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Demographic, practice and clinical management characteristics of osteopaths referring to podiatrists: secondary analysis of a nationally representative sample of Australian osteopaths
BMC Health Services Research volume 22, Article number: 224 (2022)
Interprofessional care is paramount in contemporary healthcare practice. How different professions interact, and the characteristics of those practitioners who practice in an interprofessional way are rarely described in the literature. The aim of the current work was to identify the demographic, practice and clinical management characteristics of Australian osteopaths who report referring to podiatrists.
The study was a secondary analysis of data from the Osteopathy Research and Innovation Network (ORION). Inferential statistics were generated to identify statistically significant demographic, practice and clinical management characteristics associated with referrals to podiatrists by Australian osteopaths.
Nine-hundred and ninety-two Australian osteopaths responded to the questionnaire. Sending referrals to a podiatrist was reported by 651 participants (65.6%). Female Australian osteopaths were less likely to report referring to podiatrists compared to male osteopaths (OR 0.76, 95%CI 0.59–0.99). Australian osteopaths who reported referring to podiatrists were more likely to report receiving referrals from podiatrists (OR 9.75, 95%CI 6.98–13.61), use orthopaedic testing in patient assessment (OR 7.62, 95%CI 2.82–20.60), and often treat patients with postural disorders (OR 1.71, 95%CI 1.03–2.26), compared to osteopaths who do not refer to podiatrists.
This study provides initial evidence for the referral relationship between Australian osteopaths and podiatrists. Further work could explore the nature of these referrals, including the complaints resulting in referral and outcomes of care. This information will be useful to those involved in health policy development and the professions advocating for their role in the wider healthcare system.
Multidisciplinary care has been associated with benefits for patients and health professionals alike. These benefits include improved health outcomes, patient satisfaction, efficient use of resources, and job satisfaction for team members . Working in a multidisciplinary care environment can be significantly influenced by context , particularly practice location and co-location with other health professionals [3, 4]. Health professionals located in tertiary care environments can readily engage in multidisciplinary care, given the ease of access to other health professionals. In the primary care environment, however, this immediacy of access may be more challenging to achieve and may require different pathways for patients to involve other health professionals in their care.
Australian podiatrists work in both public and private health contexts where they provide care for a range of lower limb conditions. In contrast, Australian osteopaths are predominantly located in private health care settings, where they provide care for a range of musculoskeletal complaints, including those affecting the lower limb [5,6,7]. Both professions are government registered in Australia, with accredited pre-registration programmes [8, 9]. At the end of 2019, there were 5509 registered podiatrists, with nearly 60% identifying as female , and 2723 registered osteopaths, with 55% identifying as female . At the time over half of each the practitioners in each profession were less than 40 years of age. It is not possible to ascertain the practice location (public versus private) from this registration data; however, other works suggest that in Australia 90% of osteopaths  and approximately 72% of podiatrists  are located in private practice.
Australian podiatrists and osteopaths share several practice commonalities - in particular, the care of lower limb musculoskeletal complaints [5,6,7]. In Australia, services provided by both professions are included in the Medicare Chronic Disease Management (CDM) plan scheme , whereby patients can access, under Medicare, up to five consultations with allied health professionals (e.g. podiatrist, dietician, physiotherapist) per year to assist with the management of a chronic complaint, including musculoskeletal issues. This scheme entitles patients to a rebate from the Australian Government to assist with the costs of their care . The CDM scheme presents an opportunity for osteopaths and podiatrists to work as part of a patient’s multidisciplinary care team. Menz  reported that in the 2004–2008 period over 1.3 million consultations for podiatry care and 82,486 consultations with osteopaths were funded over the same period through the CDM scheme , with the rebates facilitated through the Medicare EasyClaim system. The almost ten-fold difference between the number of podiatry consultations and the number of osteopathy consultations through the CDM scheme is likely to be due to podiatrists having a narrower specialisation (foot care), and hence less competition compared with osteopaths, who are just one type of provider of musculoskeletal care under the CDM scheme.
Practice-based research networks (PBRNs) foster research, develop practice-relevant research questions, and assist knowledge translation to improve clinical care [16, 17]. PBRNs have been used both in Australia and internationally across the medical and allied health professions [5, 16, 18,19,20,21]. The current study explored the demographic, practice and clinical-management characteristics of the practice of Australian osteopaths who send referrals to, and receive referrals from, podiatrists through the Osteopathy Research and Innovation Network (ORION) – the largest voluntary nationally representative PBRN in osteopathy worldwide [5, 22]. Little is known about the patterns of patient referrals between the osteopathy and podiatry professions (amongst other health professions) in Australia. An emerging picture of referrals for both of these professions in Australia suggests that referrals are made to and from a range of health professionals [5, 6, 23]. However, the characteristics of Australian osteopaths who send referrals to other health professionals has not been explored to date. The data from this secondary analysis of the ORION PBRN will not only contribute to our understanding of how these two professions work together in the Australian healthcare system but also inform interprofessional education in pre- and post-registration training programmes and assist with the development of health policy for interprofessional care.
Nine-hundred and ninety-two (N = 992) responses were received, representing 49% of the osteopathy profession at time of completion in July to December 2016. Participants were required to be registered osteopaths practising in Australia. Study participants were recruited through the Australian osteopathy professional association (Osteopathy Australia) and by word of mouth. The baseline sample of participants (including that the sample is nationally representative on a number of key indicators) is extensively described elsewhere .
A questionnaire was developed to establish ORION baseline data and this data is described elsewhere [5, 22]. Participants were invited to complete a self-report 27-item questionnaire designed to collect a range of demographic (e.g., age, gender, highest osteopathy degree, other degrees, length of time in clinical practice), clinical (e.g., presenting conditions, patient groups treated, techniques and adjuncts applied) and practice characteristics (e.g., patient care hours per week, visits per week, co-located with other health professionals, referral to and/or from other health professionals). The questionnaire did not explore other individual practitioner characteristics such as ethnicity or income level. The analysis presented in this paper focuses on the demographic, practice and clinical management characteristics of osteopaths associated with referrals to Australian podiatrists.
Participant responses were analysed based on whether the respondent reported sending patient referrals to podiatrists (outcome variable). Other variables were analysed in relation the independent variables, using independent t-tests for continuous variables and chi-square tests for categorical variables. Effect size and unadjusted odds ratios were calculated for statistically significant variables. Alpha was set at 0.05. All descriptive statistical analyses, t-tests, and chi-square tests were performed using SPSS version 25 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA).
Responses were received from all 992 osteopaths who responded to the ORION questionnaire question regarding sending referrals to a podiatrist (yes/no), with no missing data. One hundred and forty-seven respondents (n = 147, 14.8%) reported being co-located with a podiatrist. Sending referrals to a podiatrist was reported by 651 participants (65.6%) and receiving referrals from a podiatrist by 471 participants (47.5%). The demographic characteristics of Australian osteopaths who reported sending referrals are provided in Table 1. Female osteopaths were significantly less likely than male osteopaths to send referrals to podiatrists (OR 0.76, 95%CI 0.59–0.99), and those osteopaths who reported referring patients to podiatrists were likely to be younger with a small effect size (p < 0.01, d = 0.17).
Osteopaths who reported being co-located with a podiatrist, were more likely to report sending referrals to a podiatrist (OR 3.08, 95%CI 1.94–4.87) or exercise physiologist (OR 2.27, 95%CI 1.43–3.59), compared to colleagues who did not report referring to podiatrists (Table 2). Australian osteopaths who reported sending referrals to podiatrists were also over four times more likely to send referrals to general practitioners (OR 4.62, 95%CI 3.05–7.01) and more than twice as likely to send referrals to a range of medical, allied health and complementary medicine professionals (Table 2). Osteopaths who reported sending referrals to podiatrists over nine times more likely to receive report receiving referrals from a podiatrist, compared to osteopaths who did not report referring (OR 9.75, 95%CI 6.98–13.61). Orthopaedic testing was more likely to be used by osteopaths who reported sending patient referrals to podiatrists (OR 7.62, 95%CI 8.82–20.60) and these osteopaths were 40% more likely to use the Medicare EasyClaim system to claim rebates under the CDM scheme  (Table 2).
Australian osteopaths who reported sending referrals to podiatrists were more likely to report often treating low back pain (OR 3.11, 95%CI 1.00–9.57), postural disorders (OR 1.71, 95%CI 1.03–2.26) and tendinopathies (OR 1.38, 95%CI 1.06–1.81), than their counterparts who did not send patient referrals to a podiatrist (Table 3).
The current study identified the demographic, practice and clinical management characteristics of Australian osteopaths who report sending referrals to podiatrists, compared to their colleagues who do not report referring. A significant observation was the number of Australian osteopaths reporting sending referrals to podiatrists - approximately two-thirds reported sending referrals to podiatrists . This observation, alongside the large association with receiving referrals from a podiatrist, suggests that a strong referral relationship exists between Australian osteopaths and osteopaths are utilising the expertise of podiatrists for patient care. These observations also potentially reflect a shared understanding between osteopaths and podiatrists of the role that each profession plays in patient care. Data from some studies indicate instances of multidisciplinary care involving podiatrists as part of the team [24,25,26]. These studies describe podiatrists positively contributing to the multidisciplinary care team for arthritic and ulcerative conditions; however, there is little literature describing multidisciplinary care involving osteopaths  and none in Australia.
Through secondary analysis of data from a national osteopathy PBRN, it appears that Australian osteopaths who report sending referrals to podiatrists are likely to engage in referrals with other allied health and complementary medicine professions. This finding is encouraging given the need for interprofessional patient care of musculoskeletal complaints , and has rarely been demonstrated in the literature describing the Australian osteopathy profession. The data presented here may be useful for informing health policy development around multidisciplinary care for musculoskeletal complaints (i.e. how best to utilise available health resources for patient care), and in patient care for chronic conditions given their significant cost to the healthcare system . There is also an opportunity to use the data in the current study to inform the pre-registration education of Australian osteopaths and podiatrists, particularly focusing on interprofessional care.
Regarding practitioner characteristics, the current study identified two significant variables. The first was that female osteopaths were approximately 30% less likely to send referrals to podiatrists compared to their male counterparts in the unadjusted modelling. The reason for this difference in referrals based on gender requires additional exploration. Secondly, younger osteopaths were also more likely to report sending referrals to podiatrists compared to older colleagues. Whether this reflects an increase in knowledge of the role of podiatrists in musculoskeletal complaint care through pre-professional education, or experience from practice (or both) would need additional research. However, the finding is encouraging from the multidisciplinary care perspective.
Australian osteopaths who reported sending referrals to podiatrists were over seven times more likely to utilise orthopaedic testing in patient assessment, compared to osteopaths who did not report referring. Orthopaedic testing is based on stressing musculoskeletal tissues and may be utilised to assist in developing a working diagnosis for the patient’s complaint. Further, these tests are utilised by both podiatrists  and osteopaths . It may be that this shared understanding of the orthopaedic tests relevant to the respective professions practice may be being captured in the current secondary analysis. Again, such an assertion would benefit from additional research to explore this potential shared understanding of musculoskeletal examination procedures.
From a clinical management perspective, Australian osteopaths who send referrals to podiatrists were over 70% more likely to report treating postural disorders. Studies have described the relationship between the prescription of foot orthoses and changes in posture in both healthy [32, 33] and clinical populations . Although a direct relationship cannot be established from the current dataset, it may be that postural disorders are a commonly referred issue for shared management of patients given they are reported to be managed by over one-third of Australian osteopaths . Whether postural disorders are a key driver of referrals would be an interesting avenue for further research. It would be valuable to understand the clinical reasoning of osteopaths and podiatrists in the management of postural disorders. Additional research could also be directed towards understanding other conditions that may result in frequent referrals between the two professions.
Australian osteopaths who reported sending referrals to podiatrists were less likely, than their non-referring colleagues, to report treating non-musculoskeletal conditions. The dominant practice of Australian osteopaths relates to the management of musculoskeletal complaints [5, 6]. However, there is a subsection of the Australian osteopathic profession that apply manual therapy techniques to assist in the management of non-musculoskeletal complaints . There is varying evidence to support the effectiveness of osteopathy care for non-musculoskeletal complaints [35, 36]. It may be that the nature of the non-musculoskeletal complaints managed by some Australian osteopaths does not require referral to a podiatrist. Rather, osteopaths appear to be referring to podiatrists for musculoskeletal complaints. The nature of the conditions resulting in referral to a podiatrist requires further investigation.
The bivariate analysis undertaken indicates the payment processes that might be associated with osteopathy and podiatry co-management of patients. Australian osteopaths who send referrals to podiatrists were over 40% more likely to use the Medicare EasyClaim service than osteopaths who do not send referrals. Both professions are eligible to treat patients under the CDM scheme, whereby patients with chronic diseases can access government funded care for up to five consultations with allied health professionals . Medicare EasyClaim allows patients to claim the rebate at the time of the consultation upon referral from the patients’ general practitioner. It may be that patients under this CDM scheme are utilising both osteopathy and podiatry services, and the increased use of Medicare EasyClaim reflects this. This assertion may be supported by the large association observed in the current secondary analysis with osteopaths sending referrals to general practitioners. Additional investigations would assist in testing these assertions to understand how osteopathy and podiatry services are used under the CDM scheme.
The limitation of the current research is associated with the cross-sectional nature of the questionnaire. Questionnaires used with these study designs are potentially susceptible to social desirability and acquiescence biases , and the latter may have influenced responses to the send and receive referral items on the questionnaire. Further, it is not possible to comment on the frequency of referrals between the two professions given the dichotomous nature of the responses to these items.
This study offers an initial empirical examination of the referral relationships between Australian osteopaths and podiatrists. Our secondary analysis shows Australian osteopaths who report sending referrals to podiatrists are also more likely to engage in referrals with other allied health and complementary medicine professions. The data presented here offers a resource for informing health policy development and has the potential for use in the pre-registration education of Australian osteopaths and podiatrists. Further research could develop a deeper understanding of the nature and frequency of the referrals between Australian osteopaths and podiatrists, including how these two professions work together through the Medicare CDM scheme for the benefit of patients.
Availability of data and materials
The datasets analysed during the current study are not publicly available as the authors do not have the authority to disseminate the data. The dataset is available through reasonable request at email@example.com.
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The authors would like to acknowledge the support of Distinguished Professor Jon Adams, Dr. Amie Steel and Dr. Wenbo Peng as part of the ORION PBRN Scientific Committee.
Open Access funding enabled and organized by CAUL and its Member Institutions The ORION project is funded by Osteopathy Australia. The funding source had no influence in the design of the study and collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and in writing the manuscript. The research reported in this paper is the sole responsibility of the authors and reflects the independent ideas and scholarship of the authors alone.
Ethics approval and consent to participate
Ethics approval for the current study was provided by the University of Technology Sydney (#2014000759). The University of Technology Sydney Human Research Ethics Committee is registered with the Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council (EC00146, https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/research-policy/ethics/human-research-ethics-committees). The research was performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. All participants in the study provided informed consent.
Consent for publication
The authors report no competing interests in relation to the manuscript.
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
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Fleischmann, M., Vaughan, B., Bird, A. et al. Demographic, practice and clinical management characteristics of osteopaths referring to podiatrists: secondary analysis of a nationally representative sample of Australian osteopaths. BMC Health Serv Res 22, 224 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-07520-6

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Keywords: Islamic State, Raqqa, Survivors, Dictatorship, Risks, Defiance, Syria. Three words: Revelatory, Resilience, Insightful
"The Ruins of Raqqa" is a profound documentary directed by Dan Reed and released in 2018. It provides an eye-opening look into the former capital of the Islamic State's 'caliphate', the city of Raqqa. This film delves into the aftermath of the city's liberation, revealing the realities of life under extremist rule.
For four years, Raqqa was under the control of the Islamic State, which portrayed it as an idyllic paradise to attract extremists worldwide. This documentary provides a raw and unfiltered look at what life was genuinely like under their rule, as told by the survivors. They recount the risks they took to defy the Islamic State, offering an unprecedented glimpse into a city grappling with the remnants of a brutal dictatorship.
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"The Ruins of Raqqa" adopts a direct and poignant narrative style, allowing the survivors to recount their experiences. Its depth of research is evident in the vivid details of life under the Islamic State, and its exploration of the subject is both comprehensive and empathetic.
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The documentary provides critical historical context to understand the city of Raqqa better, its significance as the Islamic State's capital, and the impact of its liberation on its residents. The factual context adds depth to the narratives of the survivors, shedding light on the real-life horrors of living under a brutal regime.
Key themes in the film
- The brutality of the Islamic State
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"The Ruins of Raqqa" delivers a unique perspective on life under extremist rule, similar to documentaries like "City of Ghosts" but with a focus on personal narratives of survival and defiance.
The film highlights several poignant moments, such as when survivors recount the risks they took to defy the Islamic State, providing viewers with a raw and intimate understanding of their experiences.
This documentary has been praised for its poignant storytelling and the bravery of its subjects. Critics have lauded it as a "necessary viewing" that "shines a light on the dark corners of human resilience."
"The Ruins of Raqqa" is a significant documentary that offers a deeply moving look at the human cost of extremism. It is recommended viewing for anyone seeking to understand the realities of life under the Islamic State and the indomitable spirit of those who survived it.
More film information:
- Genre: Documentary
- Director: Dan Reed
- Featured survivors: Names not available for safety reasons
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Key Questions Raised by the Film:
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Links for Further Exploration:
I wonder what the film would be in another art form
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Kerala emerges as leader in healthcare talent migration to MENA countriesKerala is the frontrunner in healthcare talent migration from India to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with a 3.3-fold increase in demand in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). MENA countries offer incentives and state-of-the-art healthcare infrastructure. Indian professionals meet rising talent demands, and the CEO emphasizes India's crucial role.
UK employers rush to fill Skilled Worker Visa applications ahead of cost surgeUK employers are rushing to file visa applications for skilled workers before immigration rule changes take effect in April. The alterations proposed by the UK government are set to raise the costs of hiring overseas personnel, causing companies to accelerate hiring plans and renew existing visas to secure their current status.
Is 2024 a good year to pursue studies abroad? Consider thisThe year 2024 will bring about a huge change in the ever-changing field of global education, thus prospective students and their families are advised to approach study abroad programs critically. The dynamics are changing quickly, necessitating a more careful and educated decision-making process. Examples include changes to Canadian laws and employment difficulties in the US and Europe.
Canada, Dubai, Ireland: The new startup visa destinations for young entrepreneursYoung entrepreneurs, grappling with funding shortages and talent deficits, turn to startup visa programs in Canada, Dubai, and Ireland. These countries offer streamlined processes, minimal investment requirements, and perks like funding and support. Canada's Startup Visa Program grants permanent residency with no investment requirement.
New Zealand is fast becoming a techie favourite over traditional options US & UKNew Zealand is emerging as a popular choice for Indian tech professionals seeking career opportunities abroad. The country's straightforward immigration policies, including open visas and easy access to dependent visas, make it an attractive option. New Zealand's work culture, which emphasizes work-life balance and sociability, also appeals to tech workers.
Hungary to limit visas for temporary workers from outside the EU; announce 'off-limits' professionsHungary announced that it will cap the number of visas at 65,000 and release a list of approximately 300 off-limits professions. Prime Minister Orban aims to rejuvenate economic growth and address concerns about job availability. The 4.3% unemployment rate and economic challenges make these measures part of a strategy to prioritize local employment opportunities for Hungarian citizens.
'If it's in our destiny to die...': Indian workers seek jobs in Israel, undeterred by conflictThousands of men queued in Harayana, India for a recruitment drive to send workers to Israel due to the shortage of labour caused by the Gaza offensive. Masons, painters, electricians, plumbers, and farmers were among those looking for jobs in Israel, willing to risk going into a conflict zone for the opportunity to make five times more money in a year. Unemployment and underemployment are a key concern in India, despite its world-beating economic growth. An agreement on labour mobility with Israel was signed before the conflict erupted last year.
Harvard business graduates may have a placement problem brewingHarvard Business School has reported the lowest job placement rates in over five years, with only 86% of recent MBA graduates securing offers, signaling a broader trend of reduced hiring.
Germany has a special work programme for Indian nurses looking for jobs abroadThe Triple Win Programme, in collaboration with Norka Roots in Kerala, addresses Germany's nursing shortage by facilitating the migration of qualified nurses from Kerala to Germany. This initiative offers language and technical training to nurses in Kerala, ensuring their successful integration into the German healthcare system. Nurses undergo a recognition process for their qualifications within 12 months of arrival.
Immigration Wrap 2023: The world wants more foreign workers, but only the highly skilled onesIn 2023, there was a global competition for highly skilled workers, and Canada strategically embraced immigration to mitigate economic decline. Germany introduced the 'Opportunity card,' and Australia implemented the Skills in Demand visa. UK and Australia also introduced stricter reforms to control the quality of workers entering their workforce.
Israel to start selection at screening centres in India next week to 'advance' bringing of construction workersDuring a telephonic conversation with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "discussed advancing the arrival of foreign workers from India to the State of Israel", the Office of the Prime Minister of Israel said in a statement.
These are the best countries to start or join a business in 2024Drawing from the latest statistics and trends across various sources, the following countries emerge as prime choices for starting or joining a business in 2024. However, personal preferences, business goals, target market, industry sector, financial limitations, risk tolerance, and growth potential also play pivotal roles. Thorough research and consultation with experts are recommended before reaching any decisions.
Don't fall prey to fake employment offers: MEA to job seekers abroadThe MEA disclosed that many of these unscrupulous agents conduct their operations through social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp, as well as text messages. These agents often provide scant or no information about their locations and contacts, preferring communication solely through WhatsApp, making it challenging to verify the caller's identity and the legitimacy of the job offer.
6 ways to improve employability while studying abroadAs an international student, it is crucial to work towards improving your employability throughout your academic journey. According to the QS Global International Student Survey 2022, Indian students (62%) worry about getting a job abroad upon completing their graduation. To navigate this challenge, it’s important to learn some of the best career cushioning strategies.
Denmark to allow some foreigners to work in the country without residence or work permitsTo qualify, applicants must be employed by a foreign company affiliated with a Danish establishment, and the Danish company should have a workforce of at least 50 employees. This rule is specifically applicable to individuals engaged in management or high/intermediate-level knowledge work.
It might be a good time to look for jobs in SingaporeIn a 2021 Accenture survey, nearly two out of three firms blamed their talent gap on not being able to get work permits for foreigners. Nowadays, only 37% cite difficulty in securing employment passes as a hiring challenge. For this dramatic change, the employers and employees should thank Hong Kong.
Five professions that can help you bag a UK Work VisaThe re-introduction of a two-year post-study work visa after 2020 have also added to the allure. And so, it’s no surprise that skilled worker visas granted to Indians jumped up by 63% from 2021 to 2022.Load More
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domain: news


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The FCA has released a statement following the November 2014 Supreme Court decision in Plevin v Paragon Personal Finance Ltd. It was decided in Plevin that the non-disclosure of a substantial commission on a single premium PPI policy led to the relationship between the borrower and lender being unfair pursuant to section 140A of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.
Following the decision, the FCA has announced that it will be “considering whether additional rules and/or guidance are required to deal with the impact of the Plevin decision on complaints about PPI”. It will engage with relevant stakeholders in the coming months and expects to announce its view in the summer.
To view the statement, click here.


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Risk Tolerance: What’s Your Style?
Learn about what risk tolerance really means in this helpful and insightful video.
Have A Question About This Topic?
This calculator can help you estimate how much you may need to save for retirement.
If you want to avoid potential surprises at tax time, it may make sense to know where you stand when it comes to the AMT.
$1 million in a diversified portfolio could help finance part of your retirement.

domain: economics


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After some tweaking at a local boat-repair here in town, Mary Musgrove left Beaufort last week (11-2012)
Chatham Area Transit Authority (CAT) has announced the addition of a fourth vessel to the Savannah Belles Ferry fleet. Mary Musgrove will join Juliette Gordon Low, Susie King Taylor, and Florence Martus as vessels named for note-worthy women of Savannah Georgia’s history.
Mary Musgrove, a woman of Creek Indian and colonial Georgia descent, served as an interpreter for General Oglethorpe during the founding of Savannah. She played a crucial role in negotiations with Tomochichi and the Creek Indians as a strong and effective advocate who helped convince them to accept the new colony into their territory.

domain: history


One from Three, Moura to China, and Alex Sandro Boost
One from Three
On Monday, Chelsea will find out who they will be playing in the next round of the Champions League. Following Tuesday’s draw with Atletico Madrid, the Blues finished in second place in their ground behind Roma, who were 1-0 winners against Qarabag. This means they will face one of the sides that finished in top spot. As Chelsea cannot face a fellow English side, this only leaves three possible opponents; PSG, Barcelona, or Besiktas. If Antonio Conte’s side are drawn to PSG, it will be the fourth time they have played the French side in the knock-out stages of the competition.
Moura to China
Chelsea have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of signing PSG winger Lucas Moura. The Brazilian has reportedly snubbed interest from the Premier League champions in favour of a move to China. Reports suggested the winger could join the Blues in the January transfer window, as Antonio Conte seeks to bolster his squad, or even as a potential replacement for Willian. However, the 25-year-old is set to make a big money move to Beijing Guoan. Moura would join fellow Brazilians Hulk, Oscar, and Alexandre Pato in China, should he make the move.
Alex Sandro Boost
Chelsea’s interest in Juventus defender Alex Sandro has been given a major boost after the Brazilian told the club he is unhappy. The Blues were linked with Sandro during the summer, but could not agree terms with the Italian side. Now the full-back is unhappy in Turin, Antonio Conte could make another move for 26-year-old in January. However, it would seem unlikely that Juventus would sell the Brazilian in January, so Chelsea will most likely have to wait until the summer to make their move. The Blues don’t have many options at left wing-back, with Marcos Alonso the only natural player. However, Davide Zappacosta did play there against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.


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(Orig. Published 10/2002)
Currently a rehabilitation facility, Edwin Shaw Hospital was formerly known as Springfield Lake Sanitarium. The sanitarium was opened in 1915. It is located on Sanitarium Road (of course!) in Lakemore, Ohio, near the Akron airport.
The hospital campus is rumored to be haunted by the various ghosts of its former occupants. In addition, nearby Springfield Lake is the site of strange occurrences–mainly unexplained floating lights–reported by local fishermen. Continue reading

domain: geography


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The first footage of Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana has finally arrived. Check out the teaser trailer for Spencer, a drama set during the Christmas holiday in which Diana decided to end her marriage to Prince Charles, added par rakshasa! Spencer premieres November 5.
@NEON - The marriage of Princess Diana and Prince Charles has long since grown cold. Though rumors of affairs and a divorce abound, peace is ordained for the Christmas festivities at the Queen’s Sandringham Estate....
While governments wait for orders, their people take action. Witness the birth of the very first independent intelligence agency in an action-packed red band trailer for The King's Man, added par rakshasa! The King's Man stars Ralph Fiennes, Harris Dickinson, Gemma Arterton and Rhys Ifans, and premieres December 22.
As a collection of history's worst tyrants and criminal masterminds gather to plot a war to wipe out millions, one man must race against time to stop them. Discover the origins of the very first independent intelligence agency in The King's Man.
Book tours are bullshite. An ambitious young editor hunts down a legendary auteur and drags him along on a book tour to make her company relevant again in Best Sellers, a comedic drama starring Aubrey Plaza and Michael Caine. Here's the trailer, added par DarkSarcasm! Best Sellers arrives September 17.
A cranky, retired auteur reluctantly embarks on a final book tour to help out a young publisher.
How well does Bangtan Boys know each other? Play along with the boys and find out in The Bangtan Boys Game montrer presented par Vanity Fair, added par k-on1998!
How do toi restart after a loss like this? A grieving woman who declares war on a territorial bird rediscovers her will to live and l’amour during battle in The Starling, a comedic drama starring Melissa McCarthy, Chris O'Dowd and Kevin Kline. Here's the trailer, added par rakshasa! The étourneau, étourneau sansonnet premieres September 24 on Netflix.
After Lilly (Melissa McCarthy) suffers a loss, a battle with a territorial bird (the Starling) over dominion of her garden provides an unlikely avenue for her grief and the courage to heal her relationships and rediscover her capacity for love.
What do toi think really happened out there? 25 years after a plane crash left a girls football team stranded in the wilderness, those who survived are forced to reconnect and revisit the darkest period of their lives in Yellowjackets. Here's the trailer, added par DarkSarcasm! Yellowjackets premieres November 14 on Showtime.
YELLOWJACKETS is the saga of a team of wildly talented high school girls football players who become the (un)lucky survivors of a plane crash deep in the remote northern wilderness.
Being Kpop stars is hard work, but it's a lot of fun too. Go behind the scenes with Weeekly in their self-shot "Check It Out" musique video, added par k-on1998!
Bloopers, but make it Pogue. rejoindre the extraordinarily good-looking cast of Outer Banks for a fun-filled blooper reel, added par rakshasa! Season 2 is now streaming on Netflix.
Bloopers, but make it Pogue!
Be careful what toi wish for, Peter Parker. Watch worlds collide in an epic Spider-Man: No Way accueil teaser trailer, added par Bibi69! Spider-Man: No Way accueil stars Tom Holland, Zendaya, Marisa Tomei, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jamie Foxx and Alfred Molina, and arrives in theaters on December 17.
What just happened? Spider-Man: No Way accueil is released exclusively in movie theaters December 17.
Terror comes in twos. Here's your first look at Amazon's Welcome to the Blumhouse, two double features from the producers of Get Out and Happy Death Day, added par rakshasa! Bingo Hell and Black as Night premiere October 1, and Madres and The Manor premiere October 8 on Prime Video.
-Watch Black as Night: October 1 -Watch Bingo Hell: October 1 -Watch The Manor: October 8 -Watch Madres: October 8
Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain étoile, star in an emotional trailer for HBO's Scenes from a Marriage!
What do toi say when there's nothing left to say? Get ready for a story about l’amour that's over time in a trailer for Scenes from a Marriage, a limited series starring Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain, added par DarkSarcasm! Scenes from a Marriage premieres September 2 on HBO.
A story about l’amour that's over time. Scenes From A Marriage, an original limited series starring Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain, premieres September 12 on HBO Max.
Did toi hear that? The "Thunderous" ones have arrived. Turn up the volume and check out a new musique video from Stray Kids, added par Elinafairy!
It's time to montrer the world who toi really are. Witness the rise of the suivant great Marvel legend in a new Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings preview, added par rakshasa! Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings stars Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Tony Leung and Michelle Yeoh, and premieres September 3.
@Marvel Entertainment -In less than two weeks, Marvel Legend will rise. 💪 Experience Marvel Studios’ “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” in theaters September 3. Get tickets now: Fandango.com/ShangChi
Come for the news, stay for the drama. See how the game is changing in The Morning Show's season 2 trailer, added par rakshasa! The Morning montrer returns to pomme TV+ on September 17.
@Apple TV -Come for the news, stay for the drama. The Morning montrer Season 2 premieres September 17 on pomme TV+
They're going to break into the voûte on the most secure location in the world. What could possibly go wrong? Prepare for the heist of the century in a new trailer for The Vault, added par rakshasa! The voûte stars Freddie Highmore, Astrid Berges-Frisbey, Sam Riley and Liam Cunningham, and premieres August 27 on Amazon.
@Amazon Prime -When an engineer (Freddie Highmore) learns of a mysterious fortress hidden underneath the Bank of Spain, he assembles a crew of master thieves to steal a legendary Lost treasure. The voûte arrives on Prime Video on the 27th of August.
CIX will never give up. Go beyond the "Wave" and rejoindre them on a marvelous adventure in their mesmerizing musique video, added par Elinafairy!
How far will toi go for one plus look? A couple becomes obsessed with spying on their new neighbors in The Voyeurs, a thriller starring Sydney Sweeney, Justice Smith, Ben Hardy and Natasha Liu Bordizzo. Here's the trailer, added par rakshasa! The Voyeurs premieres September 10 on Amazon.
Keep an eye out for your new obsession. The Voyeurs—starring Sydney Sweeney, Justice Smith, Ben Hardy, and Natasha Liu Bordizzo—comes to amazone, amazon Prime Video September 10th.
It's going to be a long night. A former FBI agent is forced to protect a young woman being hunted par a band of outlaws in The Survivalist. Batten down the hatches and check out the trailer, added par rakshasa! The Survivalist stars Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Ruby Modine and John Malkovich, and arrives October 19.
@One Media - © 2021 - Quiver Distribution
The cast of The s’embrasser Booth 3 had lots of fun on the set, and that is just fine. Laugh it up in the hilarious blooper reel, added par rakshasa! The s’embrasser Booth Trilogy is now streaming on Netflix.
Watch Joey King, Joel Courtney, Taylor Zakhar Perez and the cast of The s’embrasser Booth 3 cracking up on the set of The s’embrasser Booth 3 in this hilarious blooper reel. Try not to laugh
ATEEZ has something important to ask you. Get ready to smile as toi check out the "Do toi Wanna Go See the Ocean?" musique video, featuring Kim Jong Kook, added par Blacklillium!
What is this movie, some kind of Suicide Squad? Yes, but also no. See what happens when the same basic premise as 2016's Suicide Squad takes a massively different direction – and adds the word "the" – in The Suicide Squad's Honest Trailer from Screen Junkies, added par DarkSarcasm! Rated S for Spoilers.
Honest Trailer par Screen Junkies
Dear White People: déplacer vers l'avant, vers l’avant with a musical throwback in the Vol. 4 trailer!
This is how we do a final season. Get ready déplacer vers l'avant, vers l’avant par throwing it back to the 90s in a trailer for Dear White People's musical conclusion, added par rakshasa! Dear White People: Vol. 4 arrives September 22 on Netflix.
This is how we do a final season! Dear White People Vol. 4 arrives on Netflix September 22.
Do toi remember who toi are? A teen trying to rebuild her life in an amnesia treatment center begins to suspect that there is something sinister at play in Open Your Eyes, a Polish mystery series. Here's the trailer, added par Makeupdiva! Open Your Eyes premieres August 25 on Netflix.
Open Your Eyes stars Maria Wawreniuk, Ignacy Liss and Michal Sikorski, and premieres August 25 on Netflix.
She's going to need a scary story every night, ou it'll be the last thing he ever does. A young boy is imprisoned par a wicked witch and forced to write for his life in Nightbooks, a family thriller starring Winslow Fegley, Lidya Jewett and Krysten Ritter. Here's the trailer, added par rakshasa! Nightbooks arrives September 15 on Netflix.
When Alex, a boy obsessed with scary stories, is trapped par an evil witch in her magical apartment, and must tell a scary story every night to stay alive, he teams up with another prisoner, Yasmin, to find a way to escape.
Does he look like he can fight? See for yourself in a new clip from Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, added par rakshasa! Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings stars Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Tony Leung, Michelle Yeoh, Fala Chen and Florian Munteanu, and premieres September 3.
@Marvel Entertainment -We’d give that fight a 10 out of 10 Rings. 👊 Don’t miss this exclusive clip from Marvel Studios’ “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" and experience it in theaters September 3.
There's plus in the background of Free Guy than just Easter eggs. Meet some of the supporting actors who made Free Guy so special in a featurette, added par rakshasa! Free Guy is now in theaters.
@Ryan Reynolds -There’s plus in the background of Free Guy than just Easter eggs.
Ordinary is overrated. Dance like nobody is watching in the "Maniac" musique video from NCT U's Doyoung and Haechan, featuring Lia Kim, added par k-on1998!
So this is what the end of the world looks like. A race of immortal beings who have inhabited Earth for thousands of years must reunite to protect humanity from an ancient threat in Marvel Studios' Eternals. Check out the new trailer, added par rakshasa! Eternals premieres November 5.
@Marvel Entertainment -"When toi l’amour something, toi protect it."
Change is frightening, especially to those in power. Meet a man who can forecast the future – and the followers helping him preserve the most essential pieces of civilization in the face of a coming crisis – in a new Foundation trailer, added par lilyZ! Foundation premieres September 24 on pomme TV+.
The fate of an entire galaxy rests on the beliefs of Dr. Hari Seldon (Jared Harris). Will his conviction save humanity ou doom it?
The heat can't stop Hyolyn and Dasom. Call all your Friends and hit the plage with the SISTAR sensations in the "Summer ou Summer" musique video, added par Stelenavamp!
They were raised in the same city, but they live in different worlds. See how l’amour can break down barriers in a trailer for JJ+E, added par Makeupdiva! The Swedish romantic drama stars Elsa Öhrn, Mustapha Aarab and Jonay Pineda Skallak, and premieres September 8 on Netflix.
Do toi ever wonder if there is plus to this life than just mindless killing and bloodlust? Of course not. Get fired up for plus What We Do in the Shadows in the season 3 trailer, added par rakshasa! What We Do in the Shadows returns to FX on September 2.
@TV Promos - What We Do in the Shadows is a half-hour comedy series based on the feature film of the same name par co-creators Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi.
What story did toi think they were trying to tell? A musician's plan to make a documentary becomes complicated when an identity crisis strikes in The Nowhere Inn. See where it all went wrong in the trailer, added par rakshasa! The Nowhere Inn stars St. Vincent, Carrie Brownstein and Dakota Johnson, and arrives soon.
@One Media - © 2021 - IFC Films
What's the best way to get over a broken heart? Fall in l’amour again – ou at least have fun trying. Let loose during the summer of 1982 in a trailer for Summer Days, Summer Nights, added par DarkSarcasm! The film stars Pico Alexander, Zoe Levin, Lindsey morgan and Edward Burns, and premieres August 24.
Best way to get over a broken heart? Fall in l’amour again. Summer Days, Summer Nights on demand and digital August 24th.
The worlds are familiar, and the possibilities are endless. Get ready to re-imagine the galaxy in a stunning trailer for étoile, star Wars: Visions, a collection of 9 original stories from 7 visionary animé studios, added par rakshasa! étoile, star Wars: Visions premieres September 22 on Disney+.
Reimagine the galaxy with #StarWarsVisions, an Original Series featuring stories from seven visionary Japanese animé studios, streaming September 22 on Disney Plus
They're coming to get you, Barbara. A group of survivors barricaded in an old farmhouse fight to survive a horde of marauding ghouls in Night of the Animated Dead, a recreation of the classic thriller. Check out the trailer, added par rakshasa! Night of the Animated Dead arrives September 21.
Revisit George A. Romero's 1968 horror classic in an altogether unprecedented presentation as Warner Bros. accueil Entertainment releases Night of the Animated Dead, a new, star-studded animated recreation of the thriller coming September 21, 2021
The fight for survival has only just begun. Prepare to go back Into the Night in an alarming season 2 teaser, added par rakshasa! Into the Night will return to Netflix on September 8.
The fight for survival has only just begun. We go back Into The Night on September 8, only on Netflix

domain: artistic


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The key lessons shared were:
Lead culture change from the top
Culture shouldn’t be left only to HR but should also be the most senior leaders' responsibility, according to Reinhard Nissl, HR director central and eastern Europe at Microsoft.
Nissl shared the digital and cultural transformation Microsoft has gone through. He explained that when the company launched in the 1970s, its mission was to have a computer on every desk, which “sounded crazy then but became the reality ages ago”.
“This speaks to the need to reinvent and [that it is] critical to stay relevant as a company in a fast-changing environment,” he said.
This meant the company needed to update its culture, which started with a new leader; Satya Nadella took over as CEO in 2015. “Many would say 'why did we need a change?' as the company was doing amazingly,” Nissl recounted. “Sacha said 'our industry is an industry where you don’t get credit for tradition, you only get credit for innovation' and we weren’t very innovative in our field at the time so had to change something to enable innovation.”
Nissl explained that the new CEO made culture a key part of his role, rather than expecting it to sit solely with HR.
This led to a new company mission to ‘empower every person and every organisation on the planet to achieve more’. “This is a superpower statement to an HR person as it’s a diversity and inclusion statement as it’s about everyone on the planet,” said Nissl.
Key to this cultural change was researching internally and externally to gather data and learn about the firm's culture, Nissl explained. His function had to look at whether the “things we drive in HR is enabling that culture or if they are a blocker”, he said.
“[We are] making sure we do everything we do through the lens of cultural transformation,” he explained.
Nissl pointed to 10 key things the organisation then learnt about culture, including that “you can’t fake it” and that there was a need to “honour our past but define our future”.
“We kept the core values of the company but had to change the way we addressed the market and the way culture is formed in the company.”
Create positive experiences rather than prevent negative ones
“We spend most of our time in HR trying to stop negative experiences for employees at work,” said Mindi Cox, SVP of people and great work at O.C. Tanner.
HR professionals spend 80% of their time preventing bad employee experiences and only 20% creating peak experiences, she explained.
However, humans remember peak experiences more than the bad. Cox gave the example of someone taking their children to Disneyland: “When you’re there it’s not that great…the queues are long, it’s expensive… but you get that one moment and we pay to go back again. We all want that one moment.”
She added: “Let’s flip it and spend 80% of our time creating peak experiences for employees and 20% negating the bad experiences."
O.C. Tanner focuses on six areas of great culture: purpose, leadership, opportunities, success, appreciation and wellbeing. “These are the areas where we have the opportunity for connection,” said Cox, adding that today “connecting is about more than just sharing information”.
Frontline leaders must create these connections and the experiences employees have on a daily basis, she said: “Leaders place people in a position to succeed and provide the conditions necessary for their growth.”
At O.C. Tanner, employees can award each other appreciation buttons in recognition of their work, and appreciation stations have been set up so people can bring their personal life into the workplace.
Cox recounted when one employee was recognised for her commitment to employee safety and her leader brought her children in as a surprise so they could see her being awarded. “That’s what great leaders do, they think about those moments,” she said.
HR should also “think about the [job] titles in organisations” to build connections, Cox said, pointing out that HR at O.C. Tanner is called the people and great work team. “Is the title connecting people with their work and with the purpose of the organisation?” she asked.
Focus on culture even in the bad times
Jamie Getgood, director of Getgood Consulting and former HRD at General Motors Holden, told his audience how the car manufacturer transformed its culture even though it was closing down, so that employees left with a positive experience.
He described the manufacturing plant as an “aggressive environment” and “militant operation” with “command and control leadership” when he joined in 2011 and the firm was at risk of closure. “The first week I went into an executive meeting and the head of manufacturing told us how useless the workforce was… I said ‘have you thought it might be because the leadership is not good’,” he said.
Getgood said he then went to the MD and made the case that if the culture was to change there would need to be a leadership journey. However, it was announced that the plant would still have to close in 2013.
“When we announced the closure it hit everyone – not just the organisation but the country,” Getgood recalled. “We wanted people to genuinely care for each other so we gave then four years for the closure [to take place].”
He explained the power of initiatives such as 'diagonal slices', which were weekly meetings between different groups of employees, where Getgood and the MD would share everything happening in the business and the workforce could ask any questions.
“We told people everything… we decided to trust the workforce and if it hit the media so be it,” he said.
Managers were also required to walk the floor for 30 minutes each day to talk to employees about anything other than work. “We went back to basics,” explained GetGood, which also meant a shift from the number one metric being the number of cars made to people metrics like engagement and absenteeism.
A key part of the culture change involved the launch of a transition programme to support people in finding new employment. Getgood explained that this included health and wellbeing support to enable people to be their best at interview, exploring different career options and providing job-ready support.
“Usually you close plants and safety issues go up… absenteeism goes up… but this didn’t happen,” explained Getgood. He pointed to results such as absenteeism falling, employee survey scores rising, right first-time quality of cars rising, the organisation winning awards, and the majority of the workforce successfully transitioning to other jobs at other firms.
“Creating a people-focused approach and building trust was crucial,” he added.

domain: sociology


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BOOM! Studios sent Major Spoilers this first look at ORCS! #1 a new series from Christine Larsen.
The Adventure Starts Here! Join Bog and his crew, who were banished from their Orc village by King Hrograhgah (it was a simple misunderstanding, involving an acorn-related prank!) and must now venture out into the world to seek their fortune and hopefully, one day, find their way back home again. Bog, Zep, Pez, Utzu and Gurh’s many adventures will find them entering the dreaded Eerieasallhel Forest, facing off against Trolls, Gnomes, squirrels and more, and even following in the footsteps of the legendary Orc hero, Dod One-Eye!
ORCS! #1 is scheduled to arrives on February 10, 2021.

domain: entertainment


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Authors and Books
Learn How to Write a Book Review with Rodman Philbrick
Grade 1 Reviews
The Easter Egg Farm
by Mary Jane Auch
Review by: Mrs. McLaughlin's class M.
North Carolina, Grade 1
One interesting thing about the book is that the chicken laid many different colored eggs.
We liked the book because the Easter Eggs hatched.
See all the reviews of

domain: library


Rupert Murdoch's got problems. His employees are being arrested, he's losing his latest acquisition, and he's just been called to testify before Parliament. But there's an easy way for Mr. Murdoch to protect himself from these inquiries and save his company at the same time: Turn the News Corporation into a Wall Street bank. There won't be any prosecutions, and the government will even sweeten the deal with billions of dollars in easy money. And if Murdoch follows the trail blazed by bankers like Jamie Dimon at JPMorgan Chase, soon they'll be begging him to acquire more companies.
Murdoch and Dimon. One runs an organization that, as we now know, broke the law so many times it could be called a criminal syndicate. And the other is Rupert Murdoch. Yet Murdoch's fighting for his corporation's future while Dimon's name is being floated as a possible Treasury Secretary. Murdoch's losing his chance to expand market share, while our government helped Dimon's bank become more too-big-to-fail than ever by grabbing up Morgan Stanley.
Now that's juice. Murdoch's been a power broker on three continents and his Fox empire has reshaped this country's political landscape, but Dimon's taken the power game to a whole 'nother level.
Rupert and Jamie
The first arrests in the Murdoch organization's wiretapping and police bribery scandal included the Prime Minister's former press secretary (undoubtedly inspiring twinges of Brit-envy in the White House press corps). Now the probe has moved beyond lower-level reporters and editors. Murdoch's been called before a Committee of Parliament, along with a key aide and his heir-apparent son. The House of Commons and the Prime Minister have withdrawn their support for Murdoch's bid to take full ownership of satellite TV network BSkyB.
By contrast, despite its long list of proven crimes nobody at Dimon's bank has been arrested. Apparently arrests, like the financial consequences of one's actions, are for borrowers only. And Dimon only appears before our elected representative for cozy private get-togethers, not public inquiries.
We are two people divided by a common... well, common law. Great Britain's ruling center-right coalition is putting Murdoch on the spot, while our center-right coalition puts Dimon on a pedestal. Murdoch's trouble are front-page stuff. Dimon only makes headlines when he's posing for flattering soft-focus prose portraits, venting his pique at mild rebukes of his crime-ridden industry ("Bankers! Bankers! Bankers!"), or basking in those periodic Treasury Secretary rumors. (2008: "Dimon is the leading candidate ..." 2009: "Jamie Dimon, Treasury Secretary?" 2011: "Chasing Jamie -- Why Dimon might replace Geithner.")
Another story, headlined Jamie Dimon Seen As a Good Fit for Treasury, said fawning things like "Dimon... achieved rock star status during the financial crisis," "people familiar with Dimon's thinking said he 'would love to serve his country," and "... the timing might be right for Dimon." That story appeared in the New York Post -- Rupert Murdoch's New York Post.
It's a small world, alright. And the higher you rise, the smaller it gets.
News Corp. and JPMorgan Chase
Isn't this comparison unfair? There's a growing body of evidence that Murdoch employees wiretapped phones, tormented innocent families, and bribed police officers. JPMorgan Chase's record can't be that bad, can it?
Actually, it's worse. JPM has a long history as a serial corporate offender, and its crimes helped bring about a major financial collapse (although, come to think of it, so did the policies promoted by Murdoch's news organizations.) And we're not just talking about relatively genteel crimes like financial fraud. JPMorgan employees also committed down-and-dirty Tammany Hall-style crimes like bribery and bid-rigging. Bank employees spread $8 million around Jefferson County, Alabama to win municipal contracts, for example, and it took a settlement worth three-quarters of a billion dollars in fines and foregone fees to settle he case. (That's "billion," with a "b.")
Dimon's bank paid $25 million to settle another case involving the sale of unregistered securities -- which is a crime -- in the state of Florida. It paid more money to settle charges that it illegally propped up a failed mortgage lender, along with some other banks. (In this kind of fraud the lender has already failed, but banks make it look as if it hasn't. Think of it as a financial Weekend at Bernie's. In this case a lot of investors putting their money into a fiscal corpse, which means they were defrauded with help from Dimon's bank.)
JPMorgan's in-house foreclosure operation was described as a sleazy operation where "Burger King kids" -- untrained young people -- were hired to foreclose on homeowners. And just this week a story that got buried in the national media was prominently featured in local newspapers in towns like Boise, Idaho and Charleston, West Virginia:
"JPMorgan Chase has agreed to pay $211 million after admitting one of its divisions rigged dozens of bidding competitions to win business from state and local governments."
When it came to graft, Dimon's dawgs were kickin' it old-school style. The national papers may yawn -- to them bank crime's just another "dog bites man" story -- but $500,000 in settlement money is a big deal to a hard-working state like West Virginia, one of many that's been left to fend for itself in the wreckage of Wall Street's crime spree.
Free to be ... Jamie and me
"We try to do the best we can every day," Dimon said of his colleagues. (Except on the days we're bribing, bid-rigging, or committing fraud, of course; hey, nobody's perfect.) That sense of entitlement isn't just a personality trait. As we now know, it's government policy. An important story in the New York Times recently confirmed that it's been the government's official policy not to investigate criminal wrongdoing in America's banks. It's relying instead on a Wall Street self-policing plan that "outsources" law enforcement to the suspected perps.
As an experienced investigator asked, "What do you do when the bank itself is run by a criminal enterprise?"
Murdoch must be asking himself how he can get a piece of that action. Just become a bank like Goldman Sachs did, with the encouragement and support of regulators, so it could be saved with TARP and Federal Reserve money. No doubt the "bipartisan" Beltway crowd can be persuaded that Murdoch and Fox are "too big to fail," too.
"Self-policing" may seem like an foolishly naïve concept (it is), but it's not uniquely American. The British authorities tried it with News Corp., too. In response Murdoch asked executive Les Hinton to lead the "investigation," and Hinton dutifully reported that the organization was clean as a whistle. The authorities accepted his report, and a grateful Murdoch promoted Hinton to run News Corp's Dow Jones Inc. subsidiary.
Now Hinton's being investigated too, bringing the scandal to the Dow Jones offices on this side of the Atlantic. And the ethics watchdog group CREW has called for an investigation of reports that Murdoch journalists illegally spied on the families of 9/11 victims in the US. That bank status can't come a moment too soon, Mr. Murdoch.
Like reports of US bank criminality, the News Corp. story percolated for a long time before becoming a full-blown scandal. The turning point came when it was revealed that Murdoch's employees deleted email messages on a murdered child's cell phone to make room for more messages, giving her parents false hope that she was still alive. The story exploded, and now each day brings new revelations.
That should be a cautionary tale for Wall Street: Just when you think you've gotten away with it it can all blow up on you, and all because some innocent family was harmed. There are a lot of foreclosed families out there, guys, so don't sleep too peacefully in those Hamptons hideaways. As Dr. King used to say, "The moral arc of the universe is long but it bends toward justice."
In the meantime, Mr. Dimon's organization has set aside $2.3 billion to cover the fines and settlements it expects to pay for its past criminality and fraud.
Freedom is only the beginning
When a CEO can settle that many crimes with SEC so easily, he's doing fairly well. ("No SECs please, we're British!") When that many laws are broken and no executives go to prison, he's doing very well. When he's allowed to complain to sympathetic reporters in the aftermath of his corporation's crime wave that he's not being treated deferentially enough, he's doing extremely well.
But when stories keep suggesting, without a hint of irony, that he might become the Secretary of the Treasury? That's just awesome. Jamie Dimon has climbed the pinnacled Everest of self-promotion. And magically, he keeps on climbing. I bow to you, sir.
Rupert Murdoch probably won't be charged with anything, unless a "smoking gun" turns up. In the old days, the best he could do is hope the public eventually forgets that his corporation harbored a rat's nest of corruption and crime. But times have changed. If Murdoch can pick up one-tenth of Jamie Dimon's mojo, by this time next year he won't just be forgiven. He'll be Chancellor of the Exchequer.
(I discussed this story yesterday as guest host on The Young Turks. The video is here.)


text:
Humanoid Mushroom Toad is a animated short, starring the three main characters.
The film opens on a storybook where the credits are presented, and when the page turns, we are shown a window with wooden doors that open up and introduce us to the three main characters. As this is an update, the first egg is Toad, the son of the late castle; the second is his lady love, the beauteous Toadette; and the third egg werewolf is the foul-mouthed villain, Bad Egg Werewolf. He is quite literally foul-mouthed: a stench wafts from his maw as he sneers at the audience, who cascade them with "Boo! Hiss! Boo!" which is apropos. The action proper begins with the camera showing us a picture of the late Humpty Dumpty, and a choir sings us a chiming version of the poem. It pulls back to reveal his son, Toad, who sits precariously atop the lip of a vase, and continues singing his story:
"My old man may have sat on a wall;
He slipped and had a very great fall!
But I'm Humpty Toad,
I'm just like my pop!
I climb where I please!
They can't make me stop!"
His mother, sweeping the counter with a broom and worried beyond reason, intervenes, but almost causes her son's death inadvertently. She yells, "Toad! Come down from there!," and Toad is startled enough to lose his balance and fly down towards the ground. Luckily, his mother catches him in her apron. She tells him, "You be careful! That's how your father got cracked!" Toad slinks off, all the while hanging his head in shame.
Enter the heroine, Toadette. She skips along cutely, tapping various kitchen items with a stick, and Toad thinks fast and greets her with an armful of greens that he has plucked from a dinner plate. A light jazz number kicks in, and Toad serenades her:
"The moment you arrived, I had a feeling
I'd never be contented 'til we met!
But otherwise it ain't quite so appealing
So won't you join me in an om-e-lette?"
She then joins him in the chorus, as they rock back and forth as they literally spoon within a tablespoon:
"Oh, spooning in a spoon!
We don't need a moon!
Poached or fried or on the side
Morning, night or noon!
Scrambled in a tune,
Deviled with a croon!
In a cup, you're sunny side up,
Spooning in a spoon!"
As they cavort and sing, a kick-line of leggy she-eggs join them through the course of the tune, while The Bad Egg Werewolf lurks jealously about in the background, peeking and sneering at their act, resplendent in traditional villain's curled mustache, tails, spats and top hat. The pair of love-eggs (I suppose that would make them pre-lovebirds were they fertilized properly) kiss sweetly and repeat the second half of the chorus, but then the villain stomps on the spoon handle, sending the pair flying into the air and onto their oval keisters. The Bad Egg Werewolf tells Toad to "Scram!" and pushes him down, kidnapping Toadette, and carrying her off for his own twisted take on the process of love. Toad attacks him but only gets punched in the eye and knocked down again.
The Bad Egg Werewolf carries Toadette high up on the kitchen shelves where he puts the moves on her, but she runs and tries to stop him with anything in her path: a box of matches, a tomato can, and pepper, which she blows in his face, causing him to sneeze. Toad reaches the top shelf and charges the pair, but the Bad Egg Werewolf roughly throws Toadette off the shelf and down into a pan full of boiling water. She screams for help as Toad battles the villain, but finally the lovestruck hero breaks away from the melee and rushes to her aid.
Toad fashions a lasso out of some leftover spaghetti, but by the time Toad pulls her out of the water, she has become hard-boiled. To his surprise, she now speaks and looks along the lines of a Mae West. "Aw, scram!", she tells Toad when he tries to embrace her. The villain laughs at this turnabout, and Toad strides towards the heel to exact his revenge, but Toadette pushes him out of the way. She hitches up her skirt toughly and starts pummeling the villain with a number of sharp blows to the face.
Toad, excited as usual, shadowboxes off to the side to Toadette's every successful punch at the villain's face, but in his fervor, Toad slips and sends himself into the boiling water. At first, he calls for help, but he ends up getting hard-boiled as well. Crawling out of the boiling pan, he delivers a roundhouse punch that sends the Bad Egg Werewolf flying. Toad then strikes a number of dynamite and throws them at the creep, surrounding him with flames and burning his rear end. Finally, Toad dumps the entire box of dynamite down on the Bad Egg Werewolf. There is a large flash as the dynamite all catch on fire simultaneously, and when the smoke clears, the villain is revealed to be completely blackened and sick from smoke inhalation.
The Bad Egg Werewolf collapses exhausted into the tablespoon, and Toad stomps on the handle to send the Bad Egg Werewolf sailing to the ground below, where he smashes to bits. As an explanation for his foul breath, a couple dozen skunks run out from the broken shards of his remains! Toad spits into the spoon's cup and it tosses him to the shelf above, where the two now-hardboiled love-eggs meet up. He embraces Toadette and they kiss passionately, and then the film cuts back to the opening storybook window, where we see a replay of the chorus to "Spooning in a Spoon" before the book closes. Finis.


text:
A new flyer focusing on the cost of maintaining a golf course – designed to assist golf course owners and managers balancing short-term expenses with long-term expectations – is now available from the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA). “The Cost Factor: Tips & Techniques for Reducing Annual Maintenance Costs” was developed by ASGCA in concert with the Golf Course Builders Association of America (GCBAA) and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).
“All businesses need to balance short-term expenses with long-term expectations,” said ASGCA President Erik Larsen. “ASGCA is proud to work alongside GCBAA and GCSAA on this easy-to-read piece. We hope this flyer can also serve as a starting point for discussions among golf course owners, managers and players on maintaining their course for years to come.”
Every maintenance project is unique, and a superintendent’s work may be limited by finances, time, staffing, etc. Therefore, the flyer features two dozen specific ideas which can assist course owners and managers in controlling costs while providing a fun, challenging, environmentally-sensitive playing field for golfers. These include:
- Minimize irrigated turf for less water, pumping, fertilization and mowing.
- Limit formal sand bunkers, favoring less costly landforms or other natural features.
- Develop softer green contours to facilitate triplex mowers instead of hand mowing.
- Develop wider access points to fairways for reduced cart wear.
- Invest in drainage which keeps the course open following storms.
“The Cost Factor” is available for free download here.
Founded in 1946 by 14 leading architects, the American Society of Golf Course Architects is a non-profit organization comprised of experienced golf course designers located throughout the United States and Canada. Members have completed a rigorous two-year long application process that includes the peer review of four representative golf courses. ASGCA members are experienced golf course architects, able to counsel in all aspects of golf course design and remodeling and comprise many of the great talents throughout the golf industry.
# # #
To read more ASGCA news, please visit here.

domain: agronomy


text:
Feliks Kogan1,2, Hari Hariharan1, Ravinder Reddy1
1CMROI, Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; 2Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Proton exchange imaging is important as it allows for visualization and quantification of the distribution of specific metabolites. In this study we developed a new method to measure proton exchange which combines CEST and T1ρ (CESTrho) magnetization preparation methods. We demonstrated that this new CESTrho sequence is more sensitive to proton exchange in the slow to intermediate exchange regimes, has a linear dependence on proton concentration and that the magnetization scheme can be customized to make it insensitive to changes in exchange rate. The increased sensitivity to chemical exchange and insensitivity to confounding factor that influence proton exchange rates make this sequence ideal for measurement of metabolites with exchangeable protons.

domain: chemistry