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A structurally unrelated mimic of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa acyl-homoserine lactone quorum-sensing signal
Contributed by E. Peter Greenberg, September 22, 2006
The pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa uses acyl-homoserine lactone quorum-sensing signals to coordinate the expression of a battery of virulence genes in a cascade of regulatory events. The quorum-sensing signal that triggers the cascade is N-3-oxo-dodecanoyl homoserine lactone (3OC12-HSL), which interacts with two signal receptor-transcription factors, LasR and QscR. This signal is base labile, and it is degraded by mammalian PON lactonases. We have identified a structurally unrelated triphenyl mimic of 3OC12-HSL that is base-insensitive and PON-resistant. The triphenyl mimic seems to interact specifically with LasR but not with QscR. In silico analysis suggests that the mimic fits into the 3OC12-HSL-binding site of LasR and makes key contacts with LasR. The triphenyl mimic is an excellent scaffold for developing quorum-sensing inhibitors, and its stability and potency make it ideal for biotechnology uses such as heterologous gene expression.
In the past decade, it has become increasingly clear that bacteria communicate through small molecule signals. Because this signaling allows bacteria to coordinate group activities and to sense their population density, it has become known as quorum sensing and response (1, 2). Many Gram-negative bacteria use acyl-homoserine lactones (acyl-HSL) as signals. These molecules are synthesized by acyl-HSL synthases of the LuxI family and bind to coevolved acyl-HSL receptor-transcription factors of the LuxR family (3). In Pseudomonas aeruginosa, there are two acyl-HSL synthases and three receptors. The LasI protein generates N-3-oxo-dodecanoyl homoserine lactone (3OC12-HSL) (4). There are two 3OC12-HSL receptors (5–7). These are the LasR protein, which is a virulence determinant, and QscR, which activates a small number of genes compared with LasR. The lasR gene is linked to lasI and is considered to be the cognate receptor for 3OC12-HSL. The qscR gene is unlinked and is considered an orphan 3OC12-HSL responsive receptor. The other signal synthase, RhlI, generates C4-HSL, and the C4-HSL receptor is called RhlR (8). The RhlI-R system requires induction by 3OC12-HSL and LasR (9, 10). The C4-HSL signal is easily synthesized chemically, is commercially available, and is resistant to degradation by mammalian PON enzymes. Unfortunately, the key signal 3OC12-HSL is more difficult to synthesize chemically, and it is not currently available from commercial vendors. The lack of 3OC12-HSL availability is a major impediment to research on P. aeruginosa quorum sensing and to the development of biotechnology applications of this quorum-sensing system.
Because 3OC12-HSL quorum-sensing controls a battery of virulence factors (11–13) and is important for the progression of P. aeruginosa infection in laboratory animals (14–17), there has been considerable effort in identifying inhibitors of the LasR response to 3OC12-HSL. Among the many efforts, we recently used an ultrahigh-throughput screen to search for inhibitors in a library of 200,000 compounds (18). The screen identified both inhibitors and activators of the LasR-dependent fluorescent reporter signal. One of the activators, TP-1, seems to function as a signal mimic of the natural LasR activator. A comparison of the structure of TP-1, a commercially available triphenyl compound (see Methods), and several analogs that will be discussed in Results are shown in Fig. 1. Here, we present data to support the notion that the triphenyl mimic interacts with LasR at the HSL-binding site, and we show that a compound similar to TP-1 serves as an inhibitor of LasR activity.
The Triphenyl Signal Mimic TP-1 Functions Through LasR.
The triphenyl compound TP-1 was first identified in the process of screening for inhibitors of quorum sensing in P. aeruginosa (18). Screening was performed with a LasR-dependent promoter controlling expression of a fluorescent reporter, yfp, under conditions in which both activators and inhibitors could be detected. We first sought to determine whether the triphenyl signal mimic functions by means of an interaction with LasR as does the authentic 3OC12-HSL signal. Both 3OC12-HSL and TP-1 activate transcription of a LasR-dependent rsaL-yfp fusion (pUM15) in P. aeruginosa MW1, a mutant that cannot synthesize acyl-HSLs (Fig. 2). Of note, the maximal response to the mimic was comparable to the 3OC12-HSL response and the mimic functioned at concentrations about one-tenth the concentrations of 3OC12-HSL required for a response (Table 1). In a P. aeruginosa mutant lacking LasR, neither 3OC12-HSL nor the mimic activated the fluorescent reporter (data not shown). LasR dependence could also be shown in the heterologous Escherichia coli strain Top10F′/pPROLasR/pUM15, which harbors the LasR-dependent YFP-reporter as well as a plasmid expressing LasR under plac control. Under isopropyl β-d-thiogalactoside (IPTG) induction, i.e., in the presence of LasR, both 3OC12-HSL and TP-1 induced the reporter (Fig. 3). In the absence of LasR, neither 3OC12-HSL nor TP-1 activated fluorescence (data not shown). Thus, as is the case with 3OC12-HSL, the mimic exerts its effect through LasR.
The interaction of TP-1 with LasR was further demonstrated by stabilization of soluble protein during heterologous expression of LasR. LasR expressing cultures of E. coli were grown in the presence of (i) no addition, (ii) 5 μM 3OC12-HSL, or (iii) 5 μM TP-1 according to a protocol optimized for yields of soluble LasR (19). Expression levels of total LasR were similar under all three conditions as confirmed by SDS/PAGE. However, in the absence of any added signal molecule, no soluble LasR was detected. Only when the native signal or TP-1 were added to the culture medium, was there LasR in the soluble fraction. This finding suggests that TP-1 can stabilize LasR during or after the folding process in a manner similar to 3OC12-HSL. Gel shift assays with crude extracts confirmed that LasR was not only soluble but in an active conformation (Fig. 4).
An Array Analysis Demonstrates That TP-1 Acts on Multiple LasR-Dependent Promoters in P. aeruginosa.
If the triphenyl compound functions as a true mimic of 3OC12-HSL, then substituting TP-1 for 3OC12-HSL should lead to activation of the same regulon as that activated by 3OC12-HSL. Thus, we performed transcript-profiling experiments on the P. aeruginosa signal-generation mutant MW1 grown with or without the mimic. We used conditions similar to those we have used previously but supplemented the growth medium with TP-1 (10 μM) instead of 3OC12-HSL (2 μM). In our previous analysis, we identified 86 3OC12-HSL-induced genes at a culture density of 2 (600 nm) (11). With the exception of one operon (PA1891–1897), all but two of these 86 genes were activated at least 2.5-fold as compared with transcript levels in cells grown without signal (Table 2, which is published as supporting information on the PNAS web site). Interestingly, the PA1891–1897 operon was recently shown to be controlled by QscR specifically and not by LasR (6, 7). Thus, we conclude that TP-1 can substitute for 3OC12-HSL in the case of LasR, but it is specific for LasR and it does not seem capable of replacing 3OC12-HSL as a QscR ligand.
The Triphenyl Signal Mimic TP-1 Is Specific for LasR.
Results from our microarray experiments indicate that the signal mimic can function with LasR, but not with QscR. We confirmed this conclusion by testing TP-1 in a heterologous expression system specific for signaling through QscR. An E. coli strain that overexpresses QscR and harbors lacZ (6, 7) under control of the PA1897 promoter showed β-galactosidase activity only in the presence of 3OC12-HSL, but not in the presence of TP-1 (Fig. 3).
The natural signal 3OC12-HSL can function with either QscR or LasR, but it does not activate heterologous LuxR homologs that respond to other acyl-HSL signals. We tested for the ability of TP-1 to modulate other members of the LuxR family in recombinant E. coli containing plasmids and reporters capable of detecting signaling through RhlR or Vibrio fischeri LuxR. As a control, we used recombinant E. coli-containing plasmids coding for LasR and containing the LasR-responsive rsaL-yfp fusion. The mimic functioned with LasR specifically (Fig. 3).
TP-1 Is Stable to Base and Enzymatic Degradation.
The natural 3OC12-HSL signal is base sensitive and is degraded by animal lactonases in the PON family (20, 21). The instability presents a number of limitations for biotechnology innovation and it limits experimental designs. For example, the induction of LasR-dependent genes cannot be studied in growth media under basic conditions, and results can be confounded if the pH changes during culture growth. Also, addition of 3OC12-HSL to animal systems can give complicated results from exposure to PON lactonases. It is thus difficult to imagine uses of acyl-HSL induction systems for heterologous expression in animals or animal cell systems. Therefore, it is important to determine whether the triphenyl mimic showed sensitivities to base treatment and PON activity similar to those of 3OC12-HSL. Whereas a 12-h incubation at pH 8 almost completely inactivated the natural signal, this treatment did little to the activity of the mimic. In fact the mimic was relatively stable at pH 9 (Fig. 5 a). Furthermore, as expected, the natural signal was rapidly degraded by human PON1, but the mimic was not (Fig. 5 b).
Modeling Suggests That TP-1 and 3OC12-HSL Bind in a Similar Fashion to LasR.
By using the structure of the only crystallized LasR homolog, TraR (22), we modeled the structure of the active site of LasR. The TraR protein responds to 3-oxo-octanoyl-HSL (3OC8-HSL), and the crystal structure was determined for the TraR cocomplex with 3OC8-HSL. Because the amino acid residues in the LasR and TraR active sites show significant identity (70%), the 3D model of the LasR active site closely resembles the x-ray structure of the TraR-active site. Therefore, the coordinates of the ligand, 3OC8-HSL, from the TraR x-ray structure were transferred directly to the LasR model. The potential interactions of the homoserine lactone head with LasR and TraR seem to be identical. The triphenyl mimic could be docked into the putative active site, resembling 3OC8-HSL both in space occupied and in the potential hydrogen bond interactions with Asp-73 and Trp-60 of the polypeptide (Fig. 6). To examine the importance of the putative hydrogen bond interactions for activation of LasR, two inhibitors, PD12 and V-06-018 (18), were also docked into the active site. Neither of the inhibitors made both hydrogen bond contacts with the protein. None of the PD12 models made either of the contacts, and some of the V-06-018 models made the hydrogen bond interaction with Trp-60, but none with Asp-73.
Select Analogs of TP-1 Can Inhibit or Activate LasR.
The mimic might represent a class of compounds capable of interacting at the active site of LasR, some of which are agonists and some of which are antagonists. To gain insights about whether related molecules can interact with LasR, we performed an in silico docking analysis of compounds in the Available Chemical Database (ACD) from Elsevier MDL to the modeled LasR-HSL-binding site. Of the top 200 scoring compounds, 14 were selected for study based on their similarity to the triphenyl compound, TP-1. All of the 14 compounds lacked a nitro-group. Nine compounds contained a benzoate ester like TP-1, whereas 5 contained a benzamide instead (Fig. 1). Three of the 9 benzoate-ester derivatives functioned as weak activators (TP-2, TP-3, TP-4; Table 1), and one of the 5 benzamides (TP-5) inhibited weakly. Inhibition by TP-5 was maximally 90% with an IC50 of ≈50 μM. Of interest, those benzamides that show agonist activity (TP-2, TP-3, TP-4) are predicted to make the Trp-60 and Asp-73 hydrogen bonds. In contrast, the inhibitor TP-5 is predicted to make only the Asp-73 bond. We suggest that both activators and inhibitors of LasR bind at the same site, but only compounds which make key hydrogen bond contacts with both Trp-60 and Asp-73 can serve as activators, presumably by inducing a conformation that allows LasR to regulate quorum-sensing controlled genes, perhaps through optimal interaction with the RNA polymerase. These studies suggest that the TP-1 mimic represents a class of compounds that are capable of interacting at the active site of LasR, some of which are agonists and some of which are antagonists.
Our identification of a mimic that can substitute for the natural P. aeruginosa quorum-sensing signal 3OC12-HSL by interacting with the transcription factor LasR is of interest for several reasons. First, this mimic is structurally unrelated to the natural signal. Second, the mimic is even more specific than is 3OC12-HSL. LasR is a member of the LuxR family of acyl-HSL-responsive transcription factors, which have all evolved to respond to acyl-HSL signals. There are two 3OC12-HSL-responsive transcription factors in P. aeruginosa; LasR and QscR. Our evidence indicates that the triphenyl molecule is specific to LasR. It does not activate QscR or in fact the LasR homologs from other bacteria we tested. It shows LasR specificity that is superior to the natural signal and it is more potent than the natural signal. Third, the mimic is not degraded by the mammalian PON1 enzyme or under environmental conditions that cause rapid inactivation of the natural signal. Thus, the mimic is a useful tool for manipulating LasR under environmental conditions where the natural signal is ineffective. Acyl-homoserine lactone signaling has been explored as a means for heterologous expression in eukaryotic cells (23–25). The stability and potency of TP-1 make it an ideal substitute for activating such a system.
We also show that the mimic can be modeled into a predicted signal-binding site in LasR. By performing in silico docking studies, we identified related compounds with either agonist or antagonist activity. Modeling the interactions of these compounds suggests there are two specific ligand-LasR interactions, Trp-60 and Asp-73 hydrogen bonds, which influence whether a compound serves as an activator of LasR or an inhibitor. This suggestion provides a strategy for rational design of additional modulators of the LuxR family of quorum-sensing proteins. Such modulators have potential therapeutic value, will be useful tools to investigate bacterial signaling and could be applied in heterologous expression systems including plant or mammalian cells.
Acyl-homoserine lactones were prepared by standard organic synthesis procedures (4, 26). The triphenyl mimic TP-1 and related compounds were purchased from ChemBridge Corporation (San Diego, CA): TP-1 Cat. No. 5234242, TP-2 Cat. No. 5234250, TP-3 Cat. No. 5234251, TP-4 Cat. No. 5234291. Inhibitor TP-5 was purchased from Specs (Wakefield, RI) Cat. No. AK-968/40641502.
Quorum Activation in P. aeruginosa.
We used P. aeruginosa strain PAO1, as well as an isogenic lasR, rhlR deletion strain (27), and the lasI, rhlI mutant PAO-MW1 (28). The reporter plasmid we used to measure LasR-dependent signal responses was pUM15, which carries yfp under control of the LasR-dependent rsaL promoter (18). Unless otherwise noted, cultures for reporter experiments were grown in LB broth or on LB agar with 0.4% sodium chloride. Activation of a quorum-sensing controlled reporter gene in P. aeruginosa was as described (18).
For transcriptome analyses, we grew P. aeruginosa MW1 in 3 ml of medium in 18 × 150-mm borosilicate tubes with or without addition of the triphenyl mimic (10 μM). Preparation of RNA for analysis was as described elsewhere (11). For these analyses, we used Affymetrix GeneChips (Affymetrix Inc., Santa Clara, CA).
Quorum Activation in E. coli.
We measured activation of quorum-sensing controlled promoters in recombinant E. coli by the following procedures. For activation of the luxI promoter by LuxR, we used E. coli VJS533 containing pHV200I− (4). For RhlR activation of rhlA, we used E. coli DH5α containing pECP61.5 (29). Activation of the PA1897 promoter by QscR was tested with E. coli DH5α containing pJL101 and pJN105Q (6). To test activation of the LasR-dependent rsaL promoter, we used E. coli, Top10F′ containing the rsaL-yfp reporter pUM15 and the LasR expression vector pPROLasR. Plasmid pPROLasR was constructed by amplifying a lasR-containing PCR fragment from P. aeruginosa PAO1 genomic DNA. The forward primer was complementary to the first 18 bases of the lasR ORF with an engineered KpnI site and reverse primer complementary to the stop codon and was complementary to the last 16 bases of the lasR ORF with an engineered BamHI site. The PCR product encoding the LasR polypeptide was ligated to KpnI-BamHI-digested pProlar.A122 (Invitrogen Corporation, Carlsbad, CA).
Gel-shift assays were performed according to a previous publication (19). Crude lysates were prepared from cells overexpressing LasR and grown in the presence of the mimic. A specific DNA probe of 283 base pairs was generated by PCR amplification of the regulatory region upstream of rsaL. A DNA probe of 176 bp and without a LasR-binding site was generated by PCR amplification of DNA encompassing most of the rsaL coding region.
Sensitivity of the Triphenyl Mimic to Base Treatment and PON1.
We compared the base sensitivity of TP-1 to that of 3OC12-HSL by incubating both compounds (0.5 μM) in 100 mM Mes (pH 5–6) or 100 mM Tris (pH 7–9) for 12 h at room temperature. The loss of activity was determined with a bioassay described elsewhere (4). Enzymatic degradation of the triphenyl mimic and 3OC12-HSL was compared by incubating both compounds (2 μM) with recombinant PON1 (2 μg) in 100 μl of 10 mM Tris buffer (pH 8), 1 mM CaCl2 at room temperature. We used the bioassay to determine the amount of active signal remaining at various times up to 60 min.
Structure Modeling and Ligand Docking.
A homology model of LasR was built with SwissModel (30) by using the x-ray crystallographic structure of TraR (PDB ID code 1L3L) (22) as a template and a sequence alignment between TraR and LasR (31). Ligands were docked by using Glide (32) with default settings, except that the vdW radii for nonpolar receptor atoms were scaled by 0.80 as recommended when docking into homology models. Ligands were ranked by using the GlideScore 2.5 XP scoring function, and the top-scoring ligand was selected as the final model for visualization.
We thank Dr. Clement Furlong (University of Washington) for a gift of purified PON1 and Drs. Mark Namchuk and Ann Kwong for critical reading of the manuscript. This work was supported by Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Grant MUH00XO (to U.M.), by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Grant N66001-02-C-8047 (to E.P.G.), by National Institutes of Health Grant GM59026 (to E.P.G.), and by National Institute of General Medical Sciences Training Grant T32 GM07270 (to B.A.D.).
- ¶To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: epgreen{at}u.washington.edu
Author contributions: U.M., E.R.O., and E.P.G. designed research; U.M., B.J.H., B.A.D., and R.H. performed research; M.S. and B.L.H. contributed new reagents/analytic tools; U.M., B.A.D., M.S., and E.P.G. analyzed data; and U.M. and E.P.G. wrote the paper.
Conflict of interest statement: U.M., B.J.H., B.L.H., R.H., and E.R.O. are employed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated. They and E.P.G. have interests in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in excess of $10,000 but <5% equity in the company.
- Abbreviations:
- homoserine lactone;
- N-3-oxo-dodecanoyl homoserine lactone;
- 3-oxo-octanoyl-HSL.
- © 2006 by The National Academy of Sciences of the USA
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The girl who writes children's books
"I love being a children's book author," said Depratt Koelbl, who hopes that their little books spark creativity, determination and time well spent with a friend or loved one.
Taylor, a preschool student at Horizon Prep who will be in kindergarten at Sage Canyon Elementary School this fall, said "spending time with mommy" was her favorite part of the creative book-writing experience.
She also had an ulterior motive: "I wanted to write books to help kids stay up later," the tot author said with a giggle.
Depratt Koelbl and her husband are Wisconsin natives who came to California to attend college. They have lived in the Solana Beach, Del Mar and Carmel Valley area for the last 10 years, parents to Danielle and her 3-year-old sister Alex.
"What started it all was when Taylor was 4-and-a-half, we were going through common parent-child disconnects, like her always asking for treats and presents," Depratt Koelbl said.
"I don't do it anymore," Taylor clarified for the record.
Depratt Koelbl figured out that bedtime was the one time Taylor really wanted to listen—as she is a strong advocate of kids staying up later.
"At bedtime, I started creating stories that were half about her. Very quickly she identified that they were half about her so she started contributing to the stories," Depratt Koelbl said.
She found that the stories helped facilitate discussions between mom and daughter about different topics, their storytelling often winding their way toward a useful lesson, valuable moral and a happy light's out.
Depratt Koelbl got the idea to turn their stories into children's books and together they wrote six books in four weeks. It can be hard to communicate with kids sometimes, she said, and working on the books together created some special bonding moments.
A friend and graphic designer in Chicago, Erin Bonham, offered to illustrate two of the books and the first book, "The Girl Who Asked for Presents," was accepted into the Kindle Direct Publishing/Amazon on-demand print at no charge. The book was ranked the #1 new release in Early Children's Education and held a Top 100 Children's spot for its first two months on Amazon.
"It teaches you that you should be thankful for your toys and that there's something special even in empty boxes because you can make a castle or doghouses or whatever," Taylor said.
Taylor came up with the story for their second published book, "The Girl Who Loves Unicorns," while on her way to a unicorn birthday party. In the story, a little girl is determined to find a unicorn, working with her mom to try and entice a unicorn to come by setting out treats like lollipops and marshmallows, stickers and a sparkly headband.
Taylor came up with the ending that the little girl knew it was unlikely that a unicorn would visit because "they live at the top of rainbows"— she says, "I really just wanted to imagine I could find one just so I could spend time with you."
"My heart melted," Depratt Koelbl said of the sweet ending. "Taylor is my snuggle bug, she wants to snuggle and play with me all the time."
In the end, a unicorn is peeking through the window as the mom and daughter devise a plan for how they can find a mermaid."Unicorns" was released on Amazon a few weeks ago and has ranked #9 new release in Children's Values Books and #3 in Early Children's Education.
Depratt Koebl loves the message of that book, reminding parents and families about the importance of spending time together. She admits that she can get caught up in work sometimes as the president and CEO of a healthcare software company but she has realized that, "The only project that really matters is making sure that I raise good and empathetic humans, being a mommy and showing my girls that they can do anything."
"Time spent together is the best time spent," she adds, noting that her girls never let her forget a "family day."
The Koelbls submitted several manuscripts to publishers in February including "The Girl Who Says 'That's Mine'" and "The Girl Who Wants to Choose Her Outfits" and "The Girl Who Asks For Treats"—similar to the book about asking for presents, an adult finds a sneaky way to get children to appreciate a healthy snack.
Depratt Koelbl said being artistic does not come natural to her as it does to her daughter. Taylor has a big imagination and she loves to sing and write songs, draw and send handwritten letters to her family members in Wisconsin.
Taylor is also an avid reader and the family is always swapping books with friends. Taylor said her favorite books are "Danny Dog," a book about a rescue dog written by another local author Sid Shapira, and "Clean Water for Elirose" by Ariah Fine about a group of children that realizes they can make a difference in the world by saving up money to build a well for those who don't have water. After reading that book, Taylor said she wanted to help others too.
Depratt Koelbl has also been inspired to make a difference—she is hoping to donate "The Girl Who…" and "The Boy Who…" books to Rady Children's Hospital, books with blank pages so every kid can write their own stories.
"So many positive things have come from our project, whether it's another child saying, 'Wait. Taylor wrote this? Can I write a book too?' Yes you can! Or a parent telling me their children now create castles out of Amazon boxes because there is beauty in an empty box," Depratt Koelbl said. "It makes me feel so wonderful that my family, and other people, are finding tiny moments as a result of our hard work."
"The Girl Who Asked For Presents" and "The Girl Who Loves Unicorns" are available on Amazon.com.
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text:
(This week The Curmudgeon is taking a look at the myth of the liberal media. On Monday he outlined what the issue is and looked at the degree to which newspapers and newspaper columnists are or are not biased toward the liberal perspective. Yesterday he looked at newspaper endorsements and magazines. Today he considers television news and what he calls "opinion television." Thursday is devoted to talk radio and web sites. And on Friday he concludes by looking at what he considers a special situation and offers a brief conclusion.)
Television News
Next we turn to television news – real news, not the opinion-news of networks like Fox News and MSNBC; we address that separately below.
Here we run into a potential problem: The Curmudgeon rejects the idea that the news operations of NBC, ABC, CBS, and CNN are biased. You, obviously, may disagree. They're critical of everyone, that's their job, and especially those who hold office. When Republicans occupy the White House they're hard on the Republican president and when Democrats occupy the White House they're critical of the Democratic president; the same is true of Congress. Yes, they've given Obama a bit of a pass, but The Curmudgeon doesn't think that's because he's liberal; he thinks it's because they're afraid to be critical of an African-American president.
Just like many on the right, when you think about it, whom The Curmudgeon believes dislike Obama primarily because he is African-American.
Also, a difference between Republican and Democratic administrations that The Curmudgeon has observed over the years that affects how the press treats them is that since the Reagan administration learned how to work around the mainstream media and speak directly to its followers, Republican presidents have been less accessible to reporters than Democratic presidents. White House reporters, The Curmudgeon has long felt, are naturally inclined to be sheep: feed them what they're looking for and they'll be happy and content and won't go looking for anything else. Deny them their sustenance, however, and they have no choice but to go looking for things, and if you look hard enough you're bound to find something, even if only by accident. In this sense, The Curmudgeon thinks Republican administrations invite more critical reporting by not giving the press enough to enable it to live its preferred, lazy ways.
Even though The Curmudgeon thinks this barely matters, let's take a quick look at the numbers. The following were the major network numbers for their nightly news broadcasts for the week of March 7, 2016:
- NBC – 8,742,000 viewers
- ABC – 8,665,000 viewers
- CBS – 7,427,000 viewers
What about CNN? As far as The Curmudgeon can tell, CNN no longer has a traditional evening news broadcast. The closest it comes is afternoon news programs, when the audience is much smaller, so it's not a fair comparison.
And Fox News? Please: they can call it "news" until they're blue in the face but we all know it isn't news. To the degree that people tune into Fox expecting "news," this is the most biased aspect of the media today and it's biased in favor of conservatives.
As far as The Curmudgeon is concerned, television news borders on the irrelevant. Except when its cameras are trained on a live event, in which case it often does very fine work, television mostly regurgitates what newspapers have already reported. It's too afraid of alienating viewers – specifically, it's worth noting, those on the right – to offer any perspective at all. In addition, the balance between hard news and soft continues to shift toward the soft. Today, television news's biggest influence is in how effectively it is cultivating a less-informed public.
Opinion Television
Where The Curmudgeon thinks television is seriously influential is in its prime-time television news-opinion broadcasts, and that involves three networks: Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN. In The Curmudgeon's eyes, Fox News is conservative; MSNBC is liberal; and CNN is not in the middle but leans clearly left when it is talking about public affairs, as opposed to when it is reporting on those affairs, when it seems pretty much middle of the road.
So who's watching what these days? The Curmudgeon took a look at Thursday, March 17, and here's what he found.
7:00 p.m.
- Greta Van Susteren (Fox) – 2.017 million viewers
- Erin Burnett (CNN) – 983,000 viewers
- Chris Matthews (MSNBC) – 1.019 million viewers
8:00 p.m.
Bill O'Reilly (Fox) – 3.205 million viewers
- Anderson Cooper (CNN) – 1.141 million viewers
- Chris Hayes (MSNBC) – 1.113 million
9:00 p.m.
- Megyn Kelly (Fox) – 2.426 million viewers
- Anderson Cooper (CNN) – 1.114 million viewers
- Rachel Maddow (MSNBC) – 1.453 million viewers
10:00 p.m.
- Sean Hannity (Fox) – 2.356 million viewers
- Don Lemon (CNN) – 1.089 million viewers)
- Lawrence O'Donnell (MSNBC) – 1.131 million viewers)
Before proceeding, yet another quick note: The Curmudgeon doesn't watch any of these folks; he finds them all insufferable. When someone puts you on television four or five nights a week and tells you to share your opinions and then you learn that people are actually watching you, how can you possibly avoid becoming insufferable? Yes, yes, The Curmudgeon knows: just like bloggers.
The numbers don't exactly suggest a bias toward a liberal perspective, do they? In two of those four prime time periods the conservative Fox program drew more viewers than the very-left MSNBC and the somewhat-left CNN combined. In one of those hours it was virtually a dead heat. And in the fourth, the conservative Fox program had about 100,000 fewer viewers than the other two combined.
Now, consider this: of all of the individual broadcasters listed above, whom do you consider to be the most influential? The Curmudgeon would argue O'Reilly, Hannity, Maddow, and Matthews – in that order. Do you agree? Disagree? From his own perspective, The Curmudgeon never even heard of Megyn Kelly until the Republican presidential debate she moderated and he had to look up the first name of MSNBC's Chris Hayes; before doing so, he thought the guy's name was the same as that of the former Will and Grace star. As for Chris Matthews, well, whenever The Curmudgeon sees Chris Matthews he just laughs and wonders how anyone can take that guy seriously.
So if anything, the television news opinion industry, in The Curmudgeon's view, leans pretty clearly and hard right, not left.
But since these programs are purely opinion, The Curmudgeon doesn't think we're talking about bias at all. It's just television programming and viewers expressing their preferences through their viewing choices. As long as no one's keeping any particular point of view off the air for ideological reasons it's not bias. Other than that, it's all about ratings: conservatives watch these kinds of programs so there are more of them and liberals don't, so no one's lining up to air programs with no real audience. But opinion television leans pretty strongly conservative, making claims that the media is biased toward liberal perspectives seem pretty silly – and empty.
But if you need any proof of the influence of opinion television, and that this influence is more conservative than liberal, The Curmudgeon has to offer only one word: Benghazi. Without Fox News, barely anyone has ever even heard that word.
Tomorrow: We look at talk radio and web sites.


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Govt review into super imbalances welcomed
The Senate's decision to ask the Economics Reference Committee to examine the disparity between male and female superannuation savings has been welcomed by the SMSF Association.
At this stage, the inquiry is expected to report by March next 2016.
"The differences in superannuation balances has long been an issue of contention for the Association that, if resolved, would help contribute strongly to long-term capital and national prosperity," said the SMSF Association's chief executive and managing director Andrea Slattery.
"We have repeatedly asked policy-makers to consider how to address the issues underpinning this inequality, such as women experiencing broken work patterns because of time taken out of the workforce to have children, and will eagerly participate in this process in anticipation of some viable solutions being found.
"The Association is on the public record as saying that measures such as retaining the LISC and increasing the SG rate to 12 per cent would help reduce this gap over the longer-term and hopefully these suggestions will be considered by the inquiry.
"Hopefully this inquiry will not only be able to identify the causes of this disparity but recommend solutions that will find bipartisan support in the parliament."


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This is an act of armed sedition against lawful authority. That is all that it is, and that is quite enough. This is not "an expression of anti-government sentiment." Flipping off the governor as he drives by is "an expression of anti-government sentiment." What Alex Jones does every day is "an expression of anti-government sentiment," and god bless them all for it. That's what the Founders had in mind. This is not an "occupation" following "a peaceful protest." That would be all those folks who got bludgeoned and pepper-sprayed out of Zuccotti Park a couple of years back. (And when exactly did ABC News decide it wasn't a news organization anymore?) These are men with guns who have declared themselves outside the law. These are men with guns who have taken something that belongs to all of us. These are traitors and thieves who got away with this dangerous nonsense once, and have been encouraged to get away with it again, and they draw their inspiration not solely from the wilder fringes of our politics, either. Ammon Bundy and his brothers should have been thrown in jail after they gathered themselves in rebellion the first time.
This is another step down the road that leads to the broken shell of the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City. There are respectable people in our respectable politics who have been shamefully silent on the subject, and there are respectable people in our respectable media who seem terrified of calling this what it is. You want an example of the deadening effect of "political correctness" in our politics? Watch what the people running for president have to say about this episode. Look at how it is being framed already—or ignored entirely—by the elite political media. There is a constituency for armed rebellion in this country that is larger than any of our respectable political and social institutions want to admit. It is fueled by reckless, ambitious people who engage in reckless, ambitious rhetoric.
It does us no good to ignore what is going on in this obscure little corner of the Pacific Northwest. It does us no good to refuse to hold to account the politics that led to this, and the politicians who sought to profit from it. It does us no good to deny that there is a substantial constituency for armed sedition in this country, and to deny the necessity of delegitimizing that constituency in our politics, and the first step in that process is to face it and to call it what it is.
Let's begin with what to call the Oregon anti-government protesters who have taken over a federal building. The men, heavily armed, urging others to come support their cause, and claiming somehow that, while peaceful, they will "defend" themselves whatever it takes, are -- by any definition -- domestic terrorists.
It does not matter that they insist they are peaceful or some sort of lawful militia; I can claim I'm 26 years old and a size 2 and that still doesn't make it true. This group of men is wielding terror, and the threat of violence, as if it were their constitutional right.
So, let's stop with the wrenching discussions of who they are.
They are dangerous, they are unforgiving, they are flouting federal law, they have a political purpose and they clearly are willing to use violence to get their way. Simply because they are not Muslim jihadists does not mean they are authorized to threaten or use violence to support their political cause.
Every successful revolution starts with takeover of closed visitor center with gift shop. #OregonUnderAttack #YallQaeda— Lars Petticord (@fatdownjacket) January 3, 2016


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Theatre and Culture from Scotland, starring The List's Theatre Editor, his performance persona and occasional guest stars. Experimental writings, cod-academic critiques and all his opinions, stolen or original.
Thursday, 26 February 2015
Denton and Me
Posted by Unknown at 09:36
Labels: Denton and Me , dramaturgynot criticism , The Arches
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T had her first doctor's appointment State-side today. It went well and was over pretty quick. Nothing very surprising - she's healthy, growing just fine, doesn't need to go back till her 3-year check up.
The only really surprising part is that she got 2 shots today - 1 in each arm at the same time. Michael held her while the nurses injected. The surprise? She didn't even whimper, just looked at her arms and the nurses and then back a forth a few times.
Not exactly sure what this says about her pain threshold but it may explain why she seems to recover so quickly from her many bangs, bumps, and general '"ooh, that's going to leave a mark!"
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Doc appointment
1 comment:
- KayBee said...
She is soooo getting a 'tat' later on.
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YORK COUNTY -- The York Revolution are preparing for their home opener against the Long Island Ducks. The Revs will open their 2019 season on Thursday April 26th, at 6:30 PM at Peoplesbank Park.
To celebrate, the Revs are giving away free T-shirts presented by the Law Firm of Dale E. Anstine at the first game of the season.
Gates open at 5:30 PM. American Idol contestant Jake Puliti will sing the National Anthem.
Get your tickets now!
FOX43 is offering a Be Our Guest special for the 2019 season. Purchase 4 field box seats for just $25.00. That's a 52% discount!


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Temp to Perm ICU Nights Position $40/hr
Nashville, TN
Guaranteed 36 Hours
Low census...no problem. For this contract we are able to guarantee our nurses 36 hours a week.
New to Pulse?
It's not just our parents that love us! Nurses are beginning to love us too! Contact us today for additional details!


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'Buoyant economy': Success as Limerick commercial rate collection up
The council revealed that 80 percent of commercial rates were collected last year
COUNCILLORS have congratulated Limerick's local authority after they revealed that over 80 percent of commercial rates were collected last year.
The figure represents one of the highest rates of collection in recent times.
The rates income for Limerick City and County Council was nearly €54m for the year 2017, and the council expects that figure to increase again, by around €1m, in the next year.
In tandem with the success in rates collection, the council has also recorded a reduction in arrears, year on year, of around €4m.
The success was welcomed by councillors, and represents an "improvement in the economy for business owners".
There are a higher number of customers on direct debit, and this development has also led to more reliable payments by ratepayers.
The councillors were briefed on the commercial rates by the council's head of finance, Sean Coughlan.
FF Cllr James Collins, who is himself a rate paying publican, said that "it's great to see that the schemes offered by the council have worked" at the full council meeting this Monday.
"Not alone is the collection rate increasing, but we also have a reduction in arrears, for current rates but also old balances which are being cleared," he said.
"This didn't happen by accident - today we are seeing the fruits of our decisions that we were criticised for at the time," added the councillor.
FG Cllr Daniel Butler congratulated the council and acknowledged the role of a "buoyant economy".
"If you engage positively with the council, they will help you," he said, in relation to the possibility for ratepayers to set up flexible payment plans.
But FF Cllr Kevin Sheahan pointed out that there are still shops and pubs around the county "closing due to rates".
Arrears in 2017 still accounted for more than €14m, but the council expects to reduce this figure to around €12m in 2018.


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Article about Shi Lei's tour
Shi Lei flew home to China on Monday. He spoke to full houses all over the country, and received rave reviews. He also had the special experience of visiting collections of Kaifeng treasures at the Jewish Theological Seminary library, the library at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, and the Skirball Museum in Los Angeles.
Here is one of many articles that appeared about his tour:
You can also see a video of excerpts from his talk at the 92nd Street Y here:
Thanks to Shi Lei for this fabulous contribution to Kulanu's work!
Harriet Bograd, President


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PMMI announces slate of free, on-floor educational sessions at the debut of its newest trade show
Reston, Va.; Jan. 26, 2015 — PACK EXPO East (Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia; Feb. 16–18), the latest entry in the PACK EXPO portfolio of trade shows, will feature Innovation Stage education programs, produced by show owner and organizer PMMI, The Association for Packaging & Processing Technologies.
The free, on-floor education program has become an attendee favorite at PACK EXPO International, PACK EXPO Las Vegas and Pharma EXPO, which is co-located with both and produced in partnership with the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE).
"Innovation Stage is one more way for attendees to learn how to make what they see on the show floor fit into their businesses," says Maria Ferrante, vice president, Education and Workforce Development, PMMI.
Innovation Stage is in Booth 696, near the Education & Workforce Development Pavilion, the PMMI Partners Pavilion and the PMMI booth and features a dozen sessions scheduled over Monday, Feb. 16, and Tuesday, Feb. 17. Check Packexpoeast.com for updates.
Monday, Feb.16
|10:30–11:00 a.m.
|"Process Validation and Hygienic Equipment Design in Heat Processed Low-Moisture Foods"
|Stephen Perry, Ph.D., managing director, AIOE
|11:30 a.m.–Noon
|"Improving OEE through Automatic Changeovers with ProAdjust"
|Kevin Keefe, marketing director, Schneider Packaging Equipment Co., Inc.
|12:30–1:00 p.m.
|"Unified Machine and Robot Control: One Language, One Company"
|Chetan Kapoor, senior director of technology innovation, and Chris Knudsen, senior marketing strategist, Yaskawa America Inc.
|1:30–2:00 p.m.
|"From Shipper to Shelf with One Motion. Meet the New Delkor Cabrio Case"
|Rick Gessler, director of marketing & strategic account management, Delkor Systems
|3:30–4:00 p.m.
|"Why OEE as a Metric? Learn How to Design a System to Maximize Visibility into OEE"
|Bob Gates, General Electric; Chris Carlins, senior application engineer, AutomaTech, Inc.
Tuesday, Feb. 17
|10:30–11:00 a.m.
"The Lean Connected Architecture: Smart Factories Need Smarter Automation to Reach Industry 4.0"
|Daymon Thompson, TwinCAT product specialist, Beckhoff Automation
|11:30 a.m.–Noon
|"Functional Additive Masterbatches for Plastic Packaging: An Overview"
|Dean Dodaro, sales engineer, Polyvel, Inc.
|12:30–1:00 p.m.
|"nVest for Success with Nordson Tankless Hot Melt Systems"
|Duane Fisher, marketing manager–packaging, Nordson
|1:30–2:00 p.m.
|"Why Cloud? Why Now?"
|Rob Bois, director, Product Marketing, Plex
|2:30–4:00 p.m.
|"The Power of 1% — Improving OEE and Driving Operational Excellence"
|Chris Carlins, senior application engineer, AutomaTech, Inc.; Vikram Mankar, senior product manager, GE Intelligent Platforms
|3:30–4:00 p.m.
|"Tools for Driving Manufacturing Excellence: Total Cost of Ownership checklist and Overall Equipment Effectiveness Calculators"
|Steve Schlegel, managing director, AIOE
Innovation Stage is just one of several places for learning at PACK EXPO East. Attendees can also take advantage of exhibitors' in-booth education sessions and ISPE's three-day "Manufacturing Solutions" conference.
PACK EXPO East features 375 top-tier suppliers in the Northeast's only event for processing and packaging technologies across industries. Located in Center City Philadelphia, the newest PACK EXPO show is easy to reach and within 200 miles of a third of U.S. consumer packaged goods manufacturers.
Registration is open! To register, and to learn more about educational opportunities, show features and exhibitors, visit Packexpoeast.com.
Registration is $60. NOTE TO EDITORS: Press registration is online at Packexpoeast.com, too. Click "register," then "press." No comp code required!
About PMMI
PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, is a trade association representing more than 700 companies that provide a full range of processing and packaging machinery, materials, components and containers. PMMI actively brings buyers and sellers together through initiatives such as packexpo.com, educational programs and world-class events, connecting participants in the processing and packaging supply chain with their customers around the world. PMMI produces the PACK EXPO portfolio of trade shows that include PACK EXPO East, debuting Feb. 16–18, 2015 (Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia); EXPO PACK Guadalajara 2015, March 10–12 (Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico); EXPO PACK México 2015, June 16–19 (Mexico City, Mexico); PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2015 (Sept. 28-30, Las Vegas Convention Center); Pharma EXPO, co-located with PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2015.
Learn more at pmmi.org and packexpo.com.
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Nicholas Delai
Partners Team
Nicholas can be considered as an architect of ideas, architect as an educational background and entrepreneur in the spare time. He has co-founded few startups, including Aperitivo Stockholm, the new Stockholm food experience, because he thinks that life is nicer if you enjoy some spritz with your folks.
He's also an organizer of Startup Weekend Stockholm and an ambassador of Mentors 4U, the largest no-profit mentoring initiative in Europe. Born in Italy, in the middle of the beautiful Italian Alps, he has been living in UK, Canada, Spain and lastly Sweden.
He truly believes that the beauty will save the world, as the not known poet Dostojevskij said.
He's a member of the TED Partner Team because he is great in creating personal relationships and in sales, maybe due to his master ability with the Italian hand language.


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Hello! I'm Anastasia Finch, and I really like Genealogy and family history research!
About me!
I'm currently working as a youth services librarian in Southern California. I'm working towards becoming a professional genealogist!
So Many Beginnings is my family history / house history research home base, where I'll write about different aspects of genealogical research, family history news, tips and tricks for doing your own research, and lots more.
If you're interested in hiring me to help with your own family research, check out my professional genealogical research website.
- B.A. English, University of New Mexico, 2010.
- Master's Library and Information Science, San Jose State University, 2018.
- Genealogy Jamboree attendee 2016-2019.
Affiliations and Memberships
- Association of Professional Genealogists
- California Library Association
- Southern California Genealogical Society


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By: Mike Fisher
FRISCO (105.3 The Fan) – Tony Romo is now part of the CBS family, bumping Phil Simms from the position at the head of the table. And Simms' actual family is upset about it.
"You can't sit there as a normal person who's evaluated this and seen it happen before and go, 'They handled it like professionals,'" Chris Simms said via his podcast, noted on Bleacher Report. "It's been out there rumored for two weeks. I had to tell my dad first before CBS or anybody because I found out from an NFL insider.
"I forwarded the text message that I was sent and it basically said, 'Hey, listen, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Romo's being offered your dad's job on CBS. That sucks, I'm sorry.' And my dad was in Barbados, and I had to forward the text message to him to let him know."
It certainly does "suck'' to lose a job — though actually, Simms is being demoted from his post as the lead color analyst for CBS, not fired. And Chris, a University of Texas product and like his famous dad a former NFL quarterback, is right to be supportive of his father.
But …
*Hiring and firing is part of the deal, in football and in media. At some point, Phil Simms took somebody else's job as a Giants QB. And then took somebody's job as a network analyst.
"That's just not what you do to a good, hard-working employee that's been for 20 years been kind of the face of your football station,'' Chris said, and indeed, while it has been a 20-year run, Simms' critics have long pondered how he's lasted so long.
*Chris said his dad is "not complaining.'' Which is true, to this point. But why should he complain publicly when he's enjoying Barbados, remains employed by the network and has his son to do the public complaining for him?
*Chris claims CBS blindsided Phil Simms with the change. CBS denies that allegations, saying it notified Simms appropriately. But then there is this:
Given the fact that the Romo-to-CBS concept has been written about in this space since November, and has been re-reported nationally for more than a month … how can Phil have been "blindsided''? If he had no sense the hiring of Romo was in the works, he qualifies as the least-plugged-in media-credential holder of all-time.
And maybe that's the worst indictment of Phil Simms of all.


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Weekend Meal Service at Other Organizations
30 ways to help TASK
Join TASK For Hunger Action Month!
On October 16th, Alpha Phi Omega is hosting the 2nd Annual TCNJ Feed Our Friends 5k and Fun Walk on TCNJ's campus. All proceeds benefit the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen & HomeFront.
By LEE SEGLEM, Member of TASK Board of Trustees
It is available for $12 (plus $2.50 shipping and handling).
© Trenton Area Soup Kitchen
Site Designed and Maintained by: 4M Web Design + SEO


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Month: October 2015
Logan Sky of Visage and Steven Jones team up once again to produce their second EP, "Polaroids." Both men will be our guests on this week's Revenge of the 80s Radio to talk about it.
It's that time of the year for our Revenge of the 80s Halloween Special
This week on Revenge of the 80s, Hugh Cornwell is back with us. He has a new compilation album featuring two tracks from each of his first six solo albums: The Fall and Rise of Hugh Cornwell. We also play the new track featured on the album.
This week on Revenge of the 80s, we will play music from the Tom Tom Club, Reel Life, Julian Cope, Japan, Wall of Voodoo, Gary Numan and many more classic alternative artists.
Chanteuse singer and artist Anne Pigalle will be our guest on this week's Revenge of the 80s Radio.
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Genentech announced positive results from the phase 2 STAIRWAY study which explored the extended durability of faricimab (RG7716) in the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). At 52 weeks, faricimab patients dosed either every 16 weeks or every 12 weeks demonstrated sustained vision outcomes comparable to ranibizumab dosed every 4 weeks. Results of the study were presented as a late-breaking oral presentation during the 2018 American Academy of Ophthalmology's (AAO) 122nd Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois.
"Because current anti-VEGF monotherapies for wet AMD are burdensome, requiring frequent clinic visits for eye injections, some people are under-treated and experience subsequent declining vision over time," Sandra Horning, MD, chief medical officer and head of Global Product Development, said in a company news release. "The STAIRWAY data show the potential of faricimab to allow fewer injections while achieving and sustaining the same visual gains seen with a current standard of care. Based on these data, we will be initiating a global phase 3 program for faricimab in wet AMD."
STAIRWAY is a 52-week study that assessed two extended dosing regimens of faricimab 6.0 mg given every 16 weeks or every 12 weeks, compared to ranibizumab 0.5 mg every 4 weeks. At week 24 (3 months after the last of four loading doses), patients randomized to faricimab every 16 weeks were switched to 12-week dosing if they were shown to have active disease, per pre-defined criteria. At week 24, 65 percent (n=36/55) of people treated with faricimab had no active disease, highlighting the potential of 16-week dosing in nearly two-thirds of patients. Initial vision gains, as measured by Best Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA), were fully maintained through to week 52 with 16- and 12-week dosing regimens. People treated with faricimab dosed every 16 weeks experienced a mean improvement of 11.4 chart letters from baseline, compared to 10.1 letters in patients treated with faricimab dosed every 12 weeks and 9.6 letters in patients treated with ranibizumab 0.5 mg dosed every 4 weeks. The three treatment regimens were similar in both the proportion of patients gaining more than 15 letters and avoiding a loss of more than 15 letters. Comparable reductions in central retina thickness were also observed in people treated with both dosing intervals of faricimab and those treated with ranibizumab. In STAIRWAY, the rates of ocular and systemic adverse events observed with faricimab were similar to the rates observed with ranibizumab. No new safety signals were observed. The overall safety profile of faricimab appears consistent with the safety profile reported in patients with wet AMD who receive intravitreal anti-VEGF therapies.
In addition, data on the investigational Port Delivery System with ranibizumab (PDS) in patients with wet AMD were also presented at the AAO Annual Meeting, comprising further data from the phase 2 Ladder study, and the trial design of the phase 3 Archway study. The small, refillable eye implant, which is slightly longer than a grain of rice, is designed to allow most people with wet AMD to go 6 months without needing a refill.
Topline results presented earlier this year showed the majority of PDS patients – including approximately 80 percent of patients in the high-dose PDS group – went 6 months or longer between the implantation and the first required refill of the device. Importantly, patients in the high-dose PDS group achieved similar visual outcomes as ranibizumab 0.5 mg dosed every four weeks. Based on the data of the phase 2 Ladder program, the pivotal phase 3 Archway clinical trial and the Portal label extension study were initiated in September 2018. These studies will evaluate the efficacy and safety of the PDS 100 mg/mL concentration in patients with wet AMD at a fixed dosing interval of 24 weeks.
Faricimab and the PDS are the two most advanced investigational treatments in Genentech and Roche's robust ophthalmology pipeline. In addition to Archway, two pivotal phase 3 studies for faricimab are currently open and enrolling: RHINE (NCT03622593) and YOSEMITE (NCT03622580). These two studies are designed to investigate the efficacy and safety of faricimab compared with aflibercept in people with diabetic macular edema (DME). Based on STAIRWAY, a global phase 3 program for faricimab in wet AMD is anticipated to commence in 2019.


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With the end of summer, the beginning of the school year and the on-set of colder months, cold and flu symptoms begin to pop up…and spread! Being sick is never fun! Check out these top tips for avoiding the flu this season:
- Avoid Close Contact. If you know that someone is sick or has recently been sick it is advisable to keep your distance to avoid catching their germs.
- Keep your hands clean. Washing your hands often with hot water and soap will help protect you and your family from germs. If you are on-the-go, an alcohol based hand cleaner use an alcohol based hand cleaner.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated. Be sure to wash your hands, or use hand sanitizer after you touch things in public (or before you touch your face) to help limit the spread of germs.
- Practice other good health habits. Maintaining a clean home and work environment by disinfecting frequently touched surfaces will help cut down on the amount of germs being circulated. Make sure that you are getting plenty of sleep, staying physically active, eating well and drinking plenty of water.
Another way to avoid getting the flu this season is to consider getting a flu vaccine. Even if you currently do not have insurance, there are many places that offer flu shots without insurance such as Walgreens and Rite Aid. The following categories of people are most at risk for contracting the flu. Ask your medical care professional if getting the flu vaccine is a good option for you.
- Children who are between 6 months to 4 years of age. Kids LOVE to put everything in their mouths. The flu virus is easily transmitted through commonly touched surfaces, such as shopping carts, light switches and door knobs. Be sure to use a cart cover for your child if they are riding in a shopping cart and consider wiping or washing their hands frequently.
- People who are 65 and older. As we age, our immune systems start to weaken. Talk with your medical care professional to see if getting the flu vaccine could help reduce your risk.
- Women who are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, new mothers, or those who are breastfeeding. If you are pregnant, or trying to become pregnant, the flu can have horrible consequences to your unborn baby. New mothers and those who breastfeed know how susceptible their babies are to new viruses. Talk with your medical professional to see if getting a flu shot could help reduce your risk of contracting the flu.
Remember, the flu season can begin as early as October. If you get sick this season, consider staying home to rest and recover. If you child is in daycare or school and they get sick, consider keeping them home or lining up care for them with a sitter or family member while you are at work. Of course you can't always stay home when you are sick, but if at all possible avoid going out and allow your body to recover.
Wishing you a healthy fall/winter season!
The Braun Agency Team
The Braun Agency's mission is to help you get from where you are to where you want to be financially by planning, achieving your plan and protecting your plan from unexpected events. In the process, our goal is to deliver insurance services in a manner that exceeds your expectations. See what The Braun Agency can do for you today. Give us a call at 757-452-4563 to speak with one of the licensed, professional members of our team or request a contact here. The Braun Agency. We're on YOUR side. 757-INSURANCE.
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, CDC. (2015, July 31). Preventing the Flu: Good Health Habits Can Help Stop Germs. Retrieved from CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/habits.htm
FastMed. (2017). Flu Season Dates. Retrieved from Fast Med Urgent Care: https://www.fastmed.com/health-resources/flu-season-dates/


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Volunteer Groups
Volunteering with City Harvest is a terrific team building experience. We offer projects for groups as small as five and as large as 50, and our weekday and weekend projects make it easy for you and your team to get involved.
Is your organization already a volunteer partner? Click here to log in. Ready to find a project that works for your team? Email [email protected] with your group size and project preference.
Mobile Market
These farmers market style distributions deliver fresh produce free of charge 18 times a month across all five boroughs. You will distribute thousands of pounds of fruits and vegetables to hundreds of families.
Time commitment: 8:45am to 12pm
Minimum group size: 5; maximum group size: 15
Location: varies
Greenmarket Rescue (Seasonal Opportunity)
Rescue thousands of pounds of fresh, seasonal produce that would otherwise go to waste at Greenmarkets across the city . At the close of the market, volunteers collect excess food from local farmers and help load it onto City Harvest trucks, which immediately deliver the food to soup kitchens and food pantries across the city.
Time commitment: 2 hours
Minimum group size: 5; maximum group size: 12
Corporate Repacks
Your team will sort thousands of pounds of bulk produce into smaller, family-sized portions. Repacking this produce helps City Harvest make deliveries to hundreds of community food programs across the city. Suggested sponsorship for this event starts at $10,000, which helps to feed nearly 40,000 New Yorkers in need for a day.
Time commitment: Varies, around 3 hours
Minimum group size: 30; maximum group size: 50
Location: City Harvest Food Rescue Facility
Food Show Rescues
New York City is home to some of the biggest food trade shows in the world. Your team will ensure that high quality, specialty food doesn't go to waste by collecting it from vendors at the end of trade shows such as the Fancy Food Show and New York Produce Show.
Time commitment: varies
Minimum group size: 5; maximum group size: 15
Location: various locations around New York City
Repack on the Road supported by Amazon®
Repack on the Road supported by Amazon® provides a way for corporate partners to volunteer with City Harvest in their own office. We come to whatever location is most convenient for your group, provide all the packing supplies and food, organize and run the event, and deliver the snack packs to children around New York City. In just 1.5 hours, you and your co-workers can help feed hundreds of children in our city! Sponsorship for this event starts at $10,000, which helps to feed nearly 40,000 New Yorkers in need for a day. For more information, contact Victoria Liu at [email protected].
Repack to Give Back
This annual week-long event brings together hundreds of New Yorkers from companies all across the five boroughs to repack rescued fresh produce and non-perishable food into family-sized meal boxes for the holidays.
Weekdays: Friday, November 15 – Friday, November 22, 2019
City Harvest Food Rescue Facility
55-01 2nd Street, Long Island City, Queens
All slots have been filled by our corporate supporters. Learn more about the event and see who is participating in this year's Repack to Give Back.


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Earn points toward FREE PIZZA with Piece of the Pie Rewards
More About Domino's Near Columbia City
Order Fresh Handcrafted Pizza Near Columbia City
When your stomach starts talkin' and your tastebuds start tinglin' for a classic slice of meaty, cheesy goodness, we know you're not craving any old pizza near Columbia City You want a delicious pizza with a robust tomato sauce, perfectly diced pepperoni, heaping piles of mozzarella and cheddar cheese, and a golden-brown crust that's crunchy, crispy, and chewy—all at the same time. You want pizza, perfected. You want Domino's.
At Domino's near Columbia City, it's never been easier to get the fast and fresh pizza you want. Stop by the Domino's nearest you to place a carryout order, or order your pizza over the phone or online.
Get started by selecting your favorite crust. Choose from a hand-tossed crust that's overflowing with buttery flavor, a crispy thin crust, a pan crust featuring two delicious layers of cheese, or even a gluten-free pizza crust! Then, choose your sauce and your favorite pizza toppings. Pick as many as you want! Whether you're a freak for sausage and mushrooms or love sweet pineapple and tangy feta cheese, your nearest Domino's has it all!
There are more than 34 million ways to make a single Domino's pizza, which means you can be sure we've got a slice that suits your tastes. No matter how unique they are! Build your own pizza from scratch or choose from one of our specialty pizzas, like the popular Spinach and Feta, Cali Chicken Bacon Ranch, or MeatZZa™, and have it delivered to your doorstep, today!
Pizza Delivery Near Columbia City: Deliciousness at Your Door
Here at Domino's near Columbia City, we're serious about pizza delivery. In fact, we guarantee your pizza will arrive hot and fresh, right from our oven to your door. Want to stay up to date on your order? Our delivery experts specifically engineered the Domino's TrackerⓇ to do just that. Enter in your phone number online and track the status of your order from the moment it's placed to the second it leaves our store for delivery... and do your best not to drool on your computer's keyboard in the meantime.
Want More? Get Wings, Sandwiches & Pizza Takeout Near Columbia City
We deliver pizza, but we're also superstars when it comes to speedy pizza takeout near Columbia City. Order from our pizza menu or try something new! Complete your meal with an order of stuffed cheesy bread, an oven-baked sandwich, flavorful salad, or satisfying pasta, and even sweet, dangerously delicious desserts like Cinna StixⓇ, chocolate cake, and cookie brownies.
With more than 12,000 stores in 80 plus countries, we know quality and customer service. Our aim is to not only be the best pizza delivery company in Oregon, but also the world, and everything from our sweet pizza deals and coupons to our friendly delivery drivers reflects this pledge. Call your local Domino's restaurant near Columbia City, use our free smartphone app, or place your order online for fast pizza delivery and carryout today! We may have been around since 1960, but we aren't just any old pizza restaurant. We're your number one pizza place near Columbia City!


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Wait Entertainment: had a projector with a scary movie playing
Length of Event: 20 minutes for me 45 for the rest of my group
Actor Performance: pretty good
Patron Flow Inside Attraction: only ran into other groups during the maze
Appropriate Ages: 12 and up
Props / Special FX: lots of props and the elevator was neat.
Costumes / Make-up: a mix of mask and make-up
Summary: this is there second year with this haunt and they seem to be getting better. They really want to put on a good haunt and are succeeding. They had indoor waiting where we paid and they gave our group a number. we sat down watched a scary movie and had a hotdog while we waited for our number to be called. The haunt itself was huge mostly because the building is huge and they where trying to fill up the space. They had a vary large pitch black maze with actors in there to confuse you even more. I was the lucky one getting seperated from my group and found my way out a good 20 minutes before the rest of them. the jail room with the clowns was neat. finding the exit with all the cells and clowns pointing you in the wrong way was entertaining. all in all this is a fun haunt and well worth the $5 ticket price that the neoga booster club charges. might even be the cheapest in the area


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Kebschull, Dietrich
Hasenpflug, Hajo; Kebschull, Dietrich
Early this year the US Administration made reference to "a marked improvement in the relations between the EC and the USA over the period of the last three years" — an astonishing statement in the light of the mounting non-tariff obstacles to trade between the EC and the USA.
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The crisis in the consulting business is worldwide. In December 1972, a German business magazine had this to say on the subject: "The fat years are past Numerous erroneous planning decisions landed the large German and foreign firms into a critical situation. The running is now made by advisers with specialised knowledge and social flair."1
Plans and proposals for stimulating the world economy and thus aiding economic recovery in the developing countries have been many and varied, ranging from massive transfer of resources, whether automatic or discretionary, through the immediate programme of the Brandt Commission to a concentration first of all on recovery in the industrial countries. This article takes a critical look at the most important proposals to date.
The effects of direct investments and multinational corporations remain a highly contentious issue. The author traces here the reasons for the large number of diverging statements and comments on this issue and considers what political conclusions should be drawn from this wide variety of views.
© 2018 Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
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text: Funny Pictures – June 12, 2019Odd Stuff Keep cool this summer with a chunky chowder popsicle. via So fast they forgot the N via Motivation at my local Chinese restaurant. via Guy at the coffee shop shows off his solution to the $999 Apple stand. via Everybody give her a round of applause! via Texas Instruments via Winner for world's best running outfit. via Little does he know, they belong to Steve in 816. via My coffee looks like he just forgot about a meeting. via Hmm, what would be a good name for this rolling piece of wood. via Found this on a high school classroom door. via It's the thought that counts. via Hasn't even been a full week and our dog is already stealing our newborn's things. via Never forget Bopis via Aww heck… via Found the sweet spot. via My owl melted. via It was only a matter of time. via Seems accurate to me via "I'm not stuck, I'm just tired" via Add to Flipboard Magazine.


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Watch this expert presentation featuring key evidence and recommendations on the many benefits of continuous glucose monitoring.
Review key trial data and expert recommendations on identifying patients with diabetes most likely to benefit from real-time or intermittent continuous glucose monitoring.
Expert recommendations on the variety of continuous glucose monitoring devices for optimizing management of individual patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Learn how to individualize selection of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices with this expert-led comparison of professional vs personal CGM devices, including real-time, intermittently scanned, blinded, and unblinded options.
Expert insights on when and how to integrate continuous glucose monitoring into the care of patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Gain expert insights on when and how to leverage continuous glucose monitoring data to inform management of patients with diabetes.
Hear about the benefits of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and tips for getting patients and providers on board with this advanced technology.
Easy-to-read key points from our podcast to help you overcome common CGM barriers.
Common questions from the Diabetes Medical Minutes Series on continuous glucose monitoring.
For further information concerning Lilly grant funding, visit www.lillygrantoffice.com.
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Flexzilla Coupon Deals & Promo Codes
Flexzilla a premium garden hose and extension cord store. They offer premium cords and hoses for air, water, garden and pressure hoses that work well in all weather and won't kink under pressure.
Flexzilla also offers the best stationary air compressions on the market that are known for the quiet technology that allows them to be both high power and virtually silent.
Flexzilla also sells professional grade air tools, cordless grease guns, and workwear for all your home improvement needs. See what we found at Flexzilla or head on over to Amazon for additional sale items.
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- Home
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Shared Education
Shared Education….what is it?
We are delighted to be involved in a Shared Education project this school year. It is something that will take place over a four year cycle and this year the Primary 2/3 class are the chosen cohort.
The Education Authority in Northern Ireland and Léargas work in partnership to implement the Peace IV Collaboration through Sharing in Education (CASE) programme.
CASE is for primary and secondary schools in Northern Ireland and the Border Counties of Ireland. CASE aims to build a culture of good relations among school children and to equip them with the skills and attitudes needed to contribute to a society where the cycle of intolerance is broken and a culture of collaboration and cooperation is the norm. We want to instil in our children that it is our similarities that unite us rather than our differences that divide us. We hope that through the children working together on topics from our chosen curricular areas that they develop a rapport with children they may otherwise never have mixed with.
Our school has linked with Ballybay Central National School and children in P2/3will be working with children from P3-P6 on the topic of Outdoor education with a focus on Activity-Based learning in the areas of STEM and Communication.
We will be meeting up throughout the year to work on various projects together and we look forward to keeping you updated with all that we do through our website, facebook page and newsletters.
Clea Primary School, 85 Clay Road, Keady, Co.Armagh, BT60 3QX Phone: 028 3753 1096


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Posts tagged 'Springfield, MO'
The end of a chapter
The last couple of months have been pretty difficult for Global Fayre (meaning for David and Cheri).
We had realized towards the end of last year that we were struggling to cope with the store itself and all of the other activities that Global Fayre required of us, PLUS raising our two daughters PLUS Cheri being a Doula PLUS David doing his own stuff (what is that exactly?!)
We brought someone in to help at the store (Sophie was a great help and a real asset to the team) but by the time we got to the Spring of 2011 the message had firmly sunk in. We didn't have the resources (financial, physical and emotional) to make the store work as well as it should or as well as we wanted it to.
So in May we took the decision to close the store itself, but to leave the door open to continue with fair trade talks, outside events at local churches and the online store.
Announcing the closure, and dealing with the customer/friend reaction was truly bitter/sweet. People had some very kind words to say, and we really felt appreciated, but then to feel the process take its own momentum; after all, stores open and close all the time, and we are just one of many. An inventory sale seamlessly turned in to a closing sale, with some very loyal customers getting the "one thing" that they had been wanting for a very long time but could never afford or justify. That was very satisfying to see.
We weren't prepared for how emotionally draining the last two weeks would be; we lost count of the number of times we had "that" conversation about why we were closing, how we would be missed etc etc. Of course, person #200 means it just as much as the person #1 – so you try hard to have the conversation, yet again.
So the store is closed, and we were preparing for life after downtown Global Fayre…..and then David had a very interesting telephone conversation……..
Shona Sculptures from Zimbabwe
We just delivery of our first piece of Shona Sculpture from our friends at Venture Imports.
Serpentine is the stone most commonly used by the Shona Carvers; Shona ranges in hardness from 2.0 to 5.5 on "Mohs Scale of Hardness." It has a huge range of color variations, but most pieces will have some brown, green or black in them.
Our first piece is this beautiful "Kissing Couple" in natural stone.
Jennie from Venture Imports describes the carving process this way:
"The artists chip, chisel, sand and then wet-sand each piece. (Before sandpaper, artists would use river sand and a rag in their hands to smooth out the pieces.) Then they place the piece around, or in some cases actually in, a fire. They finish by putting floor polish on the heated piece which sinks into the piece and brings out the natural colors of the stone and makes it shiny. They keep reapplying the floor wax (they use Cobra wax, I use Johnson paste wax) until the surface cools. Then they buff it with a cloth which makes it nice and shiny."
Jennie also explains how the carvers learn their craft:
"Most of the artists have no formal training, but they often learn as apprentices under a master sculptor. They begin by washing and polishing the master's pieces and then start working on small pieces of their own. Some of the artists work in cooperatives which is a fun site to see. They are so quick and sing and talk while they chip away."
More pieces will arrive soon, and will be added to our online store.
"Autumn" By the children of the Parents' Cooperative Preschool
Parents' Cooperative Preschool, Inc. presents a fantastic display of Autumn inspired artwork created by it's students. PCPS (a non-profit organization) has been serving children ages two and a half through five and their families for over 30 years. The cooperative concept brings parents of our students into the classrooms on a regular basis, thus becoming an integral part of the child's first formal learning experience. Through this hands-on experience, parents begin to realize more clearly the pleasures of childhood and the challenges of parenthood. For more information on PCPS please visit Parentscoop.org
Find out more in general about November's art walk at http://www.ffaw.org
We're delighted to be hosting en exhibition of work by these children (of course, we're just a little bit biased since our youngest daughter is one of them!)
"Art through a Lens" at Global Fayre
We're just starting to get everything together for September's exhibit.
"Art through a Lens" will feature work from some of the members of the Southwest Missouri Club.
Club members come from all walks of life, with varying degrees of photographic experience – from the novice to the professional and everything in between. The most important aspect of the organization is its members. They learn from each other by sharing their photographic experiences and skills.
The exhibition will open during the First Friday Art Walk on September 3rd.
It's Memorial Day Weekend!
If you are on our email e-blast list, you will already know that you can get 25% discount on any single item on Saturday and Monday (YES – you can come back again and get the discounts on both days!). If you are NOT on our e-blast list, you should be….sign up by clicking here!
Fair Trade market baskets from Ghana
We just got a new batch of Bolga baskets from Ghana. The full size ones were a mixture of the traditional leather handles and the cloth-handled ones that we started having made last year for our vegan customers.
The baby Bolga baskets all had leather handles – we're still waiting for our first batch of cloth-handled ones.
We'll add a selection of the baskets to our online store in the next day or so.
I had a very special helper when it was time to shape them….
It's Earth Hour!
On Earth Hour hundreds of millions of people, organizations, corporations and governments around the world will come together to make a bold statement about their concern for climate change by doing something quite simple—turning off their lights for one hour. In the U.S. where we are already feeling the impacts of climate change, Earth Hour sends a clear message that Americans care about this issue and want to turn the lights out on dirty air, dangerous dependency on foreign oil and costly climate change impacts, and make the switch to cleaner air, a strong economic future and a more secure nation.
Participation is easy. By flipping off your lights on March 27th at 8:30 p.m. local time you will be making the switch to a cleaner, more secure nation and prosperous America. View the toolkits, to find out what else you can do to get involved including leading the Earth Hour movement in your community.
Set Your Clock
On Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 8:30 p.m. local time, Earth Hour will once again cascade around the globe, from New Zealand to Hawaii
Sparking a Movement
Since its inception three years ago, Earth Hour's non-partisan approach has captured the world's imagination and became a global phenomenon. Nearly one billion people turned out for Earth Hour 2009 – involving 4,100 cities in 87 countries on seven continents.
Last year, 80 million Americans and 318 U.S. cities officially voted for action with their light switch, joining iconic landmarks from around the world that went dark for Earth Hour, including:
- Empire State Building
- Brooklyn Bridge
- Broadway Theater Marquees
- Las Vegas Strip
- United Nations Headquarters
- Golden Gate Bridge
- Seattle's Space Needle
- Church of Latter-Day Saints Temple
- Gateway Arch in St. Louis
- Great Pyramids of Giza
- Acropolis and Parthenon in Athens
- Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio de Janeiro
- St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City
- Big Ben and Houses of Parliament in London
- Elysee Palace and Eiffel Tower in Paris
- Beijing's Birds Nest and Water Cube
- Symphony of Lights in Hong Kong
- Sydney's Opera House
One example of reconstruction in Haiti; a strategic plan to save 500 artisan jobs
Recent events in Haiti has prompted Global Fayre to step up its level of commitment to the artisans of that country (we talked previously about the need for sustained support in the long term as well as short term crisis relief).
As a result of our search for new sources, we came across Caribbean Craft.
Based in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Caribbean Craft was founded in 1990 by young Dutch and Belgian entrepreneurs who wanted to address Haiti's high unemployment with artisan training, design assistance and new export market outlets. In 2006 Caribbean Craft became a Haitian women owned company.
They encourage their artisans to work in a sustainable way with recycled products. As you would expect, a large part of their output is concentrated on the highly original and internationally renowned "oil drum art", made from recycled steel drums. They also use paper maché made from empty cement bags and starch made from locally grown, renewable arrowroot to create beautiful and festive ornaments, money or "piggy" banks, serving trays, and other useful creations. They even produce their own glue from the starch of locally grown manioc and use plastic bottles and gallon containers.
Prior to the January earthquake, Caribbean Craft employed over 300 people in Port-au-Prince and another 200 artisans in the regions. The earthquake rendered their rented premises too dangerous to use, leaving these 500 artisans on the street (literally, in many cases, with their houses also being destroyed).
Far from being knocked back by this, Caribbean Craft quickly responded by putting together a short term plan to get their people back to work as quickly as possible, as well as a longer term plan to build their own facility capable of withstanding future earthquakes.
You can read the whole plan here.
We got our first consignment of products from Caribbean Craft last week. The pieces are beautiful, and response to them has been great!
Here are a few examples:
First Friday at Global Fayre; introducing Carl James, Photographer-Architect
Carl is a relative newcomer to Global Fayre; we started carrying his book Aux Arcs at the end of last year.He will join us for First Friday to sign his book and to launch our exhibition of some of thephotographs from the book.
"The thing I love about photography is that it sharpens my visual and emotional sensitivity to the world around me. The camera lens acts as a conduit to see beyond the mundane and focus on the beautiful interplay of light and space"
Carl enjoys exploring symbolism and surrealism created through digital manipulation.
He has seriously pursued photography for the past 10 years. He is a member of the Southwest Missouri Camera Club, the Springfield Visual Arts Alliance and the Springfield Regional Arts Council. Carl's achievements include various awards in juried competitions in the Southwest Missouri Camera Club and Juror's Choice Awards and in Springfield Visual Art Alliance juried competitions.
First Friday at Global Fayre……presenting John Long!
We're really fortunate to have John Long join us for February's First Friday Art Walk.
John Long was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1950 & was first exposed to the music he'd make his life's work not long after. By the late 1950s John was absorbing the sounds of Homesick and Elmore James, Jimmy Reed, Buster Brown, Muddy Waters, Lightnin' Hopkins, Junior Parker, and all the rest of the R&B and jump blues of the day, & working on recreating those sounds with his own guitar.
On Lost & Found, his debut album on Delta Groove Records, John Long stunningly re-created the sound of a pre-war country blues player, right down to the little Tommy Johnson-like upward vocal swoops he takes at the end of phrases.
Where: Global Fayre, 324 S Campbell Ave, Springfield, MO 65806
When: Feb 5th, 6pm onwards
Admission: Free (donations welcome, all proceeds will go to the Global Fayre Kiva Loan Fund)
For more information about the First Friday Art Walk, go to http://www.ffaw.org


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Regular price
Carry all your gear for a day out on the range in this quality bag. Deluxe double-sided padding protects your contents. The front and back pockets feature seven elastic loops for ammo and three pockets for mag clips to help keep everything secure and organized. The large padded main compartment has adjustable, removable dividers allowing you to change the size as you need it. The bag features quality YKK zippers. The shoulder strap adjusts from 30 to 55 inches or can be removed and carried with the two 16" easy carry Velcro handles.Product Size: 13" (w) x 8" (h) x 12" (d).Material: Full grain buffalo hide.
Available in Brown and Tan
Items ship within three (3) business days of placing the order.


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Baku. 11 November. REPORT.AZ/ A body has been recovered from the seabed in the vicinity of the Deepwater Gunashli (DWG) platform.
Report informs citing BP-Azerbaijan, operator of the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli field development project.
It was noted that the body has been transported to shore where it has been received by the appropriate law enforcement agencies.
Notably, a person working for the drilling contractor on the Deepwater Gunashli (DWG) platform went missing on 8 November morning.


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This article on the media industry and content marketing was originally published on CMO.com.
Often, marketers create strategies using intel from surveys that focus on peers' beliefs and practices. But do those stats paint the whole picture?
Recently, Cision released its annual "State of the Media Report," which surveyed 200 traditional journalists and digital reporters about the latest trends and changes in their industry. These objective perspectives provide clues to success for today's marketers.
Here are three notable trends:
Nearly half (49%) of our respondents pointed to native advertising as the biggest driver of revenue for media in 2015, edging out traditional advertising (42%).
Native advertising has expanded to publications such as Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. Even The Onion has embraced native ads. Before Tax Day, for example, it ran sponsored content from H&R Block.
The native advertising relationship is a win-win, as outlets need revenue and brands need visibility in a content-bloated world. However, many brands have been slow to adopt native ads. While digital ads typically require only a designer, native ads involve a bigger investment in terms of creation, often requiring a designer and writer.
As consumers become banner-ad blind, native ads become more necessary. The key to success? Declaring your intentions up-front. Are you attempting to reach prospects or influencers? Will text, video, audio, or a combination best reach your target audience?
Considering audiences get more value from native ads and outlets maintain editorial control, it's understandable that 43% of journalists have a favorable view of native ads. That percentage will only increase as the benefits of native advertising become more known.
The most important media trend, according to our respondents, is likely within arm's reach. Mobile compatibility earned 36% of the vote as the top trend.
That number might be even higher now, considering Google rolled out its "mobile-friendly update" on April 21, which boosted the ranking of pages that catered to mobile users.
These days brands need to think mobile first, determining how audiences will receive content on screens not much bigger than your palm. Responsive and adaptive design and tailoring resources to these small screens are critical to success.
Investigative reporting once meant diving through mountains of paperwork and stakeouts. It still does, but it can also mean surfing Instagram. Recently, the Associated Press searched a politician's Instagram account, concluded wrongful spending, and wrote a story that prompted a spending review.
This innovative way of leveraging social matches results from our survey. The second biggest trend in the media was social integration in the newsroom (18%).
As more and more reporters rely on social media to unearth and source stories, brands need to balance appealing to customers and prospects and the media. Offering more thought leadership content, sharing breaking news, analyzing trends, and engaging with reporters are key to modern-day media relations.
As digital and social media journalism booms, brands and marketers should look not only to their peers, but also to the media outlets that are innovating within the industry. After all, about 90% of brands do content marketing but only 38% say their efforts are effective.
We invite you to share your perspective in a constructive way. To comment, please sign in or register. Our moderating team will review all comments and may edit them for clarity. Our team also may delete comments that are off-topic or disrespectful. All postings become the property of
Content Science Review.
Make better content decisions with a system of data + insight.
Your content approach makes or breaks your digital transformation. Learn why intelligent content strategy + engineering are critical to your success.
Your content is integral to your product. You might have piloted content strategy and seen promising results. Now what? It's time to get more strategic so you can sustain and scale. This whitepaper will help you start.
Does your content work? It's a simple question, but getting a clear answer from content analytics or ROI formulas is often anything but easy. This ebook by Colleen Jones will help you overcome the challenges.


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Sponsored Reviews and Standard Reviews
In an effort to keep our readers informed about current items on the market, we have decided to do some specific product and website reviews. We will cover aspects such as ease of use, appearance, ease of maintenance, cost, and overall features. For websites we will include information on the site's privacy policy, security, and general use of the website. We will provide a summary of our findings and opinions and list out the pros and cons for each product. These pros and cons will be listed as "plaudits" and "tweaks" respectively. Why? Because it's just more fun than saying "pros and cons!"
A sponsored review is one that someone asks us to write and for which we get paid. This is one of the ways that we are able to maintain this blog and to put dinner on the table. Like any other job, we need to get paid somehow. Sponsored reviews will be honest and will provide information both positive and negative on any site or product we review. Our opinions are still our opinions, whether we are getting paid to write the review or not.
Standard reviews are reviews that we write just because we have some information we want to share with you. If you don't see the words "Sponsored Review" at the top of the post, the review is not a paid review.
If you have any comments or questions, feel free to leave a note.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Sponsored Reviews and Standard Reviews - Our Definitions & Guidelines
Sponsored Reviews and Standard Reviews
Posted by Karen & Rick at 3:32 PM
Labels: Product Review, sponsored reviews, standard review