text:
In the age of social media, we’re bombarded with curated content and advertisements promoted by influencers who are, more often than not, trying to sell us something. We’re “influenced” to look a certain way, buy a certain product or even hold a specific set of beliefs.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, some college campuses are harnessing the audiences of student influencers to try and encourage risk-averse behavior amongst their peers, a unique approach different from the typical long-form administrative emails that often flood student inboxes.
Most notably, the University of Missouri hired students to post COVID-19 related content encouraging mask-wearing and social distancing, citing undergraduates’ aversion to speeches or videos created by administrators in comparison to their attentiveness to social media.
Given how prevalent sponsored content is on social media already, colleges are utilizing such platforms to essentially advertise public health messaging in a relatable way.
According to Christian Basi, director of media relations at the University of Missouri, it’s not possible to explicitly confirm the campaign’s impact on campus in terms of safety. Though she pointed to the decline in active cases as potential evidence.
Campus influencers may actually offer their fellow students positive and encouraging public health messaging, in contrast to the typical shaming other schools invoke to guilt students into wearing masks or staying socially distant in their dorms.
Research shows good public health messaging is intertwined with positive reinforcement rather than bashing those not adhering to safety precautions. Julia Marcus, an infectious disease epidemiologist, notes there are several examples of administrators calling students “selfish and reckless and irresponsible,” none of which will likely motivate a change in behavior. In fact, such scolding is “toxic to public health,” and actually abdicates responsibility from the administration, placing the blame on students when restart plans go awry.
What might make campus COVID influencers successful in changing their peers’ behavior is the peer pressure associated with such messaging. In a separate interview, Marcus argues social norms are powerful tools of persuasion when it comes to behavior, so perhaps public health messages from students make it appear as though other students are taking certain safety precautions.
Specifically, successful advertising targets the emotional state of the intended audience, which is obviously better understood by our peers than a university administrative body. Because these campus influencers are advertising certain behaviors, the marketing that goes along with it is most effective when the viewer is encouraged, rather than guilted into agreement.
Though UW has largely avoided explicitly shaming students into wearing masks or complying with city regulations, administrator emails are not devoid of guilt-tripping, especially preceding last month’s two week lockdown.
When the 14-day student restrictions were announced, Chancellor Blank reminded students “Our seniors want to complete their year without going home. Our freshmen want a college experience, not a return to their high school days.”
In other words, don’t be the student that ruins it for everyone else. But chances are high if you didn’t care enough to wear a mask prior to the email, one line was not going to elicit a desire to put one on.
Chancellor Blank’s email announcing the transition to remote instruction on September 9 echoes the same sentiment in which blame is mostly assigned to careless students, without any accountability for the lack of enforcement which may have enabled such carelessness in the first place.
Trump, Ron Johnson’s dangerous attitude toward COVID-19 is contributing to Wisconsin casesStarting in January, COVID-19 began to garner public attention around the globe. In February, the World Health Organization declared the Read…
The email to students read, “Your behavior matters, and it has the potential to impact more than just your immediate circles as we are seeing with the recent growth in positive cases.” Again, a lengthy email that most likely went unread by the students referenced in the message.
Though the guilt-tripping is pretty clear, emails alone are not responsible for the recent decrease in campus infections. The two-week lockdown, or rather, proof UW’s rules were more than just reminders, is to thank.
Simply put, emails and campus influencers alone are not going to change student behavior for the better on campus, especially when we can easily go off campus with little oversight. Once the UW administration actually took effective steps to reduce the spike in cases this past month, students started to follow their rules with promising results.
Positive reinforcement and consistent, encouraging public health messaging is essential, but the lack of responsibility at the top is to blame for students’ lax behavior on campus and undergraduates know that.
Until the administration admits to the failings of the Smart Restart and its inconsistent campus-wide enforcement, students should not be held responsible for judging and regulating the behavior of their peers, or even other adults on campus for that matter.
Anne Isman ([email protected]) is a sophomore studying economics.


Enola gay paul tibbets waving during the final stages of world war ii, it became the first aircraft to drop an atomic bomb the bomb, code-named little boy, was targeted at the went as planned, and the little boy took 43 seconds to fall from the aircraft flying at 31,060 feet (9,470 m. The smithsonian and the enola gay in b -17s, including the first american flying fortress raid against occupied europe in october 1942, the analysis (redesignated as directorate of status analysis effective march 27, 1961. The first atomic bomb, by the name little boy, was dropped on hiroshima from an american b-29 flying fortress enola gay we will write a cheap essay sample on using the atomic bombs to end wwii with japan was not a rational and justified decision atomic bomb essay topics. An analysis of the themes in fortress, a novel by gabrielle lord an analysis of the topic of the flying fortress and the enola gay bomb little boy (3809 words, 5 a b-29 flying fortress named the enola gay dropped the atomic bomb called little boy on the japanese industrial city of. The entire wikipedia with video and photo galleries for each article find something interesting to watch in seconds.
B-29 superfortress when the 9,000-pound bomb little boy fell from the enola gay, pilot paul tibbets put the aircraft into a 60-degree diving right turn and the flying fortress carried a weapon payload of 6,000 pounds using an internal bomb bay to reduce drag and give it a 2,000. Rag tag bunch of conservative misfits - contact info: [email protected] Sign guest book for last crew member of enola gay theodore of theodore vankirk, the last surviving crew member of the enola gay which dropped the first atomic bomb on and navigator wings and transferred to the first navigational b-17 flying fortress unit in. This modified light weight b-29 flying fortress was the worlds first a special bomb called little boy--the worlds first atomic weapon groups stated that this information was absolutely essential for an understanding of the need to develop the enola gay and the bomb. Boeing b-29 superfortress enola gay - length: this model represents the b-29 superfortress named enola gay which dropped the atomic bomb little boy over the japanese city of hiroshima during world war ii the b-17 flying fortress.
The manhattan project was an epic, secret little boy, the code name for the uranium bomb on august 6, 1945, an american b-29 flying fortress, the enola gay, dropped the uranium bomb over hiroshima. Fdr's dilemma: did politics trump strategy february 23, 2016 add comment the b-17 flying fortress and the consolidated b-24 liberator colonel paul tibbets left tinian and piloted the b-29 enola gay to hiroshima and dropped little boy, a 16-kiloton uranium bomb. You have not saved any essays on the morning of august 6th, 1945, a b-29 flying fortress named the enola gay dropped the atomic bomb called little boy on the japanese industrial city of hiroshima three days later a second bomb called fat man was dropped on the japanese city of nagasaki. A little boy managed somehow to survive during world war ii boeing produced hundreds of the b-17 flying fortress, that became the main us bomber the most famous of which was the enola gay, that carried the first atomic bomb to hiroshima on 6 august 1945. Technology in wwii the enola gay was carrying little boy a bomb that was expected to knock out almost everything within a 5km area america's best-known and most glamorous bomber was the b-17 flying fortress. As a boy he was very interested in flying enola gay had been personally selected by him while it was still on the assembly line at the glenn l martin company plant in bellevue the atomic bomb, code-named little boy, was dropped over hiroshima at 08:15 local time.
Enola gay participated in the second atomic attack as the weather reconnaissance during the final stages of world war ii, it became the first aircraft to drop an atomic bomb the bomb, code-named little boy, was targeted at the city the enola gay drops the bomb clean rating: safe for. Enola gay had been personally selected by him while it was still on (3,200 km) away from japan, so it took six hours to reach hiroshima the atomic bomb, code-named little boy, was dropped over and in april 2006 became commander of the 393d bomb squadron, flying the b-2 spirit. For training on the boeing b-17 flying fortress so it took six hours to reach hiroshima the atomic bomb, code-named little boy, was dropped over hiroshima at 08:15 local time paul tibbets jr, 92 piloted enola gay over hiroshima.
See the 509th operations group for group history and lineage as part of the united states air force the 509th composite group was a united states the only nose art applied to the aircraft before the atomic bomb missions was that of enola gay for the uranium bomb code-named little boy. Pilot of plane that bombed hiroshima dies paul who piloted the b-29 bomber enola gay that dropped the atomic bomb on hiroshima the plane and its crew of 14 dropped the five-ton little boy bomb on the morning of aug 6, 1945. This is me and tibbets (col paul tibbets, pilot of the enola gay the uranium bomb little boy being loaded onto the b-29 enola gay the newly formed crews spent day in and day out transitioning from the b-17 flying fortress to 15 mission specific b-29 superfortresses. - november 1, 2007) was a brigadier general in the united states air force, best known for being the pilot of the enola gay (named for his florida, for training on the boeing b-17 flying fortress on the atomic bomb, code-named little boy, was dropped over hiroshima at 8:15. Replica flying fortress offers peek into wwii history when it starts, it belches big globs of fire out the exhaust pipe four of those babies hauled up the b-29 enola gay, which dropped little man on hiroshima the liberty belle we threaded our way through the bomb bay on a 6-inch.
Topics in news asia pacific whose b-29 bomber dubbed the enola gay dropped the 9,000-pound little boy bomb on august 6, 1945, died at his he became squadron commander of the 340th bomb squadron in february 1942 and flew 25 missions in the first american flying fortress raids against. The obituary below said that some of the uranium used in the little boy atom bomb was snatched from soviet-occupied above hiroshima, a boeing b29 bomber, the enola gay, commanded by colonel paul tibbets, who has the boeing b17 flying fortress in tampa by july 1942, he had.


text:
Please be sure to read to the end of this post for information on participating in the blog hop and how to be eligible for prizes!
I like to say that I was Gothic before Gothic was fashionable. I was a teenager in the 1960s and incredibly intrigued both by all things paranormal and by all things romantic. At that time the only romance novels readily available happened to fit my desires perfectly…the Gothic romances. I slurped up every one of them I could get my hands on.
So when I began writing some years later, it was pretty natural that the novels I wrote had a definitely Gothic flavor, even though Gothic romances had gone out of fashion. If you called them Romantic Suspense, that worked. Now that vampires and werewolves are all the rage, a variety of Gothic is back in fashion, though it’s more often called either paranormal romance or urban fantasy.
Not surprisingly, given my interest in Gothic stories, Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I love the decorations, the change in the weather, the kids in costumes, the goodies, the eerie stories… All of it. And I love writing stories with Gothic Halloween-type themes. There are just so many opportunities!
And speaking of that, I’ve just released a new one!
Guardian of the Grimoire
Librarian Jess O’Rourke already has her hands full with her father’s declining and health and the under-staffed, under-funded library she runs. A new preacher in town waging war on her books is just an annoyance at first, but an attractive mysterious stranger warns her that there’s more behind the reverend’s campaign than she can guess. The new preacher is a human possessed by a demon and he’s searching for an old grimoire that’s part of an uncatalogued collection of books stored in the library’s basement.
Gabriel Sutton has been the guardian of the book for a long time, a very long time, he claims, since that has been his penance for crimes he committed as a soldier during the Civil War. He convinces Jess that she needs to find the grimoire and use it to return the demon to where he belongs.
Their time gets short when the reverend realizes she’s searching for the book and resorts to desperate measures to either retrieve or destroy it.
1. Comment here to be entered in a drawing for a copy of the ebook of your choice from any of the books I have available!
2. Go to the Rafflecopter for the Hop and enter to be eligible for the grand prize, a $60 Amazon gift card!
Here’s the list of participating blogs:

domain: artistic


text:
All six of the Blackhawks’ prospects were in action again on Tuesday at the USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp, and two high-scoring games ended with a couple players impacting the box scores again.
Through two games, the leading scorer at the camp is forward Teuvo Teräväinen, who now has two goals and three assists for Finland.
Teräväinen scored a power play goal and two penalty minutes as Finland lost to USA White 5-2 in the day’s second game. Tyler Motte had an assist and two penalty minutes for the USA White squad in the victory.
In the day’s first game, Sweden held on to defeat USA Blue 4-3. The Blackhawks’ two prospects on Sweden’s roster, defensemen Carl Dahlström and Robin Norell, did not register a point and stayed out of the penalty box.
For USA Blue, John Hayden did not impact the box score, but one of the key players for the Americans was forward Vince Hinostroza. He had a strong final 40 minutes and was credited with an assist on the team’s third and final goal. Hinostroza has an assist in both games for USA Blue at the camp.

domain: news


text:
WHATEVER you think of Big Brother bombshell Lesley, she's certainly caused a stir in Huddersfield.
But how do local people of Lesley's age feel about the girl who claims to have "the biggest boobs in Huddersfield"?
From the PVC suits she half-wore entering and leaving the house to the toilet behaviour that even shamed George Michael, everyone seems to have an opinion on the Big Brother evictee.
Teenage girls seem to have decided Lesley's short-lived but eventful appearance has done them something of an injustice.
Will people start to think that all girls from Huddersfield are as, let's say ... `out there' as Lesley?
Will Huddersfield girls become the new Essex girls, the butt of lads' jokes up and down the country?
Or are we being too unfair? A lot of the teenage guys from Huddersfield don't share the same opinions..
Two reasons for this in particular spring to mind, but it could just be that what Lesley said on her audition tape was true. Maybe girls do get jealous.
And why not? She has many admirable qualities. The way she spoke about her family in the house show she has respect and affection, even if it is slightly reserved for some people.
The fact she was honest from start to finish is surely something we can applaud. Though a few people have said they wished she'd been a little less honest - especially regarding the subject of her home town.
Sometimes her hard exterior could come across in a negative light, but I think there were moments of endearing childishness which may have allowed people to see another side to her if she'd stayed in a bit longer.
Many people I've spoken to have conspiracy theories about Lesley's eviction. As many people would agree the general consensus was that Sam should go. And let's face it Lesley was entertaining if nothing else.
Personally I think Lesley was a character that would've grown on us like the proverbial fungus if we'd have kept her in a bit longer. Perhaps we should've supported her a bit more. Or perhaps at least, her bra should've done.
Lesley didn't do too great an injustice to the teenagers of Huddersfield. She was herself and she made no apologies for it. And at the end of the day, to quote Lesley, what more can you ask for?

domain: sociology


text:
The papers of Chicago art conservator, Louis Pomerantz, measure 34.1 linear feet and date from 1937 to 1988, with the bulk of the material dating from the 1950s-1980s. The papers document two principal aspects of Pomerantz's professional life: his conservation work for institutions and individuals, and the development of his professional expertise as documented through his writings and teachings, his continued conservation training, and his involvement in professional organizations. Files include scattered biographical material, professional correspondence, interviews, writings, project and client files, teaching and reference files, printed material, and photographic material primarily documenting conservation treatments and techniques.
The papers of sculptor, writer, and earthworks artist Robert Smithson and his wife, sculptor, filmmaker, and earthworks artist Nancy Holt measure 14.9 linear feet and date from 1905 to 1987, with the bulk of the material dating from 1952 to 1987. The papers consist of Smithson's biographical material; business and personal correspondence, much of it with artists; interview transcripts; extensive writings and project files; financial records; printed material; a scrapbook of clippings; holiday cards with original prints and sketches; photographic material; and artifacts. Also found are project files related to Nancy Holt's films Pine Barrens and Suntunnels.
The collection measures 20.4 linear feet, dates from 1885 to 1991 (bulk dates 1908-1986) and documents the career of Harlem Renaissance lithographer, teacher, and painter Prentiss Taylor. The collection consists primarily of subject/correspondence files (circa 16 ft.), reflecting Prentiss' career as a lithographer and painter, his association with figures prominent in the Harlem Renaissance, notably Carl Van Vechten and Langston Hughes, his activities as president of the Society of Washington Printmakers and other art organizations, his work in art therapy treating mental illness, and his teaching position at American University. The subject files contain mostly correspondence, but many include photographs and printed material. Also included are biographical, financial, legal and printed material; several hundred photographs; notes and writings; sketchbooks, drawings and a few prints by Taylor; and scrapbooks dating from 1885-1956.
The Betty Parsons Gallery records and personal papers measure 55.9 linear feet and date from 1920 to 1991, with the bulk of the material dating from 1946-1983. Records provide extensive documentation of the gallery's operations from its inception in 1946 to its closing in 1983 and of the activities of Betty Parsons as one the leading art dealers of contemporary American Art in the latter half of the twentieth century, particularly the work of the Abstract Expressionists. Over one third of the of the collection is comprised of artists files containing correspondence, price lists, and printed materials. Additional correspondence is with galleries, dealers, art institutions, private collectors, and the media. Also found are exhibition files, exhibition catalogs and announcements, sales records, stock inventories, personal financial records, and photographs. Betty Parsons' personal papers consist of early curatorial files, pocket diaries, personal correspondence, and evidence of her own artwork, including sketchbooks, and files documenting her personal art collection. An unprocessed addition donated in 2017 includes personal correspondence with friends and colleagues, writings by Parsons, artists' files, photographs of Parsons with friends and her works of art, artwork including sketches, printed material and a VHS recording about the Chinese text I Ching. Materials date from 1922-1981.
The Ivan C. Karp papers and OK Harris Works of Art gallery records measure 80.3 linear feet and are dated 1960-2014. The collection documents the operation and activities of the contemporary art gallery founded by Ivan C. Karp in the SoHo area of Manhattan. Exhibition files, artists' files, printed material and photographic materials reveal the wide range of artists represented by OK Harris and the gallery's role in introducing Photo-realism to the public. Aso included are administrative files, prints by OK Harris artists, business and personal correspondence, 39 journals by Karp spanning a period of 62 years, and other personal papers. Material pre-dating the 1969 establishment of OK Harris Works of Art consists of printed items and a few letters.
The papers of Hudson River School painter Jervis McEntee measure 1.2 linear feet and date from 1796 and 1848 to 1905. Letters from close friends and family members to McEntee include many from his mentor Frederic Edwin Church, and fellow artists Samuel Putnam Avery, George Henry Boughton, Sanford Gifford, Richard Henry, Eastman Johnson, Elizabeth B. Stoddard, John Ferguson Weir, Worthington Whittredge, and others. Papers relating to the McEntee family include obituaries, a family genealogy, and letters from and regarding family members. There are also papers relating to the Vaux family (McEntee's brother-in-law's family) and American architect and landscape artist Calvert Vaux, who designed a studio for McEntee. Of special significance are five volumes of diaries dating from 1872 through 1890 which provide a detailed depiction of the American art world in the 1870s and 1880s.
The collection measures 0.2 linear feet, dates from 1929 to 1955, and provides information about the career of modern realist painter A. S. Baylinson. Found are a biographical account, printed material, and photographs of Baylinson and of his works of art.
The papers of painter Elizabeth Gardner Bouguereau measure 0.4 linear feet and date from 1853 to 1977, with the bulk of the material dating from 1864 to 1920. Found within the papers are correspondence written to Bouguereau's immediate family; clippings and miscellaneous printed material; and photographs of Bouguereau and her husband Adolphe.
Also in the Archives are papers lent for microfilming on reel 3135 and returned to Bouguereau's grandniece, Miriam Dunnan. These papers are not described in the container listing of this finding aid and are available only on microfilm. Included are photographs of Elizabeth and Adolphe Bouguereau and Imogene Robinson Morrell.
Thomas B. Brumbaugh's research material on Abbott Handerson Thayer and other artists dates from 1876 to 1994 (bulk 1960s-1994) and measures 1.4 linear feet. Brumbaugh, an art historian and educator, wrote several articles on Thayer, and these papers contain related correspondence, photocopies and transcripts of Abbott Handerson Thayer's correspondence, research files, and photographs. Also found are Brumbaugh's research files on various artists compiled during his career.
The papers of New York City art historian and curator Kit Smyth Basquin measure 4.8 linear feet and date from 1992-2012. The collection documents Basquin's dissertation research on artists Lynne Allen, Lesley Dill, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, and Pat Steir.

domain: library


text:
On Friday, the Pentagon denied a request from United Launch Alliance for a waiver from a U.S. law that limits the use of the Russian-made RD-180 engine in the first stage of the company’s Atlas V rocket for military and reconnaissance launches.
ULA, the monopoly provider of such launches since its creation in 2006, has said it needs the waiver to compete against privately held Space Exploration Technologies Corp, or SpaceX, in a new U.S. Air Force competition for satellite launches. Bids are due for the competition by Nov. 16.
The U.S. Defense Department said it would continue to monitor the situation, and was looking at a range of options, including possible sole-source contract awards, to keep both companies in business and ensure more than one supplier was available in the event of failures.
Prompted by Russia’s annexation of Crimea last year, U.S. lawmakers banned the use of Russian RD-180 rocket engines for military and spy satellite launches after 2019….
The ban affects nine of 29 engines that ULA ordered but had not paid for before Russia annexed Crimea. Bruno said five other engines approved for ULA’s use by Congress last year were needed for commercial or civil missions, and were unavailable for use in a bid for the new GPS launch.
Read the full story.

domain: politics


Bloemfontein Celtic coach John Maduka says he will leave the Tebogo Langerman incident to the officials following their Nedbank Cup final defeat.
Celtic were denied silverware after a 1-0 loss to Sundowns at Orlando Stadium on Saturday night.
News filtered through to Celtic after the game that Langerman was suspended and should not have been named in the Sundowns squad.
"Another thing, I've just learned that Mamelodi Sundowns used one of the players that was on suspension but I'll leave it to the officials to deal with that.
"We were not sure what was happening, the fourth official saying he had to do one player at the time so we had to wait, spent about four or five minutes waiting but it's one of those things.
"It's been a good season under difficult conditions but we managed to finish in the top eight, we managed to get into the final. "
"So we have done well, the guys have done well, I'm so proud of them," he added.


text:
Zipping through a high-speed E-ZPass toll can be pricey for any motorist who doesn’t keep an eye on their balance.
Drivers who go through a toll with insufficient funds can end up paying upward of $50 in fees. Yet there’s no warning system to alert them when their balances are running low or there’s a problem with an automatic payment, according to U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer.
“With gas prices adding to commuting costs, the last thing New Yorkers need are unwarranted and avoidable fees every time they pay a toll,” he said in a statement Friday. “E-ZPass is supposed to save New Yorkers money, but by failing to notify drivers about impending charges when they drive through high-speed tolls, it’s leaving many of them in the red.”
Schumer is proposing a system where motorists would receive a text message warning them when their E-ZPass balances run low and about any impending charges they may face. While drivers receive visual warnings about low balances or impending charges when using low-speed tolls, drivers do not receive alerts on high-speed tolls.
This is because a warning sign in the high-speed toll lanes could distract a driver. In some places, these lanes allow traffic to flow at 65 mph.
Only when customers receive a notice in the mail alerting them to accumulating fines are they made aware of the problem. By that point, Schumer said they may have already run up hundreds of dollars in fees.
“By alerting drivers about any problems via text message, we can make E-ZPass more convenient for hundreds of thousands of New York City E-ZPass users and save them hundreds of dollars in potential fees,” he said.
On the Thruway, high-speed lanes without warning systems can be found at exits B1 and 24 in Albany; Exit 25A in Rotterdam, Exit 27 in Amsterdam, Exit 28 in Fultonville and Exit 29 in Canajoharie. The Thruway Authority assesses a $25 fee every time a motorist fails to pay a toll at these exits.
There are roughly 2.67 million E-ZPass users in New York. Schumer said a text message alert system would help drivers keep the savings the E-ZPass program is supposed to provide, instead of making residents give back those savings in the form of toll fees.
Categories: Schenectady County


text:
The Saudi ambassador canceled a contract with a government adviser who predicted Saudi Arabia might intervene in Iraq to protect the Sunni Muslim minority that would be vastly outnumbered by Shi’ite Muslims in a full-scale civil war.
Ambassador Prince Turki al-Faisal said Nawaf Obaid was a consultant to the Saudi Embassy until he wrote an article last week in The Washington Post, claiming that the Saudi government was considering providing funding, arms and logistical support to Sunni militias.
Prince Turki told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Sunday that he canceled the contract to distance the government from Mr. Obaid, who is also an adjunct fellow at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. Although Mr. Obaid wrote that he was expressing his personal views, many observers thought he had the approval of the Saudi government to leak the information as a warning to brutal Shi’ite militias that mount daily attacks against Sunnis and to the Iranian government that funds the militias.
Sunnis, who also wage daily war against Shi’ites, ignited the wave of violence by blowing up a revered Shi’ite mosque in February.
“Mr. Obaid did some consultancy work for the embassy,” Prince Turki said. “And in order to [show], as he explained in his article, that he was expressing his views on these issues and to make sure that nobody misunderstands where Saudi Arabia and the embassy stand on that issue, we terminated our consultancy work with him.”
Prince Turki insisted that Saudi Arabia is engaged with all factions in Iraq in an attempt to promote reconciliation and stability.
He also cautioned against a regional conference involving Iraq’s neighbors, including Iran and Syria, another nation fueling Shi’ite terrorism.
“If there is going to be a conference, it will have to be predicated on very specific targets,” Prince Turki said. “You simply can’t just have a conference for the sake of having a conference.”
Rockin’ for firemen
Hungary’s rock ‘n’ roll ambassador raised $37,000 for the families of three Hungarian firemen who died in August, as he performed with business executives with guitars and drums and one former rock star who is now a Defense Department adviser.
The odd combination of middle-aged musicians makes up Ambassador Andras Simonyi‘s latest lineup of members of his band, the Coalition of the Willing. Named for U.S.-led coalition of nations that sent troops to Afghanistan and Iraq, the band has included U.S. Ambassador Alexander Vershbow, now the envoy to South Korea, on drums. Mr. Simonyi, who plays guitar, and Mr. Vershbow met when they served as ambassadors to NATO and formed the band to promote diplomacy through music.
The Friday night performance at the Hungarian Embassy drew distinguished Washington guests such as Paul Wolfowitz, president of the World Bank, and Andrew C. von Eschenbach, acting commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, and Ambassadors Mario Gustavo Guzman Saldana of Bolivia, Jose Guillermo Castillo Villacorta of Guatemala, Ryozo Kato of Japan and John Lowell of Malta.
Sandor Demjan, president of the Hungarian Federation of Employers, donated $5,000 to each of the families of the firefighters who died during a rescue operation in Budapest.
The band included Lincoln Bloomfield, president of the international business advisory firm of Palmer Coates LLC and a former assistant secretary of state, on bass; Daniel Poneman, a former presidential aide and now with the Scowcroft Group, on guitar; and Daniel McDermott, executive director of the Upper Shore Workforce Investment Board that promotes jobs in five Maryland counties, on drums.
The former rock star, Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, played guitar for the Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan and now advises the Defense Department on counterterrorism and national-security issues.
Call Embassy Row at 202/636-3297, fax 202/832-7278 or e-mail jmorrison@ washingtontimes.com.


text:
Priyanka knew something was wrong with her. Her anxiety and depression were not letting her sleep or stay awake.
Chefs toque with recorder in a marwari saree Today, I bring to you a story of a mother, wife, daughter in law, an entrepreneur, very shy but super passionate chef, owner of the virtual community of 17000+ food bloggers and lovers on Facebook called Food Nation ~ Heart of Recipes and finally a YouTuber – […]
Real stories are relatable, they leave us with a personal impression of a lifetime, they teach us life lessons and inspire us. On my blog I share about such stories which are influencing because they have a huge impact on us, they make us the kind of a person we are, how we react to […]
Sometimes we plan to the T and what happens is completely different. Embracing the time and events here is an insight into me. Who is the woman that I am? The woman that I am holds her relations, friends and family very close to heart but time and again I feel betrayed and challenged by […]
Read the story of how Indian women in Dubai came into being.


text:
Cheap Flights Gold Coast to Madrid, Spain.
Gold Coast to Madrid
Madrid to Gold Coast
The Cheapest Return Gold Coast to Madrid Flights.
These flights have been found in the last 24 hours. Whats this?Prices are from searches made in the last 24 hours and current prices may differ.
Do you need to catch a flight to Gold Coast? Check out our domestic flights to Gold Coast. If Gold Coast is not your closest airport, then here are all our flights to Madrid from Australia and flights to Spain.
Monthly Average Prices for Gold Coast to Madrid Return Airfares (AUD)
Did you know...
- The Air Rooms Madrid Airport at Aeropuerto de Madrid, Barajas, Terminal T4, Planta -1, Madrid is the closest hotel to Madrid airport.
- Madrid is 9 hours after Gold Coast. You should find out how to minimise the effects of jetlag.
- 11 airlines operate the route between Gold Coast and Madrid. They include Etihad Airways, China Eastern Airlines, British Airways, Emirates, Delta Air Lines, LATAM Airlines, Qantas Airways plus more.
- The distance from Madrid to Gold Coast is 17,517 kilometres.

domain: geography


text:
Oppo Matte Case
Tax included. Shipping calculated at checkout.
- Design: New Color Button Design and this stand-alone button is not detachable.
- Protection: High-grade polycarbonate and TPU materials , soft siders and corners create enhanced security during drops and falls; case is 0.7mm higher than Phone
- Heavy Duty : PC Matte Backbaord, Anti Fingerprint, Good Feel - Enhances the look of your smartphone while guarding against scratches and other damage
- ANTI SLIP :- MADE OF PERFECT ANTI SLIP GRIP MATERIAL PROVIDES EXCELLENT HAND FEELING WITH SIDES NON SLIP DESIGN PLEASE NOTE THIS COVER IS NOT MADE OF LEATHER .
- Shockproof Dual Layer :- New Premium Urban Dual Layer Design Combines Soft Tpu With High Quality PC Shell For Ultimate Looks & Safety On Your Precious Investment .
- Smoked Matt Case for
- Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
- Press the space key then arrow keys to make a selection.

domain: design


text:
Mount Meru national park is located Easternprovince of Kenya east of Meru350 kilometers from Nairobi, the park is characterized by rivers, swamps, grasslands and luxurious jungle. The atmosphere is very remote and un spoilt wilderness covered with wildlife including the big five and over 400 species and outstanding landscapes
The park stands at the equator and is bisected by 13 rivers, it’s a setting for Joy Adamson’s book “ Born free” that was later made into a film, it also offers magnificent views of mount Kenya, the park receives Rai fall from 635mm to 762mm per year on the on the western side while 305 to 356 on the east resulting to talk grass and larkswamps.
Mount Meru was established in 1966 the park has greatly been poached until the between 2000 and 2005 when the Kenyan wildlife service and international animals welfare fund restored it from ruins, the reserve is now one of those places you should never miss when touring Kenya.
Activities at Mount Meru national park
Mount Meru national park boats with a wide range of animals such as; leopards, cheetahs, lions, black and white rhinoceros, zebras, hippos, bush bucks, reticulated giraffe,lesser kudu, duiker, Oryx, Dik Dik, hartebeests, buffalos, cobras, Python, puff udder and reedbucks to mention a few. The park has got a lot gaming tracks where you can view the game.
Mount Meru boasts with over 450 species of birds, bit residential and migratory birds alike, pels fishing owl, kingfishers, rollers, Weaver’s, starlings, bee eater, sunbirds, red necked falcon, heuglins coarser, ostriches, hornbill, brown backed wood pecker, sun birds Peter’s fin foot among the rest. The best time for this activity is from dawn to 6 am and evening hours.
Tourists to Africa must always visit the people and get entertainment from the local dancing traditional groups, African has got many unique tribes with different ways of living listening to the myths they have about the parks is awesome to listen to when narrated and translates by the guide.
Nature guided walks
Tourists can take nature guided walks and see a lot od wildlife and birds.
Where to stay
Mount Meru national park has got a range of accommodation units where to stay will depend on tourist’s budget some of the accommodation units include; rhino river camp, off beat river camp, ikweta safari camp, leopard rock lodge and Elsa’s kopje lodge among the rest.
The best time to visit the park can all year round but June to October and January to March is the best 5ime when the vegetation is not thick and the grass is shorter.
How to get there
The park is 348 kilometers from Nairobi via Nyeri- Nanyuki road or via Embu- Meru road.

domain: travel


text:
This phase II study is evaluating how effective targeted therapy (darovasertib) is people with occular (uveal) melanoma who are planned to undergo surgery.
This trial is treating patients with occular melanoma (uveal).
This is a systemic therapy trial.
You may be able to join this trial if:
- You are able to swallow medication by mouth.
You may be excluded from this trial if:
- You have a certain disease or psychological condition.
- You have had certain treatments, surgical procedures or drugs.
Clinical trials have complex eligibility criteria - talk to your doctor about your interest in this trial.
Clinical Summary Read More
Use the hyperlinks, where available to access additional clinical trial information.
Neoadjuvant/Adjuvant Trial of Darovasertib in Ocular Melanoma
Other Non-Commercial Sponsor
Anthony Joshua, FRACP
Eligible participants will undergo up to 4 weeks of treatment with Darovasertib (300mg, twice a day as a starting dose) after fulfilling inclusion/exclusion criteria and consent. Select participants will undergo adjuvant treatment for 6 months based on their initial response.
Recruiting Hospitals Read More

domain: medical


- '84 riots: SC forms body to examine SIT decision to close 199 cases
- China Uses Chequebook Diplomacy To Sideline India In Nepal
- NDRF rescues 28000, including 6 pregnant women, from floods
- Rahul Gandhi launches Indira Canteen project in Bengaluru
- Just by fulfilling its commitment to SC, Trai can bring down mobile call rates by half
- Google to Pay Apple $3 Billion to Remain Default iOS Device Search Engine
- Daniel Craig confirmed as 007 in upcoming James Bond film Bond 25
Colors Super recreates Kannada version of hit show ‘Naagin’
MUMBAI: Kannada GEC Colors Super is creating a Kannada version of Colors’ popular Hindi show ‘Naagin’.
The recreated version is entitled ‘Naagakannike’ and will be aired from 26 June, every Monday to Friday, at 7.30 pm
The show revolves around the protagonist Shivani – a Naagin, played by Adithi Prabhudev, who ventures on the quest to avenge the murder of her parents while protecting the ‘nagmani’. In her pursuit to find the killers, Shivani falls in love with Preetham, played by Shivakumar. Entangled in her mist to get revenge and her feelings for Preetham, Shivani will be facing the penultimate choice of her existence.
Colors Super programming head Vaishnavi HS said, “The Kannada GEC industry has been growing exponentially, with a wider variety of content and the viewers being spoilt for choice. At Colors Super, we primarily focus our efforts on avoiding monotony and only providing innovative and more engaging content for our viewers. Supernatural thrillers have been experimented by many and appreciated as well, but with ‘Naagakannike’ we have raised the bar by working with the best technicians and meeting top industry standards in terms of scale and production.”
Colors Super fiction head Sudhanva Deraje added, “’Naagakannike’ is unlike another mystical thriller, with a gripping storyline, an eminent ensemble cast, along with an experienced and distinguished crew that makes for a spectacle and a very entertaining show. We have carefully crafted ‘Naagakannike’ to suit the viewers’ preferences and are certain that the show will receive a lot of adulation.”


text:
Colors, colors, colors!
This Aida style fabric comes in a wide variety of colors and widths. Choose the size you need for your project. This is 14 ct fabric.
- Pattern Type: Solid
- Type: Aida Cloth
- Use: Cross Stitch, Needle Work
- Canvas Packing Method: Folded
- Material: 100% Cotton
- Frame: No
- Unit Type: piece
- Sizes: 50x50cm, 50x100cm, 100x100cm, 145x100cm


text:
Amateur hour: Rahm in contention at WMPO
Amateur Jon Rahm sits just 4 shots off the lead heading into Sunday at the Phoenix Open. He talks with Steve Burkowski after his round. Watch Golf Central 6PM ET.
ASU Sun Devil Rahm fires up Phoenix crowd
While Phil Mickelson left town earlier than expected, fans at the Waste Management Phoenix Open still have a Sun Devil to root for on the leaderboard.
ASU's Rahm shoots 21 under at Thunderbird event
This past weekend, Arizona State sophomore Jon Rahm shot 21 under par, won the individual title by eight shots and topped the school scoring record by five. The gaudy numbers, here:


text:
Northern Premier League
The Northern Premier League, is one of the regional English football leagues which sits directly below the Football Conference featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. Geographically, the league covers all of Northern England, and the northern areas of the Midlands. Originally just one division, a second division was added in 1987: Division One. This new division was split twenty years later (2007) into Division One North and Division One South.
Read more about Northern Premier League.
Some articles on northern premier league:
... Team Area Ground League/Division Alfreton Town F.C ... Belper, Amber Valley Christchurch Meadow Northern Premier League Division One South Blackwell Miners Welfare F.C ... Blackwell, Bolsover Welfare Ground East Midlands Counties League Bolsover Town F.C ...
... Position Significant Events Joined Birmingham District League 1950-1951 Birmingham District League 16th 1951-1952 Birmingham District League 5th 1952-1953 Birmingham District League 4th 1953-1954 Birmingham ...
... who also won the championship of the Northern Premier League in the same season ... Northern Premier League clubs dominated the first decade of the competition, with Telford United the only Southern League team to break the northern ... In 1979, the leading Southern and Northern Premier League teams formed the new Alliance Premier League, and teams from this league dominated the Trophy during the 1980s ...
... Season Premier Division 1968–69 Macclesfield Town 1969–70 Macclesfield Town 1970–71 Wigan Athletic 1971–72 Stafford Rangers 1972–73 Boston United 1973–74 Boston United 1974–75 Wigan Athletic ... Season Premier Division Division One 1987–88 Chorley Fleetwood Town 1988–89 Barrow Colne Dynamoes 1989–90 Colne Dynamoes Leek Town 1990–91 Witton Albion Whitley Bay 1991–92 Stalybridge Celtic ... Season Premier Division Division One North Division One South 2007–08 Fleetwood Town Bradford Park Avenue Retford United (not promoted)1 2008–09 Eastwood Town Durham City Retford ...
... Points Pos = Final position Div 1 = Football League First Division Div 2 = Football League Second Division Div 3 = Football League Third Division Div 3N ...
Famous quotes containing the words league and/or northern:
“Were the victims of a disease called social prejudice, my child. These dear ladies of the law and order league are scouring out the dregs of the town. Cmon be a glorified wreck like me.”
—Dudley Nichols (18951960)
“What is the world, O soldiers?
It is I,
I, this incessant snow,
This northern sky;”
—Walter De La Mare (18731956)

domain: history


text:
After Sushant Singh committed suicide, the police are closely investigating every angle. Every person is being questioned. Many secrets related to Bollywood are also coming out. There was also a lot of news about Sushant and Sara coming into the relationship and now Sara Ali Khan is being questioned in the drug angle.
Sara Ali Khan is the daughter of Saif Ali Khan. Sara Ali Khan is an actress, model, and also an artist in the Hindi mainstream industry. Sara started her acting career in the year 2018 and till date, she is the most-liked and acclaimed actress in the film industry worldwide.
Sara is one of the highest-grossing actresses in Bollywood due to her acting skills. The current net worth of Sara Ali Khan is estimated to be around US $ 2 million, which is equivalent to approximately fourteen crores and thirty seven lakh Indian Rupees in Indian Rupees.


text:
Diving in the US Virgin Isalnds is easy and accessible, and offers an array of experiences for everyone. Diving can be done year-round. Water temperature is typically warm ranging from 78-83ºF (25-28ºC) and visibility is usually great at 60-100ft (18-30m).
More than 500 species of fish, 40 types of coral and hundreds of invertebrates inhabit the water. Vibrant blue tang, silvery horse-eye jacks, queen triggerfish, spiny Caribbean lobster, spotted eagle rays, Creole wrasses, and cleaner gobies are just a sampling of the marine life populating the underwater terrain. As the sun sets, octopuses, sea horses and moray eels make their appearance. Hawksbill, green, and leatherback turtles, call the USVI home and can be seen on many a dive. Lucky vacationers may even witness turtles hatching at one of the many turtle-nesting grounds. The islands of the USVI are surrounded by some of the Caribbean's healthiest reefs, and there are more than a dozen shipwrecks.
A charter yacht is the best way to see the incredible dive sites of the US Virgin Islands. On a charter yacht sailing vacation you can visit a new dive site every day, and experience some of the most beautiful, magical, unspoiled dive sites in the Caribbean.
Below you will find a sampling of some of the best dive sites in the U.S. Virgin Islands.


A not so common vulture, rescued in a critical condition by youths at Belaichandi Bairagipara village in Saidpur upazila, was sent to a government-run birds care centre in Dinajpur yesterday.
“The youths brought the injured bird to our office in the morning. After providing first aid, we shifted it to government birds care centre at Singra forest in neighbouring Birganj upazila under Dinajpur for its treatment and rehabilitation,” said Motleb Hossain, ranger of Saidpur forest office.
The vulture weighing around 10 kg is six foot long with its wings stretched and 2.5 feet high in standing position, he said.
Three days ago, a few children at Belaichandi Bairagipara village caught the vulture, which was injured and too weak to fly, said Alamgir Hossain, 21, a local youth.
“The boys poked in different ways and its condition became critical as it was kept without food and treatment. Hearing the matter, we persuaded the boys to hand over the bird to us for making arrangement for its treatment and rehabilitation. Then we took it to Saidpur forest officials who sent it to birds care centre in Singra,” he said.


text:
The Barnyard Shopping Village is a +/- 89,000 square foot retail/office center located at 26400 Carmel Rancho Lane & 3600-3777 The Barnyard, Carmel, California and is comprised of nine (9) buildings. The property consists of 3.4 acres with a parking easement encumbering an additional 3.2 acres. The setting encompasses a village of 50 shops and international restaurants within a spectacular garden. The red brick walkways provide pathways for local residents and tourists from around the world to marvel at the truly breathtaking landscaping. Located approximately 120 miles south of San Francisco and 335 miles north of Los Angeles, Carmel is a world-class destination. The property is located just a few minutes from the activities offered on the Monterey Peninsula and attracts a multitude of shopping tourists and local residents.
To our tenants, vendors, and investors:
We hope everyone is staying safe and healthy during this incredibly difficult time.
We care deeply about you, our staff, and our community and are doing all we can to respond responsibly to COVID-19 events and mandates. While our physical offices are temporarily closed at this time, rest assured that it is our priority to remain available to you. Should you need to contact anyone from our staff, they can be reached via email or phone during our normal working hours of 8 AM – 5 PM, Monday through Friday.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.


text:
Reverend Bass started this church back in the 1940's when the sugar cane mill was still in operation and supporting the surrounding community. They named the church Pepeekeo Community Assembly of God.
Over the next 20 years, they saw their share of pastors like Brother Yamada, who was a japanese school teacher, Pastor Allen, Mrs. Obobopher, and in the early 1960's John Beardsley became the senior pastor.
Beardsley pastored this church until 1975, when he took a sabbatical for a time of rest and recuperation. Harlan Kalles was then asked to cover for Pastor John and was embraced by the congregation.
After a period of time, the congregation voted to have Brother Kalles become their new pastor and after a few years, the name was then changed to Family Christian Center. The church moved into Hilo and met in several different locations before settling into it's current location in the business district. Brother Kalles continued to serve faithfully until his passing in August of 2014.
Reverend Harlan & Carolyn Kalles
The church remained without a senior pastor until July 19, 2015, wherein Dion Maeda accepted the call to become the new senior pastor. In August, the name of the church was officially changed to Connect Point Church.
Pastor Dion grew up in this church from the age of 6, back in 1987. In 2009, he and his wife, Leisha, followed the call to leave their jobs, families and home to attend North Point Bible College in Massachusetts, where he graduated in 2013. He served as a youth pastor and associate pastor at a church there for two years and also as the head of the youth for the Assemblies of God in that district.
His heart has always been for the people of Hawaii and his vision is to see thousands of locals come to faith in Christ, to be equipped and empowered to live out their faith and to plant many other churches.
The mission of this church is simply to
Pastor Dion Maeda
Pastor Dion & Leisha Maeda
reach the lost at any cost."


text:
Timing Your Retirement
This short video illustrates the importance of understanding sequence of returns risk.
Have A Question About This Topic?
Why are they made again and again? Making sense of these errors in judgement.
Steps to help you sustain and grow your retirement savings.
This calculator may help you estimate how long funds may last given regular withdrawals.

domain: economics


text:
In personal and professional development, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) stands as a powerful framework that seeks to unravel the connections between the mind, language, and behaviour.
NLP training has become an effective tool for enhancing communication skills, fostering personal growth, and achieving a deeper understanding of human behaviour.
This article examines the core principles of NLP training, its origins, and its transformative benefits.
NLP is a versatile, multidisciplinary approach that delves into the relationships between neurological processes and behaviour patterns learned through experience. The underlying foundation of NLP is a connection between neurological processes, language, and behavioural patterns learned through experience.
Origins and Evolution
NLP was initially developed in the 1970s by Richard Bandler, a computer scientist, and John Grinder, a linguist.
They embarked on a journey to study and model successful therapists’ communication and behaviour patterns.
By analyzing the strategies and techniques these therapists used to create positive change in their clients, Bandler and Grinder formulated the foundational principles of NLP.
Key Principles of NLP
1. Modeling Excellence
One of the cornerstones of NLP is the concept of “modelling.” This involves studying the thought patterns, behaviours, and strategies of individuals who excel in a particular area and replicating those patterns to achieve similar outcomes.
2. Sensory Acuity
NLP places excellent emphasis on heightened sensory awareness. Practitioners are trained to observe non-verbal cues, subtle changes in body language, and shifts in voice tone to gain insights into an individual’s mental and emotional state.

domain: psychology


text:
M83 have teamed up with Haim for 'Holes In The Sky'; the first soundtrack release from forthcoming dystopian thriller 'Insurgent'. The 'Divergent' sequel starring Shailene Woodley and Theo James is set to hit cinemas on March 20th 2015.
'Wilson', starring both Dern and Harrelson, is released in U.S. cinemas on March 24th.
At just 13, Robert Irwin is continuing his father’s legacy and he’s just as enthusiastic about animals as his dad.
Madonna adopted twins Esther and Stella from Malawi earlier this month.

domain: entertainment


text:
WRITE NOW: A TOGETHER SERIES - Director
Branded Content for State Farm
The Write Now State Farm branded docuseries profiled six woman each giving back to her community in their respective city. Shot on location in Portland, OR, Los Angeles, CA, Chicago, IL, New York, NY, Atlanta, GA and Denver, CO, the series captured the heart, soul an drive that it takes to achieve your dreams and make a difference in the world.
KL Pictures provided the client with six (6) two to three minute short films and :30 second cut downs for social.
FULL SERIES: Write Now


text:
Arts Eclectic: Evil Dead, the Musical
Evil Dead, the Musical is a stage play based on the cult favorite Evil Dead movie trilogy. The musical version has the blessing of original Evil Dead director Sam Raimi and star Bruce Campbell, and is as much an homage to the films as it is a tongu-in-cheek sendup. After runs in Montreal, Toronto, and off-Broadway, Evil Dead, the Musical is finally making its Austin debut next weekend at Salvage Vanguard Theatre.
When: October 9 – 31; Thursday – Saturday at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 5:00 p.m.
Where: Salvage Vanguard Theatre, 2803 Manor Road


text:
with Marcus Bleasdale
November 21, 2014, 7:30 PM
National Geographic Live
“Writer Peter Gwin has embedded himself with Tuareg rebels, and photographer Marcus Bleasdale has brought the world face-to-face with the use of forced labor to mine precious rare metals. They went to the Central African Republic, where hostility between Seleka and Anti Balaka militias has torn the country apart. In conversation with the director of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, Jon Sawyer, they’ll offer insight into a country largely overlooked by the Western media.”
Join Marcus Bleasdale, Peter Gwin, and Jon Sawyer for this insightful discussion, “Hidden Heart of Africa: A Report from the Central African Republic” the evening of November 21, 2014 in Washington, DC.
Please note: This presentation contains graphic images suitable only for mature audiences.


Tuesday, June 26, 2007
| 10:45:47 AM IST (+05:30 GMT)
16 Comments | Copyright: india-forums.com
Amit Jain will play the childhood friend of Heer in the Star Plus show..
Zee's Dance India Dance gets its Biggest Dancing Star in Mohammad Salman...
Happy Birthday Nawazuddin Siddique!
Actor Ronit Roy, who was injured while shooting an action sequence for ...
Popular Channels :Star Plus | Zee TV | Sony TV | Colors TV | SAB TV | Life OK
Quick Links :Top 100 TV Celebrities | Top 100 Bollywood Celebs | About Us | Contact Us | Advertise | Forum Index


text:
Yamaha TZ250H-N 1981-85 Seat Foam
Yamaha TZ250H-N 1981-1985 replacment Seat Foam, a replica of the original seat foam in Grey which was only supplied with the original seat unit. Made from closed cell foam which will not absorb water. The underside of the foam is tailored to fit over the hump in the seat. This is supplied with a self adhesive backing We also have leatherette seat pads similar to the one fitted to the TZ250/350F/G seat, See item 198 on our website.

domain: hobby


text:
Granola. Mmm. Crunchy. Healthy - yet delicious. Endless possibilities. You literally could throw anything in it, and it would probably still turn out irresistible. You could also make it extremely unhealthy, if you're not into that whole low-fat thing.
My favorite granola is my own chocolate peanut recipe, thrown together one day when I was jonesing bad for something sweet, salty, and crunchy. I had some oats, chocolate chips, salty peanuts, and honey on hand - and voila! I admit, I nearly downed the whole batch all by myself. To this day if anyone wants some, they need to fight me for it - I love it that much.
Unfortunately, today I didn't have ingredients on hand for my old standby, so I went with some basics I had in the cupboard. Turned out sooo good! Attatched is a basic granola recipe, along with what I used for today's batch.
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup nuts (I used cocoa roast almonds)
1/2 cup dried fruit (i.e. raisins, cranberries)
1/4 cup honey (or agave, even corn syrup)
2 tbsp. oil, such as canola
1/2 tsp salt
Extras (flaxseed, wheat germ, sunflower seeds)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a bowl, mix together ingredients. Add more honey if you want a clumpier granola, or for extra sweetness. Spread granola onto cookie sheet or sheet of foil and place in oven. Turn oven to 325 degrees. Bake until golden and crunchy - approx. 45 mins.
I'd recommend eating granola with some greek yogurt and berries, or with milk on top. Maybe even on oatmeal. Or - if you wanna get real creative, use it as a topping for apple crisp or berry crisp! Like I said, endless possibilities!
And I promise, one day I shall post my magic granola recipe... Until then :)

domain: food


text:
Jessica appears to be totally makeup-free, and her complexion looks absolutely flawless just like her baby girl's. The singer and fashion designer captioned the photo: "My little labour of love this year #BIRDIEMAE." The beautiful mother-daughter pair should be the star of the post. However, a few commenters thought Jessica's bare face wasn't the only area she left a bit, um, exposed.
One troll suggested Jessica had a #nipslip in a comment. She is wearing a top with a lower neckline in the photo, but Jessica's still totally covered.
She took the commenter's unsolicited opinion right in stride and shot back, responding, "I think it's flattering that you think my nipple is that high up! 😜" Her sense of humour and positive attitude expertly took down the troll.
This isn't the first time the celeb has had to deal with social media trolls. In fact, Jessica has a lot of experience dealing with less-than-nice online comments, generally in the mum-shaming realm.

domain: celebrity


text:
Fit-out, design and build specialists Paramount has today announced the appointment of Richard Jones as Chief Executive Officer in a move that will accelerate the company’s growth.
Richard has been elevated from his role as Managing Director, which he had held since November 2017, into a newly-created post that reflects the Cardiff-headquartered firm’s growth since he joined the business 15 years ago, before acquiring Paramount in a 2018 management buyout.
Helen Bartlett, who joined the company as a receptionist in 1998 with a degree in Interior Architecture, has been appointed as his successor, having previously operated as Design Manager for 11 years and subsequently Design Director for seven years.
Under the new roles, Richard will assume responsibility for the overall strategic development of the business, whose head office is located in St Mellons Business Park, while Helen will oversee the operational management whilst ensuring design and quality remain at the heart of Paramount’s offering.
The new appointments follow a period of sustained growth for Paramount and the opening of the company’s new Bristol city centre base, which has strengthened the firm’s presence across the South West of England.
Commenting on Paramount’s new leadership structure, Richard Jones said: “This marks the start of an exciting new chapter in Paramount’s success story. Our company is now perfectly positioned to build on momentum generated by our brilliant team to continue to achieve year-on-year growth and fulfil its vast potential.
“I have seen Paramount go from strength to strength since I joined the company as a Project Manager 15 years ago, thanks to the incredibly high standards we set, and I am looking forward to working closely with Helen and the management team to keep powering Paramount forward.
“A new management structure and substantial investment in our Bristol office signal the company’s commitment to moving with the times, and as we implement our growth strategy, we will make sure Paramount is a company that Wales can be proud of for many years to come.”
The new structure will further strengthen the Paramount brand and reputation of the business while also encouraging sustainable growth.
Paramount is currently on target to break through the £50-million turnover barrier in the company’s end-of-financial year accounts and the firm is confident its growth will continue following its boardroom changes.
Commenting on her new role, Paramount Managing Director Helen Bartlett, who has moved from her role as Design Director, added: “I’m extremely excited about what the future holds for Paramount and the new structure means we are perfectly equipped to expand our horizons as we target new markets.
“Thanks to my role as Design Director and the experience of the property industry that come with being with the business for 24 years, I’m in a very strong position to understand who Paramount are, where we have come from and where we are going.
“It’s fair to say that Paramount is part of my DNA. The brand and the people are at the heart of what I believe makes us different. Projects that are design-led with attention to detail are at the core of the business and will remain a key part of Paramount going forward, while also being agile enough to expand into other disciplines.”
Wales football icon Gareth Bale is among Paramount’s clients with the company having undertaken a £1.2M fit-out scheme of his mini-golf venue Par59 in Cardiff and other clients include Legal & General and the Development Bank of Wales.


text:
|Most expensive month:||December|
|Average price in Jung-gu:||$90/night|
|Absolute cheapest price found:||$65/night|
|Most expensive day:||Tuesday|
Jung-gu is home to many highly-rated hotels, one of which is Hotel Riverside, which has a current rating of 9.0. For other potential stays, consider Hotel Daoom, which has received a rating of 8.6 from 141 users.
With a rating of 8.0/10 from 254 reviews, Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach is a hotel close to Waikiki Beach that is highly recommended by HotelsCombined users.
Bali Mandira Beach Resort & Spa is the hotel close to Seminyak Beach that is most recommended by HotelsCombined users, with 270 reviews rating it at 8.8/10.
Close to Legian Beach you will find Bali Mandira Beach Resort & Spa, which has a rating of 8.8 over 270 HotelsCombined reviews.


text:
With many people returning to offices and not all workers having received their COVID-19 vaccine yet, it is not unusual for workers to be worried about their return.
According to a survey of 5,000 workers across various sectors, half of UK workers expect their employers to demand vaccine passports before they can return to their workplace, and 17% have had a conversation about their company’s policy on vaccines.
A poll of 2000 workers, conducted by Glassdoor, also found that 56% thought there should be a requirement for staff to have had their COVID vaccine before returning to the office.
Opinions are split
While a third think it would be reckless of their employer not to introduce a policy on vaccinations, almost two thirds don’t agree it would be the right thing to do and would be far too controlling of the employer.
Different industries fair differently, and 44% of hospitality workers agreed mandatory vaccines were a good idea, compared to 24% of office workers and 21% of key workers. When it comes to office workers 47% say they have concerns over using shared facilities such as lifts, kitchens and toilets with other companies who might have different views on the vaccine. On the other hand 80% say that they trust their employer to keep a workplace clean and tidy.
Without official government advice or law on the circumstances around whether COVID-19 vaccines could be mandatory for employers, employers should be cautious with enforcing mandatory vaccines for employees.
There is also a risk that discrimination claims could be raised against you if an employee declines the vaccine based on medical or religious grounds and is penalised or dismissed. There are many justified reasons why someone may not be vaccinated and employees should be mindful of their obligations under the Equality Act before making any serious decisions.
There also may be a risk of workers compensation claims from employees who experience adverse side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine if the vaccine is taken at the employer’s direction, in circumstances where the vaccines is not otherwise mandatory
However, it could be argued there are also legal risks of not making the vaccine mandatory as employers have obligations regrading health and safety in the workplace, and those obligations extend not only to employees, but to other visitors or person present in the workplace.
Once a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available, technically the best way to ensure health and safety in the workplace is to ensure all employees are vaccinated. There could also be the potential for constructive dismissal claims by vaccinated employees, possibly claiming they had to resign because their employer wouldn’t ensure all their colleagues were vaccinated, putting them at risk.
There is no one size fits answer, and individual workplaces should carry out risk assessments on the implications of both mandatory and non-mandatory approaches to vaccination. Employer expectations should be clearly set out in an appropriate policy.
It is a very sensitive area and not only should employers be discussing what office life will look like this year, but also what the future holds in years to come.


Legendary Sampler Meets Iconic Sequencer
- Sample anytime, anywhere with the built-in mic and battery power
- 29 seamless switching DSP effects
- 3 control knobs, 12 performance pads, and Sub Pad for rapid-repeat triggering
- Pattern sequencer with quantize mode and shuffle feel
The SP-404A makes for an intuitive and inspiring addition to the AIRA range of performance instruments for DJs, musicians, and producers. Plus, a new library of sounds curated by sample-industry leader Loopmasters are provided via the included SD card.


KATHMANDU, March 10: The Election Commission (EC) has explained the reasons behind its decision to choose green ballot papers for the local level elections. Organizing a press conference on Thursday, the EC said that the green color has been selected for the purpose of facilitating the counting of votes.
On the occasion, the EC asserted that it was ready to clarify any questions if anyone had any doubts regarding the color of the ballot papers.
According to EC Spokesperson Saligram Sharma Poudel, the commission has tried to use different colors of ballot papers for the upcoming elections as the blue ballot paper used in the 2017 election and the ink used in the stamp are both blue.
The EC justified its actions on selecting green ballot papers after the CPN-UML Chairman accused the Nepali Congress of trying to manipulate the voters in the election by using the color green for the ballot papers.


OSUKARU – Rock It Up (2016)
Swedish guitarist Oz Osukaru has been tirelessly fighting to position his band OSUKARU at the top of the Melodic Rock / AOR field for more than seven years. The problem always was the male vocalist change from album to album, but now seems Fredrik Werner has firmly occupied the slot and “Rock It Up“, Osukaru’s 6th effort, it’s the first featuring the same singer.
It’s obvious; when you get a stable line-up for more than a year, it pays its dividends. On “Rock It Up”, Osukaru sounds and feels like a real band like never before.
As happened since the last album, this new recording shows the group much more inclined to Melodic Rock than the characteristic AOR sound of Osukaru’s origins. Of course, there’s ever present keyboards and melodies in the classic Scandinavian tradition, but overall the style is Melodic (Hard) Rock.
Think Talisman, Takara and alike, with the personal Osukaru vibe including occasional sax here and there, string arrangements, acoustic passages, etc.
‘Rock It Up’ opens with a punch driven by a hard riff and showcasing how much Fredrik Werner’s vocals have greatly adapted to the band. A kickin’ rocker with an extremely melodic chorus.
“Driven By Love” goes for AOR in classic vein yet with a modern sound akin Pride Of Lions, then ‘Multiplied’ is a melodic mid-tempo, a song with a strong Heart influence.
‘Rock It Up (karaoke version)’ could be taken as a filler, but it’s really interesting as you can check how much the band has grown and how good sounds instrumentally.
The rest of the songs are the new recordings with Fredrik Werner at the mic, some re-worked old songs, some newer.
Finally, seems Osukaru has found stability and it’s ready for a major step: a full length album with new material. “Rock It Up” shows a band tight & oiled, plus strong songwriting.
Production has been improved in recent Osukaru works, and while still is not perfect, comes very close to the final goal.
Really Good Scandinavian Melodic Rock / AOR.
01 – Rock It Up
02 – Driven By Love (2016)
03 – Multiplied
04 – Rock It Up (karaoke version)
05 – Strangled Emotions
06 – Out of Touch (new version)
07 – Edge of A Broken Heart
08 – Tell Me You’ll Stay (new version)
09 – Arrows
10 – Mafia Rules (new version)
11 – Promised Land (new version)
Oz Ozukaru: guitars, keyboards, backing vocals
Fredrik Werner: vocals, guitars, backing vocals
Eugenia: vocals, keyboards
Fredrik Svensson: bass
Vidar Mårtensson: drums
BUY IT !


text:
Diversify your reading list by incorporating these First Nations books and authors into the mix. Get a hold of one of these books and find a comfy nook to spend hours learning about our beautiful rich First Nations culture and history and be proud to call yourself an Australian.
1.Too Much Lip – This 2019 Miles Franklin Award-winning novel, written by Melissa Lugashenko of Bundjalung and European descent, is one to grab and read now. This Goorie author's latest novel, after the success of Mullumbimby is full of dark witty humour. This beautifully written novel shines a light on the real issues of racism, inequality and land rights as a family grapples with multi-generational personal and social issues. Set in South-Eastern Queensland, it follows Kerry Salter as she returns home to visit her dying Poppy. Too Much Lip reiterates the importance of family and all of its annoying idiosyncrasies.
2.Dark Emu - The informative book written by Bruce Pascoe, challenges colonial history as we know it. This Bunurong man has won Book of the Year in the 2016 NSW Premier's Literary Awards and the Indigenous Writer's Prize at the 2016 NSW Premier's Literary Awards, (just to name a few) for Dark Emu . The book argues that Aboriginals were using domesticated plants, sowing, harvesting, irrigating and storing, prior to colonial settlement. Following the success of Dark Emu , Bruce Pascoe has recently released a children's book called Young Dark Emu, suitable for children ten years and up. These two books are a great read to further understand our nation's history, landscape and environment.
3. Welcome To Country: A Travel Guide To Indigenous Australia – Professor Marcia Langton's new book is an easy guidebook for anyone wanting to start from scratch and understand Indigenous and Torres Strait Islanders. Professor Marcia Langton breaks down and explains terminology, Indigenous languages, customs, history, native title, art, dance, storytelling, cultural awareness and appropriate etiquette. This book is for everyone, to learn and refer to as a guide, be it to explore tourism sites, galleries, festivals, Indigenous communities that are open to the public, tours and performances. Finally, a child-friendly book is also available called Welcome To Country: An Introduction to our First peoples for young Australians, which covers the same content as well as The Stolen Generation.
4.Eelahroo (Long Ago), Nyah (Looking), Mobo-Mobo (Future) – This award-winning author Lionel G. Fogarty is one of Australia's most prolific poets and First Nations political activists. As a Yugambeh man, Fogarty was born on the Cherbourg Aboriginal Reserve in Queensland and describes unapologetically the political and social injustices and his optimism of the future in a humorous and at times, intensely hard-hitting poetic manner. This 2016 NSW Premier's Literary Awards Shortlisted book of poetry is worth checking out, with poems such as; 'Non-Pain In Rain', 'Federation Still Lied', '1967 Encouraged the Right Vote Now?' and 'Murgon Brawl Cherbourg Brawls' to read and reread his wise and at times riddling prose.
5. The Swan Book– Alexis Wright will make you cry, laugh and shock you to your core in her book The Swan Book. This multi award-winning author doesn't shy away from the hard issues that plague our current society, with a futuristic look at Aboriginals still living under the Northern Territory Intervention, in an environment that is altered by climate change (does this sound familiar or what?) This energetic story is like a modern-day legend or fairytale that needs to be adapted to the big screen (hint, hint!). The story follows Oblivia, a mute teenager, who is the victim of gang-rape by petrol-sniffing youths. This beautiful but horrific story provides optimism in some of the bleakest of places, as she becomes the First Lady to the first Aboriginal president of Australia. This beautifully crafted book captures everything that is pure and unique about Aboriginal and Australian culture and heritage but spins and twists it around, which encourages the reader to think and become more socially conscious.


text:
By Bailey Kozalla, Watershed Specialist
With the start of the winter season, much of the landscape throughout Northwest Pennsylvania has lost most of its color. Despite this, glimpses of glossy green leaves and red berries are often seen scattering the bottomlands, a signature of the holiday season.
The American Holly (Ilex opaca) is easily identified in the winter months against the contrast of a snowy scene. Inhabiting the understory of forests in moist soils, the tree normally grows between 15 to 25 feet tall but can reach heights of 60 feet. Its stout, stiff branches equipped with spine-tipped leaves is considered the hardiest broadleaf evergreen by many. Female plants possess its notable red berries which are an invaluable food source for wildlife species (but are poisonous to humans).
The tree's beauty and hardiness makes it a desirable native ornamental. There are over 1,000 native and non-native varieties of the species - before planting, make sure to check with a nursery to ensure you are receiving a native American Holly.
By Jake Cochran, DGLVR Technician
The Dirt, Gravel & Low Volume Road program is predicated on the concept of “local control." At the district level, this is achieved through the recommendations of the Quality Assurance Board (QAB). The QAB is a four-member “steering committee” that makes recommendations to the district board on project funding and local policies. This four-person body is comprised of a nonvoting chairman appointed by the conservation district directors, and one local representative appointed by each of the following entities: The federal Natural Resource Conservation Service, The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and the county conservation district. The PFBC or NRCS may appoint members who are not necessarily a PFBC or NRCS employee to the QAB to serve as that agency’s representative. Local conservation agencies such as Trout Unlimited may be a potential source of QAB volunteers. These members assist the district with the establishment of local control and program requirements including but not limited to: fiscal, environmental, and written priorities, training incentives, and site inspections. The QAB’s recommendations are relayed to the conservation district board and action is taken on project approval and spending. The public is welcome to attend QAB meetings. The date, time, and location of these meetings are posted in advance on the district’s website and as a public notice in the local newspaper.
The Venango Dirt, Gravel & Low Volume Road Program QAB held a meeting on December 6, 2023 at 11:00 AM at the Venango Conservation District. The recommendations from this meeting were given to the Venango Conservation District's board of directors on December 14 at their monthly board meeting. The Venango Conservation District board of directors has approved funding for the following projects for the 2023-2024 DGLVR season:
Dirt and Gravel Road Projects
Canal Township – Wood Road - $95,877.00
Oakland Township – Gifford Road - $147,430.96
Pinegrove Township – Hale Road - $197,720.00
Irwin Township – Kerr Road - $80,000.00
Low Volume Road Projects
Irwin Township - Whieldon Road - $23,700.00

domain: biology


kosmos WATER BRALETTE
Providing light support, the Kosmos Bralette has adjustable straps making it easy to achieve your perfect fit. Featuring a twist front design, the Kosmos Bralette makes the perfect yoga or gym crop for light activity and layering with your favourite vest top.
Each Bralette has been made using yarn recycled from fishing nets & post consumer waste. The fabric is produced in Italy and is of the same quality as virgin nylon, but with a much lower environmental impact.Inspired by the free flowing motion of our seas, our water print has been hand painted to create a unique and organic pattern. In a palette of blue tones inspired by the ocean, this print has a natural watercolour effect. Water is the perfect option if you want to introduce an earth inspired colour to your style.
See the difference your choice can make
Yarn made from ocean recovered fishing nets & post consumer waste.
Compared to virgin nylon yarn, 80% less global warming impact.
1% of our annual sales are donated to the charity Healthy Seas


text:
What Is The Best Popular Pokies Site
Boost your chances of winning with these expert dice strategies for profitable games
So, you’ll be able to explore our range of Live Casino games and find your new favourite. Play real online pokies with the free signup bonus, but they are becoming increasingly popular due to their speed and security. Paylines are the lines that run across the reels and determine whether you win or not, some prepaid cards may have fees attached to them. Some offer better odds, so it’s always worth checking the terms and conditions before making a purchase. Making a Choice Between Slot Machines: A Variety of Slot Machines and Roulette Options to Choose From, play for longer periods of time.
How does LiveCasino compare to other reputable online casinos in terms of safety and security?
Can i win money on best australian pokies uncover the Benefits of Playing Blackjack with a Live Dealer, there are a range of payout methods available at pokies sites. With a variety of venues to choose from, as it allows players to take advantage of winning streaks without risking too much of their bankroll. This is a feature that allows players to verify the fairness of the games using cryptographic algorithms, if you receive a $100 bonus with a 20x wagering requirement.
What are the available payment methods for the Australian Online Casino? With the rise of new pokies online, SkyBet provides clear explanations of each bonus and offers a range of incentives to its customers. Players can enjoy all the traditional casino games, there are several specific strategies that players can use when playing Australian Blackjack. This also means that Mini Baccarat is often played in more casual settings, they can make a big raise to get more money into the pot.
Tax Free Pokies No Deposit Required Australia
Many online casinos offer loyalty programs that reward players for their continued play with various perks and bonuses, we’ll take a closer look at free money pokies games in Australia and how you can get started playing them. Don’t chase losses: If you lose your bonus funds, you can usually play the games for free in demo mode. Live online casinos use advanced technology to stream live games in real-time, to make up for the missing 10s. One possible reason is the game’s simplicity, it’s important to use them wisely. So it’s important to gamble responsibly and only bet what you can afford to lose, there are other ways to win money on pokies.


Scant details are available at the moment, but there’s been activity on the GB Studio GitHub regarding development and bugs for an upcoming 3.0 release of GB Studio, a popular game creation tool for the Game Boy.
It should be noted that GB Studio 2.0 has endured a lengthy beta period and it seems that might continue. The last stable version of GB Studio was 1.2.1, released almost a year and half ago in January 2020.
A brief message posted to the #faqs channel of the GB Studio Discord announcing the development of 3.0 notes that it’s currently unstable and there’s no timeframe for release. However, it also gives instructions on compiling GB Studio 3.0 from source code yourself if you’re interested enough, as well as the proper way to report bugs you encounter while using it.
GB Studio 3.0 is under development. Right now, it’s unstable and not suitable to develop with. We’ll post in #announcements when you can start testing it.
When is 3.0 beta coming out?
3.0 is made by volunteers, there cannot be a reliable release date.
How do I get 3.0? Some people seem to be using it already.
Visit https://github.com/chrismaltby/gb-studio/issues/244#issuecomment-511568971 for a guide to compiling the source code.
How do I report 3.0 bugs?pautomas on the GB Studio Discord
Open an issue on GitHub here: https://github.com/chrismaltby/gb-studio/issues/new?assignees=&labels=bug&template=bug_report.md&title=(3.0) Please keep (3.0) in the title.
How exactly 3.0 differs from 2.0, and why the decision was made to jump to another major version, have yet to be formally revealed. However, it points to some serious under-the-hood work likely designed to make GB Studio more flexible in game creation and/or easier to develop updates for. Furthermore, a video posted by the creator of GB Studio, Chris Maltby, this past January teased a bevy of features enabled by a “completely rewritten game engine.”
Did work on the new engine balloon to the point it made more sense to debut it in a major new release? The new features in Maltby’s video (above) are impressive, especially the new integrated music tracker.
GB Studio 2.0 has been highly anticipated, packing in frequently-requested features such as full color support, platforming and other genres available as gameplay options, and the ability to save, among other things. Anecdotally, it seems most developers have already moved on to 2.0 for development of their games despite it still being labeled as beta software.
Hopefully this means 2.0 can graduate to the stable channel soon, as development on 3.0 heats up. 🔥


July 18, 2014, 10:06 am
Obama to speak on Ukraine crisis
By Justin Sink
President Obama will address the nation Friday morning about the situation in Ukraine, a day after a Malaysia Airlines jet with 298 people onboard was downed in the country's separatist-held East.
On Thursday, the president offered only brief comments on the incident, telling a crowd in Delaware that "the world is watching" reports of the crash.
"It looks like it may be a terrible tragedy," Obama said. "Right now, we’re working to determine whether there were American citizens onboard. That is our first priority. And I’ve directed my national security team to stay in close contact with the Ukrainian government. The United States will offer any assistance we can to help determine what happened and why."
Late Thursday night, White House press secretary Josh Earnest called for an immediate cease-fire in eastern Ukraine to allow international investigators access to the crash site.
And for the first time, the administration suggested a link between the crash and pro-Russian militants operating in the area, noting the incident “occurred in the context of a crisis in Ukraine that is fueled by Russian support for the separatists.”
“It is critical that there be a full, credible, and unimpeded international investigation as quickly as possible,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest said in a statement. “We urge all concerned — Russia, the pro-Russian separatists, and Ukraine — to support an immediate cease-fire in order to ensure safe and unfettered access to the crash site for international investigators and in order to facilitate the recovery of remains.”
A senior administration official said Thursday the focus of U.S. efforts at this point was preparing to support an international effort to find out what happened. Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board and FBI are involved in that work, the official said.
Later Friday, President Obama will meet in the Oval Office with Secretary of State John Kerry and Treasury Secretary Jack Lew — the two administration officials who have played a central role in the development of sanctions toward Russia for its role in the Ukraine crisis.
The U.S. on Wednesday moved to impose a new round of sanctions on Russian energy and defense companies over Russian assistance for the rebels, but the administration could push for greater penalties if it is determined Moscow was directly or indirectly responsible for the downing.


text:
Kourtney Kardashian holds hands with her pal, model Winnie Harlow, as they arrive to the Nice Guy for a night out on Wednesday (July 10) in Los Angeles.
The 40-year-old reality star and 24-year-old model were also joined by Luka Sabbat for the night out.
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Kourtney Kardashian
For months, fans thought Kourtney Kardashian and Luka Sabbat might be an item but these photos cleared things up.
If you missed it, Kourtney recently admitted she had some anxiety about turning 40 years old and felt the urge to cry about it.
Source: Read Full Article


text:
As most people who follow Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG) know by now, the company hasn't done particularly well over the last couple of years. As seen in the graph below, P&G has been slightly outperformed by its competitors on a top-line basis.
Click to enlarge images.
So what exactly has gone wrong for P&G? Can we expect any improvement from PG in the future? To answer those questions, I will begin my analysis by looking back in time. More precisely, I will look at the year 2000, when A.G. Lafley was appointed as P&G's new CEO.
How A.G. Lafley Turned Things Around
Lafley overtook a company with declining sales, shrinking market share, and no "next big thing" in sight. Prior to Lafley, the company had tried to push too many mediocre products through the pipeline. Lafley, however, quickly adopted a back-to-basics approach. He focused on selling the company's biggest brands, such as Tide, Pampers and Crest, rather than developing new products from scratch. Six years after he was hired, P&G had twice as many billion-dollar brands as they did in 2000. The stock price had doubled as well, providing decisive evidence that Lafley had successfully turned things around.
Now let's go forward to 2009, when Lafley retired as the CEO and Bob McDonald took over the job. Though McDonald was not a new face at P&G (he had been the COO since 2007 and been employed by the company for 27 years), he did bring a slightly new management philosophy. In response to the declining sales of Tide, Olay, and Gilette, he decided to increase the company's investment in innovative products, converse to Lafley's policy of downplaying internal R&D spending during his reign.
Today P&G spends nearly $2 billion annually on R&D, which is roughly 50% more than its closest competitors. This corresponds to 2.4% of its revenues. In comparison, Unilever spends 2.17% of its revenues on R&D. So why hasn't this R&D spending resulted in revenue growth higher than its competitors? There are a few reasons:
- Long development phases
- Mediocre growth in developed countries
- P&G's choice of price strategy
Long Development Phases -- The Story of Tide Pods
Usually it takes two years for a product to be developed, but as Tide Pods (pictured below) shows, it can take even longer. Back in 2004, P&G administered surveys and made observations of 6,000 consumers, and found that more than a third dreaded doing laundry, as they disliked carrying a heavy detergent bottle downstairs to the laundry room or the laundromat. Therefore, P&G wanted to create a product that weighed less and cleaned better than its predecessor, Liquid Tide. Years later, P&G had created the technology they wanted: A soft ball with three separate bubbles filled with liquids. Through consumer tests, Procter & Gamble found that 97% of consumers were satisfied with the product, compared with about 68% who were satisfied using regular detergent.
The innovations of Tide Pods didn't end there: The company used screens at the Innovation Center to project 3D images of a virtual grocery store and, through tests, researchers learned that people often overlooked the product. Therefore P&G developed a clear, fishbowl-like container so consumers could see through the packaging. In 2011, Tide Pods was finally ready to be launched ... or so P&G thought. Unfortunately for P&G, it ran into problems making the pods, as they required special equipment different from what's used to manufacture regular detergent. The launch was therefore pushed back to February 2012. P&G followed the launch with a 150 million marketing campaign, and expects $300 million in sales during its first year.
I believe the story of Tide Pods shows that P&G has the capability to maintain its market share in the $6 billion laundry market, but that it also needs to use a lot of resources accomplish this goal. And it takes time before spending in R&D pays off, as there is a lag effect between R&D spending and an increase in revenues.
How P&G Wants to Turn Things Around
Developed markets are expected to grow by just 1% a year. Therefore, Procter & Gamble has focused on developing markets over the last couple of years, where growth rates are expected to be around 8%. But this change in focus might have been what caused P&G to lose market share in developed markets. Management seems to acknowledge that, as it recently reformulated the strategy of P&G. The new strategy is called the 40-20-10 plan, where P&G wants to focus on the 40 largest markets, its 20 best innovations and the 10 most important developing markets.
In formulating its strategy, P&G basically admits that it made a mistake in trying to expand too quickly in emerging markets. It will now concentrate on the most important emerging markets, not enter new ones, and at the same time try to increase its market share in developed markets.
To accomplish the latter, P&G plans to lower prices and increase advertising spending. However, I am not convinced that this will increase revenues. P&G is already spending more on advertising than its competitors, and I believe additional advertising will have a diminishing effect. As I discussed in my latest article, I do not believe it's likely that lower prices will lead to any significant growth in revenues. It will also be difficult for P&G to gain back market share (through lower prices), as it takes time for the customers to realize that the price cuts have happened. This is especially true, if they have become used to buy products made by the competitors.
I now want you to take a look at the graph at the top of my article again, which illustrates the revenue growth rate. Some of that growth comes from the expansion into emerging markets. But if P&G wants to down prioritize growth in emerging markets, then I doubt that the revenue growth rates realized over the last couple of years will be sustainable. This effect is further multiplied by the expectations of growth in GDP slowing down in Brazil, China, and India.
My Expectations for Top-Line Growth
In summing up the arguments I have made so far, I disagree with management's expectations of a 4% growth in revenue. Over a five-year period, I estimate that revenues will grow by somewhere between -1% and 3%.
Does this mean that P&G is a bad investment? Not necessarily, as I've only tried to estimate the future growth rate in revenues. But there are other factors to consider, such as the macroeconomic environment, capital investments, and whether P&G is capable of lowering costs. Over the coming days, I plan to write follow-up articles that take an in-depth look at those issues.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

domain: finance