text:
Social media was a big hit two years ago but nowadays it seems that people have lost their enthusiasm. Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest still attract new users, but definitely the climax of social media was overtaken. On the other hand, it doesn't mean that neglecting social media is a good choice…by far, it's a huge […]
You are here: Home / Archives for social media
20 WordPress plugins to improve your social media presence
Filed Under: Plugins, WordPress Tagged With: plugin, plugins, social media, WordPress plugin, WordPress plugins

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Jeb Bush surges to lead GOP pack in new 2016 poll
Jeb leads the GOP pack, according to brand-new national NBC/WSJ poll… Who makes that first debate, per the poll? And who gets left off?… Full NBC/WSJ poll comes out at 6:30 pm ET… What dynasty issue?… GOP candidates divided over South Carolina's Confederate flag… And Rick Perry on how NOT to talk about the Charleston shooting.
*** Jeb leads the GOP pack: A brand-new national NBC/WSJ poll finds Jeb Bush leading the crowded Republican presidential field, with 22% of GOP primary voters saying he's their first choice. He's followed by Scott Walker at 17%, Marco Rubio at 14%, and Ben Carson at 11%. While Jeb had a similar five-point lead in our April NBC/WSJ poll, you see his current position has strengthened when you look inside the numbers of this new poll. (It was conducted during the buildup and coverage of Bush's official presidential announcement on June 16.) The latest survey shows him ahead among self-identified conservative GOP primary voters – when he was in third place in April behind Rubio and Walker. And as we unveiled on Sunday, 75% of Republican primary voters in our new poll say they could see themselves supporting Bush – up from 70% in April and 49% in March. Bottom line: While Jeb has plenty of potential problems to overcome (his last name, his positions on immigration and Common Core, his desire to run a general-election campaign instead of one aimed at GOP primary voters), this poll is very good news for him.
*** Who gets left off that first debate stage? The NBC/WSJ poll measured 16 GOP candidates in our horserace question. And here are the 10 Republicans who make our poll's Top 10 – the criteria being used for the first GOP debate in August – and the six who get left off:
- Jeb Bush 22%
- Scott Walker 17%
- Marco Rubio 14%
- Ben Carson 11%
- Mike Huckabee 9%
- Rand Paul 7%
- Rick Perry 5%
- Ted Cruz 4%
- Chris Christie 4%
- Carly Fiorina 2%
- Donald Trump 1%
- Lindsey Graham 1%
- John Kasich 1%
- Bobby Jindal 0%
- Rick Santorum 0%
- George Pataki 0%
*** Who has upside among GOP voters? And who doesn't? In addition to the GOP horserace question, our NBC/WSJ asked Republican primary voters this question: Could you see yourselves supporting this candidate or not? The responses are telling:
- Rubio: 74% yes, 15% no (+59)
- Bush: 75%-22% (+53)
- Walker: 57%-19% (+38)
- Huckabee: 65%-32% (+33)
- Carson: 50%-21% (+29)
- Perry: 53%-31% (+22)
- Cruz: 51%-31% (+20)
- Santorum: 49%-40% (+9)
- Jindal: 36%-28% (+8)
- Paul: 49%-45% (+4)
- Fiorina: 31%-29% (+2)
- Kasich: 25%-30% (-5)
- Christie: 36%-55% (-19)
- Graham: 27%-49% (-22)
- Pataki: 13%-44% (-31)
- Trump 32%-66% (-34)
*** Full NBC/WSJ poll comes out at 6:30 pm ET: So who leads the Democratic horserace? Who has the upside in support in the Dem field? How does Hillary Clinton stack up in hypothetical general-election matchups? And what is President Obama's approval rating? Check back at 6:30 pm ET, when the full NBC/WSJ poll is released.
*** What dynasty issue? Over the weekend, our NBC/WSJ poll also listed the top concerns that voters have about the upcoming presidential election. The top concerns: wealthy individuals and corporations that have too much influence over who wins (33%), too much of the campaign spent on negative attacks instead of proposing solutions (25%), nothing changing no matter who wins (16%), and too many wealthy candidates who don't understand the problems of ordinary Americans (12%). The concern at the very bottom? Dynastic candidates. Only 4% said their top concern was too many people from the same families running for president, a la Hillary Clinton, Jeb Bush, and Rand Paul. While we often hear that the American public doesn't care about campaign-finance reform, don't dismiss this No.1 concern in our poll – wealthy individuals and corporations having too much influence over who wins.
*** GOP candidates divided over South Carolina's Confederate flag: At the beginning of the weekend, Mitt Romney seemed to give the 2016 presidential candidates lots of cover over South Carolina's Confederate flag – after the tragic Charleston church shooting. "Take down the #ConfederateFlag at the SC Capitol. To many, it is a symbol of racial hatred. Remove it now to honor #Charleston victims," he tweeted. Jeb Bush followed him about 95% of the way, but wasn't as direct as Romney was. "My position on how to address the Confederate flag is clear. In Florida, we acted, moving the flag from the state grounds to a museum where it belonged… Following a period of mourning, there will rightly be a discussion among leaders in the state about how South Carolina should move forward, and I'm confident they will do the right thing." But other Republicans said that it was up to the state to decide, or that the time wasn't right to have the debate:
- Rubio: "This is an issue that they should debate and work through and not have a bunch of outsiders going in and telling them what to do," he said;
- Walker: "I just think before I or anyone else weighs in on anything to do with policy, whether it's this or any other policy decisions, we should honor the dead and the families by allowing them to bury their loved ones. And then you could perfectly ask me that question at some point in the next week or two when that's done," he said;
- Huckabee: "For those of us running for president, everyone's being baited with this question as if somehow that has anything to do whatsoever with running for president. And my position is: It most certainly does not," he said on "Meet the Press."
*** Rick Perry on how NOT to talk about the Charleston shooting: In an interview with the conservative site Newsmax, Rick Perry said: "This is the M.O. of this administration, anytime there is a accident like this,' Perry told Steve Malzberg. 'You know, the president's clear. He doesn't like for Americans to have guns, and so he uses every opportunity — this being another one — to basically go parrot that message.'" Accident? Perry's campaign later said he meant "incident." He later cleaned things up when speaking at the Faith and Freedom Coalition on Saturday. "I think we all come here today with heavy hearts for those individuals in Charleston – those Charleston Christians – who were gunned down in an absolute heinous hate crime inside of their place of worship," Perry said. Remember, Perry really has no margin for error in his second bid for the White House.
OBAMA AGENDA: Lowering his guard
Obama has recently displayed a human side that has been absent for most of his presidency, the New York Times writes.
He used the N-word during a discussion about race on a podcast interview released Monday.
Over the weekend, the president inserted himself into California's water-use debate as the commander-in-chief hit a lush golf course in the state during the midst of a severe drought, the New York Times writes.
Washington is in a frenzy over the forthcoming Supreme Court decision that will likely be the final major legal threat to Obamacare, The Hill reports.
Per the Wall Street Journal: "Jonathan Gruber, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist whose comments about the health-care law touched off a political furor, worked more closely than previously known with the White House and top federal officials to shape the law, previously unreleased emails show."
CONGRESS: Trade scramble
Trade will again dominate Capitol Hill this week as Congress scramble to pass President Obama's trade agenda before going on recess, The Hill outlines.
"The Senate vote on Trade Promotion Authority will amount to a test of faith," Roll Call writes.
OFF TO THE RACES: GOP candidates tread carefully on SC's Confederate flag
"Jeb Bush's standing among Republican primary voters continues to improve, Marco Rubio remains popular with the party and two-thirds of GOP voters say they couldn't support Donald Trump," one of us wrote.
Also from our poll: Voters top concerns of the 2016 election are wealthy individuals and corporations who might have too much influence who over wins, as well as campaigns that spend more time on negative attacks than proposing solutions.
GOP presidential candidates looking towards the South Carolina primary are treading carefully on the question of whether or the state should remove the Confederate flag from outside the statehouse, the New York Times writes.
"The leader of a rightwing group that Dylann Roof allegedly credits with helping to radicalise him against black people before the Charleston church massacre has donated tens of thousands of dollars to Republicans such as presidential candidates Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and Rick Santorum," the Guardian writes.
The race is on to court Latino voters, The Washington Post reports.
BUSH: The National Journal reports on Bush's Obamacare alternative and the problem it poses for the GOP.
CARSON: In an op/ed in USA Today, the only African-American 2016 presidential candidate has a simple message on the Charleston shooting: Call it racism.
KASICH: Preparing for a presidential run, Gov. John Kasich told the Christian Broadcasting Network "amateur hour is over."
O'MALLEY: He called on South Carolina to remove the Confederate flag and suggested that Congress had fallen under the sway of "white racism" on Sunday, the Los Angeles times reports.
PAUL: A pro-Paul super PAC is out with a website and digital ad "highlighting Jeb Bush's support for bailouts," Politico reports.
SANDERS: The Vermont senator brought out 5,500 in Denver over the weekend, the Denver Post reports.
CRUZ: The AP issued a statement in response to a photo of Ted Cruz at a 2nd Amendment celebration that appeared as though a gun was pointed at his head.
A University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll find Cruz leads the GOP field in Texas. Rick Perry is a distant second.
And around the country…
Democrats hold a small edge in Florida and Ohio Senate races, while GOP Sen. Pat Toomey is ahead in Pennsylvania, a new Quinnipiac poll finds.
Carrie Dann contributed reporting.


text:
We face many difficulties in the field of behavioral health when it comes to substance abuse and addiction treatment. There a many disagreements regarding how treatment and recovery from addiction works most effectively.
To add to the problem, there is very little transparency in long term addiction recovery, and many individuals decline to engage in data collection. Oftentimes, this unwillingness is a result of anonymity which is a key role in individuals becoming willing to begin the process of treatment and recovery from addiction. This insistence on anonymity as part of the recovery process is understandable from the individual's perspective given the stigma surrounding addiction and substance use disorder (SUD). However, lack of patient data makes finding common ground about effective addiction recovery, or developing a standardized set of protocols and procedures, very difficult.
Evidence has shown the effects of active addiction on the brain. The physical impact on the brain is very visible and measurable. Here is what we don't know: how do people stay in long-term recovery and why? This question is very relevant because we don't have enough longitudinal outcomes data about how successful recovery happens. However, it's possible that by using outcomes data, data that covers the end result of a health care systems effect on a population of individuals, we can begin to identify the factors that contribute to long-term recovery. Through this method, we can begin to scratch the surface on successful addiction recovery, and hopefully move towards a standardized approach to treatment.
Application of Outcome Measurements in Addiction Recovery
It is important to note that addiction recovery doesn't have outcomes that are as measurable as the treatment of let us say cancer, as an example, and it is altogether a different kind of disease. However, it's clear in the example above, given the correlation of improved outcomes data and cancer mortality rates declining, that as a community we would greatly benefit in making a coordinated effort in discovering standardized and effective ways to treat addiction and Subtance use Disorder patients.
One way we can begin to work towards more standardized approaches to diagnose and treat those who suffer is to look at demographic differences leading to addiction and relapse: gender, age, socioeconomic background, drug of choice, presence of trauma, veteran status, and family dynamics to name a few. Such demographic variables could prove useful in determining the kind of recovery pathway a patient should take.
If the addiction recovery community and all parties involved in the treatment spectrum were to come together and collect meaningful outcomes data, that had an adherence to certain treatment protocols as well as long-term recovery support like other chronic diseases, it's possible we could see an increase in those maintaining long term recovery and a decrease in mortality from addiction relapse.
Collecting Outcomes Data Is Difficult
The data collected on cancer mortality spanned several decades and took the coordination of multiple institutions. Needless to say, it wasn't an easy task. Collecting data on addiction recovery may be even harder. Where the signs of cancer relapse and remission are easy to detect, the same is not true in addiction recovery.
Addiction itself carries a lot of stigma in our society. Many who suffer from substance use disorde do not want to directly participate in any kind of research for the fear of judgement, or being belittled for their condition. Addiction recovery is typically an anonymous pursuit and those who suffer from substance use are often not as forthcoming as those who suffer from other chronic illnesses.
It is very important to understand that not every individual who suffers from Substance Use Disorder has the same severity of condition. Back to the cancer analogy: an individual with stage one breast cancer is going to be treated differently than an individual with stage four breast cancer. To take it one step further: a child with leukemia isn't going to be treated the same way as an adult with pancreatic cancer. If that same distinction is applied to addiction as a chronic brain disease, then not all people that suffer from the disease would be classified with the same disease severity as they are now.
The 12 Step Model is probably the most widely known form of addiction recovery, and the easiest way to interpret the variation in individuals in recovery who have seemingly similar addictions. Consider these two scenarios:
Individual (A) begins attending 12 step meetings, go through the twelve steps with a sponsor, he begins to sponsor other people in recovery, and he maintains an active role in the recovery community. Because of his continued effort in recovery and his new connections, he maintains a healthy lifestyle and does not relapse.
Individual (B) goes into treatment willingly. He begins attending meetings while in treatment and continues on afterwards. He works through the 12 steps with a sponsor, and he has service positions at the meetings he attends. However, within the first 2-3 years of recovery, the individual relapses, overdoses, and dies.
What is the difference between these two individuals? What information are we missing? Why did recovery work for Individual (A) but not Individual (B)? They both had a similar experience in recovery, yet the severity of Individual B's condition was such that they died from their addiction. Presently, the conclusion of most people would be that the severity of their addiction was too progressed for typical recovery treatment methods to be effective. But, if this were almost any other disease this huge gap in important information would never be acceptable.
Unfortunately, there isn't a standard of measurement for the severity of substance use disorder that could be applied to these two individuals in a measurable way. The closest available applicable standard is in the American Society of Addiction Medicine's (ASAM) levels of care. However, the flaw in using the ASAM criteria is that it is simply a placement criteria for determining the degree of medical management the patient needs. The ASAM criteria doesn't address the severity or the underlying causes of their addiction. This is a huge problem.
The Standardized Addiction Treatment Plan Problem
Here is the question: What kind of standardized treatment plans can be employed in addiction recovery when there is also an priority on providing "individualized" treatment?
As we said before, there are a lot of unknown factors in the field of addiction recovery, and the competence of different treatments models is one of them. Since there are no clear indicators of what can guarantee a full recovery from addiction, there are also no clear indicators of effective recovery methods.
The shortage of data to support the success of one treatment plan over another, most treatment providers employ therapy procedures based on clinical judgement and preference. There are numerous modalities that are specialized and have potential benefits: yoga therapy, equine therapy, meditation and mindfulness, music therapy, cognitive therapy, art therapy, EDMR, etc… However, few have the research data to support the long-term results of their particular modality. And, while they may be a preferred method for the provider, there are simply individuals who do not show positive recovery outcomes to certain types of therapies.
For instance, we know that people that adhere to the 12 step model have a statistical advantage in long-term abstinence, and that going to recovery meetings is incredibly important to a long-term recovery journey. But, the simple fact is, not everyone wants to go to 12 step meetings.
This complexity of addiction treatment is reflected in the national dialogue, and even finds itself in the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) in their principles of drug addiction treatment. Even their own principles are broad, and are a reflection of the addiction treatment landscape as a whole. From the top down, it makes sense that we are still far away from a standardized approach to addiction treatment.
Fellowship Foundation RCO Recovery Capital Program's goal is to develop positive outcomes for individuals, so that recovery pathways can be truly individualized and adapted based on relevant outcome data in an effort to provide a more effective approach to addiction treatment for all people who suffer from this terrible chronic condition.
Unfortunately, what the addiction and treatment industry does right now, in terms of addiction treatment, is declare they provide "individualized" treatment plans; however, in their current state, "individualized" treatment plans, with only a small degree of exceptions and variations, look pretty much the same for everyone. Utilizing comprehensive outcomes data on addiction treatment allows us to stop this "fake it 'til you make it" mentality, and begin providing more effective and measurable results across the care continuum.


text:
You Can't Beat the Classics
New Alan Jabbour CD Release – with Ken Perlman and Jim Watson
You Can't Beat the Classics is a compact-disc (CD) collection of twenty-two distinctive settings of oldtime music classics and rarities from Appalachia and beyond. It is performed by three artists: Alan Jabbour on fiddle, Ken Perlman on clawhammer banjo, and Jim Watson on guitar and vocals. Classic tunes are inherently worthwhile musically, or they would not have
become classics. Certain tunes also seemed worth revisiting because fresh versions might stir up renewed interest. We hope that the musicality of our settings stirs fresh enthusiasm for these grand old classics. For good measure, we've also included a number of wonderful tunes never released before.
Ken Perlman and Alan Jabbour have been playing music together for fifteen years, and ten years ago they released a CD of fiddle-banjo duets, "Southern Summits." "You Can't Beat the Classics" sounds more "band-like" thanks to a third musician, Jim Watson, who joined Alan on the second Hollow Rock String Band LP in the early 1970s.
"You Can't Beat the Classics" may be purchased from Alan Jabbour for $15 plus $3.50 shipping/handling:
List of tunes and sources
1. Rye Straw (Henry Reed)
2. Ragged Bill (Henry Reed)
3. Fire on the Mountain / Christmas Morning (Henry Reed)
4. Dixie Doodle
5. Grover Jones's Waltz (Henry Reed)
6. Old Joe Clark (Henry Reed)
7. Love Somebody / Shoo Fly (Henry Reed)
8. Henry Reed's Schottische (Henry Reed)
9. Rocky Road to Dublin (Burl Hammons)
10. Turkey in the Straw (Henry Reed)
11. When You and I Were Young, Maggie
12. New Castle, or Texas (Henry Reed)
13. Mississippi Sawyer
14. Red Fox (Henry Reed)
15. Newcastle (Iain Bain)
16. Casey Jones
17. Sally Ann / John R. Griffin's Tune (Snake Chapman / John R. Griffin)
18. Hell among the Yearlings (Henry Reed / Doc White)
19. The Old Churchyard (Sanford Kelly)Alan and Karen Jabbour
http://www.alanjabbour.com/shop.html (order here)


text:
At Tryg Group, you'll find professional mechanical services, building automation, and consultant to make your commercial building modern and efficient. With comprehensive mechanical services and high caliber commercial building automation experts, we offer a wide range of services, from cooling and heating repair service to refrigeration repair service to enhance your commercial space and the work you do there. Our commercial building automation and mechanical services can increase energy efficiencies, reduce HVAC costs, and protect mechanical equipment against breakdowns. Call us to learn more about all of the automation, mechanical, cooling, and heating repair services we offer to the Sandy business community.
HVAC Repair Services in Sandy
We use only the most experienced and trustworthy technicians throughout the Sandy region. They can handle any heating repair, refrigeration repair, and cooling repair service that are part of our HVAC repair services, meaning you can count on us to deliver results where others can't. Our HVAC repair solutions are part of our planned services program, and you won't have to take time out of your busy day or be left in the dark about when your HVAC technician will arrive. With our planned cooling repair and heating repair services, you can focus on what matters: running your business efficiently. Reach out to Tryg Group today to schedule an HVAC repair service.
Commercial Building Automation Service in Sandy
Advancements in Modern Internet of Things (IoT) technology and mechanical automation solutions make it more than practical to have granular control over HVAC and mechanical systems from a single interface or device on your commercial building. It should come as no surprise the climate can change without a moment's notice require more out of traditional commercial HVAC and mechanical systems. Luckily, Tryg Group provides complete commercial building automation in Sandy. Control all of your HVAC and mechanical operations while saving on cost and improving your HVAC systems efficiency. Explore our commercial building automation solutions when you reach out to our staff.
First Rate Refrigerator Repair Services
Having the refrigerator go out at your restaurant can mean huge losses most businesses can't afford. Luckily, with Tryg Group's years of experience and familiarity on a wide range of mechanical systems repairs, means we can address nearly any commercial refrigeration repairs. As one of our primary cooling repair services for commercial buildings, our pros will have your system back to peak performance in no time without refrigeration repair service. Whether your walk-in or reach-in fridge is acting up, we'll be there with fast and reliable repair service.


text:
Aug 2, 2012 (CIDRAP News) – The Obama Administration this week unveiled the nation's first national biosurveillance strategy, designed to detect a range of threats, including bioterror attacks, infectious disease outbreaks, agricultural threats, and foodborne illness outbreaks.
In a letter prefacing the 8-page plan, which the White House unveiled on Jul 31, President Barack Obama wrote that this step is part of his National Security Strategy.
The report also appears to address shortcomings in the nation's biosurveillance system that have been the subject of two Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports, along with one from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) inspector general. The plan leverages existing efforts and focuses on what it calls "core functions."
In February the Institute of Medicine issued a report from a Sep 2011 workshop that explored obstacles faced by the DHS's National Biosurveillance Information System. That report detailed a host of problems, ranging from a lack of built-in authority to lapses in trust between the system and other agencies.
In a related development, Nicole Lurie, MD, MPH, assistant secretary for preparedness and response (ASPR) at the Department of Health and Human Services in late June asked the National Biodefense Science Board (NBSB) to help guide federal efforts to improve the nation's situational awareness strategies, which is linked to proposed legislation to reauthorize the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act.
Obama wrote that the goal of the strategy "is to provide the critical information and ongoing situational awareness that enables better decisionmaking at all levels."
The text of the strategy acknowledges that there have been dedicated efforts over the years to improve biosurveillance and that the tiered system—from federal departments to the private sector—can benefit from an approach that focuses attention on a few core functions and better integration efforts. "In these fiscally challenging times, we seek to leverage distributed capabilities and to add value to independent, individual efforts to protect the health and safety of the nation," the plan states.
It spells out four guiding principles: leveraging existing capabilities, taking an all-nation approach, adding value for participants without radically altering or burdening participants, and maintaining a global perspective.
To achieve the goal of a well-integrated biosurveillance system that can save lives and help decision makers, the strategy emphasizes four core functions: scan and discern the environment, identify and integrate key information, inform decision makers, and forecast impacts.
Helping achieve the core functions rests on four enabling capabilities that include:
- Integrating capabilities, such as forming regional agreements to share information on human, animal, and plant health trends and considering social media as a way to boost situational awareness
- Building capacity, by, for example, developing new point-of-care diagnostics for identifying multiple pathogens
- Fostering innovation, such as developing innovative forecasting methods
- Strengthening partnerships, which could involve raising awareness of others' interests and finding ways to optimize current and new partnerships
Obama said he has directed federal officials to complete a strategic implementation plan within the next 120 days to flesh out specific actions and responsibilities of groups involved with government biosurveillance efforts. "Guided by this strategy, I am confident that we can meet our shared responsibility and deepen the collaboration we need to keep our country safe and secure," he wrote.
See also:
Jul 31 National Strategy for Biosurveillance
Feb 14 CIDRAP News story "Workshop: National biosurveillance system has a long way to go"
Jun 26 CIDRAP News story "Biodefense board takes on situational awareness, SNS tasks"


text:
War is much too important a business to be left to the soldiers.Clemenceau
President Roosevelt served notice last week that he would ask Congress to pass a postwar compulsory universal service law this winter. Franklin Roosevelt carefully avoided the word "military," suggested that training might be along the lines of the old Civilian Conservation Corps. Nevertheless the President's words were the signal that a long-threatening battle was finally being joined.
Sure enough, out charged the National Guard Association.
The politically potent Association, distrustful of the professionals in the Regular Army, has been a determined...


text:
Out again, in again, out again, in again: such was the nerve wracking experience of Prime Minister Andrei Liapchev, during the past fortnight (TIME, Sept. 17).
Last week his twice fallen Cabinet was reformed, after Tsar Boris had called to his palace and rebuked quarreling, cabinet busting politicians.
To them His Majesty said in effect, according to reliable reports:
"You must support the Cabinet of M. Liapchev, must! It is necessary that financiers abroad shall not think that the Bulgarian Cabinet is always falling, or they will not lend us the money for which...
To continue reading: or Log-In


text:
Crystal Coast Areas
- 1. Emerald Isle
- 2. Indian Beach
- 3. Pine Knoll Shores
- 4. Atlantic Beach
- 5. Morehead City
- 6. Beaufort
- 7. Harkers Island
- 8. Shackleford Banks
- 9. Cape lookout
J R Dunn Jewelers
Featuring two locations along the Crystal Coast, and serving the region for nearly 50 years, J R Dunn Jewelers is a time-tested resource for a wealth of special occasions, gifts, and "just because" treasures for vacationers and Carteret County locals alike. With a fine selection of everything from men's timepieces to wedding and engagement rings, shoppers can find just the delicate piece of jewelry they are looking for with a visit to this exquisite and elegant shop.
- Morehead City
- 252-726-8700
- Map it
- Emerald Isle
- 252-354-5074
- Map it
Lost Treasure Golf and Raceway - Crystal Coast
Visitors of all ages will have a blast at this destination that is designed for great times along the Crystal Coast shoreline. Professor Hacker's Lost Treasure Golf and Raceway is situated in the centrally located beach community of Salter Path, and is a favorite spot for families who want to have a little fun off the sand.
- Salter Path
- 252-247-3024
- Map it
Snapperz Grill & Steam Bar
Snapperz Grill & Steam Bar is a solid destination for a little Crystal Coast vacation atmosphere – an environment which perfectly complements a varied menu chock-full of seasonal and local seafood specialties. The restaurant is decked out in beachy décor and furnishings, which includes a new "Boat Bar" that looks like a long dinghy and is called, affectionately, the Harper Grace. In addition, the bar area doubles as a spot for the night owl crowd, with seasonal live acoustic music to accompany dinner, or a little weekend karaoke with a cold beer or cocktail.
- Morehead City
- 252-240-1313
- Map it
- Emerald Isle
- 252-354-5722
- Map it


text:
Previous Productions
Last Drinks
Created by Telia Nevile with performers Bron Batten, Tina Evans, Matt Kelly, Heath Miller and Alice Palermo.
Winner - Best Comedy Writing, 2008 Short + Sweet
"The clever irony in this piece is that the more words are spoken the less they are needed, forcing us to consider their importance in communication." The Age
Created and performed by Telia Nevile with Kate Sumner (2007) and Emily Amisano (2008)
Zoetrope is a whirlwind live performance that will have you twisting and turning to keep up. Part mechanism, part flesh and blood, this short physical theatre piece puts you right in the centre of a living, breathing amusement arcade machine. Fleeting, fanciful, bizarre and banal, Zoetrope will have you twisting and turning to keep up.
Penny Machinations
Created by Telia Nevile and Matt Kelly.
Performed by Telia Nevile, Matt Kelly, Bron Batten, Richard Higgins, Eva Johansen, Miles O'Neil, Glen Walton, Joseph O'Farrell, Belinda Bortone, Kate Sumner, Sharni Page, Toby Newton, Kath Papas and many more.
Penny Machinations was formed by Telia Nevile and Matt Kelly in 2004, and premiered with a five-booth pay-per-view arcade of performance experiments as part of La Mama's 2004 Explorations Season. Having received critical and audience acclaim, interior theatre remounted Penny Machinations during the 2005 Melbourne Fringe will all new content and was awarded Outstanding Special Event 2005 for its sell-out season in the Fringe Club. Since then the company has performed to audiences ranging from small children to music festival goers at festivals such as the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival (2009), the Chookahs Children's Festival (2008), the Melbourne Fringe (2006), the Falls Festival (2007 & 2006) and many many more.
"Other highlights of the [Fringe] festival club include the delightful Penny Machinations, a series of brief, deft theatrical delights. It's an excellent way to pass the time while waiting for your next show to start, and great entertainment in its own right...all of these micro-dramas come highly recommended." Beat Magazine
"The confrontation with actors in an unknown setting created a wonderful thrill of fear. Penny Machinations, developed by Telia Nevile and Matt Kelly, turned out to be a fertile and highly entertaining experience." RealTime
...ad infinitum
Created and performed by Telia Nevile with Matt Kelly
Singing by Eva Johansen
Set to live performances of golden oldie love songs, ...ad infinitum is built to resemble an old penny arcade machine, with two dolls that stand ready to perform your choice of the Beginning, Middle or End of love's life cycle. This is an occasionally malfunctioning, but unceasingly delightful movement piece containing cheesy romance, soul-satisfying cliche and Jerry Springer finales.
Originally performed in foyers around Melbourne during the 2002 Melbourne Fringe, ...ad infinitum has since gone on to be part of the Penny Machinations repertoire.
Somewhere Along the Way
Created by Telia Nevile with performers Clare Reynolds and Matt Kelly
Original music by Paul Kotz
We lose people and things all the time, every day, but sometimes it takes days, weeks or even years to notice...other times you know the feeling's gone even though they're sitting right there beside you.
You always thought they would be there, you never thought this feeling would end, you can't imagine life any other way... When you realise it has ended, where to from here? Do you want it all back? Will you fight for it? Or has the feeling evaporated and all that's left is a gap?
Somewhere Along the Way is a 40-minute devised piece using movement, text, images and sound to explore those moments of clarity we have when one chapter closes and another opens.
Originally performed at La Mama in 2003, Somewhere Along the Way was re-mounted in 2004 at The Street Theatre in Canberra with the help of an artsACT grant.
"If Telia Nevile had a room to house her artform, it would be a modest quarter crammed with a thousand tiny boxes, each a seed of intriguing potential. Nevile is expert at constructing a sequence of moments that illuminate a particular theme." Melbourne Times
Linger...just one more
Created by Telia Nevile with performers Kath Papas, Scott Gooding and Louise Thorpe
Original music and live percussion by Paul Kotz
A heartbeat, a water drop, your own breath in your ears...time stretches in between one beat and another. When you linger, you stand still instead of moving, hold back the future by stepping back from the present.
The last moments of a relationship, the last dregs of a party and the final rays of a setting sun unfold in this 30-minute theatre piece of slow, tingling rhythms and vein-bursting builds of tension. In the time between the swings of the pendulum, the compulsive movements of passing minutes disappear. Notch after notch the crank tightens.
Utilising text, gestural movement, rhythm and sound, Linger...just one more is a collage of experiences and images exploring those private moments of inertia that happen at the best and worst times of our lives.
Originally performed as part of La Mama's 2002 season.
"Fun and engaging, its non heavy-handed approach managed to stir some substantial themes. Nevile's aesthetic agenda is best described as casting light on the invisible parts of human nature. Imagine throwing paint randomly in the air only to discover an invisible sculpture there all along, now staring back at you demanding attention. Her sensitivity to the rhythms of the artform - combining theatre, dance and text - is spot-on." Melbourne Times


text:
The Modern Fireplace Has Come A Long Way
The Modern Fireplace has come a long way from the ancient fire pits that were built in the ground in the center of a primitive dwelling. The foundation for the Modern Fireplace goes back to CountRumford in the late seventeen hundreds with his design of the tall shallow firebox. Today the fireplace is more popular than ever and the choices become more varied each year. In fact, most people consider this feature as one of the most requested when looking to purchase a new home. It has not lost it's appeal and increases the value in the purchase of the home.... [more]
This post does not allow comments


text:
Est. 1995
While working in a psychiatric hospital with adolescents, he noticed that certain children gave characteristically different answers to a popular game known as blotto (Klecksographie). In his original publication he characterized the blots as a "Form Interpretation Test, and cautioned that his findings were preliminary and stressed the importance of much more experimentation" (Exner, 1993, p. 6). Sadly, Rorschach died in 1922 at the age of 37. He had only invested just under four years in his inkblot test.
With no clear leader to take the helm, at least four separate "systems" developed to administer, score, and interpret the test. Needless to say, questions and concerns regarding the test's reliability and validity was eventually brought into question. Beginning in the late 1950's, enter John Exner. Exner (1993) reports that David Rapport, Bruno Klopfer, Marguerite Hertz, Zygmunt Piotrowski and Samuel Beck each played a roll in his desire to compile many systems into some sort of more cohesive whole. Exner's (1993) early work showed that each system "had considerable merit, but that each were also seriously flawed in one way or another" (p. viii). The result of addressing these concerns is the Comprehensive System. The "project" grew into a three volume work that has spanned at least three editions. Exner has almost single handedly rescued a drowning beast and breathed life back into it. The result is the resurrection of perhaps the single most powerful psychometric instrument ever envisioned.
History of Inkblot Procedures
In many countries, performing psycho-diagnosis is a major role of the psychologist who works in a clinical setting. Among the psychological tests most frequently used, inkblot techniques are the most favored. (Sundberg, 1961; Hinkle, Nelson and Miller, 1968; Sharma, Ojha and Vagrecha, 1975; Wade, Baker, Morton, and Baker, 1978; Dubey, 1982). Published in 1921, the Rorschach psycho-diagnostic test occupied a major position in the inkblot technique until 1956 when Wayne Holtzman developed his technique, to overcome some of the limitations of the Rorschach.
The needs of the busy clinicians and the increasing demands for psycho-
diagnosis inspired Wilfred Cassell to develop a system of inkblot techniques.
He uses modern video technology to make it usable as a self-administered
technique. Before discussing the various limitations of existing inkblot
techniques, it is worthwhile to trace the history of the use of inkblot
procedures in psychological investigation.
Beginning of Inkblot Procedure
The history of the inkblot procedure is not easily traced. It is traceable only through Rorschach's own writing, and through the writings of Emil Oberhalzer, Walter Morgenthaler and George Roemer. Zubin, Eron and Schumer (1965) indicated that the concept of formless stimuli, used in inkblot techniques to stimulate the imagination, can be traced back to Leonardo Da Vinci and Botticelli in the fifteenth century.
Exner (1969) wrote that it was important to note that in Europe during the latter half of the nineteenth century, and the early part of the twentieth century, there was much public interest in inkblots, not as a test but more as a game. It was very common for inkblots to be used in a popular parlor game called "Blotto," where the challenge was to associate an image to a design. The design might well have been created right there, or taken from the many inkblots and similar designs appearing in contemporary books and magazines. "More formally, there was in Europe and the United States, considerable experimentation attempted with inkblots as tests of imagination, personality and intelligence. Krugman (1942) cites the evidence that as early as 1895, Binet and Henri suggested that inkblots could be used for studying various personality traits, especially visual imagination. Dearborn, while working at Harvard University, published an article in 1897 discussed the potentials of employing inkblot techniques in experimental psychology. As Tulchin mentions, in 1848 Dearborn published the results of applying an inkblot technique to a group of sixteen subjects, wherein he used twelve sets of inkblots, each having ten blots similar in nature. Tulchin also cites the pre-Rorschach work of Sharp, Kirkpatrick, Whipple, Pyle, Bartlette and Parsons, all of whom published material between 1900 and 1917 concerning inkblot methodology in the United States and England" (Exner, 1974).
Baumgarten - Traumer (1942) mentioned that in 1910 in Moscow there appeared an atlas for experimental research on personality, published by a Russian psychologist named Theodere Rybakow who was a tutor at Moscow University. In the atlas, there was a test consisting of eight inkblots. All of them were asymmetrical. Rybakow indicated that her husband's decision to work with inkblots was stimulated by the observations of Konard Gehring, a teacher. Gehring discovered, while using inkblots displayed on very large sheets of paper at the front of the classroom, that certain children gave very similar responses to a variety of inkblots, even though the images were different in their form and color.
Zubin and Eron (1966) described three periods in the history of inkblot use in projective testing. Artists who painted "indeterminate forms to simulate creative imagination" comprised the pre-experimental period in the Nineteenth century. Binet introduced the "psychological experimental period" in 1895 with his assessment techniques, which measured imagination as an index of cognitive ability. Binet believed that a large number and variety of inkblot responses were a positive correlation to a "lively visual imagination" (Binet and Henry, 1895). Other inkblot researchers hypothesized that conscious awareness was slowed by ambiguous stimuli, thus making the perceptual process accessible for research purposes (Dearborn, 1897; Whipple, 1910).
The third historical period began in 1911 with Herman Rorschach's innovative research on "the interpretation of accidental forms" (1951). His interest in art forms and perception surfaced when he was a schoolboy. He was affectionately nicknamed "Klex" or "inkblots" by his peers (Cassell, 1980). Roemer (1967) wrote that Rorschach's first purpose for developing an inkblot test was to investigate the subject's reflex hallucination through viewing inkblots. Cassell (1965) initially used inkblots to study the subject's body perceptions and somatic symptoms. Cassell (1980) extended his use of this technique to where the clinician could better hear the suffering individual's "inner cry."
In summary, it can be said that the beginning of inkblot use may be
traced back to the fifteenth century and that a sizable amount of work
was done towards the end of the nineteenth century. Inkblot procedures
have been used for studying imagination, thought processes, reflex hallucinations,
intelligence and personality. Currently, they are being used to understand
the subject's psychopathology and to hear his/her "inner cry." Currently
the work is going on in various International Centers.
Existing Inkblot Tests
There are three major standardized tests based on inkblots. The pioneer amongst them was the Rorschach Inkblot Test published in 1921. Use of this test to explore the subject's psychopathology and basic personality structure is well known. A research publication by Reynolds and Sunberg (1976) ranked the Rorschach test as number one. They based their findings on Buros Mental Measure year book. A survey conducted on the members of The American Psychological Association Division-12, and The Indian Association of Clinical Psychologists showed concern from respondents about the limitations of the test (Wade et al 1978; Sharma, Ojha and Vagrecha, 1975; Dubey, 1982). Zubin (1965) has charged seven major failures as follows:
1. Failure to provide an objective system, free of arbitrary conventions, and showing high interscorer agreement.
2. Lack of satisfactory internal consistency, or test-retest reliability.
3. Failure to provide cogent evidence for clinical validity.
4. Failure of the individual Rorschach scoring categories to relate to diagnosis.
5. Lack of prognostic, or predictive validity with respect to the outcome of treatment, or later behavior.
6. Individual differences between groups of normal subjects.
7. Failure to find any significant relationships between Rorschach scores and intelligence, or creative ability.
In 1953, Fiske and Baughman reported that practitioners feel that the variation in the total number of responses is too much to be able to interpret the ratio scores adequately. Also, the meaning of the indices changes depending upon the length of the protocol, because the relationship between Rorschach scores and the total number of responses is complex and curvilinear.
Many workers compute percentage ratio in an effort to control the length of the protocol. Holtzman (1956) pointed out that such procedures were very unsatisfactory, not only because of the non-linear relationships between R and other Rorschach's scores, but also because of the crude, unstable and metric qualities of most Rorschach variables.
Holtzman et al (1956) pointed out that much of the controversy over the Rorschach arises from the failure to distinguish between the Rorschach as a projective technique in the hands of a skilled clinician, and the Rorschach as a psychometric device, that yields scores having relevance for personality assessment. The analysis of responses to inkblots has ranged all the way from one extreme to the other of the projective psychometric continuum.
Wayne Holtzman developed an inkblot test to overcome some of the limitations of the Rorschach. The main limitation of the Rorschach, as experientially determined, was the problem of variation in the length of the protocol (Fiske and Baughman, 1953; Dubey and Pershad, 1978). As Fiske and Baughman pointed out, the relationship between Rorschach scores and the total number responses are complex and curvilinear. Consequently, the usual effect of R linear regression methods for removing the confounding effect of R will generally fail.
Dubey, (1982), in a study of 300 subjects, found that most of the Rorschach indices are dependent upon the number of responses. When the groups of Normal, Neurotics, and Schizophrenics were divided, on the basis of number of responses, into high productivity and low productivity, many indices which were found to be significant lost their significance. It further strengthened the findings of Fiske and Baughman, and supported the intention of Holtzman.
The advantage, which Holtzman introduced in his test, was to offer an alternate series of the inkblot stimuli test for reassessing the personality after some type of intervention. Holtzman provided 45 cards in each series. The subject is required to give one response per card. Holtzman categorically selected only 22 variables such as: reaction time, location, form definiteness form appropriateness, color, shading, movement, pathosonomic verbalization, integration, human, animal, anatomy, anxiety, hostility, barrier, penetration, popular, etc. His test is said to measure almost the same aspects of personality that are measured by the Rorschach. Holtzman has clearly emphasized the psychometric approach. The Holtzman test has wide application and is popular. However, the research output is not as prolific as that of the Rorschach test. The Somatic Inkblot Series (SIS) developed by Wilfred A. Cassell is a recent extension of the traditional inkblot projective techniques. The test was developed specifically to understand the manifestation of problems through somatization, and to hear the suffering individual's "inner cry." The test images are viewed on a television using a video cassette recorder (VCR). The subject's responses are recorded on a separate response sheet. The procedure can be done while the patient waits for his/her turn at a clinic or a hospital. In some cases where the individual has good ego strength, the procedure can be completed at home.


text:
Feel free to share your valuable ideas and suggestions.
You don't know how much inspiring your thoughts can be ,
so , always tell us what you think … Don't just keep it to your self !!
Looking forward to hearing from You ..
10,313 total views, 1 views today


text:
Application Forms hunterwoods 2015-01-08T16:42:06+00:00
Quick Links
Hunter Woods Apartments is a peaceful setting of more than four wooded acres of pleasant lawns and gardens. The community staff focuses on keeping the property clean and orderly so you can have pride in receiving your visitors to Hunter Woods. Timely maintenance is a top priority of the community so you can relax in your home and enjoy the benefits of worry-free living.


text:
The Munay-Ki are the nine great rites of initiation of the medicine way. The word munay means "I love you" or "BE AS THOU ART." The Munay-Ki are the nine gates that heal us and transform our human energy field. This DVD talks about the rites and then presents the nine rites and instruction for transmitting them. *Important Note* You must first receive all nine rites before transmitting them.
For more information: The Four Winds Society
Orders are processed in priority. Orders placed before 11am the same day will get shipped on the relevant chose delivery method. Orders received after this time will be processed and shipped in the following 24 hours.
Processing delays will be notified at the time of order.
Standard Shipping time is 7 days unless an alternative method is chosen.
Please note any special delivery instructions need to be notified in the notes section of the shopping basket at the time of order:


text:
Working With Climatic Home Products
At Climatic Home Products, the success of your business is our number one priority. As the leader in distribution in the Southeast, we offer broad model assortment, quality inventory availability, and the best customer service you will find. Climatic's mission is to give you and your appliance business the support you need to thrive today and grow tomorrow.
The support you need to thrive today and grow tomorrow.
Never a choice between what is right and what is convenient, we do what is right for the customer.
We are dedicated to our customers, business partners, and one another to drive common success as measured by all.
Featured Products
Climatic Home Products stocks a full inventory of the top home appliance brands. Browse our unparalleled product selection from Samsung, GE Appliance, Frigidaire, Electrolux, Danby, Sharp, Broan, SMEG, Crosley, Premier, and FABER. Click our brand links to view the newest products and features below.
- KitchenNo home is complete without a full complement of top quality kitchen appliances. At Climatic Home Products, we offer a full inventory of appliances from the top brands.
- LaundryA quality washer and dryer set is essential for any homeowner. We stock a wide selection of laundry appliances from the industries top brands.
- Home EssentialsThey may go unseen from day to day, but home appliances like furnaces, HVAC systems, and hot water heaters are an important part of any home. Climatic Home Products offers a range of home essentials.
Industry News and Insights
You can count on Climatic Home Products to be your trusted advisor and valued partner. View the latest trends, updates, and insights for the home appliance industry by visiting our Resources page or clicking on one of the blog posts below to learn more.
Should You Switch to an Induction Cooktop?
You'll have to make one major decision when it comes to remodeling your kitchen or replacing … Read
Improve Indoor Air Quality with a HEPA Home Air Purifier
While there's not yet any conclusive evidence that a HEPA air purifier can reduce the risk … Read
Assessing The Verona Italian Range: Price, Features, Design, & More
Throughout the review, you can read about the range's Price and Availability, Design … Read


text:
This is the Tagline, edited under "Misc Content"
News Releases
Dark Page
Key Contacts
Build feature boxes to go in your left column in Feature Content / Standard in your Site Manager.
PRNewswire-FirstCallMILWAUKEEAug 7, 2002
Manpower Inc. (NYSE: MAN) today announced the appointment of Robert W. Lincoln, Jr. to the newly created position of Senior Vice President, Global Human Resources. Lincoln will report directly to Jeffrey A. Joerres, Chairman & CEO of Manpower Inc., signifying the importance that Manpower places on human resources as a key component of effective business strategy.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020807/MNW006 )
"People are the most important element of any successful business, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the staffing business," said Joerres. "The addition of Rob Lincoln in this critically important position will accelerate our efforts to leverage our HR best practices throughout our global workforce as we become an even higher performance organization. Manpower is a massive global organization with great HR practices throughout the world, and I am confident that Rob will also help us to leverage these strengths to help our clients enhance their own HR strategies," Joerres added.
Certified by the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), Lincoln has 25 years of experience in HR Management. Before joining Manpower, Lincoln formed Robert Lincoln Consulting, L.L.C., a firm specializing in strategic human resources planning, change management and cultural integration. He was previously the Global Director of Human Resources, Mergers and Acquisitions for The Dow Chemical Company, located in Midland, Michigan.
Lincoln stated, "I am very excited to be joining a company and a leadership team that clearly understands the important strategic role that the human resources function plays in a company's overall business strategy. This is a great opportunity to build upon Manpower's solid foundation of HR practice and move the company to an even higher level of people performance."
Lincoln is a graduate of Michigan State University, where he received Bachelors and Masters degrees in Psychology and Counseling and he also has a law degree from the University of Houston.
A highly sought after speaker on human resources issues, Lincoln has addressed numerous audiences in Europe, Latin America and Asia, in addition to North America. His recent publications include the article "Dealing with HR Issues following the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks" featured in Employment Relations Today, Winter 2002, and the book, "100 Things To Do If You're Downsized," released in July 2002. He has developed and conducts a companion seminar, "Downsizing: Principles, Practices and Procedures," for The Human Resources Education & Training Center, School of Labor and Industrial Relations, at Michigan State University.
Manpower Inc. is a world leader in the staffing industry, providing workforce management services and solutions to customers through 3,900 offices in 61 countries. The firm annually provides employment to more than 2 million people worldwide and is an industry leader in employee assessment and training. Manpower also provides a range of staffing solutions, engagement and consulting services worldwide under the subsidiary brands of Brook Street, Elan, The Empower Group and Jefferson Wells. More information on Manpower Inc. can be found at the company's Web site, http://www.manpower.com/ .
MAKE YOUR OPINION COUNT - Click Here
SOURCE: Manpower Inc.
CONTACT: Tracy Shilobrit of Manpower Inc., +1-414-906-6088, or
Web site: http://www.manpower.com/


text:
It was a mixture of garden club members and Potomac friends who gathered at Gay and Tony Barclay's "Orchard Farm" recently for a book signing.
Sarah Hood Salomon's "Politics and Pot Roast" cookbook apparently has surfaced at exactly the appropriate time. Whoever coined, "timing is everything" knew the answer to success. The Barclay party was on a Redskins Sunday, (not just any, but a Dallas Cowboys vs. Redskins day) and a Potomac Hunt meet.
Neither prevented a full house of sportspersons and gardeners coming out to meet the author and buy her books, a collection of recipes representing kitchens from George Washington to George W.
A self-professed former non-cook, Salomon got the idea to research White House recipes when she volunteered to entertain a few members from the Garden Clubs of America who were coming to town. "I thought there would be 10 guests, but it turned out to be 30," she recalled. It was then that she began researching recipes of U.S. presidents and first ladies.
Her first collection was published in 2003, a small paperback to benefit Children's Hospital. Editions two and three followed, each growing a little more in content, and each for a benefit. "I was able to pay myself back a little on number three and still benefit the Garden Clubs of America," she said.
HER LATEST VOLUME has grown to include more than 190 recipes accompanied by interesting and historical excerpts about each President or First Lady, plus many humorous cartoons and illustrations by local artist Glenn Foden.
"I have tried to be as authentic as possible," Salomon expressed. She related an incident where she discovered the "Lincoln Log" recipe. "It was what we would today call a jelly roll cake," she said. Ironically, the first published recipe for jelly roll cake was by British actress Laura Keene, who was on stage at Ford's Theatre the night Lincoln was shot. "It was she who identified a fellow actor, John Wilkes Booth, Lincoln's assassin," Salomon continued.
"Politics and Pot Roast" is not just a cookbook filled with mainly manageable recipes. It contains numerous, humorous stories and historical facts. For instance, accompanying Mrs. Rutherford Hayes' lemonade recipe is an anecdote recalling why she was called "Lemonade Lucy." She was the first wife of a President to be addressed as First Lady. Although the Hayeses entertained lavishly they banned all alcohol from the White House. Thus her lemonade moniker.
Laurana Reed, among the numerous Potomac Hunt members at the party, was thrilled to see "Mamie's Million Dollar Fudge," a selection from the book that was included in the Barclays' buffet. "I've had Mamie Eisenhower's fudge before. Her nieces, Ellen and Maime Moore were [Holton-Arms] classmates of mine and we would visit their family's farm in Leesburg. Their father, Col. Moore, would bring us Aunt Mamie's fudge," she remembered.
Mrs. Eisenhower was an admitted "cooking school dropout," but her fudge was one of her husband's favorite desserts, according to Salomon's research. She also discovered that the general/U.S. president loved to cook and one of his favorite dishes was "Squirrel Stew."
THERE IS LITTLE evidence that the book's name derived from Millard Fillmore's pot roast, one in which he advises the chef to "Cut incisions in the top of the beef and fill with dressing." This was at a time when the first cast-iron stove was brought to the White House.
It would take a cast-iron stomach to enjoy Martin Van Buren's stewed beets. "Serve hot with the pan gravy poured over them," the instructions suggest. The "gravy" consists of butter and vinegar among other condiments. Is there any wonder the man drank "a tonic of soot, charcoal and water for his chronically irritated stomach?" This too, is according to Salomon's research.
The author, at her inaugural dinner party for the garden party ladies, got things humming with Ulysses Grant's "Roman Punch." There is little doubt that this was his recipe. (Mrs. Grant didn't cook.) Several other recipes attributed to the Grant regime — Grant's Lemon Pie, Mrs. Grant's Veal Olives — are in doubt as to their authenticity. However, it is known that the President loved cucumbers (personal note: his great, great nephew hates cucumbers) and according to the author "could make a meal of a sliced cucumber and coffee."
Eugenia "Gene" Keogh Reed, one of the founding members of the Perennial Garden Club, said she would not have missed the book signing party for anything. Born in 1908, she may have enjoyed Mrs. Roosevelt's "Philadelphia Sand Tarts" as a child, or, as a teenager, Alice Longworth's "Eggplant With Spaghetti."
No matter, the sprightly Mrs. Reed said she planted her tulip bulbs last year and is looking forward to her 100th birthday party promised by her garden club members. She did, however, tell them she wished they would plan it for her 99th, next July 3. "In case I don't make it to 100, I don't want to miss a good party," she added.
THERE IS SOMETHING about sports persons and garden clubbers that inspires longevity. Among the guests, octogenarian Austin Kiplinger, who was hospitalized with pneumonia this fall, was enthusiastically telling Janelle and Mahlon Straszheim, "I can paper the walls with the blue ribbons my horse won at the Potomac Hunt Hunter Trials." Camanche Raider, ridden by Rachel Mikrut, was headed for the glue factory when Kiplinger took him in. "I wanted to see if I could bring him back," he said. It's been about three years, but back he is, and the former steeplechaser is going strong.
Another octogenarian, and past president of the Perennial Garden Club, Anne Alexander, recalled when members were seeking a name for their club. "I submitted 'The Hoer Club,' but it was considered and turned down," she admitted. "Probably, for good reason," she added.
As dozens of guests came, and left carrying bundles of the books (if you bought three, a "Politics and Pot Roast" apron, designed by the author's sister, Corky Hebert, was included), there were obvious Christmas gift lists partially satisfied. "I just would like to have an apron for each gift," Gogo Kiplinger lamented. The books are available, ($24.95) at Barnes and Noble, Amazon and other outlets.
Now, if you really want to know which President liked to barbecue on the White House roof, you will just have to buy the book.
Clue: it wasn't President Lyndon Johnson, as your reporter guessed.


text:
The following introduction to the history of the Band was written by the Founder of the Band, Mr. Peter Richardson B.E.M.
This organisation was born on the 20th October 1952, a Monday, at Pettits Lane School (now Marshalls Park School) with two members only. In making that opening statement, I am somewhat jumping the gun, because unless one is aware of the conditions at that time, the thoughts and aspirations that lay behind the formation, it would be impossible to make an assessment of the achievements of the organisation.
In 1952, apart from the youth centres run at schools that were run by the local authority, the only youth organisations that existed were the pre-services units (army, air and sea cadet forces) scouts and boys brigade with perhaps a few church youth clubs, organisations for girls were only limited to either the girl guides or girls brigade. Of the boys' organisations, most had a band of sorts either a bugle or trumpet band, perhaps consisting of something like a maximum of twenty players. Probably the pre-service units were the strongest and best equipped because they were funded from official sources, but by today's standards of band work, could not be considered particularly well trained or attractive It should be appreciated by the reader that in the first instance the member of any band had to first to owe allegiance to the main body of the organisation to which he belonged and before any band work could be indulged in, he had first to take part in and become proficient in whatever was the main objective of the orgnisation, consequently band work came a very poor second in the order of priorities.
Television was in its infancy, programmes were limited to two hours transmission every evening between 8 and 10 pm. Discos hadn't been invented and "the charts" meant those maps that sailors used to get around the world. If you wanted to carry a tape recorder, you would have needed a wheel barrow and a mains supply. The tape recorders were 16 feet per second. Tapes, normally of 6 inch diameter would have been twice the size of a modern television set.
Mr Dick Bouchard (now Director of Music of the Romford Drum & Trumpet Corps) and myself were serving as commissioned Bandmasters with the 285 Airborn R.A.Cadet Regt., he I/C "P" Battery and myself I/C "Q" Battery. Our regimental commanders idea of good psychology was to promote a rivalry between our two bands. However, to cut a long story short, by accident we discovered this little scheme, we discovered that we had similar ideas and determined to resign our commissions and start an independent band according to our own concept without the restrictions and constrictions that other bands had to work to.
Realising that we wouldn't get far calling it Peter and Dick's Band, as I had been a member of the Executive Committee of the British Legion for some time, I set up a meeting with a special committee of the Romford Branch to sell them the idea of starting a Boy's Band. They naturally were very cagey about the idea, but to their credit they agreed that we should go away and form an organisation and when we proved it actually existed, they would allow us to use the name of the British Legion Boy's Band (Romford). There were all sorts of other conditions which resulted in the Branch giving us a charter, the main object of which was to ensure that we acted independently and could not call upon them in any circumstances for financial support (in other words, "it's all down to you Jack").
Although we didn't know it, it turned out to be our greatest asset because we were truly independent. Between us (Dick and I) we owned a few instruments, Dick's holding was greater than mine as it included a couple of rope tension side drums, but for our ideas we needed a lot more. We embarked on a hunt of every army surplus store, second hand shop, antique place in Greater London to try and find second hand instruments. Over a period of some weeks, we acquired quite a few calvary trumpets, but no drums. However, having always been of a practical turn of mind, I tried making drum shells out of aluminium which proved successful, our biggest problem was drum hoops. Fortunately a contact at Potters of Aldershot who has remained a friend all these years came to our rescue and proivded some old drum hoops. These were scraped down and repainted to our own design, castelleted triangles of blue and gold. Thus were born the first collection of instruments.
To attract our recruits we designed a recruiting leaflet which was produced by Dick's dad who was a printer and armed with these we stood outside the gates of Romford Secondary schools at home time giving them to all the and sundry (but boys only) the leaflet explained what we intended to do and that the first meeting would be held at Pettits Lane School in the art classroom at 7pm. On Monday 20th October 1952. On the first evening two boys turned up, we had distributed 5000 leaflets and just two boys came along. However, these two were charged with the responsibility of each fetching a friend to the next rehersal and on the following Monday we had four boys, using the same technique we doubled again. On the next rehersal we had eight boy's, then sixteen, then thirty two and from that moment we were in business. At this time, the Branch Headquarters was at the Queen's Hall in London Road opposite the Woolpack Inn, the Hall was brick and there was a corrugated extension alongside making it quite a large building.
At that time, the British Legion ran a judo club, football club, whist drives, socials, table tennis club etc, etc. We had grown so large that it was impossible to operate in a classroom so I asked the Branch if we could use the social hall on a Sunday morning. They reluctantly agreed, but as a judo session occupied the hall on a Sunday from 10am. until closure, we wouuld only use it providing it was before 10am. We therefore started our Sunday morning rehersals at 9am. Allowing us 1 1/2 hours and 1/2 hour to clear up. When we had established ourselves as a band can be, we negotiated using the hall on Tuesday and Thursday from 6pm. to 8pm. which was when the Branch started its evening activities.
By this time, it was now Xmas 1952, we had a band that could play a few numbers marching excellently, but no uniforms. Through a gift we had acquired a few Royal Marine uniforms which Betty (my wife) and I cannibalised and remade into uniforms that could be worn by "midgets" and we had discovered an old uniform and equipment dealer in the East End of London who had a large number of ATC uniforms which could be dyed navy blue, but we would have to do all the embellishments. Our problem was finance. I persuaded an old friend of mine to stake us to a huge loan of £25.00. Yes, twenty five pounds, with which we succeded in purchasing these uniforms and with sufficient surplus to buy yellow braiding in bulk from Piggott Bros. so that we could put a yellow stripe on the trousers. Where we obtained the berets from escapes me now, but we did provide each member with a lanyard which we plaited and designed ourselves. By the end of February 1953, equipped with instruments and uniforms we had a band of 48 players" The Band's first competition was the Hornchurch Contest, held at Harrow Lodge Park, where they took first place in the "non-pre-service class" and the "open championships".


text:
About Last Night
H. Lee Kagan ~
It was a night like many others. I was taking call from home for my medical partner and myself. My wife and I had settled in, planning to stream the new season of Goliath on Netflix. But the internet was down, so we were watching a talent competition on regular TV instead.
At 8:30, my phone rang.
"Hello, this is Dr. Kagan."
A long pause, then a tentative "Hello...."
I muted the TV. "Can I help you?"
More silence, then I heard a woman's voice uttering inarticulate sounds.
"Who is this?" I asked. "Are you looking for the doctor?"
I heard her say my partner's last name. Older voice. Indecisive. Unsure.
"Yes, I'm covering for him. What's your name?" I asked.
She managed to say her name, but the rest was unintelligible.
"Are you having trouble talking?"
I asked again and heard something like "yes."
"Where are you?"
More silence, a long one. I could hear her breathing, mouth close to the phone. My iPhone screen said "No Caller ID."
"Can you tell me your phone number?"
Just breathing. I prodded several more times and eventually got "818," but no more.
"What street do you live on?" No response.
"What city are you in? Sherman Oaks? Burbank?"
"Is anyone there with you?"
"You need to get some help. Can you hang up and call 911?"
"9...1...?" Silence.
I repeated the questions again, then again. Long pauses. Word fragments. Ten minutes had passed.
The clinician in me thought: This woman's in trouble. Most likely a stroke in progress. The rapid breathing--tachypnea--is from what? Heart attack? Atrial fibrillation? My head reflexively goes all clinical in these situations, lining up probabilities. But how to get help to her?
My wife, a critical-care nurse/nurse educator, had been listening. She picked up her phone and, after a futile attempt to Google the woman's name, mouthed, "I'm calling 911."
I gave her a quizzical look. "We have no address to send them to." She thought for a moment, then hung up, obviously frustrated. I saw her tearing up. Her own mother, back in New York, had recently been hospitalized with a stroke.
I put my phone on speaker. The patient's loud breathing filled our living room while, on the muted TV screen, a man with an eye patch was playing the accordion.
I handed the phone to my wife. "Here, you talk to her. I'll see if Emergency Services can ping her."
"Can you hear me?" my wife called into the phone. I picked up the land line in our kitchen and dialed.
"911. How may I assist you?"
Quickly, I relayed my dilemma to the operator, who transferred me to Emergency Medical Services.
Off in the living room, my wife pleaded with the patient to give her an address, a street name, a phone number, anything. "Are you in a house or an apartment?"
Meanwhile, the dispatcher confirmed what I already knew: Without a landline number to ping, there was nothing they could do. "Does your partner know where she lives?"
My partner! Of course. I hung up and dialed my partner's cell phone. He was at a Rod Stewart concert (don't ask), and I was surprised when he answered.
"She lives somewhere near the office." Best guess: Studio City. Maybe.
Now, twenty minutes into the call, my wife and I stood listening to rapid breathing and occasional syllables emanating from the iPhone resting on my upturned palm--tonight's unexpected soundtrack. The accordionist on TV had been replaced by a magician, and then a singer.
The reality was we had no way to know what was happening to this woman--not without getting to her. And right now there looked to be no way to do that.
Damn, I thought. Are we going to listen to her check out on us? My heart sank. There had to be a way.
Maybe, I speculated, I could drive to my office and pull up an address on our computer system. But at this hour the building was locked. And the locks had been changed recently and, shit, I didn't have the new alarm code. Left it on my desk.
She's elderly, I thought suddenly. Maybe my partner's hospitalized her before. Her data could be on the hospital computer.
Ordinarily I can access the hospital's system from my home desktop. But tonight the internet was down. (Remember? It's why we weren't watching Goliath.) I called the hospital.
"ER. How can I help you?"
ER nurses are special--uniquely trained to roll with the unexpected, to not freeze up. I explained my situation to the nurse who'd answered. With not a second's delay, she said, "Let me log in." I heard clicking.
"What was the name?"
I told her. She typed.
Thirty seconds later, I heard, "Uh-oh."
"Too many people with that name?" I asked. The name was not uncommon.
"Yeah, maybe sixty or seventy."
"Look for addresses in the San Fernando Valley, birth dates prior to 1945."
Ten seconds later: "Bingo! Here she is. Born in 1938. Your partner's listed as her doc."
"Yes! Bless you."
Within five minutes, paramedics were headed for the woman's apartment.
Meanwhile, the call on my iPhone had disconnected. A total of thirty-three minutes had elapsed. My wife and I looked at each other, unsure whether to celebrate our success. Were we too late?
It was another forty-five minutes before I got to the ER and found a smiling gray-haired woman reclining on her gurney. Two friends sat alongside. The ER doc, at my elbow, told me the story.
"When she arrived, her blood pressure was 230 over 133. We put her on a nicardipine drip, and the pressure's better. She's regained her speech, and now she's talking almost normally. Still having some trouble with word-finding. There's no weakness anywhere."
The scans had shown normal brain structure, no stroke--but there was a narrowing of her left carotid artery, the main vessel carrying blood to the left half of her brain.
"Probably a TIA (transient ischemic attack)," we agreed. A loose clot had temporarily blocked circulation to the area of her brain responsible for speech. Despite her improvement, she was still at high risk for a major stroke. I had her transferred to the ICU, where she remained stable.
It was after midnight when I got home. The bedroom was dark, but I knew my wife would be awake.
"Scans were neg, but the angio showed a tight left carotid," I said, crawling under the covers. "BP was over 200 when they brought her in. Better now on nicardipine. Speech is recovered."
"Did you put her in the Unit?"
Such is pillow talk in my house these days.
"Yeah. Here's the kicker," I said. "She has no recollection of the phone call."
My wife rolled over and kissed my cheek. "Good night."
After over thirty years in practice, and more than my share of "saves," it was still an hour before I could fall sleep.
Tomorrow, the vascular surgeon will come to see about fixing my patient's carotid artery to avert the threat of a serious stroke. And on the home front, a lower-stakes repair: The cable company will come to fix our internet, so that we can start watching Goliath.
About the author:
H. Lee Kagan, an internist in private practice in Los Angeles, is an associate clinical professor of medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. He is a contributing writer for Discover Magazine, and his work has also appeared in Pulse, the New York Times Magazine and The Intima. "Given the dramatic events in this case, the story practically wrote itself. The intensity was the easy part; it's the juxtaposition of our race against the clock with the quotidian bits of our everyday lives that took this story to another level for me. It lets me see how uniquely privileged and lucky I am to have a career in medicine."
Story editor:
Diane Guernsey
# 2018-12-28 09:12
I'm glad the story was short because I held my breath the whole read! As a psych NP I've had my moments getting help to people in crisis but never this dramatic.
# 2018-12-26 23:17
I loved the humor and suspense. Such a real life experience trying to trouble shoot logistics while our minds race through the medical issues. So glad your story had a happy ending!
# 2018-12-22 15:17
Extraordinary! Especially loved the juxtaposition of your Superman/Clark Kent personae (with your trusty Lois Lane), i.e. the doctor trying to save a woman's life and the husband chilling with his wife watching a guy playing the accordion on television.
This story was a welcome antidote after reading about another physician death by suicide. I offer heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to all doctors and nurses who care for us each and every day. Wishing you happy holidays and good health...
PS That goes for all at Pulse, too, who bring us inspiring stories and poems each week.
This story was a welcome antidote after reading about another physician death by suicide. I offer heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to all doctors and nurses who care for us each and every day. Wishing you happy holidays and good health...
PS That goes for all at Pulse, too, who bring us inspiring stories and poems each week.
# 2018-12-22 09:41
Wow. What a thriller of a story. Great detective work and dedication saved a life. Thank you for being such a good human being.
# 2018-12-22 08:55
A story of dedication to caring and good patient care, what all physicians should do. I commend you and your wife for what you did for this woman.
# 2018-12-22 08:54
On behalf of patients everywhere, thank you for your dedication. And thanks for sharing your wonderfully engaging story.
# 2018-12-22 07:36
wow! what a story! and so well-written....
tears are streaming down my cheeks.
nice to read about such a caring physician, and of course, a happy ending
tears are streaming down my cheeks.
nice to read about such a caring physician, and of course, a happy ending
# 2018-12-22 05:36
My heart was racing all through this narrative. Thank goodness for a caring doctor who went the extra mile plus.
# 2018-12-21 18:57
What a stunning wonderful happy story. KUDOS to you and the others for truly going the extra mile to save a life!! Medicine is so lucky to have you (and your wife, and the ER nurse...).
# 2018-12-21 18:54
Wow... this had me on the edge of my seat! Great story, and what a relief that the outcome was positive.


text:
Give 28 a spin - it's a new offering from S-Preme. It was dropped on Monday, September 9th, 2013. S-Preme's rap artistry continues to improve with every release, something which is most definitely evidenced on 28. His ever-expanding catalogue is definitely better for it, and we're looking forward to the next piece of the puzzle - aren't you?
1 Comments
Show comments


text:
Revenue Management: Utility Solutions
Mergers, acquisitions and consolidations are commonplace in the competitive world of utilities. While consumers grapple with upward pressure from their household bills for gas, electric, water, etc., utilities must manage consolidation, supply, distribution, the regulators and a lot more to stay a step ahead of the changes in the industry.
Integrating systems is a CORE competency.
Compatible with all financial and CIS applications, CORE's solutions bring flow-through, single update, and end-to-end benefits to the entire revenue management process. Customers are better served with convenient, anytime-anywhere access to payment information. Employees are empowered to be single-source payment enablers. Managers and supervisors reconcile and manage single-location or enterprise-wide information from their desktops. The whole process frees up resources to help with the business of doing business. And CORE's unmatched support keeps you up and keeps you going.


text:
BEMA's Black History Month 2013 comes to a close with a performance showcase this Friday, 1st November.
Hope to see you all on Friday
BEMA's Black History Month 2013 comes to a close with a performance showcase this Friday, 1st November.
Hope to see you all on Friday
1) Intersectionality: Race, Gender, Sexuality and Disability
Tuesday 22nd – 5pm – Guild Council Chambers
In collaboration with the Women's Association, LGBTQ Association and DAMSA (Disability and Mental Health Students' Association) we present a series of talks and discussion looking at the way Racism and other oppressions in society interact and overlap.
Topics include the White Beauty myth, misrepresentation of Muslim women in Western media, the forgotten BME participants of the Stonewall riots, the Criminalisation of Mental Illness in BME individuals as well sections on Class and Religion.
2) Still Ain't no Black in the Union Jack: Race and the British state
Thursday 24th – 6pm – Arts Lecture Room 5
Twenty years after Stephen Lawrence's murder and the failures that followed in its police investigation, we look at the ways that the British state has(n't) changed in its treatment of, and response to, BME communities.
With a diverse panel of speakers we'll look at how the Police, Higher Education, Mental Health and Immigration services all operate to keep BME communities repressed in Britain, and the different forms that institutional racism has taken over the years.
Tuesday 15th October – 6pm – Arts Lecture Room 5
Black Panthers in Conversation: Mass Imprisonment, Racism and International Solidarity
BEMA's Black History Month continues with a talk and Q&A from Jonina and Lorenzo Ervin, two veteran community activists and former Black Panther party members from the US.
They will be speaking on the mass incarceration of Black and BME individuals by the racist criminal justice system in North America and abroad, and how to build international solidarity movements in support of the oppressed, drawing from their experiences at Black radical organisers in the USA.
This will be a rare opportunity to hear from two inspiring activists speaking through the struggle, so make sure you're there and spread the word –
it's free and open to all.
This Friday (11th October) BEMA's Black History Month series of events continues with a film screening and discussion of the documentary 'The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975′ (with free food), in collaboration with the NUS Black Students' Campaign Midlands.
The Black Power Mixtape features previously unreleased archive footage interviewing prominent figures from the US Black Power movement through the 60s and 70s, including Angela Davis, Stokely Carmichael and Bobby Seale.
BEMA's Black History Month series of events begins this Thursday the 3rd of October with a launch focusing on Nigeria, which celebrates its independence this week.
Includes poetry, music, speakers, film and stalls with traditional clothes for sale.
For a full listing of our events see below.
All welcome, and all free (excluding the external Hip Hop Shakespeare trip).
So bring your people, and we'll see you there.
Read the rest of this entry


text:
Like many students around the nation right now, I can't believe I'm in my last semester of college. Time sure does fly, but I honestly didn't feel the clock ticking until I became an active member of PRSSA. As a PRSSA member, I started to learn the things that I will take with me into the real world. While I still have a long way to go, PRSSA provided me with opportunities to expand my knowledge and add a fair share of points to my résumé.
Being a senior has made me realize how proactive I have to be about accomplishing everything I hoped to in my short years in school. Consequently, I have put together a bucket list of the skills public relations students should learn before graduating college:
- Compose a comprehensive editorial calendar on Microsoft Excel.
- Learn at least one management platform (Hootsuite, TweetDeck, etc.).
- Take part in at least one Twitter chat. (Hint: Begin with PRSSA's next one.)
- Learn to read Facebook and Twitter analytics.
- Bonus if you learn to manage Facebook and/or Google ads.
- Write and send at least one press release to local media. You can even write one for Chapter News.
- Afterwards, write a pitch email to complement the press release.
- Build a media list (bonus if you learn programs such as Gorkana and Cision).
- Conquer the basics of Adobe InDesign and Photoshop. Create a graphic to accompany your social media posts and design a flier for an event.
- Prove your AP style and PRSSA Style Guide knowledge by writing an article for Progressions and/or FORUM.
- Work on any sort of event planning: a party, Chapter event, fundraiser, showcase, etc. (bonus if you get sponsorship, registration, speaker outreach, etc. involved).
- Know how to research. Do a proper SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis for your dream client.
- Basic HTML knowledge: Learn to make small changes such as changing fonts and colors from the back end.
So much to do, so little time! Obviously there are many more skills I can add to this list. What is at the top of your public relations bucket list?
Paige Weber is the PRSSA 2014–2015 vice president of Chapter development and a senior at Louisiana State University. Follow her on Twitter or connect on LinkedIn.


text:
The Client Experience
When choosing a Real Estate professional, get to know their service history!
The greatest level of achievement I strive for is the complete satisfaction of my Clients. I take pride in the high volume of repeat business and referrals that drive my business.
Call me today - I'd love to have you as a valued Client too!
Direct Line:
RE/MAX Dodi Thorhaug Realty
#101-2609 Westview Drive North Vancouver, BC V7N 4M2 Canada


text: Sexual intrigue, jealousy, wit, anger… and retribution! The new Royal Opera Season begins with Mozart's engaging masterpiece, which follows Don Giovanni (Erwin Schrott), the women he serially seduces, and the vengeance that finally catches up with him. The opera is renowned for its ever-shifting portrayals of complex characters, fast-moving action and mix of the comic and the heartfelt. A cast of international singers—both familiar and making Royal Opera debuts—under conductor Hartmut Haenchen perform the glorious arias and ensembles of this opera favorite. A co-production with Israeli Opera, Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona, and Houston Grand Opera.


text:
Competing With Data & Analytics
What to Read Next
The power of experiments comes from the insight they provide into causal relationships. Simply put, by randomly manipulating only a single focal variable, we can assume that any observed changes are likely due to the manipulated variable, and not to something else.
Experiments based on data can be particularly powerful for organizations, especially if they easily augment managerial intuition and exploit unique data.
Data-based experiments are not new. Harrah's Casinos provided early examples of how organizations could add confidence to organizational decisions, but at that time, many companies resisted aggressive testing. Change is difficult, particularly for experiments where some level of underperformance is inherent in the design. By definition, an experiment that shows differences between an indicator of performance will mean one group underperforms the another. For example, it can be difficult for managers to test a change that their intuition tells them will increase customer satisfaction or sales, because it means not following their intuition and reducing satisfaction or sales for a control group.
Now, there may be less resistance as organizations see the successes of others. Data-savvy organizations are setting up platforms to promote experimentation throughout their organizations. Experimentation can be "virtual research centers" that allow scale in R&D.
For example, Edmunds.com is a car shopping website with 20 million unique visitors every month. They built their own testing platform called the Website Testing Framework, on top of their extensive cloud-based data infrastructure. Phil Potloff, chief digital officer of Edmunds.com, says it allows all of their managers to ask "WTF (Website Testing Framework)? What's going on with this test?" The framework supports dozens of simultaneous tests against three key performance indicators: user engagement, ad impression delivery rate, and lead volume. Questions can be big, such as evaluating an entirely new vehicle appraisal tool. Or tiny, such as the color of a single button on the website. Potloff reports that the framework has "really changed the way that we interface with analytics and how we make changes."
WASH Laundry is another example of a company scaling experimentation. WASH Laundry manages laundry facilities embedded in 75,000 locations. More than 7 million people per week use laundry facilities under their management, generating a massive amount of data in addition to a lot of clean clothes. They've also just built an experimentation platform to support decision making. John Buccola, CIO of WASH Laundry, describes their approach: "Through experimentation and through data science, we're trying to come up with the ideal setting to optimize the experience for our customers, both from a revenue standpoint for our customer partners, and from a laundry room experience for our residents, using IoT, using data science, and using experimentation, so we can get to that end result. Because there's not a lot of research on this, we're going to have to just try and figure it out."
Email Updates on AI, Data & Machine Learning
Get monthly email updates on how artificial intelligence and big data are affecting the development and execution of strategy in organizations.
Please enter a valid email address
Thank you for signing up
What makes experimentation such a powerful tool for these organizations?
Experimentation is powerful when it deepens managerial intuition. At Edmunds, the testing culture is pervasive. As Potloff describes: "People are actually more savvy now because they think more deeply about the metrics when they can pull them themselves than when they're just asking a business analyst to pull some reports for them on a product. So, they have to actually think through the touchpoints, the task completion, metrics, more deeply than have they had in the past. And I think we have a much better product team as a result of that testing culture." Managers can quickly test their insights, either validating their thinking or sending them back to think more, then swiftly bring changes to scale.
Experimentation is powerful when the organization has unique data. WASH Laundry has a repository of data that no individual location can match. Buccola describes the advantage it offers: "Are we getting incremental revenue because we're actually adding loads, or are we getting the revenue because they're just adding more cycles, or more cycle time in the case of a dry? Was it from the change we instituted or did we see the same in another cohort of locations that were similarly-situated? We can actually isolate and determine whether or not an experiment was successful." In this case, WASH Laundry's ability to compare locations creates an advantage that no individual location can match.
In both cases, the experimentation platform is embedded in routine managerial processes. The organizations have made it easy, both technically and culturally, for managers to test ideas and learn from them.
I don't think we'll see sci-fi movies depict data scientists the way that that they have portrayed other types of scientists in the past. It is too much to expect that data-based experiments would provide visual sparks from a Hadoop cluster or maniacal laughter from data analysts. But experimental platforms can spark change and at least a small smile when they allow organizations to continuously make small improvements.