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Tony Gemignani of Tony's Pizza Napoletana is soft opening his latest pet project this Wednesday, ~TONY'S COAL-FIRED PIZZA & SLICE HOUSE~ in the former Palermo Delicatessen/La Spiaggia location (the grand opening is Friday). It's a tiny space with mostly take-out items only, but it's going to have quite the list o' options: coal-fired pizzas (yup, the only ones in NorCal—an original 15" tomato pie is $15, and a white pie with clam and garlic will be available on Fridays and Saturdays for $23), there's New York-style pizza by the slice ($3.50 for plain cheese), Sicilian by the square ($3 for cheese), and Romana pizza by the meter (1/4 meter is $8), which you can customize with three ingredients (your pick).
And I haven't even gotten to the sandwiches: there will be Chicago-style Italian beef sandwiches (like the one I got at Al's), seven kinds in all, with beef that has been slow roasted with rosemary, garlic, and oregano in the coal-fired oven. Or you can get a calzone, or a stromboli, and there will be baked ziti in the winter (which would be now, ahem). And then there's the New York deli list of sandwiches, ranging from capicollo grinders to a chicken parm wedge to pastrami on rye. You can also order your own combo, with meats that will be sliced on an Italian hand-cranked slicer—and the pastrami, corned beef, and rosemary turkey are all made in-house. (Hey, I'm just happy to see a place with caciocavallo cheese as an option, mamma mia.) Lastly, there are chocolate egg cream sodas (using Fox's U Bet and Seltzer Sisters soda) and Gino's Italian ices (lemon or cherry).
Now, I don't know how many people it's going to take to get these slices and sandwiches out the door quickly enough so it doesn't turn into another Ike's—I guess all will be revealed. But Tony does have a dedicated walk-in for pizza dough (for both restaurants), so at least he knows he's gotta make a lot of dough! Closed Mon-Tue, open Wed-Sun 12pm-11pm.


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Unhappy doctors: what are the causes and what can be done?BMJ 2002; 324 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.324.7341.835 (Published 06 April 2002) Cite this as: BMJ 2002;324:835
As the response to a recent BMJ editorial showed, unhappy doctors are a worldwide phenomenon. In this article, based on workshops with doctors in the United States and United Kingdom, Nigel Edwards and colleagues suggest that the cause is a breakdown in the implicit compact between doctors and society: the individual orientation that doctors were trained for does not fit with the demands of current healthcare systems. They outline what a new compact might look like
Richard Smith's editorial in the BMJabout unhappiness in the medical profession provoked a huge response and confirmed that this is an international and widespread problem.1–4 We describe here the views of doctors themselves, gleaned from workshops in the United States and the United Kingdom, on the problem and what might be done about it.
Summary points
Several reports from around the world describe declining morale among doctors, but little is known about the reasons
Workload and pay, though important, do not fully explain the problem
A key factor seems to be a change in the psychological compact between the profession, employers, patients, and society so that the job is now different from what doctors expected
Developing a new compact that is more acceptable to the profession is important
Clinical leaders have a potentially crucial role in developing a new compact
Evidence gathering
There is limited evidence to inform the debate, and therefore this article and our longer report5 are based on literature on the subject and seminars held in Massachusetts last August and in London in October. As with Smith's original article the ideas should be treated as tentative.
In the US seminar the participants were managers and medical executives from various healthcare systems including Kaiser Permanente. The UK participants were mostly senior members of the medical profession, educators, officers of the BMA, medical managers, and representatives of junior doctors, medical students, and a patients' group. Senior representatives from the Department of Health were present for part of the discussion. Participants were selected for their breadth of knowledge of the profession and the issues. We also asked individuals who were well placed to influence the implementation of some of the solutions.
The ideas that emerged from the workshop have been tested at events with members of the Royal College of Physicians and with senior members of the medical profession at a conference held by the Department of Health.
Potential causes of unhapiness
Pay and workload are obvious causes for unhappiness among doctors. However, evidence from systems with much higher pay and longer consultation times suggests that these are not enough by themselves to ensure high morale. Several of the causes are probably the result of changes in the expectations of patients, governments, and employers; and there may also be causes within medicine itself.
The developed world has seen significant reductions in medical autonomy and increases in accountability as a result of the growing evidence base and a long running attempt to bring medicine under managerial and cost control by governments, payers, and employers. This has resulted in the growing use of guidelines, protocols, audit, regulation, and inspection that many doctors perceive as eroding their control over their professional lives. Though there are benefits from these changes, having control over work is important for the job satisfaction of clinicians 6 7 and can have implications for overall health of employees.8 A related change in the relationship with employers has been the increased emphasis on numerical targets, efficiency, and volumes of work that dates from the late 1970s.
The changes in relationships with patients and society are particularly important. There has been a decline in deference for all professions and a perceived loss of trust, coinciding with a feeling that the media has become much more hostile. In fact doctors are a highly trusted profession,9 and the proportion of negative news stories is fairly constant—although the total number of stories has increased.10 At the same time, patients are increasingly active consumers and they demand and have been encouraged to expect enhanced services, including extended hours and rapid access. The easy availability of health information coupled with a sense of entitlement is shifting the power in the doctor-patient relationship and causing unease. This is compounded by sometimes unrealistic expectations about the power of medicine to solve the ills of modern life. Smith described this as a bogus contract between the profession and patients but one which doctors have themselves sometimes encouraged.1
Medical causes
Several causes relate to medicine itself. The job is difficult and emotionally demanding, and doctors are more likely to be self critical and have other personality traits associated with work related stress.11 The poor record of the profession in giving mutual support or giving and receiving feedback aggravates this. Working in teams is also associated with being better able to cope with stress,12 but skills in teamworking are not universal in the profession.13 The selection, training, and socialisation of doctors has tended to compound the problems of high workload, stress, and reaction to changes in the job.
Medicine has been based on a model in which doctors are trained to deal with individuals, not organisations; to take personal responsibility rather than delegate; and to do their best for each patient rather than make trade-offs in a resource constrained environment.14 These factors make high workloads and high levels of workplace stress all the harder to deal with. They also create a real problem in that professional values and training based on an individualistic orientation do not prepare doctors to function successfully as members of large, complex organisations. Little training is given to equip doctors for this, and the difficulty that many consequently experience leads to stress and frustration.
Failing to deliver what was promised
An important theme in all of these changes is the dissonance between what doctors might have reasonably expected the job to be and how it now is. The psychological contract or compact is a useful concept to explain this problem.
This is the implicit deal between doctors, patients, employers and society that defines what the parties to the relationship give and what they get in return.15 This seems to have changed without any explicit discussion with those involved and without being replaced with an equally meaningful or rewarding alternative.16
The type of compact that defined what doctors would give and what they would get in return and which has operated for most of the postwar period is characterised in outline in box 1. The mismatch between this promise and the imperatives facing organisations to find new approaches to delivering safe, high quality care and service is summarised in box 2.
Rewriting the compact
Elements of the old promise to doctors are clearly unsustainable given the need to modernise the NHS and other healthcare systems and improve care. Indeed some elements of the old compact are a positive barrier to improvements in medicine and healthcare, particularly in as much as it perpetuates the ethos of what one physician speaker at the US workshop called "practising alone together."17 A new and more sustainable compact is required.
The first step might be to re-evaluate the relationship between doctors and healthcare organisations such as the NHS to make the compact more explicit. A new compact might ask doctors to work within guidelines, be accountable for key objectives and improving quality, actively support and contribute to achieving the goals of the organisation, work within resource constraints, and engage in team and collaborative working. Many doctors are doing this already.
Doctors should have the opportunity to shape the goals of the organisation, participate in resource allocation, and have the resources to do the job expected. They will also need training and technical support to do this, including time to step off the "hamster wheel" to engage in improvement activities, high quality data, and a supportive culture that uses information for learning rather than judgment.
A new compact would require organisations to take a highly participative approach with high quality appraisal, personal development, and other modern human resource management techniques. There is emerging evidence that the environment that this creates has beneficial results for patients.18
The relationship with government also needs to change. The original settlement in which doctors were given the right to regulate themselves and a high level of autonomy has already been undermined. In a new deal doctors might agree to follow nationally agreed standards and guidelines, work to improve quality, and account for their work. In return doctors should expect to be instrumental in developing the standards. The targets they are asked to account for should be realistic and there needs to be a manageable number. Government has a right to ask the profession to continue to improve but should not expect to micromanage it in detail.
Mutual respect and restraint
Mutual respect is an important part of any new deal, including some restraint in each side's criticisms of the other. It also means recognising the legitimacy of the profession to regulate its affairs and the legitimacy of government to have a view on the key goals of the system and in setting standards.
One area where government often fails to meet the expectations of the profession is in not using evidence to design policy.19 There is an unavoidable conflict between the reductionist approach of medicine and the messy, political, and complex world of policy. Governments could do more to use what evidence there is and evaluating what is done, but the profession needs to accept that different standards of evidence apply in policy making. 20 21
The new compact with patients is perhaps the most problematic area. There are too many other pressures in society and messages from the media to turn back growing expectations, even if this were desirable. There are over 400 million interactions between patients and health professionals each year in the United Kingdom, and a relatively small number of patients generate a large number of these. At present the problem is that there is often not the time to have the conversation about expectations or to develop the relationship to use time in consultations most productively.22 More effective delegation to other professionals would assist in this.23
At a more macro level the profession, NHS managers, and government could work together to engage the public and media in a dialogue about the limits of health care, the nature of medicine, its uncertainties, and the dangers of a blame culture. The NHS, government, and the profession could help with this and set realistic expectations by not announcing new services or innovations until they are actually in place.
Supporting the development of a new compact
The training and preparation for becoming a consultant or general practitioner principal needs to equip doctors better for taking leadership and management roles. Good progress has been made in this area, but much more needs to be done, starting much earlier in medical careers. Action is needed to ease the often difficult transition between different phases of careers. The new compact between doctors requires recognition of the contribution of other professionals to the healthcare system, being accountable to and supporting colleagues, offering and accepting constructive feedback, and active engagement in mentoring and guiding others. In return doctors need to receive greater personal support from colleagues and the work environment, help and support to improve their services, and opportunities to continue to develop personally and to have a portfolio of interests (clinical skills, research, education, personal interests, projects, etc.)
Two current tacit assumptions about medical careers need to change to support this change in the compact. Firstly, to encourage creativity, personal renewal, and learning, greater geographical and career mobility should be encouraged. Doctors should be able to restart career paths, retrain, and diversify without attracting criticism. Less controversially, the idea of greater diversity, portfolio careers, or different career stages (similar to that proposed for the consultant's contract) should be promoted. These changes will need to be supported by improved career advice and development and arrangements for re-entry after breaks.
The workshops identified the crucial role that medical leaders (both formal and informal) play in setting the tone of the organisation and being a role model for others. This pivotal position as leaders, managers, and opinion formers in their organisations means that medical leaders at all levels have the opportunity to be instrumental in developing the dialogue about the "gives" and "gets" needed for a new compact. This dialogue is also necessary to create a successful primary care or hospital trust.
We cannot return to the old compact, and something more meaningful and dynamic needs to be put in its place. Disillusionment and disappointment can be eased through honest discussion of the match between doctors' expectations and organisational and societal needs. It is also worth remembering that many doctors are happy and it will be important to ensure that they are fully engaged in helping to develop solutions.
More discussion and research are required to understand this problem and its possible solutions in more detail. In the meantime there is a key role for leaders in the medical profession nationally and in hospitals and primary care to work together with NHS managers to develop a new compact that improves care for patients, improves the effectiveness of the healthcare organisation, and helps create a happier workforce.

subset: commoncrawl


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today you need to combine ALL of these strategies...
Social Media is where your customers 'are at'
Your customers spend a big percentage of their time on Social Media sites. According to a recent Nielsen and NM Incite Social Media Report PC users spend 20% of their viewing time on Social Media. Mobile users spend a whopping 30%. So you need a presence where your customers are viewing.
...and the strategies ALL interact with each other
the internet is more 'web' than ever
Your website can entice a newsletter subscriber. Your newsletter will direct this customer to your blog. Your blog will mention your latest hints in your YouTube video. Your video sends customers to your Facebook page. And a coupon offer sends your customer to Yelp to see your reviews. So you have a "web" of promotion. And each section enhances the others.
Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
the result? you win new customers...
you can attract new customers at any point in this web
Customers have new ways of finding you. They may search for you product or service on YouTube. Or search for your companies Facebook page. They may read a Yelp review or find you on a helpful blog post. An article can encourage them to subscribe to your podcast or newsletter.
...and keep existing customers involved
existing customers can 'like', 'comment', 'review' and 'post'
The most valuable asset a company can have is long term, loyal customers. When your customers are your fans, they will promote your business. They may post a link on Facebook. Comment on blog article. Subscribe to your newsletter or write a glowing review in Yelp. In this new world not only are your customers your friends... the friends of your customers are your friends.
Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
WOW! this sounds GREAT! but...
...you don't have the time or the knowledge
Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
now you can count on
Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
But Don't
So Let's Get Started!
We never lose sight of your overall business objective. Creativity is used to enhance your message and to increase your company's identity in the marketplace. And our final product will be something you'll be proud of that will work for you.
find out how we can help you !
give us a call: 818-954-9931
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On this show, Lori welcomed attorney Debra Vey Voda-Hamilton, who specializes in resolving animal-related disputes through mediation. There are many reasons to attempt mediation rather than to file a lawsuit, including lower costs, quicker and better resolution, and improved, more practical outcomes for the animals involved. Common areas of dispute include those with neighbors, homeowners associations, condos and co-ops, professional services including veterinary care and grooming incidents, and, of course, dog bites. Debra explained how to navigate these situations and others where our dogs, cats and horses are involved. Learn more about her here.
And the news with Peter.
Listen to the show here.


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I've been running the Blackmagic Design ATEM 1 M/E Production Studio 4K for about 18 months now. It's been a great unit; however, it has always been a little noisy. And lately, one (or maybe more) of the fans inside appears to have developed a failing bearing and the noise has been far too loud for any production environment.
There is so little info that I could find online about what's under the hood of the Blackmagic Design ATEM 1 M/E Production Studio 4K. So, I had to pop it open to see what I was working with here. Since I was outside my warranty period, I wasn't concerned with those consequences. If your fans fail within your warranty, feel free to go ahead and have Blackmagic to fix it.
Inside, there are three exhaust fans along the left side (one is already removed in the above image) and four fans atop heatsinks to cool internal components. The right side is open for the exhaust fans to pull the cool air from.
The three exhaust fans are 40mm x 20mm, while the heatsink fans are 40mm x 10mm (so, half-height on the heatsink fans).
I used Noctua fans in both locations. Specifically:
- 3x Noctua NF-A4x20 PWM for exhaust fan replacement
- 4x Noctua NF-A4x10 FLX for heatsink fan replacement
Because the connectors were different on the Production Studio 4K's mainboard than what the fans shipped with, I had to cut and resolder the connections.
The wiring schematic for the exhaust fan uses a 4-pin connection and is mapped as follows:
- blue > blue
- yellow > green
- red > yellow
- black > black
The wiring for the 3-pin fans are 1:1 with black, red, and yellow.
I then used some shrink tubing (with a heat gun) to clean up the soldering job and protect the connections.
After all the fans were in place, it was time to put the cover back on and power the unit up.
Not only did we get the one noisy fan fixed, but the device runs so much quieter than when it was new.
Noctua fans are known throughout the IT industry as a quieter replacement option inside of switches, routers, and servers – most notably the noisy 1U devices. With a little bit of time and a soldering gun, they also managed to turn the notoriously noisy Blackmagic ATEM 1 M/E Production Studio 4K into a near-silent machine.


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"Sexy Results" was inspired, substantive and fun
Art and physics have more in common than you might think. This was the main takeaway from the "Sexy Results" art variety show Saturday, what one person on Twitter called a "particle physics happening," at Turner Hall.
It's a gorgeous story, really, the tale of the mysteries of the universe, of the matter that's been around since the start of things and that makes up our bones and bodies, and of the scientists, theologians, philosophers and artists who've been trying to understand the fundamental questions of existence.
Think about it, both artists and scientists interpret the world for us and have an increasingly hard time justifying their existence.
In the monologue that wove the performances and art together, curatorial impressario Brent Gohde quoted Robert Wilson, the first director of Fermilab, home to the Tevatron, what was "the biggest, badest particle accelerator in the world" until 2008.
Wilson, a scientist, writer, sculptor, philosopher and architect designed his accelarator while sneaking out of a science conference in Rome to attend an art class. He was once asked before the U.S. Congress how his machine in Batavia, Illinois, which would smash atoms together at nearly the speed of light to recreate the conditions of the Big Bang, would aid national security.
"It only has to do with the respect with which we regard one another, the dignity of men, our love of culture," Wilson testified. "It has to do with those things. It has to do with, are we good painters, good sculptors, great poets? I mean all the things that we really venerate and honor in our country and are patriotic about. It has nothing to do directly with defending our country except to help make it worth defending."
For me, Gohde could have ended the night right there. I've decided to carry this quote with me, for those disheartening moments when I'm confronted by those who question the value of the arts.
Several original songs were written for the night, including "The Experiment" by the band Buffalo, which tells the story of the Higgs Boson, a particle that, if found, would affirm the standard model of physics and explain why all matter has mass. As one person tweeted, something collided with our ear drums when the band IfIHadaHiFi played several particle accelerator-inpspired songs. Songstress Lisa Gatewood closed part one of the night and brought us back after an intermission, updating us on the "results" of the night's experiment with sweet, tongue-in-cheek lyrics.
Musicians Jim Warchol and Chris Rosenau were asked to consider the sound of the Higgs, the Big Bang and the Tevatron and presented their results as part of a 15 minute sound installation. The audience was asked to fire up their smart phones and play one of Warchol and Rosenau's musical beds, which layered up around the room, as they played on stage. Jim Schoenecker created visuals, images of particle colliding, to accompany the pefromance.
Artist Ashley Morgan created a beautiful installation from string -- an intentionally non-literal homage to string theory, perhaps? -- that captured us from the moment we walked into the Turner Hall ballroom. Like particles whizzing through an accelerator, our bodies were directed into the space and forced into collisions. I took several photographs of the installation, which you can see in my "What I'm Looking At" photo album on Facebook.
The evening ended with a poignant song of longing by Buffalo called "Leave the Light On," a plea for interest and investment in scientific research. The song is particularly apt, since the Tevatron was shut down for good last fall and the center of this kind of research has shifted from the U.S. to Europe.
"When will we meet? Is it destined to be, or must we keep vibrating separately? It's not that I mind. See, I've been waiting for all time. Just waiting for the day...that we...collide."
Milwaukee curators and art event planners take note. Cedar Block has set a standard for an art happening that was inspired, substantive and incredibly fun. Yes, it is possible to do all of those things at once. "Sexy Results" was an Alverno Presents event.
Related articles: A "Sexy Results" preview and an "Art City Asks" with Brent Gohde. Images by Mary Louise Schumacher. Relive the event via the #sexyresults Twitter feed.
- On Tap Today: Saving St. Josaphat
- Milwaukee galleries do well at Art Basel Miami
- Dirk Skreber's exhibit at Milwaukee Art Museum captivates with catastrophe
- Too much testosterone at the Business Journal?
- Finalists named for public art project on W. Wisconsin Ave.
- Ten art books for art lovers this holiday season
- Art-inspired alternatives to Black Friday
- Art City Radio: Nicolas Lampert and Black Friday
- Art City Radio: Tag Milwaukee
- Nohl exhibit a mismatch for some fellowship winners' art
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Strong Hands' Battle or How to Deal with Poker Coolers
We have all been there. We make a great hand and play it well, only to lose to a stronger hand (or to beat a stronger hand!) Learn how not to go crazy in such situations.
It's said "man is the maker of his destiny", which is actually true. But what if destiny literally controls the chips? The Academy of Poker is ready to share some secrets that will help you survive falling into a cooler situation.
In poker a "cooler" refers to a situation in which a strong hand, played correctly, loses to an even stronger one merely due to how the cards hit the board. This is how cooler differs from bad bit (losing with an initially stronger hand as a result of coming out of one of a few cards that may help the opponent).
The most famous example of a preflop cooler is betting a pair of kings and being beaten by pocket aces. It's almost impossible to make a decision in favor of folding when having a strong hand, so in the end one of the players loses all his chips.
Having fallen in a cooler situation, the first thing you should do - forget about it as soon as possible, at least until the end of the current session, in order to avoid tilting. Coolers have nothing to do with either logic or strategy, and there's not much a player can do – a bit of destiny and lousy luck.
Any player of any level can become a cooler victim, no matter how experienced they are. The only thing that professional players outperform the average players in - fast switching their attention to making correct current decisions. Some players get so upset that they start blaming poker rooms for cheating, thinking that the whole world is against them, while this was just some bad luck and bad timing.
Don't go crazy either because of negative coolers or because of positive ones. It's not your fault, it's not your merit.
The winner is usually flooded with euphoria, and the loser is overwhelmed by disappointment - both may result into tilting. These emotions may lead to losing your bankroll. Don't let it happen!
The psychological component in poker is as important as understanding the strategy. There's a bunch of quality articles on how to play a pair of aces, when to go all-in, etc., because this poker strategy is universal. Yet, you'll hardly find much information on how to recover after a series of coolers, as there's no some unique recommendation to fit each and everyone.
Coolers are a tough fact of poker life. And the best thing you can do about it is treating them calmly.
Do you want to start winning the poker top too? We have great news for you! Affiliate poker room is ready to pay for your training at the Academy of Poker at a cost of 300. Leave a request now and study for free!


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Baruch College's Weissman Center for International Business released its CSR-Sustainability Monitor study earlier this week, looking at the scope and quality of CSR reports from more than 600 of the world's largest companies and ranking them on a scale of zero to 100. Here is its top 10.
1. Barrick Gold Corporation
Score: 88.5
Headquarters: Toronto
Industry: Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
2. Sanofi
Score: 86.5
Headquarters: Paris
Industry: Manufacturing
3. Anglo American
Score: 83.75
Headquarters: London
Industry: Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
4. Alcatel-Lucent
Score: 83
Headquarters: Paris
Industry: Information
5. Deutsche Telekom
Score: 82.25
Headquarters: Bonn, Germany
Industry: Information
6. Baxter International
Score: 82
Headquarters: Deerfield, Illinois
Industry: Manufacturing
A record number of Baxter employees took part in recent environmental and wellness #sustainability programs. http://t.co/9Adnq2NCfu
— Baxter International (@baxter_intl) October 8, 2014
7. Intel Corporation
Score: 81.75
Headquarters: Santa Clara, California
Industry: Manufacturing
8. Ford Motor Company
Score: 79
Headquarters: Dearborn, Michigan
Industry: Manufacturing
9. Samsung Electronics
Score: 78
Headquarters: Suwon, South Korea
Industry: Manufacturing
10. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company
Score: 77
Headquarters: Hsinchu, Taiwan
Industry: Manufacturing


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It's snowing in my East Coast neighborhood as I write this, but the calendar says spring is here. So it's time for my annual spring laptop buyer's guide.
I'd like to report that there have been great new features or big new price drops for laptop shoppers to consider since I wrote my previous twice-a-year guide in October, but I can't.
The last big hardware benefit delivered by the industry came in June 2013, when laptops started appearing with a new, fourth-generation Intel Core processor that dramatically boosted battery life.
On the software front, neither Microsoft's Windows 8 nor Apple's Mavericks — the companies' latest operating systems — have created much excitement, and in fact both firms had to scramble to revise them to fix problems.
Still, there is one big reason to get a new laptop this spring, and it's a ghost from the past: Windows XP, which was designed in 1999 and launched in 2001. On April 8, Microsoft will finally cease supporting XP, and won't even be issuing security updates for it. That means that people who are still clinging to the ancient but familiar system will be exposed to all sorts of new malware.
So consumers who still have XP around will be going shopping. Joining them will be those whose laptops are breaking down, or who simply need a new one, say for school. They can consider new Windows 8.1 laptops, switching to a Mac, buying a low-end Google-based Chromebook, or even adopting a tablet, especially now that Microsoft Office has arrived on the iPad.
With that in mind, here are my tips on what to look for in a laptop this spring. As always, this guide is meant for average users doing typical tasks, not corporate IT staffs or people doing heavy-duty work like video production.
Windows vs. Mac
Even with the improvements made last year in Windows 8.1, consumers continue to show confusion about Microsoft's latest Windows platform, which has two different user interfaces, one of which is best used with a price-raising touchscreen. Some are still searching for a Windows 7 machine, which is more of a straightforward modernization of XP.
Still, if you're a committed Windows user, there are plenty of sleek, powerful laptops called Ultrabooks available, with Windows 8.1 and touchscreens, from brands like Lenovo, HP, Toshiba, Acer and others. They typically cost $700-$1,100, though some come in at less. And there are also less-expensive, bulkier models without touchscreens. Windows retains its traditional strength: Variety in both design and price.
But I strongly advise laptop shoppers to consider a Mac, even though the cheapest Mac laptop is $999. Apple has stuck with standard screens and a simple lineup. Mac laptops come in two flavors: The thinner, lighter MacBook Air and the beefier MacBook Pro. Both are first-rate, rugged computers which hardly ever get viruses. In fact, I regard the MacBook Air as the best all-around laptop on the market. The latest version of the Air, which I tested last June, is not only wicked fast, but turned in a 10-hour battery life in my tough battery test, twice what I got when I tested the premium X1 Carbon Windows laptop from another respected maker, Lenovo.
Unless you are on a tight budget, I strongly recommend buying a laptop that uses Intel's 4th Generation Core processors, which are faster than their predecessors and provide a big boost in battery life. But I don't advise average consumers to spring for the fastest version of the chip, the i7. I'd stick with the middle model, the i5, at the slowest speed available. More is overkill.
To make sure you're getting a fourth-generation Intel processor, make sure the "Intel Inside" sticker is a blue, vertical design with a gold strip along the top edge. The model number should also start with a "4."
If you expect to spend a lot of time in the Windows 8.1 Start Screen and the tablet-like apps that live there, I strongly advise buying a laptop with a touchscreen. You can use these new type of apps with a mouse, but they're really designed for touch. If you expect to spend the vast majority of your time in the traditional Windows desktop environment, you can skip the touchscreen and save money.
Tablets vs. laptops
The conventional wisdom is that tablets are just for consuming media, but in fact they can do lots of productivity tasks. And the addition of a feature-rich version of Microsoft Office to the iPad makes the top tablet even more of a potential substitute for a laptop, especially with one of the many available add-on keyboards. Samsung's Galaxy Note tablets are built around a stylus, and have apps that use that stylus for creativity and productivity. Microsoft's Surface tablets attempt to pack desktop Windows into a tablet form factor with a snap-on keyboard. So I recommend that people shopping for a new laptop at least consider a tablet, possibly with an add-on keyboard.
There has been a surge of interest lately in Chromebooks from companies like Acer, Samsung, HP and Toshiba. They cost under $300, and are perfect for Web browsing, social networking, Web-based email and Web-based document creation and editing. But there's a major downside — they essentially just run the same Chrome browser from Google, and the "Web apps" it features, as Chrome does on a Mac or PC. But, unlike the latter, a Chromebook can't run a locally installed program like iTunes or Office or Photoshop. And they are severely limited when offline.
I'm not a fan of Windows laptops that attempt to double as tablets by using special hinges, because they tend to make for thick, heavy tablets. But if you want a hybrid machine, consider what's called a "detachable" — one where the screen can be totally removed and act as a standard, normal-sized tablet. A good example is the Asus Transformer Book.
Bottom line
There's no special reason for most people to buy a new laptop this spring — unless they've been a Windows XP diehard.
This article originally appeared on Recode.net.


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Target.com has this Set of 2 Threshold Trenton Saddle Bar Stools for $71.49 shipped when you use coupon code TGTWDHM6 at checkout. These are regularly priced at $90, so this is a significant discount if you're in the market for bar stools.
Don't forget to use your Target REDcard to get an extra 5% off plus FREE shipping on your order.
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Researchers at MIT recently developed an adhesive tape that allows surgeons to seal internal wounds and that can readily stick to slippery internal surfaces, as a potential replacement for sutures. However, the adhesive worked a little too well, and was difficult to remove or adjust without causing irritation or tissue damage.
Now, the research team has developed a new version of the tape that can be readily detached from the tissue surface by applying a liquid solution. The development makes the tape safer and easier to use, and allows surgeons to remove it once tissue healing has completed or adjust the tape's position if required.
The tape is conceived as a replacement for internal sutures. "Our goal is to use bioadhesive technologies to replace sutures, which is a thousands-of-years-old wound closure technology without too much innovation," said Xuanhe Zhao, an MIT researcher involved in the study. "Now we think we have a way to make the next innovation for wound closure."
The original adhesive included polyacrylic acid and NHS esters, which form long-lasting bonds with the tissue surface. However, these bonds were so strong that it was difficult to remove the tape without causing damage. "Removing the tape could potentially create more of an inflammatory response in tissue, and prolong healing," said Hyunwoo Yuk, another researcher involved in the study. "It's a real practical problem."
To address this, the researchers added a disulfide linker molecule that can be easily severed when exposed to a reducing agent, meaning that the covalent bonds between the adhesive and surface proteins in the tissue can be broken. The resulting tape can be sprayed with a reducing solution and it can then be readily peeled from a tissue surface, regardless of how long it has been in place. Most importantly, the removal is painless and does not cause tissue damage.
"This is like a painless Band-Aid for internal organs," said Zhao. "You put the adhesive on, and if for any reason you want to take it off, you can do so on-demand, without pain." Once sprayed, the tape needs to soak in the solution for about five minutes before it can be removed.
"That's about the time it takes for the solution to diffuse through the tape to the surface where the tape meets the tissue," said Xiaoyu Chen, a third researcher involved in the study. "At that point, the solution converts this extremely sticky adhesive to just a layer of slippery gel that you can easily peel off."
Flashback: Bioinspired Double-Sided Surgical Tape Rapidly Seals Tissues Together
Via: MIT


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The Negev Coexistence Forum wishes a Happy New Year, may we all have a year of justice, equality and recognition of Bedouin villages!
Every year, NCF holds a ten-day photography workshops in two Bedouin unrecognized villages in the Negev-Naqab. During these workshops, children and youth learn how to use a camera and learn how to document life in their village. The whole workshop is guided by volunteer professional photographers, who expose Bedouin children to the world of photography. The amazing outcomes of the photography workshops, displayed in exhibitions throughout the world, allow the viewer to grasp the persistent struggle of the Bedouin community in the Negev-Naqab, through the eyes of the children living there. At the end of the workshops, participants keep the cameras and continue to document their lives and apply the knowledge they gained.
In order to arrange the upcoming workshops, we need your help and support. Without your support, we will not be able to open the workshops!
How can you support us? Please Visit our Headstart Project and choose your gift – calendars, postcards and pictures in variety of sizes taken by the children during previous workshops – and click "support"!
We thank you in advance for your kind support and ask that you help us spread the word by telling your friends and colleagues. With your help, we can meet our target and open the winter workshops!
For further info and questions please contact Michal: firstname.lastname@example.com
Our Bedouin unrecognized villages documentation project is growing. Last week we issued the "One Village a Week" campaign. Every week, we will post information, photos and maps of one unrecognized village in the Negev-Naqab on Twitter and Facebook.
The village of this week is Atir:
Click here to see Atir on the map, watch photos from the village and read about its history, current situation and future threats.
Click here and share it with your friends!
Follow our Facebook page and Twitter account to get to know One Village a Week!
After a long pause in house demolition in the Negev-Naqab, during the Ramadan fast and operation Protective Edge, the demolition forces are now back. Over the last couple of weeks Bedouin homes were demolished all around the Negev. The Israeli Land Administration proudly reported that in just one day, 25 structures were demolished on September 10th, 18 by its owners and 7 by the state. On another day of demolitions, on September 16th, 28 structures were demolished, 13 by its owners and the others by the state.
The Israeli Land Administration spokesperson describes these demolitions and especially the self-demolitions as "rare achievements" and "dramatic change". With no clear plan in sight, it appears that the main policy of the authorities toward the Bedouin citizens of Israel is that of house demolitions.
On Wednesday, September 17th, a court hearing was held at the Ramla Court about an appeal made by the residents of the village of Al-Arakib, over the demolition of the structures in the village's cemetery compound. About 20 activists joined the residents during the hearing and expressed their support in their struggle. As the hearing focused on the validity of the eviction orders of the area, and the whole structures were already demolished in the beginning of June, the judge ruled that he is not authorized to discuss some of the arguments made by the residents of Al-Arakib and decided to reject the appeal and to close the execution case of the eviction orders.
During the court hearing, the State Attorney Representative clearly expressed that the State can use a variety of laws that allows the demolition of the structures in the cemetery compound. The judge further stated that the case of eviction orders can be open again in the future.
The threat of demolition is still hovering over the residents of Al-Arakib village and the few shacks they live in at the cemetery compound.


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Best Virtual Assistant Services (2019 Edition)
Posted by:
Abbey Ashley
What are the BEST Virtual Assistant services you can offer in 2019?
I'm coming at you in this blog with the HOTTEST services you can offer this year as a virtual assistant.
Get ready… it's gonna get hot in her'….
: )
Let's get real.
You want to start a Virtual Assistant business. But you are TERRIFIED.
Maybe you are stuck in your business and asking yourself the question, "Will anyone even want my services?" 😳
In this video, I share the TOP 10 requested services I see trending for 2019.
If you are a Virtual Assistant (VA) or have thought about becoming one, make sure you subscribe to my YouTube channel for the best advice for growing your Virtual Assistant business.
This blog post outlines the BEST virtual assistant services to offer in 2019.
Are the services you plan to offer in 2019 on this list? Let's find out!
Side note: Let me preface this post by saying this list is my personal opinion on the top services a Virtual Assistant could offer to land clients quickly. This is based off of demand, but also how many Virtual Assistants I see offering this service. Got it?
Let's get to it.
Table of Contents
Here are the top 10 virtual assistant services I see being in high demand in 2019.
10. Blogging and Copywriting Services
While social media platforms have had their ups and downs, blogging still remains one of the most popular ways to increase traffic to a website. If you are good at writing, learning some basic blogging and copywriting techniques could be very beneficial in 2019.
9. Online Business Management and Project Management
Not every business owner is ready to hire an Online Business Manager (OBM) or Project Manager. But when they do, they are looking for someone skilled and experienced.
There are fewer Online Business Managers than Virtual Assistants, so the market is not as saturated or competitive. If you are a type-A person who LOVES systems, an Online Business Manager or Project Manager may be the perfect role for you.
8. Website and Graphic Design
While there are a lot of website designers and graphic designers in the field, there is also a HUGE need for them!
Almost every business needs a website, right? Websites also require regular updates and maintenance. I don't see the need for this service decreasing anytime soon!
7. Podcast Management Services
Podcast Management is one of my FAVORITE services to suggest to Virtual Assistants, because there are SO many people starting podcasts and so FEW service-based businesses offering podcast management. This service is not only in demand, but it's easy to systematize and scale as you grow your business.
Check out my friend Jordan Gill's podcast management business Pimp Your Podcast for an awesome example of podcast management packages.
6. YouTube Editing and Management
I'm just going to throw this out there… more and more people are getting frustrated with paid advertising like Facebook and Instagram ads. And I think that as a result, MORE people are going to start searching for traffic on organic platforms.
This is one of the main reasons I believe YouTube is going to increase in 2019 – which means an even greater opportunity for Virtual Assistants who offer Youtube editing and management services!
I want to hear from you – do you agree with the trends I'm seeing will take place in 2019? Comment below and let me know!
5. Instagram Management
Instagram Management as a service is SO hot right now for so many reasons. Instagram is a platform that takes TIME, since the goal of Instagram is to curate a well thought-out, beautiful feed. Small businesses need HELP to make that happen.
Instagram Management is incredible because with a few simple strategies, you can increase visibility, grow followers, and show these stats off to your clients.
4. Facebook Management (Community / Page / Ads)
Some people may not like that I'm grouping ALL of Facebook Management together. But it's my list, so I can do what I want. 🙂
Let's talk straight here. People are FRUSTRATED with Facebook right now. Pages are getting less engagement (unless you pay to boost your posts), ads are getting denied more and more, and overall, it is starting to feel like you almost HAVE to pay to play.
However, businesses with budgets (even small ones) still CAN pay to play and that can be to your advantage! In addition, almost every single business is on Facebook, so offering Facebook Management services still sits high on the list, because of the demand.
3. General Administrative Skills and Customer Service
I see SO many people that get frustrated because they don't have a "high-end" skill to offer right off the bat. Guess what? MOST businesses hiring their first Virtual Assistant are really just looking to outsource the SIMPLE tasks in their business so they can have more time.
That's good news for all of my General Admin Virtual Assistants out there – and why this service makes it to number 3 on my list for 2019's most in-demand services.
2. Pinterest Management / Promoted Pins
Ah… Pinterest Management. There is a reason you are seeing so many Pinterest Managers popping up lately. Pinterest is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to get ORGANIC traffic to a website.
More and more small business owners are jumping on the Pinterest Bandwagon and I suspect a HIGH increase of Facebook Ad users will jump ship and start use promoted Pins to drive traffic in 2019.
👉Don't forget! We have an INCREDIBLE Pinterest Management training in SavvyVault. If you've thought about Pinterest Management as a service – head over to SavvyVault to check it out!
Here is the NUMBER ONE service that I see being in high demand and low competition in 2019….
Are you ready?
Drumroll please…
1. Podcast & PR Outreach
Yep, I said it. OUTREACH. Again, people are looking for organic traffic to their website and they are so done being burned over and over by paid ads.
This means that more business owners will not only be starting podcasts but also looking to be guests on podcasts.
I'm including PR outreach with Podcast outreach simply because there are SO FEW service providers offering this service currently, so it is a great time to jump in and become the go-to expert in this service niche.
Now you know my official opinion on the BEST virtual assistant services to offer in 2019.
But you may be thinking…
ABBEY… where the heck do I LEARN all of these in-demand services?!
One answer: SavvyVault.
SavvyVault is our on-demand tech training lab with over 30 tech courses for Virtual Assistants. Learn high-end skills, ask questions in our community, and get access to a NEW tech course added every month. Head over to SavvyVault to check out all of the courses included in the tech lab!
Your turn! What do YOU think? Did I miss a service on the list? Do you agree or disagree with the trends I see for 2019?
Comment below and let me know!
Meet Abbey
Abbey Ashley is the Founder of The Virtual Savvy. She helps aspiring virtual assistants launch and grow their own at-home business from scratch. She's since gone on to grow a multi-six figure business and retire her husband ALL from her at-home business. It's now her passion to help others start their own VA business so they can taste the freedom and flexibility of entrepreneurship as well.
This free one-hour training combines thousands of hours of research, years of experience in growing a virtual assistant business!
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10 Comments
Great Post! It is good to see a new list of tasks that businesses can escalate to virtual assistants. The best way to help business reach new avenues is by taking up most sought after virtual assistant services.
Very helpful information to plan a new career; going to look into a couple of these recommendations for sure.
Online Business Manager/Project Manager and Podcast Management Services.
Wow, this list is so awesome and helpful, It's given me so many more ideas of services I could offer. Thank you SO much for sharing it!
Nice list, thanks for sharing. Virtual assistant have a vital role in our life.
Articles like this one really ought to be read by everyone, in my opinion. Great work. I absolutely enjoy it, and the advice is really helpful.
Thanks so much for sharing with us!
You are so welcome 🙂
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Learn the Tech and Level Up Your Services (Inside SavvyVault)
Do you ever feel STUCK in your business? Like your time is stretched thin and clients keep coming in that just don't value your worth? Maybe you want to scale your business but you just don't know what to do next? If you're answering " YES" over there – I have just the thing for…
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Wondering how you can make money working from home as a virtual assistant? The best way to begin is by starting your own VA business. I remember when I first started mine in 2015. I didn't even know what a VA was. My friend had just told me about it and after doing some research,…
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Injuries, they bring you down not in one fell swoop but rather cut by cut.
It's not that Rob Schremp was everything (though he was the most consistent Islanders forward for the last two months), it's that his shelving for the rest of the season exposes a weakness down the middle, particularly if Josh Bailey remains on left wing. Trent Hunter and Blake Comeau aren't on your fantasy team, but their injuries meant more Tim Jackman (and in Philadelphia, Trevor Gillies). Andrew MacDonald has been a revelation, but break his foot right after Andy Sutton is traded and suddenly you have Dustin Kohn and Dylan Reese learning on the job. If only Mark Streit could play 60 minutes.
Sometimes it's an opportunity for guys to step up -- Bruno Gervais had an excellent game in Philly (+2, 2 assists in 23 minutes), while Richard Park was old Richard Park in 18:15. Radek Martinek goes down and we discover MacDonald. But often those are only short bursts, and the added weight of injury loss exposes players' ceilings. With Schremp done, I'm afraid we're about to see more ceilings than revelations. I hear lottery balls a bouncin'.
Katie Strang reported via Twitter that the Islanders have not called anyone up for Schremp, while Comeau and Hunter both skated with the team this morning. She reported at Newsday that Comeau is in tonight's lineup, but Hunter is a ways off yet.
The topic of how to replace Schremp makes for fun debate, though: I don't imagine you want to see Park and Doug Weight as pivots on separate lines, but are the Isles ready to move Bailey back to his natural position when he's blossomed on the wing?
The Blues are on the road, where they've been strangely dynamite, and they know they have several weak opponents ahead to ease their flickering playoff push. The East-West divide is crazy this year: The Blues' 69 points is six points and three teams short of eighth place in the West. The Islanders' 60 points is 10 points and six teams shy of eighth place in the East. I would take all the Western playoff bubble teams in a meeting against the East's bottom three playoff teams as it stands today.
Islanders-Blues Common Threads
There is a reason (explained below) I know too much about this topic, but the Blues and Islanders have quite a history of shared but not necessarily well-known players.
Everyone knows about Pierre Turgeon (and his replacement with the Blues, Doug Weight): While Sneaky Pete's peak year was with the Islanders, his longest run of success was with the Blues, where Joel Quenneville kept on him about defensive play, and all Turgeon did was answer the bell and put up points. They let him walk for free in 2001 and swapped Jochen Hecht and Marty Reasoner for future Islander Doug Weight to replace him (signing Weight to a $9 million annual rate. Oh, those heady 2000s.).
But there are others, from the "nice talent" to the "lunch-pail worker" to the downright obscure. A few:
- Wayne Merrick was a steady center throughout the Dynasty, but long before that, he was a rookie on Arbour's last Blues team.
- Greg Gilbert caught the last half of the Dynasty, then became a go-to soldier for Mike Keenan, which is how Gilbert finished his career as a Blue.
Bob Bassen was a lovable grinder who started with the Islanders, then traveled all around including two separate stints with the Blues.
Bruce Affleck was an unremarkable Blues defenseman with a wonderful '70s 'stache, but his final NHL game was his only game as an Islander.
Jeff Norton had his longest tenure with his first team, the Islanders. After going to San Jose, he was traded to the Blues for ... Craig Janney, who had his peak years with the Blues but later finished on fumes with the Islanders. (If Janney were a stock, he'd be Enron. From being
worthtraded for Adam Oates, down to Peter Nedved, to Jeff Brown, to Jeff Norton, to Darren Turcotte, to Louie DeBrusk, to scrap metal.)
- One of the funny things about '90s Islanders-Blues encounters: Brett Hull had a legendary shot, but one-on-one he couldn't even deke around a pylon. But Richard Pilon was another matter. At least two of Hull's very rarely successful one-on-one moves victimized the hard-hittin' Pilon, who seemed to get stuck in indecision when facing the Campbell/Western Conference star, perhaps not realizing Hull's threat was when you didn't see him, not when Hull was telegraphing his lone one-on-one move right in front of your face. Pilon was a big free agent signing for the Blues in 2001-02, but per tradition he suffered an injury (wrist this time) and played only eight games to finish out his career.
- Do you feel like 1st-round, 5th-overall pick Eric Brewer was a disappointment to you? Yeah, Blues fans know the feeling. He's captain. The popular team line is, "Don't hate him because he's not Pronger," which totally misses the point. No one said he was Pronger, but someone in management said he should be captain and signed for $4.5 million per year. Brewer is not awful, but he is also not what team management claims.
- Bill Guerin resurrected his post-Stars career with the Blues, was flipped to San Jose at the deadline (supposedly Garth Snow tried to get him before getting Ryan Smyth), then converted that into a payday and captaincy of the Islanders, which he in turn converted into a second Stanley Cup ring alongside some kid in Pittsburgh.
- And of course, though they never overlapped teams, the reason Brent and Duane Sutter were sought as valuable pieces of the Islanders Cup years was because older brother Brian established the "Sutter hockey" brand in the NHL with the Blues a couple of years before.
The really obscure:
Current Blue/farmhand vet Derek Armstrong got his start with the Isles. ... The talented but damaged Slovak Vladimir Orszagh started with the Isles, excelled with the Predators, then saw his career cut short (chronic knee issue) in a brief stint with the Blues. ... The much-traveled Tony Hrkac, who is still playing minor pro at age 44, started with the Blues and had a brief stint with the Isles (acquired for Ted Drury) in 2000-01. ... Both Islanders and Blues fans know what it is to have Dallas Eakins briefly join your blueline. ... Likewise Vladimir "chubby bunny" Chebaturkin.
The list of obscure connections goes on and on (hiya, Jamie Rivers), but I'll stop there. Following both teams for so long makes for some personal fun when an obscure or career-twilight player lands with the other. Usually my reaction is, "Damn, I know what he was supposed to be, and I know what he is now." But sometimes, as is the case with Turgeon and Weight, it's like a second helping of dessert.
I Got the Blues
Last time these two teams met -- in a rarity, it was actually earlier this season -- David Perron did this:
I was at that game, and it was weird for me, as Isles-Blues games always are. I explain this from time to time (sorry to older readers who have heard it), but I'm in St. Louis. Long-story short, my NHL fan history goes like this: Father hit these shores via New York, landing in Illinois during the Original Six era when Glenn Hall and Al Arbour were Blackhawks. Father moves to St. Louis, where an NHL expansion team arrives featuring ... Arbour and Hall. Arbour later becomes Blues coach but -- like Scotty Bowman before him -- gets the short haircut from management and moves on. (My favorite Arbour story: "Scotty says, you take that Islanders job, you'll lose for 10 years." Not quite, Scotty. Not quite. Ten years later Arbour was completing a dynasty and Bowman was losing his job in Buffalo.)
I come along and my father, loyal to his favorites to the end, directs me from the annual heartache of the Blues to the dynamo Arbour has guided on Long Island. So as a kid I follow both teams, and the obsession grows because they never compete for supremacy at the same time (except in 1980-81, which was too early for me to appreciate). Without much conflict, the obsession with both teams grew unfettered. It's been like having a favorite NL and AL team. Twice the fun, and twice the kicks to the stomach.
On the rare occasions when the teams meet, it feels like watching mommy and daddy fight. Or maybe like a hockey parent watching two siblings face off. I just hope they both play well and no one gets hurt.
So tonight I may be around the game threads, or I might linger at a happy hour and watch via the pub screen. You understand.
Prediction: Dwayne Roloson stands on his head; Chris Mason allows a soft goal.


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Q: Why are Voluntary Sustainability Standards important? Can they contribute to the implementation of 2030 Agenda?
A: With almost 500 Private Sustainability Standards (PSS) in 199 countries and 25 industrial sectors, the PSS systems have become the new market reality as a tool for sustainable supply-chain management, marketing and competitiveness.
PSS have played a crucial role in ensuring product safety and preventing fraud since the early days of the industrial revolution in the 19th century. However, there are different types of PSS aimed at achieving different purposes.
Most PSS are B2B standards and are usually based on the principles of openness, transparency and consensus. Primarily focusing on ensuring the quality and safety of the end-product in the value chain, these standards represent the foundation of international trade.
As such they helped facilitate the integration of Global Value Chains and thus greatly contributed to economic empowerment, technical innovation and consumer welfare.
Becoming part of GVCs is crucial for developing countries in gaining access to crucial codified and tacit knowledge that eventually allows them to build up their own industries and increase their share in international trade.
In India for example, PSS are seen to compete with the national regulatory institutions in defining the mandate for safety and quality. Therefore, in addition to mandatory regulations, voluntary measures affecting market access of Indian products require close consideration.
The costs of compliance with eco-labelling criteria in the numerous sectors have been found to be prohibitive, compounded by difficulties in accessing technologies, developing testing facilities as well as compliance verification. However, PSS do take steps towards ensuring long term sustainability of value chains and prepare the national market for rising consumer awareness, demand for product, environmental safety, livelihood improvement of workers, together with improving competitiveness of industries, production practices of the fast-growing smallholder segment, and mainstreaming smallholders into the sustainability fold.
Since the 2030 agenda is a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity, the credible VSS focuses on achieving sustainability by the optimal use of man, machine and materials.
This in turn helps us to achieve optimal utilization of resources, improve and protect the environment, strengthen the livelihood of small holders at an individual level, increase competitiveness of SMEs at unit level and bring in efficiencies in larger corporates while at the same time managing transnational operations.
Q: How can VSS support SMEs for a more inclusive and sustainable economic growth? (Case of India)
A: Due to the increasing integration of the Indian economy with the global economy, especially during the last decade, enterprises of all sizes have been gradually exposed to global competition. Global buyers are basing their sourcing decisions not only on traditional commercial considerations such as price, quality and delivery commitments, but also on compliance with social and environmental norms in the workplace, covering, for instance, health and safety, social equity in employment and production as well as ecological compatibility of products and processes.
Besides existing international standards such as SA-8000, GOTS, Forest Management & Chain of Custody (FSC), Better Cotton, etc., India itself has responded to the development of standards in the form of voluntary standards such as Trustea, INDGAP, ZED, and Voluntary Certification Scheme for AYUSH Products, Ready mix Concrete Plant, Lead Safe Paints, Yoga Professional Certification Scheme, Forest Certification and Medicinal Plant Produce.
These have shown a promising way in India especially in the development of private and voluntary standards, thereby achieving quality production along with introducing sustainability in process both in food and non-food sector, helping the SMEs and small holders in the agriculture to increase both their productivity and their livelihood through the access to the global supply and value chains.
Having said this, it is important for us to also monitor and address the issues of duplication, accountability, traceability, legitimacy and costs in the implementation of PSS so that MSMEs can more extensively utilize the benefits of the same.
Q: Kindly describe how the VSS national platform has contributed to Indian economic growth?
A: The Indian Voluntary/ Private Sustainability Platform is a demand driven platform where key issues related to sustainability standards are identified, analyzed and dealt with.
The platform meets the requirement of the stakeholders that seek sector-specific, product-specific studies to understand issues concerning PSS. Currently the platform is working with various sectors/products such as manufacturing, agricultural products, textiles, and handicrafts.
Many Indian buyers are also beginning to incorporate these requirements into their purchasing decisions. Therefore, integrating sustainability in business, followed by calculable reporting of the same has become a must, especially in micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
The PSS Platform secretariat is being hosted by the Quality Council of India (QCI), an autonomous national accreditation body in India, is a public-private entity set-up by the Government of India along with industry associations – ASSOCHAM, FICCI, and CII. It has designed host of Schemes that span across various sectors that includes traditional medicines, medicinal plants, ready mix concrete, agriculture, yoga, etc. These schemes have been designed as per international best practices that include aligning them with ISO 17067, ISO 17065 for product certification and ISO 17024 for personnel certification.
All the Schemes have been designed to be operational a year after they are designed through the accreditation mechanism by using the third-party audit bodies. That process gives the Scheme much more credibility and acceptability of the products, processes and service in the domestic and international market. The PSS platform highlights the activities done by various arms of the QCI as well as other organisations such as National Interpretation of Global Standards in agriculture, disseminating information of Zero Effect and Zero Defect (ZED) model to introduce competitiveness in the Indian manufacturing sector particularly in the MSME sector which helps the country in embarking on quality journey to make them a part of the national and global supply chains.
Q: What outcome do you wish to see at the end of the 1st NTM week?
A: I hope we can move forward on:
- a. Mechanism of identifying credible VSS and their continuous monitoring
- b. Convergence of views on VSS and its contribution in meeting the objective of sustainability
- c. Mechanism of co-operation within the growing economies to leverage on the VSS initiative within their economies and mechanism of inter-operability


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Religion and religious norms historically have played an important role in shaping public policies and public life in many countries around the world. Some countries may experience the impact of religion on their public life more then others. In many countries, this impact ebbed and flowed throughout the course of history. The women's participation in religious institutions around the world varies not only from a religion to religion, but also within the denominations of the same religion and can depend on cultural norms and traditions existing in a country or region.
Educated Asian women religious, pious by nature and characteristically reluctant to challenge authority, nevertheless, feel pinched between the liberating mandates of the gospel, as they have begun to see them, and the more restrictive habits of local bishops. The pot has been simmering for four decades now. Asian women religious, meanwhile, have quietly found ways to take their missions increasingly into their own hands, breaking out of models of religious congregations that have worked to keep clerical institutions running.


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The key to finding the right policy at the right price is having access to many insurance carriers. Our agency has built a reputation of excellence with our clients and in the marketplace. In doing so we have attracted some of the country's top insurers.
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The Crime Statistics Agency has today released the Victorian recorded crime statistics for the year ending 31 March 2019.
In the last 12 months the number of criminal incidents recorded increased by 2.0% or 7,761 incidents to 387,157 incidents. While the rate remained stable at 5,869.9 per 100,000 population, it is the lowest criminal incident rate since the year ending March 2015.
The number of recorded offences increased by 2.6% or 12,825 offences to 515,682 in the last 12 months. The rate per 100,000 population also increased slightly (0.5%) to 7,818.6 per 100,000 population.
Alleged offender incidents recorded by Victoria Police continued to increase in the last 12 months up by 6.9% (11,517 alleged offender incidents) to 178,731. This is a 45.2% increase in the last 10 years and is the highest number in CSA data holdings which go back to July 2004.
In the year ending March 2019 the number of victim reports recorded increased by 0.4% to 299,948. The rate decreased by 1.6% in the last 12 months to 4,547.7 victim reports per 100,000 Victorians, the lowest in CSA data holdings which go back to July 2004.
Family related incidents increased 8.0% in the last 12 months to 81,252 incidents. The family incident rate increased by 5.8% to 1,231.9 incidents per 100,000 population.
Crime Statistics Agency Chief Statistician Fiona Dowsley said that "alleged offender numbers have continued to increase in the last decade and are the highest in CSA data holdings, since July 2004."
Further information can be found in the latest crime statistics quarterly release, available from the CSA website: http://www.crimestatistics.vic.gov.au/crime-statistics/latest-crime-data/ (External link)
For further information please contact:
Crime Statistics Agency
Phone: 8684 1808
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Get in touch
Please use the form below to contact us with any queries or questions you may have. We aim to respond to all enquiries within 2 working days.
If you are interested in completing driver training, please advise whether you passed your car test (category B) before or after 01 January 1997.
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Heads of the Valleys Training Limited Registered Office:
Heads of the Valleys Training, Ty Mawr Road, Gilwern, Gilwern
Monmouthshire, NP7 0EB
Telephone: 01873 832000
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The dizzying altitudes of Bolivia have earned this country the title of "rooftop of the world." Among its most popular attractions are La Paz (the world's highest capital city) and Lake Titicaca (the world's highest navigable lake) – each rivaling or surpassing the altitude of Europe's tallest mountains. While these altitudes continue to make Bolivia a challenge for traveling, the country's spectacular scenery more than makes up for any extra effort. This 6-day/5-night tour focuses on the many cultures in the areas in and around La Paz. You will go on guided tours of the city, learning more about the history and culture of this urban area by visiting the city's marketplace, cultural institutions, and plazas, while also interacting with local residents. In addition, you will travel to Lake Titicaca — so full of legends and mysteries — to explore the temples, the people's way-of-life, and bucolic landscapes of the various islands in this body of water. We will also explore the Tiwanaku ruins (as well as it still, very much alive culture), visit the "Raices Andina" eco-village and the Altiplano Museum, and have a chance to appreciate ancient Urus architecture. In short, this well-designed tour will allow you to discover the superlative natural beauty of La Paz and its surrounding areas – true "highpoints" of South America.
"My wife and I just completed a 5-day tour around the Cotopaxi volcano and the stunning Quilotoa loop – overall an excellent trip and wonderful experience."
AM: El Alto International Airport — located 14 kilometers southwest of La Paz and situated at 4,061 meters above sea level — is one of the world's highest airports. Although it serves as the main air terminal in the city of La Paz, it is located in the neighboring city of El Alto. Once you land, a private driver will pick you up at El Alto and drive you to your hotel in La Paz to check in and unpack.
PM: Our guide will pick us up at the hotel lobby to spend half-a-day on a city tour learning more about the history and culture of Bolivia. A highlight for today will be the National Museum of Ethnology and Folklore (MUSEF), which is housed in the palace of the Villarverde marquises, itself a beautiful colonial mansion built in 1730 and declared a national monument in 1930. The museum presents a wide and extensive collection of articles that tell the story of the many cultures of Bolivia – from the pre-Inca times to the present. Our guide will explain the significance and symbolism of the textiles, masks, ceramics and feather art that you will admire. You will also be able to view a vast collection of coins and banknotes from colonial times. (Duration: 3 hours)
The highest capital in the world, situated at an altitude of over 3,200 meters, La Paz is a city that will take you breath away in all senses. While the city is a prominent center of government, assemblies, culture, and religion, as a traveler you will see how the ancient contrasts with the modern, and the occidental diverges from the indigenous. From its colorful, bustling mercados (markets), which are among the most picturesque in South America, it's a short walk to the center of the business district, located in the colonial heart of the city.
AM: Our driver will pick us up at 9:00 a.m. in the lobby of your boutique hotel. The plan for the day will be to discover the most traditional side of the city, experiencing the day-to-day life of typical paceños (inhabitants of La Paz). We will first visit the indoor market (Mercado Lanza) at Plaza San Francisco, where many workers have breakfast. We will then take the cable car up to the El Alto district to enjoy a splendid view of the city and the mountains that surround it. We will travel through various neighborhoods and the general cemetery, where you will discover the Andean post-mortem tradition of families leaving offerings on the graves. Walking from the cemetery down to the historic district, we will encounter the various types of dress – including cholitas, the traditional clothing of Andean women. On Los Andes Street, you will undoubtedly feel the festive mood, as every shop is filled with colorful costumes and masks.
PM: After lunch, we will end our tour in the Mercado de las Brujas ("Witches Market"), where local people buy all the items needed for ceremonial offerings to the Pachamama ("Mother Earth"). Later that evening, you can enjoy a true Bolivian cultural extravaganza! We will have dinner at the Peña Huari (in Bolivia, "peñas" are clubs and restaurants where only traditional music is played). At this dinner club, professional performers will present numerous folkloric dances of the region and the country. In every dance, the entertainers wear different colorful costumes and recount specific stories, such as love rituals, the struggle between good and evil, conflicts between villages, and homages to Pachamama.
AM: Today we will head out for Lake Titicaca... a name that evokes our childhood dreams and is a true symbol of South America. Crossroads of the most ancient Amerindian civilizations, a site of enormous historical significance, Lake Titicaca has fascinated explorers and conquerors alike through the ages. At 6:00 a.m., we will meet you at your hotel and drive to the village of Huatajata, stopping at the Inca Utama Hotel for an amazing view of Lake Titicaca. Then, on board a hydrofoil, we will travel to the city of Copacabana to visit the basilica at the port. We will return to the hydrofoil to travel to the south part of Sun Island, where we will visit the Pilcocaina Temple. We will later head to the village of Yumani for lunch.
PM: In Yumani, you can enjoy the fabulous view of Moon Island across the lake. During your free time this afternoon, you can also enjoy the bucolic landscapes before we travel to your hotel on Sun Island.
AM: You will have free time this morning. This will give you a chance to meet with a local family, who will share with you their way of life on the island. At the end of the morning, we will go down the Gran escalinata Inca ("the long Inca staircase") to a sacred fountain. According to legend, the water from this fountain provides eternal youth.
PM: We will have lunch at the Uma Kollu Restaurant, from which the view of the lake is outstanding. Then, we will head to Moon Island, where we will visit the Iñak Uyu sun virgin temple. Returning to the village of Huatajata by hydrofoil, we will visit the "Raices Andina" eco-village, the Altiplano museum and get a good look at ancient Urus architecture. Later in the afternoon, we will head back to La Paz.
AM: After breakfast, we will depart from the hotel in our private vehicle on a trip to the Tiwanaku archaeological site, arriving around 1:30 p.m.
PM: After lunch, you will go on a guided tour of these pre-Colombian ruins, considered the most important on the continent. We will then drive along the shores of Lake Titicaca and the foothills of the Cordillera Real mountain range to the city of Copacabana.
AM: This morning, a private driver will pick you up at your hotel, take you to the airport, and wish you a fond farewell.
|Price per person
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"Thank you again for making our holidays in Ecuador unforgettable. Both of us will definitely recommend Surtrek as well as Cuyabeno Lodge."


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Well before we got our first cows, we consulted all the cattle books below to learn how best to feed, house, fence, train and manage them. Even now, we continue to consult these books whenever we need to make ruminant dietary changes, move forward with oxen training, build new housing or dairy facilities, or otherwise move towards our beef and dairy goals. We have found these cattle books to be well written, pleasant to read and in some cases, beautiful to look at. Amongst all the books out there on cows for the small family farm, these are amongst the best of the batch. We highly recommend them.
The Family Cow by Dirk van Loon
This is the cow book many of us start with, and for good reason. This is possibly the single best source of information on how to care for your cow, getting it right the first time. How to select the breed, purchase the individual, set up her yard, her shelter, feed her, breed her, deliver her calf and milk her. Dirk van Loon is a well respected writer and his years of experience are evident. Plus it's clear that he loves his cows. If you're thinking of buying a cow but you're not sure how to get started, this is an excellent book to start with.
Salad Bar Beef by Joel Salatin
Joel Salatin has been re-writing the book on profitable family farming for several decades, and beef production is one of his family farm's core enterprises. In this book he describes very clearly how pastured beef production can be a satisfying, profitable enterprise for a family farm. If you're a small scale producer and want to add beef to your operation, his book will give you a lot to to think about and some goals to set.
Oxen: A Teamster's Guide by Drew Conroy
Oxen have been, and still are, an excellent choice for power on the small family farm. They have more power than most small farm tractors, better mobility in tight quarters, very docile temperaments, and they can be trained by children as a 4H project. Of modern teamsters Drew Conroy is one of the best. He has spent a lifetime not only working with his own oxen teams but he has traveled the world to learn how different societies have partnered with this gentle giant. Very highly recommended.
In Praise Of Oxen by Terry James
Some books communicate very well through text, graphs, charts, and tables. Other books communicate almost purely through illustrations and photographs. This oxen book is one of the latter. it is a gorgeous visual tour through the world of modern oxen keeping. The book interviews a wide variety of oxen keepers and teamsters, with luscious photos of that partnership in the field, in the woods, in the barn, and in the showring. If you ever wanted a coffee table book showing beautiful imagery of oxen on the landscape, this book is for you.


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Descendants of James Tibbet Gledhill
of Ripponden and Leeds, Yorkshire, England
Contact Tom Gledhill at 73 Stanson Drive, North Attleborough, MA, USA 02760,
or by email
Generation No. 1
1. JAMES TIBBET1 GLEDHILL was born 1793 in Ripponden, Yorkshire, England. He married SARAH WADDINGTON December 29, 1816 in Elland, Yorkshire, England. She was born 1797 in Bradford, Yorkshire, England.
More About JAMES TIBBET GLEDHILL: Occupation: Overlooker- Paper Mill - from 1851 census
Children of JAMES GLEDHILL and SARAH WADDINGTON are:
i. SARAH2 GLEDHILL, m. JOSEPH GILL (his 2nd wife; previously married to Priscilla Gledhill, Sarah's sister
ii. ELIZABETH GLEDHILL, m. JAMES SHAW.
iii. JAMES GLEDHILL.
iv. PRISCILLA GLEDHILL, m. JOSEPH GILL.
2. v. JOHN GLEDHILL, b. Abt. 1817.
vi. HANNAH GLEDHILL, b. November 15, 1824; m. WILLIAM NICHOLS.
vii. MARTHA GLEDHILL, b. June 20, 1826; m. JOHN DYER.
viii. ANN GLEDHILL, b. Abt. 1830.
ix. MARY GLEDHILL, b. Abt. 1832; m. JAMES BIGWOOD.
3. x. THOMAS HERSEY GLEDHILL, b. June 29, 1836, Leeds, Yorkshire, England; d. October 28, 1931, Lewiston, Maine.
xi. BENJAMIN GLEDHILL, b. Abt. 1837.
Generation No. 2
2. JOHN2 GLEDHILL (JAMES TIBBET1) was born Abt. 1817. He married ANN MORTIMER.
Children of JOHN GLEDHILL and ANN MORTIMER are:
i. SARAH3 GLEDHILL.
ii. WALTER GLEDHILL.
iii. WILLIAM GLEDHILL.
3. THOMAS HERSEY2 GLEDHILL (JAMES TIBBET1) was born June 29, 1836 in Leeds, Yorkshire, England, and died October 28, 1931 in Lewiston, Maine. He married JOANNA CALLAHAN July 07, 1860 in Windsor Locks, CT. She was born November 24, 1841 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and died April 13, 1876 in Snows Falls, ME.
More About THOMAS HERSEY GLEDHILL: Burial: 1931, Snows Falls, ME; Occupation: Paper Mill Owner, Insurance Agent
More About JOANNA CALLAHAN: Burial: April 1876, Snows Falls, ME
Children of THOMAS GLEDHILL and JOANNA CALLAHAN are:
i. AGNES ISABELLE3 GLEDHILL, b. August 02, 1861; d. October 18, 1862.
4. ii. FREDERICK T. GLEDHILL, b. June 08, 1863, Maine; d. March 1910, Houston, Texas.
iii. WARREN WADDINGTON GLEDHILL, b. November 27, 1865.
iv. FLORENCE ANNE GLEDHILL, b. April 02, 1871.
Generation No. 3
4. FREDERICK T.3 GLEDHILL (THOMAS HERSEY2, JAMES TIBBET1) was born June 08, 1863 in Maine, and died March 1910 in Houston, Texas.
More About FREDERICK T. GLEDHILL: Burial: March 1910, Snows Falls, ME; Occupation: Journalist
Children of FREDERICK T. GLEDHILL are:
i. JOANNA BERNICE4 GLEDHILL, b. April 09, 1892.
ii. THOMAS HERSEY GLEDHILL, b. July 11, 1893; d. June 10, 1927.
iii. MARY FLORENCE GLEDHILL, b. July 28, 1896.
iv. WARREN FREDERICK GLEDHILL, b. February 21, 1899.
5. v. JOHN A. GLEDHILL, b. April 28, 1900, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; d. February 07, 1949, Lewiston, Maine.
Generation No. 4
5. JOHN A.4 GLEDHILL (FREDERICK T.3, THOMAS HERSEY2, JAMES TIBBET1) was born April 28, 1900 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and died February 07, 1949 in Lewiston, Maine. He married ADA MCKENNA February 16, 1926 in Lewiston, Maine. She was born March 02, 1904 in Rumford, Maine, and died September 23, 1981 in Melbourne, FL.
More About JOHN A. GLEDHILL: Burial: 1949, Lewiston, Maine; Mt. Hope Cemetery; Occupation: Hotel Owner
More About ADA MCKENNA: Burial: September 1981, Lewiston, Maine; Mt. Hope Cemetery
Children of JOHN GLEDHILL and ADA MCKENNA are:
i. GLORIA5 GLEDHILL, b. July 03, 1928, Lewiston, Maine.
ii. JOHN AULD, JR. GLEDHILL, b. August 05, 1931, Lewiston, Maine. Lawyer
iii. GLEN ADA GLEDHILL, b. July 13, 1934, Lewiston, Maine.
iv. THOMAS F. GLEDHILL, b. October 02, 1938, Lewiston, Maine.


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…"There's a kind of cockle shell about you". If you are familiar with this lyric, then you might also know "Entrance to Sogo", which is what I was listening to this morning on my music player, in the bus; as part of my daily commute. It was at this point that I remembered that this song was penned by Bob Crewe; who sadly departed us on September 11, 2014.
For those of you who don't know who I am talking about, Bob or Stanley Robert Crewe was born in the U.S. 0n November 12, 1930. He was a singer, songwriter and record producer who co-wrote some famous 1960s-1970s songs such as "Walk Like a Man", "My Eyes Adored You" and "Lady Marmalade," to name but a few.
He and his band, "The Glitterhouse, had a huge hit with the soundtrack of the Roger Vadim directed movie Barbarella; Starring Jane Fonda, and supported by Anita Pallenberg (The Black Queen of Sogo), David Hemmings (Dildano), Milo O'Shea (Durand Durand), John Philip Law (Pygar, the Angel) and even an appearance by French mime artist, Marcel Marceau.
This film; often described as a 'schlock' film; has escalated to "iconic status" amongst certain movie goers. Its origin stems from a French adult Sci-Fi comic originated in 1962 by Jean-Claude Forest. As a basic synopsis for Barbarella:
Barbarella (played by Fonda), tells of her first rescue by a 'modern-day' Earthling-type who enjoys pleasure in the form of sex. Barbarella informs him that modern-day Earthlings no longer practice that form of love-making any more. Instead, they prefer the use of 'exaltation transference pills' where each person in a couple reaches harmony within their psycho-cardiograms (by pressing palms together) and joining together in this way, they reach their orgasmic and cataclysmic high. (I think your hair stands on end at this point). After this sequence, Barbarella gets herself into all kinds of weird and wonderful situations where various characters come to her rescue.
As the story draws to a close, the blind and winged angel, Pygar appears. He is the last of the ornillanthropes and for whatever reason, has lost the ability to fly. The final destination is to Sogo, the city of night, as well as being a decadent city ruled by the "Great Tyrant" and powered by a liquid essence of Mathmos. Pygar (who can now fly) saves Barbarella and The Great Tyrant. Barbarella asks Pygar why he saved the evil Great Tyrant as well, Pygar simply replies "an angel has no memory".
So the plot might be a bit "naff"', but the costumes are great and the soundtrack is even better. Thank you Bob Crewe – "I love all the love in you".
Goodnight Alfie!
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"Is It Art?"


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I finally finished watching Robert Scoble's video interview with Feedly's founder, Edwin Khodabakchian, in which Khodabakchian shows Scoble Feedly 2.0 on various devices including the iPad and the Xoom. I love Feedly and its my preferred feedreader on in my browser and on my iPhone. Feeds seem to be old news with the digerati shifting to Twitter for their news (either directly or through aggregators like Paper.li) but I still think there is a lot to be said for having your feeds in one spot in an attractive layout which interfaces with a variety of social services.
This video includes some interesting discussions about feeds, approaches to reading feeds and some curious social issues:


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I love writing reviews. Every week, I write a review on Eat, Sleep, Denim about a different pair of jeans. It's a great way to get content useful content about fashion on your site, while still interjecting your own personal flavor to it. The thing about reviews that's different from posting gifted items, is that the purpose of writing the review is to give your honest opinion (good and bad) about the product, while posting gifted products don't necessarily even have to include any information other than a credit to the brand.
While getting freebies is nice, it's not always optimal for reviewing product.
While getting freebies is nice, it's not always optimal for reviewing product. My friends always think that getting free product is a huge perk of my job, and it is, but free product isn't really "free." When you aren't shelling out money, you do have to give love to the brand– good if you really love the product, not so good if you have issues with the product. Even the best intentions can cause an awkward situation; I've never successfully been able to publish the flaws of gifted items without catching grief from the publicist.
The other problem with relying on gifted items for reviews, is that more often than not, the brands that everyone wants to know about rarely give products for review. In in the Elle August Issue, Joe Zee noted that fashion bloggers get "free designer duds" which kind of upset me, until I realized it was kind of true. I mean, do you see Celine or Proenza Schouler doling out products to fashion bloggers? Heck, even J. Crew doesn't gift!
So, how do you get your hands on products for review?
Buy The Product
You can always start off by buying the product, or by reviewing items you already own. Really review them. Discuss the fit, the make of the fabric, the designer. Everything you think your readers will care about. If you own the product, you can say whatever you like about it without dealing with the brand. Some bloggers use this method to start building affiliate income off their reviews to make the investment worthwhile. I personally feel that products purchased with my own money generate the most thought out reviews. Mostly because I've agonized over whether I should buy the piece. Then again, usually if I bought it, I REALLY love it.
Buy and Return Items
If you want to style your product for a shoot, but don't have the deepest pockets in the world, or don't want to end up with 200 pairs of jeans in your closet. Buying and returning items also can work well for your blog. That way you can add in unique content (your unique photos) to your site to set your review apart. Buying items yourself also keeps a level of authenticity to your blog, in my experience, I wouldn't buy something even with the intention of returning it, if I didn't really love it, or was genuinely curious about it. Also, I have to have the money in the bank to float, so my budget for reviews often matches the budget for my wardrobe. If I can't float the money for Chanel, my wardrobe isn't luxury fashion.
Clarification: The places I buy/return with I have an agreement with. Personally I like it, in case I decide to keep an item it does not affect the impartiality of the review.
Work Out a Deal with Retailers
When I first started out, I made friends with several local retailers, who may have utilized shelving for shops, who would welcome me to their store so I can test out clothes and style them for my blog. This can work at all levels of blogging, and many retailers are happy to do this (provided you're not asking for free product all the time). Some retailers even have product programs for bloggers. While some bloggers may think this type of work should be done for money… remember this is EDITORIAL work you are doing for your readers, NOT promotional work you are doing for the brand.
Check It Out at the Store
Even experienced bloggers will pop into a store to get a first hand look at a product before writing about it. If you just need to take a look, test it out, maybe snap a pic or two, just head down to the store. This method has probably the least amount of commitment and relationship building to manage.
Visit Showrooms
If you're lucky enough to be located near a showroom or a brand HQ, this is a great option. The only problem being the showrooms don't have the same products that are in the stores. So you will probably have to work months ahead of schedule, or your readers don't mind reading about items they can't buy for months. Either way, visiting showrooms is a great way to get first looks at items and a chance to let your readers know what to look out for.
Request Samples
Requesting samples is how traditional media gets clothes for their photo shoots and reviews, and rarely can they keep the samples. You can request samples for review, many times samples are in sample sizes so unless that happens to be your size doing a proper review this way may not always be an option. Luckily I am "sample size" in the denim world so it's proven to be a great way to test out brands and styles I may not have access to because they're not on the market yet.
What other ways do you get products for review?


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To be recognized as the Tampa Bay area's provider of choice for customized business solutions based on our diversified team's personal approach to streamlining client business processes and maximizing their profitability.
All members of the ACF team will combine their unique skills, expertise, and experience to deliver highly effective business solutions that exceed the expectations of our clients by providing personalized services and customized solutions that:
We are always responsible and accountable for our actions.
Success comes from working cooperatively to leverage our individual strengths.
Our relationships are founded on honest and positive communication.
We deliver effective solutions based on our unwavering attention to detail.
We say what we do and we do what we say.
The love of what we do every day is reflected in the quality of our solutions.
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