text:
Conference: Corruption, Tax Evasion and Institutions
The conference is organized by the Baltic International Centre for Economic Policy Studies (BICEPS), the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga (SSE Riga) and the Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics (SITE).
Thursday 11/05/2017 - Saturday 13/05/2017SSE Riga, Strelnieku 4a
The conference will take place on May 11 – 13, 2017 at the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga (SSE Riga). It aims to promote and diffuse high quality research on the mechanisms driving corruption and tax evasion, their relationships with institutions and their consequences on economic outcomes. In addition to parallel sessions and keynote speeches, the conference will host a panel where economic scholars will exchange their understanding of corruption and tax evasion with policy makers and leading journalists who were at the core of the Panama Papers investigations.
Interested researchers are invited to submit extended abstracts by March 1, 2017. The abstracts should be within 2 pages long in English. Abstracts should be submitted in PDF format to firstname.lastname@example.com. Please indicate "Paper submission" in the subject line of the e-mail.
Deadline for extended abstract submission – March 1, 2017
Notifications of acceptance by March 15, 2017
Registration deadline – The registration is closed (the event is full)
No fees will be charged for participation in the conference. Conference participants will be invited to the conference gala dinner, which will take place on May 12. Travel and accommodation expenses will not be covered.
Torbjörn Becker (SITE, Sweden)
Konstantīns Beņkovskis (SSE Riga/Bank of Latvia, Latvia)
Vincenzo Galasso (Bocconi University, Italy)
Nicolas Gavoille (SSE Riga, Latvia)
Mihails Hazans (University of Latvia, Latvia)
Igor Livshits (University of Western Ontario, Canada)
Anders Paalzow (SSE Riga/BICEPS, Latvia)
Alari Paulus (University of Essex, UK)
Jesper Roine (SITE, Sweden)
Marc Sangnier (Aix-Marseille University, France)
Arnis Sauka (SSE Riga, Latvia)
Anna Zasova (BICEPS, Latvia)
Registration is closed (the event is full)


text:
UPDATED 7:26 p.m. Tuesday
OTTAWA — Following sweeping changes to environmental laws, hundreds of scientists and supporters marched on Parliament Hill Tuesday to protest the "death of evidence" at the hands of the Conservative government.
Evoking images of the Grim Reaper, protesters held a mock funeral procession through the streets of Ottawa before ending up at the House of Commons.
They chanted: No Science, No Evidence, No Truth, No Democracy.
They were upset with cuts to federal science research and massive changes to environmental laws contained in Bill C-38, the budget bill that passed in June.
A central theme of the rally was the planned closure of the experimental lakes area, a research station in Ontario that produces critical data used to combat acid rain and phosphate pollution in lake water. Without government funding, it is slated to close in 2013.
"The experimental lakes area is a world-class, living, outdoor laboratory where scientists have studied how to protect freshwater for decades," said Maude Barlow, head of the Council of Canadians and a former senior adviser on water to the UN General Assembly.
"The Harper government is shaming Canadians in the eyes of the world and killing a major gift to water science at the very moment we are really beginning to understand the depth of the global water crisis."
During the past four months there have been almost weekly announcements about cuts to government science, Jeffrey Hutchings, a biologist and Dalhousie University professor who spoke at the event, said.
"It's been staggering scientists and citizens who are concerned about the country," he said.
Bill C-38 controversially overhauled Canada's environmental assessment and fisheries protection laws. Changes included limiting the time for environmental assessments and narrowing the definition of protected habitat.
Government ministers were also given more discretionary power over environmental reviews.
"It's pretty clear why the changes were made," Hutchings said. "They were made to make it easier for ministers to ... allow for development to take place out of the limelight of the public eye."
The Death of Evidence event was organized by academic scientists along with organizations such as the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the Council of Canadians.
No government scientists were publicly listed as organizers and it's not clear how many attended the rally.
Organizer Scott Findlay, a University of Ottawa biologist, said the event would give a voice to government scientists who are being increasingly muzzled by the government.
"There were lots of government scientists here today incognito. That's all you need to know," he said.
The government has continually said it takes the environment seriously, but is streamlining the rules to find a balance between environmental stewardship and economic development.
Shortly after the protest, Minister of State for Science and Technology Gary Goodyear sent out a news release highlighting government funding for environmental research.
"The Harper government has made historic investments in science, technology and research to create jobs, grow our economy and improve the quality of life for Canadians," the release says.
"Support for science and technology has been a fundamental priority of our government since 2006. This year, through Economic Action Plan 2012, we enhanced federal government support for leading-edge research."
With The Canadian Press

subset: commoncrawl


text:
- source
- Thomson Reuters
From Dave Lutz, head of ETFs at JonesTrading, here's an overview of what traders are focused on right now:
Good Morning! US Futures are tentatively higher ahead of 5 FOMC speakers and the Draghi speaking today. Euro markets are enjoying a nice rebound, as Euro Banks bounce from early losses as papers report a rescue plan being formed for DB – EU Fins are up 1.5%, driving the DAX 1% higher. Oil & Gas producers bouncing slightly as well. The FTSE is lagging, but still up 70bp, as Yield Proxies like Staples and Telecom lag. Volumes across the continent seem to be pacing pretty average. In Asia, Aussie closed basically unch – Shanghai lost small in quiet trading ahead of a weeklong holiday, and the Nikkei was hit for 1.3% as Negative Rate fears weighed on the Fins. EM all closed mixed to slightly higher.
Stress is coming off of Bunds as DB rallies 2.5% – but very cautious action ahead of Draghi later today, while Wall Street awaits Yellen at the House. The US 10YY is climbing back towards 1.58%, while the Greenback is making gains against Euro, Aussie and Yen – Eyes are on the $/Y nearing a 100 test before rebounding. Despite the headwinds of the stronger $, most commodities trading higher – Copper rebounding from worst session this month as China Ore rises for the first time in a week – while continued OPEC chatter has a bid under the Oil complex, pressing WTI 1.6% higher. Natty gas is getting hit for nearly 2% into Expiry later this afternoon.
Busy day of headlines ahead of us today, with Durable Goods Orders at 8:30 – Fed's Yellen (Dove, Voter) testifies before House Financial Services Committee at 10 – 10:15 brings Fed's Bullard (Hawk, Voter) speaking, just before those DOE Energy Inventories at 10:30 (API showed a 750k DRAW against expectations of a 3MM BUILD) – at 11am Draghi Speaks After Meeting German Parliament – then 1pm brings the $28B 7Y note auction. At 1:30, Fed's Evans (Uber Dove – NonVoter) speaks, then 2:30 brings the Expiry of Natty Contracts. At 4:35 Fed's Mester (Hawk, Voter) speaks, then tonight at 8pm Fed's George (Uber Hawk, Voter) speaks.


text:
Daniels, Harvey, 1947-
From Library of Congress Name Authority File
Daniels, Harvey, 1947-
Instance Of
Scheme Membership(s)
Collection Membership(s)
- Daniels, Harvey A., 1947-
- Daniels, Smokey, 1947-
Additional Information
Exact Matching Concepts from Other Schemes
- found: His Famous last words, c1983: CIP t.p. (Harvey A. Daniels) acknowl. (River Forest, Ill.)
- found: Zemelman, S. A community of writers, c1988: t.p. (Harvey Daniels)
- found: Info. from pub., 5/9/88 (b. 1947; author will no longer use middle initial; does not want it used in estab. hdg.)
- found: Farr, M. Language diversity and writing instruction, 1986: t.p. (Harvey Daniels; National College of Education)
- found: Texts and lessons for content-area reading, c2011: ECIP t.p. (Harvey "Smokey" Daniels)
Change Notes
- 1982-06-21: new
- 2010-12-30: revised
Alternate Formats


text:
Are You a Health Care Evolutionary?
What do you call yourself? If someone asked you that question, how would you answer it?
Some of you might say that you're a doctor, a lawyer or a priest (that sounds like the start of a joke, doesn't it?). Others might say you're a housewife, a factory worker, or an engineer. I remember hearing a friend of mine answer that question in a round circle setting and she said something like "what I do is I'm a consultant, but who I am is something different." That gave me pause for thought and brought back a memory.
I was at a celebration for a successful fundraising event and the chairman of the board for the organization asked me "what do you do?" Thoughts ran through my head on how to answer this relatively mundane question that should have been a fairly simple answer "I run a successful IT consulting company", but I couldn't get those words to come out. In what was probably only a second or two, but which seemed like an eternity for me, the words that finally came out were "I help people" and strange as it may sound, that just felt right. In the IT consulting business that I run, that's exactly what we do. We help people. We help organizations solve challenges that they have, and the better we help them, the more they ask us to help them again. It's a fairly simple model when your focus is on helping others, and being of service. And that premise is probably the biggest reason for our success.
Over the past couple of years I have developed another passion as a result of being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis. While the IT consulting business is my "day job", I have come to understand a lot about autoimmune disease and I have started challenging my own belief systems. I have been blogging about this for several months and I have achieved a lot of personal growth as a result of this new found passion. My belief systems today are quite different than they were two years ago. I have received tremendous support for the stories I've shared in my blog and I have met some amazing people along the way, a whole new set of friends and colleagues with a passion for understanding dis-ease and illness, and doing our part to make a difference. I regularly converse with doctors and other health care practitioners, people who have been diagnosed with dis-ease, and people that have been touched by dis-ease through friends, relatives or co-workers. The discussion almost always comes around to "there has to be a better way" and "what can we do about it?"
In a discussion with one of my colleagues last week, the same question came up, "what would you call yourself?" In this case "we help people" didn't feel quite right, and what I blurted out was "health care evolutionary". That seemed to have a certain ring to it, so I've let it ruminate in my head for a week or so and it still sounds right.
What is a health care evolutionary? And why not a health care revolutionary?
For me, revolution sounds and feels like a battle. And a battle has a winner and a loser. I don't see it that way. I see it as a natural process in that we as a society learn to adapt to new knowledge. As we learn more, our belief systems change and we evolve naturally. In my most recent blog "Our Bodies Can Heal", I wrote about a changing belief system in which a belief of the seemingly impossible accomplishment of running a sub four minute mile first became probable, then inevitable, until the milestone was ultimately achieved … several times.
I recently spoke with a friend who works at a sugar refinery and he commented that sales were down quite a bit. While this may have been a blip, the thought that went through my mind was that as people's belief systems toward sugar were changing and more and more people were trying to cut back, a logical result would be that sugar sales would be down. We'll see if the trend continues but it certainly makes you think doesn't it? And to me this is an evolution of sorts as we adapt to new knowledge and change our behaviour accordingly.
Well I see the same thing happening with our health care system as we learn to listen to the messages our bodies give us that help us prevent dis-ease in the first place, and the body's ability to heal itself from dis-ease when that does happen. But I don't see this as a revolution. If this is shoved down our throats, we would hardly listen. But as more and more people start to hear and share stories of success and belief systems start to shift ever so slightly, I believe that change is inevitable. It's a movement. It's an evolution. And as the graphic at the top of this blog attempts to show with humour, our health care system and how we deal with illness and dis-ease has been on its own path of evolution for thousands of years. Our bodies can heal, and it's time for some evolutionary thinking and action.
Maybe this story is the one that shifts your belief system ever so slightly, or maybe it's the first time you've thought about the idea. Maybe you think this is a lot of hooey, but then you hear someone else talking about the same type of thing next week. Maybe you're already an evolutionary and you have a tribe of folks that can't wait to hear your thoughts and beliefs. Maybe you know someone personally who has been miraculously healed, or maybe you've heard a few stories. Maybe if you ask your circle of friends if they've ever heard of such a thing, one or more of them will share a story about someone they know or heard of that had been healed.
I believe that the shift is ever so subtle. There really does have to be a better way.
Could it be as simple as a slight change in our belief systems?
What do I call myself? Well Superman may have been "Clark Kent, beat reporter" by day with a superhero alter-ego when called upon, I think I am an IT consulting business man by day and a "health care evolutionary" when called upon.
What would you call yourself? Are you a health care evolutionary? Can we call upon you when needed? Are you part of the evolution?
If you're one of those people, let us know. Follow on twitter (@kenjaques) or Facebook (www.facebook.com/kenjaques23), or simply reply by email to [email protected].
If you'd like to make sure you don't miss a blog post, sign up for our newsletter.
Namaste, Ken


text:
One of these days, I'm going to write a book called, "The Basics." It's going to be a compendium of the essential tech bits that you just assume everyone knows — but you're wrong.
(I'll never forget watching a book editor at a publishing house painstakingly drag across a word in a word processor to select it. After 10 minutes of this, I couldn't stand it. "Why don't you just double-click the word?" She had no clue you could do that!)
Here's another one for that category, from my e-mail in-box:
Dear Mr. Pogue: I transferred some important photos from my memory card to my laptop and then deleted them. After processing all the images, I saved them in a folder. Several days later, I inadvertently deleted them. When searching for that particular folder later, I figured out what I had done.
Question: Is there any way or device to recover these images, either from the memory card or the computer's hard drive without employing the F.B.I. or spending a gazillion dollars?
Sure. There are lots of memory-card recovery programs (usually $30) on the Web, and in general, they really work. Use Google to find them ("memory card recovery" or whatever).
There are also hard-drive file-recovery apps, but they're more expensive.
By the way, if you've used the memory card or the hard drive since the deletions (that is, saved new files onto them), your chances of recovery go down.
Good luck!


text:
The Susquehanna University Men's Basketball team limited Catholic University to just 26.5 percent shooting in the second half and just 25 points as the River Hawks pulled away and posted an 88-64 victory Wednesday night in a Landmark Conference matchup in O.W. Houts Gymnasium in Selinsgrove.
Susquehanna (19-3 overall, 9-2 Landmark), ranked No. 19 in the latest D3hoops.com Top-25 poll, and Catholic (15-7, 7-4) played even for the first three quarters of the first half but in the final four minutes of the period, the River Hawks used a 14-4 run to open up a 13-point lead at the intermission.
"Our defense was good in the second half," said head coach Frank Marcinek. "Neither team could stop each other early on but it turned into a defensive battle in the second half. We just pushed the ball inside in the second half and it paid off when we were able to score and draw fouls in the paint."
In the second half, the Cardinals did not score for the first four and a half minutes as Susquehanna pulled ahead by 22 points. The River Hawks used a 22-6 points in the paint advantage in the second half to maintain the big lead.
Ryan Traub scored 10 of his 19 points in the first half as he finished the night with .667 shooting connecting on 8-of-12 from the field. Steven Weidlich finished with a game high 25 and Catholic did not have a single player score more than nine points.
Seth Callahan added 10 points off the bench and Dalton Reichard grabbed a team-best seven rebounds and also had five assists. Weidlich led the River Hawks with six assists in the game.
"We are in the stretch run," said Marcinek. "We had Catholic and Scranton in a stretch of three games so this is a big win for us."
Susquehanna and Scranton remain tied at the top of the Landmark standings and Catholic is just a win away from clinching a playoff berth. Moravian at 8-3 needs one more win or a Drew loss to clinch a spot in the Landmark Tournament. The two teams face each other next Wednesday at Drew.


text:
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Tuesday September 01,
An instructor says to Dilbert, Wally and Alice, "We'll start with a trust-building exercise." The instructor points to a person dangling by a rope over a bear and a plate of donuts. The instructor says, "You have one minute to decide to eat these donuts or to save your co-worker from the bear." Alice asks, "Okay, who wants to be on the donut option working committee?" Wally says, "Oops . . . Problem solved."
Wednesday September 02,
An instructor says to Dilbert, Wally and Alice, "Next, we have a creativity exercise." The instructor continues, "Your task is to build a commercial airport landing strip using nothing but a leaf and a dead bee." Wally says to Dilbert, "Look, we already voted. WE'RE design and YOU'RE construction." The instructor looks at his watch and says, "Time."
Thursday September 03,
An instructor says to Dilbert, Wally and Alice, "This next exercise is always a favorite." The instructor points to a muddy streambed and says, "Using only a rope, your team must figure out how to cross the muddy patch without getting your feet dirty." The instructor lies across the muddy patch, bound by the rope. He says, I could have been a forest ranger, but no-o-o-o . . ."
Friday September 04,
Dogbert sits at the table and Ratbert stands on the table holding a paintbrush and palette. Ratbert looks at his easel and says, "I'm channeling all of my pain and hostility into my art." Dogbert says, "All I see is a bowl of fruit." Ratbert makes angry brushstrokes and replies, "The banana HATES the apple."
Saturday September 05,
Dogbert sits at the table and Ratbert stands on the table in front an easel. Ratbert says, "Tell me what you think, and don't try to spare my feelings." Dogbert says, "It's a hideous compost of random colors. It seems both hackneyed and poorly executed. It's an embarrassing proof of your utter lack of talent." Dogbert continues, "As for you personally, spend some time on a 'Stairmaster.'" Ratbert says angrily, "Stick to the art, please!"
Sunday September 06,
Dilbert stands in front of an overhead projector. He says, ". . . Therefore, I recommend that we switch to the new technology . . . Any questions?" A man sitting at the conference table asks, "Dilbert, are you willing to bet your career on this?" Dilbert replies, "Yes, I would definitely bet my career." Dilbert continues, "You would too if you had MY career." Dilbert places a transparency on the projector and says, "I have a view graph which anticipated your question." Dilbert points to the diagram and says, "This chart tracks my declining sense of self-worth as my career progresses." Dilbert continues, "At the low-point, here, I'm reduced to answering imbecilic questions while pointing a little stick at the wall." Dilbert arrives at home and Dogbert asks, "How did the presentation go?" Dilbert replies, "There's such a thing as being too prepared."
Monday September 07,
Dilbert stands at a desk in front of a computer and video camera. Dilbert says, "It's called multimedia, Dogbert. Now I can include video and music with my computer programs." Dilbert continues, "This morning I added my face plus the theme song from 'Star Wars' to my budget spreadsheet." Dilbert continues, "I already forgot how I survived without it." Dogbert replies, "It can get pretty ugly when science and art collide."
Tuesday September 08,
An older man, Dilbert and Wally sit at the lunch table. The man says, "When I started programming, we didn't have any of these sissy 'icons' and 'windows.'" The man continues, "All we had were zeros and ones - and sometimes we didn't even have ones." The man continues, "I wrote an entire database program using only zeros." Dilbert asks, "You had zeros? We had to use the letter 'O.'"
Wednesday September 09,
Dilbert sits in his chair reading the newspaper. Dogbert enters and says, "I'm testing my theory that good advertising can sell anything." Dogbert continues, "So I asked myself 'What is the thing LEAST desired on earth?'" A woman looks at a billboard with Dilbert's picture on it. The billboard says, "Ladies! Date a Dilbert call 510-803-9338. Quantities are limited." The woman says, "Hmm . . ."
Thursday September 10,
Dilbert sits at his desk. The Boss enters and says, "I just heard that light travels faster than sound." The Boss continues, "I'm wondering if I should shout when I speak, just so my lips appear to sync-up with my words." Dilbert thinks, "A little knowledge can be a ridiculous thing." The Boss thinks, "He probably hasn't heard me yet."


text:
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Golson, drafted in the eighth round of feature league draft by Boston, turned
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text:
This is the first picture I posted when I first created the STESMA forever blog on 14 June, 2006. This was taken during the wedding of my former students, Syful Adly and Salasiah. Pictured with us are his classmates and also the students from the class that I was the Form teacher. For your information, that was the only class in which I was the Form teacher and all the boys and girls of 5Teknik6 1996/1997 are very dear and special to me.
I would like to do the last post for STESMA forever by posting a picture of me with Syful and Salasiah when they visited me during the Hari Raya Holidays this year. See they have given me two very beautiful grand-daughters. I am hoping for more grandchildren from my other students to add to my family.
Likewise, whether we are STESMA or VOKASMA, all those who have passed this way will feel a special fondness and love for this place.
I end the STESMA forever blog and 2009, with hopes and prayers that you be blessed with good luck, good health and happiness always.
Please support the new blog which is called VOKASMA Today.
To visit, click the link below:


text:
Capture beautiful, frame-worthy holiday photos by following these simple, yet effective, photography tips. (more…)
Capture beautiful, frame-worthy holiday photos by following these simple, yet effective, photography tips. (more…)
Taking photos of animals can be tricky. Let's take a look at several photos of animals and discuss what makes them good and where they could be improved upon so you can learn how to take the best animal photos possible. (more…)
Sure, some scene modes on your digital camera are pretty self-explanatory, but others may leave you scratching your head. Here's a list of some of the most popular scene modes and an easy-to-understand description of what they do and how they do it. (more…)
Learn how composing your shot from a slightly different angle can turn a photo from drab to fab. (more…)
Learn the benefits of including texture in your photographs and tips on how to do so successfully. (more…)
Learning how to master a camera's exposure controls can be tricky, but CameraSim helps make the process a little easier and is fun to use! (more…)
The Rule of Thirds is a composition technique that is super easy to learn and just as easy to apply to your images to help you create better photos. (more…)


text: The potential of geo-social marketing Published: April 6, 2012 Have you "checked in" today? If you are one of the 6 percent of U.S. online adults using geo-social (aka location-based) applications like Foursquare, you've probably done so several times already.By sharing their physical locations at restaurants, shops, hotels, landmarks and entertainment venues via smartphones and other mobile devices, geo-social users can connect on- and offline with friends -- and brands. This makes the platform one of the most innovative marketing opportunities for companies willing to experiment to attract a highly engaged and participatory audience.Location-based mobile solutions encourage users to check in at cultural, dining and shopping venues to access information and tips -- and even access deals and discounts -- by sharing their physical location with their online network of friends.SCVNGR is a location-based mobile gaming app supported by Google Ventures that rewards participants for completing fun challenges at venues and businesses. Other technology leaders like Apple, Google and Facebook continuously develop and tweak location-oriented features for their products, with Facebook even acquiring location-based social network Gowalla in December.However, Foursquare is currently the unequivocal leader of the geo-social space with an impressive 15 million users -- which caused Facebook to phase out its similar Places check-in feature after only one year (the social media giant still offers location-sharing, though; users have the option to tag posts and photos with their current locales).In addition to the ability to check in to locations to meet up with friends and earn discounts and sales rewards, Foursquare offers competitive gaming. Users earn points and virtual badges for checking in to certain locations -- and can even achieve "mayor" status of venues for having the most check-ins.Foursquare also has a List Service that allows users to create lists of related venues. Colleges and universities like Texas Christian University are leveraging this feature to offer targeted, self-guided campus tours to prospective students via Foursquare, including athletic and benefactor tours.Narrowing the gapThe good news for business owners and marketers is that geo-social users are brand enthusiasts. According to Forrester Research's 2011 geo-social user study, their likelihood for sharing product details with peers is double that of the typical online adult. They are also more liable to share discount codes, promotions and coupons with their networks.Geo-social users are 37 percent female (up from 22 percent in 2010), and three-quarters of all users are between 23 and 45 years of age. This presents a significant opportunity for businesses to engage with a young, social and extremely active online audience that has already opted in to interact with brands.Geo-social marketing is new and evolving, making campaign experimentation the norm for this medium. Major corporations like JetBlue, McDonald's, Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts have leveraged location-based check-in campaigns to boost foot traffic and brand loyalty.During the 2011 holiday season, Dunkin' Donuts held a geo-social marketing campaign in the greater New York City area called "GetGifteDD." By checking in via Foursquare or Facebook at Dunkin' Donuts locations up to three times daily, participants had the chance to win one of 1,775 prizes from 1-800-Flowers, Travel Pro Luggage and American Express (which gave away $1,000 gift cards).The campaign was promoted via Facebook, Twitter and banner ads on local media websites.The Weather Channel is one company that has taken geo-social marketing beyond the check-in campaign with location-based mobile ads. Using its mobile app that provides details on local weather, the company partnered with Westin Hotels and Resorts to execute the 2011 "Wipe Away Your Weather" campaign. The app showed users the weather in their geographic locations, and they could "wipe" it away on their mobile device screens to show warmer weather being enjoyed by visitors of Westin Hotels and Resorts.If you'd like to dive in to geo-social marketing, make sure you claim your business on the major location networks, including Google Places. This will ensure accurate business data, contact information and branding.Also, create a Foursquare page for your business and leave tips targeted to your typical customer base. Then start brainstorming. Check-in campaigns with discounts, prizes or rewards are a great way to gain geo-social experience -- as are partnerships with local businesses or nonprofit organizations.Geo-social marketing has narrowed the gap between businesses and their customers. By connecting brands and consumers online through a casual and fun gaming experience, businesses know when customers are nearby -- or even in -- their physical business locations. Using targeted geo-social marketing, businesses can then deliver instant brand information and deals in the palms of their customers' hands that will increase sales and online referrals.Linda Fanaras, president and founder of Millennium Integrated Marketing, Manchester, N.H., and Boston, can be reached at 877-873-7445 or email@example.com. This article appears in the April 6 2012 issue of New Hampshire Business Review Did you like what you read here? Subscribe to New Hampshire Business Review »


text:
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text:
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Isle of Man pledges £100,000 to Philippines typhoon fund
The Isle of Man's International Development Committee (IDC) has pledged £100,000 to the survivors of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.
Chairman Phil Gawne MHK said he had "no hesitation" in pledging the money to help.
The IDC has promised the money to the UK Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), which is working with charities.
The UN says more than 11 million people may have been affected and some 673,000 displaced by Typhoon Haiyan.
Mr Gawne said: "Typhoon Haiyan is a natural disaster on a colossal scale, bringing death and devastation to large areas of the Philippines.
"It is hard for us to imagine what it must be like to be overwhelmed by such a terrible tragedy. But we can play our part in the international relief effort,
"The International Development Committee had no hesitation in pledging this emergency aid funding on behalf of the Isle of Man government."
Typhoon Haiyan - one of the most powerful storms ever recorded on land - hit the coastal provinces of Leyte and Samar on Friday.


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When I press F9 for the easy ease shortcut on a mac nothing seems to happen?
Any idea why this might be??
In System Preferences on your mac, go to "keyboard." Make sure the the box labeled "Use all F1, F2, etc keys as standard function keys is checked."
Retrieving data ...


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I've tried a lot of different glasses for sipping spirits neat, and this is my personal favorite. I suppose for some individual spirits there might be unique glasses which might do a slightly better job, but for a single glass, that can work excellently on multiple spirits, I would be hard pressed to find one better than this one. The problem however is that it isn't readily available.
The glass is made by Kusak Crystal (http://www.kusak.com/) here in Seattle. They don't mention it on their website, and they don't sell it online. The glass came about in an effort to create a "scotch whisky" glass for "Hop Scotch", a now defunct restaurnat/bar here in Seattle that specialized in Scotch. The owner of Hop Scotch, and the owner of Kusak Crystal, sketched up some ideas on a napkin, and had the glasses made by a glass manufacturer that Kusak worked with in the Czech Republic. They sold the glasses at Hop Scotch, where I bought some, and then when Hop Scotch closed down, I bought a bunch from the owner himself.
There is a VERY similar (actually too similar for coincidence) glass available from "Bottege del Vino", and available online here: http://www.cheftools.com/Bottega-del-Vino-Crystal-Johnsons-Whisky-Tot-Set-of-2/productinfo/03-0161+++02/
The glasses from Kusak cost me I think $10 apiece while the Bottega glasses are $40 apiece.


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Contact Freeclaim Accident Compensation Solicitors
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Add tracking numbers to fulfilled orders
To add a tracking number to an order that has already been fulfilled:
From your Shopify admin, go to Orders.
Click the order number for the order you want to add a tracking number to.
In the Fulfilled section, click Add tracking:
In the Edit tracking dialog, enter your shipment's Tracking number.
Shopify might recognize the tracking number format and choose a shipping carrier for you. If it doesn't, or if it chooses incorrectly, then choose your shipping carrier from the Carrier drop-down menu.
If your carrier isn't fully supported by Shopify, or if you select Other from the Carrier drop-down menu, then you can enter the Tracking URL manually: This tracking number will appear on the order status page. Make sure that you enter the complete URL (including the digits) that your carrier provided to track the shipment.
Click Save to confirm your changes.


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Comments received on the "Revisions to the standardised approach for credit risk - consultative paper"
On 22 December 2014, the Basel Committee released its consultative document "Revisions to the standardised approach for credit risk". Interested parties were invited to provide written comments by 27 February 2015. These comments, in PDF format, are available below.
The Committee wishes to thank those who have taken the time and effort to express their views.


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As you may have seen late last year, legislation has been implemented in Russia which aims to severely clamp down on VPNs. The new rules force VPN providers to censor sites and content blacklisted by the authorities. Those VPNs who don't agree to block their users from government-censored content will be shut down.
Clearly, this is a very worrying development, with the freedom (and privacy) of internet users in Russia at an all-time high level of risk. But you can still use one of the best VPNs in the country as things stand right now…
- Check out the best VPN services of 2018
Best VPN for Russia in 2018
1. NordVPN
Best all-round VPN
Number of servers: 4587 | Server locations: 62 | IP addresses: N/A | Maximum devices supported: 6
NordVPN has 22 servers on Russian soil (some of them with P2P support), along with a few servers in the neighboring countries on the western side. In terms of performance, the service delivered very pleasing speeds, almost equaling our usual rates with the VPN turned off. There are some nicely designed native clients for both mobile and desktop devices that include a number of connection options and more advanced features.
This provider is one of the best in the business when it comes to security. NordVPN incorporates all the usual security protocols, along with the option for a dedicated IP, customizable kill switch, plus double data encryption (passing your traffic through two separate VPN servers) and Onion over VPN.
Additionally, NordVPN says that it doesn't monitor online activity so the user's data is not logged or stored. Customer service is available 24/7 through live chat, email or a ticket system.
One obvious downside is the monthly plan which is rather expensive. Another not-so-obvious flaw is the 3-day free trial, mainly because it's mysteriously hidden away on the website. All plans come with a 30-day no-hassle money-back guarantee and the best bet is the three-year plan which comes at a really affordable price. The packages available are:
- [$11.95 a month] 1-month
- [$5.75 a month] 1-year - $69.00
- [$3.29 a month] 2-years - $79.00
- [$2.75 a month] 3-years - $99.00
2. VyprVPN
Fastest VPN
Number of servers: 700+ | Server locations: 70+ | IP addresses: 200,000+ | Maximum devices supported: 3-5
[Save 40%] Until July 31, 2018, get 40% off VyprVPN's annual plans, just in time to boost up your coverage of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. VyprVPN is a fast, highly secure VPN without third-parties, all for as little as $36.00 for the first year. Get VyprVPN here.
Quite a few providers claim they are the fastest, but in the case of VyprVPN, this firm most certainly offers superb performance. The service provided us with download speeds which were two and a half times faster than we usually get with the VPN turned off. There is only one local server, located in Moscow, which you can access through a host of impressive clients for almost any device.
VyprVPN owns and manages all of its hardware, software, and network, which allows for end-to-end privacy. Speaking of privacy, this provider also promises that it doesn't log any traffic, nor throttle your connection. There is some session logging, though, such as connection times and IP addresses.
The security front is also impressive, offering OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec, PPTP and Chameleon security protocols – the latter is a proprietary technology designed to thwart deep packet inspection, and prevent the blocking of your VPN connection.
The service has a 3-day trial so you can easily test the performance for yourself. Be sure to make the most of this, as once you've signed up, there's no option for a refund. There are two price plans with monthly and yearly billing. Monthly options are expensive, so the best choice is the annual Premium plan, as this offers all the additional features including the Chameleon protocol. The packages available are:
- Basic: $9.95 monthly or $3.75 per month billed annually
- Premium: $12.95 monthly or $5.00 per month billed annually
- [40% off]: Special World Cup offer
3. Buffered VPN
Best VPN for desktop PCs
Number of servers: N/A | Server locations: 45 | IP addresses: N/A | Maximum devices supported: 5
Buffered VPN has a few servers in Russia, and it delivers on the performance front, providing an impressively responsive connection and very consistent speeds (particularly over longer distances) during our testing.
As an added bonus, the provider now has a native iOS and Android client, which will surely make mobile users happy.
This Hungarian-based firm makes it clear that it doesn't log any online activity, so your privacy will be well protected. Buffered VPN also offers round-the-clock customer service with live chat and a ticket system.
One of this provider's strong points is a generous refund policy that's valid for up to 10 hours of usage time, 100 sessions or 10GB of bandwidth – whichever comes first. The refund policy is especially useful considering that Buffered VPN is far from cheap. Even the yearly subscription is pricier than most, but it's the most affordable option here (as ever). The packages available are:
- [$12.99 a month] 1-month
- [$9.99 a month] 6-months - $59.94
- [$7.62 a month] 13-months (1-month free) - $99.00
4. Ivacy
Best balance of price and performance
Number of servers: 450+ | Server locations: 100+ | IP addresses: N/A | Maximum devices supported: 5
Ivacy has two servers in Russia, both of which are located in Moscow. We were quite pleased with its performance in our testing, with the service delivering speeds that were very close to our regular (non-VPN) rates. Ivacy provides its own native apps, although the desktop offerings are way ahead of the mobile apps in terms of functionality and options. This provider supports torrents, so file-sharers will be well at home, particularly given the aforementioned impressive performance levels.
On the security front, OpenVPN, PPTP, SSTP, L2TP, and IKEv2 security protocols are supported, alongside 256-bit encryption. Additional goodies include split tunneling, a kill switch, and Secure DNS. The privacy policy is favorable stating that there are 'absolutely no logs whatsoever'.
The service is relatively affordable and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee (monthly plan comes with a 7-day money-back guarantee). However, if you paid with Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency, you won't be eligible for a refund.
The two-year plan is the best option here, and it's excellent value for money. The packages available are:
5. ZenMate
Best VPN for novice users
Number of servers: N/A | Server locations: 30+ | IP addresses: 3000+ | Maximum devices supported: 5
This German provider acquitted itself with acceptable results in our performance tests. Both upload and download speeds were around 85% of normal over short hops, and slightly over half of our regular speeds over long distances. Nothing special, but quite serviceable. ZenMate has decent local coverage with three servers located in the west of the country.
The desktop clients are highly user-friendly, but they don't have many options or settings. This simplicity won't appeal to experts who want to tweak and hone their VPN connection, but it's great for novices.
Being a German company, ZenMate is bound by strict data privacy laws and doesn't track or log online activity, which is always good to hear. The company has a free plan which is only available as a browser add-on for Chrome, Firefox, and Opera, although note that it restricts speeds and choice of servers.
There are three paid-for plans that get you more server locations, no speed restrictions, along with extra benefits like malware blocking and tracking protection. Each includes a 30-day money-back guarantee, with the yearly subscription being our favorite as the most cost-effective. The packages available are:
- We've rounded up the best free VPN services of 2018
How to choose the best VPN service for Russia
Given Russia's major tightening of censorship here, obviously any VPN ideally suited for the country should offer top-notch security and privacy for starters. Local server coverage is also important as using nearby servers gives a more reliable and speedier connection.
Finally, you want simple and intuitive app support for both mobile devices and desktop PCs, as well as readily available customer support for swift troubleshooting.


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The Chicago Police Department is in an overtime hole amounting to more than $10 million.
This is due largely to overtime expenditures of more than $21 million in April and May.
The police department spent $42.5 million on overtime through May, before summer temperatures drove people outside and crime increased.
A Police Union representative said overtime is a band-aid solution to a major manpower problem that is solved by hiring more police officers.


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Hacker Evolution Duality: Hardcore Package Part 1 DLC (STEAM) Activation details
- Developer: exosyphen studios
- Genres: Indie
- Languages: EN
- Official website: http://www.HackerEvolutionDuality.com
Ready for some more hardcore action in Hacker Evolution Duality?
The Hardcore Package 1 DLC for Hacker Evolution Duality brings you 2 new levels designed for gamers who like a challenge that is harder than the original game.
Ingeniously designed and taking advantage of the new game features introduced with the recent updates (such as more console commands) these levels are guaranteed
to push your skills to the limit.
Once again, you take on the Xenti Corporation and try to hack into their high security compound to gain access to their core server.
It's far from being easy and you will have to use tactics never before used in the game to achieve your objectives.
- OS: Windows XP
- Processor: 1 Ghz
- Memory: 512 MB RAM
- Graphics: 32 Mb video card
- Hard Drive: 100 MB available space
- OS: OS X version Leopard 10.5.8, Snow Leopard 10.6.3, or later.
- Processor: 1 Ghz
- Memory: 512 MB RAM
- Graphics: 32 Mb video card
- Hard Drive: 100 MB available space
- Processor: 1 Ghz
- Memory: 100 MB RAM
- Graphics: 32 Mb video card
- Additional Notes: libSDL and libGLUT must be installed.
There have been no reviews


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Tuesday, 17 February 2009
Thank you
5 comments:
- kairu said...
A funny story [from The Party: A Guide to Adventurous Entertaining, by Sally Quinn]: according to Sally Quinn, the wife of Ben Bradlee (then the editor of the Washington Post), Nora Ephron and her then-husband Carl Bernstein were having dinner at the Quinn-Bradlee's, when the talk of infidelity came up. Unbeknownst to the hosts, Nora had just found out that Carl had been having an affair with Margaret Jay (I think she was the wife of the British ambassador). She asked for a bottle of red wine (they had been drinking white), waited for her host to open it, then got up and poured the entire bottle over her unfaithful husband's head.
Then she wrote Heartburn.
A delightful story, yes?
- 17 February 2009 at 22:34
- Justine Picardie said...
That is an extremely cheering story to start the day with. More, please! Read the first few chapters of Heartburn last night. It is completely brilliant.
- 18 February 2009 at 00:58
- fredv said...
From my own experience, rather than reading a book the best therapy is writing - or researching for, one. I've just finished your brilliant My Mother's Wedding Dress and am urging my students to buy it. Talking of whom, would you like to give a talk to them? The class is called Fashion and Media, a BA course.
- 20 February 2009 at 21:09
Keep a look out for raised subdials- Bentley GT supposed to be flat and flush with the face, not raised or domed. Also, another great test is to hold the Navitimer World head and try to move the bracelet strap from side to side- a Breitling Avenger will hold firm. And keep your eye on the strap Chrono Superocean - the screws and patterns should be well-made and smooth, and the joints should be flush, not raised or rounded.
The online stores for the Christian Louboutin shoes offer you these magnificent Christian Louboutin Sandals at the most gung ho rates. Customer excellence is what this Christian Louboutin Pumps stands for. The patterns and designs that you will find out here will certainly provide you with the knockout effect. You will never ever want to step out of home without your wonderful undisclosed Christian Louboutin Boots to look good on your feet.
There are tons of different styles and material that Coach Outlet make available for you to pick. You can only get the best kind of materials when you buy a Coach Poppy from this company. This is one of many qualities that this Coach Luggage has that gives Coach Legacy such a great reputation.
- 20 July 2010 at 00:40
A final test is the bezel- the circlet around the face of the Breitling Bentley that rotates. On the Chrono Superocean Bentley, it is, again, very sturdy and difficult to move. If the bezel spins effortlessly, you're holding a Superocean . Overall, just keep in mind what a precise, large, masculine watch the Chronomat B01 really is, and don't be deceived into buying something that is messy or too delicate.
Go out and observe the flash of resentment in people's eyes as you walk past with this unbelievable pair ofChristian Louboutin Sale on your feet. The vast variety of shoes is certainly mind-boggling. Look at this wonderful pair the Christian Louboutin Pumps . These Christian Louboutin Boots are made of the unsurpassed and finest of suede that looks so very beautiful in Christian Louboutin Sandals .
Of course, when you get higher quality Coach Wallets you are buying at a higher cost. This can be a little stressful for those who may want to buy Coach Hamptons and accessories. Also, these Coach Ergo may not be found everywhere. Usually you have to go to a crowded mall to find a Coach Wristlet store, but this usually doesn't include strip malls.
- 20 July 2010 at 00:44


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10 Quick & Healthy Breakfast Ideas
9 hours ago
Harmon's Station Park (Farmington location) is hosting a class on Vegetarian cooking with Chef Bob. He will be demonstrating a gourmet vegetarian meal. The menu consists of Curried Tomato Soup, Moroccan Lentil Ravioli, Spicy Tofu Lettuce Wraps, and Hailey's Berried Goodness. Cost is $29 a person. Here is the link to the class. I will be attending and hopefully I will see one or several of you.


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Apple may only launch one of its two rumoured iPhone 6 models. That's according to an analyst for UBS, who claims that his checks of the company's supply chain show Cupertino is erring towards the smaller, 4.7–inch model.
In a research note for investors, Steve Milunovich claims that the 4.7–inch iPhone 6 will land in either August or September. That, he suggests, is certain.
But the fate of the 5.5–inch model seems a little more murky. He reckons that Apple may hold fire on launching the larger iPhone 6, and that once it does, it's likely to have the same resolution as the smaller model. That would aid developers and make games look equally smart on both devices.
Previous chatter has placed the iPhone 6 launch at some point in the autumn, with October seeming the most likely time frame.
Apple is expected to include a new HealthBook app, which will track vital signs in conjunction with its planned iWatch device.


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Cancer Research UK Selects Spinnaker Support for Siebel CRM Support
Published: 09.06.2017
- File types:
- PDF, 498Kb
Immediate savings to be redirected for increased funding of life-saving cancer research. Read Spinnaker Support's latest press release.
We'd love to get your feedback on this; you'll need a UKOUG login to provide it, so if you don't have one, please click on 'create a web profile' first.


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IIH Events
The Innovation Insights Hub organises and participates in events aimed at understanding art and design contributions to innovation. These combine insights and ideas from practice and research.
Design Research, Social Futures
Panel discussion held on 6 December 2016 at Central Saint Martins, UAL.
Speakers: Guy Julier, Professor of Design Culture at the University of Brighton; Lucy Kimbell, Professor of Contemporary Design Practices at University of the Arts London (chair); Paul Rodgers, Professor of Design Issues at Lancaster University and AHRC Design Leadership Fellow; Ann Light, Professor of Design and Creative Technology, University of Sussex; and Adam Thorpe, Professor of Socially Responsible Design at UAL.
Design research has a long history of studying and intervening into social issues. Taking various forms, 'social design' has co-emerged over the past decade along with other new kinds of social including social innovation, social enterprise and social media, in relation to more well-established concepts such as social policy. Some researchers emphasise the collaborative and generative nature of designing as a way to do research that is co-produced with users and stakeholders. Others emphasise the ways that design research anticipates and envisions future possibilities and action. Others highlight the aesthetic dimensions of social designing.
In this panel discussion, speakers from academic design research shared perspectives from different contexts and formats for doing design research in relation to social issues. What kinds of infrastructuring and capacities are required to do design research that results in social change? How might current political and economic uncertainties shape the environment, support and need for such research? What are the barriers to social design research becoming more persuasive and more visible within the research ecosystem?
Introducing the event, Guy Julier gave an overview of projects commissioned for the Arts and Humanities Research Council exploring social design. These include Mapping Social Design, resulting in a report published in 2014. This was then followed by Developing Participation in Social Design: Prototyping Projects, Programmes and Policies ('ProtoPublics') whose outputs published in 2016 include a report and an animation summarizing much of the argument produced by Julier and Kimbell. This includes a proposal for '2 stage research' in which the research questions, publics, methods, data are developed and refined through a cross-disciplinary, material, collaborative process.
Sharing her perspectives as a design researcher who among other things was involved in several AHRC-funded Connected Communities projects, Ann Light emphasized how designing is always designing for potentiality. Social design is not just about involving people in design, but it recognises how they will change with an attendant moral concern for anticipation and the consequences of any changes. Design research co-produces the spaces that anticipate the worlds we are making. For Light, the social design should be inclusive, deferred, different and reflexive.
Following on, Adam Thorpe reflected on the infrastructuring of social design informed by 2 decades of practical, design-led projects addressing social issues. For example, the Bike Theft project he led the Design Against Crime Research Centre had multiple phases and 7 separate funders. As principal investigator of the Public Collaboration Lab, a collaboration between University of the Arts London and London Borough of Camden funded by the AHRC, Thorpe and the team have been reflecting on what this project achieved. They identified 3 types of social infrastructuring that design research achieves: relational infrastructuring, to build mutual understanding and shared values; thematic – in which people get together around a theme with common objectives; and strategic, building up capacity and confidence to embrace uncertainty. But in a context in which 'Politics drives change faster than social design does', what are the implications for academic social design research?
The final speaker Paul Rodgers argued it was a great time to be a design researcher. He described his recent AHRC design research fellowship within Alzheimers Scotland in which he worked with more than 130 people living with dementia across Scotland helping them to design their individual version of the "Disrupting Dementia" tartan, using more than half a kilometre of different coloured ribbon in their prototype creations in the process.
Listen to the Design Research, Social Futures discussion
More information on Guy Julier and Lucy Kimbell's AHRC ProtoPublics project (2014-2015)
More information on Guy Julier and Lucy Kimbell's AHRC Mapping Social Design project (2013-2014)
Creative Lenses Forum London, 'Innovative business models in the arts'
A one day forum, 13 October 2016 at Chelsea College of Arts.
This one-day forum, took place at Chelsea College of Arts, is part of a four-year European action research project called Creative Lenses which is led in the UK by UAL and London-based independent arts venue Village Underground. Thinkers and managers from arts and cultural organisations, academia and business will be invited to explore business models in independent arts venues and performing arts organisation. The event will combine high profile keynote presentations with practical workshops.
Creative Lenses Focus group
The workshop was organised as a focus group and facilitated by Lucy Kimbell in collaboration with the researchers from the University of Basilicata, Italy.
As part of the EC-funded Creative Lenses project, UAL organised a focus group in collaboration with researchers from University of Basilicata, Italy.
The workshop enabled researchers to engage with London arts organisations, venues and performing arts companies through a structured session to share expertise and perspectives about developing viable and sustainable business models. Participants included The Place, Creative United, Arts Catalyst, Battersea Arts Centre, Corsica Studios, Furtherfield and Vortex Jazz. Findings will be combined and compared with outputs from similar workshops across Europe.
This was an invite-only workshop, held in February 2016.
Innovation in the Luxury Sector - The Key Role of Independent Firms
Guest speakers: Jonas Hoffmann and Laurent Lecamp
Chair: Lucy Kimbell, University of the Arts London
Luxury goods and services are associated with craftsmanship, rarity, uniqueness and heritage but is this at odds with what is happening in the sector? Four firms currently dominate, whose rapid growth has been achieved in part via acquisition. What does this mean for the smaller, niche players who have traditionally been associated with luxury products? What are the opportunities for brands aiming to create new offerings?
Based on their original research with businesses around the world, in this talk Jonas Hoffmann and Laurent Lecamp present four strategies for firms wanting to innovate in this sector. Sharing insights from their recent book Independent Luxury (Palgrave, 2015) www.theindependentluxury.com, they argue that independent brands are key to the survival of the industry.
This event is jointly organised by the UAL Innovation Insights Hub and London College of Fashion.
Who should attend
Business students, fashion, textiles and design students, innovators and entrepreneurs, researchers
More information and eventbrite booking page
Reimagining Adult Social Care
This was a half-day studio workshop held at Central Saint Martins in December 2015 bringing together people from different backgrounds to generate visions for looking after older people, informed by the latest analysis from London Borough of Merton.
Adult social care is in crisis. Demographic changes, funding cuts, health conditions such as dementia, growing recognition of the role of loneliness and other factors are resulting in policy, service delivery and personal challenges affecting millions of people in the UK. There is increasing attention being paid to the care crisis in the form of research, funding and entrepreneurial activity.
However, there are new opportunities to address these challenges from systems perspective by combining technology (eg distributed data gathering and analysis shaping service delivery), research (eg understanding of behaviour change to support older people's wellbeing) and social practices (eg informal and formal caring networks).
During the workshop entrepreneurs, designers, design researchers, data scientists, and innovators working in local government responded to a challenge set by Merton Council and generated scenarios for adult social care.
- Visit the Open Policy Blog to read the notes from the event.
Arts and Humanities into Policy Making
A 'speed dating' themed workshop was held in December 2015 involving 11 researchers and seven policy officials from the Cabinet Office social action team.
Posing the question "How can the resilience and capacity of communities be maximised so that they are able to survive, adapt and grow despite chronic stresses and acute shocks?"
The workshop enabled research from the arts and humanities to engage with policy makers inside government. The Open Policy Making Agenda recognises that policy officials need to draw on a wide range of sources of evidence when making and delivering policy. Much of this evidence is based in economic and social research. Participants included; Arts and humanities researchers, the Cabinet Office, AHRC and Institute for Government.
- Visit the Open Policy Blog to read the notes from the event.
We Have Never Been Speculative Enough
Workshop held at Central Saint Martins during London Design Week, September 2015
The emergence of critical and speculative design was premised on the idea that industrial and product design were too closely interwoven with capital to allow a space to challenge dominant ways of thinking and being.
Instead, by engaging materially and discursively with technoscience, designers claimed to offer up new fictions and propose alternate realities in contexts as varied as product development, exhibitions and policy making. This workshop will ask:
- Has this work substantially challenged the political and ethical realities in which it is embedded?
- Now that the long-term future of the flagship course promoting this approach - MA Design Interactions at the Royal College of Art – is uncertain, following the departure of its head of programme Professor Tony Dunne and of Fiona Raby, what are the wider implications for design education?
- How can teaching, learning and research in design institutions be re-imagined to speculate, challenge and reorder dominant ways of thinking, doing and being?
This workshop explored these questions with contributions from educators and researchers, and invited participants to collaborate to create new proposals for design education and research.
- Jamie Brassett (Central Saint Martins)
- Duncan Fairfax (Goldsmiths)
- Ilona Gaynor
- Professor Lucy Kimbell (University of the Arts London)
- Matt Malpass (Central Saint Martins)
- Cameron Tonkinwise (Carnegie Mellon University)
Design and Entrepreneurship
How can design be used to align and coordinate different stakeholders including academia, industry and government institutions?
In the current networked economies, innovative ideas, competences and resources are sometimes distributed in different geographic, social and cultural contexts or possessed by diverse people and organisations. Entrepreneurs bring together these ideas, competences and resources forging connections, which can create economic, societal and environmental value and introduce innovative ways of achieving goals.
Luca Simeone discussed how design ignites, fosters and fuels entrepreneurship. Referring to design and social processes of innovation he explored: participatory design, co-design, iterative design, user research and testing, hackathons, design jams and living labs. These processes can be instrumental to support entrepreneurship precisely because they connect and align stakeholders, ideas and resources.
Communities of Practice initiative
This event was also held as part of UAL's Communities of Practice initiative, for which the Innovation Insights Hub has committed to focus its discourse on evaluation methodologies. Within the discussion, this event provided an opportunity for academics, students, university management staff and invited industry guests to share experiences of evaluation methodologies used in collaborative projects.
Facilitated by:
Luca Simeone
Visiting researcher in design management and interaction design
Event hosted at London College of Communication, 12 March 2015.
Stepping into our Creativity
Creativity is perceived and often used as embellishment or enhancement. We propose that distillation is more powerful than embellishment. Useful creativity is about experience and experiential practice.
In our virtual world we become more distant and mistrusting of our own unique sensorial life. Our work as researchers and engagers is intrinsically linked to our ability to empathise.
This is a sensorial and emotional quality that is about one's own ability to be fully present and cognitive. Using techniques drawn from performance and art, Martin Gent led an experiential session inviting participants to re-engage with their own unique creativity. Exploring our ability to be comfortable with the 'mess' inherent in working creatively; to enjoy complexity; to release our tendency to want to control; to be embodied and confident to let things appear; to explore our ability to be fully present, playful and innovative.
Stepping into our Creativity – It starts with us: Building 'in-sight' for organisational development.
Facilitated by:
Martin Gent
Co-owner and Director of Creativity, Spinach.
Held at Chelsea College of Arts, 11 February 2015.
Connecting Design and Fashion Business
How can we foster collaborative innovation across design, fashion SMEs and academic research?
In today's fast changing business landscape the capacity of SMEs to prosper in the fashion and textile industry is strongly tied to their ability to continuously innovate. In particular, embracing the open innovation approach, it is strategic for SMEs to understand how they can link with fashion design and academic research. Indeed, the collaborative innovation emerging from fusing fashion business needs, design thinking and creative research investigation is a fundamental driver to think differently and explore new business models in fashion and textiles sector.
The Arts&Innovation Discourse proposed a roundtable discussing FIREup (Fashion, Innovation, Research, and Enterprise), a pilot project that has opened up a dynamic creative space for collaboration between UK designer fashion SMEs and academic researchers in order to catalyse innovation, bring research closer to the industry and stimulate sustainable business growth for the UK designer fashion sector. This project offers the opportunity to explore how the synergy among design, business and research can inspire new innovative sustainable business models for typical micro and small enterprises in the fashion and textile design sector.
Held at London College of Fashion, 9 December 2014.
Further information about the FIREup project and videos is available on the project website.
Performing Arts for Innovation
How can drama and theatre be applied to support innovation and organisational development?
Innovation Gym
Innovation Gym is a research initiative at the School for Innovation, Design and Engineering, Mälardalen University in Eskilstuna, Sweden. It connects different researchers from the school, mainly from the department of Innovation Management, with the aim of collecting knowledge, methods and research around how innovation competence can be developed and supported on individual, group and organizational level. This project incorporates different dimensions from developing training programmes to developing innovation competence to create a physical space - an innovation gym, with different training machines on which visitors can train their innovation competence.
Presented by:
Professor Tomas Backström and Research Fellow Nina Bozic Yams, School of Design, Innovation and Engineering, Mälardalen University, Eskilstuna, Sweden.
Imagination into Action: an applied drama and theatre in innovation and organisational development workshop
This workshop considered the key question: "How can drama and theatre be applied to support innovation and organisational development?" The workshop simulated the process of Research-based Theatre (RBT) as a form of arts-based initiative in the context of practice-based innovation. Emphasis was placed on the articulation of the stages of artful inquiry through a demonstration of the combined use of Process Drama and Work Story. The workshop offered a space to discuss what these arts-based initiatives actually mean in organisational contexts when employees, managers, customers are trying to find out how to improve and renew practices, services, products, organisational culture or organisational climate or find out how they can survive in crisis, in perplexed situations and complex relationships.
Facilitated by:
Dr. Anne Pässilä, LUT, Lahti School of Innovation.
Professor Allan Owens, University of Chester.
Held at Central Saint Martins, 14 November 2013.
Mind the Gap - Bridging Arts and Business for Innovation
Event held as part of the Arts2Innovation Forum launched at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, 9 September 2014.
In order to achieve success and maintain growth and stability companies need to be able to adapt and evolve. Injecting more culture and creativity into business is a powerful way to encourage fresh ideas and help private and public organisations find solutions to the challenges facing them in an ever-changing environment. Art and design thinking requires critical reflection and provides ideas, techniques and processes which can be used as management tools. By adopting these models, organisations can benefit from emotional and experiential input and put staff at the heart of the business.
Our panel of experts shared their experiences and tackled a number of key questions:
- What is the value of arts and culture in business management?
- What is the role of the arts in organisational development and innovation?
- How can the arts contribute to improve business performance?
- How can arts-based education and research be connected to business innovation?
- How do investments in the arts contribute to wealth creation at micro and macro levels?
- How can arts-based strategies and initiatives be designed and implemented to enhance organisations' value creation capacity?
- Nigel Carrington, Vice Chancellor, University of the Arts London
- Chris Higgins, Director, The MAP Consortium
- Professor Clive Holtham, Director of Cass Learning Laboratory, Cass Business School, City University
- Fiona Lesley, Co-director, The MAP Consortium
- Professor Jeremy Till, Head, Central Saint Martins and Pro-Vice Chancellor, University of the Arts London
- Professor Giovanni Schiuma, Director, Innovation Insights Hub, University of the Arts London
- Moderator: Martin Gent, Co-owner and Director of Creativity, Spinach
Nigel Carrington Arts2InnovationForum 2014
Jeremy Till Arts2InnovationForum 2014
Arts-Based Initiatives in Korea
Interaction between the arts and corporations to encourage social responsibility has been a recent focus in Korea, supported by the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
The Ministry offered corporations various consulting opportunities that incorporated their social responsibility strategy, and to build up a foundation for creative management with arts and culture. The Ministry has developed a new model of Corporate Creative Learning to introduce the possibility of training and business strategy based on Arts & Culture for corporations, by collaborating with the Industry Academy Cooperation Group at Korea National University of Arts since 2011.
ARCOM (Arte e Compagnia), a supporting project of Corporate Creative Learning through Arts & Culture, is the first step towards cooperation between arts and businesses. ARCOM has also provided various programmes such as research of arts-based management; sharing knowledge among internal and external experts and arts management related individuals; hosting open-forum and information bank for network formation; and curriculum development for professional personnel training. Underprivileged people in the Korean community will face new hope with corporations' social contribution, and companies will get a motive for creative management through arts and culture. Hereafter, ARCOM hopes that more corporations grow with artistic inspiration and creativity, adopting artistic and cultural social contribution, and therefore, encouraging better society.
ARCOM offers development of an integrated model of creative learning and social contribution through advanced arts and culture that supports a cycle of sustainable relationships among policy, corporations, arts and academia. ARCOM spreads the knowledge capitalization of collaboration between corporations and arts, strengthening the capacity of the artists (groups) through expansion of the social impact of art, and matching pilot projects between businesses and artists (groups) in the role of intermediary.
Facilitated by:
Su-Hwan Jeon
Korea National University of Arts
Director, Industry-Academy Cooperation Foundation
Director of ARCOM.
Event hosted at Central Saint Martins, 7 February 2014.
Other Initiatives
Previous conferences, events and initiatives that the Innovation Insights Hub has been involved with.
- UAL Research Fortnight & Communities of Practice initiative. Central Saint Martins, London, 16 March 2015.
Research Perspectives of the Innovation Insights Hub. Speakers: Professor Giovanni Schiuma and Visiting Researchers Daniela Carlucci, Anna-Maija Nisula, Giustina Secundo and Luca Simeone, University of the Arts London, UK.
- 15 kulmaa: artistic interventions in the workplace. University of the Arts Helsinki, Finland, 27 January 2015.
Back to the future: the arts for company value creation. Keynote speaker: Giovanni Schiuma, University of the Arts London, UK.
- Workshop Tempus Project: E-Learning as catalyst of Learning and Knowledge in Organisations and Companies.
Matera, Italy, 22-23 January 2015. Learning and Knowledge in 21st Century's Organisations. Speaker: Giovanni Schiuma, University of the Arts London, UK.
- Conference on Intangible Capital, Ifrane, Morocco, 12 January 2015.
Intangible Capital in Morocco: Measurement Approaches and International Benchmarking. Workshop coordinator: Giovanni Schiuma, University of the Arts London, UK.
- Arts & Business Ireland - Business Thinking Rewired. Belfast, Northern Ireland, 28 November 2014.
Speaker: Giovanni Schiuma, University of the Arts London, UK.
- Economies of Experience Conference, The Chainstore, Trinity Buoy Wharf, London, 6 November 2014.
Keynote speaker: Giovanni Schiuma, University of the Arts London, UK.
- Knowledge and Innovation Network Masterclass: Measuring the Value of Intangibles, Tearfund, Teddington, UK, 4 November 2014.
Masterclass leader: Giovanni Schiuma, University of the Arts London, UK.
- 2nd International Conference on Art Economy Initiatives, Taipei, Taiwan, 28-29 October 2014.
Bridging Arts and Business for Cross-Innovation: session chair: Giovanni Schiuma, University of the Arts London, UK.
- TEH Meeting 78 - Cooperation, not Competition, JOHAN Centrum, Pilsen, Czech Republic, 9–12 October 2014.
Managing and Innovating Business Models of Culture Organisations: keynote speaker and panellist: Giovanni Schiuma, University of the Arts London, UK.
- The 7th Knowledge Cities World Summit, Tallinn, Estonia, 23-27 September 2014.
Do cultural and creative industries matter for innovation and value creation in knowledge-based business? keynote speaker: Giovanni Schiuma, University of the Arts London, UK.
- 7th Art of Management & Organization conference on the theme 'Creativity & Design', Copenhagen Business School, Denmark, 28-31 August 2014.
Integrative Arts-Based Initiatives for Enhancing Strategic Design and Business Innovation: stream organisers: Giovanni Schiuma, University of the Arts London, UK; Clive Holtham, Cass Business School, City University London, UK; Anne Pässilä, LUT Lahti School of Innovation, Finland.
- ArtLab International Summer School: Third:Space for learning on Artists and Organisations, Copenhagen, Denmark, 25-27 August 2014.
Learning Jam on Artbased Initiatives: keynote speaker: Giovanni Schiuma, University of the Arts London, UK.
- 9th IFKAD – International Forum on Knowledge Assets Dynamics, Matera, Italy, 10-13 June 2014.
New Business Model for Sustainable Growth: chairs: Giovanni Schiuma, University of the Arts London, UK; Daniela Carlucci, University of Basilicata, Italy; JC Spender, ESADE, Spain.


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BLACKTOP HIGHWAY, a gothic horror screenplay'd on one man's body recently made it's NYC debut @ Dixon Place receiving rave reviews and Critic's Pick in the NY Times which described the show as 'delightfully deranged'. Blacktop Highway premiered @ REDCAT in Los Angeles in 2015. It will soon begin a world wide tour.
#2. John is the subject of a documentary called JOHN FLECK IS WHO YOU WANT HIM TO BE. Filmed by Kevin Duffy, the film trails the artist as he prepares for performances at the New Museum (NYC) and the Carpenter Center, Long Beach and other performance events. Intercut with 25 years of raw, archival footage as well as compelling interviews of himself & others the film explores shifting identity and how we define ourselves in relation to the other.
#3. Feel free to inquire regarding Fleck's PERFORMANCE / CREATIVITY WORKSHOP held Tuesday evenings beginning February 7, 2017 (7pm – 10). Over a 4 week period I'm inviting an intimate group of eclectic creative types (writers-actors-performance artists-dancers-musicians-gypsies) to join me in my Los Feliz studio to recharge, refresh, regenerate, rejuvenate, repair, restore, renew and revive our creative spirits with the ultimate goal of creating 3-5 minute new pieces and / or breathing new life into older pieces.
Intention: 'Activity with no clear intention is little more than a waste of time and energy. Yet when you give direction to your efforts,they result in true achievement.' —Martha Graham
Intention for this 4 week workshop:
• to access the subconscious as source and tool for actualizing new work
• to open our voices, literally and figuratively
• to allow authentic expression and authentic response
Utilizing various sound & movement, acting, performance and improvisational text writing techniques, the intention over this 4 week period is to provide the space to sow creative seeds and perhaps harvest original 5 to 10 minute Solo or Ensemble Performance Pieces (and/or) continue working on previous works in progress. Each piece will be taped (upon request) and a DVD made available.
Copyright © 2015 - Mr.John Fleck - All Rights Reserved


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Sketch comedy that can move your refrigerator. And protect your village. See a new live show every month in Los Angeles. Facebook.com/BruteSquadSketch
Los Angeles-based group, Brute Squad won the Los Angeles Improv Comedy Festival Sketch Competition with their fast-paced, high-energy sketch comedy. As well as their original videos being featured on FunnyorDie and The Huffington Post, and being selected for the SF Sketchfest, they can be seen presenting a brand new show each month as a Mainstage House Team at iO West and regulars at UCB Theater. Written & Performed by: Kimrie Davis, Brian Fernandes, Jacob Harper, Keith Saltojanes, Peggy Sinnott, Eric Stitt Co-Directed by Heather Anne Campbell & Eric Moneypenny


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A woman who was married at the age of 14 thanks to convicted child-rapist Warren Jeffs is now free -- at the age of 26.
Attorney General Tom Horne set up the press conference yesterday with the woman, Ruby Jessop, as Horne's chalking up her escape to his office's payment to the Mohave County Sheriff's Office to patrol Colorado City.
See also:
-Colorado City Now Has Cops That Enforce Arizona Laws Instead of a Child Rapist's Laws
-Tom Horne Sending Cash to Mohave County Sheriff's Office to Patrol Colorado City
-Tom Horne's Effort to Get Rid of FLDS-Lovin' Cops in Colorado City Killed in Legislature
The woman lived in Colorado City, the city on the Utah/Arizona border that Jeffs used to call home, and remains the home to members of the polygamist Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
The town was previously patrolled only by the "Marshal's Office," which state and federal authorities believe is to be loyal to Jeffs instead of the law.
That belief has been a focus of Attorney General Tom Horne for quite some time, and last year became the focus of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, which alleged -- in part -- in a federal lawsuit that the "Marshal's Office" does its policing on the basis of FLDS law, instead of enforcing actual laws.
As for Horne, he tried to replace the "Marshal's Office" -- which has absolutely nothing to do with the U.S. Marshals Service -- but the legislation he supported was shot down in the House last year.
Horne used yesterday's event to announce that he's supporting a similar bill this year -- especially since the $420,000 the Attorney General's office is paying the Mohave County Sheriff's Office runs out in about six months, according to Horne's office.
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"Since taking office in 2011, I have worked to have legislation passed that would ensure proper professional law enforcement is available in Colorado City. One reason is to make sure that people like Ruby can leave if they want to do so," Horne says in a statement. "While I will continue that effort in the legislature, making nearly half a million dollars available to the Mohave County Sheriff's Office was absolutely crucial in getting Ruby Jessop to safety. There are more people like Ruby in Colorado City, and these funds will run out in approximately six months.
Horne's statement continues, "Therefore, I urge Arizonans to contact their legislators and ask them to support a bill that would authorize Mohave County Sheriffs Deputies to do the policing in Colorado City rather than the local marshals who are under the control of the dominant church."
The bill, as proposed last session, would essentially strip certification from the FLDS-loyal police force, and patrol of the town would be done by the Mohave County Sheriff's Office.
More details on a "criminal probe" of the FLDS communities can be found here.


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Can your building prevent falls?
Michael Hass
As a development, design, and construction professional, I have a generous and healthy respect for the fact that the buildings we build are entirely secondary to the care provided inside them. In many ways, the building can only hinder the delivery of care by creating obstacles or complications to the daily routines of resident-facing staff. After 20 years of working in the seniors industry, I'm well aware that falls are a devastating (but preventable) health risk. Some estimates are that 1,800 elders die each year from falls and that around 5% of falls result in fractures that can be permanently disabling.
The front line of fall prevention is absolutely in the care plans, resident health, and daily routines of our buildings. In a secondary role, on the physical infrastructure side, we think of preventing falls this way: No steps, no loose rugs, and no storage in the corridor. These are elements we avoid in our buildings so that we don't cause falls. But what if the building could actually help prevent falls?
The building can't do much for resident strength, gait control, medication response, or wheelchair maintenance. But there are places where the building can help.
The first place we look for fall prevention design strategies is the "hot spots" for falls. For example, many falls occur during transfers, so building in elements like grab bars around toilets or patient lift devices are obvious. Looking deeper in transfer-related falls, we have found that bed height (usually too high) can be a major contributor. Staff can be trained to set the bed height correctly but what if the building could help them remember or to know what "correctly" means? In several recent projects, we've deliberately installed a fixed device such as a switch, power outlet, nurse call cord, or artwork at a height in the room that staff can visually reference against the bed height (note: check ADA requirements and your facility's beds). This way there can be an easy check for bed height before the transfer begins.
For transfers to a toilet, we like to put a "knee" wall (a wall roughly the height of the vanity) between the toilet and the vanity so aides or even the resident has a something firm to lean against. Vanity tops can be slippery when wet. Minimizing the distance from the bed to the toilet is also wise. Perhaps most powerfully, we see less falls in communities where the toilet is next to the door rather than across the bathroom from it. This way the resident can enter the room and back onto the toilet (with or without assistance) without a 90 or 180 degree turn. Lastly, the more you can center the toilet in the bathroom, the more able you are to have an aide on either side of the toilet which dramatically reduces the risk of transfer falls.
Also related to the bathroom, we know that visual impairment can lead to falls as well. We like design with increased contrast in the bathroom, with a darker floor, a white toilet, and a dark toilet seat. With ARMD or cataracts, this contrast makes the "target" more visible. In fact, we generally try to mark major changes with high-contrast visuals. This could be flooring material transitions, elevation changes if you absolutely have to them, or even to mark areas residents shouldn't be going.
Night lights are common practice and even a code requirement in many places. However, not enough attention is paid to the light itself and its placement. We prefer to place the light in a way that illuminates the toilet but also minimizes shadows on the floor. Shadows are disorienting and can obscure an obstacle on the floor. Even if it requires two lights (it usually does not) try to light the entire path from the bed to the toilet without too much illumination on the sleeping resident.
Similarly, glare can be distracting or even blinding to aging eyes, so we encourage the use of honed countertops instead of polished. This makes the edge of a vanity top more distinct and has the added benefit of making small toiletry items easier to spot on the counter. Older eyes take longer to adjust to changes in lighting levels, so we require our lighting designers to prepare photometric studies of the entire building to, in part, look for places where levels would change abruptly on a path of resident travel.
With flooring, we put a lot of effort into keeping flooring materials consistent throughout the resident environment. It's so common to have carpet in a corridor and vinyl in a resident room but that transition then occurs at the door threshold which happens to be the worst place for it. Instead we're moving more and more to flooring layouts that either eliminate changes in materials or move it out to the corridor where we can mark it distinctly with a pattern and color change and also allow the resident more room to navigate it as they feel comfortable.
Finally, I would note that we see anecdotal evidence that complex patterns in flooring can disorient residents, especially residents who ambulate leaned over and looking at the floor. A simpler, more subtle pattern is less likely to create vertigo or magnify floaters as the resident moves over it.
Working through these ideas with design professionals is a great idea and some are easier to implement than others. But putting infrastructure in support of fall prevention is too important not to emphasize.
Michael Hass is a Managing Partner at Drive DP in Arizona.


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What a difference two months make.
As of Dec. 1, 2012, export sales of soft red winter (SRW) wheat lagged behind the 2011/12 pace by 9 percent. On Dec. 11, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) projected total 2012/13 SRW exports would reach 3.95 million metric tons (MMT), 18 percent lower than last year's mark.
But in just 60 days, SRW wheat sales have soared and indications are the accelerated pace could continue for at least the next few months.
The catalyst for the change was SRW prices falling below the competition for the first time in six months. Wheat buyers noticed and sales of 1.27 million metric tons (MMT) since December put 2012/13 SRW sales to date at 3.06 MMT, notably 27 percent above last year's pace.
Egypt has been the most aggressive customer, accounting for almost half the December and January sales. On Monday, (Feb. 4) Egypt's General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC) announced it had purchased an additional 60,000 MT of SRW for March delivery.
Bids on this GASC tender for U.S. SRW ranged from $307 to $324/MT free on board (FOB). The closest competing offer was for French wheat at $355/MT.
That large price spread suggests SRW has competitive staying power.
In its January World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE), USDA increased its projected SRW exports by 400,000 MT to 4.35 MMT, just 3 percent lower than 2011/12 and 1 percent greater than the 5-year average.
The February WASDE was released Feb. 8.
Despite surging demand, SRW prices remain relatively low. Optimism surrounding the 2013 harvest is also encouraging the sale of old crop stocks in order to make room for the new crop.
SRW basis levels have remained steady or weakened in the past few weeks, allowing FOB prices to fall with the futures market and fuel sales. Traders are confident they will be able to refill the supply with new crop.
USDA's winter wheat seeding estimate released Jan. 11 certainly supports that sentiment. USDA said farmers seeded 9.42 million acres (3.81 million hectares) of SRW, up 16 percent from last year because of higher prices and poor spring crops in parts of the Midwest.
That includes a record 960,000 acres in North Carolina and an estimated 27 percent increase to 1 million acres in Missouri. Ohio's seeded area is up 24 percent to 620,000 acres and Arkansas farmers seeded 20 percent more, up to 660,000 acres.
Growing conditions in SRW growing regions that have been much better than in hard wheat growing areas are strengthening the potential for a large 2012/13 SRW crop.
The positive crop outlook could help maintain the relatively low SRW prices that have spurred sales in the last two months.
Current SRW supplies are more than sufficient to meet the additional demand and sustain the increased sales pace.
USDA currently projects SRW carry out stocks at 4.58 MMT, 2 percent greater than the 5-year average and 35 percent greater than the 10-year average, providing a comfortable cushion for additional exports.