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Cheer on your favorite sports team with this officially licensed, one-of-a-kind statue. Perfect for the garden, a tailgate or your man cave, the figurine's outdoor-safe design ensures season-round enjoyment.
Sculpted from polystone, each statue is hand-painted and features detailed wood-carving designs and logo decal application. From the mascot top to the player base, this spirited sculpture makes a bold statement and shows off your team pride.
Chicago Cubs Team Garden Statue
New York Yankees Team Garden Statue
Kansas City Royals Team Garden Statue
Boston Red Sox Team Garden Statue
Detroit Lions Team Garden Statue
Loved my St Louis Cardinal Tiki Team Totem!


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If you're interested in earning a degree in network security but can't attend college fulltime, you might consider earning a degree online. Network security, which is one of the fastest growing fields out there, offers degrees at several levels. Learn everything you need to know about this career, the various online degrees available and how you can earn a degree from the comfort of your home.
- Point Park University - Master of Arts in Intelligence and Global Security
- Utica College - BS in Cybersecurity, MS in Cybersecurity
What is Network Security?
Network security is a field that deals with the process of ensuring a network and network infrastructure is safe from cyber attacks and other Internet invasions such as viruses, hacking, fraud and phishing, among others. According to CIO magazine, cyber or network security specialists are not only well paid but also the most sought after professionals in the technology industry. Having a career in this growing field can be easily obtained by earning a network security degree online.
Programs focused on network security may also be referred to as cybersecurity programs because they are both very similar in nature and curriculum. There are many colleges and universities that offer online degrees in network security. The type of degree you earn may depend on how long you want to be in school and what type of career goals you have.
Associate's Degrees
An associate degree in network security can help you obtain an entry-level position in network security as a network administrator or a computer support specialist. It generally takes two years and completion of about 60 credits to complete an on-campus associate degree program, but online education allows you to work at your own pace. However, you can complete it in the same two years if your schedule permits. About the only prerequisite for an associate degree program is a high school diploma. The first year of the program you'll complete general education courses like math, English, sociology and composition. The second year focuses on computer and network security courses.
Bachelor's Degrees
Most network security specialists have bachelor's degrees, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Professions obtained by holders of bachelor's degrees include information security analyst, network and computer systems administrator, computer network architect, computer systems analyst, and computer and information systems managers. Bachelor's degree programs generally take about four years to complete and require completion of about 120 credits. Associate and bachelor degree programs often require the student to complete an internship at a business that deals with network security so that hands-on experience can be obtained.
School Spotlight
American Public University offers a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity. Courses in this program include information assurance, threat analysis, cyber warfare, IT security and digital forensics.
Master's Degrees
Master degree programs take at least an additional two years to complete in addition to already having a bachelor's degree, which is usually a requirement. Purdue University offers an online master's degree in information technology with a concentration in information security, cyber forensics and homeland security. A graduate student might take courses like social, legal and ethical issues on the Internet, computer security, database systems and security, risk analysis, and leadership development.
Some businesses prefer their network security specialists or information security analysts also have a Master of Business Administration (MBA). Some colleges offer dual-degree programs that allow the student to earn the computer-based degree as well as the MBA through distance learning.
Students in a master's degree program may be required to complete a senior project such as a thesis or some other type of written report. However, many online master degree programs have other requirements to take the places of projects that would be required in an on-campus program. A doctoral degree in network security may also be found at a few schools. Graduates of these programs usually are interested in teaching or performing research.
Specific Concentrations
Network security degree programs may occasionally offer various concentrations so the student can learn more about his or her specific area of interest. However, network security is more often offered as an area of concentration to a computer science or information technology program.
Online programs make it easy to earn a degree while the student continues to work and meet other obligations. Once the student is registered as a student, he or she logins into the school's site and finds assignments and exams, submits homework, and can even participate in classroom discussions. This can all be done through e-mails, videos, online lectures and DVDs. The student is actually part of a virtual classroom but in the comfort of his or her home.
Career Opportunities
According to BLS, network security specialists can expect an excellent growth in employment between 2012 and 2022. An example of this is with information security analysts, which should see growth of up to thirty-seven percent. These professionals' annual wages averaged about $88,890 as of May 2014. Network and computer systems administrators, who saw wages of about $75,790 in 2014, are expected to see a twelve percent growth in employment. Computer support specialists are predicted to see a growth of seventeen percent, and this career can typically be obtained with an associate degree.

subset: commoncrawl


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MSc/PG Dip Clinical Pharmacy (Community) Scholarship
Part-time: available
Prospective PG students (inc. current UG): available
Current PG students: not available
Entry year: 2015/16
Postgraduate taught: available
Postgraduate research: not available
2 scholarships available
Application deadline: 22 January 2016
About the scholarship
The University of Bradford, School of Pharmacy is pleased to offer two scholarships for the MSc/PGDip Clinical Pharmacy (Community) programme. The Scholarships will cover course fees for the first year of study, worth £2,760.
The Clinical Pharmacy (Community) programme is a part-time distance learning programme which will equip pharmacists practicing in community pharmacy or primary care, with the knowledge, skills and behaviours to deliver safe and effective patient-centred care in partnership with the multi-disciplinary team. It is designed to meet the needs of the modern National Health Service and aligns with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Foundation Pharmacy Framework (FPF) to support your professional development.
Key features of the programme include:
- Learning outcomes relevant to the modern NHS
- Optional pathways to address a range of service needs including independent prescribing
- Alignment with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Foundation Pharmacy Framework (FPF) to support your professional development
- Opportunities for inter-professional learning and cross sector working
- Well utilised small amount of contact time to support learning networks
- Opportunities to further develop communication, leadership and management skills
Eligibility criteria
Applications are open to pharmacists assessed as home, UK students, registered with the GPhC and working as a pharmacist in a patient facing capacity in the UK.
Scholarship applicants must be able to demonstrate:
- Commitment to pharmacy practice
- Commitment to learning and developing
- The extent to which their individual goals match the objectives of the programme and their organisation
Applicable courses
MSc/PGDip Clinical Pharmacy (Community)
Eligible countries
- England
- Northern Ireland
- Scotland
- Wales
Payment amount & frequency
The Scholarships will cover course fees for the first year of study, worth £2,760.
How to apply
Please apply on line for the MSc/PG Diploma Clinical Pharmacy (Community) programme and then fill in the scholarship application form.
Closing date: 22 January 2016.


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Please check out the CLASS POLICIES before signing up for classes.
-=Thank You=-
Cost: $65
Date: TBD
Time: TBD( first night 3 hours, second night til done)
Want to add a little different color to your garden or walkway with a glass mosaic stepping stone!
In this 2 day step-by-step class, you will be learning everything from cutting to layout to
mixing and pouring concrete to sealing your finished project. You will be given an
8" x 8" reusable mold, which is yours to keep! We will supply a basic pattern or you can draw your own! Plus, we supply the glass and cement you will be using.
Basic glass cutting experience is recommended. Limited to 4 students.


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In a post a few days ago, I jokingly wrote that PETA had not officially responded to Herman Cain's statement that he liked more meat on his pizza and that vegetables on pizza were for sissies. We have received a response from PETA:
Dear Ike,
We read your recent blog "Cain Not Catering to Sissies" and the reference you made to not yet having received PETA's official response. Rest assured, we have sent all the candidates, including Mr. Cain, our "Real Men Are Kind to Animals" shirt and hope that they all take the message to heart.
Kind regards,
Heather Carlson
Manager of Communications
Thank you Heather, consider this a correction to my original post.
Filed under: Herman Cain | Tagged: cain, cain not catering to sissies, friday, Herman Cain, ike, ike friday, meat, peta, pizza, real men are kind to animals, toppings | Leave a comment »


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Tina Majorino Strappy Sandals
Tina Majorino made quite a statement on the red carpet in a one-shoulder printed cocktail dress. She paired the look with embellished strappy sandals.
Tina Majorino Beaded Clutch
Tina Majorino modernized her floral dress with a sequined clutch and fierce embellished heels.
Browse: Tina Majorino | Strappy Sandals | Beaded Clutch
Popular Lookbooks see all looks »


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School braces for record enrollment
By Neal A. Shipman
Farmer Editor
With the start of the new school year in Watford City set for Thursday, Aug. 21, McKenzie County Public School District No. 1 administrators are bracing themselves for a record enrollment.
According to Steve Holen, district superintendent, the rush of new students into the district this year has been nothing but staggering.
"As of Aug. 13, we have 1,301 student enrolled in the district," states Holen. "That is an increase of 276 students from last fall's enrollment of 1,025 students."
And with those kinds of student numbers, the school district has firmly planted itself as No. 1 with the largest enrollment of any Class B school district in North Dakota, and has also overtaken two of the state's Class A school districts.
"We became the largest Class B school district in the state last year," stated Holen. "And we are continuing to separate ourselves from other Class B schools in terms of enrollment."
According to Holen, with more than 1,300 students anticipated to show up on the first day of school, McKenzie County School District No. 1's enrollment far exceeds the enrollment of Grafton, which had the second highest enrollment last fall with 916 students.
"Our school district's enrollment now exceeds the student numbers at Valley City and Wahpeton, which had enrollments of 1,096 and 1,237 students, respectively, last fall," states Holen.
The growth in student numbers at the school district has been on a rapid increase over the past five years as more and more families are moving into Watford City and the surrounding area to work in oilfield jobs. Since 2010, when the school district had 582 students, the enrollment has swelled by nearly 200 students a year.
According to Holen, this fall's enrollment will be the largest in the school district's history. In 1963, the district had 1,200 students and in 1982, the district had 1,150 students. But since then, the district's enrollment has been on a steady decline.
"It is hard to believe that today we have 693 in kindergarten through fifth grade, when five years ago we only had 582 in the entire district," states Holen.
And that steady influx of new students has forced the district to not only increase teaching and professional staff, but add more classrooms as well.
Last year, when the elementary school opened its new $11 million addition, the building was too small to accommodate the influx of students, so the sixth grade class was moved to the high school. The remaining 498 kindergarten students filled the elementary school to capacity.
With a capacity of 625 students in the elementary school, Holen thought that moving the sixth grade class would give the district some time to adjust. Unfortunately, that extra time to plan evaporated very quickly. And the school board made the decision this summer to bring in portable classrooms to house the 95 students in the fifth grade class.
That early decision to use portable classrooms was a wise one as there are currently 693 students registered to attend the elementary school.
While Holen says the greatest problems are at the elementary school, the overcrowding issues are at the high school as well.
"Our capacity for students at the high school is 550 students," says Holen. "With 608 students already enrolled to start school at the high school on the first day of class, we are literally out of room at both schools. The computer labs and teacher lounges in both buildings are now gone.
And Holen doesn't believe the growth in student numbers is going to slow down.
"The district hired a consulting firm to help us get a handle on our projected student numbers a couple of years ago," stated Holen. "And we are now 200 students above those projected numbers."
This is why the school district is now bringing the consulting firm back to help reassess the growth potential for the coming years.
"We can't wait for the new high school to get built," states Holen. "And we need to get the capacity of the new high school to 800 students instead of 600."
In July, ground was broken for the new 600-capacity high school, which is expected to cost $50 million and to be completed by December of 2015.
According to Holen, the district is also giving serious consideration to constructing an additional elementary school to meet the growth in enrollment numbers.
"We are not seeing a leveling off of enrollment," states Holen of the need to add an additional elementary school or to increase the capacity of the new high school. "When you have this many kids enrolling in our schools, you know you have a family base and we're becoming a city."


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property owners
On the Spanish shores
On the Spanish coast, among the Russian-speaking customers, the most popular are the areas of Costa Brava, Costa Dorada and Costa del Sol. Here are beautiful sandy beaches, clear sea, diverse entertainment infrastructure. For example, Benidorm is considered the tourist center of Spain – in addition to the abundance of various discos, restaurants, there is the largest water park in the country.
The choice of real estate for rent here is very large – from inexpensive cozy studios to luxury villas. "Like in Cyprus, in Spain rent is possible for a period of one week. At the same time, the cost of rent increases in proportion to the lease term, and usually no discounts are provided when the period is extended, "says Marina Markarova. Continue reading


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Martínez Picado, Javier
ICREA Research Professor at Institut de Recerca de la Sida - IrsiCaixa (IrsiCaixa).
Life & Medical Sciences
Short biography
Javier Martínez-Picado is ICREA Research Professor at the AIDS Research Institute irsiCaixa in Barcelona, an institution that works to advance clinical research and translate results into patients care. He is also associate professor at the University of Vic (UVic-UCC). He received his PhD from the University of Barcelona where he subsequently became associate professor lecturing on different microbiology-related subjects. In 1996, he joined the Massachusetts General Hospital as postdoctoral fellow of the Harvard Medical School, where he engaged in AIDS research. In 2000, he obtained a position as biomedical researcher of the Spanish Health Department appointed to the Hospital "Germans Trias i Pujol" in Badalona (Barcelona). Dr. Martínez-Picado serves on different government, academic and industry advisory boards and has published extensively on HIV treatment strategies and HIV pathogenesis in international journals.
Research interests
The main subject of our biomedical research is the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), a retrovirus that can lead to Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), a condition in humans in which the immune system begins to fail, leading to life-threatening opportunistic infections. Since the beginning of the epidemic, 76 million people have been infected with HIV, of which 35 million have died from AIDS. In 2016, 1 million people died from AIDS-related causes and 1.8 million became newly infected worldwide. Our research programs are focused on understanding how HIV causes disease at the molecular and cellular level, tackling cellular and anatomical viral reservoirs, exploring new strategies to cure HIV/AIDS and collaborating on global HIV/AIDS vaccine development projects.


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Restoring all the Docs from your archives back in to a Google account is easy and with the right browser you can upload all your archived Docs at once. In just a few steps you can get all of your Docs records back in to your Google Docs account.
To upload the exported Drive records, first you must log in to Google Drive in your browser. Depending on what browser you are using, the options will be different, please using the following instructions:
1) Drag-and-drop files and folders (Chrome and Firefox)
If you're using the latest versions of Chrome, you can simply drag-and-drop files directly from your computer into Google Drive. You can even drag-and-drop files directly into folders or sub-folders.
2) Upload folders/files using Google Drive. (Chrome Only)
- On the left, click New (or upload icon )and select Upload Files (or Folders) from the drop-down menu
- Select the file(s) or folder(s) you'd like to upload.
- You'll see a box that shows the progress of your file upload. Click on the file name to open the file or close the box by clicking the X in the upper right corner.
To contact Backupify/Datto SaaS Protection support, click here to submit a Support Request, or click here for more contact options.


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Greek life is a huge part of the college experience. Not only at historically Black colleges and universities but at institutions worldwide. Black Greek organizations have been around for many years. Some students have their organization in mind before they even get to school. Others are heavily influenced to keep the tradition alive from their parents and grandparents. Pledging is a pretty big deal and Gerard McMurray decided to let people know why. His Netflix original movie 'Burning Sands' is an in-depth look at Black Greek organizations and what makes them tick.
The choice to join a sorority or fraternity isn't for everybody. McMurray is a member of the Omega Phi Psi Fraternity so he knows the experience firsthand. The Divine 9 (formerly known as The Big Eight) is a thriving subculture on college campuses. The exclusivity of the process and the lifestyle has always been a priority. The friendship, loyalty, and support is something that can only be experienced through membership. Whether it's at a historically Black institution or a college in New York City, there is a thriving presence of Black Greek Life and it's always lit!
Although sorority and fraternity membership has many rewards, there is also a lot of negative stigma attached. Spike Lee attempted to "shed light" many years ago with the movie 'School Daze', which addressed a variety of stigmas and stereotypes amongst sororities and fraternities. McMurray goes above and beyond to showcase the value of being part of Greek life, the process, the hazing, and the HBCU experience.
Press play on the trailer above and hit Netflix to see the movie in its entirety.


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One of the most common tasks when developing an application with a GUI is keeping the user interface and the data in sync. For example, suppose you use conventional development tools to create a web application for browsing and editing customer records. Without App Maker, you'd have to develop a way keep the application UI and the database records in sync in the following ways:
Update every UI element that displays data when the next record in the database is requested.
Add change listeners to all UI elements to ensure that the user's changes are reflected in the customer record.
Update the current customer record to receive the new data.
This is a lot of boilerplate to write and maintain, which is cumbersome if you're already a programmer and might be a major roadblock if you're not.
With App Maker, instead of having to write all that boilerplate, you use bindings to indicate that a property on the customer record and a property of a widget must be kept in sync. And you do all of this in an easy-to-use visual interface. That's it: App Maker does all the rest of the work for you.
Beyond this common scenario, App Maker bindings do more than just keep UI elements in sync with underlying values. You can use an App Maker binding to keep any two App Maker properties in sync, such as the email of the current logged in user, and a datasource query parameter. In fact, because almost anything in App Maker has bindings — models, datasources, widgets, and scripts — you can use bindings across a variety of App Maker properties.
Very simply, a property is a named value of an App Maker object. You can get and set the values of properties in App Maker, and most App Maker objects have properties that you can access from parts of your application.
You can set properties in many ways:
- in the App Maker UI—when you set the name of a widget
- via a binding—when one property changes to reflect updates from another property
- in a script—you can set a property with JavaScript
You can access a variety of properties:
- fields in database records
- the email address for the currently logged-in user
- widget attributes such as position, name, or value
In fact, properties are found all over App Maker, with the most common place being the Property Editor:
and the binding chooser:
Let's dig deeper into our exploration of properties with a discussion of objects. Objects are the "things" that make up App Maker and App Maker applications, and just about everything in App Maker is an object. What are these things? They are the widgets that make up your UI, the records that represent your data, the data source objects that read and write your data for you, and much more. Even your application itself is an object.
For example, a Text Area widget is an App Maker object with several properties, including name and label. A data record is an application object which has properties that you define, such as a customer record with a name property.
All App Maker properties have a data type, which means that they only accept specific kinds of values, like numbers or strings. Many properties have simple types like string, number, or boolean, but some properties have complex types. For example, the parent property of a widget is also a widget and so is typed as Widget.
App Maker uses a path notation to refer to properties when referencing
them in bindings, or in scripts. For example, a data model object named
Person with a property named
Name, would be referenced as
Path and property values can be undefined.
This is different from being
An example of an undefined property is a record relation property that has not been loaded yet.
A path such as
datasource.item.Name is undefined if its last property (
Name) is undefined, or if
any of its parts such as
datasource or
item are undefined or
In general, App Maker treats undefined values like
However, input widgets will disable themselves if their values are set to undefined.
For example, you can use the following script to clear the value of a text box and disable it:
textBox.value = undefined;
Example scenario
This example illustrates two complex properties —
Person and
Address. Each of these are special Types that you might define in a
model you create. They are not built-in App Maker types.
|Property Name
|Property Name
Because the
Address property of Person is of type Address, you could
use path notation to reference the location of a person with
A binding is a mechanism for keeping two properties in sync. As an App Maker author, you will often declare that you want two properties—like the value of a text input and a field of a record—bound, and App Maker will automatically keep them in sync: when one property changes, the other will be set.
All properties in App Maker are observable, meaning that it's possible to listen for changes to a property. When a binding is made between two properties, the binding listens to, or observes, changes in each property, and when one changes, the other is updated.
A common binding example in App Maker is to bind a text input's value to the item property of a datasource. This binding is done using the App Maker property editor, but if we wrote the binding out, if would look like this:
@widget.text <-> @datasource.item.MyField
Type converter for bound values
A property has a type and a value. The value itself also has a type,
which must match its property's value. For example, the
property for a widget is a string type, so values for names are
strings and cannot be treated as integers.
If you want to bind two properties together, they must either have the same type, or their values must be convertible from one type to the other. This is called type conversion.
For example, if you give a value of
"6" to the
Name property of a
widget, this value of
"6" is treated as a string, not a number. You
could bind this property to another property that is of type integer,
and the App Maker built-in type converter attempts to convert the
value types between these two properties.
App Maker includes many built-in type conversions, so that most bindings will work. The converters work in both directions, and make their best attempt to convert a value from one type to the other.
|Only if from can be parsed as a number.
|Only if from is "true" or "false" (Case insensitive).
|Only if from is a date in YYYY-MM-DD format.
|Zero is converted to false and any other value to true
|As long as A and B are compatible.
Sometimes, you would like to bind two properties with some custom data conversion between them.
For example, you might want to bind a field in a record to a text field in the UI, but you want
the user input to be trimmed of whitespace before being saved in the database.
Or you might want to convert a date to a string using a different date pattern than the one used by
the default App Maker type conversion.
Transformers allow you specify transformations on property paths.
Each transformer takes an input value and produces an output value and most transformers can
also take output values and convert them back to input values.
These transformations can be chained together.
For example, to trim whitespace from inputs and outputs for a string path, you might bind the
value property of a text field to the
Name field of a datasource record:
@value <-> @datasource.item.Name#trim()
Or you can specify custom date to string formatting when binding a text field
value property to
a date field
timestamp in the database:
@value <--> @datasource.item.TimeStamp#formatDate('yyyy/MM/dd HH:mm:ss');
Transformers can be chained together:
@value <-> @datasource.item.Name#nullToEmpty()#trim()
You can find a list of all the built-in transformers here.
Transformers can also be applied to elements of an array rather than the array
itself. For example, if you are populating a Dropdown widget's
name property
with items from a projection. The syntax
is the same, but use two hash marks instead of one.
@names <-> @datasources.items..TimeStamp##formatDate('yyyy/MM/dd HH:mm:ss')
Top-level properties in bindings
When you bind the property of an object (such as a widget name), you'll
use the binding picker to navigate through the available properties.
App Maker automatically adjusts the available properties depending on
the object that you are binding from. This simplifies the process of
binding to certain common properties. For example, if you bind a
value for a Button widget, the binding picker automatically defaults
to the widget's
datasource.item property, which usually
contains fields of a model.
However, you might want to bind a widget or other object to something other than the automatically provided suggestions in the binding picker. For that, it's helpful to understand the two general categories of properties that you can navigate through when binding objects in your application.
Globally available properties
You can bind to any property of your application. These properties are generally accessed through
app object. When binding, all properties of the
app objects are categorized, and exposed
for bindings. See the app object API documentation
for detailed documentation of all properties.
Properties available to widgets
A widget can be bound to all the properties of the
app object, and to two additional
widget—the widget itself.
datasource—the datasource for the widget, which is the most common object to bind to a widget. This is also available as
@widget.datasource, but for convenience,
datasourceis shown in the binding picker in the UI editor.
Binding Expressions
Sometimes it's not enough to bind two properties directly together. By using expressions in the binding editor in the App Maker UI, you can combine bindings and JavaScript to transform a value that you are bound to. App Maker evaluates the expression any time one of the properties used in the expression changes. Note: this makes the binding one-way.
For example, suppose you have a Delete button named
and you want to create a binding so that the button is disabled if
there is no record in the database to delete. However, there's no
property to directly represent that concept. We do have the
property and the property
@datasource.item, and we know that
if there is no item, the value of item is
null. So
with those pieces of information, we can make this binding:
@widget.enabled <-> @datasource.item != null
and the button will only be enabled when there's a record.
Additional Resources
For more information on creating binding expressions, see Binding Expressions and Client-side Scripting. For information on all the properties and methods available for widgets and client objects, see Widgets API and Client API.


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Alexandra E. Petri is a digital writer at National Geographic, where she covers culture and exploration stories. Petri has written about the history of mosques, snow leopard conservation in Kyrgyzstan, whale sharks in Africa, and environmental conflict in Puerto Rico. Her work has been published in NPR, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, The Sydney Morning Herald and China Daily.
Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Petri has lived in five countries, traveled through nearly 40 countries, and once appeared on the front page of a newspaper in India. She graduated with a degree in journalism and international studies from The Pennsylvania State University.


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It is said that "friendship with the West can be revoltingly rewarding, while enmity could be revealingly reviling".
Sri Lanka is being condemned by the Western Powers and their stooges in the UNO regarding human rights violations. A mock panel has been appointed without General Assembly and Security Council permission.As regards violation of human rights by the USA targeting and killing hoards of civilians by unmanned drones in Afghanistan, this is what a US Federal Judge had to say whilst delivering a judgment: "There is a painful conflict between human rights and national security. Fundamental human rights have to be sacrificed at the alter of national security".
This is now settled law in the USA. Why then are the US and the UK attempting to create problems for us, merely to satisfy 300,000 LTTE Diaspora supporters? Is it that International Law exculpates the western powers, while Sri Lanka is governed by another set of International human rights Laws? There is one law for the Western countries and another for Sri Lanka! The standard and quality of US and UK politicians have deteriorated to such an extent that they will stoop to accepting filthy lucre from the LTTE's enormously rich treasury. They will also compromise their honour, for the LTTE Diaspora vote that they can secure at elections.
In our conflict, the corrupt and foolish Western politicians by taking the side of criminal gangs and their Diaspora, are steadily and surely inviting hatred towards their nations. The Arabs detest them. The South American countries spurn them. So do Afghanistan, Pakistan, the African Union, Sri Lanka and a majority of Indians. Almost all Non-Aligned Countries would not approve of their cut-throat ways and their interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states.
It goes without saying that China and Russia are waiting for the day when the so called Western powers will crawl before them. Pretty soon they will find themselves isolated.
It is sickening to think of the "holier than thou" attitude of the Western countries who are trying to probe fabricated human rights violations of Sri Lanka, while they violate human rights with impunity. Corruption is a wind that is blowing now across the Western countries. We must start a campaign to commence a parallel United nations Organisation headed by a strictly impartial Secretary General who will hold the scales evenly amongst all actions. No 2 terms should be encouraged.
The Report of the Panel of Legal Experts unilaterally appointed by Ban Ki-moon has now been released. This is a very pliable panel who has been twisted and turned by the Western powers. They have also been heavily influenced by the LTTE Diaspora. They are a set of insignificant people who have been hand picked by the already partial Ban Ki-moon. They have proved that they are incapable of justice and fair play. They have also proved their ignorance of international law. They are no experts than the man in the moon!
This is a completely ex-parte and partial report based on video clips, blatantly false material fed to them by the Tamil Diaspora.
Before the death of Prabhakaran, they influenced Hillary Clinton to coax David Miliband and Kouchner to go to Sri Lanka and attempt to twist the arm of out President. But our President had the strength of character not to yield. The Western powers felt thoroughly insulted that they could not save Prabhakaran's life.
Navaneethan Pillai, the UN Human Rights Chief, has been heavily influenced by the Diaspora. Clinton and Pillai are pushing Ban Ki-moon to pressurize the Sri Lankan Govt. It is a shame that this panel of experts – supposedly honourable and impartial people, have now yielded to the pressures of Ban Ki-moon, the Western powers and the leaders of the Diaspora. This is exactly the Report based on fabricated material, that was expected of them. If our Forces wanted to massacre the Tamils, all they had to do, without wasting their bullets, was to watch Prabhakaran and his men exterminating the Tamils when they came out from the clutches of the LTTE, to the Govt side. Not a word of praise from the West or Ban Ki-moon for SAVING the lives of 300,000 Tamils, when our Forces put their lives in harms way, in order to save these Tamils. Thousands of Tamils held as hostages were killed by the LTTE, during the last few days of the war, when they were in the process of escaping from the LTTE held areas.
After the death of Prabhakaran and his cohorts, we fed the refugees, clothed them, medicated them, sheltered them, built hygienic toilets to prevent an out break of cholera. Every conceivable precaution was taken for their well being, while the Tamil Diaspora contributed nothing to look after these, their own displaced people.
The Report is an absolute sham and should be roundly condemned. Ban Ki-moon, Hillary Clinton, Navaneetham Pillai and Robert O"Blake would have instructed this panel what type of report they expect from them, in order to create problems for Sri Lanka, for crushing the worst terrorist organization in the world. It is a shame that these supposedly honourable people have prostituted themselves to tender a report acceptable to the West and to the partial UN officials.
The US and the UK forces are killing innocents in Afghanistan and Libya. As Secy General of the UN, he is expected to hold the scales even, whether it be an insignificant member or a super power. No favouritism is permissible. His salary is paid by the contributions of all members of the UN.
It is apparent that this Secy General is dictated to by the Western powers and will bend over backwards to please them. If he is impartial, he should have first appointed a panel to examine the atrocities that are presently committed by the US and UK inAfghanistan and Libya, in order to prove his bona fides. The Western forces are killing thousands of civilians with their unmanned drones, in Afghanistan, Libya and Pakistan.
He should also appoint a panel to investigate the torture in Abu Grahib and Guantanamo Bay. Ban Ki-moon at the dictates of the US, UK and the European Union is attempting to give oxygen and restart violence in Sri Lanka. It has to be clearly understood that excesses are bound to occur in war, but these don't amount to human rights violations.
A Sri Lankan with guts should be permitted to address the General Assembly and the Security Council, to expose Ban Ki-moon as a thoroughly unsavoury and unsuitable person to hold the post of Secretary General of the United Nations Organisation.
It is not the human rights violation that are really prodding the Western political leaders and the corrupt UN officials. Corruption is a new wind that is blowing across the UN and the Western world.
Inga-Britt Ahlenius, Under Secy General of the UN and a former Swedish Auditor-General, made a scathing attack on Ban Ki-moon's integrity. Having been associated with him for so long, she had every opportunity to determine the type of person he is, and that he is totally unfit to head the United Nations.
With all these allegations Moon has survived, thanks to his being shielded by corrupt Western Powers. Small wonder then, that he will not go against their dictates!
Inga-Britt Haleness in a 50-page states, "that the Secy General improperly refused to allow many of her office's audit reports to be made public, or to allow nearly all of its confidential investigative reports with evidence of potential criminal wrongdoing to be referred to prosecutors." She further states that he tried to take control of investigations. Her Office of Internal Oversight Services resisted his efforts to launch official probes into news leaks." She goes on, "the fact is that you are not upholding to the letter, nor to the spirit, the General Assembly's decision to ensure an operational oversight body in the interest of the organization. In this sense your actions are not only deplorable, but seriously reprehensible. No Secy General before you has questioned the authority delegated to the Head of OIOS to appoint the staff. Your action is without precedent and in my opinion seriously embarrassing to yourself." She further adds, "last year, similar criticism was voiced by Norway's UN Ambassador Mona Juul in another unusual personal attack on Ban." She adds, "the investigations led to an unprecedented number of misconduct findings by UN officials and prompted Federal probes into corruption."
This is the UN under Ban Ki-moon. Therefore no credibility or confidencd can be placed on a Report submitted by a panel unilaterally handpicked by him.
The writer is a President's Counsel


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Self-Evaluation and Transition Plans
MTC provides solutions to help solve disability law compliance challenges.
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires all city, county, and state programs and services to be accessible to everyone. Whether a program or service is provided in a building, park, or sprawling institution, it must comply with the ADA, or the consequences could be costly.
Contact MTC to help create your self-evaluation and transition plan.


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(Reuters) - CSX Corp customers, including chemical, automotive and steel producers, are still battling delays and congestion despite the railroad's assurances that it had moved past service disruptions, people familiar with the situation said.
The No. 3 U.S. railroad has halted all automobile shipments to or through its yard in Lordstown, Ohio, where new vehicles are unloaded from trains and trucked to dealerships, to give workers time to clear a backlog of rail cars and relieve congestion, according to a CSX email seen by Reuters.
CSX Assistant Vice President Maryclare Kenney apologized to customers in the email dated Sept. 8.
Such freight "embargos," more commonly associated with hurricanes and other disasters, can send companies scrambling to find alternate, usually higher-cost ways of getting products to market.
The Surface Transportation Board, the U.S. rail regulator, is due to host a hearing in Washington, D.C., over CSX's service on Oct. 11.
CSX spokesman Rob Doolittle said on Thursday that operations should return to normal in the near future.
The company emailed manufacturers about the Lordstown embargo on Sept. 8, two days after CSX executives said the railroad had made strides in fixing service problems in July and August.
"The railroad is now returning to a normal operating rhythm, and our performance metrics are improving," Chief Executive Officer Hunter Harrison said on Sept. 6, when the company also cut its earnings forecast.
Harrison, who took over as CEO in March after leading turnarounds of Canadian railroads, has vowed to cut costs and streamline efficiency through his "precision scheduled railroading" strategy. He has blamed delays on pushback from some employees.
General Motors Co, which builds the Chevy Cruze nearby and uses the facility, said on Wednesday that cars rolling out of its assembly plant continued to ship, but it declined further comment.
Six CSX employees told Reuters this week that Harrison's rapid-fire changes were responsible for persistent problems. They requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
Harrison closed rail yards, lengthened trains, mothballed locomotives, and cut overtime pay and hundreds of jobs, while changing the way rail cars are sorted in yards and replacing "unit" trains with one commodity like coal or grain with trains carrying diverse freight.
"We're back on our feet and committed to fully implementing our new operating model," Harrison said in a statement on Thursday. "We remain confident that Precision Scheduled Railroading will provide lasting benefits to our customers, our employees and our shareholders."
Doolittle said rail cars were spending less time idle than during the worst summer periods, and train velocity was essentially the same last week as it had been a year ago. He said customers had seen improvements.
Manufacturer JCI Jones Chemicals Inc withdrew its Aug. 31 notice to testify before the Surface Transportation Board after Harrison called to apologize for "transitional service issues" and to describe steps to quickly fix problems.
Phil McDivitt, chief executive officer of Houston-based plastics maker Ascend Performance Materials, said train transit times on multiple routes in place for years spiked in recent months by as much as 80 percent. He said the railroad had failed to communicate transit changes and at one point lost track for several days of tank cars carrying hazardous materials.
"CSX's service is failing its customers," McDivitt told the transportation board in a Sept. 13 letter seen by Reuters.
While Ascend has seen some improvements, a spokesman said, it has switched some freight to truckers and ordered staff to alert CSX customer service representatives as delays arise.
The American Chemistry Council trade group, which includes 3M Co, said CSX's problems continued to affect product shipments, including roof coating component titanium dioxide.
"Some areas have improved, but by and large, there are still serious service problems," spokesman Jeff Sloan said on Thursday. "In some cases, they have either caused members to shut down operations, or have brought them to the brink of shutting down."
Sloan said Disruptions had been felt through Cincinnati, Nashville, and New Orleans.
CSX spokesman Doolittle said terminals on the company's western corridor, including Nashville, were now fluid and showing improvement, adding, "Congestion in other areas has substantially recovered."
CSX, based in Jacksonville, Florida, was also hit by the flooding, power outages and debris from Hurricane Irma.
The company said on Thursday that it had been able to re-establish rail service in most of the U.S. Southeast within hours, and throughout most of Florida within one week.
Companies in the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers have complained within the last four weeks of shortages of empty rail cars, wayward shipments and massive delays, said group spokesman Wade Newton.
Steel Dynamics Inc has had delays in receiving scrap metal and shipping finished steel from Indiana, a CSX employee said. A Steel Dynamics representative declined to comment. Rail yards in Indiana and Ohio have been so clogged in recent days that cars are sitting in track sidings and workers commonly hit the legal limit of 12-hour shifts as they try to fix delays or fall prey to them, employees said.
At one point during the weekend of Sept. 9-10, one employee said, the Russell, Kentucky, yard had more than 2,000 cars sitting outside waiting to be processed.
Reporting by Eric M. Johnson in Seattle; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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US megachain Gamestop have never had much of a foothold here in the UK - they have a couple of shops but are tiddlers compared to big fish GAME. This may change.
Former high street kings Woolworths (no longer connected to the American company F.W. Woolworth) have fallen on hard times and gone into adminstration - Gamestop have spotted an opportunity and are reportedly set to bid for half of Woolworths' 815 UK outlets. This will instantly make them the UK's biggest games retailer,
A source told MCV, "GAME frustrated GameStop when it bought GameStation. Bosses at GameStop had pretty much given up on launching a UK assault – but now, thanks to Woolies, that door is open again."


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Proving that vandalism, arson, pepper spray, and throwing gobs of urine and feces is a working strategy, Antifa wins by silencing free speech.
Antifa wins when rallies are cancelled out of fear of what they might do. Their strategy is precisely to get conservatives to go silent out of fear, or else to get the authorities to cancel conservative events out of "safety concerns" or to help local businesses fearing property damage.
ACT for America has cancelled their America First rallies out of fear of violence. So Antifa can rejoice in a victory. Their labors are bearing fruit.
Breitbart reported, "Exclusive – 'America First Rallies' Canceled, Replaced with Online 'Day of ACTion' over Threat of Violence."
Trending: The Conservative Answer to Reforming the Criminal Justice Sysytem
ACT for America is canceling its America First Rallies, previously scheduled for Saturday, September 9, "out of an abundance of caution" due "to the recent violence in America and in Europe." The national security organization will instead replace the 67 rallies organized across 36 states with an online "Day of ACTion."
In a press release, exclusively given to Breitbart News, event organizers say the reason for making the difficult decision "is to contribute to the de-escalation of rising tension and violence in America while pursuing the organization's goal of a safe and secure America."
Read the press release at Breitbart.com.
The views expressed in this opinion article are solely those of their author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by EagleRising.com


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Personalised Kim Christmas Card
Make a loved one's day with a personalised Christmas card from Kim! Kim will personally sign your card and address it to the recipient of your choice, this will then be sent to the address you specify when you order. The card you will receive will be the 'I Don't Care If It's Christmas....Don't Start With Me' card*.
Kim will be signing cards once a week. They will then be dispatched via Royal Mail First Class within 3 working days and delivery is estimated within 1-3 working days after this. We have a limited number of these cards available.
As this is a personalised card, you will not also receive a signed postcard with this order.
If you order other items alongside your Personalised Card, these may be dispatched separately. You may have to wait to receive your other items. If you want your other items sooner please do separate orders.
Please fill in the fields above before adding the item to your basket. Kim only signs cards to a recipient from her, with birthday wishes, no other message requests are taken for this product.
*Card design could be changed at last minute due to stock levels.
Greeting Cards/Phone Accessories - £2.50
Mugs - £3.99
Clothing - £3.99
Personalised Videos - FREE
If you've ordered a personalised video this is a digital download and does not require shipping. As a result you will not get a free signed postcard with a video-only order. You also won't get one with a Personalised Card. Check the product page for when your download will be sent to you via a secure download link within 24 hours of the record date listed. Digital Downloads are non refundable. If you ordered other items with your video, or personalised cards, these will be fulfilled and delivered separately.
Signed postcards are only available with orders over £10, whilst stocks last.
Other items are delivered in 1-3 working days (most arrive within 1-3 working days, it can occasionally take longer than this, up to 10 working days - working days are Monday-Friday)
Delivery going to a work address? Once it's signed for we consider this as delivered and won't take any further enquiries on delivery
We need to be informed within a month of your order being dispatched if your order hasn't arrived, for a refund or a replacement to be offered.
We currently ship to Europe, USA, Canada, Thailand, New Zealand and Australia, please contact us if you're interested in us shipping to your location
Missed your delivery? Rearrange online via your tracking link or collect using the calling card left (you have a limited time to do this)
Delivery going to a work address? Once it's signed for we consider this as delivered and won't take any further enquiries on delivery
We need to be informed within a month of your order being dispatched if your order hasn't arrived, for a refund or a replacement to be offered.


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I have user form entering information into database. In the database I want to put the date and time into next column. If there is something in data column put the date and time (in 2 columns ?) if nothing there put "" .
Trying : =IF(P9>=0,"(today)","") but this only puts text in cell 'today'.
What have I got wrong. Have tried a few other combinations without luck.
You have "(today)" inside double quotes.
Excel treates text inside these double quotes as text - hence you get (today) displayed in the cell.
The Excel function is TODAY() (no quotes)
The formula becomes: =IF(P9>=0,TODAY(),"")
This will likely show as a number such as 40409
40409 is the Excel date number for 19 August 2010
You can then format the cell with a date format such as dd/mmm/yy
You can use NOW() to get date and time:
then format something like this: dd/mmm/yy hh:mm
There is also a problem with how you have used IF to test for an empty cell.
Empty cells often get treated as containing zero - Excel does a lot of 'implicit' conversions.
You IF function test is TRUE for empty cells - which is not what you want.
Try this: =IF(P9<>"",NOW(),"")
An alternative is to test if there is a number in the cell: =IF(ISNUMBER(P9),NOW(),"")
There is one other issue regarding using TODAY() or NOW() - both are 'volatile' functions, which means that they re-calculate every time any cell on the worksheet changes. This limits their use for time- or date-stamping.
It is possible to use a Visual Basic macro to time- or date-stamp cells. If that is what you need please look at this post
and come back if you need more help.
Hi Humar
Thanks for the reply. Very good. I did not realise that the dates would change (volotile) when entries made to sheet,
You mentioned date stamp. Is there a function for that ?
I will do some searching on Google.
Look at response #4 in the post I provided a link to.
It shows how to use Visual Basic and Excel's change events to time-stamp or date-stamp data when it is entered or changed.


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State Sen. Neil Riser, a Republican from Columbia, and Vance McAllister, a Republican businessman from Monroe, will compete against one another up to the Nov. 16 election, as Riser who finished with 33,045 votes — 32 percent and McAllister finished with 18,386 votes — 17.8 percent, made the 5th Congressional race runoff.
You say, McAllister, who?
McAllister is a political newbie and came in second out of 14 candidates and was rarely mentioned in pre-election poll offerings. Despite the hopes and the predictions from the Louisiana Democratic Party that a Democratic would be elected for the seat,unless there is a dramatic change, it again appears that Cedric Richmond will be the only Congressman from that party for the next two years after national elections.
You own it
The National Republican Senatorial Committee continues to pound Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu for her Obamacare support. While in other states, that strategy might not be as effective, in Louisiana, the republicans want to link her to President Obama, as much as possible.
There is good history for this approach. Republican Senator David Vitter ran against Obama and recently beat Democrat Congressman Charlie Melancon by high double digits.
However, according to recent polls, it appears that Landrieu might be extending her lead against her Republican opposition with one year left to go before the election.
And don't forget, as the 5th congressional district race has just shown, it's not over, until it's over.
Now, here from the the committee:
It wasn't long ago that Democrats swore that they were looking forward to campaigning on ObamaCare in 2014. They swore that they'd own ObamaCare and that it'd be a political strength. Not anymore!
The new game plan for Democrats on the ballot is to pretend that they aren't responsible for the train wreck. Don't take our word for it. "They shouldn't own responsibility for problems with the law or its implementation," one Democratic Party operative told Politico. The good news for Republicans? They could only get away with such a laughable strategy if the 60% of voters opposed to ObamaCare in states like Alaska, Louisiana, Arkansas and North Carolina let them. They can only get away with it if the media lets them.
Just this morning, Kaiser Health News reports, that thousands of consumers are receiving cancellation notices because of ObamaCare - shocking many consumers who believed President Barack Obama's promise that people could keep their plans if they liked them. "Health plans are sending hundreds of thousands of cancellation letters to people who buy their own coverage, frustrating some consumers who want to keep what they have and forcing others to buy more costly policies." CNN reports that others are coping with ObamaCare sticker shock. "Some people trolling for insurance on the exchanges are questioning why Obamacare is called the 'Affordable' Care Act. Many who were uninsured before are feeling forced to buy pricey insurance they don't want. Others who had bare-bones individual plans are seeing the premium prices soar because the Obamacare plans are more comprehensive."
Today President Obama is claiming that he too is frustrated by HIS signature law. He's blaming others for its problems. We expect every Democratic Senator and candidate running for reelection to follow suit. They will express faux frustration just like the President, but the reality is that Mary Landrieu is responsible for this train wreck. Mary Landrieu owns all of theglitches, all of the cost increases, all of the broken promises. ObamaCare is HER mistake. It's HER legacy.
House of Horrors
According to a recent poll from CNN, it's not so good to be a Congressional Republican.
Says CNN:
Fifty-four percent say it's a bad thing that the GOP controls the House of Representatives, up 11 points from last December, according to a new CNN/ORC International poll conducted after the end of the 16-day partial government shutdown -- the first time since the Republicans won back control of the House in the 2010 elections that a majority say their control of the chamber is bad for the country.
The poll also found that 63% of Americans think that Speaker of the House John Boehner should be replaced, a view shared by roughly half of all Republicans.
By a 44%-31% margin, people say they have more confidence in President Barack Obama rather than the GOP in Congress to deal with the major issues facing the country today. But 21% say they don't have confidence in either side.
Then, in Louisiana, my best guess would be that the majority of Louisiana voters would consider the Republican House vote to be a badge of honor.
Daily Numbers
And now, some national numbers from Ron Faucheux of Clarus
(among adults nationwide)
"Do you have more confidence in President Obama or in the Republicans in Congress to deal with the major issues facing the country today?"
Obama 44%
Republicans in Congress 31%
Both (vol.) 2%
Neither (vol.) 21%
(among adults nationwide)
"Do you think it is good for the country or bad for the country that the Republican Party is in control of the U.S. House of Representatives?"
October 2013:
Good for country 38%
Bad for country 54%
December 2012:
Good for country 51%
Bad for country 43%
"If you had to choose, would you rather see John Boehner remain as Speaker of the House, or would you rather see Boehner replaced as Speaker by another Republican?"
Boehner continue as Speaker 30%
Replace Boehner as Speaker 63%
(among likely voters statewide)
Mike Rounds (R) over Rick Weiland (D) +15
Republican primary:
Mike Rounds 46%
Stace Nelson 10%
Larry Rhoden 4%
Annette Bosworth 4%
Presidential job rating average based on the three most recently reported nationwide polls.
* CNN/ORC, Oct. 18-20
** Nielson Brothers, Oct. 2-6
D poll = conducted by organization generally associated with Democrats
R poll = conducted by organization generally associated with Republicans
NOLA knows
The Louisiana Democratic Party is blasting out a recent TP/NOLA editorial which opposes Governor Bobby Jindal's decision to refuse Medicaid money under the Affordable Care Act.
Think there is any chance that Governor Jindal will reverse this policy? Probably, as much of a possibility that President Obama will reverse his stance on Obamacare in any dramatic way. Plus, unless the administration can get its act together with a miserable rendition of a website rollout, don't expect Jindal or any of the Republican governors to back down.
Yet, from recent media reports, those states who created their own exchange system and websites are doing rather well in signing up new insureds to Obamacare
Gov. Jindal should take Medicaid money, put people over politics: Editorial
The Editorial Board, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune By The Editorial Board, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
on October 20, 2013 at 7:22 AM, updated October 21, 2013 at 12:31 AM
Gov. Jindal's refusal to accept almost $16 billion in extra Medicaid money was destined to hurt thousands of low-income Louisiana residents who lack health insurance. That has been clear for months, as study after study - including the state's own -- showed that tens of thousands of people would benefit if Louisiana accepted the Medicaid expansion that is part of President Obama's health care act.
But a new analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation puts the situation in stark terms: Without the expansion, 242,150 poor Louisiana residents won't have access to the insurance offerings the Affordable Care Act was designed to provide.
That includes 87 percent of the adults in Louisiana -- excluding the elderly -- who live in poverty. They don't qualify for Medicaid now because of the way the program was designed and funded. They earn too little to be able to afford to buy insurance on the new health care exchanges and aren't eligible for the Affordable Care Act's insurance tax credits.
And yet Gov. Jindal continues to reject the federal money that could help make them healthier and ease their financial burdens. He has provided various excuses, but it's hard to believe the rejection is anything but a political calculation.
The governor has long had aspirations to the White House. And although he told reporters Thursday that he hadn't made a decision about running in 2016, the launch of his new nonprofit -- America Next -- is fueling speculation that he might. If so, accepting $15.8 billion from President Obama's health care act probably wouldn't play well with some of his likely supporters.
What a shame if the governor's ambitions were to trump his own people's needs.
Historically, Medicaid eligibility has been restricted to children, their parents, the elderly and individuals who are disabled, Kaiser points out. Other adults weren't eligible in most states, no matter how poor they were. Even for families with young children, only the poorest parents have been covered in Louisiana.
The Affordable Care Act was written to change that and to close gaps in Medicaid by broadening coverage to a greater percentage of low-income residents.
But Gov. Jindal's rejection of the money means those residents are still out of luck in Louisiana.
That is a hard-hearted position. And it is one that other conservative governors have not been able to stick with. Ohio Gov. John Kasich, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett -- all Republicans who've opposed the Affordable Care Act -- agreed recently to take the Medicaid money. The reason is simple: It's good for the people they serve. Gov. Jindal ought to add his name to that list.
Lawmakers, health advocates and many others -- including our Editorial Board --have pushed for months for him to change his mind about the expansion. Those efforts have yet to succeed.
But the fight goes on, and it should keep going on. In September, two dozen ministers, doctors, nurses and public health advocates traveled by bus from New Orleans to Baton Rouge to call on Gov. Jindal to accept the Medicaid expansion. They carried 7,000 signatures gathered at churches in the New Orleans area.
Comments then by Dr. Don Erwin, the founder and CEO of the St. Thomas Community Health Center, were prophetic: "For those states that don't accept Medicaid expansion, that means the poorest of our people will not be eligible for anything. They won't be eligible for insurance exchanges, they won't be eligible for Medicaid, and they represent right now a real serious problem for our state."
Kaiser's new analysis shows just how serious the problem is.
Gov. Jindal has said he is opposed to the Medicaid expansion because of concerns about costs to the state and not wanting to have so many people on government-provided insurance. Would he really rather they have no insurance?
The state's costs for the expansion are minuscule. The federal government will pay 100 percent of the cost in the first three years, with the state paying no more than 10 percent after that.
Gov. Jindal's own Department of Health and Hospitals found that the state would save as much as $367.5 million over the first 10 yearsof the expansion. DHH's worst-case scenario is that Louisiana would have to spend as much as $1.71 billion over a decade.
But even $1.71 billion, if that amount proves true, is precious little compared with the benefits of providing almost a quarter of a million Louisianians health coverage.
The letters delivered to the governor by the ministers, doctors and other advocates in September emphasized that point. People are dying in our community because they lack health care, they said. There is no moral reason for Louisiana to refuse billions in federal dollars that could change that, they said.
No moral reason at all. Let Gov. Jindal know that. Call him. Email him. Get your friends and neighbors to do the same.
It's not right to leave all these people stranded when it would be so easy to help them.


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Step 5: Design Matters
Anyone who doesn't think the design of a prospective iPhone killer doesn't matter is kidding himself. The iPhone is a sleek, beautiful device. It fits easily in a pocket. Its screen is just big enough to enjoy a video on it. The glossy finish attracts those who care about a device's aesthetics. A prospective competitor needs to incorporate all those features into the design of its own device. It should be on the same level as the iPhone.
Step 6: Ditch the Physical Keyboard
I realize that many people have trouble with Apple's virtual keyboard, but you know what? It hasn't stopped the company from selling millions of iPhones. As nice as physical keyboards are, in the end user's mind they're a vestige of a different generation in mobile phones. Virtual keyboards are the future. And if a company thinks they're not efficient, they should find a way to improve it.
Step 7: Build Some Hype
Palm arguably did the best job of building hype around its product (aside from Apple, of course). The company made a big announcement. It excited all those in attendance. And it made the general public start caring about the Pre. The only problem with the Pre is that it failed to provide an experience that users wanted when it was released. Prior to that release, Palm made all the right moves.
Step 8: Make It a Launch 'Event'
Apple is a master at making a product launch an "event." Remember when the company's employees applauded everyone who left with an iPhone the year the phone was released? It was something memorable. It was an "experience." Apple is simply the best at providing an experience, whether it's through the company's iPhone or its retail outlets. The company that wants to compete with the iPhone must follow suit.
Step 9: Immediately Address Problems
Just because the product is launched, it doesn't mean that the company's work is done. The product needs to be supported. If issues arise (and they normally do), the company needs to make it clear to consumers that it will address those problems promptly. Once again, Apple has done the best job at this. When issues arise, it fixes them. The company has a track record of making it right. Competitors can't maintain "radio silence" the way Palm did with its Pre.
Step 10: Focus on the Apps
Once the product is released, it's incumbent upon companies to ramp up the number of apps available to users. Applications have become a key battleground in the mobile phone market. Without them, a company doesn't have a chance against Apple. But if it can deliver a viable number of apps that can compete against the iPhone, all that can change.
So while it's certainly possible for a company to beat the iPhone, it won't be easy. It will take work and money. But Apple shouldn't worry just yet. Things might change, but for now, there aren't any companies that can take it on.
10 Steps Toward the Difficult Task of Beating the iPhone - Page 2
Step 5: Design Matters


text: Social Media Facebook How to Set up a Shopify Store on Facebook Start selling on your Facebook page with Shopify by Brad Stephenson Freelance Contributor Brad Stephenson is a freelance tech and geek culture writer with 12+ years' experience. He writes about Windows 10, Xbox One, and cryptocurrency. our editorial process Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Brad Stephenson Updated on September 06, 2018 Adding a Shopify store to your Facebook page can be a great way to earn extra money or start a business. OJO Images Facebook Facebook Flipboard Pinterest Twitter Snapchat Instagram YouTube Online Dating Tweet Share Email One of the benefits of owning a Facebook page is it allows you to run a fully-functional Shopify store without requiring a completely separate website. By connecting Shopify and Facebook, you can list products and process orders all from the Facebook website or within the Facebook app. Here's how to get started. What You'll Need To create a Shopify store on Facebook, you'll need two things first: A Facebook page: A Facebook page is like a Facebook profile but it's used for brands and companies instead of individual, non-celebrity people. Anyone can create a Facebook page and they're completely free to make and run.A Shopify account: Shopify is a service that runs shopping software on different sites and apps. Shopify has a variety of different plans but, luckily, to open a basic Facebook Shopify store, all you need is their Shopify Lite plan, which only costs $9 a month. Connect Shopify to Facebook The first thing you'll need to do is to connect your Facebook account to your Shopify account, then connect your Shopify account to your Facebook page. Here's how to do it. The first thing you need to do is connect your Shopify account to your Facebook account. Go to the official Shopify website and login via the Login link in the top-right corner of the page.You should see a menu on the left side of the screen after logging in. Select Facebook.On the next page, select the blue Connect account button next to Facebook Page.A small window will pop up asking you to continue as your Facebook account. Select the blue Continue button to proceed.Another small window will pop up asking you to confirm the connection. Select the blue Okay button. Your Shopify and Facebook accounts should now be connected and the small window will automatically close.Back on the main Shopify account page, you should now see a new drop-down menu with the words Select Facebook Page on it. Select this to open it, then select the Facebook page you want your Shopify store to appear on. Once chosen, select the blue Connect page button.You'll be asked to accept the Facebook terms and conditions via another popup message. Select the blue Accept terms button to continue.At this point, your application to connect your Facebook page and Shopify store will have been submitted and you'll receive a message informing you Facebook will approve your store within the next 48 hours. Note: Shopify stores are often approved within minutes despite this 48-hour message. You'll receive an email informing you of your application's approval. Adding Products to Your Shopify Facebook Store Now that your Shopify account is connected to your Facebook page, you need to add some products to your store to activate it. After connecting your Facebook and Shopify accounts, you'll need to add some products to your store. From your Shopify account, select Facebook from the menu on the left side of the screen.From the same menu, select Account under Facebook.You will now see some basic information on your Facebook page's Shopify store and a highlighted message stating "You don't have any products. Add a product to enable your Facebook Shop." Select Add a product.You'll now be taken straight to a page where you can add your first product. For now, you just need to fill in some basic product information for this first product to get your store live.Note: You can always edit this product information later or even delete it entirely if you want. Give your product a name, description, a price, and enter any other additional information you may have such as barcode, weight, etc. Make sure to upload an image for your product. When you're ready, select Save product at the bottom of the page.Next, select Products from the menu on the left.Check the box next to your newly created product and from the drop-down menu named Actions. Select Make products available.A small window will pop up with a list of places to make your product available on. Make sure the box next to Facebook is checked, then press the blue Okay button. Your product should now be live on your Facebook page, though it can take a few minutes for the change to process on new pages. To add more products to your new Facebook shop, simply repeat these steps. Check Your Facebook Shopify Store To see your Shopify store on your Facebook page, simply open the Facebook page in a web browser and select the Shop link from the menu on the left side of the screen under your page's name and profile image. It can take between a few minutes to half an hour for the shop to appear if you've recently added products to it.


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Use the tools below to refine your search by only displaying reviews with a certain number of star ratings or to only show reviews from a certain time period. Eg click on '1 star' to just display the reviews we have which received a 1 star rating click or 'Within the last month' to display just reviews posted over the last month.
Written on: 24/09/2009 by larryjordin (24 reviews written)
One of the best strategy games I played (next to star craft). Command & Conquer Red Alert 2 has a different twist and different excitement level too. I highly recommend it to everyone. You should also try Red Alert 3, this is the 3D version, although the countries involved are only 3… Read Full Review
Written on: 09/09/2009 by digitalspy99 (2 reviews written)
Command and conquer red alert 2 is one of the best classical strategy games. It was the first strategy game I played and became addicted to. Before this, I didn't liked strategy games. there are a number of sides you can choose from. Each side has its own specialty in arms. One is good in ground attack while on the other hand, another may be good in air superiority. You never get bored. You can play missions or skirmishes. Even if you get bored, you can go online and compete there. Best… Read Full Review
Written on: 27/11/2008
OSkirmishes are brill
Story are pretty good
Overall it is good apart from the online. I prefer the soviet story because you get better weapons. It is also pretty addictive. If you were to buy it (if you haven't already), I am 90 percent sure you will like it… Read Full Review
Written on: 01/07/2005 by felixtang (10 reviews written)
Command & Conquer Red Alert 2 is one of the best futuristic RTS game. It's very much worth the wait to buy, even though it came out 5 years ago. The graphics are very detailed, and the missions are fun to play… Read Full Review
Written on: 14/01/2005 by jasonwebb (9 reviews written)
Command & Conquer Red Alert 2 is one of the all time classic strategy games. Unless you have been locked away in a cell for the last 10 years (and i am sorry if you have), there is no way that you could not have heard of Westwood Studios. They pretty much single handedly created the real time strategy genre with the advent of Dune 2 back in 1992. Off the back of this, the Command & Conquer series was released, with the second in the series being Red Alert, which on its own spawned four add on… Read Full Review
Written on: 02/02/2007
I totally agree with you. You know a lot about the Command & Conquer Red Alert 2 PC game.
Written on: 23/07/2004 by Assburn05 (1 review written)
Command & Conquer Red Alert 2 - The Game is Great, Great, Great.
When you get bored of the missions and skirmishes, play online with non-stop action. Take command of one of the nine nations like: America, Korea, France, Germany, Great Britian, Libya, Iraq, Cuba, and Russia.
Every nation has its own special unit of structure.
Use your Air Units, Ground Units, and Naval units to destroy the enemy.
Complete the missions successfully and get some medals… Read Full Review
Written on: 05/05/2004 by Anar448 (5 reviews written)
I love real time strategy games. I have been playing Command & Conquer since it came out. Red Alert 2 I have to say is one of the best ones. The only one that even compares to this game is Command & Conquer Renegade. I don't even like Command & Conquer Generals this much. Yes, it might have better graphics but the game play sucks compared to Command & Conquer Red Alert 2. This is also a great online multiplayer game… Read Full Review
Written on: 22/03/2004 by OldNol (9 reviews written)
Command & Conquer Red Alert 2 has good graphics and is good value for money. The computer (AI) opponents can be very good and test your skills and tactics whilst giving you some surprises.
Human opponents over the net are a bit disappointing though. Many players 'rush' their opponents and games can be too short especially when games are included in the world rankings.
Highly addictive game that I strongly recommend… Read Full Review
Written on: 01/03/2004 by Dylanator (8 reviews written)
Command & Conquer Red Alert 2 is one of the best computer games of all time. With all of the objectives to beat and expansions to collect, you'll be spending quite some time trying to beat it. And everyone needs a good challenge for themselves, right? Well, this game takes care of that.
I like to go on skirmish as Iraq and blast the opponent's opponents' base with the toxic radiation of the desolaters. Paratrooping is also fun along with blimps.
Sending about 10 blimps over and bombing your… Read Full Review
Written on: 11/02/2004 by lukyeah (4 reviews written)
Command & Conquer Red Alert 2 is a very cheap game, at $10.00. But the thing is, it's awesome! Red Alert 2 puts you as the commander of either the Soviets or the USA's army. You get to plan complicated stradegies and when you are reading about WWII in S.S., you can say your (very) cool teacher assigned this to you.
The replay value of this game is VERY high, there are 2 discs with a mission and skirmish mode on it. There are a lot of missions and the skirmish battles are fun because they are… Read Full Review
Written on: 18/05/2001 by Matt Labunda. (1 review written)
Red Alert 2 is a very good game with excellent graphics and it is very addictive. Fans of the original will love this game. I have had Red Alert 2 for a long time and managed to complete the Allied levels but the Soviet ones remain untouched, as it jams my PC.
9/10… Read Full Review
Written on: 01/03/2002
It's still not as good as red alert 1. You can't see as much of the map and production speed doesn't increase when you buy several barracks or whatever.
Written on: 23/04/2003
Actually they have updated red alert 2 so when you make more than 1 barracks etc it does increase production speed.
Written on: 24/11/2002
The reason you wont build faster is because it prevents "bum" rushes. so you can't build 100 tanks :) and blow the hell outta them. Now you gotta sit and fight
Written on: 22/01/2001 by Paul. (1 review written)
The game graphics and playability are excellent. This IS the best game I have ever played but there is room for improvement. There should be more than three difficulty levels. The AI could make better use of available weapons. It has learnt a few tricks but once you know what they are you can be prepared for them.
Red Alert 1 was a tanks game but this game is much more dependant on buying the higher tech weapons.
I want to give this game a 10/10 but have to hold back because there is room for… Read Full Review
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Gov. Stitt Establishes Cabinet
The new cabinet structure made several changes from the previous cabinet formed by Gov. Mary Fallin.
The previous Secretary of Finance position is now divided into three positions focused on agency accountability, transparency, and modernization. The responsibilities of this role is now spread across the following titles: Secretary of Agency Accountability, Secretary of Budget, and Secretary of Digital Transformation and Administration.
The Secretary of Health and Human Services is now divided into two positions. The Stitt administration has a Secretary of Health and Mental Health and a Secretary of Human Services and Early Childhood Initiatives.
The Secretary of Education has been rolled into the Secretary of State title so that this cabinet position can focus on the holistic picture of education while pursuing a collaborative relationship with the elected State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
The previous Secretary of Tourism and Commerce position is now divided into two secretaries, with a new position of Secretary of Tourism and Branding and with a second position that couples workforce development with job recruitment under the Secretary of Commerce and Workforce Development.
While the cabinet officers are appointed by the Governor, they must be confirmed by the Oklahoma Senate. The Senate has moved slowly in confirming Gov. Stitt's appointments to his cabinet, along with heads of state agencies and various boards and commissions. As the middle of April approached, just two of the 66 appointments had been approved. After a new law went into effect that gave the governor the power to hire and fire the heads of five major state agencies, Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat formed a bipartisan working group to study ways to make the Senate confirmation process more robust, rather than approving appointments with little review as has been the practice in the past. With those recommendations in hand, and the May 31 deadline for the end of this year's legislative session approaching, Treat pledged to move ahead with confirmation at a quicker pace.
Secretary of State and Education
In his first cabinet appointment, Gov. Stitt nominated former state Rep. Michael Rogers as Secretary of State and Education. "Michael Rogers played a leading role in securing an historic pay raise for Oklahoma's teachers, and his time in leadership makes him uniquely qualified to work with the Legislature on my administration's policy priorities of Oklahoma," said Stitt. Rogers was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 2014, reelected in 2016, but opted not to seek reelection in 2018. He had a 47% cumulative average on the Oklahoma Conservative Index.
Secretary of Energy and Environment
Gov. Stitt appointed Kenneth Wagner to serve as Secretary of Energy and Environment. At the time of his appointment, Wagner served as the Senior Advisor to the Administrator for Regional and State Affairs at the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Prior to working at the EPA, Wagner served as founding partner and managing partner at the Tulsa law firm Latham, Wagner, Steele & Lehman, P.C. Wagner graduated from the University of Tulsa College of Law in 1993. "During his time at EPA, Ken was at the forefront of our efforts to work more closely with states and tribes to ensure clean air, water, and land for all Americans," said Stitt.
Secretary of Agriculture
Gov. Stitt nominated Blayne Arthur as Secretary of Agriculture. "Blayne Arthur is a deeply respected leader in Oklahoma agriculture, known for her excellence in public service, her entrepreneurial spirit, and her passion mentoring youth," said Stitt. Arthur served as the Executive Director of the Oklahoma 4-H Foundation. Prior to her time at the foundation, she worked for the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry for 8 years and served as Deputy Commissioner from 2012 to 2016. Alongside her husband and two young children, Arthur also runs a farm and family business, providing show cattle for young future farmers and ranchers involved in 4-H and FFA.
Commerce and Workforce Development
For the new position of Secretary of Commerce and Workforce Development, Gov. Stitt appointed Sean Kouplen. He will serve on the governor's cabinet in an unpaid capacity, casting vision for the Commerce Department and playing a strategic leadership role in recruiting business growth and in the development of Oklahoma's workforce. Kouplen will continue as Chairman and CEO of Regent Bank in Tulsa. Under Kouplen's leadership, the bank has grown in size from $72 million to almost $600 million in assets since 2008. Kouplen holds B.S. and M.B.A. degrees from Oklahoma State University.
Secretary of Tourism and Branding
Gov. Stitt appointed Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell to the new position of Secretary of Tourism and Branding. In addition to serving as Secretary of Tourism and Branding, Pinnell will sit on the Department of Commerce executive committee and lead the department's effort to maximize Oklahoma's Opportunity Zones, of which 117 have been designated in Oklahoma by the Trump administration. Pinnell was sworn in as the 17th Lieutenant Governor of the State of Oklahoma on January 14. Pinnell also runs a small business with his wife, Lisa, an entrepreneur and inventor. Prior to his election as Lieutenant Governor, Pinnell served as Director of State Parties for the Republican National Committee from 2013 to 2017. He previously served as chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party. He is a graduate of Oral Roberts University with a degree in Advertising.
Secretary of Transportation
Tim Gatz was nominated to be Secretary of Transportation. Gatz has served as the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) since June of 2016. He previously served as Deputy Director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) from 2013 to 2016. He has more than two decades of service with ODOT, beginning his career with the agency as a Drafting Technician in 1990. Gatz was instrumental in the development of ODOT's project management methodologies and Eight-year Construction Work Plan. Gatz earned a bachelor's degree in Landscape Architecture from Oklahoma State University in 1989 and is a registered professional landscape architect.
Secretary of Agency Accountability
Gov. Stitt hired John Budd as Chief Operating Officer (COO), a new role in the governor's office that Stitt campaigned on as a position tasked with diagnosing and helping state agencies deliver efficient, customer-focused services. Stitt also appointed Budd as the Secretary of Agency Accountability. "In my conversation with governors from across the nation, I heard many credit their success to the hiring of a Chief Operating Officer in their administrations, a model not currently implemented in Oklahoma. This new COO role will be key to fulfilling my campaign commitment of delivering efficient, customer-centered government throughout our 120 agencies," said Stitt.
John Budd was most recently the executive vice president, chief strategy and business development officer for the Oklahoma City-based Sonic, America's Drive-In. Budd joined Sonic in 2013 after 16 years with the Boston Consulting Group, where he served as a partner and managing director. In that role, he worked with leading companies in the energy, industrial goods, consumer goods, retail, restaurant, and education sectors to help them grow, become more efficient, and provide better customer service. Budd earned his bachelor's degree in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He also received his M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He serves on the Board for the Oklahoma City National Memorial Foundation and is the incoming Chair of the Oklahoma Academy for State Goals.
Secretary of Budget
Former state Senator Mike Mazzei was appointed to the newly created cabinet position of the Secretary of Budget. Mazzei will be responsible for preparing and finalizing the governor's annual state budget, providing oversight of its implementation, and giving counsel for the state's financial strategy. Mazzei is the president of Tulsa Wealth Advisors and is a certified financial planner. Mazzei served in the Oklahoma Senate from 2004 to 2016. During his time in the legislature, Mazzei chaired the Senate Finance Committee for 10 years. His major accomplishments as a state senator include: fixing the broken pensions system in the state, eliminating the special retirement benefit for elected officials, authoring the Quick Action Closing Fund, and authoring the 21st Century Quality Jobs Program. During his time in the Oklahoma Senate, he had a 64% cumulative average on the Oklahoma Conservative Index. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from George Mason University and a Master of Science in Personal Financial Planning from the College for Financial Planning.
Secretary of Digital Transformation and Administration
David Ostrowe was nominated to the new position of Secretary of Digital Transformation and Administration. Ostrowe will serve on the governor's cabinet in an unpaid capacity, placing a strategic emphasis on digital transformation in the delivery of services across all agencies. He will also provide oversight of state financial institutions, similarly executed by the cabinet title of "Secretary of Finance" seen in the previous administration.
Ostrowe will continue as the President and CEO of O&M Restaurant Group. In 1999, Ostrowe launched his first business in Oklahoma City. That business grew from a one-man shop to what it is now a $65 million, multi-unit and multi-state operation with 1,000 employees. Previously, Ostrowe was a member of Burger King Corporation's Restaurant Counsel for eight years and Chair Emeritus for "The Growth Group," a Burger King franchisee association made up of large quick service restaurant developers throughout the United States. Ostrowe is also a past Professor of Business, teaching two to three classes per semester at OU's Price Business School.
Secretary of Native American Affairs
Gov. Stitt appointed Lisa J. Billy as Secretary of Native American Affairs. Billy currently serves in the Chickasaw Nation Legislature, a seat she has held since 2016. She previously served in the Chickasaw Nation Legislature from 1996 to 2002. She also served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 2004 to 2016. During her time in the Oklahoma House, she had a 56% cumulative average on the Oklahoma Conservative Index. She formed the Native America Caucus in the Oklahoma Legislature in 2006. She holds a B.A. from Northeastern State University and an M.Ed from the University of Oklahoma.
Secretary of Public Safety
Gov. Stitt named Chip Keating to serve as the Secretary of Public Safety. Anthony Francis "Chip" Keating III, 39, served as an Oklahoma State Trooper from May 2001 to August 2004 and is a Director and Gubernatorial appointee of the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System. He has been a principal with Keating Investments, a real estate and oil and gas investment company, since March 2010. He was the Real Estate Development Manager for Chesapeake Energy Corporation in Oklahoma City from March 2007 to March 2010. While at Chesapeake, he closed and transacted over $850 million in real estate transactions ranging from corporate headquarters, sale leasebacks, field offices, investment properties, and raw land in urban natural gas plays for drill sites. Prior to joining Chesapeake, Keating worked as a commercial real estate broker with Trammell Crow Company from August 2004 to March 2007. While at Trammell Crow Company, he specialized in tenant representation and investment sales. Keating received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University. He is the son of former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating.
Secretary of Science and Innovation
Dr. Kayse Shrum will serve as the Secretary of Science and Innovation. She earned a doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine and has completed executive leadership and management training programs at Harvard University and Stanford University. She joined the medical school faculty at the OSU Center for Health Sciences (OSU-CHS) in 2002. In 2011, she was named provost of OSU-CHS and dean of the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine and served in that capacity until her promotion to president in 2013. President Shrum holds the George Kaiser Family Foundation Chair in Medical Excellence and Service and the Saint Francis Health System Endowed Chair of Pediatrics.
Under her leadership, student enrollment at OSU-CHS has more than doubled as new academic programs have been established to meet the healthcare workforce needs of Oklahoma. She also spearheaded the creation of Oklahoma's largest and most technologically advanced hospital simulation center. A strong supporter of collaborative partnerships, President Shrum worked with Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Bill John Baker and his administration to establish the Nation's first tribally affiliated medical school, the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation. President Shrum has also launched award-winning high school recruiting programs like Operation Orange and Blue Coat to White Coat, established the Rural Medical Track curriculum, and expanded the number of residency training programs in Oklahoma by securing support from the Oklahoma Legislature, Oklahoma Health Care Authority and Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust.
Secretary of Health and Mental Health
Gov. Stitts nominated Jerome Loughridge as Secretary of Health and Mental Health. Loughridge is a native of Duncan, Oklahoma, who graduated with a B.A. from Baylor University in 1995. Following a year at Children's Memorial Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, Loughridge attended Harvard University where he earned a Master of Public Policy degree in 1998. In 2000, Loughridge became Chief of Staff at Baylor University, serving on the executive council of the institution and helping drive Baylor 2012, the university's ten-year vision. In 2003, he was selected to the White House Fellowship, the Nation's preeminent program for leadership and public service.
Loughridge began a career in the energy sector in 2006 and has maintained executive leadership positions in the oilfield services segment since. He first served as Chief Operating Officer of Great White Energy Services. In 2009, Loughridge became President of Black Mesa Energy Services, and since 2012, he has served as President of Great Plains Oilfield Rental.
A Spanish speaker, Loughridge maintains an ongoing commitment to mission and humanitarian activity, regularly traveling to Central America and East Africa and where he has taught in universities and remote villages and has helped coordinate rural healthcare delivery through temporary clinics.
Secretary of Human Services and Early Childhood Initiatives
Steve Buck was nominated to serve as the Secretary of Human Services and Early Childhood Initiatives. Buck will be responsible for 34 agencies, boards and commissions, including the Department of Human Services and Oklahoma Juvenile Affairs (OJA). He previously served the state as Secretary of Health and Human Services under the Fallin administration, and as OJA's executive director, Buck has been responsible for the overall management of the agency's operated and contracted programs and services. He works directly with the agency's governing board to facilitate agency priorities, planning and operational performance. Before joining OJA, Buck served nine years as deputy commissioner for communications and prevention at the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. Prior to that, he worked 10 years for NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, in multiple roles, including national director of state policy and executive director of NAMI Oklahoma. A native Oklahoman, he is a graduate of Oklahoma State University with a bachelor's degree in agricultural economics and a masters in administration leadership from the University of Oklahoma.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Military
Gov. Stitt's final cabinet position appointment was Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Militay. That position was left open for a time after Stitt's original pick for that post, Brian Brurud, withdrew his nomination. Stitt later appointed retired Air Force Gen. Ben Robinson to the post. Gen. Robinson is the Owner/President of Sentry One LLC, an aerospace industry consulting company specializing in a wide spectrum of expertise from military command and control operations to the growth and sustainment of American aerospace through investments in workforce development, business development and leadership. Prior to his current positions, he served as the Executive Director of the Boeing Aerospace Operations, Oklahoma City Boeing Site. Robinson was responsible for supporting the programs and functions assigned to the Oklahoma City site, a role that covered over 2,100 employees in 70 locations worldwide.
He retired from active duty with the U.S. Air Force as a Brigadier General in 2002. His nearly 34 years of active duty service includes combat operations in both the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Army. He commanded two flying wings, a flying group and a space center. He was a Director on the Air Staff in Washington DC and the Vice Commander of 8th Air Force. He held a command pilot rating with nearly 5,000 flying hours and over 150 combat missions. He earned a bachelor's degree in Industrial Management from Eastern New Mexico University and a master's degree in Industrial Management from Central Michigan University. In addition, he completed a one year course of study with MIT as an International Relations Fellow.