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Freddy Quinn, původním jménem Franz Eugen Helmut Manfred Nidl (* 27. září 1931, Niederfladnitz) je rakouský zpěvák a herec, populární zvláště v 50. a 60. letech 20. století. Byl představitelem tzv. schlager musik.

Život
Quinn se narodil v Dolním Rakousku a vyrůstal ve Vídni. Pak žil s otcem v Morgantownu v Západní Virginii v USA, ale po rozchodu rodičů se přestěhoval s matkou zpět do Vídně. Druhým manželstvím jeho matky s Rudolfem Anatolem Freiherrem von Petzem získal Quinn jméno Nidl-Petz. Na konci druhé světové války, ve svých 14 letech, odešel z domova, aby se setkal s americkými vojáky v západních Čechách. Vmísil se mezi vojáky a díky své plynulé angličtině s americkým přízvukem se mu podařilo předstírat, že má americkou státní příslušnost a v květnu 1945 byl poslán do USA s výpravou vojenských navrátilců. Cílem tohoto zvláštního útěku z Evropy bylo znovu se setkat s pravým otcem. Na Ellis Islandu, kam byl po odhalení své identity poslán, s mnoha jinými migranty, se však dozvěděl, že jeho otec už v roce 1943 zemřel při autonehodě. Byl pak okamžitě poslán zpět do Evropy. Než se však vrátil k matce do Vídně, na celý rok uvízl v Antverpách v dětském domově. Naučil se zde francouzsky a nizozemsky. Ani po návratu k matce ho však neklidná povaha neopustila. Začal se toulat po jižní Evropě a severní Africe. Nakonec se usadil v Německu, ve čtvrti St. Pauli v Hamburku. Zde začal vystupovat jako zpěvák. V roce 1954 získal první nahrávací smlouvu. Roku 1956 reprezentoval Německo v prvním ročníku Eurovize, který se konal v Luganu. Vystoupil zde s písní So geht das jede Nacht, která pojednává o nevěrné dívce. Většina jeho dalších písní je o Hamburku, nekonečném moři a osamělém životě v odlehlých zemích (Heimweh, Brennend heißer Wüstensand, Dort wo die Blumen blüh'n, Schön war die Zeit, Die Gitarre und das Meer, Unter fremden Sternen, Irgendwann gibt's ein Wiedersehn, La Paloma, Junge, komm bald wieder, Vergangen, vergessen, vorueber ad.). V 50. a 60. letech natočil též řadu filmů, v nichž ztvárňoval titulní postavu námořníka Freddyho. Občas též vystupoval na divadle a dokonce v cirkuse, s akrobatickými čísly. V 70. letech jeho sláva pohasla. Prodal 60 milionů desek a získal 17 zlatých desek. Stále žije v Hamburku.

Odkazy

Externí odkazy

Reference

Rakouští zpěváci
Narození v roce 1931
Narození 27. září
Žijící lidé
Muži

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Memorial Day Observers to See Increased Prices in Gas, Food
Katie Birecki
05/26/2022 6:48 PM EDT
burger... (Katie Birecki)
Memorial Day weekend is right around the corner, which for some means traveling and getting together with friends and family.
This year with supply shortages and higher prices, you may be paying more for gas and food to celebrate weekend.
"In Michigan, we're expecting about 1.1 million Michiganders are going to travel this Memorial Day weekend," said AAA Auto Club Spokesperson Adrienne Woodland. "That's an increase of about 7.9% compared to last year."
Woodland said of those 1.1 million traveling, 1 million will be hitting the road.
"We're coming out of this two year pandemic, and there's a lot of pent up demand for travel," she said.
Gas prices nationally and in the state hit an all time high overall and for this weekend.
"Our national average is currently $4.66 a gallon for regular unleaded," said Woodland. "In Michigan, we're slightly below that at $4.56 a gallon for regular unleaded. The previous record was $4.11 a gallon set back in 2008. We're well above that record now."
Businesses are also expecting heavy traffic in stores this weekend.
"At our store especially, with the big holiday, people love coming to get the best," said Mark Wilson, owner of Maxbaur's Meat Market. "For us at our second location on South Airport here at the Butcher's Block, we're doing more volume and our sales are up."
Wilson said the supply and demand for meat, especially this weekend, is high.
"It's always supply and demand, but like with beef, beef is up dollar more than last year," he said. "Some of my steaks, like Delmonico steaks, are up about $4-5 a pound compared to last year."
He said they're waiting for the end of Memorial Day for chicken prices to rise.
"They're not going to be going down, and as well get new on inventory in every week," Wilson said. "It's a commodity, you have to make sure you adjust your price."
Wilson said it depends on your budget and how much you want to spend this weekend.
"If you're a family of four and you have another family of four coming over, briskets really aren't any different price than they were last year, a 70 lb brisket is going to cost you $70," he said. "If you get bratwurst, depends on how much you eat, a four pack of bratwurst is like $8. If you get a couple of steaks, it could run $50-$75 , but it depends on how much you're going to eat."
Wilson said there have been some customers sparing no expense this holiday weekend.
"I have people ordering beef tenderloins and 20 lbs of baby back ribs, that's going to run them a couple hundred bucks bucks," he said. "They're not sparing anything to get together with family and friends."
Memorial Day Observers to See Increased Prices in Gas, Food Memorial Day Observers to See Increased Prices in Gas, Food (Katie Birecki)
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LSC Connect: Congratulations Roger. You must have felt so honoured when you found out you were the winner of the Student Led Fellowship Award. What was your initial reaction?
Roger: Delighted of course, and surprised that so many students had felt inclined to take the trouble to vote for me. I felt privileged because I know, even in my relatively short period lecturing at the LSC, that there are many very able and inspiring lecturers working here.
LSC Connect: What did you win and how did you celebrate?
LSC Connect: How long have you been teaching?
Roger: Well …… would you believe 48 years? After graduating from the University of Exeter in 1966, and undertaking a Diploma in Education at the University of Newcastle in 1967, I started teaching at The King's School in Pontefract in Yorkshire. Over the next 48 years I have lectured in schools, further education (FE) and higher education (HE) colleges, and, in the past 15 years for different universities. During this period I did, at one stage, have a smaller teaching commitment when I was Head of the School of Business and Management in a large FE and HE college. After my initial retirement in 2002, I taught at Anglia Ruskin University for 6 to 7 years. I joined LSC in late 2013 and have thoroughly enjoyed my time so far …. the students from so many different countries and cultures are a constant pleasure, and also, so receptive to learning in the UK.
LSC Connect: 48 years! That is amazing. What has and continues to motivate you to teach?
Roger: I have often asked myself this. When I tell people that I have taught all my life, many of them are amazed. However, I have always believed that education can be a powerful force for good. I still find great delight in sharing with students what I have learned over the years, and giving them the facility to enhance their own lives through learning. The day-to-day experience of the teacher can be very wearing and tiring what people underestimate is the amount of preparation that good teaching entails. Nevertheless, the rewards, like the one I received recently, outweigh all those negative experiences.
LSC Connect: In nominating you for the award, students spoke not only of your total enthusiasm and ability to breathe vitality into the subject but also your skills in inspiring the development of knowledge outside their class time. How do you motivate your students, and what do you do to help them learn?
Roger: Motivating students is not always easy of course. However, I have always been enthusiastic about the importance of the subjects I have taught for all these years mainly Economics and Research Methodologies. I find no difficulty in enthusing about both of them. Economics is a 'living' subject and there is no shortage of current events occurring which I can use as examples in my lectures; students too are aware of the economic world around them and between us we have no problem in filling our time together positively and productively. Research Methodologies is a highly academic subject with a received protocol attached. I enjoy the passing on of that form and academic protocol. The skills learned through the subject should, I firmly believe, lead to better decision-making in all walks of life where evidence-based decision making should be paramount.
LSC Connect: What are your biggest challenges?
Roger: At the LSC, the main challenge is delivering long three hour sessions to large groups of students from a huge number of countries, with different cultures, different expectations and different grasps of the English language. I have to be constantly inventive with the words, phrases and images I use in these sessions. At a personal level… as you can imagine, age does start creeping up on you and the real challenge I want to continue to overcome is that of maintaining my standards of work for a few more years yet!
Roger: I suspect that I am in the twilight of my career …… so I would like to continue to work part-time as I am doing at the moment; continue to learn- you are never too old for that; enjoy my family and particularly my lovely grandchildren; and, in the immediate future, enjoy the Disney cruise we are taking them on!
Roger: Never think that you have got teaching 'sorted out'. There are always new ways to approach your teaching. Remember to always inspire, enthuse, coax and cajole your students, they will appreciate it in the end. Also remember what I said earlier that much hard work is necessary never go into a class unprepared or underprepared.
LSC Connect: Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. I hope you continue to be inspire and enthuse in all that you do whether it's teaching at LSC or taking the grandchildren on a Disney cruise.


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News Roundup: Season 3 of Cobra Kai Is Coming In 2021, Details Surface From Staff & Stars.
The nostalgia is strong. Courtesy of Netflix.
Are you asking the same thing as us? "Is Miguel Gonna Die?" "Are Johnny and Daniel Frenemies?" "Can Someone Just Murder Demitri already?"
If you're like me, you're still reeling from the absolute Phoenix-like rise of Cobra Kai after season 1 and 2 were released on Netflix a couple weeks ago. You dove in because you were curious, it caught you from the opening scene, and you realized..."Oh, this is gonna be good."
After the binge, here we are...impatiently waiting for Season 3. Luckily, it is confirmed that Season 3 is already completed and ready to go, thanks to Netflix for saving the show. The masses of people who have become a huge fans of Cobra Kai and the original Karate Kid in the past month or so want it NOW.
UPDATE 1:
Writer-Producer Jon Hurwitz Tweeted:
Can I get a #HashbrownTeamCobraKai? UPDATE 2: Furthermore, Season 3 of Cobra Kai will take place in Okinawa, Japan, mimicking the setting of Karate Kid II, which "took place" there, however it was filmed in Oahu, Hawaii. (trivia points!)
This was confirmed by Cobra Kai star Ralph Macchio who plays Daniel LaRusso on Conan O' Brien just yesterday, September 15th. "It dives into the origins of Myiagi-Do Karate"
In a recent interview with Collider, William Zabka (Johnny Lawrence) states that the new season will take place "a little bit later in time than season 2", stating we won't pick up right away after Johnny ruined his phone on the beach. Watch the video below in its entirety if you have 20min. It's truly fun and lets you see Zabka's real personality, because man he is OH SO GOOD as Johnny Lawrence it's hard to see him as anything but his character.
So, as things are in 2020, we're waiting until 2021 for almost everything. This is totally worth it though.
Share your love for Cobra Kai in the comments, we'd love to hear what your favorite scenes are!
Paul Brown is the Founder of Kulture Popped and an avid pop culture collector/aficionado.
Switching Gears: Ink Master Alumni Now Creates Custom Air Jordans Full-Time...And Isn't Turning Back


A quick scan of the internet reveals thousands of well designed, attractive websites. What it doesn't reveal is what these sites have in common; that they have all had a makeover. Any website will require updating and refreshing from time to time and web design should be looked at as an ongoing process rather than a one-off investment. The sites that continually look uplifted, fresh and appealing will attract the most customers.
Website makeovers don't always have to be absolute. More often than not only a 'freshen-up' is required. A simple layout change or new colour scheme can inject vitality. Similarly, removing unnecessary content can make it more usable. However small the change seems, it will have a positive impact.
However, occasionally there is a need for a complete revamp or to add extra features. For example major car dealership www.perrys.co.uk, which provides a facility to search for new and used cars online, was originally designed approximately seven years ago. Originally a successful site, over time it reached the limits of its original design. Structural changes, improved functionalities anda new design produced a website that is clear, attractive and easy to navigate.
The problem for most companies is assessing when the time is right for a makeover. Unnecessary upgrades cost money. However, ignoring required upgrades costs customers. Take a step back and look at a site from a user's point of view. Does it upload quickly? Is it clear who it belongs to? Is it bright and fresh? Is it easy to use? Are contact details easy to locate? Is it built to optimise search engine optimisation? All of these aspects are important to customers and if the site is not any of the above it will not retain visitors. On the other hand, websites that can be found on search engines, look vivid and interesting and are easy to navigate will not require a makeover for some time yet.
Once a decision has been made to re-vamp a website the first important point is to prioritise. For example, if a website has a slow upload time, give precedence to this rather than adapting the colour scheme for example. Similarly, if a website cannot be found on a search engine, don't spend hours on a new layout. Always deal with major issues primarily, resolving lesser issues subsequently.
Fortunately, attempting to achieve SEO, for the majority of websites, will not require a full make over. Copy will simply need to be revived and fresh content such as images or case studies included. However, the way the core design of the site has been put together will influence how much additional work is needed. The most cost-effective method for doing this is to build the site according to "web standards" using valid HTML and cascading style sheets (CSS), which enables the web developer to separate the appearance or style of the web page from its structure and content. This also allows easy updating and in turn better SEO.
Top wine merchants Berry Brothers & Rudd's website www.bbr.com is a great example of a site which has achieved good SEO. Having won international wine site of the year three years running, it has been described as 'the Rolls-Royce of websites'. One of the highlights is the inclusion of a selection of the latest releases on the home page. The regular updating of these products is simple but necessary to keep the website coming up on search engines and looking fresh and attractive.
For companies who first invested in a website five-seven years ago SEO will be an issue. However, the other main problem will be that the original site, which may have become an increasingly important form of communication over the years, may no-longer be relevant for its target audience which has changed as the company has grown.
A website should always be designed and made over with the relevant demographic in mind. For example, designing a website for the over 50s using bright, clashing colours and small font will not be the most effective-user-friendly layout.
When redesigning a website assess what your audience likes and what they look for; what will they respond best to? With this in the forefront of the mind, the finished product should be one which attracts and retains potential and existing customers.
The main objective of a website is to attract customers and generate sales and enquiries. Anything not meeting this objective requires a makeover. When considering websites for makeovers, web designers will often use the terms 'dipping a toe in the water', a 'facelift' or 'plastic surgery'. What designers mean is that a makeover does not always have to be a complete overhaul. It can simply include the introduction of a new colour, fresh images or improved content.
Organisations will often write a makeover off as 'too much hassle' or a 'waste of money'. However, a good website will provide a healthy return on investment and the majority of the time, altering only a few aspects will make a very valuable difference.


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Andrea Ranocchia
Andrea-Ranocchia.com is a fansite devoted to Italian's Frog
Conte explains substitutions
Antonio Conte explains his substitutions during Roma-Inter and insists he doesn't want new signings in January.
"I think it was a good game, also in the first half. Don't forget Roma have our same targets, they are just three points behind us, they sit third in the table. It was not easy to play this kind of game here.
Achraf Hakimi's substitution in the second half was questioned by DAZN pundits.
"Vidal got injured and Gagliardini replaced him, Lautaro gave so much in 75 minutes, I wanted him to help the team in the defensive phase, Hakimi run so much, he was losing the ball possession too frequently, we've played three games in a week, those players have always played and we have substitutions we can use.
"Vidal played a very good game, he had a slow start, but he increased the intensity throughout the game.
"We have an important team that can aim for something important, I don't see why I can't use other players too."
Did Inter sit too deep in the final minutes?
"I think there was a bit of anxiety to get an important result. We told the players to continue to press, because sitting deep is not a good thing. Roma had nothing to lose and tried to push ahead, it's normal.
"We have our own identity and we always prove it. Fonseca said it yesterday, we are a difficult team to stop. Other coaches recognise it, not everyone does.
"We often concede goals because we press too high and we leave too much space behind us. We've allowed so many games on the counterattacks this season.
"On the one hand, it can help you to score, on the other hand you can become more vulnerable if you make mistakes.
"Don't forget we must have the strength and energy to do certain things, I've always used the same XI in the last few games, it's normal to lose energy in the final minutes."
Do Inter need to signings in January?
"The verb 'want' does not exist this season. In August I was informed about the club's strategies, we signed Hakimi in April and nobody else arrived afterwards.
"The strategy is clear. I want nobody, I work with these players, we have strengths and weaknesses, but that's who we are. Forget the Inter of the last transfer window, that's what I was told."
Author adminPosted on 10/01/2021 Categories News
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Mary E. Butchki, 91, of Monaca, passed away Wednesday evening, March 16, 2011, at her residence surrounded by her loving family.
Born March 30, 1919, in Tower Hill #2, (Fayette County), she was a daughter of the late Peter and Anna (Dzubak) Labasik. Following high school graduation, Mary continued her education in Pittsburgh, receiving her beautician's license. She was wed to John R. Butchki, Sr., on January 1, 1948, who preceded her in death, in 1984. Mrs. Butchki was a 1984 retiree of Westinghouse Electric, Vanport, with 18 years of service. Mary was a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Monaca, and a member and past officer of Christian Mothers and Catholic Daughters of America. She was also a member and past officer of the former Sokol Club in Monaca. In addition to cooking and gardening, Mary enjoyed attending arts and craft classes.
Mary will be sadly missed by her three children, Michael Butchki and his wife, Patty, of Geneva, NY, Judi Butchki and Johnnie Butchki, both of Monaca; a granddaughter, Jessica, of Monaca; two sisters, Ann Labasik and Helen Labasik, both of Pittsburgh, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Along with her parents and husband, Mary was preceded in death by three sisters, Madelon, Virginia and Susan, and an infant brother, Peter Labasik.
Friends will be received Monday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 9 p.m. in the SIMPSON FUNERAL & CREMATION SERVICES, 1119 Washington Ave., Monaca, (724-728-4000), where prayers will be offered Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian burial at 10 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Monaca.
Rev. Fr. John L. McKenna will be the celebrant.
She will be laid to rest beside her late husband in Sylvania Hills Memorial Park.
The family suggests memorial contributions be made to St. John the Baptist Catholic School, 15th Street & Virginia Avenue, Monaca, PA 15061.


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Escalate to the Cloud: Benefits of SaaS-based Technologies
The COVID-19 pandemic and its effects has made remote work and centralized planning an imperative for ports and terminals. Most terminals are quickly realizing that cloud solutions are the only way to make these imperatives a reality. Demand for flexible, efficient and cost effective technology solutions in ports and terminals has never been higher.
Terminals are increasingly looking towards new cloud solutions with a software as a service (SaaS) model to run their operations. These cloud solutions can lower a terminal's total costs of ownership, allow for easy upgrades, flexibility of use across multiple locations and more effective security than on premises solutions.
In this webinar, "Escalate to the Cloud: Benefits of SaaS-based Technologies," hosted by Transport Events and sponsored by Navis, you'll learn:
Why the demand for SaaS-based solutions is growing in the maritime industry and the benefits that can bring
Best practices in managing cloud operations for security and reliability
A case study from the Caribbean Port Services in Haiti highlighting how the terminal has utilized the cloud to optimize their terminal operations.
Luc Castera, Founder & Product Director, Octopi by Navis
Luc Castera is the founder of Octopi, a SaaS platform used by cargo port terminals to manage their operations. He has a passion for helping businesses improve their operations by using modern software tools and making data-driven decisions. Before starting Octopi, Mr. Castera was the CTO of Intellum, where he led the development of Tribe Social and the Exceed Learning Management Software for clients like Google, Snapchat, Cricket Wireless, and Allied Universal.
Ajay Bhardwaj, Sr Director of Product Management
Ajay Bharadwaj is responsible for Navis's cloud initiatives and SaaS application offerings. Ajay brings expertise in launching products to cloud environments, security, and pricing and licensing models. Prior to joining Navis, Ajay held leadership positions in product management across Enterprises in the Networking and Security domains. Ajay has a BS & MS in Computer Science. He also holds a MBA degree from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Marc-Aleix, Director of Operations for Caribbean Port Services S.A.
Marc-Aleix has over ten years experience working in the maritime industry in operations, planning, business development, customer service and sales roles. Marc-Aleix worked on the Octopi implementation taking the port from paper processes to a cloud-based modern TOS. In his current role, Marc-Aleix heads the Stevedoring, Import and Export Yard, Reefer Yard, Delivery and Customer Service departments, as well as the newly opened Consolidated Warehouse which also uses the Octopi software for its operations.


Whether it was a simple tweet including the hashtag #AltonSterling, or a more vocal response to the death of Alton Sterling, who was killed by a Baton Rouge, Louisiana, police officer in front of a convenience store on Tuesday, athletes from multiple sports had something to say.
Per the owner of the convenience store, who considered Sterling his friend, the 37-year-old man was a regular, often selling CDs or DVDs in front of the store.
Following a press conference from Sterling's family and one from the Baton Rouge police chief and mayor-president on Wednesday, this is the most up-to-date version of what we know.
How do you fight something that's designed so you can't win?
Black lives matter man and not just when we're playing ball or making others some type of money.
Praying for the friends, family, and loved ones of #AltonSterling .
This is BS man nothing is changing. They have literally executed countless black men and throw it in our face that they can. No consequence.
5-0 back at it again. Can't believe this has become mainstream. Humanity is failing.
And the struggle is not singular. Truly scary to watch the news this past week and recognize that the common thread is "lack of humanity."
To lack humanity goes against the ESSENCE of our being. Humanity means consciousness, awareness &yet the cycle continues. Apathy= dangerous.


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US migrant crisis: Trump seeks to curb Central America asylum claims
Oil steadies as U.S. supply concerns ease but Iran tensions loom
Iran hits back at US demands on ballistic missiles
Huawei reportedly plans to lay off hundreds of employees in the US
Iran 'ready for talks' with US if sanctions are lifted
Inside Iran: What Iranians think of stand-off with US
Trump attends Cleveland-area fundraiser
U.S. Cities Prepare For Planned ICE Raids On Sunday
Impending immigration raids across US spark anxiety and protests
US House Democrats lead push to restrict Trump on Iran strikes
US regulators approve $5bn Facebook settlement
Facebook 'to be fined $5bn over Cambridge Analytica scandal'
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This article is 5 years old and may no longer reflect current clinical practice.
The Mirena is widely used to treat myriad women's health-related issues. With a flexible T-shaped plastic frame, it contains a cylinder of 52mg of levonorgestrel, which is released at small, metered doses of 12mcg daily for five years. It exerts its effect on the endometrium with minimal systemic progestogenic effects.
Use of the contraceptive intrauterine device (IUD), or variations thereof, dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. Dr Richter of Waldenberg, Germany, described the first genuine IUD in 1909. Two intricately woven strands of silkworm gut were capped with celluloid for intrauterine insertion to prevent injury to the endometrium. The threads at the vaginal end were bound by a thin bronze fragment to herald expulsion and to facilitate retrieval. In an era complicated by endemic gonorrhoea, and thus pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), with no adequate therapeutic treatment measures, IUDs were perceived to be considerable infection risks and hazardous methods of contraception.
The development of a more serviceable device was achieved in 1924, by Dr Ernst Grafenberg, a specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist. It was in the form of an IUD ring and was made of helically wound silver fragments. Damaging reports of IUD- associated PID later led to the German Congress of Gynaecology denouncing Grafenberg's achievements as a medically unacceptable method of birth control. Interesting times.
The device lay dormant for nearly four decades, plagued by its reputation as an inciter of PID, until the first copper-bearing IUD was introduced in 1969. This solved the spatial and painful incompatibilities of previous models, and the T-shape was born. The expulsion rate was radically reduced.
Despite these advances in development, the predominant complaint of menorrhagia remained unaddressed by the copper-bearing devices. This led to the birth of the third-generation, progesterone-releasing IUD in 1977, which revolutionised the world of IUDs with its effect on progesterone receptors in the endometrium.
Continuous low-dose release of levonorgestrel (LNG) has progestogenic effects on the uterine cavity, leading to physical and morphological changes. Thickened cervical mucus provides a physical barrier to sperm penetration. It also inhibits sperm capacitation and survival. The morphological changes include stromal pseudo-decidualisation, glandular atrophy, leukocytic infiltration and a reduction in glandular and stromal mitoses.
Ovulation is maintained in approximately 85 per cent of women using the LNG-IUD. Complete ovulation suppression requires a daily intrauterine concentration of 50mcg LNG, significantly greater than the elution level of this device.
International consensus has been achieved through multiple randomised control trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews in recognising the use of the LNG-IUD as an effective form of contraception. Published data reveal that the cumulative five-year pregnancy rate is 0.7 per cent, deeming the device as effective as male/female sterilisation techniques. RANZCOG endorses the use of the LNG-IUD as a safe and highly effective method of contraception for use in women of all ages and parity.
The use of the LNG-IUD in the treatment of menorrhagia enjoys statistically proven superiority in reducing 97 per cent of the mean menstrual blood loss (MBL). Comparable results are not achievable with alternative medical therapies, including tranexamic/mefenamic acid, combined oral contraceptive pill (COCP) or gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues.
The LNG-IUD provides an effective option for the treatment of menorrhagia, with avoidance of the risks associated with a surgical procedure and without permanent loss of fertility.
Progestogenic HRT and effect on lipid metabolism in post-menopausal women: the LNG-IUD is effective in providing endometrial protection from stimulatory effects from oral and transdermal oestrogen, thereby reducing the risk of hyperplasia and malignancy.
When used in conjunction with oestrodiol, it has proven cardio-protective qualities by maintaining baseline HDL levels after 12 months of treatment. Similarly LDL-cholesterol levels are reduced.
Endometriosis: prospective studies report an 80 per cent reduction is primary dysmenorrhoea and MBL in women with a diagnosis of endometriosis.
Fibroids: the LNG-IUD provides improvement in fibroid related menorrhagia and dysmenorrhoea, and also boasts a documented reduction in fibroid volume.
Treatment of early endometrial hyperplasia: there is proven efficacy in treatment of endometrial hyperplasia owing to anti-proliferative and suppressive effects on the endometrium.
Prevention of PID: a large European multi-study RCT (Luukainen, 1987) demonstrated a significantly lower incidence of PID and subsequent long-term protective effect in LNG IUD users than with other IUD users.
Ectopic pregnancy: there is a reported annual incidence of 0.1 per cent ectopic pregnancy in women with a LNG IUD in situ. The use of the device is not contraindicated in women with a history of previous ectopic pregnancy as it does not increase the incidence of recurrence (WHO classification Category 1: Unrestricted use).
It is safe for use in breastfeeding mothers after four weeks postpartum and beyond.
Use in women with a history of migraine with focal symptoms also appears appropriate.
As a long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC), it carries a five-year licence.
It is reversible and allows rapid return of fertility.
There is no evidence of any detrimental effect on bone mineral density (BMD).
What are the contraindications and complications?
a hypersensitivity reaction to IUD product components.
Ovarian cysts: risk 1.2 per 100 women-years (eight per cent); 94 per cent are asymptomatic, small and self-resolving.
Unscheduled vaginal bleeding: irregular bleeding/spotting in the first three-to-six months is common.
Systemic hormonal side effects: oedema, weight gain, headache, acne, hirsutism and breast tenderness.
Failure rate: less than one per 100 women years; 4.5 per cent risk of expulsion over five-year duration.
Insertion complications; risk of uterine perforation <0.1 per cent; more difficult/uncomfortable insertion in nulliparous women (Society of Family Planning, 2009).
Uterine abnormalities: not recommended if fibroids distort the uterine cavity or if a congenital abnormality of the uterus is known.
Analyses of LARC measures have been conducted comparing the cost-effectiveness ratios of LNG-IUD, copper IUD, depot medroxyprogesterone acetate injection (DMPA) and oestrogen subdermal implant. These methods were also compared to the COCP and female sterilisation techniques.
The studies included contraceptive provision and equipment costs, health professionals' counselling, insertion and removal time. Consideration of the total number of unintended pregnancies resulting from contraceptive failure or discontinuation was similarly evaluated for each method.
LARC methods were proven to be more cost-effective than COCP, reducing the number of unintended pregnancies and thereby generating net cost-savings for up to six years. Beyond six years, female sterilisation procedures proved to be more cost effective than LARC methods as they provided 100 per cent compliance and a low failure rate.
The Mirena is PBS listed, at a cost of $36.90 for five years' duration. It is an extremely cost-effective means of contraception and control of dysfunctional uterine bleeding.
This scenario is not as far-fetched as it may, at first, seem.
The UN strategy for Women and Children's Health was founded in 2012, and focuses on the global expansion and access to family planning services and facilities for women and girls in the developing world. Family Planning 2020 aims to build new partnerships and new commitments to enable an additional 120 million women from the world's poorest countries to access modern contraception by the year 2020. The introduction of the LNG-IUD to such outreach populations has the potential to offer long-lasting and highly effective means of contraception. Ensuring the supply of appropriate equipment, education and user-competency is essential in the success of such a project. These goals can be implemented through mobile outreach services including the Marie Stopes Foundation, which has access to highly populated sub-Saharan African communities.
Have you ever considered remotely controlled or monitored contraception? A 1.5cm-wide microchip housing reservoirs of the hormone LNG has been submitted for clinical testing in the USA. A small electric charge melts a thin seal housing the LNG, releasing a 30mcg daily dose. The microchip can remain in situ for a period of 16 years. Controlled remotely, it and can be activated and deactivated at times of convenience, particularly when planning a family.
Just imagine: you could receive encrypted data from your patient's Mirena on your iPhone, warning of malfunction, impending failure or low elution levels. The future is both challenging and bright. Be sure to keep abreast.
Bina I. The Role of Mirena, Other than Contraceptive Benefits: Current Concepts and Practices. J Bangl College of Phys and Surg. 2010 September; 28 (3):167-173.
Faculty of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care (FFPRHC). FFPRHC Guidance (April 2004). The Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LND-IUS) in contraception and reproductive health. J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care 2004; 30(2):99-109.
Mavranezouli I. The cost-effectiveness of long-acting reversible contraception methods in the UK: analysis based on a decision-analytic model developed for a National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) clinical practice guidelines. Hum Reprod. 2008 Mar 26; 23 (6):1338-1345.
Thiery M. Pioneers of the Intrauterine device. The European J Contraception and Reprod Health Care. 1997; 2 (1):15-23.
A bright future for IUD use in Africa. Global Health: Science and Practice. 2014; 2 (1):3.
Q&a: Should I recommend salpingectomy over tubal ligation for women requesting permanent contraception?
Q&a: What is the role of a menstrual cup?


text:
Costly cures
An American fight over expensive new treatments has global implications
BusinessJun 7th 2014 edition
DRUG-COMPANY executives, investment analysts, doctors and academics swarmed into Chicago between May 30th and June 3rd for the year's biggest meeting on cancer. Treatments for cancer account for more than 30% of pharmaceutical firms' early-stage research and are being revolutionised. This would seem good news. For Steve Miller, the meeting was also alarming. "We are very concerned about a lot of the different products that were presented this weekend," he says.
His cause for concern is price. Dr Miller is the chief medical officer for Express Scripts, America's biggest pharmacy-benefit manager (PBM), hired by insurers and employers to control the drugs costs for the patients they cover. In America a melanoma drug from Bristol-Myers Squibb costs nearly $120,000 for a course of treatment. And it is not just cancer treatments that are worrying. An $84,000 drug for hepatitis C, sold by Gilead, another American firm, has caused outrage among politicians and insurers. On May 28th the drug inspired a coalition ranging from doctors to trade unionists to launch a campaign against "unsustainable and abusive" prices. For drug companies this raises a ghastly spectre: that America might, at last, begin to act like the rest of the world.
European countries have long scrutinised drug prices, a practice that has intensified of late. Germany, for example, has a new way of judging the costs and benefits of medicines. National health systems use their clout to win big discounts. Cancer-drug prices are 20-40% lower in European countries than in America, according to IMS Health, a data and consulting firm. Emerging markets offer limited respite. Spending on drugs is growing there, but many governments balk at companies' prices. India has rejected applications for drug patents or weakened them so that local firms can make cheaper copies.
By comparison, America has been a drugmakers' paradise. It has no universal, nationalised health service. For the majority of Americans who have private insurance, drug companies negotiate separately with various PBMs and insurers. The government does pay for drugs for the elderly and the poor, but even the suggestion that it might consider a treatment's cost prompts hysteria over rationing. Barack Obama's health reforms created a group to compare the benefits of drugs, but it is explicitly barred from applying a standard of cost-effectiveness, as is done in Britain.
Given all this, as well as America's size, it is little surprise that the country is the drugmakers' honeypot. Its spending of $328 billion in 2012 was more than one-third of global drug sales and more than twice the spending of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Britain combined (for a population of roughly the same size). John Castellani of PhRMA, a giant drugs lobby, argues that American prices subsidise innovation that benefits patients elsewhere. Indeed Gilead is negotiating lower prices for its hepatitis C drug, Sovaldi, in poor countries. In allowing those prices Gilead assumes it will get higher ones in America.
Those paying the bill, however, are increasingly restless. Although drugs for some ailments are going off-patent and thus getting cheaper, costly new treatments for others will greatly increase the amount spent on those diseases (see chart). Sovaldi is a "tipping-point", says Dr Miller. To date, most extremely expensive drugs have been for small groups of patients, such as those with a rare genetic disease. In contrast, about 3.2m Americans are estimated to have hepatitis C. If each was given Sovaldi at current prices, the cost would exceed $250 billion.
So valuable, Sovaldi
"To say that Sovaldi has low value is not very accurate," huffs Gregg Alton, a Gilead executive. After a 12-week course, he points out, patients are essentially cured; they will avoid the suffering and costs of hepatitis C, such as liver transplants. Brian Solow of OptumRx, a PBM owned by UnitedHealth, America's biggest insurer, counters that a new medicine for Alzheimer's would also transform treatment. But as about 5m Americans have the disease, it is doubtful that insurers would be able to afford a high price.
The uproar over Sovaldi suggests that drugs will henceforth be held to a higher standard: if insurers are reluctant to pay for highly effective medicines they will probably reject mediocre ones, such as cancer drugs that extend life by just a few weeks. Already, PBMs and insurers are testing new ways to guide Americans to cheaper drugs. Express Scripts is encouraging doctors and patients, "when clinically appropriate", to wait a year or so until rivals to Sovaldi come to market. UnitedHealth is paying some doctors a capped price for cancer treatment, to discourage them from prescribing drugs that bring little benefit. WellPoint, another insurer, will shortly start paying bonuses to doctors who prescribe cancer drugs recommended by the insurer.
Such moves are minor compared with the cost controls seen in Europe. But America's market is so crucial to drugmakers that even the hint of change inspires panic. "You run the risk of stifling innovation," warns PhRMA's Mr Castellani. It is hard to know if this is an empty threat—the link between research spending and drug prices is as linear as a Gordian knot. However, the status quo looks increasingly precarious. "If we don't change the basic pricing structure of pharmaceuticals," argues Dr Miller, "this system will collapse."
This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline "Costly cures"
Cheap shots
EQRX wants to make high-end medicines less costly
Big Oil has a do-or-die decade ahead because of climate change
A tour of the Magic Mountain
Can the World Economic Forum keep its mojo?


text:
marigawangombe
Ease of Doing Business Index, Hazda, Maasai, magafuli, ngorongoro, poverty, tanzania, youth
The government of Tanzania through its Vijana Tugutuke campaign under the Ministry of Youth and Preventing Coup Affairs, introduced the opening of the Gladiators for Poverty competition.
"As a way of keeping poor unemployed youth busy, they will be required to fight to the death."said President Magafuli, during the much anticipated launch. "The winners will get the gift of life and the losers will get a reprieve from poverty."
"This is also one of the ways in which my government will reduce crime and corruption because when you're dead you can't steal or embezzle funds."
Quoting a Mount Kirinyaga University study on the impact of death on productivity, the president also touted that the program would within a year or two increase the income per capita rate and GDP through its countrywide implementation
The President also assured the residents of marginalised areas particularly the Maasai, Hazda and Barabaig communities, that his government was intentional about inclusivity and had set up a 30% quota for youth from the regions for the competition. He also assured them of additional automatic spots for women and the disabled.
The Minister for Health ,Serif Rashidi, who had earlier on presided over an anti-abortion conference, lauded the move as innovative and encouraged voluntary registration. He also promised that the block-chain lottery system which would select participants at random. He said that apart from the feeding program that would be introduced as an incentive for early entry, the youth would also be given the opportunity to compete for the coveted Presidential Handie Award. It would be awarded to the young person who would do the best work for the president using their hands
The opening of the Ngorongoro Colosseum which was graced by Emperor Kenyatta and Museveni, leaders of the Imperial British East African states of Kenya and Uganda will see the inaugural tournament held.
A poll held by Ipsos Innovate, showed that 78% of youth prefer keeping the traditional Gladiator's Oath "I will endure to be burned, to be bound, to be beaten, and to be killed by the sword"over the newer suggestion "My life belongs to the state."
Analysts are still speculating over how this move would affect Tanzania's rating on the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Index.
Previous PostThe North Remembers (part 3/4)Next PostKenyan Government Launches M-Damu Bond
Ease of Doing Business IndexHazdaMaasaimagafulingorongoropovertytanzaniayouth
Miye MimiMwenyewe Binafsi
Wauuu, so an anti-abortionist actually appreciates/acknowledges the idea of people killing each other in the name of competition. You advocate for the existence of children you'd love to watch die as you get entertained??
It also shows how they'll 'eradicate' poverty/corruption through this, that it's the fault of the poor they are poor, it's the fault of the poor they are corrupt and the poor are an unwanted population that should be eradicated: eugenics.
Also how this culture reminds me of how the Roman's used to draw joy from the blood of slaves is just nauseating.
Nice comment


Prasar Bharati (Mumbai Prasar Bharati), Mumbai Published Job Notification for 04 Manager Posts. Candidates who wish to apply must look at Prasar Bharati Manager Recruitment 2017. Eligible candidates can apply offline before 10-11-2017.
Education Qualification: MBA/ PG Diploma in marketing/ Mass Communication or Equivalent. For Post wise Education Details follow the detailed advertisement.
Interested & Eligible candidates can send their application along with all the necessary documents and testimonials to the Additional Director General, Commercial & Revenue Division, Doordarshan, Worli, Mumbai or by email to crdmumbai2017@gmail.com.
Starting Date, Last Date to Apply Offline at Mumbai Prasar Bharati which candidates should be remember as follows.
Last Date to Apply Offline: 10-11-2017.


Dina Kowal Creative: a card! a card!
Stamps used are from smARTworks' Farewell set - I thought I'd try something a little "Zindorf" and broke out my brayer and my not-so-moldy-now dye ink pads. The sun was masked with a circle cut-out. I stamped the waving boy and grass over the sunset, then filled in with a black pen. The saying is popped with mounting tape, and hangs off the edge to a 5" width.
OK, I have a diaper to change...my oldest son came to tell me how stinky it was, and I told him it was next on my list, I promise...and his reply was, "Why can't it be first?"
Thankful to know that you are all safely back home.
So glad to hear that you are getting settled...This is sure a beautiful card!
Hi, Dina! What a beautiful card. It made me think of the day I spent in prayer as your plane was taking off and in flight!
So glad you are feeling more settled. So thankful you were here!
Take a peek at my blog and see what I did with your stamp set. I absolutely love it...no it's more than that, but I can't put it into words. Will you just read my heart, sister?
I'm glad to see that you are getting settled in enough to stamp! Have a great week!
Out of the mouth of babes! How cute! Cute card too!
What a gorgeous card! Well, I'm pretty excited... I ordered "Cross of Christ" & "Fishers of Men"! Can hardly wait till they get here!!! Hope your day is totally blessed!
Hi Dina. Glad to hear that you are getting settled and that you have wonderful co-workers who share their internet wireless! I love love love this card. Michelle is one of my other favorite blogs to visit these days too!! It is great when 2 of my favs get together!!
Delightful card - I love the silhouette!


text:
Why no one wants to live in the bungalow next to the UP CM's house in Lucknow
The buzz in UP's political and administrative circles is that anyone who occupies 6, Kalidas Marg – whether an IAS officer or a minister – either ends up in political or official ignominy, a decline in political fortunes, jail, or grave illness.
india Updated: Apr 01, 2017 11:28 IST
Pankaj Jaiswal
Hindustan Times, Lucknow
The buzz in UP's political and administrative circles is that anyone who occupies 6, Kalidas Marg – whether an IAS officer or a minister -- either ends up in political or official ignominy, a decline in political fortunes, jail, or grave illness.(HT Photo/Deepak Gupta)
Who wouldn't want to live next to the most famous address in Uttar Pradesh – 5, Kalidas Marg, the residence of the chief minister of India's most-populous state?
No one, it turns out, spooked by a superstition of ill luck descending on every occupant of the bungalow in the heart of Lucknow.
The buzz in UP's political and administrative circles is that anyone who occupies 6, Kalidas Marg – whether an IAS officer or a minister -- either ends up in political or official ignominy, a decline in political fortunes, jail, or grave illness.
Preferring not to be named, an estate department officer said: "The house has been 'branded' inauspicious. There are no takers for it as of now."
Because the bungalow has no takers, the estate department has begun thinking of repurposing it--either by demolition and merging it with the 7, Kalidas Marg -- where deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya lives -- or using the building as the security camp for chief minister Yogi Adityanath.
Politicians such as Amar Singh, Babu Singh Kushwahas, Waqar Ahmed Shah, Javed Abdi and officers such as Neera Yadav and Pradeep Shukla lived here before.
The last occupant of the bungalow was Javed Abdi, whom then chief minister Akhilesh Yadav gave a ministerial rank. But within months of moving in, Abdi was sacked from his position as chairman of the UP pollution control board.
Before Abdi, Waqar Ahmad Shah was allotted the residence as a senior minister when Akhilesh Yadav came to power. Shah started living here, but then fell critically ill and went into a coma. He never returned to work since then, and he's been in hospital for five years.
Before that, right-hand man of then chief minister Mayawati, Babu Singh Kushwahar was living at the bungalow. But towards the end of Mayawati's tenure, Kushwaha was sent to jail in connection with the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam.
Amar Singh too lived in the house as the chairman of the UP Film Development Corporation in Mulayam Singh Yadav's government. He had to face a brief period in jail in 2011 when he was sent to Tihar Jail in the cash-for-votes scam. After that, Amar's political career nosedived. But while bad times fell on Abdi, Waqar or Kushwaha while they lived here, Amar vacated the house in 2007, much before he went to jail.
Like Amar Singh, two top bureaucrats too faced on bad times after they vacated this house. One was former UP chief secretary Neera Yadav and the other Pradeep Shukla, then mission director of NRHM in UP. Both were sent to jail by the CBI.
First Published: Mar 31, 2017 17:51 IST
UP chief minister Adityanath: A Hindutva leader, 'green' saint and animal lover
Aditya Nath's breakfast platter includes papaya, whey, boiled grams
Adityanath visits cow shelter patronised by Mulayam's 'chhoti bahu' Aparna
Uttar Pradesh CM Adityanath's favourite cow Nandini has a Muslim caretaker


But I see that sometimes in the logs I see "GET /public/img/favicon.ico HTTP/1.1" 200 which means that icon is taken from correct location, but sometimes "GET /favicon.ico HTTP/1.1" 404.
I searched through the whole codebase trying to find where else favicon could be called, but with not luck. Any idea what might be wrong?
P.S. added user agents: "GET /favicon.ico HTTP/1.1" 404 409 "-" "Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64; rv:29.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/29.0"
It would be worth looking at the user-agent values for those requests causing the 404's. As previously asked/answered, browsers will normally follow the <link> location before any default request is made against the root folder of the site.
The error logs you are seeing are due to your file locations being in other directories. Most browsers will find them as they've parsed your HTML and located the appropriate <link> declaration, but others may not.
Then add/provision for the other requests as outlined here.
Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged logging favicon or ask your own question.


[Abstract]:The upgrading of regional industrial structure is a direct means to promote the high-level and high-quality development of regional economy so as to achieve the goal of regional economic development. In modern economic relations, finance has become the core of economic development, financial development has a very strong role in promoting economic growth, for the optimization and upgrading of regional industrial structure, financial development also has a significant promoting function. Yunnan Province is a region where the economic development is relatively lagging, and there are many crux in the industrial structure, but its industrial resource advantage is unique. How to promote the optimization and upgrading of Yunnan's industrial structure through financial development is explored. Both theoretical and practical aspects are bound to have far-reaching significance. On the basis of theoretical model research, this paper empirically studies the mechanism of Yunnan financial development to promote the upgrading of industrial structure.


Welcome to Punjabi Poems (in Roman script) at Uddari.
Shahmukhi published in Monthly Pancham Lahore, December 2008.
kuj vi naiN da rung.
MukhtaraN Bibi: A (the) Great Punjabi Woman!
Apnae ruj deyaN qabraaN andar sutae lokaaN nooN!!
Puchhan tere vehReyoN keekan sooraj langheya?
AsaaN kot moka Tupp jana!!
the prime age for a water buffalo.
decided not to get pregnant again.
to sell her. Kalli seemed to understand.
the other around her neck.
on a large weekly page.
like an ascetic close to nirvana.
neglected calf. No body bought Kalli.
with no questions in her eyes.
who had missed the train.
Both the Indian editor Arundhathi Subramaniam and international editor Wendy Davies commented particularly on 'Kalli', a poem reflecting on the bonding between human and animal life in Punjab. The poem was also displayed with a painting 'Homecoming' (Jarnail Singh – Discovering the soul of Punjab) in a Surrey Arts Gallery exhibition in 2004.
Shahmukhi Version of 'Peyar de ChiRi' by Fauzia Rafiq published in Monthly Pancham Lahore March 2007.
Chunga matha ghar choR ayuN?
ਰੂਪ ਢਿੱਲੌਂ ਦੀ ਕਵਿਤਾ "ਵਾਰਿਸ ਸ਼ਾਹ", ਮਾਂ-ਬੋਲੀ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਅਤੇ ਅੱਜ ਦੇ ਪੰਜਾਬੀਆਂ ਦੀ ਹੋ ਰਹੀ ਦੁਰਦਸ਼ਾ ਦੀ ਸੱਚੀ ਤਸਵੀਰ ਹੈ!
ਰੱਬ ਰਾਖਾ ਮੇਰੀ ਮਾਂ-ਬੋਲੀ ਅਤੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਵੀਰਾਂ-ਭੈਣਾਂ ਦਾ!
ਇਹ ਤਿੰਨ ਗੱਲਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਹਰ ਕਲਦਾਰ ਪੱਕਾ ਹੈ॥ ਇਸ ਕਰਕੇ ਓਹ ਰਾਤ ਅਸੀਂ ਆਪਣੇ ਆਪ ਨੂੰ ਬਚਾਇਆ ਨਹੀਂ॥ ਇੱਕ ਉਂਗਲ ਵੀ ਨਹੀਂ ਚੁੱਕੀ॥ ¿ਉਸ ਰਾਤ ਦਾ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਕੀ ਯਾਦ ਹੈ?
ਪੁੱਛ ਗਿੱਛ।ਤਹਿਕੀਕਾਤ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਗ੍ਰਿਫ਼ਤਾਰ ਕਰ ਲਿਆ॥ ¿ਪਰ ਫਾਂਸੀ ਨੇ ਮਸ਼ੀਨ ਨੂੰ ਕੀ ਕਰਨਾ ਹੈ? ¿ਜ਼ਿੰਦਗੀ ਲਈ ਕੈਦ ਦੇਕੇ ਕੀ ਕਰਨਾ? ¿ਮਸ਼ੀਨ ਕਰਕੇ ਮੈਂ ਕਦ ਮਰਨਾ ਅਤੇ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਪਛਤਾਣਾ? ¿ਕਲਦਾਰ ਲਈ ਕਿਹੜੀ ਸਜ਼ਾ ਸਹੀ ਹੈ?
¿ਗੱਲ ਇਹ ਹੈ ਕੀ ਇਨਸਾਨਾਂ ਲਈ ਜਗ੍ਹਾ ਰਹੀ?


text:
using System;
using System.Threading;
using ReactiveServices.Extensions;
using TechTalk.SpecFlow;

namespace ReactiveServices.ComputationalUnit.Dispatching.Tests.Specifications
{
    sealed partial class StepDefinition : IDisposable
    {
        static StepDefinition()
        {
            AppDomain.CurrentDomain.LogExceptions();
        }

        private StepsExecutor StepsExecutor;

        [BeforeScenario("TO_REMOVE_ConfigureAndIntializeDispatcher")]
        public void Setup_ConfigurarRecebimentoDeSolicitacoesDeTrabalhoPendentes()
        {
            StepsExecutor = StepsExecutor ?? new StepsExecutor();
            StepsExecutor.ConfigureConnectionsForWorkDispatcher();
            StepsExecutor.InstantiateWorkDispatcher();
        }

        [BeforeScenario]
        public void Setup()
        {
            StepsExecutor = StepsExecutor ?? new StepsExecutor();
        }

        [AfterScenario]
        public void TearDown()
        {
            StepsExecutor.Dispose();
            StepsExecutor = null;
        }

        public void Dispose()
        {
            // Be carefull to not call here something that is already executed in a teardown
            if (StepsExecutor != null)
                StepsExecutor.Dispose();
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
La Federación Colombiana de Natación es el ente rector de la natación en Colombia. Es un organismo privado sin ánimo de lucro que cumple funciones de interés público y social, siendo parte activa del sistema nacional del deporte. Está afiliada a la Federación Internacional de Natación, la Confederación Sudamericana de Natación y el Comité Olímpico Colombiano. De igual manera se encarga de la organización del polo acuático, nado sincronizado y los clavados en Colombia.

Historia
La federación nació como la Asociación Colombiana de Natación, siendo fundada en Cali el 1 de agosto de 1939. Al año siguiente de su fundación, el gobierno nacional le otorgó la personería jurídica bajo la resolución No 036 del 9 de abril de 1940.

En la asamblea general ordinaria realizada por las ligas departamentales de natación el 23 de abril de 1971 en Cali, se discutió y aprobó la implementación de estatutos, transformando a la asociación en la actual Federación Colombiana de Natación. La Gobernación del Valle del Cauca le otorgó igualmente personería jurídica el 6 de septiembre de 1973 según la resolución No. 3387.

En la actualidad a la Federación la conforman 21 Ligas afiliadas de igual número de departamentos quienes tienen registrados en esta entidad aproximadamente 3.850 deportistas en todas las modalidades que gobierna este organismo; Natación Carreras, Clavados, Polo Acuático, Nado Sincronizado, Aguas Abiertas y Natación Máster.

Ligas afiliadas

Véase también
 Copa Mundial de Desarrollo de waterpolo FINA

Enlaces externos
 Web oficial

Federaciones deportivas de Colombia
Natación en Colombia
CONSANAT


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UK woman with disabilities escaped abortion, but was forced into contraception instead
By Cassy Fiano-Chesser | October 26, 2019 , 09:14am
Thanks to the advocacy of her family, a woman with intellectual disabilities was not forced to undergo an abortion in the United Kingdom, as previously reported by Live Action News. However, a judge instead ordered that she be fitted with a "contraceptive device" without her or her mother's consent.
The 24-year-old woman, who has not been named, is a devout Catholic, along with her mother; both are members of the Igbo people from Nigeria, according to the Catholic Herald. She has "moderate learning disabilities" and functions at a level between six and nine years old. It is believed that she became pregnant during a trip to Nigeria over Christmas; earlier this summer, Justice Nathalie Lieven of the Court of Protection ordered the woman to undergo an abortion against her, her mother's, and her social worker's will. Fortunately, just days later, that ruling was overturned. The Court of Appeals noted that Lieven "was in error in failing to make any reference in her ultimate analysis to [the mother's] views about AB's best interests when, as the judge found, she knew AB better than anyone and had her best interests at heart."
READ: HORRIBLE: Woman ordered to undergo forced abortion was promised 'a new doll'
"Carrying out a termination absent a woman's consent is a most profound invasion of her Article 8 [human] rights, albeit that the interference will be legitimate and proportionate if the procedure is in her best interests," Lady Justice King wrote for the three-judge panel, overturning the forced abortion.
The woman reportedly gave birth this week, and her mother will care for the child.
However, victory still wasn't at hand. Instead of a forced abortion, the woman was set to be given a contraceptive device while undergoing a cesarean section under general anesthesia. Fiona Paterson, the lawyer representing the NHS trust at the hospital where the woman is receiving care, said that the woman is vulnerable and cannot be supervised constantly. Her mother and social worker, however, both said they already had plans and safeguards in place to ensure her safety, with Susanna Rickard, the lawyer representing the woman, said the chances of "further sexual activity" were "close to nil." Rickard likewise noted that her family and care team have already come up with a plan that will mean she is never home alone, unsupervised with a man, or alone while out in public. Yet she was still ordered to be given long-term contraception, against her will and her mother's will.
While Paterson, arguing on behalf of the NHS, said that putting a contraceptive device in immediately after the c-section would be the safest and most comfortable option, Rickard pointed out that this is not a good enough reason. Rickard instead pointed out that "expediency" was not a good enough reason to violate the woman's bodily autonomy.


Published on December 5, 2014 in Branding, Case Study, Do Stuff, Fun, Innovation and Creativity, Retail Strategies and Sales. 0 Comments Tags: Blind Date Books, Elizabeth's Bookshop, Retail Strategy: bookstore.
This is such a great concept I saw at Elizabeth's Bookstore in Sydney!


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Ravindra Kelekar (* 25. März 1925 in Cuncolim, Goa; † 27. August 2010 in Margao, Goa) war ein indischer Autor, Übersetzer und Aktivist.

Er verfasste über 100 Werke in Konkani, dem Dialekt des Marathi, sowie in Englisch, Hindi, Marathi und Gujarati. Insbesondere seine Werke über Gandhis Ideologie gelten in Indien als Klassiker. Seine Übersetzung des Mahabharata in Konkani ist eines der wichtigsten Literaturstücke in Indien.

2006 wurde Kelekar mit dem Jnanpith Award, dem bedeutendsten indischen Literaturpreis, und 2008 mit dem dritthöchsten indischen Zivilorden, dem Padma Bhushan ausgezeichnet.

Kelekar wurde mit einem Staatsbegräbnis bestattet.

Einzelnachweise

Weblinks
 Konkani writer Ravindra Kelekar passes away

Autor
Träger des Padma Bhushan
Literatur (21. Jahrhundert)
Literatur (20. Jahrhundert)
Indische Literatur
Übersetzer aus dem Sanskrit
Übersetzer ins Konkani
Inder
Geboren 1925
Gestorben 2010
Mann


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Gaga Over The Church
While answering the phones for a suicide hotline, not a day would go by that I didn't receive one to six calls from suicidal teens, many of them citing sexual orientation as the source of their pain, confusion and suffering.
Homosexuality is no longer an issue in mainstream society. Other than the church, most people are accepting and blind to the issue. It is even accepted among teens themselves. On a recent trip to Provincetown, MA, a town known to be a haven for homosexual people, half the tourists were breeders and many of them brought their small children with them. Homosexuality wasn't even something that needed to be tolerated, it just was. Indeed, within this small town, the lion lays down with the lamb and the child plays at the den of the cobra. I just wasn't sure who the lions or lambs were. It didn't matter. Persecuted and persecutors, no more.
Some of my gay teen callers are sometimes threatened and bullied in school and it is usually because they are in the closet and the bullies are trying to elicit a response from them. For the kid who is openly gay, a bully can't hold anything over them and tends to leave them alone. The kid who is out also tends to have support from other kids who can see the value in them and appreciate their honesty. It has been my lifetime observation that in five or ten years, homophobic bullies eventually come out of the closet themselves as their bullying was really the exploration of their own sexuality and boundaries. They are more to be pitied than censured.
Predominately, having found acceptance by their peers, my gay callers are more alienated by their parents or by the teachings of the church than peers. Since the Westboro Church has taught us that God hates, and He hates gays most of all, it is no wonder that a teen struggling with his identity can feel alone, abandoned, forgotten, hated and ostracized. If even God hates you, who could be for you?
Back in biblical days, the life expectancy of an adult was thirty or forty years of age and further complicating matters, most children died before their tenth birth-date due to disease or illness. If there was a famine, food was given to adults before being given to a child because the chance of a child making it to adulthood was slim and feeding them was considered to be a waste of resources.
Anyone who partook in homosexual practices or committed "the sin of Onan" (masturbation), was participating in an act which wasted seed. Those activities did not produce offspring and in those days, for the good of the tribe or community, it was important for procreation to take precedent over self pleasure. It was also common practice for thirteen year old girls to be sold into marriage as soon as they hit puberty, in an effort for them to produce as many children as possible before they died at the ripe old age of thirty. A perfect example of this practice is Joseph who was about forty and Mary who was thirteen.
The church and society have long forgotten why homosexuality and masturbation was frowned upon but they still hold blindly on to those archaic prejudices today. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, nearly 5000 teens commit suicide each year and approximately 2 million U.S. teens attempt suicide.
Enter Lady Gaga (Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta). She is a marketing genius for using gimmicks, controversy and over the top behavior and costumes to build an estimated net worth of $190 million. What she does with those millions of dollars speaks volumes. Being the product of a Catholic school education, she knows the pain and anguish of being different, even in a Roman Catholic school setting - where she herself was bullied and teased. Because of the pain the church has inflicted upon her in her youth, the church has become a target in her her music and marketing genius.
Together with her mom, Lady Gaga created a foundation called "Born This Way" which is a non-profit organization founded in 2011. It has the support of Harvard University, the Berkman Center for Internet & Society, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the California Endowment. In September of 2012 Gaga was awarded the LennonOno Grant For Peace from Yoko Ono for her work with the foundation actively campaigning on pro-tolerance and peace issues.
The foundation aims to create a "braver, kinder world" for youth, to create safe-spaces, promote the learning of life skills, and provide opportunities to improve their local communities. Some priorities of the organization are teen suicide, bullying, homosexuality and school violence.
It appears that Lady Gaga has done much to save the lives of many teenagers struggling with sexual identity while the institutional church appears to be unconcerned for the loss of many. The score is Gaga: one; the institutional church: zero.
Lady Gaga teaches us the very valuable lesson that even the most ardent Puritan can learn, that acceptance does not make "wrong" right, it only makes what was "wrong," precious. Another lesson Gaga teaches us is that oppression breeds the power to oppose it and oppose it she has. She has used the church's own intolerance to challenge it to grow. Don't hate her when she blasts the church. Instead, ask why she is blasting the church. Maybe it is time for the church to fix something.
Ultimately, who cares what a hater thinks. I often try to get my callers to discover that the wrong person they'll never mean anything. To the right person, they'll mean everything. Thank you Lady Gaga for making my job answering the suicide hotline much easier. To any church of intolerance, I'll pray for you.
There are many churches who are gay accepting and they proudly wave the rainbow flag but, the gay community doesn't want their own church. They just want to be part of everyday society. We don't see signs at restaurants advertising "Blacks welcome here" or, "Woman may use front entrance." Why do we need flags and signs advertising acceptance? It should just be. Isn't "Come, all are welcome," enough?
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL)
"To understand blue, first you have to understand yellow and orange. In other words, in order to really understand anything you have to understand its opposite."
-Vincent Van Gogh
Station Fourteen, Jesus is laid in the tomb
At my mother's grave-side internment, there were about two hundred people present when a train suddenly passed by on the tracks which ran near the cemetery. The priest paused for a moment as he waited for the rumbling giant to pass by. I wondered if anyone on the train knew who we were, why we were there, who was being buried, or, did they even notice that we were there. How I wanted to be on that train. We then retired to my Mom's home to begin the arduous task of clearing out a lifetime of memories. How cathartic to see her home empty and devoid of identifying belongings.
Shortly after two hurricanes only a week apart struck our area, a woman called me at the suicide hotline. Not only was her house destroyed, but her mom's graveside in the local cemetery was flooded and the area where her mom was interned had washed away. The hurricane took this woman's present, future and past. She was living in her mom's home which was paid for long ago, she didn't have a job, nor did she have insurance. We discussed whether this was the end or a beginning. I wasn't there to solve her problems, just to help her get through the moment.
I ascertained that she was a religious woman so we talked about the two Mary's who kept vigil at the tomb of Jesus and how they discovered the tomb empty three days later. What could those women have been feeling at the thought of Jesus' body being stolen? Later, when Jesus appeared to Mary, she didn't recognize him until he called her by name. There is much power in calling someone by name. At the suicide hotline, I always get the name of a caller, even if they want to give me fake name. I then make it a point to use a caller's name throughout all phone call. It is often the difference between life and death, hope or despair, simply calling someone by name.
I read in the paper this morning about a principal at an elementary school in Alabama who wrote a letter to the office of parole in support of a convicted felon's pardon. It was unbelievable how many people were appalled at his action in an attempt at trying to help a man resurrect his life. Due to the outcry and demands from a victims of crime group, like a blood thirsty crowd demanding the release of Barabbas, there were demands to the school board to remove the principal from his position. No good deed goes unpunished.
Joseph of Arimathea risked his own life as he accepted Jesus' body for burial.
He laid his body there in a cave and rolled a large stone in front of it, then went home. What a sad day it has been for so many people.
by Mary Frye
Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sun on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circling flight.
I am the soft starlight at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die.
Mary Frye, who was living in Baltimore at the time, wrote the poem in 1932. She had never written any poetry, but the plight of a young German Jewish woman, Margaret Schwarzkopf, who was staying with her and her husband, inspired the poem. Margaret Schwarzkopf had been concerned about her mother, who was ill in Germany, but she had been warned not to return home because of increasing anti-Semitic unrest. When her mother died, the heartbroken young woman told Frye that she never had the chance to "stand by my mother's grave and shed a tear". Frye found herself composing a piece of verse on a brown paper shopping bag. Later she said that the words "just came to her" and expressed what she felt about life and death.
Indeed, finding leads to losing, but losing lets you find.
O God, your blessed Son was laid in a tomb in a garden and rested on the Sabbath day: Grant that we who have been buried with him in the waters of baptism may find our perfect rest in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.


The title is a homage to the inspiration for the Carmageddon series, Death Race 2000. As with the other games in the series, one of the most controversial aspects was that pedestrians could be killed by immolation (being set on fire) or graphic collisions that could include dismemberment. In some countries, the human pedestrians were replaced with zombies – actually only changing the red blood to green slime – but patches were circulated on the internet that reverted the game to its original state.


text:
Coursework >
Case Summary: Starbucks
Essays on Case Summary: Starbucks Coursework
Tags: John MarshallSpiritStarbucksThurgood Marshall
Download free paperFile format: .doc, available for editing
Case Summary: Starbucks Starbucks is a successful marketing story where co-founders created, marketed, and deliveredcoffee experience in a remarkable way (Simmons 75). Starbucks created premium products and romanced them with compelling stories thus making customers feel part of the special. The company blended different coffee brands to produce a product with a perfect taste for the enthusiasts. Schultz did a thorough research in Italy and came up with local style coffee design shops that never existed in America before. The company also leveraged its marketing activities to focus on quality, publicity, and quantity thus making Starbucks a success (Simmons 75).
The advertising of the product was rather romantic, and the slogans soon became common with Americans. In 2007, the company gave up the new tall brewing machines that never gave customers the chance to monitor the preparation method. However, the company maintained the new grains attract customers due to the delicate smell. Besides, the company had to close 600 stores in the year 2008 and also gave up 300 stores come 2006 as a way of overcoming financial crisis (Simmons 82).
The period marked the launching of the internet project that welcomed ideas from customers and employees of the company in a bid to brainstorm best ideas for improving the Starbucks as a brand. Until the return of Schulz, consumers complained of the loss of initial spirit romance had changed and many local coffee businesses like McDonald's and Dunkin' Donuts came with relatively cheaper coffee shop products and this changed the face of competition. High operation costs are one of the internal issues facing the company implying that the high cost of selling goods may affect its competitiveness.
Moreover, the company's high prices may affect its competitiveness (Simmons 75). Other external issues revolve around improper integration operations including its slow flexibility, responsiveness, and integration. However, the company is facing competition from new market entries like McDonalds as well as stronger buyer and supplier power. Work CitedSimmons, John. The Starbucks Story: How the brand changed the world. Marshall Cavendish International Asia Pte Ltd, 2012. Print.


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The Crisis And The Opportunity
Marco Contento
"The bigger the economic decline, the greater the acceleration, of what economist Joseph Schumpeter called creative destruction. This is the cycle where a recession causes declining industries and marginally successful business models to disappear faster than they would have if the national economy had continued to grow."
This truly remarkable quote comes from Alec Levenson, a senior researcher at the USC Marshall Center for Effective Organizations. It is a quote that echoes what I have been chewing over, ever since we saw the impact of COVID-19 hitting our industry with brutal force.
Let's start with a quick review of how COVID-19 has impacted the airline industry.
ANALYSIS OF IMPACT
At the beginning of 2020, across the world, flights were operating either at or near to the previous year's numbers. Even in China and South Korea, the two countries that saw an initial impact, the number of scheduled flights were at or also above as the previous year. Airlines since have confirmed that they were initially slow to take drastic actions in response to the spreading crisis. However, as the pandemic started unfolding and impacting countries globally, schedule adjustments quickly picked up, leading to the nearly complete grounding of almost all players.
By the 1st week of April, schedules were down by 60% on a global level. Considering that around 50% of the world's cargo capacity is being carried in the bellies of passenger flights and factoring in the number of repatriation flights that operated globally, one can clearly understand the magnitude of the cuts that were made by the airlines. An analysis by Airlines for America, a North American trade group, demonstrates how empty the planes are, which are still flying. During the second week of April, flights within the United States carried an average of about 12 passengers, while international flights carried an average of 26 passengers. Another telling stat by the same group shows the multiple dimensions of this problem.
Demand for future air travel in the United States reduced by 98.4% as compared to the same week in 2019. Consequently, ICAO predicts passenger numbers to drop by 1.2 billion globally, which is nearly 30% reduction compared to 2019, as a result of vanishing demand.
This unprecedented drop in flights in operation, with an amplified drop in revenues, is impacting airlines on two fronts. As more flights get cancelled, unearned revenues will lead to cash outflows. A significant drop in future bookings has caused an immediate liquidity crisis for most airlines around the world. Many carriers have publicly shared their state of affairs. Lufthansa Group is losing 1 million Euro per hour. Delta Air Lines went on record with a USD 100 million liquidity drain every day, which they expect to reduce to "only" USD 50 million.
According to ICAO, in mid-April, the industry was set to lose between 160 to 218 billion USD in a best-case scenario, provided first signs of recovery will be shown by early June. A U-shaped path, assuming a recovery in the third quarter, was putting these losses in gross operating revenues to range from 218 to 253 billion USD. A study published by IATA paints an even bleaker picture: It expects the near-total shutdown of activities around the globe to, directly and indirectly, wipe some 25 million jobs out of a total of 65.5 million jobs in aviation, including travel and tourism.
Around the globe, governments were reasonably quick to provide liquidity in support of entire industries, including aviation. It is provided in the form of loans, guarantees, and support packages for employees to outright nationalization. However, with no end in sight for when the containment measures will fade out, and without a clear plan of what a global protocol might look like to ensure the health of passengers, it's clear that we are witnessing a truly destructive impact to our industry.
The duration of the crisis, the impact on the players in this industry, and what the new order post-COVID-19 will look like - all these aspects are driven by uncertainty.
Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta, confirms this: "Whether it is three years or two years or four years is anyone's guess." Or as a Chief Commercial Officer of an airline recently commented, tongue-in-cheek: "There is only one thing that is certain: Alitalia will survive us all."
UNPRECEDENTED DISRUPTION WITH COVID-19 - SHIVA
According to Wikipedia, Shiva is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. Shiva is known as "The Destroyer" within the Trimurti, the Hindu trinity that includes Brahma and Vishnu.
Is COVID-19 "The Destroyer" of the aviation industry?
Clearly, the answer is no.
However, Shiva will most definitely destroy many elements that are today, the defining pillars of our industry
Covid-19 has forced us to relook at the many elements that are today the defining pillars of our industry. Habits die hard, they say. But the time for change is inevitable and these habits need to change!
With very few exceptions, corporations around the globe have implemented capabilities to support working from home for the vast majority of white-collar work. In record time, the world has upgraded itself and its necessary IT infrastructure. Within four to six weeks, companies made changes to work rules, including the support from workers' councils, changed processes, and have overcome what in many companies were "this can't be done in our company" attitudes. Most importantly, employees that haven't previously experienced working from home and general sceptics have overcome their aversion to teleconferencing.
Why does that matter, though? It matters because these habits that were broken will not return. Employees all over the world are experiencing first hand that it is possible to conduct meetings with colleagues in different parts of the world, virtually. Business meetings are being conducted virtually. Projects are being implemented remotely, and at IBS Software, we are at present implementing software entirely remotely for areas as mission-critical as OCC and PSS. And if people still have doubts over the long-term viability of this approach, I encourage studying the latest initiative launched by Airbus, dubbed "e-delivery" - an almost entirely virtual handover of aircraft to airlines.
The consequences?
1. Travel demand will change
Inevitably, business travel will be impacted, and airlines are already expecting a drastic decline in future demand.
"We will have some portion of travel that will move over to telecommuting," Delta's Bastian told CNBC.
2. Available inventory will change
IATAs most recent expectation that revenues of more than 300 billion USD will be wiped out also comes at the expense of the available inventory.
At present, it is expected that a total of 8000 planes will be grounded by September 2020.
Capacity, often measured in ASK, will shrink. Airlines will accelerate retirements of aircraft, many will never return from their temporary storage and will get scrapped. Airlines will exit the market or will be forced to merge with others. In a normal world, this should lead to higher yields, when customers with a higher propensity to spend will compete with those that are stimulated by price initiatives alone. But this will only be a cosmetic correction when looking at the magnitude of losses that airlines will have incurred until travel resumes.
3. Available income will change
We are only a little over four months into the pandemic. And less than two months, since the so-called western world started to see this as a global risk to its societies and economies. We saw the same patterns repeating in almost all countries as the virus began its deadly journey around the globe:
Denial, followed by expressions of confidence, followed by lockdown measures in varying degrees and a parallel contraction of economies. Never before did more people apply for unemployment benefits in the US in such a short period. An unprecedented number of employees in Germany are getting aid from the government. Within six weeks, more than 700,000 companies have applied for short-term work, a tool where institutions top up employees' salaries to a maximum of 67%, thus encouraging companies to keep their workforce while getting relief on the payrolls.
Nevertheless, none of these measures will be enough to ensure that discretionary spend will be available. If people are not dismissed, employees will still suffer an income hit, and in addition, many might be forced to take paid or unpaid leave. In any case, when the "new normal" is here, up to 40% of employees worldwide will have suffered financial impacts and might have foregone their annual leave. While opening borders may pose an opportunity for business travel to resume, leisure travel may not rebound before 2021.
According to one of the latest surveys by IATA, more than 40% of air travellers will wait six months or more before resuming their flying patterns, assuming that disposable income returns to normal.
THE RESILIENCE OF TRAVEL - VISHNU
Vishnu is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. The "preserver" in the Hindu triad, Vishnu, is revered as the supreme being In Vaishnavism and is notable for adopting various incarnations to preserve and protect dharmic principles, whenever the world is threatened with evil, chaos, and destructive forces.
Is Travel "The Preserver" of the aviation industry?
Plain and simple: Yes
In spite of the many uncertainties that came with COVID-19, a few emerging trends do stand out and help in restoring our confidence in the travel industry.
1. Leisure travel will persist as habits die hard!
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) contributed about 8.9 trillion US dollars to the world's GDP in 2019 or roughly 10.3%. It also continues to grow at around 3.5%. Travel fuels 1 in 10 jobs worldwide, making it one of the largest "employers" globally.
While business travel will evolve and most likely decline by up to 10% as a result of the current crisis, leisure travel will continue to persist. Even in a connected world, worker migration, coupled with mankind's continuous desire to be going places and meeting loved ones, will not disappear.
And according to STATISTA, in 2018, this desire accounted for more than 80% of all international travel.
2. Governments will come to the rescue
Governments around the world have responded quickly. As I'm writing this, most major US airlines have reached agreements for billions of US dollars in grants and loans to help them cover payroll costs.
American Airlines will get USD 5.8 billion, Delta will receive USD 5.4 billion, United Airlines will reach USD 5 billion, and Southwest Airlines will receive USD 3.2 billion.
The government fund of Singapore Temasek Holdings announced a funding package of up to USD 13.27 billion for Singapore Airlines in the single most significant rescue for an airline slammed by the coronavirus pandemic.
The latest example is Air France-KLM, with a total of an estimated 11 billion Euro, in aid provided by the French and the Dutch governments.
And in Italy, following a COVID-19 related drop in revenues of 87.5% in 2020, Alitalia will, once more, be nationalized in June 2020.
Eventually, limited funds as well as fiscal policies will cause airlines to collapse. While airlines such as Virgin Australia, RAVN, and Air Mauritius have sought to reorganize under applicable local laws, other companies like Flybe have closed altogether. However, governments have shown interest, probably like never before in history, that they are willing to support their nationally registered airlines.
INNOVATION SECURES SURVIVAL - BRAHMA
According to Wikipedia, Brahma is the creator of God in Hinduism. He is also known as the creative aspect of Vishnu.
Can Innovation be "The Creator" of a new evolution of aviation?
Yes, it can be.
Any crisis is painful because it means a deviation from business as usual. This applies to both corporations as well as individuals and presents a choice between extinction and change. It is up to each one of us to make a conscious choice to challenge the status quo and transform our everyday practices. The airline industry as a whole has survived many crises in the past - always bouncing back stronger. We hope for this pattern to continue this time as well. However, after every disaster, players in the industry exit the market, and there is no harm in foreseeing a similar situation this time around as well. It's however imperative that all players in the industry must consider a more radical and faster transformation, given the magnitude of this crisis.
Technology will hold the key to success and long term sustainability for the airline industry. Airlines must challenge the status quo of their current operations and realize that the technologies that they once relied on as an enabler, are in today's world often a hindrance to quickly respond to changing conditions.
COVID-19 has demonstrated that airlines today are not prepared to deal with the financial consequences of a crisis of such magnitude. However, one mustn't make a mistake to use the sheer scale of this crisis as an excuse that no business can plan and prepare for. If we review the financial aspects of this crisis, we will see that many other problems are related to inadequate technologies and obsolete practices.
(a) Fare structures: The existing structure of fares (and corresponding rebooking & cancellation fees), dates back to ATPCOs, founded in 1945. This structure, separated from the schedule and the actual inventory, requires an intermediary to create the offer and take the order, which is nothing but a contract for carriage. The challenge for the airline starts when such an order requires amendments in extraordinary situations. How can systems automatically process order changes (different dates, routes, etc.), when the underlying fare conditions do not allow for such changes? How can airlines automatically determine to refund in parts or full or issue a credit voucher for passengers, when system support to do so can often not be event and rule-based?
(b) Wait Times: Call centre wait times, sometimes measured in days, instead of minutes, are the most apparent signs of fundamentally flawed technology and practices. And it once more brutally exposes the fact that many airlines still rely on intermediaries to handle servicing. However, with the closure of travel agents, the responsibility suddenly lies with the airlines, and in the absence of automated offer and order handling, manual processes could shoot through the roof.
(c) Order disruptions: Any order impacted by cancellations during the crisis becomes an exception, resulting in manual handling of an airline's entire set of orders, thus collapsing customer touchpoints in a time when they are more critical than ever.
Airlines that typically have a more optimized workforce and lower passenger per employee ratio, as opposed to smaller carriers are hit even harder by this.
Airlines that are frontrunners in NDC have encountered these problems before. While we could assume that these airlines are better prepared to handle direct customer engagement, they have noticed these deficiencies in the underlying structures and technologies as well. It's worth noting then that the practice of gradually evolving legacy technology has its limitations and that airlines should consider initiating replacement programs now, focusing on modern architected rules and ML-based systems that look at business outcomes through the customer's lens and learn from offer and order management superstars like Amazon.
Airlines should use this window of opportunity to analyse practices and technologies deployed and swiftly respond now. It is less disruptive to implement changes when the business has come to a near standstill, as compared to when the organization is running at maximum capacity.
The technologies are available. The costs have come down tremendously, and the barriers to implementing change have never been lower.
Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, the industry responded relatively quickly to newer screening standards, including enforcing cockpit doors under the leadership of the US forcing other countries to follow suit to maintain air links. This allowed for a much faster return to normalcy. However, it took nearly 15 years for ICAO to finalize its response to SARS.
In the context of the pandemic that we are facing, it will take a robust and determined leadership for this industry to quickly and decisively implement a global protocol for a post-Corona world of aviation to contain the damages of COVID-19. Along with critical crisis management, the same leadership will also have to quickly learn and implement changes to avoid a repeat.
While many uncertainties prevail regarding the length of the crisis and its casualties, I do not know what travel will look like a year from now. But I do know that travel will be back. It is in our human DNA, and it has been so ever since humankind made its first trip, descending from the trees.
Marco Contento is Vice President of Aviation Business Services at IBS. With more than two decades of experience in information technology for the airline passenger services industry, he partners with airlines to help future-proof their business by deploying new generation solutions.