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Publications of Valérie QUAEDVLIEG
Disturbed Cytokine Production at the Systemic Level in Difficult-to-Control Atopic Asthma: Evidence for Raised Interleukin-4 and Decreased Interferon-gamma Release following Lipopolysaccharide Stimulation.
MANISE, Maïté ; SCHLEICH, FLorence ; QUAEDVLIEG, Valérie et al
in International Archives of Allergy and Immunology (2012), 158(1), 1-8
Background: Disturbed cytokine production is thought to govern inflammation in asthma, which, in its turn, may lead to uncontrolled disease. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between ... [more ▼]
Background: Disturbed cytokine production is thought to govern inflammation in asthma, which, in its turn, may lead to uncontrolled disease. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between cytokine production from blood leucocytes and the level of asthma control. Methods: We compared the production of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-6, IL-10, interferon (IFN)-gamma and tumour necrosis factor-alpha from peripheral blood leucocytes in non-atopic healthy subjects (n = 22), atopic non-asthmatics (n = 10), well-controlled asthmatics [Juniper asthma control questionnaire (ACQ) score <1.5; n = 20] and patients with uncontrolled asthma despite inhaled or oral corticoids (ACQ score >/=1.5; n = 20). Fifty microlitres of peripheral blood was incubated for 24 h with RPMIc, lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 1 ng/ml) or phytohaemagglutinin (1 mug/ml), and cytokines were measured by immunotrapping (ELISA). Results: Both controlled and uncontrolled asthmatics as well as atopic non-asthmatics spontaneously produced more IL-4 than non-atopic healthy subjects (p < 0.001). IL-4 production induced by LPS was significantly greater (p < 0.05) in both asthma groups compared to atopic non-asthmatics and non-atopic healthy subjects. By contrast, IFN-gamma release induced by LPS was lower in uncontrolled asthmatics than in non-atopic healthy subjects (p < 0.05) and controlled asthmatics (p < 0.05). IL-10 release after LPS was greater in uncontrolled asthmatics than in atopic non-asthmatics (p < 0.05). No difference was observed regarding other cytokines. Conclusion: Blood cells from patients with difficult-to-control atopic asthma display highly skewed Th2 cytokine release following LPS stimulation. [less ▲]Detailed reference viewed: 75 (13 ULiège)
Exhaled nitric oxide thresholds associated with a sputum eosinophil count >=3% in a cohort of unselected patients with asthma.
Schleich, FLorence ; Seidel, Laurence ; Sele, Jocelyne et al
in Thorax (2010), 65(12), 1039-1044
Background It has been claimed that exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) could be regarded as a surrogate marker for sputum eosinophil count in patients with asthma. However, the FeNO threshold value that ... [more ▼]
Background It has been claimed that exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) could be regarded as a surrogate marker for sputum eosinophil count in patients with asthma. However, the FeNO threshold value that identifies a sputum eosinophil count >/=3% in an unselected population of patients with asthma has been poorly studied. Methods This retrospective study was conducted in 295 patients with asthma aged 15-84 years recruited from the asthma clinic of University Hospital of Liege. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve and logistic regression analysis were used to assess the relationship between sputum eosinophil count and FeNO, taking into account covariates such as inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), smoking, atopy, age and sex. Results Derived from the ROC curve, FeNO >/=41 ppb gave 65% sensitivity and 79% specificity (AUC=0.777, p=0.0001) for identifying a sputum eosinophil count >/=3%. Using logistic regression analysis, a threshold of 42 ppb was found to discriminate between eosinophilic and non-eosinophilic asthma (p<0.0001). Patients receiving high doses of ICS (>/=1000 mug beclometasone) had a significantly lower FeNO threshold (27 ppb) than the rest of the group (48 ppb, p<0.05). Atopy also significantly altered the threshold (49 ppb for atopic vs 30 ppb for non-atopic patients, p<0.05) and there was a trend for a lower threshold in smokers (27 ppb) compared with non-smokers (46 ppb, p=0.066). Age and sex did not affect the relationship between FeNO and sputum eosinophilia. When combining all variables into the logistic model, FeNO (p<0.0001), high-dose ICS (p<0.05) and smoking (p<0.05) were independent predictors of sputum eosinophilia, while there was a trend for atopy (p=0.086). Conclusion FeNO is able to identify a sputum eosinophil count >/=3% with reasonable accuracy and thresholds which vary according to dose of ICS, smoking and atopy. [less ▲]Detailed reference viewed: 100 (23 ULiège)
Association between asthma control and bronchial hyperresponsiveness and airways inflammation: a cross-sectional study in daily practice.
Quaedvlieg, Valérie ; Sele, Jocelyne ; Henket, Monique et al
in Clinical and Experimental Allergy: Journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (2009), 39
Summary Background The primary end-point in the management of asthma is to obtain optimal control. The aim of this study was to assess the relationships between the markers of airway inflammation (sputum ... [more ▼]
Summary Background The primary end-point in the management of asthma is to obtain optimal control. The aim of this study was to assess the relationships between the markers of airway inflammation (sputum eosinophilia and exhaled nitric oxide), bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) and asthma control. Methods One hundred and thirty-four patients were recruited from our asthma clinic between January 2004 and September 2005 [mean age: 42 years, mean forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)): 86% predicted]. Eighty-six of them were treated by inhaled corticosteroids, 99 were atopic and 23 were current smokers. They all underwent detailed investigations including fractional-exhaled nitric oxide (FE(NO)) measurement, sputum induction and methacholine challenge when FEV(1) was >70% predicted, and filled in a validated asthma control questionnaire (ACQ6 Juniper). Results When dividing patients into the three groups according to their level of asthma control determined by ACQ [well-controlled asthma (ACQ score </=0.75), borderline (0.75<ACQ score <1.5) and uncontrolled asthma (ACQ score >/=1.5)], it appeared that uncontrolled asthmatics had a greater BHR to methacholine and sputum eosinophilia than controlled asthma (P<0.05, P<0.001, respectively). By contrast, we failed to show significant differences in the FE(NO) levels between the groups. With receiver-operating characteristic curves for differentiating uncontrolled (ACQ>/=1.5) from controlled and borderline (ACQ<1.5) asthma, sputum eosinophilia and methacholine responsiveness were found to be more accurate than FE(NO) (area under the curve: 0.72, 0.72 and 0.59, respectively). Conclusion In a broad spectrum of asthmatics encountered in clinical practice, sputum eosinophilia and methacholine bronchial hyperresponsiveness, but not FE(NO), are associated with uncontrolled asthma. [less ▲]Detailed reference viewed: 105 (8 ULiège)
Cytokine production from sputum cells in eosinophilic versus non-eosinophilic asthmatics
Quaedvlieg, Valérie ; Henket, Monique ; Sele, Jocelyne et al
in Clinical and Experimental Immunology (2006), 143(1), 161-166
The inflammatory pathways involved in asthma are more complex than the sole Th2-mediated eosinophilic airway inflammation. Different phenotypes of asthma have been recently highlighted and are probably ... [more ▼]
The inflammatory pathways involved in asthma are more complex than the sole Th2-mediated eosinophilic airway inflammation. Different phenotypes of asthma have been recently highlighted and are probably underlied by different immunological profiles. The aim of the study was to assess cytokine production from sputum cells in eosinophilic versus non-eosinophilic asthmatics. Induced sputum was obtained from 48 consecutive stable mild to moderate asthmatics (20 eosinophilic asthmatics, 28 non-eosinophilic asthmatics) and 31 healthy subjects. Cytokine released from sputum cells were measured by a home-made two-step sandwich immunoassay. Cytokines investigated were interleukin (IL)-4, IL-6, IL-10, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interferon (IFN)-gamma. Sputum cells from eosinophilic asthmatics produced more IL-4 than those from both healthy subjects (P < 0.05) and non-eosinophilic asthmatics (P < 0.05). Conversely, sputum cells from eosinophilic asthma were found to release lower amounts of TNF-alpha than those from healthy subjects (P < 0.05). The group of non-eosinophilic asthmatics did not distinguish from healthy subjects with respect to any cytokines measured. Sputum cells from asthmatics exhibiting eosinophilic airway inflammation release more IL-4 and less TNF-alpha than those of healthy subjects. By contrast, non-eosinophilic asthmatics did not distinguish from healthy subjects by abnormal cytokine release from their sputum cells. [less ▲]Detailed reference viewed: 31 (6 ULiège)
Le cas clinique du mois: Clarte pulmonaire unilaterale.
Quaedvlieg, Valérie ; Duysinx, Bernard ; Ghaye, Benoît et al
in Revue Médicale de Liège (2004), 59(12), 691-4
MacLeod syndrome is a rare cause of localized hypertransradiancy of the lung. This syndrome is defined by radiological features: localized hypertransradiancy due to oligemia and presence of air-trapping ... [more ▼]
MacLeod syndrome is a rare cause of localized hypertransradiancy of the lung. This syndrome is defined by radiological features: localized hypertransradiancy due to oligemia and presence of air-trapping on expiratory chest radiography. Involvement of one entire lung is called "unilateral hyperlucent lung". Whereas the etiology is different, the physiopathology is probably identical to that of the panacinar emphysema of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The syndrome is believed to be related to acute bronchiolitis during infancy. Clinical manifestations and prognosis depend mainly on the presence of other lesions due to the same infectious agent like bronchiectasis. Pulmonary function tests, chest CT-scan, ventilation and perfusion scintigraphy and, if necessary, bronchoscopy help the differential diagnosis and detect associated bronchiectasis. [less ▲]Detailed reference viewed: 147 (4 ULiège)
Phase II trial exploring gemcitabine and cisplatin as treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and inoperable brain metastases
Barthelemy, Nicole ; Bosquee, Léon ; Quaedvlieg, Valérie
in Lung Cancer (2003), 41(supp2), 145Detailed reference viewed: 8 (1 ULiège)


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Our dental school is a pioneer in competency-based dental education — an approach that replaces the traditional system of clinical requirements with experiences that ensure graduates possess the skills, understanding and professional values needed for the independent practice of general dentistry.
The school's comprehensive patient care program is based on the concept of private dental practice where the student assumes responsibility for assigned patients' treatment, consultation, and referral for specialty care. Second-year students practice clinical dentistry 15 hours per week, learning to provide comprehensive dental care under the direction of group practice administrators and multidisciplinary faculty from diagnostic sciences, periodontics, endodontics, orthodontics, removable prosthodontics and restorative dentistry.
Third-year students practice clinical dentistry approximately 33 hours per week and provide care to all patients in his or her patient population. Occasionally other caregivers, a second- or third-year student or resident, complete certain procedures in a treatment plan. This is done through the group practice leader (GPL) and requires the approval of the patient. The student dentist originally assigned to provide care to the patient maintains responsibility for care during all treatment provided by other students or residents.
In the third-year clinic, the group practice mentor (GPM) supervises oral diagnosis and treatment planning, emergencies, operative dentistry and fixed prosthodontics, including test cases. There are three GPMs in each group practice during a clinic session and students work with all three mentors during the course of most appointments. The GPM monitors the progress of care and completes periodic case reviews with the patient and the student. The complex care clinic allows students to treat technically difficult restorative cases under the supervision of a trained prosthodontist with a low student-to-faculty ratio.
The second- and third-year class is divided into eight groups. Each group practice is managed by a group practice leader, who has responsibility for the care of patients by all students and faculty in the group practice. The other clinical disciplines are managed by faculty who do not have specific responsibility for a certain group of students. Specialists in endodontics and removable prosthodontics manage all of those cases in specified areas of the clinic, including test cases. Periodontists manage periodontal procedures.
Oral and maxillofacial surgery, implantology, pediatric dentistry and radiology are learned in respective specialty clinics. Doctoral students participate with faculty and orthodontic residents in adjunctive orthodontic care and in oral development clinics. Advanced clinical dentistry and evaluation of new developments and topics that involve several disciplines are learned in the third year in conjunction with patient care.

subset: commoncrawl


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Creating new initiatives is an exciting prospect for philanthropic institutions. The hopes and ambitions that we have for the world find their expression in new and continuing areas of grantmaking. And there are a surprisingly large number of social problems that appear to be amenable to philanthropic intervention. Choosing among them, fashioning grantmaking strategies to address problems and to advance new policy agendas, and placing adequate resources in the hands of those who can effect social change are among the greatest challenges and responsibilities of private foundations.
When foundations experience rapid financial growth, decisions about entering new fields can be made with less attention to trade-offs among areas of grantmaking than at times of stasis or decline. The MacArthur Foundation's 25-year history has been characterized by extraordinary growth in financial assets—from $600 million to over $4 billion* at its high point in 2001. For the most part, the Foundation has not been called upon to make choices that might result in phasing out initiatives and closing out major grantmaking areas. To be sure, there are always choices to be made among the many organizations worthy of support, and due diligence and sound program development also call for phasing out funding for specific organizations. Closing down an area of grantmaking altogether has ramifications for those working in a policy arena, as well as for other philanthropic donors. Making such choices are among the most difficult and frustrating decisions that a foundation takes. At a time when the Foundation's assets are static or even declining, the often substantial consequences of exiting an area need to be taken into account even when contemplating entry into a new field, with an eye to the long-term effects of the Foundation's choices overall.
This paper provides a basis for discussing the choices MacArthur makes about its grantmaking—about how new initiatives are created, how they change, and how they are closed. As an institution, the Foundation is sufficiently young that procedures for entering and exiting grantmaking areas have not been made explicit, nor have we had opportunities to discuss in systematic fashion the criteria to be used in making these decisions. The early years of many foundations are spent in experimentation and institutional learning, in false starts, and surprising successes, and MacArthur is no different from others in this regard. Much of MacArthur's new work has evolved from existing programs and initiatives, although that evolution has not always been explicitly recognized and discussed by the Board. An implicit set of criteria for such changes, however, has developed over the years.
In this paper, we describe aspects of the foundation's decision-making process, and from those experiences, suggest criteria to be used to create new programs and initiatives, to change focus and redirect grantmaking areas, and, in some cases, to phase out areas and initiatives altogether.
A note about how grantmaking areas are clustered and defined. MacArthur has five major programs—Global Security and Sustainability, Human and Community Development, Fellows, General, and Program-Related Investments. Within programs, grantmaking is clustered in thematic areas, for example, Conservation and Sustainable Development or Community Capacity. Within those areas, elements refer to parts of grantmaking strategies that, taken together, are intended to accomplish the goals of an area. So, for example, in the Population and Reproductive Health area, reducing maternal mortality is one element of the strategy to achieve the Population area's goals. In Human and Community Development, public housing transformation is one element of the Housing area.
In the General Program, in addition to grantmaking through major areas like Media, mini-initiatives have been used as a means to explore and experiment with new domains of grantmaking that may later emerge as major program areas in Human and Community Development or Global Security and Sustainability. Human rights grantmaking is an example. Grants for international human rights organizations were made through the General Program for a number of years. As the Foundation's thinking evolved, resulting in a major reorganization in 1997, human rights was incorporated into the Global Security and Sustainability program, where grantmaking has developed further beyond the support for major international human rights organizations to include awards to human rights organizations in Mexico, Nigeria, and Russia.
Other mini-initiatives, however, like one on philanthropy in Mexico, were established and later closed. Still others were meant to be time-limited from the outset. An initiative on Indigenous Voices, for example, was tied to the 1992 observance of Columbus' arrival in the Americas. One-time gifts to artists' colonies for buildings and infrastructure support were limited, as were awards to small liberal arts colleges.
Mini-initiatives can also serve as means to explore the possibilities in a field without making a long-term commitment. Being more explicit about the criteria for creating and closing areas of philanthropic activity is not intended to erect barriers to new ideas or to risk-taking. And the vehicle of mini-initiatives provides a way to explore issues and test opportunities without having to develop a more formal grantmaking program.
1. Significance of the issue
Private foundations are in a position to tackle major problems and stimulate attention to the most significant issues of our day. Responsibility for the stewardship of these public trusts is a grave one and requires that we consider how best to deploy resources for the greatest common good. The issues that the Foundation takes on should be significant enough to command the attention of the public as well as the Foundation itself. They will likely be viewed as urgent and as touching on deeply felt public concerns.
In addition, at the outset, any new initiative should engage a critical mass of Board members. To be successful, the initiative will need to excite them and matter to them as an expression of the Foundation's mission and underlying values. Interest needs to be high enough to sustain the responsibility to oversee and guide the initiative over a number of years. In addition, while Board members need not be experts in the proposed grantmaking area, some knowledge and experience on the part of Board members enriches discussions about program development and evaluation. Such expertise can also provide an efficient means of tapping additional networks and intellectual resources that can be helpful to the foundation in its grantmaking.
2. Timing of the Foundation's entry in the lifecyle of an issue
The timing of the Foundation's intervention in the lifecycle of issues will be a major factor to consider. Policy issues appear to move through stages, from the earliest phases of identifying a problem and clarifying the issues, to setting a policy agenda and moving new solutions into the policy arena, on to policy implementation and practice. Foundation grantmaking can address each stage of the lifecycle depending on our diagnosis of the issue needs at any given time.
As other foundations do, MacArthur has a portfolio of strategies that can be deployed at different stages of an issue's evolution. Some strategies and resources may best be used in the early days of its lifecycle—identifying neglected components and approaches, supporting research to clarify problems, developing human capital to move ideas into the policy arena, contributing innovative solutions that shift paradigms, and setting new policy agendas. Other strategies include support for monitoring efforts and investigative research to ensure public accountability of policies already in place. Still others can help to restructure market opportunities and bring smaller-scale projects to scale.
As new areas of foundation activity are considered, attention should be given to the strategies and tools available to us, and to our comparative advantages in any given policy arena.
For example, MacArthur brought worldwide attention to biodiversity loss and conservation, when the World Environment and Resources program began in 1987. At that time, the scientific community was just developing a consensus about the importance to human life of protecting biological diversity. The Foundation's distinctive contribution lay in putting the theory of conserving biodiversity into practice. It quickly moved to link conservation efforts with ideas about sustainable development, realizing that merely protecting habitats in the form of parks—where mostly poor people were trying to sustain livelihoods—would not provide for robust conservation efforts. At the time, the value and need for biodiversity conservation was just beginning to emerge in public and governmental policy circles. The Foundation's decision to put the ideas into action was a bold move that demonstrated how much could be accomplished by building the capacity of institutions in regions of greatest fragility and endemism. These efforts have also garnered the attention of several multilateral institutions and national governments around the world, institutions that have taken on the issue and are funding projects that further the Foundation's goals.
Other strategies may be employed in the policy implementation stage. Sustaining institutions and supporting monitoring efforts, for example, is one way to ensure compliance with new agendas, and funding investigative research can lead to reforms in existing policy and practice. Program-related investments can be used to stimulate market changes and bring some projects to scale.
For example, the Foundation supports efforts to monitor and evaluate the progress of the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program that the U.S. and Russia have undertaken to dismantle nuclear weapons and secure fissile materials. Earlier support for innovative research in the late 1980s and 1990s, had led to the formulation of a new way of dealing with nuclear weapons—one based on cooperation rather than confrontation. To guarantee the success of this effort, MacArthur continues to support policy research organizations that monitor and evaluate progress toward nuclear dismantlement and materials security, bringing to public attention notable achievements, as well as lack of progress, and ensuring that public funding continues to support the effort.
Attention to the long term, however, should not prevent the Foundation from responding to significant one-time opportunities that will have long-term effects.
The transformation of public housing in Chicago, for example, is an opportunity that the Foundation has seized to shape the implementation of new policies at a significant juncture in the city's history. As early as 1996, MacArthur had sought ways to address the problem of poor housing in distressed neighborhoods, and to break up the concentration of poverty in those neighborhoods dominated by poor dilapidated public housing. The return of local control over public housing to the City in 1999 from the federal government was an historic moment that presented a way for the Foundation to help shape the redevelopment process. Through practical activity, system reform, research, and advocacy, the Foundation aims to help transform poor neighborhoods into ones where mixed income housing can serve as the basis for new opportunities that will help residents overcome isolation and poverty. As part of a broader approach to reducing poverty and building community capacity, the public housing transformation project affords a significant opportunity to further the Foundation's goals.
3. A realistic strategy for change can be identified.
In choosing an area for a new initiative, the Foundation will need to have a sense of what is to be changed, and how and whether the grantmaking and other mechanisms available to MacArthur can help in the change process. The question will need to be answered whether the issue lends itself to the strategies available to the Foundation, and whether MacArthur enjoys a comparative advantage in the field. The Foundation will also need to understand the leverage points—for bringing about change in policies and practices, and for developing financial resources, if needed, to solve the problem. A balance will likely be struck between choosing a problem that is tractable, but perhaps less significant, and one that may appear intractable, but has the potential of significant social benefit if it were solved.
For example, one of the earliest programs to be created at MacArthur was the Program on Peace and International Cooperation. The strategy that emerged from a two-year commission funded by Carnegie Corporation and MacArthur, and from subsequent meetings of selected commission members, MacArthur Board members and staff, took a long view and a broad perspective on the needs of the policy and academic fields of international security in the U.S. and abroad. It proposed to broaden the field beyond a focus by physicists and political scientists on the U.S.-Soviet relationship. The strategy recognized the deficit of talented and knowledgeable younger people interested in pursuing careers in international peace and security (in large measure as a consequence of the Vietnam war). Finally, the strategy also included attention to human rights, environmental and economic change, and social and cultural issues—to some of the underlying and root causes of violent organized conflict—and thus to their role in new understandings of international security. Furthermore, there was a recognition that emerging trends in the economy, in population, in information and communications technology, and in regional conflicts demanded broader training and a richer mix of disciplinary perspectives for those interested in international peace and security.
The grantmaking program that emerged from these deliberations was comprehensive, calling for major grants for fellowships to universities and institutes in the U.S. and Europe, an international fellowship competition administered by the Social Science Research Council, and a research and writing competition administered by the Foundation that would encourage developing country researchers, journalists and others not associated with the major academic centers that were the focus of the Foundation's larger grants. The strategy also included awards to policy research institutes in the U.S. and abroad, in an effort to translate the best new thinking into policy solutions. In all of this, a major emphasis was placed on bringing specialists in country and regional area studies to the study of international security. The aim was to combine detailed knowledge of social and economic trends with political analysis and the theoretical perspectives of more traditional international security scholarship to fashion a richer academic and policy field. Such a contribution, it was hoped, would contribute to more sophisticated thinking and policy initiatives in the U.S. The theory of change that undergirded MacArthur's grantmaking strategy was the notion that younger people and those outside of traditional international security fields would ask new questions, surface fresh perspectives, and promote innovation in the academic and policy fields of international peace and security.
4. The level of funding that MacArthur can provide is adequate to address the issue
While this may seem obvious, there needs to be an early estimate and recognition of the level of financial resources—for grantmaking, and for staffing and other administrative costs—required for creating and sustaining an initiative. Early discussions will require estimates of the length of time of the Foundation's engagement in an issue area, as well as the level of annual budget allocation. Estimates of the needed resources will depend on the strategy to be employed and on an estimate of the time required to make headway on a problem. This does not mean that an area's budget must remain constant; funding levels may rise or fall over time. When objectives change in a program area, or become more ambitious, then a conscious decision will be made to change budget allocations. Likewise, shifts or refinements in strategies will also have funding implications, which will need to be taken into account.
For example, the Initiative in the Former Soviet Union began with a modest $3 million annual commitment, and now has an annual budget of about $10 million. In the early days of the initiative, the confidence in institutions and individuals in the former Soviet Union was not as high as it is now. We began the grantmaking on the theory that providing assistance to researchers and scholars, some of the most highly trained and internationally-minded in the region, would provide the policy research needed for societies to grapple with the transitions in economics, politics, and social relations brought about by the revolutions at the end of the cold war and the demise of the Soviet Union. Such transformational change, on this scale and in a relatively short period of time—from a centrally-planned to a pluralist society—had not occurred before in modern history, and very few were willing to predict the future course of events. So our investments were necessarily tentative and experimental at the beginning. The emphasis on support for individual research projects would encourage pluralism, it was thought, while early seed grants for private universities and independent policy institutes provided intellectual homes for researchers. In addition, such grant awards would yield information about the capacity for building nongovernmental organizations. As Russian society has developed, and as institutions have evolved, we have gained greater confidence about the survival and sustainability of independent research capacities. In recognition of our deepening knowledge, our growing confidence in the future of Russian society, and the positive changes in conditions, the budget for the Initiative in Russia has grown.
5. Position of MacArthur in relation to other donors.
We assume that MacArthur would like to position itself as a leader in a new grantmaking and policy domain, so the choice of an area will likely lead the Board to favor those where few other public or private donors are operating.
In the mid-1980s, when MacArthur initiated its World Environment and Resources program, no other donors had focused on biodiversity conservation on a global level. Likewise, the creation of the Mental Health Program in the early 1980s was based, in part, on the observation that the U.S. government, through the National Institutes of Health, was the only major funder in the field of mental health. The Foundation believed that it could provide funding that, unlike government funding, would encourage interdisciplinary research that might yield new insights into human development and successful life transitions.
Most of the problems that the Foundation will choose to address will be significant enough, however, that even the Foundation's resources will not be sufficient to solve them. In some areas, then, bringing in additional resources from government or multilateral donors, from private sector markets, or from other private foundations will constitute one element of the overall strategy for change.
In fact, in some areas, but for MacArthur's funding initiative, other donors might not have even entered a field. It could be argued that the effect of MacArthur's program-related investments in housing preservation was catalytic as it stimulated other investors to participate in a field they might not otherwise have considered.
Even where MacArthur is joining others in a field, it may wish to consider the distinctive contribution that the Foundation may be able to make.
For example, in the international peace and security area, other major foundations such as Ford, Rockefeller and Carnegie were already significant players when MacArthur established its program in 1984. MacArthur's distinctive contribution then was in providing for the training of a new generation of scholars and professionals, and in emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to international security issues.
6. Capacity to marshal advisory and staff resources to create and implement a new initiative.
Because of the freedom of its charter, MacArthur has few constraints on the areas it may choose to enter. The question is whether the Board wishes to make use of the existing expertise, and of the credibility and the comparative advantage that the Foundation has developed in certain broad areas of grantmaking, as it explores and sets up new initiatives.
In education, for example, MacArthur has had long experience in the field, in Chicago school reform, as well as national policy. As we look ahead, however, there may be opportunities to draw on the Foundation's expertise in technology and join it with experience in education to fashion a new initiative on information and communication technologies and education.
Another and related question is whether a new initiative should be associated with existing programs and priority areas. Nothing prevents the Foundation from undertaking initiatives well outside current programs. Yet there may be inefficiencies or opportunity costs associated with moving into policy arenas where MacArthur is unknown, and has yet to establish its credibility.
As noted earlier, many new areas and initiatives of grantmaking emerge from existing areas. As we see progress on issues, as we learn about problems from the people that we support and from our assessments of performance, as policy environments change, and as the constellation of funding sources shifts, we take these into account and seek new opportunities for grantmaking and convening. The next section will focus on criteria used in refining our goals and changing strategies to take account of these changes.
1. Progress achieved
Progress toward reaching foundation goals can stimulate further opportunities for deepening grantmaking in a field. As the Foundation supports policy change, these developments, in turn, create new relationships and stimulate further changes in the field to which the Foundation may wish to respond.
For example, the human rights field has changed substantially over the past twenty years, and grantmaking strategies have responded to those shifts. With others, MacArthur has helped to strengthen international organizations that protect victims of human rights abuses. Human rights organizations have become powerful forces for upholding principles of individual civil and political rights, and have brought international attention to the most grievous cases and systematic violations, and have made substantial progress in bringing consideration of human rights more squarely into U.S. foreign policy considerations.
The Foundation also recognizes, however, that sustaining the human rights agenda requires the development of mechanisms and institutions within countries to implement basic rights law and principles. Over several years, the Foundation has expanded its efforts to include support for local human rights groups, and experiments with new mechanisms, like human rights ombudsmen, in the countries where MacArthur has offices—Mexico, Nigeria, and Moscow. This change in focus within countries is based on the progress internationally, and on our growing knowledge of human rights in the countries where we have staff in place.
In addition, there is a growing recognition of the value of sharing information and building networks among human rights organizations at the local, national, and international levels to effectively promote protection of human rights, and MacArthur has helped to nurture those relationships and networks.
Finally, there has been a growing realization, arising from customary practices and informal networks, of the need for a more formal international system of justice. The effort to support the establishment of an International Criminal Court is one manifestation of this development; the idea of the "responsibility to protect"—the obligation that states have, and if they are not able or willing, that the international community has, to protect citizens from harm—is another.
2. Lessons from grantmaking can be applied
In some cases, the Foundation has learned from the results of its grantmaking and sees a way to contribute to policy change based on that knowledge. These lessons may evolve as we learn about the results of projects and consult with outside specialists. They may come as a result of formal evaluations that provide us with independent assessments of the projects and institutions that we support. In some instances, we are able to take the understandings of grant recipients, for example, and move them into public debate where they may have the effect of changing the underlying assumptions of policymaking and practice.
In the case of juvenile justice, there was a confluence of several streams of mental health research funded by MacArthur that challenged the evolving practice of treating juveniles as adults. Results from the Foundation-funded network on Adolescent and Child Development (1988-96) suggested that teenagers are more immature, more impulsive, take greater risks, and are more amenable to treatment than adults. Yet the response of the criminal justice system in many states to a spike in juvenile crime was to treat more and more juveniles as adults. States were rolling back earlier laws that had protected young offenders from harsh treatment, and not only those offenders charged with murder, but those picked up for lesser offenses like drug use and repeat offenses. We also knew from support of the Mental Health and the Law networks (1988-96 )and from following the research of the Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods project (1991-present) that decisions in the legal system are often divorced from scientific information. The treatment of juvenile offenders seemed to bear this out. Based on these observations from earlier grantmaking, the Foundation developed a new strategy which links the already known research findings to the legal system, raising questions about the treatment of juveniles, funding additional research where needed, awarding grants for training materials for court personnel, and for communication of these research results more broadly in state criminal justice systems and to the media.
3. Major changes in the policy environment
Exogenous shocks. Major shocks to societies, like wars, economic depression, or other similarly transforming changes come infrequently. When they do, however, foundations involved in policy change take stock of their grantmaking strategies and directions to see whether the directions they started with still seem to address the new policy environment.
In the lifetime of the MacArthur Foundation, one of the greatest shocks has come in the international peace and security area. The end of the cold war and the demise of the Soviet Union have caused major transformations in the international system, the results of which we are still trying to understand and incorporate in new policies. Changes in thinking, in institutions, in power arrangements and the meaning of sovereignty, in the role of weapons of mass destruction in international relations, and the rise of new forces outside of the system of nation-states, such as catastrophic terrorism, have challenged the political and policy systems in the U.S. and in many other countries of the world. Private philanthropy has a role to play, especially in providing resources for new ideas and new ways of understanding the implications of these changes for international peace and security. But the kind of drastic changes we have witnessed require reevaluation of program directions, experimentation and nimbleness in our grantmaking to respond to the uncertainty and fluidity of the current international scene.
Since the beginning of the Foundation's entry into the international peace and security field, the area has undertaken three reassessments of its grantmaking strategy—one in 1991, a second in 1995-6, and a third in 2000-2002. Over that period new emphases had been elevated in the grantmaking portfolio and later phased out—for example, a number of projects on international governance and civil society were supported, as was a portfolio of grants on human rights in Central America. The creation of the Initiative in the Former Soviet Union was a result of the end of the cold war and the opening up of opportunities for direct support of new institutions in Russia and elsewhere in the region.
With increasing recognition, however, of the continuing risks from nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons, the prospect of placing and using weapons in space coupled with the realization that the end of the cold war was not going to bring an end to reliance on weapons of mass destruction as a force in international security, the Foundation has focused its attention on these problems, but with a new appreciation for the complexity of the context—including the prospect of further terrorist attacks—in which biological and nuclear weapons now sit.
Evolutionary change. Other changes may be slower in coming, but have profound effects as well. Such change may come about because of the introduction of new technologies, or because of major population and demographic shifts, for example. The cascading effects of these tectonic shifts may be felt in many sectors and in many policy areas, and the foundation may wish to address some of the consequences of these underlying changes.
The effects of information and communications systems are pervasive and can be felt in areas as disparate as international affairs, higher education, and the arts. There may be particular areas, however, where the Foundation can accelerate knowledge development and help shape the consequences of new policies in information and communication technologies. Two areas of current exploration are education and technology, and the consequences of globalization of economies—a phenomenon that has been facilitated by computer technologies that can transfer capital, goods, and services at an increasingly faster pace, with sometimes enormous consequences for the stability of national and regional economies.
4. Shifts in constellation of financial resources
One of the factors that the Foundation takes into account before entering a field is the availability of other private and public monies to bring to bear on a set of problems. Those initial conditions may change, however, over the lifetime of an initiative and require responses from MacArthur. Existing donors may change their priorities, new entrants may focus on one aspect of a problem, and other donors may leave the field altogether. As these shifts occur, the Foundation takes these into account and may choose to make changes in its own grantmaking strategy.
It is clear from these examples that the Foundation is engaged in ongoing assessment, evaluation, and learning as it solicits proposals, awards grants, and monitors projects. We are engaged in social change, and, as an institution, we are likely to be more successful in achieving our goals if we continue to be attuned to changes in the policy fields in which we operate. The art is in finding the right balance between sustaining efforts over the long term, and responding to new opportunities as they emerge.
Though infrequent, there are occasions when areas of grantmaking are closed down—when the Foundation exits a field. Phasing out an element of an area or a mini-initiative in the General Program is much easier to undertake than closing down an entire program or area. Most of the phasing out that we do is in the context of evolving policy, foundation learning, and shifting emphases in grantmaking. Large areas of grantmaking that have closed down completely are generally ones that began with a specific time limit at the outset—for example, support for research in parastic biology, and collaborative research competitions like the one on population, consumption and environment. In other areas, like workforce development, the Foundation may not have been able to identify the levers of change, or the institutions and leaders to bring about policy reform, and made a decision to close a grantmaking portfolio that had never really taken shape.
1. The foundation has succeeded in achieving its goal.
In many cases, "success" will be achieved when issues are clarified, or the issues we are trying to bring to public attention find their way onto public and policy agendas, or when new policies are in place. The problems may not have been solved, but there will be evidence that policymakers and practitioners can make use of the knowledge, human capital, and institutional capacities that the Foundation has fostered. Finally, unanticipated consequences of the Foundaton's grantmaking may change the definition of success.
In the international peace and security area, the Foundation's contribution to a redefinition of international security that goes beyond military and geopolitical considerations—to what is called human security—can be counted a success. The foreign policies of Canada, Sweden, Japan and Norway include attention to the broader range of underlying conditions that contribute to human security, such as protection of human rights, and economic and environmental sustainability. In many other countries, we have seen increasing attention to the protection of human rights and individual well-being in public discussions of peace and security. While there may be more to do to move these ideas into policy and legislative agendas, the Foundation's 15-year effort has yielded sufficient progress to allow us to turn to other needs in the peace and security field.
In these and other cases, MacArthur would phase out grantmaking gradually so that organizations would have time to find other resources. The aim would be to phase down rather than lurch out.
2. The foundation has not succeeded.
Lack of success can be attributed to several different factors depending on the issue:
a. We may have tried a set of strategies and found that we cannot seem to bring about the desired change on an issue;
b. We have learned after a period of grantmaking that the timing is not right for the policy change we sought, and the leverage points that we thought existed are not there or, in the end, are not effective;
c. Policy or political conditions have changed and the Foundation's strategies and funding are no longer relevant to the issues; or,
d. We are not able to mobilize additional donors to enlarge the pool of funding needed to solve a problem.
Judgments about lack of success are rarely clear cut. These are most often nuanced, multi-faceted calculations that weigh comparative opportunities based on whether prospects of impact warrant the proposed commitment of resources, including funding, staff time and attention, and the Foundation's reputation.
In the field of workforce development, for example, the Foundation decided to phase out a longstanding but modest grantmaking program that supported a number of "best practice" community-based programs throughout Chicago. By 1999, both staff and the board had determined that this grantmaking would not yield major improvements in the massive and fragmented public systems that fund adult education and job training, notwitstanding some of the nationally significant models that had been seeded with Foundation grants. A year of extensive study followed, coupled with modest grant support for research on promising workforce intermediary examples in other parts of the country, as well as market research on the receptivity among employers to this type of entity. This research led staff to conclude that the new strategy could not be successfully implemented without a substantial, long-term focus on reforming the City Colleges of Chicago. The Foundation's existing efforts, focused on the Chicago Board of Education and with the Chicago Housing Authority, led staff to weigh whether a third such commitment could or should be undertaken. It was determined that the urgency of public housing transformation and its dramatic implications for the Foundation's grantmaking in Chicago neighborhoods made it a higher priority for the Foundation. The urgency of public housing transformation also presented a better opportunity for near-term success. Accordingly, implementation of the grant strategy for workforce development was not pursued.
In another case, one mental health research network that never found a footing was the Program on Conscious and Unconscious Processes, even though it enjoyed funding for several years. The purpose of the research program was to understand the physiological bases of unconscious processes of the human mind. A major figure in the psychotherapeutic field was funded to conduct observations of individuals in clinical treatment. The research agenda was complicated, intellectually challenging, and risky. But in the end, there was too much variability in the data so that it was difficult to generate results that had general applicability. Furthermore, the leadership of the project was not conducive to a broad network approach, and finally, it was not clear how useful the results would be, even if they had been clear and persuasive.
3. Priorities change
Some issues that may have seemed urgent and important at one point in the Foundation's history, no longer command the public attention that they once did, in light of emerging or other more compelling problems. As the Foundation considers the mix of fields that it is addressing, it may find that some stand out as more significant than others, and it may choose to phase out funding in areas that no longer seem urgent.
The Foundation's initiative on Philanthropy in Mexico is an example of changing Foundation priorities. When grantmaking began in 1995, the economic conditions in Mexico, including the opening of the economy to the development of private enterprise and the prospect of substantial wealth creation, suggested that grantmaking to encourage a philanthropic culture was a timely effort. As other issues have emerged, however, the appeal and urgency of developing Mexican philanthropy faded.
4. Other resources have been leveraged.
There may be areas where the problem has not been solved, but other and larger donors have since entered the field to fund projects or to address the issues that the foundation had helped to make more visible.
In the Conservation and Sustainable Development Area, MacArthur's early grantmaking in the Atlantic Forest brought national and international attention to a neglected geographic area. With governmental and multilateral financial resources going into that area of Brazil, MacArthur made a judgment that it could divert funding to another hotspot and other areas that required more attention, and phase out its grantmaking in the Atlantic Forest.
In a hypothetical and future example, we might envision a time, when sufficient private and public resources were at last available in Russia to sustain the reforms in higher education that the foundation is helping to stimulate. While there is substantial work still to be done in developing mechanisms to raise money for basic research, we can be fairly confident that public and private sources eventually will be available to continue and even increase funding for major research in universities.
When creating new initiatives, changing grantmaking strategies and portfolios, and closing down areas of activity, the Foundation's decisions will turn on judgments about the evolution of the problems that the foundation wishes to address. If we believe that the tools that the foundation can bring to bear through its grantmaking and convening power—to clarify problems, develop human capital, devise innovative solutions, set agendas, support investigative research, and bring projects to scale—are appropriate to the stage of the policy problem, then we will be more confident that the foundation has a role to play in a policy domain.
Foundation attention to government action or inaction in the areas in which we work is a thread running throughout this discussion. How the Foundation positions its grantmaking in relation to policies and public funding at the local, state, national, and international levels of public decisionmaking figures in our decisionmaking, and could well be the subject of another paper. For the purposes of this paper, we have tried to take into account several factors as we enunciated the criteria to be used in making choices. Among these are government policies and practices, private market mechanisms, and the actions of nongovernmental organizations, including other private donors. Of these, the action or lack of action by government is often the most significant element to be factored into the strategies we devise to address a particular issue or problem.
In brief, key factors in deciding when and where to enter and exit a field will include:
1) interest; 2) significance of the issue; 3) timing; 4) issue tractability; 5) funding availability; and, 6) comparative advantage. The qualities required for undertaking new initiatives, on the one hand, and leaving areas of grantmaking, on the other, might be summed up as "good judgment," or "deciding on the exceptional." We have attempted to make more explicit some of the underlying principles involved in these judgments.
In schematic form, this paper has described briefly the criteria for creating, changing, and closing areas of grantmaking. We have provided relevant examples and tried to distill those factors to be considered when making decisions to enter, sustain, and exit policy and research fields. The presentation has drawn most directly from experience at the MacArthur Foundation and has attempted to surface underlying patterns and generic processes in the institutional decision-making process. It is not meant to be definitive, but rather is intended to provoke discussion and comment.
Consult with experts in a policy field.
Creating any new initiative requires investigation and consultation with a broad range of knowledgeable persons. One way to make use of expertise in a field is to conduct a series of small consultations with a range of individuals . These consultations can be undertaken in one- to two-day meetings group meetings, or on an individual basis. Such consultations can also be used to generate brief papers describing the nature of the problem and suggesting initial strategies that the Foundation might pursue to address the problem, authored by participants in the consultation, or by outside advisers. Staff along with one or two outside consultants can draw on these papers and advice to devise a program design and strategy.
Both the environment and population areas have relied on this kind of consultation process to create grantmaking programs in these areas.
There are ways for the Foundation to test new areas of grantmaking without incurring the substantial costs of launching a full-blown initiative. The "mini-initiative" or incubation function that the General Program has played is an important example of the way that MacArthur has experimented with grantmaking and learned from its experience. Support for international human rights organizations began in the General Program, for example, and after several years of experience, and a reorganization of the international programs, was integrated into the Global Security and Sustainability grantmaking portfolio. The digital information initiative is another mini-initiative that permits the Foundation to explore a new area without making a substantial commitment at the outset.
Commissions provide, over a period of time, a structured review of the needs in a policy area. In the interactions of the commission, a range of ideas and experience can be drawn upon to identify the needs and alternative approaches to a problem. The Foundation can tap expertise, and more important, can generate a series of cross-interrogations to stimulate innovative thinking and new designs for philanthropic giving. Such commissions can provide a relatively efficient means of educating board members and staff, of eliciting some of the best ideas, and of designing a comprehensive program of grantmaking.
The creation of the International Peace and Security Program in 1984 was preceded by a two-year commission, jointly funded by the MacArthur Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The Commission and a successor working group addressed the problems of peace and security at what seemed the height of the cold war between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. The working group developed a design that would begin to meet that need and identified the grantmaking mechanisms and the institutions to carry out the Foundation's grantmaking program.
Such a commission also serves the purposes of drawing attention to the Foundation's interests, stimulating new interest in the field, and informing a broader community, beyond the commission, of the Foundation's underlying rationale and goals. In doing so, a Commission can help stimulate the very change that the Foundation seeks, even before the awarding of grants.
*At the end of 2007, MacArthur's endowment was $6. 4 billion.


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Ease of access
We aim to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for all our customers attending any event at our venue. ACC Liverpool is easily accessible for wheelchair users or those with specific access requirements.
Visitors and their personal assistants will find ACC Liverpool easily accessible.
There is ramp and lift access to conference rooms and halls internally. The auditorium features accessible bays and there are accessible toilets on all floors. ACC Liverpool also has hearing induction loops available.
Parking and Access
There is accessible parking available close to the venue for those that require it.
Car parking is available at a nearby retail complex, with 3,000 spaces spread across three sites. Options include car parks open 24 hours.
Q-Park Liverpool ONE 35 Strand Street L1 8LT
Q-Park Hanover Street Gradwell Street L1 5AQ
Q-Park John Lewis 17 Liver Street, L1 8LJ
Seating and Toilets
The auditorium is the only fixed seating room within ACC Liverpool, excluding the arena. The auditorium includes 33 accessible bays each with accompanying seat for a personal assistant. Other seated areas within the auditorium are only accessible via the use of steps. There are several accessible toilets throughout the convention centre, including four for the auditorium.
Assistance Dogs and Hearing Loops
Assistance dogs are welcome at ACC Liverpool. We also have hearing induction loops available.
Changing Places Toilet
With the construction of Exhibition Centre Liverpool, our sister venue next door, we are pleased to be able to offer our customers the use of a Changing Places toilet.
Access to this facility in the adjoining building is a level-access, short walk away from the Arena (approximately 10 minutes), with areas having a slight incline but it is all undercover and our stewarding are trained on helping get you there.
The Changing Places Toilet facilities include:
- a height adjustable adult-sized changing bench
- a tracking hoist system, or mobile hoist if this is not possible.
- adequate space in the changing area for the disabled person and up to two carers
- a centrally placed toilet with room either side
- a screen or curtain to allow some privacy.
- wide tear off paper roll to cover the bench
- a large waste bin for disposable pads
- a non-slip floor.
Please note, our staff are unable to assist within the Changing Places toilet.
Have You Considered?
Liverpool's Finest
Liverpool is a vibrant, modern city, proud of its rich heritage and renowned for its friendly people. Visit Liverpool and enjoy everything it has to offer. Here is just a sample of what's available.
Pullman Liverpool Hotel
Pullman Liverpool, voted Hotel of the Year 2019, is one of the city's most stylish hotels. Conveniently integrated into the Liverpool event campus, this contemporary hotel offers 216 comfortable rooms and suites, and a top-notch menu to suit every taste thanks to signature dishes in the on-site Marco Pierre White Wheelers of St James's
Eat & Drink
Wheeler's of St. James's Liverpool in the Pullman Liverpool Hotel is located at Kings Dock next to the venue. Wheeler's reputation has been built on seafood, however the menu offers a variety of meat and vegetarian dishes that make it accessible to all.Visit website
Liverpool ONE
Located by the city's iconic waterfront, Liverpool ONE is one of Europe's leading retail and leisure destinations. With more than 170 stores, bars and restaurants, a 14 screen cinema and even a park, you'll always have a fun packed day here.Visit website
City Central Shopping
The beating heart of Liverpool's retail scene, just minutes away from the venue, City Central Shopping comprises five shopping centres, two hotels, two theatres and more than 400 shops. There's something for everyone and every budget.Visit website
British Music Experience
The British Music Experience tells the story of British Music through costumes, instruments, performance and memorabilia from the Beatles and Bowie to Adele, Oasis and The X Factor.Visit website
Liverpool ONE
From high street favourites to high-end boutiques, your fabulous shopping experience is a short stroll from the venue. Stores open until 8pm weekdays, so there's plenty of time to hit the shops.Visit website


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I want more information about a product I found on your website. Who do I contact?
All of the products on our website currently reside in Music Go Round® store that has listed them. Simply contact that store to inquire.
We ALWAYS suggest calling the store during regular business hours for the quickest reply for your questions!
How do I purchase product from Music Go Round®?
Our website offers a VERY secure way to purchase our products. You can purchase multiple products from multiple stores on the same transaction and use a credit card through our SSL encrypted shopping cart to pay! Quick, convenient and secure! Music Go Round accepts: Visa, MasterCard and Discover Card through our website.
Can I pick up online orders in-store?
Yes! We offer "in-store" pickup for purchases from our website. A couple things to keep in mind:
Do you accept PayPal for purchases?
Yes, Some stores accept PayPal as a form of payment. The decision to accept PayPal is defined by each individual franchise location.
Please note: due to specific programming limitations with PayPal, we can only accept PayPal payments when you are purchasing product from one store. Because our stores are independent franchise locations and the product you are purchasing is coming direct from those stores, we need to split your payments made for purchases to each location you are ordering from. PayPal does not allow payments to be "split" between accounts.
For those stores who accept PayPal, the option will appear in the payment screen of the shopping cart when you are ordering product/s from one location. If you are ordering from multiple locations, the PayPal option will not appear regardless of the store accepting PayPal or not.
If you want to use PayPal for payment to multiple stores, you can simply create different purchases from the different locations. There will be no additional costs to you as the shipping charges for each product are based upon the location of the store to your billing address. All you need to do is create multiple orders.
Due to specific circumstances with the PayPal user agreement, we do not accept PayPal for "in-store pickup" transactions.
Does Music Go Round sell new products or accessories online?
Yes we do! We are proud to offer 100s of new accessory products from brands like: D'Addario, Planet Waves, Evans, Promark, Rico and others.
I need to buy some accessory products. Do I have to buy USED gear to get access to new accessories?
No! You can create a shopping cart that only has new accessory products in it. Those products would ship to you from the store nearest you so you get your order as fast as possible!
How much does it cost to ship my order?
Once you add a product to your shopping cart, you will have the ability to view the shipping charges. Our shipping policy can be found here: Click Here
I want to buy your product, but do not live in the USA. How can I buy from you?
Our stores do not ship internationally through our website.
Not all stores and/or product will ship internationally and the decision to do so is defined by the individual franchise locations.
Please contact the store that has the product you are interested in to discuss that specific store's international shipping policy.
How do I find all of the most recently added products?
To find the newest additions, simply search for your products, then sort using the option "most recently added" in the upper right corner of your results page!
How do I find the best deals on your website?
Look for products with the red tag "price reduction" or the yellow tag "special price." You can also use our advanced search to show products that ONLY have reduced prices!
I can't find what I am looking for. Can you let me know when you get it in?
On your search results page, you will see a "Saved Search" box on the top of the left-side navigation. Click on that box, tell us what you are looking for and for how long…and we will do the rest! We will email you updates about the gear you want, when you want them. Let Music Go Round search the gear for you!
How do I return a product that I purchased?
Please visit our Return Policy page here: Click Here
Product Listing Currency
Please note that all products listed on our website are current products available in our stores at the beginning of each business day. If a product sells in one of our stores during the day, that product will still appear on our website until the next business day. In the rare occurrence that this would happen and the product is no longer available, your transaction will be refunded in full immediately.
I really want to work at one of your stores. How do I apply for an open position?
All of our hiring for store level positions is done in the stores. Simply provide the store in your market with a current Job Application (download here). Store Management will review and contact you to set up an interview. After that, it is all up to you!
As much as our Corp staff loves cool USED Gear, all of our products are purchased and sold at our nationwide store locations. If you have any questions about our USED gear, please contact the store that has the product you are interested in. If you ask our corporate staff about the USED gear, we'll just direct you back to our stores!


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Men's Sale
Shop by Categories:
Shop by size:
- and
* Offer valid online only for a limited time. Receive FREE STANDARD SHIPPING on all online orders of $75 or more, after applicable discounts and before taxes. Shipping costs will be automatically deducted at checkout. Not valid on orders shipped to stores, on gift cards or on previous orders. RW&CO. offers free standard shipping for items returned by mail in Canada using the Canada Post shipping labels provided. COD or collect deliveries will not be accepted.
*30% Off Regular-Priced Merchandise
Offer valid in-store and online at rw-co.com from August 7, 2020 (12:00 am ET) to August 10, 2020 (2:59 am ET). Valid on select regular-priced merchandise for men and women, before applicable taxes. Not applicable to the purchase of name brands, RW GO TO'S, previously-purchased merchandise or gift cards. Discount will be applied online after applicable discounts, but before taxes, shipping and handling. Offer cannot be combined in conjunction with staff discount or any other coupon, offer or promotion. Additional restrictions may apply. Limited time offer. REITMANS CANADA LIMITED reserves the right to modify or terminate this offer without prior notice.


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Where are search plugins?
Discussion about Seamonkey builds
7 posts • Page 1 of 1
In SeaMonkey 2.49, where are added search plugins stored in the profile? They are no longer in a directory called "searchplugins".
I think they have been moved to the search.json.mozlz4 file in your profile folder.
https://www.reddit.com/r/firefox/commen ... ugins_now/
Give a man a fish, and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he eats for a lifetime.
I like poetry, long walks on the beach and poking dead things with a stick.
Please do not PM me for personal support. Keep posts here in the Forums instead and we all learn.
In that case, I should be able to remove the "searchplugins" folder from SM 2.46 and see no difference in the search engines, since that version also has that file in its profile.
SM 2.46 still use the searchplugins folder for engines storage, while the search.* files in the profile folder store some additional data. Only after upgrading to 2.49 your engines are migrated to the search.json.mozlz4 file, and the searchplugins folder is simply ignored from then.
I removed the searchplugins folder from my SM 2.46 profile and got some new search plugins. The folder never reappeared. I think it was converted to the new system already.
I looked at search.json, and it seems to list only those search plugins that are within SeaMonkey itself, not the ones I added. The other file - search.json.mozlz4 - seems to have at least some of the items I added. Was there something secret about the search plugins that the names had to be less easy to read?
I wondered why I only had some of my search plugins when I used a ESR portable Seamonkey 2.46 and then manually updated to one of Akalla's 2.49.1 builds... now I know. Any idea why the Mozilla developers changed over to json over the older format?
-N- Quis custodiet ipsos custodes
SeaMonkey, Acer Spin, Windows 10 Pro (X64), WinPatrol, MalwarebytesPremium & PandaDome
Most of the reasons were summarized here:
http://blog.queze.net/post/2015/11/02/W ... -hijacking
I don't check often the SeaMonkey forums...
7 posts • Page 1 of 1
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The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has reported that the federal government spends billions of dollars on information technology (IT) investments each year. In fiscal year 2011, there were approximately 7,200 investments totaling at least $79 billion. The Department of Defense (DOD) reported the largest number of information technology (IT) investments (2,383 investments at $37 billion), followed by the Department of Energy (Energy) (876 investments and $2 billion).
According to OMBs annual budget guidance (beginning with fiscal year 2004), agencies are required to map each IT investment to a functional category and sub-category within the Federal Enterprise Architecture.[1] These categorizations, known as a primary function and subfunction are intended to enable OMB and others to analyze investments with similar functions, as well as identify and analyze potentially duplicative investments across agencies.
[1]The Federal Enterprise Architecture is intended to provide federal agencies and other decision makers with a common frame of reference or taxonomy for informing agencies individual enterprise architecture efforts and their planned and ongoing investment activities, and to do so in a way that identifies opportunities for avoiding duplication of effort and launching initiatives to establish and implement common, reusable, and interoperable solutions across agency boundaries.
As GAO reported in September 2011, in their fiscal year 2011 budget submissions to OMB on IT spending, agencies reported the greatest number of IT investments in the information and technology management category (1,536 investments), followed by supply chain management (777 investments), and human resources management (622 investments).[1] Similarly, planned expenditures on investments were greatest in the information and technology management category, at about $35.5 billion. The figure below depicts the total number of investments governmentwide per function.
Number of IT Investments Governmentwide by Primary Function, as of July 2011 (fiscal year 2011 planned expenditures, in billions)
GAO reported that OMB provides guidance to agencies on how to report on their IT investments, but this guidance does not ensure complete reporting or facilitate the identification of duplicative investments. Specifically, agencies differ on what investments they include as an IT investment; for example, 5 of the 10 agencies GAO reviewed consistently consider investments in research and development systems as IT, and 5 do not. As a result, federal agencies annual IT investments are likely greater than the $79 billion reported in fiscal year 2011. In addition, OMBs guidance to federal agencies requires each investment to be mapped to a single functional category. This limits OMBs ability to identify duplicative investments both within and across agencies because similar investments may be organized into different categories. For example, GAO reported on a DOD financial management system that was identified in a different functional categorysupply chain management.[2]
GAO also reported that OMB and federal agencies have undertaken several initiatives to address potentially duplicative IT investments. For example, OMB has efforts under way to consolidate similar functions through its Federal Enterprise Architecture initiative, which was developed in 1999. This initiative was intended to provide federal agencies with a common construct for their architectures and thereby facilitate the coordination of common business processes, and system investments among federal agencies. In 2004, we reported that the Federal Enterprise Architecture was a work in progress and was still evolving.[3] To this point, OMBs Chief Architect reported that comprehensive changes to the Federal Enterprise Architecture are underway and planned for fiscal year 2012. In addition, most of the agencies GAO reviewed established guidance for ensuring new investments are not duplicative with existing systems. However, agencies do not routinely assess operational systems to determine if they are duplicative. Therefore, GAO reported that until agencies routinely assess their IT investment portfolios to identify and reduce duplicative systems, the governments current situation of having hundreds of similar IT investments will continue to exist.
More recently, GAO conducted a review to examine the three largest categories of IT investments within DOD, Energy, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Specifically, as GAO reported in February 2012, although DOD, Energy, and DHS use various investment review processes to identify duplicative investments, GAO found that 37 of GAOs sample of 810 investments were potentially duplicative at DOD and Energy (see table below).[4] These investments account for about $1.2 billion in IT spending for fiscal years 2007 through 2012, for these two agencies. To identify these potentially duplicative investments, GAO reviewed the description of each investments purpose within specific functional categories and subcategories to identify similarities among related investments within each agency. This formed the basis of establishing groupings of similar investments. GAO discussed the groupings with each of the selected agencies, and GAO obtained further information from agency officials and reviewed and assessed agencies rationales for having multiple systems that perform similar functions. For example, GAO identified four DOD Navy personnel assignment investmentsone system for officers, one for enlisted personnel, one for reservists, and a general assignment systemeach of which is responsible for managing similar functions. The Department of the Navy is implementing an executive oversight board and a centralized review process of IT investments that officials reported will examine these investments to determine if actual duplication exists. The table below summarizes 12 groups of potentially duplicative investments by purpose and agency, which GAO identified.
Potentially Duplicative Investments for DOD and Energy, as of January 2012
Dollars in millions
Number of investments
Planned or actual spending fiscal years 2007-2012
Air Force
Contract Management
Personnel Assignment Management
Acquisition Management
Aviation Maintenance and Logistics
Contract Management
Housing Management
Personnel Assignment Management
Promotion Rating
Workforce Management
Civilian Personnel Management
Energy Programs
Back-end Infrastructure
Energy Programs & Environmental and Other Defense Activities
Electronic Records and Document Management
Source: GAO analysis of agency data.
While GAO did not identify any potentially duplicative investments at DHS within GAOs sample, DHS officials have independently identified several duplicative investments and systems. Specifically, DHS officials have identified and, more importantly, reduced duplicative functionality in four investments, including a personnel security investment, time and attendance investment, human resources investment, and an information network investment. DHS also has plans to further consolidate systems within these investments by 2014, which is expected to produce approximately $41 million in cost savings. DHS officials have also identified 38 additional systems that they have determined to be duplicative. For example, officials identified multiple personnel action processing systems that could be consolidated.
Officials from the three agencies offered a variety of reasons for the potential duplication, such as decentralized governance within the department and a lack of control over certain facilities. Further complicating agencies ability to identify and eliminate duplicative investments is that investments are, in certain cases, misclassified by function. For example, DHSs Federal Emergency Management AgencyMinor Personnel/Training Systems investment was initially categorized within the Employee Performance Management subfunction, but DHS agreed that this investment should be assigned to the Human Resources Development subfunction. Proper categorization is necessary in order to analyze and identify duplicative investments, both within and across agencies. GAO reported that until DOD, Energy, and DHS, correctly categorize their investments, they are limiting their ability to identify opportunities to consolidate or eliminate duplicative investments.
GAO also reported that DHS had taken action to improve its processes for identifying and eliminating duplicative investments. For example, through reviewing portfolios of IT investments, DHS had identified much, and eliminated some, duplicative functionality in certain investmentsas previously discussed. Additionally, DOD and Energy had recently initiated specific plans to address potential duplication in many of the investments GAO identifiedsuch as plans to consolidate or eliminate systems. While these efforts could eventually yield results, DODs and Energys initiatives had not yet led to the consolidation or elimination of duplicative investments or functionality. For example, while DOD and Energy had documented milestones for improving their IT investment review processes, officials did not provide examples of duplicative investments that they had consolidated or eliminated. Therefore, GAO reported that until DOD and Energy demonstrate, through existing transparency mechanisms, that they are making progress in identifying and eliminating duplicative investments, it will remain unclear whether they are avoiding investment in unnecessary systems.
[1]GAO, Information Technology: OMB Needs to Improve Its Guidance on IT Investments, GAO-11-826 (Washington, D.C.: Sept. 29, 2011).
[2]GAO, Financial Management Systems: OMB's Financial Management Line of Business Initiative Continues but Future Success Remains Uncertain, GAO-09-328 (Washington, D.C.: May 7, 2009).
[3]GAO, Information Technology: The Federal Enterprise Architecture and Agencies Enterprise Architectures Are Still Maturing, GAO-04-798T(Washington, D.C.: May 19, 2004).
[4]GAO, Information Technology: Departments of Defense and Energy Need to Address Potentially Duplicative Investments, GAO-12-241. Washington, D.C.: February 17, 2012.
To better ensure the agencies avoid investing in duplicative investments, GAO recommended in September 2011 that the Director of OMB
Additionally, GAO recommended in February 2012 that the Secretaries of DOD and Energy should direct their Chief Information Officers to
GAO also recommended in February 2012 that the Secretaries of DOD, Energy, and DHS should direct their Chief Information Officers to
The information contained in this analysis is based on findings from the products listed in the related GAO products section. GAO analyzed IT investment data and OMBs guidance to federal agencies on IT investments, interviewed officials at the 10 federal agencies with the largest IT spending in fiscal year 2010[1] to understand how they implement OMB guidance, and analyzed reports and interviewed officials on efforts to address duplicative investments. GAO also selected three of the largest agencies with respect to number of investmentsDOD, Energy, and DHS to identify potentially duplicative investments. GAO analyzed a subset of investment data from OMBs IT budget data to identify investments with similar functionality. Specifically, GAO reviewed 810, or 11 percent, of the approximately 7,200 IT investments federal agencies report to OMB. GAOs review represents approximately 24 percent of DODs IT portfolio in terms of the number of investments that they report to OMB, 19 percent of Energys, and 16 percent of DHSs. GAO then reviewed the name and narrative description of each investments purpose to identify similarities among related investments within each agency (GAO did not review investments across agencies). This formed the basis of establishing groupings of similar investments. GAO discussed the groupings with each of the selected agencies, and GAO obtained further information from agency officials and reviewed and assessed agencies rationales for having multiple systems that perform similar functions. See pages 345-346 of the PDF version of this report (appendix III) for a list of the programs GAO identified that may have similar or overlapping objectives, provide similar services or be fragmented across government missions. Overlap and fragmentation may not necessarily lead to actual duplication, and some degree of overlap and duplication may be justified.
[1]The 10 federal agencies are the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Justice, Transportation, the Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
GAO provided a draft of its September 2011 report to OMB for review and comment. OMB disagreed with the first recommendation and agreed with the second and third recommendations. Specifically, OMB officials do not plan to implement the first recommendation, because they believe guidance already exists on categorizing and identifying IT investments. However, GAO believes that the recommendation is appropriate because the existing guidance does not address key categories of IT investments where GAO found inconsistencies among agencies. OMB officials stated that the agency plans to address the second and third recommendations through updated guidance and the annual budget process.
GAO provided a draft of its February 2012 report to OMB, DOD, Energy, and DHS for review and comment. OMB provided technical comments that GAO incorporated, where appropriate. DOD and DHS generally agreed with the recommendations, while Energy agreed with the first recommendation, but not the second. Specifically, Energy disagreed that two of the four investments GAO identified were miscategorized, explaining that their categorizations reflect funding considerations. However, OMB guidance indicates that investments should be classified according to their intended purpose. Consequently, GAO believes the recommendation is warranted.
GAO provided a draft of this report section to OMB for review and comment. OMB provided technical comments, which were incorporated as appropriate.
For additional information about this area, contact David A. Powner at (202) 512-9286 or email@example.com.
Although the Departments of Defense (DOD) and Energy (DOE) use various investment review processes to identify duplicative investments, GAO found that 37 of its sample of 810 investments were potentially duplicative. These investments account for about $1.2 billion in total information technology (IT) spending for fiscal years 2007 through 2012. For example, GAO identified four DOD Navy personnel...
The federal government invests heavily in information technology (IT). In recent years, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has made efforts to improve the transparency, oversight, and management of the federal government's IT investments. More recently, in June 2009, OMB deployed the IT Dashboard, a Web-based system that provides detailed performance information on federal IT investments. G...
Federal IT spending has risen to an estimated $79 billion for fiscal year 2011. To improve transparency and oversight of this spending, in June 2009 the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) deployed a public website, known as the IT Dashboard, which provides information on federal agencies' major IT investments, including assessments of actual performance against cost and schedule targets (referr...
Billions of taxpayer dollars are spent on federal information technology (IT) projects each year; for fiscal year 2009, federal IT spending has risen to an estimated $71 billion. Given the size of these investments and their significance to the health, economy, and security of the nation, it is important that that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and federal agencies are providing adequat...
The federal government spends billons of dollars on information technology (IT) projects each year. Consequently, it is important that projects be managed effectively to ensure that public resources are wisely invested. To this end, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which plays a key role in overseeing the federal government's IT investments, identifies major projects that are poorly plan...
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) plays a key role in overseeing federal information technology (IT) investments. The Clinger-Cohen Act, among other things, requires OMB to establish processes to analyze, track, and evaluate the risks and results of major capital investments in information systems made by agencies and to report to Congress on the net program performance benefits achieved a...
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) plays a key role in overseeing federal IT investments. The Clinger-Cohen Act, among other things, requires OMB to establish processes to analyze, track, and evaluate the risks and results of major capital investments in information systems made by agencies and to report to Congress on the net program performance benefits achieved as a result of these inves...
In August 2005, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memorandum directing agencies to identify high risk information technology (IT) projects and provide quarterly reports on those with performance shortfalls--projects that did not meet criteria established by OMB. GAO was asked to (1) provide a summary identifying by agency the number of high risk projects, their proposed budget for...
For the President's Budget for Fiscal Year 2005, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) stated that of the nearly 1,200 major information technology (IT) projects in the budget, it had placed approximately half--621 projects, representing about $22 billion--on a Management Watch List, composed of mission-critical projects with identified weaknesses. GAO was asked to describe and assess OMB's pr...
There are no further Duplication areas under this mission.


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Deloitte & Touche LLP v. Carlson, 2011 WL 2923865 (N.D. Ill. July 18, 2011)
Defendant had risen to the level of Director of a large consulting and professional services firm. (There is some irony here – this case involves the destruction of electronic data, and defendant had been in charge of the firm's security and privacy practice.)
After defendant left the firm to join a competitor, he returned his work-issued laptop with the old hard drive having been replaced by a new blank one. Defendant had destroyed the old hard drive because it had personal data on it such as tax returns and account information.
The firm sued, putting forth a number of claims, including violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA). Defendant moved to dismiss for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. The court denied the motion.
Defendant argued that the CFAA claim should fail because plaintiff had not adequately pled that the destruction of the hard drive was done "without authorization." The court rejected this argument.
The court looked to Int'l Airport Centers LLC v. Citrin, 440 F.3d 418 (7th Cir. 2006) for guidance on the question of whether defendant's alleged conduct was "without authorization." Int'l Airport Centers held that an employee acts without authorization as contemplated under the CFAA if he or she breaches a duty of loyalty to the employer prior to the alleged data destruction.
In this case, plaintiff alleged that defendant began soliciting another employee to leave before defendant left, and that defendant allegedly destroyed the data to cover his tracks. On these facts, the court found the "without authorization" element to be adequately pled.


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A victim of severe poverty since birth, Ryan Hudson grew up living in and out of homeless shelters. At age 14, Ryan was introduced to snowboarding through Outdoor Outreach, a non-profit organization dedicated to using outdoor activities to empower at risk youth. When Ryan stepped on a snowboard his life took a 180. Now competing as a semi-pro athlete, Ryan's story shares just how transformational the outdoors can be. Jones Snowboards is proud to have Ryan ripping our boards. Check out the video above to hear Ryan's story and look out for more from this extraordinary shred ambassador soon.
Video produced by The North Face, Camp 4 Collective and Snowbird Mountain Resort.


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Blu Bridal Collection by Morilee 5517
- Brand: Blu Bridal by Morilee
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The name of this Morilee Blu Gown is Maya. Delicately Beaded, Alen�on Lace Appliqu�s on Layered Organza Skirt
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*A style on our web site listed as in-stock can usually be shipped today or next day for immediate delivery or quick delivery. An item listed as "Ships Today" can be sent the same business day as long as the order is placed before the cutoff time.


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Honoree: Brian Tiffany, MD, Ph.D., FACEP
Premier Emergency Medical Specialists
With more than 20 years in the health care industry as a student, physician, researcher and educator, Dr. Brian Tiffany considers the emergency department a special place.
Tiffany is a partner at Premier Emergency Medical Specialists, which provides emergency medicine specialists for Chandler Regional and Mercy Gilbert medical centers. He also serves as vice president of medical staff for both hospitals. Tiffany began working in the emergency field in 1990, and has continued to grow his practice and expertise in that area. He joined Chandler Regional in 2003 as an attending physician in its emergency department, and has had a major impact on the way the department is run.
Accomplishments there include revamping existing processes, putting new processes in place, revitalizing the work force, and ensuring quality care and safety for patients, all the while reducing wait times and improving the patient experience. He has recorded similar improvements with the team at Mercy Gilbert. People who work with Tiffany know him as a driven, intelligent and dedicated person who accomplishes everything he sets out to do — and more. His experience and vast knowledge of his primary field, along with his depth of vision as a researcher, come into play as he quietly attends to his patients and confers with his colleagues.
Tiffany works to improve the emergency medicine experience for patients and their loved ones, implementing new processes that improve the quality of care, decrease time spent in the waiting room and eradicate redundancies.
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Finalist: John Shufeldt, MD, JD, MBA, FACEP
Founder and CEO
NextCare Urgent Care
Dr. John Shufeldt certainly qualifies as a jack-of-all-trades. He is founder, CEO and chief medical director of NextCare Urgent Care, is a managing partner of a law firm that bears his name, is an instructor of business law at Arizona State University, and is a certified airline transport pilot.
And he's also a practicing emergency physician at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center. Founded in 1993, NextCare has grown in to a health care operation with more than 1,000 employees. Shufeldt promotes the benefits of urgent care as a convenient and affordable solution to the overcrowding of emergency rooms in Arizona. Shufeldt's core values at NextCare — caring, excellence, integrity, and results — have made it possible for Arizona residents to receive quality, affordable health care.
NextCare is contracted with every major insurance plan. Shufeldt oversees NextCare's six acting medical directors in Arizona, North Carolina, Georgia, Texas, Colorado, and Virginia. He holds active medical licenses in six states.
[stextbox id="grey" image="www.nextcare.com"]www.nextcare.com[/stextbox]
Finalist: Julianne Thompson, MD
Medical Director
Desert Mission Community Health Center
They call her Dr. T. That's how patients refer to Dr. Julianne Thompson, medical director of Desert Mission Community Health Center in Sunnyslope, which serves families in need.
Thompson supervises two medical assistants and a mid-level provider, works closely with directors and support staff of other Desert Mission programs, and sees patients ranging in age from newborn to elderly. Many of her patients speak only Spanish, but that's not a problem as Dr. T speaks the language fluently.
Thompson spends much of her time treating acute medical problems such as ear infections and upset stomachs, but she also helps patients manage chronic conditions.
Much of Dr. T's challenge as a primary care physician working in an underserved community is finding much-needed resources for her patients, including medications, tests and special formula for infants. The immunization rate among her patients is 97 percent, compared to a state benchmark of 82 percent for two-year-olds.
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Learn All Year Long
Kids and teens should read and write even when they are out of school. Why is this so important?
ReadWriteThink has a variety of resources for out-of-school use. Visit our Parent & Afterschool Resources section to learn more.
Home › Parent & Afterschool Resources › Activities & Projects
A Trip to the Museum: From Picture to Story
|6 – 8
|Activity Time
|One to two hours
|Activity Author
Champaign, Illinois
Activity Description
Visit a museum or art gallery (either online or in person) with children and teens, helping them find inspiration for a story based on a piece of art that they particularly enjoy or relate to. Simply find a picture that tells or suggests a story. Then encourage children and teens to make a list of words and ideas about the image before writing a creative story that explains what is happening in the image...and beyond.
Why This Is Helpful
Observing, describing, and creating are all important skills, in and out of school. Children and teens can strengthen these literacy skills by using their already existing visual skills to launch into a creative writing activity. With their imagination stimulated by a visual image, they can be prompted either to create simpler stories that explore what is happening in the picture or to work more creatively by imagining what happens before or after the moment shown in the image.
This activity was modified from the lesson "A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words: From Image to Detailed Narrative."