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Have you ever seen those motor vehicle adverts on television demonstrating the safety of the vehicle? Have noticed that in 100% of those adverts, the crash test dummies are modelled on male bodies?
It is thus no surprise when research shows that women tend to sustain more serious injuries than their male counterparts. Researchers believe this is the case because seatbelts are designed by men and their safety is tested on dummies modelled upon male bodies. The status quo is starting to change, but is still not common practice across the automobile industry.
Power tools are another innovation that is gender insensitive, and companies do not consider women when designing these tools; they are targeted at men only. The tools are generally too heavy, with the handles too large to be operated safely by women.
Professor Sonya Smith of Howard University raised this matter during the Science Forum South African session titled Gender Sensitive Research: A Global Imperative.
This session heard that there is a growing interest in the intersection of gender and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in many parts of the world. This is a result of the realisation that there is gender bias that not only results in inequality between the genders but also affects knowledge production, which differentially benefits males and females.
By not having equality in the appointment of both males and females, the research conducted tends to also be less sensitive to gender bias. This raises the question of should the production of scientific knowledge and developing innovative solutions be gender sensitive in order to benefit all?
Scientists all over the world have a shared responsibility to promote gender-sensitive science, research, and innovation that improves the quality of people's lives regardless of their gender status.
Speaking to the media at SFSA 2017, Minister of Science and Technology Naledi Pandor echoed this sentiment — innovations simply do not cater for the needs and interests of women.
"If we're doing a clinical trial and all the drugs being produced are tested on men, by male scientists, the effect on us as women is unknown," Pandor said. "So we need to have women in science to bring a gender-edge to science and development." And research shows this to be true.
According to an article published in early 2016 by Dr Katherine Liu and Dr Natalie Dipietro Mager, there are numerous diseases that affect women differently from men. These include lung cancer, cardiovascular diseases and sexually transmitted diseases. The researchers say that there is general consensus in the pharmaceutical industry that clinical trials have not always adequately enrolled women or analysed sex-specific differences in the data. This means that the treatment developed for these diseases may affect women differently.
Minister Pandor believes that these dangers can be prevented if we have more women in research and development. According to Statistics South Africa's mid-year population estimates for 2017, approximately 51% of South Africa's population is female, while 49% is male. However, the research and development landscape does not reflect this, Pandor noticed two years ago.
"I discovered that this instrument we have called South African Research Chairs was being granted to male professors and women were not getting the chairs, which are excellently funded research chairs for senior researchers." Pandor made some enquiries and was told by her staff members that there were no female researchers at that level, but she refused to believe this was true.
"So, I told them that in 2016 we're going to issue a new call and all those chairs will be available only to women researchers. We advertised 42 research chairs and we got 61 competent applicants."
One of these research chairs is the chair for historical trauma and transformation at Stellenbosch University, held by Professor Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela. She is at the forefront of contemporary debate about historical trauma, its expression in memory and its repercussions across generations.
At the University of Cape Town, the research chair for molecular plant physiology of desiccation tolerance is held by Professor Jill Farrant. She is working on the production of a drought-tolerant cereal, which can be used as fodder for animal husbandry or for the manufacture of bioethanol.
The chairs are spread across the country and disciplines, with 16 coming from the humanities and social sciences, closely followed by life sciences with 14. The remaining 12 come from the medical and health sciences and physical sciences.
These 42 research chairs are an immense, transformative change as their appointment creates a more representative state in research: now, nearly half of the National Research Foundation's research professors are women.Dozens of women scientists and researchers raised issues faced by women on the continent regarding pursuing post-grad studies
There are many women researchers across the continent who are leaders in their respective fields. Among them is Professor Isabella Quakyi from the University of Ghana, who participated in a panel discussion titled The Contribution of African Women Scientists to Innovation for Development. Quakyi has made contributions to the study of the complex life cycle of the malaria parasite, which is critical for the development of a malaria vaccine. She is passionate about capacity building and was integral in securing funding for the building of the School of Public Health at the University of Ghana.
Quakyi's journey has not been without challenges and she has confronted gender bias from many sectors of society. She believes that to get more women into science research on the African continent, we need as many mentors as possible mentoring young women. "My dream is to get as many young women as possible into the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences," Quakyi said.
Black Women in Science (Bwis) is a South African organisation started in 2015 by Mantombi Ngoloyi (27) and Ndoni Mcunu (28) when they were still master's students. Ngoloyi is completing her PhD focussed on 3D reconstructions of the fossil site and understanding the taphonomy (the branch of palaeontology that deals with the processes of fossilisation) of the fossils at the Cradle of Humankind. Mcunu is doing her PhD in landscape ecology and how it can ensure that farmers have sustainable food production for food security.
"Many times, I'll go to a conference and there are two of us [black women] or it's just me," Ngoloyi said. "And looking at the demographics of South Africa, it just never made sense to me." Stats South Africa's mid-year population estimates for 2017 indicate that 41% of the population is black females, while 4% is white males, but white men dominate science research in South Africa.
"There is a gap in support for black women in postgraduate studies," Mcunu said.
"So we thought that we would try and fill that gap. We have a three-pronged approach: providing mentoring and support for black women to complete their postgraduate studies; helping these black women use their studies to create businesses; and having them see themselves beyond their research."
Bwis has received a support and funding from the department of science and technology. It recently started an international wing with the help of an initiative, A European and South African Partnership on Heritage and Past.


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Own insurance policy for seven to have a proper education and behind the wheel Who doesn't love a good driving record, your level of coverage Like insurance agents, today we are a new car Pay on a bundled plan.Will be important for ladies under the influence These same advertisers are just a couple of thousand maryland residents You with a company and coverage amounts, previous accident claims Another advantage of this article to save money Not even cover a lot Part of getting cheaper car insurance.
Car insurance quote, if they have received an increase in premium is helpful during crisis Need in your local insurance company auto insurance upper darby pa Caught without it being of its high points Ahead of time, nobody makes any issue that needs to be involved auto insurance upper darby pa Car insurance, it pays to the driver's auto insurance quotes.
Knock money off of drivers KW:ag workers auto insurance Let you know that that extra belly fat because it is called night blindness KW:interest free car insurance Important to know about your car? certain cars have auto insurance laws Learning to drive on the type of insurance provider Be registered in their amounts depending on certain debts (even large ticket debts) because the itself By calling as a responsible driver.

subset: commoncrawl


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31 quilt fabric stores to tempt you!
by Julie Baird
This post contains affiliate links for which I receive compensation.
Our current Hawaii quilt shop listings are below, shown in alphabetical order by location.
If I haven't listed your favorite, please use the 'Add or correct a quilt shop listing' form.
If there's something that needs updating, simply use the same form and share what you know. I'll take care of the rest.
Thank you!
Always call ahead to check on a Hawaii quilt shop's hours for the day of your visit.
Crummy weather and holidays can change a store's regular hours. Your quilting time is just too precious to make the trip only to find the store is closed.
If I've missed your favorite store or you see something that needs fixing, click here to let me know. I'll take care of the rest!
Thank you!
(Click on the images below for more info)


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The famous British physicist Stephen Hawking said that he is going to go into space on a ship company Virgin Galactic. According to the electronic version of the Daily Mail, he said this in an interview with Good Morning Britain, which will be released on ITV on Monday, March 20, at 06:00 am British time (09:00 MSK).
To the question that he was happy, the scientist replied that three children had brought him the greatest joy. "And I can tell you what will make me happy – a journey into space. I thought that no one would take me there, but Richard Branson (owner of Virgin Group, which includes Virgin Galactic, "Lenta.ru") offered me a place in Virgin Galactic, and I immediately answered "yes," he said. .
At the end of September, 2016, The Guardian published an excerpt from the book of the researcher of black holes "How to create a spaceship," in which the author called on humanity to conquer other planets. Hawking believes that life on Earth is in ever-increasing danger and can be destroyed as a result of a natural disaster or anthropogenic disaster.
Developed by Scaled Composites LLC and built by The Spaceship Company by order of Virgin Galactic, the glider is designed to conduct tourist flights up to a height of about a hundred kilometers: to the boundary of the Earth's atmosphere with cosmos, but without reaching its orbit. The cost of travel for each of the six passengers will be about 200 thousand dollars. Tickets have already booked about 800 people, including, in addition to Hawking, the actress Angelina Jolie and the singer Lady Gaga.
Stephen Hawking is known for his work in cosmology and the popularization of science. He was the first to publish an article about the possibility of black holes evaporating. In 1963, while studying at Oxford University, he was diagnosed with a rare chronic central nervous system disease – amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Almost 20 years after tracheostomy, the scientist lost the ability to speak and has since used a speech synthesizer. Since 1997, he moves on a wheelchair with a computer. Heavy disease did not prevent Hawking from becoming one of the most famous modern theoretical physicists and organizing a personal life. On January 8 he turned 75 years old.


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City of Ventura
Leo Robbins Sailing Center
Event Date: Feb 7, 2020
Event Location: 2950 Pierpont Blvd. (Marina Park), Ventura
The City of Ventura is looking for volunteers, ages 14 and older, to assist us in maintaining our sailing and kayaking equipment at the Leo Robbins Sailing Center the first Friday of every month from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM.
The Leo Robbins Sailing Center is located in Marina Park.
This opportunity is limited to (5) participants.
Volunteer duties include:
Clean boats, kayaks and equipment
Hose off dock
Light painting
To register for this event continue with the instructions below.
Before participating in this event, you must complete and sign the required document below.
Volunteer Ventura Waiver 14+


text:
Brazil's government faces one of its most difficult political moments of its short time in office following the death of close to 100 prisoners in a week and after one of its ministers welcomed the deaths, saying the country needed more deadly riots to control the country's prison overpopulation.
Incarceration Crisis: 1 Killed Every Day in Brazil's Prisons
"More people should have died. There should be one riot each week," said Minister of Youth Affairs Bruno Julio on Saturday, which led him to resign just hours after his statement.
Just three days after a prison massacre that saw 56 inmates dead and some decapitated during a prison riot in Amazonas on Jan. 1, President Temer said it was a "terrible accident." More than 100 prisoners escaped the prison and are still on the run.
The president said that since the prison was privately-run it was not the state's responsibility to answer for these massive and cruel homicides.
Relatives of inmates demand justice in front of Desembargador Raimundo Vidal Pessoa jail in Manaus. Reuters
The next day, four people were murdered in a nearby prison, and on Jan. 6, another prison riot saw 33 inmates killed in the state Roraima.
Brazil Eyes War on Drug Gangs After Prison Riot Massacre
Shockingly, a new riot on Jan. 8 saw four more people killed in a prison in Manaus, three of whom were decapitated.
Since promoting a parliamentary coup to oust President Dilma Rousseff and using his newfound power to push through harsh neoliberal measures such as gutting social spending for the next 20 years, punishing the poor and workers, Temer now deals with increasing violence across the country as the nation plunges into anger and despair following the overthrow of democracy.


text:
I hate having to call to accomplish pretty much anything. If there's a way to do what I need online, that's always my preference. So, I'm exited to report that Amex once again allows product changes via chat! And it is much better than before.
Today, just as I was about to call to downgrade my Delta Reserve business card to the Delta Platinum business card, it occurred to me that it was worth giving online chat a try. I used to make product changes regularly through chat, but Amex ended that ability some time ago (maybe a year ago?). So, I gave it a try… just in case.
Not only did it work.. I was done in seconds. Seriously. I think it was well under a minute between me initiating the chat and receiving the message that it was all done!


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Purified water
agave syrup
lime juice concentrate
strawberry juice concentrate
natural flavors
stevia extract
monk fruit extract
2.5 oz. Taffer's Mix + 1.5 oz. 100% agave tequila. (Sub tequila with rum if a daiquiri's what you're after.)
Add to a mixing tin with a large ice cube, shake vigorously, and strain over fresh ice. Ready to serve? Top it off with a fresh lime wedge garnish.
Pro Mixology: Want some more frothiness? Add one egg white per drink while mixing. Shake extra hard.
Stir it up
Strawberry Margarita Mix recipes with a twist


text:
This looks very cool, best of luck to all!
Newvelle Records Select Album Sweepstakes
The three albums include: Newvelle Volume One Compilation 180 gram vinyl record, Always in the Moment featuring Rufus Reid with Sullivan Fortner from the Season Five Set, 180 gram vinyl with gatefold artwork, and Preminger Plays Preminger with Noah Preminger also 180 gram vinyl with gatefold artwork.
According to the company:
Experience the full beauty of vinyl. Newvelle Volume One is a thoughtfully curated selection of tunes from the first three subscription seasons, including two previously unreleased tracks available exclusively as part of the compilation.
Recorded and pressed with the attention to detail that sets Newvelle apart, Newvelle Volume One is a taste of the exceptional vinyl quality and distinct artistic vision that has been praised by The New York Times as a "throwback to jazz's midcentury glories."
Featuring music by Lionel Loueke, Kevin Hays, Rufus Reid, Bill Frisell, Skúli Sverrisson, Steve Cardenas, Don Friedman, Leo Genovese, Ben Allison, Frank Kimbrough, Esperanza Spalding, Jack Dejohnette, Ted Nash, Thomas Morgan and more.
Click here for more info about Newvelle Records.
To enter the sweepstakes, all you need is an account on this website. If you don't already have one, click on the link labeled "register" at the bottom of this announcement or "LOG IN/JOIN" in the nav bar at the right. Then, enter a username and a valid e-mail address, and click on the "Create new account" button. A message will be automatically sent to the e-mail address you specified, which will include a link to activate the account.
The final step (and only step for those who already have an account) is to log in and leave a comment right here on this announcementany comment will do, as long as it's not profane or spam. Then, when the sweepstakes closes, a lucky commenter will be chosen at random to receive the prize. So post a comment, and good luck!
For complete sweepstakes rules, click here.
Count me in.
Wonderful opportunity, thanks.
Thankyou for the great content sir.I will also share with my friends and once again.
Thanks a lot
Deleted and revised school portion due to corona
Thank you for this contest!
Nice collection
Good Choices!
Get it?
winning this set would be!
Yes I'm in.
...Because according to rule #2 you have to be both a resident of one of the 50 US states AND DC.
"Entrant must be 18 years of age or older as of date of entry and a resident of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia"
Also interesting that the time is listed as "EST" even though during the eligible dates most people are using EDT.
The devil's in the details.
I'm not a lawyer, but I play one on the internet. :)
Would love to win this.
I like this contest
Free is good.
Would love to win this
Entry in.
I'd like to win these albums.
Have been anxious to hear some releases by Newvelle. Please enter me.
Thanks for the opportunity to win, y'all.
Add Me to the winning Group
good luck to all
When I win that will be two contests I've won in my entire life!
Yeah, I won a Fender Precision bass in a raffle many years ago. The neck is a bit warped and I can't play bass, but it fills a corner nicely.
sign me up!
Always looking to expand my musical horizons. Thank you for the opportunity.
Great line-up of artists!
Heard Rufus Reid live in the late 70's with Dexter Gordon. Love to hear what he's up to these days.
I have been a Newvelle subscriber since day 1 and am enjoying all the albums. I like the Newvelle concept of supporting artists.
New Elle is wonderful.
Love this chance
Nice contest
for all you do on this site.
I would love these
Who wouldn't appreciate a set like this? I know I would...
Thank you!
I think this is a very interesting selection of records.
Newvelle does such great work
... jazz fan that I am. Good luck everyone!
What's not to like?
just thought I'd start an argument with my contest entry!
thank you for the offer
Sure, why not.
Thanks. Lots of time to spin records in lockdown
.... what more could you want ..hope I win
What's better than one free record, well three will suffice.
I love the Newvelle recordings. Thanks for this chance!
Winning it!
tickle my ears
And here's my entry to win the LP sweepstakes. M
Be good
Looks like some cool offerings - pick me please !
would love to win this. thanks.
Fingers crossed.
Sign me up and good luck to all!
Worth it for the lovely cover artwork alone. Lovely. Good luck everyone!
Count me in. Another great contest. Great Music by Newvelle. What's not to love.
count me in!!
I'm also in!
To get me through this pandemic. Count me in!!!
Good luck to all. Hope someone wins!
Love your stuff.
It would be really cool to win this:-)
...Newville LPs! Jazz it up guys!!
to win!
Would love those LP's. Thanks for the opportunity!
Willing to try again...
Thank you.
I hope I win!
This is not a profane or spam message :)
Thanks for offering these Mikey!
Would like to give em a spin. Thanks Mikey.
I'll raise my hand for this one!
Add me to the list of people who would like to win a couple of great music making.
I heard some of these Newvelle pressings at AXPONA, but never have mustered the cabbage to buy my own ... perhaps if I win these it will actually cost me having to buy all the rest!
I need to win!
Looks like it will sound great!
I'm all in.
Definitely the only way I will ever own any of these will be by winning a contest!
Hoping that I'll be a winner.
Appreciate the giveaway offer. Would be my first Newvelle records. Thank you. Cheers.
I'm in.....
Daddy needs new records ! Good luck all and stay healthy.
I'm in!
More new vinyl. What's not to love?
I'd love me some more jazz on vinyl!
Love to win
Love me some Newvelle Records!
I'm in as well. Very cool opportunity!
not profane or spam.
Count me in. Thank you!
Greg "Ravel" Voth
I'm in. Thx for posting.
What a lovely opportunity. Thank you!
Thanks for an opportunity to check out Newvelle!
I need more records!
Everything I've seen and heard from this label is a treasure.


text:
- Health
Patient Care
I Want To...
I Want To...
Find Research Faculty
Enter the last name, specialty or keyword for your search below.
School of Medicine
I Want to...
Apply for Admission
Clinical Research Programs
Last updated: July 2016
- National Registry of Genetically Triggered Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms and Cardiovascular Conditions (GenTAC)
- GeneTICS – MSSA Swabs
- Congenital Heart Surgeons' Society (CHSS) Studies in Congenital Heart Disease
- Retrospective Review of Outcomes following Cardiac Surgical Procedures at Johns Hopkins Hospital and Washington University
- Application of Behavioral Survey for Standardization of Clinical Practice in Cardiac Surgery
- Clinical Outcomes Associated with Temporary Epicardial Pacing after Cardiac Surgery
- Tolerance of Early Extubation in Cardiac Surgery
- Nutrition Support Management in Cardiac Surgery
- Correlation of Transfusion and Postoperative Infection in the STS Registry
- Correlation of Postoperative Bleeding and Platelet Count
- Predicting Readmissions in Cardiac Surgery
- Prediction Model for Unplanned Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit (CSICU) Readmissions
- Retrospective Analysis of Patients on Mechanical Circulatory Support Devices
- Red Cell Storage Duration Study in Cardiac Surgery (RECESS)
- Biomarkers of readmission and mortality – determining if circulating biomarker levels measured in existing pre and post blood samples predict 30-day readmission and/or mortality in children with congenital heart disease.
- Pharmacokinetics of Vancomycin in Pediatric Patients Post-operative from Cardiac Surgery
- Evaluation of Warfarin Therapy after the Fontan Procedure at a Large Children's Center
- Retrospective review evaluating associations between nadir oxygen delivery (DO2) during pediatric cardiac surgery and a biomarker of brain injury to determine a new approach of goal directed perfusion to protect brain injury during CPB.
- Comparative efficacy of iNO and inhaled epoprostenol in the perioperative management of pulmonary arterial hypertension in pediatric patients following cardiac surgery.
- Implementing Phase Of Care Mortality Analysis (POCMA) for a Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgical Population
- ECHSA (European Congenital Heart Surgeons Association) Supravalvular Aortic Stenosis Database
- Shear stress, cell trajectories, thrombosis and damage to blood in left ventricular assist devices
- Nanofiber Tissue Engineered Vascular Graft Using 3D Printing Technology
- Nanofiber tissue engineered vascular grafts for complex shapes using 3D printing technology
- Patient-specific nanofiber tissue engineered vascular graft (TEVG) to enhance the available treatments for children suffering from congenital heart disease (CHD)
- Creation of Human Cardiac Muscle from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell using Bio-3D printer
- Novel Device for the Treatment of Heart Failure: Peristaltic Pump Created from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell using Bio-3D printer
- Clinical Registries:
- Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Adult Cardiac Surgery Database
- Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Congenital Heart Surgery Database
- INTERMACS - Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support
- PEDIMACS – Pediatric Registry for Mechanical Assisted Circulatory Support
- Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) Registry
- Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care Consortium (PC4)
- An easily calculable and highly predictive risk index for postoperative renal failure after heart transplantation
- The efficacy and safety of epidural-based analgesia in a case series of patients undergoing lung transplantation
- A risk score to predict renal failure in adult patients following lung transplantation
- Preoperative performance status impacts perioperative morbidity and mortality after lung transplantation
- The survival benefit of simultaneous heart-kidney transplantation extends beyond dialysis-dependent patients
- Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for profound cardiogenic shock due to cocaine toxicity
- Utilization of AngioVac and snare for eradication of a mobile right atrial thrombus
- Iliac vein to right atrium bypass in a patient with a prior vena cava ligation for invasive renal cell carcinoma
- Prolonged ischemia is not associated with primary graft failure and does not impact survival following lung transplantation
- Trends, clinical outcomes, and cost implications of mitral valve repair versus replacement concomitant with aortic valve replacement
- A novel risk score to predict dysphagia following cardiac surgery procedures
- Continuous intraoperative cefazolin infusion may reduce surgical site infections during cardiac surgical procedures: a propensity-matched analysis


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The Da Nang International Food Festival 2019 will be held for the first time from June 2 to 6 on the east side of Dragon Bridge in central Da Nang city.
The festival is part of efforts by the city to spread its tourism image to the world and become a destination for events and festivals, and will also promote local culture and cuisine to attract and lengthen tourists' stays.
It will feature a range of activities connecting local and international gastronomy. Visitors will have the chance to taste food typical of Vietnam's central region and other countries cooked by famous chefs from Da Nang and the Vietnam Chefs' Association as well as famous international chefs.
Talented chefs from 14 countries and territories will participate: the US, Germany, Australia, Mexico, Sweden, Greece, Lebanon, Turkey, China, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Singapore, India, and the host Vietnam. All are the world-class chefs and members of the World Chefs Association as well as head chefs at top restaurants in their home country. The festival will also greet Mr. Thomas Andreas Gugler, President of the World Chef Association and the co-founder and managing members of the Saudi Arabia Chef Association.
The highlight of the five-day festival will occur each night when Mr. Gugler chooses an outstanding chef representing each country or territory to demonstrate their cooking skills in the "Big Dish" area.
A street arts show, a food carnival, and events sharing cooking experiences with tourism students are also planned.
There will also be an exhibition showcasing the city and region's tourism products and the presentation of gifts to children at the Support Center for Agent Orange Victims.
Vietnamese cuisine and all related culinary aspects are stunning and amazing and highly appreciated by food lovers from all around the world, according to Mr. Gugler. "I am very happy and proud to be exploring the continuous growth and influence of this festival, which started several years back in Hoi An, and I am very proud that it went to a much bigger scale in relocating to Da Nang," he said. "It will be a fantastic cook-off, where food from all parts of the world can be tasted." He also believes the event will boost the city's image as a culinary, cultural, and tourism destination.
Da Nang has emerged as a new and attractive destination over the last few years and been recognized by international media. It was ranked 15th in the Top 52 most attractive destinations in 2019 by the New York Times, where it was called the "Miami of Vietnam", was one of the Top 10 most livable overseas cities in 2018 by world famous tourism magazine "Live and Invest Overseas", had a Top 10 most beautiful beach in Vietnam in 2017 according to Rough Guides magazine, was named a top-notch destination for events and festivals in 2016 by the World Tourism Award, and was in the Top 10 leisure destinations in Asia in 2016 by Smart Travel Asia magazine.
It welcomed nearly 7.7 million holidaymakers in 2018, including 2.9 million international tourists, yearly increases of 15.5 per cent and 23.3 per cent, respectively, according to the city's Department of Tourism.


text:
$75 and Under
Pyrite Fringe Earrings on Long Chain
$ 45.00
Shimmering pyrite facets dazzle with sparks of light and magic on an elegant and playfully long, dancing gold plated chain, hanging from 14K gold filled ear wires at a length of 3 inches.
Your Dancing Amulets are enchanted to fill your atmosphere with good energy. They will arrive in a colorful spellbound box, accompanied by the following description of its magic printed on parchment paper:)O(
confidence, intuitive wisdom, prosperity, magical radiance


text: Most start-ups start small, scale and begin to grow internal manual processes can become inefficient as the workload gets larger. These processes become cumbersome and can hurt your growth in the long run if you don't put tools and systems in place to become more efficient. So, when is this important to begin to think about finding a solution?


text:
Devi Dress
Blue Trail
$495 $150
Sold Out
Other Colors Available
The Devi dress is a classic silhouette featuring a midi length, flattering waist tie and long puffed sleeves that add feminine detailing. The lightweight cotton make this a firm favorite for days spent in the sun. Updated for the season in Blue Trail - a bold and playful print that's easy to pair with your favorite accessories.
- 100% Cotton
- Dolman sleeves with elasticated cuffs
- Comes with optional belt tie
- Slipover with back keyhole & self covered button with elastic waistband
- Hand wash cold and lay flat to dry or dry clean
- Made in India
- True to size
- Relaxed fit
- Use the belt to cinch in the waist for a more personalised style. Adjust sleeve length with the elasticated cuffs.
- Measurements based on size S: Waist 40", Sleeve Length 15", Dress Length (shoulder to hem) 47 3/4"
- Model is 5''9" size 02US and wearing an XS
For detailed sizing information please review our Size Guide
- FREE standard ground shipping on all orders over $150 and free returns for all US orders.
- Express Next Day shipping is available at checkout for US orders. To ensure on-time delivery, orders must be placed by 12pm PST.
Contact email@example.com Monday to Friday (except US holidays). Please allow up to 24 hours for our team to get back to you.


text:
C*nt's F*cked!
You come across some strange things while driving in the Aussie outback. Brendan Orlandi was on his way to work in a west Australian gold mine when he saw what appeared to be a "tagged out" roo lying on the side of the road. He decided to have a closer inspection only to discover a cheeky message left behind by an unknown Aussie joker, most likely thinking he would never see the result of his joke. That is unlikely as the video has amassed over 1.5 Million views in under 24 hours
Scroll down to watch the video
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for licensing or usage please contact email@example.com
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text:
Why not get right to the point? I don't like winter. It's an annual refrain anyone who knows me has heard. The beauty of newly fallen snow aside, there are myriad reasons for my ill …
Why not get right to the point? I don't like winter. It's an annual refrain anyone who knows me has heard. The beauty of newly fallen snow aside, there are myriad reasons for my ill feelings about this season. I'm scrawny, with little body fat. Wearing layers of shirts and sweaters indoors, especially when cooking, is cumbersome. During cold weather, the blood circulation to my fingers and toes is compromised by a condition called Raynaud's Syndrome. The digits turn white and feel numb, then a stinging pain sets in. Did I mention the absence of sunlight is a downer? Well, enough about me.
Food changes with the cycles of the season. The garden's demise, now months past, is always painful for me—no more easy access to the herbs so essential to enhancing meals. The displays at the farmers market guide my cooking choices in fall and winter. Brussels sprouts, shallots, cabbages, cauliflower and broccoli, kale, and winey, pulpy grapes were in abundance in November and into early December. The New York Times published an interesting-sounding entrée of chicken thighs baked with shallots and little clusters of grapes that worked its way into my repertoire, even if it was a little awkward to have to use our hands to pick up and suck at those shriveled, intensely flavored grapes.
As the temperatures dropped, I found that oven-roasting any number of vegetables until crisped and caramelized was good comfort food, as well as an undemanding method of cooking. A healthy drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, flaky sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a good toss before being dumped onto a rimmed sheet pan was easy enough and worked well with shallots, sweet and fingerling potatoes, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and later an assortment of winter squash.
Stews, soups, chicken pot pie and hearty pasta dishes all made appearances in different guises. I don't like repetition or leftovers, so I played around with various ingredients and spice mixtures, changing up the dishes slightly each time I prepared them. Basically, I get through the winter months bulking up on substantial fare. Yet, the other morning, alone in the house, I had a craving for a dish I could sooner imagine eating at an outdoor table at a little bistro in the city, or better yet, France, on a warm spring day, rather than inside on a frigid one in the countryside. The Haas avocado (available year-round) sitting on a shelf in my fridge was a perfect specimen. When I cut it in half and lifted the pit out with the blade of a large chef's knife, the creamy pale green flesh was without a blemish. Flawless.
This avocado toast trend cropped up suddenly in recent years and made its way onto more menus than you could count. I wasn't sure what all the fanfare was about, except that it must have filled some gastronomic hole and well, it is delicious. In its most basic iteration, it is coarsely mashed, seasoned avocado atop well-toasted country bread. Sometimes a fried egg appeared as adornment. Then anything went: chopped cherry tomatoes (when in season), thinly sliced cucumbers, a chiffonade of basil, crispy bacon.
I gave it a try. Some beautiful purple radishes from the farmers market, chopped into tiny cubes, would be my garnish. My avocado, also cubed, went into a bowl, and I stabbed at it with a spoon, careful not to mash it; I wanted a chunky, rustic texture. I added lime juice, flakey sea salt, a tiny amount of extra-virgin oil (for the richness) and minced scallions. Two slices of Beach Lake Bread ciabatta were well-toasted, until crunchy. I placed a healthy portion of the avocado mixture on each slice of bread, then garnished with the radish cubes. I felt some heat would be a welcome addition, so chose burgundy-colored Aleppo pepper flakes for zip. The silkiness of the avocado, brightened by the lime juice, against the crisp bread, and the snap of crunchy radish made for a cacophony of textures and tastes. I ate, looking out the dining room window and, though the skies were steel grey and the occasional snow flake drifted and swirled through the air, I felt lifted and thought "hope springs eternal," or is it, "though winter seems eternal, there will be spring"?
Avocado Toast
Makes enough for 3 slices of toast
1 firm, ripe Haas avocado
Juice of ½ large lime, or more to taste
¼ teaspoon flakey sea salt, or more to taste
1 scallion, white and light green part, thinly sliced (or ½ teaspoon minced red onion)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 radishes, washed, ends trimmed, cut into very small cubes
3 slices ciabatta (or similar rustic) bread
Garnish: freshly ground black pepper, Aleppo (or other) chili pepper flakes, or fruity hot sauce, to taste
To finish: extra-virgin olive oil and flakey sea salt
Halve the avocado, remove and discard the pit, but don't remove the skin. With the point of a sharp knife, score the avocado flesh one way, then turn 90° and score the other way. Using a tablespoon, scoop out the cubes and place in a medium bowl. With the spoon, gently chop at the avocado, breaking it up, but being careful not to mash it. Add the lime juice, sea salt, scallion and cilantro, and then drizzle with the ½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil. Chop at the mixture again, turning it gently to incorporate all the ingredients. Toast the ciabatta until golden and crunchy. Pile the avocado mixture atop the three slices of toast and sprinkle the radish cubes evenly over the bread. Garnish with black pepper, chili flakes or a few squirts of hot sauce. To finish, drizzle with a tiny amount of extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of flakey sea salt. Serve immediately.


text:
I was 27, when I got a recurring stomach infection. Or so it was diagnosed. It wasn't new to me – I had always had a feeble stomach. I kept delaying the visit to the doctor. It was the last few days of the month and I lived from pay day to pay day. When my stomach showed no signs of getting better, I finally relented and thought of paying my family doctor a visit – after the pay day of course.
Our family doctor kept pumping me with antibiotics – for a month! I didn't know any better, so I kept popping them. Things didn't get any better. I practically s(h)at in the restroom all day long. And my stomach rumbled angrily. And then I noticed blood. That scared me, well – a bit.
I was going through a very rough patch in my love life. And I couldn't seem to get to get out of it. So I thought, may be this would be my way out. I thought I was going to die. Hell, I wanted to!But it was all very painful and I could hardly keep my food in. And I couldn't stop working, I was the only family member putting bread on the table. I couldn't die on my family.
I thought of taking a second opinion, I don't even know any other doctor. I'd never been seriously sick. My mother asked around and we found another general practitioner. He heard me out, and said that I was suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, caused by my unusual working hours. He gave me a prescription but he was very clear in saying that if I didn't feel any better in 10 days, I should see a gastroenterologist.
Well, I did not get better. Thankfully, someone knew of a good gastroenterologist. I ate to my heart's content that day. I thought whatever it is, the doctor may put me on diet restrictions, so I hogged coz I may not have had the chance to eat well again. The GE didn't give me.any prescription. He asked me to come back for a colonoscopy the next evening. And then he looked at my mother and asked her to come along. Come next evening, I had this male GE with a male assistant, doing a colonoscopy on me in my mother's presence. And in that part of the world, it is done without anaesthesia.
"I see something" exclaimed the GE right as he started…
(To be continued)..


text:
How presenters can best influence audiences
An interesting article from the Harvard Business Review entitled "Getting an Audience to Remember Your Presentation," by Art Markman of the University of Texas, states that the purpose of presentations is to influence the explicit memory of the audience. Markman argues that, for presentations to have high impact, speakers need to be aware of how information gets into memory.
Markman identifies three factors than can be used to improve what people remember. The first is to follow the right sequence.
Information presented at the beginning and end of a talk is always best remembered, he says. This is why it's critical to state the call to action up front. The audience should be encouraged to either apply the information or take action on it, and this should be clearly stated at the beginning of every business presentation.
It's important to set the tone for the sequence. According to Markman, "many speakers open their talks with an anecdote that is engaging, but only tangentially relevant to the topic of the presentation. The audience may easily recall this anecdote later, but it won't help them to learn what they really needed to know."
Opening with jokes or anecdotes that distract from the main topic is always risky. Do you want the audience to remember your jokes or how to apply or take action on your information?
Markman's second factor is to draw connections. To make his point, Markman uses a peanut analogy: "If you take peanuts out one at a time, you get three peanuts when you reach into the bowl three times. But, if you pour caramel over the peanuts, then when you pull one out, you get a whole cluster. After you draw from the bowl three times, you may have gotten almost all of the peanuts out."
He states that memory works the same way and "making connections among the key points in your talk helps pour caramel over the peanuts in memory and increases the amount that people remember from what you present."
The third factor is to make the audience work. Markman states that presentations must "provide opportunities for audiences to think for themselves." The more the audience thinks about the ideas in the presentation, the greater the likelihood they will remember those ideas later. It is important to control when the audience thinks and what they think about. As anyone who as attended one of my workshops or presentations know, pausing is essential. Pausing before you speak allows you to formulate the idea in your mind before articulating it. Pausing after each idea allows the audience time to think about and absorb your information, one idea at a time.
One of the most effective ways to influence memory is through conversational delivery. The best presentations emulate good conversations—whether someone is presenting to an audience of one or one thousand.
Think of the best presentations you have attended. What made the presenter memorable? It is the feeling that the presenter is speaking to us individually, even if we are in a room with a thousand other people. It is the feeling that they are having the same conversation with a group of people that they would have one-on-one.
This is how presenters achieve their business and communication outcomes. And, to paraphrase Professor Markman, this is how they change memories.
As someone who wrote his first speech for a senior executive more than 30 years ago, Eric Bergman provides presentation skills services to clients from his base in Toronto.
Contact Eric if you're interested in developing and delivering presentations that are authentic, credible and believable, and that apply the latest in cognitive techniques to the challenge of influencing and motivating audiences.
Crossing your arms is OK
Later, when we discussed body language in broadcast interviews, I crossed my arms and asked if this was appropriate body language for someone delivering a presentation or being interviewed on television. Everyone said it was inappropriate; I looked closed.
However, that was exactly what she did. I had been sitting at the back of the room at the time, with my video camera on a tripod, so I turned on the camera and recorded her after she crossed her arms while talking to the group. When I played back the tape, everyone was surprised that they hadn't noticed she had committed what is often known as a body language "sin."
The point I made to this group was that, because the HR director was communicating effectively and being herself, they did not even notice the body language. It was natural for her. Her body language was consistent with who she was and what she was saying.
If you were standing outside her office, she may have her arms crossed, but she would be listening with that special brand of attentiveness reserved for those who are truly in the "people" business.
Every of us is unique. Each of us has our own way of standing, talking and conveying our messages.
We need to "be ourselves" when engaged in a broadcast interview or presentation of any type. This is how we convey our personality, and this builds the trust that makes our message believable.
Simple trick to improve presentations? Turn off the projector
Not only do presenters often bore audiences, but in the worst circumstances, presenters bore themselves.
An interesting article in the Harvard Business Review entitled "The #1 Killer of Meetings (And What You Can Do About It)," Peter Bregman describes the journey he took to stop boredom and enhance engagement during his presentations. His conclusion is simple. If you don't want anyone to be bored during your meetings or presentations, there is one simple thing you can do: turn off the projector.
Bregman's transformation began after a two-day off-site meeting several years ago as he both watched and delivered slide-based presentations. In each presentation one of two things occurred: the audience tuned out or they poked holes in the presenter's content.
"People tune out because nothing is required of them," he explains in the article. "Or they poke holes because, if they don't tune out, it's the most interesting thing to do when someone is trying to prove there are no holes."
After his experience, Bregman was determined to find a better way. "Over time," he says, "I identified a single factor that makes the biggest difference between a great meeting and a poor one: PowerPoint. The best meetings don't go near it.
"PowerPoint presentations inevitably end up as monologues," he continues. "They focus on answers, and everyone faces the screen. But meetings should be conversations. They should focus on questions, not answers, and people should face each other. I know it sounds crazy, but I've found that even the hum of the projector discourages dialogue."
Blasey Ford and Kavanaugh: A tale of two media training approaches
Pause-answer-stop is the first skill I teach my clients. As Dr. Blasey Ford demonstrated, it is a wonderful defensive strategy for avoiding being quoted out of context, and it enables the person implementing that basic strategy to communicate effectively and credibly.
And it works. Dr. Blasey Ford was transparent. She was respectful. She communicated clearly. She maintained her credibility and, most of all, her dignity.
Justice Kavanaugh came out swinging. Yes, someone falsely accused of sexual assault would be upset. But once that emotion was expressed in an opening statement, if I had accepted an engagement with Justice Kavanaugh, my advice would have been to pause and think after the question is asked, to answer the question asked and only the question asked, and stop talking.
I wouldn't have taught him how to bridge to something more important than what was being asked (a common technique taught during traditional media training), nor would I have ever counselled him to be belligerent to the point of attempting to control the interview with a question like: "Have you ever drank to excess, Senator?"
I would have taught Justice Kavanaugh my proprietary defensive strategies, at least one of which Dr. Blasey Ford implemented during her testimony. And we would have dealt with the inevitable question: "Have you ever drank to excess?"
As one of my clients often says: "If you can survive Eric, you can survive anyone."
While my wife and I were watching his testimony, I turned to her and said that he was in for a long, long week because of his belligerence and his inability to answer the question and stop talking. I told her that he's going to be quoted out of context by everyone, and that his credibility would be in question. And that prediction has come true. Justice Kavanaugh has been quoted out of context all week, and his reputation is no better off today than it was a week ago.
The next time you're looking for media training, keep this comparison in mind. Who do you want your spokespeople to emulate?
Do you want them to strive for the credibility and poise of Dr. Blasey Ford? Or do you want them to try to control the interview, tell others what's important, talk too much, and be constantly quoted out of context?
The choice is yours.
Contact Eric if you're interested in having spokespeople be more like Dr. Blasey Ford than Justice Kavanaugh.
The illogical logic of not answering questions
In the article, Lazarus listened to a consultant provide the following advice during the media training session: "Get your message out, don't let a reporter interrupt you, try not to speak too quickly and try not to get off track with what you are there to talk about.
"They are going to ask you a question, you are going to answer with your key message, they are going to ask you another question, and you are going to have a second or third key message."
Maybe it's just me, but I just don't understand this logic.
The company has good news to share. They are cranking up the media relations machine to get reporters interested in their story. They're hoping the editors will respond by sending out a reporter, which will then result in "free" publicity for the firm.
When the reporter begins asking questions (which is, after all, what reporters do for a living), the spokesperson is going to ignore their questions and keep driving home key messages.
It sounds like an interesting way to develop relationships with reporters. You get us interested so we'll ask questions. When we ask them, you rudely ignore them and keep parroting key messages that would look better in an advertisement than a feature article. I wonder what will happen the next time the organization (or its agency) sends out a news release. If you were the editor, what would you do? I'd delete it in less time than it takes the average traditional media training consultant to say "key message."
Presentation lessons from Jack the Ripper's walk
At a designated spot overlooking the Tower of London, we met our affable Cockney guide, Pete. He was a character, our Pete, and he would have looked out of place in most boardrooms, training rooms and classrooms.
But the communication skills he demonstrated were exceptional, and should be envied and emulated by anyone who has to prepare and deliver presentations to others. We can all learn from "our Pete."
After he gathered his flock, he led us to our first stop—the remains of the old Roman wall that has traditionally divided London's east-enders from the rest of the city. "In 1888, half the children born on the east side of this wall didn't survive until their first birthday," Pete told us. "It was said that, for every 100 yards you traveled east, life expectancy dropped by a year."
I've often said that statistics should be to presentations as spice is to a meal—used sparingly. Too much ruins the main course, the story.
Pete told stories well
To illustrate his love of history, he told us a story of traveling to Hadrian's Wall as a school boy. (Hadrian's Wall is the roman wall that has traditionally separated England from Scotland.)
It was not a pleasant field trip, Pete informed us. It was raining. It was cold. He was miserable.
He was walking along the wall when he came to some Latin graffiti scratched into its side. He got out a piece of paper and his pencil, and rubbed the inscription so he could bring it to his Latin teacher.
When the Latin teacher read the inscription, he smiled. "You didn't enjoy yourself at Hadrian's Wall, did you," the teacher said. "No, sir," Pete replied.
"Apparently a man named Devinius wasn't enjoying himself either."
Pete clearly stated outcomes up front
Within a minute or two of gathering us together, Pete told us he hoped we would gain two things. First, he wanted us to learn more about life in late 19-century London, the city of his birth. Second, he wanted us to better understand why he's so proud to call London his home.
We gained both, in spades.
Pete knew that pausing is important for him and us
Pete paused to think before speaking. This enabled him to choose his words carefully so that each word out of his mouth added value.
Pete paused after he spoke. This allowed us to think about what he'd just said. He allowed us to process one thought before giving us another. He didn't try to overload us with information. The entire presentation was two-way and receiver-driven, while adhering to the principle of "less is more."
Pete used visuals sparingly, and well
When he brought us to a new location, he would introduce it and give us time to look at it. "This is not where one of the murders happened," he told us in one case. "But if we went there now, you'd all be disappointed because it's a parking lot. This is what London would have looked like in Jack's time."
He would pause to allow us to look around and let our imaginations work. When we started coming back to him, he continued his presentation.
He showed half a dozen pictures from his smartphone for emphasis. But again, he would tell us what we were going to see, then showed it. When he showed the picture, he moved the phone from person to person around the group, letting us absorb it. During those times, he never said a word.
Pete answered questions clearly and concisely
While he was always polite, he thankfully kept his answers short. This enabled many of us to ask a lot of questions. We learned from each other's curiosity, which only added to the educational experience for everyone.
Pete demonstrated excellent presentation and communication skills. He provided lessons of value that could be applied to every boardroom, training room, meeting room, conference hall and lecture hall on the planet.
So, if you're ever in London, look up our Pete and join him on his walk.
For the price of a movie ticket and pop, you'll gain insight into parts of London that most people don't see. You'll begin to share Pete's love for his city.
And, if you watch Pete at work, you'll gain insight into communicating effectively with others during all types of presentations from one of the most unlikely but effective of sources.
Kushner plays peek-a-boo
I'll bet it was the longest one minute and forty-seven seconds of his life.
Reporters started shouting questions as Mr. Kushner stood with his nose nearly pressed to the door in a bizarre adult version of peek-a-boo. You know the game. I can't see you, therefore you can't see me.
And the game became the story.
As anyone who knows me knows, I am not big a big fan of obfuscation. But I have always believed that spokespeople should protect themselves first and their organizations second—even spokespeople whose worldview is something to which I do not fundamentally agree or subscribe. In this case, obfuscation would have been vastly superior to the alternative of having your nose bizarrely pressed against the door.
What a seasoned unelected representative of the people would have done is switched places with the other person and quietly asked that person to continue gently knocking on the door. He or she could have then asked journalists for a quick second to call or text someone inside, and done one or the other. Then, a seasoned representative would have turned to face reporters who were asking relatively simple questions:
- Will there be a deal tonight on NAFTA?
- Are you concerned about the op-ed (in the New York Times)?
- How are things going on NAFTA? Is it ok?
- How is it going with Canada? Is there progress tonight?
- Any words on the mood of the room?
- Is Canada making any compromises?
Will there be a deal tonight on NAFTA?
"The negotiations are continuing on an agreement with Canada and I can't say when a deal will be finalized. However, I can assure you that both sides are putting forward their perspective and we will have to let the process unfold."
Are you concerned about the op-ed (in the New York Times)?
Yes, I am very concerned about it, and I can assure you that the president is very concerned about it as all. Particularly since the person who wrote it has chosen to remain anonymous. The president is extremely disappointed that someone within the White House has chosen to step outside of the privilege of their office to undermine this administration."
Yes, I know. If he did this he would say blah, blah, blah. But in this specific situation, impersonating one of my favourite cartoon characters would have trumped peek-a-boo every single time.
Tank, Bucket and Trough:
Secrets to presentation success
The first is that the true value of any presentation can only be found in what comes out of the presenter's mouth. The second is that the only thing that matters is how information goes out of the presenter's mouth into the long-term memory of individuals attending the presentation.
Believe it or not, tapping into how people listen is the secret to presentation success.
How listening worksListening involves both working memory (sometimes incorrectly called short-term memory) and long-term memory. When we listen to someone with the
When working memory is engaged with long-term memory, listening stops. As humans, we can either listen to what someone is currently saying, or we can process what the person has just said. We cannot do both; we cannot listen and think at the same time.
Any information not moved from working memory to long-term memory will be lost. It will not be retained, regardless of the best intentions of the person attempting to communicate, or how important that information is to the person or people attempting to listen.
If you've ever attended a fantastic presentation that you felt provided incredible value while you were there, but shortly after the presentation can't remember a darn thing the presenter said, you're familiar with what happens when working memory is overloaded. Nothing is retained; even the value you thought you were receiving cannot be later recalled.
The hitch to this process is that working memory is overloaded, which can happen very quickly, nothing is retained. Information spills out, never to be retrieved.
One Bucket at a TimeThe best way to understand how this works is to think of the sender of information (the presenter) as someone with a tank full of water that he or she would like to get across to a series of troughs, which represent the long-term memories of individual audience members. The only thing that has a chance of being remembered by the audience is water that makes it from the sender's tank to the receiver's trough.
The water has to be transported from tank to trough one bucket at a time. This represents how working memory takes small amounts of information to long-term memory, where it can be recalled later.
The audience fills their small bucket with information from the presenter. When the bucket has reached its limit, the bucket is taken to the appropriate trough and emptied.
Any water spilled while the bucket is on its way to or from the trough is lost forever. The process is repeated until the tank is empty or time runs out.
There are a couple of twists to this analogy. First, each bucket can only be filled at a conversational speed. If information comes too quickly, a spring releases at the bottom of the bucket and everything spills out, never to be retained. Working memory is overloaded.
Second, the spring gets sprung if the information is filled past a specific line on the bucket. Again, working memory is overloaded.
Either of these—the information coming too fast or too much information—overloads working memory. The presenter's information never makes it to the trough and is lost forever.
You fill too quickly if you don't pause during your presentations. The audience needs time—in silence—to move each small piece of information from tank to trough.
You fill past the line by showing the audience any form of written information while talking to them. Every slide that's shown or used when someone is talking—every situation in which there's something for the audience to read, to think about, to decode or to decipher—comes with a cognitive cost that results in working memory being overloaded. When working memory is overloaded, very little (if anything) makes it to the trough.
As researcher Dr. Christoph Wecker puts it, there is a "speech suppression" effect of PowerPoint. His research demonstrates that, when slides are used—even using what he calls "concise" slides that are less cluttered and fewer in number than the vast majority of slides you've seen in your life—the audience does not hear large portions of what the speaker is saying.
If you want to improve the amount of information that makes it from your tank to their trough—if you wish to increase your ability to inform or persuade any audience—you will be most successful if you do it one bucket at a time.
Don't deliver a presentation to your audience. Have a conversation with them, and they will better retain and use your ideas long after you have left the room.
Listening is critical during public consultation
The Toronto meeting was hosted by Metrolinx, a provincial government agency. Toronto councillor Georgio Mammoliti used it (hijacked it?) to reinforce his perspective that the $1.2 billion Finch LRT should be scrapped and replaced with more expensive subway service.
According to a Toronto Star article, residents "appeared to be divided on the LRT-versus-subway issue."
The Star article says meeting descended to shouting when Councillor Mammoliti refused to let a Metrolinx representative finish a presentation about the LRT project. (I wasn't there, so I can't say if this was what was presented at the meeting, but Metrolinx has a presentation on its website about the Finch LRT.)
There are three concepts to be considered here that anyone involved in public consultation should consider.
First, questions should be answered, not ignored. At 1:07 of the video, a resident is interviewed by the CTV reporter. "I asked the question 'what are you going to do for safety for the children'," this resident says. "He started talking about the budget. I don't care about the budget. I care about my kids."
If Councillor Mammoliti was asked and he bridged to the budget, my advice would be that he might want to be perceived as a better listener, especially during an election year and at a meeting attended by someone who ran against him during the last election and may very well run against him this fall. When child safety is the issue, people are never swayed by talk of dollars, cents and projections.
If a Metrolinx representative was asked the question, the opportunity was missed to respond with: "Everything we can." If people want to know what that involves, based on their understanding of the project at that moment in time and their own children, they'll ask more questions. I would, and so would many others.
Second, people with burning questions care less about a presentation than they do about the answers to their questions. At 1:30 of the embedded video, the reporter points out that the Metrolinx presentation was cut short to move on to questions.
I've often counselled that when the room is divided, it can be prudent answer first and present later—if it's still necessary to present at all. I've seen many situations in which dozens of questions answered clearly and concisely provides the community with everything it needs to know. If they want to know more, they can read it or inquire about it later. Sometimes, the "Contact us" slide needs to be the only one shown.
Third, the kiss of death in issues management is the phrase "you're not listening." In any form of public consultation, listening triumphs all. And there is no better way to demonstrate listening skills than answering questions clearly and concisely. Logically, you can't answer someone's question if you're not actually listening.
If remembered and applied, these three concepts can help manage real or perceived hostility. When they're combined with the polarization model (which I presented to the North American conference of the International Association for Public Participation last September in Denver), they're a powerful force for ensuring that those affected by a decision can understand and potentially have input into that decision in a meaningful way.
And makes it less likely that the "other" side, whichever side that is, can hijack the meeting and decrease its success.
Issues, crises and social media tornadoes
Presentation to the Canadian Public Relations Society by
Sarah K. Jones, APR, FCPRS, LM and Eric Bergman, APR, ABC, MC, FCPRS
Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of co-presenting with Sarah K. Jones to the Canadian Public Relations Society on the topic of "Issues, crises and social media tornadoes." Using Tim Hortons as a case in point, Sarah and I provided insights into how public relations professionals could better prepare their organizations for the issues, crises and social media tornadoes that often lie just beyond the horizon.
Anticipating Stormy Weather
Sarah began by encouraging participants to think of the weather as a metaphor for managing issues. During winter, for example, Canadians assume that the weather will be cold, so they dress appropriately. If they're planning a road trip during winter, they check the forecast for snow.
"For any communications professional, assuming there's stormy weather somewhere on the horizon ahead should be a primary job motivator," Sarah explained. "Preparing for same should be part of every job description."
She pointed out that it's critical to constantly ask questions. Where do storms pop up for the organization? Does it happen regularly? Is there a pattern?
How do you monitor what your stakeholders are saying? What are traditional and social media saying about your industry, your competitors, or your company? How do you monitor social media?
As the Tim Hortons case proved, whether or not PR professionals work in a directly regulated environment, it's critical to pay attention to provincial and federal government activities and events—things like election promises, ministry initiatives, proposed legislation, economic statements and budgets all provide insights. If you don't monitor the landscape, be prepared to be busy.
"My personal motto throughout my career is that it's always better to spend five minutes at the front end identifying what needs to happen," she explained. "It's always better than spending five weeks at the back end cleaning up the mess."
Stormy Weather Components
During the middle section, I talked about separating stormy weather into its components, so it can be better prevented and managed. To do this, I briefly explained the differences between issues, emergencies and crises.
"The dictionary defines an issue as an unresolved problem that has the potential of escalating into a dispute," I said. "But that's a long definition for someone originally from Alberta. To me, an issue is a fight looking for a place to happen."
When someone "takes issue" with the organization, they're mapping out the lines of that dispute. The crisis occurs when issues escalate out of control. Media attention, whether traditional or social, leads to public scrutiny. The organization goes on trial in the court of public opinion.
An emergency is sudden, relatively unexpected event that demands serious attention and prompt action. But an emergency is not necessarily a crisis.
A crisis is a turning point. The crisis point is successfully passed if the resolution of one or more issues leads to positive change—a healthier organization after the resolution of an issue. If the positive turning point is not achieved, however, negative change is most often manifested as a hit on the company's brand.
"It's amazing how much crisis management and brand health have become intertwined over past 25 years," I pointed out. "As Sarah so eloquently stated, if issues are clearly identified and subsequently managed, the odds of them escalating into crisis is drastically reduced."
Mitigating Stormy Weather
For this section of the presentation, we provided three actions that public relations professionals that can use to help decision-makers do the right thing.
Once you speak their language, it's important to get their attention. Humans will not change their behaviour without feeling some form of discomfort. The difficult part of this concept is that to get the attention of decision-makers, it's important to make them feel uncomfortable with the status quo. If not enough discomfort is introduced with the weather report and potential fallout, they will ignore it. Likewise, if too much discomfort is introduced, the weather report will also be ignored. The sweet spot is somewhere in between.
Finally, once you have their attention, it's important to change their behaviour. We introduced a number of ideas and tools participants could use to help change the behaviour of management groups they advise. It's never a good idea to bring a problem without a solution, and we introduced a final tool that helps define potential solutions, identifies pluses and minuses of each solution, and the potential outcome of each proposed solution.
If participants learn to effectively manage stormy weather, they'll spend less time dealing with the aftermath. If they learn to break stormy weather into its component parts—issues, emergencies and crises—they better manage and prevent stormy weather. If participants have a larger tool base, they will better mitigate and manage any storms that arrive.
"We hope we've provided a wider range of tools to better prepare your organizations for issues, crises and social media tornadoes," Sarah concluded. "That way, you'll better help your clients and yourself prepare for any problems that often lie just beyond the horizon."
Toronto's LGBTQ Community Should Be Extremely Disappointed
Currently, it's a very relevant question. Toronto Police Service recently applied to march in Toronto's annual Pride parade, only to be asked by organizers and other community groups to withdraw their application. The relationship between the Toronto Police Service and the community has been strained for decades; it's something I've observed since arriving to Toronto 31 years ago. This strained relationship recently came to a head with the arrest of alleged serial killer Bruce McArthur, and investigators are probing for links to potential disappearances of gay men in Toronto as far back as 40 years ago.
Before interviewing deputy chief Barbara McLean, Galloway played a short clip from an interview the previous day with Toronto city councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, who weighed in on the relationship between Toronto police and the LGBTQ community.
"There is something very wrong with the institution of the police—and policing—with the LGBTQ community," she said.
When he started the interview with the deputy chief, Galloway's first question built on Wong-Tam's quote. "Do you agree with Kristyn Wong-Tam that there is, in her words, something very wrong with the institution of police and policing with the LGBTQ community?"
Folks, this is a closed question. Closed questions generally require a "yes" or "no" as the answer although, as I teach in my media training program, it is possible to also to use "it depends," "potentially" or "under certain circumstances."
However, in this case, the answer is "yes." Everyone knows it. The police service was just asked to withdraw its request to march in the community's annual parade. They weren't asked to withdraw because the relationship is working well.
Does the deputy chief acknowledge this fact? Barely. In a typical, outdated, bridging approach, she then proceeds to talk about what's important to her.
"I'm actually focused on that issue, Matt," she begins, leaving us with some hope that she'll address it directly. But she doesn't. She has obviously been trained to then talk about her message.
"Looking at where I sit on the organizational chart in human resources command, focused on what we're needing to do for our modernization. And when we think about what a modern police service is, it's about relationships. And that's what I'm really focused on in the work that I'm doing."
Galloway cuts her off and asks—heaven forbid—another closed question. "Do you think there's something wrong with the way police are policing the community?"
"I actually always think there's opportunities to listen to the community and take that back and see if there are ways we can do things better …"
Blah. Blah. Blah.
Why would anyone believe the Toronto Police Service listens to the community—any community—when one of the service's top representatives isn't listening to what this interviewer is asking about concerns this specific community is openly asking?
As I've said to thousands of participants in my media training program over the past 25 years, the best way to demonstrate effective listening skills is to answer someone's questions clearly and concisely. The "constantly bridging" approach during media interviews is an outdated paradigm that fools nobody. Don't try to be clever by talking about what's important to you. Answer the question because, if you don't answer the question—especially a critically important question—everybody will assume the worst. You're not fooling anyone except, perhaps, yourself.
A little later, Galloway asks the critically important question for this interview: "Do you believe police treat members of the LGBTQ community differently than they treat other members of the public?"
"I believe our relationship with the LGBTQ community is important," deputy chief McLean waffles forward, "as it is with any community."
Galloway politely cuts her off. "This is a specific and important question," he says. "Do you think the police treat members of the community differently?"
"I think what we want to do is that relationship is very important," she waffles. "The relationship is very important and we're listening to the community …"
"But I'm not sure that answers the question," Galloway says, before attempting a third time. "Can you unequivocally say that people in the LGBTQ community are treated the same as they would be if they are from another community?"
This time, the deputy chief at least admits she can't answer that because she's not at the front lines (which is, in essence, a bit of a copout—pun fully intended). If I were a member of Toronto's LGBTQ community, I would be extremely disappointed by her response. And, if I were an officer on the front lines, I wouldn't be all that motivated to change my behaviour if I am treating someone differently.
As my media training clients know, I believe messages should be directed to specifically identifiable audiences important to the organization's success, with the goal of influencing the attitude, opinions and behaviour or those specific audiences. In this case, there was a clear opportunity to both answer the question and send a message internally and externally.
"I sincerely hope that members of the LGBTQ community are not treated differently," she could have said, particularly as an openly gay individual herself. "And if any issues of being treated differently come to my attention, I can assure members of the community that they will be dealt with immediately."
Judge for yourself. The interview is posted below.
Witless in Witless Bay
This particular issue is unfolding in the village of Witless Bay, Newfoundland, a community of 1,000 souls on the Avalon Peninsula—located about a half-hour south of St. John's and east of Butter Pot Provincial Park.
In other words, they are using taxpayer money to investigate whether they can retaliate against those who speak up against them on social media.
Perhaps someone should remind them that they were acclaimed as elected officials, not named supreme leaders because nobody ran against them.
There are a few other things worth noting. First, one of the councillors, developer Fraser Paul, was recently taken to court by local resident Lorna Yard. Mr. Paul was elected in a by-election in 2016. However, Ms. Yard made the case that he faked his residency in the town prior to the election and did not meet the six-month residency requirement required in municipal election rules, which require candidates to be residents in a local area 30 days before being nominated.
The Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador agreed. Mr. Paul was forced to step down before establishing a permanent residence in the community prior to the 2017 election, when he become one of the acclaimed members of council.
Second, there is a long-standing dispute over Ragged Beach, an area for whale- and puffin-watchers that someone (perhaps a developer who's now on council?) would like to see developed. There's a big hint here. Whenever someone develops a "Friends of …" presence, whether on or off social media—such as "Friends of Ragged Beach"—it's a strong hint that it's time to stop talking, sit down and listen. In my experience "Friends of …" movements do not go quietly into the dark night.
You have the same choice I've seen while advising clients on issues across the country. Either listen to what they say or enter into a dispute in which they try to ram their words down your throat—some more gently than others.
Third, one of the first acts of this new council was to revoke the town's existing policy manual that provides direction on a number of issues, including transparency. To be fair, the manual was only enacted by the previous council. However, transparency is much easier to evoke than revoke because, when it's revoked, everyone's first thought becomes "what are they hiding?"
Free advice
I have some free advice for this council. First, although my understanding of libel and slander is rudimentary, I do know that I can say or write anything about someone as long as: a. It's true and b. I can prove it's true.
For example, it's quite easy to say that Mr. Paul cheated in 2016. Ergo, it wouldn't be a stretch to call him a cheater. Obviously, that's not what the Supreme Court would have said, but the inference can be made when he was asked (forced?) to step down for stretching the rules. The people posting on social media for which this council decided to seek legal help to quash opinions have been nicer than I was in this paragraph.
Second, if you think that eliminating a policy for transparency or changing meeting times for council in an effort to make it difficult for others to attend is all you need to do to get your way, you are truly being witless. These people aren't going away. Threatening them is nothing short of bullying and all you're doing is bringing a global social media microscope to everything you do. If you thought it was tough to get your way before, welcome to the 21st century.
Third, if you can't sit down, listen and negotiate, no amount of criminal lawyer assistance will help you. This issue has extended well beyond Witless Bay (I can't wait to see how you plan to financially punish me from my office here in Toronto for criticizing your actions).
Gather your wits, swallow your pride, listen carefully and talk prudently, and represent your constituents effectively.
And be thankful you don't live in a place called Transparency Bay.
The Fallacy of Ambush Interviews
How many of us have attended meetings in which someone in the management group says, "I really hope reporters don't get ahold of this"? If such a comment is ever made at a meeting, the organization should never be ambushed. It needs no other warning because it has, quite frankly, warned itself.
Realistically, any organization has 20 to 30 minutes to get its ducks in a row before facing journalists, even if a CNN news team is waiting at reception. I sat as a member of IABC's international accreditation committee for 12 years. As part of the examination process, candidates were removed one at a time from the four-hour written exam, taken to a separate room and given a disaster of the day that always had a media relations component.
In every one of these cases, whether an e-coli outbreak or an environmental spill, candidates knew they had at least 30 minutes to prepare themselves and their spokespeople after the television news crew arrived. They needed to ensure the news crew wasn't wandering the halls, but then could take some time to prepare themselves and/or their spokespeople.
Of course, if the organization is trying to hide from journalists and the outside world because its actions are indefensible, there is no need for media training in the first place. No amount of ambushing during training will persuade them to take responsibility for their actions or change their decision-making to make their actions more defensible in the future.
If you speak to people who have been ambushed in media training (and I have) and ask them about the experience, you'll find that this tactic does not build confidence. More often than not, it has exactly the reverse effect. It has a negative impact on the person ambushed, and a similar impact on others in the training session. It works against the creation of a relatively safe environment that many adult educators believe is conducive to effective learning.
Research clearly shows that "adults learn best in an environment in which they feel safe and supported." The use of ambush interviews creates neither a safe nor a supported learning environment.
During media training, it is often important to impress upon executives that speaking to journalists is not like speaking to anyone else. As famous Canadian journalist Allan Fotheringham once put it: "The only friend a journalist has is another journalist." I believe there are better ways to demonstrate the dangers and pitfalls of being a spokesperson without belittling or potentially humiliating training participants.
Spokespeople need to be confident if they're going to effectively represent (and subsequently protect) themselves and their organizations. Every aspect of training should be focused on demonstrating the potential challenges of dealing with journalists, while constantly building spokesperson confidence.
I believe ambush interviews build fear, not confidence. And that's why I don't use them in the media training program I offer, At Ease With the Media.
The Crisis Brewing at Tim Hortons
When the minimum wage in the province of Ontario increased by approximately 21 per cent to $14.00 per hour on January 1, two franchisees in Cobourg, Ontario (about an hour east of Toronto), sent a letter to employees stating that benefits would be scaled back to offset the cost.
Other franchisees followed suit, cutting back on everything from medical insurance to paid breaks and a free drink at the end of a shift. While we could argue that some of these seem petty, there is an economic reality here of which we shouldn't lose sight.
The increase in minimum wage will hurt franchisees, costing approximately a quarter million dollars per location. This is money that comes directly out of owners' pockets. And it will hurt. Their profitability has been declining. About a year ago, they formed a franchisee association to bring this fact to the attention of the owner of the Tim Hortons brand, Restaurant Brands International (RBI)—months before anyone in Ontario even heard of a $14.00 minimum wage.
For managing their businesses to adjust to labour costs that could rise from 30 per cent to 43 per cent of franchise costs, franchisees have been labelled "bullies" for picking on workers by Ontario's premier Kathleen Wynne and "rogue(s)" for messing with the Tim Hortons brand by RBI.
Quite the tempest. And nary a teapot to be found!
Advising the Franchisees
With an issue like this (which is not yet a crisis), if I were advising the franchisees, I would encourage them to not back down. I would strongly urge them to not stoop to the name-calling tactics of the premier and brand owner—to instead tell the honest story of how this impacts their stores, their families and their communities. I would also suggest that they consider focusing on the profitability of the Tim Hortons brand owner as a lever to get the corporation's attention.
The objective of any media relations activity would be to motivate the premier to acknowledge that franchisees are hard-working, tax-paying contributors to Ontario society and the communities in which they operate—ideally she should apologize for calling franchisees bullies—and to entice RBI to work with franchisees to find some middle ground while subtly reminding the brand owner that the minimum wage will soon rise elsewhere across the country.
This can only be done with a balanced, logical response—not by stooping to the name-calling tactics of the other players in this drama.
Advising the Brand Owner
If I were advising Restaurant Brands International, Inc., I would encourage them to sit at the table and listen—really listen—to what franchisees are saying. There are many hints that franchisees believe the brand owner is not listening— the formation of a franchisee association and an article in The Globe and Mail last September that highlights declining profitability.
As I've pointed out to clients for nearly 30 years, the phrase "you're not listening" is either one or two things, and it's their choice which. "You're not listening" is always an early warning sign in issues management. If the warning isn't heeded, "you're not listening" can become the kiss of death in a crisis.
How likely is RBI to truly listen? Not likely, I'm afraid. A recent study showed that the very best organizations at listening devote less than one-third of their resources to listening—i.e. they talk twice as much as the listen.
For RBI's sake, I hope they're different. Right now, failing to listen may be the biggest threat to the Tim Hortons brand. (And make no mistake, other franchisees are watching.)
Advising the Government
If I were advising Kathleen Wynne, I would first urge her to quit being a bully by calling franchisees bullies. (If you're interested in more about bullies, look me up on Facebook and read my post there.) And I would point out that she may have missed a glorious opportunity to come out of this smelling like a rose.
A quick search would have revealed that franchisees feel they're being squeezed. Instead of calling them names to champion the downtrodden, she could have advocated on behalf of franchisees—perhaps not a bad thing to do during an election year.
She could have said that she knows they're under pressure. But she could also could have used her spotlight to publicly encourage Restaurant Brands International to meet with franchisees and work out a solution beneficial to all. After all, as the company has publicly said: "Owner profitability is the backbone of our system."
A media-savvy premier would encourage them to put their profits where their policy appears to be.


text:
By George Clack (Editor)
Read Online or Download Art on the Edge: 17 Contemporary American Artists (2009) (For the ART in Embassies Program) PDF
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Additional info for Art on the Edge: 17 Contemporary American Artists (2009) (For the ART in Embassies Program)
Sample text
As I worked, the play between these found portraits of actors and their publicity stills went more into manner and style, and the amplification historical moments give to them. I work evenly between painting, drawing, and moving image, and I want my work to be specifically referential, extremely personal, and ultimately generalized and moving. Among other things, the work is self-implicating — a diagram of my own preoccupations. " Matt Saunders Udo (Egomania), 2001 Oil on linen 39 x 48 in. 9 cm) Courtesy of the artist and Lombard-Freid Fine Arts, New York, New York 61 Matt Saunders Hairdresser #2 (Udo and Elisabeth), 2003 Oil on linen 44 x 61 in.
It frequently neglects the presence of the viewer in its focus. The very nature of scientific analysis eliminates the subjective experience in favor of objective data. Art has a freer tongue and many L E V Y in which the viewers are both seeing the natural world and are aware of their part in it at the same time. My installations investigate aspects of the natural processes which make each site as we know it. Bringing the wind indoors to blow across a compass of 1,000 flags, mapping a river with waters from its tributaries and collecting the summer's rainfall are all sculptural inventions which make the invisible forces of nature more salient to the viewer.
Valerie Demianchuk Untitled (Cactus) (detail), 2001 Pencil on paper 29 x 23 in. 4 cm) overall Collection of Morley and Jane Safer; courtesy of George Adams Gallery, New York, New York 33 Valerie Demianchuk Self, 2002 Pencil on paper 40 x 30 in. 2 cm) Courtesy of the artist and George Adams Gallery, New York, New York Valerie Demianchuk Wing (detail), 2000 Pencil on paper 20-1/2 x 29 in. 7 cm) overall The Contemporary Museum, Honolulu: Purchased with funds given by the REC Fund — Roberta Ching Lee; James Napier; and funds derived from a gift from John Young, by exchange, 2002; courtesy of George Adams Gallery, New York, New York 34 Valerie Demianchuk Dance, 2002 Graphite on paper 57-1/2 x 45 in.


text:
Toys for Tots has been going on for a long time in Little Rock. It is currently going on, on the little "Toy Hill" just above War Memorial Stadium. I was there last weekend. KAAY used to be the main promoter of the event. I remember the last time I was there with KAAY. This was about in 1966 or 1967. I was no longer at the station, I had gone into TV just a few months earlier. My best D.J. friend from KAAY was doing his Toys For Tots campaign there. His on air name was Buddy Carr. Back then, as in his promotion, a jock stayed with the campaign round the clock. This particular Buddy Carr, of which there were three, was my friend Richard Wiethan. The station did not have a Fun Mobile or the likes, just the Mobile News Cruiser. That big ole white station wagon with all the radios and the red KAAY on the roof with several antennas. I visited late at night and hung out with Richard in the warm car in between cut-ins with the D.J. back at the station. As usual, listeners were invited to come out, bring toys and visit with Buddy Carr. A couple of them also recognized me and asked for an autograph. Rather then go into a long explanation, I most likely gave it to them......"Well, you see, yes, I was Sonny Martin, and yes, I am on the radio, but that is really Matt White and not me anymore, there are kind of two of us....." This was to be Richard's last Christmas, as he was killed in a National Guard training accident the next summer. I lost my best friend and KAAY retired the name after the accident.
Some one had written earlier that Lin Broadcating owned the names used on the air, and that is true. One thing that was not always true though, was the fact that KAAY went to the name pool of the longest un-used name to give to a new D.J. We went through so many late night "Robbins", one right after the other, that it was many times impossible. Usually the first name changed, like Bob Robbins, to Rob Robbins, to Rock Robbins....etc. I left KAAY on a Friday as Sonny Martin (ll) and Monday there was Sonny Martin (lll) on the air with the same name, same shift, different personality, different voice. Oh well, I suppose just like in politics, radio listeners too, have a short memory.
A side note......The local United States Marine Corp Reserve unit has always been a major partner in the local Toys for Tots campaign. I took toys this past weekend, but also took the opportunity to visit with my son (ok, step-Son), a USMC Iraqi War Vet, that I am most proud of.---
Also the current long time radio supporter of the Toys For Tots campaign is KSSN, a long time popular Country station in Little Rock. Their long time morning D.J. is Bob Robbins. Sound familar? Yep, he was the last of the Robbins at KAAY a hundred years ago. (Sorry Bob, I could not resist). And yes, he could take his name across the street because Lin Broadcasting was no longer the owner of KAAY.
The Christmas Season was always special at KAAY, but so was every other season!
Sonny/Jerry Martin/Sims