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Five unidentified Harvard scientists are reported by the New York Times to be among the 48 researchers named in a new blacklist compiled by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare.
The blacklisting of a researcher or scientist prohibits his serving on HEW committees regulating research activities and Federal grants.
"No one knows whether he is on the blacklist or not," said Nobel laureate George Wald, Higgins Professor of Biology. He referred to the resurgence of government security pressures as "a conspiratorial phenomenon," and said he was "shocked, but not too surprised" by the report.
He recalled once having to sign a "loyalty oath" in order to receive travel fare for delivering a lecture at the National Institutes of Health, a unit of HEW. He added, "I've never been asked to serve on an advisory panel of NIH."
Mark Ptashne, lecturer in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, called the blacklist "ridiculous" and "out of the Middle Ages," but admitted, "I'd be disappointed if I weren't on it"
Among the distinguished research leaders are seven members of the National Academy of Sciences, including Salvatore E. Luria, professor of microbiology at M.I.T., and one of the three Americans awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine last week. Luria had previously refused to serve on HEW review boards until the "tests of political conformity" were abolished.
Robert H. Finch, Secretary of HEW, congratulated Luria by telegram following last week's Nobel presentation. "You have amply earned the gratitude of all Americans," he said.
Dr. Dane G. Prugh of the University of Colorado, chairman of the ad hoc Steering Committee on HEW Clearance, said his group was trying to convince the Department to relax its "unwarranted practice of security investigations for non-sensitive positions."
Representatives of 27 scientific and legal organizations drafted the Committee statement, to be sent to Finch today. It condemns as "carried over from the 1950's" the continued use of "security and suitability" criteria often related to political beliefs or personal associations."
A committee of the National Academy of sciences has condemned all criteria for membership on Federal research review boards except those of "scientific competence, integrity, and judgment."
The current list brings to 93 the number of known listings. However, the Times reports, "It appears that the total number of blacklisted scientists is in he hundreds." | https://www.thecrimson.com/article/1969/10/21/hew-black-lists-five-at-harvard/ |
The ascending triangle is a bullish formation that usually forms during an uptrend as a continuation pattern. There are instances when ascending triangles form as reversal patterns at the end of a downtrend, but they are typically continuation patterns. Regardless of where they form, ascending triangles are bullish patterns that indicate accumulation.
Because of its shape, the pattern can also be referred to as a right-angle triangle. Two or more equal highs form a horizontal line at the top. Two or more rising troughs form an ascending trend line that converges on the horizontal line as it rises. If both lines were extended right, the ascending trend line could act as the hypotenuse of a right triangle. If a perpendicular line were drawn extending down from the left end of the horizontal line, a right triangle would form. Let’s examine each individual part of the pattern and then look at an example.
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Trend: In order to qualify as a continuation pattern, an established trend should exist. However, because the ascending triangle is a bullish pattern, the length and duration of the current trend is not as important as the robustness of the formation, which is paramount.
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Top Horizontal Line: At least 2 reaction highs are required to form the top horizontal line. The highs do not have to be exact, but they should be within reasonable proximity of each other. There should be some distance between the highs, and a reaction low between them.
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Lower Ascending Trend Line: At least two reaction lows are required to form the lower ascending trend line. These reaction lows should be successively higher, and there should be some distance between the lows. If a more recent reaction low is equal to or less than the previous reaction low, then the ascending triangle is not valid.
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Duration: The length of the pattern can range from a few weeks to many months with the average pattern lasting from 1-3 months.
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Volume: As the pattern develops, volume usually contracts. When the upside breakout occurs, there should be an expansion of volume to confirm the breakout. While volume confirmation is preferred, it is not always necessary.
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Return to Breakout: A basic tenet of technical analysis is that resistance turns into support and vice versa. When the horizontal resistance line of the ascending triangle is broken, it turns into support. Sometimes there will be a return to this support level before the move begins in earnest.
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Target: Once the breakout has occurred, the price projection is found by measuring the widest distance of the pattern and applying it to the resistance breakout.
In contrast to the symmetrical triangle, an ascending triangle has a definitive bullish bias before the actual breakout. If you will recall, the symmetrical triangle is a neutral formation that relies on the impending breakout to dictate the direction of the next move. On the ascending triangle, the horizontal line represents overhead supply that prevents the security from moving past a certain level. It is as if a large sell order has been placed at this level and it is taking a number of weeks or months to execute, thus preventing the price from rising further. Even though the price cannot rise past this level, the reaction lows continue to rise. It is these higher lows that indicate increased buying pressure and give the ascending triangle its bullish bias.
Primus Telecom (PRTL) formed an ascending triangle over a 6-month period before breaking resistance with an expansion of volume.
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From a low of 8.88 in April, the stock established an uptrend by forming a higher low at 8.94 and advancing to a new reaction high in early June. (The beginning of the trend is not included on this chart.) After recording its highest price in 10 months, the stock met resistance at 24.
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In June, the stock hit resistance at 23 a number of times and then again at 24 in July. The stock bounced off 24 at least three times in 5 months to form the horizontal resistance line. It was as if portions of a large block were being sold each time the stock neared 24.
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The reaction lows were progressively higher, and formed an ascending trend line. The first low, in May 1999, occurred with a large spike down to 12.25, but the trend line was drawn to connect the prices grouped around 14. The ascending trend line could have been drawn to start at 12.25 and this version is shown with the gray trend line. The important thing is that there are at least two distinct reaction lows that are consecutively higher.
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The duration of the pattern is around 6 months, which may seem a bit long. However, all the key ingredients for a robust pattern were in place.
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Volume declined from late June until early October. There was a huge expansion when the stock fell from 23.44 (point 6) to 19.38 on two heavy trading days in October. However, this was only for two days and the stock found support around 20 to form a higher low. In keeping with the ideal pattern, the next expansion of volume occurred in early November when the stock broke resistance at 24. The stock traded at above average volume 7 of the 10 days surrounding the breakout, and all 7 were up days. Chaikin Money Flow dragged a bit from the two heavy down days, but recovered to +20% five days after the breakout.
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The stock advanced to 30.75 before pulling back to around 26. Support was found above the original resistance breakout, and this indicated underlying strength in the stock.
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The initial advance was projected to be 10 (24 -14 = 10) points from the breakout at 24, making a target of 34. This target was reached within 2 months, but the stock didn’t slow down until reaching 50 in March (not shown). Targets are only meant to be used as guidelines, and other aspects of technical analysis should also be employed for deciding when to sell. | https://www.ilmtraders.com/ascending-triangle/ |
The most highly cited academics in business and economics are identified in a table published this week by Times Higher Education.
The list of the top researchers in economics, finance and business management is based on the number of papers published from 1970 to 2009 that have been cited 50 times or more, and was compiled by science data provider Thomson Reuters.
The table, which is dominated by finance experts, also lists total citation counts - the number of times scholars' work has been cited by peers - and average citations per paper.
In first place is Andrei Shleifer, a notable Russian-born professor of economics at Harvard University. His 67 papers yielded a total of 14,188 citations.
Professor Shleifer was instrumental in driving privatisation in Russia, which many regard as having undervalued the country's assets.
He is a controversial figure because in 2006 he was found guilty of making personal investments in Russia at the same time as providing economic advice to the country.
He is beaten on citations only by Eugene Fama, professor of finance at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business, whose work was cited 14,884 times, but who - with 43 highly cited publications - is ranked fourth.
The only woman to make the list is Kathleen Eisenhardt, professor of strategy and organisation at Stanford University.
Even Elinor Ostrom, professor of political science at Indiana University, who in 2009 became the first woman to win the Nobel Prize for Economic Sciences, does not feature in the 59-name list.
Len Shackleton, dean of the University of East London's Royal Docks Business School, bemoaned the gender imbalance. "Finance has been the sexiest area of economics for the past 10-15 years but it is a female-unfriendly zone," he said.
One of the few economists credited with having predicted the financial crisis, Joseph Stiglitz, a professor at Columbia University, also features on the list in third position.
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Info : T is actually a triangulation -list of triangles-, in which each index corresponding to the row index of a vertex in another list -a vertices list-, it is a widely used technique used to store and write triangular meshes in mesh processing. Here below the example is a tetrahedron -4 facets-.
Return the 3n+1 sequence for n
6626 Solvers
Arrange vector in ascending order
649 Solvers
83 Solvers
492 Solvers
Check if number is a square number
47 Solvers
Find the treasures in MATLAB Central and discover how the community can help you!Start Hunting! | https://de.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/cody/problems/45218 |
'''Search English names for a compiled regular expression.
In order to generate the names in ascending order, first we extract a list of all the keys in the self.engMap, then we sort them.
Then we iterate over those names. For any that match, we pull the Species object out of self.engMap. Note that we use the .search() method, which finds the regular expression anywhere in the string, instead of .match() which finds only matches at the start of the string.
At this point we could raise StopIteration, but falling out of the bottom of a generator has the same effect. | http://infohost.nmt.edu/~shipman/z/ibp/doc/iband7/ims/web/BaseSpeciesSet-engRe.html |
Summer SAVY 2017, Session 5/Day 1- The Math in Music (Rising 1st)
We had a great first day in the Math in Music! We started the day by moving and grooving to MC Hammer and learning about some new instruments that we will play throughout the week. After introductions, we started to learn about different ways we can experience patterns. The students played a fun rhythm game where they got to echo long and short rhythm patterns using their voice and instruments! As several of the students noted, we learned that some patterns just feel easier to remember than others – we will learn why throughout the week!
After playing with patterns we could hear, the students started to focus on patterns we could see. We compared and contrasted two different patterns to learn about repeating and growing patterns. In the process, several students were able to identify some key rules about patterns, such as patterns have a source or starting point and that patterns have to occur at least twice in order to be a pattern! The students then broke off into small groups and classified various patterns as repeating or growing. One student even got the “tough” pattern of the day and recognized that the pattern “1 2 3 1 2 3” could be considered both growing and repeating!
With a better understanding of pattern types, we went on a Pattern Walk outside to draw patterns we could find. After we shared our findings from the walk, we began to focus on repeating patterns and how they are used in music. We learned about AB, AAB, and ABA patterns and assigned special sounds to each letter. The students also worked in groups to create their own repeating patterns with instrument sounds. At the end of the day, the groups performed their pattern piece for the class.
Tomorrow we will be extending our understanding of patterns by focusing on creating patterns with numbers. We will begin to learn how to use 0s, 1s, and 2s to create and play basic rhythmic patterns. This will be our introduction into reading music! | https://pty.vanderbilt.edu/2017/07/summer-savy-2017-session-5day-1-the-math-in-music-rising-1st/ |
In the summer of 2008, I had the opportunity to travel to the village of Dagbamete, Ghana to study music. As a percussionist, I couldn’t ignore this chance. This was a three-week study abroad course through SUNY Potsdam. During this time, we lived in the village, taking music lessons Monday through Friday during the day and excursions around Ghana on the weekends.
Dagbamete is located in the Volta region of Ghana, which is in the southeast, near the border of Togo. Ghana is an incredibly diverse country, with over 100 languages spoken. The people in our village belonged to the Ewe people. In Ewe tradition, music consists of three parts: drumming, dancing, and singing. Without all three components, a piece is not complete.
We learned three different styles of music in Dagbamete: Gahu, Zigi, and Kpanlogo. This article will be focusing on Gahu. Gahu, which means “expensive dance,” originated in Nigeria and was integrated into various Ghanaian cultures as people moved. Each tribe has its own variation on the Gahu. The patterns I will be discussing are specific to the Ewe version of Gahu as taught by Kwasi Frederick Dunyo. In addition, I am including notation for the drumming and singing and video for the dancing.
The best way for students to learn about a foreign culture is to experience it firsthand. Participating in Ghanaian music is a way to introduce aspects of Ghanaian culture. This activity can lead to discussions about Ghanaian values, religious beliefs, the role of music, and the influence of cultures on one another. This article focuses on Gahu because it is a more well-known style of music from Ghana and can be performed by most age and ability levels, with appropriate adjustments.
There are two instruments in Gahu that serve as time-keepers, similar to the clave or cowbelll in latin music. The gonkogui (gahn-ko-gwee) is a double-bell, similar to an agogo. It serves as the primary time-keeper in Ewe music. The pattern does not vary during the duration of a performance. The gonkogui has two sounds, “low” and “high.” These sounds correspond to the pitches of the two bells of the instrument. The axatse (a-ha-che) is a hollow gourd with beads on the outside, similar to a shekere. Like the gonkogui, the pattern does not vary. The axatse makes two sounds: “pa” and “ti.” “Pa” is played by hitting against the thigh. “Ti” is played by hitting against the open hand. The rhythmic patterns for the gonkogui and axatse are printed below.
There are three supporting drums in the Gahu, all played with sticks. Kagan is the smallest drum and is played by angling the head away from the player. It is the only supporting drum that does not change its pattern with specific variations. Kidi is the middle drum and is played flat on the floor. Sogo is a larger drum that is also played flat on the floor. When playing drums with sticks, there are two different strokes, open and closed. To play an open stroke, hit the drum in the middle of the head with the stick and allow it to rebound back up. To play a closed stroke, hit the drum in the middle of the head, but do not allow it to bounce back up; press it more firmly into the head of the drum to make a more muted sound. The rhythmic patterns for all three drums are printed below. The text below the rhythms refers to open and closed strokes, as well as dominant versus weaker hand.
The lead drummer plays the largest drum, called a gboba. Gahu contains a large number of musical and visual variations. These are indicated by specific patterns played by the lead drummer. In between variations, the lead drummer is free to improvise as he or she sees fit, referring back to the main rhythm (atsikogu) played on the shell of the drum. The rhythm for the atsikogu pattern and first variation are printed below.
Gahu is performed in a circle that moves counterclockwise. The basic step is fairly simple. Standing with feet shoulder-width apart and knees bent, take two steps with the right foot, then two steps with the left foot. These steps should be on the beat, lining up with the quarter note. With each step, drop that shoulder. It should almost look like punching towards the ground, but not too emphatically; that comes in the variation. Each step should move the circle clockwise.
This basic step continues until the lead drum plays the call for the variation. When the call is initiated, the dancers raise their hands in the air and say “Ho” for six beats, listening for the gboba. When the gboba plays straight quarter notes, hunch over and punch towards the ground in the same right-right-left-left pattern from the basic step. The dancers turn their heads as they drop the shoulder so they face away from the side that dropped. The feet continue to move throughout this entire process. When the gboba plays the signal to end the variation, the dancers jump into the air and raise their hands, this time without saying anything. Additionally, the feet stop moving for four beats. As the atsikogu pattern begins from the beginning again, return to the basic step.
The following videos have been blurred to protect the privacy of the individuals performing. The first video shows the beginning of a Gahu performance, which is at a slow tempo. The second video is further along in the performance at a much faster tempo. If you would like a video of the entire performance, please contact me. | http://joshemanuel.com/ghanaian-dance-drumming-in-the-music-classroom/ |
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Nonlinear Sciences > Pattern Formation and Solitons
Title: Desynchronization in heterogeneous networks due to uniform exposure
(Submitted on 12 Dec 2018)
Abstract: We study synchronization and rhythmic patterns generated in the heterogeneous cluster of FitzHugh$-$Nagumo oscillators with transition between self-oscillating and excitable elements. Such cluster models the sinoatrial node of the heart, and the particular point of focus is the role of different physiological responses to mechanical stress: stretch-activated current and conductivity change. The comparison between them finds the difference which can serve to identify the dominant mechanism in specific experimental situations.
Submission historyFrom: Vasily Kostin [view email]
[v1] Wed, 12 Dec 2018 19:06:15 GMT (533kb,D)
Link back to: arXiv, form interface, contact. | https://arxiv-export-lb.library.cornell.edu/abs/1812.05122 |
In Frederic Chopin's Prelude in A-Major , the basic pattern is a rhythm:
That rhythm occurs identically eight times. Here is the first time it is played.
The stability of its rhythmic pattern gives the work consistency. At the same time, the music moves andprogresses thanks to the variety of melody and harmony. Listen to how the pattern underlies thefollowing examples:
Now, listen to the Chopin Prelude in its entirety.
Out of the eight times the rhythmic pattern is played, it only occurs the same way twice. As in the Bach , varied repetition helps to make the music both intelligible and dynamic.
The following pattern accompanies the voice in Stravinsky's Akahito from his "Three Haiku Settings" :
In the Chopin , the rhythm was repeated exactly, but the pitches changed. In the Stravinsky , both the rhythm and the pitches are repeated: thirteen times in all in this short piece!
So how is variety created? In this case, as the pattern is repeated over and over, an ever changing layer is superimposed upon it. It is as if the basic pattern is "bombarded" in different ways, disguisingits reappearance.
The first four times the pattern is played, it alone accompanies the voice.
But the fifth time, the new layer is added:
From then on, the added layer is constantly evolving. You will be able to recognize the presence of the underlyingconstant pattern, but its reappearance is camouflaged by the changing layer on top of it.
Now, listen to Akahito in its entirety:
In Bach and Chopin examples, the basic pattern is treated dynamically : Almost every reappearance is new in some way. In the Stravinsky example, the basic pattern itself is much more static. Yet the music never sounds the same because of the music superimposed on top of it is always changing. Thus, the goal of"repetition without redundancy" is accomplished in a new way.
In his work Piano Phase , Steve Reich takes Stravinsky's procedure and goes one step further: Just like Stravinsky, he holds his basicpattern completely static. Just like Stravinsky, he superimposes an added layer: But, this time, the added layeris the basic pattern itself!
The musical material of Steve Reich's Piano Phase for two pianos consists of the following pattern.
In Piano Phase , the first player remains absolutely fixed, repeating the basic pattern over and overagain. The second player plays exactly the same pattern, but gradually shifts its alignment so that it falls more andmore out-of-phase with the first player. As the second player shifts alignment, new resultant patterns are created.
As an analogy, imagine that you had two identical panels, each made of strips of colored glass. At first, you line upthe panels perfectly and shine a light through them. The sequence of colors in the panels would be projected on thewall: Let us say it is blue, yellow, red, yellow, blue. Then, you keep one panel fixed and the slide the panelslightly over: In the new alignment, the red in the first panel is aligned with the blue of the second, the blue withthe yellow, etc. When you shine a light through the panels, you get a new sequence of colors on the wall: purple, green,etc. Colors you've never seen before suddenly appear! As you can imagine, every time you shift one strip over, theresultant colors change. With startling efficiency, you can create constantly new patterns on the wall just by changinghow the panels are aligned.
Notification Switch
Would you like to follow the 'Michael's sound reasoning' conversation and receive update notifications? | https://www.jobilize.com/online/course/0-1-how-music-makes-sense-michael-s-sound-reasoning-by-openstax?qcr=www.quizover.com&page=5 |
TUESDAY, June 5, 2001 (HealthDayNews) -- Perception may not be reality after all.
In fact, claims a Connecticut researcher, the brain at times prompts you to change your actions before you even realize there's a need to change.
"Perception does not intervene between sensory input and action, at least not necessarily," says Bruno Repp, a senior scientist at Haskins Laboratory in New Haven, Conn., an independent research institute focused on the biological bases of speech and language.
Consider, he says, how people keep up with a musical beat.
In a series of five experiments, Repp asked eight people -- a mix of men and women of varied ages and musical backgrounds -- to listen to pulsing tones from a digital piano. The participants were told to tap a key on a silent piano keyboard either in sync or out of sync with the tones.
When the rhythm of the tones changed, the tappers adjusted their tapping as well -- even when the degree of change was less than 2 percent, an amount considered undetectable or below the perceptual threshold, the study says.
"The results suggest that, at some subconscious level, sensitivity to timing is very high," Repp says. "My results suggest that human sensitivity to temporal change exceeds the sensitivity suggested by psychophysical studies, in which people report whether they have heard any change." His findings appear in the June issue of the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance.
The point, Repp says, is to determine what role perception plays in all this.
"The main issue is whether perception mediates between sensory input and control of actions," Repp says. "If that were the case, temporal perturbations that are too small to be perceived consciously should not have any effect on synchronization. However, I have shown that they do have an effect."
The brain processes this information subconsciously and then automatically uses it to control, or change, our actions, Repp says.
That's similar, he says, to what can happen with a so-called undetectable visual stimulus, as well.
"There are lots of studies in recent years, which show that a masked visual stimulus -- a printed word followed immediately by some visual pattern so that observers are quite unaware that a word was presented -- nevertheless affects reaction time," Repp says.
"There is a lot of evidence now that much sensory input is processed subconsciously and has effects on behavior," he says.
Someday, Repp says, he'd like to study what implications these findings might have on the synchronization that's necessary for ensemble musical performances.
"I am currently engaged in a long series of simple synchronization experiments, not yet using music, but slowly getting into more complex rhythmic patterns," he says. "I plan to slowly work my way back toward more complex rhythmic materials and real music."
What To Do
For a different take on the brain and music, check out an article from the journal Nature.
Or, you might want to read previous HealthDay articles on music and others on the brain. | https://consumer.healthday.com/cognitive-health-information-26/brain-health-news-80/i-think-therefore-i-jam-111021.html |
Philip Glass came to symphonies relatively late in his career, and when he wrote his first in 1992, it was something of an unexpected departure for a composer best known for theater works and pieces for his own ensemble. Twenty years later, Glass is an acknowledged master of the medium, with his Ninth Symphony just premiered and his tenth already completed.
Co-commissioned by the Bruckner Orchester Linz, Carnegie Hall, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Ninth had its world premiere on New Year’s Day in Linz, with Dennis Russell Davies conducting. Its U.S. premiere came on January 31, Glass’ 75th birthday, with Davies conducting the American Composers Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. A live recording of the Linz performance was released on iTunes the same day and quickly shot up the download charts.
“It’s an ambitious piece, more than 50 minutes long,” Glass said in an interview. “I’m pleased it came out well, because everybody’s kind of expecting it. So this is a time when you want to have a good piece ready to go, and it seems in good shape.”
It is a large piece in several dimensions. Each of the three expansive movements is roughly A-B-A in shape, although the return at the end is usually much modified. Considering how the solo trumpet in the opening of the third movement picks up almost exactly the woodwind theme from the beginning of the work, the overall shape is also something of an arch, giving it a form like nested palindromes. The orchestra is also large, reinforced particularly in the winds, and used to rich effect.
“Big and unrelenting” is how Glass has described it, but for all the large orchestra and the complex rhythmic buildup, Glass never asks for more than forte (f) in the climaxes, though the soft end goes down to pianississimo (ppp). Characteristically, new sections or blocks are usually marked by a new dynamic, terraced rather than preceded by long crescendos.
Glass describes the symphonic genre and form as a container, and it is one that he has often filled with content inspired by other art works, such as the two symphonies based on David Bowie/Brian Eno albums, or delivered in part with singers and texts. According to the composer, however, the new Symphony is focused on “the language of music itself,” as reported on Richard Guérin’s Glass Notes blog.
The first movement begins in low, soft mystery, with an oscillating major third that becomes a minor third on every fourth beat. The basses and bassoons come in below this, harmonically contextualizing the interval(s). Much of Glass’ music, in this symphony and elsewhere, rests on pedal points, but his bass lines, such as here, can be motivic forces as well. Of all the famous ninth symphonies, it was Mahler’s that Glass had in mind in this opening.
Unison woodwinds come in over a different rhythmic block with an important tune that will be much developed and then reprised in a different context at the beginning of the third movement. Then the tempo nearly doubles, introducing a new rhythmic pattern, but still mezzo forte. Glass gradually adds instruments, increasing the range, volume, and rhythmic layers. After this powerful accumulation, the music falls back close to the original tempo, keeping some of the more evolved rhythmic patterns but at a very soft level
This runs directly into the second movement, still soft and slow, with a floating gymnopédie-like atmosphere. Glass here reworks a theme used in his score to the film Rebirth, a recent 9/11 documentary from director Jim Whitaker. Like the opening of the first movement there are melodically and harmonically active basses, then unison woodwinds with an important melody, this time with chiming glockenspiel. This movement also builds to a more rhythmic, much faster central section, which ends abruptly in a grand pause. The ensuing soft, slower section, is more rhythmically complex than the beginning of the movement, but eventually winds down into something very like that opening.
The third movement continues this unusual formal pattern, the shifting formal repetitions expressing on a larger scale something like the morphing cellular patterning of Glass’ music. Again it starts soft and low, almost Beethovenian in its ominously insinuating, implacable momentum. As noted above, the trumpet brings back intact the big tune from the opening of the first movement. This movement does not have the big uptick in tempo, but the swirling figuration does grow into a complex contrapuntal web in the highly energized center section. It ends slightly slower, softer, and with oscillating major/minor thirds in the same key area as the beginning of the symphony.
— John Henken is Director of Publications for the Los Angeles Philharmonic. | https://www.laphil.com/musicdb/pieces/4067/symphony-no-9-west-coast-premiere-la-phil-co-commission |
Synchronization patterns in chains of N bi-directionally delayed coupled systems with delayed feedback are studied in this paper. Each system is hyper-chaotic when decoupled from the chain. It is shown that chains with odd or even number of cites N display different spatial patterns of stable exact synchronization. When N is odd the only stable pattern of exact synchronization is among all of the units. When N is even, next to the nearest neighbors could become exactly synchronized, with the dynamics of the nearest neighbors related in a more complicated way. Sufficiently strong coupling leads to the nearest neighbor synchronization also for even N. No other patterns have been observed.
Keywords:Time lag / synchronization / hyper-chaotic system / Ikeda model / Mackey-Glass model
Source:9th Symposium on Neural Network Applications in Electrical Engineering, NEUREL 2008 Proceedings, 2008, 51-
Publisher:
- IEEE, New York
Projects: | https://farfar.pharmacy.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/1044 |
Circadian rhythmicity in mammals is primarily driven by the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), often called the central pacemaker, which converts the photic information of light and dark cycles into neuronal and hormonal signals in the periphery of the body. Cells of peripheral tissues respond to these centrally mediated cues by adjusting their molecular function to optimize organism performance. Numerous systemic cues orchestrate peripheral rhythmicity, such as feeding, body temperature, the autonomic nervous system, and hormones. We propose a semimechanistic model for the entrainment of peripheral clock genes by cortisol as a representative entrainer of peripheral cells. This model demonstrates the importance of entrainer's characteristics in terms of the synchronization and entrainment of peripheral clock genes, and predicts the loss of intercellular synchrony when cortisol moves out of its homeostatic amplitude and frequency range, as has been observed clinically in chronic stress and cancer. The model also predicts a dynamic regime of entrainment, when cortisol has a slightly decreased amplitude rhythm, where individual clock genes remain relatively synchronized among themselves but are phase shifted in relation to the entrainer. The model illustrates how the loss of communication between the SCN and peripheral tissues could result in desynchronization of peripheral clocks.
- clock synchronization
- biological oscillations
- circadian rhythms
- mathematical model
exogenous daily signals (light, feeding, and temperature) give rise to endogenous circadian rhythms in virtually all physiological functions. Many circadian oscillations are ultimately driven by the activity of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) (61), which responds to light by emitting signals that control body temperature, endocrine hormone secretion, and activity (16). The genes responsible for circadian timekeeping in the SCN include Per1–3 and Cry1–2, which, in collaboration with the CLOCK/BMAL1 heterocomplex, form an orchestrated feedback loop that is kept in sync by light-induced signaling and leads to an overall circadian rhythm. The signal transduction of circadian rhythms from the SCN to peripheral tissues consists of centrally mediated signals that synchronize peripheral free-running oscillators. In fact, the molecular machinery responsible for oscillations in the SCN is also generally found in peripheral cells, allowing them to maintain some oscillatory characteristics even in the absence of a central entraining signal.
Independent of the central pacemaker, peripheral tissues exhibit circadian rhythmicity through the oscillations of clock genes (7). These peripheral circadian oscillations have profound physiological importance in regulating the circadian functions of numerous tissues such as the heart, liver, and blood (25, 39, 58). In vitro, peripheral cells initially retain circadian rhythmicity (9, 74), but eventually coherent rhythmicity in the ensemble average disappears. Experiments in rat-1 fibroblasts revealed that the observed dampening of clock gene expression in tissue explants is not the result of lost rhythmicity in individual cells; rather, circadian rhythms are lost as the individual oscillators fall out of sync in the absence of an entrainer, resulting in a blunted ensemble average (55, 72). Therefore, the characteristics of endogenous entraining signals and their mechanisms of action on peripheral tissues are of critical importance in understanding the dynamics of circadian rhythms.
Although there are many endogenous signals that may be responsible for the circadian entrainment of peripheral oscillators (66), glucocorticoids (cortisol in humans) are particularly interesting as putative entrainers. Cortisol secretion from the adrenal glands is regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and it follows a circadian pattern with a zenith in the early morning and a nadir late at night. Circadian rhythms of glucocorticoids regulate expression of peripheral genes through gene/receptor binding to a specific DNA sequence at the promoter region of target genes named the glucocorticoid response element (GRE) (57). Particularly for clock genes, experiments in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and fibroblasts (7, 17) established that glucocorticoids, after binding to glucocorticoid receptors, induce the expression of the clock gene Per1 through a GRE in the Per1 genome sequence (73). Further experiments in mesenchymal stem cells revealed the presence of GRE in Per2 and E4bp4 clock gene locus that were continuously occupied with glucocorticoid receptor upon treatment of cells with the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone (65). In addition, genomic deletion of the GRE in Per2 resulted not only in the failure of glucocorticoids to stimulate Per2 response, but also in dampened expression of other clock genes (i.e., Rev-Erbα), illustrating the downstream regulation of the circadian clock network through glucocorticoid receptor binding to GRE. Collectively, these experiments confirm that glucocorticoids, through glucocorticoid receptor signaling, directly stimulate the synchronized rhythmicity of Per1, Per2, and E4bp4 in peripheral cells, further regulating the peripheral clock gene network. Therefore, although there may be multiple systemic circadian signals that entrain peripheral clock genes, one of our underlying hypotheses is that we can use cortisol as a representative entrainer of peripheral cells to explore the dynamics of clock gene synchronization and entrainment by systemic cues. Cortisol is also intriguing as a circadian entrainer given its central role in the inflammatory response and the recent observation that acute changes in both cortisol and clock gene expression occur in peripheral blood leukocytes in response to endotoxemia (38). The disruption of circadian rhythms in cortisol is associated with fatigue, weight loss, insomnia, coronary heart disease, and tumor progression (29, 31, 47, 64). There has also been interest in cortisol circadian rhythmicity as a predictor of breast cancer survivor (63).
The importance of deciphering clock gene dynamics due to their role in regulating the circadian function of numerous tissues, such as heart, liver, and blood, as well as the complexity of clock gene network and entrainment characteristics, motivates the need for mathematical modeling of the peripheral clock network. Mathematical approaches can be of great help in understanding the underlying dynamics and also predicting clinical outcomes and intervention strategies. Several mathematical models have been proposed to investigate and describe the dynamics of clock genes (4, 5, 11, 12, 30, 34, 37, 46, 51). These models, while varying considerably in their underlying assumptions, their degree of complexity, and their method of implementation, all converge to the inclusion of a negative feedback loop that represents the Per/Cry genes and the CLOCK/BMAL1 heterodimer. In line with the experimental evidence described above, we propose a mathematical model of peripheral clock genes that incorporates cortisol as a systemic entrainer. This computational representation linking central and peripheral oscillators is leveraged to study the entraining properties of a central circadian signal on a population of peripheral cells by integrating models of circadian cortisol production (19), glucocorticoid pharmacodynamics (43, 57), and peripheral clock genes (11). To account for heterogeneity between individual peripheral cells, the model is formulated as a system of stochastic differential equations (SDEs).
We observe that cortisol rhythmicity induces peripheral clock gene entrainment and synchronization in an amplitude and frequency-dependent manner. While homeostatic entraining rhythms stimulate a homogeneous circadian pattern to the population of peripheral cells, the loss of circadian amplitude provokes a desynchronization among the population of cell phases. This biological shift from synchronization to desynchronization progresses through a dynamical state where the individual cells retain a relative phase coherency but are phase-shifted relative to the entrainer. Concerning entrainer frequency, peripheral cells remain synchronized only for cortisol frequencies relatively close to the individual cell frequencies. In addition, we observe that even when cells are totally entrained by cortisol, synchronization varies during the day pointing its lowest values when cells are near their nadir or zenith level.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Models
Cortisol production and signal transduction.
Peripheral circadian clocks are entrained by systemic cues, such as the circadian release of cortisol. The circadian production of cortisol is modeled based on the “two rates” model (19) where a zero order production term (RF) switches between two different values representing a high production rate of cortisol in the morning and a low production rate the rest of the day (Eq. 1). We have previously used this model due to its simplicity while still retaining the ability to fit experimental data (62). Due to the physiological importance of glucocorticoids, there has been much interest in the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of glucocorticoids to understand their behavior in response to endogenous glucocorticoid production by the HPA axis or exogenous treatment. Here, we apply a glucocorticoid pharmacodynamic model which incorporates the steps of the glucocorticoid signal transduction pathway (Eqs. 2–5) (57), culminating in transcriptional regulation of clock genes. To ultimately regulate the transcription of glucocorticoid responsive genes, cortisol diffuses in the cytoplasm of the target cells and binds with free glucocorticoid receptors (R) forming a glucocorticoid-receptor complex (FR), which eventually translocates to the nucleus [FR(N)] where it dimerizes and binds to GRE. This binding leads to decreased levels of glucocorticoid receptor mRNA (mRNAR, Eq. 2), through a process known as homologous downregulation (56). Then, part of the receptor is recycled back to the cytoplasm and is used anew to bind to glucocorticoids. 1 2 3 4 5
It is also known that glucocorticoid receptor binding to GRE is inhibited by the action of the CLOCK/BMAL1(y7) heterodimer that acetylizes glucocorticoid receptor nuclear complex [FR(N)] in its hinge region and blocks its forward action (53). This is modeled by incorporating an inhibitory term based on FR(N) and y7 in the equation mRNAR (Eq. 2). kac parameter that represents the acetylation rate has been chosen adaptively so as not to change the expression levels of the model compartments that were fitted to experimental data. Other parameters were the same as the original models (57, 62) (Table 1).
Chronic emotional or physical stress can manifest itself through flattened cortisol rhythmicity (21, 47). Whether this blunted cortisol rhythm is followed by increased (hypercortisolemia) or decreased (hypocortisolemia) levels of cortisol is highly dependent on the various pathologies (21, 50, 64). Particularly, in a study investigating cortisol rhythms in severely burned adults and children, stressed patients exhibited a blunted cortisol rhythmicity due to higher values of cortisol nadir levels (40). In line with this experimental evidence, we explored the effects of the loss of circadian amplitude in cortisol by increasing cortisol's nadir values (Fmin) and holding cortisol's zenith (Fmax) constant. To do this, we increased the lower value of the zero order production term of cortisol, RF (Eq. 1), while holding the higher value constant. In addition, we explored the behavior of our model as cortisol loses its homeostatic frequency pattern while holding its amplitude constant. We further did this by changing the modulus term [mod(t,24)] of Eq. 1. This provides a consistent way to evaluate the effects of decreased cortisol rhythmicity, in line with experimental evidence.
Peripheral clock genes regulation by cortisol.
We model the interaction between peripheral circadian clocks and cortisol by considering the transcriptional effect of activated glucocorticoid receptor on components of the clock gene network. This peripheral network incorporates a positive and a negative feedback interaction through which peripheral clock genes exhibit oscillatory activity (11). In particular, the periodic expression of clock genes is driven by Per and Cry inhibiting the activity of the CLOCK/BMAL1 dimer (negative feedback) and stimulating Bmal1 gene transcription (positive feedback). Through the negative feedback loop, the heterocomplex CLOCK/BMAL1 activates the transcription of period (Per) and cryptochrome (Cry) genes (y1) upon binding to the E-box promoter region. After the expression of PER/CRY proteins (y2) in the cytoplasm, they translocate to the nucleus (y3) where they inhibit their own transcription by shutting off the transcriptional activity of the CLOCK/BMAL1 heterocomplex (y7). Through the positive feedback loop the nuclear compartment of PER/CRY protein (y3) activates indirectly Bmal1 mRNA (y4) transcription, which after its translation to BMAL1 protein (y5) and its translocation to the nucleus (y6) increases the expression of CLOCK/BMAL1 heterodimer. In reality, PER/CRY proteins regulate Bmal1 transcription through inhibiting the CLOCK/BMAL1-mediated expression of Ror (α, β, and γ) and Rev-Erb (α and β) genes (26, 51, 59). While both simpler and more complex models of the circadian network exist, this system represents a good intermediate level of complexity. This network of interactions, without the entraining effect of cortisol, produces the rhythmic expression of clock genes with a period of 23.4 h. Similar periods have been shown to be adopted by peripheral clock genes oscillators in human fibroblasts (24.5 h with standard deviation of 45 min among individuals) (15) and in human PBMCs (23.91–24.45 h) (13). The activated nuclear glucocorticoid receptor complex directly regulates the expression of clock genes by binding to GRE. Similar to the glucocorticoid pharmacodynamic signal transduction pathway described above, CLOCK/BMAL (y7) antagonizes this binding to GRE, which, based on experimental data (65, 73), is present in the promoter region of Per1 and Per2. As such, glucocorticoids, inhibited by CLOCK/BMAL, entrain the local network of clock genes by regulating the transcription of Per1–2. This circadian regulation then propagates through to the other model variables, imposing a constant phase on the peripheral oscillators based on the circadian rhythm of cortisol. The behavior of these core circadian components of the peripheral cells is described by Eqs. 6–12 (Table 1). 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
The entraining effect of cortisol nuclear complex that takes into account receptor's acetylation by CLOCK/BMAL1 (y7) is modeled similar to other pharmacodynamic models simulating GRE binding (76) as an additive term [kc*FR(N)/kacy7] on the equation of Per/Cry mRNA (y1), Eq. 6. An additive term in the equation for Per/Cry mRNA was also used by Geier et al. (34) to simulate the light entrainment of clock genes in the SCN, given that light differentially regulates the individual mRNAs that comprise the lumped variable (Per/Cry mRNA, y1). A similar phenomenon is hypothesized to occur with clock gene responses to glucocorticoids, as only Per1 and Per2 have active GREs (65, 73). Although in reality Bmal1 transcription (positive feedback) is indirectly regulated by PER/CRY proteins through the antagonistic effects of ROR (α, β, and γ) and REV-ERB (α and β) transcription factors on the retinoic acid-related orphan receptor response element (RORE) in the promoter region of Bmal1 gene (26, 51, 59), it is not the scope of our work to fully describe the components of this network but, rather, to use a fairly simple representation based on which we can investigate the dynamics of clock gene entrainment by an entraining signal (cortisol).
Thus, we leverage this relatively simple mathematical model of the central pacemaker as a representative peripheral framework to test and explore the dynamics of entrainment of peripheral clocks by a centrally regulated entrainer. The network diagram of the integrated model (Eqs. 1–12) is displayed in Fig. 1.
Methods
SDE formulation.
All biological processes [e.g., protein folding (27), gene expression (44), protein-protein interaction (10)] proceed with some level of uncertainty. Relevant to the transcription of clock genes, the binding of a transcription factor such as CLOCK/BMAL1 to a small number of discrete regions to modulate transcription is a highly stochastic process (44). Furthermore, cortisol secretion as well as its signaling pathways contain stochasticity (22, 45), which has been modeled from both the perspectives of hormone release (14) and downstream transcriptional regulatory effects (2, 3, 49). Our model incorporates stochastic expressions for cortisol and clock genes. This uncertainty leads the individual cells, in absence of an entraining signal, to adopt stochastic phases and periods and thus fall out of sync.
The system of ordinary differential equations defined in Eqs. 1–12 was translated to chemical Langevin stochastic differential equations (CLEs) (35). Generally, this formulation assumes that molecules of the reacting species interact through a number of chemical reactions, each one having a probability of occurrence in an infinitesimal time interval proportional to the rate constant of the reaction. This probability is referred as the propensity of the reaction (Table 2). The CLE recurrence formula used in this work is defined as: 13 Where xi (t) are the molecules of the i reacting species (Eq. 1–12) at time t, τ is the fixed time interval length, j is the different type of the total M = 31 chemical reactions (Table 2), vji is the change in the number of the i molecules caused by the j reaction, and aj is the propensity of the j reaction. Nj are statistically independent, normal (0,1) random variables. The time interval length (τ) has been chosen adaptively so that the propensity of reactions in each time step is slightly changed. To translate the determinist model into stochastic, we needed to know the volume of the cell. Similar to Forger and Peskin (30), this volume was chosen so that the peak of PER/CRY protein molecule count (y2, Eq. 7) is nearly 5,000 molecules, in accordance with experimental evidence from liver cells.
Quantification of synchronicity, entrainment, and periodicity.
To study how circadian rhythms in cortisol affect the state of clock genes, we evaluate metrics of both synchronicity (i.e., how similar are different cells) and entrainment (i.e., how similar cell periods and phases are to the entrainer). To assess synchronization of clock genes, we measure the deviation of Per/Cry mRNA levels from their mean value. Therefore, in our analysis we incorporated the degree of synchronization for the variable yk, Rsyn,k (33, 71) (Eq. 14), which represents the ratio of the variance of the mean field over the mean variance of each oscillator. 14
In Eq. 14, yk,j is the time-course vector output generated by Eqs. 6–12, where the first index k represents the variable, and the second index j represents the cell (N total). Overbar variables (ȳk) are time-course vectors of averages over the population of N cells (Eq. 15) and brackets represent time averages (Eq. 16). 15 16
Rsyn,k is calculated for the Per/Cry mRNA variable (k = 1) for a time span of 500 h except for the in silico experiments evaluating circadian variation of synchronization where it was calculated for a period of 2 h. Rsyn,k has a minimum value of zero when the cells are completely desynchronized and a maximum value of 1 when cells are fully synchronized.
In addition to intercellular synchronization, we evaluate the level of entrainment of peripheral cells by cortisol's rhythmic pattern. For this reason we quantify the degree of phase locking of Per/Cry mRNA. Accordingly, we calculate the entrainment index “ρ1,” which is an entropy-based metric that takes into consideration the individual cell period distribution (69). The entrainment index for any variable k of the model is defined as: 17 Where · ln(Pk,l) is the entropy of the discrete period distribution for the variable k, l is the number of total N bins, Pk,l is the normalized occupancy of the lth bin for the kth variable, and Sk,max = ln(N).
Lastly, we evaluated the phase coherence of the population of cells as the cortisol amplitude was varied by calculating the standard deviation of the cell phases again for the variable Per/Cry mRNA (σΦPer/Cry mRNA). This was accomplished by using the fast Fourier transformation (FFT) (24) and then finding the phase angles (ΦPer/Cry mRNA) over the same time span that were used to calculate Rsyn,1 and ρ1(500 h). Phase angles were found relative to 0° of the trigonometric cycle, which can be translated to a constant external time point in the time domain. Because the phase of cortisol is held constant throughout all simulations, these phase angles can be also considered to be relative to the phase of cortisol. Incorporating this frequency domain metric facilitated not only a check on the validity of the two aforementioned metrics, but also the calculation of the phase shift between the entrainer and the population. This procedure was repeated for every amplitude of cortisol tested. The standard deviation of cell phases is expected to change in the opposite direction of Rsyn,k and ρk, taking a value of zero when cells are perfectly entrained and increasing as the cells become desynchronized. We also use the FFT to find the frequency and period of each cell's oscillations. In the results shown below, all of the aforementioned metrics are applied after time t ∼800 h.
RESULTS
A population of 1,000 cells is used in all of in silico experiments performed in this work. Initially, to understand how the stochastic nature of the system impacts the population characteristics independent of entrainment, we investigated the distribution of single cell phases and periods in absence of cortisol. In Fig. 2A we examine single cell phases as the coupling strength (kc) is set to zero. Phases of single cells adopt a uniform distribution as they maintain values through the entire regime from 0 to 2π. Relative to individual cell periods, the stochastic dynamics induce a normally distributed pattern with a mean period of 23.4 h (Fig. 2B).
In Fig. 3, we explore the synchronization that cortisol imposes on the ensemble average of the population. From time t = 0 h until time t = 200 h, cells are independent from cortisol regulation as kc is set to zero. This causes the average to have a very low rhythmicity due to the incoherent rhythms in the single cell level. At time t = 200 h, kc is set to its nonzero value, imposing entrainment by cortisol on the peripheral oscillators. Cortisol affects the ensemble of cells in two ways. First, it stimulates a robust pattern with large amplitude, and second, it imposes its frequency on the peripheral clocks so that the population average has a 24 h period. At time t = 1,000 h, cortisol's effect is again removed by setting kc to zero and the ensemble progressively loses its rhythmicity. Thus, Fig. 3 shows both the synchronization and desynchronization that occur as an entrainer is added and then removed from the system.
Amplitude-Dependent Synchronization
The impact of cortisol's amplitude on the synchronization of peripheral genes is depicted in Fig. 4. As the amplitude of cortisol increases, moving rightward on the x-axis, the cell synchronization increases as denoted by the gradually increasing Rsyn,1 and ρ1 metrics and the decreasing standard deviation of cell phases. In particular, our model reveals three qualitative regimes of synchronization. In the first regime (I), individual cells are nearly fully desynchronized shown by the small values of the Rsyn,1 and ρ1 entrainment metrics and the high standard deviation of cell phases. As cortisol's amplitude increases to reach its homeostatic value, individual cells gradually become entrained. The second regime (II) is an intermediate state in which some of the individual cells begin to fall in sync. In the third regime (III), individual cell maintain a high degree of synchronization and the standard deviation of cell phases is small. To explore the single cell dynamics when changing the entrainer's amplitude, we further examine single cell phases (ΦPer/Cry mRNA) and periods for different cortisol amplitudes. Figure 5 shows the distribution of cell phases (ΦPer/Cry mRNA) as the amplitude of cortisol decreases. We perform eight in silico experiments for different ratios of cortisol amplitudes. At the homeostatic level of cortisol, where amplitude (amp = 1 − Fmin/Fmax) is 0.85 (Fig. 5A), the population of cells approximates a normal distribution. As cortisol gradually loses its rhythmicity, although the distribution of cell phases retains its normally distributed pattern, the population mean drifts to higher values (Fig. 5, B–D). As the phase of cortisol remains constant, a change in the mean peripheral circadian phase denotes a phase shift relative to the entrainer. At the same time, the standard deviation slowly increases. In Fig. 5, E and F, the population reaches the second regime (II) of synchronization and some cells gradually adopt different phases. Further decreasing cortisol's amplitude the standard deviation increases, culminating in a uniform distribution when cortisol amplitude has become almost constant (regime I; Fig. 5, G and H).
In Fig. 6 we evaluate single cell periods for different cortisol amplitudes. When cortisol's amplitude results in the third regime of synchronization (III, Fig. 4), the single cell periods are narrowly distributed with mean values equal to the circadian period of the entrainer (Fig. 6, A–D). Further decrease of cortisol's amplitude induces the emergence of a second distribution (Fig. 6E) that indicates that cells are beginning to fall out of sync since they adopt periods different from that of the entrainer. This state is gradually reached by the majority of the cells (Fig. 6, F and G) until it becomes the sole distribution of the population (Fig. 6H) when all of the cells become unentrained.
Frequency-Dependent Synchronization
In addition to assessing entrainment properties as the amplitude of the entrainer changes, we examine the synchronization of the cell population upon changing the period of the entrainer (Fig. 7). High levels of synchronization are observed only for a certain range of cortisol periods near the period of the free-running peripheral circadian oscillator (23.4 h).
In Figs. 8 and 9 we evaluate the impact of changing cortisol's period on the single cell level. In particular, Fig. 8 shows individual cell phases for six values of entrainer's period. When cortisol's period is very different from that of a single cell (Figs. 8, A and B), cell phases adopt a uniform distribution with high standard deviation. As cortisol's period approaches the period of individual cells, their individual phases gradually converge and the standard deviation decreases (Fig. 8C) until the point where the distribution becomes normally shaped (Fig. 8D). For greater period values, individual cells fall out of sync and the population again adopts a uniform distribution (Fig. 8, E and F).
We further examine individual cell periods (Fig. 9) upon changing cortisol's period. In response to setting cortisol's period to 10 h, individual cell periods are concentrated in a normal distribution (Fig. 9A). As the entrainer period approaches the regime of high synchronization (Fig. 7 regime of high values of Rsyn,1 and ρ1), we observe again the rise of a second distribution (Fig. 9B) that gradually becomes the dominant state of the population (Fig. 9C). This narrow distribution increases in prominence with higher entraining periods (Fig. 9D). Finally, as cortisol's period moves away of the synchronization regime, it induces the appearance of a new distribution (Fig. 9E). As we further increase the period of cortisol, the majority of the cells go to this new distribution until it eventually becomes the sole distribution of the population for a cortisol period equal to 39 h (Fig. 9F).
Circadian Variation of Clock Gene Synchronization
Lastly, we investigated variation in clock gene synchronization throughout a 24 h period. Figure 10A shows single cell profiles of Per/Cry mRNA in response to homeostatic cortisol rhythms that cause peripheral cells to retain a high level of entrainment. For the 24 h period, we calculate the Rsyn,1 synchronization metric for successive time windows of 2 h and observe that synchronization varies in a circadian manner, reaching lower values when Per/Cry mRNA approaches its nadir or zenith levels (Rsyn,1 = 0.64 or 0.13, respectively). Focusing on these regions of low synchronization, Fig. 10, B and C, reveals that single cells have uncorrelated expression profiles with high variances in cell patterns. In contrast, in regions of high synchronization (Fig. 10C), cells adopt coherent profiles with highly correlated dynamics, leading to high values of Rsyn,1.
DISCUSSION
The synchronization of endogenous rhythms to external commanding zeitgebers is crucial for the maintenance of biological fitness. In this paper we studied the underlying dynamics of the entrainment of peripheral clocks by a single entrainer (cortisol), focusing on the dependency of cell synchronization on the characteristics of the entraining rhythmic cortisol pattern.
Introducing an external rhythmic force such as cortisol circadian secretion to an oscillating variable such as Per/Cry mRNA (at t = 200 h in Fig. 3) produces a system equivalent to a forced oscillator (68). The effect of cortisol on the peripheral clock is dependent on two characteristics: the frequency and the amplitude of the entrainer. Experiments in chronically jet-lagged and SCN-ablated mice indicate that the loss of glucocorticoid circadian frequency was associated with accelerated tumor growth (28, 29). Also, in humans, cortisol circadian frequency has been found to be disrupted in breast and ovarian cancer patients (70). Heterogeneity in cortisol amplitudes arise due to HPA dysregulation in chronic stress (54). The effective amplitude sensed by the peripheral circadian module in our model is largely dependent on the choice of the parameter kc, which is multiplied with FR(N) in Eq. 6, thus representing the coupling strength between central and peripheral circadian systems (12, 37). In the simulations performed here, this parameter was fixed to a value that was chosen relative to the following qualitative limitations. First, in response to normal cortisol rhythms, the body is at its homeostatic state and peripheral clock gene responses are entrained to cortisol's frequency. Second, when cortisol has completely lost its amplitude variability (Fmin ∼ Fmax), the individual oscillators lose synchronization and individual cells adopt random phases and periods. This latter modeling constraint is supported by experiments on SCN-ablated animals (60, 77) that show the loss of circadian rhythmicity in cortisol along with desynchronization in peripheral cells. These limits define a small range of parameters (0.005 < kc < 0.013) inside of which we chose the kc value (kc = 0.009). However, the qualitative results of the model would not be different if we had chosen any other value within that range.
The absence of an entrainer induced a dispersed distribution of single cell phases (Fig. 2A) and a normally distributed pattern in cell periods (Fig. 2B). In particular, unentrained oscillators (t < 200 h and t > 1,000 h, Fig. 3) have a blunted ensemble average similar to the experimentally observed flattening of clock gene rhythmicity when cells are in in vitro unentrained conditions (45), while entrained states lead to a robust rhythm. As was theoretically hypothesized by Balsalobre et al. (9) and experimentally tested by Nagoshi et al. (55) and Welsh et al. (72), this flattening of population-level rhythmicity we observed is an outcome of phase drifting between robust oscillators rather than the loss of individual cellular rhythms. In the in silico experiment of Fig. 4, our model predicts the desynchronization of peripheral cells when cortisol's amplitude fall below a critical value (regime I and II). Given the relationship between circadian rhythms and recovery from critical illness (18, 21), effects of perturbations to cortisol's circadian rhythmicity are particularly interesting because, in addition to its role as a circadian entrainer described here, cortisol plays a critical role as an anti-inflammatory hormone. Furthermore, experimental evidence from severely burned adults indicates that the amplitude of cortisol in stressed patients is diminished, corresponding to our second regime of synchronization (amplitude = 1 − Fmin/Fmax ∼ 0.38) (41). Recently, human endotoxemia experiments showed that there is both an acute increase in cortisol and a time-of-day-independent resetting of clock gene expression in response to endotoxin treatment (38), which further points to an interaction between cortisol, circadian rhythmicity, and inflammation. Godin and Buchman (36) hypothesized that systemic inflammation might lead to uncoupling between biological oscillators and that this loss of interorgan communication may be important in the progression and recovery of critically ill patients. In this context, the loss of central diurnal signals, leading to the desynchronization of peripheral clocks manifested as greater signal regularity in the ensemble level (Fig. 3), can be viewed as a loss of communication between the SCN and peripheral tissues. Thus, a chronically stressed patient might not retain the beneficial properties of circadian rhythms in peripheral tissues (32).
Given the presence of stochastic noise in our system and that there is no intercellular coupling among the peripheral cells in our model, it is not surprising that cells fall out of phase as the rhythmic entraining input decreases. While it is known that the entrainment of SCN neurons depends on intercellular coupling, cells in peripheral tissues display different entrainment dynamics that can generally be explained by their lack of strong coupling (1, 48, 75). As a result, the degree and rapidity with which the individual cells fall out of phase depend upon the amount of stochastic noise, which in our case is determined by the formulation of the CLE algorithm and the reaction propensities, and the amplitude of the entraining signal. However, Fig. 4 reveals an unintuitive dynamic of peripheral cell entrainment, where individual cells maintain relative synchronicity as they drift away from their cortisol-entrained phases. Evidence supporting this finding comes from feeding experiments (78), where temporally restricted feeding induces not only a phase shift in the expression of clock genes but also flattened cortisol rhythmicity. Furthermore, it has been observed that PBMC of cancer patients, under exposure to a blunted systemic cortisol rhythm, maintain a phase-shifted profile (6). Our model predicts this phase-shifting regime when cortisol has slightly lost its amplitude rhythmicity (Fig. 5, A–D, μ value). In this regime, individual cells are normally distributed and the standard deviation is low, denoting the high level of synchronization in the population of cells. For further decreases of cortisol's amplitude, individual cells become desynchronized and adopt phases through the entire range from 0 to 2π (Fig. 5E), culminating in a uniform distribution where cells are fully desynchronized (Fig. 5, G and H).
In our model, we consider the transcriptional effects of glucocorticoids on peripheral clock genes using a fairly simple mathematical model that incorporates negative and positive feedback loops mediated by the PER/CRY protein complex. Additionally, our model takes into account important nontranscriptional effects of glucocorticoids. Recent experiments of Nader et al.(53) and Charmandari et al. (20) show a direct linkage between clock gene rhythmicity and glucocorticoid effects both in HeLa and HCT116 cell lines as well as in PBMC. Specifically, the CLOCK/BMAL1 transcription factor acetylizes the glucocorticoid-receptor complex at a multiple lysine cluster in its hinge region, producing inefficient binding of the complex to GRE in a time-dependent manner. These two signals (CLOCK/BMAL1 production and glucocorticoid/receptor binding to GRE) are in rhythmic synchrony, resulting in decreased tissue sensitivity to cortisol in the morning when cortisol levels are high and increased sensitivity at night when cortisol reaches its nadir. Consequently, a phase shift in CLOCK/BMAL1 clock gene rhythmicity may indirectly affect the impact of glucocorticoids in peripheral tissues through altering the tissue's sensitivity to glucocorticoids.
Our simulations show that even when the cells are phase shifted relative to the entrainer, their individual period remains equal to that of the entrainer (Fig. 6, A–D). In particular, cortisol imposes its period for all the amplitudes of the third regime (III) of Fig. 4. In contrast with the corresponding individual phases (Fig. 5, A–D), the deviation of cell periods for the third regime of entrainment is very small. This is an outcome of entrainment dynamics. Generally, a population of cells (oscillators) that is synchronized by an entrainer retains two characteristics. First, all individual cells adopt the period of the entrainer (Fig. 6, A–D), and second, the individual cell phases are phase-locked relative to the entrainer. This is also true for our model in the regime of synchronization (Figs. 5, A–D, and 6, A–D). However, the stochastic nature of cell dynamics leads different cellular oscillators to adopt slightly different periods and phases (Fig. 2B). Consequently, while the individual cell periods can only slightly deviate from the circadian period, there is a wider regime of individual cell phases that retain the phase locking characteristic. For the case where cortisol has nearly no rhythmicity (Figs. 5H and 6H), individual cell phases are uniformly distributed (Fig. 6H), while individual cell periods adopt a normal distribution due to the absence of an entraining rhythm (Fig. 5H). At this point, it is interesting to note that our model predicts that the presence of even a very small amplitude-entraining signal induces a reduction in the mean period of the population relative to unentrained cells (Fig. 2B vs. Fig. 5H). Changes in population periodicity relative to entrainer concentration has also been observed in synthetic oscillators (67).
As cortisol's amplitude decreases, cells gradually fall out of sync. In particular, we observe the increasing prominence of a second distribution of individual cell periods (Fig. 6E) that further increases (Fig. 6, F and G) and finally becomes the only period distribution of the population (Fig. 6H). This dynamic denotes the “movement” of the population from the regime of synchronization to the regime of desynchronization. This transition happens in a gradual manner. Similar to what was observed for cell phases (Fig. 5E), where we see a gradual dispersion of cell phases that corresponds to the second regime of synchronization (Fig. 4, II), for cell periods we see a transition of cell periods from a regime where they are distributed narrowly around the circadian period of cortisol to a regime where they are distributed with a different mean period.
It is well established that disruption of cortisol circadian periodicity is associated with detrimental outcomes (28). Whether the disruption of cortisol rhythm is a cause or a consequence is an ongoing research problem. In our model we approached this issue by examining the consequence of a disrupted central systemic entrainment on the expression of peripheral circadian clocks.
Figure 7 shows that high levels of synchronization are achieved only for cortisol periods close to the individual cell period (23.4 h). In particular, although individual cell phases adopt a nearly uniform distribution for cortisol periods far from the individual cell frequency (Fig. 8, A and B), as cortisol's period approaches that of individual cells, we see a gradual concentration of cell phases around a mean value and a concurrent reduction of standard deviation (Fig. 8C) until the regime of entrainment (Fig. 8D). The dynamics of our model lie in qualitative accordance with the experimental results of Mondragon-Palomino et al. (52). In their experiment, they used a synthetic genetic oscillator with arabinose as the entraining signal and observed that for entrainer periods near the free synthetic oscillator period, oscillators' phases adopt a dense distribution, whereas for periods away from this regime the synthetic oscillators adopt a “double trough” uniform distribution. In the same experiment they also observed the formation of a bimodal distribution similar to what we observed (Fig. 9, B and E) as the entrainer period approaches and departs from values that induce the entraining regime.
Both Figs. 6 and 9, in accordance with experimental evidence (52), reveal the existence of two distinct dynamic states. Disruption of cortisol rhythms, either by flattening its amplitude or by changing its circadian period, leads the peripheral clock genes to a new nonhomeostatic steady state where individual cells have lost their entraining characteristics respective to both their individual cell periods and individual cell phases. However, our model predicts that even for homeostatic cortisol amplitudes and frequencies, individual cells retain a dynamically varying level of synchronization throughout the day.
There is a circadian time structure associated with many diseases. For example, patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases are at a higher risk of cardiac death (30%) in the morning (23, 39). Peripheral clocks may play a crucial role in this context since their rhythmic output directly regulate circadian generation of heart beat rhythms (42). In addition, the experiments of Balsalobre et al. (8) showed that liver's clock genes profiles after injection of dexamethasone produces different phase-shifting behavior in the population depending on the time that dexamethasone is administered, further illustrating the dynamic nature of peripheral clock gene behavior. Our modeling effort revealed that the level of synchronization, even at states of high entrainment (homeostatic cortisol amplitude and frequency), is dynamic. When calculating the Rsyn,1 metric in consecutive 2 h time windows for a period of 24 h, we see that synchronization fluctuates, with minimum values at Per/Cry mRNA's nadir and zenith (Fig. 10A). In these regions, single cell profiles follow uncorrelated dynamics leading the denominator of the Rsyn,1 formula (mean variance of each oscillator) to increase (Fig. 10, B and C). In contrast, at other times, cells adopt highly coherent profiles (Fig. 10D). This more local analysis reveals that, although in macroscale cells are highly entrained by cortisol's rhythmic pattern, there are certain periods of the day where cell oscillators are desynchronized (nadir and zenith levels; Fig. 10, B and C). This further implies that there are certain times throughout the day when the host may be more vulnerable to external stimuli leading to desynchronization.
In summary, our model is able to predict and evaluate a number of experimental observations, including the necessity of a significant systemic rhythm for the synchronization of the peripheral clocks (Figs. 3 and 4) and that even mild changes in the amplitude pattern of the entrainer can have indirect effects through altering the orchestration of local networks (e.g., acetylization induced by CLOCK/BMAL1) (Figs. 5 and 6). Furthermore, upon changing either the amplitude or frequency of the entrainer, the transition from the unentrained to entrained state and vice versa happens in a gradual manner, as can be observed in the bimodal distributions of Figs. 6 and 9. Our results show that dysregulated cortisol rhythmicity can induce desynchronization of peripheral clock genes, uncoupling them from the systemic circadian network.
GRANTS
P. D. Mavroudis and I. P. Androulakis acknowledge support from National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Grant GM-082974. P. D. Mavroudis, J. D. Scheff, S. E. Calvano, and S. F. Lowry are supported, in part, by NIGMS Grant GM-34695.
DISCLOSURES
No conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise, are declared by the author(s).
AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS
Author contributions: P.D.M. and I.P.A. conception and design of research; P.D.M. performed experiments; P.D.M. analyzed data; P.D.M., J.D.S., and I.P.A. interpreted results of experiments; P.D.M. prepared figures; P.D.M. and J.D.S. drafted manuscript; P.D.M., J.D.S., and I.P.A. edited and revised manuscript; P.D.M., J.D.S., S.E.C., S.F.L., and I.P.A. approved final version of manuscript. | http://physiolgenomics.physiology.org/content/44/11/607 |
Arrays are a powerful and extremely useful programming concept. If you've done any programming in languages such as C++, Perl, PHP, or Visual Basic, you're probably very familiar with both the concept of arrays and some uses for them. We think it likely, however, that most FileMaker Pro developers out there haven't had much experience with arrays and will benefit from both a formal and a practical discussion of them.
Abstractly, an array is essentially a structure that can hold multiple values. The values are ordered within the structure and can be referenced by their position or index number. Figure 14.17 shows a representation of a simple array. The array has been defined to hold up to seven values, but only four values are present. The first element in the array is the value red.
Figure 14.17. An array is a structure that can hold multiple values. Each value can be identified and referenced by an index number.
Arrays are useful for a wide variety of things, including storing lists of data, efficiently moving multiple values through a system, and dealing with variable-size data structures in which it's impossible to define separate fields for each individual data element.
FileMaker Pro doesn't have an explicit "array" data type, but fields defined to hold multiple repetitions can be regarded as arrays. More commonly, if you want to use arrays in FileMaker, you can create your own by placing into a text field multiple values separated by some delimiter.
Note
In FileMaker Pro 8, an "array notation" can be used to refer to data in a repeating field. myField, for instance, refers to the data in the third repetition of myField. It's really just a shorthand notation for Getrepetition(myField, 3), but it makes formulas much easier to read.
Return-delimited lists pop up all over the place in FileMaker Pro. Many functions and operations in FileMaker generate return-delimited lists, including most of the Design functions and the Get (ExtendedPrivileges) function. When a user selects multiple values in a check boxformatted field, FileMaker stores that data as a return-delimited list of the selections. Additionally, the Copy All Records script step generates a return-delimited list of the data elements on the current layout for the current found set (elements within a record are separated by the tab character).
Working with Return-Delimited Data Arrays
FileMaker Pro 8 has five functions that greatly facilitate working with return-delimited data arrays such as the ones just described. These are ValueCount, LeftValues, MiddleValues, RightValues, and GetValue. Syntactically, they are very similar to the four "word" functions (WordCount, LeftWords, MiddleWords, and RightWords), as well as to the four "character" functions (Length, Left, Middle, and Right).
Briefly, the syntax of these functions is as described here:
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If you ever use arrays that use delimiters other than return characters, see "Working with Arrays" in the "Troubleshooting" section at the end of this chapter.
To demonstrate how you might use these functions in a solution, we present an example of iterating through a user's selections in a check boxformatted field and creating records for each selection in another table.
Imagine that you have a table containing information about kids coming to your summer camp, and that one of the pieces of information you are capturing is a list of sports in which the child wants to participate. When you originally set up the table, you simply created a check boxformatted field in the CamperInfo table for this information. You now realize that it's impossible to run certain reports (for example, a subsummary by sport) with the data structured this way, and that you should have created a separate table for CamperSport data. You'd like not to have to reenter all the data, so you want to create a script that loops through all the CamperInfo records and creates a record in the CamperSport table for each sport that's been checked for that camper.
There are many ways you can approach a challenge such as this. You might, for instance, temporarily set data from CamperInfo into variables, navigate to a layout based on the CamperSport table, create records, and populate data from the variables. You've chosen instead to use a portal from the CamperInfo table to the CamperSport table that allows creation of related records. This way, you avoid having to navigate between layouts for each camper, and the CamperID field is automatically set correctly in the CamperSport table.
Stepping Through an Array
A user's selections in a check box field are stored as a return-delimited array, in the order in which the user checked them. There are two ways you can step from element to element in such an array. One method is to iteratively "lop off" the first element of the array until there's nothing left to process. This requires first moving the data to be processed into a temporary location where it can be cut apart without harming the original data. The other method is to use a counter to keep track of what element is being processed. You continue processing, incrementing the counter as you go, until the counter has exceeded the number of elements in the array. To some extent, it's personal preference which method you use. Some developers had a preference for the first method in earlier versions of FileMaker Pro because it was simpler syntactically, but the newer "value" functions (introduced in FileMaker 7) make the second method very appealing now. Both versions of the script are presented here in Listings 14.1 and 14.2 so that you can decide for yourself which is preferable.
Listing 14.1. Method 1: "Lop off" the Top Element of the Array
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Go to Layout ["CamperInfo" (CamperInfo)] Go to Record/Request/Page [First] Loop Set Variable [$sportArray; Value: CamperInfo::SportArray] Loop Exit Loop If [ValueCount ($sportArray) = 0] Go to Portal Row [Select; Last] Set Field [CamperSport::Sport; GetValue ($sportArray; 1) Set Variable [$sportArray; Value: Let (count = ValueCount($sportArray); RightValues ( $sportArray; count-1)) End Loop Go to Record/Request/Page [Next; Exit after last] End Loop
Notice here that in line 8, the first element of the SportArray is pushed through the portal, where it becomes a record in the CamperSport table. In the next line, the $sportArray variable is then reset to be everything after the first line. It gets shorter and shorter with each pass through the loop, until finally there aren't any more items to process, concluding the inner loop.
Listing 14.2. Method 2: Walk Through the Elements One by One
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Go to Layout ["CamperInfo" (CamperInfo)] Go to Record/Request/Page [First] Loop Set Variable [$counter; Value: 1] Loop Exit Loop If [$counter > ValueCount (CamperInfo::SportArray)] Go to Portal Row [Select; Last] Set Field [CamperSport::Sport; GetValue (CamperInfo::SportArray; $counter) Set Variable [$counter; Value: $counter + 1] End Loop Go to Record/Request/Page [Next; Exit after last] End Loop
Again, the main difference with this method is that the inner loop steps through the elements of the SportArray field based on a counter variable. | https://flylib.com/books/en/2.582.1/array_functions.html |
Last week I talked about my experiences with teaching lists to new programmers using the Scratch programming language. In this post I’ll walk through an example, showing how lists can greatly simplify a program that has a lot of similar variables.
Let’s say your teacher has asked you to help write a program to determine the percentage of tests that received a passing grade. If a test scored above 68 points then it passed. If it scored 68 or less points then it failed. The passing percentage is the total number of tests that passed divided by the overall number of tests. For example, if there were four tests and three of them received a passing grade, then you would divide 3 by 4 to determine that 75% had passed.
In this example, your teacher has given you five test scores. Since five is an easily managed number, you decide to create five variables in your program to keep track of them. You also create a Passed variable to track the total number of passing tests. Combined with five If Statements, you can increment the Passed variable to determine the total number of passing tests. Finally, divide that variable by five (the total number of tests) to determine the percentage.
The program worked great and got the teacher the needed information. However, then the teacher surprised you and said there were actually somewhere between 8,000 and 9,000 tests. Using that many variables would be a ton of repetitive code. There would be a lot of opportunity for typos to slip in and it wouldn’t be very much fun to write. Plus, you don’t even know exactly how many variables there will be.
This is a great example of where Lists are incredibly useful. Let’s run through a quick explanation of the list blocks in Scratch.
How Lists Work in Scratch
A list is a special type of variable that can hold multiple variables within it. Lists are created from the section containing Variable blocks. When you create a new list and name it, several new blocks will appear. These blocks can be used to add to, delete from, or make other changes to a list.
When a new list is created, a box will also appear on the screen where you can enter multiple values. Simply press the plus sign on the lower left corner to add new items.
When you type items into the list, notice that a number appears on the left hand side. This number is called the index and is the key to accessing individual items from a list. One of the most common blocks is the item of list block. With this block, you can type in the index number you want and select the list from the drop down menu (assuming you have created more than one list). That block will then act like a regular variable.
One of the most commonly used applications of lists is to apply a program to every item in the list by looping through it. For example, you could have a list of numbers and perform a math problem on each one. Or you could have a list of student names and then have a program that said “Hello NAME” to each of them. There are other more advanced applications like finding the maximum value, average value, or longest word in a list.
Regardless of why you want to access every value in a list, you will usually do so with a Repeat Block. One of the list blocks is called the Length of List block. This block’s value will always be the number of items in the list named in the drop down box and will be updated as items are added or removed from the list.
- This block can be added to a Repeat Block in the same way that a typed number or regular variable could be.
- This will run the Repeat Block as many times as there are items in the list.
- You should also create a counter variable that will be incremented by one each time the loop runs.
- You can use the counter variable as the index in the Item of List block to access each item in the list one at a time.
Finding the Percentage of Passing Tests with a List
With these few blocks, we can get back to helping the teacher determine the percentage of passing tests – even when there are thousands of them.
I’ve created a quick process at the start of the program to fill a random number of tests scores (between 8,000 and 9,000) with a random score between 60 and 100. The exact number of tests and the scores on the list will be different every time the program is executed. This means the percentage will be different every time the program runs.
The logic to calculate the percentage of scores is the same as in the variable example at the start of this post. But now, instead of executing the calculation five separate times, it is part of a Repeat block that is executed once for every item in the list.
- Every time the code in the Repeat Block runs it adds one to the Counter variable.
- It uses the Counter variable as the index value in the Item of List block.
- If that item’s value is higher than the PassingGrade variable, the Passed variable is increased by one.
- After the Repeat Block has run for every item in the list, the Passed Variable is divided by the length of the list to determine the percentage of passing scores.
This example helps illustrate a problem that variables alone can’t solve because there is too much data. When I taught this in my daughter’s coding club, the kids seemed to grasp the concept of why they might want to use a list. The example of processing large amounts of data may not be as much fun as programming a small game, but it represents some of the challenges that professional programmers use to solve problems.
You can access all programs from this example on Scratch. | https://circuitsandcode.wehappyfew.net/index.php/2020/07/18/lists-in-scratch-lessons-percentage-of-passing-tests/ |
The MERGE statement (AKA "UPSERT") released in Oracle 9i is possibly one of the most useful ETL-enabling technologies built into the Oracle kernel. For those who have missed Oracle's headlines for the last year and a half and are unaware of what the MERGE statement does, it simply enables us to either UPDATE or INSERT a row into a target table in one statement. You simply tell Oracle your rules for determining whether a target row should updated or inserted from the source, and Oracle does the rest.
Prior to 9i, the alternative in SQL was to perform two individual DML statements (one UPDATE and one INSERT, each with opposing predicates). The alternative in PL/SQL was even worse - either try to INSERT a row and if it failed with a DUP_VAL_ON_INDEX exception, then UPDATE the row instead, or try to UPDATE a row, only inserting in the event of a SQL%NOTFOUND.
In the days of excessive auditing, many ETL tools keep track of the number of inserts and number of updates being performed during batch data loads. Unfortunately, Oracle is as yet unable to provide individual rowcounts for the UPDATE and INSERT components of the MERGE statement (who's betting this will be a 10g feature?). Instead, we still get the SQL%ROWCOUNT attribute, which tells us the overall number of records merged.
What I am demonstrating in this short article is my attempt at decomposing SQL%ROWCOUNT into its component DML counts. To enable this I am simply maintaining package variables to keep track of either the number of updates, inserts or both. Incrementing the package counters is done by simply "piggy-backing" one of the UPDATE SET columns or one of the INSERT VALUES columns. This will become clearer when you see the code.
First, the setup. I am going to create two variations on the EMP table. EMP_SOURCE will be a full copy of the EMP table (all 14 rows of it!). EMP_TARGET is going to contain just eight of these rows. I am then going to MERGE EMP_SOURCE into EMP_TARGET, such that we will expect eight rows to be updated and six records to be inserted.
I'll now MERGE the EMP_SOURCE data into EMP_TARGET.
An important caveat to note is that Oracle will generate an "ORA-30926: unable to get a stable set of rows in the source tables" error if there is either a many-to-one or many-to-many relationship between the source and target tables. This is not as serious as it sounds because you would normally have to MERGE a one-to-one or one-to-zero relationship as your join condition would be protected by the target's primary key.
As can be seen, the SQL%ROWCOUNT attribute provides us with the total MERGE count, but we have no idea of how many updates or inserts were performed, which doesn't help us when we have a production batch run to audit or debug. To enable us to keep track of this, I created a small package named ETL with three functions (plus two overloads) and one procedure. The source code for this is as follows.
Note that there is one function to set either the UPDATE or INSERT counter and two functions to retrieve INSERT or UPDATE counts (each with an overload - totalling four "get" functions). Finally, there is a small procedure to reset the counters.
The following is an example of how we might "piggy-back" the earlier MERGE statement to decompose the SQL%ROWCOUNT.
Line 20. I have wrapped the INSERT of es.empno in a simple CASE expression. This CASE expression calls the ETL function MERGE_COUNTER, telling it that I require an INSERT counter to be incremented. This function ALWAYS returns 0, so my first test is for 0, which of course guarantees that the es.empno value will be preserved in the overall INSERT statement.
Line 33. A simple call to the non-parameter overload of the ETL.GET_MERGE_INSERT_COUNT function returns me the value of the INSERT counter.
Line 36. I chose not to maintain an UPDATE counter in this example (because I know my data and I always get more updates than inserts, so to be as efficient as possible given the fact that I'm forcing all these extra function executions, I'll not bother with an UPDATE count). Instead, I supplied the overloaded ETL.GET_MERGE_UPDATE_COUNT function with the SQL%ROWCOUNT and this returned me the total MERGE count minus the retained INSERT count. You have the option of course to keep both counters going in one statement, but the overloads in the ETL package make this unnecessary.
And that is my basic implementation of a MERGE INSERT and a MERGE UPDATE counter. There is a performance cost, naturally, but Oracle maintains that the cost of executing PL/SQL functions from SQL is continually falling. My tests in merging 146,000 rows, 99% of which were inserts showed very few identifiable resource costs other than CPU time, which was marginally increased as is to be expected. No doubt some of you will consider it a cost too much, but I would argue that in many cases, the extra cost of keeping a package variable updated will be marginal when set against a large, database-intensive MERGE statement. I will be happily using it in my ETL processing, until Oracle includes its own of course!
Note that since writing this article, a modified version of the MERGE counter package is available here. | http://oracle-developer.net/display.php?id=220 |
Summary: Microsoft Scripting Guy, Ed Wilson, teaches you how to handle arrays in Windows PowerShell.
Hey, Scripting Guy! One of the things I do not understand is arrays. I mean, I really do not get it at all. In VBScript, it seemed like I always tripped up on arrays. In Windows PowerShell, it seems that no one ever talks about arrays. I am not claiming that I was ever a great VBScript person, but at least I got to the point where I could sort of read and understand a script that I was copying from the Script Center. In fact, at work, everyone will tell you that I am actually the scripting guy (no offence). In VBScript there were tools that I could use (like isarray) that would tell me if I had an array—but in Windows PowerShell, I never see anything of the sort. What gives?
Microsoft Scripting Guy, Ed Wilson, is here. I do not mind if you are considered the scripting guy at your work—in fact, I am flattered. I think scripting guy should be a job title just like network administrator or system analyst. After getting your email at [email protected], I went back through the blogs I have written over the last three years or so, and sure enough, I have not written a lot about arrays. I have one blog called Using PowerShell Get-Member to Explore the .NET Framework, and I have a few other posts that are a bit more advanced, but it seems to be that I have not gotten down and focused on using Windows PowerShell to work with arrays. Thank you for calling this to my attention, and I intend to rectify this issue immediately with Array Week.
An array is a way of storing data that permits more than one item to be stored in the variable or in the field. For example, suppose I want to store a single number in a variable, all I need to do is to use a straightforward value assignment. This command appears here.
But what if I need to store two numbers in the same variable? In this case, I use a comma to separate the values that I want to store. This is illustrated here.
There is no need to have a space between the comma and the next number when storing values in an array. In fact, Windows PowerShell is extremely flexible when it comes to spaces around the comma. All of the following commands work and create an array containing two elements.
These commands and their associated output are shown in the following image.
Elements, indexes, and values, Oh My!
Each item that is stored in an array is an element. When working with an array, we need a way to address each item that is contained in array. To do this, we use index numbers. The index numbers reference each element that is stored in an array. The thing that gets a bit confusing is that in Windows PowerShell, arrays always begin with zero. Therefore, the first element in an array is indexed by 0. You can also refer to that as element zero. The table that follows illustrates these concepts.
To create an array with four elements, I assign a value to each element by separating each value with a comma. In the following code, I assign the letters A, B, C, and D to an array named ARRAY. Windows PowerShell stores the array in a variable, and therefore, referencing the array requires a dollar sign in front of the variable. To see the data that is stored in an array, I can simply call the variable, and each element of the array appears on its own line in the Windows PowerShell console. The commands to create an array and view its contents are shown here.
In other languages, it is possible to create an array that is zero-based or one-based. Having a one-based array avoids the confusion of having element 0 addressed by index 1, but it introduces another type of confusion—is the array I am working on zero-based or one-based? In any language where the capability to create an array that is zero-based or one-based exists, it is essential to have the capability to discover the lower boundary of array. To discover the lower boundary of an array, use the GetLowerBound method. The use of the GetLowerBound method is shown here.
Of course, in Windows PowerShell the lower boundary of an array is zero; and therefore, the command is not useful. What is useful is the GetUpperBound method, because it indicates how many items the array contains. The use of the GetUpperBound method is shown here.
When I have a good idea of the dimensions (the lower boundary and the upper boundary) of my array, I can use square brackets to retrieve individual elements from the array. The technique of retrieving individual elements from an array is called indexing. Therefore, I use square brackets to index into my array and retrieve the individual elements. To obtain the first element in the array, I use index zero as shown here.
If I want to obtain the third item (element) in my array, I use index two (because the array is zero-based, I always add 1). This command is shown here.
The commands to create an array, obtain its boundaries, and index it into the first and third elements of the array are shown here with the associated output.
Use the GetLowerBound method to obtain the lower boundary of the array.
Use the GetLowerBound method to obtain the upper boundary of the array.
Use a counter variable to keep track of the element numbers.
Use the + + operator to increment the counter variable.
Use the counter variable to index directly into the array.
The code to use the for statement to walk through the $ARRAY array is shown here.
Because the lower boundary of a Windows PowerShell array is always zero, the command can be shortened a bit by using 0 in place of the GetLowerBound command. The simplified version of the command is shown here.
Two properties describe how many elements an array contains: the Length property and the Count property. The thing to keep in mind is that both the Length and the Count properties are one-based—that is, the first element is 1. Therefore, if you are using the for technique to walk through an array, it is necessary to subtract 1 from the Length property or the Count property. The following two commands illustrate these techniques.
The command to use the for statement with the GetLowerBound and the GetUpperBound methods, in addition to the other versions of the command, are shown in the following image.
Pipe the array to the Foreach-Object cmdlet.
Inside the script block that is associated with the Foreach-Object cmdlet, use the $_ automatic variable to reference each element of the array.
The following command illustrates the pipeline technique to access elements in an array.
If I decide to use the % alias for the Foreach-Object cmdlet, the command becomes even shorter. The following command illustrates this technique.
The following image illustrates using the pipeline technique to access elements in an array, along with the associated output from the commands.
JF, that is all there is for part one. Array Week will continue tomorrow when I continue talking about creating and manipulating arrays. | https://devblogs.microsoft.com/scripting/learn-simple-ways-to-handle-windows-powershell-arrays/ |
As a leader, respect for the others is a crucial element of positively influencing team members within an organisation. We often hear the phrase, lead by example. But what does this mean in the context of earning respect, trust and loyalty from your colleagues?
Leaders must be diligent to earn respect from their employees and being the one with the title of ‘leader’ does not necessarily mean that respect has been earned. It is possible for a leader to take their title for granted and assume that they are owed some level of respect, but this is a dangerous mindset to have because only earned respect creates positive influence as a leader.
Naturally, as humans, we respect the title that comes with a leadership position, but this does not necessarily mean that people will respect the person behind the title. The consistency of one’s character and the actions they take will ultimately earn true respect, trust and loyalty from team members.
True respect is what drives employees to commit themselves to a business, to treat customers well and to go the extra mile for their organisation.
As leaders, leading by example will ensure that respect is not related purely to a title, but true and genuine.
Quite simply, having a clear vision and matching your words to your actions creates clarity, respect and represents true leadership.
Above all, following through your words with actions shows your team that you are integral, failure to do so erodes trust and credibility as a leader.
It takes courage to lead by example, it means taking full responsibility for your business and not shifting blame. It means taking calculated risks and boldly following through when the need arises. It means always seeking solutions, even if they are not obvious.
The traits involved in leading by example ultimately help leaders to achieve earned respect, a deeper and more meaningful level of respect than that of which simply comes with a title.
Written by: Cameron Scott, my business partner. | https://www.arunkohli.com/2018/09/22/what-is-your-leadership-style/ |
As a leader, respect for the others is a crucial element of positively influencing team members within an organisation. We often hear the phrase, lead by example. But what does this mean in the context of earning respect, trust and loyalty from your colleagues?
Leaders must be diligent to earn respect from their employees and being the one with the title of ‘leader’ does not necessarily mean that respect has been earned. It is possible for a leader to take their title for granted and assume that they are owed some level of respect, but this is a dangerous mindset to have because only earned respect creates positive influence as a leader.
Naturally, as humans, we respect the title that comes with a leadership position, but this does not necessarily mean that people will respect the person behind the title. The consistency of one’s character and the actions they take will ultimately earn true respect, trust and loyalty from team members.
True respect is what drives employees to commit themselves to a business, to treat customers well and to go the extra mile for their organisation.
As leaders, leading by example will ensure that respect is not related purely to a title, but true and genuine.
Quite simply, having a clear vision and matching your words to your actions creates clarity, respect and represents true leadership.
Above all, following through your words with actions shows your team that you are integral, failure to do so erodes trust and credibility as a leader.
It takes courage to lead by example, it means taking full responsibility for your business and not shifting blame. It means taking calculated risks and boldly following through when the need arises. It means always seeking solutions, even if they are not obvious.
The traits involved in leading by example ultimately help leaders to achieve earned respect, a deeper and more meaningful level of respect than that of which simply comes with a title.
Did you get any benefit from this article? Then I would be happy if you share it:
Which style of leadership do you live or would you like to live? Do you feel the urgent need for certain changes? Tell me what you want and I will tell you how I can support you. Feel free to contact me via the contact form. | https://arunkohli.com/2018/09/22/what-is-your-leadership-style/ |
Although many managers today instil a level of trust in their people, many more managers seem reluctant to do so. It is as if they are giving up their own personal power to do so. But what is the impact to your team if you don’t engender trust or worse still there is an absence of trust?
I was recently working on a leadership initiative for a client and one of the senior executives mentioned a book and lent me his copy to read. The book was called ‘The Five Dysfunctions of a Team – A Leadership Fable” by Patrick Lencioni. If you have not read it I would encourage you to do so, as it was a great reminder of what managers can do to build great teams.
So having read the book what was I reminded of you might ask?
Trust is paramount as it is the foundation of all relationships. If trust is absent, then this creates vulnerability and can quickly lead to dysfunction. Lencioni believes the absence of trust occurs when team members feel reluctant to admit to making mistakes or asking for help when they need it. Some people feel that this is a sign of weakness, so they feel vulnerable because they fear that they may be judged by their peers. If the right culture does not exists within your team and/or the organisation, then people will not actively ask for help nor will they share their points of view, particularly if they are different to the rest of the team. A healthy, positive conflict discussion encourages all of us to think differently and at times try different ways of doing things beyond the norm.
Once trust is absent it can have a ‘Snowball effect’ on the team. That is where Lencioni’s other 4 Dysfunctions come into play, which are:
Dysfunction 2 – Fear of Conflict
Dysfunction 3 – Lack of Commitment
Dysfunction 4 – Avoidance of Accountability
Dysfunction 5 – Inattention to Results
Once trust is established everything else stems from that and that is how you achieve teams that have result driven employees, who feel engaged and committed to their work. These teams are comfortable to have the difficult conversations ie air their opposing views and speak their mind, even if it would be unpopular to do so.
Peter Drucker’s view on how managers can establish trust is simply – to do what is best for the organisation and not oneself. He suggests that “Trust is mutual understanding. Not mutual love, not even mutual respect. Predictability?”
Drucker believes that successful leaders don’t start out asking, “What do I want to do?” They ask, “What needs to be done?” Then they ask, “Of those things that would make a difference, which are right for me?” They don’t tackle things they aren’t good at. They make sure other necessities get done, but not by them. Successful leaders make sure that they succeed! They are not afraid of strength in others, because they harness the collectiveness of the team.
Here are four simple suggestions that may help you build trust within your team:
- Be Consistent. Trust builds over time and with every action. So your daily actions are either deposits or withdrawals from your team’s ‘trust in you’ bank account. Think about your actions and inactions with your team members.’
- Communicate Regularly. Is it two-way in your team? Are you open to feedback? If you have to deliver unpopular information or even bad news how will you deliver it and how will it be received by your team based on your relationship with them? Do you share on a regular basis with your team
- Be Empathic. Are you able to ‘walk a mile in their shoes’ to truly understand their perspective? Do you ‘check in’ with your team members to see how they are progressing with their workload, personal/professional development plans, family matters etc.?
- Lead by Example. Are you accountable for your actions and deliverables? Are you upfront and honest in your dealings with others? Are you a team player? Do you do what you say you will do? Always remember non delivery will destroy trust and credibility all the time.
On a final note remember the words of Ernest Hemingway…”The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.”
So what are you going to do to build greater trust within your team and your wider organisation? | https://dynamicbusiness.com/topics/workplace/hr-and-staff/build-trust-within-your-team-four-ways-12042012.html |
In all honesty, how content are you with your current remote work conditions?
The unprecedented adoption of remote work beginning in early 2020 has affected employees in many ways, fundamentally changing the way we work. While some enjoy working in the comfort of their own homes and keeping their former rush-hour commute at bay, others are dealing with spotty home wifi, loud roommates who never know how to keep it down when you’re on Zoom calls, clingy pets, or simply the loneliness that might come from not being physically surrounded by coworkers.
As an employer, how can you empower your employees to do their best work and enable your team to be healthy, happy, and productive in this virtual environment?
Jessalyn Klein, Workato’s Head of People and Culture, and Sameer Chowdhri, Facebook’s Global Head of Workplace for HR, sat down together to discuss the latest trends in automation, data, and communications that can enhance employee well-being and performance both now and in the future.
Klein and Chowdhri outline the 3 C’s to building the employee experience of the future:
Care
While working from home can come with unique benefits, it may also mean working extra hours and a deteriorating work-life balance.
According to a survey conducted by Front, out of 2,000 employees, 66% say their workload has increased significantly since going remote, and 50% say they spend five or more additional hours working each week.
How can organizations manage employee well-being now and post-pandemic? Below are some things you can do to help your employees and HR team members, according to Chowdhri:
- Automate work. Leveraging automation can improve the employee experience by eliminating small tasks that take up your team’s day. HR automation, for instance, could improve your organization’s time-to-hire, empower employees to immediately plug in with seamless onboarding, and allow your HR department to allocate more time towards high-value tasks.
- Organize and prioritize. Encourage employees to be more organized and structured by scheduling weekly one-to-ones with managers. This can help your reports better schedule their weeks and offer them a forum to address questions about urgent tasks or upcoming projects.
- Remind your team to disconnect. Telltale signs that employees are reaching burnout can be difficult to spot virtually, but there are things to look out for if you’re worried a colleague needs to disconnect. Common signs might include keeping the camera off during meetings, skipping meetings, calling in sick, and a decrease in daily activities. Learn to recognize these signs early and encourage work-life balance by being conscious of people’s time (including different time zones if you have a global workforce) and understanding that they have to take care of themselves and their families.
- Lead with empathy. Every Thursday, Facebook does a live Q&A with their CEO, Mark Zuckerberg—this increases transparency throughout the organization and improves feelings of belonging. Find ways to connect with your teammates that increase your understanding of who they are and what they care about. This will help you collaborate more effectively, improve cultural competence, and boost their productivity.
Culture
Now that you know how to care for your employees on a personal level, how can you help them embrace the company culture starting from day 1? What can you do to make your employees feel more connected to their peers even in this remote work environment? Champion a strong company culture.
For many people, the workplace is like a second home—it affects their happiness, productivity, and sense of belonging greatly. With that in mind, it’s not surprising to learn that 69% of job seekers would turn down an offer from a company with disappointing work culture and that 79% of people who quit their jobs mention “lack of appreciation” as their reason for leaving.
Culture isn’t just about having monthly team lunches or being allowed to bring your pet to work. It takes so much more to build and maintain a connection between an organization and its employees. “Culture is about trust. It all comes down to how leadership creates trust, and how managers are able to help build that trust and hold on to the trust,” Chowdhri said during the webinar.
Leaders create the company culture. At Facebook, aside from having the weekly Q&A with Zuckerberg to keep everyone aligned with the organization’s values, leaders also encourage their employees to share their learnings and failures with others to help build a sense of connection and understanding.
Not only that, Chowdhri also said Facebook expects every single person, not just the formal leaders, to show up as a leader themself. Here are the four different leadership styles being practiced among employees at Facebook:
- Leadership from within, which means being a good human in general and being genuinely interested in helping other people become successful.
- Strategic leadership, which is shown by having a plan and a strategy, and knowing how to execute it.
- Collaborative leadership, which can be done by creating the right environment for employees to collaborate across all functions.
- Executional leadership, which comes down to how you execute goals, increase productivity, encourage transparency, and lead a successful team.
To add to the fourth point, Klein stated that transparency is also top of mind at Workato. Even though they expect formal leaders to be the ones putting important information out there, they also look to and rely on key opinion leaders (the people that peers go to when they’re looking for an answer) to do the same. Being able to empower and encourage both the formal and informal leaders is key to crafting an employee experience that nurtures transparency and communication.
Community
Now that you’ve improved the employee experience by establishing a culture that promotes autonomy, transparency, and strategy, how do you make your team feel like they truly belong at your organization?
Studies show that 70% of remote workers can feel left out at the workplace. Currently, many companies are failing to meet the needs of their remote employees, and more than half of these employees are missing out on important information. This is caused by the difficulties of communicating without frequent in-person contact.
According to the Harvard Business Review, high workplace belonging was linked to a 56% increase in job performance, a 50% drop in turnover risk, and a 75% reduction in sick days. Employees with higher workplace belonging also showed a 167% increase in willingness to recommend their company to others. They received double the raises and 18 times more promotions as well.
How can you drive a sense of belonging in this current virtual workspace? At Facebook, they use their collaboration platform (Workplace from Facebook) to create employee resource groups. These groups can be based on interests or hobbies, and some are more structured than others. This opens up an opportunity to learn, promote inclusion and belonging, and build a team that is resilient.
As previously mentioned, you should also encourage your employees to prioritize their well-being, and leverage automation and technology—like Workplace from Facebook, Slack, and Microsoft Teams—to help foster community.
To show employees that staying connected matters, leaders are expected to engage in the community as well. One of Chowdhry’s favorite quotes by Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, is “leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.”
Curious to know how other leaders are building an unforgettable employee experience in a remote environment? Join our Systematic community to learn more! | https://systematic.workato.com/building-the-employee-experience-of-the-future/ |
Managers in the workplace have their unique role to play with a number of responsibilities. However, these responsibilities evolve continuously. So, they must have a high-performance mindset while creating a culture. Its foundation promotes competitiveness along with teamwork. It drives this for the betterment of a healthier organisation. Besides this, managers must always stay active and should be strong in the business. And the most important is they must Earn trust from their colleagues. This, in turn, inspires the team unity and collaboration that is focused on the fundamental principles of loyalty, communication and transparency.
The best managers are proactive in addressing the needs of their team. They go out of their way to be creative and find new ways to uniquely motivate each member of the team. They are always aware of moods, mindset, attitude, and engagement levels. The best managers are the ones who “take one for the team” and can quickly turn around times of duress into rewarding opportunities.
But in the end, it is the level of trust you have with your manager that makes or breaks the team. Your performance and the developmental journey within the organisation will also be considered. A bad manager can make or break your career. Equally, if a manager is ineffective at earning trust – the lack of team performance will speak for itself and turnover will become increasingly apparent. If you are an ineffective manager who has trouble earning trust, can’t hide for long.
Some companies have statements like “respect individuals,” “our people are our point of difference,” or “value our and all people” as part of their mission statements. These statements bring up the trust of the organisation to a high level.
That’s because trust like a real apology isn’t so simple. Saying, “I trust you” in an environment that is judgmental and lacks value and respect for people sounds a lot like saying “I’m sorry” without accepting any accountability for whatever you did.
Trust comes from actions that you take but it must be felt by others in order to resonate. So why do so many leaders not understand this about their people?
Because they aren’t listening. They don’t understand that when it comes to trust. So respect of ‘who they are’ is more important than ‘recognition’.
Nowadays, people want to be heard and want to be part of a workplace. It should allow them to be their authentic selves. This is one that supports their efforts to be more purposeful, responsible, and accountable.
As a result, many organisations have encouraged their employees to freely speak up, be bold and engage in courageous conversations. While these are well-intentioned efforts, they can only be successfully implemented within a workplace culture that can authentically create a safe environment to speak-up. Here, leadership is open-minded to allow their employees to influence their decisions. Even fresh perspectives are welcomed and acted upon.
That’s not easy to do, especially in overly metric-driven business climates. Here, it values execution over thinking more and differently.
Thus, the most important and effective way to Earn trust quickly is to be a strong communicator. They must speak authentically and listen as others do the same. Finally, great communication uses the diversity of thought to break down departmental silos. It even creates interdependency between people thus building strong workplace alliances. The diversity of thought is about being inclusive. This means that everyone listens to each other and values individual differences. So everyone contributes and believes that they can achieve. It improves relationships and creates an effective groupthink environment. This will further promote teamwork and consensus. | http://wikimonks.com/the-only-thing-by-which-leaders-earn-trust/ |
How do we change the paradigm for leadership across the business, regardless of discipline, to guide our organizations to success? IT leaders must become integrated, strategic partners. We must earn the trust and the mutual respect of our peer leaders at every level. It is not enough for the CIO and fellow “c-suite” leaders to equally share the mission and responsibility of delivering to the external customer base. This must be cascaded through the vice president, manager, supervisor and even individual contributor levels.
IT leaders and professionals must understand business dynamics as well as internal partners in areas of the business IT supports. For the CIO, this means taking the perspective of the chief executive officer with a clear strategic focus on markets served, customer relationship development, operational challenges and support services needs within the organization.
So, given that, IT leaders have a strong obligation to deliver effectively for the organizations and the employees that they serve. Proof of competency is the baseline performance. The baseline is on-time, on-schedule, agile project delivery in partnership with the area of the organization who will primarily use the technology and rapid, thorough problem/incident management. Without this baseline, IT has no credibility at the strategic table.
Beyond this competent delivery of the old definition of IT’s role, IT leaders must be embedded in the business areas that they serve. They need to network across the organization, spend time with peers, leaders at the next level up and staff member’s one level down in other parts of the organization to understand challenges, identify struggles, anticipate future needs and define the technologies needed to handle the diverse spectrum of issues business leaders face.
IT leaders have a strong obligation to deliver effectively for the organizations and the employees that they serve. Proof of competency is the baseline performance
We need to deliver strategic, mission-driven value at every level of the organization. Therefore, we need to build the skills–negotiation, facilitation, public speaking–in our technical staff to enable their success. While IT-types are technology oriented, emotional intelligence still matters. Humans have feelings and managing the complaints, conflicts, and concerns of others can make the difference in getting the dollars needed to add value.
You may be saying to yourself, “We barely have the time and staff to deliver today so how are we supposed to come up with the time to do all of that talking?” Truly, I feel your pain. The amazing IT professionals who work at Western Area Power Administration delivered 110 information or operational technology projects last year on top of maintaining current infrastructure. Nearly all were delivered on-time and on-budget, steadily improving upon delivery over the past three years. Our business partners believe we can deliver and because they are being challenged to “do more with less,” IT requests have grown significantly in the same time frame. Our first IT strategic roadmap identified a backlog of 240 projects. This year, our backlog is more than 600 projects –significantly more than we are staffed and funded to achieve.
How do we choose which projects to work in which order? This is a strategic investment discussion. Our only choice is to prioritize our list together with the leadership of our internal business partners. They need to see and understand our challenges. They need to care about where we invest in technology to move our mission ahead and enhance our delivery to our customers, securely and with high value added. They need to mutually agree on our path forward and then support the IT team in partnership to deliver those on the list. They also need to support the IT team in agreeing not to malign the IT staff for those efforts that we, the organization’s leaders, have decided to delay.
For our highly regulated industry, we use the following framework to help us prioritize annually:
• Our potential project list comes with input from all areas of the organization, including major IT upgrades and newly required cybersecurity projects.
• First, we identify projects that have a legal, regulatory or contractual component. These move to the top of the priority list.
• Next, we look at safety and security and define which of those projects need to be included in each of the next three years, with placeholders for needs over the 10-year plan.
• Finally, we evaluate business cases using metrics for the rest. In the utility industry, we assess return on investment, cost per megawatt and risk mitigation, etc.
In IT, we take the first stab at creating the “strawman” priority list and then run that past governance council to gain their perspectives. Projects get moved up, down and off the list through those discussions. Of course, during the year, projects shift as strategic priorities shift.
In today’s fast-paced world, IT leaders must be responsive to the changing needs. To be responsive, we must know about shifting priorities. By networking well at every level, understanding the internal and external strategic forces at play and by delivering well on our goals, IT leaders make a lasting contribution. | https://it-service-management.cioapplications.com/cioviewpoint/revitalizing-it-with-strategic-planning-nid-2519.html |
Respect—from within the team and for the team—must be earned. The goal of Respect is contribution—where all team members willingly contribute their best efforts and new ideas. Earning it is the right thing to do for its own sake, but it also has a deep impact on a team’s performance and its ability to gain visibility and resources from others. Your job as a team builder is to take the lead highlighting other people’s skills and articulating how those capabilities can help the team.
The Three Rs of Respect
Three elements of respect are what I call the three Rs: Realize, Recognize, and Require. These actions establish an environment of respect that, when interwoven with the trust you have built and the direction you have set forth, will create a platform for developing empowered teammates. Here’s how I define the three “R’s” of Respect:
REALIZE
Respect comes from two places, from your authority and from your actions; the respect garnered from the latter is more valuable and more sustainable than the former.
RECOGNIZE
Respect derives from results. As a team builder, it’s your job to bring forth and acknowledge the superpowers of each of your teammates.
REQUIRE
Respect isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s a requirement, and it needs to be shared and reciprocated.
Mutual Respect Creates an Environment of Contribution
Mutual respect is a powerful adhesive when the team comes under pressure. People who feel respected are more confident to express their ideas. They aren’t wasting energy thinking of how not to look stupid; instead they focus on using their abilities to help the team solve the problem. Put simply, respect fuels greater levels of contribution. When you create an environment of mutual respect, you also eliminate the fear of being ignored, humiliated, or victimized.
Mutual respect in team building is not about creating friendships, though don’t be surprised when you develop friendships with people you openly show respect for; it’s about recognizing contributions. Team building is a paradox of sorts, because you need different skill sets to succeed, yet success is found only through unity. The most powerful teams are the ones that have breadth of skill and depth of unity.
A team leader’s responsibility is not only to build trust and set direction, but also to create an environment of mutual respect, so teammates feel free to voice their opinions, debate options, and ultimately take actions without fear of ridicule. This is where the leader’s true power and authority come from.
Learn More About Building Unstoppable Teams
Unstoppable Teams: The Four Essential Actions of High-Performance Leadership
Unstoppable Teams is the handbook for how to build care-based teams that will push people to achieve more than they ever thought possible. | https://alden-mills.com/2019/07/respect-what-goes-around-comes-around/ |
Transactional leaders encourage their team to achieve targets according to prewritten plans while transformational leaders Inspires people to do the unexpected and go beyond themselves to solves problems, regardless of plans (Babou, 2008). There is no right or wrong way of leadership styles. Many organizations are different in their own way. Some may require stricter rules and then you have some companies where they move more fluid and have room for improvising. It’s also depends on the chain of command and the employees to determine the appropriate leadership style.
Analyse how leadership and management theories. There are a number of different ‘types’ of leadership and management styles used within our large organisation. There are 2 main theories of motivation and management that were developed in the 1960s by Douglas Mcgregor known as Theory X and Theory Y. Within this theory there are 2 general assumptions of how team members are motivated. Theory X is quite rigid in strong supervision and reprimands, where the workers are mainly interested in the wage at the end of the month, whereas the Y Theory is more about the team members having job satisfaction and complete tasks without direct supervision.
Team leaders pay high and equal attention towards the production needs and people relations. This method relies heavily on making employees feel themselves to be constructive parts of the company (Blake and
Those that are recurring actions are what managers and leaders integrally do within their firms some of which does far better than others. Using Organisational Assessments While seeking improvement for the Organisational performance, it is very supportive for conducting assessments on regular basis for current Organisational performance. Charges may be systematic, explicit and planned or implicit and unplanned. Better assessments for conducting effective management change by using tools like comprehensive questionnaires, diagnostic models (using the models and referring or recognising them), SWOT analysis etc. besides comparison with the outcome to several ‘best practices’ or industry standards.
This paper will be looking at the role of a Marketing Director understanding the biases in others. According to Bazerman & Moore, (2013, p. 223), “the task of evaluating the decisions of others is fundamentally different from the task of auditing your own decisions.” I have learned while taking this “Judgement in Managerial Decision Making,” class that my unconscious bias influences the way I make decisions and, perhaps more importantly, leads to collective or societal awareness agreements about how I behave or what I believe. This has substantial implications when it comes to decision making in leadership. As a leader, unconscious bias impacts in many ways the decision that I will make while being in a leadership role. Whereby understanding
Commitment and Trust Trust is the foundation of every good relationship and helps to create a healthy work environment. According to Heathfield (2002), trust is the necessary precursor to the following: • Feeling able to rely upon another person • Cooperating as a group • Taking thoughtful risks • Experiencing believable communication Once trust is established, it enables the work and communication more effective. They will be committed to compromise and work towards the share goals. Hence, managers have a better opportunity to accomplish the company’s goals. Figure 2 Trust Equation The company could build trust through: • Form teams to solve real work issues and improve the real work processes • Regular team meetings to review project, progress or concern • Team building activities In addition, the company should encourage mutual respect among each other.
However, a psychologist Fred Fiedler introduced the contingency model of leadership in mid-1960, which states a leader's effectiveness is based on the situation. (Fiedler, 1964, p. 152). 2. Fielder Contingency theory According to the Fielder (1964, p.153) , he pointed out that there is no best leadership style but a leader's effectiveness is based on a situation. In other words, a situation can reflect a leader's ability to lead.
During this process a gap analysis is performed to examine areas of discrepancies and improvement which adds on to the qualitative nature of the process. This feedback process is very helpful when it is used for various purposes whether developmental or administrative for the benefit of the employees and the organization as well. The 360-degree system works effectively in organizations that believe in high performing cultures that support open and honest feedback. It benefits employees who feel comfortable with the system and believe they will be rated fairly and honestly because of the open and honest feedback (Aguinis, | https://www.ipl.org/essay/Douglas-Mcgregors-Theory-Y-On-Managerial-Thinking-FC2TAC3NPG |
Gavin’s 14 Digital Marketing, Design and Communications Trends for 2021
Brands can’t stay static. They must anticipate and adapt to changing conditions. Gavin’s team of branding and communications strategists are constantly refining our processes and monitoring the latest digital marketing, design and communications trends to meet the evolving needs of our clients. On this episode of The Adlibber, three members of the senior team discuss the biggest trends they are expecting in the year ahead. | https://evolving-influence.com/adlibber/gavins-14-digital-marketing-design-and-communications-trends-for-2021/ |
The Regional Collision Director (RCD) acts under the authority of the Region Vice President of Customer Care (RVPCC) and is responsible to the RVPCC for the effective operations of all collision activities within the Region.
The RCD is the focal point for collision operations related activity. Working through the regional leadership infrastructure he/she is accountable for the financial performance, coordinated marketing, customer relations, insurer relations, staffing, and overall coordination of the collision operations activities within the region. The RCD will collect and analyze data providing feedback and recommendations for improvement to the Regional President as well as the Corporate Director of Collision Repair.
The Key Evaluation Criteria are: regional collision operations financial performance, customer satisfaction, compliance to national and regional initiatives.
The position can be based out of Atlanta, GA, or Tampa, FL. We will consider candidates from other locations such as OH or TN as well.
Job Responsibilities:
- Provide quantitative and qualitative analysis of performance within the region’s collision operations
- Coordinate with the regional leadership, develop and follow-up on individual business unit action plans to achieve the desired outcome
- Champion National and Regional initiatives within the Region (Assessment, Training, Implementation, Certification, etc.,)
- Attend National Fixed Operations (and/or collision) meetings conducted by Corporate Fixed Operations
- Interact with business unit through in-store visits, telephone, and written correspondences
- Provide feedback to the Collision Center Managers, Regional and Corporate staff based on the contacts
- Involve in and coordinate collective marketing efforts
- Facilitate regional and market relationships and referrals and ensure customer issue resolution
- Act as the “primary” point of contact” between regional operations and insurers
- Monitor morale and advise the leadership of the region
- New store and personnel integration
- Develop succession plan within the region for continuous collision operations
- Oversee the collective recruiting, selection, and staffing effort of collision in the region
- Evaluate and coordinate collision training initiatives
- Participate in the monthly operating review (MOR)
- Participate in the annual budget preparation and validate its premise with quantifiable data and initiatives
- Compliance and reporting of any activity that would expose the corporation to avoidable risk
- Effective leadership of assigned staff
- Coordinate external resources
- Share “Best demonstrated Practices”
- Recognition and team building.
Mandatory Qualifications:
- High School graduate or equivalent
- 5 years fixed operations or equivalent experience
- Valid drivers license
- Prior managerial accounting & P/L responsibility
- Business unit operational experience in a leadership role
- Reside in primary region of responsibility
Preferred Qualifications:
- Industry knowledge (operations, mgmt, insurer relations, etc.,)
- Ability to analyze and interpret financial operating reports
- Experience in Service, Parts, and/or Collision business operations
- Current in industry trends, process, and procedures
- Exposure to advanced production principles
- Demonstrated communications skills, both written and oral
- Demonstrated project management, presentation, and training skills
- Proficient in Microsoft Office applications
- Four year college degree.
AutoNation is an equal opportunity employer and a drug-free workplace. | https://jobs.autonation.com/jobs/135040?lang=en-us |
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We are living in turbulent times. Citizens are impatient and expect leaders to take bold but wise decisions to put our economies back on track, and to offer our societies a decent future. Being their representatives, you are well aware of that. To avoid seeing this impatience turning into despair, it is urgent that we address the root causes of the crisis, while dealing heads on with its social impact.
Let me focus on the latter and share with you what I consider as the most pressing social challenges in the current uncertain economic context. The most recent economic news is indeed not good. Economic growth is faltering in many advanced economies and there has been some deceleration of growth in major emerging economies. The recovery remains tentative. The most dreadful and immediate consequence of this, is that unemployment and under-employment remain stubbornly high in many countries. And many workers remain trapped in low-paid jobs with little social protection.
Some trends are particularly worrisome. First, unemployment is becoming entrenched in a number of G20 countries. Second, the crisis is having a disproportionate impact on youth. Finally, growing inequality is threatening social cohesion and the living standards of vulnerable families and individuals.
To deal with these threats, it is necessary to kick-start sustainable job creation, but also to reinforce social safety nets to make them stronger and more effective. In other words, we must foster long-term inclusive growth. We thus urge governments to address urgently and forcefully the social impact of the crisis. This is our simple message today: “Go social”, in addition to “Go Structural”. This was also the key message I delivered to the G20 Labour and Employment Ministers in Paris two weeks ago. And I am glad to say that it was echoed strongly in the concluding statement.
The threat of unemployment becoming entrenched
The first major threat to our social fabric is the steep rise in the number of people who have been unemployed for a year or more. Among major OECD economies, only Germany has recorded a drop in long-term unemployment. Meanwhile, long-term unemployment has exploded elsewhere. It has tripled in the US, affecting more than one in three unemployed. In Spain, it now represents more than 40 per cent of the 4.9 million unemployed. We know only too well from past recessions that such steep hikes can take many years to unwind. In the meantime, the people concerned are at high risk of exclusion and poverty.
How should governments respond to this dramatic situation? The OECD’s message is clear. Renewed job creation is obviously essential. This requires rebuilding confidence through credible medium-term plans for fiscal consolidation. It also means taking measures to boost job creation that are cost-effective and that focus on the most vulnerable groups. In the short run, hiring subsidies for companies that decide to expand their workforce can be a cost-effective way to boost job creation. And this measure is indeed central in President Obama’s recently-announced American Jobs Act.
A shift towards greater investment in training is also warranted. This would facilitate the re-employment of jobseekers, especially those with low or obsolete skills. It would also help to maintain an effective labour supply, especially if it is linked to local labour market needs.
The universal challenge of tackling youth employment
But another major threat to our societies and to our future is youth unemployment. We must give youth a better start in the world of work. This is our biggest challenge. Our 2011 Employment Outlook, released two weeks ago, documents how young people have been hard hit by the crisis and have borne a disproportionate share of job losses. Many of them are facing significant barriers to finding worthwhile employment, especially now that the recovery is faltering.
Improving the labour market situation of youth requires a two-pronged approach. First, we must tackle the rise in youth joblessness that took place during the crisis. Labour market programmes can make a difference, including effective counselling, job-search assistance and even temporary hiring subsidies for low skilled youth. They facilitate the transition to productive and rewarding jobs for young jobseekers.
Second, we must overcome the long-term failure to give all youth a better start in the labour market. This requires equipping youth with basic foundation skills relevant to the labour market. This is a key responsibility of the education system. But it must begin as early as possible, preferably in early childhood for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. And it must be sustained through the compulsory schooling period.
In addition, we should not forget the important role of well-designed vocational education and training programmes. They facilitate a successful transition from school to work by providing technical skills and blending workplace and classroom learning.
Tackling growing inequality and child poverty
The final and fundamental issue I want to raise with you is inequality. You may remember our “Growing Unequal?” report in 2008, which sounded the alarm of this worrying trend. We will follow up with a new flagship publication in December. It will show that inequality is still on the rise in most advanced and emerging G20 countries. It was rising before the crisis, and it has further increased since, especially where long-term unemployment has risen sharply.
The up-coming report will highlight the key role of the tax and social protection systems in reducing inequalities. It will also draw attention to the worrying fact that, in many countries, the redistributive effect of the tax and benefit system has weakened over the past 15 years. But why should we worry? Is growing inequality damaging? Definitely yes. It is synonymous with a heightened risk of poverty for families and children.
And child poverty is one of the ugliest and longest-lasting scars in our societies. An unacceptable reality, but an undeniable one, as one in five children live in poverty in countries as different as Israel, Mexico, Poland, Turkey and the United States. It is hard to believe, but this has been shown in our Doing Better for Families publication this spring.
This is an obvious demonstration of public policy failure. For children in poor families, it is harder to eat well, to learn well and to become adults with good career prospects. Hence, we plea policy makers to pay particular attention to the situation of families and children. When deciding public spending priorities, don’t forget the long-term benefits of support for families.
Family and gender issues
We are also closely monitoring whether and how the crisis impacted men and women differently, and what are the consequences for families. When the crisis first hit, men were more likely to lose jobs than women. In fact, female working hours actually increased while men’s hours fell. By working more, women made households more resilient. However, current cuts in the size of the public sector might well reverse this pattern in many countries. The lesson is that we shall focus on families as a whole, and not only on individual workers, in order to fully assess the social consequences of the crisis.
Better designed social policies are needed
To tackle these challenges, better-designed policies are needed in a range of different areas, on employment, education, training and social support. The challenge is to do so in such a way that it reduces inequality and poverty and, at the same time, sustains growth and employment. This task is made even more difficult in today’s environment of tough fiscal constraints. But don’t forget that across-the-board social cuts inevitably increase inequality, as low-income groups are those who depend most on social benefits.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Action must be taken, urgently, to avoid a “lost generation”. We must all “Go social”, but be effective in doing so! Good-quality social policies, particularly those addressed to the most vulnerable, should be seen as sound social investments. By tackling the large human cost of unemployment and under-employment, they promote sustainable improvements in economic growth and well-being.
In closing, let me thank you for your interest in our work. We value this dialogue with you and that is why we are setting up the OECD Parliamentary Network. I am glad that we have already received nominations of focal points from 21 parliaments. Some of those nominated are here today. We need now to reflect on how to best respond to your interests and needs, as we did for example this year by working with Chile’s Chamber of Representatives to establish a Department for Law Evaluation.
Let me also thank our Chilean representatives for their gracious offer to host the next High-level Parliamentary Seminar in March 2012. This will be an excellent opportunity to continue opening ground for joint work between the OECD and legislative bodies.
And, please, be reassured that, in these critical times, the OECD will continue to respond actively to requests for analysis and advice. It is our job to support you in our common quest to put in place better policies for better lives.
Thank you. | http://www.oecd.org/fr/emploi/addressingthesocialimpactofthecrisis.htm |
Unemployment pressures among nationals are emerging in the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC). At a time when a rapidly growing number of young nationals are entering the labor force and governments are no longer able to act as employers of first and last resort, the non-oil sector continues to rely on expatriate labor to meet its labor requirements in most GCC countries. In this environment, policymakers face the related challenges of addressing unemployment pressures while striking a balance between maintaining a liberal foreign labor policy and a reasonable level of competitiveness of the non-oil sector. Using a matching function framework, this paper examines labor market policies that are likely to expand the ability to hire nationals in the non-oil sector. It finds that an effective labor strategy should focus on strengthening investment in human capital, adopting institutional reforms, and promoting a vibrant non-oil economy.
Keywords: GCC countries, labor market policies, matching function framework
JEL Classification: J30, J60
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN? | https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=878894 |
The U.S. economy is recovering from the financial crisis and ensuing deep recession, but the unemployment rate has remained stubbornly high. Some have argued that the persistent elevation of unemployment relative to historical norms reflects the fact that the shocks that hit the economy were especially disruptive to labor markets and likely to have long lasting effects. If such structural factors are at work they would result in a higher underlying natural or nonaccelerating inflation rate of unemployment, implying that conventional monetary and fiscal policy should not be used in an attempt to return unemployment to its pre-recession levels. We investigate the hypothesis that the natural rate of unemployment has increased since the recession began, and if so, whether the underlying causes are transitory or persistent. We begin by reviewing a standard search and matching model of unemployment, which shows that two curves – the Beveridge curve (BC) and the Job Creation curve (JCC) – determine equilibrium unemployment. Using this framework, our joint theoretical and empirical exercise suggests that the natural rate of unemployment has in fact risen over the past several years, by an amount ranging from 0.6 to 1.9 percentage points. This increase implies a current natural rate in the range of 5.6 to 6.9 percent, with our preferred estimate at 6.25 percent. After examining evidence regarding the effects of labor market mismatch, extended unemployment benefits, and productivity growth, we conclude that only a small fraction of the recent increase in the natural rate is likely to persist beyond a five-year forecast horizon.
Keywords: equilibrium unemployment, Beveridge curve, structural unemployment, mismatch
JEL Classification: E24, J3, J6
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
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Brussels, 19 April 2012: Eurociett believes the EU Employment Package takes some bold steps in progressing on much needed labour market reforms in order to avoid a jobless recovery. However it does not go far enough in recognising the essential role private employment services have to play in reaching the EU2020 strategy targets.
The package recognises that open, dynamic and inclusive labour markets are an essential prerequisite to job creation, and explicitly references the role of flexicurity and the need to make transitions pay. It is notable that countries which have reformed their labour market based on the flexicurity principles such as the Netherlands, Germany and the Nordics have seen less unemployment and recovered more swiftly following the economic crisis, while countries with rigid, often two-tier employment systems like Spain and Greece are still undergoing hardship.
“With its focus on tools that will support job creation and recommendations for better matching supply with demand, fighting against undeclared work and promoting public-private partnership, the new Employment package draws on a number of key elements essential for well functioning labour markets,” comments Denis Pennel, Eurociett managing director. “We particularly welcome the increased role for EURES, the EU jobsite that will open up to private employment services and the focus on labour market governance with the inclusion of National Job Plans and scoreboards.”
“However, in denying the stepping stone function of temporary agency work, the package ignores the fact that a diversity of labour contractual arrangements contributes to increase labour market participation and create jobs that would not exist otherwise.”
The package stresses the need for internal flexibility, but with today’s labour markets in a constant state of flux, and 20% of jobs created and destroyed each year, there is a need for external flexibility too. Private employment services can and do provide a steppingstone function and assist transitions. By staying close to the workplace they understand employer needs and ensure that workers are trained to take advantage of the jobs available. With the urgent focus on youth unemployment, the private sector can be pivotal - around 40% of agency workers are under 25 years of age and the sector often provides them with their first experience of the world of work. The industry also contributes to reducing illegal work, by offering well organised and regulated forms of flexible work.
“There is a clear role for labour market intermediaries such as private employment services in implementing many elements of the Package - including meeting the skills shortages in growth areas such as ICT and Healthcare,” concludes Annemarie Muntz, Eurociett President. The greater challenge for governments going forward will be to implement flexicure labour reforms and to ensure that social security systems and portability of rights are in place to meet the new reality of work. “
Ends
Note to the editors
As the European confederation of private employment agencies, Eurociett is the authoritative voice representing the common interests of the agency work industry in Europe. Bringing together 31 national federations and 6 of the largest multinational staffing companies as well as tens of thousands of SMEs, Eurociett accounts for more than 90% of the organised agency work sector in Europe. More info at www.eurociett.eu
For further information, please contact: | https://pr.euractiv.com/pr/new-eu-employment-package-focuses-right-labour-market-challenges-be-tackled-lacks-recognition |
Labor ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation member states have expressed concern about the unemployment rate, which reached an average of 7.4% in 2016 a percentage that is higher than the world average.
An OIC declaration also showed that youth and women are the most affected. They called for strengthening efforts to create quality employment opportunities and enhance bilateral cooperation to increase the people’s welfare, Arabian Business reported.
The secretary general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Yousef al-Othaimeen confirmed the organization’s eagerness to assist job seekers in member states, stressing that the choice of the theme “Developing a Common Strategy for Manpower Development” reflects the attention given to developing personal and organizational knowledge and skills and facilitating access to the labor market.
At the OIC’s 4th Conference of Ministers of Labor, that kicked off in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Thursday, al-Othaimeen called for the implementation of the executive program for the OIC framework for cooperation on labor, employment and social protection. It includes the development of a database of migrant workers, the setting up of an OIC Labor and Professional Training Observatory, the creation of a job market information unit, and the provision of legal protection for employees as well as the development of a labor market legislation.
He urged the member states to expedite the signing and ratification of the statute of OIC Labor Center, the recent specialized institution of the organization, to be based in Baku, the Republic of Azerbaijan.
The ministers also addressed ways to develop effective solutions for addressing unemployment through job creation, labor productivity, and youth and women employment in member countries. Special attention was given to providing employees with health safety professional training, legal protection and social security protection.
The ministers acknowledged the importance of investment in human resources as a powerful driver of productivity, economic growth, increased welfare and greater social cohesion. Therefore, the ministers committed to increasing their efforts to build skills for work and life and to strengthening the link between education and employment.
They also acknowledged that promoting better employment opportunities for vulnerable groups, especially youth and women remains a key OIC objective and an integral part of its development agenda. They renewed their commitment to implement a comprehensive strategy, including policies to facilitate transition from school to work, strengthen quality employment and apprenticeship opportunities as well as action to improve employability, equal opportunities and entrepreneurship. | https://financialtribune.com/articles/world-economy/82362/jobless-rate-in-oic-states-reaches-74 |
Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.
Factsheet for measure AT-2020-40/2056 – measures in Austria
|Country||Austria , applies nationwide|
|Time period||Temporary, 01 October 2020 – 31 December 2022|
|Context||COVID-19, Green Transition, Digital Transformation|
|Type||Legislations or other statutory regulations|
|Category||
Promoting the economic, labour market and social recovery
|
– Active labour market policies (enhancing employability, training, subsidised job creation, etc.)
|Author||Bernadette Allinger (Forba) and Eurofound|
|Measure added||13 October 2021 (updated 12 January 2022)|
The COVID-19 pandemic had large effects on the Austrian economy and labour market, with increased unemployment rates. In order to (re-)qualify and train unemployed persons, a large "Corona job offensive" was implemented by the Austrian federal government in fall 2020. The goal of this programme is to provide sustainable employment prospects and to support future-oriented economic development.
The Corona job offensive consists of a bundle of funding instruments to pursue educational and training measures. The options are custom-tailored to a wide variety of qualification requirements. The focus of the programme lies in training regarding digitalisation (IT) and (long-term) care.
The following groups are targeted by the initiative:
The aims of the programme are as follows:
Participants in the programme who complete a qualification measure or (re-)training lasting longer than four months receive an education bonus ( see measure 1641 in the COVID-19 EU PolicyWatch database ) of €180 per month in addition to their regular unemployment benefits.
The job offensive is processed by the Public Employment Service (AMS) and implemented by the regional AMS offices. The federal states (i.e. the regional offices) can thus determine the design of the measures and included training programmes, as needed by the regional labour markets.
In total, around €700 million have been earmarked for this programme by the federal government for 2020-2022 (trainings are to be started by 31 December 2021). Those are additional funds of which €485 million are for qualification, €102 million for advisory facilities, €58 million for the qualification bonus and €55 million for employment promotion in socio-economic companies and non-profit employment projects. The regular funding budget of the Public Employment Service (AMS) for 2021 remains at €1.2 billion.
Around 100,000 beneficiaries can thus be financed.
At the end of September 2021, 60,000 people have been qualified within the framework of this programme and 30,000 have found a new job, according to the labour minister Mr Kocher.
As of mid-December, 185,000 people received training and further education within the framework of the Corona Job Offensive. Almost 100,000 of them have already completed the training in 2021, thus having reached the ministry's target for 2021, according to the labour minister. The focus of the education and training measures was on digitalisation and natural sciences, health professions and care, as well as in the areas of environment and sustainability.
|Workers||Businesses||Citizens|
|
Unemployed
||Does not apply to businesses||Does not apply to citizens|
|Actors||Funding|
|
National government
|
Public employment service
|
National funds
|
Regional funds
Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:
|Trade unions||Employers' organisations|
|Role||Unknown||Unknown|
|Form||Not applicable||Not applicable|
Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:
The social partners hold seats in the Public Employment Service's supervisory board and were thus to some degree involved in the design and implementation of the measure, but the extent is unknown.
Unknown.
Citation
Eurofound (2021), Corona Job offensive, measure AT-2020-40/2056 (measures in Austria), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/AT-2020-40_2056.html
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This article summarises the first policy responses of EU Member States, including those of the social partners and other civil society actors, enabling refugees to exercise their rights under the Temporary Protection Directive.Article
Disclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process. | https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/AT-2020-40_2056.html |
Summary of talk by George Alogoskoufis, Karamanlis Chair at the Fletcher School, Tufts University, at the Weatherhead Center, Harvard University, Tuesday, December 4, 2018
There have been four sub-periods in the evolution of monetary cooperation in the European Union.
First, the period from the collapse of the Bretton Woods system of fixed parities in 1973, to the emergence of the EMS in 1979.
Second, the period of operation of the EMS, until the creation of the euro in 1999.
Third, the first ten years of the euro area, before the crisis of 2009-2010.
Finally, the period since 2010, when the euro crisis broke out.
In each successive sub-period monetary integration was becoming gradually deeper, evolving from the “snake” of the 1970s, to the EMS of the 1980s, the tighter EMS of the 1990s, with infrequent reallignments, and, eventually with the creation of the euro.
All periods were characterized by significant macroeconomic and financial asymmetries among member states in the core and the periphery, but also by different degrees of monetary integration.
With the deepening of monetary cooperation, in the evolution from the snake to the euro, some of these asymmetries were addressed, while others were not.
The main asymmetries addressed by the EMS and the Euro were nominal asymmetries, such as asymmetries in inflation rates.
When the euro was created, very little was done to address the remaining real and financial asymmetries, effectively shifting the burden of adjustment to individual euro area members and their fiscal systems.
As a result, while nominal asymmetries, such as differences in inflation rates, and nominal interest rates were addressed by the creation of the euro, real, financial and external asymmetries widened after the creation of the euro, both before and after the euro area crisis.
In the first ten years since the creation of the euro, real asymmetries resulted in the build up of significant external imbalances between the core and the periphery of the euro area, and, eventually contributed to the eruption of the euro area crisis.
The main financial asymmetric shock appears to have been the creation of the euro itself, which initially brought about the convergence of nominal and real interest rates between the periphery and the core. Nominal and real interest rates in the periphery converged very quickly to the lower levels that existed in the core, as the premium due to exchange rate risk disappeared. In fact, as inflation rates converged much more slowly than nominal interest rates, real interest rates in the periphery fell even more. This convergence resulted in a widening of savings and investment imbalances in the periphery, which up until then had relatively high nominal and real interest rates.
The convergence of interest rates brought about the widening of external imbalances, the buildup of external debt by the countries of the periphery, and created the pre-conditions for the euro area financial crisis.
This process was exacerbated by the “home” bias of banks in the countries of the euro area, due to the fact that the euro area was not a banking union.
The euro area crisis was essentially an “external” debt crisis in an economic and monetary union with a single currency, but major economic and financial asymmetries and significant governance problem areas.
As a result, the euro area crisis of the 2010s was, at the end of the day, no different than other regional financial crises involving indebted economies, such as the Latin American crisis of the 1980s and the Asian crisis of the 1990s.
The proximate cause of the EA crisis was the rapid unwinding of intra-EA lending/ borrowing imbalances that built up in the 2000s, following the US financial crisis of 2007-09. Some of this lending was to private borrowers (especially in Ireland and Spain) and some of it to public borrowers (especially in Greece, Italy and Portugal), but in every case the difficult debt mostly ended up in government hands.
Often private over-indebtedness ends up on governments’ balance sheets, so that the rise in public debt is more a consequence than a cause of a financial crisis.
The ‘sudden stop’ led to a significant crisis rather than a more manageable problem since EA members could not devalue and the ECB could not bail out the governments of the periphery.
A confidence crisis followed, first about the countries of the periphery, but later about some of the core countries, regarding their ability to service their public and private external debts. This was exacerbated by the delayed and unsuccessful initial efforts to address the problem.
The proximate causes of the crisis – imbalances and lack of effective crisis management mechanisms –tell us that there are really three sorts of underlying causes:
- Design and policy failures that allowed the imbalances to develop and get so large
- Lack of institutions to absorb shocks at the EA level.
- Crisis mismanagement
Some of these failures involved unanticipated events. Others were systemic and others were due to a failure to implement the provisions of the treaties.
The major systemic problem areas included,
- Major differences in the product mix between the core and the periphery
- Fragmented national labor markets and low cross border labor mobility
- Widely different fiscal systems
- Imperfect financial integration and lack of effective cross border financial regulation
- An extremely low federal budget that would act as an automatic stabilizer through transfers from booming economies to economies suffering from recession
- Lack of a lender of last resort to banks and sovereign governments it times of crisis.
A result of the major asymmetries and other economic and governance problems of the euro area is the fact that adjustment efforts since the crisis have shifted the burden exclusively towards the weaker economies in the periphery of the euro area, which suffered deep recessions, a significant rise in unemployment, continuous tax rises, exorbitant social costs for young workers and old age pensioners, and rises in government debt to GDP ratios.
The euro area is in urgent need for additional fiscal, financial and labor market reforms.
The most important one is a significant EA budget, through a moderate and appropriately targeted increase in the EU budget. This would help smooth out the asymmetric impact of macroeconomic shocks through the operation of automatic fiscal stabilizers. It would also help EA countries in recession face fewer fiscal and financial consequences of such recessions, and would also partly address labor market fragmentation.
A significant part of the fragmentation of labor markets in Europe is the result of the lack of a cross border system of unemployment and health insurance. This could be addressed in a reform that would allow for a moderate increase in the EU budget targeted to euro area wide unemployment and health insurance.
The objections of net contributors to a moderate increase in the EU budget could in principle be overcome by an appropriate rules based fiscal reform that would address moral hazard and other coordination problems that are usually evoked as counter-arguments.
The EU and the EA are already transfer unions, through the operation of the single market and the monetary union. They encourage significant economic transfers from weaker and less competitive sectors and economies in the periphery, to stronger and more competitive ones, as suggested by the macroeconomic performance of the core and the periphery following the creation of the Euro area.
A fiscal transfer union, which would result from an increase in the EU budget, would partly correct the effects of such transfers through fiscal redistribution, and is a logical counterpart of the single market and the monetary union.
At the same time the banking union should proceed as planned, national reform efforts should be strengthened, especially in the periphery, and the stability and growth pact should be strictly enforced. | https://alogoskoufisg.com/2018/12/06/the-euro-area-at-twenty-a-reality-check/ |
Hi all,
I hope you find this helpful.
Some of this is a little old, as I wrote it a couple of years ago. These are strats that when preformed correctly dominate the opposing faction. While these are meant for regular bg’s some information will be helpful in regards to RBG’s
These strategies are definitely not the only options and each game is a little different.
I will discuss and give specific strategies for the three most teamwork oriented BG’s (Arathi Basin, Warsong Gulch, Eye of the Storm) and gloss over the other three (Alterac Valley, Isle of Conquest)
Overall Strategies:
No matter the BG, these strategies should be adhered to ensure maximum use of force.
Never travel alone. Groups of 1, 2, and 3 are fatal. You want to move as a steamrolling juggernaut of 5 or more people as you go through any battleground, preferably with healers.
Always buff yourself and others if you can.
Always leave defense at the area you captured. Most important in Arathi Basin, Eye of the Storm, and Alterac Valley.
Communication: Let the team know where the enemy is strong and where it is weak.
Protect/Stay near healers. You help them, they help you.
DPS focus on killing opposing healers.
USE CC’s, movement impairing effects, interrupts, etc. Simply removing a healer or enemy member out of the combat can turn the tide of a battle. Remember not to hit the CC’d member until it either expires or the rest of the enemy is dead.
Remain focused on the overall objective/strategy. Listen to the BG leader. Give them support, even if you think the idea is not the best, it’s better to work together than spend a minute arguing. Plans can change on the fly.
Report AFK players. If we fail to do anything about them, they will continue to earn their meager honor and be OK with wasting everyone’s time.
And the most important thing is: HAVE FUN. Even if you are losing, don’t get discouraged games are short, learn from mistakes and improve the next round.
Damage or healing meters aren’t everything. The player who thinks about team first and uses CC’s/interrupts tends to be the most successful.
Roles:
There are a few roles that you should be familiar with.
Flag Carrier/Tank: Also known as Runner or FC. Best classes are Druids and Rogues as they can run faster than other classes. Paladins, Prot Warriors and Death Knights along with Healers can be good options too.
DPS: Just like in PVE, DPS are the major damage dealers, meant to strike down enemy players and protect FC and Healers. There may be times where sacrificing yourself as a DPS is for the betterment of the overall objective (IE: giving enough time for the FC to get away or someone to cap a flag). You may die, but your sacrifice might give your team the win.
Healers: Possibly the most important role in BG’s. This person will try and stay out of harm’s way and heal the others fighting. If an opponent goes after your healer then target them first. Also, attack opponents’ healers rather than their fighting classes.
Specific BG Strategies:
Warsong Gulch (Capture the Flag) (10 players)
o Two of the most popular strategies are called “Ten” and “343/253”
• “Ten” Simply put this strategy is for all ten players to run as a cohesive unit, protecting the FC/Healers and killing the enemy FC healers. If you die you run back to the group. Doing this until all three flags are capped. Although there can be limitations to this strat. The goal is to kill the enemy FC in the middle, but if for some reason they escape you are forced to split up.
“343”or “253” This strategy is probably the most popular. The team is split into 3 groups; Defense, Middle and Flag Carrier.
• (2 or 3 members) The Defense primarily focuses on slowing down the opposing team’s offense, by picking off members, slowing them down or just making life miserable. If the defense dies they need to call out to the middle how many and which direction they are going. Great classes for this role include: Hunters, Rogues, Paladins, Druids, Frost Mages, Priests and Shaman.
• (4 or 5) The Middle, as its name implies they are forced with the task of controlling the middle. They need to be extremely flexible not only should they be trying to camp the enemy GY, but also killing the enemy flag carrier if they get past the defense. The makeup of this group should consist of 2 or 3 Nuke DPS and 2 Heals. Hybrids are very helpful as they can off heal if healers are getting hit. Classes that are great for this are mainly ranged. Elem Shaman, Mages, Priests or Destruction Warlocks are great for CC and can be spec’ed to do some serious damage. If in a group of 5 you can do 2 ranged, 1 melee, and 2 healers.
• (3) The Flag Carrier group of course focuses on carrying the flag. They rarely do anything else, unless absolutely necessary. This group consists of a healer, Runner and Nuke DPS. A great class of the healer is a Paladin due to the flexibility of their toolbox and their big heals can overcome huge DPS hits, but any healer works just fine too. The flag carrier should be a class with lots of health (Prot Warriors/Paladins or Death Knights) or a good movement class (Rogues or Druids, possibly a Shaman). The Nuke DPS, although more important for the Middle group, it can still be helpful for getting rid of defenders fast and escaping. If all the Nuke DPS classes are in the middle then, any class with a CC toolbox will work. The DPS of this group is the player who may be required to sacrifice himself in order to allow the Healer and FC to escape.
Arathi Basin (Arathi Basin is a map with 5 flag points that give points based on how many flags each faction controls. Capturing more flags results in faster points for the controlling team) (15 Players)
o Healers are very important for this BG. 5 to 7 makes for an easy win.
o The goal is to own 3 Flag points at all times, having 2 or 3 defenders at each.
o Once the team has three Flag points there should be a attacking/ defending group of 6 to 9 players available to rove around the Battlefield either forcing the enemy on the defensive or counteracting the enemies offense.
o Certain Flag points do have more importance over others. The best and easiest three to defend tend to be Lumber Mill (LM), Blacksmith (BS) and Stables (ST).
LM – Gives you a clearer picture of the battle field, defenders can call out incomings (incs’s) for all three locations. Also Boomkin, Elem Shaman and Priests can get rid of pesky attackers by send them to their death (over the edge).
BS – Gives you a way of cutting off attacks towards LM or ST.
ST – Although not as important as the other two this gives you the third point and can easily reinforce LM or BS if needed.
o “6-6-3” The best way to start the game is to have 6-6-3. 6 for LM, 6 for BS and 3 for Stables. Healers should be prevalent in the groups for LM and BS, if possible 2 or 3 for each with one healer at ST. Once the flag has been capped at BS or LM 2 people should stay behind while the other 4 either help the other two points or hit Farm. If both BS and LM are taken care of instantly both should head to farm and the enemies GY trying to trap the other faction in their starting area.
o If everything works perfectly a small force can be sent to take (Gold Mine) and a 5 cap will make the game quick if enough enemies are trapped in their starting area.
o This of course is a perfect scenario, but Arathi Basin tends to not always be a perfect game. It is the most fluid Battleground and it’s up to everyone following their assigned roles and being flexible.
Eye of the Storm (Capture the Flag with Flag Points. IE, Mix of both Warsong Gulch and Arathi Basin) (15 players)
o Points are the most important part of this game controlling three points is an easy win running to the middle before 3 points is an easy loss.
o The more towers you have the more points you get from each flag cap.
o “7-4-4” Tends to be the most widely used strategy. 4 for each of the closest points to the starting zone, 1 or 2 healers with 2 or 3 DPS. 7 that hit one of the other points on the other starting zones, normally made up of 3 healers and 4 Nuke DPS. Once it has been decided that the enemies are not going to hit one of the first 2 points, one from each side can go to help the other 7. Once the third tower has been taken, the offense needs to turn their attention to either attacking the forth tower or helping defend one of the other towers that the enemy counter-attacked. Once you have forced the enemy to defend their one tower you can have 1 Flag Carrier run to the middle and cap the flag, but defending the 3 towers is more important than the flag.
o If done correctly and with enough healers a 4 cap is possible and camping the starting graveyard becomes fun and exciting.
Alterac Valley and Isle of Conquest
o Both are very similar and consist of 40vs40. Thus it is hard to get a big enough group together with only one guild.
o Both consist of killing the enemy general.
o A small group of 5 to 15 players though can make a huge difference in both battlegrounds. In AV they can go back and recap towers, making life miserable for the enemy. In IC they can go and cap points making the enemy spawn in their keep when they die. | https://community.evolvedgaming.org/t/battleground-strategies/388 |
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Utolsó módosítás Lysora, ekkor: 2015.03.24.
The Purpose of This Article↑top
This article will cover all the important aspects of the healing role. The information contained here will be of interest both to new players and to healing veterans.
We will not go into class-specific details. Talent specs, gemming or reforging advice are beyond the scope of this article. For such information, we recommend that you read our healing class guides.
This guide is mainly targeted at healing in a raid environment, but a lot of the things we mention will, naturally, also apply to dungeons.
1. Introduction↑top
Healing is, in our opinion, the most stressful and difficult role to perform. There is a multitude of factors involved in performing well as a healer, but we feel that the most important ones are reactivity and class and encounter knowledge.
While part of being a great healer comes from personal skill (which we will attempt to define and dissect below), it is also extremely important to familiarise yourself with various concepts which, for the most part, are counter-intuitive.
1.1. What is Healing?
While, no doubt, some of you will find this part to be extremely basic and unneeded, we feel that, to have a proper discussion about healing, the act of healing must first be defined.
Healing is the act of using spells which restore the health of friendly players (your party or raid members) in order to help them survive the various forms of avoidable and unavoidable damage present in all PvE encounters.
This is a very basic definition, of course. In today's raiding environment, healers also, often, have to dispel friendly players of various harmful debuffs (magic debuffs, curses, poisons and diseases).
Additionally, in organised raiding groups, healing is done based on assignments. This is to say, each healer will be given a specific task, such as to heal another player (for example, the tank) exclusively.
There are currently 4 classes which can perform the healing role, in World of Warcraft:
10-man raids, on average, will have 3 healers assigned to keeping the entire raid alive, while 25-man raids will have around 6.
Essentially, healers will be selecting damaged friendly players and casting helpful, healing spells on them.
2. The Attributes of a Great Healer↑top
In order for this article's structure to be easily apparent to you from the start, we will list all the attributes of a great healer. Afterwards, we will detail each of these, and provide you with tips in order to maximise your performance.
As you can see, the first point relates to external factors, not necessarily related to healing. You must be extremely familiar with your user interface and with your keybinds (of which you should make extensive use).
The second point relates to encounter and class knowledge. You must be familiar with the encounter mechanics, in order to know what to expect and you must be familiar with your own class, in order to know what spells to use to properly react.
The third and final point relates to understanding that you are part of a team, and that respecting your own (and other players') assignments is crucial.
In addition to these three, main points, there are other, finer points, which you must keep in mind, such as overhealing (and how to avoid it) and mana management.
3. General Concerns↑top
More than any other role, healing is about precision and reaction. Your ability to perform your role will be strongly affected, every step of the way, by the ease with which you can input commands to your character.
Tanks and DPS players do, sometimes, have to make split-second decisions, and these decisions can sometimes impact the outcome of the encounter. Healers, on the other hand, have to make this kind of decision every time that they use a spell.
Therefore, we feel that it is important to dedicate this section to giving you the necessary information required to tuning your character for proper performance.
3.1. Recommended Add-ons and User Interface Settings
The standard Blizzard interface has improved greatly over the years (often, by including features which were previously supported only by user-created add-ons). It is possible to perform the healing role using only this user interface, but we feel that it is far from optimal.
Below, we list three user interface elements, which we feel require further customisation. In addition to these, however, you will want to optimise your user interface in every other way, removing unnecessary items and allowing you to keep a clear view of the encounter and your raid frames.
Keep in mind that, at all times, your goal is to make your user interface aid you in completing your goals, and not have it hinder you. We feel that it is a very good investment to spend a large amount of time tweaking and tuning your interface.
3.1.1. Raid Frames
The raid frames are the most important aspect of your user interface. This is where your eyes will rest for the majority of the encounter, and you will need to be very comfortable with their appearance and layout.
There are several add-ons which present you with an improved (and highly customisable) version of the Blizzard raid frames. Before providing you with their names, we will list a few things which you should keep in mind when customising your raid frames.
Obviously, these guidelines are subject to your own personal preference. The most important thing is that you are comfortable with your interface and that it does not hinder your actions.
We cannot stress enough how important it is that the relevant buffs and (especially) debuffs are properly displayed on the raid frames. As a healer, you will often find yourself having to dispel or cleanse raid members of various debuffs (magic, poison, curse or disease). Furthermore, and this is detailed below, you should have your dispel or cleanse ability properly keybound.
The most popular (and reliable) raid frame add-ons are:
3.1.2. Raid Announcements
Communication is extremely important as a healer. Generally, healers have many cooldowns which affect other players (raid damage reduction cooldowns, mana regeneration cooldowns, single-target damage reduction cooldowns). It is, therefore, useful to have a means of communicating the use of these cooldowns, without choking your voice-chat medium.
We recommend Raeli's Spell Announcer, a highly customisable add-on. We suggest that all raid-wide damage reduction cooldowns and all raid-wide mana regeneration cooldowns be announced in raid chat.
Other, single-target abilities (such as Pain Suppression) can simply be configured to be whispered to the targeted player.
3.1.3. Buff and Proc Monitoring
Most healing specialisations have various healing cooldowns and procs. It is essential to master these, and use them to your advantage, in order to maximise your performance.
While the Blizzard user interface has improved a lot, especially with Cataclysm, and it allows you to more easily notice various procs, we feel that this is insufficient.
We recommend Power Auras. This highly customisable add-on allows you to create visual and auditory markers, to help you track any number of cooldowns and procs.
3.2. Keybinding and Macros
So far, we have covered some important aspects related to add-ons and user interface settings. If you have customised your interface suitably, you should now have a good view of the encounter area and quick and easy access to your raid frames.
The next step is making sure that you can deliver your healing spells in the shortest possible amount of time. Having an excellent reaction time is a key requirement of good healing, and this cannot be accomplished without the use of keybinds.
Furthermore, selecting a target from your raid frames (by clicking it) and then using one of your spells, even through a keybinding, is not efficient. Instead, we advise you to use mouse-over macros. We will discuss this is a section, below.
3.2.1. Keybinding
Any ability which you may need to use during combat should be keybound. This does not only refer to healing spells, but also to dispels, healing cooldowns, mana regeneration abilities and trinkets.
Missing even a second to click an ability, as a healer, can often prove disastrous to your raid.
Moreover, as you will find in the section below, we advise you to make extensive use of mouse-over macros. Mouse-over macros, in short, allow you to cast spells on friendly players without selecting them as your target. You can simply hover your mouse over their raid frame, and use your ability.
This saves you precious time, but, as you can see, makes it impossible to hover over the raid frame and move your mouse to the action bar to click the spell. For this reason, keybinding is a mandatory practice for healers.
3.2.2. Macros
Mouse-over macros allow you to simply mouse over a friendly player ("hover" over their raid frame, for instance) and heal them without having to select them first. This can only be done if you are using keybinds, and doing so will save you precious time for each spell cast.
Below, we use the Heal spell to provide you with an example of a mouse-over macro:
While seemingly complicated, this macro changes your Heal spell in such a way that:
You can reduce the macro to a simpler format:
This presents less functionality, though.
An added bonus to using mouse-over macros, especially for Holy Paladins, Discipline Priests and Restoration Shamans, is that it allows you to have the boss or another add targeted (so that you can use your offensive spells on them) without it impacting your ability to heal.
3.3. Gear Optimisation
The whole theme of this section, up to this point, has been that you should put an emphasis on stability, reliability and functionality. This same idea should be reflected in your gearing.
Statistic priorities differ between healing classes, and can be affected by certain gear levels as well. The first statistic that you should aim for is Spirit. Spirit is very important for healers, as it provides mana regeneration. There is no specific point where you should stop looking for items with Spirit on them. The general guideline is that you can start looking for "caster DPS" items, with more preferable statistics, when you are comfortable with your mana regeneration rate.
This level where you have enough Spirit will vary, based, in part, on what mana regeneration cooldowns your raid has available (such as multiple Mana Tide Totems).
After Spirit, we advise you to prefer those statistics which offer you the most reliability and precision (Haste Rating in particular, but also Mastery Rating) over Critical Strike Rating, as this offers uncontrollable bursts of healing output.
The reason for this is that, as a healer, you are being constantly put under pressure to anticipate and react accordingly. In this sense, the more spell haste you have, the more reliable your healing will be. If your healing is reliant on registering critical heals, you will always be in a position, while casting a heal, to have to wonder and hope about its outcome.
For example: two players, both of whom you are assigned to heal, take two bursts of damage (each) within a 3 second interval. In order to save them from dying, you must heal each of them once before the second burst of damage hits them. If you have a lot of Haste Rating, then you will be able to reach both of them in time, even if your heal is smaller (due to lack of Mastery Rating or Spell Power from Intellect gems) and has a very low chance to be a critical strike (due to lack of Critical Strike Rating). If, instead, you have a large amount of Critical Strike Rating (hypothetically, let's assume you are guaranteed to register a critical strike), you will heal the first player for a lot, receiving the benefit of mana-free healing, but you will not be able to cast the second heal fast enough.
Obviously, in addition to your own class' statistic priorities, your gearing will be influenced by your healing assignment and the encounter you are progressing on.
3.4. Knowledge of the Encounter
As a healer, you have to be intimately familiar with a great part of each encounter your raid is attempting. You have to be prepared for every ability cast by the boss or an add, which has the potential to deal damage to anyone in the raid (regardless of whether this damage is avoidable or not).
A great part of being a good healer is being prepared for what is about to happen. Most boss abilities are on fixed timers or cooldowns, and will often have a predictable outcome. You must be prepared for every such ability, and already know which spell you are about to cast to heal your targets before they have taken any damage.
It is advised that, while learning encounters, you pay special attention to how much damage various abilities do, and how sustained that damage is. This will give you a good indication, for future attempts, of which spells are best used when.
For example: if you know there is a boss ability which deals a very high amount of damage (let's say around 80% of the health of most raid members) at a specific time, and that it is not followed by any raid damage whatsoever for 30 seconds, you would make sure that everyone has enough health to survive it, and you would then go on to heal them with mana-efficient spells, allowing you to preserve your mana. If you were not familiar with the encounter mechanics, you might fail to have everyone at the minimum health threshold to survive, and you might then panic and use mana-inefficient spells trying to heal everyone.
4. Healing-Specific Concerns↑top
If you have been following this guide so far, you should have your user interface, add-ons, macros and keybinds in place. You should be comfortable with clicking your raid frames, tracking your own procs and cooldowns and just generally using your character.
Naturally, the deeper the understanding you have of your class, the better your performance will be. This sort of coverage is beyond the scope of this article. There are, however, various aspects of playing a healer in a raid environment which are not related to class or specialisation, but rather to the healing role in general.
We have done a great deal of talking about all sorts of aspects which prepare you for healing. Now it is time to actually look what how you should heal, who you should (and should not!) heal and what you should avoid doing.
4.1. How to Heal?
Your most basic goal, for every encounter, is that each and every one of your raid members survive until the boss is dead (or until he enrages due to insufficient DPS).
Practically, you will have to wait for raid members to suffer damage, and then use your healing spells to heal the damaged targets.
This is a simplistic look at things, and the reality is more complicated because of the following factors:
In order to achieve this goal, you will need to make good use of both your mana and your global cooldowns, and use the correct spells at the correct time. Let's go into a bit of detail!
4.1.1. Mana Management
All healing classes uses mana as their resource (Paladins also have Holy Power, although this is not of great importance, as mana is still their chief resource). Without mana, you simply cannot heal.
Mana regeneration is affected by your Spirit and by various class talents and abilities. Healers have to manage their mana for the entire duration of the encounter, and mistakes in this management can quickly lead to a wipe.
While it is beyond the scope of this article to discuss specific class abilities, all healing classes have the following types of abilities:
In addition to this, each class has a few specific tools to work with, with Priests having considerably more (and more varied) heals to use than any other class.
The true skill of a healer comes from using the right heal for each situation. For example, you should use a fast and expensive heal when your target would be dead before you have the time to finish any other heal; you should use a slow and inexpensive heal when you have ample time to heal your target; you should use slow, large heals when your target is suffering sustained damage.
The idea is that, for the entire duration of the encounter, you have to strike a perfect (or near-perfect) balance between healing enough to keep your assignment alive, while not using too much mana. The only way to do this is to use the proper spells for each situation. To be able to do this, you will need an excellent understanding of your class' abilities as well as of the encounter mechanics.
To aid you in the task of managing your mana, you have various abilities which restore mana for either yourself, or for your entire raid. Below, we list all the mana-regenerating abilities:
In addition to these, each class has various mana-returning talents, which further help them balance their mana pool.
Finally, one key aspect of properly managing your mana is to ensure that you do not overheal. Overhealing is covered below, but to summarise, you should ensure that you do not expend mana on a heal which lands on a player whose health is already full (or that a great part of the heal is wasted because their health is almost full).
4.1.2. Triage
As a healer, it is your job not only to try to keep every single raid member alive, from the start of the fight until the end, but also to know when it is more profitable for your raid to let someone die so that you can better heal others (and possibly to save mana). Before we detail this further, we would like to remind you not to forget to heal yourself. It is very easy to make the mistake of trying to heal everyone else and simply overlooking your own raid (or unit) frame.
Sadly, there are times when, as a healer, you simply cannot keep everyone alive. This can be either due to encounter design (fights where the damage ramps up progressively until it becomes unhealable) or due to the mistakes which your raid makes in the execution of the fight.
When this happens, you will find yourself in a position of desperately trying to heal several low health (and dying) targets at once, and you will face being overwhelmed or running out of mana. In times like these, you will have to choose which players to heal and which players to simply let die.
While this is counter-intuitive to the nature of the healing role, it is often the only way to survive the encounter. It is impossible to tell which players should be sacrificed and which players should be saved, as this can depend greatly based on the encounter.
As a rule, as many tanks as are needed for the boss should be kept alive. Furthermore, when choosing among DPS players, those who do more damage should be preferred over others (keep in mind what stage the fight is in, though, as overall DPS numbers may not be relevant in a specific "burn phase").
Finally, while your initial reaction might be, when seeing how difficult healing is, to try to save as many of the other healers in preference of DPS players, this is often wrong. The reason is that when a fight reaches such a critical moment, the only things which will make it easier is if the boss dies extremely quickly. Therefore, even a few seconds of another DPS player being alive can make all the difference.
4.2. Assignments
No matter what encounter your raid is progressing on, and regardless of whether it is in 10 or 25-man difficulty, your raid or healing leader will surely provide you with an assignment.
In short, you will be told who to heal, and when. For the most part, healing assignments will be simple, along the lines of "Healer #1 heals the tank, while healers #2 and #3 heal the raid.", although sometimes the encounter may require more specific assignments.
Currently, all of the 5 healing specialisations are fairly well balanced, with Restoration Shamans trailing behind, slightly. In the past, certain specialisations were suited to a single role (for example, Holy Paladins were exclusively tank healers during Wrath of the Lich King, while Restoration Druids were extremely potent raid healers).
Despite this balance, some specialisations shine in certain situations more than others. Restoration Shamans, thanks to their Mastery, are extremely good healers on low health targets. Holy Priests are excellent raid healers, and Holy Paladins still shine in single target healing, while having comparatively weak raid healing capabilities compared to the other specialisations.
A good raid leader will assign specific healers to specific tasks based on the strengths and weaknesses of the healing classes (and the players playing them). If you feel that you have been given an improper assignment, or that the assignments provided, as a whole, are not satisfactory (ie., too few healers have been assigned to the raid), you should voice your concerns.
4.2.1. Tank Healing
The tanks are the only players who, regardless of encounter, take sustained damage for the entire duration of the fight. The amount of damage that they take and the frequency with which they take it varies widely from fight to fight, but in every case, the tanks must always have at least one healer assigned to them.
Most fights require two tanks, although it is possible that they will be taking damage alternatively, and not simultaneously. In any case, the amount of healing that each tank requires, based on their gear and on the encounter, is something which will have to be determined on a case-by-case basis.
If you are assigned to tank-healing, then it is advised that you take the relevant talents for this role (some healing classes have raid and tank healing talents which are mutually exclusive in terms of talent point distribution) and that you are familiar with the damage the tank is likely to receive throughout the encounter.
Moreover, you should be at least remotely familiar with the kind of tanking mechanics your assigned tank has (Paladins and Warriors have a smooth damage intake because of their blocking mechanics, Death Knights rely on self-healing, etc.).
Finally, it is very important that you communicate with the tank you are healing, so that you can both make good use of your respective cooldowns.
4.2.2. Raid Healing
Healing the raid varies widely from encounter to encounter. Some encounters present very little unavoidable raid damage, while other encounters contain heavy, sustained, unavoidable raid damage.
Based on the type of damage you are facing, you will have to adapt your healing style (and possibly your talent spec and gearing) to match it. With very few exceptions, raid healing is the task of several healers who must work together to keep the raid alive.
As a result, you must be able to communicate with your fellow healers and we advise you to set very specific healing assignments. Below are a few examples:
4.2.3. Cooldown Rotations
Another type of assignment which you will receive in many encounters is to use your raid-wide healing or damage reduction cooldown at a specifically determined time.
The reason for this is that there are various boss abilities which are too damaging for your raid to be able to survive without the use of cooldowns. Furthermore, these abilities will often add continuous and increasing strain on your raid's healing, meaning that a single cooldown will not be sufficient to mitigate them.
In order for each and every damaging hit from the ability to be mitigated by some cooldown, it is important that all healers know when to use their cooldowns (so that they do not end up using two cooldowns for one ability and none for another).
When being assigned a time to use a cooldown, you should make sure of a few things:
If, for some reason, your cooldown is not available at the designated time, you should announce it to the raid ahead of time, so that they can improvise.
4.2.4. Respecting Your Assignment
One of the most sensitive issues, related to teamwork in raiding, is the ability (or inability) of healers to respect their own healing assignments.
When healing assignments are first devised, it is assumed that each healer can complete their own task without the aid of other healers. In practice, however, this is not always so. There are many factors which will cause a healer to fall behind on their assignment (latency or user interface problems, encounter mechanics, mistakes caused by the people they are assigned to heal or even by themselves). When this happens, there are two possible outcomes:
While the second outcome may appear to have a good chance to save lives, and the raid, this is often not the case. More often than not, what happens is that, as a result of the other healers' reaction, they themselves will fall behind on their assignments. After this point, either chaos ensues or healers are forced to use a lot of mana-inefficient heals to catch up, thus running out of mana later on in the fight.
We advise you to stick to your assignments as much as possible. This does not meant that, if something exceptional occurs during a fight, causing one of the healers to fall behind on their assignment, they should not be helped. Indeed, great healers are those who can react to the unexpected as well as to the expected damage and situations that occur during an encounter.
What should be avoided is constantly making up for the lack of healing ability of a healer or improper healing assignments by improvising and filling other people's roles. This type of practice is not helpful for your raid in the long-term. Instead, you should aim at correcting the underlying problems which cause you to perform someone else's assignment. This means, the other healers should be helped to improve (or replaced) and the healing assignments themselves should be revised.
Another important reason for respecting your own healing assignment is that it ensures (in theory) equal healing of all targets. Each player in the raid has one or more healers assigned to heal them, and if assignments are respected, they will all receive heals. If you go outside of the assignments, some players will end up without any heals, while others will be overhealed.
4.3. Overhealing
The final concept that you should be familiar with, as a healer, is overhealing. In essence, overhealing refers to when a target receives heals when their health is already at maximum. Any such healing is effectively wasted, and so is the mana that that healing cost.
We have gone through many facets of the healing role, so far, in this article. All of them are important on their own, but during all of them, you must also keep in mind that you should not overheal.
In order to avoid overhealing, you must be familiar with the amount of health that each one of your spells restores. Moreover, you should have a good understanding of the encounter mechanics, so that you know whether a damaging ability will hit the player while you are casting a heal.
Basically, you should not heal a player who is already at full health and you should only heal a damaged player with a heal which, roughly, matches the amount of missing health that they have.
Some overhealing is unavoidable, due to having to top players off in preparation for boss abilities and due to the critical heals, which will often overheal their targets. So, do not be alarmed if anywhere between 10 and 30% of your healing is overhealing. Keep in mind, though, that reducing your overhealing goes hand-in-hand with properly managing your mana, so if you are struggling for mana, you should review your overhealing.
Finally, there is one additional, less well-known, way to avoid overhealing. You should configure your raid-frames in such a way that they display any incoming heals on players (pay special attention to enable HoTs). By doing this you are able to avoid using a heal on someone who was already in the process of being healed (either through another healer's in-progress cast or through a HoT), thus reducing your overhealing or that of the other healer.
5. Conclusions↑top
We cannot stress enough how important it is, as a healer, to anticipate the damage which will occur and to know exactly which of the many spells in your arsenal are suitable to counter it.
Provided that you have followed this guide, and have allowed yourself sufficient time and practice to customise your user interface and familiarise yourself with your class, you should be well on your way to being a great healer!
Lastly, keep in mind that healing, more than any other role, is a team effort, and you should try to find ways to work with your teammates at all times.
We hope you have enjoyed our guide, good luck healing! | http://tauriveinstk.tauri-veins.com/healing-guide-wow |
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- Ensure each team member has a development plan and it is being adhered to.
- Coordinate scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, communicate maintenance or incidents to the business till the point of resolution.
- Ensure discovery of the root causes of production incidents.
- Communicate project progress on regular bases with the stakeholders and other interested parties.
Requirements:
- Good self-awareness. Actively seeks out tasks that help develop skills and knowledge.
- Able to collate and interpret data from various sources.
- Capable of multitasking, good time management and prioritization of workload.
- Keen to be involved in a wide variety of projects and tasks.
- Able to work in a team and stand-alone capacity.
- Actively seeks ways of improving existing systems and processes.
- User management through Active Directory.
- Managing DNS and DHCP network.
- Managing permissions through security groups.
- Windows server experience with 2012 or greater. | https://igamingbusiness.com/jobs/it-support-team-lead/ |
This article was first broadcast in Episode Twelve on 21st February 2018.
Lennon: That was close!
Ryu: Next time we go to Ixalan, we should probably balance our party better.
Ostron: Now we’re safe backstage, let’s take a Short Rest… But I do think it’s worth talking about party balance!
Conventional wisdom says that the most effective parties have the holy trinity: damage dealer (frequently called the DPS by video-game aficionados), Tank, and Healer/support. The fourth person is ideally a character who can soak up some damage while dealing a modest amount themselves, usually called the Off-tank. If you’ve got 5 people, that fifth person should be acting as some sort of controller to either buff their allies, apply penalties to the enemies, or both. It’s only when you acquire a sixth party member that the purists are comfortable saying there are no restrictions or requirements on what role the character will occupy in combat.
The formula isn’t etched in stone for the die-hard adherents, but there are only a few acceptable modifications. For example, some think it’s fine if there is no dedicated healer, but then at least two characters have to be “light healers” (for example, having a Paladin and a Druid with some healing spells instead of a Cleric). Similarly, the dedicated damage character can be sacrificed in favor of two characters with control spells, as long as their control abilities mostly either increase allies’ damage or do damage to the enemies in addition to whatever penalties they impose. There are other variations but most of them harken back to that magic formula and are built to ensure that all the roles are still covered.
So what do you do if you can’t pull that together? What if you show up to a game and there are five people with characters figured out down to the archetype and specific spell choices, and you’re missing one or more of the key roles?
One of the more common occurrences is begging, pleading, and bribing players to change their characters so at least the holy trinity is represented. If players are willing to adjust their roles, this is fine, but sometimes it can cause friction. The friction can get even worse if this is a character for a long-term campaign stretching over several months or even years. The answer here is simple: don’t worry about it.
Here’s the reality; the so-called ideal party makeup only matters a great deal in combat. It is entirely possible that combat will be an uncommon occurrence in a campaign. If combat is infrequent, the ability to have the whole party still functional after five encounters is less of a concern, because you’ll be getting short or even long rests after only one or two fights.
A good DM will also help with this. They may provide more opportunities to avoid combat, or lower thresholds for actions like encouraging an enemy’s surrender. The help could also be more overt, like an NPC that fills one of the roles the party is lacking, or the treasure from an encounter including a literal gallon of healing potion.
But let’s talk about the worst case scenario; you’re in a campaign raiding one dragon lair per session, all of them are guarded, and the DM’s attitude is that if you didn’t bring the right tools for the job then it’s not their problem.
Apart from deciding that the dragons really aren’t that bad and an occasional virgin sacrifice is good population control, the answer is to change the tactics used in the battles. We’re going to quickly run down some methods to modify tactics where key roles are missing.
No Damage Dealers
If you have no dedicated damage dealers, it isn’t actually a large handicap; it’s never true that a party can’t do any damage, it just means it can’t do damage as quickly as they could with a character like a rogue or a sorcerer in the mix. This means fights are going to last a long time, but doesn’t require a lot of tactical adjustment. The only key point would be to identify any enemies capable of reducing players’ chances to hit and neutralizing them quickly. Since damage will be trickling out of your party, you want to avoid interruptions as much as possible.
No Tanks
If there are no tanky characters, first, figure out which characters have the highest AC and hit points. They become tanks by default, but they still shouldn’t actively try to block or draw enemies’ attention like full tanks. Find things to hide behind so characters aren’t visible to the entire enemy party. Split up so area attacks do not damage the whole party. Characters with healing abilities should save them to avert disaster rather than keeping everyone topped off. Anyone that can impose disadvantage on enemies attacks should be doing so as often as possible. It is vitally important to maximize damage done to the enemies in this scenario. Focus attacks on a single target until it turns into a pile of goo (or stops being a pile of goo in some cases). Try to keep track of how much damage opponents have taken and when they die so you don’t waste a high-damage attack on an enemy with only single digit hit points left. The overall key is to eliminate enemies doing damage as quickly as possible
No Healers
Running without healers is similar to the advice when there are no tanks. Buy, borrow, and steal every healing potion you can during the campaign. Apart from that, use every opportunity to take rests, short or long, and use as many hit dice as possible. If characters have spells or abilities that limit enemies’ actions or impose disadvantage those should again be used early and often. Tanky characters should not be whining about taking damage in this scenario.
Those are broad guidelines obviously. The best plans are going to depend on the actual makeup of a party: the tactics used by a party with no tanks, three healers, and two control characters is going to be wildly different from the one used by the party with no tanks and four damage dealers. Just remember to adapt your party’s fighting style to compensate for your weaknesses and you’ll be fine.
Lennon: Of course, the other issue is making sure the DM hasn’t stacked the odds against you.
Ryu: Ohhh I see. So the problem wasn’t our party makeup, the problem is that we don’t know how to fight intelligently. Have I got that right?
Ostron: Well if you look at the performance of each person-
Ryu: Oh yes, let’s. I have a few critiques, let me tell you!
1 Comment
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Bruce Mohler (Tomasthanes)March 1, 2018 at 6:31 pm
What’s the difference between the “Damage Dealer” and the “Tank”? I always thought that those were the same role.
In my experience, the trinity was Tank, Magic User, Healer/Support.
Comments? | https://heroesrisepodcast.com/party-composition/ |
Putting Together an Effective Legal Strategy Session
People often refer to the legal operations function as a “legal chief of staff.” In many ways, that characterization fits really well. One of the key elements of being a chief of staff is supporting your department’s daily operations. In order to do so effectively, you need to be clear on department strategy and ensure that everyone in the department is clear on the strategy as well. One of the best ways to drive this clarity and alignment across the group is to host an annual strategy session. As I mentioned in a prior post, it is helpful, although not absolutely mandatory, to time this session before your budget cycle so that you can ensure your budget supports the strategy of your department.
As a chief of staff, you should be highly involved in driving your department’s annual strategy session. If you have never planned a strategy session or if you want some tips for improving their efficiency, this blog post will help you get there.
Step 1: Clarify Your Goals
The goals of this particular strategy session that we are discussing are to (1) align the team to the vision and mission for legal, and (2) determine what strategies the legal team will pursue in the upcoming year. The session will provide a foundation upon which to build a budget and department goals. If you are doing the session for a different purpose than mentioned in my prior post, you may have a different set of goals. It will be important to articulate those in the meeting invite and in the session itself. Make sure that everyone understands that you will be leaving the strategy session either having achieved those goals or with clear next steps on how to achieve those goals.
Step 2: Set Your Agenda
For your first session, I would recommend 6-10 hours in either one or two days. The larger the group, the longer you will need. I have created a draft agenda below with some background on each section and how long you should set aside.
Ice Breaker (45 minutes)
- You need a group that feels comfortable together so that people are encouraged to share their ideas. You can set the stage by starting with introductions and an ice breaker. For the ice breaker, a game or sharing some personal views or personal stories are effective.
- This is a good place to invest time as it really gets people to open up and create a good dialogue that sets the foundation for the day. I would recommend investing 45 minutes here.
Mission & Goals (15 minutes*)
- Start with your mission. First, repeat the company’s mission and then your legal department’s mission. Clarify how that legal department’s mission supports the company mission.
- Give a brief presentation of where the company is going in the next five years and what trends are expected for corporate legal departments.
- Clarify your goals for the day.
- *If your legal department doesn’t have a mission statement yet, you could spend the first 45 minutes of the session creating one.
Strengths, Opportunities, Weaknesses, & Threats (SWOT) (1.5-3 hours)
- Given the company and legal department trends, do a legal department SWOT analysis or update your SWOT from the prior year.
- You should have one whiteboard or large paper for each section and take notes on each as people brainstorm.
- Next, look at the four SWOT pages and ask what should we start, stop, or keep doing to take advantage of the strengths and opportunities and/or to shore up weaknesses and respond to threats.
- If it is your first SWOT, it may take more time and you should take a break in between if you take longer.
Break (20 minutes)
Wrap Up (1 hour)
- First, ask if there is anything that people believe should be a priority for the upcoming year that was not mentioned in the prior session.
- Next, ask which of the ideas brainstormed in the earlier session need action in the upcoming year.
- Finally, determine the priorities of those ideas and assign someone to draft a plan to execute each item. Identify when and how those plans will be communicated (either a follow-up meeting or a written communication).
Social (TBD)
- Another opportunity for people to connect and a great way to wrap up the day and keep the team feeling cohesive is hosting a social (i.e. a happy hour, attending pub trivia, bowling, etc.).
Step 3: Identify Your Attendees
Keep the group small: 5-10 people. You want to target leaders in your department who have budgetary or decision-making authority. You may also want to consider any people who have special expertise related to any of the topics in the agenda.
Step 4: Assign Homework
There will be a lot of people’s time invested in the session, so you want to make it productive and meet the goals. In order to do so, preparation is critical.
Here is what you should do before the session.
- Prepare an ice breaker
- Coordinate location, food, and materials
- Assign people to the following sections, as appropriate:
- Company and legal department mission
- Company and legal department plans and trends over the next five years
- Strengths, Opportunities, Weaknesses, Threats – assign one person to speak first in each of these categories
- Share the agenda at least one week in advance and ask everyone to be prepared with their thoughts
- Put together the final slides
Step 5: Follow Up
As the moderator, your role will be to keep time, take notes, and call out participation. Before you leave the session, make sure each action item has an assigned owner. Set out a date by which that person will follow up. Also determine, with the group, how often you will revisit the items. Some items can be revisited annually at the following year’s session. Other items will need sooner follow up.
You should send out notes, including action items, as soon as possible after the session. You should also communicate updates, as appropriate, for each of the action items.
By following these steps, I hope you will have a productive and engaging annual strategy session. If you have other tips that work well for you or have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to me at [email protected]. | https://content.lighthouseglobal.com/blog/putting-together-an-effective-legal-strategy-session |
Breaking Into Blackrock Foundry by ShadramPosted by NewsUncategorized 2015-02-03 in
Darkwind is well into the initial WoD raid tier, and is finding great success. As we progress into the second half of Tier 17, into Blackrock Foundry, a few raiding policies need some brushing up.
Raiding Environment
We try to provide a safe atmosphere for the raid group as a whole. Regarding Mumble: the 8 o’clock rule is still in effect in the Raiding channels. Inappropriate and polarizing conversation topics should always be left out of chat.
To minimize raid clutter in boss mechanics that can already seem excessive, companion pets and toys should not be used during focused pulls. In relation, during a boss pull, the channel should be clear for tank communication, raid lead instruction, and mechanic executions from assigned healers and DPS.
There are people assigned to instruct and organize the raid group. These are the Raid Leads. The Raid Leads have spent time adjusting and creating strategies that will work for the raid composition coming into raid. If you watched or read a strategy that is different than what is being executed, or want to offer suggestions, these are best done after raid with the raid leaders to avoid confusion amongst the others listening in Mumble.
If there are personal concerns, whisper a Raid Lead, and they will try to work with you the best they can. The Raid Lead may ask for more focus or less clutter. When asked, do so willingly.
Loot Rules
The introduction of Personal Loot has allowed for streamlining of loot distribution. Since we are a team when we enter a raid instance, if a BoE epic drops off trash, the piece is offered to a team member, before it can go into the looter’s hands for personal benefit. The quicker we can gear our teammates, the quicker the team can find success in the raid.
It is up to the Raid Lead’s discretion as to whether the raid will be Personal Loot or Master Looter. If master looter, it is the Raid Lead’s decision as to which recipient will benefit the raid best.
Inclusion
Flexible raiding has allowed the leaders to bring more than a fixed 10 or 25 to raid. However, this can complicate healer/DPS balance and the minimum damage output needed to be successful.
Because of this, there are minimum DPS and gear requirements to be considered for a progression raid night. If a raid lead asks you to step out to adjust raid composition, this is not a permanent benching. Do not hesitate to ask for assistance in bettering damage output, gearing strategies, or what you can do to become part of the team the next week around. Initiative and attendance is noticed.
Tanks and healers are assigned roles. To allow for flexibility, people that like to tank or heal should be familiar with their DPS specs, or have an alt that meets the minimum DPS and gear requirements, and is cleared with the Raid Leader.
In the end, Darkwind raiding is team-centered. A Darkwind raider thinks about how they can better help the team, as opposed to how they can help themselves. And rules may lax and tighten, depending on how the raid night and chemistry is going. But ultimately, Darkwind raiding is about clearing content together as a group, at a pace that is suited to the guild as a whole. When you join the raid team, you are in understanding of these guidelines. | https://www.darkwindguild.com/breaking-into-blackrock-foundry-by-shadram/ |
director performed the leadership functions of structuringand planning, or coordinating when work should be done(e.g., timing, scheduling, work flow). The WHG leader-ship structure became necessarily more hierarchical overtime with the formation of subteams; however, opensharing and collective decision-making characterizedeach subteam along with the core team. Advantages ofthis leadership structure include creating a sense of valuewithin the group and giving everyone a voice, while alsotaking advantage of the efficiency of subteams. Indeed,
Carson, Tesluk, and Marrone (2007) found that a shared
purpose, social support, and voice were positively related
to shared leadership. However, some disadvantages of
this type of structure can include creating an opportunity
for team members to avoid ownership, as well as some
confusion among new team members regarding who is
the “boss” (see Table 2 for WHG role descriptions).
Another important process that occurred during the norming stage was the further development of team cognition
(e.g., shared mental models and transactive memory systems). Shared mental models represent knowledge that is
common among team members, whereas transactive memory systems represent knowledge that is distributed among
team members (DeChurch & Mesmer-Magnus, 2010;
Mathieu, Hefner, Goodwin, Salas, & Cannon-Bowers, 2000).
As stated earlier, the WHG’s team cognition began to form
in the first transition phase, during which the team explored
strengths and weaknesses of each member. However, the
team cognition at the forming stage was in its infancy and
was very limited in scope. During the norming stage, the
shared mental models and transactive memory systems expanded, which has been shown to have strong, positive
relationships with team behavioral processes, motivational
states, and team performance (DeChurch & Mesmer-Magnus, 2010).
How did the WHG develop its team cognition? In the
words of one team member, “meetings . . . lots of meetings.”
Table 2
Descriptions of the Workplace Health Group Roles and Responsibilities
Principal investigators
• Take responsibility for the overall design, implementation, and reporting of the project
• Provide the core areas of expertise necessary to address the research questionResearch staffProject director
• Maintain communication with the principal investigators
• Coordinate study activities
• Provide oversight of research staff, including graduate students
Research coordinator
• Coordinate one or more projects
• Assist with the development of new grant proposals
Research director
• Provide oversight for all funded projects that are managed by the project director(s)
• Coordinate the submission of new grant proposals
• Track the status of each project or proposal
• Ensure adequate progress is made on funded projects and new proposal development
Graduate students
• Maintain databases (e.g., merging, screening, and cleaning data)
• Analyze the data using appropriate statistical methods
• Provide up-to-date knowledge on discipline-specific literature, research methods, and statistical analyses
Subject matter experts
• Provide necessary expertise not covered by the team (e.g., economics and cost analysis)
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386 HAYNES ET AL. | http://www.americanpsychologist-digital.org/americanpsychologist/201904?pg=124 |
What are roles?
Roles within the WebCMS define what a given user can and cannot do within a given subsite.
Only the subsite's Staff Manager can assign roles to other users.
A user is considered a "member" of a subsite if they are assigned a role in that subsite.
When you enter a particular subsite, the view that you see depends on the roles (or "privileges") that have been granted to you for that subsite. Your roles may differ by subsite if you have access to more than one. For example, you may have permission to edit and publish on one subsite, but only add content on another.
The purpose of adding users with varying roles is to control a user's capability to affect content and navigation. For example, you may want to allow a college assistant to create new content, but publishing should be reserved for the department head or a department administrator.
It’s a good idea to decide, in conjunction with others, the appropriate roles for various people in your organization.
The available roles within the WebCMS are:
- Staff Site: A person with this role is usually refered to as a "staff manager" or "staffer". This person determines who does what within the subsite. Their main purpose is to assign roles to other users. In addition, staffers can change roles based on personnel or organizational changes. It is recommended that the staff site role be held by someone in the department or office who can assign people to specific tasks and duties relating to public content. A staff manager does not necessarily play a day-to-day role in managing the website; therefore, this would be a good role for a department chair or office director.
- Publish Content: Anyone with this role is accountable for what is seen by the public. Ideally, a publisher is someone highly-placed in a department or office, such as a department chair or office director.
- Review Content: This role should be assigned to a user who can write and edit well. This person may be a unit head or a team leader, and is generally tasked with making sure that content is spelled correctly, grammatically correct, and strikes the right tone of voice before publication. Often, this role is combined with the Write Content role, to allow the Reviewer to edit content that others have created.
- Write Content: A person with this role is able to edit any content within the subsite, even content created by others. Examples of "authors" might be college assistants, volunteers, or anyone on staff who understands a topic well enough to write about it.
- Plan/Design Site: A person with this role can create new pages, create new folders, manage portlets, manage navigation, and alter theme settings. This would be a good role for an outside consultant or designer who is allowed to shape the navigation and organization of all content, but who will not be able to edit or approve content for publishing.
- Add New Content: A person with this role is able to create new pages and directories, but has no editorial role. By default, they are unable to affect what is seen by the public and are unable to alter the navigation and organization of files and folders in the subsite.
- View Unpublished Content: A person with this role can view all content in a subsite, even if it has not been published. This role does not give the user any editing rights.
Notes:
- Users can be given as many roles as their staff manager deems fit. In some cases, a single person is given all roles and is made solely responsible for their department or office's website. In other instances, a team of several people may all work on the same subsite, with different roles assigned to each individual.
- Staff managers are given the Staff Site role when their subsite is first created. If staffers wish to take on additional roles, they must manually assign these roles to themselves.
- Roles are generally assigned at the subsite level, which gives each user responsibility over the entire website. However, it is also possible to assign roles within a specific folder. For example, departments will often create a folder for each faculty member and then assign each person roles within their personal directory. | http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/hunter-webcms/learning/faqs/what-are-roles |
How group assignments will be completed during your online MBA program is an important consideration as it will affect not only your grades, yet also your stress levels, learning, and growth. Although the Professional and Executive programs, likewise have group work, the online MBA brings with it the possibly differing dimensions of location and time zones.
In your 1st residency you will be asked to complete and submit a Project Charter. While this is to be used as a guideline and may be amended later if needed, it helps layout the basis for how each team plans to function and work most effectively together. From my experience, a couple things for consideration for inclusion in the Charter would be: do you choose a ‘Team Lead’ for each class (and if so how is the role defined), how will your team divvy up group assignments, will you use milestones/periodic deadlines, and through which mediums do you intend to collaborate?
My team chose to elect a Team Lead for each class and rotated in a manner ensuring each member had the role and no member held the role in consecutive classes. Queens online MBA is a Leadership Development program. The ability to coordinate tasks, deadlines, and team members is a necessary skill, and will improve with practice. Personally I would stress the term “coordinate”. By Team Lead, we were not looking for a “boss”, and certainly not a “dictator”. For my team, the Leaders’ role was to help organize and synchronize the group assignment(s) of each class. The preference was for the work to be discussed, with individuals stepping up to the assignments. If however, there was not group consensus, or an unfilled task(s), the Leader would delegate assignments as necessary. Though we worked to spread work as evenly as possible, it was also expected the Leader would step in as needed to help ensure the deliverable(s) met deadlines and expectations.
With each (or most) courses lasting only 8 weeks, they will go by quickly! Though a group deliverable may not be due until week 7 or 8 of course, it can sneak up on you, as you will certainly have plenty else to keep you busy each week. For this reason, we found setting agreed upon periodic deadlines to be essential. (An additional recommendation for inclusion in your project charter is how the team and the work will be addressed should any team member(s) miss assigned deadlines.)
Frequent communication between group members and how you chose to collaborate will be essential. For my team, “WhatsApp” (www.whatsapp.com) worked great. For collaboration we utilized both Skype as well as Google Hangouts. We also made extensive use of Google docs (allowing multiple users to simultaneously edit a document in real-time). Other teams I know, at times, met in person. If and when feasible, this is certainly recommended (in conjunction with Google docs or other). I would also recommend when collaborating remotely on a deliverable, it is understood each group member needs to be using a computer or perhaps a tablet. While phone access is feasible, any member using only a phone will likely be much more restricted in how effective they will be at physically contributing and editing the deliverable (thus unfairly leaving the manual work to other team members).
Working within your team will provide challenges, yet also opportunities for learning and further development of your Leadership skills. If utilizing a Team Lead scenario for each class, I would also recommend the Team Lead of each class actively seek feedback immediately following the class. Comprising a brief (10 questions or less) scaled survey via Survey Monkey, Google From, or similar and sending to teammates is an excellent method for determining areas one can improve in and a great basis for individual discussions with team members. Feedback (and subsequent open discussions) will serve as a building block for your continued growth and success as a leader. | https://online.queens.edu/online-programs/mba/blog/tips-for-group-work |
Welcome to Our 2011 short courses programme.
Over 30 Summer courses specially designed to offer professional development to beginners or experienced creative practitioners.
The School of Jewellery is the largest institution in Europe for provision of education and training in the fields of jewellery and related subjects. Our courses span a wide range of types and levels of experience: from introductory classes for secondary schools right up to Ph.D. research degrees.
The rich variety of activities occurring everyday within our unique building provides a stimulating working environment and encourages progression to other courses.
Birmingham Institute of Art and Design
Saturday 12th January 2013
Best of British Design Open Call 2013. Registration for Januarys Best of British Design Open Call is now open.
Are you a budding new designer? Imagine your products sold at Liberty. | https://guildofjewellerydesigners.co.uk/82-newsflash/newsflash |
Mission Arts Pottery Studio will be open from 10am-2pm for a supervised session. Open to all skill levels, from beginners to advanced. Hilary, a Mission Arts member and an experienced potter, will be on hand to offer assistance. All are welcome to come and 'play with clay'.
Session cost: $7.50/day Mission Arts Members | $10/day non Mission Arts Members.
Session cost includes use of the pottery studio space and tools under supervision of an experienced Mission Arts member/potter. Though the supervised session is open to everyone of all levels of experience (beginners to advanced), the supervised session is not designed to be a one-on-one tutorial nor is it intended as a substitute for basic introductory level pottery courses/workshops. It is expected that beginners will take advantage of one of the 'Introduction to Pottery' workshops within three months of attending a supervised session in order to gain the foundation and skills necessary to work independently in the Mission Arts Pottery Studio.
Clay and glazes are available for sale. Firing costs are additional.
Enquiries: | http://www.missionarts.com.au/events-exhibitions/workshops/pottery-open-day-hilary/ |
Delivered by highly qualified and experienced trainers, the Chamber’s range of IT and Cloud Computing courses are designed to keep businesses informed and up to speed with the latest developments in applications that are used in a business environment every day.
With options ranging from beginners/foundation to advanced users, the Chamber’s IT and Cloud Computing courses offer for something for users at all levels – helping them to keep pace with an ever-changing computing world and take advantage of new and existing functionality.
The Chamber is able to provide a wider range of IT and Cloud Computing courses through a bespoke option - whatever your requirement, get in touch to see if we can support you. | https://www.emc-dnl.co.uk/developing-skills/it-cloud-computing2/ |
Tertulia Language is based in Portsmouth. We offer a range of language courses for all levels at different training locations on the south coast of England.
The courses organised by Tertulia range from beginners to advanced level and are offered in a variety of formats: face-to-face and online courses. Lessons focus on communicative and cultural aspects.
We also offer private lessons for personal and/or professional purposes taking into account the level, availability and learning style of the student.
As part of the language enrichment programme, Tertulia organises cultural trips to different countries, where students can put their communication skills into practice.
We also organise cultural experiences in Portsmouth to reinforce the English language skills of foreign students; offering interactive lessons, outdoor activities, excursions and much more. | https://fedele.org/en/partner-schools/tertulia-language/ |
Courses Dutch for non-native speakers in Utrecht
Beginning from July 2018 the Pieter Quint Instituut has been closed.
Courses are offered at all levels, from beginners, to preparation for the Staatsexamen ‘Nederlands als Tweede Taal’ and beyond, right up to the most advanced level.
Pieter Quint Instituut is situated in a quiet residential area within easy reach of the city centre and barely 10 minutes walk from Utrecht’s central station. The building has three attractive classrooms, all with audio equipment, a language laboratory for oral practice and other study materials available for students’ use.
Before you register for a course we would like to invite you to an informal preliminary meeting. During our conversation we form a picture of your needs and expectations. We can also judge the appropriate level for you, if necessary by means of a test. It is also important for us to know something about your background, so that we can place you where you feel comfortable with the level and pace of learning, as well as with the other members of the group.
We will ask you, for example:
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Do you have previous experience of learning another language?
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Do you have much experience of studying?
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How much time do you have to do homework?
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In what way and how much do you come into contact with the Dutch language in your daily life?
We offer courses at all levels:
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beginners courses
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advanced courses
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preparation for Staatsexamen NT2 (exam 1 or exam 2)
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courses for people who have passed the exam but who wish to go on to perfect their Dutch
At all levels there are different types of courses:
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general courses where a textbook is used as a basis for raising the student’s facility with the language
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beginners courses that include information about the history and culture of the Netherlands. | http://www.pieterquint.nl/en/ |
The award winning Colstoun Cookery School offers a range of Day and Week-long cookery courses for beginners through to experienced cooks.
Based on the Colstoun Estate in the Heart of East Lothian, Colstoun Cookery School offers an informal and fun approach to learning to cook, or learning a new technique.
At Colstoun we want you to feel as though you are learning to cook in a friend's kitchen, that's why our school has been designed to be in keeping with the cottages it's located in.
We offer a vast range of day courses including; Seasonal Entertaining, Foraging, Preserving, Bread Making, Introduction to Beekeeping, French Bistro, Thai, Tradtional Indian, and Italian. Our Day courses are aimed at cooks of all skill levels and our 1:5 instruction ratio means that any beginners will never be left behind.
Our week-long and two-week-long residential courses are aimed at students between the ages of 16 and 24 who are wanting to learn to cook before moving away from home, completing the Gold D of E award, or are preparing for a Ski season, or working in Lodges. | https://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/colstoun-cookery-school-p1193101 |
WIT provides improvisation training and opportunities for performance at every level, including beginner, regular troupe training, special workshops and more.
_______________________________________________
Note about Covid-19: WIT sessions have been ON at level 2 and below, Tuesday night training may be in an alternative venue, please check the newsletter or Facebook or the front page of this site. Sessions held at Te Auaha will follow their rules (which require a Vaccine Pass to be in the Building), while those held in conjunction with the Wellington Community Education Centre will follow their overall institutional guidelines (WIT teachers are all double vaccinated).
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Quick Links
The Joy of Improv (aka Level One)
Improv for the Stage (aka The Next Step or Level Two)
Tuesday Workouts See front page of website for current details, these will usually be held at Te Auaha (new WelTec/ Whitireia Campus) in ‘The Garage’ Level 1, 75 Dixon St
Beginners
Think you can be WITty? Learn to improvise scenes and tell stories in a supportive and fun group environment at one of our improvisation courses at the Wellington Community Education Centre (WCEC) at Wellington High School. These courses are recommended for absolute beginners, theatre practitioners wishing to learn more about improv and those who are wishing to brush up their skills. Most courses end with a guided performance for family and friends.
Our presenters are among Wellington’s top creators of improvised theatre; devising, creatively leading, training, producing and performing in comedy to drama to melodrama and back again.
The Joy of Improvisation. Our introductory course happens four times a year on Thursday nights from 7.30-9.30pm, cost $175, and each runs for eight weeks (2022 enrolments will be open from early December 2021.
Term start dates 2022
- Term 1: Monday 14 February to Friday 8 April
- Term 2: Saturday 7 May to Friday 8 July
- Term 3: Monday 1 August to Friday 23 September
- Term 4: Monday 17 October to Monday 12 December
To register call the WCEC directly on 385-8919, email [email protected] or do so via their website . Courses for 2021 usually open for enrollment in early December.
Improv for the Stage, The Next Step – Level Two
For people who have completed an introductory course, “next step” courses run at least twice a year, usually in term 2 and term 4 . If you have past experience but have been away from improv for a year or two, these are a great way to get back into the swing of things. You are most welcome to join our Tuesday night sessions. If you’re not sure where you fit or have any questions, contact us. To register call the WCEC directly on 385-8919, email [email protected] or do so via their website .
The courses will run on eight consecutive Thursday nights from 7.30-9.30pm
2022 dates
-
- Term 2 Thu, 12 May 2022 – Thu, 30 June 2022
- Term 4 Thu, 20 Oct 2022 – Thu, 8 Dec 2022
Tuesday nights
Regular Tuesday-night training is held for WITsters who have undertaken the beginner’s courses or have had some previous training or experience elsewhere that would make integration easy. [Current details on the home page].
If you’re curious, but unsure as to whether it’s right for you, contact us.
* Note that in the lead up to show seasons Tuesdays may go on hold for a while, and we usually take a break over Christmas, and sometimes the people who own the building we train in need to use it for something – if you haven’t been before or for a while, check before you come along to make sure it’s happening. Ask us to sign you up to the members newsletter!
WIT School
WIT School courses have been run over 4-8 weeks by a Senior Trainer. There is an extra charge for these, and they may be held at a different venue. Past courses have included included Character, Shakespeare, Long Form, Storytelling and Sceneography. Check WIT’s Facebook Events for starting dates and options.
Workshops
As well as the regular Tuesday night sessions, special workshops are run several times a year. Past WIT workshops have been lead by fabulous overseas teachers such as Rebecca De Unamuno, Bobbi Block, and Patti Stiles and by fabulous local teachers such as Greg ‘Vance Fontaine’ Ellis and stunt fight trainer Peter Hassall.
Experienced
WIT’s philosophy is cooperative with a focus on providing pathways for all players. For those players with considerable experience of improvisation, we encourage the development of skills in all areas related to improvisation (including MC-ing, directing, training and producing). To develop the broad range of skills, experienced WITsters have the opportunity to train and assist at the CEC courses and at WIT’s Tuesday sessions, to train and perform as an MC at Friends and Family shows, and produce or direct WIT shows.
WIT also supports the production of shows that demand higher levels of player experience. The Creative Directors or the Creative Lead in a show select players for advanced shows based on an assessment of the player’s readiness, the mix of players required for the show and the limited places available. Sometimes this will be after a casting workshop. Additional training for such shows is provided. Experienced players are encouraged to initiate their own shows and train for them, with WIT providing institutional support and creative direction where required. Training is usually cooperative in nature, with training supplemented by WIT’s Creative Directors if required.
If you’d like more information about improv training with WIT, contact us or just signup to receive our newsletter. | http://wit.org.nz/training/ |
Founded in 1989 with the aim of promoting Bordeaux wine, the Bordeaux Wine School has been providing private individuals and professionals with wine expertise characteristic of the Bordeaux wine region. Alongside its workshops held in Bordeaux, the school has maintained an international presence since 2006 through its network of accredited foreign tutors and partnerships with well-known schools. This community, which is at the heart and soul of the school, currently comprises over 250 experienced tutors around the world. Their diverse profiles and backgrounds, as well as their country-specific expertise, guarantees a unique introductory approach to Bordeaux wine.
The school’s workshops cater to all audiences, ranging from beginner to advanced levels. Particularly in tune with the needs of wine professionals, the school offers specialized training courses for each sector, perfectly adapted to industry requirements.
The Bordeaux Wine School is established in 20 countries, and its team of 250 accredited tutors train over 85,000 people every year. | https://www.ecoleduvindebordeaux.com/en/about-us/ |
What makes the MJSP academically distinctive is the integration of Japanese studies as an area study with training in academic disciplines relevant to modern Japanese society, such as literature, education, law, political science and economics. The MJSP’s Curriculum Policy is underpinned by the following four principles:
- An intensive program to master the Japanese language
- Intersecting curricula in Japan studies and academic disciplines
- Co-learning with Japanese students
- Discovering Japan from multicultural Hokkaido
Under the Curriculum Policy, MJSP offers subjects with greater width and breadth than those of conventional courses designed for international students. This helps students meet degree conferral standards by developing expert knowledge, particularly in the humanities and social sciences, based on their mastery of the Japanese language and Japanese studies.
The MJSP’s curriculum is drawn up and implemented as outlined below in line with the above Curriculum Policy.
1) MJSP offers an Intensive Japanese Course that precedes the bachelor’s degree program. This is a preparatory Japanese language program that is also open to international students at other national universities in Hokkaido. The course is designed to provide intensive Japanese-language training to lay the foundations for the linguistic proficiency required for success on the bachelor’s degree program.
2) From the first year to the fourth year, General Education Courses (including Japanese Language Subjects), International Subjects, Introductory Specialist Area Subjects, Specialist Area Module Subjects and Joint Specialist Area Subjects are offered in an integrated way and with academic progression throughout the degree program.
Japanese Language Subjects comprise a range of courses, including beginners’ and intermediate Japanese, applied Japanese (at intermediate and advanced levels), and courses such as Advanced Academic Japanese and Advanced Business Japanese. General Education Courses other than Japanese Language Subjects are offered from the range of courses open to all HU students. International Subjects are selected from Arts & Science Courses in English and Co-learning in Multicultural Classrooms relating to modern Japanese studies.
MJSP’s Introductory Specialist Area Subjects are specialized courses in English to teach students the basics of Japan’s history, culture, society, institutions and other aspects, which form the foundation of modern Japanese studies. Specialist Area Module Subjects are drawn from specialized courses on modern Japan taught in Japanese in HU’s undergraduate schools (mainly the Faculty of Letters, the School of Education, the School of Law and the School of Economics and Business Administration). These subjects are offered either in the History-Culture Module or in the Society-Political Economy Module. Joint Specialist Area Subjects provide more advanced learning, and include Project Study Subjects (self-study subjects based on students’ interests), various programs associated with modern Japanese studies, and Internships.
With this curriculum, students learn about various aspects of modern Japan, work towards a graduation thesis based on their areas of interest, and work to meet the degree conferral standards of MJSP.
Graduates of this program are expected to enter careers as professionals who not only speak Japanese but are also capable of working in the fields of economics, law, education and other areas of the humanities and social sciences. Some may play significant roles in Japanese businesses, while others may work in these roles in their own countries to help strengthen relations with Japan as specialists in economic, political and other exchange with Japan. Career options also include becoming a researcher in Japanese studies to further develop this internationally important discipline, and becoming a specialized practitioner in Japan and Asia who will work for the UN or other international institutions. | https://www.oia.hokudai.ac.jp/mjsp/aboutus/policies/mjsp-curriculum-policy/ |
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Unit of study_
Chinese 1B (For Beginners)
Chinese 1B (For Beginners) - CHNS1102. Year - 2023. This unit is a continuation of Chinese 1A. Emphasis will be on grammar patterns that facilitate speaking and reading skills. On completion, students should have a good grasp of common grammatical
www.sydney.edu.au/courses/units-of-study/2023/chns/chns1102.html
Unit of study_
Introductory Geography (Advanced)
Introductory Geography (Advanced) - GEOS1902. Year - 2023. Advanced students will complete the same core lecture material as for GEOS1002, but will be required to carry out more challenging practical assignments. Classes. Refer to the unit of study
www.sydney.edu.au/courses/units-of-study/2023/geos/geos1902.html
Unit of study_
Japan in East Asia
Japan in East Asia - ASNS2672. Year - 2023. This unit places the modern and contemporary history of Japan within its East Asian context. We will examine a number of key events and subjects pertaining to the relations between Japan, China and Korea.
www.sydney.edu.au/courses/units-of-study/2023/asns/asns2672.html
Unit of study_
Electronic Devices and Circuits
Electronic Devices and Circuits - ELEC2104. Year - 2023. Modern Electronics has come to be known as microelectronics which refers to the Integrated Circuits (ICs) containing millions of discrete devices. This course introduces some of the basic
www.sydney.edu.au/courses/units-of-study/2023/elec/elec2104.html
Unit of study_
Introduction to Sociology 1
Introduction to Sociology 1 - SCLG1001. Year - 2023. How does society shape the world we live in? What influences interactions between people in everyday life? Why is society structured the way it is, and is change possible? By delving into diverse
www.sydney.edu.au/courses/units-of-study/2023/sclg/sclg1001.html
Unit of study_
Anthropology in the World
Anthropology in the World - ANTH1002. Year - 2023. As humans, culture completes us, but we also create culture through our words and deeds. Social and cultural anthropologists are engaged in both cultural description and cultural criticism: their
www.sydney.edu.au/courses/units-of-study/2023/anth/anth1002.html
Unit of study_
Life and Evolution (SSP)
Life and Evolution (SSP) - BIOL1996. Year - 2023. Biology is an immensely diverse science. Biologists study life at all levels, from the fundamental building blocks (genes, and proteins) to whole ecosystems in which myriad species interact. | https://www.sydney.edu.au/s/search.html?collection=Usyd&query=Nutrition+%26++Dietetics+&f.Content%20type%7Cx=unit%20of%20study&start_rank=41 |
location, the emphasis in JCU's Department of Modern Languages is on Italian language,
literature, and culture.
The Italian language program at JCU offers students from all disciplines a wide range of opportunities for intellectual and personal growth. Our Italian language courses range from introductory to advanced levels, our literature courses cover the whole Italian literary tradition from Dante to contemporary writers, and our cultural studies courses aim at providing a window on contemporary Italian culture in all its complexity and diversity. Our language instructors hold a Laurea (Italian University degree) or higher and are trained and experienced in the teaching of Italian as a foreign language. Our literature professors hold PhDs from prestigious institutions in the US and Europe and are active scholars in their fields. We sponsor several events in collaboration with local and national institutions, we promote language and culture exchanges with Roman high schools, and we organize visits to famous sights as well as to the many unknown treasures of Rome and Italy. With the whole JCU community, we strive to give degree-seeking and visiting students a unique chance to understand Italy in all its facets, and in doing so, provide them with a firm foundation for lifelong learning.
The Modern Languages and Literature Department has recently expanded its offerings to include Introductory through advanced French and Spanish courses. This addition has enriched the intercultural curriculum of the Department and offers JCU students a further opportunity to expand their knowledge of foreign languages and cultures. | https://www.johncabot.edu/modern-languages-literature/letter-from-chair.aspx |
The NavDash Sprint Orienteering event, on a new map at Churchlands, is the first State Orienteering League (SOL) race for 2013.
Registration will be open from 1.00pm to 2.00pm, with start times from 1.30pm to 3.00pm.
There will be a briefing for beginners at approximately 1.30pm. More information for beginners is available at the NavDash page. There will be three line orienteering courses of between 1.8kms and 3.5 kms. All are suitable for beginners. SOL competitors should enter the appropriate course for their age group, as noted on the SOL page.
The State Orienteering League is designed to add a competitive edge by providing events throughout the Winter season where participants can score points towards an overall award – the Orienteer of the Year. In effect, this SOL event is no different from a normal NavDash event and all the usual standards apply, including:
• All events are suitable for and open to both Beginners and experienced Orienteers, with all the usual Beginner Help and Briefings available;
• Usual registration times and entry fees apply. Pre-entry is not required, so just turn up on the day;
• The usual range of courses is available, and sometimes additional courses are offered to cater for a broader range of age and ability needs.
For more information and full details read State Orienteering League (SOL) guidelines.
Event Directions:
The Churchlands NavDash event comprises two school grounds (Newman College and Churchlands Senior High School), separated by a pleasant bush reserve. The assembly area for the event is the Churchlands SHS car park on Memory Place, off Lucca St.
The nearest train stations are Shenton Park on the Fremantle line (5kms from the event) and Stirling on the Joondalup line (3kms). These two stations are linked by the CircleRoute Bus (98/99), which runs along Pearson St within 400m of the School. The nearest Mitchell Freeway exits are Cedric St (coming from North) and Powis St (from the South).
Important Notice:
All participants in NavDash should read the NavDash Special Mapping Features document. This document describes map features which in sprint orienteering are forbidden to cross or enter, and could lead to your disqualification from the results. | https://wa.orienteering.asn.au/news/179-navdash-and-state-orienteering-league-at-churchlands |
Summary of Story:
Understanding how a ceria additive increases fuel efficiency is the goal of a collaborative research project between an Alfred University professor and Cerion Enterprises, LLC.
Cerion continues to support the work of Dr. Alastair Cormack, the Van Derck Frechette Professor of Ceramic Science in the Inamori School of Engineering at Alfred University. Dr. Cormack’s research group is using computational techniques to simulate the structure and energetics of ceria-based nanoparticles.
Cerion’s GO2 catalyst is an eco-friendly diesel fuel additive that decreases fuel consumption by a minimum of 8% while also reducing harmful emissions and particular matter.
A primary goal of Dr. Cormack’s research is to provide a deeper understanding of the atomic scale mechanisms responsible for the extraordinary performance of these nanoparticles. A secondary goal is to develop a computer-based approach for designing other nanoparticle catalysts. Ideally, the simulation would reduce the number of laboratory experiments needed for new technological developments.
“The insight and guidance that Dr. Cormack’s calculations provide is an integral part of our research program for the production of higher reactivity catalytic nano materials that approach the limits of solid state chemistry”, said Dr. Kenneth Reed, Chief Technology Officer.
“This research is a perfect example of how computational tools can provide significant insight into materials that is unattainable by more traditional experimental methods,” noted Dr. Matthew Hall, project co-sponsor Director. “We are thrilled to be working with Cerion Enterprises and look forward to helping advance the science of combustion catalysts.”
The Center for Advanced Ceramic Technology at Alfred University is also partially supporting Dr. Cormack’s project with Cerion Enterprises.
As a complement, the Center for Advanced Ceramic Technology (CACT) is building a "Team" of Industry Advisors from a broad spectrum of industries experienced in a wide range of industries such as Energy, Healthcare, and Environment.
Learn More...
The Center for Advanced Ceramic Technology is sponsored by the New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation.
For those interested in increasing their expertise in the field of ceramics and glasses, or those just being introduced, Short Courses are a good option. Designed for professionals in the ceramics and glass industry, these intensive courses offer a chance to update knowledge of the field in a short period of time. Courses range from detailed, in-depth examinations of very specific topics to broader introductory classes. | http://cact.alfred.edu/cerion-enterprises |
Whatever your interests or ambitions, we offer an exciting range of fashion courses in our dedicated department, taught by specialist fashion professionals.
Our excellent links with Higher Education fashion and textiles courses in the London Area means that we can help you prepare a successful fashion course application.
Many of our students have progressed onto Higher Education, successfully set up small businesses, or gone on to work within the fashion industry. We have a reputation for the high standard of work produced, and entry to our courses is often competitive.
We cater for beginners through to the very experienced, aiming to be as flexible as possible to meet individual needs. Acceptance onto all our fashion courses is by individual interview. Where appropriate you will be asked to bring examples of your work. At interview we can build a personal study programme taking into account your existing skills and time available.
Course Overview
This exciting and challenging one-year course will prepare you for applying to highly competitive degree courses. The course is structured in three parts, each building upon your learning and experience: art and design practice, fashion and textiles practice, and then your personal pathway development in a final fashion or textiles project. In this way you are able to learn through exploration and discovery and develop an understanding of a variety of processes and concepts. The practical nature of the course is under-pinned with historical and contextual studies, visits to museums and galleries, lectures and project work.
- Campus: Chelsea Centre
- Times: Wed/Thu/Fri 10:00 - 16:00
Program taught in: | https://www.academiccourses.com/UAL-Foundation-Diploma-in-Art-and-Design-Level-4-%E2%80%93-Fashion-Pathway/United-Kingdom/KCC/ |
I offer Chinese courses on different levels: from beginners without any Chinese knowledge to advanced learners, who would like to improve their speaking skills and listening comprehension. Those who need Chinese at work might find business Chinese courses very helpful.
The courses will be offered either in a small group or if preferable, also as intensive one-to-one lessons. The course book and learning material can be decided according to the special needs of the student. Please let me know your learning objectives and expectations. During the course, you’ll also learn some useful tips and interesting local customs of Chinese culture for your next trip to China or Taiwan. | http://chaoling-translations.de/languages/en/courses.html |
You can learn Spanish and other languages alongside the 8,000 local and international students who enrol each year on courses offered by the UGR’s Modern Languages Centre, Confucius Institute (Chinese), “Russkiy Mir” Russian Centre (Russian), “al-Babtain” Chair in Arab Studies (Arabic) and the Euro-Arab Foundation for Higher Studies (Arabic).
The Modern Languages Centre (CLM) is one of the leading institutions in Spain for language learning. Teaching staff are highly qualified, the administrative team is dedicated and effective, and the Centre boasts a wide range of services, a wealth of learning resources and endless extracurricular activities.
CLM offers general and intensive Spanish language courses for foreign students at all levels (A1-C2); language and culture courses; and Hispanic studies courses. It also offers courses in the following languages: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Swedish, Romanian, Arabic, and Persian.
It employs a thoroughly communicative approach, ensuring students can learn and practise languages in real-life situations. Native Spanish students and international students can also interact via a language exchange service. This exchange service allows you to practice the language you are learning with a native speaker outside class time, reinforcing the knowledge and language skills acquired in the classroom.
All courses at CLM follow the guidelines set out in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Moreover, CLM is part of the Cervantes Institute Network of Associate Centres, the most prestigious global institution in Spanish language teaching. The Cervantes Institute provides the only internationally recognised accreditation system that focuses specifically on the teaching of Spanish as a foreign language. Thus, excellent teachings standards are guaranteed at CLM.
CLM also offers a language exchange service and regularly runs an eclectic mix of cultural activities, trips, excursions, and sporting events.
The Confucius Institute of the University of Granada (ICUGR) is a non-profit educational organisation that was set up in 1987 in collaboration with Peking University and the Confucius Institute Headquarters (also known as Hanban). The goal of the Institute is to promote the study of Chinese language and culture, support Chinese teaching internationally, and facilitate cultural exchanges. In order to achieve this objective the Institute offers Chinese language classes at various levels, trains teachers, offers HSK examinations (official Chinese language exams) organises conferences on current affairs in China, runs a Chinese Film festival, and holds seminars and workshops on Chinese culture, history, literature and thought.
The Confucius Institute offers standard, conversation, and intensive language courses, as well as courses for children and teenagers — all of which are taught by experienced native teachers who employ innovative educational materials. These courses are open to both members of the university community and the public.
The Institute works closely with other national and international Confucius Institutes, as well as the prestigious Asian Studies Standing Seminar at the UGR.
The "Russkiy Mir" Russian Centre of the University of Granada promotes the study of Russian language, culture and history. The Centre offers an extensive range of language courses (A1-C1 levels) and regularly holds concerts, film screenings, conferences, book launches, and talks view a view to exploring current affairs, historical debates, and contemporary Russian culture.
The Euro-Arab Foundation for Higher Studies, "al-Babtain" Chair in Arab Studies, and Modern Languages Centre (CLM) jointly offer Arabic language courses. Available at beginners, elementary, intermediate and advanced levels, the courses comprise 50 hours of class time. | https://www.ugr.es/en/study/language-courses |
We offer a selection of intensive modern language courses designed for beginners with no prior knowledge of the language.
These introductory 15-hour courses focus on teaching you the skills to survive in the country in a range of everyday situations. (e.g. introducing yourself, ordering food and drink, finding places, using public transport, buying tickets, booking accommodation in person or in writing.) They also provide useful cultural information for tourists and business travellers. These courses are ideal if you will be visiting the country or wish to try learning the language before registering for a longer course.
The next set of intensive courses will be in July 2020. To book please click on the course you are interested in to be redirected to the online store.
Languages available: French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese. | https://www.southampton.ac.uk/lifelonglearning/modern_languages/intensive.page |
The Scottish Society of Botanical Artists (SSBA) is pleased to offer Introductory and Intermediate botanical art courses at Crichton Central for both beginners and those with some experience. The courses are open to SSBA members, other individuals and art groups in the south and north of Scotland. There will be 8 courses, with 12 places available on each course.
Introductory courses will be held Friday 14th October to Sunday 16th October 2022, Friday 29th September to Sunday 1st October 2023
Intermediate courses will be held Friday 29th September to Sunday 1st October 2023, Friday 14th April to Sunday 16th April 2024
Course Overviews The Introductory course is for anyone interested in exploring Botanical Art and although watercolour experience is not essential it would certainly help. Over the weekend you will be introduced to:
The Intermediate course is aimed at helping the participants to further develop their botanical art skills and some previous experience is necessary. It will cover different techniques used in botanical painting, such as dry brush work, stippling, fine detail, enlarging subjects, etc. Over the weekend you will:
Both courses will comprise group demonstrations followed by personal practice. Individual guidance will also be given as required. A list of materials required for each course will be sent out when you are accepted onto the course. | https://www.crichton.co.uk/event/ssba-botanical-art-introductory-and-intermediate-courses/ |
Jewish Studies Program at University of Pennsylvania
Welcome to the Jewish Studies program at Penn! Our program reflects the full range and diverse dimensions of the Jewish experience as well as different approaches to studying Jewish life and culture.
We welcome students of all backgrounds to take our courses and participate in our programs. Our introductory courses are ideal for students with little or no background in Jewish Studies and we also offer intermediate and advanced classes. Jewish Studies courses offer students the opportunity to explore Jewish history, literature, texts, and traditions and the ways that they have evolved in the context of various civilizations. Take our courses as electives in order to deepen your understanding and investigate your interests, or become a major or minor (in any one of four different Jewish Studies tracks) and acquire a thorough knowledge of your field of Jewish interest.
Our courses fulfill General Requirements for the College and we offer language programs in Hebrew and Yiddish that satisfy the language requirement. Consult our list of courses and you will find a class for you!
In addition to formal courses, the Jewish Studies program offers a host of opportunities outside the classroom. Feel free to attend one of the many lectures and public programs we offer throughout the year or become a Jewish Studies intern and plan your own program. | http://www.jewishexponent.com/jewish-studies-program-at-university-of-pennsylvania-0 |
How To Get Rid Of An RV Parked On StreetAnthony Day
There are few things as frustrating or annoying as an illegally parked vehicle, but is there a way to get rid of an RV parked on the street?
Vehicles parked in residential streets may be there legally or illegally, and you need to act accordingly. If an RV has a breakdown or has a permit to park in front of a neighbor's house, then there is not much that you can do.
RVs can be parked anywhere on public roads for up to two years if it has a valid RV Parking Permit displayed. You have to report RVs that you find obstructive to your local sheriff or appropriate designate stating your grounds for wanting the vehicle removed.
If the vehicle displays a valid permit, you can still lodge an objection that your local sheriff must consider and may allow the permit to be revoked. Several grounds for RV parking permits to be revoked if the proper channels are followed.
Be patient and reasonable with an RV owner with a legitimate problem they are working on resolving. If you see that the RV is not parked legally and the owner is not making haste with the repair and removal, you have to take some measured steps. Let's have a look at what you can do.
Having An RV Parking Permit Revoked And The RV Removed
If you have an RV parked on your street that is causing a problem for you and your neighbors, you can have the RV removed by reporting the matter to your local sheriff or police station and stating the factual basis for your request.
Even when the RV has a valid parking permit displayed on the windscreen, you can still lodge an objection that has to be considered by the local authorities, which may result in the cancellation of the permit and the removal of the RV.
Here are some guidelines for getting rid of an RV parked on your street:
- The original RV parking permit may be revoked if grounds exist that would have allowed the authorities to deny the original permit.
- The RV has deteriorated to a state of disrepair and is a public nuisance.
- The RV inhabitants are creating a disturbance in the neighborhood in how they are using the RV.
- The RV has become permanently inoperable and is mechanically broken down.
- Authorities must have at least issued two parking citations despite the RV displaying a valid parking permit.
- Electrical cords and extension cords, water, and sewerage hoses are running across or the roadway or sidewalk from any property on a public street.
- There is evidence of a sewer connection to the RV or that the RV owners dump their waste onto public or private land other than at a designated RV dump.
- There is evidence that the RV is being used for human habitation. Local authorities may prohibit this.
Private property owners have the right to lodge their objection with good reasons why the RV parking permit should be revoked and the vehicle be removed from its parked location. Work with your local sheriff or police authorities and be patient.
The constitution affords all US citizens the right to sleep outside and not be discriminated against. As a private or public property owner, you also have rights, but you are forced to follow due process to get rid of RVs parked on your street.
Take pictures or videos on your phone to present as evidence of your complaint. Help the Sheriff or Police authorities have sufficient evidence to revoke a parking permit and issue at least two parking citations.
The RV owner has to be treated fairly and allowed to have his RV repaired or towed to a repair shop or find new authorized legal parking for the RV. Once the authorities believe that a fair warning has been issued to the owner, they may instruct a towing service to have the RV removed and taken to a vehicle pound.
Plan Your RV Vacation And Book Overnight Parking
Parking your RV in a residential or public street is allowed in most cities but only for loading, unloading, or short-term repairs. You have to ensure that your RV is not blocking the roadway or preventing pedestrians from using the sidewalk.
Don't' head off on your trip without having a clear road map and plan for overnight stays. Ensure that you also identify alternative places to park or overnight in case of breakdowns. Make bookings at RV parks or state camping grounds ahead of arrival.
It is also well worth taking some roadside assistance and towing insurance ahead of your trip. Unforeseen breakdowns do happen, and you do not want to be stuck on the side of the road without assistance.
There are some great mobile applications that you can download onto your smartphone or tablet to help you to plan and book overnight stays.
Most of these apps are free, but you can get more information and services by joining as a subscriber. RV Life Pro will give you a free 7-day trial or sign up for an annual subscription for as little as $49.
You will get a guaranteed payback just in fuel cost savings as RV Life Pro will help you plan your route and guide you to avoid steep mountain passes, low clearances, bridge weight limits, or other restrictions along the route.
The application will also help you find safe places to park your rig every night. The mobile app can also function offline when you are in areas without cellphone coverage. The app will help you find campgrounds and places of interest across the entire continent of North America.
Make your RV Adventure a memorable one for all the right reasons. Book your stays in advance in campgrounds, state parks, national forests, and national parks with the peace of mind that you will be deemed a welcome visitor.
Traveling through towns and cities, be mindful of the negative perceptions that may exist against RVs and the homeless issue. Even if you have an older RV or camper, ensure that your rig is well maintained and that you have all the permits and documents needed to prove ownership and roadworthiness.
Homeless people are a major concern in many places, and both parties have politicized the issue. Make sure that you comply with local ordinances and keep your RV clean and well maintained to avoid being targeted. | https://www.rvrank.com/post/get-rid-rv-parked-street |
New Changes / Important Reminders:
- All RV parking is pre-sold online. You must purchase and print your RV permit BEFORE you come to campus. There are no refunds or exchanges on RV permits.
- Your Tow/Extra Vehicle permit is included in the price of the RV permit. Note: Only one Tow/Extra Vehicle permit is allowed per RV permit.
- The only vehicles allowed into the RV Regions are vehicles with RV or Tow/Extra Vehicle permits. Visitors to the RV Regions are not allowed vehicle access at any time.
- Check in time for RV parking is after 6pm Thursday (subject to change, depending on safety and lot availability).
- This lot is a “Shared-Use” lot with WSU students, faculty, and staff until Friday night. Some RV parking areas may not be accessible until Friday after 5pm. All efforts should be made to allow parking permit holders access to all available parking on Friday, including potential additional space within the confines of your marked space.
- RV Parking is at your own risk. During extreme weather conditions, this lot may not be available for use, i.e. snow, excessive mud/rain, etc.
- RVs must park within a designated, marked RV space. The on-site supervisor will make the final determination of how RVs are allowed to park.
How to Purchase for Region 6 Spring Street Lot:
- For information on how to purchase an RV pass for this lot, please follow this link: WSU Cougar Athletic Fund.
Spring Street Lot RV Parking Rules:
- RVs are welcome to check into their respective RV lots NO SOONER THAN 6pm on the Thursday prior to the game. Any RVs in the lot prior to 6pm on Thursday will be required to move and may be cited for lack of compliance.
- Please observe the Region 6 RV Map and Length Restrictions. Important: The length measurement is from “Hitch to Spare”.
- TOW AND EXTRA VEHICLES: RVs are allowed one Tow Vehicle OR one Extra Vehicle (see definitions), and the vehicle must arrive with the RV to be allowed into the RV parking areas. Tow/Extra Vehicles must park:
- Within the marked RV space.
- In a designated Tow/Extra Vehicle area.
- In an approved area within the RV region that the RV supervisor approves.
- Parking across numerous RV spaces is not allowed. RVs must pull into or back into all spaces and stay within the painted lines of the RV space.
- Awnings may be utilized at no additional charge as long as it is within the RV space. No other parking spots may be used for tents, build outs or cooking areas.
- RVs must be self-contained. No hook ups or dumping stations are available in these lots.
- Visitor parking is not provided in the RV parking areas. On Game Day, Visitors to the RV parking areas may park in their designated Cougar Athletic Fund parking lots if they have a permit, or in the General Parking lots. Follow this link for more Visitor Parking Information.
- Quiet hours in this lot occur between 10pm and 7am. City of Pullman ordinance, 8.80.020.
- Alcohol consumption or open container in public prohibited. City of Pullman ordinance, 5.55.010.
- Cougar Security Patrol will provide security in this lot for each home game.
- Permits are required AT ALL TIMES. Spaces are on a first-come, first-served basis within the respective pre-purchased zone. | https://transportation.wsu.edu/home-football-rv-parking/rv-fb-region-6/ |
BY JON CALL, CITY MANAGER/ATTORNEY
North Ogden has several rules regarding where RVs, boats, and other similar vehicles and trailers can be parked. For example, you cannot park an RV, boat, or camping trailer on a public street for more than 2 consecutive days or more than 10 calendar days in a month. (North Ogden Code 7-3B-2) A violation of this rule can result in parking citations. For utility trailers, the timeline is much shorter, and no trailers may be parked on the roadway for longer than 24 hours. (North Ogden Code 7-3-8) So, where can you park these items? They must be parked on private property and on approved surfaces. If parked in the side or rear yard, they must be kept in weed free areas, and on concrete, asphalt, road base, or gravel surfaces. All RVs, boats, and trailers need to be parked so that the tongue of the trailer does not extend more than 10 feet in front of the house. If you have questions about where the appropriate parking locations are, you can call code enforcement at 801-782-7219. The purpose of these ordinances is to keep the streets clear and yards clean. Please help us by doing your part to keep our city beautiful.
If you have questions about proper procedures, city code, building permits, community events, how-to’s, or other city-related questions, please send an email to [email protected]. | https://northogdenconnection.com/community-question-corner-what-are-the-rules-regarding-recreational-vehicle-and-trailer-parking/ |
Paul Alex Rudy would love to have a job working with technology.
The 26-year-old loves to collect old cameras, radios and other gadgets, fix them up and resell them on websites such as eBay. Working in the tech department of a store like Fred Meyer would be the dream.
“It started when I got curious about Christmas lights as a kid,” Rudy said. “I’ve been obsessed with technology ever since.”
But for the past six months, Rudy has been homeless, living in a trailer on a street in north Bend. Rudy said he has yet to find a place he could afford on the $700 check he receives from Social Security for his disability. So instead, he makes sure he moves his trailer enough to avoid getting parking tickets or being towed.
“How am I supposed to find work when I’m constantly worried about moving?” Rudy said.
Rudy is one of many in a growing population of people in Deschutes County who are housed in a vehicle but are homeless. They live on the streets of Deschutes County in RVs, trailers and other vehicles out of necessity because there are few affordable spots to live and not enough available spots to park them, said Colleen Thomas, the homeless outreach coordinator for the county.
“(Buying an RV) is more affordable than trying to rent an apartment,” Thomas said. “It’s easier to find an RV on Craigslist, but unfortunately, you don’t have affordable or vacant parking spaces for those RVs to go.”
The problem was highlighted in this year’s point-in-time count, a national survey wherein county officials document the number of people they see experiencing homelessness. Close to 900 people were identified this year, a 12% increase over 2018.
While homelessness has been growing in Central Oregon for the past few years, the increase in the number of RVs on the streets in particular has become more visible. People living in RVs are considered homeless when the vehicle has the ability to hook up to full services such as sewer and water but can’t access connections, Thomas said.
Earlier this fall, the Deschutes County Commission approved adding another full-time code enforcement officer because of a 44% jump in code complaints, many of which were related to RV parking and sewage issues.
“It’s an increasing population because it’s more visible,” Thomas said. “You’re driving down the street where people are parked.”
The steadily increasing presence of RVs on the street is indicative of a larger affordable housing problem in Central Oregon, Thomas said.
“What we’ve seen in our community is rental prices increasing and forcing people out of their homes,” Thomas said.
But even when someone can afford an RV, they could face other barriers, Thomas said. Vacancies are rare at RV parks around the county, with many reporting monthslong waiting lists. And even if a spot does open up, it may not be affordable or accept RVs that are older than a certain year, Thomas said — restrictions that narrow the window of opportunity for people on tight budgets.
The demand for spots has outpaced supply so much that some, like Darla Pugmire, who manages Green Acres RV Park outside of Redmond, have stopped keeping a waitlist. She got tired of having to deliver the bad news that, even after six to eight months of waiting, there were still no spots.
And while many people choose to live intentionally in an RV as a lifestyle, Pugmire estimates that about 85% of the calls she was receiving were out of desperation from people with no where else to go.
“It’s one of the only ways people can afford to live,” Pugmire said.
Not only is there not enough RV parks to meet demand, Pugmire said, but there are not enough RV parks that rent year-round. Many parks only do long-term rentals during the off-season, Pugmire said, and then upcharge during the summer months.
But permitting and creating more parks is easier said than done. The last time an RV park was permitted in Deschutes County was 15 years ago in Brothers, county planner Will Groves said, though the project was never developed.
This is because most land outside of cities is zoned for farm or forestry, which comes with tight restrictions on what can be developed on it. Only a few zones exist outside of cities that allow new RV parks in the county, largely because the state land use system discourages high-density development in rural areas. Most RV parks in Deschutes County have been developed in cities.
“There’s little land where it can be lawfully established,” Groves said. “Under the state land use system, there isn’t a good way to develop these lands under these uses.”
For now, the growing number of RVs on the streets is being managed by law enforcement. With Bend’s new parking rule in effect, police are getting more calls about making sure vehicles are parked for no longer than three days, said Bend Police Lt. Juli McConkey said.
The department also gets calls about litter and leaking sewage.
But for the most part, officers are not responding to major disturbances or other crime often.
“Sometimes, people think: This vehicle is parked here; that must be what’s happening,” McConkey said, referring to criminal activity. “Just because someone’s living in an RV doesn’t mean they are doing criminal behavior.”
The goal of Bend’s parking rule is to encourage people to move on their own, and McConkey said in that way the program is working as it should.
“Our housing situation is expensive,” McConkey continued. “So people remedy that by living in RVs and moving on every so often, which is understandable.”
In a world of limited options, Rudy’s living situation works OK for now. It’s not fun to think about moving every three days, but cops so far have let him be as long as he follows the rules, he said.
But still, he strives to have a plan he can call his own.
“There should be something (where) I can park and look for work and not have to worry all the time,” Rudy said. | https://www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/deschutes-county-housing-crisis-creates-growing-segment-of-homeless-population/article_6e6c944d-3724-5524-bd48-c9d414207b1a.html |
Oversized vehicles including recreational vans will need permits to park on residential streets in Long Beach if proposed regulations are approved by the City Council Tuesday.
The regulations, a year in the making, would allow RV owners to park for 72 hours at a time if they obtain a permit. Such permits, for the purposes of loading or unloading, would be available only to those with residences on the block. There would be some exceptions for disabled individuals and for commercial loading and unloading. Violating the restrictions could result in fines or towing.
Craig Beck, director of public works for Long Beach, said "irresponsible" RV owners who park their oversized vehicles on streets for long periods prompted the proposed rule changes.
"In some parking-impacted communities, we have folks that will just leave their RVs there for days and days and days, taking up a number of those parking spaces," Beck said. "Many times they'll park on corners and it creates safety hazards relative to line of sight for vehicles that are driving around."
City officials hope the rules changes will force those RV owners to park their vehicles on their properties or store them at a facility. They acknowledged, however, that the regulations could also impact homeless people, who would effectively be shut out from parking an oversized vehicle in a residential area.
"There are some folks living in their RVs and our goal is to get them connected with services," Beck said. "It's not a long-term solution to have folks living in RVs, parking in residential areas that aren't really set up to support that kind of activity."
Long Beach officials counted 1,863 homeless in a census conducted in January. Of the 686 who were not living in some sort of shelter, roughly 7 percent were living in their vehicles, according to the Long Beach Department of Health & Human Services. There were also a number of people who appeared to be living in RVs, but did not identify themselves as homeless and were not included in the count.
Teresa Chandler, the department's human services manager, said the city is working on developing a program that would supply the homeless who need it with a place to park. The goal, Chandler said, is to get people living in their cars off the street and into shelters while they await permanent housing — which can be a long wait.
"It can be more comfortable to live in an RV versus a shelter," she said. "But ultimately, it's helping people focus on the long-term goal and what it means getting there."
The city of L.A. is in the midst of piloting a safe parking program, but progress has been slow.
Should the Long Beach council approve the RV restrictions Tuesday and the mayor sign the ordinance, the California Coastal Commission, which has jurisdiction over some parts of Long Beach, would also need to weigh in before the parking rules went into effect.
The city would then need to engage in public education and post restriction signs. Beck said the earliest the city could start enforcing the proposed rules would be in six to nine months. | https://www.scpr.org/news/2017/08/14/74576/long-beach-looking-to-restrict-rv-parking/ |
Small southeast SF street becomes battleground on issue of overnight RV parking
A San Francisco supervisor is pressing the city to remove trailers and camper vans from a quiet side street in his district — a move that spurred emotional debate and divided board directors for the city’s Municipal Transportation Agency.
Vehicle encampments have become an increasingly common sight in a city with a gnawing homeless crisis. Some housing activists call them a last line of defense for people struggling to stay off the street. But residents and city officials say the vehicle dwellers dump garbage, take up parking and create a nuisance for people living nearby.
Supervisor Ahsha Safai said he’s received numerous complaints from constituents about people camped out on De Wolf Street and Lawrence Avenue, a stretch of road wedged between a block of single-family homes and apartments, and Interstate 280 in the Outer Mission.
“Allowing a small side street to become an unofficial RV park is not the answer” to the city’s problems with homelessness, Safai wrote in a letter to the board of the SFMTA, which manages parking in the city. He said the camp’s inhabitants pile detritus on the street and cook with open flames, creating a safety hazard for 13 adjacent homes.
The RVs are causing quality of life to deteriorate in “one of the last affordable neighborhoods in San Francisco,” Safai wrote. He asked for a parking ban on any vehicle more than seven feet tall or 22 feet long from midnight to 6 a.m. each day.
But activists and an RV dweller who showed up to the SFMTA board meeting on Tuesday asked for lenience, saying the people who camp on that roadway will have nowhere else to go if the city pushes them out.
“Please don’t remove us,” said Gladys Odilia, 67, who lives in a camper van with her handicapped son.
She elicited sympathy from several board directors, including Gwyneth Borden and the board’s chair, Cheryl Brinkman.
Borden characterized the proposed oversized vehicle ban as a reactionary move that would have little impact on the larger homeless issue.
“As much as I feel bad for people on De Wolf Street, the only power I have to move the ball forward on this issue is to not support this,” she said.
Other board directors sided with Safai and the beset neighbors, saying it’s unfair to saddle them with a problem that should be addressed citywide.
“If these trailers were in Pacific Heights, we’d be solving the problem real fast,” said Board Director Art Torres, referring to a tony neighborhood on the north side of the city.
Vice Chair Malcolm Heinicke agreed, saying that the 13 homes along that block of De Wolf Street should enjoy the same protections as residents in other parts of San Francisco.
“To say, ‘We’re going to cut it off for these 13 homes, and we want you to be so upset that the city solves its homelessness problem — that’s just not fair,’” he said.
After an ardent debate, the board tabled the vehicle ban discussion for a month. In the meantime, the directors asked the agency’s staff to figure out if and when it’s appropriate for the MTA to make decisions on where to put homeless RV dwellers.
RVs are effectively barred from parking overnight in many parts of the city, and are largely relegated to underpasses or streets that run alongside freeways.
“We have to move on this quickly,” Torres said after the meeting. He cited various places that could be delegated for camper vans, such as the Cow Palace parking lot in Daly City, or a stretch of open space on Treasure Island near restrooms.
Brinkman agreed on the urgency of the issue, which has bedeviled the board for years.
“It used to be that there were more industrial streets where these vehicle encampments were dispersed,” she said, noting that the economic boom in San Francisco has filled many of those streets with development, or led to parking restrictions that would cause RVs to be towed.
Four years ago, the board banned the vehicles from parking overnight on 61 stretches of road throughout the city, following grumbling from neighbors about rubbish and sanitation issues.
“It would be fantastic if there were a safe space where people who live in these vehicles could park overnight and sleep,” she said. | https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Small-southeast-SF-street-becomes-battleground-on-13239946.php |
Wild camping is always allowed in Canada if it is not prohibited. However, there is generally a nationwide ban on wild camping in cities, national parks, and provincial parks. … On public land (National, Forest) and areas that are not privately owned (Crown Land), wild camping is generally allowed.
Where can you camp for free in Canada?
Simply put, the best place for free camping in Canada is British Columbia. This province is home to a network of mostly free Recreational Sites with rustic camping facilities. These ‘Rec Sites’ are located by water features (lakes, rivers, waterfalls etc) and are usually accessed via unpaved logging roads.
Can you disperse camp in Canada?
Dispersed Camping in National and Provincial Parks in Canada
Depending on which park you’re going to, you may be able to purchase backcountry camping permits which would allow you to camp in the wilderness, far from any road or town.
Can you sleep at rest stops in Canada?
Rest stops are located along major highways. … It is strictly prohibited to spend the night at a rest stop. The maximum stay permitted is four hours. You may decide to risk it, but there is a good chance that you will be woken in the middle of the night and asked to leave the premises.
Can you sleep in Walmart parking lots in Canada?
Can you park overnight at Walmart Canada? Note that it is prohibited to spend the night in a shopping center parking lot in Canada. The exception to this rule is Walmart, which permits RV parking on its store lots where possible. Be sure to ask the store manager’s permission before settling in for the night.
What is the difference between camping and wild camping?
Wild camping is a blanket term that encompasses pretty much every type of camping outside of the boundaries of a regular campsite. Camping on a campsite, in your backyard (we’ve all been there) or in a music festival is just regular old camping. Camping near enough anywhere else is wild camping.
Where can I put my tent for free?
While national forests and BLM land are the most common places to find free camping, other types of public lands in the United States and Canada offer up pockets of campsites in different states and regions. State parks, city parks, and county parks sometimes maintain free camping areas.
Can you camp anywhere in a national park Canada?
Is it legal to camp anywhere in National Parks like Banff or Jasper National Park? No. According to Parks Canada, RVs, campers, tents and the like are only allowed to set up camp in designated campsites and campgrounds.
Can you pitch a tent anywhere in Ontario?
Ontario provides many opportunities for crown land camping outside of provincial parks. In general, Canadian citizens and people who have lived in Canada for at least 7 months of the preceding 12-month period, Camp for free up to 21 days on any one site in a calendar year, unless otherwise posted.
Is it legal to sleep in your car in Canada?
In general, there are no laws prohibiting you from sleeping in your car. But you need to follow parking signs at rest areas, parking lots and on main streets to determine whether extended parking is allowed. … That means you could get a DUI even if you’re only sleeping in your car and don’t intend to drive it.
Is it legal to live in an RV in Canada?
When your RV’s on the move, it’s considered a vehicle—and having open containers in a vehicle is a big no-no. Unlike cars, once you’re parked, your RV legally becomes a residence and you can pop bottles to your heart’s content.
Can you sleep in Walmart parking lots?
Yes, you can park overnight at Walmart. Most Walmart stores allow RVs, van-dwellers, and car campers to sleep in their parking lot overnight.
What does Boondocking mean in camping?
In essence, boondocking is off-the-grid RV travel. Sometimes referred to as “dry camping,” boondocking is any time you camp in your RV without water, sewer, or electrical connections.
Can you sleep in a Costco parking lot?
Yes, you can park at Costco overnight. Generally, Costco stores want you to park furthest away from the store so that shoppers can park closer. But not all cities and not all Costco’s allow overnight parking.
Can you sleep in a travel trailer at a rest stop?
Yes. You are permitted to sleep overnight in your vehicle while at a California Rest Area. You just cannot stay beyond 8 hours. | https://frenchfortcove.com/sightseeing/your-question-is-it-legal-to-camp-anywhere-in-canada.html |
UNITED STATES — For many years the RV industry has sought clarity regarding the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) definition of an RV—an outdated definition that failed to make it clear as to whether or not HUD regulated certain larger RVs that no longer fit within HUD’s definition of an RV.
Four years ago, the RV Industry Association began its latest efforts to get HUD to update its definition of an RV and make it clear that all RVs are exempt from HUD regulations. An effort that was supported by members, other RV industry associations and RV Caucus members, most notably, Senate RV Caucus Co-Chair Joe Donnelly (D-IN) with support from Senate RV Caucus Co-Chair Joni Ernst (R-IA).
On November 16, 2018, HUD released a final rule which updates the definition of RV to definitively exempt RV from HUD’s regulation. While this is a huge win for the RV industry, this new rule includes two provisions that have prompted the RV Industry Association to raise concerns: Requiring PMRV manufacturers to display a “Manufacturer’s Notice” and tying the rule specifically to the 2015 versions of the NFPA and ANSI standards.
Most importantly, the newly finalized rule clearly establishes that HUD does not regulate RVs, including PMRVs and fifth-wheels, which provides much-needed regulatory certainty to RV manufacturers. Earlier RV exemptions did not establish a bright line between RVs, which are designed for temporary, seasonal or recreational use, and manufactured housing which is designed to be a permanent, year-round dwelling. The blurry distinction began to cause confusion in recent years as RVs have become larger and park model RVs have risen in popularity.
In January, HUD released its “Regulatory Review of Manufactured Housing Rules” to invite public comment on all current and pending manufactured housing regulatory actions. In the new rule, HUD acknowledges the need for a broader exemption, noting that the agency received fewer than 20 comments on the proposed RV rule in response to the January document and all were supportive. The RV Industry association filed comments encouraging a clear exemption.
In comments filed on the January Regulatory Review, the RV Industry Association urged HUD not to require PMRV manufacturers to display a “Manufacturer’s Notice” in each unit kitchen stating that the unit is designed only for recreational use and has been built to ANSI A119.5-15 standards. The association opposed this requirement because this information is duplicative to existing industry requirements—the association already requires certified PMRVs to contain permanent seals of ANSI certification.
The new rule, however, will require park model RV manufacturers to display a Manufacturer’s Notice in each PMRV kitchen and provide this notice to the final purchaser at the completion of the sale. HUD asserts that its requirement is distinguishable from the association’s because (1) HUD’s requirement for a Manufacturer’s Notice applies to all RVs built and certified to ANSI A119.5-15 standards, not just RVs with the RV Industry Association seal; and (2) HUD requires its notice be placed more conspicuously than the RV Industry Association seal and serves to inform consumers about the standard to which the unit was built, which the Agency believes differs from the purpose of an RV Industry Association seal.
Until the sales transaction is completed, no one must remove the notice. Under the rule, a PMRV sale is complete when all goods and services that the dealer agreed to provide at the time of contract formation have been provided. The RV Industry Association encourages all park model dealers to read the text of the final rule to become familiar with this important new requirement.
Finally, the RV Industry Association encouraged HUD not to tie the NFPA and ANSI standards to any particular year, and merely incorporate broader references to the standards. This would allow the regulations to account for future updates of the standards without requiring a change in language. The final rule, however, still references the 2015 editions of the standards. The Agency addressed the RV Industry Association’s suggestion, stating that it must reference specific editions due to the Federal Register’s rules for incorporation by reference to non-governmental publications.
Overall, the rule is a win for the RV industry. In the new rule, HUD creates a clear distinction between manufactured housing, which it regulates, and RVs, which it does not. This provides regulatory certainty and will ensure that HUD does not exceed the scope of its mission and begin regulating RVs in the future. The rule takes effect on January 15, 2019.
For more information, please contact Mike Ochs at [email protected] or Samantha Rocci at [email protected]. | https://rvdailyreport.com/industry/rvia-3-things-to-know-about-new-hud-rule/ |
Sarah Ravani April 12, 2019 Updated: April 12, 2019 7:48 p.m.
A new Berkeley ordinance that would ban overnight street parking of recreational vehicles has Oakland officials concerned that hundreds of RV dwellers could move to their city and others nearby.
Leaders of the two cities are discussing the ban, which Berkeley agreed to delay while it considers whether to permit some camper dwellers to stay. Oakland, meanwhile, is taking a different approach, with plans to next month open the first of a handful of parking lots, with basic services, for recreational vehicles.
Tensions between the cities flared before they began to talk.
On the day of the vote in late March, Oakland’s City Council president sent a letter urging the Berkeley City Council to consider more “compassionate alternatives,” and spoke with the mayor. Berkeley passed the ban but backed away from enforcing it immediately.
Oakland officials have said they were surprised they weren’t consulted on the ban, while Berkeley leaders said they’ve tried without success to work with their neighbors on the issue.
The episode highlights the complexity of addressing homeless issues, including the growing problem of RV dwellers, officials said, and the need for regional leaders to work together. A recent report by the Bay Area Council found that more regional cooperation is needed to address homelessness.
Conversations have occurred between Alameda County cities on homelessness, but the topic of RVs and providing safe spaces for the vehicles to park hasn’t come up until now.
Currently, Berkeley has about 200 RVs on its streets, said Matthai Chakko, a spokesman for the city. In the latest homeless count in January 2017, the city identified 972 homeless people — a 17% increase since 2015 and a 43% increase since 2009.
Oakland estimated that it has 2,761 homeless people — a 26% increase since 2015, according to city data. That number includes RV dwellers, but there is no specific count of those vehicles s in Oakland, said Joe DeVries, an assistant to the city administrator.
Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín said on the day of the vote that past calls to neighboring cities to help find a space for RVs were largely ignored.
After a phone call between the Berkeley mayor and Kaplan on the day of the vote, the council agreed to delay implementation of the ban until a permit process is in place. Immediate action will be taken against people for safety reasons and if there is an excessive amount of waste or trash in the street, said Berkeley Councilwoman Kate Harrison.
Berkeley is considering two types of RV dwelling permits: a two-week permit for visitors, and another for those who have community ties — children attending a local school, or past Berkeley residence in permanent housing. Additionally those with special needs will have access to a permit, Harrison said.
Harrison noted that it could take time for the permit process to be developed and implemented.
“I appreciated his willingness to slow down implementation of their RV enforcement policies so that we can all be best prepared to accommodate any changes that that might cause,” Schaaf said.
Since the vote, Arreguín and Kaplan have met in person and are exploring options for RV sites that would be funded and assigned on a countywide basis as part of a regional collaboration, Kaplan said.
Arreguín has asked the Berkeley school district to allow RV parking in school lots for families who have children enrolled in the district — an idea that the school district is considering, said Jacquelyn McCormick, Arreguín’s chief of staff. McCormick said she has been working with EveryOne Home, a care provider with Alameda County, to identify land parcels outside of Berkeley for safe RV parking.
But RV dwellers expressed skepticism about how much progress city officials will make before they are forced to move, leaving their futures even more uncertain than usual.
Kastner, 33, was forced to move into an RV nearly 10 months ago after losing his job and his home within the span of two weeks. He spent his last remaining savings on a $4,500 1992 Ford Silver Eagle.
Ticketing RV dwellers for parking overnight on Berkeley streets isn’t going to solve the problem, he said.
Oakland is taking a different approach to its growing RV population by identifying locations for a safe parking program for RVs. The first location — at 711 San Leandro Blvd. near the Coliseum — will open next month and will have sanitation services, water and electricity, DeVries said. The site will be accessible 24 hours a day to people who are currently living in that area. It has spaces for 30 RVs.
Two locations also have been identified in West Oakland. DeVries said the city, still working on it, may open a site for 17 RVs in June. Similar to the site near the Coliseum, it will be for people already living in the area. The second site is still in the planning stages.
Sarah Ravani covers Oakland and the East Bay at The San Francisco Chronicle. She joined The Chronicle in 2016 after graduating from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. Previously, she covered breaking news and crime for The Chronicle. She has provided coverage on wildfires, mass shootings, the fatal shooting of police officers and massive floods in the North Bay. | https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Berkeley-s-RV-parking-ban-sends-shock-waves-13764256.php |
Camarillo, California – The Camarillo City Council will reinstate parking restrictions for Recreational Vehicle (RV) parking on city public streets, beginning January 4, 2021.
This means that beginning January 4, 2021, an RV may only be legally parked on a City street by obtaining a permit. There are two types of permits available:
- COVID 30 Day RV Parking Permit (City Code Compliance)
- 72-hour (non-COVID) RV Parking Permit (Camarillo Police Department)
Online applications and guidelines for obtaining a COVID 30 Day RV Parking Permit will be available, beginning December 28, 2020, on the City’s website at www.cityofcamarillo.org/covid19 or by contacting Code Compliance at 805.383.5660 or via email at [email protected]. Please allow up to 24 hours for your permit to be processed. Once approved, the 30 day Permit must be displayed in the driver’s side front window for the duration of the approval. RVs may be parked on private property or on public streets.
For all other RV parking, such as needing a temporary permit for a few days for visiting family or another reason not related to COVID, please obtain your parking permit through Camarillo Police Department. For information, please call (805) 388-5100.
In March 2020, in an effort to accommodate residents impacted by the Stay at Home Orders that were implemented due to COVID-19, the City relaxed enforcement to allow for the temporary parking of RVs and other passenger vehicles for more than 72 hours, so long as the vehicles were not obviously abandoned.
On August 26, 2020, the City Council adopted a resolution that reinstated parking restrictions on City streets for all vehicles including passenger vehicles and trailers, with the exception of RVs.
On November 4, 2020, the City Council considered reinstating RV parking restrictions on city public streets. However, based on the concern that COVID-19 numbers may be on the rise due to the upcoming holiday season, which may cause a potential need for use of RVs for quarantine purposes or to accommodate out of town guests, the City Council asked staff to gather data on the number of RVs parked on public streets.
Staff conducted several inspections of the City over a two-week period, on various days of the week and at varying times throughout the day. Overall, 179 RVs were identified as being parked on a city public street. Of the 179 RVs, two were blocking fire hydrants; 46 are obscuring views along curves, intersections, and driveways; four parked facing the wrong direction on the street. And, since October 2020, an average of seven complaints per week from Camarillo residents regarding RVs parked on the public street have been made to the Code Compliance Division. The main concerns cited by residents include RVs obscuring sight, causing tripping hazardous, protruding into the public right of way, and being stored for long periods of time.
With this information, the Camarillo City Council voted unanimously during their meeting of December 9, 2020, to reinstate RV parking restrictions on city public streets, beginning January 4, 2021. This allows a few days after the decision to notify residents of the change in the Order. And, this provides time for the RVs to be properly stored.
For questions about these parking restrictions, or more details on how to obtain a permit, please call the Camarillo Code Compliance Division at (805) 383-5660, or email [email protected]. | https://www.citizensjournal.us/camarillo-rv-parking-restrictions-to-be-reinstated-january-4/ |
Councilman Bill Rosendahl Monday offered petitions for Venice residents wanting to ban recreational vehicles from parking in front of their homes overnight.
Residents can petition to ban vehicles more than seven feet high or more than 22 feet long from parking on a block from 2-6 a.m., Rosendahl said.
Two-thirds of the residents on a block must agree to have signs posted informing recreational vehicle owners of the overnight parking ban.
"For too long, residents of Venice have sought relief from the proliferation of RVs, campers and other oversize vehicles in front of their homes,'' Rosendahl said. "The California Coastal Commission has wrongly denied Venice the same parking restrictions other communities have. This is one of the few tools we have at our disposal.''
The commission has twice denied the city's attempts to establish resident-only ``overnight parking districts'' in Venice -- even though most other coastal communities are allowed such restrictions, an aide to Rosendahl said.
The City Council responded by passing an ordinance prohibiting vehicles of a certain size from parking overnight in Venice. Such a law does not require commission approval.
Rosendahl said Monday he wants to go even further, seeking to direct the Transportation Department to install the street signs on any block where two-thirds of the residents, businesses and property owners support the restrictions.
Residents who own recreational vehicles will be able to get a non-transferable, $10 per day, three-day permit to load or unload the vehicle.
Before the signs can be installed, the council will have to approve a secondary ``implementing ordinance'' that would flesh out the new regulations.
Residents who want to sign the petition can download it from www.councilmanrosendahl.com.
Tensions boiled over last week when city officials took several days to summon cleanup crews to three Venice intersections where human waste was alleged dumped.
``Don't dump on Venice is our demand,'' said Mark Ryavec, president of the Venice Stakeholders Association. ``We are asking that the city post signs against oversize vehicles parking in front of our houses, and we want the cops to finally start enforcing the city ordinance that prohibits sleeping in parked vehicles.''
Venice has long been a beacon to free spirits, but the burgeoning number of people living in recreational vehicles in recent years has tested the community's reputation as a live-and-let-live zone.
When the municipal parking lot on the beach at Rose Avenue closes around sundown, dozens of recreational vehicle dwellers fire up their rigs and limp a few blocks inland to find overnight parking -- along Venice Boulevard, off Rose Avenue at Fourth, Fifth and Sixth avenues and throughout the Oakwood neighborhood.
People are living in as many as 250 recreational vehicles around Venice, according to Ryavec.
While some beach areas are set up to accommodate recreational vehicles -- such as Dockweiler State Beach, where overnight camping is allowed and holding tank pump-out stations are available -- Venice is not.
Ryavec's group has been working to ban the overnight parking of oversize vehicles on residential streets, but he claims city officials have been dragging their feet, while Rosendahl scrambles to set up an overnight recreational vehicle parking program modeled on a successful one in Santa Barbara.
The Venice Stakeholders Association has sued the California Coastal Commission, which declined to assert its jurisdiction over the parking issue, saying it was primarily a social problem.
Relief for Venice Homeowners Fed Up With Rogue RV's
Councilman Bill Rosendahl Monday offered petitions for Venice residents wanting to ban recreational vehicles from parking in front of their homes overnight. | https://www.nbclosangeles.com/local/relief-for-venice-homeowners-fed-up-with-rogue-rvs/1882492/ |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The anticipation for Penn State’s Military Appreciation Day clash against Iowa on Nov. 5 has seen most of the RV parking spaces exhausted in the primary RV lot near Beaver Stadium.
The Seats for Servicemembers contest will kick at 7:30 p.m. and air on Big Ten Network, the Penn State Sports Network (6 p.m. airtime) and GoPSUsports.com. The No. 24 Nittany Lions and Hawkeyes will be meeting for the first time in four years, with Iowa visiting Happy Valley for the first time since 2011. The teams are scheduled to play every season from 2016-19.
Once capacity is reached in the primary RV lot on Orchard Road, only patrons who present a season, advance (pre-paid) game day Yellow and advance Overnight RV Yellow parking permit will gain access to the primary RV lot for the Iowa game.
Patrons driving an RV who arrive on Thursday night, Friday or Saturday without an advance parking permit for the Iowa tilt should expect to be directed to lots which are not as level and/or as close to Beaver Stadium. RVs will be directed to other areas such as Lots 19, 20, 23 and Red A.
The Red A parking lot is off Atherton Street near the Penn State Golf Courses and is a paved lot. Starting at 9 a.m., the CATA Red Link bus is available to bring fans from Lot Red A (two stops) to the Berkey Creamery, which is four blocks from Beaver Stadium. The last CATA Red Link bus will leave the Creamery for Lot Red A at 12:30 a.m.
Fans who have not purchased an advance RV parking permit for the Iowa game are encouraged to do so soon or plan to bring a car to the game.
Patrons are reminded that should inclement weather be anticipated or occur on game day, Penn State may need to restrict RV’s from parking in any lots except those already sold, at which point additional RVs would be directed to locations off campus.
The deadline to purchase and receive a single game car ($15) or RV ($60, if available) parking pass for the Iowa game by express mail is 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, by calling 1-800-NITTANY (weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Single game car parking permits, and RV parking if available, for the contest against the Hawkeyes also can be purchased in advance at the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office weekdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with Friday, Nov. 4, deadlines of 4:30 p.m. (RV, if available) and 6 p.m. (cars). The game day parking price is $40 for cars and $120 for RVs, cash only.
For phone purchases, there is a $2.25 service fee for a single game parking permit. There is a limit of three single game parking permits for each game per customer.
Penn State will honor the men and women who have bravely served our country during Military Appreciation Day activities at the Iowa game. ROTC elite, active duty, wounded warriors, and veterans will be honored with special recognitions during the game. Nittany Lion fans have purchased tickets to be donated to military members and their families through the "Seats for Servicemembers" program. The Penn State Blue Band will have a military-themed halftime performance and a USO performance is slated during the intermission against the Hawkeyes.
Penn State (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten) is coming off a 24-21 win over then No. 2 Ohio State and visits Purdue on Saturday for a noon kick. Iowa (5-3, 3-2) has a bye this week before traveling to face the Nittany Lions.
Following the Iowa game, the Nittany Lions have just one more home contest, the Senior Day clash against Michigan State on Nov. 26.
Single game tickets for the Iowa and Michigan State games are available. To purchase tickets or for information about becoming a Nittany Lion Club member and purchasing 2017 season tickets, fans can visit PSUnrivaled.com, call 1-800-NITTANY (weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) or visit the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office weekdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. | https://news.psu.edu/story/434035/2016/10/26/athletics/rv-parking-nearing-sellout-penn-state-iowa-military-appreciation |
MOUNTAIN VIEW — Two days after Tuesday’s election, Ida Seclen made her daily rounds in the community of RVs on Crisanto Avenue where she lives, just as she would on any Thursday.
Since losing her job as a nanny and babysitter when the coronavirus pandemic hit, Seclen, 74, now spends much of her time inside her RV, picking up trash on the street, checking up on neighborhood kids left alone for the work day, and going for walks around Rengstorff Park, She sometimes gets food and water for the homeless folks she runs into.
But Seclen’s routine could soon be interrupted.
That’s because Measure C, a City Council-sponsored ballot measure that would ban RVs and other oversized vehicles from parking on narrow city streets 40 feet wide or less, was passing with 57.01% of the vote in the latest election results, raising anxieties among vehicle dwellers such as Seclen.
The council took the unusual step of placing the measure on the ballot after opponents of an RV-ban it approved 4-3 in September 2019 collected enough signatures for a referendum to overturn it. Rather than rescind the ordinance, the council decided early this year to put the question to voters. In the Bay Area, Berkeley also prohibits RV parking on certain city streets, but its City Council did not ask voters to make that call.
Not much wider than nearby residential streets, Crisanto could be targeted for enforcement under the Measure C. If enforced, the ban could displace about three dozen oversized vehicles, including Seclen’s RV.
“I have absolutely no one here for me,” Seclen said. “How are they going to throw us out? The people who really don’t have anything, where are they going to put them? Thinking about it makes me stressed and puts me in such a bad mood. I just feel like, when the moment comes it comes. I can’t think about it too much, otherwise I’ll have no peace.”
The measure’s proponents had argued that people such as Seclen who camp out in their vehicles pose a threat to public safety and lower the quality of life in the city. For years, residents have associated RV camping with sewage spills, trash piles, drug and alcohol abuse and crime.
The prevalence of vehicle dwellers has increased at such an alarming rate over the past several years that the city has started a safe parking program for overnight campers that offers about 70 spaces — but its nowhere near the amount needed to accommodate the nearly 300 vehicle dwellers estimated by officials to be currently parked on Mountain View’s streets.
Many vehicle residents were encouraged to hear Measure C won’t be implemented any time soon. The City Council must first pass a resolution to enact the new policy, then begin the daunting task of measuring the width of streets in Mountain View where vehicle dwellers have congregated.
Mayor Margaret Abe-Koga, who was re-elected to the council this week, said she felt voters’ approval of Measure C was “appropriate” and noted that the restrictions are just one part of a “bigger plan we have to continue to help the homeless.”
Fifty-seven-year-old Chris Petti — who lives in Abe-Koga’s neighborhood south of Castro Street — still had a yard sign supporting the mayor in his lawn on Thursday. He said voting “yes” on C was the hardest bubble to fill on the ballot Tuesday, but he was ultimately persuaded by the campaign messages of Abe-Koga and her colleagues.
“I was swayed by the argument that Mountain View has safe parking lots for them to go, but I didn’t celebrate so much when it passed,” he said. “It was difficult because I sympathize with the plight of these people, and I don’t want to kick them out. Many of them work here, so that was my hesitation.”
Now the council’s goal should be “to work like crazy to open more safe parking sites,” Petti said, adding that the city should continue to work with the Shoreline Amphitheatre’s owner to open up more spaces at its giant parking lots, which are mostly empty these days.
Seclen said she of course wants to get out of living in an RV, but on her terms. She and the dozens of RV dwellers who live on Crisanto have tried to make the best of a difficult situation over the past several years.
The RV she lives in isn’t very big, but it’s impeccably clean and organized. To maximize space, she uses her bathroom as a closet and pays the residents of a nearby apartment $40 a month to use their bathroom — something she said is common among her neighbors.
Seclen says a lot of people’s stories on Crisanto are like hers: All her connections are here, she’s lived here her whole life — at one time joining four other families in a two-bedroom, one-bath unit in order to stay nearby — and her work opportunities are here.
Many of her neighbors don’t own their RVs outright and instead rent them. With COVID-19 wreaking havoc on local economies, the kind of work folks on Crisanto usually get — housekeeping, construction, landscaping and domestic work — has all but dried up.
Facing the constant stresses of poverty after losing their jobs, Jose Alfaro and Cristobal Sanchez — who Seclen cares after — got into a nasty fight that got them kicked out of the RV they rented together.
On Thursday, Sanchez and Alfaro were sitting on a bench feet away from their old RV at Rengstorff Park. Sanchez, who has resided in Mountain View for nine years, said he can’t conceive of living anywhere else and has built a makeshift shack at a homeless encampment.
Seclen said she sees no difference between herself, Sanchez and Alfaro. To her, a single crisis or difficult situation could put her out on the street, too, something she wouldn’t be able to weather long in her old age. Because she’s “not getting any younger,” Seclen said she’s considering going back to Peru to be with her family. | https://therichardevansfoundation.org/rv-residents-fear-displacement-after-measure-c-narrow-streets-ban-passes/ |
SAN RAFAEL (KRON) — A battle is brewing between North Bay residents along a quiet county road and a group of people living in RVs who have parked nearby.
This past summer, the city banned parking recreational vehicles along city streets, forcing RV dwellers to move out of the city.
When the city implemented its ban on parking RVs along city streets, people who lived in recreational vehicles were faced with having their homes possibly ticketed or even towed. To avoid that drama, they fled to spots just outside the city where they could park without problems.
“There’s nothing in the Constitution or in the dictionary that says a home can’t have wheels on it…or have a motor on it,” Paul Schreps said.
Schreps is an advocate for several of the people who have settled along Woodland Avenue. He said that the city’s recent ban has put many of these people in a tight spot.
“It was threatening them, losing their property, their homes and all of their property without due process,” Schreps said.
But Woodland Avenue may not be a safe haven very long. Neighbors who live nearby, like Ed Kozlowski, are concerned about the impact the RVs could have on the neighborhood.
“It’s a bad image I think for RVs and trailers to park here, even though they could move after two or three days,” Kozlowski said.
He’s also worried that the RV dwellers may dump trash or sewage along Woodland Avenue.
That was one of the reason’s the City of San Rafael claimed the ban was necessary.
“They’re cooking there, and they’re living there, and they have to get rid of their garbage. I don’t know if they are going to take it any place or if they’re just going to leave it on the roadside,” Kozlowski said.
Schreps denies that anyone is dumping anything along the roadway.
Moving forward, Schreps hopes to convince the city to lift the ban on parking within city limits.
Kozlowski says he’s working with the Marin County Board of Supervisors to change the parking rules along Woodland Avenue to possibly ban overnight parking. | http://kron4.com/2016/11/01/video-battle-brewing-between-marin-county-residents-group-of-people-living-in-rvs/ |
Good place to overnight. There were about 6 other RVs and a few semis. Quiet after 10pm and plenty of room.
November 8, 2020 - reviewed by
Tommy Sanchez
Good Overnight
This is a "smaller" supercenter . We pulled in around 5pm and was the first. A couple of other trailers and vans pulled in overnight. Was windy but quiet and not far from I10. Thank you Walmart.
May 4, 2020 - reviewed by
Dick
Large lot just off of I10. 1 RV there when we got there, total of 6 by morning. No problems.
March 15, 2020 - reviewed by
Moe
Second Time This Year
We stopped at that WM for the second time this year. In November 2019 we had to park across the street in a vacant lot. This time we got there earlier, and there was enough room for us to park overnight. Did some groceries shopping and settled for the night. Place was quiet and we left early the next morning after picking up up coffee ag McDonald a block away. Overall a good place, but get there early.
March 13, 2020 - reviewed by
Picket Fence Protest
Quick Overnight
Stopped in for a quick overnight. Pulled in around 3:30pm and to our surprise there was already a flock of folks camped out in the parking lot. We managed to find a spot for old two step, and the pearl. The store itself was extremely busy (lots of people must have been getting off work) they didnt have any lanes open, only self check. Didn't bother us as we were in no hurry and it made for great people watching. There is a good spot to walk the dogs on the west side of the parking lot. It was pretty noisy with parking lot traffic until about 10:00pm, but after that it was surprisingly quiet and we got a well needed nights rest.
December 15, 2019 - reviewed by
Odin Thorasson
Love Walmart now...we got here early, parked in a great little corner spot and checked and had a “perfect bubble” on the refrigerator level. What more can you ask for-shopping, a nice meal and wonderful night sleep!
October 20, 2019 - reviewed by
Jon
Easy On The Generators
We parked here just fine, several others around us. Store is clean. My only issue is literally every RV around us is running their generator. I've always felt that this is bad form in a Walmart parking lot, especially surrounded by other campers. It needlessly sounds like a truck stop, and on top of that, it's supposed to get in the 50s tonight.
June 20, 2019 - reviewed by
Cooper
We were able to park overnight without any problems. Plenty of space for all the overnighters that were there. Grateful for places like this that allow the travelers to get a few hours of respite. Store was friendly and clean!
May 12, 2019 - reviewed by
Charlie B
In My Name
Hopefully Walmart will continue to to allow overnight stays but yesterday I saw huge RV towing a jeep take up 14 spaces. They had four slide outs out and their satellite dish up. Obviously someone like this should be in a nice RV Park and not hogging at least three times as many spaces as the average overnighter and probably not too untypical. It definitely encouraged me to go down the road it's spend $20 for the night. It's absurd to see someone that's invested 10 times as much and they're rving as me be so cheap.
April 21, 2019 - reviewed by
Jim
Walmart Comes Through Again
Great spot to park as they say" in the middle of nowhere", but I don't want to insult West Texas. Quiet convenient and friendly personnel. We always shop at Walmart when we stay there.
March 30, 2019 - reviewed by
EBess
This Is The Place.
This is the place that will welcome you for the night, for miles and miles and miles around. The store is small, and can get a little busy. The lot gets FULL of RVs by 8pm. Get here early, spend money here, be kind! We need this place to continue to allow RVs!
February 8, 2019 - reviewed by
Nomadkawboy
Great Overnight On Way To Big Bend
Called on our way and the manager said it was ok to stay but to get in early because it fills up. We arrived around 4:30 and there were already a half dozen rigs there. There is a Dominos pizza right next door which worked out great.
April 7, 2018 - reviewed by
The Canadians
Best Overnight Walmart Stay Ever!
This place is a gem in a small town in the middle of no where! The Walmart is small but had the basics and they even have half decent wifi if you don’t want to use your own data. There was a small convoy of us parked near the back and it was quiet. We’ve stayed in 3 Walmart’s before and barely got any sleep but this place was quiet and felt safe.
April 4, 2018 - reviewed by
CEWHEELER
Welcomed
Called ahead and told OK to park overnight. There were over 8 RVs there at 4 P.M. when we arrived and several more showed up later. Ft Stockton is miles from anywhere so plan ahead. The store is not the best but everything is there. After about 8 P.M. it was quite in the lot. Good nights sleep.
January 9, 2018 - reviewed by
Jan
Rv Towing
Small lot for 15 rvs overnite. Come early and park smart. | https://www.parkadvisor.com/us/texas/fort+stockton/321382/Fort+Stockton+Walmart+Supercenter |
Trailers such as these, parked along an Oak View street Jan. 24, were the subject of discussions that could have required owners to find other locations to store them.
Perry Van Houten, Ojai Valley News reporter
The Ojai Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) has further reviewed a proposed ordinance that would ban oversized-vehicle parking in Oak View, but stopped short of recommending that the county adopt such an ordinance.
The matter made its third appearance on the agenda Jan. 22., as MAC met in regular session at the Oak View Community Center.
The issue arose after a growing number of complaints regarding RV and trailer parking in Oak View over the past couple of years.
The matter first appeared on the June 19 MAC agenda for public discussion, as well as MAC consideration of an ordinance modeled after the county ordinance for the community of Oak Park.
The Oak Park ordinance prohibits parking of vehicles that are either wider than 80 inches, longer than 25 feet or higher than 82 inches.
That ordinance does include exceptions for loading or unloading of RVs and certain work vehicles.
Many of those speaking in favor of a ban in Oak View said that large vehicles impair roadway safety by obstructing visibility at intersections and when exiting driveways. | https://www.ojaivalleynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13800 |
1 bedroom flat to rent in Capital Wharf, E1W Letting information: Full description Capital Wharf. THE ARTIST by Oscar Wilde ONE evening there came into his soul the desire to fashion an image of The Pleasure that Abideth for a Moment . And he went forth into the world to look for bronze. For he could think only in bronze. But all the bronze of the whole world had disappeared, nor anywhere in the whole world was there any bronze to be found, save only the bronze of the image of The Sorrow that Endureth For Ever .
Cocainenomics Medellín is a study in contrasts. Visit the El Poblado comuna (or neighborhood), and the city feels worthy of the “miracle” moniker that’s been applied to its comeback economy. High-rise apartments punctuate the sky. Clockwork Watch: Creating Interactive Narrative Click any image to enlarge I’m often asked what the interactive theatrical experience Clockwork Watch is, and the answer changes with each stage of the production. The underlying objective, though, is to create a fictional Victorian universe and tell a story where the narrative is delivered through live events, graphic novels, role-play, online news sites, and a feature film, all co-authored by the audience, through their interactions with our make-believe world over the next five years. Our story runs across several artforms, and culminates in a movie that we hope the audience would want to see, because many of them would have contributed to the project. The original idea for project came from Seductive Alchemy – a New Year’s Eve steampunk party I co-produced in London (2007), where on more than one occasion I was the only black person at the event.
Storytelling: Cross-Media, Transmedia, Immersive ... All the Same Thing? I’ve been seeing and thinking recently a lot about the terms: cross-media storytelling transmedia storytelling immersive storytelling distributed storytelling As I read about these terms, they all seem to be talking about roughly the same thing. I figured if anyone knew about the nuances of difference among the terms, it would be Christy Dena, who has focused her doctoral studies on what she describes as “a new form of storytelling & gaming” (which, I believe, she is currently calling “cross-platform” storytelling). Indeed, she does offer an answer, and my puny list above, it turns out, is just the tip of the iceberg. Ninja Blocks Kit Temperature & Humidity Use the included Temperature & Humidity sensor to monitor your wine collection from anywhere in the world or use the Ninja Rules Engine to build the world's best thermostat. Motion Sensor
The Power of Narrative: Storytelling Journalism Goes Digital 16th Annual Narrative Journalism Conference: April 4-6, 2014 at Boston University Join reporters, authors, and new media figures discussing developments and best practices that build on the 40-year heritage of narrative journalism. We're sorry, but registration has closed.
Funding & Support Funding & Support The Alter-Ciné Foundation - Offers a yearly grant to young film and video makers from Africa, Asia and Latin America to direct a documentary film on the theme of rights and freedoms, including social and economic rights, women’s rights, the right to culture and artistic creation. The Foundation particularly supports documentary films that dare to go against the tide, that take the side of the defenceless and question common assumptions by giving a voice to the voiceless, enriching our understanding of the world and helping us reflect on the possibility of changing the world from a perspective of peace, justice, equality and respect for differences.
Transmedia Activism: Telling Your Story Across Media Platforms to Create Effective Social Change Transmedia storytelling, a concept identified by Henry Jenkins , is storytelling by a number of decentralized authors who share assets and create content for distribution across multiple forms of media. Transmedia immerses an audience in a story’s universe through a number of dispersed entry points, providing a comprehensive and coordinated experience of a complex story. There is a clear marketing benefit that arises from multiple entry points into a media property—and in allowing your audience to participate in creating content and new platforms to distribute it. (Luke Freeman has a discussion here concerning transmedia storytelling in the for-profit media world.)
Computer Exposure Leads To Fears Of 'Digital Dementia' In South Korea, doctors call it "digital dementia." The Asian country is one of the world's most wired societies, with 95 percent of the population connected to the Internet. There, young people in their late 20s and early 30s regularly show up at clinics exhibiting many of the symptoms usually associated with mental disorders in the elderly. Those symptoms include memory problems, an inability to concentrate, and sleeplessness. The young patients' difficulties, the doctors say, come from high exposure levels to digital screen media, ranging from televisions to computers to game consoles to smart phones. How to sell eBooks online Getting your eBooks ready for sale Give it a name Be descriptive with what you call your product. It should give your customers a sense of what they're getting right from the name. | http://www.pearltrees.com/u/11980265-transmedia-storyteller |
Children, teens and adult mindfulness instruction; n Mindfulness Leadership and coaching for adults in school settings; Integration of art with mindfulness practices.
Biography
Over my decades-long career I’ve taught adults, university students, those in at-risk youth programs, and students in public and independent schools. My meditation practice started in 1993 in the lineage of Thich Nhat Hanh. More recently, I’ve been involved in the Insight LA community, where I’m completing the adult Facilitator Training and I’m also a Certified Mindful Schools Instructor. In 2017 I was contracted to write a mindfulness curriculum for POPS The Club, a national high school club for teens affected by incarceration, and I serve on their Advisory Council. I have an MFA from California State University, Long Beach, and my studio practice as a visual artist (see katesavageart.com) enhances my teaching of art in much the same way that my meditation practice informs my teaching of mindfulness. | https://www.mindfulschools.org/resources/certified-instructor/name/kate-savage/ |
The British Columbia Association for Living Mindfully (BCALM) is a non-profit society dedicated to facilitating increased mindfulness and reduced stress in homes, schools and workplaces throughout BC.
The BC Mindfulness Summit is an annual weekend educational event for community members and professionals to develop and enrich their personal and professional mindfulness practices. Participants who already integrate mindfulness facilitation into their work and everyday life, as well as those who are curious about how to develop these skills, will benefit from this opportunity to learn from a group of innovative and seasoned mindfulness practitioners.
Developed in partnership with the British Columbia Association for Living Mindfully (BCALM), the BC Mindfulness Summit includes plenary presentations and experiential workshops to support the embodiment of a mindfulness practice and provide tools and resources to facilitate mindfulness in a professional setting. There will also be opportunities to practice yoga, to replenish and connect.
Thank you for joining us for the 2022 Summit! Information on the 2023 series will be posted here when available. | https://continuingstudies.uvic.ca/health-wellness-and-safety/series/bc-mindfulness-summit |
Clara works with children, teens and adults with concerns around anxiety, depression, trauma, and addiction. She brings mindfulness into her work with all of her clients.
Biography
Clara Irwin was introduced to mindfulness while working in a hospital setting after graduating from The School of Social Work at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Opportunities presented themselves early on in her career to study and practice mindfulness in retreat settings, meditation groups, and training.
Her interest in teaching mindfulness to youth lead her to the Mindful Schools Program. She has continued to deepen her personal practice and is a qualified MBSR teacher. She is grateful to be able to share with others the wisdom and practice of mindfulness which has allowed her to live in the present moment with compassion for herself and others. | https://www.mindfulschools.org/resources/certified-instructor/name/clara-irwin/ |
Grace Helms Kotre is the founder of Power to Be, LLC. She has a certification in mindfulness instruction, a master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Michigan, and a bachelor’s degree in Child Development from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her passions for serving others, connecting with children, practicing mindfulness and meditation, and promoting peace and justice come together in this powerful work of sharing mindfulness with youth and families.
Grace has been practicing mindfulness meditation since 2009 and has completed over a year of in-depth meditation training with teacher Carol Blotter of Chelsea Meditation. In 2016, she received her Year-Long Mindfulness Instructor Certification through Mindful Schools, a leading organization in the international mindfulness education movement. See her bio in the Mindful Schools Certified Instructor Directory.
Since 2015, Grace has shared mindfulness with children & adults in various settings including public and private schools and preschools, community education programs, non-profit organizations, businesses, sports and civic clubs, parent groups, and with individual families. She also provides training in mindfulness for social justice. Grace is involved with the Michigan Collaborative for Mindfulness in Education (MC4ME) and has additional training in the areas of mindful parenting, mindful communication, trauma-informed instruction, intergroup dialogue, and racial justice.
Prior to her work in mindfulness education, Grace served as a youth teacher and program leader with City Year Chicago, Outreach 360 in the Dominican Republic, and with the University of Michigan SERVE Project. She has worked on social justice issues with the Social Welfare Action Alliance, Program on Intergroup Relations at the University of Michigan, and for several years on staff with the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice in Ann Arbor. Grace also has a love for dance, yoga, being outside, reading, and spending lots of time with her family.
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Interested in bringing mindfulness to your school, youth organization, or group? Have questions or comments? Please fill out this form:
IN THE PRESS: | http://www.mindfulpowertobe.com/about--contact.html |
Cultivating a vigorous,
caring and pluralistic society in Israel
At CCME we specialize in developing mindfulness & compassion based
Social-Emotional Learning programs for the education system and society at large.
We believe that the path towards a caring society, begins with cultivating the potential of the change agents and model figures for the next generation:
parents, educators and therapists.
Our programs are based on empirical studies and are focused on improving the well-being, awareness and social-emotional skills of educators, caregivers
and the children whom they raise.
CCME is a non-profit institution dedicated to making mindful compassionate education accessible to all populations in Israel.
Since 2014 we've trained over 500 educators and thousands of students in the Israeli education system.
"My staff and students are more aware of themselves and their surroundings. You can see it in their approach to friends at recess, in the classroom climate and in the presence of the teachers, who arrive each morning lighthearted."
Shir Kedar, Tamir school principal
Co-founders and Advisory Board
Co-founders
click for full bios
Clinical psychologist, senior lecturer and faculty member at the International Stress and Trauma program at Tel Aviv University. World renowned expert at coping with stress and trauma, and one of the founders of the international association Psychology Beyond Borders, which works with war, terrorism and natural disaster survivors. Dr. Berger has developed resilience programs for coping with trauma, which were translated into 15 languages and implemented in many of the world's most disastrous events. Dr. Berger is also an adviser at the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University, where he collaborates in designing programs which cultivate mindfulness and compassion. Lately he has worked with the Mind and Life institute founded by H. H. the 14th Dalai Lama, in developing pedagogy which fosters civic ethics. The program written at the institute has been implemented in Israeli schools since 2014, under empirical research by Dr. Berger and Dr. Tarrasch.
Lieblich is a scholar and practitioner integrating mindfulness-based practices and theory from current psychological research and traditional Buddhism. She is the co-founder and academic director of the Mindfulness Based Therapy program at The School of Social Work, Bar Ilan University. Lieblich has also co-developed the two-year course for educators at Tel Aviv University’s School of Education, and directs school counselor supervisors at Israel’s Ministry of Education. She has been practicing and studying mindfulness for 30 years, and teaching mindfulness practice and theory for 20 years. She holds an MA in East-West psychology (1999) from The California Institute of Integral Studies. Her first book At the Edge of Ego was published in 2009 by Keter-Rimon publication, followed by the national best-seller Mindfulness - Here and now, theory and practice (2018) and Mindfulness Paths: Width of Practice in Everyday life (2020).
Rosenberg is a social entrepreneur and educator, walking the path of meditation for a decade. She specializes in developing mindfulness, movement and compassion-based educational content, and training educational teams in Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) programs. She is a senior workshops facilitator at Rhythm Therapy® for people from all walks of life. Previously a dance artist and journalist, she has been involved in peace activism, primarily through The Peres Center for Peace and Innovation, Women Wage Peace and Minds of Peace. Currently, Rosenberg holds a Master degree in social psychology from Tel Aviv University.
Ricardo is a faculty member at the school of education and school of neuroscience of Tel Aviv University, with over 30 years of experience in practicing meditation and yoga. For the past decade he has integrated mindfulness into education and academic research, developing a mindfulness program for children and studying the effects of this program and others among children and teachers. Additionally, he studies the effects of mindfulness practice in adults with attention deficit disorders and/or dyslexia on cerebral, cognitive and emotional measures. Dr. Tarrasch is the co-recipient of the 2019 research grant of the Chief Scientist at the Israeli Ministry of Education.
Educational psychologist at the Psychological Public Services, and organizational consultant at the Research and Development Department of the Ministry of Education, specializing in mindful and compassionate school systems. Bogaire develops and teaches mindfulness and compassion based Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) programs and workshops for therapists, educators, children and adults to fulfill personal and social growth and wellbeing. She has also established the Mindfulness Forum for educational psychologists to enhance the integration of mindfulness-based therapy and school interventions in educational psychology. In the last decade Bogaire has been practicing yoga and learning Buddhism as a way of life. These, along with her rich background in dance in Israel and France, influence her professional work as a psychotherapist, school psychologist and organizational consultant.
Advisory Board
click for full bios
a professor emeritus at Stanford University. He has authored various introductory psychology textbooks for college students, and other notable works, including The Lucifer Effect, The Time Paradox, and The Time Cure. He is also the founder and president of the Heroic Imagination Project.
Amir is a wellness expert with vast business and wellness experience. He is the Co-founder of Welltech Ventures and the Co-chair of the Global Wellness Summit in Israel. He is also the Chair of the Wellness Innovation Initiative as part of the Global Wellness Institute and the representative of the Global Wellness Day in Israel. He was founder, CEO and Chairman of Cloud 9 Wellness Clubs, the first exclusive professional personal training clubs in Israel. He built Cloud 9 on the groundwork of the American Fitness Together franchise which he acquired and later renamed Cloud 9. In addition, Amir was the COO of Arizen Real-Estate Development, a company specializing in real-estate development. Prior to that, he served as COO of A.Y.R.A.D, a family holding company mainly invested in hi-tech and real-estate. Amir holds a M.Sc. with honors in Sports Management from St. Thomas University, Miami, Florida and is certified as a personal trainer and as a Wellness coach. | https://www.educare.co.il/eng |
First-generation mindfulness interventions, for the most part based on MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction), are designed to improve personal well-being and help individuals feel grounded, even in chaotic circumstances. But it’s “quite medieval,” says Dr. Jutta Tobias Mortlock, to imagine that a personal meditation practice is all that’s required to help individuals work better together.
We now know, says Mortlock, that spending a lot of time in solitary contemplative practice “is not necessarily a guarantee that one learns something, especially as it pertains to understanding what helps me relate to you.” We can’t always access the insights we need through our solo practice.
The interpersonal dimension of workplaces is “a huge and under-studied stressor,” says Mortlock. “The absence of interpersonal conflict makes everything else doable.” It’s the potential of mindful communication in group settings to help people forecast and manage conflict that Mortlock seeks to draw out through team mindfulness.
Smoothing daily interactions and resolving conflicts before they start may sound like pie in the sky to some leaders. However, according to Mortlock, mindfulness can help us do just that—although the tools needed to get there may look a little different from the mindfulness we’re used to.
“It’s nice if I can help people change their relationship with themselves,” says the senior lecturer in organizational psychology at the City University of London, UK. “But that feels toothless when there’s something fundamentally wrong with the way your organization works.”
The focus of Mortlock’s research is to generate sustainable well-being and performance for people together at work. She has introduced over 11,500 adult learners, including many mindfulness skeptics, to mindfulness, and is dedicated to investigating and embedding innovative mindfulness interventions into organizations. Now, through collaboration with active military staff in the United Kingdom’s Armed Forces, her research is helping to develop transformative mindfulness training strategies for high-stress work environments.
From Me to We
Individualistic attitudes can be a barrier to understanding and cooperation, not only in the mindfulness community but in workplaces and society in general. While Jon Kabat-Zinn delineated meditation as just one of many ways to become mindful, over the past 40 years meditation has become the tool to independently manage one’s well-being.
“But our world is not independent,” points out Mortlock, whose interest is rooted in management science. “Especially in workplaces—our actions are not independent, they’re interdependent.”
Individualistic attitudes can be a barrier to understanding and cooperation, not only in the mindfulness community but in workplaces and society in general.
Mindfulness is in the space between people. “In workplaces, or anywhere you have relationships with people, both the source of stress and the source of relief is quite often in the people,” she says. “The task or the job at hand is not the problem.” When people reframe how they relate to stress, so that they become more interdependent, she notes, “they come to understand they’re not alone, which changes how they feel in response to their stress.”
“There’s wonderful literature on mindfulness in the space between people that we haven’t yet translated into mindfulness interventions,” says Mortlock. “MBSR is brilliant, but my argument is that it was designed to help patients with chronic pain.” Most workplace problems are about our relationships with each other.
No “I” In Team
Mortlock suggests mindfulness meditation and training be supplemented by training people to be caring and considerate, and to have one another’s backs. The curriculum she’s developing, Team Mindfulness Training (TMT), teaches that planning for and responding to stressful circumstances is the responsibility of the collective.
Management science literature is based on the understanding that when members of a group or community perceive their interdependence with one another, much like a flock of birds flying in unison, good things happen. For people in organizations, this means bringing mindful awareness into our communication strategies in very intentional ways. “Recent studies have shown that when teams have this shared team mindfulness, then conflict happens more skillfully and people don’t undermine each other,” Mortlock explains.
Mortlock describes stress management as a social action. The simple act of caring about somebody else lowers a person’s stress. “It calms me down to listen to you. Humans are designed that way. We can use the fact that you and I having a conversation, where we’re actively listening to each other, calms my body down. This is good for us, so let’s do more with this.”
Managing Stress Together
Two pilot studies, led by Mortlock and published in Frontiers in Psychology in June 2022, brought together high-stress personnel from the UK’s Ministry of Defense to understand whether Team Mindfulness Training can support individual and collective stress management skills. These studies offer insights into how leaders could start incorporating mindfulness into their organizational systems.
The most important component of the study involved inviting participants to share upcoming work challenges with other group members. In this way, military personnel got to know each other as real people, not just as a person in uniform. “A bit of compassion starts to happen,” Mortlock says. “This is all part of anticipating stress, but anticipating it together.”
“Through this training, we’re helping people talk about stress, make it less taboo, share strategies, and learn how to see that they’re not alone.”Dr. Jutta Tobias Mortlock
The second part of the training dealt with responding to stress. Mortlock says people tend to be quite hierarchical when dealing with challenges, which can limit communication within the group. TMT trained individuals to talk with each other to solve problems among themselves, instead of hiding conflict, or telling a superior. | https://www.mindful.org/new-research-on-managing-stress-together-in-the-workplace/ |
LMFT & Mindfulness Teacher
Charley has committed himself to healing work, mindfulness, and recovery for the last 10 years. He received his Masters of Clinical Psychology from Antioch University, Los Angeles, and is a California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). He teaches mindfulness to both adults and children in group settings such as schools, corporate workplaces, and medical treatment facilities.
Charley has received extensive training in mindfulness practice and its application in psychotherapy, and he uses these collaborateively with clients to increase resilience, self worth and a felt sense of security. He also has a background working with clients recovering from addiction, trauma, anxiety and shame based thinking. Charley's approach is mindful and body-centered as he assists clients in increasing awareness of feelings, needs and individual values in order to move towards well-being and whole hearted living.
We offer a variety of mindfulness workshops. | https://startwith3.com/charley-allen |
Our One-Year Programme is designed for adults who wish to make a significant commitment to deepening their mindfulness practice, in order to be able to facilitate mindfulness with others from a place of confidence, compassion and authenticity. Applications are welcome from beginners through to those with many years of experience.
The programme comprises four residential retreats each lasting four days. We start by exploring the many ways that mindfulness can be integrated into our daily life, deepening into the elements of embodiment, ease, joy, and taking care of feelings. Each retreat enables an exploration of the transformative potential of mindfulness.
In the last retreat, participants will learn to deliver our Mindfulness for Life 8-week course for adults and train in the skills of teaching mindfulness: embodiment, explanation, guidance, and enquiry. We will also focus on how to nourish and sustain our personal practice as well as how to build sustainable mindful communities.
We believe the practice of mindfulness can be deeply transformative for individuals, communities and society. We work in schools, colleges, prisons, and community settings, as well as public, private and third-sector organizations teaching mindfulness to people of all ages. We developed our one year programme to enable adults to deepen their mindfulness practice and empower them to share their practice with others.
As a personal commitment to your own mindfulness practice
To deepen your understandings of the foundations of mindfulness
To discover the art of resting
To benefit from becoming part of a supportive mindfulness group
To learn how to build your own practice group at work and home
To practice cultivating kindness, compassion, joy and wisdom
To learn to teach our Mindfulness for Life – 8 week course for adults
The focus of this retreat is deepening your personal mindfulness practice. The retreat will consist of a mix of lectures, group discussion and formal and informal practices. There will be periods of silence everyday as well as time for rest and personal journaling. We will explore how to cultivate key elements of mindfulness: embodiment, ease, joy and self-compassion.
In our second retreat, we’ll start by reviewing and reflecting upon the learning and experience of living mindfully since the first retreat. We’ll then explore the domain of feelings and emotions, how we can relate skillfully and with equanimity, how we can embrace difficult emotions with kindness and wisdom, and how we can nourish feelings of joy and happiness.
We will explore more deeply the territory of the mind – it’s habits and dynamics – as well as cultivating the minds of kindness and compassion. We will explore the ways in which we create suffering for ourselves and how we can live with greater freedom by cultivating insight. We will also focus on the key elements of mindfulness facilitation: namely embodiment, introducing practices, guidance, and enquiry.
You will learn how to teach our 8-week course Mindfulness for Life and receive all of the materials required to teach the course – including teaching manual and guided practices. Finally, we will explore how to sustain your personal mindfulness practice and look at ways of building mindful communities at home and at work.
Our programme in England will be held in the beautiful setting of Sharpham House and begins in January 2018
Retreat Dates (4 nights)
24th-28th January 2018
2nd-6th May 2018
12th-16th September 2018
5th-9th December 2018
Our programme in Scotland will be held at Lendrick Lodge in the heart of the Trossachs and begins in March 2018
Retreat Dates (4 nights)
21st-25th March 2018
4th-8th July 2018
10th-14th October 2018
30th January – 3rd February 2019
Click the schedule button below to see a typical day on retreat
Our team of teachers has over 75 years combined experience practicing and teaching mindfulness and includes, Michael Schwammberger – a former monk of 13 years under the guidance of Thich Nhat Hanh; Michael Bready – the author of the Youth Mindfulness Kids Programme and our mindfulness course for young offenders; Dr. Lyndsay Lunan – a lecturer at the city of Glasgow College and author of an HMIE awarded mindfulness curriculum for teens; and Will Stephens, former European Director of HeartMath and founder of mindful living centre Binley Farm.
Trainer, England Programme
Michael is an internationally sought after meditation teacher regularly running retreats in the UK, France and Spain. In 1995 he managed the Gaia House retreat centre and in 1997 became a monk and student of Thich Nhat Hanh. He traveled extensively with Thich Nhat Hanh and became abbot of Son Ha Temple in 2005. After 13 years leading the monastic life he disrobed in 2012 and now leads retreats internationally.
Trainer, Scotland Programme
Michael has taught over 50 mindfulness courses to children, teens and adults. In collaboration with the Scottish Government and University of Glasgow he led the development of a mindfulness course for young offenders and is the author of the Youth Mindfulness Kids Programme in which he has trained more than 120 teachers internationally.
Trainer, Scotland & England Programmes
Lyndsay went on her first retreat in 1998 and has been practising mindfulness ever since, drawing inspiration from various teachers and traditions. She is the author of an HMIE awarded mindfulness curriculum for teens and delivers mindfulness courses for both young adults in Further Education as well as offering CPD courses and workshops to staff.
Trainer, Scotland & England Programmes
Will spent three years training in Core Process Psychotherapy and has experience working in mental health services and in prisons. He served as European Director for HeartMath, a Californian organization that provides stress-management to individuals, schools, hospitals and companies. Will created and managed a UK mindfulness centre which hosted “mindful living” retreats.
Support, Scotland & England Programmes
Jasmine is trained to teach the Mindful Self-Compassion programme, taught by Self Compassion researcher Kirsten Neff. Inspired by the empowerment of choice that practicing mindfulness brings to individuals and communities, she currently runs a non-profit community organisation – Mindful Living Retreat. Jasmine aspires to bring the practice into the Care sector, knowing its transformative potential for positive social and cultural change.
Support, Scotland & England Programmes
Kareem has been highly engaged in mindfulness communities for young adults (“Wake Up”) where he enjoys volunteering by facilitating sessions, retreats and contributing to areas of outreach as well as community building and communications. He is currently delivering mindfulness programs in local institutions alongside organising and facilitating retreats.
Maintain a regular daily mindfulness practice.
Meet monthly either in person or virtually with a peer group selected from within the training group
Practice one ‘day of mindfulness’ per quarter either on your own or within a local group
Engage with course materials, recommended reading and online content provided
|Deposit Payment||10 Monthly Payments||Tuition Total|
|Full Tuition Cost||£795||£105||£1,845|
|New Year Offer
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Available until 20th February 2018
|£595||£95||£1,545|
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Accommodation costs are £90 per night, full board and lodging. This includes all meals, refreshments and linen equating to £360 per four-day residential retreat. This amount is payable to Youth Mindfulness 6 weeks before the start of each retreat. All participants must stay at the chosen venues in order to maintain the collective practice of the group.
|A further saving of £250 is available if you wish to pay the tuition and accommodation costs in full prior to the beginning of the course.|
Devon, UK, TQ9 7UT
Sitting on the banks of the River Dart and lying within its stunning and vast grounds Sharpham Trust is a Grade I listed, friendly and relaxing residence.
Stirlingshire, Scotland, FK17 8HR
Set in it’s beautiful natural surroundings of the Trossachs and Loch Lomond National Park, Lendrick Lodge offers a spacious, light and comfortable environment for our retreats. | https://youthmindfulness.org/one-year-programme/ |
Jo is deeply interested in the potential for yoga and mindfulness to support resilience, growth and healing. She brings to this work a decade of experience as an educator, designing and facilitating diverse programs for children and young people, people from refugee and asylum seeking backgrounds, mental health groups, survivors of trauma and family violence, and staff experiencing burnout. Jo holds Masters degrees in both Education and Teaching and is specialised in the delivery of trauma-informed yoga facilitation as a Trauma Centre Trauma Sensitive Yoga Facilitator (TCTSY-F) and an IRest teacher. Founding State of Being unified Jo's passions for holistic wellbeing, social change and community-led projects, and she is thrilled to work with such a phenomenal team.
HARRY HARRIS
Community Programs Manager
Harry’s work background is broad and varied, starting out in corporate business and in the past 5 years moving across into social and non-profit sectors with a specific focus in international women’s development & empowerment, yoga and movement. Her work and experiences have ignited a passion to work with grassroots organisations and communities, believing everyone has the right to embodiment and belonging. Harry sees that yoga and movement can be a powerful invitation for participants to cultivate an innate sense of curiosity, connection and wholeness into their bodies. Harry is a proud member of the State of Being team.
ISY STONER
Studio Partnerships Coordinator
A senior yoga teacher and practicing artist, Isabelle has many years of experience and training across various modalities, including trauma-informed practices, wellness modalities, philosophy, touch and meditation. Isabelle’s experiences of working with diverse student groups has given her an invaluable understanding of how unique each individual’s self-care practice can be in any moment. As a passionate advocate for inclusivity and accessibility in communities, Isabelle is a spirited advocate for State of Being’s work. Isabelle is not only our Studio Partnerships Coordinator., but also our ASRC Program Facilitator.
PHIL KAYUMBA
Facilitator
Phil found yoga at the tender age of 17 whilst living in India as the child of an embassy employee. Moving to Australia for his tertiary education and later settling as a refugee due to political changes in his mother country of Rwanda, he continued to practice and soon felt a true calling for a journey into yoga, completing his 350 hour Advanced Training with the Australian Yoga Academy. Phil’s passion for community building, service and trauma informed approaches bring him to work with State of Being. His motto for living and teaching is: “Everyone, come as you are”.
JEREMY GAY
Facilitator
Jeremy draws on his experience in environmental sustainability, yoga, mindfulness and meditation to explore pathways where people of all ages and abilities can cultivate their own capacity for self-authorship. He has experience facilitating in trauma and community informed yoga, meditation, tertiary environmental education and community development contexts. His research focuses on embodied and emotional experiences of climate change with view to build emotional resilience and capacities of community groups. He is interested in using yoga and mindfulness as forms of storytelling that open up the possibilities for people to cultivate their own narratives of resilience, connection, and belonging – within themselves, their communities and the Environment.
ANA URIBE
Facilitator
Ana is inspired by how education, yoga and effective community action can support the healing and evolution of our humanity and ultimately create social change. Being young was not an easy journey for Ana, fleeing her country of war and experiencing all sorts of difficulties that led her to be inspired to work specifically within youth justice, youth homelessness and foster care settings, and especially with young girls. Ana creates spaces that are based in relationship, and is devoted to providing heart and human centred spaces for people to explore and connect to their bodies. She is a qualified yoga teacher and registered Trauma Centre Trauma Sensitive Yoga Facilitator (TCTSY-F).
CELESTE KINKEAD-WEEKES
Facilitator
Celeste began her career 10 years ago as a youth worker before beginning her social work career, initially working within the homelessness and youth sectors. Whether she has been working with a not-for-profit or government organisation, the majority of Celeste's career has been focused on working with victim/survivors and perpetrators of family violence within the criminal justice system. Celeste looks to couple her experience as a social worker and as a yoga teacher by providing a space for an individual to have the opportunity and choice to connect to their body mindfully and freely. She is super stoked to be apart of State of Being.
ROSEMARY CRAMP
Assistant Facilitator
Rosie recently completed her first yoga teacher training with a certificate in trauma-informed and community based practice. She has volunteered in social justice organisations for over 6 years, and it is through this experience that she has come to feel passionate about facilitating spaces that support people to practice agency over their own bodies. In addition to her university studies, Rosie currently runs trauma-informed and accessible yoga courses in the community through her business, Home Bodies, and supports a program at State of Being.
MIA KELLY
Assistant Facilitator
Mia is a trauma-informed yoga teacher and a high school educator with a background in visual arts and textiles. Mia has also worked and volunteered in the community sector on and off for ten years. Mia strongly believes in creating more accessible ways for all people to experience the benefits of yoga, and is especially passionate about ways in which yoga can help to support mental health conditions together with fostering and creating more opportunities for self-agency and self-compassion in individuals. Mia also has a keen interest in the inclusion of yoga and other somatic and mindfulness based practices into curriculum, as a tool to support both youth and young adults' wellbeing. Mia currently runs financially accessible yoga courses and supports a program at State Of Being. | https://www.stateofbeing.org.au/meet-the-team |
Joining us at the conference is Mr Scott Holmes, Manager Practice Development with Our Watch who will present on ‘Making change count: building a national prevention sector’.
Change the story, released in 2015, outlines how violence against women and their children is a prevalent, serious, and preventable abuse of human rights. With Change the story as their guide, we are increasingly seeing across Australia actions taken by government, the community and the private sector to address the gendered drivers of this violence that Change the story identifies. These include actions in workplaces, in schools, in sports clubs, with the media, along with changes in policy and other structural approaches to promoting gender equality.
These first steps are highly encouraging, but we know that changing culture, social norms and structures is a long-term process. To make these changes count we need to ensure that our efforts to prevent violence against women before it occurs are sustainable, coordinated, implemented across multiple settings using multiple approaches, undertaken by an expert workforce, and informed by the latest evidence on best practice. In other words, we need to be building a prevention sector with the capacity to ensure our prevention actions can last long after the focus created by the #metoo movement and other such important activist initiatives.
In this panel presentation Our Watch will provide an update on the work that Our Watch and others are doing nationally to support the development of this prevention sector. This will include, but is not limited to, our work to support the development of an expert workforce, to build evidence on best practice in a variety of settings, and to support coordinated approaches to prevention practice. The panel will also be an opportunity for conference delegates to provide their perspective on what is needed to build a stronger investment in primary prevention and to assist Our Watch in understanding both the enablers and barriers to this work in the different parts of Australia.
As Manager of Practice Development at Our Watch, Scott Holmes works with a team to develop and implement strategies to increase quality prevention practice across Australia. Supporting government and civil society to build a sector that can support long term prevention practice is key to this work. Scott has worked in the preventing violence against sector for nearly 7 years, including coordinating prevention programs with faith communities, workplaces, and in community settings. He has extensive experience with delivery of prevention training programs, including the VicHealth prevention short course, Baby Makes 3 Facilitator training, and the Change the story Practitioner Training. | https://stopdomesticviolence.com.au/making-change-count-building-a-national-prevention-sector/ |
For over two years, iBme has been engaged in shifting our organizational structure, moving away from a typical hierarchical, top-down power structure which ultimately ends with the Executive Director being the ultimate decision-maker, and managers making decisions and having their employees carry out those decisions. We have instead shifted to a collaborative leadership model with shared decision-making, meaning that staff distributes decisions based on each person’s roles and responsibilities, willingness, and resources. This collaborative decision making also extends to the Board, who have opted into working groups based on interest and willingness and who work with staff to tackle big decisions. We are also engaged in a robust feedback system which extends beyond core staff to include retreat staff teams, volunteers, and the Board.
As iBme has moved along the continuum of collaboration, we are now at a place where we can take the final step in distributing power and authority within the organization: we have decided not to hire an Executive Director and instead share the strategic vision, financial oversight, and decision-making as a team of professionals.
Staff
Jessica Morey Teaching & Program Strategy
Jessica Morey, MA is a lead teacher and supports program strategy for iBme. She began practicing meditation at age 14 on teen retreats offered by the Insight Meditation Society (IMS). She returned every year for 6 years and then participated for 10 years in an IMS young adult mentoring group. Jessica has attended longer retreats (1-3 months) in Asia and the U.S., and is a founding board member and lead teacher for iBme teen retreats. Before joining iBme, Jessica worked in clean energy and climate policy and finance. She holds a BA in Environmental Engineering from Dartmouth and Masters degrees in Sustainable Development and International Affairs. Her published works range from the chapter ‘Ordinary Awakening’ in Blue Jean Buddha to Conflict Resolution of the Boruca Hydro-Energy Project: Renewable Energy Production in Costa Rica. Her experience of bringing mindfulness into her work and life was described in a 2012 Shambala Sun article ‘Dharma 2.0.’ More recently she wrote an article in the February 2014 Mindful Magazine, ‘Finding My Way,’ about her experience learning and benefiting from mindfulness throughout her young adult years. She is an avid yoga practitioner and skier and loves dancing in any form.
Tom Rocco Outreach, Marketing & Communications
Tom Rocco leads iBme’s Outreach, Marketing & Communications. He is a career marketing professional possessing rich and varied experience with top-notch organizations, many in the non-profit arena. Immediately prior to joining iBme, Tom spent almost five years leading Marketing for Rhode Island School of Design’s Continuing Education Division. Prior to that, Tom was the first Vice President of Marketing for Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, participating in re-branding the center, as well as, establishing many of the marketing processes and systems that are still being used today. In addition to Kripalu, Tom has consulted with a wide range of retreat centers, both domestic and international. He has an MBA in Marketing from Adelphi University. At iBme, he is responsible for recruitment for program participant growth and retention for all programs; building strong and authentic relationships with strategic partners; creating impactful and authentic communications and marketing campaigns; and managing regional outreach coordinators, consultants and vendors. As a decades-long practitioner of yoga and meditation, Tom embraces iBme’s mission and is dedicated to making a positive impact.
Sarah Wrean Programs
Sarah is currently responsible for management of all program activities and logistics, and works with Jess on program strategy and new program development. Sarah works with retreat centers, staff teams, and families to ensure retreats run smoothly and is grateful to be able to contribute to this work. Sarah truly believes that the best way to prepare humanity for the challenges ahead is to help teens discover compassion, inner wisdom, and authentic connection. Sarah has spent the past 10 years career working in administration and fundraising for mission-driven nonprofits. Sarah received a BA and MA in Government and Comparative Politics from Connecticut College and then Northeastern University, and focused her studies on the intersection of politics and gender through a feminist lens. Sarah spent formative time as a teen in the White Mountains at an outdoors and wilderness camp, which was the catalyst for wanting to join a similar organization. When Sarah isn’t planning retreats, she can be found singing, gardening, snuggling her three fur babies, hiking with her wife, and devouring all the live music she can!
Amanda Ferrari Operations
Amanda leads Operations at iBme. Joining the team in early 2018, she has spent the last 10 years working in administrative roles for various local nonprofit organizations, beginning as an AmeriCorps*VISTA volunteer. With the ultimate goal of trying to help people, Amanda is excited and inspired by iBme’s mission and vision, and is looking forward to contributing to the exposure and growth of mindfulness in teens, young adults, and service providers. In her spare time, she enjoys yoga, traveling, music, and lots of chocolate. Amanda holds a BA in Communications from Boston College and a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Northeastern University.
Arielle Pierre Development & Communications
A child of two Haitian immigrants, Geraldine ‘Arielle’ Pierre plans to draw upon her lived experiences and passion for social equity as she takes on the Development & Communications at iBme. The unmatched teachings of womanhood observed in women like her mother, sister, and neighborhood caretakers remind Arielle to keep community at the core of her sense of collective liberation and holistic wellness. To support iBme’s Development and Communications sectors, Arielle is excited to be a liaison between iBme as it exists today and its infinite potential to impact the lives of teens of color and other underserved communities.
A member of the class of 2019 at Clark University, Arielle holds a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science with a concentration in Ethics and Public Policy. She is continuing her education at Clark in the Masters of Public Administration program with a specialization in Non Profit Leadership.
Operational Support
Justin Wilson IT
Justin Wilson has been helping to support iBme’s digital infrastructure since 2011. He is dedicated to providing mindful digital solutions for individuals and organizations. In addition to his time in the technology and development sphere, Justin has a background in educational travel, indigenous community outreach, and rainforest conservation. He holds a B.A. in International Relations from Brown University and an A.A.T. in Web Development from Boston University’s Center for Digital Arts. Justin has been practicing meditation and studying mindfulness for over 15 years, and he is ever inspired to help support the sharing of these integral practices around the world.
Lindsay Noll Finance
Lindsay Noll studied languages and theater as an undergraduate at NYU, and then completed a MBA at Simmons College in Boston. She has worked in process improvement in health care, and in finance and operations for many small businesses. She is COO of New Leaf Legal, a boutique law firm that specializes in business and intellectual property law; and CEO of StandStand, the only truly portable standing desk. For fun, Lindsay likes to race yachts and dance.
Board
Austin Thoren Teen Director
Bio coming soon!
Beatriz Meza-Valencia
Beatriz Meza-Valencia, MD, is a mom of young children, a pediatrician, and a mindfulness educator. She is a US Army veteran who started practicing mindfulness during her early military career. Her passion for the well being of children and families, and for reducing stress in schools led her to become a mindfulness educator. She is trained in several classroom mindfulness curriculums to include Mindful Schools, and .b (dot-b). Since 2013, she has taught mindfulness to students in pre-K to 8th grade in the Cambridge Public Schools and in the East Boston Public Schools. In collaboration with the Cambridge Health Alliance Center for Mindfulness and Compassion she has led workshops for parents and adults working with children and youth. Her joy is in planting many mindfulness seeds and watching them bloom.Beatriz Meza-Valencia, MD, es mamá de niños en primaria, pediatra, y educadora de la conciencia plena. Ella es veterana del ejército estadounidense y comenzó a practicar la conciencia plena al comienzo de su carrera como pediatra del ejército. Su pasión por la salud de niños y jóvenes, por el bienestar de familias, y por reducir el estrés en las escuelas la guió a volverse educadora de la conciencia plena. Ella está entrenada en varios currículos de conciencia plena que incluyen Mindful Schools y .b (dot-b). Desde el año 2013, ella ha enseñado la conciencia plena a estudiantes desde el grado pre-escolar asta octavo en las escuelas del distrito de Cambridge y East Boston. En colaboración con Cambridge Health Alliance Centro de Conciencia Plena y Compasión, ella a dado talleres para padres de familias y para adultos que trabajan con niños y jóvenes. A ella le trae mucha alegría sembrar semillas de conciencia plena en sus pacientes, familias, y escuelas, y disfruta verlas florecer.
Charisse Minerva Spencer
Charisse Minerva Spencer brings to the Mindfulness arena a background in Arts, Science, and Youth Development. She earned a B.S. Degree in Medical Technology from the Medical College of Virginia/VCU. However, her love of the Arts led her to divert her path in order to live her passion for dance and choreography. Later Charisse returned to school to get a Masters in Performance Studies with a concentration in Dance Anthropology from Tisch School of the Arts/New York University. Her eclectic professional experience coupled with more than 30 years of practice in the Soka Gakkai International (SGI) Buddhist organization led to her interest in Mindfulness. Charisse brings a scientific and artistic approach to the field investigating the existence of contemplative practices, its individual and cultural significance, as well as how these practices can be introduced in ways that are broad-based. She has worked with Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP), iBme, is Mindfulness Coordinator at Friends School of Virginia Beach, and has done workshops in schools, festivals, corporate offices, detention & treatment centers.
Chris McKenna
Chris is currently the Mindfulness in Education Program Officer at the Foundation for a Mindful Society – the foundation arm of Mindful Magazine / Mindful.org. He also offers one-on-one work, online practice intensives, and small group retreats with his wife Megan Cowan at risingfalling.co. Previously, he was Program Director & Guiding Teacher at Mindful Schools, one of the leading organizations integrating mindfulness into education and youth mental health. He also served as Executive Director of the Mind Body Awareness Project, a nonprofit that pioneered the development of mindfulness-based interventions for high-risk adolescents with complex trauma. He has been a curriculum and program advisor to many organizations including Dalai Lama Fellows, Project Wayfinder, Mindful Muslims, and Veterans PATH. He lives with his family in the Gulf Islands of British Columbia.
Dan Scheibe
Dan Scheibe, M.Div., M.A.L.S.
Head of School, Lawrence AcademyDan became the 45th Head of School at Lawrence Academy (founded in 1793) in 2012. Prior to joining the Lawrence community, Dan was the Assistant Head of School at Middlesex, having worked there for 14 years in a variety of roles, including leading the chapel program, teaching, coaching, and enjoying the usual expressions of life in a residential high school community. During his time at both schools, Dan was intimately involved in the introduction of mindfulness programs. Each came to fruition in very different culturally-sensitive ways that balanced the organic with the systematic. Dan holds a M. Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary, a M.A.L.S. from Wesleyan University, and a B.A. from Yale University.Dan’s wife Annie has deep experience in school communities as well, and they happily live on campus with their sons Tad, Peter, and Hans and their daughter Lilly (now in college). Dan sees mindfulness work as having profound effect from personal levels to professional levels to the broadest levels of educational principle and practice.
Dawa Phillips
Dawa Tarchin Phillips is the founder and board member of The Institute of Compassionate Awareness (TICA), a 501c3 registered public benefit initiative that provides secular meditation training to school children and youth. He is a visiting researcher in the Department of Psychology at the University of California Santa Barbara, where his research focuses on the benefits of meditation in school children, and is sponsored by the U.S. Office of Education. Dawa is a classically trained meditation teacher who speaks English, German and French fluently. He is also an author, progressive scholar and lecturer, and a social entrepreneur. His other interests and activities include furthering research in progressive Mind Science, socially responsible entrepreneurship and the development of conscious business practices.
Jake Davis President
Jake H. Davis began practicing mindfulness meditation at age 14, with Steven Smith and Michele McDonald. He went on to train in Buddhist theory and practice under the meditation master Sayadaw U Pandita of Burma, and served for a decade as an interpreter between Burmese and English at meditation retreats. He currently teaches with Vipassana Hawai’i as well as at Brown University, as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Religious Studies and Contemplative Studies. Jake holds an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Philosophy and has authored and co-authored articles at the intersection of Buddhist philosophy, moral philosophy, and cognitive science.
Khalila Archer
Khalila Archer worked for over a decade as an outdoor educator with extensive experience facilitating groups of teenagers and young adults on multi-day wilderness excursions. She holds a B.A. in Adventure-based Environmental Education from Prescott College and has worked for a variety of educational programs throughout the United States. Introduced to mindfulness meditation at a teen retreat when she was 16 years old, Khalila has cultivated a daily practice and endeavors to sit yearly retreats. Through blending her passions of community engagement, meditation, and exploration of the natural world, she has found supporting iBme’s transformative programs to be deeply satisfying.
Lewis Collins
Lewis Collins is General Counsel at GW&K Investment Management, a Boston-based investment management firm. Lewis previously served as Senior Vice President and Senior Counsel at Affiliated Managers Group, Inc, a publicly traded asset management company (NYSE: AMG), and was also an attorney at Ropes & Gray. In his younger days, he served as Special Events Supervisor for the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he ran special events and promotions at Dodger Stadium. Lewis received a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School and a B.A. from Williams College. He currently serves on the Board of Good Sports, a non-profit organization that provides sports equipment to kids throughout the United States, and is active with the Williams College Alumni Association. He has also served on the Board of the Wellesley Little League and Wellesley Trails Committee. Lewis enjoys family activities with his wife Cary, and their daughter Taylor and son Luke. He also enjoys outdoor activities of all types, including cycling, hiking, skiing and gardening. He is active in local masters cyclocross and road cycling races, is a novice chicken farmer, and is an imperfect but enthusiastic meditator.
Shoshana Perry
Shoshana Perry is a mom to two teens, Jack and Lia, and post her life as a writer and documentary filmmaker, has been working as a kundalini yoga instructor and mindfulness educator. Shoshana has been teaching in schools, to parents, children and teens, and to adults. Currently Shoshana teaches to men just out of prison or off the streets from homelessness at the Doe Fund, to those recovering from substance abuse issues at Weill Cornell Hospital, to therapists in Bellevue Hospital’s adolescent psychiatric unit, and at Morgan Stanley’s Hospital to families in the Pediatric Intensive Care unit. Shoshana co-leads a weekly Sangha in Brooklyn. As well, Shoshana is a facilitator, trainer, and Master Practitioner at Narrative 4, an international organization that engages in personal storytelling for the purpose of empathy building. Shoshana recently completed the MMTCP training with Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield, the Lineage Project training, and Google’s Search Inside Yourself Training. Shoshana is also actively involved with Extinction Rebellion, an organization of non-violent civil disobedience addressing the Climate Emergency.
Taeya Boi-Doku Teen Director
Taeya first began meditating at 13, her freshman year in high school. After having such an introspective experience, she continued on to take extracurricular workshops on Loving-kindness and Guiding practices. She ventured out to one of iBme’s summer programs and really elevated her practice to a new height. From these experiences blossomed a love for meditation and mindfulness that she incorporates in her daily life. She now helps lead an introductory mindfulness course at her school as well as being a Teen Director on the iBme Board.
Advisors
Brian Galla
Brian Galla, Ph.D., is an assistant professor and research scientist at University of Pittsburgh’s School of Education and Learning Research and Development Center. He holds degrees from the University of Notre Dame, Syracuse University, and a Ph.D. from UCLA. Brian’s research combines laboratory and field research to better understand motivational factors that support academic achievement and mental health. He focuses in particular on the study of self-control. Known colloquially as willpower, self-control refers to the mental process of pursuing enduringly valued goals despite conflicting impulses. Brian also has a strong interest in mindfulness-based approaches to enhancing self-control and their potential to improve health and academic achievement.
Diana Winston
Diana Winston has been the Director of Mindfulness Education at UCLA Semel Institute’s Mindful Awareness Research Center (www.marc.ucla.edu) since 2006. She is the co-author (with Susan Smalley, Ph.D.) of Fully Present: The Science, Art, and Practice of Mindfulness, the author of Wide Awake: A Buddhist Guide for Teens, and the CD, ‘Mindful Meditations’. She is one of the early teachers and developers of the Teen Retreats at Insight Meditation Society. She has also founded and developed UCLA’s Training in Mindfulness Facilitation, one of the leading mindfulness teacher training programs, and is the founder of the Mindful Awareness Practices (MAPs curriculum). She has been teaching mindfulness nationally and internationally since 1993 and has brought mindful awareness into schools, hospitals, businesses, and nonprofits, as well as to leaders, educators, adolescents, and health professionals in the US and Asia. Her work has been mentioned in the New York Times, Newsweek, O Magazine, Women’s Health Magazine, CBS and ABC News, and the LA Times, among others. She has been called by the LA Times: ‘one of the nation’s leading mindfulness teachers.’ She is also a member of the Spirit Rock Teachers Council and the mom of a first grader.
Gretchen N. Rohr
Gretchen N. Rohr’s first trainings in meditation were in 1994 while working alongside formerly imprisoned activists who developed techniques to liberate their minds from conditions of solitary confinement. These teachings in interdependent awakening supported her professional life restoring justice within communities in need of healing; they ultimately led to her appointment to the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Judge Rohr has lectured extensively across the country on effective workforce and leadership development for incarcerated youth and adults, reconciliation and restorative practices for building safe communities, and trauma-informed police, correctional and judicial crisis responses. In her free time, she supports integration of contemplative practices while teaching at Georgetown University Law Center, hosting educational exchanges for local restorative justice practitioners and helping facilitate Insight Meditation Community of Washington’s People of Color (POC) and Insight on the Inside(incarcerated people’s) Sanghas. She participates in the Community Dharma Leadership training program and was one of 120 Buddhist leaders nationwide called to participate in the first Whitehouse Buddhist Leadership Conference in 2015. Since 2013, she has been leading IMCW’s creation of accessible spaces in D.C. where meditation practitioners can take refuge after exiting jail and prison and train to become the next generation of teachers. Her work, in partnership with organizers in the reentry community, has culminated in a meditation and reconciliation series integrated within DC neighborhoods experiencing a spike in gun violence. Justice in Balance is a free monthly event where community members share meditation and mindfulness practices to restore personal balance and open-hearted healing. Each forum is co-facilitated by a survivor of violent crime, of incarceration, or of other contacts with law enforcement.
John Braman
John Braman was a U.S. Air Force Survival Instructor during the Viet Nam era, an experience that turned him into an anti-war activist. Since that turn of events, he’s been dedicated to youth leadership development, interfaith understanding, and developing the interior life. From 1979 to 1989 he was director of the department for experiential education at Albuquerque Academy, leading hundreds of wilderness solos for teens, while teaching tracking, ecology, and creative writing – for which he was awarded the Klingenstein Fellowship for excellence in teaching. Later, was appointed as the Heinz Fellow for Ethics at Polytechnic School in California. In 2003, as president of the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS), he created Global Youth Leadership Institute (GYLI), a three-year sequence of learning with wilderness solos in northern New Mexico. He is past vice president of Thompson Island Outward Bound and past executive director of Upaya Zen Center, where he co-taught the famous 10-day wilderness quest. He also founded Global Leadership Forum of the United World College-USA, which incorporates yogic practices. He maintains all these commitments to social progress through Braman Group International, working with schools and colleges dedicated to making the world a more sane and safe place. John is a student of Henry Shukman of the Mountain Cloud Zen Center in Santa Fe. He is a magna cum laude graduate of Brown University with a masters degree in educational administration from Teachers College at Columbia University.
Lauren Hall
Lauren Hall is the Chief Development Officer at the National Brain Tumor Society. A senior development professional with nearly two decades of experience at some of the world’s leading institutions – including Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the University of Pennsylvania, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital – Lauren has served as a frontline fundraiser for three multibillion-dollar campaigns. She has secured transformative funding from individuals, corporations, and foundations, built and managed boards and committees, and led highly successful fundraising teams. She previously served as Assistant Vice President of Development at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where she directed fundraising for the neurosciences and played a key role in launching the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases.
Linda Lantieri
Linda Lantieri, MA has been in the field in education for over 40 years in a variety of capacities: classroom teacher, assistant principal, director of a middle school in East Harlem, and faculty member at Hunter College in New York City. She is a Fulbright Scholar and internationally known speaker in the areas of Social and Emotional Learning and Mindfulness in Education. Currently she serves as the Director of The Inner Resilience Program whose mission is to cultivate the inner lives of students, teachers and schools by integrating social and emotional learning with contemplative practice. Linda is one of the co-founders and presently a Senior Program Advisor for the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL). She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Psychology Department of Columbia University, Teachers College. Linda is the author of numerous articles and book chapters and coauthor of Waging Peace in Our Schools (Beacon Press, 1996) editor of Schools with Spirit: Nurturing the Inner Lives of Children and Teachers (Beacon Press, 2001), and author of Building Emotional Intelligence: Practices to Cultivate Inner Resilience in Children (Sounds True, 2008, 2014).
Patricia Broderick
Patricia Broderick, PhD, is a Research Associate with the Prevention Research Center at Penn State University and former director of the Stress Reduction Center at West Chester University of PA. She holds a Master’s degree in Counseling from Villanova and a Ph.D. in School Psychology from Temple University. She is a licensed psychologist, certified school psychologist (K-12), certified school counselor (K-12). and certified teacher. She was trained in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) at the Center for Mindfulness (CFM) at UMASS Medical Center and has taught MBSR since 2003. Her developmental psychology textbook, The life span: Human development for helping professionals is now in its third edition. She is also the creator of Learning to BREATHE, a school-based mindfulness curriculum for adolescents. Visit her website at learning2breathe.org.
Philip Murphy
Philip Murphy is a founding principal of the Commonwealth Mindful Philanthropy Group, a philanthropic advisory firm that provides institutional advancement solutions for nonprofit organizations in the US and the UK, with an emphasis on serving organizations in the contemplative sector. Following a successful tenure as an independent music record label executive, Philip embarked on a career in the advancement field and has served in senior leadership positions at several research universities including the University of Southern California, the University of California, Los Angeles, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he directed the $500 million Campaign for Students fundraising initiative. Philip earned a degree in social and behavioral sciences from Johns Hopkins and also hold a professional designation in authentic leadership from the Authentic Leadership Center at Naropa University. He is certified as a mindfulness facilitator by the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center. Philip currently serves on the board of directors of the Insight Meditation Center of Pioneer Valley (Easthampton, MA) and the Hope House recovery home (Boston, MA), and is a former board member at the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center. He resides in western Massachusetts with his wife Anne, and their four rescue greyhounds.
Spring Washam
Spring Washam has practiced meditation in various traditions since 1997. She is a founding teacher of the East Bay Meditation Center, located in Oakland, CA. She is a graduate of the Community Dharma Leaders program and is in teacher training with Jack Kornfield. Spring is considered a pioneer in bringing mindfulness-based meditation practices to inner city communities. She currently leads retreats and workshops throughout the US and teaches a weekly sitting group in Oakland, CA.
Tara Brach
Tara Brach, PhD, is a beloved dharma teacher and the founder and senior teacher of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, and teaches Buddhist meditation at centers in the United States and Canada (such as Kripalu and Omega). A clinical psychologist and author of Radical Acceptance, Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha. She has taught extensively on the application of Buddhist teachings to emotional healing. Visit her website at tarabrach.com.
Tempel Smith
Tempel Smith has been practicing mindfulness and loving-kindness meditation since 1989. Tempel launched the West Coast teen retreat program and helped to launch the teen retreats in Virginia. He is a graduate of the teacher-training program at the Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California and regularly leads teen and young adult retreats in California and Virginia.
Vijay Sinha
Vijay Sinha holds an MBA in Business Strategy and Analysis and Organizational Development from Boston University Questrom School of Business and BS in Electronics Engineering from Bangalore University, India. He is a strategy consultant with Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, providing strategic advice and direction on Information Technology to customers based on their organization’s IT business strategy. Vijay is a strong believer in the power of meditation, as it helped him to become more self-aware and to advance in his own life. Realizing the benefits of meditation, Vijay got involved with iBme to help them promote their mindfulness educational programs to help improve the lives of many other individuals. Vijay lives in Massachusetts with his wife and teenage daughter.
Willoughby Britton
Willoughby Britton holds a B.A. in Neuroscience and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Public Health at Brown Medical School and Research Director of the Brown University Contemplative Studies Initiative. She received sleep/EEG training at Harvard Medical School and was a Research Fellow at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA/NIH) and Andrew Weil’s Program in Integrative Medicine. She spent several years in Asia studying meditative techniques and received her mindfulness instructor certification training at the Center for Mindfulness at the UMASS Medical School. With the aim of investigating the link between contemplative practices, brain function, sleep, attention and affective disturbances, she has conducted federally funded RCTs on the neurophysiological effects of MBCT in depression; and education-based mindfulness training in middle school and university students in comparison to music and dance.
Guiding Teachers Committee
Charisse Minerva Spencer
Charisse Minerva Spencer brings to the Mindfulness arena a background in Arts, Science, and Youth Development. She earned a B.S. Degree in Medical Technology from the Medical College of Virginia/VCU. However, her love of the Arts led her to divert her path in order to live her passion for dance and choreography. Later Charisse returned to school to get a Masters in Performance Studies with a concentration in Dance Anthropology from Tisch School of the Arts/New York University. Her eclectic professional experience coupled with more than 30 years of practice in the Soka Gakkai International (SGI) Buddhist organization led to her interest in Mindfulness. Charisse brings a scientific and artistic approach to the field investigating the existence of contemplative practices, its individual and cultural significance, as well as how these practices can be introduced in ways that are broad-based. She has worked with Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP), Inward Bound Mindfulness Education (iBme), is Mindfulness Coordinator at Friends School of Virginia Beach, and has done workshops in schools, festivals, corporate offices, detention & treatment centers.
Chas DiCapua
Chas DiCapua started practicing meditation in the Soto Zen tradition in 1989. He sat his first Vipassana retreat at IMS in 1995. Since then he has practiced in both the US and Asia. A recent graduate of the Spirit Rock/IMS Teacher Training Program, Chas is currently the Resident Teacher at the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts. He also teaches regularly at various sitting groups and centers.
Dawn Scott
Dawn Scott has been practicing meditation and mindfulness since 2008 and now serves as the Family Program Coordinator at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. Dawn coordinates classes, daylongs, benefits, and residential mindfulness retreats in which the practice and teachings of mindful awareness are offered in order to support the development of wisdom and compassion for children, teens, whole families, and the wider community.
Dori Langevin
Dori Langevin began the study and practice of meditation in 1997 with Tara Brach and the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, where she served on the Teachers Council from 2003-2007. In 2007 she and her husband Ted moved to Spokane Valley, WA, where she now teaches classes and retreats (www.mainstream-mindfulness.com). Dori teaches residential retreats at Spirit Rock Meditation Center (Young Adult Retreat) and Insight Meditation Society (Family Retreat) and completed the centers’ four-year teacher training program in Meditation. She has also taught dozens of retreats elsewhere. She has special interests in the dance between mindfulness, addiction recovery and emotional healing, grounded in the sacred feminine and embodied presence, and integrating creative expression and relationships into retreats. Dori also volunteers at Airway Heights Corrections Center (men’s medium security) teaching a weekly mindfulness meditation class through the Religious Activities Center.
Enrique Collazo
Enrique Collazo has been practicing Meditation since 2005. In 2009, he started staffing teen retreats and has offered classes as a facilitator and meditation instructor for youth and adults in Los Angeles and the Bay Area. He’s currently teaching in the Bay Area with youth as mindfulness instructor with the Mind Body Awareness Project. Enrique shares the practice in a straightforward and practical manner and loves working with youth and supporting their transformation.
Jem Shackleford
Originally a secondary school teacher, Jem has been practising meditation for many years and teaching mindfulness for over five. He has personal experience of the effectiveness of mindfulness practice in helping to alleviate stress and improve general wellbeing. After visiting the United States and seeing the impact iBme Retreats have on young people, he was convinced of the need to have iBme Retreats in the UK. Jem delivers a range of mindfulness courses to the general public both privately and in the NHS. He is also Mindfulness Lead at a large rural comprehensive school in north Dorset, helping young people use mindfulness as a way to flourish in their lives. He is also a Mindfulness in Schools Project Trainer Consultant teaching teachers and is registered with the UK Mindfulness-Based Teachers’ Network.
Jessica Morey
Jessica Morey began practicing meditation at age 14 in the Insight Meditation Society teen retreats. She returned every year for 6 years and then participated for 10 years in an IMS young adult mentoring group. Jessica has attended longer (1-3 month) retreats in Asia and the US and is a founding board member and lead teacher for iBme teen retreats. Before joining iBme, Jessica worked in clean energy and climate policy and finance. She holds a BA in Environmental Engineering from Dartmouth and Masters degrees in Sustainable Development and International Affairs. She wrote an article in the February 2014 Mindful Magazine, “Finding My Way,” about her experience learning and benefiting from mindfulness throughout her young adult years. She is an avid yoga practitioner and skier and loves dancing in any form.
Jose Shinzan Palma
Jose Shinzan Palma was born in Veracruz, Mexico. He is a Zen Buddhist Priest. He has been practicing Zen since 1996. He did a residential training for 4 years at the Zen Buddhist Temple in Toronto, Canada. He lived and trained in Upaya Zen Center for over 8 years. He is a Dharma Successor of Roshi Joan Halifax. He has taught Zazenkais and Sesshins at Upaya and has staffed Teen Retreats for Spirit Rock Center and iBme. He is a guest teacher in a Zen Buddhist Temple in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Shinzan left the residency of Upaya to return to Mexico and start a community spreading the Dharma in Mexico. His vision is to work with youth and also create a Zen Hispanic community in the USA and Mexico.
Marvin G. Belzer
Marvin G. Belzer, PhD, has taught mindfulness meditation for over fifteen years and is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center. For many years he taught a semester-long meditation course in the Department of Philosophy at Bowling Green St. University, where he was a Professor of philosophy. He and Diana Winston were instrumental in developing week-long mindfulness retreats for teens in the mid-1990s. | https://ibme.com/team/staff/ |
The 4th Annual Lehigh Valley Yoga Festival (http://www.lvyogafest.com), includes more than 30 opportunities to practice yoga, and this year includes so much more; a Himalayan singing bowl meditation, Bollywood dance, introduction to the ancient language of Sanskrit, art + yoga and the study of yogic texts. The festival is a union of ideas, practice and connection shared with like-minded people, and everyone in the community is welcome.
The Lehigh Valley Yoga Festival widens the reach of the benefits of yoga and mindfulness to at-risk children in the Lehigh Valley, since all of the proceeds raised from the festival go towards funding the Pratyush Sinha Foundation, which seeks to achieve health and harmony through yoga and mindfulness programs. Proceeds from the 2016 Lehigh Valley Yoga Festival made yoga programs possible at McKinley Elementary, Union Terrace and Arts Academy Charter Elementary Schools, as well as the Boys and Girls Club of Allentown. | https://lehighvalleystyle.com/events/lehigh-valley-yoga-festival-0/ |
Join us in our mission to strengthening the hope and resilience of our community members by improving their health, mental health and well-being.
The instructor will develop, provide and evaluate programs, classes, and campaigns to educate older adults on health information, including strategies for managing chronic conditions and fall prevention. Once hired the candidate will take a training to become certified in an evidence based class for seniors.
AACI named Bay Area Top Workplaces 2019. We provide employees with flexible schedules, professional development opportunities, and a supportive environment with an onsite mindfulness room. We offer convenient freeway access, bagel Mondays, and excellent coffee!
The ideal candidate:
Apply now and join a great team of caring people. | https://aaci.freshteam.com/jobs/MR5lzEeFX8Dz/part-time-instructor-senior-wellness |
Hubble sees light and dust in a nearby starburst galaxy
(Phys.org) —Visible as a small, sparkling hook in the dark sky, this beautiful object is known as J082354.96+280621.6, or J082354.96 for short. It is a starburst galaxy, so named because of the incredibly (and unusually) high rate of star formation occurring within it.
One way in which astronomers probe the nature and structure of galaxies like this is by observing the behavior of their dust and gas components; in particular, the Lyman-alpha emission. This occurs when electrons within a hydrogen atom fall from a higher energy level to a lower one, emitting light as they do so. This emission is interesting because this light leaves its host galaxy only after extensive scattering in the nearby gas—meaning that this light can be used as a pretty direct probe of what a galaxy is made up of.
The study of this Lyman-alpha emission is common in very distant galaxies, but now a study named LARS (Lyman Alpha Reference Sample) is investigating the same effect in galaxies that are closer by. Astronomers chose fourteen galaxies, including this one, and used spectroscopy and imaging to see what was happening within them. They found that these Lyman-alpha photons can travel much further if a galaxy has less dust—meaning that we can use this emission to infer how dusty the source galaxy is. | https://phys.org/news/2013-04-hubble-nearby-starburst-galaxy.html |
Welcome to Day 3 of the winter American Astronomical Society (AAS) meeting in Kissimmee! Several of us are attending the conference this year, and we will report highlights from each day here on astrobites. If you’d like to see more timely updates during the day, we encourage you to follow @astrobites on twitter or search the #aas227 hashtag.
Henry Norris Russell Lecture: Viewing the Universe with Infrared Eyes: The Spitzer Space Telescope (by Erika Nesvold)
The Henry Norris Russell Award is the highest honor given by the AAS, for a lifetime of eminence in astronomy research. This year’s award went to Giovanni Fazio of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Fazio became a leader in gamma ray astronomy before switching mid-career to the study of infrared astronomy, and he gave his award lecture on the latter subject, specifically on the Spitzer Space Telescope, one of the most successful infrared telescopes of all time.Spitzer has been operating for more than twelve years, and has resulted in over six thousand papers in refereed journals in that time. The telescope sits in an Earth-trailing orbit around the Sun, and is now farther from the Earth (1.4 AU) than the Earth is from the Sun. Fazio gave the audience a fascinating overview of the science done by Spitzer over more than a decade. One of the most productive areas of research for Spitzer is the study of exoplanets, which hadn’t even been discovered when the Spitzer Telescope was first conceived. Spitzer’s high sensitivity and ability to observe exoplanets over many orbits has made it a powerhouse for learning about the temperatures, atmospheres, and orbits of exoplanets. The list of examples that Fazio provided included the first global temperature map of an exoplanet (HD 189733b), the detection of the closest transiting exoplanet (HD 219134b), and the measurement of thermal emission from a super-Earth (55 Cnc e). Spitzer’s large distance from the Earth (specifically, the ground-based telescopes on Earth) even allowed astronomers to observe an exoplanet via gravitational microlensing using a special technique called space-based parallax.
Spitzer has also been extremely useful for observing everything from Solar System scales (such as the enormous infrared dust ring around Saturn) to galactic structures. Comparing images of galaxies observed at visible wavelengths with Spitzer images of the same galaxies at infrared wavelengths has allowed us to probe the structure and composition of galaxies at a new level.
Astronomers have also used Spitzer to explore the evolution of stars. Thanks to its infrared detectors, Spitzer can look through large clouds of dust that are opaque at visible wavelengths, and observe young stellar objects in their birth environments. Cosmologists can use Spitzer to study the early universe and the formation of galaxies over twelve billion years ago. Fazio used all of these examples and more to demonstrate that Spitzer has truly changed our understanding of the universe.
Climate Change for Astronomers (Meredith Rawls)
Every astronomer at #aas227 wants to learn about climate change! WOW this room is ridiculously full. pic.twitter.com/ud9an0gLJG
— Meredith Rawls (@merrdiff) January 7, 2016
The second half of the session was a presentation by Doug Duncan featuring an activity from his 101-level college course. He uses climate change as a way to teach critical thinking and scientific reasoning. Members of the audience were walked through an exercise that included interpreting plots of changing surface temperatures, think-pair-share style “clicker” questions, and comparing excerpts from scientific articles and the media. Eventually, students discover that the Earth’s overall temperature is going up, but observations can vary from year to year because heat is moving between the atmosphere and the oceans.
Press Conference: Fermi’s Vision, First Stars, Massive Galaxy Cluster, and Dark Energy (by Susanna Kohler)
Today’s afternoon press conference was an exciting assortment of results, difficult to categorize under a single umbrella.
First up was Marco Ajello (Clemson University), who spoke about 2FHL, the second Fermi-LAT catalog of high-energy sources. LAT stands for Large Area Telescope, an instrument on board the Fermi gamma-ray space observatory that scans the entire sky every three hours. Ajello described the contents of the 2FHL catalog: 360 gamma-ray sources, of which 75% are blazars (distant galactic nuclei with jets pointed toward us), 11% are sources within the galaxy, and the remaining 14% are unknown. With this catalog, Fermi has expanded into higher energies than ever before, providing the first map of the 50 GeV – 2 TeV sky. Here’s the press release.
O’Meara: I’m a lowly spectroscopist so I don’t have fun pictures to show you, just squiggly lines. #aas227
— astrobites (@astrobites) January 7, 2016
Next to speak, John O’Meara (St. Michael’s College) told us about the discovery of a gas cloud that may be a remnant from the first population of stars. O’Meara showed us the emission spectrum from a distant quasar, which displays abrupt absorption by a cloud of gas located at a redshift of z~3.5. Absorption by gas clouds is not unusual — but what is unusual is that this cloud is extremely metal-poor, with only 1/2500th solar metallicity. This is the lowest heavy-element content ever measured, and a sign that the cloud might have been enriched by Population III stars — the theoretical first population of stars, which were born when gas in the universe was still pristine. Here’s the press release.Mark Brodwin (University of Missouri, Kansas City) was up next, discussing the most distant massive galaxy cluster that has ever been discovered. The cluster IDCS J1426.5+3508, weighing in at several trillion solar masses (as measured by three independent techniques!), is located at a redshift of z=1.75. Since clusters take several billion years to form, and its redshift corresponds to a time when the universe was only 3.8 billion years old, we’re probably seeing it at a very early age. This combination of mass and youth is unique! Brodwin also pointed out another interesting feature: the cluster’s core isn’t centered, which means it probably underwent a major merger with another cluster within the last 500 million years. Here’s the press release.
The final speaker was Sukanya Chakrabarti (Rochester Institute of Technology), who gave a very interesting talk about a topic I’d never heard of: “galactoseismology.” Galactoseismology involves observing waves in the disk of a galaxy to learn about the properties of dwarf galaxies that caused the perturbations. In this case, Chakrabarti evaluated ripples in the outer disk of our galaxy, and used these to predict the location of a dwarf galaxy that must have skimmed the outskirts of our galaxy a few hundred million years ago, causing the waves. This is a cool technique for learning about dwarf galaxies whether or not they’re visible, since they’ll cause ripples even if they’re dominated by dark matter. Chakrabarti showed an awesome simulation of this dwarf’s interaction with the Milky Way, which you can check out on her website. Here’s the press release. | https://astrobites.org/2016/01/08/astrobites-at-aas-227-day-3/ |
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Leganto is a tool for easily creating, editing and publishing digital reading lists. Integration with Blackboard and the library's search service (Oria) makes finding reading lists and available subject resources easier for both subject teachers and students.
Norsk versjon: Digitale pensumlister
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Course coordinators and students must be logged in to Blackboard to use Leganto.
What is Leganto?
Leganto is an online tool for students, lecturers and librarians, that is connected to Blackboard and the search service Oria. Most university libraries in Norway now use this tool to create, publish and share digital reading lists.
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- Work with only one version of the reading list, changes will be updated automatically elsewhere.
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The University Library has local contacts with knowledge of Leganto at all libraries. Contact your local libray. You can also get in touch via NTNU Help.
Follow our Innsida channel “Nytt fra Universitetsbiblioteket” (“News from the University Library”). | https://i.ntnu.no/wiki/-/wiki/English/Leganto+-+digital+reading+lists |
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