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By Richard Kallet, MS, RRT, FCCM
Director of Quality Assurance, Respiratory Care Services, Department of Anesthesia, San Francisco General Hospital
Mr. Kallet reports he is a major stockholder in the Asthma & Allergy Prevention Company, is a consultant for Getinge Group, and receives grant/research support from Nihon-Kohden.
SYNOPSIS: Critical care physicians reviewed more than 700 mechanically ventilated patients with acute hypoxemia and reached a consensus on the presence of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in 15% of patients and nonconsensus on the presence of ARDS in an additional 14% of cases. Hospital mortality was not different between these cohorts (37% and 35%, respectively).
SOURCE: Sjoding MW, Hofer TP, Co I, et al. Difference between patients in whom physicians agree and disagree about the diagnosis of ARDS. Ann Am Thorac Soc 2018; Oct 15. doi: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.201806-434OC. [Epub ahead of print].
In a single-center retrospective study, a panel of 13 critical care physicians (seven advanced pulmonary critical care fellows and six critical care faculty, three of whom had been involved in ARDS clinical trials) reviewed 738 mechanically ventilated patients with acute onset hypoxemia (an arterial oxygen tension to inspired oxygen fraction [PaO2/FiO2] < 300 mmHg) for the presence of ARDS using the Berlin Definition during the first week of hospitalization. All available electronic data were reviewed, including chest radiographs and CT scans. Clinicians used a standardized evaluation tool for identifying ARDS. Overall variation in ARDS diagnosis was examined according to variations in clinician assessments and differences between subject presentations.
Based on results of physician reviews, patients received an estimated probability of ARDS depending on the degree of physician agreement; patients with greater agreement that ARDS was present had a higher estimated ARDS probability. Patients were categorized as consensus-ARDS (probability of ARDS, > 80%), disagreement (probability of ARDS, 20-80%), and no ARDS (probability of ARDS, < 20%).
The panel performed more than 1,800 reviews. Individual members varied widely in their determination of ARDS (8-47%). However, between clinicians there was 69-83% agreement on the presence of ARDS. Only 7% of the total variation in diagnosing ARDS was attributable to clinicians vs. patient attributes. Nonetheless, in half the patients diagnosed with ARDS, there was substantial disagreement between critical care physicians. The highest rate of ARDS diagnosis occurred among faculty who had participated in ARDS clinical trials (34%), followed by other critical care faculty (30%) and fellows (20%).
Statistically significant patient characteristics distinguishing consensus vs. disagreement on the diagnosis of ARDS included the presence of pneumonia (75% vs. 49%, respectively), noncardiogenic shock (62% vs. 43%, respectively), and bilateral “airspace disease” on chest radiograph (70% vs. 23%, respectively). Smaller differences in the presence of nonpulmonary sepsis (35% vs. 32%, respectively) were not significant. Overall, derived decision rules based on these results indicated that the combination of pneumonia, noncardiogenic shock, and a nadir PaO2/FiO2 < 120 mmHg revealed the highest consensus (63%) and lowest nonconsensus (16%) for diagnosing ARDS. The only significant differences in clinical outcomes between consensus and nonconsensus cohorts diagnosed with ARDS were mean days of severe hypoxemia (3.2 days vs. 2.0 days, respectively) as well as ventilator-free days (14 days vs. 16 days, respectively).
One of the most vexing and contentious issues in ARDS is that clinicians often cannot agree on which patients actually have the syndrome. This can substantially affect how these patients are managed and their ultimate outcomes. This problem has existed for as long as the syndrome has been formally recognized. One is reminded of Petty’s famous editorial “Confessions of a Lumper,” which described misuse of the designation, although he personally considered it “a desirable lumping of a variety of pulmonary insults.”1 In this context, the lack of appreciable differences in hospital mortality between consensus and nonconsensus cohorts is the most meaningful result of this study. ARDS is an acute, hyperinflammatory process that at onset almost invariably is associated with nonpulmonary organ dysfunction regardless of severity.2 Historically, 90% of ARDS mortality results from progressive multiorgan dysfunction. The emerging picture over the past two decades suggests that common clinical interventions (e.g., use of physiologic tidal volume) that reduce the inflammatory process (rather than exacerbate it) are associated with fewer organ dysfunction episodes and better outcomes. Therefore, from a practical standpoint, clinicians should be less concerned about the certainty of diagnosing ARDS. Rather, our focus should be on whether patients are in a hyperinflammatory state and whether chest mechanics suggest the presence of either stretch-related or shear-related lung injury. In essence, once engaged, the hyperinflammatory state (and associated multiorgan injury) does not cease upon reaching arbitrary cutoffs in PaO2/FiO2. Our management tactics not succumb to that illusion.
An insightful finding of the Sjoding et al study was the influence of clinician experience. The highest rates of ARDS diagnosis were made by physicians who participated in clinical trials of ARDS, whereas the lowest was among critical care fellows. This suggests that clinicians whose practices largely focus on the detection of ARDS may be more attuned to the subtlety of syndrome presentation as well as an awareness of the multitude of less common mechanisms that produce ARDS.
- Petty TL. Editorial: The adult respiratory distress syndrome (confessions of a “lumper”). Am Rev Respir Dis 1975;111:713-715.
- Kallet RH, Lipnick MS, Zhou H, et al. Characteristics of non-pulmonary organ dysfunction at onset of acute respiratory distress syndrome based on the Berlin definition. Respir Care 2018; [in press].

domain: health


A new series of statements from the president and the vice president are casting the spotlight once again on the sometimes fractious relationship between the White House and its progressive base.
On Monday, Vice President Joseph Biden told a crowd of Democratic voters in New Hampshire that the "base constituency" had to "stop whining and get out there and look at the alternatives." The point, he argued, is that the legislative accomplishments of this administration were more motivational than a cause for discontent. On Tuesday, the president echoed the point in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, in which he was quoting as saying it was "inexcusable for any Democrat or progressive right now to stand on the sidelines in this midterm election."
"People need to shake off this lethargy," he said. "People need to buck up,"
Combined, the two statements seem relatively consistent with a somewhat curious tack the administration has taken with respect to disaffected Democrats. Granting a fairly progressive-leaning publication access to the president is a straightforward way to reach progressive voters. Telling them that they need to buck up seems a bit counter-intuitive (though the DNC and the White House have been blasting out the interview to reporters throughout Tuesday morning).
This, of course, has been the dynamic for a while now. And while the president may lament his party's lethargy, he has in some respects his own staff to blame.
This week, Ari Berman of the Nation released his book "Herding Donkeys" that documents the growth of the modern Democratic Party from the nadir of the 2004 election through the triumph of 2008. The majority of the book looks at the efforts by former DNC Chairman Howard Dean to build a national network that could immunize the party from becoming either marginalized or regionalized. But the epilogue charts out how the style of Obama's governance drained the type of voter enthusiasm that, Dean acknowledges, was critical in those efforts.
"The White House began to believe that they could mobilize their supporters without hearing what their supporters really wanted in terms of specific change," Dean is quoted as saying. "The principal problem with OFA is the same one the president's having. You can't dictate to your base what's going to happen. It's got to be a two-way deal, and it hasn't been."
Addressing a telling moment in the health care debate, when White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel (a frequent Dean critic) called out progressive activists for running ads against conservative Democrats, Berman asked the former DNC Chair for his reaction.
"I'm not looking to pick another fight with Rahm Emanuel, but the contempt with which he held the progressive wing of the party was devastating and incredibly demoralizing," Dean said. "That's basically saying to your own people -- you got us here, now FU."
Dean did not immediately return a request for comment about the most recent round of Obama-Biden statements.


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I had a wonderful chat with Hana the Suburban Witch yesterday for her podcast, and today she has posted a wonderful review of Changing Paths (she was one of the advance readers and is quoted on the cover).
“Changing Paths by Yvonne Aburrow is a down to earth and extremely practical book on the complexities and intricacies of switching belief systems. Yvonne’s words will leave you feeling deeply seen, especially if changing religions is something you have already encountered in your life. If you have not yet made the switch, it will provide you with the framework and steps necessary to make those changes for your future if need be.
Yvonne’s tone is gentle, understanding and to the point which makes this book a refreshing change to others that try to tackle the dense topic of personal religion. Yvonne’s words are kind and accepting of all beliefs making this a book that is truly for everyone. I especially love how they sum up the best way to know if your chosen religion is beneficial to you or not: “If religion or spirituality makes us more disconnected from other people, less compassionate, less rational, then it is harmful. If on the other hand, it enables us to feel more love and compassion for others, and be better able to cope with the sorrowful aspects of life, then it is helpful.”
Covering topics such as religious trauma, gender and sexuality acceptance within various religions, the religious issues with patriarchy and opposite issues associated with a matriarchy and following it all up with a rich guide on joining or converting to paganism in any of its many forms. Changing Paths is a well-researched and easy to absorb book filled with wisdom and practical advice on what can often be a difficult and confusing topic for many people.
I truly wish I had a copy of this book during my own transition from evangelical Christianity to Witchcraft. It would have saved me a lot of frustration, confusion and ill-informed anger by providing the guidance and prompts required of a shift that big.”— Hana the Suburban Witch
Do check out the rest of the review on her blog. I feel deeply seen and appreciated after reading it.

domain: literature


- Microsoft enables potential unwanted software detection for enterprise customers
- Make sure the cloud doesn't fog up your window into network security
- ANZ mobile adoption matching world pace for Wi-Fi security management: Aruba
- Microsoft cleans up Dell’s certificate mess as it did after Lenovo’s Superfish fiasco
- Microsoft zaps dodgy Dell digital certificates
Samsung Galaxy S IV - News, Features, and Slideshows
Samsung has released a second teaser video for its upcoming Galaxy S IV Android phone.
Samsung has released a teaser video for its upcoming Galaxy S IV Android phone.
Samsung, which on March 14 plans to reveal in New York City the much anticipated Android-powered Galaxy S4 smartphone, today has begun teasing the product in an ad designed to ramp up the hype.
The Samsung Galaxy S IV will come in six different models, according to rumours published by US blog Sammobile.
The iOSphere was assured this week that it now knows the details of one of the Next iPhones, though this one is said to be not the iPhone 6 or even the iPhone 5S but the "budget iPhone 5," or iPhone 5B.
I've written before that it seems like HTC was due for a win one of these days (even though the rumors about the M7 were a bit off) and it sure looks like they've done pretty well for themselves with the new HTC One, which was rolled out Tuesday in New York.
- Telstra extends NRL sponsorship and digital rights to 2022
- Schneider Electric forms strategic alliance with Integrated Control Technology
- Security, Cloud, Big Data, smart machines and artificial intelligence to lead 2016: Frost & Sullivan
- ACCAN voices concern over proposed domain name system changes
- ANZ upgrades its Internet banking experience


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- Ideal for Summer
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£30.85 – £50.00
FluidRideTM Midsole – Features a two-layer construction that blends luxurious lightweight cushioning and a responsive bouncy underfoot comfort.
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I.G.S – ASICS Design Philosophy employs linked components that enhances the foot’s natural gait from heel strike to toe-off for improved running efficiency and an improved ride underfoot.
runningsportswear.uk is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

domain: hobby


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Erin Keane lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where she writes about theater, arts and culture for The Courier-Journal and Velocity. A graduate of the Kentucky Governor's School for the Arts and the low-residency MFA program at Spalding University, she teaches in the National University MFA program and in Bellarmine University's interdisciplinary core, Keane is a recipient of fellowships from the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts and the Kentucky Arts Council, and she directs the InKY Reading Series in Louisville. Her first collection of poems, The Gravity Soundtrack, was published by WordFarm in 2007.
Other Books by Erin Keane
The Gravity Soundtrack (WordFarm)
One-Hit Wonders [Poetry Chapbook] (Snark Publishing)
More About Erin Keane


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Using the adjective “rising” before the phrase “health prices” seems redundant these days. Health prices seem to be always rising, often at rates greater than those for other things we buy. The continuation of this trend usually offers little to look at that we haven’t seen before.
Still, “Ask Phil” specializes in tilting at windmills and other quixotic exercises, and I will keep reminding you of these and other most unpleasant health care trends. As consumers, you need to know them to adequately plan for your future. As citizens and voters, you need to know them to understand what’s at stake for your community and to cast your election ballots accordingly.
I often look to the Kaiser Family Foundation for my health information. In an era when charges of fake news get blown about like so much ideological cotton candy, Kaiser stands out as a provider of rigorously fact-based information. Kaiser recently took a broad-based look at how much money people on Medicare spend for their health care and, to the point here, what the future is likely to bring, assuming our current health programs continue in much their present form. I wish everyone would take the time to read this entire 24-page report. Heck, if you’re retired, maybe you can make the time!
Kaiser looked at total out-of-pocket spending on all types of health needs and then lined this total up against equally broad measures of senior incomes. This can be a tricky exercise and, of course, averages do not equate to an individual’s circumstances.
The big picture here is that health care will be increasingly expensive for all of us. As I noted earlier, this is hardly a surprise. The significance of what Kaiser found is how our widening economic inequality is creating divergent impacts of health inflation.
More affluent retirees will hardly break a sweat in affording health care. Yes, there will be complaints, but their financial burden will not increase substantially.
“Between 2013 and 2030,” Kaiser said, “the median out-of-pocket health care spending burden for beneficiaries in traditional Medicare is projected to increase modestly from 14 percent to 17 percent” of per-capita income.
Keep in mind here that median is a mid-point, not an arithmetic average; half of everyone will have a lower burden and half a higher one. Also, traditional Medicare refers to the two-thirds of Medicare beneficiaries who do not have a Medicare Advantage plan but instead have Parts A and B, usually a Part D drug plan, and also perhaps a Medigap supplemental insurance plan.
Paying a sixth of our incomes for health care is unacceptable. But for people of relative means, a 3 percentage-point boost in health spending by 2030 is more of an inconvenience than a serious problem. According to Fidelity Investments, which takes regular looks at retirement readiness, 86 percent of baby boomers (now aged 53 to 71) are in good financial shape for retirement. This means they can pay for their essential expenses but are not fully funded for their discretionary travel and leisure spending wishes.
People in or near poverty already receive substantial help in paying for Medicare, and if such support continues (a big “if” under Republican “reform” proposals), their outlook also would change little. That outlook, of course, is hardly rosy.
Many retirees depend heavily on Social Security benefits and, for older and poorer people, it often is their only source of income. Comparing out-of-pocket health spending with Social Security benefits, as Kaiser does, thus represents a real-world affordability index for millions of retirees.
Average health spending is projected to rise from 41 percent of average Social Security income in 2013 to 50 percent by 2030. In its measurements, health spending includes about 60 percent for Medicare and 40 percent for other health needs. This average masks much more serious burdens for poorer, older, and sicker retirees.
Here are some other 2013 to 2030 key comparisons, by income group. Here, the broader measure of total income is used, not just Social Security. These use median changes, which, to repeat, aren’t the same as arithmetic averages:
Dependence on Social Security is increasingly shaky given planned changes in benefits, as well as projections the program will run short of funds beginning in 2034, at which point it will be able to pay only an estimated 77 percent of projected benefits.
In addition, senior advocacy groups say that Social Security benefits are declining in terms of what those dollars will buy. They argue that the program’s annual cost of living adjustment (COLA) is based on overall consumer prices that do not fully protect older consumers from the impact of inflation on the items older consumers need, particularly health care.
“Since 2009 the COLA was zero in 2010, 2011, and 2016, and only 0.3 percent in 2017,” according to one such group, the Senior Citizens League. “Since 2010, the COLA has averaged just 1.2 percent, compared to the prior decade, 2000 through 2009, when the COLA averaged 4 percent….Social Security benefits have lost 30 percent of their buying power since 2000.”
For retirees, the Kaiser trend lines foreshadow unpleasant choices — cutting back on non-health spending, reducing health care use, or both.
People who are still working also might consider cutting current consumption and setting aside more savings for future health needs. This includes maxing out contributions to health savings accounts, where possible.
There has been a generation-long uptick in later retirements, and the Great Recession of 2007 and 2008 accelerated the ratio of older employees in the workforce. A recent study by the Urban Institute finds a growing economic gap between seniors who are healthy enough to continue working, and those who cannot.
“Although employment and income at ages 62 to 64 increased substantially over the past two decades for people in good health, employment and income stagnated for those with health problems, and throughout retirement their average incomes remained below the average of those in better health,” the study concluded. “These findings highlight the importance of strengthening the disability safety net and underscore the risks of raising Social Security’s retirement ages.”
Looking at the nasty convergence of these trend lines, it is more important than ever for people to make smart Social Security and Medicare decisions. As always, I will personally answer as many of your questions as I can.
Phil Moeller is the author of “Get What’s Yours for Medicare: Maximize Your Coverage, Minimize Your Costs” and the co-author of the updated edition of The New York Times bestseller “How to Get What’s Yours: The Revised Secrets to Maxing Out Your Social Security,” with Making Sen$e’s Paul Solman and Larry Kotlikoff. On Twitter @PhilMoeller or via e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.org.
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domain: finance


Malta’s latest MP Miriam Dalli has revealed she’s personally in favour for the introduction of recreational use of cannabis. However, she maintained it was a complex issue with varied opinions and merited a proper discussion.
Speaking to Peppi Azzopardi in Xarabank’s latest episode aired on Lovin Malta, Dalli explained that despite her personal opinion, the country would need to speak a wide range of people to achieve a balance on the issue.
“Look at people who deal with drug addiction, for example, they are totally against it. What I believe might not necessarily be the best way forward,” she said.
Dalli said that nation finally needs a proper discussion on the issue that takes into account scientific studies on cannabis use.
The government has long been working on a legislative framework sensitive to cannabis users. However, it seems to have stalled.
Last 4/20, the unofficial international day dedicated to cannabis users’ rights, Parliamentary Secretary for Reforms Rosianne Cutajar published a video citing the results of a study which found that over 40,000 people in Malta have used cannabis.
Dalli is expected to command a powerful ministerial position within the coming weeks and months. It remains to be seen whether the issue will fall under her duties. However, her influence could have a massive effect on some progress in the discussion.
Share with someone who needs to watch this interview!


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NEW YORK, April 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- American Media, LLC today announced that it has reached an agreement in principle with James Cohen, the owner and CEO of Hudson Media, for the sale of its newsprint tabloids, including the National Enquirer (US and UK editions), Globe and National Examiner. The agreement also includes a multi-year service contract that will generate substantial fees for American Media to provide publishing, financial and distribution services for the tabloid brands.
"The sale of these brands shows their vitality in today's newsstand marketplace where they continue to generate nearly $30 million in profit annually," said American Media President and CEO David J. Pecker. "James and his team at Hudson have a proven history in publishing and have the market-based knowledge and long-term vision needed to ensure the growth of these brands."
"Year after year, the Enquirer has continued to be one of the best-selling and most profitable newsstand titles," said James Cohen. "But this transaction is about more than a weekly publication, it's about a brand with extraordinary potential across multiple platforms."
Mr. Cohen said he plans to accelerate the Enquirer's current collaborations with Investigation Discovery, as well as the documentary shows it produces for REELZ. In addition, he sees exponential growth and engagement through weekly series podcasts from the tabloid's archives. The recent 12-part audio documentary podcast, "Fatal Voyage: The Mysterious Death of Natalie Wood," quickly became the #2 program among all Apple podcasts worldwide with 4+ million downloads in 2018. Expanding the National Enquirer theme parks that recently opened in Branson, Missouri and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee to other markets is another priority.
The result of this transaction is a significant deleveraging for American Media, leaving the company with only $355 million of debt. Interest expense will be reduced by $13 million per year, which will enhance the company's free cash flow and allow American Media to continue to deleverage.
The agreement between the companies is expected to close as soon as possible once the necessary regulatory approvals have been obtained.
About American Media, LLC
American Media, LLC owns and operates the leading print and digital celebrity and active lifestyle media brands in the United States. American Media's titles include Us Weekly, Star, OK!, In Touch, Life & Style, Closer, Men's Journal, Muscle & Fitness, Powder, Snowboarder, Surfer, Bike, Mr. Olympia Contest, National Enquirer and other celebrity and teen titles. American Media also manages nineteen different digital sites including Usmagazine.com, OKmagazine.com, RadarOnline.com, Intouchweekly.com, Lifeandstylemag.com, Closerweekly.com, MensJournal.com, MuscleandFitness.com, Powder.com, Surfer.com and other digital and social properties. American Media's magazines have a combined total circulation of 5.7+ million and reach approximately 49.4 million men and women each month. American Media's digital properties reach approximately 65 million unique visitors monthly.
SOURCE American Media, LLC

domain: economics


text:
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Written by Connie Roop, Peter Roop
Part of the American Museum of Natural History Level 2 Series
Lovereading4kids Price £3.19
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Extreme Survivors by Connie Roop, Peter RoopFrom boiling heat to bone-chilling cold, from the driest deserts to the darkest caves, from the tallest mountains to the deepest seas: these animals survive in the most extreme environments imaginable. Meet these incredible creatures, including polar bears and penguins that endure freezing temperatures, brine shrimp that swim in salty waters, birds that fly higher than airplanes, and even the ancient microscopic water bear, an extremophile that could stay alive in outer space!
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Connie Roop, Peter Roop
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15th May 2014
It’s so easy to find the right book for your child. Such an easy-to-use, yet in-depth website. 100% reliable.Pippa, Jack, Liam & Matthew Wils
A great way to introduce kids to great books, authors & genres. Parents can find age-appropriate books to share with their children.Judi Davies – Aberdare Girls Sch
We love Lovereading as my 5 year old loves to read new books before anyone else has a chance, she says it makes reading exciting!Tracey Chorley
Writing reviews help the children with their literacy skills and we always read the books together which gives us good quality family time!Cat Bisland (on behalf of the Bi
Love “Lovereading4kids” as my son gets to hear about & read new books before his mates which keeps him interested in reading=a very happy MumLiz Evans
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LoveReading4Kids is a modern and creative way of emphasising the value and importance of books in this digital age #booksforlifeAmrit Bunet – Teen
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domain: library


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news From All Africa
- MSF accuses Libyan coastguard of endangering people’s lives during Mediterranean rescue
During a rescue in the Mediterranean Sea on 23 May, the Libyan coastguard approached boats in distress, intimidated the passengers and then fired gunshots into the air, threatening people’s lives and creating mayhem, according to aid organisations Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and SOS Méditerranée, whose teams witnessed the violent incident.
The teams from MSF and SOS Méditerranée had been alerted to the position of the boats in distress. Teams distributed lifejackets to the passengers in preparation for the rescue. More than twenty passengers were brought to the Aquarius, the search and rescue vessel jointly operated by both organisations. The other passengers remained on the distressed boat, while the teams had to go and provide assistance to another boat which was in a more critical situation.
In the meantime, a Libyan coastguard vessel with mounted weapons approached. “Two Libyan coastguards, wearing uniforms and armed, stepped onto one of the rubber boats. They took phones, money and other belongings from the passengers,” says Annemarie Loof of MSF.
“People became panicked and felt threatened. The passengers were terrified from the aggressive conduct of the Libyan coastguards.” This caused mass panic to break out and ended with more than 60 people in the sea.
“Many passengers – who had luckily already received lifejackets before the shooting began – jumped off the boats into the sea in fear,” adds Loof. “Our teams pulled 67 people out of the water as gunshots were fired in the air. It’s a miracle that no one drowned or was injured.”
“The Libyan coastguard showed very little regard for the wellbeing of the people in the boats in distress,” continues Loof. “Their behaviour was reckless – if not directly threatening – to the people on the boats.”
“Knowing that the Libyan coastguard has been receiving training and support from the European Union makes the incident all the more disturbing,” stresses Loof. “We believe that the Italian and European authorities should not be providing support to the Libyan coastguard, either directly or indirectly. This support is further endangering people’s lives.”
Despite the chaos, teams from MSF and SOS Méditerranée were able to safely bring 1,004 people, including a two-week-old baby, on board the Aquarius.
Distributed by APO on behalf of Médecins sans frontières (MSF).
- Digital IQ for African companies track global averages—but South Africa is at risk of falling behind: PwC report
Most organisations around the world have not done enough to keep up with the digital era – and leadership is falling short, with many chief executives not yet fully engaged in the initiatives of digital transformation. African companies match their global peers in many measures of Digital IQ: just over half (52%) rate their organisation’s Digital IQ as strong – a score of 70% or greater. However, South African companies stand at risk, with less than half (47%) rating their organisation’s IQ over 70%.
These are some of the highlights from the 10th edition of PwC’s Global Digital IQ survey (http://APO.af/FZSmmw), with a focus on Africa. “Digital IQ has a different meaning today than it had when PwC (www.PwC.com) started this research a decade ago.” Tielman Botha, Digital Lead for PwC South Africa, says: “Today, the scope and scale of digital-driven change has grown significantly, and organisations have invested a lot of time and money to keep up.
“Despite notable advances in technology, company leaders are no better equipped to handle the changes coming their way than they were in 2007, according to the survey results.”
In fact, Digital IQ – the measurement of an organisation’s ability to harness and profit from technology has actually declined since we began asking executives to self-assess their own organisations, comments Botha. As this year’s survey shows, many companies are grappling with raising their Digital IQ. There is awareness that digital capabilities are a critical component to success, and that emerging technologies have to be explored. But leaders remain challenged by the need to transform their organisations to truly integrate digital into the company’s culture.
Digital IQ, leadership, and goals
C-suite engagement in digital investment has grown in the past decade, but a large portion of chief executives are still behind when it comes to being the change agents. In 2007, one-third of companies said their CEO was a champion for digital, but that number remains surprisingly low when CEOs are responsible for staving off disruptors and driving transformation – even in 2017 only 68% of respondents (Africa: 65%; South Africa: 50%) stated their CEO championed digital. On top of that, many respondents said other senior executives remain disengaged from digital transformations. “CEO and CIO support is critical to developing successful digital initiatives, along with attention to human factors,” Botha adds.
The survey, now in its 10th year of identifying trends in technology and business adoption, examines just how organisations maximise returns on their digital technology investments, or not.
Over the past decade, PwC has used this survey to ask corporate leaders a critical question – how are organisations maximising and profiting from their digital investments? Companies are faced with an ever-growing list of options for technology investment, but whether or not those investments are being put to good use remains an omnipresent problem – that has not been alleviated in the last decade.
This year’s survey results, gathered from the perspectives of 2,216 business and technology executives, provides insight into the challenges corporate leaders continue to face.
Business-model innovation and technology platform integration are considered the top digital initiatives for African organisations over the next three years: South African companies are more likely to cite technology platform integration (50%, vs. 40% of others in Africa).
Emerging technology: next generation digital
A decade ago, technologies like social media, mobile, cloud and analytics were still entering into the mainstream. Today a new wave of technologies, including what are known as the essential eight, is emerging: the Internet of Things (IOT) and artificial intelligence (AI), the foundational elements for the next generation of digital; robotics, drones and 3D printing, machines that extend the realm of computing power into the material world; augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), which merge physical and digital realms; and block chain, a new approach to the basic bookkeeping behind commercial transactions.
However, most companies are not better prepared in 2017 to adopt emerging technologies than they were a decade ago. African executives are focused on digital innovation, but may not have the processes in place to execute on strategy: 87% say identifying opportunities to digitise their enterprise is a critical part of their innovation process (vs. 79% of others), but only 63% take a systematic approach to evaluating emerging technology (vs. 76% of others).
Similar to organisations in other parts of the world, investments in Africa are focused on the IoT and AI (69% and 42% are investing heavily today, respectively), and are expected to continue over the next three years (63% and 60%). African firms are more focused than their global peers on virtual reality, with 21% investing significantly compared to 7% of others.
African executives tend to take a different approach to exploring emerging technologies than their peers, including collaboration with other companies. They are also more likely to network with other industry leaders (54% vs. 27%) or with vendors (40% vs. 31%). Meanwhile, they are somewhat less likely to use industry analysts (66% vs. 78%) or competitive intelligence (56% vs. 69%).
The human experience
While tech is important, the role of customers and employees (including employees like the CDO and CIO)) and their ability to adapt to change and utilise digital and emerging tech are critical in advancing transformation. However, addressing the full spectrum of human experience remains a serious challenge for most organisations. Like their peers around the globe, African companies lack many necessary digital skills, particularly in user experience and human-centered design (40% say this skill is well-developed in the workforce vs. 38% globally). Further, they could do more to close these skills gaps: currently, just 65% regularly update their talent model to address changing digital skills, compared with 72% of others.
“It is vital that companies invest in digital solutions if they want to be successful. It is even more important that they think through how their investment in digital can drive new business models and financial results.
“Having a high Digital IQ is about integration, and requires fitting together the pieces of the puzzle – the business, the customer and employee experience and the technology – to build one cohesive and transformative solution. This is what will give a company the competitive edge,” concludes Botha.
Distributed by APO on behalf of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC).
Note to editor:
PwC worked with Oxford Economics in late 2016 to survey more than 2,200 senior business and IT executives from 53 countries and more than 30 industry segments. The territory focus on Africa includes 52 responses from Zambia, Ghana, Uganda, South Africa, Kenya, Mauritius, and Nigeria.
Tielman Botha: Digital Lead for PwC South Africa
Office: + 27 11 797 0638
Sandy Greaves Campbell: Managing Director, Change the Conversation, South Africa
Office: + 27 11 028 7753/54
Sanchia Temkin: PwC Head of Media Relations, South Africa
Office: + 27 11 797 4470
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- Italian Language at Khartoum
The “Marco Polo” hall of the Khartoum University was opened on 23 May. It is entirely a “Marco Polo” hall which is dedicated to Italian language and culture. A public contest was launched on Facebook for the more than 8,500 followers of the “Italy in Sudan” page. Many Italian personalities are taking part in the contest, with dozens of preferences and comments being posted by young Sudanese web surfers on the wall of the page of the Italian Embassy in Sudan. This is a new Italian initiative and has turned out to be a great success! The ceremonial cutting of the ribbon at the Linguistics Department of the Khartoum University on May 23 inaugurated the “Marco Polo” hall, entirely dedicated to Italian language and culture, for the many Sudanese students who have enrolled. The ceremony was attended by the university's top executives, the Rector and the Deans of the Languages and Arts Departments as well as many students and followers. The Italian Ambassador to Khartoum, Fabrizio Lobasso, said: “It is a race against time, but is thanks to the passion the Sudanese people have for Italy.”
The first Italian language course, which is about to end, is 60 hours long and based on Dante Alighieri's experience as regards textbooks and the curriculum. The students are ready to start again in September with a second course that will enable them to take the PLIDA exams at the Dante Alighieri and be awarded an A2 language diploma.Ambassador Lobasso went on: “Students interested in starting a new A1 course in the Italian language are already queuing up. If we combine it with the current course, the Italian course taught at the International African University and the one due to start in September at the El Nilain University in Khartoum, it will strengthen our role in the local university environment to expand our presence and finally establish chairs of Italian studies in the country. Inshallah, as they say here!”
Distributed by APO on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy.
- Wang Yi Holds Talks with Minister of African Integration and Ivorians Abroad Aly Coulibaly of Côte d'Ivoire
On May 22, 2017, Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Minister of African Integration and Ivorians Abroad Aly Coulibaly of Côte d'Ivoire in Abidjan.
Wang Yi noted that China and Côte d'Ivoire enjoy a long-term friendship. Both sides have always enjoyed equal treatment and mutual respect, and supported each other on issues concerning respective core interests and major concerns. In recent years, Côte d'Ivoire has maintained political stability, with rapid economic development and continuous and new achievements in national construction. China is willing to, under the framework of China-Africa ten major cooperation plans of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), take the joint construction of the “Belt and Road” as an opportunity to deepen cooperation in various fields with Côte d'Ivoire, and help Côte d'Ivoire gradually establish its own industrial system and improve its self-development capability, in a bid to make it enter the rank of emerging market economies at an early date. China is a sincere partner of Côte d'Ivoire and African countries, and share common ideal and pursuit with them. China will make efforts on the international stage as always to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Côte d'Ivoire, African countries as well as developing countries.
Aly Coulibaly expressed that as the most sincere friend and partner of Côte d'Ivoire, China has offered support and assistance during the whole process of the country’s national peace and development, which is an important embodiment of bilateral political mutual trust. Côte d'Ivoire is committed to enhancing bilateral relations, and deepening bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation in economy, trade, finance and other fields. The FOCAC Johannesburg Summit has elevated China-Africa relations to an unprecedented and new height, and the implementation of its outcomes has become a new engine for bilateral cooperation. The “Belt and Road” initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping conforms to the trend of the times and is conducive to the development of small and medium-sized countries. Côte d'Ivoire highly appreciates it and is willing to actively participate in it. Appreciating and supporting China’s Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, Côte d'Ivoire hopes to, on the basis of the principles, enhance and improve global governance and establish more fair and reasonable international orders. Côte d'Ivoire stands ready to, together with China, strengthen coordination and cooperation in such international affairs as the reform of the UN Security Council and climate change, and jointly safeguard the interests of African countries and developing countries.
Distributed by APO on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China.
- Meeting of the Libya Quartet: Joint Communiqué
The European Union (EU), the African Union (AU), the League of Arab States (LAS), and the United Nations (UN) met in Brussels on 23rd May 2017 to assess developments in Libya since their last meeting in Cairo on 18th March 2017 and further coordinate their efforts to advance the political process and assist Libya in its democratic transition.1. The European Union (EU), the African Union (AU), the League of Arab States (LAS), and the United Nations (UN) met in Brussels on 23rd May 2017 to assess developments in Libya since their last meeting in Cairo on 18th March 2017 and further coordinate their efforts to advance the political process and assist Libya in its democratic transition.2. The meeting was chaired by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission Ms. Federica Mogherini and attended by the AU High Representative for Libya, former President Jakaya Kikwete, the Secretary General of the League of Arab States, Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the UN Support Mission in Libya, Mr. Martin Kobler.3. The Quartet reiterated its commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Libya and its institutions under the Libyan Political Agreement signed in Skhirat while renewing its call to cease contacts with parallel institutions outside the Libyan Political Agreement. It underscored the urgent need for a Libyan-led peaceful resolution of the political crisis and reiterated its rejection of the threat or use of armed force by any Libyan party as well as any foreign military intervention in Libya.4. The Quartet strongly condemned the unprovoked attack on Brak al-Shati last week and expressed its serious alarm at reports of the high number of fatalities, including civilians, and of alleged summary executions. It stressed that such acts of violence constitute a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law and that the perpetrators must be held fully accountable. It called on all parties to refrain from further violence and any act that may undermine ongoing efforts to find a negotiated solution to the conflict.5. The Quartet also expressed its concern about recent security incidents and threats of violence in Tripoli. It saluted efforts aimed at consolidating a reduction in tensions in the capital and welcomed the return of calm in the oil crescent. It called on the Presidency Council of the Government of National Accord to continue to assert its authority and address security issues in the capital and elsewhere and called for renewed efforts among all parties to consolidate more durable security arrangements throughout the country.6. Recognizing the importance of consolidating stability and security along Libya’s borders, the Quartet reiterated its support for Libyan and regional measures to improve border security and pledged to enhance coordination in this field.7. The Quartet commended the efforts by the Constitutional Drafting Assembly to finalize a draft constitution and expressed its appreciation for the work made so far, most recently with the draft published on 16 April 2017. It called for the constitution-drafting process to be concluded as soon as possible to pave the way to general and presidential elections.8. The Quartet continued to encourage all Libyan parties to engage in constructive and inclusive talks to fully implement the Libyan Political Agreement. It welcomed all efforts and encouraging progress resulting from recent meetings between Libyan stakeholders, in particular between Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar in Abu Dhabi on 2nd-3rd May 2017 and between the President of the House of Representatives, Agila Saleh and the President of the High State Council, Abdulrahman Sewehli in Rome on 21st April 2017.9. The Quartet similarly welcomed the appointment of dialogue committees by both the House of Representatives and the High State Council and urged them to seek consensus on outstanding issues to ensure the full implementation of the Libyan Political Agreement. It reiterated its commitment to support these efforts and to work in a complementary manner to advance the UN-facilitated political process towards a comprehensive resolution of the crisis in Libya.10. The Quartet expressed its appreciation for ongoing regional efforts to support the Libyan political process. It welcomed the final communique of the 11th meeting of Libya's Neighbours held in Algiers on 8th May 2017, which reaffirmed support for a comprehensive political solution based on the Libyan Political Agreement.11. The Quartet expressed its concern about the economic situation in Libya, underlining the need for the Libyan authorities to tackle the serious and urgent fiscal and monetary challenges facing the country. It encouraged all concerned stakeholders – in particular the Central Bank and the Presidency Council of the Government of National Accord – to further cooperate and address these challenges, including through reforms, as developed within the framework of the Economic Dialogue.12. The Quartet reiterated its support to the coordination role of the UN and encouraged the UN to take the lead in any effort to facilitate a limited amendment of the Libyan Political Agreement including the development.and facilitation of a roadmap charting the way to a limited set of amendments to the Libyan Political Agreement, which are to be agreed as a package deal through a Libyan-led inclusive process. The Quartet also welcomed the series of activities and events convened by the UN to facilitate a national reconciliation process in Libya.13. The Quartet recognized the important role of the African Union and welcomed the recent consultations the AU High Representative for Libya, former President Jakaya Kikwete, had with Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, and President of the House of Representatives, Agila Saleh, in Tripoli, and Bayda respectively. The Quartet looks forward to additional consultations by the High Representative in the coming weeks.14. The Quartet recognized the responsibility of the League of Arab States to promote a peaceful resolution of the situation in Libya, and welcomed its determination to continue these efforts and achieve national reconciliation among all Libyans based on the Libyan Political Agreement as reiterated by the recent Arab Summit held on 29th March 2017. It also welcomed the mediation efforts of the Special Representative of the Secretary General, including during his recent consultations in Tripoli, Tobruk and Bayda.15. The Quartet welcomed the continuing support of the European Union aimed at accompanying Libya's transition towards an inclusive democracy, in particular its efforts to foster stabilization and rehabilitation, including its substantial cooperation assistance package, as well as its enhanced cooperation and dialogue with Libyan authorities and institutions and international partners to enhance their capacity to address the challenges of irregular migration.
Distributed by APO on behalf of Libyan Embassy in Washington, D.C..
- Eamon Gilmore addresses West African Parliamentarians on Northern Ireland and Colombia
Ireland deepening relations with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) – a regional body comprised of 15 member states – reached a milestone last weekend with a high-level visit to the ECOWAS Parliament by Eamon Gilmore (Former Tánaiste/Minister for Foreign Affairs and currently the EU Special Envoy to the Colombian Peace Process).Mr. Gilmore delivered two engaging lectures at a meeting with the Committee on Political Affairs, Peace and Security and to a plenary session of the Parliament on May 19th and May 20th, 2017, respectively. The highly interactive sessions offered the parliamentarians an opportunity for knowledge sharing on peace building and conflict resolution largely based on the Northern Ireland and Colombian experiences and how these lessons can be transferred to ongoing conflicts in West Africa – a region which is prone to fragility.
Distributed by APO on behalf of Embassy of Ireland in Nigeria.
- President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d'Ivoire Meets with Wang Yi
On May 22, 2017, President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d'Ivoire met at Presidential Palace in Abidjan with Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly of Côte d'Ivoire attended the meeting.
Alassane Ouattara asked Wang Yi to convey his warm greetings to President Xi Jinping, and expressed that both sides enjoy a long-standing friendship, increasingly deepen cooperation in various fields. Bilateral relations can be called as a model of Africa-China friendship. Being proud of having such a trustworthy cooperation partner, Côte d'Ivoire admires China's development achievements, and is willing to learn from China's development experience. Côte d'Ivoire highly praises the 'Belt and Road” initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping, and believes the initiative could benefit vast developing countries as well as middle and small countries. Alassane Ouattara said the country is willing to actively participate in it, and continuously explore new areas for bilateral cooperation under the frameworks of the “Belt and Road” and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. Attaching importance to China's international status, Côte d'Ivoire appreciates China's diplomatic policies, and thanks China for playing an important role in safeguarding the interests of Côte d'Ivoire and African countries within the multilateral frameworks including the UN Security Council. The country believes that China is a stabilizer and catalyst of the cause of peace and development for mankind, hoping China could promote the international community to pay more attention to and care for African countries. The country adheres to the common stance of the African Union on the UN Security Council reform, and is ready to further enhance communication and coordination with China.
Wang Yi conveyed President Xi Jinping's greetings to Alassane Ouattara, expressed that both countries enjoy a long-term friendship, and China is a sincere friend and reliable partner of Côte d'Ivoire. In recent years, bilateral cooperation has showed the momentum of vigorous development. China has become the largest financing source and the third largest trading partner of Côte d'Ivoire, and bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation enjoys broad potential. In the next step, China is willing to help Côte d'Ivoire to speed up its industrialization process, uplift capacity in self-development, gradually get rid of the single development mode that depends on export of primary products, and provide assistance within its capability to the integration process of the West Africa. Wang Yi said that the “Belt and Road” initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping is an important public product for the international community, and also the largest international cooperation in current world. China welcomes Côte d'Ivoire and other African countries to participate in the “Belt and Road” construction. It is believed related construction works could mutually integrate with the implementation of China-Africa ten major cooperation plans, injecting new impetus into bilateral cooperation. China appreciates Côte d'Ivoire's prominent role in advancing the integration of West Africa, and supports the country to play a more important role in African and international stages. The Chinese is stands ready to jointly safeguard the legitimate interests of African and developing countries with Côte d'Ivoire's.
Distributed by APO on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China.
- On Africa Day, UN chief says world must move from ‘managing crises to preventing them’
‘Africa Day’ 2017 comes at an important moment in the continent’s endeavours towards peace, inclusive economic growth and sustainable development United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said, urging humanity to listen and learn with the people of Africa.
“All of humanity will benefit by listening, learning and working with the people of Africa. It starts with prevention. Our world needs to move from managing crises to preventing them in the first place. We need to break the cycle of responding too late and too little,” said Mr. Guterres in his message commemorating Africa Day.
The UN chief pointed out that most of today’s conflicts are internal, triggered by competition for power and resources, inequality, marginalization, disrespect for human rights and sectarian divides. Often, they are inflamed by violent extremism or provide the fuel for it.
But prevention goes far beyond focusing solely on conflict.
“The best means of prevention and the surest path to durable peace is inclusive and sustainable development. It is critical to continue building more effective and accountable institutions to address governance challenges, advance the rule of law and promote civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights,” he stressed.
As the international community has entered the second year of implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to tackle global poverty, inequality, instability and injustice, Mr. Guterres highlighted that Africa has adopted its own complementary and ambitious plan: Agenda 2063.
“For the people of Africa to fully benefit from these important efforts, these two agendas need to be strategically aligned,” he said.
We can speed progress by doing more to provide opportunities and hope to young people.
Mr. Guterres referred to last month’s first-ever UN–African Union annual conference as “a unique opportunity to strengthen our partnership and establish a higher platform of cooperation,” saying: “Our work is based on four driving principles: mutual respect, solidarity, complementarity and interdependence.
Mr. Guterres said that the UN partnership with Africa is also rooted in a deep sense of gratitude.
“Africa provides the majority of United Nations peacekeepers around the world. African nations are among the world’s largest and most generous hosts of refugees. Africa includes some of the world’s fastest-growing economies,” he elaborated.
Turning to youth, he noted “We can speed progress by doing more to provide opportunities and hope to young people. More than three out of five Africans are under 35 years of age. Making the most of this tremendous asset means more investment in education, training, decent work and engaging young people in shaping their future.”
The UN chief also stressed: “We must also do our utmost to empower women so they can play a full role in sustainable development and sustainable peace. I am pleased that the African Union has consistently placed a special focus on gender equality and women’s empowerment.”
He also reaffirmed his commitment as a partner, friend and committed advocate for changing the narrative about this diverse and vital continent.
“Crises represent at best a partial view. But, from a higher platform of cooperation, we can see the whole picture – one that recognizes the enormous potential and remarkable success stories throughout the African continent,” concluded the Secretary-General.
Distributed by APO on behalf of United Nations (UN).
- 11 Libyan Women trained on Small Arms and Light Weapons Awareness by the UN
On May 15-19, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) involved 11 women from across Libya in a workshop aimed at enhancing trainees’ capacity to spread Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) awareness messages in their home communities. This event was kindly supported by the Government of Switzerland, and implemented in partnership with the Geneva-based Small Arms Survey.
UNMAS has launched this series of workshops in 2015, engaging a group of women active in civil society in different areas of Libya on four occasions. Each workshop expanded the participants’ knowledge of existing international SALW control standards, as well as of risks and mitigation measures. The project has also enabled these trainees to independently implement a variety of SALW risk awareness activities, from one-on-one sessions in households to lectures in public spaces and media. With this knowledge, the participants have enthusiastically continued to raise awareness in their communities on the safety challenge posed by SALW proliferation.
Referring to the widespread availability of SALW in Libya, a participant mentioned “It was like people woke up from one day to another with weapons everywhere, and no knowledge of how to handle them safely.” The lessons and best practices shared by the workshop trainees with hundreds of beneficiaries in their communities have the ability to mitigate the issue, and contribute to the reduction of accidents and casualties due to SALW misuse.
During the fourth workshop, participants discussed the design of risk awareness materials that will be procured by UNMAS to support follow on awareness campaigns at community level and country-wide.
Distributed by APO on behalf of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).
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domain: news


text:
U.S. Outspends Other Nations on Health Care, Has Worse Outcomes
Compared with 12 other developed nations, the U.S. spends the most on health care but has worse health outcomes, according to a new Commonwealth Fund report, HealthDay/U.S. News & World Report reports (Mozes, HealthDay/U.S. News & World Report, 10/8).
For the report, the Commonwealth Fund used 2013 data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to compare 13 high-income countries. The data compared health care spending, prices, supply and utilization, as well as health outcomes, among:
- New Zealand;
- The United Kingdom; and
- The U.S.
The report used data that predates the Affordable Care Act (Commonwealth Fund report, 10/9).
According to the report, the U.S. spent the most on health care, at $9,086 per person, while Switzerland spent the second-most, at $6,325 per person. The U.S. also spent the greatest share of its gross domestic product on health care, at 17.1%, while France spent the second-most, at 11.6%.
The U.S. had the lowest life expectancy, at 78.8 years, and the highest percentage of people 65 or older with two or more chronic conditions, at 68% (Sullivan, The Hill, 10/8).
Further, the U.S. fared poorly on infant mortality and obesity. U.S. adults used diagnostic services far more frequently than residents of any other country and were the second-largest consumers of prescription drugs.
Commonwealth Fund President David Blumenthal said in a statement, "Time and again, we see evidence that the amount of money we spend on health care in this country is not gaining us comparable health benefits," adding, "We have to look at the root causes of this disconnect and invest our health care dollars in ways that will allow us to live longer while enjoying better health and greater productivity" (HealthDay/U.S. News & World Report, 10/8).This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.


ELECTION 2020: Wanting increased access to Richfield commissioners, Bradley decided to run to become one
Published 8:01 am Tuesday, September 29, 2020
When Stanly County native Scott Bradley moved to Richfield three years ago, after spending almost a decade living in Washington, he had a few permit and zoning issues he wanted clarification about, including protocols for installing a fence and building on his property.
After finding no helpful resources on the town’s website, Bradley, 49, went to Town Hall seeking more information. Though Town Administrator Carolyn Capps provided as much information as she could, he said it still wasn’t what he was looking for. He tried to talk with Richfield commissioners, but he said they were not readily available. The only commissioner he said he was been able to talk to was Terry Almond.
The lack of accessibility with commissioners helped convince Bradley, who’s retired after 20 years in the Army, to take matters into his own hands. He’s now running for a seat on the town’s board of commissioners.
Bradley is running against incumbent Jay Patel and challengers Barry Byrd and Christy Necaise. The late incumbent Terry Almond’s name remains on the ballot as well.
“As an elected official, I believe that you need to have your finger on the pulse of what’s going on in the community,” he said.
He believes his experience in the military has prepared him to run for office and to be accountable to the people.
“Through my experience in the military, if you identify something you correct it,” he said. “You don’t leave it for somebody else to do.”
The issues that matter to Bradley are the safety and security of the residents of Richfield. He specifically cited as a concern people speeding along U.S. Highway 52 as they ride through town.
Due to what he considers inadequacies of the town’s website, Bradley said he has to get key information about the town from the website citydata.com.
“I shouldn’t have to do that,” he said.
If elected, Bradley would update the town’s website to make it more accessible, including posting videos from town meetings so people can easily access it. Since he’s retired, he said he also would have time to be accessible to the residents.
“If somebody wants to meet, I will make myself available at least twice a week, one during the weekday and one on the weekend, preferably Saturday,” he said, adding that he would do his best to talk with people when they have issues and bring their concerns up to the broader council during meetings.
He’s married and has three sons and three stepdaughters. Originally from Albemarle, Bradley went to Albemarle High School and received his bachelor’s degree from Evergreen State University and a master’s in education from Concordia University.


text: Congratulations to Sophie Shaikh, MD, MPH, MSc, who recently received the Physician Leadership Award at Duke Regional Hospital (DRH). Dr. Shaikh, is an assistant professor of pediatrics in the Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health at Duke and has been seeing newborns at Duke Regional Hospital since 2016. She was elected Chair, Department of Pediatrics, Duke Regional Hospital in 2019 and has most recently served as the director of the DRH Newborn Nursery. In these roles, she has taken an active role in advancing the quality and safety of care for the Women's and Children's Service Lines. She has helped develop and implement protocols for neonatal management of infants born to COVID positive mothers in addition to leading efforts to manage the increased volume of patients over the past two years. Dr. Shaikh has also been serving on the Medical Executive Committee (MEC) as well as the MEC Leadership Committee. Through her efforts within these committees, she has been instrumental in establishing a curriculum to help develop future medical staff leaders. She has also served as a member of the Credentials Committee since 2018. Thanks to Dr. Shaikh, whose contributions have facilitated the recognition of Duke Regional Hospital as one of the best hospitals for maternity care in the United States!


Smart washrooms with cloud networking
Digitisation is advancing rapidly in the public sector. Laufen’s response to this is the holistic Advanced Control concept. It combines technical expertise with modern washbasin faucets,
external and integrated urinal controls, a shower control and the intuitive SmartControl sanitation app, with its intuitive interface. A novel feature is the wireless connection to building management systems, which is implemented via a cloud and a gateway. This allows installers and operators of networked washrooms to configure and maintain the installed products remotely, from a PC or a laptop. And it does so entirely cable-free and without having to lay special control lines. The solution is expected to be ready for operation from summer 2019.
Feel the cloud – wireless building management system
Public sanitary facilities have varied and very specific requirements. While the toilets in airports are cleaned hourly, for example, school toilets are only cleaned once a day. The new
cloud solution takes the opportunity to customise settings, diagnostics and statistics to a new level. Follow-up flow times, water flow periods and flush modes of self-closing faucets, showers and urinals can be tailored precisely for local conditions. Thanks to the detailed statistics providing information on the number of uses and operating times of the smart products, water management can also be implemented intelligently. All of this has a positive effect on water consumption and thus on operating costs, and is a real added value for all owners and operators of public and semi-public washrooms.
Specific solutions for everyday use
If an installed faucet or shower, for example, encounters problems or requires maintenance, the responsible operator or building technical service team receives an automatic push
notification to their building management system. That optimises processes, speeds up response times and improves the service, as less downtime is to be expected. The scenarios below
illustrate the advantages of the cloud solution in everyday use.
Scenario 1 – Foresight is better than hindsight
The technical staff of a hospital’s building administration calculates how often the installed products have been used based on the statistics. This procedure enables them to re-order and
replace wearing parts, such as faucet valves, at an early stage before they start malfunctioning and the faucet stops working.
Scenario 2 – Optimised processes
In the office building of a major corporation, impurities are blocking a faucet valve. The caretaker receives a push notification via the building management system, drawing his attention to a malfunction in the valve of faucet no. X in office building Y in room Z. Thanks to the detailed description, the malfunction can be located immediately, and rectified with the correct replacement parts and tools.
Scenario 3 – Give legionella no chance
The caretaker of a retirement home can use the statistics to see which showers in the building are used irregularly. On this basis, just those showers or all showers can be flushed for hygiene, or thermally cleaned. The thermal cleaning processes, using water at a temperature of 70 degrees, are logged precisely and can also be sent by e-mail as Excel spreadsheets.
Scenario 4 – Service on demand
Highly frequented facilities, like those in motorway services, have set cleaning schedules. But what if the washroom had just been cleaned when multiple busloads of travellers suddenly descend on the toilets? The cloud solution sends the building services technician a push notification after a pre-defined number of uses, to enable them to send in the cleaning staff again. This procedure ensures that the rooms are always in top condition and the cleaning processes are optimally implemented.
For architects and planners:
- The products are sustainable and resource-efficient.
- The products are certified by the Swiss Gas and Water Industry Association (SVGW), and thus reliable and hygienic.
- The system can be connected to building services equipment without additional data cables.
- The concept is smart building-compatible.
- The faucets can be configured simply with a menu-guided interface using a conventional smartphone or tablet and the free app.
- The factory settings can be customised for the different locations.
- The parameters can be transferred to different rooms by copy and paste.
- Follow-up flow times, water flow periods and flush modes can be configured using the app, which has a positive effect on water consumption and operating costs.
- Informative statistics are available on the number of uses and operating hours.
- The integrated hygiene flushing and thermal cleaning functions prevent legionella formation.
- The monitoring modes prevent unnecessary water waste.
- Efficient use of water saves costs.
For building services, caretakers and cleaning staff:
- The products can be organised individually or in product groups.
- The products can be configured and controlled wirelessly via an app.
- Management is very hygienic, as the products do not have to be touched or dismantled.
- Faults can be identified quickly by querying the functionality of sensors, valves and the power supply.
- The cleaning mode can also be activated simultaneously for different product groups in a single room.
Laufen’s Advanced Control concept combines technical expertise with modern washbasin faucets, external and integrated urinal controls, a shower control and the intuitive SmartControl sanitation app, with its intuitive interface.
Laufen’s Advanced Control concept meets different requirements in public and semi-public washrooms.


text:
Telltale Games will release "A Journey's End?", the eighth and final entry in its Minecraft: Story Mode episodic adventure game, on September 13 for the Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, and other platforms.
Telltale's blog states:
Minecraft: Story Mode was originally announced as a five-episode game from Telltale back in the fall of 2015, but the developer decided to launch a three-episode extension in June. You can purchase those three extra "Adventure Pass" episodes for $14.99 if you already own the first episode, which is priced at $4.99
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domain: entertainment


text:
On the coast of the city of Niterói (Rio de Janeiro), the neighborhood of Piratininga is known for its beach and summer houses, many of them empty during the rest of the year. the neighborhood comes suffering an atypical wave of robberies – thefts of clothes, jewelry, perfumes, beauty, worthless object. In this context, Rebeca, a 12-year-old girl, and her mother, Marta, move into the old family home, which has been closed for years. Marta works all day all. While her mother is away, Rebeca takes care of the house. The girl is forbidden to go out. She spends the day alone, observing the daily life of the street where she lives over the wall. In that remote neighborhood, Rebeca doesn’t have any friends.
Elas Label⠀⠀⠀Original Production
Stage of production

domain: sociology


This dataset contains operational near-real-time Level 2 coastal ocean surface wind vector retrievals from the Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) on MetOp-A at 12.5 km sampling resolution (note: the effective resolution is 25 km) provided by the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) Ocean and Sea Ice Scatterometer Application Facility (OSI SAF) and the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI). This coastal dataset differs from the standard 12.5 and 25 km datasets in that it utilizes a spatial box filter (rather than the Hamming filter) to generate a spatial average of the Sigma-0 retrievals from the Level 1B dataset; all full resolution Sigma-0 retrievals within a 15 km radius of the wind vector cell centroid are used in the averaging. Since the full resolution L1B Sigma-0 retrievals are used, all non-sea retrievals are discarded prior to the Sigma-0 averaging. Each box average Sigma-0 is then used to compute the wind vector cell using the same CMOD5.n geophysical model function as in the standard OSI SAF ASCAT wind vector datasets. With this enhanced coastal retrieval, winds can be computed as close to ~15 km from the coast, as compared to the static ~35 km land mask in the standard 12.5 km dataset. Each file is provided in netCDF version 3 format, and contains one full orbit derived from 3-minute orbit granules. Latency is approximately 2 hours from the latest measurement. The beginning of the orbit is defined by the first wind vector cell measurement within the first 3-minute orbit granule that starts north of the Equator in the ascending node. ASCAT is a C-band dual fan beam radar scatterometer providing two independent swaths of backscatter retrievals in sun-synchronous polar orbit aboard the MetOp-A platform.


Cream will rise to the top no matter what the format says Mickey Harte
THE idea that any change in format would make the race for Sam Maguire less predictable is unrealistic in the eyes of Tyrone boss Mickey Harte.
The Ballygawley native will lead the Red Hands into championship fare for the 16th season when they begin their defence of the Ulster title against Monaghan on Sunday.
The qualifier system that would aid them in their All-Ireland winning campaigns of 2005 and 2008 had only been introduced two years before he took over, and this season sees the first major structural change to the championship since then with the inception of the Super 8 quarter-finals.
Harte has long advocated the idea of reforming the latter stages of the All-Ireland series to offer provincial champions a second bite at the cherry, but feels that no matter how it structured, the best teams will generally rise to the top.
“It’s never a level playing field in terms of provincial championships, and hasn’t been for a long time.
“There was a time back in the 70s when nobody only Dublin or Kerry need bother about All-Irelands or the latter stages of it.
“There was a generation of teams from Ulster and Connacht that had no mission to win an All-Ireland. The only way they’d get to the final would be the year they met each other, and invariably they didn’t win there.
“The whole thing takes cycles. I think while people say not many teams can win the All-Ireland, there never were many that could.
“There was another time when Meath and Cork dominated, and other teams would dip in here and there.
“There are always stronger teams than the rest for a certain period of time and I don’t know if that will ever change an awful lot.
“I don’t think we’re ever going to get 8 or 10 teams that you could say are really likely to win the All-Ireland. That’s the reality of life.
“Some people like to think there are various ways you could mix this all up and get a different outcome, but you won’t. The cream will come to the top.”
The lack of live TV coverage for this weekend’s eagerly anticipated clash in Healy Park has been one of the major talking points in the build-up to this year’s Championship.
RTÉ have instead plumped for the Munster SHC clash of Clare and Cork for their live broadcast, although full coverage of the game will be shown deferred on BBC NI later on Sunday evening.
Excluding the four finals, there will be just three provincial football games shown live on TV this summer but Harte doesn’t buy the idea that the broadcasters overlooking it is demeaning towards the provincial championships and feels that could have a positive on the atmosphere at the matches.
“I don’t know that it demeans it. There were many years when there were no provincial games live on TV at all. Things have moved on a lot and it became standard issue that you expected these games to be live on TV.
“Maybe there could be some added value that more people will go along to the games, that there’ll be more energy and enthusiasm on the terraces when we go to these games because people aren’t able to sit at home and see them as they happen.
“People change systems and try out new things. This is a three-year experiment that enough people at Congress decided it was worth doing.
“I’d say let’s work with it and see how it goes, and those who are involved in it will probably be the best people to judge how successful it is.
“These games will go on, people will see them and there’ll be deferred presentations and highlights. Maybe it’ll move more people away from the armchair and out into the games.”


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Safety certified dairy products from New Zealand would be likely to command a 74 % premium in China, according to new research.
It suggests the most significant increase would likely be with whole milk powder to the tune of many millions of dollars.
Three quarters of potential customers for our products in China consider rate food safety certification as very important and they are prepared to pay considerably more for such food.
This distinction has been obvious in the response to various scares with our milk and it has been confirmed by a Lincoln University study published yesterday.
Its relevance was highlighted by the fact that it was mentioned on the ChinaDaily website this morning ... but it failed to rate a mention in the Kiwi media.
The research found that 75% of Chinese and 65% of Indian respondents rated food safety certification as very important among a range of New Zealand product attributes, compared to just 41% of UK respondents. It’s thought that underlying this notable difference may be a greater trust by UK consumers in food chain regulation and compliance.
It suggested that consumers in emerging markets show greater discernment when purchasing food, and in ways not entirely expected; and this has enormous potential for New Zealand producers.
The AERU (Agribusiness and Research Unit) research study assessed Chinese, Indian and UK consumer preferences and willingness to pay for particular attributes in New Zealand food.
Although values, attitudes and preferences toward food attributes have been studied before, these have tended to focus on markets within developed countries. Very little research has been conducted on consumers in emerging markets, nor has there been much in the way of cross-country comparisons.
“It’s important that New Zealand understands the attributes of food that these markets value and how they differ from other markets,” says Professor of Trade and Environmental Economics, and AERU Director, Caroline Saunders. “This will allow New Zealand producers and exporters to better determine and interpret market signals d align themselves accordingly.”
As such, the research showed a much greater overall willingness by Chinese and Indian consumers to pay more for a product with food safety certification compared with UK consumers.
For example, according to the research, Chinese consumers are willing to pay 74% more than the normal price for dairy products with food safety certification, while Indian consumers were willing to spend up to 77% more for lamb products with food safety certification.
Other interesting findings from the study include just 34% of UK respondents rating animal welfare as very important in a New Zealand product, next to 42% and 50% of Chinese and Indian respondents respectively.
Likewise, one of the more surprising results of the survey was just 29% of UK respondents rating environmental quality as very important next to 58% of the Chinese and 55% of the Indian respondents.
Coupling these results with other outputs from the research which showed Chinese and Indian consumers valuing organic and GM-free attributes in a New Zealand product much more highly than UK consumers, and a picture begins to emerge of a far more sophisticated emerging market consumer than might be expected.
“As income grows, consumer behaviour changes. Product attributes other than price start to play a greater role in consumer decision-making,” says Professor Saunders. “Projections coming of the back of this research show that New Zealand can stand to gain handsomely through increased product certification.
“For instance, with just food safety certification alone, the potential increase in New Zealand producer returns from dairy and sheep meat exports to China, India and the UK is projected at US$247 million to 2020. The most significant increase would likely be with whole milk powder, accounting for some US$139 million,” she said.
When considering food safety, animal welfare, and biodiversity enhancement certifications combined, sheep meat and dairy exports to the three countries in question were projected to increase New Zealand producer returns by more than US$405 million to 2020.
“The results strongly suggest that New Zealand producers should give serious consideration to certifying their products,” says Professor Saunders.

domain: food


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Tenth Avenue North
With a bright and sunny modern pop sound, Tenth Avenue North (the group took its name from a major road in the West Palm Beach, Florida area, where they were originally formed) have become one of the brightest lights on the contemporary Christian music scene. Led by Mike Donehey's vocals and songwriting, the group released three independent albums, 2002's Broken Down, 2003's Don't Look Back, and 2005's Speaking of Silence, and an EP, 2006's God with Us, before signing with Reunion Records and releasing Over and Underneath in 2008 and The Light Meets the Dark in 2010. A concert set, Live: Inside and In Between, appeared in 2011, with another studio effort, The Struggle, following in 2012. Cathedrals arrived in 2014 and became Tenth Avenue North's third chart-topper on the Billboard Christian chart. The effort featured appearances by Audrey Assad, Derek Minor, and KB. Two years later, the band once again topped the Christian chart with the release of their fifth LP, Followers. The holiday-themed album Decade the Halls followed in 2017. ~ Steve Leggett
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domain: artistic


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New York Teacher Accused of Forcibly Vaccinating a Child Without Parental Consent is Charged
A Long Island teacher who has been accused by a student of forcing a COVID-19 vaccine into their body has been charged with criminal acts.
54-year-old Laura Russo has been charged with unauthorized practice of a profession, according to Nassau County law enforcement. She was released by authorities and has a court appearance scheduled for Jan. 21.
Russo allegedly injected a 17-year-old boy with the COVID vaccine despite having no medical training to do so. She also did so without the consent of the parents, according to the accusations.
This is far from the only instance in which children been allegedly violated in order to force the experimental COVID-19 vaccine into their bodies against the will of the parents.
Big League Politics reported on how Louisiana high school children were stuck with the vaccine without parental notification or approval:
“East Jefferson High School in Metarie, La. recently administered the COVID-19 vaccine to children without parental consent, according to a lawsuit filed by the parents of one of the alleged victims.
G. Shelly Maturin, who is representing Jennifer Ravain in the court of law, issued a statement about what occurred. Ravain’s son was reportedly given the COVID-19 vaccine without any parental notification.
“The egregious and reckless actions of Ochsner and East Jefferson High School went well beyond any legal or moral bounds and at a minimum, constitute a battery upon the minor child,” Maturin said.
“Their actions should shock the conscience of all citizens of Louisiana, and every legal avenue will be pursued to make sure that justice is served,” he continued.
“Hopefully, this type of lawless behavior will stop immediately, and no other parents or children will have to go through this nightmare,” Maturin added.
Ochsner Health, the firm that administered the vaccine at the high school, released a statement apologizing for the lack of parental consent and said they would take measures to make sure this would not happen again.
“We have procedures in place to ensure that all policies are followed; however, in this instance, this did not occur. We have taken immediate action to review our on-site vaccination policies and to ensure that these policies will be strictly enforced moving forward,” said Dr. Robert Hart, who works as Chief Medical Officer for Ochsner Health.
“As a leading healthcare provider in this community, we value the trust that parents put in us to care for their children, and we are revising our school vaccination program to ensure that this does not happen again. We are in communication with the parent who brought this to our attention. We offer our sincere regret and apology for any distress this has caused,” he added.“
The COVID regime is being used as an excuse to weaken parental authority. These sick public school teachers and officials believe children are property of the state and do not even hide their abusive agenda any longer.
Support Big League Politics by making a donation today. You can also donate via PayPal, Venmo or donate crypto. Your support helps us take on the powerful and report the truth that the mainstream media wants to silence.


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After spending tons of hard-earned money on digital video games through services like Steam, you don’t even get to leave them to anyone if you pass away.
Eurogamer dug into what happens to your Steam games when you die, taking a look at the terms of service, talking to a lawyer, and even contacting Steam support. They found out that, even if you ask nicely, you can’t leave your video game collection to a friend or loved one even if it’s in your will.
That’s not cool, and Steam shouldn’t just lock away all the games that you paid good money for in the first place. But now we know. Read more…
Source: Mashable | What happens to your digital video game library after you die

domain: game


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Saturday update: 15 new COVID-19 cases in York County, disease continues to ravage nursing homes
The state Department of Health reported 15 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in York County Saturday, bringing the local total to 578.
To date there have been eight deaths due to the contagious disease and 6,159 negative test results in in York County.
Statewide, there were 1,397 additional positive cases reported, for a total to 40,049. Forty-five more deaths were reported, bringing the statewide total to 1,537.
“As we see the number of new COVID-19 cases continuously change across the state that does not mean we can stop practicing social distancing,” state Secretary of Health Rachel Levine stated in a news release Saturday.
“We must continue to stay home to protect ourselves, our families and our community,” she stated. “If you must go out, please make as few trips as possible and wear a mask to protect not only yourself, but others. We need all Pennsylvanians to continue to heed these efforts to protect our vulnerable Pennsylvanians, our health care workers and frontline responders.”
Most of Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 deaths have occurred in nursing and personal care homes.
“In nursing and personal care homes, there are 6,544 resident cases of COVID-19, and 782 cases among employees, for a total of 7,326 at 425 distinct facilities in 40 counties,” according to a Saturday news release from the state Department of Health. “Out of our total deaths, 942 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities.
Three homes in York County have reported five residents and one employee who have tested positive. No deaths have been reported at local nursing or personal care facilities.
The department provided this breakdown of ages for those who have tested positive:
Nearly 1% are aged 0-4;
Nearly 1% are aged 5-12;
1% are aged 13-18;
Nearly 6% are aged 19-24;
38% are aged 25-49;
Nearly 28% are aged 50-64; and
Nearly 26% are aged 65 or older.


Company Description:iFOAM is your insulation and concrete lifting solution in Eastern Iowa. We specialize in spray foam insulation and air sealing. We provide best-in-industry blown-in solutions, insulation removal, retrofitting and concrete leveling/caulking services. Our certified technicians are provided with the best tools, training and products in the trade. Our number one goal is to make the buildings you work and live in more comfortable and energy efficient.
Concrete Leveling + Caulking. Sunken or settled concrete can be a safety hazard. The traditional solution is difficult and expensive; break out the old concrete and replace it. But we have another solution! With the expanding power of injection foam,


Blitz Kids (band)
|Also known as||Rig Up Explosive (2006-2009)|
|Genres||Alternative rock, pop punk|
|Years active||2006 - present|
|Labels||Red Bull Records|
|Past members||Eddie Hawx
The band was formed in 2006 by original members Joe James, Jono Yates, Nic Montgomery, Billy Evanson and Eddie Hawx. The band was initially named "Rig Up Explosive", but the name was changed to Blitz Kids in 2009. The name meaning was explained to be inspired by Joe's grandfather who was in a gang who named themselves 'Blitz Kids' during the events of World War II.
The band released two albums, Scavangers, a mini-album, and Vagrants and Vagabonds, their first full-length feature, along with an EP entitled Decisions.
Two of the original members, Billy Evanson and Eddie Hawx, were forced to leave the band due to personal issues in 2012. Matt Freer replaced Eddie on drums in later 2012 and the band released a third EP entitled Never Die.
Tours and festivals
Significant tours Blitz Kids have embarked on include opening for D.R.U.G.S. in the UK in March 2011, opening for Mayday Parade in the UK in May 2011, and touring with Australian pop-punk band Tonight Alive in October 2012 across the UK. To support the release of Never Die Blitz Kids went on a headline tour of the UK in December 2012 with Evarose as main support on most dates.
Blitz Kids have played a number of UK festivals, including the Red Bull stage at Sonisphere Festival UK in 2010, Hevy Festival the same year, then the Introducing Stage at Slam Dunk in 2011 as well as Download Festival in the summer of 2011. They also played Radstock Festival in Liverpool in March 2013.
In January 2013, Blitz Kids were named the support band for American pop punk band We The Kings tour of the UK. Almost straight off the back of this tour they were named main support for Lower Than Atlantis's tour of Europe. This tour came just days after being announced to be playing Download Festival and Slam Dunk Festival. In April 2013 the band parted with Hassle Records and signed with Red Bull Records, and, along with Big Sixes, supported the British rock band Canterbury on their UK tour, before Canterbury then went on to tour Europe without Blitz Kids. Later in the year the band was a support act for rock band Mallory Knox. After that tour they were named as main support for pop punk band All Time Low across Europe in February and March 2014. In August 2014 they played at Merthyr Rock, along with Reel Big Fish and Anti-Flag. In late September/early October of 2014, Blitz Kids had their own headline tour, supported by Natives and Scholars.
- Joe James - vocals (2006 - present)
- Jono Yates - guitar, backing vocals (2006 - present)
- Nic Montgomery - bass, backing vocals (2006 - present)
- Matt Freer - drums (2012 - present)
- Eddie Hawx - drums (2006 - 2012)
- Billy Evanson - guitar (2006 - 2012)
|2011||Vagrants & Vagabonds|
|2014||The Good Youth
|2011||"Hold Fast"||Vagrants & Vaginabonds|
|2013||"On My Own"||The Good Youth|
|"Run For Cover"|
Nominations and achievements
- "Nicola Craig Tumblr: 2011 Blitz Kids, Southampton". Nicola Craig. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
- "BLITZ KIDS LOSE TWO MEMBERS". Punktastic. 6 May 2012. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
- Reid, Sean (2009-08-20). "Blitz Kids To Support D.R.U.G.S. on UK Tour". Alter The Press!. Retrieved 2013-02-23.
- "Kerrang! Mayday Parade confirm support for UK tour". Kerrang.com. Retrieved 2013-02-23.
- "Blitz Kids Announce New Mini-Album & Headline Tour | News | Rock Sound". Rocksound.tv. Retrieved 2013-02-23.
- "Kerrang! Blitz Kids announce rescheduled tour dates". Kerrang.com. 2012-11-28. Retrieved 2013-02-23.
- "Sonisphere Stage Times 2010 | News, Top Posts". Metal Hammer. Retrieved 2013-02-23.
- "Hevy Festival Adds More Names! | News". Metal Hammer. Retrieved 2013-02-23.
- "Slam Dunk 2011 Stage Times | News". Metal Hammer. Retrieved 2013-02-23.
- "Download Announce 43 New Bands | News". Metal Hammer. Retrieved 2013-02-23.
- "Blitz Kids confirmed for Radstock Festival". Wiseblood Management. 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2013-02-23.
- "Blitz Kids And Natives To Support We The Kings In January | News | Rock Sound". Rocksound.tv. Retrieved 2013-02-23.
- "And the nominees are...". Kerrang.com. 4 May 2011. Retrieved 2013-04-30.


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Home » City » City Crime Map » Maps Neighborhood Crime Map Blog With Collection Of All On Community Crime Map
Maps Neighborhood Crime Map Blog With Collection Of All On Community Crime Map
Published: Tuesday 09th of January 2018|F


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Birth: ABT 1675 in MD.
Death: BEF 16 NOV 1714 in St Mary's County, MD
Birth: ABT 1633.
Death: BEF 30 JAN 1684/85 in St Mary's County, MD
Birth: 1672 in St Mary's County, MD.
Death: BEF 20 DEC 1742 in St Mary's County, MD
Death: BEF 8 MAR 1725/26 in Prince George's County, MD
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domain: geography