text:
HOMEStrategies for building awareness for the potential of peace education in Cameroon Ben Oru Mforndip
Has Democracy Enhanced Development in Africa? Conrad John Masabo
Permanent Emergency Powers in France: The 'Law to Strengthen Internal Security and the Fight Against Terrorism' and the Protection of Human Rights Lena Muhs
Women's Political Representation in Sri Lanka: Leading towards Prosperity or Peril Pujika Rathnayake
Lack of empathy as a threat to peace Victoria Scheyer
The death of democracy in Honduras Daniel Bagheri S.
Berta Vive Daniel Bagheri Sarvestani
The Persons Who Changed the Lives of Terrorists and Criminals Surya Nath Prasad
RECENT ARTICLES Teaching Peace from Tales of the City: Peace Education through the Memoryscapes of Nagasaki Patporn Phoothong
Reflections of Refugees in Africa Wyclife Ong'eta Mose
Challenges and prospects of AU to implement the Ezulwini Consensus: The case of collective security and the use of force Tunamsifu Shirambere Philippe
The Right to Food Shant Melkonian
Freedom of Expression Under Threat in Zambia Mariateresa Garrido
Douglas Janoff on LGBTQIA Human Rights Luciana Téllez
Common Things: Communication, Community, Communal Peacebuilding Lina Patricia Forero Martínez
The political Crisis of the 2017 Honduran Election Daniel Bagheri S.
Water Security in the Sixaola River Basin Adrián Martinez Blanco and Diana Ubico Durán
Reborn Arunima Chouguley
An Open Letter to the American People: Political Responsibility in the Nuclear Age Richard Falk, David Krieger, and Robert Laney
Past Interview
Not expecting Serious Trouble
Rafael Velasquez
July 12, 2006
The UN, through its mission in the DRC, has embarked in its most ambitious electoral-support endeavor yet. Rafael Velasquez our South Africa correspondent had the opportunity to meet up with General Mujahid Alam, Head of the Pretoria Liaison Office of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), to discuss the ongoing preparations for the upcoming elections in an exclusive interview.
MONUC's General Mujahid Alam tells Rafa Valsquez that he is "not expecting serious trouble" in this exclusive interview
The second
The UN, through its mission in the DRC, has embarked in its most ambitious electoral-support endeavor yet. I had the opportunity to meet up with General Mujahid Alam, Head of the Pretoria Liaison Office of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), to discuss the ongoing preparations for the upcoming elections.
The Elections:
RV: One of the former rebel groups, the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD), seems very unpopular and is likely to loose most of its current power in the upcoming elections. This has in the past meant and upsurge of violence in the east and could present a challenge to the elections and the transition in the DRC. What can be done, what is being done and what do you expect will happen regarding this issue?
GMA: You see, the way we look at it in the UN and MONUC is that, for us, all the political parties, all the political players are equal, and we treat them equally with due respect. We wish for them the best in the elections. At this stage it is difficult to say what would be the outcome of the elections, because there are no scientific polls being carried out, so whatever estimation one can make, it is of a generalized nature, but you are right, the RCD, which is a major player now in the transitional government, may not come out very strongly in the elections. It is quiet possible that this may happen to other parties, it may happen with the MLC which also has a vice-president and is also a major player. This might even be the case for the PPRD which, you know, is the party of president Kabila. So one doesn't really know, but overall I would share your concern. Irrespective of whether it is RCD, MLC or any other party, if they do not do well in the elections and they do not have the same influence politically as they do now, there could be a factor for major concern if the future policy of the elected government in the DRC is not a policy of inclusivity. That is the message that we are sending to all of them. Irrespective of the outcome of the elections a situation where the winner takes all will not really work in a country like the DRC, which is still only now trying to come out of such a prolonged period of problems. Irrespective of which party wins or which parties loose there has to be a policy of inclusiveness. A political system will have to be formed where all the major key players feel that they have a stake in the future of the country. This is something that needs to be addressed and that is the message of the UN and MONUC through the head of our mission, ambassador Swing. We all are giving this message to all the major players, from president Kabila to the deputy presidents to all the major parties. We do not expect any serious trouble in the post-electorate situation irrespective of which party looses if this whole situation is handled in a very pragmatic and prudent manner. If there is a willingness for accommodation, if there is a willingness for tolerance then we feel that the situation will remain under control but if these recommendations are not taken into consideration then of course this could lead to some problems, but it is premature to say that only the RCD may loose in the east and that it may revert to creating problems I think it will not really be fair to say that at this stage.
RV: Etienne Tshisekedi's
GMA: Etienne Tshisekedi's case is different from that of the RCD or MNLC or other parties in the sense that Etienne Tshisekedi and his party, the UDPS, did not take part in the voter registration (they boycotted it), subsequently when the electoral schedule was announced they again abstained from participating –they said that they did not want to be a part of this electoral process–. Now, this has happened despite all possible efforts made by the UN, MONUC the AU, the EU and the government of
RV: The role of media in peace conflict and peacebuilding is a subject of growing interest. How is MONUC's radio station, Radio Okapi, 'gearing up' for the upcoming elections?
GMA: This is one of the priority areas for us. Civic education, public information, the outreach campaign, and support to the media are absolutely major priorities for us and a lot of efforts have been put into this. As you know, the national media of
RV: Speaking of logistics, you job sounds impossible. You are looking at holding the first elections in 45 years in a country the size of
GMA: Logistics for the elections are, I think, the biggest challenge for MONUC for the UN and for the International Community. I have no hesitation in saying that. You yourself said it, 60 million people, a country the size of
On the exploitation of natural resources:
RV: In 2001, you were a member of the Panel of Expert for the DRC established by the UN to investigate the illegal exploitation of natural resources and other forms of wealth. The DRC is Africa's most resource-rich country in
GMA: A lot needs to be addressed, a lot more needs to be done regarding the illegal exploitation of DRC's natural resources. The current situation is far from satisfactory. The DRC resources are still being exploited and plundered both by internal as well as external actors. A lot more has to be done, the resources of the country should be utilized for the benefit of the country, as a matter of priority, as a matter of principle, there is no doubt about it. However, the governmental structures are still very weak. The system, the rules and the laws are still very weak. The political will to address this problem needs be strengthened the country needs a lot of support from outside, it does not have the technical or the administrative expertise to ensure that mining licenses, for example, or prospecting licenses are given in a proper, transparent way. Whatever production there is, mineral extraction or any other activity, there needs to be proper accountability, whatever taxes have to be paid, whatever duties have to be paid. Very little of that is being done at the present, but we hope that after the elections with the newly elected government these things will slowly then start materializing. But as I said, will the country itself be able to do it? Not it all, they will need a great deal of support from outside, from outside intuitions from outside countries and all to make sure that this illegal exploitation and plundering of resources is stopped. Yes, some of the neighboring countries have a role to play, they had their hands in this as we all know, exploiting the DRC's resources, and they need to be pressured and make sure to stop this completely, completely.
On sexual exploitation by peacekeepers:
RV: As a military consultant and analyst with the UN Secretary-General's Investigative Team to the DRC you investigated allegation of serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. What has the UN done to prevent and punish the perpetrators of sexual exploitation and abuse among its peacekeepers?
GMA: Let me say that sexual exploitation and abuse is an offense, a crime which we at the UN, MONUC and the head of our mission, totally condemn. There can be absolutely no question of tolerating it, no question of impunity, no question of accepting it. This has been an insult on the name of the UN. We are very determined to stamp it out, to take the strongest possible actions against any offender and a lot of measures have been put in place to do this. Starting right from the Secretary-General and UN headquarter in
The International Community and the DRC
RV: Former Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali was strongly criticized by some and strongly praised by others for exposing the double standards of the international community when facing the atrocities in
GMA: I don't know whether one can call it double standards, but I must say that the apathy of the International Community towards the DRC for a long, long time has been certainly a matter of very serious concern. There are estimates which consider that in the last four, five, six years -ever since these recent problems- almost 4 million people have lost their lives. Even today, 1500 people on an average loose their lives daily, due to disease, hunger and poverty. This is absolutely scandalous, and it is shameful that this kind of situation has been allowed to exist for so long, but as you know the international community also in the last 5- 6 years has invested a great deal in the DRC. Yes, per capita it is not enough, a lot more needs to be done but a lot has been done a lost has been put into place, the present international support and commitment towards the DRC is unprecedented, it has never been there before and this is something that needs to be capitalized, something that needs to be consolidated. Nevertheless, I feel very strongly that the outside world still does not know, it is still not fully aware of all the misery, all the depravation all the humanitarian crises that still exists in the DRC. I feel they need to be aware of it, it is the biggest, largest, ongoing human tragedy in the world and the outside world needs to be made aware of that. I think
RV: Thank you for your time General.
GMA: Thank you.


text:
Alona Tal is an Israeli actress and singer. She has starred on such series as "Cult," "Burn Notice," and "Supernatural," as well as recorded with artist Wyclef Jean.
Alona Tal was born in HerzLiya, Israel on October 20, 1983. Growing up in Israel, she is of the Jewish faith, although when asked about religion, she simply describes herself as "spiritual." Although now a rising actress and singer, her career path started out much different than the majority in this particular field. In fact, it would be safe to say that most actress haven't served on the Israel Defense Forces. However, this was Alona's profession prior to getting into acting.
Once out of the military, Alona's first acting gig came in the form of a children's musical video tape, in which she played an evil witch. She then went on to appear in an Israeli laundry detergent commercial before finally landing a lead role in the film, "Lihiyot Kochav," or "To Be a Star." From here, she was offered roles on two Israeli TV shows, both of which she took. Of course, being a passionate singer as well, she began songs with Israeli rapper, Subliminal, too.
Related: Which Country Has the Hottest Women?
Eventually, Alona moved to New York City to pursue both careers more. It was while here that she met fellow singer, Wyclef Jean, and recorded the song "Party to Damascus" with him. She sang the chorus of the song in Hebrew. While Alona is a talented singer, she is better known for her acting, which really took off once she found her way to the U.S. She originally auditioned for the lead role on the series, "Veronica Mars." Even though she didn't get the part, creator Rob Thomas liked her so much that he created a recurring role for the actress on the series. This exposure lead not only to guest spots on shows such as "Supernatural" and "Burn Notice," but eventually lead roles on the short-lived series "Cane" and "Cult."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
From Clearwater, Florida, USA:
My 10 year daughter has had approximately 8-9 seizures in the last 4-5 years. At the start, she was not diabetic, nothing could be physically found to be wrong. After the first 2 seizures, she was put on Tegretol [an anti-seizure medication] because of a perceived seizure disorder, or at least a sensitivity to them. Later she developed diabetes.
During all of this, she had difficulty in school. As she had been seizure free, we stopped the Tegretol. She did much better in school. She typically runs on the high side, and recently we were told to start mixing Humalog with NPH. Since then, she has had 2 seizures. How low does blood sugar need to be to cause a seizure? During the seizure prior to the last, I measured it and it was in the high 50s. The last one it was around 80 well into the seizure. The problem I am facing is, as I do not want her to start Tegretol again, is how does one convince the doctors it is diabetic, or if it is seizures or a combination of the two? I find it interesting that all the seizures have always occurred when her blood sugar was not high, in other words, it was 80 or below. My understanding is the rate of falling can cause a seizure, as well as it naturally goes up during a seizure. Help! How do I get people (doctors) to work together open-mindedly?
This is a difficult problem. The fact that the numbers were as low as you describe, makes me think maybe hypos. 80 will not cause a seizure, 50 very unlikely. Maybe 40, but again not likely. So, you don't have confirmatory data. Could a 50 mix with an underlying seizure disorder: maybe, but I'm not an expert here. Sounds like you need more data.
PS: it is difficult for the doctors too, to sort it out.
Original posting 13 Aug 1999
Posted to Hypoglycemia
|Return to the Top of This Page
Last Updated: Tuesday April 06, 2010 15:09:06
This Internet site provides information of a general nature and is designed for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your own health or the health of your child, you should always consult with a physician or other health care professional.
This site is published by T-1 Today, Inc. (d/b/a Children with Diabetes), a 501c3 not-for-profit organization, which is responsible for its contents. Our mission is to provide education and support to families living with type 1 diabetes.
By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use, Legal Notice, and Privacy Policy.
© Children with Diabetes, Inc. 1995-2018. Comments and Feedback.


text:
06/16/2017 - A 12 UNIfloc – The Art of Automatic Bale Opening
The A 12 UNIfloc is the new automatic bale opener from Rieter. It is part of the blowroom line VARIOline and supplies the downstream machines and cards with material. With the A 12, the VARIOline attains a production rate of over 2 000 kg/h. The machine has been completely redesigned. With the A 12, Rieter relies on a design that is also used in the Formula One.
The construction of the UNIfloc is based on the so-called «Monocoque» design. This is familiar from the field of aircraft construction or the Formula One. The result is a stable, maintenance-friendly machine for highest production.
A further feature of the A 12 is the innovative bale scanning. The take-off unit determines the different heights of the bales by means of scanning force measurement and quickly equals them out. Through this uniform take-off, the machine achieves its highest possible production rate in the shortest time.
Inside the take-off unit, there is a roller with numerous teeth which gently opens the bales into very small tufts. This is the basis for effective cleaning and dedusting in the subsequent blowroom process. Remarkable is that the A 12 is extremely efficient, even with these very small tufts.
In the A 12, motors and servo-units of the latest technology are used and this also enables the UNIfloc to recover energy during production. The brake power which is generated during reversal of the take-off roller is fed back into the electricity grid.
Download Pictures
A 12 UNIfloc
(JPG/CMYK/276 KB) (right click, save as)
Patented wobble disc take-off roller
(JPG/CMYK/110 KB) (right click, save as)
About Rieter
Rieter is the world's leading supplier of systems for short-staple fiber spinning. Based in Winterthur (Switzerland), the company develops and manufactures machinery, systems and components used to convert natural and manmade fibres and their blends into yarns. Rieter is the only supplier worldwide to cover spinning preparation processes as well as all four final spinning processes currently established on the market. With 15 manufacturing locations in nine countries, the company employs a global workforce of some 5 020, about 20% of whom are based in Switzerland. Rieter is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange under ticker symbol RIEN. www.rieter.com


text: Empty the milk into a thick-bottomed pan and add the sugar. Heat gently on a low heat. Add the rice to the milk and let it cook. Stir occasionally to prevent the rice from getting burnt at the bottom of the pan. The rice takes about 15 minutes to cook. Make sure that the rice is cooked, but not too mushy. Add the condensed milk slowly to the simmering milk. Keep stirring from time to time, until the quantity of the mixture is reduced by about half. Add the crushed cardamom and garnish with nuts. It can be served hot or cold. The pudding tends to thicken with time. By adding milk, you can adjust the consistency of the pudding.


text:
2017 FARB Regulatory Law Seminar
Oct. 5-8, 2017
Hyatt Regency, Savannah, Georgia
Registration and details | Download the conference brochure
This event is recommended for the deputy attorney generals who provide counsel to the offices of state EMS directors. The target audience is the legal community that advises the state agencies and boards that regulate all types of professions and centers on topics germane to that practice.
Description of the Seminar
The 2017 FARB Regulatory Law Seminar (RLS) will bring together leading experts and attorneys from across the country to discuss the latest trends in the licensing of professionals. This first-class educational program delivers the tools and information needed to ensure the efficient and effective operation of state regulatory boards. Designed for assistant attorneys general and board attorneys, the RLS will cover topics related to administrative law and representing regulatory boards. The popular two hour optional Thursday evening Professional Responsibility (Ethics) Training will return. The RLS is always interactive and will provide an unparalleled opportunity to network with members of the regulatory community across jurisdictions and professions. As always, throughout the conference, relevant Top Regulatory Cases, videos and news stories will be presented.
Information about the meeting agenda and hotel reservations is available here.


text:
The Length of Fingers Reveals your Personality Traits
The length of your fingers can reveal a lot of information about your personal traits and characteristics.
A number of researchers have sketched out three hand types by comparing the lengths of the index finger and the ring finger, and they have identified the specific characteristics that go along with each type. Here are your personality traits according to your finger length.
Length of Fingers
Your Ring Finger Is Shorter Than Your Index Finger
The people whose ring finger is shorter than the index finger are genuine, sincere, and passionate. They are persuasive, intelligent, courageous, and daring, and they are always willing to try new things.
Your Index Finger Is Shorter Than Your Ring Finger
The people whose index finger is shorter than the ring finger are generally charming and irresistible. They are intelligent, creative, and ambitious, and they tend to take more risks than the other people, which usually makes them more successful in their careers.
Your Index and Ring Finger Are of the Same Length
Those with index and ring fingers of equal length are more peaceful and even-tempered that the other finger length types.
They are attractive, wise, emotionally stable, and confident, which makes them good partners and team players.


text:
1 result found
[PROYECTO] 5G-Xcast - Broadcast and Multicast Communication Enablers for the Fifth-Generation of Wireless Systems
Fecha de inicio: 2017-06-01, Fecha de finalización: 2019-05-31
5G-Xcast will devise, assess and demonstrate large scale immersive media delivery by means of conceptually novel wireless technologies, contributing to the further definition of 5G and its standardisation. 5G-Xcast will focus on large scale media distribution, as this use case...
Programme: H2020-EU.2.1.1.
Record Number: 211065
Last updated on: 2017-07-28
List retrieved on: 2018-08-17


text:
Two OHSU nurses heading to Rwanda, aiming to enhance nursing care around the globe
09/08/14 Portland, Ore.
by Lee Lewis-Husk
Two Oregon nurses will spend a year in Rwanda, leaving behind their jobs and homes to join an initiative by the Rwanda Ministry of Health.
Isabelle Soule, R.N., Ph.D., and Claire McKinley, R.N., M.S.N., both assistant professors at the OHSU School of Nursing, will collaborate with other health care providers to help raise the skill level of Rwandan nurses and midwives. "We'll be trying to build partnerships that blend the best of both countries' health care systems," Soule says. Rwanda has steadily been rebuilding its infrastructure and health care system since genocide tore it apart in the 1990s.
They join a contingent of health professionals sponsored by Duke University, one of 23 American universities and academic medical centers in a seven-year partnership with the government of Rwanda. Among other goals, the Human Resources for Health Program creates a collaboration to transfer knowledge in various health fields, including nursing, and upgrade the clinical and teaching skills of Rwandan nurses.
"We're not there to take jobs but rather to train the trainers," says Soule, who will work with a nursing school dean near the Ugandan border. "I'll be looking at the curriculum and perhaps helping develop tools to evaluate the nursing program," she says. Although she's never been to Rwanda, Soule is an experienced international traveler and has worked for the past 10 years with immigrant and refugee communities in the Portland area. "We're trying to bridge America's biomedicine and health care with the values of those communities," she says.
McKinley, a pediatric nurse practitioner who's worked at Doernbecher Children's Hospital and also taught at the nursing school for 10 years, has been assigned to a maternity hospital in Kigali, the capital city. She'll mentor nursing students in their third year who want to specialize in either pediatric nursing or midwifery.
"I wanted to do international work but didn't want to leave my family," she says. Instead she's taking them along. Her husband, Andrew Yoder, was supportive of the year abroad and quit his job as a mechanic to go with her. He hopes to put his skills to work, perhaps in an orphanage. "Neither of us has been to Africa, and the only country he's been to is Canada, so this is a big leap," says McKinley. She says her 10-year-old daughter initially didn't want to go because she didn't want to get the shots, but now is excited to meet new friends and to learn French at the international school she will be attending.
Both women expressed an eagerness to learn how health care is done in another place. "Health care is very culturally bound," says Soule. "I've never worked in East Africa so I'm going to approach my job with humility and openness before I delve in."
McKinley says she's excited to be part of helping people develop their own health care system. "It will have a different cultural viewpoint – I want to be supportive and not judgmental – imposing U.S. standards on Rwanda may not be practical. Finding the balance between practicality and best practices will be key."
Both women know that what they see in Africa will be tough on them, but hope to learn from the experience and their host country. McKinley adds that the U.S. pendulum has swung back to simpler treatments, such as "kangaroo care" where parents go skin-to-skin with their newborns to help regulate heart rate, breathing and temperature instead of keeping babies away from parents in an isolette. "Some things that are new and exciting for us have been done for a long time in countries with fewer resources."
When she returns next year, McKinley hopes to have a fresh perspective to share with her students. "I feel I'll be so much more open. Also, after being in another culture and being 'the other,' I hope to help my students with how families may feel who aren't part of their own cultural background." She adds that she's thankful to the OHSU nursing school for granting a one-year leave of absence.
The Rwandan Ministry of Health states on its website that the program aims to train more than 550 medical specialists, upgrade the skills of 5,000 nurses and introduce formalized training in health management and dentistry. The program receives funding from the Clinton Health Access Initiative. At the end of the seven-year partnership, Rwanda hopes to be able to sustain an improved health workforce on its own without foreign aid.
Two Oregon nurses are headed there to help the country achieve its goals and bring home valuable lessons they can pass along to U.S. nurses interested in global health.
Questions? Contact: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
NU graduation highlights
The Chicago Theater was the venue for a great convocation ceremony yesterday afternoon.
I congratulated our graduates, thanked them for all their contributions to our community, and spoke briefly what it means to be "ready." NU's president, Morty Schapiro, spoke about the importance of friendship and of maintaining friendships forged in law school in the face of the business of ordinary life.
At many times in the ceremony, we remembered our beloved colleague, Dawn Clark Netsch '52, who we lost earlier this year. In one of the especially moving parts of the convocation, Dawn's nephew, Sandy Kerr, accepted the Childress teaching award, an award whose recipient is selected by the graduating students, on Dawn's behalf posthumously. Sandy also presented the student awards, including the Wigmore Key (to Timothy Fry).
Our convocation speaker was Mark Walter '85. Mark is the principal owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and is a principal in Guggenheim Partners. He provided remarks on the value of law school, putting in special context the story of how he and his partners recently came to own the Dodgers (paying a record-setting amount for what has emerged as an fertile investment).
For me, a highlight of the ceremony were the two speeches of our students, a JD and LLM graduate. Jeff Van Dam and Sergio Herrera gave interesting, humorous remarks about their experiences at Northwestern. Both emphasized in their own ways how remarkable a group of students we have at Northwestern and how the best of NU Law is found in these incredible students.
(I must also mention that Jeff, referring to comments I made in my remarks about my dog, Rico Sauve, said that he knows my dog and that "Rico is a terrific individual"). Can't top that!
Thanks to all who made this graduation such a meaningful event for friends and family, for faculty and administrators. And best of luck to the Class of 2013. Make us all proud!
Comments are closed.


text:
Guess what I did? What I did is look for research jobs. I was fortunate to get a research job in such a very short period of rummaging the internet, ha-ha! And that was the start of my freelance/virtual assistant career. And I may say, I have no experience at all!
What should I be doing? Researching. My client asked me to look for Paleo recipes. Googled it and I do find tons of recipes. I copy paste the recipes into my client's database. And that was it. That was easy. Anyone can do that!
Anyone can do that!
Is that job needs experience? No!
Did my client ask for my experience in research work? No!
Easy isn't it? I got an online job that lasted for more than 6 months! And that was the start of my freelancing or virtual assisting.
The lesson I learned is that you should be CONFIDENT. If you have the skill and you want to help others with your skill, and by any means go for it. Look for that job… look high and low, haha.
And now I may add, after 3 years of freelancing/virtual assisting…pick a NICHE. What skill you are good or great? What is it that you really, really love to do? Is it writing? Is it researching? Transcribing? Graphic design? Web design?
Focus on that skill. And upgrade your skill. Learn, learn, learn! Why pick a niche? Because you need to have a lot of experience in that niche or in that line of work you choose. In the process you become skilled, you specialize in that niche. You become an expert! In addition to these, it is much easier to find clients. Remember that experts are the ones seeking out by clients, not the other way around.
So, if you are knowledgeable or have the skill in the following area, start your freelancing/virtual assistant career now. Yes, even you don't have experience.
- Writer/Blogger – if you have skill in writing, offer your services by writing blog posts, articles, essays, newsletters, press releases, social media content, and other digital content.
- Social Media Manager – if you can post, share, pin, tweet and update your social media you can offer this kind of service, too. You can upgrade this skill by familiarizing yourself with automation tools like Hootsuite, Buffer, and the like, and learn even basic graphic design. Or upgrade your graphic design skills.
- E-commerce Assistant – selling online is very popular these days. Online store owners need help in writing a product description, responding to inquiries, promote sales or run the day-to-day operations of a store. If you are good in this field, it is a great opportunity to gain experience.
- Real Estate Assistant – A lot of realtors are looking for support for their business, they need someone to manage their calendar, market open houses, write listing descriptions. If you are interested in this field it is a good opportunity to gain experience.
Want to earn online? Want to be a Virtual Assistant? Start now!!
Hey…come back here and share with me your journey to the freelancing/virtual assistance world.


text:
Rockin' Afternoons is a weekly after school enrichment program that runs from September 20th, 2016 to May 4th, 2017 and takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00pm to 6:00pm.
Activities at Rockin' Afternoons include:
- 1 hour Cooking Class
- 1 hour Boot Camp Fitness
Rockin' Afternoons serves about 20 campers per day.
Camper Inquiries -Rockin' Afternoons is currently accepting applications. Contact Us for more info.
Volunteer Inquiries – Send us a Volunteer Application and we will contact you shortly.


text:
The (Invisible) Greening of Bowdoin
Fifteen hundred feet below the Bowdoin College campus, the temperature of the groundwater is a constant 50 degrees. By drilling a series of wells, pumping the water to the surface and running it through compressors and heat exchangers, it is possible to heat and cool entire buildings with groundwater while reducing both the College's reliance on fossil fuels and its production of greenhouse gases. And that is just what the College has done with the new residence halls on Coffin Street, the twin first-year resident halls that opened in the fall of 2005.
Walk across the Quad, however, from venerable Massachusetts Hall past the newly restored Romanesque towers of the Chapel to the Gothic bulwark of Hubbard Hall and beyond to Coffin Street, and there is nothing to tell you that this historic New England college campus is anything but a 19th century architectural treasure trove. The greening of Bowdoin is virtually invisible. Yet beneath its traditional façade beats the heart of a 21st century college committed to sustainable design and determined to reduce its environmental impact.
"My view is to have a strategic plan to make us more sustainable. That's been my passion since I got here," says S. Catherine (Palevsky) Longley '76, Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration and Treasurer. "Part of the challenge is that we have an historic campus and keeping that great feeling while modernizing buildings is not always easy."
Since coming to Bowdoin in 2002 from her former position as Commissioner of the Maine Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, Katy Longley has been leading Bowdoin's concerted effort to reduce energy consumption and solid waste in order to make the College more environmentally friendly and economically efficient. The new Coffin Street Dormitories are just the most complete manifestations of these green initiatives to date.
Designed by Cambridge, Massachusetts, architect Kyu Sung Woo, the $14 million dorms are models of sustainable and contextual design. The clean, contemporary red brick lines fit in modestly with the dominant aesthetic of the campus, yet it is what you don't see that makes the dorm complex cutting edge in terms of sustainability.
Seven 1,500-foot wells deliver groundwater to the basement of the West Dorm where an array of heat pumps and compressors, using a process that might best be described as "refrigeration in reverse," takes the water from 50 degrees to 180 degrees in order to heat the two buildings. And geothermal heat is just the most obvious green feature of the new dorms.
Beside the heat pumps stands a huge 2,100-gallon tank that collects rainwater and melt water from the roof as well as "bleed" water from the geothermal units before it is returned to the earth. This so-called gray water is used to flush all of the toilets in the two dorms.
The dorm basements also feature bicycle storage rooms that encourage students to use muscle-powered transportation around campus and around town.
Then there are the truly invisible aspects of the Coffin Street Dormitories. The concrete used in construction, for example, consists of 15 percent fly ash from coal-burning plants in the Midwest. The reinforcing and structural steel uses 95 percent recycled material. There is "Green Plus," a vegetable-based oil instead of a typical hydraulic fluid in all of the elevators. And, like all new construction and renovation projects at Bowdoin from now on, the Coffin Street residence halls underwent "commissioning" before they were accepted, meaning a third-party engineering firm tested all systems to make sure they were performing to design specifications and advertised standards.
The geothermal heating system is estimated to reduce energy use by 40 percent, the rainwater flushing system to reduce water consumption by 20 percent.
All of these green initiatives are in keeping with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, and Bowdoin has applied for and is expecting LEED certification for the new dorms.
Bowdoin's Building Design Standards for Renovation Projects
- Erosion and sedimentation control
- Conserve natural land by limiting site disturbance during construction
- Provide bicycle storage
- Do not exceed local parking requirements
- Limit development footprint
- Reduce heat islands
- Building commissioning regimen
- Maximize compliance with ASHRAE (building code) guidelines
- Utilize only non-CFC refrigerants
- Utilize on-site renewable energy source
- Install energy monitoring equipment
- Provide Energy Star certified products
- Provide energy efficient lighting/equipment
- Water efficient landscaping
- Water use reduction
- Facilities for storage and collection of recyclables
- Demolition/construction waste management
- Utilize building materials with post-consumer recycled content
- Utilize materials manufactured within 500 miles of site
- Utilize rapidly renewable building materials
- Utilize wood products from Forest Stewardship Council certified forests
- Comply with minimum ASHRAE indoor air quality standards
- Prohibit smoking in building during and following construction
- Provide a permanent carbon dioxide monitoring system
- Employ an indoor air quality management plan during construction
- Utilize only low volatile organic compound-emitting materials
- Control indoor chemical and pollutant sources
- Provide occupant-controllable spaces
- Provide a permanent temperature and humidity monitoring system
- Maximize daylight and views to the outdoors
"LEED certification," says architect Kyu Sung Woo, "is an important achievement for the entire design team - architects, engineers and the owner. It is an important acknowledgement that the team has accomplished its design goals without sacrificing sustainability."
Kyu Sung Woo is also designing the $27 million renovation of Bowdoin's "Bricks," the six first-year dorms - Appleton, Coleman, Hyde, Maine, Moore and Winthrop. To guide these and other major renovation projects, Don Borkowski, Bowdoin's Director of Capital Projects, has helped develop college building renovation standards based on LEED standards. (See sidebar)
"The renovation of the Bricks," explains Kyu Sung Woo, "will include new insulated windows, a more efficient heating system, installation of low-wattage fluorescent lights and the installation of low-flow toilet fixtures. The majority of the construction waste will be recycled. Many building materials used in the project are made from recycled waste and are regional."
While the Bricks will continue to be steam heated, those Bowdoin grads who remember when the only way to regulate the heat in the old dorms was to open a window will be pleased to know that the College has been systematically repairing the leaky steam lines. The renovations will include state-of-the-art controls, steam to water converters, zoning and thermostats.
Geothermal heating and cooling will be installed, however, in the renovated Walker Art Building and in the conversion of the Curtis Pool building into a new recital hall.
"It's definitely an investment," says Katy Longley of the decision to go with geothermal heating and cooling wherever possible, "but Bowdoin is fortunate to have the endowment and the fiscal resources to do so. Even if there is a payback period, it's the right thing to do."
In April of 2002, Bowdoin adopted an Environmental Mission Statement that states, in part, "The College shall seek to encourage conservation, recycling, and other sustainable practices in its daily decision making processes, and shall take into account, in the operation of the College, all appropriate economic, environmental, and social issues."
While environmental consciousness is by no means new to Bowdoin, the determination to make sustainability standard operating procedure is something of a 21st century phenomenon.
"The end of the last century, we were pretty far behind the curve, playing catch up to other places," says Adams-Catlin Professor of Economics David Vail, who teaches environmental economics and policy in the Environmental Studies program, "but I think we have made tremendous progress."
To begin with, Barry Mills has made long-range planning one of the hallmarks of his administration since he became the College's 14th President in 2001.
Energy use, of course, is not the only area where Bowdoin is seeking to tread more lightly on the earth
"All of us at Bowdoin are, to some degree, the beneficiaries of the vision, planning, and stewardship practiced by those who came before us at the College," says Mills. "A key responsibility of any president here - and one that I take very seriously - has always been to consider the future, and to work with members of the community to both protect the
assets of this historic place and to make sure that inevitable change takes place in a thoughtful manner. We cannot predict everything that will happen down the road, but I believe that we must hand a better Bowdoin to our successors, just as our predecessors have done for us. One way to accomplish that is to minimize our impact on the environment and to embrace conservation as a responsible and beneficial course of action."
In October 2003, the College issued its Strategic Plan to Guide Future Growth, a plan developed by the internationally known New York architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). In the Strategic Plan, which envisioned the Bowdoin campus growing from its present 1.8 million square feet of building space to 2.7 million square feet by 2050, SOM recommended that the College develop an energy master plan to guide future growth along environmentally and economically sustainable lines.
The Facilities Review for a Master Energy Plan developed by engineer J. W. Dawson of Yarmouth, Maine, was adopted in 2005. The Department of Facilities Management began implementing many of the cost and energy saving measures in the energy review well before it was adopted.
One of the biggest changes - and, again, one invisible to members of the campus community - was a switch from burning #6 fuel oil to burning #2 fuel oil in the campus heating plant. That switch to cleaner burning fuel resulted in a 57% reduction in sulfur dioxide and particulate emissions, roughly equivalent to taking 576 cars off the road annually.
The campus-wide effort to reduce fossil fuel consumption and heating bills has led to a number of other green initiatives. Ladd House, for instance, is now burning B20 BioHeat fuel, a 20/80 mix of vegetable oil and petroleum. The college heating plant is no longer idling its backup boiler. Over this past summer, one of the boilers was converted to dual fuel so that it can run on either oil or natural gas. Hundreds of feet of ancient, leaky steam lines and expansion joints have been replaced, reinsulated or repaired. And in one of biggest adjustments on campus, the set point on thermostats throughout Bowdoin's 122 buildings have been turned back from 72 degrees to 68 degrees, each degree reduction theoretically resulting in a 3% energy savings. Over winter break, unoccupied rooms were turned back to 60 degrees. And, given a relatively mild fall, the heat wasn't turned on at Bowdoin until October 11, two weeks later than in 2004.
"All things combined," reports Ted Stam, director of the Department of Facilities Management, " consumption per degree day dropped 12% this December versus last December."
Bowdoin originally budgeted $3.7 million for all utilities for the 2005-06 academic year, but, given the steep rise in the cost of oil and natural gas, the College's utility bills could easily exceed the budgeted amount by more than $1 million, adding new urgency to conservation measures. While reducing fuel consumption has been a prime focus of Bowdoin's green initiatives, overall energy reduction has also been addressed on a number of fronts.
VendingMiser devices, for example, have been installed on all campus vending machines, causing them to power down when not actually in use. All of the College's convenience photocopiers have been replaced with more efficient Energy Star models. Top-loading washing machines have been replaced with front-loading Maytag High-Efficiency washers, saving both water and electricity. Inefficient CRT computer monitors have been replaced with energy-saving flat screen monitors.
Keeping it Green
Efficient variable frequency drives control the flow of water to geothermal pumps.
A 2,100-gallon gray water tank collects rain water from the roof, which is used to flush toilets, reducing water consumption by 20%.
The geothermal heating system of seven wells and pumps heats the buildings and domestic water using the ground's thermal energy, reducing energy use by 40%.
The use of natural light in stairwells and study areas and throughout the new buildings greatly reduces electricity use.
One area where the College has only just begun to seek fuel efficiency is its transportation fleet. Bowdoin now owns one hybrid car, but plans call for replacing as many vehicles as possible with hybrids. The maintenance and security departments have also recently implemented a "no idling" policy, asking drivers to shut vehicles off when they are not actually moving.
Energy use, of course, is not the only area where Bowdoin is seeking to tread more lightly on the earth.
"In trying to reduce our environmental impact, we have focused on two areas - greenhouse gas emissions and solid waste," says Keisha Payson, who became the coordinator of Sustainable Bowdoin, the sustainability program within the Department of Facilities Management, when it was established in 2001. "We have reduced the amount per student we send to the landfill, but our recycling rate has only increased 3% since I started."
When the Sustainable Bowdoin project began in 2001, Bowdoin was recycling 15% of its solid waste. Today, the recycling rate is 18%. By way of comparison, colleges that win the annual Recyclemania competition sponsored by the EPA and the National Wildlife Federation recycle as much as 40% of their solid waste. Tufts University, which placed second in the friendly collegiate competition last year, recycled 41.39% of its waste. Bowdoin will be entering the Recyclemania competition for the first time in 2006 and its current 18% recycling rate would put it in roughly the same class as Boston College (17.85%), Brown (19.38%) and Yale (14.15%).
During Maine Recycles Week in mid-November, 2005, Sustainable Bowdoin held its annual trash audit competition, pitting first year dorms against one another to see which dorm is the most efficient recycler. Student "eco-reps" in white hazardous materials suits and red goggles weighed almost 1,000 pounds of dorm trash and then sorted through five sample bags from each dorm to determine the winner. Coffin Street West residents won the consciousness-raising event when it was judged that only 33% of their trash consisted of waste that could have been recycled.
One of the most visible sustainability efforts on campus, as it happens, also involves solid waste, or, to be more accurate, discarded possessions that students leave behind when they move out in the spring.
For the past four years, Dump & Run sales have been held at the Dayton Arena the first Saturday after Reunion Weekend. Volunteers sort the mountain of clothes, appliances, rugs, and furniture left behind by Bowdoin students and the proceeds from the academic flea market go to non-profits such as Sweetser, Maine's largest mental health care organization, and Habitat for Humanity. Foodstuffs and toiletries are donated to the Midcoast Hunger Prevention program, which last June received 1,225 pounds of food and 895 pounds of toiletries left behind in Bowdoin dorms.
Brunswick planning director Theo Holtwick applauds Bowdoin's efforts to become a better environmental citizen and sees a positive trend in town-gown relations.
"I think in my eight years here," says Holtwick, "the College has done enormously better in engaging the community and its neighbors in discussing projects before they go forward. The other thing the College has done is to actively place senior staff on the planning committees that the town has. They're at the table thinking along with us now."
As an example of the cooperative spirit being fostered between Bowdoin and Brunswick, Holtwick notes that the town is now piggybacking on the College's use of "compost tea" from the school's organic compost pile to fertilize playing fields rather than rely on toxic pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
Colleges and universities, dedicated as they are to the advancement of knowledge, have increasingly become laboratories for sustainable living. Bowdoin, with its historic commitment to what its first President Joseph McKeen referred to as the Common Good, clearly wants to be a leader in establishing best environmental practices. That desire is now being expressed in dozens of different ways across campus - from switching to biodegradable cleaning supplies and creating "green pads" out of recycled copier paper to reducing hazardous waste by 91% since 1990 by instituting a micro-chemistry approach to experimentation in science labs and establishing a well-managed chemical inventory process.
On a larger scale, Bowdoin has recently signed on to Maine Governor John Baldacci's Carbon Challenge, pledging to reduce carbon emissions by 11% by the year 2010, using 2002 as the baseline.
At the moment, the College is in the process of developing an Environmental Management System (EMS), a policy document that will serve as a tool monitor and measure Bowdoin's goals in eight areas - hazardous waste, solid waste, recycling, air emissions, building inefficiencies, water use, compressor inefficiencies and heating alternatives.
"Most colleges, to my knowledge, that already have an EMS," says Mark Fisher, Bowdoin's Environmental Health and Safety Officer, "are large universities that adopted them on an industrial basis. With small colleges, it's very, very new."
The Environmental Protection Agency requires institutions that have been audited and found not to be in compliance to implement Environmental Management Systems, but Bowdoin is considering adopting an EMS on a voluntary basis.
Katherine Kirklin '07, an English and environmental studies major from South Portland, Maine, has been busy this school year organizing the Third Annual Maine State Summit on Climate Action (held at Adams Hall on February 11). Kirklin sees the greening of Bowdoin every day and she sees nothing at all radical about it.
"There's a lot of momentum and a lot of great ideas on campus because of energetic people like Keisha and the environmental studies department," says Kirklin. "In my time at Bowdoin, a lot of positive changes have happened and all these changes are not having a negative impact on anyone's daily life."
And that's really the point. A commitment to sustainability no longer means, as it may have in the 1970s, chopping firewood, reading by candlelight, installing bulky solar apparatus on the roof and banks of storage batteries in the basement, or mucking out the composting toilet. Green design and sustainable development have become mainstream best practices and Bowdoin has adopted them, for the good of the College and for the common good.


text:
Account Executive
Bluecore, a fast-growing SaaS start-up, is looking for a highly motivated, results-driven sales professional to manage a given territory. As an Account Executive, you will be responsible for generating sales opportunities through outbound prospecting and converting marketing leads, as well as continuing to nurture existing client relationships. The ideal candidate will have a track record of selling multi-faceted engagements in the eCommerce industry, be comfortable navigating IR500 organizations, know marketing technology solutions and have a background selling into retailers.
- Generate and drive new business opportunities through prospecting and networking within a specific geography or set of named accounts
- Conduct well-informed and consultative meetings with senior level executives to demonstrate the business value of the Bluecore Platform
- Provide up to date and accurate forecasts by actively updating all things Salesforce related
- Own all aspects of the sale from aggressively prospecting and generating new business opportunities to navigating the legal review of a contract
- Leverage and coordinate cross-functional internal teams to efficiently navigate complex sales cycles
- 5-7 years track record of winning new business opportunities in the high-tech/MarTech space
- E-commerce/online retail experience strongly preferred
- Experience with web-based software as a service (SaaS) applications (preferred)
- Prior experience selling directly to C-level executives
- Proven track record of consistent goal/quota attainment
- Ability to thrive in a constantly changing and evolving work environment
- Excellent oral, written and interpersonal skills - strong phone skills are required
- Highly competitive compensation package including salary and equity as well as the opportunity to work for one of the fastest growing marketing technology start-ups
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
- 401(k) plan
- Monthly fitness stipend for a gym membership or fitness classes
- Monthly NYC Metro Card
- Generous Parental Leave & flexible vacation policy
At Bluecore we believe in fostering an inclusive environment in which employees feel encouraged to share their unique perspectives, leverage their strengths, and act authentically. We know that diverse teams are strong teams, and welcome those from all backgrounds and varying experiences.
Bluecore is a proud equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fair hiring practices and to creating a welcoming environment for all team members. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, familial status or veteran status.
We're passionate about connecting highly skilled women with leading companies commited to diversity and inclusion


text:
by Bob Doerr
My e-mail address is email@example.com
and I live in Missouri Ozarks.
In an immigration record, I found a hint that my immigrant great-grandfather was from Hessen.
I wrote to Hessisches Staatsarchiv Darmstadt for a check of the Auswanderer's Register. Properly, I told all that I knew, including the name of the lady whom he had married in St. Louis. Now it happens that her surname is rather common; I had no hope of finding her background.
But the reply was more about her than about him! They were from the same town, and, as I later learned, they immigrated together in a large group.
Submitted: Sat Apr 17 16:45:51 1999


text:
Inventory Management
All clinicians have experienced it - an unexpected stockout that forces caregivers to waste time hunting for supplies. It's not just an inconvenience, it's a risk to patient safety that diverts attention away from clinical care.
Integrated Analytics Solutions from BD help you optimise the supply chain to reduce stockouts, identify expired items, evaluate par levels and bring new levels of efficiency and accuracy to inventory management.
Whether analysing the performance of an entire hospital, healthcare organisation or drilling down to specific stations and users, these unique tools let you identify trends and spot opportunities to help improve clinical, operational and financial performance.
The Pyxis™ CathRack system from BD manages supplies used in cardiac catheterization and interventional radiology labs, such as pacemakers, ICDs, stents, vascular grafts, catheters and guide wires.
The Pyxis™ SupplyCenter server from BD collects data from Pyxis™ supply management systems located throughout your facility.
The Pyxis™ ParAssist handheld device from BD collects inventory data at remote or open-shelf supply inventory locations, which is then integrated with the Pyxis™ SupplyCenter enterprise inventory and data management system or other Pyxis™ technologies.
Accurate and easily retrievable reporting data may help effectively manage controlled substance inventory. By providing automated tools for more effective controlled substance management, the Pyxis CIISafe™ system may help minimize costly reporting errors and increase tracking compliance.
"The reports are an excellent service to facilities. Although we probably have the capability to run the same type of reports, we rarely have the time to run them."
Sylvia Saint Amand, Pharmacy Business Manager, Southeastern Business Medical Center


text:
On Thursday, January 19, the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation announced the decision regarding the case of Yukos.
Thus, the Court considered it impossible to fulfill the decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) from July 31 2014, as it "contradicts the Constitution of the Russian Federation": in other words, the court allowed the Russian authorities not to pay €1.9 billion to former shareholders of Yukos.
At the same time, the chairman of the Constitutional Court Valery Zorkin said that Russia does not refuse from the obligation to fulfill decisions of the Strasbourg Court, but will implement only those decisions that do not contradict its Constitution, reports RIA Novosti.
On July 31, 2014, the ECHR ordered Russia to pay former shareholders of Yukos compensation in the amount of €1.9 billion for the alleged violation of their rights to protection and a fair trial. Later, the Ministry of Justice sent a request to the Constitutional Court whether such payments can be made.
Source: KP


text:
New Billboard Chart, Music and Technology and Russell Simmons News, November 23, 2014
Billboard adjusted its chart to account for plays on streaming music services. Also, experts talked about ways the technology revolution will strengthen rather than hurt the music industry. And music mogul Russell Simmons shared advice for musicians about building their brand.
Billboard Chart Now Counting Music Streaming Services
Billboard and Nielsen SoundScan announced they will now be adding data from streams and downloads of tracks on services like Spotify, Rdio and Google Play to the formula for determining an artist's position on the Billboard 200 chart. This change could be a sign that Nielsen and other major entertainment analysis companies are finally paying attention to how media consumption has changed, said The New York Times.
Since 1956, the Billboard 200 Chart has been the "weekly scorecard" in the music business. The addition of stats from streaming services is the most major change to the chart since 1991, they year Billboard first started using hard sales data from SoundScan instead of just surveying individual record stores and looking at their sales.
Billboard's director of charts Silvio Pietroluongo said that seeing streams and sales side by side will help better determine how fans are actually listening to music in the modern marketplace: "We were always limited to the initial impulse, when somebody purchased an album … Now we have the ability to look at that engagement and gauge the popularity of an album over time."
Billboard and SoundScan will count 1,500 song streams from services including Spotify, Beats Music, Rdio, Rhapsody and Google Play as equal to an album sale. They will also count "track equivalent albums" (10 downloads of individual tracks) as part of the formula for determining an artist's rank on the Billboard 20 chart.
Analysts have predicted that albums by major pop stars – which in the Digital Age have tended to top the charts on the weeks surrounding a new release, then fizzle out – will stay longer in the Top 10.
Many record company executives admitted they welcome the change, as it responds to their issues with the old chart's "blind spots." Founder of Glassnote Records (Mumford & Sons) Daniel Glass explained that Billboard's charts are still seen as a way to gauge success of new acts, but recently they were not representative of the fact that fans of many new acts are streaming rather than buying/downloading albums: "It's been very difficult over the last two or three years to communicate the charts to radio stations … I've been Scotch taping and Band-Aiding Shazam and Spotify, bringing in all this data for them. Now with this all-in-one streaming chart, it's a much truer reflection of how much is being consumed."
David Bakula, senior analyst at Nielsen stated, "Album sales have become a smaller and smaller part of the industry … To just look at album sales and say this is how we measure success is really leaving out that half of the business that is coming from streams and song sales."
And indeed, album sales in the first half of 2014 were down 15 percent from that same time period in 2013. Streaming, on the other hand, was up 42 percent.
This latest change in the Billboard 200 will likely hurt artists who still rely on album sales. As an example, Barbra Streisand's album Partners, which opened at No. 1 in September and was still at No. 7 last week would have been at No. 13 according to the new system.
The new chart will take effect on November 30, announced on Billboard's website on December 4 and printed in the December 13 issue of Billboard magazine.
Is Technology Really Ruining the Music Business?
The Internet has not "killed the music industry," said writer Ian Morris of Forbes, echoing what many experts and analysts have been saying for years.
Despite on-going complaints from executives, musicians and others in the business about various major growing pains in the Digital Age, the future still looks bright for many musicians and labels. Taylor Swift may be one of just a handful of artists who have had a lucrative year when it comes to recorded music sales, but music will always be in demand, so the industry around it is not likely to disappear completely, even if it will change radically.
Morris pointed out that the way technology could actually disrupt the music industry is by destroying the record label system: "Record labels are a man in the middle that simply doesn't need to exist anymore. The same way we buy our flights direct, and get our shopping online and have things delivered from Amazon instead of going to a local shop. We have always been keen to enjoy cost reductions at the expense of the middleman, and the record labels are the ultimate in middle men."
This is not a new prediction and has been evident in the shrinking number of major labels over the past 15-20 years. The record industry has less of a role in finding new talent than it once did. A new artist is becoming more likely to be found on platforms like YouTube, SoundCloud, Facebook and Twitter than through A&R executives.
While record labels can still play an important part in music production and marketing for musicians, well-thought-out and affordable software, music development apps and recording hardware are helping many musicians create their own high-quality recordings on a budget, often directly with independent producers or at recording studios that used to have a barrier of entry for the average artist.
Now, even radio is becoming somewhat less important to success, even as many artists still see getting their music on the radio as a major milestone. Andy Chen, CEO of music streaming service Tidal explained that many young music fans no longer understand the idea of getting music in a record store, as they see music as something that is bought via iTunes or streamed on YouTube and Spotify. Chen stressed that music services like Spotify are becoming major music discovery platforms that are, thanks to algorithms and access to huge amounts of user data, catered to the specific tastes of each individual listener.
Morris explained, "Once we – and the artists – no longer need the record labels to find us new music, once artists are able to produce their own tracks instead of relying on the old studio model, they are effectively rendered obsolete. So while today's Taylor Swift is taking herself off Spotify, Tomorrow's Taylor Swift will understand that Spotify, Google, Tidal and Deezer are the companies best placed to promote their work tomorrow."
Russell Simmons, on Building an Artist Brand
Russell Simmons said that artists can make money from far more than just recorded music, even as heated debates over royalties from music streaming services like Spotify still rage, reported Music Times.
Simmons pointed out in a video interview with Grammy U that making a living as a musician in the new industry climate is not tied to album sales or royalties, rather to solid branding: "Artists are finding all kind of ways to use their brand to earn money … Being a music star is a lot more than selling records, if not at all. If selling records was what the music business is about they would all move onto something else. They're not counting their royalties as their income, they're counting all of the things that they influence, all the multibillion dollar business that their branding and building and affecting."
He added that music is only growing in popularity, even if the way people are listening to it is changing. And the key to making money for artists and executives will be determining ways to monetize music's influence on society: "[Music] just keeps growing in terms of its influence in society and also its influence in various different businesses. So now that we can't make royalties off of records we gotta go make them pay, that's what the music business has to learn to do."
Simmons' new project with entrepreneur Steve Rifkind, All Def Digital is an effort to match artists with their fans and help them earn a living from their music without the help of middlemen and gatekeepers: "People have ADD, I mean literally they have ADD, I'm wearing the hat. All Def Digital, to me, is the place that promotes freedom for artists. New directors, new writers, new artists, music artists, poets. It's a place where people can express themselves in ways that the gatekeepers wouldn't allow in the past. We curate it so that we give the best of what's out there 'cause it's the Wild West, there's just so much on the Internet. Someone has to curate."
Simmons admitted he is also frustrated by artists' faulty, "vague" definitions of "success," rooted in a past industry that is no longer at play: "Success, how's it measured? That's a silly question … Success to me is happiness. Having a still seat. Being comfortable in your seat is success. The more you can do that the more successful you are. Happiness. You're only here for a short time, so I measure success by the level of happiness one has. Money can't make you happy. But happy can make you money."


text:
tv Americas News Headquarters FOX News March 24, 2013 7:00am-7:30am PDT
7:02 am
>> it has been a pleasure working with you. great job. >> thank you so much. it was a pleasure working with you guys. i have some highlights i'm going to share with you guys from the week in the after the show show. my favorite moments of the weekend. >> surprise. surprise. >> it will be really short. >> log on to fox & frenz.com. have a great weekend, everyone. >> see you next weekend. >> happy palm sunday. sfau state john kerry is in iraq today. it is an unannounced visit. the purpose of his trip, wouldfold. secretary kerry urging them to work together. overcoming the violence that continued to divide that country. and asking the prime minister to stop iran from flying over iraqi air space. iran is believed to have been shuttling military personnel and equipment to the syrian
7:03 am
government over the air space of iraq which is, of course, supporting that horrible civil war in syria and that is something iran and iraq have both denied. good morning, everyone. welcome. >> great to have you here. last year, the iraqi government promised former secretary of state hillary clinton to inspect all of iranian flights so far that's reportedly not happening. now secretary kerry's turn to get it done. >> good morning. wink, wink, nudge, nhung from the iraqis to the iranians. the revolutionary guard soldiers to head from iran into syria to help assad. the united states has only pressured the iraqis privilege atly up until now. the fact they are doing so publicly and sharing intelligence means the shaming
7:04 am
of iraq now begins. fox news was the first organization to report on the freight. the combination of everything from syrian airliners to shankar go planes. eye rain wran cargo planes, supply anything that syria needs. money, weapons and ammunition, soldiers. all those kinds of things from tehran into various bases all around syria. western intelligence sources confirmed to fox news that the video you are watching now is amateur video of those planes landing inside of syria. of course, no secrets the flights take place multiple times a week. it is no secret that the iranians support the syrians. what has the united states so upset is the fact the iraqis are allowing the pilots to go over their air space. the fact that secretary kerry is making intelligence a public matter rather than privately talking to iranians shows just how angry the u.s. is with the iraqis that -- it has not been stopped. the united states is increasingly difficult position
7:05 am
when it comes to syria because on one side have you president assad who is killing his own people and the united states says his days are numbered. on the other side, the extremists are really taking over the rebel movement. you have al qaeda syndicate groups there that have taken over inside of the rebel movement and other kinds of jihadists trying to capture weapons and ammunition for their own purposes and now the syrian opposition is becoming even more fragmented making it very difficult for the u.s. to figure out what is the next step to take. back to you. >> big decision to make. eric? >> kerry is in iraq today. president obama returned from his four-day tour of the middle east. the first foreign trip of his second term. first trip to israel as president. some view the trip as a so-called charm offensive. israel and an attempt to thaw the rocky-strained relationship he has with binyamin netanyahu.
7:06 am
is that relationship now thawed? will it work? what about iran? joining us as always on sunday mornings, former ambassador john bolton and fox contributor. good morning, ambassador. >> good morning. glad to be with you. >> good to see you, as always. how did he do? how about the relationship between the president and the prime minister? >> i think that the president's trip always had two purposes. one was the public political aspect of the trip to try to repair the very visibly frosty relationship that he had with israel and in his first term. and i think that he largely accomplished that, photo opportunities were great. the -- they had humor, a couple of hugs. really what else could you ask for? but underneath, the second purpose of the trip, i think continues to highlight the vast differences in strategic outlook that president obama and prime minister netanyahu have. on the iranian nuclear weapons program, number one. and on dealing with the palestinians. other issues involved. but those remain the two top
7:07 am
sticking points in a relationship that remains very troubled, despite the happy photo opportunity. >> what is it going on behind closed doors in the -- had the would sat next to each other we are not hearing about? >> i think the president -- let's talk the palestinian peace process as an example. obviously recognizes that there is a long, long way to go before any possible breakthroughs. i think that's one reason he is not putting his prestige on the line. he is putting john kerry's prestige on the line and let him worry about it for a while. supposed major change in obama's position of not insisting on israel stopping settlement construction on the west bank and as a pre-condition to direct talks. it is only a change intact particulars. it is not a change in his preferred outcome of the palestinian state with borders that approximate mate the line. i think you can go down the list of what -- the president said publicly and israel and jordan,
7:08 am
nothing really shifts from his apology statements in the past and for that reason i think that despite the optics of a happy visit, the differences between israel and the obama administration remains. >> prime minister netanyahu thinks that iran could get it done by this summer. president says one year from now. when they are together does that now say look they are going to get a bomb and we are going to launch an attack whether you like it or not and what does the president say and -- what do you think will happen? >> well, i think they exchange intelligence and i do think that despite the -- difficulties of the personal relationship between obama and netanyahu, i'm sure these discussions are conduct order a very prank and professional basis but countries, vital nation security interests are involved. i think both men recognize the personal can't get in the way of that. i don't think that there is any doubt that israel sees a much shorter time frame, especially given its own who are limited military capabilities.
7:09 am
whoever is right on the intelligence and must be clear we don't have perfect intelligence. iran could be a lot closer than anybody. we have greater capabilities to stop iran's nuclear program than israel does. unless israel is prepared to depend on the united states which would represent a massive break from israel's strategy over its entire history, netanyahu is faced with a decision i think in the very mere future. this year probably one way or the other do i attack iran's nuclear program or do i not? >> what if he does without -- u.s. backing orders how much? what does that mean? >> i don't think that israel will ask permission. they didn't ask permission when they destroyed that north korean nuclear reactor in syria in secht 2007. i think that what they are worried about is that they won't have robust u.s. back prosecuting obama and he has been -- implicating in his first term that he wouldn't give him that kind of backing.
7:10 am
i think israel has overwhelming support in congress but certainly obama's ambivalent attitude has the concern top israeli decision makers and simply saying as he did again on this trip, israel has a right to defend himself, an interesting extraction. nothing to do with the hard calculus that the israelis have to undertake before deciding whether to aye attack iran. >> sit fair to say he was ambivalent? he said the policy is prevention. >> yes. policy is prevention today until today's policy fails which it manifestly is and then -- once iran has nuclear weapons, then the policy will be containment. that is the problem, i think netanyahu and others have seen that the administration obviously doesn't want iran to have nuclear weapons. but it feels a nuclear iran can be contained and deterred in the soviet union was during the cold war. i think that's completely wrong. but that's the underlying peeling that causes the israelis
7:11 am
so much concern. interest shouldn't cause us concern because once iran gets nuclear weapons, won't stop with iran. saudi arabia, turkey, egypt will as well. former secretary of state clinton said on several occasions. >> it should be a very challenging few months. we will watch it with you every sunday. i thank you so much for being here. >> thank you. >> i thank him, too. meanwhile, this despite the death threats and legal charges former pakistan president musharraf has returned to pakistan. he arrived this morning and whisked away by security forces. he has been in self-imposed exile since resigning more than four years ago. the former president considering a possible political comeback despite facing charges he failed to provide proper security for the former prime minister who was assassinated. musharraf is seen as an enemy by the taliban for siding with america after the 9/11 terror attacks. chinese
7:12 am
antiaircraft missile missiles makes the missile firing process shorter and more efficient. pope francis sending a you new message to the faithful on this palm sunday at the vatican. the pope celebrating mass in st. peter's basilica encouraging the crowd to be humble and stay young at heart. that's good advice for all of us. this is the start of the solemn holy week ceremonies leading up to easter. christianity's most important day. meanwhile in jerusalem, another large crowd celebrated palm sunday at church of the holy acce accept pli kur. jesus is said to have been greeted by cheering crowds
7:13 am
waving palm branches. pilgrims will retrace jesus' steps. back here at home new warnings over president obama's health care law three years after it was signed into law by the president. the government right now is struggling to meet its own deadlines, even as the law's most critical provisions are set to kick in. experts predicting it may not go so smoothly. joining me now, bob cusack, managing editor of "the hill." good morning. let's talk about the hurdles that are ahead. how much is the president facing in getting the health care mandate, especially for the states, in place? >> well, the stakes here are enormous. this is going to be president obama's legacy, whether it's good or bad. the fact that obama care has actually survived to make it this long is surprising. of course, survived the supreme court challenge and the 2012 election. but implementing is going to be
7:14 am
tricky. there are a lot of issues. immigration reform is one issue. will immigrants who get their green card be allowed on the rolls of health care. also, employers struggling to find out what is the minimum threshold, what do they have to cover. president obama made the promise if you don't want to change your health care you don't have to. some critics say that's not going to bear out to be true. >> one critical deadline is october 1st when the states have to have their exchanges up and running. what are the chances of making the deadline and what if we don't? >> i think some of those deadlines are probably going to be pushed back. remember, a lot of these states held off on implementation under after the 2012 election. the obama administration does not want to push back the deadlines. remember the bulk of this law is going to go into effect on january 1. that's nine months from now. a lot could be done between now and then. remember the irs is also in the
7:15 am
process of setting up the mandate and penalties for the mandate if you do not sign up. those penalties would range from $100 eventually to $700, some people say that people are going to pay the penalty as opposed to going into these exchanges or what are being called marketplaces. >> not only will they face penalties but there will also be pretty steep premiums for a lot of folks. how do you think the reaction will be in terms of the president's approval rating when people are faced with having to sign on the bottom line and cough up the money? >> the administration's health had care law has gotten a little bit of a bump in polls but that's why the states are so high here. there are going to be bumps in the road. the law will have to be tweekd. even some democrats are calling for changes to the law including a medical device tax which a lot of democrats includie ining al
7:16 am
franken want eradicated. congress will have to tweak the law but that's going to be very difficult because parties just don't generally agree on this law. >> the health and human services department which was involved to a certain extent was hit with sequester cuts. could that impact the viability of this new health care plan for america? >> i think the administration's going to put all the resources it can, because it is just so important to the white house, that they are going to put all their manpower. other programs within hhs would have to suffer. some republicans voted against the bill that would have averted a government shutdown because it does fund the implementation of obama care. >> interesting. big decisions that have to be made along the way. so it's not done until it's done. thanks so much, bob. happy sunday. an extreme weather alert for you. it is supposed to be spring almost. well, guess what? big snowstorm moving across the
7:17 am
country. that storm yesterday forced the cancellation of about 100 flights at denver and today that storm is moving east. from the fox extreme weather center. >> something for everybody ma e maybe. >> major problems on interstates both i-25 and i-70 across areas of colorado. that storms pulls off to the east. maybe seeing five to eight inches of snow developing from st. louis over toward indianapolis. st. louis you've been rain earlier. you're crossing over into snow but this stretch of i-70 from kansas city to st. louis, stay off it if you can. major problems. by tonight, into tomorrow moves out toward the mid-atlantic, central jersey, philadelphia, washington, d.c. looking at maybe three to four inches of snow. we still have another big storm. this is what it looks like on the satellite radar picture. you see where all of our winter
7:18 am
wampl warnings are wichita, pittsburgh area, parts of west virginia, central appalachians. there's a warm side to the storm as well down across areas of florida. we have slight risk for severe weather from around the charleston, south carolina area through savannah, back towards about albany. we have one last bit of a tornado watch in effect until 11:00 a.m. as this line line of storms pulls through here. we'll likely see another tornado watch later on off toward the east. so severe weather with it as well. behind this storm the cold air gets reinforce again. everybody's wondering why temps are so cold. get ready, today you're 25 degrees below average down through areas of texas and almost the entire country looking at temps that are below average. looks like it will stay that way until probably wednesday or thursday. no big warm-up in the northeast until maybe the 3rd or 4th of april. >> man. how come it's so cold? >> we're stuck in a pattern and
7:19 am
it's not changing any time soon. get us unstuck. okay? there's been a possible break-through in the fight against leukemia. we teased we were going to talk about this yesterday. it's very important. a new treatment is showing promise fighting one of the most difficult types of cancer that's coming up. >> a lot of folks saw a mysterious flash of light. what is that? thousands of people saw it. we'll tell you more about that and what scientists are saying when we come back. >> we'll see whether you believe it or not. also, can you believe this? a new sinkhole in the same neighborhood where a man was killed last month, swallowed up by a sinkhole. >> i was scared because i was scared that maybe -- i saw like grass down in the hole with it was like rocks and stuff down there. it was really deep.
7:20 am
director's voice: here we go. from the top. and action for over 75 years people have saved money with gecko so.... director's voice: cut it! ...what...what did i say? gecko? i said gecko? aw... for over 75 year...(laughs. but still trying to keep it contained) director's voice: keep it together. i'm good. i'm good. for over 75...(uncontrollable laughter). what are you doing there? stop making me laugh. vo: geico. saving people money for over seventy-five years. gecko: don't look at me. don't look at me.
7:21 am
7:22 am
been waiting for the price then hurry, sleep train's beautyrest and posturepedic closeout sale ends sunday. save up to 40% on closeout sets from beautyrest and posturepedic. save hundreds on floor samples and closeout inventory. these prices are falling fast, but these deals won't last. sleep train's beautyrest and posturepedic closeout sale
7:23 am
ends sunday. superior service, best selection, lowest price, guaranteed. ♪ sleep train ♪ your ticket to a better night's sleep ♪ it's happened again. another sinkhole has opened up in florida. it's in the same town where that massive crater tragically swallowed 37-year-old jeff bush. he was in his bedroom last month
7:24 am
when the floor suddenly gave way in his house. his body was never recovered. now in the one one the ground just gave way between two houses. thankfully not under each of one. the hole estimated to be about eight feet wide and ten feet deep. >> once we found out there was a sinkhole i went to go tell my dad because i knew someone might get hurt. >> skater and nervous because this is my house. >> as of right now, official there say the houses are not in danger but they have been evacuated just as a precaution. in an exclusive interview on fox news sunday, kentucky senator rand paul is weighing in on the defense of marriage act. senator paul saying the issue of same-sex marriage should be decided by the states. the federal government, he says, could avoid it all together. listen. >> i don't want the government promoting something i don't believe in but i also don't mind
7:25 am
if the government tries to be neutral on the issue. the tax code, i'm for a flat income tax and we wouldn't have marriage as part of the tax code. health insurance. i think there is a way to write it where it would be neutral and you wouldn't bring marriage into the whole idea of health insurance. >> will any of that happen. ? joining me, the anchor of "fox news sunday," chris wallace. good to see you. senator paul has taken this spogs. does very the support behind him? >> well, it's going to be interesting because this is directly involves the case on the defense of marriage october that the supreme court is going to hear this week. that case involves a gay couple, same-sex couple, one of the two women died. the other one had had been legally married in the state and she said, therefore, she should get the rights that any spouse gets that the first, at this point $5 million in inheritance
7:26 am
is tax free. but doma says same-sex marriage is not recognize at the federal law. she didn't get that federal tax break. that's what doma is all about, as i read what senator paul is saying, he says he would agree with the plaintiff in this case that the federal government should grant her the rights that she has under the state in which she was married. >> interesting. i am aware that in new york today there's going to be a march over doma. there are a lot of strong opinions on either side. what's the next step other than the courts? >> well, it is the courts. this is going to come up before the court this week, monday, tuesday and wednesday they're going to hear proposition 8, the whole question of whether or not same-sex marriage can be banned as it was in california, then this issue of what the federal role should be.
7:27 am
this is tough role for conservatives because they've held db the federal doma law signed by president bill clinton, puts the government right if the middle of same-sex marriage saying it will not recognize it even if states say they do and would not give benefits to same-sex couples in the states where it is legal. if it doesn't get decided by the courts, it obviously could go the legislative route and congress might have to repeal the law. >> let me ask you, if you want us to wait until the program, it will be worth it. one question a lot of people want to know -- rand paul's really been out there. he's filibuster being with he's doing an exclusive interview with you. what are his aspirations when it comes to the white house? >> well, i certainly ask him about it at great length. he is the hottest property in the republican party, maybe in all politics right now. he's a fascinating guy. he's left left of barack obama on drone strikes. he's to the right of paul ryan on budget cutting.
7:28 am
he won't say directly i'm running for president. it would be crazy to say it at this point but he wants to be part of the conversation and he certainly leaves the presidential door wide open. >> we'll check out the program. always good to see you, chris. have a great sunday. don't miss the exclusive interview, kentucky senator rand paul with chris only. you have to watch "fox news sunday. accounts he's speak the to nicolle wallace and gary bauer. >> rand paul. quite fascinating. new developments in the battle against leukemia and news on dementia and an update on losing weight with liposuction. doctors are here for a sunday house call in just a moment. [ male announcer ] let's say you pay your guy around 2% to manage your money. that's not much, you think. except it's 2% every year. go to e-trade and find out how much our advice and guidance costs.
7:29 am
spoiler alert: it's low. it's guidance on your terms, not ours. e-trade. less for us. more for you. understanding you clearly... what is the capital of zimbabwe ? ... the first time you ask with the google voice search. the droid razr maxx hd by motorola. droid recognition. droid powerful. only rzr delivers. now's the time to buy during the polaris xp sales event.
75 Views
Uploaded by TV Archive on


text:
Becoming an urban farmer is as easy as growing food, sharing it with others and most importantly naming your farm.
Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) August 22, 2013
Growing food in the city? Really? The Urban Farming revolution is upon us with homeowners across the country turning their urban flowerbeds into mini-farms and converting their flowerpots into edible garden delights. This new breed of farmers is growing a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and raising chickens, goats and sheep. Some new farmers are also starting businesses with the intent of creating an income.
Urban Farmer Greg Peterson explains, "The most expensive produce to buy are herbs and they are the easiest to grow. I encourage you to plant that pot full of basil, thyme and oregano so that you have fresh healthy herbs, right at your kitchen door." Yes it is that simple to start growing your own healthy food.
In Peterson's MiniBuk My Ordinary, Extraordinary Yard, he shares the simple process of how he transformed his residential landscape into an edible garden delight. Explaining how a reader can create their own "urban farm" in even the smallest of spaces – this is gardening at its most rewarding. He shares how he planted more than 80 fruit trees, grew a wide variety of vegetables and herbs, raised chickens and even had 3 kinds of solar panels on his roof all within his 80-foot by 160-foot lot that includes a modest 1949 home.
Dubbed The Urban Farmer, the author draws from the knowledge he gained while earning a masters' degree in Environmental Planning, along with his hands-on experience, to inspire readers in the creation of a sustainable and fulfilling edible landscape of their own. He shares his methods for starting slow and successfully growing an organic, edible landscape and creating a harvest that takes into consideration all the resources available.
Not an urban farmer? Peterson says think again, "becoming an urban farmer is as easy as growing food, sharing it with others and most importantly naming your farm." Establishing an urban farm can be as simple as: planting edibles in flower beds or even window boxes; planting fruit trees in a hedgerow; recapturing rainwater and greywater to support the garden; or installing solar panels, to 'harvest' the sun.
My Ordinary, Extraordinary Yard is his first of a series of MiniBuk's called The Urban Farm's Simple Sustainability Series that comprises a variety of easy-to-do and rewarding facets of the greener living adventure. My Ordinary, Extraordinary Yard is available to download at http://learn.urbanfarm.org/your-free-ebook/
Here's to the health and happiness your gardening efforts will provide!
About Urban Farm
UrbanFarm.org is the home of a wide range of urban farming resources, education, tips and the 10,000 Urban Farms Project, which was created to discover a farm on every street. Founder Greg Peterson began gardening in Phoenix, Ariz. in 1975, discovered permaculture in 1991 and dubbed his personal residence in central Phoenix, The Urban Farm, in 2001. Peterson earned his Masters in Urban an Environmental Planning from Arizona State University in 2006. His long history of environmental learning and growing food in the city contributes to the success of UrbanFarm.org. Peterson wrote and published The Urban Farm Simple Sustainability Series, sits on the board of Native Seed/SEARCH and teaches the class Sustainable Food and Farms at Arizona State University. To find out more visit http://www.UrbanFarm.org


text:
According to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, here are some statistics regarding teens and distracted driving:
• 4 times more likely to have an accident or near miss when texting.
• 3 times more likely to crash when eating.
• 7-8 times more likely to have an incident while reaching for a phone.
• 8 times more likely to have a mishap when dialing a phone.
And there's more alarming news. According to a recent study, drivers engage in other activity approximately 10 percent of the time while operating a motor vehicle.
• Distractions of any type – eating, adjusting the radio, windows and seats, and even loud conversation in the car – can result in accidents, especially with young drivers who have little experience behind the wheel.
• Texting is particularly concerning because in a recent study, 77% of young adults claim they are very confident they can safely text while driving. That confidence in young drivers can be dangerous, even deadly.
• Text messaging makes a crash up to 23x more likely.
• Among drivers ages 18-20, between 11 and13 percent admitted sending or receiving texts at the time they crashed.
When should you speak with your kids about distracted driving?
It's never too early to start speaking with your children about the dangers of distractions while driving. Teach kids of any age the importance of focusing and eliminating distractions while operating a motor vehicle.
How can you make an impact regarding the dangers of distracted driving?
• Set a good example. Don't engage in texting, talking on the phone, or any other distracting behavior while driving. Kids learn more by your actions than by what you tell them. Yet, close to 50 percent of young drivers have seen their parents talking on the phone while driving. Fifteen percent have witnessed parents engaged in texting while behind the wheel.
• Share information. Driving while intexticated, a term coined by this organization, can be just as deadly as driving under the influence of alcohol. Discuss this issue with your children, especially those who are driving.
• Take the pledge. As a family, agree to engage in safe driving. One way to do this is by taking the text-free driving pledge.
Where can you go for more information?
1. Visit sites such as www.fcc.gov for valuable information regarding the issue of distracted driving.
2. Since laws vary from state to state, become familiar with your state's laws regarding cellphone use by checking out this site.
3. Check out options such as Drivecam and AT&T drive mode to see if they might be useful for your family.
Keeping your family safe and focused, even while behind the wheel of a motor vehicle, can be an attainable and painless goal! Drive safely.
Live Healthy. Live Smart