At the heart of The Stoddart Review is a conversation about the link between a well-designed workplace and productivity in the UK. But why is it important?
"Small rises in productivity are far from trivial," says the economist Duncan Weldon, former economics correspondent of BBC Newsnight.
And the evidence that the workplace could contribute to a rise in productivity is right in front of us. Only one in two employees agree their workplace helps them to be productive.
Do offices enable employee productivity?
Based on Leesman Index measured workplaces with the percentage of employees who agree that 'their workplace enables them to work productively', an average of only one in two employees agree their workplace enables them to be productive.
The gap between the lowest and highest performing workplace.
But The Stoddart Review found that businesses often tackle workplace productivity by making the workplace more efficient, not the people. Typically they carry out utilisation studies and look to increase workplace occupant density. These projects confuse spatial efficiency with productivity, according to our investigations.
Getting it right can deliver a dividend. Dr Nigel Oseland conducted a literature review of 200+ research studies on lighting, acoustics, temperature, ventilation, control, furniture and space and concluded that the workplace could deliver a productivity boost of between 1 and 3.5 per cent.
Taking together the work of Oseland and Duncan Weldon's view of productivity, the office could be the key to an uptick of between £20 billion and £70 billion. And if 53% of our employees are telling us that workplace has a role to play, can we continue to ignore them?
Q: You appraise your people at least annually. How often do you appraise whether your workplace is fit for purpose?


text:
Comtech Telecommunications Corp. Receives $1.2 Million of Movement Tracking System Orders for Mobile Satellite Terminal Equipment and Technical Support Services 13.7 KB
Comtech Telecommunications Corp. Receives $1.2 Million of Movement Tracking System Orders for Mobile Satellite Terminal Equipment and Technical Support Services
MELVILLE, N.Y., Dec 14, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Comtech Telecommunications Corp. (NASDAQ:CMTL) announced today that its Maryland-based subsidiary, Comtech Mobile Datacom Corporation, received orders totaling $1.2 million in support of ongoing Movement Tracking System Program activities. The orders were received on the Company's Movement Tracking System, or MTS, contract with the U.S. Army.
The orders are for the supply of MTS installation kits, technical support services and related hardware. Total orders received to date against the $418.2 million MTS contract increased to $358.7 million.
Fred Kornberg, President and Chief Executive Officer of Comtech Telecommunications Corp., said, "These orders demonstrate the critical role our technical service and support capabilities play in supporting MTS Program activities."
Comtech Mobile Datacom Corporation, a Germantown, Maryland-based company, is engaged in the provision of satellite-based packet data communication systems and location and messaging services through the use of advanced communication and network technology. To learn more about Comtech Mobile Datacom, please visit the company's website at www.comtechmobile.com.
Comtech Telecommunications Corp. designs, develops, produces and markets innovative products, systems and services for advanced communications solutions. The Company believes many of its solutions play a vital role in providing or enhancing communication capabilities when terrestrial communications infrastructure is unavailable or ineffective. The Company conducts business through three complementary segments: telecommunications transmission, mobile data communications and RF microwave amplifiers. The Company sells products to a diverse customer base in the global commercial and government communications markets. The Company believes it is a market leader in the market segments that it serves.
Certain information in this press release contains statements that are forward-looking in nature and involve certain significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from such forward-looking information. The Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings identify many such risks and uncertainties. Any forward-looking information in this press release is qualified in its entirety by the risks and uncertainties described in such Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
PCMTL
SOURCE: Comtech Telecommunications Corp.
Comtech Telecommunications Corp.
Robert G. Rouse, Executive Vice President and
Copyright Business Wire 2006
News Provided by COMTEX
News release details
Investor Relation Links
Historical TCS Earnings
Dividend FAQ
Analyst Information
Registrar & Transfer Agent
Annual Meeting Information
© 2021 Comtech Telecommunications Corp. All Rights Reserved • Please read our Privacy Policies and Terms of Use.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Due to the open storage basket the Figaro can also be used as an "end storage device". Overlength cable can be stored directly into the Figaro at the end of the duct route. After turning over the stored cable the installation can be continued in the same direction.


This bug requests inclusion in the NSS root certificate store of the following certificate, owned by Hongkong Post.
This CA has been assessed in accordance with the Mozilla project guidelines, and the root certificate has been approved for inclusion in bug #408949.
1) A representative of the CA must confirm that all the data in this bug is correct, and that the correct certificate(s) have been attached. They must also specify what OS they would like to use to perform the verification below.
2) A Mozilla representative creates a test build of NSS with the new certificate(s), and attaches nssckbi.dll to this bug. A representative of the CA must download this, drop it into a copy of Firefox and/or Thunderbird on the OS in question and confirm (by adding a comment here) that the certificate(s) have been correctly imported and that websites work correctly.
3) The Mozilla representative checks the certificate(s) into the NSS store, and marks the bug RESOLVED FIXED.
4) At some time after that, various Mozilla products will move to using a version of NSS which contains the certificate. This process is mostly under the control of the release drivers for those products.
Man Ho, Please see step #1 above.  Also, I think a new test URL may be needed -- one that chains up to the new sub-CA.
Kathleen, thank you. I confirm that all information in this bug is correct. Hongkong Post CA would like all OSs that are currently supported by Firefox 2.0 or above to use to perform the verification.
Please note, the files in that directory will go away in around 12 days, so please act quickly, or download and keep them.
It's a test build of Firefox 3.6 which includes your root cert.
Please test it, connect to a test site, make sure it works as you expect, and also verify that it has the correct trust flags you have asked for (certificate manager, CA tab, click cert, click "edit" to view the trust flags).
Please report whether it's OK.
Many thanks. We have tested the build in various Windows OS, Linux (CentOS 5.3) and Mac OS X 10.5.8. I can confirm that it works well as expected and the trust flags are correct.
May I ask a question. When and what version of Firefox should I expect this enhancement be included in Firefox?
I just downloaded Firefox version 3.6.2, and this root certificate is listed as a Builtin Object Token. My understanding is that this change is also in version 3.5.9.


"Flying IFR INTO an uncontrolled field with several aircraft in the pattern (Sporty's - I69), would like some discussion as to when to cancel IFR. You need to listen to CTAF while talking to approach and get a sense of where everyone is. The approach controller is not going to vector you into the pattern. When is his responsibility rescinded? You could remain IFR until touchdown while integrating with VFR traffic. From a legal point of view who is responsible?" - Steven B.
"True, the Approach Controller is not going to vector an arrival into the pattern at a non-towered airport. The approach controller does not know nor is required to know the active runway or local traffic flows.
If you are on an instrument approach, the controller should release communications to the CTAF in sufficient time for the pilot to obtain landing and traffic information. If you do not get the release in time, ask for a frequency change. If you have the capability to monitor two frequencies at the same time, you can do that also. Just be careful of missing transmissions on one or the other, or blocking someone's transmissions.
The approach controller is only responsible for separation from other IFR traffic. The PIC is ALWAYS responsible for see and avoid when operating in VMC. Cancellation of IFR is strictly the PIC's prerogative. If there is any question of weather, you can (and should) retain your IFR clearance until on the ground and then cancel.
However, there may be good reasons to cancel depending upon circumstances. For example somebody may be following you and cannot be cleared for the approach until you cancel your IFR clearance. Remember though that as soon as you cancel IFR, you lose all the search and rescue protections afforded an IFR aircraft. You are out of the system.
When you do go over to the CTAF, make sure that you report your position and intentions in a manner that is easy to understand. Reference it to the airport – not the IFR fixes that you may be flying over. Example: 27Q is over ZIPPO inbound. Nobody really knows where that is or how far away that is.
Traffic Mix – be aware that straight-in IFR traffic to a non-towered airport may conflict with patterns for VFR traffic, especially in reduced visibility conditions (broken or overcast ceilings, haze, etc.). This is the reason Class E surface areas have extensions built in to protect the final approach courses. This requires visibility and cloud clearance requirements for VFRs operating in close proximity to the airport to be at least basic VFR.
Make sure you use the correct CTAF. This requires current charts and flight information. Frequencies change at times. Double check your frequency selection. At a Towered Airport, if you inadvertently select the wrong frequency, you will not get an answer and know it is incorrect. At a Non-towered airport, you don't have that feedback.


I am a family friend that is looking for help for the Chapman family. On August 11th Shawn, his caretaker, wife and 4 year old nephew were sleeping when the house caught fire. Shawn got out but the everyone else did not. Shawn's wife was expecting her first baby. Shawn is in the hospital in ICU. The money from this account will be given to their families to help with funeral expenses and other needs.
Thank you everyone for the continued support. All the families appreciate the love and support that everyone has shown.


Inaugural Filipino Martial Arts Exchange Seminar Held In Wexford, Ireland.
MT: You say "baton, I say baston"... a stick by any other name!
MT: Professor Presas 75th birthday.
MT: Heard of this guy/school?
MT: Is your FMA "flavored" by another martial art?


'Badrinath Ki Dulhania' actor Varun Dhawan installed a plastic bottle-crushing machine at Juhu beach in the suburbs.
Varun, who is currently shooting for Abhishek Verman's 'Kalank', was happy to pose for selfies with those gathered.
The actor addresses the media and all those gathered at the venue. He had also posted a video about the need to 'save the beach' and thanked all those associated with the initiative.
The duo participated in a tree plantation drive and were seen planting saplings and watering it together.


If you're looking for something off the beaten path in Tokyo, how about stopping over at Ota City and the nearby Shinagawa area? This area is not only for accommodation but also for exploring attractions of Tokyo, differ from what you find in the central downtown area.
Ota City or Ota-ku ward 大田区 is one of 23 special wards of Tokyo, is located on the shore of the Tokyo Bay in the south of Central Tokyo, Though Ota-ku Ward has been residential and small factory areas, there are pockets of historic sites, including numerous temples and shrines as well as burial mounds from ancient times. On the shore of the Tokyo Bay are greenery parks and various recreation facilities, and the Tamawaga riverside is blessed with Sakura cherry blossom viewing spots (at full bloom around the end of March). The hilly area in west Ota-ku was beloved by many renowned writers and artists in the past.
Taking the Keikyu Airport Line from Haneda International Airport (Haneda Airport International Terminal) it takes only 5 or 8 minutes to reach Keikyu Kamata Station, the hub Station on the Ota-ku ward.
The train/bus access in this district is pretty good, allowing to travel east to west or south to north between towns in Ota-ku within 15 to 25 minutes.
It is also easy to reach JR Shinagawa Station 品川駅 by train where you can take the Shinkansen Bullet Train heading for western regions of Japan.
Ota-ku area can be divided into 4 areas as the map shows. Some attractions in Area 2 are actually located in Shinagawa-ku ward in the north.
2. JR Kamata Station JE蒲田駅 leading to major stations on the JR Line such as Shinagawa Station, Tokyo Station, and Yokohama Station.
3. Tokyu Kamata Station 東急蒲田駅 (connected to JR Kamata Sta.) on the Tokyu Line 東急線 leading to towns in west Ota-ku.
It is about 700m(a 10-to-15-min walk distance) between JR Kamata Station and Keikyu Kamata Station. The bus terminal is located near JR Kamata Station (West Exit).
Many commuters living in Ota-ku change trains or take a bus at Kamata Station on the way to their home, The square around Kamata Station has been developed as a commercial area having shopping streets and Izakaya restaurants. Yuzawaya, one of the largest craft stores, has 5 buildings near JR Kamata Station (South Exit) where you can find unique items in traditional Japanese design, suitable to create Anime Cosplay things.
Kamata used to be a town of film-making like Hollywood. The Shochiku Film Company's studio was there from 1920 to 1936, numerous masterpieces were created by directors including Yasujiro Ozu, whose movies have been inspiring many movie-creators even to this day. Though the atmosphere of those good old days is hardly found by now, Kamata is a good place to explore everyday attractions in Tokyo.
This large temple was built at the place where the Buddhist Monk, Nichiren Shonin entered Nirvana in 1282. The temple stands on the top of a hill with trees, patches of Sakura cherry blossoms in spring (late March), and colorful leaves in autumn. Entrance is free.
Lies next to Ikegami Honmonji Temple, this Ume Plum Garden is former residence and studio of Ito Shinsui, an artist of Japanese painting. 370 Ume trees bloom around the middle of February.
20-min walk from Ikegami Station 池上駅 on the Tokyu Ikegami Line.
10-min walk from Nishimagome Station 西馬込駅 on the Toei Asakusa Subway Line.
Kamata town is blessed with hot springs and there are public bathing facilities called Sento (Spa house) using the natural hot water springs. The hot springs in Kamata are called Kuroyu or black hot water, which comes from coffee-colored water containing plant-derived components (humic acid). Most hot springs in Tokyo have this kind of dark brown color.
Shinagawa Aquarium is one of the most popular aquaria in Tokyo. This aquarium lies next to Shinagawa Kumin Koen Park しながわ区民公園 that includes various recreation facilities, a baseball ground, tennis courts, a day camping/BBQ site, and gardens with 400 cherry trees and 130 plum trees. In front of the aquarium is a traditional Japanese garden having a man-made seawater pond. The actual location of this aquarium and the park is not Ota-ku ward, but Shinagawa-ku ward.
This is a seaside park in Omori town, has a beach and a museum "Omori Nori Museum" (Admission is free). Omori town used to be a large center of Nori (seaweed sheets) production in Tokyo.
The park on the reclaimed land of Tokyo Bay, with a variety of natural settings that includes bushes and muddy flats in an area of 24.8 hectares. Some 120 different species of wild birds are observed throughout the year. It is a good place even for a walk and a picnic. Admission is 300 JP Yen/adult, 150 JP yen/child. Closed on Mondays.
One of the largest horse race track in Tokyo.
Speedboat races are held at this racing course. Male and female riders race together and all the riders are supposed to maintain the adjustments of their own boat. Only riders who have combined ability as a rider and a mechanic can grasp the victory.
A complex of wholesale market handling fresh foods and flowers. Numerous imported flowers are gathered at this market for bidding. The market is open to visitors from 5:00 to 15:00.
A large pond located in Senzoku town in north Ota-ku has been depicted in an Ukiyoe woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige. The natural water running from springs around this area has created this pond. The pond is in Senzokuike Park that includes attractions; boating, water garden, historic monuments and shrines. Senzoku park is one of the best Sakura cherry blossom viewing spots in Tokyo. (Blooms around late March).
1-min walk from Senzokuike Station 洗足池駅 on the Tokyu Ikegami Line 東急池上線.
The park with 6 hectares, lies in the hilly area along the Tamara riverside, includes a water garden, a hydrangea garden, walking paths, and the tombs dating from between the 4th and 7th centuries. On a clear, sunny day Mt.Fuji can be seen from the outlook deck. This park is also popular for Sakura cherry blossom viewing. (Blooms in late March).
1-min walk from Tamagawa Station 多摩川駅 on the Tokyu Tamagawa Line / Toyoko Line / Meguro-sen Line.
8-min walk from Shimomaruko Station the Tokyu Tamagawa Line.
It is allowed to watch Sumo practice only from outside of the building.
A greenery area along the Tamagawa river. The road on the river bank is fringed with Sakura cherry trees. You will get a great feeling from cycling there in Spring.
Near this place is a shrine Rokugo-jinja 六郷神社 built in 1057.
10-min walk from Rokugo-dote Station 六郷土手駅 on the Keikyu Honsen Line.
Anamori-inari shrine was built in 1818 in order to pray for safety while the current airport site used to be a fishing village often suffered from flood. This shrine has now known for the god of good crops and prosperous business. A collection of small red Tori gates is a must-see.


text:
Published Results-Based Plan 2012-13
Ministry Priorities and Strategies
Ministry Activites
Ministry Vision and Mission Statement
The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is committed to achieving a vision of successful and sustainable agri-food and agri-product businesses.
To succeed, the sector needs to continuously evolve and innovate to maintain its competitive edge.
The ministry's vision supports the Ontario government's agenda of meeting its fiscal targets, strengthening the economy, increasing investment and jobs and supporting health care and education.
2012-13 Ministry Priorities and Strategies
The ministry's three strategic goals are:
Increasing the competitiveness and productivity of Ontario's agri-food and agri-product businesses
Increasing the consumption of local food in Ontario
Bringing an Open-for-Business approach to legislative and regulatory reform while ensuring the public interest in health and the environment.
In 2012-2013, the ministry will focus on increasing the consumption of local foods, expanding export opportunities for Ontario's agri-food sector, reshaping the province's risk management programs, investing in industry-driven and focused research and innovation and working with other ministries to strengthen the government's role in rural Ontario.
To deliver the vision and these strategic goals, OMAFRA will transform itself to operate as a modern, responsive and high performance organization focused on delivering results.
Ministry Activities 2012-2013
The Ontario agri-food and agri-product industry contributes to the economic, social and physical health of communities, the province and its people. In 2010, the agri-food industry contributed over $34 billion to the provincial economy, and employed more than 700,000 people.
The sector is working smarter, more efficiently and more environmentally responsibly than ever before and producing safe food, for which it has gained an international reputation. Ontario's agricultural commodities are the foundation for cleaner, greener bio-products and fuels.
In 2012-2013, the ministry will work to further increase the competitiveness and productivity of our agri-food and agri-product businesses. This includes supporting the sector to capitalize on emerging opportunities - in domestic and international markets as well as in new, value-added products and leading-edge technologies.
At the same time, we will focus attention on encouraging richer and more productive relationships among Ontario's producers and retailers, contributing to the further development of value chains.
A thriving agricultural sector is measured, in part, by the success and competitiveness of farmers and farm businesses. To achieve success, the ministry will work with stakeholders and the federal government to transform the way the ministry supports farmers through its business risk management programs.
The ministry also wants to leverage federal contributions and support Ontario's approach to Growing Forward 2 negotiations with the federal government.
Finally, the ministry knows that when rural families, businesses and communities prosper, Ontario's economy grows stronger and all Ontarians benefit. That's why the ministry will work with ministries across government to continue to support and strengthen rural Ontario.
In 2012-2013, the ministry plans to build on the success of the Foodland Ontario brand to increase both domestic and international markets for Ontario food.
Work is underway to further promote the consumption of Ontario produced and processed foods, including working with our retailers, the food service sector, operators, food media, the public, and a broad range of stakeholder groups to increase the availability of Ontario food in farmers markets, on-farm markets and the broader public sector.
Greater emphasis will be made on realizing emerging opportunities such as food for health and meeting the needs of Ontario's diverse population.
Bringing an Open-for-Business Approach to Legislative and Regulatory Reform
The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) will work with other ministries, other levels of government and stakeholders to achieve an appropriate Open-for-Business legislative and regulatory framework that promotes economic activity, safe food, animal health and a clean environment.
This includes working with stakeholders and ministries to develop a modern dairy food safety framework that meets Open-for-Business principles.
In 2012-2013 the ministry will continue to meet its commitments under the Climate Change Action Plan and Climate Ready: Ontario's Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan. The ministry will also collaborate with Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and the Ministry of Energy to continue to examine the potential for agriculture-based biomass.
In partnership with other ministries, the ministry will support and develop initiatives under the government's Water Strategy, including efforts to conserve and protect the Great Lakes and Lake Simcoe.
To support our vision and strategic goals, the ministry will work to ensure that OMAFRA is a modern, responsive, high-performance organization focused on delivering results. The ministry will review its program delivery models with a view to further improve service.
Farm Income Stabilization - Risk Management Program
Since 2003, the ministry has provided more than $2 billion in farm income and stabilization programming.
In 2011 the ministry worked with producer groups to develop and launch Risk Management Programs for the hog, cattle, veal and sheep sectors, in addition to extending existing programs for grains and oilseeds.
At the same time, the ministry launched a self-directed Risk Management program for producers of edible horticulture.
The ministry has invested almost $100 million in programming to support Ontario foods since 2003-2004.
In 2011, consumer awareness of the Foodland Ontario symbol was at 94 per cent, while 82 percent of Ontario's principal grocery shoppers intend to purchase fresh Ontario food.
OMAFRA's programs and services led to $490 million in investments by industry into the food processing sector in 2011-2012, creating or retaining more than 7,300 jobs.
In 2011, total agri-food exports were $9.9 billion. This is a 5.4 percent increase over 2010.
2011 Ontario Food, Beverage and Agricultural Exports to Non-USA Markets - top 20 Destinations (in Millions $Cdn). Since 2002, Ontario has more than doubled its food, beverage and agricultural exports to non-USA markets.
Premier's Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence
For the fifth year, agricultural innovations from across Ontario were celebrated under the annual Premier's Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence. This program recognizes innovators who contribute to the success of the agri-food sector.
The ministry continued its commitment to delivering high-speed Internet service to rural areas through its Rural Connections Broadband Program, Building Broadband in Rural and Northern Ontario Program, and Eastern Ontario Wardens' Caucus regional broadband project.
Food Safety and Traceability
In 2011, through the Traceability Foundations Initiative, the governments of Canada and Ontario committed to support industry-led projects to share information, enhance industry competitiveness and improve the speed at which Ontario responds in the event of a food product recall.
This new program will help make our industry stronger, protect consumers and promote market access for our farmers and processors.
The ministry will continue to engage stakeholders to increase the profile of traceability and continue to work with our federal, provincial and territorial partners to support a national traceability system for livestock and poultry.
OMAFRA is committed to building a robust provincial agri-food premises registry. In 2011, the ministry moved forward on this commitment by completing a competitive procurement process to secure a long-term service provider.
Rural Economic Development (RED) Program Investments
The Rural Economic Development (RED) program supports rural communities to remove barriers to economic development and growth through efforts in revitalizing communities, support for food processing and increasing opportunities for skills development. In 2011-2012, the program committed to 45 projects to help stimulate economic and community development in Ontario's rural communities. This represents a program investment of $14.9 million, generating $101 million in economic activity, and creating or retaining nearly 3,500 jobs.
Wine and Grape Strategy
In 2011, Ontario launched the brand new Ontario Vineyard Improvement Program, which committed $12 million over four years to help support Ontario grape growers with projects that will help grow and build long-term success for their vineyards.
The program is part of Ontario's strategy to help strengthen the province's grape and wine industry by focusing support on VQA wine, improving clarity for consumers and support the industry's long-term viability.
Growing Forward is a five-year commitment by Canada's federal, provincial and territorial governments to support the development of a profitable, innovative agri-food sector able to manage risk and effectively and efficiently respond to market demands.
In 2011-12, over $37.5 million was invested to provide farmers and food processors with access to improved planning and best practices related to environment and climate change, food safety and traceability, biosecurity and business development. Programs were also targeted toward increasing the agri-food sector's awareness of innovation opportunities, applied research and commercialization.
Growing Forward expires on March 31, 2013. Initiatives for Growing Forward 2 in Ontario are under development. Federal-Provincial-Territorial negotiations on the Growing Forward 2 framework will commence in late April, 2012.
Text equivalent of organization chart
Animal Health Act, 2009, S.O. 2009, c. 31
Protection of Livestock and Poultry from Dogs, R.S.O. 1990, c. L.24 (formerly Livestock, Poultry and HoneyBee Protection Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. L.24)
To better serve the agri-food industry, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs relies on 12 agencies, boards and commissions. Some, such as the Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Appeal Tribunal, have an adjudicative role. Agricorp, an operational enterprise, for example, administers production insurance programs to provide farmers with protection against natural hazards and delivers income stabilization payments. The Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission as a regulatory agency, supervises the province's 20 marketing boards and four representative commodity associations. Other agencies are classified as operational service, trust, or advisory agencies.
The following is a complete list of agencies, boards and commissions as classified under the Agency Establishment and Accountability Directive for which the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is responsible. Only those entities with assets, liabilities, revenues or expenses greater than $50 million, or an annual surplus or deficit or outside revenue source of greater than $10 million, are consolidated in the ministry's results-based plan.
Agricorp is an Ontario government agency created in 1997 with the mandate of delivering crop insurance and other agricultural business risk management (BRM) programs. The two key programs currently delivered by Agricorp are: AgriStability, to protect producers against declines in margin; and Production Insurance, to protect crop producers from losses caused by adverse weather and other natural perils. Agricorp also delivers the Risk Management Program, the Farm Business Registration (FBR) program and the Grain Financial Protection Program (GFPP) on behalf of the province.
The role of the Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Appeal Tribunal is to provide an independent, accessible avenue of appeal on a variety of agricultural issues and have them heard by an impartial and knowledgeable Tribunal. The Tribunal hears applications and appeals made under approximately 18 statutes including the Drainage Act, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Act (for appeals of decisions made under the Milk Act, and the Farm Products Marketing Act), the Crop Insurance Act, the Assessment Act, the Farm Implements Act, and the Food Safety and Quality Act. Most Tribunal members also serve on the Board of Negotiation (BON) established under the Environmental Protection Act.
Established under the authority of the Environmental Protection Act, the role of the Board of Negotiation (BON) is to negotiate a settlement of a claim where a contaminant is causing or has caused injury or damage to livestock or to crops, trees or other vegetation. Where a claimant has requested an investigation by the Minister of the Environment and a report is filed, and where the claimant and the person responsible for the injury or damage are not able to reach a settlement of the claim, either party may refer the matter to the BON for settlement. Settlements negotiated by the BON are non-binding. (Consolidated into the Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Appeal Tribunal as of December 1999).
The primary role of ARIO is to provide strategic advice to the minister regarding research priorities and resource allocation in order to deliver high quality agriculture, food and rural research. This advice is an integral component of the ministry's research priority-setting and decision-making processes in allocating research funding. In addition, in 2007, ownership and management of the province's agri-food research infrastructure (14 provincial research stations and three agricultural colleges), critical to the future success of Ontario's agri-food and rural sectors and a key component of overall provincial economic growth, was transferred from the government to ARIO. ARIO has recently completed an extensive review of the existing agri-food research infrastructure portfolio and Ontario's future agri-food research platform needs. This review forms the basis of ARIO's Infrastructure Re-investment Strategy recommendations to the Minister.
Plan 201($Millions)2-13
Under the Farm Products Payments Act, funds and boards are established to: protect producers from non-payment by dealers; investigate claims; grant or refuse payment of claims; and determine the amounts and manner of payment. Boards administering funds under the Farm Products Payment Act are the Grain Financial Protection Board and Livestock Financial Protection Board. Both boards under this Act are "trust agencies."
The Normal Farm Practices Protection Board hears appeals which arise under the Farming and Food Production Protection Act, 1998. The Act protects 'normal farm practices' from nuisance complaints and municipal bylaws.
Ontario AgriStability Review Committee (Advisory Agency)
The AgriStability program, delivered by Agricorp, was established to provide producers with effective tools to manage business risks. A program participant may submit a review request in the case of disagreement with how AgriStability program rules were applied to the participant's application. The Ontario AgriStability Review Committee is responsible for hearing review requests of Agricorp decisions in relation to program applications and making non-binding recommendations to Agricorp.
The Commission supervises Ontario's 20 marketing boards and four representative commodity associations created under the Farm Products Marketing Act and the Milk Act; develops, recommends and implements policy with respect to regulated marketing in Ontario in consultation with the Minister; provides education programs to Ontario's marketing boards and industry stakeholders to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the regulated marketing system; and provides leadership to marketing boards and representative associations. The Commission is also responsible for the enactment of milk and milk product quality regulations under the Milk Act which are then enforced by the director named under the Milk Act.
The Ontario Food Terminal is the largest wholesale fruit and produce distribution center in Canada. It was established in 1954 to provide a convenient, efficient and low cost receiving and shipping facility for wholesalers of fruit and produce, and now serves all of Eastern Canada and some of the Northern States.
All operational aspects of the Ontario Food Terminal are overseen by the Ontario Food Terminal Board. The Board, consisting of seven members, acts like a landlord for the Terminal. Its mandate is to acquire, construct, equip and operate a wholesale fruit and produce market. The Ontario Food Terminal consists of warehouse tenants and farmer's market tenants.
Warehouse tenants market imported and domestic grown fruits and vegetables, whereas farmer's market tenants provide only Ontario and Canadian grown.
Rural Economic Development Advisory Panel (Advisory Agency)
The Rural Economic Development Advisory Panel (REDAP) is a volunteer panel appointed by the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs who have expertise in rural economic development. The REDAP meets on an "as needed" basis but at least quarterly. Panel members review project applications for various rural economic development programs and make recommendations for funding to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
Ministry Allocation of 2012-13 Base Spending ($Millions)*
Ministry Planned Expenditures 2012-13 ($M)*
*Reflects ministry expense to be voted
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs - Operating and Capital Summary by Vote
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) is advancing its strategic, long-term vision of "Successful and sustainable agri-food and agri-product businesses". To realize this vision, OMAFRA is focusing on the following goals: increasing the competitiveness and productivity of Ontario's agri-food and agri-product businesses; increasing the consumption of local food in Ontario; and bringing an Open for Business approach to legislative and regulatory reform, while focusing on the public interest in health and the environment.
Votes/Programs
Change from Estimates
2011-12 *
Interim Actuals
2011-121 *
20010-11 *
Vote 1: Ministry Administration Program
(377,919,400)
Less: Special Warrants
Total Operating and Capital Expense to be Voted
Consolidation & Other Adjustments - AgriCorp
Consolidation & Other Adjustments - ARIO
Total Including Consolidation & Other Adjustments
Operating and Capital Assets
Total Operating and Capital Assets to be Voted
* Estimates for the previous fiscal year are re-stated to reflect any changes in ministry organization and/or program structure. Interim actuals reflect the numbers presented in the 2012 Ontario Budget.
Ministry Activities and Results 2010-2011
In 2011-2012, the ministry's key activities fell under the three priorities of:
Strong Rural Communities
Safe Food, Healthy Animals, Healthy Environment
Since 2003-2004, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has invested almost $100 million in programming to support Ontario foods. These efforts are paying off, with half of shoppers surveyed reporting that they are now buying more fresh Ontario foods.
Under the Ontario Market Investment Fund (OMIF), the ministry partnered with agri-food industry groups and local food networks to help jump start or maintain momentum for local food initiatives. The province invested almost $10 million through OMIF in 197 regional and local food projects and initiatives.
Through the Broader Public Sector Fund, the Ontario government invested $4.3 million in 38 projects, which assisted farm operations and food distributors with working together to bring more local food into the food-value chain, leading to increases in Ontario food purchased at institutions across the province and new jobs within the sector.
Revenue from Ontario's food, beverage and tobacco manufacturing sector totals more than $35 billion, making it the second-largest goods manufacturing sector in the province. There are about 3,000 establishments that employ approximately 95,000 people.
Our farmers depend on a robust food manufacturing base in this province. Food and beverage processors are our farmers' largest customer, purchasing almost 65 per cent of Ontario's food-related farm products.
OMAFRA's programs and services led to $490 million investment in the food processing sector in 2011-2012, creating or retaining over 7,300 jobs.
In 2011-12, the ministry continued working with the food processing sector as a priority under the Rural Economic Development program. Some recent examples of projects that are increasing business competitiveness and creating jobs in food processing, include:
Dr. Oetker Canada received an investment of $7 million to establish its first North American frozen pizza production plant in London. The expansion project will help the company source 24 million pounds of local produce and high-quality ingredients from Ontario farmers and create up to 430 direct and indirect jobs in the London area.
With support from the RED program, Leadbetter Foods Incorporated implemented a project that saw the retrofit of a former automotive parts plant in Orillia into a 45,000 square-foot, federally inspected meat processing facility. The project will create 162 new full-time production positions that will support increased demand for Leadbetter's beef, pork and chicken products. The company received $1,950,500 to complete the project.
In 2011, Ontario's total agri-food exports were $9.9 billion. This is a 5.4 percent increase over 2010.
In 2011-12, over $37.5 million was invested through Growing Forward to provide farmers and food processors with access to improved planning and best practices related to environment and climate change, food safety and traceability, biosecurity and business development.
Some results of these Growing Forward initiatives include:
1,859 on-farm environmental improvement projects have been completed through funding under the Canada-Ontario Farm Stewardship Program
590 farm businesses participated in Canada-Ontario Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) educational workshops, with 438 EFP action plans peer reviewed and deemed appropriate to move forward.
1,156 farm business participated in Growing Your Farm Profits workshops, with 818 client action plans reviewed and signed off
363 participants attended biosecurity workshops and 271 applications were received and approved for funding
4,000 premises were registered in the provincial agri-food premises registry
Programs were also targeted toward increasing the agri-food sector's awareness of innovation opportunities, applied research and commercialization:
Under the Farm Innovation Program, over 140 on-farm technologies have been tested and/or demonstrated to have potential positive impact for producers of over 30 commodities
The Agri-Technology Commercialization Centre (ATCC) has worked closely with over 80 companies and continues to meet with prospective businesses with interests in commercializing innovative new products, processes and technologies
The Rapid Response to Business Program has supported 14 companies in pursuing new business opportunities, resulting in significant sales
In 2011, building on the momentum of the ministry's efforts in recent years to support farmers with resources and programs, the ministry developed and launched Risk Management Programs (RMP) for the hog, cattle, veal and sheep sectors; extended the existing grains and oilseeds RMP; and launched a self-directed Risk Management program for producers of edible horticulture.
The new Wildlife Damage Compensation Program was also launched in June 2011, expanding the list of affected wildlife species and livestock for which farmers can receive compensation, as well as increasing maximum compensation levels.
In 2011-2012, more than $2 million in funding was provided for more than 3,600 claims.
In 2011-2012, the ministry continued to deliver significant infrastructure initiatives on behalf of the Ontario government, particularly the stimulus component of the Building Canada Fund - Communities Component and the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, to ensure that projects were completed prior to the program completion date of October 31, 2011. Under these programs, nearly 1,500 projects were completed, creating sustainable, quality infrastructure and thousands of new jobs in communities across Ontario.
The Ontario Small Waterworks Assistance Program (OSWAP) provides funding over four years so small communities can improve water conservation and efficiency in their water and wastewater systems. In 2011-2012, the Ontario government invested more than $40 million in 85 projects under the third phase of the program (OSWAP-3).
Since 2007, the ministry has committed up to $127 million to four broadband funding programs to get rural Ontario plugged into the information highway.
This includes the $170 million Eastern Ontario Wardens' Caucus regional broadband project. The province and the federal government each committed $55 million to the project.
The Rural Economic Development (RED) program helps rural communities remove barriers to economic development and growth through efforts in revitalizing communities, support for food processing and increasing opportunities for skills development. In 2011-2012, the RED program committed to funding 45 projects. This represents a program investment of $14.9 million, generating $101 million in economic activity and creating or retaining nearly 3,500 jobs.
The Ontario government also partners with rural businesses to provide summer jobs for students in rural communities throughout the province. Since 2003, the Rural Summer Jobs Service program has provided a wage subsidy to more than 10,500 employers for the placement of more than 40,000 students.
Safe Food
The ministry recognizes the importance of being able to track the movement of food products from farm to fork - it makes for good business and emergency preparedness.
That is why more than $30.2 million has been invested in traceability projects and improvements. Since 2009, more than $16 million has been provided to more than 1,200 applicants to fund facility projects under the Food Safety and Traceability initiative.
In 2011, through the brand new Traceability Foundations Initiative, the governments of Canada and Ontario committed to support projects led by the agri-food industry to share information, enhance industry competitiveness and improve the speed in which Ontario responds in the event of a food product recall.
To date, 23 projects have been approved and are underway, representing a total government commitment of nearly $8 million. This new program will help make our industry stronger, protect consumers and ensure market access for our farmers and food processors.
Healthy Animals
In collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resources, OMAFRA has helped to implement the Endangered Species Act by providing technical support and advice on issues related to species-at-risk protection in agricultural landscapes.
OMAFRA also supported the Bobolink Round Table appointed by the Minister of Natural Resources to provide advice on long-term solutions that balance Bobolink protection with agricultural operations.
In 2011-2012, the ministry worked with the ministries of the Environment and Natural Resources on the stewardship of Ontario's water resources by:
Working with the federal government to renegotiate the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) with the United States and preparing for negotiations on a new Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Ecosystem (COA)
Working to develop a Great Lakes Action Plan to establish a provincial Great Lakes vision, including short- and long-term actions to conserve and restore the Great Lakes
Continuing to support the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan through several initiatives, including securing additional funding from Environment Canada to support farmers in the watershed who are participating in the Canada-Ontario Farm Stewardship Program
Working with other ministries to implement the requirements of the Clean Water Act as it pertains to source water protection and agricultural operations.
Working with the Ministry of the Environment, OMAFRA continued to help implement Ontario's Water Strategy, a multi-ministry effort to encourage the creation and export of innovative clean water technologies, promote water conservation, attract economic development and create jobs.
In 2011-2012, the ministry worked to deliver on actions identified in Climate Ready: Ontario's Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan, including:
Working with other levels of government to strengthen animal disease surveillance and response activities
Working with academia and other government partners to evaluate new field and horticultural crops for resistance to pests and diseases
Supporting monitoring and surveillance activities for plant diseases and pests
Working to update the Environmental Farm Plan workbook to incorporate climate change considerations and related best management practices
Participating in the Ontario Public Service Climate Modelling Collaborative
It is important for producers and farmers to adopt effective biosecurity measures to reduce the breakout of diseases.
Over the last year the ministry has partnered with industry, the federal government and other provinces to raise awareness of biosecurity issues, as well as develop and implement a set of national standards and best practices for major commodities.
High Performance Ministry
In 2011, the ministry worked on several initiatives that have helped us deliver on our priorities and develop as a high-performance ministry.
In May 2011, the Ontario's and Quebec's agriculture ministers, as part of the Quebec-Ontario Trade and Cooperation Agreement, committed to working with the dairy industry on areas of common interest, and confirmed the ongoing importance of supporting Canada's supply management systems in international trade agreements.
In 2011-2012, the ministry continued to use our diversity strategy; Rooted in Diversity: A Place for Everyone to identify opportunities to integrate diversity and inclusion into the ministry's human resources and business practices.
OMAFRA has also continued to deliver on its commitments outlined in its 2010 green plan, which aligned with the OPS Green Transformation Strategy. In 2011-12, the ministry, led by the cross-ministry "green team" has met several of its targets for the year and continues to be one of the leading green OPS ministries. Accomplishments include reducing fuel consumption and greening the ministry's fleet vehicles, as well as continuing to move forward with green business practices.
As part of its Open-for-Business commitments, the ministry has successfully met and exceeded its regulatory burden reduction target. Examples of how the ministry has worked to reduce regulatory burden in the agri-food industry include:
Replacing existing legislation and introducing a new Ontario Wildlife Damage Compensation program for livestock farmers
Streamlining the application process and review of permits for water and municipal drainage projects
Developing a working paper in co-operation with the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, which outlines and responds to the sector's priorities for regulatory reform
Research and innovation is important for everyone. It produces safer, higher quality food; protects our environment; produces bio-products and renewable fuels; achieves growth and profitability and builds stronger rural communities.
The ministry continues to focus its efforts on agri-food research and innovation, fostering partnerships with a wide variety of research institutions and industry stakeholders across the value chain.
This includes support for commercialization and innovation through ongoing funding of the Agri-Technology Commercialization Centre (ATCC), the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (VRIC), the Farm Innovation Program, and the development of intellectual property, including patents and licenses, through the OMAFRA and University of Guelph partnership.
OMAFRA effectively administers research and innovation programming through the OMAFRA and University of Guelph Partnership, which are fully aligned with government and stakeholder priorities. Projects funded under seven diverse areas provide new technologies and solutions to challenges facing the agri-food sector and rural communities.
The ministry has worked with the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario (ARIO) to develop an agri-food research infrastructure Reinvestment Strategy that includes establishing up to five industry-driven research centres. Work is already underway to develop a horticultural-focused centre at the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, as well as a new livestock research centre at the Elora Research Station.
Innovation Forums are opportunities for decision makers from industry, academia and government to discuss specific challenges or opportunities in a sector. Four Innovation Forums have taken place to date, which have focused on Water for Food Processors; Food Innovation; Biogas and the Bioeconomy.
Ministry Interim Actual Expenditures 2011-12
Ministry Interim Actual Expenditures ($M) 2011-12
Staff Strength (as of March 31, 2012)


text:
Living & Well-Being
OMG, Organic Produce! What Does It Really Mean?
ByLisa Beres
Nov 3, 2014 Organic, organic produce, produce, USDA organic
Organic produce is better for you than conventionally grown produce. No, it's not. Yes, it is…OMG! Are you following?
I hope so, because to say the word organic is ubiquitous in today's market place would be an understatement. The plethora of contradicting information is enough to make you want to throw in the organic towel (but, please don't). Hang in there with me and I pinky swear that by the time we're done, you'll be a much smarter and savvier shopper.
Organic Labeling for Food & Agricultural Products
Many products use the word "organic" on their packaging. But, unless the label is verified by a third party certifying party or another independent inspection organization, the term is not a reliable indicator of a safe and green product. That's because there is no way to guarantee that it was cultivated without pesticides or doesn't contain harmful chemicals.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Organic Program (NOP) creates the laws that regulate the creation, production, handling, labeling, trade, and enforcement of all USDA organic produce products. According to the NOP, the organic standards must be verified by a USDA-accredited certifying agent ((e.g. Oregon Tilth (OCTO)) before products can be labeled USDA organic produce.
The standards of using the word and/or USDA organic logo are regulated in three main areas:
Organic Crops
Organic Livestock
Organic Multi-Ingredient Foods
As part of the USDA organic standard requirement, most synthetic and petroleum derived pesticides and fertilizers are prohibited for use in organic production. Overall, organic operations must demonstrate that they are protecting natural resources, conserving biodiversity, and using only approved substances.
What does this really mean? Basically, no hormones, no antibiotics, no genetically engineered seeds and cannot be grown with most synthetic fertilizers or toxic pesticides.
Secrets to Savvy Shopping
While most organic food typically carries a price premium (at least for now), you can protect yourself without breaking the bank.
If you aren't already familiar with the Environmental Working Group's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce – it's time to get familiar. EWG annually rates produce pesticide residue levels from highest to lowest. It's fascinating stuff that can offer you a shopping (and savings) advantage!
You can also use this guide below to help you decipher what the price lookup (PLU) numbers on the produce stickers mean:
A 4-digit code indicates the produce is conventionally grown.
A 5-digit code starting with #9 indicated the produce is organically grown
A 5-digit code starting with #8 indicates the produce is genetically modified (GMO or GE)
Read Part II to discover the four organic labeling categories and how all of this all relates to your personal care products!
Feature image courtesy of Jamie McCaffrey
Magnifying Glass, Please: 5 Food Additives to Quickly Spot and Avoid
OMG, Organic Personal Care Products! What Does It Mean?
By Lisa Beres
Lisa Beres is a healthy home authority, Baubiologist, published author, professional speaker and Telly award-winning media personality who teaches busy people how to eliminate toxins from their home with simple, step-by-step solutions to improve their health. With her husband, Ron, she is the co-founder of The Healthy Home Dream Team and the 30-day online program Change Your Home. Change Your Health. She is the author of the children's book My Body My House and co-author of Just Green It!: Simple Swaps to Save Your Health and the Planet, Learn to Create a Healthy Home! Green Nest Creating Healthy Homes and The 9 to 5 Greened: 10 Steps to a Healthy Office. Lisa's TV appearances include "The Rachael Ray Show," "Nightly News with Brian Williams," "TODAY," "The Doctors," "Fox & Friends," "Chelsea Lately" and "The Suzanne Somers Show."
Earth Watch Living & Well-Being
Students Help Track Climate Impact on Marine Species
Jan 26, 2023 Gemma Alexander
Inspire & Motivate Living & Well-Being
The Carbon Impact of Email Newsletter Subscriptions
Jan 25, 2023 Earth911
Business & Policy Earth Watch Living & Well-Being
Hunting Invasive Species for the Environment


The ability of cancer cells to adapt to non-cell autonomous (extrinsic) and cell autonomous (intrinsic) stresses is critical for maintaining cell viability and therapy resistance. The Integrated Stress Response (ISR) transcription factor ATF4 is essential in helping cancer cells cope with extrinsic stresses such as deficits in oxygen and nutrients. ATF4 deficient cells exhibit decreased viability and survival when subjected to hypoxia or nutrient deprivation stresses. However the role of ATF4 in oncogene-induced intrinsic stress remains unclear. Dysregulation of the proto-oncogene c-Myc (MYC henceforward) drives malignant progression, but also induces robust anabolic and proliferative programs leading to intrinsic stress. The mechanisms enabling adaptation to MYC-induced stress are not fully understood. This work shows that MYC induces ATF4 expression through activation of the ISR kinases PERK and GCN2. Using a tRNA microarray we discovered that MYC activates GCN2 through accumulation of uncharged tRNAs. Functionally, loss of ATF4 enhanced apoptosis and decreased survival during MYC activation. Genome-wide ChIP-seq analysis revealed that ATF4 co-occupies promoter regions of over 30 MYC target genes, including those regulating amino acid biosynthesis/transport and protein synthesis. ATF4 is essential for MYC-induced upregulation of the negative translational regulator and mTORC1 target 4E-BP1 and genetic or pharmacological inhibition of mTORC1 signaling rescues ATF4 deficient cells from MYC-induced stress. To test the role of ATF4 in MYC induced tumorigenesis we employed the Eμ-Myc mouse model of MYC-induced spontaneous lymphoma. Acute deletion of ATF4 significantly delays MYC-driven tumor progression and increases survival in lymphoma and colon cancer xenograft models. Collectively, our results demonstrate ATF4 exerts pro-survival activities during MYC induced intrinsic stress and identifies ATF4 as a potential therapeutic target in MYC driven cancers.
Tameire, Feven, "The Role Of The Integrated Stress Response Transcription Factor Atf4 In Myc Induced Tumorigenesis" (2018). Publicly Accessible Penn Dissertations. 3190.


text:
Arab Networked Public Sphere
Yochai Benkler is the Jack N. and Lillian R. Berkman Professor of Entrepreneurial Legal Studies at Harvard Law School and a faculty co-director of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society. His work traverses a wide range of disciplines and sectors, and is taught in sundry professional schools and academic departments. He writes about the Internet and the emergence of networked economy and society, as well as the organization of infrastructure, such as wireless communications. His work can be freely accessed at benkler.org.
Robert Faris is the Research Director at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society, where he manages research activities related to the impact of digital technologies on freedom of expression, media, development, and governance.
Jazem Halioui is a tech entrepreneur with nineteen years of experience in bootstrapping and managing companies in Tunisia, France, and the USA. He specializes in big data and machine learning. He is currently the CEO of Innova Tunisia (WebRadar, media monitoring and analytics) and a board member of Viamobile (mobile payments). He is also an active advocate of open governance (opengov).
Nagham El Houssamy pursued her undergraduate studies at The American University in Cairo (AUC) and graduated with a BA in political science, specializing in international law and international relations with a minor in economics. Upon graduating in 2009, she started work as an economic researcher in the Macro-Fiscal Policy Unit at the Egyptian Ministry of Finance. She completed her MA in Economics in International Development at AUC in 2012. She also interned at the ICT Policies Unit of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for West Asia in Beirut. She joined the Access to Knowledge for Development Center in June 2012, serving as the network's North Africa Hub coordinator for the Open African Innovation Research Project (Open A.I.R.). She was awarded an Open A.I.R. fellowship to spend three months at the Intellectual Property Unit at the University of Cape Town, South Africa from November 2013-February 2014. She is currently a Research Coordinator at the Access to Knowledge for Development Center at AUC.
Escander Nagazi is an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) specialist with five years of experience in the fields of international cooperation for development and academic research in the MENA region. He has served as an ICT expert at the German cooperation for development (GIZ) since 2011. He is also a researcher at the University of Tunis. His current research focuses on information and communication technologies in the context of local governance and digital activism with a special focus on digital learning and open data.
Helmi Noman is a Research Affiliate of the Berkman Center. His research focuses on Internet censorship in the Middle East and North Africa; exploring the impact of information and communication technologies on the Arab information societies; how the use of the Internet defies the social and political structures; and the potential systemic changes cyberspace can bring to real space in the Arab region.
Fares Mabrouk is the Director of the Arab Policy Institute, a Tunis-based think tank. He also leads Yunus Social Business (YSB) global acceleration programs.
Dalia Othman is a Research Fellow at the Berkman Center and a Visiting Scholar at MIT's Center for Civic Media. Her research focuses on online communities and civic engagement in the Arab World. Dalia's work also focuses on forms of digital storytelling through data that promote civic engagement and socio-political change. Her project NetStories.org aims to help communities and journalists find the best online tools to tell their stories. Prior to Berkman, Dalia was an Associate Professor teaching New Media at Bard College- Abu Dis and Birzeit University. She was a Fulbright Scholar from 2009-2011, where she completed her MA in Media, Culture and Communication at New York University.
Nagla Rizk is a Professor of Economics at the School of Business, the American University in Cairo (AUC). She is the founding director of the Access to Knowledge for Development Center (A2K4D) at AUC and an affiliated fellow of the Information Society Project at Yale Law School. Her area of research is the economics of knowledge, information technology, and development, with a focus on business models in the digital economy, intellectual property, and human development in Egypt and the Arab region. Rizk is the co-author of the first Arab Knowledge Report (2009) and co-editor and contributor to Access to Knowledge in Egypt, New Research on Intellectual Property, Innovation and Development (2010). She served as Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research at AUC's School of Business and Chair of the economics department at AUC. She also taught at Yale Law School and at the University of Toronto. She has a PhD in Economics from McMaster University.
Nadine Weheba is a Research Officer at the Access to Knowledge for Development Center (A2K4D) at the American University in Cairo, where she is engaged in a number of projects including research on digital activism and mobilization in MENA as well digital entrepreneurship and access to knowledge in the region. Nadine received her MSc in Development Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London in 2013. She holds a BA in economics from The American University in Cairo.
Structure and Discourse: Mapping the Networked Public Sphere in the Arab Region
The Networked Public Sphere and Civic Engagement in Post-2011 Egypt: A Local Perspective
An Accelerated Story of the Emergence and Transformation of the Networked Public Sphere: The Case of Tunisia
Civic Engagement and the Arab Networked Public Sphere: A Synthesis of Research Findings
Studying the Arab Networked Public Sphere: A Reflection on Methods
© Arab Networked Public Sphere


As autumn draws in, I'm still craving the tastes and colours of summer. I get quite down thinking about bright, red juicy tomatoes, drizzled with olive oil and eaten alfresco in the sunshine. And while summer is well and truly behind us now, this weekend I decided to dedicate brunch to the season and bid it farewell, before I start tucking into cheesy mash and meat pies in order to prepare for winter hibernation.
I came up with an Italian take on this Iranian recipe for cheese-baked egg-stuffed tomatoes. Instead of Middle Eastern spices, I chose pesto, topped with extra parmesan for a delicate crunch. Served up with my favourite griddled bread, this was a wonderful light brunch for a Saturday morning.
Take four large tomatoes and using a paring knife or teaspoon scrap out the pulp and keep to one side.
Fry off one shallot in a little olive oil and add 100g of pancetta and fry until crispy. Add the tomato pulp and a tablespoon of pesto. Season and warm through.
Refill the mixture into the hollowed-out tomatoes leaving space for one egg per tomato.
Crack an egg into a ramekin and gently transfer to the tomato, repeat for the other three - I found I had too much egg so I threw away part of the white until the yolk fit snuggly.
Sprinkle over parmesan, and a grind of black pepper. Bake for 15-20 mins at 190 degrees until the egg has set.
While baking, griddle two or three slices of toast until nicely charred.
Serve with the tomatoes to mop up the tomatoey, eggy goodness.


text:
Home Topics Funding Romanian UiPath raises $225 million setting record as the fastest growing software...
Romanian UiPath raises $225 million setting record as the fastest growing software enterprise in history
Aleksandar Tasev
Daniel Dines, CEO & Founder of UiPath presenting latest UiPath's develepoments at a Conference in Paris / Photo: UiPath's Facebook page
Romania founded a company – UiPath – specialized in the latest technology in robotic process automation (RPA) platform has raised $225 million in a series C round funding led by Capital G and by Sequoia Capital, world media reported. Accel, the old investor and supporter of UiPath, which led both Series A and B rounds, also participated in this round, UiPath announced.
With this round of investment, this Romanian company is valued at $3billion, tripling its value in just six months, which is reportedly the highest rating recorded in the history of IT company launched from Romania.
Daniel Dines, CEO & Founder of UiPath / Photo: Dines' LinkedIn profile
For now, the UiPath plans to use these funds to support its accelerating product development, deepen its ecosystem of partnerships to deliver complementary AI-enabled solutions, broaden the role of RPA in the enterprise process automation initiatives and invest acquisition opportunities.
"We are delighted by the strong support of our customers, partners and investors toward making this future of automation a reality. UiPath is driven by the incredible potential for our platform to be the gateway to transform our customers' digital business operations with machine learning and AI", said Daniel Dines, CEO and founder of UiPath.
For Carl Eschenbach, Partner at Sequoia, UiPath is the ultimate solution to the pain with digital transformation of the back-end systems that every company is looking to solve.
"Every company is looking to drive a digital transformation of their back-end systems, and UiPath is solving that pain point through AI-powered automation. Daniel and his team have built a technology platform that will drive efficiencies and deliver tangible ROI for businesses. We are thrilled to partner with UiPath to help accelerate their already impressive growth", says Eschenbach.
Laela Sturdy, Partner at CapitalG said to be "thrilled" to cooperate with UiPath and that they "strongly believe that RPA is a primary route for organizations to benefit from Artificial Intelligence".
"CapitalG is delighted to deepen its commitment to UiPath. We firmly believe that RPA is the main route through which organizations will benefit from AI, and UiPath proves this potential through unrivaled growth and incredible impact on customers. We are convinced that our long-term partnership with UiPath will facilitate access to this transforming technology to companies around the world", says Sturdy.
WSJ story on UiPath
On that same note (the importance of the RPA and its profitability), one of the most influential media, Wall Street Journal(WSJ), reporting on the excellent success of UiPath, estimates that the AI market will grow to almost $1.1 billion in revenue this year from $325 million in 2016, stating that this "soaring valuations" of this company is not solely to the company's solutions, but also due to the "buzz over artificial intelligence, or AI" and "because chief information officers can show their bosses real cost savings by using bots to complete clerical tasks faster, more cheaply and with lower error rates".
With this optimistic estimation made by such an influential media as the WSJ, Daniel Dines' plan for 2019 – UiPath to receive $600 million in revenue – might be very realistic, rather than surprising.
Founded in 2005 by Dines, UiPath is headquartered in New York, with branches in 14 countries throughout North America, Europe and Asia. According to the company's date, UiPath has over 1.800 customers using RPA services and over 200.000 users around the world. American Red Cross, BMW group, Carlsberg, NASA, Pandora, Japan Airlines are just a few to mention. Besides Accel, Capital G and Sequoia Capital, UiPath so far has been also funded and supported by Earlybird's Digital East Fund, Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers, Credo Ventures, Seedcamp and Sequoia.
As reported by the company, UiPath expects to end 2018 with more than 1,700 employees, a three-fold increase in 12 months, with operations in 30 offices across 16 countries.
Romanian company
Previous articleEstonian Tera Ventures raises €21 million for their second seed stage fund
Next articleStillfront Group acquires Bulgarian game developer Imperia Online JSC for €10M
Newsletter #46: Pipedrive Achieves Unicorn Status, Slovenian Startup TAIA Secured €1.2 Million
Romanian PE fund Morphosis capital is seeking to invest €5-15m in six companies in 2020
Austrian startup hi.health raises $1 million investment
Startup calls
OK! Thess: The 15 startups that are part of the 12th...
Advancing AI accelerator: 7 selected Romanian startups
11 fintech startups in Romania accelerated by Techcelerator at NEXT FinTech
Bogdan Iordache, Startup Spotlight: "The prize reached 225,000 euros"
100,000 euros for 5 startups at the Innovators for Children 2020...


text:
Ep 718 is up with Lily Gonzalez on her new "Sink or Swim" album
In the early days of Revenge of the 80s Radio, I used to cover and review concerts somewhat regularly. During one at Jones Beach in 2009 which featured several artists of the 80s, I met backstage a rather talented percussionist, Lily Gonzalez, who was playing with ABC at the time. Since, she has worked with several classic alternative acts, most recently (and currently) with Tony Hadley. Lily has a new album out titled Sink or Swim; she will be our guest on this episode of Revenge of the 80s Radio.
The 2009 Regeneration Tour Kicks off Tomorrow in Boston
Regeneration Tour 2009 kicks off June 17th at the House of Blues in Boston. This year's tour features Terri Nunn & Berlin (most dates), ABC, Wang Chung, Cutting Crew and Missing Persons (some dates).
Podcast for 8/29 Show Is Up
The podcast for our August 29th show is up and available at the end of this post. during the show, we featured a track from Martin Fry and ABC's new album Traffic, In addition, we played a new song from Lily Gonzalez, one of the backing musicians for ABC and Belinda Carlisle during the Regeneration […]
Lily Gonzalez: An Up-and-Coming Musician From the Regeneration Tour
Many new wave fans went out to see the Regeneration Tour over the past month and enjoyed performances from ABC, Naked Eyes, Belinda Carlisle, A Flock of Seagulls and The Human League. On stage, there were also several other talented musicians who backed up the headliners. I had the pleasure of meeting one of them […]


Mindfulness Medidation promotes the good physical and mental health where one becomes more aware of ones physical, mental, and emotional condition in the present moment without becoming judgmental. Often we either don't pay attention to what we are experiencing, or we resist it, or wish we were somewhere else doing something else. We may struggle in vain to stay on top of things, or try to change them without much success. Mindfulness offers a different way of relating to our life and experiences. Developing mindfulness is both simple and challenging. We learn these skills through meditation techniques, e.g. focusing on the breath or body, and exercises to integrate mindful attention in our daily life.


text:
Dr Andrew Rogers
Kark Biodiversity Group
a.rogers@uq.edu.au
Kark Biodiversity Research Group
Researcher biography
My primary research interests include species' use of highly transformed habitats, conservation management in human-dominated landscapes. I am particularly interested in community assembly and the impact of invasive species on ecosystem function. Recent work has included quantifying novel ecosystem support of native species, invasive species distribution mapping, and resource use by native species in human-modified habitats.
My current research explores the patterns and processes impacting threatened species on Australia's island systems which will assist in identifying conservation opportunities for island species. This work is part of NESP project 4.2 Saving species on Australian Islands: http://www.nespthreatenedspecies.edu.au/projects/saving-species-on-australian-islands
I have a BSc from the University of California Riverside, working with the Center for Conservation Biology group. I obtained my MSc from Stellenbosh University, working with the Center for Invasion Biology. My PhD is from The University of Queensland where I was working within the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Andrew_Rogers7
https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=qQo8KX4AAAAJ
Saving species on Australian islands: a first national database


2. What the physician does or does not do.
3. What the nurse does or does not do.
4. Data input to the state.
5. Renewing the license for the facility.
6. Setting up all the diets.
8. Prescribing psychotropics as needed.
9. Training staff on everything- OSHA, CPR, etc.
You may be looking at the list and thinking to yourself, "It's impossible for the QIDP to be responsible for all that stuff. The QIDP doesn't even do our billing!" You would be right in your assumption, it is impossible for the QIDP to be responsible for all that stuff. In fact, there is a good chance that the use of W159 should not be the foundation to say the QIDP is responsible for everything, but instead it should be the foundation to say, "The QIDP should coordinate everything." In other words, you can not be responsible for all those items listed above and you simply can not be "responsible for everything." If that statement, used so often, that says, "The QIDP is responsible for everything," was true, then you'd have no need for most of the other federal tags. Why would you need a dietician? The QIDP can do it! Why would you need someone in billing? The QIDP can do it! Why would you need an Administrator? The QIDP can do it! The fact is saying the QIDP is responsible for everything is simply wrong. It's wrong to place this burden on a QIDP and it's wrong to express this saying. However, QIDP's reading this, do not think you'll get off the hook that easily.
The fact is, as stated before, the correct expression should be, "The QIDP should coordinate everything". A closer look at what W159 says will clearly show that the position of the QIDP is not to be responsible for everything, but instead it is to coordinate everything.
W159 says "Each client's active treatment program must be integrated, coordinated, and monitored by a qualified intellectual disabilities professional." That is the entire standard, and if you look closely you will notice the words "responsible for everything" can not be found. In fact, the more appropriate wording that says the QIDP should ensure the program for each individual is "integrated, coordinated, and monitored" comes to light. More simply put, the QIDP should "coordinate" everything related to the client's programming needs (and those can be many as you know!).
As you know, W159 continues with questions and guidelines for the surveyor. Without going into too much more detail, it is easy to read and see that the QIDP's function really centers on coordinating all the services for the people served, or the client. That responsibility will require a lot of knowledge about what is going on with the person, what is happening around the person, and even the day-to-day basic functions of the home where the person lives.....it will not, however, mean that the QIDP is responsible for everything. Should the QIDP have a working knowledge of everything that is going on? Yes. Should the QIDP be responsible to do everything? No.
The function of the QIDP is to coordinate and ensure that services meet the needs of the individual served or the client. So, blaming the QIDP for everything based on W159 or any other assessment of the facility is simply wrong. The QIDP should do his or her job and coordinate, but others in the facility program must do their jobs as well. If you find you are in a facility where problems are constant, do not simply assume the QIDP is responsible. Look at your administrative structure and deal with the appropriate person(s) for the problem. Let's take a little time to stop blaming the QIDP for everything and start addressing the area of need.
1. Either you or someone within your organization fails to do the work required in an important area - an example might be the QIDP fails to type an annual staffing, the nurse does not do annual assessments, staff do not document data or goals, or the organization fails to get some required appointments or needs met per standards.
2. A negative surveyor acting out of line - let's face it, nobody wants to say it, but the truth is some surveyors act differently than others. While they should all hold the facility to the standards, there are simply some of them that have their own interpretations of what those standards mean. In other words, they may "see something that's not in the standards," or "hold the facility to different level of the standards" (quotes I have heard from providers). A surveyor that comes in with a negative attitude from the start can cause a difficult survey process to follow. They tend to look deeper and longer, they tend to complain about everything, and often they make statements about right and wrong that simply are not part of the standards, but instead opinion based. Surveyors will tell you that this doesn't happen; however, that would be to admit that surveyors are not human and subject to influences that can cause them to have a bad day. Sorry, the fact is, some surveyors act negatively during the survey process. Sorry - truth hurts.
3. The final reason for a negative survey is usually a combination of the above two. For example, you may have a really bad dietician who does not do his or her job. As a result all the diets are wrong or there is a lack of training on some special diets needed. Along comes a surveyor already in a "negative" mood and suddenly this issues is a major problem. The surveyor becomes visibly upset and then starts to, as many people have stated, "dig for more bad stuff". Often this process becomes extremely hard on the surveyor and the facility because it continues to grow.
1. Try to ensure that all areas have been addressed prior to the annual survey. Do a mock survey, find your weak spots (yes, you have them, we all do) and work on correcting them.
2. Make the survey process positive by being honest. I'm not saying to go tell the surveyor something like, "Well, look over here on John's annual hearing test....we didn't get it finished for fourteen months instead within the twelve..." No, there is no reason to hand the surveyor the deficient tag, let them look, but when they ask you about it, be honest. This is your time to build a reputation and you want to have a reputation of being honest even in light of negative findings. In other words, it's better to simply say, "I see what you're looking at and agree, we did not get the vision test completed in a timely manner. We will correct that." Don't lie - it's your reputation and the reputation of the facility that you need to maintain.
3. If a surveyor becomes aggressive when seeking answers or is being negative, try to remain positive. We have all seen surveyors that appear to attempt to make everything that has gone wrong a terrible thing! I have heard QIDPs, staff, managers and even owners say things like, "Wow, we know it's a mistake and we need to correct it, but that surveyor is just hounding us over it," or "If that surveyor acts like that, I'm not coming back in the morning." Simply remain as positive as you can and answer the questions directly. I once had a negative acting surveyor asking me direct questions that to be honest I did not agree with the findings that were being presented. I could tell the surveyor was going to "jump" on anything I said in a negative manner based on the fact that they just had over two things I already answered. I simply changed my form of answers to "Yes" or "No". When the surveyor prompted me further on a question I had answered "No" to by saying, "So are you telling me that you did not do this?" I responded, "Yes, I am telling you we did not address that." Naturally, the 2567 had a statement that said, "QIDP A stated that he agreed and the facility did not address X".
4. Get the deficiencies, write the POC and address them. Simple.
Ultimately, regardless of the outcome of any survey, you need to remember that surveyors are not there to "Pat you on the back" and tell you what a great job you and your staff are doing. They are there to ensure compliance with a minimal set of standards. They look for the negative things in the facility and that is their job. While they may like things you are doing that are positive, there is always a good chance they can find something wrong. They are human and just like you they can make mistakes or misunderstand something you have been working on for the facility. Just because one set of surveyors finds something wrong, it does not mean the next set will find the same issues. It's just part of the nature of the business. The bottom line though is that a survey process, the corrective action taken after the process, and the continued work between surveyors and facilities should have an end result of one thing: Improving the lives of people with Developmental Disabilities, and if that can happen in the end, that's all that really matters.
QIDP, QDDP, ICF - What Does It All Mean?
One of the major questions that I am asked all the time is "What do you do?" When I respond, "I'm a QIDP," you can imagine the blank stares I get. People look at me with the old "Deer in the headlight" look as they ponder their next question. The next question comes quickly, "What's a Q...?" They naturally trail off because they did not hear exactly what I said or they did not understand.
At this point in the conversation, I usually respond, "I am a consultant for homes serving people with disabilities. I write programs and goals for the individuals living in those homes." Guess what? I'm suddenly classified as a "Computer Programer" and everyone is excited because they think I'll be able to write them a neat little app for their cell phones. While writing apps, and other work is a nice attachment hobby, it is not what a "Q" does or even what it means to be a "Q".
For those aware of the terminology, the next part is going to be a little boring. The old term "QMRP" stood for Qualified Mental Retardation Professional. The term basically means that the person is "qualified" to write goals and to serve in a certain capacity to help people who have a diagnosis of Mental Retardation. There are specific federal standards, and in some cases state standards, around the country that address what a Q does and his or her role (http://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Manuals/downloads/som107ap_j_intermcare.pdf).
With the changes of terminology brought about by Rosa's Law (http://myqidp.com/Rosa%27s%20Law%20and%20changes.pdf) the use of the term "Mental Retardation" was removed from use in the United States. Naturally, when that change was made, the acronym "QMRP" was no longer appropriate. Some states elected to change the term to "QDDP" or Qualified Developmental Disabilities Professional, while others went with the federal change to "QIDP" or Qualified Intellectual Disabilities Professional.
For lack of a better way to explain the position a QIDP or QDDP is simply a person who works and writes goals and data to help individuals with Intellectual Disabilities learn to live more independently. The Q may be found on a state level working for organizations such as large or small institutions, or on a smaller level working for ICF (Intermediate Care Facilities) in settings with six to twelve people being served. Ultimately, the Q is essentially a "Case Manager" and has duties much like those of any human service case manager. While there are many different views of how a QIDP should work, there is a national organization that bonds these Q's together and even provides formal training (http://www.qddp.org/). Other organizations offer training and consulting services such as my own organization (http://myqidp.com).