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From Swaziland to the White House
Vincent D'Agostino's passion for HIV/AIDS education has followed him from disease-stricken villages in Swaziland, Africa, all the way to Pennsylvania Avenue.
Finding their Detour
Flagler Enactus students win third national championship
Whitney discusses 'A Life in Film'
Helen Whitney has spent a lifetime examining people and subjects from all walks of life. The acclaimed writer, producer and director visited Flagler College in November to present "A Life in Film; Spiritual Landscapes," a retrospective of the last 40 years of her life and work as part of the College's "Ideas and Images" series.
Out of the Classroom, Into History
Faculty and students document the St. Augustine Civil Rights movement in online archive donated by Andrew Young
SIFE takes second place
The Flagler College Students In Free Enterprise team (SIFE) finished second at the 2012 SIFE USA National Exposition in May, losing out to Belmont University. The other final four teams included Brigham Young University-Hawaii and Valdosta State University.
Romney makes stop at Flagler
A visit by Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney brought a crowd of thousands to Flagler College's West Lawn on Aug. 13, along with media coverage that spanned the globe.
Down with Sickness
Visiting professor Surinder Paracer explores effect of disease on society
The Makings of a Great Teacher
Six education department alumni give their take on what it means to teach … and to teach well
Flagler student lands fellowship to study Egyptology at University of Chicago
Egypt might be a long way from Flagler College, but Nicole Howlett will only have to travel to Chicago in order to study about it. The spring 2011 graduate has been awarded a fellowship into the Egyptology program at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. She will receive full tuition and a $21,000-a-year stipend for living expenses for five years. At Flagler Howlett had a 4.0 grade point average with a major in history and a minor in environmental studies.
Rethinking education
The past several years at Flagler have seen major changes to how students learn … and think
SIFE finishes third in national competition
The Flagler College Students In Free Enterprise team [SIFE] advanced to the final four and finished as second runner-up at the 2011 SIFE USA National Exposition in May.
Bestselling Author Pat Conroy visits Flagler
Bestselling author Pat Conroy, known for novels "The Prince of Tides" and "The Great Santini," visited the Flagler's Writers-in-Residence Program in January, where he spoke to a standing-room-only crowd in the Flagler College Auditorium.
Teaching the invisible children
Flagler graduate and high school teacher plays a part in rebuilding Uganda's devastated educational system
10 years in Tallahassee
Flagler College celebrates a decade at its second campus at Tallahassee Community College
Win-win giving
Flagler friends make gift to the college and ensure life income
Flagler College makes round of 'Jeopardy!'
Did you catch it? If you were watching 'Jeopardy' on Oct. 20, you might have seen Flagler College pop up in the Double Jeopardy round. The category was "State/College" and there in the box for $2,000 was Flagler College with Ringling School of Art and Design. The question: "What is Florida?" of course.
Andrew Young donates recordings to Flagler to begin civil rights archive
Civil rights activist Andrew Young donated interviews from his documentary "Crossing in St. Augustine" to Flagler College in what will begin a new archive chronicling the historic civil rights movement in the Nation's Oldest City.
Flagler student receives full scholarship to Harvard
It's off to Harvard for Flagler student Katherine Wrisley, who received a full scholarship to Harvard Divinity School, along with a Presidential Scholarship that will cover $10,000 of her living expenses.
SAM Wins Again
Society for Advancement of Management team earns ninth national title
St. Augustine Restaurant Investor Serves Up Support
Local investor James Babcock, a partner in upscale St. Augustine eateries Opus 39 and The Tasting Room, has pledged $250,000 in unrestricted funds to help the students of Flagler College


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Home > News > Everlight Rebuts Nichia YAG Patents is Invalid in Ongoing Legal Case in Beijing
March.25, 2016 - 11:51 — judy.lin 4035 pageviews
Everlight Rebuts Nichia YAG Patents is Invalid in Ongoing Legal Case in Beijing
In 2012, EVERLIGHT filed a declaratory judgment action of invalidity and non-infringement against Nichia's U.S. Patent Nos. 5,998,925 and 7,531,960 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. These two patents are directed to YAG phosphors being used in LEDs and phosphor concentration. The jury on April 22, 2015 has found all the asserted patent claims invalid. And the court has rejected Nichia's motions for a new trial and confirmed the jury finding on January 19, 2016.
EVERLIGHT also in March 2012 filed an invalidation action against Nichia's white LED patent in Germany (DE 69702929)(EP 0936682). German Federal Patent Court has in September 2014 found all claims of such patent invalid and requested Nichia to bear litigation fee.
Nichia on March 24 announced on its website that a patent infringement action was filed in Beijing IP Court on the basis of its Chinese Patent Nos. 97196762.8 and 200610095837.4. These two patents are in the same family of the previously mentioned white LED patents. EVERLIGHT believes these two Chinese patents should also be invalid and will assist its distributors in defending such litigation. EVERLIGHT respects intellectual property rights and will defend and protect the benefits of its customers and shareholders.
EVERLIGHT has filed invalidation actions against Nichia's white LED patents around the globe. Most jurisdictions have found Nichia's patents invalid. Nichia's white LED patents will also soon expire in 2017. EVERLIGHT believes the court in China will also find Nichia's patents invalid.
EVERLIGHT acknowledges the findings made by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas on the U.S. Patent No. 8,530,250. The court has denied Nichia's injunction request. EVERLIGHT will appeal to the other findings and believes the appellate court will stand on the side of EVERLIGHT.
EVERLIGHT will continue to develop new products, materials and manufacturing processes and strengthen its intellectual property portfolio so as to maintain the competitiveness of its products and protect the benefit of its customers and shareholders.
YAG Patent
Bengaluru Gives out More than 5M LED Bulbs to Local Residents Zhaga Releases Book 12 on COB LED Arrays

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Margaret Gillis is the founding President of the International Longevity Centre of Canada, part of a global alliance of seventeen centres dedicated to the needs and rights of older people. An award winning executive and innovative leader, Margaret played a role in establishing the Age-friendly community program in Canada and internationally. Other career highlights include a joint government NGO project to protect seniors in disasters, which was recognized by her Majesty the Queen.
Margaret has strong credentials in regard to human rights, working with and speaking at the United Nations on behalf of older persons and as a delegate to the Organization of American States, Institute for Children. With a background in health promotion, policy and programming, Margaret is committed to improving the lives of older people.
Dr. Gutman developed the Gerontology Research Centre and Department of Gerontology at Simon Fraser University (SFU) and was director of both from 1982-2005. She is currently a Research Associate and Professor Emerita at SFU. Dr. Gutman is author/editor of 23 books, the most recent (with Andrew Sixsmith), Technologies for Active Aging (Springer, 2013). Her research interests are wide-ranging; including seniors' housing, long term care, health promotion, seniors and emergency preparedness, gerontechnology, prevention of elder abuse and neglect and most recently, increasing access and uptick of advance care planning among LGBT seniors and ethnic minorities.
During her career Dr Gutman has held a number of high profile roles including two terms as President of the Canadian Association on Gerontology, President of the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics, and President of the International Network for Prevention of Elder Abuse. Currently, in addition to being the founding Vice-President of ILC-C, she is President of the North American chapter of the International Society for Gerontechnology, a member of the Research Management Committee of the Canadian Frailty Network, and a member of the Board of Directors of the BC Community Response Network.
In 2007 she was awarded the Order of British Columbia, in 2010 an LLD (honoris causa) by the University of Western Ontario for her work "as an international authority in the field of gerontology" and was named one of Canada's "best 45 over 45" by Zoomer magazine, in 2012 she was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal and in December 2016, the Order of Canada, the country's highest civilian honour.
Michael Kidd joined ILC Canada in 2017 after a 25-year career in the Canadian public service. He worked for sixteen years in the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Old Age Security (OAS) programs, working first in policy and legislation, and finishing his career in operations. He also worked at the Department of Justice, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, and in the Health portfolio. He retired from Service Canada in late 2016, where his last position was as Executive Director, Operations, CPP&OAS.
At ILC Canada he is focusing mainly on coordinating our work to mobilize support for a United Nations Convention on the Rights of Older Persons, and on researching housing arrangements for older adults who do not need formal long-term care facilities.
He also consults on pension and social assistance systems and operations with the World Bank and the International Labor Organization, mainly in Central and South Asia, and in Africa. Here his work focuses on operational assessments and planning, and building institutional capacity in agencies that develop and deliver social security programs.
Peggy Edwards is a health promotion consultant, an activist for the rights of older people, researcher and author on healthy aging. She is a former policy analyst with Health Canada, the Canadian Public Health Association and the World Health Organization (WHO). Peggy has co-authored several best-selling books on healthy aging, including one on grandparenting and regularly contributes to other publications, scholarly works and magazines. In 2016, she was awarded the Governor General's Sovereign Medal for Volunteers in recognition of her work with the Council on Aging of Ottawa, The Stephen Lewis Foundation Grandmothers Campaign, and the Grandmothers Advocacy Network.
Dr. Kiran Rabheru is Full Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Ottawa and Geriatric Psychiatrist at The Ottawa Hospital (TOH). He serves as Medical Director of the Geriatric Psychiatry, Electroconvulsive (ECT), and the Behavioral Support Programs at TOH. He obtained his MD from University of Western Ontario and practiced as a family doctor for 5 years in rural and urban settings. He is a Certificant and Fellow of the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CCFP, FCFP). Subsequently, he completed a residency in psychiatry, subspecialized in geriatric psychiatry, and became Board Certified as a geriatric psychiatrist in Canada (FRCP) and the United States (DABPN).
Dr. Rabheru has been passionate and fully committed to serving the elderly throughout his life, and is recognized nationally and internationally for his work. He is a Founder of the subspecialty of Geriatric Psychiatry at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He is recipient of the Outstanding Achievements in Geriatric Psychiatry in Canada award by the Canadian Academy of Geriatric Psychiatry (www.cagp.ca ) and has served as the President of the CAGP and its Board for many years. At present, he co-leads the Canadian Coalition of Seniors Mental Health (www.ccsmh.ca ). He is Chair of the Board of Directors of the International Longevity Centre ( www.ilccanada.org ), Canada and a member of the Board of the International Psychogeriatric Association (www.ipa-online.org ). Recently, he has been elected as Chair of the Section of Positive Psychiatry of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA). He serves on the national leadership team for the Fountain of Health (www.fountainofhealth.ca) initiative, where he has been active in promoting healthy aging, brain resilience and vitality.
Dr. Stinchcombe holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Ottawa. He maintains expertise in health and aging with a particular focus on community mobility and quality of life issues. Dr. Arne Stinchcombe has extensive experience as both an academic researcher and as an evidence user and excels as an interface between knowledge development initiatives and strategic implementation of the resulting findings. Dr. Stinchcombe is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Human Sciences at Saint Paul University (Ottawa) and maintains an Adjunct appointment with the University of Ottawa's School of Psychology.
Scott Fletcher is a senior partner in Gowling WLG's Ottawa office, practising in general corporate and commercial law with significant emphasis on telecommunications, technology, energy and government relations.
He is one of the firm's authorities in providing corporate and commercial advice relating to commercial alliances, strategic and policy Board advice and privatizations, as well as in general corporate and commercial matters. Scott also provides advice on a number of regulatory matters in the telecommunications, energy and gaming/lotteries industries. In addition, he routinely provides strategic counsel to corporate clients on telecommunications industry-based matters, the divestiture of government departments and programs into the private sector, and other corporate and commercial issues.
Scott is the firm client team leader for several major firm clients in the telecommunications and energy sectors. He has served as a director of a number of federal Canadian corporations, and has represented numerous federal Crown corporations. Scott also serves as an executive team member for a number of firm clients.
Dr. Mamta Gautam is a psychiatrist at The Ottawa Hospital and in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Ottawa, and President and CEO of PEAK MD. She is a pioneer in the area of physician health and well-being, and has been hailed as "The Doctor's Doctor". She is the founding director of the University Of Ottawa Faculty Of Medicine Wellness Program; as well as the Canadian Medical Association Centre for Physician Health and Wellbeing, where she served as the Chair of the Expert Advisory Group. She created the Canadian Psychiatric Association Section on Physician Health; and in 2008, she founded the International Alliance on Physician Health, bringing together experts worldwide to collaborate on work in this area. She is a Past President of the Ontario Psychiatric Association and the Federation of Medical Women of Canada.


Joe Melson was hired by the City as Marina Manager, and began work on January 6th, 2014. Prior to working for the City, Joe had been working for River Valley Power and Sports managing outdoor power equipment at both their Red Wing and Rochester locations. He also owned his own business in Red Wing, and is a Volunteer Fire Fighter for the Red Wing Fire Department. Please welcome Joe when you see him.


text:
UPDATE: Magnitude-3.6 quake shakes west of…
UPDATE: Magnitude-3.6 quake shakes west of Petrolia followed by 2.9 a few hours later
A magnitude-3.6 quake struck off the coast Wednesday morning just before 5:30 a.m. (USGS — Contributed)
By Ruth Schneider | rschneider@times-standard.com | Eureka Times-Standard
PUBLISHED: July 31, 2019 at 10:20 a.m. | UPDATED: July 31, 2019 at 11:33 a.m.
A magnitude 2.9 quake struck about 26 miles west of Petrolia around 11:15 a.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
As of 11:30 a.m., the USGS had received no reports from area residents who felt the shaker.
For more information on the quake, go to the USGS event page.
A magnitude-3.6 earthquake was reported about 9 miles west of Petrolia this morning around 5:26 a.m., the U.S. Geological Survey reported.
The USGS event page listed response from six individuals to the early morning quake. The majority of responses — three individuals — felt the temblor in the Fortuna area; there was also one respondent from Whitethorn.
For more information about the quake, go to the USGS event page.
Watch this space for updates. Got a tip? Let us know at reporters@times-standard.com or at 707-441-0500.
Ruth Schneider | Managing Editor
Ruth Schneider can be reached at 707-441-0520.
rschneider@times-standard.com
Business Sense | Marketing to Gen Z
Jared Huffman expresses support for climate initiatives


If you are having an outdoor event or team building exercise and want to add boundless barrels of fun, you are in the right place.
Below you will find everything from beach balls and bat sets, to mini soccer posts and goals and much more.
Once branded, these outdoor promotional products will enhance and elevate your event to new heights.
Polyester fold-up frisbee with matching pouch.


text:
This is a list of Arabic-language and other newspapers published in the Arab world. The Arab newspaper industry started in the early 19th century with the Iraqi newspaper Journal Iraq published by Ottoman Wali, Dawud Pasha, in Baghdad in 1816.

International Arab papers

Al-Arab (United Kingdom)
Al-Hayat (United Kingdom)
Al-Quds al-Arabi (United Kingdom)
Asharq Alawsat (United Kingdom)
Hoona London (United Kingdom)
Oz Arab Media (Australia)

Algeria

Algerian newspapers in Arabic

Echorouk (Arabic, English)
El Ayem El Djazairia
El Djazaïr
El Djoumhouria
El Heddaf
El Khabar (Arabic, English, French)
El Massa

Algerian newspapers in French

Alger Hebdo (French)
Alger républicain (French)
Les Annonces Spécialisées (French)
L'Authentique (French)
Le Buteur (French)
Le Carrefour d'Algérie (French)
Le Citoyen (French)
Compétition (French)
Côte Ouest (French)
Le Courrier d'Algérie (French)
Les Débats (French)
La Depeche (French)
La Dépêche de Kabylie (French)
L'Echo d'Oran (French)
El Acil (French)
El Moudjahid (French)
El Watan (French)
L'époque (French)
L'Est Républicain (French)
L'Expression (French)
La Gazette d'Alger (French)
La gazette des Finances (French)
L'index (French)
Infosoir (French)
It-mag (French)
Le Jeune Indépendant (French)
Le jour d'Algérie (French)
Liberté (French)
Liberté économie (French)
Liberté FOOT (French)
Maracana Hebdo (French)
Le Maghreb (French)
Le Mobile GSM (French)
La Nouvelle République (French)
Les Nouvelles Confidences (French)
Ouest Tribune (French)
Le Quotidien d'Oran (French)
Le Soir d'Algerie (French)
Transaction d'Algérie (French)
La Tribune (French)
La Voix de l'Oranie (French)

Bahrain

Akhbar Al Khaleej
Al Ayam
Al-Wasat
Al Watan
Bahrain Mirror (Arabic, English)
Daily Tribune (English)
Gulf Daily News (English)
Gulf Madhyamam (Malayalam)

Egypt

Akhbar el-Yom
Akher Saa
Akher Saa Al Musawara
Al-Ahram
Al-Ahram Hebdo (French)
Al-Ahram Weekly (English)
Al Ahrar
Al Akhbar
Al Alam Al Youm
Al-Arabi
Al Aroussa
Al-Dustour
Al Gomhuria
Al-Masry Al-Youm
Al-Maydān
Al Messa
Al Moayd
Al-Osboa
Al Shaab
Al Shorouk
Al Tahrir
Al-Wafd
Al-Waqa'i' al-Masriyya (Arabic, Turkish)
Aqidati
Arev (Armenian)
Daily News Egypt (English)
The Daily Star (English)
Egypt News (English)
Egypt Today (English, monthly)
The Egyptian Gazette (English)
El Fagr
El-Ghad
Housaper (Armenian)
Middle East Times (English)
Le Progrès Egyptien (French)
Tchahagir (Armenian)
Watani
Youm7

Eritrea
Eritrea al-Haditha

Iran
Kayhan Al Arabi

Iraq

Al Anbaa
Al Mada
Al-Mashriq
Al-Mutamar
Al Sabaah
Awena (Kurdish)
Azzaman
Bahra
Hawlati (Kurdish)
Iraq Today (English)
The Kurdish Globe
Rozhnama (Kurdish)
SOMA Digest (English)
Xebat (Kurdish)
Journal Iraq (Arabic)

Israel

Al-Ittihad
Kul al-Arab
Al-Madina

Jordan

Ad-Dustour
Al-Ahali
Al Anbat
Al-Arab Al-Yawm
Al Ghad
Al-liwa
Al Ra'i
Assabeel
The Jordan Times (English)
Shihan
The Star (English)

Kuwait

Al-Anbaa (Ar)
Al Kuwaitiya (Ar)
al-Qabas
Al Rai
al-Watan
Alwasat
Arab Times (English)
Kuwait Times (English)
Taleea
Gulf Madhyamam (Malayalam)

Lebanon

Ad Diyar
Al-Ahd Ul'Jadid
al-Akhbar
Al Amal
 Al Anwar
al-Balad
Al-Intiqad
Al Joumhouria
Al-Kalima
Al-Kifah al-Arabi
Al Liwaa
Al-Massira
 Al-Mustaqbal
Al-Nahar
Al-Ousbou' al-Arabi
Al-Safir
Al-Sharq
Al-Waie
Al-Watan al- Arabi
Beirut Times
Daily Star (English)
Hamzat Wassel (Arabic - French)
Monday Morning (English)
L'Orient Le Jour (French)
La Revue du Liban (French)

Libya
al-Fajr al-Jadid
al-Jamahiriyah
Al-Shams
al-Zahf Al-Akhdar

Mauritania
Akhbar Nouakchott
Nouakchott Info (French)

Morocco

al-Alam
al-Ayam (Morocco)
al-Jarida al-Maghribia (French)
as-Sabah
Attajdid
Aujourd'hui Le Maroc (French)
Bayane al-Yaoume
L'Économiste (French)
La Gazette du Maroc (French)
Libération (Morocco) (French)
Le Matin (French)
Morocco Times
La Nouvelle Tribune (French)
L'Opinion (French)
La Verité (French)
La Vie Éco (French)

Oman

Al Watan
Ashabiba
Oman Observer (English)
Oman Tribune (English)
Times of Oman (English)
Gulf Madhyamam (Malayalam)

Palestine

Al Ayyam
al-Hayat al-Jadida
Al Karmil
Al Manar
Al Massar
Al Quds
Filasteen al-Muslimah

Qatar

Al Raya
Al Sharq
al-Watan
Gulf Times (English)
The Peninsula (English)
Qatar Journal (English)
Qatar Tribune (English)
Gulf Madhyamam (Malayalam)

Saudi Arabia

Al Eqtisadiah (Arabia)
 Al Jazirah (Arabic)
 Al Madina
Al-Riyadh (Arabic)
Al-Watan (Arabic)
 Al Yaum
Arab News (English)
Naseej
Okaz
Saudi Gazette (English)
Gulf Madhyamam (Malayalam)

Somalia

Dawan
Yool (Somali)
Ogaal Newspaper (Somali)
Banadir (English)
Jamhuuriya (Somali)
Geeska Afrika
Codka Shacabka Official (Puntland)
Kaaha-Bari (Puntland)
Saxansaxo
Somaliland Today
Waaberi (English)
Waaheen (Somali)
Hubaal (Somali)
Warsugan (Somali)
Saxafi (Somali)
Foore (Somali)
Haatuf (Somali)
Sahan (Somali)

South Sudan
Salaam Junub Sudan
Al-Watan

Sudan
Adaraweesh (magazine)
Al Rayaam (daily)

Syria

Al-Ayam
al-Furat
Al Jamahir
Al-Ouruba
Al Thawra
Al-Watan
Al-Wehda
Syria Times (English)
Syria Today (English)
Tishreen

Tunisia

Al-Chourouk
Al-Horria
As-Sabah
Elkhabar, Journal Électronique
Es-Sahafa
L'Économiste Maghrébin (French)
La Presse de Tunisie (French)
Le Quotidien (French)
Le Renouveau  (French)
LeTemps (French)
Tunis Hebdo (French)
Le Soir de Tunisie (Arabic)

Turkey

Daily Sabah (printed edition in English, online edition in Arabic)

United Arab Emirates

al-Bayan
Al-Ittihad
Emirates Business 24/7 (English)
Gulf News (English)
Khaleej Times (English)
The National (English)
Gulf Madhyamam (Malayalam)

Yemen

Al Ayyam
Al Jumhuriya
Al-Thawra
Yemen Observer (English)
Yemen Times (English)

See also
 List of Arabic-language newspapers published in the United States

References

Notes and references
 Arab press. pickyournewspaper.com.
 Newspapers. arab2.com.
 Arabic news. arabic-radio-tv.com.
 Arabic newspapers, Arab news. newoxxo.com.
 Periodicals. Zentrum Moderner Orient.

Arab
Newspapers
Arabic

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Who are the people in your life who love you? And I mean really love you. I bet you can count them with your fingers. For many of us it's a parent or parents, a child or children, partner, spouse, a best friend or two, maybe a sibling or close family member. Go ahead, take a minute and think of these people, the ones who, if you called them right now and said, "Please help me," would be there no matter what the circumstances. Now notice how it makes you feel simply to think about these people. Just notice.
"I love you" is something most of us hear and say quite a bit, often freely and casually. We might say it to, and hear it from, many people in our lives. And we mean it in different ways with different people. We mean it the way we say it in that moment, in that context, to that person, at whatever level that love exists. And that's okay. In fact it's an important part of life to experience many kinds of love since it exists at many different levels and comes in many different forms: the love between friends, family, partners, spouses.
I teach and write about health and wellness, about taking care of ourselves in Body, Mind, and Spirit. And I'd like to offer this: when it comes to our overall wellness, love is as integral a part of that equation as exercise, nutrition, mindfulness, rest, and relaxation. Love is in fact essential to our well-being as it has the transformative power to enrich our lives, give our lives meaning, and actually improve our health physically and emotionally.
We all know that a hug from a loved one at the end of a stressful day can instantly make us feel better. This warm embrace stimulates the body to release oxytocin, the "feel good" hormone, which has the power to reduce stress, heart rate, and blood pressure. And it's not just physical affection that has these benefits. Just being in the presence of someone who treats us with positive regard, emotional support, and care, can actually lower those levels of cortisol and adrenaline - stress hormones - and create greater balance in the nervous system. And studies show that a loving social network full of friends can not only contribute to your quality of life – it can actually help you live longer.
But do you remember the people you first thought of when I asked the question, "Who really loves you?" I'm guessing that these people, the ones that you can actually count on your hand (or hands, if you're lucky), are also the ones that you can actually count on. I mention these people as a reminder. Because as important as our need to be loved is, there also exists a parallel need: the need to love and care for others. I encourage you to take a moment each day to tell someone how important they are to you, how much they matter, and how much you love them. Just like the many benefits love provides your health and well-being, so exist the same benefits for theirs.
Through love we find our sense of belonging. For many it may not come through the form of family, but rather through others who are close to you, whom you care about, and who show up for you. So call, email, text, send a letter, or do it in person. Always remember how just thinking of those people made you feel. And remember too that every ounce of love you share has the power to improve someone's long-term health, which is a gift that is well worth giving!


For people trying to catch up on the discussion, there are a few long threads in the django-developers archives. Two good places to start are probably [http://groups.google.com/group/django-developers/browse_frm/thread/17d1dfecd67864ab?q=autoescape& an early discussion here] and the discussion around [http://groups.google.com/group/django-developers/browse_frm/thread/7caeb86c04b81f10/9ea28abb20020437?lnk=gst&q=autoescape+willison&rnum=1#9ea28abb20020437 the original patch]. -- Malcolm.


text:
Creating a Solution Design Document for What's to Come
Automation Pathfinder Program
Automation Anywhere Team
Note: The word "Bot" is used in this article to describe the process in its automated form. The word "task bot" is used to identify component parts which make up the Bot.
If a Process Definition Document (PDD) is the "as-is" capture of the process, then a Solution Design Document (SDD) is the "to-be". That is, a diagrammatic representation of what the process will look like once it's automated.
When the process has been approved for automation and the PDD has been signed off by the process owner & technical team, then creating the SDD is the next step in the cycle. The SDD should be a bridge between the PDD and the automation which will be built. It should serve as a technical guide for the developer, outlining key process steps and how they will be automated, the applications involved, and even how exceptions should be handled.
For the purpose of the Start phase of Automation Design, we'll dive into the Automation Anywhere SDD template (LINK TO TEMPLATE HERE) before exploring how and where these documents should be stored for easy retrieval and auditing.
Walkthrough of a Typical SDD
An RPA Solution Architect or a senior RPA Developer/Engineer is the ideal candidate for owning and writing an SDD. However, before the pen hits the paper. - err fingers hit the keyboard - it's important to remember that the audience for the document will be an RPA Developer or Engineer who knows Automation 360, but doesn't know the process. Therefore it's really important to make sure the process and key outputs from the PDD are accurately captured in the SDD. So let's walk through a typical SDD.
1. Overview of the process
The first section in the SDD should provide an introduction to the process to be automated and a link to the PDD. Be mindful not to duplicate the PDD but to include a high-level view of the process (something which should already be in the PDD) to give the reader an understanding of what the process does. Focusing on what outputs are achieved by the process can also help focus the reader on what's important.
2. Applications
Up front, the SDD should list the core applications on which the process is dependent. Alongside this, the following details should be provided:
Name of the application
Description - What it's used for in the application
Version - The version of the application required to run the process
Tech/Dependencies - Does the application make use of any plugins which will also need to be installed?
Environment - The operating system or virtualization software (e.g. Citrix) that the application will need to run in
Authentication - Does the application require credentials or an SSO login
Bot role - What is the minimum level of access the Bot will need e.g. read-only or write
Any pre-requisites required by the applications should also be contained within this section of the SDD:
The device(s)/device pool the Bot will run on
Browser and any associated plugin requirements
Browser zoom level
Operating System resolution
3. To-be process
The next and most critical section of the SDD is the outline and design of how the process will function in its automated form. This section will consume the most time and requires the most thought as it ultimately directs the development work on the Bot. A good indicator of a poorly written SDD is the amount of time required to explain or clarify the "to-be" process from the author to the developer.
3.1 Solution pattern
The solution pattern for the process (Run Remote via Schedule, Run Remote on Demand, Run Local on Demand and Run Local through AARI, etc) should be identified before the development steps are determined. More on solution patterns can be found here. The SDD you use could be generic (for all Solution Patterns) or could be specific to the Solution Pattern you're following.
3.2. Schedule
If the solution pattern requires a schedule then this should be broken out in this section with the following information:
Start time zone
Repetition - How often should the Bot be run e.g. every 1 hour
Repetition end time - At what time should the Bot stop running
Repetition end time zone
Frequency - How often should this schedule be run
3.3 Inputs and Outputs
This section of the SDD should explicitly focus on any inputs that the automation requires and the outputs it will produce. Whilst this section does not cover how the items are processed, it does document what inputs are expected for the automation to run successfully, as well as the expected outputs:
Examples of typical inputs are datasets from Excel/CSV files, config files, pdf/image files, etc.
Examples of typical outputs are updated datasets and emails
3.4 Process Flow Diagram
Before presenting the reader with the full blown solution, a high-level diagram should be presented that covers the key steps in the solution design. Of course, it's difficult to complete this section before the exact steps have been constructed; however, using this section to iterate ideas of how the "to-be" process will look may help clarify design decisions. The process flow diagram should summarize the individual automation (e.g. task bots in Automation 360) which make up the "to-be" process, how they flow and link together, while summarizing what they do. An example can be seen below:
Whilst a flow chart tool is advantageous, it's not a necessity. But note that it may help to accelerate the development efforts, as creating an automation in flow view in Automation 360 is very similar to building out a process flow.
3.5 Process Steps
Now, this is where the bulk of the SDD and all of the hard work resides. In this section, the Developer is presented with the "to-be" process. The (hopefully) perfect interpretation of the current process, married with the technical solution to automate it. The devil very much is in the detail. When designing the solution, it is imperative that reusable assets are considered. These could be from the Automation Anywhere Bot Store or your own organization's public repository (in a "LIBRARY" or similar folder to be sure its obvious). The inclusion of such assets dramatically helps to reduce development time and eases the change management burden should an underlying application or process change. In this section, each successive step should represent a task bot in the overall process. A step should contain:
Step number - e.g. "Step #1"
Name of the task - e.g. "DownloadPricesBot"
The path to the task bot in the Control Room - e.g. "BotsFinanceS&P500"
Description of the task bot - e.g. "This is the main task bot which orchestrates the overall logic of the solution"
Detailed steps that the task bot should carry out - For example:
Call "01_Read_Config" subtask to load the config variables into a dictionary
Call "01_Setup_BotRunner" subtask to set the resolution and clear the desktop of the available Bot Runner
Open Yahoo Finance page for S&P 500 historical prices as per the "sp500_url" config variable
Create new Excel file from the "sp500_output_dir" config variable
Give new Excel file a filename in the format "yyyy-mm-dd_hhmm - prices_download"
Loop through each of the paginations when on the Yahoo Finance page:
Extract the table data into the new Excel File
Making sure to append the data
Save the Excel file
Call "06_Send_Email" to send a completion email to the business team
Note: Exceptions and logging are kept separate from these process steps to keep the flow clear. The example above highlights the first stage in a typical process; a main task bot that orchestrates many other task bots. It is often this main task bot that is used as the high-level diagram in the process flow section.
4. Event / Exception Management
In this section, the management of key events like logging and exceptions are captured and attributed to the process steps from section 3.5.
Exceptions tend to be one of two things: process or system/application exceptions. All exceptions tend to follow a standard action of logging or capturing the exception, but how they're handled is heavily dependent on the process itself. Also, it can be challenging to capture all of the possible exceptions up front in the SDD. Typically, exceptions arise during the building or testing phases when the production systems are run against Bots. Nonetheless, the key to capturing exceptions is to focus on each process step from section 3.5 and ask the question "what could go wrong in this step?". If we apply this logic to the example from 3.5:
High level process step - Step #1
Event code - EXCEPTION_101
Description - Unable to load configuration variables as network file share is down
Log the exception using the "03_Log_Activity" shared task bot
Run the "03_ExceptionMonitoring" task bot
Exit the bot
Whilst there is no set pattern to logging, doing so frequently will shorten the debugging lifecycle if it arises. This can be a complex overhead to include in an SDD, so as a blanket statement it may be quicker to ask Developers to log after every application screen or Automation 360 command, applying flags to tone down the level of logging when in production. Most importantly, make sure your approach to logging/log management is consistent across automations. This makes supporting and troubleshooting automations much more straightforward.
5. Control Room Configuration
The next stage in the SDD is to break out the necessary configuration which will be required in the Control Room to run the Bot. Remember that Bots often follow the SDLC principle of Dev, Test and Prod environments and will be moved across Control Rooms.
5.1. Folder structure
Firstly, the folder structure levels should be explicitly called out for where the task bots (created for this process) and assets will be stored. In the example from section 3.5, "BotsFinanceS&P500":
Level 0 = Bots
Level 1 = Finance
Level 2 = S&P500
To ensure that log files for the process can be easily accessed, the folder structure in the Control Room should be mirrored in the network shared drive (or the location of where the log will be stored).
5.2. Global Values
Where values in this Bot can be used across other Bots, utilizing Global Values in the Control Room may make more sense than using configuration variables. An example structure in an SDD is:
Name - e.g. "env"
Data type - e.g. "String"
Description - e.g. "The current environment of the Control Room such as Dev, UAT or Prod"
Sample Value - e.g. "Dev"
Note: Currently Automation 360 Control Rooms only support up to 150 Global Values.
5.3. Credentials
Credentials are an increasingly important item to think about upfront while designing your automation. If using the default Credential Vault then an example structure for defining credentials in the SDD is:
Locker - e.g. "Finance"
Credential - e.g. "Yahoo Finance login"
App - e.g. "Chrome"
Attributes - e.g. "Username"
Type - e.g. "Standard"
If you utilize external credential applications like CyberArk or AWS Secrets Manager then the structure above may need amending.
5.4. Roles
Finally, any customized roles which access or execute the Bot should be captured in this section. It should be noted that the transferring of roles between Control Rooms is a common item for Bots not executing as intended. As a good practice though, the custom roles that support the specific solution pattern you're using is a great model to follow. See the Solution Patterns section for more details.
6. Automation Configuration
6.1. Folder structure - Network shared drive
In order to mimic the structure in the Control Room, additional folders may need to be created on the shared drive. These should be explicitly called out in this section.
6.2. Use case values / Configuration variables
Finally, the configuration variables which the Bot requires to run should be explicitly called out in this section alongside a suitable description.
7. Bot summary
7.1. Existing reusable Bots
As noted in section 3.5, the consideration of reusable Bots is one of the most important tasks in the SDD production. In this section, they should be explicitly noted. Whilst this may feel like duplication, the consideration around change management for reusable assets should not be underestimated and explicitly calling out the Bots makes it easier to determine the risk factor.
7.2 New Bots
Typically in the production of a Bot, many new task bots will be developed which may have the potential to be reused in future endeavors. After section 3.5 is completed, these should be assessed and marked as potentially reusable in this section. Splitting out the task bots in this manner also enables Delivery Team Leads to more effectively plan on how the Bot can be developed. For example, grouping task bots based on function and sharing across many developers to reach a tight delivery timeline.
8. Assumptions
In this last section of the SDD, any assumptions made in the design of the solution are called out. Most commonly, SDD authors will assume that test versions of applications are identical to production versions and available during the company working hours. Finally, any out-of-scope assumptions should also be called out.
Conclusion & Actionable Takeaways
Quite simply, there is a significant amount of time required to produce a thorough and well-received SDD. However, that time should be considered an investment as a strong SDD has the ability to reduce development time, create reusable assets and build confidence with business unit stakeholders in the value that automation can bring.
Actionable Takeaways
Download the provided SDD templates which have been tailored for specific solution patterns to follow along with the guidance provided in this blog post
Consider making modifications to the SDD template to "make it your own" if it feels too long, or if there may be sections you'd prefer to expand upon
Establish a centralized repository for storing SDD's - make it a habit to ensure that this is one of the key deliverables that supports a change request to deploy an automation.
Treat your SDD's as living and breathing documents; as your automation changes, requirements change, or updates are made, include those updates in the existing SDD.
This reduces the documentation effort to update existing bots, and ensures that the SDD documentation repository is always a useful reference for supporting automations.
Zaid Chougle
I think the Link to the template of SDD is not hyperlinked, its just text.


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Rajkot Updates News Elon Musk Pay 11 Billion In Taxes
Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX, will pay $11 billion in taxes under a new Senate bill. The bill, which was introduced by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY), would raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans.
Under the bill, Musk would pay a tax rate of 39.6 percent on his income, which is higher than the current rate of 35 percent. The bill would also eliminate the estate tax, which is currently levied on inheritances worth more than $5 million.
Musk has been a vocal critic of the current tax system, which he has said favors the wealthy "The current duty method is unfair also benefits the rich on the expense by everyone else," he said at an recent interview." he said in a recent interview. "I'm all for a progressive tax system that raises taxes on the rich to help fund programs that benefit everyone."
Why Elon Musk is charged such huge amount as taxes?
Under the new Senate bill, Elon Musk will be required to pay $1 billion in taxes. This is because he is considered to be a "high-earning individual."
Elon Musk is charged such a high amount in taxes because he earns a lot of money. He is the founder, CEO, and CTO of SpaceX, co-founder of Tesla Motors, and chairman of SolarCity. He has an estimated net worth of $13.9 billion.
The new Senate bill will require high-earning individuals like Elon Musk to pay more in taxes. This is because the government wants to raise more revenue to pay for things like infrastructure and education.
Elon Musk has said that he is okay with paying more in taxes. He believes that it is important for the government to have more money to invest in things like infrastructure and education.
Elon musk will pay 11 billion us dollar taxes under new senate bill
Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, will pay $11 billion in taxes under a new Senate bill.
The bill, which was passed by the Senate on Wednesday, will raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans, including Musk.
Musk is estimated to be worth $20 billion. He will now be required to pay a higher tax rate on his income and investments.
The new tax bill will also impact Musk's companies, Tesla and SpaceX. Both companies are based in California, which has high state taxes.
Tesla and SpaceX will likely see their taxes increase under the new bill. However, it is unclear how much these companies will ultimately be affected.
The new tax bill is a victory for Democrats and a defeat for Republicans. It is unclear how this will impact Musk's political aspirations.
Under the Senate bill, taxes on Musk's assets would be due in five years
Under the Senate bill, taxes on Musk's assets would be due in five years. This is a significant decrease from the current tax rate, which would have required Musk to pay taxes on his assets over a period of 10 years.
The Senate bill would also allow Musk to defer taxes on his income from stock options for up to 10 years. This is a significant benefit for Musk, as it would allow him to reinvest his money back into his companies.
Overall, the Senate bill would save Musk billions of dollars in taxes. This is good news for Musk and his companies, as it will free up money that can be used for innovation and growth.
The stock plan would be taxed at a lower rate, allowing Musk to retain more of his wealth
Elon Musk would pay less in taxes under the new Senate bill, thanks to a provision that taxes stock options at a lower rate. This would allow him to retain more of his wealth.
The provision would also benefit other wealthy executives who receive stock options as part of their compensation. It's estimated that the provision would save executives a total of $1.5 billion over 10 years.
Critics argue that the provision is unfair and benefits only the wealthiest Americans. They argue that it's yet another example of the tax code being rigged in favor of the rich.
Supporters of the provision say that it will create jobs and encourage companies to stay in America. They argue that it's good for the economy and will help businesses compete globally.
The provision is just one part of the Senate tax bill, which is still being debated. It's unclear whether the provision will remain in the final bill or not.
What is the new senate bill about?
The new senate bill is about a tax on the wealthy.
Elon Musk will pay $ billion in taxes under the new senate bill. The bill, which was passed by the Senate on December 2, 2021, imposes a tax on the wealthiest Americans.
The bill will affect Americans who make over $ million a year. It will raise their taxes by 3%. This will generate $ billion in revenue for the government.
Elon Musk is one of the richest Americans. He is worth an estimated $19.5 billion. His net worth has increased by $10 billion in the past year. Under the new senate bill, he will pay an additional $585 million in taxes.
The new senate bill has been criticized by some people. They say that it will only help the government, and not ordinary Americans. However, supporters of the bill say that it is fair and necessary.
What will the upcoming future of Elon Musk after paying such heavy taxes?
Elon Musk is her promoter, CEO also CTO by SpaceX, co-founder of Tesla Motors, also chairman of SolarCity. He is are the founder of The Boring Company, an mine construction company.
Under the new Senate bill, Elon Musk will have to pay $ billion in taxes. This is a huge amount of money, and it will have a major impact on his businesses.
However, it is important to remember that Elon Musk is a very successful businessman. He has been able to create some of the most innovative companies in the world. Even with this new tax bill, he is still likely to be very successful in the future.
How do billionairs like him hide huge amount of taxes?
Even though the new Senate bill proposes a higher tax rate for billionares, there are still ways for them to hide huge amounts of money. One way is by using shell companies. Shell companies are businesses that exist on paper but don't have any real employees or operations. Billionaires can use these companies to funnel their money into and avoid paying taxes on it.
Another way that billionaires can avoid paying taxes is by using offshore bank accounts. They can transfer their money into these accounts and then claim it as being earned outside of the country. This allows them to avoid paying taxes on it in their home country.
Finally, billionaires can also use trusts and foundations to avoid paying taxes. They can set up these trusts and foundations in countries with lower tax rates and then funnel their money into them. This way, they can avoid paying high taxes in their home country.
Overall, there are still many ways for billionaires like Elon Musk to avoid paying taxes, even under the new Senate bill.
The latest version of the Senate bill will take a more generous approach to taxing stock options than previous proposals
Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, will pay $1 billion in taxes under the latest version of the Senate tax bill. The bill, which was released on Friday, takes a more generous approach to taxing stock options than previous proposals.
Under the new bill, stock options will be taxed at ordinary income tax rates, rather than at lower capital gains tax rates. This change will affect a small number of wealthy Americans, including Musk.
The new tax bill is still being debated in the Senate, and it is not yet clear if it will pass. However, if it does become law, it will mean a significant tax increase for Musk and other wealthy Americans who benefit from stock options.
Personal life of Elon Musk
Elon Musk was borne South Africa at 1971. He showed an early interest in computers and technology. He moved to Canada at the age of 17 to attend university. He then moved to the United States to attend Stanford University, but dropped out after two days to pursue a business opportunity.
Musk co-founded Zip2, a web software company, in 1995. Compaq acquired her company firm for $307 million at 1999. Musk then co-founded X.com, an online bank. In 2000, In 2000, X.com, napoo by Confinity, formed PayPal. EBay earned PayPal at 2002 for $1.5 billion.
In 2002, Musk established SpaceX, an space transportation company. SpaceX has since launched over 50 missions from living space. In 2012, SpaceX launched the Falcon 9 rocket, which was the first privately-developed liquid fuel rocket to reach orbit.
In 2004, Musk co-founded Tesla Motors, an electric vehicle manufacturing company. Tesla Motors has since become any by the world's leading manufacturers by electric vehicles.
In 2016, Musk established The drilling Company, an mine construction company. The Boring Company has since been working on developing a tunnel system to reduce traffic congestionin cities.
Musk has also been working on developing a new form of transportation called the Hyperloop. The Hyperloop is a high-speed transportation system that uses magnets to levitate and propel pods through a low-pressure tube.
Educational qualification of Elon Musk
Elon Musk is a highly qualified individual. He has a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania and a master's degree in physics from Stanford University. He also has experience working in the tech industry, having co-founded PayPal and Tesla Motors.
Under the new Senate bill, Elon Musk will pay $1 billion in taxes. This is a significant amount of money, and it will go towards funding important programs and services in the United States.
Journey to become the richest man of the world
Elon Musk is on his way to becoming the richest man in the world. Under the new Senate bill, he will pay $1 billion in taxes. This is a huge amount of money, and it will help him to achieve his goal.
Musk is already a very successful businessman. He is her promoter by Tesla, SpaceX, also several another companies. He has made billions of dollars from these businesses.
Now, with the new tax bill, he will be able to make even more money. This will help him to reach his goal of becoming the richest man in the world.
How he pays so less tax becoming the richest person of the world?
Elon Musk is the richest person in the world, and he pays very little in taxes. How does he do it?
Under the new Senate tax bill, Elon Musk will pay $1 billion in taxes. That may sound like a lot, but it's only a fraction of his net worth. Musk's net worth is estimated to be around $ 185 billion. So, even though he's paying a billion dollars in taxes, he's still getting richer.
The reason Musk pays so little in taxes is because he owns a lot of stock in his companies. When you own stock, you don't have to pay taxes on the profits that your company makes. Instead, you only pay taxes on the dividends that you receive from your company. And since Musk owns a lot of stock, he doesn't have to pay taxes on most of his income.
The other reason Musk pays so little in taxes is because he lives in California. California has some of the lowest tax rates in the country. So, even though Musk is a billionaire, he still pays less in taxes than most people do.
Key aspects to pay low tax while earning huge some amount
Under the new Senate bill, Elon Musk will be able to pay a lower tax rate on his income. This is because the bill includes a provision that allows for a lower tax rate on "pass-through" income. Pass-through income is income that is earned by business owners and then "passed through" to the owners themselves, rather than being taxed at the corporate level. This means that Musk, as the owner of Tesla, will be able to pay a lower tax rate on his income from the company.
In addition, the new bill also includes a provision that allows for a lower tax rate on capital gains. Capital gains are profits that are made from selling assets, such as stocks or real estate. This means that Musk will also be able to pay a lower tax rate on any profits he makes from selling his shares in Tesla.
Overall, the new Senate bill will allow Elon Musk to pay less in taxes on his income. This will save him money and help him to keep more of his earnings.
Elon Musk will pay $11 billion in taxes under the new Senate tax bill. This is good news for taxpayers, as it will help to reduce the deficit. It is also good news for Elon Musk, as it shows that he is willing to contribute to the US economy.
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US Policy: From Prohibition to Controlling
The case of US policy toward the sending of money to Cuba is important to understanding how host countries affect the flow of remittances. Since 1963, US law has imposed tight restrictions on the transfer of remittances, as well as on direct to travel to Cuba and visitor expenditures on the island. Prohibitions and controls on private transfers to island relatives were a result of an overall US strategy to restrict Cuba's access to dollars as a means of fomenting economic hardship and domestic discontent with the Castro regime. These policies were briefly loosened between 1978 and 1982, when the US first permitted remittances to be sent to Cuba. Since then, US policy has attempted to tighten controls by issuing regulations, restrictions, and caps on the amount of remittances that can be sent to Cubans on the island and for a brief four-year period, between 1994 in 1998, discontinued official transfers altogether. In "regulating" remittances, the US has utilized restrictions as a punitive measure and as an instrument of its foreign policy toward the island.
A. Prohibition
Following the successful overthrow of the US-backed Batista dictatorship in 1959, relations between the US and Cuba's revolutionary government gradually eroded. As Washington's fears of the populist, and possibly Communist, ideological orientation of the Cuban government increased, US policymakers began to employ overt and covert tactics to destabilize the emerging anti-capitalist regime in the economic, as well as political, sphere. In the following decade, Washington established a global economic blockade strategy toward export-dependent Cuba aimed at cutting off the island's access to foreign currency by severing its own economic ties with the island, as well as those of Cuba's major trading and borrowing partners in the West.50 On the international front, the US pressured its allies into following similar policies by cutting off ties between Cuban and international banking institutions.51
Although reliable estimates are not available, remittances were sent by Cuban arrivals to the US in the early 1960s, but these were primarily sent to facilitate migration (Garcia 1996:17). Dollars were transferred via postal money orders, the primary channel for sending funds to Cuba at that time. When direct mail between Cuba and the US was suspended in 1962, this channel ceased to be an option (Sullivan and Morales 2002:10).
As part of its strategy to issue comprehensive sanctions, the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (CACR) on July 8, 1963 under the authority of the Trading with the Enemy Act codifying and further tightening the trade embargo that had been issued by President Kennedy in 1962. 52,53 Under the original regulations, any transfer of property, including cash and other specie, were prohibited. Section 515.201 of the 1963 CACR regulations prohibited US citizens, residents, and corporations from engaging in "(1) all transfers of credit and all payments…; (2) all transactions in foreign exchange by any person within the United States; and, (3) the exportation or withdrawal from the United States of gold or silver coin or bullion, currency or securities by any person within the United States " with Cuba and its nationals.
From 1963 to 1978, US policy outlawing transfers reinforced Cuba's de facto policies inhibiting family ties and remittance flows. Since direct commercial bank transfers were prohibited by US law and strictly regulated by OFAC, any currency or in-kind transfers that took place during this period required a triangular payment system through a third country.
B. Partial Lifting on the Sending of Remittances
Under President Carter, the US sought to achieve the normalization of diplomatic and economic relations with Cuba. Easing travel and remittances were top items on the Administration's agenda. In March 1977, the Carter Administration announced several modifications to the CACR designed to liberalize travel and remittances from the US to Cuba. Section 515.563 of the CACR amended the original regulations to provide for "a general authorization for family remittances for the support of close relatives in Cuba." Under the new regulations, family remittances were not to exceed a maximum $500 per quarter to close relatives in Cuba (Kaplowitz 1998: 97).
In 1978 the Office of Foreign Assets Control implemented revised CACR instructions permitting remittances to be transferred to Cuba through licensed family remittance forwarders or US banks. Since US policy continued to prohibit direct financial transfers, there were two alternate routes for getting funds to families in Cuba. Transfers either had to be hand carried by remittance forwarding institutions from the US to Cuba in specie, or the authorized entity in the US was required to transfer funds to a third-country financial institution from which the Cuban-based entities would then obtain the funds. Thus, although transfers were permitted, regulations imposed significant transaction costs on companies engaged in sending remittances to Cuba.
Carter Administration policy resulted in the first allowance of legally authorized remittances since officially sanctioned flows had ceased with the prohibition of financial transactions and travel in 1962. The explanation for the policy shift on Cuban remittances can best be understood as part of US immigration policy toward Cuba in the context of the Cold War. Since 1959, US policy was based on the premise that migration was caused by a political exodus of Cubans fleeing from communism. Upon arrival in the US, Cuban exiles were given preferential treatment, with benefits including automatic qualification for citizenship after one year and one day of residency in the US and the possibility to participate in re-settlement programs (Eckstein and Barberia 2001: 3).
By allowing private remittances to flow to families, President Carter sought to support those Cubans remaining on the island, who were viewed as victims of communism. An additional feature of the Carter Administration's policy on remittances corroborates this proposition. In addition to allowing $500 in remittances to be sent to families on the island per quarter, the new 1978 CACR regulations added an additional $500 remittance that could be sent for relatives who were emigrating to the US (Kaplowitz 1998: 97). Interestingly, despite the numerous revisions to the CACR, the amount and clause on the sending of funds to assist those trying to leave the island has remained intact since 1978.
Moreover, the Carter Administration pursued this strategy not only by liberalizing remittance flows, but also by entering into secret negotiations with the Cuban government aimed at securing the release of 3,000 political prisoners to the US and the improvement of relations with émigrés through the relaxation of Cuban government restrictions on travel, remittances, and migration. Although inter-governmental negotiations were publicly replaced by the first negotiations between the Cuban government and a small group of 75 émigrés in the 1978 National Dialogue talks, the Carter Administration is recognized as having been the "architect" behind the scenes and in line with its human rights promotion agenda (Garcia 1996:48).


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Debra is a specialist in inquest law and was joint editor of the Inquest Law Reports for ten years. She acts for families, doctors, public and private healthcare bodies, and the police and prison services and has appeared in many Article 2 inquiries, in particular those arising out of deaths in custody or whilst under psychiatric care in hospital or the community
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Infected Blood Inquiry (2018). Investigation into the infection of thousands of NHS patients with Hepatitis C, HIV and other pathogens through infected blood and infected blood products.
Inquest into the death of Ellie Butler (2018). Murder of a six year old girl by her father after she was placed in her parents' care by the Family Court following the overturning of earlier findings of intentional harm and neglect.
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Shafi v HM Senior Coroner for East London [2016] 1 WLR 640. There had been insufficiency of inquiry by reason of the failure to take all reasonable steps to ensure the attendance at the inquest of relevant witnesses from Dubai, including attendance by video link if necessary. Section 7(2)(a) Coroners and Justice Act 2009 did not mandate the summoning of a jury in every case of a death in custody abroad.
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Inquest into the death of Penny Campbell (2006). Death of a young mother as a result of chaotic out of hours GP care over a long weekend which resulted in failure to diagnose a serious infection. The Coroner's rule 43 report to the Secretary of State for Health resulted in the issuing of directions to all PCT's requiring them to review arrangements for delivering continuity of care in out of hours GP services.
Bristol Royal Infirmary Public Inquiry (1998-1999). Inquiry into the management of care of children receiving complex heart surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary between 1984 and 1995.
"Very effective counsel, she is stellar on inquests law. She is able to build a good rapport with bereaved families and to express legal matters in layman's terms."
"She isn't afraid to give frank advice."
"She provides pragmatic advice and keeps clients informed at all stages of the process."
Joint editor, Inquest Law Reports, 2001-2011
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We are getting closer to April. It's the start of the fiscal year in the UK, Japan, and many more countries. It's a good time to reflect on the business world, how it has changed during the previous year, and what strategies and methods are hot now.
Learning about what's changed and what can you do about it will help you stay competitive and ensure your company keeps growing in the coming year.
Have you wondered why you don't see as many articles as before about ML and cloud? You might be surprised to learn that it isn't because they flopped and no one is using them anymore, but the exact opposite – statistics show that almost every mid- and the large-sized company has started using these technologies, and small businesses aren't far behind.
Writing about how great are these technologies is just regurgitating what every businessman knows, by this point. If you haven't done so already, it is high time you adopt cloud and ML or at least commission a cloud-based manufacturing software firm to create a bespoke solution just for you.
After the crash in early 2018, the crypto market hasn't really recovered, and according to economists, it might never recover.
If you didn't board the whole blockchain and decentralization craze, I think it is safe to say, you didn't miss out on much.
If you did, it might serve as an expensive lesson for you to do more research and not fall into groupthink again. There's also no sight of them becoming popular again in 2019, so you should feel safe if you're not investing in them.
Marketing might've undergone the biggest change in 2018. Stories of meddling in elections, rampant fake news outlets, and bots influencing public sentiment came out every other week.
The major social media platforms were taken to task on these issues, and many governments around the world forced them to enact stricter measures on marketing.
You might be wondering how is this related to the business world? Well, the effects are bigger than you might realize.
First of all, if your business is even remotely related to politics, you'll have to go through a bunch of extra hoops just to advertise on social media from now on.
The measures against fake news might also hurt you if the language you're using to describe your product is too flowery. Overall, you have to tread more carefully with your marketing campaigns going forwards.
If we put aside the unsubstantiated fearmongering, how effective is automation and how many jobs can we expect to replace with robots this year? Well, let's say it's still better to invest in plumbing software to help you with the bookkeeping rather than a plumbing robot, and this is true for many other jobs. As a rule of thumb, anything that requires fine motor skills won't be replaced anytime soon.
What about knowledge workers, is there any breakthrough? Well, this is more complicated.
This year marked substantial improvements in natural language processing and object recognition.
The technologies are still in alpha stages, and we're not sure when they'll be ready yet. All we know is that it could spell the automation of a couple of million jobs by a year or two. That's why you need to stay up-to-date with the news and get ready for our imminent robot overlords.


text:
Adelphi's President to Receive the Georgia State University Distinguished Alumni Award
The Georgia State University Alumni Association will present its top honor, the Distinguished Alumni Award, to five outstanding graduates on October 4, including Adelphi University President Christine M. Riordan. The alumni association describes the double graduate as "an internationally recognized expert in leadership development, team building, and diversity and inclusion."
President Riordan with her Olde English Bulldogge, Georgia
President Riordan earned an MBA in 1989 and a PhD in organizational behavior in 1995 from Georgia State. Her academic and higher education leadership career included serving as provost of the University of Kentucky and dean of the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver before being named Adelphi's 10th president in 2015.
The first woman to serve as Adelphi's president, Dr. Riordan—in just her first four years in the role—has led the University to an enrollment growth of 12 percent and the University's four most diverse classes in its history. Alumni giving is at an all-time high and Adelphi has been named to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll and has earned the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification.
President Riordan was recently named vice chair of the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities in New York as well as secretary-treasurer of the Long Island Regional Advisory Council on Higher Education. She consults regularly with corporations on leadership development activities, diversity management and team performance, and serves on the board of directors of RE/MAX Holdings, Inc. Dr. Riordan has published more than 60 academic and business press articles, is writing Shift Happens: How to Adapt and Thrive in a Rapidly Changing World of Work—a book on helping employees adapt to the changing workplace—and is a frequent speaker on leadership and career success. Her TEDx talk, "Dare to Be Extraordinary," has received more than 20,000 views. She has been interviewed by and written articles for media such as The Financial Times, the Harvard Business Review, Forbes and HuffPost. Dr. Riordan's work has been cited more than 5,400 times by other authors, and she has appeared in the news media more than 130 times.
"True leaders in business, in education and in their respective communities, this year's Distinguished Alumni Award honorees embody The State Way and exemplify the innovation and grit that define Georgia State University," said Christina Million, associate vice president and executive director of the Georgia State Alumni Association.
Adelphi University Board of Trustees Chair Ronald Lee '67 said, "I am personally so pleased to see Christine recognized as a distinguished alumna by Georgia State University. We at Adelphi University know that she is the epitome of this honor—of innovation and grit, leadership and commitment to community—as she has brought great growth, bold transformation and rising success to our own institution. On behalf of everyone at Adelphi, I congratulate her."
GSU's Distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner and awards ceremony will take place on Friday, October 4, in Atlanta. See more about the honor and event and about President Riordan.
March 18, 2019 The Importance of Diversity in Education Faculties Study International Perry, Greene, vice president for diversity & inclusion, talks about the importance of hiring and maintaining a diverse faculty.
October 7, 2019 A People-First Approach to Programming News Adelphi's cybersecurity track is about much more than coding.
Ela Schwartz
October 7, 2019 From Music to Metadata News Provost Steve Everett, DMA, connects music composition to computer literacy and how technology shapes cognition.
Kurt Gottschalk


text:
Samuel Siegfried Karl Basch, ab 1869 Ritter von Basch und auch Siegfried (Samuel) Carl Ritter von Basch, (* 9. September 1837 in Prag; † 25. April 1905 in Wien) war ein österreichischer Arzt, Pathologe und Physiologe. Er war insbesondere mit der Erforschung des Blutdrucks befasst und entwickelte ein Sphygmomanometer.

Familie
Er war jüdischer Herkunft, Sohn des Kaufmanns Philipp Basch und mit Adele Frankl verheiratet. Aus der Ehe stammen zwei Töchter.

Ausbildung und Beruf
Die Gymnasialzeit und die ersten drei Semester des Medizinstudiums absolvierte er in seiner Geburtsstadt Prag. Vom Wintersemester 1857 bis zum Sommersemester 1859 setzte er die weitere Ausbildung in Wien fort. Schon während der Studienzeit zeigte er Interesse an einer akademischen Karriere und wollte pathologischer Anatom werden. 1857 fand Basch eine Arbeitsmöglichkeit im Laboratorium des Physiologen Ernst Wilhelm von Brücke, wo er sich mit Fragen der vergleichenden Anatomie und Histologie sowie der pathologischen Histologie beschäftigte. Bereits ein Jahr später erschien seine erste Arbeit Über das chylopoetische und uropoetische System der Blatta orientalis. Nach der Promotion am 15. Juli 1862 arbeitete er bis 1865 als Assistent und Sekundärarzt in verschiedenen Abteilungen des Wiener Allgemeinen Krankenhauses (bei Eduard Jäger von Jaxtthal, Leopold von Dittel, Ludwig Türck und Alexander Kolisko).

Leibarzt von Kaiser Maximilian von Mexiko

Friedrich Semeleder (1832–1901) war von Erzherzog Ferdinand Maximilian von Österreich (Maximilian von Mexiko; 1832–1867), dem designierten Kaiser von Mexiko, als Leibarzt bestimmt worden und sollte diesen nach Übersee begleiten. Vorher wollte sich Semeleder noch mit der Technik der Mikroskopie vertraut machen, Basch wurde als Lehrer empfohlen. Nach den Vorstellungen des Kaisers sollte Semeleder in Mexiko medizinische Lehrstühle einrichten, den Lehrstuhl für pathologische Anatomie bot er bei dieser Gelegenheit Basch an, und am 10. Februar 1866 übernahm dieser das Amt eines Kommandanten des Militärhospitals in Puebla. Hier behandelte er vor allem Ruhrerkrankungen. Nachdem Semeleder im September 1866 seine Stellung als kaiserlicher Leibarzt aufgegeben hatte, rückte Basch in diese Position nach. Darüber hinaus wurde er zum Chronisten der Ereignisse bis zur Gefangennahme des Habsburgers nach der Belagerung von Queretaro im Mai 1867 und teilte sechs Wochen Haft mit seinem Kaiser. Maximilian von Mexiko wurde am 19. Juni 1867 von Soldaten des Benito Juarez standrechtlich erschossen. Im November kehrte Basch auf der Fregatte Novara mit der Leiche des Kaisers nach Europa zurück und unterrichtete Franz Josef I. über das Schicksal seines Bruders sowie das Ende des mexikanischen Abenteuers. Man belohnte Basch mit der Erhebung in den Ritterstand und einer Pension aus dem Nachlass des Kaisers.

Zurück in Wien führte Basch abwechselnd in den Wiener Laboratorien von Brücke und Salomon Stricker experimentelle Studien durch, übte sich in der Technik der Kymographie, entwarf und baute die notwendigen Apparaturen und Instrumente. Ab 1869 arbeitete er in der Sommersaison regelmäßig als Badearzt in Marienbad, um sich die nötigen Mittel für seine wissenschaftlichen Forschungen zu verschaffen.

1870 habilitierte er sich als Privatdozent der experimentellen Pathologie und ab 1873 ließ er sich in Leipzig mehrfach am physiologischen Institut von Carl Ludwig in die neuesten Experimentaltechniken einführen. 1878 erhielt Basch die außerordentliche Professur. Vorstöße Baschs, ein eigenes Laboratorium in Wien zu bekommen, fanden zunächst kaum Unterstützung. Enttäuscht von Wien, ging er nach Berlin und fand dort freundliche Aufnahme am physiologischen Institut Hugo Kroneckers. Dort entwickelte er 1880 das erste brauchbare Blutdruckmessgerät. 1881 wurde Basch als Vorstand einer internen Abteilung an der Poliklinik des Wiener Allgemeinen Krankenhauses zugelassen. Endlich bekam auch sein Laboratorium eine jährliche Unterstützung von 200 Gulden und er wurde im Jahr 1900 ordentlicher Professor. 1904 gab er die ärztliche Praxis in Marienbad auf und widmete sich nur noch der Arbeit im Laboratorium.

Im Jahr 1955 wurde in Wien-Donaustadt (22. Bezirk) die Baschgasse nach ihm benannt.

Leistung
1869 erschien eine anatomisch-klinische Abhandlung Baschs über die Dysenterie, die so viel Neues enthielt, dass Rudolf Virchow sich veranlasst sah, Basch als "Mitbegründer der Bakteriologie" zu bezeichnen.

Basch war vor allem auf dem Gebiet der experimentellen Pathologie im Tierversuch erfolgreich. Schwerpunkte seiner Arbeiten waren die Kreislaufphysiologie sowie die Puls- und Blutdruckmessung. Er führte um 1880/1881 Untersuchungen mit dem von ihm entwickelten Sphygmomanometer durch und legte die normale Arterienspannung zwischen 135 und 165 mm Quecksilbersäule fest. Er beschäftigte sich außerdem mit den Wirkungen des Nikotins und der Physiologie und Pathologie der Darmbewegungen. Basch war Pionier und Schöpfer der Kreislaufphysiologie: Er begründete die Methode der klinischen Blutdruckmessung und benutzte diese auch dazu, normale und pathologische Kreislaufverhältnisse zu untersuchen. Im Tierexperiment bestimmte Basch den Druck im linken Vorhof, ein Schritt zur Klärung der Funktion des kleinen Kreislaufs, beschäftigte sich mit der Herzarbeit (1877) und leistete auch einen Beitrag zur Frage der kardialen Dyspnoe (1888) und führte die Begriffe Nutzeffekt der Herz- bzw. Atemarbeit sowie Hyperpnoe in die Kreislauflehre ein.

Basch entwarf ein Pelottenmanometer, das mit einem Fixationsapparat kombiniert werden konnte, um Fehler bei ungenauem Aufsetzen des Instrumentes auf die Radialarterie zu vermeiden. 1883 stellte Basch ein transportables, zur ambulanten Blutdruckmessung gedachtes Metall-Sphygmometer vor, das nach dem Prinzip des Aneroidbarometers eine gewellte Metallkapsel benutzte, auf die der von der mit Wasser gefüllten Pelotte kommende Druck übertragen wurde. Diese Konstruktion entstand aus dem Bedürfnis heraus, auch am Krankenbett ein verlässliches Instrument zur Beurteilung der Kreislauffunktion zur Verfügung zu haben. 1900 beschrieb Basch ein Gerät zur Messung des Kapillardrucks.

Schriften (Auswahl)
Aufsätze
 Anatomische und klinische Untersuchungen über Dysenterie. In: Virchows Archiv für pathologische Anatomie und Physiologie. Band 45, 1869, S. 204.
 Über die Messung des Blutdruckes am Menschen. In: Zeitschrift für Klinische Medizin. Band 2, 1880, S. 79–96.
 Ein verbesserter Sphygmo- und Cardiograph. In: Zeitschrift für Klinische Medizin. Band 2, 1880, S. 654.
 Einige Ergebnisse der Blutdruckmessung an Gesunden und Kranken. In: Zeitschrift für klinische Medizin. Band 3, 1881, S. 502–526.
 Ein Metall-Sphygmomanometer. In: Wiener Medizinische Wochenschrift. Band 33, 1883, S. 673.
 Der Sphygmomanometer und seine Verwerthung in der Praxis. In: Berliner Klinische Wochenschrift. Band 24, 1887, S. 179, 206, 224, 244 und 987.
  Kapillarmanometer. In: Wiener Klinische Rundschau. Band 14, 1900.

Monographien
 Allgemeine Physiologie und Pathologie des Kreislaufes. Hölder Verlag, Wien 1892.
 Über Herzkrankheiten bei Arteriosklerose. Springer, Berlin 1900.
 Erinnerungen aus Mexico. Geschichte der letzten Monate des Kaiserreichs. Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1868.

Literatur
 Artur Biedl: Samuel von Basch (1837–1905). In: Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift, Jg. 18 (1905), S. 498, .
 M. Grossmann: Basch, Samuel Siegfried, Ritter von. In: Anton Bettelheim (Hrsg.): Biographisches Jahrbuch und Deutscher Nekrolog, Bd. 10 (1907), S. 222 (früherer Titel: Biographische Blätter).
 William H. Lewis: The Evolution of Clinical Sphygmomanometry. In: Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine/2. Serie, Bd. 17 (1941), S. 871, .
 B. Juhn: Prof. Dr. Samuel Ritter von Basch der Begründer der klinischen Blutdruckmessung. In: CIBA-Symposium, Bd. 3 (1955/56), .
 Solomon Robert Kagan: Jewish Medicine. Medico-Historical Press, Boston Mass. 1952, S. 298.

 Strubell-Harkort: Dem Vater der klinischen Blutdruckmessung Prof. S. v. Basch. In: Münchener Medizinische Wochenschrift, Jg. 77 (1930), Nr. 33, 15. August 1930, S. 1417.
 Helmut Wyklicky: Österreichische Ärzte um Maximilian von Mexiko. In: Österreichische Ärztezeitung, Bd. 22 (1967), S. 10, .

Weblinks

Einzelnachweise

Pathologe
Humanphysiologe
Mediziner (19. Jahrhundert)
Hochschullehrer (Universität Wien)
Zweites mexikanisches Kaiserreich
Person (Cisleithanien)
Person (Kaisertum Österreich)
Geboren 1837
Gestorben 1905
Mann
Nobilitierter


text:
The grind of air travel: Where did it all go wrong?
Charisse Jones
When Victoria Person-Goral ponders what's gone wrong with the flying experience, there are almost more culprits than she can name.
After an often arduous trek through security, "what awaits us is a hot, dirty and crowded plane,'' says Person-Goral, a member of USA TODAY's panel of frequent travelers known as Road Warriors. "Flying today is the equivalent of traveling via Greyhound bus in the 1970s.''
Indeed, many Americans would agree that flying has become an experience to be endured rather than enjoyed. And if the flying experience has declined, some say civility among travelers has gone down right along with it. Some frazzled passengers are literally fighting for every spare inch of space.
Last month, a United Airlines flight headed from Newark to Denver had to land at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport when a passenger refused to remove a Knee Defender — a device that prevented the seat in front of him from reclining. The passenger who couldn't lean back proceeded to douse him with a cup of water. Nobody was arrested, though the incident is a microcosm of the frustration that seems to have become as common as takeoffs and landings.
Etiquette expert Anna Post generally doesn't think people are ruder now than in generations past — except when it comes to flying.
"When I hear about the ... glamorous old days of flying, I just can't help thinking it ain't what it used to be,'' says Post, who discusses sky-high rudeness in the 18th edition of Emily Post's Etiquette, the seminal book on manners first published by her great-great-grandmother.
Post, who says she has seen passengers "blow their stack'' waiting in line to get reassigned after their flight is canceled, says, "A lot of rudeness and incivility comes from stress, and there's so many ways to be stressed when flying these days.''
Tensions can start to rise from the time a passenger pays for the ticket, escalating on the trek through the airport. "Then you have potentially inconsiderate seatmates around you," Post says. "You've got someone eating a hot tuna fish sandwich you have to smell, and somebody sneezing without covering their mouth, and there's a baby crying, and you've got a person reclining into you. ... You literally feel pushed from all sides.''
Ask some dissatisfied fliers when their frustrations first arose — if it was when they had to start taking off their shoes to pass through security, paying a fee to check a bag, bringing their own meal — and the response can often be boiled down to three words: Take your pick.
But the reality is that there may be no better time than the present to hop on a flight, if you gauge key markers such as the cost of a plane ticket and the value of getting to a destination on time.
Fares are relatively cheap compared with prices 30 years ago. According to the website for Airlines for America, the trade group that represents most major U.S. carriers, the average domestic round-trip ticket price dropped from $441.69 in 1979 to $266.82 in 2012. In 2013, 78% of U.S. airline flights arrived on schedule. Complaints filed with the Department of Transportation in 2013 dipped 14% from the previous year.
An annual airline quality report by Brent Bowen, dean of the College of Aviation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Prescott, Ariz., campus, noted that in 2013 the overall performance of U.S. airlines hit its highest point in 24 years.
"The number of customer complaints has gone down,'' he says. "Mishandled baggage has gone down and on-time performance has improved. So technically, based solely on the data, (the flight experience) has improved over the last 25 years substantially.''
With passengers now able to tap into Wi-Fi on a flight, watch live TV while 30,000 feet in the air and enroll in programs like TSA PreCheck to speed up their security screening, some fliers think there's much to like about air travel.
"For me there's more things that have improved than have gotten worse,'' says Jim Black of Redmond, Wash., a USA TODAY Road Warrior who works in technology.
But the traveling public generally doesn't see it that way.
"They don't feel like it's gotten better,'' Bowen says. "They feel like it's just deteriorated, and part of that seems to be frustration from the a la carte pricing, the surly attitude of employees ... (and) the hassles at security.''
INDUSTRY STILL RANKS LOW
The American Customer Satisfaction Index, or ACSI, which looks at consumers' opinions about a range of industries, found in its most recent report on the travel sector that feelings about the airline industry had notably improved, rising from a score of 62 on a 100-point scale in 2008 to 69 in 2014.
"If you map out across all our industries ... that's actually the biggest gain during that time,'' David VanAmburg, the ACSI's managing director, said of the 7-point uptick.
But compared with other industries, VanAmburg says, airlines still rank close to the bottom, scoring just above subscription TV and Internet service companies in the index.
"The improvement has (gone from) rather abysmal to fairly bad,'' he says. "These are still low scores; 62 was absolutely terrible in terms of the overall experience, and 69 is mediocre. ... The situation in an absolute sense is not very good.''
Victoria Day, spokeswoman for Airlines for America, the trade group for most major U.S. carriers, disagrees.
"We are in the safest period of aviation,'' she said by e-mail. "Air travel remains a bargain, and airlines are investing back into the business at a very high level, including new planes, new seats, Wi-Fi and other amenities. In contrast, the experience at the airport and in the air is also controlled by TSA and FAA and, in some cases, customs or foreign authorities if flying internationally, not to mention weather. So where we have virtually complete control, customer satisfaction is especially high."
9/11 SEEN AS A TURNING POINT
There was a time in the not-so-distant past when flying was looked upon as a luxurious treat. Passengers dressed up for their journey.
"I think that even up until the '70s, there was a certain novelty factor that was exciting to travelers,'' says VanAmburg. "You did get a full meal on almost every flight. ... There was a bit more of a feeling that we were pampered as passengers on a plane, not just in first-class, in a way that travelers find lacking now.''
For some people, the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, were a watershed moment, ushering in a more arduous flight experience.
The Transportation Security Administration was created. No longer could you see your loved one off at the airplane's gate. Now you had to have a boarding pass to get through a screening checkpoint.
To some, "9/11 was a huge turning point,'' says Brett Snyder, founder and author of Crankyflier.com. "The security process just made everything far more difficult and, I think, scared a lot of people as well. So it just made it a much more stressful process.''
Subsequent incidents ushered in additional layers of precautions, such as making passengers remove their shoes at security and limiting liquids and gels in carry-ons to 3 ounces.
Person-Goral, who lives in Winston-Salem, N.C., and is area vice president for a consumer goods company, says that airlines aren't solely responsible for making a journey difficult. "TSA proficiency and professionalism varies widely from airport to airport,'' she says.
Jeff Coddington, a USA TODAY Road Warrior who is a commercial real estate executive in Austin, believes airlines began paring the flight experience to pinch pennies during the recession and other periods of economic strain.
"I think it can be traced to the drastic cost-cutting airlines needed to undertake to survive in the '90s and 2000s,'' he says, "outsourcing customer service, keeping planes longer, shaving a penny anywhere they could.''
Bowen also points to a wave of bankruptcies over roughly the past decade that diminished the pay and benefits of many airline workers.
"It is very difficult to find an airline employee who's happy, and their unhappiness rubs off,'' Bowen says. "They've been pushed hard, to the brink.''
In 2008, some airlines began charging passengers fees to check their luggage. It was initially deemed a response to rising fuel costs, but such fees have stuck around and multiplied, helping carriers that have often struggled financially to reap billions of dollars and in some cases post record profits.
Travel watchers say flights are also more crowded than they've ever been as airlines are careful not to offer more seats than they can fill. In 2013, planes were 82.8% full, the highest on record for U.S. airlines and foreign carriers flying to the U.S., according to the Department of Transportation.
"You take off, and the time between that and landing is what gets the lowest marks, and unfortunately that is the biggest part of the experience,'' VanAmburg says, noting that the index found seat comfort scored 63 out of 100 points while in-flight service scored only slightly better with 67 points.
Snyder of Crankyflier.com says some of the new slimmer seats that some airlines have added can be uncomfortable. A more crowded feeling is even tangible on the ground. "You have more seats on the airplane and more people waiting in the gate area, but the gate area isn't any bigger,'' he says.
Yet Snyder and other fliers believe that in many ways, the travel experience has gotten better.
"In 1995, you were lucky to have an airplane that had a drop-down monitor to watch a terrible movie," Snyder says, "You were maybe served a meal but it wasn't very good. ... The tools and amenities on the plane are no worse and are generally way better than what you used to have.''
Fliers, he says, can get what they're willing to pay for, whether it's a business-class perch that allows them to lie in a bed as they cross the Atlantic Ocean or a little extra space to stretch out in coach.
"International premium cabin travel is without question the best it's ever been,'' Snyder says. And there are perks to be had in coach as well. "The beauty of the a la carte system is you can pick and choose what matters to you. If price matters, you can get a cheap fare, but you'll have to deal with these issues along the way. And you can pay more if you want more.''
Though airlines still score relatively low, VanAmburg says that better in-flight entertainment and technology that simplifies booking and check-in have helped boost fliers' opinions about airline service. More on-schedule arrivals and fewer mishandled bags are also making a good impression.
"As they're damaging less luggage,'' he says, "as they're getting you there on time with more frequency, those are all going to ... have that positive incremental impact on satisfaction.''
Even security screening rules have eased. The TSA now allows fliers 75 and older and those younger than 13 to keep their shoes on.
Meanwhile, the TSA's PreCheck is available at 119 airports. Pre-approved fliers move through special lanes where they can keep on their shoes, light jackets and belts as well as keep their laptop computer and carry-on liquids and gels stowed inside their bags.
"Depending on how well you know the systems and where you're traveling, folks that pay attention have more ability to make things smoother than just a few years ago,'' says USA TODAY Road Warrior Jim Black. Other improvements he's noticed range from more power outlets at airports to in-flight Internet service.
Still, some fliers, including Bowen's 85-year-old father, reminisce about an earlier era in travel.
"It was something he looked forward to,'' Bowen says.
Now, Bowen catches a glimpse of that earlier time mainly in the artifacts on pre-World War II flying that he collects.
"I never experienced it, '' he says, "but it sure looks nice.''