.
"Young and beginning producers face the obstacles of establishing, growing and sustaining their businesses for not only themselves but their families too. These challenges allow these young leaders to look at everyday strategies differently, and we are so excited to gain value from working together with them," Koller said. "Agriculture is always about relationships, and creating strong ties with the next generation of leaders will ensure we work toward a prosperous future together. Together we grow."
Alabama Farm Credit finances farmers, agribusinesses, rural homeowners and landowners in northern Alabama. It is headquartered in Cullman and has branch offices in Albertville, Athens, Cullman, Talladega and Tuscumbia.
The financing co-op is a part of the nationwide Farm Credit System, a network of rural lending cooperatives established in 1916.


Energy & Utilities, Investment Management, retail...
Shared learning forum will hear from international thought leaders on the future of change management
On the 11th and 12th November the Change Management Institute (CMI) 2015 Conference will investigate emerging trends in organisational change. The conference, taking place at the RSA on London’s Strand, has assembled a programme of international thought leaders in change to explore new concepts and challenge conventional thinking in a shared learning forum.
The CMI conference will be staged in London and Sydney on the 11-12 November and will also be live streamed to our online delegates from around the world.
The CMI conference speakers represent some of the profession’s new wave of change management thinking and include NHS’s Chief Transformation Officer Helen Bevan and USA based best-selling author and future of work provocateur Stowe Boyd.
Change Management President, Caroline Perkins explains, ‘This is a conference with a very big twist. This is not a ‘sit back and listen’ event. This is an event where you can be involved with developing and publishing new thinking in change and ‘’How Change is Changing’’.’
The Change Management Institute conference is a truly global event where delegates will be able to attend and actively participate to shape the future of organisations and the strategic change agenda.
A book will be published with the content captured from the conference, with recognition of all contributors in London, Sydney and online.
Conference website: www.cmiconference.com
Conference email: email@example.com
Twitter: @ChangeMgtIns #cmidisrupt
Notes to editor: Early Bird registration is open until 28th September. Tickets can be purchased online through the conference website.
The Change Management Institute (CMI) is a global, independent, not-for-profit organisation set up to promote and develop the profession of change management internationally. To learn more visit the Change Management Institute website www.change-management-institute.com


May 27, 2020
For adults, primary care is all about preventing problems down the road, but some patients may be putting off care these days over fears of being exposed to COVID-19.
“I think it’s a lot safer to come to the doctor’s office than to go to the grocery store right now,” SolutionHealth’s Stephanie Ballentine, APRN, at Foundation Adult Medicine for Southern New Hampshire Health System, explains.
Ballentine’s office reopened recently after having been closed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. For several weeks, they were only providing care through telemedicine. But now, with proper safety precautions in place, they have returned to offering in-person appointments.
Across SolutionHealth, staff and providers are wearing masks at all times. Hand sanitizing and hand washing is always important but is now in triplicate. As Ballentine explains, “We just want to reassure people when they come into the office, that it’s safe, and we are available.”
A limited number of appointments are being scheduled throughout the day. Each appointment is spread out to give staff time to clean everything before the next appointment. When patients arrive, they go straight into an exam room and skip the waiting room.
If patients don’t feel comfortable scheduling an in-office visit, telemedicine is still available. Using labs and imaging testing which are always available, Ballentine says she has treated a variety of problems, including headaches, back pain, some rashes, and anxiety/depression. But she stresses, “Any kind of emergency care should definitely not be put off. The emergency rooms are very safe.”
Since the pandemic started, Ballentine says she has seen an increase in patients calling to establish care with a primary care provider. “I feel the COVID-19 pandemic has focused health care at the forefront of people’s minds. Many people have realized that they do need a medical provider to go to,” she explains. She says immediate care and emergency rooms are ideal for after-hours or emergency illness but are just not intended to provide preventative care and manage chronic conditions.
While you may be stuck at home social distancing, Ballentine is reminding patients that vaccines are still a must. She recommends that adult patients consult with their primary care provider to ensure they are up to date. There have been co-infections with influenza and pneumonia in many COVID-19 patients. “I hope people will be especially diligent with their flu vaccines this year, as well as the pneumonia vaccine for at-risk individuals – these include people over age 65, smokers, asthmatics, and patients with other lung diseases,” Ballentine explains.


Professional Development Scholarships
Education for professionals is critical in the fight against ED, and professional conferences, seminars, and events can be expensive to attend. We want to help! To date, KMB has awarded over $2,000 in scholarships to local professionals!
We are happy to announce our 2018 initiative is to offer Professional Development Scholarships for clinicians and mental health professionals seeking opportunities to learn more about Eating Disorders!
Now accepting applications!
Conference: International Conference on Eating Disorders (ICED) 2019
Scholarship Amount: up to $500
Topic: Start Spreading the News: Education, Dissemination & the Science of Eating Disorders
Date: March 14 – 16, 2019
Location: New York, NY
Awarded two local professionals who work at The Healing Connection (2) scholarships for the 2018 ICED conference!
Five local professionals were awarded a $95 scholarship to attend the Annual Erin Leah Robarge Memorial Seminar conference in Corning, NY!


ASSOCIATION OF HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUBS
NO. 2020 – 40
RECOGNIZING THE HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB OF HONOLULU’S “KOA TO KANAKA” INITIATIVE TO INCREASE SUPPORT AND OUTREACH TO NATIVE HAWAIIAN MILITARY VETERANS
WHEREAS, Hawaiʻi has historically lower usage of benefits offered through the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), with only 15% of Hawaiʻi’s qualified veterans utilizing one or more VA benefits, compared to the national minority utilization rate of 44% (See State Summary: Hawaii, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, 2010; See also Minority Veterans Report: Military Service History and VA Benefit Utilization Statistics, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, 2017); and
WHEREAS, Hawaiʻi veterans are more susceptible to homelessness and falling within the Aloha United Way’s ALICE® (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) population, which categorizes those struggling in Hawaiʻi to make ends meet; and
WHEREAS, Native Hawaiian have higher rates of death in Hawaiʻi and lower life expectancy compared to other ethnic groups (See Assessment and Priorities for Health & Well-Being in Native Hawaiians & Other Pacific Peoples, Department of Native Hawaiian Health John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, 2013); and
WHEREAS, the Native Hawaiian military veteran community has lower VA benefit utilization compared to other minority ethnicities; and
WHEREAS, the VA has identified veteran benefit awareness as a leading issue (See Minority Veterans Report: Military Service History and VA Benefit Utilization Statistics, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, 2017); and
WHEREAS, we believe that Native Hawaiian veterans do not use their VA benefits, due in part, to their lack of knowledge that they qualify and lack of understanding how to access the benefits; and
WHEREAS, the Hawaiian Civic Club of Honolulu is exploring an initiative called “Koa to Kanaka” to address the lack of support and outreach to Native Hawaiian veterans by drawing upon the expertise of current and former Native Hawaiian service members.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs at its 61st Annual Convention held online, in the malama of Makali‘i and the rising of ʻOlekūkolu, this 22nd day of November 2020, recognizing the Hawaiian Civic Club of Honolulu’s “Koa to Kanaka” initiative to increase support and outreach to Native Hawaiian military veterans; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Association commends the Hawaiian Civic Club of Honolulu for taking a leading role to increase the support for and outreach to Native Hawaiian military veterans; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a certified copy of this resolution be transmitted to the Hawaiian Civic Club of Honolulu, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, as well as the Governor of the State of Hawai‘i, President of the State Senate, Speaker of the State House of Representatives, Chair of the State Senate subject matter committee on Hawaiian Affairs, Chair of the State House subject matter committee on Hawaiian Affairs, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and all County Mayors.
The undersigned herby certifies that the foregoing Resolution was duly adopted in the malama of Makaliʻi and the rising of ʻOlekūkolu on the 22nd day of November 2020, at the 61st Annual Convention of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs held online.
Hailama V.K.K. Farden, President


OTMPC Announces New Additions to Ontario Signature Experiences
TORONTO, Ont., Nov. 17 — The Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation (OTMPC) announced 29 new additions to the Ontario Signature Experiences (OSE) for a total of 59 Signature Experiences. This is the first intake through the application and evaluation process. The OSE is linked with the Canadian Signature Experiences Collection (CSE) in order to both act as a stepping stone for Ontario tourism operators who aspire to be included in Canada's international marketing and to highlight the diversity of Ontario experiences. The 30 original Ontario-based members in the CSE collection were automatically included in the inaugural Ontario Signature Experiences as announced at the Ontario Tourism Summit, November 2013.
The OSE program was developed to promote and market must-see travel experiences that will appeal to global target markets. The OSE program is designed to showcase the best and most unique tourism experiences in the province that will motivate more people to visit Ontario.
These tourism destinations and activities showcase the best of what Ontario has to offer to its many visitors, and highlight the province's immersive tourism products. Congratulations to all the selected organizations!
1000 Islands Helicopter Tours
African Lion Safari — Wake up the Wild
Algoma Central Railway — Agawa Canyon Tour Train
Blue Heron Company — Flower Pot Island Glass Bottom
Blue Mountain Resorts Ltd/Blue Mountain Village Association — Apple Pie Trail & Pedal and Paddle Adventure
Canada Aviation and Space Museum
Canadian War Museum
Canadian Warplane Museum — Avro Lancaster
Distillery Historic District
Georgian Bay Airways
Grace Anne II Yacht and Lodge
Grand Experiences — Paths Less Travelled
Madawaska Kanu Centre
Naturally Superior Adventures
Ottawa River Rafting: RiverRun Rafting; OWL Rafting; Wilderness Tours
Ottawa Cycling Tours
Sail Superior Yacht Adventures
Sainte-Marie Among the Hurons
Toronto Bicycle Tours — Island Twilight Bicycle Tour
Watson's Algoma Vacations
Whirlpool Jet Boats
Wilderness North — Path of the Explorer
WindsorEats — Drinks of Walkerville
Yours Outdoors — Haliburton Rocks
To learn more about the OTMPC's Ontario Signature Experiences, click here.


Government Siding with Workers Seeking to Unionize Local McDonald’s Locations
In December of 2014, an employee was fired from a McDonald’s restaurant in Little Rock, allegedly because he was trying to organize the franchise’s employees into a union. This type of firing is generally not allowed under federal law. Many other actions aimed at preventing employees from organizing are also prohibited. The National Labor Relations Board has stepped in on behalf of the workers at this franchise and other location with the same owner, seeking to have the employee rehired and to stop the franchise owners from taking actions which would prevent union organization.
The two McDonald’s locations in question are franchises run by The Retzer Group Inc., which owns 47 such businesses in three states. One of these restaurants was the site of a protest against low wages and poor treatment in September of 2014, during which 11 people were arrested. These protests were part of a larger, nationwide campaign seeking a $15/hr. wage for fast food workers.
The Retzer Group, Inc. is accused of threatening termination of any employees who discussed unions or organizing. Allegedly, employees were prevented from gathering outside during breaks or from participating in organizing activity that is protected under federal law.
On June 19, 2015, M. Kathleen McKinney sought an injunction against the owners of the franchise. The injunction was temporarily granted. McKinney is the director of the National Labor Relations Board’s Region 15 (NLRB), which includes Arkansas. The NLRB is tasked with protecting the rights of employees to organize and preventing unfair labor practices. The temporary injunction, which was ordered by Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Miller on June 24th and extended on July 6th, prohibits interference with employees as they attempt to organize. Workers may not be fired for discussing unionization.
Judge Brian Miller is awaiting testimony from the employer. Labor lawyers on both sides will argue as to whether the temporary injunction should be made permanent. At issue will also be the fate of Kevin “Jay” Harris, the terminated employee. Until then, the employer will be required to post notices informing employees of their rights and will be forbidden from threatening employees who discuss unions.
If you believe your own rights have been violated at work, the law firm of James & Carter PLC may be able to help. Our firm serves Northwest Arkansas as well as the Little Rock area. Contact us online or call us today at 866.716.3242 to learn more.


For more than 30 years, Nordic skiers from across the country and around the world have descended on West Yellowstone, Montana in November to take part in the Yellowstone Ski Festival. The Thanksgiving tradition has grown from a fall training camp for the U.S. Nordic Ski Team to a full-on celebration featuring ski clinics, races, on-snow demonstrations, an indoor expo, and presentations from renowned Olympic athletes and international competitors. West Yellowstone’s early-season snow makes the town’s expansive system of Nordic ski trails the ultimate destination to kick off the ski season.
Nordic skiers haven’t always converged on West Yellowstone in November. Tourists originally flocked to the area to explore Yellowstone National Park during the summer months. Once the winter snow paralyzed train travel and shut down the mountain passes, only the hardy locals remained to ride out the winter season.
The invention of the modern snowmobile in the 1960s breathed new life into the area’s winter tourism and West Yellowstone became a premier snowmobile destination. During the 1970s, Neal Swanson and his sons Kent and Carl, owners of the town’s Rendezvous Ski Shop, set out to attract Nordic skiers to West Yellowstone as well. The Swanson family worked with the U.S. Forest Service to create the Rendezvous Ski Trails on old logging roads near the south side of town—packing down the trails by pulling bed springs behind a snowmobile. Carl later won the 1978 Junior Nationals and the Swanson family helped to convince the U.S. Nordic Ski Team to hold its month-long November training camp in West Yellowstone.
In the years that followed, more ski enthusiasts began to discover West Yellowstone’s excellent early-season snow. In the 1980s, a group of locals led by Drew Barney and Doug Edgerton established Fall Camp, the predecessor to the Yellowstone Ski Festival. Barney began holding clinics for Nordic skiers of different levels and recruited coaches from around the country to join. Meanwhile, Edgerton developed a new tracksetter in 1983 that could be pulled behind a snowmobile or Pisten Bully and groom trails varying snow conditions. Edgerton’s improved technology revolutionized trail maintenance and quickly spread around the world. In 1985, a joint effort between Edgerton, the Montana National Guard, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Biathlon Association, and the West Yellowstone Chamber of Commerce established a firing range adjacent to the Rendezvous Ski Trails. As word spread about the new early-season biathlon offerings in West Yellowstone, Fall Camp attendance eventually tripled.
By the 1990s, between 300-400 skiers attended the annual Fall Camp. As the number of skiers increased, manufacturers began to show up and highlight their new equipment. The West Yellowstone Chamber of Commerce took note of the growing November tourism and saw the opportunity to market West Yellowstone as a Nordic ski destination. The Chamber aimed to boost the area’s economy by hosting an event during a typically slow season for the town’s business owners—between the end of Yellowstone National Park’s summer season in October and before the beginning of the park’s winter season in December.
The Chamber’s Cross Country Ski Committee worked to maximize the Fall Camp experience by formalizing a Thanksgiving-week celebration to ring in the ski season. The number of vendors in attendance continued to grow and the Indoor Expo was eventually created as a venue to showcase new equipment to festival-goers. During the years that followed, manufacturers began highlighting new gear through on-snow demonstrations, new races were organized during Thanksgiving week, world-class coaches began offering clinics and trainings, and the annual gathering was officially renamed the Yellowstone Ski Festival.
A variety of ski teams ranging from junior athletes to national competitors attend the festival each year, but citizen skiers and families have also created new traditions around the Thanksgiving event. Encompassing roughly one square mile, West Yellowstone is a safe and convenient family destination that visitors can navigate on foot to easily access ski trails, restaurants, and hotels. The festival has also grown to include evening events and entertainment for skiers of all levels and ages. Visitors can attend inspiring presentations from Olympic athletes, view one-of-a-kind films, or unwind with friends during the Apres Ski & S’mores. Unique sessions, such as “Women, Wine, and Wax” and “Whiskers, Whiskey, and Wax,” aim to improve attendees’ skill sets while making the festival a truly memorable experience.
Between 3,000 to 5,000 attendees have descend on West Yellowstone to attend the festival in recent years, including 300-400 racers. The festival is currently organized by the Chamber in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service and the West Yellowstone Ski Education Foundation. Together, these groups also work to manage the Rendezvous Ski Trails. Revenue from the festival supports the management of the trail system, provides matching funds for grants, compensates the festival’s director, and helps to market West Yellowstone for the remainder of the season.
The Yellowstone Ski Festival has become a Thanksgiving tradition for competitive athletes, novice skiers, and families from around the world. Come join us this year and make West Yellowstone your Nordic ski destination!
For a full schedule of events visit SkiRunBikeMT.com
AUTHOR: CAITLIN STYRSKY


The Netherlands have been a byword for tolerant and realistic drug policies for years. It took some courage to do that because it provokes some pretty rough criticism from its partners in Europe and around the world.
The Dutch system effectively suspends its own drug law (drugs remain technically illiegal) and tolerates both drug use and the sale of cannabis in a regulated way through the "coffeeshops". These are regulated, legal (and taxed). Their supply is not. When the system started decades ago the "back door" was supplied by green-fingered "hippy" types and other amateurs. Now that cannabis has become a mainstream consumer product in much of the world - although production remains illegale - organised crime has stepped in.
It is a good illustration of the point I made in my post of 4 April (Power sharing with the Mafia). There is no easy option for weak politicians: all-out prohibition doesn't work (anywhere in the world) nor does the half-hearted tolerance policy of the Dutch (and, incidentally, quite a few other European countries).
As demand for cannabis grew in Holland - boosted by drugs tourism from neighboring countries - the volume of the cannabis trade overtook heroin and cocaine somewhere around 1995 and is still expanding. The police has responded by creating special teams, sentencing is now tougher, but the profits to be made are totally irrisistable and the business plan of a serious canabis producer includes prison as a calculated risk and lethal violence as an essential management technique. Take a look at the fundamentals: a 1000-plant cannabis plantation with grow lights and automatic irrigation yields up to five harvests a year worth 700.000 EURO. The electricity and water are free because they are illegally tapped from the public networks.
What does this lead to? An unprecedented growth in organised violent crime in a country that has a firmly non-violent tradition. Drive-by shootings, public assassinations in bars and people's homes. Although much of this is gang warfare, the degree of intimidation of private citizens who are "pursuaded" to make a room, garage or cellar available to the growers is such that they rarely go to the police to complain. One mayor of a Dutch town is in hiding under police protection. Dutch police claim they destroy 6000 plantations a year or 2,5 million plants (one plant produces app. 40 grams). And yet, cannabis production is not thought to have decreased significantly.The market however is becoming more violent every year.
The problem has now spread over the border into Belgium, which has a weaker police system than Holland and less experience with the drugs trade. Belgian police recently claimed that more tha, 90% of plantations discovered were linked to Dutch organised crime. A Belgian criminologist, Prof. Decorte, describes the (Dutch) police tactics as "hit and run" raids on plantations, but which do no significant harm to the organisations behind the trade itself. Going for the top criminals would take resources that are simply not available and are likely to remain so for years to come. Meanwhile, others are moving into the business. Turkish, Bulgarian and Moroccan networks are increasingly active, to say nothing of the Vietnamese, already dominating the Canadian market and expanding rapidly in the UK.
How long will it take for our feeble and election-hungry politicians to take their eyes off the economy and to recognise that the bells are tolling for traditional prohibition of drugs and for the UN Conventions on drugs, at least in their present form. If they persist in "fighting" rather than regulating and reducing the side effects, we should expect a gradual slide into a form of society in which organised crime plays a major part in mainstream politics and in ordinary people's lives. Try to explain that to your children.


Says Clive Hambler, Lecturer in Biological and Human Sciences, Hertford College, University of Oxford, UK:
"I think wind farms are potentially the biggest disaster for birds of prey since the days of persecution by gamekeepers, and I think wind farms are one of the biggest threats to European and North American bats since large scale deforestation. The impacts are already becoming serious for white-tailed eagles in Europe, as is abundantly clear in Norway. A wind farm – built despite opposition from ornithologists – has decimated an important population, killing 40 white-tailed eagles in about 5 years and 11 of them in 2010. The last great bustard in the Spanish province of Cadiz was killed by a wind development. In my experience, some “greens” are in complete denial of these impacts, or hopefully imagine that these bats and birds can take big losses: they can’t because they breed very slowly.
"Birds of prey often soar where wind farms are best-sited, and may be attracted to their deaths by the vegetation and prey around the turbines. A similar deadly ecological trap has been proposed for bats, with some species attracted by insect prey or noise around the turbines.
"There are very serious suggestions of a cover-up of the scale of the problem, by some operatives hiding the corpses of birds, but you only have to look at the Save the Eagles website to see the evidence accumulating despite scavengers or deception.
"To my mind one of the worst problems is that wind farms will prevent the recovery of birds of prey, other threatened birds, and bats – denying them great swathes of the European and North American continent where they once dwelt. This flies in the face of the legally binding Convention on Biological Diversity, which encourages restoration of habitat and species whenever practicable. It makes a nonsense of the idea that wind is ‘sustainable’ energy – except in that it sustains and renews ecological damage."
Clive Hambler may be contacted here: +44 (0)1865 271124
or here: email@example.com


“Where can you get this Living water?” – John 4:11
COVID-19 has slowed the pace of our lives to a trickle. Amidst the uncertainty, we are forced to live differently. Closer to home. Focused less on things and more on people. In this new normal, sometimes we struggle to find peace and perspective, to navigate new waters.
But there is unity in the struggle. We are all thirsting for something more. With shops shuttered, churches closed, and offices off limits, people are re-defining their purpose in life. And sharing a common plight is making the world feel a bit smaller and more connected than it used to be.
At Grace Church in Roseville, Minnesota, the community wanted to find new ways to make a difference. When they heard about the outdoor Walk4Water in OKC this year, to support the rural poor in Africa through a faith-based charity – Water4 – they jumped on the opportunity to make one of their own.
Grace operates under the premise that in times like these, we can still act out our faith, gather safely in community, and step boldly into living God’s plan for our lives. And on October 3rd, they did just that. Grace held the very first Walk4Water outside of OKC, raising $2,700 to bring safe water to a rural village for the first time.
The event brought together 30 church and community members to learn about the global water crisis. Kids and adults alike learned about the challenges of living in a country like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where ethnic conflict has created 3.8 million refugees and millions of people have to walk an average of 3.7 miles per day just to fetch water.
The conditions were not quite the same as those faced by women and children in DRC. The chilly Minnesota morning; fetching water in 5-gallon buckets from a baby pool (mixed with dirt and rocks); walking 3 miles in a church parking lot; all followed by a warm, East African meal.
But it was a teachable moment. Families worked together to share the load, struggling to balance the weight of water on their bodies. Tope, who left Nigeria as a teenager, shared her story of making the walk three times per day – before school, after school to prepare dinner, and sometimes before bed to fetch water for washing and cleaning. But despite this heavy chore, she was never late for school. The walk gave her kids a taste of her childhood reality. Now that’s some perspective.
Darla Benjamin, Pastor of Outreach at Grace, summarized the lessons, “We can no longer take water for granted. We have walked in the steps of those forced to use ponds and streams for drinking water. Walking for them, and giving to this great cause to bring safe and Living water to all, is a step in the right direction.”
This group also met their goal of funding a well that will bring safe water to 300 people in conflict-affected Bunia, DRC. They also took home a prayer card as a reminder to ask God for more water to flow as a source of peace in the region, and that more disciples would be made through Water4’s MULTIPY program.
The Grace community is proof that COVID-19 is making the world smaller, more patient, and more loving: you can partner with a charity 800 miles away, to benefit a community 8,000 miles away. But they say the giver is also blessed. Through the practice of fetching dirty water, these graceful walkers were also filled with the Living Water that quenches our deepest thirst.


We’re excited to announce that Version 18 was among the TL NewsWire Top 25 Products of 2016. Products are selected based on the popularity of their TL NewsWire article by the nearly 12,000 subscribers of TL NewsWire.
“We are very pleased to be among the TechnoLawyer NewsWire Top 25,” said Dan Berlin, President of Software Technology, Inc. “Version 18 truly helps back-office staff work even more efficiently. In fact, for over 35 years, we have worked hard to develop reliable, quality software for law firms to help our clients improve their firm’s productivity and profitability, and Version 18 is no exception.”
“It was our subscribers’ clicks to the Tabs3 website from our article about Tabs3 Version 18 that resulted in this victory,” said Neil Squillante, founder of TechnoLawyer. “This passive voting makes the award more meaningful – our subscribers were genuinely interested in Tabs3 Version 18.”
To view the TL NewsWire on Version 18, visit http://blog.technolawyer.com/2016/01/tabs3-version-18.html.
Comments are closed.


The Aristotle University Symphony Orchestra and Chorus
A tremendous sense of anticipation filled the air as delegates assembled in the beautiful setting of the Concert Hall in Thessaloniki for the opening ceremony of the first face-to-face ESRA Congress since the start of the pandemic. This would be the first time the ESRA community had been together in three years. The orchestra assembled and took their seats, and soon, the first bars of The Ode to Joy filled the hall. The choice of music was fitting and poignant for its profound symbolism within Europe. The Council of Europe adopted The Ode to Joy as its anthem in 1972, and in 1985, it became the official anthem of the European Community and its successor, the European Union. Coming from Beethoven’s Symphony No.9, it symbolises hope, unity and fellowship. These words underpinned Prof. Thomas Volk’s heartfelt greeting to the ESRA community as he officially opened the Congress.
During the opening ceremony, Thomas welcomed to the stage the ESRA officers responsible for delivering the Congress, Dr Alain Delbos, Dr Clara Lobo and Dr Eleni Moka. An inspiring team who, despite uncertainty and difficulties, ensured a hugely successful congress and a triumphant and welcome return to face-to-face meetings. Special mention must go to Eleni, whose drive and determination leading the Local Organizing team were vital in bringing the Congress to Thessaloniki. The team recognised the ESRA Office team who worked so hard behind the scenes, Kalliopi Platsi, Jeremy Ryckebush, Beatrice Torri, Despina Manola, Vivien Penning-Titze and Aline Christen.
ESRA President Thomas Volk
ESRA’s reach and international collaborative efforts were demonstrated with messages of support delivered by international partners, Prof Samer Narouze (ASRA), Dr Ezzat Aziz (AFSRA), Dr Juan Carlos de la Cuadra (LASRA) and Dr Jagannathan Balavenkatsubramanian (AOSRA).
Highlights of the opening ceremony included the presentation of awards to Prof Jose De Andres and Dr José Aguirre. Prof. De Andres received the Carl Koller Award for his outstanding contributions to pain management and the community of ESRA. Dr Aguirre received the Recognition of Education in Regional Anaesthesia Award, reflecting his contribution to the promotion of teaching and education in regional anaesthesia. Dr Aurore Latragne and Dr Alba Sabaté received awards for their excellent manuscripts on chronic pain. It was wonderful to hear a welcome from Professor Athina Vadalouca, a founding member and president of ESRA from 1997-2000, reinforcing the feeling that ESRA is a family within a scientific community!
In the 14th century Nikephoros Choumnos, the Byzantine scholar and statesman of Thessaloniki, wrote ‘’no man will be without a homeland, as long as Thessaloniki exists.’’ This comment has been described as capturing the essence of a city located midway between the East and West, at the intersection of cultures and one of the few European cities with an uninterrupted urban population across 2,500 years. So it felt appropriate at one of the first international medical conferences since the start of the pandemic to hear from our hosts in Thessaloniki. Mr Stavros Kalafatis, the Minister of Internal Affairs for Macedonia and Thrace, and the Mayor of Thessaloniki, Mr Konstantinos Zervas, welcomed the ESRA community warmly to their city.
To close the opening ceremony, the Aristotle University Symphony Orchestra and Chorus continued their recital with a fabulous selection of music from composers and musicians across Europe. An incredible performance from a group of highly talented people and a great end to an opening ceremony that embodied hope, unity and fellowship. For those wishing to relive the evening, check out the recordings on Spotify from Dvorak Slavonic Dance no 8 op4, Bizet Farandole-Intermezzeo-Toreador, Gounod Dance de Phyrne, and Verdi il Trovatore.
Finally, the evening concluded with a drinks reception in the sunshine, where the music and dancing continued! The whole event was an excellent start to a fabulous Congress!
We treat your personal data with care, view our privacy notice.


Contributions in onerous trusts still at risk of taxation
With the draft circular published on 11.8.2021, the Revenue Agency took note of the most recent orientation of the Supreme Court, according to which the contribution of the settlor in the trust does not constitute a taxable transfer, as long as there is no actual increase in the beneficiary’s assets.
In this view, for such enrichment to be taxable, it is not sufficient that the trust beneficiary has a vested interest in the trust, but that the property is transferred to him, as stated by the Supreme Court (judgment 22568/2021).
However, it is not clear whether these conclusions, which can now be regarded as self-evident for liberal trusts, can also be extended to non-liberal trusts, where the grant to the beneficiary does not constitute a gift, but is the performance of an obligation.
Paolo Giovannini and Dario Augello reported on this issue on Eutekne in the article “Contributions in onerous trusts still at risk of taxation”.
Family assets and succession planning


San Isidro, Peru. I Round of Free Trade Negotiations In October 2019, the Peruvian government concluded the fourth round of negotiations aimed at “optimizing” the free trade agreement signed with China in April 2009. At Peru`s request, a chapter entitled “Global Supply Supply Chain” was registered. This is an innovation in the bilateral trade agreements of the Peruvian agreements, recognizing for the first time the role of small and medium-sized enterprises in global value chains. The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (MINCETUR) is to be commended for its welcome, which is a testament to the excellent negotiating capacity of the Peruvian team. This free trade agreement is the most comprehensive agreement of its kind that China has negotiated with another developing country to date. On November 17, 2018, Peru and China signed a memorandum for the opening of negotiations to optimize their free trade agreement. In April 2019, Peru and China will begin a series of bilateral meetings aimed at optimizing their free trade agreement. On April 4, 2019, Peru and China held the first round of negotiations in Beijing to optimize their free trade agreement. The second round of negotiations took place from 17 to 19 June 2019 in Lima, Peru. The third round of negotiations for the optimization of the agreement ended on August 17, 2019 in Beijing, China.
The fourth round of negotiations took place in Lima, Peru, and ended on 6 October 2019. We are aware that, to date, China is conducting virtual trade negotiations with some countries, although there is no information that can tell us how many rounds of negotiations are still going on. We believe that there is still time to put a chapter on the environment on the negotiating table. It seems that the negotiating team can impose issues that are important to our country. No more excuses. It`s the right thing to do. The most sought-after Peruvian products in China are minerals, copper cathodes, fishmeal, iron minerals and silver minerals. At the China International Import Expo, Rogers Valencia, Peru`s Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism, announced the importance of China as a trading partner. While most of Peru`s exports are related to minerals, there are other potentials, such as agricultural products, fish and seafood and textiles. In recent years, China and Peru have made efforts to strengthen relations, boost trade and encourage investment. This has led to significant Chinese investments and projects in Peru, particularly in the areas of logistics, transport, telecommunications and mining.
Parties negotiating an “optimized” free trade agreement between China and Peru should consider three key elements: the creation of a space for the full and ongoing participation of non-governmental organizations in future rounds of negotiations; an independent and comprehensive assessment of the impact of trade and investment with China, particularly in the mining and fisheries sectors; and the inclusion of specific chapters on the environment and human rights. So far, formal negotiations on optimizing the free trade agreement between China and Peru have focused on trade in services, investments, procedures, rules of origin, intellectual property and e-commerce. There was no analysis of the serious environmental and social impact of the two main financial and commercial activities carried out by the two countries: mining and fishing. Agreements have been concluded between the two countries in the following areas: trade in goods, rules of origin, trade aid, services, investment, temporary market entry for entrepreneurs, health and plant health measures, technical barriers to trade, dispute resolution, customs procedures, intellectual property rights, cooperation and institutional issues. In addition, a customs cooperation agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding for labour and social security cooperation were successfully negotiated as separate instruments for the free trade agreement.


The Transition Marquette County Repair Cafe will be open again on Saturday, April 20, in the Marquette Arts and Culture Center, on the lower level of the Peter White Public Library in Marquette. From noon to 4pm on that day, the public is invited to bring in small household items in need of repair. Volunteer repair talent will be on hand to work on computers and electronics, sewing machines, small appliances, clothing, lamps, and other household items. The focus is on helping people learn to repair their own items, thus saving money and keeping material out of landfills. There is no charge for this service; a $5 donation is suggested to support the program. The next Repair Cafe is scheduled for May 25. For more information call Tom at 573-300-1341 or email firstname.lastname@example.org.


Alex Martin Completes First Solo Circumnavigation of Lake Winnipeg in Record Time
Taipei, Taiwan, August 23, 2018. - Eighteen-year-old GEARLAB athlete Alex Martin finished his Lake Winnipeg sea kayaking journey without a hitch and ahead of schedule. Martin embarked on a first-of-its-kind solo expedition to circumnavigate Lake Winnipeg on June 27. The goal during the audacious expedition was to raise awareness about the critical need for sustainable watershed management in the region.
The 1,750-km sea-kayak journey was planned to take two months, but Martin took the sea kayak community by surprise when he landed on August 3, at Grand Beach Provincial Park. Most lengthy open-water expeditions are fortunate to complete 50 km a day on average; Martin sometimes covered a mind-boggling 100 km a day. Could his gear have played a part? He reported the Nukilik and the new test paddle Kalleq were highly efficient, clog free, lightweight, and reliable.
Along the way, Martin stopped in communities around the lake to share stories, promote the campaign, and photograph the lake in its dynamic state along the coast. His tales from the expedition included 10-foot waves, a determined stalking bear, rogue storms, and teaching kids along the way about the sport of sea kayaking. (Martin's stories can be found in his recap interview.)
He paddled the shoreline of a number of areas recognized for their importance in the lake's ecology, including the proposed UNESCO World Heritage Site of Pimachiowin Aki, Fisher Bay Provincial Park, and Kinwow Bay Provincial Park. Sadly, he had to report on large algae blooms due to warm waters, shallow waters, erosion-caused mudflats, the invasive zebra mussels, and littered coast lines.
In addition to visiting 12 local schools to speak about water conservation and stewardship, Martin has partnered with Lake Winnipeg Foundation, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society: Manitoba Chapter, and the First Nations group Pimachiowin Aki.
For updates on the trip, visit the Lake Winnipeg Circumnavigation Campaign on Facebook.
- The original article is released on SNEWS.


'Eastbury Saved', opened in October 2018, as part of our 100th anniversary partnership project ‘We Love Eastbury’. This project commemorated the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings’ (SPAB) involvement in saving the house from demolition as well as its successful fundraising campaign that helped the National Trust acquire it for the Nation in 1918. It tells the story of the house from 1883 to 1918, and explores the building’s place in the wider social and industrial changes happening during that time.
The project was made possible by money raised by National Lottery players, supported through the Heritage Fund, as well as money from the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, the Friends of Eastbury Manor House and the Barnet National Trust Association.
'Eastbury Makers', is a new display of costumes that launched alongside the reopening of Eastbury Manor House after two years closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic, in April 2022. It explores the lives of the people who used to live and work at the house at the turn of the 20th century. Designed and made by students from University Centre at South Essex College, these historically accurate costumes, have been creatively reimagined with clues to each character woven into the fabric of each garment.
Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, through the Land of the Fanns Landscape Partnership Scheme.


Carmel set out to find her way to serve and founded Rising International. She had read about women being locked up in Afghanistan for five years while living under the Taliban’s rule. She was appalled and angry and she decided to take action. In an effort to help Afghanistan women support themselves and their children in a country that disallowed them to leave their homes to find work, Carmel reached out to artisans who sold highly individual dolls constructed with skill and found scraps of cloth. The dolls are traditional toys made by Afghan mothers for their daughters. The Nadera Doll Project was born and since its inception Carmel has extended a hand up to women artisans in over 19 countries.
Rising International is being noticed by the best and brightest of the social entrepreneur sector. Read about a grant awarded by Bill Drayton, the very man who coined the phrase “social entrepreneur” here.


No-code workflow automation provider hires experienced HR leader to enhance commitment to employee experience
FISHERS, IND.—April 13, 2022—Formstack, a workplace productivity platform that empowers anyone to digitize what matters, automate workflows and fix processes—all without code—today announced the appointment of Tammy Polk to Chief Human Resources Officer.
“Formstack is in such a state of growth right now as we expand into new markets and new product categories, and with that growth, it’s imperative that we bring in the right people with the right experience to help us continue on that journey,” said Chris Byers, CEO of Formstack. “We have put so much intentional effort into creating an exceptional employee-first culture, so bringing in a proven HR leader like Tammy, with more than 26 years of experience, to help us continue to foster and cultivate our award-winning culture was an easy decision. Tammy’s expertise will be an integral piece of our growth plans at Formstack and we’re looking forward to seeing her take our company culture to the next level.”
Polk will lead the acquisition, growth and retention of Formstack employees. Before joining Formstack, Polk spent more than 26 years growing talent at organizations of all sizes both public and private. Throughout her career, she has earned results by balancing strategic planning and operational execution and has a track record of scaling productive teams quickly and building lasting relationships. She will also be responsible for continuing to expand on Formstack’s already unique employee benefit offerings, such as step-up bonuses, wellness and technology stipends, free weekly lunches among many more.
“Over the course of my HR career, I’ve seen a variety of strategic approaches to creating company culture, and I can honestly say that what Formstack has built, in terms of putting their employees first, has been impressive,” said Polk. “The exceptional culture at Formstack was in place long before it became a necessity to retain employees and it’s obvious that this is a culture that truly listens to what its employees need instead of just checking a box. I can’t wait to join the team and use my experience and passion in HR to continue building upon Formstack’s already strong foundation.”
The executive announcement follows the company’s recognition in the Financial Times ranking of The Americas’ Fastest Growing Companies, nominations for two TechPoint MIRA Awards, and inclusion in 2022’s Best Places to Work in Indiana. Formstack has seen huge growth following a $425M investment at the end of 2021 and plans to grow more than 160% in the next three years, with expansion into new verticals and international markets. The company also increased employee headcount by 66% in the past three years, with sights set on adding another 30% over the next three years. In addition to Polk’s executive appointment, Formstack recently appointed two other members to the executive team, Liza Smyth as senior vice president of customer experience and Kristine Camron as senior vice president and general counsel.
Formstack is currently hiring for positions across the company. To learn more or to apply, visit www.formstack.com/careers and check out #WeBuildWhatMatters on LinkedIn and Instagram to hear directly from employees on why they love working at Formstack. To learn more about Formstack, visit www.formstack.com.


Whether you’re still homeschooling, or your kids are back already, or if you’re somewhere in between, what’s certain is that COVID-19 restrictions are hitting kids pretty hard. With a spike in suicide rates nationally attributed to isolation, and a lack of physical and social contact, many in the educational community are worried about the impact restrictions are having on the younger generation.
The restrictions are clearly not just affecting their education, but having a significant impact on their happiness and mental health. So what exactly is causing the issue, and how can we best protect the mental health of our kids during restrictions? The exact answer of course will be manifold, but it is worth paying attention to the science regarding the effects isolation and a lack of physical contact can have on people, to better understand how we can work around this part of the problem.
With the correct use of personal protective equipment, even simple measures like surgical masks and using latex surgical gloves, it is actually very easy to imagine a school set up where kids can interact and indeed touch one another safely. If you add frequent testing to the equation, you can even imagine a scenario where even these health and safety measures like using nitrile medical gloves need be used sparingly, for example by teachers during certain activities. Perhaps isolating kids may not be a necessity in such a scenario.
Of course, problems relating to isolation and lockdown aren’t specific to kids: over the period from March to now, over 1200 suicides were recorded across all age groups. Compared to 200 deaths directly related to COVID-19, that’s a staggering figure. (1)
But young people seem to be suffering more than most: one report published on the 7th August shows that cases of children presenting to hospital with self-harm injuries rose by 33% over the preceding 6 weeks. Lifeline also recorded a 25% increase in calls to their hotline over a similar period. (2)
It is well known that isolation can profoundly and negatively affect mental health, but coupled with the uncertainty surrounding the future, it appears this is creating a particularly toxic combination. And it runs deeper than the social aspect: many believe that the lack of actual physical touch and tactile interaction is playing a part. Touch is an important part of human relation, provides comfort and is central to how we relate. We all suffer without it, as we benefit from it. Touch has been shown to lower stress hormone levels, alleviate anxiety and can even lessen the clinical symptoms of some diseases. Crucially, for younger kids especially, touch is crucial to development. (3)
So all of this leads you to wonder if physically separating our kids in school might actually do more harm than it does good. With the death rate for people under 45 nearly zero % (4) it could certainly be argued that separating kids in school has a negligible effect on their health, or their chances of getting seriously ill. Of course, the transmission of the disease needs to be managed, but we must factor in the negative effects of the measures in place alongside this. For example, Spain banned children from going outdoors.
Bearing in mind the positive impact that continuing to go to school could have on their mental health and development, and the worrying statistics around self-harm and suicide, it seems that continuing to allow kids to attend school, as long as the proper safety measures are in place, is a more sensitive and empathetic approach than many of those currently in use.


The School of Arts & Media certainly had a lot to cheer about at our annual Students’ Union Teaching Awards last week. Receiving the highest number of staff nominations, the School was the proud winner of the all-important Best Overall School award. Commenting on the award, Head of School Professor Allan Walker said: “I am delighted that our School, which has only been in business since September, has been able to win this award and I would like to thank everyone for their commitment to enhancing the quality of our students’ experience through a period of considerable change.”
While this was in itself an outstanding testament to the excellence of our entire staff, Photography Technical Demonstrator, John Boothe deserves special recognition for scooping the Best Academic Support Staff award. John was described by his students as helpful, friendly and always willing to go above and beyond his role to provide that extra bit of support. Praising John for his superb efforts, Allan Walker said: “Support staff are a key and often undersung element of our practice based disciplines and it is especially pleasing for John to have been acknowledged in this way.” Well done everyone!
After being dubbed the best in their category by a panel of industry professionals, two of our second year BA (Hons) Graphic Design students received the gold award for Best Overall Student Work at the prestigious Roses Creative Awards last week. Despite stiff competition from over 400 UK-wide designers, Salford students Peter Quirke and Andrew Goodison clinched the top prize securing a special feature in The Drum, a work placement with Modern-English Digital agency, plus a whole host of bragging rights!
This year, competition hopefuls were asked to answer one of 10 briefs, which ranged from re-branding Harry Ramsden’s chippy to promoting the benefits of dental appointments. Peter and Andrew chose to apply their creative touch to a record label brief which called for a digital campaign to spread the word about four newly signed acts.
Reflecting back on what has turned out to be an incredible past few weeks, Andrew said: “We’re really grateful to the University for the opportunity to enter the competition and to our tutors for giving us feedback and helping us to improve while we were working on our project”. Peter went on to explain: “Participating in competitions is such a great way to get noticed in this industry. A couple of months ago we didn’t have a clue what the industry was like and now we’re just starting to scratch the surface”. Both Peter and Andrew are keeping a winning mentality and are already making plans to defend their title next year. “It’s great to win it once but we want to be here next year and the year after!” declared Peter.


Yasir, aged four, Oscar-Ray, aged six, Cai, aged eight, Grace, aged five and Maisie, aged thirteen, were delighted to attend the very special festive gathering with their Roald Dahl Nurse and parents. The visit was arranged through Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity, of which Her Majesty The Queen is the Royal Patron. The children, all living with complex, lifelong health conditions, also enjoyed a surprise visit from Father Christmas and his reindeer, and there was a wonderful performance by The Band and Bugles of The Rifles.
The annual visit to Clarence House is an absolute highlight of the year and a special memory for everyone involved. Louise Griew, Chief Executive at Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity says, “We are so grateful to Her Majesty The Queen for inviting our charity to again be part of such a magical event. Being diagnosed with a serious and complex illness is immensely difficult for a child and their whole family, bringing significant stress and worry. This day provides such a special memory for some of the heroic and brave children we support. It also recognises our marvellous Roald Dahl Nurses who provide vital specialist care to thousands of seriously ill children across the UK.”
We would also like to thank the generous businesses, hotels, venues, and our marvellous corporate partners, who helped us in planning the most magical event for seriously ill children and Roald Dahl Nurses, who deserve it so much. Thank you to hoteliers JW Marriott Grosvenor House London, One Aldwych, The Stafford London, St Ermin’s and The Guardsman, who hosted the families and Roald Dahl Nurses ahead of their special day. Thanks to the hospitality of Frameless and Mark Mason’s Hall, families enjoyed a visit to Frameless on Tuesday night and teas and coffees at Mark Mason's Hall before they visited Clarence House. Travel throughout the day was kindly provided by Stagecoach buses, ensuring the families could relax and enjoy their day to the full. The families also enjoyed a tour to see the festive London lights. If you would like to support more seriously ill children, please help fund a Roald Dahl Nurse this Christmas at www.roalddahlcharity.org/donate.


Minesweepers 2018 Regional Rounds | Latin America is here!
Latin American countries have been suffering from landmines long time ago although most of them have signed the Mine Ban Treaty. Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru and Cuba, these countries are still contaminated by landmines and their government are struggling now to eliminate all landmines. Colombia ranks the second on the 2015 list of countries with the most landmines, according to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL).
Over 7 years Minesweepers have been making more than a regional round in Egypt and Latin American countries.
Continuing its efforts, Minesweepers 2018 is making a regional round for Latin American countries for the 3rd year to raise awareness about Landmines.
During the preparation for Latin America Regional Round, the first Bolivian Local Round of Minesweepers was held at La Salle University, Bolivia, to classify the first three places to participate in the regional competition of Ecuador.
In this Local competition, 11 teams participated in total, one in the Junior category, another in the Industrial category and 9 in the Academy category.
The Latin American regional round takes place at University of the Armed Forces ESPE Extension Latacunga, Ecuador, during July 24 – 27, 2018. The top winners will be qualified to compete again towards a landmines-free world at the international finals at IROS 2018, in Madrid, Spain, during October 1 – 5, 2018.
It is your chance to take part of our journey Towards a Landmine-free World!


- Greenfield Junior High
National School Nurse Day marks 50th year of celebration
National School Nurse Day was first celebrated 50 years ago, in 1972. It is recognized alongside National Nurses Week as a way to raise awareness about the critical role nurses have in schools across the nation. At Gilbert Public Schools, nurses and health assistants work together as a dedicated team to keep our students healthy and safe. It’s an incredible responsibility, and we are so grateful that they are up for the challenge every single day. Thank you!
Jolene Costello, Oak Tree Elementary
For more than a decade, Jolene Costello has been a proud Oak Tree eagle. Nurse Costello has cared for and comforted between 600 and 700 elementary students every school year. She loves her job and school.
“I like coming to work, because it’s my second home,” Costello said.
At the end of the school year, Nurse Costello is retiring. While she calls the change “bittersweet,” she is ready for her next chapter.
“It’s been a fulfilling time,” she said.
Nurse Costello will truly be missed on campus. She leaves behind big shoes to fill and a great legacy at Oak Tree Elementary. During her 13 years at the school, she not only handled her nursing responsibilities, but she also launched an afterschool Gardeners Group for students. The program received grant money through Kohl’s and Phoenix Children’s. Nurse Costello was also actively involved in the Running Club, and this year the school had nearly 90 students participate. She’s also been a helper with the school’s Giving Tree and food pantry.
“These are things I will miss most as I retire. However, I plan on coming back to Oak Tree to volunteer and help in some capacity,” she said.
She began her nursing career working in hospitals and doctors’ offices, but eventually transitioned to school nursing for the better schedule. In all, she’s been working as a nurse for four decades. Nurse Costello really loves getting to know students and their families.
“I came to Gilbert, because I know every school has a nurse. That’s ideal, because I get to stay at my own school,” she said, “I get to connect with all of our staff and families. I like that.”
Students will come see Nurse Costello for vision and hearing screenings, injuries, illnesses, and medicine. Her colorful office filled with photos, posters, and drawings creates an inviting atmosphere for the children. She says the decorations help spark conversation and calm students’ nerves.
GPS nurses work together across campuses to address any medical issues that might arise. It’s a great opportunity for them to collaborate and support each other while seeking others’ professional expertise. Nurse Costello says her colleagues are just a phone call or email away, and they welcome the support.
“Everyone has been welcoming from the day that I came,” she said, “It’s been a very good career.”
Michele Dickinson, Greenfield Junior High School
Michele Dickinson has been working with Gilbert Public Schools for only three years, but she’s already making a significant impact on the Greenfield Junior High community. Whether it’s responding to injuries on campus or helping students cope with anxiety, Nurse Dickinson gives her all to ensure that students feel supported.
“I like to do nursing in a holistic way. I don’t like to just wash their cut and send them back to class. I always try to give them some kind of support and talk to them,” Dickinson said.
Her love of nursing stems from her caring heart and passion for health education. Nurse Dickinson spends time helping students and families learn how to take better care of their bodies.
“This was something that I’ve wanted to do since I was a little kid,” she said.
Nurse Dickinson believes that some families are surprised by the work she does on a daily basis.
“A lot of people think that nurses sit in the office with nothing to do, or we just hand out band-aids and ice,” she said.
However, it’s much more than that. At the junior high level, Nurse Dickinson does vision and hearing screenings, responds to broken bones and other injuries, educates students about illnesses, monitors medications, develops care plans, and she gives students practical tools for coping with stress.
“There’s a lot more to school nursing than people think, but I actually love that,” she said.
Nurse Dickinson has partnered with the social workers on-campus to run a support group for girls at Greenfield Junior. “Her Story” provides a safe space for the girls to come and talk about their challenges with self-esteem, anxiety, stress, and other issues. The group is invitation-only and meets every two weeks.
“It’s students that we’ve identified as needing a little more help,” she said.
“Her Story” is part education and part team bonding, so the girls receive practical tools and form their own support system. The girls and staff have discussions, play games, and even do arts and crafts. The program is something that students look forward to every year. Students enjoy it so much that they make recommendations on behalf of friends and classmates who they think would be great additions to the group.
As she gets more settled into the Greenfield Junior community, Nurse Dickinson wants to continue building a rapport with students and staff, so that they can all feel comfortable coming to her in their time of need.
“The health office is always open. I’m always here to support anybody,” Dickinson said.
Jody Gilchrist, Campo Verde High School
Jody Gilchrist is a self-described “fixer.” She says the quality drove her to pursue a career in nursing, because she loves helping people. For the last 13 years, she’s been supporting the community at Campo Verde High School, where there are more than 2,000 students on campus.
“When I got here, I discovered what an amazing gem this is in community health nursing, where I can help a lot of people over time,” Gilchrist said.
A student’s high school years present a unique set of challenges compared to junior high and elementary school. Nurse Gilchrist focuses on educating and empowering her students when it comes to their own health.
“Here you only have four years, for most. We are getting them ready to go out in the real world, so what we can do as nurses is really help them be the boss of their healthcare,” she said.
Nurse Gilchrist talks to students daily about the importance of hydration, healthy eating, car safety, sun safety, getting quality sleep and some practical tools to help cope with stress and anxiety. She addresses topics like proper hygiene and the dangers of substance abuse.
As a registered nurse, she also provides students' medication and responds to injuries on campus. She is an advocate working as part of the behavioral health team and supporting students who might need extra help in the classroom. Her days are quite busy, but she does not have to go through them alone. She has the help of Rebecca “Becky” Sutton.
“At the secondary level, I don’t know how any nurse can do anything without a health assistant,” she said, “My health assistant is amazing. She is the biggest helper!”
Nurse Gilchrist feels the best part of her job is getting to interact with students. She describes Campo Verde as a “family.” She says students and staff model the motto, “Campo Cares.”
“I would have to say that it probably feels like a culture that is really embedded here. We have amazing and outstanding students that care about each other and the community,” she said.
Campo Verde is not the only place where Nurse Gilchrist is finding a community of support. She relies on help and encouragement from her nurse colleagues at other Gilbert Public Schools campuses. Together, they motivate, encourage, and assist each other in any way possible. As for the district, Nurse Gilchrist says it feels good to work for a district that values her contribution to the community.
“I just think overall that Gilbert Public Schools has made the health and safety of students a top priority, and they’ve shown that through keeping us here and appreciating us. I know that not everybody has that, and for the students, I know it’s a huge positive,” Gilchrist said.


He’s a case study in failing to read the room.
CEOs must tread a fine line when commenting on the Israel-Hamas war.
Execs’ statements are being closely and publicly analyzed for whom they seem to side with.
Web Summit’s CEO quit after appearing to accuse Israel of “war crimes,” triggering backlash online.
The recent fate of Web Summit’s CEO might, perhaps, send chills down the spine of any business leader.
On October 13, six days after Hamas’ terrorist attacks in Israel, the technology conference’s leader, Paddy Cosgrave, posted his views on the ensuing conflict on X. In his first post on the subject, Cosgrave seemed to accuse Israel of war crimes. “I’m shocked at the rhetoric and actions of so many Western leaders & governments, with the exception in particular of Ireland’s government, who for once are doing the right thing,” he wrote. “War crimes are war crimes even when committed by allies, and should be called out for what they are.”
After a week of backlash that saw attendees and major commercial partners including Intel pulling out of Web Summit, due to take place in Lisbon in November, Cosgrave apologized and eventually resigned as CEO.
The saga mirrors flare-ups on US college campuses, with companies rescinding job offers to students over student groups’ statements on the war.
Cosgrave’s departure illustrates the stakes for corporate executives when deciding whether or how to comment on any politically fraught subject. While students answer primarily to their school and any future employers, an executive’s audience is more likely to include some combination of employees, shareholders, investors, and customers, often from multiple countries — all of whose views may differ.
Understand your audience
Cosgrave, who is Irish, may not have accounted for a culture clash. The US, the UK, and many European countries count Israel as a staunch ally. Ireland’s government has condemned Hamas’ terrorist attacks, but it was reported on October 7 that it had more explicitly urged a “proportionate” military response.
Ireland also has a long history of pro-Palestinian sentiment, much of it rooted in the country’s relationship to the UK.
“The grassroots and the political elite are more pro-Palestinian than they are in the US,” Bill Kissane, a politics professor at The London School of Economics and Political Science, told Insider. “This is for a number of factors. One is that historically the Irish regard themselves as having been a minority struggling against Britain, so they’re more sympathetic to other anti-colonial or independent struggles — depending on what you regard the Palestinian cause to be.”
Ireland was the first Western nation to recognize the Palestinian Liberation Organization as the “sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people” in 1980, and in 2021 the Irish parliament accused Israel of the “de facto annexation” of Palestinian land. Palestinian flags and murals also frequent republican neighborhoods in Northern Ireland.
While Web Summit began in Ireland, its audience, speakers, attendees, and commercial sponsors are now international. Current and former commercial sponsors include Google, Microsoft, and Siemens, per its website. And American CEOs — including Google’s — have mostly explicitly condemned Hamas and expressed support for Israel.
Cosgrave possibly “didn’t really realize how big a deal it was given the diversity of his audience,” said Paul Argenti, a corporate communications professor at Tuck School of Business.
For Cosgrave’s critics, including VCs and founders, his comments lacked “moral clarity” by failing to explicitly condemn Hamas in the first instance, while also suggesting the potential for Israeli war crimes. (Cosgrave later did condemn Hamas.) But some of Cosgrave’s Irish followers, including entrepreneurs and academics, supported his remarks or took similar stances on X.
Cosgrave did not immediately reply to Insider’s request for comment.
“He might have been getting a lot of ‘You’re absolutely right’ in Ireland,” Argenti added. “But there’s a push to be more pro-Israel in the US. No question about that.”
Cosgrave may have also erred in U-turning, itself indicative that he didn’t fully think through the consequences of taking a public position.
Proceed with caution
Many of the high-profile CEOs who have commented on the conflict so far have explicitly condemned Hamas and supported Israel.
Argenti said it was important to remember that companies are not political entities and that the expectation for them to comment on issues outside their core business is a relatively new idea.
CEOs should consider whether commenting on a political topic issues is strategic, whether they can do anything practical to address the issues, and how much retaliation they might face either way, he added.
“If you have no connection to Israel, what is the point in mouthing off about political issues now?” he said. “Do we really want companies to become political entities is maybe an even better question.”
“My main advice for companies is to be really careful,” he continued. “Have a plan for how you want to deal with issues before they come up — not when somebody’s pressuring you to say something — and then stick to your guns.”


Born in 1972. Studied at the History Department of the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad. Employed as a photojournalist in the media company Ringier, for the daily newspaper Blic, the respected weekly newspaper Nin and the magazines Blic žena and Elevate. She is also working as the coordinator of the Belgrade Photo Month festival. Her work was published in numerous domestic and foreign magazines, as well as on the Bauhaus - Archiv Museum website in Berlin.
She exhibited independently at the Be Water My Friend exhibition in Novi Sad, as well as at several international group exhibitions. She is a participant in the pioneering effort of the Female Journalists Against Violence group in creating a database of photographs that the media can use for free while reporting on violence against women instead of the stereotypical photos of a man’s fist or a woman crying. The exhibition of these photographs, Photo for Change, was opened at the UN Representative Office in Belgrade.


Three more Oak Ridge Police Department officers are stationed at Oak Ridge High School and Alternative School this year. However, they are not school resource officers, or SROs.
For the past few years, the ORPD has had an SRO who works mostly at the high school. This year, though, a sergeant and two non-patrol officers are also stationed there and at the Alternative School next door, ORPD Chief Jim Akagi said Monday.
School officials had requested more SROs this year, following the December massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., but funding has been an obstacle. While the new arrangement doesn’t add SROs, it will increase the police presence and visibility, Akagi said.
ORPD School Resource Officer Sherrill Selby will continue to work at the high school. She will be joined by Sgt. Robert Pitts, Photo Enforcement Officer Karen Jenkins, and Community Resource Officer Daniel McFee, who is a former SRO.
On Wednesday, new Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers said Akagi approached him with the plan to house a few extra officers at the school.
“It was a win-win opportunity,” Borchers said. “We get an increased presence of police, and they have a space to do their normal work.”
Borchers said Jenkins and Pitts will be stationed at the high school, and McFee will work at the Alternative School.
The Oak Ridge school system once had three SROs: one at the high school and two at each of the middle schools.
City and school officials recently announced they had signed a new agreement governing the SRO program. The seven-page agreement signed Aug. 7 is a memorandum of understanding, or MOU, and it formalizes the relationship between the city and schools.


If you’re a white American, chances are you live in a suburb, or at least grew up in one. If you’re a person of color, odds are about 50/50 you’ve had this experience.
Social scientists have their own technical definitions of what constitutes a suburb, but I think a practical definition is pretty simple: If you need a car to conveniently live your daily life, you probably live in a suburb. And if you live in a suburb, a couple of other things are also probably true:
Most people who live near you look like you and have similar household incomes to you.
The look and feel of your physical surroundings aren’t radically different than they would’ve been a few decades ago.
Homogeneity and resistance to change are hallmarks of suburban life in the United States. And that’s what we need to talk about.
The murder of George Floyd has sparked perhaps the largest awakening on racial issues among white Americans since 1965, when photographs of Black civil rights leader Amelia Boynton were transmitted around the world after she was beaten unconscious by Alabama state troopers in the first Selma to Montgomery march.
Amelia Boynton, in bright blue, marking the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday in 2015, alongside President Obama and Rep. John Lewis. Source: The White House - P030715LJ-0549, Public Domain
Today, most non-Black Americans have finally become aware that the subsequent federal civil rights legislation and addition of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech to school curricula did not, in fact, adequately address hundreds of years of oppression of Black Americans.
But if you’re white and live in a suburb, it might feel like the action on anti-racism is primarily somewhere else. There probably aren’t that many Black neighbors in your community -- the population of my city, Burlingame, California, is 1.5% Black -- so beyond tweaking your local police department’s use-of-force policies, the nearest vector of change may feel like your state legislature or Congress.
Fortunately, that isn’t true. The structures guiding how most Americans live, including how your suburb operates, reinforce the same racial inequities that Amelia Boynton was protesting when she put her body on the line in Selma, Alabama more than five decades ago. For folks who care about righting these wrongs, especially white people in the ‘burbs, we need to tackle these problems right here in our own backyards.
This is why I gave this substack/newsletter/blog the aspirational name The Suburbs Should Be Less Racist. I’m a white person who grew up in a suburb (Pittsford, New York: 1.1% Black) and as an adult, have lived in a big city (Manhattan: 17.8% Black), a suburban-ish part of a big city (the westside of Los Angeles: 4.4% Black), and now a suburb again. Shit needs to change here.
People who live in suburbs and believe Black Lives Matter need to be the ones demanding change, because once you start looking into it, you will be astonished by the retrograde attitudes of the people who show up at your local city council meetings and who serve on your city’s public commissions and elected bodies. Aside from some new phrases subbing in for the explicitly racist language of the past, many of them sound exactly like you’d expect their 1960s predecessors to sound, and the decisions they make lead to similar outcomes. This system is not going to become more inclusive and less racist on its own. It needs us.
I’m planning to write here about exactly how suburbs like the one you live in perpetuate racial and economic inequality; how they hoard opportunities for the richest among us and deny them to the people who need them the most; and how the small percentage of Black neighbors you have was an entirely intentional outcome of decades of city and regional planning.
Assuming you are convinced of the problem, we’ll also talk about the things that you, suburban resident who gives a shit, can do to make things better right where you live. Because I promise you, the grumpy asshole who lives the next block over and thinks Black Lives Matter protests are “the wrong way to approach the problem” is making his voice heard. Let’s fight back.


Progesterone alone may help Hot Flashes
WebMD reports on a study announced at the Endocrine Society meeting this month. It looked at a group of 114 postmenopausal women who had hot flashes and night sweats. Half were put on micronized oral progesterone while the other had a placebo.
The women taking Prometrium had a 56% decrease in their score, and the women taking the placebo had a 28% decrease.
The women taking Prometrium had a 48% decline in the number of symptoms; women taking the placebo had a 22% decline.
As of yet no-one knows why progesterone helped. Interestingly the placebo helped too!


Check out this article from Bloomberg:
Chevron Corp. (CVX) helped write the first-in-the-nation rule ordering reduced carbon emissions from cars and trucks. Its biofuels chief spoke at the ceremony where California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the executive order in 2007, the same year the oil company pledged to develop a gasoline replacement from wood.
Now Chevron is leading a lobbying and public relations campaign to undercut the California mandate aimed at curbing global warming, two years after the state started phasing it in. Research on commercially viable climate-friendly products has come to naught, stymied by the poor economics of coaxing hydrocarbons from plants’ stubborn cell walls, according to Chevron officials.
The rest here: http://mobile.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-18/chevron-defies-california-on-carbon-emissions.html


Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church is requiring ALL (vaccinated and unvaccinated) people to wear masks at Mass. Please get vaccinated if you haven't already to protect yourself and others from this virus. Click here for Fr. Sam's full COVID statement.
We are still livestreaming Masses on our Facebook page (blessedsacramentsandy). You do not need a personal page with Facebook to watch the videos.
Blessed Sacrament Catholic School is reducing their environmental impact with the addition of solar panels on top of the school. Watch the video to learn more!
Join us at Church in celebrating this wonderful time of year!
Blessed Sacrament's Knights of Columbus is hosting a blood drive on December 8th from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM in the Parish Hall.
Sign-up on the Red Cross website now!
Join us on this holy day of obligation! The celebration of the Mass will be at 9:00 AM and 7:00 PM on Wednesday, December 8th.
Several priests will be available for reconciliation in the Church on Tuesday, December 14th at 7:00 PM.
Copyright © 2021 Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, Sandy, UT - All Rights Reserved.


IN THE future perhaps the only proudly traditional families left in Britain will be those of politicians, using their wives and children as props. Jon Cruddas, a prominent Labour Party strategist, says that “stable, secure families” are the “bedrock of our lives”. According to Iain Duncan Smith, the Conservative welfare secretary, the last government “cloaked neglect of the family under the veil of neutrality.” The prime minister wants to encourage marriage through a tax break. Yet society is changing beneath the politicians’ feet.
Since the 1980s the number of marriages has collapsed to Victorian levels. Divorces have climbed from 16,000 per year in 1945 to over 117,000 per year now. In 2011 the proportion of children born out of wedlock reached 47%, up from around a fifth in the 1980s. Birth rates and family sizes are well below their 1960s peaks. As Spencer Thompson of IPPR, a think-tank, puts it: “The two-parent, male-breadwinner family is basically extinct.”


Adam Dowell, owner of his own training business, Avail Performance, is a big advocate of functional training in the gym when he’s not on the mountain. Having been an athlete his whole life Adam understands the need for maintenance to perform at peak levels. Photo by Andrew Miller.
Trick or Treat? Mother Nature is offering up nothing but treats for Halloween, with storm totals now approaching two feet and powder turns being found in the Jackson Hole backcountry. We got out for a few turns this morning to celebrate Halloween and all of the new snow. We are fired up on skiing powder and tried to keep the Halloween spirit alive by incorporating a pumpkin costume. Why not?
Scroll through the photos and get fired up for winter with us!
It’s not even Halloween yet and Jackson Hole is already looking like winter. We were greeted with another coating of white this morning with over 4″ falling at the Rendezvous Bowl plot, on top of the 10″ reported yesterday. Check out the photos from yesterday morning as we enjoyed the new snow and the Jackson Hole Ski Patrol began getting ready for another great ski season. And in case you were wondering…it’s still snowing!
We are starting to receive our hardgoods orders and as we un-package these shiny new skis, all of us start thinking about our best turns from last year. Mark my words, it is going to be a big year!
JHMR athlete Hadley Hammer is a top-level competitive freeskier and will be competing on the Freeride World Tour this season. In preparation for the tour, Hadley has been training hard with the Mountain Athlete gym in Jackson Hole. Check in with Hadley as she offers up a couple of go-to exercises to get your ski training off on the right foot:
The early winter continues in Jackson Hole with more snow falling over the last few days. The past 3 nights have seen snow accumulate on the upper mountain, with the total 3-day count at 8″. Even with all of the snow up high, fall is hanging on down in the valley, although winter is starting to win the battle. Here’s a view of Rendezvous Bowl and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, with frosty fall foliage in the foreground:
Mother nature has been keeping us guessing over the past week in Jackson Hole. We’ve seen two consecutive nights of snow at the higher elevations, with the valley floor getting a full coat of white last night as well. The contrast between fall colors at the lower elevations and a coating of white up high has us scratching our heads and also enjoying the beauty.
The count in the Rendezvous Bowl plot at 10,000 feet today was 4″ of new snow, on top of the 3″ reported yesterday.
The commute to work has been incredible. Here’s a look west towards Jackson Hole Mountain Resort while crossing the Gros Ventre River.
To celebrate the new #1 ranking for best ski resort in North America by SKI Magazine, we decided to release a video highlighting all of the winter fun in Jackson Hole. Set to “I’m Alive” by Michael Franti, Jackson Hole is also excited to announce that Franti will be playing at our Mountain Festival this winter!
The votes are in, and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (JHMR) is ranked #1 Overall Resort in North America by the annual SKI Magazine Reader’s Poll! Turn up the volume and celebrate with this uplifting and passionate video, to the beat of Michael Franti’s newest hit. Come experience it for yourself this winter, and ski or ride Jackson Hole… you’ll be tapping your toes until you do.
Come join us on Thursday, September 19th in the Jackson Town Square for a celebration of the winter to come. The event starts at 5PM and includes a Season Pass Giveaway, new video release, free raffle, face painting, athlete signing with TGR athletes, free drinks by Pepsi and after party deals at local establishments with your raffle ticket from the party. RSVP now!
After Party Deals with Raffle Tickets at:
Pinky G’s Pizzeria
Town Square Tavern
Silver Dollar Bar
Raffle Prizes Provided by:
JD High Country Outfitters
Beaver Creek Hat & Leather
Pinky G’s Pizzeria
Town Square Tavern
RSVP on Facebook:
Old Bill’s Fun Run for Charities is happening on September, 7th. Over the past sixteen years, the event has helped local charities raise nearly $91 million and has touched the lives of thousands. Over the years, those dollars have helped house homeless pets, feed the hungry, teach our children and protect Jackson’s natural beauty.
Before Old Bill’s Fun Run we wanted to highlight a few of the non-profits that make a huge impact in our community. (more…)


Analyzing Key Inflation Components and Economic Indicators: A June Outlook
June 02, 2023
Introduction: As we bid farewell to the month of May, it’s time to examine some crucial factors influencing inflation and gauge the progress we can anticipate in the upcoming June 13 release of the CPI inflation data. By analyzing various elements such as oil prices, used car prices, rental costs, employment figures, and the housing market, we can gain insights into the potential direction of inflation and its impact on the economy.
Oil prices and used car prices: In April, oil prices soared due to OPEC’s production cuts, but they have since subsided and are currently trading below $70/barrel. This decline in oil prices is expected to alleviate inflationary pressure in the upcoming CPI report. Additionally, used car prices, which experienced a significant surge in April, are now rising at a slower pace. Moreover, with seasonal adjustments during this time of year, the used car price index could even register a negative change, further reducing inflationary pressure compared to April.
Rental costs: Although rental costs have been slow to reflect the downward trend in real-time, the most recent data suggests they are starting to catch up. The May 10 inflation report revealed that new shelter costs were lower than those from the previous year. With current rents dropping rapidly, as indicated by Apartment List’s May Rental Report, we can expect rents to continue declining in the CPI report, thereby contributing to a decrease in inflation.
Replacing figures in the year-over-year calculation: Examining the year-over-year calculation, we note that the headline figure stood at 0.9% and the core figure at 0.6%. In April, both headline and core monthly inflation readings were 0.4%. These figures indicate a potentially favorable outcome for interest rates.
Employment figures: While inflation is gradually decreasing, the Federal Reserve seems to rely on lagging indicators rather than real-time data, potentially leading to mistakes in their decision-making. The stubbornness of the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ jobs data has caught the Fed’s attention, but real-time indicators suggest an inflection point. Job openings, particularly in the construction sector, have declined from their peak, while the leisure and hospitality sector has experienced shrinking employment. These trends may result in weaker job creation numbers.
Debt Ceiling Deal and the housing market: President Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy have reached a debt deal in principle, alleviating fears of a default and receiving a positive response from the bond market. In the housing market, the Case Shiller Home Price Index indicates a rise in home prices, signaling a recovery from the recent inflection point. Although year-over-year appreciation may eventually turn negative, comparisons to the peak last year underscore the strength of the housing market, with projected appreciation of 5-6% for the full year of 2023.
Conclusion: As we eagerly await the release of the May CPI inflation data, various indicators suggest a potential decrease in inflationary pressure. Factors such as declining oil prices, a moderation in used car prices, decreasing rental costs, and changes in the employment landscape all contribute to this outlook. It remains to be seen whether the Federal Reserve will consider these indicators in their decision-making process and adjust their policies accordingly. Additionally, recent developments such as the debt ceiling deal and the recovering housing market provide further reasons for optimism about the overall economic trajectory in the coming months.


“We’re moving a large chunk of our budget to online ….next year”. A familiar refrain heard by the RED C team as we report on advertising effectiveness across a range of our clients. It appears as if the message has finally broken through among brand teams and in board rooms across Ireland, that advertising spend online is still lagging a long way behind online consumption. But what are the challenges for brands to make it work, and by the time brands have a plan will the target have shifted again?
The IAB Ireland (Internet Advertising Bureau Ireland) commissioned RED C to conduct research into consumer consumption online, in order to understand how consumer behaviour will influence advertising consumption and also among industry experts to try and decipher the best practice for brand spend online in 2014.
The start point is mobile – both smartphone and tablet. Consumer activity online is being driven by a shift to more mobile surfing. The increased penetration of smartphone (54%) and tablet (30%) ownership is driving the overall time spent online during the day to close to 3hrs among those with a smartphone device. A quarter of that time online is through the phone itself, with a further 10% through a tablet. More and more the primary usage of a phone is for online browsing, in fact 41% of smartphone owners use it more for browsing online than for calls and texts.
No surprise that the best practice advice from media agencies we interviewed was unanimously that “Companies need to prioritise the mobile: Mobile first, PC last. Mobile sites need to be transactional”.
Currently 21% of advertising spend in the market is on mobile (IAB BWC H1 2013 online ad spend), but 30-40% of all internet search is on mobile. There is a clear message here: the party has moved on and mobile now needs to be at the heart of any online campaign for the future. There are many challenges for brands in meeting this consumer need, but one of the core challenges is to keep up with both consumers and technology.
Both the platforms for mobile/online advertising and the devices themselves are disparate and ever changing. Consumers themselves are constantly changing how they behave and interact with brands, having been influenced by ongoing improvements in the devices they use.
Almost everyone (89%) with a smartphone have browsed the phone whilst watching TV, but more than ever this browsing appears to be connected to the programme being watched, with a third making this direct connection between the TV programme being watched and the related surfing at least once a week.
Consumers are also using their phone while in store, providing a direct connection between consumer and retailer, and possibly presenting a challenge for comparison pricing. Two thirds of those with smartphones have searched for product and services while in store, while the majority have looked up a product online having originally seen it in store.
But actually delivering direct sales through mobile remains a challenge. According to one industry expert, “Where mobile has a high share of online consumption, it continues to struggle in terms of triggering direct spend. PC’s are still the preferred choice for bigger purchases”. Mobile advertising then has to encourage the short term transactional purchase, but can’t necessarily deliver the final sale.
So what is the best way to reach consumers through mobile? The experts say, “Consumers go online in the morning when turning off their alarms, then when commuting to work then at lunch and again late evening.” The challenge for advertisers is to think about mobile as a consumer connection point throughout the day, and develop campaigns that meet this varying need.
According to the experts this doesn’t necessarily mean a rush to develop your own app. Just 13% of all of the time spent online by consumers is through apps, but it does represent a large chunk of the time spent online through a smartphone. While developing an app for your brand provides a tangible end product to show to the board, the reality is that apps don’t necessarily deliver unless they provide a clear connection and are relevant to consumers. “There is a disconnect between app download and usage. There is a need to have a relationship with an app for usability.”
Perhaps more important is the need to mobile optimise your brand’s website in the first place. Almost all smartphone owners (87%) are interested in mobile optimised sites and the experts stress the importance of this when starting on a mobile campaign. “The entire journey needs to be mobile optimised… a final click to a badly optimised landing page destroys a campaign.“
For the future brands will also need to consider advances just around the corner. Consumers are looking for more speed with 4G high on their preference list, and this will ultimately lead to more ability to stream content. Coupled with the desire for better “cloud” facilities, it suggests consumers will spend even more time accessing their own personalised content wherever they are.
Whatever the challenges, it is clear that consumers are open to mobile advertising, as long as it is both valuable and relevant. In fact 61% of Irish adults believe ads on their mobile are valuable, some way ahead of many other European countries, but key to this is providing value.
The clear message from this research is that if it isn’t already, mobile has to be at the heart of your digital strategy. The challenge for brands is fast implementation, while keeping up with consumer’s needs, and ensuring the message is both relevant and provides value.
Thanks to contributors including Justin Cullen MD, Radical, Kevin Foley, Commercial Director, Adforce , Fintan Lonergan, MD, O2 Media, Shenda Loughnane, Head of Digital, Aegis Media, Garret O’Beirne, Head of Digital, OMD, Michelle O’Keeffe, MD, Electric Media; and IAB Ireland for commissioning the study. Full report can be downloaded from the IAB website http://iabireland.ie/


We are excited to have been awarded the accolade of 'highly commended' at the Committee for Sydney's annual Smart City Awards, which took place at Sofitel Darling Harbour on Wednesday 5th September.
Five categories were announced, judged by a panel that included:
Lucy Hughes Turnbull AO, Chief Commissioner of the Greater Sydney Commission
The Hon Victor Dominello MP, Minister for Finance, Services and Property
Adam Beck, Executive Director of the Smart Cities Council Australia New Zealand
Dorte Ekelund, Principal Advisor on Smart Cities for SMEC and also the Chair of the Committee for Sydney’s Smart Cities Taskforce.
TULIP was awarded for our work with the City of Sydney on urban heat monitoring in Chippendale and Redfern. This was our first pilot work that began a year ago and stands as the the first proof of concept for the program. It's fantastic to be recognised amongst so many other great projects.
Our category was 'Best Local Government Initiative', with Liverpool Council taking first place for their excellent Smart Pedestrian Project, which they are delivering with long-standing TULIP partners Meshed.
We'd like to thank all our partners, particularly those that supported us in the early days of the program - Meshed, City of Sydney, IAG and from UTS, the Institute for Sustainable Futures and the Knowledge Economy Institute. More recently, Reekoh, Urban Institute and Nokia have expanded our platform functionality and we continue to work with them closely on our Lake Macquarie project.


Guest lecturer Fr. Clinton Sensat gave a great talk about Marian Apparitions to a crowd of nearly 100 people, as part of the Back-t0-Basics lecture series. In the 50 minute-long talk, Fr. Sensat identified the apparitions as private revelation, explaining the significance of that; discussed the possible modes of the apparitions; examined how the Church concludes whether or not the apparition is of supernatural origin; and looked at three lesser-known apparitions.
Fr. Sensat, now pastor at St. Thomas More Church in Eunice, is the former parochial vicar at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Ville Platte.
The next Back-to-Basics lecture will be on Nov. 14: “A Primer on Purgatory and Indulgences” by Fr. Taj Glodd, the current parochial vicar at Sacred Heart.
To listen to an audio recording of Fr. Sensat’s lecture, click on the player below.
To listen to other past lectures, click here.