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The news today is grim on several fronts, as recession fears continue to grip world markets. If plunging markets and an economic slowdown weren?t bad enough, it became official that General Motors is no longer the world?s largest auto manufacturer. While it hasn?t lost the title entirely, its new sales data shows it?s in a dead heat with Toyota. Odds are, as many industry analysts have predicted over the past several years, Toyota will overtake GM and retain the new leadership mantle with ease.
At the same time, Apple?s financial data shows iPod sales slowed. While the company famous for its Mac computers and the iPhone sold more of the personal music players in the last quarter than ever before, the increase in year-over-year sales slow to its lowest point since the gadget was introduced five years ago.
Part of what?s behind the rise?and fall?of these giants is innovation and the failure to keep innovating.
GM built its business on a tried-and-true model of fixed obsolescence. Like most carmakers, GM?s cars and trucks have an average lifespan of about five years (coincidentally, the same time as most car loans). Each year, it releases new models with modified designs, features and performance standards. The idea is to entice people to churn their cars in favor of more stylish vehicles with new, previously unavailable features.
Guess what? We saw the same thing with the iPod. The iPod Apple sold over the holidays is hardly the same as the brick it introduced in 2002. For roughly $200, you could get a new 8 GB iPod Nano with a solid-state hard drive, color screen, video capabilities and a host of new features like games and whiz-bang graphics that were previously unavailable. Sitting alongside the Nano on the store shelf was the ?classic? iPod. For just $150 more, you could get 80 GB of memory and video, but it?s also three times the size and has none of the new features.
For the same money as the Nano and $100 less than the iTouch (basically a iPhone sans phone), gadget buyers could get a Microsoft Zune. Larger than a Nano and with a screen even larger than the Classic, Zune outsold iPod for the first time over the holidays. This leap happened because the iPod started pushing market saturation and its competitors finally started offering products that either rival or exceed the iPod?s novelty.
Same thing happened with GM, Ford and Chrysler. They believed consumers would continue to accept multiple brands with lackluster performance and features, and homogenized designs because they owned the market. Their failure to recognize that better quality, performance and features would allow foreign competitors to undermine their market was one of their biggest mistakes.
Despite critics? praise for the quality and design of GM?s 2008 line, consumers don?t care. The carmakers reputation is so sullied by countless gaffes of the past that it?s difficult to turn around poor perceptions. The primary factor keeping GM in the game is deep discounts and incentives.
Microsoft faced a similar problem in 2001 following a devastating string of malware outbreaks that compromised tens of millions of networks and machines around the world. In response, it launched its Trustworthy Computing Initiative to clean up its source code and improve the security of its products. Six years later, Microsoft?s security has improved?although there are still plenty of problems and vulnerabilities?but it still battles the perception of having poor security.
No one is saying the iPod is dead or dying, but it may have peaked. So it?s no surprise that Apple is pushing into new markets?the iPhone, on-demand video rentals, Apple TV and, surprisingly, personal computers.
GM and other American carmakers are leveraging new technology?voice-activated audio systems, new safety features, alternative fuels?to revive their lines. While some of this is innovative, it?s difficult to predict if it will have an impact on shoring up eroding marketshare.
The lesson for all businesses is that innovation is a continual process and complacency is the enemy of success. Innovation should do more than just create the next neat gadget, but examine demand trends and anticipate market desires to stay ahead of competition and protect eroding bases. If a company reaches the maximum potential of its product innovation, it should look to other industries and products for greener pastures.


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The saccharine, chocolate-coated schmaltzfest that is Valentine's Day is nigh, and whether you're blissfully relationship-ed or merrily single, there's no avoiding Cupid's crimson tidal wave of love and consumerism. Given our reputation for coping-via-cocktails, we've crafted a selection of libations to assure that couples get laid, and those enjoying singledom get buzzed enough to write cathartic hate mail to their exes or wander into the street and canoodle with a stranger. Eros, let the arrows fly.
Chocolate Cherry Bomb
2 oz. Red pepper vodka 2 oz. Godiva chocolate liqueur 1/2 Tsp. Sriracha hot sauce 1 Tbsp. chocolate syrup Splash of grenadine
Garnish: pepper-vodka marinated cherry hot pepper
Sweet, sexy and… Sriracha sauce? Trust us, this will turn up the heat on the iciest of hearts. In a shaker filled with ice, add the red pepper vodka, chocolate liqueur, Sriracha hot sauce, grenadine, and chocolate syrup. Shake well and pour into an elegant glass. Garnish with a speared spicy cherry and a dried hot pepper, then watch the love flow…
Nutty Caramel Bonbon
1 oz. spiced rum 1 oz. Irish cream 1 oz. Frangelico hazelnut liqueur Chocolate bonbon for garnish
To drive your date, um, nuts, shake rum, Irish cream and hazelnut liqueur over ice and pour into an up-glass. Make a slice halfway through a bonbon, and perch on the edge of the glass. Sip, and flash those bedroom eyes you've been practicing in the mirror.
Red Velvet Cupcake
2 oz. vanilla vodka 1 oz. creme de cacao 1 oz. buttermilk 1 tbsp. chocolate sauce 3 drops red food coloring 8 drops of vanilla extract Cream cheese frosting for rim
Why bake a cupcake when you can drink one? Add vodka, creme de cacao, buttermilk, three drops of red food coloring, and vanilla extract to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and pour into a glass rimmed with frosting. Toast to love, romance, and imminent diabetes.
2 oz. floral gin (like Hendrick's or Bombay Sapphire) ½ oz. raspberry liqueur 1 drop rose water Splash soda water Edible flower for garnish
In a shaker with ice, add the gin, raspberry liqueur, and a drop or two of rose water. Shake vigorously and pour into a delicate glass, then top with a splash of soda water and float an edible flower on top. Note: If your date says the drink reminds him/her of their mother's perfume and begins crying, make an excuse to end the evening early, and proceed to our "Stiff & Bitter" cocktail.
Stiff & Bitter
8 oz. hot chamomile tea 2 oz. honey bourbon (or more, no one's judging you) 1 tbsp. honey Dash of bitters 12 cats Old pajamas
Pour boiling water in a mug with a bag of chamomile tea. Let steep for a few minutes, then add the honey, bourbon, and bitters. Stir and gulp, then pet all your cats and tell them how much they mean to you, and that you'll never be alone because you have Mr. Whiskers, whose love is unconditional and emotionally non-threatening. Next, watch a marathon of Jennifer Aniston movies.
Plus: Check out Hungry Beast, for more news on the latest restaurants, hot chefs, and tasty recipes.
Alie Ward and Georgia Hardstark met at a dive bar in the L.A. neighborhood of Echo Park and write the cocktail-focused website Alie and Georgia. Alie shares her love for art, trends, restaurants, and nightlife as a Los Angeles Times staff writer and as an on-air correspondent for KTLA-TV. Georgia has written for publications like Anthem magazine and contributes the This Recording. Join them online as they shake up the cocktail scene with the second season of their Web series, Drinks with Alie & Georgia, on Food2.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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Luau Grog
3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
3/4 oz. grapefruit juice
3/4 oz. soda water
1 oz. honey mix*
1 oz. gold Puerto Rican rum
1 oz. dark Jamaican rum
1 oz. Demerara rum
Dash of Angostura bitters
2 oz. crushed ice
Put everything into a blender saving ice for last. Blend at high speed for no more than 5 seconds. Pour into a double old-fashioned glass. Serve with ice cone.
*To make honey mix, heat one part honey and one part water until honey is thoroughly dissolved. Once cooled & bottled, it will last approx. one week in the fridge.
- From "Sippin' Safari" by Jeff Berry
I'm going to get this out of the way right up front. I made this drink because of the ice cone.
True, the recipe initially caught my eye because I'm a fan of a couple other drinks hailing from the Luau menu (those being the Jet Pilot and their version of the Scorpion). And even though the Luau Grog is an ever-so-slight reworking of a Navy Grog, I still wanted to give it a go and see what it was all about.
But really folks, it's all about the ice cone.
After a cursory spin around some other boozeblogs, I noticed that Paul had previously tackled this very same drink, Blair had done a run-through on the Navy Grog, and Tiare had done some experimenting with various ice molds. But it seems nowhere near as many people had fiddled around with ice cones as I'd assumed. Were they that hard to make?
I'll admit *I* was intimidated. But after a little reflection, I thought, "Hey, I hollowed out a pineapple without causing arterial spray, so how hard can it be to pack some shaved ice into a beer glass??"
What follows is my saga of ice cone creation. It's a tale filled with joy, wonder, disappointment and self-discovery. Join me, won't you?
I started by consulting the instructions provided in both Jeff Berry's Sippin' Safari and the profile piece on Berry in the May/June '07 issue of Imbibe (both include the recipe for the Luau Grog, and I wanted to cross-reference them for any variances).
The instructions in both sources were identical:
"For the ice cone, pack a pilsner glass with finely shaved ice, run a chopstick through the middle to make a hole for the straw, and freeze the cone overnight."
Simple enough. I grabbed a pilsner glass, made some shaved ice, filled up the glass and made the chopstick-hole. Then into the freezer.
Here's where things got interesting.
After a few hours in the freezer (I didn't see the need to make it an overnight affair- my freezer is pretty robust and I figured 4 hours would be plenty of time for the cone to set up nicely.), I took out my ice-filled glasses (I made two cones), and got ready to whip up some authentic Luau Grogs.
But there was a small matter of getting the cone out of the glass. Turns out those suckers were locked into their glasses like they'd been welded there. I tried to gently rotate one of the cones to break it's grip…to no avail. My next idea was to gingerly slip a knife between the cone and the glass and slowly work it around. I immediately broke the glass with this method. Good thing I made two cones.
With the second one, I put it under the faucet and slowly ran warm water over the outside of the glass. After a few seconds, things warmed up to the point where the cone slid free of the glass. But it came out in three separate segments that I had to thread back together with the straw…like stringing a big icy necklace. But I made the drink, put in my gimpy cone and basked in my pseudo-success.
The very next day, I had an email exchange with several other boozebloggers discussing the differences between the Navy Grog and the Luau Grog. This prompted me to look up the Navy Grog recipe in Jeff Berry's Grog Log where I noticed something important.
Following the Navy Grog recipe, there are instructions for making the ice cone. Here they are:
"Pack ten-ounce Pilsner glass with finely shaved ice. Run a hole through center with a chopstick to make a passage for straw. Gently remove cone from glass and freeze overnight."
It's the first part of the last sentence that makes all the difference. REMOVE CONE FROM GLASS and freeze overnight. This step is crucial, and it's missing from the other instructions.
Armed with my newfound knowledge I set about to make some more ice cones. But a new challenge surfaced: I remembered I had 2 different styles of pilsner glass.
I had already used the straight-sided, stemmed one (glass "A") earlier. The other one (glass "B") held the same amount and would produce a cone of equal height, but it would obviously differ in shape. Would it matter? Only one way to tell- I made some cones using each glass.
In a nutshell, I got nice, solid, serviceable cones from each one. Personally, I prefer the ones made with the flare-sided glass, as its flat, wider bottom results in the top of the cone having a bit more heft. It's mainly an aesthetic concern, but the thinner, pointy top of the other cone is more likely to break off when inserting the straw or while drinking.
And it's at this point that anyone besides the 7 other booze nerds who make up my entire readership exclaim, "Jesus Christ, I can't believe this guy is obsessively documenting the minute differences between tiki drink ice cone shapes !!"
Guilty as charged. And it only gets worse:
In the interest of the public good, I took it upon myself to offer a step-by-step ice cone-making process that worked pretty well for me. Hopefully it'll work for you too.
1) Make some shaved ice by whatever method you prefer. (I don't have a fancy ice-shaving gadget, so I just pulverize the daylights out of some small ice cubes in a blender until I get a snow-like consistency.
2) Pack your ice firmly into a 10-ounce pilsner glass all the way to the rim. This is the time to make sure you're using only the finest ice bits. Allowing bigger hunks of ice into your cone will create points where it can fracture easily. I'm sure there's technical term for this, but I'm an artist, not a Materials Science guy. I draw pictures instead:
3) In the center of the ice, push a chopstick the whole length of the glass to make your straw hole.
4) Leaving your chopstick in place, gently push down on the ice to re-pack any of it that may have gotten dislodged when making the hole.
5) Gently pull the cone from the glass (it should rotate freely and easily slide out…you can probably use the chopstick as a handle)
6) Cradling the cone gently, stand it upright in your freezer (I'd advise placing your cone on something with a smooth surface like plastic or wax paper so you can easily remove it later. (Don't use something like a paper towel or a cloth). If you haven't done it yet, remove the chopstick.
7) Optional Step: After the cone has been in the freezer long enough to re-harden, use a small spray bottle (Those vermouth misters and salad-oil spritzers work well) to give it a few spritzes of cold water. This will put a bit of a hard shell on the outside of the cone and help it hold together.
8) When the cone is fully frozen (a couple hours should do it, depending on your freezer), pull it out and insert the straw. You may have to gently open up the hole on one end (or both) if any of the ice shifted during all this nonsense.
9) Put it in your drink and sip away!
Speaking of the drink…
It's pretty good. It definitely "tastes tiki", but after having a few I couldn't help but think it needed just a touch of something. The flavors all worked well together, but the total package seemed just a little flat & thin-tasting to me.
My remedy was to add a ¼ oz of falernum to pep it up and add a little spicy roundness. I like it much better this way.
So now that I've made the ice cone-crafting process sound really enticing, who's up for making some? The first person to send me photographic evidence of their labors will, ummm…win a prize. Or maybe just my admiration. Yeah, that's probably more likely than a prize.
UPDATE: I regretfully overlooked Mr. Bali Hai's fine efforts. See the juicy photos of his Navy Grog complete with ice cone here.


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Monday, May 14, 2007
Meeting Ebrahim Alkazi, and memories of a surreal Delhi
Though he walks with a barely noticeable stoop, there's little else to suggest that Alkazi is 82 years old. He still comes to his office, the Art Heritage Gallery in the Triveni Kala Sangam basement, at 11 AM each day, after spending an hour at the Alkazi Foundation in Greater Kailash-II. His steady, clipped voice could easily belong to a man 25 years younger and he rarely pauses for breath. There's a natural storytelling talent on view when he talks about his life, beginning with his boyhood in Bombay and Pune; he has an impressive memory for specifics and his descriptions are vivid. "When Alkazi described a performance, we could imagine it unfolding before our eyes," theatre director Bansi Kaul, one of his students in the 1970s, told me on the phone later. "He was a great teacher, very charismatic."
Though Alkazi retired from the National School of Drama (NSD) 30 years ago, he has remained active in the artistic sphere – collecting and documenting old photographs and paintings, conceptualising and curating exhibitions. Recently, he's been busy with an exhibition of old photographs of Lucknow, from the time of the 1857 Mutiny. At our meeting he showed me an elegantly produced book titled Lucknow, City of Illusions, edited by Rosie Llewellyn-Jones, and featuring a number of images from the collection he has built up over the years. Flipping through the book's pages, he analysed and explained the photographs, talking about the camera angles and other details of each shot – the exact geographical locations of parts of the city that were destroyed during the Mutiny - and in the process, gave me a firsthand sense of how he must have created imaginary worlds for his students back in his prime. "I developed a visual approach to the theatre," he likes to say, "as opposed to just a literary approach. I was very concerned with how the stage would look, and with the overall design."
What I found most fascinating about my conversation with Alkazi were his memories of the vibrant cultural scene in Bombay in the 1950s (something I often hear about from my mother and grandmother) and the not-so-impressive state of Delhi in the early 1960s, which was when he moved here to help set up a national school of drama. Delhi was an unsettling place in 1962, he said – "a peculiar, retarded, feudal world; like a village when compared to Bombay." (Some would argue that hasn't changed, 40 years on.)
In a few earlier posts, including this chat with Lalit Nirula, I've mentioned my interest in the growth of Delhi, especially south Delhi, over the decades. Alkazi had a few memories to share too. "Kailash Colony, where we set up our base in a shabby building owned by tent-wallahs, was so far out that no taxi would go there," he said. Chuckling, he recounted one of his earliest experiences in the city: seeing two men hoisting a dead donkey onto a scooter by the side of the road. "This was my introduction to Delhi! It was surreal, like something out of a Luis Bunuel film." [Note: Un Chien Andalou has that famous image of dead donkeys being dragged along on a piano.]
The upside of being in Delhi as a theatre-person looking for new opportunities was the realisation that the city's ancient monuments would be fantastic sites. Initially, of course, he had to make do with more mundane settings. "There was an open space behind the tent-wallah's house, we picked up stones and built a little makeshift stage there, lined with cowdung and with a thatched roof." Later they would move to a more sophisticated venue – the Rabindra Bhavan building near Mandi Chowk – but those early days were heady ones.
The breakthrough came one memorable evening at the Ferozshah Kotla stadium, where he got permission from the Archaeological Survey of India to stage Andha Yug, a powerful drama set in the immediate aftermath of the Mahabharata War. "Pandit Nehru came to watch it, and naturally this meant a coterie of diplomats and huge crowds followed him." So makeshift was the setting that at one point in the play, when a group of characters are required to move towards the audience, Nehru's bodyguards came forward to counter the threat. It was an extremely successful performance on the whole, even though it ended with the Prime Minister gravely warning Alkazi to "watch out for snakes" when he staged his productions near old monuments!
Alkazi believes his greatest strength as a director was his desire to keep adding to his knowledge: "The thing to know is that you don't know enough." This is a remarkable philosophy for someone of his age and experience to adopt, but he still follows it tirelessly; much of his time is spent reading, researching, learning new things about his areas of interest. "He was always extremely well-read, a walking library," director Vijay Kashyap, who worked with him on such productions as Tughlaq and Razia Sultan, told me, "and yet he never used high-flowing words – he explained everything in very simple language."
His liberal background (fostered by his schooling at a Jesuit institute "that had a wide and comprehensive view of education", and childhood exposure to a wide range of books and magazines from around the world, subscribed to by his father) and interest in a number of different forms also helped. While the NSD under his supervision primarily represented Indian theatre, it was open to traditions from other countries – for instance, he once got a Japanese director to stage a production in the classical Noh tradition. "We designed the stage in the Noh style," he said, showing me an old photograph from his large and impressive portfolio. "The form is not very different from our own Kathakali, and we were able to explore that connection."
One reminiscence followed another as Alkazi discussed his productions – including translations of Ibsen's A Doll's House and Shakespeare's Othello – and his little bouts with critics: once, after a reviewer likened an actress's performance to a "cackling hen", Alkazi wrote a letter to the Times of India editor Sham Lal, ending by saying the critic's writing was "like the cackling of a hen no cock would look at twice". (The letter was published in its entirety.)
He also showed me an impeccably maintained collection of photographs from his theatre ventures: stills of the elegant set designs that he personally invested so much time and effort into; rehearsals with actors, including a young Om Puri wearing a Japanese mask; a long shot of the Purana Qila, where he discovered that Nehru had been right, there were indeed snakes around. (When he first went to the site, he recalls being told that he couldn't use the ground because it was sacred. "It's already being used as a public lavatory!" he retorted, "I'm only cleaning it up.")
I need to visit the Alkazi Foundation soon to see more of those old photographs – some of them were superb. Will put some up here if I get access to them.
(Click pics to enlarge)
14 comments:
- Anonymous12:43 AM, May 15, 2007
It is a very boring article, pure time waste. I pity u. U spend lot of time and energy on trash.
ReplyDelete - Anonymous8:23 AM, December 16, 2007
An insightful piece on Alkazi. The blog site itself is quite rich in displaying a glimpse of Indian arts!
Keep it coming! - Anonymous2:33 PM, September 11, 2008
Though the article seems boring to some body, this is an unique feature and of our national importance. Alkazi is one of the towring feagure and the Theatre Guru of almost all modern Indian actors, Directors and designers. He is a legendary personality.He founded the femous National School of Drama. We are proud to be having Alkazi still within us.
Thanks for the information.
satya.... - Anonymous12:43 PM, October 23, 2008
i know Alkazi personally...he is a great person and has definitly lived history.
ReplyDelete - Anonymous11:35 AM, February 19, 2009
Interesting article, well written, learnt a lot about Alkazi - attractive personality, quite a theatre-person, wish I had seen his productions. May he continue to inspire theatre and the performing arts in general. People like'Anonymous' and 'Abhi' are more to be pitied than censured, cynical and mediocre, for they know nothing better.
ReplyDelete - khalid.6:46 PM, September 01, 2014
dont say a word about these guy sir...pity him bcz these guy never face the treat of life ...i totally agree about sir alkazi i also read about sir alkazi n i want to know about him more...like u said u r his student i want to about him that how he teaches on every students while he takes classes..please reply me this is my email id...firstname.lastname@example.com...mujhe bohot khusi hogi kyunki mujhe aap logon k experiences jaanne hai...taki main bhi zindagi ko baariki se samjh sakooon..i hope u would mail me.
ReplyDelete - Anonymous4:06 AM, March 31, 2023
The good things to remember that Mr Alkadi father came from Onayzahl in Saudi Arabia when there wasn't any TV or or theatre so living there, give him an opportunity to adapt new skills to show the society that surrounding him in the new theatre act


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ADA Questions & Answers
Ever curious as to what the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is and how it affects employers and employees? Below are some common questions answered.
Q. What employers are covered by title I of the ADA, and when is the coverage effective?
A. The title I employment provisions apply to private employers, State and local governments, employment agencies, and labor unions. Employers with 25 or more employees were covered as of July 26, 1992. Employers with 15 or more employees were covered two years later, beginning July 26, 1994.
Q. What practices and activities are covered by the employment nondiscrimination requirements?
A. The ADA prohibits discrimination in all employment practices, including job application procedures, hiring, firing, advancement, compensation, training, and other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment. It applies to recruitment, advertising, tenure, layoff, leave, fringe benefits, and all other employment-related activities.
Q. Who is protected from employment discrimination?
A. Employment discrimination is prohibited against "qualified individuals with disabilities." This includes applicants for employment and employees. An individual is considered to have a "disability" if s/he has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment. Persons discriminated against because they have a known association or relationship with an individual with a disability also are protected.
The first part of the definition makes clear that the ADA applies to persons who have impairments and that these must substantially limit major life activities such as seeing, hearing, speaking, walking, breathing, performing manual tasks, learning, caring for oneself, and working. An individual with epilepsy, paralysis, HIV infection, AIDS, a substantial hearing or visual impairment, mental retardation, or a specific learning disability is covered, but an individual with a minor, nonchronic condition of short duration, such as a sprain, broken limb, or the flu, generally would not be covered.
The second part of the definition protecting individuals with a record of a disability would cover, for example, a person who has recovered from cancer or mental illness.
The third part of the definition protects individuals who are regarded as having a substantially limiting impairment, even though they may not have such an impairment. For example, this provision would protect a qualified individual with a severe facial disfigurement from being denied employment because an employer feared the "negative reactions" of customers or co-workers.
Q. Who is a "qualified individual with a disability?"
A. A qualified individual with a disability is a person who meets legitimate skill, experience, education, or other requirements of an employment position that s/he holds or seeks, and who can perform the oeessential functionsî of the position with or without reasonable accommodation. Requiring the ability to perform "essential" functions assures that an individual with a disability will not be considered unqualified simply because of inability to perform marginal or incidental job functions. If the individual is qualified to perform essential job functions except for limitations caused by a disability, the employer must consider whether the individual could perform these functions with a reasonable accommodation. If a written job description has been prepared in advance of advertising or interviewing applicants for a job, this will be considered as evidence, although not conclusive evidence, of the essential functions of the job.
Q. Does an employer have to give preference to a qualified applicant with a disability over other applicants?
A. No. An employer is free to select the most qualified applicant available and to make decisions based on reasons unrelated to a disability. For example, suppose two persons apply for a job as a typist and an essential function of the job is to type 75 words per minute accurately. One applicant, an individual with a disability, who is provided with a reasonable accommodation for a typing test, types 50 words per minute; the other applicant who has no disability accurately types 75 words per minute. The employer can hire the applicant with the higher typing speed, if typing speed is needed for successful performance of the job.
Q. What limitations does the ADA impose on medical examinations and inquiries about disability?
A. An employer may not ask or require a job applicant to take a medical examination before making a job offer. It cannot make any pre-employment inquiry about a disability or the nature or severity of a disability. An employer may, however, ask questions about the ability to perform specific job functions and may, with certain limitations, ask an individual with a disability to describe or demonstrate how s/he would perform these functions.
An employer may condition a job offer on the satisfactory result of a post-offer medical examination or medical inquiry if this is required of all entering employees in the same job category. A post-offer examination or inquiry does not have to be job-related and consistent with business necessity.
However, if an individual is not hired because a post-offer medical examination or inquiry reveals a disability, the reason(s) for not hiring must be job-related and consistent with business necessity. The employer also must show that no reasonable accommodation was available that would enable the individual to perform the essential job functions, or that accommodation would impose an undue hardship. A post-offer medical examination may disqualify an individual if the employer can demonstrate that the individual would pose a "direct threat" in the workplace (i.e., a significant risk of substantial harm to the health or safety of the individual or others) that cannot be eliminated or reduced below the oedirect threatî level through reasonable accommodation. Such a disqualification is job-related and consistent with business necessity. A post-offer medical examination may not disqualify an individual with a disability who is currently able to perform essential job functions because of speculation that the disability may cause a risk of future injury.
After a person starts work, a medical examination or inquiry of an employee must be job-related and consistent with business necessity. Employers may conduct employee medical examinations where there is evidence of a job performance or safety problem, examinations required by other Federal laws, examinations to determine current fitness to perform a particular job, and voluntary examinations that are part of employee health programs.
Information from all medical examinations and inquiries must be kept apart from general personnel files as a separate, confidential medical record, available only under limited conditions.
Tests for illegal use of drugs are not medical examinations under the ADA and are not subject to the restrictions of such examinations.
Q. When can an employer ask an applicant to "self-identify" as having a disability?
A. Federal contractors and subcontractors who are covered by the affirmative action requirements of section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 may invite individuals with disabilities to identify themselves on a job application form or by other pre-employment inquiry, to satisfy the section 503 affirmative action requirements. Employers who request such information must observe section 503 requirements regarding the manner in which such information is requested and used, and the procedures for maintaining such information as a separate, confidential record, apart from regular personnel records.A pre-employment inquiry about a disability is allowed if required by another Federal law or regulation such as those applicable to disabled veterans and veterans of the Vietnam era. Pre-employment inquiries about disabilities may be necessary under such laws to identify applicants or clients with disabilities in order to provide them with required special services.
Q. Does the ADA require employers to develop written job descriptions?
A. No. The ADA does not require employers to develop or maintain job descriptions. However, a written job description that is prepared before advertising or interviewing applicants for a job will be considered as evidence along with other relevant factors. If an employer uses job descriptions, they should be reviewed to make sure they accurately reflect the actual functions of a job. A job description will be most helpful if it focuses on the results or outcome of a job function, not solely on the way it customarily is performed. A reasonable accommodation may enable a person with a disability to accomplish a job function in a manner that is different from the way an employee who is not disabled may accomplish the same function.
Q. What is "reasonable accommodation?"
A. Reasonable accommodation is any modification or adjustment to a job or the work environment that will enable a qualified applicant or employee with a disability to participate in the application process or to perform essential job functions. Reasonable accommodation also includes adjustments to assure that a qualified individual with a disability has rights and privileges in employment equal to those of employees without disabilities.
Q. What are some of the accommodations applicants and employees may need?
A. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making existing facilities used by employees readily accessible to and usable by an individual with a disability; restructuring a job; modifying work schedules; acquiring or modifying equipment; providing qualified readers or interpreters; or appropriately modifying examinations, training, or other programs. Reasonable accommodation also may include reassigning a current employee to a vacant position for which the individual is qualified, if the person is unable to do the original job because of a disability even with an accommodation. However, there is no obligation to find a position for an applicant who is not qualified for the position sought. Employers are not required to lower quality or quantity standards as an accommodation; nor are they obligated to provide personal use items such as glasses or hearing aids.
The decision as to the appropriate accommodation must be based on the particular facts of each case. In selecting the particular type of reasonable accommodation to provide, the principal test is that o effectiveness, i.e., whether the accommodation will provide an opportunity for a person with a disability to achieve the same level of performance and to enjoy benefits equal to those of an average, similarly situated person without a disability. However, the accommodation does not have to ensure equal results or provide exactly the same benefits.
Q. When is an employer required to make a reasonable accommodation?
A. An employer is only required to accommodate a "known" disability of a qualified applicant or employee. The requirement generally will be triggered by a request from an individual with a disability, who frequently will be able to suggest an appropriate accommodation. Accommodations must be made on an individual basis, because the nature and extent of a disabling condition and the requirements of a job will vary in each case. If the individual does not request an accommodation, the employer is not obligated to provide one except where an individual's known disability impairs his/her ability to know of, or effectively communicate a need for, an accommodation that is obvious to the employer. If a person with a disability requests, but cannot suggest, an appropriate accommodation, the employer and the individual should work together to identify one. There are also many public and private resources that can provide assistance without cost.
Q. What are the limitations on the obligation to make a reasonable accommodation?
A. The individual with a disability requiring the accommodation must be otherwise qualified, and the disability must be known to the employer. In addition, an employer is not required to make an accommodation if it would impose an "undue hardship" on the operation of the employer's business. "Undue hardship" is defined as an "action requiring significant difficulty or expense" when considered in light of a number of factors. These factors include the nature and cost of the accommodation in relation to the size, resources, nature, and structure of the employer's operation. Undue hardship is determined on a case-by-case basis. Where the facility making the accommodation is part of a larger entity, the structure and overall resources of the larger organization would be considered, as well as the financial and administrative relationship of the facility to the larger organization. In general, a larger employer with greater resources would be expected to make accommodations requiring greater effort or expense than would be required of a smaller employer with fewer resources.
If a particular accommodation would be an undue hardship, the employer must try to identify another accommodation that will not pose such a hardship. Also, if the cost of an accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the employer, the individual with a disability should be given the option of paying that portion of the cost which would constitute an undue hardship or providing the accommodation.
Q. Must an employer modify existing facilities to make them accessible?
A. The employer's obligation under title I is to provide access for an individual applicant to participate in the job application process, and for an individualemployee with a disability to perform the essential functions of his/her job, including access to a building, to the work site, to needed equipment, and to all facilities used by employees. For example, if an employee lounge is located in a place inaccessible to an employee using a wheelchair, the lounge might be modified or relocated, or comparable facilities might be provided in a location that would enable the individual to take a break with co-workers. The employer must provide such access unless it would cause an undue hardship.
Under title I, an employer s not required to make its existing facilities accessible until a particular applicant or employee with a particular disability needs an accommodation, and then the modifications should meet that individual's work needs. However, employers should consider initiating changes that will provide general accessibility, particularly for job applicants, since it is likely that people with disabilities will be applying for jobs. The employer does not have to make changes to provide access in places or facilities that will not be used by that individual for employment-related activities or benefits.
Q. Can an employer be required to reallocate an essential function of a job to another employee as a reasonable accommodation?
A. No. An employer is not required to reallocate essential functions of a job as a reasonable accommodation.
Q. Can an employer be required to modify, adjust, or make other reasonable accommodations in the way a test is given to a qualified applicant or employee with a disability?
A. Yes. Accommodations may be needed to assure that tests or examinations measure the actual ability of an individual to perform job functions rather than reflect limitations caused by the disability. Tests should be given to people who have sensory, speaking, or manual impairments in a format that does not require the use of the impaired skill, unless it is a job-related skill that the test is designed to measure.
Q. Can an employer maintain existing production/performance standards for an employee with a disability?
A. An employer can hold employees with disabilities to the same standards of production/performance as other similarly situated employees without disabilities for performing essential job functions, with or without reasonable accommodation. An employer also can hold employees with disabilities to the same standards of production/performance as other employees regarding marginal functions unless the disability affects the person's ability to perform those marginal functions. If the ability to perform marginal functions is affected by the disability, the employer must provide some type of reasonable accommodation such as job restructuring but may not exclude an individual with a disability who is satisfactorily performing a jobs essential functions.
Q. Can an employer establish specific attendance and leave policies?
A. An employer can establish attendance and leave policies that are uniformly applied to all employees, regardless of disability, but may not refuse leave needed by an employee with a disability if other employees get such leave. An employer also may be required to make adjustments in leave policy as a reasonable accommodation. The employer is not obligated to provide additional paid leave, but accommodations may include leave flexibility and unpaid leave.
A uniformly applied leave policy does not violate the ADA because it has a more severe effect on an individual because of his/her disability. However, if an individual with a disability requests a modification of such a policy as a reasonable accommodation, an employer may be required to provide it, unless it would impose an undue hardship.
Q. Can an employer consider health and safety when deciding whether to hire an applicant or retain an employee with a disability?
A. Yes. The ADA permits employers to establish qualification standards that will exclude individuals who pose a direct threat — i.e., a significant risk of substantial harm — to the health or safety of the individual or of others, if that risk cannot be eliminated or reduced below the level of a oedirect threatî by reasonable accommodation. However, an employer may not simply assume that a threat exists; the employer must establish through objective, medically supportable methods that there is significant risk that substantial harm could occur in the workplace. By requiring employers to make individualized judgments based on reliable medical or other objective evidence rather than on generalizations, ignorance, fear, patronizing attitudes, or stereotypes, the ADA recognizes the need to balance the interests of people with disabilities against the legitimate interests of employers in maintaining a safe workplace.
Q. Are applicants or employees who are currently illegally using drugs covered by the ADA?
A. No. Individuals who currently engage in the illegal use of drugs are specifically excluded from the definition of a "qualified individual with a disability" protected by the ADA when the employer takes action on the basis of their drug use.
Q. Is testing for the illegal use of drugs permissible under the ADA?
A. Yes. A test for the illegal use of drugs is not considered a medical examination under the ADA; therefore, employers may conduct such testing of applicants or employees and make employment decisions based on the results. The ADA does not encourage, prohibit, or authorize drug tests.
If the results of a drug test reveal the presence of a lawfully prescribed drug or other medical information, such information must be treated as a confidential medical record.
Q. Are alcoholics covered by the ADA?
A. Yes. While a current illegal user of drugs is not protected by the ADA if an employer acts on the basis of such use, a person who currently uses alcohol is not automatically denied protection. An alcoholic is a person with a disability and is protected by the ADA if s/he is qualified to perform the essential functions of the job. An employer may be required to provide an accommodation to an alcoholic. However, an employer can discipline, discharge or deny employment to an alcoholic whose use of alcohol adversely affects job performance or conduct. An employer also may prohibit the use of alcohol in the workplace and can require that employees not be under the influence of alcohol.
Q. Does the ADA override Federal and State health and safety laws?
A. The ADA does not override health and safety requirements established under other Federal laws even if a standard adversely affects the employment of an individual with a disability. If a standard is required by another Federal law, an employer must comply with it and does not have to show that the standard is job related and consistent with business necessity. For example, employers must conform to health and safety requirements of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. However, an employer still has the obligation under the ADA to consider whether there is a reasonable accommodation, consistent with the standards of other Federal laws, that will prevent exclusion of qualified individuals with disabilities who can perform jobs without violating the standards of those laws. If an employer can comply with both the ADA and another Federal law, then the employer must do so.
The ADA does not override State or local laws designed to protect public health and safety, except where such laws conflict with the ADA requirements. If there is a State or local law that would exclude an individual with a disability from a particular job or profession because of a health or safety risk, the employer still must assess whether a particular individual would pose a "direct threat" to health or safety under the ADA standard. If such a "direct threat" exists, the employer must consider whether it could be eliminated or reduced below the level of a "direct threat" by reasonable accommodation. An employer cannot rely on a State or local law that conflicts with ADA requirements as a defense to a charge of discrimination.
Q. How does the ADA affect workers' compensation programs?
A. Only injured workers who meet the ADA's definition of an "individual with a disability" will be considered disabled under the ADA, regardless of whether they satisfy criteria for receiving benefits under workers' compensation or other disability laws. A worker also must be "qualified" (with or without reasonable accommodation) to be protected by the ADA. Work-related injuries do not always cause physical or mental impairments severe enough to "substantially limit" a major life activity. Also, many on-the-job injuries cause temporary impairments which heal within a short period of time with little or no long-term or permanent impact. Therefore, many injured workers who qualify for benefits under workers' compensation or other disability benefits laws may not be protected by the ADA. An employer must consider work-related injuries on a case-by-case basis to know if a worker is protected by the ADA.
An employer may not inquire into an applicant's workers' compensation history before making a conditional offer of employment. After making a conditional job offer, an employer may inquire about a person's workers compensation history in a medical inquiry or examination that is required of all applicants in the same job category. However, even after a conditional offer has been made, an employer cannot require a potential employee to have a medical examination because a response to a medical inquiry (as opposed to results from a medical examination) shows a previous on-the-job injury unless all applicants in the same job category are required to have an examination. Also, an employer may not base an employment decision on the speculation that an applicant may cause increased workers' compensation costs in the future. However, an employer may refuse to hire, or may discharge an individual who is not currently able to perform a job without posing a significant risk of substantial harm to the health or safety of the individual or others, if the risk cannot be eliminated or reduced by reasonable accommodation.
An employer may refuse to hire or may fire a person who knowingly provides a false answer to a lawful post-offer inquiry about his/her condition or worker's compensation history.
An employer also may submit medical information and records concerning employees and applicants (obtained after a conditional job offer) to state workers' compensation offices and "second injury" funds without violating ADA confidentiality requirements.
Q. What is discrimination based on "relationship or association" under the ADA?
A. The ADA prohibits discrimination based on relationship or association in order to protect individuals from actions based on unfounded assumptions that their relationship to a person with a disability would affect their job performance, and from actions caused by bias or misinformation concerning certain disabilities. For example, this provision would protect a person whose spouse has a disability from being denied employment because of an employer's unfounded assumption that the applicant would use excessive leave to care for the spouse. It also would protect an individual who does volunteer work for people with AIDS from a discriminatory employment action motivated by that relationship or association.
Q. How are the employment provisions enforced?
A. The employment provisions of the ADA are enforced under the same procedures now applicable to race, color, sex, national origin, and religious discrimination under title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, and the Civil Rights Act of 1991. Complaints regarding actions that occurred on or after July 26, 1992, may be filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or designated State human rights agencies. Available remedies will include hiring, reinstatement, promotion, back pay, front pay, restored benefits, reasonable accommodation, attorneys' fees, expert witness fees, and court costs. Compensatory and punitive damages also may be available in cases of intentional discrimination or where an employer fails to make a good faith effort to provide a reasonable accommodation.
Q. What financial assistance is available to employers to help them make reasonable accommodations and comply with the ADA?
A. A special tax credit is available to help smaller employers make accommodations required by the ADA. An eligible small business may take a tax credit of up to $5,000 per year for accommodations made to comply with the ADA. The credit is available for one-half the cost of "eligible access expenditures" that are more than $250 but less than $10,250.
A full tax deduction, up to $15,000 per year, also is available to any business for expenses of removing qualified architectural or transportation barriers. Expenses covered include costs of removing barriers created by steps, narrow doors, inaccessible parking spaces, restroom facilities, and transportation vehicles. Additional information discussing the tax credits and deductions is contained in the Department of Justice's ADA Tax Incentive Packet for Businesses available from the ADA Information Line, see page 29. Information about the tax credit and tax deduction can also be obtained from a local IRS office, or by contacting the Office of Chief Counsel, Internal Revenue Service.
Q. What are an employer's recordkeeping requirements under the employment provisions of the ADA?
A. An employer must maintain records such as application forms submitted by applicants and other records related to hiring, requests for reasonable accommodation, promotion, demotion, transfer, lay-off or termination, rates of pay or other terms of compensation, and selection for training or apprenticeship for one year after making the record or taking the action described (whichever occurs later). If a charge of discrimination is filed or an action is brought by EEOC, an employer must save all personnel records related to the charge until final disposition of the charge.
Q. Does the ADA require that an employer post a notice explaining its requirements?
A. The ADA requires that employers post a notice describing the provisions of the ADA. It must be made accessible, as needed, to individuals with disabilities. A poster is available from EEOC summarizing the requirements of the ADA and other Federal legal requirements for nondiscrimination for which EEOC has enforcement responsibility. EEOC also provides guidance on making this information available in accessible formats for people with disabilities.
Q. What resources does the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission have available to help employers and people with disabilities understand and comply with the employment requirements of the ADA?
A. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has developed several resources to help employers and people with disabilities understand and comply with the employment provisions of the ADA.
Resources include:
A Technical Assistance Manual that provides "how-to" guidance on the employment provisions of the ADA as well as a resource directory to help individuals find specific information.
A variety of brochures, booklets, and fact sheets.
For information on how to contact the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,
ADA Information Line
U.S. Department of JusticeFor ADA documents and questions
800-514-0301 (voice)


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The DXLink Multi-Format Fiber Transmitter sends analog and digital audio and video signals including HDMI with HDCP up to 300 meters over multimode fiber. Use the DXLink Fiber Transmitter in conjunction with the Enova DGX 8, 16, 32 or 64 to transmit clear, uncompressed video at the fastest data rate in the industry – 10 Gbps. The DXF-TX-MMD also sends and receives control commands from the Enova DGX Digital Media Switcher with integrated NetLinx providing a total control and distribution solution to all end points.
Common Applications
The ideal entry-point for any source designed into an Enova DGX integrated system that requires the distance capabilities and inherent security of fiber – or both; including campus-wide distribution of sources that are shared between classrooms, secure military applications, casinos, arenas and museums. Directly connect video sources such as PCs using the HD-15 multi-format input connection or HDMI input and easily include audio on the same fiber cable by using the stereo or digital audio connection.
If any of the links above result in strange characters in your browser, please right-click the file to save it to your computer.
- HDCP Compliance Over Fiber – Transmit HDCP compliant video including HDMI up to 300 m
- Industry Leading Data Rate – DXLink is leading the way with an optical transport rate of 10 Gbps
- Secure and Isolated – Fiber inherently provides extra security and electrical isolation making it the transport method of choice for many mission-critical secure environments
- InstaGate Pro® Technology – Easily integrate HDCP into system designs and enjoy hassle free matrix switching to all compliant displays, no tools, no delays and no key constraints – it just works
- Native NetLinx® Control Everywhere – Control connected source devices using the built-in IR and RS-232 ports
- Field Serviceable Fiber Modules – Easily remove and replace SFP modules in the field
- Multi-Format Analog Port and HDMI Port – Supports legacy analog signals – RGBHV, Component, S-Video, and Composite, and digital HDMI/HDCP, DisplayPort and DVI signals
- Ethernet Connectivity – Provides ICSLan Ethernet support at the Transmitter – add Ethernet connectivity to a Touch Panel, plug in a WAP or stream IP audio/video to a Ethernet enabled source device
Dimensions (HWD) | 1" x 8 3/4" x 5 1/5" (2.54 x 22.12 cm x 13.08 cm) |
DxLink Fiber | Fiber Connector: LC Duplex conforming to ANSI TIA/EAI 604-10 (FOCIS 10A); Fiber Cable Type: OM3 50/125µm; Fiber Cable Length: 300m (984 ft) |
USB (HID) | (1) USB Mini A/B Connector ("HOST") |
Front Connectors | Advanced Configuration Interface: (1) USB Mini-B Connector ("PROGRAM"); Local Loopback Output Connector: (1) HDMI Type A Female, non-scaling |
Back Connectors | Video Input: (1) HD-15 (RGBHV, RGBs, RGsB, Y/Pb/Pr, Y/c / S-Video, composite (breakout cable is required for RGB formats); HDMI Input: (1) HDMI Type A Female; Analog Stereo Input: (1) 3.5mm Mini-Stereo Jack; S/PDIF Digital Audio Input: (1) RCA Jack |
HDMI | Compatible Formats: HDMI, HDCP , DVI |
HDMI Support | Progressive Resolution Support: 480p up to 1920x1200 @ 60 Hz; Interlaced Resolution Support: 480i, 576i, 1080i; 3D Format Support: Yes |
HDMI Audio | Audio Format Support: Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital, DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS, 2 CH through 8 CH L-PCM, Dolby Digital and DTS support up to 48kHz, 5.1 channels; Audio Resolution: 16 bit to 24 bit |
HDCP & DDC/EDID | HDCP Support: Supports AMX HDCP InstaGate Pro Technology When used with an Enova DGX Digital Media Switcher the key support is up to 16 sinks per output, independent of source device; DDC/EDID Support: Yes |
Analog Video Compatible Formats | RGBHV, RGBs, RGsB, YPbPr (HDTV), Y/c (S-Video), C (Composite) |
Analog Video Resolution Support | Progressive Resolution Support: 480p up to 1920x1200 @ 60 Hz; Interlaced Resolution Support: 480i, 576i, 1080i |
Audio (Analog & Digital S/PDIF) | S/PDIF Audio Format Support: Dolby Digital, DTS, 2 CH L-PCM, Dolby Digital and DTS support up to 48kHz, 5.1 channels; S/PDIF Resolution: 16 to 24 bit |
FG Numbers | FG1010-362 |
Recommended Accessories
V Style Single Module Surface Mount Brackets -
V Style Module Rack Mounting Tray, 5 1/4" Depth -
V Style Single Module Pole Mounting Kit -
NetLinx® IR Emitter Cable -
HDMI 4K60 MyTurn™ Ready Flat Cable -
RGB with Stereo MyTurn™ Ready Flat Cable
NOTE: The most current and complete specifications for this product are found in the data sheet. Specifications are subject to change.


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NASA's Lunar Probe Just Took Its First Image of the Moon
Despite encountering initial challenges, NASA's CAPSTONE mission, has overcome obstacles to achieve remarkable milestones in its lunar journey. The spacecraft successfully captured a captivating image of the Moon's cratered surface during a close flyby and conducted a groundbreaking test of a Moon GPS system, providing valuable navigation data for future lunar missions. Now entering its extended mission phase, CAPSTONE is poised to continue making groundbreaking contributions to lunar exploration.
Score (96)
Some of the World's Oldest Footprints Have Been Discovered in Morocco
In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers in Morocco have uncovered ancient footprints that may be some of the oldest trackways ever found. The team, led by archaeology professor Mouncef Sedrati, discovered these trails on a beach near Larache and believe they date back to around 100,000 years ago. With the help of scientists from Germany, France, Spain and Morocco, Sedrati's team used advanced dating techniques to determine that the tracks were made during the Late Pleistocene period.
Score (93)
A New Synthetic Compound Can Kill "Superbugs" Resistant to Antibiotics
In a groundbreaking discovery, Harvard researchers have developed an antibiotic called cresomycin that can combat drug-resistant infections, saving lives worldwide. The synthetic compound has proven highly effective against superbugs like Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Led by Professor Andrew Myers, the team's innovative approach targets bacterial ribosomes to fight off these deadly infections. This promising breakthrough offers hope in the ongoing battle against antibiotic resistance and could revolutionize modern medicine.
Score (96)
Astronomers Have Discovered New Moons Around Uranus and Neptune
Astronomers using ground-based telescopes have discovered a new moon orbiting Uranus and two around Neptune. The Uranian moon, the first in over 20 years, is only 5 miles wide and takes 680 days to complete an orbit. The Neptunian moons are larger but also faint, requiring special image processing for detection. These discoveries add to the fascinating celestial bodies surrounding our solar system's ice giant planets.
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Here Are 11 Things People Do in Finland, the Happiest Country in the World
In 2023, Finland was named the happiest country in the world by the World Happiness Report for the sixth year in a row. From free education to unique customs like leaving babies outside to nap, Finland's happiness is a result of various factors. Finnish parents receive baby boxes with essentials and enjoy generous parental leave benefits after childbirth. With its focus on work-life balance, nature-loving culture, and sauna traditions, Finland offers valuable insights into living a more contented life.
Score (97)
How a Green Dress is Uniting Children With a Rare Disorder
A heartwarming project involving a little green dress is bringing together children worldwide with a rare disorder called CDKL5 deficiency. More than 100 families in countries like Norway, Denmark, and the United States have been touched by this initiative. Verity from Coseley celebrated her fifth birthday in the special dress, becoming the 92nd person to wear it. The project aims to create a sense of community for families affected by CDD, providing support and connection through shared experiences.
Score (97)
This Baby Still in Diapers is Wowing Everyone With His Musical Talent
A 1 1/2-year-old musical prodigy named Gavrill Sherbenko is capturing hearts with his impressive piano skills and joyful playing. Surrounded by a musical family, he shows an innate understanding of music beyond his years. With love and encouragement, Gavrill's talent shines as he plays chords and coordinates notes on the piano at a young age. Follow his musical journey on YouTube for more heartwarming performances!
Score (98)
This Service Dog Made History as She "Graduated" With a Masters Degree
In a heartwarming tale of dedication and companionship, service dog Noodle made history by becoming the first canine to walk at Purdue University's graduation. By her mom Jacklyn's side since 2020, Noodle supported her through a master's degree and an internship at Disney World. The intelligent yellow Lab even received her very own tassel from the university as they celebrated their success together. Now, Jacklyn and Noodle are excited for more adventures ahead after their unforgettable journey as grad students.
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How a Ukrainian Couple Fled War and Built a Thriving Food Business
Anna and Vladimir Posikera fled Ukraine to escape the war, starting a new life in Calgary. Despite facing challenges like language barriers, they found success by starting their own business, Tisto Factory, selling unique perogies with colorful fillings.
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Meet Kitty Black Perkins, the Trailblazer Who Designed the First Black Barbie, and See Her Legacy
The "Barbie" dolls are a global hit, celebrating women and diversity with the help of trailblazer Kitty Black Perkins. Perkins designed Mattel's first Black Barbie in 1980 after demand from collectors, aiming for uniqueness. The retired Chief Barbie Designer wanted her creation to be just as capable but with added flair. Perkins' legacy broke barriers and left an impact on the iconic doll for almost thirty years.
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An Astronaut's Photo Shows an Out-of-This-World Look at Earth From the Skies
American astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, known for her stunning photography from space, is set to return home after a successful mission on the International Space Station. Her captivating images of Earth have gained popularity on social media.


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Vikings rookie receiver Cordarrelle Patterson is wearing the No. 84 jersey that Randy Moss used to wear in Minnesota. Moss has a problem with that.
Moss, now a commentator for FOX, said on this morning's pregame show that he thinks it was disrespectful to give a player who hasn't accomplished anything in the NFL yet the number that Moss had so much success wearing.
"First of all, that's disrespectful, to give a rookie my number," Moss said. "I don't really believe in numbers, but I think that from a professional standpoint, I did make that number. And for them to give him that number, he hasn't proven anything yet. But, hey, what can I say, I'm just Randy Moss sitting here in the studio."
Moss was smiling as he said that, so it's possible that he was just trying to be funny, but he seemed to be genuinely disappointed that Patterson has his number. But his complaint is rather odd. For starters, what does Moss mean when he says he doesn't believe in numbers? Does he think players should just wear plain jerseys without numbers on them? If so, why does he care who wears his number?
Then there's the question of why Moss thinks a rookie can't be issued his number until that rookie has proven himself in the NFL. But every rookie has to be issued a number, and every number has been worn by a good player at some point. If Patterson can wear No. 84 only after he proves himself, what is he supposed to do until then?
It's also odd that Moss didn't seem to have any problem with Michael Jenkins wearing No. 84 in Minnesota. What has Jenkins done to prove he deserves Moss's number?
Maybe Moss just thinks the Vikings should retire his number.


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Tyler Perry recently admitted he became heavily dependent on alcohol when his mother died four months ago and had some presidential help in kicking the habit.
In a recent sit down with Essence, the "Madea's Witness Protection" director spoke candidly about how he used drink to ease the pain until a visit from President Barack Obama helped him face up to his problem.
"I'm doing a lot better now since I stopped drinking about four months ago when my mother died," Tyler told the magazine.
"When she got sick in 2009 I started drinking every night because I couldn't sleep — every night up to a couple of months ago. I never had a problem but I certainly was on way to having one."
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"I'd have me a nice big glass of Hennessy and I would sleep through the night. It was President Obama's visit to my studio, I don't know what happened there, but when he came everything became clear."
"I just kind of came out of a haze. It was like, 'Wake up, kid. You know life is still going on. I know you miss her, I know you care but wake up. Life is still going on.'"
"I swear the day after he left was the day I just said I am going to sleep without it."
Kudos to you Tyler! Our President is such an influential figure, he even helps you kick your alcohol addiction.
What Motown Legend Has Been Ignoring Tyler Perry For Years?
Tyler Perry A Victim Of Racial Profiling?
Check out this Tyler Perry Gallery!
Listen to this Tyler Perry-Inspired Playlist!
Tyler Perry: "President Obama Helped Me Kick Drinking Habit" was originally published on hellobeautiful.com


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In this introductory tutorial you have seen how to perform the following actions:
The next two chapters describe elements of the environment which are common to all tools.
Other chapters in this manual describe the other tools available in the environment. Each chapter is intended to be reasonably independent of the others, so you can look at them in any order you wish. You are advised to study the chapters on the basic tools, such as the Inspector, the Class Browser and the Editor first, since a knowledge of these tools is vital if you want to get the best out of the environment.


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Flirty Girl Fitness®
The hot, new body makeover system that takes the sexiest dance moves, from music videos, club dancing, even exotic dancing and turns them into fun, fat-burning routines that anyone can do.
Bender Ball®
Sculpt beautiful abs fast! Each ab sculpting move puts you in the perfect position for results. The Bender Ball gives you a workout that's up to 408% more effective than ordinary crunches.
Melt It Off®
Mitch Gaylord won 4 Olympic medals and was the first ever American gymnast to score a perfect 10! From his knowledge of core training, he designed the Melt It Off system.
Mama Wants® Her Body Back
This program is designed specifically for moms to target and address the biological changes that occured from pregnancy to reshape your body.
6 Second Abs®
Do the perfect crunch every time! Up to 15 times more effective than a regular crunch. 5 adjustable resistance levels, guides you through a perfect crunch lasting 6 seconds.
Shapely Secrets®
Over the past 20 years, millions of women have learned Greer's secrets and have transformed their lives. Today, at age 61, Greer has taken her secrets to an all new level.
6 Second Abs is a fitness blockbuster, ranked #1 for nearly two straight months in the IMS - it also earned the Electronic Retailing Association's "Best DRTV Website" award. In addition, Zone Pilates received the "Best Short Form Fitness" Award.
Savvier® is a fully-integrated direct response company specializing in marketing, product development, manufacturing and international distribution. In addition to growing our own line of products, we also provide services to other companies in the industry. Under the leadership of Jeffrey Tuller, Savvier has the resources and expertise to license, develop, manufacture, market and distribute innovative products.
Sunwheel Direct Inc., our strategic partner based in Taiwan, has over 20 years of manufacturing experience for U.S. clients. Their state-of-the-art manufacturing operations in mainland China specialize in producing products for the DR industry.
6 Second Abs®
The Ab Belt™
Bender Ball®
Bender Back on Track™
Body Flex™
Cross Crunch®
Crunchless Abs®
Easy Curves®
Essential Boost®
Flirty Girl Fitness®
Mama Wants®
Melt It OFF!®
Shapely Secrets®
Timeless Classics™
Zone Pilates®


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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A research firm says home prices in the San Francisco Bay area registered a sixth straight annual increase last month.
DataQuick said Wednesday that the median price for new and existing houses and condominiums reached $416,000 in the nine-county region in October. The median fell $13,000 from September but it's still up 19 percent from $350,000 the same period last year.
Nearly 7,800 homes sold in the Bay area last month, up 21 percent from last year. It marks the 16th straight annual sales increase.
DataQuick says buyers are snapping up more mid- to high-end homes. Foreclosed properties are also making up a smaller part of the sales mix, lifting the median price because they tend to sell at steep discounts.


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The WYNG Philomathia Student Essay Contest, also known as WMA Student, aims to help fourth and fifth-form students from local secondary schools develop a greater awareness towards social issues by encouraging them to submit short essays based on the themed works of WMA Masters winners and finalists. These photographic works serve as a springboard for young writers to express their views towards social issues tied to the cycle's given theme. With this objective in mind, the contest's finalists will be invited to the WMA annual exhibition to explore the theme with other WMA awards' participants.
Announcing the winners and finalists of the 2019/20 'Light' cycle (in last name's alphabetical order):
Bin Nadeem, Saeed Ali Hassan
Cheung, Veronica
Chow, Kei Yin Audrey
Fong, Eugenia King Hin
Law, Hong Yin Louisa
Wan, Jasmine
Yung, Cheuk Yin
Chan, Ho Nam
Fu, Wing Tung Annie
Hung, Yuet Yi
- Organisers
WYNG Foundation
Philomathia Foundation
Trinity Hall, University of Cambridge
- Submission & Selection
This contest is open to all fourth and fifth formers from local secondary schools. Students need to pick a photo, photos, or a series of photos, by either the winner or a finalist of the WMA Masters – Light and write an essay in no more than 1,000 English words on the theme, 'Light'. Submission has to be made individually via the dedicated platform. Full list of photos can be viewed HERE.
Students are strongly encouraged to explore different formats, approaches and angles in their take on the theme – entries will be reviewed on their overall merit, including originality, creativity, understanding of the subject matter, critical thinking, relevance to the theme and the photo(s) selected, and use of language. Our judges are experienced writers of different backgrounds including, academia, art, journalism, law, civil society, and editing and publishing etc.
Contestants entering the finalist round will be invited to an interview in Hong Kong and the panel of jurors will select the winning student(s).
- Timeline
10 February 2020: Submission deadline
Late February 2020: Notifications to the students entering first round
Mid-March 2020: Notifications to the students entering finalist round
Late April/early May 2020: Judging interview & announcement of winners
- Terms and Conditions
a) The essay must be written in English, in no more than 1,000 words, and related to a photo/photos/a photo series by either the winner or the finalist of the WMA Masters – Light.
b) Each student should submit only one essay. Double or multiple entries will result in disqualification.
c) Incomplete submission before the submission deadline will be considered invalid.
d) The essay must be original and written by the student who submitted it. Plagiarism is strictly forbidden and will lead to instant disqualification.
e) The deadline for submission is 11:59 pm on 10 February 2020 (Mon), Hong Kong time. Late submissions will not be entertained.
f) Writers will retain copyright and all other rights to the writings submitted. By entering the contest, you grant to the organisers a worldwide, perpetual, non-exclusive, irrevocable license to reproduce any of the writings for any purposes in connection with the organisers.
g) The organisers have exclusive rights to accept submission and to select winners.
- Enquiries
For more information, please contact us at [email protected].
Poster of the contest is available here.


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The March 23 album release, featuring appearances by Bob James and Mica Paris, will be preceded by the rousing radio single, "Love Street."
STUDIO CITY (18 January 2018): Much like a prism refracts light into a colorful spectrum, guitarist Chris Standring's "Sunlight" reflects rays of multihued jazz into a vibrant sonic palette of joy and positivity. The Los Angeles-based, native Brit will drop his twelfth album on March 23 on the Ultimate Vibe Recordings label, marking the twentieth anniversary since the release of his debut disc ("Velvet"). Paving the way for the new collection penned and produced by Standring is the jaunty "Love Street," set to cast an alluring spell as the first radio single.
Diverse strains of jazz reign on "Sunlight" with Standring's clean electric jazz guitar shining brightly throughout the ten tracker plus a reprise that closes the session. The prevailing sounds and engaging textures create warm, organic backdrops for his nimble fretwork forays that traverse lush rhythms and grooves. Wave after wave of Fender Rhodes keyboards and Hammond B3 organ wash over the taut beats serving as the rhythmic spine. Vintage elements offer a compelling contrast to the imaginative electronic nuances, deftly making the recordings feel retro, futuristic, experimental and visionary all at the same time while Standring's cool-toned guitar slices through to the fore cranking out nifty licks, precision fills and impassioned melodic sojourns.
Helping flush out his vision for "Sunlight," Standring shares the spotlight with contemporary jazz forefather Bob James (piano) on the stratospheric exploration "The Revisit" and UK soul-pop chanteuse Mica Paris on the lusty R&B, jazz and electronic hybrid "No Explanation," the latter a tune he wrote with seven-time Grammy nominee Lauren Christy. Also lending their artistry to the platter are noted saxmen Pete Christlieb and Brandon Fields, keyboardists John Novello, Mitchel Forman and longtime collaborator Rodney Lee; bassists Jimmy Haslip, Andre Berry and Roberto Vally; and drummers Chris Coleman and Dave Karasony.
"For the first time, I feel a huge degree of comfort stylistically. 'Sunlight' seems to be a much more refined version of who I am. Musically, I can't shake off who I am. It just is. It's a fusion of my traditional be-bop background with infectious soul and funk grooves, and a sense of arranging and orchestration that comes very easily now. My influences are not from my contemporaries. They come from orchestral music, traditional jazz and European chill, lounge and progressive club music plus a good dose of R&B. It's a weird mix, but I guess that's what results in everything sounding like me when it all comes together," said Standring who purposely infused the set with uplifting notes of hope and glee.
Perhaps a commentary on our times or just a thoughtful embrace of a longtime personal favorite, Standring reimagines Brian Wilson's "God Only Knows" as a serene guitar meditation.
"The album is upbeat and joyful for the most part. Perhaps it is somewhat reactionary to these challenging times we are presently living through, but I am inherently a positive soul who tends to see the bright side of things, albeit with a touch of British cynicism. Sunlight represents positivity and joy to me, hence the title."
Standring celebrated three No. 1 singles in 2017: his solo hit "Like This, Like That," and duet collaborations with trumpeter Cindy Bradley ("Category A") and two-time Grammy-winning producer-guitarist Paul Brown ("Piccadilly Circus"). The classically-trained guitarist's ambitious catalogue of instrumental R&B, soul jazz and electronica includes his hit debut single, "Cool Shades"; the No. 1 Billboard Contemporary Jazz Track of the Year in 2010, "Bossa Blue"; and a 2014 Billboard No. 1 single, "Sneakin' Out the Front Door." Coming to the U.S. after a lengthy and prosperous run at the BBC and on London's West End in theatrical orchestras, Standring was a session ace who recorded with Jody Watley and Bebe & Cece Winans among many others. He partnered with Lee to form the acid jazz outfit SolarSystem before touring extensively backing trumpeter Rick Braun. Standring issued "Velvet" soon after, launching his solo mission that continues to climb in trajectory and scope.


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Detectives have named the body of a baby girl found in Manchester
At around 7.10am on Wednesday 4 April 2018, police were alerted to the body of a baby in woodland near Peel Lane, Heywood, near to the old rubbish tip site.
Despite extensive enquiries by officers the parents of the child have still not been identified.
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Hide AdResults from forensic analysis so far have identified the baby is a girl and was extremely young, possibly new-born.
Forensic testing has confirmed that the girl is most likely to be Caucasian but mixed heritage cannot be ruled out.
Officers investigating the incident have chosen to name the baby girl Pearl, meaning precious.
Detective Chief Inspector Lewis Hughes, from GMP's Major Incident Team, said: "This is a truly heart-breaking case for all involved and I know everyone from officers, to paramedics and the public have felt the impact of this.
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad"We felt it was only right to name the baby girl as it is important that she is given an identity. We also felt that the name had an appropriate meaning, every child is precious and Pearl is no different.
"There are so many different elements to this investigation and it has been painstaking trying to piece together the limited details we have. We need more information if we are to find out what has happened to baby Pearl and this is where we need the public to help us.
"We are aware of the interest this tragic case has gained locally and we are appealing to the public to assist with providing the missing information that we vitally need.
"I want to assure you that we will provide updates when we can; the most important thing for us is finding the truth for this little girl and I think that is something everyone can agree on.
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad"We won't forget about baby Pearl and the investigation into what happened to her will continue. It is our responsibility to find the answers and we will do everything we can to do just that.
"I believe someone somewhere knows who the parents are and they may be reluctant to come forward. I implore you please, if you have heard anything, seen anything or know anything – even if it is the tiniest detail – please just let us know."
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 0161 856 4810 or 07387 705768 quoting incident number 368 of 04/04/18. Reports can also be made anonymously through the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.


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NORTH ADAMS HOSPITAL UPDATE -- NO LEGAL REQUEST TO LIQUIDATE YET -- A check at 10:44 p.m. tonight of the "Pacer" online access to federal-court filings shows that Northern Berkshire Health Systems has not filed for a conversion to Chapter 7 liquidation of it's 2011 Chapter 11 reorganization case in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Worcester. This could suggest that negotiations are underway for some other solution besides closure. The hospital's law firm, Ropes and Grey in Boston, has declined comment.
This is a blog post, not a news story, which means the information may not be verified to the standards of traditional reporting. But here's a peak behind the scenes of what are likely frantic efforts to save some semblance of health-care services for the Greylock region, with the pending possible closing of North Adams Regional Hospital.
- State Rep. Gailanne Cariddi has been spending the day in Boston trying to work with key legislative leaders, the governor and regulators. At mid-morning on Wednesday she said she was looking at trying to get an emergency bill under consideration that would change the Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement rates paid to NARH. She said she understood some $3 million might be needed to keep the hospital from closing immediately. That's what she told this blogger. As the day's gone one, she is less sure of what action is required or possible, apparently.
- As of 11 a.m. today, the hospital had not filed any new motions or pleadings in the Chapter 11 reorganization proceeding it filed June 13, 2011 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Worcester (In re Northern Berkshire Healthcare, Inc., et al., Reorganized Debtors, Case No. 11-31114 (HJB)). One might expect if the hospital were closing that it would file a motion to convert the pleadings from Chapter 11 (a reorganization) to a Chapter 7 case (a liquidation). This could have implications for contracts with unions and pensioners.
- The lawyer-of-record for Northern Berkshire Health Care Inc., in the bankruptcy case, James A. Wright III of the Boston law firm of Ropes & Gray LLP, decline comment when reached by phone, referring inquiries to the hospital system. Hospital spokesman Paul Hopkins did not return a phone call.
- However, another person involved ine the bankruptcy case, speaking anonymously, suggested that there was no reason for the hospital system to take any legal action, even though the case is still pending before U.S District Judge Henry J. Boroff. This commentator speculated that while Judge Boroff might as a technical matter of law be able to order actions by the debtor-in-possession of the hospital, such as ordering them to stay open pending receipt of emergency funding from the state, it would be an unusual procedure for such a court.


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When news events like the recent mass murder in Aurora, Colorado, claim the lives of the innocent victims, kids are bound to have questions. Though we are far from where that tragedy took place, news reports can keep it fresh in the mind of a child. This event, in particular, is a scary one, since the shootings took place at a movie theatre featuring a film kids have been anticipating.
Here are some helpful tips from the American Humane Society on ways to help your child cope with scary events.
• Limit their access to television and radio news reports since young children may have trouble processing the enormity of the experience, and sometimes believe that each news report may be a new attack.
• Regardless of age, reassure your child frequently of his safety and security. Reinforce that you, local officials, and other people in the community are always working to keep them safe. Older children may seem more capable, but can also be affected.
• Keep an eye on your child's emotional reactions. Talk to your children — and just as important — listen them. Encourage kids to express how they feel and ask if anything is worrying them. Sometimes, tragedies can amplify the uncertainty a child is already feeling at home, particularly if you are separated from a spouse, moving, or experiencing some other life transition.
• Be prepared for children to ask if such violence can occur to them. Do not lie but repeat that it is very unlikely and that you are there to keep them safe.
• Watch for symptoms of stress, including clinginess, stomachaches, headaches, nightmares, trouble eating or sleeping, or changes in behavior.
• If you are concerned about the way your child is responding, speak with your pediatrician, a school counselor, or a local mental health professional.


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Social Media Policy
Public Terms of Use
The City of Fort Pierce's social media platforms are intended to be "family friendly." When applicable, the city uses platform-provided content moderation/filtering options to limit foul or obscene content. The City of Fort Pierce does actively monitor the social media platforms used by the city and will remove inappropriate content as defined below, without prior notice, and as soon as possible. The city shall reserve the right to remove and/or block anyone who posts inappropriate material as determined by the City of Fort Pierce. This material may include, but is not limited to:
- Comments not related to the original topic, including random or unintelligible comments;
- Profane, obscene, or pornographic content and/or language;
- Content that promotes, fosters, or perpetuates discrimination based on race, creed, color, age, religion, gender, marital status, status concerning public assistance, national origin, physical or mental disability, or sexual orientation;
- Defamatory or personal attacks;
- Threats to any person or organization;
- Political endorsements of, or opposition to specific candidates, ballot measures, and/or referendums;
- Solicitation of commerce, including but not limited to advertising of any business or product for sale. This includes other online pages or organizations asking for donations;
- Conduct in violation of any federal, state, or local law;
- Encouragement of illegal activity;
- Information that may tend to compromise the safety or security of the public or public systems;
- Content that violates a legal ownership interest, such as a copyright, of any party;
- Harassment or content that constitutes and/or facilitates stalking;
- Content that violates the right to privacy;
- Encouragement of violence;
- Repetitive content. Repeated posting of identical or very similar content in a counter-productive manner;
- Comments that may reasonably interfere with, inhibit, or compromise law enforcement investigations, police tactics, police responses to incidents, and/or the safety of police staff and officers;
- Sensitive, personal, and otherwise confidential information cannot be shared on any social media platform by staff;
- The city does not allow posting of photos or videos by anyone other than city staff.
Denial of Access
The City of Fort Pierce reserves the right to deny access to any City of Fort Pierce social media sites for any individual, who violates the City of Fort Pierce's Social Media Terms of Use, at any time and without prior notice.
Emergency or Non-Emergency Requests for Police Assistance
The posting of requests for police, fire, or ambulance assistance, regardless if it is of an emergency or non-emergency nature, is discouraged and will not guarantee a response by the City of Fort Pierce or any emergency service provider. In case of an emergency, or if police assistance is needed, please dial 911. If you wish to report a crime or information relevant to a crime, please call (772) 467-6800.
External Links
The provision of direct links should not be construed as an endorsement or sponsorship of these external sites, their content, or their hosts. The City specifically disavows legal responsibility for what a user may find on another site, whether or not operated by the City. The views and opinions of the authors of documents published on or linked to the City's social media accounts do not necessarily state or reflect the opinion, policy, or position of the City.
The City of Fort Pierce is not responsible for the content, quality, accuracy, or completeness of any offsite materials referenced by or linked through the City's social media accounts. By using the City's social networking sites, the user acknowledges and accepts the risk of injury or damage from viewing, hearing, downloading, or storing such materials rests entirely with the user and that the City is not responsible for any materials stored on other social networking sites or websites, nor is it liable for any inaccurate, defamatory, offensive or illegal materials found on other social networking sites or websites.
The City does not endorse any content, viewpoint, products, or services linked from its social networking sites and shall not be held liable for any losses caused by reliance on the accuracy, reliability, or timeliness of such information. The City does not warrant the accuracy or reliability of or endorse any products or service providers listed or linked to its site.
Facebook's Community of Standards
All comments posted to any City of Fort Pierce Facebook site are bound by Facebook's Community Standards, located at http://www.facebook.com/communitystandards, and the City of Fort Pierce reserves the right to report any violation of Facebook's Community Standards to Facebook with the intent of Facebook taking appropriate and reasonable responsive action.
Twitter Rules
When applicable, the City of Fort Pierce reserves the right to report any violation of the Twitter Rules, located at https://support.twitter.com/articles/18311 with the intent of Twitter taking appropriate and reasonable responsive action
YouTube Community Guidelines
When applicable, the City of Fort Pierce reserves the right to report any violation of the YouTube Community Guidelines, located at http://www.youtube.com/yt/policyandsafety/communityguidelines.html with the intent of YouTube taking appropriate and reasonable responsive action.
Instagram Community Guidelines
When applicable, the City of Fort Pierce reserves the right to report any violation of the Instagram Community Guidelines, located at https://help.instagram.com/477434105621119/ with the intent of Instagram taking appropriate and reasonable responsive action.
LinkedIn User Agreement
When applicable, the City of Fort Pierce reserves the right to report any violation of the LinkedIn User Agreement, located at https://www.linkedin.com/legal/user-agreement with the intent of LinkedIn taking appropriate and reasonable responsive action.
Privacy of Children
The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) governs information gathered online from or about children under the age of 13. Verifiable consent from a child's parent or guardian is required before collecting, using, or disclosing personal information from a child under age 13. Our site is not intended to solicit information of any kind from children under the age of 13.
Questions/Reporting Violations
Should you have any questions or wish to report any violations in regards to items contained herein in this Terms of Use, please contact the City of Fort Pierce at (772) 467-3000.